Miraculous Team ✔️

28

Nino was very much aware of the moment Adrien and Marinette shared last night. He was looking for bedsheets for him and Adrien's room when he saw them at the bottom of the stairs, cuddled up together and whispering. Out of embarrassment, he crept back into his room and waited for Adrien to come back.

It took a while.

"Hey dude." Nino said, pulling off his headset.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Adrien asked, gently closing the door behind him, "It's so late now..."

"We need bedsheets. They're downstairs and I would hate to interrupt you and your boo." Nino smirked, nudging his best friend in the chest teasingly.

Adrien's face flushed and all he could do is stammer in response.

"C'mon. Help me find them, would ya?" Nino said, before turning to Plagg and Wayzz, "We'll be back."

The two boys headed downstairs in their socks and opened the closet near the front door. Adrien grabbed the sheet on top of the pile and struggled to keep it from touching the floor. Nino gave him a hand and kicked the closet door shut. The house was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

Adrien stopped suddenly, midway back to the stairs. "Did you hear that?"

"Hm? Hear what?" Nino asked.

"Can you hold this for a sec?" Adrien asked, giving his share of the sheets to Nino.

Nino watched, confused, as Adrien peeked out the window. There was nothing other than the swaying of the trees that surrounded the house.

"Probably just a squirrel, Adrien." Nino suggested, "Let's get back upstairs. I'm getting tired..."

I swore I heard something... a voice... Adrien thought, then he yawned, Maybe I'm just too exhausted.

Right when he was about to move away from the window, he saw a flash of purple amongst the green and brown canvas. That was all it took to knock Adrien back into consciousness.

Adrenaline coursing through his veins, he gave Nino a look of absolute panic and mouthed:

"Hawkmoth"

Nino responded immediately with wild gestures, signaling Adrien to go upstairs for safety. But before Adrien could even move an inch, the front door made a loud bang and it came toppling down. Someone too familiar stood at the entrance.

Both boys went with their instincts.

"Plagg, claws out!"

"Wayzz, shell on!"

The two surprised kwamis were sucked out from the room upstairs and into the owners' Miraculous.

The pair faced Hawkmoth off, angry and determined. The shouting woke the others up from their precious slumber. Alya and Marinette were the first out of their room. Marinette gasped when she saw Hawkmoth below the railing.

"Trixx," Alya called, "Let's pounce!"

She leaped bravely off the balcony and landed fully transformed.

Marinette went to warn Master Fu, but they threw open the door before her hand even touched the cool metal of knob.

"What's happening?" Chloe asked, alarmed. But she didn't need an answer. She knew.

"Pollen!" She looked for her kwami, who quickly appeared beside her, "Buzz on!" Her comfy pajamas became a superhero suit in less than a few seconds.

Hawkmoth stood, watching the four glare at him, with a pleasant look on his face, as if he was just stopping by an old friend's house. His easiness irritated Marinette. She wished she could transform and wipe the smug smile off his face. But she had more important things to care about.

"Master Fu." Marinette reached out to him, "Take the Miraculous Box and go."

Master Fu wanted to refuse, but he couldn't risk Hawkmoth being so close to the box. He nodded grimly and left without a word, Marianne close behind him. They would escape through the window. It was their only option.

"Now now." Hawkmoth said, faking a yawn, "Let's not waste anyone's time. You already know what I want."

Carapace was fuming. "Don't you even try..."

Queen Bee pushed Chat behind her. "You'll have to get through us first."

Hawkmoth laughed. "That would be no fun, now would it?" He said, "Fights are so old school. I happen to be one step ahead of you. I know several ways to get you to hand over Cat Noir. Remember a few years ago, Ladybug and Cat Noir lost their memories and fell in love?"

Chat was the first to catch on. He whipped his head around and shouted at the bluenette who stood at the top of the staircase like a statue. "Mari! Run!"

Marinette lurched backwards and made a run for the nearest window, silently praying the height wouldn't be enough to break her legs.

(At the Agreste mansion)

Nathalie stared at the enormous front door, unsure of what she was waiting for. A heavy weight rested on her shoulders. She sighed in frustration and wondered how Adrien would react to Hawkmoth taking him to his own home.

Whatever home this is...

"You can still fix this, Nathalie." Tikki said, trying to get her attention.

"Shut it." Nathalie said irritably.

"I don't have to listen to you-"

"I know, I know." Nathalie looked up at the kwami, then mocked Tikki in a high pitched voice, "because you're unsure about your intentions."

"I understand you're in a sticky situation, Nathalie. But please listen. Doing this isn't going to help Adrien; It'll scar him."

"Hawkmoth is the one who's scarring his own son." Nathalie said defensively.

"And you're the one who's sitting around and letting it happen." Tikki pointed out, "Also attacking Adrien's friends and leading Hawkmoth into their hideout."

Nathalie sat down in a nearby chair and rubbed her temples. "Okay." She said, looking up at Tikki, "What do I do then?"