Dance with Me, Chaton

Hairstyles

"I can't take it anymore!" Plagg threw his hands upwards. "Stop annoying me, kid, or you're out!"

"What did I do this time?" Adrien groaned. "I showed up at sunrise, brought you your Camembert, and do everything you're telling me to do. What else do you want from me?"

"Stop looking like some son of some high-butt CEO."

"I'm wearing sweatpants and a loose sleeveless top. Just as you asked me. How is that reminding you of any kind of CEO?"

"Your hair!"

"What about it?"

"You styled it!"

"So, what? I always do."

"It's irritating me!" Plagg ran his hands over his face. "It's too 'proper', too 'in place'."

Adrien pulled back. "It's the way I've always done it. How is that irritating you now but haven't before?"

"It's always irritated me," Plagg puffed. "I was just too nice to say anything."

Adrien quirked a skeptical eyebrow.

Plagg rolled his eyes. "Listen, kid. You want freedom, right?"

Adrien nodded. "What does it have to do with my hair?"

"Everything! Why the heck do you put your own hair in the jail of hair products if you want to be free?" Plagg scowled. "Hypocrisy at its best. I can't take it anymore!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Adrien grumbled.

"You either free the hair or you're out."

Adrien pressed his lips together, his breathing heavy. "Why do you keep threatening to kick me out if I don't comply with all your crazy whims? You've already ruined my sleep schedule, forced me to ditch work for a few hours twice in one week, changed my wardrobe, and now you don't like the way I style my hair? Seriously, you are the one putting me in jail of your desires."

"So, you want out?" Plagg smirked. "Cause I'll be more than happy to drop such a capricious client like you."

Adrien glared at Plagg. He hated him at times. He almost snapped I quit more times than he could count. Yet, something kept him going. Something he couldn't explain. Something that wasn't just the prospect of getting into Kwami Kave and being with Ladybug. Something else. Something he could neither understand nor refuse because that something had just won over his emotions again.

With an exasperated groan, Adrien bent over, dropped his head down, and fluffed his hair as much as he could.

"Are you happy now?"

Plagg's grinned, walking towards Adrien. He stopped behind him and whispered into his ear. "Now, tell me, Adrien. How much freer will you work if you don't have to worry about ruining your hairstyle?"

Something clicked in Adrien's head. Oh!

Plagg smirked. "Your progress halted. You know all the basic moves, but you can't move forward. You're too reserved. You worry too much about how you look, or what others will think of you and all that other bullshit. You'll never reach Ladybug's level if you continue like this, neither can I teach you anything more advanced. Let it go, Adrien. Destroy that reservation, those chains you've adopted. Tune everyone and everything out. Don't worry about your image. Got it?"

Adrien nodded.

"Good. Now, give me seventy more burpees, and I want you giving it all till the end. Impress me, kid."

***

"You overslept?" Kagami side glanced at him as the elevator door closed.

"Quite the opposite," Adrien sighed. "I've barely had any sleep. Why?"