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pl-panda · 4 years

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The vines that bind us - Chapter 2

Chapter 1 || Next

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Until a trip to Gotham came knocking on the front doors

“I can’t believe Lie-la of all people managed to somehow get us the trip to Gotham!” Mari moaned with a mixed expression on her face.

Adrien, who was walking next to them, showed absolute disgust. “Technically, It was my father and I that did the heavy lifting. She really wanted to go to the Wayne Gala and…”

“What Lie-la wants, Lie-la gets.” The three finished in unison before laughing a bit.

“Don’t worry Mari-bear. I can promise you that this no good liar won’t get to ruin your return home.” Chloe pulled her best friend closer. Best friend. Much better than a servant. Who would’ve thought? “And we can even try to find your mom on free Saturday.”

“Yeah…” The girl with black-blue hair didn’t seem particularly cheerful at that.

“Now I refuse to have you making sad faces throughout the whole flight. You cheer up right this moment and that’s an order!” The blonde commanded.

“Yes, Maman-bear.” Mari giggled.

The three of them finally arrived at the rest of the class, who were already gathered around madame Bustier. Of course, Lila was bragging about a million different things, but the three paid her no mind. Adrien did his best to hide behind the girls, cherishing the last moments of freedom. Finally, Mari and Chloe had to step forward for their tickets. The blonde got hers without any problem, but for Mari there turned out to be none.

“I’m so so sorry Marinette!” Lila said with fake regret. “I must have accidentally miscounted the number of students… It must’ve been when I was helping those poor orphans. You know, at…”

“Sure…” Mari didn’t even try to act as if she believed her for a moment. When Lila scowled, realizing that it didn’t affect the girl, she smiled. “I guess Chlo, Adrien and I will have to go with the contingency plan number 1.”

“What?!” The sausage-hair shouted.

“Of course my Daddy would not send us to travel like peasants. We have tickets for the first class.” Chloe supplied, looking smugly. “We did plan to maybe sit with the rest of the class. What a shame…”

“Yeah, My dad also didn’t want me to travel anything less, but I convinced him to let me stay with my friends. Guess he will get what he wanted in the end.” For his part, Adrien at least tried to look apologetic. He didn’t try hard at all, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

“But… But…” Lila tried to come up with something, likely a lie, to counter it. She didn’t have time as the trio handed their teacher the filled forms from their parents/guardians/Nathalie and proceeded to the plane. The tickets were personal, so she couldn’t do anything. The Italian girl came up with a lie to tell to the class, but it would do no good until they landed.

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“Did you see her face?” Plagg was rolling in the air while holding a giant roll of camembert.

“You were amazing my queen.” Pollen complimented.

“I still can’t believe your dad just… bought out the whole first class!” Marinette sighed.

“Phi! Daddy always gives me only the best. You should know it by now, Mari-bear.”

“Okay. Mari. You are the Gotham expert here. Any advice?” Adrien asked a bit more seriously.

“Gotham survival guide is probably unlike any other city.” She started. “The first rule is, believe it or not, run away if a person laughs too much or smiles too widely. The downside of living in the same city as the Joker is that most people don’t laugh in public. Secondly, never show that you are lost. Wherever you are, it’s exactly where you wanted to be. Finally, the third is to never flaunt your wealth.” She looked critically at Chloe before taking away her purse and lipstick in a golden case. “This,” She then pulled a mobile phone in a ridiculously sparkly case and popped it out of the cover, “this,” finally, she detached the golden chain on which the purse was supposed to be suspended and replaced it with a pre-prepared white one with copper clips, “and this must all go away.”

“Ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous! Now it will totally clash with my comb!” Chloe complained.

“Oh no! How will you ever survive that?” Mari deadpanned. All three of them had another burst of laughter. After they calmed, Adrien started.

“Do you think it’s wrong that I want to bet which rule will Lila break first?”

“Ten macaroons she will say out-loud about money.” Mari threw.

“I raise, four tea parties she will start by asking for direction.” Chloe had a grin on her face

“Are you sure?” Adrien asked. When the blonde nodded, he shrugged. “Movie night and double popcorn bowl refill that she will do both in one conversation.”

“Hi, could you be so kind to point me to my exclusive hotel? You know, I’m staying at the penthouse of this luxurious new one.” Mari gave a quite good parody of Lilia.

“So to sum up, the pool is now ten Macaroons, Four Tea parties, and movie night with triple popcorn?” Chloe asked. When they nodded, she quickly noted it on her phone.

“Now, who wants a movie? I think they have the newest Thomas Astruck one.” Adrien pulled a disc from the container next to his seat.

“Good for me!/Go!” The girls said. Chloe, who was in the middle loaded it and the other two leaned onto her to watch together. The three were happy. Faintly in the background, there was knocking on the doors to their part, but nobody paid attention to very angry Liela and some classmates. For some reason, the doors were stuck and the blinder rolled down. Later if someone asked, Pollen would deny everything.

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When the plane landed, the class was practically kicked out. The team walked calmly down the stairs, all of them having smug expressions. Lila wanted to comment, but a glare from Mme. Bustier shut her up quickly. Mari and co. would later try to guess, what got the crew so pissed at their classmates.

Once everyone was accounted for, the class made its way to the customs to retrieve their luggage. There was a small problem with Mari’s travel bag as it was apparently misplaced to the flight to Timbuktu, but luckily her true suitcase, which had her things inside, arrived safely. She giggled at the thought of custom office in Timbuktu receiving a bag full of Adrien’s old socks that smelled camembert.

Overall, the airport went mostly unproblematic. At least until they found themselves cleared and gathered in one place while Mme Bustier left to check on their bus. One of the men, wearing a dark blue suit started to laugh almost maniacally. Everybody immediately cleared away from him, out of sheer self-preservation. Lila must’ve decided that a show of kindness was a good way to regain class’ good grace. She was confidently approaching the man before suddenly Mari grabbed her and pulled her away. The designer might’ve despised the liar, but Joker… you don’t mess with Joker.

Of course, Lila used the chance. She faked falling on the ground and started crying crocodile tears. “Marinette?! How can you be so heartless? I wanted *sniff* to check on the man and you trip me?” Lila sniffled, eyes watering with crocodile tears.

“I might have saved your life genius!” Mari snapped. Joker was a really touchy subject with her. “Does the world Killer Clown mean something?”

“Don’t invent things, you bully!” Alya shouted. That seemed to break the dam and at once the class started to say awful things to Mari. A year ago, it would hurt her. Half a year ago, she would be sad. Now? Now she pitied them. Chloe didn’t, and she was ready to jump to protect her best friend.

“Ridiculous! Do you like… share a single brain cell? What if that man was…” she didn’t get to finish because Mme. Bustier returned. The commotion immediately calmed. By now the man stopped laughing and returned to talking with his friends.

“The bus is waiting. Come on children. Follow me.”

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Arriving at the hotel, the class was split into different rooms. Of course, Lila tried to lie her way into some privilege, but Mari was too dead inside to care. The Jet Lag was killing her. At least she got some sleep on the plane. From the rumors she heard from the class, they didn’t because of Lila’s drama with the staff.

“Now I want you all to be ready here at eight a.m. sharp. A Wayne Enterprises representative will come here to explain the details of internships.” Mme. Bustier instructed them. This, for some reason, caused outrage in students.

“What do you mean internships?!”

“Wayne Enterprises?”

“Shouldn’t we be preparing to go to Gotham Academy or something?”

The terrible trio in the back had trouble holding back laugher. Adrien warned the girls about what his father planned, so they could all prepare. Gabriel Agreste, devious as he is, decided to punish Lila and teach Adrien something about running a company at the same time and using his connections to put the class up for an internship at WE. He did send the liar all the details, but she must have skimmed over the corporate jargon because the class was fed overexaggerated stories about what they would and wouldn’t do during two months trip.

Most parents were more than happy to send their children away from Paris for two months, especially since the Internship was free and the employment rate after it was quite high. WE kept quite a lot of the interns, if only out of habit. But perhaps it was mostly because the class has become a go-to place for the Akuma. Only Mr. Pidgeon and perhaps Gigantitan were akumatized more often. Mari actually picked up to cleansing their class weekly through a ritual she learned, otherwise there would be enough residual dark energy to power a demon portal. Not something one would want in the middle of a classroom.

“I was told you’ve all read the brochure provided and Lila summarised it for you.”

“I did!” The sausage hair defended. “Marinette must have told them some imaginary story about the trip!”

Immediately, several other people started to nod and confirm this. Chloe actually started to walk toward the liar almost red, but Mari grabbed the back of her blazer and held her in place. All the while she had a completely deadpan expression like it was normal for her (it was).

Mme. Bustier sighed. “Well, In that case, I will…”

“Excuse me, but shouldn’t we be going to sleep today already? We don’t want to be late tomorrow.” Adrien asked with an innocent expression, but there was some satisfaction hidden there too.

“Well… um… I…”

“We will be going then.” Chloe grabbed the key and led Mari to their room. Calline didn’t even question it. She wanted a pay raise after this.

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The next morning, Mari was woken by a frantic Chloe

“Mari-bear! It’s already late! You don’t want to be late for your first day of Internship girl! It would be utterly Ridiculous!”

At first, the girl mumbled something, but once she finally processed everything she leaped out of her bed and started getting ready in record time. She was brushing her teeth, packing her purse, and tossing clothes at her best friend all at once. Once she had everything, she turned to see Chloe on the ground tied with a gray blazer. Mari just burst out laughing.

“How…”

“Ridiculous!” Chloe shook her head. “I demand you untie me this instant! We don’t have time for this!”

Once they dressed and did their hair, both girls were ready. Chloe now had a black button-down shirt, deep red blazer, and a matching pencil skirt. Mari also made her wear smart black stilettos (instead of her usual that were slightly more extravagant). The look was completed by a tablet in leather flip-over cover. Mari had a similar outfit, except her shirt was white and the suit was in dark blue. She opted for flat shoes to spare the embarrassment that was Marigold on heels.

“Ready to rock Gotham City?”

“Like you have to ask.” Mari smiled. There was something about the city of crime that made her feel safe and open up more. Maybe being on home turf gave her the much-needed confidence boost.

When Chloe tried to open the doors, she found them stuck. She was about to go on a rant about poor quality when Mari casually grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. There was a faint creaking sound as the mechanism gave.

“Um…”

“It must’ve been old,” Chloe said with a devious grin. “Nothing happened. Don’t you worry! I will deal with it.”

---------------

When the doors to the elevator opened and two girls strode into the lobby, their class was already pushing toward the exit. Adrien looked very much uncomfortable with Lila hanging off his arm, literally sinking her claws into him. He mouthed them a muted ‘later’. Alya stared at the girls with loathing.

“Ah, you are here.” Mme. Bustier spoke. “Lila said…”

“Whatever.” Chloe dismissed their teacher. “Aren’t we in rush?” The blonde practically seethed the last word.

“Yes, good to see that someone is responsible.” The teacher gave Mari a pointed look. Apparently, she still didn’t get over the fact that she resigned from the class rep position.

“But…”

“Drop it. She is not worth it.” Chloe whispered. “Daddy will take care of that once we are done.”

Mari just nodded. She knew Chloe was preparing a lawsuit against the school, but their hands were tied until they graduated or Damocles could try and undermine it. Both girls knew that no adult would help them with the lawsuit beyond Chloe’s father signing whatever dotted line she asked him to. That man was more whipped than a fresh can of whipped cream.

The ride to the WE was short and uneventful. Girls took up to gossiping in English, effectively limiting any eavesdropping. Mari spent most of the time tearing down the outfits of all the villains. She started with Riddler, more as a joke than actual rant, but then she somehow got onto this new guy Anarky. From there, she just kept on, smoothly sailing from one to the next. Even her mom got some shots. Mari still couldn’t stand how skimpy it was. Her rant carried over when they exited the bus and entered the WE. Security led them to a conference room, where they were told to take seats.

Mari guessed that it wouldn’t be Lila if she didn’t immediately start sputtering lies about how well she knew the building already because of her Damiboo giving her private tours (All while clutching Adrien like a leech). She didn’t have enough ducks left to give to try to expose Lila about several facts. Such as that Damian Wayne definitely wasn’t living with Bruce when he was five. Any Gothamite could tell her that. Bored, she returned to her rant.

She was nearing the end of the list and was very much engaged in complimenting Harley Queen for her recent change in wardrobe. She still considered it a disaster, but at least it was somehow human.

“Ekhm…” A voice broke her out of the rant. “Good morning. My name is Richard Grayson. You are the french class chosen for the internship program, correct?” When people nodded, he continued. Idly, Mari noted that Alya and Lila stiffened and suddenly stopped talking at all. “We reviewed the individual profiles and appointed each of you a mentor that will help you settle into your roles. As I read the names, please come forward so I can update your badges. Do carry them on your person all the time or we will have to take you to our human cloning facility.”

People stared at him.

“Okaaay… That’s that about jokes…” He sighed. “The rules will be explained by individual departments. Now, who’s up for a tour?”

People started to cheer at that and Dick smiled. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad?

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It was that bad. Even worse. He knew from the background check that the class was both insanely talented… and borderline criminal. It was like someone de-aged the Rogues and put them in one class. The report called them Akuma class, which (if google is to be believed) meant demons. He questioned how they got accepted into the internship.

They only toured two floors when Dick wanted to tear half of them to shreds. He noted immediately that they were bullying the girl with black (slightly blue? Maybe it was dyed?) hair. What surprised him was that the teacher didn’t react. If he was to be honest, the girl and her friend slightly irritated him too. They kept talking and seemed to ignore him. It was not because they kept tearing down each and every bats’ fashion choices. Definitely not that. When they brought up Discowing he had enough.

“Ekhm. Excuse me, girls,” he stared at them. Both immediately stopped talking and looked at him. “Could you pay attention? I wouldn’t want any of you to waste your internship lost on our maze-testing floor.”

“There is no maze-testing floor in this building.” The blonde pointed out.

“And besides, we memorized all you’ve said.”

“Care to recall?” He heard several people groan at his pun.

“The first floor is most representative, where guests are welcome and low-level meetings happen. There is a separate kitchen for employers there that is always fresh on fruits. Don’t use the coffee machine there as it was only patched up and there is a high chance it will set itself on fire again. The…”

“Fine. You’re good. Still, I don’t appreciate the chatter.”

“They are always trouble!” A girl in bright pink colors shouted.

“Yeah! Why do you have to ruin this trip for Lila!?”

“You’re just jealous of her boyfriend!”

More voices like this came from the crowd of kids. Dick started to feel bad that he singled the girls out. It definitely gave the class a reason to gang up on them. And the teacher still did nothing! He sighed. What did HR think when they accepted them. He would have to look into it later.

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Mari decided that she didn’t like Dick. Everyone in their class kept talking, but for some reason, he singled them out. For the rest of the trip, she made sure to pay as much attention as she could. There was this silent determination on her face. Chloe wisely also kept silent.

After the trip class was led back to the conference room where another employer handed out the identificators and folders containing their assignments.

“Keep the IDs on you at all times. As opposed to the ones you received, this won’t expire and are synched with your jobs, so you will have access to anything you might need. They are also mandatory to receive lunch in our canteen. When you get acquainted with your tasks, you can go to the level specified at the end of sheet one. Your mentor will meet you there.” With that, he left. Dick really needed to do some in-depth research on this class. Something kept icking his detective sense.

“Well, I’m going to the law department. Apparently whoever made the assignments knew my well.” Chloe bragged to her friend after opening the folder.

Timidly, Mari also opened her folder. She skimmed over what was inside and groaned. “Apparently, I’m interning as personal assistant to one Tim Drake.”

“They actually assigned you to the sleep-deprived coffee addict?” Chloe asked in disbelief.

“You know him?” She asked in surprise

“He and his brother ruined my daddy’s parties two years ago. They got into an argument that ended up with them wrestling over a cake. It took me weeks to get the cake out of my hair! Weeks!” The blonde summarized.

“oh…” Mari tried to hold back the giggles.

“Don’t laugh! It’s a serious matter! Do you have any idea how much work it takes to have such a perfect hair?!”

“Of course… cakehead.” The girl couldn’t stop herself.

“Ugh, you… you… plant leg.” Chloe said.

“Really?” Mari raised an eyebrow. “That’s the best you can come with?”

“Well, I usually have better things to do than thinking about good insults.” Still, Chloe hugged her best friend. “Be careful. I wouldn’t put it past The Liar to try and sabotage you somehow.”

“I’ll be careful. Wish me luck.”

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The elevator took Mari all the way to the highest floor. When the doors opened, she stepped int a large room with one desk. As soon as the doors closed, the woman who was standing there rushed toward her. The girl tensed for a moment but she reminded herself that there is no real threat.

“Oh finally! I was asking them to hire someone else for months!” She had a messed bun of red hair on her head and looked like she didn’t sleep in a week.

“But… I’m just an intern madame!” Mari tried to explain.

“An intern?” The woman paused her packing and stared at the girl with wide eyes.

“Um… Madame Sarah Jackson?”

“Yes. An intern…” She said in a disappointed voice to herself. “Ah! That’s no problem at all!” She started to tap on her Waynetech Tablet and after a moment she smiled. “There! You’re hired!”

“Wha…?!” Mari shouted, but was interrupted when Sarah pushed the tablet into her hand, followed by a large box full of documents and a small mug with a coffee bean pointing a gun at the reader and words ‘Your Coffee or your life!’.

“They are your problem now! Everything you need is in the box. I left detail about ongoing stuff and whatever you might need. Don’t call. I’m outta here!” She shouted before grabbing her personal belonging and leaping into the elevator.

“But…! But…!?” Mari shouted after the closing doors. She could hear a cheerful shout as the elevator left the level.

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#maribat #miraculous ladybug #maribat au #miraculous lb #batman #dc #mlb x dc #Marigold AU #Mother!Ivy

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nerdypanda3126 · 4 years

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Friends Don’t

This one was inspired by Friends Don't by Maddie & Tae. Huge thanks to @multimousemari and @chanceuseladynoire for beta reading!

Read on Ao3

“Marinette style, boo-yah!” Marinette jumped up to celebrate, borrowing her dad's victory pose. That had been a close match. He had almost gotten her, but she had pulled out one of the special combos she had perfected when they were younger and managed to catch him by surprise.

Adrien groaned, tossing the controller to the side before leaning back on his hands, letting his head drop behind him. The strong line of his jaw and the muscle flexed at the side of his neck made her gulp and she looked away quickly. They were past that now, she sternly reminded herself. She and Adrien were really good friends. She didn’t stutter around him anymore, and he came over all the time with the group to hang out. So stop acting like a lovesick teenager.

“You’re amazing. Seriously, ten wins in a row?" He sat back up, glancing up at her with a slight pout.

Her train of thought vanished. Didn’t he know that look was dangerous? Of course he did, that’s why she’d seen it popping up in his photoshoots lately. Cologne ads. Now those were dangerous. She looked away to hide her blush. Not that she’d saved any of those clippings or anything.

“Thanks for having me over,” Adrien prompted when she didn’t respond.

“Of course! I’m glad you had some free time.”

“Well, I owe Nino a drink later, but it seems like I hardly ever get to see you anymore.”

“You canceled on Nino?” she asked, maybe a little too brightly.

“Yeah, but he was fine with it. Seemed excited I was going to see you, really.” He beamed up at her.

She tried to hide the smile that tugged at her lips. Adrien canceled on Nino to spend time with her. Alone. But then she shook her head. Don’t read too much into it, Marinette . We’re still just good friends.

***

“Come on, over here.” He inclined his head towards the Place des Vosges, grabbing her hand to lead her.

He had been passing by as she got off work and offered to walk her home since it was getting dark. He had appeared as if out of a dream, the blue scarf she gave him all those years ago wrapped securely around his neck. His charcoal overcoat somehow made his shoulders look broader. His cheeks were pink from the chill, and his smile was like sunshine. She had accepted his offer without a second thought.

He led her over to the fountain, smiling back at her, his hand warm around hers. She shouldn’t be thinking so hard about him holding her hand. They were just friends, right?

“What are we doing here?”

“Enjoying the night air?” he offered, jumping up lightly onto the ledge of the fountain. He made a show of almost losing his balance, his eyes on her the entire time.

She giggled at his antics, which earned her a mischievous smirk. He held out a hand, gesturing with his head that she should jump up with him. She raised her eyebrows. Really? He danced a little on the ledge, acting like he was pulling her up to him. She rolled her eyes, but accepted his help up, wobbling just a little on the rounded edge. He held onto her elbow to steady her.

“Dance with me?” he asked, his soft green eyes catching the moonlight.

Focus, Marinette. Friends. Just friends. She glanced down at their unsteady footing. “You do know I’m a klutz, right?”

“I’ve got you.”

Oh, what those words did to her heart. She nodded, not trusting herself to try to speak.

He placed her hand on his shoulder, taking her waist easily before clasping their hands out to the side. Confidently, he took a step towards her, and she took a step back to follow him, amazed her foot had found the ledge behind her.

“See? Easy.” He took a step back this time, pulling her along with him. He started to hum a soft tune, leading her in a slow two-step.

As she stopped worrying about falling and twisting an ankle, her mind started to wander. She found herself wishing she could lay her head down on his chest, wishing she could cuddle into him and delight in the airy cologne he was wearing, wishing they could be a couple, sharing this moment under the starlight. Instead of just a couple of friends, having a bit of fun.

He attempted to turn her, his arm hovering around her waist, ready to catch her. But she got distracted by his eyes, so intensely focused on her, and her heel slipped off the ledge, throwing her off balance. She clutched at Adrien's neck instinctively as she fell, trying to catch herself, and his grip tightened around her at the same time.

He had caught her in a dip. They both paused as they tried to process what had happened. As soon as her brain connected the dots, heat rose to her face as she waited for Adrien to move, to set her upright, to step away. Like she knew he would.

He did tip her back up, finally, but he didn't step back like she thought. He kept his arms around her as he searched her face, like he had seen something there that surprised him. His eyes lingered on hers.

She shivered under his gaze and Adrien started, coming out of whatever daze he had been in.

"You must be freezing," he muttered apologetically, hurrying to take his scarf off. He wrapped it around her tenderly, encircling her in his scent, pausing again to look at her when he had finished.

He took her hand, but it wasn't the same as before. His thumb brushed over hers lightly.

"I'd better get you home."

He tucked their hands in his pocket before leading the way back to the bakery. He walked slower this time, though, and he seemed deep in thought about something.

They reached her door a lot sooner than she hoped. She wanted to tell him how much she liked him walking her home. She wanted to ask him what, if anything, was happening between them. They were just friends, right? But friends don't dance around a fountain in the moonlight, or hold hands with the excuse of being cold, or look at her the way he was now.

He pulled her hand out of his pocket and paused, facing her. She held her breath. Was this really happening? Maybe she was dreaming after all.

A mischievous glint flashed across his eyes, as he pulled her hand up to his lips.

Then he blew warm air over her fingers, rubbing her hand in between his palms like he could start a fire.

"You'd better get inside and warm up," he said, completely unaware that his smirk was making her heart do funny little flops in her chest.

They were just friends, right?

***

Marinette groaned as her ringing phone woke her. She squinted against the bright light. 3am. Adrien’s picture with his number underneath. She struggled to pull herself up to a sitting position, rubbing her eyes as she accepted the call.

"Adrien?"

“Marinette? You’re awake?”

“Was asleep, then you called.” Her voice came out slurred and heavy. “Something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong. Everything’s fine. I was hoping to get your voicemail."

Voicemail. Why would he call at 3am to leave a voicemail? She cleared her throat. Apparently she wasn't fully awake yet.

“I guess I just… I wanted to hear your voice," he continued, hesitantly.

"Couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see her before she was overtaken by a yawn."You know what I meant."

He laughed. "Yeah, I know."

Even half-awake, her heart responded to him, lifting in her chest and making her smile. He waited, but she couldn't think of anything she should say back. Her shoulders were slumping with the effort of holding them up.

"I'm sorry I woke you. I didn't think you'd actually answer," he said eventually.

She succumbed to gravity, flopping back down on her bed. She tucked the phone into her shoulder and stifled another yawn. "Why wouldn't I answer? You're my friend."

A pause on his end.

"How long have we been friends, Marinette?"

Fleetingly, the thought crossed her mind that this was a weird question for three in the morning. "I don't know, since collège, I guess." Not like she could tell him she’d been in love with him since the day they met.

"So, five or six years, give or take?"

"Mmm." Her pillow was very comfortable.

Another pause. "Do you think we'll always be friends?"

"Hmm?"

"Like even if we go our separate ways for our careers and… life, I guess, do you think we'll stay friends?"

She fought to open her eyes. They seemed to be fluttering closed of their own accord. "Of course."

She heard him sigh, but she couldn't tell if it was from relief or disappointment. He took a long pause. "Can I ask you something?"

His voice brought her back from the edge of sleep. "Mmm?"

After another drawn-out pause, she barely registered hearing him take a deep breath, but the rest was lost as she fell deeply asleep, the phone still lit up against her cheek.

***

Marinette was pacing across her bedroom while Alya sat on the chaise, watching her with a bemused expression. As much as she paced, though, she couldn’t seem to get her thoughts to stop circling.

“Let me see if I have this straight. Adrien invited you to his photoshoot, picked you up and drove you there, stared at you the whole time, drove you home, and then refused to come inside with you while your parents were gone?”

Marinette nodded along as Alya ticked the events off on her fingers.

“And then he kissed you?”

“Just on the cheek.”

“Girl, that was a date.”

Marinette stopped pacing to look at Alya. She looked so smug, like she had everything figured out.

“If that was a date, then why did he stop talking to me?”

“I’ve seen you two talking.”

“But not like he has been recently. He was calling me all the time, asking how my day was, telling me stupid jokes because he thought they’d make me laugh, walking me home from work…”

“Asking you to dance?”

Marinette shot Alya a glare. When Marinette had told her about what happened that night, Alya had started pestering her about when the wedding was. Convincing herself that Adrien didn’t mean anything by any of this was a lot harder when Alya was around.

“But now it’s like he can’t even look at me. He switches seats if I’m next to him, he refuses to be alone with me, he jumps a mile high when I say his name… did I do something wrong?”

Alya rolled her eyes, then stood to place her hands on Marinette’s shoulders. “Tell me again how he acted when he dropped you off the other day.”

“But I already-”

“Just humor me.”

Marinette paused to think. “He was fidgety. He had his keys in his hand and he wouldn’t stop messing with them.” At one point he dropped them, she remembered, and they had bonked heads as they both bent to pick them up. “He asked if I had fun at the photoshoot. I told him it was interesting to be behind the scenes and see how much went into the ads he’s been in.”

Interesting was one word for it. She hadn’t been prepared to be on the receiving end of the sultry looks he had been getting entirely too good at.

“And then?” Alya prompted. This was apparently the part she was interested in.

“And then I invited him in to play video games. I told him my parents wouldn't be home until later, but they would probably join us when they got there.”

Now that she thought back on it, had his face turned a little bit red when she invited him in? He had definitely been flustered. That was when he dropped the keys. After they had both straightened up, he smiled and said he couldn’t‒no, he had said shouldn't‒stay, then hesitated before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on her cheek. Then he practically ran back to his car.

Her mouth dropped open. It had been a date. Or at least it was a heavily disguised date. A “just friends, but we could be more if you wanted to” date.

Alya shook her head, rolling her eyes again.

***

"Hey, Nino, can you help me with something?" Alya called from the other room. Nino started to get up but Adrien waved him off, glancing nervously at Marinette.

"I'll go," he said, "it's not like you're the only one who can help out around here."

"I specifically need Nino to come help me," Alya clarified, raising her voice a little more, and Adrien sat back down sheepishly. Nino shrugged, but went to see what Alya needed.

Marinette knew what Alya was up to. More and more she had been trying to push them together. To get them alone. It felt like being back in collège, when Alya took every chance she could to try to get Marinette to confess her feelings for Adrien.

Apparently that was still Alya's goal, and Marinette wanted more than ever to tell him how she felt, but the challenge lately had been getting Adrien to stay put long enough for the two of them to talk, especially alone.

She realized this was the first time they'd actually been alone since their "date that wasn't a date but could've been a date."

Alya had given her this chance and she wasn't going to waste it.

"Adrien?"

He started like she had touched a live wire to his skin, and when he turned to face her, his cheeks were starting to turn pink. He was sitting ramrod straight on the couch opposite her, his fists clenched in his lap.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded, barely managing to meet her eyes before looking away again, his blush growing steadily. It was now or never. She could do this.

She moved to sit beside him, ignoring his small flinch as her thigh touched his, and pretended to check his forehead for a fever, then laid the back of her hand against his cheek. Surprised at her gesture, he finally made eye contact with her, and she briefly remembered the moonlight shining in his eyes as he asked her to dance.

"You're burning up. Are you sure you're okay?"

He caught her hand in his, pulling it away from his face, but still held onto it, fiddling with her fingers as his jaw tensed. She waited, ignoring her pounding heart, while he worked out what he wanted to say.

"We've been friends for a long time, right?"

Her lips twitched into a smile at the familiar question. That must be why he'd been pulling away from her lately. He was worried about ruining their friendship. She laced her fingers through his before answering with certainty in her voice.

"Since the day we met."

He glanced over at her before he took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

His face turned bright red. "Have you ever thought about, you know, you and me… being… more than friends?"

Her smile grew. "Since the day we met."

#miraculous ladybug #mlb fic #ml fic #adrinette #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #aged up characters

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musicfeedsmysoul12 · 4 years

Text

Bad Guy

Summary: Marinette breaks down.

Warnings: Murder, mention of child neglect, bullying, attempted murder

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Marinette had an okay childhood. Her parents treated her like an adult but they did love her. They taught her some things, and were there for her always until age ten where they just got to busy. It was fine though, honestly.

It was fine they scolded her when she just wanted some help. It was fine her mama was upset her baby couldn’t speak any sort of Chinese despite the woman never trying to teach her. It was fine.

It was all fine.

Marinette was sitting sideways in the chair she’d insisted on adding to the warehouse they’d claimed as their HQ. Part of her adored the freaked out faces by it. After all, having the bloodstained clothing of Gabriel Agreste and his assistant being made into a chair was hilarious.

Marinette sighed, leaning her head back and glaring at the roof above her as another moron made empty threats. Just because she was in a suit and a domino mask didn’t mean she wasn’t as dangerous as she was when she was in her super suit. Really.

Marinette was a good girl, a very good girl who did what she was told. Sure, she was bullied by Chloe but Chloe bullied everyone. The teachers used to step in until Bustier came around and said oh no, it’s Marinette’s fault for not providing a good example.

Her parents found out and they agreed so Marinette had to to, it made sense after all.

Marinette stood in front of the man forced to his knees, arms zip tied behind his back.

“I thought I told you not to sell to minors,” she said in a clipped tone. The man sneered.

“What, like a hero like you can do anything to stop me.” He jeered. Marinette frowned.

“I would watch your tone.” The man scoffed and laughed at her. Until the head of one of his gang was brought in and handed to Marinette.

He changed his tune then.

Oh, Marinette had to work in the bakery sometimes. Oh, and of course her parents would volunteer her to watch their friends’ kids. It wasn’t like Marinette had homework or her commissions, or if she needed sleep or anything.

And then she got a box with earrings.

Marinette snorted as she read an article in the paper talking about how the new mayor was discussing removing the various statues of the Miraculous team. She rolled her eyes at the man’s words but smirked at the various comments from the reporter who’d written the article.

“Apparently they want to focus on the fact we all snapped and went after various teachers, police officers and such,” she said out loud. “Rather than rip down statues and cost the city money that way.”

“Who wrote that article?” Kagami asked as she ate her breakfast, wearing only a robe and looking pleased from her nightly activities. Marinette snorted.

“Alya.”

“Of course.”

Being Ladybug was… fun. People liked her, they liked what she did, they liked how she saved them. They actually liked her and appreciated her.

It was addicting. She had her partner, she had friends, she was able to stand up to people…

And still she had to babysit. Still she had to put her commissions on hold. Still she was told she had to be an example.

But she had friends.

Marinette drank her coffee, staring at the bakery across the street. She was standing in front of an old school- not an old and abandoned one but one almost completely destroyed. The bakery across the street looked like it had seen better days. It was obviously struggling. Marinette watched with an impassive face as someone left, looking disgusted.

“I’ll never eat anything from here again. Didn’t they used to be good?” Marinette finished her coffee and turned and left.

They did. And then they pissed off a creature of luck.

Lila happened one day and… things changed. Her friends were turning their backs on her. More demands, more wishes, more screams.

She felt like she was drowning like she was being dragged down towards hell as she tried to breathe. Tried to think.

She broke down and released her transformation one day, screaming.

At least her kitty was on her side after that.

“Bug,” Max stuck his head into her design room. She blinked, looking up from the bulletproof dress she was making Alya for her assignments.

“Yes?” Marinette asked.

“We need some help- Fox found out about a conspiracy. We need a bit of luck.”

Marinette smiled like a shark. “Of course.”

She had her kitty, she had Adrien and slowly she had the rest of the team. They all started seeing, they all started frowning. They all started speaking up.

Lila kept lying, she kept saying things, she kept breaking them. She kept saying things that weren’t true and people believed them. Marinette’s mom and dad did. They frowned at her, they looked at her sideways.

Marinette could breathe though. She had her friends. She had her team.

And then her kitty was run through.

Marinette petted Adrien’s head, watching with a bored face as various gangs all tried to jockey for position before her.

“He’s nothing but a pet-” Her head snapped to the speaker and she stood, standing high above them and looking down her nose at the speaker. She strode towards him, a snarl on her face as black energy took her over.

“What did you say?”

Her kitty was hurt and she was screaming and it was to much, to much for her to think for her to breathe. She wanted it to stop.

She couldn’t heal him, Plagg had to step in and the energy affected them all. They were sharper, more dangerous. A little more animalistic.

It was okay though… it was okay. It had to be okay. Hawkmoth- Adrien’s father and oh she enjoyed ripping into him with magic and her hands- was in jail.

They got their happy ending.

Only they didn’t.

Marinette hummed as she carefully set up an adorable little house. It was perfectly Kwami sized with a small bed and a small phone for use as a TV.

“Oh, Mullo,” she smiled as the Mouse Kwami floated in front of her. “Do you like it?”

“I do!” Mullo smiled at her. “Oh, can I say also thanks?”

“Oh?”

“You don’t make us do things we don’t want.” The mouse explained. “Fu was worried you’d be awful with us but you aren’t.” Marinette laughed.

“Well I try.”

Lila wouldn’t shut the fuck up and no one would listen. Master Fu didn’t. He focused on her being like him, wanting all the Miraculous back, scolding her for letting Plagg save Adrien.

Her parents stopped loving her. They stopped being proud.

Where they ever anyway?

No one cared, they sneered at Adrien, called him names and he couldn’t speak back. The magic Plagg did made him wonky, lopsided at first. Sometimes he was more animal than human.

And they wouldn’t shut up.

“Kitty?” Marinette asked, petting Adrien’s head. He hummed, eyes unfocused as he leaned into her. “Awww, poor thing. You’re so out of it baby.” Adrien purred and leaned into her more. Marinette hummed, picking up some papers. Adrien hissed suddenly. “Oh yes, Gabriel is campaigning for an early release.” Marinette smirked as Adrien growled.

“Oh Kitty, don’t worry. Even if he gets out… we can handle him.” Marinette smiled even as Adrien continued growling. “We’ll handle him permanently.”

It all came to a head when Lila shoved her off a third floor to the ground. And no one did a damn thing.

It was her fault, she was fighting Lila after all. Never mind she had just been chatting with Adrien.

Her parents called her a monster.

So she became one. She embraced the darkness, Tikki along for the ride, laughing. Fu hated it, tried to rip the Miraculous away.

They dealt with him after that.

Marinette transformed, staring at the school in front of her. Behind her stood her team.

Gone was the ladybug red and black. Now was a blood-red suit with armoured plating, her mask jagged and looking like blood trails were going down her face, the eyeholes now completely black. Dark energy- the same energy they all carried now- lashed from her. Under her arm was the Miraculous Box.

“You want a bad guy?” she snarled. “I’ll give you one.”

Tagged: @ines-nz @seraphichana, @glasswolff, @crazylittlemunchkin, @miraculous786, @viinaa08, @18-fandoms-unite-08

#broken heroes verse #miraculous ladybug #maribat #in the future #ml au #tw murder #tw bullying #tw attempted murder #tw child neglect

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gale-gentlepenguin · 5 years

Text

ML Fic: Soulmate Survey Part 11

(Master post)

Before you start, I want to thank all of you so much for the amazing fan art. I never thought I would see so many versions of Marinette’s outfit. Also, your comments and support have really made writing this a delight.

Okay now for part 11.

_______________________________________________________________________

The ladybloger was relaxing in her room. She was looking at her laptop and was thinking of what to do? Adrien’s interview didn't start for another half an hour, nothing new regarding Ladybug and Chat noir, and she had zero motivation in tackling her homework. She was considering messaging her boyfriend and seeing if he wanted to play some ‘Super penguino’, he would likely say yes. Just as she picked up her phone, she remembered that thing Marinette sent her.

“Oh yea, what was this about.” She said aloud as she looked at the audio recording. “Jeez, its like a forty minute recording. What did she do an interview?”

Alya shrugged, ‘super penguino’ can wait. She pressed play and began listening to the recording.

_______________________________________________________________________

“And We. Are. Live! Welcome my lovely listeners! I am Sonny Potins and you are watching ‘Scoops and Scandal’, the show that brings up the scoops and scandals with your favorite Celebs.” The enthusiastic wavy blonde haired host exclaimed. She was in her mid twenties and was wearing plenty of make up. “And today we have a very special guest, you have seen his ads all over Paris, the young model who is the face of the Gabriel brand, the one and only, Adrien Agreste.”

The spot light shined on Adrien as he approached the stage to his seat with the audio from the cologne ad playing in the background. The studio audience cheered as the model walked with a cool yet approachable attitude. A bunch of them screaming ‘I love you’ ‘Adrien!’ ‘You are amazing’. Adrien smiled and waved at the audience.

Sonny was sitting in a comfy leather chair across from Adrien, who was sitting in an identical chair. She was sitting on the left, and her was sitting on the right. A table with two water bottle and two microphones stood between them. The chairs were angled to help the two face each other while also face the cameras and the audience. Above them was a jumbo screen that would show clips, info, and whatever the people in charge wanted to show. Usually fan submitted questions, photos or live cam.

“I am happy to be here.” Adrien greeted the audience.

“I am sure all of Paris would love to hear all about you. So lets get the ball rolling.”

Back stage, Marinette watched out of view, she looked to see Adrien notice her and give her a quick wink before looking back at the host. Marinette smiled at his sudden wink, doing her best to stay calm.

“Seems like everything is going well.” A voice whispered from Marinette’s jacket.

“Yea, I can't believe Adrien found out about the scarf. I thought he would be sad about finding out the gift wasn't from his father.” Marinette whispered.

“Seems like he is happy to have someone who cares about his feelings. You both seem to be really connecting.” Tikki assured. “I think he doesn't see you as a just a friend anymore.”

“You think?” Marinette questioned with hope in her voice.

“Call it a hunch, but in the mean time, we should probably listen in. Maybe you can learn more about him through this interview.”

“I am pretty sure it won't reveal anything new, most of these interviews are just for publicity, repeating questions that were asked in the past. But I am glad Adrien is getting the screen time he deserves. He is really great.” Marinette responded. “Though I am not opposed to watching at all.”

Tikki rolled her eyes and smiled at her chosen. Marinette sure was helpless when it came to Adrien, but the same could be said about Chat noir around Ladybug. How the red bug Kwami wanted to reveal this tid bit of information to Marinette. But she said she wouldn't and the time will come one day.

_______________________________________________________________________

“And I was right about his favorite color!” One of the four girls squeaked.

“We all got that question! I expect nothing less from the Adriknights.” Adrienne answered with pride.

Lila was sitting to the side of the couch as she watched these four fangirls gush at every word that Adrien said, it was nauseating. The interview was so by the book it was boring, combine that fact with annoying fans and it only gets worse. The brunette had begun contemplating the pros and cons of a lobotomy by plastic spoon, but she knew she would have to endure.

Adrienne was the perfect person to set up to be akumatized, she needed to wait for something to make her upset, anything that would bring potential negative emotions to draw an akuma here. But this interview was practically kid stuff. But then something caught her attention. Lila tuned back into the tv to listen to a particularly interesting thread the host was spinning.

_______________________________________________________________________

“...but yes I am allergic to feathers, but as long as I am not wearing them or I breath near them, I don't sneeze.” Adrien answered.

“Adrien, you are quite an enigma in this city. a young teen that is one of the most well known faces in Paris, a voice actor, and has his own line of cologne, which is just getting an international release.” Sonny exclaimed. The crowd cheered as the jumbo screen showed a picture of the Ad. “Yet you are one of the sweetest people I ever had the pleasure of interviewing. Most stars around your age are... well they are spoiled brats to put it mildly. What helps you stay so kind and keeps you grounded?”

The crowd was quiet as they waited for Adrien’s answer.

“Well I am lucky enough to be surrounded by talented people. My Best buddy Nino is an up and coming DJ, his girlfriend Alya runs the Ladyblog, my fencing Team mate Kagami comes from a legacy of proud fencers, and Marinette is a fashion designer that has designed works that the fashion critic Audrey Borgeois and My father have both approved of. The latter of which I can tell you personally is no small feat.” Adrien started off.

“Then of course the fact that we live in a city full of superheroes. Nothing is more awe inspiring and humbling then seeing Ladybug save Paris. She is just so incredible. It is reassuring knowing that she is watching over Paris. She is really Miraculous” Adrien slightly gushed before bringing it back. “Those are just some of the amazing people I know and know off, its easy to remember to stay humble when you are surrounded by wonderful people.”

The crowd awed at the cute statement. They were eating up his words.

“Talented indeed. You are quite the fan of Ladybug. If I remember correctly she has saved you a few time. Should Chat noir be worried if you have a crush on the spotted heroine?” Sonny teased.

The blond blushed, but didn't let himself get flustered.

“I am sure Chat noir wouldn't hold it against me. I am pretty sure everyone in Paris has a little crush on Ladybug.” Adrien deflected. “It would be easier to make a list of people who didn't like Ladybug.”

The crowd clapped in agreement, Ladybug was a well respected hero and the Blond made an excellent point. Marinette smiled at the little display, the blond was able to easily handle everything the host was throwing at him. She also was a little happy to hear that Adrien was a fan.

“Truer words have never been spoken. Though speaking of the cat hero, he happens to be a handsome blond hero with a certain flare, are you actually chat noir?” Sonny prodded. “Because that is a popular theory going around.

Adrien for a split second felt a tingle of fear in the back of his spine, but thankfully he knew the host was playing with him. So he laughed it off.

“Secrets out, Thats why I was cast to voice him in the movie.” Adrien remarked with a clearly joking tone.

The crowd laughed along with the blond.

“If that were the case, my father would have a trademark on all of the Chat noir merchandise in Paris.” Adrien answered.

“I heard your father is pretty protective of your image. Is it true that people can't take any pictures of you without you or your father’s consent without being fined?”

“Pictures are fine as long as they don't try to make merchandise of me or use it for financial gain like in magazines, media and tabloids. Thats when people get sued. Thats why there aren't that many paparazzi that hang out by the Agreste manor, they couldn't handle the lawsuits.” Adrien explained. “Not exactly easy to do, my father spent a fortune doing that, but considering the industry he was in, he more then made back his money.”

Marinette blinked.

That explained why he was never hounded at school by photographers. Though that didn't really stop the fans when that ad first came out.

“Fascinating, Your father must be pretty protective over you?”

“Its his way of showing he cares.” Adrien answered. He managed to maintain a smile despite how irritated he was over how protective and controlling his father is.

“So that means having permission to bring a guest to any of your events must be a hardsell.” Sonny continued prodding.

“He is easing up a bit more ever since he said I could go to school. I can sometimes bring friends along to events, like fashions shows and photoshoots.” Adrien assured. “I was even able to bring a guest to this interview.”

Sonny nodded.

“Oh, yes. I believe I bumped into her when you both showed up. I believe her name was Marinette. She was the designer you mentioned earlier.” Sonny smiled.

“Thats right. Marinette is pretty great. I am glad she was able to come along.” Adrien responded.

Marinette smiling brightly at the comment, he was happy she was there.

Sonny smirked, she had found a way to kick this interview up a notch.

“Hey can we get a view of Adrien’s cute guest? I remember her wearing this amazing outfit and I think the audience will love to meet her.” Sonny asked.

“Wait I think she should have a say before...” Adrien tried to interject but sure enough the big screen revealed a camera showing up behind Marinette.

“Say hi sweetie, you are on the air.” Sonny called out.

The bluish-black haired designer turned around and noticed the camera. She nervously waved, unsure of what to do.

“H-hi sweetie.” Marinette parroted nervously. She wish she was better prepared for this. Granted it wasn't the first time a camera caught her off guard, she still remembers when the cameras following Jagged stone went into her room. That was a real nightmare, this might be a close second.

The crowd was cheering as they saw Marinette on the screen. One person in the audience yelling ‘Damn she cute!’ but no one knew where.

“Oh wow, she is cute.” Sonny commented. “I need to find out where she got that outfit, it is incredible.”

“She made it herself. That is just one of her designs.” Adrien answered. “But I think we should turn the camera off, I don't think she would like to be on camera without permission.”

“Of course.” Sonny motioned quickly and the screen stopped showing Marinette. “I guess we got a little over excited her on SaS. Thats what I call this little show.”

“As I was saying. Marinette did design that outfit herself. She told me it was inspired by Chat noir and I must say it is very impressive.” Adrien veered the conversation back to avoid that awkward moment. He made a mental note to make sure Marinette was okay with being on camera like that and apologize if she wasn't. He had told her she would likely not be on camera, and this was counter to what he had said.

“Well I see why you are humbled by her talent. That design is to die for. Though are you worried that Chat noir might steal her away from you? She did base a design off of him.” Sonny poked.

Adrien felt a faint blush thinking about this.

“I am sure Chat noir would probably find himself falling for her if she wore that in front of him.” Adrien answered, more honestly then the audience knew.

“So what is your relationship with this Marinette? Are you dating? Because I do remember rumors floating around about you running around Paris with a mystery girl? Omg is SHE that mystery girl?!” Sonny excitedly interrogated, causing the crows to lean forward and ‘Ooooooooh’

“Marinette was one of the first people that helped me out when I first started class, though we didn't exactly get off on the right foot at first.” Adrien began.

“Oh? Someone that didn't love you after first meeting you? I find that hard to believe.” Sonny replied.

The Designer was beet red from the previous questions and was now listening super closely. She was going to get to hear how Adrien thought of her.

“You could almost say she hated me, but considering how she thought I put gum on her seat, I doubt anyone would have had a high opinion of me.” Adrien continued. “ It didn't matter that I was a model or had a decent face...”

One person on the audience screamed ‘Your face is perfect!’ which got a few claps. Adrien nodded in the direction mouthing a ‘Thanks’ before facing the camera again.

“It was the first time I realized someone was treating me like a person, not just as a model or as some rich person that needed to be coddled. It made me want to change her mind, her opinion of me mattered. Because it was someone that was judging me for me, not my reputation, not my family, just me.” Adrien confessed.

Marinette remembered that moment in the rain outside of the school. It was the moment that she fell in love with him.

“I managed to clear the air with her and she was happy to move past it once she heard me out about the misunderstanding. After that, I started to get to know her.” Adrien smiled. “She had become my first real friend even though it was a bit bumpy at first, she always seemed nervous around me, I thought it was because she was still on guard, but I realized that it was just her being Marinette, she always seemed nervous but never let it stop her from helping people. She is someone I admire and someone that I can say I am better for knowing.” Adrien finished.

The crowd was surprised by his answer. kind of silent by it.

Adrien realized he had more or less spilled out how he felt about her.

Crap... So much for keeping it calm and professional. I was so busy trying to not to put a label on it that I ended up spilling my guts.

The audience started clapping. There was thunderous applause, they were moved by Adrien’s word.

At the edge of the stage, Marinette was crying happy tears.

He thinks of me like that.

The audience’s applause seemed to die down and Sonny was able to speak up again.

“Truly beautiful wording. But that didn't really answer the question.” Sonny pointed out. She smiled as she noticed something on his cheek that was pointing away from the camera.

“Seems the make up crew missed a spot. There seems to be some lip gloss on your cheek there.” Sonny stated with glee. “And what a familiar shade it is.”

Adrien and Marinette’s face’s shared the same red blush and their thoughts were in sync.

OH FUCK!

“And we will find out more about that and answer some fan questions... When we come back!” Sonny answered as she closed out for commercial.

_______________________________________________________________________

“Oh wow things are really getting interesting.” Nino commented to himself as he was watching Tv and the interview went into commercial. “Good on Marinette for making a move.”

He decided to support his friend by watching the interview, at first it was pretty dull, until Adrien started talking about him and their friends. Of course that host smelled blood in the water and she kept on attacking. He notices his phone buzz. It was a text from Alya.

‘Open the door asap!’

Oh crap! Did I forget something important! Think Nino, is today her birthday? No that is next month. Anniversary? No that was last month. What did I mess up?

Nino opened the door to see his rather furious Girlfriend at the door.

“Hey Babe have you been watching Adrien’s interview? Things are really... is something wrong?” Nino asked cautiously.

“First, is anyone home aside from you?” Alya asked, talking with an eerie calm.

“Are you planning on Killing me?” Nino asked trying to pretend like he was joking.

“Not you, you are wonderful. Someone else.” Alya assured.

“Oh, then yea. Its just me.”

“Okay good.” Alya smiled for a second before closing the door before letting her emotions out. “THAT TWO FACED BITCH LIED TO OUR FACE!”

Nino was shocked. “Wait who?”

“Lila! She blatantly lied to our faces! She told us that she was sorry, that it was a simple error in judgment. That she was doing this to help Marinette and Adrien! It was all a load of crap! My Intuition was picking up on this but I ignored it because I didn't have proof. But now I have proof!” Alya raved.

“Babe, deep breaths. What proof?” Nino tried to ease.

“You are gonna wanna sit down for this.” Alya stated. _______________________________________________________________________

Lila felt her fist tremble as she watched that interview. She was disgusted by his praise of Ladybug, how he kept so calm and collected, but then, then he started talking about Marinette. He was practically saying he worshiped the ground she walked on and then just to add insult to injury, that comment about Lip gloss.

The brunette wanted to scream, but her emotions seemed to cool when she noticed Adrienne’s reaction.

“Who is that bitch!?” Adrienne shouted as she shot up from the couch. “How come she gets to get so close to Adrien!? How come he is practically singing her praises! Just because she is a designer? I designed all of these banners! I designed the Adriknight Logo!”

“Adrienne... Please calm down, I don't think they are dating. He would have clarified it if they were.” Maggie tried to ease.

Lila felt her rage turn to sinister inspiration.

“Oh Adrienne, I am really sorry to tell you this, but they are.” Lila spoke with a saddened tone.

The three other girls looked at Lila with wide eyes. As if saying ‘What have you done’

“WHAT!?! That can't be true. You are lying!” Adrienne cried out.

Lila walked over.

“They started dating a few days ago, after they got matched up in Soulmate Searcher.”

Adrienne felt her knees wobble.

“Thats not possible... I made an account, I would have showed up on his list if he had one.” Adrienne answered.

Lila pulled out her phone and showed her a photo, one that showed Adrien’s list.

“Adrien sent me this when he told me they started dating.” Lila lied as she let the girl look at the photo closely.

“Adrienne please don't listen to her. It is obviously a joke!”

“Oh, I wish it was. Marinette is a nasty manipulative shrew that is only dating Adrien because she wants him to help launch her fashion career. The poor boy doesn't even realize it.” Lila spoke into Adrienne’s ear. “I am convinced she rigged it to get 100%, after all, no one else has ever gotten 100%. But poor naive Adrien was so trusting of the app that he just couldn't help but give it a chance.”

Tears began to stream down the club president’s cheeks.

“Adrien... but he .... but we...” Adrienne tried to articulate as she dropped Lila’s phone. She ran into the bathroom and started sobbing.

The three other girls ran after their club president as Lila picked up her phone. She snagged an Adrien cupcake and took a bite out of it, before casually walking out of the room. Lila was going to make her way to the studio.

Enjoy your gift Hawkmoth. I need to go get that recording.

_______________________________________________________________________

A window opened letting the light into a dark room. A man in a grayish silver mask and a purple suit stood in a room filled with White butterflies.

“Ah, obsession, The crazy sister of the emotion of Love. The tears and absolute anguish of a heartbroken fan who finds herself separated from the object of her affections. How tragic. It seems Miss Rossi has blessed me with a gift.” Hawkmoth monologued as he opened his hand allowing a white butterfly to land. He infused the white butterfly with his power turning it into an akuma

“Go my Akuma, find the source of that powerful negative emotion and evilize her” The villain exclaimed as he sent out the akuma from his hand and let it fly into Paris.

_______________________________________________________________________

Adrienne wept on the floor of her bathroom as her friends tried to get her to come out. She was clutching her bag of homemade Adriknight pins as she cried.

“Adrien... you belong to all of us... not that evil witch...” She sniffled as she let her sorrow take hold. The akuma flew through the small bathroom window and possessed the bag. Adrienne sat up and her face now had a purple butterfly outline over her face.

“Fandoom, I am Hawkmoth. Adrien is someone that can not be possessed by one individual, he deserves the praise and adoration of all of Paris. I am giving you the ability to expand your influence and power by recruiting more members for your cause. Show him that he deserves better. In exchange, you will deliver to me Ladybug and Chat noir’s Miraculous.”

The red head smiled darkly at the proposal. Adrien was not something that could belong to one person. If Adrien was taken away, then there would be no Adriknights, and then the club would dissolve. She couldn't let that happen!

“I accept Hawkmoth. I will show Adrien the love he deserves.”

Adrienne was covered in a purplish black mist transforming her into an akuma.

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Part 11 is finished I am so amazed by all of the amazing takes you guys have on Marinette’s outfit. So, I thought of something that would be cool if you guys are up for it. I want to see your guesses on what you think ‘Fandoom’ looks like. (This is completely optional and will not impact whether or not I write part 12. It would be super cool to see.)

Please Keep up that amazing feedback. I love seeing those notes and comments, It really feeds my impulsive need to write.

Below are all the people who are tagged. If you have not been tagged, and want to be tagged, or requested to be tagged and want to be from now on (PLEASE Check to make sure you are tagged in case there is an issue with the system):

@suzanaboss @chrissyl0v3 @changingmagz @black-cat-9000 @misscrimsonflame @wegan97 @maddrag @lady13bug @franco-green @i-sttan @t-mblrwontletmehaveagoodname @miraculous-multishipper@assortedyeets @noirchengs @katzzz @miyugaze@mindfulmagics@janaikam@wolfyred-ks @only1nycsweetie @aconi17 @miraculousl4dybug @origami-dreams @mellsrants @idekpeople@isingwhennobodyseesme@garfieldloganlovesrachel@mr-ray607@bromanticgigglefits @masked-bixch@starryarose@flightfoot @coccinellegirl@cheezuschryst @checkmeow @auroradraws @absolutelycoathangered@solar-flare-606@angelisalise

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#soulmate survey #soulmate searcher #miraculous ladybug #ml #adrienette #ladrien #marichat #ladynoir #marinette dupain cheng #Adrien agreste #alya cesaire #if this one could also get 1000 notes that would be beautiful #or some delicious fanart #nino lahiffe #so much drama #the fluff #the suspence

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Hobbit Soulmate Pt 37

“You’re doing it again,” Tracy said once in the set with you for your next scene post lunch you’d mostly read through while Lee continued to bask in the hype of the news of how his film was doing numbers wise. Head turned your eyes fell on her and she said, “You are sulking. Are you sleeping?”

“Ya,”

Inching closer she asked in a try to be playful tone to ease out a smile from you, “Your teddy bear miss a phone call?”

“No, Richard called and messaged twice yesterday.” Her brows arched up through a smirk and you sighed, “He hid something in the closet. Spent weeks making sure I didn’t ‘know’ anything was there under his clothes and he left and now the cubby is empty.”

Her hand planted on your arm, “Oh, like a second phone? Or something?”

“Lee said he saw him at a jewelers in town while I was in New York for my table reads.”

“Oh,” she said with tone perking up.

“And I don’t even expect gifts, but he’s gone for months away from me and he left me a sweater and I’m trying not to pout at not getting the gift he’s so terrible at hiding that he has for me, but,” after a quick sigh you said, “A gift would have been nice.”

That had Tracy giving you a hug, an action luring Lee’s gaze from across the set to you and your moment of allowing your sunken expression read across your face, “Honey bunny, maybe it’s a welcome home to England present for when you see him again. I knew he was up to something, he is terrible at hiding things from you, even my sharing I was taking you for a manicure he was ready to explode for our weekend out while he was off on those night shoots.”

“I’ll be fine, and I’ll stop sulking.” She chuckled again and rubbed your back walking with you across the fake bar for your first marks and where she could find her drink covered tray prepped and ready to go.

“If my teddy bear left the country with the chance of more than a sweater I’d be sulking too. Don’t you feel bad, besides, I don’t think I’ve seen you with more than those studs in your ears since I’ve known you. You need some bling girl.”

“I really do,” you said twisting the ring on your left ring finger of metal flowers for this role feeling the necklace cold against your skin shifting under the collar of your furry collard coat once again.

All over the news the footage of the Oscars was being replayed, namely the clip from Adrien’s award for Lead male when he forced a kiss upon Halle Berry making you bury your face in your hands. “Didn’t even ask,” Lee muttered at your shift to plop your covered face on his thigh.

On your other side Tracy said, “And you have to work with that asshole. I look forward to the press of you bashing his face in.”

Lee said, “You and me both,” rubbing your back.

Tracy, “I still don’t like him, and you have to kiss him? I wouldn’t kiss him.”

Turning your head you looked to the replay and sighed, “Certainly don’t want to, but it’s just the one scene if I can’t talk Peter out of it.”

The press certainly didn’t help and while given the equivalent of a wag of the finger Adrien celebrated the win as the youngest male to ever receive it for Lead Male. Three days after his ride of that press wave and interview circuit the truth came crashing down to news of who was hired to play Ann Darrow. One sigh was his response to the question from a photographer on his path out and about for what he thought of the news only doubling down the urge to break down the actor’s resolve to loathe your being part of the franchise at his side.

“Fifteen bucks, you are telling me you bought those for fifteen bucks?!” Chris all but shouted when his brother displayed the rings upon their arrival at his home from the airport.

Richard just had to show someone and figured Chris would be the best ally in this as he had helped him patch things up with you every time he flubbed things. “I bought the cabinet I found them in, and,”

“Oh I heard that part. Still don’t get how the pair of you can luck into that. These are incredible, I mean she certainly deserves this ring. Just leaving the question,”

“Don’t ask me when, Joe loves the ring and knows I have it, I just have no bloody clue when I could possibly hand it over. And I’ve had it for weeks with her out in Canada and the only time I could actually get it on her finger was when she was asleep. How the hell am I supposed to find some mysterious ‘perfect’ way to ask her when she’s conscious to marry me?! You know me!”

Chris nodded and said, “You got a point,” turning his head, “I idea list, that’s what we can do!” Crossing the room to fetch a notepad and pen.

Five episodes on Ultimate Force to the infidelity casual Cold Feet role the slump of one kiss after another not feeling right or orders to strip and redress again and again for those not you only deepened for Richard while growing ready for his next role. A tv mini series called Between the Sheets, another unfaithful role and one with the biggest drama and to his impression depth to the character also doubled for his most sexual. From a faked blow job to his several love scenes with the lead female to whom his character was married worry seemed to bubble up concerning what impressions would be once it aired. All the way from his parents to you and friends who might think it was the wrong choice of roles. Calls to you however seemed to bolster his hopes you might like it and not be jealous or upset of his behavior with another.

“Today was odd,” he sighed through the line on his phone call to you.

“Oh I think whatever it was it will be amazing.” You teased back mid swipe of your sponge over the dish you were cleaning with phone pressed to your shoulder.

“My co-star raked her nails across my butt cheeks, at least the sex scenes and my arrest are over with, now I just have my breakdown scene where I reveal my infidelity.”

“I’m beginning to think there’s a pattern growing in your roles, dying and dirty deeds.”

Lowly he chuckled, “Well I do play a good villain.”

“Oh psh, you wouldn’t hurt a paper swan.” Making his smile creep wider imagining your smile and what you might be wearing, “I am glad you will have tons of work coming out so we can have some more parties for you. I do love celebrating you Richy Bear.”

“I love you,” he hummed smile locked wider at the nickname knowing the smirk you always had when you said it. “Can’t wait for you to be back here. How’s the show?”

“Uh, tad bit insensitive and a touch racist but it’s certainly unique for a resume. Spring scenes should be better, even have that kid from Disney, Spenser something, has a spot on the show. I get to pin him to a wall.”

“Sounds like fun, I know it will be fantastic with you in it.”

“Either way I just can’t wait for it to be out already. It’s the waiting that will end me, ’05 is when it’s coming out, same as Kong but a few months earlier, over a year, Lee waited nearly three for his film.”

“We’ll just have to keep you distracted then won’t we?”

“Oh really now? And just how will you do that?” You asked drying your hands at the end of the dishes heading to your couch to lounge for the rest of the call feeling his smirk through the line.

Another month hadn’t seemed to help things on that front with questions still lingering on how you could morph from one lead role to the next. Re-using your playful purple low dipping dress alone on Valentines Day you sat in the town car sent for you with hands interlocked on your lap waiting for this film to just be over. Eyes shut you forced yourself to relax in this communication lull of a supposed to be romantic holiday where you still had no bling to show off.

Brad and JLo fresh off their engagement alongside Jennifer Garner with a hopeful relationship on the horizon only made things worse on your painfully throbbing heart. Colin Farrell however seemed to save the day for you latching onto your bare side for the whole of the carpet at your reaching his location and even in the flash of the $1 Million triple pink diamond engagement ring on JLo’s finger made you grateful for the instant carpet buddy eager to catch up with you and hear about what you were up to in Canada after having seen your film twice now. Alone however your seat was bumped back to the row of extras who shared your curiosity on how little you would be fleeting across the screen of this film. Loud and boisterous at the club they had chosen for the after party the crowd helped in your slip out of the venue to hail a cab home to yet another empty apartment. Stretched out across your bed to wait for the time to leave and catch your flight to England where a late romantic morning bagel might help to make up for how you feel right now.

Right off your feet into a tight hug you were lifted. Still in your dress with Richard’s sweater and your coat over the dress hinting that you had to leave the party to make your flight in a rush down to the tall heels you had to take off for most of the day long flight. Already outside the cameras snapped away ready to spread that assumption when, post loving kiss, Richard took hold of your suitcase and duffel bag murmuring sweetly, “You bought a second bag.”

“Yes, seems I have picked up more clothes recently, and the shoes I got with the Jens didn’t help either.”

“I am just glad you have more things, I wasn’t fond of all your things fitting in one bag alone.” Leaning in he pressed another kiss to your forehead, “Let’s get you home, got a nice breakfast planned for you and day of relaxing before our table read tomorrow.”

Waiting on the set table a stuffed rhino sat beside a candle holder, around its head in a crown of sorts rested a silver bracelet with five round emeralds. “Happy late Valentines, they were out of roses,” he hummed lifting the bracelet that around the wrist he raised to lovingly secure it. Awkwardly a grin split across your face in the press of his lips to your palm and knuckles afterwards.

“It’s really beautiful, perfect gift, thank you, and I love the rhino too.” Spreading his own smile as you added, “My dad tell you I love emeralds?”

“Might have mentioned it,” he hummed back, “Sadly it was that one or some large joined bangle type design a bit too flashy I think for subway wearing for you to feel safe.”

“You would be right in that, bangles drive me a bit crazy too, have to wear some for the show. Thank you, really,” you said crashing into his chest for a tight hug he melted into holding you close to your murmur of, “Don’t know how you managed to keep this a secret so long.”

To himself he chuckled easing his arms more across your back, “Nearly killed me. I hate secrets from you.” His smile easing out more at your shift closer to his chest unaware of the much bigger jeweled secret hidden in his house Chris had aided in finding the least conspicuous place to put the rings. Time apart was shared in the joint task of fixing up a breakfast cuddled through and after. Lunch again was alone however supper happened to be part of a potluck ambush from the Armitage brood here to welcome you back again and plan out more time together.

Back in sweaters, boots and jeans you and Richard were off for the day. Hand in hand through the building you were directed to you arrived at the desk outside the appointed room where a smiling aid showed you both inside the lounge filled with couches and armchairs facing inwards towards the rug coated area in the center clearly for acting out the scenes if need be with named binders on each cushion. Tucked in one of the loveseats you and Richard were assigned your spots nearest to the director and with her darting off to fetch you some tea the binders were lifted to allow you to settle in. With a bashful grin between you at being the only ones here so far. “I think we might be a bit too early.”

“No such thing,” he hummed smiling at you then to the door as it opened again.

Through it Anna Martin, playing Bessy Higgins came through the door with a relieved sigh, “Not too late then, got stuck in that roundabout, vans wouldn’t let me over, Anna,” she said crossing the room with hand extended shaking Richard’s hand first in his quicker pop up then yours.

“Richard,”

“Jaqi, hi.” Releasing her hand to say, “Bessie, right?”

“Yes, I could have sworn you were British, but I must have seen you with several accents in your work.”

Richard chuckled, “Halfway at least by our math.”

“I do spend a good bit of the year here had tons of time to pick up the accents.”

Kay Lyon was next beside Brendan Coyle, playing Mary and Nicholas Higgins with the latter muttering about the same roundabout then joined in on the introductions. Brian Protheroe was next for Mr Bell followed by the two Thorntons finishing up Richard’s on screen family, Sinéad Cusack and Joy Joyner. Tim Pigott-Smith, Pauline Quirke, Lesley Manville, Rupert Evans filled in your family, Richard, Dixon, Maria and Frederick for the Hale household. For the Lennox brood Travis Oliver, John Light and Emma Ferguson were to be the captain, Henry and Edith. Jane Booker for Mrs Shaw led in the Boucher brood played by William Houston, Caroline Pegg and Spencer Wild. Seats filled one by one and with tea handed out the Director smiled taking their seat beginning their welcoming speech to open the first scene when the work was to get going.

One week this room was your daily stop with the floors below used to help each of you with your first fittings for your outfits through the show. Hair and makeup tests were next and surprised by the stretch of your curls a lovely few choices to pick from the team loved with ample spots for your unruliest of curls to slip out and dangle around your head gracefully helping with the scenes you would be playing exhaustion. Playful twists at Richard’s side fluffed and twirled your skirts luring the blushing grin from the top hat wearing brooder formerly scowling in focus while apart from you. Clearly the brooding surly side to John he had down, for everyone else it was how Richard looked at you adoringly between speaking to others that melted doubts on how convincing the blossoming love would show on screen.

Broken hearts came first, amid the drama of the brewing strike ready to bubble over courting another woman and pained glares came from Richard. Curt interactions and gruff inquiries and responses out of John to Margaret while he meant to uncover why she was not choosing to share her troubles with him. This was post betrayal when he deemed her to have been free with showing affections to some mystery man you’d yet to film yet, starting right in the pain of it all to bubble out to both the beginning and end while the country turned greener again when Spring came back around. Some might have imagined it to be rough to split from that harsh contrast, those who did not notice each teasing smile or face from you tearing a chuckle filled smile from Richard between the blush inducing pecks you stole on toe top pecks on his nose with each hushed argument.

The darkest of scowls came on the day the strike would break and if you hadn’t stayed close to show how much of a teddy bear Richard was the other men, especially Boucher who ‘threw’ the stone to knock Margaret unconscious in front of the mob in her try to save John from the harm’s way she pushed him into. Five takes of the brewing stress came with ease after the first try to see Richard not jump the rail and rush to throttle the actor. A rubber stone by a staff member above on a camera platform who lined up the toss to hit the spot a hidden makeup artist would sneak out once you’d done the collapse take enough times to play out the sprawled position for the streak of blood along your hairline. A task filled with hushed giggles from you until action was called again for Richard to lift you up and carry you inside again.

From this the next week would be scenes apart to meet up at the wardrobe building on the way to supper. The depression of the winter months and hardships of the funeral scenes bubbled to just one. In the midst of filming the scenes of the Hales arrival to Milton giggles slipped out between jokes traded between you and the female cast members who had been buried and still showed up to work still. Hints of green on the first flowering bushes outside had Richard smiling knowing that the romantic ending was coming up along with that devastating refusal or marriage for John he hoped to be the only time he would get a refusal to a proposal from you. He never had the thought pop into his head before, there wasn’t a reason for you to refuse to marry him. True it’d just been a slightly teasing glimmer in the distance with close friends and relatives but forever was his goal and to his own mind he had made that apparent. Now the question had bubbled up again of how.

Brendan smirking in your latest break between sets inched over in the gentle blow you gave to the steaming tea helping to warm you up on the nippy end to winter. “You are actually adorable you know.” Having caught Richard’s stolen kiss on his way to head to his office for more scenes post street interaction with you.

Smiling up at him you said mid giggle, “Thank you, you are quite adorable yourself.”

Deeply he chuckled to himself and said, “I have to admit I was a bit intrigued to see how things would go between the pair of you with all that press around you and that brunette out in Canada.”

“Oh,” you said lowering your mug to let it cool accepting help from one of the aids taking your shawl to shake the fake cotton off the back of it, “That’s Lee, my best friend from Drama School, out in Canada we’re on a show together picking back up in the end of Spring.”

Anna who’d snuck up said, “That’s good to hear, you do make a perfect couple. Some guys I know would be up in arms over a flub like that.”

That had you giggle after another blow on your tea, “Well he knows Lee, we’re all good friends so I think that’s part of it. Plus he is a tad amused that he’s been called my Boy Toy,” making the pair chuckle as you giggled again, “We’ve gotten used to long distance and I suppose it really comes down to trust issues for guys, hell even one of the women on set, another of my former classmates who I’m rumored with. All just fluff, even they get giggles out of it.”

Brendan asked, “Boy Toy? They really looked at him and picked that?”

“Exactly his amusement. At least he didn’t take it as a demotion from Partner, just let them make up their own stories.”

On his own the title had been used by Brendan between takes with his scenes with Richard luring a blushing laugh from the lanky man meant to be towering over him helping to ease the tension from their scene, one of many of their battles of wills. By far helping to improve a friendship of sorts with one of his scene partners he spent the longest with aside from his fake family.

It was a Monday, like any other, but the big day had come, the day John’s heart and trust would shatter in Margaret and be seen with another man at night un-chaperoned in a loving embrace. The start of a trio of night shifts on the set had come and let Richard sneak in his plan. “Be right at the car, forgot my notepad.”

“Ok,” you said stepping out of the front door with his keys in hand, “I’ll start the car,” wiping your eyes still half asleep nothing seemed to be off in Richard’s double back to grab something, just what he needed. Post peek out the curtain on the window by the door he turned shifting the coat tucked in his arm hurrying to the spare bed. Off the top shelf high above where you could reach he pulled the two now wrapped ring boxes with notes on them. The one with the note for you he left in the center of the table with the second he settled in the cupboard above the fridge you wouldn’t bump into. Off the counter he grabbed the notepad tucking that under his arm to go and join your no doubt napping self already waiting for him in the car.

Betrayal was swiftly followed by refusal, in the brighter gray of the morning once the proposal turned argument with him storming right out of the set was the beginning and end of your shift. Ready to be out of your corset tears were close coming to blurring your vision for how emotional these scenes were and what you had to draw from to get to the reactions required. Out from the men’s wardrobe room eyes had shifted over Richard at his own anxious shuffling his way through getting dressed again and out to the hall to meet up to head home.

Awkward silence seemed to fall over the car between stops to pick up lunch from a fancier eatery than you frequented paired with a bottle of wine from there to go with the dinner. All the scents of the meal had you glancing over at Richard who glanced back with a flash of a wide smile then looked away again. “I think it went well today.” You squeaked out and he looked back with another smile.

“Everyone loved it. Yes, I think we really did the argument and the suspicion behind Frederick fleeing justice. Now we just have to do the hiding period where John can’t come inside only heightening things before the trips away to film the whole convention portion.”

“Ya, then we just have to kill off Mr Hale and do the whole Southern scenes before the big reunion scene at the station. Then I think it’s just more meddling from Mr Bell, right?”

“Yes, and your face off with John’s mother at the empty mill after my goodbye from Nicholas.” Again he looked you over asking, “You are enjoying this film?”

“Oh ya, no question about it. I mean I do miss the actual mental play by play from the book, especially John’s,” making him smirk at your hand tapping his arm, “You do impeccable with subtle things it’s just, I love the words it makes him so much more adorably soppy compared to his rough shell.”

“I get that,” he hummed back patting his hand on your knee not ready to take your hand to give away his thundering pulse. “I do love Margaret’s words over her own swooning. Plus I do miss the private moment where he clings to her after being struck in the head.”

A twinge more of the awkward was gone at his hand moving from the shifter to stroke his fingertips across your knee drawing shapes to distract himself ready to no longer have to live without the weight of that ring on his finger. This would be bold, insisting on wearing his ring as well for his own engagement ring and most likely could explode on the news when the press would catch onto the matching rings and assume that you had already run off and eloped. Which could be more likely in the next slew of auditions and the magazine spread you were to film that Peter had set up to your schedule for the cast of King Kong with another for you and Richard around the Beast of Bards film and its progress so far in theaters. But that all came after his having to ask the question.

You did as you always did, taking the bag of food while he grabbed the wine, sturdier hands when it came to glass he followed you inside. With a smirk he failed to hold back right across his face hidden by his turn to lock the door saying practically in a hum, “If you’ll set out the food I’ll pop the wine.”

Behind you he crept smiling wider on your path to the table, inside the kitchen he set the wine bag down leaving his coat beside it to sneak the cupboard open to grab the wrapped box he palmed. His eyes fixed on your back for full view of the pause you took eyeing the box on the center of the table beside the candleholder you didn’t notice he’d put out the night before along with the special table setting. Carefully the bag was set down and to the box you moved lifting the indigo ribbon wrapped box with white paper coated in blue floral outlines and a note. ‘Give me to Richy Bear.’ A heart was drawn beside the words and lifting the box that adorable puzzled smirk he loved spread across your face.

Nice and confused into the kitchen you walked finding him looking you over, smile split free as you held out the box, “This is for you?”

“Thank you, trade you, my Dearest Love.” He said accepting his box for the one in his hand identically wrapped. ‘I pick the wine, you chose the spoons, My Dearest Love.’

Watching him your eyes narrowed with hold of the puzzling box while he eased the ribbon off his to pull the side of the paper off. His smile wide in his glance up to say, “Don’t wait for me,” back to the box in your hands your eyes dropped and with your free hand the end of the ribbon was undone to set aside with the note left on the counter. Out of the side of the folded paper you eyed the box inside keeping the lid side upright unwrapping the rest of the paper set aside too.

Upon opening his wrapping paper Richard blinked eyeing the message that was meant to be on your box alone Chris must have written across both. ‘Marry Me?’ Lifting the lid he flashed your way he hummed out in a means to pretend this was planned, “Of course I’ll marry you!” Instantly your eyes shot up and the distance was closed while you read the lid he was holding. Eyes eased shut for a lingering kiss that in the thunder of your heart almost had your knees give out.

In the pull back his eyes dropped to your box reading the same message that your free hand moved to take the lid off in his silent hint, the smile inducing rock inside found you gently reaching in with your fingers to ease it out. A task taken slower in noticing the top lifting up while he dangled his pouch from around his thumb. Richard smiled taking the box away to let you hold the geode box you eased open revealing a velvet pouch.

You must have skipped a second because in the view of the box Richard appeared in your view now on his knee with hands tenderly folded around your wrist making shapes in your skin asking, “Will you go on this adventure with me?”

“I love adventures,” you wisped out making his smile split wider.

“Well then open the pouch.” He hummed with eyes following your hand in his timid rise hoping he was doing this all perfect for you to look back on for years to come in claiming the geode box when you lifted the pouch.

Wide eyed you gawked at the ring, “You did not buy this!”

Your eyes met his and he shook his head, “Nope, you did.”

“Oh really? And how did I do that?” You asked with an instant playful challenging smirk to his deepening smile.

“I didn’t hunt down the old owner of that cabinet over some pens and a music box.” He drew out his ring showing you that one while sharing, “Hercule thought he lost these rings in that house fire. The geode box was inside that cabinet and that contract I told you about was about these rings. They were scuffed up and I took them to get cleaned and appraised.”

“Rich, how much is this ring?”

“No less than you deserve.” Your lips parted and he smiled saying, “They both have spoon engraved inside.” Again your smile split awkwardly out across your face.

“That’s why you wrote that note on mine, like their story.”

“Exactly,” he wet his lips and reached for the ring on your palm along with your left hand, purring, “You don’t want to wear it?”

“Rich you didn’t have to buy me a ring.”

“Yes I did, I wanted a ring! Be rude not to get you one to match.”

“Will it even fit? It’s huge.”

“It fits, you nearly didn’t give it back when I tried it on your finger.” He said easing it back onto your finger with eyes shining brightly as he did to your gasp.

“Where was I when that happened?”

“Sleeping,” he chuckled leaning in to kiss you again, just melting around you at the loop of your arms around his neck for the celebratory embrace lasting even after the kiss had ended, for a close eyed hug to cling to one another.

“I would have woken up if you put this on me.”

That made him chuckle into your shoulder, “You almost did, rolled over burying your hand into the pillow. You like it?” He murmured inching back to see your face.

“I love it, it’s still huge though.” In front of you he dangled his pouch that you smirked in accepting, “This is your ring?”

He nodded and said, “Which I plan on wearing.”

“Today?” You asked with a smile and he nodded.

“Right here, right now and every day from here out. You bought it for me and I intend on boasting endlessly.” Once out of the pouch this ring widened your eyes as well and he lifted his hand saying, “They’re absurdly big compared to what I could have afforded until Bard is out of theaters. But you have to admit, fifteen bucks for these second hand suits us.” Up his finger the ring slid and came to rest and he said, “If you must know, both are 24 karat white gold. My center emerald is seven carats and the onyx and diamonds are a half a carat each. While your emerald is eight carats and the diamonds and smaller emeralds are one carat each. That’s all I’m telling you about them, other than the jewelers I went to said when you want we could go there to design your wedding band, on which I was clueless.” He looked you over in your moment of pause, “What are you thinking for bands?”

“Well, my cousin we went to her wedding,” which he nodded at remembering the ceremony at the courthouse and party on the family land while you were filming Elektra before her husband shipped out so he could leave her charge of his property that wouldn’t go to his family. “She picked one of those eternity bands with hearts, I did like that design.”

His grin eased out again, “That sounds beautiful.”

“Though hers was nearly three grand,”

“Don’t you worry about the price. I have money saved up, money is not an issue.” His hands eased on your hips to draw you closer to his chest, “I know getting through school was so difficult, I’ve been scraping by too for a decade before I had even met you finding what I loved. I will always do my best to ensure that we have a solid financial footing, and I do know you are getting paid crazy amounts of money for your roles. Even if I never get another check like off of Bards, I will be here, and I will never use that as any sort of,” he sighed and said after wetting his lips. “I am so proud of you, and where some men may feel they have to be the bread winner even if you out earn me I will never let that get between us. And I will do all I can to make you not feel like you can’t depend on me to help fund our lives.”

“I never thought that. I would never.”

“I know, but it may come up for others, I couldn’t afford this ring on my own if not for having found it, but I do hope one day comfortably I might be able to afford one half as much as this without worry on bills around it once this Bard money is gone. So you pick the band you want and we’ll get it for you. If it helps your dad loves the rings.”

“How did you show him?”

“Sent him a picture when I got them cleaned. And I bet you he’s shown them around.”

“No wonder his voice has been squeaking, you made him wait months! And where the hell did you get that geode box?”

He chuckled again, “They were both in the geode box, they were scuffed up from it when I found it, so that’s why I left yours in the pouch. I’m gonna open the wine.”

“Right,” you said breaking your smile up at him, “Food,” you said turning back to setting the table for the start of the rest of the romantic evening until it was bedtime. Calls to family put a lot of people out of their joint misery and kicking the plans into a slow grind for what and when you might want a ceremony to be. And in cleaning up came the start of an adorable habit where you would tap his side or arm to say with a smile, “We’re getting married,” or “Fiancé,” always splitting a massive smile across his face in his move to scoop you up for a loving kiss and tons of cuddles.

That evening for another shoot however you stood looking at your ring through cooking before heading out, “We wear them to work, right? I mean we have those lockers, they seem pretty sturdy with cameras.”

“Other actors wear jewelry to work, we will be safe wearing them.”

The fact proven to be true from the sight of the new rings security took mental notes to mark you among the cast working with jewelry to have that locker room under surveillance ensuring that it remained off limits to those not assigned there. Cameras stationed outside the studio however with view of the parking garage on the way in and out honed in on the new sparkle on your finger mirrored by his in a wave to them upped the shadows on the path out the morning after.

Pt 38

Hobbit – Soulmate - @evyiione, @deepestfirefun, @rhaenaatargaryen, @anastasialovers

X all Rich. A - @abiwim, @deepestfirefun, @thestorybookmistress

X Lee P - @tigereyesf

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore, @mariannetora, @shes-a-killer-kween, @ggbbhehe4455

#Pouting #Premier #Time Apart #Sharing of Plans #North and South Filming #Time in England #Living Together Again #The Proposal #Richard Armitage x Reader OC

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spartanxhunterx · 4 years

Text

Bug And Shell(d): Lady Wi-Fi

If there was one thing Nino hated, it was leaving Ladybug hanging during an Akuma attack. Being temporally separated was one thing, it was another thing to come in a whole hour after it had started to only be around for five minutes.

Still he probably would have been on time had Marinette not so desperately needed the bathroom and been gone as long as she was. It wasn't her fault of course, it's not like she knew he was Carapace and purposely made it difficult for him.

He'd run out the classroom the second the bell rang, transformed and got to the fight as quickly as possible.

Besides the Akuma wasn't that dangerous, it was just a kid... But if that didn't get Nino's big brother instincts going off then nothing would.

Hawkmoth akumatised a child.

Throwing his Shield into his face was the only thing he would ever give Hawkmoth.

That was neither here nor now. So he would have to let it go for now.

Luckily he hadn't needed to use Shell-ter so he had managed to get back quick enough to make it seem like he hadn't even left school. Despite it being over he didn't want people to question how he went in and never came back out without being seen. Which was why he was walking back out the front doors of the school while adjusting his bag.

"Nino wait." Feeling a hand grab his wrist he turned to the source of the voice. Alya .

"Hey dudette, what's up?"

"Come with me." As quick as that she began to drag him away and he had to refrain from trying to pull out her grasp. He wasn't uncomfortable, it was just that you gained a few... Reactions when fighting Akuma. "I need your help."

She dragged the two of them down the school steps and onto an out of the way bench. Nino took a seat on his side before propping one foot on his other knee as he leaned back with folded arms.

"So what did you-"

" Shh. " The finger on his lips was enough to silence him, if only because of the surprise.

He watched as Alya dialed someone, put it to Her ear before letting out a growl before locking her phone.

"I hate when she goes awole." Ah. Marinette right. Both Alya and Marinette had become fast friends since the their first meeting and while it didn't diminish his and Marinette's friendship, it was more special to her. "She's not calling me back where is that girl?"

" Seriously, Adrien's kinda the same too. But I suppose you gotta get crafty when 'Mr. Control freak' is your daddy-o. " Alya's faced scrunched up at that and Nino hoped she wasn't noticing that he also went missing quiet a bit. He had a legit reason of course, Adrien too, Marinette... Well he wasn't sure her reason but he doubted it was anything bad.

Alya's phone chimed and he leaned over closer to seen what it was as she turned it towards him. A short clip of him and Ladybug... Ugh, Carapace and Ladybug, showed them comforting the victim and giving a nervous wave to everyone.

That had happened roughly ten minutes ago, so he was a little surprised that the news crew managed to air the recording already. It was probably done from the news van if he had to guess.

"That's it!" He blinked as Alya opened Marinette's bag, took out a sticky note and her tablet before she began to write on the note. " I'm think I just sniffed out who the real Ladybug is! "

For a second Nino's brain froze and very suddenly he didn't want to hear what Alya was going to say. It was far, far too risky to learn his partners identity.

As she finished writing the note, which he did not even try to look at, she leaned close to his ear and whispered. "Chloé."

Something bubbled in his chest. He let it out in the form of a humored laugh before placing a hand on Alya's shoulder.

"Chloé's not Ladybug, She too..." He twisted his other hand in a thoughtful manner. "Self absorbent, harsh and uncaring to be saving Paris every couple of days."

Not to mention that the girl had been saved by Ladybug after begin thrown off the Eiffel tower by stoneheart. But that was not something Nino could say as it was something Carapace knew, not Nino.

"I know I'm Right, and when I prove it, you'll see." Nino watched as she got up and left with Marinette's belongings, no doubt going to return them.

Once she was out of sight he poked his jacket were he knew Wayzz was hiding. The little being stuck his head out cautiously, only flying out once he deemed it safe.

"I know Alya's wrong about Chloé being ladybug but I can't help but feel like this is going to cause a problem."

The turtle Kwami look at him for a moments before floating down to sit on his shoulder. "Indeed but it is important to remember that you are all young, you are going to be a little irrational but what is important is you learn from it."

Nino chuckled before petting Wayzz on the head, a gesture he seemed to enjoy. "Always so full of wisdom aren't you dude? A Box of Macaroons in one of our favorite flavours if we're right."

" Deal. "

"I'm telling you Alya, if Chloé's Ladybug then that makes me Hawkmoth."

" Very funny Nino. "

Nino was not having a good morning, first being dragged away to this corner by Alya and now having to watch her trying to get evidence that Chloé was Ladybug. Despite the fact that there was actually evidence to prove the contrary.

"Look man, I'm not gonna stop your theories and whatever but don't drag me into it," taking note of her expression he pointed over the where Adrien was just climbing out his car. "Look why don't you ask Adrien, he'd be on board to find out who Ladybug is and he Chloé's friend. So it's a win-win for you."

Even if Nino knew it was already a lost cause.

"You know what? Maybe I will." At least she was out of his hair.

NOTE TO SELF: DON'T MAKE DEALS WITH POWERFUL GOD LIKE BEINGS!

You will lose, period.

It was bad enough that an Akuma attack was happening in the middle of School but what was worse was that it was Alya who was akumatised. All of this was over her incorrect hunch of Chloé being Ladybug.

Not only that but Chloé had gotten Alya suspended for a week, just cause she took a picture of her locker. Sure it was rude and a little invasive but not worthy of being suspended.

Still he was a little greatful at being at ground zero today, at least he wouldn't leave Ladybug hanging for long, if at all.

Ducking into an alleyway he transformed. To avoid suspicion he jumped up the nearby fire escape until he was on top of the building.

As peaceful as it was, he had a job to do.

he knew it was Alya who was akumatised, he knew she was after the truth of ladybugs identity and that she heavily suspected Chloé. Her Akuma name was Lady Wi-Fi.

Nino had figured that the names were quite literal towards what the Akuma could do.

Stoneheart? Big guy of stone who's cause was the matters of his heart.

Lady Wi-Fi? Well, he's going to assume some Wi-Fi based powers. But first he needed to find her.

fortunately he knew where to start.

He took off running on the rooftops, head twisting left and right just in case she decided to surprise him out of nowhere. Nothing, not even the standard level of panic the civilians had when an Akuma was running rampant, cause one wasn't doing so publicly.

He hoped Ladybug was out and about looking as well, just to make it easier to pinpoint her down. Jumping down to street level, and startling a few locals, he looked up at the building he had brought himself towards.

The Le Grand Paris hotel. Chloé's home.

Alya would come after Chloé, all he had to do was wait for her to show up. As he stepped up to the hotel he nodded to the doorman who had held the door open to him, seeing heads turn to him was an odd sight and he had to double check not make sure he was actually transformed.

"Mr. Bourgeois. A word."

Paris' Mayor turned away from those he was addressing, seeing him dismiss the others before stepping closer to him.

"Ah, Carapace. What business brings you here?" He could see the man was fidgety, having a hero nearby often meant trouble followed, though through no fault of there's of course.

"Akuma I'm afraid, I have reason to believe they'll be coming for your daughter Chloé." He saw the way the man twitched, saw that worried and fearful look go in his eye before it was plasted over by neutrality.

"Oh dear, what can I do to help?"

" Since I believe they'll come for Chloé I feel it would be best if I stick near her, keep her safe even before they arrive. "

"Yes, yes, of course." The older man began to guide the younger one to the elevator. "Please do see that she's kept unharmed, I don't think I can take it."

"Of course dude, that my job after all." As the elevator closed he slumped slightly. "Of course I wouldn't be here if your daughter didn't cause problems." After this he was so going to get two boxes of Macaroons, one for him and one for Wayzz.

Once at the top floor he walked up to Chloé's door and gave it a hard knock three times then waited. The door opened slowly, Chloé was half peaking out, as if hiding her body behind the door. Her eyes widened upon seeing him but there wasn't fear in those eyes. No recognition that she was in danger, she held the look of someone who got exactly what they just wanted.

"May I come in?"

" Of course " She opened the door and... Oh, that's why she was hiding. She was wearing a replica of Ladybugs suit, from the boots to the jacket it was highly accurate.

How had she managed to do that?

"Although I won't complain, what brings you to my home?" Nino's eyes darted over the room, taking note of all the electronics, just in case Alya could control them.

"Lady Wi-Fi, the Akuma, I believe she may be after you." She could see Chloé flinch, no doubt remembering her impromptu flight off the Eiffel tower courtesy of Stoneheart. "So I decided to do two things at once, one," he held up a finger as he stopped in the middle of the room. " protect you, two " he help up a second finger. "Prepare an ambush, hopefully Ladybug can get to us before Lady Wi-Fi and we should have this in the bag."

" Oh... Well make yourself comfortable I guess. " Chloé picked up a replica of Ladybugs Yo-Yo and began to go through basic moves with it. Huh... Didn't Alya say she saw something like that? Probably what started this whole mess.

"Gotta say, I'm impressed with your outfit, highly accurate. Where'd you get it made?"

"Personal tailor." she brought the yo-yo up to her hand and held it before resting a hand on her hip. " What do you mean highly accurate? It should be perfect. "

"Your missing the fifth spot on the centre of your back, on top of which those two segments on your back should be separated as two individual pieces, as that's where Ladybugs wings are. " His eyes glanced over as he circled her. "I also think there should be a red stripe on your boots and red spots on your shoulders, other then that it's mostly accurate."

" Ridiculous, utterly Ridiculous. I told them it was wrong. "

Oh, boy. He just unleashed the beast, it was going to be a long, long day.

Around an hour had passed since he arrived, Chloé had spent a good amount of that time either yelling down the landline or practicing her yo-yo skills while talking to him... About Ladybug.

Of course she had taken pictures of him too but had said it was for reference. Meaning she was probably also going to get a Carapace suit made too.

Nino never took Chloé at the cosplaying type, admirer sure but not to this extent. Ah well, imitation was the highest form of flattery after all.

Oddly enough there hasn't been a peep out of Lady Wi-Fi once, there had been some reports of Ladybug flying around but not once had the Akuma turn up. It was really getting on his nerves now.

Seeing that Chloé was occupied with the Yo-Yo he stepped out onto the balcony for a bit of air. His goggled eyes scanned the nearby buildings, maybe he'd see the Akuma lurking about.

He saw Ladybug And he continued to scan over the other buildings before his head snapped back to his partner. He brought one hand up to his mouth to whistle while he waved the other to entice her over.

It was the flash of bright light behind him that made him turn around before his partner could get over to him.

There she was, Lady Wi-Fi, odd, she didn't look too different to how she normally looked. Save for the black and purple clothes and black mask.

Oh, she already had Chloé locked in place... By a pause sign? What did she have weird recording style powers? Didn't really fit with the Wi-Fi theme if he was honest.

As She leaned on Chloé's shoulder Carapace opened the door and pulled his Shield off his back, launching it towards Lady Wi-Fi. She ducked at the last second and stayed down until the shield passed back over her and into Carapace's hands.

"Sorry to interrupt your stream." He adjusted into a defensive stance , half ready to throw the shield and half ready to defend himself. "But I'm afraid you've got a glitch."

" Oh look, the tiny turtle has come to save his love bug. " His face scrunched up and he had to fight down a gag.

"Eww, no. Chloé's not my type. Besides she's not Ladybug."

The doors behind him burst open and his partner landed before him, wings flapping wildly in what he could only assume was agitation. Her Yo-Yo spun rapidly at her side, forming a defensive barrier between her and the Akuma.

"That's Ladybug."

Lady Wi-Fi looked between both his partner and Chloé and while he wanted to just launch his Shield at her a second time he had a feeling Alya would not hesitate to use Chloé as cover.

"But! I thought you were Ladybug!?"

" Really? The girl I saved is actually me? " At least for a moment Alya seemed to sputter, as if trying to find some foothold to continue her argument.

he watched as she swiped her phone, the pause button on Chloé disappearing and the girl went tumbling across the room with her previous momentum. That looked like it hurt.

"What does it matter?" Lady Wi-Fi let out a laugh as she leveled her phone at them. " Now that I have the real Ladybug I can unmask you. "

She threw several blasts and Carapace used his Shield to block them, each blast dissipated upon contact with his Shield instead of being subject to whatever she had been trying to cause.

He felt his partner hit his back, trying to gain his attention. "Follow my lead." Then she leapt over his shoulder allowing her wings to guide her just to the side of Alya and make it past her.

waiting no time he followed suit by charging straight forwards and jumping right over her head, switching into a roll at the last second to keep as much momentum as possible before he sprinted down the hallway after his partner in...

Magic controlled victim fighting?

It didn't have a good ring to it.

"So." He spoke as he jumped down the entire flight of stairs, Ladybug herself was using her wings to flutter from wall to wall where she pushed off each for that extra bit of momentum. "What's the plan?"

" We get down to the basement, her phone requires a Wi-Fi signal and the lower we go... "

"The worse her signal becomes." he finished, head darting upwards to see how far up the Akuma was, he ducked under the incoming projectile before he began to move faster. "No signal, No service."

"Exactly." The two of them stopped as they hit the lowest level, weapons raised and ready to deal with whatever Alya could throw at them.

Nino didn't want to think about the possibility of failure, imagining an army of Akuma who could literally freeze you in place. An army of Stonehearts was bad, he didn't want to think about what an army of Lady Wi-Fi's could do.

"Did you really think I was Chloé?"

He paused and spared a glance over his shoulder, giving Ladybug a 'are you serious right now?' look. "Now ain't the time bug."

" Right, Sorry. "

Both of them waited a moment longer and both grew more concerned when Lady Wi-Fi didn't show up. She had been right behind them both, they couldn't have lost her on the stairs.

The banging of one of the doors made him groan. "She didn't take the bait, we gotta go." He began to run up the steps two at a time, Ladybug flying tightly around each corner, pushing off walls as they ascended.

Both of them shot forwards, Ladybug was hovering with her wings, kicking off each surface to maintain above the stairs level, Carapace jumped up two steps at a time.

"Seriously though, do people mistake Chloé for me? "

"Didn't fool me for a second. "

Carapace cursed internally at seeing the first locked door, then the second. He was just annoyed after the fourth.

Both hero's stopped at the first unlocked door.

"Get ready." He raised his Shield slightly before kicking the door open, it collided with the wall and the two of them stepping in ready to-

It was empty. "Odd I expected an ambush." He hummed in agreement, he certainly would have set up an ambush.

"What I find strange is the phones."

There were phones everywhere, one on each table and even a few just scattered on the floor. It looked both haphazard and creepy all at once.

Just where had these phones come from?

A flicker of light came from one of the phones before Lady Wi-Fi herself emerged from it, hand already in position to launch something at them.

"Surprise!"

The split second reflex to raise his Shield in front of him was very welcome. The blast destroyed itself against his Shield and he and Ladybug jumped away from each other to force the Akuma to have to separate her attention.

He vaulted over a low barrier, tucking his legs up as he went over. As soon as his feet hit the floor he moved into a roll before taking cover behind the table he had just upturned.

Given that Alya had been one of the least destructive Akuma's yet, he was entirely unprepared for the table to be thrown at him by the sheer force of her weapons blasts.

left slightly disoriented he hardly had time to see Lady Wi-Fi gloating at him, at least, not until Ladybugs Yo-Yo Wrapped around her completely, tying her up tightly to the point she flopped over on the table face first.

"I don't think so." As he began to stand up Ladybug strutted forwards, confident that this was finally over.

At least until Lady Wi-Fi disappeared and reappeared from a different phone before immediately flickering between a few of them.

"Ha! You think a little wires going to stop me?"

Ladybugs eyes flickered around the tables before she spun her Yo-Yo next to her. With a flick of her wrist she launched the Yo-Yo at the table next to her, Crushing the Phone beneath it's strength.

Each Phone destroyed left the Akuma with one less avenue of escape, any time a phone she had been near was about to be destroyed she teleported to a different Phone so she wouldn't be hit.

When the last phone was destroyed Lady Wi-Fi started to make a break for the kitchen area. But Carapace wasnt fooled by the 'retreat', not by a long shot.

Pulling his tool off his belt he pressed a sequence onto the Turtle shell pattern on top. Ever since Stoneheart he had spent hours figuring out his second tool so that he could utilize everything at his disposal.

he threw it after the retreating Villain Victim, it sailed over Ladybugs shoulders and even past Lady Wi-Fi as it shot towards the door.

Lady Wi-Fi looked back over her shoulders, smirking at him like she had won. But looking back forwards almost caused her to trip over her own two feet.

The tool had done exactly as Carapace had wanted it to, each of the 'leg holes ' had shot out their wires, causing the Turtle feet looking tips to embeds into each corner of the wall. Making the tool into a poorly made barricade.

But what truly mattered was that the top 'shell' had lifted slightly and from underneath it a small circle had come out from beneath making the tools shell larger, then another from behind the enlarged circle. Then another.

By the time Lady Wi-Fi got to the door it had already covered most of the doorway, leaving little space to get past it.

She banged her hands onto the near invincible barrier before turning back to Ladybug.

"Good job Carapace, you've got nowhere to go now Wi-Fi. "

As Ladybug zeroed in on her the Akuma eyes darted around until they landed onto the Phone that had been knocked to the floor when Carapace had upended the table.

"That's what you think." Disappearing into a flash of light Lady Wi-Fi emerged from the other phone, directly behind Carapace.

Shield-less, Tool-less and caught completely by surprise he didn't have time to turn around before he felt the sharp kick hit his back.

He did, However, manage to make his fall into a roll to avoid the magic blasts.

Spinning so he was facing Lady Wi-Fi he stared her down, with nothing to use to go on the defensive he switched to the offensive.

Jumping from his crouched position he reared back his arm as he drew closer to Alya, as his feet hit the ground he stabilised his legs, putting more power into his legs and hips as he swung his fist forwards.

Lady Wi-Fi barely moved out of the way and the side of his fist touched her cheek as it sailed past her. His fist collided with a pillar and a spider crack was left behind that extended up half the marble.

Instinctively Lady Wi-Fi Gulped.

On the other end of the connection Hawkmoth flinched slightly. He was only given all the more reason to stay hidden away.

Without waiting a second Carapace forced his weight into his other leg before wildly swinging the same hand towards the Akuma. Nearly back Handing her in the process.

with each attempted swing and block Lady Wi-Fi was pushed back more and more. Her moves became more sporadic and desperate the longer she couldn't use her phone.

And sometimes desperation leads to creativity.

Seeing the working phone beneath her Lady Wi-Fi kicked it across the room just as Carapace Shoulder barged her into the wall, damn near knocking the wind out of her.

She gave him a weak smirk as she disappeared into the code again and emerged in the other end of the room. Hand ready to launch her next attack.

Fingers gliding across the screen she launched a lock symbol, intent to incapacitate the Turtle hero.

The boy hero was like a deer in a headlight.

"Carapace Move!"

Ladybug, who had been waiting for a good moment to intervene safely, barged her shoulder into Carapace, forcing him to tumble to the gound, the lock symbol attached to Ladybugs right wrist and dragged her back to the wall behind her. Quite literally locking her in place.

"Excellent work, Lady Wi-Fi, now get me my miraculous."

" Of course Hawkmoth, a deal is a deal after all. "

Pulling up a pause sign she aimed it at Ladybug, she could deal with the Turtle once she was fully stuck.

Carapace didn't think about his next action, not the results or the consequences.

He shot up, body spinning to put his back to Lady Wi-Fi as she launched her shot. He brought his hands up and firmly placed his palms over her ears covering her miraculous.

His body froze solid as the blast hit him. Ladybug could only stare at him while her head was locked in place.

'His eyes were nice to look at'

Wait what? Not now Brain! She forced a blink while she tried to force her growing Blush to lessen.

"Not what I went for..." She could hear Alya's voice coming closer. "But oh so much better."

As she stepped into view Lady Wi-Fi placed a camera up above them and she was sure all of Paris was now seeing them stuck like this.

"Who is Ladybug? Is she a super hero or a super weirdo? Why don't we find out?"

She was about to reach for her mask before Hawkmoths symbol appeared on her face agian, her eyes darting to Ladybugs mask and Carapace's hands.

It seemed that it was only now that Lady Wi-Fi realised exactly what Carapace had done. She could see the outline of Hawkmoths mask on her face, her eyes darting to Carapace's Miraculous and back at her.

"New plan, who Is Carapace? A true protector or just some Ninja turtle knock off."

As she reached for His miraculous, Ladybug lifted her left, unrestrained, hand and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, leaving his miraculous locked in place.

"Try again Wi-Fi."

That seemed to tick her off and although she did try to pry Ladybugs hand away it was a fruitless endeavour. Once more Hawkmoths symbol appeared over Lady Wi-Fi's face.

With a few flicks of her wrist she sent lock symbols to every possible exit before dismissing the locks that held those two in place just before she disappeared into her phone.

Carapace blinked and pulled his hands away as Ladybug began to pace, he looked around seeing the lack of an escape and a partner that was getting more panicky.

At least he thought she was getting panicky. He wasn't sure he had learned a lot about his partner.

"What's going on, how long was I out?" He leaned down and picked up his Shield from where it lay ever since he had been launched across the room, he attached it to his back as he made a slow walk over to his other tool.

" where do I begin? We're locked in here, Alya's on the run who knows where, you were out for only a few minutes and she nearly had your miraculous. "

He paused as he rested his hand against the metal wall his tool had constructed. "We're still new to this bug, still learning, mistakes will be made, we just have to learn. "

"How are you so wise?"

"Thank Wayzz, he's the one imparting his wisdom onto me. " Carapace looked around As he attached his shrunken tool to his hip.

Each door and window had lock signs and there were a few cameras around, well the magical ones anyway.

"This is bad, no direct way out. "

"Not a direct one no." Ladybug pulled her Yo-Yo from her hip. " Lucky Charm! "

Outside the building the people who were gathered there waited in uneasy agitation, the scare that was Lady Wi-Fi coming out of Chloé's phone had left a few of them nervous.

What none of them were expecting was the explosion like sound to erupt from the front door of the hotel before it was kicked open by the two Hero's.

They left the smoking Microwave behind as Ladybug flew up towards the top of the hotel, Carapace holding onto the buisness end of her Yo-Yo, Legs pounding against the building wall as he ran up it.

Both heroes disappeared over the edge of the building and for a moment no-one heard anything until the entire Wi-Fi tower came crashing down onto the pavement.

It wasn't much longer that the wave of Ladybugs flew all around the hotel before flying off to other affected places, Ladybug herself flew away not much longer and everyone who had been outside began to feel a little awkward.

Could they just go back inside now? Like that?

Chloé especially began to feel self-conscious about still being outside in her Ladybug replica suit, she began to fidget slightly.

"-one on! Please!" Heads turned to the front doors of the hotel as Carapace exited the building. Hot on his heels was Alya, she was trying very hard to have her phones camera angles well enough to capture Carapace's face in the shot. "Just one question, please?"

" I'm sorry Miss ladyblogger but I can't, I have secrets and reasons for those secrets, besides... " He turned back to her, half ducking his head as he realised Alya was still recording. "Its getting late, you should get home before your friends and family worry about you."

That seemed to be the cue people needed to get moving, Hotel staff and guests went back into the hotel as if nothing had happened. Carapace turned to Chloé as she was walking past her, stopping her before she got far.

"And Chloé, don't ever be ashamed to dress up, I'm sure Ladybug was flattered to see you wearing her outfit."

Alya's eyes darted down Chloé, surprise and realisation setting in before her eye took on a more critical look.

She went to open her mouth but Chloé shoved her finger in her face. "I know it's inaccurate! Don't judge me Césaire! "

/-\

A/N: This took forever to transfer from AO3 to Tumblr, anyway, for any not on AO3 (shame on you) and wants to read this, I'll update the master list in a moment.

#Bug and Shell(d)#miraculous ladybug au #miraculous ladybug #Ladybug #Turtle Nino/ Carapace #Carabug #Ninette #Caranette #NinoBug #Episode: Lady Wi-Fi

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sparklyaxolotlstudent · 5 years

Text

Princess Justice2

Second Part of my “What if” AU of Episode: Ladybug.

A got a bit wordy, sorry!

In AO3

“Master Fu, our worst nightmare has come true!” yelled Plagg as soon as they were inside Master Fu’s house. Wayzz looked at him with a sarcastic expression.

“Adrien feed you the wrong kind of cheese?”

“Our second worst nightmare has come true!” Plagg corrected himself. Master Fu and Wayzz stopped in their tracks and looked at the two newcomers seriously.

“Hawk Moth has gone scarlet again and…”

“Marinette has been akumatized” whispered Adrien.

Master Fu fell to his knees. Wayzz fell from the air and into a table.

“She…”

“She managed to take off her earrings before that.”

“So you know her identity”

Adrien avoided his eyes. He knew the rules, and this meant they both would be replaced.

“We need to act quickly. Hopefully Marinette will be able to hide who she is, even akumatized, and Tikki… where is Tikki?”

“Leading a rebellion with the rest of Marinette’s friends. Queen Bee and the others seemed very keen on rescuing her.”

“So you came for the Miraculous…”

“That or advice. This is too much, if I had been akumatized, I’m sure Lady… I’m sure Marinette would have found a way to bring me back, but I…”

“You are going to bring her back” said Master Fu, in a reassuring tone. “She trusts you, and I trust you too.” He went to the gramophone and took out the Miraculous Box, opening it.

“Adrien Abigail Agreste, this is a dire time, you must pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you on this mission. Choose wisely; such powers are meant to serve the greater good. Once the mission is over, you will get the Miraculous back from them and return it to me.”

“Take them all!” begged Plagg “We’re going against Marinette! We will need as much help as we can get!”

“Is that allowed?”

“Normally I wouldn’t allow it, but Plagg is right. Marinette can, and will, be a formidable opponent, and you will need everything you have to go against her.”

Adrien picked every Miraculous, including the Turtle, and placed them in his bag.

“Please be safe. And remember that Marinette is not herself. Whatever happens, don’t hold it against her… But also, don’t hesitate to fight her, she’s counting on you.”

Adrien nods solemnly, realizing that he might need to go hand to hand against his La… against Marinette.

“Plagg, Claws out!”

In what felt like an eternity, Chat Noir reached the rooftop of the Le Grand Hotel Paris, then he went to Chloe’s room, where everyone was already reunited. Kagami and Luka were already there, and Chloe and Tikki seemed to be giving the others instructions. That’s when he noticed everyone was wearing a purse, pouch or designer bag, all apparently from Chloe’s collection. He also noticed Chloe had gotten installed a whiteboard with “Operation: Save Marinette” written at the top, and other squiggles he didn’t manage to read before Chloe called him.

“Glad you decided to show up!” teased Chloe. She then bit her lip when she realized what she had said. “Sorry, didn’t mean it like that.”

“Were you successful?” asked Tikki. Before he could answer, Kagami got up and was all in his face.

“Wow, it’s so obvious now. I can’t believe I was fooled before”

Adrien smiled. “Sorry, keeping our identities secret was a top priority. I didn’t even knew who was ladybug”

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious now too” teased Alya. Once they rescued Marinette, she was in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Tikki cleared her throat. “Oh yeah. Plagg, Claws in!” Chat Noir transformed into Adrien before everyone’s eyes. He put out his bag and started giving everyone their miraculous. “You know the drill. Use these for good, don’t be a dick, return them after we’re done.” Chloe gave him a purse after receiving the Bee hairpin. “What’s with the bags?”

“We raided the kitchen. We don’t know how long the battle will last, and Tikki pointed out some of us might need to recharge, so each bag contains food for our specific kwami, and some extras for the others, just in case.”

“… This is your designer collection” noted Adrien. Chloe blushed when everyone started looking at the purses she had given them.

“Well, yeah, I had no time to get some cheap knock offs… And I wouldn’t know where to buy them anyway” she added with a haughty tone. Adrien smiled. Even if she didn’t want to admit, she was worried about Marinette, and was willing to sacrifice her very valuable collection for her.

Chloe gave Pollen a sweet made of honey, which she thanked her for. The others did the same, Alya giving Trixx grape jelly donuts, Nino giving Wayzz pistachios, Xuppu stealing a banana from Kim, Max and Alix giving Kaalki and Fluff some carrots, Kagami giving Longg some peppers and Luka giving Sass some biscuits.

Adrien noted how the others were looking at their friends and their Kwamis in awe. He took a deep breath and reached inside the bag.

“Mylene Haprele, here is the Miraculous of the Mouse, which grants the power of Multiplying.” He gave the mouse necklace to Mylene, and then approached Ivan. “Ivan Bruel, here is the Miraculous of the Ox, which grants the power of strength.” He gave the nose ring to Ivan, who looked at it with curiosity. “Don’t worry, it’s a clip on, it stays with magic” Adrien approached Nathaniel. “Nathaniel Kurtzberg, here is the Miraculous of the Rooster, which grants the power of enlightment. “ He gave Nathaniel a thumb ring. “And Marc Anciel, here is the Miraculous of Goat, which grants the power of…”

“Thanks, but I already have a Miraculous”

“what”

“Yeah, we were thinking about it, and it would be highly suspicious if Ladybug doesn’t show up to fight Akumanette” Adrien made a mental note to ask who had made up that punny name.

“And Marc is the one that looks the most like Marinette” Adrien looked at Kagami instinctively.

“Yeah, my personality doesn’t match hers at all, I’m more blunt and serious, and not to mention it would be also suspicious if everyone else shows up except Ryuuko.”

“And I already read his Ladybug diary” teased Tikki, flying around Marc and landing on his head. “It was spot on” she giggled.

“Wouldn’t Hawk Moth notice a pair of things… different?” asked Adrien looking at Marc’s chest.

“Well yeah, but Tikki said that if I focus when transforming I will look like her.

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Losing Marinette to Akumatization bothers me more than looking like a girl”

“And if he doesn’t look exactly like Ladybug, Marcbug will use my ladybug suit over his” said Chloe, pointing out at her secret close, were her replica of the Ladybug suit was held. Adrien was always a little creeped out by that, but now it might come in handy.

“Sounds like a plan… OH! You guys, I trust you, but you have to know that once this is over the Miraculous must return to hiding.”

Everyone in the room nodded. The newly chosen were feeding their Kwamis, while they explained how to transform and what their powers would be.

“We all can use our powers just once, and then we have 5 minutes left on our transformations” lectured Adrien. “If that happens, find a safe place to detransform, feed your kwami and transform again to rejoin the battle. Try to keep your identity secret, but that’s not a priority. Guys, I know I’m asking a lot of you, but we might need to transform several times” he addressed the Kwamis, who nodded, as they wanted Marinette back as much as the humans.

“There will be probably more of those butterflies around, so this will be the hardest part.” Chloe took a deep breath. “Don’t lose hope. Have determination. Keep positive, whatever works for you. Marinette, Sabrina, Rose, Juleka… everyone is counting on us. “

“What about Lila?” asked Kim. Chloe glared at him.

“She tried to keep us inside. Is her fault Sabrina is not with us anymore” She took a deep breath, not wanting to attract a butterfly.

“If you run into her, don’t trust anything she says. Get rid of her if needed.”

“If Marinette hasn’t done that already” said Alya, covering her mouth immediately, regretting her words. Nino gave her a hug.

“Yeah…” Nino left out a sigh. “Don’t trust anything any of them say or do.” He looked around their group. “We all have been around akumas before, some do retain some of their host personality, but they’re still dangerous. They’re not themselves, so don’t hesitate to fight them with all you got. They’re counting on us.”

Adrien was amazed at his friend’s words. “The confirmed akumas are: Reflekta. She can transform you into copies of herself, which will make you unable to use your special power. If you can, take off your Miraculous to detransform before you become a copy, that way you can put your miraculous on top and transform again, otherwise, come to me for another Miraculous to keep fighting. She’s one of the less dangerous in the sense that you will retain your personality.”

“What if she tries to trick you to get a Miraculous?”

“Yeah, we need a safe word or something”

“Fine, if you get transformed into a Reflekta copy, come to me and say… ‘Marinette’s macaroons make me mad’”

Everyone nodded, practicing the phrase. It was a weird one that they would never say normally.

“Then there is Princess Fragrance. If you smell her perfume you will get brainwashed into being her slave, so prevent that at all costs. Ladybug’s yoyo and my cheerleader baton can act as respirators, but I don’t know if your weapons will be able to do that. Better nor risk it… Anyway, there’s Zombizou, which all of you know, and Dark Owl, which is a Batman rip-off. He doesn’t have powers, and I’m not sure if he got a super computer this time around, but he will have a lot of ridiculous and over specific gadgets, so beware that.”

“Did anyone else saw another akuma?” asked Chloe.

“Jean became the Magician of Misfortune again, so beware his tricks”

“And Stormy Weather appeared again”

“I think I saw Darkblade”

“Well, at least we know how all of those work. Oh! Marinette’s dad also became Weredad, he is super strong, but that’s his only power. He will most likely try to protect Marinette from us. Ivan, you might need to save your power to fight him”

Ivan nodded. Stompp nudged him affectionately. “You’ll do great”

“And Lila could still be Volpina… so that’s illusions again. Don’t trust her. That leaves us only with Marinette and her mom as the only unknown”

“And Sabrina…” added Chloe with a bit of sadness. “She could be Vanisher or Miraculer. No one is allowed to defeat her but me, is that understood?”

Everyone nodded. If that was Chloe’s weird way to show her affection, then so be it.

“Well, That covers Chloe and Ivan. Luka, I trust you to reset if anything goes wrong and tell us. If the five minutes go up and you transform, feed Sass and do it all over again.” Sass and Luka nodded. “Everyone else, I trust your judgment, just remember that is magic is fickle, so don’t say your special power out loud unless you really mean to use, as saying it could trigger it and your counter. Max and Markov… oh, I almost forgot”

Adrien took another Miraculous from inside his bag. “Markov … Kante? This si the Miraculous of the Dog, which grants the power of Tracking…”

“Wait, I get a Miraculous? But I’m not human…”

“You were able to be akumatized. There is an 87.97% chance that the Miraculous will work with you”

“Then I will do my best!”

Adrien put the Miraculous on Markov, and Barkk materialized from it.

“Our weapons also act as communication devices, and have a lot of other uses too; we have never had a chance to check if they work with you guys too. In case they do… Max, you’ll use Voyage so we can surprise attack the Castle, but will stay here with Markov.”

“What? Why? I’m just as capable of fighting as everyone else is!”

“Yes, but you’re a freaking genius, and with Markov, your capacity goes over 9000, so instead of going with us and doing what everyone else can, you’re going to use your horseshoe and whatever Markov get to hack into as much as you can and find who and where Hawk Moth is.”

Everyone looked at Adrien in surprise.

“I… I’ll do the best I can”

“That’s all I’m asking. Is everyone ready?” They nodded or said it so.

#Princess Justice #miraculous ladybug #ml fic #Everyone Gets a Miraculous #Save Marinette

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real-fakedoors · 6 years

Text

under leaves so green - CHPT 12 - Miraculous Ladybug

After the Dupain-Cheng family purchases a flower shop around the block from the Agreste mansion, Chat Noir frequents the spot in search of company from the manager-but-not-really Marinette. Beneath the mask, Adrien starts to struggle with how cute she looks in that green apron. (AKA: the not-really flower shop AU where basically everything is the same, but Marinette is extra stressed by her job and Adrien tries to be supportive)

Cross-posted on AO3 and FF.net

Chapter 12: A Needlepoint Peony

In which, Adrien stresses out, Marinette makes a confession, everyone is embarrassed, Tikki disappears, and Plagg fixes his whiskers.

Adrien felt, admittedly, a little bit strange.

Standing in his room with each corner dusted, polished, and achingly quiet, the place begged for the stasis to be broken. Not a sound stirred - not even the guttural gnashing of a kwami inhaling camembert, yet beyond his door there was an unusual bustle of activity.

Generally speaking, Adrien preferred for his room to have a bit of a lived in look; everything felt a little less hollow and empty if he asked the attendants to keep his bed a little unmade, or if he didn’t hang up a towel after a shower just so. Right now, though, he was the one actively scanning every surface for signs of disorder, ready to right any wrong.

He couldn’t recall any girls ever being in his room before, save Ladybug once or twice, but that had been during akuma attacks so it’s not like she had been admiring his DVD collection or cuddling with him on the couch.

At the very least, Adrien could say with certainty he’d never had his girlfriend over to the house, ever. He was only coming up on 24-hours of having a girlfriend, period.

So waiting, knowing Marinette was coming... it felt strange, definitely.

But it wasn’t bad.

“Are you ready yet?” Plagg called eventually, hovering down from the bookshelves and sporting a predictable scowl.

Adrien watched as the little kwami combed through his whiskers, and one of his tiny ears kept twitching. The behavior seemed conspicuous, considering Adrien had just been doing very much the same sort of grooming before getting dressed in fresh clothes.

“Wait a minute…” The blond narrowed his eyes, and Plagg froze. “Are you... fancying up for Marinette?”

“Pff. No.” The kwami rolled his eyes and turned away, only making Adrien more suspicious. “That’s stupid, kid. It’s not like your girlfriend is coming to see me. Cat’s gotta look good for his own sake, thank you.”

Adrien hummed skeptically, but decided to return to the task at hand. The ebony nuisance in his life had been increasingly excited every time they went to see Marinette, and it was starting to seem rather conspicuous. Maybe it was just the tempting offers of cheese bread and croissants?.

Bouncing around his room, the tap of Adrien’s hard-bottomed shoes rang off each wall. He took time to inspect every surface, adjust and readjust the arrangement of things he had on his desk, and repositioned his desk chair to be perfectly squared up to the monitor.

Really, it was all perfect, so seeking mistakes was a wasted effort. It was just a deliberate use of time that distracted him while waiting for Marinette to arrive. Part of him wishes he thought to offer to pick her up, but the opportunity was gone.

So now… waiting.

Glancing at the wardrobe, Adrien pressed his lips together and approached the full-length mirror. In the Agreste home, formal was normal, and vice versa. He never really knew that wearing “day clothes” until the moment before he went to bed was unusual until he started visiting Nino’s, Alya’s and Marinette’s houses. There, he was free to walk around on plush carpets with or, when he felt especially daring, without socks; the concept seemed so foreign to him in the beginning.

That being said, his attire didn’t bother him - a soft, simple white shirt and a slate-colored overshirt, paired with a plain pair of navy slacks. He selected one of his pairs of well-worn dark shoes, deciding against any that seemed too dressy or that would need breaking in.

Comfort was a must.

He had plenty of support for their first date. Between the help of Alya, Nino and the others in pulling off the Attack of the Loam, his father’s surprising approval of Marinette, Chloe’s reluctant agreement to be nice, and knowing he was going to have several hours of resigned privacy with her had all worked wonders in boosting his confidence.

And, of course, there was the small encouragement he’d gotten from Marinette herself, considering she had confided in Chat Noir that she had some romantic interest in his civilian form. To use his superhero side to gain an advantage in pursuing her seemed a little unfair, like using a stimulant in a sporting event, but he couldn’t say he regretted it. One touch of their lips together had been enough to dash any harboring guilt.

And, all-in-all, the date had gone better than he could have hoped. Adrien couldn’t keep his enthusiasm contained, and when she agreed so promptly to go out with him again, he seriously considered cheering.

Yes, you absolute dork. We can go out again, anytime.

Her words undermined his typical faculties and reduced him to a twisted bunch of nerves. The mess that fell from his mouth came more in the way of reactionary instinct than rational thought, blurting his desire to have her as his girlfriend. Adrien hadn’t intended to ask her to be in a relationship so soon, but miraculously, she agreed.

Did she think he seemed adorably inexperienced, or like a anxious mess? Had he asked her too soon? It had only been one date, though they’d spent hours and hours together in the past week alone; that’s to say nothing of the past three years. How long do people in relationships usually ‘date’ before they were considered ‘dating?’ Why hadn’t he thought to ask Nino for tips on the quintessential final element to any date, the “walk her to the front door” moment? Why wasn’t there a manual for this? Had he seemed too eager? She didn’t feel pressured to agree, right?

Alas, there was no guidebook, no easy instruction kit. He couldn’t pick up “101 Ways to Ease Through Awkward Social Interactions” at the library, and there was no magical deity of romance or young love to pray to that might appear to him in a vision from the sky to answer his questions and grant him sage wisdom on new love or family dysfunction. The closest thing he had to that was a turephilic kwami, who was, at present, floating crossed-legged near his desk with an expression of irritation.

The jittery, fierce happiness that spurred Adrien on yesterday since been replaced by titular worries of the evening ahead.

First of all, they weren’t going to be alone, and he had only a few hours to prepare.

They were having dinner with his father.

He, his father, and his girlfriend, sitting around the dining table together.

The most uncomfortable iteration of the Last Supper came to mind, but he quickly shook away the inane thought.

Second was the prospect of dinner it self. Adrien hardly ever ate with company, let alone the aberrant match that was Marinette’s soft-spoken kindness and his Father’s critical, cutting commentary. What should they talk about? He could only hope the two would find enough common ground in fabrics and fashion to carry them through the evening.

Unwittingly, Adrien had begun to pace his room, the metronomic clap of shoes on tile providing a backbeat to his mounting anxiety. Plagg said something and the blond glanced up, but Adrien didn’t quite catch it.

When their gazes met, a random train of thought popped into his head. The kinds of question you never think of until you’re living through the moment. “Did you want to come in my pocket down to dinner?”

Raising a brow, Plagg tilted his head. “Why would I do that?”

“Er… you usually do? Most of the time it’s just you and me, though.”

“Oh.” Plagg tapped a black paw to his whiskers. “I guess I do, don’t I? Uhh…nah. You got this.”

“Something is up with you,” Adrien squinted his eyes at the black cat, who merely pointed his chin and looked away.

Adrien waged a finger at him. “Whatever you’re hiding, I’ll find out eventually!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” his kwami insisted, flying away.

“Adrien?” A voice beckoned not a moment later, in time with three rapt knocks.

He did a final check of himself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and walked towards the door.

“Yes, Nathalie?” He answered politely, already knowing what she was going to say. Marinette was here, probably looking so lovely he’d forget how to speak. She could show up in her dirty work jeans and he still would swallow his tongue.

Just gotta relax.

It’s only dinner.

When he opened the door, he was greeted by his father’s assistant’s typically perfected posture and a small smile, but bowed besider her was head of black hair, half-pinned back to keep the tresses from her face.

“Mme. Dupain-Cheng is here,” stated the lean woman, stepping aside to present his guest. Every ounce of confidence he had as Chat Noir evaporated into a dizzying headrush when she peeked up from beneath long lashes, looking as flushed and as he was nervous. How do people on television or in Disney movies sweep girls off their feet so easily? Adrien could barely manage not to stare.

“W-welcome,” he cleared his throat, trying to focus on the woman between them who was scrolling through her tablet absently. “Thank you, Nathalie.”

“Yes. The chefs are saying dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes, so come down soon.”

At that, she promptly turned and left them alone, her heels receding in the otherwise clipped silence.

Marinette looked more beautiful than he could have imagined - she was more than that, her whole appearance was scenic. A mid-length skirt skimmed her calves, pleated and pastel pink, making her look more sophisticated than her usual capris or work jeans; her torso was wrapped in a seamless array of breathable cotton, accented at the seams with white lace that complemented her porcelain skin like a subtly harmony to his favorite song. The top floated over her skin and stopped just as the skirt reached her waist, extending up and hugging her collarbone snugly. The neckline kept close to her neck, exposing most of her shoulders, though his attention was drawn mostly towards the careful embroidery in the center of the bodice. A sprig of hand-woven flowers, dyed in tones of subdued greens and gradiants of pink, comprised in needlepoint, brought the ensemble together.

Where she looked hauntingly alluring yesterday night in cuts of crimson and black and white stripes, today she seemed dreamy and pastoral.

“Is it… too much?” Marinette glanced up, brushing her skirt and picking at invisible loose strings. Blue eyes dodged away from his when Adrien met her gaze.

A little more quietly, she added, “I didn’t know how… fancy to get. Sorry.”

“S-Sorry?” Adrien swallowed hard on his throat. He extended a hand, a careful and shaky invitation to step forward. She cracked a tiny smile and accepted.

The blond was already smiling, apparently, because his cheeks were starting to hurt. “How could you apologize? You look so… so pretty, Marinette. Did you embroider that yourself? It’s really amazing.”

Cheeks matching her skirt, she giggled and entered his room, eyes scanning the tall ceilings and giving him the chance to breathe. “T-Thank you! And, yes, I did. You look really nice, too.”

His heart swelled at the compliment, though he tried vehemently to seem casual.

“Thanks, just some of my Dad’s clothes. I mean - not my Dad’s clothes, but Gabriel brand.”

Marinette wandered over to the arcade machines, but paused to tilt her head in his direction. She wore a confused smirk.

“I… just tried to imagine you wearing your Dad’s… suit. The one he always wears.”

Adrien snorted, brightened by softness of her voice when she laughed. Somehow, it both filled him with happiness and anxiety, but it was enough to give him some foothold of confidence. “Ascots aren’t exactly my thing, I’m afraid.” He moved beside her and gestured to the classic systems. “I know you like Mecha Strike, but what’s your take on the current ‘retro craze’?”

“They’re great, of course. Though I’m not nearly as skilled as dodging barrels and saving princesses as I am at whooping giant robot butt.” Marinette said, poking one of her cheeks with a finger.

“I’d ask if you wanna play, but dinner’s soon and these are designed for one-player.” He rubbed his chin. “We could play some video games after dinner? I’ve got… uh, a lot.”

“Oh?” She seemed curious, so he gestured for her follow. They promptly ascended his twisted staircase and he brought her around to the bookshelf beside his rock-climbing wall. Divided by console and sorted alphabetically, he waved a hand at the hundreds of games he’d accumulated over the years.

“Holy brioche…” Marinette muttered, craning her neck to take it all in. Beside her, Adrien permitted himself to feel just a tiny bit proud of his collection, glancing at her wide-eyed wonder.

“The systems are downstairs in one of my closets, so, you know, we can pick out a few and play them after dinner. Whatever sounds good.”

Mutely, she nodded her head and moved to the ladder and squinted up at a certain section. Adrien followed her gaze.

“Nintendo 64? I don’t know why, but I took you for a Playstation girl.”

Already a few steps up, she murmured. “Actually, I mostly played computer games. I didn’t get to play Nintendo much growing up, I’ve tried a bunch of emulators, but they’re always a little sketchy… It would be so cool to play some of the originals. Like… Mario Party! Yes. You have it!”

“Pff, of course,” he said, amused by her enthusiasm. “I have them all, sort of out of habit really. I almost never played those.” Marinette snatched the cartridge from the shelf, handing it down to him. Adrien started a pile on the corner of an eye-level shelf for games to bring down later.

Humming as she selected a few more games, he mused to himself. “You know, growing up with just Chloe to play with, we didn’t spend a lot of time on video games.” He paused when Marinette laughed.

“Yeah, I know - you must be very surprised to learn that Chloe wasn’t a gamer.”

“I can hardly contain my shock.” She chirped back sarcastically, scanning the shelves. Adrien was about level with her calves, and tried not to focus on the bit of skin her skirt left exposed down to her honey-colored ballet flats.

He said the first thing he could think of to distract himself. “But - y-yeah. I mostly played single-player games, campaigns or adventure mode or whatever. Sometimes I would play games with my Mom. She liked them, or at least, pretended to since I did. She could even get Father to play them with us occasionally - but a lot of Nintendo’s stuff is designed with groups in mind.”

Marinette responded thoughtfully. “Hmm… I suppose it’s not much of a Mario party if it’s just… Mario.”

Biting his lip, Adrien knew this was uncharted conversational territory. Without compass or guide, he didn’t really know where to go when it came to talking about his parents.

Marinette, thankfully, took the task of navigation upon herself. “What character did you like to play as? In Mario Party, I mean.”

His brow arched, her hands still fluttering over the cartridges at her level.

“Hmm… that’s a good question. I always liked green, so mostly Yoshi, or sometimes Luigi.”

“Good,” she responded, and he could hear the smile in her voice. “I wanted to be Princess Peach, and I was prepared to fight you if I had to.”

Wearing a grin, he raised his hands in defense. “She’s all yours, Princess!”

Marinette stopped her searching, and Adrien’s eyes went wide.

Ooh. No, no, no.

His Chat side peeked out by accident, and Adrien blushed and stuttered to make up his mistake. “P-P-Princess… Peach! Yes. She, Princess Peach, is all yours. She was my Mom’s favorite too.”

Marinette’s brow had furrowed momentarily, but she seemed convinced by his explanation, and Adrien exhaled a small amount of panic.

“Okay, I think I’ve looked enough,” she said, starting back down the ladder. A shoe clattered to the ground in her descent, followed by a shrill squeak and a much louder clatter of skin and arms smacking into each other.

Marinette missed a step when her shoe came off, slipping back and crashing right into Adrien; cat-like reflexes can only get one so far with a girl as clumsy as Marinette.

By some small miracle, he didn’t get thrown over the railing, though his current posture was plenty uncomfortable. Leaning back over the glass ledge, the edge of the bannister pressed painfully up against his spine, Marinette’s body weight was basically crushing him further into it. The best he could do in the way of catching her was keep her head from smacking back into the railing or collapsing straight onto the floor. Her now slightly-tousled hair and exposed upper-back from the cut of her bodice were pressed up against him and she had half-bent and gripped her hands on his thighs in support to keep from hitting the floor.

Her perfume greeted him, rising from her silky smooth hair and bare shoulders. From this angle, he could basically feel every inch of her body pressed up against him, and he was aware of it in - ahem - more ways than one.

Chuckling weakly, Adrien forced himself to put a safe, chaste distance between them. It was more difficult than it should have been, rather enjoying the way her hair tickled his chin as she scrambled to standing. It was easy to admire the smooth skin of her collarbone, or to appreciate the warmth that radiated from her body. It was like the world’s best, most beautiful blanket.

“Ooookay, up you go,” he said, supporting her from beneath her elbows and resting a delicate hand on her back. Her skin turned prickly under his touch, and it was stupidly thrilling.

You haven’t even made it to dinner yet and you can’t keep it together.

Exhaling slowly, Adrien affixed his face into a mask of sympathy and concern. “Mari? Are you okay? Are you hurt at all?”

She blinked several times, looking at her own hands numbly, and he started to fear maybe she had hit her head when she broke out into a smile. Wide, glittering, and plenty embarrassed.

“No - no I’m fine. Thank you, Adrien. I’m sorry I fell on you.”

“Better me than the floor,” he said, chuckling and sighing in relief. She joined him for a spirited giggle, both laughing until they were breathless and dizzy. Maybe that was just the intoxicating effect of being with her, though - Adrien almost always felt light-of-head around her anymore.

By the time they were both properly righted - skin tinted pink from the euphoric giggles that swept up both of them - and standing on their own, Adrien retrieved the stack of games Marinette had selected and led the way back to his ground floor.

“Okay, just the Nintendo 64 for tonight?” He noted the very distinct shape of all of the games, and she nodded.

“If… if that’s okay. I, um,” she fumbled with her thumbs, and Adrien thought it was adorable. “I figured we could… play different systems another time. You know, since we’re, um, together now…?”

She peeked at him, and Adrien positively beamed, walking across the coffee table and wrapping his fingers in her own.

“I’d love that. We’ll play our way through all of them.”

Eyes sparkling, a blue more vivid than any sea, she looked like the human iteration of the most tranquil night across France. Soft skin, a gentle smile, an exuberant mood, and dark, rich hair like a painted, starless sky.

Slowly, Adrien focused on his composure, inhaling through his mouth and letting out the air through his nostrils. “Ahh… right, so just to warn you - my Dad can sometimes be… um, abrasive. He’s sort of polite to the extreme, but if he says anything that hurts or offends you, don’t be afraid to say something - even if it’s just a signal to me or something. The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable.”

Marinette nodded a few times and scurried behind him out of his room, Adrien catching the eye of a jerkish kwami across the room as he closed the door. Plagg was sticking his face out of the camembert cabinet, puckering his lips and making his whiskers dance in the mocking display.

When he turned back to his - his girlfriend (it was still impossible to believe) - she was wearing a cute smirk and had a hand at her hip.

Marinette’s voice was low. “I did survive over an hour on Sunday with just me and him, or did you forget?”

“I didn’t, not exactly,” he grinned and led them down the stairs. “I’m just still not convinced it happened. A very thorough prank, perhaps.”

She snickered and rolled her eyes, the way she always does, and he loved it.

“I can barely walk in a straight line - you seriously think I could cook something like that up?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured as they approached the dining room, peeking his head in. His father was sitting at the head of the table, speaking quietly with the chef. The food in the room smelled heavenly, and oddly out of place. “You continue to surprise me, Mari.”

She pinked slightly, and Adrien pulled her into the room with a smile on his face. His Father stood up when he noticed them, and the chef gave a hasty farewell.

“Father,” Adrien said, palm feeling a little sweaty against Marinette’s. She untangled their fingers to take a bold step forward, positively radiant while she did so.

“Bonsoir, Monsieur Agreste,” Marinette greeted brightly, bowing her head politely. Adrien studied his father’s expression, hardly believing the small smile he saw there. “Thank you so much for allowing me over for dinner tonight. It’s an honor, sir.”

Posture rigid and hands folded behind his back, his father stepped away from the table slightly to greet them. “That is a kind of you to say, Mme. Dupain-Cheng. Or, would you prefer just Marinette?”

Adrien respected how composed she managed to be before Father, especially when his attention flickered down; her hands were shaking.

“Marinette is perfect, sir. Thank you.”

Feeling his heart squeeze slightly, Adrien couldn’t pass the chance to half-tease, half-compliment her. He sidled up beside her again, wrapping a careful arm around her waist and met her startled stare with a cheeky smirk.

“Marinette is perfect. You’re definitely onto something there.”

She turned the color of her Banks’ roses and ducked her head, and Adrien’s attention returned to his father. Aside from a raised brow, his expression appeared only amused.

This is so weird. Adrien thought, wrinkling his nose. But good.

“Well, if you are ready to eat…” His father gestured for them to sit, and Adrien almost turned back to the other end of the table for his usual spot. Marinette was too quick, though, and she started to sit down two seats from his father. The middle spot was clearly intended for him.

Settling into the chair, Adrien pursed his lips and looked down at their plates. Everything was, of course, perfect. The table had been perfectly prepared for a classic four-course meal, and it almost made him want to roll his eyes - he’d have to remember to mention to Marinette this was not a typical dining experience at the Agreste house.

It was sort of sweet, though, as he examined the varieties laid out for the first course. Each serving was small, from the Tapenade Noir a la Figue and Pissaladiers to the Brandade de Morue au Gratin. The fact that his father had gone through the trouble to entertain Marinette - to make such a gesture of meeting his girlfriend, formally? It brought an appreciative smile to his lips.

Scratching his cheek, Adrien popped a tart in his mouth and thought about something to talk about.

“So… did Marinette mention to you that she makes clothes?” He asked his father, and he could see Marinette fidget in his periphery. She hastily shoved some of the potatoes in her mouth.

Raising both brows, his father looked at Marinette and then back to Adrien. “Well, no, not exactly. Though I figured as much - she was most helpful the other day with a design of mine.”

“Oh yeah?” Adrien turned to Marinette, whose gaze flickered up to him helplessly. She looked so cute when she was embarrassed, he found her hand under the table and squeezed it in reassurance.

“She made the outfit she’s wearing right now. Isn’t is incredible?” He grinned at her, at least having enough mercy to blush.

“Adrien!” She hissed, turning even redder. “It’s - it’s not much, really. Just something I threw together, heh, since I work with flowers all day. Not really original. Nope. I’m sure you get inspiration from much more interesting things.”

His father smirked and ate quietly, watching them carry on like he wasn’t even there.

“Don’t be modest, Mari. You’re really talented.”

“I… I just dabble! That’s all. R-really.”

“Let’s be honest,” Adrien said, turning slightly to better face her. She was pouting, cheeks stuffed with figs and bread. “Do you just dabble in anything? You’re basically an expert in flowers, baking, and fashion, and you could ruin just about anyone’s self-confidence playing Mecha Strike.”

“Adriennn...” She covered her face with her hands, voice squeaky. All he could do was laugh, feeling a little guilty for flustering her, but he couldn’t help gushing about her.

“How did you get interested in fashion, Marinette?” His father cut in, and Adrien practically flew back in his chair. He had almost forgotten his Dad was beside him.

She lowered her hands, still red as a tomato, and reached for her cup of water.

“I… um… I’m not sure, actually. I’ve always liked drawing and designing,” she began slowly, and Adrien used the chance to catch up on his appetizers.

“When I started to pay more attention to how other people dressed, I sort of just… decided to teach myself to sew. I didn’t like the way other clothes fit me. I’m sort of on the short side, like my mother, so anything that fit me looked too childish while everyone else started to grow, I guess, and anything I liked was too big.” She hummed momentarily, chewing a tart. “So I decided to make things I knew I would be comfortable in, and reflected me best.”

“That’s very utilitarian of you,” his father commented. Marinette blinked, apparently unsure if that was a compliment or not.

Adrien decided then to jump in. “What’s your favorite thing to design?”

They both answered, which surprised him.

“Dresses.”

A pause, and the chef came out to switch their course for the main course. Adrien hardly paid attention while the plates changed, too interesting in the curious turn in conversation.

“And why is that, Marinette?”

“Uhh…” she cleared her throat. “Well… I’m not sure, actually. Probably because they’re the hardest to design; it’s extra rewarding when you get it right.”

“Hmm. I find menswear more challenging, personally,” his father mused, rubbing his chin. “But I do see your point. To me, a gown is a perfect canvas - the rules are only that it must be a single item to be worn, but otherwise, there are no limitations.”

“It’s the definitely the thing I have to try the hardest to be creative with,” Marinette replied with a furrowed brow, nodding. “The fact that it’s so flexible is what I find challenging about it.”

They both ruminated on that while stopping to eat some of their meal, and Adrien felt much more relaxed for how easily the conversation was flowing. Of course, Marinette was so sweet - it was hard to resist a charming, intellectual conversation with her, but it was still bizarre to see it have an effect on his characteristically stoic father.

Adrien caught her eye as she dabbed her lips with a napkin, so he decided to shoot her a wink. Marinette scrunched her nose up in response, her wordless disapproval downright adorable.

“So, if I am remembering correctly,” his father said after a pause. “You both met in Mme. Bustier’s class, at Francios Du-Pont Academy?”

“Yes,” Adrien said, tilting his head. “Although we sort of got off on the wrong foot.”

His father seemed surprised. “Oh, and how’s that?”

Adrien deferred to Marinette to answer. “Well…”

She got his meaning, chewing her food and swallowing. “Yeah, it was kind of my fault. I thought, because he was friends with Chloe, he was trying to pull a prank on me. So I sort of gave him the cold shoulder, but I realized I was being unfair to him.” Scowling, she glanced over to the blond. “I still am sorry about that, by the way.”

“Don’t be,” Adrien shook his head. “I could see why Chloe’s association might have not painted me in the best of light.”

Marinette smiled kindly, the gesture reaching her eyes.

“Well, I am glad to hear you reconsidered your assessment of my son. He was very nervous when he expressed interest in taking you out for a date.”

Almost kicking the table, Adrien turned an impressive shade of scarlet. “F-Father! Please.”

Marinette giggled at his distress, hiding a wide smile behind her fingers.

Despite his plea, his father didn’t hold back. Instead, he tucked both hands under his chin and leaned back slightly in his chair.

“Now son,” his father said, chuckling. “There are a few crucial things I am responsible for as a father. Embarrassing you in front of your girlfriend is one of them. I’ve had stories saved in my back-pocket for years.”

Practically bouncing in her seat, Marinette’s hair danced around her shoulders. “Oh, I’d love to hear a story!”

“Noooooo…” Adrien groaned, and now he was the one to cover his face with his hands. “Why did I agree to this?”

Slyly, Marinette took one of his hands and patted it gently. “There, there. It’s only fair after all of the puns I’ve suffered because of you.”

The remainder of the meal passed with more cheer than Adrien could have imagined, Marinette being positively tickled by his chagrin. Several of the stories recounted his mother, a few of which Adrien had forgotten himself. A small part of him was feeling grumpy for being the butt of the joke, but the overall mood was too infectious, and to see his father smirk and laugh occasionally was a refreshing change. Adrien, resigned to his fate, let himself enjoy the food and tease along until dessert was served.

Marinette sighed after a particularly airy wave of laughter. “Aww, so you and Chloe would play dress up?”

She put her hand on his shoulder and rested her chin there, pseudo-pitying him.

Adrien pointed his own chin forward while their plates were taken away so dessert could be brought out, fighting to hide a smile. She looked so pretty, perched on his arm like that.

“Yes, as a matter-of-fact. I mentioned Chloe didn’t like video games, and growing up in a literal fashion house granted a great opportunity for fun when it comes to clothes. Mother would encourage it, if I recall?” He partially asked the question to his father, who sighed and nodded, looking absently at the chandelier.

“Oh yes. If your mother wasn’t modeling the clothes, she was putting them on you. Large boas, daring furs, expensive heels - anything and everything you wanted to put on, she would let you pick it out and model it on the runway in my office.”

Marinette bit her tongue and tried not to laugh, though it was in vain, and he felt himself redden slightly. Trying to brush off the embarrassment, Adrien remarked, “Well, I suppose I can make anything look good.”

“Definitely,” she replied with a dreamy smile, leaning probably a little closer than was appropriate with his father present, and they broke apart when the chef re-emerged from the kitchen.

“Well,” he announced, clapping his hands. “We had only planned for the Crème brûlée, but since Mme. Dupain-Cheng was so kind to bring Pain au chocolat, the kitchen is pleased to serve both this evening.”

“Thank you, that will be all,” his father replied briskly, and the man bowed and brought out the two choices. Each looked picturesque, like the sort of desserts one might see on a classic French cookbook, and Adrien was glad to have eaten light on the earlier courses.

“I didn’t know you brought anything,” Adrien directed the comment to Marinette as he snatched up the Pain au chocolat almost the moment it was presented on a humble gray platter. It seemed out of place from the rest of the meal’s china, so he assumed it belonged to the bakery.

“Maman and Papa insisted,” she replied shyly, tapping the top of her Crème brûlée with a spoon. It granted her a very hard, satisfying knock in return before cracking. “And really, it’s the least I could do. I didn’t expect such a meal. Thank you, Monsieur Agreste, Adrien.”

Trembling fingers patted around the edge of his chair, clamping down when they found his hand. Adrien rubbed the back of her knuckles with his thumb.

“It’s a pleasure having you, Marinette.” His father answered.

“Oh, this is so good,” Adrien spoke with his mouth halfway full, and two sets of eyes rolled at him.

“Manners, son.”

Hastily chewing, he managed a sheepish grin towards his father. “If you try the Pain au chocolat, you’d know it defies etiquette.” He cleared his throat. “But Father is right - I’m glad you agreed to come over, Mari. This has been so nice.”

Even though she ducked her head, hair partially obscuring the soft features of her face, he could still see the rosy hue that colored her cheeks. She was too beautiful to bare, and his grip on her hand tightened only slightly - a protective, loving sort of grasp.

You’re mine.

All mine.

She squeezed back.

His father had selected one of the Dupain-Cheng treats, and Adrien pursed his lips suspiciously. He had half a mind to point his finger and ask what this man had done with his real father.

After a slow, thoughtful bite, the man impersonating his father offered his compliments. “Your parents make an excellence Pain au chocolat, Marinette. Please give them our thanks.”

“I’ll be sure to pass it along the kind words,” Marinette offered warmly, practically buzzing in her seat as she savored the carefully prepared burnt cream. “They are always so touched to hear things like that.”

“Of course.”

Adrien ate another of the Dupain-Cheng desserts, preferring the light fluffy dough to a rich cream, and Marinette sighed happily when she sat back in her chair.

Releasing a low exhale of his own, Adrien’s father stood, indicating dinner officially over. “So, are you doing anything else this evening, or should we have a car come around to take you home?”

“We were going to play some video games,” Adrien offered, and Marinette nodded. “If… if that’s alright.”

“I don’t see why not,” he commented, leading them into the foyer. Marinette politely excused herself, seeking the bathroom, so he was left alone with his father in the hallway.

“Just be sure to have her returned home in time for her curfew.”

“That’s 10:30.” The blond glanced at his watch out of habit. It was just passed eight in the evening.

“I can let Nathalie know that you’ll need the car by 10:15.”

Before Adrien could thank his father, the man grimaced.

“Adrien?” His voice was off, and he studied the stairs like they insulted his designs. “She is a… very sweet girl. I’m, er, happy for you.”

Suddenly, Adrien found his thumbs very interesting, but managed a respectful response. “... I’m glad you think so. She’s really special to me, so… thanks for taking the time to meet her.”

“Your mother would have really liked her, I think.” The man added wistfully, and Adrien’s thought he sounded strained. He wasn’t exactly surprised; they had talked about her a lot tonight, probably more than they had since she disappeared.

Adrien bit his lip, hiding a grin. “You think so?”

His father’s response was decisive. “I know so.”

For what felt like the first time, the two men met eyes and shared a real, knowing smile. It was heavy, and appreciative, and tired. It was filled by absence and regret, unasked questions with untenable answers. Tonight, though, the tension felt a little less like shackles and a little more like hope. Like forgiveness, and apologies, and a handshake or a hug. It was just a look, but it felt like more than that.

A beat later, a lively pair of blue eyes re-emerged from a hallway, carried by the sound of her soft-bottomed shoes tapping against stone marble. Adrien’s father turned promptly towards her as she peered around the doorway, and his voice returned to its usual even tone.

“I have some work to return to, so I’m afraid I won’t see you out this evening. Nathalie and Adrien will see that you get home safely. Do take care, my dear.”

Stuttering, she bowed. “Y-yes, of course. Thank you! It was a pleasure. An honor, really, sir.”

Adrien wore a bemused smile as the two interacted, thinking he could get used to this side of his father, and certain he would never tire of Marinette’s blush when she flustered.

Again, his father glanced in his direction, holding his gaze for only a moment. He nodded towards his son and receded quickly into his office.

“Phew,” Adrien exhaled, not realizing he had been holding his breath until Marinette was in front of him. He should have taken a larger inhale, because the way she peered up at him took the air right back out of him.

“Ready to lose?” She smirked, and Adrien raised a brow.

“It seems it’s time to get the Party started?”

She deflated. “Take me home.”

“Mari!” He laughed, but she maintained a straight face, marching up the stairs towards his room. Adrien felt his stomach flutter as she walked away, the back of her blouse cut to expose a large part of her back. Gulping, he trailed after her, feeling a thrilling sense of nerves when she smiled smartly down at him.

“Agh,” Marinette muttered, her tongue sticking out in frustration as the results rolled in.

She hates losing. She really, really hates losing.

Especially to someone like Adrien, or Chat Noir, or Nino -- those that she could think of offhandedly. The kind of people who rubbed it in her face that she lost. The kind of people who got freakin’ smug when she lost. Oh, boy, did she hate that.

So during the closing ceremony, it was that much more thrilling when Toad announced that she, in fact, had won. Princess Peach managed to win by a slim margin of exactly three more coins than Yoshi. There was no way of keeping score of the bonus Stars until the end, and they had tied in everything else that was measurable. It was sort of incredible how evenly matched they were, flat out bulldozing the computer players in the process (to be fair, they left their difficulty on easy since she had never played and it had been so long since Adrien had either).

“Oh. Oh!” She had already put down her controller in defeat, which was probably for the best, because she leapt up from the couch with such force she probably would have ripped the Nintendo from the T.V.

Adrien groaned and leaned into the arm-rest of the couch. “Damn you. Hooooowwwwwwww?”

Marinette couldn’t help her excitement, always relishing victory (it was a quality you almost had to have being a superhero), but she at least kept the gloating to a minimum.

She sat back down and took one of his hands in her own, pressing her lips to it softly. “I’m sorry, Adrien. If it’s any consolation, I really thought you won.”

Peeking at her, though his face was still mostly in the sympathetic comfort of the couch cushion, he responded, “I’m not consoled.”

“What can I do?” She teased, still holding his hand; normally she’d be way too bashful to dare something so bold, but she was too overcome with the waves of triumph to bother.

“I feel like I need a win, or I’ll never get out of my mood.”

Pursing her lips, she smiled devilishly and turned his hand over, closing his fingers into a fist.

“Thumb war?” She challenged.

Smiling, Adrien chuckled and sat up, locking their hands together. “Thumb war.”

They both adjusted slightly on the couch, Marinette having kicked off her shoes over an hour ago. Adrien had joined her, wiggling his toes through dark socks, looking adorably foolish.

Positioning her skirt in front of her knees and crossing her legs carefully, Marinette watched as Adrien crossed his left leg over his right to better face her. They sat so close their knees touched, but Marinette refused to let herself be distracted.

“Ready?” He smirked.

“Ready. But I’m not just going to let you win. You have to earn it.”

In unison, while trying not to laugh, they started their tiny wrestling match.

“One, two, three, four…”

“I declare a thumb war!”

Adrien had a clear advantage, she soon learned, and began to regret her suggestion. While her thumb was thinner, it was also shorter, so it was harder to gain leverage against the back of his thumb. She almost had him at one point, but he faked her out and quickly captured her beneath him.

Marinette knew she wouldn’t be able to win, and in fairness, she should have been okay with that. Adrien said he wanted to beat her, but that’s simply not how she operates. After all, she’s Ladybug - it’s not like she could just… give up! Surely Paris would forgive her if she cheated just a little to win, right?

She shot out her other hand and brought it to the side of his abdomen, scratching and tickling him with her nails. Adrien began to laugh immediately, and tried to swat her hand away, but she used his distraction to her advantage and quickly claimed her victory.

“Hah!” She leaned back, laughing as the confusion and subsequent realization washed over him. Adrien scowled, one hand still touched his ribs where she tickled him.

“Oh, Mari, I wish you hadn’t done that.” His voice was deadly serious, and Marinette raised both brows.

Playing innocent, she cupped her hands together and pressed them to her cheek. “Oh, and why’s that?”

“Because it is now my right to tickle you.”

Before she could so much as breathe a word of protest, Adrien launched himself at her and his hands tasered her rib cage, though the startling sensation of his touch did even worse damage to her heart. Marinette was pretty sure she’d need to invest in a pacemaker to fix the steady arrhythmia that had her blood working overtime, pumping erratically, nonstop, since Sunday.

She tried to kick and squirm and tickle him back, but the effort was futile. The thumb war should have told her this was going to be a bad idea, because much like their hands, he was simply bigger than she was - maybe not stronger, (although, her hyperventilating lungs argued, he does have some pretty amazing muscles) but size definitely mattered in a tickle fight.

“S-Stop!” She said through a flurry of laughter, her face twisted up to a smile with cheeks so red she probably could have passed for Ladybug if she had worn something more form fitting.

“I’m afraid you lost the right when you cheated, Mari,” he said through his own laughter, unable to keep the giddy grin off his own face.

“Nooooo!” She squealed, hands frantically batting his away. “I’mSorryI’mSorryI’mSorry!”

Adrien sighed contently, wearing a smile that radiated with victory. “That’s better.”

Her lungs ached from the waves of giggles, and he was in much the same state, but instead of catching her breath she felt the last of her spirit leave her body.

Adrien was on top of her.

On his couch.

In his room.

She flustered to get up, and Adrien apparently caught on to their compromising position and almost fell back off the couch in his attempt to release her.

“Sorry,” he said, scratching his neck nervously. “I got a little carried away.”

She sighed and closed her eyes, covering her heart with a hand in a conscious effort to slow the frantic beating.

“Don’t be…” she mumbled, taking in another deep breath. “I probably deserved that.”

Her eyes fluttered open when she heard Adrien shift slightly on the couch, and he turned to look at her with sincere, sparkling eyes.

“Did I tell you that you looked really beautiful in that outfit? I probably did, but it’s worth saying again.”

Marinette covered a cheek with a hand, suddenly timid. With Adrien, it was like a pendulum between her shyness and her self-confidence; she wasn’t insecure because she thought poorly of herself, but rather, she felt humbled by the attention he gave her.

“Thanks. That… means a lot. It’s supposed to be a peony, but it ended up looking more like a rose.” She glanced down, tracing a line down the needlework she had worked a long time on, sort of frustrated with the end result. It had been a project she created during the winter months, a daydream of what Summer could bring. Marinette had never imagined it could be this good.

When she managed a glance up at him, he was impossibly close. Their noses almost touched, but he kept his eyes on hers.

A whisper. “It’s lovely, Mari. Really suits you.”

Marinette felt a timorous smile spread on her face, and she nodded, not sure what else to say.

She turned her face to his, this time letting their noses touch. His warmth was practically spreading through to her, his cheeks ablaze with a lustful color. In truth, Marinette had to imagine her’s looked much the same, and her flush only deepened when she tasted a tiny inhale of his cologne.

Hesitant, Marinette fluttered her eyes closed and leaned forward, seeking the soft reprieve of a kiss. She wanted to be the one to initiate it this time, wishing she had the sort of brash confidence he had the times before, but to her it still felt so new that there was still need of an invitation. A silent request, a nervous but passionate interest, to be reciprocated by him.

Adrien released a tiny sigh, a sound of pure happiness, and it spurred her to erase the distance and seek his lips with a confused mix of delicacy and urgency. When she found them, they were forgiving and the sensation of honey running over her mouth clouded her mind. She tried to keep a focus, count off the ingredients to her favorite cookie recipe, picture her disheveled clipboard at the shop, remind herself of the thrill of capturing an akuma, but the pressure of him so close zapped it all from her memory. It was just him, and his taste, and the wonderful smell of him flooding her senses.

A small part of Marinette’s mind wanted to deepen the kiss - okay, maybe more than a small part. A very loud, very clear part of her brain was demanding to understand his tongue by way of interrogation, to push herself against his impossibly toned torso, to indulge in every fantasy she’d dreamed up over the past three years. Pining was hard, and now that she’d taken the first step into the swirling emerald pool, it was like trying to force the rain to stop during a thunderstorm, or to resist the sunrise at dawn.

She deserved this, right?

She waited long enough, and some forces of nature simply cannot be stopped.

A languid, almost inaudible gasp fell from him when Marinette swiped her tongue against his lower lip, and the sensation of their breathing mingling together made her hairs stand on end.

Who needed food? Marinette would gladly sustain herself on nothing but his lips for the rest of her life if given the choice.

Adrien brushed some of the hair from her shoulder, moving his hand to her jawline, holding her carefully while she explored his neck with her fingers, crawling her hands up to his hair and digging into the soft blond waves. While the wanton sensation was intense, Marinette lavished every moment, even the most subtle ones. A tiny dance of his lashes across her cheek, the clumsy, inexperienced knocking of their teeth, the soft brush of fabric each time they moved on the couch. She would never forget the quiet hilarity of the Mario Party victory music playing in the background as Princess Peach was showered with confetti.

After perhaps a full minute, Adrien finally pulled away, and Marinette nearly groaned in protest but managed to punch down the urge. This was only their second date and she was hardly able to control herself, so with a quick internal beratement, the girl found her forgotten strength of will tossed aside with her shoes.

“Um,” she said after they stared at each other for several seconds, quietly gasping for breath as her heart thumped madly against his ribcage. Her skin felt hot and sensitive from the suddenly intimate moment. “I… er, you want to keep playing?”

“Hmm?” Adrien replied, blinking a few times and following her gaze to the television. “Oh. Right. Uh… let’s see what time it is…”

The blond reached for his cell phone and laughed abruptly, so Marinette leaned over curiously. She could see Alya’s name on the screen, and it was about to turn 10.

“It’s later than I thought,” he said, clearing his throat.

“Oh, my phone has been in my bag all night…” She murmured as he flicked through the messages, adjusting the screen so Marinette could read along with him in the group chat.

Nino (7:31 PM):

Now remember kids, your mother and I are trusting you to spend the evening responsibly. Don’t do anything Father Nino wouldn’t do!

Alya (7:33 PM):

That’s not really setting a great precedent, considering…. You know what? Nvm.

Laughing, Marinette covered her face with a hand. “Oh my god, they’re the worst.”

“They really are,” Adrien agreed, continuing to scroll.

Nino (7:40 PM):

Okay but really now I’m having second thoughts. Double-dates would be nice and all, but what about bro time? Who is going to keep me company while I play pokemon go???

Alya (7:42 PM):

because people actually still play that. Keep up with the times why don’t cha.

Nino (7:43 PM):

For your information, Adrien does - tell her, dude!

“It’s true,” he nodded gravely. “Although not as much compared to when it first came out. Nino keeps me going when he finds a good catch somewhere in town.”

“God, you’re lame,” Marinette commented. He laughed and continued to read.

Alya (7:56 PM):

Looks like your “bro” has vanished into the arms of a sexy young female. Sorry babe.

Flushing, Marinette shielded her eyes. “Oh my god, I can’t stand her sometimes!”

Adrien nudged her with his hip on the couch. “I can’t say she’s wrong…”

“Adrien!” She squeaked, blushing even harder.

Nino (8:01 PM):

Why must I suffer for you to be happy?

Alya (8:02 PM):

Are you talking to me or Adrien?

Nino (8:02 PM):

I’m actually talking to Nette, TYVM. gosh not everything is about you

Alya (8:04 PM):

Nino (8:06 PM):

I’VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

Absently, Marinette’s hand went to her throat while they continued to read through Nino’s angst, tracing the places he had touched her like they had been licked by flames. Much the same, the tips of her fingers burned, thinking of how warm and soft he felt in her grasp had been. She risked a glance at him while he penned a response, wondering what he would do if she repeated the action, or if he felt the same tingle beneath his skin when she touched him.

“Poor Nino,” he frowned. “You might want to back me up on this to appease the both of them.”

Brows raised, that dark-hair girl stood and sought her phone in her purse, set down on Adrien’s desk, but froze.

Tikki was gone.

“Mmp!” Marinette squeaked, digging around frantically. “Oh no, oh no, oh no,” she pulled out everything, horrified at the thought of her kwami disappearing. What if something terrible happened? This wasn’t like the shop or her room, where her red companion could hide but reappear easily. This was Adrien’s house, and who knows where she could be.

“Marinette? What’s going on?” A blond head of hair stood, looking concerned. “Did you lose your phone?”

“What?” She shook her head, forgetting herself. “Oh - oh! N-no… hah. No no… Just… thought I did. It’s here. I’m sure glad I didn’t lose it though!” Marinette was almost shouting, and she cringed.

Adrien moved closer, looking at her carefully. “Are you sure you’re okay? The car isn’t going to be ready until 10:15, but if you’d like to go home early...”

“No! I- I mean, n-no. I think, um, the food isn’t settling in my stomach well. Excuse me…” She averted his eyes, scurrying off to the bathroom with a very real pit in her stomach. If her kwami had been near enough, she only prayed that she’d be followed into the bathroom by a flash of red.

Inadvertently, she stepped through the door and caught sight of her appearance, and she was a little surprised. Her skirt and blouse had remained neat and pressed, but the half-pinned back locks that framed her face were a lost cause. The tickle war had done her in, and she quickly began to unpin her hair, trying to keep herself from shouting for Tikki at the top of her lungs.

By the time she completed taking her hair down and brushing it out with her fingers, Marinette nearly shrieked when her kwami appeared through the ceiling.

“G-g-ah…” Again, the girl clutched her heart, too overcome with relief to bother with much else than a swift hug of her kwami against her cheek.

Quietly, Marinette whispered, “Oh my god, Tikki. Don’t scare me like that! Where were you?!”

“Oh, you know… around?” A red face scrunched up at her, and Marinette felt her lips grow thinner.

“Around? Just around in Adrien’s house? What if someone saw you!? What if I left and you weren’t back!”

“Shh, Marinette, it’s okay.” Tikki looked apologetic, and touched a paw to her lips as her voice began to grow in volume. “Take a deep breath, and I promise, you don’t need to worry. I… thought I saw a little pest, but it turned out to be nothing. I was only gone a moment, and an inopportune one at that. I’m very sorry.”

Unprecedented tears started to well in her eyes, but she gave Tikki another loving squeeze against her cheek. “I’m… I’m just glad you’re okay. I got really freaked out!”

“Don’t worry! It’s all fine now. Just go ahead and finish your date. If you can distract Adrien, I’ll fly back to your purse immediately. Okay?”

Gulping down courage she didn’t have, Marinette nodded once. “Okay.”

With a quick light tap-tap against both of her cheeks, shaking the nerves from her bones, Marinette grasped the handle and re-entered Adrien’s room.

It took her a moment to spot him, a ninety-degree angle from the bathroom, standing in the corner at the windowsill, and he turned at the sound of the door opening.

“Hey, are you feeling better?” Adrien said with a small, concerned smile. Marinette nodded shyly and approached when he gestured for her to come nearer.

“Oh!” She breathed when he stepped aside slightly. “The hydrangeas. They look beautiful.”

And so they did. Smoky darkness framed them from the evening beyond, the moon providing a perfect soft source of illumination to their amaranthine petals. This pair in particular had been some of her favorites of all the ones she grew, loving how full and round the bulbs had come with the spring yield. In full bloom, she couldn’t have imagined a better choice to represent her feelings for him.

“Yes. Beautiful.”

The tone he used struck her as odd, and when Marinette looked over at him, her knees nearly gave way. Intense and curious, Adrien’s gaze studied her with an admiring sort of security.

The pop of green seemed deeply happy, while stirring with the mystery and mischief of his goofy and kind-hearted side, and it filled her with an ache of love so intense she felt the words of sweet confession start to form on her tongue. Thankfully, there was no air in her lungs to support to syllables, so they died as they inched up her vocal chords.

Three years of unrequited, or, at least, misunderstood feelings, clamped down hard on her heart bitterly, and yet, Marinette knew she would do it again. Every lifetime, if she had to. Again and again. She would have waited forever for him to look at her like that, and three years had been long, and slow, but in the gentle curve that tempered his eyes when he smiled at her, because of her, she knew it had made each second worth it.

He broke her stupor, gesturing below her chin. “Why did you choose the peony?”

“The… peony…? Oh. Right.” She traced the outline of the flower, feeling a tint of pink stain her cheeks. “I actually picked it… well because of you. I made it in the winter, but I-I’ve… I really liked you, Adrien. For a long time. Years. Since the day you gave me that umbrella, actually.” Marinette squeezed an arm across her chest, unable to stop the sudden avowal from spilling off her tongue. “Peonies are supposed to be a mark of good luck, and when I made this, I hoped one day… well, maybe we’d be here. Together? I guess it worked?” She chuckled from embarrassment, averting her eyes.

Adrien didn’t say anything, and she grew increasingly nervous. “T-there’s legends and stuff! Some people say it’s from a Greek legend about medicine, and another about a nymph… both end with someone getting turned into a peony though, to protect them and to embody their spirits. And, nowadays, you know, a bush of peonies that thrives is supposed to be a sign of good fortune! And - and, um, i-if your peonies wither and don’t survive through summer, it’s a sign of bad tidings. Unlucky. Unlucky.”

Too bad it’s impossible to throttle yourself, Marinette thought as her brain continued to fill an anxious silence with even more anxious words. She shouldn’t have admitted how long she wanted this - it made her seem desperate, didn’t it? A clingy, useless thing, like ivy, latching to life and refusing to let go.

“Annnnnd, you know, I figured since I sew, I could make my own peony. Avoid the risk of growing them. One that would never wither. A chance for luck. ‘A Needlepoint Peony’, get it? If it’s big and bold, and never fades, it could let me be happy, right? Even though I’m not superstitious - how stupid! What am I saying? What was the question?”

Marinette forcibly covered her mouth with a hand, trying to stop the verbal flood.

Brow furrowed, the blond simply stared at her in mute silence. What was he thinking? That was too much. This was all too much, wasn’t it?

Marinette shivered when he touched her cheek.

“Marinette... ” He started to speak, but she thought a flicker of frustration colored his tone. Instead, Adrien pulled her closer and ghosted his lips over hers - the gesture was much more delicate this time. A bee buzzing over a flower, the rush of feeling was almost enough to make her cry at how long she’d wanted this, how happy she was to be here, to show him and shower him in the love she had to give. Instead, their lips pulled apart, and sweet emotion tickled her throat with the taste of sunshine and spearmint.

“I’m sorry you waited so long. I’m - I’m so glad you did. But I don’t think it’s the peony; it’s just you.” He laughed a bit at her dazed expression, squishing their foreheads together. “It’s you. Lucky. Pretty. Smart. I’m just stupid for not noticing sooner.”

Leaning away, Adrien stood up slightly and pressed a gentle kiss into her forehead.

“Thank you for giving me a chance.”

A rapt knocking broke them out of the moment, and Nathalie spoke through the door. “Adrien. The car is prepared for Marinette.”

The pair blinked a few times, words processing a little slower as reality returned from their private moment. After a slow breath, Adrien smiled.

“Let’s get you home.”

Marinette could only nod and let herself be led from his house, grabbing her purse and floating down the stairs. She was unable to do more than share a few warm glances with him when they sat down in the car.

Marinette felt so happy that it actually hurt when the door shut, like finishing the chapter of a great story; why did it have to end? Anything she could do to savor the last moments before they said good night were worth it, and when they settled in the backseat, she eagerly took his hand.

“We should do something this weekend.” She stated, failing to sound casual with the pitchy tone of her voice. Adrien didn’t seem to mind.

“I’d love that - oh! That reminds me!” He blinked a few times, little green twinkles in the dark interior as they rolled past darkened Parisian streets. “I actually - well, it’s a long story. Basically, I got my schedule messed up, and I realized I can go the reception on Saturday. The one for the museums, for Le Nuit. Go with me, please?”

Marinette balked, staring at him. Was he serious?

“...What? But, we’d… well, you know,” she cleared her throat, aware of the two adults occupying the front seat. “People would see us together. Are you sure? Maybe you should talk to your Dad… And isn’t at Le Grande Paris? Chloe’s not exactly my ‘BFF,’ you know.”

The blond leaned over the center console, voice low. The whisper in her ear sent a current of electricity down her spine. “I’ll talk to my Dad if it’ll make you feel better, but I want to go out with you. I want people to know. I want everyone to know.” Drawing back, Marinette released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

He repeated his earlier invitation. “Please, go with me?”

“I- O-of course. Of course I’ll go.” She beamed, wondering when her alarm for school was going to wake her from this amazing dream; there’s no way it was real. Any minute now, she guessed.

The minutes passed, and no alarm interrupted them. They pulled up to the bakery, and Marinette scoffed irritably. Her parents were framed in the doorway, waving at them in the car.

“The welcoming committee is here this time,” she pointed out, and Adrien laughed as he sprang from the car, racing to get her door.

As she rolled her eyes, he quipped, “Rye is that a problem?

Marinette decided to ignore that. “Thank you, Madam Sancoeur. And, um, Monsieur... Driver.”

“Bonsoir, Marinette,” Nathalie answered as Adrien shut the door.

Marinette tried to seem perfectly grumpy as they approached, which wasn’t entirely difficult when Adrien made another joke, urging her to “crumb on.”

“Hi, Maman, Papa,” Marinette said as she pushed open the door to the bakery, and the Dupain-Cheng’s stood with bouncing heels and excited smiles, spotting Adrien’s hand on her lower back.

“Good evening, Madam Cheng, Monsieur Dupain,” Adrien greeted formally, bowing slightly. The movement was interrupted when her father captured them both in a hug, strong enough to lift them both from the ground. Maman barely managed to not get caught in the flurry.

“There’s my girl! And so happy to see you, son,” her father beamed at Adrien when they both were returned to solid ground.

Her mother grasped her husband’s arm, leaning into him dreamily. “Look at the happy couple! You both look so cute together. And about time, too!”

Red crept Marinette’s neck, burying her freckles in a fury of distress. “Maman! Stop it!”

Adrien chuckled and smirked and her chagrin, and she thought about forcing him out the door.

“I can’t stand you - all of you!” Marinette groaned, putting her face in her hands.

“Now now, sweetie,” her father consoled her with a less crushing embrace. “Your mother and I are just excited for you and Adrien. All we wanted for you is a sweet, nice gentleman, and you found him. Can you blame us?”

Clearing his throat, Adrien sounded a little off. “W-well, thank you, Monsieur Dupain. That’s such a nice thing to say. I’m really happy you’re so accepting of me.”

Marinette peeked at the boy from comforting spot against her Papa’s chest, eyeing her mother suspiciously as the woman took his hand and patted it with her other. “You’re a sweet boy, and we trust you. Please, come over anytime for dinner or to a… what do the kids say, ‘Netflix binge?’ That.”

Marinette considered drowning herself with the gardening hose tomorrow when she got to work.

“Maman, you can’t say things like that! There’s a-a-a connotation to that, and it’s inappropriate! Adrien, I’m so sorry!”

The woman was unphased, merely shrugging. “Adrien, thank you for making sure Marinette got home safely. You take care, and if you ever want to stop in, we’re always happy to have you.”

“Our little girl’s first boyfriend!” Her father sighed, squeezing a struggling Marinette into him. His large stomach was making it impossible to breathe, and when she finally resurfaced, some of her hair got squashed into her mouth.

“Pff -” she said, spitting it out and untangling herself from her parents, pushing them towards the back of the store.

“Okay, thanks, bye!”

Marinette could barely look him in the eye. “I am so sorry about that. Please ignore them.”

“It’s okay,” Adrien reassured her, walking across the store to meet her. She peeked up at him and he was smiling, his halo of blonde hair almost making him look angelic. “I thought it was sweet. Your parents are always so nice.”

“Nice is one word for it…” she grumbled, crossing her arms.

Adrien laughed and shook his head, wrapping the petulant girl in his arms. “I had a great time tonight,” he whispered.

Marinette gulped, and dropped her arms from their childish pouting position. She wrapped them around his middle, nuzzling softly into his shoulder.

“I did, too…” biting her lip, she confessed a burning question. “We’ll see each other Saturday, but… maybe we could try sooner? I-I really like spending time with you.”

Pulling apart, his features lit up, brilliant and pure. “Absolutely. I’ll figure out my schedule and we can do something. Even if it’s just spending time at the flower shop - I guess I’m not such a bad employee after all!”

“Don’t get too big for your loafers, Buster Brown,” Marinette warned, putting a hand at her hip. Instead of a silly response, Adrien peeled with sudden laughter.

“That was a fantastic pun, Mari. Well done.”

Squinting, she had to process his meaning.

Don’t get too big for your loaf-ers, Buster Brown.

Rubbing her temples, Marinette’s voice was sour. “This is how I die. A slow, subtle descent to madness.”

Adrien kissed her forehead once again and the bitterness fell right off of her.

Quick and sweet, his presence was so close, everywhere in her senses, and he murmured to her softly. “Good night, Mari. I’ll see you soon.”

“I- o-okay. T-thanks again for... tonight. For everything.” She stuttered through a response, feeling like the wind had just been knocked out of her. Adrien swiftly disappeared into the night, and Marinette, thoroughly dazed, listened to the bell at the door, his dismissal, fade away into a quiet peace.

Bonus Scene:

“This way, come on,” Plagg phased through the ceiling wall, and Tikki was about ready to throttle him.

She shot a quick whisper at him when she caught up, breathing in the scent of fresh air.

“Where are we going, Plagg?”

They had been floating around all evening, mostly in the upper corners of Adrien’s room, and Plagg seemed not at all himself. The kwami’s tail twitched occasionally, he smiled too frequently, and Tikki suspected he was up to something.

“Almost there. Just be patient – geez. Drama queen.”

Inhaling sharply, Tikki’s antenna twitched. “What did you just say to me?”

“N-Nothing! Nothing at all!” Plagg’s eyes went wide and he phased through yet another wall, much to her dismay. They had only gone up a floor and through one room, but she hadn’t been able to warn Marinette of her departure, and that made her nervous.

“We had all night – why would you wait until the last fifteen minutes before Marinette has to go home to… Plagg, are you even listening to me?”

The kwami’s ear’s twitched a few feet in front of her, and he turned midair. Tikki quietly noted their surroundings; it seemed like an old music room, and the air was musty with dust. Dark particles flew around them, oddly pretty under the streaming light of the lunar light from the tall windows. It was like floating in an ocean of dark stars, and the look of apology Plagg gave her made her blush.

“I-I’m sorry, Tikki. I had a surprise for you, but I kept getting nervous and backing out of it! But, ugh, I hate this stupid emotional crap. We’ll make it quick, just, cm’here…” He grumbled the last part over his shoulder. Taken aback, Tikki blinked and sneezed at some dust, but sped across the room to catch up with him.

Plagg sat on a rather modest-looking box in the corner of the room, set squarely in the center of an extravagant dresser. The dark wood reflected some white-blue illumination from the windows, and it cast the black cat in an oddly somber light.

Gentler than before, Tikki lowered herself next to him. “What is this place?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” he answered slowly, rubbing a paw along the box. “I think it was important to Adrien’s mom, cause her name is written all over this stuff. Pianos and violins and junk, though it’s all terribly out of tune.”

“Like you’d know how to carry a tune,” she nudged him. “I’ve heard your singing.”

“I happen to be a fantastic singer, thank you,” he grinned. “Ask Adrien. I sang him a ballad about camembert once, and even he said it was fantastic.”

The red kwami giggled, “Suuuuure.”

They sat for a moment in silence, and Tikki admired the room. It was probably the size of Adrien’s ground-floor, wide with tall ceilings. Most of the services were covered in sheets, probably to keep the dust off, and it made her a little sad to think about.

Abruptly, she sneezed with the swishing of Plagg’s tail kicking up some of the dust.

“It’s pretty in here,” she remarked as she shook the dust from her head. “But it’s sort of making me feel sick. Should we go back?”

A tiny tint of green peeked up through his whiskers, and Tikki blinked. “What?”

“There’s one more thing – okay? Don’t laugh.”

“I won’t,” she answered honestly, a little amused by his behavior.

He took a deep breath and floated up, gesturing for her to follow. Plagg then carefully creaked open the lid of the box, and a gentle little music began to play. Perhaps a piano, crisp little notes of a sweet melody rang out in the silent room, and a ballerina danced inside the box.

“A music box?” Tikki questioned, scowling down at the display in confusion. When she looked up, Plagg was smoothing out his whiskers, and he cleared his throat.

“Sure, whatever. It plays, and I can’t figure out anything else in this room. So are you going to dance with me, or not?”

Scarlet rushed to her already crimson cheeks, and Tikki’s blue eyes grew even wider. “Dance?”

“Dance.” He repeated, floating up to her and taking her paws in his. His over-confident voice deceived his drawn brow, the frown of his lips.

The best she could do was smile warmly and resist the urge to sneeze, floating a bit closer.

It wasn’t like the sort of tangos or slow dances humans entertained, complicated by steps and disproportionate bodies. They just held hands, paw to paw, and twirled in the dusty sea, dark twinkles sparkling around them in a soft light of night.

The balance had never been so secure.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculers #miraculous #miraculous fanfic #adrinette #adrien x marinette #adrien agreste #adrienette #adrienette kiss #ml fanfic #mlb fanfiction #marinette dupen-chang #marinette dupain-cheng #gabriel agreste #tikki and plagg #its just fluff and humor #flowershop au

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purrincess-chat · 6 years

Text

The Girl Under the Mask CH 8

It’s finally here! Sorry it took so long, I just couldn’t decide what I wanted with this chapter, but hopefully you enjoy it even tho it’s a little less fluffy than the other ones. This series is becoming more involved now. It’s less loosely connected one-shots now and more development and progression based, so sorry if you only wanted fluff. I totally get it if you unsubscribed, but for those that stay I hope you continue to enjoy it! It’s still gonna have tooth-rotting fluff, there will just be mild angst sprinkled in at times, but the ending is gonna be happy, I promise!

FF | AO3

Chapter 8

That night Adrien leaned against his shower wall with a dreamy sigh as the water hit his chest and rolled down his abdomen. Ladybug took off her mask for him that day. She’d been at the fencing tournament to cheer him on, and, more importantly, she’d kissed his cheek. He touched the spot tenderly, closing his eyes and reliving that moment over and over. Tonight would be the night he told her his feelings. He was sure of it.

After cleaning up, he flicked the water off and wrapped a towel around his waist, rubbing another one on his hair as he dug through his closet for his pajamas. He shoved aside some of the nerdier ones, looking instead for something more attractive to wear, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. Should he dress up a little more? Did he really want to confess his feelings to the girl of his dreams wearing his Knightowl pajama pants? Biting his lip, he slid open his bathroom door and stepped out into the room.

“Plagg, have you seen that shirt I wore for the photoshoot yesterda-” He stopped short as his gaze fixed on the red and black suit frozen in place next to the window, her yoyo half fastened around her waist as she stared at him with equally wide eyes. His gaze flicked down to the towel around his waist and the water still dripping from his hair then back up to her, and in 9an instant her hands flew up to cover her eyes as he stepped back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut with a short gasp.

“I’m so sorry!” She shouted after a moment as he leaned against the door, sucking in deep breaths to calm his pounding heart. “The window was open, and I didn’t know you weren’t decent!”

“N-No, no! It’s my fault! I took longer than I usually do,” He called back, cheeks burning with embarrassment, and she fell silent for a moment.

“Should I leave?” She asked finally, and Adrien felt a wave of panic surge through his stomach.

“No! Stay! I…I’ll just be a minute!” He insisted, taking a quick breath before striding over and digging frantically through his drawers for something, anything to wear. Clothes. He just needed clothes.

Pulling on the first things his hands touched, he awkwardly stumbled to the door and pushed it open once more, adjusting his damp hair and clearing his throat. Ladybug peeked out from behind her fingers cautiously before slowly lowering them back to her sides and averting her gaze. Awkward silence hung between them before she finally shifted to clasp her hands together in front of her.

“Nice pajamas,” She remarked, risking a glance and offering him a small smile, and he glanced down to realize he’d put on his aforementioned dorky Knightowl pants. Great.

“Thanks,” He said with a wince, and she pointed to his shirt.

“Your shirt’s on backwards,” She informed, pressing her lips into a firm line as he fiddled with the tag on his neck.

“And inside-out,” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sorry. This is awkward.”

“Yes, it is,” She chuckled, rocking back on her heels. “So, do you want to watch a movie or something, or-”

“A movie sounds great,” He enunciated, shoving his hands into his pockets before stiffly leading the way to the couch.

They sat down hesitantly next to each other, avoiding eye contact while Adrien fumbled with the remote. This evening wasn’t going how he’d planned at all. And after they’d had such a wonderful afternoon. He couldn’t possibly tell her how he felt now. Maybe not ever.

“What happened to your shoulder?” She asked out of the blue after a few minutes of painful silence.

“My shoulder?” He cocked a brow.

“I noticed you have a bruise. N-Not that I was trying to look or anything, I just happened to notice when you walked out, and I kind of panicked, and so, um, are you okay?” Her mask furrowed slightly in concern.

“Oh, uh, that’s probably from the tournament earlier. Fencing can be a little rough sometimes. Bruising is kind of common on the arms and chest,” He explained, holding up reassuring hands, and she relaxed a little.

“That’s good. I mean, it’s not good that you get bruised up, but I thought that maybe you’d gotten hurt, I dunno.” She shook her head, and Adrien smiled, placing a hand over hers.

“It’s sweet of you to be concerned about me. I’m happy that you care,” He said sincerely, and her lips curled into a small smile. “And I’m happy that you came to the tournament today. It really meant a lot.”

“Well, we’re friends now, and I wanted to cheer you on,” She remarked with a shrug, shifting to curl her legs and get more comfortable. “Isn’t that what friends are for?”

“I know, but still…I don’t often get that kind of support, so it’s nice,” He said carefully, shifting his gaze to his lap with a small frown, and Ladybug’s mask furrowed worriedly so he perked back up. “But enough about that, what are you in the mood for tonight?”

“Does your dad ever come to your tournaments?” She asked, and he pursed his lips to hide his grimace.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I think it does,” She stated seriously, cautiously reaching for him but stopping short when he shifted away.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you-”

“It’s fine.” His response was shorter than he intended, more clipped, and the steeliness of his tone brought a stifling silence to the room.

“Maybe it’d be better if I just go,” She suggested, standing up awkwardly and reaching for her yoyo, and Adrien felt his chest tighten as he watched her walk to the window with curled shoulders.

“Ladybug, wait.” She stopped short, turning to face him as he stood up and crossed the room to join her. “I didn’t mean to be so harsh. It’s just…kind of a sore subject that I don’t like to think about, and I didn’t want to drag you into my problems.”

“No, I shouldn’t have pressed. It’s really none of my business, and I didn’t mean to pry. You don’t have to tell me anything personal if you don’t want to,” She insisted, and Adrien gave her a small, grateful smile.

“We’re a mess tonight, aren’t we?” He said with a laugh, running a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, we are,” She agreed, tugging one of her pigtails awkwardly before straightening up. “I think we could both stand to clear our heads a little.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Adrien conceded, slumping a little that their evening was already ending.

“So, have you ever seen Paris from the rooftops before?” She extended a hand to him with that playful glint, and he felt his cheeks flush, heart fluttering a little bit as he took it and stepped into her embrace, wrapping his arms securely around her shoulders. “Hang on.”

He felt his breath catch as she tossed her yoyo out the window and tugged the slack, sending them shooting out into the night. Instinctively, he hugged himself closer to her as they flew, grateful for the excuse of falling allowing him the opportunity to cling closer. Gliding through Paris with Ladybug felt like a dream, one that he couldn’t believe he was actually living, and when they landed on a roof overlooking the Seine, Adrien was left breathless by more than just the view. The love of his life had stolen him from his room for a secret nighttime excursion through Paris. Despite her earlier declaration of friendship, he couldn’t help but pretend that this was a romantic adventure, and the thought of snuggling up and snogging atop famous Parisian architecture made his stomach somersault a little.

“Sometimes I like to come up here to think,” She remarked, fastening her yoyo to her hip and admiring the scene below. “Plus it’s just so beautiful up here.”

“Yeah, it is,” Adrien said softly, gaze softening on her before he shook himself. “You’re lucky that you get to enjoy this kind of view all the time.”

She giggled at that. “We can do this anytime you want. Sometimes it’s nice to have company.”

A brisk wind blew by, and Adrien rubbed his arms, shivering a little. Ladybug seemed to notice and instinctively moved closer, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his shoulder. Blood rushed to his cheeks, warming him up in an instant, but he never wanted that moment to end. All of this had to mean something, right? He couldn’t be imagining the slight way she pressed closer to him or the contented smile on her face as they leaned against each other for warmth. It was all far friendlier than she’d ever been with Chat Noir, but maybe it was just his wishful thinking.

“So, what do you think about when you come up here?” He asked finally to distract himself from the myriad of thoughts racing through his head.

“All kinds of stuff,” She said, gazing up at the stars and leaning down to rest her arms on the railing. “School, friends, boys, being a hero, and how that impacts all of that stuff.”

“What do you mean?” He mirrored her position, lightly brushing his arm against hers and crossing his ankles. To his delight, she didn’t shy away from his touch.

“I’m always running around saving people, but I can never tell my friends or family why I’m always disappearing or showing up late,” She said with a frown. “I don’t like lying to them.”

“So why don’t you just tell them the truth?” He cocked a brow, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

“I can’t. No one can know who I really am. Not even the ones I care about,” She shifted her gaze back to the city.

“Don’t you want to tell them-” He stopped short when she turned to him and gave him the same warning look she often gave Chat, but it quickly devolved into a sly smile.

“Now who’s asking prying questions?” She teased, and Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic wince as she reached for her yoyo. “It’s getting late. I should take you home.”

“Right…” He pursed his lips then secured his arms around her shoulders once more.

It seemed as though identities were one subject she’d never budge on, no matter how she truly felt about them. Though he supposed she had no real reason to divulge any of that information to him. It’s not like she knew of his own involvement in her life outside of their nightly visits, and it seemed as though he wasn’t going to get to tell her any time soon.

“Sleep tight, Mr. Fencing Champion,” She said once she set him back on his bedroom floor.

“Thanks,” He said with a short chuckle, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll try not to be naked.” He smirked, and she bit back a smile of her own. “Good night, Bakerbug. Maybe if you bring me cookies tomorrow, we can forget tonight ever happened.”

“Sounds good,” She laughed before tossing her yoyo and disappearing out into the night once more.

Adrien leaned against the window pane with a sigh. That night hadn’t gone how he’d planned at all, and he felt like he’d missed the perfect opportunity to confess. But it was just as well. They still didn’t know each other very well, so it was unlikely that she’d even feel the same way about him yet. For now he’d keep inching closer to her until the perfect moment finally arrived.

#miraculous ladybug #ladrien #ladybug #adrien agreste #shower scene #my writing #the girl under the mask

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greenparispavement · 7 years

Text

concept: Angst 1, 2, 3, 4

It hadn’t lasted of course. Plagg had known it wouldn’t. He had sensed the switch and known about it as soon as it had occurred, but he hadn’t expected his kitten to pick up on it so quickly too. It almost made him sadder; this set of chosen ones could have been one of the greatest Ladybug and Chat Noir pairs they’d ever had. Instead his silly kitten had screwed the pooch and now, they were stuck with someone else.

He hadn’t told the boy the truth. Evading his questions with complaints about hunger and cheese had become an unwelcome but familiar routine. And Adrien didn’t let go of things easily - he wouldn’t have been such a good black cat if he did. As it was, Plagg did all he could to be as obnoxious and annoying as possible, trying to put Adrien off the scent.

It had worked to a certain extent. Adrien had stopped asking, but he hadn’t stopped looking. He knew something was wrong with Ladybug, off, but he hadn’t once thought the girl was a different one. Tikki was cunning, or maybe her girl was - the first one - because she looked exactly the same. Her voice was slightly different, and her fighting style was completely at odds with the first girl Tikki had picked, but she wasn’t at all a bad match for the creation Kwami. Adrien was another story.

The rapport that he’d built with the first girl had taken a year to make solid, but it had been there from the start. This one took a bit more work. She was flustered and blushing half the time, which allowed Plagg to distract Adrien with teasing and jabs at him, wondering at his complaining now that he had finally captured his lady’s heart. Those comments, which were a little below the belt, even Plagg would admit, only distracted him for so long. He wasn’t stupid. He noticed that Ladybug’s yoyoing style had changed. That she seemed not to know people they had previously met several times, that she wasn’t as quick to figure out the lucky charm the first few times. Soon, however, impossibly quickly, as if she had coaching of some kind, the new girl picked up her own slack and they were back in business.

Adrien remained faltering and unsure until one night, the new Ladybug kissed him. It had sent his kitten on a rollercoaster of messed up emotions, diving into confusion from heights of bliss and happiness when the kiss felt wonderful, and yet unreal and wrong at the same time.

It all came to a head on the third day of school. Plagg would have found it poetic if it didn’t break his kitten’s heart into sharp fragments. The akuma sent was particularly destructive. Demolition themed and armed with wrecking balls for arms, he’d already reduced a handful of buildings to sawdust, and a baby crying inside one of them had been the siren’s call for any Ladybug. And of course; of course Chat Noir followed where his Lady went.

Plagg sensed Tikki the moment Adrien’s transformation gave out. He led his injured but mobile charge to where he could hear his other half’s reedy voice, and was right on time to see a blond head, covered in blood and trapped under a number of beams, before someone else walked up.

‘You came!’ Tikki exclaimed tearfully, and Plagg willed Adrien to be quiet, to shut up and listen. Maybe his kitten was learning, or maybe he was too shocked to speak as the red Kwami jumped up and nuzzled another girl’s cheek, but he barely breathed.

‘Of course I did, I followed every battle as closely as I could. Alya wouldn’t say no to another camera angle, after all, and after being arrested three times my parents have as many white hairs as they can get from this.’

She chuckled slightly before looking down. ‘Is she alive?’ she asked, her voice tremulous.

‘Yes, but hurt very badly,’ Tikki replied with sorrow. She turned to the girl, her back to Plagg and Adrien, wearing camo gear, a tank top and dark pigtails. ‘Will you?’

‘I will always help where I can. And this will even throw them off Magda if we work it well. I think the dogs are sniffing around her, now?’ Tikki only nodded. ‘Well then. Let’s celebrate our anniversary, shall we!’

Tikki nodded, the girl picked the earrings and said the words. Plagg was not sure his kitten had words left in him until he said a very important one.

‘…Marinette?’

Ladybug - the original one, though no one would ever know the difference - turned. Adrien stared at her aghast, and Plagg was not sure whether his charge was thinking a million things, or nothing at all.

She stared at him a moment longer before straightening. ‘Are you hurt? Will you be able to fight?’

‘You’re Ladybug,’ was the only thing he said.

‘No, she is. I’m only borrowing this to help out. We need to hurry, she’s hurt bad.’

‘You’re Ladybug,’ he insisted, apparently too lost to hear her. ‘I know you, You’re the one who I fought with first!’

‘She’s the one you fight with now,’ Ladybug reiterated. ‘Do you believe that there really has been only one of us since the beginning of time? We change all the time.’

‘But you’re my Ladybug!’ Adrien insisted, his brain apparently only capable of short, cut sentences.

‘That’s wrong on all accounts,’ the girl replied, in a clipped tone much harder than before. ‘Look, she doesn’t have much time, and even though the cure will bring her back, I don’t want her to die in the first place. Help me save her, Madelaine loves you.’

‘And you?’ he asked in a gasp. ‘Did you ever-?’ he went quiet, pale, and swayed alarmingly. Plagg thought for an instant that his injuries were worse than he had originally thought. Then he realised that Adrien must have remembered Valentine’s day, a little more than half year ago.

Marinette, Ladybug, looked at him steadily. ‘Once,’ she said simply. ‘Now we have an akuma to stop, and some very interested police officers to distract. Let’s get to it, Chat Noir.’

He whimpered, and Plagg knew, beyond all doubt, that it was because she had failed to call him any of the beloved nicknames she’d had for him before.

‘Unless, you’re too injured?’ she asked, concerned.

‘No,’ Adrien said, ‘Let’s … let’s get this over with. Plagg, transforme m…’

The Kwami had nothing more than faint recollections of feelings until his kitten detransformed. He was standing on a rooftop, tears streaming down his cheeks, hand still held up as if to finish with the customary fist-bump the new girl had kept. But there was no Ladybug, only the detransformed girl.

‘I have to get Tikki back to her proper wielder. She’s going to be worried,’ Marinette said, matter of factly.

‘One last time,’ Adrien begged, nudging the air with his fist. ‘Please, just one last time.’

‘There isn’t time,’ Marinette replied, and Plagg was not sure he believed one of Tikki’s bugs could be this heartless if he hadn’t seen the sheen of tears in her eyes. ‘I tried to tell you, Adrien. Ladybug doesn’t exist.’

‘You exist! You’re here, and, I beg you, please…’

‘The current Ladybug loves you,’

‘I don’t love her!’ he burst out. ‘I’ve been trying to understand for past month why I can’t seem to feel for her as I used to! She looks exactly like you, but I just didn’t feel anything anymore when she spoke to me, or fought with me, or laughed with me or kissed me.’

That got a reaction out of the girl, making her gasp briefly before she cut it off. Adrien seized the opportunity, rushing forward to grab Marinette’s shoulders.

‘I couldn’t understand it,’ Adrien said, voice caught between sobs. ‘I should have been happy, but I wasn’t. I felt awful, fickle and bad. I never even realised I’d driven you away.’

‘I did it because of the Surete, mostly,’ the girl hedged.

‘Don’t lie,’ Adrien replied.

‘I’m not,’ she huffed back. ‘It … it solved multiple problems.’ She looked away, at last unable to contain her tears, and Adrien hugged her hard. Plagg flew to Tikki, sitting beside her on the roof’s perimeter fence.

‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered, hugging her too and purring. They watched quietly as the two humans spoke in hushed voices to one another, Adrien begging, Marinette hesitating. ‘These last few weeks must have been hard. I’m sorry my kitten is an idiot.’

‘So am I,’ Tikki replied with melancholy. ‘If I hadn’t insisted she keep her identity from him, Marinette may have told him; she wanted to some months before it all went south. We could have avoided all this.’

‘Maybe they needed it, to grow and learn to talk to one another,’ he tried.

‘All they learned was not to trust one another. It will be hard now, you know it as well as I do, Plagg. If they work out at all this cycle, it will be a lot of work, and only because they’re both stubborn enough to try. They could have been so happy.’

‘They still can be,’ he insisted. ‘If your bug loves him half as much as he loves her, that is.’

‘I don’t know, Plagg,’ Tikki replied sorrowfully. ‘That’s the point. You know how my charges get - the task is more important. Their head before their heart; I even teach them that, but this time it may mean, that…’

‘We have to trust them,’ Plagg replied, watching as Adrien cautiously, gently kissed Marinette; a light brush of the lips that lasted barely a second. Marinette moved away, reluctant and uncomfortable, and then she sighed.

‘What will I tell Magda…’

‘I’ll tell her I have a girlfriend,’ Adrien said. ‘I know we are not that yet,’ he added quickly when he saw Marinette start. ‘But I’m yours anyway. I made this bed, I’ll lie in it, and I’ll help you fight off the damn Surete. You should have told me; I just have to phone my dad, he’ll sick something on them to leave you alone.’

‘The ladybugs have finished,’ Marinette said by way of an answer. She moved out of his grasp, his hands falling limp at his side as she walked to the perimeter fence. They were both silent for a moment, then she went on. ‘I started Lycee two days ago. A new start. I thought…’ She fell silent again.

‘I started public school a year ago too. A new start.’ Adrien joined her at the parapet, looking out the restored city, electric illumination beginning to flicker on and competing with the sunset for spectacle lights.

‘I fell in love with you exactly a year ago today; on the third day of school.’ Plagg saw Adrien turn to stare at her. ‘It was raining. I was being horrible to you because of something you hadn’t even done, and I didn’t even give you the chance to apologise. Then, you were so kind and polite.’ She stopped for a moment, smiling fondly at something far away. ‘You gave me your umbrella and got wet on the way to your car.’

‘I remember being so happy that you’d forgiven me,’ Adrien replied in a similar hushed tone, quiet with memory and melancholy. ‘This time I don’t even deserve it. But if you could, if you could give me another chance…’

‘I … ok.’

Plagg could have yowled in happiness. As it was, Tikki slapped a hand onto his mouth so he wouldn’t interrupt. It was tentative anyway; he could see how tense and unsure she was, and he knew Adrien would have a lot of work to make up for his mistakes. They watched as Adrien put an arm around her shoulders, gently squeezing while Marinette stood still. She didn’t reciprocate the gesture, but she didn’t push him off, even leaning into him slightly.

‘It won’t be easy, Kitty,’ Marinette went on.

‘I don’t deserve it to be,’ Adrien replied.

‘I mean, for me, too.’ The girl shook her head. ‘I’m not sure I can be Ladybug again, not when there’s another girl to take into account now. And I may … it may not be easy for me with you, at first. I think I’m still a little angry.’

‘I’ll take it all. That’s the point of a second chance; I’ve got to grovel.’ He kissed her temple very slowly, careful for a sign of rejection. It didn’t come and he sighed into her hair. ‘I’m willing to work as hard as you need.’

‘And if I need months? Or years?’ she whispered back.

‘Best way to spend my time, if you ask me,’ he replied. Plagg nodded at Tikki.

‘Well,’ he said, flying up the them. ’The best way to spend my time is eating cheese.’

‘Not that anyone asked,’ Adrien snarked back.

‘We should look for Magda. She must be worried about Tikki. She may do something stupid; expose herself while looking.’

‘In that case, Ladybug could always swoop in and automatically get her out of trouble,’ Plagg suggested. They began walking towards the stairwell, night wind catching their hair. Marinette didn’t deny the possibility, and it was enough to tell Plagg she was at least thinking about it.

‘You know, this idea to switch Ladybugs is brilliant to get the police off our backs. Maybe I should see into getting an understudy myself.’

‘Maybe there is someone I could suggest; from Magda’s life,’ Tikki quietly suggested, speaking for the first time. They all stopped to look at her. ‘All good Ladybugs have their potential Chat Noir.’

‘Let’s go meet them, then,’ Adrien decided. Plagg looked on carefully. Tikki’s body language was much lighter, aura relieved. Adrien walked with a determined lilt in his step that spoke of stubbornness and his will to make amends. Marinette’s step was a lot more hesitant, unsure. She looked at Adrien a few times, sometimes walking farther away, sometimes walking closer, as if she wasn’t quite sure whether she wanted to be near him or run away. Plagg supposed, under the circumstances, it was a victory that she wasn’t sending him to hell.

They had work to do. They were undeniably broken. But for the first time since February, Plagg had hope.

And hey, if he got another Chat Noir, that meant double the cheese. You wouldn’t catch him complaining.

=0=

Fun Fact; Magdalains are lovely, spongey sweets that are often served with coffee. They are fiendishly hard to get right, but their taste is more than worth the labour of love. As Tikki subsists on sweets, and Marinette’s name has a bread pun in it, I thought it was fitting to name another Ladybug after a type of cake.

I very nearly did not end this on a positive (?) note. I almost had Adrien never know who the original Ladybug was, and just spend the rest of his days knowing that the one he was fighting with now wasn’t the one he’d started with, and being forever unable to find her. But then I couldn’t be that cruel. As it is, they still got lots of work to do.

THE END

(from my end. Anyone who wants to pitch into it, be my guest!)

#concept #angst concept #marichat #ladrien #ladynoir #adrinette

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