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moonlightsolo · 1 year

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I send so many requests hahahaa

Feel like it would be SO cute if you’re out in the forest and you find a thanator pup lost and abandoned but it clings on to so you adopt it. Then Neteyam is like how wtf??? But he lets you keep it despite his concerned reaction and it becomes your pet :,)

CUUUUUUTE!!! & i love every request you make pls don’t stop sending them (i promise i’ll get to every one even if i’m slow)

“c’mon ‘teyam!! let’s go!” you cry out to your boyfriend. his large four-fingered hand is clasped in your two tiny ones as you attempt to tug him forward.

he’s staring down at you with a playful annoyed look, not budging from his spot planted in the dirt.

“pleeeeeeaaaaase! i wanna go see them! we don’t have to get close, i just wanna look! they’re so cute!” your voice whines, which makes his ears flick from the sound.

neteyam grimaces from your squeaky voice and plants a large hand on top of your head, “okay, okay fine. just don’t whine like that again.” he laughs with a shake of his head.

he turns his hand in yours to grasp your tiny fist tightly in his palm to lead you farther into the jungle, “come on, ma yawntutsyìp.”

the little nickname makes your heart warm in your chest. his little loved one.

“thank you! thank you! thank you!” you exclaim excitedly with the biggest grin on your face.

your tall blue boyfriend looks down at you in awe from your excitement. he smiles because he is the one that made you feel this way— he loves when you’re happy.

the tall na’vi boy bends down to your height, allowing you to hop on his back so he could climb the trees without you falling behind. he hops from branch to branch, which makes you squeal out in fear and also from the adrenaline. he’s just so quick, and knows exactly where to grab and plant his feet.

neteyam slows down as he nears a sunny clearing below. he sinks down to his stomach to crawl forward to the edge, his wide eyes darting around to examine the area. his new position lets you slide off of his back onto the branch next to him, to crawl forward and lean over the side too.

your eyes instantly spot a homemade nest in the shadows, big enough for a few thanators to rest in. “where are they?” your voice whispers out to him.

“patience…” he breathes out quietly into the warm air, sending a cheeky smirk your way. you roll your eyes at him, which just makes him smirk more.

how must you be patient when you’ve been waiting all season for this? through the mating season, and through the gestation period, and now finally the calfs are born!

you keep your eyes trained on the sunny patch of grass, looking around the perimeter of trees for the mother thanator; or even any sign of the babies.

you looooove babies— and when they come in cute forms, like little alien creatures from pandora, you somehow love them even more.

rustling to the side makes your eyes dart to the shadows as a large black cat-like figure emerges from the brush. it’s the mother, and she’s dragging food back to her babies.

she drops the meat in the center of the field, before calling out to her babies with a rumbling, clicking noise.

sudden chirps grow louder as a dozen of baby thanators emerge from the nest. yipping, and growling as they feast on the meat of the animal their mother hunted.

neteyam watches you as your face brightens from the sight of the babies you’ve been waiting so long for. you could do without the blood, and the guts, but it’s so fascinating to you.

as a human on a foreign planet, surrounded by the most fascinating flora and creatures, you feel in your element; you belong here.

one at a time, the babies retreat back into the safety of their nest to leave their mother with the leftovers. she quickly eats the rest of the carcass, before crawling into the next with her children. her large head sticks out to patrol the area with her eyes, protectively.

“oh my god, neteyam. that’s so amazing.” you breathe out, almost breathless from the experience. he smiles at you from the side, his hand comes up to rub the top of your head.

sometimes he doesn’t understand why you get so excited over the animals on pandora, but he knows it’s because you didn’t grow up here like him.

“the circle of life can be prrrretty fascinating.” he chuckles, and goes to stand up in the tree. he stays slightly crouched from the branches above his head. his attention is undivided now, only staring at you.

“wanna go back now?” he watches how your shoulders drop slightly, “we can come back— don’t worry.” he adds with a chuckle.

“yeah, we can go.” you sigh in defeat, sliding behind his back to climb onto him, “wanna go find some of your favorite fruit?” neteyam offers as his hands wrap around your thighs, once they wrap around his waist.

he wants to get your mind off of the animals for a little bit, and he knows exactly where the tree is planted in the jungle, “ooh yes!” you exclaim happily with a giant grin.

neteyam grins from your response and takes off in a sprint once he’s sure you’re secured on his back. he leaps between the giant trees, before leaping off of a branch to grab ahold of a vine.

you squeal loudly with barking laughter as it feels as if you’re free falling in the air, until his feet hit the ground. he lets you down easily by swinging you off his back with one hand strongly grasping your behind.

a flush settles on your chest, and heat rises in your chest from his hand on your ass. it isn’t uncommon for him to grab your body, but it always makes you flustered every single time.

neteyam can’t help but swoop down to peck your lips, before standing back up to his full height. his hands grasps yours to lead you through the vegetation. he bends underneath fallen logs while you can continue to stand up straight from your height. it humors you how tall your boyfriend is.

your eyes almost sparkle as you spot the brightly colored tree covered in round pink fruits. the colors are almost flourescent from the sunset growing nearer.

before you could even reach the tree, something to your side rustles in the brush. you and neteyam halt in your spot to try and find where the noise came from.

your body jolts when a soft cry echoes from the bush, and neteyam instinctively slides in front of you for protection.

before you could even try to leave, a small body tumbles from the bush and waddles up to neteyam’s feet.

“what is it?!! what is it?!” you hide your face in his back, covering your face with your hands.

neteyam almost laughs at how ironic this is, “a thanator… a baby.” he coos as he bends down to its level, but the baby lets out a menancing hiss.

“woah, woah.” neteyam backs up slightly, pushing you farther behind him. if the baby would charge at you both, he wouldn’t hesitate to drop kick it into the jungle for your own safety.

“a what?!” you shriek, and push him out of the way to look in front of him. you barely push him though, he honestly just moves out of the way for you.

once you see the sleek black skin of the thanator baby, you instantaneously drop to your knees in front of it. “hi! oh my gosh you’re so cute!” you softly squeal at it.

the baby cowers back toward the bush, it’s little legs shake as it hisses weakly at you. “don’t worry, buddy. i promise i’m not mean. are you hurt?” you ask if it would actually answer you.

neteyam really doesn’t understand how you think the babies are cute, he actually finds them quite terrifying and kind of ugly.

the baby whines as it’s eyes worriedly dart between you and the na’vi boy behind you, “‘teyam, back up!” you hush at him through your teeth.

your boyfriend feels overly protective over you right now, but he obliges and takes a step back. you intently watch how the animal takes a hesitant step toward you, it’s body still trembling in fear.

“it’s okay.” your soft tone soothes the child as it draws closer to you.

neteyam’s hand rests on the handle of his blade, ready to step forward at any given moment if the thing attacks you. his brain clouds with confusion as the predator climbs into your lap and curls up into a ball.

his hand drops from his sheathed knife as his eyes take in what just happened. your small hand gently carressss the top of the baby’s head as it lays in the crook of your legs.

“are you serious?” he mumbles out in shock, but still smiles at the scene in front of him.

“i can’t believe this is happening right now.” you breathe out shakily and look up at neteyam towering over you.

“i cannot explain how confused i am.” he replies, his big round eyes are somehow even wider as he gawks.

a crack of thunder in the sky makes the baby shake even harder, and whine quietly under its heavy breathing. “we have to take it back with us.”

“are you crazy? we can’t do that.” neteyam shakes his head in disagreement. there’s no way his parents would allow him to bring such a predator into the village. he would be lectured for who knows how long.

“well, we can’t just leave it out here by itself!” you retaliate with a stern voice. you know, that you would never be able to live with yourself if you left this poor animal to fend for itself.

“it’s almost as big as you, my love. how will you take care of it?” he points out, which is very true.

“i have to. i won’t be able to live with my decision to leave her out here in the storm by herself…” you trail off as you scratch behind her ears. the animal purrs in your lap, making you grin.

“okay, fine. come on. we gotta get back to camp before the storm hits us.” neteyam sighs as he watches you stand up with the heavy creature in your arms. he can tell you’re struggling a bit, but you still have the biggest smile on your face.

“you alright?” he asks with a little chuckle, and eyes you suspiciously, “yes, i’m good! let’s go!” you chirp and start walking past him, but he stays in his spot and keeps an eye on you.

“my ikran is this way.” neteyam points the opposite way you’re walking, and your cheeks burn with embarrassment. you don’t know what would happen to you if you didn’t have him to be your personal GPS.

“let’s go.” you march past him, with a roar coming from the baby thanator.

neteyam watches you confidently walk forward with a little chuckle, shaking his head at you. he watches your tiny body walk farther away from him, letting his eyes wander over your backside.

he can’t understand how or why the baby thanator attached itself to you, a human, instead of a na’vi. he’s not even sure if a thanator would trust one of his people.

you’ve opened his eyes to entire new world, his own world. he doesn’t understand how you work, but all he knows is that you’re his.

this little human is all his, and somehow you seem as if you’re even more connected to his world than him; and he loves you even more for it.

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chryzure-archive · 1 year

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1-6 and 9 for the OC ask game!!

i’ll answer for tris bc UMMM i’m thinking of him so hard rn <33

1. What is their color palette?

pulled directly from my procreate app <3

2. What does your OCs handwriting look like?

i’d say it’s blocky, but not in the jacks kind of blocky.. it’s very precise, i’d say?? think “mom writing you letters in kindergarten in all caps so you can read it” type of handwriting. unless that’s too specific of a phenomenon and not all parents do that 💀

3. What architectural or design aesthetic would best suit them?

honestly,,, i think he has a bit of a combo of dark and green coloring. tris likes a nice, homey architectural design with plants climbing over it.. he needs to get away from ppl, they cause him a lot of distress, so he hates a metropolitan sort of design so much. i don’t know if i’m making sense, but also a bit of modern mid-century flair to his interior design, but with a more cluttered aspect to it.

4. If your OC likes art, talk about which piece they would love best.

pretty much all of walter wick’s stuff… tris loooooves the little clutter, but how it feels homey this time. it’s not stressful to him—it feels so comforting to him. like:

this is tris’s home. he lives here <3 it makes him think of his childhood and tbh i think it makes him want to work on miniatures :3

also he likes chris van allsburg. similar thing, where it feels homey, but also bc he introduced him to some horror elements as a child. mysteries of harris burdick is lowkey terrifying, ngl

5. What character from myth or fairytale best represents them?

okay, so i’m slowly working through all of hans christen andersen’s fairy tales (for my luna rune series), and i know this is a bit of a well-known one, but the original little mermaid myth… aughhh, it fits tris too well. he would walk if it felt like he were walking on knives, jst to be with chrysi. he would give up his singing voice. he would let her marry azure and let himself die frm heartbreak, bc he had happy days w chrysi…. man, i love hans christen andersen ;;;;;

6. If your OC was a character in a novel from literary canon (doesn’t have to be western canon), who would they be?

he makes me think a lot of matilda from roald dahl’s matilda tbh… in how he has magic ??? idk, i can’t explain it. it’s the vibes of him, i think. he also makes me think a bit of nick carraway from the great gatsby. just an observer of someone else’s story, generally polite and reserved, and he views himself as very honest too, so. you know.

9. If your OC were to imagine their idyllic life (realistically or otherwise) what would it be like?

LITERALLY HE JUST WANTS TO GO BACK AND REDO THINGS WITH CHRYSI SO THEY CAN STILL BE TOGETHER. his idyllic life is him making music with his gf, and they both work on their respective art forms in a local coffee shop or in the park while they hold hands, then they go home to their little cute house with hanging plants and ivy climbing up the walls and they have cats that like to lay down in their laps… :((( also tris likes to imagine taking chrysi around the world to all the countries he’s toured in with his band, jst so he can take her to those quiet spots he escaped to when he was stressed. he knows how much chrysi likes to also escape from stressful/loud environments. god… i’m sad now :((

#.asks #s.trysi #m.moon🎀#all the lafayes are soooo whipped over chrysi and i cannot blame them <//3 #i want to read more of those fairy tales now… i must finish them… for my luna rune story

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misc-headcanons · 3 years

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Hi! If your still accepting requests I was wondering how would midnight, yoruichi, and rangiku react to a s/o that in public is rather stoic and mature but in private they can get rather submissive and gets easily embarrassed when they get smothered in affection

Midnight

She LOOOOOVES having an s/o who'd switch from mature and stoic to a sweet submissive little thing in private! She's constantly trying to test her s/o's seriousness in public, giving them all sorts of affection to try and get them to crack a smile or blush a little bit.

She can't help but squeal at how adorable her s/o is when they're alone and get so flustered from all of her kisses and cuddles. How can someone who's so stone-faced be so cute too? With her very social (and VERY affectionate/touchy) personality, they were almost like night-and-day whenever they were in public together. Once they were alone though, she loved how those strong walls would dissolve and her s/o would immediately become such a sweet submissive little mess.

Yoruichi

She'd absolutely love teasing her stoic s/o, trying everything she can to fluster them in public. She definitely puts her Shunpo skills to use by quickly flash-stepping behind her s/o and then disappearing a few feet in front of them. It drives her nuts that she can't ever get a rise out of them in public. I mean Byakuya's stoic, but even HE has a visible reaction to her messing with him!

She likes being more affectionate at home as opposed to just teasingly being cute with her s/o, like in public. She actually enjoys going into her cat form at home, just so she can rub up against them and purr; her s/o always looks so sweet when they hear her purring because of them petting her. She also enjoys climbing onto them on the couch/in bed while kneading their chest and giving them a very suggestive look...well, as suggestive as a cat can look.

She also likes to boop her s/o's nose as a form of affection in public and in private. When they're out, she'll be in her human form and will just gently boop it with her fingers--and then give them a pout when they're so damn stonefaced. But at home, they always get flustered and bury their face against her because of it. Once she was in her cat form and she pressed her little nose against theirs, and their face got so hot that she thought they might have gotten a fever or something!

Rangiku

Rangiku gets annoyed sometimes when her s/o is always so stoic in public when she's affectionate, but it's not directed at her s/o. She gets annoyed because other people always say that she's making ____ uncomfortable by being so affectionate because they don't ever reciprocate or just look so stonefaced/stoic. They don't know that her s/o does like affection, they just don't react to it in public.

OR they'll ask ____ why they never return all the affection that Rangiku gives them. And Rangiku insists that her s/o DOES act sweet, it's just that they don't want to do it when any prying eyes are around! One thing Rangiku really dislikes is when people (friends or otherwise) make assumptions about her or her partner without knowing the full story.

She's even more handsy and clingy when she drinks, and it's almost comical how much she'll fawn over her s/o while they just sip their drink and aren't even fazed by it. But the instant they stumble home through the door, they're blushing and burying their face in her chest because they love how sweet she is--but so flustered by getting so much love that they want to hide their incredibly warm face.

#bleach #bnha #bleach headcanon #bnha headcanon #midnight #Yoruichi #rangiku #nemuri kayama #yoruichi shihouin #rangiku matsumoto #mine #holy fuck i posted a request. must be a blue moon

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angstyaches · 2 years

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26 and 39 for your StW characters please🌚

Ask Game

26. How does your character behave around children?

(All OCs, StW and Lucyverse)

Shayne: He gets extra self-conscious around them. He feels like if he does something even slightly embarrassing, the kid is going to point it out and make him feel horrible.

Charlie: Charlie loooooves children. He becomes silly and goofy around them, and will let himself be climbed, wrestled, dramatically “murdered”, or whatever else they want from him.

Rin: Rin’s the kind of person who treats everyone the same, regardless of age. She’ll talk to a five-year-old just as she would a twenty-year-old. In fact, she’d probably ask kids more questions than she would adults or teenagers, because their raw insights would be fascinating to her (and she’d probably agree with many of them).

Elliott: It’s been so long since he’s had to spend time with children that he’d be super awkward and detached from the whole situation. Probably very likely that he’d refer to a child as “it” or “this”. “Who does... this belong to?”

Felix: He’s the guy who wants to be loved by children, and will try to get their attention, but will be ignored because he’s too soft-spoken and a little shy around them. He’d be extremely jealous of Charlie’s ability to assimilate with them.

Ryan: Ryan has no interest in being around children, but if she was forced to, she would have no concept of how to interact with them. She’d probably ask a five-year-old if they’ve chosen a field of study for university yet. *insert that Ralph gif where he asks Lisa, “Do you like... stuff?”*

Nancy: Nancy is always gushing over how beautiful babies and children are, but quickly becomes tired of them when she realises that they’re unsophisticated and, quite often, sticky. If there was a child at the townhouse, she would be hovering intently near the expensive vases and keeping them away from her carpeted study.

Kazu: Kazu would get extremely nervous if he was expected to be taking care of the child. He could cope with entertaining them for a while (probably sprouting his white fox tail and ears just to see their reactions), but as soon as he suspects that they’re getting hungry or tired, he’ll be looking for a “real adult” to pawn them off to.

Asher: Asher has a much-younger sister and brother, so he’s used to dealing with children, and quite likes them. He’ll usually wind them up with elaborate tall tales and watch as they try to decide whether or not to believe him or keep calling him a liar.

Lucy: Lucy’s done quite a bit of babysitting in her time, and is used to dealing with children (well, adolescents) in her old teaching/counselling job. She’s the strict one who children actually respect, without actually being afraid of her. She’s the babysitter who lets you stay up late and watch scary movies, but “if you tell your mammy I let you do this, we’re not friends anymore, okay??”

Henry: Henry would be nervous around children, and particularly, never wants to have any. He’s worried he’s too much of a pessimist to be a healthy influence on children, so he avoids them as much as possible.

Donnacha: Donnacha would be the one that the kids all want to be picked up by. He’s strong enough (and goofy enough) to spin them around and let them pretend they’re flying etc. If the kids were too old for that, he’d probably have them learning how to throw a rugby ball within the first five minutes.

Payton: Similar to Felix, Payton wishes that they got along better with children, but usually kids can pick up on the fact that Payton’s insecure, so they have little time for them.

Autumn: Autumn loves children, and becomes even more gentle and sweet when she’s around them. She’s fun like Lucy, but will draw the line a lot sooner because she’s more anxious about the kids getting hurt or getting into trouble.

39. Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

(StW OCs only)

Shayne: He was bitten by a cat at a birthday party when he was about four. He wasn’t affected by it, but he remembers his mother getting very upset at the mother of the kid whose birthday it was.

Charlie: He got bitten by a fairly large dog at the park when he was twelve, and while it didn’t traumatise him, he’s still ever so slightly wary of dogs to this day.

Rin: She had a cat when she was younger, and couldn’t tell you how many times he bit or scratched her. She still loved him, and doesn’t hate cats now, but she didn’t feel like replacing him when he eventually died.

Felix: He’s never been bitten by anything bigger than an insect.

Elliott: He’s been bitten by several animals while living on the street and spending time in the woods. The worst experience was when he was bitten by a rat in his sleep, but luckily, the people he was with were able to clean up the wound and he didn’t get an infection.

Kazu: He’s gotten into fights with other foxes before, so... technically, yes, he’s been bitten by animals. But usually because he started it.

#thanks both anons!#asks #OC asks #ask game #ask meme #my OCs #Swallow the World #Lucyverse #moon face anon #<3 anon

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fictional-worlds-are-exquisite · 4 years

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Pls tell us more about OP

i’m so glad you asked

so this is OP:

everyone around here seems to use a different pronoun for them, the person that feeds them and knows them best uses he/him but i? don’t know if that’s true? i’ll just use they/them here

sooo for starters they’re so unbelievably friendly. they let you pat the belly!! and they only ever claw you if you’re seriously out of line, so i’ve heard. I’ve never been clawed by them. But really, they’re generally always willing to come up and say hi, super curious. They adore pats, can never get enough. They also constantly want to get inside but they’re not allowed inside the cottages aha.

So they have a plate with biscuits on it and a water bowl in the laundry room, and those are resting on a sort of bathmat, or towel to prevent mess. Now I’ve come in a few times and noticed the towel was kind of covering the food plate and I was like huh, silly cat, let me get that off for you BUT MY BAD. I was wrong. Today I learnt they do that on purpose. They eat whatever they want to of their biscuits then hide the entire plate by pulling the towel it rests on over it as much as possible. Gotta protect the food. When they come back they drag the towel off. When I was in there today they dragged it off JUST enough to nibble at the edges. Honestly haven’t seen that behaviour in a cat before but I can understand protecting food.

And today I put my washing in a higher dryer because it was the only remaining one that took $2 coins, but when I went to get it out I found I couldn’t reach one sock because it’d been pushed to the back. There was a lady that leant me her umbrella to get it out and OP immediately perked up. When I put it in the drier they stood up and meowed at me like no! You’re not supposed to do that! Stop! They looked very perplexed sdjsdfk. Purrrplexed. aNYWAY-

So at the start of the year when I first moved in I saw them by some flowers and noticed them doing something weird and I was like ? Whatcha doin buddy? And when I got closer I noticed they were biting the heads off the flowers. BUT only the dead ones! They didn’t touch the live ones. Just got rid of the dead ones like they were gardening. Bit those right off and dropped them. Fascinating behaviour honestly.

Also when I went to move back home for lockdown I briefly went to the laundry room to speak to the supervisor housekeeper about something and OP was chilling there with her and while we were talking I was just watching OP behind her. and OP just walked straight into the sheets she’d just pulled out of the dryer and made themself comfy on the clearly warm surface and just went to sleep immediately lmao. I was trying not to laugh. That is not the only time they’ve made themself at home on warm laundry, there’s photo evidence of other times. OP does not miss opportunities.

There’s also a sort of wooden wagon that is often laying near the laundry room and OP loooooves it. They’ll sit there like it’s their throne. They also won’t jump off if you start pulling it. Nope, that’s their ride now.

They’ve...put on a wee bit of weight you could say. There were speculations that they were pregnant (again, could be female for all I know), like honest to god rumours circulating. About a cat. Being pregnant. But they’re not, they’re just...eating a bit too well. We’ve been warned not to feed them but they seem to find their way to extra food regardless. They just keep growing. closer and closer to a diet sfdhskdhf. The extra weight also means they’re now heavy enough to knock me on my ass if I crouch down to pat them. I know because they almost did today.

I’m fairly sure it was on the very first night I was here that they caught it. We were having a welcoming dinner and I was sitting outside with some people, when I noticed OP off to the side. They weren’t that far away, just a few feet. Then I noticed they were chasing something in the bushes. THEN out comes the mouse and off goes OP pouncing on it, catching a lovely mouse as a snack. But as cats do, they played around with it and it got away, unfortunately for them. They looked very sad afterwards. My heart went out to them. It was at this point I got attached sfdhskdfh. Worry not though I’ve since found more than one dead mouse they’ve caught and left somewhere. I mean, at least they’re being helpful?

They also tried climbing into, I think, a plumbers van when they left the drivers door open sdfjhsdf, off to work clearly. And I think they were caught stealing a lemon once sdkfjhsdf. Plus they’re always well behaved except when they get into the main office, they like to claw the furniture there apparently lmao.

Anyway this is a long post now but here’s one last thing that I’ve maybe posted here before:

#i adore OP #whump-angst-fluff-repeat

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edendaphne · 5 years

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“Discordant Sonata” Chapter 8

I started out this angsty chapter with a fluffy flashback to stomp on people’s feelings, oops.

> Read it here on Ao3 <

> Read it here on Wattpad <

CHAPTER 8: ABBANDONO

Glossary: Mon soleil: My sun

Ten Years Ago (Mood Music: Hymne à l’amour - Josh Groban)

“So, what do you think? Red or blue?” a mild, baritone voice crooned over Adrien’s shoulder.

Adrien scrutinized the shimmery fabric, slowly running his fingers over its length, his small hands not quite able to hold the entirety of the garment. “Definitely blue,” he concluded. “It’s her favorite.”

“Indeed, it is. Sapphire blue, to be exact,” Gabriel remarked, placing the gowns into their respective boxes. “Your mother is a remarkable woman, and she deserves nothing but the best. Especially on her birthday.”

“Wanna see the card I made for her?” Adrien chirped eagerly as he hopped off the chair to retrieve the aforementioned card from a nearby table.

Gabriel took the card gingerly and held it up, careful to not get any of the overabundant glitter on himself. “Hmm, your picture of– a… goat, is it?– is quite charming.”

Adrien giggled, his toothy smile displaying two missing front teeth, which he’d recently lost (and been richly recompensed for). “It’s not a goat, it’s a hamster!”

Gabriel managed to hide his surprise well. “Ah, yes, of course. Also, your handwriting has improved, and your spelling is impeccable. Perfect as always,” he remarked as he handed the card back.

“Thanks, Papa!” Adrien beamed, thrilled that his efforts were acknowledged. “I’ve been practicing!”

Gabriel smiled back fondly. He put a hand on Adrien’s shoulder and said, “Come, it’s dinnertime. Let’s meet up with your mother.”

Once the card was put away, the pair traversed down the spacious halls of the mansion towards the dining room.

“I can’t wait til her surprise party on Saturday!” Adrien whispered to his father as they walked, buzzing with excitement. “I wish it was here already!”

Gabriel chuckled, amused by his son’s enthusiasm. “Well, until we figure out a way to time travel, we’ll just have to wait, and keep it a secret.”

Later that night, Emilie Agreste assisted a freshly bathed Adrien in brushing his teeth.

“Have you been enjoying your piano lessons, mon soleil?”

“Mnnnh-hnn!” Adrien mumbled approvingly.

“I’m glad. You should play for me tomorrow and show me that new piece you’ve been working on,” she replied, trying to brush out some rather stubborn hair on either side of his head. “Hmm, I can’t get these cowlicks to stay down,” she said with mock irritation. Her mouth quirked upward and she spiked the hair up even higher with her fingertips. “They kind of look like cat ears, don’t you think? You’re definitely the cutest kitten I’ve ever seen,” she joked, ruffling his soft, damp hair.

Adrien giggled, mouth still full of toothpaste.

“Except that this little kitten loooooves his bath time, doesn’t he?” she remarked as she finally succeeded in smoothing out his hair. “And you know what instruments cats play, instead of the piano?” she asked casually.

Adrien’s eyebrows rose up in silent question as he swished water in his mouth.

She leaned down by his head and playfully replied, “Purr- cussion.”

With a loud snort, Adrien sprayed water all over the bathroom mirror as he busted out laughing. Emilie giggled mischievously, doubling over with laughter at Adrien’s stupefied face.

“Mama, that was soooo cheesy!” he laughed, wiping the water and toothpaste that dribbled down his chin.

Snickering through her teeth, she replied, “Well, you still laughed, so it can’t have been that bad!”

“If Papa hears it, you’ll be in treble,” he countered, and Emilie’s snickering turned into a full-blown cackle.

Still giggling, they quickly wiped down the mirror and countertops, then strolled down the halls towards Gabriel’s office.

Emilie rapped on the door a couple of times before opening it, peering around to look for him.

Gabriel sat behind his desk, poring over his work. “Yes?” he answered as he wrote.

“Helloooo~ my darling husband,” Emilie lilted coquettishly.

Gabriel lifted his head, then smiled when he saw the two of them. “Ah, it’s my two favorite people in the world. What can I do for you?”

“Our little sunshine child is here to say goodnight,” Emilie replied, shuffling Adrien into the enormous room.

“Oh!” Gabriel glanced at the clock, eyebrows raised. “I didn’t realize it was that time of the day already,” he said, stretching out his stiff limbs. He pushed his chair back and waited for his son as he scampered towards him.

The seven-year-old leaped into his father’s arms, causing him to grunt slightly and making the wheeled desk chair scoot back a few inches.

Gabriel chuckled and patted Adrien’s head. “If you’re big enough to knock the wind out of me, you’re old enough to help me with all this paperwork.”

Emilie leaned on the doorframe, looking on warmly. “He’s definitely having a growth spurt; he keeps outgrowing all his clothes!”

A female voice behind her spoke, “Would you like me to order some new clothes for him, Emilie?”

Emilie turned around to face the desk on the other side of the room, and beamed. “Oh, would you, Nathalie? You’re the best!”

Adrien returned to his mother, waving back enthusiastically as he was ushered out, “Good night, Nathalie! Don’t work too hard!”

The door closed behind them and the room was quiet once again. Gabriel and Nathalie looked at each other with matching grins, silently acknowledging how Emilie and Adrien carried such life and exuberance wherever they went.

Nathalie remarked as she resumed organizing some documents, “He becomes more and more like his mother every day, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, he certainly does,” Gabriel replied as he leaned back in his chair, his smile growing wider. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Current Timeline

(Mood Music: Reborn - Abel Korzeniowski)

Chat Noir leaped and sprinted towards his mansion on autopilot; pulse thrilling, limbs aching, and yet he felt none of it. The only thing he could register was the steadily climbing resentment and indignation as he thought back to every interaction, every snub, all the unfairness, mistreatment, and neglect he’d suffered (as well as repressed) throughout the past few years.

He’d seen the signs of Gabriel’s downward spiral. They were subtle at first, but unmistakable. And yet he had stubbornly continued to ignore them. He’d even rationalized them, always coming up with some excuse or explanation so he wouldn’t have to face the music. He realized it now; his passiveness had been his gravest mistake.

Upon reaching the last building on the block before his destination, Chat skidded to a halt. In the past, when he returned home, he would take a winding route so as to lose anyone who might try to follow, and once he was sure he was alone, enter through the back way. Today, he didn't care who saw him standing on the roof in front of his home. He crouched in silence, staring at the Agreste manor; it looked just as imposing, dreary, and lifeless on the outside as it felt on the inside.

He squared himself, trying to calm his nerves. Gabriel would be expecting him. Chat bit his lip, realizing that he still had no idea what to say to him. But then again, he wasn’t the type to go into things with a plan anyway; improvisation was more his style.

Finally, he stood and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

Adrien had scarcely landed in his bedroom and detransformed when he was sharply yanked by the arm towards the couch. There was a duffel bag and a pile of clothes haphazardly thrown in, as well as some toiletries and other necessities. He also spotted a large wad of cash and… was that his passport?

Nathalie shut the zipper and practically threw the bag into his arms. “Adrien, you need to leave,” she uttered low as she briskly walked him back towards the large windows, the unmistakable dread in her eyes betraying her seemingly calm exterior. “Now,” she added emphatically, noting his lack of movement.

Taken aback, Adrien stammered, “Nathalie, wha–?”

She continued, indistinct, “You’re going to get on the metro and take the train out of Paris– any destination, it doesn’t matter. Leave your phone here; he can track you if you take it with you. When you arrive, check into a hotel, then–”

“Wait! Nathalie!” he called louder to get her attention. “What’s going on?” He stared, bewildered, as Plagg peeked his head out of his shirt pocket, slowly biting into a piece of Camembert.

The woman frowned and asked rhetorically, “Were you not there during the last akuma battle?! There’s no time to discuss this; you need to leave the city.”

“Hang on, I can’t leave Paris!” Adrien protested.

She fixed him with an intense stare. “I don’t think you truly understand the situation, Adrien. Gabriel is your father, but he is also Hawkmoth. And, as of earlier today, your enemy. An enemy who knows who you are, where you live, where you sleep. Not only is he planning to take your miraculous; he’s going to place you under permanent house arrest. In fact, the term ‘house arrest’ is way too mild a description, but I’m sure you get the idea.” She took his shoulder and continued to walk him towards the window. “Now, go, before he realizes you’re here.”

Adrien knitted his brows and planted his feet. “Wait! But what about you? What about Ladybug?”

Nathalie replied dismissively, “I’ll be fine; he won’t even know I was involved with your departure. And Ladybug, she’ll continue to handle herself as she always has. But with you gone, we can at least guarantee that Hawkmoth won’t get ahold of both miraculouses, in the event that she’s defeated.”

Adrien’s eyes widened at this statement. “No. No! This is exactly why I can’t leave. I can’t leave her by herself against Father.” He ran a hand through his hair nervously. “I won’t let what happened today happen again. She needs me. She can’t just keep defeating his akumas over and over; Father needs to be actually stopped. We need to take his miraculous away. And it’s going to take both of us to do it.”

Nathalie snapped. “You can’t beat him! He’s developed the abilities from his miraculous far beyond what you could’ve ever thought capable and unlocked much of its potential; far more than you have with your own.”

Adrien could only stare in shock as she continued to speak.

She sighed, letting go of his shoulder. “Ladybug can deal with Hawkmoth. She’ll either defeat him, or she won’t. But your priority should be to stay as far away as possible and be safe. You need to think of yourself, Adrien.”

He shook his head. “I’m done thinking only about myself. It’s what I’ve been doing for years, just blindly following orders. I need to start doing what’s right instead of always sticking to what’s safe.”

Nathalie narrowed her eyes in equal parts consternation and puzzlement. “So what will you do instead?”

Adrien set down the duffel bag and took a step away from her towards his bedroom door, motioning with his hand. “I’ll talk to him. I can reason with him, I know I can. There must be some part of him that’s still willing to listen.”

Nathalie paced back and forth, placing both hands on her face, almost as if she was trying to keep her body from exploding. With a hint of desperation, she implored, “Adrien... please reconsider.”

“Nathalie… I know you’re worried, but I can’t–” his voice cracked, and he had to pause for a few seconds. “I can’t leave Mom here with him,” he declared with finality, tone heavy and full of sadness.

Nathalie deflated and she lowered her head, squeezing her eyes shut. He’d pulled the “Emilie” card. She knew immediately that she wasn’t going to win this argument.

Somewhere deep down, Nathalie had truly always believed Emilie could be re-awakened. It was one of the biggest reasons why she’d stayed with the Agrestes all these years.

She missed her too; Emilie was her best friend. Her pillar of strength. The light in her heart. The woman that she’d always loved from afar since childhood, never acting on her feelings until it was too late. And yet, she still could never leave her side. She had to remain part of her life, even if her secret would die with her. When Emilie “disappeared”, Nathalie took it upon herself to protect everything that was most important to her beloved. She had already failed with Emilie’s husband. But she would not allow it to happen with her only son too.

She sighed heavily. “Just… be careful, Adrien. You don’t know what he’s truly capable of. I swore to Emilie that I’d do my best to take care of you, before she— before...”

Adrien walked towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. “I know,” he said quietly, smiling, although it didn’t reach his eyes. “Everything’s going to be okay.” Plagg looked up at him, concern etched on his tiny features.

Nathalie was a tall woman, but now that Adrien was older and only a few weeks shy of being an official adult, he had already surpassed her height. In spite of this, even now, she continually struggled to remember that he wasn’t a child anymore. Nathalie’s tired eyes met Adrien’s, and she shakily reached up to squeeze one of his hands, a bit harder than she’d intended but he didn’t seem to notice.

With nothing more to be said, Adrien plodded out of the room as if his legs were made of lead, and Nathalie was left alone with the overwhelming sense of foreboding raging in her chest.

(Mood Music: Morning Passage - The Hours)

Adrien stood in front of Gabriel’s office door. He could feel goosebumps forming on his arms and the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rising. He would much prefer to hop on that long-distance train that Nathalie suggested rather than face his father, but he knew this confrontation had been a long time coming.

So he knocked.

There was no answer. A moment later he opened the door and looked inside. Gabriel was at his desk, but did not react to his presence. Nooroo sat on a pile of books, but from the looks of it, he wasn’t permitted to speak, as usual. Adrien stepped in and closed the door, but still, Gabriel would not look up from his papers.

The pit in Adrien’s stomach grew larger. Was he no longer even considered worthy to be acknowledged? The mounting frustration spurred him on as he walked further into the room.

Putting on a false confident air, he finally spoke, “Father... it’s time we really talk.”

Gabriel ignored him, casually leafing through his paperwork and scribbling in his notebook on occasion. Nooroo eyed him wearily, then back at Adrien.

Adrien straightened up to his full height, bristling with rage. “At least look at me when I talk to you!” Adrien snarled. “It’s the least you could do after everything I’ve done for you all these years!”

Gabriel finally lifted his gaze, a lofty look pasted on his face as if Adrien were nothing more than an annoying fly that entered the room.

“What is there to say? I’m sure you can predict what comes next,” Gabriel replied, leaning back on his massive chair and steepling his fingers. “However, since you obviously seem to be having trouble thinking clearly lately, I’ll give you a hint.” His eyebrows furrowed in displeasure; his voice became darker. “Effective immediately, you will surrender your miraculous, and are hereby forbidden to leave the mansion indefinitely.”

Adrien widened his eyes, not in surprise but in outrage. “No,” he stated simply.

“That wasn’t a request.” Gabriel eyed him carefully, disapproval evident in his face. “You knew this would happen when you disobeyed me. Why try to fight it?”

Adrien inhaled sharply and braced himself for what he was about to say next. “Because what we’re doing is wrong.”

The older man chuckled with that ever-present condescending air to his voice. “Since when do you care about right and wrong? This was never about being the stereotypical ‘good guys’ and changing the world one good deed at a time. This was always about gaining power. Power that we need for a perfectly legitimate reason. And now, apparently, you’ve got morals, suddenly pretending to care about others.” He fixed Adrien with a steely glare. “Life is not black and white, Adrien. My methods may seem unconventional and, I’ll admit, even controversial. But at least I’m no hypocrite.”

Adrien suppressed a growl, recoiling in vexation and distress. It was like a sack of hot coals had been dropped into his stomach, searing him with the guilt that had always been there, but had now grown tenfold. Gabriel somehow always managed to find a way to make him feel like a horrible human being.

But... he wasn’t wrong. Chat Noir was just as guilty as Hawkmoth was for putting the city in danger, even if their motives were slightly different. How could he possibly argue with him, when he was just as responsible for harming the innocent? Could his father be right? Was there no escaping the giant pit he’d dug for himself? His throat felt dry, and he couldn’t help but wilt under his father’s judgmental gaze.

It was at that moment that his mind decided to reflect upon the time he’d spent with Ladybug. Nowadays, the thought of her brought him hope and courage, for reasons he’d only recently begun to understand. She was a beautiful light that shone brighter and brighter the more he got to know her, illuminating the dark prison he’d been trapped in for so long.

He recalled how she’d apologized to him for putting him in danger as Adrien. She’d acknowledged her mistakes, then set forth to rectify them. And as Chat, who had been her enemy for years, even knowing what he’d done, she was still willing to try to help him be free. Ladybug was the only person outside of their family circle that knew about his double life. She didn’t feel that he was unworthy of redemption, and she actually believed in him. Somehow she had welcomed him as her partner despite their past, despite his background, despite knowing who his father was, despite everything.

He recognized that wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to accomplish anything. His eyebrows furrowed, deep in thought. Admitting that you’re wrong is not a weakness. It’s a strength.

Adrien straightened up subconsciously, drawing courage and determination from the faith and confidence that Ladybug had in him.

“People change,” he finally replied, stepping forward. “We can both change. Father, just listen! We’ve been terrorizing the city, putting its entire population in peril for so long, and for nothing! We can’t keep doing this,” he stated, almost pleadingly.

“Oh, it’s not for nothing,” Gabriel raised his eyebrows, carefully eyeing Adrien. “Think about what happened today. About how you failed me. We would have succeeded were it not for your complete and utter ineptitude,” he continued with unconcealed irritation and disdain, his voice sounding colder and more severe now that they were talking face to face instead of through a communicator.

Adrien clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms. He had to convince him. “You’re going to kill people,” he stated, fighting to keep his voice from quavering.

Gabriel tsked and waved dismissively. “Don’t be so callow. Sacrifices must be made; you and I both agreed on that long ago.”

“I was a child!!” Adrien shouted, an unbearable heat forming at the base of his neck, the tension in the room almost suffocating. “I was a scared kid who had just lost his mother and was desperate to bring her back, and you were my father! I trusted you, believed that you would know what to do!” He lowered his voice, struggling to calm down. “You failed ME, Father. Not the other way around. And if you don’t stop you’ll end up losing your whole family.”

Gabriel inhaled sharply. “When I succeed and you get your mother back, as undeserving as you are, you’ll see the error of your ways and beg for my forgiveness!”

“Mom will never forgive you when she finds out what you’ve done!” Adrien countered emphatically. “What WE’VE done! Father, we’ve been wrong. All these years, we’ve done something unforgivable, caused pain to so many people! But we can put a stop to this now. We can end this and together we can find another way to help mom. Ladybug can help us!”

“Do NOT bring up that insect!! You know that’s completely out of the question!” Gabriel snarled. “I will continue on my mission and so will you, if you know what’s good for you.”

“I can’t,” Adrien said, resolute. “I won’t," he declared, stronger now. “And I won’t let you do it either. I’m not going to let you hurt innocent people anymore. It’s not what Mom would want, and we both know it.”

Gabriel replied, enraged, “How would you know what she would want?! I’m the one who knew her best! Whether I have to force you to help me, or take your power back and use it for myself; one way or another, I WILL bring my Emilie back to life!”

Adrien felt as if he’d been physically struck. “Back… back to life?” He searched his father’s eyes in confusion. “What do you mean ‘back to life’? M-mom isn’t— she’s in a coma, she’s not... You said—”

“Your mother’s dead, Adrien,” Gabriel spat, shooting him a venomous look.

Adrien gaped at him in disbelief, struggling to keep his legs from buckling. He wanted to call his father a liar. He wanted to curse at him and yell at him at the top of his lungs that he was mistaken. But he couldn’t. Somewhere inside he knew it was true.

“You… you lied to me?”

Gabriel ignored his question. “This is why we need the miraculous of creation,” he explained, exasperated. “Your mother doesn’t need healing. She needs to be revived.” He shifted in his chair, crossing his arms, as if the whole conversation was all too irritating to have to endure. “Do you understand now? Why it’s so important to acquire those earrings?”

Adrien stood there, incredulous, in the middle of the spacious yet overwhelmingly stifling hall. Was this really happening? This was literally the subject of so many of his nightmares, where he would awaken sobbing and hyperventilating.

So why wasn’t he crying? Why wasn’t he screaming? He felt numb. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t breathe.

His mother.

His kind, beautiful mother, who had loved him, held him, protected him. His biggest source of comfort as a child, the best example of pure, unconditional love. The thought of her being gone permanently had been so devastating and overpowering that he’d desperately fought to make sure it would never come to pass, and had fiercely held onto even the tiniest sliver of hope his father had offered.

And yet, in reality, the possibility of bringing her back was so much smaller than he’d ever imagined, and it had always been that small. Had all his hopes of seeing her again been based solely on Gabriel’s shaky conjecture and ambiguous knowledge of magic? What else had his father been hiding from him?

Finally regaining control of his voice, Adrien whispered, “That means… she’s gone. She’s really gone…” He fought a sudden wave of lightheadedness and nausea, his heart beating a violent rhythm inside his chest.

“NO!! She isn’t!! ” Gabriel roared, his voice steadily rising in pitch. “She’s well within reach and I will save her. I will never surrender her. She is my wife, my soul, my everything! You don’t have the capability to even begin to comprehend the depths of my love for her.”

Adrien seethed at the insinuation that he didn’t love his own mother as much as Gabriel did, but decided to continue to try to reason with him instead of rising to the bait. “But she IS gone, Father! It’s just the two of us now! We need to accept this. We need to come to terms with the fact that she won’t be coming back so we can begin to heal! And, if we stick together and help each other, then I think… I think we can even be a family again.”

Gabriel threw his head back and laughed, a dark, throaty rumble that echoed throughout the spacious room.

“Adrien,” he said finally, looking down his nose at him. “I honestly don’t give a damn what you think.”

He abruptly rose from his chair and walked towards the large portrait of Emilie, activating the hidden lift to his lair, with Nooroo trailing behind.

Adrien raised his eyebrows, unable to do anything but stand stupefied for several seconds. Snapping out of it, he stomped angrily towards the small elevator as Gabriel ascended.

“What the hell?! You are not walking away from me! We’re not done here!!” But his father didn’t even turn around.

Enraged, Adrien summoned the elevator impatiently, clearly not satisfied with his father’s sudden termination of their discussion.

Upon arrival to the dark chamber, Adrien spotted him immediately; a tall, thin figure standing by the immense window, silhouetted in the darkening early evening sky. However, the man looking out the glass was no longer Gabriel, but Hawkmoth.

Why did he transform? Adrien frowned in confusion.

The silence in the dark and cavernous room was deafening. The space had always seemed chillier than the rest of the mansion, despite the carefully temperature-controlled interiors. Hawkmoth’s form radiated hostility, and a trickle of ice slowly crept down Adrien’s spine.

“Father...?” Adrien slowly approached him, heart rate speeding up, hackles raised in sudden alarm, his gut screaming at him to run.

Hawkmoth’s head turned slightly towards him, thin lips curled into a sneer and he gave a small chuckle. The very air in the room felt oppressive, almost to the point of being suffocating.

“You worthless child,” Hawkmoth said with unveiled disgust. “I gave you the privilege of wielding the cat miraculous and it’s thanks to me that you have it to begin with. I could have taken it away permanently after I found it in your belongings years ago. I see now that letting you keep it was a mistake. You have more freedom and power than you deserve. But you forget that I’m the one with the power to destroy you.”

Hawkmoth turned around, arms resting behind his back, appearing almost unnaturally tall and imposing. He walked towards him.

“I will repeat what I said earlier. You are dismissed from your duties, Adrien. Hand over the ring, or I will take it from you,” he glowered menacingly.

Adrien took a fearful step back.

It was a trap. Hawkmoth had counted on his hotheaded and impulsive nature, and knew that he would follow him up here, where escape was most difficult.

Panic rose to his chest, but despite his heart pounding, he planted his feet and said, “P-Plagg, claws—”

Momentary blackness and a sharp pain interrupted him. His head swam and he realized he couldn’t breathe. His body twisted and squirmed, trying to escape the grip around his throat, clawing at Hawkmoth’s arms and gasping for air as he was slowly raised off the ground, upwards along the wall.

Hawkmoth yanked him away from the wall and slammed him again, disorienting him even further and weakening his grip. The edges of his vision started to blacken. He knew he didn’t have long before he passed out.

Adrien kicked wildly and scratched at Hawkmoth’s arms. He couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t let Hawkmoth succeed. He couldn’t. But as his body became more and more numb and his struggling slowly decreased, he was quickly losing hope. Unwelcomed tears pricked at his eyes as he looked into the eyes of the man who had raised him.

His father.

Despite all of his neglect and emotional abuse, Gabriel had never laid a finger on him.

But, Adrien now realized, this was not Gabriel. Not anymore. Only Hawkmoth remained. Gabriel was gone. His entire family had been torn away from him within the span of mere minutes.

Would anyone miss him if he was gone too?

A wave of emotion flitted across his face. Nathalie, Nino, Alya, Marinette. Ladybug. Would she miss him? Would she know what happened to him? Would the next time she encountered Chat Noir be through a different wielder? The thought of Gabriel being in possession of the power of destruction terrified him, and made him fear for Ladybug’s life. Adrien had sworn that he would protect her. If his father got ahold of his miraculous, she would be in more danger than he could have ever fathomed. He had to escape… he had to… he...

The veil of blackness grew and Adrien ceased his struggling altogether, having no strength remaining. But before his eyes rolled back, a black flash zoomed directly at Gabriel’s face, knocking him back in surprise.

Adrien crumpled to the ground, panting and coughing, while Plagg whizzed around Hawkmoth, the latter growling in outrage. Adrien looked up at them, clutching at his aching throat, his vision slowly returning to normal.

Hawkmoth finally succeeded in swatting Plagg away, and his tiny body was thrown towards the far wall.

Adrien attempted to call out to him, but only succeeded in releasing a strangled wheezing sound.

To his surprise, Plagg performed a graceful twist and landed on all fours. He pushed himself off the wall and puffed up his tiny chest.

“Is that all you’ve got, you pansy??” he taunted, accompanied with a rude gesture at Hawkmoth that suggested he perform an action of dubious anatomical probability to himself. Then he zipped back towards Hawkmoth, lashing his tail against the villain’s face with audible slaps, hissing and snarling like the cat he was.

Adrien couldn’t help but smirk. Seeing Plagg’s courage fueled his willpower and, despite his painful, labored breathing and a metallic taste in his mouth, he rose to his feet with a slight sway. He became woozy from the change in altitude, but nevertheless, a fiery determination blazed in his eyes.

With a renewed vigor, Adrien managed to croak out, “Plagg, claws out.” A bright flash of green illuminated the room.

Roaring ferociously, Hawkmoth unsheathed his sword and charged at Chat, who barely had enough time to block with his staff.

The two clashed in vicious combat, their strikes quick and merciless. Chat bounced around, dodging and parrying, taking full advantage of his catlike agility to avoid incoming attacks. Hawkmoth was relentless in his pursuit, always surging forward, never hesitating or taking a step back.

Hawkmoth��s masterful swordsmanship was unrelenting and intense. It had been years since they sparred and practiced together. The difference between his fighting style now, compared to how it was long ago, was stark. It was as if he were fighting a completely different person, one who focused solely on offense; one that aimed to kill, not incapacitate.

With a grunt, Hawkmoth swung his sword in a wide slash, and Chat was unable to block the full blow. A trickle of blood traveled down his arm, and Chat couldn’t help but stare at it.

He hurt him. Actually hurt him. It wasn’t a trick, an attempt to get the ring. A ploy he’d apologize for and claim ’Adrien, you made me do it’. His father was trying to actively injure him. The reality that this wasn’t some bad dream came crashing down on him, in the most physical sense. He looked up at disbelief at his father–or whoever he was at this point.

Chat continued to parry Hawkmoth’s brutal jabs and slashes, but occasionally one would penetrate his defenses. Before he knew it, he was riddled with cuts and scratches.

He panted heavily, lungs burning, heart pounding, and muscles aching. He looked up at his enemy, who wasn’t even breathing hard; not a single bead of sweat dotted his brow.

Chat made a desperate lunge at him, hoping to momentarily stun him so he could catch his breath. But in his exhaustion, he was careless, his movements sloppy.

The next thing he registered was simply pain. An excruciating, stabbing pain on his torso.

Chat let out a ragged scream, sagging against a wall and crumpling to the ground, clutching at the throbbing slash on his side. Breathing became excruciating.

And yet, he forced himself to his feet. He took a step. Then another. He reached for his staff and got back into a defensive stance.

Hawkmoth’s lips twitched upwards, amusement dancing in his eyes. Chat could have even sworn it almost looked like pride, but surely that was impossible.

Chat leaped towards him with a downwards strike of his staff, which was easily blocked, and they resumed their skirmish. Hawkmoth advanced on him, drawing out the combat comfortably, and yet Chat became more and more winded by the second. He looked around, searching in vain for any object that could be used to his advantage.

Rivulets of sweat traveled down his face and neck and it was then that his eyes widened in realization.

He’s toying with me. He just wants to tire me out.

Sensing his hesitation, Hawkmoth slashed at Chat’s leg with a long horizontal swipe. Chat howled in pain, collapsing onto the cold, hard tile once again.

Hawkmoth roughly lifted him by the right arm and yanked him towards the small table in the center of the room. He threw him down with a loud thunk and held him down by the wrist. Chat was too weak to wrest himself out of the ironclad grasp, not even able to put up the slightest hint of resistance.

Hawkmoth lifted his sword, readying himself to strike downwards. Chat looked up, eyes hazy and disoriented. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shake off the fog in his brain.

“Surrender, or lose your ring the hard way,” Hawkmoth hissed, his face half concealed in shadow.

Chat looked up at him in confusion. Why not just take the ring from his finger, since he clearly wasn’t in any condition to fight anymore?

“Father…” Chat croaked out. “Why are you doing this?”

The corner of Hawkmoth’s mouth quirked upwards into a cruel sneer. “I’m teaching you a lesson. After all, disobedient children must be disciplined.”

Chat’s eyes grew wide in terror. He’s really going to do it. Is… Is this how it ends for me? In my own home, broken, and alone?

On the verge of despairing, a soft, loving voice spoke from the corner of his mind:

“You’re not alone anymore, Chat.”

Ladybug’s kind words washed over him like a gentle, cooling breeze, easing his fear and filling his heart with hope. Whatever happened, Hawkmoth must never get ahold of the ring.

A small flicker of an idea crossed his mind.

Chat scoffed and remarked sarcastically, “You picked an odd time to finally decide to start parenting.” He looked up at him, raising his free hand. “But you’re not the only one who’s got a few tricks up their sleeve.”

Hawkmoth paused, eyeing him curiously.

Chat gave him a final smirk and said calmly, “Cataclysm.”

Hawkmoth’s face contorted in surprise, and he let out an infuriated shout as Chat’s left palm touched the floor.

Unbeknownst to him, Chat had gained the ability to summon Cataclysm through both hands, and not just through the one that wore the ring. Hawkmoth had been counting on him not being able to use his power without uselessly destroying the table his right (ring) hand was resting on.

Long, spidery veins stretched across the entire floor, slowly spreading their sickly, rusted blackness. Losing his balance as the ground crumbled beneath them, Hawkmoth let go of Chat’s wrist and leaped backwards, away from the epicenter of destruction.

Moments later, Hawkmoth rose from the rubble, pushing some debris off of himself in irritation. The dust had cleared somewhat, and the dim light of the sunset entering through the window illuminated the room once again.

Finally coming back to his senses, Hawkmoth’s head whipped back and forth, searching across the chasm. But it was too late. Chat was already gone.

Consumed with both disbelief and rage, he let out a loud scream; raw, savage, and haunting.

(Mood Music: Like I’m Going to Lose You - Meghan Trainor, Eric Chou cover)

Marinette leisurely stepped out the side door of the bakery humming a soft tune, carrying a large bag of trash. With a grunt, she hefted the bag into a waste bin along the edge of the sidewalk for morning pickup. She stretched out her tired limbs, reaching her hands over her head and admiring the soft hues of the darkening sky.

She yawned as she opened the door to go back inside, but stopped in her tracks. A sudden, insistent feeling pricked and prodded at her insides, urging her to turn around. Something didn’t feel right. Seconds ticked by; then a whole minute. It just didn’t make sense to feel so uneasy.

Sighing resignedly, she decided to follow her instincts even though nothing in the area seemed out of the ordinary.

And so Marinette sat on the steps, keeping her eyes peeled for anything odd and her ears open for anything unusual. Several minutes passed. But there was nothing. No akumas, no old ladies in distress, no cats stuck in trees.

Tikki phased through the door discreetly, having grown concerned about Marinette’s absence, as she’d only planned to be gone for less than a minute.

“Marinette? Is anything wrong?” Tikki whispered as she zipped behind Marinette’s neck, hidden by a long curtain of midnight hair.

Marinette shrugged, hugging her arms around herself as a rather ineffective shield from the crisp evening air. “I don’t know, Tikki. I just… I had a strong feeling that I needed to be out here.” She sighed softly. Maybe it wasn’t her instinct after all, but leftover jitters from her near death experience earlier that day.

“We could check, to make sure. Let’s take a small stroll around the block before going back inside, just in case,” Tikki suggested. Marinette nodded in agreement and stood, reluctant but compliant.

The walk around the neighborhood was… uneventful.

Marinette quirked her mouth to the side in consternation and murmured low so only Tikki could hear, “Well… no news is good news, right?”

Tikki made a small humming sound, not quite convinced. However, she knew that ever since Marinette had begun developing and strengthening more of her miraculous’ abilities over the years, that there were bound to be a few false alarms.

And so, Marinette began heading home. Tikki leaned her tiny head on her charge’s shoulder, no longer on alert but still keeping an eye out.

And then she saw him.

“MARINETTE!!” Tikki whisper-screamed, yanking on the hair by her left ear to get her to turn her head.

Marinette winced. “Ow! Tikki! Why did y-“ The words died in her throat. Her eyes widened like saucers and her breath escaped her as if she’d been punched in the gut.

A slim, black form was slumped against a wall inside a tiny, darkened nook between buildings. Marinette recognized it instantly.

She dashed towards him, heart pounding in terror and confusion. Her eyes darted around as she crossed the street to look for an assailant, but saw no one.

She fell to the ground next to him, quickly examining him. His breathing was labored, but he was alive. Barely. He was struggling to stay conscious, clearly exhausted, and his belt was tightly wrapped around his thigh to stop the bleeding from a large wound.

“Chat Noir!!? What happened?!” she cried, aghast and horrified by his condition.

Her voice jolted him out of his haze and his eyes popped open in alarm. He seemed to recognize her and his eyes softened, looking relieved and almost… trusting?

She tried again. “What happened?! Who did this to you?”

Chat froze, glancing around the area nervously, like he was searching for something.

“I… I… I gotta go,” he said in a rush, extending his staff to help him stand.

Marinette frowned in surprise. “Wait! What are you doing??”

“I can’t stay here,” he insisted, limping away from the wall and aiming to vault to the top of the building.

“What?! Why??” she demanded, rushing to stand in front of him.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t get you involved. Please, go home, it could be dangero- AUGH!” He bit down on a pained cry, clutching his injured torso. He panted heavily, face twisted in agony. Nevertheless, he continued with his objective as he tried to walk around Marinette.

She pulled him back before he could flee. “No! Stop! You’re in no condition to go anywhere! We need to get you some help!”

“Mar–Mademoiselle, please…” he said, his eyes pleading. “Forget we ever met. You might be in danger if you’re seen with me.”

Marinette stood her ground and firmly walked him back towards the wall, gripping the top of his staff with her other hand in defiance.

“NO,” she repeated emphatically.

Chat faltered, and exhaustion seemed to catch up to him all at once. His eyes became glazed and he swayed forward, head spinning. His legs buckled and he sagged against her with a pained groan. Marinette caught him and managed to ease him down to the ground, where she held him close, wrapping her arms around him to lend him her warmth.

The corner of his mouth pulled upwards. “Heh, you’re stubborn. I like that.”

Cheeky, her eyes squinted in slight amusement.

“I’m not the only one,” she countered, giving him a small smile.

He looked at her with a soft expression on his face, gently placing his hand on top of hers. “You’re also really sweet.” Marinette could feel her face heat up despite herself.

Before either could say anything more, his ring beeped.

Chat shifted in surprise, but his wounded side twitched in painful protest. He clutched it tightly with his other arm, hissing in distress. Marinette winced and drew him closer, trying to offer a small measure of comfort. She could feel his body trembling.

“C-could you do something for me?” Chat asked apprehensively, voice cracking.

Marinette blinked, somewhat stunned. “Of course,” she replied, voice barely above a whisper.

He bit his lip, eyes glistening. “Will you… will you please tell her that I’m sorry?” he croaked out, voice full of regret and sadness. “That I didn’t mean to leave her?”

Marinette’s stomach felt like it was being squeezed into a vice. Fear gripped her and she clutched him desperately. “Chat, NO! You’re going to be fine!! Stay with me!”

Chat squeezed her hand and murmured with difficulty, “I’m so sorry, Marinette. For everything.”

Then he slipped into unconsciousness.

#Discordant Sonata #Miraculous Ladybug #Ladynoir #Enemies AU #Marinette Dupain Cheng #Adrien Agreste #fanfiction #Eden writes

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bmwiid · 4 years

Text

My kittens have a very cute little quirk they’ve developed. After they get their wet food (three pouches a day each) they will come and sit on my lap and get PROPER snuggled in - like really get as close as possible to me and each other - often sitting on top of one another for premium snug space, and they sleep for about 15 mins, half an hour.

After that, they both jump down and go sleep on the large footstool (it’s huge, like a two seater couch I moved into the study for the cats to chill while I am on the pc) and then carry on sleeping.

If they don’t get the snuggles - like I’m moving around the flat, they get so pissy that Cameron has taken to just sitting in the hall and squeaking like a balloon till I pick him up and sit my ass down, and Pike climbs up my legs like a very sharp spiderman.

For Pike, this is really the only time she’s happy to get lap sits, other times she’s so much more independent than her brother. He is already showing signs of being the BIGGEST baby boi, he’s got one of the loudest purrs I’ve heard outside of a full grown cat, and loooooves cuddles. Pike though... she’s happy to be doing her own thing, as long as she’s in the same room as me.

I just love watching their little habits and how they are showing affection in different ways. Pike sleeps on the bed, but not ON me, and Cameron sleeps with the older cat in the basket now, and will often wake me up by purring loudly for NO REASON.

#living with kittens #cats #pets

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chloca-cola · 5 years

Text

The Real Test

@loraliah

Here's the little story you asked for.

It's a little angsty but fluffy and sweet. I hope you like it!!!!

Word count:776

---------

“Do you love me enough that I may be weak with you? Everyone loves strength, but do you love me for my weakness? That is the real test.”

-Alain de Botton

Meande hummed a song to herself as she removed the sheets from Vergil’s bed, dancing to the music in her head, tossing the dirty linens in the floor, replacing them with clean ones. She was so distracted she didn’t notice Vergil hovering in the door, watching her.

“The looooove shack is a little ole place we were can-AHH!” She screamed as she turned, seeing Vergil looming in the doorway, and she covered her hammering heart, before pouting teasingly. “Dimples...I really gotta get you a cat bell collar.”

“Why do you stay with me?” Her teasing face fell, his tone catching her off guard.

“Vergil...it’s because I love you.” She answered as if it were that simple, and he averted his eyes to the floor, and she walked to him, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside his own room, closing the door behind her.

“Why?” She laughed nervously, not meaning too and she regretted it instantly, shaking her head, she sat on his bed, motioning for him to sit too.

“Honey...what’s wrong?” He looked at his hands and she studied his profile.

“I’ve done such horrible things. I’m a monster. I do not deserve your love.” Meande’s jaw dropped and her honey eyes widened in absolute incredulity, and she reached out, gently turning his face to look at hers.

“Vergil...your past doesn’t make you unlovable.” She assured him, caressing his cheek, and he leaned into the gesture. She was slightly frustrated with herself that she couldn’t put her thoughts into words, knowing she didn't need to let anything come out the wrong way. She could see the internal war waging inside himself in his pale eyes and it broke her heart.

“You love me even though I may be weak?” It was an important question for Vergil, never having allowed himself to show any kind of weakness to anyone.

“Vergil, I love you no matter what. I accept everything about you. Good or bad, you know that, right?” She cupped his face, his pale eyes searched hers, looking for a lie. She sensed this, climbing into his lap to allow him full view of her soul, having nothing to hide from him. After a long pause, he finally accepted what she said to him.

“I love you, too.” He finally replied and she smiled.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”

-----------

That night, Meande was laying on her side, sleeping soundly when a sudden movement woke her. Vergil’s body thrashed beside her, his hands had a death grip on the sheets beneath him, his body coated in a sheen of sweat that glistened in the pale moonlight, a strained scream threatening to escape him. Meande sat up on her knees in a panic, hands outstretched to touch him, but she hesitated. Should she wake him in this state? Would he lash out at her if she did? A strangled scream helped her decide to take the risk, she placed her hand on his dampened shoulder and Vergil bolted upright. Meande teleported off the bed, watching him lashing out at something invisible.

“Vergil...it’s Meande.” She assured him, voice soft as she slowly approached the bed. Vergil’s pale eyes were wide and filled to the brim with fear as they darted around the room, his chest heaving. “You’re ok. You’re safe. It’s just me.” She cooed, crawling back into bed with him.

“Did I hit you?” She shook her head, carding her fingers through his sweat dampened hair.

“No, mi amore. Are you ok?” She inquired, pulling him into a warm embrace, his body shaking violently.

“I…” He began, before going silent for so long, Meande figured he wasn’t going to finish. “Mundus was torturing me again.” His voice sounded small, almost ashamed at his admittance, and Meande hugged him closer. “He was forcing me to watch him slowly kill you. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t get to you.”

“He can’t, Vergil. He can’t hurt you, or me, not anymore.”

“I couldn’t save you.”

“Vergil,” she gave him a reassuring squeeze, but he pulled her into his lap, and buried his face in her neck, nuzzling and breathing in her scent deeply. “I trust you with my life, you should know that.” She confessed, purring softly as she stroked his hair, pulling back to nuzzle his face, causing him to purr with her. He held her tightly, their purring synchronizing. “It was only a bad dream. I’m here. You’re safe.”

#dmc vergil #devil may cry #vergil x oc #dmc #fan fiction #dmc5 #devil may cry vergil

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yikesola · 4 years

Text

Never Have I Ever - AP Edition

ty for the tag @calvinahobbes 🥰

1… put my thumb in it -

okay y’all...... the amount of times i saw on my dash dear friends being like “hmmm what does this Mean?” as though we haven’t all stumbled across a fisting fic at least once in our lives whether we read it or not is Not the point here! and no, to answer the question, i havent lol

2… tasted breast milk -

i was a baby once, haven’t been since

3… tried to discreetly pick a wedgie in public -

aka “worn underwear in public” which like the answer is yes asldkjf

4… had a sugar daddy -

nope, but currently accepting applications if someone wants to give me money and in exchange i will send you one (1) feet pic a month ✌ i gotta pay those hospital bills somehow😩

5… eaten bugs -

i was a toddler once, haven’t been since

6… dyed my bath water -

for the pee route: i was a child once, haven’t been since. for the non-pee route: i looooove a bath bomb!

7… peed in a bottle -

peed in cups if that counts?

8… kissed someone married -

nope

9… locked someone in a room -

i’ve locked people out of rooms, but never in them

10… tried watching tv upside down -

i’m sure i must’ve...... i’ve watched sideways plenty!

11… been chased by a cat -

i have a calico who is delightful to rile up, of course she’s chased me when we’re having a good fun time together :))

12… broken something because I was angry -

i’ve certainly been angry Because i broke something, but never the other way round, no

13… killed someone -

nope, and you can submit this in court

14… pranked my parents -

nooooo ,, i’m not the pranking sort and my parents were not the prankee sort.

15… not cleaned my teeth in 48 hours -

joins the rousing chorus of “it’s called depression bitch” :/

16… dyed my hair the wrong color -

wasn’t technically dyed, just color-stripped my whole fuckin head at 19 😩

17… been kicked out of a bar -

only in the sense that like ,, they were closing and i was still sippin lol

18… hacked into someone’s computer -

no? that’d be rude

19… used an emoji while texted -

✌💞😘

20… ridden a motorcycle -

once, my dad’s friend was taking me home from the restaurant my step-mom worked at and i was about 12, and i was wearing shorts and i burned my leg climbing off of it but didn’t want to be a bother so i didn’t say anything :( i just slapped a bunch of neosporin on it and waited for the skin to grow back. hmmm mayhaps i kin emily bronte not saying anything about that rabid dog bite and just cauterizing the wound herself?

21… doubted my heterosexuality -

lol

22… been robbed -

yes! i was a bank teller and it had a two week training period in a virtual classroom. our computer was in the vault room, so there i was on the final day of training with my headphones on and completed in the zone with my virtual class, when one of my fellow tellers comes up with a cup of tea and puts her hand on my shoulder and says “i dont wanna scare you, but we were just robbed.” and i was all “what??” and she said “they caught him already, less than a block away, and no one was hurt. you’re gonna need to come give a statement that you didn’t see anything” and then we got the rest of the day off.

23… tasted a toe -

i have kissed my cat’s toe beans many a time, but do not think in those kisses i tasted anything

tagging anyone who sees and wants to join! also explicitly tagging @quercussp because i think i remember you saying you wanted to see all these :)

#tagged #friends

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dadplagg-mamatikki · 5 years

Link

And just like that, the next chapter is up!!! I hope you guys enjoy a little bit of Adrinette in September! Sorry it’s so late, but honestly, I’m not really sorry. And where I’m at, it’s still your birthday @perditaalottachocolate-blog SO I hope you enjoy this continuation! Chapter two is much longer than chapter 1!

Chapter Two: Day Two: Seat Buddies

Adrien could clearly remember the movie premier like it was yesterday. It was mostly disastrous. But one thing that kept sticking out to him, was the macaroon incident. Marinette had made him a special macaroon! Just for him! He never had anything like that before for him. It would be a lie if that didn’t make him feel special. Grant it, Marinette is a wonderful girl and is super caring, she’s probably made her friends macaroons for their birthdays and other special events. He’d be lying, again, if he wasn’t wanting to try that macaroon. Thinking about it, he decided he should ask her about it. See maybe if she’d be willing to teach or show him how she makes them. That’d be super fun!

Smiling widely (like an idiot as Plagg would say), Adrien unlocked his phone, going to his contacts and finally found Marinette’s. He quickly typed up a message and sent it to her, then excitement got the better of him and he followed it with five smiley faces. He was excited and just couldn’t hide it. Adrien sighed happily, getting up from where he was sitting at his computer desk to start getting ready for the day ahead. He hoped that she would respond before school, so they could discuss it a little before classes started for the day. That would give him time to arrange it with Nathalie and Father to see if he could do something. Surely Father would appreciate him learning cultural aspects of baking, right? From the best bakery of all Paris. Culture is an important thing to be a well rounded-respected man in any industry, so why shouldn’t he start learning different cultural aspects now? He was distracted by his inner monologue by the buzzing of his phone. Quickly, he checked it to see a reply from Marinette.

‘Of course!! What about during lunch today?’ Excitement bubbled within him until Plagg spoke.

“Sorry kid, I don’t think today will work.” Plagg floated over, seemingly looking disappointed? “You have a photoshoot during lunch today,” Plagg explained, looking solemn before flying over to get some cheese. “Why don’t you see if Pigtails would want to go with you to the photoshoot?” Why was Plagg suggesting such nice things?

“You know, I did invite her to a photoshoot after Troublemaker.” Adrien nodded, quickly replying to the text explaining the dilemma but making up for it -hopefully- by inviting her to the photo shoot. Adrien sat his phone down on the bed so that he could change into his clothes, ears alert for any sounds of notification from the bluenette. As he was putting his shoes on, the sound of a notification arrived at his ears. Quickly, he got up from the chair he was sitting in to grab his phone. Except instead of going to the phone, he ended up falling into the floor due to stepping on one of the untied shoelaces.

“Kid.” Plagg’s laughter floated down as did his tiny black body. “You’re starting to act like Pigtails now.” He jeered the blonde currently laying on the floor.

“Can you just pass me my phone, Plagg?” Adrien groaned, rolling over to his back so that he could sit up to complete tying his shoes.

“Sure. Oh look, she said that she would looooove to, any chance of being with you makes everything purrrrfect.” Plagg snickered as he floated down, passing the phone off to his chosen.

“Plagg! Why are you reading my-” He cut off as he looked down at the phone, not even turned on to view the notification. He glared at his kwami as he cackled. “I knew it was too good to be true with a cat pun.” He frowned as he unlocked his phone and pulled up the messages to see what her response was.

‘That’d be super cool! I could bring along some stuff from the bakery so we can have lunch?’ Why was she even questioning that? Her family's pastries were amazing!

‘Of course!’ Adrien started to type out before looked over at Plagg, thinking of an idea. ‘I’m not completely sure where it’s at, so you can just ride along with me to it.’ Happiness radiates off of Adrien as he grabbed his bag, allowing Plagg to fly into it before heading out to grab something for breakfast. Today it looked like it was going to be an apple and a bottle of orange juice. Exiting the dining room, Nathalie briefed him on his schedule today but he wasn’t completely paying attention. He nodded and headed to the car. The ride to school went by quickly, but that was fine by Adrien. The sooner he was at school, the sooner he could talk to Marinette about the plans for the day. Maybe he should have paid more attention to what Nathalie was saying.

Exiting the car and climbing the steps, he greeted Nino happily, completing the elaborate handshake that he was trying to teach Adrien.

“I would say you’ve been practicing, but it's difficult to practice with someone. And it would break the code of the handshake!” Nino joked with him.

“I tend to pick up things well that’s coronated,” Adrien explained with a slight shrug. He had been going over the steps in his head about how to properly execute the handshake when he wasn’t thinking about the photoshoot with Marinette that lunch.

“Cool! We’ve almost got it perfect by now!” A laugh escaped Adrien at his friends' jubilance.

“Well, I’m glad that it makes you happy.” The boys shared another laugh as they entered the school and headed to the locker room.

“We’ll help socialize you properly if it’s the last thing we do!” Nino spoke excitedly, patting his best friends back. Adrien sent him a smile as they went to their respective lockers. Looking around the room, Adrien tried to pinpoint the pigtails of one of his good friends. So far, he didn’t see her or her best friend. Quickly finishing up putting his things in the locker, he headed to the classroom, wondering if she was already there. And maybe this would give Nino and Alya a chance to do whatever couples do before class. He had looked over to see Ivan and Mylene share a sweet kiss before they entered the classroom and parted ways to their respective seats. Did they mind not sitting next to each other in class? He briefly wondered to himself as he took his respective seat in the front row and proceeded to get out the materials he required for that class period.

Not ten minutes after he had sat down, Nino and Alya strolled in holding the hands of each other before separating with a sweet kiss on each other's cheeks to sit in their rows. Well, Marinette was always late so it shouldn’t surprise him that she wasn’t here just yet. Although he hoped she would be here soon so they could discuss the details for the day a little more.

“So, what're your plans for lunch?” Nino asked Adrien, getting his stuff out of his bag for the class ahead.

“Well, I have a photoshoot during lunch but I invited Marinette along because I had promised her before to take her to a shoot. You know, cause she loves fashion and wants to be a fashion designer.” Adrien explained with a smile, turning to look at both of his friends now. Alya had a smirk on her lips and a gleam in her eye that made Adrien rather unnerved. “I believe she’s bringing along lunch for us, so I’m excited about that!” He ended his plans with a smile that would put all the previous modeling photos he’s ever done to shame.

“Ah, nice. Well, maybe you can get to know her a little better.” Nino smiled but glanced at Alya who had nodded gently at him.

“Yeah, I’m wondering what sort of inspiration she’ll get from this!” Adrien spoke happily, sitting back and imagining what his talented friend would create after today. About that time, Marinette strolled into the class, looking radiant as ever carrying a picnic basket that he could only guess was filled with delicious home-made lunch. “Morning Marinette!” He spoke happily at seeing his classmate, waving at her with excitement that they could finally discuss the plans for today a little bit more.

“Morning Adrien!” She greeted him with a smile, wave, and rosy red cheeks.

“I’m excited about lunch. Shall we just meet at the front steps?” He asked, turning so that she could sit down but show that she still had his attention.

“Uh Y-yeah! That would great be. That would be great!” Marinette jumbled out her words but that didn’t phase the smile that had rested on Adrien's lips.

“Sounds like we’ve got a plan!” He spoke excitedly before turning around as he heard the teacher's footsteps arrive.

“Good morning class! Before we get started about telling our neighbor something nice, I would like to switch seats for today's activity. That way, you can tell someone new something nice about them!” Mme. Bustier said happily, clapping once she sat her stuff on her desk. “Alright, so I’ll go row by row.” She turned around to pick up her paper, looking at the class. “Front row, Marinette and Adrien.” She looks over her paper, seeing Nino get up and Adrien smiling. “Looks like you don’t have to move Adrien. Next row, Ivan and Sabrina.” She waited as those students settled, Alya and Nino stood off to the side awaiting their fate. Adrien was thrilled, he always enjoyed the option to talk to Marinette. And having her be his seat buddy for class today? And a project? This day just seemed to be going splendid.

“Well, I’m glad we’re going to be partners, Marinette.” He smiled at her once she had settled down in Nino’s seat.

“Yeah, you too. I I mean me too Adrien.” Marinette responded, smiling through her flush.

“Row behind them, Nathaniel and Chloe.” Mme. Bustier continued with the new seating. It looked like Nathaniel just had to switch seats at his table.

“Well, at least during lunch we could talk about whatever this is if we need to.” Adrien explained, watching as his classmates shifted and moved around him.

“Yes, that true is.” Marinette paused and he heard a large inhale and exhale. “Yes, that is true. We can also maybe discuss it later as well. When I would show you the macaroon maybe?” Marinette suggested, smiling softly.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Adrien said with a smile. “Spending time with you is always a treat. You’re such a good friend, Marinette. I’m lucky!” Wait. Did he really just say friend? Again? Adrien thought to himself, seeing how her eyes changed ever so slightly before she brightened up with a smile that could rival his for beauty. Well, even if she isn’t just a friend, she’s now my partner in class.

“Spending time with you Adrien is also amazing.” Marinette whispered, looking down at her desk. Why did his heart skip a beat? And why was he upset she didn’t tell him directly?

“I believe, seat buddy, we may as well be new partners in crime.” He pulls out his Chat Noir side with a smirk. Her reaction, in his opinion, was priceless. First, it was the way her eyebrows raised quickly with a blush upon her cheeks before her face shifted into a smirk much like his ladies, eyes showing a mischievous glint.

“Partners in crime, you say? Well. Maybe you are my Ladybug.” She responded, blushing madly the entire time but not stuttering a single part.

“Then you’d be my Chat Noir?” He raised an eyebrow, thinking about when he and Ladybug had to do a miraculous swap. “Well, I think you would be a fabulous Lady Noir.” He nudged her shoulder slightly with his. And just like that, whatever courage or ability she had to be able to carry on this conversation, was gone.

“And you would be Hotty Bug- I mean. Manly Bug… Uh… Mister Bug! Yeah! I think you’d do well in a yoyo.” Marinette blushed and quickly looked away. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he heard Mme. Bustier called out the last row.

“And lastly, Mylene and Kim.” Everyone was finally settled and turned to greet their partner. “Now, let’s tell our new partner one thing that’s nice and we can start the lesson for the day.” Adrien and Marinette turned to face each other.

“Do you want to go first?” Adrien asked his friend.

“Uh… Do you mind going?”

“Of course not!” Adrien said excitedly, then realized he had no clue what on earth to say to her. He looked at her, biting his lip before snapping his fingers like a light bulb going off. “Marinette, besides being our everyday Ladybug, you are the most creative person I have met.” Which, wasn’t necessarily a lie. Ladybug was creative as well, but more along the lines of in the moment. Marinette seems to be able to create anything and everything under the sun.

“Thank you, Adrien.” Her smile was a little sad in his opinion but her eyes were bright and cheery. Did he say something wrong?

“Adrien, you are the kindest person I’ve ever met.” She said with eyes that held so much emotion, it briefly made his heart stop. He didn’t know eyes could possess so much passion and emotion. He felt wet on his cheek before he realized what was happening. “Oh no, Adrien! I didn’t mean to make you cry.” Her lower lip shivered as she looked at him. He just laughed and waved her off.

“Don’t worry Marinette. I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. And I’m happy that it came from you.” His words rang with a level of honesty that caused her lips to smile and eyes to tear a little as well.

“Alright class, let’s begin with the lesson.” Mme. Bustier speaks happily, clapping her hands and eyes surveying the class.

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