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immaturityofthomasastruc · 1 year

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IOTA Reviews: Migration

You know, for a while, I thought Luka was one of the smartest characters in the show, and the fact that he's hightailing it out of Paris in this episode only continues to prove my point.

Let's get into the thirteenth episode of Miraculous Ladybug's fifth season: Migration

We start off with Marinette running over to the Liberty (with her friends laughing behind her back like the supportive people they are) and tries to talk with Luka about her relationship with Adrien once they're in private. Luka is pretty supportive, and it's a nice scene. Marinette then bumps into Adrien, who also wants to talk with Luka, and while the two try to get unstuck, we get a nice visual of Luka seeing the two as Ladybug and Cat Noir, which is there to remind the audience that he's known who both of them are ever since “Wishmaker”.

Adrien then talks to Luka about how he's worried something is keeping Marinette from being honest about her feelings. Luka gives him some advice on how just because he doesn't know everything about Marinette, it doesn't make her feelings for him less valid, and vice versa.

After Adrien leaves, we get an appearance from everyone's favorite deadbeat dad, Jagged Stone. He asks Luka how he can be a better father like he didn't miss years of child support, but all Luka really says is that he needs to spend time with his damn family. Of course, what I like about this scene is that it avoids the usual narrative pitfall of trying to say that Jagged and Anarka, Luka's mom, should get back together, and instead shows Jagged developing feelings for his agent, Penny.

Speaking of, after Jagged leaves, Penny comes in to come to Luka for advice. Okay, is Luka just the Dr. Phil of this show's universe? Penny talks to Luka about her sudden feelings for Jagged Stone.

Penny: No, I don't know why I'm in love with your father. He's disorganized, childish, selfish, and musically speaking, he's no David Bowie. Truth be told, your dad's a walking disaster. So why do I love him?

Luka: Does he make you happy, Penny?

Penny: Yeah. I just can't figure out why!

It's almost like this show will randomly pair people up at the drop of a hat. But hey, at least Luka hasn't asked if Kagami is single yet.

Before Penny leaves, Bob Roth, Jagged's producer, demands to know where he is, as he needs to record a new album. Bob learns that Jagged had children with Anarka (ignoring the potential scandal it could create), so Anarka promptly throws him out of the boat in a scene that I'm pretty sure is meant to be a reference to that one running gag from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

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Either way, Jazz's scream was funnier.

Kitty Section then practices their latest song about how you don't have to be rich, because even the songs in this show aren't exactly subtle with their messages. Bob somehow gets back on the Liberty completely dry, and offers the band a contract.

Bob: How would you like to sign a contract with me?

Luka: Actually, Bob, you already offered to sign us... Marinette: And you never followed up. Did you forget?

Bob: Huh? Uh... of course! I remember! I was just waiting for the right reason—uh, I mean, the right time! I was waiting for the right time to have you guys sign the contract!

My God, even the characters in this show want to forget it used to have good episodes.

Anarka throws Bob off again, where she and Luka talk about how everyone deserves a second chance and that change is possible.

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Yeah, funny how that message almost never came up with Chloe, Lila, and Felix last season, isn't it? And given that they're going to use Bob as an example of this lesson, I don't think it's going to be a positive one. So right after Luka generously decided to give Bob a second chance, Bob offers them a new contract to sign... and as soon as he does, he screws them all over thanks to a lot of fine print they didn't stop to read.

Ivan: He can fire us whenever he wants?

Bob: Yep, and I just did, by the way.

Rose: The name Kitty Section belongs to him?!

Bob: Yep. It’s ugly, but it’s mine. Marinette: He owns everything you’ve made and will make over the next thousand years!? Bob: Gotta cover all bases.

Zoe: Marinette's costumes, the music video Nino shot, the website Mylene runs...

Bob: All mine!

Adrien: And you can’t even start another band together?

Bob: Course not, that’d be unfair competition! EVERYTHING belongs to me! Everything you are, everything you say, everything that’s in your hearts belongs to me!

See, kids? This is why you should never trust bad people. It doesn't matter if they say they want to improve. They just want to trick you and ruin your life, so if you're ever wronged by anyone, that person is never able to redeem themselves, especially if they're rich. As we all know, rich people are far worse than insane supervillains who want to rewrite reality. Just ask the biggest monster in the show, Chloe Bourgeois.

So yeah, Luka's optimism being taken advantage of is enough to attract the attention of Monarch, who attempts to akumatize him into Silencer again. Monarch realizes that Luka knows Ladybug and Cat Noir's identities (why he didn't think to look into it, given Viperion's powers, is left unanswered), and angrily smashes his guitar to free himself of Monarch's influence.

So not only did he stop himself from getting akumatized, he's also one step closer to becoming a true rock star.

Somehow, Bob thinks only keeping Luka on board would mean he wouldn't hate him, but Luka isn't buying it. Bob is shocked that Luka wouldn't want to work for an asshole like him as Luka tears the contract in half, but Bob has backups. Monarch decides to settle on Bob instead, akumatizing him into Gold Record.

Gold Record's design is... okay. It's still better than Sole Destroyer, and it's definitely better than Moolak. The gold coloring looks nice, and the euro symbol on the record is a nice visual. His powers are pretty much just a combination of Pixelator, the Collector, and Truth's powers, transforming people into records who sing their true feelings while using the Horse Miraculous' Voyage to throw the records into space. Nothing too original there, but it's a good metaphor for sleazy music producers, and it works for this story.

Rose and Anarka are the first of Gold Record's victims, and in a hurry, Luka lets Adrien know he knows he's Cat Noir, giving him a place to hide. Just as Juleka is hit by Gold Record, Ladybug and Cat Noir arrive on the scene. While Cat Noir holds off Gold Record, Ladybug tries to come up with a plan.

Ladybug summons her Lucky Charm, getting a knitting needle. She realizes her plan will need to involve using Luka as bait. Luka is forced to reveal that he knows who Ladybug and Cat Noir are, and what will happen if Gold Record gets him, setting up a tough choice that will force Ladybug to rethink her plan... and then the next scene happens, where Luka lets himself get hit, where Ladybug manages send Gold Record's record flying with a makeshift bow and arrow created from the knitting needle and a nearby fiddle, which Cat Noir immediately Cataclysms.

Ladybug de-evilizes the Akuma, uses Miraculous Ladybug to fix the damage, and gives Bob Roth a Magical Charm that even he knows is useless at this point. Ladybug and Cat Noir decide to call it a day and let Anarka throw Bob Roth out again.

Luka reveals that he knows Ladybug and Cat Noir's identities (because once again, sharing that information with your friends is totally fine for some reason), and that he can't stay in Paris. After revealing that he had Fang eat all of Bob's contracts so Luka isn't bound by them anymore, Jagged offers to take Luka around the world to finally make up for years of absence while Luka makes Juleka the new leader of Kitty Section. And so the episode ends with the Couffaine family sharing a hug while Luka gives one last look to his friends Marinette and Adrien.

This episode was just average, all things considered. The plot and the lesson it was setting out to teach, while not terrible, felt a little tacked on. It was if the writers were trying to acknowledge the stuff that happened with Chloe and wanted to show an example of redemption arc done right in the case of Jagged. It falls flat because once again, more focus is given to showing how easy it is to be screwed over trusting someone than showing the benefits to trusting someone, especially since Bob is already an outlandish villain we already have a lot of reasons to hate.

I'm also mixed on the handling of Luka here. While I'm glad Marinette isn't being forced to learn a lesson here, I don't get why Luka had to be the one to be taken advantage of. He's already aware of how easy it is for Monarch to learn his secrets, so it feels weird that he lets himself and his friends get taken advantage of so easily. Outside of the scene with Ladybug's Lucky Charm, I don't get why he needed to tell the others the stuff he knew. I can sort of see why he'd tell Adrien, but why would he think telling his friends he knows who Ladybug and Cat Noir are wouldn't endanger them too?

Speaking of that, despite being established for almost an entire season, we really don't see enough of Marinette and Adrien reacting to Luka revealing that he knows who they are. Marinette only gets a few lines, and Adrien doesn't even get to say anything. While I am glad that Marinette and Adrien aren't dominating the plot for once, it feels weird that we don't get to see their reactions to something so shocking, especially with how often the identity rule has been enforced.

On the other hand, the writing is still handled a lot better than usual. I like how Monarch chooses to change his strategy to focus on Luka halfway through the episode, and the idea of the risk using Luka for Ladybug's plan brings is an interesting one, even if they don't really go anywhere with it. The running gag with Bob constantly getting thrown off the Liberty is a funny one, and it proves you can actually write slapstick that doesn't involve humiliating Marinette. Who knew?

As a whole, while I think this is the best episode of the season so far, this episode still has its fair share of problems.

THE BIGGEST IDIOT OF THE EPISODE IS... LUKA

Not counting the time Marinette got the award in my review of the Shanghai Special, we have the first character this season to get the Biggest Idiot Award twice. For someone who is usually smarter than the other characters, Luka made quite a few bad choices this episode. He decided to trust Bob Roth after he screwed him and his friends over in “Silencer”, he didn't think to read the contract he was offered, and after being endangered by what Monarch knows now, he decided to tell his friends and family that he knows who Ladybug and Cat Noir are, potentially putting them all in danger too. Yeah, the next few episodes will probably just ignore it, but there's always a chance Monarch could try another Optigami, even if he doesn't have the Peacock Miraculous anymore.

And with that, I'm officially done with the first half of Season 5. What do I think of it? Well, I think Immortan Joe said it best:

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Yeah, this season was pretty boring, all things considered. To be perfectly honest, I struggled here more than I did last season because I wasn't sure what to say about half of the episodes I watched. There was almost nothing of substance these past thirteen episodes, and I could barely say anything other than “this episode is okay” or “this episode is bad”. Whenever I had ideas, they were usually extensions to things I've already talked about, like the Marinette angst, the historical and cultural inaccuracies, and the villains genuinely being incompetent. If you showed someone a few episodes of Season 1 and this season, outside of Monarch's new appearance, it'd be pretty hard for them to tell the difference.

But hey, maybe things will pick up in the second half of the season. Hell, maybe the next episode will be even better than this one, and... huh. Does anyone else hear an ominous whistling in the background?

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mysteriouschar · 6 months

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Bio dad Bruce Part 1

Wattpad , part~2 , part~3,...

Note-My characters may not be like the original dc universe as i haven't watched/read the dc universe .Everything i know is from many fanfics that i have read .hope y'all enjoy it.

Marinette had to go to Gotham. Now you would think why are we even talking about this well the thing is tom isn't her biological father he is her step dad. Well who is her biological father you ask none other than Bruce Wayne. And the problem you see is that till she was 5 she lived with her father but on her 6th birthday he dropped her at her mother's house and never returned.

6 year old Marinette thought her father hated her and that is why he didn't want her there. Marinette started living with her mother and found out that she liked it here in paris with her mother and step dad.

Now she is 22 a successful designer and singer known as MDC and Nettie and her dad (that is her legal guardian jagged stone)was doing a concert in gotham and wanted her to be there.Now you might ask how this happened. Well liela rossi happened,when she was in high school everyone liked her because of her personality and behaviour but then this liar came and started telling lies and her classmates the bunch of morons that they are believed the liar over their friend even though many of them knew her from childhood. they started ignoring her and calling her mean things. At first marinette was very hurt first her father and now her friends. The only one that knew that the liar was lying was her ex crush and he advised her to take the high road the coward that he was.

So after her ex moronic friends started ignoring her she had much free time and started her own bussiness at first she didn't have many customers as the website was started by a newbie but then jagged stone announced that his personal designer was MDC and thus her business started blowing/blossoming this was 4 years before.

Somehow her classmates got to her parents and worse they believed it and told her to leave their house as a bully and someone who had disgraced them wasn't their daughter . This was the last straw for Marinette as everyone she had loved had left her except her friend Luka, jagged stone and penny Jagged's assistance .Marinette packed her stuff there wasn't much as she had bought a studio after her business had skyrocketed so she took the few things she had and left as she was leaving Sabine and Tom looked at her and for the first time saw that Marinette wasn't showing any emotion and was wearing something which had no pink at all and her hair was in a french braid she left without saying anything.

her hair but in midnight blue colour.

her dress

After a month of leaving her home jagged returned to paris as he was doing a tour and when he asked mari where to come to collect his clothes she gave him a different address which wasn't the bakery now jagged didn't know about liela rossi as mari didn't want to burden him but as jagged care for marinette as a daughter he knew there was something amiss in her life and he was waiting for her to tell him what it was.

When he reached the address mari opened the door and let him in as he was looking around he saw there was a kitchen and a room and studio he asked her,"blueberry are you living here?"

"u-um yes i am" she replied looking nervous.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #felinette #class salt #adrian salt #alya salt #felix graham de vanily #badass marinette #lila salt #nino salt #bio dad bruce wayne #MDC #nettie

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rainbow-arrow · 7 days

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Something people miss with lukadrien: bonding over daddy issues.

okay yes literally this. I love love love playing with this idea in fics bc they really are such mama's boys it's really funny (also why I fully support Adrien being informally adopted by the Couffaine's so he gets a mom figure back).

They both have such valid reasons to hate their dads. Each were either previously or currently protected by a lie (Anarka not telling Luka, and now Marinette keeping Gabriel's identity a secret), but both Jagged and Gabriel were. not great. Jagged knew the whole time, and well, Gabriel's list is long but mostly he's neglectful and really doesn't care about Adrien, despite saying he does.

There's such bonding potential in the sense they have very different relationships to their dads, but they're both, boiled down, to bad.

Unfortunately as much good as I think it would do for him, I don't think Adrien will ever say he hates his father on the basis that he's his father; we saw his reaction to cataclysm-ing Monarch. But fuck I think Luka should say it for him fjdsklafsa.

I also feel like Luka's response to Jagged in canon was...not accurate to his character? (which I hate saying about canon, but they did make him a twin four seasons in) It is important to consider that yeah, he admires Jagged's music, but he really, realistically, especially with Jagged's reaction to Juleka, should've been more upset. This boy got akumatized over the truth TWICE. For Luka to find out that Jagged KNEW, and they'd interacted multiple times throughout the show before that moment, you'd expected any kind of reaction.

LIKE LISTEN. I love love love Lukadrien bc they're both such people pleasers in such uniquely different ways. With Luka (I say this with all the love in my heart) being so fucking enabling if he likes someone he will let them do wHATEVER (see: whatever the fuck he had with Marinette, and Ephemeral). And then Adrien doing whatever anyone and everyone wanted him to do (see: literally his entire existence, and Wishmaker). It places their dynamic on such a 'what do you want' type care is such an hnnnnn. sO good my fAVORITE.

Luka has every. right. to be upset at Jagged Stone. Adrien has every. right. to be upset at Gabriel Agreste. And they have every. right. to bond over this.

Sorry for the TedTalk, in my defense, I did cut like five paragraphs, but I have four fics to update and so much lukadrien passion

#let's go #lukadrien #luka couffaine #adrien agreste #sorry i've been so engulfed in the foxhole court recently #to think about miraculous again is so fun i love talking about them so much #i KNOW people hate calling luka an enabler but.#he has his moments okay #you cannot deny that #no one else would let the person they're DATING call them by sOMEONE ELSE'S NAME #MULTIPLE TIMES #god he's so good i love him so much #they deserve each other and this is just another reason

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quickspinner · 5 months

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Substitute Santa

For @verfound, queen of hilarious prompts, as part of the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Sprint Secret Santa.

Her prompt was: Jagged Stone is Santa Claus. However you want to interpret this: Jagged is literally Santa and Luka is his son (a la Hallmark "find a Mrs. Clause for Christmas"). Jagged is dressed up as Santa for an event/Because Jagged. Luka caught Jagged dressed as Santa as a kid and now firmly believes it (Jagged snuck in with gifts for his kids? Last Christmas before Jagged left? Party Anarka drug him to?).

So here we go!

Luka was not pleased at the best of times to be called out of the workshop, up to his father’s “office” (he would have said playground, but it made Penny frown at him). But to be called up today, of all days?

This really can’t be good , he thought, sighing through his nose as he climbed the spiraling stairs.

He didn’t bother to knock, since knocking could almost never be heard over the racket of the workshop below and Jagged’s own…extraness. When he walked in, though, he blinked in mild surprise. The iconic red suit with white fur lining was missing, as was Jagged’s usual ebullient attitude. Normally Jagged was bouncing off the walls on Christmas Eve, ready to rock his way around the world while his cool but stressed assistant tried desperately not to lose her lunch in the passenger seat of the sleigh.

Tonight, though, Jagged was sprawled with his long legs hanging over the overstuffed armchair that they normally only used for photo ops, wearing his favorite purple striped pajamas instead of The Suit.

Luka turned and almost walked right back out again, but Penny and her clipboard had somehow appeared behind him, blocking the exit.

“No,” Luka said to her, but to his annoyance, it was pleading rather than firm.

Jagged let out a concussive sneeze that shook all the knicknacks in the room, and blew his nose like a trumpet before pointing a woeful glance at his son.Luka knew exactly what it would look like, though he refused to turn around to confirm.

“No,” Luka—whined. He was whining. He was man enough to admit it. “No way.” He pointed an accusing finger at his father. “Santa Claus does not get sick on Christmas. There’s gotta be magic or a—a rule or something.”

“There is a rule,” Penny said stiffly behind him, and Luka jumped a little, moving inadvertently further into the room. Penny stepped after him, shutting the door behind her. “The rule is you , Santa Junior.”

Luka rolled his eyes. “Penny…” he whined again, and Penny rolled her eyes. Jagged sneezed again and moaned pathetically.

“Oh, grow up,” Penny snapped irritably, and Luka actually wasn’t sure which one of them she was talking to. She stalked over to the wardrobe and yanked it open. “I don’t have time for your bullshit today.” She pulled the red coat out and turned towards Luka, holding it out.

“Now?” Luka switched tactics. “I haven’t even had dinner yet?”

“Then you should have plenty of room for cookies,” Penny replied, unsympathetic. “Now shut up and get dressed. I’ve assigned you an assistant and she’ll be here any minute.”

Worse and worse. “You’re not coming with me?” Luka asked, accepting the inevitable with the coat.

“I’ve been exposed,” she replied, throwing a dark look at Jagged. “Some of us can handle illness without being reduced to invalids.” She looked back at Luka, and suddenly he could see the tiredness in her expression and the tightness around her slightly watery eyes. “Still, I have a monster headache and I’m going straight to bed once your butt is in the sleigh.”

“Right,” Luka sighed, slipping on the coat. “Sorry, Penny. I know this sucks.”

She acknowledged it with a nod. “I know you don’t want to do this, but it’s got to get done.”

Luka nodded morosely. It was a responsibility he accepted when he came to live with his dad, although he’d been more interested in the workshop than the top job. He’d spent the whole year building instruments for tonight (and being teased about his slow, methodical way of working), and he wasn’t about to let all that work go to waste just because his dad was a dramatic whiny baby.

Not to mention an entire world full of kids who would wake up disappointed on Christmas morning if he didn’t step up.

He swallowed any further whining objections and pulled on the stupid fluffy red pants with nothing more than a long-suffering sigh.

“You’re so his son,” Penny muttered, and Luka gave her a pouty look that did nothing to disprove her statement. It turned even more mulish as she held out the boots.

“Do I have to?”

“You know you do. You’ll trip in those things anyway. They don’t have enough heel to keep the pants off the ground.”

Luka kicked off his shoes without further complaint and put on the stupid boring black boots. He even tied the laces when Penny continued to glare at him. The boots adjusted to fit his feet. At least the vaunted North Pole magic was good for something. The suit shrank a little as well to fit him. Luka took the hat from Penny and stuffed it in his pocket. He’d have to wear it, or the glamor wouldn’t kick on, the one that made him look like viewer expected - chubby and white-bearded, the usual thing.

“I really don’t know what I’m doing,” he warned Penny. “I mean, I can drive the sleigh and stuff but—” She was already waving him off.

“All you have to do is drive and drop the presents. I went over the route and double-checked the lists with Marinette this morning; she’s very organized. Although,” she added, looking up at the clock above the ostentatious mantlepiece, “punctuality has never been her strong point. Make sure you stay on schedule.”

“Yeah, okay—wait, Marinette?” Luka looked up sharply, fixing his eyes on Penny and feeling his stomach flip. “The one that works in the fashion design department?” The one that he seemed to bump into far too often coming into and out of this office, often literally. Jagged gushed about her every time, delighted to have secured such a talented and creative person for his workshop. If there was one thing you could say about Jagged—well, it was that he really enjoyed being revered and loved by all the children of the world, which translated to wanting the best to come out of his workshop so that those children kept adoring him.

He sighed to himself. Even a substitute Santa probably shouldn’t be such a cynic. And Marinette—

If there was another thing you could say about Jagged, it was that he was not at all subtle, and Luka was mortally convinced that his frequent brushes with Marinette in this office were intentional. He should have been doing everything in his power to dodge her, but…

Just then, she barreled in through the door, and his mouth went dry and his breathing quickened. She was flushed from the run up the stairs, eyes bright and eager, and she tripped over her words as she apologized profusely to Penny. She had a tablet tucked under her arm and she was wearing the traditional elf uniform, green with striped stockings and a silly belled hat perched between her pigtails.

She was stupid cute and he felt like his brain was leaking out of his ears even before she turned to smile at him, clearly nervous but also excited. He couldn’t help but smile back.

Before they could say anything, though, Jagged groaned loudly, and Luka just caught Marinette’s arm before she rushed to the poor invalid’s side. “Don’t get too close,” he warned darkly, and winced when she turned wide eyes on him. “I don’t want you getting sick too,” he added quickly, dropping her arm. He felt like an idiot but the look she turned on him was grateful.

“You’re so right, I wouldn’t want to spread anything to the children.” She returned a sympathetic smile to the pitiful look Jagged gave her. “You stay home and rest. Don’t worry about a thing. Luka and I have got this!” She pumped a fist in the air, and Jagged threw her a goat and a grin that actually seemed genuine, and genuinely tired. Luka felt a tiny stab of sympathy, but it disappeared when Jagged blew Marinette a kiss and hoarsely told her she was the best, adding, “Keep the kid out of trouble!”

“Right!” Marinette grinned. Then she turned to Luka and his stomach did that weird flip thing again as her eyes darted over him. “Shall we go?” she said, checking her tablet. “I’ve got our schedule and route all worked out and when I stopped by the stable, they were just finishing up loading. Do you have your hat?”

Luka pulled it from his pocket and waved it, and her smile brightened, making his knees weak. “Lead the way,” he managed to get out, and when she turned he followed right behind her.

Penny whispered, “You can thank me later,” while he passed, and he nearly tripped on his own feet.

Fortunately, his face cooled by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, so he hopefully didn’t look any more like a tomato than the suit already suggested when Marinette turned to him.

“All right,” she grinned at him, linking her arm through his. “Let’s go save Christmas!”

He let her tug him towards the stable, chuckling a little at her enthusiasm. Well, if he had to do this, there was no point in sulking the whole time, right? It was just one night.

Marinette was a whirlwind, checking the packing, checking the harnessing, giving firm but polite directions when she found anything amiss. Luka wasn’t really sure what to do with himself, so he climbed into the sleigh and waited, until Marinette bounced up into the seat beside him.

“I’ve always wanted to ride this,” she confessed, flashing a grin at him. “This is so amazing. Ready when you are, Santa.”

“Luka,” he corrected automatically, but he was smiling as he picked up the reins. He couldn’t help it. “Hold on,” he said without thinking, and suddenly Marinette was pressed tight against his side, both her arms wound around his right arm.

“Can you move okay?” she asked, looking up at him. “There’s not much else to hold on to,” she added, blushing, and he realized he was staring at her.

“Oh—yeah, sure, you’re fine,” he said, and flapped the reins with a little more force than was wise.

He had to admit, as the reindeer started off, gliding across the snow faster and faster before lifting sharply into the air—the sleigh was a rush. He couldn’t help laughing for pure joy at the swooping feeling in his stomach and the sudden surge of adrenaline. Marinette squealed a bit as they came off the ground. She sounded more excited than terrified but he risked a glance at her to make sure she was okay, and saw her grin in a flash of the bouncing lamplight.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” she said again, letting go of his arm and sliding over a little bit as they leveled out.

Luka grinned. “Well, we’ll get to do it a few thousand more times.”

“Right,” Marinette said, pulling up her tablet, suddenly all business. Well, that was understandable, but it did kill Luka’s good mood a little. Right. It’s not like he was taking her out for a joyride—or a date.

He really wished he could, though. He’d run into Marinette half a dozen times, but always with Jagged in near proximity, which didn’t exactly bring out the best in Luka. She’d caught his eye every time, but he’d never managed to be walking out of Jagged’s office at the same time, and once he was back in the workshop with his tools in his hands, he tended to forget anything except the vision he had in mind. Luka wished now he’d been a bit more proactive. He could have come up with some excuse to visit her department if he’d thought about it. If only Jagged weren’t so damn pushy, then maybe…

Before he could get too far down that train of thought, it was time for the work to begin, and Luka didn’t have much time to think of anything except getting in, leaving presents, and getting out. Marinette was a good assistant, and everything he needed was right to hand when he needed it. They made a good team. Luka made sure to bring some of the best cookies back to the sleigh for her, to show his appreciation. He loved Penny but Marinette was a lot more fun—especially since Penny got horribly motion sick in the sleigh. He didn’t know how she managed the trip every year, but he supposed someone had to keep Jagged in line.

“Oh, these are good,” Marinette said, as they sailed between towns. Luka glanced at her and saw that she had a molasses cookie in her hand.

“They were,” he agreed.

“My parents own a bakery,” she said, taking another bite. “These remind me of home.” She giggled. “Who would have thought when I was putting out cookies as a little girl that I’d end up actually working in Santa’s workshop?”

Luka chuckled. “I bet you were adorable. I can just see you in fuzzy pajamas, arranging the cookies and worrying about whether Santa has food allergies.”

Marinette barked a surprised laugh. “It’s like you know me,” she said, putting a hand over her mouth as she tried not to choke on her cookie.

Luka grinned. “Maybe not yet, but I feel like I’m getting there.” He winked at her, and she blushed, and he grinned all the way to Budapest.

Luka had no idea how the Christmas magic worked, only that it messed with time, so that Santa could make it everywhere that welcomed him before daylight. When Marinette announced happily that they were running ahead of schedule, though, he had an idea.

“Do you think we can squeeze out fifteen minutes or so before we get to Paris?” he asked. “There’s someone I’d like to stop and see.”

Marinette frowned. “Isn’t that against the rules?”

“Nah,” Luka chuckled. “She already knows all the secrets. I just want to stop and say hello.”

“Oh,” Marinette said, her tone a little strained. “Well, okay…I think we can probably make that happen, if you don’t mind eating your cookies on the go.”

“I think I can manage.”

Landing reindeer on a boat was a no-go, so Luka left the sleigh nearby, hopefully out of sight. He turned and offered Marinette his hand to help her down.

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude—” she began, but Luka snorted.

“You won’t be, trust me. You ought to get out and stretch your legs, anyway.”

She let him take her hand and pull her down from the sleigh, though she still looked a little unsure. He kept her hand as he pulled her gently along behind him towards the boat at the dock. The garish paint job was masked by thick swags of twinkling multicolored lights that seemed to dance when they reflected on the water.

When they were standing on the deck, Luka let out a loud “HO HO HO,” in a credible imitation of Jagged’s voice.

There was a thundering sound from inside the boat, and an older woman popped out of the door, scowling.

“What did I tell ya about showin’ up on my boat you old—” Luka pulled off his hat, and she stopped her tirade, blinking, as Luka grinned. “Luka, m’boy!” She laughed, and threw herself forward. Luka dropped Marinette’s hand to catch and hug her, enjoying his mother’s bone-crushing embrace. “What are ye doing wearing the suit, lad?”

Anarka stepped back, looking at him, and Luka shrugged. “Old man’s sick tonight, so I got stuck with the job. It’s good to see you, Ma.”

Her face softened, and she smiled. “Aye, it is that. I know ye probably cannae stay long, but come downstairs for a moment and have something hot to drink. And you too, lass,” she added, leaning a little to look around Luka at Marinette. “Got stuck with babysitting duty, did ye?”

Marinette giggled, and nodded, while Luka pretended to look wounded. “Ma, this is Marinette,” he said as they followed Anarka down the stairs into the ship’s galley. “Marinette, this is Anarka Couffaine, my mom. Where’s Juleka, Ma?” he added, glancing around.

“Passed out on the couch about an hour ago,” Anarka told him, jerking a thumb towards a lump topped with long black hair curled up at one end of the couch. “Never manages to stay up on Christmas. Pretty sure it’s that magic shit. Kids who try to stay up and see Santa never manage it.”

“There should be a loophole when you’re related to him,” Luka muttered. “And she’s hardly a kid.”

Anarka shrugged. “Don’t ask me, I don’t truck with that Christmas magic bullshit.”

“Maybe because she still believes,” Marinette suggested, and she blushed when Luka turned to look at her. “I mean, she knows Santa exists, so she still believes in him, so the magic still works on her.” She spread her hands, looking a little sheepish. “It’s just a thought.”

“Well, maybe.” Luka went over and kissed his sister’s forehead, tucking a creepy-ass doll he had picked out just for her under her arm. “Tell her I love her, okay?”

“O’course,” Anarka brought him a cup of—

“Coffee!” Marinette squealed, and then immediately put her hand over her mouth, eyes round.

“Aye,” Anarka laughed. “I know ya don’t have it ‘up north.’ Cocoa’s fine but,” she grinned at the blissful look on Marinette’s face at the first sip, “sometimes ye just want a good ol’ cup o’ joe. That much sweet all the time, sometimes ye need a touch o’ bitter.” Anarka winked at Luka, who realized he was staring at Marinette with what was probably a very stupid expression on his face. “Or spicy, eh?”

“It’s lovely,” Marinette sighed, fortunately not noticing the way Luka flushed red.

“Ye have to go, I expect,” Anarka sighed, when they handed the empty cups back.

“I’m sorry,” Marinette said, glancing worriedly at her tablet.

“Don’t apologize,” Luka told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s the job. Ma understands.”

“Aye, that I do,” Anarka said, rolling her eyes. “Get on wi’ ye then. Thanks for stopping to see yer ol’ Ma.”

Luka kissed her cheek, and hugged her. “Bye, Ma. I’ll come by again when I can.”

As they loaded themselves back in the sleigh, Luka said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think to ask if you wanted to stop and see your own family.”

“Oh,” Marinette said, waving a hand. “They’re surely asleep by now. Bakery hours, you know. And if they weren’t, we’d never get out before dawn. You don’t know my dad.”

Luka grinned and clucked to the reindeer. “Tell me about him.”

The night seemed to pass like lightning after that, conversations pausing and picking up between deliveries as if they’d never been interrupted. Marinette told him about her parents and her life before the North Pole. Luka told her about growing up on a houseboat with Anarka and his sister, and then finding out as a teen that his father was THE Fucking Santa Claus. For the first time Luka thought he could actually feel the magic working, and they left their last delivery and turned back north just as the sun was lightening their section of sky.

“So that’s that,” Luka sighed.

“Yes,” Marinette agreed, and leaned back with a sigh. “I won’t say I had no idea how much work it would be, because obviously it’s hard, but it’s different to actually experience it.”

“Would you do it again?” Luka wanted to know, and Marinette laughed.

“In a heartbeat,” she giggled, and then sobered slightly. “Would you?”

It was a bit of a loaded question. Somewhere in the dark of the night he had confessed to her his misgivings about taking on the mantle one day.

“I think I might,” he said slowly. “The right company makes a big difference.” He smiled at Marinette, and to his delight, she smiled back, in a shy way he hadn’t seen from her before. “We make a pretty good team,” he dared to add, and Marinette nodded.

“And we made so many people happy,” she pointed out, looking back towards the horizon where the sun was rising. “It feels good.”

Luka nodded thoughtfully. “So yeah, maybe I’d do it again.” He shrugged. “I don’t think the old man’s gonna retire anytime soon, so. I’ve got time to think about it.” He grinned. “After I’ve slept for like three days.”

“Agreed.” Marinette covered a yawn. “And I never thought I’d say this, but I don’t think I’m going to want to look at another cookie for at least a month.”

“I’m with you,” Luka laughed, and then licked his lips a little nervously. “So, after we’ve slept for three days…do you have plans for the New Year?”

“N-no, not really,” she stammered, reaching up to check her belled hat, which was slightly askew after all this time, but still there. Luka’s heartbeat sped up at her nervousness, which he thought was both adorable and a good sign.

“Maybe we could go somewhere?” Luka suggested. “Find a good cup of coffee and ring in the new year together?”

Marinette visibly swallowed, blushing before she met his eyes. “Maybe kiss at midnight?” she suggested, quietly but boldly.

“I’d like that,” Luka managed to get out, just barely.

“Hmm. That sounds nice. But…I’m not sure I can wait that long.”

Luka’s hands were on her face and his lips on hers in a heartbeat. The reindeer knew the way home, after all—but at the moment, he honestly didn’t care whether they made it or not. Another few laps around the world was sounding pretty good as Marinette’s arms wound around his neck.

Fiction Master Post

#quickspins #lukanette #endgame lukanette #lukanette endgame #luka couffaine #marinette dupain-cheng #miraculous ladybug #miraculousladybug #pro lukamari #quicksprints

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mc-lukanette · 6 months

Text

MC-Lukanette’s “No Context November” 2023 Masterpost

` = ficlet

* = one-shot (or close to being a one-shot if a few paragraphs/a little more context were added)

^ = part of a larger AU/hypothetical story

{AO3 link for No Context November}

(Halloween bonus) * (3867 words) - A Horror-ble Idea {Lukanette} [Horror Movies] [Fluff] [Childhood Friends] [Confession] [Kiss]

Marinette had been friends with Luka for years, having shared just about everything except for her crush on him. Deciding it's time to change that, she tries to come up with the ultimate plan to prove her love for him.

It has varying results.

Day 1 ^ (1597 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Meeting Again]

Luka meets Marinette again after years and realizes that he wasn't the only one pining.

Day 2 ^ (2223 words) - {Lukanette} [Drama] [Confession] [post-"Silencer"]

Marinette makes a decision regarding Luka's confession in "Silencer," as much as she doesn't want to.

Day 3 ^ (2971 words) - {Lukanette} [Sleeping Problems] [Trauma] [post-"Chat Blanc"] [Light Girl Squad Salt]

Luka approaches an exhausted Marinette, unaware of her terrifying experience in an alternate timeline of Paris.

Day 4 * (1648 words) - {Lukanette} ["Silencer"] [Canon Divergence] [Marinette and Luka are Confident and In Love] [Love Square Salt]

"Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody." Those words kept echoing in Marinette's head, not unlike a chorus on replay.

And perhaps she was the song in his head simply because she'd wanted to be there in the first place.

Day 5 ^ (1086 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Charity Auction] [Silly] [Flirting] [(implied) Adrino]

A charity auction is held, selling off dates with famous men to any woman with enough cash to throw at them for it.

Marinette just didn't know the list would include a rock star's son.

Day 6 ^ (1431 words) - {Lukanette} [Silly] [Confession]

Two fools in love stop being as foolish as before.

Day 7 ^ (1707 words) - {Lukanette} [Luka Hears Heart Songs] [Rock Star Anarka Couffaine] [Luka's Father is Not Jagged Stone]

Luka senses music in most things he experiences, yet somehow Marinette is still a unique one.

Day 8 * (1963 words) - {Lukanette} [Post-Dating] [Gift Giving] [(Adrimi But Only Mentioned)]

Marinette had been dating Luka for a while now and she couldn't have been happier. He was everything she could've wanted in a boyfriend: attentive, mature, and incredibly loving.

But maybe there was also such a thing as too loving?

Day 9 ^ (3854 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Homeless Luka Couffaine]

Marinette worries about her homeless friend when cold washes over her town.

Day 10 ^ (3431 words) - {Lukanette} [Fantasy] [Witch Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Naga Luka Couffaine]

Marinette meets a musical naga boy while she's working on new ideas for her magic.

Day 11 ^ (1523 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Baker Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Childhood Friends]

Luka stops by a bakery in town and sees a familiar face. He has mixed feelings about it.

Day 12 * (2678 words) - {Viperbug} [Sparring] [Introspection]

For Ladybug, going on patrol just isn't good enough. Akuma battles aren't the time to be improving her skills, so she uses her nights to train whenever she can.

She knows just the partner to help her with that.

Day 13 ^ (4945 words) - {Lukanette} [Childhood] [Fluff] [Sleepovers]

Luka meets a new face during one of Juleka's "girls only" sleepovers.

Day 14 ^ (1974 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Florist Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Luka Has Flower Nymph Genes]

Marinette gets an interesting customer in her flower shop.

Day 15 ^ (1636 words) - {Lukanette} [Fluff] [Introspection] [Outsider POV] [Possibly Post-Dating]

Juleka reflects on three separate instances of her brother and friend hanging out together.

Day 16 * (2765 words) - {Lukanette} ["Glaciator" Fix-It] [Adrien Salt] [Love Square Salt] [Introspection]

Marinette's first instinct had been to run away as she watched the culmination of her efforts end with her ice cream cone falling from her hands. After all, none of her efforts - no matter how strong - had gone anywhere or done anything substantial for her relationship with Adrien.

But if she ran, the cycle would only continue. She would do the same thing over and over for little to no return and it would continue to be that way for potentially forever.

So instead, she reflects, in part with the help of the new friend she'd made just recently.

Day 17 ^ (1150 words) - {Lukanette} [Luka Knows] [Nutrition]

Marinette shares a previously-unknown fact about being Ladybug with Luka.

Day 18 ^ (1797 words) - {Lukanette} [post-"Silencer"] [Music]

Marinette calls Luka about a particular location for their next music lesson.

Day 19 ^ (2281 words) - {Lukamouse} [Post-Dating] [Luka Knows] [Multimouse] [No Miraculous Timers]

Luka gets a tiny visitor during class one day.

Day 20 * (3070 words) - {Lukanette} ["Desperada" Fix-It] [Reincarnation] [Canon Divergence]

Luka wasn't self-conscious about his role in life. He was perfectly happy where he was as his mother's son, as Kitty Section's guitarist, as Juleka's brother. To him, his life had enough meaning as it was.

He just couldn't help feeling like there was something more to it.

Day 21 ^ (1699 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Merman Luka Couffaine]

Ladybug comes across someone interesting and her own heroism gets the better of her.

Day 22 ` (925 words) - {Lukanette} [Silly]

Marinette prepares a little something for Luka, but nothing ever truly goes according to her plans.

Day 23 ` (1194 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Post-Dating] [Trauma]

Luka helps Marinette work through the thoughts in her head.

Day 24 * (2808 words) - {Lukanette} [Jealousy]

As the months went on, Marinette found it harder and harder to keep up with her growing circle of friends and responsibilities. There were too many things to do and she wasn't "good or efficient enough" to do them. Other people had it easier, and she imagined they could replace her if needed.

Luka disagreed.

Day 25 ` (1386 words) - {Lukanette} [Post-Dating] [Gifts] [Fluff]

Luka goes to Marinette's house and catches her in the middle of one of her bad habits.

Day 26 ^ (2837 words) - {Vipernette} [Fluff]

Viperion goes out for patrol and gets appreciated by the only person he would seek appreciation from in the first place.

Day 27 * (3320 words) - {LukaFairy} [Adulthood] [Fantasy Elements] [Fairynette] [Introspection] [Love Square Salt] [Moments in Time] [No Dialog]

A tale of a fairy seamstress as she meets a model, a musician, and experiences love for the very first time with one of them.

Day 28 ^ (1703 words) - {Lukanette} [The Wish] [Silly]

Luka meets Marinette for the first time… sort of.

Day 29 ^ (1809 words) - {Lukanette} ["Chameleon" Fix-It] [Canon Divergence] [Luka and Marinette Are the Same Age] [Post-Dating] [Brief Class Salt]

Marinette gains an ally in her metaphorical battle with Lila.

Day 30 * (3381 words) - {Lukanette} [Cold Weather] [Silly] [Fluff]

Marinette hates the cold, and it's looking as though she's about to have a lonely day far removed from anything enjoyable.

Until, of course, Luka arrives at her home and they can't seem to part from each other for even a moment.

#queuekanette #lukaneventte: No Context November #Flower Arrangement Shipping #Pro LukaMari

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trashyangelic · 8 months

Text

𝟷𝟶/𝟶𝟻/𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹 : 𝑚𝑙𝑏 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑡 [𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫]

Y'know I've read many fics of Marinette Swearing on AO3. But never Adrien Agreste except one which is a one shot that I just finish reading it. It was called, "Protective Chats & Lesson From History" by DarthGhengis but never a fanfic at all.

What If Adrien decided to swear when he heard from Chloe that she found out that Lila has threatened Marinette in the girls bathroom from the incident when Lila became Chameleon? Chloe had favors with Felix to keep close with Dupain-Cheng she had to guess that Felix has a crush on Dupain-Cheng then Adrien. If she couldn't due to her mother asking her to have a mother-daughter-sister bond. Chloe did found out that she has a half sister named Zoe Lee from her mother who she doesn't mind getting to know her.

While Adrien is gay has Luka as his boyfriend only his father knew it from the moment he started to hang with Jagged Stone and the blue hair kid holding a guitar as Gabriel approved it since has no problem with LBGTQ, and his classmates as in Juleka and Rose knows about it but kept it to themselves instead of telling their classmates about it but after finding out that Lila lied to Rose about Prince Ali and Jagged Stone. As to Jagged Stone being the father of Juleka and Luka it wasn't hard for Juleka to figure out. Rose was actually texting to Prince Ali if he knows Lila but he doesn't.

Now onto Bustier and Damocles both are not doing their jobs well where Adrien had enough of them boycotting just like how Chloe did when she bullied Marinette but to Lila Rossi instead he also explain this father if he can contact the school board about them. It wasn't that but the Dupain-Chengs had help from Chloe to report about Damocles and Bustier for manhandling and negliencing their daughter for a word of a student instead of checking the CCTV.

At the end Bustier and Damocles got in alot of trouble with the School Board. As for Lila well she got arrested for working with Hawkmoth when Gabriel hinted something to the authorities and the police. Gabriel gave up his miraculous along with Nathalie to give it to Marinette Dupain-Cheng and realize that Marinette is dating his nephew which he doesn't really mind at all. As Nathalie and Gabriel both decided to get married since Adrien seems to move on from his mother being missing/declared dead.

#miraculous ladybug #lila salt #alya salt #bustier salt #adrien swears #chloe redemption #lukadrien #chlogami #felinette #ml fic #one shot #request prompt

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justminawrites · 1 year

Text

there are no synonyms for half

AO3

Summary: For as long as Luka Couffaine could remember, he was a half. It was only when he turned fifteen, watching the dying sun set over the Seine, did he realise that the other half of him had only ever been other people’s secrets.

For as long as Luka Couffaine could remember, he was a half of something.

It came with the territory of being a twin, his mother would tell him as much, but Luka’s melody sounded empty in a way Juleka’s never was. Every birthday, every anniversary, every time a neighbour cooed and fussed over how much of Anarka’s face her children had inherited, however infrequent that was. A houseboat rarely had anything resembling a neighbourhood, after all.

‘Ma.. why didn’t Dad want us?

At five, Luka had somehow gotten it into his head that his incompletion lied in the absence of a parent. His missing notes were hidden in the ever elusive tune of who his father was, and once his mother told him, he’d finally be able to complete his song. Anarka Couffaine only huffed in disbelief and switched off the Jagged Stone TV Special he’d been watching.

Yer father was a real scallywag! Luka looked down at the acoustic guitar he’d held closer than any stuffed animal, and wondered if he too was half scallywag.

I don’t want to go.

His mother stiffened, one leg out the door of the gilded school gates. Juleka turned around in confusion as he dropped her hand and then slid off his backpack. Unzipping the blue-and-green printed fabric, Luka pulled out the ukulele he’d hidden and held it up triumphantly like it was some sort of prize.

I want to go to music school. He panicked when Anarka crossed her arms in disbelief, and tried to find the words to promise how he’d learn every instrument and do all of his and Juleka’s chores everyday if she let him.

Luka was only ten at the time, so he didn’t know how to tell his mother that he believed he was half music, that it was the one thing that made him feel whole. The tunes would echo off of the walls of his heart and fill up the empty parts of him until he could imagine them colliding, overflowing, and finally spilling out of him again.

His mother only sighed, ruffled his hair and picked up the discarded backpack, before turning to leave.

Luka ran after her, leaving his twin behind, a lone ship in the sea of melody.

Jules, what’s wrong?

Even before Juleka rushed into his arms, her face already crumpled and stained with tears, Luka was half rage.

She refused to tell him what exactly happened but clutched his fingers tightly all the way back to the Liberty. He could feel the anger bubbling under his skin as he took in her skinned knees and the bluntly chopped ends of hair she’d braided so carefully that very morning. The feeling was so all encompassing that when Anarka took his face in her hands, she pulled away almost immediately, claiming he’d contracted a fever.

Ow..

Luka was half fire the night he pierced his own ears. Juleka looked at him with wide eyes as he ran his bloody fingers under the faucet, and gave her a reassuring smile. Doesn’t it hurt?, she asked him unable to do much more than look at the black studs that would forever adorn his ears.

Luka didn’t know how to tell her that he could simply pour whatever pain was left into the empty parts of himself until it fell so far down that he didn’t hear it anymore. So he shook his head instead.

When he insisted on walking Juleka to François Dupont Elementary the next morning, Anarka sharply took his face in her hands again, so quickly that Luka winced. Her eyes grazed the new, round black dots on his ears that definitely hadn’t been there yesterday and met her son’s defiant blue eyes. Yer not burnin’ up anymore, was all she had to say about the matter.

Is that Juleka’s brother? He looks really scary!

Luka was half pride as he pushed through the crowd of fifth graders that had gathered around him despite themselves, their faces shining with admiration and envy, gold and green.

It was a mixture of pride and justice, he would realise much later, that made him exaggeratedly stomp his way over to Juleka’s bullies and wave a threatening finger at their ringleader, a blonde Bourgeois who was so startled, she fell backwards into a puddle of sludge. He didn’t say anything but he hardly needed to open his mouth amidst the cruel laughter of forty kids to know his job was done. Relief shone in the corners of his sister’s eyes when she rushed out of school that evening.

Nice to meet you ma-ma-marinette.

Luka was half shame when he saw the girl’s face fall, her dollish blue eyes crinkling with tears. He hadn’t expected to feel something stirring in the empty parts of him when one of Juleka’s friends stumbled into his room, every emotion under the sun flickering on her face, and he’d been just as startled by her presence, as she was by his.

Sorry.. I tend to make more sense with this.

Luka clutched his guitar closer even though he was the one that asked her to sit beside him, and braced himself. Sure enough, the hollowness inside him steadily filled with the flutter of a thousand beating, insect wings as Marinette carefully acquiesced, the ends of her ballet flats hovering inches above the ground. Ladybug wings.

For once, it was the outside world that held its breath as Luka’s insides roared with a harmony he didn’t know how to play. He forced himself to remain composed as she blinked her secretive blue eyes up at him, concealing a question and a challenge of her own.

How do you do that?

He’d hardly strummed a tune, but her face betrayed wonder as his fingers echoed the chords that clanged around in her own empty spaces, whatever he could hear over the clamour of newness in his own heart, anyway. She slipped away in the midst of his explanation, taking the white noise with her, to admire the Jagged Stone poster he’d spent hours gluing down, and the collection of guitar picks right below it.

The silence in him returned, somehow louder than before now that he knew it could be filled.

You can have it if you like.

He was beside her before he knew it, eyes glued to the guitar pick between her slender, calloused fingers. Marinette gasped in delight and the flutter-buzz returned, rising a notch, arresting Luka’s heart, as though the ladybugs that had overflowed his empty half had now begun to crawl into his lungs. But there, under all the white noise, when they were standing this close, he could almost taste it– one unmistakable beat, and then another and another; the morse code of her heart song.

You’re a funny girl, Marinette.

He didn’t want to go but Luka was afraid he’d completely lose his wits if he listened to the full force of the ladybug wings any longer.

It was only when he was halfway up the stairs did he realise there was a lone buzzing bouncing off the walls of the vacant half of his heart. She’d left something behind.

Personally, I think a girl like you deserves to feel more like.. this.

Luka slipped off the deck chair to sit beside Marinette, guitar in hand.

It had only been a week since they’d met but he’d found himself unable to enjoy sleep in its entirety. The lone ladybug she’d forgotten haunted his nights, humming a tune too faint for him to hear, and he would stay up, straining his ears to grasp a single note, as the light of dawn flooded through the portholes of the ship.

Luka liked the way Marinette always closed her eyes while she listened to him play. He pretended not to notice the slump of her shoulders, as she relaxed into the chords he strummed specially to catch her. He’d long since stopped wondering if people experienced the world the same way he did. He simply brought her peace, in exchange for a bit of her chaos.

And whoever made you feel this way, is nothing but a–

He played a slightly funky tune and she giggled, filling his chest with so much fluttering (an applause of wings) that he hardly dared to open his mouth for fear a ladybug might escape. And then how would he explain himself?

Say, are you free tomorrow..

For her? Luka was free for the rest of his life.

You should probably go over and talk to him.

The cavernous silence returned in the subway.

Luka was half regret as he shifted on the blue polyester seat, trying his best to stare out of the window, to concentrate on something, anything, besides the bittersweet silence in his lungs. The ladybugs in his chest must’ve frozen to death hours ago, in the skating rink, where he’d watched Marinette watch Adrien with the unwavering focus of a musician bent on mastering an instrument.

He told himself he didn’t mind, not really. Adrien filled her with wings of her own (butterflies maybe?) and he’d be too busy piecing together his new melody to do the same. It would be best to let her go, now, when the feelings were fresh enough that they’d wilt under the slightest pressure.

It would be best to forget about the kiss.

The quick peck. The obligatory press of Marinette’s soft lips to his cheek before she was whisked away, by the wind, by the universe. He breathed out slowly, catching a glimpse of himself on the dark glass of the of the subway car. Oh no.

It could’ve been from the from the sudden drop in temperature in the skating rink, but the nape of his neck, the tips of his ears, and quite damningly, his cheeks– were a bright, unmistakable scarlet.

The ladybugs had found a new home.

Are ye blushing?

Luka was half mortification when he finally made it home and buried himself under ice packs and blankets, determined to be rid of the crimson flush if it killed him.

Anarka didn’t need to take his face in her hands this time to know something was bothering him. He watched her quietly slip into his room and rob it of anything with sharp points, before gently closing the door.

Still no news about the contest?

Luka meant it to be encouraging but when Marinette’s face fell he wished he could take it back immediately. He wished he could take everything back and never say another word again. While the blue-eyed girl fretted about wether her costumes influenced the reception Kitty Section’s audition tape received, he put an arm on her shoulder to stop her train of thought and remind her about the wonders of real-life paperwork.

She smiled up at him gratefully but before the ladybugs under skin (he still hadn’t managed to get rid of them) sensed this opportunity, Ivan’s outraged yell from across the room, scared them back into hiding.

You’ll never have a future in this business, you’ll never make another costume, because as far as everyone’s concerned– you’ll be the ripoff artists!

Luka was half fury, a cold fire this time, as he watched Bob Roth’s sleazy grin drip with venom as he held Marinette’s hand in his vice-like grip. She shook him off quickly but his words hung in the air like a promise, threatening to choke them both permanently if they didn’t leave immediately like the good little children they were.

Hello Silencer..

He would’ve appreciated the irony if it were any other situation. Hawk moth couldn’t begin to imagine just how much the power of silence was befitting of someone like him. Luka put on the akumatised mask obediently as the supervillain’s monologue came to an end.

He stopped fighting the darkness and for a while, Luka was half nothing.

Did you really mean those things you said when you were akumatised?

Luka knit his eyebrows in frustration, wracking his memory for some kind of indication of what he could’ve said to fluster Marinette so much. Had he said something about the ice-rink? Had he said something about the kiss?

He took a deep breath and decided it was time for the speech he’d rehearsed over and over again in front of the mirror, since he’d returned from their not-date weeks ago. Clear as a musical note, Sincere as a melody, Luka couldn’t tear his gaze away from the pools of blue in her eyes, even as he had the sinking sensation that he’d already passed the threshold of no return.

Luckily, the lights were so erratic, he was sure she couldn’t see the ladybugs huddled beneath his mask, but the buzzing was deafening, pop rocks in the back of his throat, leaving him so light-headed he’d promptly run from Marinette before she could figure out how to respond.

He hoped he hadn’t ruined everything by telling her.

Luka Couffaine, this is the Miraculous of the Snake.

He was half fear when The Hero of Paris held out a palm sized miracle box in her red and black-spotted hand.

The emptiness in him leaned into the idea of using the superhero persona to fill the void but the other part of him, the only part of him worth listening to, quaked under the pressure. But Paris wasn’t his priority, saving his mother and Juleka was. So he took it.

When the Kwami of Intuition, Sass, appeared, bowing his head formally, Luka wondered if those snake-like eyes could see right through him. From his cheeks filled with ladybugs, all the way through to his bottomless pit of emptiness that now held the aftermath of an affection, a wreckage of insect wings, wrong chords, and crumpled speeches.

The Kwami only smiled knowingly, and he felt a shiver of anticipation run down his spine. Still he said the words, and then Luka was half Viperion.

What do you think?

Luka looked up from strumming the tune trying to gauge Marinette’s reaction from behind a tower of macaron boxes. Her eyes softened, but stayed open, and he immediately knew it was nowhere close to being good enough.

She was quick to praise his skill though, and he offered her a ride to Le Grand Paris for the Bourgeois’ 20th wedding Anniversary, on the back of his delivery bike.

The ladybugs from Luka’s face swarmed back into his chest with vengeance as Marinette hugged his torso, her fingers clutching his jacket for dear life as he pedalled through Parisian traffic as quickly as he dared.

This time, when she thanked him with a kiss, Luka was able to pinpoint the exact moment the crimson menaces overran his flushed cheeks.

He turned away quickly, (hiding his face in her spare helmet), so quickly that he couldn’t hear the last thing she said to him over the sound of a million ladybugs taking flight.

Are you sure you want to hear it?

She knew what he was really asking her, of course. Are you sure this is what you want– that I am what you want?

Marinette nodded, leaning into him and Luka held his breath, plucking out the perfect rhythm as the watery sunshine glinted off the slick, cobblestoned pavement across from them.

He’d listened carefully for the chords in her heart every time they’d talked, and painstakingly pieced together its melody but even though he’d double checked, triple-checked even, Luka felt the inescapable presence of doubt slither from out his stomach, curling its wicked tail around his half-empty heart.

Marinette’s tune sounded just as incomplete as his.

Under the moonlight, by the sea– KISS ME!

He rubbed the back of his neck (where the ladybugs were gathered), embarrassed. It was the easiest question he knew, so he hadn’t counted on Marinette’s ridiculously competitive spirit when she’d yelled out the answer with her whole heart.

I mean, if you want to.

She did want to, and so did he. But even as Luka leaned in to press his lips to hers, to pray his kiss would somehow wake the sleeping butterflies in her chest, strain to hear the final note in her shrouded melody– he felt the interruption before it came.

The ceiling shook and Marinette ran off to get them something to drink, forgetting the white linoleum cup that she’d left beside him, filled to the brim with orange juice and disappointment.

He watched her go, like he’d done so often. Taking her secrets and her chaos with her.

The truth, Luka, is the only thing I can’t tell you.

He had never been half pain before, not like this. Not poisonous, acidic agony that filled the empty parts of him so throughly that it flooded his lungs, burning the ladybugs, drowning the music out completely.

It hurt to think, it hurt to breathe.

Luka wasn’t surprised that the akuma found him so quickly, but he curled into himself as Marinette’s voice scrabbled for purchase in his mind, begging him to fight the temptation, fight the evil that would undoubtedly lead to more suffering.

He couldn’t blame her. She didn’t understand how her voice was the thing that hurt him the most.

Why did you abandon me?

Jagged Stone’s lips were painted white with Truth’s compulsion power but Luka knew that whatever came out of his former hero's mouth now wouldn’t matter at all.

The damage had already been done. He’d seen the scars it’d left on his mother’s broken melody, his sister’s quiet song.

His own silent, silent heart.

It was hard to tell which part was him and which was the akuma, when he hurled his would-be father from the terrace of a several-story building and set off towards the Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

You know, not seeing you is a hundred times worse than seeing you, Marinette.

The familiar rush of ladybugs filled his chest when she put her forgiving hand on his shoulder, as though they were flowing out of her and into him through the lightest of touches.

Luka swallowed the confession in his throat when she asked to be friends, much to the chagrin of a hundred scarlet wings beating in his ears, and pulled her in for a hug so she wouldn’t see it on his face, plain-as-day.

The milky white moonlight caressed his cheek fondly, like a mother would, as he breathed in Marinette’s rose perfume. He knew had to let her go, it was just a matter of time.

Foolishly, he wished he’d kept the snake miraculous he’d borrowed weeks ago, just so he could have a second chance with her. A chance to do it again, do it right this time. A chance to sweep her off her feet; to put the butterflies under her skin before Adrien, before anyone.

But Luka understood with a sinking feeling that even that wouldn’t be enough. He’d watched the way his parents clawed at one another’s sanity mere hours ago, unable to see that their fighting was turning down Juleka’s quiet symphony even further into herself.

People like them, like him, didn’t get second chances. Not when it mattered, anyway.

Awesome! I always wanted to be the Knitting Fairy in real life!

Luka was half terror when he watched Paris’ bravest superhero transform into the love of his life.

It transcended panic, surpassed horror. The worst thing in the world that could’ve happened just happened and he had no idea what to do about it.

Marinette? He said her name like a prayer, like a wish that hovered on his tongue ever so delicately, ready to disappear into the wind. But as the girl turned around and beamed at him, the happiest smile on her face, Luka finally felt the final piece of of her melody click into place.

Second chance!

He took the dread and stuffed it down, deep, deep down inside of him; somewhere under the graveyard of ladybugs, shredded posters and scales. The shock would have to wait, he could only be one thing at a time and right now he had to be Viperion.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be what my parents wanted me to be!

Luka wished he hadn’t turned around.

Where Chat Noir once stood, now Adrien Agreste took his place, looking vaguely cheery despite what he’d just said moments before. He didn’t even need to use his powers to know Chat Noir had gotten hit by the akuma on purpose.

Marinette hadn’t noticed yet, too busy talking to a man whose childhood dream was to become a stuffed animal, and the anxiety rose up like bile in the back of his throat. He’d been half pain before but this was something new.

Luka was half pity, half hope. Half defeat.

His heart seemed to be breaking over and over in his chest, the muscle spasming so violently that everything in him was instantly ground to dust. The walls, the silence, the ladybugs. All the pain he’d carried around with him since his very first akumatisation.

Because nothing he was going through could ever compare to Marinette and Adrien being... to them being..

Second chance!

Viperion was wholly conviction when he reassured Ladybug that he’d make sure no one would discover their secret identities. If he were still Luka he’d wonder how he hadn’t seen it before– her strength, her determination, the way Marinette’s nose crinkled when she was focused on something, all of it matched the red and black-spotted superhero to a T.

But he, much like the rest of Paris, had only ever seen what they wanted to see. And Luka hadn’t wanted to see her in pain.

Not even me- luckily Wishmaker never hit you or Chat Noir.

He expected the lie to sour his tongue, turn his skin blue with irony, but it came easily, almost too easily for his comfort. But Marinette (because she would only ever be Marinette to him) smiled like his word was more than enough for her to trust him forever and turned to leave, like she’d done so many times before.

Now he knew why.

The ladybugs in chest (ha!) swarmed against his rib cage as she left, tiny wings beating furiously as though they were trying to break right through his skin and follow her back home.

Before Luka could think to question why, he was already running after her, reading the fluttering inside him like a compass, leading him further and further away from the street, down the sidewalk, all the way to the only thing that ever made him whole. All the way to her–

Luka! Thank you for hiding me in here!

He wanted it to be a dream, a really bad dream; a really awful, terrible dream he’d wake up from any second, but when she’d opened the door, a nanosecond before he’d knocked and smiled up at him, her shoulders slumped over with the weight of the world; all he could think was how lucky he was.

Lucky to have known her, lucky to have loved her. Lucky to be empty enough to carry her secret for now, for forever.

You guys are okay!

“We’re all okay,” Luka smiled, looking between his two friends, “Thanks to Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

He’d almost meant it this time, but as he watched the Ladybug and Chat Noir in front of him look into each other’s eyes, completely unaware of all the forces of the universe that had conspired to bring them both to this moment, Luka knew he would never be whole.

For as long as Luka Couffaine could remember, he was a half. It was only when he turned fifteen, watching the dying sun set over the Seine, did he realise that the other half of him had only ever been other people’s secrets.

-fin-

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generalluxun · 7 days

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So, on that idea we discussed, IE, inspired by the whole "Rich people child breeding cult" angle being taken to its logical extent.

With Paris's 'elites' making secret societies with underground parties, that blur the line of hedonistic excess. With inspirations like the feast of human vices, Mafioso like knife and gun duels, that is all deeply bad, especially for the next generation they drag into it.

I had some elaborate titles that they all use, as everyone is expected to talk around things and in a sort of code.

The self proclaimed Neo Nobility of Paris:

Andre - The Master of Ceremonies Chloe - First Daughter of Pari Audrey - The Style Queen

Jagged Stone - Father of Rock Juleka & Luka - Children of Stone

Tome - The Veiled Blade Kagami - The Red Sword

Gabriel - The Silver King

Kibdell Family - The Curators & The Child of the Curator

All things considered, fairly horrific the kids get titles too.

#ask #Paris underground stuff #catacombs and skulls

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matbenetti17 · 6 months

Text

Character Information:

Gender: Female ♀

Pronoun: She/her

Full Name: Shaneeza Hafsa Hussain

Other Names: Shani Tomboy

Species: Human

Age: 16

Height: 167 cm

Occupation: Student Clerk at the family mini market

Likes: Music Skateboarding Kickboxing Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone's songs Spending time with Grandma Hina

Dislikes: People not honest about their feelings Arguing with her father Petty thieves Looking after the mini market alone Her siblings messing around

Abilities: Playing the guitar Singing Skating Kickboxing Speaking and writing a bit of Urdu

Alignment(s): Good

Residence: Paris, France

Origin Country: Pakistan

Relatives: Yaseen Hussain (Father)

Fatima Khan (Mother)

Hina Khan (Maternal Grandmother)

Armal Hussain (Younger Brother)

Jala Hussain (Younger Sister)

??? Hussain (Younger Sibling [not born yet])

Friends: Luka Couffaine

Juleka Couffaine

Rose Lavillant

Ivan Bruel

Nora Césaire

Love Interest: Zoé Lee

#drawing #firealpaca #miraculous #shaneeza #mlb #mlb oc #miraculous oc #miraculous ladybug oc #miraculous ladybug #shaneeza hussain #character sheet #original character #digital drawing #digital art #my art #my ocs #xp pen #xp pen tablet

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celestiall0tus · 1 month

Text

Separate Worlds Table of Contents

Alright, it's time to make this.

Twins, Luka and Juleka, lived a happy life, until it was torn apart by their father, Jagged Stone, when he left and took Luka with him. For fourteen years, Juleka and Luka have lived apart from each other, each missing the other. Juleka never recovered from the event while Luka has repressed it, but it still lingers. Though they both still wish to see the other, they have given up hope of finding each other again. That is until what tore their parents apart finally reunites them.

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6

Separate Worlds - Chapter 1 - CelestialL0tus - Miraculous Ladybug [Archive of Our Own]

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #miraculous au #alternate universe #au #fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction writer #table of contents #separate worlds au

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howhow326 · 7 months

Text

ML X BNHA au Part 2!

Part 1 here

Chloe Bourgeois/ Queen Bee

Quirk: Subjection (Chloe's fingernails secrete an organic venom that can paralyze people. People that have Chloe's venom in their system will also obey any verbal commands she gives them. The venom lasts for about one hour.)

On the surface, Chloe Bourgeois is the egotistical daughter of the Mayor of Paris, a menace to the students of her local highschool, and the closet thing Adrien Agreste has to a friend. Beneath the surface, Chloe craves the love of a mother who abandoned her years ago, and takes out her pain on everyone else. Now, when Adrien leaves Paris to study at U.A. in Japan, it is only natural that Chloe follows after him. It is only natural that Chloe Bourgeois will become will become the number one hero, Queen Bee! Maybe then, with hundreds of civilains screaming her name will Chloe finnaly feel wanted...

Chloe's best "friends" : Adrien, Sabrina, Bakugo (but like, as a weird rival thing cuz they act the same)

Nino Lahiffe/ Carapace

Quirk: Bubble (Nino sweats a type of bubble liquid that he can use to create people sized bubbles that can be used as prisons are shields.)

Nino Lahiffe is just a normal boy with a normal life from Paris France. No really, he is completely normal. He wanted to be a DJ before changing it to filmaking, before changing that to being a Pro hero. Initially, Nino chose to U.A. as his hero school to get as far away as possible from Chloe, only to end up in the same class as her again! But this time, he's also in the same class as the world famous model son of a supervillain, a star exchange student from China that got into U.A. based on recomendations, and another exchange student from the Carribbean that Nino is like 75% sure is secretly a famous vigilante??? At least they are nice?!

Nino's best friends: Adrien, Denki, Eijiro, Rikido

Luka Couffaine/ Truth

Quirk: Inner Music (Luka's eardrum can detect the emotions of other people as melodies and harmonies of music.)

Luka Couffaine is the son of the American superstar & Pro Hero, Jagged Stone. While Luka was born in France, he spent most of his life traveling the world with his father after he won custody over him from his mother. Really, the only reason Luka started attending U.A. was because he heard his estranged sister was going their as well. After he's finished with school, Luka plans to become a musician just like his father, and a support hero on the side. But for right now, Luka is looking foreward to making new friends, and talking to those students that keep muttering to themselves.

Luka's best friends: Izuku (he's friend shaped), Juleka, Koji

Max Kanté/ Gamer

Quirk: Robostus (By looking at a Machine, Max can control it remotely. He can so this to multiple machines at once and can even change their software and code if the machine is a computer. His power shuts off if he looks away.)

Max Kanté is, accoding to several tests reaching back to when he was 10 years old, the smartest person in Mali and perhaps even all of West Africa. His intelligence was first demonstrated when he was recorded as creating the worlds first self thinking and feeling A.I., Markov. In schools all around the world wanted him to attend, and he finished most of them before he even turned 15. Now, Max is attending U.A. to finish his study in Hero support items and to gain a hero license. And also, to make some friends the same age as himself...

Max's best friends: Kim, Momo

Kagami Tsurugi/ Ryuko

Quirk: Dragon's Rule (Kagami's horns on her head that allow her to control the forces of lightning, wind, and moisture. Kagami's powers are tied to her emotions, so her mother forces her to keep a tight lid in so she dosen't lose control)

Kagami Tsurugi is the heir to one of the most famous super hero families in Japan, the Tsurugi company. Since birth, Kagami's mother Tomoe has been tirelessly training her to be the next number 1 Pro Hero of Japan and to surpass Allmight... because Tomoe herself last her eyes during a battle with a villain and was forced to retire from hero work. Although Kagami wants to become a pro hero, deep down she feels her mother puts too much pressure on her to be perfect, not allowing her to have many friends and spending all of her time training. Now that Kagami is attending U.A., she gets to meet her biggest rivals in life face to face, but she hopes they could be friends.

Kagami's best friends: Shoto, Iida

#ml x bnha #mlb x bnha #ml x mha #chloe bourgeois #queen bee #miraculous ladybug #ml au #nino lahiffe #carapace #it posted my wip again?????????#luka couffaine #viperion #i wish my phone would stop posting wip lol #max kante #pegasus #everyone is 15-16 in this au btw #kagami tsuguri

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the-delta-42 · 19 days

Text

Sued

Marinette flinched as Alya threw her belongings. Nino, Marinette and the rest of the girls, excluding Lila and Chloe, were sitting in Alya’s room as the novice journalist had her melt down. Marinette was quick to catch a snow globe that Alya sent flying, while Nino tried to calm her down. In the end, Alya had just collapsed on the floor and just sobbed incoherently.

“So, what happened?” Asked Alix, prompting Alya to make a series of noises that could only be described as baby talk. If baby talk was done while crying and moaning how her life was over and she’d have to live in the middle of the woods and wait for a wolf to eat her.

Marinette bristled, chaotic meltdowns were her thing, not Alya’s.

“Yeah, Alya, only dogs can understand you.” Snarked Alix, as Alya let out a shuddery whine.

“You know that video that had Lila saying she was best friends with TDC’s little sister?” Asked Juleka, making everyone look at her, “TDC got in contact and is now trying to sue her for house and home.”

“But you posted a video insulting TDC and dissing his music.” Rose pointed out.

“I have no legal address, so the bitch can’t get me.”

“But TDC wasn’t even the subject of that video, Jagged Stone was.” Said Marinette, as Alya slowly dragged herself to her wardrobe.

“He’s a young celebrity, I think they’re just touchy.” Shrugged Juleka, as Alya accidentally knocked a pair of her shoes down from a shelf and hit her on the head.

“Speaking of touchy.” Said Marinette, before looking at Rose and Myléne, “I need salted caramel ice cream, the Princess Bride, Alya’s secret fox plushie that she totally doesn’t sleep with, really soft blankets, the curtains to be closed and the doors to be locked, stat.”

In a sudden flurry of movement, Nino suddenly found himself in a makeshift movie theatre, with the Princess Bride playing as the girls took turns to stick a spoonful of Alya’s favourite ice cream into Alya’s mouth. The last time Adrien or one of the guys had a break down, they all drunk as many sodas as they could until Adrien threw up. Nino frowned; they should probably come up with a coping method that didn’t end with Adrien throwing up. Nino shook his head; he’ll revisit that later.

Alya let out the occasional sob or sniffle as the film went on and by the credits, she’d fallen asleep.

“I’m going to call Skye and ask for her help.” Said Marinette, quietly talking to Nino, “I know Mike’s visiting and usually she isn’t far behind.”

“Who are Skye and Mike?” Asked Alix, making Marinette and Nino look at her.

“My older siblings,” Said Marinette, “They’re twins.”

“Wait, you have siblings?” Gasped Rose, making Marinette look at her.

“Yeah, I have three, it used to be four.” Dismissed Marinette, her tone stating the conversation was done.

Adrien groaned and tried not to breath to heavily, he’d snuck out the previous night and gone over to Luka’s, where he, and the rest of his friends, tried strange flat soda called ‘rum’. Adrien had drunk an entire big bottle and had thrown up into the Seine. He’d gladly let Myléne kill him, if his father didn’t first.

“Spent too long socialising?” Demanded Gabriel, making Adrien jump and gag.

Adrien swallowed and looked at his father.

“I had a couple of sodas with a friend who’s going on a tour with his dad.” Confessed Adrien, “I was going to get him a card, but I forgot.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, “And this soda was?”

“Rum.”

Gabriel didn’t move for a moment, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Serena, please clear my schedule, Adrien doesn’t know what Rum is.”

Adrien froze, before he gagged again, and threw up all over the table.

“And Serena, bring a mop.”

Adrien stared at the bottle his father had shown him. Adrien didn’t know if he should be embarrassed or proud that he didn’t know what Rum was and that he had his first drink while underage. Adrien didn’t think underage drinking suited him; he was glad his father spent time with him. The new solicitor was going to meet them in a few minutes, Adrien had been told that a woman called Skye Cheng would be representing his father and the company.

Adrien jumped when he heard a knock on the door. Verity, Nathalie’s latest stand in opened the door, “Ms. Cheng is here to see you, Sir.”

“Good,” Said Gabriel, getting to his feet, “Show her in.”

Verity nodded, before leaving and returning with a short woman with brown hair, light skin and forest green eyes. Adrien stared at her, because she was a dead ringer for Marinette.

“Good afternoon, sir,” Said Skye, “shall we begin?”

Marinette scowled at a tall man with shoulder length black hair and grey eyes. The man held Marinette’s phone over his head.

“You’re going to have to be better than that, Little one.” Taunted the man, making Marinette glare at him.

Marinette swung her leg out and kicked the man in the shin. The man jumped as Marinette’s foot hit him, but didn’t release the phone. Marinette pouted at him, before looking down the stairs.

“Maman, Michael’s stolen my phone!” Yelled Marinette, making the man scowl at her.

“Pot, kettle, black arse.” Retorted Michael, before Sabine yelled up the stairs.

“Don’t make me come up there!” Both Michael and Marinette flinched, their mother loved them more than anything in the world but neither wanted to be on the receiving end of her ire. Michael dropped the phone and ambled into the living room. Marinette glared at her brother’s back, before he tripped over a stool and landed on his face.

“HA!” Yelled Marinette, before she spun on her heels and walked into a door.

Skye poked her head through and saw both Michael and Marinette on the floor.

“Do I want to know?” Asked Skye, rhetorically and carefully stepped over Marinette and Michael.

“No.” Said the two, before Marinette sat up.

“Skye, I need your help with something.” Said Marinette, getting a sigh from Skye.

“Marinette, you and I both know that you can’t sue the mayor’s daughter for ‘being a bitch’. It’s a waste of time and money.” Dismissed Skye, quickly locating a seat.

“Yeah, that’s bullshit.” Argued Marinette, “But, it’s not to do with that, one of my friend’s is being sued by an artist because someone else mentioned them at the start of a video.”

Skye froze, before looking at Marinette, “Is this to do with the Kitty Section-TDC incident?”

“Kind of? I mean, TDC is suing Alya because another classmate claimed to be friends with his sister.” Elaborated Marinette, getting a frown from Skye.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Asked Skye, getting a confused look from Marinette, “Toby’s going to be here some time tomorrow.”

“What’s Toby got to do with TDC?” Asked Marinette, getting incredulous looks from Michael and Skye.

“Okay, Mike, I owe you an apology,” Said Skye, after a minute, “you are clearly no longer the dumbest one in the family.”

Toby absently blew a bubble with his gum, scrolling through conspiracy theories on his phone.

“Hey, Jackaal,” Said Toby, leaning back in his seat, “apparently aliens built the pyramids to hide giant emitters for something.”

Jackaal, a Kwami thar resembled a jackal, sniffed, “Extra-terrestrials could never be so creative.”

Toby hummed, before scrolling on his phone again. It pinged, making him groan, “Great, Karen’s decided to start another lawsuit.”

“You need to find a new manager.” Said Jackaal, floating next to Toby’s head, “If she keeps going, you might not get any work.”

“I’ve already started looking for another one,” Said Toby, looking at Jackaal, “it didn’t help when she started dead-naming me.”

“And you call me an animal.” Sniffed Jackaal, turning his nose up.

“I caught you chewing your ass because my cat had fleas.” Stated Toby, leaning forwards, “You literally told me that kwami couldn’t ‘get fleas’.”

“That’s beside the point.” Hissed Jackaal, “Wynnter and Plagg are worse than me.”

“Yeah, I still don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.” Said Toby, before jumping to his feet, “What’s taking so long? We should be there by now.”

“The train stopped over an hour ago, you were on your phone.” Said Jackaal, getting a groan form Toby.

“Oooh, Mike’s gonna kill me.” Murmured Toby, quickly grabbing Jackaal and stuffing him in his pocket.

“You know where to send my luggage.” Said Toby, as he passed Karen, “Oh, and I want you to drop that lawsuit on that blogger person.”

He didn’t wait for Karen to respond, before bolting off the train.

Toby laughed as he spotted the Bakery, entering a skid so he could slide into the door on his knees. Toby face planted the door, it was then, he remembered the door opened out onto the street and not into the bakery.

He heard someone running down the stairs, Toby grinned up at Marinette, “Hey.”

“Sorry, the bakery’s close, we’re having a family reunion.” Said Marinette, before shutting the door and locking it.

Toby stared at the door as Marinette walked away. Michael appeared in the door’s window and looked at Toby. The two held eye contact, before Michael opened the door and hauled Toby to his feet.

“What’re you doing down there?” Asked Michael, as Toby entered the bakery.

“I tried to slide in on my knees.” Muttered Toby, getting a smirk from Michael.

“Do a lot of work on your knees?” Asked Michael, struggling to keep a straight face.

“You’re a dick.”

Marinette slid down in her seat when Michael walked in with the man she’d locked out of the bakery.

“Toby reacquainted himself with the front doors.” Said Michael, dropping into a chair, “It was hilarious.”

“Marinette didn’t recognise me.” Protested Toby, as he perched on the arm of the sofa.

“She last saw you five years ago,” Said Skye, her tone flat, “before you transitioned.”

“Oh yeah.” Toby dropped himself into an armchair, “I forgot about that.”

“Idiot.” Muttered Skye, getting a snort from Michael.

“Bitch.” Retorted Toby.

“Dick.”

“Cow.”

“Whore.”

“Slut.”

“Twat.”

“Cunt!”

“Okay,” Michael got between Toby and Skye, “let’s all take a deep breath.”

Michael to a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, “Right, first point of call,” Michael turned to Toby, “apparently, you’re suing Marinette’s friend.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, some blogger girl.”

“Oh, her,” Toby straightened up, “That was Karen, my manager, I’ve told her to drop it.”

“She hasn’t.” Said Marinette, holding up her phone, “She’s sent another cease-and-desist letter to Alya, she’s told Alya to take her blog down.”

Toby sighed, before groaning, “I don’t suppose you know any good managers who don’t have any clients?”

“I’ll look around.” Said Skye, dropping into a chair, “Hopefully Maman didn’t hear us in the bakery.”

“I did.” Called Sabine, as she and Tom put the cleaning supplies away, “Set the table, dinner should be ready now.”

The four looked at each other, “How does she do that?” Asked Toby, dumbfounded.

Karen Jones smirked to herself as she walked up to the bloggers school. Christine was just confused, she’ll stop taking those pseudo-science drugs, she’ll understand why she’s doing this.

“Karen?” Karen stopped at Christine’s disgustingly deep voice, “What are you doing?”

“I am serving legal documents to the defendant.” Simpered Karen, as a girl who appeared in that blogger girls video appeared at Christine’s side, followed by two more people, Karen assumed they were her parents, “Oh, there’s one now.”

Karen shoved a document forcefully into Marinette’s face. Marinette looked down at the document, before handing it to Toby, who handed it to Michael, who handed it to Skye, who tore it in half and walked up to Karen.

“Mdm. Jones,” Skye’s voice was cold and formal, “I am her legal counsel, and she will not be accepting any documents from you.”

“She’s some brat trying to profit off Christine’s success.” Snapped Karen, as Toby bristled.

“Obviously, not only are you deaf, but blind as well.” Snarled Toby, stalking up to Karen, using it height to his advantage, “Neither she,” he pointed at Marinette, “nor her friends will be receiving any legal documents now or ever!”

“Christine, you’re just confused,” Dismissed Kareen, trying to make her way past Toby, “She’ll turn out to be a prostitute or drug addict in a few years.”

Toby snarled and grabbed Karen’s jacket, “If you keep insulting my sister, no one would be able to find your body.”

Karen went white, “S-s-sister?”

Toby huffed through his nose, “Yes, this is my baby sister, Marinette. You know, the fashion designer.”

Karen tried to form words but kept opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

“Oh,” Said Toby, glared at Karen, “by the way, you’re fired.”

“W-what?”

“How else can I say it?” Pondered Toby, “You're being let go. Your department's being downsized. You're part of an outplacement. We're going in a different direction. We're not picking up your option. Take your pick.”

“You, what, I,” Karen spluttered, “you can’t fire me!”

“I just did.” Snapped Toby, stepping around her, “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have to embarrass my sister.”

“Did you really have to ‘Emperor’s New Grove’ her?” Asked Marinette, as Toby followed her to her class.

“Yep.”

“Why?” Asked Michael, frowning at the back of Toby’s head.

“It just felt right.” Answered Toby, before kicking a door open.

Ms. Bustier looked up from her computer, as Toby did a somersault-roll into the room, “Hello, you wonderful eggs!”

“Is it too late to be launched into the sun?” Marinette asked Skye, who nodded.

Alya stared at the document Marinette’s sister had put in front of her.

“This is a cease-and-desist order,” Explained Skye, “This should get Mdm. Jones off your back and this,” Skye produced another document, “is an application for a restraining order, which should prevent her from approaching you.”

“And,” Alya swallowed, “and this will stop those letters?”

“They should.” Answered Skye, gently, “If you need some time to think about it, feel free to take as much time as you need.”

Alya nodded, taking the documents, and put them in her bag, intending to discus them with her parents.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #alix kubdel #juleka couffaine #original characters #sabine cheng #mylene haprele #gabriel agreste #delta writes

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theerurishipper · 10 months

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I’m dying to hear your thoughts on Luka. That boy is brimming with untapped potential and I’m so angry the writers don’t do anything with him

Ah, Luka. The character whose sole purpose is to be the rival love interest. Who has no purpose and not much characterization and exists just to be Marinette’s emotional support whenever Chat Noir isn’t available to her. Who contributes almost nothing to the story really.

… I actually really love him a lot.

I know, my description of his role is very critical, but I actually do love Luka. To be quite honest though, I didn’t like him when he was first introduced, but then I came back to this show after a few years, and I actually started to love him. So I’ll get the negatives out of the way first.

He did deserve better writing. And they did try a little to make him interesting, but most of what I find interesting about Luka from the show is more implied than outright stated or explored. They tried to give him something with the whole “Jagged Stone is his dad thing,” but it really went nowhere. They tried to give him something with him knowing Ladybug and Chat Noir’s identities, but that went nowhere too. The show is allergic to letting Luka do anything outside be Marinette’s emotional support ex-boyfriend. He goes from boyfriend to wingman real fast, and spends the rest of his time wingmanning Marinette and just ends up joining the rest of the class aboard the SS Adrienette.

There were so many good things that could have been done with him, and that is what ticks me off the most. With the whole “lying about knowing Ladybug and Chat Noir’s identities” thing, it looked like they were setting up an arc for him where he would have to grapple with his values and question himself, which I thought would be great for a character who seems to have everything figured out and under control. Homeboy clearly has abandonment issues from being abandoned by his father. It was established that he hated how people kept secrets from him about his father and he does get sad when it seems like someone (Marinette) doesn’t want to be around him anymore. It does explain why he values honesty and trust so deeply, and having him be challenged that way could make for some great development and could be a better way to explore his deal.

Maybe they could explore the way being honest and being supportive of someone clash in this scenario and make him question it, and have him grapple with how to reconcile these two things that are both important to him. Maybe they could let him self-reflect/introspect because of this conflict and this challenge to his worldview could make him confront his own issues. Maybe they could use this conflict to get to the root of why he values these things so much. Maybe they could explore the fact that he’s always being everyone else’s emotional support and rarely expecting the same thing in return because of his fear of being abandoned (it’s not because of that in the show but damn it that’s how it should be). Maybe they could give him an arc where he figures out what truly matters to him and what he really wants. Maybe it could be about him realizing that he is sacrificing his own values and desires to be there for someone else, and how he doesn’t have to do that. How he doesn’t have to be endlessly supportive and can prioritize the things he values.

But they didn’t do it. Instead, they shittily wrote him out of the story and brought him back with no consequence and no conflict at all. And now he’s part of the team and doesn’t have to worry about lying to his friends because they didn’t really care all that much that he knows their identities. He doesn’t have any trust issues, or any issue at all, really, with the father who abandoned him for years. No, in less than a few episodes, they are interacting like Jagged has always been there with him his whole life. The show won’t let Luka have anything. Just like Adrien, he is reduced to being Marinette’s emotional support. It is less egregious than Adrien’s treatment by the writers because Luka doesn’t have enough screentime to get as screwed over as Adrien does, but it’s still there.

Actually, one thing I wish is that his relationship with Adrien could be explored more. I think they have a lot in common (cough cough daddy issues) and they are also very different in a lot of ways, so it could be an interesting dynamic. I'd have loved to see them get closer, but the show just... skipped over that, so.

But that aside, let me end this on a positive note and go over why I love Luka so much. And part of it is because I think he had so much potential to be such a great character and I find the things that are implied about his character intriguing, but other than that… he’s just so chill. Like, every character is so full of drama and emotional stuff, but not Luka. He’s got everything sorted out, he’s in his element. He’s calm and nice and sweet and he just… does his thing. He just helps everyone work out their shit. He’s just got those chill vibes, like… he’s very soothing to me when he appears. This show has something or the other happening all the time, but I know I can just relax whenever Luka shows up. It’s just nice to see someone who is not immersed in drama and is just living life, and that makes his personality very refreshing. I would like to see him be developed and explored, but that doesn’t mean this aspect of him has to go away. Both is good.

Also, I love his subtle sass (hah!) that rears its head every now and then. “Stop making up stories.” Banger. He says it like it is and I love it.

I hope that answers your question though. Thank you for your ask!

#MLB #Miraculous Ladybug #Luka Couffaine #Viperion #Adrien Agreste #Marinette Dupain Cheng #Ladybug #Chat Noir #Meta #My meta #Asks

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