#Chat Noir fell in love with Ladybug because she's clever and stands up for what's right

[chatonnoir]

hi i wanted to let you know i have been into miraculous literally since PV days but have strayed from the fandom since around season 2-3 when "salt" stuff started getting really popular. i was tired of seeing my favorites being mangled beyond recognition to fit some weird revenge fantasy, so i just stopped. recently though i missed the blorbos. its people like you who genuinely love the show and the characters that have made my more recent experiences incredibly lovely and fulfilling. thank u :]

Aw thank you honey :’) truly as someone who got a little in to ML in 2016 and enjoyed the cute fan content and saw how much fans praised it but didn't keep up with it, only to come back to it a couple of seasons later and see how insane the fandom had become over those few years .... it is truly exhausting and baffling to see what people do to the show now. Ig this is the danger of too much self-projection and a lack of critical thinking. Even people who claimed to be done with the show in season 4 continue to run blogs obsessed with """criticizing""" the show for the stupidest and most petty things possible on a daily basis, instead of just ... walking away from it if it doesn’t appeal to them anymore. It can really give you a headache.

But it all makes me think of that one quote from the end of Ratatouille (the movie which is indisputably Pixar Animation Studios' magnum opus): "the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so." ML as a show means so much to so many people of all age groups and backgrounds across the world. ML is far more meaningful and loved and contributes far more to the world than any random schmuck's salt post/fic/comic/video essay about it on the internet. ML is a sweet show! It's a cute and fun show! It's a kind show about emotions and relationships (platonic and romantic) and the power of love but isn’t designated as a Girls Show(TM), as shows with these themes often are, so boys are watching it too! And it shows us a male superhero being soft and sensitive and a hopeless romantic and in touch with his emotions without shame and a female superhero who loves him for it! Which is so important!

Similar kids cartoons when I was growing up, things like Danny Phantom, always had the romance as not an A or B or even a C plot but basically a Z plot. Literally on the back burner. An afterthought. Not something that was created out of passion and a belief that the characters would love each other and rather just thrown in because a main heterosexual relationship for the protagonist Has to be there, for some reason. Romantic moments would be limited to The Romance Episode(TM), wherein the "romantic development" is just like ... the characters accidentally held hands or kissed or something, and would often boil down to "this boy and girl are friends so OBVIOUSLY they have to like each other," without ever really showing me why they actually love each other. And don't get me started on allll the pieces of media with a forced heterosexual romance that is little more than "this male and female character have romantic and sexual tension because they're a male and female character." Or all the pieces of animated kids media where the main male character immediately likes the main female character because she's The Pretty One (As much as I love ATLA and k/ataang, even ATLA did this in the first episode). This all always felt so lacking to me as someone who was so enamored by love even as a kid.

Then comes along ML. Chat Noir didn't fall for Ladybug because he saw her and was taken with how she was Pretty. We know he thinks she's beautiful but he was completely unaffected by this fact when he first met her!!! It wasn't until he saw her stand up to evil that he fell for her! A male character falling for a female character not because Wow She Pretty but because of her bravery and cleverness and determination to stand up to evil and do good? That shouldn't be groundbreaking but it is!!! And it's beautiful!!! And Marinette didn't fall for Adrien because he was The Hot Guy or The Cool Hero or just because he's the male character and she's the female character so she just Has To. She fell for him when she saw his vulnerability and kindness!!! I would've LOVED to have grown up with a show like ML.

God the romance? I’ve never seen so much delicious Yearning in any other western kid’s cartoon. The door scene? Hoowee.... The way each of them so desperately wants the other to see both sides of them. The ending scene of Glaciator, when Ladybug is supposed to be “rejecting” Chat Noir and Chat Noir is supposed to be giving her a platonic cheek kiss, and yet it’s one of the sweetest and most utterly romantic scenes in the show. The sad undertone of Ladynoir, of being best friends but not being able to know a single thing about each other’s lives. The pure romance of the umbrella scene. The coup de foudre.

And it doesn't matter if the episode is romance-centric or not because ML has given us a male and female hero duo with so much genuine love and affection for each other that it's palpable in every episode from the very first season (especially if you’re watching in French lmao). Just... the sweet way they talk to each other, where you can hear their fondness for each other in their voices. The way they tease and roast each other. The petnames. The way they support and protect and take care of each other in and out of battles (specific moments like Ladybug looking after and reassuring Scaredy-cat Chat Noir in Reverser and Chat Noir putting Ladybug’s yo-yo over her mouth for her so she could breathe underwater in Truth make me so insane). The whole concept of “them against the world.” The way that even while loving Ladybug, Chat Noir has no problem telling her when he disagrees with her. The way they will have disagreements/conflicts that are completely in line with their established character traits and weaknesses, but aren’t able to stay mad at each other for more than a minute because of their softness for each other, and always come back from it because above all else they care about and love each other. It’s so unmatched. That’s love bitch

Speaking of how their conflicts are completely in line with their established character traits and weaknesses - the characters are incredibly deep and human and consistently written with motivations and personalities and flaws that all make so much sense! And they’ve developed so much since the start of the show! And the two protagonists mean so much to and resonate with so many people, kids and adults alike. Plenty of people have gone in to the depth of Adrien’s character and why he’s meaningful to people for paragraphs on end so I won’t repeat that, but I rarely see people talking about the beauty of Marinette’s character so I just have to point out like... A female superhero who is not a Strong Flawless Girlboss Who Needs No Man but one who is basically a female Peter Parker? A female superhero who is awkward around her crush and kind of Ridiculous and a hopeless romantic who makes stupid lovestruck faces at pictures of said crush and likes girly things and the color pink and wants to hold her boy’s hand and barely has her shit together and sometimes makes bad choices but is ultimately trying her best to balance her Great Power and Great Responsibility with her civilian life and relationships? Like, I’m not in to comics so sorry if this is inaccurate because I’m only pulling from Spider-Verse, but even Marvel’s attempt at making a girl Spider-Man through Spider-Gwen made her this cool badass with an undercut. I don’t want another Black Widow or Captain Marvel or whatever!!!! I love that ML basically gave us a female Spider-Man who is just as much of a complete disaster as Peter Parker was (talking specifically about Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield versions). I love the way both Peter and Marinette fuck up and make mistakes and bad choices and struggle to balance their two lives and accidentally end up hurting or pushing away the people who are close to them while they’re trying so hard to do what they think is right and protect the people they love with no real guidance. The loneliness of keeping their identities a secret through all that knowing that one slip up could put everyone they love in grave danger. Not to mention Marinette’s very blatant neurodivergent coding that is so clear in everything she does? Seeing her ADHD brain basically become her strength when she’s Ladybug through the bizarre connections she can make with random objects in a split second, just like how someone with ADHD would go on seemingly bizarre and random tangents mid-conversation because their brain latched on to something and quickly made a whole bunch of connections in a short amount of time while the other person was talking? Chef’s fucking kiss baby.

And I love the episodic adventures format!!!! Lots of people do!!!! The rewatch value of every episode is so good!!! Not everything has to be a 10-ep-per-season HBO drama where each 1 hour long episode is solely focused on moving the plot? People who ask for which episodes are important and which ones are “filler” that they can skip when starting ML are so weird. The fun of ML is watching all of Ladybug and Chat Noir’s fun adventures together in every episode? I love watching them just Being Ladybug and Chat Noir while they fight bad guys and have their banter. Episodes can just be Fun!!! Episodes can just exist to BE fun and silly or to explore a specific friendship or relationship rather than being focused on the main villain plot and that’s not a flaw!!!!

tl;dr: ML is a fun and cute show with very relatable, human characters and shows a beautiful, deep, powerful loving relationship between its male and female superhero leads that a lot of similar cartoons and even movies aimed at adults can’t pull off and a lot of people genuinely love this show because of it.

[feline-miraculous]

Kwami Swap AU: Fox!Marinette

I’ve been daydreaming a lot since I joined the ML fandom (read: fell obsessively in love with a kids’ cartoon show.) Andddd I may or may not spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about these characters and what makes them them, but the pOINT IS, one day I got thinking about Marinette and the Fox Miraculous. 

Because have we ever seen her use it? Yes. 

Remember Kwamibuster? AKA that time where Marinette effortlessly used the Fox Miraculous to create a multi-layered illusion with four different moving parts (Ladybug, Marinette, the akuma and the Miraculous Ladybug cure.) And she kept up this illusion for at least a minute while Chat Noir and Mme Mendeleiev talked, and she didn’t falter or lose concentration once. 

Firstly... girl, wow. And secondly - that right there is all the proof we ever needed that Marinette makes an epic Mistress of Illusion. Like. This was her first time using the Fox Miraculous, and she pulled off THAT?!! Can we just say, wow. 

But it kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? Because if you consider the qualities that a Fox Miraculous holder would need to be:

creative (in order to summon convincing and realistic illusions)

able to stay focused under pressure (to keep up these illusions mid-fight)

good at multitasking (to stay in control of the illusions and still be aware of her situation)

attention to detail (illusions need to be realistic down to the smallest detail otherwise they won't be convincing)

brave (it takes a lot of courage to change reality and sway the entire course of a battle)

responsible (illusion can be an incredibly dangerous power if misused)

smart (illusion masters must be clever enough to actually come up with their illusions, as well as how to use them to win the fight)

honest (at the end of the day, the illusion master has to restore reality to exactly the way it was without making any selfish changes)

Now let's consider how many of these qualities Marinette has. Creative - we know Marinette is exceptionally creative, right? Her designing and complex plans as Ladybug more than proves that. Able to stay focused under pressure - hell yeah. Once she becomes more confident in her superheroine abilities, there's very little that can distract Ladybug from her mission, right? I'm calling on Kwamibuster as another example of when Marinette was able to keep her concentration going despite being under a lot of stress.

Good at multitasking - same example! Marinette was able to keep tabs on multiple versions of herself as Multimouse without any problems. Almost her whole life, actually, is a great example of multitasking, what with being Ladybug, a designer and class rep. Attention to detail - again, Marinette is a seamstress and a designer. She knows all about how important the little stitches are to sew a complete, functional whole.

Brave and responsible - Ladybug has proved this time and time again, and actually, Marinette has, too, when she stands up to Chloé and becomes class rep. Smart - again, Ladybug's plans are perfect proof of this. (Hi again, Kwamibuster!) It's also canon that Marinette gets good marks, and, you know. Jagged Stone, Gabriel Agreste and Audrey Bourgeois recognised her as exceptional.

Honest - lastly, we know that Marinette canonically hates liars/lying. Yes, she'll do it if it's really necessary (like to protect her identity) but she'll always advocate for the truth if she can. She's more than capable of being deceptive and cunning if she has to (K w a m i b u s t e r !) but she does always restore the truth.

What all of this proves to me is that Marinette would have been an excellent Fox Miraculous holder. Of course she's an incredible Ladybug, but Fox!Marinette? That could've been insane, too.

The idea stuck in my brain, and, well, it just wouldn't leave. So I thought - if Marinette wasn't Ladybug, who would be? Since Ladybug canonically gives the Fox Miraculous to her best, most trusted friend... and since Marinette is the one with the Fox Miraculous here... that leaves the logical conclusion to be Alya for Ladybug!

That choice makes a whole lot of sense, too, and I'll probably do another post about why. But for now: this is my reasoning for why Marinette would make a brilliant Fox Miraculous holder!

And anyway yeah this idea absolutely! won't! leave! my! head! So now I’m making fanart for Fox!Marinette 🦊 Check out the concept sketch here!

I'm completely in love with the idea of Fox!Marinette now, ngl. Also, the Marinette & Trixx dynamic is one that can definitely be interesting to explore, right? Well, I'm definitely going to be back with more for this kwami swap, because honestly, I'm hooked!

[thewritewolf]

Cat Crossing Chapter 2

As bad as it was to accidentally reveal his identity to one of his friends, Adrien was sure he could smooth things over somehow. After all, who could possibly be smoother than him?

I posted this on Ao3 a few days ago, but completely forgot to post it here too! I wrote Cat Crossing last year for @sweetsweetsweetie‘s birthday and decided to give the much-demanded second chapter as this year’s present.

You can find the first chapter here for some Animal Crossing, Marichat goodness. Read on to see Marinette being a super flirt, and Adrien being completely unable to handle it.

Enjoy!

-----

Adrien had a fitful night’s sleep after he panic-disconnected from Animal Crossing. He wasn’t entirely sure if doing that would damage his save file or not, but he just couldn’t bring himself to worry about that right now.

No, there was a much more serious, pressing issue at the moment - Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a civilian, had discovered his identity through her clever deductive skills and through not fault of his own. At least, that was how he’d phrase it to Ladybug. Hopefully she believed him. Because otherwise…? Well, he was going to be in trouble.

“So, what’s the plan, big cat?” Plagg asked, sounding far too chipper about all this, with his wide grin and the amused gleam in his eyes. Adrien would have thought that his kwami would have been the more scared of the two of them, but there was no time to question that now.

Especially since his kwami had asked him that same question last night after Adrien had explained just how badly he’d messed up - and just who had discovered his true identity. All he could say then was that he’d sleep on it and something would come to him in the morning.

Well, the morning was here and as he stepped off the limo dropping him off at school, he had absolutely nothing to show for it. The only bright side is that he was here early enough that he could still hash things out with Plagg before classes started. With that intent in mind, Adrien rushed inside and made a beeline for the empty lockers.

“Okay…” Adrien ran his fingers through his hair, trying his best to keep cool and stay optimistic. “Well, at least it was her and not some random person, right?”

Plagg’s grin only grew. “Oh yeah, definitely. Probably the best person you could have accidentally revealed yourself to.”

“Right…” Adrien gave Plagg a suspicious glance. “We know Marinette. She’s shy, she’s a good friend, she’s honest. She wouldn’t intentionally reveal my identity, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Plagg pretended to inspect his paws. “She places a real high value on honesty, kid. And she’s best pals with the one and only Ladyblogger - a fact you know only all too well.”

“Yes, and-”

“Cuz you stare at pictures of Ladybug on there all the time.”

“Not all the time-”

Plagg shrugged. “Eh, close enough. But back to pigtails - what’s the plan?”

“Well, we know she’s shy, right? So what if I really ramp up the Chat Noir charm on her? And while she’s still trying to get her bearings I tell her how important it is to keep identities secret and everything.”

Adrien nodded slowly to himself, feeling the framework of a plan coming together. A few zingers and flirty lines started forming in his head. “That should buy us enough time until we see Ladybug again. I bet she’ll know what to do.”

It was at that moment Adrien closed the locker door and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw that Marinette was oh so casually leaning up against the locker beside him.

“I didn’t catch that last part,” she said, a knowing smirk on her face. “Who will know what to do? Or, even better, just who were you talking to?”

“I… um…” Adrien swallowed, confronted with Marinette leaning toward him, arms behind her back and a look of serene curiosity on her face, but with an insidious glee in her eyes. “Just my...”

Her voice was just barely above a whisper as she spoke into his ear. “...Kwami, maybe?”

All the gears in Adrien’s head ground to a halt and in the face of her… well, face, which was little more than a hand’s breadth away from his own. Coming up with coherent thoughts was just about impossible and all he could do was go, “Uhhhh…”

“I thought so.” Her smirk returned. “See you in class!”

With a wink that did things to his heart, Marinette walked away, her hands still held behind her back. Adrien was frozen in place, staring at the spot she had been in as the sound of her humming faded off into the distance.

For a moment, he wondered about how she knew about kwamis. But memories of Multimouse soon surfaced in his mind and he realized just how doomed he was. After all, if Ladybug had chosen her, she had to be good.

Adrien swallowed heavily, but his mouth was dry. This was going to be a long, long day. And he no longer had any grasp on the situation whatsoever.

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

Where was the girl that stuttered in front of him every single day? Because she certainly wasn’t behind him in class that day. It couldn’t be, not by the way he could constantly feel her eyes on his back, and how she kept passing him notes. Adrien hadn’t had a moment to pull himself together since their little talk in front of the lockers.

Even during class, she found a way to keep him on the back foot, he reflected as another slip of paper found its way in front of him. The one before it had simply been a flirty cat pun, which he wasn’t sure was supposed to be an actual flirt or just teasing him. Taking a steadying breath, he opened up this one to see what it had to say.

Inside was a quick drawing of what had to be him - green eyes, blonde hair, his white jacket with the black shirt - with a speech bubble that just said, “meow meow meow meow meow.”

He quickly hide the drawing under his notebook, just in time since Ms Bustier turned back around at just that moment to address the class. If she saw, would she confiscate them? Or, even worse, would she make them read them out loud in class? Besides being embarrassing to have to say ‘meow’ five times outloud, would they give his classmates the edge they needed to discover his secret identity? Who else but a catboy would be able to say meow so effectively?

Ms Bustier turned back toward the white board and his momentary reprieve ended. Another note - this one folded into an American football - landed at his elbow. Ignoring the questioning look Nino was sending his way, Adrien opened it.

This one was just a drawing of a cat… a cat that unmistakably had his hair.

Adrien quickly shoved it into his pocket but no sooner had he managed that than another one landed right in front of him. Keeping an eye on Ms Bustier all the while, he felt it open with his hands and glanced down once he thought he’d gotten it.

Another drawing of him. This time with the words ‘pretty kitty’ and an arrow pointing at him.

That one got him to turn around, just enough to look at her. She looked back down at him, shameless, and even had the audacity to wave her fingers at him.

“Adrien, eyes up front please!”

He snapped back to attention at Ms Bustier’s gentle but firm command. There was a slight murmuring in the classroom, but it passed just as quickly as it began. After a couple minutes,  another note landed in front of Adrien.

Unheard by anyone else, Adrien let out a long, frazzled sigh.

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

Adrien collapsed onto his bed, finally home from a long day. Gym class and an hour of fencing didn’t do nearly half as much as just having Marinette behind him, flirting with him surreptitiously for the entire time they had classes together. And it was unquestionably flirting - eventually even he had no choice but to admit that she was hitting on him.

But why? He had to wonder. Was it because of her feelings for Chat Noir? Had something happened to awaken this in her from their time on her island last night?

Shaking his head, he decided he’d have to ask her tomorrow…

...Only for his phone to go off.

Naturally, it was Marinette, a fact he noted with wide eyes and quickening pulse.

Marinette: Open your island?

Adrien stared at that message for long minutes before it finally dawned on him that she was talking about his Animal Crossing island. After everything that had happened today, he had almost completely forgotten how his identity had been compromised.

His internal debate on whether or not to actually do what she asked was short. In a matter of minutes, he had his switch in his hands and was opening up his airport. His only response was to send her the access code.

He ran in circles as he patiently waited for her to arrive. The plane loading screen came up and he frowned at her passport title. “Rascally Bug Fan”? He could have sworn that wasn’t what it had been a few days ago…

Then she landed and the cutscene played, showing her character walking out of the airport gates. But she wasn't in the clothes that she had been wearing when he visited her island yesterday. No, she was wearing a red, black spotted suit, a superhero mask, and with a rose in her hair.

Everything clicked and he let out an involuntary gasp that turned into an undignified, startled squawk as his fingers slackened and his switch fell onto his face. He quickly rolled to a sitting position and watched Marinette - or, should he say Ladybug? - walk up to where he was standing.

He used the anger react and she responded with a laugh. Remembering the day that she had put him through, he felt the corners of his mouth twitch up in a smile. He had his character use the love react, a pink heart floating above his head.

She smacked him with a net.

[kitty0boy]

More Marichat fanfiction because I’m obsessed.

It’s set a bit in the future so Adrien is 18 and Marinette is 17. Chat is grown up and can use multiple cataclysms but Marinette isn’t yet (I think the age will be 18 so yeah). It’s also reverse love square, so Ladybug is in love with Chat and Adrien is in love with Marinette

———————————

Another day, another akuma. Recently, Hawkmoth had toned down on the frequency of Akumas, maybe he supposed that he would only akumatize the more powerful emotions and oh boy, was this one really mad.

His name was Trickster, his power was shapeshifting. Doesn’t seem very destructive at first but he can turn himself into anything his little heart desires. From blood sucking mosquitoes to giants straight out of a fairy tale to a frog? This guy could do it all. The problem was, what couldn’t he do? How would they stop him?

She was running a little late to the action, who knew getting away from class during a life threatening disaster would be so difficult. Spotting her beloved partner, she landed beside him. “What have we got today kitty?”

“Just your average asshole Ladybug.” He muttered obviously angry.

“You know this guy?” She asked, why was he so mad about this one?

“Not purrsonsly, he was harassing women on the street, following them around. That is until he was called out for it and arrested.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be the one to correct his behaviour, would you?” Silence. She looked up at him, oh he looked seriously ticked off.

She quickly changed the subject. “Well let’s take care of this quickly. Any idea where his akuma is?”

“His camera maybe, or his phone.” He clenched his fists. “Mon dieu what a creep.”

“Alright let’s get a closer look then shall we?”

He nodded before he extended his baton towards the now troll running down the street. His giant club dragging along the ground behind him leaving an indent every time it bounced off the pavement. Without warning he whipped around and threw it into the air, catching on Ladybug’s yo-yo and sending her flying backwards. Twisting mid air she grabbed onto a street lamp, saving her face from scraping the road. Then she was off again, swinging from roof to roof towards the, what was he now? A Yeti?

“Lucky Charm!” She called and down dropped a baseball? Seriously?

She looked everywhere but couldn’t find what to use it for. She raced around looking for its purpose but nothing came into view. “Come on, come on.” She panicked.

Cat looked over, noticing her struggling. “How much time do you have left?”

“Two minutes! I need more time.” She was shaking now, she couldn’t afford to detransform now. It was too dangerous.

“Got it, brace yourself little bug!” Raising his arm in the air he called for his “Cataclysm!” And pressed his hand to the ground creating a giant crater under Trickster’s feet. He only sunk about 2 feet before becoming a raven and flying high above them. So much for getting more time. She had no choice but to leave. She tossed her lucky charm to Chat Noir and hoped he got the message, he looked over to her and nodded before using his baton like a baseball bat launching the ball at Trickster. Well at least the Lucky Charm had some use. She ran until her last dot beeped and slipped into an empty alleyway.

“That was a close one Tikki, I can’t wait until I grow up.” Tikki flew into her purse and pulled out a cookie. “Don’t worry Marinette, you’ll grow up soon. In the meantime Chat Noir will cover for you.” Her heart fluttered a little at the thought of him. “Yeah, I wonder how old he is.”

“Marinette you can’t know each other’s-“

“Identities I know” she cut off “I just want to know when I will be old enough.” Tikki scrunched her face in contemplation, “18” she said, decided it was ok.

“Really! That’s so soon, oh I can’t wait!” She exclaimed. A little too loudly apparently. She heard footsteps, she needed to transform but Tikki wasn’t ready yet. “Hide Tikki.” She whispered before pulling out her phone. Using the camera, she peeked around the corner only to see a tiger creeping towards her. She gasped slightly as she moved backwards, trying not to make any noise. That was when she heard a small thump behind her and a hand covered her mouth. Before she could scream she felt him lean towards her ear “It’s me.” He whispered before scooping her up quietly and trying to figure out how to escape. Marinette looked around and spotted a window on the second floor of the building beside them. He caught on and calling for another cataclysm, reduced the glass to ash. He lifted her inside before climbing up himself.

“Follow.” He instructed before creeping towards the back of the office building. They found an elevator and before he could press the button she grabbed his shoulder, which made him turn around. She pulled him down to whisper in his ear. “Wouldn’t an elevator be too loud kitty?” He paused thinking, “What do you propose?” She looked over his other shoulder and saw a staircase. “We take the stairs.”

“That might take too long, we have to get you out of here fast.”

“You have superpowers Chat, it shouldn’t take that long if you carry me.” His cat ear twitched and without warning he wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her off the ground making a beeline for the stairs. The stairs were those kind of box-y spiral staircases so standing between the gap, he extended his baton causing them to shoot upwards, as if they were in an elevator. She had to tuck her head into his shoulder to avoid smacking it on the bottom of each flight. Reaching the top he put his baton away and wrapped both his arms around her, one behind her back, which caused her to blush, and one under her thighs.

And they were off, though he didn’t get very far before a pigeon started to follow them. She spotted it but wasn’t sure if it was him. “Take a left!” She yelled over the wind and he did, so did the bird. When it turned, a flash of light blinded her but he was still a pigeon. The light came from his foot, which could only mean, she gasped “Chat, he’s wearing a ring! That’s where the akuma is!”

“As helpful as that is purrincess, I can’t do anything until I make sure you’re safe. We’ve gotta get him off my tail.” He huffed in frustration, or from exhaustion. One of the two

She looked around before an idea came to her.

“Cat the sewer system! We need to get down. That way he can’t sniff us out!”

“Got it, hold on tight!”

He quickly pulled something out of his pocket. A blue slice of cheese and popping it into his mouth. He repositioned her so he was carrying her bridal style. “Power up!” He yelled. She felt his hand leave her legs before he twisted around and jumped off the roof, they were going to splat on the road! “Cataclysm!” He growled before extending his hand backwards towards the ground. It made contact with the pavement and it crumbled beneath his hand, they fell straight through the street and she heard him grunt as his back collided with the water. She held her breath. This was gross, something pressed to her lips and she grabbed it inhaling. He started kicking his feet swimming with the current. She had to keep her eyes closed. Luckily it had rained the day before so the water wasn’t just garbage. It was just as disgusting as you’d think it is, but if she had to choose between death and garbage water, this was her best bet. He took a leap before they left the water. Laying side by side. She propped herself up on her elbow and took the baton out of her mouth. Cringing at the stench, she peeled her shirt away from her body, jeez this sucked.

“Sorry Marinette, I was hoping we’d land on the floor.” He panted, she reached over and patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s ok, I’d take sewer water with you over death any day.

Was he blushing, or were his cheeks tinged from the cold water? Catching his breath he stood and held a hand out to her. She took it and stood. He smiled at her and she smiled back. “Claws in” he whispered “Woah woah woah!” She covered her eyes quickly and turned around. He chuckled behind her “Relax m’lady, I just took off my power up.” M’lady? Isn’t that what he called Ladybug? She felt her face grow hot under her hands. “I thought Ladybug was your lady?” She said before she could stop herself. He stammered “O-oh right my bad. I guess the cat got My tongue.” She chuckled slightly before turning around to smile at him, he smiled back and she felt little akumas flutter around her stomach. He eyes drifted from his to his lips. Was he wearing chapstick? What did it taste like? Ugh snap out of it Marinette, there’s an akuma! “Thank you kitty, I’ll be safe down here.”

“I’m not convinced. You’re still out in the open, even if you’re down here. It might be risky to leave you here.” He raised a claw to his chin, trying to decide if he wanted her to stay there.

“Purrhaps if a certain superhero was distracting him, he would leave me alone.” She grinned at her clever wording. She wasn’t usually the type to make puns, but she had to admit, they were kinda fun.

He giggled a little at her pun ‘adorable’ she thought. “You’re right, just please stay safe ok, find a place to hide.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, his thumb brushed over her collar bone and made her blush. “O-ok I will.” She stammered a little breathless. Seriously? She thought she got over the stammering a long time ago. Suddenly, a gloves hand brushed across her forehead before she felt something soft press against it. He pulled back and gave his signature salute before sprinting away from her. Her hand came up to touch the spot where his lips were seconds ago, her face burned and she knew it was as red as her super suit.

“Marinette focus! We’ve got an akuma to capture!” Tikki squeaked. Marinette jumped a little, she completely forgot Tikki was there.

She smacked both sides of her face with her hands “Right! Tikki spots on!” She ran towards an opening, and leapt out, following the trail of footprints no doubt left by the akuma.

She saw Chat Noir pinned to a wall under a bent street lamp, he couldn’t reach it with his hand. The giant shrunk down and changed into an elephant and using its trunk, it made to grab Chat’s miraculous. He almost grabbed it, until her yo-yo wrapped around the trunk and launched him into the building across the street. She ran over to Chat and using all of her strength she pulled the street lamp off of him.

“Thanks bug, the akuma is in his ring.” ‘Bug’ she thought

“Ok then, let’s hope it works this time. Lucky Charm!” And down fell another baseball, the same as before.

“Maybe it was the location last time?” He reasoned.

But she still couldn’t see anything. Was her power broken? “I’ll figure it out, can you provide a distraction?” She asked, “Gladly.” He smiled reassuringly before sprinting towards Trickster.

‘Look at your wrist.’ She had no idea where the thought came from, was that Tikki? She looked down and saw a little bracelet with a loop on it, almost like the loops on a bra. She stared at it curiously “Look out!” She heard before her partner tackled her to the ground. “I don’t know what is interesting about your arm, but please figure it out soon.” He stood and using his baton as a shield, he repelled what looked like water balloons. They were launched back at the akuma who dodged each one, they exploded when they broke.

Chat’s baton flashed red with black spots, it was working! She looked around, the bracelet flashed, and so did her yo-yo and then she saw it. Her yo-yo had a little hook carved into it. She slipped the hook into the loop on the bracelet and the yo-yo spun out into a proper shield. “That’s new.” She exclaimed. Suddenly the vision of Chat using his baton like a baseball bat popped into her head. The solution hit her, “Chat I know what to do!” She yelled leaping out from behind him. The akuma transformed into a giant again and Chat looked at her, “Batter up kitty!” She yelled before pitching the ball to him. He got the idea and hit the ball back to her. She repositioned and angled the shield towards the akuma’s hand. It made contact with the shield and the giant tried to hit it away, but not before it cracked the ring and the akuma fluttered away.

She captured it “bye bye little butterfly!” Throwing the baseball into the air she yelled “Miraculous Ladybug!” And the streets looked good as new.

“Pound it!” The duo said with a fist bump.

The police arrived just in time and arrested the man. “Oh come on I didn’t even do anything wrong! It’s not a crime to take pictures!” He pleaded, “It is to take pictures of people without their consent!” Chat retorted before the door closed and the cruiser sped off.

A small beep came from her earrings, “I’ve gotta go Chat Noir, I’m proud of you though.” She smiled before hooking her yo-yo onto a chimney. “What for?” He asked. “For standing up for those women, being cat-called and followed is terrifying, those women wouldn’t get justice if you hadn’t stepped in. I’m sure they appreciated it very much. Bug out!” She yelled before taking off.

She landed close to where Chat left her and detransformed. “You figured it out! Oh I knew you would.” Tikki came up to hug her cheek. “Figured what out?”

“Your yo-yo can change functions! You figured out how to turn it into a shield today. Chat can do the same thing with his baton.” She explained. Maybe they should experiment on patrol tomorrow then, versatility of their weapons would really help with defeating Hawkmoth. Tikki squeaked suddenly and flew into her purse.

Marinette stood confused before she heard a thud beside her and was encircled by a pair of very strong arms. “There you are, you’re ok.” Chat pulled back and smiled at her.

“Of course I am, I’m a good hider.” She said and put her hands on her hips. He chuckled slightly and crossed his arms.

“What were you doing so close anyways?” He asked, “I uh was getting footage for the Ladyblog.” She lied, he furrowed his brows and stood up straight, “That’s really dangerous Marinette, especially with how strong Hawkmoth is now. You can’t be running around chasing after super villains anymore.”

She looked to the ground, even though it was a lie, hearing him disappointed in her still didn’t feel good.

He sighed before lifting her chin. “I just don’t want you to get hurt Mari, today was a close call. If I hadn’t found you who knows what would have happened. Just promise you won’t chase after Akumas anymore.”

“I promise, I’m sorry.” She said

“It’s ok, besides, if it’s footage you want, I’ve got a camera on my suit.” He said calmly. “Wait really? Where?” She was curious now, did her suit have a camera too? He reached up and flicked the bell on his neck. He lifted his chin as she stood on her toes to get a closer look, sure enough, there was a little camera peeking out from the slit in his bell.

“Woah that’s so cool! And helpful. You should tell Alya, that might make her back off.” Maybe Ladybug should tell Alya too, footage from not one but two superheroes! Besides, maybe they could analyze that footage and see where the akumas come from. “So now that that’s sorted, would like a lift back to school? Lunch just ended didn’t it?” Oh shoot she forgot! “Yeah a ride would be great! I’ve got a-“ she paused in confusion, why did his face turn crimson? Oh mon dieu, she really needed to work on her wording. Her face also grew hot with embarrassment and she looked away from him.

He cleared his throat, “Ok then let’s go.” He turned around and kneeled so she could climb onto his back, that was probably a good idea.

She wrapped her arms around his neck again and he stood holding her thighs for support. In one leap they were on the roof tops running towards her school.

Alya was waiting at the front for her and gasped when she saw the best friend on the back of one of Paris’ superheroes.

“Delivery for a Ms. Cesaire?” He joked, “That would be me.” She teased back Marinette slid off his back and was immediately tackled in a bear hug by Alya, “Where were you girl! We were worried sick!”

“I went to get footage for you, it was clearly a bad idea.” She said for consistency. “Oh Mari, you don’t have to do that for me, if I want footage, I’ll go get it myself.”

“Well in my opinion,” Chat cut in “Marinette’s technique is much more subtle than yours. I guess it just didn’t work out today.” Marinette puffed up her chest and gave a triumphant “Hmph” and the three of them burst into laughter.

“Well I’d better get going.” He said,

“Let me guess,” she put on her best Chat impression “Damsels in distress, ladies in waiting, you’ve got a lot more saving to do,” she mimicked “I can thank you, later?” He laughed at that, “I’m surprised you remember that, look out Ms. Blogger, you got competition for Chat Noir’s #1 fan.”

“A battle that was lost long ago kitten, between you and me, her sketchbook is filled with outfits inspired by your,” she raised a hand dramatically to her forehead “beauty.” She finished, “ALYA!” Marinette squeaked.

He laughed “Well I am honoured purrincess.” He bowed before turning around and grabbing his baton to leave. Something burned inside her and without thinking she walked towards him. “Chat wait!” She nearly yelled, as he turned around she tripped and grabbed his bell trying to pull herself upright.

She meant to kiss him on the cheek, she swears! But he’d turned his face towards her and her lips crashed into his. He was caught off guard but quickly kissed her back, reaching up to caress her cheek with his hand.

Realizing what was happening she pulled back and felt her face go hot again. “Uh I, thank you for saving me.” She mumbled and rubbed her forearm. She looked up at his face, which was tinged a pretty shade of pink. He reached up and ruffled her hair, “Anytime Marinette.” There was something about the way he said her name that caused little butterflies to flutter in her stomach and chest again. He gave her a wink before leaping off.

“Ok girl spill!” Marinette jumped and turned to see Alya holding her phone. “Alya did you take a picture!” She squeaked. “I won’t post it, this is just for me. Ooh maybe I’ll send it to Chat too.”

Her face burned as Alya led her back to class.

—————————————

Thanks for reading!

[miscellaneous-miraculous]

Painted Lady Chapter 4 - Threads and Jesters

Sorry it's a bit longer than usual, some scenes in this chapter were being difficult. I'm still not 100% satisfied but at this point I just need to move on or I'll never publish it XD Hope you enjoy! - Min

Read on AO3 here 

“Hey, Tikki, do you think going out to dinner next Tuesday would be okay?” Marinette set down her tape measure and pulled down her schedule. She’d gotten into the habit of making one every month during collège and marking down events for all her classmates. Balancing only four or five schedules at a time now was a piece of cake. “Most of the festivities should be wrapping up by then and celebrating the end of classes would be a good way to keep Adrien’s mind off things.”

"You could ask your parents about using the bakery,” Tikki added. “It’ll be easy to keep any triggers away there and Adrien loves baking.”

“And you love cookies,” Marinette giggled, poking Tikki. “That’s a great idea though.”

“I should hope so, ideas are my domain.” Tikki handed Marinette her phone.

“Along with – aiyah!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nino sent me a text twenty minutes ago about an akuma!” Marinette said, sending a quick reply before transforming and leaving from the balcony. One of the things they looked for when apartment hunting had been an easy exit for superheroing. Nino had been thinking along the lines of a window that was open to a more secluded area, but Adrien had wanted a balcony specifically and Marinette had gone along with it, remembering how convenient her own at the bakery had been. Later she’d found out his real reasoning.

Their first anniversary there had Adrien dramatically reciting love declarations from below. Her birthday had been a poem. Valentine’s was a candle-lit picnic like the one he’d set up for her all those years ago. You know you love it, Bugaboo Adrien’s voice teased in her head as she felt her cheeks flare up at the memory of his last attempt at poetry. The rose he’d given her was still sitting in a vase on her desk – soon she’d have to decide if she wanted to press it or dry it out.

 Focus, there’s an akuma on the loose!

She spotted Chat Noir first, standing beside – Ladybug? No, she shook her head, scanning around until she found Rena Rouge, hidden behind a nearby tree with her flute. Carapace was holding up Queen Bee, who looked rather dazed, and the akuma was addressing Chat Noir and the Illusion-bug. As she moved closer, Ladybug recognized Lila’s voice coming from the akuma. “Hand over the miraculous to me. Otherwise, all of Paris will suffer, starting with your pathetic little sidekicks. I’ll finish them off one by one until the entire city sees how weak and useless you are. Then, once you’re all alone with your reputation in tatters, I’ll rip the miraculous from your ears myself.” Ladybug tried to push away the images her brain began conjuring. Lila hadn’t succeeded in her threats during collège and lycée – she wouldn’t succeed now.

“You’ll never win, Lila!” Illusion-bug shouted. Carapace spotted the real Ladybug and made a motion to his head. The hairbow.

“Oh, Ladybug, haven’t you heard? It’s Painted Lady now.” The akuma raised her signpost, but before she could do anything else, Ladybug swooped in and snagged the hairbow, landing beside Chat Noir and Illusion-Bug. “No!” the akuma snarled.

“Yes,” Ladybug grinned, breaking the object and allowing the butterfly to escape. The Illusion-bug vanished with a bow as the real Ladybug captured the akuma.

“Lucky charm!” Ladybug called and a small plastic horse fell into her hands. “Miraculous ladybug!”

As the ladybugs began repairing everything, she turned to Chat Noir. “Sorry I was late.”

“Nothing new, right?” Chat Noir teased. Ladybug rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove.

“W-what happened? Where am I?” the girl asked. She looked six or seven at most, a floral-patterned band-aid on one knee and a bit of dirt smudged on her nose. Tears began welling up in her eyes, “I want my mommy!”

“We’ll help you find her, I promise,” Chat Noir said gently, leaning down so they were eye level. “Can you tell me your name?”

“Camille,” Chat Noir smiled. “You were akumatized. What’s the last place you remember being?”

“At the – at the park,” she sniffled. “The mean kids were teasing me, t-they said I was too little to play with them because I’m not strong enough, but I’m super strong! I help my mommy all the time.”

“I’m sure you do,” Chat Noir said. “Your mommy is really lucky to have such great helper.” Camille smiled at that and Ladybug thought her heart might melt from the cuteness.

“I’m going to lie down,” Queen Bee whispered, pulling Ladybug’s attention from the girl. While her miraculous cure fixed everything, it didn’t erase injuries so much as heal them. They’d discovered that when Adrien had needed to get glasses and the doctor had asked how he had sustained so many repeated head injuries. When Adrien admitted he wasn’t sure, she’d explained that they’d seen several cases where there was evidence of akuma related injury that had been quickly healed, not removed. Ladybug thought it would have been nice to know that sooner.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t pass out on the way or anything,” Carapace added. “Meet back at the apartment after.”

“Okay, Rena, Chat, and I will take care of Camille.”

When Ladybug turned around, Camille had a firm grip on Chat’s hand, “Camille says we’re looking for a park with a carousel and a fountain.”

“With ducks!” she added.

“With ducks,” Chat Noir nodded seriously. “She was also very clever in figuring out the lucky charm.”

“My mommy said to meet by the carousel if one of us got lost and Chat Noir said your lucky charm was horse and the carousel has horses!” Camille was bouncing on her toes, her smile showing off a missing tooth.

“Good job, Camille,” Ladybug said. “Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome!”

Before they could move, several news vans pulled around to corner and Camille shrunk closer to Chat Noir, partially hiding behind his legs. “Chat, why don’t you take Camille to her mom? Rena and I will stay behind to answer questions. I’d rather get some answers out now before people have a chance to panic and rumors begin flying around.”

“Is that okay with you, Camille?” the girl nodded, still tightly clinging to his hand. Chat turned to Ladybug, taking her hand with his free one and kissing the back of it. “Farewell, my lady, I shall count the moments till I can see you again!”

It seemed to have the desired effect with Camille giggling and Ladybug rolling her eyes, unable to hide the pink dusting her cheeks.

“All the cheese Plagg eats must go to his brain,” Rena laughed as he vaulted away.

“I’d agree if he wasn’t like all the time anyways,” Ladybug said, unable to wipe the fond smile from her face as they moved towards the reporters. She recognized many of them by now, though there were a few new faces in the mix. Not for the first time, Ladybug wished she could do every interview with Alya. It was easier when she could think of it as just talking with her friend, and when she was able to watch the footage before Alya posted. Otherwise she usually ended up in a spiraling panic in their apartment because she couldn’t remember exactly what she’d said or what her expression had been. It had gotten better over the years, but interviews still weren’t her favorite thing.

“Ladybug! Ladybug! Was that an akuma just now?”

“I thought you had defeated Hawkmoth?”

“What happened?”

“Is Gabriel Agreste responsible for this? What about his son, Adrien?”

“This was an akuma,” Ladybug said evenly, trying to keep her temper under control. She hated when they brought Adrien into it. A small voice in the back of her head reminded her they didn’t know Adrien was Chat Noir. They didn’t know just how ridiculous the claims of his helping Hawkmoth were. They didn’t know he’d been forced to arrest his own father and testify twice at the trial. They didn’t know.

continue on AO3

[ourladyoftheironmasque]

A Cross-Time Caper

When Hawk Moth's machinations inadvertently lead to the akumatization of Ladybug, it will take a bunny, a butterfly, a monkey, two ladybugs and three cats to set the world to rights again.

Chapter One of Three 3,564 words

*

It was all still very theatrical, of course. He bowed low, head nearly even with his hips, one arm bent across his stomach, the other extended up and out. The broad grin permanently etched on his face these days was the perfect compliment to his exaggerated manners. “A pleasure as always, Ladybug, but I’m afraid I must be going.” Another paw pad on his ring vanished, leaving him with two. Chat Noir straightened, and drew his baton.

Two weeks ago, this would have gone down differently.

Probably, he would have bowed over her hand. His performance against the day’s akuma victim always informed his flirting. When he was pleased with himself, he was the old world gentleman. He thought it charming to bow over her hand, kiss her knuckles and call her m’lady. Ever hopeful good work would earn him romance, he’d resist leaving her until his ring demanded it. (Or until she teased him so much that he lost his nerve.)

If he had embarrassed himself during the fight, then he’d be defensive. All sass and unearned bravado, the sort that a girl with self-respect just couldn’t let stand in a boy who couldn’t back up his trash talk. He’d call her Bugaboo just to hear her yell at him. That was his other favorite persona—the little boy on the playground who didn’t know how to tell a girl he liked her, so he antagonized her instead. Sometimes she answered his absurdity with cleverness, but more often than not she’d cross her arms and feign annoyance. Chat Noir always wanted attention, but when he was disappointed in himself, he usually tried to goad her into being upset with him, too. A good job meant looking for rewards he wouldn’t find and his easy acceptance of their absence; when he performed poorly, he’d force a scolding out of her if he had to. With hindsight, she’d let him have his way too much. When Chat Noir went fishing for a set down, his partner should have been the one propping him up.

Now she was Ladybug, always.

And she wasn’t the clever one anymore.

Giving up on Adrien and watching him ride off into the sunset with Kagami should have ended with Marinette climbing atop Luka’s white horse. He was sweet, and she liked him. Maybe he was a little too punk rock and anarchy for a beautiful house and three children at the end of their story, but it’d still be a good story. They would be happy together. The disparity of their feelings had left their friendship unbalanced, but if they were together, then Marinette could reciprocate. She could appreciate and support and respect him like he always had her.

But.

Life never wants to follow the path it should.

Her heart, Marinette learned, was interested in hopeless pining exclusively. As for her stomach, well, that started doing flip-flops for Chat Noir. And although her tongue was just as adept at barking out a plan to defeat the an akuma as ever, once that was finished so was her ability to string together a coherent sentence.

Ladybug wished she could say it was because Chat Noir had matured a lot recently. Because he had! Chat Noir stepped up during the battle against Miracle Queen and it turned out quick thinking and strategy agreed with him. There had been more equal division of labor in the past two weeks than the entire preceding year combined. Just in time, too. Without Master Fu to guide them, they were on their own. Ladybug could not have shouldered the burden of the Miracle Box and come up with all the plans and always be ready to wind her yo-yo around Chat Noir’s ankles to yank him out of the line of fire. Saving Paris had never been a game to him, exactly, but he’d enjoyed it in a way Ladybug couldn’t. To don a mask and smack a monster with a stick was how Chat Noir blew off steam. It was his escape from stress. Now even he could not deny the magnitude of the job before them.

The identities of their entire team had been compromised.

The loss of Master Fu’s memory was bad enough, but it also meant they lost their access to Guardian lore and the Grimoire.

The only council they had left was their kwamis, and transformation cut them off from Tikki and Plagg. Ladybug and Chat Noir had always been fond of using the two of us against the world as a rallying cry, but now it was true. And Chat Noir was pulling his weight.

Ladybug wished she could say she fell in love with him because of that. It would have been poetic, somehow. It would have been worthy of him.

But no.

Marinette had a good cry over Adrien—a dozen of them, really—binged ice cream and terrible rom coms with Alya, heard some variation of if he doesn’t see how special you are then he doesn’t deserve you from literally everyone she’d ever met—most in good faith, though the Chloe version was excruciating in it’s backhanded compliments and the Lila version was pretty obviously designed to make her feel worse—and bought a new diary. New pages for a new era. In general, Marinette did her absolute best to put her feelings for Adrien behind her.

If Adrien and Kagami made each other happy, then that was all that mattered, right? Right.

Right.

Right.

Right.

Marinette did her absolute best to put her feelings for Adrien behind her and they went absolutely nowhere because feelings don’t go away when you ask them nicely. But the loyalty to Adrien that had once made the idea of dating someone else feel so relentlessly wrong? That did leave. It turned out the world was filled with people as cute and smart and funny and kind and gentle and charming and vulnerable and brave and good as Adrien. Her heart scamped right up to Chat Noir and went, Well! How about this one? Isn’t he exactly who you’ve always wanted?

And when she tilted her head and squinted, he kinda was.

Only...she didn’t have to squint, actually.

Or tilt anything.

Looking back, Ladybug had probably been half in love with Chat Noir all along. Her dislike of the cute nicknames and attempts to steal kisses had simply been part of the mask. Another means of distancing Ladybug, Ultra-Competent Hero of Paris from Ladybug, Regular Teenager Making Up How to Save the World As She Went. For a while, she even fooled herself! Before Felix, she might have said Chat Noir pushed her boundaries and ignored her comfort zones. But after? The contrast between her playful partner’s irrepressible flirting and the actions of someone who pressed onwards without caring about her feelings could not be sharper.

Looking back, Ladybug had definitely been completely in love with Chat Noir all along. When viewed through the lens of having loved him, their year fighting side by side made so much more sense. It was her own love that she called upon to conquer Dark Cupid’s spell. When Chat Noir wondered if he would have had a shot in a world without Adrien, Ladybug couldn’t imagine one—but Oblivio soon stripped her of her memories, and photographic proof suggested that in a world where she was at least ignorant of Adrien, she would have fallen into Chat Noir’s arms immediately. And then there was Chat Blanc’s timeline. Ladybug could never know what really happened in that twisted world. Chat Blanc had babbled a lot about them being in love, but in the moment, Ladybug had thought nothing of it. It was simply his one track mind run off the rails. But from the safety of distance and a repaired timeline, she started to wonder if Chat Blanc had been more lucid than he let on. Maybe something had happened between them…

And ended with the boy she loved akumatized, Paris a half-submerged hellscape and herself dead.

Rationally, she knew Ladybug and Chat Noir could go get an ice cream at Andre’s together without triggering the end of the world. There must be a step in between their love and the destruction of the city they were charged with protecting. It was a moot point. He had a girlfriend now.

(Sometimes, she was confident she could steal him away if she tried. He’d wanted Ladybug for so long. Surely if she just apologized and told him how she felt, he’d forget all about other girls. But doing that would make her a bad person, wouldn’t it?)

(Other times, it wasn’t right and wrong that stopped her, but the fear that he didn’t care anymore. That Chat Noir would say no, and Ladybug would have to face that she’d lost her chance with him forever.)

“Pleasure’s yours, I mean, nine. Mine. I mean… See you next time, Chat Noir.”

At least the precarious nature of their transformations meant Ladybug was never trapped in a long, awkward conversation with Chat Noir. When she made a fool of herself in front of Adrien, that was agony for hours. Chat Noir only had two pad paws left, and her earrings were not faring any better. He was leaving, and she wouldn’t see him again until they were in the thick of a fight.

He was kind enough to never question her sudden tendency to get tongue-tied. Ladybug knew he noticed. His banter came slower, like he had to make a mental adjustment when her confidence disappeared.  

It was in that beat of silence—the one that used to not be there, but hung over her like the blade of a guillotine while Chat Noir cautiously decided how to respond—a brand new opportunity for chaos that two weeks ago would not have existed, but did today—when she wished a black hole would open up and swallow her whole

that one did.

Sort of.

“Minibug! Kitten Noir!”

It wasn’t a black hole, but the white-blue void of the Burrow. Bunnyx hung half out, arms making sweeping gestures to urge them closer. “It’s go time!”

As far as holes to swallow you up so that you don’t have to confront your own embarrassment went, the Burrow was kind of a lousy one if Chat Noir was invited. “We’re about to transform back!”

“I came prepared, Minibug. I’m sure you both did, too, with snacks for your kwamis.”

Chat Noir tossed Ladybug an uneasy smile. “Bunnyx wouldn’t be here just for chit-chat. We’d better go.”

(He had lately developed an irritating tendency to take his job seriously.)

(The love and support of his girlfriend was so freaking good for him that it was a little grating.)

Bunnyx’s security measures were, unsurprisingly, a pair of bowls slapped over their heads before she ushered them blindly into the Burrow. Well. Ladybug more or less knew to expect that. Chat Noir yelped. It was good to hear his facade drop, even if just for a second. He had come into his own recently, but underneath it all, he was the same pratfalling goofball he’d always been.

“Spots off.”

“Claws in.”

Familiarity with her purse made any awkward groping unnecessary. Producing a macaron for Tikki was as natural as breathing. For her part, Tikki seemed to be in awe of what she could see. Marinette heard a tiny “Wow” pass Tikki’s lips and from further away, de-transformed Chat Noir trying to placate Plagg. There was a job to be done. No rest for lazy cats, and no time to explore for Tikki.

“Tikki, Spots on!”

“Plagg, Claws out!”

The Burrow was full of secrets. Bunnyx monitored untold timelines, ushering their lives along the best possible path. Although she had heard Chat Noir transform and knew their identities were safe for another day, Ladybug did not dare remove the bowl. Bunnyx would tell her when it was safe to look.

“That—”

“Don’t!”

“—is the mini-est Minibug I’ve ever seen.”

Ladybug tilted the rim of the bowl back. Bunnyx was glaring daggers at a thoroughly unconcerned Chat Noir. A taller Chat Noir. His shoulders were deliciously broad, and his mop of blond hair was not a smidge neater. What should have been absurd—a grown man in a skin tight cat costume, bell and all—simply wasn’t. He stood with the complete assurance that he belonged in that outfit, and so it looked natural. Right.  

Ladybug eyes darted to the boy Bunnyx had brought with them. He’d also tipped his bowl back, and was staring dumbfounded at his future self.

“I mean it,” Chat Plus Sombre said, looking thoughtfully at Ladybug, “What are you? Thirteen?”

Ladybug bristled. So he was a grown-up, so what? That didn’t mean she was useless. “Almost fifteen.”

“She may be a newbie,” Bunnyx interjected, “but she’s good.”

Chat Plus Sombre held his hands up in surrender. “No need to remind me how fast Ladybug picked up the ins and outs of being a superhero. I’ve been playing catch-up since the day we met. I’m just surprised you went this young, Bunnyx. Isn’t the goal to pick her up five minutes before she quit?”

Quit.

Quit.

The casual way the word rolled off his tongue, as if Ladybug quitting could ever be normal, made her blood run cold. It was one thing if she wasn’t needed anymore. She’d happily hang up her yo-yo if Paris was safe. But it sounded like she’d left Chat Plus Sombre high and dry, reduced to plucking partners out of the timestream in order to keep on fighting.

She was going to quit.

Bunnyx treated the revelation like it was normal, too. “For you. They’re gonna take a quick detour. I found something else in the timestream that needs fixing. We’ll get back on track once Minibug and Kitten Noir have accomplished their mission.”

Chat Plus Sombre frowned at Chat Noir. “I don’t remember being tagged for one of these.”

“One of what?” Chat Noir cried. “And where’s future Ladybug?”

“We can’t tell you,” Bunnyx answered. “It’s bad enough you saw him as it is.”

Chat Plus Sombre shrugged. “Nah, it’s fine. I don’t remember this at all. He’s definitely gonna get mindwiped.”

“And her?”

Crossing his arms, Chat Plus Sombre acceded the point to Bunnyx. “Okay, since I don’t know my little lady is also gonna get mindwiped, I’ll be infuriatingly obtuse. That suit you better?” It didn’t appear to placate Bunnyx, but Chat Plus Sombre had evidently compromised as far as he was willing. “My Ladybug—by which I mean the Ladybug of my time, attach no further significance—is fine. She’s taken a temporary leave of absence. We—she planned it in advance. No Guardian mindwipe activated. She’s coming back. But since Paris still needs a Ladybug, we take one from the timestream as needed. There’s a gap of about three years between when she made the plan and when she needed it that we usually swipe a Minibug from.”

That felt...reckless. Tentatively, Ladybug said, “I thought time is delicate.”

“It is,” Bunnyx answered. There was a slight air of scolding.

“But,” Chat Plus Sombre interjected, “you’re not replaceable, and the earrings are too powerful to sub out even if just anyone could do the job.”

Ladybug looked away, embarrassingly flattered.

“We’ve wasted enough time,” Bunnyx declared. “Better get back on track.”

“She says that,” Chat Plus Sombre added merrily, “but it really doesn’t matter. It’s time travel. She’s gonna drop you in the same nanosecond no matter how much time we spend in here.”

“You can only say that because you haven’t faded from existence.”

Chat Plus Sombre flailed. “Don’t you dare listen to her, Minibug and Mini Me! I’ve stopped existing loads of times! I’m an expert at it! You just—whoosh!” He snapped his fingers. “Stop.”

So the new and improved Serious Chat Noir was not a step away from pointless self-sacrifice. His adult self sounded like it was half-badge of honor, half-hilarious to disappear. “It isn’t funny,” Ladybug said, feeling vaguely faint.

Cat Plus Sombre softened. “You liar, you’re not almost fifteen. That was pure fourteen-and-a-half.”

Ladybug crossed her arms. “Like you can tell. You thought I was thirteen a minute ago.”

“You had a bowl on your head! It’s not fair to judge my level of knowing you-ness by what I thought when you had a bowl on your head. I demand a re-do. Get me another Minibug, Bunnyx.”

“No. Stop.” Bunnyx inhaled. “Here is what is going to happen: they are going to do their mission. We are going to wait here. If they fail, we dip back into time and try again. We’ll do it as many times as it takes for them to get the win. Then, we’re going to go back to our time for the mission we were supposed to be doing. I will not be taking questions.”

Chat Plus Sombre held up a finger. “Not a question. Comment: We broke Mini Me.”

Bunnyx fisted her hands in her hair. “You said you don’t remember this!”

“I don’t. He’s just not having any fun with this, so I have concerns.”

It was a good point. Chat Noir had been awfully quiet. “Can you give us a minute?” Ladybug asked.

Chat Plus Sombre gestured to the Burrow. Yes, it was surprisingly large, but there was no privacy to be found. “Not really.”

“Pretend.” Ladybug shooed Bunnyx and Chat Plus Sombre to the far side of the ...what even was this? Plane of existence? Pocket dimension? Chat Noir sank to the floor, knees up and put the bowl back on his head.

“Kitty, what’s wrong?”

“Him. Me.”

Well, that was just crazy. “You realize you grow up to be Doctor Who, right? Pulling companions from time and space. You should be excited!”

“I’m trying so hard to not be that guy anymore. Looks like it doesn’t even matter.”

“What’s wrong with that guy?” Ladybug happened to like that guy a lot. So much so that seeing him curled in on himself like this was a complete crisis, disastrous enough to forestall all stuttering.

“Were you even paying attention to the way he talks about you?”

“I don’t like how me quitting seems normal to him, but I guess I just don’t understand why we’re both going to think it makes sense someday.”

Chat Noir’s shoulders hunched. “Thought so. He keeps calling you his and you don’t even notice. I stopped doing that.”

“I noticed you.”

“I know the nicknames didn’t mean anything to you, but they mattered to me.”

She should tell him that she missed the nicknames. She wanted to be his lady, his Bugaboo, his everything. But that wasn’t fair to him. He had a girlfriend now.

“Are you really fourteen and a half?”

That it was even a question to Chat Noir struck Ladybug with unexpected force. That level of specificity into their ages was so far into Secret Identity territory that they’d never gone there. Chat Noir didn’t know how old she was. But his adult self could pin it down within a span of months. Chat Plus Sombre knew her better than Ladybug had ever thought she and Chat Noir could realistically know each other.

Ladybug didn’t answer, but they both knew she didn’t need to.

“You quit, and he goes through time looking for different yous instead of just getting a new partner.”

“That’s not his fault,” Ladybug protested. “If I don’t give up the earrings, what else can he do?”

“It isn’t fair. I’m trying, Ladybug. I really am.”

She laid her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I know you are. You’ve matured so much. I’ve been really impressed these past couple of weeks. You’ve been awesome, and you shouldn’t look at him and feel like you’re not. Because he’s awesome. You’re still a superhero when you grow up, and a really good one. I’m jealous. I don’t grow up to be Doctor Who.”

Chat Noir eased the bowl back. “Let’s just do the mission and go home.”

Probably, Bunnyx and Chat Plus Sombre couldn’t avoid overhearing the conversation, but the polite thing to do would have been feign ignorance. Yet the moment Chat Noir announced he wanted to get it done and go home (and probably get an ego boost from his girlfriend), the illusion of privacy was shattered.

“That sounded like ready to roll to me!”

“Cross-Time Caper is go!” Chat Plus Sombre cocked one hidden eyebrow. “When are they going?”

Ladybug pulled Chat Noir to his feet and tossed his bowl aside. They followed Bunnyx to the window she beckoned them towards. It was Paris, of course, the beloved skyline marred by a whirling, writhing mass of red hovering in the air near Notre Dame. Bunnyx zoomed in.

The red was…ladybugs? Ladybug bit her lip. Those were her Miraculous Ladybugs of creation, but they weren’t repairing magical damage and disappearing. They were hard at work, diligently crafting something in the sky.

Bunnyx scrolled down, and on the street stood Chat Noir, (a third Chat Noir) staring up at the ladybugs, his face streaked with tears.

“Oh,” Chat Plus Sombre breathed. “This I remember.”

She had a feeling she knew the answer, but Ladybug asked anyway. “What’s going on?”

Grim, he said exactly what she suspected he would: “You’ve been akumatized, m’lady.”

[crazyrandomfucker]

Adrien Augreste: Coffee shop

"Ugghhhhh...." groaned Ladybug. "I'm thirsty and tired".

"How about we go to a coffee shop, my treat" said Chat politely.

"It's too late Chat, there's nothing open at this kind of hours" said Ladybug.

"Oh, but I know the perfect place and they are open until 3 am. Come on bugaboo, you really look like you could use a good, warm and tasty cup of coffee in such a chilly night" insisted Chat.

"It sounds really tempting... But we need to patrol" said Ladybug, not really convinced by what she had said.

"It's been a calm night so far and yesterday we had that Lion King akuma, so we probably won't get any today. Not to mention that sometimes, taking a brief break improves the efficience of anyone" pointed Chat.

"Fine, let's go wherever you say. Surprise me Chat" said Ladybug giving in.

"Oh I'm sure it will surprise you, I was astonished when I found it once when I.... When I was patrolling solo" said  Chat sheepishly.

 "Now that's interesting. I was waiting until you brought up that you do solo patrols. Perhaps we can talk it over a coffee" said Ladybug with a wink.

Chat smiled and showed the path to Ladybug, making a few eyes to cheer her up and recieving those eye rolls™ she always did for him. He jumped over the rooftops, trying to do some tricks to show off and make a little competition with his Lady, which worked and she performed some mid air flips using her yoyo to rise in the right angle. Ladybug was clearly the winner, but that didn't stop her to recognise and praise some of Chat's tricks.

Later, Chat stopped on a rooftop, in front of a gigantic Adrien Agreste's billboard, confusing Ladybug for a moment. Then he explained that behind that embarrasing publicity show off was the coffee shop, but that he had stopped before arriving because he wanted to see her face of surprise when she sees the name of the bar. Curious, Ladybug jumped and climbed to the top of the billboard, her eyes opened like plates and her jaw fell completely.

"I told you it would surprise you" said Chat smugly as he landed next to her. "And wait until you see the owner, you'll be mind-blown for sure".

The door of the bar opened and an old chinese man with a stripped blue shirt appeared. "I see you are back Chat Noir, you've brought Ladybug with you this time. Please, come inside the Miraculous Cave and have a cup of coffee, I'm sure you two must be exhausted" said the old man with a gentle smile.

" Master Fu? Is that you?" asked Ladybug reluctant.

"I'm afraid not, the one you know by master Fu is my brother, I'll explain more inside if you follow me" said the old man as he entered to the coffee shop.

"Don't worry M'Lady, he's trustworthy and the barwoman is too" said Chat as he descended to enter the bar.

"Okay kitty, I trust you" said Ladybug and entered to the coffe shop.

"Welcome dears to the Miraculous Cave" said an old chinese woman behind the bar. "I'm Xia Fu, the sister of Wang and Ming, we're triplets".

"Wait dear sister, this young Ladybug isn't understanding any of that right now. My name is Ming and the one you know as master Fu is Wang. As my sister said, we're triplets. Now, ask your questions, I can see them floating around those eyes" said Ming.

"Mister Fu... Why is here this coffee shop? Isn't it dangerous to have it on a rooftop?" asked Ladybug.

"I see brother chose well" said Xia with a smile.

"I agree. As for your question, worry not young Ladybug, this place is protected from anybody with evil intentions. Just like our brother, there was a time when we held the turtle miraculous and gained a few kwimens. My sister is using one of them to hide us" explained Ming.

"I thought Master Fu was the last guardian of the miraculous, that everybody else died on that fatidic accident. How are you here?" asked Ladybug.

"He doesn't know we also survived" said Ming.

"When the temple crumbled down, I used my kwimen to protect us and once we were free from the ruins of the temple, we searched around the world for the miraculous box, hopingthat noone evil had put their hands on the miraculous" explained Xia. "Then, we heard about four superheroes in Paris, two bugs and two cats, fighting against a butterfly user. We came here and created the Miraculous Cave to provide you help".

"Does Master Fu know about that?" asked Ladybug.

"No, eventually, we'll get in contact with him, but for now it's better if we don't. He'd only blame himself for that accident" said Ming.

"I see... He already blames himself enough, seeing you two suddenly would only worsen things" agreed Ladybug.

"Precisely. I'm beginning to see why my brother chose you two, you're gentle and clever while Chat is selfless and loyal. I'm curious thought,how did he choose you?" asked Ming.

"I'm not sure. The first time I saw him I helped him cross the road before a car hit him" said Ladybug.

"In my case, the first time I met him, I helped him when he fell and lost his walking stick" said Chat.

"My, my. He's doing those tests? That's weird" said Xia.

"He tested your selflessness and kindness, which are great test to choose a miraculous holders, but fail the most important thing, your compatibility with the miraculous. There's people not destined to hold a miraculous and those will never unlock kwimens and greater powers" explained Ming.

"I have a kwimen! Does that means I was destined to be a holder?" asks Chat eagerly.

"You do? In such a short time? That's incredible! Which kwimen is? The destruction of reality? Shapeshifting? Enhanced senses?" asked Xia surprised.

"My sister has the destruction of reality one, I have the bad luck charm..." said Chat.

"You what?!" exclaimed Xia surprised. "That's an extremely unlikely to happen! That kwimen is something more usual of the monkey holders!"

"I know, my kwami told me. He also warned me about the consequences of a bad use of the kwimen and I'm honestly scared of them. I won't use it unless is necessary and I'll stop before things go wrong" said Chat without his usual cheerful tone.

"I see, that's very responsible of you" said Xia. "There has been lots of incidents due to that kwimen".

"Setting that apart, I guess you'd like to have a coffee. We also have food for your kwamis if you want to change back" said Ming diligently.

"Oh, thanks but we'll stay transformed. We haven't shared our identities yet" said Ladybug.

"I see. Worry not then, we won't ask for it then" said Ming.

"For now, what would you like to have?" asked Xia.

"I would like a vanilla latte please" asked Ladybug.

"I want a peppermint tea" said Chat.

"You'll have it in a flash" said Xia with a wink.

"Meanwhile, if you have any kind of questions regarding the miraculous our brother hasn't told you yet, I'll be glad to answer them" offered Ming. "And don't be afraid to come whenever you need something from us, even if you're about to detransform. We have some closets to guarantee your privacy".

"I'll mark the ubication on my yoyo in case I need it, thanks a lot. By the way, only miraculous holders can enter here?" asked Ladybug.

"No, we have other clients in a lower floor, but this floor is exclusively for holders use" answered Ming.

"And if we are not here and you need our help, there's a little bell connected to our phones so feel free to ring it in those cases" said Xia, bringing the drinks to the heroes.

"I'm sure I'll do!" said Chat happily taking his cup.

"Thanks" said Ladybug and took a sip of her cup. "Mmmmmh~ This is delicious!"

"I'm glad you like it. I know that you ladybug holders take a sudden interest on flowers due to the miraculous use, which proves your compatibility with your miraculous. You'll develope some behaviours from the animal which they represent" explained Xia.

"That explains a lot" said Ladybug.

"Yeah, I thought it was just only me and my sister" said Chat.

"But you look cute chasing laser pointers Chat" teased Ladybug.

"H-How do you know that?" asked Chat blushing a lot.

"Well, a little bird told me about a certain video and I exchanged an interview for the video with a very pretty reporter" said Ladybug..

"I can't believe it, my princess has betrayed me?" said Chat dramatically.

"Princess? I see I'm not the only lady that has catched your attention~" continued her teasing Ladybug.

"Y-You're the only o-one for me! She's really nice and lovely, b-but I'm only loyal to you, no matter how much it takes to win your love" said Chat blushing.

"Don't worry, I get it. She's trully great" said Ladybug.

"She is, she is also the best civilian I know. She's brave, she stands up if anyone dares to mess with her loved ones and she is really talented" said Chat, not noticing Ladybug's blush.

"Chat, that's really nice from you. I'm shure she'd be flattered" said Ladybug.

"That must be someone very special. Bring her along whenever you want and we'llmake an exception for her and let her stay on this floor" said Xia.

"Will do, she'd probably like this vanilla latte, it's incredible" said Ladybug. "Thought, probably it'd be better if Chat brought her, she's afraid to go with me and that someone recognises me because of that".

"I'll gladly do it, she deserves to put off her work sometimes, she works really hard" said Chat.

"We'll be glad to have someone so special in here then, she sounds just like a great girl" said Ming.

Then, they kept chatting and drinking until they realized what time it was, quickly saying goodbye and paying (Chat insisted it was on him) before jumping away tocontinue their patrol. The two elders watched them go away with a certain nostalgia but hoping for the best.

[p-artsypants]

Sing We All Noel

After receiving the worst Christmas present ever from his father, Chat Noir finds himself out on the streets with nowhere to go on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, Ladybug finds him and brings him home.

For @splitting-infinities, because she did a really cute Christmas oneshot too!

Links in Reblog.

I wanted to write a Christmas story, but I was busy before Christmas, so it’s a little late.

Also, my family is German, so our traditions might be different from others? But I tried to do research on French Christmas traditions. This is my stab at it. Some angst, some fluff. All cute! Hope you enjoy, and hope you all had a merry merry Christmas! (Or whatever holiday you celebrate.)

—

Adrien hated Christmas. Last year wasn’t that bad, since he had gotten to have a loving Christmas dinner with his friends, but the Akuma attack and everything before that wasn’t great.

This year, however, topped them all.

Gabriel had said, with a big grin, that he had an amazing present for his son this Christmas. That was surprising since he was sure Nathalie usually went shopping for him.

But the present wasn’t so amazing as it was horrifying. Gabriel had led him into his office, and down a secret passage, where he found his mother in suspended animation. Apparently, now that Adrien was old enough, he was allowed to join his father’s side in the fight against Ladybug and Chat Noir, as Hawkmoth’s right hand man.

Everything after that was a blur. There was some shouting, some begging, fists thrown, but he ultimately tore out of the room, threw some items in a duffel bag, and leapt into the night.

Now here he sat; sad, cold, and alone on a rooftop in Paris on Christmas Eve.

He glanced at his baton. It wasn’t even 5 o’clock yet. Most folks probably hadn’t even eaten dinner.

And neither had Adrien, he remembered painfully as his stomach growled.

It all had to happen on Christmas Eve. Any other day, he’d ask to stay with Nino and then go find his Lady, but Nino was gone to Cannes, to see family, and Ladybug was not likely to be transformed.

Not that he wanted to bother anyone with news like this. It was just...too awful.

His face throbbed from one of Gabriel’s hits. A father wasn’t supposed to punch his son in the face, not over something like begging him to stop being a super villain. Though, a good father wouldn’t be a super villain in the first place.

So what was poor Adrien to do? All alone in the snow? He cried. His hot tears being the only warmth on his wind bitten cheeks. Everything hurt. His ears, his face, his chest and his heart. It all hurt.

His life was over. His father was Hawkmoth, and even Christmas would be forever ruined to him.

There was a crunch in the snow behind him. “Chat?”

He panicked, swiveling over to look at his Lady. “Oh! Ladybug!” He sniffed, wiping his face. “What are you doing here?”

“Could ask you the same thing,” she answered, coming closer. “I had a...last minute delivery to make, as my civilian self, but I figured Ladybug could get there a few minutes faster.”

“O-oh, right. You’re so clever.”

She smiled softly. “And you, kitty?”

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t answer. Of course it was important to tell her about Hawkmoth, but it wasn’t fair. He’d tell her in a few days, but she probably had a family she should spend time with. He would give anything for that.

“Chat, what’s wrong?” Her hand reached up and scratched just behind his ear, and he melted. His shoulders slumped and the tears fell like a faucet.

“Oh kitty...” she whispered, pulling him into a hug. That’s when she noticed the duffel bag in his lap. “What happened?”

“My-My father is insane!” He sobbed. “He’s—I’m so sorry my lady...”

She hushed him, petting his hair. “You don’t need to apologize about anything, Chat. I’m your friend and your partner. I’m here for you.”

“My Lady...” he whined. “He’s Hawkmoth...my father is Hawkmoth. That was his Christmas present to me!”

She gasped, crushing him into her chest. “I’m so sorry...”

“I-I didn’t know what to do! I tried to reason with him, but he hit me—“

He felt her hands clamp down on his shoulders, as she pushed him away slightly. Anger scrawled all over her face. “He did what?”

“He...he punched me in the eye...it’s not the first time he’s hit me...but I just...grabbed what I could and bolted.”

“Does he know you’re Chat Noir?”

“I...don’t think so? He said he wanted my help getting our Miraculous, but he never directly asked me for mine.” He gasped through his sobs, “I-I know we need to take him down—“

“You’re right. We do. But not now. You are a wreck and...we just can’t right now.”

“I’m sorry...”

“Stop apologizing! This is not your fault! In fact, I’m glad you told me instead of suffering in silence!”

He shrugged miserably, giving away that that had been his plan.

“Do you have somewhere to go? A friend or family to stay with?”

He choked another sob and covered his face. “My best friend, other than you, is out of town for a week. I...I don’t know where else to go!” At this, a fresh round of sobs started up, as his shoulders heaved.

“Then you’ll stay with me and my family.”

“What?” He glanced up, eyes wide.

“You’re staying with me.”

“Oh no! I couldn’t! Please my lady, don’t worry about me...”

“Chat, you must be insane or stupid to even think that I would let my best friend sleep on the streets on Christmas Eve!”

“B-But I don’t want to ruin your Christmas!”

“Nonsense! Having you around will make my Christmas twenty times more fun! My family is all kinds of obnoxious, so it’ll be nice to have someone else around for them to dote on.”

He was quiet, thinking.

“Please kitty? It would ruin my Christmas if I had to keep imagining you out here, all alone and crying.” She made her point by swiping her thumb under his eye.

“Are you really sure it’s okay?”

“Yes!” She said, exasperated.

“...but, we’ll have to share identities, unless you just invite Chat Noir over…”

She smiled. “While that would be funny, I think we need to reveal ourselves. I want to introduce my best friend to my family, and I need to know Hawkmoth’s identity.”

“I…guess you’re right…” ��He glanced around. “But we should probably get off this roof first.”

She snickered. “Good idea.”

They both lowered down into an alleyway, only a block away from the bakery.

Chat scratched the back of his neck. “I’m…kind of nervous.”

“Me too.” Ladybug agreed. She reached out her hands to hold his. “Let’s do it together, okay?”

He nodded, biting his lip.

“Spots off.”

“Claws in.”

In a flash, the superheroes were gone, and two classmates stood awkwardly staring at each other.

“Marinette?” He breathed.

“…oh Adrien…” She reached her hand up to touch his cheek, her gaze riveted to his black eye. Tears sprang up as she pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”

Likewise, Adrien wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair. “I’m so glad it’s you...” he whispered. “Looks like I was lucky for once.”

She pulled back to look him in the eye, trying to commit to memory that this was real. Adrien was Chat Noir.

Wait.

Adrien was Chat Noir!

She was just embracing Adrien!

She had spent the last two years running along rooftops with Adrien!

A hot blush dusted her cheeks as her eyes blew wide.

“My Lady?” He sniffed.

“Oh my god! You’re Adrien! You—I!!” All the attempts he made to kiss her flashed through her mind and then—“We kissed!”

“Ah...yeah?” Adrien was having his own freak out, but on a much smaller scale. He knew Ladybug’s parents! He’d been to her house and in her room! She had pictures of him all over her walls! Sure, they had a little awkward relationship, but she was always there for him. She was there for all of her friends. Bending over backwards to help them all. Always going above and beyond. She was so smart and clever and creative and beautiful and funny and—

He didn’t stand a chance.

Marinette’s musings had become vocal. “I can’t believe it’s been you all along! But I mean, you’re so different as Chat Noir! Not that you’re not still cute! I MEAN—! No, you are! You’re just goofier! Relaxed? Oh and here I thought I knew everything about you! But now I have to find out that the guy I’m crushing on is the same as my silly partner—ohmygod! You’re not wearing a coat! You must be freezing!”

Adrien listened to her rant with a smile, the way he always did when she rambled. It was cute and endearing, and a pleasant distraction from the hell that awaited him back home.

Without much thought, he leaned down and pressed the most gentle kiss to her lips. Just a peck, and nothing more.

She fell silent, her face red and eyes sparkling.

He grinned, “I don’t need a coat anymore.”

The stunned look turned into a gentle smile. “I’m glad to see you’re smiling, kitty.”

“Still willing to take this stray home?”

“Of course! This is even better because my parents know you!” But then her face fell, in something akin to horror. “Wait no! I can’t bring you home for Christmas!”

“What? But you just said—“

“Ugh! I know! And I’m going to but—“

“But what?”

She groaned loudly. “The relentless teasing...”

“Teasing?”

She placed both hands on her burning cheeks. “Um...my whole family kind of knows that...I sorta...have a giant crush on you?”

He smiled. “You talk about me that often?”

She glanced away. “I’m surprised I even hid it from you. Wait, did you know?!”

“You just said it. In your little monologue before I kissed you. ‘The guy you’re crushing on’, right?”

“Oh no! I said that?! Ugh! Stupid stupid!”

“Hey, no no...” he soothed, wrapping his arms around her waist. “My Lady is smart and wonderful. And literally the coolest person I know.”

“You...really think that?”

“Absolutely! Marinette, I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count all your amazing qualities and accomplishments! You amaze me, Bugaboo!”

That nickname sent a shiver down her spine. It was just so Chat.

“You...you’re pretty awesome yourself,” she smiled coyly.

He returned it, but only for a moment as his smile faded. “Even though...my father is—“

“Ssh!” She hushed, pressing a finger to his perfect lips. “We’re not going to think about that today or tomorrow, okay? I know it’s going to be hard, but I’m with you. Okay?”

“Okay.” He whispered, his heart in his throat. “And...and if your family teases you about me, then I’ll just give you a little kiss each time. Okay?”

“Adrien!”

“What?”

“You can’t just—say stuff like that!”

“I’m not just saying it. I’m going to do it.”

“B-b-But! It’ll be weird!”

“Only if we make it weird.”

“But what will everyone think when I say ‘oh this is my friend, Adrien, he’s going to be staying for Christmas’ and then you plant one on me?!”

“Well, we are French!”

She covered her face again in embarrassment.

“This is fun! I’ve never see you so flustered by my flirting, My Lady!”

“...jerk.”

He pulled her closer and shivered in her arms.

“Oh my goodness! You still don’t have a coat on! Come on!!” She took his hand and they hauled ass to the bakery.

—

Since it was Christmas Eve, the bakery closed early, but now there was a large table stretched out through the lobby.

When Marinette and Adrien entered, Sabine smiled at them warmly.

“Marinette, you were just supposed to drop something off! Not pick something up!” But then her jovial mood switched as she took in Adrien’s appearance. “Oh honey what happened to your eye?!”

“Um...” he began sheepishly. “I um...I had a little fight...” he stood ramrod straight as Sabine touched his face very gently, just as Marinette had. “...with my father.”

Sabine gasped. “Oh good heavens!”

Marinette provided, “I found him wandering the streets alone, and I invited him over...he ran away from home.”

“I’m really sorry to intrude, Mrs. Cheng...I just...I’m scared. I’m not safe at home.”

“You are staying here as long as you need to!” The woman stated fiercely. “Come on!” She grabbed his wrist and started yanking him upstairs. As they passed the bakery kitchen, she called to her husband. “Tom, Adrien’s joining us for Christmas, please set an extra plate at the table.”

“The blonde boy that Mari likes? Of course!”

Sabine pulled Adrien upstairs into the bathroom across from the living room. He could hear a group of people laughing and talking across the hall. She took a washcloth and soaked it in cold water, then folded it up and placed it on his cheek. “Here we go, this will sooth the throbbing.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cheng.”

“Sabine is fine, dear.” She patted his head sweetly.

Marinette stood in the doorway, just watching.

“Your shirt is soaked! Let me find something for you to wear. Just stay here and keep that wash cloth on. Marinette, will your help your father set the table, please?”

“Yes maman!”

The door closed and Adrien was left alone in the bathroom. He could hear the party from the living room, a group of people joyfully enjoying their Christmas.

“Well, despite that major kick to the nuts, looks like your Christmas might just be okay.” Plagg acknowledged.

Adrien shrugged. “I...hope so. To be honest, I’m really overwhelmed. And I kind of wish that we hadn’t revealed ourselves like this...”

“It had to happen eventually...besides, you need her now more than ever. I’m not so good at comforting you.”

“I think you do a fine job, Plagg.”

“Oh, well, in that case, give me cheese.”

—

Sabine was hosting family Christmas this year, and was up to her neck with stress. But with everything she did, she handled it with a smile and kindness.

But seeing Adrien in that state made her so angry, that she was having a small break down in the bedroom. Though it only manifested with her yanking clothes out of the closet, looking for something small for Adrien.

She always wondered. The stories that Marinette shared about him, how he wasn’t allowed to do so many things. She just couldn’t imagine it was this bad.

She found an ugly Christmas sweater that was too small for Tom, and a soft T-Shirt for underneath. Then she collected herself and popped into the living room.

The family inside greeted her warmly, as they chatted away. Playing cards, sipping on wine, and watching Christmas movies on the TV. Sabine cleared her throat and got everyone’s attention.

“There’s been a slight change in plans. Marinette’s friend Adrien is joining us for Christmas this year.”

“Oh is this the boy she’s had her eye on for a while?”

Sabine smiled. “Yes, but as far as I know, they’re just friends. This is an emergency for him. He ran away from home tonight, and I don’t know the details.”

A collective gasp and hums of sympathy came from the group.

“Look, please just…don’t ask about his family, and pretend like you don’t know anything. We just want him to have a nice Christmas!”

“Oh, I think we can manage that.” One of the aunts declared. “Bring him in! We have to meet him!”

“He’ll be in in a moment. Tom is setting up the table in the bakery, and dinner will be ready in a minute. In the meantime, can I get anybody anything?”

—

Sabine returned to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “It’s just me, Adrien.”

He opened the door, shirtless with the washcloth still pressed to his eye.

“I found this in the closet. I got it for Tom several Christmas’s ago. It’s a little small, I think it’ll fit.” She held up the sweater for him to see. It was red with little silver pom-poms on it, and right in the middle was a cat and gold cursive letters that read ‘Meowy Christmas’. Adrien stared in shock.

Sabine saw the look and took it differently. “I know it’s not the most stylish…”

“No, it’s perfect. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…” He touched the soft fabric, finding it almost silky to the touch, and not at all scratchy like most sweaters. He put in on with haste, and then hugged himself. When he looked up again, his eyes were glassy. “Thank you, Sabine.”

“Of course honey.”

Marinette came up the stairs. “The table’s all set—“ then she got an eyeful of Adrien’s new look and snorted.

“Do you like it?” He asked earnestly, “I think it’s so me!”

“It is so you! I can’t imagine that sweater for anyone better than you.”

He beamed.

“Come on, I’d like to introduce you.” She took his hand and led him across the hall to the living room. “My mom’s family is in China, but my dad’s side of the family all lives here in France.” She opened the door, and the murmuring became joyful conversation and laughing. But glances looked over to them, seeing the handsome boy with a black eye, and the conversation halted, only to be replaced with cheerful greetings.

Adrien smiled wide, but trembled with nervousness.

“Hello everyone, this is my friend Adrien, he’s going to be joining us.”

“Oh it’s so nice to meet you!” A woman said, approaching him with open arms. She hugged him tightly. “I’m Nann, Tom’s little sister. It’s so nice to meet you!”

“It-it’s nice to meet you too!” He chirped.

“This is my husband, Paul.” She gestured to a tall skinny man. “And those are my two boys, Brett and Kyle.” Two little boys were glued to the TV and didn’t even glance over.

“And that’s my Aunt Jenny and Uncle John,” Marinette pointed out. “They have three sons that are older, Perry, Philip, and Patric.” She pointed to three college-aged boys sitting at the table, laughing about something.

“And then you remember my Nonna from my birthday party.” An older woman was in the kitchen, taking a dish out of the oven.

“And then my Nonino, my grandpa, is over there on the couch. He’s actually my great grandfather.” A little old Italian man was on the couch, passed out, snoring with his mouth wide open.

Adrien looked around the room, admiring all the decorations. There was a shelf on the wall, lined with stockings and lights and garland. A tree, decorated with red and white lights, bird ordainments, crystal garland, and a shimmering star stood in the corner, sending glittery lights across the room. Little touches of Christmas dusted the room. A little nutcracker here, a festive pillow there...everything to make the house feel warm and...like a home.

“Your house is beautiful.” He whispered.

“Oh! Thanks! I actually helped decorate this year!”

He gave her soft look, one that was wrapped in awe and reverence. “Can we decorate our house like this when we’re married?”

She sputtered. “Wh-What?!”

Adrien flushed, realizing he had said that out loud. “Ah—I mean, you know...” he didn’t have an excuse so he just shrugged in a way he hoped was convincing.

She blinked, raising an eyebrow.

Sabine saved him from the awkwardness of having to explain himself by announcing, “Dinner’s ready!”

—

Downstairs, Adrien was seated next to Marinette on one side, and Nonino on the other.

The feast was amazing. A huge turkey with chestnuts sat in the middle of the table, ready to be carved and devoured. Au gratin potatoes and green beans, corn and duck liver pate, and of course, all sorts of bread from the bakery…the spread looked delicious, and all homemade. Adrien salivated as his stomach rumbled.

“Let’s all hold hands.” Tom stated from the head of the table.

Obediently, Adrien took Marinette and Nonino’s hands, and bowed his head to pray.

But instead, the group started to sing.

Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul,

Thank You, Lord, for making me whole;

Thank You, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation so rich and free.

Then Marinette let go of his hand, a bit begrudgingly.

The meal commenced, plates being passed around, spoons tapping on dishes, light conversation filling the air.

A small hand rested on his thigh.

“You doing okay?” Marinette asked softly.

“Much better,” Adrien said earnestly.

“So, Andre,” Nonino said to Adrien, loudly. “What do you doing for a living?”

“Nonno, he’s 15.” Marinette chuckled. She should have see this coming. Nonino was notorious for appraising boyfriends to make sure they were good enough for his relatives. Even though Adrien was introduced as a friend, not that he knew that.

“…I do have a job though…” Adrien shrugged. “I do some modeling.”

Aunt Jenny glanced over. “I thought you seemed familiar. I might have seen you before! What kind of modeling do you do?”

Adrien didn’t mind his modeling career. It wasn’t his favorite thing to do, but he didn’t hate it. And for today, it was a safe topic. “Mostly clothing, though I did recently did a fragrance ad.”

“Oh that’s so fun! Do you enjoy it?”

“I do. But I don’t intend to do it forever. I mostly just do it to…keep my dad happy.”

Nonno snagged onto that line. “What kind of stock do you come from? What’s your family like?”

The other conversations died out as everyone looked to him in horror. Sabine smacked a hand to her face, realizing that grandpa had been asleep during her little explanation.

“O-oh…uh…” He stammered. “I’m…I’m French. My mother and father are both native Parisians.”

“Got any siblings?”

“No, no…just me and my dad. My mom…” He paused, remembering the sight of her within that glass coffin from only a few hours ago. “She’s no longer in the picture.”

“His dad is out of town for Christmas.” Marinette provided smoothly, hoping to help Adrien out a bit and steer the conversation into safer waters.

“Oh? Work related? What does he do?”

“He’s in fashion design.” Adrien answered. That was an easy answer.  

“Anybody I would know?” Asked the old man, with scrutinizing eyes.

“Perhaps,” answered Adrien with a shrug. “It’s Gabriel Agreste.”

This time, utensils clattered to the table as Uncle John choked on his drink.

“Did I say something wrong?” Adrien near whispered.

One of John’s boys, Patric, called across the table. “Marinette! How the hell did you get so lucky to snag the son of Gabriel Agreste!?”

Marinette blushed. “Uh…well, you see…we’re not exactly—“

It was at that moment that Adrien remembered his promise in the alleyway and swooped down to kiss her on the lips. Just a peck, but enough to elicit whooping and hollering from the family.

Marinette sat in shock, unable to think.

The rest of the questioning went a lot smoother and dinner returned to a celebration.

—

After the meal, the family retired to the living room, and everyone grabbed a chair to sit in. While Marinette glanced around for a spot, Adrien sat among the cousins, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her down to sit on his lap. “Now what’s happening?”

Marinette shuffled slightly, getting comfortable. “I’m not sure. Whatever everyone wants to do, I guess.”

A Christmas movie was on TV, and they alternated between watching it, and catching up. Everything stayed light, for Adrien’s sake.

“So how did you two meet?” Asked Uncle John. “Fashion event?”

“No, actually. Adrien sits in front of me in class.” Marinette grinned.

Adrien smirked, thinking about the time when Ladybug wrapped them both up in her yo-yo line. He tightened his arms around her, still somewhat in disbelief that he was holding her like this.

“We actually didn’t get along at first. He was trying to take gum off my seat, but I misunderstood that he was trying to put it on. But then he lent me his umbrella and we smoothed things out.” Marinette grinned.

“Aw!” Cooed Aunt Jenny, “and how long have you been dating?”

Whoops. “Uh…we’re not actually…” Marinette whispered.

“I’m not allowed to date.” Adrien added. “Not until I’m sixteen. But my father can’t forbid me from falling in love.”

“Aww!” The aunts cried.

Marinette blushed, tucking hair behind her ear.

Aunt Nann nudged her husband, “why don’t you get the keyboard out so the boys can show what they learned for Nonino?”

One of the older boys said, “I’ve been practicing my Ukulele, I have a song to show too!”

And so they settled in for a little talent show. Each of the cousins showing off their musical prowess.

As this went on, Sabine slipped out quietly from the room, cell phone in hand, down to the bakery.

She found a contact and dialed, nervous with a twinge of frustration. This was the right thing to do, even if it backfired.

“Agreste residence.” A man’s voice answered.

“Hello, this is Sabine Cheng, Marinette’s mother. May I speak to Gabriel please? It’s about Adrien.”

“This is he. What about Adrien? Have you seen him?”

“Yes sir, M. Agreste. My daughter found him wandering the streets and brought him home.”

“Thank you for letting me know. I will send for him immediately.”

“That’s not necessary. He’ll be staying with us until further notice.”

His tone changed from pleasantly neutral, to dark. “I beg your pardon?”

“Well quite frankly, Adrien was extremely upset when Marinette found him. He said you two had a fight, and not much more than that. But he had a black eye, and that’s enough of an indicator to know of his well being at home.”

“He...has a black eye?”

“Yes, it’s a beauty too.”

“I...didn’t realize...” Gabriel went silent on the line.

Sabine swallowed thickly and continued. “He’s being well taken care of here, so there’s no need to worry. But I figured it would be best to tell you so you weren’t sending out a search party. But I suggest you wait for Adrien to come home instead of dragging him back yourself. And if you do try, I won’t hesitate to call the authorities.”

Gabriel Agreste was a very powerful man, likely one of the most powerful in France. And here the little baker’s wife was threatening him. It was almost admirable. Still, he did not need the publicity of this one bit. “Fine,” he acquiesced. “Adrien can stay. But I would like updates on him. And he will continue with his scheduled activities.”

“Adrien will do what he wants to do. I’m not going to force him to do what you say. He ran away from you. He wants space. And if you don’t want to permanently ruin your relationship with him, I suggest you back off.”

Gabriel was quiet a minute more before sighing. “I may already have. Thank you for watching after him, Miss Cheng.” And he hung up.

Sabine lowered the phone with a shaky hand. She may have just painted a target on her back, but it was worth it for Adrien.

Perhaps it was all the stories Marinette told, or perhaps it was the look in his eyes and polite demeanor, but she felt a strong attachment to the boy. He was a good boy, and she couldn’t help but feel that he was special.

She returned to the living room to catch the tail end of someone’s performance and the applause that followed.

“Can’t you play the piano, Adrien?” Tom asked. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to of course.”

Adrien smiled. “Well actually...”

Marinette nudged him, “go on!”

A bit sheepishly, Adrien sat down at the keyboard, knowing the song by heart. When he was a child, when things were normal, his father would sit down and play this every year. Then once Adrien started to learn, he took over playing it.

Last year hadn’t felt like Christmas because of its absence. So he played the notes and began to sing.

“Sing we now of Christmas,

Noel, sing we here!

Hear our grateful praises

to the babe so dear.

Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!”

He was surprised he remembered all the words though. His mother had always sung it.

“Angels called to shepherds,

"Leave your flocks at rest,

journey forth to Bethlehem,

find the lambkin blest."”

The family joined his song. “Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!”

“In Bethlehem they found him;

Joseph and Mary mild,

seated by the manger,

watching the holy child.”

Adrien looked up to see the family enjoying the moment. Nonino had his eyes closed, as he sang the loudest of them all.

“From the eastern country

came the kings afar,

bearing gifts to Bethlehem

guided by a star.

Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!”

His heart felt light, and his soul at ease. Just this small bit of his own Christmas to share with her family. Perhaps it would become a new tradition?

“Gold and myrrh they took there,

gifts of greatest price;

there was ne'er a place on earth

so like paradise.

Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!”

—

It was getting late, and the children were whisked off to bed.

Adrien glanced at his duffel bag that sat at the base of the stairs to Marinette’s room.

“Um, S-Sabine? Where will I be sleeping tonight?”

“Oh you can sleep in the guest—“ she paused. “Hmm. Paul and Nann are on the couch and the kids are on the floor, John and Jenny are in the guest room...”

Grandma Gina piped up. “He can share Marinette’s bed!”

“Mother!” Tom gasped.

“What? It’s fine! They aren’t dating! I’ll be on the little lounger and John’s boys are on the floor, they won’t do anything!”

Would it be weird for Adrien to kiss Marinette’s grandmother? Perhaps.

“Well, as long as you two don’t mind...” Sabine trailed off.

“I don’t mind!” Adrien chirped, far too enthusiastically. “I mean—as long as you don’t, Marinette...”

She smiled softly at him. “I think we can handle it.”

So they withdrew to bed. Adrien dressed in soft pajamas and stood nervously at the base of the ladder to Marinette’s bed. The older boys were blowing up air mattresses on the floor, while Marinette’s grandmother had already snuggled into the Chaise, eye mask and earplugs in place.

Marinette emerged from the bathroom in her own pajamas, looking perfectly snuggable. “Do you guys need anything before bed?”

“Nah.”

“We good fam.”

“We gucci.”

She laughed and nudged Adrien. “You sure you’re okay with this, kitty?”

He blushed slightly, “if I’m completely honest, with what happened earlier, I could really use the company.”

“Then let’s get to bed. We’re going to want to wake up early in the morning.” She urged him up the ladder first.

He took the side closest to the wall, and scooted under the blanket. She followed after, as one of the boys turned off the light.

“Hey, lovebirds, wait until we’re all asleep before you start saying mushy stuff, okay?”

Marinette snorted, not looking away from Adrien’s face.

“Night fam!”

Then all fell quiet.

In the light from the window, she could still make out his face. Now that things were stilled, she couldn’t help but worry that his thoughts would take him.

“Are you doing okay?” She asked, so softly.

“Mm-hmm.” He nodded, blinking rapidly. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Wordlessly, she stretched her legs out, to hook with his, bringing them closer. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you sooner.”

Adrien shook his head, his hair ruffling against the pillow. “You didn’t know.”

“We’re partners…best friends even.”

“Yeah…” he shuffled closer, their noses almost touching. “Am…I a bad son?”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Why would you say a thing like that?”

“Because he…he shared this thing with me…and I yelled at him and ran away.”

“Didn’t you beg him to stop what he was doing?”

He nodded, with a sniffle.

“Then you did all you can do. Your father needs help, but you’re still just a kid. We will stop him, and we’ll save him from himself.”

He screwed up his lips and glanced away. “But—“

“Shh.” She pulled his head against her chest. “It’s okay. You’re a good boy.” She ran a hand through his hair. “You’re such a good boy.”

A soft rumble vibrated against her, and she recognized Chat’s purr immediately. She smiled.

“I…I love you, My Lady.” He whispered against her skin. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, kitty cat.” She kissed his head. “I always have.”

“Hey! What did I say about the mushy talk?” Came a voice from down below.

“Aw, shut up Patric.”

[halcyyonnwrites]

I just see it as Chat Noir is what Adrien would be like on the internet

‘Chat Noir is Adrien’s true personality.‘

[freedom-shamrock]

It Sounds Familiar - Chapter 7

This is the Marichat May prompt #20- I thought I’d lost you.   This takes place right during chapter 10 of Something Familiar.

Also on AO3 Chp 1   Chp 2   Chp 3   Chp 4   Chp 5   Chp 6    Chp 7   Chp 8 Chp 9   Chp 10   Chp 11   Chp 12   Chp 13   Chp 14   Chp 15   Chp 16   Chp 17   Chp 18   Chp 19

Snug in a nest made of his sling and Marinette's red and black capelette, Chat Noir lounged beside his witch as she finished up a sketch.  She designed such lovely things; his father would be jealous of her natural talent. He looked up at the Eiffel Tower excited by the possibility that he would get to visit it someday with her.

"Time to head home," she said, reaching down to run a hand over his back.  "Do you like it here?" she asked.

It's nice, he replied.  There were a lot of people around on the Trocadero, and even more over by the tower.  She'd found them a quiet place for her brainstorming.  Less busy here.   The view was nice enough, though clearly didn't draw the tourists the way others did.

"I usually come here a couple times a month."  She scratched his head, then stood up. "There are a few other places I go, too.  You'll see. I hope you like them, too."

Of course I will.  He let out a sniff as he got up so she could drape the sling across her body.  Sometimes she was silly. As if he could dislike any place she was fond of. I like any place you are.  Especially if it makes you happy.

"You sweetheart."  She slipped on the ladybug patterned shawl she'd finished last night, pulling it to hang over the sling.  She'd explained that she was fond of ladybugs, and she wanted something that allowed him privacy in his carrier, if he wanted it.  She'd been so concerned about helping him settle comfortably into his new role. She rubbed one of the reinforced shoulders. "Where do you want to ride?"  

Before he could answer, he felt the electric prickle of powerful magic in the air.  It was unpleasant, though different from his father's, and he felt his fur fluff up tugging against his skin.   Trouble!  He leaped to her shoulder, his tail curving about her neck wondering if there was any way his presence could protect his witch.

Marinette started heading back the direction they'd initially come, clearly planning on getting home.  Surely the Paris police force's arcane emergency unit could handle whatever this was, but he worried this presence would reach them first.  The foul magic was getting closer and he heard screaming and crashing a few blocks over.

A woman with a stroller came running around the corner, dashing down the street away from them.  She was closely followed by a yellow and blue striped demon. Chat felt his hair stand completely on end, a low growl rumbling out from behind his teeth.

"I know, kitty," Marinette whispered, her voice shaky.  She was scared but determined. "But we have to help." She moved a little closer to the Seine's levy; and he could feel her preparing to use her magic.  She yanked off her shoes to stand barefoot on the cold sidewalk, her knees slightly bent. "Can you get its attention?"

On it.  Chat Noir bounded from her shoulder.  He couldn't refuse her, because she was right.  They had to help. But he desperately hoped he boosted her magic as much as Callie suggested when they talked in the wee hours.  He let out a howling battle cry as he flew down the sidewalk, reaching the demon as it was swiping at the woman.

Feeling strength from the rise of his witch's magic, he grew bold.  He leaped onto the demon's leg, engaging his claws as he shot up the creature's body.  He had its attention, but he needed to be sure. He slashed one paw across its face before jumping of the demon's shoulder and racing back toward Marinette.

Incoming!  He warned, watching a breeze pick up around her.

Marinette met his eyes before focusing on the creature chasing him.  Swinging her hands in wide circles, his witch chanted. "With air, I confine thee.  With fire, I bind thee. With water, I douse thy flame." The river rose up in a water spout that sprayed everything within 45 meters.  "And with earth, I crush thee." The demon staggered, unable to move forward or pull back. "You were brought here in error. You must go back."

It shrieked at her, struggling against her binding.  Though she had it fast, he could feel the magic draining her.  This wasn't something she could sustain for long, and yet he didn't even hear emergency sirens.

Marinette, his amazing witch, surprised him with her next action.  "With air and fire, water and earth, I rescind your invitation, and banish you from this plane."  She brought her hands together, her clap a sharp crack of thunder. The demon vanished in a spiral of fire.  A shock wave of wind shot out from the scorched sidewalk knocking Marinette backward into the Seine.

Chat darted to the edge of the levy, frantincally searching from her, feeling her rising panic as she thrashed beneath the surface.  Shrieking into the link, desperate to find her, Chat immediately shifted and dived in to find her.

He didn't notice the coldness of the river, his mind solely focused on finding her.  His witch. His Marinette. Their bond pulled him to her and he caught hold of her capelette to yank her into his arms.  She was so still and limp as he pulled her out of the water. As she lay there on the cement he realized he was facing the potential of a world without her.

"No, no, no," he whispered, dropping to his knees beside her.  "Marinette?" He shook her, but she didn't respond, even in his head.  He leaned ever her, listening for breathing while two fingers searched for a pulse in her neck.  He found neither.

Tipping back her head, he latched his mouth over hers and exhaled, watching her chest rise and fall.  He repeated the breath then scrambled next to her torso, running two fingers down the center of her chest.  Placing the heel of one hand where he decided her sternum was, he set the other on top,locking his fingers together.  "One and two and three and four…" he whispered the count, moving at the rapid pace he'd learned and practiced in a first aid course his father had found completely unnecessary though he allowed it anyway.

At thirty compressions, he relaterted the cycle of two breaths, but only go to fifteen compressions when she gasped and started choking.  He rolled her onto her side in case she threw up, furious and desperate that there were still no sirens screaming through the air. He needed an ambulance now.  They had to take care of his Marinette.  As she coughed and gagged, he fished in her bag for her phone.  His witch was clever and had spelled her backpack against water, probably because she had a tendency to forget her umbrella.  He'd watched her with her phone, so even though he'd never used a cell phone, he could figure it out.

"Emergency services," a calm woman answered.  "What is the nature of your emergency?"

"There was a demon attack along the seine," he said quickly.  "We need an ambulance."

"We have received a report about a demon," the woman replied.  "Ambulances will be dispatched as soon as the response team issues the all clear."

"We don't need a response team," he insisted.  "My… witch, she banished it. It's gone. But she fell in the river, and I don't think she can swim."

"Is she still in the river?" the woman asked.

"No," Chat answered.  Why was she asking questions?  Why couldn't she just send the help?  "I pulled her out." Marinette made a horrible retching noise, as her lungs worked to evict the water that had gotten in.  He patted her on the back.

"Is she breathing?" the operator asked "She is now," he answered.

"And the demon isn't there?" she asked again.

"No.  It's gone.  I told you. She banished it, and now she needs help.  Please," he begged.

There was a moment of silence.  "I've confirmed that the ambulance is in its way."

"Thank you," he whispered, hanging up and turning his attention to his witch.  She was alive. He was pretty sure he was crying.as he rubbed her back.

"Chat?" she whispered, once her breathing was steady.

He heaved a sigh of relief.  She could talk! "I thought I'd lost you," he cried.  "I can't lose you." He lightly caressed her cheek as he had when she had bad dreams.  "Lie still, my Marinette." He crouched over her, wanting nothing more than to bury his face in her hair.  "Help is coming."

I'm planning on getting the last chapter of this Marichat May return to the Familiar Story done tomorrow. I have to reassess the prompt and my plan to make sure this works without needing additional wrap up after that.

[trishmishtree]

Live-tumbling my reaction to ml season 2 episode 16 (Troublemaker)

(Spoilers and salt below)

With the way Penny is getting pulled left and right, it’s really no surprise who the villain will be.

Wait, is Rolling Stone an actual ship? I thought it was an ml crack thing.

I have never liked Marinette’s English voice. And here it still sounds like a grown woman plugging her nose and badly imitating a kid (i.e. it’s squeaky and annoying as ever). I try to keep my complaining about this particular issue to a minimum, but it’s really distracting today.

“She did the cover for my latest album”--is this “latest album” the same as the one he’s just now releasing? Or is he releasing a brand new one? I need to know for timeline purposes!

Hey remember that time in Gigantitan when Marinette got all her female friends together and they were scheming to get her and her crush together, except she thought none of them knew it was Adrien but they all did because they weRE ALL IN HER ROOM WHERE SHE HANGS UP A GAZILLION PICTURES OF ADRIEN ON THE WALLS? WHAAAAAAAT? HOW DID THEY EVER GUESS??????

Well, clearly she never learned.

(Also, secondhand embarrassment is not a substitute for good writing.)

(Though we really shouldn’t expect this to go anywhere because the writers are milking the love square for all it’s worth while writing off their feelings for each other as a joke anyway.)

I don’t get it. Wasn’t this supposed to be a reality show (i.e. the type of thing that you don’t broadcast live because it needs to go through post)? Or was that the plan that Penny canceled in favor of getting Jagged to do that bit in Tom’s bakery? Why was it live? Why did it need to be live? 

I skipped the akuma-creating scene because it’s always recycled footage and Hawkmoth’s English voice is also stupid. Probably didn’t miss anything there.

Cool, she phases through things.

I’m sure Marinette freaking out would be cute and funny in another dub, but I just CAN’T STAND her English voice.

Sabine’s voice is a little too young sounding, too.

“Sure your bakery isn’t build on an ancient cemetery?” lol

Troublemaker’s motive isn’t exactly clear to me. Who is she mad at? Jagged? Bob? Alec? Mari? Or is she just fucking things up for shits and giggles? 

Since she’s phasing through things and apparently invisible and everyone thinks it’s an angry ghost, they really should have called her Poltergeist instead.

“Let me take care of this, it’ll be a piece of cake” *grooooooaaaaannnnnn*

This is hardly the first time they’ve had to fight a villain in Marinette’s room (remember the Puppeteer?), so I don’t get why this Marinette’s-a-creepy-stalker issue wasn’t addressed earlier. (Though, Ladybug isn’t exactly in the wrong for snapping at Chat Noir to focus on the job and stop snooping around.)

Sure, just stand around and shout out your plan for anyone to hear when you’re fighting a villain who can tuRN INVISIBLE.

Oh, cool, I never noticed that Troublemaker has to click her pen in order to turn immaterial. 

I guess the transformation drops faster if the wielder of the miraculous wants it to drop, and it drops slower if the wielder is fighting to keep it? But that doesn’t make any sense because Lady Wifi knocked Chat Noir’s ring off when he fell in the freezer, and he detransformed instantly. Maybe it’s just a Ladybug thing? or just bad writing again. And where was Tikki? Ladybug lost the earring against her will, so Tikki should have fallen out. And the detransformation always loses the mask LAST, so why was half her mask coming off before the rest of her suit?

Ladybug’s miraculous is a stud earring. There’s supposed to be a clip-on button thing in the back keeping it in place. I’m pretty sure you can’t remove them by just pulling them off, unless you want to tear someone’s earlobe or it’s one of those stick-on earrings for kids.

...speaking of stick-on earrings......

That was actually pretty clever. Now make sure to re-apply that superglue regularly so both their miraculouses will stop falling off/getting taken at inopportune times. If the masks are magically stuck on, then I don’t see why the miraculouses can’t be glued on either. (”Sorry Hawkmoth, sir, I couldn’t get their miraculouses because they’re glued on!” is one way to prevent Hawkmoth from getting the “ultimate power,” I guess.)

“The girl of my dreams.” Ok, I knew that line was coming (thanks for not tagging your spoilers, assholes), but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

^This was sweet and all, but can the English VAs please stop it with the weird moaning/grunting noises?

The voices are still annoying, but now I’m even more annoyed by the weird pauses in dialogue. There’s probably only a half second’s pause, but it just feels off, or stilted and unnatural.

Can Adrien materializing behind Marinette’s locker when it’s impossible for him to get there be the new running gag in the show?

(Speaking of running gags, you know what we haven’t seen in a while? Mari the phone thief. I miss her.)

So Marinette brushed it off as “I’m really into fashion [implied: your dad’s designs are where I get my inspiration]” and Adrien brushed it off as “I guess that means we’re really good friends!” :D

I don’t know if the fandom is upset that Adrien finding about all those pictures didn’t lead to any Adrienette development or Reveal™, but I’m honestly fine with that. Probably because I pretty much expected it to go down that way, seeing as the writing for this season isn’t that great and I know they want to drag out the love square gag for as long as they can, but Marinette’s crush on Adrien and Adrien’s crush on Ladybug are still too idealized and shallow anyway.

Overall, I’m giving this episode a 7/10. It was not as dumb as I was afraid it was going to be, but the villain’s design and concept were lazy and the voice acting was too cringey to ignore. Will re-evaluate the rating after the French dub comes out.

Also, Mari really should take down the most egregious pictures and keep them on her phone or in that diary box, where no one else can access them. That, or put up more pictures of all her other friends.

[turnupswritessometimes]

Stop Talking - MariChat Reveal Fic

(A/N): Because Chat Noir called Ladybug Buginette and I bet he knows so have an angsty reveal fic. >u>

Word Count : 2477

It had just slipped out of his mouth. Her name. Her real name.

It had been in the middle of a fight. He had only meant to warn her – to stop herself getting impaled by a giant paperclip. He had meant to say Ladybug. Because she didn’t know and he hadn’t meant to tell her because she had always respected his privacy –

But the paperclip-

“Marinette!”

She hadn’t said anything at the time. She had dived out of the way, summoned Miraculous Ladybug and saved the day. She hadn’t so much as glanced at him. He had hoped that perhaps she hadn’t heard.

But she was late to their patrol. Ten minutes.

Ladybug was never late. Marinette was late to school. She was late to practically everything. But Ladybug wasn’t. She was always on time.

A shadow finally appeared, a streetlamp like an orange halo around the shadow of the pigtails. She was wearing a coat, but he knew it was her. From her steps and silhouette. He knew her better than he knew himself.

“Evenin’ m’lady,” he said it as cheerily as he could – as though he hadn’t noticed that she was Ladybug.

“Why did you call me Marinette?” a voice whispered. As though the fight had been seconds ago instead of two days ago.

“I – I was just calling to one of my classmates-”

She didn’t want him to know. And as much as he had been dying to know – he had known not to push it. She would tell him when she was ready. Forcing her into telling him – as he had now – would only push her further away.

It was better if he pretended not to know.

“There were no school kids there,” Marinette said. “You know that. It was just the office workers.”

“You – I was just – you remind me of someone I know-” Chat stammered. His excuse fell short – like when he skipped stones and they sunk immediately. They both knew he was stumbling for a lie.

“Marinette who?” she asked.

As though there was another one.

“I think you know,” he said.

Might as well be honest.

The shadow stumbled, pressing against the brick wall, like she would be able to disappear completely.

“How did you…”

“I just – guessed,” Chat said. He scratched the back of his neck and avoided looking at her. He could see those piercing blue eyes. He knew they were focused on him; boring a hole into the side of his head. “Of all the people who haven’t been akumatised in class…and who always disappears when one appears…and you are, like, the only person in school with – those eyes.”

He regretted it as soon as he said it. Maybe more than yelling her name in the first place.

“Chloe has blue eyes,” she said.

Chat paused for a moment.

Well, he had dug his hole this deep…

“They’re not like yours.”

“What do you…” Marinette trailed off.

“Your eyes, Ladybug, they are like the deepest ocean. They are a blue I never thought could exist as an eye colour. The eyes of a heroine in a Shakespeare play rather than the eyes of an actual person-” he broke off when she started to back away. “-I’m making it sound weirder than I mean it.”

She was silent, her arms hugging herself tightly. Like she was trying to hold up a shield. Like it would obscure her identity.

“I can’t believe that you didn’t guess it too – it just started becoming so clear to me,” Chat said. “I wasn’t going to tell you that I knew – I promise it was an accident – but – I thought you would realise too.”

“How would I know? I haven’t tried to investigate!” the girl hissed. “I haven’t pried into your life!”

“I didn’t pry into your life,” Chat Noir was trying not to shout. He was trying not to get annoyed. But he was angry at himself for letting it slip and angry that it wasn’t going how he had imagined it at all.

And she was shaking. And he wanted it to stop her from shaking – be there for her – say the right thing - but he didn’t know how – it was all coming out and you can’t stop a train wreck halfway through.

“Oh, come on, Marinette – you really didn’t notice anything different happening?” he was started to get frustrated now. They were always on the same page. About everything. Why was there such a rift between Chat Noir and Marinette? What was the difference? “You didn’t think someone was spending a lot of time with you all of a sudden?”

The shadow wavered.

He wanted to scream his name at her. But there was a hook in his gut pulling him back from doing so.

“What do you mean?” she whispered. She took a step towards him and the orange halo was back. “What are you saying?”

He shook his head.

Don’t make me say it out loud.

“You’re saying-“

Here it comes.

“Adrien – did you only hang out with me because you knew I was Ladybug?!”

She sounded horrified. Disgusted with him.

He was disgusted by himself.

“No – no – that wasn’t the only reason-”

“Not the only reason? Oh – you liked my eyes too? Because they’re like Ladybug’s?”

“Marinette, that’s not-”

“And you knew – I mean you must have known how much I – and you – you let me think that I somehow had a chance – that you somehow liked me – and you only talked to me because I was a superhero-“

“That is not why-”

“I made you a hat and a – and – when – all this time-“

“I love you!”

She blinked at him. Affronting. Her eyelashes cast dark shadow across her cheeks and her lips seemed black in the darkness. She stared at him and the look on her face was horror.

It made Chat Noir feel sick. He would have given anything not to have seen that look on her face. Not aimed at him. He’d rather have not had the miraculous at all than see her look at him like that.

But she was giving him a chance.

He had to try.

“I love you, Marinette,” Chat Noir repeated. “When I knew – you’re so brave and clever and – and you’re the only person who’s ever had their classmates stand up to an akuma for them on their behalf-”

“That’s only because they’re so used to them-”

“Because they care about you, Marinette. Because you’re kind and-”

“And you love Ladybug,” her words were icy. A sad kind of anger. Hurt and betrayal. “You don’t love me – you wouldn’t even have noticed me if I wasn’t Ladybug.”

“If you weren’t Ladybug then I wouldn’t want to be Chat Noir-”

“Shut up!” she was yelling now, and he heard her voice cracking as she repeated herself. “Shut up. You stupid, stupid cat!”

He’d gone too far. He should really start thinking before he said things. Should really learn to cool it with the romantic lines.

Her fists were tight little balls at her sides.

She was going to hit him.

She stepped forward, enough for him to see how her eyes were glimmering with tears. A streak of mascara under her eye like a cut.

She was going to punch him.

He looked up to meet her gaze. Met her yes and prayed that she could see how sorry he was. That she would somehow understand just by looking at him.

She glared at him, then made a quick, tiny gasp –

And fled.

Her shoes, those tiny little slip-ons, slapped on the pavement as she ran.

He stood there, his cheek stinging from the phantom slap.

She hadn’t hit him.

He should go after her. Make sure she was alright. That she didn’t turn into an akuma.

He stayed there. Frozen.

Give her a minute. To get home and calm down.

Give himself a minute. To gather his words.

He took a deep breath and stood under a lamp post, glaring out at the darkness surrounding him. This would make it look like he was on guard. Like he was doing what a Parisian hero should.

Not like he was running after a girl. The girl he loved. With every fibre of his being.

He had wanted to tell her of the joy – of the absolute sheer joy that had burst through him like a sunbeam when he had discovered it. The superhero he loved and the girl he had been crushing on where the same person. That was an amazing stroke of luck. That was the kind of luck – the kind of coincidence that just didn’t happen in real life. He was so –

Black cats were unlucky. They were always unlucky.

He was foolish to think that she would take it well - however he told her – because luck was never with him.

It was the early hours of the morning when he started the trudge back to Marinette’s house. He had long since ran out of words to try to explain. He had no idea how to fix this.

Her light was on. Staring out at Paris as though it was protecting the princess inside.

He climbed up to her balcony, moving like a shadow instead of a hero. Impending doom. A monster in a horror film.

He knocked at the door.

“Princess, won’t you please take pity of a poor, stray kitty?” he asked. Trying to keep it light. Trying to keep the same teasing tone he always did. Because how else would he start this conversation.

“It’s your own fault you’re out there!” Marinette’s voice hissed from the inside.

The lights went out.

She was probably crying. Probably didn’t want him to see.

“I wanted to say that – I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t – I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I don’t like you because you’re Ladybug. I like you and Ladybug – or – I mean – I loved Ladybug but then I started to love you too and that – confused me because I thought you could only love one person – but then – then you were the same person and – I just – I love you…”

There was still silence. He strained his ears for any noise but all he got was the buzz of silence. He had said love too much.

“I wasn’t going to tell you because I thought you’d take it like this – it only slipped out because I wanted to protect you – both of you – just you – because – I’m sorry. I’m so…”

There was a slight shuffle but no reply.

“I didn’t hang out with you because you were Ladybug – but you were starting to, I don’t know, talk to me – in full sentences – like those first few days and that was what made me realise…I loved Ladybug because she had everything I had liked about you. But you just – dissolved when I spoke to you and – well – it was hard to - and then you started – talking to me and I realised that everything I loved about Ladybug I loved about you and please just talk to me, Marinette.”

Nothing.

“I would have noticed you even if you weren’t Ladybug,” he said, his head pressed against the closed door. “I would have noticed you because you are a jack of all trades and a master of none – and you can make these amazing things and understand people and you go to – ridiculous lengths for your friends and your fiery and sweet and – I’m making you sound like a chilli pepper-” he may have been flattering himself if he thought he heard a giggle. “But I think Marinette is a lot cooler than Ladybug. She – blows Ladybug out of the park…I just couldn’t figure out how to let go of Ladybug…she was my first love.”

“…You were mine.”

Marinette’s voice was hardly even a whisper.

“I didn’t want you to have to face this,” Chat Noir said. He could see a vague outline through the glass. “To face me – when I know you don’t like Chat like-”

The door opened suddenly and he almost fell through. He couldn’t see Marinette – she was a vague outline in the darkness. The moonlight hardly lighting up her face. But her hair was down.

“Just. Stop. Talking,” she said. “Talking is how you got yourself into this mess.”

There was a split second where he felt her hands on his face and thought – Holy camembert, she’s not going to –

And then her lips were against his and his brain was frozen because he couldn’t comprehend it.

She’s – kissing – and – does she like? Has she forgiven-

Does she love me?

Marinette pulled away slightly, enough to breathe, not enough for him to gain the strength to open his eyes, because she probably smacked him and left him unconscious and this is all a dream.

“Y really think that Marinette is cooler than Ladybug?” she asked. He could feel her breath on his face. Warm –

And her lips were so close.

“Postively,” he replied.

But the “pos” came out as a “purr.”

And not intentionally.

He had just purred at her. Again.

He thought it was because he was just so relieved. And his heart was singing because she had kissed him and admitted-

And it was going how he had imagined it and he was never that lucky.

She stared up at him, as though she was figuring out whether or not he had meant to pun.

The night air suddenly felt hot on his cheeks.

All of a sudden, Chat Noir could barely breathe as Marinette enveloped him into a tight hug. A rib-cage cracking hug.

She buried her face into his chest – jingling the bell around his neck – and stayed firmly there.

He had caught her on instinct – and she would have slipped if he hadn’t.

Her shoulders were shaking, and he wasn’t sure how to stop it. He wasn’t sure how to make this better. His hands just hovered over her as she clung to him like a baby monkey.

“I don’t know – I don’t know – I don’t know what to think,” she sobbed against him. “I don’t know what to feel but I just want you to hold me, Chat – just for a little while.”

She was still calling him Chat. She wouldn’t believe he was Adrien.

That was fine. She could take as long as she liked.

He hugged her back, pressing his mouth against the top of her head and relishing in the moment when she didn’t pull away. When she stayed, trembling against him. He closed his eyes. Imagined the world away. There was just her – and him – in the dark – so dark that they didn’t have to look each other in the eye and deal with this mess - and they were both breathing.

And he was there for her.

“I always will be here.”

[simplejjs]

Chapter 1 of My Reveal

It’s long!  And it’s just a first draft, so I am sure there are awkward phrases and even typos - sorry!  But I have a lot to do, and I just want to get this out there.  I LOVE LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR!!!  And I hope this brings you happiness as it does for me :-)

You have to pretend that The Gamer episode never happened.  This story is just for fun, not some official-seeming plot continuation.

I actually have the rest written - 4 Chapters in all! - but it is literally *written* as in handwritten.  So you have to wait until I can transcribe it to my computer.  Anticipation, right?  We are all familiar with *that* in the MLB Fanclub!

Here goes!  Enjoy!

My Reveal Story  Chapter 1    (by JJ Sprinkle)

“Pound it!”

Cat Noir grinned at Ladybug, “Particularly amazing today, MiLady!” he bowed slightly.

Ladybug grinned back at Cat and returned in kind, “Particularly clever today, Chaton.”  Cat Noir preened at her words.

*Bleep - Bleep - Bleep* the last spots on Ladybug’s earrings, and the last paw pad on Cat Noir’s ring, flashed, about to disappear.  “Time to go!” Ladybug cried, and sprinted over the smooth paving stones of the sunny square.  She veered into a narrow alley tucked between two beaux-arte storefronts.

Cat Noir did not hesitate, and pelted in the opposite direction.  He raced into an avenue, only to see a crowd of people blocking the way.  Swerving left, he dashed into a smaller lane, and kept running to put distance between the crowd and the flash of light he knew would occur at his transformation.  He came to a corner of an alley and swung left again.  In the distance a bright light captured his attention, and without meaning to, he watched his beloved Ladybug, bathed in golden light, retransform into her civilian self.  Before he could think to close his eyes, a familiar figure stood framed between the darkened buildings on either side of her.  As if to cement the vision, Marinette’s sweet voice said, “C’mon Tikki, let’s go check if Alya’s okay.”

Shocked at his inadvertent discovery, Cat Noir fell back behind the corner he had just come from, and he felt his own transformation occur.

Marinette… his mind stuttered to a stop.  Marinette…!

Spinning out of his ring, Plagg hovered in front of Adrien, his little white fangs visible in the mouth that hung open.  Finally he said, “Did you see that?”  

Adrien sat silently, ignoring Plagg and trying to comprehend what he had just witnessed.  He believed, then doubted, then believed again, and as his mind was pulled into opposing directions, he suddenly jumped up.  Determinedly re-entering the alley, he raced to the end.  Peeking around the building’s edge into the large square, with Plagg at his shoulder, Adrien watched Marinette run lightly to Alya, who was waving her cellphone in the air.  He watched Alya chattering excitedly, and shoving the screen of her phone at Marinette.  Then, the two of them linked arms and walked off.

With his back against the rough stone of the building, Adrien’s legs wobbled beneath him, and he slid down until he was sitting on the dirty cobblestones.

“Were my eyes deceiving me, or was that Marinette?” Plagg asked, with none of the awe that Adrien felt.

Adrien nodded his head, then finally managed, “Yah, Plagg, it was.  It was.”  Adrien’s mind was whirring.  While Plagg darted around the alleyway, investigating various smells, Adrien sat in the shadow of the building and thought.  Marinette was… Ladybug.  Marinette was *his* Ladybug!  Adrien shook his head, still dazed.  One part of him wanted to jump jubilantly, because finally he knew, but at the same time Adrien felt mired in guilt.  He shouldn’t have looked.  He should have closed his eyes.  But it all happened so fast!

And now… a smile crept onto his face, and grew wider and wider until the joy lit his whole expression.  And now, he knew.

Images tumbled through his mind of Ladybug and Marinette.  His Bugaboo swinging effortlessly through the streets of Paris, and Marinette tripping backwards over a bench at school.  Ladybug standing before the people of Paris, proclaiming her promise to fight evil whenever it threatened, and Marinette stammering a greeting while hiding behind Alya.  Yet… Their midnight pigtails, their kind bluebell eyes, their adorable smile.  Smacking his forehead, he said to Plagg, “I should have realized!”  Plagg ignored him.  “I should have realized…” he muttered again.  And yet… they were so different, it was no wonder he’d been oblivious.  Ladybug ws sassy and quick-witted, easy and outgoing.  Marinette was always so shy around him, frequently mumbling incoherent sentences and oftentimes hiding behind her friends.  

But his Ladybug and his… yes, Adrien nodded his chin decisively, his Marinette, both were kind, both stood up to injustice, both had a sharp tongue when the situation required.  Scratching the back of his neck, Adrien thought of the multiple times when Ladybug had rebuffed his advances and said quietly, “And sometimes when not needed too!”

Plagg returned to Adrien and whizzed around his head, for once thinking beyond his stomach.  “So what are you going to do now, Loverboy?”

“I don’t know, Plagg.”  Adrien dropped his forehead to his knees.  Trying to imagine his next steps, Adrien’s mind was a blank.

“I know what you can do…”  Plagg suggested helpfully.

Raising his head with hope, Adrien replied, “Oh yeah?”

Hovering right before Adrien’s eyes, Plagg replied, “Get me some cheese!”

Morning dawned not quickly enough.  Sleep had come slowly to Adrien as images of Ladybug and Marinette had melded and morphed in his half-asleep state.  Now he could barely contain himself from gulping down his orange juice and jumping into the limousine, but he knew that Nathalie and his father would question such hastiness.

“Psst!  More cheese.”  Adrien smuggled a piece of camembert into his breast pocket, and glanced over at Nathalie with wide, innocent eyes.  Her nose, however, was almost pressed up against her tablet.

“After school you have fencing, and then Latin.  You will then be picked up for your photo shoot at the Jardin Luxembourg.”  Nathalie’s cool voice rattled off Adrien’s schedule for the day.

“I’m almost finished.  Let’s, um, let’s leave early today because uh, I needed to do some research at the library.”  Adrien laughed a little nervously, uncomfortable with his Chat-like rebellion in his Adrien persona.

But Nathalie noticed nothing, replying instead, “Of course, I will call Marceau.”

Adrien’s stomach fluttered, anticipating his day ahead, and he suddenly wished he had not eaten so much breakfast.

Grabbing four more wedges of stinky cheese, Adrien wrapped them quickly in a linen napkin and stuffed them into his jeans pocket.  Pushing his chair back into place, he thanked the maid coming to retrieve his empty dishes and tried to walk at his normal pace out of the room.  Once in the hall, he hurried to the alcove where he had left his backpack, and then over to the front door.  Out of habit, Adrien glanced over his shoulder at the cavernous room.  “Bye, Dad,” he muttered under his breath to the empty space, as he did every morning.  With a deep sigh, Adrien pulled open the door to find the car waiting.

Adrien could not help tapping his fingers on the leather armrest as the sedan wended through the Parisian streets.  It felt like the longest ten minutes of his life before they arrived at the front of the school.  He almost tumbled out of the car as soon as it stopped, calling a quick “Thanks” to his bodyguard and receiving the customary grunt in return.

Adrien raced up the front steps of the school, and pushed open the doors.  Immediately he felt surrounded by the warmth and welcoming of the building, and he smiled.  Soon, soon, he would see Marinette, and then… A Cat Noir grin of anticipation crossed his face before Adrien stuffed it down, and plastered his normal reserved smile in its place.  Smoothing his hair, Adrien crossed the courtyard to the locker rooms.

“There’s no one here,” Plagg whispered form the edge of Adrien’s shirt.

“I know,” he replied, “I’m early.”

“Well, Loverboy, let me know when she comes.  I’m going back to sleep.”  Adrien chuckled quietly and gently patted his shirt pocket.  With Plagg there, he did not feel so alone.

It was not long before students started arriving. They chatted while dropping jackets and books off at lockers, or sloped tiredly along the hallways, or sat on the locker room benches to quickly finish homework due in minutes.

Adrien heard Alya’s voice before he saw her, and of course Marinette was by her side.  He couldn't hear her words, but Alya’s expression was animated and excited, while Marinette simply smiled at her friend.  Adrien stared.  He had positioned himself towards the far corner away from the windows, and knew that unless they were searching for him, most people would simply overlook his presence.  Like a hungry cat, Adrien watched Marinette.  Her adorable smile suddenly widened into the grin he was familiar with from Ladybug, as she joked back to Alya.  When Marinette pulled a book out of her bookbag, another fell onto the floor, and when she then bent over to retrieve it, two more tumbled out as well.

Marinette merely laughed at herself as she scooped up the books.  Adrien tried to school his expression, but he knew the sudden upwelling of affection he felt for his Ladybug must have been apparent to anyone looking.

Naturally graceful, Adrien regardless was aware that as Cat Noir he was even more lithe.  Grinning, and forcing himself not to jump up to help her, Adrien thought that the rule must be doubly true for Marinette.  But, observing her, Adrien wondered at her lack of embarrassment over dropping the books.  She didn’t blush, or seem hesitant around Alya…

“Hey Dude!” Nino suddenly appeared before him, blocking his view. “‘Sup?”

“Hey Nino…” Adrien darted him a friendly glance before craning his head to see around him.

“You’re early, dude.  That’s a change.”

Adrien chuckled slightly and kept watching Marinette, replying distractedly, “Yeah, I had things to do…”

Nino stared at Adrien, then turned to follow his gaze.  “Alya and Marinette?” he asked.

Switching his attention to Nino, Adrien asked earnestly, “Nino, have you ever noticed that Marinette stutters all the time when she’s talking to me?  But she doesn’t do that when she’s talking to you or Alya… or Chloe… or…” he pondered.  “Why?”

Nino’s bark of laughter interrupted all of the conversations in the room, and like everyone else Marinette and Alya looked their way.  Alya smiled widely and raised her hand to wave, but Marinette just blushed, briefly waved her hand, then buried her nose in her book bag.  Adrien watched her bright blue eyes peek out over the edge of the book bag, meet his gaze, and then Marinette hid her face again.

Still laughing, Nino leaned conspiratorily towards Adrien and said, in a not particularly quiet tone, “Dude, she likes you.”

“What?” Adrien stared at Nino, shocked.

“Adrien, my man, everyone knows it.  Seriously, you don’t know?”  Nino was still laughing.

“Are you sure?” Adrien asked, doubting.

“Dude, I’m sure.  Just give her your model smile.  You’ll see what I mean.”  Beginning to lope off, Nino suddenly turned and asked, almost protectively, “I mean, you do like her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Adrien assured him, “Yes, I - I do.”

“Right then.” Nino said, “C’mon.”  Nino left the locker room to go to class, followed immediately by Alya and Marinette.

From Adrien’s breast pocket came a muffled, sarcastic, “Awww…!”

It was only a few minutes later, and seconds before class was to start, that Adrien walked in.  He wanted to make sure that Marinette would already be sitting at her desk.  Glancing at Nino, Adrien briefly lifted his chin. Then he said offhandedly, “Morning, Alya.”  Then, as he pivoted to slide into his seat, Adrien turned to Marinette, looked intensely with his emerald green eyes, and let his best model smile grow on his face.  The color drained from Marinette’s cheeks and her mouth dropped open a little.  “Morning, Marinette,” Adrien said, a slight hint of huskiness shading his voice.  Immediately Marinette’s face turned bright pink.  Trying hard not to look, Adrien noticed that the blush seemed to reach even her chest.

“Goo- goo- goo-” Marinette tried to speak, her bluebell eyes like saucers.  Finally she blurted out, “Mrning” and looked quickly down at the paper on her desk.

Sliding into his seat, Adrien heard a muffled laugh beside him. Hidden by their desk, Nino and Adrien slapped palms.

“Good morning, Adrien,” Chloe singsonged from across the room.  Certainly she had not missed his model smile.

“Morning Chloe,” Adrien replied, barely sparing her a glance.  From behind him, Adrien heard Alya’s satisfied voice murmur, “Mhmm!”

It was almost impossible for Adrien to concentrate that day, knowing that his Ladybug was right behind him.  He couldn’t believe the newfound power he had over his Love, who reacted to him so differently than she did to Cat Noir.  At moments, he actually doubted if he was correct, if Marinette was his Ladybug.  But then he would look into her expressive eyes, or catch her shielding one of their classmates from Chloe’s verbal barbs, and his doubts were erased.

Adrien couldn’t help but feel like he was indulging in a game of cat and mouse.  In science class, he asked to borrow her calculator, and intentionally brushed her fingers as he took it.  Marinette gasped, blushed and jerked her hand back, knocking her notebook off the desk.  When he bent to retrieve it for her, she bent as well, and as their eyes met, and he handed her the notebook, he winked at her privately.  Marinette started, and banged her head on the bottom of her desk, crying out, “Ow!”

Sitting again, Marinette rubbed the top of her head where it ached.  Worried, Adrien turned to her and mouthed, “Sorry!” only to have her, once again, turn bright red.

Beside him, Nino dissolved into laughter.

But, his Bugaboo was hurt, and it was his fault, so Adrien poked Nino in the side.  It wasn’t funny.

At another point during the morning, while they were in the locker room, Adrien approached Marinette from behind.  “Hey Marinette,” he said casually.  She jumped, and turned, pressing back against the lockers.  Adrien took a small step closer, effectively trapping her between the wall, her locker, and him.  “I was just wondering,” he stared into her blue eyes, and an image of Ladybug was superimposed over the nervous face of Marinette.  Adrien grinned his cocky, Cat Noir smile, and continued, “can you tell me what our science homework is again?  I wasn’t listening when she told us.”

“Um, uh, hience somework… I mean, science somework… I mean, science homework!  I mean,” trying desperately to match Adrien’s casualness, Marinette ran a shaky hand over her hair, “Sure, sure!”  She grinned widely, nervously, at him.  Adrien watched her, with Cat Noir attention.  She stared back.

“So…?” he prompted.

“So…?” she repeated.  Then, realizing, she jumped, giggled a little, and said, “Right, science homework.  Ummm…”  Fishing her planner out of her bag, she flipped it open to the right page and held it out for him.  No way was she going to try to speak what the assignment was.

Adrien glanced at her bubbly writing, and started to copy down the words.  Hearing a stifled gasp, Adrien saw Marinette quickly move her thumb to cover some doodle in the corner of the page she was showing him.  Her thumb wasn’t quite large enough to completely obscure the heart that she had drawn.

Grinning inside, Adrien simply said, “Thanks,” and turned to go.  As he walked away, he swore he heard Marinette sigh.  Alya raced past him to her friend, shooting a friendly but curious look his way as they passed.  Adrien just opened his green eyes as innocently as possible.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that Adrien could ask Nino for more advice.  He led him to a table at the edge of the room, and sat with his back to the wall.  Nino sat next to him, stuffing his face with chips, baguette, and cheese.  Adrien could feel impatient squirming from his breast pocket, and whenever Nino wasn’t looking, he palmed wedges of the camembert he had brought and passed them to Plagg.

“So the thing is, Nino,” Adrien began, staring at Marinette across the cafeteria, “How do I get her to talk to me if I make her so nervous?”

“Dude, you just gotta spend more time with her.  You know, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’ and all that.”

“I hardly want her contempt, Nino,” Adrien remarked.

“The familiarity part, dude, the familiarity part.  Just spend more time around her.”

Suddenly, a horrible thought crossed Adrien’s mind, “You don’t think she only likes me because of the whole model-thing, do you?”  

“Nah,” Nino patted Adrien reassuringly on his shoulder, “She hated you at first, remember?”

A muffled cough sounded quietly from his breast pocket.  Waiting ‘til Nino was chewing his food, Adrien sneaked Plagg more cheese.

“Now Chloe,” Nino gestured with his apple, “She’s a different story.”  The two glanced over at Chloe and Sabrina, and were treated to a fluttery wave of Chloe’s fingertips.

“Aw, Chloe’s just Chloe.  She’s had some hard times too,” Adrien remarked.

“Whatever, Dude.  That doesn’t mean she has to be *so* evil.”

Adrien went back to the pleasurable pastime of staring at Marinette, until lunch ended.  He was calculating his next move.

When the bell rang sounding the end of the school day the students jumped up as one.  It was a sunny Spring afternoon, and no one wanted to remain in the building one second longer, particularly not Adrien.

He and Nino shrugged their casual goodbye’s to each other as Adrien raced down to the courtyard.  Panting slightly Adrien skidded to a stop before his fencing teacher and said, “M. D’Argencourt, I got double-booked for a photoshoot this afternoon, so I can’t attend fencing today.  Father says I am to tell you that we’ll make up a double class later.”  The lie tumbled too easily from Adrien.

With a formal bow, M. D’Argencourt tilted his head and replied, “As thou wishest.”

Released from fencing, Adrien next went in search of his Latin tutor.  “Mme Elianne, I got double-booked for a photoshoot this afternoon,” he said, recycling his lie, “so I have to miss Latin class today.  But father says you are to email me double homework, and I will complete it tonight.”  He hoped the extra work would throw the Latin teacher off the scent of his deceit.  Plus, this was exactly like something his father would arrange for him in this situation.

With a smile, Mme Elianne nodded and said, “Of course.”

Adrien could not leave the school quickly enough.  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Plagg asked, flitting out of Adrien’s pocket.  “What if your father finds out?”

“He won’t,” Adrien assured him, “and if he does, I’ll just say I went to the movies.  Now hide!” Adrien held open his shirt, as he pushed through the front doors of the school.

Now, Adrien had two whole hours free of any supervision, and he intended to put them to good use.  Grinning with anticipation, he jogged the short distance from school to Marinette’s family’s bakery.

Pushing open the corner door, Adrien stepped in and was immediately surrounded by the warm, yeasty smell of croissants, breads, and cookies.  Plagg stirred in his pocket.

Mrs. Cheng stepped forward and said, “May I help you?”  Thom Dupain was in the kitchen just beyond, his muscular arms bulging as he slid a large tray of fresh croissants out of the oven.  Adrien’s mouth watered at the sight of the flakey, golden rolls, as their aroma infused the store.

“Wow!” he said, green eyes glowing, “Those look delicious!”

Sabine Cheng laughed lightly and said, “Thank you.  Would you like one?”

“Yes, thanks!” Adrien replied, but then catching himself, he remembered what he was there for and corrected himself, “I’m sorry, no.  I mean, uh,” rubbing the back of his neck, Adrien said, “I’m a friend of Marinette’s.  I just dropped by to say hi.  May I…?”

Thom came forward and put his arm around his petite wife.  With a smile on his face, he nevertheless looked Adrien up and down, taking the measure of his character.

“Of course,” Mrs. Cheng replied.  She moved to the back of the store, opened a door, and called into the living portion of their establishment, “Marinette!  You have a friend here!”

Marinette’s muffled voice called down a set of stairs just in view, “Alya?”

“No, honey,” her dad’s voice boomed from where he stood, “It’s-”  He stopped and looked at Adrien, waiting.

“Adrien.  It’s Adrien Agreste, sir.”

“It’s Adrien!” Thom bellowed.

A loud crash sounded from the ceiling above.  The three of them cringed and looked up.

Marinette’s voice sounded again, and even through the ceiling plaster Marinette’s mom and dad, and Adrien, could hear the panic in her voice, “Okay, okay, um, hold on a minute!”

Giving their daughter time, the three in the store listened to Marinette’s scurrying feet as Sabine made small talk.  “I’m so glad to finally meet you!  Marinette talks an awful lot about you.” She smiled.

“Uh, she does?” Adrien couldn’t keep the interest and hopefulness out of his voice.

“You’re new this year, aren’t you son?” Thom asked.

“Yes sir.  My father only gave me permission this year to attend school.”

“And Marinette says you keep a very busy schedule…?” Sabine added.

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrien replied.  For the first time in the eventful day, he felt himself blush for a change.  Marinette really did talk to her parents about him.  It felt odd, having these grown ups show an interest in him.

“Well,” Thom said in his friendly, bellowing voice, “If you ever need a pick-me-up between your busy appointments, you swing by here and we’ll get you fed.”  He moved off to continue his work, and only Adrien heard Plagg’s quiet sigh, “I love this family!”

“Okay!” Suddenly, Marinette appeared at the rear door of the store, “Come on up!”  She laughed nervously.  Thom and Sabine watched Adrien climb the stairs and disappear into Marinette’s room.

“Uh, hi,” Marinette said, her eyes darting around the room as if re-checking it.

“Hey,” Adrien said, standing awkwardly in the middle of the space.  Now that he was here, he had no clue what he should do next.

“Um, why… why are you here?  I mean,” Marinette smiled widely, nervously, “Not that I don’t want you here!  I’m glad you’re here.  But only if you want to be here, of course, ‘cause I know you’re so busy, but, um…” her voice petered out, “Um, *why* are you here?”

“Well,” Adrien channeled his Cat Noir, and tried to relax into the situation, “...Um, may I sit?”

“Oh, sure, of course, sorry!” Marinette almost tripped over herself fetching one of her desk chairs for him.

As he lounged into it, Marinette stared at him, and sighed.  She perched on the edge of her desk.  “Well, I had a little bit of free time this afternoon and I… uh… I wanted to check on you after you banged your head.”  There, that was good, he thought.

“But you have fencing today after school,” Marinette stated.  Adrien looked at her sharply, surprised, and Marinette colored, “I mean, don’t you?”  She tried to change it into a question.

“Well, I did…” Adrien brushed his hand over his hair, avoiding her eyes, “But I had something more important to do instead.”

With her complete lack of self-importance, Marinette said, “You did?  What?”

Laughing inside, floored for the thousandth time that Marinette was his Ladybug, Adrien looked at her significantly and raised his eyebrows.  A smile tugged at his lips.

Marinette’s eyebrows furrowed, just like his Bugaboo’s did when she was thinking, and Adrien watched the comprehension of his statement finally dawn on Marinette’s face.  She turned bright pink, red even, and looked towards the floor, and said, “Oh!” while unconsciously rubbing the spot where she had hit her head earlier.

“Um, I’m, uh, I’m fine…” she said, darting a glance at him from the corner of her eyes.

Adrien’s smile faded a little.  As amusing as their interactions might be to some, he really wished that Marinette would just be more like Ladybug so he could relax in her presence and be himself.  He tried again, “I figured the least I could do was help you with your homework in case your head still hurt.”

A bit of Ladybug crossed her face, as Marinette pursed her lips and stated, “I don’t need ‘help’ with my homework.”  Adrien smiled, relieved.

“Okay, actually-” Adrien started, just as the trapdoor opened and Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng popped their heads through.

Thom held out a dish of warm croissants and said, “I thought you kids might like a little snack after your long school day.”

“They’re freshly baked,” wheedled Sabine.

“Mom… Dad…” Marinette said, just as Adrien sat up straight and replied, “Wow, thanks Mr. Dupain!”

Marinette’s parents looked at each other and burst out laughing.  Thom climbed into the room and placed the croissants next to his daughter on her desk.  Flicking her nose teasingly, he said, “Just in case you change your mind.  But you should feed that boy.” With a smile for Adrien, he turned and left, closing the trapdoor behind his wife and him.

“Um, croissant?” Marinette offered.

“Thanks!” Adrien rose quickly to accept the croissant and napkin that Marinette held out of him.  He closed his eyes, savoring the butter, flakey delight.  Watching him, Marinette sighed.  The afternoon sunshine caught his hair in a golden halo, and his long eyelashes rested gently on his flawless cheeks.  She sighed again.

Adrien opened his eyes, and licked his fingertips.  “Your dad is a really good baker!” he exclaimed.

“Thanks,” Marinette accepted the compliment for her Dad.  Still licking his fingers, Adrien was staring at her, and Marinette grew nervous again.

“So, uh, what do you want to do?  I mean, uh,” she was blathering again, “not homework!”

Quick memories played in his mind of all the times Ladybug had had him hanging upside down and their noses had been almost touching.  Schooling himself not to look at her lips, Adrien quickly suggested, ” Do you have any computer games?”

“Yes!” Marinette jumped up, almost relieved, but it brought her much closer to Adrien than she had expected.  Unsteady with her temerity, she leaned back, but Adrien quickly grabbed her shoulders, “Careful, MiL-” Adrien rapidly corrected himself, “Marinette.”

“Uh…” Marinette giggled a little, and moved away to fetch a second chair from across the room.  She positioned the two chairs in front of her desk while Adrien grabbed the two gaming consoles he saw sitting next to the computer.

“You know,” he tried to sound as non-threatening as he could, “I kinda wish you weren’t so nervous around me.  I don’t bite,” he added.

“Nuh- Nervous?  I’m not ner-” Marinette stopped herself, again coloring.  With a small, self-conscious laugh, she looked down at the desk and said, “okay…”

However, Adrien had spoken too soon, because within five minutes of starting the game, all of Marinette’s skittishness disappeared.  Once the competition of the computer game took over, it was no longer the shy Marinette sitting by his side, but the sassy Ladybug who beat him multiple (“But not every!”) times, and exulted in her victories.  Playing the game, she laughed at his jokes, swore at her mistakes, and teased him when she could.  Marinette’s parents popped their heads in from time to time, curious, only to find the two friends laughing and battling cheerfully.

Finally, Adrien’s watch vibrated on his wrist, reminding him that he had to get back to the school for his photoshoot.  With not a little regret, Adrien tossed down his console and said, “I surrender.  You win this one too.”

Marinette spun in her chair, still high from the competition and enjoying their camaraderie.  She teased, “Surrender if you must, but you had a chance of winning that one!  I just got lucky that you have to go!”

Adrien handed her a croissant and grabbed one for himself.  Around a bite of croissant, he laughed, “*I* don’t feel lucky that I have to go!”

Marinette grinned at him, as she pulled pieces of her croissant off and nibbled them.  Turning his chair around so that he could straddle it, Adrien leaned forward against the back and stared at Marinette.

“I had a great time.  Thanks for having me over.”  His emerald eyes played over her face.

Marinette’s cocky grin softened into a smile, “I’m glad you came too.”

Their gazes caught, bright blue and bright green, both gleaming.  Leaning forward slightly, Adrien raised his right hand and placed it gently against her cheek.  With his thumb, Adrien brushed a small crumb of croissant off her lips.  Marinette breathed in, and sat wide eyed, still as a frightened deer.  He wanted so badly to kiss her, he could almost taste her lips, but Adrien held himself back.  When he kissed her - When! he thought - he would be kissing the whole girl.  Not just Marinette, who after today he luxuriated in believing really liked him, but Ladybug too.  His entire Bugaboo, shy and strong, clumsy and sassy, unsure and willing to fight for right.

With a low voice, Adrien said, “See you at school tomorrow, Mari.”  He got up, grabbed his book bag, and walked to the trapdoor.  Marinette still sat at the desk, but she had turned her whole body to watch him leave.  Her lips were still slightly parted.  

With a final grin, he pulled open the trapdoor, leaped down the stairs, and raced to his photoshoot.

To Be Continued…   (by JJ Sprinkle)

Up Next:  https://simplejjs.tumblr.com/post/166572403640/chapter-2-of-my-reveal-story

[aknazer]

Plagg’s Day Out: Captain Oblivious

Also on Ao3

Day 4 << Day 5 >> Day 6

Plagg let the human have his delusions, since he was thoughtful enough to not try to squash Plagg with any (more) books. The ride to the mansion was silent as always, Adrien tossing a hurried “Thanks!” over his shoulder as he dashed into the house and up to his room with his bag banging against his hip.

“Adrien! Walk.” Nathalie’s voice was clipped and irritated.

“Sorry, Nathalie.” Adrien said, and Plagg sighed in relief as the bouncing became more bearable.

All too soon the reprieve was over. The bag was yanked open and Plagg scooped unceremoniously out and dumped onto the desk as Adrien dropped into his chair.

“Spill.” He commanded, pointing at the little kwami severely.

“Ask nicely.” Plagg snapped, annoyed.

“Don’t disappear.” Adrien spat, but slapped some camembert onto the desktop...then slid it away as Plagg made to pounce. “Story, then cheese.”

“Excuse me?” Plagg sneered, but privately was impressed with his kid’s gumption. A year ago he wouldn’t have dared. “I am the avatar of destruction. Do you want to mess with me, mortal?”

“Yeah, yeah, puny human.” Adrien rolled his eyes impudently. The two glared at each other before Adrien slowly withdrew a knife. Eyes never leaving Plagg, he cut a wedge of cheese, holding it out with a flat stare and an arched brow.

“...Deal.” Plagg said, snatching the cheese out of Adrien’s fingers. He restricted himself to only two bites before setting it aside. “Right. So, you chucked me out because your dad wanted to talk. Right?”

“Right.” Adrien muttered. “Sorry about that, by the way. He wasn’t happy about my performance at last week’s show, so he wanted to lecture.”

“Whatever.” Plagg waved away the apology. “So I’m out there eating my cheese, when this pigeon - do you know you guys have some ballsy birds around here?”

“Yeah, they’re notorious.” Adrien’s eyebrow cocked, clearly wondering where this was going.

“Fucking bird came and stole my cheese!” Plagg complained, waving his arms to try to impart the sheer enormity of this offense to the unimpressed human. “My cheese!”

“And you…” Adrien rolled his wrist, fingers circling as he urged Plagg to continue.

Plagg scowled at the lack of respect for the crime, but soldiered on. “Hopped on it’s back to try to strangle it.”

Adrien burst out laughing. “You did what?”

“Tried to kill the foul beast!” Plagg snapped. “But it made off with my cheese, and took me with it!”

Adrien laughed harder. “You rode a pigeon? You rode a pigeon!”

Scowling, Plagg finished his wedge while he waited for the laughter to subside. Finally, Adrien managed to calm himself down, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Okay. Alright. So what happened next?” Adrien’s eyes flicked up to Plagg, and a snort escaped as he abruptly clapped a hand over his mouth.

Scowling, Plagg silently held out a paw. Adrien cut another wedge, nearly slicing his finger while trying to contain his giggles. Still sniggering, Adrien set the wedge in front of Plagg, and Plagg ate it while his chosen (finished) getting himself under control.

Truthfully, Plagg had a decision to make - and he was still torn. He would have to tell Adrien who had been Chat Noire...but which person should he admit to? The fact that they were essentially the same person was irrelevant.

“Oh.” He said as the thought occurred to him. “I found a new place for you to get cheese.”

“What?” Adrien’s smile was puzzled, eyebrow knitting together as he looked at Plagg in confusion.

“So as I was riding the pigeon - don’t laugh - fighting for my cheese…” Plagg trailed off as Adrien dissolved into giggles again. “Am I going to get to finish? I thought you wanted to know what happened!”

“I do! I do.” Adrien waved his hands helplessly. “I just...keep imagining you...riding a pigeon…”

More laughter.

“You need to stop before you hurt yourself.” Plagg muttered sourly. It wasn’t that funny. “Man, just as your Princess for a picture. Lord knows she’ll be happy to draw it for you.”

He hadn’t realized how loudly he’d spoken until Adrien said. “I can’t. She doesn’t know what a kwami looks like.”

Oops.

“Oh, yeah.” Plagg nodded. “That’s right. Oh well, guess you’ll just have to draw it yourself.”

“Plagg?” Adrien’s voice was unexpectedly serious. “What did you do?”

“What? Me? Nothing. I did nothing.” Plagg temporized. “So I was riding the pigeon and-”

“Plagg.”

“Yes.” Plagg nodded. “Plagg. Riding a pigeon. Did I tell you the bird found un fromagerie for me? A whole shop filled with nothing but cheese! We need to go back there! I don’t know the address, but if we get up high enough I’m sure I can-”

“Plagg.” Adrien was staring at him, hard, and Plagg was abruptly reminded of why Adrien made such a good Chat Noir. “What. Did you. Do.”

“I ate a whoooollleee lot of cheese.” Plagg nodded sagely. “Seriously, we need to go back there.”

Adrien nearly growled. Pulling his mouse towards him, he clicked the internet icon. A picture of  Chat Noire popped up on the screen, posing and grinning on Alya’s rooftop.

“Who is that, Plagg?” He demanded, jabbing a finger at the screen.

Plagg hesitated. On one hand, he’d been dropping figurative breadcrumbs about the connection between Marinette and Ladybug for quite some time - telling Adrien that Marinette had been Chat Noire could well be the crumb that loafed everything together for him. On the other, would that be so bad? Wayzz may be making stalling noises about it, but there was an itch between Plagg’s shoulder blades that said something rotten was in the wind.

Marinette loved Adrien, but she didn’t know all of him. Ladybug loved Chat Noire, but her feeling for Adrien held her back from fully committing. Adrien was drawn to Marinette more than he would admit, and was held back by his devotion to his partner, Ladybug.

Plagg had seen this song and dance play out countless times over the millennia. And while normally he was mostly indifferent to it (he knew how it would end), Adrien needed the support that the combined affections of Marinette and Ladybug could provide. The rest of the circle closing around him would add to the protection, but without the foundation of a committed partner, it would all fall apart.

Or he could be worrying for nothing. Adrien wasn’t stupid, but he was naive and more than a little oblivious. The chances of him not connecting the dots were very real.

“Let me finish the story, and you’ll find out.” Plagg sniffed, realizing that Adrien was impatiently waiting for an answer.

Adrien sighed, slouching in his seat. “Fine.”

So Plagg told him about the cheese shop, and hiding from the irate owners before escaping in the delivery van.

“So you escaped into a delivery van, found more cheese, and fell asleep.” Adrien repeated.

“Yep.”

“You didn’t eat the cheese?”

“I was full.”

“...Wow. I...wow.” Adrien shook his head. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“It wasn’t. That’s the point.” Plagg said.

“No, I mean, I have never seen you full. Like, never have you ever turned down cheese.” Adrien shook his head again. “I mean, ever.”

“Maybe you’re just stingy.” Plagg pointed out.

Adrien’s eyebrow arched skeptically.

“Anyway, I made up for it at the next stop.” Plagg said.

Somehow, Adrien didn’t look surprised. And that was the point where Plagg decided screw it, it was going to be a lot funnier if Adrien knew who Chat Noire was.

“Turns out, the next stop - I think, anyway - was where the cheese was unloaded.” Plagg continued. “Turns out, I was in a bakery.”

“I can see where this is going.” Adrien groaned.

“Can you?” Plagg asked rhetorically. “Great. Because I was totally not expecting to be in a bakery. So, since you know where this is going, what happened next?”

“You ate something.” Adrien deadpanned.

Plagg beamed and clapped enthusiastically. “Maybe you do know this story! And then…?”

“I know you’re patronising me.” Adrien pouted.

“Such a clever little Kitten.” Plagg cooed, before dropping the act and smirking at his boy smugly. “Now, can I tell the story?”

Sarcastically, Adrien made a half-bow and gestured for him to continue.

“So, I’m in the refrigerator eating cheesecake when the door opens-”

“Eating cheesecake?” Adrien interrupted. “In a bakery?”

“Did I say bakery? Sorry. Bakery and patisserie.” Plagg grinned menacingly as Adrien’s expression turned suspicious. “But the door opens and who is standing there staring down at me? None other than your Princess.”

Adrien has gone chalk white, and Plagg doesn’t even try to suppress his cackles.

“Mar- Marinette?” Adrien’s voice cracks on the first try through his friend’s name, and Plagg only laughs harder. “You were in Marinette’s house? Plagg! Does that mean-?”

Adrien is staring at him like with the same look of abject horror that Plagg usually sees reserved for far more heinous crimes. Like killing puppies, or cannibalism. Or eating your main course with the salad fork.

Plagg grins harder and waits for Adrien to squeak the conclusion out.

“Plagg… that means,” Adrien looks so honestly horrified that Plagg is starting to become a little concerned. “That Marinette was Chat Noire!”

“Correct.” Plagg says with relish.

“Oh my god.” Adrien cried, grasping his hair and pulling on it comically. “She must have been so afraid! You must have terrified her! And then she, she probably tripped over something and got hurt and-”

“Wow.” Plagg drawled. “Way to give your girl some credit there, pal.”

“This is not funny!” Adrien screeched. “You probably really scared her! And then you turned her into Chat Noire? How did you even do that? Why? Why would you do that to her?”

“...What?” Plagg is now honestly confused.

“Plagg, Marinette can’t even walk half the time!” Adrien wailed. “She has, like, an inner ear problem! I know you’ve seen how she randomly falls over and trips over nothing! Sweet baby cheezus, you took her vaulting around Paris’ rooftops with nothing but a baton and a death wish?”

Plagg blinked. “You do know I could control her movements until she got the hang of it, right? Like I did with you? Ring any bells?”

“Okay, I might have needed help to do triple flips throw a good punch, but I didn’t need you to help me walk.” Adrien pointed at Plagg dramatically. “I at least had a sense of balance.”

Plagg stared at Adrien, who seemed very legitimately on the edge of panic. Nibbled his cheese, and watched some more as his chosen unnecessarily hyperventilated and fretted over his (non)girlfriend’s safety.

“You must have terrified her.” Adrien muttered. “A flying cat-god-demon in her fridge eating her food that turns her into a superhero and sends her catapulting around Paris. Oh my god, she must be having nightmares.”

“No, not really.” Plagg muttered. “Pretty sure she’d do it again.”

“I’m not talking to you.” Adrien snapped, before burying his head in his hands. “Poor, poor Marinette...”

“Seriously, your ‘Princess’ is fine.” Plagg was thoroughly exasperated. “She wasn’t too upset by finding me in her fridge, she probably has already drawn me riding a pigeon, and she handled your baton like a professional.”

Adrien’s head snapped up and he gaped at Plagg, pale and wide-eyed.

“She was in school today.” Plagg continued blithely. “Did she look scared and traumatized to you? Did she seem hurt?”

“...No?” Adrien seemed to be torn between being appalled and being horrified as he obviously tried to remember what Marinette had looked like that day.

Probably a stuttering mess, Plagg reasoned. It seemed to be her default around Adrien. Plagg snorted. “Inner ear problem” indeed!

“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you just go ask her?” Plagg reasoned.

“She doesn’t know who I am?” Adrien asked suspiciously.

Plagg rolled his eyes. “Please, what kind of amatuer do you think I am? No, she doesn’t know who you are. Did she act like she’d discovered the identity of one of Paris’ superheroes?”

“She also didn’t act as if she’d found the pocket-sized avatar of destruction munching cheesecake in her refrigerator.” Adrien pointed out dryly. “And yet, she did.”

“...Point.” Plagg conceded. “Guess you’ll just have to take your chances then.”

Marinette was sitting on her terrace. It was hot outside, but between the attic and the bakery’s ovens, inside was worse. So Marinette sat on her chair, hunched over her math, with a tall glass of water sweating at her elbow. She was busy chewing on the end of her pencil and trying to decipher the equations on her paper, and didn’t notice Chat approaching until he’d hopped over the railing.

“Chat?” Marinette’s head jerked upright, eyes wide as she took in her black-clad partner standing uneasily on her porch. “I mean, um, Chat Noir! How can I help you? Is everything alright?” She asked, widening her eyes and trying to sound impressed.

“Oh? Ye-yeah! Everything is great, Princess.” Chat shifted looking a tad uncertain before his normal bold demeanor asserted itself. “Or should I say, Chat Noire?”

“O-oh!” Marinette tittered nervously. “Plagg told you, huh?”

“Did you think he wouldn’t?” chat’s head cocked curiously. “I hear that I have you to thank for his safe return.”

“Not really.” Marinette waved him off. “I mean, all I did was feed him.”

“Not a small task.” Chat muttered. “Considering he only eats expensive cheeses.”

He only eats..? Marinette blinked, then giggled. “Oh, we managed.”

“And then he took you joyriding around the city.” Chat shook his head regretfully. “I’m sorry, Princess. That must have been terrifying.”

“Oh, I was a little nervous, but only at first.” Marinette chewed her lip in what she hoped looked like anxiety...but really, she was trying to hide her amusement. Sure, a baton was different from her yo-yo, but seriously. She went flying over rooftops all the time. Vaulting around the city and giggling with Plagg had been different, sure, but it had been fun. “Really, it was a lot of fun.”

Chat beamed, looking absurdly relieved. “You’re very brave, Princess.”

“Would-” Marinette hesitated, but only for a second. Plagg’s words from the other day, and the impressions that had drifted across while they were connected, came to the fore. She hadn’t wanted to blend her two lives together, but… nightmares about a faceless boy, sitting alone and hungry in a dark room had plagued her last night.

How could she call herself a hero, if she ignored her own partner’s pain?

“Would you like something to drink? I mean,” she continued when he hesitated, “it’s pretty hot out, and you’re running around in black leather. That can’t be fun.”

Idly, she reached out, tracing a finger down the side of her glass and chasing the condensation that pooled there. Chewing her lip, she slip him a glance out of the corner of her eye as she picked the glass up and took a sip. Watched as he eyed the cool water as half-melted ice clinked inside the cup.

“Maybe just a little.” Chat said ruefully. “That would be wonderful.”

“Sure. Be right back!” Marinette set the glass down abruptly, smiling brightly before she turned and disappeared inside.

I want her. Plagg laughed inside Chat’s head.

Plagg? Chat asked, confused. Plagg’s amusement was nearly palpable.

Just give her the ring, kid. Plagg teased. Fu messed up - she absolutely should have been Chat Noir.

I know you’re joking, but I’m not sure what the joke is. Chat complained, frowning.

Hey! I am not joking! Plagg protested. I mean, mostly. I’m like, 30% serious. She’s got you by the balls, and you don’t have a clue.

What are you talking about? Chat cried. It’s just a drink of water! It’s like, twenty-eight degrees centigrade outside, and I’m in black leather. It’s hot, and I’m thirsty.

Well, you’re not wrong. Plagg muttered as Marinette reappeared with a glass of water and a plate of snacks. Keep telling yourself that.

Marinette had brought up a variety of treats: baguette slices with butter and cheese, some sliced vegetables, and petite fours to finish off with. Chat had asked her what she was working on, and the two of them had sat, working through equations, for another hour or so. The sun was sinking steadily towards the horizon when Marinette sat back, beaming at the finished worksheet in front of her.

“Thanks, Chat!” She grinned at him. “That made a lot more sense with you explaining it. I think you may have explained it better than the teacher.”

“Not a problem.” Chat smiled back.

“Wow, it’s getting late.” Marinette frowned out at the skyline.

“I should probably be heading back.” Chat nodded, looking ruefully towards the Agreste mansion.

“Actually…” Marinette hesitated. “Do you...think you could help me out just a little more?”

Chat’s brow furrowed in concern. “I...might. What do you need?”

“Is anyone expecting you home?” Marinette asked, suddenly worried that she might get him in trouble. “I don’t want to get you in trouble if you’re needed somewhere.”

“No, nobody is expecting me.” Chat shook his head. His father was out of town, and the staff didn’t take dinner with him. If he didn’t show for a meal, then it would be packed into the refrigerator for later. As long as it wasn’t there in the morning, nobody would report him.

...Then again, he’d couldn’t remember having ever gotten in trouble for missing a meal, only for taking extra.

“Oh, well then.” Marinette’s lips pursed at the strange look on his face before rearranging her expression as his eyes refocused on hers. “It’s just that, my parents are working late tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me?”

Chat stared at her, and Marinette tried not to fidget as she smiled at him, belatedly realizing that it probably looked like she was coming on to him. A nervous blush fought it’s way up.

It’s not like that! She screamed internally. I just want you to eat, you silly boy!

The things she did for her friends…

“It’s just...there’s a big order for a wedding cake.” She stammered, wincing at the potential implications, hand rising to cup the opposite elbow nervously. “And mom always makes a ton of food! It’s like she thinks there’s ten of us, instead of three, you know? And I’ll be stuck eating dumplings for the next week if someone doesn’t help us finish them off, so…”

Chat’s face relaxed. “I’d love to have dinner with you, Princess.”

[auncyen]

A, U, N, C, Y, E

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

OTPs: TIZNES :)

Crystal Crew, Edea/Agnès, and Rindea are pretty fun too.  Edea & Agnès is also pretty great as a friendship, as well as Ringabel & Tiz and Edea & Tiz (I think with Tiz & Edea a lot of it is that Tiz sometimes tries to keep things to himself and Edea would just tackle him with hugs once she found out.  …And Tiz tries to keep Edea from going too far off on impulse).

I like Ringabel/Agnès as friends or a ship, though even the friendship is mostly a fanon thing (writers?!  WRITERS).

Barras/Holly is hilarious.

In other fandoms: I like Adrienette/Ladynoir.

…These are the big two fandoms atm.  (I’m watching The Ancient Magus’ Bride today, maybe I’ll have opinions on that later?)

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Aerith, Final Fantasy VII: I have to admit, part of me just likes “wears pink, likes flowers, will slam a metal pole against your gut if you try her”.  It’s really how vivacious and spirited she is, and she’s one of the characters in that type who manage to come across as both willful rather than fell-into-a-new-stereotype-trying-to-get-out-of-old-one rebellious and thinking for herself while still being flawed.

Tiz, Bravely Default: it’s a combination of me being weak for sibling trauma and that I just really like his personality.  It’s a shame the writers passed up some opportunities to make him a biiit better-rounded, but even still, he’s someone who tries his hardest to be reliable, sometimes fails at standing up for himself because ingrained need to be polite, and advocates common sense while still occasionally doing the dumbest thing (STORM THE FORTRESS) because he’s worked up enough.  I like him.

Marinette, Miraculous Ladybug: a caveat–I would love to see the writers challenge her a bit more at times.  Into season two the “Chat Noir always falls victim to the akuma and not LB” has become even more blatant and while on most occasions I’ve been just fine with this because–uh, she has to purify the akuma, what’s Chat going to do with no purification ability–there was an episode in season 2 where this happened again, but this time it was through an ability where it would have been very, very easy for Chat to remove the control on Ladybug, and thus it became very glaring that he was the one to be controlled by the akuma yet again.  So the caveat: she gets to skate by on things a little too often.  That aside, a girl who is creative and clever but not entirely confident in herself, even after having turned up lucky so often (or maybe because she’s so lucky: I’d like to read fics with Marinette struggling with imposter syndrome, and that’s the idea behind one wip I have), did not have much courage in the beginning and accepted the call only because she saw a friend in life-threatening danger and now acts with bravado while still struggling with some insecurities and a brain that derails like a runaway train with nightmare scenarios at times is an interesting personality.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

1.  More Tiznes no, actually, it’d be fun to see more of the Venus sisters.  They’re in an odd spot where they’re pretty likable for me, I’m just not sure I really get them enough to write them believably?  (Which may simply be because the main story about their story is supposed to be pretty “They did WHAT??” in the first place.  I’m just not that great with Bigger-Than-Life characters.)

2.  More comics.  Comics are fun.

3.  More meta.  Thinky meta about the plot or just character analysis which might help me figure out what I’m missing about the Venus sisters.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

I don’t like exclusive Ringatiz.  I can totally buy Ringabel x Tiz until you tell me they don’t really care what the girls do and then it’s like mmmmmm.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Star Wars is “I’ve watched all the movies myself, but also would have forgotten them all if it wasn’t for my dash”

BnHA which is mostly “there is one Very Wholesome Guy, and there is one pervert that needs to go away already” if I understand correctly

…Does Death Stranding qualify at this point

one mutual has managed to get a wrestler’s theme song stuck in my head

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

See, I’d want to say my crowning achievement in roleplay was playing the Aerith in a Cloud/Aerith/Zack threesome that (most) people found believable and entertaining

but really my infamy in roleplay was playing Cloud Strife in a different game and having him shrunk down and eaten by a chocobo.  …I’d say it made sense in context, but that was only half of it.  The other half was “chat found it hilarious”.

Several years later, it was still remembered well enough to be a card in a Cards Against Humanity-style game created and played by that rp community.

I’ve done and written other cracky things, but that is pretty much my pinnacle of outrageous, and maybe the only time I ever seriously played with black humor.

[takaraphoenix]

Two things. One, where did you watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Two, Miraculous Ladybug?

Oooh. Oh, I have a very odd relationship to that one.

I definitely like it but I wanna strangle the people who were responsible for airing it? Like? The order doesn’t even make sense? And I had to consult three independent fanpages and their suggestions at viewing order to find one that suited me personally the best? And I hate that.

In today’s time and age, shows already have a hard enough time surviving. Why would you sabotage yourself by airing them in an order that doesn’t fit the timeline? It’s good that it were only minor things that messed it up, but if they had major plotline events out of synch, this could really hurt the show and I hope that they can get their act straight.

I was really very skeptical at first about this. I mean, a French-Korean cartoon? Whut? That is such an odd combination and I’ve never seen a cartoon from either country - well, French yeah, Asterix, of course.

But there was a cute guy in a literal cat-suit? So I had to at least try it.

Let me start this off with the love-square. (This show is a mess, really. Like, “Oh, love-triangles are sooo last year. Let’s mess it up even more!”)

Adrien is Chat Noir. Marinette is Ladybug. Neither knows the other’s identity.

Adrien loves Ladybug in a ridiculously adorable blushy fanboy way.(Approve. Adore. Ridiculously cute)

Chat Noir flirts with Ladybug in what would really earn him a sexual harrassment complaint if they were co-workers at literally any other job aside from superheroing. (Do not approve, because it’s highly unprofessional and no means no, Chat, get your act together, kitten)

Adrien sees Marinette as a non-sexual, non-threatening creature and a friend. (Understandable)

Marinette is... absolutely useless when she’s around Adrien because she’s hopelessly in love with him. (Nope. That girl behaves in exactly the way I hate girls acting when in love)

Ladybug ain’t having any of Chat’s silly flirting and is being professional and putting her foot down because they have better things to do. (Approve)

It’s a mess. A real mess. And when I started watching the show, I was really very annoyed by the love-story and wanted to stop watching because it was mainly Marinette making a fool of herself - I hate when girls are portrayed as those brainless morons who stutter and blush and can’t even when around the boy they like.

But then we got to see more of the love-square and I found the dynamics interesting and really adored Adrien.

And ths is why this show is a mess and why my relationship to it is so complicated. There are two characters, but four ship-possibilities between them and one of them is a NOTP while another is an OTP and something feels enherently wrong about that being A Thing That Exists.

So, my hopes for this show is that once the identities are revealed, they’ll even out into normal behavior on both sides - that is to say, Chat tunes down the aggressive flirting and Marinette tunes down the dumbness.

Though I have to admit, a huge part of why Marinette/Adrien is the angle of the square that bugs me the most lies in the flashback episode where we learn how she fell in love with him.

Until that point, I had assumed that she had been a fangirl way before they started attending school together. But to reveal in that flashback that when she first met him, they were behaving like normal human beings around each other and that she was Not Impressed by the pretty boy and had no idea that he was even a model - which, if that had stayed the angle and she had fallen in love with him in a normal way, I would have liked. But no. Instead out of some bogus little interaction, she suddenly falls head over heels in love with him and turns into a stalker.

I mean. Seriously. If he had been a celebrity she had been fawning over before meeting him, that would be a different story. But if you start putting posters up of your classmate and collecting photos of them, that is stalker-behavior. If you know that person personally, that kind of action gets insanely creepy.

Which brings me to another point where I’m confused about what this show does to me. I love Ladybug, but I really dislike all of Marinette. And, lemme repeat this just one more time, they’re the same person.

Ladybug is confident, brave, strong, even when faced with Adrien she behaves like the hero she is. She has that sense of duty that she puts even before that.

Marinette is... hopeless. She can’t even function like a normal human being around Adrien, she does ridiculous and very pathetic stuff due to her feelings for him. She’s so desperate but if she’d just act normal around him, she could already be so close to him. She also occasionally does things that I don’t approve of morally just for the sake of Adrien and wanting him.

It makes me feel weird to like half the main character? And I am really hoping that once she realizes the obnoxious kitten flirting with her is actually Adrien, she’ll callm the fuck down and start behaving normal.

Moving on from the love-square and the main character.

I like the side-characters. They’Re all ridiculously individual and the fact that the first season takes it slow enough to properly introduce all of them and give them all not just small roles but actual roles to shine and show what they’re worth and what they stand for is amazing in a world where TV is currently dominated by shows that are far too fast-paced and uses secondary characters more as props than real, fleshed out characters.

I particularly like Alya. She’s that sassy friend that just can’t be missed. I think that Marinette should have trusted her earlier to tell her about being Ladybug, because she’d have been an amazing sidekick and supporter and I feel like... this very long on-going lie between them should cause quite a rift once it’s revealed. I’m very upset about the spoiler for the coming season because it’s definitely not the direction where I wanted Alya to be taken. (If you know the spoiler, you know what I’m talking about. I don’t wanna spoiler those who managed to avoid it so far. Kudos to you)

I also like Chloé, not in the sense that she’s a good person, but she’s a good character. That bitchy antagonist at school who’s after the lead’s crush is... a very overused cliche, yes, but it’s that for a reason. Because it works in high school shows and movies. I’m curious to see where they take her character, because the best part about the antagonistic bitch is always her redemption arc where she ends up becoming the lead’s friend.

I really love the anime-feel of this show. It sets up those heroes in a way American heroes - DC and Marvel - would be set up, but it brings in all those anime-elements and I love magical girl animes to death and back. The adorable talking sidekick animals in Plagg and Tikki are so Artemis and Luna and I adore them. We got the costume change - but thankfully not as slow as in anime. The powers and color-coded different types of heroes.

And the fact that there are more. Honestly, what I particularly love about this cartoon is the big pay-off two-parter at the end of season 1 when we actually learn some about how and what is even going on here.

That there is the potential for a six-characters strong hero team is the most exciting for me. What I love about superheroes is not one hero heroing around on his own. I love the team-dynamics.

I mean, I definitely don’t want this to turn full Sailor Moon where there’s only good girls and then there’s Tuxedo Mask. Adrien can’t stay the only boy. My personal hope had been for a male fox, because Adrien is a bit of a mischievous trickster and to have a buddy who’d also fit that description would be great (yeah, I wanted to ship them, leave me alone, I’m addicted I know I have a problem).

Taking the bee out too, the only ones remaining would be the turtle and the peacock. The peacock being in Adrien’s house, I’ll get into that later on, doesn’t mean it will never be used. And the turtle belonging to the master, well, the guy’s old and I could see him die just as he reveals something potentially very important - because it’d up the stakes if the newly introduced potential mentor dies. So yeah, that could be passed on too.

Not that we’re limited to the seven Miraculouses in Master Fu’s box, of course.

After all, when he introduces the Miraculouses to us, we see this compiliation that includes Heracles with the lion fur and that stag dude. So there’s two animals already that aren’t covered in this box. Implying there are more boxes with more Miraculouses out there, so potentially we could very well encounter an entire team of male-only heroes, a mixed team, a total cliche magical girl team. I love that they opened the world in such a subtle way, like “For now, let’s focus on what we have, but seven are quite a limit so let’s keep the option for if this show takes off well to include more potential heroes”. It’s clever. I like clever in my cartoons.

Now, circling back to the peacock in Adrien’s house.

My personal headcanon slash theory about this is that Adrien’s mom used to be the peacock and his dad is the hawk moth. They used to be a hero duo just like Ladybug and Chat Noir. But then she died. And he became... corrupted. Angry, desperate, something in between.

Maybe he just wants to watch the world and the heroes using the Miraculouses burn to pay for it.

Maybe... there’s a special kind of magic linked to possessing all Miraculouses. Maybe Hawk Moth is trying to steal Ladybug’s and Chat’s Miraculouses because he thinks that if he has them all, he can use their magic to bring back his wife. And that one would be my personal theory.

So yeah, at first glance this looked like a very simple hero show, but I love the detail that went into it and the world-building and I am definitely very excited about what the coming seasons will hold.

Though it is a little ironic that I came for the cute catboy in hopes of finding a hot guy to ship him with because gays are what I watch and read and write for, but ended up actually liking the straight main pairing.