#the agreste letters au | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

linkemon · 1 month ago

Text

Dance, you fool, dance (Adrien Agreste x Marinette Dupain-Cheng) [Cinderella AU]

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Consider supporting me on Ko-fi. You can also check out my commissions if you’re interested.

❖ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ᴄɪɴᴅᴇʀᴇʟʟᴀ ᴀᴜ, ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱɴᴇʏ ᴠᴇʀꜱɪᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴍᴍ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ᴏɴᴇ (ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ). ❖ ᴏɴᴇꜱʜᴏᴛ ɪꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ 8ᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ.

ᴘʟᴀɢɢ ᴡᴀɴᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀᴅʀɪᴇɴ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜɪꜱ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʟᴀᴅʏʙᴜɢ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴅᴏᴏᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴀɪʟᴜʀᴇ. ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄᴇ ʜɪᴍ, ʜᴇ ᴛᴇʟʟꜱ ᴀɴ ᴏʟᴅ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇᴛᴛᴇ — ᴀ ᴘᴏᴏʀ ɢɪʀʟ ᴡʜᴏ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍʙɪɴᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴜᴛɪᴇꜱ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛʏ'ꜱ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇ…

Adrien went out onto the balcony. A cool wind caressed his face. He felt a shiver. He didn't know if it was because of the cold breeze or the excitement. He decided to enjoy the last rays of sunshine for a moment longer. He sighed quietly and pressed the pink Valentine to his chest. The carefully cut, tiny heart stirred great emotions in him. Compared to the rest of the letters and gifts, these few simple sentences touched his heart. He wanted to believe strongly that it was Ladybug who wrote them. After all, it was her trademark that had flown off the decorative card a moment ago. How had she done it? He had no idea.

The spotted insect brought happiness. Just as it should. The boy felt a pleasant warmth around his heart. He didn't even notice the moment when a smile appeared on his face. It happened naturally. Just like when his mother was still alive. The big, cold house didn't seem as empty as it had a moment ago.

— You should give it a rest. — Plagg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

The owner of the miraculous looked at him in disbelief.

— It's enough that my father doesn't care about me. At least you could support me — Adrien said reproachfully.

The kwami circled his head and hung upside down in the air. He waved his black tail. He only did that when he was really pissed off or hungry. Or both…

— I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you — he snorted.

— My feelings are sincere…— the teenager began.

They could be. But that didn't change the fact that he was a fool in love.

His interlocutor stopped listening after the first few words. The kwami knew where this monologue was leading. A dead end with no way out. No room for discussion. They had been through this many times. It always ended the same way. Agreste refused to accept that Ladybug wasn't interested in him. He simply tried harder than he had before. He couldn't see how different they were. Or how much he had submitted to her as Cat Noir. He should have solved his own problems first and take care of his own life. It wasn't healthy.

Love can be beautiful but it's also often destructive. The superpower of destruction should teach him something after all this time. Not everyone is destined to live a long and happy life. Sometimes it's better to let go and look elsewhere. Happiness can be found anywhere but time is limited.

— You’ve failed in all of your lives — Plagg muttered.

He looked into his school bag for camembert. He had already eaten the entire supply. There were only leftovers. He unwrapped the wrapper with sadness, inhaling his favourite scent. He touched the soft, yellow interior with his paw. It didn't look like he would get another portion of the delicacy anytime soon.

— What do you mean? — The boy walked back into the room.

— Nothing like that. — The glutton swallowed the stinking cheese. — Forget about it.

He hoped the subject would be closed. He shouldn't have said that. Such things should be kept a secret. Nothing good ever came of that knowledge. Master Fu forbade him from talking about it.

— If you could elaborate, then theoretically we could talk about my participation in the camembert campaign. There's supposed to be a whole truckload. Someone has to eat it after the photos. I'm sure they'd like to treat us to it...

A modeling career at a young age was never easy. It involved a lot of sacrifice and hard work. Sometimes, however, it turned out to be useful.

Green eyes flicked to his for a moment. He knew immediately that the kwami had caught the bait. His only real weakness was food.

— I shouldn't... But then again... I could get a whole truckload of cheese...— he mused.

The internal battle did not last very long.

— So what’s it going to be? — Adrien pulled his smartphone out from under a pile of Valentine’s Day gifts. — Should I let them know I agree?

He received an eager nod.

He wrote a text message, then sat down on the couch. The maid brought tea. He took a sip of the warm drink. The taste of lemon and honey spread pleasantly down his throat. It warmed from the inside, bringing memories of past, better days.

Red and pink didn't fit in this room. They seemed to irritate the eyes. All these declarations of love were useless to Agreste. He only wanted reciprocity from one person. He had already given himself to the lady of his heart. He helped her as much as he could and supported her. She trusted him. He could feel it. He was ready for anything. He unwaveringly believed that this wouldn't change. He simply needed to double his efforts. One day he would get through to her.

Outside the window, a bright moon was already beginning to reign. It was accompanied by twinkling constellations against the dark sky. For a moment, the boy hoped that he might see a shooting star. But nothing of the sort happened. Life was no fairy tale. Nothing and no one would fulfill his wishes for him. He had to do it himself.

The teenager grabbed a large, gray blanket from the closet. He snuggled into the soft material, feeling tired after the day. Plagg sat down next to him, claiming a piece for himself. He shifted restlessly, trying to find a comfortable position. It took him a long time to gather himself to start the story.

— You're not the first Chat Noir I've ever known. There were others before you. That's why I know you and Ladybug aren't meant to be together. — He rubbed his face with his paw. — I'll tell you all their stories. Maybe it'll talk some sense into you. And if not...— sadness settled on his face — your love will end in disaster. As always...

Marinette carefully placed the tray of cookies on the counter. She looked at her creations with a critical eye. She was still a little short of her father's level. The girl tried her best but he had left very few recipes. He probably hadn't expected to ever need them written down. Everything should be in your head. That's what he always told her.

She savored the smell of yeast dough for a moment. It made her feel safe. She spent the entire day thinking about her troubles. She ate a colourful macaroon from the display to cheer herself up. She missed Tikki. She always knew what to do and how to comfort her.

She adjusted her apron and began taking another batch of sweets out of the oven.

— You won't believe what's happening! — Alya burst into the bakery excitedly.

The girl almost dropped the pastries at the sight of her friend. Instead, she touched the hot baking sheet with her finger. She hissed with pain and quickly dipped her finger in the cold water from the bucket. Thing weren't going well at work. If she could even call working for free work.

— The article is in print now, so I can finally tell you! — Césaire waved a piece of paper covered in ink.

She got down to work, as energetic as ever. Marinette sincerely admired her friend. In a world where men ruled, she found the time and strength to fulfill her dreams. She openly challenged them, laughing in their faces. She intended to get into the most widely read magazine in the country. Many would say that it was a lofty dream but she didn't let it intimidate her. She worked in a pastry shop and in her free time she wrote articles. For now, only for the local newspaper but it was a start.

— The prince is organizing another ball — the writer chattered happily. — I couldn't tell you earlier because it was forbidden. Yesterday the palace guards came. They said to write about it by order of the king himself, do you understand? I was so lucky to be in this hole after hours. I spent the whole night writing an article... Are you even listening to me? — she asked, dissatisfied.

Not hearing the answer, she just sighed and went to serve the customers.

Dupain-Cheng read the printed page over and over again, wondering if she was dreaming all this. The solution to all her problems practically fell from the sky. Prince Adrien was looking for the mysterious lady from the two previous masquerades. He hoped she would come to collect the earring that had been found on the stairs. The baker squeezed the note tighter, following the next sentences. He was proposing marriage to the stranger. She covered mouth with her hand, not believing her own happiness. That had to mean that he reciprocated her feelings. Even after she had confessed the truth about her origins. After all, he had explicitly invited all the girls in the city, including the lowly ones. A pleasant warmth spread through her chest. He was thinking about her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She was beside herself with joy.

But then she remembered her promise to Tikki. No one could find out Ladybug's identity. The heroine of Paris was to remain a secret to all people. So how was she supposed to get married if she couldn't tell His Royal Highness the truth? The euphoria was replaced by fading hope. She had a duty. She should keep her word to keep the city safe. She was also doing it for her beloved, although with a heavy heart.

She made a decision. She would go to the ball and get her kwami back. She would try to explain everything to Adrien. If he loved her, he would understand. Or maybe he would even wait, if one day the city would no longer need her. Then she could really think about the wedding. But she didn't count on that much happiness.

— Marineeeeeette! — Chloé screamed from upstairs.

She ran up the already ruined stairs. The whole house needed renovation but it would have to wait. Like all the other expenses. If only the girl's father hadn't remarried, perhaps her life would have been completely different. She kept telling him that Audrey wasn't wife material. There were rumors that the mayor's widow had somehow gotten rid of her previous husband. She had inherited a considerable fortune from him. However, she had spent it all surprisingly quickly. She saw her chance for a better life in Tom. Despite his protests, the marriage was concluded. Shortly after, the man who had been head over heels in love died. He left behind a bakery and an almost empty chest. Marinette wondered if it could have been murder. It wasn't that hard to get poison if you knew where to look. Bribing a doctor wasn't a problem either. Ultimately, however, Marinette decided that such a venture wouldn't make sense. Bourgeois knew perfectly well how much money was left. Besides, she had never intended to run a business. This situation didn't help her in any way. And unlike her daughter, she did nothing out of pure malice but out of a desire for profit.

The girl pushed the creaking door open. She looked at the room and cursed under her breath. She had only just cleaned yesterday. And today the floor was covered with every possible outfit. Dresses and petticoats were spilling out of the wide open old oak wardrobe. Between them were frames and dozens of pairs of colourful shoes. A few ribbons flew out the window because of the draft. She turned her gaze to the dressing table. She didn't look any better. Earrings, beads and necklaces were scattered in disarray. A black, skinny cat was nudging one of the trinkets with its paw. It wagged its tail happily whenever it managed to hit the target. In the middle of the mess stood her dissatisfied stepsister. She took a deep breath. Another scream was coming. However, her mother reprimanded her with a look. She tightened the corset. With a deft movement, she began to lace it. Marinette watched with satisfaction as Chloé suffered.

— I'm glad you're here — Audrey said.

She looked at her stepdaughter's reflection in the mirror. A look full of contempt. She no longer had to hide it. White flour and black hands. This was what messing around in the bakery ended up like. She promised herself she would never stoop to that level. She had survived this long, she would manage now. All she had to do was get the money. And then she would leave this filthy dump. She would sell the place to the first buyer she came across. She would forget she had ever had to endure this town. The villagers accused anyone who suddenly found themselves better off of murder. No one was looking from her perspective. If their last resort had been a relationship with an aging, fat baker, they would have done what she had done without hesitation. Fortunately, it would all be over soon. She had almost reached her destination.

— Chloé needs a new dress for the next ball.

— How do you know about the ball? — Marinette couldn't contain her surprise.

Alya had just come in with the article. The papers were still in print.

— Don't ask stupid questions — said the sister, trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. — It's obvious that mother knows everything that goes on here.

— We have no money — said the baker.

She should have said: "You don't have any money." She managed to save up a little. Unfortunately, only from tips. The rest of the budget was controlled by Bourgeois. It looked more or less like she was spending at an alarming rate what her employees had worked hard for. She had no idea how to manage money. Suppliers looked at her with disdain. The decline in product quality meant worse baked goods. And that, in turn, translated into customers and low revenue. It wouldn't have been a tragedy if she hadn't been so wasteful. Unfortunately, it all went to her spoiled daughter.

Marinette still couldn't believe her father had left her out of the will. Someone had probably forged it but without hard evidence she had no chance. The courts had strangely turned against the poorer citizens more than once. All she could do was try to make ends meet. One day she would quit her job and leave but not yet.

— We won't ask for a seamstress. You take care of it — Audrey finally turned to her.

— I have a lot of work at the bakery…— the girl began.

— Césaire will take care of it — the woman interrupted. — Get to work.

The baker looked into the cold blue eyes. She was ready to protest but then an idea came to her mind. Perfect. It would solve all her problems. She must have been exceptionally lucky today.

— Only if you take me to the ball with you. — She lifted her chin high.

She might be a total loser but a lot depended on it. Especially her future life and the fate of Tikki. She wouldn't let herself be used. Not this time. She would act like Ladybug. It had to work.

The woman stood in silence for a moment. She considered the offer. She glanced at her daughter out of the corner of her eye. She put a finger to her lips, seeing that she was going to say something. Audrey was sick and tired of everything. She wouldn't let such an opportunity slip under her nose for a stupid reason.

— I agree. — She nodded and went back to looking through the pile of clothes.

Marinette congratulated herself. For once she had succeeded at something. And without a miraculous. She felt her confidence grow. She had a chance to play this whole situation right.

The girl looked at her hands. They were all pricked and red. Her fingers were numb from holding the needle all the time. She picked up the dress. Marinette looked at her design critically. She wanted to ruin it on purpose but Audrey wasn't stupid. If it didn't meet the standards, she could say goodbye to the ride.

She still couldn't believe how she had made it in time. She had never sewn so fast in her life. She handed the clothes to her stepmother. On one hand, she was proud of them but on the other, the thought of whose hands all her hard work would end up in made her feel sick.

Chloé had requested yellow and black fabric. The striped creation swayed with every step. Her sister had tied her hair into a tight bun decorated with gold combs. The longer you looked at her, the more she resembled a bee. Or better yet, a wasp. At least the former was useful. Meanwhile, the latter was much more vile…

— Be ready at seven. We won't wait — Audrey said as Marinette left the room. — Finally, all my problems will be over — she added quietly.

The girl ran to the well. She wasn't as dirty as she had been when she spent her mornings at the bakery but she still needed a bath. She lugged several buckets of water up to the upper floor. Luckily, there was a tub nearby. Her stepsister had been soaking in it all morning.

She shuddered as she dipped her foot. The water was freezing cold. She hadn't had time to heat it up. She forced herself and began scrubbing her skin.

The question that kept recurring in her mind was: Why did her stepmother have such faith in her daughter's chances? Despite all her faults, she wasn't stupid. There was no reason she should have bet on her winnings. Chloé didn't have an earring and the prince barely remembered her. And yet, her mother acted as if she had this one in a bag.

Marinette began to comb her hair. The black, tangled strands gave way under the pressure of the brush. They dried very quickly in the warm summer air.

She looked out the dirty window. A carriage was parked outside the house. Every vehicle in the area had been booked as soon as the news had spread. Perhaps people were hoping to find a very similar earring and grab a chance at marriage. Or some simply wanted to see the palace with their own eyes. Even the oldest couldn’t remember the last time the common folk had been allowed to visit it. All they needed was an invitation, handed out exclusively to women and their families in all the larger squares. They were also informed that without proper attire, there was no point in coming. The guards had to weed out the girls somehow and the mysterious stranger had so far appeared in beautiful dresses. Adrien knew the truth but the town had been expecting a rich young lady.

Wild roses were climbing the side of the building. Her favourite red flowers were growing just below the windowsill. She leaned over to pick one and tucked it behind her ear. That would have to do. She didn't have time to do an elaborate hairdo. The clock ticked quietly, counting down the seconds.

She went to the chest. She lifted the lid, hearing the familiar creaking of the hinges. She jumped away from it with a squeak. She didn't expect what she found inside at all. Mice were running around on the bottom. She felt disgust. She instinctively raised her hand to her mouth, feeling the vomit rising. The little creatures looked nasty. Some of them had traces of blood on their fur. They were pawing with their gray paws, biting into her dress. Marinette had no choice. She quickly dipped her hand in to pull out the dress. The red material was covered in round holes where small, sharp teeth had bitten through it. She looked around the storage room. Something flashed in the light of the setting sun. She looked at it closer. Gold glitter. And next to it, a remnant of some old cheese. It wasn't a coincidence.

She ran out of the house in just her petticoat.

— You’re not planning on going like that, are you? — Audrey seemed surprised.

Her eyes showed she had no hand in this. Chloé's behaviour confirmed that she was the culprit. Golden particles shimmered as she climbed into the carriage. She turned and stuck out her tongue at the girl.

— You…— Marinette began, clenching her fists.

She felt anger rising in her. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Tikki always reminded her not to be angry. The akumas were just waiting for sadness and anger. And now, without her powers, she had no way to face them.

— We can't wait — the stepmother said dryly.

The coachman took these words as a sign to depart. He grabbed the reins. The pair of gray horses obediently took off. The black carriage left clouds of dust behind it.

The girl stared at her smiling half-sister. She even had the nerve to mock her by sticking her head out the window.

The sight should have broken her. Instead, she felt determined. She wouldn't let her win. She'd still take her down a peg by showing up at the ball. Besides, she had to get the miraculous back. She couldn't leave it in the palace. The kwami was counting on her.

She ran back home. She began nervously sorting through the things in Bourgeois's closet. She pulled out the remains of the black material. There wasn't much left but it should be enough. She took the scissors and with a deft movement cut out a dozen or so circles. She sewed them to the dress. They covered what the mice had chewed out. Delighted, she put the dress on. She spun around a few times, admiring her work. She looked like Ladybug again. Even if it wasn't her usual costume.

This time, instead of the city, she was saving her own life.

There was still the matter of getting to the ball. She was already late. All the carriages in town had been booked. Besides, they had long since left. Some had set off into the centre of Paris first thing in the morning, fearing the crowds. The only means of transport she could think of was a horse. She didn’t have one. After all, the bakery didn’t need animals. But her neighbour, Max, kept one in a paddock nearby. He never looked after it. He was always playing games. Gambling had become second nature to him. His mind was full of ideas for his own versions of chess or cards but no one understood their rules. So he put all his creative work aside, focusing on the standard winnings to get by. On an evening like this, he sat and earned money, depriving people of their fortunes. A faint glow of light could be seen in the window of his house.

Marinette looked around the street nervously. There wasn't a soul in sight. As she opened the gate in the fence, she felt a pang of guilt. She had never robbed anyone before. And certainly not for her own gain. Sometimes she destroyed things borrowed from the locals when she fought villains but everything always went back to normal after they were defeated. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She was doing this for the city. After all, who would save it when her powers ran out?

She released the bay horse. Riding bareback was no easy feat. She clung tightly to the brown-red mane. She urged the horse along the cobblestone streets, praying that no one would look out the window.

As she entered the forest, she felt uneasy. The darkness was only illuminated by the light of the crescent moon. The beaten track was covered with a few leaves. The branches of the trees creaked in the gentle wind. Dust rose from under her hooves as she urged her stallion to ride faster. Time was running out and she was already late.

What exactly should she tell the prince when he got there? She didn't want to break his heart so much. Their acquaintance didn't last long and yet something sparked between them. They met at a ball thrown by his father. A dozen or so times after that. She never told him how she managed to sneak under the guards' noses. It was her secret. They talked all night long. About trivial and serious topics. Until one day he kissed her. She smiled to herself at the memory. How wonderful it would be to be able to repeat this every day. To fall asleep and wake up next to him. To share her life. To comfort him in sadness. To be the one he turned to with everything. His kindness always moved her deeply. She saw how he treated others. Once she was fighting in the palace. Instead of saving himself, he shielded a maid who didn't manage to escape in time. Adrien was special. She was sure of that but did she have the right to stand by his side? She accepted the duty. She swore not to break her promise to Tikki.

The glow from the palace illuminated the darkness of the night. She had seen this building hundreds of times but it amazed her every time. Its vastness made her feel tiny. Massive, old, stone walls. Countless hundreds of windows and doors. Rooms where one could easily get lost. Like a huge labyrinth full of splendor.

She drove through the guard station without any problems. Many guests were coming and going through the main gate. She tied the bay horse to one of the free posts. She hoped no one would steal it. Many thieves were just waiting for such an opportunity. Coachmen or servants guarded the carriages but the poorer ones had to rely on themselves. Some came with their families. She saw people changing each other. They probably came after the party to stand guard. Sometimes the horses were their most valuable possessions. No wonder they were so well looked after. If they didn't have them to plow the fields, they would suffer from hunger. Despite this, they wanted to try their luck. Marrying a prince could change anyone's fate.

She walked through the garden, wondering how it looked from a different perspective. Up until now, she had only seen it from above. Being a Ladybug had its advantages but she missed out on truly beautiful views. She was especially pleased with her favourite flowers. The main alley was planted with roses. Multicoloured buds created colourful carpets. Butterflies danced above them, fluttering their wings impatiently. They reluctantly ran away from the guests strolling under the moonlight.

Marinette climbed the grand marble staircase. She put on a red mask and tied a ribbon. When she reached the palace gates, she felt proud. She was already close to her destination.

— Please step back. — The calm and formal tone made her stop in her tracks.

A tall woman stood in front of the entrance. Her black hair was tied in a bun. She had glasses on her nose, which she adjusted every now and then with a quick, businesslike movement. In her blue dress, she resembled a peacock. Long feathers were cleverly pinned under the corset. She would have looked beautiful if not for the severe expression on her face.

— Of course. — She smiled nervously. — Here's the invitation.

— You misunderstood me, miss. No more people will be allowed in here today — the strange guard announced.

— Excuse me? — Marinette felt something twist inside her.

She was almost there. She was so close to getting her miraculous back.

— That's right. You should have come earlier — the woman sighed.

Nathalie was sick and tired of everything. She had been standing in the doorway all evening, checking on the guests. The king himself had asked her to do it. She couldn't refuse him. Everyone at court was already gossiping about her behind her back. Many men were vying for the position of advisor. They had commented on her gender more than once. If she had given them a reason, they would have kicked her out. So she patiently endured the boring task. Nothing irritated her more than being late and besides, the guards had asked her not to let anyone else in. So for the past hour, she had been turning away anyone who had even thought of coming at such an hour.

Besides, the gracious ruler Gabriel Agreste had no desire to marry his son off to his dream bride. He had his own plans for that but knowing the prince's stubbornness, he promised him this privilege. In return, he had to behave responsibly and promise to take the crown. He had rebelled more than once, much to his father's chagrin.

So the ball continued, and Sancoeur felt her patience slowly wearing thin.

— Look what’s going on over there. — She pointed resignedly toward the ballroom.

Marinette followed her gaze. To her surprise, few people were dancing. Unlike the previous parties, the music wasn't lively or cheerful but perfectly quiet. Just right for conversation. Some people were standing at tables with food. Some weren't even hiding putting it in their bags. They must have been poorer residents who decided to invest in the opportunity. Food prices had skyrocketed since the attacks on the city began. Importing exotic food cost a fortune. Probably more than one thief had also robbed someone of jewelry or money. This was the perfect moment.

The throne was placed in front of the entrance. The king was nowhere to be seen but Adrien was sitting right next to him. Dressed in black and green, he spoke to the guests with sadness on his face. Only when looking at him did Marinette understand what was going on. A line of girls and women of all ages was winding in front of the dais. One by one, they approached to show him their jewelry. The search for the earring was still ongoing.

— But I have to go in there! — she protested.

She lifted her skirt and started running. She passed the woman but she didn't get far.

— Guards!

Two strong men grabbed her by the arms, pulling her toward the stairs. She struggled, trying to get another few meters. She was aware that everyone was looking at her but it didn't matter. What mattered was her lover, standing on the other side of the room.

— Let me go!

— Why not? — the man cackled.

His gorilla-like frame towered over everyone gathered there.

— Because I’m Ladybug, damn it! — Marinette screamed.

It wasn't until the sentence had left her mouth that she realized what she had done. She froze, processing what she had said in her head. Most of the guests had already gone back to their own business but the guard looked at her more closely, raising an eyebrow.

— Leave her alone! — She had never been so glad to hear the sound of someone’s voice as she was at that moment.

He stood before her. His blond hair reflected the glow of the candles from all the chandeliers. She wanted to ruffle it, like she always did when they were alone. He stood out from the crowd in his dark, formal uniform. He looked even more handsome than ever, though she was sure that was impossible. But the most beautiful thing was his smile. The corners of his mouth turned up as he recognized her despite her new dress and mask.

— You're late — Adrien whispered.

The hint of amusement quickly faded, though. He held out his hand, holding a red earring with black dots. He wanted confirmation. He had to know if it was really her.

She felt bad that he had to wait for her so long. She held out the second one to pair up. The boy raised his head. There was so much warmth and hope in his gaze. She wasn't sure if anyone had ever looked at her like that before. As if she was his whole world.

She reached out for her own. This wasn't the time to lose herself in a feeling she couldn't have. She was here for Tikki and she should be the priority.

To her surprise, Adrien clenched his fist and withdrew his hand. She looked at him questioningly.

— I'm afraid... that if I give you this earring — he took a breath — you'll leave...

How close to the truth he was... It was exactly what she should have done and yet her heart ached for him. The thought of leaving him made her feel awful. So she kept quiet, not wanting to spoil anything.

— Will you dance with me? — he asked.

She nodded, unable to utter a single word.

She thought about how perfectly their fingers intertwined. A pleasant warmth spread through her body when he pulled her closer to him. A pleasant shiver ran through the place where he touched her waist. Green eyes stared at her the whole time. They spun together to a calm melody. She didn't know all the steps but it didn't matter. She felt safe in his arms. Responsibilities disappeared. There was pure joy left. She looked at his face shyly, trying to gather her thoughts. He made her head spin. How wonderful it would be to stand by this man's side in front of the altar. She wanted to become his support. To be the confidant of his secrets. The only person she would ever love. The vision of a prince in the arms of another woman couldn't form in her imagination. It hurt too much.

— You were shouting earlier... — the prince hesitated. — Were you trying to get my attention or are you really the Ladybug?

Marinette stumbled. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her back up. She knew that was enough for the answer.

— What if I am? — She looked up.

She was afraid. Although she didn't want to admit it to herself. She was afraid of revealing this secret but she was even more afraid of being rejected.

— Just one more reason to love you. — Adrien snuggled into the crook of her neck.

She sighed with relief. A smile crept onto her lips. She couldn't stop it.

— Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. — The boy placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

She smelled the roses. A sweet, rich scent. He must have been walking in the garden earlier. She felt safe, breathing in that familiar fragrance It reminded her of all the nights they spent together. The furtive glances, the shy grasping of hands and the pearly laughter that carried over the palace towers.

The violinist finished playing sad notes. The last notes dispersed into the air. The hall was once again swarming with curious glances. Whispers of conversation carried in the silence. The spell of the moment was broken.

— How do you imagine that? — The girl took a step away from her partner. — How would I marry you?

— Everything will work out somehow — he assured. — The important thing is that we have each other.

This wasn't the answer she was expecting. She was already having trouble hiding her identity. Taking on the crown required being the center of attention. How would she sneak away to fight evil? When would she ever find the time? New duties, etiquette and responsibility for her subjects... It was a high price to pay for love.

And yet Adrien's words, though stupidly naive, seemed beautiful in their simplicity. Maybe she was worrying too much about everything? After all, she, too, deserved happiness. If she didn't reach for it, she would only have herself to blame.

— I'd like to give you more time to think but I don't have it. — The prince nodded toward the throne. — Wait for me by the fountain. No one will disturb us there.

He handed the earrings back, enjoying her touch for a long moment. He turned to leave but stopped for a moment and added:

— No matter what you choose, I hope you'll be happy.

Marinette stood in the middle of the room for a moment, dumbfounded. She knew why he had gone. He had intended to bring his mother's engagement ring. The late Queen Emilie had left it behind for her son to pass on. The girl had only heard about it once but she hadn't asked for details. This conversation was causing her beloved pain. She preferred not to press. However, she was aware of how important it was to him.

She headed for the garden. The fountain was their secret meeting place. When they felt like being outdoors, they would evade the guards and spend hours gazing at the stars.

The girl sat down on one of the benches. The gray stone was already chipped. The gardeners almost never came here, so nothing was repaired. It was one of the few wild corners on the estate. This allowed the plants to climb freely around the dirty poles. They formed a messy tangle, wrapping themselves around everything they encountered.

The girl put on the earrings. A wave of relief washed over her as Tikki appeared above the water. The kwami somersaulted over the multi-tiered fountain.

— Marinette! — she screamed, clinging to her chest.

The owner of the miraculous embraced her gently. Now, with her powers back, she could face everything. She told her little friend about what had happened. Mainly to prepare her for the shock. The disbelief with which she looked at her when she realized that a new person was sharing the secret was enormous. Ladybug understood the agitation. It reached its peak when she announced her decision:

— I intend to accept the proposal — she said seriously.

— You can't! — The reaction was immediate. — It won't work!

Tikki grabbed her finger possessively. The rule about not revealing identity was made for obvious reasons. It was meant to protect its users and therefore had to be followed. It had been that way since the dawn of time. No one had ever tried to change it.

— Adrien already knows — Marinette picked a lone wild rose. She turned it over between her fingers — and besides, I could help a lot of people.

Everyone. From women like Alya, who couldn't make it in a man's world. To people like Max, trapped by addiction. To people barely making ends meet. Subsidies for the poor and meals for the hungry. They could all have a better life. Besides, finding Hawk Moth with the help of the royal guards might be a lot easier than finding him alone. She would have spies at her disposal, along with an army. That way, she would solve all her problems.

She knew she was looking for arguments to convince herself that she was making the right choice and yet she couldn't help herself. She wanted as many things as possible to speak in favour of her decision.

— Someone’s coming — the kwami squeaked.

This interrupted the conversation.

— Hide — the girl ordered.

The mere thought of the prince asking her to marry him sent butterflies through her stomach. Her heart was pounding but she decided to stick to her decision. She would make it. She would marry the love of her life and reconcile that with the protection of the city. She would have support and then she would be able to bear it all.

Marinette didn't expect the figure that emerged from behind the thick bush. The moon hid its face behind the clouds. It was as if it didn't want to watch what was happening. A purple streak moved in the dark night so quickly that the girl barely had time to register it. A blade flashed. Blood gushed from the open carotid artery. Blood flooded her eyes. Blinded, she tripped over something that was probably a root. The victim's terror was reflected in the fountain's surface as the red stream mixed with the dark water. The girl tried to croak out anything but no words wanted to leave her throat. Instead, a wheezing whistle played the last mournful melody of her life. A short, unfinished note. Marinette couldn't see the attacker. She desperately stretched her hands out in front of her. As if that could change anything. Fear filled every corner of her mind. She became desperately aware of how much the human body could hurt. Was she really that fragile? She struggled, trying to do something. Anything to stop it. No breath brought relief. A suffocating stench filled her nostrils. She no longer knew if it was blood or the scent of roses. Everything mixed in an uneasy madness. She swallowed back tears, feeling her head fall back onto the cold, hard pavement. Lying down was better. There was no point in fighting the inevitable. Her arms and legs wouldn't listen to her. No matter how much she screamed in her mind to move even a single limb. No one and nothing was under her control anymore. The red world was covered in black dots.

Chloè looked at the king with terror in her eyes. Her future father-in-law was a monster. No other word fit the image. Seeing the bloody massacre, she couldn't stop vomiting. Her stomach rebelled and she threw up everything she had eaten at the banquet. The goo stained her dress. Her mother looked at her reproachfully but said nothing. She had more important things to worry about. Audrey extended her hand toward Gabriel. Two earrings rested on her palm. The Ladybug Miraculous was now in her possession. She had to play it right. Everything depended on the next few minutes.

— How do I put them on? — the girl asked, looking at the jewelry gleaming in the night.

She had never pierced her ears. She was afraid of the pain and even more so of the blood.

— How could you have missed it? — Hawk Moth's face darkened with silent anger. — If she puts them on now, Adrien will know right away!

His son had to believe that this was the real Ladybug. Everyone would believe the heroine's words when she told how she was attacked when she came to collect her property. If that happened, no one would investigate the murder. The lying peasant would be forgotten as an object of gossip and slander. Even if the prince still felt sentimental about her, it wouldn't interfere. She was dead. Nothing could change that. Now the future ruler would marry someone worthy of his status and would stop causing trouble forever.

— Easy. I have a plan. — The woman took the blade from his hand. — Honey, close your eyes — she told her daughter.

Her tone was calm and composed but the young Bourgeois sensed that there was something odd about the request. She instinctively took a step back. Audrey grabbed her hand, raising the blade. Fear grew stronger but she could not move. She stood as if spellbound, staring at her mother's face.

— They’re just ears — the mother said, getting down to work.

— So how did you like the story? — Plagg pulled the blanket over himself. — I think it's scary.

Adrien looked at his kwami, raising an eyebrow. Maybe it was bordering on horror but in the safety of his apartment it didn't make that much of an impression on him. He'd probably get into the spirit of it on a class trip, by the bonfire but it certainly would not be enough to keep him awake at night. Besides, Chat Noir shouldn't be afraid of stories like that.

— They would have gotten away with it if it weren't for...— Agreste began.

— meddling kids and dumb dog! — finished the black creature. — I watched that cartoon...

The boy laughed, patting him on the head. He should definitely limit his TV viewing.

— That’s not it. I meant the king — he corrected.

— You think it's his fault? — His little friend put his paw to his face. — You people always think differently...

He never fully understood the twists and turns they took to achieve their goals. Some things seemed much simpler to his kind. Like fate, which his owner tried so hard to fight.

— Whose fault is it, then? — Adrien asked, genuinely surprised.

— Stupid Ladybug, of course. — Plagg shrugged. — That's why there's a ban on revealing your identity. If she hadn't revealed herself, no one would have noticed. She should have left with the miraculous when she could.

— I understand what you're saying, but...— the blond hesitated.

— Still unconvinced?

He nodded.

— I've got more stories. I'm sure you'll like one of them. Now go to bed because you've got a chemistry test tomorrow.

Kwami was right. Mrs. Mendeleev didn't give any leniency and certainly not because of lack of sleep. He laid his head on the pillow but one question still haunted him:

— What happened next?

— The prince married Chloè. She lived comfortably with her mother, though not very happily. The king ruled until the peasants' resentment reached its peak. Rebels broke into the palace. They murdered everyone except the prince. It was around then that he found my miraculous. We wandered around but he never really took advantage of me. There was no need for that because the people rebuilt the city themselves from the ruins of the civil war and... You know what? To fall asleep at the very end? — The creature sighed and covered the sleeping boy carefully.

#adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #adrien x marinette #miraculous ladybug #fanfiction #oneshot #cinderella #alternate universe

7 notes · View notes

emsylcatac · 2 years ago

Note

I want your neighbour scenario to be the new Adrienette AU. Marinette puts a winky face letter for her new neighbour Adrien, and then regrets it like 30 mins later.

OKAY I hate how it sounds sooo neighbour AU but for real though not to use my current very awkward neighbour story (more details about what this is about in the tags of this poll for those who've missed my latest misadventure) buuut:

Post Hawkmoth-defeat AU where they're in uni or something

Marinette lives in an apartment, number 7 (the number isn't relevant it's just my apartment number ok)

Adrien changed his last name a few years following his dad's arrest because being an Agreste is Not Cool At All and Marinette doesn't know it

Adrien is new in the apartment building and just so happens to move in apartment 6, right on the same floor as Marinette's. Adrien being an early bird on time and Marinette a disaster owl very much not on time in the mornings, they haven't crossed paths yet

On Adrien's mailbox, there's his new name but it's not like Marinette would know it's him, while she hasn't her name on her mailbox apart from her apartment number because she got too lazy to grab a piece of paper and write her name on it. So she's just. Appartement n°7, and so they're not recognising that it's Adrien and Marinette who are their neighbour.

And here comes my story, MLified: Adrien makes a poll in his neighbours' mailbox asking whether anyone would mind if he parked his bike in the building's corridor

Marinette answers his poll and says that of course it's not a problem for her :)

Adrien being nice and slightly too enthusiastic at getting a nice answer telling him he's not a problem coupled with an emoji smiling, decides that the best way to thank his neighbour in a not at all over exaggerated way is to buy her crispy m&ms with a note saying (and I'm quoting the note I got in my mailbox) "congratulations appartement 7, you picked the right answer! Here's a little gift to thank you, enjoy!"

Marinette who finds that waaayy too adorable (and who really needed a snack that day) gets a little too excited, and decides to leave back a note in Adrien's mailbox to thank him

She writes (and I have to quote myself on that): "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE M&M'S!!! So nice!! Don't hesitate to knock if you ever need an egg or salt or something else ;)"

AFTER she dropped the note in his mailbox she realises that the winky face could be WIDELY MISINTERPRETED OH MY GOD YOU DUMB ASS, and promptly goes into "catastrophe" mode. She naturally and rationally considers moving out in a country far, far away.

(and here stops my story for now because I'm at the 'moving far away' part and I do not intend on having whatever lovesquare romance with my new neighbour thank you very much, but Adrinette would enjoy it)

Adrien, who's an oblivious and innocent baby doesn't notice anything wrong with the note and just thinks it's really sweet and friendly :). To thank his neighbour for being sweet, he buys her another pack of crispy m&m's

Marinette on her side start to think he misinterpreted her winky emoji, and is second guessing every new m&ms package coming in her mailbox

Anyway I don't have a follow up for this right now, I guess we could add some ladynoir bonding moments:

Like Ladybug talks to Chat Noir about her winky emoji note all panicked, and Chat Noir is just like "what of it, it just proves you're being nice, right?"

To which Ladybug explains that NO, WELL YES, but it could have other interpretations, and what if her neighbour thinks she's not only offering egg and salt??

To which Chat Noir proceeds to have a mental breakdown because "oh my god my Lady, my neighbour left me a note with a winky smiley the other day offering 'something else', do you think it means she's...implying something else???"

To which Ladybug is like "oh my GOD Chat Noir your neighbour is TOTALLY hitting on you 😱"

HENCE identity shenanigans because they DUMB.and don't notice that their stories are similar, and the notes exchange becomes a lot more confusing on Adrien and Marinette's sides but they keep sending some because heyyy, new friend and free food right?

I will stop this now because it's way too long and nonsensical for what it is, and it's late here fjzjfnzkfn but. Yeah I guess in my distress I. Can make every situations lovesquare-able 🥲

#ask #anon #i'm fine i'm coping with being a dumbass just right 🙂#lovesquare #adrinette

133 notes · View notes

rosie-b · 2 years ago

Text

"Camembert" and Other Magic Words

Ever since she’d turned twelve, Marinette had had a word tattooed on her left wrist, looped around it like a bracelet. It didn’t mean anything special to her, but to her soulmate, it was the most important word in the world.

And for some reason, this oh-so-important word… was 'camembert'.

I whipped this story out for the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server's prompt for day 26/27 of AU April: Soulmates!

AO3 link is here, or you can read the full story below!

And for some reason, this oh-so-important word... was 'camembert'.

Marinette had pondered the dark red letters on her wrist for the first three months she'd had them, but after some advice from her mother, she decided not to worry about the word’s significance until later, when she thought she might have found who her soulmate was.

That shouldn’t be too hard to figure out, Marinette thought to herself at the time. How many people in Paris can camembert cheese be this important to?

Just two, it turned out, but that was still two people too many, because for the life of her, Marinette couldn’t figure out if her soulmate was Chat Noir or Adrien Agreste. Camembert was a significant word to both of them, but while Chat Noir depended on camembert to power his transformations, he couldn't stand the stench of the cheese himself, only keeping it for his kwami. On the other hand, Adrien had to like the cheese, since he had a penchant for carrying at least two wheels of it with him wherever he went, which left him smelling a bit funky unless he wore a certain perfume.

Marinette might have been able to figure out which boy was her soulmate if either of them could show her the word written on his own wrist, but Chat Noir's suit covered up his mark, and Adrien had been forbidden from showing anyone his own until he found the person who he thought was his soulmate and brought them to his father so that he could make sure they weren't just using Adrien.

As Marinette knew, this was a harder task for Adrien than it seemed, because most people didn’t figure out what word was most important to them until they were well into their twenties, and she and Adrien were still only thirteen! They’d had their soulmate marks for less than two years, so it was unrealistic to think that Adrien would be able to figure out if Marinette was his soulmate until he figured out which words his soulmate might have on their wrist. Even if he had read her soulmate mark, Adrien still might not be able to tell if it was his word or someone else's yet.

Besides, Marinette’s word was so long that only part of it showed at a time. Most of the time, the section that people could see was ‘came—’ with a bit of the next ‘m’ showing. It looked more like the start of the word ‘camera’ than ‘camembert.’ Even Nino, Marinette’s childhood friend, had thought that was the case until recently, and because of that, he’d thought that they were soulmates, even though his own mark read ‘scoop,’ which didn’t hold any meaning to Marinette.

Eventually, it had turned out that Alya and Nino had compatible soulmate marks, so the issue was resolved. Alya's mark was short, just reading 'dj,' but it was clear enough who it was meant for once she took off her mark-covering bracelet in the panther cage with Nino. Soulmate marks were ambiguous sometimes, but each word was unique enough that once two soulmates knew each other well enough, they could usually figure out whose mark was theirs.

But Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't allowed to share who they were under the mask, and so while they were closer than many soulmate pairs, their soulmarks remained hidden, a point which vexed Chat Noir as well as Ladybug. He'd begged to know what word was written on his partner's wrist since the first day they knew each other, and while Marinette knew that exchanging soulmarks probably wouldn't give away their secret identities, it was still dangerous, so she turned him down every time. It was getting harder to say no, though, especially when she really wanted to figure out if the subtle thump-thump of her heart each time she saw her chaton had a deeper meaning or not.

Marinette wasn't sure if she wanted it to. She was still in love with Adrien, after all, and that had to count for something, even if he never looked at her with such wondering adoration in his green eyes as Chat Noir looked at Ladybug with. But even so, every time Adrien caught Marinette when she fell or their hands brushed together as Adrien passed back a paper for a quiz, a thrill of electricity ran through her, and she nearly forgot to breathe.

It would be really nice if Adrien Agreste were her soulmate.

And even though the red color of her soulmark contrasted with the way she saw her partner, Marinette had to admit that he'd be a perfect soulmate, too. They were the two strongest heroes, balancing each other out to create an unbeatable team; creation and destruction, spontaneity and deliberation, yin and yang.

Maybe Chat Noir was her soulmate, after all, Marinette reflected as she sat on a roof facing the Eiffel tower, waiting for her partner to show up for patrol. She'd been early today; something in her had driven her out of the soothing pink of her room onto the rooftops of Paris, where she let out all the pent-up energy thinking about soulmates had given her.

Within a few minutes, Chat Noir was sitting down beside her, chirping out a cheerful greeting as he did so.

"Bonsoir, My Lady! How are you feeling on this fine evening? I know I'm doing purrfectly well, myself!"

Ladybug turned to her partner, rolling her eyes.

"You've made that pun seven times in as many days, chaton," she scolded playfully. "It's mildly concerning, if you ask me. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Chat Noir flashed a grin at her. "I'm fine, milady. But you know what would me feel even better?"

Even the queasy feeling in her stomach told her that she already knew his answer, Ladybug asked him anyway. "What, Chaton?"

Opening his eyes wide, Chat Noir pulled out his most adorable pleading face. "If you'd finally tell me what your soulmark is!" As Ladybug groaned, he doggedly continued on, determined to give this attempt even more effort than his previous ones. "You don't even have to tell me what it says, Ladybug. I just want to know what type of mark it is, you know, if it's romantic or platonic!"

"It could still be an enemy mark, Chat Noir," Ladybug remarked drily. "Maybe Hawk Moth is the one whose mark matches mine."

Chat Noir chuckled. "I doubt that, Ladybug. Hawk Moth is way too soulless to have a mark on his wrist, even if you were his ultimate nemesis! Which you're not, because we keep on beating him without breaking more than a sweat! Ladybug, please won't you tell me what kind of mark you have?"

Ladybug pursed her lips. "You phrased it differently that time. You really were still trying to find out the whole word before, weren't you? Even though this is the—" she squinted her eyes, mouth moving silently as she calculated, "The two hundred and thirty-third time you've asked me that question?"

Chat Noir shrunk back, tail twitching as he shrugged dejectedly. "Hey, a cat's got to have hope, right? You'll tell me eventually, the day when you're finally ready. I just have to keep asking until that day comes."

Ladybug let out a laugh, wrapping her arm around Chat Noir affectionately. "I'm glad you have hope, but I think what you're missing is patience, Chat Noir. Maybe the more you ask, the less I want to answer."

Chat Noir leaned his head on her shoulder, nuzzling his soft hair against her chin. "I don't think so," he said confidently. "I think it's the opposite. I can see it in your eyes, little bug — you wish you could ask, too, but you're holding yourself back."

Ladybug stiffened for a moment before relaxing with a thin sigh. "It looks like you've figured me out, Chaton," she said, resting her cheek against the top of his head before a moment before pulling away to press a kiss to it instead. "I can't tell you," she said regretfully. "You know the rules as well as I do. And I think we both know that our mark type is the same."

"Deep red for a romantic bond," Chat Noir agreed. "Are you sure you can't tell me more? I wouldn't bug you about it so much, but my father won't let me talk about my mark in my civilian life, so the odds of me finding my soulmate like that are extremely low. And, I was thinking... If you and I are soulmates, Ladybug, then we might figure out each other's secret identities. We know that. But if we aren't, then unless we know each other in real life, the odds that we'll compromise ourselves is pretty low. Is there really any harm in sharing our marks with each other? Bugaboo, please."

Running her fingers lightly through Chat Noir's hair, Ladybug hummed to let him know she was thinking about his request.

"You sound more desperate than usual, Chat," she said after a few minutes had gone by. "Is there reason for that I should know about?"

Chat Noir shrugged, the tip of his tail tapping the rooftop a few times. "I'm madly in love with you, Ladybug. Any chance to know more about you makes me a desperate man."

"Desperate cat," Ladybug corrected, tapping the tip of his nose. He blinked, and it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen, just like every other time it had happened.

A light blush spread across his cheeks, and Chat Noir hid his face on Ladybug's shoulder again. "Miladyy," he whined. The corner of her lips tugged upwards in response.

"If one of us tells the other," she began, and Chat Noir gave a start, hitting his head against her chin as he raised himself up from his relaxed position.

"Sorry!" he squeaked, and Ladybug shot him a glare as she rubbed her chin regretfully.

"If only one of us tells the other," she repeated, "Then it might be safe enough, don't you think? Because only one of us would have to think about whether the other's word matches them or not. We're still only thirteen, though. Are you sure you'd recognize your word if you heard it?"

Suddenly not apologetic anymore, Chat Noir's face grew determined. "I would know it," he said firmly. "Our words fit us uniquely, milady. I might not know it off the top of my head, but how could I miss it if I heard the word spoken aloud? From your pretty lips, no less," he teased, and Ladybug flushed scarlet as she shoved his grinning face away.

"I don't know about that," she said. "But, look. I've been trying to figure out who my soulmate is for months, and it's either you or the... boy who sits in front of me. Who special definitely isn't! Beautiful never mind! Ugh!" Ladybug moaned as she dropped her face into her hands. "Look, Chaton," she said, peering up through her fingers at him, "I'm tempted to take you up on your offer tonight. But that doesn't mean that I'll do it. I'm still thinking."

Sitting straight up with the most absurdly serious face she'd ever seen, Chat Noir stared down at her with eyes the size of the Montparnasse (but much, much prettier than that monstrosity).

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he said, the words falling over themselves in an effort to be the first out of his mouth. "I mean, it sounds like you want to! But don't feel pressured, is what I mean! I don't want to take any more than you're comfortable giving me," he said earnestly.

A fond smile crossed over Ladybug's face. "I know that, Chaton," she said sweetly, reaching out to pet his chin in the way that he liked but was too embarrassed to ask for. His eyes closed as he happily leaned into her touch.

"And this time, I think I'm ready. It's not a good idea, that's for sure, but I'm impatient and I've had enough of waiting for a last battle that never seems to come for us to know more about each other. Camembert!" she barked out authoritatively.

Chat Noir groggily blinked his eyes open. "I brought some just in case," he said. "Do you want it?" His nose wrinkled at the thought of his lovely lady fouling her taste buds with Plagg's favorite parfum de pied.

For some reason, Ladybug's face fell. "No, Chat Noir," she said wearily. "That's my soulmark word. Camembert, like the cheese you need to give Plagg when you want to transform. Sound familiar?"

All of a sudden, Chat Noir's eyes opened wide. "Ohhh! Yeah! Okay, that is an important word to me. The most important, though? Are you sure?"

"Are you sure," Ladybug corrected, and her blue eyes twinkled their laughter at him.

"Ah," Chat Noir said faintly, and he shook his head to clear it of the fuzzy feeling his lady's cuddles had left him with. "Well, I guess it makes sense," he said. "I mean, it's not a word that I would have picked for myself, but in a sense, I wouldn't be who I am without it. It could be my word." He looked at Ladybug hopefully. "Does that mean I get to tell you my soulmark word in return?"

Ladybug swallowed. "I'm not sure," she said. "I already knew that 'camembert' might be your word. But, it could also be the other boy's word, remember?"

Chat Noir's eyes sharpened at the mention of the dreaded 'other boy'. "You said it was the boy in front of you in class," he said carefully.

"Oh," Ladybug said, swallowing hard. "Well, that's because... they're... the same people? Itdoesn'tmatterrightnow! I can't let you tell me your mark until you know for sure if 'camembert' is your word or not, Chaton. Ahem!" She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "I think we've had enough excitement for one evening, so the rest of patrol is canceled. We'll come back to it tomorrow, okay?"

Chat Noir pursed his lips, pouting even though he knew this was still more than he'd gone to patrol expecting to get.

"Don't you think finding out what my mark is might help us figure this out a little faster, My Lady?"

But all he got in return was Ladybug's own 'serious' face, which was far too adorable for him to do anything but give in.

"Okay, then, milady. I'll think about it tomorrow, and when we meet up for patrol I'll give you my answer. If it's a yes, if I think 'camembert' really is my word, will you let me give you yours?"

Ladybug bit her lip, eyes darting away from him for a moment. Then she straightened up, looking him square in the eye as she firmly said, "Yes. If you think I have your soulmark, then you can tell me what you think mine is. But I still might not think it's the right one. Our marks have to match perfectly for us to be soulmates, Chat Noir."

"Understood," Chat Noir said, standing from the rooftop and lazily stretching himself out, raising his arms above his head. Ladybug's eyes tracked the motion before she snapped out of it and stood up as well, taking her yo-yo off of her hip.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow night, then," she said, her cheeks painted a red that rivalled her own suit in color. "Catch you later!"

Swinging her yo-yo out, Ladybug caught it on a far-off building's roof and sped off, leaving Chat Noir to gaze after her with a soft light in his eyes.

"See you tomorrow, My Lady," he murmured. Then he got his pole out and headed back to the mansion, where he detransformed into plain Adrien Agreste.

Pulling out a wedge of cheese for Plagg, he held it in his hands and considered it for a moment, thinking about the word written on his lady's wrist in a bright red that matched the color of the word he had on his own wrist.

"Adrieeeen," Plagg whined, hovering over his shoulder with drooping ears. "Have you decided to eat that delicious cheese, or can I have it?"

Adrien blinked, pulling himself out of his thoughts. "Sorry, Plagg," he said, holding the cheese up between his fingers. Plagg took it from them, snapping it up in less than a second.

Letting out a short burp, the little kwami turned to face Adrien as he hovered.

"So, your lady's got camembert written on her," he said nonchalantly.

Adrien's forehead creased as he looked back at Plagg. "That's one way to put it, I guess. Do you think the word suits me?"

Plagg's tail swished behind him. "If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it too much," he said in a gravely voice. "In my opinion, you'll know the answer better if you sleep on it first. You've been running yourself ragged all day thinking about whether the 'camera' mark on Marinette's wrist is your word or if Ladybug is the one your soulbond is linking you to. You should let yourself, and the issue, rest for a bit before you do something rash. Making a good cheese takes time, Adrien, you can't rush the process."

Adrien sighed and waved his hand in the air, turning away to get ready for bed. "I know, Plagg, I'm still just thirteen and I shouldn't expect to know the answer so soon after I know both of my choices. But I don't want my word to be 'camera,' Plagg, even if being Marinette's soulmate would be just as amazing as being Ladybug's! I don't want to be defined by my career as a model. I— I want— I need more than that, Plagg. I need my life to be meaningful; I want to be free; I want to make a difference to as many people as I can, in a good way! Am I asking for too much, Plagg?"

He gave his kwami a mournful look, like he really didn't know the answer.

Plagg flew over to him, nuzzling against his face for a brief moment.

"You don't even know that Marinette's word is 'camera,' Adrien! Did you just take Nino's word for it, or check for yourself? She doesn't wear a bracelet like you do, you know. You're free to look at her mark anytime."

Adrien sighed, cradling his left wrist with with other hand. "I know, Plagg, but it's such an intimate thing to share! Or, that's what I was taught, at least. Père's always been so strict about it."

Plagg huffed and lashed his tail. "Your Père's been strict about a lot of things, and most of them don't make any sense! Look, you don't have to check Marinette's soulmark to know if Ladybug's word is yours. Just get some sleep, like I said, or if you want to try something else, you could taste some of my camembert and see if it's slightly more agreeable now that you know it's Ladybug's soulmark."

Making a face, Adrien pulled his shirt over his head and started getting into his pajamas.

"Bedtime it is, then," Plagg remarked, and flew over to his cheese stash for a snack before he joined Adrien on the pillow. The boy cradled his left wrist as he drifted off to sleep, rubbing the black Gabriel brand band around it. One way or another, he wouldn't need it for much longer.

__*__*__*__*__

Adrien was eating dirt for lunch, it seemed.

Mr. Pigeon might not be a challenging akuma to fight, but every so often, he pulled a new trick out of the bag, and today Ladybug and Chat Noir were left behind as he flew off in momentary triumph with his birds.

"You know jumping onto the airplane wasn't going to do anything, right?" Ladybug asked as Chat Noir peeled himself off of the ground in the park.

"Well, it still slowed him down a little," he responded, brushing moist dirt off his suit and making a face as he discovered a new piece of grit in his mouth. "Besides," he said, pausing to spit out the dirt, "Now you've had a little longer to come up with a plan than you would have otherwise."

"We don't need a new plan, Chat," Ladybug said in an amused tone, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. Her yo-yo swung loosely by her side, and Chat Noir tracked its motion. "We just need to account for all the variables. I wasn't expecting the pigeons to have swamped the park in water, or that it would make either of us slip and fall. We'll have to be cautious, but the fact is that Hawk Moth just made another clumsy mistake. He just left his home field! He abandoned his only advantage. Finish cleaning up later, Chat, we've got an akuma to catch!"

Ears twitching as Ladybug's yo-yo whizzed towards its next anchor, Chat Noir gave a salute as he whipped his baton off of his back. "I'm right behind you, Bugaboo!" he called, and quickly caught up with his partner, who'd paused only to call her Lucky Charm.

"What's today's talisman, milady?" he asked when he saw Ladybug's furrowed brows.

"It's... cheese," she said in confusion. "What is this for? Do I use it like birdseed? But wait, birds can't eat cheese!"

"Actually, My Lady, they can and do eat cheese, if it's not soft. Let me see the package."

Ladybug passed the small charm to him, and he paused when he saw the packaging.

"Wait, is this camembert? Birds can't eat soft cheese like this."

He peeled off the wrapper and squeezed the wheel of cheese in his hands.

"It feels pretty hard, though. That's so weird. Maybe it's just cheddar, but it's been packaged like camembert is. Why would your Lucky Charm do that?"

He passed the cheese back over to Ladybug, who took it with a discerning frown.

"I'm not sure, but I think it might be linked to my soulmark."

Chat Noir clapped a hand to his forehead. "Oh! Of course it is. And it doubles as our way to defeat the akuma. Pretty clever," he said with a grin.

Ladybug gave him a lopsided smile in return. "I don't make the Lucky Charms to order, you know. I just take what I'm given. Now, come on! We can talk about the clue later."

Chat Noir nodded, frowning seriously. "Of course! We still have an akuma to catch. I haven't forgotten, M'Lady!" As Ladybug whipped out her yo-yo again, she and Chat Noir hurried to the Eiffel tower, where Mr. Pigeon was waiting to challenge them.

The fight didn't take much longer after the initial confrontation, and before he knew it, Chat Noir and Ladybug were bumping their fists together in their usual mini-celebration.

"Pound it!" Ladybug cheered. She took her yo-yo off her waist, but before she could go, Chat grabbed onto her wrist.

"Wait! Milady, do you have time to talk about the clue yet?" he asked, peering desperately into her gentle blue eyes.

Ladybug made a face, touching her beeping earrings with her free hand.

"Chat, I don't think I have time right now. Even if I retransform, I was in the middle of something important before the akuma attacked. No offense, Mr. Ramier," she said with a smile in the man's direction. He gave her an acknowledging smile and wave as he sat on a nearby bench, collecting himself after his akumatization.

Chat Noir felt the corners of his mouth pulling down as he let go of Ladybug's wrist. "Okay, My Lady. I understand; I was in the middle of a group project, myself. We'll talk this evening though, right? At patrol?"

Ladybug gave him a reassuring smile as she turned to go. "At patrol, kitty. For now, it's time for me to go. Bug out!"

Chat Noir watched as she flew off on her yo-yo, a red streak getting smaller in the distance. Then he headed back to school, trying not to notice that he and Ladybug had gone in the same direction. She was always careful about their secret identities, after all. She'd probably gone the wrong way on purpose.

As he and Nino finished working on their lab project together, Adrien found his gaze being drawn to Marinette again and again. If Ladybug's mystery camembert had really been a clue, then it seemed likely that she, not Marinette, was Adrien's soulmate.

For someone who professed his love to Ladybug so regularly, Adrien should be feeling happier about that than he was.

But he couldn't help it when Marinette was so kind and so generous and so smart and capable and wow she looked cute in that shade of pink—

Nino snapped his fingers in front of Adrien, a playful smirk on his face. "Dude, are you okay? You seem like you're either really tired or Marinette is really interesting today. Is it the new ribbons in her hair, or is something else drawing your attention to her?"

Shaking himself, Adrien blinked across the lab table at Nino.

"Huh? No, I'm fine, and Marinette isn't that distracting. I'm just..." Adrien sighed and collapsed against the table, making sure not to jostle the glass flasks. "Nino, you know what Marinette's soulmark is, right? And it's 'camera,' right, not something else?"

Nino laughed. "That's what I used to think, bro, but after the zoo incident, she and I ended up talking, and I guess 'cam' is just part of her soulmark. The full word is 'camembert.' We just don't see the full thing most of the time because it's wrapped all around her wrist, and usually only one part of it shows. Dude?" Nino asked, staring at Adrien as his head raised up from the table in slow motion, a dumbstruck expression on his face as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. "Dude?" Nino asked again, but he got no response as Adrien stood up from his chair.

"Mr. Agreste!" Ms. Mendeleiev snapped, and Adrien's face suddenly cleared. "Kindly refrain from leaving the room until class is over. I have you for three full more minutes, and don't you forget it."

Nino rolled his eyes at their teacher's antics, and Adrien sat back down with a deep frown.

"She's the worst," Nino mouthed.

Adrien nodded, his hair flopping enthusiastically in agreement.

"I wasn't even going to leave," he pouted as he tapped his fingers on the table anxiously.

Nino raised his eyebrow. "Oh? Then what were you going to do?" He gasped. "Did it have something to do with Marinette's soulmark? Dude! That's so exciting! I'm so happy for you!"

"I haven't even told you if it's related or not yet," Adrien hissed, desperately hoping to calm Nino down before he did something stupid like tell Alya, or worse, Marinette.

"It totally is, though," Nino said with a grin. "But if you want me to pretend like nothing happened, then nothing happened. I got you, bro," he said as the bell finally rang and he slipped his bookbag onto his shoulder.

Adrien shot him a relieved smile. "Thanks," he said. "I promise I'll explain everything later. For now, just know that you saved me from four more hours of hell. I'll see you tomorrow, Nino!" Adrien patted his friend on the back and walked out of the classroom, wearing a smile that continued to grow with each step he took.

Nino shook his head in bewilderment as he watched his friend rush off. Alya walked over to him, bumping her hip against his.

"What's up?" she asked, the light from the classroom windows catching in her glasses. "You look pretty excited, and the most exciting thing that happened today was Marinette getting her compound to catch fire somehow. Unless this is related to Adrien's slight misbehavior," she laughed. There was a glittering in her eyes, though. She clearly knew something was up.

"I'll tell you after Adrien tells me," Nino replied, throwing an arm around his girlfriend. "But first, are you ready for our date?"

Alya smiled, shifting her bookbag's weight on her shoulder. "You bet I am," she said. "Let's go find Andre!"

__*__*__*__*__

So, Marinette was Ladybug.

It made perfect sense, of course. Adrien really should have seen that they were one and the same before, and he would have if it weren't for the strength of the magic protecting her secret identity. He supposed (he hoped, really) that this was the same reason why she hadn't figured out who he was, either.

He hoped she wouldn't be disappointed when she found out.

Squeezing some toothpaste onto his toothbrush, Adrien screwed the cap back onto its tube and started to brush his teeth as Plagg groaned.

"This is the second time since dinner that you've brushed your teeth, Adrien! They don't need to be that clean!"

"Yesh, 'ey do," Adrien said around the toothbrush in his mouth.

"Oh, for the love of camembert," Plagg groaned, and Adrien had to wipe the toothpaste off of his face when he smiled and it dripped out of his mouth.

"Plagg," he said as he took a break from brushing, "Don't make me smile when I'm brushing my teeth."

Cocking his brow, Plagg smirked. "Oh, you'd prefer I make you frown, maybe? Your piano practice was atrocious, Adrien. You had too much energy, and it showed. You should be still and poised when you play, not jiggle around like some kind of soft cheese. You're a hard cheese, like every Agreste! Blech, that's disgusting. And you are still smiling!"

"Well, it helps that you don't mean it," Adrien said as he rinsed off his brush. "Father would never be so lighthearted about his scolding. Now, what time is it? Do we have any time? No, no, even if we have time we don't have time. We've got to be early! Plagg!"

Plagg braced himself to be pulled into his Miraculous.

"Do I look okay?" Adrien asked instead.

"Like a wheel of gouda in red wax," Plagg said. "You look fine, for a human. Very human-esque. I like the hair."

"Plagg," griped Adrien. He gave the kwami a reproachful look, but Plagg only gazed innocently back. "Ah, it's probably all right. Claws out!"

Chat Noir sped off to the rooftop where he and Ladybug had agreed to meet with a whole hour and a half to spare. He used his time well, spreading out a thousand red and pink rose petals with the precision of a painter making a king's portrait with his neck on the line. He considered setting out candles on the railing again, but it wasn't going to be dark for a while, plus he figured that might make the atmosphere a little too romantic for Marinette. He knew she was considering him as a soulmate, but there was still that other boy, who—

Wait a minute. The other boy... sat in front of her in class, Adrien realized as he waited nervously for Ladybug to arrive.

Adrien was the other boy.

He felt ecstatic at the thought, and nearly swooned at the idea of his lady quietly pining after him all this time, her heart torn between two boys who were really one.

Well, tonight, I'm going to put an end to that misery, Adrien reminded himself with a decisive nod. Yes, after tonight there would be no more hopeless pining. Just one boy's confession, and then... he didn't know what then, but he hoped it had something to do with kissing. Preferably on the lips.

"What are you staring off with that look for, Chaton?" Ladybug's voice greeted him, amusement in her tone.

Cat Noir spun around. "Bugaboo! You're finally here!" he cheered, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up to whirl around in a giddy haze.

"I'm right on time, Chaton," Ladybug said, puzzled, as Chat Noir put her down, his arms lingering around her for a moment longer. "Wait, are those rose petals? Chat, I... I guess that answers my most important question, actually. It's your mark?"

Chat Noir nodded happily. "I have yours, too," he sighed, grinning dopily at her. "I hope, at least, or this evening won't go the way I planned it to."

Ladybug smiled nervously. "I suppose not," she murmured. "So, what does your mark say?"

"Well, it's much simpler to figure out than yours was, if only because I only know one person it could possibly be for. My Lady, my soulmark is yo-yo. It doesn't get easier than that, right? Now that you have your Miraculous, at least. It used to really confuse me as a kid."

Chat Noir laughed, expecting Ladybug to laugh with him, but he was greeted by silence. Turning to look at her, Chat saw that she had frozen in place, her mouth forming a perfect 'o' as she stared at Chat Noir.

"Ladybug? Are you okay?"

She blinked. "Fine, I am! I'm fine! I just... I need a minute. You're obviously right, though," she said with a chuckle. "It must have killed you to hold that back every time I turned down your offer to share our soulmarks. But this means that we are soulmates, then, Chat, which means that we might accidentally reveal our secret identities to each other!"

Chat Noir cringed, and his ears lay flat on his head as he looked guiltily at Ladybug.

"Ah, about that. I actually have a small confession to make, milady. See, it turns out that we do know each other in real life, and I didn't know your soulmark before today, but now I do, so the pieces just sort of fell together, and now I know who you are. Please don't be mad," he begged. "I was just trying to make sure you were really my soulmate, instead of other-you, but it turns out that I didn't have to worry about that at all."

"Didn't have to worry?" Ladybug rasped out. "Not worry? Chat Noir, our secret identities are very important! We can't tell anyone who we are, it puts them in danger!"

"But only if Hawk Moth knows that they know, right?" Chat Noir asked desperately. "So we just won't tell him. We can stagger this out; start dating — if you still want to date after this — as civilians first and then as heroes later, like a week later if we can last that long."

"Chat, what do you mean by 'if I still want to date you?' Not that I don't want to, but when did I ever say anything about dating?" Ladybug stood with her hands on her hips, facing Chat Noir, whose tail swung back and forth slowly behind him, his ears still pressed down against his head.

"Sorry, I guess I got excited and just assumed that you did," Chat Noir said sheepishly. "But in my defense, I did turn out to be the other boy, which I just put together like one minute before you—"

"YOU'RE THE OTHER BOY?!?"

Chat Noir flinched again at her volume, but he offered Ladybug a nod as confirmation.

"As long as you meant what you said about sitting in front of him in class, then according to your own words, I am," he said proudly. "And I have to say, I'm feline very happy about that."

"I— you— Chaaat," groaned Ladybug. "How did you even find out? I didn't tell anyone what my soulmark was today. Certainly not the other-you," she said with a squeak, and started to turn that particular shade of red which she wore around Adrien sometimes.

"You told Nino," Chat Noir said, "And he told me your real mark today. Before, I thought it was 'camera,'" he laughed.

"So did Nino," Ladybug grumbled. "This is so weird. I'm having trouble believing it. Can't you detransform or something?"

"On an open rooftop? You're getting bold, M'Lady," Chat Noir purred, and his green eyes glittered in the golden sunlight.

"Chat Noir, stop fooling around or I'll never believe that you're Adrien Agreste. Maybe you're really Audrey Bourgeois," she teased. "Or maybe I am. We'll never know for sure unless we find a safe spot and detransform, now will we?"

"Finding a safe spot should be easy," Chat Noir said with a grin as he poked the black dot on her upper left arm.

"Hmph." Ladybug pouted and stepped back from her partner. "I think you can do better than that. Follow me, Chaton!"

She led him to the balcony of her home, pulled up the trapdoor, and gestured down to her room.

"After you," she said, eyes daring Chat Noir to make a move.

Then she froze, and her eyes bugged out of her head.

"Actually," she said carefully, "I think I just remembered that I... left my thing out on the chaise. A personal thing, you understand! Wait here."

She disappeared down into her room, slamming the door closed after her. Chat Noir waited as patiently as he could while Marinette rushed around her room doing cats knew what, but it was really hard not to rush down after her, wrap his arms around her again and never let go, press his nose into her hair and surround himself with the gentle scent of her shampoo, cup her face and press his lips against her perfect pink ones and—

"I'm done," Ladybug said, banging the door open and startling Chat Noir.

Her pigtails are falling out, he noticed, probably from doing whatever she was doing in her room. She looked adorable. Ladybug should wear her hair like that more often. It was perfect. She was perfect.

"Chat Noir, did you hear me? Come in," Ladybug said, holding the trapdoor open. "It's now or never, kitty. Last chance!"

Chat Noir rushed over to the door. "I'm coming!" he yelped. He tumbled down the ladder, knocking Ladybug down with him and landing on top of her in the bed.

Their faces both flushed red, and Chat Noir moved off of her as fast as he could, even though his heart screamed at him to go back to touching her again, to hold her in his arms and—

He really needed to stop doing that.

"Sooo, do you want to detransform first, or should I?" Chat Noir asked casually.

"Well, I think it's clear by now that you really do know who I am, so I'll go first, I guess. Spots off," Ladybug said, and suddenly it was Marinette standing in front of Chat Noir with her pigtails slightly askew.

He fought the urge to mess them up further.

"Claws in," Adrien whispered, and waited for Marinette to give him her judgement. Would he pass her test? Was he good enough for a boyfriend? A soulmate?

"I'm still mad at you about revealing your identity to me, you know," Marinette said, crossing her arms and frowning at him. Her fingers twitched against her arm, with what, Adrien didn't know. It might be the urge to strangle him and break his neck. He'd probably thank her if she gave into it.

"I know, and I'm sorry," he said, getting lost in her eyes as he poured all his earnesty into that one look. Maybe if he got enough through, Marinette would keep him around as a throw rug after she killed him. She could hang him up and beat him every so often whenever she got mad at him again.

Adrien softened his gaze even further, suddenly deciding that a 'cute model' approach was better. He'd rather not be a throw rug. Maybe he could be a wall decoration instead, like some ghastly mimic of those ghastly moose heads that some—

Adrien's brain refused to think of that situation any longer. It couldn't, anyway, not when every nerve and cell of his body with occupied with kissing Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who had surprised him by pressing her lips to his while he was busy trying to convince her to keep him around after she killed him. It was heaven on earth, and even though Adrien's movements were clumsy, the experience of being kissed by Marinette more than made up for his clumsiness.

Half an eternity and nearly six whole seconds later, Marinette pulled back from the kiss, breathing heavily.

"I'm so sorry," Adrien said, because his brain had decided that the best thing to do in this situation was recycle what it had been doing in the seconds before Marinette kissed him. Maybe that would make her do it again?

Marinette cut his apology short with a glare.

"Adrien," she said, "That was a stupid thing to do. Luckily, you can't do it again. Try not to do anything else stupid for the next week, if I don't do something stupid first. Now, shut up and kiss me."

Adrien found himself all too willing to oblige.

#ml fanfic #rosie-b writing #soulmate au #ml au #lovesquare #ml leak free #miraculeakless #miraculous ladybug

27 notes · View notes

aidanchaser · 10 months ago

Note

Dracula au for the wip game?

HNNNNNN god someone stop me from going FERAL over this AU. I have so many ideas. So many thoughts. I don't know how to put them into paper.

From this list of WIPs

So this fic is inspired by some of @coldcalamari 's art, which inspired this one shot from their notes, but the AU I'm working on because of all that is more canon-Dracula aligned and I have. So many. Thoughts.

The character alignments to Dracula canon aren't perfectly one-to-one of course BUT the idea is that Marinette goes to do an internship with Gabriel Agreste (and doesn't know about his hidden undead wife in the basement); she writes secret letters to her crush Adrien that she can't send and wouldn't even want to because he doesn't really KNOW her

She finally escapes and returns to Paris only to find Adrien already has a slew of suitors and a famously difficult to get past cousin. So as Chloe, Kagami, and Marinette all try to get to Adrien, journalist Alya starts investigating weird reports in the city of dogs doing things dogs shouldn't be doing, and takes an interest in Adrien's suddenly failing health. She, Marinette, and Felix put together that it's "a vampire" and eventually that it's actually Emilie which is fucked on so many levels, and they have to convince Adrien to help them kill his undead mom(and arrest Gabriel for his complicity)

Also Zoe is a cowgirl because she is the adventurous American

And that's the project!!! It's a lot!!! I love AUs!!!!!

#thank you so much for letting me be insane for a minute #ml #rosie b #writing game

4 notes · View notes

i-like-anything-water · 1 year ago

Note

Imagine: Chat Blanc AU, but after Marinette leaving her letter in Adrien's room, she realized that while writing this letter, she was thinking more not about Adrien, but about Chloé. So, Marinette still date Adrien, Gabriel still barred them from dating, Adrien still became Chat Blanc... But now he wanted to kill Ladybug because she didn't really loved him. Ladybug, after arriving to the CB future, saw Chloé, frozen like everyone else, and she is crying over her body. After defeating Chat Blanc, Marinette decides to leave Agreste Mansion and enter another house. She is on balcony of Chloé's apartment, waiting for her to give the letter and hug her

sup

tbh I haven't watched the whole episode of chat Blanc lmao but I'll try to answer from what I know. so basically akumatized chat noir, conflicted between love and family.

I'm taking a guess in this au Chloe is already redeemed and friends with Marinette since it would explain thinking about Chloe. while she's not at the part she realizes her feelings fully, she's almost there. she thinks it's just because she wasn't expecting they could be friends and goes on believing her one true love is Adrien.

Then it hits her so randomly it almost gives her whiplash. She likes Chloe.

Cue Chat Blanc.

I'm kinda conflicted here. On one hand I could go the angsty comfort hurt way where she tries to fix everything while lamenting on her decisions and wanting to confess to Chloe once everything is okay. This was becoming a nightmare for her. Bunnix explains everything will be okay once she is able to de akumatize Chat.

Or she goes berserk, doesn't hold back and then cures everyone. Bunnix can't even stop her because she knew if she did, she'd just make things worse. She does keep track in the burrow of something she might have missed and she really didn't wanna deal with a love driven Ladybug. Chat is saved and the cure is set. She makes sure everything is safe and sound before going over to Chloe and talking to her.

Alternatively, Chat Blanc AU but it's Chloe Noir and the start of their making up seems nice. Chloe having destroyed everything, everything. And Marinette needs to save her. Really save her this time. Drama ensues.

That's all I got. Thanks for the ask!

#chlonette #chloenette #chloe bourgeois #marinette dupain cheng #is it obvious that I'm sleep deprived #the answers are getting darker than usual huh #asks #scuderiagorobets

16 notes · View notes

usagirln12003 · 8 months ago

Text

Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Hogwarts AU

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a Pureblood witch that was born on the 9th of July 1978 and started attending Hogwarts on the 1st of September 1989, being sorted into Ravenclaw house.

She has a Willow wand with a Unicorn Hair core.

Her Patronus is a Ladybug.

Her favorite subject are Transfiguration and her least favorite subject is Herbology.

She is one of the Ravenclaw Prefects' in her year and Head-Girl of her year.

Marinette is a sweet, outgoing, young, and joyful girl who loves fashion, her friends, family, and Adrien Agreste (her crush), who describes her as honest, kind, fair, and the type not to cheat. She is very helpful towards those who have insecurities, such as; Juleka Couffaine, who thought she had a "frog choir audition curse", and Marc Anciel, who was too afraid to share his creative writing. According to Clara Nightingale, Marinette has a pure heart. She cares deeply for other people, usually putting their feelings and interests even before her own, in some cases at a personal cost. Despite being genuinely kind, she has her limits, such as when she gets irritated with Chloé Bourgeois to the point that she refuses to continue guarding her against Nathaniel while he was under the Imperius Curse under her nickname Ladybug.

Despite her outgoing and sympathetic personality, Marinette struggles with self-confidence and self-esteem. Before finding out about the prophecy and creating the secret alias of Ladybug, she was more nervous and didn't oppose others, but her confidence grew considerably since then such as talking with Adrien and standing up for others. In urgent situations, she becomes very nervous, clumsy, a bit awkward, and quick to panic which includes approaching her crush, trouble-choosing between her love interests, when in contact with major celebrities if she thinks others do a better job compared to herself or losing something that will expose her secret identity. She once had an unhealthy obsession with Adrien, a male model who is in her year. In her fifth year, with Kagami's help Marinette starts to figure out that her lack of confidence and self-esteem come from a fear of being not good enough. It also comes from out of the fear of being hurt and humiliated again as Marinette was the year before.

Marinette can act impulsively and irrationally at times, as shown when she deflected the false accusation of "stealing" Chloé's bracelet onto others who are also innocent. She is willing to do several risky tasks in order to protect her image, like erasing an embarrassing letter to Adrien by stealing his owl. More so when she expresses jealousy whenever other girls such as Chloé or Lila Rossi flirt with Adrien, even abusing her alter ego Ladybug to keep them away or forgetting to take off her disguise in the first place. However, Marinette learns from her mistakes and becomes a more open-minded, understanding person. She also takes advice from others very well, whether it is family or friends, as seen throughout her Hogwarts years. According to Marinette in "Family", as her civilian self-personality wise, she takes after her father, having her great uncle's creative side and her grandfather's fear of change.

As Ladybug, Marinette retains many of her alter ego's characteristics, but she is much stronger. Her confidence and bravery come out more prominently. According to Cat Noir, she can be stubborn at times, especially when she isn't easily convinced. While almost all of Ladybug's plans are effective, they tend to be complex and rather bizarre. She is more cautious and careful than Cat Noir, sometimes needing to restrain or stop him from doing hasty acts seen several times when their classmates gets put under the Imperius Curse. Only on rare occasions, she can act hasty, especially if she is in a rush to do something or multiple things at once or being quick to assume like when she mistook a Boggart for an akumatized Cat Noir. She believes that a great wizard always listens to their head, meaning that she isn't easily fooled or swayed by deceptions and lies.

Ladybug strives to rescue everyone, including those put under the Imperius Curse by Hawk Moth. She usually tries to persuade the Imperius victims to calm down and stop their rampage when she can. She is aware that there is a line between justice and revenge believing that honesty and justice don't mean anything if you're pressured into doing it, like as she did with Bob. She acknowledges that good things come by doing good actions and that not all problems can be solved by hurting others like Hawk Moth does. She also values the lives of others more than material possessions. Similar to her partner, through her lifestyle, she isn't tempted by power because Marinette understands that her life can be great without it. However, for a long time, her obsession for Adrien got in the way of saving people.

Marinette takes her image, spells, and those of others very seriously as Ladybug. Such as when fighting against Hawk Moth's victims, compared to Cat Noir's laid-back and goofy personality, and more so at Chloé for using magic to create a fake accident, that could have led to a serious one. It took the most critical point when one of her moral codes as a witch was used against her but also realized even if it is that the person must still stand and do what is right. Given these traits, Adrien claims that her civilian form is funnier than Ladybug. But she is also sensitive about her image, such as getting annoyed at Chloé playing her alter ego in Clara Nightingale's photo-shot in the Daily Prophet, a little angry when Nora doubted her abilities, and even attacking someone impulsively after the latter tauntingly mimicked her. Although she can get exasperated with Cat Noir if he jokes too much, she handles it calmly at times and enjoys teasing him or others. Similar to Cat Noir, she is clever with her words and occasionally enjoys making puns. According to Marinette as her alter ego personality-wise, she takes after her mother and her grandmother Gina's adventurous spirit.

As her alter ego, Marinette strives to keep her personal and hero lives separate to protect herself and her loved ones. Still, she aims to be honest with others in other ways, like with Cat Noir about not having romantic feelings for him and seeking advice from others. No matter her difficult tasks, Marinette does everything she can to set things right as Ladybug while keeping up with her everyday responsibilities, like studying, designing things, and more. There are exceptions to the rule such as when she mixed up her duties to her former professor and her personal plans, like her letter to Adrien. She also has occasional problems inventing excuses for her absences to her friends, professors, and parents. When off duty like Cat Noir, Ladybug has learned to relax and have fun.

As a duo, she is cool, calm, and level-headed, but does let personal matters take over sometimes as she voiced her frustrations at Cat Noir during a fight leading to her doubts about trusting him and then an accident. As time went on Ladybug realized that she and Cat Noir would have to include others in their work with them following her as the leader and adopting a caring protective mother figure role. Doing so Ladybug doesn't see them as sidekicks but as friends and extremely values their support. She is also great at giving advice to others when they need it and shows great care for them and their loved ones when in danger such as when Chloé and Kagami, were suspended from their team roles as the cost of revealing their identities to Hawk Moth. According to Cat Walker, as team leader, Ladybug doesn't play favorites and cares for everyone equally. Also, she learned to take suggestions, and ideas and to follow the lead of others when the situation calls for it such as following Cat Noir's lead when she became more aggressive and irrational than normal, fierce boarding reckless.

After taking on Prefect and Head-Girl duties, Ladybug still continued to accept the help of her allies both old and new understanding that the rules are slowly changing. And yet, she became overprotective of and bordering afraid for Cat Noir, herself, and others as well as affecting her friendship and partnership with him unknowingly acting like her archenemy by keeping him out of the loop, taking him for granted, calling the others excessively or not trusting him to retrieve their friends whose identities he knows unaware that he wanted to protect her to but in the opposite direction. She fully realizes her and other mistakes, after Hawk Moth stole the list with all of their friends' names (except for hers and Cat Noir's), feeling immense guilt believing what she deserved until Cat Noir reminds her that she still has him, the faith of everyone at Hogwarts and ensured her they will retrieve the list, and make sure Hawk Moth doesn't steal anything from them again inspiring her with the hope to keep fighting.

With Hawk Moth finding out the identities of their friends, her confidence as Ladybug has shaken to where she occasionally hesitates and becomes sensitive at the mention of it especially missing the alter egos of their friends and the rest of the team.

Despite the fact that being Ladybug had allowed her to meet her cat Tikki and save people, Marinette started to grow tired and stressed about keeping her two lives separate and having to lie to everyone she loves, eventually causing her to break down and cry to Luka about her problems. While on occasion, she rarely breaks down as Ladybug, often voicing her doubts and mistakes to Cat Noir during their hardest times. She felt more of the strain in her civilian life as she took the mantle of Head-Girl, causing her to break down, even more, realizing she can't have a love life or be honest with anyone; effectively condemning herself to a cage of lies until Shadow Moth is no longer a threat.

Speaking of her tasks as one of the chosen ones, Marinette worked relentlessly to decode the letters that Hawk Moth sends her and was very determined to stop Hawk Moth from putting more people under the Imperius Curse. However, she is also stressed out more and struggled to balance everything to the point where she constantly lies to her parents and friends. Because of this, Marinette started to act out like Gabriel such as when she resorted to using drastic measures such as not telling Luka the truth and calling off her friendships with her friends, both instances lead to them being put under the Imperius Curse. It was there that Marinette, after breaking off with Luka and making up to her friends, she decided to let Alya in on her secret of being Ladybug and the prophecy. After gaining help from Alya, she has a deeper understanding of her destiny and was happy about protecting people even further. Through it, she calmed down and started to see the flaws in others. Unlike Hawk Moth, Marinette has let go of past mistakes as she wasn't angry at Mister Fu for losing the book about Horcruxes leading to now, and not blaming herself for Fu's condition knowing that he wouldn't want her to do that as others still needed her. However, because of the big burden, she has as one of the chosen ones, Ladybug becomes very protective of the forbidden books under her care.

And yet, the burden of being one of the chosen ones wasn't the only thing that made her behave the way she did it was Hawk Moth's relentless hunting of her and Cat Noir. Over time she had grown more aware of Hawk Moth's deceptive and super sneaky nature to the point where she had nightmares and was afraid of what he was going to do if he found out when she let others in on her secrets and has the power to back it up. Despite burdening herself to keep everyone else safe she had forgotten it works both ways as no one else wants to see her suffer for them. Because of her archenemy, she understood what the other chosen ones felt knowing what it's like to be hunted.

Unknowingly because of her archenemy, she learned what happens when one obsesses over their own desires and that you not only hurt yourself but others too. Such as in her early Hogwarts years, Marinette would have been all over Adrien but in her sixth year she forces Kagami to see him, but she also goes to great lengths to avoid seeing Luka. Her love obsession caused many problems, such as where her emotional preference caused her to give Adrien the snake disguise, even though Luka was a much better fit. And causing the list of their allies to be stolen and with that being the last straw Marinette gives up her love for Adrien for the sake of her people. However, in trying to shut off her love affections she goes denial crazy again from running away from her feelings to desperately wanting a guy to love her back even to almost foolishly accepting Monarch's offer aware that everything would end in disaster if not for Cat Noir. As well as because of her archenemy's influence as both sought easier ways out of their problems but were short-sided and yet Marinette accepted the outcome and followed her friend's example.

As Lady Noire, Marinette retained most of her personality as Ladybug, like her cautiousness and creativity. She took after her partner's sense of humor, cunning, and charm, with Mister Bug believing that she was the one wearing the clown suit. Returning as Lady Noire again, she adopted more of her partner's persona, becoming flirty.

Like Adrien when he was Aspik, as Multimouse, while trying to protect her identity as Ladybug, Marinette was trustworthy, faithful, and clever. However, she pretended to be a klutz and "revealed" her identity in front of Cat Noir so he wouldn't think that Marinette is Ladybug.

As her adult alter ego, according to Bunnyx, Marinette will grow into a wise, calm, strong, and confident leader, meaning that she isn't impulsive and irrational. Such as when she comforted Bunnyx, telling her that their fight wasn't over, easily figuring out she had a message from her younger self, and after Timetagger's defeat, she confidently told her younger self that they'll always be able to save the day.

#crossover hogwarts au #miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #1989-1990

3 notes · View notes

artzychic27 · 2 years ago

Note

Hello I want to hear about your bring it on au and what it’s about!

Keep in mind, this one is based on the musical

On his last day of junior year, Adrien Agreste anticipates the day he will be named captain of the DuPont High School cheer squad, as he has been hoping for this moment ever since he saw the team cheer when he went to a basketball game to watch one of his cousins, but he just couldn’t take his eyes off of the squad

Of course, he gets the position, ‘cause protagonist. And his first duty is to replace the graduating members

Adrien’s girlfriend and fellow cheerleader is Marinette, who pretty much “helps” him make a ton of decisions for the team

Other members include Rose Lavillant, Lotta Jameson, Louis Secousse, the mascot, Sabrina Raincomprix, and a bunch of other important background people

During a cheerleader sleepover, Adrien, still wanting to show the team that he’s right for the captain’s position, takes a chance on Louis and names him the Sophomore spirit leader

IF Adrien were to lose his position, Louis would be third in line as captain after Rose and Lotta

The rest of the sleepover goes by well, but Adrien is not aware of the whispering going on between Marinette and Louis

Two weeks after the sleepover, Adrien’s father received a letter with these news: He’s been redistricted to inner-city Latrelle High School

Rose: THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE A SQUAD!

Despite his attempts to stay at DuPont, there’s nothing Adrien can do, he has to move, quit cheerleading, and that means no Nationals, booo.

And strangely enough, the day Adrien is supposed to go, Marinette and Louis aren’t there to see him off… Weird, but he’s too sad to question it

Adrien arrives at Latrelle where he is nearly trampled as soon as the bell rings, he’s pretty sure he saw someone getting to third base in the bathroom, and he keeps getting called “snow bunny”

He’s not exactly given much of a warm welcome because he came from a private school

To his relief, Sabrina has been redistricted, too, and she teaches him how to lay low like she’s always done, but to Sabrina’s shock, some guys flirt with her

After classes with a few misunderstandings regarding the school’s funding and how there’s barely enough books for the entire class (That happens, people! Remember that!) it’s time for lunch

While trying to find a table, Adrien comes across members a few members of Latrelle’s resident and locally famous dance crew: Denise, Cosette, and Jean when they perform Shabooya Roll Call

Denise: My name’s Denise! (Yeah) Lemme just say! (Yeah) Bitches gonna pay! (Yeah) If they steal my bae! *Points to Simon*

Cosette: I’m Cosette! (Yeah) These curls are poppin’! (Yeah) Don’t try to touch ‘em! (Yeah) ‘Cause I’ll show you the bin!

Jean: My name is Jean! (Yeah) A Broadway Baby! (Yeah) See that starring role? (Yeah) Played by your’s truly!

Adrien follows them to the gym and is impressed by what he believes to be a cheer squad as he thought Latrelle didn’t have a squad

Adrien offers his talents, but one slip of the tongue results in a big NO because he called them a cheer squad when they are a dance crew, there is a difference, and Jean is more than happy to explain through song

Instead, they let Sabrina join as she’s been taking dance classes in secret over the years and is pretty good

But enough about that!

Luka, the school’s go-to musician for parties and school events takes pity on Adrien and invites him to the school’s favorite eating establishment… Where Jean just so happens to work

Adrien tries to make amends, but Jean’s having none of it. It’s only when Adrien defends him from a group of entitled rich girls that he gains Jean’s respect… But he’s still not in the crew

However! He does have a challenge for him… Adrien has to dance with the crew at a party Friday night, wearing… The mascot suit

After a shaky start, Adrien kills it in the suit thanks to some backup from Luka – and an impressed Jean gives him an official spot on the dance crew

Meanwhile at DuPont…

Neither Rose nor Lotta can be the captain. Rose suddenly doesn’t have the grades, and Lotta has mono. By rules of succession, Louis is now captain

Of course, Adrien is suspicious when he hears the news and decides to head back to check up on his old squad… Only to find that Louis has copied his hairstyle

Rose and Lotta think he is just being paranoid, and Marinette isn’t listening to him, so Adrien shares his troubles with Sabrina, who explains that Louis’ mom is on the school board and decided on the redistricting

After a lot of screaming, Adrien realizes the only way to get back at Louis is by assembling a squad at Latrelle and defeating him at Nationals

Act Two!

Adrien approaches Jean about creating a cheerleading squad at Latrelle, and they’re reluctant at first until Adrien quickly lies and says that Nationals includes scholarships for each winning member, and a chance to be on live television

Jean lets the rest of the crew know, and the decision is final… They’re forming a squad! But! They need way more members

So, in addition to Jean, Adrien, Cosette, Denise, and Sabrina, Nathaniel, Ivan, Juleka, Spinelli, Austin A, Nino, and Ismael join the squad. But it was NOT easy

Juleka only joined when they mentioned the scholarship, Ismael was promised pants for his uniform, Nathaniel is hoping to catch the eye of the soccer team captain, Ivan needs extracurriculars, Nino’s in it for the tv appearances, Spinelli gets to show off his choreography, and Austin A heard how some of his favorite celebrities were cheerleaders

During the team’s first practice, Spinelli has some routines planned, but many of the moves would get points deducted by the judges, so he has to stick to classic shit

A week later at the regional competition, DuPont watches Latrelle perform. Everyone except Marinette and Louis is wowed, but Marinette is smugly convinced that DuPont will win

Though, Latrelle wins enough points for a Nationals spot, and they take second to DuPint

Back at Latrelle, Marc, after soccer practice, asks Nathaniel out, but he doesn’t say anything and just runs to the gym where he meets up with Cosette and Nino, who are helping Austin T and Myléne out with the same problem

The two stage a quick intervention and tell them that it’s no big deal when it comes to their insecurities

Cosette: Now you go find those boys and tell them you’re free Friday night!

Myléne: Gosh darn it, you’re right!

Nino: Whoa! Language!

Nathaniel goes after Marc and tells him that he wants to go out

Later that evening, Luka asks Adrien out on a picnic date on the cliffs above the town, and although Adrien is reluctant since he’s… Somewhat still dating Marinette, he accepts

And as he's getting ready for his not-date, he can't help but feel even more guilty for the lie he told the squad when he looks at a group photo of them on his dresser

Meanwhile with the Squad!

Juleka: Do you guys think a smokey eye will clash with the uniform?

Cosette: Hon, it’s your makeup, you go for it.

Austin A: Keep all that black stuff outta my eye. If there’s not a trace of glitter, I don’t even want it.

Nathaniel: *Stretching with Ivan and Nino* And then he bought me my favorite caramel frappe! God! I never want this to end!

Nino: Dude, that’s great! At this rate, you’re gonna end up being the school’s power couple.

Ismael: *On his phone* Huh… That’s weird.

Spinelli: What’s up?

Ismael: I’m checking out the website for Nationals, but I don’t see any information on the scholarships.

Jean: Check under rules and regulations.

Ismael: Did, don’t see it.

Ismael: Well, that’s weird. Now, why would they not have any information on the scholarships when Adrien told us they had scholarships?

Squad: …

Juleka: He didn’t.

Austin A: He did.

Ivan: Oh, yeah.

Cosette: Who did what?

Nathaniel: Adrien lied to us.

Cosette: Ooh… I’m gonna bitch slap him.

When going to meet up with Luka, Adrien runs into the furious crew, who all discovered that he lied, and the squad breaks up

Upset and disgusted with himself, Adrien shows up for the date with Luka, just to tell him what he did so Luka can cut all ties with him

To his surprise, Luka tries comforting him, and encourages Adrien to stop worrying so much about his mistakes, and to also apologize. It probably won't make things better, but it'll be a way to acknowledge his mistakes

Meanwhile, the DuPont squad discuss the dissolution of the Latrelle squad, and Marinette privately celebrates being made captain with Louis, all by using diabolical means

Louis has his status as captain while Marinette is really the one in control. Louis blackmailed is mom into transferring Adren, he had Max hack into the school system to give Rose a failing grade by threatening Markov, and infected Lotta with mono by pushing her in the un-disinfected school pool

At Latrelle, Nathaniel sports a hickey courtesy of his new boyfriend

During what is now dance practice, Adrien confronts them and offers a profuse, pained apology

Eeryone is still hurt by the lie, but they do mention the joy their hard work brought to them

Juleka: ... I'm not gonna lie. What you did was fucked up, but... It felt nice to be noticed for once.

Nathaniel: Yeah, and... I guess this helped me be more of an extrovert. There. I said it.

Cosette: I still wanna slap you... But I had fun.

And to Adrien's own surprise, he realizes that he stopped caring about Nationals or getting back at Louis a while ago

Despite their conflicting feelings, Jean confesses that they miss Adrien as well and the Squad decides to continue working together, meaning Nationals is back on

At Nationals, DuPont's squad performs their routine exceptionally

As the squad recovers, Marinette runs into Adrien and is stunned to find the Latrelle squad in their uniforms

Adrien, realizing that their relationship wasn't the best during the bus ride, breaks things off with Marinette, but she barely reacts and goes off on a rant while inadvertently revealing her actions and justifying her actions by claiming she got DuPont first place, which, in her mind, is more important than sportsmanship or their "relationship"

Now on the mat, Latrelle offers an exuberant, mind-blowing routine that breaks many of the fundamental rules of cheerleading, but inspires wild applause from the arena

The squad is sure they won, but then Sabrina breaks the news to them, that they had broken many rules and gone outside of bounds multiple times

Nino: Oh... Shit.

Spinelli: Yeah, we really should have read the rules.

Denise: There were bounds?

Jean: Well, whatever happens, we will take it with grace and poise.

When the results are read, Latrelle has won Nationals.

Jean: YEAH! WE FUCKING WON!

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #answered ask #ask me stuff #bring it on #cheerleader au #cheer au #musicals #mlb ocs

14 notes · View notes

mlwritersguild · 2 years ago

Text

Purr-suasion, by @empressofall

Based on a prompt submitted by @deinde-prandium: Adrinette P&P? Chloe as Emma? Go wild, as long as it’s an AU based on one of Jane Austen’s works.

AO3; Jane Austen AU, Background Feligami, Background DJWifi

Summary:

Marinette and Adrien reunite 10 years after Marinette suddenly broke off their secret engagement. At least, it had been sudden from Adrien’s point of view.

----

Their debt had been purchased and the sale to their new owners had been made. The Dupain-Cheng family still ran the patisserie on Rue Caulaincourt, but it no longer had their name above the door.

Those were just the first in a series of events that led Marinette to where she was standing now, across from him and him across from her.

In all honesty, it should have been obvious where this was heading. The purchase had been made years ago, but Gabriel Agreste, the old curmudgeon, had died and there had been no one to cause issues after that. The inheritance had fallen to some nephew in London and they had heard neither hide nor hair of him until a month ago. A month ago the letter had come with a last name that Marinette hadn’t thought to connect. They’d set up dinner, did their best to impress their employers, but the evening had turned sour as seating placements dictated that she was looking directly into the eyes of Adrien Agreste.

“We hadn’t even realized you left Paris.�� Tom Dupain seemed a little sheepish in making that statement.

“I didn’t realize my father had bought your establishment.” The words seemed a little too biting, and he quickly added, “I’m happy that we are able to catch up after so many years.”

Adrien wasn’t a cruel person. Marinette knew him well enough to say that. Absence hadn’t made the heart grow fonder in this case, and the bitterness that drifted her way from his side was palpable.

Adrien’s cousin, Mr. Felix Graham de Vanilly, and his wife, Kagami, silently observed the mess that was unfolding and did nothing to help.

“You must tell us about your time at sea,” Sabine Cheng said. “The most famous Captain in the French navy. You must have some good stories.”

“Perhaps my cousin can share how he earned such a ridiculous nickname as the Dread Chat Noir,” Felix said with the barest hint of amusement.

Adrien didn’t look up from his plate. “Only that I bring bad luck to my enemies.”

Marinette didn’t know if she liked it better when he was ignoring her or when he wouldn’t look away.

“Why join the navy in the first place?” Sabine asked.

Adrien stopped completely. He set his utensils down and hastily picked up his napkin to cover a cough. His eyes looked up and over to her above the edge of the cloth with a question and Marinette gave no answer. She had never told her parents of the past. It wasn’t likely she would come out with the truth now.

No one argued when Adrien didn’t give an answer. He simply went back to eating.

Kagami gave an awkward smile as she looked around the table. “The salmon has such a lovely citrus flavor.”

.*.*.*.

Marinette was the one opening the bakery the next morning. She had started doing it a few days a week, giving her parents the opportunity to sleep in while she baked and served their first customers. In the time that she had grown older, so had they. Her father complained of his back aching more often and her mother had grown dark circles under her eyes.

Some might complain that Marinette was seven and twenty and unmarried, but she was doing a lot more good at home than she would in her own household.

Marinette was in the middle of putting fresh loaves of bread on the display when the door opened and the bell above it jingled. She looked up to see a familiar head of blonde hair. Adrien lingered in the doorway as though he were waiting for her permission to enter. She wanted to tell him that he was letting the cold in, but didn’t want him to take her words as hostile.

After a moment, he walked up to the counter and before he could even tell her what he wanted, Marinette was pulling the passion fruit macaron from the shelf and putting it in its only little bag. She grabbed a croissant from the display and added it to the order. Adrien seemed surprised when she presented them to him.

“You remember,” he said.

Marinette pretended she wasn’t thinking of every time she shared this breakfast with him. And every time she had thought about them sharing it in the last six years.

Adrien picked up the bags from where she had placed them. She held out her hand to him. “That’ll be a franc, please.”

He stared at her dumbfounded.

“Your cousin owns this establishment. Not you,” Marinette said. “I might be inclined to give him and his wife free products, but you’re still a paying customer.”

The fact was, Adrien had never had to pay before. He dug into his pockets even still and pulled out the money.

“You seem to be doing well for yourselves,” Adrien said, looking around the room. Gabriel Agreste had paid for renovations when he’d purchased their debt and their business. “And you seem well. As well.”

Was he angry? Is that why he was being so awkward?

Marinette was agonizing over what to say next. She wasn’t prepared for this conversation this early in the morning. Adrien had every right to be upset with her. His version of what happened was different than her own, some of the truth had been concealed, and it made Marinette the rightful object of his ire.

“Things have been…” Marinette paused to take a deep breath as she tried to think of what word to use, “fine.”

Adrien’s lips pulled into a tight line as he nodded.

Marinette tried to think of something else to say. “Do you…have your land legs back?”

Surprisingly, Adrien laughed at this.

“I’ve been back from sea for almost a month,” he said. “Sometimes I still feel the ground shifting beneath my feet.”

He started drumming his fingers on top of the counter.

“The— uh— The sailors under my command were the ones who started calling me Chat Noir.” Adrien had a soft smile on his face when he spoke.

“Because you bring bad luck on your enemies?”

“And myself.”

Marinette bit her lip. She was about to open her mouth. Maybe an apology would come out.

“I dropped a cannonball on my foot one time,” Adrien said.

It took Marinette a moment to realize that he was being serious and she burst out laughing. She was drawn back into her memories, how they used to try and make each other laugh every day. Picturing Adrien holding her in his arms as he cracked another ridiculous joke was an image still sharp enough in her mind to cut deep. His nose had brushed up against hers. Her eyelashes tickled his cheek.

“But I did face an enemy or two in battle,” Adrien continued. He shrugged. “Apparently, I did alright.”

Marinette sucked in a deep breath and asked the question she had been trying to hold back. “And how long are you staying?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

Nothing was sure. Not anymore.

Perhaps there had been a time when Marinette could ask him to promise to stay in Paris longer, or leave his post behind entirely. She had forfeited that right when she had gone back on her word. Adrien wasn’t the kind of person to do something like that, and he certainly wouldn’t tolerate that from anyone else. Not even her.

At one point in her life, Marinette had been so sure that she was going to keep her proimise to marry him. The day she had been called to his home by his father, that certainty crumbled.

Adrien sniffled and readjusted his grip on his bags of baked goods. “I will be here for a while. There’s some more people I want to see.”

More people. Could Marinette let herself believe that she was on his list?

“Perhaps I can see you again?” Marinette asked, the smallest bit of hope dripping into her voice.

Adrien smiled at her. “I’ll see you again, Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

Her heart sunk as he addressed her by her last name.

.*.*.*.

When Marinette did cross paths with Adrien again she hadn’t been expecting it. Someone— and she wouldn’t name names— had decided to bring him along on a trip to the botanical gardens.

Alya Cesaire had organized the outing. She had brought along Nino Lahiffe as well and Mr. Felix Graham de Vanilly and his wife Kagami tagged along as well. Nino and Alya walked arm in arm and Marinette xpected an announcement of their engagement any day now.

With the roster of the present company, Marinette had been left to walk in the back with Adrien. Couples weren’t always open with their single friends and Marinette often wondered if people got married just so they didn’t feel excluded. Fellow singles of the opposing sex had to keep distance from each other, which made commiserating difficult.

Not that she could have commiserated with Adrien. The fault behind why they walked with a few feet between them instead of arm in arm was her own.

Marinette tried to occupy herself by enjoying the flowers. They were in full bloom, the warm days of summer coming as a blessing after the cold of late spring. She took walks like this often and tried to use the time to find peace with herself. It was the first moment that Adrien was with her, not just in memory.

She’d thought of him often. Regret and hope had all mixed together in the same messed up bowl of feelings. With regret, she had listened to his father and “cut him loose.” With hope, she dreamed of him coming back to her.

Their encounters so far had been nothing like her fantasies and neither was this one.

Adrien remained silent. He was either listening to their friends' conversations or thinking about something. Either way, the look on his face was intense. It shifted, and he was nodding along to something with a small smile.

“Marinette, what do you think?”

She hadn’t been prepared for Alya’s question. “Hm?”

“What do you think?” Alya related. “About Adrien turning to a life of piracy.”

Adrien was looking at her as if he was actually curious to hear her answer.

“Would he make a good pirate?” she asked, quickly trying to avoid his eyes.

“Chat Noir is a better pirate name than a naval captain,” Nino said. He scoffed. “He could certainly use the money from stealing chests of gold.”

Alya’s brows furrowed. “What for? Don’t you have some large, grand inheritance from your father?”

“He did ,” Felix said, grumbling under his breath.

“What?” Alya and Marinette spoke almost simultaneously.

“Did?” Alya asked. “As in not anymore?”

They had all stopped walking, all eyes turned to Adrien. He turned sheepish under their gazes and his shoulders scrunched up to his ears. What was he trying to hide and why were Marinette and Alya the only ones who didn’t know? For what reason had Gabriel Agreste not left his son with something? Felix had been the one to inherit his business empire, but Adrien had nothing at all.

Anger bubbled up inside Marinette’s chest. Disinheritance had been what she had been trying to protect him from when she’d broken off their engagement. Gabriel had threatened to leave his only son with nothing if they had married and he had done it anyway.

Forget anger, Marinette felt overcome by panic. She tried to keep herself from hyperventilating. Her friends seemed to have noticed.

“Will you excuse me, please?” Marinette asked. By the end of her sentence, she was already walking away from them. She took herself off of the path and started trampling through the trees and over their roots.

Adrien was calling to her over the sound of leaves and branches snapping underneath her feet. Marinette didn’t want him following her. She tried to keep her pace fast enough that he couldn’t catch her but his long legs easily matched her strides.

He was able to maneuver around her with ease and stop her with his hands on her shoulders. The worry on his face was clear as day as he examined her and his grip was iron. She wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

Marinette tried to keep her lip from trembling. She didn’t know what to say to him, how to let out the secret that no one else knew. Gabriel Agreste was dead. She had never told her parents and not even Alya.

“Did you—“ Marinette felt the words get stuck in her throat. She shut her eyes, cursing under her breath as she tried again. “Did your father really take away your inheritance?”

Adrien blinked slowly as he tried to process. “That’s what you’re—“ he stuttered. “No. No, I refused it.”

“What?” Marinette asked. Her feelings were running away from her. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sniffled. “You did?”

Adrien hasilty used his hands to wipe away her tears. He was nervous to touch her. She could feel it.

“Marinette, I know,” Adrien said. “I found out that he told you to walk away.”

There was the slightest hint of anger in his green eyes, as if a distant memory were playing out behind them. Marinette could remember feeling the same way in the days after Gabriel Agreste had summoned her to his home. She had kicked herself for making her decision and then settled with it for a while, only to go back to beating herself up later.

“I was too late,” Adrien continued. “By then, I was in the middle of my commission. And when they gave me leave to see him before… I wanted nothing more than to come back and clear the air with you.”

“Clear the air…” Marinette repeated.

He still held her, so gently.

“I wish you had told me,” Adrien said. “I would have abandoned everything then and there if it meant I could keep all of you. More than just the memories.”

“I didn’t want to make you give up your family.”

“Damn that. You’re my family.” Adrien didn’t sound harsh at all. Marinette could only recognize the passion that she had loved with her whole being. “You, Marinette. You. You. I want you.”

He leaned in, as if to kiss her, and stopped short. There were still inches to close between them that seemed like miles.

Adrien pulled away, searching her face again. “I only– That is, I want to ask. If perhaps you still feel the same?”

Marinette wanted to scream that yes, of course. Of course, she still felt the same. How long had it been since her longing consumed her until it took over her life? Adrien had been in everything since he left, in every loaf of bread she baked, in the evening sky she looked up at on her roof. She saw him when she woke in the morning and when she went to bed at night.

How could her feelings have changed over these past years when he had been ingrained in her so deeply?

“If you no longer feel the same as you did, I swear to you, I will walk away without another word.”

Marinette grabbed his hand to hold him there. “Stay,” she said. “And tell me again.”

Adrien’s whole body flooded with relief. He relaxed, no longer carrying the tense posture of a shoulder. His head drifted down to rest on her shoulder, arms reaching around to pull her in tight. Marinette’s fingers threaded through his hair, keeping him as close to her as possible.

“I still love you,” Adrien mumbled.

“What was that?” Marinette asked.

Adiren looked up at her with a frown. “I–”

Marinette quickly pecked his lips. He silenced. She only let him sit in his shock for a second, and much sweeter and gentler, Marinette leaned in and kissed him again. It lasted longer, but she would need much more to make up for all the pain that still lingered in her heart.

Adrien was quick to caress her cheek, his other hand on the small of her back. When he finally pulled away, he looked as though he let go of anything but his happiness. “Say that I have you again.”

“I am yours.”

.*.*.*.

Marinette didn’t know if she liked the new sign hanging above the bakery. She had worked on it for hours, but wasn’t sure if it was perfect. Adrien told her a few times over that he loved the blue colors, reminding him of rolling waves on the seas.

The Agreste name had been taken down, and Dupain-Cheng put back up. Returning ownership of the shop to them had been an unexpected wedding present but a welcome one. Sabine and Tom started talking a few full days off with their daughter and son-in-law taking charge.

Marinette placed a hand on Adrien’s shoulder as she passed by him taking orders from customers. Today was a busy day, but it was hard to be stressed when she was spending it with him.

“You’ve got to take a break, my love,” Adrien told her after the customers were gone. “You’ve been on your feet all day.”

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Perhaps we can afford to take an hour for lunch,” Marinette said. “If you insist.”

“I do. Put the sign on the door,” he said, turning her around to face him. “An hour to have you all to myself.”

Adrien, once again, drew her in for a kiss.

9 notes · View notes