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pearl484-blog · 1 year

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Sweet Walker (Adrien AUGreste: Protection)

This is being posted a day later than it was on Ao3 because I was exhausted. We are now officially out of prewritten stories and are only doing drafts for Adrien AUGreste so it is CRUNCH TIME BABY.

Anyways, I promised Fire Opal 2 more entries in our Jekyll/Hyde inspired series. This one wasn't quite what she wanted, but crunch time says TOO BAD. Hit or miss, we are moving on!

~*~ As for the story itself:

Catwalker finds out about Chat Noir's attempt on Vesperia's life. He doesn't take it well.

Sequel to Rain Falls, Everybody Lies. Please read first if you haven't already.

Ao3 Link, Link to Jekyll/Hyde series, Link to all Adrien AUGresete 2023

Now that Adrien had ditched his flaws, everything was going his way. Now that he didn’t waste any time on stressing out about his romantic foibles and his difficulties at work, he had more time than ever to balance his friends, his family, and his time as Catwalker. His friends were happier. His coworkers were less stressed. Even his father was disappointed in him less often.

Even his professional relationship with Ladybug was stronger than ever. Yes, he supposed he missed their banter, friendly as it was, but he didn’t miss the constant fighting and the hurt feelings. Besides, he’d asked Max about their most recent statistics comparing him to Chat Noir and akuma attacks were now 26% shorter and the chance of anyone getting hurt was down 43%.

Tonight, he was working on a school project for 2 hours until it was time for patrol. Yes, it was due in a few weeks, but keeping himself caught up on his homework always saved time in the long run. He worked patiently and diligently, never rushing because he had time to take it as smoothly as he needed. By the time he needed to start patrol, he was already nearly halfway finished. A respectable pace for a respectable cat, he said to himself.

The night air was warm and pleasant, almost perfect on his skin as he soared through the skies. It was the calm before the storm, the brief hint of perfection before everything came crashing down. The rain would be heavy tonight, Catwalker knew. He’d have to wrap up patrol soon if he wanted to avoid it. That meant no idle chit-chat, but Catwalker was a professional anyways avoiding that wouldn’t be so difficult.

Of course, Catwalker knew that if he really wanted to stay out of the rain completely, he could just skip patrol. He could just call Ladybug, pretend to be sick. It wasn’t like patrol was actually important. It was just a bonding activity.

Catwalker refused to do that though. Not just because Chat Noir’s ridiculous habits of skipping patrols and fights had been a major part of causing most of his problems in the first place, but because he refused to let the rain control him.

It wasn’t that Catwalker didn’t like the rain because it made him wet. His suit was impervious to rainfall. No, the problem was that water was the one thing that always drove his feline instincts absolutely wild. Every minute in it made it hard to focus on anything besides getting out. It was the one instinct that, try as he might, he just couldn’t kick. Yet, he was Catwalker. Ladybug’s perfect teammate. He wasn’t about to let one little flaw control his life.

Catwalker arrived at the meeting point, feeling a slight bit of impatience at the realization that Ladybug was late, again, before he shoved that back down into the ring. Ladybug was his boss. He knew better than to get mad at her. She set the schedule. Not him.

Yet, no sooner had he thought that, he was abruptly slammed against a nearby chimney by Ryuko, who was not on the schedule. Were they supposed to be sparring today? It was certainly the first Catwalker had heard about it.

Catwalker shoved down another pang of irritation. Would it have been nice to have been told they would be sparring with other heroes? Yes, but Ladybug knew best. Maybe she was trying to ensure that Catwalker was ready for surprise attacks. They did happen sometimes. Which meant he had failed as Catwalker. Ladybug would almost certainly be disappointed in him as a teammate.

“What is wrong with you?” Ryuko demanded, her frustration in an unworthy opponent apparently only heightened in costume. It was actually kinda hot…and that was an inappropriate feeling about another teammate. Into the ring that went too. Man, Catwalker was out of sorts today. Maybe he needed to check the binding spell again.

“I do apologize,” Catwalker said, bowing his head. “I will endeavor to be a better opponent in the future.”

Ryuko narrowed her eyes dangerously as she pressed her sword against his windpipe. “Is this a joke to you? Do you think this is funny? Vesperia could’ve been killed.”

Catwalker frowns. “What are you talking about? Vesperia’s not even here.”

“I’m not talking about now,” Ryuko snarls, pressing her sword so hard against him, Cat’s struggling to breathe freely. “I’m talking about last night. When Chat Noir pushed Vesperia off a building.”

Catwalker froze. Chat Noir? No, that wasn’t right. Chat Noir was sealed in the Ring along with all his other nasty little personality flaws. There was no way he could’ve escaped. Except…now that Catwalker thought about it, he had been feeling things a bit more. Was there a flaw in the bindings? Some unseen mistake that was causing this?

No. Catwalker had been careful. He’d double-checked and triple-checked his work. If the Ring was powerful enough to bind the Kwami of Destruction, it would easily hold part of a human soul, and his runic spell had been meticulous. Not a line out of place. Every ingredient had been verified as authentic, and he’d performed the spell at the optimum time.

Besides, even if the binding did fail, and Chat Noir had somehow escaped to annoy all of Paris, then Catwalker would know. He’d have felt it. He’d have remembered it. He wouldn’t still feel the calm of the ritual done right.

Ryuko had to be lying. Except, Catwalker knew Kagami. She wasn’t a liar. Not now, not ever. So, maybe she was just wrong.

“Are you sure it wasn’t an akuma or a senti-monster?” Catwalker asked cautiously, uneager to risk triggering his ex’s temper. He’d always loved her fiery passion especially when the two were dating, but Catwalker knew that right now, if he picked a fight with her from his position, he might just lose. He couldn’t risk that when there was a Chat Noir around, even a fake one.

Ladybug chose that moment to zip in, looking at Catwalker with steel in her eyes.

“I’m sure,” she said, letting Catwalker know she’d been listening in. Catwalker eyed Ryuko’s ears and spotted an earpiece he hadn’t seen before. It seemed as though this was an ambush, but not a sparring one like he’d thought. There were probably more heroes, Catwalker decided, lying in wait. If he could look around, he might be able to see them in the dark, but Kagami’s sword held him tightly in place.

“I know my kitty,” Ladybug told him, with complete sincerity, and if Catwalker wasn’t such a good model and hadn’t learned to control his emotions so well, he might not have been able to keep a straight face as she said that, especially as ‘her kitty’ stood not 3 meters away from her without her seeing it.

“With respect, Ladybug,” Catwalker replied softly. “I’m not so sure you do. Didn’t you yourself say that you didn’t know his secret identity? That you two kept your lives secret from each other? It could’ve been another trick from Shadow Moth, you know how he is.”

“We fought him during a fight with Stormy Weather,” Ryuko told him, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion. “There’s never been two different akuma at the same time before, not without Shadow Moth using something to enhance his abilities.”

Catwalker frowned. That…that wasn’t right. He had his akuma alerts turned on. He would’ve noticed something like that, especially with Stormy Weather. Stormy might’ve been a good fighter, especially since she adored staying out of Cat’s reach in the air, but subtle she was not.

Try as he might though, he couldn’t remember anything about that night. Even the memories he had of that afternoon seemed unusually hazy and unfocused. Like brief snatches of a dream almost forgotten.

Had he really become Chat without knowing it? Had he really tried to kill someone? Catwalker suddenly felt very cold and sick to his stomach.

“And a senti-monster would’ve acted more normal,” Ladybug continued, the concern in her voice only serving to convince Catwalker that something was very very wrong. Ladybug hadn’t been this concerned about Chat since she became the Guardian, and they started their non-stop bickering. If she was getting worried, Chat Noir must be getting very dangerous indeed.

“This time,” Ladybug said, hesitating as the fear threatened to overwhelm her, “he seemed almost feral. He wouldn’t talk to me. He barely even looked at me, and when he did, he hissed at me.” Ladybug frowned, rubbing her shoulders. “Chat’s never hissed at anyone before.”

Oh…oh no. Chat Noir had not only tried to kill a teammate, but he’d threatened Ladybug?

Plagg had said that there’d be consequences to misusing the Miraculous, that Adrien was going to regret using it to seal away Chat Noir, but Adrien had just thought that meant that he’d miss being Chat Noir was all. Or maybe that he’d never be happy again. He hadn’t thought he’d develop a homicidal alter-ego.

Catwalker felt his legs give out from underneath him, and he felt several hands grab onto him as Ryuko’s sword failed to stop his fall. He looked up and saw Carapace…and Vesperia…the girl he probably just tried to kill.

No. No, Catwalker couldn’t do this. He needed to be strong, if only for Vesperia. Own up to what was going on. Yes, he’d made a spell to seal Chat, and yes, clearly it had gone wrong, but Catwalker had never meant for this to happen. He’d never meant to hurt anyone.

Ryuko though had never been much one for dramatics though, nor did she appreciate such dramatics being used to thwart her. So she grabbed Catwalker with both hands and promptly hauled him back to his feet, fire in her eyes before he could say a word.

“Oh, no,” she declared. “You are not getting out of this one.” She shook him, hard. “How did Chat Noir get the Miraculous back?” Shake. “Who is he?” Shake. “What are you hiding?”

Catwalker stayed quiet, trying to make himself as small as possible. He understood where Ryuko was coming from. He wasn’t sure if he could’ve resisted the urge if Shadow Moth had pulled the same stunt and nearly got one of his teammates killed. She wasn’t just angry. She was scared because yes, Vesperia had lived this time, but next time, who knew who would be targeted? And who knew if they’d survive?

Yet, as much as Catwalker knew that -and he knew that Ryuko would never hurt him- Catwalker couldn’t help but have a need to try to do at least some damage control, try to stop Ryuko from being so angry.

“I-I don’t know!” he cried. “I’ve done all I can to keep the Ring safe! I sleep with it! I shower with it! I do everything with it! I can’t figure out how Chat Noir got it. I can’t even remember anything from last night! I don’t even know if that was the real Chat Noir, but if it is, then he must’ve taken the Ring somehow and then given it back without me knowing. I’m telling the truth. I promise.”

The air around Ryuko seemed to drop several degrees as she glared at him. “A likely story. How did he even know where to find it? Did you tell anyone your secret identity?”

Abruptly, Carapace shoved the two of them apart, separating them, but sending an unprepared Catwalker sprawling to the ground. Ryuko went to grab him again, but Carapace stepped between them and stared her down, as solid as a mountain.

“Dude,” he said, and Catwalker can only marvel at how Nino has perfected the art of sounding mad, but in a gentle way that never seems to crush Adrien the same way that his Father’s disappointment did. He’s always used that tone with Adrien, when Adrien accidentally pushed a button he really shouldn’t, but now it's against Kagami, and it's still just so astoundingly cool and so Nino that it gives Catwalker pause. “We can’t just go around treating people like that! It’s not cool. We’re already tense enough as it is. There’s no need to act like that.”

Meanwhile, Vesperia helped Catwalker up, meeting his eyes before she softly asked, “Hey, are you okay?”

Catwalker nodded, because what else do you say to that except ‘yeah, I’m fine’? Still, it’s nice she asked. That means something in Catwalker’s book.

“So what?” Ryuko challenges, undaunted by the gentle strength of Carapace’s rebuke. “You want to just stand by and watch until Chat Noir tries something else? Push someone else off a roof? Hurt our loved ones? Cataclysm us? You know how dangerous the Black Cat is. We can’t have someone running around with it that we can’t trust.”

“Ryuko,” Ladybug said, her hand gripping Ryuko’s shoulder firmly but kindly, “I get where you’re coming from, but we can’t go bullying our teammates just because they’re suspicious.”

“Then you’re a bigger fool than I thought, Ladybug,” Ryuko said before she took her leave, deciding not to deal with the traitor anymore today. Catwalker couldn’t help the relief that flowed through his body as she lept away from them, and it nearly doubled as he realized that Ladybug was following her to try to calm her down.

Carapace watched them for a moment, before he turned and faced Catwalker. “I’m sorry, dude,” he said to Catwalker, giving him a small, empathetic smile. “She shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t right, and it wasn’t cool.”

Vesperia nodded from beside him. “I”m sorry too,” she said. “We should’ve intervened sooner, but I promise, I didn’t know she was going to do that. We just thought we’d try to figure this out today.”

Catwalker could hardly believe it. They were sorry? They were the ones stuck trying to deal with this whole Catwalker debacle. He’d been the one to almost pass out even though he wasn’t the one actually in danger.

Vesperia was the one who’d nearly gotten killed because of his mistake. If Catwalker had been better with the bindings, if he’d double and triple checked the spell to make sure that Chat Noir couldn’t escape, nothing would’ve happened to her. She would be safe, and none of them would be having this conversation.

Yet, Vesperia, the sweetheart that she was, didn’t care. Instead she said, “I don't know how he got the miraculous from you, but I know you didn’t mean for it to happen. Ryuko’s wrong. There’s no way you gave it to Chat Noir, and I know you weren’t careless with the ring either. That’s not who you are. You’re a good guy, Catwalker, and you’re one of the most careful people I know.”

Carapace -once again proving that he was probably the best guy Catwalker knew- bumped his shoulder against Catwalker’s. “Yeah,” he said, “we got your back, dude. Ryuko’s whole warrior act was probably really scary, but that’s just her personality. She can be kinda…intense, but once you get to know her, she’s kinda chill.’

“She’s just scared right now you know? With Chat Noir on the loose. Especially since he was kinda like Ladybug’s oldest teammate? He worked with her ever since Stoneheart. He’s got tons of experience. That’s gotta be a little intimidating, especially when he’s going after some of our newest people. You’ll be okay though,” he clasped Catwalker’s shoulder in a one-armed hug. “We’re here for ya, buddy.”

Catwalker felt gratitude swell up in his chest, too strong for the Ring to completely capture as he only just barely managed to keep himself from throwing his arms around the two and kept it to a respectable “thank you.” He hoped they got the feeling though, because they both smiled at him.

The Vesperia spoke up. “I get it. I know what it's like to have a ...nasty counterpart. Don’t worry. We’re going to find Chat Noir and we’re going to make sure that he never does this again, okay?"

Catwalker nodded, before the worry crept in. If Vesperia and Carapace were really doing this, were giving it their all for Catwalker, was it really fair that he wasn’t doing the same? Especially if Chat Noir was dangerous enough to worry Ladybug and Ryuko…

Cat needed to get rid of him, and if he wanted to do that, he’d need to get rid of the Ring. The thought nearly made Catwalker freeze up because without it, how would Cat be able to save Paris? How would he be able to look after Ladybug? It seemed like a lifetime ago, he’d practically jumped at the ring, at his calling, at his duty, but now…

No. Chat Noir was hurting people, threatening them. It’d be wrong to keep the Ring, selfish even. He had to stop this. He had to do the right thing, and he had to do it soon, before anyone else got hurt.

Already, Catwalker ruled out giving the ring to Carapace. As much as Catwalker loved Nino, there was a good chance that he’d be the first person Chat would think to search to gett he Ring back, and there was a not so small chance that Nino would give his best buddy the Ring anyways.

No, Catwalker would have to leave it with someone else. Someone safer, a near stranger who could hide from Chat forever if she needed to. The person Catwalker had wronged, Vesperia.

Quickly, Catwalker arranged to meet Vesperia somewhere else to talk about something important, keeping the details vague in case Carapace overheard. Not that Catwalker didn’t trust his friend, but well, even now, with the Black Cat Ring dampening his feelings, he didn’t want to risk the sting of disappointment he’d see in Carapace’s eyes once he knew just how badly he’d messed up. It may have been selfish, but Catwalker just wanted to keep from facing it for as long as he could, just in case.

The meeting spot wasn’t very close to the start of the patrol, but it was important because it was an alleyway close to the manor. It was on street level and the way home from there had a lot of coverage from the rain so if it started on the way back, he wouldn’t get completely soaked. Plus, it was near Le Grand Paris too, so if Adrien was seen walking away from it in tears, no one would be completely surprised. They’d just cluck their tongue and blame it as no doubt the latest victim of another one of Chloe Bourgeois’s heartless cruelties.

Vesperia nodded, making her way to the meeting spot, while Catwalker took the scenic route. It would be his last time seeing his beloved Paris from this angle ever again. He supposed that he should at least take a minute to try to memorize it. Soak it all in.

~*~

Vesperia waited in the alley near her family’s hotel, waiting for Catwalker to arrive. He was the newest recruit, a sweet kid who was good at his job, but obviously pretty nervous about making new impressions.

Zoe remembered when she’d used to be that nervous back before she’d started going to Françoise Dupont and making friends. She wondered if he used to be bullied. She could certainly see it from the way he’d flinched from Ryuko grabbing him, like he was expecting her to beat him. Poor thing. He clearly didn’t deserve it.

Now, Catwalker had asked to meet her here, to discuss something important. Vesperia hoped it might help the team get a new lead about Chat Noir. Something was up with the guy, and it gave Vesperia the heebie jeebies. She’d always been good at reading people, but Chat Noir? It seemed as though he’d changed into something new almost overnight.

The rain began to fall, a sprinkle at first, but it slowly turned into a torrential downpour. Vesperia couldn’t help but sigh. This would surely slow her teammate down even more. Although Catwalker hid it well, his fear of water always served to cripple him at the worst of times. Their suits’ waterproofing seemed to be the only real thing that seemed to temper his panic into something reasonable, something that resembled his typical shyness and reservedness.

Vesperia waited about 5 more minutes before she saw the familiar silhouette of her companion at the end of the alley, indeed shuffling towards her slowly, to the point where he almost stood still. Vesperia winced. She should’ve grabbed an umbrella and pretended as though it was for her sake. Yes, it’d risk hurting Catwalker’s pride, and there'd have been a chance she might’ve missed him getting it, but it might’ve really helped.

Thankfully though, Catwalker seemed to gather his courage and started walking towards her again, almost bounding towards her. Except as he got close, Vesperia realized that the person with her wasn’t Catwalker. It was Chat Noir.

Immediately, Vesperia tried to run towards the hotel door. Between the two of them, Chat was the most experienced, and with all of Vesperia’s exits blocked, she knew that if they came down to it, Chat would win. But if she could make it to the hotel, that was her terf. No matter how many akumas Chat Noir might’ve faced in there, she knew it better than he did, and maybe, just maybe, if she made it there, she’d stand a chance.

Unfortunately, she didn’t make it. She managed to get not 5 feet before Chat Noir pounced on her, grabbing her by the hair and dragging her to the ground. Her hair…No! Chat Noir wanted her Miraculous! She couldn’t let him take Pollen!

Furious, Vesperia grabbed blindly for Chat, reaching his bell and she yanked, managing to send Chat flying into the alley wall. Seeing him stunned, Vesperia knew that now was her chance. With a quick cry of Venom, she lunged, desperate to end Chat’s reign of terror.

Vesperia was fast, but Chat Noir was faster. He recovered near instantly and launched himself at Vesperia’s face, easily dodging Vesperia’s sting.

Chat Noir was close. Too close for Vesperia to sting him. Not while she still had momentum from her lunge.

Chat didn’t even move as her face slammed into his chest, choosing to instead pluck the Bee Comb from her hair just as easily as you pick up a can from the grocery store to examine it. Zoe saw stars, feeling like she’d been slammed into a brick wall.

As Zoe fell, Chat Noir grabbed shoulder, forcing her up onto her knees and Zoe was reminded all too much of Ryuko doing something all too similar to Catwalker. Catwalker. What had happened to him?

Dazed, but determined, she tried to reach out, snatch the Bee Comb away from Chat, but her hand seemed almost glacially slow. Chat Noir tut-tutted at her mockingly.

“Well, well, well,” he said, giving her a Cheshire grin. “It turns out Vesperia, Queen Bee’s replacement, turns out to be Zoe, the Bourgeois's new favorite gal.” He giggled, a soft laugh that seemed born not out of malice, but something closer to madness. Zoe realized that Ladybug was definitely right. Something was not right with Chat Noir.

“I think that’s pretty funny,” Chat said, idly examining the Bee Comb, “don’t you?”

“Chat Noir,” Zoe said, desperately trying to reason with the former superhero, “you don’t want to do this.”

Chat raised an eyebrow at her, clearly amused. “Oh?”

“You’re a good person, Chat,” she said. “This isn’t like you.”

“You’re wrong,” Chat Noir said, pulling back and showing her his teeth before she could say another word. Zoe wondered if he was about to hiss at her. Maybe even bite her. Zoe didn’t know what would happen if he did that, and she didn’t want to.

“I was a good person,” Chat snarled, an almost feral undertone to his voice as his claws twitched, eager for something to tear at. “But now? Now I think this is exactly like me. I’m having a lot of fun right now, and I don’t intend to stop anytime soon.”

Then, he was gone, and all Zoe had left of him was the bone deep knowledge that this wasn’t over with.

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idahoorganicsolutions2 · 3 months

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Eco-Friendly Lawn Car A Guide to Organic Grass Care in Meridian

Maintaining a lush, green lawn without the use of harsh chemicals is not only better for the environment but also healthier for your family and pets. In Meridian, where the climate and soil conditions vary, adopting organic grass care practices can yield beautiful results while promoting biodiversity and sustainability. Here’s how you can nurture your lawn naturally.

Understanding Your Soil

The first step in organic lawn care is understanding your soil. Conduct a soil test to determine its pH level and nutrient content. Most grasses thrive in slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Based on the test results, you can amend the soil with organic materials like compost, which enriches the soil with nutrients and improves its texture.

Choosing the Right Grass

Selecting the appropriate grass type for Meridian's climate is crucial. Consider drought-resistant varieties that can withstand the summer heat while maintaining their lush appearance. Native grasses are often a good choice as they are well adapted to local conditions and require less water and maintenance.

Mowing Practices

Proper mowing is a cornerstone of organic lawn care. Keep your mower blades sharp and set the cutting height to about three inches. This height helps shade the soil, reducing evaporation and preventing weeds from taking root. Additionally, leave grass clippings on the lawn; they decompose and return valuable nutrients to the soil, acting as a natural fertilizer.

Watering Wisely

Efficient watering practices are essential in Meridian, where water conservation is important. Water your lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon to minimize evaporation. Deep, infrequent watering encourages deep root growth, making the grass more drought-tolerant. Aim for about one inch of water per week, adjusting for rainfall.

Natural Fertilizers and Amendments

Organic fertilizers, such as compost, manure, and bone meal, provide a slow-release of nutrients without the risk of chemical runoff. These natural products improve soil health over time, fostering a thriving ecosystem of beneficial microorganisms. Consider applying fertilizers in the spring and fall when the grass is actively growing.

Weed and Pest Management

In organic lawn care, preventing weeds and pests is more effective than treating them. A thick, healthy lawn can naturally crowd out weeds. For pest control, encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which prey on common lawn pests. If necessary, use organic treatments like neem oil or insecticidal soap, which are less harmful to the environment.

Aeration and Overseeding

Aerating your lawn once a year can alleviate soil compaction, improve water and nutrient absorption, and promote healthy root growth. Follow aeration with overseeding, especially in bare or thin areas. This practice introduces new grass seed, enhancing lawn density and resilience.

Embracing Biodiversity

Consider incorporating clover and other ground covers into your lawn. Clover adds nitrogen to the soil, reducing the need for additional fertilizers. It also attracts pollinators, supporting local biodiversity.

Organic grass care in Meridian is not only feasible but also beneficial for the environment. By understanding your soil, choosing the right grass, and adopting sustainable practices, you can maintain a beautiful, eco-friendly lawn. Embrace these organic methods and contribute to a healthier, greener community.

For more info :-

Organic grass care Meridian

Meridian lawn health experts

Nampa natural lawn care

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mclcontracting · 4 months

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Advanced Tips for DIY Lawn Care Every Homeowner Needs

Taking care of your lawn can be a rewarding experience, but it often requires more than just regular mowing and watering.

If you're ready to take your experienced lawn care specialists in christchurch game to the next level, we've got some advanced tips that will help you achieve a lush, green lawn that's the envy of the neighbourhood. Let's dive into some expert techniques for keeping your lawn in top shape.

Soil Testing: The Foundation of a Healthy Lawn

Before you can improve your lawn, you need to understand what it needs. This starts with a soil test. A soil test will reveal the pH level and nutrient content of your soil, giving you a clear picture of what amendments are necessary.

You can purchase a DIY soil test kit or send a sample to a local extension office for a comprehensive analysis.

Tips:

Perform soil tests in the spring or fall.

Adjust soil pH based on test results: lime for acidic soils and sulphur for alkaline soils.

Add necessary nutrients to address deficiencies.

Aeration: Give Your Grass Roots Room to Breathe

Aeration is a crucial but often overlooked step in lawn care. This process involves creating small holes in the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the grassroots. Aeration reduces soil compaction and promotes healthier, deeper root growth.

Tips:

Aerate your lawn once a year, preferably in the fall.

Use a core aerator, which removes small plugs of soil, for best results.

Water your lawn the day before aerating to soften the soil.

Overseeding: Fill in the Gaps

Overseeding is the practice of spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. It helps to thicken the lawn, fill in bare spots, and improve the lawn's overall health and appearance. It's particularly useful for lawns that have been damaged by pests, diseases, or heavy foot traffic.

Tips:

Choose a grass seed that matches your existing lawn type.

Mow your lawn to a shorter height before overseeding.

Keep the soil consistently moist until the new grass is established.

Integrated Pest Management: Control Pests Naturally

Pests can wreak havoc on your lawn, but relying solely on chemical pesticides can harm beneficial insects and the environment. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an eco-friendly approach that combines biological, cultural, and mechanical methods to control pests.

Tips:

Identify pests accurately before taking action.

Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs and nematodes that prey on harmful pests.

Practice good lawn maintenance, such as proper watering and mowing, to reduce pest habitats.

Efficient Watering: Don't Overdo It

Proper watering is a cornerstone of effective lawn care Christchurch, but it's easy to overwater or underwater your lawn. The key is to water deeply and infrequently, encouraging deep root growth. This makes your lawn more drought-tolerant and reduces water waste.

Tips:

Water early in the morning to minimise evaporation.

Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall.

Use a rain gauge or moisture sensor to avoid overwatering.

Fertilisation: Feed Your Lawn Wisely

Fertilising your lawn provides essential nutrients that promote healthy growth and vibrant colour. However, over-fertilising can lead to nutrient runoff and pollution. It's important to apply the right amount of fertiliser at the right time.

Tips:

Apply fertiliser in the spring and fall for cool-season grasses and late spring through summer for warm-season grasses.

Use a slow-release fertiliser to provide a steady supply of nutrients.

Follow the recommended application rates on the fertiliser package to avoid over-fertilization.

Final Thoughts

By implementing these advanced lawn care techniques, you'll be well on your way to achieving a beautiful and healthy lawn.

Remember, the key to successful lawn care Christchurch is understanding your lawn's specific needs and addressing them with the right tools and practices.

#lawn care Christchurch #garden services Christchurch #garden maintenance Christchurch

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fmenvs3000w24 · 9 months

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Blog 1 - My relationship with nature

Growing up, my siblings, cousins, and I had the privilege of living together in the same apartment complex in the city, at times even in the very same apartment. It was crowded, loud, and messy, but as a young child, it was the most fun I could ever have. As children of immigrants, money was scarce, so the outdoors was our biggest entertainer. We would walk to the park together, roll down the grassy hills, climb trees, make wishes on dandelions, and collect ladybugs. During warm spring evenings, we would often sit just outside the building courtyard to enjoy the warm air with our parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents and would watch as fireflies flew through the overgrown grass. Our grandparents would tell us stories about their own adventures outdoors, the various plants and herbs not found in Canada which they would cultivate for medicinal purposes, and legends behind the wildlife inhabiting the mountains where they grew up.

Slowly, the fireflies stopped coming out in our neighborhood, and my cousins and grandparents all moved elsewhere. My parents and siblings began to get busy with work and school, but I was never able to outgrow my love for being outside and my fascination with plants and wildlife. Being outdoors, seeing green frogs rest at the edge of a pond half submerged in algae-covered water, the smell of wet grass and damp wood after a heavy rainfall, listening to the wind blow through the trees and causing the willow leaves to flow like water, seeing how the sunlight turns gray city puddles into molten gold, all of these moments allow me to take my mind off the rush and noise of the city. Nature allows me to think of things on a smaller scale and appreciate how every living thing on earth what lives carries importance.

In 2020, with nothing else to do, my family and I began going on walks outdoors to pass the time. We began to walk around all the parks and ravines in the neighborhood and the more we walked in a particular area, the more we became aware of its inhabitants, and we began using field guides to help identify the new plants we came across during our walks. We would have conversations about the plants and wildlife that my parents grew up around themselves in their native country. My mom would teach me how to name things in our native language, and one day bought us a night blooming jasmine (called “raat ki rani” meaning “queen of the night") to keep in our home. It was a fragrant flower which was an important part of my parents heritage and upbringing.

Being in nature has always helped me to connect two aspects of my life–my ethnic background and my life here in Canada–which have for a long time caused me confusion regarding my identity. I can say with confidence that my family as a whole has offered me a sense of place in nature. When I am in nature, I feel a deep connection to my parents, grandparents, and my ancestors despite being on the other side of the world. It reminds me of all the stories and knowledge accumulated by my elders which have been passed down to me, and the new discoveries I make and stories I create for myself as I continue to explore the natural world around me.

#nature #nature interpretation #frogs #trees

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rodentcontrolsblog · 1 year

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How is Climate Change Affecting Pest Control?

Hey there, eco-warriors and nature enthusiasts! Today, we're going to dive deep into a rather buzzworthy topic—how climate change is affecting rodent control. You might be wondering what the connection is between rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and those pesky critters invading our homes and farms. Well, let's unravel this mystery together.

The Dance of the Seasons

Climate Change in a Nutshell

Before we dig into the world of rodent control, it's essential to understand climate change itself. Essentially, it's the grand ballet of the seasons getting all mixed up. Thanks to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and the release of greenhouse gases, our Earth is donning some rather peculiar moves.

Warmer Winters, Cooler Summers

One of the most noticeable effects of climate change is the warmer winters and cooler summers. And no, we're not just talking about donning flip-flops in December! These fluctuations can seriously throw off the delicate balance of the ecosystems pests inhabit.

Pests and Their Perfect Storm

Pests Love Warmth

Just like us, pests appreciate a balmy climate. As temperatures rise, they thrive. This is especially true for cold-blooded critters like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. With longer warm seasons, their populations skyrocket.

Crop-Hungry Pests

Agriculture depends heavily on predictable weather patterns. But climate change is playing dice with the elements. Droughts, storms, and erratic rainfall create a perfect storm for crop-hungry pests to flourish.

Rodent Control Methods in Flux

Traditional Pest Control

In the good old days, traditional rodent control methods were like a knight in shining armor, protecting our crops and homes. But now, these methods are facing some serious challenges.

Chemical Conundrum

Pesticides, once hailed as saviors, are now under scrutiny. Warmer temperatures can make them less effective. Moreover, their use can harm non-target species and disrupt ecosystems.

Unintended Consequences

Invasion of the New Pests

Picture this: a pest superhero origin story. As some pests decline, due to climate shifts or control methods, new players step onto the scene. These newcomers can be even more destructive and resistant to traditional pest control measures.

The Case of the Bark Beetle

Let's talk about the bark beetle, a tiny villain responsible for ravaging forests. As winters become milder, these beetles survive and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to unprecedented forest devastation.

Adapting to the Change

Integrated Pest Management

In a world of changing climates, old-school pest control is no longer the silver bullet. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is like the new-age wizard. It combines various strategies, such as biological control, crop rotation, and selective pesticide use.

The Power of Predators

Nature often has its way of restoring balance. By introducing natural predators of pests, we can reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Ladybugs, anyone?

Resilient Agriculture

Farming in the 21st Century

Farming isn't what it used to be. With climate change knocking on our doors, farmers have to adapt to new challenges. Sustainable practices, drought-resistant crops, and precision agriculture are key players in this game.

The Role of Technology

Modern technology is lending a hand in the fight against pests. Drones equipped with sensors can monitor crop health, helping identify issues early. Genetic modification is also on the horizon, creating crops resistant to pests and adverse weather.

Human Health and Pest Control

H2: When Pests Affect Us

It's not just about our gardens and farms. Pests can carry diseases, and with climate change, their territory is expanding. We're looking at you, those pesky mosquitoes transmitting diseases like Zika and West Nile virus.

Our Changing Habitats

As temperatures rise, we adapt by using more air conditioning. This cozy environment not only increases our energy bills but also allows indoor pests like cockroaches to thrive.

Conclusion

In conclusion, climate change is indeed a game-changer in the realm of pest control. As the world warms up, pests are making themselves at home, and old pest control methods are not as reliable as they once were. But fret not; humans are a creative bunch. Integrated Pest Management, technology, and innovative farming practices are our new weapons in this battle. So, let's remember that while we may not be able to change the weather, we can certainly change the way we deal with pests in a warming world. Stay green, folks!

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fuumiku · 3 years

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Oh yeah, it’s coming baby. I’m working on an Miraculous Ladybug Invader Zim AU comic! I’ve had the idea for a long time, and I started polishing it and developing it more as of late and I’d really like to actually make it These will be the designs for their hero personas. As you can guess, Gaz will have the cat miraculous and Zim, the ladybug miraculous! Their miraculouses aren’t the ring and earrings like in the show (ah yes, Zim would wear them so well without ears lol), so Gaz’s is a cat skull necklace which turns into a bell when transformed, and Zim’s is some kinda brooch he can fit on/into his pak.

I’m going to keep the names of Chat Noir and Ladybug for the comic, but if I had wanted to name their hero selves something else I’d have gone with Chesire/Cheshire Cat and Overlord, or something to the same effect. It’s in these times you realize just how bug-like irkens are...

This will be a ZAGR story/AU. I’ll call the general idea of a Miraculous Ladybug x Invader Zim AU “Miraculous Zim”, but my story with my designs and everything specific to my version of the AU I’ll call “A Rainfall of Ladybugs”, you’ll learn why when I finish & post the comic cover or just as the story goes idk. If you want to make fanart with my designs feel free, just tag it with A Rainfall of Ladybugs and/or mention me somewhere. If you have any questions about the project feel free to send me asks! I might post a q&a at some point

I’ll be making a post showing alternative designs & colors as well as explaining the designs asap after posting this! Edit: Done, it’s here if you’re interested https://fuumiku.tumblr.com/post/676099467769954304

#invader zim #gaz membrane #zim #original au #original content #fuumiku art #Miraculous Zim #A rainfall of ladybugs #invader zim au #my art #zagr #miraculous ladybug au

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redyarns · 6 years

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chapter 8 is out :DDD

Title: rainfall

Chapter(s): 8/?

Pairing(s): Adrien/Marinette/Luka, Ladybug/Chat Noir/Luka

Summary: A kiiten in the rain needs shelter, doesn’t he?

#lukadrienette #lukadrien #lukadrinette #lukanette #adrienette #marichat #ladynoir #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste #luka couffaine #ladybug #chat noir #ladybug and chat noir #miraculous #rainfall

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taldigi · 2 years

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Can we please have more deets on the Tea Shop Au?!

(Canon-adjacent, no guardian or miracle box, Alya doesn't know)

Marinette has had it quite rough the last few years. A bullying situation that hasn't really gotten better, a super hero partner who can't stop flirting with her and because he "loves her too much" (sure, it was cute at first but it's been a long time and a lot of "no"s and he still hasn't gotten it!) and a friend group who can't seem to stop prioritizing her romantic life over her mental health.

On top of that, she's been having to deal with her parent's particularly nasty divorce, rapidly building responsibilities as both Marinette and ladybug (especially with planning for higher education), and other hassles that come with turning 17.

It all comes to a breaking point over such a minor thing- yet another trip to Andre's stall- and Marinette is not in the mood to tolerate having the flavor of her ice cream chosen for her and to watch her friends make goo-goo eyes over each other. She's happy for them, really- but does she have to play third wheel all the time??

A heated argument with Alya ends with Marinette storming off and getting herself lost-- although, lost is a relative term, as she knows Paris better than most Parisians.. but it must be the case, as she stumbles across a tiny, alleyway teashop called Alleycat that she has never seen before- and she's sure she's been in every alley in Paris!

The shop is run by a foreign boy named Felix Sphinx (thus, the name Alleycat), who tells her that he decided to run away from home a long time ago and that he runs the little shop alone. What he dosen't tell her initially, is that he is a MIraculous holder! The Kwami of Luck, Kitti the Calico Cat, has been his companion since he was a child- having found her miraculous in the woods behind his family's home. He has recently found out that the scuffles in Paris had been centered around the miraculous, and he came to learn more about them and has set up shop to both keep himself busy and to keep himself afloat.

Kitti's ambient luck swings both ways, and while he's been able to keep up rent and pick up french pretty easily (and eventually meet Ladybug herself! Even though he dosen't know it yet.) he also suffers from sudden misfortunes, meaning he's a lot more humble than your usual Felix- and thanks to Kitti's companionship, a lot more sociable as well. Though he very much still prefers the company of books and rainfall.

Marinette, exasperated, asks for something to drink, and is honestly thrown for a loop when asked for what she wants- still in that "soulmate icecream" mindset. Which keeps her comping back to the teashop for more (and is delighted to find out that he also makes Boba)

Eventually, an issue arises where Felix & Kitti are forced to help, and he finds that the hero life is pretty agreeable with him, so he- as Chat Calico, offers his help as a consistant hero, and his polite manner endears Ladybug to him almost immediately, largely to Cat Noir's chagrin.

Not a whole lot of identity shenanigans tho, as Kitti lets it drop pretty early on that Marinette is Ladybug, which confuses her as Kwami were not supposed to spill identities. Turns out it's a Lucky Guess.

Chat Calico uses his coin to force odds in battle. The coin has a clover on one side, and a cat on the other. Flipping the coin toggles the flow of luck, and the person who holds the coin gets the benefits or downsides of it (barring himself, mostly). Only he can flip the coin, anyone else who tries will only have the coin land the same every time. Kitti's miraculous is a silver bell on a silver chain

thats all I got for now.

#Anonymous #Alleycat Tea AU #digit's miraculous tag #felix sphinx #Original Kwami: Kitti the Calico Cat #Marinette Cheng #Felixette

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pigeoncoffee · 5 years

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ultimate single word island names list

as you all know i loved single word town names on new leaf.. whilst ive been brainstorming names for my new horizons island i’ve compiled the ultimate single word island names list!

enjoy!

Ocean/water words: • Brook • Bay • Boat • Canal • Coral • Cove • Creek • Current • Deep • Dock • Drench • Driftwood • Drip • Drain • Gulf • Kelp • Lake • Marine • Pond • Reservoir • River • Rinse • Rill • Rockpool • Sail • Sailboat • Scuba • Spring • Snorkel • Stream • Sea • Seaweed • Seabed • Surf • Swamp • Tarn • Tide • Tidepool • Water • Yacht

Summer/Beach words: • Coast • Conch • Dock • Dune • Harbour • Palmtree • Pier • Summer • Sand • Sandcastle • Shell • Seaside • Shore • Sunburn • Sunscreen • Wharf • Vacation • Voyage

Fish/Aquatic animal words: • Barnacle • Clam • Carp • Crab • Eel • Fin • Flounder • Herring • Limpet • Lobster • Mackerel • Otter • Oyster • Plankton • Salmon • Scallop • Shark • Shrimp • Starfish • Stingray • Squid • Sunfish • Tadpole • Trout

Animal/habitat words: • Antler • Ant • Anthill • Burrow • Bee • Beehive • Bumble • Barn • Bat • Bug • Cobweb • Den • Fleece • Fur • Gull • Hive • Hornet • Honeybee • Ladybug • Ladybird • Nest • Paddock • Raven • Roost • Rook • Seagull • Snail • Toad • Web

Plant/flowers words: • Aloe • Bud • Bamboo • Bloom • Clover • Cosmos • Daffodil • Fern • Heather • Lily • Lilypad • Leaf • Lotus • Orchid • Orchard • Palm • Petal • Primrose • Rose • Stem • Seed • Sprout • Tulip • Wilt • Wilted

Forest words: • Acorn • Birch • Branch • Bramble • Bark • Chestnut • Elm • Elder • Fir • Grove • Juniper • Maple • Oak • Sycamore • Stump • Sap • Sapling • Spruce • Tree • Twig • Thicket • Wood • Yew

Other outdoor words: • Acre • Bury • Barren • Cavern • Cave • Cliff • Coal • Dale • Dell • Earth • Field • Fossil • Garden • Hill • Henge • Hedge • Isle • Island • Lawn • Leaves • Mountain • Meadow • Marsh • Moor • Moss • Nature • Peak • Pebble • Rock • Root • Stone • Shire • Thorn • Uproot • Vale • Valley • Vineyard

Food words: • Avocado • Berry • Butter • Chai • Cider • Cake • Coffee • Coconut • Currant • Egg • Eggshell • Eggnog • Fig • Fudge • Honey • Honeycomb • Icecream • Jam • Jelly • Lemon • Mushroom • Muffin • Mocha • Nut • Pancake • Pear • Pea • Pie • Peanut • Pickle • Popsicle • Radish • Rice • Raisin • Rum • Sesame • Sushi • Syrup • Toast • Walnut

Herb/spices names: • Basil • Chive • Cinnamon • Clove • Dill • Fennel • Herb • Mustard • Nutmeg • Parsley • Saffron • Sage • Spice • thyme

Calm words: • Airy • Away • Awe • Aura • Calm • Drowsy • Dream • Hope • Haven • Haze • Lazy • Lull • Nurture • Quiet • Relax • Rest • Safe • Soft • Serene • Slumber • Silent • Yawn

Cosy Words: • Blanket • Boots • Cotton • Cosy • Cinder • Flannel • Glove • Knit • Knitted • Mitten • Quilt • Raincoat • Sweater • Slipper • Teapot • Teacup • Warmth • Weave • Woven • Yarn

Cute words: • Adore • Blush • Bonny • Cupid • Cuddle • Dainty • Delicate • Ethereal • Fluff • Giggle • Glitter • Lovely • Precious • Sweet • Wonder

City/Town/Building words: • Cabin • Camp • Campsite • Cottage • Home • House • Igloo • Inn • Loft • Mill • Market • Park • Road • Shelter • Street • Tunnel • Tavern • Village • Ville

Weather/time of day words: • Blizzard • Dusk • Dawn • Draft • Drizzle • Downpour • Fog • Flood • Flurry • Gust • Hail • Humid • Mist • Misty • Midnight • Noon • Night • Overcast • Rain • Rainfall • Raindrop • Rainbow • Rise • Storm • Soleil • Sunset • Sun • Season • Sleet • Typhoon • Thunder • Weather • Wind

Seasonal words: Spring/Easter: • April • Crisp • Dew • Dewdrop • Easter • Farm • Farmyard • Floral • Florist • Flourish • Grow • Growth • Hatch • June • Plantpot

Autumn/Halloween: • Afraid • Bale • Bonfire • Cackle • Casket • Creep • Coffin • Costume • Carve • Cemetery • Chilling • Disguise • Eerie • Fall • Fright • Frighten • Firework • Grave • Ghoul • Ghost • Grim • Gore • Hay • Harvest • Howl • Haunt • Haunted • Halloween • Lantern • Morbid • November • Phantom • Rake • Strange • Scream • Scare • Spook • Tomb • Trick • Wicked • Witch • Warlock • Zombie

Winter/Christmas: • Arctic • Chill • Carol • Elf • Festive • Frost • Frostbite • Firewood • Gift • Garland • Holly • Holiday • Ice • Iced • Icy • Icicle • Jingle • Jolly • Merry • Noel • Nativity • Ornament • Present • Reindeer • Rudolph • Scrooge • Sleigh • Snow • Skate • Snowman • Snowball • Stocking • Tinsel • Winter • Wreath • Yule • Yulelog

Mystical words: • Amulet • Cauldron • Chalice • Conjure • Coven • Charm • Cherub • Enchant • Fairy • Fairies • Gargoyle • Goblet • Goblin • Golem • Gnome • Hidden • Hex • Imp • Myth • Nymph • Potion • Spirit • Sprite • Spell • Secret • Shadow • Siren • Wand • Wander

Gem stone words: • Amethyst • Amber • Jasper • Jade • Onyx • Opal • Sapphire • Topaz • Quartz

Colour words: • Bronze • Blush • Fuchsia • Hazel • Ivory • Linen • Ochre • Pale • Peach • Pewter • Sepia • Seafoam • Tawny

Space words: • Aurora • Asteroid • Cosmic • Crescent • Eclipse • Gravity • Luna • Mercury • Meteor • Moon • Nebula • Orbit • Planet • Solar • Star • Venus • Zodiac

Direction words: • Around • Across • Above • East • Far • North • Over • South • Under • West

Other words: • Ash • Ablaze • Beam • Backpack • Dust • Ever • Edge • End • Echo • Cranny • Comb • Frail • Gutter • Hole • Lune • Lush • Letter • Nimble • Nook • Old • Plain • Paper • Rinse • Range • Ridge • Rust • Rusted • Rot • Rotted • Silk • Set • Settle • Sponge • Swelter • Swell • Smog • Urn • Umbrella • Vain • Vile • View • Way • World

#animal crossing #animal crossing new horizons #acnh #animal crossing new leaf #acnl #ac #island name #island names #town names #town name #nintendo #switch #helpful

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fallsofnoir · 3 years

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The (not so) Perfect Storm (PRPR - Ladynoir)

AO3 @ WhenSheFalls

This was originally written for PRPR March but I missed like all of my deadlines... So I hope you enjoy it.

Summary:

The storm hit at just the worst time, and now they were stuck on the other side of Paris, in an abandoned building, with only each other for company, and oh yeah, she hated him. Great.

The (not so) Perfect Storm

Perfect, just perfect.

Ladybug stared out of the broken window of an abandoned building and watched the rainfall. It was getting worse; he could just tell without even looking for long. And it probably wasn’t going to let up any time soon. So here he was, stuck with Ladybug, watching the rain.

“I can’t believe Hawkmoth had to just send an Akuma out who chose running away as the best tactic,” Ladybug said.

“Yeah, he’s just the worst,” Chat Noir added glumly.

He wasn’t exactly overjoyed at having to spend the extra time with Ladybug, with Marinette. They’d accidentally stumbled upon each other’s identities in the changing rooms at school, and whilst Marinette was probably the best person he could think of pulling off Ladybug, she clearly didn’t share that opinion of him being Chat Noir.

“I-I’m going to slow to glass, go to pass, class! Bye!” she had said before she ran out of the room. He hadn’t even been able to say anything to her.

He still hadn’t.

Who was he kidding though? She’d barely said two words to him all year anyway and even when she did it was only when it was necessary for her duties as class president. And with their revelation, her avoidance of him increased tenfold. Clearly, she hated that he was Chat Noir. He’d never get a chance to talk to her without it bearing bad news. Best to avoid it and keep at least a peaceful work relationship then.

He rubbed his arms at the chill from the windows and looked around to see if there was some way he could stop the cold from reaching them. He spotted the curtain tied back and went to pull it over at least part of the window.

And great, it had holes in it to match the window, yay!

Ladybug helped him adjust it so that it got as much of the window covered as they could though. It surprised him that she helped even that much, though he guessed as they had worked together all day fighting the Akuma she still felt like being a team.

Oh no, did she even still want him? She hadn’t said otherwise, but maybe she was trying to find a way to break it to him gently. Maybe this storm is the perfect situation to break the news to him and then she’ll take his miraculous and leave him stranded in the cold on the other side of Paris. He’d have to call Natalie and get Gorilla to pick him up and then he’d have to explain why he was all the way on the other side of the city and at the site of the Akuma. That might expose his identity. But by then it wouldn’t be his anymore.

Ladybug wasn’t talking, she’d gone to the other side of the room.

What if she just left him? She could just up and go, grab his miraculous and run. No, he’d put up a fight. For Plagg. He turned and faced the window, determined not to let her get his miraculous. His other hand covered the ring. It wouldn’t be easy for her to take it, sure. But she was the guardian, maybe she had special guardian powers, like that time Master Fu took it from him in his sleep.

She would warn him first though, right? Ladybug always gave a chance to the Akuma, she’d do the same for him, right? Even if it was to hand it over willingly, right?

A hand was on his shoulder. A hand. Ladybug. No.

He jerked his shoulder away from the touch and raised his arms ready to defend himself.

“Chat?”

He blinked, and Ladybug’s hand was in front of him, still outstretched to where his shoulder would have been. He stepped back and dared to look at her face.

She was… confused? Why was she confused? Surely, she’d expect him to defend himself, protect his miraculous.

“Chat, is everything alright?” She took a step towards him. Her face told him she was worried about him. His back hit the curtain as he took another step away from her.

This was all that she needed, and she took another step towards him. His back pressed even further against the curtain; he could feel the cool wind coming through its holes. Move your hands, Adrien! Call for cataclysm, something, anything, stop her! He didn’t move, he couldn’t move. Her hands chased him.

He squeezed his eyes shut and apologised to Plagg in his head.

Cold. Cold face? Her hands were on his face.

He blinked his eyes open and stared at Ladybug’s eyes as they moved frantically across his face. She hadn’t reached for his miraculous. Her cold hands were cupping his face, her thumb wiping a wetness over his mask, just trailing to the edges of his cheek.

“Adrien,” she said. A frown decorated her lips.

“Please, don’t take Plagg away from me,” he interrupted. Maybe she’d take pity. As if his word had any say in the matter. Stupid.

“Plagg? What Chat, why would I take Plagg from you?” Ladybug dropped her hands from his face.

“Why wouldn’t you?” he mumbled. He knew she would.

“No, Chat, no. Plagg is yours unless you’re siding with Hawkmoth,” she paused, her nose scrunching up in confusion. “You’re not siding with-“

“No! No, I’m not, never, my lady,” he rushed out, his hands automatically coming up to grab hers and assure her of his sincerity. He would never. Her hands squeezed his fingers. He dropped them in shock. He hadn’t meant to hold them, that’s far too close to his miraculous. Control yourself, Agreste.

“Then you don’t have anything to worry about, chaton.”

He has plenty to worry about, thank you very much. Marinette hadn’t spoken a word to him in days, Marinette didn’t like him, and the girl in front of him was Marinette. As if hearing his thoughts, Ladybug dropped her transformation.

“Hey kitty, look at me,” Marinette said. This time she didn’t try to step closer to him.

He looked up, regardless of how scared he was, he wasn’t about to disobey a simple command. She was crying, and it registered that he was crying too.

“I don’t know what is going on right now. Kitty, I’m sorry for whatever I have done or not done or said that’s hurting you but let me tell you one thing. Plagg is yours, and you are my Chat Noir, the only Chat Noir I will ever want.”

He wanted to believe her, he really did. He wanted to be Chat Noir, and keep Plagg, and keep fighting Hawkmoth. He wanted the tears in her eyes to go away, to be able to hold her like he used to after a tough battle. But she was Marinette right now, and as much as he could probably convince himself to hug Ladybug, this was the most Marinette had spoken to him in days, and he just couldn’t do that without her permission. To get that permission he needed to talk.

“Ladybug- Marinette, I don’t-“ he sniffed, stared at the ground, wrang his hands out in front of him. “This week has been the hardest week of my life. And you were you, and that’s amazing, you’re amazing. Every day I woke up thinking, today’s the day, she’ll talk to me, and we’ll be back to how things were before, best friends, fighting crime, side by side. Except you didn’t, and I didn’t know what to do. It felt like you hated me, hated that I was Adrien. I hated that I was Adrien.” His hands shook the more he spoke. “I just- I may be Chat Noir but I need to know, do you hate that I’m me?”

He was scared to look up, maybe she’d decide he wasn’t worth the mess he was. Tears flowed down his face and snot-filled his nose and his shoulders shook.

“No! Adrien, no, absolutely not,” She exclaimed immediately.

He looked up. She was crying almost as much as he was.

“I don’t hate you, I could never hate you. Adrien-“

Her body moved forward, one hand stretching out towards him. His hand stretched out automatically and grasped hers. Her other hand came up and pointlessly wiped away tears from her face, only to be replaced with more as she continued.

“- I am so sorry. This is all my fault. If I had just been honest with my own feelings. Adrien, you are so much more than I could ever be, I thought you would hate me, so I ran. I was selfish, I didn’t even consider how that would affect you, and I promise never to cut you off again. I am so sorry.”

The curtain smacked into his back with a gust of wind.

That was it, his body moved forward of its own accord. His arms circled her body and pulled her to him in a hug he had so desperately missed. She shook in his hold, and he could feel her tears against his neck as she burrowed into him.

“I could never hate you, my lady,” he mumbled into her hair. Even when he thought she was going to take everything from him, he couldn’t hate her. “You are the only person who I would want to be Ladybug.”

“And you are the only one who I could want to be my partner.”

…

In the end, being stuck on the other side of Paris in the middle of a storm gained him his partner back. Despite the cold and the wet, both outside and on their faces, this storm was perfect. He’d have to thank Hawkmoth later.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #chat noir #ladybug #my fic #falls fic #prpr #post reveal #pre relationship #communicate guys #please

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pearl484-blog · 1 year

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Rain Falls, Everybody Lies Adrien AUGreste Entry 3: Rain

Chat Noir loves the rain. He loves the danger. He loves the excitement, and he especially loves how much Catwalker hates it. Jekyll and Hyde AU

Adrien AUGreste Entry 3: Rain

This is a Jekyll and Hyde AU, and although we are going to be using the split personality models preferred by the adaptations instead of the corrupting alter-ego of the book, we will be spoiling the beginning of the book. If you have not read it, I strongly recommend it. It’s awesome, and despite it being old as heck, it accurately predicted that some people, if given the chance to remain anonymous, may choose to do increasingly terrible things so long as there are no personal consequences until they cross the line.

Alright, so I'm going to be busy Saturday, so once again, you guys will be getting an entry a few days early. It will be posted on the same day as "Well, That Went Suspiciously Well". The two are not related.

As per usual, this was not Beta'd, so if you see errors or if anything is unclear, please let me know.

Link to AO3 story. Link to Adrien AUGreste series. ~*~

Chat Noir raced across the rooftops of Paris, delighting in the threatening rumble of the thunder and marveling at the white-hot intensity of the lightning. The rain pounded at his skin, futilely trying to work through his suit’s defenses to soak him to the bone.

He was free -finally free- and even if the rain could get through his suit, it wouldn’t have stopped him. Every part of him ached with the need to move faster, push himself harder, and he didn’t resist. Not even as the roofs grew slick with inches and inches of rainfall and the jumps grew ever more dangerous and unpredictable. It felt wild. It felt uncontrollable. It felt free.

This was what he needed right now. Not that stupid, mindless complacency Catwalker craved. Perfection? Ha! Who needed perfection when you could have the raw beauty of chaos? The mirth of laughter? The bone aching pain of tears? The catharsis of a scream?

Distantly, Chat Noir could tell there was an akuma. Stormy Weather. Chat would bet his life on it. It seemed even Shadow Moth couldn’t stand chaos anymore, constantly repeating the same akumas again and again in the vain hopes that this time, it would work. This time he’d win. What a joke.

Chat didn’t even waste time considering whether or not to join Ladybug. She had her other teammates. Ones who were just as important as Chat Noir. She knew what she was doing. She only really needed his Cataclysm anyways, and if he used that, he’d only have 5 minutes until he was trapped being the oh-so-perfect Catwalker again, and he wasn’t in any hurry to go back to that hand-crafted nightmare any time soon. No thank you.

Instead, Chat kept up his run, pulling every thoughtless, reckless, foolhardy trick he’d ever considered in one last hoorah before he’d be forced back into some dark, forbidden corner of Adrien’s mind again, gnawing on whatever neglected scraps of anger or resentment he could find until he could find a way to escape again. It had been months since he’d escaped last time, and he’d only managed it because Catwalker had despised the rain so vehemently. Deep down, Chat knew that there was always the chance that this time, this escape would be the last one, so he had to make this one count, before he disappeared into oblivion for good.

Then, he saw her. Vesperia. The one person Chat hated more than stupid, perfect Catwalker. She had been the one who’d started it all. The one who planted the idea of making a perfect, better replacement in Adrien’s head. The one who’d made Adrien reject him.

Vesperia was Chloe’s replacement, a sweeter, kinder, better bee. Everyone said so. That she was better than Chloe in every way. Vesperia didn’t lash out like Chloe did. Vesperia wasn’t bossy like Chloe was. It didn’t matter that Vesperia was smarter than Chloe was, or a better fighter than Chloe was. She just wasn’t as damaged as Chloe was. She was just less distracting than Chloe was, less flawed, and so everybody loved her more. Now that Vesperia was here, the only time anyone remembered Queen Bee anymore was when they were comparing her to Vesperia.

That was probably what had happened to Chat Noir. Poor, stupid Chat Noir. Too silly, too ridiculous for anyone to want him. Too chaotic, too messy to deal with. Everybody had always preferred perfect, polished Adrien to him. No doubt that they’d do the same with Catwalker. No wonder Adrien had rejected him. No wonder Adrien had imprisoned him and threw away the key.

Chat blinked back tears, hot and heavy as he stuffed the hurt he felt bubbling up from deep inside him. No. He was not going to do this today. Not when he had just gotten free.

Something inside him snapped, and Chat Noir moved. He rushed towards Vesperia, unseen through the thick heavy rain and shoved her off the building. Then, as she fell, he rushed to continue with his run, not even bothering to check behind him to see Vesperia’s fall.

She’d be fine. Chat had survived dozens of falls from higher than that without so much as a scratch, and she had her top. Chat didn’t really care about which way it ended up. All that mattered to him was that feeling of relief. That finally someone else felt like he did, if only for a moment.

Was this what Chloe felt all the time, he wondered. Was this why she always went back to hurting people? It was wrong. He knew wrong, but God, it had felt so right.

Unfortunately, Chat’s thoughts were soon interrupted by a wire snagging his ankle and yanking it out from underneath him. He screamed as he fell; his claws uselessly flailing towards the slick roof tiles coated in thick streams of water.

When he landed, he found himself face to face with the girl that had once held his heart, and had so callously crushed it with her apathy. Ladybug. Chat Noir yowled at her, yanking at the yoyo holding her leg so he could have enough slack to curl up in a ball.

Chat did not want to talk to her. She had hurt him. She had betrayed him. She didn’t deserve his words, and he had none to give her.

Ladybug, for her part, seemed surprised at what she’d done. She looked so lost and confused, almost betrayed, like Chat had hurt her instead of the other way around. With a flick of her wrist, she retracted her yoyo, letting Chat go free, but Chat didn’t trust it. He knew that if he ran, she would catch him just as easily. No. He wasn’t going to do that. Not today. He curled up tighter and flashed his teeth at her, hissing.

“Chat Noir?” Ladybug asked, her voice almost breaking as she reached her hand out towards him slowly. He flinched, and hated himself as he saw tears well up in her eyes.

God, Chat wished he could hate her. It would make everything so much easier. He wished that he didn’t still love her, that he didn’t want to wipe away her tears and say something, anything to make her feel better. Yet at the same time, he didn’t think he was strong enough to talk to her. It felt as though even the smallest word might break him.

They stared at each other, frozen in the rain until she broke the silence.

“What happened to you?” she asked.

With that, Chat Noir almost did break. He almost told her everything: how Adrien had experimented with the ring and broke himself in two; how Chat Noir was trapped in this horrible limbo of repression; how much it hurt to never be enough, to never be wanted except as the perfect puppet; how scared he was that he might one day disappear, forever lost to the perfect little nightmare that was Catwalker; how he’d hurt Vesperia and it’d felt so good, but he was sorry because he knew he shouldn’t have done that; how it hurt to feel, but it also hurt so much not to feel, and he was scared that one day, he’d give in and accept feeling nothing forever.

He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even have time to try to make a plan to do anything. He wanted her. He needed her. Now more than ever.

A shield slammed in front of him, forcing Chat to scramble backwards.

“Stay away from her!” Carapace yelled, Vesperia hiding right behind him.

“Careful, Ladybug,” Ryuko said, her voice as cold as ice and unforgiving as steel. “He’s the one who pushed Vesperia off a building. You cannot let yourself be fooled by who he used to be. He cannot be trusted.”

The spell broken, Chat Noir took the chance to flee, running to the shadows to lose them. Bitterly, he cursed himself for his weakness. He should’ve known better.

Ryuko was right. No matter who they might’ve been to Chat Noir once, Chat Noir was stupid to even think of trusting them now. They were Catwalker’s friends. Not his, and he’d been blind to let his feelings run away with him. No one would ever choose chaos over perfection. No one would even want to have silly, melodramatic Chat Noir over the perfect refined Cat Walker.

He’d have to be strong and save himself without them. Or die trying.

#adrien agreste #miraculous ladybug #miraculous lb #fanfic #fanfiction #adrienaugreste #adrienaugust #jekyll and hyde #inspired by jekyll and hyde

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e-milieeee · 4 years

Text

golden (like daylight)—wings au

Notes: inspired by @celerydays ‘s comic!

this is for @thechatsmeow and @justaferal-bastard ’s wing au... bc i have become way too invested. no regrets :D and everyone who has contributed to the wing au content.... ily

altho warning: there is description of blood but its not in detail at all!!

Summary: Who knew getting shot in the side and then thrown off a building would've been the way Ladybug discovered Chat Noir's identity?

Marinette certainly wouldn't have guessed.

Click here to read on AO3!

golden (like daylight)

Chat Noir is not present when Ladybug is hit.

It’s a mistake that she’s never made before; somehow, she’d always been able to summon her Lucky Charms in the nick of time, without the akuma’s interference. But this time is different. Chat had been missing the whole fight, not there to watch her back, so when Ladybug throws her yo-yo into the air she is met with blinding pain instead of a magical object.

It pieces into her side, with enough force to puncture through her suit and send her slamming into the wall a couple of paces away.

For a moment, shock is the only emotion Ladybug feels. She understands the pain in a disjointed manner, the sort that promises agony but does not yet register as much—and then it finally hits her.

A bullet. She’s been shot by a bullet. Her vision is obscured by tears, too blurry for her to see anything more than a meter away from her. The world stops spinning until all Ladybug can focus on is the fact that her side feels like it’s burning, as if the wound is boring deeper and deeper into her body until it steals her breath and her heartbeat. And on top of that, her earrings have started to beep.

Ladybug can hear the sharp cackling of the akuma—Sharpshooter—who flits over to her, inky black wings beating behind him, his gun cocked in her direction still. Her wings drag weakly at her back, trembling from effort yet uselessly, and Sharpshooter reaches down to grab a handful of her suit. She is hauled to her feet.

The triumphal smile on his face does not belong to the akuma so much as it belongs to Hawkmoth. “Ladybug,” he sneers. “Look at you. Nothing without Chat Noir, aren’t you?”

“Put her down.”

Both she and Sharpshooter turn to follow the voice. Hovering a couple of paces behind them, black wings beating furiously, is Chat Noir. He’s too far for Ladybug to make out anything more than the vague shape of his figure, but the relief that floods through her is almost strong enough to combat the pain. Chat levels the akuma down with a glare, baton in one hand, his cataclysm burning in the other. When Sharpshooter doesn’t move, Chat raises the baton. “Put. Her. Down.”

For a moment, Ladybug thinks that the akuma just might follow the command. There’s something terrifying in Chat’s voice that chills her, even though his words aren’t directed to her. Perhaps it’s her failing vision, but his eyes seem darker than they usually are, canines elongated.

Then Sharpshooter throws his head back and laughs. “You want me to put her down?” he snarls back at Chat. “Then go get her.”

The next thing Ladybug knows is glass shattering like rainfall all around her. The pain tearing through her wings barely register, because before she can focus on them, the wind is taking its turn to rip them apart, feather by feather, like tiny needles jamming into muscle.

As Ladybug plummets down, she’s lucid enough to understand that she needs to fly. Except the pain in her side is now spreading throughout all her body, turning her movements sluggish. Her wings tremble uselessly behind her, a deadweight. She falls, faster and faster, the ground approaching, terror and pain and helplessness clawing into her throat and choking her with cold fingers.

This isn’t supposed to be how I die, Ladybug thinks, and with some wild, last minute desperation, she forces her wings open.

For a split second it works: her fall slows slightly. But it’s not enough to combat the sheer speed she has been tumbling at, and she can only watch as the ground grows closer and closer and—

A streak of black shadow barrels into her. The air is knocked clean out of Ladybug’s lungs.

She can feel Chat straining to slow their dive. His wings flap fiercely for a couple of short seconds before they envelope her and the impact hits.

A hard, brutal collision greets them—no, not them, him —as the punishment is absorbed by Chat Noir’s wings and body. He cries out when they hit the ground, rolling to a stop.

Ladybug lays there, winded and out of breath, nestled safely from the worst of the fall between the giant, dark wings that still shield her. The wound in her side has stopped its incessant agony, instead turning into a sharp ache that she has learned to ignore in favor of worse things. Her wings feel like they’ve been ripped clean from her back from the sheer force of trying to stop the plunge. Before her eyes, her vision flickers and blackens, and Ladybug struggles to keep her eyes open. Sharpshooter’s dark silhouette imprints against the blue of the sky, his weapon pointed at them, but the warning that rises is interrupted when Chat Noir pushes himself to his knees. With trembling effort, he slips a careful arm under her neck and lifts her head up.

“Ladybug, I’m so sorry,” he breathes. His voice chokes, and Ladybug’s own throat closes at how terrified he sounds. “I was late because I couldn’t get out of the house when I saw the akuma attack and I’m so, so sorry I couldn’t come sooner. I—”

He is cut off by the shrill beeping of her earrings. Without wasting a beat, Chat Noir’s wings rise around them like a slow, laboured breath, until the blue sky is blotted out by inky black and she is cocooned safely inside a sea of feathers.

Her transformation slips when the first bullet hits Chat’s wings.

He doesn’t make a noise of pain; the only sign is the slight flinch of his body. But Marinette can see it: the stain of blood from where the bullet pierces through his wing, then another, then another.

“What are you doing?” she grinds out. “Chat, please, you’re getting hurt!”

“What does it look like?” Somehow, he manages a smile. “Protecting you, M’lady.”

He knows who I am. But her identity isn’t the most important thing, not when Chat’s taking all of the fire, his wings straining to keep her shielded. “Chat,” she repeats. “You have to let me help.”

“Don’t worry.” He winces, one hand moving, and it takes Marinette a moment to realize that he’s reaching for her ears. “I have a plan. I just—I just need to get you somewhere safe, and I need your Miraculous for now. Is that okay?”

“I can help—”

“No, you can’t,” he interrupts. “Can I take your Miraculous for this, Marinette?”

It’s the insistent way Chat says her name that makes her yield. They’ve met plenty of times as Marinette and Chat Noir, but never with this knowledge between them. But the bond between them is still the same; unspoken but strong, full of unconditional trust. And Marinette trusts him with her life.

“Alright,” she whispers.

Chat doesn’t waste a heartbeat. He takes them from her carefully, then, without removing his own Miraculous, slips the earrings on.

“Tikki, spots on.”

The color that rises from the combination of their Miraculous is one that Marinette cannot explain: it’s not Chat’s green nor her pink, but instead, a kaleidoscope of a spectrum much beyond known words. The color streaks from the Miraculous to his wings, which unfurl as black, white and gold interspersed together. Marinette can still see the bullet wounds of angry crimson, but Chat pays them no heed. Instead, still shielding her from sight, he picks her up gingerly. The claws on his fingers are gone, replaced by spiralling patterns of red and black that dance around each other. They share one look of mutual understanding.

Then, with one strong wingbeat, he takes off.

Marinette knows flying and speed. She and Chat have raced, have dived from sky-high, but this— this is another step of intensity altogether. Despite the wounds both of them sport, Chat moves with the same feline grace, even faster than usual. Marinette can practically feel the power of the combined Miraculous thrumming underneath and through his suit, diffusing into her veins as well.

They lose Sharpshooter in the matter of seconds. He dives through narrow alleys, over and around rooftops, until finally, they land on a highrise. Chat sets her down behind a large billboard.

“Stay here, and I’ll come find you after I’ve purified the akuma,” Chat tells her, squeezing her hand lightly.

He turns to leave. Despite her condition, Marinette manages to grab hold of his tail, pulling him to a halt.

“Chat,” she manages out.

His gaze is steady. “I’ll be back.” It’s a statement and a promise at the same time.

“You better,” Marinette tells him. It hurts to smile, but she does it anyway. “I still have to kick your ass for doing something so stupid.”

He grins, wounded wings stretching open again. “I wouldn’t miss that for the world, M’lady.”

He dives off the building in a streak of brilliant, dying color, and Marinette can only wait.

***

Marinette knows the akuma has been defeated when the bullet wound on her side disappears, the pain in her wings fading until she is able to straighten them fully again.

But she still can’t help but worry when Chat Noir still doesn’t return. She waits, counting the seconds—thirty, sixty, one minute, two, five—but he’s nowhere in sight. He had promised he would come back, but he hadn’t, and given the state she had last seen him in…

The soft fluttering of wings interrupts her thoughts. Marinette scrambles towards the sound, at the edge of the building, having worked herself into a fever of nervous anticipation.

The first thing she sees are the wings.

Bright, golden wings.

It’s not the stygian black of Chat Noir, nor the palette of colors he had sported with both their Miraculous, yet it’s familiar all the same.

Adrien Agreste lands in front of her.

She doesn’t need an explanation. Marinette sees it, as clear as daylight. She understands through unspoken words—she knows , has known deep down, and it’s right. Painfully, wonderfully, right. Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir. Adrien Agreste is her partner.

Of course.

The nervousness on Adrien’s face melts into shock when Marinette tackles him with a hug.

His wings, healed, brush against her hands softly. Marinette grips the feathers tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. Slowly, hesitantly, Adrien’s hands creep around her to rest on her back as well.

“It’s you,” she mumbles into his shoulder. “It’s you.”

His body shakes when he laughs. “Does this mean you’re not mad at me? For finding out your identity? And for revealing mine? I thought it wouldn’t be fair if I knew but you didn’t know who I was and it was you so I thought I might as well—” He lets go of her to gesture grandly. “All of this. You’re not mad?”

“Oh, I’m mad at you.” Marinette pulls back as well. “For being a stupid, noble, self-sacrificing idiot.”

“You can kick my ass for that,” Arien promises, albeit a little nervously. “But everything else…?”

“Getting shot hurt,” she replies. “But maybe ‘everything else’ made it worth it.”

The smile that spreads over his face is bright like the sun, golden like his wings. “Here,” Adrien said, opening her hand and placing her earrings into them. Then, he adds quietly, “I’m glad it’s you, Marinette.”

How can she not smile back, seeing that earnest, open look on his face? Marinette reaches up, carefully and softly, pressing her fingers against his cheeks. He leans into her touch.

“Me too,” she echoes.

Notes: Click here for my fics masterlist!

#wing au #chat noir #ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #birb au #miraculous ladybug #my writing #mlb fic #reveal fic

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birlcholtz · 3 years

Text

Fic Questions

tagged by @the-lincyclopedia thank you!! (fun game: watch my writing get progressively less formal as the post continues. by the end it’s like what is capitalization)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

77!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

434,378 as of this week but it does go up quite regularly

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Okay so in terms of what’s on my AO3, I have Check Please, All For the Game, Sharp Zero, HP, and Miraculous Ladybug. I also have The Forbidden LOTR and PJO Fanfiction (as in, I’ve written it, but it’s never seeing the light of day)

(technically there is a PJO fic out there that has seen the light of day but I orphaned it because I was tired of getting comments asking about when it would be updated)

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

and then i met you (and the whole world changed)

for the better

Knew It Was You

come home (to you, to us)

sin bin schematics

All of these are Check Please and all of them except Knew It Was You are part of my Zimbits Airport AU!

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do! It’s actually a very recent thing that I’ve started not responding to literally every single comment. Mainly I respond because I love talking about my writing so I am going to seize that opportunity when it comes up

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Oh, DEFINITELY Happy Birthday (HP). Check out that MCD tag ahah. (I say HP but what I really mean is that I write fic about Regulus Black. The Regulus Black-centric tag is my home in the HP fandom)

fun fact: this is a very short fic that I wrote when I was 15 and basically forgot about until recently, and then I reread it recently and went holy shit?? I pulled NO punches????

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the wildest one you’ve written?

Not a ton? I think a lot of the fandoms I write for don’t really mesh that well. That being said, the aforementioned orphaned PJO fic is actually a PJO/ML crossover, so there’s that

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Nope! Sometimes I get comments that are just.... really confusing? And a more common thing is that in my AFTG fic I’ll get comments from people who are so focused on Andreil (or the most common ships in general) to the point that like. they miss the point of what I actually wrote. Those are annoying but they’re not hate, they’re very enthusiastic, they’re just... enthusiastic about a story I’m not writing? So it’s a bit frustrating.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

No sjflskgjhgf I struggle enough to write kissing, I think if I ever tried to write smut my brain would just shut down. I’ve managed some fade-to-blacks (which are mostly in WIPs that haven’t been posted) but they rely HEAVILY on the powers of implication

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of!

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, although I have occasionally made a brief go of it, not to post, more as an exercise for myself in a language that I’m learning. Anyway I never finish them so I’m gonna say no

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not really? I’ve definitely group brainstormed fics and then written them (the best example of this being Q&A (AFTG), which was the product of a truly off-the-walls group chat), but I tend to do all the actual writing myself. I think the way I write would drive a co-writer up the wall since it’s very disorganized and I don’t write stuff down because ~I know what’s gonna happen I don’t need notes~ and it would infuriate me if I was co-writing with me lmao, so I won’t inflict that on someone else

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I regularly move through ships I’m SUPER focused on, like it’s kind of a rotation. I will forever and always ship Percabeth though.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Okay so if you follow me at @birlwrites you may know this already, but i have this ‘warmups’ document that is just like, random ideas i get that i don’t necessarily want to finish but i just want to try out for a bit? and i have a rule that once a ‘warmup’ is more than 10 pages long (so 11+) then it has to be moved to its own document, just to make scrolling through the warmups doc easier. but usually, a warmup only passes 10 pages when i’m INTO it. so i have a bazillion wips i will probably never finish. i complain about this a lot. i have so many wips. i don’t need more.

here’s one: it’s titled ‘interrobang doesn’t know they’re dating’, it’s basically a full outline for a chowder/tango fic and it would be SO cool if i could ever like. get around to writing it. but i am constantly swamped with writing projects, so it’s probably not gonna happen. if anyone’s interested in adopting it though i’d be down for that!! i think it’s a fun idea i just almost def won’t write it myself

15. What are your writing strengths?

SNAPPY DIALOGUE AND SNARKY INTERNAL MONOLOGUE. my writing is COMEDIC, 90% of my ideas are based on a funny snippet that popped into my head, a lot of my worldbuilding is based on ‘hey you know what would be hilarious’ (whenever i explain how larai selects a chosen one in the rainfall universe i start laughing, which is a STARK contrast to how it plays out on the page), i love writing funny stuff!!

also i think my writing sounds nice, a lot of the time i pick words/syntax based on sound and flow so there’s that too. and i have lots of ideas! i don’t struggle much with writer’s block because a) i have a lot of strategies to deal with it and b) i have a lot of ideas to help get around it/work with it

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

PHYSICAL INTIMACY LMAO, sometimes in my end notes on shippy fics you can see me complaining ‘it took me literally 4 hours to write that very brief kiss’. also sometimes the humor in my writing gets in the way a bit, i have to very consciously put it away so characters can actually have serious, genuine emotions. also i don’t like outlining and i tend not to get betas for fanfiction so like..... i do my best continuity-wise but having really tightly plotted stories is just not my focus lol. (and i do put more effort into that for original stuff, it’s just fic where i kind of go wild)

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If the reader’s supposed to know what it means, then writing it in another language is iffy for me. (stuff like terms of endearment which come up a lot in fic are fine imo, you can just put a note in to translate them and your reader will prob remember)

If the pov character isn’t supposed to understand it, and it doesn’t matter if the reader understands it, then ig it’s fine? but unless you already speak the other language (and i am NOT confident in my ability to translate english into literally any other language), then i think it’s way easier to just note that a character’s speaking x language and provide tone indicators, body language cues, etc. so the reader understands as much as the pov character.

That being said there are def times when it’s used super effectively--the dialogue in spanish in cemetery boys comes to mind! that’s not fanfic but it’s still creative writing so w/e

so i guess it comes down to: does actually writing out the dialogue in the other language serve a purpose? if it doesn’t, then you’re filling up the screen with words your reader isn’t likely to understand, which i try to avoid doing

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

so the first fandom i actually *wrote* for was PJO, but i distinctly remember creating warrior cats OCs when i was little. i never actually did anything w them but i had them and my favorite was a riverclan warrior named shellstream i remember this VIVIDLY

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve ever written?

oh boy. okay so this is hard because i feel like i’m continuously improving as a writer. like in the sense that my writing is getting closer and closer to really matching my own taste? my favorites tend to always be my current projects as a result. and i do really love set those ghosts alight (HP) but it feels a little like cheating to say a fic i haven’t even finished writing yet. even though it’s def not cheating, that’s just the direction my brain is taking it.

i’m gonna say and then what? (OMGCP) because i’m super proud of the prose (especially ch 2 aka the first actual prose chapter), survived by (HP) for SUCCESSFULLY WRITING AN EMOTION and making readers cry :), and Q&A (AFTG) because i’m literally the one who wrote it and yet it still makes me wheeze. those are all fics i reread occasionally, because i’m big enough to admit i enjoy rereading my old stuff! (just like. to a point. some of my old stuff i can’t look at anymore because all the mistakes stick out to me like they have spotlights shining directly on them)

this was fun!! i’m gonna do an open tag because i just started my fall semester and brain tired. i know sometimes people see open tags and assume the op didn’t really mean it but I MEAN IT, PLEASE DO THIS AND TAG ME!!!!! YES YOU READING THIS

#tag games #long post #birl talks

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