#ml writers guild requests

[mlwritersguild]

Adrinette roommates AU with "there was only one bed" please (ily mia)

Fervor Lullaby, by @chy-tea93

AO3 link; Just One Bed, Roommates AU, Aged-Up Characters, Post-Reveal Pre-Relationship, Mutual Pining, Reverse Love Square AU, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary:

It really should have come as no surprise. They’d gotten a small place to keep rent costs down after all. But the listing had said two bedrooms. What it really should have said was one-bedroom and extra closet.

“So… looks like we’re sharing a room then.”

Marinette nodded in agreement. “And a bed.”

---

It really should have come as no surprise. They’d gotten a small place to keep rent costs down after all. But the listing had said two bedrooms. What it really should have said was one-bedroom and extra closet. If it could even be considered a closet, there was hardly room for one twin bed and a small dresser and that was if you didn’t like seeing the floor.

Gabriel’s accounts had all been frozen post-defeat and Adrien had only the funds made when modeling – before he decided to quit. Marinette had a little in savings as well from working at the bakery. They both had just enough to pitch in on the security deposit. Whoever had taken the photos of this place did an impressive job, the ‘second’ bedroom looked at the very least, useable online. It was the only available apartment on a top floor in their price range, so they had taken it sight-unseen.

“So… looks like we’re sharing a room then.”

Marinette nodded in agreement. “And a bed.”

Not like they could back out now anyways, money had been paid and they needed this – to be independent. Even if it was going to be more awkward than ever before.

“Don’t worry, I don’t wiggle too much and at least the bed is larger than either of us are used to.”

“It’s quite large, yeah.” She was worried, but not because of him.

Her nights usually ended with the blanket somewhere down on the bottom of her room back at the bakery, head hanging off the side and more often than not, there was drool. And that was when she didn’t have nightmares, she was ten-times worse after one. How on earth was she going to make it through one night without embarrassing herself?

“Honestly, I’m kind of excited. It will be like having a sleepover every night.”

“Heh. Yeah. A sleepover! I sleep love-overs!”

Adrien gave her a quizzical look and dang-it if that signature chat-like glint in his eyes didn’t make her weak in the knees.

“Ookay then. Um… I’m going to go unload my suitcase and then take a shower. We can figure out dinner afterwards?”

“Sure. Yeah. Okay. I’ll unpack the food my parents sent.”

Marinette felt his arms wrap around from behind and pull her into him, his breath tickling as he nuzzled her neck. “Thank you for moving in with me, Mari.”

She stiffened, willing the goosebumps to back down. They didn’t. Adrien hummed behind her before pulling away and heading into the bedroom. Their bedroom. She was doomed. Completely doomed.

---

“It was so nice of your parents to send cookies!”

“And cheese croissants!”

“You two are insatiable.”

Tikki and Plagg had quickly made themselves at home in the middle of the kitchen table, both munching on the aforementioned treats. Marinette could tell how much they absolutely loved being able to be around each other out in the open. Despite the strange atmosphere that had hung around her and Adrien ever since finding everything out, seeing the two Kwamis happy had been worth it.

“So, Pigtails, Tikki here says you are in love with a certain cat boy I know.”

“Shhh Plagg! I told you that in confidence!” Tikki all but yelled.

“I thought there were no more secrets! I’m going to need an extensive amount of camembert if this is how it’s gonna be.”

“Would both of you quiet down? This apartment is small!”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Kitten gets really into his shower routine.”

“I… didn’t need to know that. And yes. To answer your question, I am and kind of always have been… but it won’t be an issue! He made it clear that in love with someone else and I want him to be happy. Once we both get better jobs, we can find a bigger place with our own rooms.”

The two Kwami stared at each other with knowing looks.

“Right. Like I said. Camembert, stat!”

“Plagg! Be nice!” Tikki tossed a crumb towards the tiny cat that he easily dodged.

Marinette opened the fridge and grabbed a wheel, popping the container open and placing it on the table, much to Plagg’s delight.

She decided she might as well start unpacking her suitcase (they would slowly move the rest of their things over the weekend) and made her way into the bedroom. The one thing this place had going for it at least was the sheer number of pillows stocked in the closet. Those would make a nice barrier to prevent Adrien from being kicked off of the bed. Maybe.

Foregoing her bag for the moment, Marinette collected every last pillow she could find, including a couple from the tiny not-a-bedroom bedroom across the hall, and began creating a wall down the middle of the bed. Getting it right took some wrangling as some of the pillows were just too soft to really create much of a barrier, but after a few tries it looked – decent.

Surveying her work, Marinette leaned against the dresser opposite the foot of the bed. She could do this. Sharing a bed with her best friend who turned out to be her other best friend that she was most definitely not in love with (she totally was) would be easy, especially with the pillows to prevent any sort of contact.

“Wow Mari, your work rivals the great wall of China.”

Adrien’s voice caused her to squeak and look towards him. Her arms flailed as she felt herself tip backwards from the momentum of her turn only to be caught by her partner’s arms.

“Sorry, Mar. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Psh. Me? Scared? Nah. Just felt like flying!”

He raised a brow. She was truly on a roll tonight.

“Well maybe save the flying for the suit, no?”

“Good idea.”

“So, what’s with the pillow wall?”

She felt her cheeks flush, which was just absolutely lovely. “I, uh, kick a lot so I thought it might be safer for you this way.”

“Oh.”

Why did he look so disappointed? She needed a distraction, or the kicked kitten look he suddenly had was going to break her.

“Dinner! We need to have dinner! Otherwise, we won’t sleep well!”

He looked surprised at her sudden change of subject but thankfully didn’t comment on it, instead following her train of thought. “Want to order some takeout? I’m not really good at cooking at the moment and it’s been a long day with signing paperwork and everything.”

“Takeout would be great.”

🗝️🗝️🗝️

Adrien was used to Marinette’s usual quirkiness, but tonight she seemed more on edge. He figured it had to do with the fact that they were unexpectedly sharing a room and a bed. In all honesty, he was excited at the notion. With everything that had gone down after his father had been defeated there hadn’t been much time for them to just be together and he missed the way they used to just hang out and relax.

They had put on a movie to watch during dinner and though things had mostly been comfortable, tonight was more strained, both eating in silence rather than engaging in their usual banter. Hopefully the jitters of moving into their first apartment away from their parents for the first time would wear off quickly.

He was incredibly grateful to Marinette. Before they’d officially revealed themselves, she had supported him after Gabriel was publicly outed. She never once made him feel like he was less of a person for being related to the tyrant. That’s why, when he accidentally saw her detransform on her balcony one night shortly after a now non-eventful patrol, he didn’t hesitate to leap down and reveal himself. This amazing woman who had remained by his side, no matter how bad it could possibly look for her future career or what other people said, turned out to be the savoir of Paris. It made him love her all the more.

“I love this movie.”

“Can we get three kittens? Please? Marie can be yours!”

“Don’t let Plagg hear you say that he might be offended.”

“I’ll just get him more cheese.”

Her laugh rang out and oh how he loved that sound. It was more addictive than any drug in his mind and he quickly decided he needed more of it. Leaning across the couch he reached for her sides and began tickling. It worked like the luckiest of charms. Lured in by the melody of her laughter, Adrien scooted closer to her, reaching up to get her underarms and neck. She squirmed and giggled as he drew closer, until he had her completely pinned underneath him.

Marinette looked stunning with rosy cheeks, eyes alight and a smile on her face. This was how he always loved to see her, something that he hadn’t experienced in months. So caught up in the moment, he let his guard down long enough to allow her to tickle him in return and make him go tumbling to the floor, laughing all the way.

“Crap! I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

“I’m good!”

“Stinker. You play dirty.”

“Nah. All’s fair.”

He chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to go get ready for bed, you okay cleaning up?”

“Absolutely.”

She didn’t move from her spot, both of them sharing a look that felt more intimate than most. He should just pull her to him and kiss her. Really, what was stopping him from doing just that? It had been a few years, but she’d once said she loved him as Chat. He had told her he was in love with someone else, having fallen for Marinette all those years ago on his very first day of public school. There was a chance she still felt the same way, right? She hadn’t dated anyone in all their years as friends, of this he was certain.

Right as he gathered up the courage and began to sit up, she rose. Try as he might, the disappointment was sure to show.

“I’ll be in soon, just let me know when you’re decent.”

“Will do.”

He watched somberly as she softly closed the bedroom door behind her.

🗝️🗝️🗝️

Heart racing, Marinette sat on the bed for a moment attempting to collect her thoughts. Every point of contact he’d made on her had left lingering flames. She needed to dial it back because there was no way in hell she was losing her best friend over her stupid feelings. No way at all.

Her mind wandered back to that night on her balcony, mere months ago. She had landed after an outing with Chat, something she was worried would become less and less now that their main enemy had been defeated, and quickly detransformed. The thud of his boots on the deck behind her had made her jump, but as his detransformation fell she could only smile in pure adoration. Her two favorite people in all the world had turned out to be the same person and she had never loved him more.

Unfortunately for her, she knew Adrien was in love with someone, and that someone was not her. They’d managed to make it through, even if things were more awkward and, with her parents’ blessing, had decided on renting the apartment together.

Adrien could hardly afford to rent even a studio by himself and without hesitation she had suggested they be roommates. Would it absolutely destroy her when he finally brought that special girl home? Yes. Was she going to go through with it anyways? Yes. The whole ‘just one bed’ thing really was a curveball she hadn’t seen coming.

Sighing, mostly to herself, but partially in hopes that Tikki would hear (she didn’t), Marinette changed into her pj’s and did the rest of her nightly routine in the small two-piece bathroom attached to the bedroom. Time for the strangest sleepover she’d ever had.

---

“You’re really sticking with the pillow wall, then?”

“It’s for your safety, trust me.”

“You can’t be that bad.”

“I assure you; she is!” Of course, Tikki made an appearance now.

“Oh?”

“I have a habit of kicking and ending up in odd places on the bed.”

“I mean… I could just hold you so you can’t go anywhere.” He winked. She blushed.

“Ha! Funny one.” She climbed into her side of the bed, forgetting the comforter that was still on the floor from her earlier construction.

“You, uh, gonna be warm enough, Mari?”

“Mmhmm!”

An involuntary shiver gave her away and Adrien laughed softly as he brought the blanket up and over her, tucking it in around her shoulders.

“There. Snug as a bug in a rug.”

A snort escaped her.

“You know you love me.”

He had no idea.

Adrien turned off the light, though the city lights illuminated the room enough that she could still see everything clearly. They would definitely need to invest in some black-out curtains. The bed dipped as he climbed into the bed, causing her to tense as she kept herself from rolling towards the center and into the makeshift barrier.

“Huh. The pillows are quite supportive when I’m on my side.”

“Mmhmm.”

She felt one push into her back a little.

“Squishy too.”

“Goofball.”

“But I’m your goofball.”

“Goodnight, Adrien.”

“Goodnight, Mari.”

---

That morning she woke up by some miracle in relatively the same spot as she had fallen asleep in. It would seem that the pillow wall had remained largely intact as well… except for the arm that had made its way through it and was currently wrapped around her waist. That would explain why she hadn’t moved.

Gently, she lifted said arm and slid out of bed placing her personal pillow underneath, so she didn’t wake him. After gathering some clothes for the day, she stole a glance at him before heading to the main bathroom to shower. Adrien was smooshed up against the barrier, golden locks hanging in his face, mouth partly open as he slept. He looked so incredibly peaceful, something he had long deserved.

She could get used to waking up to this every day.

---

And she did.

A week had gone by with her waking before Adrien, his arm breaking the barrier to snuggle her. Somehow, she had managed not to completely karate kick him off the bed yet, though there had been a few mornings where the blankets were a complete mess.

Today had been long, the bakery busier than usual due to an influx of tourists for the season. Marinette was a walking zombie at this point, wanting nothing more than to curl up and sleep.

“Welcome home!” Adrien stood over the stove, cooking what looked to be a box of pasta and something else, with a large grin on his face. He wore the light pink ‘life is what you bake it’ apron that he had gotten her on their friendiversary last year.

“Hey. Thanks.”

“I watched a video on how to make pasta. Tikki helped me with the marinara so it’s a little bit on the sweet side. But I haven’t burned the place down yet!”

She walked over and dipped her finger in the sauce to taste. It was on the sweeter side for sure, but in a good way.

“Thanks, Adri.”

“You’ve been working hard lately, and I wanted to try and do something nice.”

“Well, I am certainly not complaining. And lucky for us, my parents sent home some bread!”

“I might have called and asked them to set some aside…”

“You’re too sweet. I’m going to go get cleaned up and then I’ll join you.”

His smile did nothing but melt her heart. If only he realized what it was he was truly doing to her.

🗝️🗝️🗝️

Adrien had been super excited to make dinner but watching Marinette actually enjoy what he had prepared made him giddy. She’d been putting in extra hours at the bakery, trying to save up money for when they were in school next year and couldn’t work as much. He’d been trying to find somewhere to work but didn’t have many qualifications at the moment, aside from modeling. His dream was to teach le primaire music. Not to mention, it was hard to find someone who would hire him, being the son of a former magical terrorist and all.

Much to his delight, the one bed thing hadn’t turned out to be much of an issue. The first night he had tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable spot until he’d finally decided to snuggle the makeshift wall. He’d awoken that first morning with his arm shoved through and holding Marinette’s Pillow. He could only conclude that he had snuggled her throughout the night and that she hadn’t wanted to wake him or make him feel bad. After that he had tried his hardest to fall asleep facing the edge of the bed but always woke up in the same position.

He was surprised at the fact that she hadn’t been as violent in her sleep as she and Tikki had tried to get him to believe. There had been a couple of mornings that she had yoinked the covers right off of him and wiggled around but nothing near as crazy as he had imagined. Tonight, however, she seemed to be thrashing more than she had been the last week.

“N-no. Cht. Pllse dnt do ths.”

Her mumble startled him, more-so because she had mentioned him than her voice itself.

“Mari?”

“Please, no!” Her voice came out as a strangled yell.

Facing away from him, she lunged backwards, nearly knocking him off the bed as she began to kick and knock both the covers and bottom half of the pillow-wall off the bed. Righting himself, he leaned up to look over the leftover pillow. Her arms were wound around her chest as her feet continued to kick, almost as if she was running from something.

Out of the corner of his eye, watched Tikki as she flew over and rested atop Marinette’s head, gently stroking her chosen’s hair.

“Nightmare?”

“She has them about once a week. It only gets worse from here.”

“Oh Jeeze.” His heart was racing. “Is there anything I can do?”

“She’s going to hate me for this, but I think it would help if you held her. She’ll begin to call out for you soon and sometimes will sleepwalk in search of you.”

His heart sank at that. He’d had no idea.

Tossing the rest of the pillows to the floor, Adrien sat up slightly before moving closer to her, cautiously reaching out and rubbing up and down her exposed arm. Marinette stiffened before quickly turning to face him and wrapping her arms around his torso. Thankfully her kicking seemed to have slowed down.

“Kitty. You came back.”

“Always, love. Always.”

He held her tight as her dream seemingly played out, listening as she mumbled incoherently. After what felt like hours, she finally stilled and began breathing evenly once again.

“That was amazing Adrien. She has never calmed down that fast.”

“No?”

The little red kwami shook her head. “No. You remember when she told you about you being akumitized as Chat Blanc?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s what her nightmares are usually about. First you destroy the world, then, sparing her, you destroy yourself. She always tries to stop you but never makes it in time.”

“Oh wow. I never knew it had affected her so much.” He lightly brushed the hairs that had collected around her face away, tucking them behind her ear.

“I think having you here is going to be a really good thing. You both need each other, she’s just too scared to do anything about it.”

Scared? Marinette? He had never known her to be too terribly scared of anything. Nervous, sure, but never scared. Even when she had told him the story of his akumatization, she’d been calm and levelheaded. Marinette began to stir in his arms, pushing against him slightly, her brows arched in confusion, seemingly unsure of where she was.

“Mari?”

Her eyes slowly blinked open.

“Adrien?”

“Yeah, its me. You had a nightmare.”

“Oh. OH.”

“You alright?”

“I… I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Not at all, love.”

She looked up at him, confusion written in her eyes.

“Tikki filled me in. She thought that my holding you might help, and she was right.”

“Love?”

“A new nickname I thought I’d try… if you like?”

She frowned and looked away for a moment before locking her gaze back on his.

“Love. But… what about…”

“Mari, there’s no one else. It’s always been you. From the moment we met.”

Her eyes widened as the information sank in.

“M-me?”

“You. I love you Marinette.”

Though he didn’t expect what came next, he would forever be grateful it had. Marinette’s arms wrapped around his neck as her lips crashed into his, desire and longing coursing through her. His hands reached up to cup her face, pulling her closer as he deepened their kiss. It was everything he had ever dreamed of and more, the woman of his dreams here in his arms holding him like she never wanted to let go. Deep down he knew she never would.

🗝️🗝️🗝️

Life so far had been a whirlwind of emotions and crazy clichés, but lying in Adrien’s arms, knowing he loved her just as much as she loved him, Marinette had never been more thankful for this little home they’d quickly made, complete with ‘just one bed’.

[mlbigbang]

2022 General Fic Rec List

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

deliverin' by @fragileizy 5,750 words, General, 2/2 chapters

“Is everything okay?” “Yeah. Yes, of course it is, I just”—she swallows ash and ice—“it was just the Book I was reading. It, uh… their family separates after a bit, and it’s all a misunderstanding, and—” she can’t finish. She’s not allowed to. “Do you need a hug, Jules?” I need you to stay, she wants to cry. You’re my only brother. And I’ll miss you so terribly when you’re gone. Every day, I’ll be alone without you, because Mom will try to visit as often as you always visit me, but she’ll keep feeling guilty for the rest of our time together because she knows how upset I am. And she’ll be upset, too. I’ll never be able to watch her cry, but I’ll hear her. And I don’t think I’m strong enough to deal with that. “I do,” she says instead, wings closing up around her like a ball. “Please. Just for a little while.”

"Cute!!!"

Telling the bees by @feather-dancer 5,768 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Chloé and Zoé have a routine where at least once a week they meet up somewhere for a chat which is an excuse to get away from their shared mother and to vent as much as anything. Folklore says it is very important to keep the bees up to date with the coming and goings of their keepers, these two are no different. Part of Haven of Strays.

"Canon has denied us any real Zoe&Chloe sisterly content. It's up to the fanfic community ot make up the difference. This author does all that and more in a weighty interaction between two sisters who are not friends, but are sisters."

Chaotic Company by ADeadmansBliss 5,450 words, Mature, 1/1 chapter

It's been nearly a week since Adrien's acquisition of a new pet and unfortunately traumatic injury is not something that can be recovered from quickly. Bored with only an unconscious former hero for company he decides to sneak out to find some entertainment which goes fine until Hawkmoth decides to ruins it.

"It's unlike anything I've read before and it's so super fantastic!!!"

Stranger Acquaintance by @bugchat 1,885 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Marinette just wants to live her Special Agent life as quietly as possible. Put bad guys behind bars, maybe make friends with three people at work, and eat pizza once they close a case. What makes its way into her life is a mop of blond hair with a stunning smile and too much of a back-talking mouth to be healthy for her.

"It's an good AU concept with fun dynamics, and it's a short, easy read! Detective Marinette and her team of four being Alya, Nino and Kagami. There's so much room for sequels if the author chooses to!"

maybe shake a tambourine by noirshitsuji 1,703 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Written for a Miraculous Writer's Guild blog request: Start a story with "I need a place to stay." Felix looks at his cousin, sometimes. Looks and wonders. The silver ring he’d taken to wearing a couple of years ago is gone. But the Adrien he’s known since childhood isn’t there either, and, much as Felix would like to attribute the tapping he’s noticed his fingers do every time Adrien doesn’t answer one of his questions to annoyance, he knows it’s truly because he feels unnerved by it all.

"It's a lovely exploration in Felix's character and his feelings toward Adrien while absolutely teasing a glorious plot about Adrien, Marinette, and Gabriel"

(may we write it all down) in cursive light by @sunfoxfic 3,503 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Since retiring as a journalist, Alya hasn't been involved in an interview in several years. But now that her identity is out, that's about to change.

"An amazingly written future!fic that beautifully explores a time long after Hawkmoth's defeat and "our" heroes' retirement."

Off the Mark by @buggachat 4,632 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Ever since Nino's (frankly embarrassing) akumatization into Rocketear, Chat Noir's behavior had taken a strange and sudden turn in the presence of Carapace, and Nino could only think of one possible explanation: Chat Noir hated him. Somehow, Adrien didn't seem to agree.

"Any fic that focuses on Nino and Adrien being bffs is important. After Rocketear, Nino may have rambled a bit to Adrien about how weird it's been being around Chat Noir. Adrien is weirdly invested in this problem. A lot of misunderstanding leads to heightened emotions and eventual revelations. Just a really good examination of the difficulties of secret identities and being best friends."

Infestations and Maladies by @sunfoxfic 100 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Bunnix called Chat Noir to go to a mysterious version of the timeline and fix… something.

"A well-written drabble exploring a reverse Chat Blanc. A very clever concept written in a very clever way!"

In Memory Of by @graaythekwami 3,012 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Gabriel Agreste was never good with kids, but his granddaughter needed him.

"A very interesting story with a dark backstory, but it's very sweet and well-written."

I Am Your Ghost by @emmalylis 1,559 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Adrien attends one of Gabriel’s galas in his mother’s old dress.

"Adrien in a dress. Need I say more?"

goodbye, goodbye, goodbye (you were bigger than the whole sky) by @hanaasbananas 865 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Distantly, he hears the music still blaring behind him, the song mocking in its cheerfulness, imprinting itself into his memory as the soundtrack to his devastation. For a moment–the longest of his life–everything stands still, the universe holding its breath and then Sabine shrieks and it shatters like glass beneath his feet.

"This is short but its just so damn sad😭 hit me right in the feels"

Moon mission by @ultrakart 2,789 words, General, 1/1 chapter

For Fei, escaping her past is as difficult as trying to escape the Earth’s orbit.

"Kart is the king of the Shanghai special and this is such a sweet short fic that showcases just how great his writing over it is."

[sunfoxfic]

3, 14, 15 for the end of the year fic ask?:D

...yall really liked number 3 huh

(answered here)

14. a fic you didn’t expect to write

Most of Atlas Telamon. The original story was a prompt request for the ML Writer's Guild that I fulfilled, and I genuinely expected it to be a one-shot. And then it wasn't, it was a 27k adventure in the moral grayness involved with not-killing-but-not-reviving.

15. something you learned this year

Oh, this is a hard question. Write boldly; write intentionally; if your story is too much of a statement then you'll never learn anything so try to keep it more of an open-ended question; and maybe most importantly, write something that you'll want to reread some day.

[apopcornkernel]

thank you for the tag @hanaasbananas !!

name: just call me poppy :D

gender: female

star sign: aries

height: 5'2 (HA im taller than you !)

time: 10:14 pm (hanaa what are you doing up at 1 am, smh)

birthday: april 11

fav band/group: the vamps, 5sos, there's more but my mind = blank

fav solo artists: niki, taylor swift, lauv, camila cabello, and bebe rexha. theres tons more but those are my main ones

song stuck in my head: dreamy night by lilypichu, it just sounds really really good ok and i loveeee the vibe

last movie: oh gosh i dont usually watch movies but uhh i think the last one might be crazy rich asians? watched it maybe two months ago... i think...

last show: zoey's extraordinary playlist (actually im still not yet done but its my last watched show)

when i created this blog: december 2019. apparently ive only been here a year!

what do i post: i started out as mostly ml but when i started following more people i ended up rb-ing more memes and writer related stuff aksdbjssb im sorry-

last thing i googled: that bella thorne interview where she goes "i have layers. like, im an onion. peel me, bro" or something like that

other blogs: nope, not telling, nuh uh, go on a scavenger hunt or something if you want to find em /lh

do i get asks: yes, when i reblog ask games or do fic requests! (the latter of which ive only completed like half of the total IM SO SORRY)

why i chose this url: well, you see, it all started with this joke on a game i used to play and we all had popcorn before our chosen usernames. so i was popcorn lyla. and when i made discord at an ex-friend's behest i decided i wanted to prank my classmates when i joined the class server so i just took the popcorn bit for my username. and then when i made a tumblr i tried the url popcorn but it was taken so i just got apopcornkernel haha

following: at least 350, im sorry im on mobile and im too lazy to check skdbdj

followers: 425 i think, once again im on mobile and im too lazy to check XD

average amt of sleep: around 6 hours, now that i think about it which is completely my fault x.x

lucky number: dont have one but 8 is my favorite number

instruments: im like grade 2 in piano? but i havent been able to have lessons for almost a year 😔 (if singing counts, im in our school chorale and i sing almost endlessly aksndje)

what i'm wearing: a t-shirt from some math contest two years ago that i absolutely hated attending and looks really weird so i use it as a pajama shirt and those relaco pants from uniqlo (they're like smooth and thin and swishy and so so comfy) ((also half my pajama shirts are actually from other math stuff too, like i have three from MTG which is the mathematical trainer's guild but we call it the mental torture guild)) (((they're ugly but super comfy after years of wear)))

dream job: someplace i can do something i enjoy and earn lots of money from, idrc as long as i get the cash 🙈

dream trip: omg europe. i want to go all over europe please. also i want to visit japan again because it's so so nice there

fav food: carbs aka the holy trinity of rice, bread, noodles, and everything in between

nationality: filipino on paper, chinese by blood :D

fav songs: too many 😭 just check out the fav artists i listed it'll be easier than listing everything aksndjsj

last book: finished - an enchantment of ravens (THANK YOU HANAA FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS BOOK), in progress - these violent delights (ROMEO AND JULIET RETELLING SET IN 20TH CENTURY SHANGHAI, LOVERS TO ENEMIES TO LOVERS, JULIETTE HAS THE SAME CHINESE SURNAME AS ME)

top 3 fictional universes i'd love to live in: hm, i'd say almost any fantasy universe. oh and I'd love to live in the zoey's extraordinary playlist universe and have her powers and also max bc he's so adorable, i didnt say simon bc he's engaged and even though he's part of the love trisngle i'm no homewrecker

tagging @an-elysian-tree @theanxiouscupcake @byaurum @peachcitt @noirshitsuji @inkjackets and anyone else im forgetting/who wants to!

30 Questions About Me

Thanks for the tag, @lightkeykid !

1. Name: Hanaa

2. Gender: Female

3. Star Sign: Aquarius

4. Height: 5'0" (to my everlasting chagrin)

5. Time: 1.03 am

6. Birthday: 29th January (i'm 23 this month??? wtf???)

7. Favourite Band/Group: McFly (surprise surprise. I never shut up about them lmao), The Lumineers, Fort Hope, PVRIS

8. Favourite Solo Artists: Taylor Swift, Atif Aslam, Arijit Singh, Riz Ahmed ( his album The Long Goodbye is SO GOOD)

9. Song stuck in my head: This years Love, David Gray

10. Last Movie: Howl's Moving Castle

11. Last Show: Umbrella Academy

12. When did I create this blog: February 2013, apparently. Wow.

13. What do I post: Literally anything. I have no system AT ALL

14: Last thing I googled: UCAS postgrad deadline

15. Other blogs: Nope. Wait no oh god this just reminded me of the time I wanted a blog but didn't know what tumblr was so I made this. Sigh. Also that website I made for a uni assignment in one of my creative writing modules where we had to make an author site or whatever. I can't even remember what that site is called.

16. Do I get asks: More now that I joined the Miraculous Writers Guild and made friends lol which is always fun. I love getting asks about my fics which has only happened a couple times but I always have to resist the urge to gush in my responses

17. Why I chose this URL: Just something my uncles called me when I was a kid and it's easy to remember

18. Following: 302

19. Followers: 442

20. Average hours of sleep: uh, I'd say I get around 5 hours in one go? idk my sleep schedule is whack so I usually go to sleep at 2 and then get up at 7 to pray, then go back to sleep until 10 so I get around 9 hours I guess.

21. Lucky number: I don't think I have one tbh

22. Instruments: I don't play anything but the first thing that came to my mind was harmonica so I'm sticking with it

23. What am i wearing: long sleeve sleep shirt and purple fleece pajama pants

24. Dream job: Author!

25. Dream Trip: I'd lOVE to go to Italy or Greece just to see all the historical sites. OR go on a eurail trip and go to all the places from DDLJ

26. Favourite Food: Aloo paratha, bhindi salan, lasagna

27. Nationality: British Pakistani

28. Favourite Songs: oooh, SO MANY let's see. She falls Asleep part 2/Down Goes Another One by McFly (I love this narrative bc the latter song was from the next album and from the POV of the guy mentioned in she falls asleep, a year later), Broken Crown Mumford and Sons, Plans, We are the Gods (Heritage), Dios Falso,Fort Hope, Change on the Rise, Avi Kaplan, Hey Brother, Avicii, Brother, Kodaline, Aaja, Swet Shop Boys, Deewangi, Sahir Ali Bagga,Tum Hi Ho, Yaar Berozgaar , Mere Rashke Qamar and honestly so many more lmao

29. Last book I read: Chime, by Franny Billingsley

30. Top Three fictional universes I'd like to live in: Storybrooke from OUAT-seems a pretty nice place if you're not a main character lol. ATLA and the Six of Crows/Grisha universe. I'd probably get robbed by Kaz in Ketterdam though bc I'm a little dumb. Maybe Ravka?

This was fun! I tag @theladyfae @apopcornkernel @omnishamblegreg @deinde-prandium @2manyfandoms2count and @sukker-sugar

[mlwritersguild]

February Event Announcement - Request now!

February is fast approaching and we at the MWG have a Valentine's gift for you! For our February event this year, all you need to do to request a fic is say those three little words. Which, simply put, means:

For the next week, we'll be accepting submissions to the blog for the event that consist of THREE words and ONE emoji.

Each request should have three words (separate, not as a phrase). They can be random or carefully chosen. They will be accompanied by a single emoji that represents a trope, AU idea or concept. No more, no less.

Our writers will be challenged to use your three words within their fics, as well as interpret your emoji into a premise for the fic. This means you might not get exactly what you expect, but the surprise is half the fun, isn't it?

Send your submissions now! If your request is claimed by a writer, we'll reply to your ask when the product is completed. Thanks!

[mlwritersguild]

Adrien loses his phone. (No, this time it's not Marinette's doing.) More accurately, he misplaces his phone, and gets a new one. Months later, he finds the phone (buried among Plagg's camembert, probably) and finds that Marinette has been texting it regularly, even though he lost it ages ago....

Hmm......

these little words, by @multimousenette

AO3 link; Texting, Chatting & Messaging, Bad Flirting, Light Angst, mostly cheese, pre-reveal pre-relationship

Summary:

What do you call a string of people all holding up a brie? A cheesy pickup line!

In which Marinette practices flirting by texting Adrien's lost phone.

[mlwritersguild]

Start a story with “I need a place to stay.”

maybe shake a tambourine, by noirshitsuji

AO3 link; POV Félix Graham de Vanily/Félix Fathom, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Adrien Agreste Runs Away, Félix 'Fundamentally Frustrated' Fathom, Family Feels, Referenced Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug As Ladybug

Summary:

Felix looks at his cousin, sometimes. Looks and wonders. The silver ring he’d taken to wearing a couple of years ago is gone.

But the Adrien he’s known since childhood isn’t there either, and, much as Felix would like to attribute the tapping he’s noticed his fingers do every time Adrien doesn’t answer one of his questions to annoyance, he knows it’s truly because he feels unnerved by it all.

--------------------------------------

“I need a place to stay.”

Adrien says this in English, not French. Felix, in opposition to any kind of fraternal instinct he may be hypothesised as (or blamed for not) possessing, grips the doorframe a bit tighter to himself.

“You should’ve sent a message.”

“You know he listens in on my phone,” his cousin replies, not missing a beat, and his eyes haven’t left Felix’s yet. Adrien doesn’t like holding eye contact for that long. Not when he’s asking for help.

Felix opens the door wide.

---

There are calls in the next few days. His mother deflects all questions, letting the appropriate amount of distress seep into her voice, the appropriate amount of futile consolations and dignified groveling (which is how he knows his uncle is on the line and not Nathalie Sancoeur). There is one visit from Ladybug, and none from Chat Noir. When Felix asks Ladybug how her partner is, she says ‘fine’ in that distinct tone of voice people have when the truth is ‘I don’t know’.

Felix looks at his cousin, sometimes. Looks and wonders. The silver ring he’d taken to wearing a couple of years ago is gone.

But the Adrien he’s known since childhood isn’t there either, and, much as Felix would like to attribute the tapping he’s noticed his fingers do every time Adrien doesn’t answer one of his questions to annoyance, he knows it’s truly because he feels unnerved by it all. 

This, in turn, makes him actually annoyed, nearly as much as Adrien and his mother’s whispering behind closed doors. Felix suspects it has to do with something else he suspects about his uncle. He cannot seem to make the final connection, though, another annoyance in an ever-growing arsenal.

There is one call that isn’t like the rest, mostly because it rings on Felix’s phone and not his mother’s or the house phone (Adrien had discarded his and had started operating with a new one; Felix and his mother had powered up some back-ups of their own to contact him), and because it is not somebody that Felix even thought could have his number.

“I believe we have a mutual friend at your school,” Kagami Tsurugi says, and Felix believes her for a fraction of a second before she adds, “and I was hoping you could give him a message from me?”

Felix agrees, and Kagami dictates to him how to transliterate the Japanese phrase she gives him. “He’s not fluent,” she says, “but I did teach him enough for him to understand it,” and, with little further pleasantries, hangs up.

When Felix gives Adrien the note, he watches his cousin grip the piece of paper at one corner in the same way he’d handled sparklers as a kid at New Year’s: as if the flitting bits of flame would burn off his face. His expression turns blank as his eyes scan and rescan the short sentence, evidently putting together its meaning, and by the end of it it’s completely closed off in a way Felix doesn’t remember ever seeing.

“Couldn’t have been that unfriendly, now, could it,” he says, then realises he’s tapping his fingers against his thigh again. Blast it all.

Adrien shakes his head so slowly it almost looks like a cat stretching its neck. “No, not unfriendly. Kagami’s just very blunt sometimes. Like you.”

“By which you mean correct?”

A smile - small and see-through like origami paper. “Yes. Correct.”

He doesn’t elaborate any more than that. Felix keeps tapping his fingers, and keeps his cursing to himself.

---

The first thing Adrien does is find a job.

Luckily for him, being a star young model in France had involved a sufficient amount of photo alteration that, supplanted by a hair-colour change, had meant his being virtually unrecognisable once his hair had turned chestnut brown under their sink. Felix still thinks it’s a stupid risk to take vis-a-vis his cousin’s aim to avoid discovery, but he’s not going to tell him that. He’s only going to indirectly but pointedly insult his intelligence for it.

Adrien, continuing to be completely not-himself, rolls his eyes and doesn’t argue, just trudges himself up on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for opening shifts at the Costa he works in in Elephant and Castle and comes back in the evenings on Mondays and Fridays after he closes, and Felix does point out how he doesn’t technically need to earn money, to which the answer is:

“If he finds out where I am and that he has to settle a debt with my aunt, I will genuinely be in big trouble.”

You already are, Felix thinks, what does it matter, but then he realises that what Adrien is actually saying is that this is temporary and I’m sorry and I need a little bit of courage, just a tiny bit of rest and that he’s right, and Felix’s uncle’s idea of honour would absolutely include a clause against relying on family when needing any of these things. So, he lets it go and keeps leaving Adrien’s meals out covered for when he comes back late and doesn’t dine with them (insisting they don’t wait for him) and lets him believe it’s Felix’s mother that’s doing it.

---

One day, Adrien doesn’t come back home alone. 

There’s a small black blob on his shoulder that has yellow eyes and a surprisingly ferocious bite when Felix’s mother reaches for it. 

“His name is Crép,” Adrien says, “short for crépuscule, not as in crêpe.”

Felix can’t help but snort at that, but stops in his tracks when he sees his cousin smile - really smile, and suddenly he realises it’s the first time it hasn’t been forced in the weeks he’s been with them.

“It’s the mark of an adult to name a pet the way a child would and call it clever,” Felix says, and this time, Adrien laughs.

---

Felix’s mother doesn’t try to convince Adrien to go back. Felix finds himself believing her when she tells him she has little more idea about Adrien’s reasons than Felix himself does (though that may well be false either because she is, in fact, finagling slightly, or because she doesn’t realise the extent of Felix’s own suspicions), but as August slowly comes to a close and the rentrée season begins, Felix begins to count the days down until she finally breaks and asks Adrien to talk. She must; there is no other way.

He isn’t disappointed.

“Adrien, darling,” she starts one afternoon over tea, thumb tracing the rim of her cup. Adrien puts his down immediately. “I realise there may be things you are yet unwilling to share, but it is my duty to ask you: what are your long-term plans? The school year is nearly here, and despite your humility I know that your dream isn’t to be a barista.”

Adrien smiles from where he’s sitting on the couch, then leans forward, propping his elbows on his knees. Felix starts tapping his fingers again.

His cousin turns his face towards the sun shining down on him from the window. 

“Why, there are worse things than being a barista, Aunt Amelie. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be going back to Paris this weekend. I only stayed so long because I know London doesn’t usually enjoy this much sun during summer, but it all ends on Saturday, I think.”

“Climate change gets to us all in the end,” Felix says on reflex, succeeding in making his cousin chortle. 

It’s a favour: Adrien gets to pretend his voice hadn’t broken at the end of his last sentence, and Felix gets to pretend that he can’t see a tear track on the side of his cousin’s face that’s turned away from Amelie.

---

The day Adrien has to catch the Eurostar back, the weather forecast’s prediction turns out wrong. They ride the DLR and then the Northern Line into St Pancras, but that doesn’t save them from getting wet between their home and Cutty Sark. 

Felix’s mother looks towards the outpour outside as they emerge from the escalators inside the station. “I hope the weather in Paris is better. Have you called ahead? Is anyone picking you up?”

“I figured it’d be better if I had a conversation with my father in private first,” Adrien says as he takes advantage of the lack of pressed up bodies around them to shake off water from his umbrella. “Not that he’d come personally either way, but I would rather not face Nathalie and the Gorilla first. He doesn’t know I was with you, either.”

“Oh, let him know. I can handle him,” Amelie says, shaking her head.

Felix side-eyes her, but says nothing. She is not looking at him, and it feels like it’s on purpose.

Uncle Gabriel might figure it out regardless, Felix thinks as Adrien explains how he’ll throw away his ticket after he arrives at Gare du Nord, but takes solace in the knowledge that Adrien’s father may not be moved to act without conclusive evidence. Yet.

Felix’s mother shakes her head again, and he reaches out to tap down a few stray strands of hair. She shoots him a smile before looking back at Adrien and saying, “I hope you have a safe journey. Let me know you’ve returned safely.”

Adrien nods. “You will likely be informed anyway, but I will do my best to talk to you myself.”

He pauses, then adds, “Of course, you could use this as an excuse to visit. Nephew and cousin miraculously returned and all of that.”

“We will,” Amelie says at the same time as Felix does, “The school year is starting and my schedule is very busy.”

Adrien snorts and jostles his arm in a manner that is so bizarrely reminiscent of childhood that Felix does, in fact, take a step back. 

“Come have a weekend-long study session with me, then,” he replies, and after a few more words of goodbye, Felix and his mother stand and watch him fade into the crowd as he heads towards the Eurostar queue. 

“He’ll be alright,” Felix’s mother says, and, though he would never admit it, he knows that it is as effective a reassurance for her as it is for him.

[mlwritersguild]

“Cats know how to obtain food without labour, shelter without confinement, and love without penalties.” — W.L. George

(reportedly. in practice nobody seems to have taken note of where it is he said this, so it might be misattributed. but that's kinda irrelevant to its usefulness as a fic prompt.)

please teach me gently (how to breathe), by @writtenvisionary

AO3 link; rated T for cussing, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting, Good Parents Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, Found Family, Chat Noir is Not a Stray, Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir Needs a Hug, Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir Gets a Hug, Tom and Sabine basically adopt adrien, Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir and Food, #FeedAdrien2k22, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Summary:

“Cats know how to obtain food without labor, shelter without confinement, and love without penalties.” - W.L. George

Or, where Adrien finds home.

---------------------

Food without labor

He doesn’t need to starve for an ounce of affection when he’s with Marinette.

When he’s hungry, there’s no hard labor in obtaining food—all he has to do is tell her that he’s hungry. Sometimes she hears his stomach grumble and he won’t even have to say a word.

Marinette feeds him right away, with no questions asked; she doesn’t ask him if his modeling gig went off without a hitch, or if his grades have gone down. She doesn’t look at him with disappointment when he walks through the door, making it clear that he’s done something wrong.

Instead, she showers him with love and affection. Her fingers tread through his hair in rhythmic strokes, inciting a purr from the depths of his chest. He lets his eyes close, because he’s safe with her, just like any cat knows a human who feeds them is someone who can love them.

It took him a while to realize that he had the tendencies of a cat, in that way; if he’s shown no love or given no gifts of affection, he has the urge to run away.

It took him a long time to find someone who understands this and knows him like the back of their hand, and he couldn’t be more grateful.

He doesn’t have to stretch himself thin for a nice meal when he’s with Marinette.

When he’s with Marinette, he can eat knowing that he’s loved.

~~~

“Mariiii,” her superhero boyfriend whines, perched on her balcony ledge.

Marinette raises her eyebrows.

“Yes, Chaton?”

“I’m hungry.”

“Aren’t you a cat?” She smirks. “Why don’t you go hunt for some yummy mouse to snack on?”

He grimaces. “I don’t like mice. But I do like rice!”

“Sorry kitty, we didn’t have rice for dinner tonight.”

Chat Noir frowns, but only for a moment. He hops off the ledge to sit at his girlfriend’s feet.

Marinette shifts her gaze to him from her current embroidery project.

He smirks. “I also love cookies.”

“Cookies aren’t a meal.”

“Who says I need to eat a meal?”

She responds with a look.

“Kitty, you just said you were hungry. Cookies won’t cure hunger.”

“If I eat enough, they will.”

Marinette rolls her eyes and sets her embroidery project on the coffee table beside her. She stands up, holding a hand out to her kitty.

“Come on, Chaton. Let’s get you some food.”

Chat Noir can’t hold back his grin.

“What’s for dinner?”

Shelter without confinement

“Princess? Could I stay with you tonight?”

His voice shakes, eyes filled with unshed tears.

Marinette immediately nods, opening her arms. He collapses into her arms, stuffing his head into her chest and sighing heavily. She can feel his body fall limp as he melts into her embrace, like she’s the comfiest pillow he’s ever known.

She frowns. He must be exhausted.

Her fingers run through his blonde locks as she thinks of something to say. But what could she say? How could she make things better for him?

She knows her kitty doesn't feel safe at home. He often comes over late at night when it gets too cold and too lonely in his room, and after fights with his father that end in groundings. His groundings aren't ethical, she knows — his father might as well be putting metal bars on the windows because her kitty already feels just as trapped.

He considers her to be his solace; his place of comfort. He comes to her for shelter—a different shelter than the kind he’s used to; a better shelter. He comes to her to be loved and appreciated in his own skin, which is something he very obviously doesn’t receive at home.

Marinette wishes she could do more. She wishes she could steal her prince from his castle and run away, never to look back. But life isn’t a fairytale, she knows. Life isn’t going to grant him mercy, she knows. He holds the miraculous of bad luck; he manifests bad luck—he is bad luck.

But that doesn’t mean it’s fair. That doesn’t mean he deserves it.

“Kitty…I just want you to remember that I’m always here. My door is always open for you to come and to go when you feel too suffocated.”

He sniffles. “You never make me feel suffocated, Mari.”

Her heart swells.

“I’m glad. But I just wanted to make sure you knew that I’m not forcing you to stay here.”

Chat Noir snorts, lifting his head up to look at her dryly. “As opposed to my father who doesn’t let me go anywhere?”

She purses her lips.

“Correct.”

He manages a weak smile.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“Of course,” she responds in the same tone. “I love you.”

Chat puckers his lips, tilting his head upwards. Marinette laughs at his very obvious hint and concedes.

She tilts her head downwards to press her lips against his.

They spend the rest of that night cuddled up on her bed, watching movies on Marinette’s laptop and occasionally sharing comfort kisses, until sleep creeps up on them.

If Marinette’s parents peek into the room in the middle of the night and see a cat boy in a leather super suit being their daughter’s big spoon, neither say a word about it in the morning.

~~~

Marinette wakes up with strong arms wrapped around her. She smiles, snuggling into the embrace.

“Are you awake?” He whispers.

She shivers in pleasure at the sound of his voice.

“No,” she says, turning her head and stuffing it into the pillow.

His deep laugh vibrates against her back.

“Okay, okay.”

They fall into a comfortable silence, enjoying the warmth of each others’ bodies and the radiation of love they both emit. Marinette doesn’t want to leave, and she hopes Chat doesn’t want to leave, either.

The silence is rudely interrupted by a loud ringing.

Chat Noir groans as she releases herself from his grip to turn off her phone alarm. She squints at the light, and her eyes widen when she sees what time it is.

“It’s 7:30, kitty.”

“Oh, fuck.”

With that sentiment, he’s throwing the sheets away from his body and scrambling to roll out of bed and make the sheets look somewhat presentable. Marinette doesn’t mean to, but she giggles.

“You don’t need to make the sheets look pretty. I can do that.”

His face flushes, but he doesn’t have enough time to respond. He leans over the bed to press a short kiss to her lips.

“I’m gonna be late.”

“I know.”

He bites his lip. “Is it okay if I go?”

“Of course, Chaton! Go do what you gotta do!”

Chat grins, pecking her lips once more and practically levitating up her hatch door.

“See you tonight?”

She nods.

“Tonight.”

He vaults away, leaving a blushing Marinette in his wake.

Love without penalties

The first time Chat Noir meets Marinette’s parents, he’s shaking in his faux leather boots.

Marinette can understand why. All he knows of parents are cold glares and disappointment. He feels pressure to make a good first impression or else he thinks they will immediately disown him.

She had made sure she told her parents about his home life because reinforcing her boyfriend’s insecurities is the absolute last thing she wants to do. Her mom had reassured her that any boy she loved, they would love just as much.

Marinette really hopes she was telling the truth.

Chat squeezes her hand tightly as they sit at the dinner table, face to face with Tom and Sabine. He pushes the food around on his plate, which worries Marinette because he’s always hungry .

“Chat Noir,” Tom says, grabbing Chat’s attention. He looks up at Tom with wide eyes, and Marinette can feel him tense under her hand.

“Yes, sir?”

Whatever her father is about to say is tossed out at the sight of Chat’s anxiety. His face softens, and he looks over at his wife helplessly.

Sabine sends him a sweet smile.

“Honey, from what we’ve heard, you have been nothing short of sweet to our girl. She brags about you all the time, you know. About how kind and gentle you are, and the way you always make sure she’s safe.”

Marinette glances at Chat beside her and sees the way his lips curl upward slightly.

“Of course. Marinette is important to me. I always want to make sure that she’s safe and that she feels loved,” he tells Tom and Sabine honestly.

Chat looks over at her with a sparkle in his eyes and she nearly melts.

“Son,” Tom says, making Chat look over to him again, “We approve. Please just make sure to leave the door open from now on—“

“Papa!” Marinette interrupts, her cheeks red. Her boyfriend just chuckles beside her.

“Of course, sir.”

Tom smirks and continues to eat his food.

The tension that was once at the dinner table is now long gone as they talk about anything and everything, learning more about Chat Noir and his relationship with Marinette. In turn, the younger couple learns more about Tom and Sabine; Chat learns how they met and how long they’ve been together, while Marinette learns that her father is half-Italian.

“How did I never know this?!” Marinette exclaims.

Tom shrugs, taking a sip of his wine. “You haven’t had that inevitable heritage month assignment yet. I figured that I would keep it a surprise.”

Oh, and what a surprise it was.

~~~

At the end of dinner, Chat sighs.

“Well, I have to get going before my fath—before anyone notices I’m still not home. I said I would be back about half an hour ago.”

Tom and Sabine exchange worried glances. Sabine bites her bottom lip. 

She steps up to Chat Noir and grabs his gloved hands.

“We just want you to know that you never need to sneak in to see our daughter,” she says. “We know that you’re here and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He bites the inside of his cheek and nods. “Okay.”

Then, Tom says something that catches him totally off guard. 

“You’re always welcome here. Remember that.”

Tears prick at his eyes. He swallows the lump in his throat, because he is not going to cry right now in front of his girlfriend’s parents.

“Thank you,” is what he says.

Sabine sends him a reassuring smile.

“No need to thank us. You’re family.”

He swallows again, but it’s too late. His face is surely red, and his nose is stuffy and his mouth is doing that weird thing where it feels like he’s going to yawn but it’s just his lips quivering and—

—And now he’s sobbing into Tom’s shoulder, and Sabine is rubbing his back. They’re whispering things into his ear and he doesn’t understand anything they’re saying, but it’s so soothing and it reminds him of home . He doesn’t know what home is. Is this home? He sure hopes it is because he feels so loved and wanted here, and—

He pulls away from the hug, wiping at his eyes and sniffling. Someone hands him a tissue. He nods gratefully, but doesn’t blow his nose. That would be too rude for a guest. Would it be rude for family, though? He’s not sure. He’s not sure of anything right now.

Regardless, he’s too embarrassed to meet Tom and Sabine’s eyes. Sobbing in front of your girlfriend’s parents maybe isn’t the best way to end the first-impression dinner.

He’s grateful when Marinette pulls him away from her parents and onto the front porch. She engulfs him in a hug of her own. His breathing slows, because he’s in his happy place, with the girl he loves. He eventually calms down to where the pace of his beating heart matches that of Marinette’s.

When he finally looks into her eyes, she’s smiling softly.

“So… how are you feeling?”

He snorts, shaking his head.

“Overwhelmed,” he says weakly.

Her nod is slow as she grabs his hands and squeezes them lightly, trying to ground him. It works slightly, because he takes a deep breath and sniffles, closing his eyes.

“I can see that. You had a bit of a panic attack back there…”

He says, “Oh.”

That’s all he really can say, because he had no idea that a panic attack was what just happened, but he’s happy to be able to put a name to it. He’s never had anyone tell him what it was; he usually just thought it was him being stupid. A sense of relief washes over him, knowing that it has a name.

There’s a pregnant pause before Marinette whispers, “I’m proud of you.”

He looks at her with confusion clouding his eyes.

“Why?”

She shrugs.

“Do I need a reason to be proud of you?”

That hits a soft spot, and suddenly he’s crying again.

But that’s okay, because his princess is right there.

[mlwritersguild]

also soft Ladrien cuddles for your consideration 🥺

for your consideration, by @sunfoxfic

AO3 link; Sleepy Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Fluff, Nicknames

Summary:

Ladybug's had a hard day, and she can always depend on Adrien.

------------------------------------------------

Adrien always thought that Ladybug might have liked to lie atop Chat Noir's chest more than atop his; he'd mastered the art of purring, but he could only do it transformed, no matter how hard he tried. (And he tried — hard — much to Plagg's amusement.)

But if Ladybug chose to cuddle with Chat instead of him, they wouldn't be able to lay together on the designer couch his father had bought for him, and he loved the couch — it was wide enough to sit five people, which meant that when Ladybug laid her cheek on his chest, she could still comfortably stretch out her legs.

Today, she'd come here and requested cuddles specifically, though he couldn't imagine what had made her day so difficult — nothing had happened with Hawk Moth, so it must have been something in her civilian life. He wanted to know what it was; he wanted to help her. But all he could do was lie flat while she lay on top of him, her chest to his abdomen, her breaths long and deep.

"Are you sure you're okay, Milady?" he asked.

She nodded, her cheek gently grazing his shirt. "Just tired. I missed you."

"You couldn't have missed me too much. We saw each other yesterday."

"It's how much I see you that makes it so hard not to miss you," she said, and hugged her arms tighter around his waist.

He smiled and grabbed one of her pigtails, idly untying the ribbon and combing through the hair. She liked him playing with her hair, even if she would never say it in so many words; whenever he did, she had a tendency to fall asleep, even on top of him.

He could have stayed like that, awake and alert, tracing her face with his eyes over and over, just so he would have a shot at figuring out who she was if he ever saw her in his own life.

A flat nose, weary eyes, almost transparent freckles...

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked.

"This is one problem I can't tell you about, love," she mumbled like she always did when she was sleepy, turning her neck so her other cheek rested on his chest. He switched hands, undoing her other pigtail and starting again with untangling the inky beauty.

"Tell me about it as much as you can, then, Bluebell." He'd intended it to be a nickname that Chat gave her, but life didn't work that way, and it was too good not to use now.

"Mmm." She hugged tighter once again, and his hand paused for a moment as he relished the feeling of her against him. He worried that his model diet kept him too thin for comfort while cuddling, but she always insisted, and after so much time, even he couldn't doubt how much she truly seemed to appreciate him, model diet and all.

"It's... hard," she whispered, the vibrations from her throat rumbling throughout his body. "To pretend like I'm not Ladybug when I'm not transformed. And to pretend like I don't have a civilian life when I am. There's so many little ways that my lives intersect. But I have to keep them isolated from one another. And sometimes that's a good thing, but I wish that I could get an exception. For the people I care about most. For you, mostly."

He closed his eyes and did his best to take in her scent. Strawberry shampoo and Adrien the Fragrance, like always. No one else in the world would have thought to combine those two scents — she probably  hadn't thought about it either, really — but it worked. Or maybe he just loved her that much.

"You're incredible for being able to keep your secret from the people you love, you know that? Everyone always gives you the most praise for the big stuff, but it's the smallest gestures that keep us all safe. So if I'm going to be the only one to appreciate them, I'm going to appreciate them well."

She buried herself into his chest, closing her eyes completely. "You always know what to say, Buttercup. Thank you."

And she was asleep after that; and he couldn't wake her up.

Not even as that word, that Buttercup, echoed in his head a million times over, and he repeated it willingly a million times more, considering exactly what it could mean.

[mlwritersguild]

Ladynoir but they don't want to go public immediately. It eventually devolves into a bet to see who will give it away first. shenanigans ensue.

Hidden Dates (and not so hidden kisses), by @bugchat

AO3 link; Fluff, Shenanigans, Bet, Secret Relationship, Dating, Rooftop Date, just pure fluff, Banter, Humor, Fluff and Humor

Summary:

Ladynoir doesn’t want to go public immediately. It devolves into a bet to see who will give it away first. Shenanigans ensue.

------------------

Chapter 1

“You’re terrible at keeping secrets,” Ladybug tells Chat Noir one night. 

They’re on a roof near the Eiffel Tower, looking up at the many lights and the stars above. It’s warm, despite being near midnight. The breeze is nice, but it’s not long before they should both leave. To their separate lives, where they don’t know each other, and the other doesn’t know them.

He huffs at the terrible joke because he obviously can keep secrets. A superhero can’t be a superhero without some secrets here and there. Being a superhero with a secret identity was even worse. Lying, running away, leaving friends… 

“Am not.”

“You revealed your crush on me on live TV when we were fifteen years old.”

He sputters, shooting half upright to lean on one elbow as he waves his other hand wildly while Ladybug smirks, still looking up at the sky. “We were, as you said, fifteen . I was terribly in love . How dare you hold it against me? We are dating right now because of it, remember?” He gestures between them before making a heart with his thumb and index finger, pouting at her. “Don’t you love me?”

She shrugs. “The supervillain was watching as you said it, probably.”

Ladybug laughs as Chat Noir flops down. “There is no convincing you that I can keep a secret, even though I literally can keep you from finding out who I truly am?” He draws out the ‘truly’, making a face so ridiculous Ladybug almost rolls off the roof.

She turns to face him and raises an eyebrow in challenge.

Chat Noir smirks back at her. “Tough talk for someone who got so distracted one time she got hit by Mr. Pigeon.”

“You promised not to bring that up again!” she huffs, pointedly looking away from him.

“Not to mention you wouldn’t even say what got you distracted the first time, but I figured it out anyway! And so did the Ladyblog! Your terribly large crush on Adrien Agreste back then was out for the world to see .”

She’s trying to stop him from talking, putting her hands over his mouth, but he’s faster and backrolls over one shoulder until he crouches in front of her when she rolls onto her stomach. “ You’re terrible at keeping secrets.”

“I’m keeping the ones that matter ,” she counters.

“Oh yeah, like which ones?”

“Like, my secret identity, duh. ”

He holds a hand to his chin, nodding, gesturing at her with his other hand to continue. “I do so, also. Is there another one you can hold over me?”

She suddenly has that shy look on her face, one that he rarely gets to see of her. He loves her openness with him at moments like these and treasures that he is probably the only one who gets to see it. But it also scares him because that shyness hides insecurities, and he wishes he could take them away for her.

“Well, the only other big one I can think of is the fact that we’re dating.”

He nods. “Yeah, but it’s not as big.”

“I’m just saying we shouldn’t go shouting it from the rooftops because it might attract attention to us instead of the fact that there’s been a bad guy manipulating people into working for him for the past 6 years to execute his evil bidding which could collapse reality itself.”

He watches her breathe in deep for a moment before tilting his head to the side, lips slightly pouting. “True, but…would you mind the attention?”

She sighs, standing up to move to the edge of the building. He follows her, watching as she crosses her arms to rub at them, tilting her head to the side. “It wouldn’t be the end of the world, Chaton.”

“So you’re saying that if it were to come out, you wouldn’t be…disappointed? Scared?”

“Kitty,” she sighs out, “we’re adult superheroes who've worked together for almost six years. I’d say we can handle a bit of gossip. I just think that maybe it isn’t the smart thing to announce. It might give the wrong impression.”

“But don’t you want to be able not to have to sneak behind every corner to give me a kiss?” he says, leaning into her space and watching a cloud of red blush spread over her face. She sputters, hands tensing around her arms. “If you want to keep a secret…”

“I don’t,” she says, voice impossibly soft in the midnight air.

“Then why don’t we tell?”

She sighs, leaning into his embrace with all her weight, indulging the selfish need to be away from the world and its scrutinizing eyes for a second. “Like I said, it might give the wrong impression.”

“That the two heroes protecting the City of Lights, City of Love, are together in both crime-fighting and a relationship?”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

“I would never make you do something you’re not comfortable with, Bugaboo,” he says, softly slotting his arms around her.

“No, I’m not uncomfortable,” she says, leaning back in his arms to look at him. His hands are still linked behind her as he looks back at her with slightly wide eyes and his eyebrows pulled up. He purses his lips and tilts his head slightly downward further, encouraging her to continue. She opens her mouth, closes it, and groans, head dropping into his chest. “Words are hard.”

“I’m like a five-year-old anyway.”

She shakes in his hold with a slight chuckle, turning her head into his shoulder. “Superheroes. City important. Protect.” She sighs again. “We don’t want to seem too busy with each other to stop the Akumas.”

Chat Noir just barely keeps from joking that the Akumas keep them too busy to be together enough, but Ladybug is being serious and honest with him. She deserves a serious answer. “You’re right, as always, M’Lady,” he says, rubbing circles into her back. “But telling people we’re together doesn’t immediately have to imply we’re not busy on other things anymore. Despite still being two people with their own lives, we have a duty to this city and its citizens. Saying there’s a second thing doesn’t make the first go away.”

“It just seems so superficial and fake to announce on TV or something.”

Lightbulb.

“Who says we have to announce it?”

He feels her frown. “What do you mean?”

“Remember what I said about keeping important secrets?”

“That you have no filter when it comes to your love life?”

“Hush Bugaboo, I have a serious proposal.”

Ladybug moves back from him, staring him down. The unspoken skepticism is so evident, that he doesn’t even have to meet her eyes to know it’s there. He’s known her long enough to nearly always know what she’s thinking, especially when it comes to his ideas. Or actions. 

(It makes him wonder whether she knows him as well as he does her, and it makes him fuzzy to think about her paying that much attention to him.)

“Battle of the Secrets; whoever lets slip first we’re dating loses.”

Her mouth drops open, a smile tugging at the ends, eyes crinkled with ridicule and joy. “You’re turning this into a game ?”

“Contest.”

“To keep a secret we want to come out.” 

“Correct.”

“What did I just say about being too busy for a second thing? Now you want to add a third?”

“Technically, this is still part of the second. And like I said, just because there’s a second…”

“If we’re counting like that, shouldn’t a civilian life count as the first?”

“Exactly!”

Ladybug groans, laughing as Chat Noir spins her around. “What do you say, M’Lady? You up for it?”

How could she say no to those eyes?

[mlwritersguild]

Catwalker/Marino fic. You know why <3

cut and color, carat and stick, by @alexseanchai

(originally posted to the Fan_Flashworks Dreamwidth, for the "Clear" challenge)

AO3 link; Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir as Catwalker, Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug as Marino, Trans Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir, Genderfluid Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Designer Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Puns and Word Play, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Strangers to Lovers, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Because Identity Shenanigans, Romantic Angst, Romantic Fluff, Identity Reveal, but whose? which one? to whom?, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting

Summary:

The fun thing about masquerades is it's unclear who isn't a stranger.

-------------------------

"Hey Marinette, are you planning on entering the Heroes' Day masquerade gala costume contest?"

"I thought about it, and then I thought about how much Le Monarque likes dramatic gestures, and I decided I'm only going if the plan is to guillotine him."

"…Oh. Yeah. Yeah, good plan. Okay."

"You sound disappointed?"

"Have you seen what the prize for the winner of the lycée bracket is?"

"I haven't looked. Alya told me it was a kiss from Rayonnant-Aérien-Envoûtant Adrien, but—oh. Oh she was not messing with me."

"I wouldn't mind if it was you."

"—You wouldn't mind. You wouldn't mind, if. Did your father even ask if you were okay with this?"

"Does he ever?"

"…You know what, he caused this problem for himself, he can solve it without you. All the costumes have to have masks, it says. So if you enter, he'll have to either make the hologram you do the kissing or come up with a real prize."

"You're a genius. I love—that. I love that idea."

-----

"Marinette, help, I don't think I can buy all the base pieces for my costume, I don't think what I want even exists!"

"What are you picturing?"

"Two columns of buttons on the torso, and the closure is either one of those columns or an invisible zipper right next to one of those columns."

"So a double-breasted waistcoat?"

"…Now I have a better idea!"

-----

"Help me, Marinette, these instructions are clear as mud, you're my only hope!"

"What are you trying to do?"

"Magnetic snaps, so I can change out the decorations if I want to, or have one that's attached on both sides when this is buttoned up but only one side when I'm getting dressed. But how am I supposed to sew these on?"

"Let me see? —Oh. That kit is for leatherworking. You're supposed to use a hole punch and a mallet. If you're working with fabric, you want snaps like these. Two pieces per snap instead of four, and with the holes for the thread. Here, I've got plenty, I'll bring you some."

-----

"You don't have to go through with that dare."

"Alix isn't here for Kim to work off his chaos gremlin energy with. It's fine."

"It's not fine. You don't have to kiss anyone you don't want to."

"Maybe I want to kiss a stranger."

"…oh. Okay. If that's what will make you happy then you should definitely…do that."

"Don't worry, if he gets handsy, I'll punch him."

"No, tell me and I'll punch him. Uh. Speaking of Kim's dares."

"Why, what did he dare you?"

"Well, first he dared me to kiss a stranger…"

-----

"I hate lace. Lace is the worst."

"Persuading the convinced there. It's pretty enough, but the texture is just. No thank you! I don't know how anyone works with it, I really don't know how anyone wears it—I mean, I know why people want to wear it, the whole peekaboo skin effect, but I couldn't without an underlayer, which I guess would have to be a contrasting color or there wouldn't be any point to the lace at all—are you okay? You're breathing different."

"I'm. I'm fine. It must just be hot in here."

-----

"Hey, for purposes of Kim's dare, would Chat Noir count as a stranger?"

"No. Absolutely not. Tomorrow you get to either bring me coffee or be my pillow, because I'm not sleeping tonight now you've reminded me of that nightmare."

"…sorry, I didn't think you'd think the idea's horrifying…"

"No no no! It's not! He's not! That's the problem! I'm not going to kiss him, he's not going to fall in love with me, he's not going to be akumatized, it will not be a problem! There will be no chat-astrophe!"

"But you'd like to."

"…yes. Yes, okay? If he asks after Le Monarque's been deposed, yes."

"May I tell him that?

"Please no."

-----

"Father is insisting on photographs of me on the way into the gala. With my date. My choices are Chloé and Lila."

"—what."

"He said it has to be someone already affiliated with the brand. Which, you are more than Chloé is, which I told him and he ignored me. And there's no point asking Kagami to take pity on me, she apparently doesn't count either, never mind how closely Tsurugi-san has been working with him. Oh, and there is absolutely no way I will be able to wear clothes of my choosing."

"…I could bring it to the venue for you? And arrange a distraction so you can sneak away?"

"I thought you weren't going unless the plan was Le Monarque's public execution?"

"If he shows up, I will be happy to arrange that."

"Marry me."

"What?"

"What? —Oh. Marinette, for me?"

"Excuse me, I'm going to die of embarrassment now."

"I'll join you…"

-----

Cameras flash at the entrance to the gala. Adrien and Lila, both wearing bone white—Oh, how chat-grined I was that you weren't there!—breathe. Breathe.

Lila's smile is too innocent and Adrien's too polite to be real. Not that anyone else would notice, Marinette is certain.

Five… four…

"Lila Rossi! Nadja Chamack. Don't be bemused, it's just the news! Aren't you concerned that being seen with the son of Gabriel Agreste will make it seem as though your success is because of his connections, not your own talent?"

(Clearly, coupons for free babysitting are a very effective bribe.)

Thankfully for Marinette's heart rate, Adrien has taken off the white domino mask by the time he finds her outside the restrooms. "How did you get in?" he wonders, glancing over the same jeans and T-shirt she was wearing when Adrien gave her both these shoeboxes and this garment bag this morning.

"Natural talent," Marinette lies.

(Ladybug strolled right in, empty-handed. Ladybug is now going to stash her regular clothes in her yo-yo and stroll right back out again, and then detransform and line up as a costume contest entrant. Adrien assured her he wouldn't need Marinette's help to get his costume home again.)

Jaime Bonheur, Marinette Marino writes on the sign-in sheet under Entrant Name, and under Costume Title, 007, drawing each zero as a circle with a five-pointed star inside—if tarot cards can call that a coin, so can she—and the seven like on a slot machine. If she's lucky, Chat Noir will think it's hilarious. Adrien might too, maybe, but he has to find him first, or vice versa—he told her not to peek at his costume, though, so she has no idea what to look for, and all he knows is this was a very last-minute costume—

Black crushed-velvet knee-high boots. Dark gray wool miniskirt with silver lace edging. Dark gray wool waistcoat, similarly silver-edged and falling just past the hips, six-on-two buttons painted metallic silver with four dots of silver fabric paint beside each; two rows of draped silver chain, anchored at the front and back of each shoulder. Dark gray domino mask with an uneven silver line painted just under the top edge. So many silver and dark green highlights through the long low ponytail it's hard to tell there's light brown hair underneath. Stud earrings, green gemstones arranged in heart shapes, matching bright green eyes. Black lace sash. Black crushed-velvet opera gloves. Marino would like to lick the little triangle of breastbone bared between the V of the waistcoat and the curve of the silver chains, or the couple of centimeters of bare thigh—

Reel it in there.

Has Catwalker lost his mind?

—Her mind? Catwalker has more of a chest than Marino himself does, what with the doubled sports bras under Marino's tuxedo. But the Miraculous armor shapes itself to the wearer's wants—

Decelerate.

"May I have this dance?"

Even his voice is velveted.

"…Are you feeling okay?" His brow wrinkles the same way Adrien's sometimes does—

Marino shakes himself. "Yeah. I'm. Dance. Let's. Let's do dance."

-----

Okay, so Adrien came over here because he recognized one of the Grand Paris employees who's been seconded to working a house party of Father's, and therefore someone Adrien has spoken with before and liked, even if he's still a stranger by the standards of Kim's dare. But the wirework cocktail-glass lapel pin on his tuxedo jacket contains two red dice with black pips, and he looks very interested in Adrien.

(Well. Not Adrien. Jeanne-Françoise Dupont, if anyone asks. He thought about using one of the middle names from Adrienne Aline Andréa Adèle Angélique Agreste, but… no.)

You're a shooting star I see, sings Rihanna, putting a tiny furrow above the nose of his black domino mask—Adrien is not going to compare him to Ladybug, that would be entirely missing the point—that smooths out almost instantly with a grin up at Adrien and relaxing into the rhythm of the music.

"So," says Adrien, smiling back. "Are you being anyone in particular?"

"Jaime Bonheur," he says at once, with extra wiggle to his shoulders. "Dice shaken, not stirred."

Adrien can't help but laugh. I love good luck—that's brilliant. "I wouldn't bet on the contest judges knowing James Bond from James and the Giant Peach," he answers, leaning just a little on the word 'bet'.

Jaime does a double-take. Then shakes himself again and tries to match Adrien's movements. (Adrien is not going to compare him to Marinette either.) "Maybe not, but Adrien doesn't really want to kiss me, so I'm not really here to win, you know?" (Okay, now Adrien needs his contact info. More friends is always good.) "And you?"

"Mistress 9 from Sailor Moon meets the Gray Cat Miraculous." Adrien tries not to look at one of the spots where the sewing machine didn't quite pin the lace down right. "Except starting with off-the-rack garments."

"Gray Cat Miraculous?" Jaime raises an eyebrow and tugs at one tail of the bow on his sash, close enough they could dance arm in arm. "Isn't Mistress 9 the villain version of the hero who could destroy everything if she needed to?"

No comment.

"I want to learn how to use a glaive like Sailor Saturn's," Adrien says instead. He dares to put one hand on Jaime's shoulder. (Much shorter, dark-haired, confident, makes him laugh—Adrien has a type and is not ashamed to admit it. Even if Kim probably will think Adrien's bi crisis is hilarious. Not that it's a crisis.) "It's got more reach than that cane of Le Monarque's."

Adrien can almost watch the fantasy play out in Jaime's eyes: Adrien as Mistress Patte de velours, swinging the polearm in a way powered by the muscles of the bared upper arms Jaime hardly seems to notice he's touching—both of them in real life still as the eye of a storm—and Le Monarque's head departing his shoulders to arc into a basket Jaime's holding.

Jaime stretches up on his tiptoes to whisper in Adrien's ear: "I don't know if I want to kiss you or keep you."

"Why not both?"

(—That was definitely the snap of someone's photo app, but Adrien will worry about that later.)

-----

"…I guess you won the costume contest."

"I won something, all right…"

[mlwritersguild]

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