#prewview

“Look, I…” Plagg started hesitantly, “I know you are scared, but it will be okay, y’know? I’m sure they will fix ya…”

He knew Plagg was struggling with being encouraging. Tikki was the positive one, Plagg could only be sarcastic and cynical. So Adrien knew he was trying really hard to be there for him, and although it did nothing to assuage his fear, he appreciated it.  Adrien raised his head, offering him a weak smile, but it wavered and fell again almost immediately. Crystal tears flowed silently down his cheeks, his body shivering with sickness-induced cold. He brought his arms around his bent legs, trying in vain to warm himself.

“What am I going to do?” Adrien asked him, and his voice was so low and broken that it took everything out of Plagg not to break with him.

“They will fix you, you’ll see,” Plagg repeated, awkwardly patting Adrien’s head.

“Only Ladybug can get rid of the Akuma…” Adrien said softly, “What if it takes over me again?”

“Master Fu restrained the Akuma so you should be okay for now, but we do need to get you help so your body can heal.” Plagg replied, resting on Adrien’s shoulder comfortingly. “That way you’ll be able to punch the Akuma in the face if it rears its ugly head again…”

“What if I don’t get better, though? What if I can’t fight anymore?” Adrien asked, his eyes glassy and his voice quivering, “What if… What if I d-di… “ he couldn’t finish. Another wave of fear gripped him and his eyes widened, his body shuddering at the realization of what he was about to say.

“Hey, listen to me,” Plagg said, sensing Adrien’s anxiety and flying off his shoulder to pull on his hair till he raised his head at him, eyes overflowing with tears, “Stop talking like that. You’re not gonna die, okay? I’m not letting you die, ever. You are stuck with me, and that’s that. Understand? You’re not gonna die!”

Adrien gave a watery chuckle, “Is that a promise?”

“Yeah, yeah, cross my heart,” Plagg said, crossing a paw over his chest, “But only if you promise to do your best to get better and not do anything dumb and reckless again that will probably get Tikki to yell at us, got it?”

Adrien found it in himself to laugh. “Got it…”

“Nuh-uh, cross your heart, too.” Plagg insisted, floating in front of him and crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. 

Adrien smiled, bringing up a hand to shakily brush his index finger against his chest in an x shape. “Cross my heart.”

In which Plagg is not that much of an asshole. 

I really liked writing this Part. Plagg is very fun when he is being a pain, but it was interesting to try to work some encouragement into him. Like, we know he cares cuz in Jackady he got sad at Adrien’s sadness, so we know that even though he doesn’t show it, he cares.