#they just chatting before moon patrols :muscle:
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THE SILLIES SO REAL - Sunny got stickers from the kids!
#parznite#fnaf daycare attendant#moondrop#sundrop#fnaf#fnaf security breach#Just little sketches of my Sun/Moon for the soul#They are so scrimblo#they just chatting before moon patrols :muscle:#fnaf sundrop#fnaf moondrop#sun x moon#sundrop x moondrop#fnaf dca#dca fandom#daycare attendant
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JEALOUS. | Neteyam Sully
pairing: Neteyam Sully x reader!y/n
warnings!: 18+, smut, fluff, swearing, jealous, toxic? intimate kissing, arguing/fighting, possessive, handsy, breeding kink, mentions of pregnancy
summary: neteyam has been busy with his duty's and hasn't been paying you much attention so you make sure to give him a reason too. (by flirting with his brother)
neteyam sully loved PDA, whether it be holding hands, arms clutching round your waist or sneaking kisses during feast. he needed people to know you were his and only his.
the markings he would leave on your neck and body were usually enough to scare clan members away, if being mated to the son of toruk makto wasn't enough that was.
y/n was mad at neteyam. he had been so busy with his duty's and patrol that he had been paying absolutely no attention to her. usually this wouldn't bother her, but it had been weeks since neteyam had even displayed any sort of affection other than a short kiss before leaving to fulfil his duty's with his father.
so here she was, the only night neteyam had been given off from his patrol, sat across the feast from him, desperately close to his younger brother, her best friend, lo'ak.
she bit her lip, tilting her head sideways as her ears lay flat, smiling widely at the younger boy, knowing exactly how to act to gain her mates attention.
she laughed at what lo'ak had said and reached her hand to his head, patting and rubbing in affection. lo'ak had no idea of her gameplay and leaned into her hand willingly.
neteyam watched, his hands balling into fists so hard that blood had trickled down his arms from the crescent moon shaped cuts he had created with his finger nails. his eyes were narrowed, jaw clenched so tightly the muscles twitched.
his blood boiled and a low predatory growl abrupted from deep in his throat. his eyes saw red as he watched his soulmate laughing and even daring to touch his skxawng brother.
lo'ak reached and placed a gentle hand on y/ns knee, daringly close to her thigh. neteyam snapped, this was too far, how dare lo'ak touch what's his.
he harshly stood up from his seated position next to kiri and began striding through the crowds of people eating and chatting to get to her.
y/n heard footsteps approaching her, and she smirked, turning her head just in time for neteyan to reach her and lo'ak. instantly, lo'ak retracted his hand and his blood drew cold at the sight of his brothers face, neyetam had never looked so furious.
neteyams arm wrapped tightly around her waist and pulled her into his side possessively. he glared at lo'ak and it looked as if he was about to fight his own brother.
"lo'ak. you keep your hands off what belongs to me, yes?" neteyam spoke through gritted teeth, his fingers pressed into her hips, aiming to leave bruising. y/n smirked softly, her head hung.
"neyeyam! sh-she is my friend, only! you skxawng." lo'ak answered back, bravely. y/n raised her eyes to him and mouthed a 'thank you'.
"back off, now." neteyam replied, looking down at his brother with daggers and pushing his finger threateningly into his chest. lo'ak raised his hands up defensively as he backed away, understanding he would not beat his brother in a fight.
neteyam grabbed her wrist, pulling her through the village without a word. he dragged her to their hut they shared, ignoring her pleas and 'sorrys' on the way.
only when they finally reached their hut and the door was closed, pinning her against the door, did he finally speak.
"you little minx" he spoke lowly, his eyes hooded and ears flat. his hands were on her hips, pressing her firmly into the door.
y/ns lips twitched into a smirk. she lifted her chin, her eyes flickering over his hardened features. he had never looked this angry.
"I needed someone to talk to since your normally busy," she whined back, locking her jaw, rolling her tongue over cheek. she knew exactly what she was doing.
neteyam growled lowly and quietly, however it raised goose bumps on her blue skin. he swallowed thickly, his Adams apple bobbing in his throat.
"you're mine. y/n," he spoke sternly, one of his hands reaching up and grabbing her jaw, the other snaking down her body and resting on her lower back, daring to move lower.
"really? that's why you leave me everyday, giving me no choice but to entertain myself." she said in a sickeningly sweet tone, purring softly when he tightened his grip on her jaw.
neteyam let out a dry laugh and shook his head, lowering his face, so they were at eye level, his pupils blown, dark with rage and lust.
"keep running your mouth like that, i dare you. ill make sure the whole village can hear it scream." he spoke darkly, his knee finding its way between her thighs and forcefully spreading them apart, he pressed his thigh against her heat as she purred louder, breath hitching at the sensation.
"you think you can flirt with other men, with lo'ak? you know he wants you and you know that I already knew. i hope you know what you've just signed up for;" he said, his hand going from her jaw to her throat, locking around it.
y/n inhaled, her hand reached up and wrapped round his wrist trying to pry him away for a little bit of air. her eyes danced with desire. she leaned forward, crashing their lips together in a heated, passionate kiss.
they kissed like they needed each others lips to breathe, like if they would stop the universe around them would collapse and obliterate. teeth clashes, lips bruised as he nipped at hers with his fangs. it was pure, unfiltered want and anger.
neteyam pressed his thigh further into her heat, earning a soft whimper from her lips, he smirked, kissing down on her jaw, biting and nipping at her neck making sure to leave marks.
"nete, people will see those." she breathed, gasping softly when he bit down on her shoulder, drawing blood.
"let them see what your great mighty warrior can do, at least then people will know what's mine." he said against her skin, lifting his hands up over her clothed breasts, he reached round and untied the piece of material that was barely covering her anyway.
He quickly snaked both hands around her back and under her thighs, hoisting her effortlessly into his arms. she tightened her legs around his torso, causing him to groan.
he carried her over to their shared sleeping area, setting her down and hovering over her body, connecting their lips together aggressively.
y/ns hands wondered over his neck and down his toned torso, she stopped just above his loincloth, gently grazing her fingers over his lower abdomen. his eyes shut in pleasure and he purred slowly into the kiss.
neteyams mouth travelled from her lips to her neck, moving down until latching onto her nipple, sucking. a loud moan abrupted from her throat, he smirked into her skin.
he ran his hands over her body, groaning against her lips.
"this is mine to touch, only mine." he growled, kissing her harshly, hands massaging her now bruised and swollen nipples. he kneaded the sensitive skin as she let out another loud whimper.
"that's it, baby, make those noises for me." he spoke lowly, pinching her nipple and making her hiss in pain due to the sensitivity.
neteyam smirked, lowering himself and pulling down the remainder of her clothing, so that she was now fully exposed to him.
he hovered over her heat, his warm breath fanning the soaked and sensitive area. he traced his fingers deadly close to her core, teasingly.
"your so needy, i haven't even touched you. is this all from me, my girl?"
y/n tightened her jaw, fingers clenching around nothing as he carefully teased her.
"no, lo'ak was-" she began to speak, but neteyam sunk his teeth into the skin of her thigh, making her groan in pain and pleasure.
"don't lie to me, y/n. who got you this riled up?" he asked again, eyes staring daggers into hers, his fingers tightly gripped her thigh, right where he had just pierced skin .
"y-you did!" she whimpered desperately. her core was burning and aching for him. she needed him to touch her.
"that's what i thought." he sneered, pushing her thighs open, exposing her soaked pussy on full display.
neteyam almost drooled at the sight. her perfectly, pretty core splayed out just for him. it was only for him.
he lifted his thumb to her clit, slowly drawing circles on the bundle of throbbing nerves.
"please..'tyam." she groaned out his favourite nickname. she squeezed her eyes shut from the taunting. his head rolled back at the nickname and his member grew solid.
"how about i put my baby in you, oh how my parents have desperately been asking me when we will be expecting. then no one will dare touch you when your round with my child, ey?" he smirked, sliding his middle finger into her entrance, curling upwards to hit her g-spot.
y/n whimpered quietly when he added a second finger. her head was thrown back against a pillow, eyes squeezed tightly shut.
he lowered his mouth, replacing his thumb with his tongue. enjoying her heightened moans.
his fingers worked inside her while his tongue worked on her clit. y/ns legs wrapped round his neck, trying desperately to pull him closer than he already was.
she could feel the knot in her core coiling, the pleasure that coursed through her veins made her eyes roll into her skull.
"that's it, my girl," neteyam hummed, curling his fingers upward and basking in her moans, his erection straining against his loincloth, begging to be freed.
y/n felt her orgasm wash over her in waves, her back arching into the blankets as neteyam lapped up her release, still curling her overstimulated clit.
after he was satisfied with her whimpers , he raised himself to hover over her, wrapping his hand around her throat and kissing her harshly.
y/n purred into the kiss, running her hands down his sides. goose bumps rose on his skin as she reached round to grab his queue, pulling her own around her body she looked lowly into his eyes.
neyetam groaned as she looked at his with pure filth in her eyes and slowly pulled his queue toward her own, making the bond. his eyes widened as he would never get used to the feeling and her purring grew louder as her body twitched in overstimulation.
he kissed her jaw and brushed his fingers slowly across her skin, earning soft whimpers.
neteyam pulled his loincloth to the side, letting his erection tease her entrance, the tip just barely sliding in.
"please neteyam." she begged, nails digging into his shoulders and back as he dragged out the moment.
suddenly he pushes himself in with one sharp, quick thrust. she cried out due to the sudden pain of his length.
the low animalistic groan that escapes neteyams lips is pure euphoria. the guttural sound was almost enough to make her cum on the spot.
"oh, that's it, my love." he breathes into her neck, his hands on her hips as he starts thrusting.
the sounds of skin slapping, breathless moans and purring echoed and was sure to be heard from outside their hut, if anyone had returned from the feast they would be sure to hear.
"'tyam-" she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist, enabling him to get even deeper.
"that's right my love, say my name, my name," he groaned lowly, hitting her g-spot with each thrust, the cries of pleasure from her lips enticing him more.
y/ns head fell back, tears pricked her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
the knot in her stomach was coiling tightly, her eyes rolled into her skull, and she arched herself further into him.
"nete, I'm close," she whimpered softly, lacing her fingers through his braids and gripping them tightly, pulling and yanking softly at the roots.
"fuck, that feels good," he breathed, fingers digging into her bruised hips.
those words were all it took to send her plummeting over the edge, her cries of pleasure echoing throughout the village.
neteyam came seconds later, thrusts drawing sloppy as he released inside of her. his soft laboured breathing and purring made her head spin.
"maybe i should flirt with lo'ak more often," y/n said, her fingers grazing through his braids, pulling lightly as he let out a growl, eyes narrowing.
"just joking." she spoke through rapid breaths, her lips slightly twitching into a smirk.
neteyam shook his head in disapproval, lightly kissing her forehead and standing up to get cleaned off.
"I'm sorry for flirting with lo'ak, it was wrong. he is your brother." y/n said after she cleaned herself with the damp cloth neteyam had brought her.
"it is alright, i should pay more attention to my mate," neteyam spoke quietly, keeping his guilt ridden eyes away from hers as he turned around to face the wall of the hut.
"hey, look at me," she whispered, grabbing his arm and forcing him to face her, reaching up to his cheek.
"i love you, and that's not going to change, we are mated for life under eywa. i need to learn to deal that being mated to the mighty warrior tsyeyk'ian, things will be a little different." y/n admitted and let her eyes reach his, staring into his yellow orbs with a small smile.
"well hopefully you are to get pregnant so that my father will give me time off to care for my mate and child," neteyam spoke with hopeful eyes as a cheeky grin plastered across his face, y/n rolled her eyes and stalked away from him to rearrange their sleeping area,
however, a secret smile rose to her face at the thought of having neteyams child.
#neteyam#neteyam sully#neteyam x you#neteyam imagine#avatar way of water#neteyam x y/n#neteyam x reader#neteyam fluff#netetyam smut#neteyam scenario#sully family#lo'ak x oc#lo'ak fluff#lo'ak#avatar#na'vi x y/n#na'vi#jake sully#netiri
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FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 9 | Fair
Dimitri and his partner chat about the story so far as they try to find shelter from a storm in the Shroud.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” The voice stopped Dimitri who had been rambling on for the last few bells about meeting his birth Mother, and he found himself looking up towards the back of Laurent’s head.
“No, but I wish I was.” He tried to make light of it, keeping the jovial nature in his voice but he had been watching the Wailer for three days now, trying to gauge his response to some of the things he had confessed as they wandered through the Shroud. It was the first time Dimitri had managed to figure out exactly where Laurent entered the deep wood, managed to follow him for a few malms before discovery, and all by watching his environment. That was the most rewarding part of tracking another person, having to look for the small signs that most would never think of. The slight depressions in the brush, the small snapped twigs, and of course if you got lucky a full boot print could be found even if the person had a soft step like Laurent did.
“Fuck that, it’s not fair.” A grunt followed the words, as was normal for Laurent. He was a man of few words, especially when he was working and even more so when something got under his skin. He liked to keep a lid on his thoughts until he was sure how he wanted to say something. At times he would let topics go for weeks and then eventually have his say. At first, Dimitri struggled with this, since he was so used to having to defend himself and answer to everything he did right away, but as the months went on he began to understand why Laurent was this way and he even began to find himself doing the same thing. For often the mood he was in when he first heard something didn’t reflect how he felt after he thought about it for a while.
“Well, she certainly thought it was.” The Sharlyan let out a wry chuckle, leaning on the fallen branch he had found some malms back that had become his walking stick. Where most would have felt like shit with all the physical exertion put out on this particular patrol Dimitri was at his finest and even the slight protest in his muscles made him feel as if he had been doing something with his days instead of shitting around in the loft packing or moping because Laurent was busy with work.
“There are a lot of fucked up things about my birth family.” He continued, this was the other thing he had come to understand about the Wailer. He liked to listen. He liked to learn about people and just because he didn’t answer didn’t mean that he wasn’t paying attention. It meant that he was and while he listened he was also doing the other things he needed to do while processing each thing he heard to make his decisions later.
“Frankly, I have just taken it as a typical Noble family and called it a day. It was the first time I had the chance to sit down with a Voidsent who seemed to be sympathetic to those of us still with Aether. It is also how I learned about Viviane’s illness.” Oops, he thought to himself, most of the time he was good at keeping her name out of things at least, or at least any reference to her if the need to speak about his Sister came up. It was a kindness after all, no one enjoys hearing the name of someone from their past and he actually felt a sensation of worry build up in him only this time the Wildwood just kept right on walking, there was no change in his posture, no motion to shake it off. There was just a man, his bow, and the path he had walked for moons and moons. This caused Dimitri to lift his eyebrow, but he certainly wasn’t about to poke the beehive any further.
“It was peculiar. I had spent so long in that stuffy lecture hall listening to the Professor prattle on, day after day about how they were menaces, evils, and wished us all dead. Yet here was one who thought of us as her family. That assumed my Mother’s form with the intent to just continue with her work until a time came, which it had, that she wished to move on with her own life.”
Over hills, and down into valleys they moved. The sky was darkening above them and Dimitri had predicted rain about a bell again when the wind whipped past them in one of its merry twirls. “Mm, we should find shelter. That storm is going to be upon us soon, I can smell the burnt ozone already and there is a bit of electricity in the air.”
“Working on it, keep walking.” came the gruff voice, followed by a quickening of Laurent’s pace. Dimitri had found out early on that the pair were evenly matched when it came to endurance and stamina, even with the broken arm he had at the time. It made doing this with the Wailer truly enjoyable, of course, he made certain to walk behind the other man so he could admire those broad shoulders from his years of practice with his bow as well as his muscular rear which was at times packed into pants as tight as the ones that Dimitri wore. There was even a wide grin on his face at the moment, that was until Laurent looked over his shoulder and gave him this look.
“I know what you are doing,” he said then looked back ahead of him, The manner in which he found himself caught made Dimitri let out a low chuckle that seemed to echo through the heart of the woods where they were now.
“Oh come on now, you enjoy it when I stare at you and you cannot tell me you do not.” It was a deliberate tease, his attempt at either ruffling the Wildwood’s feathers or making him laugh. Of course, it was also taking a chance, for there were times his random and rather bad attempts at flirting resulted in the two of them not talking, and even though they eventually would work things out Dimitri didn’t like causing the tension to begin with, even though it was perfectly normal and healthy for couples to fight.
“Keep your mind on the Storm Pretty,” Laurent replied in that neutral tone that Dimitri still hadn’t learned how to interpret yet. All these Moons and studying the Wailer's body language hadn’t given him the slightest idea of how to read into this particular tone of voice. He had often found himself wondering if it was a show of interest but depended on what came next before his partner would give any sign as to where things were heading. Whatever it was, Dimitri found himself never sure of how to proceed.
“Right, the storm. I’ve noticed there are no animals on this path.” he rambled on, his eyes darting this way and that as the thunder began to echo ominously above them. Storms were something that the Sharlyan found himself in tune with. He could often feel them coming and going. This one felt like it was going to split the Shroud straight down the middle if it could. The powerful build-up of Levin in the air around them was beginning to make the fine covering of hair on his arms stand up and leave a tingle in his skin. This made him think about the Storm that had led to their meeting, his smile returning and his eyes resuming their watch of the way the other Elezen stalked through the woods. It was a haunting sight really, beautiful would be his word to describe it. Each step he took, and each motion he made caused the Duskwight to stare even harder. How could he be thinking about sex right now when the sky was about to drop ponz of rain on them if they didn’t find shelter?
“Up ahead, two clicks to the left. Old shack. It’s empty and we reclaimed it as a safe spot in case of weather. Should have a stocked pantry, at least it did last week. Hopefully, no one came along and ate everything. Don’t have time to hunt with this storm coming.” It was the most Laurent had said the entire walk, but it was also when he was at his best. His work kept him out of his head, and on his feet. He took great pride in it and he knew exactly what he was doing without fail. It was also the one time Dimitri would not debate with the Wailer on a topic, which was a rare thing as the Sharlyan often debated anything that came his way from anyone. Not this though, Laurent knew what he was doing and Dimitri trusted in that.
“I want to hear more about this meeting when we get inside.” The softer voice lacking the commanding tone caused Dimitri to look up quizzically but like everything else he did not question what was on Laurent’s mind, he would tell him when he was ready.
“I think you are right by the way.” were the words that the Sharlyan chose to say. “It wasn’t fair, a lot of what I have told you hasn’t been fair. I just never thought about it that way before. I thought it was something I had to do and be quiet about.” His voice trailed off as big raindrops fell from the sky and crashed into the top of his head followed by his face when he looked up. “Shit” he muttered, the storm had finally caught up with them.
“Don’t worry about it, we made it in time, let's go.” Laurent motioned to the old shack they were now on top of, and it looked like a strong wind could blow the thing over, yet there it still stood. Of course, the condition of the building worried Dimitri but he still followed his partner inside and out of the rain.
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Cold chills capture the mountains of Yellowstone as Leafbare finally takes full affect. With snow covering the mountainside, its only a matter of time before the prey begins to grow thing and cats begin to have troubles hunting and herb collecting.
MOON NINE ☆
Milkpaw wakes up feeling lighter than the moon before, it seems her bruises from her brave dog attack have become less of a burden, and have actually gone away all together.
... Milkpaw, who is also growing at a rapid rate in terms of muscle, has also figured that she needs more food, and the succulent food of a twopaw's left over dinner is more than a good enough treat for her, unknowing that she was being watched, that is.
Honeyfern is also doing better too, her stomach-ache finally relenting a quarter-moon after it begun, she finds it easier to sleep at night without the queasiness now.
Honeyfern's sister, however had went missing for a few days a little while into a hunting patrol, upon returning, she was much too embarrassed to share any real reason with anyone asides her leader.
Silverbright eagerly watches Honeyfern as she works on the other cats that wander into her den, once he feels fit enough to raise himself to his paws though, he finds himself bumping into the she-cat, without her apologizing to him due to her rush. While he knows its not intentional, it does still leave a sour taste in his mouth nonetheless.
Birchleaf is a big inspiration for the younger she-cat, and after catching her eye, Milkpaw compliments her, which causes her to flush up a little at the compliment.
Silverbright leaves the medicine cat den to eat with his clanmate, surprised to see their newest edition, Isaiah, joining them. The two sick cats eat alongside Milkpaw, who thinks that Isaiah is getting better ever day, and that Silverbright is becoming stronger each moon.
It had been an ongoing thing, to talk to the cream she-cat every time she came to see her sister about her kit, Milkpaw, and each time she had come in, the deputy had said hello to her, and chatted to her before she left.
Ouch! Milkpaw goes on patrol by herself and soon finds herself limping home after climbing back up to where she was. As she shakes off her pelt and enters the medicine den, she casts and embarrassed look to Silverbright.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
MOON TEN ☆
The regular spluttering from inside the den stops one morning completely, with it winding down since Isaiah had joined the clan. The end of the coughing had marked the end of the recovery period for the young tom, and as he's given the all clear, he rushes across camp to go see his mother once again.
Silverbright can't help but think back to when him and Birchleaf had been mentor and apprentice, memories he still lingers over a lot. He misses mentoring her and having that responsibility, even if the two had had a rock relationship. He thinks about how unfair that is to Birchleaf though, and instead thinks of her of a proud warrior now, and how he wants to spend time with her.
He watches as Honeyfern bickers with Milkpaw about how foolish she and how reckless she is too, feeling sorry for the apprentice as she leaves. He swats her with his tail playfully, thinking resentfully of how Honeyfern just can't give the poor young cat a break.
Milkpaw can't imagine how much pain having a broken bone must be putting Silverbright in, especially if she's suffering from a sprain how she is. She admires the fact that Silverbright can suffer such an injury but still be optimistic and cheerful regardless.
Now healed, Isaiah begins to visit the last two injured cats in the medicine den, bringing them food, and when Milkpaw tells him that she'd prefer the prey he has instead, he's happy to swap with her, despite how grumpy he may come across.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
MOON ELEVEN ☆
Each new moon has bought a little less waking pain to the tom, and one day, he wakes up entirely fine, able to move the broken bone in his back that had been giving him so much pain the moons before. As he tells Honeyfern, the she-cat gives him the all clear, and he immediately returns to his duties.
Milkpaw had been feeling better too, a little while before Silverbright had been, and had left the medicine den much sooner than he had either.
During Silverbright's stay over in the medicine den, Milkpaw had finally earned her warrior name, Milkspeck, and she had proudly stood before the clan the same night.
Soon after Silverbright had left the den, both the leader and temporary deputy had fallen ill with the season, laying all burden of the clan onto Silverbright, and only just after they had gotten back into good health too.
A little kindness goes a long way when you're stressed, and Birchleaf must know this as they start putting in the extra effort to look after Silverbright and try to assist as much as they can, even at the cost of a few shredded tufts of fur and some sore claws.
<< INTRO | PREV | NEXT >>
ALLEGIANCES: (WRITTEN) (DRAWN)
#warrior cats#warrior cats clangen#warrior cats oc#warriors ocs#wc ocs#wcs#clan generator#clangen#oc clan#warriors cats
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Blackwater Lake - Chapter 2
Summary: There’s a little town high in the mountains where everyone has a secret, and every family has something that makes them unique. In Blackwater Lake those that are outcast by nature come together.
Characters/Pairing: Vampire!Walter Marshall x Female Reader
Warnings (for this chapter); Talk of PTSD, Reader is ex police, Possible home invasion, NSFW sexy times, protected sex.
Previous Parts:
Werewolf!Sy: Moonlight on the Sand Castle Under The Stars.
Werewolf!Sy, Vampire!Walter: Chapter 1
This will be a series of stand alone stories/2 parters, which will revolve around the residents of the town, with some recurring characters. The ‘reader’ for each story will be a ‘new’ reader, so its not the same woman being with all the male characters.
I do not run a tag list, but please follow @angryschnauzerwrites and put that blog onto notifications. You’ll then get an alert every time i post something new.
Chapter 2
Walter had managed to recover from the shock of seeing his best friend and his wife being able to make their eyes glow, and as unbelievable as it sounded, had accepted their explanations of how they’d been turned into Werewolves. Much like his own knowledge of Vampirism before he had been turned himself, he quickly understood that what the media made these quirks of nature to be and what they actually were had been greatly exaggerated.
Sy had stayed up into the early hours of the morning with him, sharing the better part of a bottle of bourbon as he’d described how it affected their family, and how his wife only turned when her period coincided with a full moon, and how they dealt with childcare during the times that they would turn.
-
Walter woke with a start, the soft mountain light pouring in the windows and for a moment he was confused, not recognising his surroundings until he remembered spending the rest of the night on Sy’s couch. His mouth felt like something had crawled inside and died, and he swore in that moment not to share hard liquor with someone that could howl at the moon. Finding some painkillers high in a kitchen cabinet he crushed two between his teeth before drinking straight from the tap. Standing tall he moved his neck, trying to get the kinks and knots out of his muscles when a pair of fluffy slippered feet appeared in the doorway. Looking up Walter poorly suppressed a laugh as he saw Sy wearing a pair of sheepskin moccasins and what was obviously his wife’s robe;
“Reginald, you look stunning” Walter muttered as he watched his friend shuffle into the kitchen
Sy held up his finger and waggled it, wincing at the sunlight pouring in the window;
“Don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t call me that, the only people that call me that are the preacher or my Ma, and unless you’re planning on marrying me or making me biscuits...”
Walter laughed, leaning against the counter as Sy filled the coffee pot as if he was on autopilot, before reaching into the refrigerator and pulling out a baby bottle with the previous day’s expressing date on. Setting the bottle to warm in a bowl of water he handed Walter a tin of coffee;
“Fill that up, i’m gonna go get Luna”
A few minutes later he reappeared holding his little girl in his arms, wrapped in a soft blanket covered in moons and stars. Grabbing the bottle before settling at the kitchen table, he popped the lid off and shook the bottle, before lifting it and shaking a few drops onto his tongue, laughing when he saw Walters eyes go a little wide;
“Better straight from the source but Mama is sleepin’ so its me in Mama’s robe” he explained with a grin on his face. Walter placed a mug of steaming black coffee in front of Sy; “Thanks man… hey, in the fridge there’s a pint of pigs blood from Walkers Meats… ya’know, if you need it”
“Why have you got pigs blood?”
“The missus was gonna make some Scottish thing, some sorta sausage, but if you need it, we can always get another… in fact she’s gonna be too tired to use it before it spoils, what with the full moon and all...”
Sy turned his attention to his tiny daughter feeding in his arms, giving Walter the sense of privacy to do what he needed to do. As Luna finished her bottle Sy held her to his shoulder, rubbing her back until she let out a burp he would have been proud of himself, only looking up when he heard Walter also let out a low belch;
“You need me to rub your back too Walt?”
“Fuck off Sy” the vampire said lightheartedly, a sense of relief in his mind now that the guy that had become one of his best friends knew his secret.
-
Pulling the last crate of bottles off the back of the pickup you thanked the guy from the craft brewery and waved him off, taking a deep breath before slowly climbing the fire escape at the back of the bar that led into the storeroom. It had been a long shift already, starting at 10am you’d opened up and started the ovens, restocked the bar as the cleaners had come through and cleaned the place top to bottom. Your boss was always decent to his staff, paying a good wage and having the cleaning crew come in during the closed daytime hours rather than in the early hours of the morning.
Working around them as they did their job, you restocked the caddy’s on the tables with silverware, napkins, and condiments, before returning to the bar and checking on the ice machine.
“Hey we’re all done now” one of the cleaners said as you looked up.
“That’s great, thanks. You guys always make this place look good”
Chatting with them you walked them through the storeroom - something your boss always insisted on that any non bar staff had to be escorted through - before one reached for the wooden rail on the fire escape. Something made you stop talking and before you could stop yourself, one hand was pushing one of the guys back into the storeroom, the other was grabbing the shirt that was already standing outside. Just as you did the rail slipped away, as if in slow motion, the three of you looking in fear as the heavy wood crashed twenty feet below onto the empty kegs that were stored beneath.
Speechless you stood there, fingers still curled around the shirt of one, hand splayed across the chest of the other;
“Fuck” you whispered quietly, not to anyone in particular.
“You could say that…”
-
Having made sure both cleaning guys were ok, if a little shaken up, you made them leave by the front door then considered your options. Dialling the boss you weren’t surprised to hear it ring out before going to voicemail. He had strict downtime rules, and was more than likely out on his ranch land taking care of his horses. Knowing he trusted you to make the right judgement, you scrolled through your numbers and dialled Marshall’s Property Maintenance;
“Marshall’s, what can i do for you?”
“Hi, i’m calling from Big G’s Sports Bar? We’ve just had the handrail fall off our fire escape. Wondering if you’ve got space to fix it this afternoon?”
There was a pause before you heard a long exhale of breath;
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in twenty minutes”
“Thanks Walter”
Hanging up you smiled. You’d worked with Walter when you’d been on the police force, you’d been a patrol cop that would assist with crime scene control and you’d been first on the scene for countless horrific acts of violence. One final call had given you PTSD so bad you’d resigned, finding a home in the small town of Blackwater Lake and a steady job at Big G’s Sports Bar. Your boss was the big quiet type, liked to spend more time out on his ranch with his horse, having enough trust in you to run the day to day operations of the bar as his assistant manager.
-
It had been well past 9pm when Walter finished the repairs. Your boss had come in and helped him out when he’d got your text, leaving you in charge of the first few hours of opening. When the two men reappeared through the storeroom you smiled at them, getting ready for the evening handover before grabbing your coat and clocking off.
A few minutes later as you hopped off the last step of the fire escape onto the dandelion scattered gravel - your boss liked to let them grow - you smiled at Walter as he was loading his tools into his truck;
“Hey, thanks for today. Really saved our bacon… without the fire escape we wouldn’t be up to code so couldn’t have opened”
“S’ok. Glad you called” Walter admitted; “It’s been a while…”
Scuffing the gravel with your boot you swallowed the lump that was in your throat;
“How have you been? Since… ya know…”
“Alive. Wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t of been for you and your partner”
“We did what was needed… not every day you see va…” you stopped yourself, you still hadn’t completely come to terms with what you’d seen; “V...vagrants doing that… I’m just glad we got there in time…”
There was a moment of awkward silence before Walter rounded the truck and stood in front of you;
“Do you need a ride home? Your boss mentioned that you walk to work and you stayed late where he was helping me get this fixed”
“Thanks, that’d be nice”
-
Over the next few nights Walter would appear at the bar early evening, usually under the pretense of checking the work on the fire escape or dropping off the bill to the office, and you quickly clocked that he would always be leaving just as your shift was ending to conveniently give you a ride home. Not that you minded, the weather had turned unseasonably cool after the warmth of the parade weekend, so the casual conversation as he drove you home in the warmth of his giant truck was a good way to end the day.
As he rolled into the parking lot behind your apartment complex you wondered if you should invite him in for a coffee, but weren’t sure if you were reading his intentions correctly. Gnawing on your lip you reached into your pocket for your keys, smiling at Walter as he pulled the truck to a stop;
“There we go, home sweet home. Have a good night”
“You too Walter”
Stepping out you smiled and gave him a little wave, knowing he waited until you had gotten into your building.
-
Watching you go Walter cursed himself. When Rachel had left he’d been in the dumps even more than usual, but over the last few days he’d taken a shine to you. He was pretty sure you had clued onto the fact that he had always turned up around the time of your shift finishing, but when he’d found out from Geralt that your car had died and you couldn’t afford to repair it, he didn’t like the thought of you walking home alone. Sure Blackwater Lake was a sleepy little town, but keeping in mind what lurked in the woods - both natural and supernatural - he felt better knowing you’d gotten home. He had been sure you were going to invite him in for coffee tonight, but he’d gotten butterflies in his stomach and had blurted out a farewell before you’d had the chance.
Looking up at your apartment he let out a sigh.
Then… then something caught his eye. You hadn’t been in the building long enough for the shadow to be you, knowing you stopped to grab your mail each time you entered the building. Killing the engine he reached to the glove compartment for his gun - he still had a concealed carry permit - and raced to the building.
-
Juggling your mail and your purse, you held the letters in your mouth as you searched for the right key on your set when suddenly the sound of thundering footsteps made you spin around, your jaw dropping when you saw Walter appear from the staircase and running to your side. His hand was on your arm and he was pulling you to the side of your door before holding you to his chest;
“There’s someone in your apartment”
“What? No, i locked everything before i left… and there’s no sign of any damage to the door…”
Letting you go he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled for the sheriff, but as you listened in you could hear the volunteer dispatcher explain that both the Sheriff and the two deputies were out on the highway dealing with an 18 wheeler logging truck that had spun off on a bend. Walter cursed under his breath and hung up;
“Do you still carry?”
“No… not since…”
“Ok. Unlock the door and stay behind me”
The next minute seemed to last both seconds and hours, following Walter through your apartment until he silently pushed the bedroom door open with his gun;
“Freeze!”
The shape in the darkness didn’t move, and when you peered over Walters extended arm and you realised what he was looking at, you let out a sigh and flipped the lightswitch, the ‘threat’ suddenly illuminated and Walters shoulders dropping;
“Oh…”
Your spare uniform shirt was hanging on the frame to the window where you’d hung it earlier in the day so the sunshine would dry it. You let out a deep breath and laughed, resting your forehead against Walters shoulder;
“It’s just my uniform…” you hadn’t realised your voice was shaking until Walter turned and wrapped his arms around you
“I’m sorry i scared you”
Burying your face in the warmth of his sweater, your voice was muffled as you spoke;
“Its ok. I’d rather you have seen the mess in my apartment and saved me from an intruder than the alternative…” you smiled weakly at him, and it was then that the tension in the room was like static before a storm. Like the first lightning strike, when Walters lips touched yours it was as if electricity coursed through your veins, the kiss hungry and needy, contact between two touch starved people needing that connection. Your fingers curled in threads of his knitwear, pulling yourself closer as his arms wrapped around you and his hands splayed out over your ass, squeezing handfuls of flesh so he could pull you flush against his body. The kiss deepend and his tongue sought entrance between your lips which you eagerly granted. He tasted of coffee and peanut butter chocolate, and when he pulled away you were both gasping for breath.
“So, vampires do need oxygen then?”
“How do you…? How are you not scared?”
“Because i was there when it happened. And I've seen you hundreds of times since. I’ve seen you in the mirror, I've seen you outside in the sunshine, i’ve literally served you garlic bread…” you paused; “And i didn’t need to invite you in. Whatever myths are linked to your condition, i know the Walter behind them, i know the quiet and controlled Walter that assesses a situation and ensures everyone is safe…” you paused; “Because I know i’m safe with you”
Walter opened his mouth to speak, but the lump in his throat caught the words. Closing his eyes he rested his forehead against yours, letting out a shaky breath as you gently held his face in your palms, your thumbs softly caressing the skin of his cheeks where his beard ended. You pressed your lips to his, and this kiss was different, this kiss was full of passion, of acceptance and the growing need that was blooming.
Clothes were scattered as fingers and lips found each new patch of exposed skin, running your fingernails down his massive chest as you both fell to the bed, your fingers curling in the coarse hair that covered his chest before clutching at his belt as his teeth sharply ran over the line of your collarbone and you let out a gasp;
“More…”
“I… I’m not going to bite you…”
“I don’t want you to, but my neck is super sensitive, it's like my biggest turn on…”
At that moment Walter could feel the change, his eyes paling and his fangs growing more prominent as you watched from below him, but what he wasn’t expected was the groans that escaped your throat and the way your body shook;
“Did you just…?” he cocked an eyebrow, he already knew you’d just cum, but he wanted you to admit it.
“Yes, fuck yes, now i need more…”
With a growl he ducked his head down and peppered sharp kisses over your neck, hands working on each others jeans before you were able to kick them off. Your hands ducked into Walters pants and you grasped at his hard length, hot in your palm through his underwear;
“Oh fuck, you’re big…”
“Don’t worry, i’ll go slow… do you… do you have protection?”
“In the drawer”
He reluctantly pulled himself off the bed, and you propped yourself up on your elbows as he searched out the condoms, pulling the box out and swinging something else from his fingertips;
“These aren’t regulation edition”
The pink fluffy handcuffs had been a present a long time ago, and had somehow moved apartments with you;
“Next time…” you reached and grabbed them from him, tossing them aside before grabbing the box and a small foil packet, ripping it open with your teeth as Walter quickly shed himself of his boots and jeans, his dark boxers discarded as you reached for him and smoothed the latex over his fat dick.
He smoothed his hands down your legs, before tugging you down the bed and flipping you onto your stomach, pulling your hips up until your ass was in the air. The rough brush of his beard against your soft inner thighs was quickly soothed by his tongue swiping a firm lick through your soaked folds. He took hold of your hips and you felt him move into position, the firm nudge at your entrance before with a low groan he speared you with the slow stretch of his girth.
“You feel so fucking good… so tight…”
Your fingers curled into the bedsheets and your jaw hung open, the sheer pleasure that was coursing through your veins felt like an elixir as Walter hammered into your tight velvet channel. The carnal slap of flesh on flesh resonating around the room, only joined by the breathless pants escaping your lips and the grunts Walter would let slip as he sought pleasure in your body with his own. He splayed his fingers over your back, running the palm of his hand up your spine until he was able to cup your neck and pull you up, flush with his heated body. His sharp teeth scraped over your neck, his beard rough against the etched skin;
“Look in the mirror. See how amazing you look”
Focusing your attention on the dresser mirror that stood in the corner, you watched as Walter continued to slowly rock his hips, fucking you slow and hard from behind. But it was his eyes that drew your attention, icy pools of white with deep obsidian pupils piercing the tundra, and the flash of danger from his sharp teeth at your neck, just catching on the skin as he spoke;
“You’re so fucking beautiful, dunno what i did to deserve you… will you cum for me?” he slid his hand down your stomach and in the patch of curls at the apex of your thighs, seeking out the sensitive pearl of your clit and rubbing the pad of his finger over it in firm circles; “Will you cum for me?” he repeated, punctuating each word with a sharp thrust of his hips.
“Yes… Walter, please…”
“What do you need…”
“My neck, please…”
Walter knew he couldn’t bite you, there were so many unknowns he’d never explored, but he closed his eyes and focused his energies on bringing you to completion. Thrusting his hips in time to the movement of his hand, whilst sucking a hickey onto your neck, knowing his teeth were rubbing against the skin but not breaking it. The triple stimuli sent you over the edge, your head rolling back onto his shoulder and your mouth open in a silent scream as you came so hard you saw stars, shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body as your walls gripped Walter tight, before with one final thrust you heard him growl as he came hard.
He held you for the longest time, your heart racing in your chest as echoes of your orgasm ricocheted through your body. As Walter started to soften you felt him hold the condom at the base of his shaft as he pulled out gently;
“Err… bathroom?”
“Just through there” you nodded to the door off of the bedroom as you fell to the bed, laying back with a smile on your face.
A few moments later he reappeared with a warm washcloth, first soothing your neck before tenderly attending to the mess between your thighs. After putting it back in the bathroom he appeared at the side of the bed, reaching for his jeans when you caught his wrist and pulled him onto the bed;
“You don’t need to go”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to overstay my welcome…”
“Look, unless you’re going to turn into a bat or something, you’re fine… we can talk, order some takeout…”
Wrapping his arm around your shoulders, you snuggled to his chest as he smiled sleepily;
“That sounds good. Can i take you out on a proper date at some point?”
“That’d be nice. Though our options are slim in this town, its only Sue’s Coffee Shop or Big-G’s Bar… unless you want to get a take-out pizza and sit outside on the kerb”
“I’ll cook, come to my place? What are you doing Friday night?”
“I’m off, but…”
“But?”
You felt your cheeks flushing with heat;
“I’m due on by the end of the week…”
“Oh. OH…” You looked up at Walter and saw a flush over his cheeks and his blue eyes glinting with excitement and a smirk on his lips.
“Oh… you’re into that?”
“You’re… not? Because i just want to say, i would happily give oral to my girl on her period even pre-vamp status…now its just…”
“A snack?”
He let out a low belly laugh;
“Yeah, you could say that”
Curling up to Walter’s chest you felt a sense of calm you hadn’t experienced for a very long time, the conversation flowing easily and long into the night, before you both fell asleep in each other's arms.
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100 Ways to say I Love You Chapter 100
I love you (Ladrien, Ladynoir, Marichat, Adrinette)
AO3
Tap tap. Tap tap.
Adrien sat up quickly, scanning the room for the source of the noise.
Tap tap. It came again, more insistently. Plagg barely stirred from where he lay on the bedside table, and the sight only slightly calmed Adrien’s nerves. If his kwami wasn’t worried, then it was probably nothing.
For a long moment, he barely moved, straining his ears to listen for the sound, but whatever it was had stopped after two attempts, and his room was plunged into silence once more.
With a sigh, he lay back down—not that he’d be able to sleep, after what had happened that day—when he heard a muffled voice call his name.
“Adrien? Adrien are you awake?”
“Plagg, did you hear that?”
The kwami only grumbled, rolling over in his sleep and idly, Adrien rethought his stance on the creature being able to sense danger.
Squinting in the darkness, he rose from bed just as the moon broke through the clouds, illuminating his room, and showing Ladybug perched on his window.
Adrien blinked.
Was he dreaming? Had he fallen asleep without realising? But no—as he watched, Ladybug caught his eye and raised a hand, waving awkwardly at him through the glass.
“Sh-oh shit !” He swore, scrambling to open the window, letting in a cold gust of air. “Ladybug, what—what are you doing here?”
She shrugged noncommittally,“I just thought I’d check in on you….after today.” At his wince, she smiled sympathetically before shivering, and peering past him into his room. “Can I come in for a second? It’s absolutely freezing out here. This suit isn’t the best for keeping me warm, you know.”
He did know. Ladybug often complained bitterly about her suit lacking any thermal properties whatsoever. The topic came up regularly in the winter, and he’d begun to stash away jackets along their patrol route for her to use.
But of course Adrien didn’t know that. Chat Noir did.
“Yeah! Yeah, uh,” he shook his head, stepping back to let her in “yeah of course you can, here—” Leading her over to the sofa, the two of them sat facing each other in the dark.
Ladybug was the one to break the silence. “So…” She began “I’m really sorry I took so long to get you after you jumped, but the akuma—”
“Ladybug,” he interrupted her, “it’s fine. Honestly.”
“Are you sure?” her blue eyes were wide, and troubled behind her mask.
“Well, no harm no foul, right?” Adrien shrugged, laughing quietly when Ladybug made a small noise in the back of her throat. “Seriously though, you saved me, so...thank you.”
“I almost didn’t,” she muttered darkly, and shifting a little, Adrien sat on his hand, resisting the urge to smooth away the furrow that had formed between her brows.
“But you did,” he countered her. “There’s no point thinking about what could have happened.”
Truthfully, any terror he’d felt as he’d hurtled to the ground had disappeared the moment Ladybug’s arm had slid around his waist, holding onto him and slowing their momentum as she’d lowered them both to safety.
He’d barely noticed the cameras flashing, or Gorizillas’s bellowing from above, the ground beneath them shaking from the force of his movements. More than anything, he’d been mesmerised—by the determined set of her mouth, by the worry he'd seen in her eyes, the slight blush he’d noticed dusting her cheeks at their close proximity.
He was fairly sure his own face had been just as flushed, though that could be blamed on the exertion instead.
In that moment, as they'd landed safely on the ground, everything around him had faded into the background, all of his awareness narrowing down, hyper focusing on the places where they touched, chest to chest. It had taken all of his self control not to blurt out I love you , right there and then and the only other thing that had stopped him was Ladybug running off to fight the akuma.
“You’re right,” Ladybug sighed, breaking him from his thoughts. She smiled ruefully at him. “Everything worked out in the end.”
Rising to her feet, she unclipped her yo-yo, heading back to the window. Standing tall, with the moonlight bathing her in it’s silver glow, she looked almost otherworldly. “I’d better let you get to sleep.” Opening the window, she glanced back at him one last time. “Adrien…” she hesitated, "it means a lot to me—that you trusted me today."
"Of course—” before he could continue, she was gone, and his next words drifted away on the wind, carried far from her ears. “I love you.”
***
Years passed. Feelings waxed and waned, hearts broke and then knitted back together again.
And Ladybug cursed herself, hating herself for turning Chat Noir down so long ago, and so thoroughly that he had never broached the subject again, moving on from her and leaving her to be the one to pine after him.
She could appreciate the irony, at least.
The feelings hadn’t hit her all at once. Not like they had with Adrien. In fact, she hadn’t even realised when it happened. Chat had crept into her heart without warning, making a space for himself there until, barely making his presence known until she’d woken one day with his name on her lips and the sinking feeling that she was too late.
***
“Chat!” She screamed, his name tearing from her throat as the akuma found it’s mark—blasting him in the chest and launching him halfway across the square where he hit the wall with a deafening crack.
The rest of the fight was a blur until the cure was cast, and Ladybug barely spared the disoriented akuma victim a glance, sprinting over to her partner, almost bowling him over with the force of her embrace.
“Woah-hey!” Chat laughed, his arms coming around her, holding her steady. Breathing in deeply, Ladybug let her tightly coiled muscles relax, her frantic heartbeat steadying the longer she was in his embrace, feeling him—solid and breathing— underneath her arms.
Pulling back, she levelled him with a glare, though the effect was somewhat diminished by the tears in her eyes. Blinking them away impatiently, she poked him in the chest. Hard.
“Don’t do that again, you hear me?”
“Yes ma’am!” Chat smirked at her and she scowled.
“I mean it!” Her voice was high, panicked. Chat softened, cupping her face in his palm, unaware of the effect his touch had on her, her heart stuttering in her chest, the urge to grab hold of his wrist, to keep his hand in place overwhelming.
“I won’t do it again, my lady,” Chat promised, his green eyes serious, locked on hers.
“I wish I could believe that,” she grumbled, finally stepping out of his arms before she did something stupid—like kiss him.
Opening his mouth, Chat paused, spotting something over her shoulder. Moving around her, he went to help the akuma victim—who had begun to look a little worse for wear— and she watched as he helped the man over to a bench, talking quietly to him as he did.
Affection bloomed in her chest at the sight. “I love you,” she said quietly, testing the words out loud, feeling how easily they rolled off her tongue. “I love you, Chaton.”
Chat turned. “Did you say something?”
“No,” she smiled, shaking her head. Maybe one day she’d have the courage to tell him to his face, but today was not that day.
“I didn't say anything.”
***
Marinette was amazing.
She was talented, and beautiful, and kind, and funny and so many other things.
Objectively, Chat had always known that, but it was only recently, as their friendship had blossomed—both inside and out of the mask—that he’d found himself noticing it more and more.
Especially with their new tradition of a movie night every Friday. It had begun when Marinette had moved out, and he had simply stopped by when she flagged him down from her window, but it had quickly evolved into something that he looked forward to every week.
The two of them would bring all her bedding into the living room after dinner, setting up a large fort for them to watch the movies in, staying up until the early hours of the morning or until they fell asleep, snuggled up together, their limbs entwined.
Their dynamic felt so natural to him. It was so easy to be around her, and it scared him sometimes, how much he ached to touch her, to take her hand and kiss her and confess how she drove him to distraction every time she was near. He had yet to find the right words to express himself though, and so found himself resorting to other, less overt methods to show his appreciation.
“Sit down,” Chat insisted, taking the dishes from Marinette’s hands “you did all this food, the least I can do is put the plates away.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “ Guests don’t do the dishes though,” she whined “stop trying to make me a bad host!”
“Maybe guests don’t,” Chat conceded “but friends do. So suck it up.”
“Fine!” She threw her hands up in defeat, fixing him with a truly impressive scowl. “But I’m gonna start on the fort without you then.”
“Go ahead,” he chuckled, making his way to the kitchen. “Bring those fluffy pillows as well—they were really nice last week!”
The fort was fully constructed by the time Chat returned. He supposed all those weeks of building it had finally paid off, but as he crawled through the entrance, he paused, taking in the sight.
Marinette had curled up around one of the pillows, fast asleep. It wasn’t entirely unexpected. Exam week took it’s toll on them all, and she had coursework deadlines as well which he’d spent many a night watching her freak out over.
Carefully, so as not to wake her up, Chat took the blanket, and tucked it around her shoulders, observing for a moment the slow rise and fall of her chest, her face relaxed in slumber.
Impulsively, he swept back the hair that had fallen in front of her face, and pressed a kiss to her brow. “I love you, princess,” he murmured, stroking her cheek softly before letting himself out.
***
“Are you even listening to me?”
Marinette blinked, looking up at Adrien. “Uh…” He regarded her with amusement, his hands shoved deep in his pocket, and once again, she found herself wondering how on earth she’d been so blind .
It was almost laughably obvious that Chat Noir—her partner —was Adrien Agreste, and yet she’d still been blindsided by the discovery. The more she thought about it, the more she realised that Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste—the things that she loved about them individually were all facets of the same person. It was dizzying to think about.
They’d taken a few days after revealing their identities to come to terms with it, but truthfully, it had only taken her a few hours. The rest of the time she’d spent fretting over how she’d ever manage to be composed in front of him.
“Well?” Adrien prompted, nudging her playfully. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”
She shrugged sheepishly. “No, sorry.”
How could she concentrate when all she could focus on was their close proximity as they walked through the park, their hands so close they brushed together with every step; so close she could reach out and entwine their fingers if she wanted to. And she did want to.
Adrien grimaced. “It’s still weird, isn’t it?” His shoulders hunched slightly, and he looked suddenly insecure. The sight made her heart clench in her chest. “Look, if you need more time—”
“I love you!” Marinette blurted out, clapping a hand over her mouth as he made a choked sound in the back of his throat, staring at her with wide eyes.
“Wh-what?”
“I—”
Grabbing hold of her hands, Adrien tugged her forwards, his fingers gripping hers tightly. His voice was low, and urgent, his eyes searching hers and she saw the hope in them, felt a blossom of hope bloom in her own heart as well.
Licking her lips, she repeated herself. “I love you. First as Adrien, and then as Chat, and now you’re both the same person ,” she stumbled over her words, struggling to articulate her thoughts. “And yeah, it’s a little overwhelming, but I had to say it, I had to let you know because—”
She broke off with a gasp as Adrien swept her up in his arms, spinning her around before setting her down on her feet. “You mean it?” he breathed.
Wordlessly, she nodded, her cheeks flushing at the ardour she saw in his eyes, the sheer happiness. Pulling her in for a kiss, Marinette clutched at his shoulders as his lips moved softly, tentatively against hers, and all she could think was finally.
Their kiss seemed to last forever, and not long enough, Marinette’s insides lifting and fluttering, her mind hazy, body burning from his touch, craving more, more more .
Adrien leaned in close, his breath ghosting over her skin, tickling the shell of her ear, making her heart soar in her chest in response to his whispered words.
Drawing back slightly, he lifted her up once more, laughing as she shrieked, arms circling around his neck and holding on tight, his words echoing in her ears, the most beautiful refrain she’d ever heard.
“I love you, I love you, I love you.”
#miraculous ladybug#ladrien#ladynoir#marichat#adrinette#adrien agreste#marinette dupain cheng#100 ways to say i love you
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chapter nine-
Of all the Clans, RiverClan perhaps had the most detailed- and, in some places, slightly odd- burial ceremony.
In WindClan, at least, burials were a sordid- but simple- affair. The Clan would set the body in the center of camp, where the deceased’s clanmates could look at it and touch it- and therefore realize that their friend wasn’t there. That was a curious thing about death. Only when you really got a good look at the body; felt how stiff it was, how the muscle and fat hanged in a way they never would in life, you realized they were gone. It was hard to comprehend otherwise. Object permanence was a strange thing, that way.
Then, a spot was found, and they were buried. It wasn’t a matter of -final resting place- (StarClan existed for that) so much as it was to dispose of them, in a way where they couldn’t be accidentally dug back up again and cause horror. Peaceful places were nice, but not necessary, and often only reserved for those who had lived hard, lonely lives. And then it was gone, done with. Grieving in WindClan was a solitary, quiet thing that cats only did openly among their closest friends. After all, StarClan was there- they were not gone so much as they were simply someplace else. There were exceptions- the sudden death of Rainleap came to mind- but generally, death in WindClan was something to be reserved and polite about.
RiverClan, however, was a different story.
WindClan had a front row seat to the burials that RiverClan did, as RiverClan had let the Clan come and stay at Sunningrocks for the rest of the day. It was sunset, now, the sky already darkening into a smooth velvety magenta as the sun bled ginger. Some were hunting. Some were chatting. Some were playing among the stones. For all the chaos and bloodshed that had existed earlier- all the hard decisions, all the thrashing, all the loss- there was sudden peace.
Antstar watched as two elders- an ginger tabby with thin, tightly-packed stripes and a pale, scarred molly with silver points- picked up Redfeather’s body and loaded her onto a large piece of driftwood they had harvested from a decaying log. Two more elders loaded Trufflepelt onto the same piece of wood. The two bodies were only beginning to stiff up, so there was little problem with them settling.
“Would you like your fallen Clanmate to be included in the ceremony?” asked Tulipstar, walking up to Antstar gently. “I understand if you would rather bury her at home.”
“No, I think it’ll do good by Sandwhisker. She always wanted to go out with a bang.”
Tulipstar nodded and motioned to the last pair of elders, who had not assisted with Redfeather and Trufflepelt, to retrieve Sandwhisker’s body from Whitetooth, who had been carefully watching over it.
Redfeather and Trufflepelt’s nests were dragged to Sunningrocks. Antstar had always marveled at what he heard about RiverClan’s nests, and these did not disappoint- they were adorned, top to bottom, with shiny things and trinkets the two cats had picked up in life. WindClan had never been ones for material belongings, but Antstar could understand RiverClan’s fascination with them.
The beds were dissected. Tufts of fur were kept and distributed to family and friends- perhaps for them to keep in their own collections of knickknacks. An apple flower and a preserved squirrel tail were the centerpieces of Redfeather’s nest, and they were taken out and placed on the driftwood to either side of her head. Trufflepelt, meanwhile, had an extensive collection of shiny stones, each matching the coat color of the apprentices he had. Those were laid around his belly in a circle. More and more items- shells, flower petals, animal bones, pieces of things Twolegs left behind- were added to the driftwood, until it was nearly at the point of sinking.
“Does Sandwhisker have anything she would like to have been taken to StarClan with?”
Antstar shook his head.
“Here, then.” Several of the senior warriors ran off. Within a few minutes, all of them- including Tulipstar- had taken an item from their own nests, and placed it next to the WindClan body so she would not look plain compared to the two bodies besides her.
Eventually, when the driftwood was in danger of sinking from all the weight, the decorating stopped, and Tulipstar climbed the tallest rock in Sunningrocks.
“Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath me for the Crossing.”
This was another thing- RiverClan called their burial ceremonies Crossings. In their minds, it was because they were not burying the Clanmate so much as they were letting them cross over. The river, to them, eventually led not to an ocean or another river but to StarClan, where the bodies would wake up with all their belongings and join the heavenly ranks.
When RiverClan and WindClan were gathered, Tulipstar began.
“I say these words before StarClan, so the spirits will know and approve of the spirits that will join them tonight. Trufflepelt, Redfeather, and Sandwhisker have fulfilled their lives as warriors. They lived well and followed the guidance of the world around them, and now, we shall follow their guidance.”
There was a pause, and then:
“Trufflepelt was everything I wanted in a deputy. Punctual, peaceful, ever-understanding; he was the very first cat I ever bestowed a warrior name upon, and I could not be happier with knowing that. He was an incredibly patient mentor to all that trained under him. I remember how he would always make it important that he attended one patrol a day, because he felt a good deputy always partakes in the work, and he did not want to make Clanmates do what he could not. He will be sorely missed in RiverClan. I always thought that, if he became a leader, I would feel honored to be his predecessor.”
Another pause, and then she continued.
“And Redfeather… oh, what couldn’t I say about Redfeather? One of my closest companions and one of my dearest friends. She and I were in the nursery together. She was not my mentor, but she was a teacher to me- and one that was always ready to learn in return. She was also a dedicated mother- and when one of her sons died in tragedy, she did not let that stop her from continuing to be there for her other son.”
Antstar looked over at Squirrelface, who was the dead molly’s spitting image. He looked more alone than ever- none of his family was alive, now.
“I had a…. very fond regard for Redfeather,” said Tulipstar, who’s voice was beginning to fizzle with grief. “I bid her and Trufflepelt well in their next lives.”
Another moment of reflection. Tulipstar met Antstar’s gaze.
“Now, would the leader of WindClan like to speak some words about his fallen Clanmate?”
Antstar scaled the tallest stone as Tulipstar leapt to the side, careful not to lose his balance as two entire Clans looked on. The sunset was behind him, which gave his fur a tinged orange glow.
He couldn’t mess this up.
“Sandwhisker was an established warrior many moons before I was brought to WindClan,” he started shakily. But soon, he encountered a rhythm. “She was one of the most dedicated cats I’ve known. Even in great blizzards, or floods, or humid summer heat, she would insist on doing her job. She had a wicked, wonderful sense of humor that could brighten even the most stoic face on a tough day.”
WindClan looked up with approval- it hit Antstar like a warm sun beam. He kept going.
“She was an excellent mentor, in addition. While I did not have her, several of our great warriors- Birchshine, Emberheart, our deputy Russetfoot, and the late Sootshade and Horsepaw- both of whom shall greet her in StarClan.” He saw Toadpool smile fondly when he mentioned Sootshade – she had been his mother, although he had never truly gotten the chance to meet her.
“It is hard for us to say goodbye to a cat who has been with us for so long. But Sandwhisker always said she wanted to die in battle, fighting for something important. At least we can rest with the knowledge that her final wish was granted.”
He leapt down, and felt Russetfoot and Emberheart lean on him. There was a warm reminiscing in the air- he had done, at last, a good job of speaking.
Tulipstar returned to her spot. “Before the Crossing can start, we must end the unfinished business of our fallen Clanmates. Trufflepelt has left behind an apprentice in his stead, as well as a deputy position. Spottedpaw, come forth.”
A small, golden tabby, with rosettes spangling his flank, solemnly walked before her. Antstar had heard about Spottedpaw- it was rumored he and Sharppaw, another RiverClan apprentice, had come from the same place the medicine cat of ShadowClan had- a strange place with many rosetted tabbies just like him, and cages, and comings and goings.
“I call upon Trufflepelt’s spirit, so he may hear of and approve my choice. Spottedpaw’s next mentor will be Bluespring.”
A smooth blue-gray tom with velvety fur came forward and touched noses with Spottedpaw. The two walked off together, whispering in each other’s ears.
“I have thought hard about who I want to be RiverClan’s next deputy- someone who will carry on the same hardworking spirit Trufflepelt had. I say these words before StarClan, so our ancestors may know of and approve my choice…”
There was a moment of anticipation, and then:
“The new deputy of RiverClan is Smokebark.”
The brown tabby tom with ragged ears made his way next to Tulipstar. He was not a large cat- he was weary and unusually thin for a RiverClanner- but next to his tiny leader, he looked massive. There was a moment of doubt and uneasiness in his amber-yellow eyes, but it softened to a warmer sense of duty as his Clanmates cheered his name.
“Now that all matters have been dealt with, the Crossing may begin.”
The six elders gathered and gently pushed the driftwood off of the shore of Sunningrocks, walking with it deeper and deeper into the river. When they could barely keep their heads above water while still touching the ground, they let go and returned. The driftwood and everything in it- the three bodies, the apple flower, the preserved squirrel tail, the stones, the knickknacks, the leaves and shells and pebbles and feathers and little animal skulls and tufts of fur from their Clanmates and all else they had been given- floated away, carried on by the river. Cats tearily waved goodbye and safe travels as the driftwood shakily continued on. As it traveled on, it became smaller and smaller, until Antstar could only see a vague shadow of it- then it turned a corner and was gone.
“They are on their way to StarClan, now,” Tulipstar reassured. “I declare this Crossing ceremony to be over.”
As the evening hazily faded into night, Antstar watched his clan and RiverClan together.
He was relieved that despite Sandwhisker’s death, the Clan seemed to still like RiverClan. Oatwhisker and Sparrowpetal playfully splashed each other in the shallow end of the water. Audrey, Crowflower, and Silverbelly were sharing tongues with three RiverClan elders, who Antstar had learned were named Halfwhisker, Gingerstripe, and Swanshadow. Russetfoot and Smokebark chatted about deputyship.
Even the kits were getting along. “Be careful with them, they’re younger than you,” urged Cherrycloud as Amberkit and Brindlekit play-fought Magpiekit and Frondkit. Patchkit was buried into her mother’s fur, overwhelmed by the sight of so many cats.
Antstar heard arguing, and turned in a moment of worry- had someone started an argument between the clans? He felt relieved seeing it was just Coalclaw and Spiderfoot.
…Strange, however. The two were usually very close.
“I tell you,” started Spiderfoot, raising her paw with an air of attempted omnipotence, “you have no reason to feel bad about Stoneclaw. He attacked our leader. It was self-defense.”
Coalclaw was unusually quiet and stared straight into the river, eyes wide but bleak. He hadn’t changed expressions since Stoneclaw had died. “I didn’t mean to kill him.”
“Well, he clearly meant to kill Antstar.” Spiderfoot looked as enthusiastic as ever. She had obtained a massive gash during the battle that slid from one shoulder to the other like a feather boa. “You did right by your Clan.”
“…I don’t think-“
“Oh, come on, you wuss! It’s war. Cats die. That’s how it is.” She turned in annoyance and left her brother to continue staring into the waters. She sat down by Antstar.
“You shouldn’t be so mean about it,” reprimanded Antstar gently.
“I’m just annoyed he’s valuing some SkyClanner’s life more than your own.”
“Just take it easy.”
He heard whispering. Turning his head, he heard Stoatslink talking with Longsnout and Willownose- two of the cats who had found Sparkthistle’s body.
“Did you notice anything strange about the body?” asked Stoatslink steadily. His eyes were narrowed; his ears drawn back. He looked deathly serious.
“… No? It looked quite normal,” said Willownose, clearly wracking her brain for answers.
“… There was one thing.” Longsnout leaned in. He was a gaunt black tom with a white bib and two white dots where the whiskers on his brow ridge protruded from his face. He looked quite old, like he could retire any day now.
“What was it?”
“I thought nothing of it when we pulled her out- I assumed it was battle wounds, because I heard she was known for getting into scrapes. But the more I’ve thought about it, the more it’s confused me. …She had the faintest bite mark on the back of her neck, like… like someone had dragged her.”
Stoatslink’s yellow eyes grew wide.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s nothing. But that’s what I saw.”
Antstar felt sick. He had to stop Stoatslink from finding the truth out somehow- but he wasn’t sure how he would manage to do that. For if Stoatslink was anything, he was stubborn…
He got up and left, motioning to Spiderfoot that he’d be back later. He scanned the area for Whitetooth, and found them lounging on a long, smooth stone with Marblepaw and Pebblesky.
Antstar had found himself finding more and more security in Whitetooth. Perhaps it was because he felt he could be honest around the van-patterned medicine cat. Perhaps it was their mannerisms: the round eyes, the blank expressions, the antiquated speaking style, the warm, comforting deep voice that sounded a touch like an operatic bass crooning soft reassurance.
Perhaps it was because Antstar knew that if one of them went down, so did the other.
He lay down and curled his paws beneath him, slightly leaning his side into Whitetooth’s pale fur.
“Oh- hello, Antstar,” greeted Pebblesky. Pebblesky had been in RiverClan so long that she was practically indistinguishable from them. Sure, she had many ThunderClan features- the square jaw shape, the thick, coarse fur that developed a mane around the neck and bunched at the claws, the stocky legs that supported all of her muscle. But her fur had grown silkier and less prone to matting as RiverClan cats groomed it, and her ThunderClan muscles had given way to RiverClan plumpness. She was a pleasant blue-gray color, like a lavender field in a faint fog at dawn, with a white underbelly that went up to the bridge of her nose. Her amber eyes looked like coins.
“Hello, Pebblesky. I’m… sorry about what happened to you today.”
“Oh, it’s alright. I’ve gotten used to it.” She flicked her ears as she looked at the edge of Sunningrocks, towards ThunderClan’s camp.
“You should not get used to it. Your children have no right to treat a medicine cat with such evils,” said Whitetooth. “You have an important employment, and family matters have no place in such employments.”
“I can’t say I don’t understand them. They’re right- I did leave them for RiverClan. It was a personal matter, and they were adults when I left, but… I’ll always regret I’m not there for them.”
“Why did you move to RiverClan?” asked Antstar. “Your birth Clan-“
“I never really got along with them,” she admitted. “I just never fit in. I hate the thought of battle- always have. But in ThunderClan- well, battling’s nearly all they do.”
“Well, couldn’t you be a queen?”
“I was. But in ThunderClan, every cat fights. Even the queens and medicine cats go to battle.”
Antstar had never really thought of it that way. It was hard to envision such differences- but that was how ThunderClan always was, he assumed.
“So what made you RiverClan’s medicine cat?”
“Well, it was when I had my last litter, which was just Emberblaze.” She stared wistfully off into space, like she was there in the ThunderClan nursery all over again. “I had really gotten very tired of all the battles ThunderClan was fighting in. We were in a big war with ShadowClan, and many cats I was close with- my brother, a fellow nursery queen, and the cat I had Cloudclaw and Daffodilfur with- nice tom, if a bit daft- had all perished in the most recent battles. I remember being in this big haze, and I wasn’t even sure if I could raise Emberkit properly. But then- the previous medicine cat, Cloudpuddle, told me that Emberkit was interested in becoming a medicine cat apprentice.”
“How is Cloudpuddle, by the way?” asked Whitetooth. “Last I heard she had retired as an elder.”
“Oh, she’s still kicking, Emberblaze tells me. She and I were very close friends beforehand; I named Cloudclaw after her. Anyway, through my daughter’s apprenticeship I saw a whole other side of what it means to be in a Clan. Sorting herbs, speaking with StarClan… it just felt right, you know? It was this whole other life I had never even considered- or, if I had, I tried not to think about it because I thought I just wouldn’t be good at it.”
Pebblesky stopped to clear her throat as she looked at the sky. The evening was cooling into night, and the first stars were showing their faces upon the earth.
“So I told Cloudpuddle about it- how badly I wished I were a medicine cat- and she told me… there was nothing stopping me from becoming one. There was no rule I couldn’t. We arranged things- after all, Emberpaw was becoming a less reliant apprentice- and then, I was training right along my daughter. A while after that, once she had gotten her full name and I was self-reliant at it, the RiverClan medicine cat died. He was very old, so it was expected- but the issue was that he left no apprentice behind. So Tatteredstar and Tulipstar made an arrangement, as the ThunderClan medicine den was crowded. I’d go over, train a RiverClan apprentice, and then come back.”
She grinned softly- not in an eager way, but in more of a knowing way, like a mother about to read the last page of a picture book to her child.
“I never did. I loved RiverClan too much to consider leaving. They didn't fight nearly as much. Tatteredstar understood. I still haven’t found an apprentice, anyway…”
“But what about Cloudclaw and Daffodilfur? What did they think?”
“They always felt betrayed. I think they always will- RiverClan and ThunderClan have never got along, after all. I regret that I can’t go back and do things differently. But I know they’re in safe hands, in ThunderClan- Cloudclaw just became a father to two little mollies, and Daffodilfur, I hear, has been courting her own special someone. They have their own support systems. And nothing I do can go back and fix what is.”
She looked to the sky, clicking her tongue.
“Sometimes, a wrong is committed- but no apology will fix it, and the best we must do to honor that is to keep on living.”
That night, Antstar eased himself off to sleep, staring up at the stars. Tiredness soothed his brain as he thought about the ceremony from before. Perhaps, in some strange way, that river did lead to StarClan.
What was it like, up there? Was Sandwhisker happy?
Do they tell truths, in StarClan? Did they all know what he did? Or- somehow- had the cover of clouds saved him from that?
He soothed himself. If they knew, they would have told the Clan by now, right? So he had to be safe.
“Hey!”
He was jolted awake by a white tom standing over him. It was Stoatslink.
“I have something I think you’ll want to hear.”
“So you’re saying she had bite marks in her fur?” They sat on the edge just above camp, staring ahead. The night was clear enough that Antstar could see the windmills that lay just beyond the farms.
“That’s what Longsnout told me. And he has no reason to lie. Shame we can’t dig up the body to check- she’s probably half-decayed by now.”
Antstar’s gut twisted, as if it were dancing a jig of fright. “You really, truly think she was murdered?”
“Absolutely, now. Before I was on the fence; I thought it was my flight of fancy. But… a bite mark on the neck, right where a cat could drag her into the open gorge?” He shook his head. “It’s too obvious. We have to tell the Clan about this.”
No. Antstar couldn’t let that happen. He was having trouble leading WindClan as it was. He didn’t need WindClan to become a crowd of conspiracy theorists, chasing the trail that led to his doorstep. If one soul, save Marblepaw, found out-
“With all due respect, Stoatslink… I don’t think this is an important matter to focus on right now.”
He wasn’t looking at the white tom- he was staring into the earth- but he could already feel Stoatslink’s face twist with hot indignance.
“WindClan has other matters. We must prepare for no-leaf season. We have SkyClan against us, and I worry they could lead an attack against us to settle personal scores. We-“
“Are you listening to me!?!” Stoatslink’s white fur bristled. His teeth drew back to reveal his pale, thorn-like teeth. “I just told you that there’s a killer on the loose. We’re in danger! My daughters are in danger!” He pulled back, lips bared, his yellow eyes consumed with fury. “You’ve been endangering us so much recently. We had no reason to fight with RiverClan; their Sunningrocks business has nothing to do with us! Did you see Goldenpaw’s injury?”
Antstar recalled having seen one warrior lash out at the little yellow-and-white molly. He shook his head.
“Well, she has a massive scar on her side now. Whitetooth said it’s a miracle her leg wasn’t torn off! That’s my daughter I’m talking about! Antstar, I swear to StarClan above, you have to get off your ass and investigate this.” He narrowed his eyes. “Who knows who could be next?”
Some vile, crooked inkling in the back of Antstar’s mind, one he pretended didn't exist, already began to think it knew.
And then, something ruddy-colored flashed by.
Antstar looked at the stranger- a boxy red stranger, sprinting towards the bridge like his life depended upon it, like all the world crumbled behind him. It was Currantstar, again- just as he had run past the night before.
“ShadowClan? On our territory?” Stoatslink’s brow furrowed with suspicion.
A welcome distraction, Antstar thought. Stoatslink turned to him and nodded, and Antstar nodded back- and off they went, to find out what Currantstar was doing- and, to Stoatslink, to see if he had anything to do with it.
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Moonlight
LadyNoir July 2021 Day 10: Moonlight
Read on AO3
Landing on the roof, Ladybug was surprised to see Chat Noir standing there, leaning against his baton. He didn’t usually join her for Friday night patrols, usually too tired from the week or planning for an early Saturday morning.
But seeing him, standing there, the moonlight was like a spotlight just for him.
She swallowed, unable to do anything but take in his figure.
Tilting his head, Chat looked at her, mouth opening to ask a question. Whatever he had seen in her eyes, however, stopped him, and Chat took a step back, still confused.
“Chaton,” she breathed, breaking the silence.
She didn’t know which of them moved, if both of them moved, but suddenly he was there, a whisper of space between them.
Slowly, he reached up, searching her eyes for any sign that this wasn’t what she wanted. Finding no disagreements, he cupped her face, pulling her up, closer.
Standing on her tiptoes, she felt her eyes flutter closed. The denial she’d been trying to hold was gone, any reason to fight this had left her body.
They were frozen in the moment, neither wanting to take that final space, their breaths fogging up the air between them.
Ladybug realized he wouldn’t be the one to make the final move. He’d waited so long, making it clear it was her choice, that he wouldn’t do something she wasn’t comfortable with.
The love she held for him made her heart want to burst.
Pushing herself to the tips of her toes, she broke into the space. Tension fell away, and all she wanted was a lifetime in his arms, tasting his lips.
~~~
Marinette jolted awake. Looking around her room, she realized she had half an hour until her patrol. She must have fallen asleep at her desk again.
Sighing, she stood up, stretching her muscles after having slept in such an uncomfortable position. Maybe stretching could push away the longing that whispered through her bones.
She transformed and headed up to her balcony. Before she could swing away, Ladybug looked up at the moon, illuminating the sky. Reaching for her yo-yo, she considered her choices.
Swallowing her fear, she called her partner, hoping he wouldn’t be too tired to join her for a Friday night patrol.
#miraculous ladybug#miraculous fanfic#miraculous lb#ladybug and chat noir#LadyNoir July 2021#Day 10: Moonlight#My fic
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lucky (we’re in love)
happy birthday @sae-what you’re the most amazing friend ever 🥺🥺🥺 you were my first friend here on tumblr, and you’ve just been the best. you deserve all the love on your special day and i hope this fic will give you some joy today 🥺🥺🥺💗💗💗 love you saeee
summary: this is just ladynoir and confessions and tear-filled fluff. big big thank you to my beta @iwannacookie711 you’re the besttt
AO3
Chat Noir leaped through Paris, running, vaulting, jumping his way to the Eiffel Tower. It was time for one of his and Ladybug's nightly patrols, and he was going to be late.
The tower loomed before him. He quickly scaled the criss-crossing iron beams, his magically enhanced abilities keeping him sure-footed on the slippery, coppery metal. As he scrambled up the structure, his tail flicked erratically. He couldn't help it—it was a nervous tic of his. And he was late. So, so late.
And it was all thanks to that blasted photoshoot that had gone on for what had seemed like an eternity.
He hated being late. Hated that his schedule was stuffed to the brim with all these jobs and responsibilities. Hated his lack of freedom. Hated how he'd been kept behind overtime, the photoshoot stealing precious seconds from his time with Ladybug.
And yet, the stress and frustration that lined his face slowly faded as he climbed the tower, the slight burn in his muscles somehow cathartic. Wind whipped his hair as his body relished the exertion of the familiar ascent.
And when he finally reached the summit, he was rewarded with the sight of Ladybug.
She stood with a hand on her hip, eyebrow cocked with her trademark confidence. Her hair ribbons fluttered in the wind, little red blurs in the moonlit night.
He smiled involuntarily. She looked beautiful. As always.
And she was glaring at him.
"What are you smiling at? You're late," she huffed, crossing her arms.
Chat pursed his lips, trying to stifle a giddy grin at her reprimand. She probably wouldn't appreciate it.
"Sorry, m'lady," he said, walking closer to stand with her. He twirled his baton, then planted it in front of him so he could place his weight on it. "Got held up."
"Held up? How so?"
"It's a bit of a personal detail," Chat said cautiously. He knew Ladybug didn't exactly encourage sharing personal details such as these. Besides, if he told her about his photoshoots, it wouldn't be so hard for her to track him down. There weren't that many teenage supermodels. "Are you sure you want to know?"
He hoped she didn't notice just how much he wished she wanted to.
"Um…" She creased a brow in thought. Probably she was weighing over the pros and cons of her request. "...I mean, are you okay with sharing?"
His eyes widened. Oh. He… he hadn't expected this.
That didn't mean he wasn't going to take this chance.
"Of course!" he blurted out. He bit the inside of his cheek, wincing at his volume. "I mean, of course."
And Ladybug lit up—there was no better word for it.
Her face glowed in the moonlight, silver on her skin and rose in her cheeks. She smiled so bright that he swore her teeth gave off their own light. And her eyes. They sparkled like little stars, filled to the brim with happiness.
He could stare at her forever, wondering what secrets were held in those eyes as deep and blue as the ocean. Wondering if maybe, just maybe, her eyes were not just filled with joy, but also with affection.
"Great!" Ladybug strolled past him and whipped out her yo-yo, interrupting his wishful thinking. (Because that was all it was, he admitted to himself.) "Tell me about it while we patrol?"
"Sure," he said, content to follow her lead. Content to follow her anywhere, really.
Ladybug secured her yo-yo to a random rooftop, and off they went.
As they traversed the city, Chat couldn't help but wander back to his previous line of thought. He'd thought he'd glimpsed maybe the slightest hint of… well, attraction.
But then again, it could very well be his imagination.
Chat sighed as the clouds shrouded the moon, and the world grew a little less brighter without its faint light.
Biting the inside of his cheek, he shoved his prior thought aside. It was dangerous to hope like that.
He almost laughed at himself. It was rather too late for that, though.
He'd long fallen head over heels for her, and it had only grown with each and every thing she did. The way her freckles spread across her cheeks like constellations he'd gladly spend a lifetime studying. The way her eyes crinkled up when she smiled at him. The way she stood up to akumas, fearless and confident in her strategies.
Ladybug was more than a crush. She meant much more to him than that. She was, first and foremost, one of his best friends. Someone he'd gladly, easily trust with his life. Maybe his best friend. She knew him so well, and him, her.
And that was how she knew something had been troubling him, he guessed.
"Hey, Chat."
Chat leapt over a chimney, crouching as he landed. Then he stood and faced her. "Yes, m'lady?"
She tilted his head. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm—" Sighing, he hung his head in defeat. "I'm… not okay."
He plopped down on the rooftop, hugging his legs close to his chest. Ladybug followed, sitting cross-legged across him with a worried face.
It wasn't just his restrictive schedule that had been on his mind lately. He had found himself constantly questioning himself. For loving someone who couldn't reciprocate. For loving someone who couldn't possibly love him back.
And it hurt. It hurt to know he didn't have a chance, that a mystery boy had stolen her heart before he'd even had the opportunity to lay claim to it.
"It's about, well, you," he finally admitted. "I mean, that isn't the whole of it. But mostly I've been thinking about my feelings for you."
Ladybug's eyes widened, but before she could speak, Chat had already continued.
"I know you don't like me, not in that way," he hastily assured, and he averted his eyes. Chat couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze again. "And I'm sorry for bringing this up again. For making you reject me again. But you wanted to know why I was feeling down, and that's… that's most of it."
Fidgeting imperceptibly, Chat bit his lip as he stared down at the roof he stood on. "Is it bad that I like you so much?" he asked his feet softly, brokenly. "That I wish that you could possibly return my feelings?"
Something dripped onto the shingles by his feet. There was a sudden wetness on his cheek. He was crying, he realized.
Sniffling weakly, he knuckled his eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I… you don't need me pressuring you to like me too. I won't talk about this again."
Red shifted in the corner of his eye. Then all of a sudden he was wrapped in her arms, at home in her warm embrace. He buried his face into her shoulder without hesitation. Ladybug sighed sadly, and her hand went to rub circles into his back.
"Chaton..." she murmured shakily, sending a shiver up his spine, "Chaton, I'm sorry. So sorry…"
He let a few more tears go, knowing his Lady wouldn't judge him for crying. Lifting his head to finally meet her gaze again, he managed a small, sad smile as he looked into her eyes. "It's"—he sniffed—"it's not your fault, m'lady."
Ladybug's eyes filled with grief, and soon, she too was tearing up. But it is! her pained expression screamed silently.
"No, don't cry." Grabbing her face, he pulled her closer until their foreheads met. Feeling water run down his cheeks, he whispered, "Please, don't cry, bug."
"H— how can I not?" She sniffled, and her fingers spasmed at his back, abruptly pausing in their soothing motions. "Chat… Chat, I—"
He shut his eyes, feeling his eyelashes ghost against her skin. Preparing himself for what came next. "Yes, Ladybug?"
He expected an apology. A rejection. Just like she had done countless times before.
But instead, she said—
"Chat, you were wrong."
His eyes snapped open, and he took in Ladybug in all her teary-eyed beauty. "What?" His voice was faint to his own ears. He wondered if Ladybug had even heard it.
"You're wrong," she repeated, a little more firmly this time. "Because I… I do return your feelings. I reciprocate. I like you, I love you."
She was sobbing now, and some of her tears splashed on his face, their foreheads still pressed together.
Ladybug clenched her fists on his chest, slumping against him, and he gently lowered the two of them to the rooftop.
"And I didn't tell you because I didn't know how, and I should've told you because now you're sad and I'm the reason you're sad and I don't want you to be sad!"
All the while, he trembled with unbelief. She said she loved him?
He couldn’t fully believe it. Not yet. Not when the ghosts of her countless rejections were mocking him inside. You probably heard her wrong. As if she really loved you, they taunted. As if she meant it that way.
But he forced himself to speak. To confirm it for himself. Even if the answer broke him.
“M’lady...”
She looked up, liquid brimming in her eyes. He thought she looked beautiful, even then. “Yes?” she asked, her voice trembling under the weight of tears.
“You love me?” His voice shook.
“I…” She paused, and he feared for his heart. But then she broke into a smile, her joy shining through her tears. “Yes, Chat Noir. I do.”
His heartbeat accelerated, soaring into the stars.
“You— you really do?” he asked hesitantly, the words spoken so softly it was almost like he was afraid that the force of them would shatter this new… thing into pieces. Like it would shatter the fragility of this moment.
“I just said so, kitty, what more do you want me to say?” She managed a laugh, tears still running down her cheeks. Palming her tears away, she whispered, “I love you. Okay? I love you.”
She laughed again, louder. “I love you!”
And it felt so relieving, to know she felt the same. It felt like an open door into something new and something strange, and it brimmed with so much possibility and hope.
Chat couldn't help the sob that burst from him. “I— I love you too, my lady.”
Ladybug grinned, tears still spilling out of her eyes. “I know.”
They laughed.
Chat bit his lip. “Can I…”
Ladybug's grin grew wider. “But of course.”
She leaned in to kiss him, and tears became little more than an afterthought.
#miraculous ladybug#chat noir x ladybug#ladybug x chat noir#I MADE MYSELF CRY WRITING THIS#my fics#what else do i tag#lol idk#HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGIN SAE LOVE YOU#ml#ladynoir#lovesquare#ladybug#marinette dupain cheng#chat noir#adrien agreste
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Hey! I was wondering if you will write more kissing prompts? If so, I would love 8 for Adrienette or Ladynoir (you choose). I love your writing so much and I have enjoyed every story you uploaded on ao3. My favorites are "What Lovers Do" and "Girls Night out". Both are just brilliant.
we are never ever getting back together
Summary: Adrienette, in secrecy
A/N: Chat Blanc AU - Miraculous Ladybug sets everything to rights but Adrien still finds out Marinette is Ladybug and Marinette doesn’t know how or why but she knows somehow that her dating Chat Noir leads to him being akumatized and the world ending. When she finds out Adrien is Chat Noir (through some accident or other) she is forced to break up with him.
AO3
“Adrien,”
“Mmm.”
“Adri– ah –” She gasped, arms tightening around his neck even as she attempted to pull away. His hair, disheveled, tickled the underside of her jaw as his lips made quick word of her collarbone, her ear lobe, her throat. “We can’t – we shouldn’t – oh.”
“Shh.” His breath whispered across her ear even as his hands slowly traced the column of her spine beneath her t-shirt, reacquainting themselves with a well-trod path.
Marinette gave in, collapsing against his chest with a sigh as his warm hands kneaded the muscles on her back.
They shouldn’t be doing this.
“I miss you,” He murmured against her temple.
“I know.” She said, tilting her head up so he could put his mouth to better use.
He grinned against her lips. “You miss me.”
She bit his bottom lip instead of lying like she should.
Tikki was going to put her through the ringer when they left this broom closet.
She couldn’t keep letting this happen.
Chat Blanc was months ago now but the vision of her partner and a bleak, blue and white world still haunted her dreams. Her partner’s words our love did this echoed through the time stream. At the time she didn’t understand. When Adrien came to her with his own confession she thought she’d avoided that dystopian future.
Right up until the moment she discovered Plagg hiding in his backpack.
“Hey pigtails.”
Everything spiraled from there.
Their first break up lasted all of one hour only to end when Chat Noir came crashing through her skylight (summoned by a little black butterfly because fuck Hawkmoth) and ended with both of them crying themselves to sleep wrapped up in each other’s arms.
Their second break up started minutes after Sabine found the two sleeping teens and let Adrien know Nathalie called looking for him.
“Marinette please,” He said, voice breaking, breaking her heart further still. “Why?”
She didn’t tell him about the half moon in the sky or the water that flooded their small world. She didn’t tell him about electric blue eyes or his hands reaching for her ears. She couldn’t really tell him anything beyond the ultimate lie:
“I don’t love you anymore.”
That break up lasted the longest. Two full weeks of holding back tears in school, dodging dirty looks from Chloe, Nino and the rest. Lying to Alya who kept pushing and pushing until all Marinette could do was break down and sob.
“I just don’t get it, girl.” She said, wrapping an arm around her distraught friend. “You were so happy.”
“I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you.”
Adrien looked terrible. Marinette looked worse. She’d catch him staring in class, at lunch, on patrol, but she did her best to keep her distance because that’s what a good Ladybug should do. For Paris, for him.
Mostly for him.
It was an akuma that ruined everything.
Trapped together in a small space with nowhere else to run for the first time in weeks, it was Chat Noir’s quiet I miss you that did Ladybug in.
Her confession was on purpose.
The kissing was not.
But no sooner had she hesitantly answered his desperate but… you still love me? than his hands were in her hair, claws combing through her pigtails, and everything was unraveling, unraveling.
“We’re going to find Hawkmoth.” He growled against her neck. “And then I’m going to find you.”
He found her before that though.
He found her a lot .
On patrols, in alleyways, in closets…
“Please, my lady.” He sighed as her lips brushed his chin, his cheek, his temple. “Please.”
Marinette dropped down to her heels but Adrien followed catching her denial before it ever left. She let him, her tongue darting against his only to pull back again as he whined against her lips.
This time when he tried to follow her he found her fingers instead.
“It’s not a never ever, Chaton.” She said, her heart flipping as he sighed against her skin.
Adrien released her slowly, hands tracing down her back, across the curve of her hip, before coming up to catch her hands in his and bring them up to his lips.
“I’m counting on it.”
#miraculous ladybug#lnc2 writes#one two three times#chat blanc au#adrinette#ladynior#post reveal#byee
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Ladynoir July Day 24 - Post-Reveal, Pre-Relationship
@ladynoirjuly2020
read on ao3!
this was inspired by a conversation @miraculousmarinettelb and I had a while back! she’s amazing, and you should go support her! <3
~~~~~
Chat was wiggling with excitement. He could hear her gentle voice filter through the trapdoor, and his muscles began to tense in anticipation.
“Tikki, spots on!” he heard her exclaim in a quiet but still audible voice. He couldn’t help the smile that pressed into his cheeks, and he gripped the railing tighter. The lights in her room flicked off, bathing him in darkness from the little light that he’d gotten. On nights when she wasn’t planning to go out, she turned on the lights that hung on her balcony, and in that moment, he almost got distracted by thinking how radiant her skin looked under those lights.
Focusing his attention back on the present, Chat watched as a spotted hand pushed the trapdoor open, holding his breath. He expected her to see him right away, but she turned and closed the door behind her quietly, her back to him.
When she finally turned around and saw him, she jumped, squeaking and holding up her fists in self-defense. He laughed, making her realize that she wasn’t actually in any danger.
“Chat!” she hissed, frowning at him but eventually giving in and laughing along. He gave her a playful grin as she lowered her fists, putting her hands on her hips.
“I should push you off,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. He chuckled, tilting his head as she sighed and shook hers. He could tell she was tired, from the slump in her shoulders to the way she blinked slower than usual. Sometimes if she was swamped, she would leave the patrol to him, but since she’d become the guardian, that had been occurring less and less often.
“Ready to head out, bugaboo?” he asked, readying his baton and raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled at him, nodding just before he took off.
Their patrol route didn’t take them long to get through, especially since they’d been running it consistently for a few weeks at that point. He could tell that she was having a little trouble keeping up, so he took it easy and implemented a few shortcuts along the way since she’d let him take the lead.
Once they’d circled back to the Notre Dame with no trouble in sight, he figured she should head home to get some rest. But before he could say anything, she stretched and sighed loudly, flopping down on the roof.
“How was your day, kitty?” she asked, looking up at him with a fatigued smile. He blinked quickly, wanting to tell her how cute she looked but opting against it.
“You mean after that brutal physics test?” he asked, sighing and sitting down next to her. She chuckled, yawning as she nodded. “It was fine. Fencing was tiring, but I learned how to call someone incompetent in Chinese, so today wasn’t completely terrible,” he told her playfully, hearing her hum and giggle. He glanced down at her as he sat up next to him, looking out at the Seine. She was so pretty without even trying, and the way she blinked slowly had his heart racing.
It was moments like that where he imagined leaning over to kiss her and being able to taste the drowsiness on her lips. He longed to run his fingers through her hair until she fell asleep in his arms, holding her close and reassuring her that he would be there to keep her safe.
He shook his head a little, tearing his eyes away from her and gazing at the moon. Hearing that she wasn’t ready to be in a relationship after they’d revealed their identities had come as a bit of a surprise to him, but he did everything he could to respect her wishes. The time he spent with her was something he would always treasure no matter what they were doing or what their relationship was.
“What else?” she asked gently, leaning her head on his shoulder. He blinked down at her, unable to hold back the smile that spread across his face. She was completely adorable.
“Hmm, let’s see,” he said, drumming his fingers on his legs. She often asked him to talk about something when she wanted to be distracted, but she hadn’t seemed particularly stressed lately. He went along with it even though he had his questions, thinking carefully about his day.
“I got to hear Nathalie argue with someone over the phone about the stability of heels,” he told her, hearing a little giggle come from her direction. “I’ve never heard her so passionate about shoes.” With that, Ladybug pulled herself a little closer, wrapping her arms around Chat’s arm and holding onto it tightly. He tried to fight back the heat that rose to his cheeks, staring down at her and trying to think of something else to talk about.
“Uh, I finished alphabetizing all of my video games on Tuesday,” he said, knowing that he’d already told her that but wondering if she was really listening. A soft hum came from her, and he could feel the gentle vibration of it on his shoulder. Was she dozing off already?
“I’m actually the son of the famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste,” he joked, raising his eyebrows and listening for a response. He could only hear slow breaths moving in and out of her mouth as a reply. Chuckling quietly, he leaned down a little to get a glimpse of her face.
Her eyes were closed, her eyelashes barely brushing the material of the mask that covered her cheeks. Her lips had parted slightly, making her look so adorable that he almost laughed out of joy.
Looking back out at the city, he sighed happily and felt his heart warm. She had told him that if she ever fell asleep around him that she would trust him to take her home, and he adored that she’d tasked him with something so cute.
Chat began to slowly pull his arm out of her grasp, using it to support her back as he slipped his other arm under her knees to lift her up. He was always surprised at how heavily she slept and what lengths she would go to so that she wouldn't have to wake up.
He glanced at her once more before jumping towards the bakery, making sure he wasn’t too rough as he carried her.
When he landed on her balcony, he flipped open the trapdoor with his foot, dropping himself carefully onto her bed. He laid her head down on her pillow, pulling back the covers and slipping them over her as he laid the rest of her on the bed.
Looking down at her, he felt a surge of love rush through his veins. He reached down, gently brushing her bangs away from her eyes.
“Sweet dreams, Marinette,” he smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. He loved her so much.
Before he could pull away, he felt her arms wrap around and behind his neck. She was trying to pull him down, but he put his hands on either side of her, making sure he didn’t crush her.
“Adrien,” she mumbled quietly, and his whole body lit on fire, wide eyes staring down at her. He remembered that she’d mentioned her sleep-talking habits, but he’d never been there to see it personally.
“I-I have to go,” he whispered, feeling her give another tug against the back of his neck to try and pull him down. He resisted, and a small pout came to rest on her lips even though her eyes were still closed.
“Stay,” she breathed out, making his stomach flip. He stared down at her in disbelief, wondering if she was really sleeping.
Chat reached up with one hand and peeled her arms from off him, moving to the side of her so she wouldn’t pull him back. He watched her warily to make sure she wouldn’t wake up, standing to leave as his heart slowed down a little.
“No,” he heard her whine softly. He looked back down to see her reaching for him, and he offered his hand, blushing brightly.
“I can’t stay, m’lady,” he told her, watching as she shifted, turning onto her side and holding his hand tightly to her chest. He bit down on his tongue, looking around for something for her to grab onto instead of him.
“Why?” she wondered after a moment of him looking around in the dark of her room. He blinked down at her, a thousand scenarios running through his mind. If her parents found him in their daughters bed, there was no telling how dead he would be. Plus, he knew she didn’t really want him to stay. She was just sleep-talking.
But the thought still ran through his mind as he shook his head, knowing that he couldn’t.
“I just can’t. I’m sorry,” he replied gently, giving a small tug against her grip but finding that she wasn’t budging.
After a few moments, she let out a long exhale, loosening her hold on him.
“I love you,” she whispered, letting his hand go and completely flooring him.
What?
Chat stared down at his partner in disbelief, not knowing what to think.
“W-what?” he asked, a breath catching in his throat as he waited for her to say more. She remained quiet, only short, even breaths coming from her. He ran a hand through his hair, acknowledging that his heart was going crazy.
He glanced at the trapdoor above him, giving it a slight push to open it without being too loud. Nothing in him wanted to leave, but he wasn’t going to stay no matter how much he wanted to hear those three words come out of her mouth again.
Looking down at her one more time, he hoisted himself out of her room, closing the trapdoor silently and letting out a heavy sigh. He held his head in disbelief, wondering what it had meant.
Letting out a small laugh, he stood up and prepared to leap. But before he could, he turned back, smiling to himself.
“I love you too.”
~~~~~
hehe i loved writing this one
i hope you all enjoyed, and thank you for taking the time to read this!
just a heads up, I'll be participating in Miraculous Ladybug Christmas in July, which is a week-long event themed around the holiday season! It runs from the 25th to the 31st, and I'll make a new work here on ao3!
stay safe and stay tuned! <3
#ladynoirjuly2020#ladynoirjuly#ladynoir july#ladynoir#ladybug#chat noir#miraculous ladybug#my writing#ml fic#prpr#post reveal#pre relationship#ladybug x chat noir
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Hello! Can I request some Hawks/Fuyumi (huwumi) from bnha with the prompt 11. Moonlight (Grace Vanderwaal) or any other prompt you think that might fit them? I really love these two together 'cause they have so much potential as a couple considering their plot in the manga. I hope you can write something about them. Thank you :)
Thank you for your patience. At long last, here’s your story! I hope you enjoy it and always feel free to request again!
Two-Toned
“Oh, dear,” Fuyumi sighed. “Is it really that latealready?” She was frowning deeply as she gazed nervously out of the spaciouswindow beside her desk in her currently empty classroom. Above the silhouettedskyline, the night sky was enveloping the world in its gentle, dark embrace.The moon was a slim crescent, diminishing the amount of light it was able tocast upon the world, and the stars were blotted out by a combination of bothwispy gray clouds and the light pollution of the populated city- meaning thatthe only things that would illuminate Fuyumi’s way home were the puddles oflight splashing down on the sidewalk from the flickering lampposts. She hadn’tmeant to stay in the school building so late grading papers, but once she goton a roll, it was very difficult to pry her attention away from her task. “Oh,dear,” she tutted once more to herself, but there was nothing for it; she hadto get home at some point, after all, and it wouldn’t do to stay out any laterthan this. She quickly gathered her things into her spacious satchel beforescurrying out of the door, being sure to lock her classroom behind her.
Fuyumi reflexively clutched her bag close to her hipas she scurried quickly and purposefully down the sidewalk. It wasn’t like shehad anything valuable to the average person. The act of grounding herself tothe bag seemed to alleviate her anxieties somewhat, but only just. Even withheroes patrolling the city day and night, the streets at night were still adangerous place for a young woman such as herself. Besides, despite everything,many crimes went unpunished and even unwitnessed to heroes, because they simplycouldn’t be everywhere at once, and if criminals had proved anything, they wereadaptable and cunning. If I could just make it to the train station, I’ll bejust fine, she told herself with a small gulp. Statistically speaking,crime rates were still relatively low, so the chances of anyone hassling Fuyumiwere favorable.
As it turned out, statistics were not in herfavor that evening.
A shiver crawled up her spine as a sharp wolf-whistlepierced the cool night air. The fine hairs on the back of her neck began toraise as thudding, heavy footsteps overshadowed her own light, feverish ones.She knew that someone was walking behind her, perhaps even multiple someones. Staycalm, she told herself as she dug her trembling fingers further into thebrown fabric of her satchel. If she stopped and acknowledged them, then she waspretty much allowing herself to become a victim. She cast a fervid glance intothe glass window of the next building she passed; her face paled frightfully asshe caught glimpses of two male figures tromping behind her own reflection.They were very obviously staggering drunk. Stay calm, she remindedherself. Even her inner voice was squeaking in fright.
“Hey, baby. It’s a little late to be out by yourself,”slurred one of the strangers. Invisible hackles raised over her shoulders atthe proximity of his sluggish voice. Involuntarily, her pace quickened untilshe was jogging feverishly down the street. The train station was close, right?Her fear-fogged mind was mixing up the directions that had become secondnature. Suddenly, the buildings didn’t look familiar; had she somehow made awrong turn? Surely not, she thought she recognized that little cake shop on thecorner, but then again, maybe it just looked a lot like the one she bought amuffin and coffee from every morning. Was it even a cake shop at all?
Her breath came in ragged gasps as fear and exertionbegan to overtake her system. Dammit, she should have invested in that pepperspray like Natsuo told her to! She could hear the men laughing raucously behindher and their slamming footsteps.
“Why are you running, doll?”
“Yeah, we just want to chat! The night is young! Let’sgo drinkin’!”” the other yowled not unlike a feral beast on the chase. Scaredtears began to sting Fuyumi’s eyes as she desperately repeated “train station,train station” under her breath like a prayer. The soles of her flats scrapedloudly against the sidewalk as she whirled around a corner, hoping the suddenand athletic movement would be too much for the drunkards to replicate. It was;they cursed angrily as they slammed halfway against the brick corner andtumbled over some silver trash bins. Had Fuyumi executed her plan perfectly,she would have created enough distance between them to escape. However, it wasclear that luck had abandoned her. She whimpered pitifully as she staredwide-eyed and tearfully at the eight-foot-tall dirty brick wall that wasobstructing her path.
“Aw, doll, you just wanted to find somewhere private?How nice of ya,” one of the drunks crooned before giving a disgusting, loudbelch. Stay calm, stay calm, you just have to catch them by surprise andpush by, Fuyumi told herself frantically as she whirled on her heel andfaced her stalkers. She gulped loudly as she held her satchel up to her chest,almost like a shield. Their hulking forms eclipsed the little amount of lightpouring in from the lit street; their shadows stretched yards, ending rightbefore Fuyumi’s quivering form. “Don’t be scared, doll,” echoed the sing-songvoice laced with ill intent. “We just want to have a nice talk over a couple o’drinks.”
“You look like such a pretty, nice lady. You’llindulge us, right?” the other cooed in a false soothing façade.
“I am not interested,” she stated clearly. Her voicewas much stronger and firmer than her frantic soul; even in this state, shecould somehow summon her teacher’s scolding voice. “Please excuse me.” It was afool’s thought to think that politeness would get her anywhere with thesethugs. All she earned in response were a pair of bitter resounding laughs.Fuyumi reflexively backed up against the wall as they continued to lumbertowards her, swaying like nightmarish beasts.
“Why the hurry?”
“Yeah, all you uptight girls just need to let looseand have a little fuuuuuuun,” he stretched out the word into a slurred drawlthat made every inch of Fuyumi’s skin crawl. As one of them neared close enoughfor arm’s reach, she snatched up the closest discarded item- a splintered slabof plywood- and lashed out at him.
“Get away from me!” she screeched. Her attacksurprised him and his reflexed weren’t exactly stellar given his immenseinebriation, so the hunk of wood actually connected with his skull.Unfortunately, the wood was half-rotted and thin to begin with, so rather thanknocking him out, it snapped in half on contact and only served to infuriatehim. Fuyumi yelped as he roughly grabbed the remaining piece of wood and yankedit right out of her hands to toss it down the alleyway. The clouds parted justenough to allow the sliver of the moon to shine down on the harrowing sceneunfolding in the alleyway; the thin trail of blood leaking from the gash in hisforehead glowed like a fiery ruby, matching the flame of anger burning deep inthe dark pits of his eyes.
“Lady,” he snarled, “That hurt.” Fuyumi inhaledsharply and pressed back so hard against the wall that the indentations of thebrickwork were sure to be imprinted into her skin. Her knees buckled againstone another and refused to unlock, leaving her just a quivering, vulnerablemess. Was this really it? Was she really just going to stand there and be avictim? She always prided herself in being strong and capable, willful androbust, but it was like every ounce of her courage had been siphoned away withthat one dreadful, murderous look. She begged her body to do something,anything, but it refused to comply. She could almost see the cloud of mistpouring from her mouth as her entire body froze into a block of ice. She turnedher attention to desperate, silent prayers, calling out on instinct to herfamily.
Natsuo. Shoto. In her addled state, she would eventake her shitbag of a father.
“Someone, please save me,” she breathed as fourgroping hands reached for her, unseen in the dark of the moonlit night.
“Now, that is no way to treat a young lady.”
“Oh!” Fuyumi exclaimed as her red-and-white hair andthe loose fabric of her dress ruffled wildly with the onslaught of a sudden,swirling wind. The air rang with the fluttering of countless feathers as thewind descended before her, and the hulking frames of the two drunks wasreplaced by a strong back adorned with two large, red wings. Lazily, a handdrifted up to weave through tousled blonde locks.
“Nope, nope,” clucked the hero before her in scolding,“ladies should be treated with respect and dignity- not herded into a dirtyalleyway like livestock for the slaughter.” Though his tone started offlighthearted and almost unbothered at first, by the end of the sentence it haddeveloped such a hard and savage edge that even Fuyumi winced, though it was inno way directed at her.
“Oh, shit, it’s Hawks! What the hell is he doing allthe way over here?” one of them cried fearfully.
“Who gives a fuck? Run!” The other barked.Fuyumi could not see them behind the sprawling mass of those ruby-red wings,but she imagined they were clumsily turning on their heels to flee like thecowards they were.
“Nope, nope. Class ain’t dismissed,” Hawks sighed.Based on the flex of his toned shoulder muscles, she guessed his arms snappedout to grasp them by the backs of their necks. She was so impressed with hisspeed and agility that she completely missed the very obvious reference to herprofession that implied familiarity on his part. A very loud thunking combinedwith piercing yelps indicated he had banged their heads together to daze them.“Really? You dopes make all that fuss, and that’s all it takes to knock youout? I’m disappointed,” Hawks pouted with a tiny flutter of his wings. Fuyumiwatched owlishly as he deposited them a few feet away; she grimaced at the veryobvious goose eggs growing on each of their foreheads. They would be feelingthat in the morning, for sure. “Now, to get you punks to the slammer before youwake up and have any more bright ideas,” the winged hero muttered under hisbreath as he quickly typed a text into his smartphone. He gave no notice toFuyumi. Blinking, she timidly peeled herself off the wall to shyly take a fewsteps toward him.
“Um… Mr. Hawks… sir?”
“Oh, right, are you hurt, miss?” he laughed, shovinghis phone deep into his pocket and rubbing the back of his neck with a brightsmile. “Sorry, sorry, I was alerting the authorities; I didn’t mean to ignoreyou.” For a pro hero, he sure is… flighty… The adjective was almost tooappropriate. He smiled wider when she shook her head. “Good, good. Endeavorwould sure drive a stick up my ass if you got hurt on my watch- uh, pardon thelanguage,” he corrected quickly as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
“Oh! No, it’s not that, um. I just wasn’t aware thatyou were familiar with my father.” Fuyumi had been under the impression thathis assistance in her father’s televised fight was mere circumstance.
“Nope, nope! We’re buddies!” Hawks grinned widely.Fuyumi had to giggle; most definitely, it was a one-sided friendship, knowingher father’s grumpiness. Though Fuyumi had been through such a harrowingexperience, his easy-going nature and smile was doing wonders to drive her downfrom that adrenaline high. She hugged the satchel of papers to her chest as shesmiled shyly.
“Oh, well… I appreciate your help.”
“No problem~” he chirped with a dismissive wave.“You’re a little late in your schedule, though, yeah?” Fuyumi’s eyes widened asshe stared at him blankly. How could he know that? It was his turn to blush.“Ah, no,” he stammered quickly while holding out his hands in an appeasinggesture. “It’s not like I stalk you or anything; I just, uh, always fly overhere because there’s this place that has suuuuuper awesome bubble tea, yeah,and I always see you walking home at the same time, you know? I mean, you’rejust, uh, really noticeable. In a good way! You don’t look weird or anything!Um. Maybe I should stop talking?” His wings drooped low as he lookeduncomfortably at her. Fuyumi ought to be a little creeped out, she supposed,but he was just so cute and flustered that she just found it all endearing. Hiseyebrows sloped downward worriedly as she began to laugh lightly.
“It’s all right. I feel grateful that the number-twohero takes notice of a quaint little teacher such as myself.” The bubble teashop was right next to the school she taught at, so it wasn’t much wonder heknew she taught, either. Honestly, Fuyumi was quite flattered. A famous hero,taking notice of her? It was dreamlike. A bashful smile graced his pretty faceas he fluttered his wings hopefully. Fuyumi suddenly gulped as she beheld themarvelous appendages. She was no stranger to famous heroes, and after watchingthe televised fight, she had taken notice of Hawks and begun following hisexploits. After all, she wasn’t blind; he was handsome and, dare she say,dreamy. As such, she had harbored a wee little fantasy. “M-may… May I touchyour wings?” she whispered. His eyes widened and he compulsively looked at oneof them.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” he shrugged and extended one out forher. She sucked in a sharp breath as she admired the way the scarce moonlightplayed over the surface of the feathers, tainting the red hue with a silver-redcolor. Hesitantly, as if she were about to commit some blasphemous act eventhough he had expressly given her permission, she stretched out a hand. Thevery tips of her fingers just barely shook as they journeyed across the smallspace before connecting with the blades of his wings. She could not help butopenly sigh as her fingers came into contact with the impeccably soft feathers.Her expression melted as she softly stroked the downy mass. Somehow, it wasrelaxing. Her fingertips skipped up to run across the hard bone of the frame ofhis wings, feeling the occasional tiny notch of a scar. She wonderedmomentarily how many battles he had been in, but it flew from her mind as hejumped slightly. “Sorry, it tickles a little,” he smiled nonchalantly at her asshe looked at him. Hey eyebrows crept up her forehead slightly, as the dustingof pink across his cheeks did not go unnoticed by her. She looked back down atthe wings. Though she ached to just dive her hands into the soft feathers andplay with them, that was stepping a little over the line, she reasoned.
“Erm… Thank you,” she said and retracted her handbefore she grew too bold. He rolled his shoulders as he pulled the wing backin, before lifting his visor to smile at her with glittering eyes. Sirens werebeginning to wail in the distance, growing closer by the second. Fuyumi felt alittle saddened by their implications. “I… suppose it is time for you to leave,isn’t it?”
“Now, what kind of hero would I be if I didn’t escorta young lady home?” Bird-like as he was, his voice still rumbled like a cat’spurr. It vibrated in Fuyumi’s chest, stirring her heart up into a frenzy. Shestraightened up reflexively as he took a few steps toward her, now standingless than a third of a foot in front of her; if he puffed out his chest enough,theirs would meet. “That is, if the young lady would grace me with her presencea little longer.”
“Oh, dear,” she breathed out. She couldn’t help it. Helooked impossibly sexy; the moonlight was framing him just right, catching allthe highlights in his hair and accenting all the ridges of his face and makinghis wings shine like that of a true angel’s. She found herself nodding beforeshe could even command her brain to think about his question.
“May I?” he asked chivalrously and held out his armswith a slight stoop of his body, obviously intending to scoop her up into hisarms. Again, her head bobbled in an entranced nod. As his thick arms slippedaround her, one bumping into the backs of her knees and the other securing heraround her shoulders as she stumbled into him, she automatically grabbed ontohis sturdy shoulders. Immediately, her fingers itched with the inane need totrace the lines of his muscles so obviously encased by his hero uniform. Herface immediately flared pink at her indecent thoughts. This was a pro hero!Holding her close… His breath mixing with hers in close proximity… Really, shecould kiss him without much effort… She wondered if it would be a welcomereward for her rescue? Oh, dear, Fuyumi! Hush! She begged herself.Almost as if he was reading her mind, he smirked knowingly down at her. “Youbetter hold on,” he remarked just as the police cars pulled up and the officersexited. “Thank you, gentlemen, but I gotta fly! I’ll come and give report atthe station later Oh, dear, that’snice… she thought absently, not even really aware of the way her two-tonedhair was flapping in her face.
“You’re missing the view,” Hawks laughed at her. Shewrenched herself back into the present and hastily swept her hair from her faceto look around.
What a view it was.
“Oh, dear…” Though only a few seconds had passed, theywere now sailing high above the city line. The lights of cars and buildingstwinkled in little orbs below, mirroring the expanse of the black sky above herhead. Everything seemed so small, so inconsequential, that it took Fuyumi’sbreath away. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is.” She looked at him and blushed when she foundhim staring directly at her. Momentarily, she wondered if she had been watchingtoo many cheesy chick flicks and was dreaming. She pinched herself, sure thatshe would awaken in her bed with no memory of how she got there, but though thesharp pinch made her nerves complain loudly, she didn’t jolt up in her bed. Thisis… real… she thought as she stared deeply into his golden-brown eyes. “Youknow, we’re acquainted so well, and yet I don’t even know your name,” hechuckled bashfully all of a sudden.
“Fuyumi,” she answered with no hesitation. “FuyumiTodoroki.” The smile he gave her was one laced with obvious affection.
“Huh. Imagine that. A beautiful name to match a beautifulface.” It was such an obvious flirt that Fuyumi became overwhelmingly shy andburied her face into his shoulder, feeling it jump as his laugh rang out in thenight air.
“Do you flirt so shamelessly with every young womanyou rescue?”
“Nope, nope, just pretty teachers.” Oh, he’s arascal, she thought with a twist of her stomach, but she couldn’t deny thatshe was very excited by it all. After all, she would be a fool of a woman notto be! Hawks seemed like he was genuine enough, too.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“Do I get to know your real name?” she asked, liftingher head to peer up at him. He gazed thoughtfully at her for a moment beforegiving her a lop-sided smirk.
“Depends. Do I get to have the young lady’s phonenumber?”
Instead of an answer, she gave him another embarrassedsqueal and buried her face back into his broad shoulder. He had been soflustered earlier, but now he was spitting game like it was second nature tohim! He was laughing again, and the way her head was jostling up and down withevery loud chuckle didn’t help the nervous twisting of her belly. “Keigo,” hesaid suddenly, making her look up at him in mild shock. “Call me Keigo.”
“Keigo,” she repeated softly. “It has a nice ring toit.”
He snorted with a smile and turned his head as his wingsshifted to bank sharply, catching the light of the moonlight in such a way thatthey glowed mostly white, but two-toned with occasional dark streaks of redwith the way the shadows fell. Fuyumi smiled and reached up to play with theends of her wind-swept two-toned hair, thinking that in the moonlight, theymatched.
What were the implications of that, shewondered?
Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to perusemy Tableof Contents!
#huwumi#hawumi#hawksxfuyumi#fuyumixhawks#fuyumi x hawks#hawks x fuyumi#fuyumi todoroki#todoroki fuyumi#mha fuyumi#bnha fuyumi#my hero academia fuyumi#boku no hero academia fuyumi#hawks#keigo takami#takami keigo#mha hawks#bnha hawks#my hero academia hawks#boku no hero academia hawks#my hero academia#boku no hero academia#mha fanfiction#bnha fanfiction#mha fanfic#bnha fanfic
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Two For Two Chapter 31: Home
Adrien returns home.
@ladynoirjuly2020
Enjoy!
...And that concludes not only Two For Two, but the Love Square months for this year! It has been a long journey, but we've finally made it to the other side. I hope that you enjoyed my piece for Ladynoir July even half as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As some of you may be aware, I had been intending to participate in Adrien Aug-reste to round out six months of daily prompts, but I've made the decision to not do the entire month. Instead, I'll be writing a single one shot for each week. The first one will likely come out next Friday, so keep an eye out for that!
Once again, thank you for reading!
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It was done. The last thing they’d ever have to do in their high school career was now behind them. Marinette and Adrien stepped outside their school for the last time, glancing back only briefly before turning to each other.
“I’m going to head home. Do you want to come with me?” Adrien adjusted his grip nervously on his satchel, bringing a smile to Marinette’s face. Even after a year of dating he got a little jittery taking her home with him. Although all they ever did was kiss or play video games.
Marinette felt her heart flutter. Maybe she wasn’t so above it all either.
“I’d like that. I’ve been meaning to stop in and say hi to you guys anyway.” She grabbed his hand and started walking in that direction. “No better time than the present, right?”
In the immediate aftermath of Hawkmoth’s reveal to the general public, Adrien had needed the Gorilla more than ever. Some people couldn’t keep their anger confined to just Gabriel, after all. Every day, the mountain of a man would be waiting for him after class or shadowing him every moment he spent outside.
But those days were passed and the Gorilla was enjoying a hard-earned vacation in the Swiss Alps. A brief image of the Gorilla wearing a yeti costume and scaring people skiing on the mountains brought a smile to Marinette’s face. If anyone deserved a chance to unwind, it would be him, whatever he chose to spend his vacation time doing.
All that to say that they needed to take the bus to get to Adrien’s home.
It wasn’t the mansion that he’d grown up in. There were too many painful memories for both of them to just keep living there. Which is why they got a smaller place, still nice as befits the last of the Agrestes, but more cozy. Warmer and kinder, something much more fitting for Adrien.
They opened the door and heard a soft humming coming from the living room.
“Mom?” Adrien called. “I’m home!”
Emilie wheeled into the entryway, pushed by her physical therapist. Her time in the stasis pod had kept her alive, however barely, but it came at the cost of severely weakened muscles. It would be a while yet before she could walk again, but judging from the brilliant smile on her face as she saw her son, she didn’t seem too worried about it.
“Hello, sweetheart.” She leaned up a bit to cradle her son’s face as she kissed his cheek. “How was your last day of classes?”
As Adrien filled her in, Marinette allowed herself to feel proud for her part in this. Maybe it was something more than luck that had helped her create the ladybug cure potion - after some slight modification to it, a regular dosage of the potion proved more than match for the corruption that had leached into the unfortunate wielders of the Peacock miraculous.
Now Emilie was given a second chance at life, after the mistakes of her youth.
Marinette still felt like there was something more to Emilie’s story than what she’d let on. From the way she’d told it, she and Gabriel had found the miraculous by chance. When they realized what they could do, they had the time of their lives essentially playing with them. Leaping across the city, running over rooftops - not much different from what Ladybug and Chat Noir did on their less productive patrols, Marinette would admit.
But then… they had discovered much too late that something was wrong with the Peacock.
“Any news about father?”
Marinette was pulled out of her head at the mention of Gabriel.
“His trial date has been set,” Emilie said, her face set into a mask of determination. “I’ve been talking with our lawyers and they suspect that both him and Nathalie will be getting over a hundred years each.”
“And what about-”
“The divorce is coming along fine too, dear.” Emilie sighed. “I wish it hadn’t come to this but… after all he’s done, I can’t forgive him. I’d rather he had let me pass than bring so much suffering on everyone.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe it. I’ve always known he was a single-minded man, but…”
“Well, no matter what, we’re glad to have you back, Emilie,” Marinette said with a small smile. “I’m glad to know Adrien has someone looking out for him now.”
“I could say the same to you, Marinette,” Emilie said, smirking. Her therapist cleared her throat behind Emilie. “Sorry, dears. I’ve been putting off my exercises until you two got home. Don’t let me keep you any longer.”
They said their goodbyes and headed upstairs to Adrien’s room.
Adrien set his bag on his bed, Plagg floating out of it to no doubt search for food.
“So what’s Nino’s plans now?”
“Well, he’s already got something lined up with Jagged Stone.” Adrien stretched before collapsing onto the couch. “Probably something like working with his record studio, plus some gigs around Paris.”
“I’m sure Wayzz will like the new perspective, at least.” Marinette sat on his legs and turned on the television.
“After all those years of hiding with Master Fu, I’m sure it’ll be a great change of pace.” He took her hand and ran his thumb across her knuckles. “What about Alya?”
“Well, there are a bunch of universities and news outlets clamoring for the Ladyblogger, so she’s kind of been drowning in options lately.”
“A great problem to have.”
“Oh definitely. Trixx has been loving the excitement - he was the most broken up about the separation, so now that they’re reunited he’s been over the moon.”
“Do you think we made the right call?” Adrien frowned, worry marring his face. “After all, Fu kept the miraculous out of circulation at all costs…”
“His need for secrecy meant that most of the kwami lost touch with the world they were meant to protect.” Marinette kept still as Adrien moved under her so he could sit up, keeping her on his lap all the while. “Besides, if another big threat comes up, we want experienced chosen.”
“Not to mention it makes everyone a little happier.”
Marinette smiled. “I think we all deserve a happy ending, don’t we?”
“True,” Adrien said, his arms wrapping around her waist. “But this is only just the beginning, isn’t it?”
She turned her head and looked behind her to give Adrien a kiss.
“You’re right about that, chaton. And I’m glad I get to have this beginning with you.”
#Miraculous Ladybug#Adrien Agreste#Marinette Dupain-Cheng#Adrienette#LadynoirJuly2020#Emilie Agreste#The Gorilla#ml fanfiction#my writing#Two For Two
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My Truth or Yours?
CH1 | CH2 | CH3 | CH4
Ravenpaw watched through narrowed eyes as the deputy began sniffing around the base of a tree, visibly nervous as the trail led closer and closer to the Shadowclan border.
After a few fruitless minutes, Redtail stepped back and started to scan the branches for the wayward apprentice.
“Ravenpaw, I know you’re nearby. I told you to go upstream, but not this far! You’ve gotten too close to the border, it’s almost sunhigh now, consider your assessment over so we can go back and find Dustpaw and the catches you two made.”
Not caring for how much noise he made, Ravenpaw began circling Redtail from above, showering leaves down onto him, as scared as Ravenpaw was, he forced himself to channel all the confidence he could from what Tigerclaw taught him.
“Or, we could stay here. Have a quick little chat? I’m sure it won’t take long” Ravenpaw called down.
Redtail’s head whipped back and forth, trying to pinpoint where the apprentice was. “Ravenpaw, that’s an order! Get down this instant and maybe I won’t tell Bluestar or Tigerclaw about your behavior.”
“Shouldn’t you be more worried about me telling Bluestar about your behavior?”
“...What in Starclan’s name are you talking about?”
Ravenpaw hopped down from the tree directly behind Redtail. “Oh I don’t know, your midnight wanders? Lying about fox and badger scents? How about the fact that every time I see you, you smell of pines and marshes?”
Redtail turned around quickly, looking angry. “I don’t know. What. You’re. Talking about. But this ends now Ravenpaw. I’ll have you cleaning the elder’s den for three moons for this stunt you’ve pulled!”
“Or Bluestar might just exile you for the stunts you’ve been pulling, ever think about that?” Ravenpaw mewed, twitching his whiskers.
Redtail looked like he was about to crack, his hackles raised higher than Ravenpaw had ever seen them. Good, that meant he still had the upper paw, he just had to keep needling the deputy until he confessed.
“Here’s what I know,” Ravenpaw said as he stretched leisurely.
“You’ve been leaving camp at night, your scent is more like a fern’s than a cat’s, clearly trying to cover up the stench of the marshes you’ve been padding through. You’re awfully close to the new Shadowclan deputy, have been since just after Dustpaw and I were apprenticed. And suddenly Raggedstar is dead, but when Shadowclan blamed Windclan, you were the one who looked defensive.”
“I don’t know what you think you know, Ravenpaw, but I promise it’s not whatever conspiracy you’ve convinced yourself of.” Redtail growled.
“Do you really think I’m the only one who’s noticed?” Ravenpaw shot back. “I’ve heard the whispers around camp, but no one actually wants to talk about it because you’re the deputy. But I’m not afraid of you, I know the truth!”
“And what truth is it that you think you know?”
“You’ve been helping Brokenstar reach leadership, and you have betrayed Thunderclan in doing so.”
Redtail took a step back, “You have no proof, Ravenpaw! Only a few coincidences that lined up, no one would believe you if you told them about this... this ludicrous idea of yours!”
“I used to think it was a coincidence, but now I have proof. Remember two moons ago when you were bringing Shadowclan rabbits caught on our territory?”
“That never happened.”
“The last rabbit you caught was one that I tracked from Snakerocks. I was a fox-lengths away from catching it until you showed up.”
Redtail stood stock-still, clearly he remembered something about that day.
“I knew I scented another cat nearby, I assumed it was just the border patrol from earlier.” Redtail murmured.
“And now you know, you know that I know. Now you have a choice to make.”
Redtail’s head shot up, eyes wide. “What do you mean, a choice? Ravenpaw, what are you expecting to happen now?”
Ravenpaw gestured to the Shadowclan border not far behind them. “Either you leave now, and Dustpaw and I eventually return to camp not knowing why you never came back. Or I’ll make you leave.”
“Ravenpaw, I’ve been to your training sessions, you can’t make me do anything. You’re-”
Ravenpaw cut off the deputy with a snarl, swiping with unsheathed claws a whisker's length from Redtail’s nose.
“I. Said. LEAVE!” Ravenpaw growled.
Redtail was frozen in his paws, having never seen the timid apprentice this angry, unfortunately he didn’t move fast enough to avoid the seething black tom.
Ravenpaw was shaking on the inside, really what was he thinking, challenging Redtail like this? But there was no going back now. He let out a yowl, crashing into Redtail at full speed, knocking him down. If Redtail didn’t want to leave peacefully, Ravenpaw would prove just how loyal he was to his clan, ready to defend it with teeth and claws.
Ravenpaw would save his clan from the rotting traitor within.
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Tigerclaw followed Bluestar out of camp, Longtail and Runningwind taking up the rear. He twitched his whiskers in amusement as he remembered the new warrior’s reaction to being asked to go on patrol with their leader.
Longtail had only been made a warrior a few days ago, it was no wonder the young tom was excited to be chosen by Bluestar herself for an important mission. Longtail had even woken up early to groom his pelt to perfection as if he was expecting to be made deputy that morning. Tigerclaw may or may not have purposely kicked up dust in the clearing as he padded past the pale warrior.
Tigerclaw blamed it on being tired as he made his way to the dirtplace, but really he just wanted to irritate the new warrior.
It's not as if he wasn’t going to get dirty anyway that morning, Longtail would have to learn to live with a little dust on his pelt every now and then.
As they approached the rocks, Tigerclaw started twitching his ears around, searching for any sounds that might indicate an adder nearby.
“Runningwind, I want you and Longtail to keep your ears and eyes open for snakes coming out of the holes while Tigerclaw and I work to move the rocks back into position, understood?”
“Yes Bluestar, we’ll be ready.” Runningwind dipped his head and bounded up one of the boulders to keep lookout.
Longtail started when he saw Bluestar and Tigerclaw still watching him, and he rushed to Runningwind’s side who looked like he was trying not to laugh at the younger warrior.
Bluestar huffed and shook her head, beckoning Tigerclaw to follow with her tail as they set to work.
The sun creeped steadily into the sky as the pair meticulously checked each and every hole, eventually they split up, instead partnering with one of the lookout’s to speed up their progress.
Longtail went with Tigerclaw, scanning carefully from his perch above the senior warrior to point out any holes that he might miss, Tigerclaw wasn’t eager to be paired with Longtail, though it turned out that the tabby was surprisingly efficient, they’d be done in time to meet Redtail and the apprentices at camp, or at the Owl Tree if they were lucky.
Tigerclaw grunted as he pushed a larger rock over a hole, looked like some other animal tried to get inside. He leaned in closer to try and catch a scent, could be a fox cub looking for a new den, that was the last thing Thunderclan needed right before Leafbare.
Something caught his eye when just as he was about to pull his head away, a tuft of ginger fur caught at the edges of the hole, not visible unless a cat had stuck their head inside the opening like Tigerclaw had.
He barely had to sniff it to identify the scent, Tigerclaw growled to himself as he stuffed the piece of fur out of site and shoved the rock back over the hole harshly.
Longtail noticed the aggression and quickly hopped over to Tigerclaw, “Everything alright? Was there an adder?”
“No, just thought I caught a scent of a fox, it's stale though, could barely tell it was there.” Tigerclaw said shortly.
“Oh, alright. We should probably catch back up to Bluestar and Runningwind, they just finished up on their end.”
As the pair headed back, Tigerclaw swore he heard a yowl coming from the Shadowclan border, Brokenstar was probably picking another fight with Windclan. Longtail’s head shot up, whiskers twitching, Tigerclaw just ushered him along, Shadowclan wasn’t their problem to deal with at the moment.
Tigerclaw was more concerned by the fact that he found Redtail’s fur inside an adder-hole, as stale as the scent was. Looks like their deputy already got what he needed from Snakerocks moons ago, Tigerclaw’s efforts had proven pointless.
________________________________________________________________
Dustpaw snarled as the vole he was chasing darted away under the root of a tree, his muscles ached from the training the night before to prepare for his assessment. They ached so bad he barely got any sleep.
Spottedleaf told him that they were just growing pains, and if he really couldn’t sleep then he could wake her up to ask for a poppy seed or two. He regretted not doing so the other night, he had wanted to stay up and talk to Ravenpaw about his training with Tigerclaw. To be honest, he was worried that Tigerclaw was training his brother a little too hard, especially since they were so late getting back to camp after he and Redtail finished.
Of course, any and all sympathy he held for his brother had blown away like leaves in the wind since that morning. Ravenpaw shoved him out of his nest and made him that morning’s spectacle, and he was the one who got a talking to? In front of everyone?
Yeah, okay, he should have been awake on time for their assessment, but did Ravenpaw really have to wake him up like that?
Dustpaw watched idly as a bird flew overhead, he should probably try and catch it. It was almost sunhigh and all he had managed to catch was a small squirrel and a wood mouse. Not nearly enough to pass his assessment, but he was really past the point of caring now. Ravenpaw probably caught all the prey in the forest and would be waiting smugly by the Owl Tree-
No, no he wouldn’t be. Dustpaw chided himself, his brother was the most humble cat he knew, smart too. Probably caught five pieces so that he wouldn’t risk overhunting the area, Ravenpaw always did ask their mentors if they should be hunting in the same place as most of their hunting patrols, Ravenpaw was always thinking about stuff like that.
Dustpaw dug up his meager catches and headed back to the Owl Tree, ready to face Redtail’s disappointment, he probably already saw all of his failed attempts, a frown on his face while he congratulated Ravenpaw on his catches...
Any other apprentice would be dreading this moment if they were in his paws, but Dustpaw had more reason to be worried, he was the deputy’s apprentice for Starclan’s sake! He had far more to prove than Sandpaw did, Ravenpaw maybe, but Dustpaw knew just how hard it was to please Tigerclaw with just about anything. They were probably evenly matched there.
As Dustpaw reburied his prey, he wondered if Bluestar would consider switching his and Ravenpaw’s mentors. Redtail would have an easier time training Ravenpaw, as skittish as he was, and Tigerclaw focused more on battle training than hunting it seemed. Battle training gave him the chance to stretch his muscles fully, a good battle training session helped him sleep better; his muscles still ached, but it somehow felt better than when he spent all day tensed up practicing his hunting crouches.
Suddenly, Dustpaw heard a yowl coming from further upstream, it sounded like Ravenpaw! And almost as if to answer his call, Dustpaw faintly heard Redtail’s battle cry as well.
Ravenpaw and Redtail must be in trouble! Abandoning his half buried prey, Dustpaw hared off upstream, ready for whatever was attacking his brother and mentor.
No matter how annoyed he was with his brother, he wouldn’t let anything happen to him, ever.
________________________________________________________________
“Ravenpaw, please! Just give me a chance to explain, you don’t understand!” Redtail pleaded, batting the apprentice away with sheathed claws.
“Nothing you can say can make up for the fact that you betrayed your clan!” Ravenpaw snarled, swiping at the deputy’s shoulder.
“I would never betray my clan, for anything! Ravenpaw you have to believe me, I’ll prove it! Just let me-”
Redtail was cut off by a screech coming from the skies themselves.
“Ravenpaw, walk over to me slowly and keep to the edge of the clearing.” Redtail said quietly.
“Trying to distract me now?” Ravenpaw growled.
“Didn’t you hear that? There could be a hawk circling us from above, it probably heard us fighting.”
“Hawk’s usually stick to Windclan territory, quit making excuses!”
“Ravenpaw, just do as I say! Hawks venture into our skies during leaf-fall and leafbare, it's not unheard of. I was almost killed by one as an apprentice.” Redtail said hurriedly.
This time Ravenpaw heard the screech of the hawk and caught a glimpse of it through the trees, for a moment he found himself stuck. What was he more afraid of, the deputy or the hawk?
When Ravenpaw didn’t move, Redtail did the only thing he could think to do, he tackled the apprentice and pushed him into the shadows by some tree roots, sitting on top of him to hide him from view.
Ravenpaw squawked in surprise and attempted to wriggle out from under the deputy, he managed to poke his head out just in time to see Dustpaw burst out of the ferns in front of them.
________________________________________________________________
Dustpaw barreled through the ferns and looked around, he could see Redtail pinning Ravenpaw to the ground but no signs of danger anywhere.
Well, the look on Ravenpaw’s face looked pretty dangerous, but not the kind of danger Dustpaw was thinking of.
“Dustpaw, move! There’s a-” Redtail was cut off by the screech of a bird above them, Dustpaw watched with wide eyes as a hawk swooped down, claws extended and barely grazing the top of the bush that partially covered his mentor and brother.
The hawk flew back up into the sky, screeching and circling again, diving before Dustpaw had time to hide himself.
But the hawk wasn’t aiming for him, it was going for Redtail and Ravenpaw. Dustpaw knew it was rare for a hawk to be able to carry away a full grown cat, but Redtail was pretty small, Dustpaw was already a few mouse lengths taller and Spottedleaf did tell him that he was only going to get bigger.
Even if it couldn’t carry Redtail, it could make away with Ravenpaw, he had barely grown at all since their apprentice ceremony, Ravenpaw always was the smallest one in the den and that hadn’t changed.
This time when the hawk dove down, Dustpaw threw himself on top of it, forcing the bird to the ground. He dug his back claws into the wings of the hawk, pinning it down so that he could make the kill bite to its neck.
The hawk thrashed and tried to shake the apprentice off, but Dustpaw held firm with his teeth and legs, waiting until it finally stopped moving.
Redtail silently climbed off of Ravenpaw and crept closer, prodding the bird in amazement.
“You... you killed it! Dustpaw, that’s... Incredible! You should have hid though, its a Starclan-given miracle that you managed to ground it at all.”
“You saved us, how did you even know we were here?” Ravenpaw rasped, still out of breath from when Redtail practically smothered him.
“I heard yowling, I knew that Ravenpaw was the only one who would be up here and when I heard you, Redtail, I figured you were in trouble. I thought Shadowclan had gotten you!”
“Well it’s a lucky thing for us that you heard, let's get this back to camp, the clan will eat well for the next two days!”
“Wait, do we even eat hawks?”
“And what about our other catches?”
Redtail flicked his tail over Dustpaw’s ear fondly, “We don’t usually eat hawks because they’re too difficult to catch, we usually only fight them off to keep the kits and apprentices safe. But it’s almost leafbare, this hawk could feed the whole clan tonight. I’ll send a patrol to collect your catches in the evening and we’ll store them for tomorrow.”
“And how about our assessment? Did we do well?” Dustpaw asked eagerly, keeping pace with his mentor as the three cats carried the hawk on their backs.
“Well, that depends on what the retrieval patrol finds. Did you both bury your catches by the Owl Tree?”
“Mine are under the holly bush, I caught a few birds and a squirrel.” Ravenpaw mewed.
“Mine should be nearby as well,” Dustpaw added, he decided not to mention what he caught, if Redtail didn’t know already then hopefully he’d be distracted by the hawk he managed to take down.
Redtail purred, “In that case, I’d give you both a pass. Hurry up now, Bluestar is bound to be impressed by your catch, Dustpaw!”
Ravenpaw trailed behind the duo when they reached camp, allowing Dustpaw to take most of the weight with Redtail, there wasn’t enough room in the tunnel for the three of them to go in together anyway.
He pondered Redtail’s words before the hawk had shown up, Ravenpaw almost believed him when he said he would never betray his clan, but at the same time it didn’t change what he saw, what he knew.
Redtail was also quick to use the hawk as an excuse for why they were so disheveled, spinning the tale to Bluestar and Tigerclaw that Redtail had caught Ravenpaw by surprise, having seen the hawk before the apprentice did. Bluestar was sympathetic, having been there herself when Redtail first came face to face with a hawk.
When asked about the light scratches on his flank, he deflected his sister’s concern, saying that Ravenpaw thought he was an enemy attacking him, easy to mistake with how close he got to the border. Redtail had an answer to everything, and all Ravenpaw could do was nod wordlessly and let the deputy explain it all away.
Numbly, he helped Sandpaw pick the feathers off the hawk to add to the nursery bedding, as well as to make it easier for the clan to eat. Dustpaw was sitting by the nettle patch with the warriors, boasting about his catch to anyone who would listen.
When Ravenpaw glanced up, he caught Redtail’s eye and he shivered. Redtail had been watching the apprentice with a narrowed gaze, as if waiting for him to do something.
It was the apprentice versus the deputy, at a stalemate. Ravenpaw held knowledge over Redtail, with the ability to spill the truth at any moment...
But Redtail was the clan deputy, and it would be all too easy to make an apprentice like him disappear. Ravenpaw didn’t have the upper paw anymore, Redtail knew that Ravenpaw was willing to tell the clan what he knew.
How long do I have, Ravenpaw wondered morbidly. Until Redtail makes a move against me?
The only thing that helped him sleep that night was knowing that even if he somehow disappeared, at least his mentor knew the truth as well, he never told Redtail that Tigerclaw was there that night.
Ravenpaw trusted Tigerclaw to do whatever was necessary to keep the clan safe.
_______________________________________________________________
Ta-da! Finished it a lot sooner than I thought I could, might take a bit of a break to power through some homework, but I’m pretty happy with this chapter! Ravenpaw is an idiot, and Dustpaw saved the day!
Sand and Dust being at the same level as Gray training wise always bugged me, and tbh I always had an HC that Ravenpaw was the closest to getting his full name, before Dust and Sand, he was paired with Fire and Gray because he was the furthest along and could help speed along their training.
I went with Occam’s Razor to explain why they’re at the level they are. Sandpaw got hurt so her training was set back, and poor Dustpaw was behind because he was going through a growth spurt (another HC I have is that Dustpelt is huge, like probably as big as Whitestorm but without the fluff by the time he was made a warrior). The simplest explanation tends to be the best for background details.
Also, that hawk was pretty convenient for Ravenpaw and Redtail, huh?
#warriors#Brindle writes#my truth or yours#redtail#tigerclaw#bluestar#longtail#runningwind#dustpaw#sandpaw#ravenpaw
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<< Allegiances || Chapter 13 || Chapter 14 || Chapter 15 || From the Beginning || Patreon >>
Chapter 14
Feathertail stretched her jaws wide in a yawn. She glanced up at the sky, which was beginning to brighten with dawn’s light. Stars still twinkled in the blacker parts, while the full moon was beginning to fade behind the trees. Now that the Gathering was over, Feathertail wanted nothing more than to curl up in her nest and sleep till sunhigh.
She followed her Clanmates across the Twoleg bridge and onto the trail towards camp, her pelt brushing with her brother’s. He always seemed eager and happy, no matter what. Feathertail suppressed another yawn, wondering if he was somehow sending his tiredness to her.
Feathertail let herself fall back a few paces. The sound of her chatting Clanmates was beginning to make her head pound. She watched them from the back of the patrol, saw their bright eyes and twitching whiskers, and wondered…
They’re so happy, she thought. Feathertail’s eye drew to the river, dark and moving slowly. Her reflection wavered on the surface, and Feathertail saw how tired she looked. Why aren’t I?
“Feathertail, can we talk?”
Feathertail lifted her head, finding that Tawnypelt had slowed her step to walk beside her. Blinking in surprise, Feathertail stammered, “Y-Yes, of course.”
Tawnypelt tilted her head and led the way into the reeds, off the trail that their Clanmates were taking. Feathertail followed, her pelt prickling in the chilly morning air. Had she done something wrong?
They headed upslope for a time, the dawn light sending pink and yellow claws through the sky above. As the sun broke over the far horizon, Tawnypelt stopped, sitting down among the reeds with her tail curled over her paws.
Feathertail sat beside her, recognizing this place. RiverClan’s territory was low, for the most part, with only a few large hills to speak of – this was one of them. Covered in long grass and heather, ringed by a fox-length of stone on one side, this was the tallest hill on RiverClan territory. It was nothing compared to the steep slopes of WindClan’s moor, but from here a cat could see nearly every part of RiverClan’s land – including the camp, which drew Feathertail’s eye.
The cluster of willows looked like any other part of the landscape up here – no cat could tell there was a whole camp there, with reed-woven dens and walls, not unless they already knew where to look. Feathertail could pick out the camp entrance from here, and she spotted Leopardstar leading her Clanmates through and into the shelter of the willows.
Feathertail glanced at Tawnypelt. The Clan deputy, her former mentor, was looking out at the camp, too, her amber eyes even. Frowning, Feathertail had to ask: “What is it you wanted?”
Tawnypelt turned her muzzle. “I heard you talking to Graystripe and Silverstream at the Gathering.”
Feathertail frowned. Oh… that. She knew that Tawnypelt would have no issue with her talking with her parents, especially at a Gathering, but if she’d overheard…
“Do you intend to go to ThunderClan?” Tawnypelt asked.
Feathertail looked down at her paws, guilt prickling her pelt. Graystripe often offered the prospect of her and Stormfur moving to ThunderClan to be with them, but tonight he had been a little more earnest about the proposal. Feathertail wasn’t surprised that Tawnypelt overheard.
“No,” she answered, meeting Tawnypelt’s eye. “RiverClan is my home.”
Tawnypelt’s eyes flashed. “Are you sure?” she pressed. “Lately you’ve been distant – you hardly join patrols; you almost always hunt or eat on your own… I might be the only one who overheard Graystripe’s offer, but I’m not alone in wondering if you might be happier elsewhere.”
Feathertail bristled indignantly. “I am loyal to RiverClan!” she insisted. Who is saying otherwise? She looked at the camp, imagining the cats stirring within. What gave them the right to gossip and judge her behind her back?
“Sheathe your claws, Feathertail,” Tawnypelt meowed, her whiskers twitching. “All I’m saying is that I think many cats would understand if you left. I would understand. After what happened with Bluestar…”
Feathertail’s shoulders fell. It didn’t take much for her mind to turn back time to Bluestar and LionClan. RiverClan territory had been so strange, then; painted with blood and stinking of crow-food, a hill of bones towering above every cat. Feathertail’s stomach churned.
“You stayed, despite that,” she pointed out.
Tawnypelt nodded. “I did,” she sighed. “But it was hard, and I wasn’t young, with parents in another Clan asking me to come and live with them every other moon.” The deputy’s gaze was sympathetic. “Had Tigerstar stayed in Goldenflower’s life, Brambleclaw and I might have thought differently – but they weren’t mates when we were born. RiverClan was all I had ever known.
“You and Stormfur, on the other paw… you grew up with Graystripe telling you stories of ThunderClan, while RiverClan warriors watched.” Tawnypelt looked out over RiverClan territory. “It’s no secret that so many of the older warriors doubt your loyalties – don’t look at me like that, I’m most certainly not one of them!”
Tawnypelt sighed, her tail-tip flicking. “You hardly interact with your Clanmates, other than Stormfur or Mothpaw. You do your job, Feathertail, but I can see that your heart is troubled. Please… I only want you to be happy. If that happiness lies in ThunderClan…”
Feathertail looked down at her paws. “I belong to RiverClan,” she meowed. “I know I do, I just… it’s hard, having family in another Clan. But Stormfur is here, and wouldn’t leave him; not for anything.”
“You don’t have to tie your life to Stormfur’s, you know,” Tawnypelt pointed out. “You two are warriors now, not kits in the nursery. You can walk your own paths.”
Feathertail bristled. “Would you have left Brambleclaw?!”
“No,” Tawnypelt reasoned, “but he wouldn’t have been upset with me for doing what makes me happy – I don’t think Stormfur would be, either.”
“I am happy!” Feathertail insisted, growing hot under her pelt.
Tawnypelt blinked, her gaze soft. Feathertail wondered why she was studying her so – doesn’t she believe me?
“All right,” Tawnypelt decided, getting to her paws. “When you want to talk, know that I am here.” She flicked her tail. “Come on; let’s get home.”
Feathertail swallowed. She doesn’t believe me, she decided. She pushed herself to her paws and followed Tawnypelt down the slope and through the reeds. RiverClan is my home! she thought, flinching back as a reed snapped up into her face. I belong here!
I belong here!
———————————————————-
“Where are we headed?” Feathertail wondered, her muscles burning.
Brook was waiting at the top of a steep trail, her tail dangling almost as if it were a lifeline for Feathertail. Gray, Sheer, Sun and Boulder had already made it to the top. Sun was looking over the side, her eyes wide. Boulder’s gaze was trained on the sky, while Gray and Sheer were talking quietly.
Conscious of Sun’s gaze, Feathertail put all her strength into climbing the trail. Stones clattered down behind her paws as she scrambled to the top in leaps and bounds, finally reaching Brook’s tail in a shower of dust that made Gray sneeze.
Brook’s whiskers twitched in amusement. Feathertail shook the dust from her mud-clumped pelt – something she was never going to get used to – and sat on her haunches to give her stinging pads a lick.
“We’re going up,” Brook meowed, nodding up the path.
Feathertail frowned, following her gaze. The trail they were on was steeper than any other Feathertail had used with the Tribe so far, and it looked as if it were zig-zagging its way up to the waterfall that cascaded over the Path of Rushing Water.
“It’s called Eagle Rock,” Sun chimed in, ears pricked excitedly. “Guess why!”
Feathertail frowned. “Because eagles live there?”
Sun nodded. Brook went on, “Most of the eagles in the mountains roost there, yes; but it is also the source of the waterfall’s water.”
Feathertail frowned. “But isn’t it dangerous to go where the eagles nest?”
“They don’t live there during frozen-water,” Sheer explained, stretching. “They come there in freed-water, to build their nests and make chicks. Some will be there now, I’m sure; but with clear skies they’ll be busy hunting for themselves.”
“Come.” Boulder’s mew was curt.
The massive cave-guard led the way up the next leg of the steep path. Feathertail followed, determined to keep up despite the soreness from her travels. This will just make me stronger for the path ahead, she told herself. I’ll be able to lead the Clans through any terrain!
She slipped on a pebble, skidding back a pace. Her paw throbbed, and Feathertail sighed. She looked up at the Tribe cats that were walking so effortlessly over the stony earth. Great StarClan, are they made of stone?
Brook padded up to her side, nudging her forward. “I’ll walk with you,” she promised.
“Me, too!” Sun purred. “This path is still hard for me, sometimes.”
Feathertail felt a prickle of gratitude for the two Tribe cats. Ushered on by their presence, she kept going. It will be hard to say good-bye, she thought. At least to Brook and Sun…
Her thoughts turned to the conversation the night before. The Tribe cats acted oddly, sure, but perhaps that was just because they were so isolated up here? Maybe they were like Purdy, trying to cling to strangers like friends? They haven’t been outwardly mean, she thought, pressing on. They probably don’t get many visitors up here. Their ways are just different…
Right?
The trip was long and arduous, and by the time they reached the top, Feathertail was beyond exhausted. Still, she recognized this spot, up here at the top of the waterfall. Her stomach churned – though the water had gone down, this narrow path was where she and the others had been swept away by the flood and driven down to the pool below.
Brook must have seen her hesitation. “You and your Clanmates went the wrong way,” she explained, sympathy in her voice. “The trail you were supposed to follow was far gentler.”
“I wish we’d known,” Feathertail sighed, looking ahead. The tree that had caused the surge of water was nothing more than a charred stump at the far end of the path. The rest of it had been carried down the waterfall with the Clan cats. The Tribe cats had taken in what debris they could carry for the elders to carve stories onto. “The rain was so bad; we couldn’t see where else to go.”
“I’m sure Brook will show you,” Gray purred, glancing back at the small brown tabby with twitching whiskers. “You’re like her… what did you call them? Apprentices? You’ve been like her apprentice since you arrived.”
“Gray!” Brook spat, bristling.
“It’s true,” Sheer purred, tail winding over her back. “You’ve not hunted without her since she got here!”
Feathertail’s pelt burned, but she imagined that Brook’s was on fire. The small brown she-cat looked very upset, with her tail standing straight up and bristled to the ends of its fur.
“Quiet, all of you,” rumbled Boulder. The big tom sighed and gestured with his tail. “Let’s keep moving.”
Brook didn’t meet Feathertail’s gaze as the patrol moved on, following the narrow path beside the water. Feathertail swallowed, forcing herself to focus on not falling into the rushing water just a tail-length away instead of how Gray and Sheer had poked at their Tribemate.
They walked through the valley that Feathertail recognized, heading for another trail that ramped upward on the other side. Gray was the one to point out the far smoother track that pointed towards the sunrise, where the Clan cats would have continued had the storm not caught them off guard. Feathertail swallowed, feeling like a kit for not noticing such an obvious path, even in the rain. What kind of RiverClan cat are you?
Boulder and Sheer led the way up the next trail, walled by stone and water. There was little to look at but the occasional clinging scrub or withered, dying tree. The stone was cold here, and Feathertail wondered if the sun ever reached this place.
Finally, they broke through, and Feathertail was stunned by the sunlight. It was another open expanse ringed by stone, but here there were trees aplenty, and even grass. Feathertail was stunned as the patrol padded onto the far softer earth that ringed a great pool of water, fed by uncountable other waterfalls at the far end of the trail.
“Wow,” Feathertail breathed. The air here smelled of growing things and grass, not stone or water. It was so different. “This is beautiful…”
“Many herbs grow here,” pointed out Sheer. Her tail flicked to the trees – they were spindlier than trees elsewhere, but they were growing far stronger and were still clinging to their leaves, unlike most trees in the mountains. “And the eagles nest high in these trees during freed-water.”
“We take their chicks, sometimes,” Gray purred, licking his lips. “They’re quite tasty!”
Feathertail was still stunned by the sudden color. She couldn’t help but pad up to the shore of the water and look down into its depths. Looking past her mud-covered pelt, she was shocked to discover a bunch of dark shapes flitting back and forth beneath the surface.
“Fish!” she purred, looking back at the patrol. “There are fish here!”
Brook’s eyes lit up. “I know!” she purred back. “That’s why I thought hunting here might be good – you mentioned your Clan could fish. I wondered if you might teach us how.”
“Of course!” Feathertail was breathless. She looked back at the water, paws tingling eagerly.
“Really?” Gray seemed shocked. “That’d be very helpful. Only Cold has ever spoken of fishing, and her memory has grown unreliable in her age.”
“I still like her stories, though!” Sun chimed in. The young cat slid up to Feathertail’s side, crouching beside the water. “So, what do we do, Feathertail? Just push our heads in?”
Feathertail’s fur fluffed. “Oh, StarClan no!” she insisted. She pushed Sun back from the edge of the pool. “Firstly, you don’t just lean over the water like that, not unless you want the fish to go right for the center. You’ll never get them then!”
Sun obeyed, scrambling back from the water’s edge. Feathertail positioned herself properly, judging how her shadow might fall with the sun in its current position. It was very easy to do, but Feathertail sensed that without the ground cover of the forest – where the reeds and bushes would cast their own shadows to better hide a cat’s – it might be more difficult to fish here.
If the Tribe doesn’t fish, though… Feathertail was certain these fish might not know to be spooked by a cat’s shadow. Better safe than sorry.
Brook sat beside her, copying her position. Gray, however, announced that he would go looking for land prey while they were busy – he didn’t want to crowd the waters. Boulder and Sheer took up positions on smooth stones, where they could watch for the eagles which gave this part of their territory its name.
The Tribe cats needed little instruction in how to be patient. Feathertail wasn’t surprised, not after seeing them hunt; patience was paramount to keeping the Tribe fed, it seemed. Even Sun could sit still, despite her youth.
Feathertail demonstrated how to hook a fish with her claws, and was shocked at the size of trout she’d managed to catch. She killed it with a quick blow of her paw, and took a moment to examine it. It was much bigger here than in the forest, likely because of how untouched the fish were.
Brook soon had her own fish hooked, and Sun leaped to kill it. Sun’s catch was lost due to clumsy paws, but Feathertail assured her that it happened even to RiverClan cats – sometimes fish were just slippery.
As the sun arced overhead, Sun finally managed to catch her own fish. Feathertail caught another, and then helped Brook catch her second, too. Finally, Feathertail looked down at their pile of fish and declared that they needed to stop.
“The fish will all be hiding now,” she meowed. “We might have gotten a little overzealous!”
Brook licked her lips. “This will feed the Tribe for sure,” she purred. Her eyes shone as she looked at Feathertail. “Thank you!”
“That was fun!” Sun agreed, shaking out her paws.
Gray returned then, a rabbit in his jaws. His brow perked at their catch. “Better luck than I had,” he admitted. “Boulder, Sheer, do you see all this food?”
Boulder nodded, his tail-tip flicking. “We will eat well tonight.”
“I can’t wait,” purred Sheer, eyes shining. “Good job, Feathertail!”
Feathertail nodded to Brook and Sun. “It wasn’t just me,” she admitted, feeling bashful. She nudged Brook playfully. “With a name like ‘Brook Where Small Fish Swim,’ I’m not surprised!”
Brook flattened her ears, looking embarrassed. She nodded to the series of streams that ran away from the massive pool of water. “My father named me for this part of our territory, actually, when my littermate and I were born,” she admitted.
“Oh, really?” Feathertail pricked her ears with interest. Boulder, Sheer, and Gray were beginning to gather up their catch, while Sun took over keeping watch for eagles. “Well, it’s a great name. You have a littermate?”
Brook nodded, her eyes flashing down to her paws. “They’re gone,” she said quietly.
Feathertail swallowed. “I’m sorry,” she offered.
“It’s all right,” Brook meowed, shrugging it off. She lifted her muzzle, her eyes glittering. “They walk their own path now. Our ancestors keep them.”
Feathertail could see that she wanted to change the subject, and understood. She would find it hard to talk about Stormfur, too, if he died. She looked at Sun, who was padding over to the cave-guards, and wondered, “So… if Sun is training to-be a cave-guard, why does she hunt with prey-hunters?”
Brook seemed to welcome the change in topic. Taking a breath, she explained, “A to-be can always change their mind – and cave-guards hunt, too, though not as often. To-bes will make use of all the skills they’ve learned as a softpaw, like how your apprentices do – but Sun is ultimately to-be a cave-guard.”
Feathertail frowned. “I wish the Clans had more choices for our roles.”
Brook shrugged. “Things work well this way,” she meowed. “I run swiftly, and I’m small, so I can easily get into cracks where prey likes to hide – I make a good prey-hunter. Boulder is big, with thick fur and large paws; he can easily fend off a hawk or eagle. It works for us.”
“But what if Boulder wants to hunt instead?” Feathertail wondered. “Or what if Sun doesn’t grow thick fur or large paws? Will she have to be a prey-hunter?”
“If that’s what happens, then perhaps so,” Brook meowed in reply. “That’s the way things are, for us; we do what we are made best for.” She shrugged. “Why change it?”
Boulder and Sheer were leading the way out of the grassy valley. Feathertail didn’t want to go, yet, and she didn’t like Brook’s answer. If I lived here, I’d probably be a cave-guard, then, she thought. But she didn’t like the idea of staring at the sky, looking for hawks all day, nor could she think of only hunting. Would I have to fight to be what I wanted to be?
“What about Stoneteller?” she wondered, catching up to Brook at the back of the patrol. “What was he before he became Stoneteller?”
“He was always meant to be Stoneteller,” Brook answered, looking somewhat confused. “The Stoneteller that came before picked him as a kit, for his strong connection to our ancestors – just as this Stoneteller picked Snow.”
Feathertail felt her pelt prickling with mist as they headed through the cold stone tunnel. “He didn’t want to be anything else?”
“Why would he? Becoming Stoneteller is the highest honor a Tribe cat can have!” Brook looked surprised, her eyes glowing in the dim light. “He received nine lives and can commune with our ancestors and heal our Clanmates – what is more fulfilling than that?”
“I-I don’t know,” Feathertail admitted, “but what if he was scared? What if he wanted to be a prey-hunter, or something? Can he even have a family as Stoneteller?”
Brook’s whiskers twitched. “Of course not,” she answered patiently. “Stonetellers do not mate or have kits, nor are they allowed to appoint blood kin as their successors. It keeps things fair.”
Feathertail’s pelt flashed, and she thought of Mothwing. It doesn’t seem fair to me. She was aware of Sheer glancing back at them, eyes flickering curiously. Feathertail swallowed, deciding to lay off of those questions for now, in case she offended Brook and the other Tribe cats. I’m just a stranger; I shouldn’t be questioning their way of life like this. It’s just so different; but there’s a lot that we share.
Brook seemed to sense that she wanted to change the subject, too. “You mentioned while we were fishing that two cats fishing together is good,” she mewed. “Was there someone you fished with in RiverClan?”
“Stormfur, mostly,” Feathertail answered. Mothwing, too. “Or myself. It works just fine on your own.”
Brook looked curious, but her gaze was focused forward. “You have no mate that you would fish with?”
Feathertail swallowed, taken aback by the question for the moment. Brook wasn’t looking her way, and the other Tribe cats weren’t listening, it seemed. Feathertail coughed and answered, “N-No, no mate; though… there was a cat I was interested in.”
“Oh?”
Looking at the stone walls, pretending to find them interesting, Feathertail assured, “She wasn’t as interested in me as I was her.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Brook murmured. Feathertail felt their pelts brush together. “That must have been hard.”
“Well…” Feathertail swallowed again, facing forward. “She… She made her choice. She’s on her own path, now, and it makes her happy.”
“Then that is what matters, isn’t it?” Brook wondered. “That she is happy, and you are happy for her?”
Feathertail glanced down at the small she-cat. The little tabby looked so earnest, ignorant of Feathertail’s turbulent heart and how Mothwing’s rejection had sent her into such upheaval.
I am happy for Mothwing, really, Feathertail reflected. She was a good warrior, but… She recalled Mothwing’s face when the moth’s wing sign was discovered. That light in her eyes… Being a medicine cat is where she belongs.
“Yes,” Feathertail agreed, a warm feeling creeping into her. “Yes… that’s what matters most.”
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Now That I See You
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ao3
Summary: Marinette has noticed the intimate details of her partner. The moonlight only helped them bring them together.Her heart betrayed her mind.
Song: I See The Light – Tangled (The Movie)
Marinette sat quietly as she watched her partner animatedly talk about some interesting thing that happened to him in his civilian form. His eyes were wide and accompanied his bright smile. Even his laugh was carefree. It was enjoyable, calming, and just so refreshing. Battles rarely led to these moments, but when she was able to spend time with him during their patrols, or just like this when he visited her as her civilian self, she failed to remember a time where she didn’t relish in his presence.
She took in his form, memorizing every detail that she can see in the darkness of the evening. She was thankful that the full moon shone brightly tonight, highlighting every bit of curvature, crevice, and chisel that his skin tight suit gave off. She gripped the railing tightly, hoping to calm down the flutters that seemed to grow in her belly.
Over the last two years, Chat Noir had matured, both physically and emotionally. His never-ending growth spurts had grown him tall enough to tower her by a head and a half. His shoulders now broad with muscles so toned that the suit just caressed them in the right areas. He changed the look of his hair, the messy mused mop that she had grown to love was now a modern look of a beautiful fade into a teased, well gelled sweep that just accentuated his chiseled jawline and bright green eyes that she swore only grew brighter as he aged. And his voice. His timid voice had deepened, only adding to the package that is now the postpubescent Chat.
Now it was her heart that decided to betray her.
Chat had also grown to understand that his consistent flirting went nowhere. He became more interested in ensuring her protection and safety over the silly flirting and ill-timed cat puns, and the care that he put into the civilians only brought out his sensitive side. This was a side that Marinette knew he had buried deep inside his fun and flirtatious exterior and she was glad to witness this in both parts of her life. His compassion, his love, his fears, his sorrows, his pain – the world of Chat was much smaller than he had made it out to be during the first year of their partnership and she wanted to understand and soothe and hold him during the trivial parts of his life that he has tried so hard to keep hidden.
But all the silent communication over the years has only strengthen her understanding of his body language. She spent many a night with tears in her eyes wishing she could miraculous ladybug his pain and suffering and bring him back to the happy carefree man that she sees in front of her right now. It was too much for her to keep to herself sometimes (her kwami has learned to let her vent out her frustrations into her pillow and leave her be), but she would always take the moment to listen to him whenever he needed her the most – as Ladybug or as Marinette – and she would give him the world if she could.
Sighing, she looked forward past her balcony and breathed in the coolness of the night, watching the blinking lights that dotted the Parisian skyline. The soothing voice beside her was now a satiated hum, but the sweet sound of her nickname pulled her out of her revere.
“Princess?”
Her heart continued to betray her.
She turned back to Chat noticing the 1000-kilowatt smile that she cherished oh so much. His elbow leaned against the railing as his body turned slightly towards her. His eyes, pure and full of dreams, looked lovingly at her as he reached his clawed hand towards her face to brush a stray strand of hair that had moved from the wind. Without thinking, she reached up to grasp the hand, placing it against her cheek as she nuzzled against it, her eyes shuttering closed as she felt the warmth radiating through the gloves.
When she peered through her lashes, the continued admiration that pierced her soul watched her carefully. There was an additional hue to his cheeks that was barely visible in the moonlight, but she was so close she could see it. He had taken one step forward, never removing his hand from her cheek, and carefully placed his free hand on the small of her back and guided her body towards him.
A blush appeared on Marinette’s cheeks; a feeling of warmth radiated to her toes. She looked down, a little bashful over their closeness. They were merely centimeters apart, awaiting with bated breath, a little unsure if the unspoken feeling between them should be addressed.
Chat slid his hand from her cheek to her chin, lifting it ever so slightly so he could see her sapphire eyes. The moonlight seemed to have deepened their hue, making it completely impossible to look away. He wanted a confirmation, something that told him no, but she stood there gazing into his own peridot orbs silently urging him on.
Eyes shuttering close, warm clouds of air tantalizing their faces before he leaned down and softly placed his lips on hers, mouths moving in unison as if it was something they so often did. It was familiar, it was sweet, it was warm. It felt like home.
It felt right.
There was no fear, no hesitation, no looking back as they moved forward into uncharted territory. Her hands reached up to touch the little patch of skin that peaked through his collar as he moved to wrap his arms around her waist, placing them closer together and deepening the kiss.
When all the air escaped their lungs, they reluctantly separated to allow them to fill back up. Still holding her close, he leaned his forehead against hers, swallowing a lump that formed in his throat. She nuzzled her nose against his and placed a soft kiss to his lips, encouraging another round of sweet, sensual kisses.
She memorized the taste of cinnamon and the faint lingering smell of Camembert mixed with a musky cologne that tantalized her senses; the way his lips felt against her own, both soft and welcoming as his lips consumed her.
Pulling back again, he couldn’t hold his tongue, the words spilling from his freshly kissed lips like a song. “I- I love you, Marinette.”
She felt like she was dreaming. Her heart warmed at the confession and a sudden urge to give him the world flooded her being and she couldn’t control herself. Plunging back into his lips, the passionate kisses deepened as he moaned into her mouth, eliciting more passionate kisses until the dizziness of the movements overtook them. The man in front of her poured his heart to her in so little words that she smiled against his lips, kisses in between, and she spilled out her own confession.
“I love you too, mon chaton.”
#marichat#love confessions#miraculous ladybug fanfiction#miraculous ladybug#ml fanfic#ml fanfiction#marinette x chat noir#chat noir#marinette dupain cheng
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