LadyBug: you busy?

Adrien looks at the half-filled suitcase on his bed.

ChatNoir: nope

LadyBug: awesome! i was hoping to make an ep?

He glances at the suitcase, and throws his phone onto his bed as he turns his laptop on and logs into Miraculous.

ChatNoir: i'm not gonna be available for too long - i'm catching the startrain a bit later. i've got to go see some family

LadyBug: no problem, i can finish if u need

LadyBug: if ur catching the startrain, we could do an episode based on that?

That, of course, starts the cogs in Adrien's head whirring.

ChatNoir: it's pretty new, and pretty modern. there's got to be a lot of people who wouldn't like it.

LadyBug: older person? gets angry at the modern technology taking over the nice, reliable, old-fashioned train station?

ChatNoir: sounds good to me

LadyBug creates the episode, and Adrien clicks onto it to join her. He's leaving in three hours, and he hasn't finished packing for the two-day trip, but he wants to draw. He's not going to be able to once he's gone away.

LadyBug: btw

LadyBug: this is the 16th episode

LadyBug: how many do you want to make for this season?

Adrien thinks about it, but doesn't stop drawing. All too aware of the timer, counting down until he has to leave. And he's going to get in so much trouble if Nathalie comes to get him and he isn't done.

LadyBug: why are you rushing?

ChatNoir: i'm leaving in 3hrs and i haven't finished packing 🤷

LadyBug: you can do that if u want. i'll keep going

He isn't happy about that, but he'd be less happy if he got in trouble for not packing, so he accepts the offer and packs as quickly as he can. A couple of shirts, jeans, a jacket, socks, phone charger... most of it's packed already, but Adrien darts around his room at lightning speed to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything. Earbuds, a book, toothbrush...

LadyBug: while ur packing, how many eps do u want this season?

He stops his frantic dash around the room - it's a massive room, which just makes packing all the harder - to tap a reply.

ChatNoir: 20-something. 4 more eps, and then our three-part ending?

LadyBug: sounds good. you can go back to packing now

He does, but it only takes him another few minutes to finish, before he rejoins LadyBug to keep making the episode.

ChatNoir: guess who's backkkk

LadyBug: right now, tikki

ChatNoir: i MEANT me

LadyBug: oh right

LadyBug: i don't care

ChatNoir: you hurt me. physical pain, mlady. does no one on this barren earth care for me?

LadyBug: the fans do

LadyBug: misguided souls

Adrien grins.

ChatNoir: what do you say about your own fans?

LadyBug: oh, they're in the right. perfectly sane.

ChatNoir: what about those that love us both?

LadyBug: only a little bit misguided

Adrien laughs as he continued drawing. The talking is slowing them both down, but it's not an episode without chatting.

LadyBug: you've only got like an hour before u have to go

ChatNoir: yeah ik my parents are going to come and get me literally any second

That's a stretch of the truth - Nathalie is going to come and get him. Gabriel will already be in the car.

LadyBug: we can put it on hold until u get back?

Her suggestion is touching, but Adrien can't accept.

ChatNoir: no, it's ok. u can finish - we can make the next episodes together.

LadyBug: u sure?

ChatNoir: yeah, i'm going away for 3 days. you finish

He can hear Nathalie's footsteps.

LadyBug: ok. have fun on your trip!

ChatNoir: hmm. we'll see

ChatNoir: i don't really get on w my family so 🤷

LadyBug: oh rip

LadyBug: good luck

LadyBug: but seriously, if it doesn't go well, you can message me.

LadyBug: i'll be your family

The door opens.

"Adrien?"

He turns the laptop off as the door opens, and grabs a notebook and pen to hide what he was doing.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Just this," Adrien says, putting it into the suitcase. His bodyguard takes it down, and Adrien sits opposite his father. Gabriel doesn't even acknowledge Adrien's presence until they're on the train, and he's told to behave - as he always does - so that he doesn't humiliate the Agreste name in front of Adrien's mother's family.

Adrien nods, and opens Miraculous again to stare at LadyBug's message.

LadyBug: i'll be your family

He smiles.

ChatNoir: thank you, it means a lot

ChatNoir: good luck while i'm gone

LadyBug: oh, i don't need your luck

LadyBug: i've got it under control

ChatNoir: of course you do XD

ChatNoir: how could i ever doubt u

[A/N: in case it wasn't obvious, this episode is setting up for the next one. in season 1 and 2, i had paired episodes (pixelator/guitar villain and style queen/malediktator) which used two chapters to tell a longer story than i would have put into one chapter. technically i don't include bakerix in this season's story, but this is mainly because putting the story name in the chapter would spoil the next episode! see you next week ;)]