Mine, His

Adrien's brows furrowed. "If it really is Alya, then we should get to her as soon as possible. We could definitely use the help."

"Agreed, and Alya would not say no to that." Nino said.

Plagg tapped his cheek. "Okay, let's get the stuff and go." He said and looked back at the oven.

"I think it's safe for us to go in now if Trixx is gone." He said. Adrien nodded. Nino laughed nervously. "Maybe one of us should stay out here, just in case there's some other magic lingering in there." He said.

Plagg thought for a moment. "Okay, we'll just hand you items then. I think it's safer for everyone if you don't go back in." He said to Adrien, turning to zoom into the room.

Adrien remained where he was and gave Nino a once-over. "How are you feeling, really?" He asked.

Nino hummed and shrugged with a smile. " I feel good, didn't know you were that great with dissecting equipment." He said with a small laugh. Adrien scratched the back of his neck. "I had a lot of practice."

"Really? On what?" Nino blinked, his eyes curious.

"Unclaimed bodies." Adrien replied.

Nino raised a brow.

"What?"

"You know…Sometimes people die, and nobody comes to collect the body. After waiting a certain amount of time, University Hospitals and the Anatomy Departments at Universities get some of the bodies to practice on." Adrien said.

"So you mean… You guys played with corpses?" Nino asked with widened eyes.

"Well I did my spotters and dissections alone, I didn't really think it was appropriate to play with the bodies, neither did I have the time or energy to do so."

"But what about diseases?"

"We got a range of shots to make sure nothing like Hepatitis broke out."

"That's some crazy shit, dude." Nino made a face and Adrien rolled his eyes. "You're alive aren't you? So be thankful." Adrien said, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"Ah, yes, yes, my lovely hero in pink." Nino said, blowing him a kiss. Adrien pursed his lips and looked at the ground for a moment. He sighed.

"Nino…Do you remember any of the things we said when we were in there?" He asked. Nino's smile dropped slowly.

"Yeah… Almost everything."

The young men stood in thick silence.

"Really though, I know neither of us meant a lot of what we said, but we should talk about it." Nino said, taking a few steps back to lean on the kitchen counter.

Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but Plagg had zoomed back out.

"Are you just going to stand here and make me do everything myself?" Plagg asked, his ear twitching. Nino pushed himself off the counter and glanced at the blond who had a complicated, if not pained expression on his face. Nino half-smiled.

"Coming Plagg." He said and walked towards the oven. As he passed Adrien he put his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey. Anyone ever told you that you're prettier when you smile?" Nino said, looking at his face.

Adrien raised a brow at him.

"So stop frowning."

Nino dropped his hand. "Let's get this done quickly, so I can see my girlfriend and clear her name, and you can get yours back from wherever she went, then we can double date and do all those cheesy things best friend couples do, alright?" Nino smiled and winked before disappearing into the oven.

Adrien let out a deep sigh. "Alright."  He fidgeted with the hem of his dress, it was actually quite calming, no wonder women always wore these uncomfortable creations. He sighed again. Nino was right though, they did need to speak. Even if neither of them meant what they'd said, the thoughts must have arisen from somewhere, and it needed to be pinpointed before it began to fester.

Plagg flew out with a small container. "Kid, start packing." He said, out of breath. Adrien shook his head. "Right, I'll get the bag." He said, turning to get the large handbag that they'd brought along.

Plagg tilted his head as he watched the blonde walk absently into the next room. Slowly a frown appeared on his face, and he glanced back through the hole at Nino who seemed to be quite out of it himself. Plagg sighed.

"Stupid fox." He said to himself. He exhaled. Clearly the boys needed to have a long talk, and soon.

*******

"Alrighty, let's get outa here." Nino said, dusting his hands and shutting the oven door.

"Where are we going now?" Adrien asked, putting his wig back on.

Plagg tapped his cheek and grinned at the two. He was feeling infinitely better after taking the healing stones and was ready for anything.

"Personally I think we need to hide these first." Adrien said, lifting the bulging handbag.

"Same here, but where?" Nino asked. "Weren't we going to take it back to your place for analysis or something?" Plagg asked Nino.

"Oh yeah!" Nino said, smacking his forehead.

Adrien pursed his lips. "Now that I'm actually thinking about it, that's an awful idea that we shouldn't have even considered."

Plagg and Nino glanced at each other then back to Adrien.

"Why not?" Plagg asked, confusion written all over his small face.

"Firstly, we need to get quite a bit of equipment, and I doubt that Nino's apartment has enough space to cater for that."

"But what about my bas.e.m.e.nt? I mean it fit all my video tech…"

"It's not well ventilated, neither is it fireproof. If anything happens that would draw attention to your place, we'd be in a world of trouble." Adrien said.

"Then where do we go?"Nino asked and Plagg crossed his arms, shrugging at him.

"Where I'd originally planned to go before meeting you." Adrien replied.

"Your hideout?" Plagg frowned, looking mildly concerned. Adrien nodded at him. "In fact, it has a decently sized bas.e.m.e.nt with quite a few vents, so it has ventilation."

"Why didn't you just suggest the hideout in the first place? I cleaned the whole bas.e.m.e.nt while you were upstairs plotting all your supervillain schemes." Nino rolled his eyes.

Plagg winced. "Well you see, it's a bit of a horror house, and kiiiiiiiinda far from here."

"He's exaggerating when he says that, there are much scarier things in Paris." Adrien  said with a delicate wave of his hand.

Plagg merely wrinkled his nose in distaste and gave Adrien a pointed look. He then sighed and looked over at Nino. "Run while you still can."

Adrien crossed his arms. "He can't run, he knows too much, he's in too deep."

Nino laughed nervously. "Well, I mean, we're just using the bas.e.m.e.nt for the lab work right? So we don't have to stay there, so I don't mind if it's a horror house."

Adrien quirked a brow. "Do you really think we can travel back and forth between your apartment and the lab every single day without being seen?"

Nino tapped his chin. "You did that when visiting Marinette." He said.

"I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about you." Adrien said, raising his brows.

Nino's eyes widened. "What do you mean you're talking about me?"

"I mean that I can go by undetected, but you can't. You have the stealth of a rhinoceros and the agility of a sloth."

Nino blinked at Adrien.

"Wait, wait, you want me to go with you to your hideout and stay?" he asked with eyes comparable to saucers.

"I think your apartment would be too risky for you to stay at. If Elijah is moving throughout the city, it's very possible that he may find out about us. In such a case, you'd  be in trouble. It's no longer safe for us to live there."

"What are you talking about? Someone will realize I'm gone dude." Nino responded incredulously. 

"Like who?" Plagg asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe my parents? Or my girlfriend?" Nino said waving his hands, in response Adrien elegantly waved his own hand.

"Minor inconveniences, we'll just tell your parents you're on vacation and kidnap Alya. Problem solved." He said calmly.

Plagg raised his brows.

"We're kidnapping Glasses? Since when?" He asked, scratching his ear.

"Think about it, she has a miraculous now which means Fu thinks it's time for her to use its power to fight, which means we'll need her if we want to take down Elijah, and so we have to train her so she doesn't put herself in unnecessary danger.

"Wait, but if Alya helps us, she'd be in danger anyway. I thought you wanted her help with the theoretical aspects of this… Are you saying you want her to actually physically fight that madman? "Nino asked with a deep frown.

"You said it yourself, she can't stand by and do nothing if she has the power to change something, and she's probably already met Trixx by now." Adrien said.

Nino twisted his lips. "I don't like this."

Plagg sighed. "Why don't we let her decide? We can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to."

Adrien stared at Plagg for a moment as the three stood in silence.

"… I agree. It's a dangerous situation after all. So she should choose." He said slowly. Nino let his breath out through the nose and crossed his arms.

"I really don't like this." He said and looked at Adrien. "Having me involved is one thing. Involving Alya is another. You can't guarantee her safety. You don't know what Elijah is capable of."

Adrien remained silent as Nino stared at him.

Plagg tsked and both men turned to him.

"On the contrary Nino, you have no idea what Alya or anyone else with a miraculous is capable of." He said with a mischievous grin, all canines.

He crossed his arms and tilted his head.

"You think the powers go to just anyone?" He asked. "Do you honestly think Fu would give the miraculous to weak people?"

He flew forward to float in front of Nino's face.

"Not even Adrien knows what the Miraculous can actually do, even after having it for years, so obviously I can't expect you to know anything either." He said and raised a brow. "Still, you should have more faith in Alya, because she isn't weak." He nodded his head towards Adrien. "Neither is he."

"And Marinette may not look it with those worryingly skinny arms of hers, but she is more capable than you could imagine."

He inhaled. "The only one I'm concerned about is you." He pouted.

Nino narrowed his eyes.

Plagg glanced around the room. "You just seem a little scared to me."

Adrien tilted his head, deciphering what the complex expression on Nino's face could have meant. He drew a blank.

"Why did Trixx go to Alya? She has nothing to do with all of this." Nino said to  Plagg who nonchalantly shrugged.

"You're asking the wrong kwami, but if you have a problem with it then you'll have to take it up with Fu. And the only way to talk to him is with Alya's  help. After we get him back, you can tell him all the reasons why you feel like your girlfriend is incapable, deal?" Plagg grinned.

Nino stared at Plagg for a long time. Then he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"I don't know if you're just really creepy and rude with reverse psychology or if you've spent too many years with Adrien at this point." He said, eyeing Plagg, and Plagg, in response, merely winked.

****

Alya sat cross-legged on her bed and watched the kwami munch on a small bowl of blackberries.

"They'll probably be here any minute now, knowing that egotistic fool." Trixx said, tossing a berry up into the air and catching it with his mouth.

Alya tapped her chin. "You know, now that I think about it, Marinette and Chat Noir make a really cute couple. I can totally see them getting married, having three kids, maybe a hamster…"

Trixx raised a brow. "He's insane, and his kwami is even weirder, are you really fine with your friend marrying that kind of person?"

"Define 'that kind of person'."

Alya gasped and looked at her window.

"Chat Noir." She said, jumping up. Chat twisted his body in a strange way to fit through her window before straightening up and rolling his shoulders.

He nodded at Alya, glanced around the room for a moment, then looked back at her.

"So I hear you like heroes and heroines." He started, leaning against a wall.

"Of course she does, she's a true hero unlike some miscreants who think they're so great, walking around like they own the place.." Trixx said with an agitated huff, eyeing him dirtily.

"No wonder why nobody likes you, you glorified rat." Chat said, his face the epitome of irritation as he stared at Kwami.

"Yeah, because Paris just adores you." Trixx snapped back.

Chat inhaled slowly and let the breath out. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to waste on the incompetent." Trixx opened his mouth to retort but Chat continued. "Alya, Marinette is missing."

"WHAT?"Alya screeched.

"After you and Nino saw her, she was kidnapped by Chloe, she managed to escape with the help of a kwami, but then got kidnapped by an evil man going by the name of Elijah who's after the Kwami's and Miraculous, luckily she escaped him, but now she's trapped in another dimension. From what I've been told, she really shouldn't be in there, but if she's out here she's in danger too because Elijah is still after her. She's not in immediate danger because my Kwami says the people there will help her out the best they can, however even they have limitations, and when she gets out, it's going to be very dangerous for her. So, I need you to help me." Chat said.

Trixx frowned. "Another dimension… You can't mean the Miraculous world…"He said, speaking softly.

Chat glanced at him. "According to Plagg, that's exactly where she's at."

Trixx eyes widened. "But humans can't survive there very long, in fact, if a human had to go there unless someone shared energy with them, they would most likely die."

Chat closed his eyes. That imbecilic fox-rat was saying all the wrong things. He exhaled and pushed off the wall, walking towards Alya. He needed to stay calm. He could do that. The kwami's knew what they were doing.

Alya frowned as he got closer. He stopped in front of her.

"I know you don't particularly like me much, that is quite understandable. However, I wouldn't ask for help unless it was a dire necessity, which is why I'm here, against my pride and better judgment. Nino really loves you. He really wants to protect you and keep you safe, and I know he doesn't want you to help, which is why I really wish I didn't have to ask this. I seem to have a rather strong regard for Nino and his thoughts which makes this harder. I know this is selfish and dangerous, but please help me." Chat said, staring at her.

Alya stood silently, staring back at him. He looked completely earnest, but truly not evil in the slightest as he made his request. His emerald eyes held not an ounce of cynical or conniving intent. In fact, it looked as if he was extremely petrified and desperate despite the deceptively calm and collected flow of words that had passed his lips.

How was this man, immensely worried about one clumsy and simple woman, the greatest Supervillain in Paris?

"Well Chat Noir, Sir, if Marinette trusts you enough to date you, I can't exactly turn you down."

Chat exhaled and closed his eyes in relief.

"And you didn't have to ask for my help, if Marinette is in danger of course I'm going to help you save her. She's my best friend, I would cross over to that other dimension you were talking about just for her. Just tell me what we need to do and I'll get it done."

Chat chuckled. "You are just as she described." He said. Alya blinked. "What?"

"Marinette, she said you were like this. I'm glad." Chat smiled.

"Marinette talks about me?"

Chat nodded. "Quite a bit. If I wasn't certain she liked men, I'd actually be very concerned about you being competition."

The doorbell interrupted them. "And that will be your man." Chat said, pointing his index finger in the direction of her door. "My sisters and parents are out at the moment, so you can come." She said, waving for him to follow her through her bedroom door.

He sauntered into the lounge, eyeing Trixx who was quiet for some time. Alya went to let Nino in.

"Hey." He said, giving Alya a peck on the lips before hauling a few luggage bags behind him into the house.

"Hey… Urm, what are those?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Well, I'm pretty sure he's already given you the run-down of what's going on right?" Nino said, glancing at Chat.

"Uh huh."Alya said, nodding. "And since you're not going to listen to me or what I have to say, I'm assuming you're going to help him?"

"Correct." Alya nodded again.

Nino sighed and shot Chat a glare before sighing. "I was expecting that, so I'm here for your luggage." Nino said.

Alya frowned. "Luggage?"

Nino placed his hands on her shoulders. "If you're going to help him, you're going to have to do some really crazy shit, trust me. The only way to limit any possible injury is for us to train, so we're going to be going somewhere to do just that."

"Cool." Alya said, pushing up her glasses.

Chat blinked. "Does she just go with everything?"

Nino sighed, "Without any questions… At first, be prepared for a forced interview afterward… You should do that much at least". He glared at Chat again. "After all, I'm selling my girlfriend to the devil."

Trixx shook his head. "Don't insult Satan like that, this guy makes him look like a saint."

Chat glared at Trixx then looked back at Nino. "You know, I really don't like him." He said, giving Trixx the side-eye.

"Heyyy, wait, is he just getting away with what he did to me?" Nino said, pointing at Trixx who rolled his eyes.

"Who asked you to break into an old man's home?" Trixx said, looking around the room. Alya raised a brow at Nino. Nino looked at Alya.

"Alya, I almost died today, because of that thing." Nino said, pointing to Trixx.

Alya rolled her eyes. " Don't be so dramatic, and that thing is my Kwami."

Chat raised his brows.

"Nino isn't lying. He was on the brink of death, if it wasn't for my brilliant mind and steady hands, he'd be a corpse." He said and Nino nodded. "It's true, I had barely any blood left in my body!" Nino exclaimed.

Trixx crossed his arms and looked at Alya. " Does he always exaggerate like this?" He asked.

"All the time." Alya said with a sigh. Chat stared at Trixx wide-eyed while Nino openly gaped.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Chat asked, a vein starting to throb at his temple.

"Oh please, everything out of your mouth is as untrue as Nino is hideous." Trixx said.

Nino gasped, "Why you little-"

Chat grabbed his arm. "It's a trick. If you respond to him saying that you're ugly it means you agree that I'm a liar, and if I respond to him saying I'm a liar, it means I agree that you're ugly." Trixx grinned as he spoke.

Nino's nose twitched.

"I really don't like you. You're a mean little asswipe." He said to Trixx. Chat exhaled and patted Nino's back. "It clearly likes conflict." He turned his attention to Alya and snapped his fingers. "Go pack your stuff, you and Nino will be driving to my hideout and meeting me there."

He pulled out his baton and pulled out a list and an envelope. "This is what you should tell your families." He handed Nino the envelope. He looked at Alya. "Make sure you have everything on this list, we wouldn't want to...Inconvenience you or make anything…More uncomfortable. And stay alert. The walls have ears." He said, looking at them seriously.

Alya and Nino nodded. He regarded them both for a moment, then walked to Alya's room to leave.

Alya glanced down at the list and raised both brows.

"What do we need to get?" Nino asked, glancing over her shoulder at the list. His eyes widened and he coughed, looking away quickly as his cheeks turned a fiery red.

"From the look of this, he's spent a lot of time taking care of Marinette's feminine needs." Alya said, looking very impressed.

Chat hopped across the rooftops and took a breath. Everything was too calm. Too uneventful. Was Elijah really laying low?

He stopped running. What exactly did Elijah think was going to happen through all of this? He glanced up at the sky, watching as the dark clouds began to roll in. It was going to rain soon.

*****

Elijah stared at the mug of coffee in his hand. How was it that they were always two steps ahead of him?

It was beyond infuriating. He was just trying to do the right thing. He wasn't trying to kill anyone.

In fact, they were the murderers.

He exhaled and swirled his beverage. It seemed he was back to square one.

"Excuse me, sir." Someone said. Elijah looked up at the waiter. "Would you like me to heat up your coffee? You've been swirling it for about an hour, it must be cold by now." The pink-haired woman said.

He looked back at the coffee. "No it's…it's nice like this." He said and took a sip. A taller muscular man walked up to the table.

"No it's not, it's too cold for you to be drinking that." He crossed his arms. "Alix, get him another cup. It's on the house, you seem to be having a shit day."

"Don't boss me around, idiot. I was getting him one anyway." Alix said. She looked back at Elijah. "I'll be right back." She said and turned around.

Elijah opened his mouth to stop her but she was already gone. He sighed and looked around the cozy café, it seemed that the sudden change of weather deterred the Parisians from stepping out of their homes.

"Anyway, what's gotten you so stressed out?" The muscular man asked.

Alix rolled her eyes as she approached with a saucer and cup of coffee.

"Does he look like he wants to talk about it Kim?" She asked, looking annoyed. Kim looked embarrassed for a moment.

Alix smiled at Elijah. "Don't think about it, just have some cake, this cake has magical properties, the baker has magic fingers that run in the family." She said proudly.

Elijah smiled a little. "Thank you." He said and picked up a fork.

Kim gasped and looked at Alix. "That reminds me, Max is coming back after the whole traveling ban thing is lifted, we should probably let Marinette know so she can make him a designer cake." He said.

Elijah's hand stopped moving. He furrowed his brows and blinked.

"Did you say your friend is a baker?" He asked.

Alix nodded. "Yeah, her family bakes the best desserts in all of Paris. She's awesome. In fact, her parents baked the cake you're eating. Picked up a whole batch of cakes for the café this morning."

Elijah tilted his head.

"I have an event coming up, I'd probably need a cake to celebrate it…Where can I find this bakery?" He smiled.