#I have gone into detail as to why I think noir is a teen in the first movie

[lildoodlenoodle]

Just connected the dots that, based on what that ATSV director said and my own theories, noir and Hobie could be the same fucking age. The plot and potential dynamic thickens….

[starguardianniom]

The Emodrien and Emonette scene

Ok so yesterday while rewatching this scene something caught my attention, when Shadybug sees it's Adrien Agreste that is Claw Noir, she goes to touch his cheek and sees makeup covering the black veins on his face, and says that she should have known.

Now that is an important detail, because at first I wasn't sure what she was talking about.

Then when she detransforms and tries to make a wish, it fails and she is send crashing against the mirror and we see dark veins that now goes from her neck to her face.

If you noticed though, when she crashes into the mirror, she loses the scarf she has around her neck.

Now when she looks in the mirror she gets a sad look at seeing the veins, but doesn't seem surprised to see them there.

I'm thinking that she also had the black veins showing to her neck hence why she was wearing a scarf to hide them, and with the wish backfiring on her, it spread to her face, and now she can't cover it up.

Probably why she breaks down after that, she realise she is on a close timer and is beyond terrified of dying.

Heck now it reminds me of the line she said earlier when she and Claw Noir were fighting in the street before getting Monarch's attention, she said that she would be the one the Supreme would spare, was it because she thought the black veins were probably gonna kill her and the Supreme told her that she would be saved if she brought back the Butterfly Miraculous?

Like she wasn't aware why of how she got her veins turning black and showing but the Supreme probably promised her to take care of it if she did what she was told?

Given Claw Noir was in a similar predicament, did he put them against each other in order to give only one of them a chance at living? If he ever had any intention of curing them in the first place, which I highly doubt in all honesty.

Also, the implications of why they would get miraculouses when Betterfly outright says the Supreme gives them to those in his closest circles seems weird, until you remember that Gabriel was part of it before he betrayed the Supreme and stole 2 miraculouses, remembered it from reading about it on Tv. Tropes in the Fridge Logic section.

After that, the Supreme probably trusted his close circles less, so he decided to give miraculouses to young teens that would get themselves killed by their powers and nobody would care much, they would be desperate and eager to prove themselves while also being merciless as they were hurt and angry at the world and wanted to lash out about the unfairness of it all.

Perfect preys were Emonette and Emodrien.

Emonette only knew pain and suffering from Chloé Bourgeois and never had anyone in her life caring about her which made her a good candidate to get a miraculous, she would be happy to finally have something to defend herself, power, while also feeling important, but also her having no one close in her life would make sure her presence wouldn't be missed when she would die, apart maybe Chloé missing her favorite victim though I'm sure she would have found someone else soon enough.

Emodrien being the son of Gabriel the traitor and his mother being dead by the Supreme's hand was also a good candidate, punishing Gabriel's betrayal via proxy through his son slowly dying without any of them being none the wiser. If Gabriel hadn't went to the other universe, he might have gone to bury his own son alongside his wife soon.

So now everything falls into place.

Why Emonette and Emodrien are Shadybug and Claw Noir and not some adults like maybe an alternate André Bourgeois and Audrey Bourgeois.

[miraculouswolf99]

Grand Festival Showdown

The Miraculous gang as Pokemon trainers. All of them are the same, but their dreams have all been modified to include pokemon. Kagami, Kim, Alix, and Ivan are all battlers. Marinette, Adrien, Luka, Nino, Chloe, Nathaniel, and Lila all do contests. Juleka, Rose, and Mylene all do showcases. This all takes place in the Sinnoh Region.

Includes my favorite Lila Salt as well as Alya Salt.

My original characters are included in this story as well. Lyon being a champion grand coordinator, Vallia being a pokemon nurse in training, Apollo is a contest contestant, Mason being a gym leader, and Lena is a friend to the twins.

This is a long one, about 6000 words, so buckle up people.

*****

If there was one thing that Adrien loved, it was competing in pokemon contests. Since his father usually forced him to model for his fashion company, he appreciated the beauty that he saw in the pokemon that his father made matching outfits of for the photoshoots. And from watching the Pokemon League on television, he definitely also knew that they had power. So contests were the perfect blend of how he saw pokemon as the beautiful and powerful creatures that they were.

Not that his father even knew that he participated in them. Gabriel Agreste wanted his son to be a proper heir to Gabriel Pokemon Fashion. And that did not include anything involving contests, battles, or even showcases. He forced him to do all kinds of photoshoots, had him model with humans and pokemon alike, not to mention the fact that he would not have gotten his starter pokemon had he not sneaked out of the house. But he did it anyway, and his adorable Turtwig had managed to evolve into a Torterra.

But if there was one mistake that Gabriel made, it was letting him have lots of privacy. There may be cameras outside his bedroom door, but none inside of his room. That certainly helped when he had to sneak out to meet his friends, capture more pokemon, train his pokemon, or compete in a contest that was nearby. Plus, he also was able to sneak away to contests that were in the same town as a photoshoot that he was doing. He just had to lie and say that he was staying in his hotel room for a few hours. His life may have been mostly controlled, but that did not mean he was not sneaky when he was getting what he wanted.

Since contests were televised, he did have to keep his father from finding out. So he donned a disguise. He became Cat Noir, a mysterious pokemon contest prodigy that no one knew the real name of.

Only three people knew about his second life as Cat Noir. His best friend Kagami, who shared the same type of sheltered life as he did but she preferred battles to contests, and his other two friends Lyon and Marinette. Lyon is one half of a set of twins, his sister currently working under a Nurse Joy in order to become a pokemon doctor, and he was already a top coordinator back in his home region of Kalos. Marinette is a coordinator like him and also came from the Kalos region like Lyon, but she is usually shy and also has desires to become a pokemon fashion designer.

He had met Kagami during one of the social events they were both forced to attend by their parents. They got along great and both had the same desire to be free. If they were in the same town, which happened more often than one would think, they would often use each other as an excuse to sneak away for a gym battle, contest, or training with their pokemon. He met Lyon by chance when he had been training and his Turtwig almost hit the Top Coordinator with a razor leaf gone wild. Lucky for him that Lyon was a lot more down-to-earth than one would expect from a person with as much success as him while he was so young. Marinette, being a fellow coordinator, had been at a contest which she had lost to him. She had seen him take off his Cat Noir mask and recognized him from his father's magazines. She had been a great friend to him and understood why he used the mask.

There were few things that could actually make him smile so carefree other than contests. His constant photoshoots, dealing with stuck-up models, and his seemingly careless father did not make him smile that way. He hated modeling and even though he loved being all the pokemon that he modeled with, he wanted to see pokemon just as free as he wanted to be. He wanted to be famous for working hard like legendary trainers Ash Ketchum, Gary Oak, and Steven Stone. Or coordinators like Fantina, Wallace, and Zoey.

But he was now was at the top pokemon contest of the Sinnoh region. The Grand Festival. He had earned his ribbons and now Cat Noir was at his first Grand Festival. What he looked forward to most of all was that he knew that Kagami was going to be in the audience, Lyon was a special guest, and that Marinette was also competing.

He did not like the idea that he might have to battle his friend at some point, but these things do tend to happen. Especially since he was also aware that other friends of his had also made it to the Grand Festival. They had all attended the same pokemon school before it was time for their journeys to begin. He knew his friends Luka, Nathaniel, and his childhood friend Chloe were also all competing.

So, he was just getting ready backstage before all of them would have their qualifying performances before the battle rounds started. He was in his Grand Festival outfit of a black suit with green details, a black and green coat with a cape-like back, shiny green dress shoes, "cat claw" gloves, his signature cat-eye mask, and fake black cat ears on his head.

"My, my, don't you look fancy," Adrien heard near him.

The model almost jumped out of his skin but calmed down when he saw that it was just Lyon. And from looking at him, he definitely saw why people called him the White Wolf.

Lyon was in an icy outfit that almost gave him the illusion of having his own ice powers. He had on a fancy white vest over a blue short-sleeve silk shirt. It matched the white pants that he wore with his shin-high blue boots. He also wore a white hooded cloak with snowflake designs all over it. On his lower arms were silver arm-band bracelets with snowflake and wolf designs on them. His midnight-black hair also had fake wolf ears in it.

"Oh, Lyon," Adrien let himself breathe again. "For a second, I thought my identity had been discovered."

"Well, you may need to get a little better at hiding when you change," Lyon chuckled. "If you win and become Top Coordinator, the press will be even more ruthless with trying to find out your identity."

"I deal with the press on a regular basis already, Lyon," Adrien reminded him.

"Yeah, but I can tell you from experience that when it comes to being a Top Coordinator, people pay more attention to us," Lyon said.

"Well, I can see why that would happen with you," Adrien not-so-subtly flirted with him.

"Careful, kitty," Lyon teased him. "Wouldn't want the wolf to eat the cat before his big performance."

Adrien chuckled, always having liked how they could always joke around with their chosen performer names of cat and wolf. There were so few people that he could act like himself around and he certainly enjoyed Lyon's company.

"So, you here as just a special guest or also as a surprise judge," Adrien asked him.

"My dear Cat Noir, now that would be telling," Lyon smirked as he teased the teen coordinator.

"Oh, thank Arceus that I found you," they both heard a female voice.

They both turned and saw Marinette running toward them. Lyon recognized her from pictures that Adrien had sent him and of course, Adrien would recognize his best friend even if she was decked out in her Grand Festival dress. Probably a dress of her own design as well.

She was in a beautiful dress that was in a ladybug design with a little pink mixed in. It was a knee-length dress that was mostly red with black spots all over it. Under it was a crinoline that was colored pink that helped her dress by more poofy. The sleeves of her dress were elegant bell sleeves that ended at her elbows and lower arms instead of her wrists. Her hair was also extended and placed into a long ponytail coming from the top of the back of her head with roses tied where the ponytail started. On her feet were red wedge-heel boots that went up to her knees.

"How you can run in those heels is beyond me," Lyon said.

"Especially given that one of the first things that you told me about yourself was that you are extremely clumsy," Adrien added.

"Well, I was running with a purpose," Marinette said.

"That purpose being to find one of us if what you had said means anything," Lyon says.

"It's about Adrien, or rather Cat Noir really," Marinette said.

"Oh, great," Adrien sighed, having expected the fame of his mysterious identity to cause some type of drama at the Grand Festival.

"Do you remember when I was telling you about that liar, Adrien," Marinette asked him.

"Yeah," Adrien nodded. "Lila is what you told me her name was. The girl that lies with every breath she takes and has an ego bigger than a Wailord."

"Well, she somehow got her five ribbons and is going around telling people that she knows who you are," Marinette tells her friend.

"What," Adrien's eyes widen.

"Not just that," Marinette continued. "She is also saying that she is dating you and you're apparently head over heels for her."

Adrien could not help but facepalm when he heard that.

"Here comes the headache that I did not know was going to happen," he groaned.

"Here's some aspirin," Marinette gave Adrien the medicine. "I thought that if the liar managed to get here, I would need some myself. I've already had three headaches because of her. And that is just today."

"Am I missing something," Lyon asked.

"Yes," Adrien said before popping the medicine into his mouth.

Marinette rolled her eyes as she took the liberty of explaining.

"Lila Rossi is a pathological liar that I ran into after I won my first two contests," she says. "At first, I had believed her tall tales until she said that she knew the designer for Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale."

"MDC," Lyon raised an eyebrow. "As such a private designer, I highly doubt that a random girl would know her. Especially if she is bragging about it to anyone that will listen to her."

Marinette nodded. "Exactly. So I then immediately knew that Lila was nothing but a liar. Especially since she said that MDC is a boy when anyone with common sense, and access to the internet, know that MDC's only given clue to who she is that she is a she."

"Yet, people actually believe her," Lyon put a hand on his hip.

"As I said, she is a pathological liar," Marinette says. "One that uses people's knowledge to make her lies sound realistic. Like how my friend Rose is friends with Prince Ali, and my boyfriend Luka is Jagged Stone's son, and even how Adrien is Cat Noir. Lila uses people's own experiences to give her lies credibility. Like a situation of 'if I can know celebrities then so can she."

"Weirdly enough, I can see how that makes sense," Adrien said.

"What can we do about her," Lyon asked. "Can we just have Adrien call her out as Cat Noir?"

"Since Adrien has to keep his identity a secret, she could just pull out another lie about him protecting her or that they got into a fight," Marinette said. "It's how she explained when MDC posted on social media that she had never met Lila before."

"This is gonna be a disaster, isn't it," Adrien guessed. "There is no way someone like how you describe Lila would go down without a fight."

"She may be lying, but won't she lie herself into a corner," Lyon asked. "Especially if 'Cat Noir' actually does enter a relationship."

"The problem is the damage that she can cause along the way," Marinette said.

"Trust me, I was on your train of thought as well until Marinette explained things more to me," Adrien said. "Lila is not just lying about herself, she is also lying about what she can do for others. Saying that she can put a good word in for people to get certain jobs, internships, or futures in careers that they want. When it actually comes time for them to her to fulfill those promises, a lot of people will be met with disappointment. Plus, with her promising these things, they will not apply to other jobs, colleges, or internships on their own. It would take a long time for them to recover from her lies."

"I see," Lyon understood what they meant. "Guess this just gives me more reasons to not come out in public more if I have to deal with people like her."

"She hasn't happened to make any lies about Lyon, has she," Adrien asked Marinette.

"Well, she apparently was trained in the art of contests by Lyon and was supposedly the muse that inspired him to chose his 'White Wolf' look," Marinette said.

"And... now I have a headache," Lyon pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Here you go," Marinette handed the top coordinator some aspirin.

"Thank you," he took it immediately.

Adrien had known Lyon for quite a while now. Lyon had come from a rich family just like he did. But while he had been almost forced to model, Lyon's parents let him choose his own path. He was known for being the youngest ever grand coordinator out there. But since he had met him, Adrien also knew that Lyon generally was very humble and kind, but was basically an ice prince to anyone that tries to use him for their own gain.

So if Lila was not in trouble before, she sure was going to be now that Lyon knew about her lying about him. And that was troubling enough without Lyon's twin sister, Vallia, hearing about this. She might have the nickname of the Flower Princess and might be trying to become a Pokemon doctor, but that did not mean she was not dangerous on the battlefield.

"If she is still telling lies, I am guessing that she still has her regular audience," Adrien looks at Marinette again.

She nodded sadly. "Alya is still her most loyal sheep and there are also a lot of other friends of ours that are under her spell as well."

Lyon looked at the two with a raised eyebrow, silently asking for more details.

"There are times where I can escape photoshoots even if I do not have a contest to sneak off to," Adrien explained. "I would meet up with Marinette as much as I could and she introduced me to a lot of her friends. I have especially gotten along well with Nino, Kim, Juleka, and Marinette's boyfriend Luka."

"And before Lila came along, my friend Alya was my best friend," Marinette said. "I went to our town pokémon school with them before we all started our journeys. But when Lila showed up with all of her tall tales and false promises, they follow her like sheep following their shepherd. Most of my old class is under her spell. Only Adrien, myself, Luka, Kim, Juleka, and our other friends Nathaniel, Marc, and Kagami know that she is nothing but a liar."

"Alya used to be a reporter hopeful," Adrien tells Lyon. "She ran a very popular blog about up-and-coming battlers and coordinators. But then Lila came along with her tales and now most of Alya's blog is about her. She basically takes Lila's words as gospel and attacks anyone that so much as even hints that they think that Lila is anything less than a perfect angel."

"Wow," Lyon gasped. "This girl sounds worse than an angry Darkrai, and you never want to run into one of those."

"Yeah, Lila is a piece of work," Adrien sighed. "She really needs to be silenced before her tales get someone into trouble."

"Yeah," Marinette said. "She has been saying how Jagged Stone wrote a song about her and that Clara Nightingale stole dance moves from her. Those types of lies can ruin their careers."

"Well, I have no secret identity," Lyon says. "She won't be able to lie her way out of me saying that I have no idea who she is."

"Just be careful how you explain how you heard about her lies," Adrien warned him. "Lila has been trying to turn people against Marinette because she knows about her lies. At a few past contests that I had won, I heard a few other coordinators insulting her all because of lies that Lila told about her."

Lyon looked disgusted by the behavior. Coordinators and battlers were both very large families. Yes, there were some bad seeds in each family, but this girl was something way beyond a bad seed. How can one person just be such a selfish liar that she is willing to ruin another person's life just because they did not believe their lies?

But before they could continue their conversation, an announcement was made over the backstage speakers. It was for the coordinators that were competing to get ready since the first round was going to be starting soon.

"Just do your best, you two," Lyon tells them. "And if that liar gives you any trouble, she won't be much of an issue for much longer."

With a "Whoosh" of his cloak, Lyon left to go down the hallway. He had his own business at the Grand Festival that he needed to take care of before he would be able to help his friends.

"He always did like to make dramatic exits," Adrien chuckled.

"I just hope we actually won't have to deal with Lila for much longer," Marinette says.

The two of them went the opposite way down the hall, to the locker room where the contestants have to stay when they are not on stage. Adrien went to the side and leaned against the wall to keep up his appearance of the mysterious and quiet Cat Noir. Looking around the room, he noticed some familiar faces. Like Marinette had gone to stand next to her boyfriend, and fellow coordinator, Luka. There was also her friend Nathaniel and his boyfriend Marc along with her former friend Nino, Alya's boyfriend. Adrien also noticed his childhood friend Chloe as well and, unfortunately, Lila.

Soon, on the screens, appeared Marian, the usual contest announcer for Sinnoh. And from the audience that was seen in the background, Adrien could make out Kagami in the crowd as well as Alya. He was surprised to see Kagami there, but it was a very welcome surprise.

"Welcome, everyone to the beautiful waterside town of Lake Valor for this year's Grand Festival," she announced into her mic, making the crowd cheer. "Sixty talented coordinators from all over the Sinnoh region have joined us here to perform and battle their way into becoming the newest Top Coordinator!"

"And that will be me," was muttered all around the locker room, from confident and cocky contestants.

"Over the next few days, these talents coordinators will perform and battle their way into being named the next Top Coordinator," Marian continued. "The first stage is the Performance Stage, where our contestants will show off the beauty of their pokémon and their moves in double performances. After this stage, we will boil down our contestants to the lucky thirty-two for the Battle Stage where they will fight in double battles to win the chance to be named Top Coordinator."

"We got this, Torterra," Adrien whispered to the Pokeball in his hand.

"And to help us, let me introduce our judges," Marian continued again. "First is the Chief of the Pokémon Activities Committee, our head judge, Mr.Contesta."

"I look forward to watching all these coordinators doing their very best," the judge said as the spotlight shined down on him.

"Next is the President of the Pokémon Fan Club, Mr.Sukiza," Marian introduced.

"Remarkable," the next judge used his catchphrase.

"And, of course, Nurse Joy," Marian announced. "She is a very special guest all the way from the Kanto region."

The spotlight shined down on the pokemon nurse.

"It's an honor to be here and to help judge these amazing contestants, I called my sisters from Pewter City and Cerulean City."

Two more Nurse Joy seemed to materialize from behind her.

"We're very happy to be here," they all said at once.

"And last, but definitely not the least, our guest judge," Marian announces, making the crowd and contestants curious as to who it might be. "He is the youngest ever Top Coordinator of three regions and has graced us with his presence from all the way in Kalos. He's known as the White Wolf, it's Lyon Garden!"

A fourth spotlight shined down and Lyon was presented, making the crowd erupt into cheers.

Adrien was both shocked and not shocked at the same time. He figured that Lyon was here for a reason, but he suspected that it was for a guest performance, not as a judge. But he did smirk as he saw Lila pale a little at the sight of one of the people that she lied about.

"Ladies and gentlemen, coordinators of all ages," Lyon says. "I hope to see plenty of creativity, skill, passion, and most of all, I want to see good sportsmanship. I wish you all the luck in the world, but I will still tell you the cold hard truth about everything you and your pokemon do."

Adrien chuckled under his breath. Lyon would always be Lyon, and that meant that the Ice Prince, which all of their friends called him, would come out every now and again.

"The performance stage will be divided into three separate stages," Marian announced as all three male judges went to a separate stage with one of the Nurse Joy's. "Blue, green, and red. And the performances will be happening simultaneously. Let's get this first round started!"

The crowd cheered. In the locker room, the three first contestants were called out for each of the stages.

Adrien certainly got the meaning of the three stages. It was an extra challenge to be able to do a proper performance when there were two others happening at the same time. It was all about being able to focus on what you were doing and not get overwhelmed.

As the performances started and coordinators showed off their skills, Adrien definitely saw a few that would be his main competition. Such as when Luka took his turn on the blue stage, he did a very enchanting performance with his Sunflora and ghost-type Oricoro. As Marinette has told him, Luka loves music and almost always includes sound in his performances. And as he heard the sound and saw the glowing musical notes of Luka's performance, he knew that boy was going to be a challenging opponent.

There was also Nathaniel and Marc. They worked on a pokemon comic book together, so both of their creative and artistic skills showed in their performances. And it was also an amazing sight to see how Nathaniel had a rare Phione that he paired with his Piplup for his performance was stunning aquatic moves. And Marc was definitely no slouch as he gave an incredible display of nature with his Meganium and Cherubi.

But that was to say that there were not some fails as well.

Sadly, this list of fails included Nino. Adrien might have once called him a friend, but that certainly stopped when the guy started believing Lila's lies about Marinette. And by how badly he failed his performance, Adrien had to guess that Nino had probably taken some of Lila's "advice" about what he should do. It certainly was not a good look to the green stage judges when his Buizel went flying back from a Will-O-Wisp from his Drifblim was too powerful for the combo he was trying to do.

When Marinette got her turn on the red stage, Adrien was proven right when he had guessed that she would do a flawless performance. It was an amazing combination of her icy Amaura with her beautiful Vivillon. Especially when she had beautiful glowing snowflakes falling all over the stage with a combination of icy wind and silver wind followed by a morning sun.

Plus, it was certainly nice to see Lila so angry over Marinette having done nothing wrong in her performance one bit.

But even Adrien had to admit that even though he hated Lila as a person, she did pretty well during her own performance. Sure, her combo moves were a little predictable with the pokemon that she chose, but they still worked out in the end for her. But Adrien had a feeling that like the liar that she was, she was probably just using combo moves that she has seen in the past and using them herself but with different pokemon so that it is not obvious that she is just a copycat.

Then, Cat Noir was called for the blue stage. Adrien took a deep breath as he went out toward the stage. He passed Marinette on his way and she gave him an encouraging hug. He knew that Lyon was the judge for the blue stage along with the main Nurse Joy guest judge from Kanto. But he knew that Lyon would not judge him any easier just because they were friends. If anything, he'd be judged harder since Lyon knows how hard he had trained for this.

"And next on the blue stage is the talk of the Grand Festival," he heard Marian announce. "A masked coordinator that has been taking the contest world by storm. The pokemon contest prodigy himself, Cat Noir."

There was loud cheering as he ran out there and pulled out his pokeballs.

"Torterra, Togekiss, claws out," he threw their pokeballs into the air with his signature catchphrase.

With the star sticker on both the pokeballs, both of the pokemon came out in a swirl of stars. Most would doubt using a pokemon as big and tough-looking as Torterra for the Performance Stage, but Adrien was not most people.

Togekiss lands gracefully on the tree of Torterra's shell. There was a reason why Togekiss were known as some of the most graceful pokemon in the world.

"Togekiss, sky attack. Torterra, leaf storm," Adrien commanded.

Togekiss shined with a white aura as it slowly floated into the air. But at the same time, Torterra's tree let out its storm of leaves and green wind. Since Togekiss was right on the tree, as it flew into the air, the storm swirled around it and followed it. The leaves and window giving off an incredible light that was a result of the combo of the light of the sky attack with the flow of the leaf storm. Togekiss then flew higher into the air.

"Safeguard," Adrien commanded.

Togekiss then unleashed the blue and sea green force field that the protection move grants. It caused the sky attack and the leaf storm to disperse in a gorgeous flash of light.

Lyon and Nurse Joy both looked impressed by how he so effortlessly made a beautiful start to his performance.

"Torterra, sunny day. Togekiss, aerial ace," Adrien commanded.

Torterra's tree glowed with sunlight as it then threw a ball of light into the air. It headed right toward Togekiss as it was surrounded by streams of white energy as it flew around to use its move. The sunny day move was hit by Togekiss, resulting in a bright flash of light.

And the crowd and judges and fellow contestants gasped as Togekiss emerged from the light. The aerial ace and sunny day had merged together and had created a stunning rainbow trail that followed it as it flew around the stage. It was one of the most stunning things ever seen in a contest in ages.

Togekiss then did an aerial twirl before landing right back on Torterra's tree and causing the rainbow trail to burst into rainbow-colored sparkles that fell all over the stage.

Adrien took a bow as his performance ended. The crowd and judges were all on their feet as they gave him a giant round of applause. Lyon caught his eye and gave him a look filled with pride and congratulations.

"I don't think I have ever seen a performance like that," Lyon says, doing his judging. "A true mastery of both the power of a Torterra and the elegance of a Togekiss. Truly the best performance I have seen in a long time."

"It was indeed incredible," Nurse Joy added her judging. "To combine two pokemon so different from each other and making them work in such harmony really is a breathtaking piece of art."

Adrien could not be prouder of himself as he returned Torterra and Togekiss to their pokeballs and then started to walk back to the locker room. He was about halfway there when Marinette basically tackled him with a hug.

"I have never seen anything like that," she practically yelled in excitement. "You're Torterra was so well-trained and Togekiss was beautiful. I will never know where you get your time to train performances like that, but that was so awesome."

Adrien chuckled at the enthusiasm of his friend.

"Thanks, Marinette," he said. "I loved your performance as well. Those snowflakes were such works of art and they were almost like fairies floating around the stage."

Marinette blushed at the compliment.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I knew that ice moves and flying-type moves are usually a good mix, so when you add in the light from the silver wind, it creates the snowflakes."

"I just know that I will see you in the finals," Adrien grinned at her. "I may not want to beat you, but I'm going to."

"In your dreams, kitty," Marinette giggled as she knew that it would be one hell of a showdown.

"Get your hands off of Lila's man, Mari-brat," a female voice was heard.

"And, here we go again," Marinette groaned.

Marinette turned around as Adrien looked at who was yelling. It seems that Alya was as much of Lila's attack Growlith now as she always seems to be since the liar showed up in their lives. And it looked like Lila was fake crying behind her while Nino was trying to comfort her.

"Uh... who are you," Adrien asked.

Now, Adrien had done some voice acting for a few movies that his dad wanted him to do. So, he was a pretty good actor. Adrien might know who Alya is, but Cat Noir has never met her before.

Alya looked at Adrien, smiling at him. But he could still see the rage in her eyes over something that Lila probably lied about. This was probably about the lies about him dating Lila with the liar probably also throwing in some other lies to make Marinette look even worse.

"Oh, I guess Lila never mentioned me," Alya said. "I'm Alya, your girlfriend's best friend."

"Uh... And who is..." Adrien tried to reveal Lila as a liar.

"Oh, don't worry about lying to protect her," Alya interrupted him, proving that they were right about how Lila would lie her way out of Cat Noir saying that he did not know her. "But I should warn you that this girl that you're talking to is nothing but a giant bully."

"Excuse me," Adrien had to stop himself from snapping at Marinette's former best friend.

"She is nothing but a bully, liar, and cheat," Alya glared at Marinette. "She is always bullying Lila and trying to steal her pokemon. She always calls Lila a liar when she is no such thing. Plus, she drugs all her pokemon to make sure her performances are good. Plus, she steals Lila's contest ideas. So, get your hands off of Lila's boyfriend, Mari-brat."

"You know, Luka used to tell me that you're heart song screamed that you were a bad friend," Marinette crossed her arms. "I did not believe him, but I will never doubt him ever again since you have ditched me for a liar."

"SEE," Alya yelled as she looked at Adrien and pointed at Marinette as if she had just been proven right. "She just called Lila a liar. She is a total bully."

"Well, she obviously is..." Adrien was interrupted again but by a different person this time.

"Hello, kitty," Lyon says as he approached the group.

"Wolfie," Adrien was immediately back in a good mood as he saw his friend.

"I have a reward for you for such an incredible performance," Lyon said.

Before Adrien could ask, he was suddenly kissed by Lyon. But the shock soon wore off as he melted into the kiss.

Marinette looked ready to burst in excitement as her ship has finally sailed. But she did now owe Luka a batch of his favorite caramel and chocolate scones since he had bet her that the two would get together at the Grand Festival while she thought it would happen after it. But she did not care.

Alya looked ready to burst in anger. Lila looked like she wanted to either cry more fake tears or just throw a monster tantrum. Nino just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ARCEUS ARE YOU DOING," Alya screamed.

That made them break apart from the kiss. But Lyon just put his arm around Adrien's waist.

"I believe that I was kissing my boyfriend," Lyon said. "We've had to keep it secret because of the media, but we've been together a few months."

Adrien and Marinette both knew that he was lying, but they did not care. Besides, this was to both expose Lila and have an excuse to start dating.

"You've been cheating on your girlfriend for that long," Alya continued to scream.

Lila then chose to speak up, also choosing to fake cry.

"How could you do this to be, Noir," she cried to fake tears.

"Oh, so this is the girl that you were warning me about, Marinette," Adrien decided to join Lyon in his act. "The one that was going around and saying that I was dating her?"

"Yep, that's her," Marinette played along as well.

"Well, then," Adrien started, facing Alya. "As I was about to tell you, I do not have a girlfriend. I never have and I never will. As you can plainly see, I am gay and I have a wonderful boyfriend."

"Lila is not a liar," Alya continued to scream. "You're just a cheater that is trying to make her look bad."

"Wow, this girl is a piece of work," Lyon rolled his eyes.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Alya yelled at Lyon. "She was the one that gave you the inspiration to be the White Wolf and you trained her to be a coordinator. How could you betray her like this?!?"

"Her? Inspire me? As if," Lyon gave Alya an icy glare. "This is the first day that I have ever met this girl. I became the White Wolf because my sister used to call me a wolf because of how loyal I am to my friends and family. They also all call me the Ice Prince, so White Wolf was born out of my two childhood nicknames."

"You need better friends since Marinette is most definitely is right," Adrien said. "This Lila girl is, most definitely, nothing but a liar."

"Let's go before our IQ gets any lower from being around a liar and her loyal sheep," Lyon held Adrien's hand as the three of them left. "And if someone is accusing you of drugging your pokemon, Marinette, I will lend you my family lawyers to sue that liar for slander."

Marinette wanted to laugh so hard as she saw the look of horror on Lila's face as they passed. She did start laughing once they were out of earshot.

"This is turning into the best day of my life," Marinette looked so happy.

"You're welcome," Lyon smirked.

"Won't you now get accused of favoritism when Lila will probably spread that you two are 'together' as revenge," Marinette asked Lyon.

"Everyone saw Adrien's performance, so I doubt that will happen," Lyon was confident.

"Okay," Marinette accepted that. "Also, it is about time you two got together. Adrien's had a crush on you forever."

"MARINETTE," Adrien yelled as he blushed.

All Marinette did in response was smirk and giggle.

[fridayfirefly]

Two Birds [Part Two]

Read Two Birds on AO3

Masterlist [All Works]

Masterlist [Two Birds Series]

For Maribat March Day 31 - Reunion

The school trip to Gotham was supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be a reward to the class, a celebration of the recent defeat of Hawkmoth by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette wanted to celebrate. She really didn't want to cry on the trip. Yet, as the plane touched down in Gotham, Marinette was staring out the plane window at the rain and the setting sun, rubbing her eyes, trying her best to brush away the tears before they formed.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Alya looked over at Marinette, concern visible on her face.

Marinette nodded weakly, blinking away the wetness in her eyes. "I'm fine. I just... I have some bad memories associated with Gotham. One of my childhood friends... his parents were murdered on a trip to Gotham and I lost contact with him after that. It's always been a very raw subject for me."

Alya opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word out, Lila leaned across the aisle to interrupt the conversation. "Your childhood friend's parents were murdered on a trip to Gotham? It's okay to admit that you're scared of Gotham because of the supervillains. You don't have to come up with some outlandish story for why you're upset."

Marinette glared over at Lila, her eyes shiny from both her tears and her anger. "I wasn't talking to you, Lila, but for your information, I'm not making up a story. I wouldn't lie about the death of my friend's parents. I hate liars."

Lila flinched back, her eyes wide and innocent. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that you could tell the truth. We wouldn't judge you for it."

Alya frowned, giving Lila a stern look. "Lila, Marinette is seriously upset. I don't think that this is the right time to lecture her."

"Oh, of course." As soon as Alya turned away from her, Lila's expression was murderous. Marinette could care less. She turned away and ignored Lila, not in the mood to deal with the liar's taunts. If she could just hold back her tears until they got off the plane, maybe she could pretend that it was the rain that was making her face wet.

It took an hour to get from the plane to the hotel room, and that hour was torture for Marinette, who spent the entire journey holding back tears. As soon as Alya shut the door to their hotel room with a click, Marinette finally let herself cry, curling up into a ball on the hotel bed.

Marinette felt Alya wrapped her arms around her in a hug. "I've got you, Marinette. It'll be okay."

Marinette didn't know how long she cried for. All she knew was that when the tears finally stopped, the sky had gone dark outside. "What time is it?"

"It's a little past eight. I texted Nino to tell Ms. Bustier that you weren't feeling well, so she won't be bothering you with any class president duties tonight."

"Thanks." Marinette shifted herself from lying on her side to sitting up. "Have I ever told you what happened to Dick?"

Alya shook her head. "You've mentioned him a few times, but only that you two were friends when you were younger, and then lost touch."

Marinette sighed. "It all started when I was nine years old. My Grandma Gina was babysitting me for the weekend. She was old friends with the ringmaster of a circus that was in Paris, so she took me there to stay the weekend. That was where I met Dick and his parents..."

Marinette told the story in bursts, stopping to cry every few minutes when she got too emotional to continue. "...And I never spoke to him again after that. Gotham's foster care records aren't open to the public, and I stopped myself from Googling his name a long time ago. It just hurts too much to get my hopes up."

Alya wrapped Marinette up in another hug. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I wish there was something I could do to make this better."

"I think this trip might be good for me. It hurts a lot now, but I think once it's over I might finally feel a little more at peace."

"I hope so. But if there's ever any time where you need to just stop and let it all out, I'll be there for you."

"Thanks, Alya. You're the best."

Alya was Marinette's best friend, even if Alya was friends with Lila as well. That was Marinette's one regret - when she unmasked Hawkmoth and Mayura as Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancour, there was no way to unmask Lila as a liar as well. Gabriel refused to name Lila as an accomplice, aware that admitting to having manipulated a teen girl into performing acts of terrorism wouldn't look good for him. So Lila was free to continue her reign of terror, though at least now Marinette could be rightfully angry with her, without fear of being akumatized.

----------

The class trip was partially sponsored by the Wayne Scholarship Foundation. Usually, the Wayne Scholarship Foundation only awarded scholarships, given to students all across America to pay for college, but after Hawkmoth's defeat and the media coverage that followed, a rather large sum was awarded to Marinette’s class for their bravery on the front lines of Hawkmoths' attacks. The Wayne Foundation organized tours and shows for them all over the city, starting with a tour of the Martha Wayne Memorial Botanical Gardens bright and early on the first morning of their trip. Then the class would go on a walking tour of Gotham during the afternoon, ending at a high-end sushi restaurant for dinner, followed by a night exploring East Hills Park during one of their famous firework shows. The late May day promised to be warm and sunny, so Marinette put on her favorite red floral sundress with a jean jacket overtop to hide the thin spaghetti straps, and sturdy tennis shoes to handle all of the walking she would be doing.

"Marinette!" gasped Lila as soon as Alya and Marinette walked into the main lobby. "Are you sure that your outfit is dress-code approved?"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Yes, Lila. With my jacket on, this fits the dress code. I wouldn't make something that I can't wear."

"Okay. I was just checking. Your dress seemed a little too short to me, but I guess I just prefer something more modest."

As Lila walked away, Alya placed her hand on Marinette's shoulder in comfort. "I'm sure Lila didn't mean to come off as slut-shaming. I think she's just lashing out because wants to make sure you don't get in trouble for your outfit." Even Alya sounded uncertain of her explanation, as not even she believed herself. Without the support of Hawkmoth, Lila was no longer a cunning and calculated mastermind of manipulation. Now she was just a scared bully, desperately doing whatever she could to maintain her power over the class.

"Whatever," Marinette sighed. "I won't let her ruin my trip."

"That's the spirit. Besides, anyone with taste would know that your outfit looks super cute.”

Marinette smirked. "Are you saying that you don't think Lila has taste?"

"Definitely not as much taste as you. You're the Queen of Fashion Trends. You always look good." Alya put her arm around Marinette's shoulder. "Plus, you know better than to wear cowboy boots to school."

Marinette giggled as she remembered the incident. Lila came to school showing off her 'authentic' cowboy boots from America, seemingly unaware that they were the ugliest shoes anyone in their class had ever seen.

"You'll have a great day today, I promise." Alya walked with Marinette to the bus waiting outside. They got a seat up near the front, by Nino and Adrien.

Adrien had been the most affected by Hawkmoth's unmasking, given that it revealed his Father as a terrorist and his Mother as a coma-patient. All seemed lost for Adrien, as a team of Paris's best doctors revealed that Emilie Agreste was braid-dead. They planned on pulling the plug on Emilie's life support until, Amelie Graham de Vanily revealed that by combining the twin rings she and her sister owned with Ladybug's power of creation, together they had the power to bring Emilie back to life. Marinette was skeptical, after all, Amelie seemed to have ulterior motives in everything she did, but how could Marinette refuse when it was the only thing that she could do to help Adrien. In the end, she decided to help, no matter the consequences. Miraculously, it worked. Emilie was brought back to life and Adrien had a mother again.

However, in the aftermath of her decision, Marinette realized one crucial detail. In all of the chaos of deciding whether or not to work with Amelie, when she based her final decision on Adrien, she did it because he was her friend, not because he was her crush. At that moment, she realized that the overwhelming crush she had on Adrien since the age of thirteen had faded. In its place was a beautiful friendship.

"Good morning," chirped Adrien.

"What's up, dudes?" chimed in Nino.

"I can't believe we're here in Gotham. I thought our class trip to London was cool, but this is just incredible. I can't believe that the Wayne Foundation organized all of this for us," Alya gushed.

Marinette smiled. She knew that her friends deserved the vacation. Alya, Nino, and Adrien (though his involvement as Aspik was brief) all helped in the fight against Hawkmoth, even though they never revealed their superhero identities to each other. "What are you all most excited about?"

"I can't wait to see the Superhero Museum," said Alya. "I can't believe we were invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new exhibition."

"It is a celebration of the defeat of Hawkmoth. I suppose they wanted some real Parisians there to see it."

"I'm excited for Super: an American Musical, with the original cast. Did you guys know that this is their last week in Gotham before the show starts on Broadway!" Nino cheered.

Marinette smiled. "That is cool. I've heard that it's a fan favorite to win a Tony this year."

When all eyes landed on Adrien to answer the question, he shrugged. "I just want to experience everything. And take a lot of pictures. I promised my Mom that I would send her some."

"How about we take one now?" Marinette suggested.

Adrien nodded and the group of friends squeezed together to take a selfie.

"How about you, Marinette?"

"The Wayne Foundation Fundraising Gala," Marinette answered promptly. "It's one of the most influential events in fashion. I've heard that celebrities wear their second-best outfits to the Met Gala and save their best for the Wayne Gala. I know that the Wayne Foundation is paying for a shopping trip to pick out an outfit for the Gala, but I made my dress own and brought it here."

Alya laughed. "I should have guessed."

Marinette smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't resist. This is the first opportunity I've had to wear my newest creation."

"Do you have pictures of it?" asked Adrien.

Marinette shook her head. "I'm not showing anyone until the Gala. I'm keeping it safe in my room. I don't want to jinx anything."

"Hawkmoth is gone. We're in Gotham, living it up. Life is good." Alya summarized, and the whole group chimed in their agreement. Life was good.

----------

"Is everything in this city named after the Waynes?" asked Nino as they stepped off the bus in from of the Martha Wayne Memorial Botanical Gardens.

"The Waynes are one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Gotham. When you're that rich, life is just a game of buying your name onto as many buildings as possible," Adrien answered.

"The Waynes and their extraordinary money are the reason why we're here, so I'm willing to forgo making fun of everything they put their name on," Alya decided.

Once they got through the doors to the Botanical Garden, Marinette was entranced. Flowers of every shade surrounded her, the sound of rushing water and the rustling of leaves was the only thing she could hear, the smell of pollen and fresh air filled her lungs. It was heavenly.

"I'm Olivia, but you can all call me Liv," spoke the blonde tour guide as she approached the class. "I'll be giving you a tour of the Botanical Gardens, the largest sanctuary for endangered plants in New Jersey. We're known especially for our orchid garden, which we'll walk through at the end of our tour."

As the tour continued, Marinette noticed that one hallway was blocked off by a sign reading: Hydrangea Exhibition Coming This Fall.

Liv pointed out the hallway. "Down that hallway is the upcoming Hydrangea Exhibition, which is replacing the old New Jersey Wildflower exhibit. Now, I know you're all from out of town, but if you're even in Gotham again, make sure you check out the Botanical Gardens. We're always getting new exhibits-"

Liv was cut off by the sound of shattering glass. One of the panes of glass making up the room had been shattered, and shards rained down on screaming tourists. Marinette's eyes widened as she recognized Poison Ivy, lowering herself through the now opened ceiling on her vines. "You thought you could destroy the native vegetation of this city and get away with it? Nothing escapes my notice. Now, I would like to have a little chat with whoever's in charge here."

Liv motioned for all the students to get down, whispering, "As long as we stay out of Poison Ivy's way, we'll be perfectly fine. Just stay calm and stay quiet."

Marinette watched as the Director of the Botanical Gardens came out to reason with Poison Ivy. He pleaded with the villain, "We won't destroy any of the wildflower gardens, I swear. I'll make sure myself that the wildflower exhibit will be moved to public parks all across Gotham."

Poison Ivy shook her head. "That's not good enough. You think you can wash your hands of these flowers so long as someone else offers to take them? How long do you think the wildflower gardens will last without any sort of protection?"

"We'll make sure that the gardens are protected, I promise."

Narrowing her eyes, Poison Ivy gave the Director a cruel smile. "I hope for your sake, Mr. Joseph Hoffman of 524 Shelton Avenue, that nothing happens to those flowers. Otherwise..." Poison Ivy let the threat hang in the air, using her vines to ascend back up to the ceiling.

The next few moments were so chaotic and full of movement that Marinette couldn't quite piece together what had happened. All she knew was that one second Poison Ivy was leaving the way she came and the next second, Batman and Robin were facing her down in the middle of the Botanical Gardens.

"Oh, hello Batman, Robin. It's so nice to see you. I was just leaving though, so unless you want to fight me where all these plants - and civilians, I suppose - could get hurt, I would step out of my way."

"Poison Ivy, we both know that I can't just let you go free after you threatened this man's life."

Poison Ivy sighed dramatically. "Oh well, I gave you a chance. Now it looks like I'll have to start getting civilians involved. The villain's eyes panned over the room, her eyes just happening to make contact with Marinette's for a split second before Marinette looked away. But that split second was enough. Marinette felt vines start to wrap around her forearms, yanking her forward.

Marinette was pulled all the way over to Poison Ivy, Batman, and Robin, until she was stopped in between the villain and heroes. "What's your name?" Poison Ivy asked, a menacing smile on her face.

"M-Marinette," she stuttered out, eyes wide.

Batman's expression was stoic and unyielding, while Robin looked at her with wide, stunned eyes. Batman spoke, "Why don't we move this outside where no one - plants or civilians - will get hurt."

Poison Ivy nodded. "I will require a head start, though, so I'll keep my vines wrapped around Marinette's throat. As soon as I'm out of range the vines will go slack and she'll be able to go on with her day. However, if you start to come after me before then, I'll tighten my vines and poor little Marinette might not make it."

Marinette stiffened as the vines grew around her throat, just loose enough for her to take shallow breaths. Poison Ivy disappeared from view, but Marinette continued to stay perfectly still, desperately trying to slow her breathing before she hyperventilated. No one made a move toward Marinette, no one willing to risk the consequences of making a move while Poison Ivy could still control the vines.

After what felt like hours, but was really only about five minutes, the vines relaxed and fell to the floor. Marinette collapsed to the ground, lowering herself into the seated position so she could breathe a little bit easier.

"Are you alright?" asked Robin, kneeling next to her. "Are you having any trouble breathing?"

"I'm okay. I didn't get hurt. I was just scared."

Robin got up and held out his hand to help her to her feet. "Why don't we get you back with the rest of your group. Are you here with your family?"

Marinette shook her head. "I'm here on a school trip."

Robin walked Marinette over to her class, handing her off to Ms. Bustier, who let out a sigh of relief as she gently placed her hand on Marinette's shoulder. "I know that was a very scary situation, Marinette. If you would like, I can take you and Alya back to the hotel."

"No way!" protested Marinette. "I didn't even get hurt. Plus, we have the walking tour of Gotham today. I don't want to miss it."

"Are you sure?" Ms. Bustier glanced over toward Batman.

Batman joined the conversation, saying, "If Marinette prefers to continue her day as normal, then I would advise following Marinette's lead. Often, the best way to recover from an encounter with a villain is to go on with your life as normal."

Marinette nodded. "I want to stay with the rest of the class and go on with our day."

Ms. Bustier still looked hesitant but conceded anyway. "Alright. I think our tour of the Botanical Gardens is over, though. I doubt that they would let us continue, what with shattered glass all over the floors."

Liv led the group out of the building, commenting with a sigh, "It's a shame that Poison Ivy came and ruined the tour. The orchid garden is such an amazing exhibit, and now none of you will get to see it. Unless..." Liv glanced around. "There's no broken glass in the orchid garden, so I don't suppose why we couldn't leave the Botanical Garden through the side-exit past the orchid garden. What do you say, Marinette?"

Marinette smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

As the tour group turned to enter one of the hallways branching off of the main room, Marinette glanced behind her one last time. She made eye contact with Robin, who was watching her leave, an expression of wonder on his face. Marinette turned back around self-consciously rubbing the back of her neck. She wasn't sure why Robin looked at her like that. It wasn't a look that one would give a stranger, and yet they had never met before. Marinette thought it was odd, but the thought was gone from her mind as soon as her class entered the orchid garden. I'm here in Gotham for a week to have fun, she reminded herself, so no more investigating every strange occurrence.

----------

The walking tour of Gotham was just as fun and informative as Marinette anticipated, packed with interesting facts and amazing sights. She got a bunch of high-quality pictures of Gotham, good for putting in the blog post that Marinette (as class president) was in charge of putting together to go on the school website. Best of all, Lila didn't bother her for the whole tour. Even Lila knew that she couldn't bully Marinette and get away with it, after what Marinette had been through the morning.

The sushi restaurant was amazing too. Marinette had eaten sushi a few times before, but never anything as high-quality as what was served in the restaurant. Marinette decided that if this was what a field trip funded by the Wayne Foundation was like, then she was incredibly excited for the week to come.

Aside from the unfortunate interruption at the Botanical Garden, the day was perfect. Yet, Marinette couldn't stop thinking about the strange look on Robin's face. Had she done something wrong? Was she really safe from Poison Ivy? The thoughts lingered in her head, pestering her every time she felt safe and content.

"Listen up, class!" called out Ms. Bustier. "You'll all have exactly two hours to explore East Hills Park. The firework show starts in approximately half an hour, and ends half an hour before you have to meet up here, which should give you plenty enough time."

Marinette followed Adrien, Alya, and Nino off the bus and into the park. The group of friends started to explore the park, stumbling upon the statues and fountains that were scattered about the grounds.

"I found another Wayne!" Nino shouted from a few meters away. "This statue was dedicated to Patrick Wayne, who was Mayor of Gotham City - this was before they changed the name to just Gotham - from 1896-1904. His most notable achievement from his time in office was that he built over thirty new schools and eleven new library buildings in the city. He was known for his dedication to educating the City of Gotham."

It had become an inside joke between the group to try and find as many things in Gotham named after the Waynes as they could. The task turned out to be much less difficult than they had anticipated, so the group quickly switched tactics and began looking up the various Waynes to see what they actually did with their lives, to determine whether they deserved their names on the various buildings and statues of Gotham.

"He actually sounds like he deserved a statue," said Adrien, looking down at his phone at the Wikipedia article he had pulled up. "Not like Augustus Wayne, who never had a job and gambled away nearly a quarter of the Wayne fortune, yet still has a bridge and a fountain in this park named after him."

Marinette chimed in, "My favorite is Georgiana Wayne. Apparently, a reporter was harassing her over the fact that she was a divorcee and Theodore Wayne was her second husband, and she told that reporter to, quote, 'Fuck off, you lousy son of a bitch. If my husband doesn't mind that I am a divorcee, I don't see why you should.'"

"I wonder if she has any statues in the park," said Alya.

"I doubt it. Her Wikipedia article is only four paragraphs long."

Alya frowned. "That's a shame. Augustus Wayne does nothing of importance with his life and gets a whole bridge named after him, but Georgiana Wayne is a total badass in the 1920s and gets nothing."

"We'll have to bring it up with Bruce Wayne at the fundraising Gala," joked Marinette.

"Good idea." Alya glanced down at her phone. "It's almost time for the fireworks show to start. According to the class groupchat, everyone is gathering on the south shore of the duck pond. There are benches there, and it should have a good view."

"I'll meet you guys there," said Marinette. "I just want to get a few more pictures before it gets too dark."

Marinette started taking pictures of the fountains and flowerbeds, wandering aimlessly through the park. She was busy getting the best angle to take a picture of a maple tree framed by the sunset when she bumped into someone walking behind her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry-" Marinette began to apologize, but as soon as she recognized just who she bumped into she was at a loss for words. "Dick?"

"Marinette?" Dick's voice was deeper than Marinette remembered, yet still hauntingly familiar. His wide blue eyes stared into hers.

Marinette couldn't hold it together. She burst into tears, launching herself into his arms. "Dick, I thought I would never see you again. What are you doing here?"

"I heard your name on the news when they were reporting about Poison Ivy's vandalism at the Botanical Gardens. I did a little googling and found out about your class trip. It took a little digging into the Wayne Foundation website, but I found the approved itinerary for the trip and decided to track you down at East Hills Park. I knew I had to see you again."

"You did that for me?" Overhead the fireworks started going off, extravagant flashes of color that Marinette ignored completely. She couldn't tear her eyes off of Dick. When she imagined her reunion with him, she never really considered that he would be all grown up. No longer was Dick the twelve-year-old boy that Marinette remembered from her childhood. Dick was now five years older and sixteen inches taller.

"Of course I did. Marinette, I've missed you so much."

"I tried to get back in contact with you but Gotham's CPS refused to release any information to me. I kept calling and calling but they wouldn't tell me anything." The tears returned with a vengeance, and Marinette started to sob. "I gave up on finding you and I'm so sorry."

"I don't blame you. You have to know I don't blame you. It's me who should be apologizing. I could have tracked you down but I never did."

Marinette sniffled. "Why didn't you?"

"I was a coward." Marinette opened her mouth to protest but Dick cut her off. "I was scared of losing another person I loved. I shut everyone out and by the time I was ready to let people in again, I was afraid that you wouldn't want to be a part of my life again."

"What made you change your mind?" asked Marinette.

"No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget you. It was stupid of me to think that I ever could in the first place. You were my best friend Marinette. You still are, if you'll have me."

Dick looked at her with such longing that Marinette knew she could never deny him. Her face softened. "Of course I will."

"Thank you." Dick held onto Marinette tighter.

Marinette closed her eyes and melted into his embrace. The fireworks show continued, bathing the park in beautiful colors, but Marinette felt no need to watch it. She knew that she already had the most beautiful thing in the park in her arms.

Taglist: @maribatmarch-2k21 @jayjayspixiepop @buginetye @ultimatetornshipper

[shockersalvage]

Heed The Noir’s Failures (Victims of the Duel Noir’s Exeuctions/DRK Spoilers)

It is the dead of night when you finally get to the location. A dark, creaky cabin in the middle of the woods…the perfect place to find a Remnant of that organization. You enter the cabin and the room was pitch black and threatened to swallow you if you moved a few inches into it. Still, the fact remains you have a straggler to catch. For the good of society, they can’t be left to roam as they please anymore. You step deeper into the building-!

“What do we have here?” You turn around, but it’s already too late. Behind you is a figure that is covered from head to toe in a black robe. The hood obscured their face enough that trying to see what laid in the void was impossible. In their hands, was a butcher’s knife.

“So…someone’s finally found me. Tch, figures someone would eventually seek me out given my…role in that organization.” You see the knife in their hands and prepared to either evade or counterattack at any moment. The robed person seemed to notice your stance and a cold chuckle comes from them.

“Relax, relax…I’m not the type to be so openly violent. I’m more of a…planner-type if you could believe that. My niche isn’t really personally killing but, rather…designing how it all goes down. Back when that organization was around they used to call me the Architect of Assassination!~ Could you believe it? Hehehe!~ How…friendly they got with me.” A sigh came from the robed person.

“But…those days are long gone now. You guys made sure of it. Honestly, with how much you guys pursued us, you lot are more akin to being crusaders than actual detectives. What do you even call yourselves? Hm? That’s the name? Psh, no creativity with you lot. Hm? Come in quietly? Nah, I don’t think so…oi, quit it with the theatrics. If I was gonna kill you, you’d be dead by now. Rather, I just wanna talk. Been ages since I could’ve discussed anything with anyone…”

“...Talk about what? Why my line of work! What else is there to talk about!~ Ahhh, just remembering that makes me giddy with excitement. It’s been a while since I’ve talked about my ‘concepts’. What was used……what didn’t get used.” you could hear grumbling coming from the robed person. 

“Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Introductions are a must. You can call me…Moros. ‘With the right cent, I can make anything look like an accident!~’ I was given quite the salary for my work…and now its gone. The least you can do is let a washed-up execution planner vent a little, right?”

Batter:

“Hm? Don’t recall this bastard? Why they actually managed to complete the Duel Noir! Give them some props…” “Cause, I sure as hell won’t!~ Bahaha!~ Anyways, that duelist was...a student I think? Been a while. But regardless, I’d probably have them throw themselves out a window had they failed. Teen suicide...tragic, but ultimately, just another drop in the bucket as society moves on.”

Tadashi Asakura:

“Surely, you remember my influence now? I know it’s hard to remember given that the next Duel Noirs...skimped out on the execution. But, certainly, you can’t forget this case!~” “The Legless Victim: Tadashi Asakura. So much malice for half of a man. Killed his Target, killed a guy just caused he resembled him...and murdered some fucker for the completionist aspect. Gotta respect the intent, not so much in skill!~”

“Hehehehe!~ Having the legless guy get reported as dying in a car crash!~ I’m quite the riot don’tcha think?” 

Sae Yozuru: 

“Bwahahahaha!~ Oh, this bitch!~ Yozuru was quite the scammer in life was she not? She’s actually kinda lucky that bastard Nanamura offed her like that...what was planned wasn’t going to be much better. Plus, even if she did win, the number of people she killed and scammed would’ve just gotten her roped back into the Duel Noir as a Target instead.”

“Hm? She had the funds to pay us back? Pssh, spare me the details. How bold of you to assume the Committee would’ve trusted her enough to see that transaction through. Well, I’m not Shinsen, so maybe he really would’ve...bah! Getting sidetracked!”

“Hehehehe!~ At any rate, had she failed my executioners, the Keres, would’ve taken her back home. There...they would have slit her wrists and allowed her to bleed out. ‘A grieving widow takes her life because she lost her husband’...hehehehehe...its a classic. Really, she gave such opportunity with that act of hers, it’s really all on her.” Korisu Kakitsubata:

“Alright, lemme make this one thing clear: I fuckin’ hated Gekka’s involvement in that challenge. Think about it from my perspective. An Executive made a challenge involving Twelve dipshits against one detective in a fight against the clock. That’s the opportunity of a lifetime to show how many executions I can make in short order!~”

“...And that fucker paid off their debts!! That fucking blows!! Argh! Just thinkin’ about it makes me wanna just...just!!! Graaaaaaaaaaah!!!!”

“But! But-But! I do have a fuckin’ inkling of what I would have done if given the chance!~ Kakit...Keki....fuck it. The goddamned Diva would have been dragged out into the forest. There, my Keres would’ve injected her with quite the deal of illegals or alcohol. Either works and the cops think it’s just a stupid addict that got off their rockers in the wrong place that froze to death. Her ‘airhead’ persona really didn’t do her any favors!~”

Toru Uchida:

“Boring fuck. He should be glad I concocted something that would make him slightly interesting. Sure, his friends being there makes it slightly dicey...but, I can manage. Say that when the rescuers tried to escort him to custody, the vehicle would go haywire. My men will jump to safety...but the guy in the back would have been unfortunately killed during the car crash.”

“Eh? His sister went out the same way?” You could almost see a pair of sharp teeth grinning in the darkness. “Well...isn’t that something!~”

Hironori Hari:

“Dumbass of the twelve with a dumbass crush. The guy could probably be cut in half and people would buy he’d be stupid enough to cause it himself. Anyways, I’ll probably give him some sort of dignity. Have him thrown off a building with a note about how he couldn’t get over his stupid crush and call it a day. Hm? Why am I so harsh to him? Listen...take in that dipshit’s name...and the name of his Duel Noir.”

“...I see you’ve finally gotten the hint!~”

Otsuko & Kaei Kuchiki:

“Ah, the Kuchiki’s!~ Mama killed in a robbery and they wanted to kill the bastard in one of the worst ways imaginable!~ I admire their brutality… but, their execution fucking sucked. Or would have sucked if that bratty Triple Zero didn’t nab ‘em. Oh well, what can you do?”

“Anyways, probably arrange it to be like a double suicide. Say that they both escaped from custody and flung themselves onto the tracks to avoid a life of being hunted by the law. Hehehehe!~”

Tatsutora Oboro:

“Not gonna lie...never get the ‘generations feud’ that families sometimes have. Always seemed stupid to me back then, and this bastard really enforces it now. Anyways, his demise!~”

“Double shots for the drunkard! One shot of alcohol in the guy’s blood system...and a shot from his own illegal firearm!~ Right in his temple. A deadbeat drunk can really come in handy!~”

Seika Kumano:

“Oh, that LARPer? Forgot about her for a second...but her idea of an enclosed murder mystery intrigued me. Too bad it didn’t go fucking anywhere! Bwahahaha!~”

“Ah, her? Probably dump her out in the cold wilderness somewhere...perhaps in the place where her friend died?~ Maybe have my Keres sic some dogs on her? Make people think that she got mauled in an accident while trying to flee from justice!?~ Kehehehe!~”

Shiro Shima:

“Heh, you shoulda seen this guy when he got scouted. That damn robber completed fucked him. Human resiliency is quite a marvel, don’t you agree.”

“For his execution, he’ll take a nice short walk...off a long flight of stairs!~ No one would question that with a body like that, he’d definitely keel from a good shove.”

Gunzoe Arai:

“You know, you kinda have to feel sorry for this guy in particular. He kills his target without a hitch, the one detective that shows up gets clobbered in an alleyway through no means of his own. He must’ve been thinking he was in the clear!~ I would have paid to see the look on his face when police cuffed him!~” 

“Anyways, his operations in the rundown red lights districts would work wonders. Perhaps have it so that he escaped custody and tried to hide out in one of the run-down buildings...only for police to find his broken neck after trying to scale a rusty fire escape. Tsk, such a shame!~”

Kariyasu Karasuba:

“Oh, I’m not wasting time on lover boy here.”

“Hydrogen sulfide. Same as how his lover died. Yadda yadda, the irony, moving on. Blegh.”

Sachi Mizuiyama:

“Don’t you think it’s interesting? How people are willing to bank even their entire lives to the well-being of someone who probably doesn’t know or care about them? Honestly, kind of fucked up her want for revenge was second to her obsession with Ryuzoji.”

“...Hmph. Well, doesn’t matter too much to me. A Victim is a Victim and every Victim needs some end to be planned out!~”

“Now for this little Victim...I’d say place her in an old, decrepit building. Perhaps she hid there, hoping to evade law enforcement...but what she didn’t realize was that old shack...was doomed for a bit of a collapse any day now. When the authorities clear way the rubble, they find a wanted suspect: body crushed from the debris!~”

Toya Tsutsumi:

“You have to commend this bastard’s tenacity. Not many people I can say get found out, yet still managed to avoid getting put in chains....or, well, in a coffin, as long as he did. Well, okay, that’s ironic given he’s the only fucker that died...but I can still give some props, okay!?”

“Still kinda pissed that Johnny put one through his eyes before I could do anything. I swear those Executives had zero taste for the fine arts that go through my decisions!... Huh? Get on with it? Hehehehe!~ What? Are you actually beginning to share in my taste in these ‘clean-ups’, huh?”

“Now, for this extra special grown-ass man, I’ve got an extra special execution for him!~ Toya Tsutsumi!~ He loved his wife so much, that he went on a downward spiral...in his grief, he killed the twins responsible...right before hanging himself in his own apartment. Holding his’s wife’s photo!~ Hehehehe!~”

Weidrun & Katashiro Killers:

“...Not gonna lie...I can’t remember a flying fuck about these two bastards. Not a single thing. They were that irrelevant. Well, I know one of my executions was used for the first. Weidrun got shoved into a crevice to freeze to death, that much is clear.”

“As for Katashiro...hm...ehh...he was caught by that Zero Class woman, right? I think the plan was to drown him? Maybe? Can’t recall and, frankly, he isn’t important to delve in more. You understand, right?”

Edenside Assassins:

“Now these? I remember these useless chucklefucks!! Kehehehe! Four people with guns and one close-ranged master...still can’t fucking beat three minors and a weirdo like Johnny. Well, mostly because they were comprised of amateurs, but you get the idea.”

“Anyways, if they’d lost, probably would arrange for them to be buried in a cave-in...eh? That’s what happened to the fat fuck with the TAC50? Nah, I didn’t get to execute him...granted what that knife chick did to him...it probably would have been a mercy.”

Yui Samidare:

“...The golden girl.”

“You know? I almost believed it...I almost believed that she wasn’t spouting bullshit. I’ve seen the recordings. How she looked so earnest in defeating the Victims Catharsis Committee. How it looked as if she had a strong sense of justice that would keep her going. I almost believed...she was actually legit.

“...I must have been off my rocker those days. As per usual, humanity never fails to show that, yes, humanity can both disappoint...and exceed expectations.”

“..It’s a shame what happened at Sirius Observatory...having her die like that. Cold, hurt, burned... it’s such a rough way to go…” You hear a cold chuckle coming from the darkness. 

“But I still wished I could have offed her myself!~ I’ve thought of an extra special execution for last. When the Keres grab her, they’ll drag her aaaall the way down to the restroom of that park...you know the one. Where her unfortunate sister, Mayu, died. In the same stall where they found her...the Keres will shovel an entire container of pills down her throat. ‘Untreated trauma from nearly a decade ago.’ The media will eat that up, and no one will be none the wiser…”

—

“And that’s that…you officially listened to my woes and bitching…hm? So am I ready to come with you? Eh? I never said I was going with you!~ I just wanted to vent, didja really think I was complacent enough to go along willingly with a mook like you?” You looked slightly shocked, but deep down had a feeling. Steeling your resolve, your prepare yourself for the fight sure to come…only for something hard to slam down in the back of your head. Your vision goes blurry and you collapse to the floor. You hear a hail of laughter coming from Moros.

“Bwahahahaha!~ Wow, for a detective you sure are stupid! Letting me yammer on and on…not bolting when you had the chance or look for a way to defend yourself…never looking behind you!! Man, you are one hell of a dumbass!~ Pff, don’t worry…” As you blackout, Moros kneels to your prone body and you can see a pair of elated, malice-filled eyes, stared down at you with a smirk. 

“I’ll make sure…it all looks like a tragic accident.”

END

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH18

I commented recently after GoS aired that canon Alya was on her way up, but MDCSPR Alya was on her way down. Consider this the beginning of the end for her for a while. 

Previous     First      Next     AO3

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Chapter 18: You Are In Love

“Good evening, m’lady! You’re looking radiant as ever tonight,” Chat Noir called. His boots clanked against the roof, and he tucked his staff into his belt as he approached the love of his life.

Ladybug stood on the edge, the lights from the city reflecting in her dark hair. Her eyes sparkled when she turned to him, and his heart fluttered. There was no contest—Ladybug was the most beautiful girl in the world, and his heart would always belong to her. She flicked his bell with the playful smile that made him melt.

“When are you going to stop calling me that?” she asked.

“Only when you fall in love with me.” He grinned. “Or if you kiss me.”

She looked up at him through long, fluttery lashes. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

His heart took off into a sprint as Ladybug wrapped her arms around his neck and stretched up on her toes. He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, savoring those few moments of bliss while they lasted. Nothing else mattered—just his lips on hers. The girl of his dreams was kissing him, and he wanted to stay locked in her embrace forever.

“Adrien,” she sighed his name when they pulled away, lingering close.

Her bright blue eyes found his, soft fingertips trailing down his arms. A light breeze blew through the garden, and Marinette smiled up at him.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” she asked.

He answered by leaning in, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. Her lips were soft and warm, and they kissed him back eagerly. Their hearts beat in time together, passionately entwined. There was no one to interrupt them here. The invisible force that drew him to Marinette bound him tightly, and he wasn’t letting go. He didn’t want to.

Marinette was beautiful and kind, and Adrien wanted to stay in the garden with her forever. His Marinette. The girl he’d always protect, no matter how far he fell to do it. He’d never thought about it before, but holding her this close felt right. She felt right. Marinette had seared her name onto his heart the day they met, binding them together forever. They were always meant to be.

“I love you,” he murmured against her lips, “Marinette.”

A clap of thunder boomed, and Adrien shot upright in bed, heart pounding. What once was a small flame now blazed wildly, burning his chest, his cheeks, his head. Marinette. Marinette was…

People don’t sneak off into the garden to kiss their friends, Adrikins.

Adrien touched his lips, still tingling from his dream. It felt so real. He’d kissed Marinette, not Ladybug. It was never Ladybug. From the moment their lips touched, it was always Marinette. The pounding of his heart, the fire burning through his chest, was all from Marinette.

Kicking off the blankets, he stumbled into his bathroom and flicked on the faucet. His cheeks were bright red and hot to the touch. Everything was too hot. He splashed cold water on his face, but the flames were too big to extinguish now. His heart refused to slow the cadence ravaging his veins.

I love you.

Sparks shot up his arms, numbing his fingers. He said it to Marinette. It had all felt so right in his dream. Now his heart had been stirred so violently in the waking world that not even he could control it. He could still feel the pressure of her lips on his, the warmth of her breath on his tongue. It had all felt real…

Outside the storm raged, the downpour beating against the windows too loud for him to make sense of his racing thoughts. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to drown out the noise, but it was no use. His heart and his mind were at war, and Adrien was caught in the crossfire.

Has another lady finally stolen your heart?

He didn’t call her m’lady. When he saw Ladybug that evening, he didn’t call her cute names or tell her she was beautiful. His heart didn’t burn when she called him kitty. Not like it did now. His head was spinning.

He gripped the countertop until his knuckles turned white. The eyes staring back at him in the mirror buzzed with the electricity spreading across every inch of his skin. Lightning flashed, and the sparks vanished. His racing thoughts skidded to a halt, and the air in the room hung still and quiet. Adrien held his breath.

In the silence, his heartbeat echoed in his ears in a deafening chorus, and when the thunder finally came, all of the tension came crashing down, threatening to crush Adrien under the weight. His head had gone quiet, but his heart was loud, beating to a new rhythm. No, not new. It was old and familiar, a song that had been playing the whole time, too quietly for him to notice. Marinette’s rhythm.

He and Marinette hadn’t kissed in the garden, but Adrien wished they did. If Chloe hadn’t interrupted, then he wouldn’t have stopped. He would have kissed her again and again and again. Marinette. His first friend. The girl he’d go to hell for. The girl he couldn’t stop chasing, and now he knew why. She’d stolen his heart and run away, and this time he was going to steal hers back.

♪♫♪ willow ♪♫♪

Marinette skipped down the stairs to the bakery the next morning, lips pursed. News about Gabrielle had spread rapidly, and everyone at school knew now. Macy and Eliott texted Marinette the moment she got home from the party. Gabrielle told her not to worry, that Marinette shouldn’t care about her, and she was right. It wasn’t like they were friends, and after everything Gabrielle had done, Marinette should be happy like everyone else. But she wasn’t.

Maybe she was stupid. Or maybe she just couldn’t help herself. Tikki was right after all—Marinette couldn’t stop helping people.

“Good morning, sweetie,” her mom greeted.

“Morning.” Marinette stooped to kiss her cheek.

“Did you have fun at the movies last night with your new friends?” her dad asked.

“Yeah,” she said unconvincingly, biting her lip.

“Well, it takes time to adjust to a new school, and we’re happy you’ve already made some new friends. They’re welcome here anytime, okay?” Her mom lifted her chin, and Marinette offered her a smile.

“Thanks, Maman. I’ll see you tonight.” Marinette waved over her shoulder.

The sky was still gray from the late-night storm, casting a dreary haze over the city—a true testament to her mood. Droplets dripped from the overhang onto her blazer, and she brushed them off with a sigh.

Everything would be fine. If she tried hard enough, she could introduce Gabrielle to her group, convince her to be nicer to everyone, and they could all be friends. She’d helped Martin, Eliott, and Macy a lot since she met them. She could do the same for Gabrielle.

“Ya know.” She jumped at a familiar voice. “I think I’m starting to like the uniform.” Adrien leaned through the open window of his silver car, dreamy as ever.

“That makes one of us.” A smile curled on her lips.

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.” She gave him a look. “Okay, it’s pretty bad, but if it makes you feel better, I think you look cute in anything.”

She faltered, cheeks burning hotter than the bakery oven. Adrien thought she was cute! He’d almost kissed her. Twice. And now he was calling her cute! Dreams really did come true.

“I- well, it’s not- I mean, I’m not nearly as cute as you,” she stammered.

Nailed it.

“True, I am the cutest teen in Paris. At least, that’s what all the tabloids say.” He flashed her his best model smolder. “But if you look as cute as you did last night all the time, you might just give me a run for my money.”

He noticed! Chloe sat between them on the ride home and refused to let him walk her in, so Marinette worried that he didn’t get to see how cute she looked. Lisette needed to teach her how to work that kind of magic all the time.

“Well, after Chloe hosed us down, I had a little help getting cleaned up,” she said.

Adrien’s bodyguard cleared his throat from the driver’s seat, and Adrien flashed her an apologetic wince.

“Guess it’s time to go. I’ve got a full schedule this week, so I wanted to see you at least a little bit,” he said. “Let’s hang out when I’m free again.”

“Yeah, of course,” she said, and Adrien smiled.

“See you later, Marinette.”

“Yeah, see you.”

♪♫♪ Ain’t It Fun ♪♫♪

Things were as bad as Marinette expected at school. Everyone was elated about Gabrielle, and Marinette’s friends were no exception.

“I can’t believe she’s really broke. What did her face look like when everyone at the party found out?” Macy chattered before class.

“Yeah, how did you get invited to Lisette’s party, Marinette?” Eliott asked.

Marinette squirmed in her seat. “I-” She flicked her gaze over to Gabrielle, sitting in the back of the room. “I went with some old friends.”

“Oh! Chloe, right? I heard she helped Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat an akuma as Queen Bee again. It must be so awesome being friends with a superhero!” Macy said, and Marinette didn’t have the energy to correct her. “But more importantly, word on the street is you and Adrien came in soaking wet from the garden. Wanna explain yourself?”

Marinette’s heart skipped. She’d been hoping the Gabrielle news would be enough to distract people from that detail. Remembering the warmth of his breath so close to her lips sent her mind into a tizzy. Then there was this morning…

“We went for a walk in the garden, and the sprinklers turned on,” Marinette said as if it were no big deal, even though it was probably the biggest deal of her life.

“Then why is your face so red, hmm?” Eliott smirked.

“I- we- nothing happened!” Marinette insisted, but when her friends seem unconvinced, she diverted their attention. “Want to hear something horrific that happened? After I got cleaned up from the sprinkler-incident, I ran into Thomas, and he kind of hit on me.”

“Ugh!”

“Gross!” Macy and Eliott both recoiled.

“He is such a scuzzbag. Please tell me you told him off.” Macy groaned.

“Well, I started to, but then Gabrielle interrupted, and they started arguing, then Thomas told everyone Gabrielle’s secret, and yeah,” Marinette said.

“Serves her right. If Thomas wasn’t just as awful, I’d commend him for taking interest in you. You’re definitely a step up from Gabrielle,” Eliott said.

“I dunno… Don’t you guys feel at least a little bad for her?” Marinette winced, and Eliott and Macy looked at her like she’d grown a second head.

“Absolutely not. It’s going to be a lot quieter around here without her bossing everyone around,” Macy said.

“Yeah, she got what was coming to her.” Eliott agreed.

“Well, she was terrible and mean, but maybe if we showed her a little kindness, she could change,” Marinette said. When Macy and Eliott stared at her again, she faced forward with a sigh. “Never mind.”

“Look, Marinette, we love you, and it’s super sweet that you want to help everyone. Seriously, you’re an angel, but Gabrielle is a demon. She’s run this school ever since she set foot in it, and now her kingdom has crumbled. Those of us who have been enslaved by her tyranny are enjoying our newfound freedom,” Eliott said. “I mean, if that mean girl who stole all of your friends from your old school got exposed tomorrow, wouldn’t you be happy?”

He had a point. If it were Lila, Marinette would be over the moon. She couldn’t blame them for celebrating, and even though Gabrielle tormented everyone for the past three years, Marinette couldn’t help feeling like she wasn’t all bad.

If she had learned anything since leaving her old school, it was that people could change. People she thought were trustworthy could become strangers overnight, and people she never thought possible could become her most trusted allies. But maybe they were right. Maybe Gabrielle was a lost cause, and Marinette should just let her go. Things would be easier that way.

“Yeah, I guess…” Marinette mumbled as Mr. Mercier called for everyone to find their seats.

Marinette didn’t bring Gabrielle up again for the rest of the day. Her friends weren’t going to forgive her any time soon, and truthfully, she shouldn’t have expected them to. Gabrielle Burton was their Chloe Bourgeois wrapped in Lila Rossi. The reigning queen of their nightmares was now reduced to a powerless shell of her former glory, and peace had been restored to the kingdom at last. If someone told Ladybug on her first day that she would willingly give Chloe Bourgeois a Miraculous to fight beside her, she would have thought they were crazy. Healing would take time, but just because they weren’t ready to forgive, didn’t mean Marinette couldn’t help on her own.

Gabrielle was by her locker at the end of the day, having waited until everyone left to change into her work apron. She bristled when Marinette approached.

“What do you want?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Marinette said. “Everyone else was so mean to you, and I just thought after everything that you could use a friend.”

“Of course they were mean. In case you’ve forgotten, I haven’t exactly been nice to them in the past either.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “I told you, I’ll be fine. Don’t risk your reputation for me.”

“You did.” Marinette nodded. “But there’s no one around now.”

Gabrielle eyed her, perplexed. “Why do you care so much?”

It was a question Marinette had been asking herself all day, and looking at Gabrielle now, she finally knew the answer.

“When I left my old school, I was afraid I’d lost all of my friends, and I felt so empty inside,” she said. “But then I met my new friends, and I knew that everything would be okay. They helped me find my footing when I felt like my world was crumbling, so I want to be that for you.”

“You’re stubborn, Marinette. I’ll give you that.” Gabrielle leaned against her locker with a smile. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Do you want to take the subway together?” Marinette offered.

“Fine.” Gabrielle shut her locker, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

She averted her gaze as they walked, cheeks pink, but a small smile tugged the corners of her lips. Gabrielle may have a complicated past, but maybe with the right influence, she could learn to be nice after all. Sometimes all a person needed was the right friend and to know that they weren’t alone.

♪♫♪ crushcrushcrush ♪♫♪

Alya descended the stairs to the courtyard slowly, her stomach churning in knots. When Malin showed up, Alya thought Ladybug picked new allies for all of the Miraculouses. After all, she and Nino knew each other’s identities, and everyone knew Chloe’s identity. So why did Queen Bee get to fight by Ladybug’s side again? What had Alya done to deserve being replaced that Chloe hadn’t? None of it made any sense.

Lila and Ladybug had never met before, and truthfully, I don’t think they really even like each other.

Was it all because of Lila? If Adrien and Marinette’s stories were true, then Ladybug would know if she was a liar. Had Alya ruined her chances of wearing a Miraculous by aligning herself with Lila? It was the only thing that made sense, but Alya couldn’t bring herself to believe it. She needed answers.

Alya vaguely remembered Adrien’s fencing schedule from helping Marinette with her hopeless confession schemes. She almost missed those days. Things were a lot simpler back then. If she remembered correctly, Adrien should have been finishing his private lessons, which would put him in the locker room.

Alya hurried to the double doors across the courtyard. At first she thought she’d missed him, but voices mumbled several rows down. Alya crept in quietly to get a better listen.

“Are you sure these questions will get her to spill the tea?” Chloe.

“Yeah, all we have to do is get her to agree to it,” Adrien said.

What were they up to? Sure, everyone knew that Chloe and Adrien were friends since childhood, but on most days ‘friends’ was a generous exaggeration. As far as Alya knew, Adrien could hardly stand Chloe, so why were they talking now? Ducking behind the next row up from theirs, Alya held her breath and listened.

“Lila isn’t going to know what hit her after our interview with Ladybug goes live. She is so done for,” Chloe said darkly.

“I’m not doing this to ruin Lila’s reputation-”

“I know, I know.” Chloe groaned. “I can’t believe you’re going through all this effort to trick a superhero into exposing Lila for Little Miss Nobody.”

What?

“Her name is Marinette, and I know you miss her too, Chloe,” Adrien said.

“Ugh, don’t tell me you’ve actually got feelings for her—I might barf. It’s bad enough I had to chase you two out of the garden last night,” Chloe groaned. “Let’s just get rid of Lila, then you can go play the hero for Dupain-Cheng, and I can get back to being the reigning queen at this school.”

“We’ll try to signal Ladybug tomorrow afternoon. After that, no one will ever trust Lila again,” Adrien said.

“You and I make such a good team, Adrikins. We should ruin lives together more often,” Chloe said.

“I don’t plan to make a habit of it.”

The locker door slammed, and Alya scrambled to the end of the row, diving behind a cart of basketballs. Her heart hammered, blood pounding in her ears. She waited until the courtyard doors shut and the room fell quiet to move.

Chloe and Adrien were working together to get back at Lila for Marinette! She’d been right not to trust him. All this time she thought Adrien was a good guy, but she should have known better. No nice person could be friends with Chloe Bourgeois for so long. Ugh, that girl made Alya so sick! How could anyone be that cruel? And Ladybug actually trusted her over Rena Rouge? After everything Alya had done to prove herself. Chloe was the most selfish, bratty, conniving person Alya had ever met! Why did Ladybug ever trust her? Unless…

Unless she didn’t.

What if Chloe was manipulating Ladybug too? She said they were going to trick her into exposing Lila, so what if she tricked her into giving her back her Miraculous? Chloe was very good at getting what she wanted, and it wasn’t beneath her to ruin someone’s life just for stealing attention away from her. But why would Adrien and Marinette help her?

Alya’s head was spinning. What was the truth? Was all of this a long con set up by Marinette, and Adrien and Chloe were just the pawns? Why would she do that? None of it made sense. Why did they all hate Lila so much?

One thing was for sure: she needed to warn Ladybug about that interview. If Chloe was manipulating her, then Alya needed to put a stop to it. Maybe then she could prove to Ladybug that she was still worthy of being a hero. But she needed to hurry.

Her fingers dialed quickly, and Lila answered on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, I just overheard Adrien and Chloe talking. We don’t have a lot of time. We need to call Ladybug. Now.”

[p-artsypants]

Longest Night (50) Celebrating

Here we go! The last chapter! And it’s a doozy! 

I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I grew up calling all of my parents friend’s ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’. Some of them I still do. Which was really fun when I dated a family friend and kept calling his mom ‘Aunt Julie’. We are not related. Fun times!

Also, there’s some nicknames in this chapter. “Peepums” is Tom. “Nonnie Cheng” is Sabine. And “Nonna Gina” is Tom’s mom. You know how grandparents all have their weird nicknames. 

Ao3 | FF.net

20 years later

—

When Marinette awoke that morning, she was alone in bed. It wasn’t that odd. Adrien had always been an early riser, but this was a different reason than just that. 

But she didn’t worry. It was best just to leave things the way they were. 

Dressing in a robe, she went downstairs to start making breakfast. The kids were old enough to get ready on their own now, and as long as they were down before 7, she didn’t bug them. 

The first into the kitchen was the youngest, Emma. A complete girly-girl and lover of all things pink and fashionable. Even at 12, she had her own sophisticated sense of style (party cultivated by her grandfather). She danced in her pink dress and adorable white flats. “What do you think, mama? Perfect for career day? Do I look like a professional?” 

“Of course you do, sweetheart.” 

She beamed. “Where’s papa?” 

“Oh, uh, I’m not sure. He couldn’t sleep last night, so he went for patrol. He hasn’t been back yet.” 

Emma frowned hard. “He’ll be there for career day though, right?” 

“He wouldn’t miss it for the world! But Peepums and Grandfather Gabriel are going to be there too.” 

“Is Peepums bringing treats?” 

“I would assume so. He never passes up a chance to bring snacks. Now, I’m making crepes, you want one or two?” 

“Just one, mama.” 

“Alright.” 

The next down the stairs was the oldest (by two minutes) Hugo. “Morning mama,” he smiled brightly. 

“There’s my birthday boy! Feel any older?” 

“No, but I feel wiser!” He joked, as he jumped on the stool by the counter. 

“Where’s Louis?” 

“Stuck in the toilet.” 

“And you mean that figuratively, right?”

He shrugged. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Crepes, blueberry, your favorite.” 

“Yes! I want five!” 

“You can have three, I don’t want you to get a tummy ache before school.” 

“Lame! Bring on the crepes!” He pounded his fists on the counter. 

“Three, and then if you aren’t stuffed, I’ll consider more.” 

Then came the unmistakable sound of a body slowly falling down the stairs, before a dark haired teen crawled across the floor and collapsed next to his mother’s legs. 

“Ah, Birthday boy part 2. Welcome to the land of the living!” 

“It should be a crime to have to wake up early on your birthday.” Said the boy, face flat against the ground.

“You truly are my child,” said Marinette with a smile. 

“Where’s pops?” Asked Hugo, digging into his second crepe. 

“Out on patrol.” 

This caused Louis to stir and look up. “Did something happen?”

“No, he just couldn’t sleep.” 

Hugo frowned. “Nightmares again? He’s been having those a lot lately.” 

“Yeah. I’m not sure why he’s having them. But you kids don’t need to worry about it.” 

“Are we still okay for our party tomorrow?” 

“Of course!” Marinette beamed. “Even if papa wasn’t feeling great, we’d still have it! Aunt Chloe reserved the rooftop pool for you, after all.”

“…I’m so excited,” said the child on the floor, with no enthusiasm. “You just can’t tell right now.”

“Well, you’re not going to get any rest on the floor. Sit in your seat and eat your crepe. I’ll make a little coffee.” 

“…yay…” 

—

Emma bounced nervously in her seat. She was flanked by Tom and Gabriel, who had both already presented for career day. 

The day was almost over, and her father hadn’t shown. 

“It’s okay, my little cupcake.” Tom assured, petting her blonde hair. “He’ll be here.” 

“And if he doesn’t make it,” added Gabriel, “It wasn’t because he didn’t want to. He’s probably out there stopping a criminal, saving lives. I know you’re the most important thing in the world to him.” 

Emma nodded, believing both of her grandfathers, but also not wanting to be one without a dad on career day. 

Through the years, Emma had gotten used to her father’s unpredictable behavior. He loved her to the end of the world and back, and would move mountains for her if he could. And most days, it really really showed. 

But some days, he just wasn’t…there. Emotionally, spiritually, or like today, physically. Her mother had similar episodes, but mostly in mood swings. She got angry sometimes, seemingly over nothing. Never directed at Emma or her brothers, thankfully, but Emma knew that there was something different about her parents. 

She knew the story. She had been told pieces of it growing up, but never allowed to watch the footage. Mama and Papa had been kidnapped and tortured, because they were superheroes, and they were never the same after. The details were vague, and she was told it would be too scary for her to handle every time she asked. But she saw the scars, heard her father’s screams at night. 

Most days, she didn’t want to know.

“Alright! I think that’s everyone!” Miss Bustier called. “Thank you all for participating in our career day! It’s awesome that we have such a wide range of jobs just in this very room!” 

Emma deflated. Her father really wasn’t coming. 

Tom laid a giant hand on her head and rubbed. 

But then, there was a knock at the window. 

“Chat Noir?” Miss Bustier asked. 

The man in black waved as she opened the window. 

“So so sorry I’m late!” He apologized, hopping into the room. “I caught a robber, and I walked him down to the police station and we had to do all this paperwork—“ 

“Papa!” Emma shouted, leaping over her desk. She ran to him, and threw her arms around him in a crushing hug. “You made it!”

“Just in time it seems,” he laughed, hugging her back. “I’m sorry I’m late. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course! Come on, it’s your turn to present!” She took his hand and led him up to the front of the room. “Everyone, this is my dad, Chat Noir! He’s a superhero!” 

—

The next day was Saturday, and Marinette was full of stress up to her neck. She paced poolside, as her family helped set up for the party. 

“Alright, Nino’s on music, Alya’s on Emma duty, Chloe covered catering, mom and dad have the cake, Gabriel and Emilie have decorations…what am I missing?”

“My Lady, you’ve gone over this list a hundred times. We’re fine.” 

“Drinks! I forgot the drinks!” 

Adrien pointed over at the bar. “Luka and Kagami are on drinks, remember? Luka’s making his mimosas for the adults.”

“Oh, right.” Then she pointed at him. “No alcohol, alright? Not with your medication.” 

“Oh come on, these are Luka’s mimosas! I’m gonna get krunk!” 

“Dad’s gonna get krunk?” Asked Hugo, from the pool. 

“No one is getting krunk!” Marinette poked Adrien in the chest. “Look what you started!” 

“I’m only teasing.” Adrien laughed, taking his wife’s hand. “Relax My Lady, it’s a party, a sweet 16 party! Everyone’s here to have fun. And they will as long as we relax.” 

Marinette got close, whispering conspiratorially, “that’s just the thing! Do you remember our sweet sixteen parties?” 

“Well...I didn’t have a party,” Adrien shrugged. “You, Alya, and Nino helped me escape the house and we went to the movies.” 

“Yeah, and they spent the whole time making out, so you and I just sat there awkwardly.” 

“I think I put my arm around you,” he grinned. “My very good friend.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“And your sixteenth...was that the year that Lila told everyone it was on a different day?” 

“And you were the only one who called to confirm it was on the original day, and so you were the only one that showed? Yep, that’s the one. I cried on you for 15 minutes when I realized no one else was coming.” 

“I mean, yeah, that sucked, but we still had fun with your family.” 

“My point is, this is Hugo and Louis’ sixteenth birthday. I want them to have a good one, to have what we couldn’t have.” 

“You have their gifts in your purse, right?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Then I wouldn’t worry about it. Their friends and family are coming, everything looks good, so just relax.” 

Marinette took a deep sigh. “You’re right, my love. Whatever happens, happens, and we’ve done all we can.” 

“The party will be fine, Mom.” Said Louis from a lounge chair. 

“Ah! Louis? Why aren’t you in the pool?” 

“I’m perfectly content just relaxing here. I’ll get hot soon enough and go in the pool.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Adrien wrapped an arm around his wife. “Marinette, let him alone. He’s fine. You know he’s our introvert.” 

“Mama! Papa!” Emma called, running towards them from the hotel elevator. “Look at the swimsuit grandfather Gabriel got me!” She twirled, letting the shimmery, glittery greens, teals, and purples swirl in a kaleidoscope of color. “I look like a mermaid!” 

“You sure do, Princess!” Adrien beamed. 

Emma squealed in delight before running back to Alya. 

“See? All of our kids are enjoying themselves. The guests are slowly trickling in...” he gestured to the elevator where more classmates with gifts arrived. “And no catastrophes yet.” 

“Fine fine, Kitty, I get it. I’ll have a mimosa and lighten up.” 

“Have one for me too!” He called after, as she headed to the bar. 

Soon, the guests arrived. Hugo and Louis had invited their entire class of 18 kids. Some parents stayed to help with chaperoning, and some even brought younger siblings that were friends with Emma. 

It was turning out to be a real shin-dig. 

So far, Marinette felt at ease. The four parents that had stayed were mostly just hanging out at the bar, but the kids were in the pool, and no one was drowning. 

Louis still reclined on the lounger, sunning himself. 

“You're still doing okay over here, kiddo?” 

“Mom, I’m doing so okay. So okay, it’s ridiculous. Nonna Gina brought me over a virgin mimosa, cause everyone’s talking about them. I feel like I’m on vacation.” 

“As long as you’re content, I’m happy. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t feeling left out.” 

“Nah,” he waved her off. “I will go swimming, but I’m going to wait until after eating.” 

“Okay, kiddo.” 

Seeing Hugo happily enthralled in a cannonball contest, and Louis sunning himself like a cat, she decided to check in with her youngest. Though she saw Alya at the bar talking to Kagami, and Emma nowhere in sight. 

This used to make her panic immediately. None of her kids were especially hyper or rambunctious. They didn’t run off on their own, especially without letting her know. 

But there was still a fear, still a niggling doubt in the back of her head that said ‘what if’? 

As calm as possible, she approached the adults at the bar, and asked Alya. “Have you seen Emma?”

“She ran down to the lobby to use the bathroom,” Alya answered casually. 

“Alone?”

“Yeah, Marinette, she’s 12. She can handle going to the bathroom alone.” It was a reassurance, no judgement. Because sometimes, Adrien and Marinette needed a reminder that their children were well adjusted and had plenty of common sense.

Marinette knew that. And it wasn’t the bathroom part she was concerned about. It was the trip down to the lobby by herself. 

She heard a father speak softly, “for superheroes, they are certainly overprotective of their kids. Kind of feel sorry for them.” 

Marinette nodded at Alya, and retreated sheepishly. Was her paranoia ruining her children’s lives? 

“What’s with that look, My Lady?” Adrien asked, softly, sipping on his drink. 

“Sorry, sorry, I just…overheard something I shouldn’t dwell on.” She looked at the drink in his hands, narrowing her eyes. 

“It’s virgin!” He handed it to her. “I promised I was going to quit. Getting plastered at our kid’s birthday would be the worst time for them to find out I have a problem.” 

“It’s not a problem yet, but that’s why I want you to stop. So it doesn’t become one.”

“Hey! Let go Isaac!” Louis’ voice carried over the water. Instantly, Marinette and Adrien were alert and looked to see a larger boy pulling Louis toward the pool by the arm. 

“Hey!” Marinette called out. “Let him go! If he doesn’t want to go swimming, don’t force him!” 

“Oh come on, Lady!” The father from the bar shouted over to her. “What’s the point in having a pool party for your boys if they aren’t even going to go swimming!?”

SPLASH

Louis surfaced with a gasp, and then a defeated “aw man!” 

“Are you okay kiddo?” Marinette asked. “You didn’t have your phone on you, right?”

“No, I’m fine.” He took off his soaked shirt and dropped it on the edge of the pool with a loud plop. “Just…didn’t want to get wet yet.” 

“Dude, come on Isaac, don’t be such a turd!” Hugo chastised. 

“He looked lonely!” Isaac argued. 

“Whatever,” Louis said, defeated. “Just…don’t dunk me, okay?” 

“No promises!”

Adrien frowned at the exchange as Louis swam over closer to his brother. “Isaac, Isaac, why is that name familiar? Is that the kid that’s been picking on Louis? Why is he here?” 

“Oh,” Marinette smacked her head. “That’s what they were asking about!” 

“What? Who?” 

“A few weeks ago, the boys were asking me questions about what to do about a classmate people don’t get along with. They asked if they should include them in the party if they were inviting the rest of the class. I told them that would be the right thing to do, but I didn’t realize they were talking about Louis’ bully!” She groaned. “And it looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” She glared at Isaac’s dad at the bar. 

Adrien smiled over at the pool. Both Hugo and Louis were laughing and seemed to be having a good time. It seemed Louis was already over his impromptu dunking. “Our kids are resilient. It’ll take more than that to bring them down.” 

“They are strong.” Marinette breathed. “Stronger than me.” 

It was then that Emma returned. “Hi mama, I’m back. Aunt Alya said I should check in with you because you were worried? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going.” 

Marinette smiled at her. “It’s fine Emma. You told Aunt Alya, so someone knew. You just know I’m a basket case.” 

Emma frowned at her mom. “You’re not a basket case. You’re just...worried?” 

“Does that bother you? Do I make you feel trapped or smothered?” 

Adrien stared at his wife in horror. Likewise, so did Emma. “No! Not at all!” She hugged her around the waist and added, “Nonnie Cheng worries about where I am too. She says it’s because you went missing, and it’s scared her ever since. I don’t want to scare you, mom.” 

Marinette hugged Emma tightly and said, “I have the best kids in the world.” 

“In that case,” Emma grinned. “Can I have some soda?” 

“Sure, just tell Aunt Kagami what you want.”

“Thanks mom!” She beamed and scurried off. 

“And no running!” Marinette called after. “Girl’s got my clumsy streak. She’ll break her neck.” 

“Crisis averted it seems.” Said Adrien. 

“For now,” Marinette narrowed her eyes. “But Ladybug never rests!” 

Adrien pecked his wife on the lips. “Someone has to be responsible.” 

“Hey pops!” Hugo called from the pool. 

“What’s up?” 

“We’re going to do a diving contest! You should join!” 

“Yeah!” 

“Come on Mr. Dupain-Cheng!” 

“Show us some Chat Noir style!” 

Marinette nudged him. “Go ahead. Show those kids how it’s done.” 

He smirked. “Okay okay.” He took off his shirt and laid it on the lounger by their bags. Then he entered the pool from the shallow end, coming up behind the kids. “How does this diving contest work?” 

“It’s easy!” Said Hugo, “we’re going to take turns coming up with unique ways to jump in the pool. Winner is the best technique, or most creative.”

“I got one!” Said a chubby kid. He climbed out of the pool and up on the diving board. 

“Make room!” Someone called. “Cannon ball champion on the loose!” 

“This is called ‘The Patrick Star’!” He bounced twice, getting real air before leaping out, parallel with the water, arms and legs spread out like a starfish. 

And he collided with the water with a resounding clap, making everyone go, ‘ooo!’ 

The kid surfaced, his entire frontside pink. “Ow.” 

The rest of the class laughed at him. 

One by one, classmates would come up with a dive, though most were a lot more elegant than the first. 

“I call this, ‘The Ladybug’.” A girl said. She ran and jumped, twisting in the air while throwing her arm, mimicking Ladybug’s yo-yo. She managed to say “bug out!” Before she hit the water. Marinette whistled. “She’s got my vote!” 

“Come on, Pops,” said Hugo. “It’s your turn!” 

“I don’t have a—“ 

“Just make something up! Go go!” 

Adrien pulled himself out of the pool and headed toward the diving board, aware of the people watching, curious. 

This was his twin boys’ special day. He had to be impressive. He had to be the cool dad. 

He took a running start, falling into a front flip as he hit the diving board. His adult weight bowed the board with force, sending him up into the air. He curled tightly into a ball, using the momentum to rotate three times, before coming out of the ball and diving seamlessly into the water. 

When he surfaced, the crowd of kids were going wild. They screamed and chanted “Dad! Dad! Dad!” 

Obviously started by his boys. 

Adrien beamed as he treaded water. Being Chat Noir was great, even with all the pain it had brought him. But being his kid’s hero was the absolute best. 

But everything came to a screeching halt as Isaac, the butthole kid, let out a loud, “EWWW!!” Grabbing everyone’s attention. “What’s wrong with your dad’s back!? It’s all gross!”

Adrien slammed his eyes shut, all at once feeling self-conscious. But this was just a dumb teenager. Maybe he didn’t know any better. But before he could gather himself to calmly explain his scars, his boys spoke up for him. 

“It’s scarring, you jerk,” said Louis. 

“He got it from being a superhero, when he was just two years older than we are!” Added Hugo. 

Isaac scoffed, “Chat Noir and Ladybug aren’t real superheroes! Not like the ones in America! All they do is rescue cats from trees and show up for charity events. They don’t even do anything anymore!”

Adrien sloppily backtracked, reaching out for the edge of the pool. 

“Just yesterday, he caught a robber! That’s not nothing!” Hugo defended. 

“Oh yeah?” Said Isaac, “My dad said that they used to fight supervillains, but they couldn’t stop the guy responsible for them! He said they’re losers and failures!” 

“Hey Jean,” said one of the parents. “Tell your kid to shut up.” 

Isaac’s father took a chug from his beer and shrugged. “Someone had to say it.” 

“Monsieur,” said Ladybug with god-like patience. “I suggest you and your son leave. I don’t feel the need to play host to someone who could be so hateful and misinformed.” 

“Misinformed?” The man, Jean, scoffed. “I was there. I saw the stream back then. I remember what it was like. The weekly akumas, classes and events always cancelled. The only reason they stopped is because Hawkmoth gave up. I don’t think you guys should be getting recognition anymore. Sorry, not sorry.” 

“Mom?” Louis called from the pool.

Jean frowned, continuing. “The rest of us have to make a living working hard, every day. You and your husband just put on some skin tight leather and prance around. Now you’re set for life. It’s disgusting.” 

“Hey man, if you don’t like it, you can leave,” said Alya. “No one invited you. I heard your son was only invited out of obligation.” 

“Mom!” Louis called again. 

“Marinette and Adrien suffered enough for a lifetime. Every day is a struggle! How dare you say otherwise!” 

“MOM!” Louis screamed. 

Marinette whipped her head over to the pool, seeing Adrien struggling to keep his head above water. Louis and Hugo were holding him up. She hurried over. “What happened? What’s wrong?” 

“He’s having an attack!” 

Tom rushed over, reaching his hands under Adrien’s arms, and pulled him out of the pool. He tried to set him on his feet, but he kept leaning forward, trying to lay down. His eyes were wide, but unfocused, as his breaths came rapidly. 

Marinette tugged on his arm. “Come on, Kitty. Not here.” She called over to Chloe. “Is there a room we can borrow for a second?”

“Follow me!” 

Louis broke off from the group, but Hugo and Marinette were quick to escort Adrien away from the party. 

“Mom?” Emma asked, right as they were about to get on the elevator. 

“It’s okay, Honey. Dad just needs a minute. Stay behind with Aunt Alya, okay?”

Emma nodded, though didn’t look convinced. 

Chloe showed them to her room, where she quickly got a towel for Adrien to wrap up in. 

Hugo and Marinette eased him down to sit on the couch. There, he slumped, his head resting on the back of the couch. 

Louis found their room, cup in hand. “I brought a coke. I know that usually helps.” 

Marinette sighed in relief. “Thank you baby,” she took the cup from him and put it in Adrien’s hand, then helped him take a sip. 

They sat for a while, watching Adrien breathe slowly and take occasional sips from his drink.

“I’m so sorry boys,” Marinette looked to them sadly. “We didn’t mean to ruin your birthday.”

Hugo frowned at her. “What? You guys didn’t ruin anything. Isaac’s the one that pooped on our party.”

“Yeah,” added Louis, “and we were having a great time up until now. Don’t worry about it mom.” 

Adrien very shakily brought the cup towards his face, and Marinette was quick to help, so he didn’t spill. “Dad’s going to be fine,” she explained. “Why don’t you boys get back to the party?” 

“If it’s okay, I’d like to wait until dad feels a little better. I’d feel guilty if I left,” said Louis.

“Me too,” said Hugo. “And I need a few minutes to calm down to keep from punching Isaac in the face. What he said was dumb. He has no idea what you guys do.” 

“…it shouldn’t have bothered me…” Adrien said, softly. 

“Dad?” 

“I’m okay,” he took a deep exhale. “Just…lost myself for a moment.” 

Hugo hugged him tightly around the shoulders. “Love you, dad. Don’t worry about it.” 

“I’m sorry for scaring you boys…and your friends. But I’ll be alright now.” 

“You recovered pretty quickly,” Marinette noted. 

“It’s because I have my big strong boys with me.” He wrapped his arms around his sons. “There was nothing to worry about.” 

Except, there was. 

Alya burst into the room, Chloe behind her, with a look of panic. 

“Marinette, come quickly!” 

“What? What’s wrong?” 

“It’s Emma! She’s been akumatized!!” 

—

As Emma watched her father be rushed out of the party, a stone fell into her gut. No matter how often this happened, no matter how good they got at catching the attacks, it still scared her when it happened. 

She was torn between wanting to be with him, and not wanting to see that vacant expression on his face. Her mother said it was a coping mechanism he developed a long time ago, when they had been kidnapped. He just switched his brain off when he got overwhelmed, as to not experience pain. It only happened a few times a year, only in super stressful situations where he thought about his torture. 

Emma wiped at her face as she looked over the party. Alya was chastising the adult man that had talked bad about her father, and Hugo and Louis’ friends were ripping into the kid that started the whole mess. 

Everyone was angry and yelling. 

“Emma?” Gabriel asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright, dear?” 

“Oh, Grandfather…” She sniffed. “I’m just…scared.” 

“Your father will be alright. It’s nothing physical, it’s just a mental state.” 

“I know…” She screwed up her lips. “But I’m scared people are going to keep saying that stuff to him. Mom acts like I’m too young to understand what’s happening…but people are forgetting that they are real superheroes, and they act like they’re mascots. I’m scared this is going to happen again.” She rubbed at her damp eyes. “He doesn’t deserve it. Neither of them do.” 

“You really love your parents, don’t you?” 

“Of course! They’re the best!”

“Then, I have a plan. Would you be willing to help?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“Come with me, we’ll speak in private.” 

Curious, Emma followed Gabriel into the hotel, down to a conference room. He locked the door behind them. 

“You remember our little secret?” 

“That I know you were Hawkmoth?” 

“Yes. My plan requires me to come out of retirement, just this once…and to akumatize you.” 

She looked startled. “You want to turn me into a supervillain?”

“Only if you agree to it, dear.” He pet her hair. “My goal is to make you a supervillain, so you can terrorize Paris and remind them of what Ladybug and Chat Noir used to do. I’ll be able to see through your eyes, so I can stop and undo any damage if something goes wrong.” 

Emma crossed her arms. “You’d make mom and dad fight me?”

“Not fight you, rescue you.”

She frowned again, thinking about it. Then she nodded. “Let’s do it!” 

Gabriel smiled at her, and opened his sports jacket, where Nooroo was hiding. “Nooroo, Dark Wings rise!” 

In a flash of purple light, Hawkmoth had returned. Inside his cane, a little white butterfly fluttered. 

Emma danced on her toes. “What kind of powers are you going to give me? I want to be pretty!” 

He chuckled at her eagerness. “Of course, my sweet Emma.” He evilized the butterfly, and then coaxed it into the paw print bracelet she was wearing. 

A purple mask appeared on her face.

“Mermaidia, I’m giving you the power of the seas. You may travel through any body of water, and turn those that oppose you into sea creatures. In exchange, you must give Chat Noir and Ladybug a taste of nostalgia. Do you accept these terms?” 

“Absolutely, Hawkmoth.” 

The dark purple fog encompassed Emma, turning the sweet blonde girl into a real mermaid, with purple hair, shimmering scales, and an abundance of glittering gold and jewels. In her hand, she held a trident. 

Hawkmoth took a bottle of water from the table, and poured it on the floor. 

Mermaidia stepped into the puddle, and disappeared. 

—

“Regardless if you feel like you’re right, it’s still your opinion. And an opinion doesn’t give you the right to be an asshole, especially to people who are hosting this party!” Shouted Alya. 

The rest of the parents were quietly watching the exchange, not really wanting to get involved. But they were also paying attention to a similar argument in the pool. 

“You are a grown adult and a parent. It’s your job to teach your kid respect and kindness, two qualities I haven’t seen from him today.” 

“Look lady, I know you’re friends with the Dupain-Cheng’s and all, but come on. It doesn’t bother you that they don’t work at all? What’s the point of them calling themselves superheroes anyway? They should just hang up the suits and get real jobs.” 

“They. Can’t.” Alya emphasized. “Did you not just see what happened to Adrien? What if he was working and he had an attack? What then, smart guy?”

“He won’t have attacks if he was doing something with his life!” 

“They are full time parents, and full time heroes! They do more than just ‘rescue cats and make celebrity appearances at charity events’! How can you be so ignorant?!”

“What did you call me!?” 

Screams came from the pool, and the argument halted. 

Mermaidia had made her appearance. 

“I am Mermaidia! You all have grown too soft and comfortable! I’m here to remind you what it was like back when there were akuma!” She laughed, pointed her trident, and turned a child into a fish. 

The party descended into madness, as Mermaidia shot rapidly. None of the teens in the pool escaped, and all turned into various fish and sea creatures. 

Isaac turned into a starfish, and Emma stuck him to her arm. “You’re coming with me. I want you to see how wrong you were.” 

Several adults had tried to escape as well, but Mermaidia stopped them in their run. 

Only those who knew the identity of Hawkmoth, or were previous Miraculous users didn’t panic. Rather, they stood staring, confused. Alya backed away carefully, and escaped into the hotel. Whether Emma purposely let her go or not, she would never know.

“Emma?” Asked Sabine. 

“I’m not Emma anymore, I’m Mermaidia!” She turned Isaac’s father into another starfish, and stuck him on her other arm. “You mocked my parents, but now, they’re the only ones that can save you! Ahahaha!” 

“Emma, stop.” Tom demanded. “You’re a good girl. We can’t let what people say get to us. People will always have their opinions that we disagree with, but we can’t take it personally.” 

“But I can take this personally!” She shouted back. “My father is the greatest man alive, and no one will doubt that when I’m through! Just you see!” 

She turned the rest of the assembled party goers into creatures, before leaping into the pool and disappearing.

—

Ladybug, Chat Noir, Alya, Chloe, Louis, and Hugo all returned to the party, only to find a bunch of fish. 

“What the…?” 

“She’s called Mermaidia,” Alya clarified. “She’s turned everyone into sea creatures. She appeared from the water, so I think she can transport through liquid.”

“She totally can, dude,” said a sea turtle from the pool. 

“Nino?” Asked Chat Noir. 

“Cha dude, what do you think? Pretty fitting for me, huh?” 

“Are you okay?”

“Totally. All the little dudes are too.” He gestured to the fish in the pool. 

“Emma turned the kid and his dad who started the argument into starfish.” Said a sea-snake. “They’re on her arms. So be careful when you attack.”

“Luka?”

“Yep.”  

“Where’s my mom and dad?” 

“Over here!” Called a walrus. There was a crab next to him, waving a claw. “We’re fine, honey. Just save Emma!” 

“Next question,” Said Ladybug, wielding her yo-yo angrily. “Where’s Gabriel?”

Chat Noir rested a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s focus on saving Emma, and then we’ll find him.” 

She sighed. “You’re right, as always, kitty. However, I think we might need some help with this akuma.” She opened her yo-yo and reached inside, pulling out two octagonal boxes. Then she turned to Hugo and Louis. “I hoped to give you your presents later, and hoped you wouldn’t ever have to use them. But desperate times come desperate measures.” 

Hugo and Louis smiled at each other, with excitement. 

“Louis, my wise, observant, and cunning child, this is the Miraculous of the Snake. With it, you can turn back time an infinite amount of times in a five minute duration. You will use it for the greater good.”

“Sweet.” 

“And Hugo, my brave, bold, and exuberant child, this is the Miraculous of the Turtle. With it, you can create an impenetrable shield. You will use it for the greater good.”

“Yes!” 

“Louis, to transform, simply say ’Sass, Scales Slither.’ And Hugo, your phrase is ‘Wayzz, Shell On’.”

“Sass, Scales Slither!”

“Wayzz, Shell On!” 

A flash of green and teal, and the boys were turned into superheroes. They high fived each other. 

“The Reptile Boyz are back in town!” Hugo cheered. 

“Really? ‘Boyz’ with a ‘Z’?” Chat Noir asked flatly.

“It’s cool, old man!” Said Louis. 

“Alright team, let’s focus,” Ladybug said, a bit too fondly for the situation at hand. She took out her yo-yo, and looked for intel. There was a special report live from Nadja Chamack. 

“—Mermaidia is the first Akuma in 20 years! It was thought that Hawkmoth had retired, but it seems he has one ace left up his sleeve. The akuma was last spotted at the Luxembourg park! Hopefully, Ladybug and Chat Noir are on their way! Again, this is a real akuma, so it is advised to stay indoors and away from water!” 

“She’s at the park! Let’s go!” 

—

This wasn’t nearly as scary as Emma thought it would be. In fact, she was having a lot of fun. Hawkmoth did advise her that she would be influenced by her anger, but that really didn’t seem to bother her. It was really fun to turn people into sea creatures. 

Though, she did feel really guilty when she hit people that were crying in fear. 

But that’s what her parents were here for! To undo all this! It was fine! 

“I am Mermaidia! And Ladybug and Chat Noir are your only chance for salvation!” 

“Now now Emma,” Chat Noir spoke from behind. “Go easy on us. We’re a little wet behind the ears.” 

Emma had to stomp down the urge to run and hug her father, and instead declared. “There you are, Ladybug and Chat Noir! Ready to do battle?” 

Ladybug simply crossed her arms. “If you don’t give up your akuma, you’re grounded.” 

Mermaidia stomped her foot. “You can’t ground me if you can’t catch me!” And she leapt into the fountain. 

“She’s escaping!” Cried Hugo. 

“Quick, fan out! Look for sources of water, and call as soon as you get sight of her!” 

—

This was not Hugo or Louis’ first time using a Miraculous. Every once in a while, Marinette and Adrien would allow the children to pick one out to try, and then they’d have a family game of tag out on the Paris rooftops. The rules were to stay safe, and to not allow the media to take pictures. And at the first sign of danger, they were supposed to go home and let Mom and Dad handle it. 

So the boys were familiar with their powers, but boy, they were not ready for the anxiety of an Akuma attack. 

They may have been older, but Emma was still the reigning champion of tag. 

“Find anything?” Louis asked, crossing his brother. 

“Not a scale,” said Hugo. “Have you activated your Second Chance yet?” 

“No, but I will the second we find her. Then if she escapes, we can just reverse time.” 

“Smart.” Then, Hugo’s eyes caught on something in the river. “Huh?”

“What?”

“How often do you think whales go down the Seine?” 

“Uh…never?” 

“There she is! She’s on top of it!” Hugo activated his distress beacon on his shield, making sure to keep up with Emma, but also stay out of sight. 

“We have to play this carefully. She can literally jump into the water and disappear at any second.” 

“Not if there’s no water to disappear into,” said Chat Noir, appearing from nowhere. 

Hugo resisted a scream. “D-Chat! You’re too sneaky!”

“I’ve been doing this a while, kiddo. Ladybug’s not here yet?” 

“No, what’s the plan?”

“I have half a plan…”

“Then it’s a good thing I have half of one too!” Said Ladybug, finally joining them. “After you sent your signal, I called the French Waterway Commission and had them close the lock she’s on.” 

“What did what the what?” Hugo asked. 

“The river is made up of locks,” explained Louis, “chambers that fill and empty with water so boats can travel. The ground isn’t level, and the water level changes.” 

“So Ladybug basically had them dam up the section Emma’s on right now,” said Chat.

“But she can still travel through water, so once she reaches the dam, she’ll just abandon ship, er, whale.” Hugo observed. “So then what?”

“Then we put my plan into action,” Chat cracked his knuckles, and stealthily made his way to the river bank. 

Louis and Hugo watched in fascination as Chat called his Cataclysm and touched the water. In a boiling wave, it rolled quickly past Emma, evaporating as it went. It didn’t even have time to settle, just went up in a cloud of steam. 

The whale that Emma was on run ashore, and she came to a halt. “What?”

“Nowhere to run now, little girl!” Ladybug called. 

Mermaidia jumped from the back of the whale and landed in the sand. It wasn’t even damp. Chat had literally evaporated all the water in that section of the river. 

“Second Chance!” Louis activated his bracelet. And just in time too, as Mermaidia shot a beam at Ladybug, and turned her into a dolphin. “Second Chance!”   

Time restarted, and Louis shouted. “Ladybug, dive!” 

Ladybug dove out of the way, missing the three shots Mermaidia took. 

“I’m not going to take it easy on you just because you’re my mother!” Emma shouted. “So let’s show Paris what a real superhero looks like, hmm?” 

“Oh you are so grounded when this is over, little lady!” She dodged another blast, and called for her Lucky Charm. 

Hugo called for Shelter while she glanced around, looking for the purpose of the tennis racket her Miraculous had bestowed upon her.

Then it dawned on her. 

A grounding wasn’t enough for her naughty child. Oh no. This called for the big guns.

The second Hugo’s Shelter faded, she shot out her yo-yo, catching Emma around the arms, and yanked her to lay across her leg. Hugo and Louis peeled the captive starfish off, while Chat took the trident. All the while Mermaidia wriggled around, fighting against the yo-yo string. 

“No akuma in the trident, my lady.” Chat Noir shrugged. 

“Oh, I’ll get it out of her.” Ladybug raised the tennis racket. “Where’s the akuma at, Emma?” 

“This is cheating!” 

“Okay, you asked for it.” And Ladybug brought the tennis racket down on her bottom, once, twice, three times before Emma cried out. “Okay okay! It’s in my bracelet! Stop! Stop!”

Chat broke the bracelet, freeing the butterfly, as Ladybug set her crying daughter down in the sand. 

She caught and purified the butterfly, and removed everyone from the bank of the river before casting her cure. 

Emma Dupain-Cheng returned, pouting, and still rubbing her behind. “I was just trying to help…” 

“Where’s your Grandfather?” 

“He’s in a conference room at the hotel. But don’t be mad at him, please…” 

Before Ladybug could yell more, Isaac and his father approached her. “Uh, Ladybug?” 

“Yes?”

“Look, I wanted to—we wanted to apologize. Thank you for rescuing us, and I’m sorry. I guess I had forgotten what it was like having akumas around. You still stopped Hawkmoth, right? Well…until today…” 

“Hawkmoth is a friend of ours now,” Ladybug clarified. “He’s paid for his crimes, but today has shown that he hasn’t quite learned the right way to deal with problems. I believe he was well intentioned, but we will be having words.” 

Isaac’s father nudged his son. “You want to say anything?” 

Isaac shyly looked at the family and admitted, “thank you for inviting to the party. No one invites me to things.” 

“Yeah, well, work on your boundary issues, and maybe it’ll happen more often,” said Louis. 

“If you guys want to head back to the hotel, I think there’s still time for cake!” Said Chat, with optimism. 

—

After the Miraculous cure restored the party, everyone gathered again and lunch was served. 

But, the Dupain-Chengs were in the conference room. Marinette and Adrien frowned at their youngest and Gabriel. 

“Now, son--” Gabriel began. 

“What were you thinking?” Adrien interrupted. 

“I was thinking that Paris needed a little reminder of all the hard work you guys did.” 

“Yeah, cool,” sniped Marinette. “Except now they think you’re out of retirement, and that’s a huge reminder that we didn’t stop you!” 

Gabriel took the brooch off. “Then here. Make it official. Tell them that this akuma was my swan-song and I made it to surrender.” 

Marinette took the brooch regardless, and put it in her bag. “I don’t know what I’ll say to the media. They’ll want to know who you are, and if you’re going to prison…and akumatizing your own granddaughter?” 

“I told him I was okay with it!” Said Emma. “I knew what I was getting into. It’s not that big of a deal!” 

“Not that big of a deal!?” 

There was a knock on the door, as Hugo and Louis peeked their heads in. “There you are, Grandfather!” 

“Hi boys,” he smiled at them, softly. 

The twins pushed passed their parents to stand in front of him, arms crossed, just like Marinette and Adrien. 

“What you did was terrible,” Said Louis. 

“So awful,” echoed Hugo. 

“You could have permanently hurt or traumatized people.” 

“Done thousands of dollars of property damage.” 

Gabriel sighed. “I know…I just—“ But he was cut off as the boys wrapped him up in a tight hug. “What?”

“Thanks for the coolest present ever!” 

“Yeah! Mom gave us our Miraculous, but the chance to use them on a real akuma!?” 

“Hey!” Shouted Emma. “I was the akuma! No thanks for me!?”

They gave her a noogie. “Thanks twerp.” 

“You’re a twerp!” 

Marinette and Gabriel met eyes. He gave a sheepish shrug. “I know I’m bad. But I deeply love my family.” 

She then gave up trying to be angry. “Alright fine. I admit it. It was fun to fight an akuma again. But it’s over now!” 

Adrien shook his head fondly. “Thanks for meddling dad.” 

“Your welcome, son.” 

“I want cake!” Hugo shouted. 

“Cake time!” 

“Yay cake!” 

“No cake for Emma. Only broccoli.” Marinette clarified. “You were naughty.” 

“Aw man!!” 

--

AND THAT’S THE END! 

Oh my word this story got AWAY from me! It was only supposed to be maybe 20 chapters when I first started on it? But here we are, a year and a half later, and over 200,000 words! I kinda can’t believe I’m done! 

Anyways, thank you all for sticking around through all the heartache. I appreciated every single review and like. And one parting question: What was your favorite part?

[pl-panda]

Damienette arranged marriage: part 16

Credits: Miraculous Ladybug team for the elements I take from MLB show. DC for their characters, @ozmav for the AU, @maribat-archive for giving me access to so many different stories to have take inspirations from, @thyladyanput for idea for Chat Damian and me for the plot.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

Part 12 Part 13 part 14

part 15

Damienette arranged marriage: part 16

NEXT

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

“Maman! Papa! I am home! There is someone I wanted to intro…” She walked into the living room, still holding Damian by his hand. The sight was as scary as it was amusing.

Sabine was standing next to Talia Al Ghouls, who sitting there… tied with heavy ropes. 

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

“Maman!” Marinette shouted in panic and wanted to jump and push her mother away from the dangerous woman until Damian stopped her. He was actually chuckling.

“Seriously mother?” He pulled his phone and took a quick photo which he immediately sent to his brothers. “I did not expect you to get beaten by....”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng! What the fuck is the meaning of this?!” Sabine interrupted Damian. The girl in question shivered. Her mom never cursed. Never.

“Uh… We planned on talking with you and papa today…”

“You are married!” She shouted. Suddenly, before either Marinette or Damian could react, someone grabbed him and lifted him in the air. Tom was having a very serious face.

“tt. Drop me!”

“I don’t think so young man.”

Papa! Maman! He is innocent! He didn’t want to go with this either!” Marinette actually feared for what would happen to Damian. I just hope that having one Akuma today would be enough for Hawkmoth…

“Sweety… Do you know who he is? Who his mother is?” Her mother’s voice was a bit more caring and worried instead of angry.

“Yes.” Marinette stated firmly. “He is my husband and she is a bitch.” She explained, remembering the excruciating pain in her heart that was caused by the ritual. The bluenette fully expected her mother to scold her for cursing. Instead, all she received was a shrug.

“Maybe you do know her then…” Sabine looked a bit amused.

Bewildered, Marinette looked at Damian, who was still hanging in the air held by the neck. He only shrugged. “You are not wrong Angel.” He winced as Tom tightened his grip. 

“Mmfmfmfmf!” Talia gave a muffled sound. Only now Marinette noticed that she had her mouth plastered with silver tape.

“It doesn’t change the fact that you are married! This is serious Young Lady!”

“I know!” Marinette lost her patience. This day seemed to just go on and on and she wanted to finally lie down and rest. “Do you believe I chose it?! I did not! I woke up and was told that it was this or mass genocide of monks who apparently considered me their leader!”

“Oh sweety. I am sorry. This must be so hard for you too.” Her mother walked and hugged her. A tear formed in Marinette’s eyes. Her parents were harsh sometimes, but they truly loved her.

“Why would this monks believe you as their leader.” Tom asked confused.

“Because… I am ladybug.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” The baker exlaimed.

“No Mr. Tom. She is saying the truth.” Tikki decided that this was the right moment to show herself. 

“AAAAAH!!! Flying bug mouse!” Tom screamed and dropped Damian in surprise. The teen fell with loud THUD!

“That could have gone better…” He commented.

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

Three weeks ago

“Father…” Adrien walked into Gabriel’s atelier. “Can I… ask you something?”

“Yes son. What is it that bother you?” Since they revealed their identities to each other the two of them became much closer. Gabriel often enclosed the details of his plans to Adrien and the boy gave his opinions. Chat Noir stopped going out to help Ladybug, but he didn’t attack her either. They wanted to retain the element of surprise.

“Well… My Kwami said that Black Cat holder and Ladybug holders are always supposed to be soulmates, perfectly complementary, made for each other. And yet my Lady is married to someone else. She never felt anything for me…”

“She is not a true Ladybug then.” Older Agreste said dismissively, not looking up from his designs.

“What?” Adrien exclaimed surprised. 

“You said it yourself that she is married.” Gabriel still didn’t look up from his designing board. “So she should have already unlocked her full potential by now. If she didn’t, it means she should have never been chosen as Ladybug in the first place, much less a guardian.”

“So she was never really my Lady…” The boy almost whispered. This time his father actually bothered to look up. He saw the dull look in his son’s eyes and walked to him. He placed a hand on his shoulder, making Adrien look up to the older man

“There is nothing wrong with being mistaken.” He started. “You are still young. Once we take the miraculous away from the imposter and restore your mother, you will be free to give the earrings to the girl that is truly made for you.”

“But… How will I know her father?”

“You already do. She has a true soul of creation and pure heart. That girl… Mari-ann or something.”

“Marinette?!” Adrien beamed

“Yes. I suspected her for being Ladybug for a long time until you revealed the truth. She is a true Ladybug, one made for you.”

“But she is… You really think she is the best for me, Father?”

“Yes son. I believe that you two should be together. But she needs your help.”

“Is it about Lila father? I am sure you know that the girl is a liar, but you always taught me to take the high…”

“Lila is part of the plan. Your Ladybug suppresses her emotions constantly. She avoid my grasp. Out of her class my Akumas can never reach her and her alone. She always push it away. But I know she will be my strongest akuma ever. I believe she will be able to take away Ladybug’s earrings, partially because they belong to her.”

“So you made Lila do all those things?!” Adrien raged.

“Son. Remember why we are doing it. Remember what is at stake.”

“Forgive me father. I… I allowed emotions to take better of me.”

“I do not fault you son.” Gabriel comforted him. “But for my plan to succeed, she must succumb to her emotions. And look at the class. They abandon her the moment they get better alternative. Are this really the friends she should have?”

“I guess not Father. You are right.” 

Gabriel grinned. His son was so pure and gullible. It was too easy to earn his loyalty and compliance. The boy would believe anything he said. Soon, he would have his greatest Akuma and both Ladybug earrings and Black Cat miraculous. He would even get all the other miraculous since Ladybug was the new guardian. All he had to do was play his pawns right. 

“I know this must not be easy for you my son.”

“No Father…” Adrien’s expression changed and for the first time Gabriel saw himself in the boy. This was not the gentle, naive boy. It was almost like he looked in the mirror. Cold and calculative eyes and malicious smirk. “She will be mine. And we shall have a perfect family together, like we always dreamed.”

——————————————————————————————————–

Taglist (sorry if I missed you)@pheonixashtree @sassakitty @unabashedbookworm @vixen-uchiha @maggiecc12 @actualdisasterwoman @tired-butterfly @shizukiryuu @floralfi @imanerddealwith @northernbluetongue @krispydefendorpolice @toodaloo-kangaroo @dast218 @bluesoulblueheart @theatreandcomicfreak @disneyfoxuniverse @mindfulmagics @alwaysnumberonetruth @nyaabinch @jardimazul @lenamau @rosep16 @dramatic-squirrel @sonif50 @daminett4life @lulutheawkwardess @weird-pale-blonde-person @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @mochegato @moonlightstar64 @dragonflyswing @silverwhiteraven @shamefullove @magic-miraculous @valeks-princess @heaven428 @mlbchaosqueen @winter-gardenflower @spicybelladonna @emo-elaine13 @vetilora @karukofox21 @my-name-is-michell  @sturchling @lokiifriggasonn @redscarlet95 @melicmusicmagic @interobanginyourmom @the-fusionist @razzledazzle247 @miss-mysterys-blog @darkthunder1589 @i-is-mysterious @catthhay @the-one-woman-army @zestyzealot @dahjokester @write-for-your-life2 @mermaidreject @peachedpocky @sassakitty @dahjokester @crazylittlemunchkin @novicevoice @justafanwarrior @eliza-bitch @schrodingers25 @tired-butterfly

[eggrestes]

the two of us

the lovesquare through the time.

Find it on AO3!

"I win again, chaton." Ladybug greeted him with a giddy smile. She stood tall, hands on hips, brighter than the moon hidden behind the clouds in the sky. She wore a smirk looking so beautiful and stunning his knees would have buckled if he was on the ground. It was one of those rare nights when Ladybug disregarded her responsibilities and just had fun i.e the best nights. Her smile was a little wider, her eyes twinkling and his heart over the moon.

Chat rolled his eyes. "You got lucky."

She huffed and giggled, turning away to go to the next rooftop. Her giggles were always so adorable, her cheeks a little pink. He smiled at her back. He loved losing to her.

He grabbed her hand and bowed low, placing a feather light kiss on the knuckles. She froze, her eyes rounded and mouth agape with shock. No matter how many times he pulled this trick on her she always reacted just like this.

And just like every other time, she snatched her hand back and laughed, light and easy.

"Silly kitty." She said, flicking his bell, taking out her yo-yo and gracefully swung to the next rooftop.

He followed her, slipping a little on the wet roof, his heart beating fast and loud, his ears tingling with her laughter, sweeter than any tune he had ever heard.

•••

August came with a scorching sun and a lot of changes.

Kagami flew back to Japan for further training. Alya and Nino moved in together (Nora had not been a fan of that idea and had let them know that very loudly and violently). Chloe was going to New York for some acting course. Marinette (who might be Ladybug but he can't go down that lane, not today) had gotten into Esmond and would move in the dorms a week before the semester starts.

And Adrien had moved out of his childhood home, out of his father’s dictatorship, a step towards independence.

His new apartment was quaint and smaller than his room back home but it was warmer and alive. Moving out was something Adrien wanted to do for years but seeing the empty shelves and the cardboard boxes in his old room, it dawned on him that he was going away from a house that contained his mother’s memories, comforting as ever. But then there was his father, who had not been happy with his decision to not continue to model after he turned 18 so that he could commit fully to his course at the University and then to move out. He had not even come out to see him off.

Alya, Nino and Marinette had come over to help him organize but left at his request, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He regretted sending them away. He was too restless to sleep. He could really use someone's company right then.

And so he jumped to the opportunity to go out when Ladybug came knocking at his window.

Currently, they sat side by side on a rooftop, knees touching, fingers millimetres away, the stars twinkling above. Adrien often wondered why Ladybug brought only him to this place. It didn't offer the best view of Paris but it was private because of the quiet neighbourhood. It always felt like they were secret lovers, hiding from the world in broad daylight (or moonlight as it would be usually dark) when they ended up here.

Their mood was a little pensive. Both were a little lost in their head. It was obvious that his Lady needed some company that night. And so did he.

They both tried to talk a little but eventually gave up , just sat there side by side in solace.

Ladybug's presence calmed him down. She was one constant in his life, always confident and supporting, making his heart fill with hope. She showed her adoration in the form of sweets and gifts, putting so much thought and detail in them it startled him. She picked him up when he felt low and disconnected, putting faith in him even when he often lost it.

And if she was Marinette, then it made her so much more real, human and unattainable. Someone who was as sweet as her and determined as her wouldn't look at him twice. It hurt him a little that his affection would never be fully returned but he was fine with it. As long as he could be with her as a friend, he would be blessed and content.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if I had kissed you that day?" The voice was quiet and he would have easily missed it if not for the placid quiet of 2 A.M.

Oh that day.

They were sitting right here, around this time. The mood was light, both talking nonsense and their laughter loud and carefree.

Until Ladybug exclaimed, "I could kiss you right now."

And before either of them could process what she had said, Adrien replied, "Maybe you should."

He hadn't stopped thinking about it ever since.

And apparently neither had Ladybug. Adrien still finds it hard to believe that Ladybug had noticed him, had actually thought about him during the day when he wasn't around and had thought about kissing him twice. His brain went static at that thought. After all he had always longed for Ladybug, even when he dated Kagami, and then later Jean. His feelings for her had started out strong but eventually it dimmed down but never truly went away. The feelings were always there, like the quiet hum of the laptop when it was turned on.

Before he could even blink, Ladybug stood up,muttering under her breath, a little embarrassed.

"It's late. I should go now." She said, not looking him in the eye, holding out her hand. He took it and slowly got up, blood rushing to his ears. He resisted the urge to scratch his neck. She held him close, hand tightening around his waist just before she took the first swing. He hoped that she was not able to hear the erratic beating of his heart.

When they got back to his place, a little winded and their cheeks flushed now because of the wind too. She gently put him down, her hands lingering a little. And then she got on tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his pulling back before he could react.

"Good night, Adrien." She whispered cupping his cheeks and then was gone with a zip.

He just stood there stupefied, fingers hovering above his lips, the same lips that Ladybug had just pecked, until Plagg grumbled something about lovesick teens, coaxing his limbs move.

He fell asleep with the feel of her lips on his, the feel of her hands on his cheek, his heart warm.

•••

Marinette was not having a great day.

She had slept through the alarm and had to skip breakfast to get to class. Her designs were heavily criticized and now she had to do it all again. An expensive fabric was ruined when Alya had accidentally spilled coffee on it.

And now she just couldn't get the colours right.

She groaned and flopped down on the desk. Her luck seemed to disappear with her alter-ego's suit. She was so tired, the temptation of just closing her eyes and passing out right at her desk was strong.

There was a light knock on her window and she just grunted in reply. After all there was only one person who entered her room through the window. (Leaving that one time when Alya had actually climbed the three stories on a dare.)

"Long day?" Chat Noir greeted, right at her ear. She was startled and lifted her head just to give him a stink eye. He gave an apologetic smile. She put her head back between her arms on the desk and sighed.

She had told everyone that she was to be left alone that day but he had showed up anyway. She was glad he had but was not going to voice it.

Through her peripheral vision she could she Chat- who was also Adrien, and oh my god why was this fact making her feel things - taking in the disaster that was her room: papers, pieces of fabric lying about, some random pin in between waiting to needle her when she least expected. Then his focus shifted back on her, her hair pinned up messily, her fingers red and eyes heavy with sleep.

His face wore a soft look, his gaze bright and full of affection. Marinette felt a bit self-conscious. Ever since the reveal that her dorky, pun-loving partner was also the boy she had mooned over, things felt a little different. Not uncomfortable but so much more raw and real and intimate.

His face scrunched up in determination, lips pressed thin and how the hell did he look so cute and why did she swoon at it.

Get a grip Marinette, you are 19 now not 15!

"C'mon m'lady, let's get you to bed." He lifted her up in his arms, her heart beating a little bit faster because of that nickname. She loved it when he called her that. He only called her that when they were alone.

She whimpered in protest, trying to get back in her chair. If she didn't figure that now she would never be able to.

He just shook his head fondly at her antics, holding her firmly against his chest.

"That can wait for tomorrow, little lady. You need your beauty sleep." He said carrying her over to her bed, dodging the pins and the fabrics along the way.

She gave up struggling and relaxed in his arms, trying to get as warm as she could. She should have closed the window.

Her thoughts drifted how she was being carried princess styled by Adrien (it's not the first time he has done this but this time she knows.) She thought about her crush on Adrien and his on Ladybug and how they had been running in circles for years. They were so oblivious. And dense. She suppressed a smile. (The funniest bit was that Adrien still doesn't know about her hopeless crush on him though. Nino had told him but he had laughed him off.)

Finally they made it to her bed and he gently put her down.

"Good night, Marinette." He said patting her head, smiling a little.

She took hold of his wrist just when he was withdrawing it. His eyes rounded, surprised, mouth agape.

"Stay." She whispered. "You are so warm. You know bugs get cold in winter."

He chuckled "it's not winter yet." But got in her open arms. She snuggled him closer, burying her head in his chest.

A soft "claws in" and the magical suit was replaced by cotton, claws replaced by fingers, running soothing circles on her shoulder. She drifted off to sleep wrapped in his arms and scent.

•••

Wednesday evenings were spent on Adrien's couch, the two of them finding comfort in each other's presence. It had become a tradition between them when she had one day come over for video games. Mostly they played video games, but sometimes, like today, they just sat in comfortable silence, doing their own work.

Adrien was lying on the couch, head in her lap, his long legs hanging off the handrest. Marinette scrolled through youtube, hoping something catches her eye, while her hand absentmindedly snakes into his head. His hair was soft (when was it not) and he leaned into her touch.

She gave up and closed her phone and looked over at Adrien. He looked at ease, just on the edge of sleep.

He was probably listening to a podfic about astrology which he would tell her about later. He loved talking about the distant stars and possibility of alien life and ranted about it to anyone who would listen.

Stupid nerd.

And now he had been prescribed glasses.

Stupid, blind nerd.

Her stupid, blind nerd.

Alya often complained that she spent more time with him rather than her. It was an understatement. Both of them were constantly in contact through one means or another. If they were not at others place (a very common sight), they would be out fighting an akuma or patrolling. Or they would be texting. Or they would be out stupidly wandering the city, arguing which restaurant or cafe they should try out that day.

Acquaintances assumed they were dating. Her classmate had actually thought that they were engaged. ("You both have matching charms!") Maman gave her a knowing smile when she would pick up some sweets for him. Papa had actually greeted him as son-in-law but he was too scared to correct him. ("What if he gets akumatized again?" He had argued, face pale.) Even Nino had said that being in the same room as them was sickening because of the unresolved tension.

Alya had sighed and told her to just ask him out already and put everyone out of misery. "Besides what's there to lose, 'nette?"

What was there to lose?

Their partnership. The banter. Theses Wednesday nights. The flowers left at random places with a note and a pun. The silly jokes, eye rolls and nose boops. The little touches when they were out with friends. The eyes seeking out the other's even when the room is full of people. The unwavering trust when the other is about to do something reckless. Their quiet conversations at 2 A.M., voices so low they would whisper into each other's ears. The companion she had been confiding in for years and who was so precious, so close to her heart that she didn't know if she could go a day without him.

Him.

Her partner who was lolling off in her lap, wearing ladybug PJs. Whose heart was so pure and full of love she wondered how lucky she got to find him and win his trust, his love. Why was she afraid when she knows that no matter what happens, he would still be there by her side?

His eyes opened when her hand went still at that thought and blinked as if he had woken in a stranger's house. He really did look like a lost kitten. His eyes found hers and he relaxed again, her presence reassuring, sinking back in the couch,eyes closing again

Seeing this made her heart swell, getting so big she thought that it would burst right out of her. She knew that she loved him, her feelings getting deeper and stronger as the years passed. It was a fact when it came to her. But right then she realises how strong those feelings were. She felt like she was drowning in it, too helpless to even move.

Adrien seemed to sense the change in her mood (because of course he did) and partially got up on his hands, a worried look on his face.

"Bug?" he called.

She didn't say anything.

"Mari?" He called, again. "Are you o-"

His words were cut off as she pulled him towards her and bended down to press her lips against his. She had never imagined that she would have to bend down to kiss her horrendously tall partner but then again many things weren't going the way she had thought so why would this be any exception.

He kissed back, a hand cradling her cheeks so tenderly she melted. The kiss was rough as if they were trying to make up for the lost time. And maybe they were. They broke apart gasping for air but kissed again, this time slower, Adrien now sitting in her lap.

Eventually they stopped. She rested her head on his ,eyes still closed, a small smile forming on her face.

They would be more than okay

[gale-gentlepenguin]

ML Fic: Soulmate Survey Part 1

(Link to the idea) that made me want to write it instead of working on my OTHER FICS.

(Master post)

_______________________________________________________________________

“Soulmate Searcher?” Marinette questioned with intrigue and confusion.

“Its an app that just got a global release!” Alya answered. “At first it was only released in America, but it became a huge hit and now it has international servers.”

The designer looked at her friend with even more confusion.

“So why is it so popular? And why did you want me to install it on my phone?” Marinette inquired.

“Its an app that lets you find the special someone who is your significant other. Alya explained. “Its a tried and true compatibility tester.”

Marinette’s intrigue dissipated, in her mind it was just like those cheesy magazine quizzes they put in magazines to see which celebrity  you would marry. Marinette had long outgrown that phase, especially when last time she took one it did not say she would be paired with Adrien but XY! Gross. 

“Oh. Well count me out. Those quizzes are just a load of...”

“No way lady dude.” Nino chimed in. “This thing is legit. It has the highest matchmaking app back in the States and it is like down to a science and stuff.”

Marinette looked at the DJ skeptically.

Alya placed her hand on her shoulder.

“ It is more then just a personality quiz. You put in your name, your age, dating age range, preference, and so on, and then you answer a bunch of questions that allows the app to gage your personality, mentality and emotional impulse. Then after thats done, it will match you with the top 10 people who have the highest compatibility with you in a 50 mile radius. You can see percentage rates and everything. Then you can decide if you want to message any of the people on the list or block them. They can only see your name, photo and the percentage.” Alya detailed.

“So then all a person needs to do is know what your answers are and copy them.”

“An interesting Hypothesis but sadly incorrect.” Max answered from behind the group.

“Sorry to intrude, but I too had my doubts about the app until I learned about how the app’s algorithm worked. All questions given are randomized and answering the questions the exact same way even if someone did get the same questions does not guarantee 100% compatibility. I made several dummy accounts and rigged them in order to make them both have identical questions and answers, but they did not achieve 100% compatibility.” The class egghead began to explain. 

“Having run the test numerous times with numerous accounts, the algorithm matches people with similar beliefs but not identical,  as having too much in common does not mean soul mate, it can be seen as suffocating. I have not yet cracked the theorem of how to get 100%. The highest I have been able to get is 93%.  It is as if it is a perfect formula for compatibility.” Max concluded.

Marinette had to admit her interest was peeked.

“So its a one time questionnaire and then done?” Marinette pressed with more interest.

“Well the first questionnaire takes an hour or two so it has enough data for a base compatibility profile. Then you answer 10 questions every day for 2 weeks to reaffirm any errors it might have made. Thats how the App is so successful. After about 2 weeks, your profile will be established. It was able to cut the margin of error down to 1.9%” Max exclaimed. “Its the pinnacle of mathematical perfection.”

“Thanks dude, couldn't have explained it better... really.” Nino thanked the robot enthusiast.

“Anytime, now I must head off. Markov and I have more tests to run.” Max head out and left the three teens to their own devices.

Marinette thought about it, she really didn't have much to lose trying it out.

“I even got Adrien to install it. He said he will fill it out after fencing.” Alya Whispered.

Marinette realized she had to do it. What if Adrien was on the app and some other girl had a high compatibility with him before she had a chance to try it. What if he fell in love with that mystery girl, got married and then bought a hamster!?

“Okay, I will take the quiz.” Marinette exclaimed with Confidence.

“Atta girl!”

______________________________________________________________________

Marinette had gone with Alya back to the Dupain Bakery in order to answer the questions in peace.

In Marinette’s room, Alya was relaxing as she watched the Designer answer the questions as honestly as possible.

“Now Girl, odds are the percentage maybe around the 70% mark, But Knowing you and Adrien, I bet you two will make it into the 80′s.” Alya answered.

Marinette nodded, half listening as she focused on answering.

“Nino and I got an 85%, which was pretty high. Ivan and Myléne only got a 79%. So no worries even if its in the 70′s”

“DONE!” Marinette exclaimed as she fell back. She was mentally exhausted. The questions were surprisingly more in depth then she expected.

She pressed submit and waited. Staring at her phone as it ‘processed her answers’

Alya stood up walking over to the bluish-black haired designer.

“Well.”

The list popped up.

Marinette scrolled through from 10 to 1. No Adrien. She felt herself sigh deeply.

“He isn't on it...” Marinette spoke defeated.

Alya took a look.

“Sorry girl, It might be he hasn't uploaded his profile yet.” Alya tried to encourage her friend who was burying her head in her pillow. 

“You think?”

“He is a busy guy, but also, you need to see who is number one on the list. A certain guitarist you happen to be fond off.” Alya said with a smile.

Marinette pulled her head up and took her phone. Sure enough, it was Luka who was number one on the list. He had an 80% compatibility rating with her, which was at least 20% higher then the guy in second place. Maybe this was a sign that she should move on from Adrien and ask Luka out.

“Maybe I should message Luka, If he believes in this sort of thing.” Marinette spoke with a blush on her face.

Alya nodded.

“Do what you think is right girl, Adrien or not, you deserve a guy that will make you happy.” 

“Thanks Alya, you are the best.” Marinette smiled sweetly at her best friend.

She clicked on the profile. The pop up asked if she would like to message the user Luka Couffaine.

Marinette paused, she was nervous about doing this. It was as if this was her crossroads. Would she go for it?

_____________________________________________________________________

“DONE!” Adrien exclaimed as he fell back on his bed. He was mentally exhausted as well as physically. He told Alya he would try out the app as soon as he was free from fencing.

“I don't get why you even bothered with those dumb questions.” A grouchy floating cat creature commented.

“Its an in depth Compatibility test Plagg. This could be the best way of finding My lady.”

Plagg looked at the model with skepticism.

“What makes you think that you would be matched up with Ladybug? You don't even know who she is.” 

“We are soulmates, so obviously we will have the highest compatibility.” Adrien answered with confidence as he sat up.

Plagg rolled his eyes.

“You do know just because you were picked to be the cat miraculous wielder doesn't mean your soulmate is ladybug. There have been Ladybug’s and Chat noir’s that haven't gotten together.”

“It isn't because we were chosen together. I can just feel it Plagg. I know we are meant to be. And if for some reason the girl with the highest compatibility with me isn't Ladybug, I will still likely find someone that I can find myself liking. But knowing my Lady, she and I will have a compatibility of 85 maybe even 90%” Adrien answered with a loving sigh. “Oh, its ready.”

Adrien smiles at his phone before looking at the list.

“Oh Kagami is on here. 79% Thats pretty good. But she is only number two? Huh, so then who is number one?” Adrien spoke aloud as he scrolled. As he saw the name that was number one his face turned beet red and and he fell back on the bed.

“Adrien!?” Plagg exclaimed as he flew to the frozen blond. “What happen.... oh no Fucking way.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Marinette was about to press the button when another pop up appeared.

“List updated?”

Marinette clicked out of Luka’s profile and noticed he was now at second place.

“Luka got moved to second.” Marinette spoke with surprise.

“What? Then whose first?”

Marinette scrolled up. Her eyes went Wide.

“ADRIEN!?!?” Marinette shouted.

Alya smiled.

“I knew it! I told you he would be on your list! And Number one to boot. So what  is the percentage. 82? 85% Like Nino and I?”

“100...” Marinette spoke hardly audible.

Alya couldn't hear.

“How much?”

Marinette turned her phone to Alya.

Alya’s jaw dropped.

“1.... 100%!!!!!!!!!!”

_______________________________________________________________________

Plagg could not contain his laugher. The blond was still frozen staring at his screen. Adrien had no idea how right he was. His Lady and him were perfect for each other. Plagg was absolutely loving every second of this. 

“P-Plagg.”

The black cat managed to calm down.

“Ye Ha HA! Yea Adrien?” Plagg responded between laughing fits.

“Marinette is Ladybug.”

Plagg sobered up quick.

“What... What makes you say that?” Plagg spoke, trying his best and failing at hiding the fact that Adrien was right. Thankfully Adrien was too out of it to notice.

Plagg pauses.

“Ladybug is my soulmate, Marinette scored perfect compatibility with me  on the soulmate app. Even with error included, the chances of that happening are…”

“It’s a silly quiz.” Plagg shouted. Tikki would kill him if Adrien found out at the wrong time. He had to play dumb.

Adrien thought about it, maybe he was overthinking it, plus Alya and Nino scored around 85%. Maybe the system was glitching out? 100% was unheard off according to what he found about the app, even with people who tried it and have been married for decades.

“I guess you are right… Besides, you answer questions each day, the percentages will shift. Maybe the system will correct itself, though I should ask Marinette what her thoughts are about the match up tomorrow. Though... even if it isn't Ladybug... Marinette is a pretty nice person to have good compatibility with.”

Adrien felt himself entertaining the thought of him and Marinette together. It seemed really, really nice. He found himself blushing at the thought. He quickly shook the thought off. He was getting ahead of himself. What if Marinette didn't feel the same way he did? What if Luka saw the compatibility score that Marinette got with him and decided not to date Marinette because of it. Marinette does really like that musician, what if Marinette hates him for ruining her chance at happiness!?

Adrien took a calming breath. He won't say anything, the app still needs to fine tune his profile. he is sure it will correct itself if it needs to within the two weeks, after that, he will look into it.

“I am sure that things will fix themselves.” Adrien said as he turned away from the cat Kwami, though part of him really hoped that the 100% would stay.

_______________________________________________________________________

THERE I FINISHED part 1

If you want part two, please let me know. I love hearing feedback and it feeds my impulsive need to write.

[iggy-of-fans]

Daminette AU part 3

I just want to say thank you so much for the people who liked, reblogged and asked to be tagged! I wasn't sure this would be received well and I'm so grateful you all like it! So here's part three, of about four or five parts. It gets intense again after some fluff  and I hope I keep your interest. Please let me know what you think! I love feedback! 

Justice League meets Miraculous, Adrien breaks more than his mind

Adrien has been seeing Maria's ghost everyday but doesn't show it. He's been planning to get the Miraculi of the ladybug and the black cat, so he can wish Mari back, and make a perfect world for her, where Alya, Nino and even Lila and Chloe all get along and his mother and father are well and together (when the police searched the mansion they found Emily Agreste's near corpse and brought her to the hospital. Turns out all she needed was proper medical care, but she was trying to use Dusuu to be free from Gabriel forever and by extension Adrien because he was just like his father in her eyes) and everything is happy in his world. He thinks it's Marinette's mission to him to make sure everyone is happy and it's what she wants. He is so far gone, and thinks the Miraculous Cure and his wish will make everything okay and so is willing to kill whoever he needs to. So he breaks out of prison, killing the guards for the "name of love". He then goes to find Nino and Alya, to help him get Mari back. And Alya says yes. She wants revenge on Ladybug for letting her get put into jail, she's just doing her job! She still thinks Lila was innocent, but she also feels bad that Marinette commited suicide, because she thinks that they could all just be friends. So she thinks Adrien's demented plan will turn everything perfect, with her two besties finally getting along. Nino is finally realizing how demented everything had turned, and he says he'll help, but plans on telling Ladybug as soon as he can. 

Marinette wakes up at Wayne Manor, Damien is asleep in a chair next to the bed in some sweats and a t-shirt. His wounds were healed but he's still dead tired. At the foot of the bed lies Captain, the kwamis all cuddled up in his fur. Next Marinette notices she's wearing a shirt (likely Damien's since it falls only off one shoulder. The scar on her arm where the kids from Paris injured her is plainly visible, a big pink puffy reminder that she isn't good enough for this wonderful family that have been taking care of her. Damien wakes up suddenly when she tries to move and looks so relieved she's awake. He immediately gets up and asks her if he can hug her, because he'd been so worried. She asks why and finds out she's been near comatose for almost a week. The Kwamis and Captain all wake up and join her, hugging her and checking her over. She realizes just how much energy it took out of her to bring back all the people who died and rebuild three cities. She asks him why he still cares when he's seen her scars and he looks at the arm she holds out. He asks her is she trusts him and when she nods, he takes his shirt off, revealing his back full of scars from his early childhood training and his chest from his hero work. He tells her that she made him accept himself, scars, flaws and all, because she had always treated him with kindness, no matter which mask he wears. She's so touched, and she hugs and cries into his shoulder, because no one has ever accepted Marinette so completely. Eventually they realize how hungry they are and Damien throws his shirt back on and grabs a nicer, long sleeved shirt for Marinette and some shorts that fit her like capris. 

Downstairs at lunch, the entire bat family is sitting, like zombies, dead tired and worried about their littlest member when Damien and Marinette join them. They are all out of their seats and swarming around Marinette, asking her if she's okay and what she needs to feel better (tea? Chocolate? Dessert?) and she finally feels loved and just asks for whatever food is already made. Alfred has been making any of her favorites he knows of every day hoping she'd wake up and he brings all the leftovers out for her to enjoy. He even tried his hand at French macaroons and she tears up because she's so grateful. While at lunch, Bruce tells her that the league wants to meet her, especially Wonder Woman, since her mom used to be a Ladybug before. Marinette worries about this but Bruce assures her that she would be well guarded with at least one of the Wayne's around, and Captain and Titus there as well. She was also allowed to come fully transformed so that she can just disappear whenever she felt the need to. So she smiles and agrees to meet them, and they plan a huge Gala for the League and Teen Titans to meet their newest little member, and he explains it will be civis for everyone else and why.

A week later, (Marinette has been going back to the pent house because she still feels better about it, and she needed clothes) at 11 in the morning, Bruce started welcoming member of the League into his home. They came dressed in casual wear, hidden under illusions for some of the more outlandish looking members. They are all comfortable in the Gala room when Damien walks in, guiding Marinette (dressed in her own design, a casual summer dress with a Mandarin Collar and long red lace sleeves with black polka dots and a black skirt that fades to red at the shoulders, and a simple black mask) and everyone's jaw drops. Bruce and the batfam all walk to the entrance and Bruce introduces "Guardian Angel" a play on Damian's nickname for her and her duty as guardian of the Miraculi (and because to them she really is a guardian angel, because she's always there when they need her most, or just seems to know when they need her). Embarrassed but not willing to let her mood be ruined, Marinette smiles shyly at them all. The rest are still trying to pick up their Jaws. This beautiful little mite is the one that saved their lives? Wow! And is Damian actually SMILING? Wtf? 

Diana is the first to recover and goes to meet the newest Ladybug, saying she's practically her sister because her mother had been Ladybug once and she wanted to know everything she could. Marinette tells the League about what happened in Paris, and at first they deny that they could've missed that. But when they check their phones they're shocked. With the Mayor being imprisoned, the news finally leaked world wide and sure enough, it was all there, every detail. They were shocked, seeing how the continued exposure desensitized the citizens and how horrible people acted towards each other. They all apologized to her for not stepping in, but commended her for her ingenuity, leadership skills, and ability to keep level headed even though she's so young. She smiles and meets everybody, guessing who most of their superhero personas were by herself. She is never without Damian at her arm, getting anything she could want, and the Teen Titans and Super Boy notice this. They're all shocked at Damian's turn about, how he reacts to the slightest twitch or facial change, how he steps in and changes the subject, or how he leads her exactly where she needs to be. When lunch is served, Alfred makes sure all her favorites are there, and when the dancing starts, the batfam all dance with her, but Damian doesn't even look at Raven when she asks for a dance, simple humming before stepping back in to escorts Marinnette off. 

In Paris things are taking a dark turn. Max refuses to help them, having learned this lesson, but they manage to kill his parents and only helping them get to Gotham will make his life better. He manages to hack the Agreste plane and autopilot it to USA. Once there, the two crazed teens and two reluctant teens start making their way across to Gotham, leaving a trail of dead bodies behind. The closer they get the more despicable. They stop off in Metropolis and meet Lex Luther, who is willing to give them whatever they want to kill the new heroine in Gotham. Nino, with the help of Max, is finally able to send a warning out to Gotham, a video that he sends out to everyone who lives in Gotham that Adrien is coming, that he used to be Chat Noir and that he's completely lost his mind. 

As the Gala is coming to an end, Tim's phone beeps with a notification that one of his flagged words got picked up on. He plays the video for everyone to hear and Marinette becomes paler by the second. 

To be Continued….

@spicybelladonna @nyctamaximoff @kuroko26 @captainmac6 @fsketchart @2sunchild2 @bitterheart12224 @abrx2002

@ginamarie1512 @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen

Anyone who asked to be tagged, I really hope I did this right!

[acefrogmonarch]

My Turn 1 :)

Here | 2 | 3 | 4 Ao3

Batman had taken the liberty of combing through the most recent videos that had been sent to the Justice League. Others were more promising than some, including the most recent video about the terror that plagued Paris.

Pressing play, a Newsfeed recording explained the situation of how a petite girl was dragged off the Eiffel Tower.

The camera panned to the villain talking to the girl. He wore a black wife beater on over a red jacket with sharp edges on the shoulders, a seductive red skirt with a slit on one side 'completes' the look. The more prominent features consist of a permanent tear streak down their faces.

The newscaster, Nadja Chamack, had stared up at the two. Turning back to update on anything, clearly distracted by the situation playing before her. The girl being held by her neck at the edge of the Tower shakes her head as if she talking to the Villain. He shouts something into the air, lights explode into the sky. The people gathering at the bottom of the Tower bring their attention to him.

Demanding the Miraculous of 'Ladybug' and 'Chat Noir' in exchange for the life of her. Half of the bat fam didn't understand the language and needed the subtitles at the bottom of the screen, but that didn't matter.

Watching to see how the French police would respond. Incompetent Police forces calmly yelled up to the girl, facing the villain that threatens to drop her, that help would be on the way.

Damian pities the girl, she was an innocent victim. The villain seems to get more irritated as his demands were ignored. The girl was lifted off her feet, the hand around her throat seemed to tighten more. The girl panics and starts to scream and kick, clawing at the arm that's lifting her higher.

Soon, the only thing moving was her hair and dress blowing in the wind, and the bluenette dangling from the villain's grasp. The Villan on-screen quickly realized that she passed out. Horrified and panicking, he sets her down on the ground, beginning to shake his shoulders next to her body. Rather or not he's laughing remains to be seen.

Damian looked to the rest of his siblings appear to be sobering up on the situation. Damian looked at the timestamp at the bottom of the screen; it was from 2 weeks ago. "She's dead." A helicopter rounded the corner, just in time to see the presumed dead girl kick the Villains square in the face.

Todd immediately cheers for the girl as she gets up. "Beat his ass!" The girl lungs at him and pins him under her. Using whatever body mass she has on his neck, effectively cutting off his circulation. Bruce glares at him but Todd doesn't back down.

Heaving, she lays on the floor, hearing a noise she jumps into a stance but relaxes once she sees a man in a black spandex suit with, cat ears? Searching through the unconscious man pockets, she finds an object and smashes it on the ground, a tiny black butterfly comes out of it.

Todd couldn't contain his laughter. "Look a Furry." Damian made a face and looked at Jason. "What the hell is that?" Before Todd could answer Drake covered his mouth and looked away from him.

The furry catches the butterfly and leaps away. The police are up in the tower in record time, the girl is slowly escorted down. The Newscaster, Nadja, misses her cue and ignores the confused cameraman and takes it out, looking for the girl that was facing death.

A small child makes her way to the woman's legs and clings to them as she sobs. They both spot the blue-headed victim and rush to her side. "Marinette." At the sound of her name, the girl in question looks up. "Manon, Mdm. Nadja." She says quietly, the camera can barely pick up on it.

"I'm okay." She says it to reassure them and they couldn't hold it any longer. 'Manon' is crying in Marinette's arms. Soothing her by combing through their hair and whispering small forgivings for worrying them.

Marinette gives a small smile and assures the news castor and her daughter, that she's okay for an interview. Although Marinette's voice is very hoarse she continues to talk until her classmates pull her away into a group hug.

Crying of joy everyone else had gathered around Marinette, she couldn't muster anything but exhaustion. Marinette goes to the man that was holding her life in her hands just moments ago and hugs him. Audible gasp is heard, both from on goers and the bat fam doesn't understand why she would care for him, but they keep recording.

Whispers of 'thanks for not hurting her further' and 'for being strong for so long. Marinette got up making her way in a direction, tried to grab something to her right and fell. Before she hit the ground someone with blond hair caught her, his tears landing on her face.

Bruce pauses the video. "We need to keep an eye on the situation." Looking to Tim already is background checking Marinette. Nightwing, former leader of the Teen Titans, steps forward.

"I already have contacts that may be able to help the situation." Grayson signaled and a photo of Kori and the rest of the Teen Titans to appear on-screen.

Shaking his head, Bruce reaches for his phone. "I think it would be best if I go with someone instead." Pulling up his contacts he lands on 'Diana'. "And I happen to know just the person for the job." Damian silently followed.

Heading up to the Manor, Bruce hits the call button and makes his way to the kitchen. Alfred stood in Damian's way, silently shaking his head. Handing him a water bottle and granola bar, Damian made his way back down to the Batcave. Just in time to see Tim put up another video.

Recognizing, the girl from before he pressed play. The thumbnail is a photo of Marinette, bandages on her neck and arms, leaning on Alya for support.

Pressing the spacebar the video begins in hushed French, for a moment Marinette sways and Alya holds her steady. Reassuring her that this was the least she should be able to do.

Alya only wore a gray undershirt, while Marinette had on a spaghetti string, with white and pale pink flowers along the hem of the shirt at the top, her hair in a loose tight bun.

Speaking in almost perfect English with a moderate accent she started to explain who they were and who's 'Ladybug' and 'Chat Noir'.

Often referring to the Ladyblog for when the attacks started to happen and for other information that Marinette couldn't remember or provide.  Damian turned to Grayson as Tim searched for everything regarding the attacks in Paris.

Beginning to explain what the Ladyblog was for, Marinette started to cough. She quickly turned away from both the camera and Alya. Shakily asking for tissue from Alya, Marinette is looking down at her hands as Alya leaves the room by a trap door leading downward.

The bandaged hands on her face and hands a reminder to her and the Heros that she almost fought for her life that day. "I will not take much of your time." She promises with conviction in her voice.

"We need help, this has been going on for 3 years." Looking at her hands, almost whispering. "But never, this bad; our heroes are struggling." Alya is back, her steps getting louder in the background.

"Paris has been under the tyranny of two supervillains named The Monarch (Hawkmoth). For the first three years and a half, he was alone. Then his partner in crime, Mayura, joined him." Marinette's voice gets raspier the more she catches them up about the situation. The weight of this is carrying off on her but so is something else, the gravity of this isn't from some run-in with a supervillain. It's fear, but not for herself.

Her phone vibrates before an unfamiliar song of Jagged Stones plays through its speakers. Looking down her eyes sag before turning to the screen. "I'm sorry to cut this short but I'll have another chance to explain more in detail."

Reaching over, she pressed a key on her keyboard, promptly ending the video. Pulling out his phone for his right utility belt pouch. Tim pulls the up Ladybug and the Ladyblog.

Finding, for the most part, a true reenactment of the events Marinette described. Pictures of both a boy in leather and a girl in bright red and black poky-dots fighting many superpowered humans. Recordings lasting either seconds or minutes of different points view of each fight.

This could have gone so much further if I knew how to write them, this sucks. That’s it. I’m binge-watching, everything.

[flightfoot]

Adrichat Hell - Day 24 - Healing

@adrichatnovember2020 AO3

Part 1 of the Tangled AU

Adrien looked out the window of his tower and sighed. “What am I supposed to DO, Plagg?” he asked. “I’ve played piano for hours, studied all those language books Father brought, practiced fencing as best I could without Father as my partner, brushed my hair,” he grimaced, “you know how long THAT takes, and even wrote down a hundred different pun ideas! Not that Father ever appreciates them, but still…”

Plagg meowed before going back to licking his paw.

“At least you don’t seem to care about being cooped up,” Adrien said, giving the cat a fond smile. “Then again, it’s not like you’ve ever been outside either.”

Technically he could leave. He knew how; just let down his hair, using it as a sort of pulley. His father came up that way a lot.

Father always warned him against leaving. Said that all manner of criminals would kidnap him, hurt him, steal his hair.

Now for most people, having their hair stolen might be a major psychological blow, but that was it. It grew back.

For Adrien it was different.

He touched the short brown strand of his hair - the only part of it that wasn’t long and blond.

When he was a baby, some foul would-be thief had attempted to cut it off, trying to steal its power for his own.

But it didn’t work. It simply left his hair powerless. Useless. 

And if they found out their efforts were all in vain, if they decided to take it out on him…

He shuddered.

Father had only gone into detail about what those people would do to him a few times.

A few times was enough.

*thud*

Adrien looked up, startled. 

Father had said he’d be gone for a few days…

Heading to the kitchen, he grabbed a frying pan.

Father didn’t always do what he said he would, but… this still seemed out of place. 

Muttering filtered down from the room above. “Why is there a tower here? With no door? I don’t understand.”

Well.

He didn’t SOUND like someone dangerous.

Slowly Adrien peeked around the corner, drawing in a gasp.

A young teen, appearing about the same age as him, 14, looked around the room. He was dressed a bit oddly with his leather cat ears, full-length black leather bodysuit, and belt tail, but Adrien didn’t mind in the least. In fact…

The boy’s cat ears flapped. He turned, looking directly at Adrien.

Why… why did he feel warm all of a sudden? 

His heart beat rapidly, his breathing increasing to match. 

Was… was this fear? It felt kinda similar but- but weirdly good? Fear had never made him want to get closer to the person or thing he was afraid of though. Never made him want to enter the room, to greet the person, to meet their eyes, to hear them talk to hi-

“I’m- I’m sorry for intruding,” the boy told Adrien.

Adrien blinked.

Played back the last few seconds.

OH HELL HE’D DONE THE THINGS HE WAS THINKING ABOUT. HE HADN’T MEANT TO DO THAT.

“You’re cute!”

MOUTH. STOP.

The cat boy blinked. His eyes looked like Plagg’s, like a cat’s. His cheeks reddened. Maybe he was feeling the same thing Adrien was? “Thanks,” he said awkwardly for a moment before rallying. “Of course I’m not just cute, I’m the coolest, suavest, most amazing gentlecat in the kingdom, the one and only Chat Noir!” he proclaimed, before approaching Adrien, bending over in a half-bow and kissing his hand.

HE WAS GOING TO EXPLODE INTO FLAMES, BUT HE WOULD DIE HAPPY.

“I- I’m Adrien,” he stuttered out, attempting to function. He’d made words come out, so he assumed he was doing okay.

“Pleased to meet you, Adrien,” Chat Noir said. He clasped his hands together (claws! His gloves had claws!). “Like I said, I’m really, really sorry for barging in like this. I really needed to lay low for a minute, and this was the best place I could find.”

Adrien blinked. “How did you even get UP here?!”

Chat Noir grinned, pulling out a black rod. “See this?” 

He clicked a button. It extended out from being about a foot long, to nearly being as tall as Chat himself. “It can go longer too,” Chat explained while Adrien gaped like a fish. “But unless you want me punching a hole in the ceiling, I figure I’d better not show off exactly how far.”

A grin slowly spread across Adrien’s face, excitement slowly building. “Can- can you show me more later,” he asked, trying not to sound too eager and completely failing.

Chat looked startled for a moment, then gave a smile and a nod. “Of course!” He nearly skipped over to Adrien, his excitement having been infectious… and winced.

Adrien frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Chat’s smile grew pained. “See, this is part of why I came here for shelter in the first place. I twisted my ankle and needed somewhere to rest it and hopefully make a brace or splint for it.

“You won’t need that,” Adrien told him.

Father had always said to keep his magical powers secret, but… if he didn’t know, he couldn't be angry, right? Besides, he highly doubted this boy was going to hurt him.

Retrieving some of his hair, he wrapped it around Chat’s hurt ankle. “Now this might be surprising, but it shouldn’t hurt and you’ll be healed afterwards,” Adrien told him.

Chat Noir blinked, but allowed him to continue.

Adrien sang.

Flower, gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt

Change the Fates' design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine

Chat Noir let out a strangled gasp as the glow slowly traveled down Adrien’s hair until it reached Chat’s leg. 

After the song finished, Adrien unwrapped his hair from Chat’s ankle. “Try it out.”

Chat Noir stood and walked around for a moment, before looking back at Adrien. “You’re amazing,” he breathed.

Oh.

OH.

He wanted to hear Chat Noir talk to him in that voice again.

“It’s just something I was born with,” he said, looking down. His voice grew somber. “Bad people tried to cut it off once, tried to steal it. But when it’s cut…” he fingered the brown strand. “It becomes powerless. Father’s kept me here for fourteen years, safe, where outsiders can’t hurt me. 

Chat Noir frowned. “But how do you go out? I didn’t see a door.”

Adrien shook his head. “I don’t. Ever.”

Chat’s face screwed up as he muttered some choice words that Adrien couldn’t quite catch. After a moment, Chat looked up. “Would you like to explore the outside world for a bit? It can be dangerous, that’s true, but… being alone, staying locked up inside, has its own dangers. And I’ll be there to show you around.”

“I- I’m not supposed to, but-”

But Father would be gone for awhile.

And things didn’t seem quite as dangerous with Chat Noir by his side.

(Plus he was super cute and kind and he didn’t know whether he could just let him go without knowing when he’d see the cat boy again.”

“Okay!” he told Chat Noir. “I need to be back within three days, but… there’s nothing I’d like more than to spend that time with you.”

Chat Noir reddened again. “Of- of course. Sure! You’ll have the best three day vacation of your life!”

[bisexualsforprompto]

Teen Titans AU Part Two

First ^^

Some plot, but mostly fluff of our loveable Titans.

Marinette flung her yo-yo around, destroying the training targets around Beast Boy. Gar gave her a cat like grin and transformed into a green tabby. Marinette turned around, rolling her eyes at the boy’s antics. “Oh Purrincess…” Marinette froze, it couldn’t be… she turned around slowly again and found herself face to face with Chat Noir. “Did you really think I’d forgotten about you?” He advanced on her, “wherever you go I will find you, you might as well give up now. You were meant to be mine after all...now how about showing some love to your knight in shining leather?”

ome plot, but mostly some fluff with our loveable little Titans.

A screaming and shaking Marinette was shaken awake by Kori. “Marinette! Marinette!” Marinette opened her eyes, only then did she realize her cheeks were wet from tears. She also realized all of the titans were in her room and witnessed her entranced in her nightmare. Oh god! Marinette thought, oh no oh no! They can’t see me like this! Oh no! I can’t get akumatized! She put on a blank face and cleared her mind and emotions. The whole of the team stared in shock at her quick change in demeanor. Kori had been informed about Hawkmoth so she put her charge at ease, “Hawkmoth has been defeated Marinette. You don’t have to hide your feelings.” Marinette nodded slowly, but still refused to take down her walls. As the team stood in her room she gave a weak smile, “I’m fine, really. You can go. It was just a nightmare.” Most of the team exited and Gar whispered under his breath to Jamie, “yeah totally believable. Not like this has been routine for a whole week.” As the team left Marinette’s room Raven sat on her bed. “Marinette. I think I can ease your pain. I’m an empath so I will feel what you have felt and be able to let your mind rest, although maybe only tonight and a couple more days if this is really as bad as it seems…” Marinette nodded and sniffed a little, even though Raven had a somewhat icy and disconnected demeanor Marinette could see through it and even though she had only been at the tower for a week, she felt safe with Raven. “Please Raven. I’d be so grateful for a sleep not plagued by nightmares.” Raven nodded and touched a hand to Marinette’s forehead.

Raven POV:

I touched her and immediately felt a wave of emotions. Panic, disgust and fear were the big ones. Ones buried beneath were anger and… was it betrayal? Raven felt everything that had happened to Marinette and even though she didn’t know the details she knew that nobody deserved these feelings. Then the biggest shock came and sent a tremor through Raven’s body. Trapped. This emotion was so intense, I have to get away. I can’t get away. Why can’t I get away?! She could feel the panic of Marinette as it swelled to a dramatic climax.

No one’s POV

The connection severed and Raven fell to the ground. “Raven!!” Marinette cried. She jumped off her bed to tend to her friend. “I’m sorry, I’m ok. I’m just so sorry, you don’t have to tell me what happened. Maybe another time when you’re comfortable, it was just so intense that I could only ease your smaller emotions, but I think if I can understand better I can help, but I will never push you. I know what it’s like to be trapped, I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more. Not only are you feeling trapped but you’re trapped by your own emotions. I’m so sorry, I’m just sorry-“ Raven was cut off by Marinette hugging her. So many things were racing through Raven’s mind: I should be the one consoling her, not the other way around, I feel so guilty that I can’t help, what the hell happened to her?! But above all of these thoughts were, the team and I are going to hunt whoever did this down, and they’re going to wish they were never born.

When Marinette woke up the next day she felt more refreshed. She knew Raven couldn’t heal everything but even the little bits helped. As Marinette woke up and put on some clothes that would be suitable for breakfast (the zoo of chaos) and training she pondered to herself. Can I tell the team what happened to me, would they understand? Am I overreacting? Do I trust them enough? Marinette wasnt ready to talk about what happened, maybe her feelings but no she specifics. She still couldn’t be sure if she was overreacting but she had a definitive answer for her last question, no. Marinette couldn’t understand why though, she trusted them to have her back in training and she trusted them enough to live with them, but could she trust them with the story? Marinette felt so conflicted, she felt she could trust everyone for the most part but not Lila. She thought Lila would use it against her, then she realized, No!! I’m doing it again! Tara is not Lila. Tara is NOT Lila! Ugh! Marinette was disgusted with herself for judging, again when she was snapped out of her thoughts by the somewhat overwhelming smell of waffles. She glanced at Tikki, “how does waffles sound for breakfast Tikki?” Tikki made an audible mmmm, “sounds delicious, but Marinette, you were very quiet for a while and you had the nightmare again last night. Are you sure you’re okay?” Marinette nodded, “Raven helped the nightmares last night a lot, as to why I was quiet...well I know I shouldn’t but for some reason I keep comparing Tara to Lila.” Tikki nodded, “I understand Marinette. It’s hard trusting after everything you’ve gone through. Take your time and realize Tara is not a liar like Lila and I’m sure she’ll understand.” Marinette found some comfort in her kwami’s speech. “You know what! You’re right Tikki, she’s a Titan, she’ll understand! And it’s not as if she’s name dropping like Lila!” Marinette watched as her kwami zipped to her shoulder. “You really are an amazing girl and Ladybug Marinette. You’re one of the best Ladybugs I’ve ever had. Now, how about we have some waffles?”

Marinette and Tikki made their way down the steps, everyone was in the dining area when she got there. “Hi guys! How are your mornings going?” Beast Boy responder first, “its waffle day...so amazingly!!!” Jon winked at her and said, “well it’s going pretty good now that you’re here.” Gar smiled, “smooth man!” Jamie chuckled a bit and Damian rolled his eyes, grumpy as always. Now that Marinette was feeling better and more confident she decided to do what she did best. She sat down next to Damian and said, “you know… I bet I can make you smile.” Damian scoffed at the same time Jon said, “I don’t doubt it.” Jamie put a hand on Marinette’s shoulder, “you can try but we’ve been trying for two years without success.” Marinette took that as a challenge, and if there was anything she loved it was a good challenge. She leaned into Damian and whispered something the others couldn’t hear into his ear. Damian cracked a quick grin, he placed it back into his signature frown, but not before Beast Boy snapped a picture. “Ooh send that to me!” Jon exclaimed. “Already on it bro!” Gar responded. Jon’s phone chimed and before Damian could grab it Jon took it and started cracking up. “Ohh man! The Wayne’s aren’t gonna believe this!” “Don’t you dare send that to my family!” Damian shrieked. “Too late,” Jon said, “ooh! Looks like Dick, Jason and Barbara have just opened it.” Damian groaned. Marinette giggled triumphantly. “How’d you do that Mari? What’d you say?” Jamie asked. “A magician never reveals her secrets.” Marinette responded. Raven cracked a smile, she was happy that Marinette seemed so in her element. Kori brightened, she knew that the team would accept Marinette more now, she smiled at Raven, after all this was partly her doing. Tara blended in, laughing and smiling when necessary, her mind was elsewhere however and she poked at her waffles. Then Marinette challenged Beast Boy, Tara had only been around a few months but she still knew that challenging Beast Boy to video games was a mistake. Even so she gathered in the game room with the others.

“What game were you thinking Marinette?” Gar said smugly. “Doesn’t matter, I’ll win anyway.” Marinette said jokingly. “Oh ok! Have it your way! I’ll pummel you in this game!” Beast Boy said, pulling out Meccha Strike 5 while throwing a playful punch on Marinette’s shoulder.

Marinette obliterated him.

The team was still in shock from Marienette’s awe inspiring victory. Damian even cracked another smile. What is this girl doing to me? He thought. Maybe he liked it, he decided.

Jon grinned again. He was always a happy person but when Marinette would enter a room Jon could feel his heart soar. What is this girl doing to me? He beamed as he thought. He knew he never wanted to be away from her again, and when he thought of the night previous when she had cried he vowed that he would never let her feel that way again.

Weeks passed, and then a month. The two boy’s feelings for Marinette grew stronger everyday. As Marinette’s birthday approached, the team minus Marinette (of course) were planning a surprise for the girl’s birthday. What they didn’t realize was that somebody else was planning a surprise too, and Marinette would surely not like it…

Extra:

Jason gaping at the picture Jon sent him: EVERYONE CHECK IT OUT! DEMON SPAWN IS CAPABLE OF HUMAN EMOTIONS!!!

Extra II:

Tim: There’s no way that’s Damian. Jon must’ve gotten really good at photoshop...that can’t be Damian, right Dick?

DickGrayson.exe.has stopped responding.

[spyder-m]

Love Games

ao3 / ff.net 

Summary:  On a particularly grueling trip through Mementos, the Phantom Thieves play a few rounds of "Never Have I Ever" to fend off boredom. In doing so, they learn more about their leader and advisor than they had anticipated. Shumako.

.

Ann's eyes carefully scanned the bleak expanse that was Mementos, low-level shadows scurrying away from the blare of headlights.

Blue irises strained as they adjusted to the darkness of the subway, not wanting the target to disappear from her sight.

"I spy with my little eye… something that's brown and grey-"

"Railroad tracks," Futaba answered, not even bothering to look up from her laptop.

"Wow, Oracle. You got it on the first try! How did you know?"

"Are you for real?!" Ryuji exclaimed; the outburst startling a quietly sketching Yusuke beside him. "There's only like three things down here you coulda possibly been lookin' at. Urgh! This game sucks!

Delving this far into the depths made for a long and arduous trip.

Though Morgana's bus form was fairly spacious, with the seven of them packed in together; and a lack of proper air-conditioning; it was becoming a little stifling.

Some of the more fiery members of the group were beginning to get on each other's nerves.

Beyond the occasional pit-stop to stretch their legs, fighting off shadows and scouring out the different nooks of Mementos for treasures or potential targets, served as their only reprieve.

Even Makoto couldn't find too much of a distraction in the drive. Each level was beginning to look eerily similar, and Futaba's persona could usually map out a clear path through to the next exit. Save for swerving to avoid the odd shadow, it didn't require much concentration. Her muscles were already settling unconsciously into a rhythm.

Still, she had been able to find comfort in the silent form of Joker beside her. It was remarkable how well he could read her and ease the tension she felt with a gentle smile or supporting touch of his hand. The calm washing over her like a healing spell.

He was measured in the affectionate gestures, not wanting to attract the attention of their passengers; currently seeking out other ways to pass the time.

"Alright, fine. Let's hear you suggest something then, Skull." Ann huffed, her eyes narrowing as she folded her arms.

Blinking, the blond scratched his head in thought; not having expected her to turn to him for a suggestion.

"Well, uh... there's that game Westerners always play in movies." He offered. "Y'know, the one where they hold up their fingers and say something they've never done before."

"Isn't that a drinking game?" Makoto's glare lifted, catching the others in the rear-view mirror. "I'll remind you we're all underage and in a car."

"It don't have to be." Ryuji waved his arms, not wanting to incur the wrath of the team's advisor. "Come on! It'll be fun!"

Despite some initial skepticism, the crew supposed that Ryuji's suggestion might not actually be such a bad idea.

The founding members of the Phantom Thieves had been together for several months now and felt pretty tightly knit. The exposure to one another's pasts, their most guarded secrets and inner selves only helped to shift their relationship towards something much more intimate.

Still, between time in the Metaverse, strategy meetings, studying for exams, and part-time jobs, they didn't get many opportunities to spend time together as friends.

They were still a lot of things they didn't know about each other as people.

Haru was their newest member and didn't seem to have many friends outside of their immediate circle. Futaba was still coming out of her shell and sharing secrets among friends could help to continue building her social skills. Yusuke… Well, Yusuke was an enigma. For as long as they'd known him, there was still a lot they hadn't quite figured out.

Even Makoto; though having acclimated well with the team and into her advisory role; was still striving to more learn about her peers.

These were the kind of games kids their age would normally play at parties; a luxury their unique extra-curricular activities as the Phantom Thieves often deprived them of.

It could be a great opportunity for them to get to know each other better.

"Ooo, I'll start!" Futaba called, her hand shooting up. "Never have I ever… gone on a trip to Hawaii!"

"Wha- Oracle! That's not fair!"

"Mwehehehe…" The youngest member cackled. "Well, I had to get one up on you guys. Never underestimate the original Medjed."

"Well, alright. That's one finger down for... Everyone except Oracle. Alright, Noir. It's your turn."

"Oh. Well, let me see." Haru pondered. "Never have I ever... Tried the 6,000 yen Dark Ivory coffee at the Wilton Hotel."

The engine rumbled amidst the dip in conversation, the teens looking between one another with blank expressions.

"Uh, Noir?" Ann eventually broke the silence. "Clearly none of us have done that before. Now you have to lower a finger. You're supposed try to try and get us out."

"Oh, I could never do that. You're all my friends."

"But that's the point of the game!" Ryuji's voice rose again. "You're gonna lose at this rate!"

"Moving on." Ren interrupted, his lips sliding into a smirk. "Never have I ever eaten so much fatty tuna that I made myself sick."

"What?!" The Mona-bus vibrated as an indignant mewl reverberated throughout. "Why are you singling me out, Joker? I'm not playing. I don't even have fingers!"

"We can keep track. That's one down for Mona."

"Hmph. Fine, but I'm going next."

"Whatever. Do your worst."

"Never have I ever… called a Maid Service before."

"You damn cat!" Ryuji exclaimed, thumping the side of the car. "I thought we agreed to keep quiet about that."

"You called a Maid Service?" Ann side-eyed Ryuji, a shudder crawling up the base of his spine.

"Well, uh…" Anxious, Ryuji glance darted around the inside of the car, desperate for a lifeline. "Hey! I- I'm not the only one who's guilty here. Right, leader?"

Swallowing, Ren begrudgingly lowered a finger.

"What?!"

"A maid's services? Hmm, how fascinating. I wonder if they would be willing to serve as the model for my next piece?"

"Dude, it's 5,000 yen a visit. Like you'd be able to afford that."

"Also, I thought you agreed; no more nude paintings!"

"Anyway! Uh… Panther; you're up next."

"Oh, me? Hm, well... Never have I ever… dated before."

To the surprise of no one in the group, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Futaba each kept the fingers up, while Haru lowered a finger. However, given the circumstances surrounding her and her fiancé, the Thieves were happy not to ask for any more details. What piqued their curiosity more so, was when Makoto and Ren both each lowered a finger.

"Wait… What?!"

"Dude! You mean you were out scorin' hotties and didn't think to tell me?!"

"Well, Joker has had an entire life outside of Tokyo that we are not privy to…"

"Plus, his charm stats are like… maxed out."

"Right. Still, I really wasn't expecting that from you, Queen."

"W- well, there is someone… That I'm seeing."

The car jolted, almost swerving off of the tracks and into the station's wall, as Ann pulled herself over the front seat.

"What?!"

"Panther, please! Stay in your seat."

"Oops. Sorry!" Ann flushed, returning to her spot in the middle row. "I just can't believe you'd keep something like that from me."

"W- well, we both agreed to keep things... discreet."

"Perhaps we should move on from this topic for the time being," Yusuke suggested. "It seems to be getting Panther rather excited."

"Right." Joker nodded. "Well, Queen; it's your turn."

Makoto paused, one hand slipping from the steering wheel to touch her chin.

There was much she had not experienced before finding the Phantom Thieves, things that many would see as a normal part of life for a typical, Japanese teenager. If she were being tactical, there were likely several answers she could give that would get most of the others out.

Still, recently she had been fortunate to gain friends who brought more of simple pleasures into her life. In particular, it was thanks to the young man seated across from her that she had been able to broaden her horizons.

Though, thinking on it; as she caught Joker in her peripheral vision; Makoto realised, with a flush, there were still things she wished to learn.

"Never have I ever... kissed someone before."

"Woah, woah, wait a minute." Ryuji interjected. "You're with a guy but you haven't even swapped spit yet?"

"Skull." Ann sighed, her nose wrinkling at the boy's crude description.

"N- no, it's fine, really." Makoto countered, lifting her hands from the wheel briefly. "It's all still very new to me. I think he's just been holding back on my account. I just wish there was a way I could let him know that I want it as much as I think he does."

"Aw, don't worry, Queen!" Futaba encouraged. "I'm sure he'll come to his senses."

"Yeah! Any guy would be lucky to be with you."

"Anyway, looks like Joker and Noir are the only ones who lowered their fingers. No surprises there."

"Actually," Joker cleared his throat, and raised his hand, showing that his total was still at seven.

"Okay, now I'm confused."

"What else is new?"

A pained meow rang from the car as Ryuji's bat struck the inside wall.

Makoto flushed as she felt Joker's gaze cover her; the stark white of his mask accentuating his eyes, drawing her to them. She bit her lip, readjusting her grip on the steering wheel.

"I suppose you could say I was... holding back."

"I- is that, so?" Makoto answered, trying to keep her eyes focused ahead, away from Ren's longing stare.

She had hoped that in keeping her answers curt and concentrating on the road ahead the conversation would shift, the rest of the Thieves carrying on with their game. Yet, their interest had seemingly turned towards their leader, as he watched her with a fond smile.

"Queen, pull over here." Joker instructed abruptly; his tone sharp.

Makoto slowed the vehicle to stop, suspecting that Joker had spotted a target.

She immediately ripped off her seatbelt and moved to open the door, more than willing to steer the focus away from their conversation.

However, at the flash of red covering her own gloved hand and ceasing her movement, she turned, catching Joker's mask with a puzzled expression.

Having readied herself for battle, Makoto's normally sharp reflexes had been prepared to react the moment something grasped at her. Though, her guard slipped as Joker's fingers caught her the jaw.

Their masks clinked together as he pulled her face towards his own; the breath that ripped involuntarily from her throat was caught by the soft pressure of his lips.

Her first kiss.

The scent of coffee still lingered on his breath, likely remnants from his breakfast at Leblanc. The bitter taste warmed her chest, striking and familiar.

Now unimpeded by her seatbelt, Makoto fell deeper into Ren's embrace, her hands lifting to catch in the thick clumps of his hair.

It was surprisingly soft.

Spurred on by the sensation of Makoto kissing back, Ren trailed his hands down to the swell of her hips, appreciating how her suit clung to them. Makoto's eyes bulged in surprise as she was pulled into Joker's lap, though she didn't break from his lips, her arms surrounding him.

With that daring gesture, it struck her that she was sharing her first kiss not with Ren, but Joker; an experience distinct from what she had anticipated. It hadn't been a shy, chaste caress that had caught her; a moment their relationship had steadily being building towards; but something bolder, more extravagant.

The gesture, in a sense, reflected how they had entered each other's lives, how they had awoken to their true selves in the Metaverse; abruptly and explosively. How everything strange and otherworldly suddenly began to make sense, as if it had been there, waiting, all along.

There was something captivating about the suave, cocky persona Ren assumed in the Metaverse. Seeing those soft, shy smiles of his break into confident grins; his dark, mysterious eyes, shining and proud. The way he remained strong and collected for the rest of his team, even during their most tense battles.

That he was forward enough to make the first move; where in the real world he may have hesitated; closing the distance between them like this, his lips flickering into a familiar smirk as they caressed against her own.

It was... sexy.

The magic dissipated as Makoto became conscious of the eyes boring into her, sliding up her spine like cold digits as she recalled, abruptly, that they weren't alone. Gasping, Makoto slipped from Joker's arms, glancing mortified, towards their friends.

Ann's hands had lifted to cover her mouth, barely containing the bright smile lighting her features. There was a sheen in her wide, starry eyes. Haru had moved up beside her, hands similarly cradled together.

"Oh, how romantic."

With a smirk, Futaba had, reflexively, pulled out her smartphone; a pout settling across her features when she remembered the camera function was useless in the Metaverse.

Beside her, Yusuke was rifling through the back of the car, eventually producing a canvas and a selection of brushes, frantically setting them up.

"You two, hold your positions! I must capture this!"

"Inari!? When did you bring that with you? And also, why?"

Ryuji watched on in curious silence, his brow furrowed as he scratched the back of his head.

"Huh? Skull? What's up?"

"So, like... Do they have to drop a finger now, or what?"

[nobodyfamousposts]

Can you describe in detail this? If you (and a few others) could fully (or partially) change MLB, how would you guys change it? My guesses: Littlebug/Chatton Noir/Kagami's Daughter exist, and the status quo is practically gone, or THE FREAKING WILL THEY WON'T THEY love... Polygon????

To be fair, we probably couldn’t make Littlebug and Chaton exist in canon without…complications in terms of what happens to them. Though if we could simply ignore all that and keep the cuteness, I think we would probably make the web series about them and their daily antics in being living dolls rather than tormenting poor chibi-Chat, and I’m sure people would likely prefer that.

AU items aside, as far as changes to the show, continuity would be the big thing. As would removing the ever present “Status-Quo-Yo”. There would be an order to the episodes and changes that carry over from one to the next.

There would be less time wasted on plot points that go nowhere and Marinette cringe. There would also be less focus on Marinette making mistakes and being forced to “learn something” every episode. It’s the same problem as Steven Universe in that every episode HAS to be from Steven’s perspective, which limits what they can show other people do since we’re supposed to be discovering things as he does. Miraculous has already shown that it doesn’t have to do that, so step back the Marinette focus and cut away some of the excess.

Have the episodes expand on the other members of the cast. That way, we learn a bit more about their lives, their personalities, and their growth. Have other people presented with challenges and learn lessons as they grow into their own. Also have more instances of more of them acting silly and being teenagers. The one thing that both Party Crasher and Puppeteer 2.0 got right was showing the interactions between other members of the cast. We got to see the boys acting silly with their party. We got to see Alya and Nino acting like an actual couple rather than two people shoehorned in together. It’s also the reason why many folks liked Silencer even if they weren’t Lukanette fans—not because it’s Luka’s episode, but because we got to see Marinette hanging out with Kitty Section and doing things that didn’t involve her overwhelming crush on Adrien.

I would have more focus on Adrien and his challenges of acclimating to a school and non-professional social settings. Have him be awkward—not because a gum incident set off a bad start, but actually SHOW him trying and failing to talk to people because he doesn’t know how or what to talk about. SHOW his supposed interest in anime. Have him TALK to people about his interests. Have him note tropes and struggle with the understanding that no, the Power of Friendship is not actually a thing—then have Nino and others be confused and exasperated when the akuma of the day ends up proving Adrien right. Or have Adrien pulling stupid stunts—he’s cooped up in his room all day, he needs SOMETHING to occupy his time! I want Plagg and Adrien moments where it isn’t just Plagg being the comic relief, but rather the bad influence encouraging Adrien to do things.

Adrien: Think I can do a flip off the rock wall and land on the couch?

Plagg: DO IT.

Or again, the aforementioned anime interest.

Plagg: This is lame. The show makes no sense. The characters make no sense. And the romance is sub par.

Adrien: (Slyly) Yeah, you’re right. Usagi could do better than Mamoru anyway.

Plagg: YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

Whenever we see Adrien, it’s boring. Oh look, Adrien playing the piano because it’s his schedule even though nobody seems to care. Oh look, Adrien doing something at his computer. Oh look, Adrien being sad. Again. Sure, this keeps up the “perfect” angle, but it’s not because he actually is, but rather because he DOESN’T DO ANYTHING.

Marinette isn’t allowed to be right. Adrien isn’t allowed to be wrong. So they have Marientte constantly making mistakes and be the focus of attention while they flat out ignore Adrien except to remind us that he’s there and perfect. So I’d include confused Adrien. Adrien being a teenager. Adrien doing stupid things. Adrien making actual mistakes and learning lessons. Adrien who is actually shown doing things he LIKES doing.

And I know a lot of people would hate me for this, but I say include a male Lila (Lilam?) to help screw with Adrien. Adrien still doesn’t get a lot of aspects of student culture and social norms, and I could see someone taking full advantage of that to use against him. Not to make him a boyfriend, but just to topple the “perfect boy”. Make Adrien the male Lila’s target because Adrien wouldn’t be quite as sure what to do about it, and this would be a case where his initial “non-confrontation” stance WON’T WORK. This would also serve to give us the Adrien Protection Squad we’ve all been wanting once his friends figure out what’s happening.

In addition, I’d include more focus on lore and plot. Season 1 to introduce the characters and establish the world. Season 2 to expand on the lore and start to explore the Miraculous and what they truly are. Show who the other past Miraculous users were and what they accomplished. Give us a past Miraculous user gone rogue who comes back for revenge. And Season 3 to try to actually take down Hawk Moth with that knowledge. Marinette starts learning more Guardian things as Fu starts to prepare her to become his successor. Adrien starts investigating his mother’s disappearance and the strangeness in his own home. These things start to come together, leading to a clash for both teens as they have to discover themselves, where they stand, and which side they’re going to be on.

Have MORE go on with this game of cat and mouse between the heroes and Fu VS Hawk Moth. Him trying to capture the heroes while they are slowly but steadily trying to track him. Then when he discovers Fu’s presence, a growing tension as Fu and Gabriel are each trying to hunt the other down while trying to avoid being caught themselves. A circular game, one with more intrigue and espionage. Where Hawk Moth gets his little victories just as much as the heroes get theirs. Until eventually it all comes to a head when each knows who the other is and have to figure out how to act on it.

And for the Love Square…slow burn buildup. Season 1 for them both to realize their interest in the other and come to terms amidst the whole “being heroes” issue. Season 2 to try to address it and deal with being rejected. Season 3 to try and move on only to be reminded why they fell in love. See that? We can draw out the Love Square while still making progress.

NO STATUS QUO. There will be PROGRESS. There will be healthy relationships and friendships and actual interactions. There will be lessons for people besides Marinette. There will be greater buildup to the other heroes getting Miraculous as well. It’s not just Marinette tossing a Miraculous at them when it’s convenient, it’s each of the other heroes proving THEMSELVES. It will make each incident of them becoming heroes something to build up to rather than something expected because “Everybody gets a Miraculous now”.

I’m sure there are others or I could get into more specifics, but yeah. That’s what I’d say to go for.