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stareyedmoonchildworks · 1 year ago

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Daminette Corpse Bride AU

Well AU-ish

Original Post

So we left off in the land of the living and learned that Marinette's groom is hoping She's not found so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty.

In comes in either Luka or Felix (whichever fits your preference) as they have known the Dupain-Cheng's for some time.

For drama purposes, they could have romantic feelings for Marinette or you go the platonic love route where they are there to see if her groom is worthy of their friend. (He's definitely not worthy.)

When they arrive, they hear the news bellower shouting out the most recent news while ringing the bell.

"EXTRA! EXTRA! The only daughter of the Dupain-chengs goes missing after disastrous rehearsal!"

That has them booking it to the bakery where both families are sitting together trying to figure out how to find Marinette.

However, they notice that it her groom seems to have no interest in finding her as he seems to be zoning everything out. That pisses them off.

After introductions are made, they ask the groom to walk with them, in the guise of finding and clues as to where Marinette could have gone.

They reach the church and go around back to see if there's anything there, and that when Luka/Felix pin her groom to the wall.

"What the hell is your problem?! Your bride is missing, and you don't seem the least bit worried! Don't you love her?! Marinette is an amazing girl, and anyone would be lucky to have her as their partner!"

"If I didn't know any better I would say you love my bride. If she's such an amazing girl as you say then why don't you marry her?" - The groom

This pisses off Luka/Felix more, resulting in the groom getting a black eye.

Now this seem entertaining to the groom, and now wants to marry Marinette out of spite. Just to rub it in their faces.

Perhaps marriage does has its benefits.

When they get back to bakery, they fawned over Marinette's groom. Which he resumed them the black eye was caused by his own clumsiness.

Luka/Felix really don't like him.

In the land of the dead:

Marinette is honestly kinda terrified, but at the same time living her best life

Ever since spending time with the Wayne family she's seen a change with herself.

She's more outgoing and relaxed around them. Especially with Damian.

She honestly thinks that perhaps if she met Damian when he was alive, she would choose to marry him instead.

Damian and Marinette spend a lot of time together. He discovers her interests, the things that make her laugh, her fears, and the fire that hides within her heart.

When he told of her of his family's demise. She didn't show sympathy but rather angled that someone would do such a thing to them. Especially after learning all the good they did for their community.

It almost looked like she was about to commit murder.

Just when he thought he couldn't fall for her anymore.

Meanwhile his family are spying from a reasonable distance. Some are even hiding in some of the coffins lying around the area.

They are so invested in this relationship. More than they should be.

"I never seen baby bird fall this hard for someone before" - Dick

"Tell me about it. He didn't even show half of the emotion he's showing her to his ex-fiance" - tim

"She could do better." - Jason

"Shut up, Jason" practically everyone in the batfam

"Fuck you!" - jason

Don't get Jason wrong her loves the "demon spawn," and loves Marinette, bit he's a realist.

He's read the vows, and come on, Damian's a dead dude.

"Till death do us part." Dpnes anyone else remember that line? No? Just him? OK then.

He really hates the fact that they are setting themselves for heartache.

One day, Marinette asks Damian why they haven't moved on yet.

He tells her it is because he knew his family was so excited to see him get married, and when it was about to happen, they all died. He wanted to make them proud, and show them that they didn't need to worry about him no more.

"Eell, if you want I could marry you." - Marinette

"I couldn't ask that of you Marinette," - Damian

"But I want to." - Marinette

Damian swears his long since dead heart skipped a beat .

They announce the wedding and Marinette says it will be upstairs.

Everyone is excited.

Cue the scean where everyone is getting ready for the wedding here.

In the land of the living

Everyone is freaking out the dead is brought back to life.

Then, realise they mean no harm. Live relatives get to spend some time with those who have long since passed.

Luka/Felix see Marinette in her wedding dress in the crowd of the dead and can't help but feel a sense of dread wash over them

Her original groom sees the Wayne family with Marinette and can't help but feel fear and anger.

At the church, the ceremony is being held when Luka/Felix come in when they said speek now or forever hold your peace woth her original groom in tow

* insert shocked wedding guests here*

A dual breaks out between luka/Felix between Damian.

Marinette's original groom hold her back to keep her from interfering. He's high-key hoping that Luka/Felix die

Some how they talk it out during the dual and Damian realizes that luka/Felix what the same thing as him; for Marinette to be happy.

He turns to Marinette, and getting a good look at her original groom, he says their name.

"Hello, Damian. It's funny seeing you and your family here when you should all be 6 feet under." - Marinette's original groom, he says, pulling out a knife and holding it up against Marinette's throat.

It is here we find out the Original Groom and his family worked for the Wayne's and where the ones to poison them.

Turns out the original groom was greedy, always wanting what he couldn't have. Thus, he manipulated his family to help him commit murder and steal the Wayne family fortune.

He fights with the Wayne's + Luka/Felix and is able to hold his own.

He tires and gives Marinette up,

congratulating her on having such great mates.

They all glare at him and watch as he drinks from the chalice that Damian told Marinette only he would drink from.

*insert dying noises here*

Everyone dead minus the the Wayne's and Alfred go to give Marinette's original groom a "warm welcome"

Spoiler: it was not welcoming at all.

Marinette hugs luka/felix as Damian watches.

Damian sees she's in good hands and can't help but feel at peace knowing that.

Turing to him, Marinette asks if he still wants to continue the wedding, but he says no.

Little my little he and his family start to turn into butterfly.

Damian then tells her that he no longer wishes to be married bow that he is happy and at peace. It is then revealed that that is why the rest of his family stayed behind.

All they wanted was to finally see him happy.

Marinette gave him a bone crushing hug which he reciprocated, and one by one the rest of his family joined in.

Marinette cries when they all disappeared, and all that was left between her arms was air.

Luka/Felix held her until she felt better.

After the event her original groom's family was held accountable as accomplices to murder.

The Dupain-Cheng bakery saw an influx of customers and were able to expand their business, with the help of Luka/Felix

Marinette happily stays single, and lives out her wildest dreams.

Maybe even adopts in the future

Alternative ending 1:

Marinette and luka/Felix spend more time together after the event

Slowly fall I'm love

Marinette is still able to live out her dreams with a supportive partner.

They get married

Alternative Ending 2:

Rather than moving on Damian and his family come back to live, able to once more walk amongst the living.

"If I had a nick for every time I died and was brought back to life, I'd have two Nicole. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice," Jason

"The first time doesn't count as it was faked," tim

"I'm alive! How many years has it been? Do you think Barbara and Wally are older than me now or..., " Dick, just happy to be alive and able to contact friends.

Duke and Cass are smiling, happy to be alive, and for Marinette and Damian, finally able to be together.

Damian is hugging Marinette happy he is able to hold her in his arms. Happy that he can be with her

Alfred and Bruce have to interupt them, so they can formally meet Marinette's family, and press charges against her original grooms family.

A year later Marinette is walking aboung the aisle with her father.

Luka/Felix is her best man

Damian feels like he's the luckiest man in the world.

Alternative Ending 3:

The boys don't make it on time to object.

Marinette decides she'd rather be with someone eho makes her happy.

He drinks from the Chalice even though Damian tried to talk her out if it.

" I'd rather be with you in death rather than later marry someone who I can not bring myself to feel the way I do when I am with you." - Marinette

"Are you sure this is what you want?" - Damian

Marinette smiles and drinks from the chalice.

When the boys arrive, those of the dead are long gone, and so is Marinette

She and the Wayne's live happily ever after in the afterlife.

The end.

Tags:

@zalladane @draco-kasai @heldtogetherbysafetypins @emilykeys

#maribat #dc x miraculous #mlb x batman xover #maridami #mlb x dc #corpse husband #corpse bride au #daminette #honestly i got kinda lazy and some bs pop out #sorry about that #anyways it's around 4 AM where I'm at and i need sleep #or coffew #haven't decided yet #also yes Marinette lovers her parents #and she wouldn't die without them being ok #but the last bit is if she chose to be a little selfish

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ayydrienagreste · 2 years ago

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Tell me about your au!!!

Mai you have opened the biggest can of worms

Ok listen, listen, right off the bat it's Kwami Swap ok? Ladynoire and Mister Bug, but also Le Filou and Tortuvelle (you can figure those two out ;) and more!

With that comes some dynamic swapping of course. Adrien has a huge crush on Marinette and refuses to tell her, yet flirts with her constantly. Laugh machine, is never serious. Mister Bug on the other hand is Serious and sometimes standoffish. Can be short with Ladynoire but respects her and admires her courage in battle. Struggles with thinking outside the box regarding his Lucky Charms. Mister Bug is dedicated to the people of Paris and doing what's right without hesitation (to a fault) Tikki is a great resource for keeping Adrien on track as a civilian because he can be easily distracted by small issues.

Marinette is a nervous ball of anxiety and Plagg does his best to show her that chaos can be a good thing. She is desperately in love with Mister Bug and tells him constantly as Ladynoire. She is much more open to being a force of destruction knowing that the Lucky Charm will undo all of the damage she causes. Sometimes you have to break things to fix them. Plagg loves her dearly and wishes he could help er more.

Lovesquare now consists of Mister Noire, Adrienette, Ladrien, and Maribug (sorry, that's the best I could do). Mister Noire is very one sided from Ladynoire, Mister Bug ignores and rebuffs most of her advances. Will sometimes smooch. Adrienette is mutual pining honestly, they are just too dumb to confess. Ladrien is friendly and sweet! Adrien appreciates getting to know Ladynoire without the devotion and Ladynoire enjoys spending time with Adrien that's not school or bakery focused. Maribug is Marichat 2.0 and I will not apologize.

Some episodes are moved around for my version. For example, Lady Blanc replaces Befana in season 2, Dearest Family happens in season 1 and Chloe doesn't get her Miraculous until season 3 (but she actually earns it this time) Luka gets his during Captain Hardrock and Juleka gets hers during Princess Fragrance. Also none of them get their canon miraculous :D if you squint hard enough you might be able to guess which ones they get but don't worry if you cant, I'm not making it super obvious.

Holy crap I hope that makes sense. I've been thinking about and planning this for months.

I will make a separate post regarding Hawkmoth and Mayura and how that works because oh man it's heartbreaking. They are the only non swap right now but that could change.

Let's call it... Color Theory AU because colors have a lot to do with it and the post regarding GabeNath and HawkMura will explain it better

#color theory au #ctau #miraculous ladybug au #miraculous fanfic #miraculous ladybug fanart #ml fanart #thank you mai #my asks

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froggychair05 · 3 months ago

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SCREAMS AND CRIES AND EXPLODES THANK YOU THANK YOU LOOK AT THEM!!!!!

Gift for @froggychair05 ‘s fic Sugarcoated on ao3!! It’s such a beautiful fic I just had to draw art for it…

#minecraft story mode #mcsm jesse #mcsm lukas #bakery au #SOBS AND EXPLODES I LOVE THEM #THANK YOU ASH #THE LITTLE FROGGY CHAIR…..OHHHHHH #I LOVE THIS

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froggychair05 · 13 days ago

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Goobers in my phone :)

#minecraft story mode #mcsm jesse #mcsm lukas #mcsm petra #mcsm binta #mcsm stella #mcsm jack #mcsm nurm #bakery au #drew Lukas sweeping because I sweep SO MUCH at work. it’s crazy #also hehehehe Christmas Jurm…..coming at some point to a bakery fanfic near you #re-drew that rig again because I love them and also I wanted a bakery au version #chapter ten phone call…..I love you chapter ten phone call…..#that’s me in the corner (read to the tune of Losing My Religion by R.E.M.)#I NEEEED to draw him in his chapter seven outfit more I love the sweater #also also BINTELLA……I love Bintella……..#my art

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kleenex-tissues · 2 years ago

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Yours Truly (8)

AO3 here

Ch. 8: First Comes Love, Second Comes Marriage, Then Comes Jagged Pushing a Baby Carriage

No matter how many times Marinette lied to herself, she knew that deep down, she was not over Adrien Agreste. It was supposed to be an adolescent crush, not one that would follow her so closely to adulthood, and quite frankly, she was a little tired of it. Adrien was her best friend. He came to her for advice and comfort, and she cared for him in ways that weren’t supposed to breach the line of platonic. Hugs, cuddles, and all the other displays of affection his father couldn’t afford him. She loved him, but not in the way he would love her.

Sometimes, it was difficult to be his main support system. Alya and Nino tried their best to fill in the gaps, but they were no stand in for the bond shared between Marinette and Adrien.

She knew he was Chat Noir. After all, she had to learn eventually to fulfill her duty as the guardian. However, she did not wish for him to know her identity. Laying that secret on his already heavy shoulders would be too inconsiderate for her to even consider, so she sufficed with being his friend in and out of the suit. Even though he may not ever know she was Ladybug, they still shared that unconscious bond that placed trust in one another above all others.

It was painful, knowing that he had overcome his crush on Ladybug but hadn’t fallen in love with Marinette in turn. She knew it was unfair, but part of her would always resent the fact that he couldn’t seem to love either side of her. Yet, she loved him, so she let him lay his head on her shoulder. She let him lay in her bed and cry after his father banned Adrien from setting foot in the office, the one place he could see him. She held him and stroked his hair and rubbed circles on his back. She let him consume all of her love, without ever expecting anything in return.

And today, Adrien told Marinette that he realized how terribly he had treated Kagami when they had dated. He had left her to the wayside often, expecting that she would replace the love he had for Ladybug without giving her anything back. He had led her on when they were kids and he wanted to try learning what it was like to love someone again. He decided Kagami deserved to have the chance he couldn’t give her the first time. She had never stopped loving him.

Marinette smiled and encouraged him to go for the girl, but her stomach was twisting. Had he not done the same to her? Thrown her to the side when all she did was be there for him?

She pushed the feeling down, forcing herself to believe that this jealousy was an emotion reserved for someone she loved, and she wasn’t supposed to love Adrien Agreste anymore.

To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Growing Up

Hey Damian,

Have you ever fallen in love before?

It’s kind of a bad feeling.

It makes my stomach ache and my hands shake. I find myself jealous of my friends. I resent Kagami because Adrien wants to fall in love with her. They dated once, a long time ago when I told myself I loved someone else, even though I knew I couldn’t get over him.

He didn’t give her a chance, and I suppose I never really gave Luka one either. We were too busy chasing each other’s shadows to give anyone else the love they deserved.

I fell in love with Adrien when I was 14. I made a calendar based around his schedule, brought him sweets from the bakery, and tried countless times to confess to him. It never did work.

I know he loves me now, even if it's not in the way I wanted.

Maybe one day I’ll stop loving him, and be the friend I’m supposed to be.

I hope you didn’t feel your first love the way I did.

Au Revoir, Mari

–

Marinette fidgeted in her seat by the café window. She was supposed to meet Penny Rolling here an hour ago, but the meeting got delayed due to an akuma attack. Penny was stuck on the other side of town by a police brigade and Marinette was, well, fighting the akuma.

It had been a quick but annoying battle. Mr. Pigeon – no, Mr. Ramier, had been akumatized for the hundredth time after he found that his favorite pigeon to feed had been hurt when a car ran her over. It was an accident, of course, but his emotions overtook him nonetheless. He cried, caused a little more destruction than normal, and was de-akumatized. Ladybug left him with a card for a great therapist and sent Chat Noir home before his feather allergy made his face swell any further.

It was a simple open-and-shut case, but Marinette couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Hawkmoth hadn’t sent out any akumas this week prior to today’s attack, and it was an easy one, at that. Every week was different, she knew that. Some weeks brought a few large and difficult attacks, others many smaller ones interspersed throughout. She hadn’t had such an easy week as Ladybug in years. This was not normal. Hawkmoth had to be planning something.

She made a mental note to talk later with the kwamis about how to handle the situation, maybe send a letter to Su-Han at the Guardians’ Temple. After he had returned to the temple two years ago, they had been corresponding on how to best handle the situation. They had many theories regarding the identity of Hawkmoth and his ultimate plan for the miraculi.

Marinette had wandered herself deep into her thoughts, barely able to register the notification on her phone. It was probably Penny, apologizing for being late. She doubted she’d need to read it, but she checked her lock screen anyway.

Instagram - Just Now

Dukethomas20 is now following you.

An eyebrow quirked. She didn’t know anyone named Duke, but sometimes she would have fans from her design account follow her personal account. It probably wasn’t a big deal.

Just as Marinette went to click on the account, a breathless voice sounded behind her and shut out all thoughts of the notification. “Mari, I’m so glad I’m not too late!” Penny had finally arrived, stepping closer to the young girl to give her a hug. “These stupid akuma attacks are gonna be the death of me. If I have to hear Jagged try to sing the akuma out of their transformation, I think I’ll just let Hawkmoth take the reins.”

Marinette laughed and hugged her friend back. Penny was the manager and wife to world famous celebrity, Jagged Stone, and a recurring patron of MDC Designs. Not to mention, her honorary aunt.

“I’m glad you got to make it here. How have you been?”

Penny released her, moving to sit across from her at the small round table. She was nervous, Marinette could tell, so she placed her hand on the older woman’s to remind her that everything was safe with her. Penny swallowed and a shaky smile grew on her face.

She leaned in close to Marinette and whispered, “I’m pregnant.”

Marinette practically flew out of her seat in excitement. She threw herself around the table and into Penny’s arms, cheering for her. Penny and Jagged had wanted a baby for a couple years now, so the fact that it was finally happening filled Marinette with glee. She felt that the people she loved should always get to have these happy moments. She would save Paris and make the reality happen.

Penny snaked her arms around Marinette and cried into her shoulder, glad that the time had finally come. The two couldn’t be happier and if Marinette had pulled Penny out of her chair and was holding her up, no one in the café would judge her for it.

Realization dawned on Marinette that she was holding Penny high in the air. She set her back down gently, even going so far as to push in the chair for her. Penny was pregnant, so Marinette was determined to do everything possible to protect her and her unborn child. She apologized for being overzealous, but Penny waved her off, merely motioning for her to sit with a generous smile.

“We want you to be the godmother,” Penny said.

Marinette was taken aback. Sure, she babysat Manon for a long time, but that didn’t mean she was qualified to be a godmother! It was a huge honor, but she hesitated to respond, afraid of her ability to fulfill the job in case an accident happened.

Penny knew she was getting ahead of herself. Mimicking what her niece had done for her earlier, she grabbed Marinette’s hands and squeezed. “I know you’re overthinking this, but Jagged and I talked about this. There’s no one that we trust more.” Marinette blushed. “You’re kind and smart and responsible. You would be the best possible role model for our baby. We would love nothing more than if you would take this honor.”

This was a big commitment, but hearing Penny’s words of affirmation, Marinette knew what her answer was.

“Yes,” she gushed. “I would love to!”

#maribat #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #damian wayne #maridami #mlb x dcu #dcu x mlb #batfam #miraculous ladybug #batman #batfamily #wolfish-writes

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uptoolateart · 2 years ago

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All That Is Necessary - Ch 4

Co-Written with @raspberrycatapult

PREVIEW from Chapter 4:

Who knew how long this would go on for. How long it would be until the adults came back.

If they came back.

A cold chill ran through her. She shivered despite the jacket she wore.

No. They had to. They had to come back. This was all just a bad dream. Some sick game. At any moment the adults would reappear. Her parents would come running out of the bakery, arms raised, calling her name….

‘Marinette?’

For a moment, she allowed herself to believe the vision had come true. Then she blinked herself back to the moment and turned to Adrien, reading the question in his eyes: Are you okay? She gave him a small nod but knew he wouldn’t buy it.

She turned back to their friends. ‘You’re looking after all these kids on your own?’ She thought of Alya and Nino, fetching their siblings.

The other three exchanged a look, and Marinette understood. None of them had considered that they were looking after those children. None of them had thought about the long term.

‘Where are some of the others?’ Adrien asked. ‘Like Mylene or Alix?’

‘A lot of them went to their houses, to check for…you know.’ Rose said this in a hushed voice. As though their parents had become supernatural entities you didn’t want to invoke by name, lest they punish you.

‘Others went to get food,’ Luka added.

‘Speaking of…,’ said Rose.

Max and Kim were approaching. As they came closer, Marinette saw that Kim was holding a croque monsieur in a white serviette, nibbling on it as he walked. The sight of something so normal was startling.

‘So we meet again,’ Max greeted them.

‘Hey guys,’ Kim said, standing beside Adrien. ‘What’s up?’

‘Where did you get that?’ Marinette asked.

Kim shrugged, picking out a piece of ham and popping it in his mouth. ‘That cafe-bar on the corner. No adults, obviously.’

‘Did you just…take it?’ asked Adrien.

‘...yes?’ Kim said, licking the grease from his fingers. ‘Is that…bad? I would have paid if there’d been anyone there to pay, but….’

Adrien shook his head. ‘Yeah, I’m…sorry, Kim. You’re right, I guess. It just….’

‘...feels wrong,’ Marinette finished.

They shared a look. How was it that after so long silently loving this boy, in the space of a few hours it felt like he was the only one who understood what was in her mind? Because in that moment, she was certain they were thinking the same thing:

This was like the boys driving that stolen car. One more step over some line that, once crossed, meant a point of no return. Like Napoleon and the Rubicon river.

She surveyed the park again, finding the place Kim had mentioned. It was directly opposite the bakery, right at the entrance to the park. She’d eaten there once or twice. Her parents were friendly with the owners.

‘I’m hungry,’ one of the little kids spoke up, and Kim startled, only just seeming to notice them.

‘Feel free to go grab something,’ he said. ‘There’s plenty more where this came from. Soup, too. And cake. And half-eaten food on the tables, but that’s gross.’

Now they were encouraging children to steal. ‘You can’t –’ Marinette started to say, then stopped herself. Because who was she to tell these kids what to do? She wasn’t their mother. She wasn’t responsible for them.

She didn’t want to be responsible for them.

Keeping Reading at Ao3

** An AU inspired by the ‘Gone’ series by Michael Grant, adapted heavily to a Paris setting and the Miraculous character set. PLEASE READ TAGS. Rating: Teen+ **

#ml fanfic #mlb fanfic #ml fanfiction #mlb fanfiction #ml fic #mlb fic #adrien agrest #ml adrien #marinette #ml marinette #adrinette #adrienette #fanfiction 2023 #ml au #mlb au #ml kim #ml alya #ml nino

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froggychair05 · 6 months ago

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OH MY GOODNESS AAAAAUUUUGGGHHH IT’S THEM THANK YOU 🥺

@froggychair05 's Sugarcoated fic is very cute and should in fact be read

#minecraft story mode #mcsm lukas #mcsm jesse #bakery au #THANK YOU THANK YOU #I absolutely love your art style and so seeing this pop up. oh my gosh I’m gonna scream /pos #THEY ARE SO CUTE #I loved writing this scene so much actually #AUGH to see it drawn is such an amazing thing

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their-destinys-writer · 2 years ago

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I posted 122 times in 2022

That's 103 more posts than 2021!

17 posts created (14%)

105 posts reblogged (86%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@buggachat

@frostedpuffs

@zoe-oneesama

@carpisuns

@overworkedunderwhelmed

I tagged 110 of my posts in 2022

Only 10% of my posts had no tags

#miraculous ladybug - 49 posts

#ml - 22 posts

#bakery enemies au - 14 posts

#marichat - 13 posts

#writing - 11 posts

#ml spoilers - 9 posts

#fanfic - 8 posts

#scarlet lady au - 7 posts

#adrinette - 7 posts

#miraculous - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 94 characters

#i hate been so busy that i had to get through the entire work day to finally watch the episode

My Top Posts in 2022:

Exaltation literally revived me. I am literally sitting in front of my computer, furiously writing. I’ll be damned if I don’t have at least 90% of this chapter done!

18 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

“Yes!” Ladybug punched the air. “We still have ten minutes left!”

Chat Noir landed behind her, barely catching his breath.

“We missed a whole block back there,” he panted.

“We did?”

“Uuugh, we need to go back.” Chat Noir threw his head back as he said it. “I don’t wanna.”

“Wait!” Ladybug had grabbed his tail, right as he had turned around to take a running jump.

Chat Noir looked over his shoulder, giving her a stare that sent goosebumps down her spine. She bit her lip, trying to think of a justification for her decision, but couldn’t find one.

“Let’s stay,” Ladybug resolved to say. The truth was easier anyway. “I don’t care right now. Paris will survive one night we don’t do a full sweep of the city. I wanna rest. With you.”

Chapter 6 of Rattled is up. Check out my contribution for the @mlbigbang, updated every Saturday.

20 notes - Posted February 20, 2022

I have so many questions about the trailer. Like, is Master Fu DEAD? Did she just find the earrings on the FLOOR? Why does the yoyo have a mind of its own? How does it fly? Did they just break a centuries old window?

25 notes - Posted December 4, 2022

You are the Music in Me: Lukanette Fan Zine

We can finally share our pieces! The Lukanette Fan Zine has finally been shipped and we are allowed to share our pieces. I had the honor to write a story in art collaboration with the awesome @edendaphne, who made gorgeous artwork depicting a scene from it. Show her some love! And thank you to the team behind @youarethemusicinme-lukanette for letting me be a part of it. Enjoy some Lukanette goodness!

Wedding Magic

No one said seeing Luka in a well-tailored tux would make life—and a confession—so much harder than it already was. But alas, there Marinette was, doing her best to not drool on her own sparkly Maid of Honor dress. Just as she let out another wistful sigh, said man tucked a stray hair behind his ear.

Oh yeah, because the handsome suit wasn’t enough, he also had his hair slicked back. For the first time in his life, according to Juleka.

The sigh turned into a noise more akin to a whimper. When did Luka become so handsome? How long had she been away for? How long had she been fantasizing with confessing her feelings for him, that he suddenly seemed ten times more attractive?

“You’re doing it again,” a voice sang next to her.

“I can’t help it,” Marinette whined, turning to Rose. “I’ve never seen him like this before. He looks so good. And the way he’s laughing…” Her eyes turned soft. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“He better be,” Rose laughed. “He would be a terrible Best Man if he wasn’t happy for his own sister.”

“That would make him a terrible brother,” Marinette agreed, gaze still locked on those irresistible silky strands that made her want to brush her fingers through it.

“Marinetteeee,” Rose sang again.

The lovestruck woman whimpered once more. “I need a distraction. Yup, that’s what I need.”

Marinette pushed her way through the crowd until finding a waiter carrying glasses of wine. She grabbed one and made a round around the room, stopping to chit-chat with several old classmates.

But in less than ten minutes, she was already back merely three meters away from the Best Man. She watched for a moment, as Luka laughed at something Mylène had said. Marinette let out a resigned sigh, ready to give up and leave it for another time. Yet, just as she was turning, Mylène left her spot, leaving Luka on his own.

This was it. It was the perfect moment. Marinette stood straight, squaring her shoulders, chin up high. A deep breath filled her lungs, giving her the needed confidence to take large strides to him.

“Luka, I—”

Marinette slipped on the skirt of a table, tripping her enough to spill some of her wine on the very man she was calling. Her eyes almost shot out of her eyes, as the shirt and vest of the gorgeous suit became tainted in plum.

“Marinette, are you okay?” Luka asked, his hands holding her elbows.

“Your suit,” she breathed.

“My suit is fine,” he insisted, attempting to catch her gaze, which was focused on his chest. “I’m more worried about you. Do you need anything?”

“I-I…” Marinette sighed in resignation, all confidence gone. “I’m fine. Let me help you with that.”

She lightly pulled on his arm to lead him to the doors next to the bar, into the kitchen. Once inside, Marinette sought out the first aid kit her parents always took to events they catered. Something they had learned to do after one too many accidents that ended with several scrapes on Marinette’s knees.

“I’m not hurt,” Luka said, brows furrowed.

“It’s for the shirt,” Marinette clarified. “I can mix this with dish soap to clean it up.”

She took out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, along with a teacup, a spoon, and the soap. As she did a small chemistry experiment, her eyes remained focused, refusing to look at the object of her current embarrassment.

“Marinette,” Luka said quietly, lightly touching the hand that was furiously mixing the ingredients, making it stop. “I know I never ask you to tell me what’s wrong, but I can’t help but feel this is about me.”

Her lips pressed together. How is he always so perceptive, she thought. Shoulders slumping, Marinette let go of the spoon.

“I was gonna talk to you about something. But I lost my nerve,” she admitted. “And now I can’t find it again.” The hand that was on the spoon moved to pick up a cloth napkin instead, and dip it in the mixture. “This should help with the shirt.”

When Marinette was about to start scrubbing away the stain, Luka’s hand was back on hers, this time with more strength. As she looked up, she was startled to see how close he was. So close, she could make out the light pink color on his cheeks.

“You know you can trust me with anything, right?” he said, with a husky voice she had never heard come from him.

See the full post

249 notes - Posted April 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

You know what the craziest part of Elation is? Suddenly, a whole lot of the people I have been following for years, who had moved on to other fandoms, suddenly just showed back up. Screaming Marichat at the top of their lungs.

265 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #anybody else notice how I barely started being active again this year?#also I'm surprised I posted that much writing #here's to a more active year in 2023

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leafweaverryn · 2 years ago

Text

*brings in another shitty pot*

this is just an experiment. i'm only playing with this au. i'm not writing any more after this. this isn't my next longfic. this is just an experiment to see if i can make shitty pots and learn from them.

...

*sobs*

here's more of a lilanette utena au that two people asked for because i'm an idiot who wanted a throwaway prompt for a day.

link to the first one

cw: lila being lila, lila rossi, lilanette, lila/marinette

Before Chloe could answer, a murmur at the other end of the cafeteria cut her off. Lila lifted her head in interest and smiled excitedly at the new handful of students coming in. Among the half dozen faces was that pretty little thing she’d seen before. Her sapphire black hair was in two little space buns decorated with dangling red ribbons, framing ivory skin, pink cheeks, and a smile that lit up the room. Even though Lila had yet to see her up close, she knew in her heart of hearts that the young woman would be poetically pretty, if not completely beautiful. Though she was wearing the same standard puffy sleeves and skirt as all the other girls, her uniform was decorated in pink.

“Oh la la,” Lila cooed. “What pretty girls your school has. Miss Chloe, since you seem to know so much, could you introduce us? I’d like to get to know her very much…”

Too late, Lila saw a sparkle in the blonde’s eyes, as if she had just caught the Italian vixen in the act of sneaking in men after curfew. Chloe smiled darkly, then turned in her seat to sing a sweet “yoo-hoo!” and wave for the young woman and her entourage to join them. The pretty thin waved back, and Chloe placed a hand on Lila’s shoulder, resting her chin there as she leaned on the transfer student. Her voice was a whisper as she answered, their attention joined in admiring the young woman from their seats.

“Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” she answered Lila’s question at last. “I imagine you’d like her. She’s majoring in fashion design and business management, with a secondary in restaurant management. If she can’t be a professional designer, she has her family’s bakery to fall back on.”

“A designer? How delightful. Perhaps she should consider being a model as well…” Lila licked her lips, approving of every glimpse she saw of the young woman’s slender legs. “She certainly has the figure for one… But someone as lovely as her couldn’t possibly be single, could she? Please, tell me the truth, is she dating anyone right now?”

Go on, tell me… Who’s the competition? Who do I have to exploit to get to her? Who do I have to weave and lie and turn the world against to make her mine?

Who do I have to kill?

Chloe nodded pointedly at the group. “She’s with Luka right now.”

Her lip curled in a dark scowl as she noticed the young man standing at Marinette’s side, his hand touching the small of her back as they shuffled through the line.

“I see him…” Lila hissed in disapproval. He wasn’t bad looking, with a smile on his sunkissed skin, blue hair, and a blatant disregard of the school uniform, with his blue jacket tied around his waist, almost hiding the cutlass at his hip.

“Rumor has it that he cheated to win her, using a hook when a secondary weapon wasn’t agreed upon,” Chloe continued. “But Marinette’s mad at Adrien, to the point that she’s refusing to speak to him, so she ruled in favor of Luka, who won her. Give it time. Someone else will snap her up soon enough. I believe Felix has already declared his intention to challenge Luka, or I’d do it myself. It’s been too long since I last had her yummy scones.”

Lila’s heart sank. “Oh. So she’s straight.”

“Mm,” the blonde hummed, shrugging with one shoulder. “No, she’s bi.” She smiled knowingly as her whisper became more hushed, so quiet that it drowned out the rest of the world. “Marinette is whatever you want her to be. Do you want an obedient servant? She’s an excellent cook, and positively magical with a sewing needle…” Her voice became a purr that, combined with a touch brushing Lila’s neck, made the vixen’s skin prickle. “Do you want a lover who guarantees you’ll come first every time? She’s every bit as soft as she looks, and her lips are sweet, like strawberries.”

“Why?” Lila asked before she could stop herself. “Why would such a sweet looking woman reduce herself to a playtoy to be passed around?”

“Because she has to…” Chloe’s lips were so close, Lila could almost feel them brush her ear. “She’s our rose bride…”

The words sent a shiver of something cold down Lila’s spine. One of her mothers once told her that that chill meant, long ago when Lila was a young girl and had them frequently.

A touch of destiny…

“Once every four years or so, a random student is chosen,” the blonde went on. “It is both a blessing and a curse. According to legend, whomever is her prince will receive a great reward. Money, fame… her. The prince is her champion, her lover, her soulmate, and can only claim her by dueling others. No one else may touch her, else they would become cursed. And no one knows who her prince is, not even her. Only the castle and the crest knows…”

Lila didn’t get a chance to ask what the fuck does that mean? Her target was too close, and Chloe peeled herself off the vixen as Marinette, Luka, and a few other students in their wake stepped up to their table. Marinette had a tray of several teacups and a couple plates of snacks in her hands. Without having to be commanded, Sabrina began shuffling chairs to make space for the newcomers.

Up closer now, Lila’s suspicions were confirmed.

Her “pretty little thing” had been a beautiful goddess all along, with plush pink lips, clear skin, and blue blue blue eyes that sparkled more brilliantly than any sapphire Lila had ever seen. She had a natural, resting small smile that hid a wealth of secrets.

“Come sit at our table,” Chloe invited them. “At the very least, it’ll save me from having to repeat myself for introductions. I promise, I’ll behave…” She smirked behind her hand. “But I can’t say the transfer will promise the same…”

“She better,” the young man in blue, Luka, replied with a smile. Light glittered off the ring piercings on his lower lip, like moonlight on a viper’s fangs. His cold ocean eyes were locked on Lila’s. “I’d hate to ruin your first day by starting a fight before you’ve had a chance to settle in.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lila scoffed, flicking her hair. “I want no part of your stupid sword games.”

Marinette tilted her head at the vixen. “So there’s nothing you want more than anything? You have nothing to fight for?”

“Absolutely not.”

Slowly the young woman nodded, though her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. “Curious… very curious…” She snapped out of her thoughtfulness with a smile. “In that case, we’d be happy to join you for tea.”

Chloe squealed in delight and clapped her hands as the little friend group circled the table and took their seats. As Marinette set her tray down and claimed a spot across the table from Lila, the vixen lamented the distance between them, but decided it was a much better angle to admire the gentle curves of her face and neck. Luka sat beside her, a chair between him and Chloe. Joining them was another red-head, though this one was voluptuous and wore an orange jacket with uniform pants and had a rapier at her hip, another young woman with purple hair, a purple jacket, black skirt, and cutlass like Luka’s, and a blonde pixie in pure pink, who ended up beside Lila, who scooted away a little so she wouldn’t get a cavity just by being near her.

“If I may,” Chloe hummed once everyone was comfortable and tea and snacks were served. “Miss Lila, some of your fellow classmates and students of note. Luka Couffaine, lead guitarist of one of the school indie bands. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I’ve already told you about. Alya Césaire, head of the yearbook committee and academy journalism department. Juleka Couffaine, Luka’s twin sister. And Rose Lavillant, head of the school charity and fundraising committees.”

“A pleasure to meet all of you,” Lila said to Marinette. “I am Countess Lilaousia de Francesca Emelia Catharine Rossi the Third.” She sighed and rested her hand to her cheek. “Ho hum, that is so long for you to say if we’re to be friends… I suppose I have no choice but to let all of you call me Lila for simplicity sake.”

The pink pixie at her elbow cooed in wide-eyed wonder. “Oooh, a real countess…”

On her other side, the goth in purple mumbled something that Lila didn’t hear, but Rose giggled softly.

“What are you majoring in?” Alya asked.

“I haven’t decided yet,” the vixen lamented. “I already have a masters in philosophy and nursing, plus my CNA certification, so there’s so much more I could possibly do. Perhaps something in law or public administration…”

Luka’s eyes narrowed on her. “Clubs?”

Again she shrugged. “Same same. I value my free time, but there are some clubs that look interesting…”

“You should join the fencing club,” Chloe hummed. “There are too many boys, and you have the body for it.”

“Mm, no, I’d rather not,” Lila replied, waving her off. “I don’t like getting gross and sweaty if I can help it, and besides, I’m not very good at it.”

Behind her teacup, Marinette smiled knowingly. “What a shame.”

Lila smiled and rested her chin on her hands. “And what about you? What clubs are you in? Perhaps I could be persuaded to join, if it meant seeing your beautiful face more often.”

“Oh, I’m not involved in much,” she answered, her eyes falling shyly. “I help out with the drama club and bake for the fundraiser committee…” Her eyes flicked up to Lila’s with a raised eyebrow and playful smirk. “But most of my free time goes to refereeing for the fencing club.”

Fucking swords again! Lila masked her annoyance behind a smile.

“Well! If I have nothing better to do, I might swing by to observe,” Lila conceded. “Where do you usually meet?”

“Our usual sparring ground is on the roof,” explained Luka. “There’s a rose garden with a view of the whole castle. First timers take the stairs until their first victory, then they’re allowed to take the elevator up.”

She kept her attention on Marinette. “You’ll have to show me sometime.”

“Only if you join,” the young woman countered. “It’s off limits to non-club members.”

That’s so fucking stupid, Lila scowled behind her teacup. She scoffed and waved Marinette away. “I’ll think about it. Depending on my workload, I may not have the time for silly games.”

“It’s not a game,” Alya snapped. “And if you’re not a player, you’re a pawn. Sword or no sword, you’re fair game, same as the rest.”

Lila narrowed her eyes on her. “My my… You say it’s not a game, yet you still call others pawns. Fluff your tail all you want, but no one tells me what I can and cannot do, what to do, sword or no sword. And Heaven help the bastard who tries, I will shred them with my bare teeth.”

“You can try,” Juleka mumbled, her voice so quiet that Lila almost missed it. Her visible amber eye had a sadness to it that was soul deep. Slowly, she shook her head. “The only way to resist is to escape.”

She bit her tongue to keep from shivering.

Above them, the bell rang over the intercom in a pleasant chime.

Lila stayed seated as the others stood; Marinette was equally unmoving, a mirror to the vixen across from her. Someone, probably Sabrina, gathered all the dishes and trays onto one neat stack. Books were picked up and jackets were put on. Murmurs of conversation were exchanged, but nothing existed beyond the veil of space wrapped around the two still seated, as if they were hiding together under a blanket universe.

“There’s still time,” Marinette said, her voice low and songlike as the rest of the world melted away. “The castle hasn’t dug its thorns into you yet. You still have time to escape.”

“And why would I want to run away?” Lila leaned forward on her elbows. “Pretty women, my choice of classes, a living space, and a weekly allowance… Why should I give up any of that? Because of some spooky talk and sadistic threat of being owned by my peers?” She smiled darkly. “I don’t scare that easily, princess. If you want me gone, you’ll have to try harder.”

She tilted her head to one side, eyebrows raised. “What made you choose here? Was the academy a whimsical choice or a last resort?” Marinette leaned forward as well, mimicking Lila’s pose. “What are you running from?”

The vixen swallowed hard. “Who says I’m running from something?”

“We’ve all done something to hide, to run from. We’ve all committed some sin or another. We all have at least one skeleton in the closet. Some figurative… Some literal.”

A chill ran down Lila’s spine.

A touch of destiny…

“I’m innocent.”

Lila smiled skeptically. “Then you have nothing to be afraid of.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“Then why are you shaking?”

“I’m not shaking.”

Marinette held out her hand across the table, and Lila reached to touch her. Even before her fingertips brushed Marinette’s palm, the vixen could see and feel she was right; Lila was shaking.

Her smile softened as Marinette ran a gentle thumb over Lila’s knuckles. The touch made her skin tingle. Marinette gave her hand a gentle squeeze and let go, standing.

“Do what you want Lila,” she said.

Marinette gave her a last look over her shoulder, Luka’s hand at her back to guide her away.

“It’s what you’re best at, after all.”

#ryn writes #lila rossi #lilanette #shitty pot

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aidanchaser · 1 year ago

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Boulangérella: A Miraculous Fairy Tale AU - Chapter Fifteen

Table of Contents Read on Ao3 Prologue

beta’d by @7wizardsshallanswerthecall, @mothmanhamlet, @ccboomer and @aubsenroute

Marinette did not sleep that night. Even as tired as she was, she spent the night staring up at her ceiling. Though she could not see the artwork for Prince Adrien and Prince Félix’s clothing in the darkness, she still knew they were there. But it wasn’t the princes who were on her mind. It was Chat Noir.

“Tikki, can you break curses?” she asked.

Her fay friend curled up on her pillow beside Marinette’s head. She hummed sleepily. “I’ve never been good at breaking things.”

“But the Lucky Charm… it undoes Hawk Moth’s curse, doesn’t it?”

“It creates a blessing.”

Marinette was quiet for a long time. “Do you think if I could break Chat Noir’s curse, he would stay?”

But Tikki did not answer, either because she was fast asleep or because she did not know.

She still could not believe that he had asked Ladybug to marry him. She remembered what he had said to her that night that he had stolen Lila’s pendant. When she had offered to help him, he had said, I don’t know that you would. And she had just proven him right by turning down his proposal.

“What sort of curse does he need a wedding to get out of?” Marinette asked aloud, and again, Tikki was quiet.

The sky turned gray as dawn crept ever closer. Marinette threw her arm over her face in an attempt to block out the encroaching light, but her mind would not settle into sleep.

She had turned Chat Noir down because he was her best friend. She didn’t love him the way that he loved her, and they both knew that. She also knew that he would have no interest in who she was beneath her mask. He might be curious, but once he knew her, he would move on, and she didn’t want that for either of them.

But Chat Noir had kissed Marinette. And she had loved it.

She was fairly certain that he had enjoyed it, too.

Marinette dragged her hands over her face and wailed in pure agony. She was an idiot. Chat Noir had proposed to Ladybug and kissed Marinette and was already talking about marrying someone else! How could she trust any one of his affections?

But was she any better, kissing Luka and then Chat Noir just moments later?

“Tikki, what do I do?” she cried.

“You should sleep, Marinette,” Tikki said.

But dawn broke, and Marinette still did not sleep. Cold winter light poured through her attic windows as dawn became day, and still, she did not sleep. She stared up at her ceiling, at the pinned artwork of Prince Félix and Prince Adrien, and could not help but wonder if her designs for Prince Félix had drawn any inspiration from Chat Noir, who wore black like it was a game rather than a burden.

The smells rising from the bakery finally dragged Marinette out of bed, as they had ever since she was a little girl.

Her mother fussed over the bags under her eyes and her father worried over her haggard appearance. He shoved half of a baguette into her hands and her mother plied her with warm eggs. Marinette ate dutifully, though she did not taste the breakfast. Exhaustion and concern had sapped all pleasure from her morning.

Nino and Alya teased her for her half-awake stare as she helped them box the last of the baked goods for the palace. But when she did not react with either protest or fluster, their teasing died down.

“Marinette, are you all right?” Alya asked as she took a box of cookies out of Marinette’s hands.

“Just tired.”

“You promised me that you wouldn’t work yourself to death,” Nino said.

“I’m not dead yet,” she managed, and tried for a smile. Judging by the panicked look that Alya and Nino exchanged, Marinette did not think her smile was especially successful.

Sabine held the door open for Marinette, Nino, and Alya. She touched Nino briefly on the wrist. “Keep an eye on Marinette, please?”

“Of course,” he promised.

“I mean it. Bring her straight home and we’ll put her to bed.”

Nino nodded solemnly. He took his responsibility as guardian of his friends seriously. Marinette and Alya were his charges and he would protect them. Alya might have her own special protection now—he glanced at her chest, but the orange pendant was tucked underneath her chemise—but Marinette seemed especially out of sorts. He would not let her far from his sight today.

“When did you get home last night?” Alya asked as Marinette stifled another yawn.

Marinette struggled to remember the details of her night beyond two very distinct kisses. It occurred to her that she had almost fallen to her death at some point in the evening, and even that experience was hardly more than a footnote when she considered the evening as a whole.

“Around three?” she said. “I just couldn’t sleep.”

“But you were so tired yesterday,” said Nino.

Marinette shrugged.

But Alya was far shrewder than that. “What happened?” she asked.

Marinette searched desperately for a lie and found none that would reasonably explain why sleep had eluded her. She wondered just how much she had to tell Alya and Nino before they were satisfied.

She picked the thing that might least offend her friends. “I kissed Luka last night.”

But this did not seem to placate them. In fact, Alya frowned. “You don’t sound happy about it.”

Wasn’t she?

Marinette didn’t know anymore. Happiness felt like a distant friend, separated from her by an ocean of exhaustion. She recalled its flare in her kiss with Chat Noir, and she knew it had to have been in her kiss with Luka. She hadn’t been unhappy to kiss him, at least.

It was hard to know anything for certain, tired as she was.

“It was nice,” she said.

“Nice enough to keep you awake all night?” Nino asked, and it was the sort of thing that should have been a joke, that he should have asked with a grin and Marinette should have blushed and protested, but instead his voice was colored with concern and Marinette only chewed on her bottom lip anxiously.

“Yes?”

Alya and Nino looked as doubtful as Marinette felt. She did her best to ignore them and searched her pockets for the key to Master Fu’s shop.

“You could hold her so she can’t run,” Alya suggested to Nino, “and I’ll interrogate her until we get the truth.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Nino smiled.

Though their hands were full of boxes of sweets and they had no way to truly force Marinette to tell the truth, they were determined to try.

Marinette unlocked the door to Master Fu’s shop. In her exhaustion, her thoughts felt frenetic, scurrying out of her grasp just as she caught sight of them, like kittens diving for cover. She knew that she needed to wrap the princes’ outfits, but as she was considering where she had left the wrappings yesterday, she remembered Luka’s easy smile. But before she could quite bring to mind the steady happiness she felt around Luka, she recalled Chat Noir’s wild, teasing grin. But before she could enjoy the memory of her friend at his happiest, she remembered the heartbreak in his eyes after he had kissed her. But before she could quite feel guilty or upset, she remembered Prince Adrien’s heartbreak as he had caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, and then she remembered that she was supposed to be getting the princes’ outfits packed up to take to the palace, and where were those boxes?

The shop door jingled as she shoved it open, and Marinette thought the bell absurdly loud. It seemed to split her head in two and she winced. Two nights of little-to-no sleep was worse than the one night she, Alya, and Nino had, in celebration of the start of her seventh year in her apprenticeship, burned through four bottles of wine.

The shop had been cleaned since Marinette had left last night. The scraps of fabric, thread, and cording left behind by Juleka and Marinette’s midnight work had been sorted and put away. Master Fu was seated at the low tea table in the entrance, a freshly brewed pot of tea at his elbow. He looked up at Marinette and her friends with a warm smile and stroked his thin, pointed beard.

“Good morning, Marinette. I would ask how you slept, but it is written all over your face.”

She mumbled a greeting and disappeared into her workroom. She had to find those boxes.

“Marinette,” Master Fu called, “come and sit.”

She pulled aside a pile of linen from a project she had abandoned once the ball had been announced. “I have to pack the princes’ things!” she shouted back.

“I have already done it. Come and sit.”

Marinette had never been able to argue with Master Fu when her wits were at their peak, something that was certainly untrue today. Reluctantly, she returned to the shop’s foyer and collapsed onto the floor beside the table.

“Please, sit as well.” Master Fu gestured to Nino and Alya.

Carefully, they set their boxes on the window ledge and joined Marinette and Master Fu.

He poured three more cups of warm, fresh green tea and slid them across the table.

“Drink, Marinette. You will feel better.”

He did not command Nino and Alya to drink, but they did anyway. The warm brew was a pleasant balm after the winter’s chill, and it did settle Marinette’s nerves. Her thoughts felt less like darting kittens and more like stubborn fish fighting the river’s current. Still difficult to catch, but steadier and a bit more reliable.

“Juleka tells me you both worked very late last night,” Master Fu said.

“Er—yes. I should have been back sooner, but things took longer at the palace than they should have.”

“Hawk Moth attacked,” Nino supplied. “We all got separated and—”

Master Fu held up his hand and Nino obediently stopped talking.

“I am not trying to scold you. I would like to apologize.”

Marinette blinked at her master. “For what?”

“I should not have left you to this project so unsupervised. It was too much, and I didn’t realize the stress that it had put on you. I know that you are still not finished with the princes’ outfits for tomorrow, so I would like you to stay and work on them while I fit the princes.”

“No—I can do it!”

“I know that you can, Marinette,” he said, voice soft and kind, “but I do not want to see you wear yourself down to nothing. It is easy for an artist to be swept away by the pressures of a powerful client. I would be doing your education a disservice if I did not impart this lesson to you as well: allow those who love you to help you when you are stressed.”

Marinette rubbed her eyes. “I know I’m tired, and I know there’s more work to do, but I have to be the one to go to the palace. Princess Kagami’s attendant is ill, and I’m supposed to help get her ready, too.”

“I have helped many a princess of many nations prepare for a ball,” Master Fu said.

“But she—she’s shy and I promised that I would help her today.”

Master Fu considered Marinette, both her obvious exhaustion and her desperate plea, as he twisted the thin jade bangle around his wrist. It was the only piece of finery that he wore, despite the high status of many of his clients. He had never been prone to opulence; the profits of his labors went right back into his art. He was a craftsman, and his craft was his passion. But this bracelet was more than a beautiful, stately piece of jewelry. It was his only remnant of home.

“Very well,” he said. “You may finish your work at the palace today, but you will not come back here to finish the prince’s clothing for tomorrow. I will take care of it, and I will see you tomorrow morning after a good night’s rest.”

“But Master Fu—”

“I insist.”

Though gratitude was not the first emotion Marinette felt—indignation and frustration were first in her heart, for she knew that she was capable of doing everything that needed to be done and it was unfair of her master to take her work from her—she bowed her head and said, “Thank you, Master.”

“You will feel better after a good night’s rest,” he said.

Her face turned hot. Perhaps her disingenuity was not as hidden as she had hoped.

In an effort to hide her embarrassment, Marinette finished her tea and stood. “We should get going. Where are the princes’ clothes?”

“I would ask one more thing, Marinette.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. It occurred to her that she had no interest in opening her eyes again, and maybe she ought to be a bit more receptive to Master Fu’s help.

“Whatever burden you carry,” he said, “share it with your friends.”

She wrinkled her nose before she could think to stop herself. Alya and Nino burst into laughter.

At least her friends could remain good-natured despite her own exhaustion and irritability.

Marinette bowed to her master and asked again where he had put the princes’ clothes for the ball.

When she left the shop, she was as burdened by boxes as her friends, and it occurred to her that sharing her emotional burdens with her friends was as silly as them swapping boxes. They all had things they had to carry, and her friends could not carry her worries for her. She could not tell them that she was Ladybug, and she hoped, even though she knew the truth of Rena Rouge, Alya felt a similar hesitation to share such a secret.

Alya was in fact hesitant to share her story of becoming Rena Rouge with Marinette, but it was only because Marinette looked so tired. It was a secret that could wait until after the ball and after Marinette had gotten a good night’s sleep. It was a secret she wanted Marinette to enjoy properly.

“Do I need to duel Luka?” Nino finally blurted out when they were halfway to the palace.

Marinette stared at him, bewildered. “What? No.”

“He didn’t… do anything he shouldn’t have?”

“No! He was a perfect gentleman, who walked me home from Master Fu’s shop, and asked if he could… well, he didn’t say court, he just asked if he could visit more often. And then we kissed goodnight.”

Alya’s eyebrows shot up. “Luka asked to court you?”

“He didn’t!”

“Has he talked to your parents?” Nino asked, voice still thick with suspicion. Sabine’s orders were still heavy in his heart, and he would protect Marinette’s honor as surely as if she were his own blood.

“No! It’s nothing like that.”

“But what did you say?” Alya asked. “Did you say yes?”

“I just asked him to wait. You know, until after the ball. After all the work was done.”

“And what did he say?” Alya pressed.

“He was perfectly polite and said he would happily wait.”

“Hm… so what will you tell Chat Noir tomorrow night?”

Marinette, despite all her best efforts, panicked and went sprawling in the street. The boxes full of the princes’ clothes bounced on the cobblestones, but thanks to Master Fu’s careful packing, they did not open. Still, though disaster had been averted and her scrapes beneath her dress were already healing, Marinette wanted to cry.

Maybe Master Fu had a point. Maybe she really did need to get some rest.

Nino and Alya adjusted their burdens to help Marinette to her feet. A kind, middle-aged man who had been hurrying down the street stopped, turned around, and scooped up the boxes for her.

“Careful, mademoiselle,” he said, handed them back to her, then resumed his rushed pace.

“That was my fault,” Alya apologized. “I should’ve known better than to tease you like that.”

Marinette inspected the boxes. The corners were scuffed and one was dented, but surely the insides were unharmed. She was not exactly handling anything fragile, which was the nice part of being a seamstress rather than a baker.

“No harm done,” Marinette sighed. “Just my ego, as usual.”

“But you are going to break off your dance with Chat Noir tomorrow, aren’t you?” Nino asked.

Marinette’s ego recovered with aplomb and she snapped, “Why should I?”

“Well… with Luka…”

“Chat Noir and I are well aware of the fact that we both have other commitments. Just as I’m well aware that you have another commitment, but I’ve agreed to dance with you.”

Nino looked helplessly to Alya, but Alya just shrugged. Marinette, for all her kindness and grace—sentimental grace, not physical grace—could be exceptionally stubborn.

They would just have to try again when she was better rested and perhaps in a more reasonable mood.

When the group of friends arrived at the palace, they checked in with the same woman that they had met yesterday. She looked no happier today than she had yesterday, though she did not ask for their names this time.

“Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, please see to Princess Kagami first. The princes are not ready for you just yet,” she said.

Marinette blinked at her. “Oh I—”

But a young servant was already taking the boxes from her hands. She had no choice but to curtsy quickly and agree.

“Wait, Marinette—” Nino remembered Sabine’s warning. He knew he could not follow Marinette into Princess Kagami’s chambers, certainly, but he still was not keen on letting her go far. “Just—let’s all make sure to meet back here before we leave?”

“Yes,” Marinette answered readily. She, too, had no desire to be separated from Nino and Alya like they had been yesterday. And as long as no one else proposed to her today, she should remember to meet with her friends before leaving the palace.

Once Marinette and the boxes of the princes’ clothes had both disappeared into the palace walls, Nathalie motioned for two more servants to come and take the pastries from Nino and Alya.

“Oh, we’re happy to help set them up,” Alya said.

“The display design is in the Dupain-Chengs’ contract,” Nino added. “They wannt to make sure everything is the way that they would want it.”

“You may verify the display when you are finished meeting with King Gabriel,” Nathalie said.

Nino and Alya stared at her. “What?” they asked in unison.

Two guards in stiff red and white uniforms approached.

“You’re to be escorted to the throne room.” Nathalie was already waving them off to the guards and moving on to the next person at the gates who needed access to the palace in order to prepare for the ball.

Alya took Nino’s hand as they followed the guard. He squeezed it tightly, unsure if he was offering encouragement or seeking it. Perhaps it was both.

While Nino could not be sure what King Gabriel wanted to see a pair of boulangerie employees about, he had a guess it had something to do with a little song he had played yesterday for Ladybug and Chat Noir.

In the moment, it had seemed like a good idea. Chat Noir had asked Ladybug to dance, and he had thought that his offer was helpful. It even seemed nice to give Ladybug and Chat Noir something fun, a small token of gratitude for the number of times they had saved the kingdom, and even Nino himself on more than one occasion, from Hawk Moth’s curse.

But now it felt absolutely foolish. What had he been thinking? He’d been dressed in the bright pink apron of the boulangerie and patisserie, and of course the guards would recognize it. King Gabriel would want to question him about Chat Noir’s identity, and, though Nino was suspicious of Chat Noir and his intentions with Marinette, Nino was no snitch. Loyalty was his strength as much as his bane.

Nino and Alya were taken to the throne room. If Nino had been awed by the high windows, painted ceilings, and gilt crown molding of the ballroom, he was utterly astonished at the grandeur of the throne room.

It was blindingly bright, made entirely of white marble, and he and Alya were marched down the red carpet that cut through its center. Guards stood in straight lines, parallel to the columns that supported the high ceilings, their red jerkins stark against the pale floors. The brilliant, round window behind the throne let in the winter’s cold afternoon sun, casting both a halo behind and a harsh shadow before King Gabriel’s throne.

King Gabriel was seated in the tall chair, draped in shadow and dressed in a crisp white jerkin and a bloodred doublet. Gold braiding decorated the shoulders, and equally brilliant embroidery cut through the red on his chest. The white ruff of his chemise draped over his neck and a brooch made from a colorless gem rested at the hollow of his throat. His hand covered his mouth, and his heavy brow was furrowed in a harsh glare as Nino and Alya were brought before him.

The guard stopped just before the dais. Nino bowed, Alya curtsied, and both of them struggled to stay calm in the king’s presence.

Nino held his bow, waiting for permission to stand properly. It did not come. He glanced at Alya and found that she was still bent in a low curtsy. She looked at him and he could see the same question on his lips reflected in her amber eyes. What had they done to upset the king so much?

“You may stand,” King Gabriel finally said, and though Nino was grateful to straighten his spine, he did not feel any ounce of relief. His stomach still churned with anxiety.

“My guards tell me that you helped Ladybug and Chat Noir yesterday, when the palace was under attack from one of Hawk Moth’s curses.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Nino and Alya said in unison.

“Nino more than me, though,” Alya added, but King Gabriel held up his hand and she bit down on her tongue.

“Yes or no will do,” he said. “Should I need you to embellish, I will ask.”

Nino swallowed hard and he felt sweat prickle on the back of his neck. He had heard rumors that King Gabriel was a harsh man, made more so by the loss of his wife, but this was much worse than he had expected, and certainly not what he would have hoped for.

“Do you know the identities of either Ladybug or Chat Noir?” King Gabriel asked.

“No, Your Majesty,” they replied.

King Gabriel searched his subjects for evidence of a lie, but it was hard to be certain. He did not know these two beyond what Nathalie had told him: they worked in a bakery, had a string of failed plays between the two of them, and had recently begun a venture as investigators that, while still in its infancy, was growing steadily.

“Young man, I’m told that you were present in the ballroom when the guards arrived and that Chat Noir carried you off.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Nino said, knowing there was no sense in trying to lie about something a dozen guards had seen.

“Yet you claim not to know him.”

“No, Your Majesty—er, may I… embellish?”

Gabriel’s nostrils flared, but he waved his hand in acquiescence.

“I know Chat Noir and Ladybug no more than other citizens of the kingdom who have been rescued from Hawk Moth’s curses. They’ve saved our lives many times over in the last year. Helping them protect the castle seemed like the least we could do to say thank you.”

King Gabriel’s cold eyes shifted from Nino to Alya. “And you, young lady, how did you assist the hero and the thief? Please, feel free to embellish.”

Alya licked her lips nervously. “Er—Nino and I ran to help. We herded the monsters into the ballroom and barricaded the doors. I guarded the doors that lead back into the palace, and Nino guarded the ones that led to the gardens.”

“But you were not there when the guards arrived.”

“The monsters turned out to be my younger sisters. When I saw the fox hero carry them off, I ran after her.”

Nino trusted that Alya would never lie to him, but he had always been wary of how good she was at it. In this moment, however, he was nothing but grateful for her skill. He really ought to encourage her to make the transition from writing plays to starring in them.

King Gabriel, however, did not look quite so convinced.

“Search her,” he said.

A pair of guards held Alya in place while another began to search the folds of her dress, but for what, Nino had no idea.

“You have no right,” Alya shrieked, as Nino pried his way between her and the guard.

“Don’t touch her!” But one of the guard’s fists collided with Nino’s stomach. He doubled over and another struck him in the back of his neck. He had less appreciation for the marble floor as his chin hit the white stone and split open. A foot pressed into his back, holding him down. That did not stop Nino from doing his best to get free.

“Let go of me!” Alya shouted. She was not surprised as the guards pulled her hair aside to check her ears, pierced with gold, dangling earrings that had once belonged to her great-grandmother, one of her family’s last heirlooms of their ancestral home. She was surprised when the guards removed these. “Those are mine!” she shouted.

But they ignored her, even as she kicked furiously and tried to pull her arms free.

Next they checked her hands, and removed the plain gold band that Nino had bought for her after saving up over their five-year courtship.

“Stop it!”

But the guards did not stop there. Hands probed her bodice, trailed her arms and legs, lifted her skirts, combed through her hair, and finally closed around the pendant that hung around her neck. Another guard found Trixx, asleep in one of her dress’s pockets.

As the guard pulled him out, Trixx woke. He wriggled out from the guard’s hands but another guard grabbed him. This time Trixx transformed into a fox and ducked as another guard tried to pounce on him. He darted for the doors.

“After him!” King Gabriel commanded, but the fox was little more than an orange blur scampering out of their reach and leapt at the palace doors. The fox collided with the doors in a crash, magic failing to provide an escape. Trixx tumbled backwards and shrunk into his smaller form just in time for one of the guards to shove him into a small iron cage.

“Let him go!”

But Alya’s protest was in vain. The guard brought the trapped fay to King Gabriel, and though the King’s face did not change, his pale blue eyes glittered with interest.

“These palace walls are laced with iron to prevent fay like you from getting in uninvited,” King Gabriel, “but it seems those iron bars have served a double purpose.”

The chatty Fay of Illusion and Trickery said nothing, but his large, bushy orange tail flicked angrily.

King Gabriel turned from the fay to the trinkets that his guards had collected from the girl. The gold that the girl wore was surprisingly fine for a peasant, but it was not what he was interested in. A quick glance at the earrings and ring told him that they were not the ruby earrings and emerald-studded ring that he sought so desperately.

The necklace though—that was an interesting find.

“How did you come by this pendant?” Gabriel asked.

Alya yanked against the guards holding her arms but she achieved nothing more than a strained shoulder. “I made a deal with that fay. Give him back.”

“The Fay of Illusion and Trickery does not make deals.”

“He made one with me! Two, in fact, so let him go!”

“I will not return him,” Gabriel said, and he saw rage burn in her eyes. That was good; he could use rage. “It is for your own good, child. You cannot make a deal with a trickster. It will always end badly for you.”

“You have no right!”

She was furious, indignant, and terrified. Gabriel relished it, and knew he ought to use it before time could dull its sharper edges.

He pocketed the pendant. “Search the boy for good measure.”

Tears rolled down Alya’s cheeks, hot and furious as the guards forced Nino through the same indignities she had just suffered. Though she knew it was useless, she fought for some scrap of freedom. She wished that she had called on Trixx the moment the guards had held her down, but she had been too afraid of what that might mean for Nino or their families. To use the power of the fay against the king and his guards… It was a line of treason she had not wanted to cross.

But she would cross it now without a second thought.

The guards took the promise ring that Alya had given to Nino, a band identical to hers, that King Gabriel examined then dismissed.

“You may have your trinkets back,” he said. “Return to your business. The crown is grateful for your service.”

Alya snarled out a flurry of every curse she knew, in her own language and her grandmother’s and even a few she had picked up from Sabine Cheng after a month of working in the bakery.

The guards dragged her from the throne room, but Alya kept her eyes trained on the king, trained on the cage that trapped Trixx. She watched as King Gabriel stood, walked behind his throne, and disappeared.

Then she and Nino were thrown out of the throne room.

Nino scrambled to her side. “Alya, are you all right?”

She gritted her teeth and barely restrained a vicious snarl. “Of course not! Nino, he took Trixx!”

“We’ll get him back.”

“How? He’s the king!”

Her fury and indignation swelled as Gabriel closed the door to his private office. He let his grief hold him fast to his purpose, like an anchor against the tide, as he looked up at Emilie’s portrait.

“This time,” he promised. The girl’s rage was greater than any anger he had seen in a long time.

He pulled aside the enormous painting and ran his fingers against the wall behind it until he found the hidden catch. The wall swung aside, revealing a small safe and another hidden door. He put his ornate golden key into the safe first and deposited the fay and the orange fox-tail pendant beside a blue brooch in the shape of a peacock’s tail.

Next, he locked the safe and unlocked the door. It guarded a tight spiral staircase that lead up one of the two spires attached to either side of the throne room. Gabriel tucked the Fay of Illusion under his arm and climbed the stairs eagerly.

The small room at the top was plain, illuminated by a much smaller version of the circular window that decorated the throne room. And in this room, the center pane of the geometric glass design had been removed. A flutter of pale white butterflies flitted through the room, feeding on the clusters of equally white lilies that grew in the corners. Despite the winter weather, this room was as warm as spring, but that warmth never seemed to reach Gabriel.

Gabriel touched the gray brooch at his throat and said, “Nooroo, dark wings, rise.”

The small, pale fay with its butterfly-like wings and antennae obediently flitted from its perch amongst the lilies and vanished into the now amethyst, winged brooch at Gabriel’s throat. His white and red clothes disappeared, replaced by regal purple silk lined with thick, soft mink furs. Hawk Moth was a king in his own right, and he had every intention of gaining control of the world of the fay as surely as Gabriel controlled his own kingdom.

The scepter that appeared in his hand was tipped with purple glass. He held it under his arm and extended his hands to one of the pristine white butterflies. As he caged the creature between his fingers, he whispered the incantation for his power.

Violet magic darkened the creature’s wings and it flitted out of the room, honing in easily on the strongest emotion in the palace: the fury that filled a young woman who had just been betrayed by her king.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fic #ladybug fanfic #miraculous ladybug fanfic #ml fairy tale au #fairy tale au #gabriel makes a big mistakes

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