Three different alarms sound, and Marinette flings the blanket off her and Alya in the middle of her freaked out awakening.

"You guys can go first... I need five more minutes.." Alya groans from her pillow.

"Marinette, I volunteer you as tribute." I say groggily.

Marinette gets up with a sigh. I hear some shuffling and then a door close.

"We might actually get there on time." Alya tiredly chuckles, and I join her.

"Mhm~, and we, get more sleep."

"Pound it." Alya raises her fist to me, and we bump fists.

Marinette gently shakes me awake. "The bathroom's free."

I sigh and stretch. "Thank you." I say mid-yawn. I get up and walk over to my closet and pick out the outfit of the day. Then I start walking towards my bathroom.

I close the door and start with brushing my teeth and hair. I get changed and decide to style my hair today for funsies. I throw my pj's in my hamper and walk out to wake Alya for her turn.

Marinette snaps my notebook closed, and I chuckle. "Looking at the lyrics? Did you get an idea?"

"Oh! Uhm, yeah! It's more of the tune that could follow after, but-uh, I'll have to think on it some more." She rubs the back of her neck and laughs nervously.

I look to her with a confused smile. "Okay, weirdo. You can take a picture of them so you can see if any lyrics might match."

"Good idea!" She exclaims and pulls out her phone.

I walk over to our final sleeping beauty and gently shake her. "Alyaaa, wakey-wakey! We got a girl's day planned, and you're going to miss it~" I tease.

"I'M AWAKE!" She runs to the bathroom, snatching her bag on the way.

"I thought we only planned for the museum?" Marinette turns to me confused.

"We do. I just figured it'd be the easiest way to get her up." I smile, and Marinette nods in approval.

"Wanna do each other's makeup?" She asks.

"Hell yeah."

Alya flings open the door. "Don't you DARE do each other's makeup without me!" Marinette and I look to her surprised and then laugh.

Afterward, we head into the kitchen and make a quick breakfast.

"Are your parents here?" Alya asks.

"It's usually like this. They must have some busy lives." I open the fridge doors. "They do text me the details, just the basics, though."

"Ah, does the silence ever get eerie?" Marinette asks from the pantry.

I shake my head. "Not really, I play music pretty often to fill it."

"What do your parents do for work? Also, can you pass me the milk?" Alya asks.

I hand her the milk and decide cereal sounds great. "You know, I never thought to ask. I mean, it's not like they questioned me about my adventures, so I never thought anything of it."

Alya nods, and we finish up and go sit down at the table to eat our breakfast.

"Where do you think he found the letter?" I ask.

"I don't know, but knowing her, it was somewhere hilarious or really cool." Marinette says while putting a spoonful of ceral in her mouth.

"Marinette, we should head out soon if we want to have time to gather the inspiration you need." Alya raises her eyebrows at her.

Marinette looks confused before she gets a dawning realization. "Right! We should leave now!" She chugs her milk and washes her bowl in the sink. Alya and I finish up and do the same, then we're off.

When we got there, I saved Marinette and Alya the trouble of asking for some privacy by saying I wanted to get my own inspiration in a different section of the museum. They were more than happy when I offered. I found myself in the art history section, looking at the Renaissance era paintings.

I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I'm met with blue eyes.

"Hey." Luka says with a smile.

"Oh, heyyy!" I hug him, and he hugs me back. I'm lost in the warmth for a moment before realizing I never hugged this man before and quickly shoved him off. "Sorry! I just- It felt right."

He chuckles. "It's alright, there's much more intense greetings. I consider you a good friend anyway with what you've shared."

"Right." I pout a little. "I don't know much about you, though. Besides music and being a therapist." He hums in amusement. "Do you have any other interests?"

"Yes and no. Music is my life, but I don't spend all of my time composing or helping out a friend in need." He smiles. "I like taking walks around the city, finding new paths I haven't taken before hoping to get inspiration. I also like finding other musicians and asking about their stories. You'll find most of them performing at the Eiffel Tower. I also like to cook sometimes, and I've tried writing books and lyrics, but nothing compares to what an instrumental can make you feel." He looks around at the paintings in front of us. "It's like these paintings. No words are said or written. You decide what the meaning behind it is. The hertz in a soundtrack can make you feel the emotions of the song without any lyrics. It's like magic. Your heart will also sync to the beat of the song."

"Damn, that's really cool, actually! Most of those sounded music related, though." I elbow his side gently. "What do you normally like to cook?"

He grins. "I like to experiment. The last thing I made was garlic and beef stuffed carbonara pasta with olives, spinach, artichokes, and this fancy cheese I don't remember the name of."

"That sounds delicious. You'll have to make it for me sometime, I refuse to move on with my life until I've had a bite." I cross my arms over my chest.

He laughs. "I'll make you something better."

"It better be dessert, I still wanna try it. What if the thing you make won't be as good? Not that I doubt your culinary skills, Musicman."

He chuckles. "Just trust me, I trust you."

I look to him, and he just smiles. "Alright, I trust you. If your cooking skills come anything close to your composer skills, I have no reason not to trust you." I smile back. "Oh! I almost forgot. I need your help with something."

"What is it?" He tilts his head.

"I have this song stuck in my head, but nobody's ever created it before. I only have the chorus written down and the music in my head. This is where I need your help."

"You need me to create the melody for you?"

"Yes, exactly. I figured nobody else would do it justice." I say confidently.

"I'll be more than happy to help. You know where to find me." He smiles.

I squeal. "Thank you! Are you free tomorrow?" He nods. "Perfect! It's a date then." I say jokingly, and he laughs.

"I can't wait~"

"There you guys are! You missed the reading!" Alya and the gang walk up from behind us.

"Sorry! We got a bit sidetracked." I rub the back of my neck.

"It's alright, you didn't miss much beside's Alix's brother totally flipping his shit!" Nino says.

"I guess we'll be seeing Ladybug and Chat Noir soon." I say with a laugh.

"What?" Adrien and Marinette say at the same time, looking at me with wide eyes.

I wave my hands at them. "I was making a joke! It's like, "Oh no, I can't be depressed or Hawk Daddy will get me!" Type stuff...I've seen it online..." I smile awkwardly, and Alya busts out laughing.

"They really call him that?" Marinette asks, and I nod. "Weird."

I pull my lips into a thin lined smile. 'There's a reason for it in my universe. I guess there's thirsty supervillan lovers in this one, too. They just don't know he's ACTUALLY a father.' I silently laugh through my nose.

Adrien walks up to me. "Hey, so, if you're not busy. Would you wanna go to the movies or something?" He has a slight tint of pink on his cheeks. Luka steps back and goes to join the others.

"A coffee sounds nice." I smirk.

"Yes!" He whispers. "Let's go! You pick this time. I know you explore the city, and I wanna see what you've discovered." He beams.

"It'd help if I had a personal uber driver." I raise my eyebrows at him, and he laughs as we start walking away from the group.

"I'd be more than happy to show you the city. I just gotta know the places you've already been." He winks at me.

"I haven't discovered much, it's mostly just observing in wonder. I would've loved to have a tour guide." I look at him teasingly.

He laughs. "You know I'm good for that."

We exit the museum and start walking in the direction of the streets with all the storefronts. When we spot a book fly in front of Roger, the cop, asking him the color of Henry VI's white horse. We both look back towards each other, and he sighs.

"Of course it's now." He angrily whispers. "You weren't kidding with your "joke" earlier, I wish it was only that. You must really miss seeing me in the cat suit~" He cheekily grins.

I wave a hand in his direction. "Pfft, just go save the city. It's a quick one. It practically fixes itself, but Ladybug needs you."

His smile disappears and is replaced with a very stern but slightly sad look. "Yeah... you're right."

"We'll have time after, if not. You know where to find me~"

He smiles and then bows before running off to transform. I look around, trying to find a hiding spot where I can watch.

I successfully sneak to the side of the Louve without being spotted by the book of truth. I watch as the book bombards Roger with the same question before Chat Noir lands in front of it and answers successfully.

I sneak inside and spot Alya running towards the exit. I usher Alya to follow me, and we both find a hiding place within view of the action. She fist bumps me.

"It's official, I need to bring or find you every time an akuma attack happens. I was curious how you got all that footage!" She beams.

I shush her. "I'm able to because I don't say anything, so they don't spot me!"

"Pfft, as if! I heard your comment about Chat Noir when he slid under a bus and caught Ladybug. It was pretty hot." She giggles, and I glare at her wide-eyed.

"I hope you cut that part out." I threaten.

"I only report the truth." She shrugs happily with a smirk. 'She didn't cut it out. fack.'

"I hate you." I mumble.

"You'll thank me later." She winks, and we turn back to the battle to see the book ask what the weather will be on July 14th, 200 years from now. They converse between each other before she calls her lucky charm. She runs off to formulate the letter for Alix and returns with the correct answer. The final barrier collapses, and they finally face Pharoah.

They bicker with him for a minute until Ladybug points out where the Megakuma is. Chat destroys the barrier around the book, and she tries to grab it with her yo-yo when a new barrier forms.

Pharaoh grabs Chat Noir, trapping him with his arms. "Come on, Ladybug. Give me your earrings and admit that you're the villain! Unless you want me to find out the truth about Chat Noir's identity."

She closes her eyes to think before suddenly gasping. "Pharaoh, you put all those people in danger just to find out if I'm the villain. If your book really knows everything, why don't you ask it and find out for sure?"

"Well... I could do that." He throws Chat Noir, and he crashes into a display.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug shouts, he gives a thumbs up indicating he's okay.

Pharoah asks the book, and it confirms that Alix left on her own free will. He rejects the akuma, and the battle ends as quickly as it started. The three of them pound it, and the duo fly off in different directions. Alya immediately goes to Jalil for an interview. I find my way outside as pink lights engulf the museum.

I look amongst the people, trying to spot a certain blonde. When I can't find him, I sigh and start walking down the street.

I take a turn down an alley towards what I think is the Eiffel Tower. A black cat runs across my line of sight, and I go try to look for it. I check behind the dumpster, the boxes, and the random pieces of furniture. I'm about to give up when I hear a small mew come from the entrance to the connecting alleyway, and I turn towards the direction of the sound and smile.

"Here, kitty-kitty~" I tsk and squat down. I see a tiny head peek up, and I'm filled with joy as I see it trot towards me. It slows down as it gets closer to me and mews again, saunting it's way closer. I slowly hold out the back of my hand, and it sniffs it before rubbing their head up against it.

"Awe, aren't you the sweetest." I scritch the side of it's head and it leans into it. "What monster just left you out here all alone?" I hold the sides of its head with both my hands and pet all the way down to their tail. It comes closer to rub it's body on my legs, and I pet their sides. "You're too sweet to be living this way. I wish I could take you home with me." It mews in response. I sigh and begin walking down the alley.

As I reach the exit, I feel soft fur rub against my legs and look down to see the kitty looking up at me. "Awh, don't guilt trip me...I'm too gullible when it comes to a cute face!" It blinks. "Alright, you've convinced me. Let me talk to my parents first."

It sits on my feet as I pull out my phone and text my mom if there's any reason why I can't have a pet. She says not really, I just never showed interest. I text back if they could pick up cat food on their way home. She replies with a laughing emoji and says sure.

I silently cheer and squat down to the kitty, who's now lying on my feet. "We need to get you a bath. How does that sound?" I pet their side, and they turn on their back. "I agree. Can I pick you up?" I reach down under their arms, and they start to go limp, so I take that as a yes and hoist em up with me as I stand. "Oh, you're so cute." I hold them gently as they relax in my arms and begin to purr. I squeal and begin my exciting walk home, pointing out all the things I saw on my walks from before.

I make it inside safely and head towards the bathroom in my room. "Who's gonna be a clean boi?" I hold him up in the air, and he just stares at me. "That's right! You!" I place him down next to the tub and turn it on, adjusting the temperature as the tub fills. I wet my hand and pet him with it. He seems to like it and leans into my hand. "Good kitty." I cup some water in my hand and sprinkle it on him. He shakes it off, and I giggle. "You'll have to get used to it." I pick him up and gently place him in the water, and he freaks out a bit but then stays still as I hold him up to keep him from moving around too much. "You're the calmest cat to ever take a bath. You're truly a wonder, Mister." He doesn't look amused but remains still.

I finished cleaning him off and picked him up with a towel to dry off. "You're such a good boy! The best ever!" I coo as I rub the towel on him while cradling him like a baby. I let him down and into my room. He shakes the water off the whole time as he explores.

I hear a knock on my window and look to see Chat Noir. I open the window and let him inside.

"Well, look at what the cat dragged in." I cross my arms teasingly.

He holds up a drink carrier and a brown bag. "The cat also brought coffee and chouquettes." He smiles sheepishly.

"You're forgiven." I snatch the bag out of his hands as he laughs. 'I've always wanted to try the chouquettes.' As I pop one in my mouth, I feel fur rub against my legs and look down.

"Oh, hi!" His fur, after drying, still has some brown and blonde patches, but the black overpowers them. "You're a bit of a brindle baby! or tortoiseshell, either way, you're the cutest!" I lean down and pet him.

"That hurts." Chat Noir crosses his arms and pouts.

"Oh, get over yourself." I pick up the kitty and smush my face into him. "Just look at how cute he is!"

Chat huffs and rolls his eyes. Mumbling something while still in a pout.

"Just hold him." I hold him out towards Chat, and he places the drink carrier with the coffees on my desk. Then gently grabs the kitty and holds him. The kitty being cradled like a baby begins pawing at Chat's bell.

"Oh my god, you're cute." Chat whispers.

"See! We found each other after you ditched me." I tease, crossing my arms once more.

"I didn't ditch you!" The kitty jumps from his arms and walks toward my closet. "Not intentionally. Plagg needed to give me something." He holds up his kwagatama. "Is this the object you, and now Ladybug, mentioned that can contact previous holders?"

"It is! The way Ladybug used hers was at the museum today in front of her statue. I don't know if it can work outside of that. Maybe she just needed a visual or something, but it is what's used to create the link."

"Sweet! This could come in handy." He turns the kwagatama in his fingers. "Can you make it into a necklace for me?"

"Sure, I think I have some string or my mom might. Let me go look."

I walk into my parent's office and look inside my moms desk. She uses this for some crafty things, so finding string was no issue. I grab a black colored bundle and some scissors and head back to my room.

When I walk in, Chat is looking in my notebook. "What is with you people and snooping in my room!" He snaps the book shut.

"Sorry! I was just looking at the superhero drawings. You should probably hide this better. Not everyone knows all our identities like you." He smiles and holds it out towards me. I tilt my head in confusion and grab the book.

"Superhero drawings? I thought-" I open the page to the Rena Rouge and Carapace drawings before anxiously flipping the pages to the lyrics I wrote during the sleepover. My eyes widen in shock. "Fuck."

Chat laughs. "What's the issue?"

"I wrote down lyrics to this song that doesn't exist, but I thought it did, during the sleepover I had with Alya and Marinette. Nino basically outed them already, so it wouldn't have been a huge issue. It's just that the other superhero drawings would've definitely raised suspicion. I could've sworn I grabbed a different book and not this one..." I scan my room trying to think of a good hiding place.

"Can I see the lyrics?" Chat has a thin lined smile and rocks back and forth on his feet, trying to hide his eagerness.

"Yeah, if you help me find a good hiding spot." I hand the notebook to him, and he excitedly takes it.

"The power of love? Really?" He smiles amusingly.

"Ohmygod, I'm changing the lyric." I pinch the bridge of my nose, in between my eyes.

He says in between laughs. "No! Don't! I love it. It's the right amount of cheesy." He hands me back the notebook.

I take it and head towards my closet cause it's the only place people don't seem to snoop around. 'I wonder if Marinette saw the drawings..' I turn around and see Chat just standing there looking at me. "Is everything okay? How's Nathalie?"

He shakes his head. "She's doing alright. It could be better, but my mind is elsewhere."

I scoff in amusement. "Is your love life in shambles or something?"

He looks upwards in thought. "Definitely something. It's actually a lot less disastrous since you've been helping me." He smiles warmly.

I feel a blush beginning to form but shake it away. "So you're not confused anymore? You figured out which one you want to pursue?"

He nods his head and opens his mouth to speak when the kitty jumps into his arms. I laugh. "I guess he made the choice for you."

He smiles and pets him as his smile slowly fades into an expression of deep thought and sighs. "I've never been in this position before. When I stop flirting with someone, they start to flirt back, and when I start flirting with someone who I thought was flirting with me, they stop." He sits on the ground with the kitty in his lap, still petting him. "I just want someone who doesn't make it so confusing to know what they want." He looks up at me. "Like you. You've practically known everything since the moment you got here." He smiles. "It actually created a fanbase for you amongst our friends at school. Although, they don't know the real extent of it like I do." He proudly points to himself. "How has it been for you, knowing all this stuff?"

I look off into the distance with a deadpan expression and raised eyebrows. "Honestly, I wish I had amnesia. It's like you with your secret identity. Pretend you know nothing when you know everything, but telling people what you know could cause the end of the world. Thanks, by the way, for adding "secret identity" to my list of worries." I look to him accusingly with a slight smile.

He raises his hands in defense. "It was a good call! Was it not? And I'm glad you don't. You're the only person who knows who I am, I didn't even have to tell you. Do you know how long I've needed a real person to talk about these things with?" He detransforms.

"Am I nothing to you?" Plagg points to himself with both arms before waving them outwards and resting them on his hips.

"You're everything to me." Adrien looks admiringly at Plagg.

Plagg rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, looking away from Adrien. "Just get me some EDIBLE cheese, and I might forgive you." He glances down at the cat still in Adrien's arms. "Traitor."

I smile at the two and go get him some cheese. 'I needed an excuse to leave anyway. I don't have any response to what he just said, and I'm not ready for a love confession. I'm trying to help Marinette decide. She's the love interest, I couldn't have been brought here to mess up their relationship. It'd be one sick joke if it was.' My mind traces back to the first nightmare I had here. 'What if..' I shake away any oncoming thoughts and grab his cheese, then head back to the room.

He flies straight to me as soon as I enter, sitting in the now open container of camemberet as he happily munches away. I set him down on the desk with an adoring smile on my face. 'He's just so tiny! Ahh!' I hear a chuckle from the left side of me. I look over to see Adrien lying on my bed, on his stomach with his feet swinging in the air and a cheeky grin on his face.

"My god, even without the suit, you're relentless...and this proves my point! It's not the suit!" I point a finger at him.

He purses his lips before smiling. "I already let you have it once...I wouldn't mind doing it again." His grin widens, looking slightly more sinister.

I blush a little. "That doesn't- nevermind." I wave a hand in his direction. "I'm helping Marinette with her love life now-"

"You know who she's interested in?" He says a little too eagerly. "Who is it? Is that why she's been avoiding me? I knew it." He scoffs. "It's Luka, right?"

I blink a few times and shake my head a little. "Okay. First, I'm not telling you who, I didn't tell Marinette anything, not even at a sleepover. Second, if Marinette ends up falling for someone else, that's for her to decide. The only thing you need to worry about is yourself and what you want out of life. Lastly, don't give up hope. It may not happen right away, but the one you're meant to be with will always come find you."

"She's got a point." Plagg swallows the last bite of cheese. "I've been trying to knock some sense into his thick skull ever since he fell madly in love the first night he, met her." He glances to Adrien and then me.

I look over to Adrien to see him glaring at Plagg. 'They got their miraculous during the day, right?' I try and remember all the times Plagg tried getting Adrien to focus. 'Besides Nino, I'm probably the only one who's really gotten to know him and his love life. I'm basically a second Plagg just without the god-like power.'

Adrien waves a hand in front of my face. "Are you okay? You zoned out."

"I'm fine. I just now understand how Luka feels, being everyone's therapist and all. Actually, I'mma say love doctor cause I'm only helping you and Marinette with your love lives." I giggle slightly. "Even though I'm helping you two, I need to do some thinking myself, and it's all in a weird spot. Is it okay if we talk about something else? You can share the troubles you've had that Plagg couldn't really help with, no offense."

"I'd like that." Adrien smiles. "Can you tell me why Ladybug keeps me in the dark sometimes?"

"Starting off strong, eh?" I laugh. "I honestly don't know why she doesn't include you. You're very trustworthy."

"Thank you!" He raises his hands in disbelief before intertwining his fingers and placing them over his lips and gestures one towards me. "Continue."

"I think when it comes to the superhero identities, it's to keep them safe, the less people who know the better, you know? As for superhero stuff, she learns a lot from Master Fu. You got insight into some things, but I feel like she's just trying to balance the weight of the world on her shoulders so nobody else has to. It's probably safer that way, if I'm being honest."

"Yeah, that sounds like her. We should probably not talk about Ladybug related stuff. I noticed you told me about the akuma's location in our battle. How did you know it was Nathalie?"

"You and Ladybug broke every object she had in the episode, and your lucky charm gave a clue to its location. Some things have changed in the battles without me saying anything, so I figured I'd save your lucky charm for something else since I already knew where it was." I take a deep breath. "How I knew it was Nathalie is an audience only secret." I place a finger over my lips and wink at him.

He groans. "So if stuff hasn't changed, why can't you still tell meee."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"But satisfaction brought it back! You can't use these against me! I'm the king of this shit!" He laughs. "Really, though. Why can't you tell me? You promised you'd share everything if things didn't change with your input."

"I still have the feeling that my presence affects my surroundings. There's also things you'll eventually discover when the time is right, and I don't want to take away those moments. I can relate to Ladybug in keeping the weight of the world to myself for the greater good. I don't think knowing anything sooner would help unless it's happening in the moment, and it'll save your asses." I go sit down on my bed next to him, and he sits up to make room. "As for your love life, it's nearly just as complicated. The superhero stuff clashes with any normal life things. It'll always be impossible until the threat looming over us is gone, not just Hawk Moth."

He tilts his head in confusion. "What do you mean? What other threat could there be?"

"Previous holders of the cat and ladybug miraculous didn't always have a Hawk Moth to defeat. Some were used as leaders for wars, others fought each other. There was always a threat that only Ladybug and Chat Noir could defeat. They had different names, of course, but I know that a relationship is possible between the two. It always seems to end with them giving up their miraculous to be together. Also, when you contact previous holders, it's only their memory. It's not actually them. They won't know what happens after their user has relinquished their miraculous."

He looks off into the distance. "So, if I give up, my miraculous, I won't have to worry about my love life anymore?"

"Pretty much." I nod.

"That's so lame. It shouldn't have to be like that. Is it the only outcome? Were there ever any that didn't give up their miraculous?" He turns his body to face me.

"Only you can find that out. Let me see the kwagatama, and I'll make it into the necklace."

He hands me the charm, and I loop it through the hole and secure it. I stand up on my knees and move behind him, measuring the length of the necklace similar to how he had it in the show. "Is this a good length?" I see his head move down, and he just nods. I snip the string and tie it. "All done! What do you think?"

He stands up and walks over to my mirror. He smiles. "I love it, thank you." He walks back over and sits down. "So, I can ask them about their Ladybugs? Or partners?"

"If they'll allow it, some may not want to share. It'll depend on who you want to ask. Plagg might know more about it, too."

"I do, I don't care to share." Plagg says sleepily from the cheese container.

"Of course you don't." Adrien sighs. The kitty returns and jumps in his lap again.

"He really likes you." I smile at the two.

"Have you given him a name yet?" He scratches one of the kitty's ears.

"Not yet, none really came to mind." I reach over and pet along the kitty's back. "My parents are bringing back food whenever they get home."

"I'm pretty good with names." He exclaims.

"Yeah, right. Purrincess? Kitten? Are you kidding me?" I look at him exasperated.

He blushes and rubs the back of his neck, and looks away. "I was just making jokes. I still think Purrincess is purrfect!" He laughs.

"Well, I don't think he'd appreciate being called Purrincess." I jokingly retort.

"I agree. Which is why I think Phantom is a better fit, no?"

I nod a little. "It does fit, but he's a sweetie pie. He needs a calm and sweet name. That one feels too ominous."

He chuckles. "What about Panther? In secret reference to your superhero name?"

"That's the opposite of what I just said, and it feels like it'll give me away." I laugh and think for a moment.

"How about Shadow? He seems to hide a lot." Adrien comments.

I look to the kitty, and he looks back to me and blinks. "I think he likes it." I smile. "Shadow it is, even though it's cheesy."

"Like the power of lo-" I cover his mouth with my hand.

"One more mention of that lyric, and I swear, I will change it." I threaten.

He looks directly at me, and I see a slight blush on his cheeks from under my hand. I quickly remove it, and instead pet Shadow.

"The lyrics are pretty good so far. Have you shown them to Luka? He's good with music." Adrien leans back on his hands.

I shake my head. "We planned to meet up tomorrow and work on it."

"Oh, alright...Can I come?"

I stop petting Shadow and look up to him, opening my mouth to say something before slowly looking off into the distance deep in thought. 'The lyrics I'm gonna write won't directly out either of them. He is also a pianist.'

"Sure, why not? I forgot you can play the piano, and the lyrics won't reveal your identities. You can help with the lyrics, too." I giggle, remembering his poems from the show.

He looked shocked for a moment before excitement takes over. "Yes! Okay, I have some ideas."

"Save them for tomorrow, write them down in your notes app or something."

"Fine." He grins maliciously. "Only if you draw me like the other superheros."

I let out a breath. "I thought you were gonna say something else. I'll gladly draw the cartoon version of you." I get up and grab my notebook from the closet.

I sit back down next to him and begin his Adrien/Chat Noir drawing. I start with the slash across the page and think of which poses to draw them in. 'Thank god I didn't draw Ladybug yet.' I decide to draw Adrien with his book bag like he's running to school and Chat Noir in a freedom leap. I start with Adrien and begin drawing the outline of his body running. I add his facial features and  the iconic style. Instead of blowing in the wind, it's as if he was also posing for a photoshoot. I drew him smiling and facing the "camera" before working on the only outfit he wore in the show.

Adrien takes a peek. "This looks really good so far. Is this how I looked in the show?"

"It is." I draw the stripes on his shirt. "You also only wore this one outfit, same as everyone else. Your suit looks about the same. You were a lot skinnier in the show, though." I chuckle.

"Oh yeah? Was it in our younger days? Did you see it all happen from the beginning?" He sits down next to me as I continue to draw.

I start on his book bag. "Pretty much. They did release movies n such that had different beginnings for you guys, which was pretty cool. I got to see most of the fights, the ones that mattered at least. Some filler, slice of life, etc, etc. There are many differences from the show, and here, only a few key moments stayed the same." I begin drawing Chat.

"What moments so far have stayed the same?"

"Some of the battles, mainly the villans themselves and what you guys say n stuff. School doesn't seem to change at all. Some romance stuff like the museum meet-up with you, Kagami, Luka, and Marinette. I wasn't there, of course, so they were different in that aspect for sure. Anything where I was involved or intervened was all my own doing. Which makes me think that my presence alone changes the scene entirely."

He nods, understanding. "I can see how that worries you. I don't think anything will change if you're just being an observer. You have to take action in order to change, right? I don't see why the same rules shouldn't apply to this."

I tap the eraser on the page. "You may be onto something. Background characters can exist."

"Exactly! This way, you don't have to miss the action but still get your answer. Just try hiding really well in the locations where you think a moment might happen."

I stare at him in disbelief. "Maybe the suits do have influence on you. That's one of the smartest things you've ever said."

He laughs and bows his upper body a little, twirling a hand in front of him. "Why, thank you. Ladybug doesn't come up with every idea."

I chuckle and go back to drawing. I finish up his suit and begin his head, starting with his face. It's much easier with the mask, and I begin his messy hair and ears.

"Why does my hair look like bananas?"

I snort. "It was how you were animated. It was 3D animation, and it also became a meme in the fandom. We called you Banananoir." I laugh.

"So I have a multiversal fandom, wow..." He says breathlessly.

I hum in agreement, now drawing his tail and staff. "Since we knew everyone's identity, we grew frustrated a lot. There's been many moments where you guys almost discovered each other's identities but just shrugged it off, but we knew you guys were written better than that. Also, a lot of transformation hiding spots made ze-ro sense! Someone had to have seen you guys at one point. Especially since you literally shout your transformation cue."

He laughs and gets up and brings over the coffee and chouquettes. "We should drink these before the ice completely melts." He sets down the chouquettes and picks up a coffee. "I think most of it is gone by now." He laughs and hands it to me.

I grab it and take a sip. "Is this hazelnut?"

"Mhm!" He says, taking a sip from his. "It's been my favorite lately."

I set it down on my nightstand and take a peek at the clock. "It's already 5? I think we should save these for tomorrow. I'll go put them in the fridge. Do you want anything?" I grab the coffees and begin walking towards my door.

"Damn, already? I'll just have some water."

As I put the coffees in the fridge, my parents walked through the front door.

"Oh hi sweetie! Where's the kitty? We brought their food." My dad sets the bag on the counter.

"I'll go get him. I have a friend over, too, if that's okay?" I snag a couple of water bottles.

"Yeah, that's fine. Is it one of the girls?" My mom asks.

"No, it's the guy that walked me to school."

"Ohhh, alright." My dad says and he shares a look with my mom. "Can we meet him?"

I look at both of them suspiciously. "Sure."

I walk into my room and toss a water bottle to him. "My parents just got here. They wanna meet you."

"Oh?" He takes a sip. "Alright, let's go." He gets up and sets the bottle on my nightstand.

"Wait, help me find Shadow. They wanna meet him too."

"Got it." We immediately look in the closet, and he springs out. "Awe, he must've been trapped...poor guy." Adrien looks worried.

"He should be okay." I pick him up, and he purrs. "Now let's go."

We walk out, and my mom gawks at Shadow immediately. She takes him out of my hands.

"He's so soft! And cute! My gosh, he's so calm. Where did you get him?"

"I saw him in an alley. He would've followed me home if I didn't ask to keep him." I giggle.

He jumps out of my moms arms, and she jolts a bit. He runs back toward my room. "Well, that makes introductions easier." My mom laughs, and my parents introduce themselves to Adrien and chat for a little.

"So you're the guy that made sure she got to school safely?" My dad asks.

"Indeed, sir." He smiles.

My parents share an impressed yet knowing look and nod at me in approval. I cover my face with my hands and then grab Adrien by the arm. "Okayintroductionsareover. Bye!" I drag his ass back to my room.

"Hey! It was going so well!" Adrien pouts.

"Can you not be perfect for two minutes? They're gonna think I like you or something."

He smirks. "Do you?"

I blush and look away. "I'm not answering anymore questions."

He chuckles. "Can you finish the drawing? It's a request, not a question." He smiles innocently.

I glare at him. "Fine." I pick up the notebook and finish up the final details in the drawing. "There, it's finished."

My mom knocks on the door. "Dear? Is your friend spending the night?" I can hear my dad chuckle through the door. I look to Adrien.

He shrugs. "My only plans are with you tomorrow. I can go grab my bag really quick, too."

"Yeah!" I yell back at them.

"Okay, I just needed to know for dinner prep. Thank you!" She shouts back.

He gets up and wakes Plagg. He then transforms and leaves through the window to get his bag.

I let out a sigh. "Goddammit." Shadow jumps up on the bed and stands on my chest. I pet his sides. "What am I gonna do, Shadow? I can't get involved. I can't like him. No matter how badly I want to. It wouldn't be fair to Marinette." A sudden flash of one of Marinette's ice creams appears in my mind, and it looks eerily familiar. I sit up in bed, nearly knocking Shadow off. "Sorry." I look to him. "What if my ice cream had blue in it because the blue represents Luka? That's the only reason Marinette got blue, right? It has to be that." My eyebrows furrow, and I pick up Shadow to bring him face to face with me. "It doesn't explain the obvious Adrien ice cream parts." I bring his forehead to mine. "At least you'll be the only boy in my life that won't cause problems." He licks the tip of my nose, and I giggle. "Oh!" I set him down. "You need a litterbox, I'll make you one for now."

I get up to grab stuff for his litterbox and an extra blanket and pillows. "Can one of you pick up some kitty litter? I forgot to ask for that earlier."

"Sure, your mom needed heavy cream anyway." My dad says, grabbing his keys.

"Thanks!" I head back to my room and walk into my bathroom to set up his spot. I grab and show him his temporary bathroom.

While he sniffs and explores, I lay back down on my bed. As soon as I do, a bag flies into my room and an out of breath. Chat follows shortly after. "Sorry if I scared you! I also had to ask for permission and wanted to get back ASAP." He says, still out of breath.

"You're fine. I brought extra pillows n such. My parents will also let us know when dinner is ready."

"Sweet. It'll be nice to eat together." He smiles and detransforms.

"Don't you and your dad have breakfast together now?"

"When we can, you were right. He is coming around, and it's nice." He smiles fondly.

I smile back, but it slowly fades as I remember the moments that follow after.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me it doesn't last..." He frowns.

"No, it's alright. I'm just worried about the possible outcomes not entirely related to his come around. It's more so like the akuma attack to ruin a perfect moment."

"I get what you mean." He looks over at my computer on my desk and smiles. "Wanna play some video games to get your mind off the future?"

"Yes, please!" I happily get up and grab controllers. I set up a cozy gaming area and handed him a controller.

We sit down and play overcooked. He's horrible at first, but as soon as he learns the mechanics, it's like a switch flipped, and now he's yelling at me like he's the head chef.

"I need meat!! Where is the meat??"

"Calm down, Gordon Ramsey. The meat will be done when it's done! Do the dishes, maybe! I need plates!!"

We finish a few more levels ranging between 2 and 3 stars when my mom knocks telling us dinner is ready.

We walk to the table, and our plates are already loaded and set down next to each other. I look over at Adrien, and the look he had during the cafeteria trip doesn't compare to the expression he has now. I can literally see the sparkles in his eyes twinkle.

I stand in front of him a little. "Come on, pick your seat."

He walks over and picks the one closer to my mom, and my heart drops a little. I sit in the one next to him, and he looks to me, and I see tears brimming in the corners of his eyes. I just smile at him and begin eating dinner. Mom made a creamy pesto alfredo with pork, a side of broccoli, and a baked potato with garlic butter and sourcream, sprinkled with chives.

Adrien takes his first bite, and he freezes with the fork in his mouth. I see a teardrop fall. Without thinking, I hold his hand underneath the table. His head snaps in my direction, and the fork leaves his mouth.

"Everything alright?" Mom asks, and he turns his attention towards her. Her expression changes from confusion to concern. "Oh my, what's wrong dear? Why are you crying? Is the food that bad?"

"N-no!" He sniffles a bit and wipes his eyes. "It's lovely. My family just doesn't eat together like this very often. So, it's just a lot nicer than I thought it would be."

She puts a hand over her heart and covers her mouth a bit, then turns to my dad with a pleading expression.

He looks between us and puts down the fork filled with food. "Would you like to come over for dinner more often? It'd be no trouble at all."

His expression brightens. "Really?" He looks to me. "Is that okay with you?"

"Of course it is. You're always welcome here." I smile gently at him.

He immediately begins to eat, savoring each bite as if it'll prolong the moment. I stared at him a little longer before going back to my plate.

We all finish around the same time, and we stay to help clean up, per Adrien's offer.

I'm washing dishes with my mom at the sink, while Adrien puts the food and dried dishes away with my dad. My mom elbows my side gently and not so subtly whispers in my ear.

"I really like him. He's more than welcome to come over anytime. Not just for dinner. The manners alone, I mean!"

"Mom!" I dart my eyes in his direction and whisper. "He's right there!"

She softly chuckles. "Alright, sweetpea." She glances over to him and bumps my shoulder. "We won't talk about him while he's here." She smugly turns back to the dishes while I'm left beet red, half scrubbing a plate.

Back in my room, he flops backward on my bed in astonishment. "That may have been the best meal I've ever had in my life. It's been so long since a meal has felt that warm and inviting."

"It won't be the last. They really like you." I sit down next to him on the bed, and he sits up giggling.

"I heard." My head snaps in his direction. He puts his hands together and under his chin. "How my manners alone allow me to come over anytime I want, parent's permission." He bats his eyelashes with a cheesy grin.

My face contorts, trying to hold back laughter, but I ultimately fail. "You're such a dork!" My laugh grows harder before softening. "Also, what manners? You should become an actor since you're not modeling anymore."

"Maybe. We'll see what fate has in store." He gets up and grabs a controller, handing it to me. "We have a restaurant to run." He smiles, and I happily grab it.

I added more pillows and blankets to the gaming nest after a few rounds. We ended up passing out with controllers in hand.