This has been sat in my WIP folder for a few months since I wrote Plagg's Mansion. I started watching Miraculous Ladybug season 2 yesterday and seeing Wayzz in 'The Collector' gave me the inspiration to finish this.
Fu showed his last customer of the day out with a smile and turned to the young girl sat in the waiting room. "Next customer, please."
Marinette smiled and followed him through into his treatment room. The ruse of 'just another customer' was one that Fu had thought up as a way to keep her identity safe when she came to visit, but it was one that was gradually becoming true the more she visited. She loved his blends of tea, especially the one that helped her to sleep at night, and she was considering either a massage or an acupuncture session. Superheroing was hard work.
Once the door was shut behind them Wayzz flew out of the gramophone to greet them but froze when Tikki popped the clasp on Marinette's bag and flew out. Even Fu paused and gave Tikki an appraising look.
"Hello Guardian! Hello Wayzz!"
Tikki was wearing one of the outfits that Marinette had made for her. A lovely pale cream sundress embroidered with sunflowers and forget-me-nots around the hem, with a matching beret perched jauntily on her head. The dress matched the t-shirt Marinette was wearing perfectly and they were both obviously the young designers work.
"Good afternoon, Tikki," Fu smiled, setting out two thimbles next to the mugs of tea on his small table. "What a beautiful outfit you have there."
"Oh, this old thing?" Tikki giggled. She twirled around in the air and showed her new look off. "It's one of my presents from Marinette!"
Marinette blushed a little and gestured to her own shirt, half hidden by a fine knit cardigan. "She really wanted her own version of this top."
"It's beautiful," Fu smiled. He indulged Tikki's little fashion show for a few more moments before gesturing for them all to take a seat by the table. "You truly have a great gift, Marinette."
Tikki nodded enthusiastically. "You should see the rest of my wardrobe! They're all amazing!" she perched carefully on Marinette's shoulder. "Show them the photos."
Marinette giggled but pulled her phone out. Tikki had insisted on a mini fashion-show this morning specifically to show Fu and Wayzz her new home and wardrobe. Fu cooed at the screen and complimented Tikki on her choices, while Wayzz stared at the screen with an inscrutable expression.
"Is that… a doll's house?" the green kwami finally asked.
Tikki nodded. "Yes! It's my own little home! I even got to pick out the colours!"
Marinette quickly explained why she had done it and assured Master Fu that it was safely hidden from any prying eyes and nosy friends. A doll's house wouldn't exactly be an unusual accessory for a designer, but it would be hard to explain away the oddly shaped clothes and furniture when she didn't have a doll to fit them. No one even knew she had it so she was certain that Tikki was safe.
Fu seemed pleased. "That is an ingenious solution to such a unique problem," he complimented. "Now, shall we pick up where we left off last time? The history of the Ladybug Miraculous?"
Marinette perked up. "Yes please, Master. Oh!" she quickly reached for her bag. "I brought snacks this time."
Wayzz was unusually quiet after Marinette had left.
Silence was not uncommon between the two turtles. They were both the introspective types and long lives tended to leave long periods of comfortable silences. Plus, after being together for over a century and a half they knew each other very well. Words often weren't necessary between them.
This was not one of those comfortable silences.
Fu knew Wayzz after all their time together. He knew it was not a companionable silence. It was a silence with an edge, a silence of words unspoken and fraught emotions, a silence that created a gulf between them even as Wayzz created a physical distance by retiring to his corner of Fu's home.
Fu could count on one hand the number of times he had been on the receiving end of this silence, the worst one being after his one and only mistake None of them had been nice but Wayzz usually just needed some time to process his thoughts and feelings before approaching Fu. It wasn't nice but Fu understood. He made sure to respect Wayzz's need for space for the rest of the day but privately resolved to speak to his kwami before they retired for the night if Wayzz had not already spoke his mind.
He prepared their bedtime snack with extra care, making sure to select the very best fruits to give to Wayzz - the ripest strawberries, the juiciest grapes, the freshest peaches - and brewed his favourite tea to perfection.
Wayzz still remained silent.
Fu cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. "How is the tea?"
"As good as always, Master." Wayzz replied politely, without even glancing over the rim of his thimble cup.
"Would you like anything else?"
"No thank you."
Fu sighed. This was getting nowhere fast. Wayzz had almost finished his fruit and would soon retire to bed and Fu would have missed his opportunity. Time for the blunt approach then.
"What's wrong Wayzz?"
"Nothing," Wayzz shrugged, still not making eye contact. He took a sip of his tea. "Why would you think otherwise?"
"I'm old, not blind. You've been off all evening, ever since Marinette left."
"Have I?"
Fu sighed. "You know you have!" Fu decided that it was time to lay all his cards on the table and hope that Wayzz would fold. "Did something in our meeting prompt this reaction? It couldn't have been our conversation since we were continuing her training, and I know you don't object to that; it couldn't have been the treats we shared, since Marinette brought your favourite strawberry macarons; it wasn't the time you spent with Tikki, either, or...oh."
"Oh what?"
"You went quiet the second you saw her…" Fu murmured, remembering just how quickly Wayzz had frozen once Tikki had emerged. "When she showed us photos of her home you turned positively green."
"I'm always green, Master. I'm a turtle." Wayzz scoffed.
"Wayzz, are you jealous of her home?"
"Why would I be?" Wayzz sniffed. "I have no need of anything like that," he continued, trying and failing to convince both of them that it was the truth.
"You might not need it, but do you want it? Have you ever wished for one of your own?" Wayzz refused to look at Fu, and the answer couldn't have been more obvious. Wayzz wished for a home of his own. Fu sighed. "My dear little friend, I am so sorry."
"Don't be. What I have is enough."
Fu and Wayzz had been together for nearly two centuries. For a good deal of that time they had been alone and constantly on the move, fearing the consequences of allowing someone to get too close to them, fearing the consequences of being discovered, fearing the consequences of having Fu's visible lack of age drawing attention to them. Settling down in a real home was not always an option for them and until now Fu had thought that he was the only one yearning for the stability of a permanent home.
Now here was Wayzz, practical as ever, wishing for a home of his own but refusing one because it wasn't necessary. It wasn't practical, it was only a desire and not a need, it wasn't portable enough… Fu could almost hear the thoughts whizzing through Wayzz's mind right now.
Too many times before they had run in the middle of the night, taking with them only the clothes on their backs and the Miraculous Box. A little doll's house like Tikki's would be too much to carry should they need to escape like that again. It was not a practical choice…
… but Fu didn't care about practicality right now. Only Wayzz.
"It has served its purpose, yes," Fu began slowly, trying to order his thoughts. "But you are my oldest and dearest friend. You deserve more than a bed made from a box of matches and to hide away in an old chest."
"It was practical," Wayzz insisted. "We have been on the move for over one hundred years. Anything more than I have now could not have been taken with us."
"True," Fu sighed. He had just come to the same conclusion himself, but there was a wide gulf between having nothing and having a home like Tikki's. He could have done more for Wayzz than he had. "I could have at least made you some clothes or bedding to keep you warm during the cold winters," Fu added. Tiny kwami clothes and bits of cloth would be easy to shove in a pocket before they had to go on the run. They were the perfect portable and practical present for a kwami. Wayzz finally looked up from his thimble cup and shot Fu a look. Fu pouted. "What's that for?
"Master, you're a wonderful friend… but you wouldn't even know which end of the needle to use."
"...I could learn?"
Wayzz snorted. "You're 187, going on 5, you do not have the time or patience to learn to sew."
"...we can ask Marinette for help?"
"It isn't necessary, Master, but thank you," Wayzz drained his cup, and set it next to his empty plate. He was done with this conversation. "I am content with what I have. I don't wish for more."
With that he floated away from the table towards the chest that he preferred to hide in, his last words hanging heavy in the air behind him as both knew them to be lies.
Fu tidied away the plates from their bedtime snack before retiring for the night. Wayzz remained hidden away in his little chest and more than likely wouldn't emerge until he had hardened his heart against the house he wished he had.
Fu lay awake in bed for some time that night as he thought about what to do. He was ashamed of himself for not meeting Wayzz's needs like this earlier but he didn't know that Wayzz had wished for a home until today.
Wayzz was eminently practical. If something was not necessary then it was removed. Simple and efficient solutions to simple problems. It was why the Turtle Miraculous was often given out to Guardians (and not just because it bestowed a certain amount of longevity on whoever wore it). He would never accept a house because it was not a necessity to live their life.
Fu was of the opinion that a life filled with necessary things was a boring life. He didn't want a boring life for his oldest friend.
Earlier, he had thought of making some clothes for Wayzz. Little things, scraps of cloth folded and stitched into pleasing patterns, comfortable bedding, anything that could be put into a pocket and taken with them should they have to move in a hurry. Those would be an adequate gift for Wayzz… but Fu really didn't know how to sew.
He trained as a healer as well as a Guardian, the only stitchin he had ever done had been stitching wounds closed. Flesh and cloth were two very different mediums. Wayzz was unfortunately right when he had called out Fu's ability at sewing earlier. But there had to be something he could do for his kwami.
Fu sighed and rolled over in bed, staring at the small chest in the corner where Wayzz was peacefully sleeping.
If he squinted, he could almost imagine that the chest was actually a little kwami house. A little home just waiting to be filled with furniture and clothes. He could almost see Wayzz's happy face as he decorated his home, chose his furnishings, and showed off his beautiful clothes. So long as they weren't made by Fu that is.
He frowned then.
Why did he need to imagine the chest as a home when it sort of already was?
Tikki, and apparently Plagg, had actual doll's houses as their homes but they were hidden away. It was a practical way to have their homes and keep their secret. Wayzz was already using the chest as a practical hiding place, so why not treat it as a home too?
They could put some doll's house furniture in the chest. A little bed. Perhaps a table and chairs? Maybe a small wardrobe too for all the beautiful clothes Wayzz would own (provided Fu didn't make them). There was bound to be something suitable for sale in a toy shop somewhere.
Fu could even try and make something. Ok, his woodwork skills were only slightly better than his sewing skills, but he could use a bottle of glue as well as the next person. And dolls house furniture wasn't that complicated. Bed were just lidless boxes stuffed with a mattress, and wardrobes were just boxes stood on their sides or even miniature chests, and tables were just a square of wood with four tiny sticks on.
He didn't even have to build them if he didn't want to.
In his workroom, Fu knew he had several small boxes of varying sizes to hold things like tea ingredients, herbs, spices, and other assorted bits and pieces. It would be very easy to repurpose some of them into things like a bed and a wardrobe. Wayzz might even prefer boxes to actual furniture - his home would be perfectly portable then, which would certainly appeal to his practical nature.
Yes, that would be perfect.
There was a shallow box that would be perfect for a bed. One half of the box could hold surplus bedding while the other could be stuffed with a kwami sized mattress and placed on top to create a lovely little bed. Fu also had a tiny chest that held small vials of essential oils that would be perfect as a clothing trunk.
All Fu had to do now was to get Marinette to help with this little project, and he knew just how to do that.
The next day Wayzz was still quiet but he wasn't avoiding Fu any more. The only thing he was avoiding was the subject of doll's houses or anything close to a suggestion about clothing. Fu wasn't able to tell Wayzz of his idea and so decided to do it later, once they had returned home with their lunch.
It was a Saturday and every week the two turtles treated themselves to something special for their lunch. It was always a quiet day at the shop and today was no different. Two scheduled customers that morning, only one scheduled for that afternoon, and only five people had dropped in when passing by.
Fu didn't feel guilty when he closed the shop for lunch and took a walk through the streets of Paris to enjoy the sunshine and pick up a nice little treat. He deliberately ignored Wayzz suspicious glare when their pleasant stroll took them straight to the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie-Pâtisserie on the other side of the arrondissement.
Wayzz hid away in Fu's shirt as they approached the shop but ensured he was in a good position to jab Fu in the ribs should he say something he shouldn't. He was never more glad of that when then walked through to door and found Adrien Agreste waiting in the shop with his friends. This could be bad.
Adrien startled when he saw Fu but a subtle shake of Fu's head told Adrien that there was nothing for him to worry about. This wasn't a professional visit. He gave a subtle nod back before turning back to his friends and paying attention to their conversation.
Sabine was bustling about behind the counters and missed the exchange between the two secret superheroes. Her face lit up in a smile when she saw who it was who had entered her shop.
"Master Fu! Good afternoon!" she greeted him warmly. Adrien was surprised but hid it well. "How can I help you today?"
"Oh, I won't interrupt these kids," Fu waved at Adrien and his friends.
"We aren't waiting to be served, sir," the girl Fu recognised from the Ladyblog said. "We're just waiting on our friend."
"Go ahead." Nino added and Adrien nodded his agreement too.
"Thank you, children," Fu nodded and walked to the front counter, successfully hiding a wince and Wayzz jabbed his ribs in warning. "Good afternoon Mme. Cheng."
"What can I get for you today?"
"A baguette, a tartelette au framboise, and a tartelette aux pommes today, please, Mme. Cheng. Though I would also very much like to speak with your daughter if she is in today?"
"Marinette? Of course you can. Just one moment."
She wrapped the baguette she had just retrieved for Fu in paper and set it one side on the counter. She went to the back door and disappeared down the corridor. They could hear her ask Marinette to join her in the bakery and Marinette's reply was faint but positive. Sabine hurried back to the counter with a smile and quickly grabbed a box for the two tartelettes Fu had ordered.
"She'll be here in a minute. She's just helping Tom finish decorating a special order," Sabine placed the box on the counter next to the baguette and began ringing his order through the till.
"She is such a lovely girl. So artistic!"
"Oh she is indeed!" Sabine beamed, always more than happy to talk about her daughter's accomplishments. "Did I tell you about her latest commission from Jiang Li?"
He had indeed seen the gorgeous new qipao that Jiang Li had been showing off the other day. "I thought that was familiar! Beautiful work."
"Oh it was. We're so proud of her!" Sabine gushed. The till beeped then and she read the total out. "That's €6.50 please."
"Thank you," Fu handed over a ten euro note. He was just pocketing his change when he heard footsteps from the back of the bakery. "Ah here she is now!"
"Master Fu?"
Marinette seemed so surprised to see him here in her family's bakery that she forgot to pay attention to where she was walking. Her foot caught in the doorway and, with a startled squeal, the crashed face first into the floor. Fu blinked. Marinette had told him of her unusual clumsiness but he hadn't seen it until now. He saw Adrien take one step forward as if to help but stop when Alya and Nino gave identical fond chuckles. This was an everyday occurrence after all.
Sabine sighed and shook her head as she walked over to see to her daughter. Marinette groaned and accepted her mother's hand, letting Sabine pull her up as she rubbed her sore nose. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she waved their concerns off. "What did you need, mama?"
"Master Fu wanted a word with you, sweetheart."
Marinette blinked. "Master?"
Fu could see her worrying about her heroic cover and decided to just jump straight in. "Hello again, my dear. I've got a little craft project going on at home and I've hit a bit of a stumbling block," he said. He made a show of picking his purchases up, showing off his Miraculous bracelet as he did. Marinette noticed and immediately realised he meant a kwami house and grinned at him. "When I realised I needed help, I naturally thought of my best customer."
Alya perked up at that. "Best customer? Are you Marinette's fabric supplier?"
Fu chuckled and shook his head. "No, no. I run a massage parlour and herbal medicine shop on the other side of the arrondissement, young lady. Mlle. Marinette here is my best customer. And not just because I give discounts to the clumsy ones."
Marinette flushed. "Master!"
"So, may I commission you to help me finish my project, Mlle. Marinette? I will leave this as a down payment," Fu passed her a hundred Euro note and was not surprised at all when she refused to take it.
"Master, no! I would never charge you for this!"
"I insist. Your work is the best and I will pay the best rates."
"But I…"
"Besides, if anything this isn't enough," Fu insisted. One hundred Euros was nothing when he thought about providing Wayzz with the home he had always wished for. It was nothing when he would do so much for for his kwami if he could. He knew Marinette understood that sentiment. "Your work is the best I have seen and I will not pay you any less than you deserve. And don't forget all the pastries you bring when you visit my shop."
Marinette blushed at the compliments and again when she saw her mother's fond smile. She took after her parents in lots of ways, but none more so than spoiling people with free treats from the bakery. She also couldn't see a way out of this. She would have to accept. "Ok. Thank you master." Marinette took the money from him with a smile, already envisioning designs for Wayzz's outfits. "Would you like me to come round tomorrow? I can bring my fabrics and supplies with me if that would help?"
Fu grinned. "That would be wonderful!"
"Ok then. I'll be there at noon if that's ok with you?"
"Perfect. Thank you again, Mlle. Marinette. I just know that with someone as creative and resourceful as you helping me, this project will be truly excellent."
Marinette beamed at the praise. "Thank you. Mama, may I…"
Sabine nodded. "Go put your money away and wash up dear. You can finish your shift early and talk to your friends."
"Thank you," she smiled at her mother and leaned up to buss her cheek before waving at her friends. "Be back in a minute guys!"
Alay smirked. "Make sure you get that icing on your cheek!"
"What?" Marinette blinked and reached up to swipe at the cheek Alya was pointing at, blushing when her fingers came back covered in green icing. Her blush deepened when she realised that Adrien had seen her like this and she wished for the ground to swallow her up.
Sabine chuckled. "Another food fight?"
"One I'm gonna win!" Marinette muttered, currently a shade of red that would rival Ladybug's suit. She was already envisioning the perfect way to get revenge on her father.
She stormed back to the back door and down the hallway, her angry footsteps echoing behind her. Sabine chuckled, far too used to the antics of her loved ones to be surprised, while Alya, Nino, and Adrien were mostly suceeding in stifling their laughter.
They lost that fight when Marinette shouted "Baba!" and a very theatrical and masculine scream drifted up to the bakery before trailing off into a dying groan. Even Fu chuckled at that.
"Oh those two," Sabine chuckled. "Don't worry Master Fu I'll make sure Marinette comes to see you on time tomorrow."
Fu beamed and nodded. "Thank you Mme. Cheng. Oh, before I forget, that tea you like will be back in stock on Wednesday. I'll set a box aside for you."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you."
"Good day Mme. Cheng. Good day children," Fu nodded to everyone before taking his leave.
He was completely unsurprised when, the second he turned into a quiet side street, Wayzz flew out of his hiding place and hovered mid-air in front of Fu. The look on his tiny face was decidedly unamused.
"I caught that," Wayzz frowned.
Fu played innocent. "What do you mean old friend?"
"Your creative and resourceful comment."
"Do you disagree?"
"You know I agree!" Wayzz sighed. Of course he thought that Marinette was amazingly creative and resourceful. She was the perfect Ladybug. "What I disagree with is saying that right in front of Chat Noir. You know they're too young to know the others identity."
"How was that revealing her identity to him? She was creative and resourceful long before we paired her with Tikki."
Wayzz wasn't having it. "Too. Young."
"Fine. Spoil all my fun why don't you?" Fu pouted. "Mark my words though, those two are made for each other. My ship will sail one day."
Wayzz groaned and retreated to the safety of his hiding place. "I regret the day you discovered fanfiction."
Fu was surprised that Wayzz didn't ask any questions on the way home. In fact, he didn't ask what project Fu was working on until they had finished their lunch and were tidying the plates away.
"Did you think of something else to teach Ladybug then, Master?" Wayzz asked as he handed Fu a fork.
Fu took it with a nod and started washing it. "No. Though I don't doubt our conversation will end up that way when she visits tomorrow."
Wayzz frowned. "They why do you want her to come here again so soon?"
"For you, of course."
"Me?"
"For your home."
Wayzz dropped the spoon he was attempting to hand over. "My… what?"
Fu smiled. "Last night I figured out a way for you to have a practical and portable home of your own. I just need Marinette's help with it… unless you want me to try and sew it myself?"
"But… but…"
"I will tell you all about it when I have finished the dishes and we are enjoying a cup of tea."
Fu turned back to the sink but Wayzz stayed floating in mid-air next to him, frozen in shock, for a few moments. All he could do was blink as he tried to process the news. When he finally snapped out of his trance he settled onto the small tea table in a daze. Fu bustled about him, washing and drying the dishes, before fixing a cup and a thimble of tea and joining his shocked friend at the table.
Fu sipped at his tea, waiting for Wayzz to come back to himself. He didn't have to wait very long.
"... I can have a home?"
"If you want one, then yes."
Wayzz blinked up at Fu. "But it isn't practical?"
"That depends," Fu took another sip of tea to gather his thoughts. If he made this sound too negative then Wayzz would never go for it. "A house like the one we were told that Plagg has would certainly be impractical."
Wayzz sniffed. "He always was extravagant."
"True. But you don't need or want a castle, you want a home."
"It isn't practical. Not when we're responsible for the Miraculous Box."
"We can agree to disagree on that point," Fu waved a dismissive hand. "But the fact of the matter is that we are both right. You deserved better from me, Wayzz, and I am sorry for not seeing your desire for a home until now. At the same time there are practical considerations that need to be met. So I have this compromise to offer you."
Fu reached down and picked up the two small wooden boxes he had brought over to the table with him. Wayzz had been so lost in his shock that he hadn't even seen them until now. One was long and flat, 10cm wide and 20cm long, but only 4cm high. This was the one her thought would be perfect for a bed. The other one that was intended to be a clothes trunk was a small box, 12cm square, with a shallow hinged lid on top.
"What are they for?"
"These, my friend, are a compromise. Portable furniture."
"...what?"
Wayzz was still looking confused so Fu put all his cards on the table. "I'm old, Wayzz."
"You're not that-"
"I know, I know," Fu cut off Wayzz's immediate protest. "I don't have one foot in the grave, I'm not that old. But I am old. I'm almost too old to transform. The time is nearly here where I will have to find you a new companion."
Wayzz dropped his gaze to the table, refusing to look at his friend. It was something neither of them liked to acknowledge. "I know."
"I doubt that you will have the time with me to make your own home. Even with your next companion there may not be the time to settle down while Hawkmoth is still out there. Practicality and portability are vital when you guard the Miraculous Box… which is why we have these," Fu pointed out the two boxes again, pleased to see that Wayzz was finally looking interested in them. "A bed in a box and a clothes trunk. These two are small enough that they can always be taken with you, even if the rest of your home cannot."
"Master, I… I don't know what to say, I… thank you."
"Don't thank me for giving these to you."
Wayzz smirked. "I was thanking you for bringing Marinette in to help."
"I'm not completely inept!"
That was a lie.
Fu was completely inept when it came to sewing clothes.
A fact that was proved the next day when Marinette came round as promised. She had a bag full of knitting yarns in all the colours of the rainbow, from plain wool to merino, alpaca, and cashmere, in different weights, and needles of different shapes and gauges, and many other technical terms that went straight over Fu's head. When she pulled out the bag of fabric scraps as started talking about the suitability of different fabrics to seasons as well as purposes Fu stopped even pretending to follow what she was saying. Wayzz was similarly confused.
Tikki giggled and gave Marinette a pat on the shoulder, advising her to take it easy. The two turtles couldn't possibly hope to match the enthusiasm of creation after all.
Marinette blushed but did as Tikki advised.
Fu brought out the two boxes then and the conversation descended into patterns and colour choices. Wayzz was initially fairly reserved, but a little bit of coaxing from Tikki soon had him joining in and making his own suggestions about things like style and comfort.
It took nearly an hour of discussion before Marinette pulled out her tape measure and measured the bed box, the clothes chest, and Wayzz himself. She grabbed her fabrics and wool and moved to one of the other tables in the room before getting to work.
Wayzz and Tikki stayed at the main table, armed with two small paintbrushes and a pot of white paint. Wayzz had decided to do what Tikki and Plagg had done with their homes. He was going to paint his furniture white and then decorate it with felt tip pens and paints once the first layer was dry. Tikki assured him that it looked amazing once it was finished and he believed her. She'd never steered him wrong in the millennia they'd known each other after all.
They doodled on some scrap paper while they waited for the base paint to dry and to help Wayzz decide on his colour schemes. He'd never put much thought into the things he liked before, at least not for decorative purposes, and had merely been content with whatever his Chosen human of the time used.
Tikki helped him to draw images of his favourite foods, strawberries and raspberries, and the flowers that helped make his favourite teas, and well as some abstract patterns that looked pleasing. She helped him to draw the symbol on the Miraculous Box, the pattern of his turtle shell, and versions of all the Miraculous emblems. They doodled odd symbols they remembered from their travels around the world, their lives lived in lands that existed only in their memories, and random patterns that reminded him of some of his past turtles.
In the end Wayzz chose a bit of a mixture of everything.
The clothes chest would be painted to look like the Miraculous Box, but with the turtle symbol on its top. His bed box would have the pattern of his turtle shell but within each scale would be a tiny design. The camellia sinensis flower for his love of tea, a strawberry as his favourite fruit, a Hawaiian shirt design to symbolise Fu, and many more tiny patterns for those Wayzz had loved in the past.
It took them hours to finish but by the time Marinette left it was all done. The bed and clothes trunk were drying and Wayzz was examining the beautiful bedding that Marinette had left for him.
The mattress was as soft and fluffy as a cloud and made out of something called 400 thread-count cotton. Wayzz had no idea what that meant but Tikki assured him that it was a good thing. The second he felt the cotton he knew she had been right. It was wonderful!
He had a few light cotton sheets for the bed, all in his favourite shades of green, and beautifully soft pillows to match. She had even knit him a thick woolen blanket for the cooler nights of the approaching autumn.
Regrettably she could do much more than that today in the time she had but she promised to work on some clothes for him and a few extra surprises whenever she had the chance. She would bring them around with her on their many visits.
Once the paint was fully dry, Fu helped him to position his furniture how he wanted in the chest he preferred to hide in and Wayzz set about making it into the home he had always wished for.
As he fell asleep that night, swaddled in his amazingly comfortable bedding, Wayzz could help but marvel at the current Ladybug. She was truly Tikki's match if she could come up with an idea that would benefit so many kwami. He also loves Fu's practical response to their homes.
Yes, Wayzz was very happy with his home.
Marinette was true to her word and worked on clothes and gifts for Wayzz's hidden home whenever she had a few minutes to spare.
When her mother sent her to Fu's shop on Wednesday for the tea she wanted, she and Tikki happily presented Wayzz with his first outfit. It was in the smallest gift bag she could find a wrapped up in green and white polka dot tissue paper and Wayzz eagerly ripped it open. He didn't know whether to laugh or groan when he realised what it was, and instead chose to glare at Fu who was openly chuckling.
It was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle onesie.
"Thanks?" he sighed.
Tikki tried, and failed, to stifle a giggle. "Sorry Wayzz. That was my idea."
"I gathered."
Marinette smiled. "I made Tikki a Chat Noir onesie, and I made Plagg a Ladybug onesie, and I wanted to do the same for you, but…"
"But she's never see the two of you transformed," Tikki finished. "I described it for her but then I thought that this would be perfect too."
"I did a real Jade Turtle one too," Marinette held up another gift bag.
Wayzz dove into it with the same excitement and later he was not ashamed to admit that he squealed in delight when he saw the little masterpiece. It looked just like Jade Turtle's outfit, from the stripes on the shang to the reinforced and armoured yi - she'd even done tiny embroidery in the shape of Jade Turtle's shell pattern!
"I… thank you."
Marinette smiled. "There's one more little gift for you - and no jokes this time, I promise."
She held out a third gift bag to him. Wayzz reverently set the Jade Turtle onesie to one side and took the bag with a smile. No one commented on the bright gleam in his eyes or how he was blinking faster than usual. He was more restrained in opening this one but no less enthusiastic at seeing the final product.
There were three more knitted blankets for his bed, all bearing the Jade Turtle shell pattern, and four soft scatter cushions that looked wonderfully comfortable. He could pile them on his bed for the extra comfort, or use them as floor cushions for when Tikki and Plagg visited, or pile them up in a sort of nest… and there was that thing he'd seen on TV too, the blanket fort, he could give that a go.
And that was just what he did later on that evening, dressed in his Jade Turtle onesie and snuggled under his Jade Turtle blanket.
Marinette carried on bringing him little outfits over the next few months. Just about every visit of theirs started with her handing over a tiny gift bag to the excited kwami. He adored the light jacket she made to resemble Fu's favourite red Hawaiian shirt and the blue beach themed one. His striped shirt and beret combo quickly became one of his favourite outfits.
As the weather turned colder his gifts became warmer to match. Scarves and mittens appeared before the leaves started to change colour, and the jackets became longer and thicker. His favourite was the mid-weight autumn coat in thick black wool with the symbol of the Miraculous box embroidered on the back in red. The blankets became thicker and made with heavier wool, and just before the first chill of autumn really set in she gifted him with a thick duvet with the same pattern as his bed. A thick snow suit soon followed, in turtle green and trimmed with pure white faux fur, as well as tiny booties and ear warmers. It was the comfiest winter he had ever had.
It was no coincidence that Marinette's gifts were restrained to clothes and bedding while Wayzz was settled with Fu. She had been told about their arrangement when she first started making kami clothes.
Eventually though the time came for Fu and Wayzz to part ways. It was a bittersweet parting but as well as his memories Wayzz also had the bed box and the clothes trunk to remind him of Fu and their time together.
Nino quickly became a good friend to Wayzz and was all for Wayzz having a home of his own. He even rearranged his whole bedroom to better hide a doll's house from his family since he would have no way of explaining that away. It became easier after a few years when Nino moved out of his family home into a place of his own and Wayzz didn't have to hide any more - even if it meant sharing his living space with a couple of foxes.(N)
Still, even living with two foxes wasn't that bad since it meant he could be out in the open all the time. Even when Ladybug and Chat Noir came over for a double date dinner. It was always nice to catch up with Tikki and Plagg.
It was on one of those relaxed evenings in that Plagg pulled him to one side.
"You like your house, right?"
Wayzz nodded slowly. "Yes?"
Plagg rolled his eyes. "Relax, would you. I'm not going to cataclysm it."
"Good to know."
"I just want to know if you want to keep it?"
"... you're sure you're not going to cataclysm it?"
"Yes!"
Wayzz gave Plagg a look that promised revenge should anything happen to his home but decided to trust the older kwami. "Then, yes, I want to keep it."
"I want to keep mine too. And my Sweet Tikki wants to keep hers. So I was wondering…"
It fell into place then. "You want me to ask Nino to keep the houses when we're done in Paris?" Plagg nodded and Wayzz blinked in surprise. He hadn't even considered that, and was more than a little surprised that Plagg had been the one to think about it, but he liked that plan. "I don't know if that will always be possible… but I can certainly ask him. He should be starting his Guardian training with Fu soon. I'll ask him then."
Plagg grinned. "Purr-fect!"
I feel that I should point out here that when I posted this I have not seen season 2 or 3. I started watching 2 yesterday and have only seen the Collector and Prime Queen so far (though I will be watching a few more episodes now that I've posted this). This is just my personal headcanon about Fu, his background, and his interactions with the others. I called him Jade Turtle in this because it was the name I first saw for him in the fandom years ago and since one of the heroes is called Black Cat I thought I'd just stick with it. I may come back and edit this when I've seen more of season 2 but to be honest I like it the way it is.