Full disclosure, I've been planning this in my head for a few years now, but I just wanted to write other stuff first. But now, I've fallen back into ML hell, and I had to get this out. I have no update schedule. But I hope you all enjoy!

—

Finally, it was done. All his planning, all his underhanded dealings. It was all worth it. Now he'd live in peace. That is, after he died.

It was complicated.

Adrien Agreste was planning something big.

It all started when he came home from a late night photoshoot two weeks ago. As soon as he walked in the door, his father was standing on top of the stairs, staring at him.

"My office. Now."

His father never even said his name. He knew this had to be bad.

It turned out to be even worse.

The chairs in the office were uncomfortable, and hard. His father looked at his computer and files on his desk, anywhere to avoid eye contact.

Finally, he looked up briefly. "You're moving to Germany." He stated.

These words were French, yet they might have been Swahli, because all comprehension flew from Adrien's head.

"What?"

"You heard me," said Gabriel, heartlessly. "Germany."

"G-Ge-Germany?!" Adrien stuttered.

"Don't stutter, boy. It makes you look foolish."

"But—Germany!"

"That's what I said."

"But why?"

"There is a very prestigious school in Tannenwalde. If you insist on going to school, I'll have to ask you to attend on my terms." Gabriel stood, his hands behind his back, and paced over to the windows. "I only want what's best for you, after all."

"I think...it's a lousy idea." Adrien crossed his arms. Though it was an act of rebellion, it sounded weak in his ears.

Mr. Agreste met his eyes, a look of intense focus on his face. "Listen here, boy."

Oh no, here we go.

"You have no right to speak to me like that! I am your father and you will do as I say! I own you!"

Adrien didn't like the use of the word 'own.' Was he a slave? A pet? Or a trophy?

He winced. "Did you even think about how I'd feel?"

"Yes, but you'll get over it."

"Not likely! This is my future!"

"Watch your tone." His father glared. "And I know it's your future, that's why I took it into my own hands. You're only 17 years old. You're still a child, just learning how to walk. You can't possibly make these kinds of decisions on your own."

"I wasn't planning on it! Father—Germany?!"

"Yes, Adrien! How many times must you make me repeat it?"

Adrien stood and paced. "This is just unreal…I don't…I'm only 17! I can't live that far away from everyone! This is the only place I've ever known."

"Your bodyguard will be going with you."

Stellar.

"And it's only a day's drive, it's not that far."

It is when there's an akuma attack, he thought bitterly. "Why?"

"I already said, there's a prestigious school—…"

Adrien cut him off. "But why now? Why not when I started school? Why do you have to do this to me?"

"Paris is too dangerous for you. What with all this superhero nonsense."

Adrien slouched in his seat. "Isn't it dangerous everywhere? Why not just keep me home, where you know I'm protected?"

"Oh, did I not mention? Saint Erhard's is a Military school. Highly regulated dorms, schedules planned out to the minute, maximum security. I know you'll be fine."

Adrien's mouth fell open. "You're joking, right? I can't believe this. This is completely unfair!"

Gabriel looked away from him, and returned to his desk. "Life is unfair. It's nothing you won't get used to. It's a lot more fair if you respect my wishes and listen to what I have to say."

Adrien shook his head, his body filled with rebellion. "I won't do it."

Gabriel glanced at him, quirked an eyebrow and frowned. "You will. You're enrolled and set to begin at the next trimester. You have no choice. I know what I'm doing. End of discussion. You are dismissed."

"Discussion?! More like commandment! Please don't make me do this!"

"Adrien, you are dismissed." His father raised his voice. Then he turned back to his computer without another word.

The teen, more angry then he had ever been in his life, stomped to the door. Before he left, he threw, "I hate you," over his shoulder, and then slammed the door.

Adrien was fuming, surely there was smoke coming out of his ears.

Plagg zipped out of his jacket and whizzed in front of his face.

"Germany! Why that man is a monster! German cheese is vastly inferior to French!"

Adrien snatched the cat out of the air, a bit forcefully. "Not now Plagg!"

When he reached his room the threw open the door, slammed it behind him, dropped Plagg, drop kicked his backpack, and slammed face first onto his bed, where he laid silently for many moments.

The black cat came an nestled next to the boy, a small paw playing with a tendril of hair. "I'm sorry for joking. I'm not good at taking things seriously."

Adrien didn't answer.

"Please say something Adrien, these are the emotions that get someone possessed by an akuma. If you get taken, who will help Ladybug? Surely, you wouldn't make her fight you, would you?"

That got a response. The teen turned his face to his Kwami. "Plagg…what am I going to do? It's easy being Chat Noir when my dad ignores me. But Germany? I'll never be able to help Ladybug! Forget Hawkmoth, I'll never have a minute to myself! This is a mess!" He buried his face back in his pillow. "I want to die."

Plagg sighed. "C'mon. You don't want to die. You can't help Ladybug if you're dead. And…would you really make me find someone else to be Chat Noir? Some poor boy that can't afford Camembert more then once a month? You'd do that to me?"

Adrien could tell the Cat would actually miss him if he was gone, and he was trying to convey that, in his own way.

"Well, I don't wish I was dead. I wish Adrien was dead."

"How would you manage that? You can't kill one without the other…unless you faked it."

Adrien had to hand it to Plagg. Sometimes his wisdom of a thousand years really showed. "Fake it, huh?"

The kwami stared at him, wide-eyed. "Now, don't do anything rash. You know your father sometimes changes his mind."

"Yeah, like the amount of times he's pulled me out of school, because he changed his mind. Fencing, piano, Chinese, modeling…those were all his ideas. He made me do all of those, despite the fact I didn't want to."

Plagg was quiet for a moment, thinking. "So what are you going to do?"

Adrien was getting angry again, and had to take a calming breath. "God, I wish there was someone I could talk to about this."

"What about Ladybug?"

That much was obvious. It just took some prompting to get to. With only a nod, Adrien uttered 'Claws Out,' and Chat Noir was off into the night.

It wasn't a patrol night, so Chat just had to roam around and hope for the best. He withdrew his baton, and called his Lady.

Miraculously, she answered. "Chat? Is everything okay?"

"Um…not really. Like, Paris is fine, but I'm not. Can we talk? Like, face to face?"

Her soothing hum came from the line, "Of course, Chaton."

The city was peaceful, but ever bustling. The lights glittered in the cool autumn mist, and the sounds were drowned out in the height of the Eiffel Tower. Chat had arrived first, but was only alone for a moment before Ladybug arrived.

"Hey," she greeted softly.

"Hi," he returned.

She hurried her steps to him and enveloped him in a comforting hug. Whatever was wrong, she would do her best to fix it.

"So," she began, after many moments of silence. "What's wrong Chat?"

Chat pulled away from her to sit, his knees up and rested his arms on them, folding his hands in front of his face. "My lady…would you be able to fight without me?"

"No." She didn't even hesitate. "You have always saved my butt, and swooped in in the nick of time. I just…I know I wouldn't be able to do this without you. Why would you ask such a thing?"

Chat took a shuttering breath. "My father wants to send me away. Countries away."

Ladybug's eye brows rose. "I—…" She didn't know what to say.

"I don't want to go. Some of my friends I could keep in contact with, but you…my best friend…" His brows knotted together. "I don't know what to do," he whispered.

Ladybug had never seen her partner so lost. Her heart went out to him. "Oh kitty…" She rested her head on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him press a soft kiss to her head as he leaned into her embrace. "I don't know what to do either…" She bit her lip. "I'm…I'm still a kid, there's so much I don't know…did you talk to your kwami?"

He hummed. "Plagg…helped me come up with pretty extreme solution."

"And that is?"

Chat hesitated. "For the sake of my secret identity, I probably shouldn't tell you."

She nodded in understanding, as she thought, "God, I don't want you to have to give up being Chat. You're my partner, I trust you with my life."

"As I trust mine with you." He admitted. "And my heart."

She scratched the back of his head with affection and then asked. "Have you met Master Fu?"

"Oh!" He shouted, nearly forgetting. Chat sighed with relief. Having a real human adult on their side really made him feel like there was a security net underneath them for this exact scenario. "Yes, but…I don't know how to get in contact with him."

"I'll reach out to him for you."

"Thank you, My Lady." Chat said sincerely.

Ladybug smiled back, "and if there's anything else you need, you just let me know. Okay? Chat Noir comes first, and that includes who you are under the mask."

Feeling a bit more relieved, Chat sat up straighter and managed a genuine smile. "Thank you Ladybug, I knew you'd be able to help."

—

The next day, Adrien came home from school. He hadn't had the courage to tell any of his friends that he would be leaving soon, in one way or another. So he acted as normal as possible, and as far as he could tell, no one suspected a thing.

"Your Chinese Instructor is sending a substitute again today," Nathalie explained. "Mr. Chang, if you remember him."

Adrien smiled. Ladybug worked fast! "Oh, okay, Nathalie! He was really good, and I liked him."

The secretary offered a twitch of a smile and went about her business.

Master Fu arrived within the hour, bowing respectfully to Adrien. "It is good to see you again," he said in Chinese.

"It's nice to see you too." Adrien responded in kind.

Satisfied, Nathalie closed the door and left them alone.

"So, Ladybug said you needed to speak with me."

Adrien invited him over to the couch and sat heavily. "Yeah, I have…a pretty big problem."

"Regarding the Miraculous?"

"Well, sort of. It effects it."

Fu nodded, urging him to continue.

"My father wants to send me to a Military school in Germany. 24 hour surveillance, and even if I was able to get away, it would take hours to get here to fight an akuma."

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to find a new Chat Noir." Fu said easily, stroking his beard.

Adrien winced, clenching his fists.

Plagg looked to Fu with sadness, and then anger. "That's it!? You'd just replace him!? That's not why he called you here! If you take that ring…I'll— I'll—" He frowned, knowing that he couldn't do anything.

"Now we know that Plagg is willing to do what it takes, are you Adrien?"

The question stunned Adrien, as he hunched in on himself. "I…" There was real, true conflict in his eyes. "Chat Noir is the only freedom I've ever had. And now that I've had it, I can't go back. It…it would destroy me." He nodded once to himself, steeling his resolve. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Even if it means hurting those you love?"

With still great hesitation, he nodded. "Yeah…"

Fu smiled wisely. "You would not be the first Miraculous holder to seek a new identity. I myself had to do it once before. Whether they were compromised by public knowledge, or they wanted to invest full time in being a hero, the reasons vary, but the process changes little. Though in this modern world, we will have to take new steps. Are you 100% committed to this?"

"I just have a few concerns…"

"And they would be?"

"If I were to run away, my father would hire PIs to find me. He will not stop until he finds me."

"So we make it that he won't look for you."

Adrien's understanding grin was wavering. "You mean…fake my death?"

"It is the most drastic, but obvious solution. But you are a celebrity, with a very rich and powerful father. Drastic means to an end."

"I figured."

"When are you being shipped out?"

"My father said I'm starting next trimester…which is only in a few weeks."

"Then we better work quickly. I will set up a private bank account for you and make up a Birth Certificate. Since you are younger than 18, I'll will be your legal guardian. It only makes sense, right?"

Adrien could only nod, a lump in his throat.

"You can stay with me until you are ready to go out on your own. I don't have much room, but it'll be a safe place to go. I also don't have a lot of money, so don't expect me to pay for university."

"My father gives me a pretty good allowance in my personal bank account. He hardly checks the balance either, so I can funnel it into the new account."

"If it is your own personal account, that will work, I think. I will need you to create a private email address so that I can contact you with the details. Are you following me?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright, your new surname will be Fu, same as mine. But you get to pick your first name, whatever you desire."

Adrien thought a moment. "Emile. Emile Fu."