#Saving What's Left FIC

[diamaker-moon]

Saving What's Left — Chapter Four

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Marinette flinched at the sound of destruction, rearing her out of her trance. She looked to where the sound came from and could see a part of the Akuma. She lept to her feet and starting running back.

Before reaching the main battlefield she quickly ducked in an alleyway and transformed with the ladybug miraculous.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" The Akuma screamed.

Just as the Ladybug heroine landed on a nearby rooftop near the Akuma, she heard lithe footsteps behind her. She didn't dare to look back but kept aware of the person behind her, and is preparing her body to battle in any case.

But before she can throw her yo-yo to trap whoever is behind, the person passed her like a shadow, breezing right past her. Her eyes followed their footsteps only to see a cloaked figure easily jumping from one building to another towards the Akuma.

After one swift move around the Akuma, it appeared in front of her. As she look at the figure, she couldn't see a way to know a part of their identity. A black hooded cloak covers their whole body from head to toe and a black faceless mask in their face.

The figure was extending their hand towards her and saw the Akumatized objectb in their hands.

She cautiously reached it, the moment her fingers grasped the object, the person moved once again but this time disappearing from her sight.

Looking down at the object, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness in her heart. She did her job of de-akumatizing the object, and releasing her cure to the sky and have the ladybugs fix and heal the destruction that occured.

Marinette looked at the object once again and back to the de-akumatized villain, before leaving the object on the ground near the victim and disappeared from the crowd.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

Going back a few moments during the fight with the Akuma, Adrien Agreste was busy turning his school bag upside down to see if he had placed the ring of destruction inside it. Much to his dismay, it wasn't there. He was growing anxious as he continuously heard the raging Akuma outside of the school and could not find the miraculous.

"Where is it?!" He growled inside the empty classroom.

Thousands of scenarios have been running around his mind; most of them are about his freedom and his lady.

Being the hero, Chat Noir is a way for him to escape the forced reality given to him by his father. He wanted to please his father and have him be proud of me, that's why he accepts to be a model despite his awkward personality in dealing with a mob of fans.

Alongside the fame of being a popular model, is the social clingers. Those who value reputation and wealth above all else.

Suddenly he felt his surroundings stop shaking and when he looked outside the window, he saw a cloaked person infront of his bewildered lady.

'Who is that person?!' He thought angrily.

He then saw Ladybug do her thing and clean up the mess left by the Akuma. He deemed it safe enough to go out and saw his classmates around the 'Akuma of the day'. Juleka Couffaine.

He stepped closer to them in order to hear the conversation.

"Juleka, what happened? Why were you suddenly akumatized?" Rose gently asked her.

While the others were silent and waited for her answer.

"We, I, messed up. She was right. Everything was a lie…" Juleka mumbled.

Her response was silent enough but loud enough for them to hear.

Adrien suddenly felt a bubbling pit of anxiousness inside his stomach for whatever reason. The moment he heard the young Couffaine's answer, he knew it will not end well.

Juleka looked up and her gaze immediately landed on Alya's pair of eyes before continuing.

"Marinette was right, Alya. Everything about your new 'best friend' is a lie. A big fat lie. And you are not a journalist, you're nothing but a paparazzi." She said coldly.

Adrien heard a lot of gasps around him and saw the amount of disbelief in Alya's eyes.

'Oh, boy.' He thought.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

Unaware of their surroundings, the cloaked person returned to the scene and observe the class from a distance. Their intentions were unclear to the mass, but they have their goals. And no one will be stopping them from reaching it.

Their gaze was as hard as steel.

If a person looks in their eyes at the moment, they will feel fear and terror. As if they are facing death himself.

Looking to the side, the person saw another point of their goal. They had seen two points of the goal as of now, the bug and the guy. There is only one left.

When they arrived in Paris, France, they were shocked at the amount of power that was covering the whole city. And facing the bug face-to-face, was a different experience.

They looked back at the group of students that are now in a current staring match.

They sighed deeply before turning around and leaving.

For them, no amount of ancient power will get in the way of their goal. Not even the power of the miraculous.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

Beyond the world of reality. There are three beings that were watching the world move as if the three watchers are security guards and were only watching a feed from different cameras.

But it was far from it.

Their slightest interference can change everything. Now that a new variable had caught their attention as it tries to get closer to their points.

"Are we sure about this? Involving her means taking everything from her. Even the smallest item will be taken."

"Yes. We have no choice. Our decision does not matter. If it is for the better of the world, then we should not have any objections or doubts."

They looked back to the person they were talking about. And at that moment they knew, they could only do so much, and thus everything left will be upon her.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

continuing…

T A G L I S T:

@demonicbusiness @imtallerthanyou @vixen-uchiha @chocolatecatstheron @arcticfox847 @autisticamerican @lady-bee-fechin @trippingovermyfeet @dancinglifeboat @celestethegoddess @eventhedarkestlightshines @fandom-trapped-03 @hikari55ttva @lovelyautumnsunflower @iglowinggemma28 @ravennightingaleandavatempus @robyalix @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @doglover82 @a-star-with-a-human-name @pasteile @celestial-slytherin-blog @mewwitch @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @its-maemain @artisticarson @fantasylover-92 @ravennightingaleandavatempus @seraphica @naruwitch @coolspidermanmusicflower

p.s: Haii, this is a gift for both the 200 followers and a Christmas gift to all! It's been quite a journey, especially after a few of my hiatus. So hope everyone has a happy holiday! I think the next chapter will be up next year XD

[ew-selfish-art]

Dp x Dc AU: Bruce has a 'if you can't beat them, join them' mentality about the tabloids claiming he adopts too many kids- Developing foster homes that are paid for through the Wayne inheritance, personally vetted by the Bats, they're the leaders in the space for child health outcomes and family placement. Insert Danny.

---

Bruce has too much wealth, too many rumors and not enough reach into the abhorrent foster homes around Gotham to improve them. Tim ends up being the one to suggest it- He's the one who buys up their real estate for their safe houses after all- and Bruce is more than ready to pull the metaphorical trigger to get new clean welcoming spaces, Bat-background checked fosters and a new era of adoption in Gotham underway.

He's lobbied the state and the federal government for reforms of course, but this is a project he can micromanage. He spends time with every kid that comes through, talks with all the families that want to adopt and makes sure that these miniature homes are provided only the very best. Alfred personally hires all the staff, and with Barbara more than happy to help relocate the unhoused children she spots while they patrol, the project is a glowing success.

Occasionally, spots in their houses fill up, and those are the weeks were Cass takes on the Cowl of Batman- Bruce Wayne will personally invite a child in need to his home. He always has one of his kids present (they rotate on a pre-determined schedule) and he does his best to try and get them to understand that they deserve the world, have all the potential that anyone else has and can achieve a bright future. That he will personally aid them in their ambitions.

PR goes crazy for it of course, but Bruce and all of his children know its genuine. Almost too genuine, because a betting pool 'WILL THEY BE ADOPTED' regularly circulates between the siblings and the entire JL when someone spends time at the manor. And not just the black-haired, Blue-eyed kids get picked as favored outcomes- but obviously the running joke gets passed around.

It's a Thursday night when Bruce gets the call that the houses have once again filled up, and that there is a child in need of a home. The social worker (he knows her as Marsha and he has flowers planned to be sent on her birthday next week, like he does for all of his employees) (Say micromanaged one more time) explains that the kid is a bit cagey but has opened up with some humor. She explains that he has a few strange... mannerisms. She's not sure what to make of him, a non-gothamite for sure but something is, well, distinctly 'not from around here' about his energy.

Danny arrives at the house, meets Duke and Alfred, and by the time Bruce meets him at the dinner table it seems as though Marsha had it all wrong. This kid was laughing, he was teasing, he was totally playing along like he'd gone through nothing. Bruce is glad he's in high spirits but its just so... so different from all the other children he's taken in.

Bruce re-focuses on the conversation when Duke mentions something flashing, and its the first time that Danny goes quiet. Entirely still.

"...you noticed that?" Danny quietly asks, a bit of disbelief in his tone.

"You don't have a flashlight on or something do you? It was super bright whatever it is that you had in your hand a second ago?" Duke tries to sound chill but he's looking very much not chill. Bruce saw nothing, and that puts him further on edge.

"Look... I uh, I've been though... I've been through a lot lately. And the last lab I was in kind of, messed with me. I'm normally much better at dealing with it all, I promise." Danny sounds nervous, and the room seems to chill.

"Ah shoot, sorry." Danny notices something and frantically apologizes.

"Sorry for what Danny? You've done nothing wrong but I am worried about you- You said you were in a lab?" Bruce is desperately trying to calm him down while not slipping into Batman interrogation mode.

"Uh, yeah, like a lot of labs. It should get warmer in a second, its just cause I startled, I promise."

"You're a meta." Duke speaks softly and with hope in his voice- Danny is looking between them with wide eyes filled with fear.

"I mean I don't technically have the gene-"

"Danny, have you told any of your case workers where you were? Do any authorities know what you've been through?" Bruce needs to know, desperately, that who ever gave this young boy super powers is brought to justice. Danny goes quiet.

"I'm really sorry." He says softly, but he doesn't leave them.

Duke and Bruce try to ask a few more questions but the silence that meets them declares the conversation over, even with Duke admitting he himself is a meta. Danny didn't even look up from his plate. They watch a movie after dinner, and Danny seems to get back to the smile-y happy guy he had been before dinner.

Each of the bat-fam have their own interactions with Danny- And even if they're getting along amazingly, Danny won't open up. He doesn't open up to his provided therapist. Doesn't talk to Alfred. No one knows what's up.

So when Marsha calls Bruce back explaining they now have a spot for Danny and he can move out of the Manor... Bruce replies that he'd like to get started on Adoption paperwork, so long as Danny is fine with it.

---

Turns out, Danny is fine with it. he's both the newest Wayne and their newest case. (And godamnit, his new family is going to avenge him. If only he'd let them try.)

Danny figures out that Duke= Signal early on because of that dinner, and if he's going to keep his parents out of jail, he needs to be as close to the investigation as possible. He knows that he shouldn't protect the Fentons, but he feels the upset in his core at the thought of letting them befall any harm. He has to protect them. Has to protect Jazz and her hiding spot as a mole within their lab. Has to.

Even if it meant lying to his new family who loves him, and who he loves in equal return. Even if it means lying to The Bats.

---

Tabloids go crazy about the black-haired blue-eyed thing of course, but no poll was ever taken by the batfam or the JL who know the whole story.

[sidesteppostinghours]

ok. question.

ortega ended up hallucinating sidestep after they "died", but sidestep doesnt know about that. they know it got bad, but never the full extent of how their death affected them. so if your sidestep Did learn, if they found out ortega looked for them in every little piece they could, would that change anything for your sidesteps? would their relationship with ortega be any different?

[deiaiko]

#19.3 Unravel

It had been some time since Agni felt this nervous. Not even talking with Jinsung Ha recently had made him feel like this. He fiddled with the mask on his hand as he waited for Grace to come back. He had thought hard on how to deliver the news, but he knew that no matter how he phrased it, Grace would be upset. Velt nuzzled under his palm and Agni gave her a few pats, before deciding that she would be better inside her bowl in his lighthouse, just in case the shinsu acted up around Grace after he received the news.

Grace came back wearing the comfiest shirt and shorts Agni knew Grace liked to wear on lazy days. He joined him on the floor, and they ate dinner together. Agni always finished last, so while waiting for him to finish his meal, Grace told him about his day with Bam. Grace was intrigued by how much his way of thinking had changed, and how glad he was to be able to be by Bam's side when he was having a bad day. It reminded Agni of the hidden floor, when Grace faced his sworn enemy.

They left the used bowls on the coffee table and went to brush their teeth. Afterwards, they turned off the light and went upstairs to sit on their bed. Grace's curious gaze never left him, and Agni curled his feet nervously.

Grace was the one who broke the silence. "So…what is it?"

Agni's breath hitched. This was the part he dreaded most. "I talked with the crocodile earlier. Did you know that he could manipulate stone already?"

"Huh." Grace needed a few seconds to let the information sink in. "Didn't Rak learn it on the Hell train? How does he know it?"

"Turns out our crocodile also traveled back to the past like us. He found the young crocodile and taught him."

"What?!" Grace gasped, wide eyed. "That means our Rak is–!!"

"He's dead." Agni quickly snuffed out that hope. They had been in delusion for long enough; it was time that they faced the bitter truth. "He suffered a fatal injury from the explosion. He couldn't have lasted long without proper help." Agni omitted the actual cause for Rak's death, but still kept his words true. "I'm sorry."

"…Oh." Grace looked lost, just like Agni was. His lips parted a little, but they closed before any sound escaped.

Agni gently squeezed Grace's hand, encouraging and comforting as he let the silence stretch on, giving Grace some time to process the information.

"Agni…" Grace whispered, "do you think Hatz and Isu…?"

Agni bit his lip and avoided his gaze, as the nightmare of that day replayed in his mind. He witnessed Hatz get his arm ripped off when trying to protect him. He could still recall the clang of a sword hitting the floor, and Hatz's suppressed scream that gnawed deep at his guilt. He witnessed Isu get beheaded after being taken hostage, the memory of warm blood painting them both still vivid like it happened yesterday. 

Agni refused to acknowledge their possible deaths, because it felt like a nightmare that one day he could hopefully wake up from. He avoided the topic when Grace brought it up, so he wouldn't have to say it aloud and make it real. He had been so hard on himself, because he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had failed Grace and everyone else involved.

Agni knew this had to change if he wanted to live better, now that they had gotten a second chance. So he swallowed down the lump in his throat that had built up over the years and asked mostly to himself; "What are the odds of their survival?"

"There's always a chance–"

"Grace." Agni looked him straight in the eye. "They were already severely injured before the explosion hit."

Grace fell silent and went still.

Agni felt a pang of guilt upon witnessing Grace's reaction. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Agni fiddled with his hands. He realized that he didn't know how much Grace knew of what happened. "My scar…do you know how I got it?"

"I…was told it was from the family heads' battle." Grace looked thoughtful. Agni knew he was trying to be careful with his words. "A stray attack?"

"It could have been worse." The memory of the scorching heat on his skin felt like it had only happened yesterday. He passed out right when he was about to heal Isu, and only found out later that he also lost sweetfish at that time. The days he spent recovering from the burn, to withstand the excruciating pain every second he was conscious, and finally coming to terms that it'd be a permanent scar, was one of the turning points that had changed him forever. Were Grace not there to care for him, he might have ended up destroying himself even more.

Agni hadn't realized he had his left hand clawing on his cheek until Grace pried his hand off and frowned, "You're doing it again."

"Maybe I should wear the mask…" Agni muttered to himself. After all, Grace gave it to him less so he could hide the scar but more to prevent him from unconsciously hurting himself. The only time he could safely take it off was when Grace was around.

Agni bit his lip nervously when Grace didn't reply. He no longer had the courage to look Grace in the eye that spoke so much concern, so he leaned close and rested his head on Grace's chest. "Rak, Isu, Hatz and Hwaryun were trying to get me out of that damned place. But we were caught while escaping, and…it was a bloodbath. I was…too occupied to react to the incoming heat. Rak shielded us from the explosion. And when I woke up…"

"They weren’t with you," Grace finished it for him after Agni trailed off a moment too long.

Agni nodded dazedly, "I've been telling myself that they're still alive, after a blow that could kill rankers. But…who am I kidding? I was lucky enough to survive with just this little–" Agni vaguely pointed to himself– "inconvenience."

Agni felt a hand gripping his arm, and he pulled away to see Grace looking at him with a pained expression. His eyes were glossy and his lips were pulled into a thin line. Trusting his instinct, Agni reached out to gently trace and cup Grace's cheek with his free hand.

"I'm sorry," Agni muttered. "I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner."

Agni silently witnessed tears that streamed down on his love's face. It was a bitter sight that Agni wished he'd never have to see again, that he had tried to avoid for so long by not telling him. He pulled Grace in and held him close to his chest, as if Agni was trying to gather his own crumbled heart back together.

Grace mumbled their late best friends' names as he held onto him tighter, shaking from each breath he took between sniffles.

Agni felt his own eyes sting with unshed tears. He remembered the years he spent climbing the tower together with his old team. Despite their banter being his source of headaches, Agni knew he too had come to acknowledge them as his cherished friends. Only when they were gone did Agni realize how much he'd miss having them around. Seeing the younger them didn't exactly close the gaping hole in his heart, but at least the emptiness was more filled.

Agni squeezed Grace tighter. "We have their younger selves with us now. We will protect them better this time."

Grace only nodded and sank further into his embrace. And Agni planted kisses on his hair, relishing the thought that after everything he had gone through, Grace was still a constant in his life. As long as he had him, everything would be okay.

When Grace started shaking again, Agni caressed his hair and hummed a comfort song they had known by heart. Still, it didn't make falling asleep any easier for Agni, especially not after admitting that his nightmare was very much real. However, as he had been through grief…this, too, would pass.

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[bitterseaproduction]

Some days you want to work hard on your little fanfic epics, spending hours detangling the lore and timeline and plans for stories crying in the night for an update, and some days you're sick off your rocker and just hacking a lung out while haze-blinking into the horizon as you halt reading someone else's fic summary mid-first sentence to hard left turn into a very blurry but detailed daydream about the dwarves thinking Bilbo died in the Battle of the Five Armies while Bilbo--unaware of a king and his company upending their own mountain in a fit of grief as he heals among the Men or Elves--ends up in an awkward Race to Mordor with a Sauron he is barely aware of alongside his own ironic Nine, made up of himself, Gandalf, Bard, Legolas, Tauriel, and a trio of dwarves (Dís, Gimli, Gimli's mom) plus an unexpected favorite cousin (Falco Chubb-Baggins) who all broke off from the first convoy of Blue Mountain immigrants to Erebor to go along and protect Bilbo.

Place bets now on how Thorin & Company hear of their burglar's survival and latest insanity (highest bids placed on the remaining Blue Mountain travelers passing along word vs a smarmy message from Thranduil), how quickly they shake off their shrouds of mourning and royal pseudo-widowhood, and where exactly on the path between Erebor and Mount Doom they manage to catch up to and dog pile an unwitting Hobbit.

[sundogsandrainbows]

*gnawing at the bars of my enclosure*

A 40ish yrs old Lenya as DA4 advisor to concept art rook aboard Isabela's ship (as world hub)

LENYA AS ADVISOR TO MY NO NONSENSE CARTA ROOK

LenYA aS ADviSOr

[padfootastic]

hello miss padfootastic, today I am thinking about godfather Harry who would move mountains for Teddy, when Remus never moved mountains for Harry. :(

yES!!! miss imp ur so so right for this

i don’t care how ooc it might be but i truly fully believe teddy was a traumatised harry’s salvation postwar. he kept that boy alive. physically AND mentally. harry will literally do anything for him and nothing is ever too big or too much for his godson.

i’m thinking of—harry, parenting teddy, wondering about how easy it is (it’s not, really. he’s a child bringing up another child. but take away the nappy changes and the constant crying and the keeping a living being other than yourself alive part, and it really is easy. bc he loves parenthood. loves teddy. so much) and wondering why remus never wanted this. how he could have given it up so easily. it’s honestly just really sad? like makes him hold teddy tight and never let go? primarily i think he just pities remus at that point.

i can ALSO see harry being offended, not on his behalf, but primarily on teddy’s. because this wonderful, amazing child should’ve not had his father attempt to walk out on him, shouldn’t have had to grow up an orphan but that’s what it is. i’ve only read one fic w a similar premise but i rly need more where harry is just. mad at remus postwar for his treatment of teddy lmao.

[rebrandedbard]

Ooh for the most memorable thing, I think the moment in your Rumplestiltskin AU when he finds his name! I loved that twist

Oh man, I love that part! Here's a sketched visual of the scene for you. This is how I imagined the border (roughly) between the human world and the faerie world, with the buttercup right on the edge of the two.

[in-tua-deep]

i have a star wars fic idea floating around my brain that is just a time travel fic centering around bodhi rook where part of the explanation for a suddenly-force-sensitive-bodhi is "the monster tore parts of me out and maybe that made more space for the force to fill in the gaps"

[aerodaltonimperial]

woke up feeling weirdly grateful to fandom (must be pride month lol) so just wanted to toss out a big thank you to anyone who has ever read my fics. you really make me feel like i matter when i hear that my words make people happy or flaily or screaming or what have you. it honestly means the world to me knowing that people take their own free time and use it to read things i have written; given everything, i can't overstate how much this helps to heal over the big me vs. writing/publishing wounds. 💚💚💚 i had really truly considered leaving fandom the past few weeks, but i don't want to any longer, and a huge part of that is you wonderful folks for being here.

[arkhammaid]

Just found the f!Charles fic you posted and straight up going feral over it. Can't wait to read the next chapter and see where it goes! Went also for a lil stroll on your AO3 profile and discovered you're also the author of the merc!Charles AU that d-e-s-t-r-o-y-e-d me and of the Oscar fic that made me become a fan of his? Your writing is super lovely and I love it so much! :D (Honestly tho, you know what I'd sell a kidney to read? A time travel fic where Charles goes back in time and still goes to Ferrari. I just jinxed myself and made it so that I have to write, haven't I?)

ahh tysm for your kind words, anon🤭🫶 i'm so glad so many people like my fics and my writing. i promise new chapters are coming soon but my exam phase is coming up, so it will take a bit.

and mercedes!charles has a special place in my heart... i left it a bit open, and the possibility of him going to ferrari the third round actually exists (it's an existing draft with like 500ish words) but before i would even work on that, i would finish my fem!charles and time travel!oscar fics. followed by logan and max time traveling because i planned a whole series 😭

(and if you actually end up writing that fic, please do let me know 👀 i'm a sucker for any fics with time travel, i can never have enough. and tbh, i would have to do some research for the charles to ferrari fic because well... ferrari was/is a proper mess and i want to do it justice! (and charles if he would have the knowledge of his life not only once but twice))

[diamaker-moon]

Saving What's Left — Chapter Three

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The next morning came rather peacefully than normal. Hawkmoth still hasn't sent out an akuma which she is happy with, yet worried that the villain is planning something big once again like what happened with the Scarlet Moth incident especially since Lila Rossi is still parading near her.

School life is mundane for her at this moment. Since every day is like a repeat of the previous day, get to school, get accused by her once called 'best friend', get reprimanded by an incompetent teacher, and once again during the afternoon. In all honesty, she was tired of it. All she wanted to do now is finish her grade and stop Hawkmoth to put the miraculous at rest for a century. Hopefully.

Walking up to school in a rather new style of hers, she could feel every student's eyes on her. And despite the awkwardness that is starting to bubble in her stomach, she slightly tilted her head upwards and tried to walk in confidence not minding any of the lingering stares and mumbled whispers in her way. She entered the locker room only to see a crowd gathered around people who are screaming at the top of their lungs.

Marinette pushed her way through it and saw Chloé and Césaire going at it against each other. She moved her gaze and saw the door of her locker in ruins.

It looked as if someone used it as their punching bag and spray painted it with the word 'bitch' in bright red colour. Her gaze hardened before looking around and saw the slight smirk on someone's face and right there Marinette knew who was responsible for the destruction of it.

Before she could step forward Damocles, the disgrace of a principal, and Mendeleiev, one of the few staff in Dupont that knows about the ongoing b*llshit in the school, stepped out of the crowd.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Damocles shouted.

Alya Césaire looked at them and a sigh of relief came out of her mouth, "Look, Principal Damocles, Marinette destroyed her locker door and tried to frame it at Lila!"

Marinette saw the annoyed expression of her blonde friend, "Don't you ever accuse her, of your crimes!"

The moment the blonde spoke, they returned to their screaming match. It was the time that Marinette thought she put a stop to it, so she stepped out and all eyes are on her suddenly. Some were surprised by the blank expression on her face, knowing that she is the type of person that wears her heart on her sleeve and is easy to read like a book.

"Why don't we just open everyone's locker to see who did it, or we can just check the cameras that are pointing right at the view of the lockers." She said, at the corner of her eyes, she saw the person pale immensely and inside she is rejoicing at the sight of it.

As every student look up to see a security camera attached to the wall, she knew that the person will definitely be in a lot of trouble and she'll use every inch of this incident to make sure they know not to mess with her at this crucial moment of her life.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

In class, Marinette's thoughts wandered away to the thought of a different universe. Deep inside she knows she should not mess with fate. It is a type of taboo that someone that holds ancient powers should clear their head of any kind of destruction that fate will not approve of.

However, she, a guardian who has a whole box of ancient jewels sitting in her room, a pair of earrings in her earlobes and a ring hanging down on a chain hidden inside her clothing is a huge temptation for her. Mindlessly fidling the necklace she had created, her eyes moved to the direction of her friends that are now sporting a new type of accessory on their body.

Despite any warnings in her mind, she continued her drowning journey to the abyss of temptation, the temptation of making a wish and hoping all this never happened, or the temptation of going back in time where she can manage to give up the Ladybug Miraculous and continue her life without any link to the miraculouses and being ignorant to any information about it. The pit in her mind continues to create multiple scenarios of her being a normal girl with no powers. It was a dream for her.

"Mari, you okay? You've been silent for a while." Chloé asks in a whispered voice.

Marinette smiled at her and nodded at her that she is okay. Chloé now had a look of worry on her face but chose to ignore it for now and ask later before facing the front again.

The next thing she heard was the bell ringing indicating that it is already lunchtime and students are now standing up and clearing their tables before heading out.

"Hey, I might not join you guys today. I have to go somewhere first." She said.

Her friends nodded, and thus she left before them.

She arrived at her destination. A ruined building with a magnificent garden in the other direction away from her school. The neighbour agreed to let her sit around there and waste time in her own world for a few minutes.

Looking around the garden, she feels like she is in paradise. A world where she doesn't need to shoulder any world-threatening problems, that she doesn't need to police her own emotions in order to not fall victim to Hawkmoth. As her thoughts wander, she didn't feel the silent tears running down her face. She was staring ahead mindlessly.

Marinette knew that despite her best efforts in fighting this battle, she had a small feeling inside her that knew she wasn't fit for any of this. However, she didn't know that the feeling is mixed with regret, anger and sadness.

The anger of being chosen. The anger she had for her Master, that he had picked her, a young school girl who had big dreams in life, to be the heroine that she isn't. A heroine that is ready to give up and set aside her dreams to protect and save her people. Marinette knew she isn't that heroine.

The regret of going back. Upon meeting Tikki, she decided to give it up and chose to pass it on, her regret of going back to that very box she passed to someone and trying to be the heroine that the city needs. Every type of regret is gnawing at her. The regret of letting her dreams slip through her fingers. New York, is a city of high-end fashion. As the heroine of this forsaken city, her regret of declining a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity hangs in her mind.

And lastly, the sadness of losing everything one by one.

Her innocence to the horrors of the world, she lost it the moment she stepped up as Ladybug. In exchange for the heroic deeds she had done for the city, all she gets in return is betrayal from her previous friends, loneliness after losing the person she thought will be by her side at the time they defeat the villain, the thought of being alone in a city with knowledge of ancient magic that is used for goodwill. Everything in her life was a mess. She's only 14.

She's only fourteen.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

The sound of sobbing brought him out of his reading zone. Looking behind the tree he was hiding, he saw a girl silently tearing up with her eyes staring ahead blankly.

The sobs leaving her lips were loud yet silent.

In his eyes the girl was beautiful. Porcelain skin, midnight hair with blue reflections and those blue eyes that complements her. He couldn't understand the sudden feeling of walking up towards her and wiping away that sorrowful look on her face. But he chose to stop himself and stare only. His gaze pierced her form, but she was oblivious to it.

The sudden sound of an explosion shocked her and when she looked towards the direction of the sound, his eyes also moved and he saw a huge Akuma running rampant once again.

When his eyes moved back to the girl, she was already gone.

At one moment he thought that maybe the person is only a figment of his imagination, that the girl that captured his attention is only his own fantasy.

He resumed his position and went back to reading, ignoring the screams of destruction from the Akuma and screams of distress from its victims. He knows that the city's heroes will solve it, and he doesn't need to be involved as he doesn't have anything to help with it.

Maybe reading under the shade of this tree is a good thing, at least he got to see a weeping angel in a garden of paradise.

——— •• ◆ •• ———

continuing…

T A G L I S T:

@demonicbusiness @imtallerthanyou @vixen-uchiha @chocolatecatstheron @arcticfox847 @autisticamerican (you were listed before as american-fangirl-7) @lady-bee-fechin @trippingovermyfeet @dancinglifeboat @celestethegoddess @eventhedarkestlightshines @fandom-trapped-03 @hikari55ttva @lovelyautumnsunflower @iglowinggemma28 @ravennightingaleandavatempus @robyalix @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @doglover82 @a-star-with-a-human-name @pasteile @celestial-slytherin-blog @mewwitch @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @its-maemain @artisticarson (please lemme know which story you want to be tagged in) @fantasylover-92 @ravennightingaleandavatempus

p.s: Please let me know if you want to be tagged in the next chapter XD

[thecityofdoors]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOLIDER!!!!!

[patrice-bergerons]

feeling absolutely horrendous today because i extended more mental and physical energy than i have and that debt when it hits you can be a real bitch, so i've decided to be horrendous to ianto in turn, and i have to say, it helped 😈

[soulofamy]

i like when i commit to a fic but the whole time im writing it the other unwritten fic ideas i have swarm my brain like crows. they only do this while im actively writing, like they are jealous

[nocentis]

x