How to win a girl in 10 dates

Kwami Control

"It's done," Plagg floated down towards the other kwami's as Marinette remained downstairs with Alya, Nino and her parents. Game night had continued but Plagg was ready to go and cataclysm them all. He hated seeing Adrien so upset and knowing the reason why was mere metres away ... well, those mindfulness exercises he'd been taking part in via YouTube on Adrien's phone were coming in handy.

The kwami was deflated. Adrien and Marinette weren't even going to make it to the ten dates. Even after everything they'd been through, after everything Tikki and Plagg had set up, plus their own natural magnetism to each other, they still hadn't, and wouldn't, get together. It was fair to say the mission was over!

Plagg made his way over towards Marinette's sewing box sitting beside his friends already perched there. He was just glad he wouldn't have to put up with Xuppu, it seemed the idiotic kwami was taking a nap in the mother box.

Plagg, sighed, he couldn't believe Adrien was giving up so easily. For someone who fought bad guy's day in and day out he'd given up on Marinette far too easily.

"Don't give up hope yet," Sass floated over and sat beside Plagg, using his calm presence to help Plagg out of his slump. "There's still time."

Plagg looked at the snake and raised an eyebrow. He was all up for being optimistic but this was ridiculous. There was no time, Adrien was getting engaged in two days.

"There's two days, Sass. We have two days. You should be happy anyway, it gives your holder a 'second chance'. I'm quite sure old blueberry will enjoy swooping in to save the day and being the hero."

Sass let out a little laugh. "Plagg, jealousy gets you nowhere, and even though I do really like my holder, they're not made for each other like yours are. He could try to be the hero, but he'd always come up short."

"How can he come up short when he's over six foot tall?" Plagg said grumpily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Plagg?" Tikki flew up and towards the two kwami's currently sitting in almost comfortable silence, before tackling him into a hug.. "Where's Adrien? Why did he go? Marinette hasn't heard back from him."

"And she won't," Plagg announced.

"Why? They were getting on so well, I don't understand."

"Well let me inform you then as obviously you missed the memo. She said she'd never be with him, Tikki. That he wasn't the one for her. Is she in denial, or just an idiot?"

The red kwami flinched before freezing, her eyes grew wider replaying Plagg's words in her head. He heard it. Adrien had heard what Marinette had said. No, no, no, no, no! This was not good ... not good at all.

"He was so close to finally admitting he was in love with her and he was going to ask her out Tikki, he was going to choose Marinette over his decade old friends. We were so close and yet here we are." He flew over to the computer screen and kicked the mouse, waking it up.

Barkk, who had previously fallen asleep watching some sort of Christmas romcom, woke up with a start and dived towards Plagg. "Hey! I was watching that. She was just about to admit to him that she loved him."

"Yeah, well, they're all the same anyway. Fall in love, fall apart, kiss and make up - yadda, yadda, yadda. Now, leave us alone, this is more important." Plagg jumped around the keyboard for a short while before the article he was looking for had appeared. He guessed 'Good Ole Gabe' had had this stored away in his inbox ready to send to the press as soon as possible because precisely twenty one minutes after Adrien's phone call with Nathalie it was breaking news on most media outlets, including Nadja Chamack's live report.

Plagg couldn't help but huff at the logic of why the news had taken this as their priority story. How could they justify Adrien's love life being more important than the medication they just found which could support those with cancer? Another reason why modern times were a conundrum to him.

Tikki hovered in front of the screen reading the article. She hissed multiple times as she read through the article, finally pulling her attention back onto Plagg.

"What? How?"

"We failed Tikki! Face it, it's over!"

"No I won't face it, it's not over yet." Tikki shook her head from side to side and she read and reread the article up on the screen. They couldn't let this end here, they hadn't put all this work in and injured an insane amount of people for it to be finished in such anticlimactic way ... a way where there was no happily ever after.

"Read it as many times as you want Sugarcube but it'll always say the same. He believes she wouldn't be with a guy like him and he can't take the rejection anymore. The same girl has rejected him twice, not once but twice."

"No," she said again, this time softer and more unsure. Had they lost? Was this the end? This wasn't like Plagg, this is not how he usually reacted. Sure, he was pessimistic but when it came to his holders he'd go all out war for them. The collapse of Atlantis was proof.

"Let's look back at the dates and see where it went wrong," Sass appeared next to them, bringing Longg and Wayzz over for additional help. They only needed Trixx to appear and they'd be having a party.

They sat together discussing everything from the first date to the last, picking out key points and pointing out where they could have intervened more. It was agreed perhaps informing them of their kiss on the night of the ball, would have pushed them closer together, or made them bolt further apart? Just another unknown variation to the words most complicated enigma.

After a considerable amount of time they decided that the only problem with their mission was the stubbornness of their holders. Marinette and Adrien seemed to be unique, and when it came to love, both decided their own hearts were not as important as the protection of others, and as valiant as that was, it would only lead to one thing ... heartbreak.

"We haven't got a choice," Wayzz said, "there's nothing more to do. You're just going to have to step away."

"Step away! Step away!!!!" Plagg's voice was raised without a care for who could hear him. He wouldn't even be shocked if Marinette came up and scolded him for his behaviour. At the moment he didn't care. He didn't care one ounce. The only thing that mattered to him at the moment was his holder and his holder's happiness only. The guardian was not a priority on his list.

Adrien deserved a life where he was with the woman he loved. He'd fallen in love with Marinette twice and he knew for a fact that Marinette loved him too. They were happiest when they were together, neither could deny it and he wouldn't be leaving tonight until Tikki pulled her weight and encouraged Marinette to take a chance.

"Tikki? Are you willing to fight for this?"

Plagg looked at his equivalent and she nodded.

"I am, are you?"

"Yes."

"Then we need Trixx, Alya's going to have to be a MVP in this."

"I don't think we do," Plagg stopped Tikki from exiting the room. "You're a great friend to Marinette, Tikki, I think it needs to come from you."

"She doesn't listen to me, Plagg."

"Then make her."

The kwami's sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you honestly think it'll work?" Longg asked, looking between Tikki and Plagg.

"No I don't, but I think they need to break to be fixed. They need to realise that they should be together, that they can be together, and that losing each other is the worst outcome." Tikki answered before turning to Plagg. "What's the plan, cat man?"

"Leave the computer on."