#ML Ficlet

[nobodyfamousposts]

Missing Sneak Peak (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

The truth is out about Marinette's predicament, and to everyone's surprise, Chloe calls Ladybug:

"I need a favor."

It was a standoff.

Ladybug had faced down akumas, false heroes, monsters of man and magic, and even Hawk Moth himself. And not once had she ever backed down or given up.

But Chloe Bourgeois was nothing if not stubborn. She was long used to getting what she wanted.

And she wasn't going to let something as simple as facing an opponent with a mask and superpowers deter her.

“Look, I worked with you before. That has to mean something, right? I helped you before! Against my Dad and against Hawk Moth on Heroes Day! You…you owe me.”

Ladybug looked unimpressed. “The Miraculous do not entitle you to anything, Chloe.”

“No, hear met out!” Chloe insisted. “You trusted me to help you. And I did! I put my life on the line as your teammate. So…so that warrants something, doesn’t it? I deserve something! A wish. An ask. Just one request.”

The hero frowned. But Chloe was undeterred.

“So look, just…bring her back already. Bring back Marinette Dupain-Cheng and every stupidly good and positive thing she brings with her, and I’ll…I don’t know. I’ll find some way to return the favor.”

Ladybug simply stared at her. Blank. Unfeeling.

“I can pay you! Even superheroes need money, right?”

“Chloe….”

“I’ll be better! No more akumas, I promise!”

“Chloe.”

“I’ll be nicer! I’ll stop bugging my Dad for things and stop causing problems!”

“That's not—h”

“I'll donate my wardrobe to charity!”

“I can't just—"

“I’ll stop making comments to my classmates! I’ll just shut up completely! I’ll get voice surgery if I have to!”

“Chloe, that’s not how it works—”

“NO! It HAS to work!” She shouted, cutting her off. Because she refused—she refused to accept any other answer. “You’re Ladybug! You always make it work! So you can just make this work, too!”

Silence.

“Please.” Chloe begged. “This is the one good thing I have. I don’t want to—I can’t give it up!”

Ladybug simply looked at her, almost pityingly.

“Please." Chloe repeated. "Just this one thing. That's all.”

Ladybug simply shook her head, leaving Chloe feeling hollow.

And without even a word, Ladybug turned away.

Chloe just stared after her in shock.

Because Ladybug was Ladybug. A hero. THE hero. Always there. Always helpful. Always caring.

So why…?

Why didn’t she care now?

Then…

…it hit her.

And Chloe laughed.

How could she not?

“Of course.“ She laughed mournfully. “Of course she had gotten to you too.”

Because of course even Ladybug would be different.

Because of course if anyone could have helped make a Ladybug into the great hero she was today, it would be Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

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

“Chloe?" Adrien called out as he entered her room, worried and unsure. "Is everything okay? You were crying on the phone and…”

He froze, seeing Chloe curled up next to her Bee signal.

“Chloe?”

She didn’t move or answer immediately. He was worried she didn’t even realize he was there, given how blankly she seemed to be staring into nothing.

“Chloe?” He asked as he approached.

Silence.

Unsure of what else to do, he sat next to her and waited.

Chloe had gotten like this before. A long, long time ago.

She would have these times where she'd get quiet and small. And he would sit next to her, just barely touching. Close enough that she'd know he was there and could decide from there if she wanted to lean on him or push away. He always left it up to her. Always waited. Because Chloe never pushed him away. And with enough time, she would voice her feelings, just loud enough that he could hear.

...and sure enough...

“My Mom forgot my name today.” She whispered.

Adrien paused.

He knew how much that had to hurt her. Chloe’s Mother was everything to her. Everything she idolized and admired. Everything she wanted and wanted to be. He’d never seen her happier than when her Mom settled back in Paris and returned to her life.

It had meant everything to her. And to lose it again…

“I’m sorry, Chloe.” He said, leaning closer to her. “I thought things were better.”

“They were.” She sniffed, trying to hold back the hurt. “They were better. And do you know why?”

She laughed, startling him with how bitter it sounded.

“Chloe?”

“It was because of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Because of course it was!" She started off lowly, but her tone grew angrier the more she spoke. "Because of course she is! Because of. Freaking. COURSE if ANYONE was to get my Mom to do better and treat me like I’m actually family and just be a mom, it would be stupid perfect Marinette!”

She curled in on herself with a sob.

“Not…not me.”

Despite her efforts, the tears began to flow.

“And…and now—”

She hiccuped, forcing herself to speak.

“I heard it, you know. They're saying that Marinette got hit by that akuma and now not only did she disappear, but everything—everything connected to her is disappearing, too. Like…how? How does that even work? How does one person affect that much? She was just…just a little nobody! She didn’t matter!” Chloe lowered her head. “At least, she didn’t use to.”

Adrien frowned, wanting to argue, but forced himself to not speak.

Chloe filled the silence instead.

“And it was scary learning she was fading, because that could happen to you or me or anyone, but it was like no big deal, right? Because  yeah, she’s done some things and helped some people but it's not like she did that much, right? So her being gone wouldn't matter that much. Surely she didn’t impact me.” Her eyes clenched shut. “But she did, and now it’s hitting me in the face just how much of what I had was because of her and…and…”

She tried to wipe at her eye, only for more tears to trail.

“And now just like that! It’s all gone! Just back to how it was before. Like—like it never happened! Mom caring about me? Loving me? Yeah right! When did that ever happen? It wasn't me being awesome or a good daughter or following in her footsteps that got my Mom's attention!" She smiled falsely, tears falling from her eyes in a sad show of her true feelings.

"Nope! It wasn't anything about me! It wasn't even about Mom realizing she loves me! Everything we got to have was all only because of Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” She exclaimed with a wild waving of her hands. "Isn't that lovely? Isn't that awesome? Isn't it great how she just fixed everything and brought us together into the happy little family I'd been wanting for years?"

“Chloe…”

She shook her head, showing a bitter smile.

“And now because of stupid akumas and stupid magic, Marinette isn’t here. And because she isn’t here, she wasn’t there. And because she wasn’t there, it didn’t happen. And because it didn’t happen, everything’s just…poof! Gone! Just like that! Just like magic!”

She clenched her fists, her smile falling. “And now I know it never would have happened on its own. Not with just me. Not without her. It was only because of her that I had my Mom back at all. And now that she’s gone, I’m gonna lose that too and…and…”

She sobbed.

“It’s not fair.”

It wasn’t, he agreed internally because what could he actually say?

He understood her feelings about her Mom. It was hold he felt with his own Dad. Never feeling enough. And to have someone else come in and fix that…he wasn’t sure whether he would be grateful or hurt. He was even less sure how he would respond.

…he would feel sad. He knew that much.

“And the worst part? Ladybug is just the same. Harsh sometimes, but not like that. Never like that.”

Silence.

A breath.

“What does that say?” Chloe asked. “When her being gone makes that big of a difference? With my hero AND with my Mom. Not me. Not anyone. No. It's because of Her.”

Adrien stared in surprise. He'd known Ladybug was off, but even Chloe had noticed a difference? It was jarring.

“Ladybug is?”

Chloe wiped her tears. “She's different. You've noticed, haven't you?” She paused, before shrugging. “Though maybe you haven't been around her enough to. But she's different, too. Everyone is different without her. Ladybug. My Mom...I get why. I remember what happened to start it, but still...”

He had as Chat, but he couldn't tell her that.

“And I hate it!” She suddenly exclaimed, anger rushing through her. “I hate it because it means it was nothing about me that made it even happen or made me worth it in the first place but it was everything about her and I hate that but I’m so selfish because—yeah okay, I hate it but I’ll still take it if it means I get to have this and it’s still better than not having Mom at all even if I only got it this way but now I can’t even have that much anymore and soon I never will have had it at all and it'll be like it never happened and it’s not fair!” She ended up shouting, slamming her fist into the ground.

“Chloe!”

“I’m not good, but it’s not fair!”

He hesitated for a moment.

But it was only a moment before he drew her into his arms and let her cry.

He wanted to speak and reassure her. Insist that she was wrong and she was more than enough. It was the right thing to say. The kind thing.

But he was still learning and growing and still so very scared of saying the wrong thing.

Nino had helped him. Listened to him. Helping him without even saying a thing.

Because it was what he needed…because sometimes people needed to make their voices heard more than they needed kind words.

And Adrien could do that much.

So he sat by her, waiting in solidarity and support. The friend and listener she needed as she cried.

[trainsinanime]

Tired Ladybug is cuddly Ladybug, and tonight is no different. She hugs him tight and leans in close, sniffing his hair. For a moment she sits there, just humming contently, before she speaks.

“I wish I could kiss you���, she whispers into his ear. He looks up, surprised, and stops petting her back. There’s an angry snort from her, so he continues.

“You can”, he says quietly. “If you want.”

“No,” she says, sadness in her voice. “I want to, so much. But you’re in love with me.”

“Is that a problem?”

His breath hitches as she ponders the question.

“Usually not”, she answers finally. “It’s nice, actually. You’re good at it. But me, I’m, well…”

“In love with someone else”, he finishes for her. She nods.

“So if I kiss you, that would be a promise I can’t keep”, she whispers, as she runs her hands through his hair. “You deserve better kisses than I can give you. A shame, too, I really like kissing you.”

She goes back to humming contently, as her words burn in his mind. Finally, he turns to her.

“What if… I just grab you and kiss you? You don’t do anything, you just let it happen? We get our kiss, and you don’t get any of the guilt.”

She opens her eyes, and looks at him, his lips, just centimetres from hers. Her breath intermingles with his, and it would be so easy, just a little twist of the head.

“Sorry, kitty cat”, she says finally. “It doesn’t work like that. Especially not when you announce it. Thanks for trying, though. I appreciate it. We should be making out on these rooftops. That’s what they’re here for.”

He wonders about this for a second. So if he hadn’t asked, if he just–no, forget that. He’ll always ask for permission first. Besides, she’s sleepy and loopy, and she doesn’t know what she’s saying, not really.

“Find yourself someone to kiss who won’t break your heart”, she says, before a light snore tells him that she has dozed off. Oh, Ladybug, how he’d like to do that! But everything she’s said has made it impossible once more.

[generalluxun]

"What are you doing?!" Chloé announced herself with a shriek.

André froze in the middle of her bedroom. His arms were laden with her jewelry boxes. Excess adornments were looped over his meaty appendages, threatening to slip free onto the floor. He cast about like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Finding no reprieve, a slick well practiced smile slid into place and he brightened.

"Chloé, dear, you won't believe our luck! Gabriel has decided to do an entire line dedicated to us! The First Family of Paris! Isn't that exciting?"

Instead of the expected glee, Chloé advanced on him, leveling an accusatory finger. "Nevermind Lambriel Agreste. What are you doing with my jewelry?"

Andre squirmed, his plunder threatening to spill free again. "Oh, this? It's nothing, nothing honey. Gabriel says he needs these to study, to capture your 'true essence.'"

Surprise registered on Chloé's face, turning quickly to anger. Her face went flush and she stomped her foot. "No! He can't have them! They're mine!"

Andre floundered, "Honey, he needs these. He said so himself. I'll buy you some new jewelry to use until he is done! Won't that he ni-"

"No!" She screamed louder, "I don't want new jewelry. I don't want stupid new clothes. I don't want anything! Just leave me and my stuff alone!"

He paled as his one solution to everything failed. It lasted only a moment though. The placating smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. André squared his shoulders and gazed down from on high at what was simply another unruly Parisian now. "Gabriel needs these. I am taking them. No one argues with the Mayor of Paris."

He was in motion before he finished speaking. The speed of his step hinted fear in equal parts with belligerence. Chloé tried to stop him. She latched onto his arm, but his bulk was nearly three times her weight. Her father shrugged her off. As an after thought he passed his searching gaze over her unadorned hands and ears, then and out of her suite before she had gotten back to her feet.

She screamed after him, no words this time just incoherent rage. When her throat was sore and her head hurt she relented. She climbed up on her bed and picked up Mr. Cuddly. Her bear got one firm squeeze before she poked a fingertip into a small hole in his back seam. When she pulled it out she wore a thin golden band.

"At least he didn't get you." She said to the ring.

Black and green sparks tickled along the ring, then shot off to coalesce into a small black cat kwami; an angry black cat kwami. "Get me? You already got me! You stole my miraculous!"

Chloé winced at the onslaught but countered quickly, "So what? Everybody steals Miraculouses. Ladybug stole mine! Shadowmoth stole everybody's! You're mine now, and no one's going to take you from me."

That put the kwami on the back foot. He squinted at her, "Did you hit your head or something, Miss Priss? Not that it matters. If you think for one second I'm gonna-"

"Be Quiet!" Chloé hissed.

The kwami's lips snapped shut. He resorted to flitting around her in agitated figure eights. She swatted him away and he made a bee line for the most expensive looking vase in the room.

"Back in the ring!" Chloé yelped.

The ring's magic cut Plagg's rampage short, sucking him inside and plunging the room into silence. Chloé sat for a long time, twisting the ring on her finger while the memory of Adrien's stunned face hovered behind her eyes.

When she looked up out of her thoughts the room felt larger, or maybe she felt smaller. The uncomfortable absence of her missing jewelry felt like a robbery. Her bedroom no longer felt safe. She pulled up the comforter to try and ward off the unease.

It's not like she had anywhere else to go.

[chatnia-starlight]

The Comfort Hoodie

This is a gift to @sweetgaleria, for the ML Secret Santa Exchange 2024. I'm sorry I'm so late to posting, but hopefully it is worth it! Happy Holidays! Hope you enjoy! Here's a snippet of it but you can go read the rest on ao3.

Marinette was in deep concentration working on a dress when she received a text from Chat Noir on the app of her phone she had linked to her yoyo. 

"Do you have my sad hoody? I need my sad hoody." 

As she read that message, she worried.

“Yes I do, is everything okay?”

Marinette saw the dots appear on her screen, stop and then reappear. She waited patiently, hoping Chat would open up and say whatever was going on. After a few moments, a text finally arrived.

“Can you meet me on our usual spot in a few minutes?” 

“Of course Chaton.” 

Marinette wasted no time, grabbed the hoodie, transformed and headed out of her skylight. 

Read on AO3

[tumblingxelian]

Chloleka thoughts.

Chloe was vexed, she was not making the progress with Juleka she'd hoped to. Getting into Roses good graces was easy enough, as was sending her off to dither away her time with Ali, leaving Juleka to Chloe.

But the dark haired maiden always had somewhere to be if Chloe started angling for a real date!

It was almost discouraging enough to send her back to pining after Ladybug... But those crimson eyes flashed in her memory and a shiver ran down her spine.

Chloe wanted to see that again; to be the subject of that intense devotion. She couldn't imagine anything more attractive.

& it seemed fate was finally on her side today, because when Chloe passed Juleka by she saw, and more recognized, the app the girl was using.

"Is that Style Queens, Beautify Yourself APP?" She asked, leaning on Juleka's side to peak at her phone.

The girl didn't pull away. Progress!

"It is," Juleka hummed absently, seemingly caught between two different choices of lace.

Chloe could sympathize.

"It makes sense you'd be interested in fashion, I was never much for the gothic-techwear aesthetic before you, but your outfits have always had a strong sense of style."

She dared a peak and saw a slight flush on Juleka's cheeks before her crimson eyes steeled into what Chloe believed to be suspicion.

Fortunately, Rose had her uses.

"Juleka's always been interested in fashion, as much as she loved playing music with the band. She even wants to be a model!"

'Really now~'

A whole new avenue just opened up to Chloe, a whole new arena, a hunting ground where a tigress like herself could stalk their prey. No longer crammed in between confined school walls filled with soft children.

"You know, there is a little event for youthful fashionistas coming soon, I could get you tickets."

Juleka's stare was now more intense than ever, and Chloe just wanted to drink it up even as the girls expression flickered between nervousness, intense suspicion and obvious longing.

'Look at me like that, look at me like that. Look at me like that!'

"I'd like that, but-"

"But nothing," Rose interrupted, "Juleka this could be huge for you, or maybe nothing, I don't actually know anything about fashion."

'Obviously,' Chloe bit her tongue until she tasted copper, forcing the words down and drowning out the echo of her mothers voice, just this once.

Chloe rolled her shoulders and regrettably slipped away from Juleka's taller frame, hand over her heart. That was apparently a sign of sincerity, right?

"I fortunately know a great deal, and can assure that it would be a boon. What's more, Adrien will be in our company in case you fear me doing anything devious. If nothing else, it will be a look into the world you're seeking to join, no?"

Juleka's head tilted to the side, long bangs falling aside to reveal both eyes and Chloe was rooted to the floor. Finally she spoke, "All right, I'll attend... Thank you Chloe."

'I won? Of course I won. I won!'

She blurred forward and managed to score a kiss on the cheek before bouncing back on her feet.

"Exceptional darling, I promise you shan't regret it! I'll make all the arrangements!"

--

To Juleka it seemed like the day of the event had come up on her like a speeding train.

Dressed in ungodly expensive clothes purchased by Chloe, she was riding in a limo. Yeah that was a thing that was happening. For some reason.

Rose's absence was felt mightily at her side. The other girl had some kind of Achu related event to go to, leaving Juleka with two other blondes in her stead.

Adrien looked relaxed if a little strange to her... Not on guard, not even that different, just subtly uncanny to what she'd come to expect from him, even the smile felt slightly unreal.

Chloe, much to Juleka's surprise wasn't hanging off her arm. In fact, the girl had pointedly sat on the opposite side of the limo to her and Adrien. Instead, she was with Nathalie and both were prodding intensely at phone and tablet alike, concentration evident on their features.

At some point Juleka had started biting her lip, the pain was a distraction but just as she felt the skin breaking she wrenched her jaw open.

"Something wrong?" Nathalie's cold stare levelled at Juleka, leaving her wanted to disappear behind her hair.

"Just, nervous..."

"Don't be darling, you're exceptional," Chloe purred. "Put an exceptional person where they are meant to be and they shine without effort."

For his part Adrien added, "I get being nervous, but you're in good company and well styled. You'll fit in better there than I will," he motioned to his very casual, boyish war. Barely a step above what he usually wore save the strong but subtle trim and longer sleeves.

"Your appeal," Nathalie began, "Is in your boyish charm. Suits and more flashy wear are for special occasions."

Adrien rolled his eyes fondly, "This stuff tends to go over my head, so its helpful to have Nathalie remind me." There was something teasing in his tone.

Feeling a little more at ease, Juleka un-clenched her muscles, and leaned back just a little more. "I just want to make sure I act right and not just dress right."

"Well there's your problem," Chloe dropped her phone and looked thoughtful. "Appearance, manner, behavior, they're all the same, everything is a performance. For campaigning daddy plays affable cars salesmen & family man for the public, then with his peers-"

Nathalie coughed, firmly.

Chloe just huffed and pressed on, "Take me for example, Chloe the Mayors daughter is different to Chloe the hotelier, and to Chloe the student."

That raised a lot of questions in Juleka's mind, not helped by Adrien nodding.

"Yeah, its all about almost being another person. You aren't you when performing, you're Juleka, the up and coming model. You have your own role to play, a persona that goes beyond the clothes you're wearing but that at the same time is them. Hold to that and you'll do fine."

Swallowing, she toyed with one of the rings Chloe had purchased for her ensemble for this event.

"So then is it all smoke and mirrors?" Would people even see her?

"Close," Chloe purred, something glinting in her hand and reflecting light across the limo.

The blonde leaned forward and grasped Juleka's hand and gravely intoned, "Its all in the style."

When Juleka returned home, she had been intent on collapsing on her bed and tuning out the world for awhile. It had gone well, better than she had ever expected, but that didn't men she wasn't exhausted.

However, there were too many questions left buzzing in her brain for her to stop quite yet. Crimson eyes darted to the array of cards and twin packaged sitting on her desk.

'I have no idea what to do with this,' she was excited, and nervous, replaying the days events in her head from a new angle.

During the event, Juleka had been surprised that Chloe didn't stay close; which was not to say she was totally absent.

The blonde had been blurring in an out like a busy little bee and not passing up the odd chance for a flirty finger trailing along Juleka's skin.

But most of Juleka's time was spent with Adrien; not quite on his arm, but not quite not on it either. Like she was a peer and someone of equal importance in the fashion world. All while Chloe & Nathalie weaved around them like human shrapnel in tornadoes.

At the time, Juleka didn't think much of it.

But now, cards given to Chloe were given to her, emails were pinging on her phone and when she arrived home, Juleka found two different enticement packages had been delivered by two separate modelling studios.

She still wanted to scream in joy and panic.

Instead, she had called Adrien.

"Two already? Wow, I know those names, you really turned heads today Juleka, congratulations!"

"Is it," She swallowed. "Was it me though, or because I was with you, or Chloe, I mean her father-"

"I can stop you there, being around me is only so so helpful, if it made peoples careers Chloe would still be in modelling. As for her father, nope, he has near zero pull in these circles, and Chloe's not going to risk throwing around his name when it won't help. Or worse, use Style Queens name without Audrey giving her the greenlight."

"I see, sorry... She seemed to be very... Active..."

Adrien chuckled, "She was just acting as your buffer, which she's done for me plenty of times. It may have helped create an air of mystique, that you were already someone notable, but that's all, the rest was you."

Juleka looked at the collection of card, the list of emails and twin packages. "I'll have to thank her, and... Maybe ask her what to do with all this."

"Probably a good call, I won't be of much help; I only deal with the Agreste and Style Queen brands usually. Chloe's more keyed into the movers and shakers everywhere and plenty inclined to scent blood in the water, or sort the bigger fish from the parasites as she might say."

"I'll keep that in mind and call her, and thank you for today."

"No problem, we're friends and hey, you've been a good influence on Chloe this last couple of weeks. Its been... Nice."

Which was the other reason she called, probably the real reason she called. Forcing the words out, Juleka was proud she didn't stammer, "Chloe knows I can't date her over this, right?"

"She knows," Adrien said without missing a beat. "That won't stop her flirting but she knows the difference between Paramore and agent. So don't worry about her trying to hold this over you, it wouldn't... Fit with how things work. She's already tethered her name to you and mine. She won't toss that aside over a date one way or the other."

Juleka mentally filed 'all' of that away for future reference in her increasingly large 'Chloe' file and nodded, only to herself.

"I see... That helps, given history I don't know what to expect."

"I can tell you this much, once Chloe decides she likes someone she digs in her claws and doesn't let go. She can handle a millions rejections & bounce back like nothing happened because attempt one million & one is sure to work, and if it doesn't then surely the next."

"I... I don't get it."

There was an odd tone to Adrien's hum as he answered, "We're used to fighting to be seen, something you can relate to. So she won't take a no personally, if she did, she'd be a quitter and nothings less exceptional than a quitter."

Juleka's Chloe file was going to need extra storage space.

"Oh- sorry I have to go, maybe we can do a shoot together down the line, later Juleka!"

"B-" He'd hung up before she could finish speaking and Juleka stared at her phone, and then back at her dream laid out in front of her.

Then she dialed Chloe.

It wasn't until after a long conversation about not tying herself to any one company, which companies to scuttle and which to eek close, followed by dinner with her family that Juleka realized something.

She hadn't called Rose yet.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

“Take care Marinette.” Adrien said as he kissed his girlfriend before getting into the car

“See you later Adrien.” She said sweetly, her smile as bright as the sun.

They didn’t want to leave the other but Adrien did have fencing practice and she needed to get back and help with some bakery deliveries.

Marinette started to walk to her scooter to head home.

“Aren’t you a bit old to be playing with dolls?”

Marinette stopped when she heard the statement. She looked to see if anyone was around only to see a man in a hoodie sitting on a bench.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?” Marinette asked.

The man turned his head to look in her direction, his face still obscured by the hood.

“Oh, did I say that outloud? My apologies.” The man said with a tone that came off as condescending.

“What did you mean by that?” Marinette interrogated. Something about what he said bothered her and she wanted to be sure she wasn’t misinterpreting it.

The man smiled deviously.

“I think we BOTH know what I meant.”

Marinette knew it, it was a dig at Adrien! Just because he is a model doesn’t make him a toy.

“Just because he was a model in the past doesn’t give you the right to treat him like an object! He is just like everyone else.” Marinette defended.

The man paused, before bursting into laughter.

“Oh I’m sure his creator worked hard to make him appear just like everyone else. Some real attention to detail with that one.”

Marinette felt her anger swell but some other emotion was percolating. The way this man was talking made it sound like…

“What are you implying?.”

The man stopped laughing. Seeing the clear anger at him.

“So you want me to be the one to say it then?”

“I want you to stop mocking my boyfriend.”

The man sighed.

“So does he have a choice in that or do you have his remote?”

Marinette felt her suspicion confirm. This guy knew Adrien was a sentimonster. And his disrespect for him was nothing short of grotesque!

“So you do know. For a moment I started to think you didn’t. A magical creature made of emotion, so close to human yet lacking a soul. Like a magical robot, comes with a kill switch and obedience chip. But no worries if he gets broken a new one can Always be…”

Marinette punched the man with all her strength, the man fell off the bench, but the hood remained.

“Quite a hook, you must have some experience in a scrap.” He said as he touched his jaw. “It hurts hearing the truth.”

“You know nothing. Adrien Does have a soul! He is real! And he has control! You don’t get to act like you know him! You don’t get to talk like he’s lesser than us. He is Human. He is a person. So shut your mouth or I will shut it for you!”

The man could tell she meant her threat.

“Very well, I will be taking my leave for now. But do make sure he has a grip on his Leash. I would be a shame if someone… Got a hold of it.”

Marinette growled and prepared to pop the mysterious man again but a loud horn made her look away, only for her to turn back and the man was gone.

Marinette tightened her fist. She felt disgusted by the man’s insinuation. She would push it away, for that persons sake, she hopes to never see him again.

But as she left, the man in the hood chuckled. Removing the hood and the mask that they were wearing. For it wasn’t a man, but a girl that appeared to be Marinette’s age.

“Just you wait Marinette. When I turn your pet against you.” She said with a villainous smirk.

[wisteriasymphony]

Adrien was never the type to have a solid grip on living. Even at an age where he couldn't see it—much less articulate it—the misery would bleed in through the walls. Most boys his age were at worst the kind of reckless one would expect from a developing brain. Boys were meant to scrape their knees, dislodge a tooth, maybe break a wrist.

At six years old, Adrien was moved into a room without a balcony. It would be an understatement to say he couldn't be trusted with one; Had there been room on the first floor, he would've been kept down there. But sealing the windows shut was hopefully enough to keep him from jumping off the ledge again.

"We can't send him to school like this!" Emilie has initially protested, cradling her baby boy in her arms. She was lucky he wasn't human, or perhaps there wouldn't be enough left to hold. "My sweet boy," she wept. "My precious boy."

Adrien, as pristine as the day he was made, looked to his father. Gabriel creased his brows as he noticed the boy had nothing behind his eyes. Just smooth, green glass.

[ladynoiresque]

chapter 8 is outt!!! 🐞🐈‍⬛🖤

“You’re crazy, you know that, right?”

“I’ve been told that, yes.”

[dedud3d]

so ml canon divergence au where after reflekdoll, marinette gets sick or hurt or both and can't be ladybug for a bit because of it so she has tikki go to chat so he can, ideally, take over as ladybug while she's gone and choose who he wants to be his black cat

adrien doesn't do that and instead chooses alya to be ladybug so it becomes a scarabella and chat noir team up which makes gabriel finally gather up enough courage to use his braincells

akuma + sentimonster + hawkmoth + mayura + bad/newbie ladybug who doesn’t have the talent for it or the experience in fighting together with chat noir = the highest chance of victory he has had so far(?)

so he makes an akuma and has mayura make them a sentimonster then they wait for scarabella to use her lucky charm and for chat noir to use his cataclysm before ambushing them then blocking them from escaping until they detransform and he can take their miraculous with minimal risk

*insert evil monologue and how disappointing adrien/chat noir is* before he makes the wish

gimmi: alright then Mr "nothing left to lose", bet.

gabriel wakes up in prison (life sentence with no chance of parole) and stays there for years without anyone visiting him with all the prisoners hating him before he accidentally broken out by a fight between someone with the dragon miraculous and someone with the ox miraculous whose superpower seems like a green lantern ring knock off instead of making him immune to superpowers like nooroo told him it would.

at first he just thinks nooroo might have somehow lied to him but then the Dragon miraculous user uses fire and then he's just confused.

he doesn't get much time to think on it because the inmates all start shouting and running towards the hole the two supervillains(?) made to try and escape. he follows them and ends up managing to escape but not without some bruises and a few bullets grazing him.

after his (not so) great escape, he hides and stumbles upon the goat miraculous by accident then laughs

gabriel: yes... the world is surely on my side!

he puts on the miraculous and transforms but his weapon isn't a brush, it's a battering ram stick with a goat head, and yelling 'genesis', no matter how many times he does so even at differing volumes, does nothing.

he also finds himself detransforming moments later and almost passing out from exhaustion. while he's on his knees gasping for air, a snort draws his attention, the source being... a kwami who looked very smug

gabriel glared at the goat kwami who dared treat him with such insolence

gabriel: ziggy, I order you to stop laughing and explain to me what is going on immediately!!!

the kwami's expression immediately turned to stone much to gabriel's satisfaction, though it didn't last very long before they burst out laughing

ziggy: hahahaha!!! what do you think this is, the previous world?

they didn't wait for an answer and promptly burst out laughing again

gabriel couldn't tolerate such disrespect and made to grab the accursed kwami to shut him up but his hand passed right through them. gabriel stared at his arm for a moment before making another attempt to grab them again... and again... and again and again

eventually the accursed creature stopped laughing and gave him a very bored look which somehow made him feel worse than when they were laughing at him. it was as if they saw gabriel as joke, and that joke was used too much at once so now it was no longer funny

ziggy: you said you had nothing left to lose, right gabi?

gabriel immediately went to correct them, after all gabi grassette was weak and long dead, but the kwami continued without giving him a chance

ziggy: that's why gimmi generously only took away everything you didn't care about to revive your wife

gabriel suddenly had a sinking feeling

ziggy: your reputation, your skills and talents, your knowledge as well as your connections... all of them were either taken away and given to someone else or made no longer applicable

he hoped that his knowledge no longer being applicable only applied to the miraculous but for now he needed to know more about the first part

gabriel: g-given away!? to who!?

ziggy: hmm... who knows really? but my hope is that it's ladybug, both because that would be really funny and a well deserved break for her as well as great karma for you!

gabriel barely managed to keep himself from grinding his teeth to dust or smashing his fist into the concrete wall or ground. the thought of that... that brat getting his fortune and talents... it was unthinkable what gabriel would do to correct that.

the kwami snorted as if reading his mind

ziggy: you already committed mass genocide on a daily basis, how bigger a hole do you think you can dig yourself into?

gabriel glared at the kwami before responding

gabriel: as soon as I figure out how the miraculous work, you'll see.

ziggy: but why do you need the miraculous in the first place? your wife is alive and well now even if she never wants you to be a part of her or her son's life. I thought you didn't care about anything except her being alive? or are you finally ready to admit to yourself that your goal was always to rule the world and you wanting the miraculous to heal your wife was just the excuse you used to manipulate mayura into helping you?

gabriel: shut up!!! no one deserves to more than me!!!

ziggy shook her head as gabi walked past with thinly veiled rage

ziggy: karma is yet to collect your full debt...

[flightfoot]

No context, Just a snip of University age Marinette for you.

Marinette pulled herself out of the pool and smiled again, the adrenaline was flagging, so she pressed her luck. “Well, y’know, this isn’t even my final form. You doin’ anything later? I could show you just how awesome I really am.”

His eyes widened just as the last of Marinette’s boldness fled. He glanced down at her hands and he asked incredulously, “Did you… did you just finger guns at me?”

Marinette looked down to confirm that yes, her own digits had in fact betrayed her. Humiliation engulfed her, but a tiny rebellious part of her made its home there. She looked back up and tilted her head, “Yep, it’s my secret technique. If you say no, now I won’t have to bear it long, I’ll be dying from embarrassment any minute now.”

Pffft XD. Honestly Marinette managed to save that pretty well, even as embarrassed as she was XD

[huynun]

Anew AU Origins Master Fu

Wayzz flew out of the phonograph, mouth open to start speaking when he noticed the customer.

“What was that?” Said customer asked.

“What was what?” Master Fu asked, his kwami safely tucked into his shirt.

“I saw something green flying around.”

“Something green? I have seen flies, not green flies.”

“Huh… I must’ve misseen.”

“Must have,” he agreed, shifting when Wayzz tried to poke out of his shirt.

It had to be something important but it was more important to make sure no one found out about the miraculi that he kept safe.

He was quick to escort his customer out though, even as he did his best not to be suspicious.

“What is it, Wayzz?” He asked his kwami. “You do not often interrupt me.”

“It’s the butterfly miraculous! I sense it! It must be in Paris!”

That caught his attention. While it was impossible to track it directly, the kwami knew when other miraculi were within around 100km of one another.

If the butterfly was here and here to stay, they could reclaim it.

Unfortunately, as he made to transform for the first time in years, decades even, he felt a sharp pain in his back.

“Master, you’re too old.”

“Too old? I’m only 186,” he huffed back but had to acknowledge that it didn’t seem to be in the cards. “But you are right. My body isn’t strong enough to use it for what we need.”

-

“We don’t know if the holder of the butterfly miraculous will use it for evil but we must be ready,” Master Fu decided, having been ruminating over it over tea.

“Do you know which miraculous you will be handing out?” Wayzz asked.

“Yes. The Ladybug and Cat,” he opened the lid of the phonograph, exposing 7 sections for magic jewelry, 4 of which were full. The two in the center were their focus.

“But Master, isn’t that dangerous?”

“They cannot be used without the other, too much creation without destruction is dangerous, as is the reverse. The Ladybug miraculous is best if we need to cleanse the wrongdoings of other miraculous.”

“But -“

“No, no one left should know enough to take advantage of this.”

“Of course, Master,” the kwami conceded.

-

“Are you sure about your choices, Master?”

“Yes. They just need to pass my test.”

“Of course…”

“Do you not trust my judgment?”

“No, of course not! It’s just… are you sure you should give them children? Plagg never been responsible for someone so young before.”

“No worries about Tikki?” Master Fu asked, eyes twinkling in humor.

“Tikki knows how to be responsible. And the ladybug powers are harder to misuse.”

Master Fu nodded seriously. “I cannot teach them and risk the rest of the miraculous falling into evil hands. They must be open to listening and learning from their kwami,” he explained. “And, should I have made a mistake, it would not be as difficult to retrieve their miraculous.”

“But that also means an enemy can take it more easily.”

“The ladybug and cat miraculous are very strong together and they resonate well. Working together, they will be quite a challenge for anyone.”

“Of course,” the kwami capitulated.

[nobodyfamousposts]

"This is perfect!" You say to yourself. "I can free myself from this story and avoid the plot! None of that cringe! None of those 'mistakes' or being the 'hero' or the 'everyday Ladybug'! And all I have to do...is nothing!"

Sure, it meant letting Fu risk getting hit by the car, but he set up this "test" in the first place, so it wasn't like he was actually in danger. And if he was, he deserved it for choosing two children at random to fight an adult with greater power and leaving them without ANY guidance or training or so much as an explanation as to what the heck was going on.

Yeah, great job there, Fu.

Yep, you nod. All you have to do is just stay still. On THIS side of the road and let Fu go about his merry way and hopefully find someone else who was actually interested in being a hero while you got to reach the school with a perfectly intact box of macarons. A best-laid plan.

Unfortunately, said "plan" didn't account for the pigeon that suddenly flew at you from out of nowhere and tried to attack your hair.

One minute later, you discovered your frantic scrambling somehow had led you onto the road with Fu, doing a mad dance that was so outlandish that you had managed to get the attention of the driver...as well as everyone else on the street.

"Why thank you, young lady." Fu greeted with a smile that surely was supposed to be kind but did not bode well for you.

"No wait! I didn't mean to!" You insisted, not that Fu was listening. Or even waiting around any longer. "I was just trying to avoid..." You looked around for the offending instigator of your doom.

You soon enough found said instigator on the sidewalk where you dropped the box. It just stared up at you with such innocence before it happily started picking at the leftover cookies.

Your eye twitched.

---------

It should be noted that some time later, Mr. Pigeon's attack on the city didn't last long in the face of Ladybug with a cattle prod. It resulted in a crying Ramier and a lot of...very cooked pigeons.

"Wow, M'lady, what do you have against birds?" Chat asked.

You glowered.

"They know what they did."

Getting isekai’d as Marinette would be the polar opposite to getting isekai’d as Adrien bc no mater what she does the universe will bend over backwards so she fails and is punished bc of the stupid mistake and lesson quota

Nightmare character to get isekai’d as

[trainsinanime]

Kagami sat next down to Adrien on the couch. He was looking miserable, dejected, and incredibly small, curled up there. Not that she could blame him.

“So how are you coping, now that Marinette is gone?”, she asked. Other people might have dismissed it as tactless, but she knew Adrien got her.

“Badly”, he said honestly. “I keep looking through the door, hoping she’ll come, but… she doesn’t. It hurts.”

She nodded. “I feel the same. It’s been… difficult to cope. How can we work without her?”

Adrien hummed in agreement. “We knew there was always a risk, back when we were kids and superheroes. Her and I, we talked about it. Her and I, we talked about it. I didn’t like it, but… she told me to move on. With you, actually.”

“With me? Wow.”

“Oh yeah, she told me all the things to say to you. ‘Kagami, I never knew I could feel like this about another girl’, and so on.”

He looked at her and gave her a wry smile. “I think she had a bit of a crush on you back then.”

“Oh?” Kagami was blushing. “Actually, she told me similar things… about you. She said that if she wasn’t around, I should get back together with you, and kiss you silly. You know, she definitely had a crush on you.”

“Yeah, I figured that out. Eventually. Took a while.”

For a moment both sat there.

“So, should we give it a try?”, he said finally. “You know it’s what she wanted.”

Kagami leaned in closer. “It would be disrespectful not to…”

Their lips met in a kiss, short and sweet.

“I think Marinette was right”, said Kagami. Adrien nodded. She gently held his chin, and leaned in for another kiss. And then another.

They were lying on the couch, heavily making out, when the door lock clicked and opened. Neither of them noticed. But when the sound of a bag dropping rang through the apartment, they sprang up.

“Don’t stop on my account”, said Marinette. “That is really hot!”

“Marinette!”, yelled both of them happily.

“You were gone for so long. We missed you!”, said Adrien. Kagami nodded. “We found comfort in each other, but it is preferable if you are here as well.”

“Guys, I was just at the store”, Marinette said. She kissed Adrien and then Kagami. God, her boyfriend and girlfriend were adorable dorks.

“It was soo long!”, said Kagami. Somehow Adrien had managed to teach her the sad kitten eyes over the years. Marinette gave her a little kiss on her forehead.

“At least you didn’t destroy anything with a mock fencing match this time”, said Marinette, trying to stay serious.

“Oh come on, that was one… TV… that was really expensive…”, said Adrien, shrinking with every sentence. He got a forehead kiss as well.

“Did you get the popcorn?”, asked Kagami. Marinette nodded.

“Yup, everything is ready for movie night! I just need to go the bathroom first…”

She left. Adrien and Kagami looked at where she had disappeared. Then they looked at each other.

“So how are you coping, now that Marinette is gone?”, asked Adrien.

Also on Ao3

[generalluxun]

A second scene between fics.

“-and that’s the latest we have on this new hero careening across the streets of Paris,” Nadja Camchak’s image smiled vaguely from the TV screen.

“Can we even call them a hero, Nadja?” Her co-anchor asked with an even more vapid cheer.

“Well Jean,” Nadja simpered, “It’s definitely a curious situation. They helped defeat an akuma, but almost immediately got in a fight with our very own Ladybug. How are we supposed to interpret that, especially alongside moments like these?”

She gestured at the air and a half dozen images of Purrge apprehending criminals, pulling people from ruined cars, and even rescuing a cat, scrolled behind her.

“I think it’s safe to say that at the very least they’re not a villain. Perhaps we have a heroic territorial dispute on our hands?”

The camera swung back to Jean who was frowning in overexaggerated concern, “A most troubling thought, Nadja. It doesn’t help that when asked for comment this Not-Cat-Noir hissed at reporters and crushed a microphone.”

Nadja tilted her head in mock camaraderie, “Well Jean-”

*Kthunk* The heavy slap of metal plates overrode the TV.

The TV that hung small and as an afterthought in a stuffy room that predated the very idea of a ‘recreational gym.’ Le Grand Paris had repurposed it for guests, stuffed it full of exercise machinery despite the lack of ventilation, though only one patron was present at the moment.

Chloé leaned forward, panting where she sat at the lat-pull down machine. As sweat dripped down her face, framing a maniacal grin, she glanced up at the news cast, “Ha! Crushed it, bit it in half, and spit it back in his face more like.”

Almost empty; Plagg floated up out of a nest of discarded hand towels, cackling. He floated up towards the screen. “You people have made so many new and interesting things to break since I was last out. Electronics? Sparks and fires already barely contained. It’s brilliant!”

Chloé adjusted her fingerless gloves and reached up for the pull bar again. She made sure of her grip before starting another set, “nnf. You should have seen the cat one. Hfff. Cat in a tree? Cataclysm! Gnnf.  Poof! No tree and I didn’t even drop the cat.”

Plagg sidebarred, “I would hope not.” Then louder, “What’s with all this? There’s not a butterfly in sight when you go out.”

Chloé’s response continued between repetitions, “Better. Than. Ladybug.”

Plagg gestured at the screen. “Yeah, but it’s not making you any friends.”

“Doesn’t. Matter. Better.”

He flew down, dodging back and forth under the rise and fall of weights as Chloé worked.

When she stopped he sat on the weights and asked, “You aren’t moving this anywhere, just back and forth.”

She slumped forward again, forehead against the frame of the weight machine. Sucking in deep breaths in shakey gulps. “Get stronger. That’s how it works, right? You said. For fighting.”

The words seemed to take a while to sink in, or maybe he was considering his answer more than usual. Chloé’s ragged panting filled up the room. Plagg twitched one ear slowly. “Kinda? My power enhances what you already got. So unless you take lessons you’re not suddenly become good with the baton-”

“-stupid stick anyway-”

Plagg wrinkled his nose and deadpanned. “...Right… Anyway, but if you are strong, or fast, you get stronger or faster… like you with your jumps-”

“-eight years of ballet.”

Plagg waved a paw. “Whatever that is. Yeah. So, sure you can raise the baseline, but that takes time. It’s not gonna happen overnight.”

Chloé sat up again and wiped the sweat from her lips. “Doesn’t matter, I’ll still be better.”

Plagg squinted. As Chloé reached up for the bar again he floated off the weights quickly. “Look, fun is fun, but your room says ‘Miss Priss’ to me, so why the sudden urgency?”

She adjusted her grip, looking through him into the past. “I won’t lose this time.”

“What do you mean by-”

The beep and click of the gym door unlocking sent Plagg diving for cover. The door opened slowly and André’s head showed itself around the edge. Spotting Chloé, he paused. “Sweety, hi. I am glad you are enjoying the gym, but our patrons need to be able to use it too…”

Chloé instantly scowled, standing and stomping her foot. “No! I need my privacy. They can have it when I ‘m done.!”

André grimaced. “Honey, I’ll get you a new gym. There’s that old ice rink no one uses any more. You’d have the biggest gym in Paris!”

The mention of the rink triggered a memory. She hadn't gotten the gym back then either; another failure. “No! I don’t want that one. Give it to your guests. This one is mine!”

She stomped her foot again for good measure. Instead of retreating though André’s expression hardened again. “If the gym isn’t open in fifteen minutes, honey, I’ll have the lock changed on it and you won’t get the new key.”

He pulled his head back like the world’s fastest snail as soon as he was finished speaking. The door clicked shut while Chloé was still fighting to not swallow her own tongue in rage.

Plagg poked his head up and scented the air quickly. “Hey now, kid, it’s no big deal. It’s just one time, right kid? Kid?”

“Claws out!”

Purrge grabbed the exercise machine she had been using by one upright and heaved the multi-station behemoth across the room.

Steel buckled, plaster crumbled, and heavy plates splintered the hardwood floor. The tangled wreckage effectively blocked the only exit. It was still minutes before anyone dared try the handle from the other side. Rattle, rattle, click. The door wasn’t budging. Muffled voices called out in intermined frustration and concern.

Purrge sat on the floor, back against the wall and knees to her chest. She held one hand palm up above them. The swirling motes of cataclysm danced and popped in the air; all potential one moment, the next nothing. Her slitted eyes watched unblinking at the world moved on around her.

[anna-scribbles]

loveybug and catwalker from @blur0se @pisoprano and @asukiess beautiful minds

[wackus-bonkus-maximus]

trisha have i told you that i love your writing and that i love you

Paper Gifts

a birthday drabble for the wonderful @wackus-bonkus-maximus

She asked for soft Felagami

Felix has planned every moment of today to perfection. The meal, his outfit, the gifts that he plans to give her.

Duusu has participated with some glee, though he thinks the Kwami mostly just enjoys the idea of parties. Duusu and Longg had been left inside with a plate of food of their own, he doesn’t need the commentary on his date.

“A record player?” Kagami asks softly as he starts the turntable. “Anachronistic.”

“It sounds better.” He says with a shrug, offering her his hand and guiding her to his feet. “Transformative, even. As the needle warms, the music deepens. The music is improved by the medium.”

“Interesting.” She fits into his arms perfectly, hands curling around his as they take the first steps of the waltz. “You remain full of surprises, Felix.”

“I would hate to bore you.” He teases, fond. He had lived his entire life without her, but now after a year with her at his side – he cannot think of anything else.

“If you ever manage, that would be a suprise too.” She trails a fingertip over his jacket. “You may be the least boring person I have ever met.”

“Coming from you, I will accept it in the spirit it is offered.” She was his partner in everything, his entire world had shifted to suit her.

But now that they were here, he wasn’t entirely sure what he needed to do next. His mother had only laughed when he asked her, and told him to ‘love her, cherish her, take care of her’.

He could easily do all three, but what else was he meant to do? Kagami was one of the strongest people he knew, and she wouldn’t accept being coddled.

“This was beautiful. Thank you.” She mummers, matching his steps perfectly. “Adrien forgot.”

“I know.” His lips quirk, amused. “Marinette keeps track of everything for him. In defense of my cousin, he didn’t know which anniversary they were counting as their first.”

Amusement crinkles Kagami’s eyes, puts a little furrow on her nose that is so perfectly imperfect that he loves it the most. They both have public smiles, picture perfect things that cause the minimum facial distortion.

He likes to think that these moments are when they are allowed to be most themselves.

He resets the record twice, kissing her softly in the starlight as they dance, and then sway quietly with arms around each other.

“A year.” She breathes, settling her cheek against his shoulder. “What a year.”

“I, for one, am enjoying the fact that my mother has control of our trust funds.” He joked softly.

“I for one am enjoying that your mother has mine in a financial choke hold and has thus prevented her from mischief.” Kagami’s eyes brightened, and she kissed him softly before going to her purse. “I brought you a gift.”

“I have gifts for you as well.”

She gives him a look, but smiles and sits down as he retrieves the packages.

Hers is small, neatly wrapped. His are – mostly small, neatly wrapped, but the larger one is the one she focuses on first.

Inside is a book. “Marinette let me borrow a few of her sketches from the grimoire. The other pages are blank.” He explains softly.

“Beautiful.” She strokes the pages carefully. “You did these?”

“Ink and watercolor, yes. I’m nowhere near as good as you but. Paper is the first anniversary gift.”

Her smile is so soft, so wistful. “I love it. This would have been enough, Felix. You do not need to buy my affections.”

“I know.” He struggles with it. Somewhere, there’s a part of him that knows people will only accept him as long as he has value.

Even with Adrien, he can’t help but try to prove his cousin needs him.

“Open yours?” Kagami suggests gently.

“R-right.” He picks up the box, opening it carefully, trying to avoid tearing the paper.

Inside is a stuffed, purple peacock. His breath catches in his throat.

“You don’t like it?”

He’s told her some of what his father did, bits of things have leaked around the edges without him meaning to. She knows the fate of all of his stuffed toys.

“I love it.” He whispers, picking it up slowly and holding it gently to his chest, tears burn in his eyes.

“You deserve soft things, Felix.” She tells him, reaching across the table to clasp his hand. He squeezes her fingers tightly. “Nobody will take them from you.”

He stands and pulls her into his arms, the toy smashed between them.