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#i’m sorry adrien but you take after your father
gg-ladybug · 2 years
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Okay, but Monarch being mildly— what’s the villainous version of nice but annoyed— pleasant to those who have absolutely no correlation to Ladybug and Chat Noir is golden. It’s giving ‘I may be a bastard, but I don’t shoot the messenger’
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This is 1000% the same man who probably got a cup of coffee from a barista in Sentibubbler 💀
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theemporium · 8 months
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🧸 le monagasque x reader’s daughter taking her first steps inside charles’ childhood home
☕️
thank you for requesting!🫶🏽
edit: I’m a dumbass who only realised now you said daughter😭I’m so sorry
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It had just been like every other Sunday brunch. 
With so many Sundays robbed from his family due to the race season, it became something like an unspoken tradition for the Leclerc family to spend non-race weekend Sundays together. Something lighthearted and sweet. Something that helped him put his family first, no matter what was happening on the race track or in the garage.
Once upon a time, it was just Charles and his brothers making their way to their childhood home. Each boy would have their own role to help their mother. Each boy would laugh and smile and bask in something as simple as a meal shared together which wasn’t as easy when they were all around the world.
And in more recent years, there had been a few additions to the Leclerc Family Brunch.
“He looks just like you.”
Charles lifted his head to see his mother standing by the doorway, a warm and kind smile on the older woman’s face as she watched the sight in front of her. Her son sat on the floor of the living room, an array of toys around him and her grandchild crawling around as he happily babbled. 
“Really?” Charles asked, a little bashful as his mother’s grin widened. 
“It makes me feel twenty years younger,” Pascale joked, a look of adoration on her face as little Adrien Leclerc garbled happily on the floor before tilting his head up to look at her. “He even has your smile. Different eyes though.”
“He has his mother’s perfect eyes,” Charles cooed as he grinned down at his son.
Though you had been more than welcome at the Leclerc household for their Sunday brunches, Charles also knew that you liked to give him some time with his family regardless of what he said. After many weeks of trying to tempt you early on in your relationship, he finally relented and made his own Sunday tradition with you. It started of as a day to just treat yourself at the expense of his card, but soon became your day away from him and Adrien. 
Just a day for you to take a breather from the Leclerc men in your life.
“Ah, Maman, look what I taught him,” Charles announced suddenly as he shuffled back until his back was pressed against the couch. “We’ve been practising.”
“Charles,” his mother scolded softly. “He’s your son, not a dog.”
“But he’s so obedient,” he teased playfully before turning his focus back to his son. He spread his legs open and patted the floor in front of him as he called his son’s name. “Adrien, box box!”
Adrien’s head snapped towards his father and he let out a happy giggle like he seemed to realise what was happening. He began to crawl towards his father, a wide and toothless smile spread across his face.
“My smart boy!” Charles praised as his son continued to crawl across the carpet towards him.
“Oh Adrien,” Pascale cheered with a clap. However, her smile faltered slightly when he started to slow down. 
Charles' brows furrowed together. “Adrien, come on. Box, box.” 
Adrien looked at his father before he stopped fully. But before Charles could even say anything, he was sitting back on the carpet before he began to slowly push himself up onto his feet with the help of the table beside him.
“Maman,” Charles murmured breathlessly, excitement mixed with tears shining in his eyes as he watched his son stare determinedly towards him. Later on, he would be grateful his mother had half the sense to take her phone out while he was so focused on young Adrien.
Charles could only let out a choked, wet laugh as he watched his son take one step and then another and another, and eventually letting go of the table as he took shaky steps towards his father. He could only let an array of mumbled French as his son fell into his arms, quickly hugging the young boy to his chest as he pressed kisses all over his face.
“My smart boy. My smart, smart prince,” he continued to mumble against his chubby cheeks as Adrien squirmed and squealed in his father’s arms. “Oh, I can’t wait to show Mama what you can do, hm? Gonna be a good boy and show her what a smart boy you are? She’s gonna be so excited.”
And truth be told, Charles cried when Adrien walked in front of you too when he caught a glance at your glossy eyes. But he wasn’t ashamed to be emotional about his family.
.
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ledalasombra · 1 year
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The Granddaughter - Chapter 4 - Little reveals
"Media? If he's famous, the paparazzi must have made a mess of the relationship," Tim commented as he took a sip of his coffee.
Alfred noticing the matter, called attention to the preselnce of the two at the door, causing the room to be silent.
"He was a model…" Marinette replied in a low tone when she noticed the silence and everyone's attention on her. "He gave up his career when his father disappeared."
"A pity the boy had to go through that. Adrien is a good boy, and he didn't deserve to lose his father so soon after finding his mother and no matter how bad his father was, the boy should try to keep the good memories…"
"Gabriel Agreste is probably the worst person I've ever met in my life Jagged." Marinette spoke calmly, taking a deep breath "I'm sorry to cut you off, but after I had to take Adrien to the hospital at least three times in less than a year because of the absurd diet his father made him follow and of the countless times he's come to my house hungry because he's gone more than 12 hours without a proper food, I refuse to hear anything good about him."
"Oh Mari I'm sorry. I know you don't like talking about him, it's totally my fault" Jagged tried to apologize but she just shook her head slightly.
"Water under the bridge Jagged, don't worry." She looked at Alfred who rubbed her hand lightly to assure her that everything was fine. "Excuse my rudeness, good night everyone! Mr. Wayne, Damian, it's nice to see you." She smiled slightly, cutting the subject short. "Jagged didn't inform me that we would be coming here today, as usual I'll just find out where I'm going when I get to the place."
"Hey, that's not true.." he spoke with his hand on his chest pretending to be offended
Penny smiled looking at her husband beside her "unfortunately she's right, she only found out when she got in the car. I didn't know you knew Mari"
"Oh! Penny, Jagged, let me introduce you to my grandfather Alfred Pennyworth. He is Julia's father" Marinette spoke with a wide smile and a lot of pride, looking at her grandfather, hugging him from the side. "He is simply the best person in my life. I certainly would not have survived the last 5 years without him."
Alfred returned the hug, lightly rubbing his granddaughter's head. It wasn't common to see him so openly show affection, not that the older one didn't show it in general, but he was very attached to etiquette in front of other people. "You're going to be fine" he spoke softly in her ear seeing her just nod positively. He lightly rubbed her head with his hand, turning his attention back to the couple.
"No way Alfie! How could that be? And I thought I was going to surprise him…."
"Mr. and Mrs. Stone, Mari is my only blood family and, after hearing all the stories possible from her about the interaction between you, I can only thank you for the care you both have taken with her." Alfred told the couple "actually the family didn't know about her existence until yesterday…"
"So let me introduce you to my friend of many years. Bruce Wayne this is my niece Marinette Dupain-Cheng aka Marie from Luck Charm, my fashion designer for the last four years…" Jagged spoke excitedly. Marinette smiled, greeting the older Wayne again.
"It's nice to see you. Jagged has been talking about you and your family for some time now and I can tell you it's nice to be able to put a face to every story. However, I must say I can't put you in most of the situations he described. "
"Should I care about what was said?" Bruce commented smiling and looking towards Jagged.
"Only if I decide to talk about them" Marinette completed looking at Bruce and smiling genuinely.
"Then I shouldn't worry about what Jagged and Alfred say about you. Let me introduce you to my children." He turned around pointing to the others in the room "This is my oldest, Richard Grayson-Wayne…" he said pointing to him.
"You can call me Dick, short for Richard… " Dick spoke cutting off what Bruce was saying. "You really look like Julia. Your mother was an amazing person from what I remember of her."
"Thank you. I don't remember her very well but Alfred always talk about her."
"This is my second oldest Jason Todd-Wayne" Bruce said.
"Oh… you were the guy from yesterday, who talked about the curves… of my motorcycle" Marinette spoke slowly, with a playful smile, which earned a few chuckles from around the room.
"It's a pleasure sunshine… " Jason replied laughing and shaking her hand.
"The one with the coffee is my second youngest Timothy Drake-Wayne" she smiled slightly greeting Tim from afar, where he looked at her a little scared.
"He is fine?" She spoke looking at Alfred and then Bruce
"You're Marie…" he said still on cloud nine "...and Alfred knew all this time?" Tim looked at the older man and only received a slight smile in return.
"It's not a secret of mine to tell master Tim" commented the butler….
Tim approached looking at Marinette in the eyes and then taking her hands. "Marry me?" She looked at him with wide eyes "You're the best designer I've ever seen in my entire life! You're smart, beautiful and Alfred's granddaughter…"
Marinette looked at him desperately hearing Jagged and Jason laugh behind her. She looked nervously at her grandfather who just shook his head. "Um… I don't think that's a good idea?"
"Master Tim, I suggest you sleep after dinner and I'll be clearing out all the coffee until you get a decent amount of sleep…."
Marinette frowned, looking at him sympathetically… "I'm sorry about that…" she said watching him walk away, looking at Bruce who pinched the bridge of his nose in a clear sign of tiredness.
"My youngest, Damian Wayne, who you met yesterday…" the young adult just nodded slightly towards her in greeting.
"It's a pleasure to see you Damian." she smiled slightly towards the boy.
"I'm going to finish setting the table for dinner. If you can all make your way to the dining room, everything will be ready in a few minutes." said the butler.
" Do you need some help?" Marinette asked, looking at her grandfather.
"Don't worry my dear, you are a guest." the older one responded by patting her hand, then moving away. The young woman just nodded, turning her attention to the other members of the room.
"Jagged mentioned yesterday that you moved to Gotham to study, correct? With so many universities in Europe and the region being so well recognized, why come to America?" Bruce asked, seeing the young woman take a seat next to Jagged.
"Actually, it wasn't such a difficult decision. My grandfather lives here, I spent my whole life away from him, for me it was the most logical thing. My parents are great people, but I always missed him by my side." She paused as if thinking briefly about what to say, "Besides, Paris has become a city with a lot of memories that I'd like to leave in the past."
"Hawkmorth left a deep mark on everyone." Jagged completed by speaking seriously for the first time.
"But people are healing, that's what matters. Plus Gotham has one of the best universities in the world which will certainly help me a lot with Luck Charm."
"It must have been pretty hard living all that time under the pressure of not being able to release your feelings in a decent way" Dick commented sympathetically.
"Everyone did what they could to not get akumatized. And those who couldn't or didn't care... people just wished it wasn't so bad." She spoke with a faraway look
"And how it is?" Damian asked, causing her to turn her attention to him, not understanding the question. Dick looked at him scolding him "What's it like to be akumatized?" She looked him in the eyes, but before she even answered, Penny did.
"I don't think Mari is the best person to answer since she has never been akumatized" Penny commented, hugging the young woman from the side.
"There were some very close situations... in one of the most extreme cases he called the akuma back. Not being akumatized is probably the hardest thing to do, but I managed it and I believe meditation and my family at the time were what got me helped. I also talked to Alfred quite often. I think knowing how to address stress and feelings was what helped me the most." She commented with a tight smile.
"I believe it's best that we direct the conversation to the dining room." Alfred spoke completely cutting the subject. Everyone got up, following Alfred to the dining room, not being able to notice some exchanges of glances between the family.
Dinner passed with light conversation about Jagged's tour accompanied by delicious food served by Alfred. Jokes and puns were thrown in during dinner, setting a mild mood, very different from earlier in the evening, where the atmosphere was tense.
“Hey Alfie, dinner was wonderful. I already missed your food, there's no place that can do what you do…” commented Jagged excitedly “I'll invite myself to eat here whenever I'm in Gotham…”
"Jagged... you can't just invite yourself into people's homes..." Marinette commented, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head.
“Oh M, I already do that with Tom and Sabine. You know very well that this is true. Your parents and Alfred are the best…”
“I'm glad you enjoyed the food, Mr. Stone. I suggest you finish your conversation in the living room and I'll bring you all tea in a minute." the butler commented getting up, watching the others leave next. Marinette watched the others leave, gathering some plates to help her grandfather.
“Do you think you can come to lunch with me tomorrow? We really need to talk…” the young woman said gathering all the dishes and taking them calmly to a cart that was in the corner of the dining room.
"I'll be there. Did anything happen besides the pending conversation?” the older one replied looking at her intently, studying her reactions. She looked at him without answering and they were both silent for a few seconds.
“I need to have a breakdown before answering this question, but we can say that the night has not been very easy… The conversation with Adrien was difficult and all the questions today were not very helpful…”
"I'm going to make you some tea to help you relax… In the meantime, we'll talk and you can explain to me what's going on in that head of yours that's always full…" the eldest smiled lightly, heading towards the kitchen with his granddaughter right behind him.
"What possessed you to ask those kinds of questions Damian? I think it was clear that Parisians have a hard time with the whole Hawkmorth situation… We're not in an interrogation…" Dick spoke to the younger one when they both fell further behind when left the dining room.
"Tt. It's obvious to me that she knows something… The whole situation in Paris was very closely guarded, we don't have much information about what really happened these years…"
"Damian… Alfred asked that there be no involvement on our part. We all agreed not to delve into her life… "
"I, as an outsider of the situation, was trying to understand what went on in Paris. I wasn't looking at anything in her life… " the young man stopped to look the older one in the eye "I just think from the way she spoke and her reaction, she was involved..."
"Where is she? I didn't see her go by with the others…" Dick asked looking where they came from.
"She was talking to Alfred." Damian ended the conversation and walked back to the living room. He didn't intend to stay long, but he didn't want to be lectured by his father. Dick stopped for a few seconds, going back the way he did earlier and going to the kitchen, where he could hear part of their conversation.
___
"Adrien is trying to convince me to go back to London." She spoke as soon as they entered the kitchen. She was clearly uncomfortable with her conversation with her ex. "My presence wasn't doing him any good grandpa"
He sighed looking at his granddaughter "You need to worry a little about yourself too Mari. You need to be sure of what you want and what you need." He paused, reaching over and holding both of her hands. "Let's try to explain it piece by piece. Why do you think your presence hurts him?"
"He has nightmares seeing me… " she stopped talking closing her eyes “...during the last encounter everything got out of control and…"
"Calm down my love. Take your time…" he rubbed her hand lightly trying to be supportive.
"He thinks that because he couldn't protect me on the last day, because he saw me... he thinks that being by my side is putting me in danger. He pulled away and when he said it was better that we broke up, I ended up accepting it." she opened her eyes letting a tear fall. Marinette was going to continue but before she could say anything, she looked her grandfather in the eyes and stopped, pressing her lips together. "It's better if we talk when we're in a place where no one can hear us…"
"Hum…" the butler paused looking at her "we'll talk better tomorrow, ok?" She nodded.
"I'll understand your calmness about this whole situation as a vote of confidence but I don't like it…" He smiled slightly with the younger girl's sentence moving away. He put the water on to boil in the kettle, watching as she approached and stopped next to the marble cupboard in the center of the kitchen. He walked over to her, holding her hand "Do you trust me?"
"My life and more" she answered honestly and without hesitation.
"Then get that worry out of your head… " he said placing his index finger on her head. Marinette just pursed her lips, looking at him "Worry about what is necessary. I'll be by your side to solve what you need" Alfred caressed her face, seeing his granddaughter nod positively, leading them both to the door right away. As soon as he got to the door, both stopped and Alfred addressed the guy who was on his back playing with his cell phone "do you need anything Master Dick?"
….
Dick returned to the kitchen, stopping in the hallway when he heard the voices of Alfred and Marinette.
"He has nightmares seeing me... during the last encounter everything got out of control and…" 
 "Calm down my love. Take your time…"
"He thinks that because he couldn't protect me on the last day, because he saw me... he thinks that being by my side is putting me in danger. He pulled away and when he said it was better that we broke up, I ended up accepting it." Dick heard Marinette talking, noticing that they both stopped talking for a few moments. He was going to move, but stopped when he heard the young woman continue "It's better if we talk when we're in a place where no one can hear us…"
Dick was standing next to the kitchen for about 5 minutes and he was sure no one heard him coming, so how? He never understood how Alfred managed to sense his presence even when he didn't make a sound in the dark. Even after years he had come to simply accept that his grandfather just managed to be always present. Finding out that her granddaughter could do something similar was intriguing to say the least. Was it a family thing? Dick took the cell phone sending message in the group chat that has only his brothers.
Group Chat: The war zone
The First One
She certainly knows about what happened and from what I understand, so does Alfred.
It's scary how they manage to talk without saying anything...
I think it runs in the family, she knew I was down the hall in less than 5 minutes….
The Best One
I said she knew something. Pennyworth must explain to us later.
Richard was about to respond to the group when he heard Alfred speak behind him. He noticed that the cell phone started to be bombarded with a lot of messages, keeping it in his pants pocket.
"Do you need anything Master Dick?"
"Alfred! I came to get Marinette, she wasn't with the others…" he said smiling gallantly as he looked at the two. Marinette looked him up and down, taking a deep breath...
"And here I thought only Mr Wayne was like that…"
"Marinette…" Alfred spoke in a scolding tone.
"What? Seriously grandpa, Mr Wayne acted exactly the same yesterday… This family is very strange…" she said as she walked a little further ahead and Alfred shook his head negatively at the interaction.
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Hello everyone... sorry for the delay but life is hectic... 
I'm still trying to finish editing the other chapters of "My not so normal little sister" and it's complicated... I won't even start with the others WIPs that are in my head and partially written. thank you for your patience, feedback and a thousand apologies if I forgot to tag someone. And again, english is not my first language, it's actually my fourth so I am so sorry for the grammar mistakes... the goal is always to improve
@fusser90  @night-ngale  @missmadwoman  @prettylittlebutterflie @babylovebug18 @its-maemain @iglowinggemma28 @the-church-grimm @kp-names @iamablinkmarvelarmy​ @starling218  @battybatbat  @atiredartistandacat @serasvictoria02 @read-fantasy-to-escape-reality @alice-hazelwood @maybeanalien0-0 @stella17luna  @sknerd101 @kathygene @waffleyunsure @nightfallsthings @taewinterbear95 @occulta-lacrimarum13  @kathygene  @tinybrie​  @kitsun369​  @iglowinggemma28​  @crazylittlemunchkin​  @nightfallsthings  @fangirlingfanatic​  @nightmarewasteland​   @laydeekrayzee  @the-ruler-of-death​ @sarcasticbambi
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mlbigbang · 1 year
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2022 Marichat Fic Rec List
It's the end of the year which means it's finally time for the ML Big Bang's yearly fic rec lists! We're really excited to bring you our contributors' favourite fics from this year to supply you with plenty of reading material while you're waiting for the Big Bang fics' publication in January.
Asking the important questions by @ultrakart 1,397 words, General, 1/1 chapter
After having returned home from Shanghai, Marinette and Chat Noir have some important questions for each other.
"Platonic Marichat shenanigans, resoundingly reminiscent of canon in the absolute best way."
final girl by @picayunearts 41,310 words, Teen, 10/10 chapters
Marinette has ninety-nine problems, and the superhero trio of Paris counts for a hundred. [AU where Marinette follows through on giving up her earrings after Stoneheart, but becomes the Guardian to protect her replacement.]
"This one floored me. Characterization is on point. I love the premise of Marinette giving up the miraculous and being guardian. Wonderfully executed in my opinion. And the writing. THE WRITING. :chefskiss:"
"Another amazing au. I love the take on "Marinette gives up on being Ladybug" and teh way it's written is chef's kiss."
Everything's Not Fine by @flightfoot 976 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter
"Why’s mother down here? What- what is this?” “Still committing to the bit?” Gabriel snorted. “Really now, I thought you were smarter than that. Adrien was compelled to obey the order Nathalie gave via his amok - you would not have been.” “My WHAT?!” -------------- After the events of Risk, Adrien makes his way down to his father's secret lair. Gabriel catches him. Unfortunately, he cares even less about Felix than he does about Adrien.
"An alternative follow-up to 'Strike Back' that packs twist after twist after twist into a very short space, leaving you a little breathless as you read it and sorry that it didn't happen this way in the show."
The Dating App by leadernovaandthemacabre 14,960 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter
Chat Noir and Marinette cross paths on Paris’ newest dating app and keep crossing paths until secrets slip. - [MDC]: why are you here [OfficialChatNoir]: we matched! shall we go out for sweethearts ice cream? [MDC]: i’m blocking you [OfficialChatNoir]: wait wait marinette wait *[MDC] has blocked you*
"I loved the bonding between these too and how naturally everything flowed and how open they became with each other and aaaaa"
NSFW works
Patient is the night by @mostlymoony 72,243 words, Mature, 31/31 chapters
Beware the Cat Knight, he demands a price For this fallen prince, gold shall not suffice Fear the Cat Knight, as he trades life for life Cry pretty girls, for the cat needs a wife. When Marinette's small farming town is attacked by Hawkmoth's army of night creatures, Marinette rides for the dread Butterfly Castle, seeking aid from the mysterious Black Cat Knight and his band of masked fighters. She's determined to save her town, even if that means handing herself over to a strange man with wild, green eyes and a penchant for cat-related puns. There will be smut, and this is my first time writing smut. I'm so sorry.
"Such a good gothic romance/fairy tale vibe to it and I just found the plot/progression very enjoyable. The magic and world building is unique and vague enough to make it important but not overwhelming. They also made some great artwork for it!"
Pink Really is Your Color by @inkmousey 2,811 words, Explicit, 1/1 chapter
Marinette really hates that dumb Cat. Until he's pressing her against a wall and making her forget Adrien Agreste ever existed.
"It's amazing!!! So very amazing and it has a great dynamic that's great for Marichat!"
I’d Never Forget About You by @inkmousey 3,400 words, Explicit, 1/1 chapter
Adrien thinks everyone forgot about him on his birthday, and by everyone— he means the only person who ever remembers it anyway, Marinette.
"MariBlanc is such an interesting pairing and the fic handles them so amazingly!!!"
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mcheang · 7 months
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Revelation AU
What if Felix took Adrien’s place again the day Lila tried to take over class rep duties.
Let’s just say thanks to his stalking, Felix knows Lila is a liar who makes Adrien uncomfortable and Marinette unhappy. He warns Kagami about it, who in turn wishes to expose Lila after being manipulated by her.
Knowing Lila has had too much time to sway the school to her side, Felix proposes an idea but needs Kagami’s help. Like Lila, Felix is a master at deception, at least when pretending to be Adrien.
When Gabriel fires Lila Rossi, Felix suspected Lila would want revenge on Adrien to hurt Gabriel. As such, he insisted that he take Adrien’s place for that day in school. Kagami lured Adrien and knocked him unconscious, allowing Felix to take his place while Kagami stayed with Adrien to keep him from interrupting their plan.
When Marinette tried to argue that Chloe should be punished for cheating, and how Caline suggested that Chloe was going to need a lot of work, Lila suggested she take over Marinette’s duties since Marinette is too busy with her love life.
Felix: I’m sorry, Lila. It’s just what you said. The reason you were not around to vote for Marinette is because you were on one of your MANY trips for charity. I know you’ve had more time for us now, except last I heard, you said you were going overseas. I know you’ll try to be there for us, but we all know how you can’t help answering the call for help from your many other friends overseas, even changing your plans at the last minute because you told us how much you cherish bonds overseas, knowing you can’t dismiss friendship that easily.
And just like that, Lila is also unreliable for being class president.
Lila: I will try to be there for the rest of the school year, even my mother put her foot down about that.
Felix quickly interrupts: Oh no! Are you that exhausted? We shouldn’t put more pressure on her.
Lila: But I have more free time on my hands.
Felix: Um, I heard you refuse to join Mylene’s cause to help Ramier’s cause to build pigeon shelters next week. And Marinette is not even going to be there! Not to mention I’m worried that Chloe might take advantage of you like she’s taking advantage of Sabrina, she’s already trying to take back power, but we all know that Chloe will dump her deputy duties on Sabrina, again. You’re too nice, Lila.
No matter what Lila says, Felix is ready to counter her.
And then comes the killing blow
Felix: I know you mean well, but my father also told about your special disease
He looked at Miss Caline Bustier, who now recalls Lila’s lying disorder
Felix: It’s embarrassing but my father does do background checking, Principal Damocles told him about your uncontrollable lying disease. I know Miss Bustier wanted to keep this a secret so we would not worry over you like we do over Rose, but we’re your friends Lila, you don’t have to hide this from us.
Alya is unsure if Adrien is telling the truth or he really wants to defend Marinette
Caline: I think you’re right Adrien. Lila needs all the support she can get, and she can only get that if we help her be honest
She just confirmed what “Adrien“ said.
The class is stunned. Lila really was a liar. And Ms Bustier did not even tell them. It was hard to tell whether their feelings of betrayal were directed more towards their naive teacher or Lila.
Lila herself was feeling quite furious with Adrien.
Naturally Hawkmoth was attracted to the akuma class…again.
He sensed Lila Rossi’s hatred to Adrien. Not a good idea. (Sure Lila tried to direct some hatred Marinette’s way but the latter was clearly surprised by Adrien’s move). Nathalie was already breathing down his neck on his treatment of Adrien.
Someone else in the class will have to do.
There was obviously a divide.
Some actually thought Lila had a lying disorder and could not control it.
Others like Alya Cesaire were immediately apologetic for not believing Marinette, cursing their own gullibility, and angry at Ms Bustier for keeping it from them.
Yes, Alya’s guilt was prime for akumatization.
Except…what is this? Her resistance to the akuma…it was so similar to…Viperion/Luka. Alya knows Ladybug’s secret identity.
True, Alya rejected the akuma and Hawkmoth summoned it back, but the idea that two friends of his son knew Ladybug suggested the possibility that the heroine herself was within Adrien’s social circle.
But who? He had akumatized most of them. All except…Marientte Dupain-Cheng!
Oh wait. If Alya is aware that Marinette is Ladybug, how could she actually believe that Ladybug is best friends with Lila?
No one is that stupid.
He discusses this with Nathalie.
Nathalie: but Alya is that gullible. Didn’t she believe Chloe of all people was Ladybug? Despite witnessing Ladybug saving Chloe from Stoneheart?
A pause.
Gabriel: it’s time we invited Marinette to our home again. It will be a chance for Adrien to tell her about his trip to London. (Aka akumatize and see if she really is Ladybug)
Meanwhile, Alya confessed Monarch discovered she knows Ladybug and has to leave town. She joins Luka with his dad and Penny.
Marinette feels guilty for telling Alya the truth. Tikki reminds her that Alya knowing has helped her before.
Before Alya left with Luka, the latter warned Marinette to be careful with her secret identity. “Monarch might decide to investigate our common friends. And you’re the one of the few he hasn’t akumatized.”
Marinette: few…Adrien! Wait, what am I saying, Adrien can’t be confused for Ladybug.
At the invitation for brunch, Gabriel knew Marinette was still oblivious to Adrien’s impending departure (he would have akumatized her otherwise).
Gabriel: I wouldn’t want to keep two lovebirds apart in these precious moments Adrien has in Paris.
Adrien dropped his fork. “Father!”
Marinette looked at her boyfriend in concern. “Adrien, what’s wrong?”
Gabriel: you didn’t tell her?
Adrien shut his eyes. “I’m moving to London at the end of the school year.”
Gabriel: as soon as the school day is over, he’ll be packing his bags.
Adrien: but I’ll miss the dance!
Gabriel: so is Kagami but I don’t hear her complaining to her mother.
Marinette understood immediately. Gabriel disapproved of her so much, he was willing to send Adrien away, take him away from his friends. “You can’t do that! It’s not right!”
“Oh, and what would you know of right, Ms Dupain Cheng. My own surveillance cameras have caught you spying on my house. Your male friends threw a wild party under my very roof while I was absent, draining even my back up power reserves. I’ve already shown my generosity by not suing them for the power disruption or demanding a restraining order on your presence. Do not test my patience.”
Marinette and Adrien were horrified, for different reasons. Adrien knew about Marinette’s stalker habits already but to hear that his father was capable of using the law to punish his friends…he knew he needed to tread carefully. Marinette was horrified to see her own flaws turned against her.
Gabriel settled down, forcing a smile on his face as he civilly asked, “And what do you think of my pancakes now, Marinette. Do you think my new recipe is better than before?”
Both knew they could not insult him and make their own situation worse, not when Gabriel has already proven himself of capable of following up his own threats.
“It’s certainly efficient,” Marinette finally managed.
They finished the breakfast in silence. Gabriel happily eating his pancakes. Marinette and Adrien holding hands tightly under the table.
Nathalie came in. “Adrien, your piano teacher is here.”
Gabriel: it’s been nice having you here again, Marinette. But good times never last long.
It took all Marinette’s willpower not to run or call Gabriel out for his cruelty. As soon as the coast was clear, she sank down against the wall and cried.
Her despair just begging Monarch to akumatize her.
Unfortunately for him, Tikki was also on alert should Marinette be depressed enough for an akuma. (Being in an akumatized purse was not fun!)
Tikki: Marinette, an akuma!
Marinette freaked and ran, worried that Ladybug’s immediate purification would give her identity away.
Rather than let the butterfly go rogue and cause another startrain, Monarch summoned the butterfly back. He can be patient. Sooner or later, Marinette has to break down and he will be ready.
Knowing she had to stay positive, Marinette devotes her energy to try to be optimistic, thinking of how she can get Gabriel to change his mind, or ways to make a long distance relationship work.
This was enough to make Gabriel give up and instead wait for Adrien to leave for London.
By that time, Marinette had already tried several plans to convince Gabriel to stay. She got Wayhem to organize Adrien’s fans to strike about Adrien’s departure but was countered by Gabriel saying Paris was too dangerous for Adrien. She threaten to call child care services except Adrien (influenced by the Graham wedding rings) vetoes this plan. She considered using Cosmobug to visit Adrien except Marinette doesn’t have the money or time to make such frequent visits plausible.
Eventually Marinette came to accept Adrien’s departure and both agree to work out a long distance relationship.
Gabriel is extremely disappointed that Marinette isn’t more unhappy when Adrien leaves. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. project Alliance will continue as plan.
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emsylcatac · 9 months
Text
good evening, short Adrien & Félix post S5 finale fic hurt/comfort:
* * * * *
Adrien’s fists pounded on the door repeatedly, in a synchronised rhythm with the breath he was trying to catch. He figured he could have taken the lift, but the adrenaline and blind anger had surged him to take the stairs – standing still was not an option. And the door wasn’t opening fast enough.
“Félix!” he shouted, punctuating each word with a fist on the door, “open. the. door!”
The small, currently extremely tiny part of him that was still somehow rational, the one that had reminded him that his cousin did not need to find Astrochat bursting into his room through the window, told him that ringing the bell would be a better and far more efficient option. But Adrien had already listened to his level-headed side once by coming through the front door of the Londonian apartment, and estimated it was more than enough considering what his emotions could bear at the moment.
Besides, the pain he felt coursing through his knuckles and hand more intensely with each punch felt good.
“I don’t care if your girlfriend’s here and you’re busy smooching her right now, you better open that door or else I’ll—”
The words died on his tongue as the door swung open, his fist nearly colliding with Félix’ stoic face.
“Adrien. How did you get here?” he greeted, voice emotionless.
Adrien was glad Félix had at least the decency of not asking what he was doing here.
“You knew,” he spat instead of answering, storming inside the apartment as Félix took a single step aside to let him in. “You knew, and you didn’t tell me!”
Félix’ brows raised slightly. “Knew what?” He asked carefully.
Adrien nearly growled. Félix didn’t get to measure his words, like he had no idea what he meant — like he was testing whether Adrien had the full picture, or just one of the many things he’s hidden from him.
“Don’t play dumb with me,”  Adrien jabbed a finger in his chest, “you know exactly what I’m talking about. Nathalie told me everything,” he said, and oh no, he could feel the knot mounting in his throat and the start of tears pricking his eyes.
Adrien didn’t want to cry in front of poised, ever-so-collected Félix. He couldn’t handle his snarky comments at the moment.
“She told me about my father, she told me about the–the r-rings…” he shook his hand wearing said rings in Félix’ face to show him he knew perfectly well what he was talking about, “...everything!”
Adrien took a deep breath, trying to regain control of his emotions. 
As predicted, Félix remained impassive. “She did? Oh, good.”
Adrien spluttered. “Good? Good?! That’s it? That’s all you have to say?!”
Félix raised an eyebrow, and went to pick a deck of cards on the coffee table. “What else do you want me to say?” he replied, turning back to Adrien, passing the cards from one hand to the other with ease. “Congratulations? It’s about time?” He stopped playing with the cards and opened his arms. “Welcome to the club?”
Adrien clenched his fists. “How about ‘I’m sorry for not telling you about your father being a supervillain and about yourself being his sentimonster puppet, my dear cousin whom I loooove and respect and hated to lie to?’” he sneered.
Félix switched to splitting his deck of cards in two, then slotting them back together with his thumbs. Adrien would find impressive the ease with which he smoothly reunited the two piles into one if he wasn’t feeling so betrayed. As it was, his little magician shuffling only infuriated him all the more.
“It’s not that easy”, Félix said after having shuffled his cards three times.
Adrien scoffed. “Oh, really?” he crossed his arms. “It’s not like you never visited or didn’t have my number. But I guess it was much more entertaining to leave me in the dark and watch me stupidly struggle to even dare to say "no" to my father while you very nicely called me his puppet to my face.”
He hadn’t forgotten that comment the first time Félix had visited after his father and Adrien’s mother had passed. It had hurt at the time — it hurt even more now, to know that Félix had been taunting him with information and a freedom he hadn’t known he didn’t possess.
Félix stared silently in his eyes, and for the first time since he got there, Adrien thought he caught the flicker of an emotion he couldn’t quite pitpoint in the green of his gaze.
“You weren’t ready,” he spoke in a softer tone, and resumed shuffling his cards again.
Adrien let out a broken laugh that ended in a half sob. He could feel his blood boiling, the anger and despair that had been coursing through him since he learnt everything exploding out of his body like a sudden gust of wind. 
“But you were?!” he nearly cried. “Of course you think that you, who’s always sooo collected and so sure of yourself, were ready to learn everything. But I, your stupid, emotional and pathetic cousin, aren’t ready to know anything or least I’ll cry!”
Despite his best efforts, Adrien finally felt a few treacherous tears escape his eyes. He bit his knuckles, hoping it’d make them stay in, and looked straight into Félix’ ones, daring him to voice a single comment.
But Félix kept silent instead, and Adrien found no trace of mockery in his eyes. He put the cards back on the coffee table.
“I wasn’t.” Félix finally whispered, a slight tremble in his voice. “I wasn’t ready when I discovered it.” His gaze dropped to the ring on his finger.
His Amok, Adrien figured.
He startled at his admission. Suddenly, he could name which emotion was shyly dancing in  Félix’ eyes: shame.
“It’s not that I think you wouldn’t have been capable of handling it all,” Félix continued quietly. “In fact,” he let out a dry chuckle, and met his eyes once more, “I’m quite convinced you would have handled it far better than I did.”
Adrien thought about how much colder and distant Félix had seemed after losing their parents. About how he’d purposefully hurt him, and his friends. About how he’d decided to erase everyone who wasn’t like them, and create a cruel world where he thought they’d be happy. He thought about Félix’ jealousy, and his quest for revenge; his desire for freedom and for love.
“But it doesn’t mean you had to,” Félix breathed. 
And as Félix gazed at him with uncertainty, Adrien saw him. A broken boy who’d had to carry too much way too soon, and was struggling to recover from it all. And he understood.
He didn’t try to stop his tears this time, and did the only thing he could think of: he took his cousin in his arms.
He cried and cried, hugging Félix tightly, letting him think he was pathetic if he wanted — he couldn’t care less anymore. Adrien didn’t know if Félix was crying too, but he was hugging him back just as tightly, just as sincerely. It reminded him of a time that seemed long, so long ago, when they were close and the best of friends, and Adrien hadn’t known how much he’d missed that until now.
“My father was Monarch,” Adrien sobbed.
“I know,” Félix’ muffled voice replied.
“He–he’s dead,” he hiccuped, completely at a loss as to what to feel about the fact in regards to everything new he had just learnt.
“I know,” Félix whispered back.
“I’m a sentimonster,”  Adrien kept on. “We’re both sentimonsters.”
“I know,” Félix repeated again, and Adrien felt his hand rub timid circles on his back. “I’m sorry.”
Adrien hugged him tighter. He let all the tears in his body carry away his anger and pain, let himself be drained of all energy, until he couldn’t cry anymore. 
“Do you think… Do you think I was ready?” Adrien asked in a raspy voice after a while. “To…to learn everything now?”
A few seconds passed.
“You’re free,” Félix eventually spoke against his shoulder. “Your father is gone. You have people who love you and support you, and who make you happy. I think you… I know you’ll be fine.”
And Adrien knew he was right.
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flightfoot · 3 months
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Hi, I'd be interested in some fanfictions that center around Nino (all ships welcome, bonus points if it's the core four hanging out).
Most fics that have him tagged don't focus on him. If you have any recs lmk, feel free to take as long as you need! Have a nice day
I'm on it! So long as you're fine with ships that also revolve around couples anyway, otherwise this would be rather sparse. I'm gonna go ahead and limit it to completed fics. Oh, and if you wonder why some of these have commentary and some don't, it's because the ones with commentary are from previous reclists I made.
(Edit: I'd said that I'd only include complete fics, but I accidentally included Withered Wings anyway, because I kinda forgot that. It's pretty close to finished at any rate, and it's good and long so I'm keeping it.)
Within Your Heart by Inkyibis
It’s Valentine’s Day and Ladybug just wants to her superhero partner to find his love. And what she wants, the Lucky Charm will create. If only she could remember what it is she did last night.
Adrino fic here! Marinette’s drunk and feeling awful that her superhero partner is alone on Valentine’s (she’s in a loving and committed relationship with Alya), so she creates a Lucky Charm to help Chat find love! In this universe, Ladybug’s Lucky Charms have the power to create new rules for the universe to follow, such as making one that demands that if you have any magic in you, you have to tell the truth or else you’ll freeze. Or in Adrien’s case, that he has to wake up in the arms of his true love every day XD. It’s very sweet and I love both Adrien’s and Nino’s relationship, and the relationship between the rest of the Miracuteam members as well, even though that’s not the focus.
---
I’ll give myself a name (something stupid and pretentious) by @bbutterflies
Nino looked at the number and didn’t recognize it. Usually he wouldn’t answer, but he had nothing better to do – and could still really use a distraction – so he did. “Hello?”
“Hey, Nino.”
Nino stood up quickly, chest tightening. He knew that voice. He’d been waiting to hear it again for over two years. “Adrien?” he whispered.
“Yeah. It’s me."
-
When Monarch is defeated (and revealed to be Gabriel Agreste), Chat Noir immediately goes missing. Adrien disappears not long after. When Adrien finally shows up in Paris again, Nino would do anything to make sure he doesn't disappear again.
Ah this is lovely, Adrien’s been in a lot of emotional turmoil since Monarch’s defeat, convinced that everyone would hate him, SHOULD hate him, for not realizing that his father was the villain, and should hate him even more for disappearing like he does. But slowly Marinette and Nino get through to him, convince him that they just want him back. 
And also Adrien and Nino smooch. Multiple times. So that’s a bonus XD.
---
Would Trust You With Everything by @kasienda
Nino breaks off, tears streaking down his face. Adrien wishes he was here as himself instead of Chat so he could offer a hug.
“It’s not like I don’t think she deserved her privacy. It’s just it felt like I was her last priority. And if I knew why, then maybe we could overcome it. But when I don’t, I’m not willing to be her last thought. You know? I always put her first.”
“Yeah,” Chat agrees, able to relate too well. He always put Ladybug first too, and he’s not sure it has ever been the same for her. “I’m sorry you’ve been so alone through this."
“I haven’t been totally alone,” Nino disagrees, holding up his phone. “My best friend has been keeping me company virtually most of the day.”
“Yeah? It helped?”
“I don’t know if any of the stuff he sent helped, but like, given what I know he’s up to, he totally had to move heaven and earth to talk to me so much, and that really helped. You know, just knowing that someone was thinking of me.”
“I’m glad,” Chat Noir said. “I wish he could be there in person for you.”
Nino sighs. “Yeah, me too, but at least you’re here."
...
Season 4 au - canon divergent from Rocketear Rocketear led to DJWiFi breakup.
Ahh, Adrino my beloved XD. I love the identity shenanigans in this one with Adrien being around Nino as both Adrien and Chat Noir, and both of them vaguely describing their situations to each other. It takes Adrien a bit to figure out that he has a crush on Nino, but once he does...
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The moment I knew (I’d no choice but to love you) by @bbutterflies
“He’s dating me,” Nino said, taking Adrien’s hand in his own.
Adrien could only stare back at him in shock.
“How dare you all force him to come out?” Nino continued, glaring at the reporters. “That was disgusting.” He pulled Adrien over to the car, guided him in, and shut the door behind them.
In the relative quiet and privacy of the backseat, Adrien finally processed what had just happened. “So… when were you going to tell me we were dating?”
This Adrino fic is delicious XD. Reporters keep hounding Adrien about his love life, so Nino finally gets them off Adrien’s back by fake-dating him. Problem is, Adrien’s actually been madly in love with Nino for years but has never been able to tell him. And now as they’re spending more time together, Nino’s beginning to find that he’s enjoying all these “couple” activities more than maybe he ought to if it’s entirely platonic...
If you want to see Adrien and Nino PINING for each other while “fake” dating (is it really fake if both parties want it to be real?) then you’ve come to the right fic!
---
Chemistry With Him by @bbutterflies
It kind of sucked Nino was taking chemistry, but classes had filled up fast and he needed to take something and his advisor had said the credits would, somehow, count towards his major. It really sucked he was taking it first thing on a Monday morning (and Wednesdays, and Fridays, unfortunately). But he could get through it. He knew he could.
So no more boys. No distractions. He could do this all on his own.
“Is anyone sitting here?”
Nino looked up to find the source of the voice. A blond, green-eyed, absolutely beautiful someone.
Okay. Maybe one distraction.
Ah, adorable Adrino. This is a universe where Adrien never went to public school, so while Chat Noir, Ladybug, Carapace, and Rena Rouge all know each other (and Marinette, Alya, and Nino all know each other’s identities) they’re unaware that they are all already friends with Adrien. I loved seeing Chat and Carapace excitedly tell each other about their awesome crush/boyfriend, not knowing they were talking about each other XD.
---
Strangely Familiar by @sunfoxfic
Alya Césaire’s life is perfect. Indeed, between the success of the Ladyblog, how well she’s doing in school, and the fact that she’s a superhero who has never bore the weight of a crisis of epic proportions, her life almost couldn’t be better. Almost.
But Alya has always been a go-getter, and so she’ll chase after that perfect life if it kills her. Which is how she ends up rushing to move out of her father’s apartment and in with Marinette, Adrien, and a complete stranger: Nino Lahiffe. And in fact, her life does seem perfect — she and Nino are fast friends. They spend a lot of time together and get to know each other really well.
But in the end, fortunate situations will bear unfortunate truths, and she learns things about herself that aren’t quite comfortable. Like I said, though: Alya has always been a go-getter, and she won’t let new feelings deter her from chasing after her perfect life.
This is the single longest DJWifi-centric fic on AO3 (which is a travesty) and it is GLORIOUS. Alya and Nino are both well fleshed-out here, with their own problems and baggage they’re dealing with, but it’s easier together.
---
Shelltering Others by @rosie-b:
When Ladybug wakes Nino up in the middle of the night to scold him for revealing his identity, he thinks his career as a Miraculous holder is over. But instead, Ladybug gives him the opportunity to prove himself by becoming Chat Noir’s confidant and learning his secret identity through a scavenger hunt of sorts. Will Nino pass Ladybug and Chat Noir’s test, or will he fail to put the pieces together in time?
Quick disclaimer here: the first chapter looks kinda salty towards Nino, with Ladybug laying into him for revealing his and Alya’s secret identities to Adrien and Marinette. She’s mostly just trying to scare him into taking them seriously, though, since she herself has just proposed that Nino become Chat’s secret-keeper, and he can’t afford to be lackadaisical with that identity. I highly recommend getting through at least chapter 2 of the fic when giving it a shot, because this had some great character development and introspection for Nino, on Chat Noir, Adrien, Ladybug, and himself. 
---
run boy run by tinuviel_tinuviel
Nino was sprawled on the floor of his room with Alya when his phone chimed, in the quiet of a premature autumnal sunset. It was one of those lazy evenings that had become rare lately. Contrary to popular belief, he and Alya could get studying done when in the same room, and he was elbows-deep in late assignments, which meant his phone was on Do Not Disturb, which meant the notification could only have come from one person.
ADRIEN 🐈: cmoe ove rnow ADRIEN 🐈: like riggt now ADRIEN 🐈: plag NINO: that is literally incomprehensible NINO: wait is that you plagg ADRIEN 🐈: mov faster
So this is a “Adrien finds out that his father is Hawkmoth and consults with Nino about what to do” fic, with Nino throwing Hawkmoth off Adrien’s track, though inadvertently at his own expense. Love Nino’s perspective here, and I always enjoy a good Hawkmoth-takedown fic!
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Best Friend and Boyfriends by @kasienda
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Nino commented when Adrien slid into the seat next to him in the student lounge during the mutual gap they both had between their university classes. Adrien turned his grin towards his best friend. “Yeah,” he agreed. Nino grinned back. “I haven’t seen you in this good of a mood in months. Were you hanging with your mystery lady?” The question caught Adrien completely off guard. Was Nino seriously comparing his feelings for Carapace with his feelings for Ladybug? Sure, Carapace had become one of his favorite people. Adrien currently coveted every moment spent in Carapace’s company. He walked away from talking to him for hours feeling like he was floating on a cloud. And he was anticipating their next patrol like a giddy child waiting for Christmas morning. Holy shit! “You okay, dude?” Nino asked. He totally had feelings for Carapace. When had that even happened?
---
Withered Wings by @11jj11
Nino wasn’t sure if anyone had ever willingly took the akuma butterfly before him, but with his mind completely open to this apparent son of Hawk Moth he knew that he couldn’t turn him away. Not someone that was so afraid, not someone who would be left at the mercy of Hawk Moth.
---
5 times Adrien, the person, helps Nino aka Chat Noir and one time Adrien, the turtle themed hero (still not the fragrance) does it by DearLittleRobin
Adrien is a cool guy that needs more friends Nino is a good friend (and he's also Chat Noir)
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Turtle-y Awesome by chattonne-rousse
Hugo Dupain-Cheng loves turtles, and by extension, he loves Carapace, his favorite superhero of them all. He doesn't know yet that his idol is also his Uncle Nino, and Nino hasn't yet seen the Carapace shrine that is Hugo's bedroom. But the little man is turning five and has just two wishes - a Carapace-themed party with friends and family, and the latest, greatest Carapace play set. This is a story of best friends, laughter, good kids and even better parents, and a whole lot of turtles.
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I hope the worst isn't over by thescuttlebug
Falling is exactly like flying right up until you stop. Like, assuming the kind of flying you’re used to involves busted steering and useless panic, Nino guesses. “GO LIMP!” a voice shouts, and Nino catches a glimpse of black something-like-leather and the twin flashes of a golden bell and silver staff streaking through the air. “Are you kidding me, dude?!” he shrieks.
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Foxy Lady by WizardlyMagik
In which Nino finds himself unexpectedly attracted to Rena Rouge, tries and fails to tell his friends and get some advice, and desperately attempts to hide it from his girlfriend. (Who in fact, is planning to use it to her advantage)
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Won't Tell A Soul by @thelastpilot
Nino accidentally runs head long into the biggest most stressful secret he can imagine, but now that he knows the truth about Marinette he is determined to help her in any way he can.
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charlietheepicwriter7 · 8 months
Text
Hey, Little Songbird
Final Chapter - AO3
Three days after the defeat of Gabriel Agreste and the arrest of Lila Rossi, Felix was invited out for ice cream by his classmates.
A little flustered, he’d agreed without thinking. Rationally, there was little reason to why Lê Chiếninvited him to join, and even less of a reason why Felix accepted. There was still too much to do in the wake of Hawkmoth’s arrest; lawyers to speak to, statements given to police and press alike, entertaining his mother who’d overtaken his home to take custody of Adrien… Frivolities like ice cream socials couldn’t be entertained.
Despite that idea, Felix found himself smiling under the sun, surrounded by classmates as they all took turns at the food cart.
Couffaine and her girlfriend—a few days of diligent study only unearthed a few of his classmates names, not all—stepped out of his way, a sundae to share between the two. He approached the ice cream stall and—“Where is your menu?”
The man, Andre or something similar, smiled merrily. “Ah, so this is your first time at Sweethearts Ice Cream? Allow me to explain.” Picking up his scoop, Andre started to fulfill his order despite Felix having never ordered anything. “Sweethearts Ice Cream has a special ablility; to connect the hearts of two people in love. The harmony of two hearts in love influences the flavors of the ice cream. And there!” With a flourish, Andre offered him his waffle cone ice cream. “Blackberry for her hair, blue bubblegum for her eyes, and black cherry for her secret you keep in your heart.”
“…This is a terrible business model.” Despite his words, Felix paid the man and took his cone. “I don’t even know who this could refer to.”
“Really? You have no idea?”
Nearly dropping his ice cream, Felix whirled around. “M-Marinette!? When did you get here?”
“Just now,” she said, squeezing up beside him at the counter. “Hey, Andre.”
“Marinette! You’re ready to give Sweethearts Ice Cream another chance then?” Andre grinned at them both. “Or… would you two like to try my Couples Sundae? It’s free for new lovers.”
Felix flushed, a protest frozen in his throat. Fortunately, Marinette could still speak. “No, thank you,” she said, voice pitched higher than usual. “Just a regular ice cream, please.”
“Of course, of course.” Changing his scoop for a fresh one, Andre started on a new waffle cone: a base of yellow with dark chocolate, with a scoop of bright blue on top. “Banana for his hair, cotton candy for his eyes, and…” He flipped the cone over and dipped it in chocolate, “…a dark chocolate shell, since you broke through his.”
Blushing, Marinette accepted her ice cream. Felix offered her his arm and escorted Marinette towards a bench separate from the class, who were watching them. Lê Chiến even offered Felix a grin and a thumbs-up, to which he awkwardly returned with a nod.
“How…” She paused to take a bite of her ice cream, dark chocolate snapping between her teeth. “How has everything been? I’m sorry for not being in class the past few days, but it’s been so busy…”
“I can only imagine.” Marinette—or rather, Ladybug—has been in and out of the police station as often as Adrien was, giving her statement. Between that and the press conference Mme. Bustier stopped class to let them watch yesterday, if she’d spent more time as Marinette than Ladybug these last few days, Felix would French-kiss Rossi. “It’s been quiet, especially once Ladybug announced that Gabriel was Hawkmoth. Ms. Bustier tried to make us talk about our feelings, but everyone’s still a bit too shocked to discuss it.” After all, it wasn’t every day when you discovered your classmate’s father was the terrorist who turned you into a supervillain. Reporters had hounded their class from the moment the news dropped.
They were even worse towards his family.
“The school��s talking about shipping in a therapist for us,” Felix explained. “Not only that whole Akuma Class nonsense, but also because we were in direct contact with a terrorist for months on end. So, you have that to look forward to when you get back.” Rossi was allowed unrestricted access to vulnerable minds for over half a year. There was no doubt his class needed therapy… including Marinette.
“At least she’s been expelled from the country,” Marinette said, sighing. “Honestly, that was harder than giving my statement ten times over. The Prime Minister wanted her trial on French soil. I had to argue with the Prime Minister! All for Lila.”
“Why?” Felix would never do anything to help Rossi.
“News of her involvement is going to drop any day now. People are already trying to attack Gabriel in his cell; when the mob of public opinion finds out about her, they’ll start trying to get her too. At least this way she’ll be tried back in her home country, by people who were never directly affected by her actions.”
Felix didn’t like it, but “It’s understandable. People are also trying to get to Adrien, despite his innocence.”
Marinette nodded, half-expected that. “How is Adrien? I haven’t heard from him at all.”
“One of his photographers leaked his phone number, so Mom took his phone away so he wouldn’t have to read all the vile filth people send him. He’s getting a new one soon.”
It wasn’t that Felix didn’t understand why people were so upset. Gabriel turned Paris into a battleground and friends into foes, but… the police had already released a statement denying Adrien’s cooperation regarding Hawkmoth, yet there are still hateful phone calls and texts coming in at every hour from people who wanted someone to blame. At least Mother was keeping a record of who sent the more illegal messages: the threats, the doxing, the… suicide baiting.
Their family lawyer would be well fed in the coming months.
It was hard with Adrien in his house. Awkward. Despite Adrien’s frame-job, he was still family, and Felix was someone who supported his family. But that didn’t mean Adrien was forgiven. Felix didn’t forgive, and he’d never forget.
Surprisingly, the tabloids were kind towards Felix. He made no effort in hiding his involvement in the case, both as the whistle blower for Hawkmoth and as a hero involved in the final take down. Mother had cut out some particularly flattering articles out to hang in their manor parlor, but fortunately the threat of arrest and restraining orders kept most of the rats away.
“How’d Adrien take it?” she asked.
Felix bit his ice cream, so he’d have time to answer. Damn that ice cream man. It was delicious. “He didn’t believe it at first… didn’t want to believe it. He’s seeing a therapist on Friday.”
Marinette wrapped her hands around her ice cream cone. “Poor Adrien…”
“He’ll recover; he’s stronger than you think. He’s already made plans to hang out for the weekend.” He gestured at Alya and DJ Boy, leaning against each other and sharing a sundae. Alya caught his eye and waved. “Everyone’s going to be okay now.”
“Yeah.” Marinette drank in the sight. Not just Alya and her paramour—though they earned a smile for finally making up—but their other classmates as well. Felix had never been invited to a class outing before, but even though they’d broken up into subgroups of couples and friends, everyone looked happy. “We’ll recover.”
The sun shined down on them all, warming skin like a heated blanket. Felix studied the melting treat at hand. “So. Ladybug?”
She flinched.
“I haven’t told anyone,” he reassured. “I understand why it’s a secret. I understand why you didn’t tell me. But…” He sighed. “I’ve been keeping this to myself for days. Can you please just… confirm?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes.” She peeked at him from the corners of her eyes. “This is me, confirming. Yes.”
Okay. A shiver ran through him. Marinette was Ladybug. His best friend was a superhero and trusted him enough to be a superhero too.
He was in love with Ladybug.
As was Chat Noir. And half of Paris. Shit.
“So, what gave me away?” she asked.
“Little things. Nothing anyone else could put together.” Little things that added up into the big picture. The way Ladybug knew he’d worn a hoodie earlier that day, the inherent trust she had in a man she previously punched in the face, the way she looked at him. But most importantly, Felix felt that she’d wanted to get caught, that Marinette had wanted him to know she was Ladybug, and that was what removed the block in his mind preventing him from realizing.
“Small mercies,” she muttered. “Did you really think I was Rena Rogue?”
Felix hid his face in his ice cream. “…It made sense at the time?”
She laughed at him. “Alya’s never going to let you live that down.”
Alya? Why would Alya care—? Oh. He felt his face growing red and it had nothing to do with the weather. “She really won’t, will she?” He asked, sounding faint.
“Yeah, you really dropped the ball on that conclusion. You should have heard her complain! “Your boy is so stupid, how do you even stand him?””
And now Felix was blushing for a different reason. Her boy?
“—I tried to keep her from talking about it in front of the other temporary heroes, but I think Viperion knows. Carapace definitely does.”
“Did she complain in front of Hawkmoth too?” he grumbled, wishing he was wearing a hoodie to better hide his face. “Throw Rossi into the loop while she’s at it? Maybe my mother would like to know all my follies?”
“Oh! Speaking of your mom—” Marinette pulled a chain out from under her shirt. His breath caught in his throat. She’d kept it on her person? “You can finally return this to her.” Threading the wedding ring off her necklace, she placed it his hand, its matching pair resting on his finger.
He squeezed it, the smooth ridges cutting into his palm… and returned it to her. “Keep it. It’s exactly where it needs to be.”
“What? But this is the entire reason you were here!” She tried to give it back again. “It’s your family ring!”
“It’s my family’s wedding ring,” he corrected. “And while most would consider this too forward of an approach, the realization that you’re the most eligible bachelorette in Paris is making me react… strongly. So, I was thinking about a spring wedding? After we graduate Lycée, of course, so it would be a long engagement—”
Marinette covered his mouth, face blush red from the tips of her ears to the neckline of her shirt. “What!?” She asked, voice cracking. “M-M-Marriage!? Felix, we can’t…”
“Well, yes, not right now. That’s why I said after Lycee.” Obviously. “I don’t see what the issue is? My family has had arranged marriages for centuries, and we like each other. Right?” Had he misidentified her feelings? She always acted sweet with him and blushed when he flirted, but what if he was wrong? What if he humiliated himself and ruined their friendship in one swift move—
“Of course I like you, but you haven’t even asked me out on a date yet!” She burst out, causing the rest of the class to glance over. She buried her face in her hands and continued, voice muffled, “Dating comes before marriage; I can’t believe I have to explain this to you!”
Oh. That was the issue. Gently pulling her hands away, he dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief. “I’m sorry, Marinette. I got ahead of myself.” Alya glared at him from over Marinette’s shoulder. Nosy overprotective reporters, getting in everyone else’s business… “I didn’t mean to pressure you. What I mean with the ring is… a promise. I would love to be in a relationship with you, if you’d have me.”
She looked up at him from underneath her lashes. “A promise?”
“To stay by your side and support you in your endeavors.” His family’s marriage vows echoed in his mind, passed down from his grandparents, from his grandfather who was so in love with his grandmother that he couldn’t think of a world where she wasn’t his equal. “As long as you stay by my side and support me in return. To lift you up through the hard times and rejoice with your success. To be equals in all things. That’s what I want to promise you.”
Tears budded in her eyes. “To stay by your side… to be equals… that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“Then, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend? And going out on a date with me?”
Her tears ran down her face, but her smile lit up the entirety of Paris with her joy. “Yes. I’d love to, Felix.”
Taglist: @graduatedmelon @novicevoice@dur55@kris-pines04@18-fandoms-unite-08@moonlightstar64@bee-a-garbage-shipper@sol-o-shade@kittyotakunoir666@tinyterror333@allieoftheenemy@marichat00@xgxmxtx@two-faced-biatch@feliciakainzofspades@evil-cricket@emilytopaz@spicybelladonna@chocolateherringtacofan@user00000003@wannajointhecrabcult@happymonster-pants @duquesapincarrasca  @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen  @sxltinette @kittydemon9000 @thetrashypanda423 @unoriginalmessess @toodaloo-kangaroo @troycattribunny@nikipuppeteer
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2manyfandoms2count · 3 months
Text
Message in a Bottle
Happy Valentine's Day! I'm a little late to the @theerasfestlovesquareversion party, but here's my submission ❤ Special thanks to @miabrown007 for beta-ing!
Happy reading!
Read on AO3
---
Marinette sat at her desk, one foot tucked under her, thoughtfully clicking her pen as she tried to organise a message. 
Her thoughts, which went a thousand miles an hour on a slow day, had come to a freeze about twenty four hours prior, when she’d seen – and heard – Adrien’s lips pronounce three little words she’d only ever dreamed of hearing from him. It was just her luck that they were tuned out by warning beep s, and followed by the Startrain doors clicking shut, as in slow motion, without her being able to do anything to stop them.
A part of her had screamed, urging her to chase after the moving vehicle, but her body had remained standing still on the platform, completely and utterly stunned. 
She still wasn’t entirely sure how she’d gotten back to her parents’ bakery. How she’d gotten to bed, fallen asleep.
All she knew, as she’d awoken in the morning, was that she knew something she didn’t before, and felt a sense of clarity regarding what she needed to do – but that was when her mind had woken up, too. 
And thus the calm before the storm had ended, her mind suddenly swept by a force faster than the wind, dispersing any coherence in her head, scattering words like autumn leaves, before they even got a chance to associate with each other. 
She slammed her head on the table, hoping it would help reset her brain; unfortunately it only brought on a throbbing pain. She winced as she rubbed the budding bump on her forehead.
“Screw it,” she mumbled, finally putting her pen to paper. 
Dear Adrien, 
My feelings since you’ve left have been all over the place, but it’s kind of frightening how happy the three little words you said as the doors of the Startrain closed, made me. They’ve been all I’ve been able to think about (which you know better than anyone might not be the best thing right now – but in a good way! I wouldn’t want you to take them back for the world. Unless you want to. Which would definitely not be a problem, of course. Although maybe just a little. But I’d get over it, I promise).  
Marinette’s hand hovered over the page. She was rambling – which could be fine when she talked, but felt pretty stupid to her in written form. This wasn’t her diary. She couldn’t afford to have a stream of consciousness run on her page; maybe Adrien would read it, and think she was crazy, rip up the letter, throw it in the fire, and she’d never, ever, hear from him again. And then what?
If anything, the reason he’d gone to London in the first place, to get away from the press following Hawkmoth’s (his father’s!) defeat, so he could focus on the latter’s upcoming trial, was enough to justify a clear and concise message. She didn’t want to burden him with her feelings when he surely had infinitely more serious things to think about. 
“Marinette, it can be just a first draft, you know.” Tikki’s soothing words snapped her out of her spiral. 
She looked up at the small divinity, who smiled encouragingly. She nodded, then turned her attention back to her words, biting the end of her pen as she reread them.
Little did she know that Adrien, a small body of water away, was doing exactly the same thing…
Dear Marinette,
I’m so sorry I panicked. I didn’t mean to say I like you . Partly, because it’s a little embarrassing that I blurted it out like that – but mostly, because I like you doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel about you. I just saw you, your freckles (the ones I thought I knew like the back of my hand – but that couldn’t be true now, could it? Else I would’ve realised who you were sooner), your smile, and the way you looked at me, and suddenly I got cold feet, and that was the extent of what my tangled brain could produce. 
Adrien spun in Félix’s desk chair, assessing what he’d written thus far. It was a good start, he supposed. His life had been turned upside down by the cataclysmic revelation that Hawkmoth was, in fact, his father, and arguably even more so by the fact that Ladybug was Marinette – he was allowed a certain amount of disorganisation. 
Although he’d obviously been surprised by the former fact, he had to admit that, retrospectively, it did make sense. He even felt stupid for not figuring it out sooner – or, rather, for figuring it out back when Hawkmoth’s powers were still fairly limited, and the damage done (both physical and psychological) was only a fraction of what would happen next, but being too much in denial of the kind of person his father was, and therefore falling for his tricks. 
But his father had grown cockier with his powers, sloppier. His desperation sent him in a slow, downward spiral, hijacking his every thought, eating away at him until one day, he’d stumbled out of what Adrien would later discover was his lair, straight into his atelier, holding his head in his hands – still clad in the purple suit that made most of Paris tremble.
Adrien had stood frozen in the doorway, at first not comprehending what he was seeing. Then, as his father – Paris’ most wanted villain – finally noticed him, the cogs in his brain had whirred again, and he’d made a dash for his room, knowing fully well what he needed to do.
Plagg had to go. Whatever happened next, he couldn’t end up in his father’s hands. 
He’d sent his best friend and his ring away just before the iron curtains had come down on his room’s windows. Just before the tears came streaming down his cheeks, as he cowered in a wardrobe, completely and utterly alone.
Until Marinette’s rescue mission, that is. 
Her being Ladybug, had come as both a complete surprise and an obvious conclusion to a mystery he’d done his best not to uncover since the day he’d first met his Lady. Adrien had obviously dreamed of figuring out who hid under his partner’s spotted mask, daring to ask every so often on the off chance that maybe she’d reconsidered her stance on the matter. But never, in his wildest dreams, had he ever made the conscious link between the two girls who brightened up his life. 
(Not that he remembered, anyway.)
Her plan had been so ingenious that he hadn’t clocked what was going on at first. He’d heard his father go on a rampage around the mansion in his search for him, half begging Adrien to listen to his explanations, half threatening him; and then there was silence as the doorbell cut through his words, and echoed through the house, once. Twice, insistent.
The silence was loud for a second, followed by footsteps running down the hallway. Gabriel opening the door. Voices, cordial at first, although Adrien couldn’t quite make the words out. He wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, what Marinette had said, but somehow, she’d been invited in.
“Adrien?” His father’s tone was completely normal as he’d knocked on his door. “Adrien, your friend Marinette is here to see you. She saw the security system go off and came to check if everything was alright.” 
“I know how you feel about closed spaces,” Marinette had chimed in. Adrien had slowly crawled out of his hiding spot and made his way towards his room’s door, frowning, trying to remember when he’d told her about his fear. “It’s almost as bad as one of our friend’s fear of running out of cheese,” she’d added as he’d opened the door, turned towards Gabriel.
Adrien had stared at her blankly.
“Another one of our friends is worse about sweets, though,” Marinette had continued seemingly breezily, but Adrien had noticed the insistant glance she’d thrown him. “You should see her in January, she can’t get enough galette.”
Gabriel had chuckled politely, his shoulders tenser than usual, tearing Adrien’s focus off of Marinette’s words. “Well, as you can see, Adrien is very well, no need to worry. Now, if you don’t mind, I have an important matter to discuss with my son.”
Adrien had felt his blood run cold as his father’s fingers dug into his shoulder, which, from Marinette’s perspective, he assumed probably looked like a recreation of the painting looming over the grand staircase.
“Oh, of course, I’ll probably leave you to it, then,” Marinette had looked down, and fidgeted with her ring. 
Adrien had been torn between screaming out for her to make a run for it, to get as far as she could from the mansion and his father, somewhere safe, and begging her to take him with her. But something about her gesture had caught his attention.
Marinette didn’t wear a ring. And this wasn’t an Alliance ring, which he’d seen spread among his peers like wildfire. They didn’t have a common friend who loved galette. Or camembert.
The only person he knew who loved camembert was… 
He’d caught Marinette’s eyes, hoping she could read the question in his eyes. The way she’d nodded back, very slowly, led him to think she had. 
Swiftly, he’d turned around before his father could move, and grabbed the brooch he’d suspected lay beneath his scarf, tossing it to Marinette (Ladybug!), who’d caught it just as she called for her transformation. She’d grabbed his hand before jumping over the balustrade, almost dislocating his shoulder in the process (a small price to pay to get away, really). 
Adrien had heard his father swear after them, his footsteps rushing down, but he didn’t get very far. Ladybug opened the mansion’s door, and what seemed to be the entire Parisian police force rushed in, tackling him to the ground.
Just thinking about it again gave Adrien palpitations. He took a deep breath and got out of the chair, deciding to take a small break from writing. He owed Marinette so much.
Anyway, I know it’s only been a couple of days, but I haven’t had any news from you, and I feel like I’m going crazy. Realistically, I know that I like you, combined with our double… friendship, I guess?, must mean that I’m not just any friend to you, but I can’t help but wonder why you’re so silent. I guess I haven’t really been in touch either, even before your departure, but there’s just been so much going on with the trial… I don’t want to bother you, but you should know I’m here if you ever need to talk. Kwami, I wish we could talk right now. Even if I like the idea of sending you a letter, since there’s less chance of things getting lost in nerves.
Because I love you, Adrien. I’ve been trying to tell you for so long, but it never felt like it was the right time nor place to say it. I think I know why, now.
Marinette put her pen down and rubbed her face with her hands. The more she thought about it, the more everything made sense. All this time, she’d felt as if she’d been missing a piece of a puzzle, which threw all her confessions slightly off kilter – as it turned out, her feeling had been justified. 
What a shame the moment everything fell down like pieces into place had to be when Adrien had to leave. 
She shook her head. It was only temporary. She sat back in her chair with a sigh, looking out of her window. It was getting late; Notre Dame’s façade was illuminated, casting a comforting glow in the night. She wondered if Adrien’s view was as pretty as hers, and what he was up to. She didn’t dare bet he was thinking about her, but she hoped he did.
Do what you will with this information, she scribbled under her confession, sighing. I’m here if you need to talk, about anything you want. The weather, the upcoming trial, how you’re doing in London, how annoying I can imagine Félix being, what everyone in the class is up to, physics… You name it! I just really want to hear your voice again, especially your laugh.
You deserve to laugh, Adrien. So, so much. And I hope this letter brings at least a smile to your lips.
“Kid, you should be careful where you put your letters, I almost used it as a napkin for my extra mature pont l’évêque ,” Plagg yawned. 
“It wouldn’t matter much if you did,” Adrien sighed.
“Yes, I read it, you’re not sure you’ll send it, blablabla,” Plagg mimicked, holding up the piece of paper. 
“Hey! That was supposed to be private!” Adrien snatched it from his flippers with a huff. 
“It would be a shame, you know. It’s just the kind of thing Pigtails would love to receive.” Plagg shrugged. 
“You think?” Adrien asked, his voice suddenly hopeful.
“Trust me, Adrien, I know. ” 
Adrien couldn’t help the wide smile that spread on his lips at the thought. He went through his latest addition to the letter. 
You know, I feel like my neurons are a little less scrambled now, but Aunt Amélie is keeping me busy on this side of the Channel (I’m really discovering London, though, which is nice – I’d never been to Brixton, Camden or Hampstead Heath, but they’re great places to explore! I’d like to take you there someday, if you’ll allow me), and on the rare occasions I can sit down, which is generally late at night, I have to try and focus to go through the mess we’re going to be faced with. To tell you the truth, I much prefer sitting here writing to you, even though I don’t even know if I’ll ever even send you this letter. 
I keep thinking about the next time I’ll see you. I really want to run back to Paris, to you; I almost did, back on the train. I’m sure there would’ve been a way to stop it in its tracks, but in a way, I’m glad I didn’t. Even if there’s nothing I would’ve liked more than staying with you, putting a little distance between me and my father was quite welcome. If only there’d been a way for you to be with me… 
Sometimes, I think about calling you, but I’m always afraid that it’ll be a bad time, what with the UK being an hour behind you and all.  
He picked up his pen and added:
I hope you’re okay and that you know that I miss you and our hangouts, both in school and on the rooftops. I can’t wait to see you again, my Lady, whatever the circumstances. A small part of me hopes that it’ll be before the trial, or that we’ll get to be alone together for a bit afterwards. You and me against the world, and everything. 
(And maybe some of your dad’s chouquettes.) 
Lots of love, and hope to hear from you soon, 
Your Adrien
“There,” Adrien announced to no one in particular as he sealed his envelope. “I really hope you’re right, Plagg.” 
Anyway. I won’t hold you up any longer, but I just thought you should know how I feel. I’ll see you at the trial, at the latest – please don’t love London so much that you won’t come back… 
Forever yours, 
Marinette
Marinette dotted the i in her signature with a heart, and decided against re-reading the whole letter. Instead, she took out an envelope, neatly folded the page in three, and slid it inside. She wrote out Adrien’s name on the front of it, along with the Fathoms’ address, stuck a stamp at the top, and indicated her return address at the back. 
Then, she picked up her bag, and prepared to go to Alya’s. She’d post the letter on her way there; it would distract her from the wait that inevitably came with snail mail. 
She hoped her letter wouldn’t get drowned in the mass of mail Adrien surely received. 
Now, all she had to do was wait.
A week later, coming back from school, Marinette found a letter on her desk, and recognised the address’ calligraphy instantly. She all but tore the envelope open, her heart rate accelerating and a smile spreading wider and wider on her lips as her eyes progressed through the message. 
The date at the top told her that Adrien had written to her before reading her letter, but one thing was for sure: they were on the same page.
She placed the sheet back on her desk when she was done, feeling giddier than ever, and reached for her phone – it started ringing in her hands, Adrien’s face lighting up the screen. She almost dropped it in surprise.
“Hi,” Adrien’s voice breathed on the other end of the line.
“Hi,” she repeated, feeling herself blush. “How are–”
“I got your letter,” he blurted quickly, cutting her off. 
“I got yours, too.” She gently ran her fingers down the paper on her desk.
“Good, good.” He chuckled awkwardly. “Hey, I know this is a strange request, but would you mind going up to your balcony for a second?” he blurted quickly, cutting her off.
“Um, okay.” Marinette frowned a little, but still made her way up. Maybe it was a question of connection.
She swiftly pulled herself out of her skylight, and froze. 
Her balcony was covered in red roses: they were entangled in the wrought-iron, stood in vases on the floor, in a petal path leading straight to… Astrochat, sheepishly holding a single red rose. He hung up the phone.
“I love you too, Marinette,” he said. 
Tears welled up in Marinette’s eyes as she threw herself into his arms, hugging him as tightly as she could. 
“Don’t worry about me not coming back, I’ll always stay,” he whispered in her hair. 
Marinette looked up at him, feeling like her heart might burst out of her chest. 
“Glad to hear that, silly cat,” she said with a smile, standing on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his.
One of his arms wrapped around her waist while his other hand softly cupped her face as he deepened the kiss. Fireworks erupted in Marinette’s stomach. She wished time would stand still to let her savour this moment forever. 
Although her wish wasn’t granted, knowing that Adrien returned her feelings and would come back to her did make their parting a little easier. 
“You know, I don’t know what the future holds for us, my Lady,” Astrochat said as he was about to leave, gently taking her hands in his, “but one thing I do know is, if you’ll allow it, I’m never letting go of you, of us. Not if I can help it.” He brought her hands to his lips, his eyes boring into hers.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Marinette answered, pink dusting her cheeks. 
“I bet you will.” He winked. “See you soon, my love.” 
He kissed her again, gently, longingly, and then slid his visor shut and took off. 
Marinette wistfully watched him fly away, her chin propped up on her arms, leaning on her bannister. 
She truly was the lucky one.
21 notes · View notes
artzychic27 · 8 months
Note
Hello. I ❤️ your blog especially your science kids. May I see where one of them calls Marinette out like how Quagmire does it. Sorry for the awkwardness. This is my first time typing to somebody. 😊😊
Yes, honey! Yes! I have been waiting for this!
Simon, my favorite Irish tech geek, take the stand!
Marinette: Well, you don't need to look for somebody new. I'll hang out with you guys.
Marc: Yeah, you know, I don't think that's gonna work out, Marinette, 'cause of the whole Simon thing.
Marinette: What Simon thing?
Marc: Oh, you know, just that he hates you.
Marinette: Simon hates me?
Marc: Hates you.
Marinette: I... I don't get it. Why... why wouldn't Simon like me?
Marc: Because he thinks you're annoying. Like people who never shut up about their pets.
Marinette: Hey, Simon, what a coincidence. You and me just runnin' into each other. How, how ya doin'?
Simon: Fine.
Marinette: So… *Noticed Simon’s aunt at the checkout* Is that your mom? She’s beautiful.
Simon: That's my aunt, Marinette. My mother is dead to me, as is my father, and I hope they rot in their prison cells.
Marinette: Oh, God. I'm... I'm really sorry.
Simon: I got cousin who beat her husband. Wanna ask me about her, too?
Alya: Hey, what are you getting all dressed up for?
Marinette: I'm treating Simon to a night out.
Alix: Really? I thought he hated you. How'd you convince him to go?
Marinette: I tricked him. Sent him a phony card. He thinks he's going on a romantic date with Denise.
Myléne: But instead, you're going to show up.
Marinette: You got it.
Rose: Yikes.
Juleka: That's a recipe for disappointment.
Marinette: I'll bet you got... how do those things work?
Simon: What? My music videos? How does a music video work?
Marinette: Yeah.
Simon: … You want me to sit here and explain to you how a music video works?
Marinette: I don't know. Yeah.
Simon: You want to maybe just go?
Marinette: Simon, come on, I'm really trying hard here.
Simon: Who asked you to try hard?
Marinette: Nobody, but all... I'm trying to establish a friendship with you. All I've done is try to be nice to you, and you still don't like me. How can you not like me?!
Simon: … Okay. I'll tell you…. You are the worst person I know. You simped after Adrien while you were dating Luka and while Adrien was dating Kagami. The guy was writing you a song, gave you his favorite guitar pick, gave you free therapy, and that was how you repaid him? And to add insult to injury, you rubbed your love for Adrien right in his face. And you're so insensitive. You basically tried to kick Luka out of Kitty Section and make Adrien the lead guitarist? What the fuck? And what really bothers me, is you pretend you're this perfect girl who can do no wrong when all you are is a hypocrite, liar, and a word that’d make the Priest blush. Yeah, I lie; who hasn’t? At least I come clean about it in the end. I don't go on about how I hate liars and then stalk Lila trying to lie her way into Adrien’s pants, and then brag about how I’m some perfect angel trying to look out for everyone. You’re not a perfect angel. You’re a spoiled little, manipulative brat. You use those stupid dough eyes, tears, and sob stories about how much you love Adrien to get people to go along with your stupid plans. God, you make me sick! And you only delude yourself by thinking you're the greatest thing since slice bread, when you’re honestly just as bad as Chloé and Lila. Actually, you know, I should have known Denise didn't write me that note. Yeah, they actually have the guts to say things to my face without stammering like you do around Adrien when you’ve known the guy for almost a year! And I think what I hate most about you is your hypocrisy when it comes to Adrien’s love life, how he "deserves better," how Chloé is a spoiled brat only after Adrien for his looks, how Kagami is too controlling. Well, what have you done to prove that you’re not like them? I’ve only heard you obsess over his looks and “perfection.” Never heard you once talk about interests that Gabriel doesn’t force on him. You wanna get to know the guy? Talk to him! And, by the way, knowing Lila is a liar doesn't make you Jesus Christ. Yeah, I know about the Lila situation! And I don’t care! You wanna basically ruin your relationships with your friends by screaming in their faces, “Lila’s a liar!! Believe me, because I’m better than her!” Go ahead! Who the hell are you to act as if though you were in the right? Your impulsiveness in trying to expose her got you expelled, which isn't nearly as bad as how you treated your parents! Did you ever pay them back for what was meant to be a family trip to Shanghai? But you know what? I could forgive all of that, all of it… If you weren't such a bore. That's the worst of it, Marinette. You're just a sad, pathetic bore… *Sighs* Well, see ya, Marinette. Thanks for the fucking steak. *Leaves*
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heartfulselkie · 6 months
Note
you know what i’m here for 😭😩 ⛲️🚗
[Ask Game]
Oh, yes! Your favourite scene 😌💖
The fountain’s base was nowhere near deep enough for the water to be of any real threat. But there was enough water for it to come as a shock. So much so that Adrien’s response was delayed. For a beat he lay in the water, before slowly sitting up to figure out what had just happened.  His clothes were soaked and his dripping hair clung around his face. When he turned to where the other kids had been, he saw that all of them were running clear of the area. Evidently none of them wanted to be caught up in the situation and potentially blamed for what had happened. It was understandable, as the next thing Adrien knew he was being hauled out of the water by his arm. “What are you doing?” Gabriel hissed as he harshly pulled Adrien from the shallow water. Adrien stumbled onto his feet. His sodden clothes started to drip onto the gravel beneath him. “I-I was…” he stammered out, but it was all he could manage. Nathalie quickly appeared behind Gabriel, looking markedly concerned. “Is he okay?” For a moment Gabriel said nothing. He only stared down at Adrien, his eyes fierce and a disdainful curl on his lips. Then he started to drag Adrien along by the arm. “He’s fine,” Gabriel clipped. “Give us a moment, Nathalie.” With his arm locked into his father’s iron grip, Adrien had no choice but to follow. He was pulled to the edge of the park and through a gate that led to a side road. “An embarrassment,” Gabriel muttered under his breath as he dragged Adrien along the footpath. “After all that, you just had to embarrass me.” “I-I’m sorry,” Adrien whimpered. “It was an accident.” Gabriel came to an abrupt stop then. With a rough movement, he let go of Adrien’s arm and turned away to where a car was parked. Adrien recognised the black sedan easily as the one they’d arrived in. His heart sank at the thought that he was now being taken home, but there was also a small relief. His soaked clothing felt absolutely freezing on him now. It left him shivering uncontrollably despite the afternoon’s warm sun. Adrien stood where his father had left him on the pavement. He watched, trembling on the spot as Gabriel unlocked the car. But instead of going for the back seat as expected, he walked to the rear of the vehicle and opened the trunk. Gabriel’s glare then turned on Adrien. “Get in,” he commanded. Adrien could only look at his father in alarm. “B-But that’s-!” “Get,” Gabriel spat as he grabbed Adrien and dragged him towards the car, “in.”
Citrus and Lavender, Ch. 35
I really had no idea how iconic this scene would become (for you and @wackus-bonkus-maximus anyway 😂)
This scene takes place as a sort of flashback-dream sequence. It follows Adrien and Gabriel's relationship reaching a critically dire point for Adrien, so in his unconscious state a lot of old memories are resurfacing.
Gabriel was a bad parent and awful person long before the events of this fic. It's unfortunately something Adrien has grown up with and therefore had to adapt to. Adrien assumes the blame - even for things that were not in any way his fault! - because that's a behaviour his parents encouraged in him. Gabriel is just more upfront and physical about it in his actions.
These scenes are also starting to layer more hints at how brittle and detached their father-son relationship is. It's incredibly one-sided. Adrien loves and looks up to his father - even if he finds the man terrifying - because Adrien loves his parents. Meanwhile Gabriel sees Adrien as a prop or tool at best, while at worst he views his son as a nuisance and a parasite.
It's a little canon divergent, since we do know that Gabriel does at least care about Adrien to certain extent in the show. He just cares about Emilie more.
In this fic, that difference is even wider. In C&L, Emilie is Gabriel's whole world and reason of being. He doesn't want to share her with anyone, even "their child".
Sadly, its because of this that there is nothing Adrien can do to really build a somewhat normal relationship with his father. Any 'misbehaviour' that Adrien does, accidental or not, is something that Gabriel will always view as a personal attack. Really, since he could never stop Emilie from doting on Adrien according to her whims, Gabriel doesn't stop himself from punishing Adrien on a whim either. And since Gabriel doesn't want to share a space with the other person vying for Emilie's affection, he tends to favour punishments that force Adrien out of sight.
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ggomos-maribat · 2 years
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[34/?]
BDBWM Day 14 | Overprotection
original prompt | complete masterlist
Marinette finishes slipping on her shoes at the same time the doorbell rings. She races towards it, giddiness pumping in her chest. 
But Jason beats her to it. 
He opens the door and easily covers the path with his stature. Marinette’s face twists into a scowl. Jason leans on the doorframe. “Name, age, occupation, intentions with my sister?” 
Before the visitor can reply, Marinette pulls Jason away, growling, “Felix Graham de Vanily, eighteen, my fucking boyfriend, here to take me out on a date!” 
“Hmp.” Jason crosses his arms. 
“I already told you about our plans!” She raises her voice. “Wait—did you just go to the manor for this? Weren’t all of you done with your shovel talk?!” 
Jason examines his fingernails. “Were we?” 
She waves him away. “Go away, Jason.” 
He turns to Felix. “Have her home by—” 
“Nine p.m. sharp, I know.” Felix says coolly. 
Damian pops out of nowhere with his katana. “Keep her safe or else I will skewer you!” 
“Damian!” Marinette hisses. “Not the family heirloom!” 
The boy grumbles under his breath after Felix makes the promise. Marinette pushes both her brothers away and shuts the door behind her. Felix smiles, takes her hand, and bends down to press a featherlight kiss on her knuckles. “Mademoiselle.” 
Her grin stretches wide as she pulls him for a hug. “Mon amour, I missed you.” 
In her periphery, she spots both Jason and Damian’s face squished against the window. She throws them a glare and locks her arm around Felix’s, walking down the front steps. 
“I’m so sorry about them,” she groans, running her fingers through her heated curls. 
“It’s not out of the ordinary,” Felix says with a hint of amusement in his tone. “It’s a good thing they are protective of you.” 
“Overprotective,” she corrects. “This is why I prefer our dates to be in Paris and not Gotham.” 
“Even so, they find ways to threaten me.” 
She huffs. 
“And then I told Adrien to catch those M&M’s with his mouth—” Marinette stops, nearly dropping her fork. 
There, on one of the rooftops near the outdoor restaurant, she spots several figures. Reds. Green. Blue. Black. 
Her entire family. 
Her mouth hangs open as she tries not to look at them. “It’s still the afternoon!” She whispers. “Why the hell are they here?” 
Felix doesn’t seem to mind, but the vigilantes diligently follow them on their date: hiding behind trees during their stroll in the gardens; scaling windows outside the museum; hopping across buildings whenever they traveled with a cab. She also spots Orphan casually sitting on a park bench, reading an oversized newspaper, not bothering to make herself less suspicious. 
As they walk in the streets, Marinette stops and looks straight at Felix. “Let’s go to a love hotel.” 
“Ma belle, your father will have a heart attack.” 
“I don’t care. As long as it gets us some privacy.” 
“They will stage a crime scene there to keep us out.” 
She muffles her frustrated scream against his chest. They will, won’t they? 
Marinette slams Bruce’s home office door open, fuming in her stomps. “Dad.” She fearlessly faces him head on. “I want to file a restraining order.”
Taglist:
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aidanchaser · 4 months
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thank you @rosie-b for the tag <3 This game seems so fun! A lot like the writing game I used to play on twitter.
Rosie gave me the words dream, fold, & heart to find in my WIPs, but unfortunately I don't have dream in anything unpublished yet! Shame, since it's such a good word. So I'm going to have to dip into the reserve word sigh instead, which does mean all 3 of these quotes are going to come from Boulangerella.
sigh
“Allow me—Oh, it’s so old it’s like it’s just falling apart,” Lila sighed and her lower lip jutted out into a believable pout, at least, it might have been believable to everyone else. Marinette, who knew how far Lila had gone to claim the miraculous gift of illusion, did not believe it for a minute.  “I’m so sorry,” Lila continued, “But you are a seamstress, right? You can fix it?”
fold (oh no this one is spoiler-y! you have been warned)
“I steal from a lot of people,” he said. She shoved him backwards. He stumbled, and his legs gave way beneath him. He fell to the floor with a grunt. She folded her arms over her chest and loomed over him. “You’re going to tell me everything, Adrien, or I’m going to transform into Queen Bee and take this ring right to your father.”
and lastly heart! It's used all over Boulangerella, but here's a bit I think is interesting~
Gabriel had expected to sense jealousy and anger when he had donned Hawk Moth’s power. Adrien would propose to Princess Tsurugi, there would be broken hearts, and one of those hearts would surely be strong enough to take on his power and defeat Ladybug. He thought it might be Chloé Bourgeois, who had been engaged to Adrien for so long, or Lila Rossi, who had been fighting so desperately to be chosen. He had not expected the young seamstress’s heartbreak to surge through him. The muddled cocktail of anger, embarrassment, and indignation was tantalizing. It was still early in the night, but maybe this would be what he needed. Maybe he didn’t need to wait for Adrien to propose after all.
I feel like everyone who I would tag has already done this or been tagged. If you're interested, @astargatelover, @ageofzero, @flightfoot, @sunshinemarauder, @kay-elle-cee - your 3 words are poison, care, & trust (reserve words are fire, doubt, & game)
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Villains Little Bug: Team Struggle
Hi It’s me I was supposed to have this out 2 weeks ago but I got busy so it’s here now. IF and this is a big IF I continue this it will be very slow updates. I still haven’t really jumped back into this fandom. anyway please enjoy!
 Back in Paris
A few days after Marinette had moved the Akuma class was having a party to celebrate on of Lila’s many achievements. “Wow girl i never would have thought that you managed to help bring fresh water for those in need” exclaims Alya. Lila nods and replies “oh of course I did i could never let someone in need go unhelped” 
Lila then walks up to Adrien and puts her arms around one of his and begins to speak "Adrien I was wondering if you wanted to hang out later today maybe after a photo shoot?” Adrien tries to gently shake off Lila and tells Her “no Lila I'm sorry I can’t today after the photo shoots my father wants me home immediately” Lila still having a grip on Adrien, frowns “are you sure I can try to call my mom and see if she can contact your dad and-” Adrien interrupts her and pulls away harshly “I’m really sorry Lila I really can’t maybe another time okay” as he walks away.
The class suddenly gets quiet as everyone starts to stare at Lila and as she sees everyone looking at her she makes her eyes fill with tears as she speaks pathetically “ I’m sorry Adrien I didn’t realize I was being a bother to you.” Lila then rushes outside of the classroom. Adrien immediately realizing what he’s done rushes to catch her in an attempt to prevent her from getting Akumatized. he rushes to a stop and he thinks ‘If I let her get Akumatized I can see my lady!’
Next thing he knows is that there is an explosion and the school shakes. Adrien Quickly hides and transforms running toward the explosion he sees Lila Now Volpina as she exclaims “Adrien I'm gonna find you!” Chat Noir chuckles and just as he’s about to rush in and attack a melody is heard and it catches the attention of both Volpina and Chat Noir they turn and see Viperion as he then runs and leaps at Volpina and manages to hit her before she can get away.
Chat Noir shaking off his surprise jumps into the fray “you know we did this out of order pretty sure I was supposed to go first so I could say-” Viperion interrupts him “ Look what the cat dragged in yes I know can we please focus on taking down the Akuma?” Chat a little miffed nods and says “ we need to distract her until Milady comes to help us.” Volpina takes this chance to begin attacking both Heroes and they dodge her attacks Viperion looks at him confused and says “ didn’t ladybug tell you she wasn’t going to fight anymore in an attempt to keep the miraculous safe?”
Chat rolls his eyes dodging another attack “well yeah but I figured she wasn’t serious” He then jumps to get behind Volpina and swings at her back. as she moves out of the way her face lights up with hawkmoths symbol and she says “look for ladybug? no way I can take Chat Noirs Miraculous first” she then turns around to hit Chat with her flute and connects with his face. he flips over and ends up falling behind Viperion.
Viperion then takes up a defensive stance and raises his hand in a ‘come at me’ motion Volpina rushes toward them and just as she gets close Viperion grabs her flute from her hand and knocks her out with it. He then breaks the flute in half and a portal opens up and ladybugs yoyo is seen catching the akuma then it disappears in to the portal a few seconds later ladybugs can be seen flying out of the portal along with a butterfly then as suddenly as the portal appeared it vanishes.
Viperion Looks at Chat Noir and tells him “you can handle talking to the victim right? I have five minutes left before I transform back.” Chat Noir looking insulted nods and watches Viperion leave. he then turns to Lila and helps her up. “are you okay?” Lila turns to him and bursts into tears “ no! I tried really hard not get Akumatized and I failed, I don’t want to be sensitive but I can’t help it!” Chat Noir gives her reluctant brief hug and points out her friends to her Alya runs to her side and takes over comforting Lila. Chat takes it as a sign to leave and he does. he has a guardian to see anyway.
okay so a little reminder that if I am going to continue this the updates are going to be slow. Maybe they might get uploaded faster in the semi far future but not anytime soon having said that I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter 
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tsuki-chibi · 10 months
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Ladynoir July 2023 Day 17: Roses
Read all the entries on AO3
--
Chat was running late. He knew even as he jumped out his bedroom window that he was going to be the last to arrive, but it just couldn’t be helped. No sooner had he finished his dinner had he been summoned into his father’s office. He’d then sat through a two hour lecture about an upcoming fashion show, for which he’d need to miss a whole week of school.
Needless to say, he’d been very glad to be dismissed and was even gladder to now be racing across the rooftops. He felt better as soon as he saw spotted the group of superheroes lounging on the rooftop of Collège Françoise Dupont. The sight of his friends, and especially of his lady, always lifted his mood.
“Bonsoir!” Chat called out as he landed. “Sorry I’m late. It’s my dad’s fault.”
“Of course it was. We expected nothing less,” Rena Rouge said. “What’s it this time?”
“A stupid fashion show,” Chat said, making his way over. He high-fived Carapace and leaned down to drop a quick kiss onto Ladybug’s cheek. She was so preoccupied with her sketchbook that she barely acknowledged him, but Chat didn’t take it personally. He knew how she was when she had a new idea in her head.
“Oh, the one in two weeks? Daddy got an invite to that,” said Queen Bee. “But the program didn’t mention that you’d be a model. I looked.”
Chat sighed. “I wasn’t supposed to be, but…” He shrugged. He was pretty sure that Gabriel had touched upon why Adrien was being roped into it at the last minute, but honestly he’d tuned his father out by that point. At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter why.
“That sucks,” Carapace said sympathetically. They all knew there was no way Adrien was going to be able to get out of it.
“Yeah. I’ll need you guys to take notes for me. And Viperion, this means I won’t be able to make the Kitty Section practices,” Chat said glumly, dropping to the ground.
Viperion gave him a kind smile. “It’s not a problem, but we’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too,” Chat said. He loved playing with Kitty Section when he got the chance. Playing the piano could be kind of boring when you were doing it all alone. Being able to play with other people made it a lot more interesting.
“Your dad got tickets, you said?” Rena said, turning to Queen Bee. “Maybe one or two of us could go each day and hang out when Adrien isn’t busy.”
Queen Bee shrugged and nodded. “Sure. I doubt Daddy will use the tickets. He’ll be there on the first day just to make an appearance, but probably not after that.”
“But what about school?” Chat said.
“We’ll see,” Rena said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Done!” Ladybug cried out suddenly, startling all of them. Queen Bee jumped so much she almost fell over onto Viperion.
“Done what?” Chat said, pressing a hand to his racing heart.
“Chat? When did you get here?” Ladybug looked so adorably confused by his presence that Chat couldn’t help smiling. He leaned over and kissed her on the mouth this time, and actually got a kiss back in return.
“I just got here,” he said. “What were you working on?”
“Oh. It’s a dress,” Ladybug said. She held up the sketchbook and turned it so they could see. She had sketched out the image of a dress with a flowing skirt; the top of the dress was sleeveless with a high collar. Roses had been artfully added to both the collar and the hem of the dress. The sketch looked incredibly professional in Chat’s opinion.
“I like the roses. Are they supposed to be real?” Rena said.
“Well, I’d like them to be, but that’s probably not very practical,” Ladybug said. “I originally wanted to do the whole skirt out of rose petals, and then just have this one rose on the collar under the chin. Like Chat’s bell.” She reached out and lightly tapped his bell, prompting a jingle. “But that seemed like a lot of work. It would require a ton of hand stitching. And buying all those petals would be expensive.”
“But it sounds gorgeous,” Queen Bee pointed out, looking somewhat reluctant to be saying it, but also like she couldn’t help herself.
“Yeah… Maybe I’ll change it back.” Ladybug frowned down at her sketch thoughtfully, and Chat smiled.
He didn’t say it, but he sure wished it was Marinette’s designs he’d be wearing down the runway. They were a thousand times better than his father’s.
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mochinek0 · 2 years
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Agreste-Wayne 19
It was hard to believe one year had passed so quickly. Wayne Manor was filled with close friends and family, all to celebrate one person: Emma Lily Agreste. It was her first birthday and so much had changed since she was born.
Much to Gabriel's distaste, Adrien had found he preferred Gotham. Adrien and Emma had officially moved into Wayne Manor. Gabriel had hoped that Adrien would come back and at least work in the business section. He wouldn't have forced him to come to meetings or model. Unfortunately, he had found a job at Wayne Enterprise and was Tim's direct line to the science department. Perhaps, he was only sour that he had to leave Paris to see his granddaughter, but he had never seen his son happier.
Quickly, Gabriel found he had gained a new respect for Mrs. Wayne. Mairnette Wayne was a rival and comrade in fashion, whom he could bounce ideas off of. While his son was working, she was happy to allow him time with Emma and converse about the latest trends. They had their differences, but they could also call each other and complain about the competition. Eventually, not to anyone's surprise, they began to bounce around the idea of a collaboration.
"Happy Birthday, Princess!" Adrien cried, happily, as he took another picture.
"Papa!" Emma giggled.
"Okay, so we have the cake and presents ready!" the excited father spoke, "Nino, Kagami, Luka, and Alix are putting their stuff in their rooms."
"Yeah, after you shooed them away." Marinette smiled, "They barely said 'hi' to anyone."
"Shoot." he winced, "I'll apologize when they get back down."
"Amaya, Jun." Damian spoke, "Why don't you take Emma outside as we prepare the decorations. I believe her grandfather is here, as well."
"Yes, Baba." Amaya answered, picking up the birthday girl.
"I'll grab Titus!" Jun shouted, running out of the room.
Amaya and Jun quickly adapted to Emma as being their cousin. They loved spending time with her and Uncle Adrien. They had made some not to subtle remarks about wanting a younger sibling to the whole family, leaving Damian and Marinette bright red.
Marinette placed her hands on Adrien's shoulders, "Breathe. I know it's her first birthday and you want it to be special."
Adrien nodded in response.
"Spend time with her, take pictures, talk with your father, and let everyone spend time with her, too." Mari smiled, "That's what will make her birthday special. Not the flavor of the cake, not the decorations, and not the dinner. It will be when you see her eat cake and open presents."
Adrien smiled and pulled his best friend into a hug, "You always know what to say."
Nino, Kagami, Luka, and Alix came back downstairs.
"I'm sorry for forcing you to put your stuff away so fast!" Adrien apologized.
They all laughed. They could tell he was excited.
"Where is Little Emma?" Kagami questioned.
"She is outside." Damian interrupted, "The girls took her to play so we could finish setting up."
"Right; food will be inside." Marinette smiled, "Party, outside!"
"Where can we put her presents?" questioned Luka.
"Oh! In the dining room." Adrien cried out, "Cake, then presents!"
Alix laughed, "She'll probably pass out from the sugar rush and playing with her new toys."
Everyone placed their gifts for the birthday girl down. Nino lingered behind as the others went to see Emma.
"Need help?" he questioned.
"Sure." Mari answered.
Damian grabbed Marinette's hand and dragged her to the other side of the room.
Nino sighed as he followed Adrien to put up more streamers.
"She still...." the DJ began.
"Damian's overprotective." Adrien spoke, "He knows who you are and who you talk to."
Nino handed him a piece of tape, "Do you think she's okay?"
"Marinette read the blog." he answered, "She knows Alya is sorry, but she was hurt a lot by Alya's decisions back then. I don't think Mari's ready to forgive her yet."
"It's been almost a year." Nino stated.
Adrien sighed and turned to his friend, "I know, but in Mari's eyes, this never should have happened. Lila didn't need to have a blog written about her; she didn't need to be outted on tv."
"What do you mean?" his friend asked.
"All she wanted was for the people she grew up with, ten years ago, to listen to her. Alya never would have been fired from her job and she wouldn't be going to school for culinary because she can't find a job. In a way. Marinette thinks it's all her fault." Adrien explained, "If she tried harder to call her out, tried to prove more how Lila was lying. She's known Jagged Stone since she was thirteen. She's even thought what it would have been like to call him that day when Lila claimed to have tinnitus from saving his cat. She blames herself for Alya not getting her dream job. She knows how much it meant to her to be a journalist. That article spread far and wide. Even Lois Lane, Alya's idol, told her there wasn't really a way back from that. It would follow her no matter where she tried to apply."
Nino frowned. He never thought about how Marinette was dealing with this. He knew Marinette would never be on speaking terms with Lila. He thought eventually she'd speak to Alya since they had been best friends, but now he wasn't so sure. He had been getting closer to Alya, but he knew they would never get back together.
"Marinette doesn't wanna hear apologies." Adrien continued, "She can tell Alya is sorry. If anything, Mari would probably cry and say sorry to Alya. You guys are the closest people Mari talks to from Paris and half of them weren't even in that school."
Nino suddenly started to feel uncomfortable, "Did people really try to get her to find them jobs?"
The birthday girl's father nodded, "I asked Damian about it later. I had no clue, but he said he ended up blocked a couple numbers. They called her phone and at Wayne Enterprise. I think she was pregnant with Jun. He grabbed the phone and yelled at someone on how his wife wasn't responsible for the mistakes they made in the past. She had zero reason to help them now. He told them to spread the word around to the others because the next person from Bustier's class that called, he was gonna sue them for harassment."
"It was that bad?" Nino cried out.
The newest adopted Wayne nodded.
"Who called?" he hesitated to ask.
"I know Kitty Section didn't, but only because of Luka. He might not be with them anymore, but he called them idiots when he found out about everything. He told them that until they found solid proof of what Lila said was true and that Marinette was the liar, he wouldn't play with them. They had a concert that weekend, I think. Anyways, Juleka looked everywhere for Lila's old modeling shoots, aside from my father. Rose called Prince Ali. Ivan looked up about Jagged Stone."
"And that's how they found out." the DJ answered.
"Yep. Prince Ali had never heard of Lila or an environmental project. Ivan learned tha Jagged went to lots of animal charities and was seen holding cats. He wasn't allergic to fur, like she claimed. Also learned he's never owned a cat, but a dog as a child. Juleka only found the Gabriel brand. It was probably then she realized that Lila was never going to help her become a model. They apologized to him. They wanted to apologize and suggested going to the bakery. Luka had to tell them that she had left Paris because of the bullying. They didn't take it well and cancelled the concert."
Nino sat down, "That's what that was?"
"I think Mylene called once." Adrien spoke.
"Really?" his friend questioned, "Ivan and Mylene don't like confrontation."
"It wasn't about a job, though. I think she just wanted to apologize. Ivan tried to tell her, but Lila is her friend, so they argued. He showed her all the proof he found. Mylene even talked to Juleka and Rose, but she still didn't listen. Mylene left on a trip that was suppose to be paid for and had nowhere to stay when she got there. They had never heard of Lila Rossi. She ended up callign Ivan, in tears, that she couldn't reach Lila and had nowhere to stay. She was sobbing in the lobby. Ivan didn't have enough money either. Mylene had to work for her ticket back."
"I think Alix found out when Lila claimed to have an injury and she had the same one. Alix was on three different medications, could barely walk, and had her leg in a cast. Lila was limping around. Alix suggested going to a hospital, but Lila claimed to be fine. She told Kim later, but he didn't believe her. He said Lila was probably stronger than her for building houses for charity. She called and apologized for not realizing it sooner, especially all her phony injuries."
"Max did call looking for a job. Marinette told him 'No'. He complained how they needed someone like him to further the future of Wayne Enterprise. He reminded her that he created an AI at age thirteen. All she said was that he thought a paper napkin could take out his eye with glasses on. He hung up."
"A blow to the ego, then?" Nino questioned.
Adrien nodded and continued, "Chloe never cared. Sabrina went into psychology and realized just how bad Chloe and Lila were. She apologized to Marinette, but that's it. Nathanial might have been the one Damian yelled at, but I'm not sure."
Adrien took tons of pictures as Emma was passed around. She would waddle after Amya and Jun, with Titus by her side. She held onto his collar as she walked around the backyard in her dress. Emma was spoiled by her aunts and uncles. She smiled the whole day and looked just as excited as her father to have vanilla cake with strawberries. Gabriel was quick to help put Emma down to sleep as Adrien lugged her new toys and clothes to her room. Tom and Sabine offered to put Amaya and Jun to bed, as well. Gabriel went to check on his son and found him passed out, same position Emma was in.
'Definitely Father and Daughter. I wish you were here, Emile. We raised a fine young man and a great father.'
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