#peasant marinette dupain cheng

[lily-drake]

Here’s my newest fic if y’all want to check it out.  I’m feeling too lazy to publish it here today so….enjoy!

[milarqui]

Scarlet Lady: Origins (Part 1)

Directory

That blasted girl! she thought. She had been the queen of this class of pathetic, poor peasants for years, and Dupain-Cheng, who was the worst of the lot, had somehow got a spine to replace the baguette she once had!

Baguette, ha! I kill myself.

Maybe that new girl, Cesar or whatever, had something to do with it, but she needed to make sure Dupain-Cheng got the message that no one got away with messing with Chloé Bourgeois, the Princess of Paris!

“I’ve got to get back at that upstart Marinette and Alya for talking back to me,” she muttered, and she looked towards the girl, who was distracted doing whatever homework she had missed, the clumsy idiot. And she also saw her bag - seriously, what a horrible thing, not even a Dior! - unattended to a side.

Struck by a brilliant idea, she carefully walked towards the bag and put her hand inside. Maybe she could find something she could use to put her down, back into her place. Her fingertips touched something wooden and polished, and when she grabbed it and pulled out, she saw that it was an eight-sided box that looked really old and expensive.

Hahahaha! This is probably an old family heirloom! she thought, crowing to herself with an evil smile. She’ll be totally freaked when she can’t find it! Perfect!

As she left back for her seat, Marinette remained completely oblivious to what just happened.

And would remain so for months.

----

Perhaps, if she had known what that act of thievery would bring her, Chloé Bourgeois might not have carried it out.

Perhaps.

But Chloé Bourgeois was never one to think on the long-term consequences of her actions.

----

Back home from that peasants’ building known as Collège Françoise Dupont, Chloé sat on her bed and picked the box she had purloined - not robbed, robbing is something those who are pathetic do! - and admired its colors. 

“A pity that this was wasted in that family of boulangers,” she said. “Let’s see what kind of treasure I won. Hee hee!”

And she opened the box.

----

Within the box, the kwami known as Tikki had been waiting for this moment for quite some time. Master Fu had shown her how her future holder, Marinette, looked and acted like, and she knew it would be a wonderful partnership. With Nooroo and the Butterfly Miraculous in the hands of someone who would use it for evil, someone needed to act - and who better than the girl that showed strength of character and compassion in every act?

The box opened. This was her moment!

“Hello, Marinette!” she said, smiling. “Please, don’t be afraid, everything’s--!”

The light that usually covered this kind of thing vanished... and she saw that the person in front of her was clearly not Marinette. Blonde, long hair in a ponytail, rather than black and held in pigtails. Blue, cruel eyes instead of innocent blue. Features of Caucasian ascendancy instead of Chinese.

Conclusion: Master Fu had made a mistake.

“WHO ARE YOU?!” Tikki screamed, trying to make a sense of what had happened.

“THAT’S MY LINE!!!” the girl screamed even louder.

----

Elsewhere in Paris, a boy by the name of Adrien Agreste had discovered a similar box, containing a ring and the kwami known as Plagg. After the terrible day he had had, with his attempt to finally go to school thwarted by Nathalie and his bodyguard, he had listened to the cat-like creature and jumped into the chance to become something he had always wanted to be.

A Superhero.

“THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!”

----

He would regret those words soon enough.

----

Chloé couldn’t make heads or tails of what this little bug was telling her.

Going out there to fight some monster that had suddenly shown up?

"You’re the only one who can stop the Akuma!” the bug said.

As in, doing something sweaty?

“You use Lucky Charm to save the day?”

Helping other people? Her mere presence was enough to do that! She didn’t need to do like Majestia and waste her precious time in making people think they had any value beyond doing what she wanted.

“You have a partner?!”

And not even a way to claim the credit! No, she had to share it with some no-name peasant, and she couldn’t tell anyone she was the one that had saved their lives! No, she had to hide herself for whatever dumb, irrelevant reason the bug had mentioned, something about someone wanting to rob the earrings she had purloined from Dupain-Cheng.

But the bug was persistent. It kept pestering her until she agreed to it.

Well, maybe she could actually do something and bask in the love of the masses.

----

At the Dupain-Cheng’s house, Marinette thought she had earned a prize for finally telling Chloé off for being a jerk, so she had made herself some popcorn and gone to watch TV, where the usual programming had been replaced by a live newscast.

Un Super-Vilain Á Paris?

A giant creature, who for some reason the newscast had identified as Stoneheart, had shown up in the middle of the city, and was causing quite a lot of chaos.

“Stoneheart is moving toward the Montparnasse Tower!” Nadja Chamack reported, clearly shaken by the current events, as the titan punched a car and sent it flying several meters away.

“Sucks,” Marinette said, munching on her popcorn. Not like there was much she could do. If she were part of something like United Heroez, she would probably jump into action, but she was a civilian, so--

“The monster... seems to be unstoppable!”

And, as Stoneheart kept ambling towards its target, at the down left corner of the screen, Marinette saw something.

Or, rather, someone.

“ALYA!!! What are you doing?!”

----

How does Lois Lane always look so perfect when she does this?! Alya Césaire thought, panting as she pedaled behind Stoneheart. This could be the start of her journalist career!

----

“I’m starting to get the hang of this,” Adrien - no, Chat Noir, that was his superhero name - said, following the trail Stoneheart was leaving behind.

“aaaaaaaaAAAAAHHHHH!”

Pain.

Before he could react, someone had crashed on him, and now the two of them were tangled in some sort of thin rope and hanging upside down. And, as he recovered his sight, he was met with someone wearing a domino mask, similar to his, but red with black polka dots.

This had to be the partner Plagg had mentioned! Well, maybe he could break the ice and begin with a good joke.

“Well, nice of you to drop in!”

“Omigod, no.”

Seriously? Not even a smile?

Tough crowd.

The girl in red pulled on something, and the rope around them suddenly became untangled, causing them both to fall to the ground.

“Say, what’s your name, partner?”

“Why should I tell you?” she replied, with a tone that reminded him too much of his father talking down to someone else - usually him.

“I’m Chat Noir! Nice to meet you!” A loud noise reminded him that Stoneheart was still loose, and he swung back in action. “Come on! Stoneheart seems to be going for the Parc des Princes!”

“Stone-who?” he thinks he hears her say, but it might have just been his imagination. He didn’t pay it any mind.

It was time to be a hero!

----

Sabine Dupain-Cheng looked in shock as her darling daughter nearly crashed down the stairs and towards the door, a look of dread in her face.

“Marinette, where are you going? Lunch is almost over.”

���Out because my new best friend is INSANE!!!”

The bell clinked as Marinette opened the door, picked her bike and started to pedal westward.

“What’s going on here?” she wondered. Well, she would certainly learn about it later.

----

Chat Noir charged towards Stoneheart, his new staff - he could make it grow like Goku did, which was amazing - in hand, and attacked the creature, distracting it from the guy it was trying to attack.

BANG! the staff sounded as it hit Stoneheart’s head.

And then Stoneheart grew in size.

“Oh shit, he’s bigger!” he said, dodging an attack. “Where are you, partner?”

Looking around, he saw his partner standing at the top of the stadium.

“Ah, there!” Good, she could jump in and help him stop Stone- wait, was that a compact mirror?

She was preening in front of a mirror while he was here, risking his life?

“HEY!!!” he shouted, dodging another attack.

----

It looked like that mangy cat had everything well in hand, so she didn’t need to do anything at all! Whew! She could just stand here and let him do all the work, that was what peasants were for, after all.

“What are you waiting for, Super Red Bug?” a voice said from below, and Chloé Bourgeois turned to see the new girl down below, a cellphone in her hands.

“Ugh, you again.”

“The world is watching you!” Césaire said, gleaming and smiling.

“The world is watching...?”

Oh my god, this was perfect! She could jump in, easily put a stop to the monster and bang! Instantly famous! The adoration of all Paris was at hand!

She closed her new compact mirror and grinned.

----

Chat Noir was starting to feel that maaaaaaybe he was a bit over his head. Nothing he could do to Stoneheart could stop him, and it was a hard task to just keep dodging everything. And, of course, his partner refused to do anything.

Stoneheart had grabbed one of the goals with its gigantic left hand, and was clumsily attempting to swing it at him, but fortunately his years of fencing had given him the reflexes to avoid such a large object, and the suit was actually making him faster and stronger!

But then Stoneheart tossed the goal - and it was clear the target was not him, but a red-haired, dark-skinned girl that seemed to have followed them into the stadium.

Oh, no!! he thought, and he turned about to attempt to stop the large object from hitting the girl.

“ALYA!”

Before he could act, someone else, a girl with black bluish hair in a pair of cute pigtails, tackled the red-haired girl out of the way.

“You came!” the red-haired girl - Alya - said.

“Yeah, but why did you?!” the new girl replied.

Whew, crisis solved. Now, he had to find out how to stop Stoneheart, quickly, before it could cause further disruption.

“Cat boy!” the pigtailed girl said, and he felt her hand on his shoulder.

“It’s Chat Noir, actually!” he replied, turning to look at her - and wow, she was quite cute and blushing.

“He doesn’t open his fist!”

“Good note, thanks! Maybe you should be a hero!”

Anyone could be better than his "partner". Not that that was a high bar to surpass.

“Priorities!” the girl said.

----

Chloé could only see red. That blasted cat had said that Dupain-Cheng should be a hero? Ha! As if!

She jumped and kicked Stone-whatever in the head, sending it tumbling away as she turned to the cat and her classmate.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY?!” she shouted.

“Wow, wow, calm down! Maybe we need to use our powers to stop him? Cataclysm! My power destroys anything,” the cat said, his right hand covered in some sort of icky black thing.

“How barbaric. And useless. Like you.”

“Did I look cool?”

The cat thought he was cool? She wanted to laugh.

“Absolutely not.”

The cat grabbed the large net thing that had fallen nearby with his right hand, and suddenly the white on the stick became black, and in seconds the entire thing had disintegrated into dust.

She was sickened to have to admit it, but that trick left her hair standing.

“Jesus...”

“So, what about yours?” the cat challenged her.

You’re going to swallow those words, you mangy cat!

“Lucky Charm!” she declaimed. After a flash of pink, she felt something heavy in her hands, that seemed to be made of rubber and looked a lot like this unfashionable costume she was wearing. “Oh, ha ha, Tikki.”

“So, how useful is your power?” he taunted her, and she angrily threw the thing at him.

“Why not ask your other partner?!”

“You just don’t want to work,” he muttered. Well, of course she didn’t! Work was something someone as important as her shouldn’t be bothered with!

You’ll come crawling back to me once you see how useless Clumsinette is, she thought, grinning at the idea of her rival doing anything useful at all.

“Cat boy, run interference!”

“it’s Chat Noir!”

“Alya, the tap!”

“You got it!”

What.

----

Chat Noir followed the black-haired girl’s instructions. The moment he had given her the polka-dotted red wetsuit, she had immediately come up with a plan. It was a bit risky, particularly since he would have to let himself get captured, but something told him he could trust her.

His trust was rewarded. The girl had managed to trick Stoneheart into grabbing her and the wetsuit, dropping a purple rock from its closed right fist, and then Alya had opened the hose tap, filling the wetsuit to grow and forcing Stoneheart’s fist open. The girl had quickly jumped out, ran for the rock and stomped on it, letting out a black butterfly and a crumpled piece of paper.

And Stoneheart transformed back into a large boy that looked to be his age.

The girl picked up the note and ran for the large boy, shouting what he presumed was his name, as his ring began to beep.

“What’s the noise mean?”

“Dunno, I didn’t read the manual,” he said. Maybe he should have waited for Plagg to explain everything before transforming?

----

“Kim wrote it. He’s always making fun of me,” Ivan confessed to his classmate.

“Pa, don't worry about him. He cried when we saw The Little Mermaid when we were 10.”

He chuckled.

----

Chloé grabbed the rubber thing - now empty of water - and attempted to rip it, but it only stretched without giving in.

No one’s paying attention to me!

How could this be? She was Chloé Bourgeois! The Princess of Paris! Everyone’s eyes should be on her! All the boys should be in love with her! Everyone should worship her! But here they were, paying attention to a mangy cat and Bruel who got his dumb arse turned into a monster, instead of her!

Oh, wait. Tikki had said something about this, right? That she could fix stuff broken by the monsters with this Lucky Charm thing?

“Hey, reporter girl! Catch this! MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”

The Lucky Charm transformed into a cloud of ladybugs that flew around everything Bruel had destroyed as Stone-whatever. In moments everything was back to its normal state - still below the quality she demanded of everything, of course.

“Whoa!!” Césaire said, and she rushed towards her, cellphone in hand. “Incredible! You can fix everything?! Hey, what do we call you, Wonderbug?!”

Now, that was closer to what she expected. Still not enough simpering, but closer.

“Well, obviously not that. Let’s see...”

----

Chat Noir was tired. Fighting Stoneheart had taken out a lot off him. And he realized that maybe the beeping was some kind of count down.

And then he heard his ‘partner’ proclaim to have saved the day ‘in spite of her clumsy partner’s inability to do anything right’.

“You... you didn’t do anything,” he muttered, astonished of her credit stealing. But then the beeping became more insistent and he left: he had to return home before someone noticed he wasn’t in his room.

Somehow, the beginning of being a hero had become nothing like he had thought it would be.

----

Fu sipped on his favorite tea, relaxing after a long day. Wayzz had reported that the negative energy of the Butterfly had vanished, which meant that young Marinette and young Adrien had managed to stop Stoneheart and captured the corrupted butterfly transforming him. Good. Ah, if only he were a few decades younger! He would have been able to go out there and guide the two young heroes in the matters of the Miraculous.

Wayzz clicked on the remote to turn on the TV and see if the news were mentioning anything about the attack.

“... our new hero, Scarlet Lady...”

He turned to look at the screen, only to notice something strange, because the girl wearing the Ladybug Miraculous didn’t resemble his Chosen wielder at all-

“... thanks to amateur footage by local student, Alya Césaire...”

-and then the screen showed Marinette and a red-haired girl he supposed was this Alya Césaire, smiling at the camera.

“Wait...” Wayzz said. The problem was clear: if Marinette was there in her civilian clothes, who was wearing the Ladybug Miraculous?

He barely noticed as his teacup crashed into the floor.

----

“So... her name is Scarlet Lady...”

Plagg was a bit disturbed by his bearer’s angry face. What in the holy name of Camembert had happened to leave him like he had gone a few rounds with trying to swallow some mushrooms?

“I’ll call her Scar for the scars she leaves on my life.”

Uh-oh.

----

Tikki enjoyed the cookies Chloé had offered her.

But she still wondered why she was here, instead of with Marinette.

And she remembered there was something she hadn’t explained.

“Did you catch the akuma?”

Chloé gave her what she supposed was what humans called the ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ look.

“Huh?”

Uh-oh.

----

Origins (Part 2)

@zoe-oneesama Hope you liked this.

[starsfic]

Summaries:

After learning about his parentage, Mikey sneaks inside an art auction of Hamato Yoshi's art, learning both about his father and Draxum.

In the wake of learning about Splinter’s real identity, Leo and Raph struggle with deciding on how to handle it. (Or, according to @stylishbutdefinitelyillegal, Hamato Saki earns the Worst Uncle award.)

LMK S5 theory fic: Erlang Shen is supposed to be on vacation. However, in an hour, he learns that his uncle is dead, someone is trying to do another coup, and Sun Wukong has been filleted again. The people who deliver this news, including mass criminal Master Subodhi, the duo of Ao Lie's descendant and Iron Fan's son, and the creation goddess Nuwa, make things... difficult.

Based on King Thrushbeard, after Red Son rejects suitor after suitors, DBK loses patience and married Red to the next peasant that passes by. Qi Xiaotian, the peasant in question, is very confused.

During another invasive interview pushing her towards Chat Noir, Ladybug panics and claims that she's dating someone. Who? O, just her civilian identity. Dominos unexpectedly topple.

Long Xiaojiao streams the Hitman games and is disappointed that she cannot play out all of the murder plans she’s made over the years because of game limits.

Long Xiaojiao play a Mario-themed DDR. The Traffic Light Trio react.

The costar of famed actor Red Son is terrified of his true form…which is an issue considering they’re doing an erotic version of Beauty and the Beast. However, one of the caterers doesn’t mind beef. Smut.

The moment that the angel steps into the factory, every toy knows. Dogday, down below, hopes.

The Romans do not take kindly to random people judo-flipping their praetors, and Annabeth is forced to think about the amount of violence in her and Percy’s relationship. (A thing that came to mind when re-reading the books.)

A year after her husband is sealed, Princess Iron Fan stumbles across the god of marriage Yue Lao and decides to ask who her son will marry. The answer enrages her.

Based on a Discord convo with @draw-of-the-moon, LMK: Red comes to the noodle shop for the stress-relieving arcade machine. Definitely not for the cute and sexy waiter. Smut.

[thenerdblog]

~Character Information~

(Princess) Marinette/Ladybug

The infamous forest girl and the lost princess of Dupain; Marinette, also known as Ladybug, lives a happy and adventurous life in the forest, completely unaware of her royal origins as the lost princess of Dupain and the only child of King Tom and Queen Sabine. She was raised by the wise Master Fu, whom she affectionally calls "Uncle Fu", she was taken in as a baby to his cottage (though abounded by her kidnapper) and grew up with love, curiosity, and a touch of mischief. Her constant companion and very own kwami, Tikki, the lady kwami of creation (who known her since she was a baby), Tikki helps as she navigates her daily life, from climbing trees (even when her clumsiness gets in the way) to exploring the depths of the forest, where she interacts with animals, her closest friend Lady Alya, and builds her her dream of becoming a seamstress.

Her favorite red cloak and her ladybug mask symbolize her playful and daring spirit, blending into the world around her while hiding the secret of her royal identity. Despite her humble upbringing, Marinette's heart is filled with wonder and creativity, and she remains unaware of the grand destiny awaits her.

Prince Adrien

The charming golden Prince of Pariez; Prince Adrien of Pariez, the "Golden Prince," is known throughout the kingdom for his striking handsome looks, which he inherited from his late mother, Queen Emilie, and for his prowess on the battlefield. His charm has captivated many, including his betrothed, Princess Chloe (who known her since childhood), and countless maidens of the court.

Yet, behind this perfect facade, Adrien carries deep personal burdens. His life has been shadowed by loss and hardship - his beloved mother passed away when he was just a child from a unknown disease, and his relationships with his father, King Gabriel, is strained. The king, ruling with an iron fist and taxing the commoners heavily (a policy Adrien despise), keeps his son confined to the castle, isolating from the world despite being unaware that he would escape. Adrien's heart, however, holds onto the memory of his betrothed, Princess Marinette Dupain Cheng, whom he met only once as a toddler before she mysteriously vanished. Though he has no idea she is still alive, living as the mischievous forest girl Ladybug, he remains determined to find her and longs to escape his arranged marriage with Princess Chloe. His only solace comes from one of his closest friend and squire, Nino Lahiffe, with whom he shares laughter and companionship amidst the pressures of royalty.

Like Marinette, Adrien possesses his own kwami, Plagg, who has been his loyal companion since birth. Gifted with a miraculous by an unknown benefactor, Adrien was destined for greatness, though his father, King Gabriel, remains completely unaware of the existence of the miraculous and their power (before Emilie's death). Plagg, mischievous yet wise, aids Adrien in times of need, though his laid-back personality often contrast with Adrien's more dutiful nature. Despite his outward image as the ideal golden prince, Adrien quietly dreams of freedom, love and a life away from the suffocating expectations of the court and his father's rule.

King Gabriel

the tyrant and the grieving king of Pariez; once a proud and respected ruler, has become a cold and ruthless tyrant after the death of his beloved wife, Queen Emilie, and the collapse of the alliance between Pariez and Dupain following the mysterious abduction of Princess Marinette. Grief-stricken and broken, Gabriel withdrew from the world, allowing his sorrow to harden into a cruel obsession with power and control. His kingdom suffers under a rule, as he heavily taxes even the poorest peasants, showing no mercy in his pursuit of total authority. He keeps his son, Prince Adrien, locked away in the castle, unaware that Adrien can easily escape when he needed along with his squire.

In his desperation to bring back Emilie to life, Gabriel has turned to dark and dangerous means. He secretly wields the Butterfly Miraculous and has enslaved its kwami Nooroo, forcing the tiny creature to bend to his will. His ultimate goal to obtain the Miraculous of creation and destruction (like in the canon), which believed hold the power to resurrect Emilie, regardless of the devastation it might cause. He arranged Adrien's marriage to Princess Chloe of Bourgeois States after the alliance with Dupain crumbled, seeing it as a strategic move to secure his kingdom's future, though he remains oblivious to Adrien's true feelings. Gabriel Agreste's grief has transformed him into a villainous king, blinded by his ambition to undo the past and resurrect the love of his life, even if it mean plunging Pariez and its people into darkness (especially his own son). His reign of tyranny continues as he relentlessly pursues the power he believes will restore his broken family, unaware that his actions are pushing his son further away.

Princess Chloe

the spoiled Princess of Bourgeois states; Princess Chloe of Bourgeois states is the quintessential spoiled royal, accustomed to getting her way and using her charm to manipulate those around her. Confident in her beauty and status, she is determined to win the affection of Prince Adrien, even though their marriage is arranged. Chloe is relentless in her pursuit of him, believing that her wealth and influence will eventually sway his heart, despite Adrien's clear reluctance.

Her demeanor is often accompanied by her loyal but overshadowed lady-in-waiting, Sabrina, who provides support but also bears witness to Chloe’s jealous outbursts. Chloe’s jealousy is a constant presence, especially toward anyone she perceives as a rival, particularly Marinette, whose spirited nature and connection to Adrien only fuel her insecurities.

Chloe’s self-absorption often leads her to act without regard for others' feelings, using her social standing to belittle those she deems inferior. Despite her outward confidence, her actions are driven by a deep-seated fear of inadequacy and a desire for validation. As she schemes to secure her place beside Adrien, she remains oblivious to the complexities of their lives, viewing her royal position as a means to an end rather than a responsibility to the people she rules.

Squire Nino

The prince's trusty squire; Nino is Prince Adrien’s most trusted companion and closest friend, having known him since childhood. Their bond is built on years of shared experiences, laughter, and playful teasing. Nino's light-hearted nature brings a sense of levity to Adrien's often serious life, providing a much-needed escape from the pressures of royalty. The two friends share a love for adventure, frequently embarking on horse rides through the enchanting forests surrounding the castle. These rides are not just a means of exploration; they serve as a cherished time for the pair to connect, free from royal obligations. Nino also enjoys engaging in friendly sword fights with Adrien, allowing them to hone their skills while deepening their friendship.

Nino is a loyal friend who often provides a listening ear for Adrien's struggles and dreams, especially concerning his feelings for Princess Marinette and his aversion to his arranged marriage with Princess Chloé. His support helps Adrien navigate the challenges of being a prince, and he is always ready to lighten the mood with a joke or a mischievous plan, ensuring their adventures are filled with laughter

Lady Alya

The forest girl's noble best friend; Lady Alya, a noblewoman of the Cesaire house (though the Cesaire house were very good friends with Master Fu), she is Marinette's dearest friend and confidante ever since they were children. With a vibrant personality and a keen sense of curiosity, Alya often regales Marinette with stories and gossip from the royal court, providing her a glimpse into the world of royalty that feels just out of reach.

Loyal and supportive, Lady Alya is always in Marinette's corner, encouraging her to pursue her feelings for Prince Adrien. She recognizes Marinette's deep affection for the prince and often pushes her to be more adventurous and assertive in expressing her love. Alya’s enthusiasm for romance is infectious, and she frequently dreams up scenarios where Marinette and Adrien could be together, often urging her to take bold steps to win his heart. Alya is not just a source of gossip and encouragement; she also serves as a grounding presence for Marinette. While she revels in the excitement of courtly affairs, she also reminds her friend of the importance of staying true to herself.

Lady Sabrina

The princess' fidgety lady-in-waiting; Lady Sabrina, Chloe's ever-loyal lady-in-waiting, she is characterized by her obedient nature and slightly anxious demeanor. Often seen fidgeting with her hands or adjusting her dress, Sabrina is dedicated to serving Chloe, even when it means being subjected to her whims and sometimes harsh treatment.

Sabrina follows Chloe closely, attending to her needs and desires, but her loyalty is often tested by Chloe's demanding personality (24/7). She is also prone to eavesdropping on conversations, whether to gather information for Chloe or out of sheer curiosity. Though she has a penchant for gossip, her loyalty to Chloé blinds her to the more compassionate side of her character; she often feels caught between her friendship with Chloe and her own sense of right and wrong.

[xhanisai]

Kim the unexpected matchmaker

AO3 / FFN

Pairing - Adrinette

Prompt - ‘Favourite Colour’

Summary -

Just as their classmates were about to launch their next barrel of questions, they were interrupted by Kim slamming the desk repeatedly with his hand, wanting their attention back on him and giving the flustered Marinette a single moment to breathe. The devilish, almost evil look he suddenly wore practically had Marinette's adrenaline jump-start instantaneously as she realised what he was going to say next.

"Kim! No!" She jumped over her desk (in a manner that had many of her friends flabbergasted with awe), her stance threatening to come over to him and teach him a lesson if he were to open his big, stupid mouth.

Sadly for her, monkeys like to play with bugs.

"Kim, yes!" Before he was grabbed by the tiny yet seriously strong girl, he quickly yelled out the rest of his sentence. "Marinette loves green because of Adrien's eyes!" She was unfortunately way too slow in muffling his mouth with her hand, her entire face reddening as the majority of the class watched her with smug, smug, cat-like smiles.

~(x)~ . . . "Pink this, pink that, ugh! Don't you like any other colour, something more regal and obviously so much more better?" One very annoyed and extremely pompous Chloé Bourgeois huffed loudly, hands dramatically gesturing towards the god-forsaken, practically neon yellow jeans she decided to wear for the day, beady blues directing a nasty glare at her sleepy enemy. Much to her ire, the girl she was glowering at simply took one glance at the blinding clothing article, made a comically disgusted expression and went back to mindlessly sketching out designs in her notebook, taking a sip of coffee from her travel mug in the process. "I saw that, Marinette Dupain-Cheng! But what should have I expected from a ridiculously stupid peasant with ridiculously no taste? Only the most elite would appreciate REAL fashion! Hmmph!" The mayor's daughter's words were left on deaf ears, half of the class immersed in their own individual conversations whilst the other half yawned and rolled their eyes at her umpteenth attempt at riling up the clearly unbothered class president. Marinette stared forlornly at the empty seat ahead of hers, pondering on why the love of her life was quite late to the extra hour of studying she booked for the whole class in the morning, prepping them for the exams later in the afternoon. She let out a pitiful sigh, her blatant pining a source of amusement for Nino and Alya whilst simultaneously being a source of nuisance to the chattering Lila (who was babbling about some random lie as usual) and a growling Chloé (who didn't appreciate being ignored for the millionth time). "As a matter of fact," Marinette finally replied after finishing off one of her brilliant sketches, peering into the distance with her chin resting on her spare hand. "I really do like other colours too." She then cheekily grinned at the rich blonde who raised a brow and eyed the jeans that looked like a neon street sign. "After all, they all look so good on me therefore I don't have to keep relying on one colour all the time~" Perhaps it was the lack of sleep and energy within her that caused her to stir a little trouble this time around and take a jab, the sound of the spoilt brat's infuriated squawks like music to her ears. "But that aside, there is one colour that's very close to pushing off pink from my pedestal," "Oooh? Really? Is it black~?" The mischievous and eager smirk on Alya's face and the waggle of her perfect eyebrows had the designer roll her eyes endearingly, using a finger to push away her best friend's face with jest. Alya barely budged, continuing to wear the Cheshire grin without an ounce of shame. "Just because Chat Noir is my favourite hero and that I love making merchandise of him and drawing designs inspired by him doesn't mean black is one of my favourite colours," The raised brow that Alya gave Marinette after hearing her answer had the shorter of the duo take a little step back. "...Bu-uuuut, it is in my top five and it always makes me feel warm and cosy...probably my third favourite colour..." "Is it blue? Because you rock that colour," Nino queried, receiving a 'Nope~!' from Marinette. "What about red? I honestly feel like it suits you way more than pink," His opinion almost had her heart stop to a halt, reaching too close to her alter ego which has to remain a secret at all costs. Shaking her head again, Marinette took a huge gulp of her coffee. "Well~" The sickly sweet and well-exaggerated saccharine voice from the back suddenly quipped, equivalent to nails tearing through a chalkboard to Marinette's ears. "What about tangerine? Or rusty peach? Or even apricot?" The taunting smile that rested on Lila's perfectly painted lips made the devil on Marinette's left shoulder scream with murder in her mind. "Any shade of orange is an absolute favourite of mine and it's just so in today. And since we're both experienced in the design industry, it wouldn't be a surprise if you're just as fond of the colour as I am, no~?" Hah. As if Marinette was going to take the bait. After all, everyone knew she often avoids orange like the plague when it comes to her creations, usually. And if she were to express her distaste for the colour right here right now, the lying wannabe fox would turn it around and somehow villainise the caffeinated girl against the class. Again. "Certainly, orange is very in these days," Marinette began, slowly turning around so that she could face the smirking brunette at the back of her seat. "Especially since Rena Rouge's debut!" An impish smile rested on her rosy lips when Lila's calm demeanour faltered for a split second. "Rena made the colour look so good~! Her beautiful skin contrasts the sharp shade of orange- and the way her movements in battle make her look like fire??? Ugh, I am obsessed!" It took Marinette everything not to look at Alya, knowing fully well that her best friend now wore sparkling hazels and that her butt was wiggling with anticipation to grab her in a huge hug (which she hoped she wouldn't act upon because a) secret identities and b) as far as Alya is concerned, only Ladybug and Chat Noir knew she's Rena Rouge). "I guess I like orange more than I thought...but it isn't in my top five, let alone the colour that's ready to take pink's place. Plus, I rarely wear it because it's so hard finding a shade that actually goes well with both my complexion and hair without it standing out too much." Marinette then tugged on the pretty, handcrafted blouse she wore today, a smile still playing on her lips as the olive-eyed girl silently seethed with fury and sheer hate. "The colour closest to orange that goes really nicely with me is peach pink~! Maybe you should try out this colour one day, Lila. After all, orange is your favourite colour regardless of the shade, right?" Lila didn't get a chance to open her mouth again as Kim suddenly slid towards Marinette's desk with a silly monkey-like expression plastered on his face, the athletic boy leaning into the tiny girl's space and snickering. For some reason, it also caused a little bloom of dread to grow within her tiny frame... . "I know what colour it is~" If he had a tail, it would have been wagging in excitement and glee, especially with the way his grey eyes glittered with amusement. He was met with a challenging look from Marinette, beckoning him to proceed. Taking an extremely dramatic step back and clearing his throat into one fist obnoxiously, standing behind Madame. Bustier's desk with the rest of the class now curiously attentive, he proceeded with his answer. . "It's GREEN!!!" . Everyone whipped their heads towards Marinette, their inquisitive faces wondering if the class himbo was actually right for once. And with the way she wordlessly gaped and sputtered over her coffee...it looked like Kim hit the jackpot. "That's strange. Of all colours, green?" "Well, green IS a mix of blue and YELLOW so that option isn't TOO bad-" "But that colour is SO last season! This highly established artist once told me that-" "It is an interesting colour but I hardly see you wear it so why-" "Mec~! Don't tell me that it's actually Carapace who's your favourite hero, hmmm~????" Just as their classmates were about to launch their next barrel of questions, they were interrupted by Kim slamming the desk repeatedly with his hand, wanting their attention back on him and giving the flustered Marinette a single moment to breathe. The devilish, almost evil look he suddenly wore practically had Marinette's adrenaline jump-start instantaneously as she realised what he was going to say next. "Kim! No!" She jumped over her desk (in a manner that had many of her friends flabbergasted with awe), her stance threatening to come over to him and teach him a lesson if he were to open his big, stupid mouth. Sadly for her, monkeys like to play with bugs. "Kim, yes!" Before he was grabbed by the tiny yet seriously strong girl, he quickly yelled out the rest of his sentence. "Marinette loves green because of Adrien's eyes!" She was unfortunately way too slow in muffling his mouth with her hand, her entire face reddening as the majority of the class watched her with smug, smug, cat-like smiles. "It's! It's! It's not JUST because of THAT!" Marinette tried to babble her way out but her brain cells were completely scattered and her hands clenched themselves against her chest. "I mean yes! Sure, Adrien has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen! But that's not just why I love green! Even Chat Noir has gorgeous green eyes too! They both have such pretty green eyes!" She was met with endeared giggles and awes and coos from her friends, the designer becoming even more overwhelmed and embarrassed on the spot. "Gu-uuuuuuuys!?" "Hehehehe~" Kim's cheeky cackles earned him a hard smack on his shoulder from Dupain-Cheng, making him squeal like a five-year-old and rub the offended bicep with a pitiful pout. "You! This is all your fault!" "Pfft, me!? I didn't tell you to like green because of Adrien's eyes. That's all on you!" "But!" Marinette began to pout this time around, Rose's high-pitched coos in the background becoming louder as she relished the free entertainment. "It's not my fault either! He has the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen! The way they go bright and sparkly like glitter when the sun shines on his face! The different shades of green and gold within that make them look like emeralds! The way they make you go all fuzzy and happy when he looks at you! The way they capture you under a spell when he's talking to you!" She then jabbed a finger at Kim's chest, face beyond red and baby blues slightly watery with discomposure. "It's! Not! My! Fault!" . . . "...You...you like my eyes that much?" The sudden yet familiar and sweetly soft voice from the classroom door had Marinette freeze on the spot, as if she was just struck by lightning (and she totally wished she was so that she could turn into a pile of ashes and be blown away by the wind). Turning around, all the colour drained from her complexion as she immediately faced one, rosy-cheeked and very bashful-looking Adrien Agreste. Marinette instinctively jumped back a few steps, even shielding herself behind Kim's larger body as the blond teen ventured closer. "H-H-How much of that did you near- I mean! Hear!?" She was like a tiny kitten hiding behind its big brother and all it did was melt Adrien's pounding heart anew. Warmth and adoration flooded his features as he padded even closer, hoping that she would come out of her temporary hiding space. "All of it~" The little 'Eeep!' he received as a response only made his urges to hold her close expand by a million times, the feline within quite displeased that she was clinging onto Kim rather than him. Perhaps a little bit more than displeased because it took Adrien everything to fight off the growl that wanted to leap out of his throat. "Duuuuuude. He's not gonna bite. Stop being a wuss and go to him." Kim teased, receiving a punch this time around on the shoulder from the feisty heroine in disguise, the athlete mustering everything to keep the pained wails escaping his mouth as his arm throbbed with intensity. 'At this rate, she's gonna break my arm. My job here is done~' Skipping away from the protesting Marinette, Kim pulled a childishly immature face at her. Thankfully, before she could annihilate him for it, Adrien caught her attention once more with a gentle caress on her cheek with the tips of his fingers. . "Marinette, you have no idea how happy you made me," He beamed with joy, big, beautiful green eyes peering down on her slender frame as Adrien gave in to one of his many desires. One hand lovingly cupped her nervous face whilst the other brought one of her petite hands to his chest. "I never gave much thought about my own eyes before...even getting sick of seeing them with those silly pictures of me everywhere..." He averted those treasured eyes away from her for a split second, the redness within his own cheeks becoming more and more prominent. "But hearing you talk about them like that? And even becoming one of your most favourite colours? Someone amazing and talented and wonderful as you? I'm so happy, I can't stop smiling!" The pure elation and unadulterated delight that radiated from his blissful frame melted away every single one of Marinette's anxieties and worries, alleviating her heart to the point where she felt like she was floating on cloud nine. "I-I-I hope you continue to smile like that...I'm glad you're happy," Marinette wasn't able to face him any longer, peering down and fiddling with the hem of her blouse with her free hand as her cheeks ached with how widely she was smiling. However, Adrien had other ideas, his fingers tenderly trailing from her face to her chin, lifting it so that their gazes could meet. The intimacy made her lightheaded beyond words. "It's funny...because my favourite colour is blue," He leaned in, a subtle yet wild (and strangely familiar) smirk now playing on his mouth and those beloved emerald greens now glimmering with a mischief that would rival all the cats in the world. "The exact same shade as your beautiful eyes~" . "NOW KISS!" The bleat of Kim's request (desperate suggestion) had the duo snap out of their rose-tinted bubble, both Adrien's and Marinette's cheeks now bright pink with the realisation that they had an audience all along! (And barely noting a very demonic looking Chloé being restrained by Alix, Sabrina and Max from going berserk whilst a furious Lila Rossi angrily razed through her own notes like a paper shredder). "Kim! Why you little-" Marinette's threat was swiftly cut off by the press of soft, soft, illegally softness, her bottom lip captured by satin and silk and the heat of Adrien's burning hands clasped behind her neck. He pulled away quickly before she could act (and kiss him back like no tomorrow), the soft sound of their lips parting like an echo to her extremely flushed ears. Adrien had his eyes adorably averted to the side, a fist pressed against his mouth, hiding his lower face as he too bloomed with more colour. "Maybe...just maybe, he had the right idea after all, hmm?" He murmured into his heated skin and then faced the wonderful girl that he's been smitten with from day one- "You owe me a thousand chocolate croissants for hooking you up with the boy you've been in love with since forever~!" "KIIIIIIIIIIM!!?!?!?" . . . ~(x)~

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Watch What You Say

by Flowerlover123

Medieval AU where Marinette is accused of being a witch. That accusation is no joke, and Marinette suffers the consequences of it.

Words: 3564, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug, Batman - All Media Types

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: Gen

Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Bruce Wayne, Lila Rossi, Alya Césaire, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug's classmates, Batfamily members (mentioned)

Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Bruce Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Lila Rossi, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Torture, very small though, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Found Family, Rescue, King Bruce Wayne, Peasant Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Witch Hunt, referenced stake burning, Lila salt, herbalist Marinette, Angst, No Fluff, but there is comfort

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/45159583

[withloveaimee]

Royalty AU...

Prince Adrien is being forced by his Father to start looking for his future queen. Adrien doesn’t want to be forced into a loveless marriage though like his father, and wants to find love his own way. For his 18th birthday, King Gabriel decides to throw a grand ball, inviting all the eligible royal princesses around the world, where Adrien will once and for all decide who he will marry.

Peasant Marinette just wants to escape her reality of being her small town’s baker forever. She has dreams of being a well-renowned seamstress, making extravagant gowns and attire for royalty! But she can never afford enough fabric to make even a measly dress for herself, nor the time to make it because she must help her family out in their bakery to make ends meet. She sees posters for Prince Adrien’s royalty ball while making deliveries & before she goes to sleep, she finds herself wishing, one day just one, she can escape her life and be royal for a day...

When she wakes up, she finds a ladybug spotted mask and a beautiful red dress and a note that reads:

“Wear this tonight, Princess. I promise you, if you do, you’ll be the belle of the ball.”

As she carefully examines the dress, her eyes widen because she’s never seen something more beautiful (or expensive) in her entire existence. She rereads the message over and over, not recognizing the perfectly scripted handwriting. Who would do this? For her of all people? She contemplates to herself throughout the entire morning whether or not she should actually go. If she did, she could experience the life she’s always wanted. If she didn’t, she could probably sell the dress in the black market and make enough money for her parents to retire AND pay for enough fabric to jumpstart her seamstress career. But, after a rather nasty customer complains to the entire town on how her parents have poisoned her after eating a croissant from their shop yesterday, she finally convinces herself to attend Prince Adrien’s Royalty Ball. She doesn’t want anyone in her small village to know she’s going however, and especially not her parents. They wouldn’t understand. So when everyone’s asleep, she quietly sneaks out and makes her way to the castle.

When she finally arrives, the ball is already in full swing. With the mask that was provided firmly on her face, she cautiously makes her way to the front door, not know how she’ll get past the guards. Despite looking like a princess, she still wasn’t one herself. However when she approaches the guards, they take one look at the mask on her face and they immediately stand upright, greeting her with such respect, she doesn’t know what to do except squeak out a ‘thank you’. Still confused, she enters into the grand hall, amazed at how wonderful everything is. She’s never been insid the castle before and everything was just too beautiful! When she finally stops looking at the walls and ceilings of the hall and looks to the ball, she finds herself blushing as all eyes are staring at her.

But as she looks around the gathered crowd, all she sees are a pair of crystal green eyes staring intensely back at her. 👀

Prince Adrien.

She’s seen him only on posters and she thinks he’s even more beautiful in person.

She holds her breath as he walks over to her, bowing ever so slightly before extending his hand out and politely asks for a dance. She quietly nods. As she reaches out to accept his offer, she swears there was electricity. Everyone around the room moves away for the couple, watching their every move and even King Gabriel stops his conversations with the prime ministers to watch his son dance with the exquisite, yet mysterious masked girl.

Marinette find herself dancing the rest of the night with Prince Adrien, each getting lost in each other’s eyes and each other’s beauty. She finds herself shuddering when his hands slowly trail down her exposed back...

To be continued...

[gyoomie]

wherein lies heartbreak —adrienmarinette; miraculous ladybug drabble • drama/romance • 467 words

.

Of all the blue bloods he could spend time with tonight, he chose her. Her, a mere commoner, over everyone else.

Marinette doesn’t understand why. She’s a plain little thing, terribly so, and even now as she’s walking beside him in civilian clothes she feels as dull and boring as her living room wallpaper.

‘Father found my designs,’ Adrien says, breaking the comfortable silence between them. His gaze is faraway, much like his heart. ‘He – he was upset. He wants me to marry a girl of his choice to, ah, fix... this problem of mine.’

Marinette furrows her brow. There’s nothing wrong with doing something you love, she wants to tell him. The real problem lies with your father.

She remembers the way his eyes lit up like stars as his pencil danced across the paper, the way his grin took on a wistful edge as he talked about the village kids, oh, they would love the dresses and the silken shirts and the precious gems sewed into each one, the parties they could hold, the smiles they would treasure –

And then she remembers her place – what right do you have to speak to an Agreste, you peasant? – and the sugar-coated honesty she so prides herself on gets caught in her throat.

‘I see,’ Marinette murmurs instead. He’s looking at her, an earnest shade of green, but she’s never been able to meet his eyes straight-on and concentrates on a spot between his brows instead. ‘When’s the big day?’

Truth be told, she’s not keen to find out. She’s been close friends with Adrien for three years now, maybe four, and while she’s always known that he’ll have to marry someone eventually – someone who’d never be her never never never – she can’t help the hurt and loss that bubbles up like effervescent poison.

‘Two to three months from now. I believe I’ll be meeting her formally next week.’

It’s almost too cruel, Marinette thinks, for the final blow to be dealt by the boy she’s been in love with for so long, but she keeps her chin up the same way she keeps her feelings hidden: with a smile.

‘I hope it all goes well,’ she tells him. These words, at least, are sincere. ‘I’ll be here to cheer you on.’

He’s looking at her again. It’s silly to avoid Adrien now, especially since this may very well be the last time she can meet him like this, so Marinette musters the courage to look at him directly, just this once.

The glint to his eyes is unmistakable; she’s seen it in her own expression in the mirror countless times before. Now, now she understands why he chose her –

But then he smiles, gentle as a dream, and it feels like it’s already too late.

‘Thank you.’

.

[dessarious]

How the Sirens Adopted a Ladybug Pt8

Beginning   Previous   Next

Marinette was certain she was dreaming. She was far too warm and comfortable to be awake. So when she opened her eyes and saw a room she didn’t know she wasn’t really surprised, even if she did expect to be dreaming of home before her parents… before everything completely fell apart.

“Good, you’re awake. Sign these.” Legal looking documents were shoved into her face while a pen appeared next to them. She tried to focus past them only to find Chloe there looking annoyed. That was weird. “Come on Dupain-Cheng, I don’t have all day.”

“Chloe, why are you in my dream?” The girl’s expression went blank before she winced.

“Well that explains why you aren’t freaking out yet. Think, what was the last thing you remember?” That was an odd question. She remembered dealing with the Akuma and then her former classmates being upset that Marinette was gone. Seriously, how had it taken them that long to notice? She took Chloe to the roof to talk. Maybe that’s why she was dreaming about her. She’d felt exhausted… and then nothing. “You passed out and Tikki couldn’t hold your transformation without hurting you.”

“Who’s Tikki?!” Her voice was at least an octave and a half too high and Chloe just rolled her eyes as she panicked. No one was supposed to know who she was, how could she let this happen? What if the Kwami decided she wasn’t fit to be the Guardian or Ladybug?

“You can have a mental breakdown after you sign the papers, but I need you focused here for a minute.” The words were far less snarky than she would have expected and Marinette blinked at the forms in front of her again.

“What is this?” There were at least twenty pages with various tabs marking where she should sign or initial.

“It’s to get you emancipated, gain access to your bank accounts, and to the inheritance from your parents. Those moronic peasants may think that the bakery was sold but it’s actually being held until you turn eighteen and decide what to do with it. These will give you the options to make that decision sooner if you want.” She couldn’t sell the bakery. Could she? It was her only home. All her memories were there; every birthday, every freakout, every tear… How was she just supposed to let someone else have it? “Whether you want to live there or get rid of it isn’t a right now decision. I just need you to sign the forms so Daddy can take them to get signed off by a judge.”

“Your father knows I’m here? Did you tell him about-”

“Of course not. Selina told him that you’ve been working on special commissions for her and that she and her boyfriend would consider it a huge favor if he could help get you set up. It’s amazing how you seem to just collect famous people.” Marinette could only stare at her in confusion. Famous? She was trying to rob the Louvre, in a catsuit. Why do that if you’re famous? Why didn’t anything make sense anymore?

“I don’t understand.” She could hear the strain in her own voice and given the way Chloe frowned at her she heard it too.

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

Chloe knew that the Sirens hadn’t been around Mari long, though none of them had given her an actual timeline. She was starting to think she should have been more persistent in questioning them about it. Now however, she had to do damage control… and she had no idea what that was at the moment. She could only let out a sigh as she sat by the girl trying to come up with something that might help.

“Look, all you need to understand right now is that you’re safe. Only four people know you’re here and if we even thought about telling anyone else Plagg would be happy to get rid of us. Me especially.” Mari looked horrified and Chloe cursed at herself mentally. Yeah she was terrible at this. “You’ve been running and keeping everything to yourself for so long it freaks you out to have anyone else know. I get it. But right now all you need to focus on is taking care of yourself. Tikki and Plagg are dealing with everything else, including keeping us in line. For once you don’t need to be responsible for everyone around you.”

Marinette just stared at her and Chloe couldn’t read her expression. That couldn’t be a good thing. Mari was always freaking out about something and there was plenty in this situation for her to choose from. Her being blank and calm like this was honestly beginning to freak Chloe out a bit. Then the tears started.

“Oh no! Please don’t do that. Look, I'm sorry. I don’t know what I did but I’m sorry. Just stop crying and tell me what you want me to do.” This was a disaster and Plagg was going to kill her. Mari just started crying harder. She was about to go get help when Mari latched on to her, sobbing into her shoulder. What the hell?

“It’s nothing you did Chloe, this has been a long time coming.” Tikki’s soft words made her feel slightly better but she still had no idea what to do. Her arms went around the other girl automatically as she saw an Akuma coming towards the window.

“Wayzz!” The Kwami followed her line of sight and the next moment there was a shield surrounding them. Tikki’s expression was down right furious as she watched the butterfly keep trying to get through.

“Plagg, get rid of it.” The cat Kwami appeared and frowned at them.

“Uh… isn’t that something you forbade me to do?”

“You can’t, you’ll hurt Nooroo.” Mari’s voice was rough from crying but the words were strong. Tikki just sighed.

“Yes it will. But it will give us at least a week, maybe more depending on how he is being mistreated, without any more Akuma’s. It will give us a chance to plan, and you a chance to finally feel and process everything that’s happened to you. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think it was necessary. Nooroo will understand.”

“No, we’ll find another way.”

“This is the best option right now. The only other choice requires you to leave Paris while you recuperate and I know you won’t agree to that. Once we get the Butterfly Miraculous back we will help Nooroo heal, but right now you’re the one we need to worry about or we may never get them back.” Chloe could feel how worried Mari was just by the way she hung onto her.

“I… if… if you think it’s best.” The words seemed like they were forced out of her and Tikki just gave her a sad smile.

“I do. Plagg, get rid of it.” Chloe watched as Plagg went through the shield and touched the Akuma, rather than just disintegrating the way she’d expected, it swelled to almost four times its normal size before bursting into silver dust. There was also something that sounded like a high pitched whine as it exploded. Okay then.

“Poor Nooroo. It’s all my fault.” Chloe felt her eye twitch.

“No it’s not. It’s Hawkmoth’s fault. All you’ve done is protect Paris. He’s the asshole that put you in this position. I refuse to stand by and watch you take the blame for things you have no part in. I spent more than enough time doing that in school.” Mari mumbled something under her breath but all Chloe caught was the word bossy. “Yes I am. Now sign the papers so I can get them to my father.” She grumbled but did actually go through and sign everything. However when Chloe went to grab the papers, Mari wouldn’t let go. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to be alone.” The words were almost inaudible and she refused to make eye contact.

“You won’t be, the Kwami will stay with you.” Mari just seemed to get smaller and Chloe could only frown at her in confusion. That obviously wasn’t the right answer but she wasn’t sure why. “I could ask Selina or Harley to come sit with you.” That caused her head to snap up.

“They’re here?” Well that wasn’t the response she was expecting.

“In the living room last I checked. Ivy was out seeing if she could find Hawkmoth. Though given what just happened I have a feeling that will be a lot harder for awhile. Do you want me to get them?”

“No, I'm okay.” Mari was a horrendous liar, always had been. Unfortunately it didn’t help Chloe’s confusion at all. Plagg let out an irritated noise.

“She wants you to stay with her blondie.” She just blinked at the Kwami for a moment. That couldn’t be right, no one wanted her around. Mari especially had no reason to want her around. But Tikki was nodding her agreement to Plagg’s words.

“I, uh… I could go give the papers to Selina and have her take them to Daddy so I can come right back?” The Kwami all gave approving nods and even Mari perked up a bit. “Okay, yeah, I’ll do that. Be right back.”

Beginning   Previous    Next

Ko-Fi

Tags

@asrainterstellar @scorchdragon88 @arty-shadow-morningstar @toodaloo-kangaroo @solangelo252 @smolplantmum @jayjayspixiepop @unoriginalmess @weirdo-with-no-beardo @laurcad123 @read-fantasy-to-escape-reality

[random1amfics]

Demon Tyrant of France (2)

Lila had a great week. The class was wrapped around her finger and that baker's girl can't do anything about it as Adrien seemed to be keeping her in line with that promise. Poor girl was desperate to do anything for her crush. Today, she will spin some tales of how Marinette was really mean to her offer of friendship and maybe get her so call 'friends' to punish her bad behaviour by destroying the girl's phone for her awful texts. As she skipped to the school, she didn't notice the tense air the other students seemed to have. She saw Alya, her ticket to increasing her fame, arguing with her boyfriend, Nino. He could be useful when she needs music for a party.

"I don't care if this Demon Tyrant person is powerful. We don't need another Chloe Bourgeois in our class. I am not going to stand for her tormenting us."

"Babe, listen, the Demon Tyrant will mostly ignore us because according to her, we are just mere insects. As long as we don't provoke her or anger her, we will be fine. The only thing I am worried about is whether or not you would get into trouble, you did some bad things to her recently and I really hope she is feeling generous."

"I couldn't have done things to someone I have never heard of until today."

"Oh, she had been in our class for the past 2 years. Apparently, she and a friend of hers had a bet on who can be kind for the longest. The bet was over last night. Chloe sent us about it last night."

"I never read what Miss Bully says."

"Excuse me," Lila cuts in, "What are you talking about? Who is the Demon Tyrant? She sounds bad."

"I will tell you on the way. Classes are about to start. But whatever you do, under any circumstances, do not, I mean, absolutely DO NOT talk to her unless she permits it."

The more Lila hears about the Demon Tyrant, the more she begins to envy the power she has over the school. Lila wondered which of her classmates was the Demon Tyrant. Could be Chloe but she can't be it, she had not been nice to their classmates at all. The one with the Roller Skates? She seemed to fit the Demon Tyrant name with the pink hair and roller skates but sometimes she didn't act nice. The Pink Blondie? She acts so nice and sickeningly sweet that she wouldn't be surprised if it was a facade.

She walked into the classroom, as confidently as she can to impress the so-called Demon Tyrant. Whoever she is, might want connections to spread her sphere of influence and they can rule together.

Lila and Alya saw Marinette with a complete makeover wearing a golden 'crown' that looked legit, looking down on the class like they were peasants from her high seat in the back. Their mouths hung open as Kim and a few others came, bearing offerings which they presented to her.

Lila gritted her teeth. Of course, that goody-two-shoes were the Demon Tyrant who ruled the school. At least now it will be easier to take all her friends away. She plastered a concerned face.

"Marinette, what are you doing? Demanding things from your friends? Friends shouldn’t expect things from their friends like that, especially something as expensive as that crown.” “First of all, Rossi, don’t call me by my name, I only allow certain people to call me that and you are not on that small list. Second of all, I didn’t ask for anything from them. They are called gifts. It was rather hypothetical of you to tell me not to expect free stuff from ‘friends’ when just last week, you basically demanded free pastries from the bakery. And lastly, this diadem ”-she gestured towards it-“is actually mine. I paid for it full price with my hard-earned money. I have a receipt if you don’t believe me. Since you are still new, I shall let it pass this time. But you will not speak to me unless necessary or with my permission.” Marinette said with a cold, icy voice.

“I can’t believe you are so mean to me. I just want to be friends and I am so worried about you when you are dressed like that.” Lila faked a few tears to sell the act. It’s perfect. She didn’t have to try so hard now that Marinette is doing a nice job by herself.

“I believe I have told you not to speak to me. Another word to me and I will make you deeply regret it.”

Alya spoke up, not liking Marinette’s new attitude, “Girl, Lila was just looking out for you. Don’t brush off her concerns and stop being so mean. I will admit I am worried about this new look too.”

“Cesaire, I will give you the same warning as Rossi there. You aren’t allowed to speak to me unless I say otherwise. Why should I change based on some people’s opinion of me? I am not mean, I am indifferent and cold to people. Haven’t you heard I am the Demon Tyrant? It’s part of the package. Life isn’t a fairytale and they all live happily ever after. Lila should be used to hearing cold, hurtful truths. After all, the famous deal with them all the time.” Marinette said with a bored expression on her face, already deeming this a waste of her breath.

Lila burst into tears and Alya was the only one to comfort her as the others were frozen in their seats and made no moves. Terrified for the backlash of helping the 2 girls. Even Nino, who loved Alya very much but prayed to every deity he knew to grant his headstrong, stubborn, justice-seeking girlfriend some common sense. She was playing with fire now and she was going to get burned badly.

Lila sobbed loudly, ”But I am not lying.”

“Marinette! Stop this at once. You can drop the act now. I don't know what you are trying to prove. Being a better Chloe? And we are best friends, we don’t need permission to speak to each other. Lila doesn’t lie. How could you say those things? Just because you are jealous, doesn’t mean you should do it. She is very sensitive.”

The Demon Tyrant grinned. It instinctively made everyone move away from her and Alya, who took a step back.

“Oh. Alya. Alya. Alya.” The first name means that the reporter had poked the Demon too much and now, she was annoyed. The Tyrant walked down, towards the two girls.

“You poor naive girl. With your strong sense of Justice and morals. I thought that we could have actually been friends. But you chose the wrong side when the time came. You should have listened to your boyfriend’s warnings when you had a chance. Let’s hope this one will get through to you. When I started this year of college, I had put up the perfect act of a sweet, kind and selfless girl all for a bet. You saw Chloe bullying that girl whom you protected and befriended. I remember many of our classmates pulled you aside to warn you of my true nature to spare you the heartache when the time came. I also told you one myself. That girl back then was not me at all and I tried to ease you into understanding that. But you were too excitable. You immediately put yourself into the category of ‘my best friend’ even though that title already belongs to my dear thief. You saw the various pictures of Gabriel’s design with Adrien as the model on my wall and decided that I have to get together with him when my heart had already been stolen by another. (Chloe fist-bumped the air. It was confirmed that her ship had sailed.) When Lila Rossi came with her grand stories, you chose to believe her over me. I will usually not admit something like this because I am too proud but it hurt when you went to her instead of me. The point is that you never stopped and listened, just going on ahead. Because if you did, you would have known that I was never your best friend. That I was never jealous of Lila over Adrien because I don’t even like him. That Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn’t even my real name and she doesn’t exist. And the lying. I haven’t accused her of anything like that. I am just calling her out for assuming the worst of me.”

The Demon Tyrant’s voice was like snow. Soft and melted easily. And so very very Cold. So much of it will knock one’s breath out. The room felt colder after the speech.

Alya stood as still as an ice statue, face-to-face with the Demon Tyrant. Her eyes averted as the blue eyes were so piercing like it could tear her soul to pieces. Lila had stopped her fake crying, thinking about who exactly had she declared an enemy of. She didn’t know if she wanted an answer or not.

“Cesaire, Rossi, I have many connections before I was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I have even more now. With a word from me and your careers will be destroyed before they even take off. If you have common sense, you will stay out of my way.”

“Is that a threat?” Lila asked.

The Tyrant lets out a laugh and meets their eyes, “No. It’s a promise.” She turned around and walked back to her seat like a regal Empress after giving out an execution order.

[mixelation]

i have been working on concepts for a miraculous/ouran host club crossover but there are. too many?? like there's "something something hitachiin twins follow marinette's fashion blog something something" but the one i like most is

marinette wins some sort of fashion design contest which gets her a free trip to japan to do.... either a short internship that ends with a fashion show, or a continuation of the contest which also ends in a fashion show. both gabriel and adrien are involved as a sponsoring big name designer + a model. ALSO if we want more people involved, chloe has demanded her dad send her to audrey in Japan bc she's jealous of marinette, and also kagami is there either bc gabriel invited tomoe bc they're friends, or she's just there visiting family. so those are the players on the miraculous side

the parameters of the contest are such that either finalist is sponsored by a specific big-name designer/brand, and marinette was not picked by gabriel. she's there under the sponsorship/mentorship of the hitachiin twin's mom

BUT marinette does NOT meet the host club via the hitachiin's mom. she meets them because she's wandered off to stalk adrien look around and gets lost and ends up in some sort of high-end bakery that the whole host club is at so honey-sempai can try

idk why she STARTS talking to them but she gives a super in-depth and bougie sounding review of the bakery goods and when asked about her life she happens to drop some VERY famous names in like Jagged Stone and the Agrestes and her friend the Tsurugi heir--

Like Marinette thinks she's just saying normal things to her new friends, so she's like "my friend Kagami is with me and said she'd show me around, but she had to stay back for fencing practicing so I'm on my own--" and then she tells a funny story about doing the exact same thing went she went to go see her friend Adrien in Shanghai, and Kyouya has connected all of the dots about who Marinette's apparent close friends are and is like EYES EMOJI

and also she mentions things, like. She has a view of the Notre Dame form her bedroom?? and she has been to all the bougie Parisian places Tamaki blabbers about, either as Ladybug or as a catering gig or just because she does have a few incredibly wealthy friends in her life (and also part of it is like-- most people just think anything Paris-related in automatically really fancy)

the whole interaction is very nice and the host club invites her to come visit so after it's all over, she texts Kagami and is like "i am lost but i met these nice people, do you want to go to whatever a host club is with me" and Kagami is like: what.

Kagami: Marinette, no offense but they only invited you because they think you're one of them. Marinette: ?? Kagami: They think you're a rich bitch, Marinette.

This turns into a horrible My Fair Lady Situation with Adrien, Chloe, and Kagami all trying to give her advice for existing in high society but none of them agree.

Chloe: You're Parisian, Dupain-Cheng! If they can't speak French, that's their problem. Adrien: No, no, no, it's always better to speak the local language. I'm sure Kagami can teach you-- Kagami: Your English is fine. Marinette, panicked: But do I have to know which fork is which??

(montage of Chloe trying to force Marinette to ignore waitstaff while Adrien is like NO!! BE KIND and Kagami is like NO WAITSTAFF tell them you have a self-driving car)

what i want this to turn into is Marinette realizing the Hitachiin twins are kind of mean about their mom babysitting "a peasant" for the duration of the contest and feeling pressured to go to her internship/design contest/whatever she gets to do in Japan in a ridiculous costume/disguise while also going to hang out with her new local friends as Marinette, and also Hawkmoth is around akumatizing people so Ladybug makes an appearance

....and somehow Haruhi finds out about all three identities and is like. Girl I thought I was leading a double life

[mcheang]

The girl squad overhear Adrien and Marinette talking/arguing about Lila; they learn that Adrien knew Lila was lying and told Marinette to take the high road. When Adrien again says that the lies aren't hurting anyone, the girls confront him and explain just how the lies could hurt them. They also learn about Lila harassing Adrien and threatening Marinette. Bonus: Chloe redemption and having her care about Adrien as a friend.

Friends stand up for each other

Post Ikari Gozen. This is a draft.

While bonding with each other, Kagami and Marinette relate about their familial akumatizations. Marinette told about Weredad, Befana and Bakerix. Kagami talked about her mother and her own experiences.

Marinette: did I mention I’m sorry.

Kagami: do not be upset. You were nervous. Besides, you didn’t mean to, unlike that Lila girl.

Marinette: you know Lila?

Kagami: not exactly. I was busy practising one afternoon, then all of a sudden a random number sends me a picture of a stranger kissing Adrien.

Marinette startled. “Wait, if you never met Lila, how did she get your number?”

Kagami: Adrien thinks she must have copied off his contacts list.

Marinette: that is so wrong

Kagami: indeed

Marinette: lying is one thing, but this is downright harassment and invasion of privacy.

Kagami: lying?

Marinette: Lila likes to make herself sound grander than she really is. Apparently she’s Ladybug’s best friend.

Having met Ladybug, Kagami raised her brows skeptically. “With how Ladybug values her privacy, I’m surprised anyone believes that claim.”

Marinette sighed. “My friend Alya runs the Ladyblog. She gets very excited over any rumor about Ladybug.”

Kagami: like thinking Chloé was Ladybug despite being saved by her from Stoneheart?

Marinette: it is so nice to finally meet someone who does their research.

Kagami: I developed an interest after my own akumatization. But back to this liar, why haven’t you exposed her?

Marinette: I tried to. But she puts on this sweet front and people think I’m just jealous about Adrien.

Kagami: if they could see us now, they might change their minds.

Marinette: I doubt it. Things have gone too far. And the only other witness who believes me is Adrien, and he wants to take the high road and let Lila’s lies crumble on their own.

Kagami frowned. “He told me as much when I asked him what he was going to do about her.”

Marinette: be honest with me, do you wish we didn’t have to take the high road.

Kagami: the question is, would we be taking it if it didn’t involve Adrien.

Marinette snorted. “Alya would scramble to bring the truth to light asap. Rose would want to warn everyone so nobody gets their hopes crushed. And Alix already has her brother coming up with fantastical ideas, she doesn’t need someone else to do it in school too.”

Kagami: then we have our answer.

Marinette stopped. Kagami followed suit.

Marinette: we do, don’t we.

Kagami: It’s a shame that, based on what you’ve said, people would say we’re jealous.

Marinette: so how do we prove we’re not?

Kagami: I need a chance to improve my planning skills (especially since she ruined Ladybug’s first plan) and this is an excellent way to bond.

Marinette grinned.

The next day, the girls in class were astonished to see Marinette and Adrien arguing in the distance.

Lila hasn’t arrived yet. (Tikki may have locked her in her bedroom.)

Curious, Alya led the group to spy on their endgame. They were just around the corner, out of sight, but able to hear everything.

“...too long and her influence is only growing stronger.”

“She’s done nothing serious yet.”

“Are we supposed to wait until something bad really happens before Lila’s exposed?“ This again? The girls barely hid their groans. On a side note, how did Marinette convince Adrien to join her team?

“We’ll stop her before she goes too far,” Adrien assured Marinette.

“Really? Like how you stopped her from taking Kagami’s phone number? Lila’s already convinced Mylene to let her join in on her fundraiser. What if she steals the funds?”

“Relax. Lila’s not going to do anything that daring. She’ll probably just flake as usual.” Wow. Adrien really thinks bad of Lila now. What did Marinette say to him?

“Adrien, we’re talking about a girl who loves to get what she wants. Do you honestly think Lila will be satisfied with a simple no show. She’ll insist she handle the funds to make up for her absence.”

“We don’t have any proof she’s a thief. Ok, she’s a liar. But who doesn’t lie?”

“Adrien…I saw her steal your dad’s book.”

“What?!” Adrien’s outcry expressed what the girls were thinking.

“How do you think I know she’s a liar. I saw Ladybug confront her right after I saw her dump a book in the bin.“

Pause.

“Do you honestly think she won’t stoop so low as to steal Mylene’s funds if she didn’t even care that you were under house arrest?”

Silence before Adrien struggled to say, “She didn’t mean for me to get pulled out of school.”

“Oh come on!” This time the outburst came from Alix, one of the first to recover.

Adrien and Marinette turned around. Adrien paled. “Were you girls eavesdropping?”

Alya glared at him, “Why so upset? It’s not like we’re hurting anybody.”

Adrien cringed from the mocking tone.

Rose looked tearfully at Marinette. “All this time, you were trying to protect us, weren’t you? And we only accused you of being jealous.”

“You’ve finally seen the light. Hallelujah!”

Adrien: you girls aren’t going to tell anybody else, right?

They stared at him in disbelief. “Of course we are. Duh.”

“But then Lila won’t have any friends in our class!”

Alya scoffed. “Like I’m letting Nino listen to anymore of her garbage.”

Mylene nodded furiously. “Ivan and I trusted her!”

Alix: I have to tell Nathaniel. It’s what friends do. Oh, and Kim, too I suppose.

Rose: And Kim will tell Max, who will tell Markov.

Juleka: That leaves Chloe and Sabrina…but they don’t like anyone else but you, Adrien.

Adrien stammered. “It’s mean of you to do that.”

Alix laughed. “Oh, we’re mean? How about you? Did you care to tell Alya her blog credibility is being ruined?”

Mylene: Did you think to warn us that Lila might always be absent at our volunteer parties.

Marinette: Did you consider Kagami’s feelings when you told her you would do nothing to scold Lila for upsetting her.

Adrien looked down, unable to find an answer.

A sharp voice barked out. “Get back, you peasants!”

Chloe had arrived. “Need I remind you Adrikins is still new to having more than one friend. His only real teachers are cartoons with their happily ever afters. While I don’t really care if Lila steals and brags about falsehoods, I care if she does that to you, Adrikins. Dupain-Cheng told me about the photo and asked me to talk sense into you!”

Chloe was plan B. Marinette had asked Kagami to share the photo. Chloe was outraged. She saw that it was a forced kiss, and learned from Kagami how Lila was basically a snoop.

Adrien: Chloe, what do you mean exactly?

Chloe: I don’t care about exposing that liar…much…let’s wait for a slow day before we bring out the popcorn. What I care is that she’s sexually harassing you. i see her constantly moving into your personal space as you lean back. i saw her force that kiss on you so can have a souvenir you never agreed to. Now I hear she’s been snooping around your room, instead of actually studying. Adrikins, I love you, I know what our parents can be like, but that doesn’t mean you should let everybody walk all over you like that.

The girls pause as they take in what Chloe has been saying. Lila has been sexually harassing Adrien.

Adrien croaked out, “What should I do?” He wasn’t asking Chloe. He was asking everybody.

Marinette softened. “If you can’t say no yet, then ask for help. Tell Nino and the guys how Lila’s been bothering you. They’re your friends. If you can’t tell any of us your troubles, then who? Friends are here for each other, no matter what.”

Adrien nodded slowly. While he didn’t like being a tattletale, he also admitted he wanted Lila as far from him as possible. And if Lila was wrong, then he should tattle then? Right?

Alya: as for exposing Lila…

Chloe: we are not doing any exposing until we get a slow day.

Alix: When is a school day not a slow day?

Sabrina: When we learn to expect an akuma at least once a week.

Alya: There was an akuma 4 days ago.

Juleka: There should be one soon, then.

Mylene: How about 2 days after the next akuma attack? That gives us enough time to research, time for the akuma excitement to die down, and time before the next akuma shows up.

Chloe scowled: fine.

Alya: I’ll get right on it!

After that, Lila was irritated that whenever she tried to approach Adrien, someone would block her path, asking for help or stories or whatever. And Mylene had kicked her out of her charity after deciding that Lila was so busy, she didn’t want to interfere with her work with Ali. Ugh. Maybe Lila could convince Mylene to let her handle the cheques later. And the girls didn’t seem to want to hang out with her anymore. Before they always invited her out, but now they claim they’ve accepted her busy schedule. When Lila claimed to be free, someone asked her to help them with some chore.

After the debut of Monsieur Rat, Lila was called to the Principal’s Office. When she came back, she was accompanied by Mrs Rossi and Damocles.

Damocles: Class, I believe Miss Rossi here has something she would like to say.

Lila gritted her teeth as she forced out the words: “Ladybug is not my Best Friend. I don’t know Prince Ali. Jagged never had a kitten….”

The list went on, so many were her lies. While Ms Bustier gasped in betrayal, the girls were secretly munching on candy. Except for Chloe who was openly savouring her honeyed popcorn. Lila glared at her, suspicious of her involvement. Damocles coughed but said nothing. The boys were shocked and angry. It was one thing to unknowingly sexually harass Adrien, it was another to take advantage of their trust.

Mrs Rossi: As of now, my daughter will be heading to a convent school. The nuns there are known for being alert to their students’ activities, and are used to liars. It will also be far enough away that Hawkmoth can’t akumatize my daughter, who apparently thinks I would not be interested to know she has been akumatized who knows how many times!”

Lila: I told you it was only 2 times!

Mrs Rossi: akumas are newsworthy information! (Ok, how she missed out on the heroes defeating the villains is beyond me. For a diplomat, she is ridiculously oblivious about Paris.)

Alya: then who cast that illusion of Ladybug on Heroes Day? Lila was certainly around to be akumatized.

Lila gaped at Alya, who showed no surprise at her exposure. was she behind this?

Chloe gave a wave. “Bye bye, Lie-la”

After this, the girls were insistent Adrien learn to expose any wrongdoings or he is only enabling the bully. Chloé was more of the opinion he should learn to stand up to his father. Nino was on Chloé’s side for once.

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH17

The queen has arrived ;)

Previous     First    Next     AO3

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

Chapter 17: Kings and Queens

“Look out!” Chloe shoved Marinette out of the way of a red beam of light. Her knees buckled, and Marinette scrambled to catch her.

“What a shame. I missed.” Black boots climbed long legs, kissing the hems of a ripped dress at the top. A dark tiara crowned flowing red curls, framing the dark green eyes glaring at them from behind a black mask.

“Gabrielle?” Marinette gasped.

“I go by Heiress now, but don’t worry, Marinette, your stupidity has bought you a free pass. I just wanted to make sure my powers were working, and it looks like they do.” She nodded to the girl coming to in Marinette’s arms before strutting off.

Chloe sat up with a groan, rubbing her head. “Ugh, what was that?”

“Chloe, your-” Marinette clamped a hand over her mouth.

Her once shiny hair hung dull and stringy at her shoulders, now resembling straw more than soft silk. Perfectly manicured nails had shriveled into dirty stubs, and her Gabriel-original dress was replaced with a knock-off.

“What?” Chloe’s shoulders heaved, escalating until a shrill scream echoed through the hall.

“You saved me—I think.” Marinette winced. “It looks like Heiress’s power made you-”

“Poor!” Chloe screeched. “Oh, Ladybug better get here soon and fix this! If I see that akuma, I’ll teach her to put me in off-brands!”

“Wait, you saved me. You saved me!” Marinette realized. “Aw, you do miss me.”

“No, I don’t!” Chloe’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t even know what was happening. I just reacted, okay?”

“Please, you don’t have a selfless bone in your body. You saved me because you miss me,” Marinette said.

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

“Do not!”  At Marinette’s smug grin, Chloe folded her arms over her chest with a huff. “Whatever. I’m going after that akuma to give her a piece of my mind. You can go get help or… go buy some shoes that aren’t awful!”

“I don’t think you’re one to talk about awful shoes right now.” Marinette pointed to the ratty sneakers on Chloe’s feet.

“Just go,” Chloe said through clenched teeth.

Marinette raced up the hall, a smile tugging the corners of her lips. She hated to admit it, but in a weird way, she did miss Chloe Bourgeois. Wow. She never thought she’d say that.

“You’re changing a lot of mean girls today.” Tikki remarked when Marinette ducked into a closet. “I think that was Chloe’s way of protecting you.”

“I’m not holding my breath. She probably had too much wine,” Marinette said. “But never mind that. Transform me!”

Ladybug sprinted back up the hall, palming her yoyo in one hand. She should have known Gabrielle would get akumatized once her secret got out, but now wasn’t the time to play blame games. There was an akuma to catch.

Rounding the corner, she collided with another person, scrambling to catch their hand before they both fell backward. “Sorry!” she gasped, but when gorgeous green eyes locked with hers, her heart took off into a sprint.

“Ladybug?” Adrien blinked in surprise. “What’s going on?”

Why did she have to find him now? Even if she defeated the akuma quickly, she needed to be there for Gabrielle. Lisette would have to help her look cute for him another time.

“There’s an akuma on the loose. You should find somewhere to hide,” she said.

“Right.” He flicked his gaze down to their hands, still twined.

Ladybug let go, cheeks burning. “Um, stay safe, okay?”

“Good luck, Ladybug,” he said before running the other way up the hall.

She watched him go with a longing sigh. What she wouldn’t give to be a normal girl right now. Then they could snuggle up and hide together, and maybe he’d finally kiss her. They could get married, buy a house, and-

She patted her cheeks to snap herself out of her trance. There was no time for that now. Akuma first, then Gabrielle, Adrien later.

Terrified shrieks signaled that Heiress had found the rest of the party. Thomas was the one who outed her, so he was likely Heiress’s first target. Ladybug needed to get to him first, even if he was one of the skeeviest people she’d ever met. It wasn’t her job to pick who needed saving. Why did she have to be such a good person?

Bursting into the dining room, she skidded to a stop as Heiress zapped Thomas before she could even draw her yoyo.

“No!”

The tall boy transformed in front of her. Perfectly combed brown hair shriveled into shaggy clumps, and a once flawless complexion broke out in angry, red zits. Stylish clothes turned to tattered rags as Thomas became a shell of his former glory. He scurried away from Heiress with a squeal, and she turned to Ladybug with a triumphant smirk.

“Too slow,” Heiress said, “but don’t worry. Now I have plenty of time for you.”

Ladybug dodged the red beam. She might have been too late to save Thomas, but there was still time to save Gabrielle. This battle was far from over. She just needed to focus.

“I know you think there isn’t a way out of your situation, but teaming up with Hawkmoth isn’t the answer!” Ladybug pleaded.

“Please, I’ve lived among these people long enough to know that they don’t appreciate what they have. I know I didn’t…” Heiress lowered her gaze, jaw clenched. “My family lost everything, but now I can take it all back!”

Ladybug flipped out of the way of several blasts, taking the time to examine her opponent closely. The barcode scanner shot red beams of light that stripped its victims of their fancy clothes, jewelry, devices—anything expensive. Gabrielle wanted everyone to feel the pain of losing everything, so she was taking all of their wealth for herself.

A metal baton struck Heiress’s hand, skewing her next shot, and a black-clad feline cast his partner a smirk. “Having a party without me? I’m insulted.”

“Your invitation must have gotten lost in the mail,” Ladybug said. “You and I both know it’s not a party without your sweet dance moves, kitty. Care to show us how it’s done?”

“It would be my pleasure, LB.” Chat Noir winked.

Heiress pointed her scanner at him. “I wonder how much that cat suit is worth.”

Chat Noir dodged her attack easily. “This cat’s style is one-of-a-kind. All the money in the world can’t buy this swagger.”

“We’ll see about that,” Heiress growled.

The heroes took turns charging in, dodging and weaving around beams from her scanner. Ladybug hooked her yoyo around Heiress’s legs, swinging her around into the China hutch. Realizing she was outmatched, Heiress retreated to the living room where more party guests were hiding, but Ladybug and Chat Noir were hot on her trail.

“Run!” Ladybug ordered, and terrified teens scattered.

Heiress ducked out of the way of Chat’s baton, scanning anyone who passed her between blows. Lisette’s older brother raced from behind the couch, and Heiress wasted no time scanning him before he reached the door. She caught Chat Noir’s staff on the next swing, a grin curling on her lips.

“Looks like someone’s watch was worth a lot. I wonder how much this costs?” She scanned Chat Noir’s baton, leaving him with a plastic copy.

“Hey!” Chat Noir gasped.

Ladybug snagged her yoyo around Heiress’s wrist before she could scan him, but Heiress kicked him through the large window with one long leg instead. Before Ladybug could react, Heiress gripped the string of the yoyo and spun her out after him.

Chat Noir braced as she landed on top of him in the bush, her yoyo bouncing onto the grass beside them. They rolled over with groans, untangling their limbs, and Ladybug grasped for her yoyo.  

“Everything she scans makes her stronger depending on its worth. We need to think of a plan,” she said.

“I’m all ears, Bug.” Ladybug eyed him. “What?”

“You haven’t called me m’lady or Bugaboo all evening. I think it’s a new record for you.” She flicked his bell with a smirk.

“Well, I- you hate it when I call you that,” he said pointedly, cheeks flushed.

“That’s never stopped you before. Has another lady finally stolen your heart?” she giggled.

“I-”

“Ladybug!” Chloe shouted. “What are you two doing out here? The akuma is turning more people into dried up peasants. Have you seen what she did to my hair? Bring me my Miraculous, so I can beat some sense into her!”

“Chloe, this isn’t the time for revenge.” Ladybug sighed.

“I’m not out for revenge,” Chloe said matter-of-factly. “The faster we defeat the akuma, the faster I go back to looking fabulous. So bring me my Miraculous, and let me help you, please?” Chloe pressed her palms together, and Ladybug pursed her lips.

Chloe was right. They needed to defeat the akuma quickly and save Gabrielle, but did she really want to give Chloe her Miraculous back? With her identity blown, Chloe was in even more danger every time she became Queen Bee. Not to mention trusting Chloe in general was risky, but after she sacrificed herself for Marinette earlier…

Something was different about Chloe. Sure was still the same bratty, primadonna, but her blue eyes were steadfast and sincere. Ladybug once believed that giving Chloe a Miraculous would help her be better, and part of her still believed that.

There was only one way to settle this.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug caught the record as it manifested and turned it over in her hands.

“Now isn’t the time to practice your DJing.” Chloe scoffed.

Ladybug glanced between Chat Noir, Chloe, the plants surrounding them, but nothing stood out. A record. What was she supposed to do with a record? Unless…

“I have to go. Chat Noir, keep an eye on Heiress until I get back, but be careful. I don’t want you getting scanned. We don’t know what will happen to our powers if she scans one of us,” Ladybug said.

“Got it.”

“Are you going to bring me my Miraculous?” Chloe perked up.

“Do you promise not to do anything reckless while I’m gone?” Ladybug asked.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes! I promise, Ladybug.” Chloe bounced excitedly, then cocking a hip added, “But hurry up! These shoes make me physically ill.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes and dashed up the lawn, leaping through the very same garden she and Adrien had walked through an hour before. The mansion was far from Master Fu’s apartment, but her yoyo made short work of the trip. Her mentor was enjoying his bedtime tea when she entered, sitting cross-legged on the mat with Wayzz on his shoulder.

“Master, there’s an akuma, and I think my lucky charm wanted me to come here.” Marinette flicked her gaze to the phonograph resting on the chest in the back.

“Then there is no time to waste,” Master Fu said. He set his tea aside and retrieved the Miracle Box from its hiding place. “Who do you have in mind?”

Marinette surveyed her options with pursed lips, then resigned herself and reached for the bee. Chloe was different tonight, and if they were going to stop Heiress, they needed an ally they could count on. Never in her life did she picture that to be Chloe, but given the present circumstances, she didn’t have any other options.

“Are you sure, Marinette? Choosing her is risky.” Master Fu cautioned.

“It’s a long story, but…” Marinette smiled. “I’m sure.”

“Then best of luck.”

When Marinette changed schools, she intended to leave everyone behind and start over, but the most unlikely people had found their way back to her. Adrien took her by the hand and refused to let go. Chloe begrudgingly kept one foot in the door, constantly threatening to close it for good, but something told Marinette she never would.

To Ladybug’s surprise, Chloe actually listened to her instructions to stay out of trouble. When Ladybug found her, she was dutifully ushering other raggedly dressed teens out to the garden. She really could behave when she wanted to.

Chloe spotted her on the balcony, and when Ladybug waved the small box, Chloe raced up the stairs faster than she’d ever run in gym class. She held out her hands expectantly, but Ladybug held up a finger.

“I’m trusting you this time, Chloe, but you don’t need a Miraculous to be a hero, ya know. You can be nicer to those around you all the time,” Ladybug said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Chloe groaned. “Can I have my Miraculous now?”

“Do you promise to be nicer to people?”

Chloe’s cheeks flushed, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Alright, fine.”

Ladybug tossed her the box, and Chloe ripped it open, completely unfazed as Pollen materialized. She fastened the comb into her hair and smiled. “Pollen, transform me!”

Ladybug didn’t wait for Queen Bee’s transformation to finish before they hit the ground running. Chat Noir had been holding Heiress back on his own, and it was time to bring him some backup.

The two heroines kicked in the front door, leaping straight into action. Ladybug shielded Chat Noir with her yoyo while Queen Bee snagged Heiress’s leg with her spinner and tossed her through the door to the living room.

“You sure kept me waiting,” Chat Noir said.

“It was kind of a long trip, but I thought we could use some help,” Ladybug said as Queen Bee fluffed her ponytail.

“Let’s show this wannabe who the real queen is.” Queen Bee readied her spinner.

“So, what’s the plan?” Chat Noir asked.

“If Queen Bee can sting Heiress with her Venom, then you can Cataclysm her scanner. Avoid getting hit at all costs. There’s no telling how powerful a Miraculous will make her,” Ladybug said.

Heiress was kicking debris from the cabinet she’d crashed into when the heroes found her. They didn’t waste time as she righted herself, taking turns charging in. With a growl of frustration, Heiress flipped back into the foyer, scanning the crystal chandelier in the process. Ladybug’s yoyo wasn’t far behind, snagging her wrist again. Queen Bee bound her legs with her spinning top, but Heiress absorbed enough power from the chandelier to break the stone fountain beside her. Tossing a large chunk at Queen Bee, Heiress freed her legs, using her free arm to sling Ladybug into the staircase. Chat Noir grappled with Heiress while his partners recovered, but Heiress parried his blows easily before taking his wrist and tossing him across the foyer.

Ladybug sat up with a wince, rubbing her back where it had collided with the smooth marble. Her yoyo had bounced to the base of the stairs, too far for her to reach as Heiress closed in. She braced as Heiress raised her scanner, but a flash of yellow shot across the foyer.

“No!” Queen Bee leaped between Ladybug and the red beam.

Vibrant yellows dulled, long golden curls shriveling to dried husks. The bee comb in her hair lost its shine, transforming into a powerless, plastic barrette. Queen Bee collapsed at Ladybug’s feet.

“A noble sacrifice, but even your Miraculous has given me enough power to end this fight quickly,” Heiress said.

“Cataclysm!”

Heiress turned as Chat Noir slid past her, dragging his claws across the tile. The ground crumbled and gave out under his touch, plunging Heiress into the wine cellar below. He raced over to Ladybug, kneeling beside Queen Bee as she sat up.

“She really saved your skin, LB,” he said.

“She saved all of us,” Ladybug corrected. “That was really selfless of you, Queen Bee. Thank you.”

“If she hit you, then things would never go back to normal.” Queen Bee took Ladybug’s hand, pressing the yoyo to her palm. “You’re the only one who can fix all of this, so don’t you dare let me getting hit by that freak twice be for nothing.”

Ladybug nodded, gripping her yoyo tightly before issuing the call, “Lucky Charm!” She caught the small black card as it materialized, turning it over in her hands. “A credit card?”

“Well, she’s certainly got enough money to take you shopping,” Chat Noir remarked.

Ladybug pursed her lips, flicking her gaze around the room. With Chat Noir’s belt, her yoyo, the credit card, and Queen Bee…

“I know what to do. Chat Noir, I need you to lure her into the dining room and be ready to use your belt,” she instructed. “Queen Bee, come with me.”

“But I don’t have any powers.”

Ladybug offered her a smile and pulled her to her feet. “Remember what I told you. You don’t need superpowers to be a hero. Trust me.”

Queen Bee searched her expression, then smiled, and the two heroines retreated up the hall.

“So, what’s the plan?” Queen Bee asked as they entered the dining room.

“How fast can you swipe a credit card?” Ladybug turned to her, and Queen Bee cocked a hip.

“Please, I can swipe one faster than my daddy can realize how much money I’m spending,” she said. “Why?”

“Chat Noir and I are going to subdue Heiress, but we need you to swipe this across her scanner. It’s maxed out, so it’s basically worthless. With any luck, it will short-circuit her powers long enough to get the scanner away from her,” Ladybug explained. She placed the card in Queen Bee’s hands. “I’m counting on you.”

Queen Bee squared her shoulders with a nod. “Okay, Ladybug!”

Footsteps pounded in the hallway, growing closer, and Ladybug signaled Queen Bee to her position. When Chat Noir burst through the door, he removed his belt as Ladybug readied her yoyo. Heiress was hot on his trail, and the two heroes engaged her the moment she stepped through the door.

“Chat Noir!” Ladybug called.

He slid across the floor on his knees, looping his belt around Heiress’s legs and pulling tight. Ladybug lassoed her torso with her yoyo, immobilizing her limbs. Queen Bee slid in, swiping the credit card across the scanner with practiced precision.

Heiress shook them off, but when she raised her arm to scan Chat Noir, no red beams flashed.

“What?” She banged it against her palm.

“Oops, looks like I’ve hit my limit,” Queen Bee said.

Chat Noir kicked the scanner from her grasp, and Ladybug snagged it from the air with her yoyo, slamming it against the ground. The casing shattered, and the black butterfly fluttered free.

“No more evil-doing for you, little akuma. Time to deevilize!” she recited. Queen Bee handed her the credit card, and Ladybug tossed it into the air. “Miraculous Ladybug!”

Her magic spread around the mansion, repairing broken cabinets and missing objects, and most importantly, everyone’s fancy clothes. Chat Noir kissed his baton as it reappeared in his hands. Queen Bee twirled in delight as her Miraculous regained its power.

Gabrielle stood up, averting her gaze. Ladybug approached her, but before she could get close, Gabrielle stalked from the room. A speech from Ladybug wasn’t what she needed—Gabrielle needed a friend.

“It feels so good to be fabulous again,” Queen Bee said with a contented sigh.

“Thanks for your help. You can be really selfless when you want to be,” Ladybug said. “Imagine how much of a difference you could make if you were nice all the time.”

Queen Bee’s cheeks flushed. “Okay, okay, whatever!” She flipped her ponytail over one shoulder. “I’ll think about it.”

Chat Noir joined in, and the three touched their fists together.

“Pound it!”

“Well, I hope this is a lesson to Hawkmoth. If an akuma ever ruins my hair again, he’ll have Queen Bee to deal with.” Chloe removed the comb from her hair and handed it back to Ladybug. She headed for the door with her head high but paused with her hand on the frame. “Thanks, Ladybug. For trusting me.”

Ladybug smiled as she sauntered off, turning to Chat Noir. “Thanks for your help, kitty.”

“We’re partners, aren’t we? I can’t let you have all the fun,” he said, shifting when Ladybug pursed her lips at him. “What?”

“Are you okay? You’re quiet today. Usually, you talk my ear off,” she said.

He eyed her with a pensive frown and shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’ll see you next time.”

He raced off without kissing her hand or even a parting flirtatious remark on how beautiful her hair looked in the light. Something was off about him, but she couldn’t place her finger on what. This wasn’t one of his usual pouts when she refused to go on a date with him, and it had been a while since he’d even asked for one. Was he finally moving on from her?

Ladybug shook her head to clear it. There was no time to worry about him. She needed to find Gabrielle.

♪♫♪ Old Scars/Future Hearts ♪♫♪

 “Gabrielle!” Marinette skipped down the stairs.

The red-head slumping for the front doors turned over her shoulder with a scowl, but her face softened when she saw Marinette—slightly. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Thomas told everyone about your family, then you got akumatized,” Marinette said.

“Ugh, you’re such a goody-two-shoes.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t be seen with me. If they catch you being nice, they’ll throw you under the bus just as quickly as they did me. Trust me, it’s better if you just ignore me from now on.”

“But what about you?” Marinette asked.

“What about me?” Gabrielle grunted. “I’m done. Now that everyone knows my family’s out of money, I’m the school laughingstock. As far as they’re concerned, I deserve it. Don’t waste your time on me. It’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

Marinette remained quiet, eyebrows knitting together before she finally muttered, “I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not like you spent all of our money,” Gabrielle said.

“Yeah, but I know it must be hard for you.”

“Why do you care?” Gabrielle asked. “It’s not like I’ve been nice to you. I dragged you here against your will, then wouldn’t even let you socialize with me. You shouldn’t care about me.”

“Well, you don’t know me very well,” Marinette said, “but you could. We could be friends if you wanted.”

Gabrielle opened her mouth as if to say something, then shook her head, red curls bouncing against her shoulders. “No. I don’t think we could be. Even if I wanted to be your friend, it’s social suicide for you.”

When Marinette frowned, Gabrielle rolled her eyes and added, “Look, forget about me, okay? Forget any of this ever happened. We’re not friends, and we never will be. Just leave me alone!”

Marinette watched her climb into her town car, a sinking feeling weighing her stomach. Gabrielle was right. She shouldn’t care. But she did. Maybe she was just a goody-two-shoes, but Marinette had seen a more vulnerable side of Gabrielle—one that she likely didn’t show many people. After everything, Marinette truly believed that Gabrielle Burton wasn’t a bad person. She just needed someone to show her how to be good.

“Marinette?” She turned to find Adrien approaching from the living room.

“Hey,” she said lamely. Because what did one say to the love of their life after an almost-kiss in the garden?  

“I saw you talking to that girl, and I didn’t want to interrupt,” Adrien said. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but isn’t that the girl who was picking on your friend the other day?”

“Yeah,” Marinette said, and when Adrien tilted his head to the side, she added, “it’s kind of complicated.”

“Right,” he said. “So, I guess you need a ride home then?”

“What?”

“Earlier you said that girl brought you here, and now she left, so we can take you home if you want.” Adrien offered. Was it possible for him to be any more dreamy?

“Oh… I guess, I do need a ride. Thank you,” she said. And maybe they could pick up where they left off in the garden. Did she dare even think about it? But what if he tried to kiss her again? Oh, the stories they could tell their kids one day.

“Hey!” Chloe called from the base of the stairs.

Oh, right. Chloe.

“Didn’t I separate you two earlier?” she growled.

“Marinette needs a ride home,” Adrien said, and Chloe cocked a hip.

“She’s got legs.”

“Chloe.” Adrien scolded. “She’s riding with us.”

“No.” Chloe whined, but after a stern look from Adrien, she sighed. “Fine, but we’re dropping her off first. I don’t want to be stuck in a car with her for any longer than I have to be.”

“Well, aren’t you sweet,” Marinette said.

“I’m only doing this because Ladybug told me to be nicer to people, so I can still be Queen Bee. Don’t think for a second it’s because I like you.” Chloe retorted.

“Don’t worry. I’d never imagine that you like me.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “I haven’t missed you.”

“Well, I haven’t missed you either!”

“Maybe you two just shouldn’t talk on the ride home.” Adrien suggested gently.

“Fine, I don’t want to talk to Dupain-Cheng anyway.” Chloe flipped her ponytail over one shoulder. “You and I can have glowing conversation, Adrikins.”

“Why do you get to talk to Adrien?”

“Because I’ve known him the longest, so ha!” Chloe stuck her tongue out.

Adrien sighed and fell into step alongside Marinette. “Sorry, I know it’s not ideal, but it beats walking.”

“It’s fine. I don’t get to argue with her much anymore, so this is filling up my quota.” Marinette shrugged.

As Adrien reached to open the door for her, another voice called out from the front door. “Leaving already?”

Marinette’s spine stiffened, and she spun around to see Thomas pacing down the front steps like a predator stalking his prey; however, he wasn’t approaching her.

“I saw you fighting that akuma with Ladybug earlier. Being a superhero is pretty cool, huh?” He looked Chloe up and down. “You’re the mayor’s daughter, right?”

Chloe eyed him with disinterest, her nose wrinkling in disgust. “Didn’t Dupain-Cheng turn you down earlier?”

“Well, she and I didn’t exactly hit it off-” Chloe held up a hand to silence him.

“Save it,” she said. “I’m not anyone’s second-choice, and I’m sure as heck not taking home Dupain-Cheng’s scraps. Buzz off, loser.”

Marinette hated to admit it, but she was actually proud of Chloe. Thomas was sleazy, arrogant, and greedy—just her type. Maybe Chloe really had changed.

“Absolutely not. Move over.” Chloe wedged her way between Adrien and Marinette on the seat.

And maybe she hadn’t.

[ao3feed-ladynoir]

The Princess and the Knave

The Princess and the Knave by solaneandbawb

Peasant boy Adrien continuously visit the tree outside the Dupain-Cheng Castle, ready to catch sight of the beautiful Princess Marinette.

Words: 1653, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 5 of Fanfic Wars 2022

Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Plagg, Tikki

Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Additional Tags: Royalty AU, Fluff, Peasant!Adrien, Princess!Marinette, No beta we die like Adrien's ability to lie, One Shot

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40132533