A Reveal

"Ughh Shadow, I don't know about a walk today." You groan, clutching your stomach.

He meows at you, then walks over to the beam of sunlight coming through the window and curls up, so you assume he's alright with staying in.

You quickly get some painkillers then go curl up in bed.

After forcing yourself to get through a little schoolwork you set the books aside and go find something to eat.

But you're stopped by s/n, who is just getting home.

"Hey y/n! Wanna hear about what I learned today?! It was really interesting!!" They exclaim.

"Um, I was actually hoping for a snack."

"You can get one while I tell you!"

So they follow you around, spouting a long and boring story while you look for something.

"Y/n! Don't eat too much of that, I'm about to start cooking!" Your mother calls as you grab your favorite snack.

"OK, Mom."

You don't eat as much as you'd like, but luckily you don't have to wait long before the meal is ready.

After enduring dinner with s/n chattering away about the sleepover, you steal away to your room and hope you would be followed.

"Y/n! Wanna play?" S/n asks, coming in with a board game.

"Not right now, I don't feel very good."

"Oh you'll be fine! Just one round?! Please!!"

"No!"

"UGH! You're so mean!!!" They yell and run away, probably to complain to whoever will listen.

For a while you stare at the clock and will bedtime to come, so you can be left in peace.

You pass the time with a book, and eventually you're being told goodnight by everyone.

You're happy to stay up and enjoy the much needed quiet.

But that doesn't stop you from being extra happy to hear a knock at your balcony.

"Come in!" You try to say quietly.

"Hi, Angel!" Adrien says, already detransformed and feeding Plagg.

"Hello Kitty!" You say, making you both laugh.

"How have we never thought of that one before?" He asks as he comes and sits on the edge of the bed.

"I dunno. She's probably your cousin or something, so we should've."

"What, is she Felix's sister?" He asks, making you laugh.

"You'll have to ask him."

"Nah, he'd just lie, cause he's rude like that."

"Hey, she might be related to Plagg!" You try to say through your laughter.

"Now there's a theory!" He says with a chuckle.

"Oh Plaaggg!" You giggle, watching him fluff his pillow.

"I'm not related to Hello Kitty." He grumbles.

"Has Shadow been laying here?! There's fur everywhere!" He continues complaining.

"It's probably yours." You giggle.

"I don't shed everywhere."

"He really doesn't, thankfully. Or he would've been found ages ago." Adrien confirms.

"Well he might've gotten on there, I dunno. He's been looking out the window for a while though, because I didn't take him for a walk."

"Why not?"

"Cramps have been horrible today." You groan.

"Aww, my poor Angel!" Adrien says, scooting closer to you and pulling you into his arms.

"That helps." You grin.

"Hey, Plagg?" You ask, when a thought occurs to you.

"If you ask me if I'm related to another fictional cat-" He starts, but you interrupt with laughter.

"No, no! I was gonna ask if you get cramps too?"

"No? Why would I?"

"I dunno, most girls get cramps on their periods."

"What on earth are you talking about?! Why would that make me have cramps?!"

"Well, don't you have a period thing too?" You ask, making him crack up.

"Ohhh, that! Yeah, you guys were played."

"What?!" You and Adrien ask in unison.

"Yeah, that doesn't happen. Kwamis don't reproduce, so nobody has a period. And definitely not the males." He says, still laughing his tail off.

"So Ladybug lied?! She didn't have a reason to be so mean?!" Adrien asks, and you feel his fists clench against your back, where he'd been holding you.

"She probably didn't know she was, to be honest." Plagg states, confusing you even more.

"What do you mean by that?" You ask.

"Well you see, Tikki, she's really nice. Like nice."

"Yeah, so?" Adrien asks, still feeling tense against you.

"So that means she wants her holders to be super nice too."

"And Marinette isn't?" You say.

"Yeah. It wouldn't be the first time Tikki has made something up to make her -and her holder- feel better about themselves."

"So she was just mean. She really said I don't deserve my miraculous?" Adrien says, looking downcast.

"Hey, it doesn't matter what she thinks. You do deserve it, you're a purrfect match to be Cat Noir." You say, smiling at him.

"Thanks, Angel. You're a purrfect match Cat Noir." He grins, and winks at you.

"Ugh, gross. Is that all you wanted to know?" Plagg asks, floating slowly towards his pillow.

"Uh, I guess. Thanks for telling us." You say.

"Yeah, yeah. Now don't be too loud, I'm trying to nap!"

"You got it, Plagg." Adrien chuckles.

Plagg continues to his pillow and gets settled in, while you take note that Adrien still feels tense.

"Are you OK?" You ask gently.

"I guess I shouldn't care what she thinks anymore, but I still feel bad knowing that she had no reason for saying what she did, even if she does regret it, and apologized.

"Aw, of course you care. She was, I guess still technically is, your partner for so long, and that would create a bond with anybody, fighting alongside them all the time."

"Yeah. But she also was so mean to you, and didn't have any excuse."

"Except that she was jealous."

"Yeah. Which she had no right to be."

"Exactly."

"Should I tell her? Maybe we could get a genuine apology out of her."

"Maybe. Just don't go too crazy on her, I guess."

"You guess?" He asks, giving you an amused look.

"Wellll, a little slap for our troubles wouldn't be sooo bad, right?"

"You're not always so nice and angelic, Angel." He teases.

"Yeah, well. I gotta be nice enough to get someone as sweet as you to love me." You flirt.

"And that I do." He responds, leaning closer and planting his lips onto yours.

Before the kiss is broken, you happily notice all his tension has melted away.