#city of love: paris fanfiction

[feasibilities]

La danseuse | Lenny Miller x Dancer!OC

Synopsis: Lenny Miller pays his way to a dancer's heart. Warnings: Age Gap, Swearing, Unprotected Sex, Acts of Service, Whirlwind Romance, Phone Sex Author's Note: I apologize for the Google Translate French. I'm trying to branch out of reader-centric fics. Enjoy!

Lenny Miller’s assignments in Paris allowed him to visit the renowned cabaret, Crazy Horse. Free of any romantic commitments, he could enjoy the sights with no guilt. There was a particularly enchanting dancer that caught his attention that night. She was hidden with a mask but thrilled him just the same. Once the show ended, he got backstage with a lie that he was a talent manager. The area was bustling with gorgeous women. He managed to find the dancer sipping champagne at her vanity. 

“Miss?” He spoke. Looking in the mirror, she saw a stunning man in an Armani suit over her shoulder. 

“Are you my security for the night?” She said inquisitively. 

“No, unfortunately.” He replied.

“Then how did you get back here?” She countered, frowning slightly. 

“Uh, I…lied and said I was a talent manager.” He admitted, clearing his throat. Turning toward him, he got a clear view of her prepossessing beauty.

“What do you want?” She asked. 

“I want to take you to dinner.” He explained, earning a half-smile from the woman. 

“I could have you arrested, you know.” She warned, standing from her seat. 

“Yes, but…” He said, nodding and adjusting his tie. Noticing her silk robe was open, his cheeks flushed with a tinge of red. She scribbled the name of her hotel and phone number on a business card.

“Tomorrow at 19:00. Ne soyez pas bon marché.” She teased, opening his suit jacket and slipping the card in the inner pocket.

“See you then.” He agreed with a smile. 

Returning to her suite, she saw a bouquet of roses from Venus et Fleur and a gorgeous black evening gown on her bed. She tried it on and was stunned at how well it fit. 

“Maybe he does have good taste...” She whispered, admiring herself in the mirror. 

The following night, both of them took extra time in getting ready. On a whim, Lenny purchased a suit to complement his date’s gown. The dancer’s Louboutin pumps were the perfect accent for her gown. As confident as she was, she felt quite nervous about how things would go. Little did she know, Lenny felt the same. The elevator ride downstairs seemed to be an eternity. Walking through the revolving door, the driver exited the Rolls Royce Phantom and opened the back door for her. She thanked him and got in. Lenny was too busy admiring her good looks to greet her.

“Wow, you look amazing.” He remarked.

“Hello to you too, monsieur. Tell me more.” She joked, looking him up and down. She couldn’t deny how handsome he looked in that suit. 

“Have you been to Le Cinq?” He replied.

“No, I leave Crazy Horse too late to make it. Color me slightly impressed.” She smiled, looking out the window. 

Arriving at Le Cinq, they were ushered to a private dining room. As silly as it sounded, her heart fluttered at how he would never let her trail behind him. His large hand on her back offered a peculiar sense of security. She didn’t know him too well yet but he definitely scored some extra points in her book. 

Between dinner courses, her and Lenny shared anecdotal stories and playful jokes back and forth. They both seemed to skate around details about their personal lives before the champagne emboldened their curiosity. 

“So what do you do for work?” She asked. 

“I’ll tell you if you tell me your real name.” He posited. 

“Elise.” She blurted out. 

“CIA Agent. You have to keep it a secret though.” He replied, putting his finger over his lips.

“Seeing hot nude women on the government’s dime? I’m sure American taxpayers would love to hear that.” She huffed, making him laugh. 

“Your turn. What made you start working at Crazy Horse?” He inquired.

“I’ve always danced but I prefer doing it with less clothing.” She admitted. His cheeks flushed as they did last night. 

“Your turn. What made you become a CIA agent?” She probed, scooting closer to him in the booth. 

“Some bullshit about wanting to save the world.” He shrugged. 

“Can I see your badge?” She asked once more, taking her nosiness a step further. 

“No.” He stated plainly.

“No fun.” She pouted playfully. Lenny reluctantly pulled his badge from his suit pocket and gave her a brief preview before snapping it closed. 

“Cute picture of you. I enjoyed all .5 seconds of it.” She laughed. Her giggles were like music to his ears. Noticing his hand on the table, she put hers over his. He caressed her fingers with his thumb. Longing glances were exchanged between them until he stood up. 

“I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes.” He said. Trusting him, she closed her eyes and waited patiently. He pulled a diamond tennis necklace from a velvet box and placed it around her neck. She became distracted by the gentle touches of his fingertips as he clasped it closed. 

“You can open them now.” He said softly. Taking out her compact mirror, she admired the necklace. He was now on her “must do” list. 

“Thank you, chéri.” She beamed, standing up and hugging him. 

“Of course.” He replied earnestly. 

“Want to head back now?” She asked, earning an enthusiastic nod from him. 

Standing at the door of her suite, Elise placed a chaste kiss on his lips. Kissing her back, the kiss became much more steamy than either expected. He could’ve taken her against the door before she pulled away.

“Goodnight, Lenny.” She breathed out, unlocking the door and walking in. 

“Goodnight, Elise.” He replied. She gave him one final wave before shutting it.

During a dull business meeting over Zoom, Lenny was planning a trip to the South of France. Various messages from Elise came through on his phone. In a bold move, she sent several nude photos while sporting the diamond tennis necklace he gifted her. Lenny could’ve sworn he died and went to heaven. 

Lenny: You look extraordinary. I hope to see this sight in the South of France, if you’re interested. 

Elise: Hmm, I’ll think about it.  

Lenny: While you’re thinking, buy whatever you want for the trip. [Credit card details attached]

He thought little of the consequences of sharing his credit card with a woman he just met. She could’ve blocked him and spent the credit limit. Showering a beautiful woman with compliments, gifts, and money was his dream. He didn’t even mind if he got nothing in return. 

Over the next few days, Lenny and Elise fell for each other even more. Their phone calls lasted for hours with the occasional phone sex session. He counted the days, hours, minutes, seconds until their romantic rendezvous. 

As planned, he picked her up from her hotel and took her to the train station. He managed to find a booking that left the entire First Class cabin to themselves. After enjoying a wonderful breakfast spread, she enjoyed the sights of the French countryside as he took in her beauty. 

—

Despite living in luxury, Elise was in awe at how elegant their hotel was. It was a beautiful seafront property with every amenity she could think of. The view from their suite was breathtaking. 

“All for me?” She joked, looking out at the terrace.

“Us.” He attested, opening a bottle of Dom Perignon. He handed her a glass and slinked an arm around her waist. Enjoying the closeness, she contemplated their relationship.

“Can I ask you something?” She said softly. 

“Of course.” He hummed.

“What made me so different than the other women you saw that night? You could’ve picked any of us.” She pondered. 

“No other man deserves you.” He proclaimed, looking into her eyes. For the first time, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“You are so romantic…“ She whispered. 

After sitting her glass down, she gave him a spirited kiss while his hands moved to her waist. Wanton energy quickly filled the room as they stumbled to the bed while tearing away each other’s clothing. Seeing her like this was overwhelming. Although flattered, she grew restless with his constant gawking. 

“You’ve seen it all. Now fuck me.” She begged.

Parting her legs, he saw the glisten of her arousal and the trimmed strip of public hair. The tip of his dick swiped against her entrance, making her breath hitch. Slipping inside of her, he stilled for a moment to let her adjust to his size. 

“Are you okay?” He said softly, cradling her face.

“Yes.” She panted. 

His thrusts began slow and deep as her legs hurriedly wrapped around his waist. His hands grabbed her thighs harshly while he lost himself in her silken pink depths. Hasty kisses did little to dampen her whimpers of delectation. Her arousal coated his shaft and the resulting wet noises filled the room. 

“Fuck, right there…” She whispered, walls sputtering around him. In response, he hooked one her legs over his shoulder and sped up his thrusts. He put a gentle hand around her throat to hold her in place. His other thumb teased the tender burgeon of her nipple. She dug her nails into his forearm while her eyes fluttered closed. 

“Look at me.” He ordered, making her beautiful eyes open once more. 

Her breathing grew uneven as she approached her climax. Her legs shook and her face twisted in pleasure. Her moans grew to screams as Lenny’s thrusts persisted. Suddenly, her body began convulsing and her arousal spilled out onto him. She felt like her entire body was on fire. Following close behind, his thrusts staggered. He held her hips tightly as he came inside of her. Lying next to her, he pulled her exhausted body close and kissed her forehead. 

“Not too bad for an old man.” She breathed out. 

“I try.” He laughed softly. 

[p-h03n1-x]

Source: FlowerField_博肖拾光机

BoXiao Paris Footprint Collection

Attractions | Eiffel Tower

Hotel | Paris Shangri-La Hotel

District | Montmartre Hill

Attractions | Louvre Museum

Attractions | Tuileries Gardens

Attractions | Senghor Pedestrian Bridge

Attractions | Alexander III Bridge

Location | Seine Riverside

[moreaujeans]

HELP forgot how much i used to talk like a victorian child

[sariahsue]

Trope Springs Eternal

Summary: Ladybug and Chat Noir had agreed to exchange identities weeks ago, and he’d gone first. Adrien. He was Adrien. And Ladybug was a coward. Now, with a fanfic-obsessed akuma is rampaging through Paris, and Ladybug has some decisions to make. Can she save the city and keep her identity from him? Or is now the time to let her partner in?

---

When Ladybug opened her eyes, she was in another room. Off-white walls, with a queen-sized bed, a television sitting on a dresser, and a few bland pictures of landscapes. A hotel room? Where were they?

Chat Noir crouched next to her, scanning for threats. "Oh," he said when his eyes fell on the bed. "There's only one."

"What?"

"That's the trope this time," he said, pointing. "Only one bed."

Ladybug palmed her yo-yo, forcing her shoulders to relax and her jaw to unclench. They probably weren't in any immediate danger, and she needed a moment to think. This akuma was tricky, and she'd had to use her Lucky Charm and Cure multiple times each already. They'd been aged up, gender swapped, vampire-ified, and turned into animals. (It had been very hard to call for her Cure when the yo-yo was normal-sized and she was an actual ladybug, but she'd somehow managed.) That was right before poor Chat had to fight while eight months pregnant. She didn't know mpreg was a fanfiction trope until he'd explained.

She hated this akuma.

Chat searched the suite, looking for any traps, so Ladybug walked to the balcony door. The curtains were drawn.

"Nothing that I can see," he said, walking back from the bathroom.

"That's a first. Anonymity is probably outside waiting for us."

"Well, she can stay out there." The bed creaked as he climbed onto it. "We deserve a break, don't you think? This battle's been going on for hours."

She looked over at him. As she suspected, he was sprawled out comfortably, head lolling on the decorative pillows.

"She won't expect us to go along with the trope," he continued. "It's a new battle tactic, to throw her off!"

Ladybug felt her face heat up. "Don't those tropes usually lead to…"

"Uh." Chat Noir rolled off the bed and stood in one fluid movement, then stared at the spot he'd just vacated. "I mean, sometimes. Not always." He cleared his throat.

Ladybug pulled back the heavy curtain. Outside was dark. The wind howled, and sheets of snow whipped against the glass. There hadn't been any noise before she'd pulled the fabric aside. Now it filled the whole room.

But the draft seeping in through the gaps cooled her face, so that was a bonus.

"Hey, it's a two-fer this time," he said, coming over to stand next to her.

"There is not a fanfiction trope about snow."

"Sure," he said. "Snowed in. We're stuck here."

Stuck. All alone. With only one bed.

No, they were not stuck here.

The door screeched in its track as she slid it open and threw herself into the storm.

Anonymity was waiting for them. Ladybug almost didn't see her. The black body suit made it too easy to blend into the dark night, and her expressionless white mask just mixed in with the blinding snow.

"I'm right behind you!" Chat yelled, only to pass her and fling himself directly at Anonymity, who was floating in the air in front of their balcony. The akuma disappeared in a burst of red hearts. Kudos, he'd explained.

Ladybug threw out her yo-yo to reel him back in, cold cutting into her skin. Well, Anonymity was gone now. Stupid akuma. She was so hard to pin down.

"If you wanted to get away from me that badly," Chat said sourly as he pulled himself back over the balcony railing, "I could have booked a different room."

"I didn't want–!"

His head snapped up, waiting to hear her say she hadn't really wanted him to leave.

She couldn't continue that thought. She couldn't keep hurting him, but the way he turned away told her even that little outburst had gotten his hopes up.

This was all wrong. She loved him. So why couldn't she just tell him that?

They'd agreed to exchange identities weeks ago, and he'd gone first. Adrien. He was Adrien. And Ladybug was a coward.

Her only hope was that when she was finally ready to tell him who she was, he would still love her enough to forgive her.

"I'm sorry," he said, holding onto the railing and staring into the storm. "I know this isn't the place for it."

A gust of wind blew into her face so hard she had to catch her breath.

Chat put an arm up to shield himself. "Why don't you call Lucky Charm or the Cure again?" he yelled over the wind.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "This is– It's all my–"

"Let's just keep moving." He jumped up, crouching on the railing. Then he took a deep breath and plastered on a smile, barely visible in the light from their open hotel door.

He was back to his normal, happy self so fast she felt like she was getting whiplash. How often was his happiness fake? She hated that she knew him so well but didn't know the answer to that question.

"Okay," she said. "Lucky Charm!"

The wind caught it, but Chat reached up and snatched it out of the air, holding it out for her. "Friendship bracelet?"

She grabbed it from him. For a friends to lovers trope, she was sure. "Tikki."

---

"Your ship is trash!" Anonymity yelled.

"Hey! I love Ladynoir."

Her partner kept the akuma occupied while Ladybug crouched behind an office desk, trying to think of a plan, a spotted eye patch in her hands. For a pirate AU. Tikki really was having too much fun with this.

"Their relationship is abusive! Can't you see that?"

"It is not! They love– They're good for each other! Supportive!"

"It's hormones and codependency. All Ladybug does is take advantage. And he's constantly crossing her boundaries!"

There was a sharp crack as he smacked his baton against something. Anonymity's head, hopefully.

Ladybug ground her teeth to focus on something other than their enemy's toxic internet commentary. They had to trap her and break the phone. The problem was they couldn't ever get close enough. They were now up to eight Charms and five Cures, and she was getting uncomfortably low on cookies. Every time they got close, the akuma would either teleport herself away or drop them into a new trope.

The eye patch. What could she use it for?

Ladybug peeked over the desk. Anonymity's focus was still on Chat Noir, and he was staying close enough that she was tempted with a chance to get his miraculous, but not quite close enough that she would feel threatened. Good.

Nothing on the desk except paperweights and office supplies. The thumbtacks caught her attention. Maybe she could use some of them as projectiles and the eye patch as a slingshot and then… what? The room had a number of other desks, with fake potted plants and undecorated cubicle walls, but it gave her no immediate ideas.

Chat Noir dove forward, swiping at Anonymity's phone. She stumbled backward, arms up defensively as he invaded her space. Too close. As soon as she was out of his reach, she threw her phone up into the air, like she was calling for her own Miraculous Cure. It hung above her head, glowing, a sign a new set of tropes was coming.

"Sorry!" he yelled.

"You haters will like this one," Anonymity said.

The phone flashed, filling the whole room with blinding light, sending out jets of energy that hit them both. When the light faded and Ladybug could see again, everything was the same, but Anonymity was gone, just a bunch of hearts scattered across the floor where she'd been standing.

"Sorry," he said, face twisted in annoyance. "I got too close."

"It's fine," she said, getting to her feet. "And we're fine. What's the trope now?"

He held out a hand to help her up. "Dunno. I can't tell what's different. Can you?"

A spike to her anxiety level, but that was probably an effect of the unsettling akuma herself more than her power set. Ladybug took his hand.

And flung herself into his arms, face seeking out every bit of his skin she could find. His neck. Half of his face. That was it. Why did the suits cover so much?! She pressed her cheek against his, but it wasn't enough, and she buried herself in his neck again, trying to find a way to soothe the ache of being so far away from him.

Maybe if he was seeking her out too, it would have been easier for her to cope, but he stood statue still, arms caging her in. "Ladybug." His voice was strangled. "You dropped Lucky Charm."

"Mmm. Don't care," she mumbled into his jaw, lips buzzing against his skin. But it wasn't enough. His arms encircled her but didn't crush her to him. Did he not need to touch her the way she so desperately needed to touch him?

"Your timer," he rasped when it beeped.

"Don't care!" She didn't want to move, and he deserved to know her identity anyway. Maybe they could defeat the akuma by fulfilling the trope, maybe akuma battles never mattered to begin with. Whatever she had to say to make him keep his cheek against her hair, to make him come closer.

Her hand fumbled around his throat until she found his bell and dragged it down, giving her precious centimeters of skin. She leaned forward, breathing him in, soothing an ache. It was a familiar ache, just stronger than she was used to.

When she tried to pull the zipper down farther, his hand went up to block her. She almost cried. Just another barrier between them when all they both wanted to do was be close.

What a twisted approximation of their relationship this was. Too close and still not close enough. Him holding them back instead of her. It was impossible for her to fight this trope on top of her own, ever-present desires to be near him in every way. They bubbled to the surface, hot and boiling over, when before they'd only simmered.

She'd spent the last two years staying away from both Adrien and Chat Noir, the only two boys she'd ever loved: Chat because the ending would be disastrous, Adrien because she didn't have enough time to dedicate to nurturing their relationship and she couldn't lie to him about why, Chat because she couldn't risk damaging their partnership for Paris' sake, Adrien because she refused to constantly disappear on him like his father did.

In Ladybug's experience, emotion never bowed to reason.

And now Adrien and Chat Noir were the same boy.

So what was she to do?

He deserved so much, her time, her attention, to be her highest priority, and she couldn't give him that. And changing anything between them felt so dangerous.

All she could do was step further into him and hope it would be enough. Their knees bumped. Her hands slipped from his shoulders to his waist and back up again, then clutching at him as he leaned away.

"Wait," she said, panicking at the slide of his arms under her hands, and grasping harder. "What are you doing?"

When he was far enough to look her in the eye, he stopped moving. "This isn't right."

"Wait!" Ladybug flinched against the separation as he started peeling her fingers off him. Even with the suits mostly evening out their natural abilities, he was slightly stronger than her. But she was motivated and pushed forward, seeking him out until he was forced to pin her arms to her sides.

"No, you wait," he said, struggling to breathe normally. "This isn't how we beat an akuma."

"So?!"

Wait. It seemed like all they'd done lately was wait. Wait and see what Hawk Moth would do next. Wait to see if Bunnyx would show up again with bad news. Wait to start her plans for the future because she couldn't spend the energy to work on them right now.

Wait until she was ready to tell him her name.

He'd always been more patient than her, constantly giving her space to figure out what she wanted. She twisted in his grip, but he didn't let her loose.

"How about this?" he said, his eyes screwed shut. She stopped struggling. "I'll give you whatever you want, but–" he added quickly before she could throw herself at him. "After. Cure everything first. Then I'll touch you."

This was a trick somehow, she knew it, but she was desperate. "After just one Cure or after the whole akuma?"

"Either." He forced the word out through gritted teeth, his grip on her arms painful even through her reinforced suit. "Both. Just do it."

Lucky Charm was by her foot, and she kicked to send it flying instead of her normal overhead throw. It was enough. Two magic words later, and she was sagging onto the floor, Chat Noir sitting next to her with his head in his hands.

"Skin hunger," he breathed out.

There was only a handspan of space between them. Echoes of the feeling haunted her body. It would be nice to reach out across the gap, lay a hand on his knee, brush her foot against his leg, trace his lips with her fingertips. "Why didn't she hit you with it?" she asked.

Before she could reach out to him, he straightened. "She did. I'm just used to it." He reached down, offering his hand. But just as quickly, he withdrew. Did he not want to tempt her, or did he just not want to see her refuse?

"Used to it?"

He looked away and shrugged with one shoulder.

"Chat."

When he turned back, he was smiling. "You know what my father's like. Might as well hug a fence post for all the warmth and affection you'll get. It's fine though." And then he laughed. And it hardly seemed forced.

And Ladybug thought she might be sick.

"Anyway," he said. "I believe our quarry is out in the hallway. I hear the broken sobs of fans whose ships are being roasted. Plus, your timer is about to run out."

She'd never been so happy to have the excuse to leave, and never felt so guilty for running.

---

The next trope was a circus AU. Complete with cannibalistic demon clowns. Red noses had never bothered Ladybug until today, but she wasn't sure she'd ever look at them the same way again. The best thing she could say about the whole experience was that it was almost over.

Panting and running, she followed Chat Noir through the maze of shattered mirrors in the fun house. He was barely visible in the dark. Flashes of light gave her more glimpses of her own fractured reflection than of her partner.

"Almost there!" he called over his shoulder as he turned yet another corner. She wasn't sure how he could tell. Anonymity had promised a never-ending maze, but now that the trope had been defeated and a new one started, why were they still here? What was the new trope? Had it already begun? Chat wasn't slowing down long enough for her to ask his opinion.

The flashes of light became broken streaks, and the ambient light was finally enough for her to see the tent above them and the grass beneath their feet. It was also enough to see her face in the mirrors.

His name. Adrien's name written across her cheek, reflected on every jagged surface.

She shrieked, and he turned. Ladybug shielded her face from him with one hand and reached for her yo-yo with the other, smashing everything until there were no mirrors big enough to show him that her name was written across his face, too.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

From the shadows behind them, Anonymity laughed. "I think you missed one!"

A faint light glinted in the distance, bobbing its way through the wreckage of the fun house.

"What—" he started.

A mirror. Unbroken. Showing her the reflection of his face. "Chat…" Showing her a truth she already knew. "Close your eyes!"

He closed them immediately, without question, and she used the Cure again. The fun house became just a warehouse. Stacks of musty boxes and pallets piled with crates replaced the warped mirrors.

"What was that?" he asked.

Ladybug's mouth was dry. "It must've been an identity reveal AU or something." Those must have been a thing, because he didn't question it. "Did you see what was written on your face?"

"No."

She hesitated before admitting, "It was my name."

"Okay…" he said. "But why wasn't it on you, then?"

Keeping her expression as neutral as possible, she repeated, "Identity reveal," like that was all the explanation that was needed. "We should keep moving. She'll be starting another one soon."

The warehouse door wasn't far, and she was glad. It didn't give her enough time to think about what had just happened. As soon as she opened the door, light flooded the room.

She stood at a store counter, her hand still out-stretched. Across from her on the other side of the counter, her partner stood confused. Chat Noir had a green apron on over his suit, his claws poised over a cash register. The air smelled strongly of coffee.

"Hey, I look good." He leaned forward. "Can I get you something? Maybe something with extra cream and sugar so it can be as sweet as you?"

She hardly heard him. Her name had been on his face. It hadn't been a reveal AU. She knew it had been a soulmate AU.

They could have gotten each other's names because the akuma shipped them. Or maybe it was just because they were partners and it was the obvious choice. Both were possible, but she knew both were lies. He was the one for her, and she knew it. When would she be ready for him to know it, too?

Chat Noir busied himself behind the counter, pushing buttons on the coffee machines, smelling the different flavors, and spilling the sugar on the counter. Did he know she was lying? If he did, he was good at hiding it.

"I like this trope. What do you think? Should I apply for barista jobs when we get back?"

"You like dealing with entitled customers?"

"No, I just love that I haven't been turned into a mermaid yet."

Ladybug groaned. "Please tell me that's not a trope."

"Okay, it's not a trope."

"Liar."

"I'm just following directions. Good customer service."

"I'll be sure to tell your manager."

"Thank you." He smiled. "I'm trying to get best employee this month. That'll really help."

The rest of the coffee shop was empty and silent. No other customers fidgeted behind her, and no other workers bumped into him on his side of the counter. "It looks like you have a lot of competition."

"Yeah, I don't like my chances. Marinette's won it three months in a row already."

He'd found her out!

"She actually stole the top spot from Rose, who took it from Juleka."

Oh, maybe he hadn't.

"But yeah, as soon as Marinette started working here, it was all over for the rest of us. She's so chipper and friendly. All the customers here love her."

"Chipper." The adrenaline spike from hearing her own name on his tongue seeped away and was quickly replaced by indignation.

"Sure. She's helpful and kind and has a smile for everyone. She's one of my favorite people and one of the best people ever. I will literally fight you if you disagree."

Whether she was ready or not, maybe he already knew that he was the one for her.

A shadow passed across the window. It could have been anything, a person walking by, a bus, a cloud, but Ladybug instinctively knew that their peaceful time was up. Anonymity was waiting for them outside.

"We have to go," she said.

She hadn't needed to tell him. He was already hanging up his apron, though he stopped to smooth out the wrinkles before coming out from behind the counter.

The bell chimed as they ducked through the doorway. It wouldn't give them away. Their enemy already knew they were coming. Ladybug took an unconscious step closer to her partner, to ward off the chill of being watched. Outside was an open city. Too many corners and angles for someone to hide behind, unseen.

Chat Noir stretched up on his toes for a better look around. "Where do you think Kaonashi is hiding this time?"

"Focus on the akuma, Chat." Like the coffee shop, the streets were deserted. No cars. No people.

"I am. It's another name for No-Face."

There wasn't even a breeze to give the illusion of life. How would they– "Wait. What? What are you talking about?"

"No-Face." And at her silent stare he added, "Black with a white mask? Represents loneliness? The– the one who eats people in Spirited Away!"

"Is that a book or something?"

Chat Noir's expression darkened. "Come on, m'lady. Seriously? Our next movie night is going to be dedicated to your Ghibli education." He finally turned away from her to start scanning for threats. "This is unacceptable."

Represents loneliness. That was the connection that he made to the akuma.

This akuma needed to stop.

A flash of movement caught her eye as Anonymity stepped out from behind the corner of a red brick building.

Ladybug didn't think. She let her yo-yo fly. The string snapped and pulled taut as it wrapped around its target. And she could have sworn that the akuma, with her impassive mask that never moved, smiled.

Anonymity reached down to the string that was tied around her, gently caressing the strand.

Everything glowed briefly, and with an echoing snap, they were somewhere else. Four walls surrounded them, harsh lighting, and a panel of buttons off to one side. An elevator.

Ladybug's hands were empty.

"What?" Chat Noir asked. "Where?"

She quickly assessed the damage. She had no weapon. They were trapped. The akuma was gone, again. But at least the elevator wasn't moving. It was still a disaster, but at least the elevator wasn't moving.

She had messed up and lost the yo-yo. Without it, they couldn't call Lucky Charm to get themselves out of the trope.

"I've got this," Chat Noir said, and he called for Cataclysm. Black bubbled around his hand as he slammed it into the door. It crumbled away only to reveal a solid brick wall, dirty and chipped. Anonymity had planned for this, and they'd played straight into it.

Even worse, her partner hated tight spaces. As soon as his power had been spent and he'd failed to free them from their prison, he'd reached for the railing, gripping it hard. Thin mirrors mounted on either side of the buttons reflected his face. It was quickly draining of color.

"Chat Noir?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

After a few seconds, he nodded slowly.

"This is a tough situation," he said, forcing a smile, his chest rising a little too much as he breathed. "You might even say it's a cat-astrophe. Get it?"

The joke was awful and overdone to begin with, but it was made even worse by the shallow gasps that followed.

She wanted to reach out to him, put a hand on his shoulder, rub his back, but that was just the skin hunger talking. Echoes of it still reverberated through her.

But he was getting worse. She had to stop focusing on her own problems. Her partner, her best friend, needed her right now. "Why don't you try feeding Plagg?" she asked, to distract herself as much as him. "You can try Cataclysming the wall next time. I'm sure we can get out that way."

She grabbed his hand. He needed an anchor to ground himself. That always helped her. It was the most physical contact she would allow herself right now.

"Bad chapter," he wheezed, squeezing her so tightly he probably would have bruised her if she wasn't in a magical suit. "Poorly written. No kudos. I demand an update." Chat Noir slowly sank to his knees, then huddled on the ground, face in his other hand.

"Adrien," she said. "Cheese. Feed Plagg." She wasn't sure if he heard her over the sound of his own breathing, sucking in through his nose, holding his breath, then letting it out slowly, like he was blowing bubbles. She ran a thumb over his knuckles, helping him to keep a steady rhythm.

She waited for twenty long breaths out and until he was a little calmer before prompting, "Adrien?"

"A confession will make it move," he responded, his eyes still squeezed shut. "That's how… these tropes always work." His cadence was choppy and uneven as he fought to remember how to breathe normally. "Now's the… time to spill all our darkest… secrets. Too bad you already know all… of mine. Guess it's up to… you." He looked up at her and tried to smile. It was shaky and thin and watery. His whole body seemed small and breakable, crumpled against the metal wall of the elevator, but he was still trying to make her smile.

His words seemed to catch up with him then, and he backtracked, releasing her hand. "No pressure. I– you know I was just joking. You don't have to reveal your name. I'm sorry."

Even with her limited knowledge of fanfiction, she knew that wasn't the type of secret this trope required, and her identity wasn't the only secret that she could share.

Chat Noir was on the floor, working himself through a panic attack, and was still trying to put her needs before his own. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his.

The puff of his staccato breaths against her lips. The hint of mint toothpaste from this morning, even after all this time. The gentle brush of his nose against her cheek. It wasn't enough, not with the masks in the way. The skin hunger demanded more more more. Or maybe it really was all her. She didn't deserve him, but that didn't stop her from wanting all of him anyway.

After a minute, he started to match her breathing, and she felt the mask melt underneath her skin as he transformed back into his street clothes.

The skin-on-skin contact still wasn't enough.

"I love you," she whispered, loudly enough for him to hear.

He twitched underneath her, his forehead scrunching, but she kept her eyes shut. She didn't want to see how it affected him, his surprise and confusion and distrust, because why would he believe her after she'd rejected him, pushed him away, lied about her feelings for him?

She didn't want to see his hope.

The elevator jerked and started moving upward, sliding smoothly. A familiar weight settled against her hip. She brushed her fingers over the yo-yo to reassure herself that it really was there. Going along with the trope had broken it completely and had reset everything nearly as well as her Lucky Charm.

"Cheese?" she finally asked again, leaning backward and looking around. Plagg had been quiet for the whole exchange, watching.

She stood, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Adrien nod and reach into his shirt pocket. His hands were barely shaking, but he kept his face away from her.

The brick wall slid down as they rose. Plagg swallowed and patted his stomach. Ladybug and Adrien were both frozen, waiting for the other to say something first. She should be the one to start. Give some explanation. Some excuse. But defeating the akuma was an easier problem than talking to him, and more urgent, so she gave it priority.

They had the upper hand now, she realized. They'd never gone along with a trope before. Anonymity wouldn't be expecting them to have escaped on their own. All they had to do was capture her, cleanse the akuma, and then deal with the fallout of her confession.

Easy.

With the door of the elevator missing, she watched as they rose up to street level. Light from outside started as a thin strip at the top of the doors, widening up in a blinding flash when the afternoon sun hit her face. This had taken up most of her Saturday.

When her eyes adjusted, her partner stood next to her, breathing normally, dressed all in black, a smile on his face as if nothing had happened.

"Ready?" he asked.

Faint shouts and crying drifted through the open elevator door from the city outside. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and they stepped onto the sidewalk together.

At first she couldn't tell what was wrong. About a dozen people of all ages were scattered across the street. A few were crying. Some were walking normally. None seemed to notice their arrival.

"Excuse me?" Chat Noir asked.

A man in his mid-fifties wearing a suit walked toward them, hat pulled low over his eyes, looking down.

"Can you help us? Do you know what's going on here? Where's the akuma?"

The man kept going. Chat Noir didn't step back in time before the man walked into him, walked through him.

"Ghost AU," Chat said.

Ladybug's hands flew up to her own chest. She felt solid enough. She rapped her knuckles against the nearest wall. That felt solid as well.

"They're the ghosts," she decided.

The people sitting on the ground and crying took on an ominous feel. When she took a second look at the ones who were walking, she realized they were mostly walking in circles, dazed.

A young woman with her hair in a bun walked through the front bumper of a car, only to back up again and go around it. She looked like she was about to be sick, and Ladybug was sure if the blood could have drained from the woman's face, it would have.

Ladybug shivered. "Where are all the bodies?" she whispered.

Chat Noir shook his head. "Maybe there aren't any. Maybe she just transformed them directly."

"I hate this trope."

"Agreed."

Chat Noir walked off without a smile for reassurance, or even a sideways glance.

He was hiding it well, but she'd known him long enough to see that he was hurting and confused, and more than a little rattled after being trapped inside a claustrophobic elevator.

The sooner they finished this, the sooner she could make sure he was okay. And maybe set things right, finally. "Lucky Charm," she whispered.

A giant jar, as big as her torso and shaped like a teddy bear, dropped into her hands. Thick and sticky honey sat inside.

Chat Noir looked over at his shoulder to see what they had been given. "What's the plan?" he asked. Another sign that he wasn't as okay as he was pretending. He didn't make any sort of joke about Tikki implying she was sweet on him.

Ladybug shrugged. "Find the akuma, break the phone, fix everything."

He turned back around. "The first step should be easy," he said, pointing. "I can hear more yelling that way."

---

The akuma wasn't hard to find. Chat Noir had been right, all they'd had to do was follow the sound of the screaming.

After fighting side by side for so many battles, she didn't even need to give him direction. They knew he would go in first and create a distraction, while she would stay behind and figure out how to use the Lucky Charm to bring all of this to an end.

Anonymity had landed in a crowd of people, pointing her phone at those trying to flee from her. There was no beam of light. There was no shouting. She just pointed her phone and the victims stopped.

For most of them, it took a few seconds to realize what had happened. They would put their hands to their chest or their face and think that everything was all right. Until they started to move.

They would stumble, try to catch themselves against a car or the side of a building, and fall straight through. Then their terror would start.

Ladybug didn't see Chat Noir sneak up, just heard the whistle and crack as the baton hid its target.

Anonymity screamed in surprise. "You two! How?"

Ladybug still had no idea what to do with the jar. It's not like she could bake a honey-drizzled scone so delicious that Anonymity would stop rampaging. Was it a clue instead of a puzzle piece this time?

"Amnesia!" Anonymity yelled. The world flashed, and a new trope started. "I'm giving you both amnesia!" Ladybug couldn't help a small smile. Her partner was doing well, if she was giving up the AU so quickly.

Chat Noir had the good sense to duck out of the way. And suddenly Ladybug had an idea. The phone was the key to Anonymity's power and it would be the key to her defeat, but Ladybug would have to get in closer for this to work.

Unscrewing the lid, she ran forward, using parked cars to keep herself out of sight, ducking behind railings, and staying in Anonymity's blind spots. Chat Noir could see her approach and helped keep the akuma occupied.

Ladybug needed some sort of scooper. She could use her own hand to scoop the honey out, but that would only get her stuck as well. And pouring it would be much too slow.

What else was around here to work with? There wasn't much. Scattered papers, abandoned cars, trash can lids, nothing that could be of use to her.

She looked down frantically, wishing she could call for a second Lucky Charm to get her out of this mess.

One of the victims was off to her left. Ladybug crouched behind a bench, watching the boy. He was bending down, trying repeatedly to pick up something off the ground even though his hand kept passing through it. A baseball cap. That was perfect.

She ran over, apologizing that she couldn't help him, and grabbed the hat that he couldn't pick up on his own. He shouted at her as she dunked the stiff cap into the honey, scooping out blobs and leaving it in a trail behind her.

The more surface area she covered, the more likely her plan would be to work. This part was going to take a lot of timing and a lot of luck. Good thing luck was her specialty.

Anonymity pointed again, and Chat Noir dodged. Without any sort of beam or sounds as an indication, it was hard to tell which direction the spell was going until it was too late and it hit its target. But hopefully, that wouldn't matter for Ladybug's plan.

It was a simple plan, really. The best kind.

"Anonymity!" Ladybug yelled when she got close.

The akuma turned, snarling beneath the calm exterior. Ladybug threw a glob of honey toward her. She jumped out of the way, but Ladybug was ready and threw another.

Chat Noir attacked from behind, closing in and forcing her to choose which attacker to avoid. And then carefully, deliberately, Ladybug stepped back.

Anonymity took the bait, pushing into the opening that Ladybug created for her.

Ladybug had to be careful of her steps. She knew she risked stepping in the honey and getting herself stuck in the trap, but she couldn't look backward and give herself away.

The farther she retreated, the more aggressive Anonymity became. With each step, the akuma became more and more convinced that she had the upper hand. Chat Noir kept on her from behind, and Ladybug kept leading her toward the thickest piles of honey.

All they had to do was get her stuck. All they had to do was keep the phone in her hand. Ladybug stepped backward one last time, then lunged forward without warning. The akuma, caught off guard, didn't dodge.

Chat Noir, sensing the plan, chose that exact second to strike, knocking Anonymity down from behind.

The akuma fell. "No!" she yelled, her hand landing in a sticky blob of honey. She tried to shoot, pointing toward Ladybug.

She tensed, calculations running through her head lightning quick. Jump or yo-yo out. Which direction to dodge. Would the honey block the beam.

Chat Noir jumped directly into the line of fire. He stumbled back, and the akuma slumped on the pavement.

Ladybug stood there frozen as she watched them, trying to assess the threat and see if Chat was injured. No one moved for a moment, until Anonymity rose to her knees, her blank mask slowly turning to look at the area around her. She'd been hit by her own trope.

Chat Noir shook his head. "What's happening?" he asked.

Ladybug let out a sigh of relief.

Chat Noir turned toward her, then jumped as if seeing her for the first time.

"Hey, mademoiselle," he said. "I know this is weird, but I wanted you to know that you have very beautiful eyes."

Ladybug put a hand over her mouth. She wasn't sure if she was going to smile or cry. The relief of finally having a plan work, of finally having the threat neutralized, was making her shaky.

Anonymity tried to stand up. She was still kneeling in a pile of honey and was having trouble. Her hand made a sucking sound as she tried halfheartedly to pull it out, but she couldn't get free.

"Hey," Chat Noir called to her. "Are you okay?"

The akuma said nothing, just kept looking around. It was hard to tell with the mask, but her shoulders were slumped and she didn't seem like she wanted to move. All the fight had left her.

Not knowing what to do for her, Chat Noir turned his attention back to Ladybug. "I'm sorry, mademoiselle," he said to her. "I probably shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean to be weird. I didn't upset you, did I?"

Ladybug did smile at that. "I'm fine with it. We're friends."

"Oh," he said, looking relieved. "Do I say that kind of thing a lot? Because you're very pretty. I don't know if you know that… I'm being weird again."

Face tinged a little pink, he turned back to the akuma. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "Do you need help with anything?"

Anonymity stared at him briefly, then turned to look down the street, searching for answers just like he was.

He turned back to Ladybug. "What are we doing here? Are we really friends? You said we're friends. That's amazing."

She couldn't handle this. This was what fighting Oblivio must have been like. No wonder she'd fallen for him so quickly then. He was so sweet and disarming, and kind to the core.

She stepped around him, reaching for the akuma. "Let me help you up," she said, casually reaching for the akuma's wrist and grabbing her phone with the other hand.

Finally.

This was one of the longest days of her life, and it was finally over.

When she tossed the sticky phone on the ground and stomped on it, a black butterfly flew out.

On autopilot, she purified the akuma and put everything right one last time. Anonymity transformed, and instead of a terror of a villain wearing a black bodysuit and white mask, in her place was a girl in jeans and a floral t-shirt, expressive wide eyes scanning the area around her.

"What happened?" she asked.

Chat Noir stood up, patting his hair down like he was trying to push the memories back inside. "That was weird," he said.

He turned to Ladybug and offered his fist for a bump, but without a smile. She took the peace offering cautiously. The first part of her plan had been executed. Now came the fallout, the more difficult part.

"Can we talk?" he asked, as her fingers rested against his.

Her eyes skittered toward the recently recovered akuma victim, trying to look for an excuse. Her earrings beeped, giving her the perfect cover.

"Can you…" she motioned to the woman.

He hung his head but nodded. "Sure."

Ladybug took a few large steps in the other direction, then whirled around. "We'll talk after I recharge."

His eyes and his shoulders perked back up, and he went to help their former enemy.

---

She met him on the top of a bridge overlooking the river just a few minutes later. The sun was starting to set. Cars zipped below them. People were making their way home, but the bridge remained empty of pedestrians, even at the busy hour.

They were too far away to hear the rushing of the water over the roar of the traffic below them. The noise was steady except for a few stray honks.

He wasn't looking at her. It was easier that way. It meant she didn't need to face him, either.

"So," he asked when she sat down next to him. "Did you mean it? Or was it only a distraction to calm me down?"

She nodded, giving herself time to answer. That was more blunt than she'd been expecting, but she deserved it.

"The trope required a confession," she said. That was the truth. Whether he heard the admission for what it was, she wasn't sure. He gave no reaction.

She'd been following his gaze toward the heart of the city, but after a few seconds he turned to face her.

"My name is Marinette," she said quietly.

"Marin… Like, as in…"

She nodded. "Sorry, it took so long."

After a little time to process, he shook his head. "I don't blame you. That's kind of a lot."

She laughed. "You don't know the half of it." He'd asked her directly as soon as she'd sat down. She took a deep breath. After everything they'd been through today, he deserved a direct answer. "I've had a crush on you forever."

She waited for the truth to sink in, to see some sort of confusion, happiness, annoyance, anger, something, but he only held her gaze steadily, a small smile eventually growing.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"What?" she asked, "That I'm Marinette, or that I have a huge crush on you?"

The smile widened. "Both just answered a whole lot of questions."

They hung like that, almost in stasis, each waiting for the other to move first. Ladybug finally broke, reaching up to brush the hair off of his forehead. Her fingertips skimmed over his temple, down his cheek, and finally cupped his jaw.

Even with a mask, even with the gloves and the suits, it finally was enough.

The kiss finally calmed the skin hunger that had been plaguing her all day, because he knew who she was, because there were no barriers in the way anymore, and because she knew more kisses were coming.

The end.

---

Author's note: Hey, remember me? I'm back with a new story! And I really like how it turned out. I have a bunch of short one-shots in the works, and then I'm planning on working on some longer stories again. :D If you've never seen a story from me before, hi! I've got a library of like 70 Miraculous stories, mostly one-shots but also several multi-chaps. Go check them out!

(No promises on when those new stories will be out. Working two jobs really puts a damper on my time and my energy. Oof.)

[allsouls-emma]

Léon Marchand x female reader and the use of oc.

A Léon Marchand fanfiction.

Warnings: swearing, DNI if under 18, 18+, PnV, Voyager!!, no mention of protection, lack of research of swimming, hints of dubscon. Defo not proof read enough.

It was a warm July Wednesday in Paris, and the city was buzzing with excitement as the Olympics were in full swing. Noelle, a brown-haired blue-eyed journalist known for her blunt and outgoing personality, had flown in specifically for the event. Her mission: to report on the swimming competition and interview the athletes for an Irish magazine .

As she took her seat in the Aquatic Center, her eyes immediately locked onto the French swimmer Léon, a three-time gold medalist. His blonde curly hair shimmered with droplets of water, and his chiseled body moved with grace and power as he glided through the pool. Noelle’s heart skipped a beat; she knew she had to meet this man.

After a dazzling performance, Léon emerged from the water, his muscular physique on full display. He waved to the cheering crowd, his blue eyes sparkling with joy. Noelle felt a tingle between her legs as she imagined those eyes looking at her with desire. She forced herself to focus on the race, knowing she would soon get her chance to meet Léon face-to-face.

Finally, the race concluded, and Léon emerged victorious once more. As he stood on the podium, his medals glinting in the spotlight, Noelle felt her pulse quicken. She made her way to the mixed zone, where athletes and journalists interacted post-event. Her heart raced as she anticipated the moment she would come face-to-face with Léon.

And then he was there, standing before her, his skin still glistening with beads of sweat and his breath slightly ragged from the exertion of the race. Léon was even more breathtaking up close, his body a masterpiece of athletic perfection. Noelle introduced herself, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach.

"Léon, it's an honor to meet you, I'm Noelle . Congratulations on your win today. I'd love to ask you a few questions if you have a moment."

Léon's bashful smile took her breath away. "Bonjour, Noelle. The pleasure is mine. I would be delighted to answer your questions." His French accent sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt a twitch between her legs.

As they began the interview, Noelle struggled to maintain her professional demeanor. Léon's charm and good looks were distracting, and she found herself imagining what it would be like to run her hands over his sculpted body. She cleared her throat, forcing her mind back to the task at hand.

"So, Léon, tell me, how does it feel to be here in Paris, competing in your home country?"

Léon's eyes lit up as he replied, "It's a dream come true, truly magical. The support from the French crowd is incredible, and it pushes me to swim even faster."

Noelle bit her lip, her mind wandering to the night ahead and the possibility of a different kind of race—one that involved exploring each other's bodies. She shook her head slightly, determined to stay focused.

"I can only imagine," she said, her tone suggestive. "The pressure must be intense. How do you unwind after a stressful race?"

Léon's eyes darkened, and a hint of a smile played on his lips. "I like to take long, hot baths and just relax. Sometimes, I go for a run along the Seine to clear my head."

Noelle pictured Léon's strong legs pumping as he ran, his swimmer's body sleek and powerful. She fought the urge to reach out and touch his arm, her nipples hardening at the thought.

The mixed zone was beginning to clear out as the last of the journalists finished their interviews. Noelle knew this could be her only chance to make a more personal connection with Léon.

"Perhaps you'd like to show me your favorite running route?" she suggested, her voice low and inviting. "I could do with some fresh air, and it would be a pleasure to see the city through the eyes of a local."

Léon's bashful smile returned, and Noelle felt a surge of triumph. "I would love to. It's a date, then. Shall we say tonight at 8? We can run along the river and perhaps grab a drink after if you'd like."

Noelle’s heart pounded as she realized she was about to embark on a private adventure with the man of her dreams. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied, her tone leaving no doubt as to her eagerness.

As they exchanged contact details, their fingers brushed, sending an electric current through Noelle’s body. Léon's eyes flicked to her lips, and she knew he was imagining kissing her as much as she was. The interview concluded, and they parted ways, both eager for the night ahead.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange,Noelle made her way to the meeting point. Léon was already there, a vision in casual attire, his blonde curls shining in the golden hour light.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice husky as he took in her form-fitting yoga pants and tank top.

Noelle felt a rush of desire as his intense gaze swept over her. "You don't look so bad yourself," she replied, a playful smile on her face.

They set off, running side by side along the Seine. Noelle matched her pace to Léon's, their arms occasionally brushing as they ran. The city lights twinkled in the darkness, providing a romantic backdrop to their energetic endeavor. As they ran, Léon pointed out landmarks and shared stories of his childhood in Paris. Noelle listened, enchanted, enjoying the private tour and the intimate insight into Léon's life.

As they reached a particularly picturesque spot, Léon slowed to a stop, and Noelle followed suit. They were alone on the riverbank, the city's hustle and bustle feeling miles away. Léon turned to face her, his eyes burning with desire.

"Noelle, I've been wanting to do this all night," he said, stepping closer and cupping her face in his hands.

Noelle’s heart hammered in her chest as she leaned into his touch, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Léon tasted of mint and desire, and Noelle felt herself melting into him. Their tongues danced, and Noelle ‘s hands roamed over his strong shoulders and back, savoring the feel of his powerful body.

Breaking the kiss, Léon nibbled along Noelle’s jawline, planting kisses down her neck. Noelle tilted her head back, moaning softly as he found a particularly sensitive spot. Léon's hands moved to the curve of her hips, pulling her against him so she could feel his hardening dick against her belly.

"I want you, Noelle ," he whispered, his voice hoarse with need. "Let's find a more comfortable place to continue this."

Noelle nodded, breathless, as Léon took her hand and led her through the darkness to a secluded spot he knew of—a quiet park bench hidden among the trees. He gently pushed her against the back of the bench, his lips crushing hers as he kicked off his shoes. Noelle felt his hands sliding under her top, caressing her soft skin, and moaned into his mouth as his thumbs grazed the underside of her full breasts.

With a swift motion, Léon lifted her top over her head, breaking away from the kiss to admire her naked breasts. He lowered his mouth to her nipples, taking one, then the other into his warm mouth, teasing them with his tongue until they peaked into hardness. She arched her back, encouraging him to take more, her hands threading through his curls.

As Léon continued his sensual assault on her breasts, his hand slipped between her thighs, finding the wet center of her desire. He rubbed her clit in slow circles, his fingers sliding easily through her slickness. Her gasps continue , her hips bucking as pleasure shot through her.

"You like that, chérie?" Léon murmured, his breath hot against her ear.

"Oui, Léon, don't stop," Noelle pleaded, her head falling back as she surrendered to the ecstasy washing over her.

Léon chuckled, the vibrations buzzing through Noelle sensitive nipple, which he was still sucking and nipping at. His fingers worked their magic, slipping inside her tight channel, thrusting slowly as he brought her closer to the edge. Noelle’s body trembled, and she cried out, her orgasm crashing over her in waves of bliss.

As her contractions slowed, Léon straightened, pressing his body against hers and capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. Noelle could taste herself on his lips, and it sent another pulse of desire through her. She wanted him inside her, filling her completely.

"I need you, Léon," she whispered against his lips. "Please, fuck me."

Léon growled, the primal sound sending a shiver down Noelle’s spine. He lifted her, positioning her against the bench, her ass on the edge, her legs wrapped around his waist. With one smooth thrust, he slid inside her, filling her completely.

Noelle moaned, her head falling back as she enjoyed the sensation of being stretched and filled. Léon's hands gripped her hips, guiding her as he began to move, his strokes deep and purposeful. Their bodies moved in unison, the bench creaking in rhythm with their passion.

"You feel so good, Noelle ," Léon groaned, his eyes locked on hers, glittering with intense desire. "Your pussy was made for my cock."

Noelle’s walls clenched around him at his words, and she met his thrusts with her own, eager for more. "Fuck me harder, Léon," she demanded, her nails digging into his shoulders. "I want all of you."

Léon growled again, his pace quickening as he gave her what she craved. The bench rattled with the force of their passion, the slapping of their bodies filling the night air. Noelle cried out with each powerful thrust, her breasts bouncing, her head thrown back in abandon.

Léon's fingers dug into her hips as he pistoned into her, his balls slapping against her ass with each fierce thrust. Noelle felt her core tightening again, her second orgasm building as Léon's cock hit all the right spots.

"I'm close, Léon, so close," she panted, her legs tightening around him.

Léon grunted, his eyes rolling back as he teetered on the edge. With a few more powerful strokes, he sent Noelle over the brink. Her walls clamped down on him as she cried out, her body shaking with the force of her release. Léon followed, his breath catching as he spilled himself deep inside her, their juices mingling in a heated rush.

Spent, they rested, their chests heaving as they caught their breath. Léon gently extracted himself from her, his arms supporting her as they straightened. Noelle felt his cum leaking from her well-fucked pussy, a testament to their passionate encounter.

Léon pulled her into his arms, and she snuggled against him, her head on his chest. They remained like that for several moments, enjoying the afterglow of their intense coupling.

"I should probably get going," Noelle said reluctantly, knowing the night had to end eventually. "I have an early start tomorrow."

Léon nodded, his hands gently caressing her back. "I understand. But perhaps we could arrange another... meeting? There's so much more of Paris I'd love to show you."

Noelle smiled, kissing him softly. "I'd like that, Léon. Paris is even more magical than I imagined, and I think a large part of that is you."

They parted ways, their clandestine tryst a secret they would both treasure. As she made her way back to her hotel, she knew this trip to Paris would be unforgettable, and it wasn't just because of the Olympics. Léon had shown her a whole new side to the City of Love.

End.

[viridescentelf]

Hiding Place

Halsin x Reader (FemTav) Fanfiction

Couple notes: I love the idea of music in fanfiction, so I kept the Reader/FemTav as a skilled bard. There are a couple mentions of my Tav's class and race (paladin, half-elf), but I think these are easy to skip over.

The songs within this fic are from Paris Paloma, please check them out!!!!

Word Count: 3.3k

___________________________________

After the initial realization that their paths would diverge, Halsin and Y/N gathered their things in the room and prepared their separate journeys. His mission to create a safe haven in Thaniel’s realm was at the very forefront of his mind, excited at the happiness and safety it will instill in the children and people following him. But he couldn’t ignore the sting in his throat. Y/N had always been so accepting of his goals and lifestyle and he knew it wasn’t a final goodbye. Still, the idea of being apart from her after so many months of the growing closeness between them: it was an ache he didn’t recognize.

So many lovers speckled his timeline. Some shone more than others, as they usually do. But this one. Y/N. She was a completely new experience for the archdruid. The kindness in her eyes, nothing compared to it. And now he would be without them for a long time, an absence he hadn’t prepared for.

Y/N committed to rebuilding her home, Baldur’s Gate. Accepting the role of “the hero” was uncomfortable for the paladin, and all she wanted to do was accompany her lover to the former Shadow-cursed lands. To live in peace, with the one she had grown so close to, was a dream come true. A dream that had to wait. For she knew that the city needed all the help it could get and she felt compelled to do so, just as Halsin was called to his new mission. There was a deep chasm growing in her, an emptiness she recognized too well. She never wanted to be the reason Halsin felt trapped. She knew how free his spirit needed to be and she would never beg him to stay, no matter how much she wanted to. Nevertheless, the overwhelming feeling of loss claimed her as she watched him gather the last supplies from their shared room.

All preparations had been made. The wagons of children were stuffed with supplies for the journey, toys were even given a separate section. There were helpers lugging the last few satchels and baskets onto the carts and the time for departure was getting closer. The druid checked with the horses and comrades, finally deciding that it was time. He wouldn’t leave, however, without saying goodbye to his heart one last time.

Leaving the travelers with a “I’ll be back shortly”, the druid walked slowly towards the inn he had stayed in with Y/N, knowing she was still using their abode for her continued stay. His stride was quiet and delayed, knowing that the moment he saw her his whole being would quake with the dire need to remain with her. To resist that urge would be a colossal challenge, knowing that when their hands finally parted, it would be a long while until they were intertwined again.

Crossing the street, he passed a large archway that led to the riverbank. It was right outside the inn and was a familiar spot for Halsin and his lover. A soft guitar echoed from that direction and stopped the druid in his path. He recognized the gentle strumming, something he eagerly listened to every night. A drop in his stomach. This would also be the last time he would hear her poetry for a long while.

Accompanying the tune was a tender voice, humming wistfully to their own melody. Halsin felt a burning sensation snake its way through his abdomen up towards his chest. He couldn’t bring himself to interrupt Y/N. Selfishly, he needed to hear her silvery voice one last time. The tall elf positioned himself behind a wall, where he could listen to her play without being seen.

Y/N plucked a melancholy tune, still humming to it softly as she began to trickle out her thoughts into song.

This morning I emerged onto wet earth, it had been raining

And while it had been raining, you and I, we had been lying

And while we had been lying in the warmth, we had been falling

Into slumber with the thunder overhead

In the cave, we laid down to the rain sounds on your window

Intermingled with the bloodrush of our love flush in our sinew

Sleep joined us in the lamplight as a fire in a campsite

But we set no one to watch with our guard down

There was a brief pause before she continued. She thrummed the instrument a bit shakily, her throat coated with swallowed tears.

What a lovely hiding place that you have made to delay our parting

What a world outside to keep each other safe from

That's all that I want, darling

Halsin let out a raspy sigh, listening to the words. She had written songs about them before, mostly cataloguing the many adventures and creatures they had encountered along the way. His favorite was one she had written about the owlbird cub that joined their camp. The songs were always epodic and full of wonder, now and again containing dark emotions that she was processing. 

Now, he was listening to her spill out her sorrow – and it was about him. Knowing that he was the cause of her sadness was staggering. Her words glid through the air and wrapped itself around him, encompassing suppressed sentiments neither of them dared say aloud to one another.

The druid couldn’t stop the tears from welling up in his seafoam eyes, but he contained his sobs to let his lover finish undisturbed, placing a hand on his mouth.

That’s all that I want, darling.

You hold me in thе burrow, your brow furrowed in your dreaming

And at the timе, the flood comes and our blood runs cold and bleeding

You'd lie womb-like and in your arms, I'd cease my breathing

With broken ribs and one last kiss, I would die here warm

What a lovely hiding place that you have made to delay our parting

What a world outside to keep each other safe from

That's all that I want, darling

That's all that I want, darling

Y/N plucked the last few tunes on repeat and let out an audible sniffle. Halsin’s body was trembling slightly, the stains of his tears marking his face. He heard her pick a few strings absentmindedly.

It took him a few more breaths, but eventually he stepped into the dusk light and approached the riverbank where she was seated. She didn’t turn to him, but recognized his stride. It seemed both didn’t want to look upon each other just yet.

The druid spoke first, his sadness etched in his voice: “I will miss you endlessly, my heart.”

She turned her head slowly. Her eyes were wet.

“I would come with you, if I could”, she breathed huskily. Halsin nodded disdainfully, he felt the water return to his eyes.

Y/N stood up steadily, leaving her white guitar to rest on the bank. They stood looking at each other for a bit, as if trying to imprint their faces to memory. She walked towards him with a loving smile that flickered trying to contain her tears further. The druid stepped forward quickly and pulled her into a firm embrace, as he buried his face into her neck while Y/N wrapped her arms around his. Their breaths pulsated with each other, neither one wanting to leave the familiar comfort of each other. Halsin lifted his head, placed his hand on her cheek and scanned her beautiful eyes wanting to soak up every facet of them. They glittered as silent tears escaped her.

“This isn’t goodbye, my heart,” the bear choked out, between a few quiet sniffs. He couldn’t contain his tears either. “I will long for you every single day, watching the horizon for your arrival.”

 Her smile widened, the creasing of her eyes allowing a few more tears to escape: “I won’t keep you waiting too long.”

They pressed their lips together and breathed in each other’s scents. Halsin’s large hands pressed her body deeper into his as her fingers gently dug into his hair. The caress sunk intensified, as their tongues hooked into each other. The druid sighed into her intensely, not wanting to separate from her. If he could, he would stay here with her and enjoy her soul and body until the end of time. But the helpless were depending on him. And this city was depending on her lead.

An age passed and their lips finally separated. Their foreheads touched, keeping their eyes closed and allowed the moment to wash over them. Halsin’s jaw clenched as he held her hand against his heart, knowing that every second a call from one of his comrades would ring through the streets. They stood near each other, breathing in sync, in silence.

“Halsin?!”, the predicted call was far in the distance and ripped both of them out of the moment.

Y/N swallowed hard, opening her eyes and smiled up at her love: “They’re waiting for you.”

Halsin nodded, but pressed her into his body more, not wanting to let go.

“I know,” he murmured defeatedly, as he placed his hand on the back of her head. “I know…” he exhaled.

The moment had come. Reluctantly, they separated from each other but still held hands. She let out a shaky breath and whispered barely audibly: “Be safe.”

He smiled dejectedly, but responded gently: “Come back to me soon.”

“That’s all I want, darling”

With those words, a last glance was shared as their fingers finally drifted apart. Her last words echoed within his mind and the druid walked away from her.

--

It had been many months, since Y/N watched her heart walk away into his new obligation. The rebuilding of Baldur’s Gate had kept her extremely preoccupied and it helped being close to people like Jaheira and Minsc, who understood her on a deep level. They would meet occasionally for a pint together or she would accompany Astarion on an evening stroll, where he complained about being stuck inside during the day.

The city was starting to return to its former glory. With collective effort, Y/N led a team to clear out debris and took time to bury the lost with a proper memorial service. Working with Duke Ravengard, she had gathered volunteers to assure new housing was built and that refugees would have decent places to live in.

It had taken a long time, but things were looking brighter. And it seemed that her services were no longer that direly needed.

She decided it was time to be selfish.

Twisting through the old Shadow-cursed roads, Y/N approached a bustling little hamlet and was met with a chorus of laughing children and people calling to one another to bring a specific tool. The half-elf had her purple hood up, because her distinct hair and facial tattoos made travelers stop her and interview her as “the hero of Baldur’s Gate”.

The houses had been quickly constructed, but the area was blooming with vast, healthy fauna that invited small bumblebees to swirl around happily. There were still some workers hammering away at some odd project, while some groups were washing sheets, carrying planks or hoeing the ground. The tiny village was bustling with life and, most evidently, sanctuary.

As she stepped further into the township, a group of giggling children ran across her way. They stopped and bumped into one another, clearly curious at the stranger standing before them.

Under her hood, Y/N smiled gently down at them all. The kids started whispering frantically, but were full of excitement. One small tiefling boy walked up to her and tilted his head exaggeratedly to get a better look under her cape.

“Are you a wizard?” he asked confused at her long, purple cape.

She chuckled slightly and went down into a squat to be on his eye level.

“No, no. I’m not a wizard,” the boy was staring at her face and his eyes drifted along the noticeable markings on her face, “is this Thaniel’s Haven?” she asked the group. Some of the kids nodded, but the whispering continued.

A few more children stepped closer to her and tilted their heads in various directions, clearly less hesitant at the sound of her kind voice.

One girl’s eyes widened as she seemed to remember something: “You’re…!!! You’re the lady from the stories!!! Aren’t you?” She pointed excitedly at Y/N’ forehead, where a beautiful red tree was tattooed.

The other kids all gasped in understanding.

“The hero lady!”

“Daddy Halsin said she would come one day!”

“Her face! He said it had those markings!”

“Her tattoos are so cool!”

“I thought you’d be bigger…”

“He said you’d come!”

Y/N started to laugh to herself as their exclamations grew in volume. She held her hands up to gesture them to calm down a bit. Some of the other people in the surrounding area were watching the commotion.

Slowly, their voices quieted as they waited for her to confirm.

“I guess I am…”

A choir of elated tiny gasps followed her statement.

The children were surrounding her, not giving her room to go anywhere else. They asked about a million questions, all about her adventures with the Absolute and how she came to know Halsin. They asked everything they could think of, the moment she stopped answering one, another babbled out of a young one’s mouth. A group of older villagers had joined the fray, who also excitedly greeted her and welcomed her to the area.

One robust woman had her arms on her hips and smiled brightly: “We’ve heard so much about you from Halsin, Miss Y/N, please excuse their excitement.”

A young elf girl had stars in her eyes while talking to Y/N: “He said you have an owlbear as a pet!!!”

The tiefling boy tugged gently at her robe by her side. She looked down to him.

 “Daddy Halsin said you sing songs. Can you sing for us?”

Halsin was lugging some lumbar he had gathered with a group of people at the far end of the village, completely unaware of the commotion at the entrance.

“Erani, put these small pieces into the shed. And Quel, make sure the animals have enough water in their troughs,” He gave the instructions kindly, while he wrapped the larger individual pieces of wood together with rope. An assured “Yes, sir” came out of the mouths of his companions, as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

The day had been long and he couldn’t wait to go see the children to tuck them into their beds. That was his favorite part of the day. The way they were all so eager to learn. It was truly remarkable to see how much they’ve opened up.

His brows furrowed briefly, realizing something. Where are the children?

Normally they stormed up to him after he had been gone for the day, yelling questions about his activity or telling him about what happened at playtime. It was very unusual for his return to go unnoticed.

In that moment, he thought his ears were playing tricks on him.

He could hear a faint guitar playing and a voice he had only heard in his dreams the past few months. Halsin whirled around, taken aback and looked towards the hill that led to the entrance of the village.

What was it that stayed my hand then?

With dagger held unsheathed, blade pointing at its side

Was that-

I’d been set upon by a predator

It was just looking for a meal, I saw ribs and fearful eyes

Had she truly come?

The druid dropped the collection of wood and bolted up the hill, leaving a slight cloud of dust where the logs had hit the ground. His two comrades looked at each other, confused.

What is it that stays my hand now?

The familiar thrum of the chords. The beautiful tone of voice. The words of his favorite song. It had to be her. His pace quickened.

With so much misery that I could mercifully put end to

For that animal I let slink off into the undergrowth, unscathed

Do I not fear death, but just pretend to?

Why was this hill so gods damn long?

For it was starving

It was hungry

But had eyes too close to let me

The slope was getting flatter, he could almost see above it. Panting heavily, he reached the top and was met with a large group of villagers surrounding a single person, sitting atop a barrel and playing a very recognizable white guitar.

If you were easy to kill, I would have done it already

Halsin and Y/N’s eyes met and she smiled serenely as she continued to strum the melody, the kids all huddled around her and clapping arrhythmically.

You are at my feet

We’re by the fire

You’re a gentle beast

And I’m alive

Halsin let out a sighing laugh, his heart engulfed with pure ecstasy. Seeing her there, surrounding by the sweetest beings he had ever had the fortune of meeting, it gave him so much joy.

Y/N finished her song and the children all stood up and cheered. The other onlookers clapped contently, all looking at the druid who couldn’t seem to contain his excitement, either.

“SO OWLBEARS ARE REALLY SWEET THEN?!” one child called out.

“YES SHE SAID IT’S GENTLE!” another replied.

“WE CAN PET THEM! WE CAN PET THEM!” some said in unison.

The half elf held up her hands again to calm them.

“No no no! Don’t go petting an owlbear! The one I met was very sweet, but it was a baby! Please don’t be careless-” she babbled helplessly.

A deep familiar voice ruptured through the chatter.

“Now now, what are you teaching the little ones?”, Halsin called, grinning from ear to ear.

The kids’s heads all turned swiftly to him and ran up with a colossal speed to the druid, all jabbering over another to tell him that Y/N had arrived.

Y/N smiled.

After getting through the small crowd, Halsin stood before the half-elf with a face full of glee, very similar to the small faces scurrying after him.

“You came!” he exclaimed. Without thinking, he pulled her into an intense hug, burying his face into her hair. She swung her arms around him as much as she could and they stayed like this for a while, taking in each other’s scent. The sensation of belonging encompassed Y/N’s body, finally back in the arms of the one she loved most.

They faced each other, gazing longingly into each other’s eyes and almost gave into the highly awaited kiss. Both realized, however, that there were many pairs of glittering, tiny eyes staring up at them.

They separated from each other, grinning, and Halsin turned towards the kids.

“This is Y/N, little ones. She’s the hero of Baldur’s Gate, the one I’ve been telling you about.” He was met with many “We know”’s and “Yes yes!”’s.

The tiefling boy from before stepped up again, his voice booming: “Are you staying here forever??? Can you sing us a bedtime song???” His questions were met with shrill screeches of agreement.

Y/N snickered serenely, leaning down to the boy: “If Daddy Halsin is alright with that.” She and the rest of the kids turned to the druid.

He blushed at her using the word “daddy”.

“Nothing would make me happier,” he grinned, his eyes shining in the sunset.

The children all cheered and Y/N beamed down at them. Some grabbed her arms and others grabbed Halsin’s to pull them towards their cottage. Halsin leaned towards Y/N and whispered: “I’m sorry, my heart. We won’t have any privacy until they’ve gone to sleep.”

She nodded and winked at him: “We have all night.”

Their fingers met and laced within each other, as they were guided by the laughing children towards a new chapter, together.

[theodegas]

𝐃𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐒 & 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓 ➤

this is a roundup of all existing content for degas/paris from mission: impossible (ship name: degaris | most used tumblr tag: #degas x paris). please reach out if something is missing so it can be added! likewise if something needs to be removed. I will be updating this post regularly.

this masterpost is broken down into EDITS • FANFICTION • MEDIA • ET CETERA (ctrl + f to jump!)

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒 edits • collage/mood board • using the final reckoning character posters • dead reckoning angst • using the final reckoning prison stills • polaroid pictures of pom and tarzan at cannes fanvids • paris-centric fanvid with the "stay with me" moment gifs • (police station(humor), "come on. stay with me.", dead reckoning (humor)) • group ensemble (final reckoning cabin fight scene, final reckoning prison fight scene, south africa) • degas (dead reckoning scenes, outside of aircraft in abu dhabi, outside of the ducale, dead reckoning scenes) • paris (dead reckoning scenes, dead reckoning scenes, dead reckoning scenes, dead reckoning scenes(humor), dead reckoning scenes, dead reckoning scenes, dead reckoning scenes)

𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me

She says, “I need a distraction,” and then she’s on top of him like a flu.

Heavy, all-encompassing.

Hard to get rid of.

.

chasing paris

Even after near-death she chooses chaos. Degas’ POV immediately after the train crash in Dead Reckoning.

.

the city of love

Degas and Paris, in four little parts.

.

End of the World

Tapeesa puts her hand out, palm up. It takes a second for Donloe to fill it with his own.

Degas looks at these met halves, these ridges that have aligned for countless times over the years yet none as pivotal as in this moment right now. It is their final act of intimacy, their love’s denouement. Their hands squeeze a soft Goodbye, my love, so subtle it could be missed with an eyeblink.

Degas looks at this, and then he looks at Paris. He doesn’t need to live past the next thirty seconds to know what that means.

.

Share the Same Space for a Minute or Two

The Entity must think her dead already.

There's no other reason she should still be alive.

Paris wakes up in a hospital, and Gabriel is gone, but there are some other people there, and that's strange enough that she might as well stay awake for long enough to try and figure it all out.

(Post Dead Reckoning Part I, five times Paris wakes up + the one time she sits and waits for someone else to wake.)

(Or, alternatively: How to Become a Team™ In Five Major Injuries or Less!)

.

the second time around

Where one story ends, maybe another one begins.

.

turn on the night (i can't wait any longer)

There’s a tang of copper in her mouth. She spits again, watches as more blood hits the bowl of the sink. The vanity mirror is chipped; behind the dusty glass, she can see her gums stained red.

Loyalties shift like lines in the sand in their profession, but Paris discovers some bonds, once forged, will not break so easily.

.

two minds and all the places they have been

Degas gets back from a mission late, and Paris straddles the fine line between feigning unconcern and wanting to strangle him for making her anxious. Set some years after Dead Reckoning.

.

What To Expect When You're Expecting

“I’m pregnant.”

That took the wind out of his sails. “You’re what?”

“Pregnant,” Paris repeated. A touch defensively, she added, “Degas is the father.”

“Yeah,” Briggs said, because he better have fucking been. “I figured.” He cleared his throat. “You mind if we pick this back up when I’m not in the shower?”

.

When Degas Falls in Love

Takes place during The Final Reckoning

Degas adjusts to his new life with the IMF, and is thrilled to go on his first mission at the US Embassy party, particularly to spend more time with his new crush Paris. When things don't go as expected, he makes a stark realization.

or

Degas is incredibly down bad for Paris

.

Unpublished • degaris romcom fic (here, here, and here)

𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀 “The line-up pictured above seems fit for any impossible mission — they’ve got a tech wizard (Benji), a confidence trickster (Grace), two battering rams who can run all day (Degas and Paris) […]” -Empire Magazine

The official Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Degas and Paris character posters (rebloggable)

Official Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning still of Degas escorting Paris in prison (rebloggable with the still of Ethan and Briggs) (rebloggable with the still of solo Paris)

The official Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Degas poster

The official Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Paris poster

The official Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Degas poster

The official Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Paris poster

Pom Klementieff & Tarzan Davis on Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | Exclusive Interview | Where Is The Buzz

Greg Tarzan Davis and Pom Klementieff on their Mission Impossible adventures | Rasha Goel

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Cast Interviews | Paul McGuire Grimes (13:25 timestamp)

'Mission: Impossible' Stars Pom Klementieff, Greg Tarzan Davis, Simon Pegg Bring the Reckoning | The Nerds of Color

𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀 boasamishipper has a well-documented degaris tag pages of degaris content on this blog too

final reckoning trailer spoilers/theories (here, here) tweets (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here)

tarzan being silly and "directing" pom on set of dead reckoning tarzan interrupting his video message to fans to say how good pom looks at the nyc dead reckoning premiere aka the most degaris-coded thing ever (0:37 timestamp) pom and tarzan posing together on the red carpet for the dead reckoning premiere in nyc

pom and tarzan behind the scenes of the dead reckoning airport sequence

pom and tarzan (with simon pegg) at the final reckoning seoul premiere

pom and tarzan whispering to each other and laughing at the final reckoning seoul press conference

tarzan helping pom up the steps at cannes

tarzan manifesting a degas and paris spin-off

tarzan gets nostalgic and hugs pom mid-interview

"I love the chemistry between you two." -Do Do Cheng during an interview

tarzan on instagram: "Shout out to My Partner in Crime"

[bobbie-robron]

Robron Monthly Fanfiction Recommendations (Sep-2024)

The below were recommended on Twitter during the month of September 2024.

She’s My Wife But You’re My Life (2015), Elle0555

It’s 2015 and around the time of Donny surfaced. It’s getting harder and harder for Robert to cope with his life. At first it was that he couldn’t lose either Chrissie or Aaron. Now wanting Aaron has turned into needing him in his life… and only him… because he’s so in love with him. Being with Aaron is what he looks forward to all the time. So Robert decides he’s gonna break things off with his wife but needs time to get his head right about it… and Aaron’s all for supporting him. Robert’s made his own hell and now it’s time to fix it.

Heaven and hell (were words to me) (2016), Port_in_a_Storm

It’s post SSW2016 and Robert is still affected by having told Aaron the Jack secret and wanting to keep it a secret between them. As word spreads of their engagement, Vic keeps nattering on and on about how proud Jack would be of Robert and not taking the hint to cool it. At the core of this story is Aaron’s concern for his fiancé and being there for him especially when push comes to shove and yet another secret comes to light about Jack.

Can’t You See My Love? (2019) 13.2K words, Loveislove87

The lads are feeling the brunt of responsibilities… raising Sebastian, worrying about Liv, the number of bills coming in and Robert working so much… leaving them drifting from each other. When an explosion rocks the scrapyard, it changes everything… Robert is badly injured leaving him deaf. The little family has to readjust to a new normal learning to live with Robert’s deafness but also for Aaron and Robert to find their way back to each other before Aaron does something that could destroy them completely.

My Baby Shot Me Down (2017) 14.2K words, robron_til_the_end

Reunion 2.0 slow burn. Aaron has been missing Robert more and more, he doesn’t need him in his life but WANTS him. As Aaron’s having these thoughts, Lachlan is going crazy at Home Farm where Robert happens to be. Things take a turn as it is Hippy Henrietta that shoots Robert for not wanting her. Aaron is there for him but Robert pushes him away believing he can’t make Aaron happy. That’s okay, Aaron won’t give up getting him back with Liv’s encouragement. Aaron also gives Vic some well deserved words about her choosing a stranger/baby over her own brother and friend. Zero scheming!

Midnight in paris (2017) 34.1K words, wafflesofdoom

‘Anyway, we’ll always have Paris.’ Over the course of 11 months, Robert and Aaron fell in love while Robert was setting up a new headquarters in Paris. On his last day in the city before returning to Boston, Robert suggests they take a year to sort things out in their individual lives (Robert divorcing Chrissie while ensuring he’s secured financially and Aaron with his own problems) and if they still want to give it a go, meet again in Paris under the Eiffel Tower on the 31st of August. The story moves between Robert and Aaron’s falling in love in Paris and Aaron trying to cope back in the village as he reports Gordon for the childhood abuse.

Coffee, dates and christmas (2017) 4.0K words, calthighway

First meets AU. It’s Christmas time and Liv has been with Aaron for a couple months. He treats her to Starbucks (her request) and it’s there he meets server Robert who is smitten with him at first sight. The story follows Aaron deciding to give Robert a shot (who left him his number to call) and Liv being more than happy seeing Aaron actually have a life outside of looking after her. Short but sweet.

We work it out together (2019) 42.8K words, Daily_Scenarios

The end (for how) to our lads in 2019 was quite depressing so it’s time to have a fic that gives them the happy ending they deserved. With Vic’s assaulter taken care of legally and she and Diane still deciding to leave the village of the damned, the lads themselves (including Liv) decide to make the move too for Robert to be close to them. A happy ending cannot go without Sebastian being a part of it as well as also whether there is hope for surrogacy becoming a reality.

Found Peace in Your Violence (2018) 44.7K words, lovesnarf (snarfette)

It’s post-Christmas 2017 (and the Whites are gone as the baby wasn’t Robert’s) and the lads have become close friends as Aaron had moved on with the pointless boring one. Now though, Aaron is realizing he doesn’t suit with the bland one and his feelings for Robert are still strong. Unfortunately, it appears Robert has started to move on with a bloke, Ian, that he met at a club. While Ian appears too good to be true (especially in Aaron’s eyes), he will soon become Robert’s greatest nightmare leading to domestic abuse which Robert believes he deserves. How far will things go before anyone realizes something is wrong with Robert before it’s too late?

[straystarr]

Where; hhj

fifth part of The Last series next part

Where you loved was the boy you met in Paris. 

You never intended to stay there that long. It was supposed to be a six month internship after graduating.

But it all changed when you met him.

Soon, a year had passed and somehow another year after that. You couldn't leave the city. You couldn't leave him. 

Maybe it was my desire to be on your own. Or prove something to everyone back at home. But he helped you accomplish so much over there, with a relationship reflective of the city you were in. A new energy and new experiences that really pushed you to mature more than anyone. Or anywhere else.

When people ask what city you love the most, you say Paris. The city of love. The city where you loved the most.

“You’re my muse.” You claimed proudly, showing Hyunjin the photo you had just candidly taken of him. He glanced at your phone, a silly smiling soon forming on his lips. “My favourite photos are the ones you take of me.” He said softly, his hand finding yours. “Why?” You asked, trailing behind him as he slowed his pace. He stopped in place, body now facing yours. “Because I’m never really looking at the camera. I’m looking at you.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, gaze drifting from your eyes to your lips. “You’re the first thing I always see.” 

AN: A gentle or not so gentle reminder that this is written fanfiction. xoxo

𝙎𝙏RAy𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍r★

[lostinthe--stars]

Prologue from my upcoming ViperNoir/Lukadrien fic

***

Chat Noir had always loved these moments, sitting with his partners in the still of the night. Ladybug sat in the middle, arms stretched out behind her on the Eiffel Tower, supporting her weight as she breathed in the cool air. Viperion sat on her right – or rather, he laid on his back, arms cushioning his head as he stared up at a starless sky. The peacefulness of it all was what Chat loved the most. Up on the Eiffel Tower, he was completely free. He was just himself, with the two people he felt most at home around.

He turned his head to watch them, wanting to imprint the moment in his memory. Ladybug, feeling his gaze, cracked an eye open and smiled.

“What’s on your mind, kitty cat?” She closed her eye again, stretching her head back further to enjoy the cool breeze in her hair.

Chat Noir huffed a laugh through his nose, a small smile playing on his lips. He turned his head back to look down at the city below him, taking a few seconds to answer, “I’m just…thinking about how much I love having these moments. In my normal life, I don’t normally get to just relax and spend time with my friends like this.”

Viperion sat up, bending his knees into his chest, and leaning forward so his arms rested against his knees. He turned his head to look at Chat Noir, smiling over at him in that encouraging way he always did. Viperion was the quieter of the 3 heroes, but he could say a lot in just his eyes, the soft curve of a smile. It warmed Chat Noir’s heart in a strange way every time.

“These moments are nice, huh. Especially after a fight like that.” Ladybug said, eyes still closed as her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly at the memory of the latest akuma victim earlier that night. “Spending time with friends like this is really nice.”

Viperion hummed low in agreement, his eyes still focused on Chat Noir. “It is nice to have a break from real life, too.”

“That too.” Ladybug agreed.

“And spending time with each other outside of akuma battles.” Chat Noir added.

“Almost like we’re normal people, normal friends.” Ladybug mumbled, finally sitting up properly and opening her eyes, the small smile changed into something sad.

“Friends…” Viperion whispered, his eyes shifting to Ladybug.

“We’re friends, aren’t we? Not just superheroes?” Chat asked, looking between his partners once more.

“Of course we are kitty.” Ladybug’s smile returned, and she stood. “I should get home, early start.” Ladybug jumped from the Eiffel tower, letting herself free fall for a few second before catching herself with her yo-yo and disappearing into the night.

***

“CHAT!” Ladybug shrieked as she fell from the Eiffel tower. The scream echoed all through Paris, ringing in Chat’s ears as he loomed above her on the tower. This time, she didn’t catch herself, and no one was there to catch her as she hit the ground.

***

This is the prologue to my upcoming enemies to lovers ViperNoir/Lukadrien fanfiction, which will be posted on ao3

I’m very excited for this, I have some very big ideas I can’t wait to explore. Get ready for lots of angst, complicated feelings and some fluff sprinkled through out.

More info to come as I get closer to posting, which I will be giving updates on (:

[gabenathreversebang]

Reverse Bang 2023 Masterpost (part 1)

Death by a Thousand Cuts

After Nathalie’s health began to deteriorate due to the use of the miraculous. She found herself stuck in another dimension…

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

The King's Guard

The Kingdom of Lapia is strong and unshakable, just like its monarch. But under the surface, King Gabriel is consumed with grief. He masks it well, but this cold demeanor distances him from his son, leaving it Captain Nathalie’s job to bring them back together. Having known the king since childhood, this should’ve been an easy task for the captain of the royal guard. But will the growing threat of the Akumas -a magic-wielding group they’d both cut ties with- make it impossible? Or could this be what reunites the royal family, and, perhaps, reveal buried feelings? Though surely in this society, a knight could never love her king.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Of Crisp Days and Crispier Cakes

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.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Painful Circumstances

As Nathalie’s illness caused by the broken peacock miraculous becomes worse, Gabriel realizes the lengths he is willing to go to for her and just how much she means to him. “It all began with a cough. It was barely a tickle at the back of her throat, one that could go mostly ignored as Nathalie went about her daily life. She didn’t think too much about it at first, believing that in a few days, it would pass. However, when it didn’t and instead only got worse, she still tried to ignore it. She had been doing so well lately, only having the occasional coughing fit. She was even able to walk about the Agreste manor with relative ease, although the robotic back and leg support Gabriel gave her definitely helped with that. But as the days turned into weeks, Nathalie couldn’t ignore the cough any longer. It was persistent, wracking her body with each hacking spasm. She tried to hide it from those around her, not wanting to worry Gabriel or Adrien, but eventually, it became too much for even her to bear.”

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

La Nuit Blanche Sur Paris

During the White Night in Paris, the city is filled with art and the Agreste family will take the opportunity to analyze the past year and plan for the future. Together.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Fanfiction (Spanish) (archived link)

The Ice Queen and the Tailor

When a simple tailor loses his beloved fiancée in an unnatural frost, only the mysterious Ice Queen can help resurrect her. But the cost to the tailor-and the Ice Queen-may be far higher than either of them realize.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Mayura Blanc

Nathalie decides to have a discussion with Gabriel about his actions as Shadow Moth, leading to a series of events that cascade into a new villain, one more powerful than any other: Mayura Blanc. Hawk Moth and Chat Noir are sent by Bunnix into a world that has been ravaged by a destruction that neither of them understand, but slowly start to comprehend as they travel the wasteland.

Artwork (archived link) (Instagram link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

The Monster Inside Us

What if Gabriel’s cataclysmed arm reawakened broken magic inside Nathalie from her time with the peacock miraculous? Now they’re both running on stolen time as their curses feed off each other. With the damage spreading through Gabriel’s body and Nathalie’s transformation into a Mayura-like creature, will they find a way to save each another?

Artwork (archived link) (Instagram link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

A Wavering Conviction

As Gabriel gets closer to accomplishing his goal of bringing Emilie back to life, he begins to have second thoughts. Being Monarch is no longer as appealing to Gabriel as it once was, no matter how much power he has. Instead of denying these feelings, Gabriel instead wants to face them. With the help of Nathalie and the pig miraculous, Gabriel goes on a mission to uncover his true feelings and the reason behind them.

Artwork (archived link) (Instagram link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

On Ice

Gabriel wants to go ice skating for the first time after his wife’s death. but he doesn’t want to go alone, so he comes up with an impractical yet effective solution and needs Nathalie’s help.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

As We Fall

A crazed supervillain running around Paris? It’s the new general experience. But dreaming of falling to her death, and with her boss of all people? That’s a little further from normal than Nathalie likes.

Artwork (archived link) (Instagram link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

After Irritation Do Us Start

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.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

three minutes till dawn

Outside, the evening sky glowed with the yellow light of the full moon, spilling over a canvas of black. The light illuminated the room through the skylight above the goddess’ head. It looked as if it were a spotlight made just for her. Or: Devotion was the only thing Gabriel had. Until it wasn’t.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

The Time Between Us

Nathalie Sancoeur never thought she would find two magical jewels while exploring an abandoned Tibetan temple with her boss, Gabriel Agreste, now imagine her surprise when she also got to see fragments of her future and the people in it. Will she want to change what she saw or will she accept her miraculously tragic fate?

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Nathalie doesn’t understand how it’s come to this. Technically she knows the entire sequence of events; how she’d been stuck as Mayura and then caught by the heroes. It’s just the part in which she’d ended up marrying Gabriel Agreste still makes no sense.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Osiris Was Heralded by the Stars (You Were Raised by Them)

Nathalie Sancoeur— a long suffering artefact hunter turned talent agent— has always taken her career very seriously. Gabriel Agreste, on the other hand (a has-been singer with an odd penchant for fashion), relies almost entirely on the drive of other people to begin aspiring for greatness— leaving his few genuine prospects out to dry. This, surprisingly, is a very good combination. (In an emergency, at least— it’s not like she had any other choice.)

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

A Melancholic Masquerade

Stuck at one of the parties of Paris’ most exclusive club as Gabriel’s…something Nathalie Sancouer is doing her best to get through the night despite the people, the gossip, and worst of all her own feelings.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

Is She The Reason?

The wealthy and popular Gabriel Agreste is struggling with his project for the upcoming art competition at his university. He knows the perfect person to help him, Nathalie Sancoeur, an artist whose work he admires. Gabriel wants her assistance, but there’s an issue; Nathalie can’t stand him.

Artwork (archived link)

Fanfiction (archived link)

[tayovampr]

Ikemen Vampire Mc + Oc Reimagining :)

·˚ ༘₊· Mitsuki

Mitsuki will be the name used in fics that are not x reader. If you are requesting and wish to use [Y/n] or S/O, please specify. If you want your [Y/n] to have a different personality, please specify, otherwise [Y/n] will be written with Mitsuki’s characterization.

Name: Takeda Mitsuki

Ethnicity: Japanese 🇯🇵

Age: 23

Personality: Mitsuki is a very compassionate woman who is respectful and considerate to everyone, no matter the circumstances. She can often be described as selfless, running in to harms way if it can save the life of another. Mitsuki is a diligent worker and enjoys learning new things. Her morals are strong and it takes a lot to break. Even though she isn’t perfect, she tries her hardest to be brave in stressful situations.

Hobbies: Blogging, Traveling, Reading, Cooking

Preferred Love Interest: Mitsuki of course loves all the residents and more! (When used as [Y/n] …) Although in non x reader fics, Mitsuki seems to gravitate towards the lesser vampires…

Trivia!

Mitsuki is fluent in multiple languages including English, Japanese, Dutch, French & Italian.

Mitsuki has a blog page which is dedicated to vacation and travel locations.

Mitsuki is a skilled seamstress and has knowledge of clothe making.

History wasn’t Mitsuki’s strong suit in school… 😅

·˚ ༘₊· Temi

Temi is a self inspired original character who will sometimes appear in fics! Please don’t hate her and show her just as much love <3

Name: Temitayo Adebiji

Ethnicity: Nigerian 🇳🇬

Age: 24

Personality: Temi has an certain aura to her that manages to attract people to her. It doesn’t help that she can be considered a wild child. Temi isn’t afraid to voice her opinions, it doesn’t matter who is in the room, and she is always firm on her beliefs 19th century or not. Very diligent and a hardworking who loves doing new activities. Horrible procrastinate-er who has bad habits. A laughing machine of the machine, as she is easy to laugh and easy to please.

Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Painting, Dancing, Getting Dolled Up :)

Preferred Love Interests: A pure blood lover just like moi, she is mostly paired with Vlad, Comte or Leonardo.

Trivia!

Temi tries to learn Japanese so she can communicate with Mitsuki better. So far she can speak English, Igbo and French.

Temi is catastrophically chaotic—

Owns a sketchbook with tons of artworks and recreations of famous pieces.

Calls herself a writer, but just has a notebook filled with thousands of wips and fanfiction she wrote when she was 12.

·˚ ༘₊· Mitsuki & Temi

how they met, their relationship with one another, and friendship + mansion dynamic.

First Meeting: Mitsuki and Temi met when Mitsuki came over to the US for an interaction exchange student program. During which Temi’s family were her host. The two were only high schoolers and were friendly which each other. Although after graduation they fell out of touch. Later, during one of Mitsuki’s travels to Europe they met again and decided to reconnect.

How They Got To Paris: Mitsuki had just finished her blog on Spain and was deciding on where to go next. She decided on Paris, since it was said to be the “City of Love”. At the same time, Temi had just broken up with her boyfriend, and was looking to find some place to forget about him. Naturally Mitsuki took her dear friend with her :)

Friendship: Honestly, these two fit together like puzzle pieces. If Mitsuki is the calm, then Temi is the storm. These two could be considered joined at the hip since they make everything a two-person job. Temi always makes Mitsuki laugh, and Mitsuki is a good listener and comforter to Temi’s problems. Whatever shenanigans they get themselves into, you can be assured that they will get themselves out (with trail and error of course). These two enjoy going on walks, braiding each others hair, talking to each other and cleaning together.

Mansion Dynamic: Temi, Mitsuki and Sebastian make a dream team. They work faster, diligently and efficiently. But there are days when the chaos gets to them and you find them making mansion life 100x more interesting. Temi and Mitsuki are often found together, doing tasks, going shopping and working in the same areas. For them, Sebastian is like the “boss” or “head butler” since he has been here longer than them. These three love to gossip, and everyone knows word travels fast in the mansion. You could find them putting up laundry to dry talking about the newest hearings that’s someone said in the mansion, and you better believe Sebastian is ready to write it down…

[mystic-myrtille]

Watched the movie and honestly it was fine. No groundbreaking cinematic masterpiece. No disasturous dumpster fire. Just an ok movie that felt like a fanfiction from s1

Here's some more thoughts I have. There's no structure it's a little chaotic. Also spoilers (duh)

The stuff I liked:

The music was good

THE ANIMATION IS GORGEOUS. The lighting in every scene is perfect, the city actually feels populated and the colors overall are so much prettier than in the show

I loved the akuma designs

They do a good job of establishing how Marinette, in the beginning, is very anxious, affected by Chloe's bullying and how she doesn't have friends. That works better than what the show tried to establish, about how Marinette had no friends but still being popular for some reason

Alya being a good friend

The way Adrien deals with the loss of his mother and how playing the piano brings him comfort and makes him feel close to her. Imo the show went overboard with how literally everything Adrien does is dictated by his dad and never something he might genuinely enjoy doing. The fact that he had this hobby made him feel like he was more than just a sad boi

Adrien also seems to struggle with not having many friends outside Nino. Works pretty well with the characterization that he's socially awkward after being homeschooled for most of his life

Generally this Adrien has more PV vibes? I‘m digging it ngl

Marinette's dad is the best

Fu's introduction to Marinette sure was something xD

Gabriel was a good villain character. The show version is just some weird ass goof who is a huge ass to his son and everyone, yet the show wants you to feel for him without giving us a reason to care. This version actually has complexity. He’s still an ass, but now the pain over loosing Emilie feels real. You also have him hesitating to use the butterfly but ultimately spiraling completely into an actually threatening villain.

the fight scenes looked great

Marinette is still clumsy and awkward towards Adrien but without being too cringe about it and doing stupid shit. It‘s just heart eyes and day dreams and some stuttering. She‘s still nervous but I never felt like Adrien brought oit her worst side like in the show. She was simply a girl in love. This was wholesome to watch and so much better than... whatever the fuck the show did with the fucking dating trauma to use for """comedy""" bc the show runners have zero respect for her seriously I'll never get over how fucking stupid that was Marinette honey you deserve so much better

I honestly think this is a better version of the square. Still heavily flawed, but their dynamic feels so much more natural. Ladynoir stuff was sweet

The end where Marinette looses the earrings and then saves Chat without the costume was a good scene

Most of their moments were just quiet moments between just the two without any outside forces and characters constantly pushing them together. This bothers me in the show so much and is another major reason I cant get behind the ship, but for the most part the movie has some gentle pushing here and there but no convoluted and stupid cringy plans. In that regard movie love square is superior

Nino had a thing for Alya from the start pretty much, unlike in the show where he was crushing on Mari five minutes before getting with Alya. I like them in both the show and the movie, but the way they got together in the show was a little meh

Nino getting screentime in general

The stuff I don't know how to feel about:

Careless whisper. It was silly goofy but especially the second time when Paris is on fire and we skip to Adrien's room where he sulks... yeah that tome switch really threw me off

Two different voice actors for singing an talking. The difference was very jarring and while good for Bryce, Cristina has the voice of an angel like cmon I need her to do at least a cover from one song

Gabriel's redemption. Ok so I'm a little torn because the way they did it ties in very well with the the "power of love" theme that his love for Adrien makes him realize his mistakes bla bla, but he still terrorized a city and yet faces zero consequences, and Adrien forgives him, which are all thing that really rub me the wrong way. Idk the franchise is so obsessed with painting this man in a sympathetic light and in order for this to feel truly satisfying Gabriel shouldn't have tried to destroy Paris like 5 minutes earlier. I see what they went for and thematically it worked but I just need Gabriel to be put in prison

Speaking of Gabriel, the Adrien Gabe relationship isn't as abusive as in the show. This isn't good or bad, but I still think (very unpopular opinion) the show doesn't handle abuse well at all bc the only point of the abuse is pity points in oder to get the fans to care about the characters. So taking that out of the movie where you have limited time to wrap this whole thing up might've been a smart decision

With the ending they sort of hinted at a sequel

The cut off kiss at the end. They still act like a love square kiss is something sacred that they can‘t just give their fans. Commit to it already

The stuff I didn't like:

The dialogue was… something. Marinette just asking her mom over breakfast how to make her dreams come true. Babe just just woke up, that deep convos are for late nights

Generally the dialogue in both the movie and the show is a little weird

Lika Alya‘s „people try really hard to fail as hard as you“ Marinette spilled some coffee it‘s not that hard

Even though I liked the portrayel of Marinette‘s anxiety, at times the went overboard with it

Going back to the Gabriel redemption, just let Adrien have negative feeling about Gabriel already. The s5 finale have him idolize him and here he just instantly forgives and forget

So the butterfly is a villainous tool by default? They could've fixed their messy lore but noooo

The scene where Marinette gets her miraculous feels rushed.

The way Adrien receives his miraculous. He was chilling in his room and suddenly a black cat shows up. He doesn't even have to proove himself like Mari when she almost got hit by a truck. The moment in the show was already weak but this is just fucking stupid

the first akuma was just some random dude. They should've used someone the main duo has a connection to

Chat being a lil bitch about Ladybug rejecting him. Hated it in the show, hate it here. They could've used the movie to fix Adrien and they didn't. Other than that being a dick move as so many people have explained millions of times now, I find this such a boring source of conflict for the climax of the movie? They worked well before and they both know they care for each other as partners and even if being rejected hurts, Chat acts like LB just threw their friendship away or something with how strongly he reacts to it. In the show it felt blown out of proportion and it does here as well. I think they should've had a different kind of conflict which actively hurt their partnership or Chat stops treating LB unfairly just because to her he‘s not a romantic partner.

The fart jokes. Though tbf this is a kids movie

The way Marinette falls for Adrien was extremely underwhelming. Adrien smiles at her and helps her get up and then just walks out of the library all like „she‘s so weird“. Could‘ve been fixed if he and Mari stayed in the library and had a little conversation

Also Adrien‘s introduction in general? He just chills in the library and… yeah that‘s it. I blame this on the writers of the movie cutting character introductions short because they assume the audience already knows the characters and therefore doesn‘t have to introduce them. I don‘t think that was a good choice

The Adrienette stuff was just a montage. Would've been nice to actually see them connect (though that was probably a time issue)

Also they didn't give any spotlight to Marinette's good qualities like selflessness and intelligence. Would've been nice to see her be more willing to be there for people and help them out with things as a result of her gaining more confidence

Seriously the montage was a big mistake and takes away a lot from what could've made the movie stand out

The reveal felt a lot like Adrien only loving Marinette because she's LB, which was a big reason for me to not ship Adrienette prior to the flip (not that I did after). Something like this would‘ve been believable in a setting where they didn‘t know each other as civilians I guess, but that doesn‘t work for the square. Had they actually shown Adrienette develop outside of a montage this would'be been way more believable and touching.

I think a reverse love square from the beginning would've worked better here, or they should've made the Ladynoir side canon

Adrien tells Marinette about his dead mom. Chat noir tells Ladybug about his dead mom. How does she not make the connection?

The "power of love" theme fell flat with Marinette. she doesn't have her moment of "oh I have to protect the people I love" like Tikki's dialogue suggests. There were multiple people at the theme park she could've spotted being in danger and that should've made her want to save them. Tom being there was literally the perfect set-up. The show does this with Alya being trapped under a car or something and Marinette seeing her

I also think the jump from anxious Mari to brave Mari didn't work. In both the show and the movie it just feels like she just decides to be confident now without really getting there through hard work. The motivation was there in the show (see previous point) but in both instances it just happened too fast. Let Marinette have time to really adjust to her new role

This would've worked if the movie didn't try to keep the show's formula of "villain of the week". Why are we getting a montage about that when there's already a whole ass show with five seasons where we already see that? This montage took up time that could've been used more effectively. The movie should've tried to be more of it's own thing, really shoud've tried to flesh out the characters more in a way the show doesn't. They didn't need LB and CN immediately competent and loved by the public after the theme park fiasco. Just use the run time of the movie to get adjusted to fighting crime on a weekly basis, have them fail to then fix their mistakes and learn from them. Why not do a training montage with the point of becoming better instead of flirting? The movie tries too hard to keep up the show formula and it takes away the quality the story could've had

Also in Marinette's case it felt like the only "power of love" that mattered was her partnership with Chat. Her family and friends weren't completely unimportant but definetely underutilized in that regard. Romantic love is not the only important love you know

Their powers of cataclysm and miraculous ladybug only came in at the very end. The built up could've worked if they spent more time showing how they become good and experienced heroes over time

Generally the climax was underwhelming. Gabriel learns Chat‘s identity and the damage is made undone like 10 seconds later

Adrien being like "yeah I didn't really get close to people after my mom died" what's with the Nino erasure smh

Luka wasn't important

Kagami wasn't even there

I think the end scene hinted at the sentimonster stuff and I wished they would've just not include that

Final thoughts

There are things the movie did better than the show and some things it didn't. They don't waste much time on establishing who the characters are because they expect viewers to already know that from watching the show. But like the show, they fail to use the concepts they've set up in an effective way. The movie not only tries to stay true to the show but is almost dependent on the audience knowing the series.

But yeah, the movie atmosphere was nice. Nothing extraordinary but also not super bad. It had s1 vibes and despite the problems I listed, I had a good time for the most part. Not a must watch but still fine

4/10

[hoedamn-eron]

hi guys!

Thought it was about time that I actually introduce myself properly, since the last time I posted a photo of me was in November 2022 😂

My name is Shannon, and I’m 29 years old from the UK (specifically, the NW) 😊 I am engaged to my wonderful partner, Dom, and we have a 5 year old son, and a cat named Luigi.

My favourite colour is lavender, my favourite place to be is London (or Paris, honestly I just thrive in cities in general!), my favourite book is Thérèse Raquin (which, fair, I discovered because of Oscar, but as it turns out, it's an amazing book and quickly became a favourite), and my favourite film is The Sound of Music. My favourite food is sushi, and I have a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature & Creative Writing ☺️

I’m also a huge fan of antique shopping! Always up for a good bargain in the antique shops! 😂

I’ve been on tumblr since 2012/2013, when I was in college! I never really posted anything, it was all reblogs (I still have that account, I just spend most of my time here now!).

This isn’t my first fandom blog, I tried having one back in 2014, but it quickly fizzled out (and good thing too because the fandom I was a part of is now dead 😂).

I joined the Oscar Isaac Fan Club™ in 2022, after watching Moon Knight. I'd seen him in other things before, like Star Wars and W.E. and X-Men, but I'd truly fallen in love with Steven Grant and then it just escalated from there.

Now I'm obsessed (sorry, Dom).

I've always been interested in writing from a young age, I'm an avid reader, and I discovered fanfiction when I was around 12 on fanfiction.net. Over the years, I've posted many a fic that always ended up unfinished and deleted, or self indulgent to never see the light of day, until I started this blog! It's motivated me to write more and gain my confidence back since the past 8 years have been rough.

I’ve really enjoyed posting my fics and gaining feedback, I just love it when someone enjoys my writing! I hope I can continue to write and post as much as I can! 😊

[onceuponaswanqueen]

My 2023 Fanfiction Reading Stats

Happy New Year, everyone!

In this post, I'll be giving some stats over my fanfiction reading last year, and under the cut will be my 15 favorite fics I read last year (10 new ones and five rereads).

But first, some stats!

I read 17 890 498 words, that's 6 million words more than last year! I read 593 fics. 110 fandoms and 322 ships! That's double the amount of ships I read last year.

By number of fics, my most popular fandom was Harry Potter with a total of 89 fics. Second popular fandom was Gossip Girl, with 55 fics, and in third place we have Criminal Minds with 42 ships.

That means that Harry Potter is the only fandom from last year to break the top 3 again. Last year (2022) I read zero Gossip Girls fics, and only a couple Criminal Minds fics, so both those fandoms entered with a force.

When it comes to ships and word count, my three most popular ships were Dan/Blair (Gossip Girl) with 21 fics, and Emma/Regina (Once Upon a time) with 21 fics. Ironically enough, 21 was the highest number of fics read with a single paring last year (2022) as well though the pairings were faberry & swan queen. My third most read ship was Katniss/Peeta (The Hunger Games) with 16. Only one f/f ship in the top three, which i don't think has happened to me since middle school.

In terms of words, my most popular fandom was still Harry Potter (3 927 226 words), followed by the Hunger Games (1 274 229 words), and in third place General Hospital (1 006 643 words). And for pairings that is Emma/Regina (Once Upon a Time) at number one with 947 973 words, followed by Jason/Elizabeth (General Hospital) with 889 029 words, and in third place Ginny/Harry (Harry Potter) with 671 844 words.

I mostly read canon divergence (196 fics), then future!fic (not necessarily canon compliant) with 73 fics, and then post-canon fics with 66 fics.

I read 168 fics with f/f pairings, 161 ficswith f/m pairings (which damn, i haven't read this much het since i was in middle school), 166 gen fics, and 72 fics with a M/M pairing. I also read 20 fics with mulitiple pairingtype (ia both f/f and f/m), 1 fic which was nb/m, and 8 fics with a poly ship.

My avarage rating was 4 stars. My avarage number of words per fic were 30 204 words. I also had 55 fics that I had read last year, which is much lower than last year.

And now, my top fifteen fics I read last year, (in no particular order)

The Victors Project by oisin55

Before Katniss and Peeta, seventy-three children won the Hunger Games. Some were brutal. Some were clever. Some were lucky. A few were almost decent. These are their stories. This is the Victors Project. (Hunger Games, mostly gen)

THIS IS THE BEST FIC I HAVE EVER READ. Like it's so good, and yes it's long. Its 311k, but worth every second. It's no longer canon compatible due to Songbirds, but it's still worth the read. You will not regret it.

2. The Mad World Series by crimsonglass

Set in Summer 2003. One night in June, Ric kidnaps Carly and locks her in a panic room, drugging Elizabeth to cover his tracks. Before long, Port Charles is embroiled in scandal, corruption, and trauma that hits home for everyone. It will be a long time before anyone forgets Ric Lansing’s reign of terror or the evil simmering beneath the surface of the city. (General Hospital, Jason/Elizabeth centric, but with other ships as well)

This is a niche fandom and ship, but this was absolutely brilliant. All the parts are great, tho I really love All of Me and This Is Me, which revisits Elizabeth's rape and puts her center in her own story. Which the show just hasn't done in over a decade. And it's just so good. I've read almost all of crimsonglass's fanfic this year but this stands out to me as one I will proabably reread for years.

3. Truth and Measure by telanu

Andy doesn't leave Miranda in Paris, and learns that a single decision can change your life. But the main thing about decisions? You don't get to stop with one. (The Devil Wears Prada, Andy/Miranda)

This is a classic for a reason. I cannot believe I have never read this before. It left it breathless. It was so good, I just couldn't stop reading it. I finished in like two days and it's 271k long. It's just so addicting.

4. Roads Diverged by freelancerrh

The stick had two lines. Four alternate continuations from "Late." (Dawson's Creek, Pacey/Joey)

THIS IS BRILLIANT. It follows four different timelines from Late if Joey was pregnant, one where she keps the baby and raieses it with pacey, one were she has an abortion and tells pacey, one she raises the baby alone, and one where she has an abortion but never tell pacey. All four timeslines are excellent, and I love this kind of multiple timelines stories. Totally worth a read if you know the fandom and ship the pairing.

5. If You Never Bleed, You're Never Gonna Grow by mp143

For three years, she ignored the way she clung to updates about him from her brother, every little piece of his life he didn’t share with her in the course of a hookup. She disregarded the tightening in her chest and the fluttering in her stomach when they were together, noticing that he never stopped noticing her, anticipating her desires and giving them to her without her having to ask. And she refused to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t only about sex — not for her, and maybe not for him either. And that’s, of course, how she ended up here: huddled over a cauldron in the bathroom of her tiny flat, trying to work up the courage to prick her finger and pinch a drop of blood into the potion.

Best Harry/Ginny fic I read last year, hands down. It was so suprising, deals with why and how Ginny got pregnant so young and in the middle of her career. It also steers away from canon but honestly, it works better that way. Also the romance in this is spot on.

6. To Hold off the Lightning by cinnamonfiglatte

There’s no burst of dust, the way Faith expects. Only blood at her hands and blood at the stranger’s lips and the chilling sound of a death rattle fighting its way from his lungs. Or: Faith kills Allan Finch. The Scoobies offer her the literal crumbs of support she needs in order to not give in to darkness. Yes, this is another “Faith stays (mostly) good” season 3 AU. (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Faith/Buffy)

Works perfectly in canon and in character Fuffy fic, yes and thank you. The way the romance develops in this is so natural and organic, and it makes so much sense, and it never puts down on Buffy and Angel and it all just works. It's a slow burn and it so delicious i can't even. Read it!

7. There's a place I call my home by lizwas (Series)

au from 5x21 onward, but takes place years in the future. Jenny comes from London to spend a summer in the Hamptons, and reconnects with her old friend Nate. (Gossip Girl, Jenny/Nate)

I fell into a gossip girl hole this year, no doubt. and my favorite writer for this fandom is lizwas, but this series just stood out to me. i love jenny & nate and they are so underappricated and this series is so good, it treats nate with respect, it treats jenny with respect, it shows how people can grow and how people can grow together, and i just *chefs kiss*, the smut is pretty good too if that's your thing.

8. Who Knows, Who Cares by the_dream_team

Lily Evans liked girls. Well, she liked boys, too. Bisexual. That was the term she’d settled on." After 22 years spent in the closet, Lily is excited to finally start dating girls. In fact, she's quite determined to make up for a lifetime of relationships with mediocre men, and the messy-haired boy who works at the art museum isn't going to change her plans anytime soon. Definitely not. (Harry Potter, James/Lily)

This is a no!magic, coffeeshop au, AND ITS SO CUTE. It's the perfect winter rom com. It has Hallmark Christmas movies vibes but in a good way. It's just such a nice cozy read. And the James/Lily dynamic is spot on and I love it.

9. The Way The World Ends by KidA_666

“Age of Consent” by New Order blares out, loud enough for Jonathan to hear across the room.  He had been there when Steve chose it a few months ago during another war room: “‘Age of Consent’ is good, I guess.”  “It can’t be I guess, dingus!  It has to be enough to save you from a brutal interdimensional death!” Robin snapped.   Steve had rolled his eyes.  “What’s Vecna gonna want with me anyways, Rob?  I’ll do ‘Age of Consent.’”  Jonathan had known, that night, that it might be the wrong choice.  But he didn’t say anything because it had been years and he could be wrong and maybe some selfish, petty part of him didn’t want to give Steve the satisfaction of Jonathan still knowing. Something lifts Steve off of the couch. “It’s not working!” Robin screams.   And Jonathan knows why it isn’t working.  He remembers.  Whatever high school bullshit Steve has put him through doesn’t particularly matter in the face of watching him be destroyed and turned inside out.  So Jonathan, calmer than he feels, says, “It’s Hank Williams.  Do you have Hank Williams?”  (Stranger Things, Steve/Jonathan)

Why does this work so well? I have no clue but it does. It's childhood friends to enemies to lovers and it works so well in canon, like it fits right in and it's so great. I love this. It's not a pairing I usually read, but it took me by such suprise and totally worth giving it a chance.

10. The War is Not Over When The Soldiers Come Home by keepcalmsmile

DeFonda Hepburn had met many parents in her many years as a nanny, but she'd never met parents quite like the Potters. Strangely enough, they have more in common than she thought. (Harry Potter, gen with Harry/Ginny)

Outsider POV of Harry and Ginny as adults and parents. It's so good. It's canon compliant, and it's wonderful. I found a new love of outsider POV this year and this one is the best I read. I just.. wonderful.

Top Five rereads (In no particular order)

- by colormetheworld

No summary available but it's this after Jane's wife dies by Hoyt's hand, Jane transfer to Boston with her kids and moves in with Maura. This is a story about healing. (Rizzoli and Isles, Jane/Maura)

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of fiction I have ever read. This author is my favorite author in this fandom, and this work along with Keys, never fails to make me cry. It's wonderful.

2. I don't know how lovely you are by sungfsongsun

Emily-centric. Set after 1x09. Emily/Alison, implied Emily/Maya.

This fic is super short, 1345 words, but it stuck with me. It stuck with me so much I read it twice last year, and I have read it several times before this. It's just three short scenes with the other liars set after she came out, and an apparence by ali in the end. it's just so simple and so beautiful.

3. Bittersweet and Strange by speakpirate

Emily Fields doesn’t need either of them. But Rosewood is still Rosewood. Their students just might need them both. A story where Paige and Alison discover they have more important things in common than a mutual ex. (Pretty Little Liars, Alison/Paige)

This shouldn't work. I shouldn't love this as much as I do. Like I hate that trope of the bully falling for their victim, but it just works here. Maybe because they're adults, and they've grown, but this just fit so well. Such a treat.

4. Track changes by cairophoenix

Alex is an editor at a New York publishing house, and that means her life is going right. She has her apartment, and the gym, and Kara a subway stop away. So if her apartment’s always empty at the end of the day, that’s just how things are. She spends a lot of time at the office, anyway. She’s making it, and that’s something she can be satisfied with. And then a mysterious book arrives.

This is excellent. The slow burn is wonderful. Alex' journey is wonderful. A lovely little no powers AU with these two falling in love through copy editing. And it's so nice.

5. Game of Stacks by CommaSplice

When the Aegon Targaryen Memorial Library at Crownlands University loses its most recent library director in a tragic accident, President Robert Baratheon turns to his friend and colleague Eddard Stark to turn the library around. (Game of Thrones, Tywin/Olenna, Jaime/Brienne, Sansa/Margaery, Stannis/Asha/Davos/Cercei)

This fic is batshit in the best way. Like it's 100% Game of Thrones set in a university library. It takes turns and twist that you just never see coming. Also the ships are wonderful, the way they handle the Cersei/Jaime thing is so good, the suspense is good still on a third or forth reread. It's such a good story.

[neonokami]

Fanfiction snippet:

"You drive me crazy! You know that?" Ladybug shouts. Chat feels the same surge of emotion from earlier. He snaps back, "It's not my fault that you're in love with me and don't want to face it." Ladybug goes still, "What?"

Summary:

As the city’s protectors, Ladybug and Chat Noir are used to fighting new and more dangerous villains daily. When a new presence unexpectedly appears in Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir find themselves questioning their motives and objectives. In new battles against villains fueled by powerful negative emotions, the lines between friendship and love blur, secrets become bonds, and the power of unity is tested. On a battleground for balance, heroes find their destinies intertwining inexplicably.