#(aAND ALSO I'M PHYSICALLY RECOVERING FROM BURNOUT FOR MY PROFESSIONAL WRITING JOB) but hey

[mraculous]

*slams eighth shot of whiskey* okay listen i gotta get this out before more episodes come out, invalidating it all, but can we TALK about the adjusted dynamics of the lovesquare, stick to the end for me losing my mind about ladrien

I never read the bible so no spoilers there, but spoilers for the tfou apocalypse up through elation/exaltation

Ladynoir. The classic. The OG.

We're in a unique position with them because, Ladynoir has historically had 2 distinct dynamics: 1 when Ladybug thought Chat Noir was just flirting and he thought he had a chance, and one when she knew he loved her, and he knew she didn't.

When she was oblivious, it was flirt central! it was cute! light! fun! In the second, it was sad (we the audience knew that lb DID in fact love cn back, just, behind the mask. yakno, the classic, the og) and somewhat frustrating bc we wanted CN to chill tf out, which, eventually, he did, all the while still loving his lady

Now? NOW???? Y'all it's BOTH

Chat Noir doesn't KNOW (yet) that Ladybug is in love with him. He just thinks she's flirting, or testing him.

But Ladybug DOES know. She KNOWS he doesn't love her. When CN was in this phase, flirting to an oblivious LB, he still had hope that she would love him or at least he lived for the moments she flirted back, but NOW?? Ladybug knows!!! She knows exquisitely that CN does not love Ladybug anymore. (even though we AND LB know that he does love her, just behind the mask)

It's just such a beautiful reversal chefs kiss mwah

I basically just keep thinking of that sad look CN gave her when Glaciator was screaming about how CN should love LB, and that little comforting pet she gave him. Tears.

the other sides under the cut

Adrienette. Our cute blushing oblivious babies.

Tbh team? I'm not sure where this one will go! Don't have a lot to say about it that the show hasn't already. Adrien fell for Marinette hook line and sinker, we all saw it coming we're all just happy to be here. Marinette is afraid to love him and "no alya he's just a friend" I'm just thrilled to see where this goes

(especially now that Adrien has kissed Marinette???? AND that he knows she doesn't love him anymore??? I Am All In)

(but also we the viewers have just a little drop of sadness/frustration too in this because, like, We Know!!! we've been here the whole time!! You DUMMIES YOU LOVE EACH OTHER and this is RIDICULOUS and UNNECESSARILY TRAGIC just LKAJSD;FLKJ anyway)

Marichat. Okayokayokayokayokayokayokayokay

In Ye Olden Dayes, Marichat was the sin ship. But even before that, it was always the side of the square where there was no performance, no pretension, just two people who were friends (but didn't know how good) hanging out with lots of chemistry but no blushing.

But now WWHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO BOOI I mean the fact that marichat was the first side to consensually, of sound mind, and in the canon timeline, kiSS is bonkers to me, congrats to taylordraws for predicting the future I guess

But! Now!!!! They love each other!! If they're ever around each other again it's going to be a bluSHING NIGHTMARE especially since them being together caused Marinette to almost get akumatized, and that they both understand it can't work, there'S THAT HINT OF SADNESS r u sensing a theme

But okay, that thing I just said 20 words ago, them being a blushing nightmare, it's because this is the side that's in love with each other. Marinette < - > Chat Noir it's a two way door okay and that's what ladrien used to be and what ladrien was based on. But now we have the ladrien dynamic + sads + MORE KNOWLEDGE + EVEN MORE DRAMATIC IRONY and frankly I'm alive

Ladrien. *smashes whiskey glass on floor and screams*

FOLKS. WHEN I TELL YOU. I AM FROTHING AT THE MOUTH FOR LADRIEN CONTENT NOW MORE THAN EVER let me tell u why

I'm a longtime Ladrien stan. I just think they're neat. I just think they should kiss. A li'l smooch. The first fic I ever wrote for this fandom was a ladrien "almost kiss UST" one shot.

But now? NOW??

Ladrien is now the Marichat dynamic. Marichat and Ladrien have flipped. Before, Ladrien was the two way love street, and Marichat was the platonic "no pretenses" street. Now, Marichat has taken on Ladrien's vibe (with some extra Sadness TM), so what has Ladrien become?

You'd think, oh it's just marichat now, no pretenses, they know they don't love each other, easy, *kisses you on the mouth* NO.

Picture this. Ladrien bathroom balcony scene. Or Ladybug saves Adrien. Whatever. All the reasons the show has given us for our heroes/civilians to interact outside their partnerships. With Marichat, they're cursed by knowledge. They know they love the other, but that the other doesn't love them (or so they think). With Ladrien, there's no such curse.

For Adrien? He looks at Ladybug, the girl he used to love. Used to. Past tense. All those pictures on his phone, his silly date ideas, his puns and flirting, that's all in the past now. She made it clear she doesn't love him back, and besides, he loves someone else now. He'll always love her like a friend, of course, she's his best friend, but... anything else is too hard.

For Ladybug? She looks at Adrien. The boy she used to love. She probably still does a little bit but it's different now. How it used to be, all that flailing around, the ridiculous schemes, the presents, the obsession, that's done. He might think he loves her now, but, no, she loves someone else. Outside of the mask, she's still his friend, of course, but, how it was before? It was just too hard.

Basically: THE BIG SADS. These two are exes, they're forlorn lovers, they're each other's "one that got away." But without either of them truly knowing why, or how, or even with the benefit of a real "we were together, now we're apart." These two moved past their unrequited love for each other through sheer force of will and lack of communication and now... now what are they?

I for one am frOTHING AT THE MOUTH TO FIND OUT