The door slammed shut behind him as Adrien stormed into his and Plagg’s hideout – a small, abandoned house in the slums of Paris that no Frenchman would ever admit existed – and shed his signature cat-eared hoodie. His blond hair was a wild mess, his emerald eyes blazing fire as he searched for his partner, who sat, calm and expectant despite his pale display last night, at a small wooden table, swallowing the last of his Camembert snack.
Plagg regarded his partner silently, fluorescent green eyes looking over the bandage peeking out from beneath Adrien’s shirt as his chest heaved, likely sucking in oxygen after running back to the hideout. Plagg had watched, from the solace of shadows, as Chat Noir once again snuck into his princess’s home, retreating to lick his wounds in the comfort of her arms. And maybe it made sense that Adrien wouldn’t come back to the hideout after his own partner stabbed him, but it wasn’t like it was Plagg’s fault, either. He wasn’t the idiot who jumped in front of a cute cop to keep her from getting hurt. And what was that, anyway? Plagg never saw Adrien as someone who would stoop so low as to go after two girls at once… especially one that a pair of handcuffs with his name on it (even if they were the same person). Had he figured out that the princess he was currently bothering every week was also the famous Ladybug, determined to throw him into prison?
“You said no one would get hurt.”
It was worse than he thought. Adrien was simply a terrible criminal. With a sigh, Plagg rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You ran into-“
“You tried to kill her!” Adrien snapped, hands slamming down on the table. “She could have been seriously hurt, or, or died, and… how did you expect me to live on like that, knowing that my own partner killed a cop and I did nothing to help her?! Of course I got in the way, and I’d do it again if it came down to it!”
Plagg frowned, adjusting his green bowtie. “First you go off to court some princess, and now you’re taking bullets for a cop. What is with you? You said you could do this. We had a deal-“
“And that deal did not include killing people to get away with this, Plagg!” Adrien ran a hand through his hair, sighing through his nose. “I… You know that’s not me. It has nothing to do with Ladybug being cute and you leave Marinette out of this; I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“What did you think was going to happen, kid? You agreed to help me; ten years, that was the deal. Now you’re risking your life to save cops and whoo some princess, who, by the way, is incredibly dangerous, and… Are you trying to get yourself killed? Arrested? Just to get out of the deal?”
Adrien shook his head. “It’s nothing like that.”
“Then what is it?!” Plagg finally snarled, shooting up from his seat. “Because it sure as hell seems like you’re trying to get out of this, and I am not losing my partner just because he got soft on some girl!” He jabs Adrien’s chest, scowling. “You are not going to leave me, dammit. I already lost… I… I’m not losing you too.” His shoulders slumped as his gaze dropped. “I… I can’t lose anyone else…”
Realization dawned in Adrien’s eyes, and it was about time. It was hard enough seeing Tikki again after so long and such a hard parting of ways, and honestly, he hadn’t wanted to hurt Ladybug either, but it was either her or him and Adrien. She was stealing his heart already; he couldn’t have her take Adrien away completely. Plagg wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“Plagg… you know I can handle myself, right? I’m not a kid anymore. I know the ropes by now. I’m not that sixteen year old you picked up off the street anymore…”
He collapsed into his chair again, running his fingers through his hair and tugging harshly. “…I brought you into this life, kid. And if I were to… If you got caught… went to jail… that’d be my fault. And I can’t let that happen to you.”
Adrien sighed, pulling up another chair to sit beside his partner. “Plagg, I’ll be okay. A few more years, and then Chat Noir disappears forever. Then Adrien Agreste can appear and… teach physics or something.” Plagg snorted at that, and Adrien smiled, leaning his head on his partner’s shoulder. “But you have to promise me something.”
“I will not stop eating Camembert.”
Laughing, Adrien shook his head. “No, not that, just… promise me you won’t hurt anyone else.”
Plagg sighed. “I’ll do my best.”
“And stay away from Marinette.” Blinking, Plagg looked at Adrien, his eyes meeting hard emerald ones. “You didn’t actually think I didn’t follow you on your ‘midnight walks’, did you? You’re checking her house out, like you do for the hit list.” Adrien sat up and crossed his arms. “Marinette and her valuables are off limits. You don’t touch her, her house, or her stuff, or I will personally deliver you to the station downtown.”
Plagg raised an eyebrow. “..She really means that much to you?”
His scowl broke into a soft smile. “She’s… she’s my Camembert, Plagg.”
Oh. That was serious. Therein lay the problem. Adrien’s princess had him under her thumb, and she had the power to squish him. He had no idea. Plagg had tried to tell him once he figured it out, but Adrien refused to listen. Discussing his princess, other than the occasional gag-inducing (from Plagg’s end) sigh and the dopey smile that would play on his lips, was forbidden. He still claimed “it wasn’t like that”, but that argument was quickly falling apart. She had stolen Adrien’s heart, whether he knew it or not.
What good would it do to tell him, anyway? Plagg had known Adrien for years now, and the last thing he wanted was for his ki… partner to turn out as heartbroken and lonely as he had. As much damage as this princess of his could do, the truth would probably hurt Adrien the most. And that was the last thing Plagg wanted to do to his partner. Hell, it’s why last night had shaken him so badly. Adrien’s blood on his own knife. Was it a sign? An omen? Nothing but selfless stupidity on Adrien’s side and reckless abandon on his?
Nevertheless, sign or stupidity, he had hurt his partner, and Plagg vowed that it would be the last time he did such a thing, as long as he could help it. So he stayed silent about Ladybug’s identity, and let Adrien continue to woo his princess to his heart’s content.
Still, Plagg didn’t like the idea of not checking out the premise. Ladybug was an enemy, a cop. He had to stick around and have his partner’s back. And yet… she had done nothing to arrest him thus far. Maybe… Adrien would be okay? He was right, he wasn’t a kid anymore. Plagg couldn’t help but be careful, though.
The irony was Adrien was more concerned about the harm Plagg could do to her. If only Adrien could see that Plagg was protecting him, and Adrien protecting his princess, Ladybug herself, from a well-meaning friend was simply a death wish. Or at least, hoping for a jail sentence.
With a sigh, he leaned back into his chair. “…Fine. I’ll leave her alone. But you better watch out. You’re still a criminal, after all.” Adrien nodded and held out his fist, which Plagg reluctantly pounded.
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