#alya birthday fic

[flightfoot]

Miraculous Halloween Fic Recs

It's Halloween, so I figured that people might be in the mood for some spooky, supernatural, or just plain Halloween-related fics! All of these are complete.

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Herbs And Steam by @liiinerle

Juleka le Flor Blef, nature witch from near the forest of Couffaine, arrives at Eiffel Castle so she can partake in the Queen's Trials - a contest to determine the strongest witch in all of France. She wants to prove the strength of her magic, but when she arrives, her attention is quickly distracted by two very interesting women: Kagami, the princess, who seems to act nothing like a princess should; and Marinette, the blacksmith, who has created a magic all her own through metal, steam, and ingenuity. Juleka is immediately besotted with both of them, and needs to work extra hard to focus on her magic. Juleka also soon becomes aware that there is stronger magic at Eiffel castle than she had expected. For one thing, there's a tree in the courtyard put there years ago by a witch whose powers seem to surpass hers; for another, there's Alya la Pluvie Versaunt, who must be the most powerful mage Juleka has ever met...

Unusual poly here, there aren't a lot of Juleka/Kagami/Marinette fics! I love the world here, getting to see all these different witches honing their craft, and Juleka making friends with many of them - though especially the nonwitches Kagami and Marinette, of course XD. If you like some femslash or a good fantasy AU, this fic should scratch that itch!

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Soul Seeker by hislittlelady

After a shooting on her 6th birthday, Marinette Dupain-Cheng died. She was brought to the afterlife by her grandmother. She was content. Until the paramedics did their jobs and suddenly she wasn’t dead anymore. Waking up to find that half of her soul had remained tethered to the afterlife, allowing her the ability to see things others can’t, Marinette grows up an outcast. It isn’t until she moves in with her only friend, a detective she’s known since preschool, that she finds her purpose, solving his harder cases with the help of her spiritual connections. Three years later, she’s thriving. Her own business, two best friends, a K-9 drop out as a companion- life couldn’t get better. Until she meets Chat. A ghost with amnesia and a mask to match, Chat isn’t sure what he needs to move on to the afterlife (and, considering he’s stuck around for another three years, he doesn’t seem in all that much of a hurry to figure it out either!) When Amelie Agreste, a socialite from out of town, comes to Marinette for help locating her missing nephew, Marinette knows her career and her life will be on the line. But even a murderer intent on silencing her forever can’t keep Marinette from seeking the truth.

This is a really fun detective story. You can probably guess one or two of the major twists (not counting the twist of "Adrien is Chat Noir" which I certainly HOPE isn't a spoiler to anyone reading this), but that doesn't make it any less satisfying, especially with how Marinette's and Chat's relationship is developed. Or well, what interactions we see from them, since they've known each other for years by the time the story starts. I adore the "my friend is a ghost" trope, and the identity shenanigans and mystery around what actually happened to Adrien kept me wondering.

It's an M-rated fic, which I'm guessing is mostly due to an attempted sexual assault at one point in the story, though it doesn't get very far before it's stopped. I also want to warn Luka fans that he's not shown in the best light in this fic, though it's not too extreme.

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Through Yellow Eyes by @echo-has-queries

"Nooroo bleeds and Paris drowns in his blood." The day of the Blight, Paris bore witness to a horror too grand to comprehend. Only Chloé Bourgeois bore witness to a miracle. Marinette, Alya and the rest of Paris will need more than faith in Gimmi to survive. As the city's sanity hangs by a thread, bodies, minds, and souls are traded with the unknown in order to hold on to the things they each treasure most. Written for the AU Roulette Challenge 2024 with the prompt: Cosmic Horror AU

If you like Cosmic Horror (Lovecraftian I think? Though this isn't really my wheelhouse), then this is the story for you! I love seeing how Paris copes with the madness seeping through its streets, somehow going about daily life despite it all.

Kwamis here are more inhuman, more separated from humanity. There's no cute little miniature form to help bridge the gap. While humans can still meld with kwami, it's not all quite as firmly in the human's control as it normally is, and the side effects are worse. It doesn't help that the kwamis can't fully understand squishy little humans' wants, needs, or morality.

Like, as Ladybug, Marinette can't remember her human name, and her human concerns are somewhat muted. While as Marinette, she can't remember certain aspects of her time as Ladybug, and only regains those memories when she transforms again. She also has to be careful about restoring everything, as she can't just give Tikki a cookie and call it a day. Instead, she herself needs to eat enough to compensate for the lost energy, which can be a substantial portion of the goods in her parents' bakery.

As for Adrien... well, this is still going off of Sentimonster Adrien, though the ritual to create him went differently... and went wrong. But he is still Adrien.

Chloe's interesting as well, she's this sort of priest, this missionary for the kwamis, but her methods are... well, not the best. She still has a bunch of her canonical hangups, even though she IS somewhat helpful.

I love Alya in here, she's just desperately trying to figure out what's going on so that she can try to fix it, especially since Nino's one of the people who's been driven mad by the Blight. She does find some answers, and even ends up being partially responsible for Ladybug's creation and Chat's and Ladybug's subsequent fight against the worst effects of the Blight, but the risks, danger, and side effects she suffers are still significant. Though some of those side effects can be used to her advantage.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this AU and thought it was an interesting take on the subject, I highly recommend checking it out!

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Centuries Overdue by @rosie-b

Long ago, an evil Darkness spread across Europe, claiming the lives of many in the magic community. Trained by Plagg himself, Adrien made it his mission to stop the Darkness before it snuffed out the lives of more Mages and Talents, as it did to his own parents. Though he seemed to succeed in his mission, the pages of his old journals tell a different tale. In the modern world, Marinette is a fashion student, working at a small library for the summer to earn extra credit. She’s never believed in magic before, but when she finds the old Agreste journals in her library, her beliefs about reality begin to crumble. Determined to find the truth, both about magic and the unsolved death of one Adrien Agreste, Marinette begins on a journey that will eventually lead her deep into the city’s catacombs, where an ancient force sleeps, but is ready to awaken once more…

If you want a nice Magic AU, this is your jam! I slowly became more invested with Adrien's fate as Marinette did, and I loved seeing bits of this magic society. And of course, Adrien and Marinette always find their way to each other, even if Marinette happens to be a few centuries overdue.

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the monster who loves you by @purplecatghostposts

Mum nods, clapping her hands together. “Your brother is finally feeling better and is coming home today! Isn’t that so exciting?” Félix pauses mid-bite, processing her words. Mum waits expectantly, as if expecting him to jump for joy, or his equivalent of it. But… Félix doesn’t have a brother. (Or Félix’s brother is a monster, but only in the most literal sense. Félix’s father is a monster despite being very, very human. He learns to navigate the world through these two truths.)

I loved how this story emphasized the differences between different kinds of monsters - the type who inhabit horror stories, who look terrifying, and the mundane, human sorts of monsters who are often the most dangerous. And how monsters can choose to act humanely, while humans can choose to act monstrously.

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See This Chance by @19thsentry-blog

Luka died in 2016. Yep. Crushed by the Arc de Triumph when Mayura’s Robustus slammed into it. It was kind of a big deal, but once you’re dead, you’re dead—especially when there’s no Lucky Charm to bring you back. Luka’s been dealing with it in the typical ways. Written for FeLuka week 2023.

Yes, this is FeLuka. Not one of the typical ships I read, but I ain’t opposed to it, and this is a nice foray into the pairing. I love ghost AUs! Luka’s just fumbling around, unsure what to do with his incorporeal existence, until he starts haunting Felix. It’s an intriguing plot and I gotta admit, I wish it was longer so it could be fleshed out more, but what’s here is good.

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Attack of the Crystal Zombies by @trainsinanime

Kagami had spent more and more time hanging out with Zoé, talking about things like families, expectations and crushes on Marinette. It was only natural, probably, that she would help Zoé practice flirting. That was definitely a great idea. Granted, the deadly Akuma battle around them was a bit of an issue…

Quality Zoegami fic here! I loved how Kagami kept thinking she was bad at flirting, but it was sure working on Zoe XD. The akuma attack going on around them, interweaving with their conversation, added a bit of spice to the whole affair!

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Anchor by @liiinerle

“Marinette. Please take that sabre out of your neck.” “Right. Thanks. I forgot it was there.” She grabbed hold of the guard and pulled; the blade slid out like it had only been run through butter. After dropping it on the floor, she picked up one of the teacups and picked up a biscuit from a tin she’d brought in; she placed the biscuit on the saucer plate and handed the whole thing to Kagami, who could only really resign herself to accepting it. —– Marinette has raised Kagami from the dead, and also happens to be dead herself. It turns out some bad choices were made in the past. But that doesn’t mean they’ll lead to bad outcomes for them now.

I love this, Marinette’s incredibly blase about being a zombie - which makes sense, given how long she’s had to get used to the idea. And she’s waited so long, tried so hard to bring Kagami back as well, though if she didn’t WANT to be back, she’d accede to that request. Luckily, Kagami doesn’t seem to mind as long as she’s with Marinette XD.

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delicate in every way but one by katrinette

When Marinette finds a wanted ad that provokes just enough questions in her mind that she can’t help answering it, the reward is sweeter than she could have imagined.

I love the little bit of worldbuilding we get here about vampire society, and Adrien’s usual awkward adorableness in asking Marinette for a certain necessary favor. It’s always neat to see such familiar characterization in a supernatural setting like this.

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How Marinette Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Ball by @rosie-b

Hidden from the crowds thronging around the busy fairy portal in Paris’s town square, a fae gate sits at the edge of the forest, locked, rusty, and full of ancient magic. Marinette thinks that this abandoned gate must not work anymore… but one day, a fairy disguised as a black cat steps through it.

Ah, Fantasy Soulmate AUs, my beloved XD. This ain’t the only one of this fic type I’m gonna be recommending. This is just a cute fluff fic without much strife. I love Marinette and Chat Noir being able to be childhood friends via his visits, even if he has to pretend to be her cat whenever he comes over, and I ESPECIALLY adore Alya being his chaperone and quickly becoming friends with Marinette in her own right. It ain’t a complicated plot, but it is a nice and warm fic.

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a winter so warm by @rosekasa

winters were hard for even the best of vampires, but at least adrien had marinette to keep him warm with her cuddles. december was going to suck without her. so it was only to be expected to get extra cuddles in before she left, right? (well, not really, considering those heating supplements he was taking, but she didn’t need to know about that).

This one’s mostly just cute cuddly adorableness! It’s basically like all those “Marinette gets the Ladybug trait of needing to cuddle up to someone for warmth”, but with Adrien instead. And of course featuring Marinette being a very talented witch who just wants to help Adrien stay warm when she isn’t there XD.

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Stitched Together by @nedjsmlfavs

Stitch Witch Marinette was just supposed to be having a nice, terrifying outing with her best friends. She never expected to find a magically trapped kitten, but here we are! Whatever happened to this poor little guy?

Poor Adrien, being transformed and chained up for ages, having no idea that he was gonna be rescued. But at least he got to have fun at Marinette’s place as a cat! 

Most of this fic is adorable, though with some dark undertones lying in wait. After all, SOMEONE chained up that poor little kitty…

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I Put A Spell On You by dazaimaru

Friday, October 25. 6 days until Halloween.

It’s their first high school Halloween dance, and Marinette and Adrien are ready to throw on some non-superhero costumes for once--that is, until an akumatized witch spoils the party and threatens to reveal what lies underneath everyone’s disguise.

With Hawkmoth taking full advantage of the spooky season, the days leading up to Halloween are certainly going to be thrilling! Especially considering Marinette’s growing feelings for a certain black cat…

This one’s mostly just some really cute Lovesquare shenanigans around Halloween, with some really fun sequences like Marinette and Adrien getting body-swapped and Marinette temporarily becoming a vampire (and also Marinette repeatedly stunning Adrien with her outfits. I was just waiting for him to pass out from blood loss from a nosebleed).

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don't you worry child by @mexicancat-girl

Marc and Nathaniel have a good life, married and living together in a cottage in the woods. But they consider having children at some point. Marc in particular really wants to start a family with his husband. He knows the fey are real, so he goes searching in the woods to find one to strike a deal. He may get a bit more than he bargained for in the process.

This is based on a tumblr post that’s been going around, which I think a lot of people will recognize as they continue going through the story. That post is credited at the end of the fic, so as not to spoil the plot.

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The Convention by Peppermint_Shamrock

“Oh, sure, when Ladybug comes up with unusual solutions, it’s “clever” and “inspiring”. But when I do it, it’s “oh no” and “you’re going to get us all killed, Marinette”,” she grumbled. “At least Adrien believes in me.” When an Akuma rages through a comic convention, everyone is forcibly transformed into their own cosplays. Unable to transform into Ladybug, Marinette has no choice but to fight as a civilian alongside her friends. At least she was dressed as her partner. Written for Miraculous Spooktober Day 5 Prompt - Costume Party

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Ghost of You by its_just_lori

It finally happened. The akuma attacked at the wrong time. They weren't prepared. For the first time, there was a casualty. Someone was killed. Marinette didn't care that her identity was exposed to the world; she couldn't stop blaming herself for what happened. If only she'd been ready... if only she'd done more... There's nothing for Adrien to say. There's nothing he can do other than stay by her side and help her through this pain.

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The Pink Lady: Marichat May 2018 by @seasonofthegeek

In this story, Chat Noir, Carapace, Rena Rouge, Queen B, and Paon are the heroes of Paris. The Ladybug Miraculous has been lost for almost a century and it takes all of their combined power to cleanse akumas sometimes but they’ve found something that works since they don’t have another option. Hawkmoth is one of their villains, but not the only one plaguing Paris. Chat Noir happens upon an old hotel one night on patrol and discovers something and someone he didn't expect.

[mlbigbang]

2023 Marichat & Ladrien Fic Rec List

It’s the end of the year which means it’s finally time for the ML Big Bang’s yearly fic rec lists! We’re really excited to bring you our contributors’ favourite fics started this year to supply you with plenty of reading material while you’re waiting for the Big Bang fics’ publication in January.

Boulangérella by @aidanchaser

Once upon a time, magic was wild. The two princes of the kingdom have been tasked with choosing their brides by the end of their 21st birthday celebrations. Crown Prince Adrien Agreste will have to choose between a woman who can protect his kingdom, a woman offering the power to wake his sleeping mother, and the woman he has loved and admired for the past year. Then there's also the seamstress that he is suddenly falling for. By the time he realizes he doesn't have the power to choose at all, it may be too late.

It's a creative Cendrillon retelling with the kwamis as fay, Adrien as the kingdom's prince and most wanted thief, and Marinette as the seamstess and superhero partner stealing Adrien's heart twice over.

Scary, like a little black purring kitten by @h-sunnywet-d

The calendar just turned into October, and Chat Noir has to make sure that his Good Friend Marinette appreciates the new season wholeheartadly. It sure won't backfire on the long run.

Just An Ordinary Girl by @kasienda

Chat Noir and the other heroes are in a bit of trouble, and Ladybug wanted just one weekend off! But luckily they know someone who can help. Someone who is just an ordinary girl…

you will never sleep alone (i'll love you) by @ladyofthenoodle

Marinette had saved up for months to be able to afford this vacation. Not only that, but she’d spent months trying to convince herself that it was okay to even take a vacation, that Monarch was really and truly gone. Which was why Tikki was at home with Alya, so that Marinette could actually relax and enjoy the plush amenities the hotel had to offer, such as a bed that looked like it cost five times her monthly salary. Or, she would be able to enjoy it, if she wasn’t standing in the middle of the villa she’d booked over a month ago, fighting for the bed with freaking Chat Noir, of all people.

May I introduce myself, Your Highness? by @chocoluckchipz

Whether picking up a stray animal off the streets or saving a dying child at the market, Adrien had always strived to be the best version of himself. Truly, he would've been the perfect candidate to be snatched up by a kwami, were he an orphan, dying somewhere remote after a short life full of nothing but suffering and misery. Yet as it stood, the sole heir to the French throne had little to complain about. Apart from, perhaps, a complete absence of a love life. That is until a mysterious girl, wandering around his gardens at night, catches his attention.

This fic has it all - Ladrien, royalty, fairy tale elements, magic and disguises! It's an enthralling read and one of my absolute favorite fics from 2023.

The Perfect Date by @peachcitt

“I dare you to ask this special someone on the date you just described.” “I totally will,” Adrien says with confidence, looking into the camera and nodding resolutely. “Scout’s honor.” He holds up the kitten as if swearing an oath. There is a space of silence. “Right now,” Hanna says. Adrien stares at her. “I’m daring you to ask that person out right now,” she says. or adrien has a little slip up during a live interview, and ladybug hears. for the golden hour zine!!

reserved by @luckyyoyo

“Don’t you think,” he coughed, a blush creeping up his cheeks, “this kind of thing should be.. reserved for my girlfriend?” He gestured to their poses. A squeak came from her mouth and her knees buckled, but surprisingly still had no struggle keeping Adrien up. “You know, you could always be my girlfriend.” Ladybug, saviour of Paris and local damsel-in-distress Adrien Agreste, suggests he gets a fake girlfriend to ward off his zombie fans. While lovingly holding him in her arms, of course. Adrien, far too comfortable in her arms, suggests it could be her. Introducing your superheroine pretend-girlfriend to your strict, uninterested father is a bit harder than Adrien realises.

Displaced by @kasienda

Adrien loosened his tie and dropped his suit jacket unceremoniously across the back of the sofa that was already cluttered with unopened boxes, mail, and unfolded laundry. He really should have listened to Nino and hired a maid or cleaning person of some sort. But well, he still had a secret to keep, and keeping that secret was more important to him than ever. He moved to his bedroom on autopilot without turning on the light, intending to collapse into bed immediately. But when he tried to slip into his space, he found it was already occupied. He flipped his phone flashlight on towards the ceiling to light the room in a soft glow. In his wife’s place, Ladybug lay sprawled diagonally across the bed.

here comes the rush before we touch (come a little closer) by @ladyofthenoodle

When an akuma attacks during Adrien Agreste's beach themed photoshoot on a dreary day in Paris, Ladybug is on the scene immediately. Unfortunately, with a glimpse of Adrien's alluring abdomen and without her partner, it's not long before she's hit, and Adrien with her—but maybe Ladybug can afford a little vacation with the boy she loves. He's certainly not complaining.

On Borrowed Time by @miabrown007

The life of Paris’ Golden Boy is all shine and glamour; blindingly bright smiles, neverending parties, bargaining for just a shard of time for being happy. But that’s alright; Adrien has long given up the false hope that someone will get it. That is precisely why it’s a spectacle when she does, when she barges in like a hurricane in crimson and turns his life upside down. Heaven knows, it’s time for the wind of change.

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

Hey cap :3

miscellaneous meta lore question for OM this time!!

also I need you to know that I can't spell miscellaneous. every single time I have and will type it have been autocorrected it's like my worst enemy

Anyways- prelude time.

Other Magic is like so much fun because of the sheer variety of mythos and magic you incorporate into it. I mean; Alya is a twist on Selkies which have always been one of my favourite scottish folklore stories, there’s this one story about a boy who was a selkie that I read when I was way younger but I cannae remember enough details to find it again. Then you’ve got someone like Kagami who is a Nekomata from Japanese folklore which was super interesting to see and then subsequently do more research on, cause I didn't know they existed before that which was a failure on my part. And then you’ve got the more miscellaneous monsters of vaguely european origins which also fit the specific character themes wonderfully, like Juleka being a Vampire, Nino being a Gargoyle (which btw rocks (pun intended) for the whole protection thing he has going on) and Sabrina being a changeling the list goes on.

I honestly can’t tell if you’re just really good at finding the perfect fit or just such an excellent writer that what you chose feels like the perfect fit for your version of the characters. Probably a bit of both. 

Obviously you know all this, you’re the one who wrote it. What I’m getting at is; how the fuck did you decide how the magic system works?

Is it, like, not a concrete thing? Do you make it up as you go along?

Or do you have a proper magic system in place that fits behind all the crazy variety of sources you’ve pulled the monsters from?

If you make it up as you go along, what are some of the things you have decided are like hard rules of magic? (which do not go into spoiler territory! Perish the thought that I am vying for spoilers. Your response about how time worked in the PN universe without veering into spoiler territory was fantastic. and I'm insane about your drawings of Alix.) 

And if you don’t… how the fuck have you got a system in place for all this? Is it a hard magic system or a soft magic system? Please I beg of thee tell me how it works. 

Deciding on magic systems for things is the bane of my existence. Pokemon types and moves even count as one, so don’t get me started on how crazy insane I’ve gone for the origins of magic and how it works for the planning of my own miraculous fic is. like I need to stop. 

Anyway. The point is. Every single time you introduce a characters monstrous side you inevitably have to explain how that works in relation to the other magic (pun intended) and the fact that you’ve managed that without contradicting yourself or making things seem far fetched or shoe horned in has me clawing at the walls in my cage. Are you a magician. seriously, how did you do it.  

That and I’m curious if you’ll get more into how Miraculous magic affects regular magic (that feels like an oxymoron, as if magic could be normal). Cause obviously we got Little Red and Wicked Witch being akumatised together cause they were both holding the glove, but their closeness even while evilised felt like it was because of the familiar bond. 

This is a super broad question sorry if that’ll be difficult to answer!! however observations and notes on things plus hyper specific questions are coming soon! I simply must organise myself. (and have my 18th birthday tomorrow… so soon may be later than expected, i keep forgetting that’s happening this has changed my plans significantly. fuck)

Magic systems are pretty tough!! I originally made it up as a I went along, but what I did then that I feel like was important was- instead of just doing things and saying they were related, I tried to branch out the system by asking lots of "why" and "how" questions with myself.

So, for example with Alix, my base was; "Wouldnt it be cool if she wrote down spells like Luz and the Kane Chronicals" which is kinda lame. But still, I worked to try and clean it up. "Spells and Runes are like Code commands to magic." became the cleaner base. Then I asked; "Why not just use a wand?" So I asked myself "What makes wands different?" and so on.

I then asked myself if the answers I made could connect and become answers for other things. Which creates an interconnecting system.

Making it up as you go along is natural and inevitable, the only difference between planning and making it up is how long you think about it without touching your keyboard. I asked myself my big magic questions because of points in the story where I had no idea how something worked and instead of trying to fit it with what I originally knew, I tried to figure out how things would accomodate the new thing.

ALSO HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!!!!

[mysticraven20]

I’m excited to announce that this year I have once again taken part in the @mlbigbang

‘The Situationship’ will begin releasing on Friday 5th January (my birthday 🥳) as a special celebration. Then chapters will follow on a Sunday.

This year I have been paired up with the incredibly talented @peonyfanart and Miraculouslyshellie and I cannot wait to share the artwork for the fic! I am completely overwhelmed by what I’ve seen so far and I cannot thank you both enough for choosing this fic to work on 💗

Also, a huge thank you to my beta @uptoolateart for being magnificent and such a wonderful support, and also Lorena for reading through for inconsistencies in the story line.

Be prepared for 32 chapters of shenanigans, chaos and fun — with a twist

The Situationship

Synopsis: What if ‘the one’ split into two…?

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Lady Luck herself, has finally fallen on her feet after years of playing catch-up. Her boss, Mary Humphries of The House of Humphries, has invited her to be first assistant at an important meeting in London with none other than Gabriel.

But with bad luck seemingly always knocking on her door, she needs to make sure she doesn’t ruin this opportunity — which is easier said than done.

When she mistakes handsome, geeky looking Adrien Agreste as Gabriel’s personal assistant, suddenly she seems to have magicked up some luck.

They could not be more different in personality, yet after surviving a rather interesting Akuma together, a strange and exciting friendship begins… It’s just a shame one person doesn’t agree.

Someone who happens to be his ‘other half’.

Except:

Absent-mindedly, she reached out and grabbed her Chat Noir plushy, holding it tightly against her chest and feeling the bubbling emotion edge to break free. She didn’t want to leave him, not when she’d just figured it all out, when she’d figured out what she wanted them to be. It wasn’t just Paris she was unwilling to let go of — it was her partner too.

They’d been dating for just over three months, and what a blissful three months they’d had! But now it was all prematurely ending. They’d known this would happen. They’d known when they decided to give it a try that there was an expiration date looming over them. Both understood that their lives were about to take drastic changes in direction – but they’d decided to do it anyway, to finally give in to their overwhelming feelings — even if it had a short shelf life.

And now, the inevitable was happening and she hated it. More than anyone could ever imagine.

Alya stood from her position, making her way around the back of Marinette and wrapping her arms around her neck, her chin perched protectively on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Marinette nodded in response, aware the bubbling had finally broken free, spilling over and making a great escape down her cheeks. Alya knew the heartbreak she experienced every time she thought of leaving her partner. It felt like a divorce. Like a bereavement.

Every time Marinette thought of saying goodbye to her partner it was as though her heart had been ripped out. Nothing more than a confetti of complicated and complex emotions.

“I just… I…” She broke down, tears falling as she buried her face in her hands and grieved the loss of the most important thing in her life.

The sobs continued late into the darkness of night, as she and Chat Noir said their final goodbyes. Their hands were joined tightly together as they sat under the moonlight.

They were spending their last remaining hours together on their rooftop — exactly where they should be, spending hours talking into the darkness of night, reminiscing and conversing about nothing and everything – Chat Noir being his usual fun self even through the heartache he easily displayed on his sleeve. He was an open book to her, an encyclopaedia of all that was good and sweet in this world. No one would ever come close to him, and she understood that. No one was Chat Noir.

“You’re my true love,” he said. “And, as in the fairytales, true love will always prevail — because it's strong, and we’re strong. Stronger together.”

Marinette didn’t know where he was going, or what he was doing, but the pain of having to say a final farewell hurt more than anything she had done before, both giving in to one more night of passion before reluctantly leaving in the early hours of the morning.

Later that day, he left Paris.

Three weeks later, she did too.

[miraculous-related]

Okay, I just watched all that MLB has on Disney+ and this is what I have to say.

Why did they basically make Marc... not have social anxiety? Like, it would've been one thing if we saw him get to know everyone and become more comfortable with them, and getting braver, but it seriously came out of nowhere imo

Also, that scene of Gabriel dancing will haunt my nightmares

And lastly, I need fics with Scarabella and Kitty Noir. I think Plagg should visit Zoe for funsies. Or like, Adrien is invited to a small birthday gathering for her and Plagg is like 'well it wouldn't hurt to say hello.' And it makes me feel a lot less bad about shipping Adrino and Marigami now that Alya has someone too.

[echoing-gravity]

MLB X MCU AU in which Marinette gets revealed as Multimouse to the entire world

Because Alya cant be trusted to be responsible with a camera.

Every-fucking-one knows now. hawkmoth. her PARENTS. Hell even TONY fucking STARK knows she was a hero.

and then her parents make/force her to take Style queens offer to intern in NYC, because, from their perspective she is not safe in paris. and like- the AVENGERS are in new york so surely it must be safe there. so they pack up and move their entire bakery business.

and she ends up going to midtown high-school, where not to her knowledge, fellow teenage superhero Peter parker aka "Your friendly neighborhood SPIDER-MAN" goes to school.

Cute adorable shipping commences.

peter is all like "omg another teenage super hero???!!! like me???? i thought i was the only one???? transferring to MY school?!!! SO COOL!!"

"marinette is super smart, marinette is pretty, she was one of THE Miraculous Ladybug's sidekicks how cool is that??!, marinette is COOL!! maybe we can be friends? how am i gonna talk to someone that cool though?? i cant tell her my secret identity!!!"

insta-crush. peter is a marinette SIMP

(and yo, dont get on my case about marinette being super fucking smart, this is the girl who figured out she was getting a birthday party from just seeing one of her friends holding a bike pump. that girl is a tactical genius! she just has self esteem issues. they are both nerd, their just nerds about differnt things, let the nerds date!!!!)

of course Marinette still has the ladybug miraculous -even tho everyone thinks she doesn't have the rat miraculous anymore- and the miracle box. so she can still fight hawkmoth because the horse is basically fast travel irl, Space miraculous super conveintent.

(also concerning the mirsacle box, im going with my headcanon/Unlucky 13 AU on what that looks like post "ladybug becomes guardain" because that egg thing from canon? fucking lame

These ones^^^)

It would be canon compliant till season 2 and most? of season 3? but like fuck miracle queen, season3 finale + truth made me stop watching the show. so like in this au, lets just assume Fu is dead, and ladybug has had the miracle box for some time now. and that they got the miraculous when they were 13, and are currently 15? yeah? okay.

(also prolly chat salt, it doesn't HAVE to be chat salt, but like- He. Keeps. Trying. To. Quit. And leave all the work to marinette!!!! its happened like 3?? times now? Marinette CANT quit!!! its literally "do this or lose all your memories!!!" she is being held hostage by a fucking magic box full of responsibilities no 15 year old should have to deal with.)

I headcanon that marinette stress-bakes, so like cute scene number #1 after peter and marinette become friends, could be something like "marientte stresses for a test, and then bakes to much food so her parents make her take it to school to share with her peers, and she ends up giving like- 1/2 of them to parker, becuz of his super high metabolism.

and how marinettes got her whole "i'm RESPONISBLE!!! for the whole fucking universe now, omfg i'm the reason fu is basically dead" angsty shit going on which kinda parallels peters whole "i have super powers, and if i dont do something to help then its my fault if someone gets hurt, like how my uncle died. With great power, comes great RESPONSIBLITY!!!" angst. maybe they could trauma bond. who doesn't like a good hurt comfort trauma bond fic?

marinette likes designing fashionable but also functional clothes.

peter likes designing gadgets and techy things. let them be nerds together!!! in love!!

i feel like they would be the kind of couple/friends to just ramble on about their passions and they would listen to each other even tho they dont know much about each others interests yet. (also hey what if marinette and peter co designed one of peters early suits pre-stark suit??? the fucking writing potential this ship has omfg c'mon ppl!!! why are we sleeping on this??)

oh! and maybe peter figures out that marinette is also ladybug -but later on- cuz like, he has superhearing? and tikki isn't as subtle as she thinks she is.

and then he's all in awe like "Wow holy shit!!! she made her ladybug secret identity FOOLPROOF!!!! no one would ever fucking suspect!! maybe she can help me with mine???"

Fox miraculous shenanaigans insue????? The daily Bugles next headline be like: "SPIDER-MAN SAVES SI INTERN PETER PARKER FROM ETC ETC"

( the media thinks Ladybug and Chat are 1000+ years old due to that thing alya found in that museum that one time. and the fact that people know that Thor and Loki are super old.

Ladybug's excuse to the public for letting a teenager, Nay! for letting a THIRTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD use an extremly dangerous magical artifact for a little over 2 years, goes something like this: "Marinette was the ONLY person in france- maybe in the whole world! that was compatible with the Rat miraculous, it takes a very smart person to be able to multitask like that, and marinette has a photographic/phonetic memory."

i headcannon that marinette photographic/phonetic memory, and that the Rat Miraculous is the math miraculous that was mentioned in the comics that one time, and that if an incompatible person were to try and use it they would at BEST develop a severe case of split personality disorder/ or schizophrenia, and at WORST their brain would- just- melt out of their ears. )

Also he calls her "Spots" or "LuckyBug" when shes in hero mode.

(i cant think of cute nicknames for peter, ugh "web head" is just something i cant picture marinette saying. what's the french word for spider? what's the french word for cobwebs??)

She prolly just calls him "Webs" or "Spidey"

[tisthedamngreenbriar]

windows boarded up after the storm, he built a fire just to keep me warm.

guys i'm so embarassed. so. i wrote this for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Sprint Fic Challenge, BUT THE JULY ONE. and as you may notice it is september already.

in my defense, i kinda started this one and then completely abandoned it on my drafts and never once looked back. but now is here! kinda! this is my first time ever writing a challenge, and also my first time posting my writing in here!! for the sprint challenge july 2023, I chose the social media prompt + one of the prompts from previous challenges (hope that was allowed??)

this is neither polished or revised, just fresh out the notes app so you guys will have to forgive me for errors. i fully intend to develop this aswell, but we'll see.

enjoy!

***

It was supposed to be small. A simple get together for their group, with cake and booze to celebrate Rose's birthday. But, now they were in a mansion one hour out of town and Marinette was pretty sure she could smell something burning.

But, first things first: lets not get ahead of ourselves.

***

Moving everything was a pain in the ass. They'd to be quick and through so no food or garnment was neither damaged nor left behind - also watch out for the worst case scenario, harming sound equipament -, and the threat of the storm was making Marinette mimic the thunders, rumbling with anxiety. With everything already packed in the cars, they went on their merry way, with Adrien leading the path out of the city. 

The blonde boy really was an angel. Offering to take the party to his country house when the weather became Marinette's worse enemy was so kind that the bluenette's heart fluttered a bit, reminding her why she used to have that stupid and exponentially big crush on him all those years ago. Not that that meant anything: her romantic organ also gave a little jump seeing him help Kagami, his long term girlfriend, into the car. Affection just made her goofy.

Getting to the estate was easy, since the rain wasn't really pouring yet and the traffic was on their side, for a change. Obviously, it was huge, because the Agrestes never failed in that department, and everyone immeadiately? started setting everything up on the patio behind the main house and in front of the guest one, so they could use it for bathroom breaks and personal items since no one was willying to wander in the Agreste's mansion and risk scarring his perfectly put everything. The rain didnt seem to follow them so atleast it was safe to be outside.

And then there was Luka. Going around helping out everyone, smilling and whistling to himself. Luka who was just as oblivious to her as Adrien had been, cause apparently that was just her luck. 

"Girl, stop staring, Jesus" Alya's voice broke off any coherent line of thought that Marinette could have formed, startling the smaller one. "You're gonna burn holes on that poor boys back"

"Am I that bad, or is it possible that you are just a drama queen hoping to live uncomfortable situations vicariously through me since you are on a happy and commited relationship?" Marinette arched her brown and left out a breath after going through that phrase fast so that her best friend couldn't interrupt.

"I thought you were a double  major on fashion and business, not psychoanalysis, babes" Alya's eyes closed in on her behind the glasses, the tilt of the redhead's head adding to the menacing look.

"And I thought you were on margarita duty. Where are my drinks, Césaire?"

"Here," the sound came from behind Marinette and this time the jump almost made her drop the firmly held karaoke machine. Before she could register the movement, a arm came foward to take it out of her hands, caging her in. "Where do you want these?" The voice was now in her ear, speaking so softly it could only belong to Luka. This time, the surprise made her actually jerk foward and the man stepped back to allow the reaction.

With the added space, Marinette turned to face him, carrying a pint of she supposed were margaritas on one hand and the box who she was just strugglig with on the other like it was nothing. Looking absolutely delicious doing both, not to mention it.

"Sorry for the scare, Mari," he smiled at her apologetic and she believed she could have died right there on the spot, hearing the nickname and seeing the dimples "'I was just trying to help."

"No, no, its okay! Im just... jumpy. So much to do and whatnot" she tried her best to smile back but the proximity made it wobly. she probably looked so silly that just thinking about it made her wanna scream. But Luka didnt seem fazed.

"At your service" Marinette felt like passing out. "I'm gonna find a place to put these down and then come back to help, okay?"

Not trusting herself to speak, the French-Chinese simply nodded, and at that he walked out. Alya's eyes were on her the whole time, fighting back the smirk.

"Not a word" Marinette sushed her, and the journalist cackled into the sky.

***

The party was a success, as far as last minute ones go. It made Rose so happy she teared up a little over the cake, plus she was so delighted at Marinettes dedication to making the whole arrangement work -- and fighting for the party to go on on the first place -- that the petit blond decided to gift her with the first slice of cake.

Now, it was late and they were all a little too buzzed to drive back. The lights and decorations were all still up, so they sat on a messy circle made out of lawn chairs and pillows, chating about nothing in particular.

Somehow, Marinette ended up on Luka's chair, their bodies pressed together in the small space. Looking for the perfect position, luka grabbed her legs so that they were in his lap and trew one of his arms over her shoulders, causing the girl to shiver with the contact.

"You cold?" He asked her while drawing patterns on her knee hith the hand that rested there. She took a minute to answer positively, barely registering that it was a question, concentrating too much on the way his fingers found the spot that got all her hairs standing and saluding the man that was Luka Couffaine. The second shudder was welcomed by him, who took the softly whispered "yes" and the trembling as results of her freezing and not Marinette being turned on. Thank God for small mercies.

With that, Luka got up and sprinted away after drapping his jacket all around her. She didnt quite understand what was going on until he had already organized all the firewood on the middle of the patio and was trying to light it.

He wasnt. No way.

But apparently the thought of setting stuff on fire appealed more to Luka than simply holding her. Awesome.

"Do you ever just forget they're Couffaines? But then they do something like like this." She could hear the laugh in Rose's voice before turning to meet her eye. "In the beggining of our relationship Juleka would pull the most ridiculous stunts and go the hardest lenghts to prove herself to me. It was so silly. I felt like a damsel in distress on a bad mute movie. But don't worry too much about it. Luka is far more vocal than Jules, and even if he weren't they are fast learners, the Couffaines."

...What?

Maybe the confusion was obvious in Marinettes face, or she had said it out loud cause Rose continued.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Did I meddled? Is just that you guys have been on this will they, won't the thing for so long, and neither of you would just come out and say it! It feels good to be finally able to say it, that's it." Marinettes eyes widened even more than she thought it was possible. What the hell Rose thinks is going on?

It was only when all the bluenette could do was look terrified with her mouth basically hanging open, that the blonde one realized she made a mistake.

[hueynomure]

Loveybug AU reveal scenario:

Marinette, caught in the Loveybug enthusiasm, starts making gift after gift for Cat Walker (razionalising it to hell and back) to the point Alya notices that the Adrien Birthday Gifts Chest is filling up way slower lately.

After a patrol during which she gives him a particularly time-consuming item (a pair lovingly embroidered mittens - a stealth pun on Patte de Velours, to her shame) Marinette detransforms and freezes in horror remembering when she finished embroidering them (very) late last night.

She hid her signature in the mittens on autopilot.

[This has now a proper fic on my AO3! Link in bio]

[animeladybug]

Happy Felix Day!

Since Friday the 13th lands in October this year, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to patch together this quick little birthday fic for our favorite grumpy espresso kitty.

"Swiss?"

"Huh?" Alya turned to face her friend with a somewhat confused expression.

"Swiss chocolates? Does he like those?" Marinette inquired.

"I don't know. He's rich, so.. maybe.." Alya trepidatiously responded.

"Maybe German made stuff?" Marinette asked again as though she hadn't heard the answer. Her ahoge curved into a sort of question mark shape.

"Peanut butter." Alya quickly countered.

"Huh?" Marinette turned and acknowledged Alya for the first time since the conversation started.

"From what I've seen in his very close circle, Felix likes peanut butter candy. His Dad won't let him eat chocolate at all, but when he gets an opportunity, it's THAT one." Alya concluded with a wry smile.

"HUH?! So.. That means.. If someone GAVE him some candies like that…" Marinette half-whispered to herself, a crimson blush beginning to cross her cheeks. Her ahoge now curving into the shape of a heart.

"Like a certain LUCKY BUG perhaps?" Alaya hinted in a mild tone, capping it off with a wink.

"ALYA! SHHH!" Marinette frantically shushed, holding her index finger to her mouth with a panicked expression.

"Oh, it's okay.." Alya assured her friend with a casual glance around the campus grounds "No one can hear."

"You can never be TOO careful!" Marinette replied in a hushed tone and a suspicious expression, her ahoge now slowly spinning in circles like a radar. "Besides.. I CAN'T use my powers for selfish reasons, you know that! Something bad would happen to Felix or me!"

Alya simply heaved a sigh and replied "Mari dear, you don't take enough risks. If you love Felix THAT much, you've got to be willing enough to do something wild to get his attention!"

"I..I do love him, Alya.." Marinette replied timidly, her ahoge reflecting the heart shape once more. "But a birthday gift has to be carefully thought out. Besides, I DO have a plan.." She said. A slight grin beginning to form on her lips.

"THAT'S my girl! Always resourceful!" Alya smiled back.

Suddenly, the cheerful mood was cut short by a stray black cat traipsing by.

"Just a coincidence.. Don't worry." Alya attempted to assure her friend.

"SHUT UP!" Felix Sphinx shouted as he tossed the book halfway across the room, it just barely missed Plagg, his floating black cat fairy near the edge of his private library.

"HEEEY! Watch it! That was too close for comfort!" He complained.

"DON'T push me!" Felix snapped back at the mischievous creature. "I'm NOT going to let THIS birthday end up like the rest! I'm GOING to find a way to woo Ladybug!"

"Well, you don't have to take it out on me just because you can't stand some constructive criticism, birthday boy!" Plagg spat, crossing his arms defensively.

"For it to be constructive criticism, Plagg, it has to be CONSTRUCTIVE to begin with! All you've given me is DESTRUCTIVE criticism!" Felix growled, digging his face into the book he'd been reading. [Some peanut butter chocolates would really hit the spot right now..] He thought somewhat distantly.

Marinette sweated feverishly.. Carefully inserting the peanut butter interiors into each small chocolate pieces on her kitchen counter with the skill of a surgeon.

"Mari.. I really think you're overworking yourself!" Tikki, the small ladybug fairy imparted as she floated near her.

"Tikki! I've been making pastries since I was a child! I THINK I know what I'm doing!" Marinette responded tersely.

"Yes, but HOW LONG have you made them while KNITTING a scarf with your TOES?!" Tikki demanded.

"I'm on a time crunch, okay?!" Mari replied snippishly.

The next day, Marinette's ahoge probed around the large oak tree located near the school bench where Felix sat reading a book. With expert stealth and skill, she climbed the tree up towards the top, with a bundle carefully cradled in her free hand. Her ahoge then pointed forward slightly, as though acting like a targeting site near the empty seat near him. Then, with the grace of a trained bombardier, dropped the payload, which landed with a light thud next to the object of her affection!

Felix's eyes flared open with surprise, instinctively taking a combat position as he looked around with confusion only to see not a foe in sight. He cautiously looked over to see the bundle wrapped in decorative paper near him. Examining a tag attached, it declared in fanciful script "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FELIX!" His eyes still wide with surprise as they darted up to the treetop above him!

Marinette lay perfectly still on the limb she was wrapped around.. Trying her best not to betray her position. [Please don't let him see me! PLEASE don't let him see me!] She thought.

After a few more seconds and a sniff of indifference. Felix picked up the package and sauntered off with it.

[YES! He took it! He took..] Marinette began to think elatedly, before quickly losing her grip and tumbling from the tree! Now flat on her back in the soft grass, whatever nagging discomfort she felt was blocked by a sense of relief.. "Happy Birthday, Felix, my darling.." She said softly to herself.

"HEY! FREEZE!" Ladybug shouted to the sure-footed thief now bolting from one moonlit rooftop to another!

"HA! Nice try kid, but I'm outta.. HEEAAAAA!" The thief began to turn and taunt before he slipped and slid on roof tiles that suddenly came loose and attached to his feet, which he then proceeded to become entangled into a clothesline suspended in between two buildings.

From out of the shadows, Chat Noir casually sauntered over and snatched the stolen purse out of the thief's hand. "Sorry, pal. You're fresh outta LUCK!" He remarked.

"Hey, thanks again.." Ladybug remarked somewhat reservedly.

"Hmmph.. My pleasure, mon cherie.." Chat replied, swaggering over to the object of his desire. "You know.. Tonight is Friday the 13th.. And it's known to be.. quite unlucky.. Perhaps you'd be better off if a certain black cat crossed."

"OkaythanksI'mgoingtogivethisbacktotheladyhestolethisfrombye!" Ladybug declared in a rapid fire delivery, before leaping off the rooftop.

"Sigh This truly IS an unlucky day.." Chat moped.

Ladybug, having returned the purse to its rightful owner and now cascading carefree from the lampposts and rooftops on the slightly chilly Paris night couldn't help but notice something was different about the somewhat irritating fellow vigilante.. Something familiar.. About the scent of his breath..

[Peanut butter?] She thought to herself.

[flightfoot]

Any fic recs of Adrien dealing with the fallout of finding out his dad is hawkmoth?

Oh yeah, this is a popular plotline and tends to lead to some great fics!

---

Bubblegum Soul by @wehadabondingmoment

"The impulse to throw away his ring, to slam it on the ground and watch its metallic splinters chap away at his soul, got more tempting by the second. Maybe, for a moment, he would learn what it meant to be alive." (Or: Hawk Moth has been defeated and Adrien is suffering more than ever. Armed with unhealthy coping mechanisms and the knowledge that he apparently isn't human, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.) (Except that his father isn't quite ready to give up just yet.)

Poor Adrien. His father's defeated, but that doesn't mean that he's alright. Dealing with finding out that he's a sentimonster via his father attempting to order him around... that's harsh.

And it doesn't help that while he gets one ring back pretty quickly, he doesn't realize that he has a second amok...

If you like angsty sentiadrien fic, this'll be right up your alley! It's M-rated, but I'm not sure why. Maybe because Adrien's just kind of in a bad headspace?

---

Disintegrated Pancakes by @scribeofrhapsody

Adrien had started expecting the family breakfasts. He had NOT been expecting his father to collapse in the middle of one.

I’m shocked I haven’t seen more of this sort of thing, with Adrien finding out his father’s Monarch via seeing the Cataclysm wound. I love that Alya gets involved in this, being the person Adrien runs into after fleeing the room, and then Adrien getting to talk things out with Gabriel and Nathalie. Thankfully Gabriel is at least not completely incapable of being reasoned with here, or things could have gone worse than they did. It’s a nice little read, though with an ambiguous ending (at least at the time when I write this).

---

all of your flaws and all of my flaws (are laid out one-by-one) by @coffeebanana

Ladybug and Marinette have both been acting strangely since Monarch’s defeat, and Chat Noir would give anything to know why—to be able to help them. He just…didn’t expect his answers to come when Ladybug drags him to his father’s statue in the middle of the night along with a bag full of spray paint.

If you felt unsatisfied with Adrien being left in the dark about Monarch, with Ladybug lying about Gabriel being a hero, this is a great fic to read. Marinette’s breaking down keeping this secret, seeing people treat Gabriel as the hero she told people he was, until she finally snaps and has to do SOMETHING, has to tell SOMEONE the truth. 

Which Chat takes pretty well! He knows how persuasive his father could be, and he’s mostly just relieved at finally hearing someone say that Gabriel wasn’t a hero. It’s still a lot to cope with though.

---

Of Crisp Days and Crispier Cakes by @scribeofrhapsody

Gabriel wants to not be sick. Adrien wants to make a cake. Nathalie wants a chill birthday. Maybe they can help each other. Maybe it’ll be a disaster.

So this starts off as just the cute fluff fic of Adrien and Gabriel attempting to make Nathalie a birthday cake that the summary indicates, but soon evolves into a more action-filled drama fic when Gabriel makes the terrible decision to akumatize a cashier while sick… a cashier who happens to be in the same shop as Nathalie and Adrien. Who are willing to put their secret identities at risk in order to save each other.

---

After Irritation Do Us Start by @scribeofrhapsody

It was the most difficult decision of his life, but Gabriel did it. He let go of Hawk Moth. He moved on from Emilie. Now, all he wants is to enjoy life with his son and new wife. Unfortunately, a certain nephew of his seems to be determined to unearth what Gabriel needs to remain buried.

I love this look at what could have happened if during the season 3 finale, Gabriel had decided enough was enough and given up on being a supervillain, moving on with Nathalie instead. How much better things could have been if he’d just decided to stop - though Adrien still wouldn’t be happy to discover why Hawk Moth had suddenly stopped attacking.

Oh yeah, there’s an OC here called Gerald who Adrien’s puzzled by, since he’d never heard of this guy before the past year. At the end of the story you find out why he’s included in the story. It’s not a major thing, but it is kind of funny and fits well with the rest of the story.

---

Family by @unecoccinellenoire

“You know,” Nino grins, “if you need advice on being a big brother in a year or two I’m sure I could help.” The bottom of Adrien’s stomach dropped out. — Adrien struggles with the concept of his father and Nathalie having children.

So this is a world where Adrien and Marinette managed to defeat Gabriel, taking his Miraculous, with them giving him an ultimatum: they won’t out him as being Hawk Moth so long as he doesn’t cause any more trouble and does right by Adrien. Gabriel does, in fact, move on finally to Nathalie, giving Adrien a lot of mixed feelings to deal with. He still loves them both despite everything, but he’s also angry at them and he definitely does NOT want them to have children, both because he thinks they’d like any biological child they had more (he’s also harboring guilt from indirectly being the cause of his mom’s death), and because frankly, they screwed up too much with Adrien for him to want them to inflict that on another child.

And then there’s also Adrien dealing with the realization that he’s a Senti on top of that and wondering why he and Felix look the way they do, what Emilie’s reasons were.

It’s mostly just Adrien getting to talk things out, navigating this emotionally fraught situation he finds himself in now that the dust is settled.

----

and I thought I heard you sing by @into-september

When Hawkmoth has been defeated and unmasked, Marinette is left with two problems and no solutions. First, that Adrien is further out of her reach than ever before, and no-one can tell her how to get to him. Second, that Cat Noir is far more troubled than she knew, and the only thing she can do is wait for him at the place they agreed to meet.

It’s your classic “Hawkmoth’s defeated and taken into custody but that means Adrien’s in for a rough time” sort of fic. Everyone’s worried about Adrien and wants to give him what comfort and support that they can, but he’s being hidden away from everyone (which I mean, honestly that’s a good move), so that’s not really possible. Plus, Ladybug’s noticed that Chat’s having a tough time in his civilian life, which worries her.

---

If only I could break free by megetstoread

It started with Adrien being upset about going away, but led to a lot of revelations.  

Another Sentiadrien fic here! After telling Adrien that he’s being sent to London, Gabriel takes advantage of Adrien being distraught to akumatize him. Luckily Ladybug’s right there and deakumatizes him before he can even do anything, but it shakes both her and Chat, leading to her allowing him to tell her a lot more about his home life than usual, and for her and Adrien to investigate to see whether there might be more to Adrien’s inability to stand against his father than just psychological abuse.

---

The Parable of the Caller by @nemaliwrites

A week after Hawk Moth’s identity has been revealed, Adrien finds himself with nowhere to go, nothing he can do, and worst of all, strange gaps in his memory he can’t explain. In a stroke of luck, he stumbles upon a burner phone filled with voicemails from one of the Saviors of Paris: Chat Noir himself, who disappeared following Hawk Moth’s arrest.

But with each new voicemail Adrien listens to, he’s forced to confront the fact that there might be some kind of connection between himself and Chat Noir — and discovering it might leave him more broken than before.

I absolutely adore this fic, it’s a fantastic character study for Adrien! Basically in this universe, Ladybug and Chat Noir talked about who should be Guardian, with Chat eventually convincing her that he should be the one to take it on, primarily due to the whole “the Guardian gets amnesia about Miraculous-related matters” situation, and wanting to protect Ladybug from that. Then he finds out Gabriel is Hawk Moth, they take him down, and he relinquishes the Miracle Box and his guardianship to Su Han - all without having a Reveal with Ladybug, since well, he’s not in the greatest shape mentally at the time.

It’s a real treat to see Adrien’s thoughts and feelings about one of the Heroes of Paris leaving him all these voicemails, treating him like this close friend for reasons he doesn’t understand, and just seeing Chat Noir as this outside person. He’s got a very different viewpoint on Chat when looking from the outside than he would from the inside, with being able to see his heroic and good qualities far more easily when he doesn’t know that he is Chat.

Also Marinette’s struggling in the background of the fic with the loss of her partner and guilt over sending Adrien’s father to prison. It gets touched on at various points, and you can tell that she’s having her own story off to the side that we’re just not entirely privy to, what with this tale being told entirely from Adrien’s perspective.

---

drowning (in plain sight) by @buggachat

Everybody had expected Monarch's defeat to be a moment of triumph. Nobody had expected Gabriel Agreste, unmasked and mind frayed from continual abuse of the miraculous, crying out to all who would listen and making Paris certain of one thing:

His son, Adrien Agreste, is one of his sentimonsters.

And now he's missing.

Nobody can find him— not even the superheroes, and not even his closest friends. But Marinette, Nino, and Alya aren't ones to give up so easily. They'll find him, no matter what it takes.

(But, geez, would it kill Chat Noir to lend a hand?)

I’m sure everyone saw this one coming. If there’s one thing buggachat’s good at, storywise, it’s capturing raw, tumultuous emotions, frantic breakdowns as the characters desperately try to navigate bad situations. This was a real treat to read, as I’m betting most people reading this will agree, given just how popular the fic has been. It also has a ton of fanart, both by buggachat and by random fans, if you go looking for it (there’s a drowning in plain sight tag which I’d advise perusing). 

---

Not a Monster at All by @book-sandwich

Adrien Agreste overhears a conversation he shouldn't, and a revelation sends him falling onto the terrace of the only person he can trust: his good friend (?) Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Takes place sometime after the first two episodes of season 5!

As you can probably guess from the title, this is a Sentimonster Adrien, Monarch takedown fic. Adrien’s going through a tough time, and Marinette’s just trying to be there for him as his whole world’s collapsing around him. Unfrotunately, they still don’t know what the object is, or how likely Gabriel would be to control Adrien if he hinted that he knew the truth, which leaves Adrien in a precarious position - still not having done an identity reveal doesn’t help matters.

It’s a really solid fic for the genre, though since it started up before the later parts of season 5, there are a few things that don’t match up with the canon information we obtained later on. 

---

Under Oath by @eoscenes

In the aftermath of Hawk Moth's defeat, Ladybug finds her heart torn between her schoolgirl crush and her superhero partner ― who returns, after an unexplained hiatus, more irresistible than ever.

⋆☆⋆

Gabriel Agreste is unmasked, and Paris rises up in the aftermath.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng must weather Paris' anxious protesters, ravenous reporters, a scattered team of judiciary investigators, and her conflicting feelings for two different boys. In the eye of this storm is the elusive Adrien Agreste, the primary witness in his own father's trial, who might just hold the secret to finding the Peacock Miraculous.

(If only she wasn't in love with him.)

Meanwhile, locked away in Le Grand Paris hotel, Adrien grapples with his responsibilities to a city that can't decide if it hates or loves him. Keeping his daytime persona and Chat Noir separate entities becomes even harder when Ladybug, whom he has finally decided to get over, starts visiting him at night, determined to figure his secrets out.

(If only he wasn't in love with her.)

When an unknown figure returns with the Peacock Miraculous, Ladybug and Chat Noir will have to save their city once more — or lose each other trying.

I love how this fic shows Adrien just breaking down over the reveal of Hawk Moth’s identity, he’s in a Very Bad Place for a substantial portion of the fic, and being a suspect and witness in the case does NOT help. It’s got the most detailed “Adrien suffering the consequences of the backlash to his father’s prosecution” plot that I’ve seen.

Still, things get better with time, slowly, gradually. It’s not all at once, or a completely linear road, but he’s got his friends, even after everything.

---

run boy run by Anonymous

Nino was sprawled on the floor of his room with Alya when his phone chimed, in the quiet of a premature autumnal sunset. It was one of those lazy evenings that had become rare lately. Contrary to popular belief, he and Alya could get studying done when in the same room, and he was elbows-deep in late assignments, which meant his phone was on Do Not Disturb, which meant the notification could only have come from one person. ADRIEN 🐈: cmoe ove rnow ADRIEN 🐈: like riggt now ADRIEN 🐈: plag NINO: that is literally incomprehensible NINO: wait is that you plagg ADRIEN 🐈: mov faster

So this is a “Adrien finds out that his father is Hawkmoth and consults with Nino about what to do” fic, with Nino throwing Hawkmoth off Adrien’s track, though inadvertently at his own expense. Love Nino’s perspective here, and I always enjoy a good Hawkmoth-takedown fic!

---

When the Morning Comes by @into-september

Gabriel Agreste has been unmasked as Hawkmoth, and the girl who was fighting him all these years turns out to be Tom Dupain's daughter. And standing between them is Adrien Agreste with his life in shatters that Tom Dupain has no way of piecing together. But baking is at least a place to start.

I love how this not only digs into Adrien’s character, but Tom’s as well, especially how both of them have been estranged from their fathers. I haven’t seen that come up much.

---

missing person (at the window) by @coffeebanana

Adrien expected to spend another night staring at the ceiling and ignoring his friends' messages, as he'd done every night since his father was unmasked as Shadow Moth. But when Ladybug falls through his bedroom window, he gets a little more than he bargained for.

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This Distance Between Us by @coffeebanana

After defeating Monarch, the search for the Peacock Miraculous brings Ladybug and Chat Noir to a hotel room in London. But it's hard to enjoy the victory when Ladybug can't figure out why Chat's been so quiet, why he seems so sad. How's she supposed to help if she has no idea what's wrong?

This is a great Sentiadrien fic, with Chat freaking out about it and feeling like he’s not worthy of Ladybug’s affections, but not telling her what’s actually wrong because he thinks she won’t want him anymore if she knows. Of course, he’s wrong about that. Also there’s a pretty intense confrontation with Felix, pissing Chat Noir off is a bad idea.

---

Waiting series by @11jj11

First fic: Waiting

Every night Ladybug sat atop the Eiffel Tower, waiting for her partner.

---

Temporary Place To Stay by walkingonthestars

Caline Bustier hears the news. Caline Bustier worries about her student, whose father has just been exposed as Hawk Moth and arrested. Caline Bustier impulsively takes in said student. Caline Bustier does not know the half of what she's just gotten into.

[halfagone]

That was great! This next prompt is a bit more angsty. So it’s Danny’s birthday, and what does he get? It turns out the realms was waiting for him to become a certain age before he could take up kingship, the problem with that is that he and Pariah need to have an official battle for the crown, with each of them being given one of the two king items (the crown or the ring) so that both of them are of equal power. Basically they have to fight for the crown and the fate of the earth…with the fight being broadcasted live throughout the entire planet. Basically this prompt is seeing Marinette, Adrien, and maybe Alya’s reaction to the fight. The fight ends with Danny winning of course, but it’s a close thing with him literally flickering in and out of his human and ghost form, with his identity being revealed once the fight is over since he could no longer maintain his ghost form . What do you think? Bonus points if Adrien is an anime fanboy here, lol.

I think the main problem here is that Pariah technically isn't supposed to be able to leave the Ghost Zone? I can't remember the specific canon explanation at the moment (assuming there was one. DP tends to pass over a lot of explanations, which fair I guess) but I think that was a big, important reason why Pariah brought Amity Park into the Ghost Zone to begin with since he couldn't very well go out to it. Of course there could be a magical way to get around this (and believe me, I'm trying to figure one out for a few other fic ideas that have been brewing in my brain) so this would lead to a question of how this is being broadcasted. Their battle would be so dangerous and the destruction would be so widespread I seriously doubt that anyone would be able to catch the full thing on camera/video. And this is also assuming that Danny and Pariah's ghostliness and power doesn't just cut the feed or make it all blurry.

Unfortunately I don't have full-on prose for this idea, but! I can imagine how their reactions would go.

I actually think this would help Marinette lose some of the hero worship for Danny because now she understands he's not just some ancient, super experienced, super powerful hero. He's like her, he's just another teenager trying to do his best with all this responsibility and power that he doesn't always know how to handle. I can actually imagine Marinette apologizing to him for how intense they used to be, because now she recognizes that his hesitation and discomfort for what it really was. It wasn't him trying to be humble, it was him feeling inadequate for such praise.

But for Adrien, I think he would actually respect Danny even more when he finds out Danny's civilian identity. I wouldn't say the hero worship gets more intense, but I think Adrien would have more respect for how Danny tries to juggle both and deals with all this power. Because while Adrien might not have the same responsibilities as Marinette (if she is the Guardian already in this AU), he does have a lot of power at his fingertips as Chat Noir. Adrien would be more blown away by the control Danny shows, and I definitely think he would compare it to some anime protagonists he's seen or watched on TV.

[baenyth]

Bethany's Bizarre Miraculous Reviews Episode 3-24: The Expulsion Episode (aka Ladybug)

Alright, for research purposes I decided to watch Volpina just to go back to season 1 and see if I was being too harsh on Marinette. The results I came to were that Marinette was partially motivated by Lila being a crappy person. But yeah. Big Lila episode. Big salt episode. I bet the expulsion portion's going to be gone through in no time flat.

Long-ass dinner table. Seriously, man. Do you want yourself and your son to be that not-even-metaphorically distant just so you can have the edge seats of your dinner table with too many goddamn seats? Do you ever have any big occasions where a bunch of people come over and have dinner these days that would put this table to use?

...Marinette's having another birthday party so soon? It's getting even harder for me to believe that thi-wait a minute! This is a flashback!

Lila just conveniently being in a building near where Marinette's birthday party is taking place.

Gabriel's just like "What's the hold-up, Lila? You're supposed to be relevant to the plot, remember? You declared war on Marinette."

Oh god I'm getting secondhand embarrassment from how poorly Marinette is handling this. I can't watch.

Lila's mom isn't even there while Marinette's is lmao

I was right. It did go fast!

The funniest anticlimax. "Time for a massive battle royale! Sike! Natalie's sick from using the Peacock Miraculous like Hawkmoth knew would happen when she first used it!"

Alya's majorly looking out for Marinette. What an amazing bestie. Those fics were wrong. Marinette's parents seem to believe her too.

Natalie you doofus simp

So is Duusuu supposed to be like that or is that the effect of a broken Miraculous or?

So the Peacock Miraculous just needs an object? Not a separate person or anything?

...And none of the heroes said anything about Mayura even after she appeared on-scene? No one noticed either?

Another clone shootoff so soon?

Natalie killed sapient life when she couldn't fufill her purpose anymore. Points docked.

Well, he's less "grandpa" and more "pa" if you catch my drift, Cattablack.

And there's the lying disease. They should really tell that to the class so they don't fall into any misinformation pits.

Well, at this point I don't know what to say here. That if Marinette should be expelled, it should be for creeping on Adrien or something? This is getting tiring. And the next two episodes are Chloe's character execution.

You know what? Here's something.

I might've said this before, but the reason why I'm getting so into Miraculous in the first place is to write a fanfic where I enter the world of Miraculous as someone completely OP and suplex and utterly defeat Hawkmoth. I'll also be doing other work, such as breaking down the lovesquare and outing other evils in the Miraculous world such as Chloe's karen of a mother, and also Lila. Except instead of suplexing her, I'll have to get tricky. Psychological warfare. Lila is a smuggie and hates being called a liar, so I know she'll get fuming if you say she's bad at lying! Like, seriously. There are a thousand other pets Jagged Stone would be more likely to own than a kitten. Not to mention poking holes in her lies or busting out alibis or people that have a sixth sense for others' personalities!

[astrobei]

since it’s “got your spell on me, baby” anniversary i want to share the funniest coincidence that happened last year when u decided to drop “all this time (how could you not know?)” on the day my great-grandma died And then 2 days later “got your spell on me, baby” on my birthday. like. in what world this could happen? 😭

ALYA 😭😭 HELPPPPPP OMFG ok well first i’m so sorry to hear about your great grandma even if it is a year later 🫂 and second! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! i def remember seeing you comment on it last year saying it was your birthday before we were mutuals and then saw it a while later and went OH! that was alya! anyways i hope this year is soooo so good to you thank you for being a proponent of my fics even back in the og days 🫡

[floraracoon]

My personal thoughts on the horrors of the miraculous timeline (multiple events in Season 1 that due to their placement make it seem like Season 1 was four years long when in chronological order) and how I would address some things.

Please keep scrolling past if you don’t want to hear about this.

1) Birthdays/Major events.

I ended up reorganizing these plot points awhile ago for a fic so I have this pre-prepared for the most part.

The most problematic ones are the birthday episodes and the ones that have mention of specific holidays or the like. Stormy Weather is the one that most bring up but Dark Cupid also has us jumping from like early September to February.

As the kids have confirmed zodiac signs to my knowledge, the birthdays will be placed accordingly. So like Timebreaker would be around April which would be late in season 1. Evillustrator would be around May, and as such would also be around there. Befana would be happening around July, so it would be more towards Stormy Weather. This continues on for awhile, and generally there are some points that needed to be grabbed from later seasons such as Befana.

2) Marinette’s stalking behavior

⚠️Spoilers for Season 5⚠️

As many have pointed out, the placement of Marinette’s whole “backstory as to why she knows a creepy and high key illegal amount about Adrien” is… very retcon like. Especially considering that she only showed this behavior with Adrien. While this can be explained as just his being friends with Chloe, I feel there is a way they could have done this better.

By pushing back when she starts doing it.

Hear me out: If we have an episode back when Kim was Chloe’s lacky where Marinette explains why she’s been freaking out around Adrien, and maybe even avoiding him by telling this story to the girl squad it fixes some things.

Does it excuse her behavior? No. But there is a way that they could turn this into a lesson for the children that are the target audience. Middle schoolers are often in love with love. They want to be in relationships without the issues that come with it. They don’t know a lot because they haven’t been around a lot. The kids are SUPPOSED to be around middle school age being about 13-14 years old. But if they have it so this scene not only shows us these girls becoming friends, but also give the girls motivation to try and make a ship happen (something that also often can happen) then there could be a slow corruption arch of sorts where Marinette is pushed by her friends to get over her fear of loving Adrien by getting to know everything.

And since they are in fact children and mob mentality exists, suddenly you have 2-3 over eager girls pushing Marinette to do this.

This could eventually culminate in her pushing back around Season 4, as due to her having dated Luca without needing everything the girls had planned to get her with Adrien (also giving explanation as to why it is that they keep trying to set her up with Adrien while she is dating Luca) she realizes that what was happening was incredibly unhealthy. Maybe she explodes due to stress and heartbreak, and they think that she is just hiding something and that she isn’t genuinely hurt by what they’ve done.

Those who were enthusiastic about it (Mylene, Rose, and Alta likely due to how Alix behaves and Juleka wanting Marinette to stay with Luka) would be akumatized into the Gang of Secrets or something similar. Maybe Alix and Juleka also get akumatized due to either proximity (lending a whole new light as we know individuals can break out of group akumatization later on) or due to realizing how much their lack of pushback on the other’s enthusiasm hurt Marinette.

We get through Gang of Secrets and Marinette asks for space from the others. They all walk out. Maybe she asks Alix to stay back as she knows Alix will one day have the bunny miraculous and will know her identity eventually. Maybe she asks Alya in a later episode to stay back and tells her.

But either way we get a way to show children that if they feel their friends are causing them harm, it is ok to ask for space and maybe even sever ties with them for awhile.

Later on Marinette will have a girl squad again. Maybe it will be the same group but in a healthier way, maybe there’s some new members.

But either way, it makes it so trauma isn’t seen as an excuse for bad behavior and gives the children a message to carry with them as they go through some of the most emotional parts of their lives.

[verfound]

FIC: The Rocking Epic of Lukas Stone and His Lady Faire (1/5) (MLB, Lukanette)

Rating: Teen & Up

Characters/Pairings: Anarka Couffaine, Jagged Stone, Juleka Couffaine, Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tikki; Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Jagged Stone/Anarka Couffaine (Past)

Summary: Meeting your soulmate is supposed to be the most magical moment of your life, and perhaps it would have been if Marinette’s soulmate hadn’t gone and gotten himself kidnapped by a dragon the very same night.  Now she’s on a quest with a princess and a bug-sized god to bring him home, hopefully before he gets himself eaten…  (Or: Ver said “No Valentine’s Epics” this year and Cap just laughed.)

Author’s Notes/Warnings: Last year, after PH exploded like it did, I swore up and down there would be no Valentine’s Epics this year.  And then I got @chromemist , our dear cap’n of the good ship @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers, and her prompts – especially when she expanded on them – gave no room for non-epics.  😂  My prompts were “Soulmate AU” and “Royalty AU”, and Cap?  You can expect me this weekend. I have Words for you, ma’am.  😂  (Specifically, as of right now, at least five chapters and a potential sequel’s worth.  😂)

The Rocking Epic of Lukas Stone and His Lady Faire

Chapter One: Hey Dilly Dilly, Aren’t Soulmates Just Silly?

Marinette didn’t like parties.

“I must say, you do look enchanting tonight,” the man leading her around the dancefloor said lowly, smiling at her as he bent closer.  She hoped she wasn’t too obvious in the way she leaned back – his cologne was strong enough to make her gag.

“Thank you,” she murmured politely.  She hoped he took the demure way she turned her head from him as a show of coy shyness and not what it was: a desperate search for the nearest exit.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like parties.  Not really.  She just didn’t much like these parties.

These parties were parties thrown by her favorite uncle, King Jacob Stone.  When Marinette thought of parties she thought of the gatherings her friend Alya liked to host, with maybe three musicians in the corner and casual dancing and a table with snacks in the back corner.  Or maybe the dinners Gabriel Agreste, head of the most prominent fashion guild, hosted for his fellow guildsmen, hours of polite conversation around an elaborate ten-course meal.  She certainly didn’t think of extravagant gowns, stiff suits, formal dancing to a fifteen-piece band, and servants circulating with trays of drink and food for the partygoers to enjoy.  King Stone didn’t so much throw parties as he threw lavish balls, with all the pomp and circumstance befitting one of royal status (and all the…eccentricities befitting a royal like Jagged Stone).

This particular ball, a masquerade at that, was being thrown in honor of his eldest son, the crown prince.  Today was the prince’s birthday – his eighteenth birthday, at that.  So if King Stone had gone a little…well, overboard with things, no one entirely blamed him.  Your eldest son only came of age once, after all.  It was, Marinette supposed, a pretty big deal.

It was still more party than Marinette was accustomed to dealing with.

[sunfoxfic]

les illuminations en douche et d'autres miracles pubères (55592 words) by noirshitsuji Chapters: 17/17 Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois/Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe Characters: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Nathalie Sancoeur, Nino Lahiffe, Alya Césaire, Nooroo (Miraculous Ladybug), Chloé Bourgeois, Original Male Character(s), Duusu (Miraculous Ladybug), miracuclass - Character, Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng, Master Fu (Miraculous Ladybug), Wayzz (Miraculous Ladybug), Original Female Character(s), The Banana Man, Xavier Ramier Additional Tags: Background Relationships, Crack Treated Seriously, fandom memes, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Eventual reveal, Shower Epiphanies, Half-Decent French, Canon Played Straight, Everybody is Sleep-Deprived, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir and Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, The Save Nooroo Foundation, dark humour, Unhealthy Relationships, Poor Nathalie Sancoeur, OOC, Politics, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, POV Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, POV Marinette Dupain-Cheng, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, POV Alya Césaire, POV Nathalie Sancoeur, POV Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Meta Consciousness, Meta, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Slightly Unhinged Ladybug, Light Angst, Nino is Actually Luka, Nino Lahiffe Is So Done, Light Hysteria, Past Drug Addiction, Suicidal Thoughts, Mild Language, Unresolved Romantic Tension, mild sexual humour, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Being Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Nathalie Sancoeur Does Not Get Paid Enough, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Awesome Nino Lahiffe, Awesome Alya Césaire, Implied/Referenced Ableism - if you squint at chapter 6, Fluff, Minor Angst, Non-Graphic Violence, Developing Relationship - Alya Césaire/Chloé Bourgeois/Nino Lahiffe, Explicit Language, Mental Health Issues Series: Part 1 of les illuminations en douche 'verse

Summary:

Shower epiphanies and other pubescent miracles: of Marichat, emotional teenage delinquency, adults' questionable understanding of how the world works or should work, political power play, investigations, reveals, memes, half-baked meta, and the first-ever Save Nooroo Foundation (that the author is aware of).

Or, simply put: canon on crack, featuring Adrien “romantic pro-gamer” Agreste, Marinette ”Schroedinger’s Very Tired™ friend” Dupain-Cheng, Gabriel “you don't need the two most powerful objects in the universe, you just need a therapist” Agreste, Plagg and Tikki “five more minutes of this and they'll be throwing hands with the Meta Consciousness for putting them here" the kwamis, and many, many more.

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Happy birthday to a bastard I cannot tag because they literally deactivated their blog days after our first interaction. Anyway go read their fic, it's really good, I promise. They're currently writing a prequel about Gabriel's days in the circus