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starsfic · 5 months ago

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Kagami, the Best Ladybug Girlfriend

Summary: When Marinette breaks her foot, her wonderful girlfriend Kagami steps in as Ladybug. This leads to Paris being interested in Marinette's love life. Notes: A request by @wombatking, inspired by my fic Marinette, Girlfriend of Ladybug.

Marinette would more than love to blame the situation on Lila.

She had been the one to brag about her expertise in gymnastics (while also coming with a convenient excuse about why there was no video or pictures at the Olympics when Alix pried), to the point that gym class had been switched to minor gymnastics. She had been the one to insist Marinette go next after Juleka and Rose had both performed perfect flips on the front beam.

Except Marinette’s clumsiness had been there before Lila.

"I’m fine," she said, her entire body shaking despite her words.

Kim held her hand with a very pale look. "You are not fine."

"I’m fine," she said, trying not to freak out.

Alya held her other hand and looked ready to throw up. "You are not fine."

"I’m fine. It doesn’t even hurt."

"I don’t think your foot is meant to look like that, Marinette!" Alya’s nails dug into her skin. The sensation grounded her.

The rest of the class was gathered around with pale and horror struck faces. Even Lila and Chloe were there, looking ready to either faint or throw up. All except for Ivan and Alix, who had run the minute Kim and Alya had rushed over. The former soon returned with a big water bottle, while the latter had sprinted to get the nurse. There was no sign of the teacher anywhere.

Maybe he was worried that Damocles would fire him.

"Does it hurt?" Sabrina asked, worrying the hem of her gym shirt between her fingers.

"I can’t see her foot’s shape!" Chloe barked. "Of course it hurts."

"It doesn’t, actually," Marinette said, which was partly the reason why Alya and Kim were holding onto her. Logically, she knew she was hurt. Her foot was enough proof of that. But she didn’t feel it.

"That might be the shock," Kim admitted as Alix pushed her way through, with the nurse following close behind.

The next few minutes were a blur. An ambulance came. Marinette was wheeled out. Then she was sitting in a hospital room with her parents on either side, practically shielding her. There was a cast on her foot.

The doctor walked in, holding an X-ray. "So, I have good news and bad news," she said as she held up the X-ray, pointing to a spot on the foot. "The bad news is that your foot is definitely broken. The good news is, your foot looks worse than it actually is." Marinette felt her entire body sink with relief, alongside her parents. But she couldn’t soak up that feeling for long.

"So, it won’t take long to heal, right?" she asked.

Her answer came when the doctor winced.

-_-

"So, I’m in a cast for a month and a half," Marinette said, hefting up said cast so her girlfriend could take a good look at it. At least the wrapping could be done in a cute pink. At least. She was struggling to find a bright spot in all of this.

"That is awful," Kagami said, raising a hand to stroke it. Despite her flat expression, sympathy filled her voice. "How do you feel?"

"Slightly better," she admitted. "Apparently, I was in a lot of shock, which blocked out a lot of the pain. But…"

Tikki rose up. "She can’t be Ladybug while she’s healing," The kwami looked glum at the admittance. She hated the idea when Marinette presented it, mostly at being separated for a month and a half. "The suit will disappear the cast, but her foot will still be broken."

"Which will put pressure and hinder her recovery," Kagami said, putting together the pieces that Marinette had in the doctor’s office. "So, what can you do?"

That was when Marinette held out her earrings.

"I need you to be Ladybug," she said when Kagami’s eyes went wide. "I trust you. Plus, we look similar enough at first glance. Chat Noir might notice, but…"

"He has a history of failing to notice important things," Kagami said, taking the earrings. She looked awestruck at even being allowed to touch them. Ever since she had learned of Marinette’s role as the guardian, she had been careful with the Miraculouses, especially the ones she was entrusted with. "If you feel that I can take your place, then I respect your opinion."

"The phrase is Tikki, spots on," Marinette said as Kagami clipped them on. "You can transform and we can see if we need to change anything." If they could pass Kagami’s suit off as a recent remodel, then that would be less stress when Marinette returned to work.

"Alright… Tikki, spots on!"

Pink consumed Kagami’s form, whirling around her. Marinette had never seen the Ladybug transformation on someone else and found herself holding her breath, leaning forward until the pink finally vanished. She felt her own smile vanish as well.

"Your suit looks better than mine," she said, definitely not in a whine.

Unlike her skin-tight onesie, Kagami wore what looked like a solid black leotard. Layered on top was the red and black, with solid-looking boots and a top piece that resembled ancient samurai armor. Her hair was arranged in a high bun with red ribbon. And, of course, the domino mask. It looked like Kagami was ready to march into battle. It looked good.

Logically, Marinette knew she should be focusing on the differences, redefining it so it would look more like something she would wear, but annoyance was blocking it out.

"Hm," Kagami said, turning to look in the mirror. "I did not notice it, but it does." She raised a brow. "Why is that? You have a greater sense of fashion than I do."

"It’s based on what the wielder thinks when they transform," Marinette said, getting up and unable to help a smile as Kagami immediately offered her arm. It allowed her to tap the armor, which felt like leather but sounded like wood under her nails. "I think it looks great, though."

Kagami’s smile lit up the room.

-_-

Thankfully, few people noticed that Marinette had switched up her regular black studs for pink flower earrings. When Alya asked, she told the truth about missing her old earrings. She could rarely wear different ones, not when an akuma attack could happen at any minute.

The next few weeks passed smoothly. She and Kagami visited each other’s house on a near-daily basis already, and Tikki had nothing but kind gushing about Kagami’s hospitality. The time off actually gave Marinette time to catch up on homework and sleep and even break into Miraculous research and fashion. Lila was even surprisingly quiet about her "injuries" in class. Marinette had to wonder if it was seeing an actual broken foot, or the suspicious glances that others were shooting her. Adrien had tried to say something about how staying quiet was clearly right, but she ignored him. So far, so good.

And then the school had gotten attacked by an akuma.

Marinette was surprised it had been so long. She was pretty sure she saw Max erasing a whiteboard that said "DAYS SINCE AKUMA ATTACK ON OUR SCHOOL."

She unfortunately couldn’t question him about it because she was running for her life.

The akuma had revealed itself to be Rachel, a girl from the other class, known for an explosive temper. Hawkmoth had turned that into Dyna-Gal, with the ability to make cartoon-style bombs that, unfortunately, had very real power.

It was one of those times when Marinette wanted to throttle Lila. She couldn’t run with the cast on her foot and getting down the stairs was a nightmare even when things were normal. Dyna-Gal had clearly noticed her hindrance, cackling freely as she lobbed bomb after bomb around. Marinette ducked and weaved, jolting every time one went off, very glad that her hero job had taught her how to stand through an explosion. However, this time, she didn’t have a super suit.

"Lucky strike!" Dyna-Gal cackled and Marinette dared to look back. She felt herself pale as the akuma lobbed a bomb like a bowling ball, headed directly in her. She tried to speed up, but the cast and her crutches were useless in that effort. If the bomb even just knocked her off her feet-

The sound of wire buzzing was her only warning before she was yanked off her feet, barely managing to hold onto her crutches.

"I have you, miss," Kagami, Musha Aka in the earrings, said, her voice determined. She had the same voice when she was preparing to win a fencing match. Marinette resisted a swoon and instead held on as Musha Aka zipped from building to building. It wasn’t until Dyna-Gal’s cackling had disappeared that she headed to the street, landing on the sidewalk in an empty street. "Are you alright?" she asked, the sun catching in her dark curls.

Marinette suddenly understood all of Alya’s fantasies.

She couldn’t help it. She leaned up and pressed her lips to Kagami’s own. It was more of a cheek kiss than an actual kiss, but it was still a kiss that made her entire body warm. When she pulled back, Kagami’s eyes sparkled. "For good luck," she said as she pulled away.

Neither noticed the snap of a camera.

-_-

The next morning, Marinette woke up early.

She found herself dazed and confused, looking around. The sky was still dark and her clock said it was only seven. That was way earlier than she usually woke up. When she turned her head, Wayzz was hovering in front of her, holding her phone. "Miss Marinette," he said, the title they compromised on thick with worry. "There is something you should see."

"What is it, Wayzz?" Marinette asked as she took her phone. When she looked down, she realized two things. One, Wayzz had pulled up the Ladyblog. Second, her social media notifications were exploding.

Marinette took one look at the webpage and felt herself go pale.

The main picture was of her and Musha Aka. The picture was slightly blurry, suggesting that it had been taken far away, but it was close enough to catch their kiss. Over it was a bold title: THE REAL REASON FOR NO LADYNOIR.

"...well, shit."

-_-

The few hours between her waking up and getting to school both felt too fast and too slow. Marinette didn't answer any calls or texts and was too terrified to even look at her social media notifications.

When it was time for her to leave for school, she was torn between a drag and a run, not helped by her crutches. Thankfully, no reporters had popped up yet, but she was willing to bet that they would be coming soon.

Once she was there, she found herself pausing. Many of the people she saw were wearing Ladybug’s spots or LGBTQIA+ merch, from full outfits to hair clips. Several stopped to smile and give her friendly waves, while others looked starstruck. This was a bigger reaction than she was expecting.

She was, however, expecting Alya, marching up with Nino close behind, both wearing the colors of the pan and bi flags. Alya looked torn between absolute delight and anger, and Marinette found herself tense.

"Can you explain this?" Alya demanded, pulling up the photo. Once again, Marinette resisted the urge to scream at the sight of that private moment. "I thought you and Kagami were a thing? Is this why the Ladybug suit suddenly looks better?"

Shit. She should have thought of an excuse.

"We’re poly… Alya."

Alya blinked. Marinette tried to resist the urge to scream as she stared at her.

"...and you didn’t invite me to be part of your polycule?"

…what.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, I would ditch Nino for you and Ladybug."

Marinette glanced at Nino. He blinked and then shrugged. "Eh, I can’t blame her," he said. "You and Ladybug have been on our passes ever since we started dating."

Marinette was torn between laughing and screaming, instead settling on a "Good to know?" Like usual ever since she had broken her foot, Alya took her bag, and the trio started walking to the classroom. "So, um, what’s up with all the pride stuff? If I had known, I would have put on some stuff."

"Well, the Internet has been blowing up ever since I got sent the picture," Alya admitted. "People have been debating on whether or not this makes sense. A lot of people agree on it, but there's been shippers that have been pretty upset."

"Like you?" She couldn’t help it. "I mean, you’ve been pretty hard about the Ladynoir ship forever."

Alya sighed as they walked in. Chloe was sitting in her usual seat, rocking back and forth with mascara-stained cheeks. Lila sat in the back, looking very pale. Adrien looked normal, although an anger she had never seen aimed at her flashed in his eyes. "I mean, I was. For a bit. It just…made sense, in my head. But then I started thinking about it."

Marinette raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yeah. I realized I was acting like a tabloid reporter," Alya sounded pained at the very idea. "It wasn’t any of my business. Ladybug and Chat Noir aren’t dolls to be shoved together. I’m thinking of maybe revamping the blog, especially since a certain someone," Lila scooted down in her seat as Alya turned to aim a nasty glare at her. "Made me think I could trust her."

…actually, you know what? Breaking her foot had been the best thing ever.

-_-

Marinette finally started looking at her social media after dinner, with her dad pressing her about possibly bringing Ladybug and Kagami over. Her mom thankfully stopped that by pointing out that Ladybug cared more about security than Chat Noir. It was a good excuse.

Most of it was actually rather kind. Many people were excited at the idea that Paris’s heroine was like them. Fanart with her and the pride flag was everywhere. A few podcasters and YouTubers had sent her emails, wanting to talk to Ladybug or at least Marinette, hoping to learn about queer heroes. A few were nasty- the texts Chloe had sent her were ruder than anything she had ever said before- but that didn’t diminish the warmth in her chest at the love and kindness.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Then it was gone.

Marinette felt her heart jump when she realized that the burner phone that Chat Noir had bought them was buzzing. She had taken the gift reluctantly. Chat had claimed it was to avoid the disaster that had been the field trip to New York, but given his other actions, she had doubted it. Thankfully, so far, he had kept interactions limited to brief texts.

She picked it up and answered the call. "Hello?"

"When were you planning on telling me that you had a girlfriend?" His voice sounded weirdly shaky. The unease that had consumed Marinette eased off, replaced by a burn of pity. Thanks to his persistence in admitting his romantic affections, she would barely categorize Chat in the friend category, but she didn’t want him to hurt.

"...Never," she admitted. "You already know too many details about my life."

There was silence on the other end. She nearly hung up before there was a soft "...can I at least ask how long?"

Marinette breathed out air through her nose. "I’m sorry, no," she said finally. "Because I know you’ll torture yourself with that information."

There was a longer moment of silence. "...I see," he finally said. She could imagine him sitting on the roof, running his fingers through his hair. "...does she know who you are?"

"No," she said. "We’ve agreed on waiting until Hawkmoth is gone. I…I’m not a good girlfriend to her, Chat." Old guilt rose up in her chest. It was old because Kagami knew who she was, but she could never forgive herself for the first few months of their relationship. "I…I miss dates. I can’t brag about her to my family. I can barely share any details about my life. I know so much about her, but she barely knows anything about me, and it sucks."

Chat sighed. "I…Hm." There was a sigh. "Okay. Okay. I’ll see you next fight."

He hung up and Marinette collapsed against the chair with a sigh.

"I forgave you for that, you know." She nearly fell out of her chair at Kagami’s voice, turning to see her girlfriend, still clad in the Ladybug suit, rise up from her chaise. Her eyes were soft as she cupped her face, making sure Marinette understood her words. It sounded like a speech she had rehearsed. "Every time you had to go, I could see it in your face that you didn’t want to leave."

"And I still leave you behind," Marinette groaned, leaning into Kagami’s hands. "Remind me to beat up Hawkmoth for crashing our dates when we finally catch him."

Kagami leaned forward, pressing her lips to Marinette’s head.

"Assume I am already there."

#my writing #ML #Miraculous #Miraculous Ladybug #Marigami #Kagaminette #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Kagami Tsurugi #Tikki #Wayzz #Alya Cesaire #Nino Lahiffe #Le Chien Kim #Lila Rossi #Adrien Agreste #fic #fanfic #fanfiction

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gale-gentlepenguin · 1 year ago

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Throwing this in asks instead of a reblog so you can not have it hanging off your post if you don't want it.

Re:Curse on Marinette

It's only a curse because of Marinette's own flaws(which, if acknowledged is excellent for a narrative) See, it's only a curse because just like Gabe she sees Adrien as a special porcelain object, to be handled and admired, but still an object.

Marinette is very *different* from Gabe in execution at the moment, but with the narrative claiming Gabriel really loved him... The parallels grow. Gabriel is just Marinette further down the same path. Yes she gave Adrien back control of himself, but she's got plenty of time to change her mind if she continues down the Gabriel road. 'Adrien needs to be protected' is denying autonomy in silk-wrapped terms.

Will knowing the truth hurt Adrien? Yeah, of course. The healthy thing to do is tell him and then *be there to support him* as he works through his reactions to it.

This is the same Adrien who with care, patience, and kindness supported Marinette through her trauma-recovery in season 5. This guy, this is the one who is 'too fragile'? What does that make her?

This isn't directed at you personally, just addressing the narrative setup broadly and the reads that doesn't seem to quite fathom what they are suggesting.

I understand where you are coming from… but I disagree.

I think it’s less about Marinette viewing Adrien as porcelain and more like

“What person would not have a complete mental break after learning all of this?” Not to mention the potential magical shenanigans that comes into play here.

Marinette, a 14 year old girl is forced into a situation that any individual would find IMMENSELY FUCKED UP. There is no easy way of telling a person that everything they know is a lie and that their existence resulted in the deaths of his parents. Flaws or not.

Not to mention, there are other people that could tell Adrien these facts but don’t have this level of emotional trauma and blackmail to deal with. Such as Nathalie.

Marinette is a victim here. And WILL be receiving all of the blame for s*** completely out of her control.

Now don’t misunderstand. I ABSOLUTELY HATE everything about this. Gabriel is a monster for this. It’s TERRIBLE Writing. (It can be saved if handled correctly, but I have reasonable doubt).

But the one thing I can’t do is blame Marinette. Because there are others that could better handle this, but because she is Ladybug it’s all on her.

#miraculous ladybug #ml #ml spoilers #that’s if they address it #ml critical

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miraculousystuff · 9 months ago

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She The Devil

*Kinda short and the ending was a bit lazy but-*

It was the same as always. Marinette, straining herself over the high road. Lila, spewing her lies. And Alya, lapping it all up like a dog. However, this time Marinette couldn’t resist throwing a nasty little barb at Lila. “I simply can’t go to Mylene’s beach clean up because I have a birthday party with Taylor Swift.” she simpered, and Marinette saw an opening that was too good to refuse. “Like Taylor would invite you. She would rather accept a cigarette butt.” Marinette said, and it wasn’t meant to be heard. But Lila whipped her head around to face her, and soon everyone was glaring at Mari. “How could you say that Marinette? When I’ve been nothing but nice to you?” she whined as fake tears came rolling out. “How could you girl! You made Lila cry!!” Alya hissed, comforting said girl. Meanwhile, Mari just rolled her eyes. “Let’s go with that shall we?” she said.

It all would have been fine. If Adrien hadn’t walked in on them at that exact moment. “Let’s go with what?” he asked innocently. “Marinette is just being a BITCH.” Alya yelled, but Marinette froze. This was the first time Alya had sworn at Marinette, but she had to say, not too surprising. In fact, she was expecting it. What was surprising, to the class at least, was when Adrien spoke up. “Marinette is not a bitch! How could you?” he argued. Lila sobbed even harder. “MY OWN BOYFRIEND DOESN’T BELIEVE ME!” she wailed, and Adrien looked even more furious than he did a second ago. “I’m not your boyfriend, or your friend Lie-la.” he claimed, annoyed. “Are you breaking up with me?” Lila cried, pressuring him to give in. The old Adrien would’ve. Succumbed to peer pressure, and agreed. But he didn’t. Yet, before anymore could be said, the rage called Alya began.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? DID MARINETTE PUT YOU UP TO THIS?” Alya screamed. Adrien was taken aback. “Of course not! I just don’t appreciate someone who claims to be my girlfriend insulting my real girlfriend.” he said, earning a gentle smile from Mari. They had started dating 2 months ago, not that the class noticed. Any trace of tears gone, Lila looked like a gaping fish. Maribrat? With her Adrien? Not going to happen. So she twisted it. “ADRIEN HAVE YOU BEEN CHEATING ON ME WITH THAT BULLY? I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!” Lila screamed once more. But she wasn’t going to blame it on Adrien. No. Her enemy deserved it. How dare she date her boy toy? Before Alya could yell at Adrien, Lila started to speak, while Marinette put on noise-canceling airpods. “It was Marinette! She seduced Adrien! In fact, she threatened me yesterday to stay away from Adrien!” Lila said through sobs. Alya’s fury turned to Marinette, who was still blissfully unaware of the situation that had unfolded.

“HOW COULD YOU!” Alya was in full on frenzy mode. Marinette was sitting at the front with Adrien (part of the reason for Lila’s revenge) and Alya thought she was sneaky as she stomped over to Marinette to kick her in the back. However, as soon as she touched the bluenette, Marinette grabbed her hand and judo-flipped Alya onto the floor. Everyone gasped, including Marinette herself. Alya got up and, before Mari could begin to apologize, tried to punch her, but she easily blocked her attacks. Soon, Alya was once again lying on the floor, a now victorious Marinette on standby. Everybody was shocked. Who knew their Everyday Ladybug could throw a punch? However, now Marinette was angry. “What the actual fuck is wrong wrong with you. All of you. Verbal abuse. Emotional abuse. Physical abuse. You may not be a part of the fight, but you hurt me by standing by, in all this abuse. I wish I was never friends with you. I wish I never met you.” she said, her eyes welling up and threatening to spill as she did so. Adrien put a comforting hand on her shoulder. But Marinette wouldn’t cry. Because she was about to tear the class a new one.

However, the class didn’t seem to get the message. But Marinette was going to put a stop to it, once and for all. Everything started with verbal abuse. Whenever any of her ‘friends’ decided to insult her, she had a response ready that made students cry. Then it was emotional. Anytime they tried pressuring her, or making her stressed, she simply said no. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Then physical. The class had taken to trying to trip Marinette, or ram into her shoulder. Emphasis on tried, because half of them are now officially tripping over themselves to get out of Marinette’s way. Infact, most of the class were scared of her at this point. Gone was their Everyday Ladybug. Because they made her walk like an angel. Talk like an angel. But she always knew,

She was the devil.

#Mlb #mlb fandom #mlb fanfic #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfic #lila rossi #alya cesaire #adrienette #one shot #short story #cute #badass marinette #marinette dupain cheng #adrien sugar #adrien agreste #alya salt #song fic kinda

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doctorstrangehands · 5 months ago

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I can’t stop drawing themmmm. Emotional Dad Stephen 🥺✋😭

FOR MY FIC: The Butterfly Effect

Spoilers ahead..

Stephen: so…

(They look at each other in silence. The truth was out.)

Stephen: (blurts) I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’m your father. I truly—

Marinette: Don’t say that. Don’t you dare say that.

Stephen: Your mother told me the truth the other day but I had no idea… I’m still not sure how Lila figured it out.

Marinette: I have so many questions. But Maman knew and kept it a secret? (Her eyes widened)

Stephen: Yes. She thought you’d be better off without me. That having me in your life would only hurt you.

Marinette: That’s not fair to you or to me!

Stephen: I know it’s not fair. But back then, I wasn’t the man you see now. I was… a mess. Selfish, reckless, arrogant. I was so caught up in proving my father wrong, in proving that I was worth something, that I let my own trauma blind me. Your mother didn’t trust me to be the father you needed—and I can’t blame her for that.

Marinette: Papa—Tom—he was everything I could’ve ever wanted in a dad. And now… now I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore.

(Stephen begins to get emotional. He could feel her hurt and felt just as hurt as Marinette did.)

Stephen: (grabs her hands and sniffles) You’re Marinette. Ladybug. A hero. And whether or not you believe it right now, you’re my daughter. I’m not trying to replace Tom, Marinette. He raised you, he is your father. But I’d like the chance to be part of your life now, if you’ll let me.

#doctor strange #fanfic #stephen strange #ao3 #miraculous ladybug #ao3 fanfic #marinette dupain cheng #marvel #fanart #doctor strange fanart #family #crossover

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ilikekidsshows · 1 year ago

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What do you think of the argument that Marinette keeps secret to benefit others while Adrien keeps secrets out of selfishness?

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I think Adrien salters are so infected by bad faith criticism that Adrien could sneeze and they would claim he was just trying to get sympathy by faking an illness. Adrien can't do anything without them taking the worst possible interpretation and running with it. I also think that they have Adrien and Marinette confused. Adrien is the abuse victim who has been taught that his feelings don't matter while Marinette is the control freak in pigtails. Adrien lies because he has been taught to lie, while Marinette lies because her biggest fear is feeling uncomfortable for the 10 minutes it would take to explain the truth.

But, let's play a game of pretend. Let's pretend Marinette is a pure saint who only ever lies to bring happiness to others and never for her own gain. It still wouldn't matter. The argument has never been: “did Marinette lie for the right reasons?” It's always been: “did she have a right to lie?” and the answer is, unless you're a victim-blaming ghoul, a resounding “Fuck no!” Marinette’s good intentions don’t actually help any of the people she lies to, because things they have a right to know and that they need to know so that they can make informed decisions are being kept from them, by Marinette. The people defending her can’t even give any reasons for why the “logic” of her lies is sound, because they just make vague comments about the secrecy being “more secure” without giving any examples why Cat Noir knowing the two-man team is now a three-man team, there’s a potential backup Ladybug and who their allies are is such a security risk.

As I said, there is no point in arguing over selfless or selfish lies because that's not what the discussion is about. It's about lying about things the other person has a right to know. Marinette is not entitled to Adrien's personal life, any of the conversations he’s ever had about her or every thought he’s ever had, even if they’re negative thoughts about her, but Adrien, however, is entitled to know what the fuck is happening in the team he’s in. He’s entitled to know his father was a supervillain. And he’s definitely entitled to know that he's a remote control robot and his cousin can now snap him out of existence whenever he wants. Marinette causes problems by lying and no amount of good intentions will fix that. In fact, the good intentions make it worse, because now her victims feel like they have to give her a free pass because “she didn’t mean to hurt anybody”. Maybe people should get mad at her for once and maybe she’d stop being like this. Because Marinette lies constantly over the most inconsequential shit, so it’s not surprising she lies about the actually important shit too.

Because, like, let's not kid ourselves here; Marinette’s lies aren't within spitting distance of selfless. Marinette lies to avoid feeling uncomfortable, because the truth makes her uncomfortable or makes her look bad. This is consistent with her lies as both a hero and a civilian. Her reasons for lying include not wanting to deal with Chloé's reaction to being told she was off the hero team, not wanting to explain to Cat Noir that she isn’t the independent, perfect leader she portrays and actually buckled under the pressure and made Rena a permanent team member to take off some of the load, wanting to sabotage a girl who has a crush on Adrien so that they don't get to spend time together, lying about deleting the most important video Alya had filmed in her career as an amateur journalist so far because she didn't want her to be upset at her, and trying to avoid a preschooler thinking she's cringe. There is no greater good here. If there's a pattern to Marinette's lies, it's not selflessness, it's her fragile ego.

#ml salt #ml fandom salt

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flightfoot · 1 year ago

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Best Lovesquare-centric Fics And Series That Completed In 2023

So the majority of fics I read include the Lovesquare in some capacity, but I figured people might appreciate a list of great fics that really center around them, particularly romantically.

As with the other lists like this, these fics all come from my previous reclists for ML fics I really liked that finished during 2023. So if you like these, you might want to look through the collection I set up for all these fics.

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home is where the fight is by @rosie-b

Nadja Chamack’s voice greeted Adrien as he sat up straight, wiping his clammy hands on his pants and ignoring the black kwami floating by his shoulder. “—shocked to see our heroine fall in battle today, taking a direct hit from the akuma just as she detransformed. Parisians are torn between blaming Hawk Moth and Cat Walker for their roles in this tragedy, which ultimately revealed the civilian identity of Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Adrien turned off the TV and lowered his head as his vision blurred. Written for Ladrien June Day 7: Injured

I adore this fic! Which shouldn’t be a a surprise, it’s no secret that I love Sentiadrien Enemies AU. Adrien’s so worried about Marinette getting hurt, and wishes that he could help keep her safer, could tell her what’s really going on or get rid of the ring or something, but he can’t. Still, he IS able to find clever ways around some of his father’s more problematic orders. Loopholes for the win!

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Patrolling with a friend for Christmas by @seasofsilver

Adrien just wanted to gift his Lady some time off and hang out more with Marinette during the festive season - it didn’t exactly go to plan, but somehow ended up… better?

This was adorable! Chat Noir tries to give Ladybug a break by recruiting Multimouse to replace her on patrols for a bit, and Ladybug returns the favor by recruiting Aspik to replace Chat. Yep, it’s Snekmouse!

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Under the Umbrella by @fruitdragon1a

Almost everyone has a soulmate. What are Adrien and Marinette supposed to do when they meet theirs? ML Secret Santa gift for Mei! Merry Christmas! Thank you to Now Loading and Rewan Demontay for beta reading this fic!

So this is a version of soulmarks I haven’t seen before. Around age six, soulmates get a soulmark that shows what their soulmate is thinking when they first meet them. Though I guess it doesn’t register while transformed, since it only counts for this one when Adrien and Marinette meet as civilians, and not when they first meet as superheroes.

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you don’t even know me at all (but I was made for loving you) by @ladyofthenoodle

They didn’t remember each other. The hospital told them there’d been an accident—brain damage—but Alya had told them the truth, later. Who’d they’d been to each other. What they’d given up, and why. But even with their memories of each other gone, Adrien and Marinette are still inextricably tied together—by law, by their social circles, and by their hearts. And in the apartment they share, there’s only one bed.

Yep, it’s the “there was only one bed” trope XD! I especially love how it was used here, how Adrien and Marinette are strangers now but they had a whole life together, and they pine for each other even without remembering, and how Marinette just can’t believe how in love with her Adrien is even though he doesn’t remember her. I loved the emotional turmoil the two of them went through together in the fic, and the resolution, it’s great!

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Until I Found You by @linnieluna

Working their way up to a settled adulthood, Marinette and Adrien, now 23, gain a reason to believe that they are expecting—way earlier than they ever planned. Still unwed, it evokes a revelation on Adrien’s behalf. Was it time to take the next step forward?

I loved the emotions here, how Adrien and Marinette reacted to the results of the pregnancy test, how complicated their feelings about it were - and how it prompted Adrien to take action. It’s a really sweet fic!

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From school bells to wedding bells by @linnieluna

When the superhero duo takes on another exhausting fight against an akuma, Chat Noir does what he never hesitates to do and takes a hit for his partner. The problem being: neither of them knew what power the akuma possessed. That is… until he is transported into the future. More specifically, to his friend Marinette’s wedding.

Ah I love time travel fics! Older!Marinette’s surprised, Younger!Adrien’s bewildered, and Older!Adrien is off knowing exactly what happened and giving his younger self some subtle heads-up.

It gives Adrien something to look forward to, to cling onto, through bad days in the future at least!

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u + me = love by @xiueryn

Marinette has a massive crush on Adrien. He has a crush on the superhero, Ladybug. When he says the only person he’ll invite as his plus one to an event is Ladybug, Marinette takes her chance to romance him for the night. AU. (a fanboy and fangirl start to date.)

This is just a fun Ladrien story. Ladybug is happy to oblige in Adrien’s fantasies, and no one else believes that he’s actually dating Ladybug.

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Miracoffee by @pauliestorylover

Ever since the last Mr Pigeon attack over nine months ago, Hawkmoth has fallen off the face of the earth, seemingly for good. There’s never been a better chance for an identity reveal—but after keeping her identity a secret for so many years, Marinette feels incredibly nervous about one. When Chat Noir accidentally finds Ladybug working at a café, Alya comes up with a brilliant idea. If Ladybug and Chat Noir interact regularly in a civilian setting, surely they’ll move towards an identity reveal without outside interference?

Adrien Never Goes To Public School Coffee Shop AU here! It’s funny how he clocks Marinette as being Ladybug IMMEDIATELY. And then after discussing it for awhile, decide to make a bit of a game of the identity reveal, having Chat come in on pre-determined days and seeing whether Ladybug can figure out who she is, all while they get to know each other, even if in passing.

Love the other Miraculous heroes making cameos as well, Marinette seems annoyed that Nino cosplaying as Carapace actually doesn’t tip anyone off XD.

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For the Sake of a Ring by @rosie-b

An akuma that transfers people’s consciousnesses into other universes hits Ladybug, sending her into a world where everything is the same… but instead of earrings, she’s wearing a ring on one hand! She’s only just arrived in this universe, but already Plagg seems to have gone missing. It’s up to Marinette to figure out what happened before she’s sent back home! This fic takes place in the future, after Season 5, but it does not contain any leaks or major spoilers. Please keep the comment section spoiler-free, too!

This is really cute, Marinette gets transported into a world where she’s married to Adrien and is really confused as to why and how they got married at sixteen. Adrien’s just an adorable puppy who thinks his wife is the most amazing person in the world!

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His Princess and Her Knight by @seas-of-silver

Adrien, Marinette, Nino and Alya have a group assignment about how the past has shaped them into the people they are today, but they’ll make a discovery that’ll send them searching for answers.

This fic is adorable, Adrien, Marinette, and Nino uncover that they all went to the same preschool together, with Adrien and Marinette immediately latching onto each other, Adrien being the knight to Marinette’s princess, and also making friends with Nino. Sadly he was pulled after two weeks, but it made quite an impression on him.

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A Friendship Not Abandoned (Just Delayed) by @nomolosk

Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste first met as tiny little kids, but then Adrien had to move away. When they finally meet again, will they even remember each other, much less become friends again?

Poor Adrien keeps on saying or doing just the wrong thing to give Marinette the impression that he’s a bully like Chloe when he’s not, and he keeps desperately trying to fix it. So a bit of an enemies au in that way, since Marinette doesn’t like him much. He does gradually manage to convince her that he’s a good person though.

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The Mer-Human Race by @rosie-b

Bringing her hand closer to his lips, Adrien tried to plant a kiss on it, but Marinette pulled away before his lips could touch her. “Save it for your girlfriend,” she said teasingly. “Or do you still not have one yet?” Adrien smirked and crossed his arms. “It’s a girl,” he said. “And I know her in real life. That’s all you get. Now, let’s get back to planning, shall we? We have a mermaid to beat.”

Lovely world-building here! Merfolk and humans have had a treaty for a long time, so there’s a tradition where merfolk can challenge humans to a race, and whoever wins gets to ask for a reasonable sort of reward (in Marinette’s case, she wants to be allowed to captain a ship at a younger age than is usually allowed). Alya, Nino, and Adrien are naturally very encouraging towards Marinette, and luckily for her, a nice merman going by the name of Chat Noir shows up and challenges her to a race…

Yeah you can see where this is going XD. It’s fun, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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A Mousey guest by charliepoet13

Adrien Agreste has finally managed to break away from his father and make his way out into the world. One faithful night, after settling down in his new home, he spots a strange guest.

Adrien X Multimouse fic here! So this is inspired by the Borrowers, with little people the size of mice living amongst ordinary-sized humans, and Marinette got a little careless here XD. But soon finds that Adrien’s friendly and not a threat. It’s adorable and reminds me of the The Littles book series that I read when I was a kid!

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Caught In A Multimouse Trap by @a-flaming-idiot

Adrien was having a rather slow morning. That was until he discovered a tiny superhero trapped in his home and decides to be a bit of a hero even out of his suit.

This was adorable! Adrien does his best to care for the little miniature superhero caught in a mousetrap, bandaging her up as best as he can (thankfully only her tail got caught so it’s more of a phantom pain than an actual injury) and just… it’s really cute.

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do you think I have forgotten about you? by @roseinaugust

Based on the song ‘About You’ by The 1975. Memory Loss. Told in alternating time lines, one leading up to and one dealing with the aftermath of Marinette relinquishing the Miracle Box and the guardianship. Marinette struggles with her life after losing her memory, though there is a persistent voice that calls to her that always seems just out of reach in her memory.

Beautiful memory loss fic here, with seeing Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s relationship before she gave up the Miracle box, juxtaposed with the present day, when Adrien is only a stranger to her. I could really feel how Marinette was struggling with navigating these new circumstances, with her friends seeming to expect her to remember, to be who she was to them, to Adrien especially, before, and her just… not knowing whether she can do that. It’s got a happy ending though, for those who are concerned about that.

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How Marinette Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Ball by @rosie-b

Hidden from the crowds thronging around the busy fairy portal in Paris’s town square, a fae gate sits at the edge of the forest, locked, rusty, and full of ancient magic. Marinette thinks that this abandoned gate must not work anymore… but one day, a fairy disguised as a black cat steps through it.

Ah, Fantasy Soulmate AUs, my beloved XD. This ain’t the only one of this fic type I’m gonna be recommending. This is just a cute fluff fic without much strife. I love Marinette and Chat Noir being able to be childhood friends via his visits, even if he has to pretend to be her cat whenever he comes over, and I ESPECIALLY adore Alya being his chaperone and quickly becoming friends with Marinette in her own right. It ain’t a complicated plot, but it is a nice and warm fic.

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Stay Weird, Ladybug by @diadraws

Ladybug receives an invitation at the end of a patrol! Contains some of my own headcanons, most notably: MIRACULOUS HOLDERS ARE CREATURES!!! They get actual animal traits when transformed instead of just a costume. My tumblr is diadraws where I elaborate some more on my headcanons which may add some additional context to this fic if you are interested! CONTENT WARNINGS: *major* depictions of panic attacks, discussion of child neglect/abuse, and a minor emetophobia (vomiting) warning towards the end.

I’ve loved the comics and fanart I’ve seen dia create for this AU, with Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s more animalistic designs, so reading a fic set in that AU was a real treat! It’s mostly just a Ladrien sleepover at Adrien’s house, but it’s very nice and cozy, with some good character development of Adrien helping Ladybug with panic attacks she keeps having.

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Our Tales Are Endless (That’s Why I Tell Them) by @joonapeach

Marinette lives a simple life - one surrounded by pretty dresses, fresh macaroons, and the calming view of Paris. It’s a life she thinks she has always fit in. And yet sometimes, when a certain boy comes by her shop with a flower and a new adventurous story, she can’t help but wonder if there’s something else she’s missing.

This was a truly gorgeous story. It’s the classic “Marinette gives up the Miracle Box and loses her memories” storyline, exploring her life two years later. Even though she’s had time to heal and recover, she still feels like she’s missing something, something big. At least Adrien’s stopping by regularly to tell her stories about Ladybug and Chat Noir, even if she doesn’t understand why they resonate with her so well.

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a winter so warm by @rosekasa

winters were hard for even the best of vampires, but at least adrien had marinette to keep him warm with her cuddles. december was going to suck without her. so it was only to be expected to get extra cuddles in before she left, right? (well, not really, considering those heating supplements he was taking, but she didn’t need to know about that).

This one’s mostly just cute cuddly adorableness! It’s basically like all those “Marinette gets the Ladybug trait of needing to cuddle up to someone for warmth”, but with Adrien instead. And of course featuring Marinette being a very talented witch who just wants to help Adrien stay warm when she isn’t there XD.

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The Power of Love by @nedjsmlfavs

In which Ladybug announces that she’s pregnant via her long term boyfriend and Chat Noir is a supportive partner. After all, he can hardly be upset when he’s been dating his Princess for years!

A different take on the show’s tagline (“The Power of Love Always so Strong”) written for Valentine’s day 2023.

This is just a sweet, fluffy fic about Ladybug and Chat Noir finding out they’re having a baby, revealing to each other, getting married, and becoming parents. Gabriel actually tries to do better here, as he does actually care about getting to know his grandchild, and realizes that he can’t undo this timeline without undoing his granddaughter’s existence as well.

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Villainous Matchmaking by @nedjsmlfavs

When Chat Noir is tragically unable to attend an event with Ladybug, the mayor calls in a favor from a designer ‘friend’. Now she’s attending in style, on the arm of the hottest male model in Paris. Which would be fine if it weren’t for one, tiny issue: Paris’ favorite domestic terrorist now knows how Ladybug feels about his son. This leads him to his greatest plan yet, using Ladybug’s extremely obvious crush on Adrien Agreste to akumatize Chat Noir.

A Ladrien/“platonic” Ladynoir fic

This is adorable and hilarious. Gabriel keeps on “accidentally” releasing things which makes it looks like Adrien and Ladybug are a couple in an effort to make Chat Noir jealous, while Adrien and Ladybug ae just over-the-moon about getting to spend time together and finding out that the other person loves them XD.

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Fate, Destiny... A Hamster by @mostmagical

After finally moving into his very first apartment per Ladybug’s suggestion, Adrien discovers something no movie or TV show could have ever prepared him for: someone else's hamster.

Marinette was so excited to have her first pet. If only it would stop escaping!

At least now there’s an excuse to talk to the new neighbor.

(Adrienette Never Met AU)

Funnily enough, this is based on a true story. Specifically, the author’s own experience of having her hamster run out and be found by a neighbor.

Anyway, this is adorable! Marinette and Adrien become smitten with each other extremely quickly, with Marinette’s hamster keeping giving them reasons to talk. Very effective wing-hamster, that one XD.

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Through the Looking Glass by @jheqiawrites

Adrien is a lonely child, cut off from the outside world by his parent's strict rules. But when he discovers a window in his closet and sees a young girl looking back at him like his reflection, maybe he has hope for friendship after all.

Poor Adrien here, he makes a long-time friend (who everyone thinks is an imaginary friend), and has several great years interacting with her as his parents grow more concerned with him not growing out of it... and then Emilie dies, Gabriel orders the window destroyed, Adrien’s put on medication to suppress his “hallucinations” (which also makes him forget Marinette) and he’s just kind of left like that for the next several years, until he’s an adult.

Luckily, while Adrien forgot Marinette, Marinette never forgot him, and he’s not too difficult to track down...

This is some really cute Adrienette, if you want a “forgotten childhood friends-to lovers” Adrienette story, you should check this out!

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Miraculous Conception series by @ladynoirfanao3

Summary of the first story, The Power Of Creation:

Everyone knows that Ladybug's cure fixes everything after the destruction wrought by Shadow Moth's akumatized villains. After an akuma with an unfortunate power leaves Ladybug and Adrien in an awkward position, Marinette has never been happier to simply forget. However, she soon discovers that her miraculous ladybugs have a limitation on their curing ability, a limitation that puts her in a situation she never expected to be in.

So basically, Ladybug and Adrien run into each other just as an akuma makes everyone in the vicinity extremely horny, and when they both start remembering things again, they’re in a pretty... compromising position. But it’s just an akuma so they put it out of their heads, until Marinette discovers she’s pregnant and has to decide what to do about it, whether to keep the pregnancy, tell Adrien she’s Ladybug and is having his baby, what to do with the earrings when she’s too pregnant to be Ladybug, etc.

I really enjoyed it! Just watching Ladybug and Adrien try and navigate the situation, especially with secret identities thrown into the mix.

The main fics in the series are basically the same story, it’s just that the first one is from Marinette’s perspective, while the second one is from Adrien’s. The Power of Creation is rated M while the Power of Destruction is rated E, but for both fics it’s just rated that for a single sex scene that occurs in the fic (with it being the same sex scene in both fics, just told from two different perspectives).

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you made me a hero - reverse crush short stories series by @non-fantasy

This series is just plain fun! Like the title says, it’s a reverse crush AU, so Adrien’s head-over-heels for Marinette, while Ladybug’s smitten with Chat Noir. Which means that Adrien’s constantly trying to woo Marinette while Ladybug’s attempting to have normal conversations with Chat Noir (and failing), and both of them are oblivious to each other’s feelings.

I love the way non-fantasy executes it, with Alya literally carrying around a spray bottle because of how eager Adrien is, and Ladybug being VERY SCARY if you ever lay a finger on Chat Noir (seriously akumas will literally beg for their akumatized object to be broken just to escape her wrath).

Oh, also, Ladybug regularly stops by Adrien’s room so they can both lament how difficult of a time they’re having wooing their crushes, and just have fun together.

There’s a lot of entries in this series - 29 of them in fact - but most of them are pretty short, making it great if you want to devour some quick, cute, hilarious romcom action!

Some stuff does actually change over the course of the series, it’s not just slice-of-life. Like identity reveals, dating, and even Hawkmoth’s defeat, so there’s clear progression and changes in circumstances as well.

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Dreams of You by @chocoluckchipz

Dreams had long been his only escape. Dreams of Ladybug, the girl who had always been there for him.

If only in his dreams. And only while she was also sleeping.

Because with the first rays of sunshine gliding over her skin, with the first fluttering of her eyelashes, from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning, memories of Adrien would vanish from her mind.

She would go on living her life.

He would always be the only one who remembered.

At least until they meet in the real world and fall in love all over again, something that would’ve been easier to do if Adrien wasn't a prisoner in his own home.

Chocoluckchipz has some of the most beautifully executed lovesquare fics I’ve read, and this is no exception. Most of the fic is dedicated to Adrien wooing Marinette, spending time with her, with her own dream self acting as his wingman, giving her tips on how to get her to fall for him, all the while frustrated that she can’t share memories with her waking self, and that she and Adrien can’t share as much information as they’d like while asleep, due to limitations of the “curse” that allows Adrien to share dreams with his soulmate.

It’s not all cute Adrienette fluff though. There’s a threat in the background waiting to erupt, as the weirdness of Gabriel’s ultimatum to Adrien about finding Ladybug or else being forced to marry Lila keeps on gnawing at him - and with good reason. This is a world with magic and kwamis still, and that fact makes itself very relevant in the last third of the story.

It’s a well-written tale and very much worth a read!

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic rec #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrienette #marichat #ladynoir #ladrien

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wield-the-mighty-pen · 1 year ago

Note

ladynoir 12 for the drabble prompts!

Hey Nicole!

So, you did prompt #12 (also yay! my favorite number!), which ended up corresponding to Love Don't Die by The Fray!

I'll admit, it took me a while to figure out what to do with this one, but I ended up taking the angst route lol

This is a PRPR fic, where Chat Noir and Hawkmoth's identities have been revealed to the public (Ladybug is still unknown though)...

anyways... hope you enjoy!

ao3 link

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Instead I'm Never Leaving You

“LADYBUG! LADYBUG! OVER HERE!” The shouting and blaring lights of overzealous reporters threatened to overwhelm her, but she blinked back spots and stood her ground. She reminded herself why she was here. Why was she standing alone with only the bare vestiges of a whisper of his hand in hers, of his warmth radiating next to hers, a stolen moment taken from only moments ago, but feeling like a lifetime past.

One eager reporter with bright purple hair and a sharp haircut broke from the fold and shoved her microphone underneath Ladybug’s face.

“Ladybug, what do you have to say about the rumors of your partner being Adrien Agreste?”

Ladybug pursed her lips and fought against the building headache in her temple.

“No comment.”

This was not to discourage the enthusiastic reporter, who pushed the microphone even further into Ladybug’s face, its plastic scent was beginning to make her nauseous.

“And what do you have to say about the allegations of famed fashion designer Gabriel Agreste being Hawkmoth, and about the potential implications of Chat Noir being the son of Hawkmoth?”

Forever on the defense for her partner, this time, Ladybug could not hold herself back from speaking.

“The identity of Hawkmoth, regardless of who he is, has no effect on Adrien Agreste, who has never done anything to harm Paris, and it certainly has nothing to do with Chat Noir, who has spent every waking moment defending all of Paris, including myself.” Ladybug could feel her face turning a bright red, as her voice rang clear with righteous fury.

For a moment the crowd around her silenced, until a voice in the crowd, to which she could put no face, piped in.

“Ladybug, don’t you think that we’d be better off without Chat Noir? How could you trust your partner, if these are the kinds of people he spends his time with?”

She was going to be sick.

Surely he had been watching the crowd, surely he knew that they had given voice to the seeds of doubt growing heartily in the back of his mind.

Ladybug looked around helplessly for an exit, then remembered the trusty yo-yo hooked against her side.

“I’m sorry everyone but I have to go.”

With an eager fling, she catapulted herself into the air and made her way to the nearby rooftop that she knew he’d be hiding behind.

It wasn’t fair. With merely a grainy video taken by an invasive fan, which had showcased a side view of what looked to be Adrien’s Agreste’s face, after Chat Noir’s transformation. And had been posted to social media barely two days after the arrest of Hawkmoth suspect #1 Gabriel Agreste, Adrien’s… Chat Noir’s life had been effectively ruined.

She blinked back angry tears for him, knowing that their being spotted would only hurt him more.

When she caught sight of him, he was facing the opposite direction from where the crowd had been, as though he hadn’t caught the entire thing from his hideaway.

He heard her before he saw her.

“What they’re saying is true, you know.”

“Chaton,” She sighed, her shoulders drooping.

“You would be better off to drop me. I mean, who would blame you? I wouldn’t trust me either.”

The ache that settled in her heart became too much for her. Rather than fight against his untrue words, rather than remind him of how much she cared about him, about how much she needed him, she sat down beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

There they sat, with only traffic and wind to harmonize the silence, until Ladybug felt pressure and tenseness ease from Chat Noir’s shoulders, until his head sloped onto hers.

“I’m sorry you had to hear that.” She said quietly, she took his hand and began to draw circles on his knuckles.

He shrugged with feigned nonchalance. “It’s okay.”

Ladybug sat up abruptly and turned herself towards Chat Noir. She grabbed his face in her palms to make sure he could see the earnestness on her face.

“It’s not okay. No partner, no person is as kind, as giving, as loyal and– and as goodhearted as you. You don’t deserve this treatment. What your father did was awful, but it’s not in any way a reflection of you. You– you are the opposite of him in every way, and I’m sure if Alya and Nino were here right now, they’d agree with me.”

Ladybug stroked Chat Noir’s cheekbone in a repetitive motion that managed to catch reluctant tears, haphazardly falling from his weary eyes.

“I know everything in your life is insane right now, that people are confused and have turned you into something you are not. But know this Chaton. I am never leaving you, and I am not going to turn my back on our partnership. Because I know who you are and I will always love you for it. Minou, we will get through this like we get through everything, together.”

Chat Noir finally released a shuddered breath and nuzzled his face into her palm.

“Thank you M’lady.”

“Always Chaton.”

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

Thank you so much for the ask! <3

Request a lovesquare side and a number from my playlist for a drabble!

#mostmagical #i ended up having so much fun with this prompt #while it was interesting for me to experiment with crack #i think i enjoy writing hurt/comfort more #i hope you enjoyed!#miraculous ladybug #mlb #miraculous #ml #adrien agreste #chat noir #ladybug #ladynoir #my drabbles #drabble #drabble-dee-do #my writing

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theerurishipper · 2 years ago

Note

Ok I am going to be controversial. If I'm honest, I don’t really understand the desire for Adrien to turn his back on Ladybug at the end of Strikeback. That's partly because I don't completely get what the writers intended Adrien’s struggle to be about in Season 4. I understand what Ladybug did wrong, but my thing is…

Does CN ever actually express to LB why he is upset in Season 4? Does he ever try to reason with her or advocate for himself?

I don’t remember him approaching the real issue until they were under Risk’s influence and he says “maybe that’s because you never tell me anything.” I also remember that overall fallout feeling really muddy throughout the season.

From what I see, Chat Noir’s most valid reason for being upset is because she’s keeping him, her loyal partner, at a distance. She’s not communicating as well to the point that he ends up confused, outside of the plan a few times. He finds out she told someone her identity even though she's always been massively against that. Toward the end, he discovers she’s been working with an active Rena Furtive without making him aware. She said nothing between them would change, but he can sense this new distance and her secrecy. He doesn't quite know what to make of it, but he can't help but feel a bit betrayed. He deserves at least to know things like when a new Ladybug shows up at random or a secret miraculous holder being in the field with them.

So you'd think that would be the clear cut reason, but I'm not sure? The writing gives mixed messages and Adrien brings a lot of his own baggage to the table. The increased neglect and secrecy by Ladybug is one facet , but if we’re being honest about what we were shown, there are some more factors:

The side effects of the guardianship in itself. The nature of the guardianship means Ladybug is now a leader responsible for the kwami and involving many more holders. More holders make defeating Monarch easier and Paris more safe, but it also means less time as a duo and more competition to play on CN’s insecurity. He worried about his being replaced as early as Season 3 with Carapace. His insecurity is exacerbated by her distance, but also by more holders in general. The average person might not have been as upset at getting a "break" for a few rounds, but to Adrien, it's a sign that he is finally being replaced. Even if he knew about Rena Furtive, I’m willing to bet he still would have felt uneasy about her threatening their relationship.

He is in love with her. Kuro Neko’s messaging is all over the place, but Plagg wasn’t completely wrong. Ladybug’s increased distance and secrecy hurts 50 times worse because Chat Noir is in love with her. If he were in love with Marinette instead at that point, he might even enjoy the extra load off and having fun with his friends at school, but he is very much in love with Ladybug. That makes his suffering hit much harder.

He’s upset about Carapace and Rena Rouge knowing each other's identities even though he can’t know Ladybug’s. To be fair, I rate the other holders' identities BS pretty low on my list of things to rage at Ladybug about because after Season 3 when all the heroes were revealed and Ladybug continued to give the same heroes their miraculous while also still being really anxious over identities, it was so nonsensical that I chalked it up to plot convenience rather than Marinette just being this stupid and risky. The show was not about to design new hero models so logic be damned. I don’t blame her for this anymore than I blame Chat Noir for being stupidly bad in battle at random a.k.a nerfed to make Ladybug look better. I also acknowledge the rules for the Ladybug and Cat miraculous hold an elevated risk. If Monarch knows Rena and Carapace identities he maybe has two new miraculous. If he knows Ladybug and Cat’s identities, he has his wish and the world is rewritten.

His father also started neglecting him more after a big change in their lives. He’s projected his relationship with his father onto his relationship with Ladybug as early as Glaciator when she didn’t make it to his date. So possible PTSD.

There are also the reasons that the fandom projects onto Adrien as things he 'should' be upset about, but is never actually upset about and have never had any canon ground:

She’s the leader and the only holder with a cure. They’ve never been exactly equal despite that one line and he’s never had an issue with this on the battlefield. He only wants to know what’s going on. If he does have some leftover resentment at Fu not choosing or training him, his beef is with Fu.

He doesn’t know other holders identities. He’s only ever cared to know Ladybug’s. And this may be controversial opinion, but even if he wanted Ladybug to tell him the other holders’ identities, would he be justified in that? He’s not a guardian. Why is he entitled to demand the guardian hand them over? Especially without their permission?

Her plan with Luka to reveal their identities and erase his memory. This is to me her most egregious offense in season 4 and if he knew about it, it would make the argument against his forgiveness much stronger in my eyes. But he doesn’t. And it becomes obsolete information after the episode.

Even with all these heavy factors, all valid reasons to be upset, the only reason that validates righteous anger from CN’s pov and doesn’t make him look like kind of a tool is her secrecy around Rena Furtive and him discovering her keeping him out of the loop on some need to know info in Hacksan and one or two other eps. Emotionally, it goes much deeper than this for him. But these represent her responsibility in the matter.

The reason I can't see him justified in cutting ties with her in Strikeback though is that... this doesn't come up? He can't say he's tried to communicate with her. Nothing like “you’re keeping things I need to know from me and I don’t like it” or “you said things wouldn’t change between us as partners but you’ve distanced yourself from me. we started this together”. Nothing before Strikeback. I could see if he'd tried to talk about it and she dismissed him and didn’t try to fix things. But there’s no conversation around this in particular.

The weird thing is a lot of the other reasons come up in canon through his voice or someone else’s or both. He’s in love with her. He doesn't know what he'd do without her. All the new partners make him feel insecure and irrelevant. Why can’t we know each others’ identity and they can? In other words, the reasons that make him seem overemotional and self centered. These reasons also all center her or the desire for her love and adoration rather than his feelings as her partner. That’s what’s highlighted in Season 4.

But the actual legit criticism and bone to be picked with Ladybug herself does not come out of his mouth until he is under Risk's influence. Even then, it’s a one-liner. I don’t remember him ever actually trying to touch on the real problem with her prior to that. He either smiles and shrugs it off, even when she asks if he is ok, or he lashes out and runs away. He doesn’t breach the topic and if he doesn’t communicate it, how can they work through it?

Kuro Neko was the perfect opportunity to have Adrien really vent, but the initial argument is a textbook miscommunication. He shows up smiling over his pain and cracking jokes. Therefore she doesn’t realize how upset he is. Then he pushes the subject even though she’s out of time and she snaps at him for not listening. Hurt, he snaps back and runs. Plagg blames it on heartbreak alone. Ladybug takes that bait and laments that there’s nothing she can do but dote on him a bit because hey he’s just heartbroken. She's not responsible for his unrequited love. At the end, he never mentions the legitimate issues and nothing is ever wrapped up. That’s where I start to think, did the writers even mean for him feeling diminished as a ‘partner’ to be a real issue? Did they intend for this to be a lovesick issue from the start?

I don’t think this is just on Ladybug being impossible to talk to because of some vibe she sends out or her making sad face. Chat Noir has been pretty cross with Ladybug before over other less justified matters and she didn’t crumble or smote him. She did throw him in the trash but that took 4 seasons of being calm and reasonable in the face of some behavior that wasn’t always great on his part. He is usually the one supporting her, but she managed not to meltdown while he was struggling in Guilttrip and Reverser and support him. She’s not glass and she’s not his father and I think he knows that on some level. I think his lack of communication is partially his upbringing.

I think a decent percentage of the rage at LB in Season 4 is made more intense and inflated in combination with all those other factors. We as the viewers know Adrien's trauma, how starved for love he is, what little support system he has vs the act he puts on as both Adrien and Chat Noir. We know too the meta fact that the writers never allowed CN the dignity to be rightfully upset about it or voice his most valid displeasure at anytime except when he was under the influence of a villain.

Taking the show at surface level, I can see him forgiving her. I just wished they had talked about it. Adrien isn't helpless in the face of Ladybug. He's faced Gabriel. He went to school and told him he didn't want to model and opened up about feeling like his father never wants to talk to him. so I know he can be more honest with Ladybug without a villain spell. The only reason I can think of it never reaching that point is because the writers didn't want it to. Not only do I think that he would have expressed himself well and honestly enough if given the moment, but I think there’s a good chance Ladybug would have tried to fix things if she actually knew what he was upset about and didn't reduce it to 'he's in love with me.' Which I can't completely blame her for. She had help from both Plagg and Adrien.

I really miss early Adrien anyhow. He took a lot more flack then because he messed up more because he actually had a personality that allowed him to disagree and have sassy moments. Sometimes he was right, sometimes wrong, but at least he felt more layered.

Whew, this is a long ask! I'll take this part by part.

The thing is, I don't want him to turn his back on Ladybug in Strikeback. I've said before that I love that scene. What spoils is for me is that the conflict is never addressed after that episode, and it just makes it come off as Chat Noir pushing away his hurt to be there for Ladybug once more. Like he just accepted that he'll be treated in ways he doesn't like. The scene in isolation is one of my favorites, but it's how the aftermath was dealt with that makes it bad.

Does CN ever actually express to LB why he is upset in Season 4? Does he ever try to reason with her or advocate for himself? I don’t remember him approaching the real issue until they were under Risk’s influence and he says “maybe that’s because you never tell me anything.” I also remember that overall fallout feeling really muddy throughout the season.

You're partially right. He doesn't really try to actually talk with her until Risk/Strikeback. And part of this is because of his own trauma. But the other part of it is also because Ladybug has also become more and more unapproachable over the course of the season. When he does try to approach her in some way, he gets shut down.

You're pretty spot on about the other reasons for why he feels the way he does.

There are also the reasons that the fandom projects onto Adrien as things he 'should' be upset about, but is never actually upset about and have never had any canon ground: She’s the leader and the only holder with a cure. They’ve never been exactly equal despite that one line and he’s never had an issue with this on the battlefield. He only wants to know what’s going on. If he does have some leftover resentment at Fu not choosing or training him, his beef is with Fu.

I agree that any resentment he feels for Fu not training him isn't Marinette's fault.

This is getting long, so I'll put the rest of it under the cut.

So, he isn't entitled to their identities. I personally think he would have been justified in wanting to know before Season 4, but it's not really that way anymore. But in any case, that isn't the issue. The issue is Ladybug playing loose and fast with the rules, allowing others to know their identities and even revealing her own identity to someone else while making sure that Chat Noir sticks to the rules. He has a right to be upset about that.

The point is that it shouldn't have become obsolete. She was going to do something awful to him. I don't think it should have been thrown aside. He should know about it. She's shown that she's willing to take advantage of his trust and she never actually learnt any lesson about not doing that or that it was wrong. He's entitled to information about her actions that could potentially have harmed him. That's something she should admit to.

I think the reason for this is clear in your own next paragraph. I will say again that him cutting ties with her in Strikeback is not something that I want.

And that's exactly it. The season spends so many episodes building up this conflict between them, building up Ladybug's secret keeping and Chat Noir's increasing resentment and insecurity over the fact, and then... reduces it to him being in love with her. There are plenty of valid reasons for him to be angry with her, but Kuro Neko, the episode where the Ladynoir conflict is supposedly at an end, tells us that the reason for all this is because "Chat Noir is in love with Ladybug." I call BS.

It's a severe flaw in the writing. They reduce the conflict down to being about Chat Noir being in love with Ladybug while brushing over everything else that was set up. Him being in love with her may have been a slight factor, but it was never the main problem. If he hadn't been in love with her, he would still have the right to be pissed. Reducing it down to him being in love with her reduces the whole conflict, and Kuro Neko actually ends with Adrien saying he was too sensitive (which is Gabe rhetoric) and him apologizing to her as though she did nothing wrong at all. Kuro Neko is just... a fucking awful episode.

And I think you've hit the nail right on the head. This is exactly the problem with Kuro Neko and Season 4 as a whole.

I do sort of disagree with Ladybug being approachable. I think Glaciator 2 did do some damage. See, it's always been their dynamic to banter and for Chat Noir to flirt. Ladybug herself has enjoyed their banter and has responded to his flirtatious comments with nothing more than a small roll of her eyes. When he does it at the wrong time, she tells him to cut it out and he does. Considering that, throwing him a trashcan is unnecessarily overblown. That's way out of line. It's clearly because she's stressed out and annoyed about the situation and because of everything else going on, but him never bringing up anything so as to not upset her is a pretty reasonable interpretation after that. And it does happen again in Kuro Neko. He offers to help, she snaps at him.

The situations with Guilttrip and others like it were when it wasn't about Ladybug. She is supportive of him and she does care for him, but it's always when it's not about her. When it is about her, she never actually puts in the effort to fix the problem and just smooths over the situation (Kuro Neko, Strikeback). Of course, a lot of his lack of communication is due to his upbringing, but Ladybug is also visibly more unapproachable now.

But mostly, he's just written to undermine himself. Ladybug isn’t the only voice box for the writers. Adrien is too. Everyone in the show works to serve a particular narrative so it’s no wonder that his most valid complaint against Ladybug in Season 4 was buried under all of the less noble ones, even from his own lips. He needed Risk just to confront her on the part she was actually responsible for. Odd choice. I guess he wouldn’t have been the perfect boyfriend if he did it without Risk? I think a decent percentage of the rage at LB in Season 4 is made more intense and inflated in combination with all those other factors. We as the viewers know Adrien's trauma, how starved for love he is, what little support system he has vs the act he puts on as both Adrien and Chat Noir. We know too the meta fact that the writers never allowed CN the dignity to be rightfully upset about it or voice his most valid displeasure at anytime except when he was under the influence of a villain.

Spot on.

Spot on again.

Maybe that’s just me being wishful about the blorbos, but my early season blorbos are better than their later season counterparts. The latter just seem like shills for a plot that doesn't match them. I really miss early Adrien anyhow. He took a lot more flack then because he messed up more because he actually had a personality that allowed him to disagree and have sassy moments. Sometimes he was right, sometimes wrong, but at least he felt more layered.

I will say that Miraculous trying to make the switch from a monster-of-the-week type of show to having an overarching plot was an ambitious choice, but it did not work out well, for reasons you've mentioned here.

I will also say, when I criticize Marinette, it isn't often Marinette herself that I criticize but the writing around her. The sort of writing that involves other characters bending over so that she doesn't look bad, or Adrien being reduced to her emotional support partner who doesn't demand a thing from her. That's ultimately what Season 4 had him learn, that he isn't and never will be her equal and that he should just be okay with whatever she does. And since Adrien character is that of the abuse victim who has never been allowed to be his own person, it just paints a very nasty picture. So, I think we do largely agree on many things, anon.

Thank you for your ask!

#ML Salt #ML Writing Salt #ML Writers Salt #Marinette Salt #Ladybug Salt #Meta #My meta #Asks #Ladynoir conflict

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canonmisogynyvictimstournament · 2 years ago

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PROPAGANDA

CHLOE BOURGEOIS (MIRACULOUS LADYBUG) (CW: Child Abuse)

1.) Girl was done so dirty… She was starting to develop and could’ve had a redemption arc and then they made her even more one-dimensional than she was at the start, dumbed her down, and the creator on twitter claimed she was never abused and that she never cared about her childhood friend, only his status. And in a scene that thankfully got cut by editors, her father was going to disown her, adopt her sister instead (who is like a “nicer” replacement for her) and pass Chloe onto her abusive mother.

And then a male character gets introduced who is also at first an antagonist with a backstory that gets revealed later, also a childhood friend of the same character, but it’s acknowledged that he got abused by his parent and he gets a redemption arc and a romantic subplot and a spot on the hero team (which Chloe was excluded from because she was irresponsible with her power and revealed her identity publicly… Except he also did that)

This show is about girl power btw.

2.) Chloe was done so fucking dirty. So basically, the creator of the show (Thomas Astruc) created the character in the first place as a stand-in for his childhood bully (red flag no.1) Because of this, any development that she as a character got from the other writers (and it was a lot) got retconned, just because he hated her. Other, objectively much more evil, (male) characters (the main villain!) were portrayed as more sympathetic than her, because god forbid a hurt, abused, emotionally immature, unloved little girl be portrayed as anything other than an unlovable, unforgiveable unchangeable demon. Also she’s obsessed with clothes, shoes and handbags, because she’s a mean girl, don’t you see, so obviously the nice girls (who don’t wear makeup while Chloe does) are better than her.

3.) Stuck up spoiled rich girl is treated as worse than the actual villains of the show. At some point we get a glimpse into her awful traumatizing home life and she starts to be redeemed, but the second something doesn’t go her way she backslides and is suddenly even more evil and dumb. Also her father is incredibly neglectful but it’s portrayed as her somehow abusing him into doing what she wants and he’s so sad about his awful evil daughter. He gets a redemption arc but never actually becomes a better father. She’s seen as unfixable.

CHI-CHI (DRAGON BALL)

1.) okay so to start at the beginning, she was introduced as a young kid but they put her in a super revealing bikini styled outfit. pretty sure it was supposed to be armor too, so besides just being a disgusting design choice even in-universe it’s impractical. but besides that she was pretty charming as a kid, she was cute and funny and pretty tough, and had a cool gimmick in her blade/ laser helmet. even when she reappeared in late Dragon Ball, she was a bit abrasive but was overall rational and kind. she was strong enough to make it into the World Martial Arts Tournament, one of only 16 to qualify.

but come Dragon Ball Z and on, she’s reduced to just a shrill, nagging, aggressive wife and mother. all she gets to do is cook, worry, and berate her husband and sons. her physical strength is only used so she can comically hit Goku. sure its played for laughs, but he’s shown to be afraid of her. I only recall her leaving her house once or twice in DBZ. just the worst mother character stereotype, with nothing left to make her likeable. she’s portrayed as irrational but despite her aggressiveness, half the time her wants are completely reasonable. can’t blame a woman for not wanting her husband to die every other day!! her writing us ass but I still love her and she deserves better!!!

2.) So in Dragon Ball she wasn’t the BEST character to start out with. Toriyama hasn’t ever been the best at writing women or not making stupid fucking sex jokes about them. So she had to deal with that. The outfit she wore as a kid was… NOT GREAT. Let’s say that! Then in late Dragon Ball her entire character revolves around Goku and trying to marry him, which she gets by tricking Goku and getting beaten by Goku in a tournament in one hit. Not off to a great start. Then Z started and Toriyama just… gave her an ENTIRELY NEW new personality, and that new personality was just a stereotype of a tiger mom. Regardless of how correct she might’ve been about letting Gohan fight (and she WAS completely correct, he was 5-6 for a HUGE chunk of Z) the narrative frames her as a hysterical and unreasonable woman nagging at the menfolk and not letting them do things. So naturally people hate her without even considering why she’s upset because the story itself frames her as in-the-wrong. The whole franchise also just forgets that she’s a martial artist and never has her DO ANYTHING.

This is only scratching the surface, there’s a LOT more because the franchise is like 40 years old and we’d be here all day.

3.) GODDDD okay so full disclosure i guess shonen is such an easy pick but like. out of every shonen wife she was and is THE most hated by the narrative and creator (maybe tied with sakura omfg). shes always made out to be a beast, got her fighting skills shafted after she got married, was always played like she was hysterical for worrying about her kid dying in battle, and not to mention the creator actively HATES her. like toriyama just straight up hates writing her. its bad. its really bad. shes just “bitch wife” but for no reason :(

#polls #round 2 #week 3 #new #cw child abuse

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kasienda · 1 year ago

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Celebrity Status - Ch 10: Scandal

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

Read on Ao3

This chapter was written for @ladrienjune Day 6: Social Media. This is a bit late, a bit rushed, a lot longer than I thought it was going to be and not at all proofread! But I'm super excited to bring this update to you! I had a lot of fun with it.

Chapter 10 - Scandal

Marinette woke up to 26 notifications on her phone.

What the hell had happened?! It couldn’t be anything good with that many notifications. She had texts and messages from pretty much all the girls. Rose alone had sent her eight of the messages, but one name stood out amongst the rest.

Alya:

Are you okay?

Like, seriously! What the hell had happened?! Alya was mad at her, not talking to her at all. And now she was worried?

Marinette eyes swept over the text again and again even when the words blurred.

Alya was talking to her. So whatever this was it had to be terrible. Had someone discovered her identity?

She tore through the other messages looking for context.

Rose:

I’m so sorry Marinette! I can’t believe this is happening. Adrien doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.

Mylene:

If you need anything, even just a shoulder to cry on, let me know.

Rose:

We should have a sleepover tonight!

Juleka:

boys are stupid

Alix:

boys are sooo stupid!!!!

But why? She took in a breath, feeling slightly relieved. If it was to do with Adrien it couldn’t be that bad.

Marinette switched over to a browser and typed in Adrien Agreste.

She sucked in a breath as photos filled her screen. Photos of Adrien and Ladybug. Well, really just one photo over and over again. It was everywhere - on every social media, there were videos, blog posts, and articles from celebrity gossip sites.

No no no! This was bad! This couldn’t be happening! They couldn’t be seen together. She should have broken up with him the first time she tried! She had gotten too comfortable, too careless, and now she had put Adrien’s whole life in danger because she was too selfish to let him go.

Her eyes watered with tears.

What was she going to do? How could she protect him now?

Her mother walked in at that moment with breakfast and tea.

“Marinette? You’re already up? So you’ve seen. Are you okay?”

Oh god. Not them, too! She definitely wasn’t okay, but not for the reasons they all thought.

“I don’t own him,” she said.

Sabine nodded. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

Marinette forced a smile. “I swear I’m okay. Adrien is an absolute sweetheart and yes, I still like him. I can’t blame him for sharing a moment with Ladybug.”

School was just as much of a mess. The girls swirled around her, smothering her with treats and hugs, and she felt almost guilty. She couldn’t ever be mad about Adrien kissing Ladybug, but she couldn’t explain.

“I’m so sorry, Marinette! It’s difficult to compete with a superhero.”

“Guys! This is sweet, but I’m okay. Adrien can kiss who he wants! He doesn’t owe me anything.”

Adrien wasn’t in class, and she hoped that he wasn’t in too much trouble. He had been grounded just for defending her on the Ladyblog. How much trouble would he be in for going viral kissing Ladybug?

Alya walked in, and Marinette froze. She had never responded to Alya’s text! Why hadn’t she responded?

But Alya didn’t seem mad. She walked right up to her, and pulled her into a hug.

Marinette immediately burst into tears. Alya squeezed her harder, rocking her back and forth.

“Shhh… it’s okay,” Alya whispered. “He’s not worth your tears.”

Marinette didn’t bother to argue. She wasn’t crying over Adrien. She hugged Alya back hard. She didn’t deserve this olive branch. Would Alya even be talking to her right now if she knew that Marinette was the one that had kissed Adrien?

Well, of course she would , her brain told her. Because then she’d know you were Ladybug and wouldn’t be pissed about you not showing up to her awards ceremony.

Marinette pulled away. “You didn’t post anything about the kiss on the Ladyblog!”

Alya winced. “I tried. But it all felt so shallow. Not my usual thing. And I just kept thinking of how much you had to be hurting.”

Marinette pressed her lips together, not daring to contradict her.

Marinette smiled. “If anyone could write an nuanced intelligent article on that photo, it would be you.”

Alya grinned. “You think so?”

Marinette nodded enthusiastically. “I know so!”

“We should grab lunch to… you know, talk everything out.”

She winced. She probably needed to get caught out as Ladybug so she could make a statement. The sooner, the better. “I can’t today. Tomorrow?”

Alya nodded. “Sounds good.”

Marinette grinned, feeling positively giddy. Maybe she didn’t need to feel guilty about this particular falsehood. Ladybug had cost her Alya’s friendship, so maybe it was completely fair that Ladybug had also brought her back.

…

Adrien clicked from one article to the next, skimming only the opening paragraph, scrolling past the picture - the picture that he really really liked the first time he saw it before he had time to think about what it meant - and immediately jumped to the comments.

Because this was bad. This was bad on so many levels. His father was going to be pissed, Ladybug was going to have to deal with another scandal, and–

He swallowed the lump in his throat. This was not the time.

–Ladybug was going to actually break up with him.

His gut swirled with feelings he could not put a name to, and he knew he needed to cry, but somehow his eyes remained dry.

He couldn’t focus on any of that right now anyway. He needed to do damage control, and he couldn’t do that if he didn’t know what people were saying. So, he read the comments.

He wasn’t supposed to read the comments.

I can’t believe Ladybug used her position to make out with a supermodel! Talk about shallow. || Right? I always thought she was such a good role model. || I mean, if I had superpowers, I wouldn’t pass up a kiss from Adrien Agreste either. ohmygod! ohmygod! ohmygod! They’re so cute! Why was I never big brained to see this possibility before?! || How dare you! What about Chat Noir?!!! He must be so heartbroken! || Super teen model or super powered boy in catsuit?! I know what I would choose. || Ladybug has two hands! OT3! || If catboy is feeling lonely, my window is open. 💋 || Adrien Agreste is a slut and a homewrecker!

In spite of everything, Adrien found himself laughing.

“Glad someone is having a better morning than I am.”

Adrien whirled around in his seat. “M-morning, Nathalie.” He offered her a guilty smile. “Is it bad?”

Her lips pressed together, but she didn’t say anything. So it was annoying, but not that bad.

“Your father would like to speak with you.”

Adrien slumped, but stood up and trudged down the stairs anyway.

His father didn’t even look at him when he entered the atelier.

“What did I say about getting tangled in Ladybug’s PR problems?” he demanded.

“That you prefer I didn’t?”

“And yet, I woke up this morning to a very upsetting headline.”

“It’s not that bad! It was just a kiss!” Adrien insisted.

“Do you even know Ladybug?”

Adrien’s arm flew to the back of his neck. “Uh… not really? Just in passing.”

His father’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have any influence over Ladybug?”

Adrien swallowed.

Don’t you understand?! He could use you against me, and it would work! I would hand over everything for you.

No one could ever know.

Certainly not his father. He kept his hands carefully at his sides. “I don’t think so?”

“Stand up straight. Stop fidgeting.”

Adrien dropped his hand. “I really was just joking around.”

“Do you have a crush on Ladybug?”

What was with all these questions? Why did his father care? He never had before .

“What’s the big deal?! She’s like a celebrity. Nothing could ever actually come of it. I don’t know her really,” he lied.

“Her celebrity status is precisely why you must be careful! Everything you do is watched. Everything she does is also watched, weighed, and judged.”

Quite unfairly and inaccurately, in Adrien’s opinion.

“If you can bring her in for a meeting, perhaps we could strategize with her on how to best handle the situation.”

“There’s nothing to handle!” Adrien insisted. “She saved me from a monster. I kissed her. It’ll spread everywhere, and then it’ll blow over.”

His father sighed, and then waved his hands in dismissal. “Your bodyguard will be on campus with you in his sight at all times today.”

Adrien winced. Hopefully there wouldn’t be any akumas. But he knew better than to object. Given the situation, he was getting off light. Shockingly light.

It was almost like his father thought there was something to gain from the situation, but Adrien for the life of him, couldn’t see what that could be, and he absolutely wasn’t about to ask.

He stepped outside the mansion and froze. The gate was lined with paparazzi and they all shifted into a burst of motion and clamoring when he came into view.

“Adrien Agreste! What is your relationship with Ladybug?”

“Adrien–”

He slammed his car door closed, cutting off their questions. Nathalie joined them in the front seat. The gate opened, and the car rolled forward slowly, having to wait for the crowd to part.

He let out a sigh when they made it past and onto their usual commute, staring out the window as they drove past the usual buildings and shops.

He tensed again when they arrived at school.

The number of reporters on the sidewalk outside his school was easily double what it had been outside his home.

His bodyguard twisted back from the driver’s seat. He raised his eyebrows, which Adrien understood to be a question asking him what he wanted to do.

He swallowed, and then made himself open the door into the crowd.

He held his hands out in front of his face, gently pushing through the sea of people who shoved microphones and cameras into his face. Nathalie was at his side a few seconds later, shielding him on one side. His bodyguard was behind him. But neither could defend him from the shouted questions that came at him one after another.

“Adrien Agreste–”

“Adrien Agreste! Are you in a relationship with Ladybug?

“Adrien! Do you regularly kiss–”

He spotted Nino and Chloé on the other side of the crowd, at the top of the stairs, and he pushed towards them, recognizing the two as the safe haven they would be.

“Adrien! Ladybug has denied that you and her are in a relationship. Do you have anything else to say?”

Adrien turned toward the asker with a scowl before he could think about it. “Why do you doubt her word?! Is my word somehow more believable?”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“It was harmless fun,” he snapped.

Nathalie grabbed his arm. “Adrien,” she hissed, but he shrugged off her objection, turning to the offending reporter fully. If he was going to get captured in a sound bite, might as well go down in flames. Maybe it would distract from everything Ladybug had to deal with.

“I made a joke about being the damsel in distress and how the damsel always kisses the hero who saves her. We are not in a relationship.” He wasn’t even lying. Ladybug had been very clear on this point. They couldn’t be in a relationship.

“Her? Adrien! Do you use she/her pronouns?”

He knew the question even being asked was going to be a headache for Nathalie, but again, if they would be talking about him, they wouldn’t be talking about Ladybug. Especially if they were dissecting his gender identity and not the kiss.

“I’m comfortable with any pronouns,” he said.

Another burst of camera flashes went off, and the crowd surged forward to capture his words.

Nathalie pushed him away from the crowd, backwards up the stairs. She usually didn’t get so physical. He was probably giving her an extra weeks of work.

“Adrien Agreste! Do you identify as trans?”

“Adrien, do you regret kissing Ladybug?”

“I regret that my actions have caused a distraction from her very important work of defending this city from Hawkmoth.”

“Adrien!” Nathalie shouted, pulling him the rest of the way up the stairs into the school. He didn’t fight her. “Adrien! What were you thinking? You know never to talk to paparazzi!”

He hadn’t been thinking at all. Just like with an akuma, his job was to stay between the attacks and his Lady. He would take every hit he could so she didn’t have to.

“I’m sorry, Nathalie,” he said. He wasn’t, but he did feel bad for making her life harder.

She sighed. “Just go to class. No more unsolicited comments today, okay?”

He nodded.

She left, but his bodyguard was still hulking behind him. And he realized that even once inside the school, everyone was staring at him, whispering to one another.

Kim walked past and whistled at him. “Agreste! You dog! What’s it like to do it with a superhero?”

Adrien sighed. It was going to be a really long day.

…

Marinette was completely over this akuma. It had stolen her away from Alya during their first lunch in forever. The akuma was another Adrien Agreste fan who was particularly enraged with Ladybug for stealing her love.

The level of entitlement some of his fans portrayed was fuel for another soapbox rant. Adrien deserved so much better. And him having to put up with this today was entirely her fault. She had known they couldn’t be seen in public. Why had she ever let things get that far?

Reporters were gathering below the fight, frustratingly unconcerned about the akuma, making her job that much harder.

And Chat Noir was late.

She wanted to scream.

Luckily, Chat showed up minutes later. “Sorry, I had a hard time getting away today.”

She beamed at him. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”

They took care of the akuma quickly after that. She couldn’t have comforted the victim afterwards even if she wanted to, which she didn’t. The reporters surged forward with cameras.

“Ladybug! Ladybug! Are you in a relationship with Adrien Agreste?”

She sighed. Hadn’t she already answered this question? She turned to face the camera anyway. “I am not. When a hot guy offered a kiss in thanks of rescue, I accepted.”

This was going to cause another PR nightmare, she was sure of it. But this was to protect Adrien. And if people thought ladybug was shallow and vapid, so be it. She wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

Chat was at her side in a second, his hand resting on her shoulder offering comfort.

She smiled at him. He was so awesome. He had to have been hurt by that photo, and yet, here he was always at her side anyway.

The cameras turned to him.

“Chat Noir! What was your reaction to the photo?”

“Ladybug! Are you cheating on Chat Noir!”

He stepped forward, pushing her slightly behind him.

“Yes, it is true that I have feelings for Ladybug. But as she has made clear, she does not reciprocate. My feelings do not entitle me to her attention or favor. Ladybug is her own person, and she has the right to decide who she kisses. She did not cheat on me. We were never together. And I am not qualified to talk about, let alone pass judgment on, her personal relationships. And I shouldn’t have to explain that to you.”

Ladybug found herself blinking back tears. He was so amazing.

He turned back to her. “Patrol later?” he mouthed.

She tensed. That might be a difficult conversation, but she owed him an explanation, especially with the way he had just defended her.

…

When Chat Noir arrived at their usual spot at their usual time, Ladybug was already there waiting. He plopped down next to her in exhaustion. The whole day had been one trying ordeal after the next. It was nice to just sit with her in comfortable silence.

Maybe if he hadn’t been so exhausted, he would have realized faster that she wasn’t comfortable at all. She couldn’t meet his eyes, and she kept fidgeting in place. He realized with a start that she was nervous.

She was nervous about his reaction to the photo of their kiss.

He wanted to laugh. Instead, he beamed at her and broke the silence. “So… you got your guy? Congrats!”

She finally looked at him, but glanced away just as quickly. “You’re not mad?”

He frowned. “LB, I told you to go for it. Why did you think I’d be mad?”

She played with her fingers in her lap, and looked outward at the city, still not at him. “I just would have liked to tell you myself. I imagine seeing it like that had to hurt.”

He shook his head. “I just want you to be happy.”

“Yeah… it would have been nice.”

“Would have been?”

“We screwed up! Someone saw us. And now Hawkmoth knows. Adrien will be watched. I can’t even go visit him anymore. It’s not safe,” she ranted. “So… I have to end it. And publicly pretend that kiss meant nothing.” Her voice broke on the last word. He immediately pulled her into a hug, and she burst into tears.

“I don’t want to end it. I love him,” she sobbed.

“Then don’t,” he urged. “I’m sure Adrien knows the risks. I’m sure he knows you're worth it.”

She laughed through her tears. “He totally would, Chat. He’s like you in that way.”

“But you’re going to end it anyway,” he concluded softly.

“Yeah, maybe it’s selfish, but I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to him because of me.”

She nuzzled into his chest and his hold tightened around her. “I wish I could explain it to him,” she whispered.

He rocked her in place. “I’m sure he understands the situation.”

“It’s still not fair.”

“Life rarely is, LB.” he whispered, fighting back his own tears. He couldn’t let her see him cry. Not as Chat Noir. He couldn’t explain it.

He needn’t have worried. Ladybug was shaking way too hard to notice he was crying too.

...

See you again on Day 25: Breakdown

#ladrienjune2024 #miraculous ladybug #fanfiction #ladrien #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #romance #ladrien with marichat tropes #speed write #only write the fun parts #social media #scandal #celebrity status #my own content

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buttercupsbitch · 6 months ago

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a random lil work i’ve never finished and prolly never will but i reread it and idk how i wrote this. i also don’t know where i was going with it 🤪 so enjoy my 2 1/2 yr old unfinished fic

it’s based off the song “tattoo” by tyler childers. i now know it’s abt an ex having his name tattooed but i didn’t at the time and took it more metaphorically like “i left a mark on her”

I am now the one she left

A haunted tale for someone else

Someone told him that love was a destiny, that someone out there was waiting for him and they would be all he needed and would never leave. He thought that was how love worked, when times were rough, it didn’t matter. They were meant to be, so they would get over it. Maybe in a perfect world, but that’s not where he lives.

He was sure she would tell her next lover about him. How he left her alone, nights on end. Never called, couldn’t be bothered to text. He was sure she spoke of him like a horror story, and he couldn’t bring himself to be mad.

He wonders if she’ll tell them about how they met, both times. If she’ll tear up when she speaks about their fight, their villain, their losses, like she did with him.

A little bit about herself

Wherever she is sleeping

He didn’t know where she went. Figured leaving her alone was the least he owed her after the hurt he put her through. He heard she was doing well from their mutual friends, though they never told him directly, always in a passing conversation, with a sharp glance his way to see what he had heard. He had practically perfected the look of ignorance.

He wonders about her sometimes. How she finally got the courage to leave him. It was a long time coming and he had been given too many chances to change. He could blame it on his isolation. Could say it was the way he was raised, really there was no reason, he just thought love would persevere and he wasn’t needed to make sure it did.

Flint strikes out to pierce the dark

Cause a flame from just one spark

Fill the room with smoke so harsh

She exhales a memory

She was sitting alone. A metal bucket filled with their life. Pictures, notes, and all the other things they had shared, a life stretching back into her teenage years. She doesn’t understand what she did wrong. Why he ignored her, moved on so quickly. She wonders if he talks about her. Wonders if it's ever going to be okay again. She doesn’t know the answer, but she knows that it can’t happen in Paris.

She’s changed. She didn’t know what did it, but it was there. It was obvious to everyone around her. Everyone except him that is. He treated her the same, as if they hadn’t been through hell together, expected her to pack up her heart just like he did.

Maybe it was Hawkmoth. Maybe it was the miraculous, maybe it was the Order when they took them away. Something inside her was gone. Her entire purpose for years was just a waste and now she was left with too much to think about.

She lights a match, dropping it into the bucket. She breathes in the smoke, as if her lungs weren’t damaged enough, and she exhales the memories.

That’s all that was left now. All they had were memories.

The past is fadin'

Over time, but it's still hangin' on for life

Some days they didn’t replay their teenage years in their heads on repeat. Some days they were just normal adults that didn’t think about how much they had sacrificed for a city that would never know. Even if they knew how to tell them, no one would believe them. The price of a secret identity.

Little girls don’t wear pigtails as often anymore. Black cats are slowly becoming more and more common on the streets. No one talks about it. The city never healed, not really. They pushed their past aside and moved on. The Ladyblog was archived deep on Alya’s computer. One day, she’ll look at it and wonder why she saved it, erasing two people’s hardest struggle. News sites took down their footage, best not to dwell. In a generation or two, no one will know why the city is covered in ladybugs and black cats.

There’s a girl with dolls sitting on her shelf, her favorite babysitter made them for her, how could she throw them away? There’s one random day in March that everyone stays home with their families, though the children don’t know why. They want to forget so much that they don’t realize how much they remember.

I'm now her used to be

He is now the one she needs

He is now the one she leans on

She looks out at the sunset

High above Paris, they told each the biggest truth they each held. They sputtered some mess about masks and true selves and, dimly, somewhere in their mind, they remember a Literature lecture about the three masks a person can wear. It didn’t change anything and yet it changed everything.

On a quilt of rags he holds her tight

And they raise a toast of Bulleit Rye

Whiskey kills all things in time

Like things she don't remember

The past is fadin'

Over time, but it's still hanging on for life

I am now an old headstone

To her grave, I'll die alone

A testament of how she's grown

Wherever she is sleepin'

The past is fadin'

Over time, but it's still hanging on for life

#mlb #mlb fandom #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanworks #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrienette #listen 19 yr old me was having feelings #fanfiction #unfinished

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alyjojo · 2 years ago

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Advice to Work on Yourself ⚽️ in July 2023: Cancer

2 Wands - 3 Wands - Ace of Cups rev

Regarding: 4 Cups

You’re not happy with any of your options in love, because you’re still stuck on a particular ex that you haven’t healed from yet. You had a whole plan to get them back, and it hasn’t worked out. You’re still waiting, possibly with someone whose time you’ve been wasting because you’re not as into them as they are you, and you know this. There are two Queens being shown, and Swords could be an air sign but they just feel more like “the ex”. Wands is “the lover”. Doesn’t matter what sign.

In your mind, it’s only a matter of time before you can heal your connection with the past person, with the full intention of leaving your current person. You just wait, and wait, and wait. But the reality is you’re not being conscious about what you do - thus the advice - and you’re not aware of how much you’re hurting your person. Or would. If you don’t like them, leave them. They probably already get a sense that what is between you isn’t as mutual as they hoped. I don’t see the ex coming back, which is making you bitter, but you’re still holding on. Ace of Cups rev, along with advice cards, are the advice in this reading. Just as you and this person have an imbalanced and unrequited love, so do you and your ex. Except now you’re the one doing it, which you may not even realize, showing a need to be aware of your choices and how they affect others. Besides that, Ladybug is a very good omen, there are positive people and situations surrounding you that need more attention, let the past stay in the past. If you love this person you’re with, or don’t, tell them, be authentic ❤️

Animal Oracle: Ladybug 🐞

“This is a time of good fortune and abundance, so be willing to receive all good things in your life.”

This is an auspicious time for you, one that is extraordinarily powerful. You’ll find that everything goes very smoothly with little effort on your part. Your thoughts will be manifesting much more quickly, so be observant and careful about what you’re thinking. If you lapse into thinking about what you lack or what’s missing, remind yourself of all the things you do have for which you’re grateful. Gratitude is the key to continually receiving good fortune, joy, and abundance. Be willing to ask for and graciously receive all that comes your way. If you ask for something and then negate it with insurmountable disbelief, it’ll be like you never asked. Control any habitual negative thought patterns. Ask...and then be open to receive.

Artist Oracle: FILIPPO MARINETTI

- Forward march. Looking backward ensures a broken neck.

- Your art should wage war.

- The only constant will always be contradiction.

Advice:

- Greet Your Friends With Enthusiasm

- Make Conscious Choices

Charms:

Moon & Star 🌙⭐️ on 2 Cups shows illusions, wishes, daydreams, etc., about what could be, not what actually is. It’s playing out destructively when you’re not actually single, dreaming up characteristics of people that aren’t your person, and guarding it or holding it possessively to your chest. Why? It just makes you feel disconnected & confused when you have to wake up.

Owl 🦉 on Ace of Cups rev is wisdom, placing the correct blame in the correct areas, especially regarding your ex, but also including your own. If they were going to come back, wouldn’t they have done this already? What was so great in the first place? Would you really even want them, do you really even know them at all, and why didn’t it work last time? Are either of you the same?

Key 🔑 on Make Conscious Choices shows there is something to learn from psychoanalyzing yourself in this situation, it’s like it’s right there in front of your face and you just haven’t picked up on it yet. It could be…say you did get your ex back…would you just hope that they’re more like this person you have now? 🤔 Is it just what you don’t have? Be honest with yourself.

#cancer tarot reading #advice to work on yourself #july 2023 #cancer #tarot

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mystichearrt · 23 days ago

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🐞Chapter 4 - Everything After

Summary Even after a seemingly successful defeat of the stone construct terrifying Paris, Marinette, now Ladybug, is still having second guesses about being a hero. Her partner is trying not to put a foot on her scale about it but he could really use a friend now that his father is doubling down on his studies without consideration of his feelings. Either way, a hero’s job must be done and both challenged heroes make plans to visit Ivan to get a concrete story about how things came to be.

Previous | Master List | AO3 | Next

COUGH COUGH COUGH

Ladybug looked sorrowfully at the boy struggling to take a full lung of air. He was still much larger than her even with the however many inches the magic had added to her height, yet he seemed to shrink in pain as she rubbed his back, water still dripping from the both of them.

Ivan was shivering much more than she was, and had fists in his lap as the blanket the ambulance provided did very little to help his heat as it draped around his shoulders. She wished she had gotten there sooner.

COUGH COUGH

Ivan’s tears fell harder, mixing with the water still on his face. “My chest burns…” He spoke weakly, much different than the loud and rough voice Marinette was used to.

“It will for a while, but you're safe now. The ambulance will help you, your parents will come, and before you know it the pain will be long gone.” She leaned forward to see his face trying to give a reassuring smile, but he still seemed uneasy.

A couple of moments passed and the sound of talking and walkie talkies from the surrounding emergency attendants filled the silence. When Ivan finally spoke, his tears seemed never ending, “Did…did I hurt anyone?”

Ladybug’s smile fell a bit. He would find out eventually. She could grant him comfort now but it might be more heartbreaking later.

“All that matters is that everyone’s safe now, there’s no worry for that anymore.”

Ivan frowned and looked away for a moment, before coming back to look at her, “Just tell me…”

“But…” Ladybug paused. Then sighed. “Some were hurt but not fatally, the worst was a broken arm.”

“They know it was me though. They’ll blame me for scaring them.”

Ladybug tried to smile again but even she could feel the pity on her face, “What happened to you could’ve happened to anyone. If you were in your right mind I doubt you would’ve done any of those things.” Ladybug wiped some tears from his face, which, in hindsight may have been too intimate, but seemed to comfort him nonetheless, “Ivan, you are brave, and strong, and sympathetic. It takes a big heart to care for other people when you're hurting too, but please…take care of yourself. That’s your only job right now.”

He stayed silent. Ladybug waited a moment before pushing, “Do you think you can do that?”

“…Yeah, sure.”

“Good, now if anything like this happens again, me and my partner will be there. You’re in safe hands.”

“…Thanks, Ladybug.”

“No need.”

Ladybug left Ivan in the care of the EMTs and made her way back to her partner who was waiting for her by the bridge.

She stood at the railing beside him to look at the view of the water.

“You okay, Ladybug?”

“Yeah just…thinking.”

“About?”

Ladybug sighed, “Everything. The monster, Ivan, Mylêne, this new…responsibility. It’s just so much and we still don’t know how it happened. Ivan doesn’t even remember what he did, he had to ask me if anyone was hurt.”

“A lot happened really quickly. I would’ve thought we would’ve had to use our powers.”

Ladybug’s yo-yo suddenly felt heavy on her waist. She reached for it as she spoke, “I’m not sure we’ll need them all the time. I’m not even sure what they are.” Ladybug inspected her yo-yo. Something felt strange with it. It was heavy and she felt as if something had to be done with it. She began to play with it, walking it on the side walk beside her.

“Destruction and Creation. Not too hard. My kwami told me there was a word but was cagey about what the word was when I asked later on.”

“My kwami couldn’t even bother telling me I had a partner…” she said mindlessly, swinging the yo-yo.

“Ouch. That hurts.”

Ladybug spun to him, “Sorry I didn’t mean— she was getting attacked so I understand why she didn’t but—“ he looked amused as she began to stammer out an explanation and her face flushed with embarrassment. Change the subject. “Ahem. Anyway… there’s probably a good reason. We still don’t know how this all happened, or how to prevent it again. We might wanna be on the lookout for other cases and see a common thread. Did anyone mention how long Ivan might be in the hospital?”

The cat shrugged, “A couple days? They said they wanted to keep an eye on him for a bit to catch if this happens again.”

Ladybug nodded and pulled up her yo-yo, walking away, “I’ll probably visit him tomorrow and ask him a couple questions.”

“So you agree?”

She turns back to him and sees a grin spread across his face. She raises an eyebrow, “Agree to what?”

He catches up. “To be a hero. Fighting bad guys, protecting people, all for the greater good, all with a charming partner at your side.” He winked.

Ladybug furrowed her eyebrows but immediately went wide eyed as the thought settled in. She was agreeing to this wasn’t she? She felt too responsible to leave now but there was no way she would last.

“I…I don’t know yet. Probably…probably not. I just wanna fix this and have everything go back to normal. No need for two heroes, right?” She continued to walk.

Chat Noir followed, matching her pace despite there being a foot difference between them, “It’s no mistake that we got miraculous at the same time, and you already have this heroic spirit about you.”

“Trust me, there's nothing heroic about me. You’re just saying that because I’m the first one partner you got.”

“I don’t know. Saving a girl from a monster and diving into a river to save a boy seems pretty heroic.”

“Again, someone else would be better.”

The cat moved to walk backwards in front of the other so they could see each other’s faces. “So depressing. Maybe this would be better if we got to know each other. Build some trust, y’know? I’m A—“

“Ah AH!” Ladybug runs up and holds his mouth, a frantic look at him as if he was about to do something clinically insane. “First thing: no identities. Keep them secret. Too much baggage and even if we never see each other in regular forms it’s definitely not worth someone over hearing and making things difficult.” Ladybug eyes the people across the street and behind them, watching them intently. Suddenly her red suit feels far too bright in the dim lighting.

She looks around some more. Feeling the yo-yo now pulsate her side, she lets go of the boy and begins to swing the super powered toy, throwing it up to catch some leverage. “Follow me.”

A spot on the roof wasn’t too hard to find but Ladybug was especially satisfied that the spot had an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower and the setting sun. She hadn’t really realized how late it’s gotten. Her parents must be worried.

“Secret identities, copy that. But from what I’ve seen,” the cat approaches, “You have great instincts and I don’t really want a new partner.”

Ladybug scoffs. ‘Great instincts ’ she can hardly think straight 80% of the time, and her instincts aren’t exactly being helpful right now on whether or not she should be a hero.

“Do you really not wanna get to know each other outside of costume?” The cat asks, his voice softer.

Ladybug turns to her partner. He’s looking at her, his ears slightly pointed back and now with a slightly squinted expression as she steps off the ledge granting the sun access to hit him. She bites her lip, “I…I don’t know. It’ll just be easier if we don’t know in case I do leave.”

“The miraculous chose you.”

“So?”

Chat Noir goes quiet for a bit as if he’s not even sure what it means, but Ladybug knows what they're feeling. This feels right. This feels like something they should do.

But she’s been wrong about that before.

Chat Noir perks up, catching her attention again, “I say we take the night to talk to our kwamis and visit the big guy tomorrow.”

“Ivan,” she reminded, “but sure. That sounds alright.”

Chat Noir smiles a bit and she smiles back, “See you soon, Ladybug.”

She nods. “See you, Chat Noir.” And with a toss of her yo-yo, the hero was gone.

—

“Don’t be bemused, it's just the news! I’m Nadja Chamack coming to you live from the studio, and new heroes have dropped in! In light of yesterday’s attack everyone is looking at Paris’ new supers: Ladybug and Chat Noir. A monster fighting duo that swooped in on the stone monster wrecking havoc yesterday afternoon at François DuPont. Luckily, very few were injured and sources say that the boy trapped within the monster has no recollection of the events and that ‘nothing like this has happened before.’ According to Chat Noir, the hero himself, the hero team will be working hard to find the culprit.

‘Chat Noir was it?’ ‘At your service.’ ‘Do you have any words for the fearful citizens of Paris who have witnessed the destruction here tonight?’ ‘A tall stone construct tried to make its way to the Eiffel Tower with a girl in hand. Nothing my partner and I couldn’t handle. We're here for the people, y’know?’ (He winks at the camera)

“Many Parisians seem to have already taken a liking to the Cat-like hero already and no one doubts that they are already proving themselves as capable heroes. But after their confrontation with Chief Officer, Roger Haprèle, many question—“

Click.

“Sure made your mark, kid. You even got most of the spotlight,” Plagg complimented as he threw a piece of cheese in his mouth off of Adrien’s plate.

Adrien hopped, and leaped, and ran around his room excited for a while. Excited for his new life, the attention, excited that something of his own was happening for once before finally crashing over the back of the couch.

Between breaths he finally addressed Plagg, “Wish, I got to use my powers though, or that we could’ve done something about the school.”

“I’m surprised Tikki’s holder didn't just fix it.”

Adrien sat up more comfortably, “She can do that?”

“Adrien.”

Adrien jolted completely upright and turned to the door. Natalie had entered his room but luckily had been too busy looking at her tablet to notice anything like a strange creature floating nearby and ducking for cover. Or at least Adrien had hoped so.

“Yes, Natalie?”

“Your father would like to see you before we start your classes.”

“He…anything specific?”

Natalie looked up at him for a moment and her face shifted into something he couldn’t quite read. “A lecture I assume. Now that school is unavailable, he’s second guessing his decision to have allowed you to go in the first place. He’d like to have a discussion about it.”

Adrien deadpanned, “Not much of a discussion. This is just another one of his ‘I told you so’ speeches.”

Natalie’s unreadable expression deepens, “Let’s not leave him waiting.”

“You won’t be going back.”

“Father—“

“I warned you of the dangers and was foolish enough to let go under Natalie’s wishes knowing too well she’s too soft on you. I ought to replace her.”

“Father!”

Gabriel throws a look at his son that makes him shrink in his seat, uncushioned and cold as it may be, it was more comforting than his father’s stare. “Sorry, I just…am I truly at fault for an incident no one could’ve predicted? What were the chances of something like that—“

“Quiet.” His father stands from his desk chair and moves to the window behind it, staring out to the city. “I don’t want to hear anything else about it.”

“What of my lessons then? The only reason you allowed me to go was because Mrs. June and Mr. Perry passed away. There seems to be no one else that meets your standards for my education.”

“Another example being that school, so my decision is final. Natalie will go back to teaching you as she once did.”

“Isn’t she meant to be helping you? She’ll hardly have the time to balance all of our schedules and educate me on top of that.”

His father spins around forcefully moving towards Adrien, the click of his polished heels taking the air out of the room, “I’ll remind her to teach you proper manners. You seem to have gotten quite used to speaking out of turn.” He looks Adrien up and down with a scowl as he towers over him, “you are far too comfortable in every aspect. Tidy up, and get to your lessons, I have a feeling they’ll be going into late afternoon.”

Adrien still was hesitant to speak, somewhat because of his father’s stare but also because he was too stubborn to just accept defeat. “I only have a few years left under your wings, father. A regular school will do good for me making connections, or at least not looking like some pretty faced recluse the media makes me out to be. Makes us out to be.” Adrien stands, his gaze is lowered. “I just…I just want people my age to talk to.”

“You will learn to adapt.”

Adrien tightens his hands into fists as his father brushes him off and returns to his desk. He opens up about feeling alone, about his own image not being a reflection of his actions and his father couldn’t even pretend to care. He hates being here. “Of course, sir.”

“You are dismissed”

—

“…But after their confrontation with Chief Officer, Roger Haprèle, many question what these heroes are willing to do to save the day. We were able to interview the Chief Officer about the footage we received from an amateur reporter who captured the incident. ‘…Like you said, it’s amateur.’ ‘Amateur doesn’t mean—‘ ‘Listen. I’m thankful they saved my daughter. That’s it. They should’ve left things to the professionals. Even if no one else got hurt, there are impressionable minds out there that might think they can stand up to the very people trying to protect them.’ ‘Do you believe the police department could’ve genuinely saved the day after already being too slow to act?’ ‘…I think your time is up, reporter.’

Click.

“Jeez, he creeps me out,” Nino shudders as he takes a cookie out of the bowl Marinette held. “That look at the end, I thought he was about ready to start yelling or something.”

Alyá plopped down on the couch on the other side of Marinette with her bowl of fruit. “Makes sense. He’s still being torn up online after I posted that video. And after this interview some people are questioning his position. He’s got a record of losing his temper.”

“Is he gonna lose his job?” Marinette asked quietly, her eyes still on the TV.

“Unlikely. It’ll take something terrible for that to happen. People are mostly talking about it because of the heroes. The broadcast even said that there are people skeptical of the heroes instead.”

Alyá jumps to her feet again, “I’m just so excited we finally have heroes! And the fact my video of that interaction going on the Paris broadcast is the cherry on top! So many people are visiting my blog. It's amazing!”

Nino hummed in excitement for her. Marinette placed the bowl on her lap to do a tiny applause.

“Your looking at a reporter on her way up! Officially doing insider commentary about heroes! I don’t even need a huge rebrand or anything.”

“Oh yeah—“ Nino swallows his mouthful of snacks, “—you’re already called the LadyBlog. Which sounds a lot like Ladybug.”

“Exactly! And I don’t know about you two, but I like her a lot better than Chat Noir.”

Marinette perks up a bit in surprise, “You do?”

“Totally. A lot of people fail to realize that she’s the one that successfully finished off the monster. She was the one calling the shots. Chat is just cute or whatever.”

“That’s how people usually get fans,” Nino laughs.

“Yeah, well, Ladybug’s cute too. People are just biased because they haven't seen anything about her directly yet.”

Marinette’s ears reddened a bit at Alyá’s praise. Even if it wasn’t directly to her, she still felt flattered by the Hero Admirer herself sparing kind words.

“I don’t know. I thought they would’ve had powers.”

“Not everyone has flashy powers, Nino. Did you see how fast and dexterous they were?”

“But why the cat and bug theme?”

“Not sure, but when I get the chance I’ll definitely ask them.”

“We definitely have the free time now that school's out, do you think—“

Rrrr rrrr rrrr.

Marinette answers her phone, “Mama?”

“Sweetie, some of your friends are here to see you! Come say hi.”

After a bit, the trio meet Mylene, Juleka, Rose, and Alex at the bottom of the stairs.

Marinette raises an eyebrow, “Girls?”

“Hey Mari!” They say simultaneously.

“You guys picking up an order?”

“Yeah,” Rose says, “We’re gonna go visit Ivan at the hospital. We thought we’d bring everyone we could. He must be so scared there.”

“Oh that’s sweet of you guys, I wouldn’t mind going. Mama?”

Sabine hands Marinette her hoodie, “There’s a wind today so bring this, and stay together. I don't want anyone getting hurt.”

Marinette kisses her mother on the cheek as a goodbye and turns to Alya and Nino, nodding for them to hurry up and grab their things too.

Ivan clearly didn’t like the hospital. He hardly moved besides the fiddling of his hands, and the whole time his friends were there he hardly spoke above a whisper, if at all. When the nurse came in with his dinner, he didn’t look at her and didn’t answer anyone who asked why. Marinette realized it was still just as heartbreaking to see such a big guy manage to take up so little room all this time later.

As it started getting dark people began heading home. Marinette lagged behind, lingering in the hug she was giving Ivan. She knew that she would be here later anyway but that would be a much more awkward interaction than what civilian her would be able to give Ivan right now.

She squeezed him endearingly, “All the luck to you,” she said, “I know it doesn’t feel like it now but we’re all so glad you're safe. I know it was scary for you.” Pulling apart, Marinett could tell that Ivan was tearing up and began freaking out, “Wait! That was supposed to be comforting! I didn’t mean- I mean I–”

“It’s okay, Nette. I just…I appreciate that is all.”

Marinette hums. “Is there anything that could make you feel better?”

Ivan thinks for a moment before laughing a bit, “Can you bring more sweets?”

She smiles and hugs him again, “Of course.”

Chat Noir waited patiently outside for his partner. He was tired, exhausted even from the workload he had to endure today on top of the emotional neglect he was feeling. Time and time again he had to repeat an answer, or a lyric, or a move, or a line, or anything to be more proper, or exact, or presentable or– he was going to lose his head if he stayed in that house any longer no matter how tired he was. So now he waited, hoping to see maybe the only other person he’d be able to talk to for a while besides his father’s staff.

With a quiet ziiip, the bug flew in. ‘ Flew ’ He wondered if those wings on his lower back actually worked or if they were just for gliding purposes.

Chat Noir approached from behind, “Never thought I’d see you, bug.”

Ladybug whipped around and threw her yo-yo that would’ve hit the other hadn’t he dodge. They both looked at how far it fell. Super strength truly was something even with a flimsy hand. Chat Noir laughed, “I think you need that.”

The other pouted, “What are you doing sneaking up on people?” His partner asked, as she made her way to her yo-yo.

“People? No. Person? Yes.”

“Aren’t I lucky?” She said sarcastically as she looked at the yo-yo, looking at it strangely. “Did you talk to your kwami?”

“Yeah, I surprisingly got more info out of him. Something about my ‘proper title’ being The Unlucky Cat of Destruction.” Ladybug raised an eyebrow and Chat shrugged, “Unlucky isn’t ideal but I guess they can’t advertise that on the box or no one would want to be a holder of the cat miraculous.”

“And you're okay with that?”

“Not really much I can do about it.”

“You could...”

“Give it up? To who? So they could learn the same info and probably do the same? No point. Plus, me and my kwami are alright with each other and I’d feel kind of guilty giving up on this so easily.”

The bug went quiet as they both stood out there in the open. Maybe he should’ve left that last part off. Chat Noir could still tell that being a hero was a heavy topic on her mind and guilt isn’t something she needed on top of that. “Sorry,” he said simply. “I just think I could do a lot more good in my life if I do this. Your choice is your own.”

She smiled.

He looked away and rocked on his feet a little bit. “Even if I’d really like you here,” he added on with a cheesy smile.

She rolled her eyes playfully and made her way to the hospital doors again where a nurse met the two heroes to guide them up to the boy’s room. Chat Noir leaned forward and made sure that the other knew that he checked in beforehand to make sure all was good for their visit, and the little lady nodded and thanked him because she hadn’t thought to do so.

Her appreciation, even in that small moment, felt good . Better than he expected for something so small. But looking at her he could see the small panic of her not thinking of doing something like that before really processing what he said and relaxing a bit more than before. ‘ That was very considerate of you, kitty, ’ she said specifically. He thought about it a little more than he should’ve. Maybe it was just something positive in the bad day he was having or simply his desire to make her feel better, but either way he had to admit he was going into the victim’s room with a little more peppiness than the moment called for.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Good evening, Ivan. Your last visitors are here.”

Ivan and his mom looked up from the bed to the door where the two heroes stood. Ladybug took the initiative of walking in. “Hello, Ivan. Missus Bruel.”

“Just Miss,” Ms. Bruel said. She looked at the two heroes as if she were inspecting them from afar, “You two are those heroes that saved him from that monster, right?”

The heroes nodded and approached the side of the bed, “Yes, ma’am. We don’t mean to bother either of you two this evening but we just have a few questions leading up to the incident concerning what happened yesterday.”

“He’s already talked to plenty of reporters about such a thing. At least the ones that don’t treat him like some sort of threat.”

Chat Noir seats Ladybug in a seat next to the bed. It’s less threatening to not be standing over someone. Ladybug takes that as a sign to try to seem more open to the family and softens her tone from a less professional one, “We’re so sorry to hear that. We really are. That’s why we wanted to talk to you, Ivan. The quicker people know the source of this incident the faster you can go back to a regular life.”

Ivan looked at Ladybug then his mom. She was unsure but tightened her grip around one of his hands to show her support. “Okay.”

Ladybug looked back at Chat Noir. He nodded as he leaned against the arm of the chair.

“Ivan,” she began, “what were you doing right before the incident?”

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#ao3 writer #stardust writing #writers on tumblr #writing #artists on tumblr #writeblr #ao3 fanfic #fanfic #miraculous ladybug #miraculous lb #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #miraculous ladybug fanart #ml ladybug #tales of ladybug and cat noir #ladybug and chat noir #faniction #fanfic writing #fanfiction #fandom

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sunburnedsstuff · 7 months ago

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What would you think if Chloe and Audrey heard rumours about the way they were going to be portrayed in Astruc’s new movie, so they went back to Paris in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the movie from being completed? Then an evilized villain (maybe a wishmaker-like villain or maybe even a villain that's unrelated to the butterfly miraculous) caused Chloe and Zoe to switch bodies somehow, and nobody fully understands what's going on, so Zoe (in Chloe's body) is taken by Audrey back to New York, despite Zoe desperately trying to explain things. But Chloe enters a fugue state (heavily due to trauma caused by the neglect of her parents) and genuinely thinks she's Zoe, and is even able to recall many of the things Zoe did due to being in Zoe's body. The class thinks “Zoe's” change in behavior is due to the psychological effects of method acting, since “Zoe” is playing Chloe in Astruc's new movie, but they gradually convince “Zoe” to let them help her relearn how to be “herself” again.

Zoe is not able to gain access to Chloe's memories while in Chloe's body, because unlike Chloe, Zoe knows she's in the wrong body. In New York, Zoe is trying to get back to Paris, but when she gets there, “Zoe” thinks she’s there to try to hurt Marinette. Eventually, after listening to “Chloe”, Marinette starts to suspect that “Chloe” might be telling the truth, so she decides that she must test “Chloe” and “Zoe”. She fakes being in danger to see how they react. “Zoe” reacts slightly faster than “Chloe”, so Marinette comes to the conclusion that “Chloe” is lying and that “Chloe” has an evil and manipulative plan. Marinette thinks that “Chloe” must have picked up a few tricks from Lila, because she thinks no version of Chloe could possibly react faster than Zoe when it comes to protecting her. So Audrey takes “Zoe” back to New York again to “correct” her after “Zoe” fails to convince anyone of the truth.

10 years later, “Zoe” gets seriously injured after fighting a villain when Ladybug isn’t around, which causes “Zoe” to not have long to live. Then Ladybug accidentally stumbles upon the truth about “Zoe” while trying to help “Zoe” using magical powers. Ladybug decides that the moral thing to do is to switch Chloe and Zoe back to their original bodies. Once Zoe gets her body back, she blames Chloe for her impending death and for leaving her with 10 years of loneliness, while Chloe got off scot-free.

At first, when Chloe gets her body back, she still thinks she's Zoe, but she eventually figures out the truth by reading the journals "Chloe" kept over the 10 years of time. When Lila gets defeated, Zoe steals the Butterfly Miraculous to get her hands on Ladybug and Catnoir’s miraculouses, hoping to “make things right”. Zoe gets defeated by the heroes (including Chloe, who has gotten her memories back) and Ladybug manages to cure Zoe’s injuries.

I don’t like Zoe’s character in general. Her existence in the show to me is just to make us dislike Chloe and I think she’s so unnecessary, but cool idea though!

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miraculous-multiverse · 7 months ago

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I like this idea and I might have planned something similar for one of the AUs involved in this story.

Poor Zoe losing everything while her sister gets everything she wanted undeservingly is something very sad, but I don’t think that Ladybug would fail to recognize Zoe in Chloe’s body so easily, especially since Chloe in Zoe’s body might not have all the memories of Zoe, so it would be harder for her to prove she’s the real one.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous au #chloe bourgeois #zoe lee

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flightfoot · 1 year ago

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Yeah? Enemies AU are a staple in this fandom.

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home is where the fight is by @rosie-b

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with this ring by @thelibraryloser

She thought “you and me against the world” had sounded like lopsided odds before, when she hadn’t even dreamed “you against me” was a possibility. Or maybe she had dreamed it, but at least in those dreams he’d had cold blue eyes and a stark white mask. The villain she’d fought today had looked at her through her partner’s own bright green eyes. It wasn’t meant to be this way.

Short and sweet Sentiadrien enemies canon divergence fic here! I adored Marinette finding out why her kitty seemed to have “betrayed” her, and the righteous anger on his behalf once she figured out that it wasn’t of his own free will. Her comforting Adrien about it was just… really good. It’s a Hawkmoth Defeat fic too, so the immediate aftermath gets covered as well. Adrien needs a hug.

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Nothing Else Matters by LiquefiedStars

Marinette couldn’t figure out Chat Noir. He was supposed to be her partner, but instead ended up working for Hawk Moth. Still, her heart betrayed her and when a strong connection forms between them, Ladybug goes to Chat looking for answers, finding out more than she bargained for.

Sentiadrien enemies AU fic! He never wanted to fight against her, but Gabriel caught him before he could transform for the first time, and with his father using his Amoks against him, he had no choice.

I like that there’s a solid explanation for why Fu let Adrien keep his Miraculous even though he’s been working against Ladybug, I don’t often see explanations for that that I’m satisfied with.

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call it even by @anna-scribbles and @sha-nwa

After a year of dating, there is one thing Marinette knows for certain: it's her and Adrien against the world. Through it all, Adrien is kind, patient, and endlessly understanding—even as she tries her best to keep her secret superhero identity hidden from him along with the rest of the world.

Nothing could ruin it, not even the supervillains of Paris: Hawkmoth and Chat Noir.

(adrinette dating // ladynoir enemies au)

This is one of those fics where Adrien and Marinette are REALLY going through it emotionally, with them starting off with wildly different perceptions of each other when untransformed, and then reckoning with the person they love the most being someone they think of as a villain, with all the betrayal and doubt that involves. Especially with Adrien having been lied to extensively by his father, and not knowing who or what to believe.

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one does not love breathing by @wackus-bonkus-maximus

All of Paris watched as Hawkmoth murdered Chat Noir, taking the Black Cat Miraculous for himself. Ladybug swears revenge, but her enemy—and every miraculous in his possession—disappear without a trace.

Six years later, a new team of villains launches an attack for the last remaining Miraculous: Volpina, armed with new powers; Queen Bee, with questionable loyalty; Argos, the new holder of the Peacock Miraculous; and Cat Walker, who Ladybug hates the most.

Takes place after S4 - Strike Back.

This is a simply phenomenal fic. You get to explore a lot of different perspectives, like Felix, Kagami, Marinette, and Adrien’s, just to name a few, and see their different thought processes and plans and priorities, and how it can cause their plans to collide with each other, even when they all ultimately are aiming for a good outcome for everyone. The characters are pretty complex and can mess up at times, even when they’re doing things (or not doing things, looking at you Luka) with the best of intentions. It was a joy to read and a real nail-biter the whole time, I actually wrote a fic for it halfway through just to resolve some of the tension for myself, One Does Not Love Shadows.

It also features the version of Luka I’ve connected best with to date, as he feels like Luka, but also is a lot more fleshed out, and can make some major errors while simply trying to avoid missteps. It’s helped me get a better handle on a character who I’ve generally had a lot of problems with really understanding.

It is an M-rated fic, though I think Wackus is being overly cautious on that front. There’s no sexual content and I wouldn’t put the violence or gore above a T-rating, so I wouldn’t let the rating scare you off.

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The Great War by icebelle24

'And maybe it’s the past that’s talking, screaming from a crypt Telling me to punish you for things you never did So I justified it'

The unthinkable happens, and suddenly, Chat Noir’s allegiances change. Now Ladybug stands on the opposite side of the battlefield from the boy who was once her partner, left alone to make sense of an impossible situation.

At least she still has Adrien to give her hope. Or maybe things are not entirely as they seem.

I adore Ladynoir enemies au, and this is a good one. The reveal of what’s really going on is pretty great, everything makes sense. I love the pieces of Alya’s POV in this as well, as she’s trying to support Marinette through one of the biggest betrayals that could possibly happen, even while Marinette’s making some frustrating decisions that don’t make much tactical sense. Everyone’s pissed at Chat Noir (now Cat Walker) for apparently siding with Hawk Moth, and the subsequent frustrating inability to make any headway against him, as Ladybug always insists on fighting Cat Walker personally, and letting no one else take part.

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cruel youth by @anyxnka

Two teenagers are chosen to wield miraculouses. Only one becomes a superhero. Weeks later, Ladybug’s lucky charm won’t stop spitting out cats.

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i have found someone (like a nomad finds a home) by @hanaasbananas

After Stoneheart, Gabriel figured out who Chat Noir was, and forced him to work for him, rather than with Ladybug. Years later, Adrien is miserable until one night, he meets Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

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Unstuck by @ominousunflower

Chat Noir, notorious supervillain of Paris, experiences a wardrobe malfunction in the best and worst possible place: Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s balcony. Heart pounding, Chat pins Marinette’s wrists to the balcony. She stares up at him, her blue eyes kaleidoscopic from the lights hanging overhead, her features twisted into a scowl. “Why are you trying to take my Miraculous?” Chat hisses. “Because—you—I—” Marinette splutters, her eyes dipping down below Chat’s face. “Why is your suit unzipped?” “I—well…” Chat sighs. “My zipper got stuck.”

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The Son Of My Enemy by Saccha

Cat Noir never wanted to be a villain, but he doesn’t have a choice. Ladybug wishes she could save him. A reverse love square, villain!Cat Noir AU.

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Stealing Freedom by @rosie-b

Adrien Agreste was a good person. Marinette knew this to be true, of course; she wouldn’t be marrying him if he were some irredeemable villain. No, her fiancé was practically the opposite of evil. He cooed over babies and kittens, literally stopped to smell the roses, and always brought large bouquets of them to dates. He had trouble killing spiders and bugs, begging his partner to take on the task whenever she was around to save him. Adrien was the sweetest person Marinette knew, the most kindhearted, the most forgiving; he was almost too perfect for her sometimes. But now, Marinette knew that the same Adrien who still blushed when his fiancée kissed him was also the well-known terror of Paris, Cat Walker.

Ay guys- question

Have anyone ever done a mlb au, where Ladybug is superhero and Chat Noir is a villain and they have like to enamies to lovers situation ? If yes, can I read it, if no can I do it myself ?

#ml fanfic rec #enemies au

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