#Mlfluffiction

[freedom-shamrock]

A Taste of Creation

Also on AO3

This is a Dadrien and Mominette story, written after “Priorities,” and taking place shortly after “The Early Stages,” but it can be read on its own. It is also the @adrinetteapril prompt # 7, sweet tooth.

Adrien felt the ridiculously enormous smile stretching his face, and he didn't care how many people saw it. He could probably count the days he'd ever been this blissfully happy on three fingers. Miraculous. Proposal. Wedding. He could add a fourth now. Emma.

He sat snugly beside Marinette on the train home from her doctor's appointment, watching as she stared at the ultrasound images that had been printed off for them.  The blue-black images were much clearer than they'd expected, allowing their untrained eyes to really see the profile of the face and the splay of fingers.

"Can we stop by my parents' on the way home?" she asked, looking up at him hopefully.

"As if I could deny you anything, ever," he replied, bending to kiss her nose. He loved her nose.  He hoped Emma got her mama's beautiful little nose.

"You look like you're melting with joy," she said, reaching to run her thumb under the corner of one eye.

"Probably because I am." He rested his hand over her tummy, still small but definitely more rounded than it once was. "I thought I'd be more worried, but… I'm just happy."

"Hmmm," she hummed, snuggling into his hold as she tucked the precious photos away. "You're a great papa already, taking such good care of me."

He supposed he had therapy to thank for how he felt right now. When Marinette proposed, he'd been honest that he wasn't sure if he could ever face his fear of becoming what his father was, minus the magical villainy of course. She wanted children, but was willing to forego the experience if he was never ready for it. He wasn't sure who was more surprised when he brought it up seven months ago, her or him. They'd talked, waited, and talked some more, until they were both sure they were ready for this.

Her fashion label, Dame La Chance, had been running strong now for nearly three years, so the long days of putting in her own sweat and time were past. Her income was enough to allow him to stay out of the workforce even with an added family member, and being a stay at home dad was how he wanted to start out. As the primary caretaker, he'd make sure his child got all the loving affirmation they could get from their father. Marinette wouldn't let herself become distant from those she loved; she'd proven that time and again with him, even during those grueling early days of starting a company.

"Here's our stop," he said as they approached the station. "Do you want to head up to the apartment and wait or go in through the bakery."

"Bakery," she said quickly. "I wonder if they have any orange canelé… ooh.  Or a chocolate filled pâte à choux with a sugar glaze."

"Your sweet tooth is showing," he said, with a chuckle. Having been deprived of sweet carbohydrate-laden treats as a child and teen, he was normally the one who suggested desserts and brought home surprise sweets.

"Don't mock the pregnant lady, Chaton," she said, mock pouting at him. "Bad kitties don't get pets."

His laugh in response was loud enough that a few people turned to look at him. "I'm not bad." He fluttered his eyelashes at her.

She gave him a gentle shove, then caught his hand to nestle their fingers together.

"I was just pointing out that Tikki is still doing her work." He patted her tummy. "If the kwami of creation is working through you, it makes sense that you need sweets to recharge."

"Oh!" Her feet faltered a little and her eyes suddenly went watery. "Do you really think so?"

"I do." He let go of her hand to cup her face. The pregnancy had made her a little more emotional than usual, but any conversation about their kwami generally brought tears, and this was no exception. "Oh love," he whispered. "I know it hurts not to see her, but we know she's well. And Master Fu promised we'd see them again when the time is right." He kissed her forehead. "She'll be so proud of you."

"I m-m-miss her," his wife mumbled, her hands grasping the front of his shirt.

"I know, love." He wrapped his arms around her, and moved them both out of the direct flow of foot traffic, grateful it was too early for the after work rush. "I miss them both. But Emma's our own little gift of creation, something special from Tikki." He felt her nodding against his chest. "I was thinking, maybe we could honor Tikki with Emma's middle name. If you want."

Marinette went still and she looked up at him, rivulets of tears streaming down her face, but suddenly calm. "Really?" she asked in a choked whisper.

"Emma Tikki Dupain-Cheng," he said. "It's purrfect, don't you think."

She wiped her hands over her cheeks, beaming up at him. "I do. She'd love it."

This was supposed to be a 30 minute sprint, but brain wasn't braining and had trouble getting it into gear. I'm hoping to finish off April with a few more Adrienette pieces I've already got planned.

If you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[illuminateyourfuture-blog]

Glitter

 Prompt: Fluff/Christmas

Word Count: 785 

Rating: G

This is just a short story I put together because I’ve been opening boxes at work. You can only imagine what they are filled with. Enjoy!

Marinette has been unpacking boxes for a few hours. It wasn’t exactly hard, but it wasn’t fun either. Christmas was coming, and that always started early in retailers’ eyes. The young girl had learned the hard way just what classified something as a Christmas item.

Glitter. Lots of unwanted glitter. It came in all colors and sizes. She was covered head to toe in the seemingly endless coats of glitter. Her black slacks and navy blue shirt were suffering tragically, and Marinette was afraid to rub her eyes in fear of blinding herself with the small devils. She still had quite a few boxes to go through before she could free herself from the sparkling doom she was forced to take on.

As she got on her toes to reach for the top box, a voice called for her. She jumped quickly, tipping the box forward. It was like a movie as it seemed to slowly pour down over the girl’s head. Pure glitter. She felt it hit her hair first before running down her face and into her shirt. She accepted her fate as the box fell over her head. She sat there for a moment before realizing she had knocked the box over for a reason.

The voice!

She pulled the box off her head, whirling around to face whoever had called her. She glanced up slightly, her eyes meeting a pair of green ones. She blushed as she took in the male’s features. He had beautiful blonde hair and his eyes seemed to go on forever. She sighed softly before coughing up glitter.

“Are you ok?” The male asked, glancing at the girl’s name tag. Marinette. It was cute.

Marinette nodded quickly, trying to dust herself off. How embarrassing! Although that was far from what the male was thinking. The way the girl sparkled seemed to give her a unique kind of beauty. Her lashes seemed to glisten, allowing him to notice how blue they were. Her skin shimmered in the harsh light of the store. He ended up coughing himself before dragging his eyes back to hers.

“Sorry… I was wondering if you carried candles?” He finally spoke.

Marinette nodded again before realizing she should probably speak to him. He was a customer, after all.

“O-oh, yes we do,” She chimed in quickly, “Aisle twelve. If you take a right at the end of the store and go down to… ” She trailed off. “It’s a rather big store. Perhaps I could show you instead?” She asked, trying again to dust herself off.

He smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Lead the way,” He agreed before following the girl.

She made her way back, glad for the excuse to leave her glittery enemy. As she rounded the corner she glanced at the male. “What do you plan on using the candles for?” She asked curiously, biting her lip as she studied him.

He looked over, surprised by the interest. “Oh, well my father wants to host a Christmas party this year. He thinks it will help the models feel better for having to work so hard around the holidays,” He told her.

She smiled, nodding as they approached the candles. “Well, here we are.” She motioned towards the candles.

He nodded slightly, reluctant to leave. “Thank you, Marinette. If I have any other questions I’ll assume you’ll be fighting glitter in the front,” He teased, giving her a smile that made her knees weak.

“Yes…of course. Hopefully winning this time,” She added with a blush. She awkwardly moved away, scurrying back to her boxes. Her heart was pounding as she moved to open another box of evil miniature sequin. The girl couldn't clock out for another few hours, although as she did one of her coworkers gave her a smug smile.

“Someone told me to give this to Marinette,” She stated as she gave the girl a folded piece of paper. Marinette took it, slightly confused. Who would want to send her a message?

She unfolded the slip, reading over it.

Dear Marinette, I’m sorry for making you jump. Perhaps I could make it up to you at my father’s Christmas party. I’d love to see you there, and I avoided the glittery candles.

It was signed by the name Adrien Agreste, and it also contained his number. She blushed as she shoved the note into her pocket. Marinette received another smug smile from her coworker before she hurried out of the building. Her cheeks were completely red, and the chilly weather wasn’t to blame. She was invited to a party by the cutest guy she’d ever seen.

Perhaps glitter wasn’t so bad after all.

I want to send out a special thanks to @theianeko and @panda013 for taking the time to go over this for me! 

[freedom-shamrock]

Tickling the Chat's Whiskers - Chapter 5

Also on AO3

<<Previous chapter   <<< First chapter  

Marichat  May, prompt #5, Cooking/Baking

Chat Noir watched as Tom Dupain set out the ingredients he needed on the counter, getting everything ready to make bread. When he learned how rarely the cat hero was permitted bread in his own home, he'd offered to teach him how to do it himself. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. Sure, the chef would probably have a stroke if he dared trespass in the kitchen, but he didn't plan on living in the mansion any longer than necessary. It was too cold and empty. The way the last few months had flown, it wouldn't be that long before he could move out.

"For home baking, it's important to check to make sure you have everything you need before you get started. It's surprising how often Sabine or I get going on dinner, only to realize we're short on something and have to send Marinette to the store," Tom explained. His tone was  rueful, rather that pedantic, which was a nice change from when he asked his own father for guidance on something. Nathalie was scarcely better.

"What kind are we making?" Chat asked.

"We're starting with a basic baguette." Tom smiled at him. "You're French, and this should be a staple for you."

"Why wouldn't I just buy it from you, though? I love your bakery." He knew it was his father's solution to everything. Just buy it. Don't waste your time on it. But he wanted to learn it anyway.

Tom shrugged. "You could, of course. But it's a nice first bread, pretty forgiving and basic. And there's something satisfying about eating something you made."

"First… bread?" He tilted his head, curious about the wording.

"First in two ways," Tom clarified, holding up two fingers. "It's good for learning bread basics, so it's a good place to start. And first in that I fully plan to teach you at least four other types of bread before you move into your own place."

Warmth washed over him. "Really? You'll teach me more?"

Marinette came stampeding down the stairs then. "Got it!" She held something aloft.

"Excellent," Tom said. "I knew you could come up with something. You're so clever, Cupcake."

"Let me see your paws, Kitty," she said, plugging in a hot glue gun and waving him over to a part of the counter away from the ingredients.

"What are we doing?" he asked. It had seemed unsanitary to make bread in his Chat gloves, but they didn't come off. When he tried wearing disposable gloves over them, his claws popped through the tips. He'd have to talk with Plagg about that.

"We're making you claw caps," she said with a happy smile. "People use them for real cats. I wonder if they make them for panthers and stuff.  They may not be our permanent solution for your cooking lessons, but they're a good place to start." She was so cute when she rambled about something she was excited about. That it was somehow related to him pushed a happy smile onto his face. "The glue isn't super hot, but it would burn my bare skin. Your suit should protect you enough that you won't even feel it."

She caught one of his hands, and he relaxed it so she could put it in the position she wanted. Seeing her fingers wrapped around his brought back that warm rush of happiness. Marinette and her family were so casual and affectionate. He got more physical touch here in an hour than he got in two months at home. It was no wonder he'd started spending more and more time with the Dupain-Chengs, and it wasn't always just with her.

He watched as she ran a line of thick melted plastic around the base of his claw in a continuous spiral until she'd covered the entire thing. He was so impressed with her; she could find solutions to anything . She could probably rival Ladybug's creative problem solving. His crush had stubbornly persisted, and he was beginning to wonder if that meant it was more than a crush. It certainly felt stronger than any other, even his infatuation with Ladybug. Plagg had been no help, cackling at him when he asked for advice. It was frustrating to be so unable ta talk to anyone about something like this. He watched, mesmirized as she coated all his claws in rubbery glue.

She looked them over one last time before unplugging the glue gun. "We should help you put on the gloves to make sure we don't dislodge them.  And if we're careful taking them off, we may be able to reuse them." She wound up the cord. "I'll just go put this away." She ran off, taking her steps two at a time despite her short legs.

Tom nudged Chat's arm, and he realized he'd been staring after her in a daze. His human ears suddenly went hot.

"My Cupcake is brilliant," Tom said gently.

"She is," Chat agreed, turning back to the ingredients on the counter.

"Respect her and her boundaries as you have, and we'll have no problems." He patted Chat's shoulder.

Chat gawked at the man. "Uh.. what?"

Tom smiled and winked. "And don't worry, I won't tell her a thing. You can work through it in your own way." He chuckled. "It's like making bread, actually. There's a lot of ways to make it, once you understand it. And the end result is worth the work you put in."

Check out chapter six >>

30-minute sprint

And if you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[freedom-shamrock]

Some Things are Meant to Be - Chapter 10

Also on AO3 << Previous Chapter This is for @adrinetteapril 2019 day #8, A Favor Only You Can Do . Chapters 1-4 are from Adrinette April 2018 Chapter 5 is a bonus for wrap up Chapters 6-8 are from Fluff August 2018 (because I apparently felt the wrap up was insufficient) Chapters 9-? are for Adrinette April 2019

Marinette was wrapping up a commission when she heard the apartment door close.  "I'm just about finished, then I can help you with dinner."

"Cool," Adrien called.  "No rush. I'll get it started." He peeked his head into her office. "Ooh. You finished Jagged's jacket? It looks fantastic."

"I'll show you the photographs later if you want," she said before slipping it into a poly bag for protection in transport. "I need to get it packaged up so I can drop it by the hotel tonight or tomorrow morning. You can come with if you want."

"Let's do tomorrow, if it won't stress you out," he suggested. "There's something I need your help with tonight."

"You know I'm always happy to help you," she said, tucking the jacket into the short garment bag hanging on a rack at the back of the room. "What do you need?"

"You'll see," he teased as he turned away from her. "Oh yes, you will see."

"I won't help Gollum, only Smeagol," she called back, shaking her head. She'd known teen Adrien was a huge geek.  And once they reconnected and started hanging out a bit, it quickly became clear he'd kept those tendencies. Fortunately, their nerdy tastes meshed nicely.

She heard him puttering about in the kitchen as she tidied up and shut everything off in her office for the night. She'd never been a slob, but living with him had inspired her to manage her project messes better. No loose threads to track about the apartment. No stacks of fabric swatches precariously perched on a chair. It helped that he'd insisted they use her refunded rent to get the storage solutions she really needed for her office.

"How does it already smell so good in here?" she asked. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes, but the kitchen was filled with the scent of garlic, onions and tomatoes. "Oh, that's heavenly."

"Can you make up a green salad?" he asked, tossing sliced zucchini into the fry pan. "We've got angel hair dressed with a vegetable sautee."

"When did you cut your hair?" she asked, grinning as she opened the refrigerator.

"I didn't?"

"You said we're having angel hair, and you're the only angel here." She grinned up at him and pulled the spinach from the drawer.

"Oh, you!" He reached out to tickle her. "You're trouble, you are."

She laughed as she danced away, carrying her produce to the sink. "Admit it, you just wish you thought of that one first."

"Oh, I totally do," he agreed. "You know how I feel about wordplay."

She snorted. "I half-wonder sometimes if you have a language kink."

He let out a bark of laughter. "No Mari, I wouldn't call it a kink. But it is one of my favorite pastimes."

"So what's this favor or thing you need my help with?" she asked, flicking on the water.

"I'll explain it over dinner," he said, a secretive smile creeping over his face.

As they had done for so many meals, they worked together to get dinner prepped and on the table, all without getting in each other's way or duplicating the work. It was less surprising how well they read each other's body language since discovering he was her Chat Noir.  In what felt like no time, she was sitting down and pouring the wine. The lights dimmed, surprising her. Sometimes they had sweet candle-light dinners, but tonight hadn't felt like that kind of meal.

"Mood lighting?" she asked.

"I need the right ambiance," he explained.

"For your favor?" she asked, confused. Maybe he was just being sweet and silly; he'd done that sometimes.

"Well… I guess it is a favor." He shrugged. "Could I borrow your left hand a moment?"

She held it out to him. As expected, he pulled it to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

What he did next, was less expected. He turned her hand over and pressed something into her palm. "Could you see if that fits?"

She looked to find the beautiful ring he'd placed there. She glanced up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "You…" She had to clear her throat to speak properly. "You want me to try it on?"

He nodded. "Ring finger, please. See if it fits ."

It slid on easily, as if it had been made for her. "Uh.  Yeah. It fits."

"It physically fits, but does it suit?" he asked quietly. "Does it feel at home there? The way I feel at home with you? Does it shine for you the way you do for me?"

She looked closely at the ring, watching it sparkle in the low light, surprised how comfortable she was to see something like this on her hand. She looked up again and nodded.

"Marinette," he said quietly.

"Yes, Adrien," she replied, meaning it to be both acknowledgement and her answer.

His smile grew. "Would you be so kind as to consider being milady for the rest of our lives?"

"I said yes, and I meant it."

"I hadn't asked yet," he insisted.

"I still meant it." She reached across the table for his hand. "I'm giving you that suit as an engagement gift, you know."

He laughed. "It's already in our closet, remember? You told me to wear it whenever I like."

"Yes, but you keep claiming you're borrowing it and that I can't just give it to you. It's too grand." She smirked. "But I can definitely give it to my fiance. I'm going to put in a tag with your name on it. Oh!" She felt an even better idea burst into her mind. "I'm going to name that whole line for you. Everyone is going to want an Adrien suit."

Chapter 11 coming soon >>

This started as a 30 minute sprint and it went really well until the end, which I hated, so I had to go over my time limit to fix it.

If you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[freedom-shamrock]

Tickling the Chat's Whiskers - Chapter 6

Also on AO3

<<Previous chapter  <<< First chapter  

Marichat  May, prompt # 6 Adoption/Family

Chat Noir bounded over the rooftops, careful to stick to the shadows. While he wanted nothing more than to head straight to Marinette's house, he adamantly reserved direct trips for his worst days, when he needed immediate comfort. She was too important, his time with her and her family had to be protected. He couldn't risk someone catching wind that Chat Noir regularly spent his evenings at the Dupain Cheng household, as that would make them a target for Hawkmoth. And he knew he wouldn't be able to keep away, even to protect them, at this point.

Last time he'd gotten to cuddle with Marinette while they watched a movie. He was glad she didn't ask about the movie, because he'd spent most of the time focusing on the way her small body nestled snugly against him and how she smelled. He'd missed most of the plot. He wondered if she'd be up for something similar tonight. Would it be too needy to ask?

When he finally slunk over the top of her roof, landing lightly on her balcony, he closed his eyes and drew in a long slow breath, basking in the scents and the feelings associated with them. Warmth and contentment. He loved it here. He could stay here forever and never leave.

"Hey, give that back, you little rascal." Marinette's voice drifted up through the skylight. "Just wait til your papa gets here." She giggled. "Ha! Take that."

What on earth was she doing? Was there a play at school she was trying out for? Was she babysitting? He tapped on the skylight, knowing she'd warn him off if she couldn't have him here right now.

"Come on in," she called. "It's unlocked."

She usually opened it for him, but perhaps she was busy. Hopefully not too busy for her stray. He pushed up the dome and slipped in. She was under the bed talking in a hushed whisper, and he could practically feel the excitement radiating off her. "Princess?" he drawled, playing along. "Wherever are you, my princess?"

As his boots reached the floor, she jumped out from under her bed, holding a tiny ball of black fur aloft in his direction. "The circle of liiiiiiiife!" she sang.

The ball of fur looked at him and let out a tiny, "Mew" of inquiry.

He gasped, recognizing the kitten as her favorite from the litter she'd helped him rescue just a few weeks past. He'd gotten to see all of them during his volunteer shifts, and this one had had a sold sign on his enclosure since day two. He'd had to stay at the shelter until he'd been properly weaned from his adoptive mama. "Kitten?" He gawked at Marinette.

"Is that any way to greet your son?" she demanded in mock indignation as she drew in her arms to gently tuck the kitten to her chest. She kissed the tiny head. "Don't worry baby," she whispered. "I'm sure your papa is delighted to see you. He's just had a long day."

Chat crept closer, his eyes darting around the room to find kitten toys, a scratching post, and over near her sink, a litter tray. "Papa?"

She grinned up at him and held the kitten right next to his face. "He looks just like you."

"You adopted him? Your parents let you?" Before dropping the litter off at the shelter, he'd mentioned he wished he could adopt all the homeless cats. It was both unrealistic and not healthy for anyone, but he'd settle for just one, hopefully once he got his own place. She said always wanted a pet, but her parents weren't keen on the idea. Yet here she was, with a kitten and all the trappings. Enthusiasm bubbled up in his chest. He'd been happy the entire litter found homes, but he'd known he'd miss them. They were special to him.

"Mama and Papa even paid the fees," she said proudly. "This way you can still see him now that he's strong and healthy enough to be out in the world. And if you'd like, he can come live with you when you get your place."

He gawked at her.

"When I visited the shelter, they said that black cats don't get adopted at the rate of the others." She frowned, her whole face sad. "I'm very fond of black cats." Her eyes darted toward him and then away, and he was pretty sure he could see a hint of pink blooming in her cheeks. "So I asked if I could get him."

"May I hold him?" he asked, eager enough that he could feel his tail wriggling with excitement. "What's his name?" She gently transferred the kitten into his capable paws, and he could hear the instant purr through the suit.

"I couldn't name our son without your input," she said, aghast. "You play with him while I go get snacks. Then we can find his name."

Check out chapter seven >>

30-minute sprint

And if you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[freedom-shamrock]

Cutting the Pear in Two

Also on AO3 This takes place some time after “Try not to Lose Your Goats”  in the Little Secrets series. While you don’t have to read the entire series to get this, there are some finer nuances that will make more sense if you’re familiar with it. 

This is a late response for the @adrinetteapril prompt #11, facetime.

"Hello love," Marinette said, beaming at the slightly worn, but equally happy face of her husband. He was three months into his six-month post doc fellowship at CERN, and regular evening chats before bed were one of their favorite ways to stay connected. They often used facetime over dinner, which had been surprisingly nice.

"Evening, Bugaboo." He reached out as if he wanted to touch her face through the screen. "Baba get home safe?"

She nodded, giggling a little. "He had so much fun staying with you, and now Mama is angling for a week in Geneva with her nǚ xu. Possibly next month."

His eyes went wide and his smile wider. "Really?"

"Oh my gosh, yes." She shook her head. "Baba started telling us stories before we'd even left the train station. He took so many photos on his phone he asked for help setting up Instagram." She laughed. "Mama is jealous he got so much time with you."

The past week had been one of the fashion weeks that Isabel Fashion house participated in, which meant there was no way she could mess with her schedule to visit him.  And he had some big projects he couldn't leave, so he couldn't come to Paris, either. After talking it over with her parents and their friends, they all decided they wanted to help get Adrien through the second half of his fellowship. Nino was going to visit during the coming weekend, while she was still too tied up at work. Chloe was going to spend three days in the middle of the week near the end of the month, and he'd ride the train back with her for one of his visits to Paris.

"I'd love to have Mama here," he said softly. While she loved that he cherished her parents and his relationship with them, it still hurt how surprised he seemed to be at their genuine affection toward him. "Baba and I had such a nice time. And he did a lot of exploring on his own while I was at work." He tilted his head and rested his chin on his hand. "He baked a lot, too.  I've got good Dupain bread to tide me over for weeks.  And my coworkers loved his treats."

"Baba shows his love with food," she said, unsurprised. Even when they were kids, they were always feeding him, whether he was Adrien or Chat Noir.

"You look tired, Bug. You getting enough sleep?" His hands fiddled with his tablet, apparently setting it in its stand.

"It was just women's fashion week," she pointed out.  "You know what a zoo that can be."

He nodded, but waited quietly.

She shrugged. "It's a little hard to be alone in our bed," she admitted. She didn't want him to feel guilty, but they'd both had enough with of secrets and lies. "It's not as cozy without my space heater. You know how I get."

"When you come out next weekend, we can spend the whole weekend snuggling," he promised. "I'll queue up some good movies and we can spend the whole time in bed." His tiny efficiency was a step up from a dormitory. His appliances were half-sized, he had a shower cubicle, but no bath, and he'd invested in a nice camping cot for when he had guests who weren't keen to share a bed with him.

"I'm holding you to that," she insisted. "Kitty snuggles and take out."

"Plagg wants to know if you'll bring him some of that brie he likes so much," Adrien said, clearly speaking for his kwami. It had turned out that in addition to not showing up on pictures and video, the kwami weren't visible through facetime either.

"We sure will." She'd missed Plagg, though perhaps not as much as Tikki did. "He's going to get all the snuggles, too. And he can complain all he wants.  We know he loves it."

Adrien chuckled. "He claims he wasn't going to deny it, but we know better." He sighed, seeming content. "Go to sleep, Bug. I'll stay on with you until you get in bed, but let's get you there, okay?"

"Always taking care of me, aren't you," she teased gently.

Adrien smirked. "Plagg wants me to point out that you love it, and I agree with him."

"I do," she admitted. "But I love taking care of you, too."

"Cutting the pear in two" is a French idiom meaning meeting someone halfway. 

And if you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[freedom-shamrock]

Some Things Are Meant to Be - Chapter 9

Also on AO3 << Previous Chapter This continuation of a past story is for @adrinetteapril 2019 day 5 prompt, clumsy. Chapters 1-4 are from Adrinette April 2018 Chapter 5 is a bonus for wrap up Chapters 6-8 are from Fluff August 2018 (because I apparently felt the wrap up was insufficient) Chapters 9-? are for Adrinette April 2019

Marinette carried a small stack of boxes through the hall toward Adrien's apartment.  She'd been gradually moving her stuff into his new place since he unpacked from his own move.  It started with small things, space in his closet, a dedicated drawer in the bathroom. When it became clear that he wasn't going to truly settle in or decorate until she got there, and she was spending her nights there anyway, it just made sense for her to step up her migration.  After their weekend in the country, they'd moved in her kitchen things. After today, her sewing and designing gear would be all she had left downstairs. It was both a ridiculously easy move, relaxed and spread over weeks, but also a little irritating to pack everything things just to ferry them up one flight of stairs.

His… or rather their apartment door was propped open.  She was still adjusting to that, and he'd been adamant that it wasn't just his place. She could hear him talking to someone in the other room, and wondered if it was on phone or in person. She crossed the threshold and promptly tripped over the shoes she couldn't see due to the boxes in her hands. She might have let out a shriek of surprise as she and the boxes both went flying.

Everything was a blur for a moment, and she was reasonably sure she executed a one-handed cartwheel in the process. The next thing she knew, she was standing balanced on one foot with one box balanced on her knee and the other on her head, supported by the twin buns she'd pulled her hair into that morning.

"Are you okay?" Adrien asked, rushing over. His lips twitched in the way they did when he wanted to tell her how adorable she was but he thought she'd throw things at him. He divested her of both boxes, setting them aside to grasp her upper arms in both hands.

"That was quite the… well, it wasn't a fall exactly," said a balding middle-aged man who stood halfway between the hallway and the spare room that would become her new office. He was their building manager Rudolf, and she hadn't realized they were expecting a visit from him. "A feat of acrobatics, rather. Are you all right, Miss Marinette?"

Marinette nodded, feeling a bit shaky.  She glanced to the doorway and realized it was his shoes that gave her the flying lesson. "Yeah. But I think that's my last load for the day."

"Did you pull something?" Adrien asked, traces of worry apparent in his voice. "Are you hurt?"

"Pfft!" Marinette let out a laugh. "With how klutzy I am, I've learned how to fall… or not fall." She grinned at him. "But once I start tripping like that, I've learned it's best to just stop everything and sit for a while or it's just going to get worse and I will damage something."

"So just the sewing stuff left?" Adrien asked.

She nodded. "Two bins of fabrics and notions, the serger, the sewing machine, and an unreasonably large collection of thread." She'd been amused with his reaction when he saw her thread rack.

"Adrien was just talking to me about the updates to the lighting in your office," Rudolf explained, gesturing to the spare room. "I'll be able to get that taken care of by end of next week. Sorry it can't be sooner."

"Oh no, that's fine," Marinette insisted. She'd actually expected it to take longer.

"We can set up your sewing things in the living room tomorrow," Adrien suggested. "I don't want you to miss out on commissions."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It'll be a bit of a clutter." It was part of the reason she'd left her sewing gear for last.

Adrien nodded and gestured toward Rudolf.

"If you can guarantee you'll be out of the old place in three days," he said, "I can refund most of the month's rent. I have someone in need of a place immediately, and I'd be happy to terminate your lease early to make that work."

"Really?" Marinette asked. That was a really nice unexpected bonus. She smiled up at Adrien. "Are you ready for the full Marinette invasion?"

He laughed, and for a moment she felt like she'd been transported to their first days as friends, when his umbrella had closed on her. "I have been eagerly awaiting your occupation since I first moved in."

Shaking her head, she turned back to Rudolf. "Honestly, I can be out by tonight, if it helps. It's even cleaned, and I ran over the carpet with a magnet this morning."

"A magnet?" Rudolf asked, puzzled.

"To make sure I'm not leaving behind any stray pins."

"Aah.  That'll be a bonus, having the wood floor in your new office, then, I suppose," the man said.

"Fewer pins in your toes," Adrien suggested.  "I'm all for that."

"Just drop by with the keys when you're out. And I'll get back to you on the specifics for the lighting work."

Check out Chapter 10 >>

I have at least one more chapter for this story for Adrinette April, but it will be several days before I can get back to it because Saturday is the deadline to get a beta to my critique group.

Started as a 30 minute sprint, but I kept getting interrupted by kids and life.

[freedom-shamrock]

Tickling the Chat's Whiskers - Chapter 8

Also on AO3

<<Previous chapter  <<< First chapter  

Marichat  May, prompt # 8, Mittens for Kittens.

"Oops. You're getting the yarn caught on your claws again," Marinette said, reaching over to fix the situation. "Maybe instead of keeping the yarn next to you, you should put it in your lap?" He was all sorts of adorable, looking entirely too much like an uncertain kitten as he clumsily wielded a pair of knitting needles. "But you're getting the rhythm down now."

"I'm terrible at this," he moaned, though he continued looping and tucking yarn in the simplest stitch she knew.

"So was I, when I started," she said, her hands on autopilot as she watched his work. "I made my father a scarf that was so uneven and poorly assembled that it didn't last a winter." He'd been so proud of her work though, and had proudly worn it about until it snagged on something and came thoroughly undone.

"It's hard for me to be bad at things," he said, frowning a little. "Uncomfortable."

"Do you really think it's possible to be an expert on your first try of anything new?" she asked. It didn't seem like him to be so unrealistic.

He shook his head. "I know that's not how things work." He sighed. "Pavlovian conditioning is very effective though. And my father gets really upset if I'm not perfect all the time."

She let out a huff. What was it with green-eyed blond boys and their asshole fathers? "Someday, I want you to introduce me to him."

"You do?" His hands froze and he looked at her in surprise.

"Yes." She nodded. "I want to kick him in the balls."

Chat cackled with glee. "Yes, Princess. I look forward to that day."

"Mama and Papa will be right behind me on the assault bandwagon, just so you know," she cautioned. "And no, I haven't told them anything about him or your horrible relationship with your sperm donor. They've been able to figure it all out on their own, and they're worried about you."

He relaxed and his face went all soft and misty. It wasn't fair. She wanted to kiss the meekness right off his pretty face. He shouldn't be surprised that her parents cared about him, and what did it mean that he found that fact special and emotionally triggering?  Nothing good, she was sure.

"Now back to your knitting, which is far better than the average beginner," she redirected them. "How many hats do you want to make?"

He shrugged. "Not really sure. I mean, more is probably better… but only if they look good enough that people will buy them.

"We're going to put special tags on those," she decided. Yes.  It would help him feel better about his skills while boosting their participation in the Mittens for Kittens fundraiser.  As the weather got cooler, and the fiscal year neared its end, the shelter that had taken in Jean Luc Picat had decided to do a winter wear fundraiser. Handmade or store-bought hats, scarves, and mittens were all welcome. Chat had been so excited when he mentioned it, asking if she could teach him. "Made by Chat Noir, purrrtector of Paris," she said, setting aside her knitting to grab her sketchbook.

"How will that help?" he asked.

She grinned as her pencil flew over the page. "Who wouldn't want a Chat Noir original?" she asked. "I know I'm going to want one."

His cheeks went a delightful pink. "Really?"

"You're a hero.  We all look up to you." She flashed him a smile then returned to her work. "I bet your stuff will outsell everyone else's."

"You're teasing me," he said, throwing her an exaggerated pout.

"There's also the special irony of getting something that was created by the hero who embodies destruction," she pointed out. "That alone may be a marketing point." She shrugged.  Either way, I'm going to plan around your creations, making mittens and scarves for your hats. And if you switch over to scarves like I suggested, I'll make hats and mittens to go with them."

"Nice plan. And if folks buy the whole set, they'll be guaranteed to have some parts that don't disintegrate when they get wet. And I bet folks will be excited to get high quality pieces from Chat Noir's secret friend." He gently bumped her with his shoulder as if he had no idea what that did to her.  Well, maybe he really had no idea.

She giggled. "I'm not your friend, silly. I'm family. We're raising a kitten together. You don't just do that with a friend."

"Are you sure we can't let him be in here with us right now?" Chat asked, gazing sadly at the closed trap door.

"Pffft.  You've seen what he does to yarn, and we're under a timeline, which means we really can't focus on training him right now."  She patted his shoulder, then let her fingers run into his hair. It was as soft as Jean Luc’s kitten fur. "But don't worry. He'll be up for cuddle breaks, and our first one of those is scheduled for fifteen minutes from now."

"Really?" His eyes went wide, and his pupils rounded out a bit. "You've scheduled cuddle breaks?"

Smiling smugly, Marinette nodded. "I don't want to overwork you, Kitty. We can help the shelter while still having fun and not hurting our wrists.  Cuddle breaks are the best way to do that."

"How are you so purrfect?" he asked, slowly leaning in to touch his forehead to hers.

"I'm really not." she whispered, suddenly feeling like something in the room had changed.

"Near enough," he replied, straightening up and turning back to his clumsy hat with a smile.

Check out chapter nine (coming soon) >> 

30-minute sprint

And if you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

[freedom-shamrock]

The Ladybug Special

Also over on AO3 Part 2   Part 3   Part 4

Inspired by @lnc2's Tumblr post

Thanks also go to @whatarubberchicken because I was stuck on a title!

Adrien walked swiftly toward Esplanade des Invalides.  It was warm and sunny, a beautiful day. And for the first time in what felt like months, possibly because it might have actually been months, he was finally able to meet up with his friends outside of school for something other than a project.  He'd missed so many of their planned get-togethers, including a few that he'd set up, thanks to his father's capriciousness and a million and one photoshoots.

But not today.

He took a deep breath, allowing the energy and scents of the city fill him. Nearly four blocks away from the river, he could still smell it. He'd found his senses heightened as Chat Noir, of course, but apparently long-term use of the miraculous had impacted him out of the suit as well.  He was glad it had been a gradual change, so he could adapt as it grew. Things that would have once been repulsive had gained layers of texture and interest. He still found stinky cheeses unpleasant, though.

He paused at a stoplight and pulled out his phone while he waited to cross.  Sending a quick text to Nino, he let his best friend know he was only a couple blocks away.  They were meeting up at André's cart, and because the glacier moved around so much, they'd planned to decide the rest of their afternoon from wherever that happened to be.  

Turning the corner, André's iconic cart came into view on the curved sidewalk bordering the bleuet de France roundabout. Nino and Alya were already there, holding hands, their heads tipped toward each other as they waited.  Marinette was nowhere to be seen, but that was hardly unusual. While she'd gotten better about getting to school on time in the last year, she still had a tendency to go missing during akuma attacks. If she wasn't actively helping evacuate their class, she was nowhere to be found. Alya mentioned that she suspected their friend had an anxiety disorder; until she wanted to share it, they would just support her as best they could.

Adrien broke into a jog, eager to get to his friends.  "Hey Nino, Alya. What a perfect day."

Alya laughed. "Look, the sunshine came out," she said, gesturing to his face. "I'd almost forgotten what it looked like."

"Pfft," Nino snorted. "It's nice to see you so happy, dude.  I think I finally understand what radiant truly means, looking at you in the sunshine, away from photographers and fans."

Adrien rolled his eyes.  "You two are ridiculous. Where's Marinette?  She never picks on me."

Alya coughed, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "She wants to pick you up."  But that didn't seem right.

"Alas, my dude," Nino said with mock sadness and a slow shake of the head. "Your staunch protector is stuck at home, running the bakery counter while her parents prepare a huge order for some shindig at the Grand Palais.  I guess it came in late, but with a bonus Tom and Sabine couldn't turn down."

"Awww."  Adrien felt his joy droop a bit.  He'd really hoped to hang out with all three of them, not just because he'd heard Marinette's tales of woe at being a third wheel with the other two.  But he was determined to not let this setback bring him down. "Well, maybe we'll have to swing by the bakery later, see if she's up for a movie or something."

Alya grinned, looking positively predatory.  "Yes. Let's definitely do that." She looked over at André's  cart, where the line had dwindled to the last couple. "But until then, how about we get our ice cream."

"Yes!" Adrien agreed.  "I love this stuff. André's the best."

Adrien stood behind his friends as they ordered.  The André experience was half food service, half performance art, and he loved it.  There was something sweet and, dare he say, magical about it. As his friends stepped to the side, beaming at each other over their matched couple ice creams, he met the man's eyes.

"Ah!  Adrien, so good to see you."  André held his outstretched hands to his sides.  "Still coming to see me without your sweetheart, I see.  Perhaps this one will draw her out, yes?"

Trying not to blush, Adrien shrugged.  "I can hope."

Making a show out of waving his ice cream scoop about, before digging in and assembling Adrien's treat with a pronouncement that sounded suspiciously like a spell. "Strawberry with black chocolate chip! Blackberries for her hair, and blueberry ice-cream just like her sky blue stare!"

"Purrfect as always," Adrien said, thinking of his Lady as he reached for the treat.  "How do you always know?"

"Ah, ah, ah."  André grinned and wagged a finger at him.  "Trade secrets. Not to be shared."

Adrien understood all about keeping secrets, and honestly, given his work with the miraculous and Master Fu over the last two years, he was inclined to believe in magic.  "Have a great day, André." He walked over to where his friends waited.

"What did you get?" Alya asked, eyeing up Adrien's ice cream.

"My usual."  Adrien held it out for them to see before he scooped up a bit with the tiny spoon.  He closed his eyes and savored the first taste.

Nino took a step closer, going so far as to catch Adrien's wrist and hold it steady as he stared at it.   "Dude," he said gently.

"Yes?"  He felt unaccountably nervous all of a sudden.

"Dude."  The word was elongated and a sly grin spread over his face.  "Marinette, eh?"

Adrien glanced around, wondering if she'd been able to show after all. "Marinette?" he asked, uncertainly.  Alya's eyes had gone much wider than usual, and she'd slapped a hand over her mouth. He realized his friends were staring at his ice cream.  What did Marinette have to do with his ice cream. "Oh! You think my ice cream is Marinette themed," he said, understanding. "I guess I can see that, but no, it's…"  He froze. In the middle of preparing to reveal what they would see as an embarrassing fanboy crush, realization hit him like last week's akuma.

Blackberries for her midnight hair, worn in twin tails since they'd met.  Blueberries for her piercing blue eyes. Eyes he'd seen in the face of two amazing girls… one.  He corrected himself. Just one girl had those amazing eyes, even if she had two forms. The strawberry chocolate chip wasn't just her super suit.  It symbolized that she had the heart of a hero, that she was truly Ladybug, whether she was transformed or not.

He stared at his friends in shock.  "Oh my god," he whispered. "It is

@lnc2 - thanks for letting me play with this.  I hope it fills your need for an ice cream reveal.

[freedom-shamrock]

The Ladybug Special - Part 4

Also on AO3 Part 1   Part 2   Part 3

Posting this as day 2 of my personal ML WIP-Completion December challenge.

Adrien had wanted to hug Marinette the moment he saw her, but that wasn't quite the relationship they had, not yet anyway, and Nino was right that he needed to keep it chill until the time was right. Romance and wooing required the right ambiance and timing. He squirmed a bit as they took turns getting clobbered by her in Mecha Strike. It was no wonder his Lady was so good at piloting the mech when Max had been akumatized.

"Hmm," Marinette said, setting her controller on the desk. "Are you all right?"

"Me?" Adrien asked with an embarrassing squeak.  "Just fine. How about you?"

"You're not usually this easy to beat," she pointed out.

"You have to forgive him, Marinette," Alya said quickly.  "We took him for ice cream and he's not used to getting that kind of sweet stuff."

"Ohhh."  Marinette nodded.  "Sugar rush, huh? Hard to focus?"

"Something like that," Adrien agreed, readily bobbing his head along with her.

After what felt like forever, Alya's timer finally went off. "It's been great gang, but I have to head.  Siblings to corrupt."

Nino got up with her, not even bothering to make an excuse. He babysat with her more often than Marinette did. "Go easy on my bro, Mari. That ice cream really did a number on him."

"I'm fine ," he insisted. He knew his friends were trying to play off his state of mind in case things didn't go well. But that was completely unnecessary. He had this under control.

"I'll just show them out," Marinette said, smiling at him. "Then do you want to watch a movie or something."

"Definitely something," Adrien agreed. "I don't have to be home for a while yet, and we haven't gotten to spend much time together recently.  Maybe you can show me your latest designs?"

"Oh." She looked delighted and surprised at the suggestion. "Sure. If that's what you want."

While she was gone, Adrien fished Plagg out of his pocket. He'd only gotten about two minutes with his kwami during a bathroom break to discuss this exciting development. "You won't have to stay in there much longer, buddy."  Their kwamis could hang out when they were together. That was a nice side-benefit. Going to see Master Fu together, instead of on their own, would be efficient, and a whole lot more fun. Study dates were totally a thing; Nino and Alya did those all the time. Oh gosh, how had he gotten so lucky?

"So you're sure about this?" Plagg asked, tilting his head slightly.

Adrien nodded.  Nothing would change his mind at this point.  "Her kwami is Tikki, right?"

"Yeah, but she's Sugarcube to me." He straightened up as if this was some sort of honor.

"Do you want to go find her now, or after I tell Maribug…" His eyes went wide as he realized he'd had the perfect name forever. "Buginette." He let out a little squeal and pranced in a circle.

"Geeze, kid.  You're a mess." He pawed at Adrien's nose, forcing the boy to meet his cat eyes. "Tomcats do not melt into a puddle at the thought of their lady, okay? You won't be much good as a protector if you're all gooey."

"Cats are liquids," Adrien replied.

"You're a predator and you wield the ultimate force of destruction," Plagg corrected. Then he let out a tiny huff. I'm going to stay with you for now." He darted back into Adrien's pocket as they both picked up treads on the stairs. "Both so I can tease you later, and because someone needs to be able to save you when your mouth gets ahead of your brain."

Adrien snorted, unable to respond because Marinette was cresting the steps, holding a tray of snacks.

"I thought you might be hungry," she said. "And maybe a little something to balance you out after all the sugar would be helpful."  She slid the tray onto the desk.

His mouth went dry.  All the rehearsed and carefully considered words from two years of crushing on his partner, and today's suggestions from Alya and Nino, completely dropped out of his head now that they were alone. This never happened to him! He could not crash and burn.  He would not.

He took a deep breath and blurted, "I'd love to meet Tikki.  She sounds like the sweetest kwami in the world." Crap. That was supposed to come after she agreed to go out with him. But at least he hadn't gone with the 'Mari me' proposal that needed to come much later.  Like next month or something.

She turned toward him, her eyes wide and her mouth frozen in a little O of surprise.

He could fix this.  He totally could. He was a hero, after all. "We should go on a double date, find a place that has cookies and cheese... Though any date would be a double date, really, since it's not like either of us will leave our kwamis at home when we go out. You know what I mean?  It would be just my luck that an akuma would attack when I'm out with the world's most amazing lady, and I've gotta be prepared, you know?" Okay. That wasn't really better, but the information was all out there now, and he could totally work with this.

She hadn't spoken, though now her expression had turned calculating. Yes, she was clever. She'd figure it all out and save him from his rambling.

"Oh, and I got you something." He reached behind her computer and pulled out the little box he'd hidden there when he first got up to her room. "I thought this was a pretty… uh… momentous occasion, but Alya and Nino kept rejecting my ideas. I have lots of future gift plans though, so that's cool. And I hope you're okay with me spoiling you, because you're amazing and deserve everything ."

"Alya and Nino know?" she quietly interrupted his tsunami of words.

Oh dear.  He recognized the terror on her face. "Of course they know, they helped me figure it out… " When her fear only increased, he realized he'd misunderstood. "Oh.  No, no, no. Not that . Of course they don't know that you're Ladybug." He beamed at her.

Though her worry seemed to lessen slightly, it remained, paired with a dose of confusion. "They don't know I'm Ladybug?" she asked, as if clarifying, though her voice sounded a bit squeaky.  When he nodded, she continued. "But they know… something else? What are you talking about Adrien? What is going on?"

"I'm sorry.  I'm making a mess." He covered his face with both hands. "Destruction is my specialty, so I guess it makes sense."

"Stop."  Marinette pulled his hands away, stemming the tide of words. "It's… you're all over the place and it's too much at once."

"If I start over, can we pretend I didn't say the rest of that stuff?" he asked.  He wished Plagg had gone off to find Tikki, this was probably his fault, stupid being of chaos and destruction.

She nodded.

"You're an amazing person, and I've always known that."  He smiled when that caused her to look away, a blush kissing her cheeks. "And it's true whether you're my classmate and friend, or as my partner."

"How?" She took a deep breath. "How did you figure it out? How long have you known?" She stepped back, worrying her hands together.

"It's only been a couple of hours, and the story, it's kind of funny, actually." He pulled out his phone. "Alya, Nino and I met up at André's, and he gave me the same sweetheart ice cream he always does."  He opened the text from Alya, expanded the picture of his sundae, and held it out for her to see. "I've always assumed it meant Ladybug, cause she the yin to Chat Noir's yang, but Nino suggested it was you."

Cradling his phone in both hands, she stared at him in surprise.

"And I just… I realized we were both right." He shrugged.  "I didn't tell them about Ladybug, though. They would have just thought it was a celebrity crush. They don't know her… you the way I do."

"And that was all it took for you to realize it was me?" she asked, her voice a bit more shrill than usual.

He nodded. "It just… it came to me. I just suddenly knew . Probably like how you always know what to do with your lucky charms." He took back the phone. "I don't think anyone else would figure it out, I mean Nino and Alya didn't, and if anyone was going to, it'd be them." He hoped that was enough reassurance.

"Um… when you figured out it was me…" She shifted her weight, fidgeting. "What did you think?"

He beamed at her. "I was really happy. Like ridiculously happy. I don't think I'd want anyone else as my Ladybug. And if André's magic is accurate, and you're willing to go out with me, I would be the luckiest guy on the planet."

"And you're really my Chat Noir?" she asked.

He tugged Plagg out of his pocket and held him out for her to see. "In person."

The next thing he knew, Marinette had thrown her arms around his neck and was pressed firmly against his chest. Yeah. This was heaven right here. He rested his chin on her shoulder, pressing his cheek to hers. After a long moment of contentment he whispered, "I know you didn't want us to find each other, and I promise I didn't try. But I'm so happy it's you. Do you think you can be okay with this?"

She loosened her hold, and he followed suit, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, but she kept her hands on his shoulders. "I'm very much okay with this." She giggled.

"And would you want to go out with me, on an actual date?" he asked. "I'm so crazy about you."

"Ain't that the truth," Plagg interjected.

She met his eyes, happier than he'd ever seen her. One hand came up to rest on his cheek. "I'd love to go out with you.  On a recurrent basis."

Adrien pulled her back in for a hug.  "This is the best day of my life. Second only to becoming Chat Noir and meeting both of you."

Ice cream reveal. It's a thing now. And I had such fun with this. Thanks @lnc2 for letting me play in your sandbox.

[freedom-shamrock]

The Ladybug Special - Part 2

Also on AO3

Part 1   Part 3   Part 4

"Dude?" Nino was beginning to sound legitimately concerned.

Adrien raised one finger to indicate he'd heard, but still needed a moment.

Marinette was Ladybug.  Ladybug was Marinette. He'd eaten his ice cream in silence, his friends and the sounds of Paris blending into white noise as his brain catalogued every action of Marinette's had all but screamed, "Ladybug!" As well as all the moments when Ladybug had behaved exactly like his sweet classmate. It was so obvious now.  

His treat gone, he'd collapsed into the grass and proceeded to have a giggle fit.  Oh he'd found her. And she was so wonderful, just as amazing out of her suit as in it.  Any other time he might have thought her a bit out of his league, but this was foretold. Ladybug was Chat Noir's destined partner, his other half, and André had provided the definitive evidence that Adrien belonged to her.

"Are you okay, dude?" Nino asked, the worry still present in his voice.

Adrien pushed himself up to sit on the grass.  He could feel the smile stretched across his face, one too wide and real to ever cut it for his modeling work.  "It's Marinette," he whisper-yelled. "Of course it is." He beamed at Alya who had her phone trained on him. "She's amazing.  Isn't she amazing, Alya?"

"Are you… um… was there something other than ice cream in that?" Alya asked.

Adrien shook his head.  "When can we go see her?  Did she say?" He had to see her.  Today, if at all possible. There was no way he'd be able to sleep on this.  He supposed he could stop by tonight as Chat Noir if he really had to, but this was something he wanted to do as Adrien.  It would freak her out less. His Lady had always been so cautious of identities, which made perfect sense; she loved her friends and family.  Of course she wanted to protect them. She was too precious.

Alya laughed. "You want to tell her how your ice cream lead you to her?"

He was going to have to be careful about revealing what he knew, and who was around.  "Should I not?"

"You might  kind of blow her mind," Alya cautioned, finally turning the camera off him.

"You can get pretty intense sometimes," Nino pointed out.  "Maybe don't lead off with André's ice cream, but tell her about it after you ask her out or something."

"I'll send you a picture so you're ready when you want to share that bit with her."  Alya wiggled her phone at him.

Her suggestion triggered the perfect plan to form.  He nodded eagerly. "Yes. Yes, send it to me. But don't share it with Marinette."  Yes. This was going to be perfect… if he could keep his excitement under control long enough to do it properly.

Still smiling and shaking her head, Alya poked at her phone.  "Don't kill my bestie."

"I wouldn't," Adrien insisted, a little offended by the accusation.  "Why would I do that? I've only just found her."

Nino wrapped an arm around Adrien's shoulders.  "Nettie's been kind of waiting a while for her Prince or Princess Charming to show up.  She may have gotten resigned to it not happening anytime soon."

Adrien blinked stupidly at Nino.  "Is she going to be disappointed that I took so long to figure it out?  That it's just me?"

Alya let out a guffaw and briefly excused herself to the patch of grass across the sidewalk from them.

Nino's lips twitched, and amusement danced in his eyes.  "Dude, I promise she'll be delighted that you're her prince."  

Adrien nodded.  "So what time is she going to be available?"

"Three-thirty," Alya said, rejoining them.  "And what on earth are we going to do with you while we wait?  I can already see that you're going to be a bundle of energy."

"This is going to be a momentous occasion," Adrien said, thinking about the deportment lessons he'd gotten from Nathalie. "I should probably have a gift for her."  He beamed at his friends. "You guys can help me pick it out."

Yeah. That didn't stay a one shot. We are all so shocked. Hope to have the final piece posted soon (depending on how this cold treats me tomorrow).

[freedom-shamrock]

Exceeds Expectations

Also on AO3 This follows the Improvements story “Dressed for Success,” though it can be read on its own.  This is also day 23  of my ML WIP-Completion project.

It was late, and all Adrien wanted to do was go to bed, unfortunately his father had other ideas.

"Adrien," his father said, his voice sharp in the quiet of the mansion.

Adrien looked up and mentally slouched in response. He'd only just come in the front door, and there was his father at the top of the staircase, looming down at him in what had become his traditional we-are-having-a-conversation-whether-you-like-it-or-not mode. "Good evening father," he said, not bothering to mask the weariness in his voice.  He'd just worked a fourteen hour day, and he didn't care if his father didn't understand how exhausting runway was.

"We need to speak about this evening," his father said, clearly ignoring every cue Adrien sent him through body language and tone.  Or maybe he was oblivious. That seemed too charitable.

"Can we do this tomorrow?" Adrien asked.  "I'm beat."

Gabriel shook his head. "This should not take long." He turned on his heel and strode back to his office.

Adrien briefly considered ignoring the clear summons and letting his father see what it felt like to be ignored for a change, but knew he'd end up with some other unsavory job or task as a result.  Last time they fought, Adrien suddenly found himself added to multiple underwear campaigns. The photoshoots didn't bother him, since he had about as much physical modesty as an actual cat, but the uptick in rabid fan interactions was not worth the risk. They'd gotten more lewd, too, and that kind of grossed him out.

Plagg wriggled in his pocket, something he'd started doing when Adren was frustrated, and for reasons he couldn't understand, it calmed him.  So he was able to drag himself up the steps and into his father's office without letting the irritation get to him.

"You wished to see me, father?" Adrien declared as he crossed the threshold into his father's atelier. He'd taken to announcing his entrance this way in the past year, hoping to point out how rarely his father actually talked to him personally, and how it generally had to do with work.  When it had no obvious results, it went from an attempted notice to something bordering pure sass.

"I wish to discuss your presentation for this evening," Gabriel said, straightening up in his chair, and pushing aside the tablet he'd been focusing on despite the fact that he'd summoned Adrien not two minutes earlier.

"I see," Adrien said.  While he knew he could draw this out just to toy with his father, he was too tired for that to hold any amusement tonight, or rather this morning, as it was nearly three. "Let's just skip the niceties and get straight to the point where you tell me what I did wrong so I can apologize and get to bed," he suggested.

That prompted an unexpected reaction. Gabriel's eyes widened and he frowned. "I wasn't aware that you'd done anything wrong this evening. On the contrary, I was going to compliment you on your music selection and clothing choices."

Adrien stared at his father in disbelief.

"However," Gabriel continued, "if there's something you need to confess about your performance today that I was previously unaware of, by all means, feel free to do so."

Adrien scowled across the desk at his father. "Seriously?  I can't win with you." He shook his head. "You don't compliment anyone , least of all me.  I can't honestly recall the last time you told me you were proud of something I'd done, so you'll have to forgive me my assumption."  He paused to gather his thoughts from his exhaustion-muddled brain, speaking up before his father could respond. "I handled myself like a proper Agreste today. I performed my walks and poses as I have been trained to.  I was professional and represented Gabriel to the best of my ability."

Gabriel let out a huff. "You're getting emotional."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "I need to go to bed.  Unless you want fatigue to be featured on my face in tomorrow's publicity piece."

"Fine." Gabriel glowered at him. "I will make this quick. Your work in the show was professional, as expected. Your performance at the after-party exceeded my expectations."

Adrien stared at his father in shock.  "Exceeded expectations?"

Gabriel nodded. "Your music selections added to the ambiance in a way that suggested adequate familiarity with the setting and it's needs. The music was neither too loud, quiet, lively, or dull, so it brightened the atmosphere."

Adrien managed to keep his mouth in check when he really wanted to sass off about how he'd spent his whole life both in this environment and playing piano, so of course he had the knowledge to pick the right music. Normally he was eager for any shred of positivity that could be interpreted as praise, but in the last few months, he'd grown weary of scrambling for such scraps.

"That wasn't the surprise, though," Gabriel admitted. He steepled his fingers in front of his chin. "Your apparel for the after-party could not have been better chosen had I done it myself."

"They were your designs," Adrien said, shrugging. He knew he'd been right in enlisting Marinette's help, but he'd merely hoped to avoid a scolding and hadn't anticipated praise.

"True," Gabriel agreed. "But they were not pieced together as I'd originally intended them, and the way that was handled enhanced your appearance while minimizing your temporary defects."

"It's called a growth spurt," Adrien grumbled. "You wanted me taller."

"Yes," Gabriel said with a sharp nod. "And while it's temporary, the transition is ungainly."

Adrien reminded himself, yet again, what Marinette had told him. She thought he was impossibly beautiful no matter what his father said.

"The only reason you didn't upstage the show-stoppers, is that your clothes were slightly older designs, still fresh and intriguing, but not flashy." Gabriel stood up. "The match-up was innovative, brilliant, and the fit was perfect."

Adrien nodded. "I would be happy to express your appreciation to Marinette for her assistance, then."

"Marinette?" Gabriel asked. "As in Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

Adrien nodded. "She came over a few weeks ago and helped me pick my look for the after-party. She told me what needed replacing in a larger size and re-tailored everything to ensure a good fit."

"Hey Marinette," Adrien called, jogging to catch up to her on the sidewalk approaching the school.

"Welcome back Adrien." She smiled at him, and it brought him some unexpected happiness. "How did it all go?"

"Really well, actually." He was still a bit baffled by the odd three A.M. conversation with his father. "And honestly, I think a big part of it was because of you."

"Me?" She seemed genuinely surprised. "I hardly did a thing."

Adrien shook his head. "I was pretty nervous about the after-party," he admitted. "I knew the music would be fine, but… I was really unsure about the rest, and my father has been on my case about representing Gabriel in the right fashion." He grinned at his own pun.

Marinette scowled a little. "He needs to lighten up.  You're his son, not an employee or indentured servant.  And it's a design house not an empire."

He laughed, unaccountably struck by the irony of her words. "Honestly to hear him talk about it, I am the scion of a noble house, far more important than the common folk I surround myself with."  He snorted. "Anyway, your help with my suit made me feel a lot better, because even if he came down hard on me for failing to do my best, at least I had evidence that I'd gone out of my way and sought the best resources to fill the informational gap he'd left for me ."

Now she looked angry, and that hadn't been his plan. "Adrien, you're making me worry.  More than I already did."

"Sorry, I'm not good with words, especially when I'm excited." He beamed at her. "He loved the outfit! He actually complimented it.  You made him regret not making me a headliner." He shrugged. "Though to be honest it was nice to have a break from that pressure." He was getting off track, dammit.  "Ugh. Let me start over." He took a deep breath and straightened up. "Thank you so much for helping me; it reduced my stress for the whole event, which allowed me to be at my best." He held out his arms and tilted his head before pulling her in for a hug.

"Okay, okay.  You're welcome."  Marinette giggled. "Now put me down."

"Oops." He hadn't realized he'd picked her up. "Still not used to being so much taller than you," he admitted, setting her back on her feet and letting go.

"I'm glad it went so well." She patted his upper arm. "And hearing this actually explains a few things."

Adrien thought for a moment, but spoke up when she didn't continue. "Explains what?"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Nathalie stopped by yesterday with information on the internships that will be available at Gabriel this summer.  It was… awkward and seemed really out of the blue."

"That's… unexpected." While he liked the idea of working with Marinette, the thought of her working at Gabriel made the hair at the back of his neck stand up. He'd heard that it was a hard place to be an intern, and that the position generally involved fetching coffee and doing administrative stuff, with occasional on location gopher work.  "Didn't you already apply for summer internships?"

Marinette nodded. "And I've actually heard back on three of them, two yes and one no."

"So you're not going to apply for one at Gabriel?" he asked.

She patted his shoulder. "I'd love to work with you again, Adrien.  But I want nothing to do with your father."

Adrien grinned.  His father was so used to getting his way, this would come as quite a surprise. "I approve of your plan. I never get to work with interns anyway."

Planned to do this yesterday, but felt a bit bleh after too much wassail and tasty food at game night Saturday.

I still have 5 WIP pieces to write, and it's safe to say those won't get all finished today. Alas. But ideally this week yet.

[freedom-shamrock]

Eyes That Know Me, Blinking Slowly - Chapter 3

Also on AO3 <<< Go back to Chapter One or Chapter Two

This is #27 in my ML WIP-Completion Challenge.

Adrien had just settled in at his desk when he noticed it. He'd been a little tense, as was usually the case first thing in the morning, but suddenly it faded and he felt relaxed and safe. In his time as Chat Noir, he'd learned that even his human nose picked up scents generally undetectable to humans. It had been a gradual shift, and he often couldn't place the exact smells or where they were coming from. They were marked in his human life by sudden emotional changes that he couldn't explain, a spike in anxiety out of nowhere had become his most common cue that there was an akuma nearby. As Chat, he could smell the magic of akumatization on someone. It was a nice change to learn some smells had more pleasant associations, even if he couldn't quite catalog them.

"Good morning Adrien," Marinette said, taking her seat beside him. "You look tired."

He appreciated her sympathy, though he didn't fully deserve it. He was tired by his own doing. He'd chosen to stay out just a bit longer with Ladybug last night. "Yeah, not quite enough sleep."

"Are you going home for lunch?" she asked.

Adrien shook his head. "Naah. No point. No one's there."

An adorable frown marred her features. "How about you come to my place. You can have a nap someplace more comfortable than that alcove in the library."

A laugh bubbled up unexpectedly. "That was one time," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Three, actually," she pointed out. "And those are just the times I caught you."

"You okay, Kitty?" Ladybug asked, leaning forward and raising herself up on her toes to peer into his face.

He tried to look away, but her hand on his cheek stopped him.

"Oh, Kitty." Her voice was so sad, but so comforting all at the same time. "Who do I need to beat up?"

He shook his head slowly. "I had a fight with my father. And it would be best if you don't beat him up. I love him, even if he makes me so mad."

She nodded, lifting her hand from his face to take his hand. "Is there anything I can do that would help."

Their relationship had always been tactile, part of the reason the media had such a tough time defining what they saw. But in recent months, even before the incident with Botanatrix's catnip, they'd grown closer. "I'd love a cuddle, if it's not too much trouble." Why was it so hard to ask for help? For what he needed?

Ladybug nodded. "Should we head over to the Arc de Triomphe?" she asked. It was a little less visible to Parisians and had good space for sprawling.

After a few hops away from their meet up location, he found himself lounging in her lap, his face nestled into her neck. His purr was in overdrive as one of her hands worked its way through his hair and the other slid over his back, up and down.

"Kitty's motor has picked up steam," she teased gently. "And don't you dare try to hold it back," she demanded. "It's a soothing sound and it lets me know how you're doing."

He relaxed against her, letting his Plagg-influenced nature take hold of him. He only ever let go of his control when she was there to rein him in if it became necessary. After a while, he realized he was nuzzling her neck with his face, and he wanted to do more. "Stop, bug." Though he'd spoken softly, her hands immediately stilled.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"It's too much. Too dangerous." He wanted to drag his chin along hers, to brush his scent onto her, not just her suit. While others wouldn't consciously notice it, it would send a subtle message that she was under his protection. That he was her cat to command.

"Dangerous?" she asked, curious. "It's just cuddles."

"Nngh," he groaned. "I want to scent mark you again, like I did that one time." It was only because they'd talked so much about their kwami-induced traits that he could even speak of it. She'd insisted on as much honesty as their positions allowed. He'd be embarrassed later, but it was worth it to have clear communication (something they'd learned the hard way).

She was quiet for a moment, and he assumed she was just letting him calm down until she said. "I don't mind." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The only reason it bothered me last time was that it wasn't your choice." Her hand lifted from his back to lightly tap his nose. "It tickled and was kind of sweet."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his hands fisted as he struggled to keep his cat nature from overwhelming him.

"You need to let your cat out sometime, Kitty, and if you don't do it with me, it may happen at a less idea time," she said. "Trust me. I knowthis."

That was all the encouragement it took, though it definitely helped that she giggled as he rubbed his jaw against every scrap of bare skin, and hair, he could find. Her hand was massaging his scalp again, and while the whole thing was really weird, it just made him happy.

Later, she gave him a tight hug before they parted. "I'm always here for you."

"I know," he murmured into her hair. "Thank you, so much. I'd say you don't know what this means to me, but you do. And I'm forever grateful." He stepped back and gazed down at her, content and at peace despite his earlier fight with his father. She looked up at him and he felt his eyes close tightly before fluttering open again. He froze, on the verge of panic, but it vanished like a puff of perfume on the breeze when she slow blinked back.

Adrien slid his things onto the table he shared with Marinette and dropped to his seat with a sigh. His father had him in dusk and dawn shoots both days of the weekend, and he'd gotten far too little sleep. He also had to pass up time with Ladybug so he could finish up his homework. He was tense and agitated, stuck with a build up of magical cat energy until he found an opportunity to go for a run. Just as he was contemplating skipping lunch in favor of his more urgent need, the feeling vanished. His mind was suddenly clearer and his skin didn't buzz unpleasantly.

"Oh dear," Marinette said, tossing herself into the seat beside him. "You look exhausted." She peered into his face. "Not tired though, so I guess you're sleeping okay."

"Good morning, Marinette," he said, feeling happy. "I'm just feeling overworked, is all."

She frowned. "Did you even have a day off this weekend?" Though her words were phrased as a question, she clearly didn't expect an answer. "I'm sorry, that's not fair to you."

Her hand settled over his, feeling far more familiar than it had any right to. Sure, they were friends, and casual touches were totally a thing, but this was different. "Thanks." He took a slow deep breath through his nose, his heart kicking into a gallop the moment he smelled it. Or rather, himself on her.

"Adrien?" She leaned in, concern evident on her face. "Hey, you're zoning out on me."

A lazy smile spread itself over his face. "Sorry. Got a bit distracted. You smell lovely by the way."

Her forehead wrinkled up and she sniffed at her shirt.

"You won't be able to smell it," he said quietly, dragging one finger along her jawbone. That got her attention, and her head snapped up so she could meet his eyes. He let his close slowly, squeezing them shut for a moment before opening them again.

Her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open into an adorable little O. But then, just as intentionally as he'd done it, Marinette slow-blinked back.

This concludes this particular story. At least for now. Just two more WIP-Completion Projects to go!

[freedom-shamrock]

BAMF Mari #11 - Chatcall

Also on AO3 #1 Princess Chat   #2 Snack Chat   #3 Scalded Chat    #4 Chat Ice #5 Chat’s Paw    #6 Chat’s Cradle    #7 Chataplexy    #8 Chatatonic #9 Chatalyst   #10 Chat Nap   #11 Chatcall   #12 Chatachresis    #13 Chat’s Pajamas

As day 3 of ML WIP-Completion December, I am finally getting around to Fluff Month Prompt 26: Please.

Adrien : I need your help with something

Marinette : OK.  What do you need?

He slapped one hand to his cheek and screwed his eyes shut, horrified that he was even doing this.

"Whatchya doing, Adrien?" Plagg asked, swooping in from wherever he'd been savoring his morning cheese.

"Nothing." Adrien pulled the phone to his chest to keep the curious kwami from seeing the conversation.

Plagg gave him that look .  The one he'd seen far too often since Marinette had rescued him, er, Chat Noir from an akuma.

"It's none of your business," he added.

"So porn, then?" Plagg suggested. "Phone is really not the best place for that. So many things go wrong with those little bricks of tech. And you really don't want your father to discover all your new… ahem… interests, because someone hacked your account."

"It's not porn," he snapped, feeling his face go hot. He didn't use his phone for that stuff for that very reason, as Plagg well knew. "It's a conversation."

Plagg grinned. "Princess?  I like her."

Adrien had come to realize that he and Plagg both liked her, but for vastly different yet strangely related reasons.

"It's not just any girl who can tame one of my kittens," Plagg said, puffing up his chest. "Even with the mess you are as Adrien, I'm able to counter that. She's got great power." He chuckled, a strangely ominous sound.

"I'm not… that's not… ugh." It had been wholly humiliating to come back to his full senses, draped all over his sweet smelling classmate, with a nice clear memory of everything he'd done while high on catnip.  He probably needed to spite Alya somehow, because her gag gift had been a terrible idea.

"And she deals so well with this side of you, too." Plagg cackled. "I still can't get over you flat out asking her to order you around."

To be honest, neither could he. He'd no idea that side of him existed, and she'd picked it up like it was second nature. And she wasn't cruel or humiliating about it, like he'd seen in some of the things found online.  He was pretty sure those weren't for him. But Marinette, and her firm but gentle… guidance. Yes. That was a much better word. She was helping guide him. That was all.

His phone vibrated.

"Best not to keep your domme waiting," Plagg said. "She may choose to punish you."

"Plagg!  I told you not to call her that." This was all horrifying.  Shoving the kwami away, he looked at his phone.

Marinette: Are you still there?

Adrien : Yeah.  Sorry. It's a little awkward, and I'm still trying to figure out how to ask.

Marinette: Blurt first, clarify second?

He giggled.  That did seem to be her way of getting through awkward situations, and it always seemed to work out for her.  But he couldn't come up with a way to blurt this out without sounding like he was propositioning her or something.

Adrien: I have a shoot later today, and I could really, really use your help.

Marinette: OK. I'm free all day.  What kind of help is this?

Adrien: I need you to come with.

She'd been along to a couple of his photoshoots, and she'd always been professional and unobtrusive.  This wasn't a weird request.

Marinette:  Yes!  I'd love to come to your photoshoot.

Adrien: And I need you to do like you did at school.

There was a long moment where he could see she was texting.  Then nothing. Then texting.

Marinette: The telling you what to do?

Adrien: Yeah.  That. Would you be willing to do that?

Marinette: Won't it seem odd to your crew?

Adrien: It worked OK at school.  Chloe was the only one who noticed.

Adrien: You're really good at it.

Marinette: Really?

Adrien: Really, really.

Honestly, just the idea of her being on set, telling him what to do made him feel better about everything.

Adrien: It's a shoot I'm not real comfortable with.

He kind of wanted to cataclysm his father's office over this, to be totally honest.

Adrien: But I don't have a choice, and I'd like to just get it over with.

Adrien: And I don't want to get yelled at by my father again if I do awful.

Marinette: Are you sure this is the right way to handle this?

Sure.  She had a point.  This probably wasn't a healthy way to deal with it, but since his father wasn't willing to listen to anything he had to say, because his feelings didn't matter, rational methods weren't options.

Adrien: Please, Marinette. Please. Please. Please.

It was stupidly easy for him to use that word over and over with her.  That was probably weird.

Marinette: OK!  I'll do it.  No need to beg!

Adrien: We can agree to disagree on that.

Oh god.  Why did he send that?

30 minute speedwrite

Sorry I forgot to do this when I posted - tagging the following folks by request:  @frostymoon11, @starfirette, @bowser14456, 

[freedom-shamrock]

Eyes That Know Me, Blinking Slowly - Chapter Two

Also on AO3  <<< Go back to Chapter One

This is #24 in my ML WIP-Completion Challenge.

Chat Noir arrived at the akuma site after Ladybug had already engaged the enraged woman going by the name Botanatrix. She could obviously zap inanimate objects turning them into trees or causing them to sprout vines that zipped up their sides enclosing whole buildings and buses in a kudzu jungle.

"Wow," he said, dropping beside Ladybug behind a billboard. "She works fast."

"She really does," Ladybug agreed. "And while I've figured out her ability, I'm still stumped on the akumatized object."

"Hmm. Not good to get too close to an akuma with wild ranged attacks unless we have a plan," he muttered. "Want me to go play distracto-cat so you can study her further?"

Ladybug watched a few more moments before nodding. "Yeah. I think we have to go for that option. Carapace messaged that he'd be here soon, too, so hopefully we'll have some back-up by the time we need it."

Chat bounded off. "Excuse me!" he called. "While I like the jungle as much as any cat, I'm just not digging this remodel of Paris."

"Chat Noir!" the woman roared, which felt out of place and absurd given that she was plant-based. "Give me your miraculous!"

"How about… no?" Chat suggested, dodging the spray that shot out of her watering can. He hadn't seen what happened when she hit people with her power, and he didn't want to find out up-close and in person. Again. That pretty much always sucked.

"I have a special little something just for you, Kitty," she taunted.

Chat rolled his eyes. "That nickname is for Ladybug only. Not random Parisians, akumas, or Hawk Moth." He scrambled up the side of a building, pushing off in a huge arc with a back-flip. "Anyone else gets my immediate hissaproval."

He was vaguely aware that Carapace had arrived, and now all three heroes were engaged in the fight. In a moment of poor timing and phenomenally bad luck, Chat and Carapace's shield collided in mid-air. They really needed to train together more to prevent these mishaps. He landed in a heap, and before he could get back up, he felt the cold splash from the akuma's watering can.

"Chat! No!" He heard Ladybug cry out. She hated him getting hit by evil powers almost as much as he did.

"Good luck getting his help now." The akuma cackled before dashing away to cause more mayhem.

He'd made it to his knees by the time Ladybug and Carapace reached him. "I'm fine, my Laby," he insisted, watching little green plants fall out of his hair and onto his lap. They were in clumps and the leaves were small with gentle serrations. To his cat enhanced nose, they smelled slightly minty, and he wondered if they were from the same family. He should probably get up, but just couldn't bring himself to do so. He felt comfortable and oddly sluggish.

"Chat, speak to me," Ladybug said, catching his chin and directing his gaze at her.

He beamed at her. She was so pretty, and the sun was shining behind her. She was practically an angel with a golden halo. He felt his damnable purr kick in, and didn't bother masking it; it wasn't like she'd never heard it before.

"Dude, you okay?" Carapace asked.

"What even is this stuff?" Ladybug asked, brushing it off his shoulders and ruffling his hair to send the plants flying.

"Hmmmm," Chat murmured, leaning into her hand. "Smells good."

"Oh crap," Carapace muttered. "Does he react to catnip?"

"No?" Ladybug said uncertainly. "Well… he hasn't. But… I don't think he's actually been hit by it before."

Chat's face was turned toward the newer hero, but he resisted with a small whine. He wanted to look at his Lady. She was glorious. She smelled heavenly. He tilted toward her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Carapace said, resigned. "He's been Chat Noir long enough that he's got a pretty strong cat side, and this… it's definitely catnip."

"Oh god," Ladybug groaned. "Kitty how do you feel?"

"Floaty." He sighed and let himself tip fully onto her, delighted when he felt her arms around him. "Happy." He nuzzled her neck, grinning when that made her squeal, because he could tell it wasn't a bad squeal. He'd heard that noise in the past. "You smell nice Milaby," he murmured. "Sssoooo nice."

"Uh… you may want to discourage that," Carapace said quietly. "There's reporters here and he's blitzed. It's not fair to him."

"Kitty, we need to move you someplace safer while Carapace and I handle this akuma, okay?" she suggested, one hand rubbing his back.

He lost track of time for a bit, and the next thing he was fully aware of was that he was lying sprawled out in the grass under a tree in a park.

"You okay there, Kitty?" Ladybug called, dropping down beside him. She looked worried and that was never a good sign.

"Shit," he muttered. "What did I do? Was it awful?"

She quickly shook her head, but there was a hint of pink in her cheeks and he suspected she was just humoring him. "No. Not awful."

"It wasn't something you'd mind doing, I think," Carapace said in a careful voice. "But you'd probably prefer not to do it in public."

That didn't reassure him at all, and his face must have shown that.

"I promise, it's okay," Ladybug insisted.

"I'll go try to catch the Ladyblogger before she posts that video," Carapace offered. "Assuming she wasn't live-streaming, anyway."

"Oh fuck," Ladybug whispered.

Chat flinched. "What. Did. I. Do?" he demanded, completely freaked out now.

"Can you meet me on Notre Dame in fifteen minutes?" Ladybug asked. "I need to go recharge."

Chat Noir had curled in on himself as he watched the replay of Alya's livestream. Given that it had been live, there wasn't much point in having her pull the video. The Chat in the video had lost all understanding of decorum and personal boundaries. With the new camera she'd gotten for her last birthday, Alya had been able to zoom in and capture his wide blown pupils, giving him an oddly stupid yet constant kitten-eyed look. The distance and general chaos prevented her from picking up his purring and the conversation between the heroes.

"Oh my god," he moaned as he watched himself rub his cheek against hers, then against her neck.

"You didn't hurt me, Kitty," Ladybug insisted, rubbing his back. "Carapace said this was all normal cat stuff."

"I fucking scent marked you." His gloves dragged down his face as he forced himself to watch the rest of his shame unfold.

"It was kind of cute," she offered tentatively.

He shot her a glare. "I put a claim on you. Physically. Without your consent." This was so messed up.

"You're a cuddly kitty," she said. "And you weren't in your right mind. It's forgiven."

That should have warned him about what came next, but he was too horrified to properly process. He was treated to footage of himself attempting a full body rub against her, but he clearly lacked the balance necessary to wind around her. So his catnip-addled brain clearly felt that rolling all over her would be a good plan. He let out an involuntary hiss, flinching, but forcing himself to watch until Ladybug was able to scoop him up and zip away, trailed by Carapace.

"You seemed pretty out of it by that point, and we left you in a shielded area in an empty park," she explained, tucking away her yo-yo. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm not okay," he insisted. "I'm not sure I'll ever be okay after watching that." Before he could dissolve in a rant about how messed up his behavior had been, he felt her arms wrap around him.

"Oh, Kitty," she whispered sadly. "This wasn't your doing, your fault. It's more like when a girl gets roofied at a bar. You're a victim here, and it's okay to feel gross and awful." Her hand slipped into his hair, scratching at his scalp in a way they'd discovered calmed him. "If you need some time to deal with this, that's okay. But please know I'm here for you, and if there's anything I can do to help you through it, please tell me. I'm not you, and I can't just know what will help, and I don't want to make things worse by assuming."

"Could…" he broke off feeling awful about asking, though he was sure she'd meant it. "Could you just hold me a little longer?" He hated how fragile his voice sounded.

"I'd be happy to." She squeezed him gently. "Anytime."

Proceed to Chapter Three >>>

Given the modifications to the plot of one story, I'm down to three more to wrap this project up, including one more chapter in this story.

[freedom-shamrock]

Chai Tea and Fresh Starts - Chapter 5

Also on AO3

|<< First Chapter      << Previous Chapter Slightly late Lukanette week, prompt 3 - confession

Marinette and Luka had been dating for about four months when the stress of managing everything started to kick in.  She'd been lucky in the first few weeks that none of their dates were disrupted by akuma attacks. Then, for the next month or so, when they started getting together more regularly, she was occasionally a little late. When she apologized, he said his sister had cautioned him to expect that, and he didn't take it personally.  A few of their dates were directly disrupted and she managed to 'get separated' from him in the chaos. Being the amazing and calm guy he was, he never got upset, and just told her that all he cared about was her safety. Unfortunately, things had changed again in the last two weeks, when Hawk Moth decided to step up his efforts.

Ladybug had nearly burst into tears when Chat Noir asked her what was wrong last night on patrol, and she'd spilled the whole awful mess to him.  While she had told him that she'd started seeing someone, because it made her uncomfortable now when he flirted too hard, she tried to be considerate of his feelings. He was still one of her very best friends, and she knew how it felt to not get to be with the person you wanted.  He'd been stiff for a few weeks, but eventually they found their equilibrium again. Still, she'd avoided telling him anything about her boyfriend or their dates until she found she just couldn't manage things anymore. And he'd actually given her really good advice.

It was evening, and Marinette was running full pelt down the sidewalk.  She was late. Horribly, terribly, unforgivably late. She and Luka didn't celebrate month anniversaries, she thought that was a little excessive, but they did try to do something a little extra special about once a month. Most of their dates just involved hanging out together, sometimes at a cafe, more often at one of their homes.  Tonight, he'd planned a special dinner. He was making her a traditional Scottish meal. She'd never had any of the cuisine from his mother's homeland, and they'd recently had a whole conversation about how food was sometimes the best bridge to their ancestors.

She'd missed their last date entirely and had been an hour late for the two before that. He'd never seemed remotely bothered, but she was sure it sent a message about his importance to her. She could only use the excuses of getting sidetracked by inspiration or getting on the subway the wrong direction so many times before they became completely unbelievable.  And she was pretty sure she'd crossed that threshold weeks ago.

Even sweet, accepting Luka was going to hit a point where he couldn't tolerate her flakiness, or perceived flakiness. She was terrified it would be tonight, because that's just how her luck was right now.  He'd break up with her, and oh, that thought made her stomach drop and her chest hurt. Tears leaked down her cheeks. She really liked him, might even love him. This was so horribly unfair. But he didn't deserve a girlfriend who couldn't be bothered to show up.  She forced down the sob that wanted to creep out of her chest; it would just slow her down.

She clomped over the gangplank wondering if Juleka or Anarka would be home to witness their breakup.  Oh, god, that would be even worse. She liked his family.

"Oh good, you're here," Luka said brightly, peeking out of the galley kitchen when she clattered down the stairs.  His smile faded to a frown of concern. "Oh, come here, Nette." He pulled her into his arms. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. His worry and kindness were just too much, and she started to cry in ernest, her hands grasping and clinging to the back of his shirt while she buried her face in his chest. He kept one arm around her waist, holding her upright, while the other ran down the hair she'd taken to wearing loose around him. When she'd calmed to the point of shuddering breaths, she realised he was singing to her, and it wasn't in French.  She wasn't sure what language it was, but it was a gentle song and his voice was soothing.

When it was clear she had control of herself again, he caught her face in both hands, his thumbs softly stroking away the tears on her cheeks. "Better?" he asked in a low voice.

She nodded, feeling a bit lost as she gazed up at him. He was her beautiful boyfriend, at least for the moment, and she didn't want to lose him.

"Can you tell me what brought that on?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.  Their relationship had been built on respect and honesty.  She couldn't bring herself brush it off or lie entirely. "I'm a terrible girlfriend," she whispered, struggling to get the words out.  "You deserve someone who isn't nearly two hours late to our special date." She sniffled. "You deserve someone who's there when they say they'll be there."

"There was an akuma attack," he pointed out, as if that made sense.  But the attack was on the other side of town, and there was no reason for it to interfere with her getting to his place.  "You can't help it. I mean, not unless you're Hawk Moth," he teased gently.

"I'm not," she said firmly, since that was something she could honestly answer.  "Everyone else in Paris has figured out how to be on time despite the akumas, except the really destructive ones."

"You're not everyone else," he said, and for some reason that made him smile proudly at her.

She didn't understand this amazing boy.  "How are you not even the slightest bit upset with me? I missed our last date.  I've been late to every date for the last few weeks. And my reasons all sound like absolute garbage, even to me."

"If it helps you feel better, Nette, you don't have to give me reasons," he suggested.

"But you deserve to know why I'm late, why I don't show up…"  She looked down. "Why do you put up with me?"

"Do you want to break up with me?" he asked, his voice wobbling a little.

"No!" She vehemently shook her head, her eyes snapping back to his. "I think I love you." She hadn't meant to say that.

He closed his eyes and sighed happily. "Thank you for telling me, that… it makes me really happy." He kissed her forehead. "In case it wasn't already clear, I love you, too."

She suddenly understood what he meant about it making him happy.  Hearing him say it, was like being wrapped in a cozy blanket on a cold day.

"Since we're being honest, I need to tell you something," he said, his tone definitely sounding like a confession. "I noticed it the last time Ladybug rescued me."  He held her eyes, utterly serious. "Her heart song sounds just like yours, and that's… it's not something that happens."

Her breath caught, and she stared at him.

"I know I'm not supposed to know.  It's not safe. But it makes so much sense."  His one hand was back on her cheek. "You're both so brave, so clever."  He shrugged. "I'm okay being second to Paris, Nette. You have responsibilities and secrets that you have to keep.  I understand that, okay?"

She nodded, feeling stupid.  "Why didn't you tell me before?"

He shrugged.  "I thought I was helping." He snorted.  "I didn't want to make things harder for you, but I guess I did anyway.  Sorry about that."

"You're pretty amazing, Luka, did you know that?" she asked, smiling up at him.  Sure, she'd have to talk to Tikki about this later, but Luka knew and accepted the reality behind her absences, which meant she didn't have to make up excuses anymore.  She could withhold information without lying. The stress that had been gradually building up, suddenly faded.

"Feel better?" he asked, letting go of her hands just long enough to check the stove.

"I do."  She stepped in close to hug him.  "Thank you."

Check out Chapter 6  >>>

I finished this last night but was too tired to scan it for typos and post it. Planning to get another one (or possibly two) done today.

I did research on Scottish lullabies because that's what he's singing, but then getting back to the actual song didn't end up mattering at all. Oh well. :)