#adrien messy layout | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

komorebirei · 5 years

Text

The Water Was Never Afraid - Chapter 7: Branch

Chat Noir ran along the rooftops on all fours, using his staff only to vault from one building to the next. He didn’t know or care where he was going—Paris’ visible landmarks were enough to orient himself once he was ready to go back.

It was almost nine in the evening, and the sun was slanting, but the city was still suffused in golden light. Passing the restaurant where he and Kagami had eaten just a couple hours ago, he spied the same waitress who had served them still on her shift, taking an order from an outdoor table. She looked tired and a bit frazzled.

Seeing the opportunity to improve someone’s day, Chat Noir swiped a peony from a random window’s flower box and hopped to the ground. As the waitress pocketed her tiny pad of paper and turned to go back inside, he caught up to her and presented the peony.

She looked shocked and starstruck, turning to search her surroundings for the reason Chat Noir was paying her a visit.

“This is for you, mademoiselle. I’ve been to this restaurant before, and I recognized you,” Chat Noir confessed honestly. “Thank you for making dinner worthwhile for my girlfriend and me.”

He threw in the last detail so she wouldn’t think he was hitting on her.

Her face brightened as she took the flower from his claws.

“Ah, there it is,” Chat Noir grinned cheerfully, twirling his staff in one hand. “I was hoping to see that smile bloom on your face.”

The girl giggled and tucked the peony’s stem into her apron. “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”

He leaned into her ear to whisper. “Oh, and I trust you to keep it a secret that Chat Noir is seeing someone. Keep smiling, mademoiselle!” Waving goodbye, Chat Noir went on his way, smirking at the dumbstruck expressions of the restaurant’s patrons.

Hanging a left at the Arc du Triomphe, he followed the broad avenue of the Champs Élysées in the general direction of Collège Françoise Dupont.

Even though it felt good to be out and about, and to see Parisians milling from place to place, wrapping up the loose ends of their days, Chat Noir couldn’t help but feel lonely.

He couldn’t seem to escape this situation—the mask, the façade. No matter where he went or what he did, the curtain separating him from the world seemed to follow him around.

None of these people knew anything about him, and it was difficult to engage people in conversation when they were too blinded by his mask not to act like fools basking in the glamour of being noticed by a superhero of modern legend. Not much different from being Adrien, just a lot more fun when he could do parkour all over the city.

Still, it was nice to make people smile, so there was that.

Landing on a spire of Notre Dame, Cat Noir took a moment to scan the city. He’d made it quite some distance from his neighborhood in the 8th arrondissement, by the Parc Monceau. The lazy crawl of his eyes across the surroundings came to a halt when he saw a sight that made his chest warm.

He couldn’t be sure it was her. She was like a speck across the narrow channel of Seine separating the two islands, on the neighboring Île Saint-Louis, but that loose white blouse with oversized black-inked polka dots, paired with persimmon-colored straight-leg pants that contrasted sharply with the neutral colors and green of the balcony garden, looked strikingly familiar. He could have sworn he’d seen her wear that outfit to the office.

He extended his staff into the water and used it to pole vault across to the other island, landing in a tree near the balcony.

Now that he had a clear view, his suspicions were confirmed. It was indeed her. Her shoulder-length hair had been swept into a loose bun that was already starting to fall out of the claw clip. One knee pulled to her chest, she leaned over a round wooden table, cutting magazine clippings, blissfully unaware that she was being watched.

One sturdy branch of the tree he was sitting in extended toward her balcony, so he slunk across it on all fours, feeling his perch sway in the wind.

“I’m surprised to see the princess in a different tower,” Chat Noir called out softly, trying not to startle her.

It didn’t work. Marinette screeched and hurled the scissors at him, which he thankfully caught deftly between thumb and forefinger. He tutted as he used the branch as a bridge to Marinette’s balcony. “Trying to put my eye out, Princess? How can I protect Paris blind?”

“Chat Noir!” Looking horrified, Marinette leaned over the balcony rail toward him. The sudden movement had made her precariously lodged claw clip fall out, and her loose hair brushed her shoulders, slightly wavy from the previous style. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” he reassured. “Care for some company?”

Marinette moved aside, making space for him to land, and he leapt the short distance between the branch and her balcony.

“Did you pick this apartment in hopes of welcoming me someday?” he joked.

“Keep on dreaming, Minou. My balcony was my thinking place, growing up, and I got used to having one to retreat to when I was feeling introspective. So a cute balcony was an important condition when I was looking for my own place.”

It was refreshing the way Marinette talked to him like a normal person, not like she was speaking with a celebrity and watching every word that came out of her mouth. He had occasionally interacted with her or pulled her out of danger during an akuma fight, but nothing more than he had done to countless other citizens in the past. Judging from the way she easily spoke with Jagged Stone and even his father, Chat Noir supposed Marinette was just tough to intimidate. A woman with nerves of steel.

He picked up her claw clip, which had fallen to the ground, and handed it to her. Their fingers brushed, and he saw that her hands were smudged with colored ink, unadorned with nail polish. Honest, laboring hands.

“This one’s an upgrade. I like what you’ve done with it,” he praised, looking around. The balcony was larger than the one over her parents’ bakery, extending out from the relatively spacious wedge by the French doors that led into the apartment, in a narrow bridge-like protrusion. She had lined the perimeter with a variety of plants, mostly low flower beds and greens that came up to the level of the rail, but the vines and small trees next to the building’s exterior had begun to grow up the walls. She had strung lights from the roof of the building down to the balcony rails, and the golden glow blended with the violet hues of impending dusk. The overall effect looked inviting, comfortable and fresh, and gave her balcony an intimate feel.

“Thanks.” Marinette went back to her table, which, on closer inspection, Chat Noir realized was varnished bamboo.

“What are you doing with all of that, Princess?” he asked, peering at the clippings that littered the table, held down by several smooth, grey rocks. A few pens and alcohol markers lay in a messy pile near her elbow.

Marinette held up her sketchbook, into which she had already taped several clippings. Beside them were a few sketched mannequins in outfits that pulled from the color palette. “Just working on my inspiration book.”

Chat Noir snorted. “Like The Collector.”

Marinette gasped in mock offense. “You’re comparing me to an akuma?”

“You remember that?” Chat Noir was surprised she understood the reference.

“Well, of course! Gabriel Agreste was my idol, so I paid attention to him.” She broke off another piece of tape and fastened another clipping to the page.

Chat Noir marveled at how immaculate the layout looked, combining the magazine clippings with her fluid sketches and tiny, font-like handwriting. “You know, Princess, you could publish this sketchbook exactly as it is and people would buy it.”

“As if I’d do that,” Marinette retorted quickly. “This is a closely guarded book of Marinette Dupain-Cheng secrets. You better not leak my designs, Chat Noir. I fully intend on these designs hitting the market. Some of them, anyway.”

Chat Noir fought a huge grin that threatened to overtake his face. He was delighted that she was making it in their industry. He wondered if he’d get to wear any of her designs—but he couldn’t be vocal about his excitement yet.

“I guess you don’t have these layouts on Instagram somewhere then, do you?��

“Not these, but I do have an Instagram,” she admitted. “Not gonna tell you my handle, though. I challenge you to find it.”

“Challenge accepted.” He winked.

“So, Chat Noir,” Marinette looked up. “Are you just dropping by to say hello, or…?”

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, standing awkwardly by the table, suddenly feeling like he was intruding on Marinette’s alone-time. His father hated having someone hover over his shoulder as he designed. Maybe he was bothering Marinette. “It was just nice to see a familiar face, but I can get going if you’re busy.”

Marinette shrugged, an easy smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not really busy, just passing time. I can get a little obsessive when it comes to designing, so a distraction is always welcome if you wanted to stay a while.”

Since Hawkmoth wasn’t active and today wasn’t their day to meet, Marinette knew Chat Noir had no practical reason to be in the suit, so his presence on her balcony right now probably meant he was lonely.

Chat Noir nodded. “Thanks, Princess.”

“I can’t believe you’re still calling me that,” Marinette said, pushing one of the chairs out for him with her foot.

He took a seat, laying one arm over the other on the table, careful not to disturb her clippings. “We always seem to meet on a balcony. Should I call you Juliet instead?”

This time, she kicked his boot lightly. “Too far, Chat.”

He picked up one of the alcohol markers. “Why do you artists like these so much? What’s so special about them?”

Marinette ripped out a page of her sketchbook. He flinched and started to protest, but she waved off his concern and dropped the sheet in front of him. “The ink mixes together really well—give it a try. And I’m a designer, not an artist.”

“What’s the difference?” Chat Noir uncapped a light green slab marker and drew a thick line a couple inches long.

“Artists create to express themselves. Designers create for others.”

“Isn’t there some art in design, too?” He drew another line beside the first in a dark, forest green, and watched as the ink bled between the two strips of color in a gradient effect. “Wow, that’s really cool.”

“Isn’t it? It’s kind of like watercolor painting!” Marinette’s eyes twinkled with enthusiasm. “And yeah, you’re right. There’s overlap, of course, kind of like a yin-yang. But I don’t consider myself to be an artist. I want people to wear and use what I design. It’s not just to get some idea into the world, which I think is where a lot of people fall short in the fashion industry. Too conceptual.”

Chat Noir nodded. “I get what you mean.” A lot of the outfits he saw on the runway were just plain ridiculous, as if the designers were trying to push the line of how ugly you could make something and still call it fashion.

He wished he could tell her about the line he’d seen leaked photos of just last week from another fashion house, which literally made the models look like hunchbacks. He didn’t think he’d seen anything more hideous in his life. If he told her, though, she’d know that he had some connection to the fashion world.

Would that be okay, maybe? Hawkmoth already knew his identity, so what was there to hide?

“Marinette,” he said slowly, letting up on his Chat Noir swagger. A thrill ran through him when she looked up with searching eyes, probably catching on to his change of tone. “What if I were someone you actually knew? Would this be weird? Us hanging out like this, I mean?”

Marinette raised an eyebrow and turned her head to give him a sidelong glance. “Uh… no, not really? I understand the whole secret identity thing. Hawkmoth is still at large…” she trailed off, short of asking the unspoken question.

He could see the cogs turning in her brain—trying to figure out why he was asking. ‘Be careful, Chat Noir,’ was written in her expression.

He could tell her. She would keep his secret. It didn’t really matter as much now, anyway, and he knew he could trust her. She was a loyal friend. Wouldn’t it be nice to have one person in the world know his secret?

But then, he remembered the way she had backed off him when she remembered him dating Kagami, and the way she kept her guard up around him, since he was her boss’s son. The way they were now was good. Two friends hanging out, doing nothing, expecting nothing.

No, he couldn’t tell her. Let Chat Noir remain his sanctuary. Chat Noir wasn’t Adrien. He wasn’t anyone.

“Ah, don’t worry, Princess!” He waved both hands in an attempt to allay the worry and suspicion that was etched into her face. “It’s just, there’s someone I know in real life that I tend to see a lot as Chat Noir, and I, uh, just wondered if it was weird of me not to tell her. I certainly feel like a creep sometimes, since she doesn’t know it’s me.”

“Oh, I see.” Marinette cocked her head, looking more curious now than troubled. “She should understand you have to keep your identity under wraps. Any Parisian would.”

“I guess you’re right!” Chat Noir laughed, even though part of him throbbed with a deep, dull ache as he put on another mask over his mask. He returned the two markers he’d used to the pile and stood. “Well, Princess, I think I’ve overstayed my welcome for tonight. It was fun.” He winked and gave her a comically deep bow. “I bid you adieu, Princess.”

“Good night.” She brushed her bangs aside and waved, the golden fairy lights accentuating the curve of her cheek as she smiled. As Chat Noir leapt onto the branch that caught him with a deep swing, she called out, “You know where I live now, so feel free to come by when you’re lonely.”

He caught her eye—she was looking at him softly, with a patient expression, calm like water. She knew he was lonely.

“Good night, Princess.”

Feeling shaken from the adrenaline of almost spilling the secret he’d kept for eight years, he ran across Paris and transformed in an alley before reentering his flat.

He checked his phone reflexively as Plagg broke out of his pocket and made a beeline for the cheese cabinet. There were a few messages from board members, one from Celeste. He didn’t open them—didn’t feel like thinking about work at the moment.

Nothing from Kagami. That wasn’t too surprising. When they weren’t together, she was immersed in her activities and only texted him to make plans. He didn’t expect her to be the mushy girlfriend type with whom he’d have to argue about who should hang up first.

After a quick shower and microwaved meal, he went over the next day’s plans and puttered around the internet watching random videos until the hour grew late enough to sleep.

As he crawled into bed, he checked again for messages from Kagami, but nothing. He contemplated texting her to ask what she was doing, or say goodnight, but decided against looking needy and weak.

He lay in bed, feeling inexplicably restless.

A strange dissatisfaction gnawed at him, though he couldn’t find anything in his life to complain about.

It was at least another hour before he finally drifted off to sleep.

#Miraculous Ladybug #MiraculousLadybug #Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction #MiraculousLadybugFanfiction #Marichat #Adrigami #The Water Was Never Afraid

9 notes · View notes

miraculoussideblog · 7 years

Text

Operation Lovebirds Chapter 1

For @insanitysbloomings‘ (Aka @insanitysscribblings) birthday, I wrote a DJWifi centric fake dating fic. It’s going to be about five chapters long, so here is the first chapter. Hopefully I’ll get the rest out over the next couple weeks. Enjoy!

Summary: Fed up with her friends refusing to confess their feeling for each other, Alya enlist the help of Nino to bring them together. The plan? Fake a relationship. What could possibly go wrong? (hint: everything)

[AO3]

Chapter 1: The Plan

Alya sat with her arm crossed over her chest glaring at her shocked friend as coffee dribbled down his chin. She expected some sort of reaction to her statement, just not one so messy. She’d called Nino to a coffee shop early this Sunday morning to discuss a potential plan to bring their best friends together. Her plan was simple, but very detailed. The last element she needed was a willing participant.

“You’re insane,” Nino said, wiping chin clean.

“Listen, it’s been three years and they’re still pining over each other. All they need is a little push in the right direction.”

“But a fake relationship? Isn’t that a little extreme.”

“Go big or go home baby,” she smirked.

Alya stayed up all night concocting this plan to get her best friend Marinette together with her long time crush Adrien. For three year, Alya’s behind the scenes work brought her friends closer together, but it wasn’t enough. Marinette was now able to speak in coherent sentences around the boy, but just couldn’t express her feelings. Adrien was no better, he finally got to know the sweet, kind, brave Marinette everyone loves, but had no idea she was in love with him.

This had to end.

“It will be easy,” she said. “All we need to do is invite them to double date with us because we’re too nervous to go on a date alone. I fake an emergency, you take me back and we’ll leave to two lovebird alone in a romantic setting. Something’s bound to happen then.”

“I think you’re overestimating the intelligence of our friends.” He sipped his coffee. “Worst case scenario, they don’t confess their feelings after one date. What then?”

“We’ll keep at it. Maybe if we’re in a relationship, they’ll be inclined to spend more time with each other. Please Nino, they belong together, you know that.”

Nino sighed. “All right, I’ll do it.”

“Yes,” she threw her hands up in excitement. “Now we need to layout some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?”

“You know, so you won’t fall for me again.”

“Alya we went out twice, three years ago. I thought we both decided we were better off as friends.”

True, when Ladybug pushed them in a cage together during an akuma attack, they found out they had a lot in common and went out. But after date number two, she realized he still had feelings for Marinette, she knew it wouldn’t work out in the end. Sure, now he’s finally over her and is a full fledged Adrienette shipper, but a lot can change in three years.

Since then Nino’s voice dropped, he’d gotten much taller, grew out his hair a bit. He shed so much baby fat in his face over the summer, that Alya hardly recognized him when he came back from vacation.

Puberty hit him hard. All the girls in the class were all over him like he was Adrien on the first day back. It was kind of annoying. She knew Nino, as much as he talks about being a ladies man, he knew next to nothing about women. If anything, he could learn a thing or two about romance during their fake dates. What were friends for?

“I know, but we have to be careful that none of us catch feelings during this plan. I can’t have us losing sight of this goal. It’s for Marinette and Adrien.”

“Fine,” he sat back in his chair. “What are the rules.”

“No kissing.”

“That’s a given.” He nodded, lifting his coffee to his lips. “We never even kissed when we dated.”

“Right,” she looked back down at her phone to read her notes. “Limit touching to hand holding and the occasional arm around the shoulder. All of this is for the benefit of Marinette and Adrien so no touching when they’re not around.”

“Works for me,” he shrugged. “Anything else?”

“We’ll play it by ear. If we find something the other person does to be uncomfortable, we have to say so. Honestly is the best policy.”

“You want my honest opinion?”

“Sure.”

“This isn’t going to work.”

Nino had his fair share of adventures over the past three years. Since Hawkmoth arrived and Ladybug and Chat Noir began protecting the city. He’s found himself in the middle of far too many akuma attacks than he could count (even becoming an akuma himself). But nothing could prepare him for the adventure he was about to embark on with Alya Cesaire.

Nino glanced down at his phone as he stood outside of school.

Alya: Operation Lovebirds is a go.

He couldn’t help but smile as he read the text over again. This plan was ridiculous. Alya spent an hour briefing him with every detail to make this thing as realistic as possible. She was dedicated he gave her that much.

Her plan was all kinds of crazy, but he just couldn’t say no to her, or at least he never dreamed of trying. Alya was the type of girl to back down easy. End the end she always get what she wants. She’s spent years trying to get their two friends together, and since it was their final year of lycée, Lord knows what she will do if they don’t confess their feelings before graduation.

Adrein’s limo pulled up in front of the school and his friend stepped out of the car. “Hey Nino,” he waved. Nino grinned, becoming friends with Adrien had been one of the best decisions that he made. At first he was a little apprehensive since he was friends with Chloe. After he realized how lonely he actually was because of the connection he offered to be his first new friend. Adrien and Nino have been inseparable ever since.

Adrien bumped Nino’s fist. “How was your weekend?”

Nino shrugged, “Same old same old. You?” Alya would be here any second to enact phase one. He couldn’t play his cards too soon.

“Just you know, photoshoots and…stuff.” Adrien’s eyes shifted from side to side. As much as he tried to hide it, Adrien was a bad liar. Nino trusted his friend enough to know not to press. After all, he had his own secret to keep from his friend.

As if on cue, Alya whizzed past him, bumping his shoulder. His notebook and phone fell from his hand on to the concrete. Thank God he had a sturdy phone case. Nino dropped to his knees to pick up his belongings. Alya, as planned followed suit.

“I am so sorry,” she reached for his phone.

Nino placed his hand on top of hers. She looked up slowly, her hazel eyes locking with his. Usually when they shared eye contact, she glared at him, sending shivers down his spine. This time however, her gaze was soft and warm, it had taken him aback he forgot his lines.

“Nino?” Alya’s brows furrowed, snapping him out of his trance. “You all right.”

“I’m f-fine,” he managed to stuttered.

What the hell? They’d rehearsed this interaction over and over again the night before. Something about this was more genuine. She was a scary good actress.

“Here,” Alya handed him his phone. “See you in class.” She stood up, wiped her knees and turned to left. He didn’t even notice Marinette until she appeared beside her.

Nino kept staring as Alya and Marinette walked to the building. Without missing a beat, Alya glanced over her shoulder and smiled before disappearing into the building.

“What was that dude? You crushing on Alya again?” Adrien punched his shoulder playfully.

“I don’t think I ever stopped,” he muttered.

“Why did you break up?”

“It was a long time ago man,” he shrugged. “We work better as friends.”

They barely lasted a week and honestly he had no idea what went wrong. He liked her, and he thought she was into him, but right after their second date she declared that they were better off as friends and left him at her doorstep confused. She apologized the next day, of course, and he just decided to go with the flow. Whatever feelings he had for her were buried deep within him and he had no intention of letting those out.

“A lot can change in three years,” Adrien said. “Maybe things will work out different this time.”

“Maybe.”

“Whatever you decide, you have my full support.”

Days passed since they launched phase one of Operation Lovebirds. Alya found it easy enough to fake showing interest in Nino. A smile here and there, a loving glance in his direction; the progression of their fake relationship had to be natural or Marinette and Adrien will know it’s a scheme.

“So what’s going on?” Marinette said as she sat down next to Alya on Thursday morning.

“Hmm,” Alya didn’t look up at her.

“With Nino. You were all smiley and blushing after talking with him. Did something happen?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Alya said nonchalantly. Phase one had been a success despite Nino’s poor performance on day one. Marinette was now interested in whatever was happening between her and Nino.

“Alya, you are so invested in my own nonexistent love life, that I need to return the favor. What happened with Nino?”

“Nothing, really. Please change the subject.”

“Don’t think I haven’t notice you looking at Nino since he came from vacation this summer.” She winked.

“Wait what?” No she hadn’t, had she? Sure she glanced at his face once or twice when he wasn’t looking. But to be fair, she still wasn’t used to it. She knew he was the same old Nino. She had to use this observation to her advantage. “I mean, maybe a little.”

“I knew it. You’ve been getting annoyed with his new flock of fangirls for weeks. I was wondering if something was up. You totally like him again don’t you!” Marinette squealed. “You have to tell him.”

“Says the pot calling the kettle black,” she raised an eyebrow. “Forget it. We decided we’re better off as friends.”

“Alya, that was years ago. People change.”

“Ugh,” Alya put her head in her hands. “I know and I’ve been thinking more and more about why we broke up. I mean, yes, it was my idea to remain friends, but he didn’t fight me on it after I apologized. He just said “cool, no prob dude” and moved on.”

“Alya, I’ve known Nino for longer than you have. Nino will do anything to make others happy, even sacrifice his own happiness.”

Alya didn’t respond. Shit. Nino would do anything for his friend, she’s known that for years. But No she couldn’t think about that now. They had a plan, she needed to stick to the plan.

“Nino is a good guy,” Marinette continued. “You both deserve happiness.”

The bell rang and Marinette turned her attention to the teacher. Alya pulled out her phone and sent a text to Nino.

Alya: After school. We commence phase two.

Nino: This soon?

Alya: Marinette took the bait, it’s time. Prep Adrien.

Nino: Okay, cool.

The rest of the day went by fast. She and Nino barely talked other than a quick hello between classes. She tried to push Marinette’s comment away, but it kept away eating at her. Nino was so chill, he rarely got angry or showed negative emotions. Their breakup didn’t even phase him, but was that all a front?

No, she couldn’t be thinking about this now of all times. She had to focus on the plan. Getting Marinette and Adrien together had to be her number one priority.

The final bell rang and Alya and Marinette made their way to the door.

“Alya, wait,” Nino took hold of her hand. She turned around. Nino reached back and scratched behind his head, a gesture he always did when he was nervous. “Hey, umm, I was wondering…if you’d like too…uh.”

As anticipated, Adrien stepped forward. “Nino was wondering if you’d like to go on a picnic on this weekend.”

“A picnic?” Alya acted surprised.

“Yeah, it’s nice outside. So I thought why not,” Nino said, nervously. “I mean we never really

“Sounds great, I’m in,” Alya wrapped her arm around Marinette’s shoulder.

“Great we’ll text you the deets.” Adrien smiled as he dragged Nino out of the classroom.

Marinette could not contain her excitement as the boys exited. “Alya, you have a date.” She jumped up and down, dancing around her friend. “You do deserve happiness, I mean it.” Marinette began something rambling about her and Nino getting married and having a double wedding with her and Adrien. Alya felt a buzz in her pocket, she pulled out her phone to check her messages.

Nino: Phase two complete.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfiction #djwifi #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #adrinette #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste

159 notes · View notes