A/N:

My first real and proper and intentional multi chapter fic in this fandom. WOW.

I hope you enjoy!

Adrien's head slumped on his desk at school, too tired to even bring his arms up to use as pillows. The table was comfortable enough. Five akumas in five days, on top of the busy schedule his father forced him to maintain, hadn't left much time for sleep. And when he did get a chance to rest, he found himself worrying about the next attack, or keeping up his grades, or Ladybug or something! Exactly like be was doing now, he was annoyed to realize. He had just managed to clear his mind when someone said his name. Suppressing a growl, he turned his head and opened one, murderous eye.

"Marinette?" he asked, sitting up. The girl actually willingly speaking to him was strange enough to draw him away from sleep's siren call.

"Hi.. I uh, tea made-you tired, sleep-sleepy tea-" she stuttered, forced smile spread across her face. He didn't know what about him made this girl who could go on a date with a villain without fear afraid, but he tried to hide his confusion and smile encouragingly.

She abruptly put a jar on the table and slid into her seat behind him, burying her face in her hands. His eyebrows shot up and he turned to ask her what was going on, but Alya had placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder and gave him a tiny shake of the head. Curiosity growing, he turned back to investigate the jar. Sleep could wait. He was curious. Hopefully, it wouldn't kill this particular cat.

He untied the note that was attached to the jar.

Relaxing Bedtime Tea was the handwritten title. Underneath were instructions on how to brew it. At the bottom was a note:

"I noticed you were looking tired. Hope this helps and you feel better soon." This was followed by something scribbled out, and then, painstakingly written below that, she'd written her name. He looked at the handwritten note, and then looked at the jar that looked like she'd decorated it herself, with the loose tea inside it. Had Marinette blended this tea for him herself? Before he could turn around and ask the blushing girl, or even open the jar to give it a sniff, the teacher walked in, and called everyone to attention. He managed to slip her a thank you note when the teacher wasn't looking.

Adrien collapsed in bed. It was only 8 o'clock, but he'd finished his homework and he was exhausted. He didn't even have the energy to change into his pajamas before he felt his eyes drifting closed.

"Chat…" Ladybug says weakly. Her suit is the wrong shade of red and there's a damn pole sticking out of her abdomen. "Chaton, help me." And then she's coughing and there's even more red and he can't do anything, he can't move, he can't—

Adrien sat up in bed, screaming.

"Bad dream, huh?" Plagg asked, floating over and munching cheese. Adrien didn't have the energy to do anything more than glare at the kwami. He glanced at the clock. It wasn't even nine. He fell back into the pillow and groaned. Looked like it was going to be another sleepless night. He wasn't sure how much more he could take before he actually collapsed from exhaustion, but it felt like it might be soon. He stubbornly refused to close his eyes. He didn't want to see that again. Those dreams were more tiring than actually being awake.

"What about the tea your classmate gave you?" Plagg asked, floating above his head.

The tea! Adrien had been too tired to even think about it before, but maybe…

He rolled out of bed and went to rummage in his bag. The jar was in the bottom, and he pulled it out to finally open it and sniff it. It had laid there forgotten after a pop quiz in the second period. He was fairly certain one of his answers had been Waterloo. It had been a math quiz…

He took a deep sniff of the mix inside. It smelled good. Lavender and chamomile and something else that just made him want to roll around in it. Adrien blinked. Was that a normal reaction to tea?

Suddenly Plagg was hanging onto the edge of the jar.

"You need to drink this," he said, in a dead level voice. Adrien nearly dropped the jar in shock. He didn't think he'd ever seen Plagg this serious before. Not even when he'd first shown up with the ring.

"This doesn't have to do with cheese, does it?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood. Serious Plagg wasn't normal and made him feel kinda weird.

"Drink the tea, Adrien." Plagg was using his name. Adrien called for some boiling water.

Finally, the tea was ready. Plagg was getting more and more agitated as it steeped and Adrien was getting genuinely concerned for the little Kwami. Yes, he ate more cheese in a day than any normal human might in a week, but he was still the only friend (if you could call him that) that Adrien had on both sides of the mask. The poor thing was writhing and making pitiful sounds.

"Plagg?" Adrien tried to get his attention, now that the tea was ready.

Plagg looked up at him with pupils that were much too large. "Transform, then drink the tea."

"Will that help?" Adrien asked, feeling a little lost. Plagg nodded and Adrien transformed and downed the entire cup as quickly as he could. He could feel Plagg in the back of his head and realized the little git hadn't been in pain, he'd been happy. Really happy.

Adrien looked at the empty mug as various feeling started to settle in. Part of himself he could feel relaxing, but the Chat part… It wanted to… He was out of his window and running across the rooftops of Paris before he had any real idea what was going on. All he could think about was the need to run, move, pounce. He was entirely Chat. Adrien, for the time being, was gone.

He perched on the railing, watching his prey. His tail twitched back and forth as he held himself still. It wouldn't be fun unless she spooked.

The dark-haired girl glanced up and then frowned. She squinted up through the trapdoor he was using as his window.

"Chat?" she asked, starting to sit up. A name, a movement, that was all the invitation he needed. Prey finally spooked, Chat Noir pounced.

A/N:

Any guesses what that third, somnolent at least for humans, tea ingredient is?

Thanks for reading!