#hot mess chloe bourgeois

[dessarious]

How to Not Get a Date Pt17

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Awkward. That was the only way to describe the atmosphere in Chloe’s room a week later. Marinette kept looking between Chloe and Damian, hoping one of them would actually speak. She knew exactly why Chloe was freaking out and not making eye contact, but it didn’t seem like Damian was much better. She finally gave up.

"So, Damian, what did you need to talk to us about?" He looked her way, but didn’t actually look at her. What the hell?

"Our parents have decided to let us figure out these dates and the timeline we want the ‘relationship’ to follow. We’ll just need to let them know when we’re going out so they can leak it to specific news organizations." 

"Oh, that’s good at least. No offense, but I was kinda dreading going to a bunch of upscale establishments that charge more for a meal than my parents make in a day. Audrey doesn’t know how to do low key." Damian’s face went a bit pink and Mari had a feeling he didn’t know how to either. "But you seem upset. Did you want them to do everything?" 

"I am not upset, merely annoyed." Mari raised an eyebrow at him, and Damian clicked his tongue in aggravation. "My father decided to tell the rest of the family what was going on since it will be in the media. I’ve been getting calls and texts from my more idiotic siblings trying to ‘help’ me." Mari winced.

"You have my sympathies on that. Maybe we could take a look at some of them when we’re done and pick them apart to show them how flawed they are." that got the barest hint of a smirk.

"That might be acceptable." His expression turned into a frown again when he looked over at Chloe. She was still fidgeting and refusing to make eye contact. 

"Chloe and I have something to discuss with you as well." That got her attention, and full on panic.

"No, we don’t!" Mari just sighed and gave her a flat look. "We’re good. Everything’s good." 

"You want to try that again to see if you can make it more believable, or do you want to get to the point so we can all get on with things? You can’t even relax enough to help with this right now." 

"I can’t." Poor Chloe. She really couldn’t do this. It was one more thing Mari blamed her parents for. Andre and Audrey hadn’t bothered to help Chloe learn how to deal with her feelings at all, especially when it came to someone she liked.

"Do you want me to do it?" They’d practiced what she wanted to say to Damian, so Mari knew what to do, but it really should come from the source. 

"You shouldn’t be pushing the issue if it upsets her this much." He was being protective, which was a good sign.

"It’s stressing her out, and will just get worse the longer this goes on. Chloe." The other girl flinched and Mari took her hands to give a comforting squeeze. "You can do this." 

"I want to go out with you!" Chloe had her eyes closed and basically yelled the words in Mari’s face.

"I thought you were already going out with her." Damian just sounded confused, and with good reason.

"You Damian. She wants to date you." He just frowned at them, and Chloe still wouldn’t open her eyes. She had an impressive death grip on Mari’s hands as well. 

"When did you two break up?" It was probably best to not confuse him more with the whole story.

"We didn’t. She wants to date us both." That got a scowl.

"I barely know you. Why would I date you?" Chloe’s grip tightened even more somehow, and Marinette shot Damian a glare.

"Chloe, he was talking to me, not you. And to answer your question, you wouldn’t be dating me. Her relationship with you would be separate from her relationship with me. Well, as much as it can be with what’s going on, at least." On the plus side, it didn’t sound like he had an issue with multiple partners. "We would all need to sit down and figure out basic rules and guidelines for how things would work, but beyond that, you and I will just remain… acquaintances." She wanted to say friends, because she thought they were headed in that direction, but at this point he might argue the label and Chloe was already about to have a heart attack.

"I have never heard of such an arrangement before." Well, he didn’t say no.

"You should look up ethical non-monogamy when you get a chance. Just be careful which sites you visit." She’d learned that one the hard way when she was looking information up for Kagami a year before. Someone had been trying to pull her into their relationship as a third, and everything about the way they acted was a red flag. "But in the meantime, could you tell Chloe whether or not you’re interested in her, so she’ll stop cutting off circulation to my fingers?"

She couldn’t help the exasperation in her voice. Chloe had been panicking on and off all week, and Damian was just drawing out the conversation. If he didn’t say something soon, there could very well be an Akuma on the way.

"I moved to Paris." He said that like it was the answer, and if Chloe weren’t so far gone, it might be. It was one of the many arguments Mari had used to convince Chloe that Damian liked her. Mari rolled her eyes at him, and his cheeks darkened before he mumbled. "Dating would be acceptable." Acceptable? She knew Damian wasn’t great at expressing himself, but come on.

"Really?" Chloe’s voice was softer than she’d ever heard it, and she still hadn’t loosened her grip, but she did manage to actually look at Damian. He cleared his throat.

"I had planned on bringing up the subject myself before I found out you two were in a relationship." Marinette tried to hold in a laugh and ended up in a coughing fit instead. None of this would have happened if Chloe hadn’t freaked out and asked her to go to the Gala. Chloe rubbed her back while Damian just frowned at her. She hoped he would see the irony if they ever got around to telling him everything. "And you’re actually fine with this arrangement as well?" She understood his skepticism, especially given the way jealousy was constantly overblown in the media.

"I am. I understand why some people wouldn’t be, but I think the only thing needed for a strong relationship are trust, communication, and respect. As long as everyone involved has all the information and chooses to proceed, I’d say it’s healthier than a lot of regular relationships. For me personally, I want the person or people I’m with to be happy. If that requires other people, so be it." He was still frowning at her, but it looked more contemplative than anything else. 

"How exactly would this change our current plans?" Mari just cocked her head at him. "I'm supposed to break up with you for Chloe. If we're both dating her, it could cause problems when it gets out." Yes, let's shoot straight past the emotional part and jump into problem solving. It took everything in her not to roll her eyes. 

"This type of relationship isn't likely to play well in the press, regardless of anything else. I can always bow out of the relationship to let you two be together publicly, and everyone will assume Chloe and I are still just friends." It was the least complicated way to do things.

"But then we can't go on dates." Chloe's concern was cute, if unnecessary.

"I'd rather spend time with just you than be stared at by people, anyway. Not to mention as long as we're careful about what we say and don't make out in public, no one is going to think twice about two friends spending time together." It was another reason for her to be the one to back down publicly. No one noticed two girls being close, physically or emotionally. Granted, with how Damian acted in public, it might not be an issue either, but it was better to be cautious.

"I don't want you to feel like some dirty secret. And what about if you two decide you want to date other people? You're perfectly fine with having to hide relationships?" Damian scowled at her.

"What other people?" Mari couldn't tell if he was confused or offended.

"Well, given that I'm dating both of you, it's only fair that you could also date someone else." That got a more contemplative frown.

"I have no wish to date other people. I think it's best to leave any discussion of it alone unless that changes." 

"But-"

"Chloe, he doesn't have to date other people." Mari took her hand and rubbed soothing circles on it because she looked like she was about to panic. "I just meant that we would be allowed the option if we wanted it. It doesn't mean either of us is going to take it. Honestly, I've got more than enough on my plate as it is. Looking for another relationship right now just seems exhausting. Damian's right, we'll worry about it if it happens." She still looked worried.

"It just seems selfish."

"You're not forcing us to be in this relationship, and you're not saying you'll dump us if we decide to date other people. This is our decision." Chloe looked like she wanted to argue, but her phone beeped. She looked at it and sighed.

"Daddy wants to talk to me. I'll be back."

"Take your time. Damian and I need to discuss some things anyway." Chloe just blinked at her before nodding. Once Chloe was out of the room, Damian scowled at her.

"What exactly do we need to discuss?" Well, this was going to be fun.

"Boundaries for one. Chloe told me about how you didn't like me touching Adrien. I'm a very tactile person, so I need to know how much I should tone it down when the three of us are together. I would be fine seeing the two of you be affectionate and kiss in front of me, but I have a feeling us doing it would make you uncomfortable. If this is going to work, we need to be on the same page." 

"I see your point." He sounded extremely unhappy about that, and it took everything in her to keep a straight face. He would be so much fun to tease. "I do not know how I would feel about such things. It might be best to address issues as they come up." 

"As long as you talk to me, or us, instead of yelling or storming off. I don't want Chloe stressed about how one of us is going to react to things. This is new territory for all of us, but she's the one in the middle. Any issues you have with me, or vice versa, we need to handle without making her feel like it's her fault." 

"You don't like me." He said it as a fact and she let out an annoyed sigh.

"I don't like that you hurt Chloe because you don't take her feelings into consideration before you speak and act." 

"I do not intend to hurt her."

"That really doesn't make it better." Mari wasn't sure what to make of the expression on his face.

"How do I fix it?" It took her a moment to realize that was a serious question. One she had no idea how she should answer. 

"How do you... You care about her feelings." The way he frowned at her made her feel like she was speaking a different language.

"I do care." She could tell he meant it. Unfortunately, that put her at an impasse.

"You need to care before you hurt her. You need to think about how what you say will make her feel."

"How am I supposed to know how she'll feel about it?" Oh. Well, that presented a problem. 

"You need to get to know her better, I suppose. When you understand someone, you can get a good sense of how they'll react to things. You know how your actions or words will affect your family, don't you?" The way his nose crinkled in confusion worried her. What kind of person had to think about that? She was starting to think there might actually be something wrong with him.

"I suppose, but I always considered it a survival necessity because we live in the same house." There was more to that he wasn't saying, but she had no idea what. She was also far more worried about what he did say.

"Survival?" He just nodded. Okay... she could work with that. "Well, consider this the same thing. If you want the relationship to survive, you need to know the other person well enough to anticipate their needs and emotions." It was extremely over simplified but she figured it was best to start slowly. He just gave a thoughtful hum. "Is... is everything alright at home?" 

"Of course." That was less than convincing. One more thing to worry about.

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Tag List @peachedpocky @ladybug-182 @moonlightstar64 @smolplantmum

[princess-of-the-corner]

Fic Snip - Superheroes and Thieves. (GENUINE CHLOE REDEMPTION WOOO!)

Ladybug: Joker, did you happen to change chloe bourgeois’ heart?

Joker: nope

Joker: never went after her

Joker: she did that all on her own

Joker: that happened to one of my associates actually, he was really going off the deep end and all we did was talk to him and he managed to change his own heart

tbh I love the idea that even in a hot mess world of Stealing Hearts to cause change, you can legit still have just straight up normal shit cause them to fix their shit.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

To Be a Hot Mess Together

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/EF7R9JY by Anonymous Timothy Drake-Wayne is an overwhelmed, strung out mess. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is an anxiety-ridden, flustered mess. Both are extremely competent and capable, and neither gets enough sleep. Together, they are a certifiable hot mess -- and everyone else is just waiting for one of them to confess already.   Oh, and Tim just so happens to be the soulmate of Plagg and the true Cat of the generation. . . . Someone should probably tell him.   Bracket Prompt: "You sound ridiculous." "By saying what we are isn't a relationship? Because it fucking isn't." Words: 20405, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug, Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Tim Drake (DCU), Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Félix Fathom, Chloé Bourgeois, Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, mentioned bat family members Relationships: Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Potential Chloé Bourgeois/Jason Todd, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Tim Drake & Stephanie Brown Additional Tags: Fluff and Crack, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Hot Mess Tim Drake, Timari - Freeform, timinette, Tim Drake is Red Robin, soulmate au kind of, A different kind of soulmate, Felix Fathom and Chloe Bourgeois get mentioned redemption arcs, Minor mentioned class salt, It's really just about Tim and Marinette, Marinette is MDC, Adrien Agreste is no longer Chat Noir, post-hawkmoth, Identity Reveal, Purring, Pheromones, but like in a funny way, no beta we die like robins, God Tim is such a mess in this, This is literally mostly sweet, a hint of angst, and a hot mess, Again I have written an excessive one shot, Discord: Maribat? Get In!, Discord: Maribat? Get In! Bracket Fic War, MGI Secret Writers 2024, Crack Treated Seriously, Some tags left out for PLOT, Stephanie Brown is a real one, All the cuddles, original lore, Court of Miracles, I'm posting this at 3 am why, meet cute, a disaster of one read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/EF7R9JY

[that-one-fandom-girl]

Great theory! It really seems to fit!

And if we go a little further with it, like if we look at:

Felix:

He usually (when he’s not pretending to be Adrien) wears a white shirt and black pants/vest/tie; which we could infer as he wants to take control over Adrien’s and his own actions back from Gabriel, but while that’s his main goal, his actions are also mixed with love for Adrien and his mother.

Emilie:

She wears almost all white, but with a black undershirt and though we don’t know that much about her; maybe it means she was almost as controlling (towards Adrien and possibly Nathalie) as Gabriel, but her actions were still being driven by love? Like maybe she was a bit of a control freak, but it was because she wanted the best for her family?

Amilie:

Meanwhile, Amilie’s outfit is almost all black with the tiniest bit of white trim; which I thought about it, and I think it could show that Amilie is driven almost purely out of love for her family and probably primarily Felix, and the white shows that she has control over herself in how she acts. For instance, almost every time she’s in the presence of someone else (who isn’t Felix), she’s putting on an act to drive her son’s plans further into fruition (i.e. when she talks to Gabriel about the ring and tries to talk him into giving it to her in the episode ‘Felix’, and her body language also shows Felix that Gabriel is indeed wearing the ring and which finger/hand it’s on. Or when she lies to Ladybug and Cat Noir in Multiplication about whether she knows where Felix is). She controls herself perfectly to act how she needs to to help Felix; looks like Emilie wasn’t the only actress in the family ;).

Nathalie:

She wears almost all black, but she also has a red shirt on underneath (she also has red and black accents pretty much everywhere, even in her hair, lol); which probably symbolizes her love for Gabriel (romantic in S1-4, mostly platonic and tired of his schemes in S5), Adrien, and Emilie- and her feeling of loyalty and duty for the Agrestes, both because she’s, well, pretty much a servant for them, and because of her personal ties to them. Almost every action she takes in the series is driven by either love or duty (or a mixture of them); from ‘stealing’ Marinette’s gift to give Adrien so he’d have a birthday present and wouldn’t feel like his dad didn’t care, to helping Gabriel prior to the series-S4 and even going so far as to be Mayura when he asked her not to and she could’ve gotten even more sick, to also asking to be Akumatized so that she could double-cross Gabriel and make the wish herself.

Andre Bourgeois:

As much as I dislike him, he also has this color scheme, lol. He wears a black suit and a white shirt underneath, which could symbolize his love for his girls, but also his love for power, which he has almost absolute power at times because he abuses it.

Chloe:

She also has part of this color scheme in her undershirt with a black-and-white striped design (I don’t know what yellow could symbolize, so I won’t elaborate on her jacket); I think it could show her power she also kinda really abuses being the Mayor’s daughter, but I think the black shows both her love for Adrien and Sabrina (romantic and platonic, in that order), and the love she craves from her mother, Adrien, Ladybug…and most everyone. This may be a hot take, but I think Chloe (at first at least) just genuinely did want love but was still a brat, so she just drove away anyone who could’ve shown her love because something they did/had was “utterly ridiculous”, they disagreed with her, or they didn’t like her. Plus, her mother is Audrey 🤦🏼‍♀️, so her vision of love of any sort is messed up anyway. I think she’s similar to Adrien in that she wanted to feel loved, but she lacked Adrien’s manners, empathy, concern, morals, and she…just always wanted things her way and never relented really.

Audrey Bourgeois:

This one I feel is kinda simple; she wears an almost all-white outfit with just a stripe of black, and I think that really just symbolizes that she has a ton of power and she loves it, lol.

And staying with the Bourgeois’s a little more (😔), their ‘present’ from Gabriel in Heart-Hunter (the huge two-person robe) was white and red; which could very well be the control Gabriel was taking over them and the struggle they had over which one of them would be in control-and the duty the situation could’ve placed on them to act with at least a little decorum since they were in front of a lot of people if only they weren’t focused on being the more powerful person.

I know this is also a long post (sorry, just had a lot of thoughts about it), but finally, Juleka and Zoe both have some of the colors in this spectrum; and I think Juleka’s black outfit (besides being emo) also maybe shows that she does love a lot, but with her speech impediment/being shy, she doesn’t outwardly show it a lot. And maybe Zoe’s black and white shows that she is outwardly loving to people, but has to control everything she does so she doesn’t get kicked out of the hotel.

So a year or two ago I saw this amazing post on tumblr about colour symbolism in Miraculous (I really wish I could source it here but I can’t find it anywhere I am literally kicking myself right now). Anyway, it is an incredible theory and once start seeing the connections you can’t stop. The basic idea is that the some of the colours that characters wear or are associated with symbolise their general motivations. The theory focuses specifically on the colours red, white and black. The meanings kind of evolved as more people reblogged but from what I remember the basic gist is this:

Red= duty / loyalty

White= control

Black= love

I think they actually said that black was romance, but that definition is just a little too limiting in my opinion and broadening in it out allows you to make more connections. I am also broadening out red as well to include loyalty for the same reasons (besides duty and loyalty are also pretty similar, so it’s not that much of a stretch).

Anyway, I bring this up because I saw the post at some point during season 4—definitely before the release of season 5 anyway, but looking back on the latest season just made me realise that oh my god they were so right. So, I’m just going to show you some of things I’ve noticed when it comes to this theory, especially surrounding season 5. (Buckle up guys, this is gonna be a long post).

But before I get into all that, I just want to mention that the placement of the clothing also informs the meaning behind the colour. This was also mentioned in the original post too I believe, but I can’t remember exactly how it worked so I’m just gonna put my own spin on it based on what I noticed.

So when I say the placement of the clothing I’m really just talking about whether the colour is the top or bottom layer of clothing—jacket vs. T-shirt, blazer vs. shirt etc.. The bottom layer is the character’s core motive, with the top layer being more secondary. A lot of the time the secondary motive informs the core one, so it kind of becomes the means with which they achieve their core motive. For example, a character wearing a red coat with a black T-shirt could be interpreted as loyalty or duty coming from a place a love—they do what they believe is right because of the people they love etc.

Ladybug / Marinette

Ok, time to put this theory into action, and what better place to start than the main character? Ladybug’s costume is pretty straightforward: red with black spots. The red obviously represents her duty as a hero, her main motive when in costume. and the spots could either represent her love for Paris or if you’re a Ladynoir shipper, her love for Chat Noir, it could really go either way.

Her civilian outfit is where it starts to get interesting though. Marinette wears a black blazer with a white top underneath. With the white as the core motive and the black as the secondary one, this indicates love from a place of control, and this is backed up by the events of show. Marinette clearly does love Adrien but she can also be very particular about how she approaches her love. She knows every detail about him, such as the schedule she has in “Copycat”, and feels the need to control every detail when she tries to confess to him, such as Operation: Secret Garden in “Gigantitan”. This controlling nature is only solidfied in the episode “Derision” after Kim pranks her on their date. “I should’ve had a plan […] I’ll never tell another boy that I love him before I know everything about him” (11:53-12:04).

Chat Noir / Adrien

Chat Noir is also pretty simple when it comes to colour symbolism in the show. His suit is all black, indicating that his main motive is love. In earlier seasons this most likely symbolised his love for Ladybug but now that he is with Marinette we can assume that it symbolises his generally loving attitude, whether it be towards his friends, family, maybe even Paris itself.

His civilian clothing also points to this same idea, with his T-shirt being black. Adrien also has a white over shirt, but rather than this representing some need for control, I’d argue this more so symbolises Gabriel’s control over him, which of course, does inform a lot of Adrien’s actions. Gabriel’s control pushes the black down another layer—it suppresses it. Instead showing off his colours proudly like he does as Chat Noir he has to leave them cloaked under a white surface, trying to navigate his core motive of love while being unable to fully shake off the white. Think of the many times when Gabriel has kept him away from his friends, like in the episode “Bubbler” where he wasn’t allowed to have a birthday party, or in “Revolution” when Gabriel ships him off to London for the next school year.

Interestingly, this isn’t the only instance where a white top layer indicates control thrusted onto the character wearing the colour. Kagami also follows a similar pattern sporting a white blazer and a controlling mother. She also has both red and black in the bottom layers so make of that what you will.

Another thing to note is that many of Adrien’s modelling outfits are fully white, such as the one in the fragrance ad or the angel outfit in “Simpleman”, representing the complete control Gabriel has over him when he is modelling. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but the only modelling outfit that is not white (apart from the stock photos like the ones in the mansion perhaps) is the one that he wears in “Queen Wasp”. Instead of fully white this suit is fully black, and it is topped off with a black pigeon hat, a hat that Marinette, who is in love with Adrien, made. Additionally, this is the episode where Gabriel almost gives up being Hawkmoth because of how Adrien was attacked by Style Queen in the previous episode. He is less controlling of Adrien and more loving in this episode, even go so far as to hug him in his first public appearance since Emilie’s death, and the black suit reflects that.

However, the idea that Adrien’s all-white clothes represent Gabriel’s control isn’t even just limited to modelling. When Chat Noir is akumatised in “Chat Blanc” his suit also becomes fully white.

In season 5, the Alliance rings are also closely linked to the colour white. The Adrien and Kagami avatars wear all white, indicating the controlling nature of the alliance and the fact that The two of them have no control over how their image is used. Even the virtual space that the avatars exist in is an empty white void, reminiscent of the padded rooms the two are placed in during the season 5 finale, rooms which are used to confine and control the two.

The only time when the Alliance interface is not white is when it changes to red. There’s two times this has happened as far as I’m aware: in “Revelation” when Hoaxer enters the Alliance rings and feeds the people fake news, and in “Confirmation” when Gabriel creates fake footage of Ladybug and Chat Noir kidnapping Adrien and Kagami’s avatars. In both of these scenarios, someone is preying on the public’s loyalty to the alliance rings and their sense of duty to get them to do their bidding.

And look, I know I’ve been straying away a from Adrien a bit, but I also just want to mention that the colour white is often associated with the rich and powerful of Paris in general. This is most clearly seen in “Emotion”, where the VIP party’s dress code is literally all white, reflecting how all the people in that room control Paris.

Gabriel

Speaking of rich and powerful, Gabriel also draws from the colour triad. He does have a few layers that aren’t one of these three colours but his very bottom layer is a white shirt, which isn’t a surprise really, we just went over how he is controlling with both Adrien and the alliance rings. He also has a striped red tie symbolising either his loyalty towards Emilie or the fact that he believes it is his duty to bring her back to life. The white stripes also indicate control, probably to reflect the way that he will do anything in his power to bring Emilie back, like using the miraculous wish, because he is incapable of accepting that sometimes things happen beyond your control and all you can do is move on.

In season 5 he wears all white as his obsession with the wish—his means of complete control, takes over. It could also represent how he’s become even more controlling of Adrien despite pretending to be more loving, (because again, he literally ships his own son off to a different country). Interestingly, in the episode “Destruction” he is inflicted with a cataclysm, a black cataclysm, which could be a visual metaphor for his love for Emilie literally destroying him, which is a really cool in my opinion.

Lila Rossi

Lila is definitely the most interesting character to analyse under this theory, because not only do her clothes draw from the colour triad but even her name does. According to nameberry.com, Lila means night (ie black) and Rossi means red in Italian. She also wears a red cardigan with black underneath—duty or loyalty from a place of love. If we take Lila claims at face value then this makes sense, like in the episode “Chameleon”, when she catches a napkin with her sprained wrist to protect Max, all the while saying things like “I didn’t have a choice” (i.e duty) and “Why wouldn’t I Max […] you’re my friend” (i.e love) (5:40-42 and 5:47-50). But of course, Lila is a liar which means that everything from her name to even the clothes she wears is a carefully constructed illusion.

In the episode “Confrontation” it is revealed that Lila has actually been juggling two fake identities: Lila Rossi and Cerise Bianca. Now this is where it gets really interesting because Lila’s second identity also draws from the colour triad too. Cerise is a shade of red similar to that of cherries or rubies and guess what Bianca means in Italian? That’s right—white.

This can mean a few different things. Perhaps her Cerise persona is more noticeably controlling. Lila’s name directly reflected her clothing, with her first name indicating the the bottom layer (the core motive) and her second name the top layer (the means) so if we apply the same logic to Cerise then maybe her name indicates that this persona’s motives are control from a place a duty, in other words being bossy and controlling because she feels like it’s her job to lead and help everyone.

Another interpretation could be that these are Lila’s true motivations, especially with her being named after the colour white, and if you really want to stretch it, then you could also argue that the red indicates loyalty to herself; she controls everyone because it exclusively benefits her.

it could also be interpreted as somewhere in between. Instead of it being solely Cerise’s fake motivations or Lila’s true motivations it is rather a step closer to the truth. The loyalty to herself theory is, like I said, a stretch. If anything, her true motivation is probably just control for control’s sake, and in this Cerise persona her true colours are shining through a little.

I couldn’t really find a natural place to put this but I also just want to point out here that when she was akumatised into Hoaxer she still had the red and black colour scheme that she does as Lila because she’s still using the same tactics that she does as a civilian, pretending that all she does is out of love and duty. She does also however have splashes of white on her belt, tail and ends of her hair, so maybe that also symbolises her true colours showing through too.

I’m honestly curious to see if Cerise’s clothes will change in season 6 to reflect her name, especially with a lot of the other characters getting new outfits too. Either way I think it’s really interesting how both her fake identities are based off of these three colours.

The great thing about this theory is that it’s not just confined to these four characters. Plenty of more characters also wear these colours, such as Kagami, who I briefly touched on, Emilie (and Amelie by extension), Tomoe Tsurugi, even Nathalie. The only reason why I didn’t delve into these characters is because this post is getting pretty long and I think I’ve made my point, but really, I’ve barely scratched the surface here. There is so much significance with these three colours, they are literally everywhere.

[awholelotofladybug]

Chloe's Rotten Week #2: A Stammering Adrien AU Moment

Mole Mess

Based on this AU.

The Bourgeois family and the Cesaire family are having dinner at the house of Audrey's adopted sister, Alejandra, and her husband, Juan. However, things get messy as the girls try to help out in the kitchen.

Juan: Girls, please, you don't have to help. You're our guests.

Zoe: *carrying the pot of Mole* It's okay, Tio Juan. We don't mind. We're family.

Chloé: Si. Viva mi familia.

Alejandra: Ah, Chloé. En español. Muy bien.

Alya: *helping set the table* So Tia Alejandra, what's for dinner?

Alejandra: A personal favorite of mine. Mole. It's a delicious, savory, and sweet sauce. You can put it in or on a number of things. Tonight, I thought we'd serve it with chicken.

Chloé: *carrying the pot of Mole* It smells amazing.

Alejandra: Careful, Chloé. That mole is very hot.

Chloé: Don't worry, I've got it. *sets it down*

Marlena: Girls! Dinner!

Ella: I'm gonna get there before you!

Etta: You will not!

*the twins start running*

Otis: Girls! No!

Chloé: *fixing her plate*

Ella: *running in* Can't catch me! *bumps into Chloé* Oof!

Chloé: Augh! *hand slips and splashes mole on her face* AUGH! MY EYES!

Zoe: Chloé! Look out!

Chloé: *fumbles backward* I can't see! *bang into the table* AUGH! MY FOOT! *slips and falls* AUGH! MY BUTT! *the whole pot of mole falls on her* Ow...

Andre and Audrey: Chloé! *rush over to her*

Audrey: Are you alright, honey bee?

Andre: Oh, my poor little princess.

*Chloé wipes the mole off her eyes and glares at the twins*

*Ella and Etta stand there with guilty looks*

Later

Juan: *getting off the phone* Pizza's on its way

Alejandra: *cleaning up* Ay, what a mess.

Marlena: *helping* Alejandra, Juan, I am so sorry. The twins are just so...

Juan: Oh, it's alright.

Alejandra: Yeah. No use crying over spilled milk, or in this case, sauce.

*Chloé comes out of the bathroom in a white bathrobe, all clean*

Alya: *pushing the girls towards her* And what do you two have to say to Chloé?

Ella and Etta: We're sorry...

Chloé: *deep breath* It's okay, girls. *sits on the couch*

Zoe: *sits with her* So much for the mole.

Juan: *sits between his nieces* Don't you worry, mis sobrinitas. I still have plenty of ingredients. We can make mole next week.

Chloé: Fabuloso. It'll be nice to have it in me instead of on me.

[thenovelartist]

Burned Beginnings, chapter 1

Novel decided to do Adrienette April on a whim. Each post until the end of April (or such is the plan) will have 3 prompts in it.

She also discovered she’s very rusty. Bear with me here. XD

Next>>

1. AU

Marinette had thought she’d grown used to Chloe’s bullying, having to had endure it since they were little. However, with high school came a new name that became a regular part of Chloe’s vocabulary, alongside “hot” and “sexy” and “dreamboat”.

“And Marinette would never catch the eye of someone so perfect.”

Honestly, Marinette had thought she was over it, but on a particularly bad day, she’d snapped back at Chloe.

“Well, clearly he isn’t that perfect if he fawns over someone whose only redeeming quality is pretending to be pretty.”

That had led to a fire alarm getting pulled and Marinette left to blame for it. Anyone who tried to come to her defense was shut down, and Marinette had been suspended.

Which had started an all-out war.

After being stuck at home, wrongfully, for three solid days, Marinette had snapped. She’d decided that if Chloe was going to build a bonfire and poor on the gasoline that she would be there with a match. By senior year, Marinette’s record had taken a hit for it but Chloe’s reputation was in the toilet.

Marinette would take what she could get.

However, she supposed she hadn’t fully thought out the consequences. As much as she played with fire, she should have realized she’d get burned sooner or later.

And she did. Third degree.

We regret to inform you your application has been denied.

Those were words she grew tired of seeing yet came back from every school she applied to. With that in mind, she’d called up her girl friends to tell them what had happened.

“Hey, Marinette,” Alya had said upon seeing the letters. “Don’t get me wrong, I feel really bad for you. But… I did warn you—”

“I get it,” Marinette had surrendered, knowing that Alya was completely right. “You tried to warm me of the consequences, and now I’m paying for them.”

The girls had slipped into a moment of silence before Alix spoke up. “Hey, I can ask Max if he can do a little digging so you at least know why, yeah?”

Marinette had raised a brow but agreed. “Only if he’s not busy with his own college stuff.”

“Oh please, he’s too smart for college. He started up some robotics company in his free time and is already making bank on it.”

It took a week for Max to come back with a full report. Marinette had to give him props for working fast as he did.

“Hacking into the system was the first thing I could think of,” he’d explained. “In the side notes, there was mention of your attendance record and suspensions.”

“They were all wrongful suspensions,” Alix had countered.

“Doesn’t matter to the school,” Max had said with a shrug. “But even then, I thought there had to be more to this than just attendance. There were other students who had the same notes yet were accepted. So I shifted focus to digging up background on all the directors of the school. After hacking a few emails, I discovered Audrey Bourgeois happens to know a lot of directors or administration members in all the fashion schools of France. Considering the contents of most of those emails, it has become clear that Marinette was wrongfully barred from every school she’d applied to. And that there’s nothing that can be done about it because we only discovered such scandal through highly illegal means.”

“So…” Alya had begun, turning her attention to Marinette. “Where does that leave you, M?”

Marinette’s lips had pursed in thought. It was funny how things turned out, because despite her anger, she somehow had been peace with what she was faced with. “I think that the last place I want to be is in an industry full of liars and people who use their words to manipulate anyone they damn well please.”

That was how she ended up working full-time in her parents’ bakery. They never said a word about it, but she knew they were disappointed. Of course they weren’t mad about her still being here and working in the bakery with them, and she knew her parents still loved her more than anything.

But she knew that with as many dreams as she had and had shared with them, they were disappointed on her surrendering it all.

“Sorry, Maman, Papa,” she whispered into the empty kitchen as she plopped the baguettes she formed onto a baking tray. “Just give me a little time to figure things out. Seems like lofty dreams are a lot easier to crush than I realized.”

 2. Rebellion

A son can only bear the world of their parent’s expectations for so long. He wasn’t Atlas, but after a few years of acting like him, Adrien decided to dump the globe. To hell if it broke. He’d smirk in satisfaction at his father’s disappointment.

At the very least, the fact he no longer had the weight of the world of his shoulders made the far-too-common disappointment lecture easier to bear.

His strategic rebellion had started harmless enough. At sixteen with a rapidly growing forced modeling career, he’d given his father an ultimatum: he gets to grow out his hair, or it all goes. It had been shocking the amount of power the razor in his hand had given him. It was the perfect harmless threat. His father had been furious, throwing a fit about Adrien acting like a child, but after being gaslit for so long, Adrien had finally come to realize the abusive techniques for what they were. And he wasn’t going to roll over and take it any longer.

That day had ended with Adrien being grounded but ultimately the victor of their stand-off.

After that, he’d begun ditching certain events. He’d always liked fencing, so he never ditched those lessons, but attendance for his home-school lessons, mandarin lessons, and piano lessons had all been decided on a whim. His father had hardly been pleased by this, but to Adrien, that was the point. The lectures soon washed into one another so much that Adrien could practically recite the words that roll off his father’s tongue verbatim. He’d come to realize they were strategically meant to hurt. To humiliate. And as such, he’d stopped taking them personally.

Then came the fun part.

He got earrings. Honestly, Adrien hadn’t really cared for the piercings one way or another. In one way, there were a hassle, and caring for new piercings was a pain in the butt. However, they had been worth it to see his dad so royally pissed off.

Then came the ditching of certain photoshoots. There was a reason Adrien had held off on this one for so long: he cared about the people running the shoot. There was no reason they needed to be collateral in this battle between him and his father. After all, they were just employees doing their job; Adrien didn’t want them to suffer for his rebellion. With that in mind, Adrien had planned out his absences of these photoshoots. Again, he didn’t want to drag anyone else into his mess, so he had always organized a replacement model. Shoot would always go on, just not as planned.

And that was enough to drive his father mad.

It always put a smile on Adrien’s face.

The last touch was an unexpected one. He hadn’t even thought about going this far. Yet, a friend of his not only put the idea in his head, but gave him the art to go with it.

“Is that a tattoo?”

Oh, how he wished he would have taken a picture of his father’s face. The large black cat surrounded in a green, wispy smoke that wrapped around his forearm was truly a work of art. He’d had to think carefully about this decision, but in the end, he quite liked it.

“Yeah. I’m eighteen; I can ink myself if I want to. Why? Is that a problem?”

Adrien might be wearing a cat on his arm, but the grin on his lips was downright wolfish.

Eventually, it all had come to a head and blew up in his face. Adrien couldn’t say he’d been surprised. In fact, he had been fully expecting it. He’d already found an apartment to rent and had begun sneaking most of his important things over there before his father could kick him out. So when Adrien found himself kicked to the curb as soon as he was handed his general education certificate, Adrien had been prepared.

But mostly, he was free.

What a joyous day it was.

However, now that he was free, he knew he needed a job. Not because he needed the money, per se, but because it was time he started acting like the average adult. He never got to go to school, so now, it was time to pick up a mundane, first job that everyone hated but would “serve him well later in life”. Mostly, it would just be something normal.

The easy places to apply were food shops and retail stores. He’d work one for a while before deciding what his next life step would be. Chloe had been quick to offer him a job at her father’s hotel, but Adrien was vehemently against the idea. Over the span of his rebellion, Chloe’s behavior and attitude towards him had grown notably worse, and he had a feeling cutting ties with her would be his next step in life.

In the end, he’d scored a job he definitely was underqualified for. He’d applied partly out of spite and partly because ‘why not?’ He’d heard about this bakery enough times from Chloe to know the “cruel bitch who did nothing but mercilessly harass her” lived here, and that was enough to pique Adrien’s curiosity. At a bakery as popular as that, though, he hadn’t been sure he’d get a call. And when he did, he knew he would do everything he could to present himself as a reliable and respectable man eager to work, but he never thought he’d end up hitting it off with the owner.

Which somehow ended up with him agreeing to work at Tom and Sabine’s Patisserie.

Going into that job, he swore to himself he would do what he could to prove himself worthy. He knew there had to have been better applicants, so Adrien didn’t want to disappoint the very kind owners who dared give him a chance. Soon, his days were spent working hard while covered in flour and surrounded by bread all day. Well, bread and all the sharp and hot objects in your average kitchen.

He just didn’t think that would include a wicked sharp and smoking hot young lady that happened to be his bosses’ daughter.

 3. Game Night

“Mama, Papa, please go. You two hardly ever get out of the house.”

Marinette watched her maman put a hand over the mouthpiece of her phone while her papa turned to her. “But I’ll be busy that night. We have a massive order scheduled for the next day.”

“I can handle that,” Marinette quickly countered with a grin. “You know I’m a night owl, anyway. I’ll get it done, and you two can go enjoy game night with your friends.”

Her parents spared each other a glance. “Are you sure about that, Marinette?” Maman asked.

“Positive. Papa already talks to the bread too much, so he really should talk to people for a change. And while you have to deal with people all day, I know you want more than to just have short conversations filled with small talk. So please, go out and have a social life for once.”

With one last look, her parents relented. With a smile, her mother took her hand off the phone. “We’ll be there.”

Papa turned to her with a grin. “I was going to spend that time teaching Adrien how to handle those orders. I can leave teaching him in your hands, right?”

Her grin fell. Adrien Agreste. What the hell a washed-out model was doing working at her parents’ bakery was beyond her. Admittedly, over the last month she’d been working with him, the most she’d say is that maybe he wasn’t too bad a guy. Papa certainly sung his praises. But that still didn’t answer the question of why he was working here of all places. After all, he was Chloe’s friend and suspected lover.

“Don’t think I don’t see that look on your face, Marinette,” her maman chastised. She’d hung up and set her phone down already, fully giving her attention to her daughter. “No matter your personal feelings, you really should give him a chance.”

“He’s a good kid,” Papa said. “Maybe a little rough around the edges, but I can tell he really does want to learn and do his best.”

Marinette sighed. This wasn’t the first time this talk had happened. She remembered having a talk with her parents after his first interview. There were a few other people who were far more qualified for the job, but Papa said he liked Adrien’s personality and spirit the best. So in the end, all Marinette’s objections had fallen upon deaf ears.

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll give him a chance.”

With a smile that made Marinette loath to disappoint him, her papa patted her head affectionately. “Thank you, Marinette. I think you’d like him if you got to know him.”

Not likely. “I’ll do my best, Papa.”

“Really, Marinette,” her maman warned. “Unless you have a valid reason, you need to put aside your feelings for the sake of the bakery running smoothly. Can you manage that?”

Appropriately chastised, Marinette bowed her head in embarrassment. Maman brought up a good point: Marinette shouldn’t let her anger towards Adrien affect the bakery. Her parents didn’t deserve that. “Yes, Maman. I’m sorry.”

With a smile, her maman came up and wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you, Marinette.”

Marinette hugged her back. “No, thank you, Maman and Papa, for everything. I won’t let you down.”

Papa wrapped his arms around both her and Maman. “Thank you, sweetheart. We love you.”

“I love you, too.”

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH16

Things are heating up at the party! Slight sexual harrassment TW toward the end of the chapter. Very slight, but better safe than sorry. 

Previous     First     Next    AO3

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Chapter 16: Trade Mistakes

“Marinette?” Adrien’s eyebrows raised.

“Sorry!” Her cheeks burned hot, and she jumped to her feet.

“No worries. I actually kind of miss you bumping into me.” Adrien chuckled good-naturedly. “So, what are you doing here?”

He grabbed a small sliver of bread topped with salmon and caviar from a passing tray and popped it into his mouth. Marinette took one too, following his lead by shoving the whole thing into her mouth. She regretted it instantly, attempting to play off her choking with questionable success.

“Uh, I was kind of dragged here by a…classmate,” she croaked.

“Me too.” Adrien gestured over his shoulder to where Chloe sat amidst several admirers. “My father would never let me come to one of these in a million years, so Chloe kind of kidnapped me.”

“That makes sense.”

“I let her. I hate being cooped up, and I’ve always wanted to do stuff like this.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “So, do you wanna dance?”

“Sure!”

Adrien took her hand and led the way to the living room. His gaze remained locked on her as they bounced in time to the music with a throng of other wealthy teens. The heat from several bodies in one room combined with Adrien’s gorgeous face did not help Marinette’s rapidly overheating brain. She glanced around hoping to alleviate her dizziness and spotted Gabrielle dancing intimately with another guy who most definitely was not Thomas. Her eyebrows furrowed, but she followed Gabrielle’s instructions and didn’t question it. It wasn’t her business anyway.

While bystanders chatted about vacations to private islands and the cost of their name brand shoes, Marinette couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. It made her more grateful that Adrien was there. He was rich too, but he never talked like that. He was always so humble and perfect—just one more thing she loved about him.

“It’s getting a little stuffy in here, wanna go get some air?” Adrien murmured in her ear.

“Uh, sure!” She tried not to feel self-conscious when he took her sweaty hand and toted her to the quiet upstairs balcony overlooking the garden.

A cool breeze brushed her cheeks, and she leaned against the stone railing with a relieved sigh. Adrien stood beside her, close enough that their arms brushed when he shifted his weight. If Marinette spent any more time alone with him, she was going to get spoiled. Dozens of other girls at the party would kill to spend five minutes with Adrien. She would know—she used to be one of them. Now she had all of his attention for herself, and she didn’t know what to do with it. Her head was still spinning.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Marinette.” Adrien leaned into her, resting his head against hers.

“Y-Yeah. Me too,” she stammered, expending all of her focus on not fainting.

“Are you doing okay?” he asked.

She blinked, worrying that she hadn’t masked her euphoria well enough. “I- yeah, I’m totally fine.”

“I’ve been worried about you ever since you told me Lila ambushed you,” he said.

Oh. Right.

“Uhh, yeah, she did,” Marinette said lamely.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, those green eyes frantically searching hers.

“It’s…complicated,” Marinette said.

“Maybe you can tell me on a walk?” He gestured to the stone staircase leading into the garden below.

“Okay, but you have to keep it a secret.”

Adrien listened to her story as they walked arm-in-arm. His eyes never strayed from her, though somehow he never tripped or ran into a potted plant once. He even managed to steer her out of the way of a few. How was he so graceful?

“And then Gabrielle showed up at my house and dragged me here.” Marinette shrugged. They slowed to a stop under a small flowering tree. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Well, one thing’s for sure. I’ll never be on Lila’s side, so don’t ever worry about that.” Adrien trailed his fingers down her arm until they twined with hers. “I’m never going anywhere, Marinette. I’ll always be here for you. I promise.”

Adrien had always been sweet to her, but ever since she moved schools, he’d been extra affectionate. When she needed to talk, he listened. When she seemed sad, he held her close. He was the one piece of her old life she still had, and they’d tied themselves together with invisible string. Lila could take a lot of things from her, but Adrien would always be hers.

Her heart skipped a beat as his warm gaze bore into hers. She’d seen that look once before—it had lived in her dreams ever since. He leaned down, and her pulse quickened, eyes hooding as his nose brushed hers. His breath swirled against her lips, warm and sweet, and he lingered there for a tantalizing moment, letting her imagination run wild.

This time she was sure she was going to faint, but just before their lips met, the ground gurgled. Sprinklers sprang to life, spitting water in every direction. Marinette shoved away from Adrien with a yelp, and he scrambled to take her hand again. They dashed back to the house, attempting to dodge the streams.

“You okay?” Adrien flicked water from his wrist when they were safely under the overhang.

“Yeah.” Marinette wiped at her clothes, but it was no use. She was drenched. “Even though my family bakes a lot of cakes, I’m not made of sugar.”

“Good,” Adrien chuckled. “Come on, let’s go in and dry off.”

“Okay.” She followed behind him, trying to decipher the meaning behind their almost-kisses. Once was arguably a coincidence or a lapse in judgment, but twice—twice had to mean something, right? Oh, her dreams were going to be extra vivid that night.

♪♫♪ this is me trying ♪♫♪

“I’m doing my best not to be offended.”

Adrien spun around to find Chloe in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed over her chest. The butlers had helped him and Marinette to separate bathrooms to dry off. He’d been hoping no one would notice what happened, but Chloe always seemed to know things when it came to him. There was no place for him to hide from her.

He draped a towel around his shoulders and leaned against the sink with a sigh. “Marinette’s here, and we kind of-”

“I know,” Chloe said. “I saw you two canoodling in the garden. Good thing the sprinkler system is so easy to operate.”

“You did that?” Adrien asked, even though he knew her well enough that it wasn’t surprising.

“If the gardeners didn’t want me to mess with them, they shouldn’t have put the control panel in such an easy to reach place by the window.” Chloe looked him up and down. “But you’re getting more like me than I thought. I agreed to help you out of the kindness of my heart and broke you away from your cold-hearted father for an evening, and how do you repay me? By snogging my mortal enemy in the garden!”

“We weren’t snogging-”

“Only because I intervened!” Chloe cut him off. “I knew you and Dupain-Cheng were seeing a lot of each other, but I can’t believe you would use the independence I gave you to stab me in the back like this. That’s cold-hearted, Adrien. I am very proud, but also very angry.”

“Look, Marinette and I aren’t like that. We were just-” Adrien pursed his lips.

What exactly? Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure. Marinette had always been just a friend to him before, but now…

“Just about to kiss?” Chloe quirked a brow. “In my experience, people don’t sneak off into the garden to kiss their friends, Adrikins. I know mommy and daddy kept you home your whole life, but are you really that dense?”

He hated to admit it, but Chloe had a point. This was the second time he and Marinette almost… What had he been thinking? Ladybug was the girl of his dreams, and someday they would—what? Be together? She wouldn’t even accept a rose from him, let alone go on a date. But he couldn’t help his feelings.

He and Ladybug were the perfect team, but he couldn’t deny that he was also drawn to Marinette. Whenever he looked at her lately, he found himself inching closer and closer. With her, he forgot about Ladybug for a while. It seemed impossible to ever forget about the most amazing girl in the world, but when it came to Marinette, he just stopped thinking. It was almost like…

Like the first time he saw Ladybug in action. He wasn’t thinking—he didn’t have to. His heart knew that she was his soulmate no matter what, and he still believed that. So why was he so drawn to Marinette now?

“Hey…” Chloe placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I was only teasing. If you really feel that way about…her, then I will eventually maybe get over it in twenty years. Maybe.”

“I-” Adrien shook his head. “I don’t know. Marinette is- I don’t know.”

“I think you do,” Chloe said.

Adrien met her icy blue eyes, clouded with worry—a rarity for Chloe. He was probably the only person in the world to ever see such looks from her. The only person to know a softer, more subdued Chloe Bourgeois. Moments like these were the reason he forgave her when others couldn’t because he knew that deep down, Chloe cared more than she let on.

But just as quickly as it came, the concern vanished from her eyes, and she cocked a hip. “But if you end up dumping her, that’s okay with me too.” She kissed his cheek, swaying her hips as she sauntered back up the hall.

Adrien faced his reflection in the mirror and touched his lips thoughtfully. What would he have done if Chloe hadn’t turned on the sprinklers? Would he have kissed Marinette? He didn’t know.

Ladybug healed damage to the city, but Marinette healed the damage living inside others. It was her superpower. That was the reason he wanted to protect her from Lila. Marinette was always so busy healing others that she never took time to heal herself. She really was miraculous.

He shook his head to clear it. His thoughts were too jumbled to be trusted. However he felt about Ladybug or Marinette, his heart would tell him when it was ready. He just needed to listen.

♪♫♪ It’s Nice to Have a Friend ♪♫♪

When one of the roaming butlers directed Marinette to a separate washroom from Adrien, she shut the door behind her and leaned against it with a sigh. Another close call. Something in the universe was keeping them apart, and she wasn’t sure how much more her heart could take.

“You were so close this time!” Tikki flitted out of her purse and shook herself dry.

Marinette picked up the neatly folded towel from the counter and set to work on her hair. Her cheeks were still rosy red despite being doused with cold water. If her face got any hotter, she was bound to fry her brain for good.

“My heart was pounding so fast. I thought I was going to pass out,” she said. “People are already going to talk about how we came in together soaking wet. I don’t want to think about what everyone would say if I fainted on him while we were kissing. Knowing my luck I’d bite his lip, and they’d have to digitally edit the scar out of all of his photoshoots for the rest of his life.”

“But he tried to kiss you twice now! That must mean he likes you,” Tikki said.

Marinette bit back a dreamy smile. “Do you really think so? Oh, Tikki, I can see it now! He’ll fall in love with me, then we’ll get married, buy a beautiful house, have three kids, a dog, and a hamster named-”

A knock on the door cut her daydream short. Tikki ducked behind the door as Marinette peeked on the other side.

“Another towel for you, Mademoiselle.” A different butler than the one who helped her earlier bowed. How many butlers did this family have?

“Um, thank you.” Marinette accepted it with a smile before shutting the door again.

With a clearer head, she examined herself in the mirror. Wet clothes clung to her petite frame, black eyeliner smudged and not in the attractive smokey way Gabrielle had done it earlier. She’d seen racoons crawling out of dumpsters that looked more put together than she did. There was no way she could face Adrien looking like this. Dampening the towel, she rubbed away the last traces of her makeup and combed her fingers through her hair, but it was no use. She still looked like someone threw a cat into a swimming pool. She needed to find Gabrielle before she ran into Adrien again.

The hall was empty when she peeked out. Perfect, just what she needed. Adrien was probably drying off in another room, so all she needed to do was find Gabrielle and redo her makeup before he came out again.

“Where are you going?” Tikki asked as Marinette slipped into the hall.

“I need to find Gabrielle before Adrien sees me,” she whispered.

“But this house is so huge, she could be anywhere. Besides, if Adrien really loves you, then he won’t care what you look like,” Tikki said.

“That’s only true after you’re married. Help me look for Gabrielle, please?” Marinette pressed her palms together.

Tikki nodded dutifully, and they raced off in different directions. The last place she saw Gabrielle was the living room, but she couldn’t make her out in the crowd. She wasn’t in the dining room or the sitting room either. Tikki was right. Gabrielle could be anywhere in this fortress of a house, and Marinette was never going to find her in time. She and Adrien would never have their house, their three kids, or even the hamster named-

“Marinette!”

She startled, but to her relief, Lisette was the one approaching her. “Oh, Lisette. Hi!”

“Hey, I heard you and Adrien got soaked by the sprinklers.” Lisette looked her up and down. “It seems the rumors were correct.”

Great. Everyone was already talking.

“Yeah, they just turned on out of nowhere while we were on a walk outside, and now everything is ruined, and I’m just trying to find- someone to help clean me up again,” Marinette explained.

“I’m so sorry that happened. I have no idea how the sprinklers got turned on. We specifically shut them off for the party, so people could enjoy the garden,” Lisette said. “Why don’t you come upstairs? I’m sure I have something that will fit you.”

“Wait, what do you-”

“Lisy, did you find her?” A tall boy with blond hair and brown eyes similar to Lisette’s entered the room. “We’re really sorry about this.”

“You- Oh my gosh, this is your house!” Marinette realized. “I had no idea. I just came with someone, and they didn’t tell me whose party it was. I’m so sorry for crashing.”

“It’s fine.” Lisette waved it away. “You’re friends with Eliott, so you’re more than welcome here… He isn’t here by any chance, is he?”

“No, sorry. I wasn’t even really planning on being here. I came here with Ga- another friend. Different friend. Well, the friend part is questionable. It’s complicated,” Marinette said.

“Oh.” Lisette relaxed. “Well, I’m really sorry you got hosed. Come with me. I’ll loan you some fresh clothes and help you clean up.”

Lisette was her tiny, pink fairy godmother in her hour of need! One of these days she’d convince Eliott to kiss her as thanks.

The chatter from the party died down as they trekked deeper into the mansion. Lisette’s room was at the end of a long hallway, and Marinette’s jaw dropped the moment she stepped through the door. Soft pink walls surrounded them on all sides, plush carpet sinking under Marinette’s weight with each step. Small pillows and soft blankets accented the white furniture, and a pink crystal chandelier hung in the center of the room. On the far wall was a large vanity bordered by two cabinets with several drawers and quite possibly the biggest makeup collection Marinette had ever seen.

“Whoa.” Marinette blinked.

“Sorry it’s a mess. I pulled out a lot of stuff when I was getting ready for tonight.” She shifted a few lipsticks back into their cup displays.

“Your bedroom is bigger than my whole apartment,” Marinette said lamely, and Lisette giggled as she flicked on the light to her closet.

“Eliott mentioned that you weren’t used to all of this stuff. He thinks it’s cute when you stare,” she said, rummaging through the hangers. “He seems to really like you.”

“Oh, yeah, we’ve become pretty good friends,” Marinette said. “Actually, he talks about you a lot lately.”

Lisette froze. “R-Really?”

“Yeah, if I had known this was your party, I would have told him to come. I’m sure he would have loved to see you.” Marinette smirked as Lisette’s cheeks flushed pink. She blushed as easily as Marinette did around Adrien. Her feelings for Eliott were so obvious. He could deny it all he wanted, but they were totally into each other.

“I was going to invite him, but…I kinda chickened out,” she said sheepishly. “I was scared he would be busy or that he wouldn’t want to come at all.” She grabbed another pink dress from the rack and offered it to Marinette. “I think this one would look really cute on you.”

“Thanks.” Marinette retreated behind the folding screen to change, thankful for dry clothes. “I know exactly how you feel. When I first met Adrien, I could barely get two sentences out around him.”

“But you two seem so close.”

“Yeah, now,” Marinette said, “but in the beginning, I always panicked and mixed up my words. He must have thought I was crazy.”

“So, it’s pretty obvious then? That I like Eliott…”

Marinette peeked around the screen with an apologetic wince. “Only because we’re so similar.” She slipped on the dress and smoothed the skirt. “But if it makes you feel better, I think he likes you too.”

“He does?” Lisette perked up.

Marinette crossed the room to place a hand on her shoulder. “You should talk to him. Invite him to hang out sometime. I’m sure he’ll say yes.”

“Okay.” Lisette tucked a strand of blonde hair back into place shyly. She examined Marinette once more and smiled. “Come on. Let’s fix your face.”

She patted the chair in front of her vanity, and Marinette sat down obediently. “You have a huge collection. It almost feels like a store.”

“Yeah… Makeup is kind of my obsession.” She pumped some product onto a cotton pad and gently wiped away the remains of black eyeliner around Marinette’s eyes. “I really wanted to do the makeup for the Miraculous show, but they prefer to let adults with more experience handle that.”

“Is that why you were helping with props?” Marinette asked.

“Well, there were a few different jobs I could have done, but I picked that one because it was the closest to, well, you know.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t think he’d notice me, let alone remember my name, but he’s really kind to everyone backstage. He thinks everyone on the team is important, and that coupled with how amazing he performs… I was a goner.”

“It was kinda the same for me with Adrien,” Marinette said. She closed her eyes at Lisette’s direction, then continued, “The first time I met him I thought he was stuck up because he was the son of a famous fashion designer, and he was friends with Chloe Bourgeois. But when I got to know him, I saw that he’s so sweet and humble. Falling for him was easy after that.”

“You and I are a lot alike,” Lisette remarked. “Do you think Eliott and I will ever be as close as you and Adrien?”

“Definitely,” Marinette said without hesitation. “Adrien and I are close because we became good friends, and maybe soon we’ll be more than just friends… I hope anyway.” She blinked when Lisette shifted to grab a different brush. “If being friends with Eliott seems too scary right now, then maybe you and I can be friends. I can help you get closer to him, and we can root for each other.”

Lisette searched her expression, a small smile curling on her lips. “You’re really nice, Marinette. I can see why Eliott talks so highly of you.”

“You’re the nice one, Lisette. You totally saved me from looking like a drowned rat. As far as I’m concerned, you and I are friends now.” Marinette offered her a pinky, and Lisette curled her own around it.

“Now then.” Lisette picked up a large palette and a brush. “Let’s knock Adrien off his feet.”

Lisette was a wizard with makeup. Marinette’s eyes had never popped that way before, and she felt a lot better when she rejoined the party.

“There you are!” Tikki crashed into her chest at the base of the stairs. “I found Gabrielle, but then I lost you.”

“Sorry, Tikki,” Marinette said.

Her kwami looked her over. “Where did you get new clothes? And your makeup is all done too!”

“I got some help from a new friend.” Marinette nodded to Lisette who had rejoined her stagehand friends in the dining room.

“Isn’t that the girl who likes your friend Eliott?”

“Yep! Turns out this is her house. She helped me clean up, so we don’t have to bother Gabrielle anymore,” Marinette explained. “Let’s go find Adrien. I’ve never felt this cute before.”

Several people complimented her as she moved through the house again. None of them suspected that she looked like an absolute disaster only a few minutes before. It was flattering to be complimented so much, but also, kind of embarrassing. Where in the world was Adrien when she needed him?

“Hey, cutie, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Marinette froze in her tracks, a shiver creeping up her spine. Not all compliments were created equal, and something in the tone of this one set her on edge. She turned, fully intending to offer a polite thanks before scurrying away, but the boy leaning against the wall made her blood run cold.

“Thomas?” She blinked in disbelief.

Had she heard him right? There was no way… Was Thomas hitting on her? She thought back to Gabrielle dancing with another boy earlier, and her stomach churned. Something told her she was in the middle of a very complicated love triangle, and she needed to find the emergency exit. Fast.

“So, she remembers my name. I’m not surprised, it’s hard to forget a face like this.” He moved toward her, and Marinette instinctively took one step back.

“Um, well, it’s hard to forget the person who picks on my friends,” she shot back. “You and Gabrielle are quite the duo.”

“Hey, don’t be like that. All that stuff was Gabrielle’s doing. Besides, she and I are done now,” Thomas said. “Your uncle is that famous chef, right?”

Marinette shifted uncomfortably, desperately searching the room for a familiar face to rescue her, but no one stood out. She was on her own. “Um, my great uncle, yeah.”

“That’s really cool. You’re like crazy connected then?” He loomed over her, arms crossed over his chest.

“No, not really,” she said.

“Come on, you performed with Jagged Stone, and word on the street is you’re pretty tight with Adrien Agreste too. You’ve got a lot of friends in high places.” He looked her up in down in a way that made her skin crawl. “You’re a powerful girl, Marinette.”

“Uh, I don’t really think so.” She closed her fists to hide how her hands shook.

“Aww, you’re so modest. That’s cute. Why don’t you hang out with me for a little while? I know a lot of powerful people too. Maybe we can help each other.” He reached for her hand, but Marinette flinched away. “Hey, don’t be like that. I’m a nice guy.”

“I don’t-”

“She’s not interested, low-life.” Gabrielle stood in the doorway to the foyer, arms crossed, hip cocked, green eyes glaring daggers at her ex. She was Marinette’s angry, ginger hero.

Thomas rolled his eyes, seemingly unfazed by Gabrielle’s hostility. “Look who crawled in off the streets.”

“Go bore some other girl with your pathetic narcissism. Marinette’s not interested in hooking you up with important people only to get dumped as soon as she’s no longer of value to you,” Gabrielle said.

“You know a lot about things that no longer have value, don’t you?” Thomas retorted.

Their argument was drawing a crowd, and Gabrielle glanced around nervously. “Thomas, don’t-”

“Don’t what? Tell everyone here that Gabrielle Burton is broke?” Thomas shouted.

Gabrielle stiffened as every eye in the room turned to her. Her rough exterior fractured, the power in her eyes turning to panic. Her darkest day was today, and for the first time since anyone had known her, Gabrielle cowered. And then the whispers started.

“Wait, for real?”

“She’s broke?”

“Serves her right.”

“Oh my gosh, call Jean. He’s going to love this.”

“I’m putting it on Instagram.”

A triumphant smirk curled on Thomas’ lips as Gabrielle stalked from the room, and Marinette used the chaos as cover to slip away too. Ugh, as if she would ever be interested in someone like that! How could he expose Gabrielle and watch her whole world crumble with a smile? Some people really were evil. She just hoped Gabrielle was okay.

Marinette rounded a corner in pursuit, but collided with another person. “Ow! Sorry!”

“Ugh, could you be clumsier?”

Marinette blinked, rubbing the sore spot on her forehead, and the blonde in front of her did the same. “Chloe?”

“Don’t act so surprised. You knew I was here,” Chloe said. She looked Marinette up and down, nose wrinkling into a look Marinette knew all too well. Chloe never hid her disgust well. “Ew, why do you look cute? Those sprinklers should have ruined you.”

“A friend helped me clean up. Wait, what do you mean the sprinklers should have- Did you do that to me and Adrien?” Marinette fit the pieces together, annoyance flaring.

Chloe flipped her ponytail over one shoulder. “I did what I had to.” When Marinette’s eyes narrowed, Chloe cocked a hip. “Don’t look at me like that, Dupain-Cheng. Just because you left doesn’t mean I’m going to be nice to you. I’m still mad at you for refusing to help me with Lila.”

“You haven’t changed one bit. I haven’t missed you,” Marinette said.

Chloe’s cheeks flushed pink, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Yeah, well, I don’t miss you either! I’m glad you left because I don’t have to see your stupid annoying face every day.”

A laugh bubbled in Marientte’s chest. She cupped a hand over her mouth to stifle it, but her giggles spilled out anyway.

“What’s so funny?” Chloe huffed.

“This.” Marinette gestured between them. “I forgot we used to argue like this every day, and now it’s just funny. Maybe I have missed it a little.”

“Yeah, well-” Chloe stopped abruptly, her eyes widening. “Look out!”

[chocoluckchipz]

A Soulmate for Christmas - 1

No one but you see your soulmate mark. Not unless your soulmate touches it, and even then, it only glows for a moment. Most consider that a blessing, but Marinette would say it’s a blessed curse. Because how was she supposed to find the boy who left a black cat mark on her hand fifteen years ago in the city that wasn't even located in France? So when she finds a model flaunting the mark she put on him all those years back in a magazine, she has hope for a moment. That is until she notices the article discuss his imminent engagement to someone else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, what’s the emergency?"

Marinette’s hand emerged from under the covers, pointing in the direction of her desk. "The new Paris Fashion. Page thirty."

Alya whistled upon reaching the said page. "Looking good, M Agreste. Good enough to turn my best friend into a hot mess with a single picture."

"This isn’t funny, Al. Look at his chest!"

"Pure lean muscle. Perfectly toned. He's growing up nicely. Though, I fail to see why this is a big enough emergency for you to make me bail on lunch with Nino."

"Look. At. His. Chest." Marinette crawled out from under the comforter and stomped toward Alya, pointing at the particular spot on the picture. "This. Look at this."

"A ladybug tattoo? So—Wait!" Alya looked up at Marinette, her finger pointing to the ladybug mark painted on his chest. "Are you telling me that’s his—" 

"Right where I put it!" Marinette cried, ducking back under her covers. "See? He exists! I told you. I can’t believe you were doubting me all this time!"

"Well, excuse me, but you were five, and he sounded too good to be true. Little boys don’t usually go out of their way to help crying girls they don’t know find their flirting grandmas at a fashion show in Milan. Little boys don’t kiss said little girl’s hand as a farewell while they are at it. And they certainly don’t ask for the girl to kiss their soulmate mark into existence as close to their heart as she possibly could. ‘So, they won’t forget her,’ right?"

"So, he could always keep me close to his heart," Marinette corrected. "But that doesn’t matter now. You were right. That boy doesn’t exist anymore, and this one isn’t as good as I thought he was, so whatever. I’ll get over him and move on. There are plenty of guys out there. One of them is bound to like me more than money, fame, and prestige."

"What do you mean? Shouldn’t you be happy your crush is your soulmate?"

With a pitiful groan slipping her lips, Marinette buried her face into her pillow. "Ugh! I can’t believe I ever felt guilty for crushing on him. I thought I was a horrible person betraying my soulmate for some handsome, sexy supermodel. Foolish me. He doesn’t deserve any of my attention."

"Marinette, seriously. What do you mean?"

"Read the article."

Alya fell silent as soon as she noticed the title. "‘Paris’ most eligible bachelor reveals… a long-time secret relationship with his childhood friend Kagami Tsurugi. Doesn’t deny Christmas Eve engagement rumour.’ Oh."

"And you know what the worst part is?"

"What can be worse than discovering that your long-time crush is your long-lost soulmate and then finding out he’s been not only dating someone else but very likely will propose… tonight?"

"How about being at the same party at the same time. As a waitress."

Alya swore under her breath and put the magazine down. "Mayor Bourgeois’ Christmas Gala?"

Marinette nodded. "The article said they both confirmed they will be attending. I'll get a front-row seat to my soulmate's proposal to someone else. Lucky me."

"Then don’t go," she said, sitting down beside Marinette. "I’ll go in your place."

Marinette couldn’t let her do that. Nino was going to propose tonight, so Alya couldn’t be anywhere but with him. "You’re spending your first Christmas with Nino’s family. I’m not standing in the way of that."

"I can spend New Year Day with them."

"You’re going to the French Alps with your family that weekend. Don’t try to weasel out of it. Your mom has been planning that trip for months. Nora’s flying in specifically for it."

"I’m not trying to weasel out. I’m trying to help you, M."

"And I appreciate it, but I’m not making you go instead of me."

"What about your father?"

"The doctor said he shouldn’t be getting up for at least another week or his leg might not heal properly and he’ll end up with a prospect of a surgery which we’re trying to avoid."

"Then, I’m sure Rose or Juleka wouldn’t mind stepping in."

"No." Marinette sat up on her bed. "They have plans, and I’m not going to ruin them. I’ll just have to grow a pair and face him like the strong, independent woman I am. Or rather go help Maman and avoid him at all cost. He’s not even going to recognize me anyway. I didn’t. Not until I saw that photo."

"That’s true. I doubt he remembers much about you. You were babies when you met, so just stay away from him and keep your hands covered. That way even if you accidentally touch he won’t see it. A pair of gloves perhaps?"

"Mayor has uniforms for all the servers, even those coming in with the caterers, so no gloves for me. But as long as I do my job and pretend like I’m not in the same room with my soulmate who clearly didn't think me worthy enough to search for and instead decided to date this very famous, very influential, extremely rich girl from his own circle, I should be fine."

"I’m so sorry, M." Alya wrapped her arms around Marinette, bringing her into her chest for a cuddle. "Men are stupid. Some more than the others. Especially the rich and spoiled ones."

Marinette scoffed bitterly. "Don’t I know it. I got plenty of examples from being in the same class as Chloe Bourgeois for years." 

"Isn’t Adrien Chloe’s friend?"

"I think so. I was hoping Adrien wasn't like her. Clearly, that isn't the case."

"You'll get over him soon, and we'll find you a nice, handsome, smart man who will cherish and love you for who you are."

"Soulmates are so last century anyway, right?" Marinette swallowed back the knot in her throat. No matter how much she tried to convince herself, this hurt. "I’m sure he doesn’t even remember meeting me. We were five. Who would be holding on to a memory of a random girl in Milan? And even if he did remember me, he probably thinks I live there. I thought my soulmate lived in Milan until he decided to show off his stupid soulmate mark to the whole world. Who does that, anyway? Those are supposed to be one of the most intimate of details of one’s life. You don’t just show it to everyone, and certainly not to the whole world while announcing your engagement to someone else." 

Her eyes fell to her hand where, invisible to everyone but her, an image of a black cat lay, a mark Adrien Agreste left there more than a decade ago with his first kiss to her skin. Just like a mark of a ladybug appeared on his chest when her lips touched it upon his request. He said he wanted to keep her close to his heart, so it would be easier for him to find her.

What a load of BS.

"Have you ever thought that, perhaps, that could’ve been a message to you?" Alya asked. "He went through the trouble of painting over his soulmate mark for the photoshoot so others could see it. It has to mean something. No one is dumb enough to think that if Adrien Agreste releases topless photos while announcing something as big as a possible engagement, there would be at least one person in France, or even Europe for that matter, who wouldn't see it. He knew his soulmate would see it."

Marinette laughed. Bitterly. "Yeah, a great message. ‘Here is my soulmate mark, my dear soulmate. In all the years I knew you existed, I didn’t bother to find you. But I did make sure that this picture, in which I showcase to the whole world the mark you left me, came along with an article where I discuss how much I love my girlfriend you'll never compare to in status, money or looks. Not that I even care about your feelings, announcing that an engagement is in the near future for me and my darling childhood friend.’ Yeah. This is definitely a message, Alya. He says ‘Screw you, Marinette. I’m better off with Kagami Tsurugi, and I thought you should know that.’"

Alya wrapped her arms around her tighter. "First of all, only brainless idiots would take status and money over love. Second, you’re the prettiest, smartest, and the most successful woman I've ever known, and third, you're an amazing and wonderful person who's on her way to becoming one of the best designers in Paris, so don’t you bring yourself down because of a stupid man who doesn't realize what he lost."

"It's my fault anyway. That's what I get for letting that stupid, cute boy kiss my stupid hand at a stupid fashion show in stupid Milan."

"You were five, M. And he was a dashing gentleman, helping you find your grandmother in a strange city you got lost in. You couldn't have known he's your soulmate. No one could have."

"Right. And he won’t recognize me, so I’ll be fine. He won’t even look a waitress’ way. Nothing to worry about. I’m very much certain the only person he’ll be looking at will be his future bride-to-be, so I have absolutely nothing to be scared of. Not that I’m scared, because I’m not. I just don’t want to be humiliated. Not that I’m already humiliated, but at least no one knows about it. That'll be awful if anyone else finds out—"

Alya grabbed her face and turned to look at her. "Marinette, breathe. Calm down."

She took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. Alya was right. This was fine. She’d be fine. Everything would be just peachy.

"As long as he doesn’t touch your right hand, no one will know. I still insist I go instead of you. Nino will understand—" 

"No. I’ll go. I can do it."

"Yes, you can, and you’ll be fine, but if anything happens, you have my number. I’ll be there in five minutes. You got me?"

Marinette nodded, pulling Alya into a hug. She was an amazing friend, and Nino and she were going to be insanely happy together. One day perhaps, Marinette would meet someone too. Someone who, just like her, was betrayed by their soulmate. Or someone who had lost theirs. Someone who would be kind and gentle and, like her, would just want to be happy. 

Someone who was not Adrien Agreste. 

Next >

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[hateswifi]

Rising from the Ashes: Of Bullies and Best Friends

So this story is based on this post by @legendaryhumanskeletonkid I took this idea and kinda changed it without further ado... Part 1. Master List

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“All of Paris is invited to a gala that will be held at the hotel this Saturday from six-thirty to ten o’clock. This is a fundraiser gala for natural disasters and a partial celebration for the defeat of Hawkmoth Paris’ previous tormentor,” Mayor Bourgeois announces, looking over the crowd. 

Marinette had been sitting on her family’s couch designing as the mayor finished his speech. She had been invited as Ladybug and wouldn’t be attending as Marinette. She did not need to make a dress and had already changed her costume for a more grown-up look. 

A year or two after she started being the spotted hero, she decided to change up costume as of now her costume was red from her hips to her shoulder blades with black spots strategically placed, along with black knee-high boots that had three spots on her knees, her hand were adorned with fingerless gloves with one red spot on the back of each hand, the rest of her body was covered in her original red with black spots. She had also started putting her now mid-back long hair up in a bun to keep it out of her face as she worked or as her superhero persona. Needless to say, she loves her new look.

By this point in time, Adrien and Marinette became best friends, especially after the reveal. Adrien is happily dating Kagami after Marinettehad set them up. She is one of the few people who knew about Kagami and Adrien’s relationship and is happy for both of her friends. She had lost feelings for Adrien when he had told her to take the high road with Lila’s lying problem. He stopped talking and pushing to take the high road bull after he had to comfort Ladybug to stop her from getting akumatized. He realized someone was getting hurt and it was his Lady, his best friend.

He couldn’t directly stand up to her due to his father, but he would point out a lack of consistency in her lies. He was also an emotional support system for her during the times when Lila was too terrible. He always has Marinette and Kagami’s favorite ice-cream in the mini fridge-freezer combo he had in his room. He also has a playlist of movies for the group watches when they get together. Marinette, Kagami, Adrien, Chloe, and Luka have become family in everything but blood. 

Marinette sighs, being brought back to the present by her parents entering the kitchen.

“Hey sweetie, what was the mayor’s announcement?” Sabine asked, sitting down next to her petite daughter.

“He is holding a fundraiser gala as a celebration for Hawkmoth’s defeat and for other natural disasters. All the heroes are invited as a thank you and probably to help raise more money,” Marinette summed up while her mother hugged her.

“That’s great, sweetheart! Are you going to go?” Tom asked, sitting down on the other side of his daughter.

“I haven’t decided yet but I don’t think I will,” Marinette answered.

“Why not sweetie?” Sabine asked, looking at her daughter, eyes filled with concern. Sabine had noticed her daughter's classmates had stopped coming by the house and she is worried for her daughter's social life.

“I don’t know I just don’t want to go to a stuffy gala,” she answered, standing up. “but don’t worry about me, you guys go have fun. Enjoy yourselves, you both deserve it."

“I think we will, what day is it?” Sabine asked, standing up as well.

“It’s this upcoming Saturday,” Marinette answered.

“But today is Thursday. That doesn’t leave us much time to find and wash the formal clothes,” Tom said, standing as well.

“Ok mama and papa I’ll leave you to that, I’m going to head to bed. Goodnight I love you both," Marinette said, leaving to go upstairs to her room

“Tikki, are you ready for patrol?” Marinette said, looking for her little red friend.

“Let’s go Marinette!” Tikki said, coming down from the bed Marinette had made her.

“Tikki, Spots on,” Marinette said, going through her transformation. Then she jumped out of her balcony trap door and flew across the rooftops towards the set meeting place, the Eiffel Tower.

“Hey Chaton, Queenie. Sorry that I’m late, my parents were asking about the gala,” she said, landing beside her partners.

“It's fine LB you deserve a break after today though,” Queen Bee said, looking at her once rival turned friend.

“I’m fine,” Ladybug started before Chat cut in. “No, you shouldn’t have to be fine. You should be feeling great I can’t believe she accused you of such a thing,” Chat pouted, crossing his arms.

Ladybug sighed and looked over the city thinking back to what had happened earlier that day in class.

Lila had walked into school with a black eye and bruised cheek, probably makeup. Once she had everyone around her and Marinette, who had made it a habit of arriving at class on time, walked in Lila started crying her crocodile tears. “M.. Marinette how co.. could you show your fa...face after what you did to me?” Lila stuttered out between the crocodile tears.

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked before Marinette could respond to the accusations.

“She was jealous over our friendship, Adrien, so she attacked me after we hung out yesterday,” Lila cried, hiding her face in Alya’s welcoming embrace.

“By ‘hung out’ you mean you hanging all over me during the photoshoot I was forced to go to,” Adrien deadpanned, putting air quotes around ‘hung out’.

“Adrien, how could you say that when she’s in this condition?” Alya raged, looking at Marinette and Adrien as she continued to rub Lila’s back comfortingly. “Marinette you gotta stop being so jealous!”

“That’s funny because Marinette and I went out for ice cream with Adrien, Luka, and Kagami after Adrien’s torture his father calls a photoshoot,” Chloe stepped in.

“How do we know you aren’t lying?” Alya asked, standing tall. “You, Chloe, are just as much of a bully as Marinette is.”

“Because,” Marinette stepped in. “We saw you there yesterday. Remember? You and Nino had a date.”

“That is true, babe as we were leaving they were just getting there,” Nino stated towards his girlfriend.

“Then you must have slapped her after that because we all know you have a huge crush on Adrien,” Alya defended a smirk spreading across her face.

“Alya, if you had talked to me sometime in the last two years without yelling at me then you would know that I see him just as a friend,” Marinette said, crossing her arms.

“Awww, Buginette, I thought we were best friends,” Adrien pouted.

“Not the time, Adrien,” Chloe said. “Also why would Lila just bring it up now? Why didn’t she talk to the principal before this?”

“I..” Lila started then cried more while answering. “I thought she would do something worse.”

“This girl wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Adrien defended, knowing that not to be true. He had seen her do some serious damage. The bell rung before anyone could say anything else but by the glares that Marinette kept receiving she could tell people weren’t happy with her over the accusations.

“Buginette, are you sure you’re ok? Queenie and I don’t mind taking this patrol by ourselves,” Chat offered, looking at his long-time friend.

“Mar, you can tell us what the matter is. Even with Hawkmoth defeated we’re still here for you,” Queen said, patting her shoulder.

“I just don’t understand how they can trust someone they barely know over me, their childhood friend,” Ladybug answered, looking into the distance.

“Her lies seem as sweet as honey, but they’re going to sting when the lies bumble,” Queenie punned. Chat looked at her in astonishment.

“Did you just—?“ Chat started.

“Nope Chlo you can’t join him. There are only so many puns people can deal with,” Ladybug said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to see the day her lies will fall.”

They sat there for the duration of the patrol, Paris would be safe for the night. Ladybug needs the heroes’ help more. After her friends had helped her relax she had fallen asleep, Chat took the liberty of taking her home. She needed more sleep with the stress of school, Ladybug, and now going to the gala. Adrien wasn’t going to go as Adrien, but as Chat Noir. He was personally invited as Chat, which he’s thankful for. He can now spend time with his girlfriend and not have to deal with Lila.

As Adrien put his Buginette in her bed and tucked her in he stared for a moment and thought back to a day not too long ago when he thought he had lost her.

It had been a long fight every one of the heroes, even with their strong stamina, were becoming tired. Especially Marinette taking more hits than any of the other heroes, not wanting them, rest of her friends, to be hurt. After hours of fighting, they were in Hawkmoth’s lair now at this point after he had run near the end of his transformation. This had led them to his own house at that moment he knew his lady had been right almost three years ago.

His friends turned to look at him. He looked at them and felt the bile rising in his throat, his father. His goddamn father! He had done this to them. Kagami had been stabbed in the shoulder but she was still fighting. Marinette had received a bad blow to the stomach. Everyone has excessive bruising most of the team had dried blood on them and their costumes were torn. He fell to his knees and threw up.

“My god,” he whispered, wiping his mouth. “Why him? Of all the loners and messed up people, why him?”

“Chaton, you could have not known,” Ladybug said, rubbing his back.

“Adrien, this isn’t your fault,” Kagami said, hugging him.

“Look at you guys!” He said, standing up swiftly. “You all look terrible! He hurt you are all so bad.”

“Thanks,” Queenie answered sarcastically, crossing her arms. 

“You don’t look so hot yourself though,” Viperon said, trying to calm down the blonde.

“Viperon, is right we all look bad but this is what we signed up for as soon as we took the miraculous. Ya, it sucks that the troubles of Paris are placed on the shoulders five teenagers, who are still in high school, but the adults here are morons,” Queenie said, hugging Adrien. “You gotta calm down. I.. we won’t be able to fight you too.”

“You’re right,” he said, hugging her back. “Let’s go get ourselves a bastard.”

“That’s the spirit!” Ladybug said, giving him a fist bump.

They jumped to where they saw Hawkmoth enter. Ryuko offered to go in first, well not offered but barged in first. “Gabriel! You have some nerve!” Ryuko screamed when she saw the dark figure.

“Ahhh.. finally I’ll have what is truly mine your miraculous. It’s finally time to get rid of you, pests,” Hawkmoth monologued hiding in the shadows.

“Father! Stop this craziness! I don’t know why you’re doing this, but it must end!” Chat pleaded.

“Gabriel, we don’t want to fight you anymore. We just want the butterfly and the peacock miraculous,” Ladybug reasoned.

“and I just want my wife back,” Gabriel said, turning to the heroes. “Don’t you want the same, Adrien?”

“I.. She’s gone, Father. I’m going to be gone too if you don’t stop! I miss her as much as you do, but I moved on because it’s healthy! This isn’t healthy and would she want to be brought back like this? All this destruction, chaos, and pain? Would she even be able to look at you the same knowing that you’ve hurt Paris, my friends, and your only son?” Chat asked, stepping forward as Gabriel fell to his knees. “Please, Dad stop this.”

“Under one condition,” Gabriel asked, looking up at his son.

“Depends on the condition old man,” Queenie said from behind Chat.

“I want to be able to stay here with you and try to make up the time I wasted. Also please don’t tell the public who I am, the media would tear you and the company to pieces. You would probably be seen as an accomplice and wouldn't be trusted most likely anywhere,” Gabriel pleads, grabbing his son’s hand, the one without Chat’s miraculous.

“Group talk, huddle up,” Viperon said, beckoning everyone in.

“We could make him do stuff like community service, but subtly so it doesn’t raise any suspicion,” Ryuko reasoned, once everyone had gathered in the huddle of heroes.

“What would we tell the public,” Queenie asked, looking around the circle.

“After Hawkmoth ran, we found his miraculous that he had left on a rooftop,” Ladybug started a plan forming.

“When we went to find the civilian Hawkmoth he had already run,” Chat finished.

“Good enough for me,” Viperon agreed.

“What if we make him start a foundation,” Queenie suggested. “I could help since I am the Mayor’s daughter and have connections”

“He caused a lot of chaos, what if we make him start a disaster foundation? Natural disasters because those are a common thing here. Fires and floods, simple things,” Ryuko added.

“Ok we have a proposition then,” Chat said, breaking the huddle then looked towards Gabriel. “Father we came to a decision you can be unknown from the public, but you have to start a natural disaster foundation. Also something I’m adding get your mental health checked along with weekly therapy. If you choose these conditions you can stay at home as Gabriel Agreste and Hawkmoth will never be you again. If not we can take you into the police station right now.”

Needless to say, Gabriel had accepted the heroes’ gracious offer and handed over the butterfly and peacock miraculous, which was brought back to Master Fu. He had given her the Miracle Box because he wanted to retire soon after the defeat of Hawkmoth. The public was angry at first due to the fact they wouldn’t know the identity of Hawkmoth, but they thought the heroes didn’t know so they were less angry. Adrien sighed and jumped onto her balcony and headed home.

When Marinette woke up the next morning she looks around dazed for a moment or two this had been one of the first times she had gotten a full night's sleep in awhile. It was all thanks to her partners, she hadn’t even woken from a nightmare. She also woke up a bit earlier than her alarm, so she got up and put her hair in a bun, did some light makeup. She put on a white shoulderless short-sleeved shirt with little flowers near the neckline, a bubblegum pink flowy skirt, and a pair of darkish grey tights. She then finished the look with the same bubblegum color of her skirt for ballet shoes. When finished getting dressed she put cookies in her signature purse. She climbed up the ladder leading towards her bed to wake up her kwami. 

“Tikki, time to wake up,” Marinette said, quietly.

“Good morning,” Tikki yawned. “You look nice this morning!”

“I got up early. I must’ve fallen asleep on patrol,” Marinette said. “I woke up on time and I didn’t have any nightmares.”

“That’s so good! You haven’t gotten enough sleep lately,” Tikki said, flying up out of her bed.

“Marinette! It’s time to leave!” Sabine shouted from downstairs. Marinette checked her phone and saw that it was true so she went downstairs. “Sweetie you look extra beautiful today! Did you sleep better than normal?”

“Yes, I slept well, love you mama see you after school!” She kissed her mama and left for school.

As she arrives Adrien’s car pulls up and she sees Chloe waiting by the bottom of the steps near the entrance of the school. Chloe is wearing her hair down straight but with the top part of her hair pulled back and held in with her miraculous. She is wearing a black pencil skirt that ends just above the knee, a flowy light yellow shirt, and paired with black flats.

When Adrien and Marinette meet Chloe they give both give her and each other a hug. They then walk inside to be met with the mess known as Lila and her posse. They meet in the courtyard where Alya and Lila try to get an apology out of Marinette.

"Lila, I didn't hit you. There's enough proof to say that I didn't, but yet you continue with your web of lies. Why would I want to hit you?" Marinette asked, crossing her arms as Adrien and Chloe stand behind her.

"Because you are jealous that I'm dating Adrien. I'm sorry Adrihoney that I told her our secret," Lila cried. "I just can't take her jealousy or torture anymore." 

"Lila we're not dating..." Adrien started but was cut off again by Lila sobbing louder.

"You don't have to lie to them, they already know the truth. I can't let you hide your feelings for me anymore," Lila sobbed.

"Lila, what truth did you tell them the truth or the truth you want? I would never date you, Lila. You are too clingy, annoying, and you're always lying. Plus I'm happily dating someone; I'm pretty sure I love her," Adrien finished.

"Marinette, you slut, you're sleeping with Lila's boyfriend when you know that they are happily together," Alya raged, rubbing Lila's back.

“It’s like I’m not even here!” Adrien said, throwing his hands up in defeat. 

"First of all, Adrien is just a friend. Second of all, how dare you call me or his actual girlfriend a slut and last Adrien's girlfriend could take Lila down in a heartbeat," Marinette said, stepping forward. "Adrien's girlfriend may not be the kindest at first glance, but what I wouldn't do to help one of my best friends."

She then walked to class with the two blonds glaring at the rest of the class following behind. The rest of the day was filled with excited chatter for the upcoming gala. Lila was bragging over the fact the uprising star, who she ‘helped’ found MDC's talent, made her dress just because Lila is so nice.

"MDC, he is so incredibly nice and handsome. He has milk chocolate hair and the brightest blue eyes you would ever see. It was love at first sight when he had first seen me. It was just after I had saved Jagged Stone's cat from the airport's terminal. MDC was with Jagged because he is Jagged's lost nephew," Lila started then her face fell. "I couldn't stay with him though, I was getting ready to fly to Gotham to be with my childhood sweetheart, my Damiboo. I'm sorry or as you would know him, Damian Wayne."

"Seriously! you've met the Waynes and Bruce Wayne's heir is in love with you?!?" Alya exclaimed. "You have to get me an interview with them!"

"Next time I visit my Damiboo I'll ask him, but he's kind of shy," Lila smiles, looking at all of her adoring followers. 

Marinette sighed as the bell rung thankful for the end of her lies even if only temporarily. After her class, which was uneventful, she headed home to help her parents finish up in the bakery and eventually helped them close it. She saw that they had dragged out there nicer clothes.

"Sweetheart, would you be a dear and fit and fix my dress," Sabine asked, looking back at Marinette as she cooked. 

"Of course Mama I'll fix it up after dinner," Marinette said as she was finishing up her homework.

They had a nice peaceful dinner after plates were cleaned, and leftovers were put away Marinette and her mother headed upstairs to fix her mother's dress. "Mama you look beautiful," Marinette said looking over the traditional Chinese red cheongsam.

"Thank you, Marinette," Sabine pauses, looking at herself in the mirror. "Pretty soon I'm going to give it to you. It was your grandmother's and I think you deserve it."

"Thank you, Mama," Marinette smiled, fixing the tear near the hem. "It's all fixed Mama. You look beautiful. I hope you have a great time tomorrow."

"I just wish you would come with us," Sabine sighed, hugging her daughter.

"I would but I had already made plans with Adrien, Kagami, and Luka," Marinette told the decided upon story.

"OK have fun at least," Sabine smiled before heading downstairs to show her husband.

Since it was Ryuko and Viperon's turn to patrol she went to bed early.

[illustraice]

lead me out (on the moonlight floor) 

rating:  T word count: 7526 multiple chapters: 1/?

[ read on AO3 <3 ]

Chloe Bourgeois’ Capri Sun has a sheen to it. It probably reflects light on some poor freshman kid trying to navigate the hallways filtered with the fall breeze and the faint scent of student panic. She stays seated between the legs of the unbothered figure behind her and thinks that getting to class in time is, like, overrated and Alya Cesaire’s arms have to be comfortably occupied, thank you very much. If she had any time, Marinette would think it was moderately cute and a true testament to battling against The Wall of Heterosexuality, but because she doesn’t have any time between pushing her way through The Wave of Student Flesh and desperately clinging to her multiple binders, she starts to think it’s a bit of an inconvenience.

The Cesaire-Bourgeois Package Deal block a generous portion of the stair path; if the freshmen had any opposition to Françoise Dupont University’s ‘It’ Couple’s (of 5 months and 16 days, Chloe had announced in a lecture once) location of choice, they didn’t comment. Marinette scans the frantic narrow hallway and appraises her options; she’d very much like to get to Economics on time but there’s probably bad, weirdly homophobic, undertones to telling the Package Deal to please, get off the stairs and get to class. The two are glued to their spot, class time a weak thing to nudge their unwavering dedication to listen to whatever pop-indie playlist Cesaire has curated on her phone as they share the singular string of earpods. Marinette shuts her eyes for a few seconds, wishing Nino were here to pick up her courage off the ground to hand back to her so she can say something to the two about not blocking the stair path and making out in the next 5--or maybe 2?--minutes.

A trio of younger students scampers to the stairs, too careful to not bother the couple like if they were to make contact with even an inch of Cesaire’s varsity jacket, they would suffer a force of an electrical shock or something equally dangerous to the medical bill. Marinette wills herself to roll her eyes, hopes that whatever exasperation she has rolled with it. She’s near the duo enough to share a few words (maybe testimonies from other students about how much they want to get to class on time?), and slowly inhales preparing to speak when a smooth voice calls out behind her.

“Can you two get any more cliche?”

Somehow, through the blaring indie mess of a song--Hozier? A band Marinette doesn’t know?--Alya acknowledges the comment and offers a smile in the direction of the voice.

“Relaxation is key, Agreste.” she hums lazily. Between the confines of Alya’s arms, her girlfriend grunts intelligently.

By the time Marinette realises her conversational sacrifice is better off unrealised and makes her way farther up the stairs hurriedly, Chloe has put her earbud to the side and points a meticulously manicured finger accusingly.

“Find true love before you judge true love.” she preaches.

“What is that? Aristotle?” Adrien quips. “I think true love can find a way to stop blocking the stairs and scaring the freshmen.”

Chloe scrunches her nose. “Find true love on your own first to prove it.”

Adrien sighs and for the short time being, curses his previous determination 5 months ago to force his best friends on a date. Instead of resulting in moderate disaster material he’d hoped would happen to use as some kind of funny leverage they could all laugh at one day, they’d turn out to be ridiculously compatible despite their exteriors and made out after a mere 45 minutes of the date. They’d laugh in the face of his ulterior motives, howling at him when he’d found them in each other's arms sickeningly in love later. He’d yelled profanities that it wasn’t fair that it actually worked (“It was supposed to be a joke! God, come on!”) as they snickered, all three clustered on his bedroom floor drinking his dad’s whiskey from the inviting and playfully restricted liquor cabinet (they’d been careful to pick an unenticing bottle stored all the way back). But truthfully he was happy for them, earnestly and annoyingly so.

Even so, their habits needed to die; like getting caught in embarrassing places making out or purposefully making out in front of teachers with Homophobic Tendencies (Adrien was more than supportive of that one but he’d also run several arguments on why it may risk them not graduating. Alya had just shrugged and said yolo) and now, blocking crucial stairways in their ferocious display of PDA. He quickly glances up above the stairs and thinks about telepathically apologizing to everyone who has had to wade their way through the duo. A figure with pitch black hair almost stumbles up in a hurry. Adrien wonders how he could send along the message that he grants them a pass to yell at his friends as a sincere apology.

“Can you two just get up and go to class.” he finalises. He looks down at Chloe’s cheer uniform and muses to himself that the near neon yellow in it is the colour of Chloe’s life.

Students still scatter around the area but they’re beginning to disappear to their classes. He makes way for a row of students running to the stairs and they thank him, eyes wild communicating some kind of cryptic message he thinks he can decipher as ‘save us’. He takes several steps up and flicks at Alya’s bun, strays of her hair bouncing. She doesn’t protest and instead takes some form of an effort to take his advice but it’s quickly halted by a suave kiss to her lips.

‘5 more minutes.’ Alya’s lips barely mutter against her girlfriend’s. The proposed time frame seems to be unnegotiated.

Adrien jerks his head up to the ceiling and groans.

-

When three chattering students noisily stumble their way through her Economics class, Marinette takes no note of it. She’s a little too caught up in what pretentious shade of red the bodice of the dress she desperately trying--failing?--to design in her Studio Arts class is supposed to be so that it passes off as something Dior would create. A deep, lusting flame colour or perhaps, maroon? Maybe? Frighteningly so? She flicks her head up momentarily to glance at a wave of varsity jackets and a singular cheer uniform. The chatter of the room increases exponentially. Alya Cesaire makes a joke or two to the professor that somehow saves her and her friends’ asses. The professor rolls their eyes but they turn kind and indifferently forgiving like they always are to Cesaire’s charm. A row of girls in front of Marinette swoon a little and it takes a moment for her to realise it’s directed at Adrien Agreste’s smooth greeting, the smile on his face so easy it reminds Marinette of toothpaste commercials. Chloe takes a claim beside Alya’s seat, a Capri Sun in hand and a look of undiluted boredom in another. She crosses her legs, pouts a little at her girlfriend, a form of formally beckoning her over to sit down already.

Seats are taken. Because Marinette has a brain and two whole eyes, it has always registered to her that the three are easy--a pleasure perhaps--to look at. Agreste’s a model even; his status of that is as clear as day as it is as cemented on the school’s Wikipedia and his flashy Instagram bio. But the force of all three was indeed a ridiculously attractive sight and Marinette would take her time to appreciate it all (really, she would!) if the stress of completing her portfolio hadn’t kept her occupied every ticking minute of her time in school.

She sighs and eases her eyes on Adrien Agreste who practically swaggers his way to his seat, playfully bickering with Chloe the whole time without either caring for volume much to the class’ entertainment. His soft, somewhat curled, bundle of hair practically bounces like it just has its own individualistic way with gravity. A hand tucked in his varsity jacket pocket and another loosely on the strap of his bag, he laughs at one thing or another said by Alya and Marinette thinks it’s a nice sound. A casually beautiful entity, she concludes.

Marinette’s eyes wander aimlessly at the board but she feels a pair of eyes on her anyway. Adrien’s eyebrows furrow for a moment, a hint of recognition on his eyes as he takes the steps above like he’s willing a vision to be painted in his head. Before she can look to him, his head turns away and he quips at whatever incoming remark from Chloe he had his way. Huh.

By the time the chatter dies down enough, Marinette has already decided the brief moment had been a mere daydream, a wander of aimless eyes at her in coincidence just like her own. She picks up her pen and writes her notes, stifling a yawn. Maroon, she thinks, is an easier colour.

-

Chloe’s bedroom floor looks a little like what Adrien envisions as an entire Sephora store. He’s not all that sure what that actually looks like but between Chloe yelling out to find fifteen different shades of lipstick and Alya lazily stacking more than forty eyeshadows on each other in some cosmetic version of Jenga, he thinks he’s right. His wooden chopsticks point to the takeaway stir fry in his hand and he’s debating whether to try out that powder thing, see if it does something or other. The view beyond Chloe’s perfectly oversized balcony is easy to look at, sunset views and all, and he thinks he’d like it a lot if he could stay there instead of the proposed agenda of the upcoming night.

Alya is sprawled out in her girlfriend’s bed, amusing herself with a meme or two on her phone. That doesn’t really satisfy Chloe who whines a little when she steps out of her closet, a yellow high neck dress tight on her waist. Adrien scrunches his nose and thinks the other dress--whatever he remembers of it--was probably better.

“Why don’t I look hot?” Chloe mourns. She slumps on a chair nearby, glum and decidedly not hot.

“I liked the other dress better.” Adrien offers, staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t think he likes the stir fry either. God, they should’ve just gotten pizza but Adrien’s stomach had made some last minute ditch to stir fry just as they entered the pizza shop and he should’ve listened to Alya saying his stomach is probably making a mistake but it just seemed so good of an idea at the time.

Alya glances up from her phone and makes some kind of protesting sound. “You always look hot babe!”

“Yes, true.” Chloe agrees momentarily, ‘But I don’t look hot in any dresses tonight.”

“Just don’t wear a dress.” Adrien offers again. They should really be taking his advice, he thinks. He knows he’s not paying that much attention but they should!

“Adrien, get up,” Chloe says.

“No.”

Alya looks at him from the bed, targets his face to throw a pillow. It lands on the desired location perfectly and he thinks it’s probably a warning. “What are you not hungry for?” he hears Alya ask.

He shoves the pillow away, eyes still greeting the ceiling. “The stir fry is not good.”

“You know, where was this energy an hour ego before you dragged us to an extra twenty minute walk to get it?”

“I’d really like my stomach’s intuition not be insulted during these trying times.”

Chloe scoffs, “Yeah, yeah. But really, what’s wrong?”

Her voice had shifted to the softer tone Adrien knows she categorises as the tone only given when Chloe’s actually worried. Adrien almost thinks about lying, then thinks better of it. Chloe and Alya could probably perfectly retrace every single step he's taken in his life. It’s useless and his stir fry has probably gone cold. He sits up this time, the warmth of the carpet off his back. He contemplates first and realises he does not want to ruin the night, not even for himself.

“Don’t worry,” he says finally, quietly. Quiet enough for it to be a clear lie.

Alya and Chloe exchange looks. A brief silence passes, the type Adrien knows is a mutual agreement between all three to wait. It doesn’t have to be said now, the silence says. A beat later, Chloe continues mourning her temporary lack of hotness, whining to herself again as she re-enters the closet. Alya maintains her lazy protests against the statement, grabbing the stir fry away from Adrien for herself (“God, it doesn’t even taste that bad.”). Adrien grins, wills himself to look forward to his own party, thinking it’s better that way.

-

Marinette stares almost menacingly at the computer screen. Photoshop and her design glare back at her like it’s a contest that it’s winning. It’s only a sketch but Marinette starting to think that if she stares at it long enough, the dress itself will appear magically before her, having chosen for itself confidently what colour it’d like its own bodice to be.

Instead, it only leads to her wondering if her eyes are actually threatening to bulge out.

“Why are you having a staring contest with your own computer?”

Marinette doesn’t turn around. Nino’s voice is not enough to keep her from trying this whole make-the-dress-magically-appear concept she’s got going on. He will not distract her from this goal. He places a plate with pepperoni pizza on her desk, a likely and tempting distraction. She takes it anyway.

“Is maroon, like, a good colour?” she asks, taking a bite. Nino lands himself on her bed, his headphones dangling on his neck the way it’s practically glued to him. He chews a bit of his pizza in some kind of contemplation before he answers.

“Depends who’s asking.”

“The bodice of my design is asking.”

“Then no,” he answers.

Marinette does not like this answer. But she’s pretty sure she doesn’t like any of the answers. She’s also sure Nino’s just talking out of his ass, but she appreciates the input.

“Man, have you even went out of your room since school?” he asks. It’s a genuine question, Marinette knows there’s no trace of judgement on his lips. But she’s also feeling a little jaded from the hours she’s spent on the design like it’s her lifeline enough that she musters some kind of look of feigned offense.

“I take that as a no,” he says.

Instead of answering, Marinette dumps her face flat softly against the desk. She realises all too quickly that this action in of itself is an answer.

“Okay.” Nino pulls himself up swiftly, hands clasped together the way it always is when he has a plan, “You look like you’re in the middle of a mid-life crisis at 21 and it’s just way too early for that. Get up, get dressed, put your hair up or whatever. We’re going to a party.”

Marinette grumbles. The idea, like every Nino idea, is perfectly acceptable, logical and has more than enough, the right intentions. It’s the execution, Marinette knows, that falters. Like how in kindergarten, he’d tell his best friend as their mothers shopped in IKEA that it was cool--yes, very cool!--to play hide and seek beyond the safety of the children’s play area, hiding away from the watch of the employees. It was practically genius to 6-year-old Marinette. Running away from boring IKEA-themed adults? Acceptable! Hide-and-Seek, the most thrilling game of century in a big area with lots of spaces to hide? Logical! Marinette and Nino had been bored out of their minds, un-enticed by the disgrace of a ball pit? The right intentions! It had been 15 IKEA employees yelling out the two children’s names for an hour later as they giggled away that had caused the fiasco to turn out to seem like Not Such a Genius Idea. The aftermath of their mothers’ disapproving faces had been another reminder.

‘Nino.” Marinette begins, “There’s a pros and cons list already made for that idea and I hate to tell you this, but there’s not a lot of pros.”

Nino considers this for a moment like he hasn’t already made up his mind. “There’s not a lot of cons either.”

The list is empty, Marinette says in their comfortable silence. Just like my head right now.

“Stop this.” Nino urges, “You need to get out. My best friend needs to come to this stupid rich kid party with me, eat a bunch of rich kid snacks and drink rich kids’ booze and live in the moment instead of looking like she’s about to go MMA on her computer”

Marinette doesn’t hate the idea of a party. She isn’t even opposed to them at all. Even art kids like her need their fair share of big gulps of gross alcohol and badly executed dances. But she also knows the only party of actual prominence tonight is Adrien Agreste’s, the golden boy of the Golden Trio. She thinks she might not like to throw up in his mansion or take up any form of social interaction when the exciting topic of Maroon vs. Not Maroon is the only thing on her mind.

In the time she took to contemplate this, Nina had dug out a pair of her black jeans and a halter top. He throws the clothing at her and she knows he has hit his target when she feels the material on the back of her head.

Marinette sighs the heaviest of sighs and Nino rolls his eyes. “Mari, you’re not dying.”

“Sure am.”

Like some kind of protest, he blasts some random 90s hit over the speakers from his phone. Marinette looks up, eyes already hazy and takes another bite of the pizza. Sixpence None the Richer blares like it’s trying to actually etch itself to Marinette’s ears. Nino joins in the verse but he’s kind of shrieking the way Marinette knows he does when he’s purposely trying to piss off the Choir teachers. Marinette stifles a laugh, then immediately groans.

God, rich booze really better be good.

-

His party is Very Good, Adrien intelligently evaluates this to himself. He’s in the middle of the dancefloor that’s really just his oversized living room, red solo cup to his lips. He’s not exactly sure what he’s drinking but he is sure it’s primarily responsible for the bubble of misplaced happiness to his body. He’s just a little hazy and deliriously warm and what the fuck is he drinking again? He dances between great friends, good friends, friends and not-friends-but-will-be-friends. Many eyes light up to his face in recognition, he happily recalls. The joys of being the host, he sighs in what he hopes is content.

The mansion is packed the way Adrien likes it when it’s a party--his party. It’s to blare out the loneliness inside these walls, the thought trespasses his mind. He frowns at it and systematically tucks it away in the space of gulping down all of his whatever-it-is drink and chatting to whoever is on his right. The wide-eyed girl smiles at him, polite and yet eager. He recognises her as part of Chloe’s cheer squad and she looks quite pretty tucking her hair behind her ears. Yes, very pretty! Is that pink eyeshadow on her? Adrien thinks it might be purple. They talk for a spare few minutes, slowing their movements a little. Adrien’s not entirely following whatever it is they’re supposed to be talking about it, but he knows he’s flashing his Good Smile and she’s flashing her Good Smile. And they look very nice, even! Yes! Wait, he halts, wait what?

“Agreste, you dumbass.” Adrien registers the voice as one Alya Cesaire but he’s not as quick to register the pull from the back of his jacket.

He’s dragged without grace across the other side of the room where the bar is set up, the crowd had parted like the knowing red sea with people laughing at his demise. Adrien’s arms flail in some kind of attempt to pull away from Alya’s force but he quickly becomes aware it makes him look like he’s drowning horizontally on dry land.

“Hang on there Adrien!” he hears Rose squeak but he can tell she’s grinning.

When Alya arrives at her destination, he finds Chloe perched on the barstool, chuckling at him. “What are you doing flirting with one of my girls?”

He feels a little caught in some kind of invisible lie. “Am not!”

Unfortunately, his voice squeaks the way it always does when he’s in a (drunk!) childish fit of defense. His knees wobble and Adrien wonders when jelly became a substitute for his knees? Did he authorise that? Alya and Chloe’s laughs almost thunder throughout the room, probably threatening to break walls.

“You sound like a 3-year-old caught in a lie.” Chloe snorts. Almost as if embracing this proposed age, Adrien pouts and sticks out his tongue. It’s stained red from his whatever-it-is drink. Has he been drinking wine? God, what is he? Above thirty?

“Yeah, yeah. Not all of us wanna make out with our true love every 5 minutes.” he places his cup to the bar, motioning for the bartender to refill a drink. The man raises an eyebrow, asking what he’d like before Adrien says whatever is alright. In fact, he has been drinking whatever the whole night so he might as well continue. “Not all of us have found it either.”

“Don’t be so poetic in your own party.” Alya feigns disgust, “Call Aristotle or whatever. Make him do the labour. Your stuff is terrible.

“My stuff,” Adrien tries not to slur, “is very, very, very good.”

“He sounds very convincing.” Juleka nods as she approaches. She takes a sip of her drink and in an act Adrien can only recall as an angelic move, she places a hand on his shoulder to stop him from the very bad consequences of his Knee Wobbling Fiasco. “Hold on there, buddy. The night has barely started.”

“You’d think Adrien would make it as a good act for the Debate Club?” Rose giggles beside her.

Chloe smirks, ‘You should register him now whilst he thinks his material is very, very, very good.”

The warm round of laughter from the circle erupts from this and Adrien delivers several glares to Chloe that they both know are just empty threats. He likes that everyone is having a good time, likes the obnoxious blare of music over the speakers and the familiar touch of everyone around the room he’s known.

“Adrien!” a voice bellows from the crowd. Adrien’s reflexes are painfully slow thanks to his whatever booze but he turns his head to spot the familiar figure, headphones on his neck. Nino always makes it easy to recognise Nino that way.

“My man!” Adrien drunkenly skips towards Nino, lunges his body weight at him. Nino somehow manages to handle the force of his bear hug and laughs, his body vibrating with it.

“How have you been?”

Adrien does not answer this question. Instead, he cries, “Nino, what the hell! Where have you been, man! It’s been, like, days! Without you, man! Without you!”

The group behind them laugh at Adrien’s speech, but Adrien is having trouble comprehending why. It’s been 2 days without his good friend! 2 whole days! He hopes the misery seeps out of him so they can understand his pain. 2 whole days!

“Okay, I don’t know what you’re drinking but it’s either that good, or you’ve overestimated how much you can handle. Again.” Nino grins, tries to position Adrien to stand. Adrien falls back to his arms like his body is lifeless. Was it? It sorta felt like it was.

“I am very good.” Adrien announces. He’s not sure who at.

“Don’t listen to his dumb ass.” Chloe laughs, “Have a seat with us, Lahiffe.”

She motions at an open seat near the bar. Nino smiles but his eyes flicker back to the crowd. He glances to Adrien, pulls a look like he’s going to say something mildly serious.

Nino slows his speech as if to consider Adrien’s quickly deteriorating brain cells. Adrien’s honestly grateful for it. ‘Hey, I’ve actually got a friend I’ve dragged along I’d like you guys to meet. Hope you don’t mind the plus-one, Adrien.”

No, Adrien doesn’t mind at all! Absolutely not! He wishes he could say something intelligent like ‘Of course I don’t mind! I’m happy for my huge ass hollow mansion to be filled up to suppress a bad ache of my loneliness!’. Or maybe he shouldn’t. So Adrien just shakes his head violently.

Nino smiles as if it completes his resolve. He leans Adrien’s body back to Juleka’s sturdy arms.

“Great. I’ll be back!” he wades his way into the crowd, the heap of bodies like some kind of transcendent disco-themed sea. Adrien takes a sip of his new--and hopefully improved?--whatever-it-is drink, hates it, then takes another sip.

-

Marinette remembers the order. Stay here for a sec, Nino had said, I need to talk to someone. What she’s not as diligent about is following through with it. Like a bad juxtaposition, she thinks, sipping through this party’s Rich Beer in her hand. It’s warm and fuzzy despite the unorthodox taste it leaves, maybe that’s the intended effect of Rich Kid Expensive Beer? But anyway, this bad juxtaposition weighs in on her. She’s hit with a weird pang of guilt over Not Following through with Nino’s orders. It’s not Acceptable (she’s broken an order), nor Logical (why is she wandering around in the gigantic space of this mansion where she can easily get lost amongst its weird sea of too many bathrooms?), nor does it have good intentions (she’s only helplessly so interested in the paintings surrounding the quieter hallways in this half drunken state).

Well, it’s not bad intentions, she debates, but it’s not Great Intentions. Marinette settles to herself that it’s Marinette Intentions, like that’ll help her explain this very reason of wandering around so clearly tomorrow. Nino will probably say something like what the fuck and then he’ll Not Get Mad at her because he knows pretty paintings are pretty paintings and anyway, why the fuck does Adrien Agreste have so many paintings? He doesn’t even paint! Never even been to a Studio Arts class! Never even suffered over Colour Theory or Composition or bad oil paint stains that go on perfectly good shirts that never come off even after, like, years of the laundry! Never even contemplated the deep distinction between maroon and not maroon! Marinette huffs and she thinks it’s one of her angry huffs.

Marinette thinks she’s okay with maybe swimming back into the sea of bodies, finding a pretty thing to flirt with and make out with for no particular reason for the night before she’ll slink back home. She’ll call an Uber and drunkenly recall the events to an indifferent and kind therapist of an Uber driver. She thinks it’s okay, yes it’s okay. She looks sufficient tonight, her lips are very glossy, very kissable, very capable of speaking to her future Uber driver. Her eyelids are heaped with a mauve shade, and Nino’s choice combination of clothing turned out well because he’s spent 19 years enough with her to recall whatever she says is ugly and not ugly.

But Marinette stares a little listlessly at the near blank hallways of the mansion. It nearly amazes her that despite it feeling like the world’s population was at Agreste’ front door, his mansion still seemed to have room. She waits for the wave of resolution to settle to her body, ending at the tips of her toes as to signal her feet to start moving in the desired direction. But it never does. Marinette sips the weird beer and takes this as a sign to stay in the dim of the hallways. Her eyes linger back on the painting in front of her, encased in a golden frame like it was a cliche. The acrylic sea stares back at her like the challenge her computer screen had once presented only a few hours ago.

Okay, Adrien Agreste’s house paintings, two can play that game.

-

Adrien’s footsteps carry the weight of the world. He’s pretty sure that’s not how gravity is supposed to feel like but in this state, he doesn’t really think physics is a concept he can grasp altogether. He had thought mindless dancing would ease his mind, make his body feel light as he tiptoes through the crowd. He sways along with the heat of bodies and he thinks maybe next time he’d like to hire a live weatherman in one of these parties to announce the approximate amount of degrees which he thinks right about now is nearing a million?

He’s dizzy, blissed-out like it hasn’t only been two hours into the party. His mouth feels like it’s on fire and drier than a desert at the same time. He’d chat to anyone who’d even so much as give him half a second of eye contact. He compliments something of anyone’s outfit and they’d say something like great party or Adrien get some damn water and then he’d flash his big megawatt smile reserved for nights like this or in daylight walking in the halls of the university like he’s shooting a never-ending commercial. If Chloe and Alya were concerned, they’d decided to voice their concerns for a later date and let him have his drunken fun.

For some ungodly reason, his mind rewinds to today’s events. Find true love to judge true love. Chloe’s voice strikes thunders in the thick of his cluttered haze. He grimaces, a little fondly. It’s one of those lines Chloe says without any real depth to it but he’s pretty sure the true love part has some weight on her part. Adrien sweats a little (or a lot?), thinks about Kagami for what feels like only a quarter of a second and then suddenly, several million years. He hadn’t let the ground beneath them turn solid, she hadn’t done the same either. So they’d just float in midair, aware they had nothing to land back on just like how he wants to feel weightless in this bulk of a crowd.

He’d kiss her once, in something like one of these parties. She’d return the favour back and it’d seem like such a comfortable tangle of lips at the time. His hand on her hip seemed fair, chivalrous, one of those moments of obvious destiny like how princes in Disney movies had no hesitation once they’d found their princesses. Once their lips parted, it was only then that he could hear the good-natured rumble of cheers surrounding them. Chloe had rolled her eyes, muttered something like I can’t believe you took that long, Adrien and Adrien had agreed on the statement. He’d grin so wide, the muscles on his mouth were a little tired of him. But Kagami’s eyes had been wide and curious and her teeth showed in her loosened smile so Adrien concluded that it had been so very worth it.

But then Kagami had sat down on his couch weeks later, shifting like she was not so sure of the space. As if the air inside was slightly suffocating despite the huge expanse of his second living room. Before her lips had open to speak, her eyes had already performed flutters of apology. Adrien thinks its almost pity but he’d shoved that feeling deep into the back of his mind before it could pose itself as a hazard to his psyche. She says what Adrien recalls as a blur of words. Sentences Adrien had heard loud and clear because Kagami’s voice was fit for presidential speeches or whatever, but were awfully disjointed like an awkward farrago. She hadn’t been sure, hadn’t thought it out, didn’t think it could work out in the midst of their schedules and oh Adrien, it’s not your fault but mine.

Adrien hadn’t processed anything, instead, he’d just theorised that the walls inside had somehow shrunk to the size of his body, squeezing the air out of his lungs. But he’d say things like it’s okay (it wasn’t), he’d thought the same (he hadn’t) and that he hopes they’d remain good friends. They did, in fact, remain good friends. Threateningly so. Then before he could blink twice, she’d jetted off to some lucrative fencing championship for the next 6 months like her life had been strictly scheduled to break his heart for one minute and be whisked away the next. The news of the breakup had circled ruthlessly throughout the entire student body within a matter of hours and Chloe had taken it upon herself to act as his publicist, telling everyone to leave him alone and yes, he’s going through a breakup-themed Spotify playlist, yes, he’d really like his privacy respected at the moment and no Nathaniel, he can’t share his Spotify playlist publicly go make your own

Alya, Chloe and him had raided the liquor cabinet that night like they would die the next day. Alya had ordered an obscene amount of pizza and Chinese takeaway. He wasn’t sure what the end goal was but between giant gulps of noodles, ice cream and diet coke (kind of disgusting), he concluded his friends had hoped he could also gulp away the sadness along with it. Well, he succeeded nonetheless. The next day he’d skipped along a path after classes, looked up to fervour of the orange-tinted sky and hadn’t thought back to Kagami’s eyes like he had been doing for weeks.

Kagami had been stored in the attic of Adrien’s mind, dusted and intentionally forgotten for some nice 4 months. But now she’s being unceremoniously summoned from the attic, in the midst of his dance floor and onto the pits of his mind’s living room. He holds a breath, a little more than worried that if he thinks about her any longer, she might also physically manifest in his actual living room which he honestly doesn’t think is a very good idea at the moment because he might involuntarily throw up on her.

Adrien thinks he can hear Alya’s voice faintly calling his name which is a miracle amongst the thunder of Ariana Grande over the speakers and fifty billion voices all at once. Without much thought to it, his lips linger back to his drink. The liquid burns down his throat like its matching the heat of the room. Ah yes, a billion degrees and perhaps more. He’d like to not think about Kagami at the moment, or any moments really. But once she’s out Adrien’s psychological attic, he finds it hard to stuff her back somewhere else. So he ignores Alya’s siren calls, twists his body the opposite direction and allows his feet to lead him to the better comforts of his bedroom. He stumbles on his way and knows he looks a bit like an idiot but he thinks his destination will make it worth it. Yes, well, it has to.

-

This room was too big. Much, much too big. Marinette doesn’t like being all too judgemental of anything. She likes to think that’s a result of her and Nino’s friendship and how Nino's face doesn’t really alter to the news of Marinette not sleeping for 48 hours doing designs. Instead, he’ll do something like quietly pull a blanket to her soulless body sprawled on her couch and confiscate the coffee away for three days. She likes to return the favour of understanding, not just to Nino but everyone else. But this room, she thinks, is far beyond the reach of her understanding. Marinette stares at the glass chandelier perched along with the high ceiling and doesn’t think she’d like to calculate if it alone could pay her entire school tuition.

She’d wandered aimlessly throughout the endless hallways, the voices of the crowd echoing behind her now mere whispers in the face of her indifference. She blames the alcohol but then again, she always does and really that wasn’t fair to the paintings which were the real cause of her spiralling away. If Marinette were sober, she thinks she might not enter strangers’ bedroom and judge them for their ridiculous size. But she wasn’t and now she freely saunters around like this room and her are more than familiar with each other. The king-sized bed, she notes, looks like something straight from a home decor magazine. Office space is set up opposite to the bed and it must undeniably have been occupying someone’s stress because papers cover the whole of the area without arrangement. Marinette can hear the faint boom of Top 40 music from outside and she thinks the sound resonates with the thunder of ocean tides crashing and falling much like the rise and fall of her own breath when she spots the easel perched near the bedroom balcony. Curious, Marinette strides like her body is actually co-operating with her. Placing her bottle on a table nearby, she inspects like she’s meant to be doing it.

The canvas is blank but the supplies were neatly arranged along the table. The space feels frozen in time, like someone had paused just as they were to begin and never quite gotten to resume. Clumsily left on the paint tray are different shades of oil paints, untouched and lonely. Cleaned brushes are nearby like they’re new and upon closer inspection, Marinette realises they are. Marinette inhales, breaths in the familiar scent of turpentine she’d recognised from years of sitting in a Studio Arts classroom next to Nathaniel. She’s no painter, not like she was before, but she’s more than proficient in traditional painting because of the required classes. Marinette sits on the stool and feels invited in it despite the clear lack of welcome of the entire room.

And because of the sudden invitation, in some swift movement she doesn’t at all recall, she picks up a brush, ruthlessly dabs it into the bright flush of a red and smears it across it the innocent canvas without regal.

“Fuck.” she says out loud as soon as the paint meets the canvas. Oh shit.

Oh shit, shit, shit. The mournful scarlet streak is right in front of her, bright as day in evidence and though its a colour, Marinette can’t help but think it’s screaming. The panic bubbles like champagne in her stomach but suddenly, just as champagne does, it settles into a fuzzy ease. Marinette laughs loud to herself. Fuck it.

Marinette ditches her reflex to set the brush down and instead dabs a little of the red back into the canvas, marks the colour again in another direction like it has a purpose. The more the hair of the brush streaks the colour along, the more the colour sings to Marinette’s face instead of its shrill screech. Over time, the colours bloom until Marinette hears the canvas perform a complete melody enough that it rivals the roar of waves outside.

- 

The thud is enough to knock Marinette out of her paint splatter of a state, she turns her head to the direction of the door and hears a muffle or two of a deep voice. The panic settles back into her body and unfortunately, she realises, it’s panic alone and there’s no champagne mixed in. Several thuds ensue by the time Marinette has scrambled to her feet; brush, paint and melody are long forgotten as she drops it to the table.

An escape route, yes, she needs an escape route. Yes, now. What about her drink? Oh God, her booze. Marinette furrows an eyebrow, seizes her bottle from the table and mindlessly gulps down the rest of the bottle’s content. Yes! Beer! Alcohol! Wait? No! She doesn’t have time for this shit! Marinette looks again to the enormous chandelier, sincerely wishing the billion carat diamond form of it all would just fall on her head, knocking her out. Instead, she scans the ground, grimaces as she ducks down low undignified and crawls to the bottom of the Instyle-looking king-sized bed. She’s thinking if the chandelier does actually plan on killing her, the bed might just be her salvation.

The door opens wide and the volume from outside adjusts to something loud and obnoxious. Marinette spots the Nike shoes thudding its way across the room and simultaneously calculates the price of the medical bill she’ll have to face if her heart doesn’t stop drumming violently against her chest. The figure paces around the room like it’s just as curious as she once was. A moment passes before the sound of the creak from the bottom of the bed rings in Marinette’s ears as the person lands on top. Her throat threatens to squeak out a sound in surprise before she suppresses it.

Marinette thinks if she wasn’t the one in her position, she might find all of this awfully funny. But because she’s the one in her position, Marinette eyes the opened door. She wonders if maybe, just maybe, she could just crawl, go into some kind of lizard mode that her 3-year-old self had prepared her for anyway. The fact that she’s drunk is making the plan sound a lot like a Nino Plan and the fact that it sounds like a Nino Plan has Marinette itching to execute it as not badly as possible. She waits for a prolonged five minutes before she dares to move a muscle. Four minutes later, she hears the faint sound of snoring and is fucking grateful for it.

She executes the plan, wills herself to crawl her way through the spotless carpet in silence. Arms extending out as she slithers her way, the noise outside gets louder with every inch closer to the door. By the time she reaches it, her body moves at the pace of a ghost as she heaves herself up in excruciating slow motion. Marinette doesn’t take a chance, doesn’t turn her head in the case she might make some unintended noise. Instead, she takes a slow breath in, treads lightly back outside and hears the echo of the waves from the narrow hallways.

- 

Nino reprimands her in the Uber. He also kind of does it in the dancefloor when he’d found her and nearly knocked several bottles over as he trudged his way over her drunken ass screaming the lyrics to Selena Gomez. He’d said something like what the fuck Marinette and she’d wailed out the second verse of Selena Gomez’ song in response. It’s a bad Selena Gomez themed haze from then on and Marinette does not remember anything beyond the audible thump of her own body in the back of the Uber whilst she makes out Nino apologising profusely to the driver. She bawls a little at this.

“No!” she hiccups, once or twice, “Wheeeere are we goiiiing?”

Nino turns his head from the passenger seat and Marinette thinks he’s going to say something disapproving again but he just chuckles. “We’re going home.”

Marinette thinks she does not like to be laughed at. “Nooooooo.”

God! She hadn’t even been kissed! Hadn’t even made out with anyone! Marinette places a light finger to her lips and mourns the lack of a kiss to her lips. That was so illegal! “I am very kissable!”

Nino just laughs again, “Find anyone to be very kissable with?”

Marinette narrows her eyebrows. Huh. Did she? She doesn’t recall a single kissable lip on her. A goddamned shame. God, what had she been doing? She was very kissable, damnit! What the hell was she doing not being kissed?

Marinette’s mind wanders to important things like puff pastries and croissants. She was over this night, she hadn’t been kissed and if she had been, it must've have been so bland her mind just threw the damn memory away. So Marinette hums a tune in blissful peace, wonders what she might do tomorrow about her maroon vs. re-

“Stop the car, I’m going to throw up.” Marinette chokes out. From the rearview mirror, the Uber driver just sort of sighs like he might throw up too.

The flash of red lingers its way back into Marinette’s mind at the speed of lightning or thunder or motorcycles or something dangerous and clearly over the speed limit. A Lamborghini probably. The blank canvas and how not very blank it was in its state in Adrien Agreste’s house. In the midst of her alcohol scented mist, the image of the painting taunts her. The hour of painting had seemed so far away like it was months ago and oh God, Marinette was going to go to prison for trespassing or something. She’ll go to prison and wear a bad shade of orange like it’s some kind of sick punishment for the array of colours she’d slashed mercilessly across the canvas.

“Oh my god.” she whispers to herself. “Shit.”

The car reluctantly stops near the side of the road. Marinette yanks open the car door, ducks her head down low and does, indeed, throw up.

[maxdark158]

Daminette Soulmate AU

Okay so when I talked about this with @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay @mindfulmagics and @2sunchild2 yesterday we went through a scenario where Marinette went to Gotham so I thought WELL WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER WAY AROUND which was mostly inspired by @let-me-perish ‘s Alternate Beginnings au

I am NOT writing more of this, but anyone else is open to continuing it for me in whatever way they want! Make it a collab!

@realrandomposts @ozmav

Enjoy

oooOOOooo

Soulmates are a thing in this world! Damian isn’t sure why that has to be a stated fact, but they are real. The majority of people have soulmates and that is as much of a fact as is the fact that he doesn’t have one.

Well, Grayson says not to lose hope but Damian doesn’t think he’s missing out on anything anyway. He doesn’t care that he doesn’t have some random stranger’s name on his body Grayson does, and he couldn’t understand it until he met the Tamaranean himself, he is not colorblind Todd is, but he hates it writing on his skin bears no results Drake is always writing on his skin, he and his soulmate good friends despite never meeting, he has no marks that will light up when he and a soulmate would first touch Father’s was on his chest somewhere and it lit up before Damian knew of him, he sometimes wonders who else shares it and he doesn’t feel any pain belonging to another person he and his father had been battling Poison Ivy when her soulbond was revealed by a bloody nose neither of them gave her, though he noticed how her and Harley’s injuries always matched the other after that.

Given that the only other soulbond is incredibly rare, Damian feels safe to assume that he simply does not have one. After all, hearing the thoughts of his soulmate would be a headache – both literally and metaphorically.

oooOOOooo

His class was on a trip to France. Paris, France to be more specific. A plagued with supervillains, much like Gotham. Of course, the mayor made sure to remind everyone that the villains were harmless – he likely didn’t want tourists to stop going.

Which is what, Damian realized, he and his classmates were. Tourists.

Well, sort of. They were actually part of an exchange program that all students who spoke French got to participate in. For one month, they would go to the highest-ranking high school in the area – the same one the Mayor’s daughter went to. Then they’d return to Gotham and write essays in French, and depending on the score they could opt out of finals for any other language classes they took.

Damian didn’t really care for the skipping finals part, and was originally planning to sit it out the trip. But Father insisted he go. Something about living life. And monitoring the situation in Paris to see if it needed any intervention. But living life too. For a month.

They had recently landed in the city of love ugh, gross and he and his classmates were at the hotel now. It was the mayor’s hotel, a lavish one at that. Well, appearing to be lavish, but Damian knew enough to know what was a good knock off and what was real when it came to expensive things. He’s a Wayne after all.

“We get our own rooms?” His classmate Charlette “Scar” Gamble sounded surprised. Damian was too. Their trip may only have fourteen students but even he expected to share rooms.

“Well we have three young men and eleven young women on this trip, and we wouldn’t be able to evenly have roommates, so single-use rooms were the best option.”

Damian saw Scar’s shoulders relax. He was glad their school was open to her situation and didn’t make her share with one of the boys. They weren’t friends exactly, but he didn’t hate her company.

Suddenly, a white-hot and burning pain hit him. He grabbed his head, lips pressed tightly together so he didn’t scream. All he could hear was ringing, high pitched like when someone dropped a microphone on full volume. His vision was spotty.

Oh kwami, that hurt. Ugh. I need to focus on this akuma!

What the hell was going on? Why was there a voice in his head? And why was it French?

Focus on the akuma! It’s probably doing this to you, it’ll go away as soon as you’re done, then you can finish your homewor-

Whatever just happened, it fizzled out. Damian blinked, the pain was gone just as quickly as it had arrived.

“Damian?” He looked up to see Scar holding him by the shoulders. “You okay?”

It struck him suddenly when his frie- acquaintance was shaking him down for an answer. The girl he heard in his head – those were thoughts.

He was part of the 3% that had a thought sharing soulmate.

oooOOOooo

“So are you going to lie to me like you lied to Miss Olivander?” Scar and Damian were sitting in the lobby, away from the mess of excited classmates that had taken over their section of rooms.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Damian replied, trying not to sound too stiff. He was on google, searching for everything he could about thought sharing soulmates. Apparently, there was always a distance limit, usually around 20 feet.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Scar roll hers. “You’re my friend Damian. You can tell me! Though if you want me to butt out, say the word and I will.”

Damian turned to her. “Friend? I didn’t know we were friends.”

He panicked for a moment, worried he upset Scar but she just scoffed. “You’re the first person I told that I was a girl and you think we aren’t friends?”

“I thought it was just because I can keep secrets,” Damian grumbled back. So he’s a little socially inept, sue him!

“We eat lunch together often.”

“I thought it was because the asshats wouldn’t mess with you when you sat with me!”

“You helped me dye my hair and found hair dye that matched the trans and lesbian flag.”

Damian paused. “Okay so I probably should have connected the dots.”

“Yeah,” Scar was grinning. “You should have.”

Damian rolled his eyes.

“That doesn’t answer my question though,” Scar poked him in the shoulder. “What happened to you? Everyone was super freaked out.”

He pursed his lips. “My soulmate connection formed.”

Scar’s mouth dropped open. “Really? You have a thought share connection? I thought you didn’t have a soulmate!”

“I thought so too,” he replied dryly. “But it appears I was wrong.”

“Your soulmate is in Paris,” Scar giggled. “Literally the city of love!”

Damian made a face at that, and Scarlett laughed more.

oooOOOooo

Damian didn’t tell his father about his soulmate connection, resolving to figure it out on his own or leaving it alone. He didn’t want to have attachments like a soulmate connection to weighing him down, the thought scared him. But he couldn’t deny his curiosity.

If he heard her thoughts again, Damian would investigate.

Unfortunately, his fri- acqu- friend Scar declared that she wanted him to be happy and she would help him search for his mystery soulmate.

Damian was just glad she didn’t declare that in front of his other classmates.

Today they were heading to Lycee Francois Dupont. Seven of them would join one class, and seven of them would join the other. He and Scar both got Mlle Bustier.

When they arrived, Damian noticed that an Italian girl was outside the in the courtyard surrounded by her peers. She seemed to be crying about something, but Damian didn’t really care.

They went to the class early, the teacher settling them into their seats. There were a lot more than a typical French room, she explained, to accommodate all of them.

Damian was caring less and less as time went on.

Soon other students, this time ones who went to the school full-time, began to trickle in. A girl with curly red hair was showing a boy with a red baseball cap a video on her phone. A small blonde girl and a tall dark-haired girl were talking quietly to a large boy and another small blonde girl. And the Italian girl from earlier was approaching them-

Wait why was she approaching them?

“Hello,” her voice sounded sickly sweet, and Damian pursed his lips, “I was wondering if any of you could tell me about my Damiboo? He leaves so much out of his letters to me and I know you go to school with him!”

He blinked. He opened his mouth to say something. Scar beat him to it.

“What do you mean, Damiboo?” She asked.

“Oh, did he not tell you?” she put a hand to her mouth in surprise. “My name is Lila Rossi. Damian Wayne is my soulmate! His name is along my spine and mine on his thigh.”

Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “Bull.”

Rossi blinked. “Wh-what?”

“Bull,” Damian repeated. “Don’t you know? Damian Wayne doesn’t have a soulmate. He’s said so in many interviews.”

The girl did a dramatic sigh. “He must be lying to protect my identity! I can understand, but it still hurts.” She looked at them, the fakest of fake tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry for bothering you. I just wanted to know how my darling is doing.”

“You should be sorry,” Scar bit out.

The girl seemed shocked that her tearful act didn’t work. Before she could attempt to further guilt trip them, Mlle Bustier asked them all to go to their seats for roll call.

“She’s a liar,” Scar hissed once Rossi was out of earshot.

“No kidding,” Damian grumbled. “She attempted to lie about me but didn’t even recognize me?”

“Stupid, truly, she is,” Scar snickered.

“It appears Marinette is late again,” Mlle. Bustier sighed.

The French class seemed to mumble among themselves. The things they said were all derogatory and rude. Damian wondered why an entire class was ganged up on a single student.

It was then that Damian felt... Something. It was like a warmness in his head without any physical heat. It was… odd, to say the least. But at least there was no pain this time.

-late I’m late I’m so late! Ugh, I should have just not done some homework and slept more, I’m so-

Late?

Yeah! Wait who are you?

I could ask you the same question, person in my head

YOU’RE in MY head tho- wait are you my soulmate?

It would appear so. You’re still late.

AAAAAAH I’M LATE

Damian winced at the yelling, which made Scar turn to him. She saw him rubbing his temple, the slight squint, and grinned.

“Is it your soulmate?” she whispered.

Suddenly the door burst open, a girl with blue pigtails and bluer eyes having run through it, though she didn’t seem out of breath.

“Sorry I’m late Mlle!” She exclaimed.

She’s going to hate me if she already doesn’t like the rest of them hate me.

Why do they hate you?

Not important. How are you still within six meters of me?

20 feet

Shut up American- wait you’re American

“Marinette,” Mlle Bustier sighed. “In case you haven’t paid attention in my class,” giggled erupted from the French students.

As usual, they all hate me

I’m not laughing

Wait you’re seeing this? Ugh that’s worse

“In case you haven’t paid attention in my class,” Mlle Bustier repeated herself. “Students from Gotham Academy are spending a month at this school as an exchange program. Please take your seat.”

So I guess you’re one of the Gotham students?

Yes. I assume you’re the late girl, Marinette?

Gee, how’d you figure that out. But seriously I can tell you’re a guy from your voice and they’re only two guys in here that are American-

“Is your soulmate the cutie with pigtails?” Scar asked. “Because if not, dibs.”

Wait no you can’t call dibs on my soulmate

Who’s calling dibs on me?

Nothing. Stop listening.

No, you.

“You can’t,” he mumbled, and Scar lit up.

“I am going to be the best wing woman on this planet and possibly other ones too!” Scar said just a bit too loudly.

Wait no too loud Scarlett!

So I’m guessing that’s you then?

He looked at Marinette, who met his eyes. She smirked.

Found you.

[imthepunchlord]

This will be rather sad, but Zoe's Scarlet Lady au x adopted au

...sad how?

If this au crossover even existed, there’s a high chance Scarlet Lady wouldn’t even happen actually. 

One big reason is that, its up in the air when Marinette is in Paris, cause Audrey takes Marinette with her to NYC. I haven’t decided if Audrey would come back a little before Origins or she still comes back like she does in canon (Style Queen), meaning Marinette doesn’t show up till late s2. If following canon, Marinette isn’t there for Origins so if Chloe steals the earrings, it will depend on who Fu picks. 

She may steal the earrings from Alya if Alya pissed her off. But if Fu picked Nino, Chloe wouldn’t bother. Nino she doesn’t mess with because she can’t really get a rise out of him so he’s too boring for her to pick on so if Nino got picked, no Scarlet Lady and it’d be a better, happier time as these bros hang out in and out of the mask. 

Now, playing on the if Marinette is in Paris during Origins and was the initial pick and Chloe stole the earrings, the events of Scarlet Lady would be shorter. Marinette is still Marinette and is a very observant character, and Tikki is not the most subtle kwami and Chloe is not the most subtle character either. Plus, being in the same building increases the chances of Marinette discovering Chloe’s Scarlet Lady. 

And Marinette Bourgeois cannot tolerate incompetence. She’s going to blackmail to improve Chloe or just take those earrings for herself, hunt down the man-baby that’s terrorizing Paris and take care of things herself. For all this hot mess that’s happening in Paris is getting in the way of her passion, disrupting her time, and she really wants to pull her hair out seeing some of these akuma designs. 

I also can’t say that Adrienette would even happen in this crossover au for Marinette doesn’t remember Adrien fondly, and her view of him will depend on how things play out. If Scarlet Lady doesn’t comes to be and Adrien’s in a happier partnership with another, she won’t see Adrien being worth her time for he’ll largely be the same as canon. And Chat Noir will still goof off now that he doesn’t have to shoulder so much and be unimpressed. 

Now if Scarlet Lady was around, she’d be unimpressed with Chat for tolerating the ingrate and not taking those earrings away and picking someone more competent. And for Adrien, she can acknowledge he’s grown a backbone but can’t really see her interested in him. And Adrien himself would probably avoid Marinette if he can simply because she’s the adopted sister of Chloe who he cannot stand, and Marinette doesn’t have the same amount of patience or friendliness as she does in canon, for her interests and work come first, which can make interactions with her rather rocky and strained by how she is and who her family is. 

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

To Be a Hot Mess Together

by Anonymous Timothy Drake-Wayne is an overwhelmed, strung out mess. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is an anxiety-ridden, flustered mess. Both are extremely competent and capable, and neither gets enough sleep. Together, they are a certifiable hot mess -- and everyone else is just waiting for one of them to confess already.   Oh, and Tim just so happens to be the soulmate of Plagg and the true Cat of the generation. . . . Someone should probably tell him.   Bracket Prompt: "You sound ridiculous." "By saying what we are isn't a relationship? Because it fucking isn't." Words: 20405, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug, Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Tim Drake (DCU), Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Félix Fathom, Chloé Bourgeois, Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, mentioned bat family members Relationships: Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Potential Chloé Bourgeois/Jason Todd, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Tim Drake & Stephanie Brown Additional Tags: Fluff and Crack, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Hot Mess Tim Drake, Timari - Freeform, timinette, Tim Drake is Red Robin, soulmate au kind of, A different kind of soulmate, Felix Fathom and Chloe Bourgeois get mentioned redemption arcs, Minor mentioned class salt, It's really just about Tim and Marinette, Marinette is MDC, Adrien Agreste is no longer Chat Noir, post-hawkmoth, Identity Reveal, Purring, Pheromones, but like in a funny way, no beta we die like robins, God Tim is such a mess in this, This is literally mostly sweet, a hint of angst, and a hot mess, Again I have written an excessive one shot, Discord: Maribat? Get In!, Discord: Maribat? Get In! Bracket Fic War, MGI Secret Writers 2024, Crack Treated Seriously, Some tags left out for PLOT, Stephanie Brown is a real one, All the cuddles, original lore, Court of Miracles, I'm posting this at 3 am why, meet cute, a disaster of one via https://ift.tt/EF7R9JY

[nobodyfamousposts]

Felix July - First Kiss (Felix Culpa)

@felixmonth

When Felix had his first kiss, it had been an overall unnoteworthy affair. He would be surprised if anyone remembered.

Which was naturally why every detail of it was imprinted in his memory like cheap and ugly-looking stamp haphazardly placed on a child’s hand.

It had been for a photo shoot. He honestly didn’t even remember what specifically it was for. Something promoting a charity? Or a school? He remembered standing stiffly in this horrendous suit that was itchy, ill-fitting, and all too stiff. He remembered it was hot and much too bright—summer maybe? The air was hot and muggy, which only made the suit worse. And there was that girl—that stupid vapid brat of a girl who would insist on holding his hand no matter how little he did to reciprocate or how much he tried to pull away.

He was all of 9 years old, if he remembered correctly. And he hated it. He hated being there.

They were taking pictures and Felix wanted nothing more than to get it over with and go inside where it was cool and he could finally get some water. But the girl he was partnered with kept wasting time with her obnoxious voice and inability to follow simple directions, making the whole thing last longer than it needed to. No one seemed to notice or even really care. He was hot and dizzy, and looking back he was sure he had probably been suffering some manner of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Then finally it was the last shot and Felix was relieved. Just one more, he had kept telling himself. Just this one last thing and he could go home and sleep in his room.

He remembered the girl’s loud voice all too close to him again calling out his name and out of reflex pulled his hands to himself to protect them from her grasp. He realized too late that it wasn’t his hands she was aiming for as he felt two sweaty palms grabbing his cheeks and a face mashing against his own in what he was afterwards informed was supposed to be some semblance of a kiss. Her lips were dry and while it may have simply been his childish imagination, even to this day he described them as being like plastic.

He heard a shutter go off. Followed by cheers. Like this complete invasion of his person was something to be happy about.

He was left confused. Dazed. Not out of awe or love but out of dizziness and panic because someone just grabbed him and forced her lips on his own and he wasn’t even coherent enough to know if he was okay with that or not. Nobody had mentioned a kiss in the pictures. Nobody had told him this would happen!

Felix was nine years old and had just been kissed. And all he wanted to do was push the little offender away and hide somewhere.

He remembered looking around in confusion, hoping someone could explain to him. But nobody did. They all just smiled at each other with big grins like this was expected or perhaps a nice surprise that none of them saw any problem with.

Everyone was so proud. “His first kiss!” One commented, not that the individual should have known or that it was anybody’s business in the first place.

They cooed and oohed and ahhed like it was something adorable and sweet and romantic before promptly forgetting about the whole thing and moving on to whatever else was unfortunate enough to catch their fancy.

But for Felix, the gross feeling remained. It lingered, even. That stale plastic feeling that remained on his lips no matter how many times he wiped and rubbed them. No matter what he did, the feeling never went away.

Even when he went home, it was still there. He washed his face a good three times to no effect. And he didn’t understand it. He was nine. No one had spoken to him about it or asked how he felt. And he could only reason that maybe it was because they weren’t supposed to? Or that it was something he was supposed to know and deal with? Maybe this was normal and that was why nobody talked about it?

So for a time, he was convinced that he had an allergy to kissing and made a note to avoid doing it again in the future.

He’d developed a bad habit of biting his lip after that. No matter how many times his parents or agent or photographers insisted he stop—because heaven forbid Felix bruise his precious lips, or worse, get an overbite! It took a good while to break himself of the habit, and that was only because of the constant interference of the adults he was forced to work with to stop him.

It all only furthered his dislike of people.

___________________

An ornate door slammed open as Felix barged into the beautifully but rather out datedly beautiful room.

“Marinette!”

He might have been relieved when he saw her, if it were not for the way she barely responded to him, instead remaining stationary at the window seat and oblivious to the world.

Felix groaned. Because of course the akuma had gotten to her as well.

Of all the stupid things—!

Why? WHY did Rossi have to go and mess up the theater performance?

It shouldn’t have mattered that Marinette had gotten the role of the Princess for the play, and to be fair, the girl hadn’t even wanted the role. But Adrien had been selected as the Prince—which Felix was inclined to believe might have have more to do with either some sort of behind the scenes bribery or that the Director had just been intelligent enough to figure that he would get more attention and notoriety by having the male model as the star. Either due to her own infatuation with the boy or because she knew full well what would likely happen with just about anyone else in her place, Marinette chose to keep the role. The Director was overall rather pleased, and the two seemed to do rather well in their practice together.

But Felix knew neither Bourgeois or Rossi were happy with the decision. He also know that at least one of the two was bound to try something to sabotage the play.

Unfortunately, Felix had put his money on Chloe, given her previous antics during Clara Nightingale’s music video. He hadn’t counted on Rossi pulling a particularly vindictive stunt and damage the set and costumes. Or that she would try to blame Marinette to try to get her in trouble.

They were just lucky the Director hadn’t bought her story, but it did still cause a major setback for the play and the Director WAS still rather upset about the whole thing. And that was all that was needed to create an akuma.

A reality-warping akuma of all things, and one with the power to recreate his “masterpiece” in the real world. So far, he’d managed to change the other students into a legion of knights and summon a dragon—though Felix had been pretty certain there wasn’t supposed to be a dragon in the story. Then of all things, the man had transformed the Bourgeois hotel into a castle.

One with a tower.

And stairs.

WHY did there have to be so many stairs?

How Felix had managed to break into the place was a mystery. WHY he had done so was an even greater one. He was fairly certain he had lost his mind somewhere in the midst of the day’s antics.

Except that wasn’t it and he knew it. No, he knew the real reason he had forced his way here instead of doing the sensible thing and hiding out until Ladybug and Chat Noir could defeat the akuma and return things to normal.

It wasn’t even the stairs—though heaven knew his legs no doubt hated him after trekking up to the top floor. No.

It was that he was only there trying to rescue her because she had taken a hit trying to distract the akuma from him in the first place.

Stupid guilt.

Stupid akuma.

Stupid Rossi, wherever she was. No doubt hiding somewhere safe and watching the madness unfold.

“Marinette!” He hissed, grabbing her arm. It was cold. Was she supposed to be this cold?

Dull blue eyes stared at him blankly.

“Marinette, we have to go!” Quickly. Before the akuma returned.

But she didn’t respond. If anything, she appeared altogether rather unconcerned with his warnings or even the fact that he was there at all. Which was particularly concerning, given the aforementioned AKUMA on the loose.

“My Prince will be coming soon. I must wait here for him.” Her voice was as empty as her eyes.

“Snap out of it!”

But she refused to move. She merely remained sitting in place by the window, either unaware or unconcerned with where she was, the akuma attack, or the current state of things.

That settled it, he realized. She was clearly under the akuma’s control. It made sense. Knowing Marinette, if she had been herself, she no doubt would have found a way out of here herself by now.

For a moment, Felix questioned if he shouldn’t simply try to force her to leave with him, but she was clearly under the Director’s control and fully intent on obeying whatever commands he had given her. He could attempt to carry her out, but even assuming she didn’t fight him, she would be little more than dead weight as she was—and that wasn’t including the extra weight from the dress and accessories she was now adorned with.

He would almost say she looked pretty. Almost. The outfit was clearly based on her design for the original dress, but when the akuma managed to grab her, it had altered the entire thing—making it more extravagant than it needed to be and with extra accessories. The mask seemed to fit her face perfectly, mostly pink but with extensive silver engravings. In turn, the headpiece she now wore was also made of silver and inlaid with pearls. The dress was pink and silver, and also adorned with a multitude of pearls and silver leaf engravings.

It was beautiful. But he couldn’t help but feel it had looked better when it had been her own.

He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time for this. He had to get Marinette out of here.

Felix glanced around the room, but there appeared to be nothing of use. Part of him idly noted that this was likely once Chloe’s room. He might have found it humorous if he wasn’t already stressed and focused on greater concerns.

He had to get Marinette out of there.

But how…?

He started running multiple plans through his head. Questioning the logistics and tactics of whether to try to simply pull her or force himself to carry her out when a certain…other thought came to mind.

It was a play, after all. One based on a fairy tale, if he recalled.

Now, Felix was well versed in books and tales enough to know how the fairy tales of old truly tended to end. But most people weren’t generally as aware—usually caught up in the Disney stories and happy endings. The Director, for all that the man took his art quite seriously, certainly appeared to be one of them.

And how did most people think fairy tales ended.

He groaned at the realization.

Why had Adrien had to go and disappear on him?

“Marinette, please!”

She remained unmoved.

Felix wanted to throw something.

Where was that blasted boy when he was needed? He had told the other blond they needed to get to her together, but the next thing he knew, he was alone and Adrien had just gone and run off somewhere!

At least Chat Noir had arrived to help, for all the good that did. But Ladybug was nowhere to be found. And while Chat could take down the akuma, he could do nothing to purify it or undo the damage caused if Ladybug wasn’t there.

They needed Ladybug. And if she was already taken down, then he needed another way to save Marinette.

‘True Love’s Kiss breaks any curse!’ He remembered the way his mother had intoned the words when she used to read to him. The way Rose had so naively insisted the same and how the Director had smiled in agreement.

It’s a reality-altering akuma. And if it can make reality work how it wants…

Felix groaned again in frustration.

This was why he had tried to bring Adrien here! Any fool could have seen how much Marinette adored him. And if this was supposed to follow the story, she needed to be kissed by her true love!

It was Adrien! It had to be!

And the idiot should have KNOWN that!

How could he remain unaware as to how the girl felt? Was he really that oblivious? Or was he simply trying to ignore it out of some perceived politeness?

Felix didn’t know. He really didn’t care. He just…

He just wanted Marinette to wake up.

A kiss to break a spell, right?

He caught himself biting his lip.

“I’m sorry.”

She merely continued to stare at him.

No, not even at him but through him.

And somehow…for all that he hated touch and especially kissing…

He hated that look on her more.

That damn blank look. Like a doll. Expressionless and empty…

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was always vibrant and full of life.

It was…one of the many things he admired about her.

He reached out slowly. Her eyes didn’t even seem to register his movements.

She should never look like this.

He took her face in his hands—her skin cold to the touch.

She should never feel like this.

He lowered his face to hers, eyes closed tightly and apologies screaming in his head.

Contact.

Her lips were soft. Smooth.

Warm.

He hadn’t realized how warm she could be before.

He pulled back, barely grazing her lips with his own as he waited.

There was a shuddering breath that he was sure wasn’t his. A gasp. The feeling of air on his skin.

And blue eyes. Shining and lovely.

“Felix?”

[thenovelartist]

Burned Beginnings, Chapter 3

<<Previous  Next>>

7. Homemade Gifts

Marinette prided herself in not caring about the looks of others. After all, beauty meant nothing if their heart was trash. They’d always just be a pig in lipstick.

Unfortunately, if they did have a good heart, Marinette discovered that she did care for their looks a little more than she would have cared to admit. Particularly when it came to a former model turned baker.

Which was why, much to her chagrin, she’d ended up losing the bet.

It was just a pair of glasses. A simple, functional accessory. However, with the frame he had, ones that held a dark green hue that accented his eyes and were square in form—somehow, a perfect match for his angular face—she couldn’t help but to have stared a bit.

By the time she caught herself, Adrien was already grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

She hoped beyond all hope her cheeks hadn’t colored, or at the very least, Adrien hadn’t caught it.

And now, she was having to bite the bullet and watch an anime of his choosing. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad loss.

Hopefully.

Depending on what he chose…

Oh, please don’t be anything stupid.

Marinette finished her work, then clocked out, hurrying to go shower quickly before Adrien came over. Not that Adrien hadn’t seen her covered in flour and looking like a hot mess already, but she’d rather be clean and comfy if she was going to have to suffer through her punishment for losing the bet. They had planned to meet at her house for the viewing. Adrien would bring over his computer and cables to hook it up to their tv so that he could easily access his anime accounts. He said it would be a piece of cake.

She threw on a comfy t-shirt and lounge pants, then she dried her hair. Once that was done, she went downstairs to begin preparing the dinner she’d prepped earlier that day.

Halfway through, a knock sounded on the door, signaling Adrien’s arrival. She answered, only for her gaze to fall to the box in his hands. “What’s that?”

One of his hands reached up to rub the back of his neck. “I wanted to bring some homemade food since I knew you’d be working all day. And I need to practice my cooking skills, anyway.”

She smiled, taking the offered gift. “Thanks, but I actually started making something thinking that it was the least I could do since you were bringing everything over.”

Adrien looked surprised for a moment before he chuckled. “We should have planned that better.”

“Oh well. Left overs for days, right?” she said with a shrug, stepping aside to let him in.

“That’s one way to look at it.”

 8. Commissions

“Can I ask a question?”

“I don’t know? Can you?”

Adrien looked up from his computer screen to shoot a grinning Marinette a flat look. This was the fourth time he’d come over so they could continue the anime he’d chosen. He had known from Mr. Dupain that he and his daughter both loved video games, and henceforth, he’d chosen accordingly in hopes to get Marinette hooked.

He knew he’d succeeded when they binged the first four episodes the first day. He’d then hung it over her head that “why would he come back again? He’d won the bet, and she’d paid her price, so for what reason did he have to come over again?”

He had had fun teasing her, because her huffy, unamused expression was too darn endearing.

“Look,” she’d said. “I just need to know what happens to Princess Bitch.”

He’d snorted, trying and failing to withhold his laugh. “You don’t get to call her that yet.”

“Why not? You don’t get to pull that level of manipulative bullshit, ruining the other person’s life like that, and not be dubbed with the title ‘Princess Bitch’.”

“So…” he drawled out, teasingly. “Are you saying you care about this anime?”

She’d fallen silent, and he couldn’t help but to laugh once more.

In the end, after more teasing on his part, he’d caved and said he’d come over again so they could finish it out.

Hence why he was here now.

“Haha, funny,” Adrien deadpanned, turning back to his screen.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be nice,” she said a little too sweetly, placing two plates of food on the coffee table before plopping down on the couch. “What’s on your mind?”

He took a second to log into his account before turning back to her. “I don’t know if this is overstepping, but… are you happy working at your parents’ bakery?”

Marinette froze, and for a moment, Adrien grew worried.

Thankfully, she seemed to take it well, although it was clear she was confused. “What brought that on?”

Adrien shrugged, looking at his screen again to select their anime of choice. “I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I feel like we’re close enough to be friends. Right?”

Marinette didn’t hesitate to nod. “Yeah, I would consider you one.”

Adrien pushed aside the very happy feeling that blossomed in his chest. “I guess I’m just… curious… about you… as a friend, of course.”

“No, I get it,” she assured. “Now that you mention it, I guess I could say the same for you.”

Adrien felt extra warm now. “So, do I get an answer to my question?”

Marinette paused, her expression falling as she bit her lip. “Only if you promise to keep it secret from my parents.”

“Yeah, totally,” he promised, smile falling from his face. “Cat’s honor.”

Marinette sighed. “I… I am happy,” she said. “Really. It’s not an issue of me being happy here. But running my parents’ bakery wasn’t my dream, you know?”

With the episode loading, Adrien decided to take a seat next to Marinette. “What was your dream?”

“I wanted to be a fashion designer.”

That came as a surprise to Adrien. “Really? What stopped you?”

“Chloe.”

Somehow… that answer shouldn’t have surprised him. “Chloe?”

“She got her mom to block me from going to any fashion or design school.”

“She what?!”

“Shhh!” Marinette shushed, finger over his lips. “Not so loud.”

Adrien felt his face heat at her touch. “Er…sorry.”

She then took her finger away, and Adrien tried not to think about why he was disappointed. “Chloe did that?” he asked, his voice just above a whisper. “How? And how’d you know?”

“Um…” She suddenly turned sheepish, and that spitfire edge he’d come to love diminished a bit. It made her look younger and sweeter. He didn’t mind that change. “Well, due to the methods used to acquire such information, I must refrain from answering that. Just know I trust my source and the information that was found.”

Adrien sighed. Honestly, even if he wanted to come to Chloe’s defense, he couldn’t. She ran in a pretty elite crowd and had some powerful connections. If she wanted to block someone from entering a fashion school, she could. And since Adrien knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t be above such tricks, Adrien accepted Marinette’s word as truth.

Besides, he knew Marinette well enough by now to know she hated liars. He doubted she’d lie about this.

“So, have you thought about applying outside the country?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “I just… didn’t. It felt too overwhelming.”

“So, what about skipping the education entirely? Find a niche and start your own business taking commissions or what not?”

Marinette paused, her eyes glazing over a moment as she thought. “I… it’s an idea that’s come up before.”

“So, what’s stopping you?” Adrien asked. “Even if you got an education later, you’d at least have a reputation you’re building up now.”

Again, Marinette was silent. “You know…” she began, her tone softer and more earnest than he’d ever heard before. It felt raw. Open. And that did something to his heart.

Protect her. The words popped up in his head, and his heart clenched onto them before he could even realize it. But all he could do at the moment was listen. So he would.

“I decided I’d step back and do a lot of thinking.”

“About?”

She sighed. “It’s easy to say ‘I love fashion so I want to be a designer’. It’s easy to have those dreams. It’s easy to think that your hobby can become your profession. But the easy stuff isn’t all the fashion world consists of. It’s a competitive world filled with both nice people and people like Audrey Bourgeois. It’s filled with more than fashion, and when faced with the reality that I’d been barred from fashion college because one person in the industry had that much power, I had to do some reflecting. If I accept fashion as my career, I get to set foot into that world. And I had to face the question of ‘am I ready and willing to accept that?’”

When Marinette came to a pause, Adrien stopped to think of his response. “Honestly, as someone who comes from that world, I completely understand your feelings. I’ve seen the good, and I’ve seen the bad. I’ve watched people succeed and climb the ladder, and I’ve watched people crash and burn. And I think there’s such a fine line between the two.”

“See, that just feels validating,” Marinette said, small smile on her face. “I understand that that is basically every job field. I understand some are better than others. But with what I’ve seen from the fashion world… I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m as adamant about it as I was when I was in high school.”

Adrien sighed. “I don’t understand what it’s like to have a passion,” he admitted. “I’ve never had one, so this might not mean anything coming from me, but I think… it would be better to keep your passion a hobby… if the profession will burn you out. Because then you’re not just loosing your profession, but the hobby meant to bring you joy.”

Marinette was silent for a minute, and Adrien thought he’d said something wrong. But that tension in his chest eased hen a small smile crept up on her lips. “That’s good advice,” she finally said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Adrien reached out to pat her shoulder, surprising her a moment. When she turned to him, eyes wide and clear once again, he gave her a smile. “I’ll be rooting for you. And if there’s anything I can help you with, I’d be happy to assist.”

Slowly, her small smile grew. “Thanks,” she said, her voice surprisingly sweet. But she soon turned away, and Adrien pulled his hand back. “So, um… fair’s fair,” she started up again. “Are you happy working here?”

Adrien didn’t hesitate to nod. “Honestly, it’s hard work, but it’s something that I chose, for once. This is something I myself am doing. I don’t want to say the novelty of doing this hasn’t worn off yet, but it feels… worthwhile.”

Marinette nodded. “Have you considered other paths or what you want to do for the future? Or do you see this being long term?”

Adrien shrugged. “I don’t know, yet,” he said. “Honestly, this whole ‘I’m my own person and on my own’ thing still hasn’t fully caught up to me yet. I feel like I’m still playing pretend. It’s… weird.” He turned back to her, forcing a smile. “Hazard of growing up super sheltered, I guess.”

Marinette hummed. “Well, I think you know Papa will love having you around as long as you plan to stay.”

He smiled, a genuine grin this time. “Yeah, I know. And you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you mind having Asshole Agreste around?”

Her expression changed from shock to irritation. “Are you really gonna dredge up that old nickname? No, wait!” Her brow furrowed in a mix of anger and confusion. “Where did you even hear that? I never called you that here!”

He grinned a little wider than he’d thought he would. “Chloe.”

Marinette growled.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“You know I don’t think of you like that anymore, right?”

He couldn’t help teasing her a bit more. “I don’t know. Do I?”

Marinette glowered at him, and he burst into laughter again.

With a growl, she turned away, crossing her arms with a huff. “Just turn on the anime again. I need to see Princess Bitch get her comeuppance.”

Adrien laughed. “We’re only on episode fourteen. You still don’t get to call her that yet.”

“Why?” she cried. “What’s gonna happen in the next few episodes that changes? Does she get worse? And if so, how? She’s already about as low as she can go. Like, almost past Chloe-level.”

He shook his head. “Nevermind. Just wait and see.”

 9. Baking Lessons

Marinette felt like she was up to her ears in information.

After her talk with Adrien, she decided that she should do her research on the fashion industry as much as she could. But she also knew to take everything with a grain of salt. Only once she felt prepared enough would she make a decision on her future.

On one hand, it was satisfying to pick up her dreams again, dust them off, and put plans to them. On the other, it was overwhelming, and more did once did Adrien’s warning of “don’t burn out your passion” cross her mind.

It was well into the afternoon that she realized a break might be in order and food would be beneficial.

She headed down into kitchen, only to startle at the unfamiliar face there.

“Um… what are you doing in my house?”

Adrien glanced over his shoulder to look at her, then shot her a smile. “Your parents asked me to. They each had their break and said you hadn’t been down all day. So now it’s my turn for a break, and they asked if I’d take a minute to make sure you ate.”

Marinette looked at the sandwich on the plate he extended towards her. After staring at it a moment, she realized she should take it. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Busy?”

“Yeah. I… kinda forgot the last time I was so engrossed in something that I forgot to eat like this.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Um… I decided to dig into researching the fashion industry.”

Adrien turned back around, glancing at her with surprise. “Oh? How’s it going?”

Marinette’s lips pursed in thought. “Up and down. Every other article seems to pull me the opposite direction.”

“Fair,” he said with a nod. “Which way are you leaning now?”

“The ‘This is bullshit. Why do I want to be in this hellish industry?’ direction.”

A lopsided grin flashed across Adrien’s face. “I feel that on a personal level.”

“I’m sure you do,” she muttered, walking over to the table to have a seat. “But enough of me griping. You? Have you thought of your future at all since our talk?”

He grabbed a paper bag on the counter, pulling out a tupperware container with a sandwich of his own inside. “Not really.”

“Not really?” she probed, pointing at the seat directly across from her.

He took the hint and took a seat. “I haven’t given much thought to anything beyond the baking lessons your father has been giving me. I mean, maybe one day I’ll go to school for something, but I’ve really decided to give myself a full year of this before committing to anything. Let me learn how to be an adult on my own first before I move forward, you know? It’s easier to start running when your feet are solidly under you.”

“Understandable,” Marinette said. “But just so you know, I’m going to hold you to that, now.”

“Oh?”

“Yup. I’d like you to know you have six months, three weeks, and five days remaining before you have to make a decision.”

Adrien froze, sandwich halfway to his mouth.

Marinette couldn’t help but giggle.

“Is that a legit number or one you just threw out.”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I think that when it comes to you, I don’t always know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”

She giggled, feeling a little too giddy for her liking. She played it off with a wink. “Got to keep you on your toes somehow.”

Adrien scoffed. “Don’t worry about that,” he dismissed with a charming smile that she hated to admit could knock her off her feet if she were standing. “You already do.”

[chocoluckchipz]

A Soulmate for Christmas - 4

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Marinette rushed through the hallways to the kitchen. She’d been absent for far too long. Hopefully, Maman hadn’t sent out a search party to find her yet. Sometimes, she worried too much.

Not this time, apparently. When Marinette finally returned to the kitchen, Sabine was giving her work to another server with a smile on her face. "Take these next, dear.”

"Oh. Coconut. I love those. May I steal one?" 

Marinette froze. That... was not a server.

Adrien gave her mother the most killer set of puppy eyes she’d ever seen, picking the tray up. His jacket was gone, leaving him sporting only a shirt and a vest, just like all the other male servers at the party. Only his were of much better quality. 

Sabine offered him a macaroon from her board. "Take this one and leave the arranged ones for the guests." Her gaze finally caught Marinette. "Sweetheart. There you are. I was starting to worry."

"I got caught up with something. I’m sorry, Maman. I’ll get right to it." Marinette walked closer, looking at Adrien. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping." He shoved the macaron into his mouth and chewed. "Your mother was looking for you, and since I’m pretty sure it’s my fault you were missing, I thought it was only fair for me to help out."

"Thanks, but I’m here now. You can go."

"As you wish." The tray in his hands, Adrien turned to the exit and was gone before Marinette could object. 

“Such a nice young man,” Sabine said as soon as they were left alone. “We’d better think about how we can thank him. He’s been helping me for the last fifteen minutes. Can you imagine? Just walked in, asked about you, and offered to help. I’ll leave him some macarons. He seems to have a sweet tooth. Speaking of which… I think the next batch is done. Where did I put those oven mittens?" 

Marinette nibbled on her lip. How much had he said? Maman knew about her soulmate, but she didn’t seem to realize that he was Adrien. How did she even not recognize he was Adrien Agreste, the boy whose photos had been plastered all over Marinette’s room for ages?

"Did… he tell you anything about himself?"

"Just that he’s your friend,” Sabine answered, taking the pastries out of the oven. “Why? Is there anything—" 

A loud thud echoed through the room as the baking sheet her mother was just taking out hit the ground. Sabine pushed the young girl who was working beside her away from a pot of hot, steaming liquid that was falling sideways. The girl stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Sabine wasn't as fortunate. She tried to dodge but was a moment too late as the boiling liquid splashed all over her hands, scalding the skin.

"Maman!" Marinette rushed to the woman. 

“I’m so sorry,” the girl almost cried from the side. “I didn’t mean to… I don't know how it slipped. I—”

Marinette didn't listen, rushing her mother to the nearest sink. She turned the tap on, made sure the water was cool, and put Sabine’s reddening hands under the stream. Her mother sighed with relief. The girl she saved quickly got to cleaning as she continued to apologize. Sabine tried to play it down, insisting it wasn’t a big deal and she would be back to working in no time. Yet a few minutes later, her skin started to blister.

“You’re going home, Maman. This needs to be treated.”

“Marinette, I can’t,” Sabine spoke quietly. “We have a contract to honour…"

"I’ll deal with it. You’re going home. You can’t work like that."

"But—"

"No objections. I’m calling someone right now to take you home. I’ll finish this on my own."

"What happened?" Adrien materialized by her side. One look at her mother’s hands and he was pulling out his cellphone. “My driver can take her straight to a hospital.”

Sabine tried to protest but neither of them listened.

“It doesn't look that bad, but maybe you’re right. Taking extra precaution wouldn't hurt.”

“It never does. I'll tell him to stay with her and drive her home after. If she needs any prescriptions, he’ll take care of that too.”

And there he was. That caring man Kagami and Chloe had told her about was shining through, not hesitating to help others, even if that meant sacrificing his own comfort for those who needed help.

“Okay.” He put his device away. “Gorilla will be by the rear entrance in a few minutes. Let’s wrap her hands and get her there.” 

Before Marinette could concentrate on what to do, Adrien found a pair of clean kitchen towels and soaked them in cool water. They wrapped them around Sabine’s hands and headed to the appointed place. Five minutes later, the largest man Marinette had ever seen was driving her mother away.

“She’ll be fine,” Adrien spoke, standing right behind her. “Gorilla will keep us updated on what's happening.”

She couldn't even raise her eyes to look at him. How could he be so kind to her after the way she treated him just now? Marinette clutched her hands together, whispering instead, “Thank you.”

"No worries,” Adrien replied, hesitantly reaching for her shoulder. A few gentle pats for reassurance, and he withdrew. “I believe we have a job to do. Shall we get to it, my Lady? I’m almost out of macarons to serve.”

She turned around, arching her eyebrow. Not that she didn't like the nickname, but they haven't even talked yet. When did she become his Lady? What was up with that cocky, smouldering look on his face, and why were there crumbs all over his vest?

"You’d have macarons to serve if you stopped eating them." She pointed to the evidence.

"But they are delicious."

"They are for guests."

"And I am one."

"Then why are you here, parading as help?"

He leaned closer, their noses almost touching as he grinned. "Because my Lady needs help, and as her cat, I cannot refuse."

That arrogant smirk! She both loved and hated it. Wanted to smack him and kiss those lips of his. He was so much nicer in her imagination. His friends described him as a saint. Not this annoying, cocky dork!

"Don’t get in my way, or you’re out." She turned around and stomped to their bakery station in the kitchen. There was too much work still to do. Marinette wasn’t even sure where to start. Thankfully, the girl had cleaned the mess. Perhaps, Marinette should start with seeing what ingredients they still have to figure out what to make. Wasn't there a list Maman made? Where did it go? 

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Adrien leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes."

"I don’t have time for this."

"I know, but trust me. Close your eyes. Please."

She grumbled but obliged him. The quicker she did whatever it was he wanted, the faster she could continue. If only his touch and closeness didn’t send her heart into overdrive…

"Now, breathe in. Deep and slow."

She did, oxygen filling every part of her lungs.

"Breathe out. Slowly."

She let it all out and followed Adrien’s instructions a few more times until he tenderly kissed the crown of her head. "Now, let’s do this. You bake and assemble. I serve. And afterwards, perhaps, you’ll give me a chance to explain everything."

She opened her eyes, exhaustion and the chaos in her mind somewhat subdued. "You don’t give up, do you?"

"I’ve waited for far too many years to let a simple misunderstanding stand in my way." 

***

"I think this is the last of it," Marinette stuffed the last few mixing bowls in the trunk of her car. "Thank you… for everything. I know it’s cliché, but I couldn’t have done this without you."

"Perhaps, you’ll let me explain the situation as a reward for all my hard work?"

His cellphone rang. Adrien glanced at the screen and refused the call. "It’s Chloe. I’ll call her back. So, my reward?"

His phone rang again, Adrien refused the call once more and looked at Marinette. "Please? It won’t take long."

"Your friends—"

The pestering sound split the space between them for the third time.

Marinette smiled at him."Take it." 

"I don’t want—"

"I’ll wait. I promise. Take it."

He pressed the button and put the speaker on, the familiar voice of Chloe Bourgeois filling the space. "Adrinkins, you’d better have a good explanation for hanging up on me."

"I'm kind of in the middle of something right now," Adrien said. "Do you mind if I call you back in a bit?"

"Okay, fine. But just so you know, while you were prowling about, we put on a show, and Gami’s living with me now."

"I’ve been officially disowned," Kagami deadpanned. "You may congratulate me now."

"Welcome to the club?" Adrien chuckled. "I was hoping she would be more reasonable."

"She’ll come around eventually… maybe," Kagami said. "She thinks it’s one of those childish desires of mine, and I’ll come to my senses soon enough."

"But you two are soulmates? You have the marks to prove it."

"Soulmate marks or not, I’m not what Tomoe Tsurugi considers ‘best’ for their family," Chloe answered. "And I’m sure I don’t have to explain that woman’s obsession with ‘sacrificing in the family’s name’ to you. Oh! Before I forget. You were adorable as a waiter, Adrinkins. I’ve snapped a few pictures. Will post to our group chat later."

"Sure. Is that all? Can I go now?"

"Tell him about Marinette," Kagami whispered. "About our conversation."

"Oh, right," Chloe grumbled. "We told your lady-love everything. About Kagami and you and me and all the fake-ness of your engagement and non-existence of your dating life. If she knows what’s good for her, you should be good."

Adrien’s eyes locked on Marinette. "You told her everything?"

"We spared her the sappy stories of you being depressed for months at a time over the whole ‘can’t find my soulmate’ thing," Kagami replied. 

“The constant, crying phone calls,” Chloe added. “The ice cream we had to bring over to our ‘Find the Ladybug’ brainstorming sessions.”

“All the pep talks we’ve given you,” Kagami finished. “And the few private detectives you hired to find her. Otherwise, you have no secrets from her now."

"You’re welcome, Adrinkins! Now, go. Adios. Call us when you get a date. We’ll celebrate."

"I will." Adrien ended the call. A blush raged across his cheeks as he lifted his eyes to Marinette. "So, uh... that’s why you didn’t kick my ass out of the kitchen?"

"You have good friends." Marinette smiled. "They care about you a lot."

"Does that mean I’m forgiven?"

She nodded. "Only if you forgive me for freaking out on you."

He grabbed her hand, bringing it to the lovesick grin on his lips. "I never held that against you. You had all the rights in the universe to be pissed at me."

His lips brushed against her hand, the mark of a black cat lighting up the space around them. "I know we haven't known each other for that long, but we aren't soulmates for nothing. I really like you. You're driven and passionate. Kind and creative. You value family and are an amazing cook. Perhaps fate knew a thing or two when it paired us together. I’d really love a chance to get to know you better, Marinette."

His eyes sparkled with hope, a slight undercurrent of worry lurking beneath. Marinette couldn’t refuse him even if she wanted to. He really did seem like a great guy. "I’d like that too. You aren’t so bad yourself. Not perfect, but decent enough." 

It was a total lie because who was she kidding? He was perfect! Didn’t mean she wanted to feed that already inflated ego of his.

"Really?" He leaned forward. "So, all my fame, looks, and money don’t make me perfect in your eyes?"

Marinette huffed, pulling her hand away just so she could push his way-too-close face away with her finger. "Not even close,” she teased, tapping his nose. “You’re standing here only because of what your friends told me."

"Share. What did they say about me?"

She let out a giggle. "Nothing too horrible."

"Well, now, you’re scaring me. Did they tell you about my feather allergies?"

"Nope, but you just did."

"Lactose intolerance?"

She chuckled. "Wrong again."

"Social inadequacy?"

Marinette couldn’t hold back a laugh. 

"I'm low-key freaking out. What did those two say?"

She took a moment to calm down before replying. "They told me about your big, kind heart, one that doesn't think twice about sacrificing its own desires and comfort for the sake of others. I saw it for myself today when you helped my mother. That’s precious and rare. I like that."

He looked at her in awe for a moment before blurting out, "Can I kiss you right now, or do I have to wait until our first official date?"

Marinette laughed again. "You should’ve just gone for it. Now, the moment’s ruined."

"Ugh, bummer." Adrien mockingly pouted. "Then, tell me, what are you doing for Christmas this year?"

"Nursing my parents back to health."

"Would you mind some company?"

"Don’t you have your family to spend Christmas with?"

He shrugged. "Not really. My father has become a Grinch since… well, since Mom passed away. And I’m sure Chloe and Kagami wouldn’t mind if their third wheel would finally leave them alone."

"They did mention you aren’t on the best terms with your father."

Adrien sighed, leaning on her car. "We aren’t officially feuding or anything. It’s just that… when Mom passed away, Father became very controlling and demanding, stripped me of all freedom, and loaded me with work. I was just a kid; I couldn’t do much about it. Two years ago, I got access to the fund my mom left me, so I moved out. I still work for him, but at least he doesn’t control my every move anymore."

"It doesn’t sound like you’re much of a family, to be honest." 

His smile was bittersweet. "Not that I wanted it to be this way. It’s… complicated."

Perhaps she was naive, but Marinette couldn’t imagine having a living father and wanting nothing to do with him. "Do you think you'd want to reconnect with him someday?"

Adrien shrugged. "Not sure anymore. He used to be a great dad when I was little. The three of us had so much fun together…" A smile briefly touched his lips as Adrien paused for a moment. "I always thought if I behaved and did everything he wanted, he’d snap out of whatever it is that made him so cold but… it never happened. With time, I just gave up on even trying." Turning her way, he reached for her hand, gently cradling it in his. "I’d rather spend my time and energy on someone who wants to get to know me as much as I want to get to know them. Like you, for example. Perhaps tomorrow? Helping you nurse your parents back to health?"

Her heart skipped a bit, and he hadn’t even done anything more than look at her and hold her hand. “Okay.”

He brought her hand to his lips again, enjoying the view of a glowing cat on her skin. "I’ll have to give you a Christmas gift later, though. Pretty sure I won’t be able to find anything at such late notice."

"Don't worry about it. I already got everything I ever wanted."

The chime of the clock thundered through the night air, announcing midnight. Adrien looked its way, murmuring something about turning back into a pumpkin. Marinette wasn’t sure why, but she reached forward, hesitantly laying her hand on his chest. The mark underneath his shirt glowed, its light reflecting in his eyes as he looked back at her with the gentlest of gazes. She couldn’t take her eyes away even if she wanted to because the man before her was a far cry from what she’d ever imagined him to be. She was a goner already, and she didn’t care. The feeling in her chest was just too pleasant. Warm. Fuzzy. Addicting. Something stronger and deeper than anything she’d ever experienced. Something much more beautiful and meaningful than a teenage crush. 

She couldn’t help herself. Marinette stood on her tiptoes and pulled Adrien down for a tender brush of her lips against his cheek.

He looked at her with wide-opened eyes and a deep blush spreading across his face. "I…um… I didn’t… expect that."

"Is that okay?"

He feverishly nodded. "Yes! More than okay. A lot more okay than all the okays in the world. May I… may I return the gesture?" 

"Please.”

He leaned down, aiming for her cheek. Somehow he missed, his lips landing on hers. Neither of them seemed to mind, treating each other to the sweetest kiss one could imagine. Pulling back slightly, Adrien rested his forehead against hers, his eyes locked on hers.

"A soulmate for Christmas. Best present ever."

If Marinette’s heart wasn’t in overdrive before, it sure was now. She couldn’t help but agree with his sentiment. "Merry Christmas, Adrien."

"Merry Christmas, my Lady."

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