"Just a Friend?" Book 1 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy (MLB FanFic) |COMPLETED|

Chpt 4: Adrien starts to feel uneasy. The girls try another plan.

The week went by quickly, but the city was still quiet with no villain sightings. It was starting to make Adrien feel uneasy, like he was missing something.  Whether the feeling was from not getting to be Cat Noir or whether it was from the disturbing possibility that Hawk Moth was currently working on something really bad for the future during this quiet time, he didn't know. He'd been wondering why Hawk Moth didn't try another mass akumatization like he'd done on Heroes' Day. Somehow Hawk Moth had become the even more powerful Scarlet Moth and had for the first time been out in public and he and Ladybug had fought him one-on-one. Well, two-on-one, really. And then five-on-one when Rena, Carapace, and Queen Bee were de-akumatized and able to help again. That had been a close one- they had only just been able to defeat him! Why hasn't Hawk Moth tried that again, since he had been so close to winning?

He was trying to shake off those disturbing thoughts and gather his books together for school when there was a knock at his bedroom door. A second later Nathalie entered. Adrien turned slightly to see who it was before continuing to pack his school bag.

"Adrien, as you know your father has been very busy these past weeks working on the designs for the important fashion show in Milan. He is now going to need to fly to Milan to work there for the next few weeks leading up to the show, so you will be left in my care."

"How is that any different than now?" Adrien muttered under his breath while rolling his eyes and placing his math book in his bag. He hadn't seen his father in weeks anyway. He probably wouldn't have even noticed the difference if Nathalie forgot to tell him about it.

"Okay, Nathalie," Adrien said out loud. "Thanks for telling me." He suddenly had a thought and turned toward Nathalie.

"Since he's not going to be here, can I stay at school longer on Tuesdays since I don't really need to be home for dinner?" he asked her, thinking maybe he could stay longer at Marinette's then- it was so comfortable there. "Maybe I could take a dinner with me and eat while I read?"

Nathalie considered his request for a moment. "Alright, Adrien. I will place your request with the chef to pack you a dinner on Tuesdays." She turned and left the room.

"What was that about?" asked Plagg from the cheese cabinet where he had hidden when Natalie entered. "Oh, and have you ordered that new Camembert for me yet?" While Plagg waited for the woman to leave he had decided to check his cheese inventory and a good thing he did as he noticed that some of his favorites were getting worryingly low!  He would need to make Adrien a list.

Adrien walked in the direction of Plagg's voice and opened the cabinet to see the kwami rummaging around in the Camembert stash.  "No, I haven't gotten around to ordering it yet. As to your other question, I thought maybe I could stay a little longer at Marinette's on Tuesdays. I'm really glad I get to spend time there, though I wish I could just be me there and that you could be there with me, too. You could then have some of that warm bread to go with your cheese, like you are always dreaming about!"

Plagg closed his eyes imagining the deliciousness. "Mmmm. . . warm baguette de tradition and cheese. . . ." He chose a hunk of one his favorite cheeses and gulped it down. He then closed the cupboard door and flew over to Adrien's desk to find a pen and paper to give to Adrien to make his cheese list.

"Plagg, why do you think the city's been so quiet the last few weeks? Do you think Hawk Moth is planning something big?" he asked worriedly. 

 Plagg heard the worried note in his boy's voice and stopped what he was doing to fly across the room and settle on Adrien's shoulder to reassure him. "Nah, I wouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy the time off. I know I am!" Plagg flew down to the couch, curled up on his favorite pillow, and promptly fell asleep. Adrien gathered him up gently and placed him in his shirt before grabbing his school bag and an extra piece of cheese, and heading out the door.