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2manyfandoms2count · 3 months

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Message in a Bottle

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm a little late to the @theerasfestlovesquareversion party, but here's my submission ❤ Special thanks to @miabrown007 for beta-ing!

Happy reading!

Read on AO3

---

Marinette sat at her desk, one foot tucked under her, thoughtfully clicking her pen as she tried to organise a message.

Her thoughts, which went a thousand miles an hour on a slow day, had come to a freeze about twenty four hours prior, when she’d seen – and heard – Adrien’s lips pronounce three little words she’d only ever dreamed of hearing from him. It was just her luck that they were tuned out by warning beep s, and followed by the Startrain doors clicking shut, as in slow motion, without her being able to do anything to stop them.

A part of her had screamed, urging her to chase after the moving vehicle, but her body had remained standing still on the platform, completely and utterly stunned.

She still wasn’t entirely sure how she’d gotten back to her parents’ bakery. How she’d gotten to bed, fallen asleep.

All she knew, as she’d awoken in the morning, was that she knew something she didn’t before, and felt a sense of clarity regarding what she needed to do – but that was when her mind had woken up, too.

And thus the calm before the storm had ended, her mind suddenly swept by a force faster than the wind, dispersing any coherence in her head, scattering words like autumn leaves, before they even got a chance to associate with each other.

She slammed her head on the table, hoping it would help reset her brain; unfortunately it only brought on a throbbing pain. She winced as she rubbed the budding bump on her forehead.

“Screw it,” she mumbled, finally putting her pen to paper.

Dear Adrien,

My feelings since you’ve left have been all over the place, but it’s kind of frightening how happy the three little words you said as the doors of the Startrain closed, made me. They’ve been all I’ve been able to think about (which you know better than anyone might not be the best thing right now – but in a good way! I wouldn’t want you to take them back for the world. Unless you want to. Which would definitely not be a problem, of course. Although maybe just a little. But I’d get over it, I promise).

Marinette’s hand hovered over the page. She was rambling – which could be fine when she talked, but felt pretty stupid to her in written form. This wasn’t her diary. She couldn’t afford to have a stream of consciousness run on her page; maybe Adrien would read it, and think she was crazy, rip up the letter, throw it in the fire, and she’d never, ever, hear from him again. And then what?

If anything, the reason he’d gone to London in the first place, to get away from the press following Hawkmoth’s (his father’s!) defeat, so he could focus on the latter’s upcoming trial, was enough to justify a clear and concise message. She didn’t want to burden him with her feelings when he surely had infinitely more serious things to think about.

“Marinette, it can be just a first draft, you know.” Tikki’s soothing words snapped her out of her spiral.

She looked up at the small divinity, who smiled encouragingly. She nodded, then turned her attention back to her words, biting the end of her pen as she reread them.

Little did she know that Adrien, a small body of water away, was doing exactly the same thing…

—

Dear Marinette,

I’m so sorry I panicked. I didn’t mean to say I like you . Partly, because it’s a little embarrassing that I blurted it out like that – but mostly, because I like you doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel about you. I just saw you, your freckles (the ones I thought I knew like the back of my hand – but that couldn’t be true now, could it? Else I would’ve realised who you were sooner), your smile, and the way you looked at me, and suddenly I got cold feet, and that was the extent of what my tangled brain could produce.

Adrien spun in Félix’s desk chair, assessing what he’d written thus far. It was a good start, he supposed. His life had been turned upside down by the cataclysmic revelation that Hawkmoth was, in fact, his father, and arguably even more so by the fact that Ladybug was Marinette – he was allowed a certain amount of disorganisation.

Although he’d obviously been surprised by the former fact, he had to admit that, retrospectively, it did make sense. He even felt stupid for not figuring it out sooner – or, rather, for figuring it out back when Hawkmoth’s powers were still fairly limited, and the damage done (both physical and psychological) was only a fraction of what would happen next, but being too much in denial of the kind of person his father was, and therefore falling for his tricks.

But his father had grown cockier with his powers, sloppier. His desperation sent him in a slow, downward spiral, hijacking his every thought, eating away at him until one day, he’d stumbled out of what Adrien would later discover was his lair, straight into his atelier, holding his head in his hands – still clad in the purple suit that made most of Paris tremble.

Adrien had stood frozen in the doorway, at first not comprehending what he was seeing. Then, as his father – Paris’ most wanted villain – finally noticed him, the cogs in his brain had whirred again, and he’d made a dash for his room, knowing fully well what he needed to do.

Plagg had to go. Whatever happened next, he couldn’t end up in his father’s hands.

He’d sent his best friend and his ring away just before the iron curtains had come down on his room’s windows. Just before the tears came streaming down his cheeks, as he cowered in a wardrobe, completely and utterly alone.

Until Marinette’s rescue mission, that is.

Her being Ladybug, had come as both a complete surprise and an obvious conclusion to a mystery he’d done his best not to uncover since the day he’d first met his Lady. Adrien had obviously dreamed of figuring out who hid under his partner’s spotted mask, daring to ask every so often on the off chance that maybe she’d reconsidered her stance on the matter. But never, in his wildest dreams, had he ever made the conscious link between the two girls who brightened up his life.

(Not that he remembered, anyway.)

Her plan had been so ingenious that he hadn’t clocked what was going on at first. He’d heard his father go on a rampage around the mansion in his search for him, half begging Adrien to listen to his explanations, half threatening him; and then there was silence as the doorbell cut through his words, and echoed through the house, once. Twice, insistent.

The silence was loud for a second, followed by footsteps running down the hallway. Gabriel opening the door. Voices, cordial at first, although Adrien couldn’t quite make the words out. He wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, what Marinette had said, but somehow, she’d been invited in.

“Adrien?” His father’s tone was completely normal as he’d knocked on his door. “Adrien, your friend Marinette is here to see you. She saw the security system go off and came to check if everything was alright.”

“I know how you feel about closed spaces,” Marinette had chimed in. Adrien had slowly crawled out of his hiding spot and made his way towards his room’s door, frowning, trying to remember when he’d told her about his fear. “It’s almost as bad as one of our friend’s fear of running out of cheese,” she’d added as he’d opened the door, turned towards Gabriel.

Adrien had stared at her blankly.

“Another one of our friends is worse about sweets, though,” Marinette had continued seemingly breezily, but Adrien had noticed the insistant glance she’d thrown him. “You should see her in January, she can’t get enough galette.”

Gabriel had chuckled politely, his shoulders tenser than usual, tearing Adrien’s focus off of Marinette’s words. “Well, as you can see, Adrien is very well, no need to worry. Now, if you don’t mind, I have an important matter to discuss with my son.”

Adrien had felt his blood run cold as his father’s fingers dug into his shoulder, which, from Marinette’s perspective, he assumed probably looked like a recreation of the painting looming over the grand staircase.

“Oh, of course, I’ll probably leave you to it, then,” Marinette had looked down, and fidgeted with her ring.

Adrien had been torn between screaming out for her to make a run for it, to get as far as she could from the mansion and his father, somewhere safe, and begging her to take him with her. But something about her gesture had caught his attention.

Marinette didn’t wear a ring. And this wasn’t an Alliance ring, which he’d seen spread among his peers like wildfire. They didn’t have a common friend who loved galette. Or camembert.

The only person he knew who loved camembert was…

He’d caught Marinette’s eyes, hoping she could read the question in his eyes. The way she’d nodded back, very slowly, led him to think she had.

Swiftly, he’d turned around before his father could move, and grabbed the brooch he’d suspected lay beneath his scarf, tossing it to Marinette (Ladybug!), who’d caught it just as she called for her transformation. She’d grabbed his hand before jumping over the balustrade, almost dislocating his shoulder in the process (a small price to pay to get away, really).

Adrien had heard his father swear after them, his footsteps rushing down, but he didn’t get very far. Ladybug opened the mansion’s door, and what seemed to be the entire Parisian police force rushed in, tackling him to the ground.

Just thinking about it again gave Adrien palpitations. He took a deep breath and got out of the chair, deciding to take a small break from writing. He owed Marinette so much.

—

Anyway, I know it’s only been a couple of days, but I haven’t had any news from you, and I feel like I’m going crazy. Realistically, I know that I like you, combined with our double… friendship, I guess?, must mean that I’m not just any friend to you, but I can’t help but wonder why you’re so silent. I guess I haven’t really been in touch either, even before your departure, but there’s just been so much going on with the trial… I don’t want to bother you, but you should know I’m here if you ever need to talk. Kwami, I wish we could talk right now. Even if I like the idea of sending you a letter, since there’s less chance of things getting lost in nerves.

Because I love you, Adrien. I’ve been trying to tell you for so long, but it never felt like it was the right time nor place to say it. I think I know why, now.

Marinette put her pen down and rubbed her face with her hands. The more she thought about it, the more everything made sense. All this time, she’d felt as if she’d been missing a piece of a puzzle, which threw all her confessions slightly off kilter – as it turned out, her feeling had been justified.

What a shame the moment everything fell down like pieces into place had to be when Adrien had to leave.

She shook her head. It was only temporary. She sat back in her chair with a sigh, looking out of her window. It was getting late; Notre Dame’s façade was illuminated, casting a comforting glow in the night. She wondered if Adrien’s view was as pretty as hers, and what he was up to. She didn’t dare bet he was thinking about her, but she hoped he did.

Do what you will with this information, she scribbled under her confession, sighing. I’m here if you need to talk, about anything you want. The weather, the upcoming trial, how you’re doing in London, how annoying I can imagine Félix being, what everyone in the class is up to, physics… You name it! I just really want to hear your voice again, especially your laugh.

You deserve to laugh, Adrien. So, so much. And I hope this letter brings at least a smile to your lips.

—

“Kid, you should be careful where you put your letters, I almost used it as a napkin for my extra mature pont l’évêque ,” Plagg yawned.

“It wouldn’t matter much if you did,” Adrien sighed.

“Yes, I read it, you’re not sure you’ll send it, blablabla,” Plagg mimicked, holding up the piece of paper.

“Hey! That was supposed to be private!” Adrien snatched it from his flippers with a huff.

“It would be a shame, you know. It’s just the kind of thing Pigtails would love to receive.” Plagg shrugged.

“You think?” Adrien asked, his voice suddenly hopeful.

“Trust me, Adrien, I know. ”

Adrien couldn’t help the wide smile that spread on his lips at the thought. He went through his latest addition to the letter.

You know, I feel like my neurons are a little less scrambled now, but Aunt Amélie is keeping me busy on this side of the Channel (I’m really discovering London, though, which is nice – I’d never been to Brixton, Camden or Hampstead Heath, but they’re great places to explore! I’d like to take you there someday, if you’ll allow me), and on the rare occasions I can sit down, which is generally late at night, I have to try and focus to go through the mess we’re going to be faced with. To tell you the truth, I much prefer sitting here writing to you, even though I don’t even know if I’ll ever even send you this letter.

I keep thinking about the next time I’ll see you. I really want to run back to Paris, to you; I almost did, back on the train. I’m sure there would’ve been a way to stop it in its tracks, but in a way, I’m glad I didn’t. Even if there’s nothing I would’ve liked more than staying with you, putting a little distance between me and my father was quite welcome. If only there’d been a way for you to be with me…

Sometimes, I think about calling you, but I’m always afraid that it’ll be a bad time, what with the UK being an hour behind you and all.

He picked up his pen and added:

I hope you’re okay and that you know that I miss you and our hangouts, both in school and on the rooftops. I can’t wait to see you again, my Lady, whatever the circumstances. A small part of me hopes that it’ll be before the trial, or that we’ll get to be alone together for a bit afterwards. You and me against the world, and everything.

(And maybe some of your dad’s chouquettes.)

Lots of love, and hope to hear from you soon,

Your Adrien

“There,” Adrien announced to no one in particular as he sealed his envelope. “I really hope you’re right, Plagg.”

—

Anyway. I won’t hold you up any longer, but I just thought you should know how I feel. I’ll see you at the trial, at the latest – please don’t love London so much that you won’t come back…

Forever yours,

Marinette

Marinette dotted the i in her signature with a heart, and decided against re-reading the whole letter. Instead, she took out an envelope, neatly folded the page in three, and slid it inside. She wrote out Adrien’s name on the front of it, along with the Fathoms’ address, stuck a stamp at the top, and indicated her return address at the back.

Then, she picked up her bag, and prepared to go to Alya’s. She’d post the letter on her way there; it would distract her from the wait that inevitably came with snail mail.

She hoped her letter wouldn’t get drowned in the mass of mail Adrien surely received.

Now, all she had to do was wait.

—

A week later, coming back from school, Marinette found a letter on her desk, and recognised the address’ calligraphy instantly. She all but tore the envelope open, her heart rate accelerating and a smile spreading wider and wider on her lips as her eyes progressed through the message.

The date at the top told her that Adrien had written to her before reading her letter, but one thing was for sure: they were on the same page.

She placed the sheet back on her desk when she was done, feeling giddier than ever, and reached for her phone – it started ringing in her hands, Adrien’s face lighting up the screen. She almost dropped it in surprise.

“Hi,” Adrien’s voice breathed on the other end of the line.

“Hi,” she repeated, feeling herself blush. “How are–”

“I got your letter,” he blurted quickly, cutting her off.

“I got yours, too.” She gently ran her fingers down the paper on her desk.

“Good, good.” He chuckled awkwardly. “Hey, I know this is a strange request, but would you mind going up to your balcony for a second?” he blurted quickly, cutting her off.

“Um, okay.” Marinette frowned a little, but still made her way up. Maybe it was a question of connection.

She swiftly pulled herself out of her skylight, and froze.

Her balcony was covered in red roses: they were entangled in the wrought-iron, stood in vases on the floor, in a petal path leading straight to… Astrochat, sheepishly holding a single red rose. He hung up the phone.

“I love you too, Marinette,” he said.

Tears welled up in Marinette’s eyes as she threw herself into his arms, hugging him as tightly as she could.

“Don’t worry about me not coming back, I’ll always stay,” he whispered in her hair.

Marinette looked up at him, feeling like her heart might burst out of her chest.

“Glad to hear that, silly cat,” she said with a smile, standing on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his.

One of his arms wrapped around her waist while his other hand softly cupped her face as he deepened the kiss. Fireworks erupted in Marinette’s stomach. She wished time would stand still to let her savour this moment forever.

Although her wish wasn’t granted, knowing that Adrien returned her feelings and would come back to her did make their parting a little easier.

“You know, I don’t know what the future holds for us, my Lady,” Astrochat said as he was about to leave, gently taking her hands in his, “but one thing I do know is, if you’ll allow it, I’m never letting go of you, of us. Not if I can help it.” He brought her hands to his lips, his eyes boring into hers.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Marinette answered, pink dusting her cheeks.

“I bet you will.” He winked. “See you soon, my love.”

He kissed her again, gently, longingly, and then slid his visor shut and took off.

Marinette wistfully watched him fly away, her chin propped up on her arms, leaning on her bannister.

She truly was the lucky one.

#honestly this event was so fun #and now i have a bunch of fics that fit both of my hyperfixations waiting for me #post exams is going to be litttt #miraculous ladybug #taylor swift #miraculous fanfiction #miraculous fanfic #ml fic #prpr #adrienette #canon divergence #adrinette #adrien agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #they're in love your honour #and they have one (1) braincell #elle writes

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je-taimerai-a-linfini · 4 months

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My contribution to @theerasfestlovesquareversion!!

read on ao3

#ml #ml eras #miraculous ladybug #miraculous eras event #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #marichat #adrinette #adrienette #ml fic #my writing

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tippenfunkaport · 1 year

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Introducing MAYbe I’ll Make This, the easiest month of prompts you’ve ever participated in happening this May 2023.

It’s a chance to share all those ideas you’ve been toying with that you might draw or write someday with no pressure to actually commit to finishing anything!

Participation can be as little as sharing a few words or a single sentence or as involved as a sketch or plot summary, it’s up to you!

What’s the point?

To fill our fandom tags with fun new ideas and stimuli to get everyone’s creative juices flowing. For fan creators ourselves, it gives us a chance to talk about our ideas with no pressure to deliver. And who knows, hopefully seeing people excited about our ideas might give us extra inspiration and motivation to maybe even work on them someday!

Here’s how it works:

Throughout May, post anything from a few words to a snippet from an idea you’ve been kicking around that you MAY draw or write someday and tag the related fandoms, if any. (Ideas that you've started, have actively in progress or have even started but abandoned are also welcome!) A few sentences about a fic you might write, a sketch you’re still figuring out, or even a long infodump about the AU of your heart, share as much or as little as you want!. It’s not a commitment to make anything, just a fun excuse to talk about your ideas.

Don’t have any ideas of your own? No problem! You can still participate by boosting the ideas that others post, asking questions and expressing your excitement about the ideas that appeal to you.

Anyone from any fandom is welcome to participate as well as original writers so please spread the word!

We’ve got 30 days worth of prompts to get you started that you can interpret anyway you like… or ignore entirely and do your own thing. Do all 30, pick and choose, do them out of order, whatever you want! The point is just to have fun and share your ideas!

That’s it! Just a super chill, low effort way for us all to celebrate those ideas taking up space in our brains that we aren’t quite ready to commit to making yet (or maybe ever).

Notes

Participants retain all rights to their ideas and first dibs on the writing / drawing of them.

Want feedback on your ideas? Encourage brainstorming? Happy to let someone else take your idea and write it themselves? Add a note to that effect to your post so people know what kind of interactions are welcome.

Please be supportive of others' ideas and keep overly negative opinions to yourself (especially if they did not ask for feedback). If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!

You’re welcome to tag your posts with “MAYbe I’ll Make This” or link back to this post to explain the challenge but your host (me) won’t be sharing every post related to this challenge. This is just something I wanted to do for my own purposes to share all the ideas I may never get a chance to write but I’m opening the prompts list to anyone who might like to do the same.

Questions? Drop me an ask!

May 2023 Prompts

No Plot Just Vibes

Lives In My Head Rent Free

Sometimes One Must Torture The Blorbos For Enrichment

Completely Self Indulgent

I Just Want Them To Be Happy 😭

Canon Divergent

Inspired By A Movie

Galaxy Brain Of Me, Honestly

No One Wants This But Me

All The Tropes!

Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Canon

Idea Fueled By Spite

Shameless Excuse For Hurt / Comfort

Inspired By A TV Show

Slaps Idea: This Baby Can Fit So Much Projection!

Yes, I’m Cringe But I’m Free

One! More! Time!

Totally OOC But Hear Me Out…

Role Swap

Inspired By Someone Else’s Au

I Hurt Myself With This Idea

Old Tropes, New Tricks

Pretend I’m Good Enough To Pull This Off

It’s Really Just All About This One Scene…

Crack Treated Seriously

Seriousness Treated Like Crack

I’ve Actually Started Working On This

Yes It’s Been Done But Not By Me So

More Of What You’d Call A Character Study

Casually Slides in My OC

Inspired By A Book

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purrincess-chat · 4 months

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Call It What You Want CH 2 (Era's Fest (Love-Square Version) (Final)

It's New Years Day!! (iykyk) Here is chapter 2 of my fic for @theerasfestlovesquareversion As a reminder warning for those that maybe want to skip it, there is a mild sex scene toward the middle of this chapter. I've marked it on AO3, but if you prefer reading on tumblr, it begins around the time that Adrien says he needs a distraction and is over at the next *** break. It's very short and T rated for sure, but if that's not your cup of tea, totally fine.

Anywho, I hope you all had a good New Year! Please check out and support the other works from the Era's Fest and show them some love. I'll see you all again sometime in the near future hopefully with something new. ;)

Read on AO3

Chapter 2

Marinette led the way to a quiet apartment across town, and Adrien quirked an eyebrow as she fit a key in the lock of apartment 613. He followed her in as she flicked on the light and hung her keys on a tiny hook. Seeing his bewildered expression, she flashed him an apologetic smile.

“My grandma rented it for me as a birthday gift. She thought I was graduating university this year. My parents refused to let me live here, but she already signed all the contracts.” Marinette shrugged. “It’s small, but no one should find us here.”

“You mean, you’ve had an apartment since your birthday, but we’ve been putting up with Felix interrupting us at my house for months?” Adrien placed his hands on his hips.

“Well, it’s kind of out of the way. Besides, you only ever get frisky when we’re alone in your room.” She brushed his nose with her fingertip, and his heart skipped a beat. “Make yourself comfortable. I think my grandma has some tea in one of the cabinets.”

Adrien settled on the small pink couch while Marinette rummaged through the kitchen. The entire apartment was one room, but it had everything she needed. A kitchen, a small sitting area, a bed tucked in the corner. The empty walls lacked Marinette’s signature decorative charm, but even still, Adrien felt at ease there. It was just the two of them. No cameras, no microphones, no questions. Safe. It was safe.

“It’s all so strange,” he said. “I’ve never had to be on the run before. When you spend your childhood being marketed to make people like you, it’s terrifying when they don’t anymore. It’s a long fall off the pedestal.”

“It’s not fair. You shouldn’t be blamed for the actions of someone else. I mean, you were fighting against him every day, for crying out loud,” Marinette said around the clanking of glasses as she dug through a cabinet.

“Yeah, but it’s not like we can tell people that.” Adrien sighed.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t hate you.” Marinette peeked over the counter to offer him a smile.

Adrien leaned against his fist on the arm of the couch. “My reputation’s never been worse, so you must like me for me. I just wish the rest of the world could see what you do.”

“Well, I can’t make you any promises, but I can make you a drink.” She held up two glasses and a bottle of white wine. “Looks like my nonna strikes again. We really should get her memory evaluated.”

“A drink sounds nice right about now.” Adrien stood up. “Although, last time we drank you made fun of the way I say m’lady.”

“Oh, come on, you should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk.” She giggled as she poured. “It just means I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Adrien rolled his eyes and took a glass. “If you weren’t so cute, I’d have been offended, but your impression of me is adorable.”

Marinette mimicked one of his theatrical bows, looking up at him with a smirk. “Why thank you-”

“Don’t.” Adrien sighed.

“M’lady,” she purred.

Adrien took a sip of wine, shooting her a playful glare over his glass. “Bold talk coming from Miraculous Ladybug herself.” Adrien mimicked her transformation stance. “Lucky charm!”

“At least I didn’t come up with my own theme music.” Marinette shot back. She brushed past him, taking a sip of her own glass and heading for the balcony.

Adrien followed, pressing a playful kiss to her cheek before leaning against the railing. It was late, and the city was asleep, the calm a direct contrast to the storm waiting for him back home. It was in the silence that Adrien realized just how impulsive and rash it was to leave without telling anyone, but what else was he supposed to do? He just wanted to put an end to all the endings, but he knew he couldn’t run forever.

Marinette seemed to notice his change in mood and linked her arm through his, resting her head on his shoulder. At least he did one thing right. Even if it was just for a little while, being with her mended his broken bones. She didn’t need fancy stuff, and truthfully, neither did he. Out on the balcony with the girl of his dreams and a cheap bottle of wine — it was enough.

“What would you do,” he asked, swirling his glass thoughtfully. “What would you do if…if my whole world ended down tomorrow?”

Marinette turned to face him, eyebrows knitting together. “Adrien, it will all work ou-”

“Just, answer the question. Please?” He cupped her face. “If the world never forgives me for what my father did…if my ship sinks completely, what would you do?”

She squared her shoulders, taking a deep breath. “I’d ask you to dance with me.” When Adrien’s eyebrows raised at her reply, she continued, “I’d kiss you as the lights went out, swaying as the room burned down. I’d hold you as the water rushes in. I’ll be there if you’re the toast of the town, or if you strike out and you’re crawling home.”

Adrien had never loved her more than that moment when her earnest, ocean blue eyes were looking in his. His heart fluttered, and he felt like he might sink and drown and die. How could he help himself when she said such beautiful things to him? He leaned down to kiss her, lacing his fingers in her hair. Everyone thought they knew Adrien Agreste, but they knew nothing about his true character. No one bothered to look behind the curtain, preferring to spin whatever narrative they found suitable, but the girl in his arms had seen every side of him. He was hers to keep, and more frighteningly, he was hers to lose. The truth of the matter was he didn’t know what would happen when he went back home. Would he go to London? Would the public put down their pitchforks and proof? He didn’t want to think about it.

He pressed his forehead to Marinette’s with a sigh. “I need a distraction.”

“What kind of distraction?” Marinette asked.

“Any kind. I just…don’t want to think right now.”

“Mmm.” Marinette took a sip from her glass. “Well, as you pointed out when we came in, we do have the place to ourselves, and you conveniently omitted how I made up for making fun of you last time we got drunk.”

“Me-ow, m’lady. You whisked me away in the dead of night and brought me to a secluded apartment. Now, you’re getting me drunk, so you can lure me to bed.” Adrien smirked, holding up his wine. “What kind of cat do you take me for?”

“Oh, well, if you’re not in the mood, I guess I can go back inside and-” Adrien caught her waist as she turned to leave, pulling her back in. “You know, I only made this dress, so you could take it off.”

Adrien’s heart jumped up to his throat, and he took a big gulp of wine to wash it back down.

She smirked behind her glass. “What was it you said earlier? ‘It was going to be a graduation gift, but now’s as good a time as ever’?”

She ran a hand up his chest, sending a shiver down his spine. God, he loved her. She tugged his collar gently, pulling him back into the apartment. His lips found hers, hands moving down her arms and over her hips as they clumsily stumbled over to the bed. Hands shaking with anticipation, he fumbled with the zipper on her dress while her tongue danced around his own. Finally finding his grip, he tugged it down, pulling at the fabric until the dress fell to her ankles. She didn’t waste time unbuckling his belt, and Adrien kicked off his pants as they fell into bed.

Heart pounding, he kissed her neck as she straddled him and lifted his shirt, only pausing to pull it over his head. It was far from their first time, but every time with her felt like the first. The excitement, the anticipation, the warmth of her bare skin against his own. The taste of her lips was Adrien’s idea of luxury. No amount of money in the world could take him quite where she did. She was everything he’d waited for growing up, the one he trusted more than anyone: The queen of his heart, body, and soul.

“Marinette,” he sighed her name like a prayer as she kissed his jaw, running her hands down his abs to tease the rim of his underwear.

She pulled back, flicking her gaze down with a smirk. “Ladybug boxers? I didn’t realize you were such a fan.”

“What can I say? She really has my heart.” Adrien winked.

Marinette met his gaze again, eyes sparkling and warm. Her lips curled into a smirk as she pushed him onto his back, pinning his hands to the mattress, and he gazed up in awe of her beauty. The apartment might be small, but with dark fair falling loose around her shoulders, Marinette was a mansion with a view. His heart pounded as she unclasped her bra and tossed it on the floor, freeing his hands to worship her bare breasts and thighs. The Ladybug boxers and Marinette’s frilly underwear followed suit, and all the pieces fell right into place.

It was enough, for the moment, the softness of her skin, the taste of her lips. Their shaking hands twined, hips moving in perfect sync, turning her bed into a sacred oasis in the middle of a drought. For a few minutes, Adrien’s deepest blues were painted golden, and all he saw was her. She was all he wanted, and no matter what lied ahead of them, he’d never let her go.

***

“The world moves on another day, another drama, but for the people of Paris, all they think about is karma. Gabriel Agreste, former head of the Gabriel fashion brand and the supervillain Hawkmoth, was found guilty after only one day of his scheduled three day hearing. Agreste confessed on the stand to his role as Paris’s supervillain Hawkmoth and was sentenced to life without parole-”

Adrien clicked off the TV, leaning back in bed with a sigh. Marinette slept peacefully beside him in the shirt he’d been wearing the night before. Part of him wanted to curl up beside her and sleep forever, but the morning light trickling in from the windows was a reminder that time marched on. His problems wouldn’t disappear overnight, and the storm was still raging on.

He’d left his phone at home on purpose, so no one could find him. His aunt was probably beside herself with worry, but if Adrien was going to run away from the noise, he wanted to do it on his terms. He could apologize later, but as the birds chirped and the cacophony of traffic sounded below, he knew he’d have to face the world eventually. No one could run forever.

For the better part of his childhood, Adrien had been locked away and hidden from the world. He wasn’t keen on returning to that arrangement, especially not after spending so many years in the sun. Not after meeting his friends and the girl of his dreams. He was tired of running. Sometimes it was better to turn around and face challenges head-on. To strike like a snake hunting its prey. The public all had their receipts and reasons to hate him because of what his father did, but Felix was right. Adrien’s friends would always have his back, no matter what. The right people knew the truth, and that was all he needed. So, they could light him up for all he cared. He had everything he needed.

Marinette’s phone was on the kitchen counter, and Adrien slipped out of bed to retrieve it. He swiped in her passcode — their anniversary — and scrolled through her contacts. With another glance back at Marinette sound asleep, Adrien slipped out onto the balcony, closing the door behind him. Nadja Chamack answered on the third ring.

“Nadja, it’s Adrien Agreste. I’m ready to talk.”

***

An hour later they were dressed and in a taxi headed up town. Marinette squeezed his hand three times, her eyes seeming to ask if he was sure about this. He could tell it was going to be a long road, but he had hope that it would be worth it in the end. Running felt wrong. He was still a hero, even if no one but Marinette knew. Fighting the bad guys was his job, and whether Adrien ran or stood his ground, people were going to talk. He might as well speak his truth and go out on his terms.

When they pulled up to the news station, Adrien’s heart dropped to his feet. Standing just inside the lobby was Aunt Amelie, arms crossed. They locked eyes, but Adrien stood his ground, holding tight to Marinette’s hand. He was sure of this, and he’d do everything he could to convince her. She seemed to realize his resolve because after a moment, she lowered her gaze with a nod.

“I’d ask where you’ve been, but I’m just glad you’re safe,” she said.

“I can’t go to London,” Adrien said.

Aunt Amelie offered him a weak smile. “I know. I didn’t come here to make you.” Adrien’s eyebrows raised, and she continued, “I only wanted to protect you. You’ve been through enough already, but I can’t protect you forever. If this is what you feel is right, then I’ll stand by your decision.”

Adrien pulled her into a crushing hug, leaning his head against hers, and she squeezed him just as tightly. He couldn’t fault her for wanting to shield him from the public outrage. She’d stepped in when every other adult in his family had failed him and taken him in as if he were her own son. He understood her actions, but having her approval meant the world.

“Thank you, Aunt Amelie. For everything,” he said.

“I’ll always be here for you, no matter what happens.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, wiping a tear before it could spill over.

“Me as well.” Marinette stepped forward to place a hand on his back. “Good or bad, we’ll be right here.”

“M. Agreste? Your dressing room is ready,” the receptionist said.

“Go. You’ve got this.” Marinette nudged him on. “See you after, okay?”

Adrien took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before following the security. His father had taken a lot of things from him over the course of his life. His freedom, his image, his agency. But as the elevator doors closed, Adrien felt a surge of calm wash over him. Gabriel Agreste had no power over him anymore, and he never would again. Healing would take time, but no matter how harsh the fallout became, Adrien was done running. This time he would stand and fight, and he was taking his reputation back with him.

***

In the months following Gabriel’s conviction and Adrien’s interview with Nadja, Adrien and Marinette had taken to keeping to themselves. The disgruntled masses had dwindled over time as his father’s trial became old news, and Adrien could finally breathe a bit of fresh air. Upon graduating, Marinette moved into the mansion with Adrien and his family while she attended university. Adrien was taking a gap year to figure out what he wanted and mostly just enjoying his freedom. Nobody had heard from him for months, but he was doing better than he ever was. Occasionally, he’d hear an insult or two on the street, but with the girl of his dreams walking with her head down beside him, the insults just rolled right off. They could call him what they wanted to. He had everything he needed by his side.

On New Year’s Eve, Adrien and Marinette hosted a party for all of their real friends who stuck by them, locking the gates to the rest of the world who didn’t. Bass beats rattled the chandelier in the dining room, everyone swimming in a champagne sea as midnight approached. Even Felix had come out of his hovel to socialize. Things weren’t perfect, but they were as good as Adrien could have hoped.

“Pre-countdown shots for everyone,” Alya said, presenting a tray of shot glasses. “You especially haven’t had nearly enough to drink, Adrien.”

“I’m trying to stay in the moment,” Adrien said.

“Well, this moment is taking a shot.” Nino placed a glass in his hand.

“Okay.” Adrien chuckled. “But let me propose a toast first.”

“Fine, make it quick.” Alya rolled her eyes.

“Here’s a toast to my real friends who didn’t care about the he-said-she-said earlier this year.” He wrapped an arm around Marinette’s waist and pulled her closer. “And here’s to my lady for never reading what they call me. And here’s to my aunt, who had to listen to all the drama. And, lastly, here’s to my father…because forgiveness is a nice thing to-” Adrien trailed off with a laugh. “Sorry, I can’t say it with a straight face, but seriously, here’s to you guys!”

“Cheers!” His friends all clinked their glasses together.

“Alright, 1, 2, 3, let’s go bitches! Happy New Year!” Alya shouted, and they all tossed their shots back.

Adrien winced against the burn, but the tingly buzz that followed was nice. He kept hold of Marinette’s hand as their friends moved back to the dance floor for the countdown, pulling her instead out to the foyer.

“Ya know, it might be the alcohol talking, but you’ve never looked more gorgeous,” he said.

Marinette smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and stretching up to kiss him. “You’ve barely even had anything tonight. That’s the first shot you’ve taken.”

“Must be you then.” He nuzzled her cheek, then more soberly added, “I’m just feeling a bit…reflective of everything. I want to remember everyone who stood by me when my world was falling apart. To hold onto the memories. To hold onto you.”

“Adrien.” Marinette cupped his face, and he leaned into her touch.

“Just promise me that you’ll never become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere,” he murmured.

“Of course, I won’t,” Marinette said. “I’ll always stay even when you’re lost, or I’m scared, or you’re turning away. I want your midnights, your Sunday mornings, your Wednesday afternoons. I’ll be here tonight cleaning up bottles with you after everyone goes home. It will always be you and me against the world.”

Adrien touched his forehead to hers, unable to contain his smile as the chants from their friends grew louder.

“10, 9, 8…”

“I love you,” Adrien whispered.

“5, 4, 3…”

“I love you too.” Marinette stretched up until their lips brushed. “Happy New Year, Adrien.”

He closed the distance between their lips, savoring every aspect of that moment. The chorus of cheers from their friends in the other room, the pillowy softness of her lips, the taste of champagne on her breath, even the glitter sparkling on the floor when he pulled her into his arms. For a long time the mansion had felt more like a prison than a home, but after the storms had past, new life had been breathed into every aspect of his life. On his darkest nights, she was always there building fires just to keep him warm, and the towering walls that had once caged him in were now full of warmth and togetherness. It was a new year, a new life, and although the path forward was uncertain, he knew the people around him would always be there for him. And as for the public’s opinions on his family’s reputation, well, they could call it what they wanted to. He had everything he needed, and they were enough.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste #adrinette #adrienette #post reveal #chat blanc timeline #ml eras #miraculous eras event #my writing #cats taylor swift agenda

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wield-the-mighty-pen · 5 months

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For the past few months, I have had the immense pleasure of getting to be a part of the eras fest and getting to work on my fic for the event.

Thank you so much @monpetitchattriste and @burntwaffle12 for moderating @theerasfestlovesquareversion. You guys did an incredible job with in and made it a really fun and really warm environment.

Thank you so much to my beta @sunshinecloud-03 for being so great to work with!

Summary:

Three long weeks after the events of Elation, Marinette feels just as heartbroken as she did when Chat Noir left her on her balcony. Of course, not wanting to trigger an akuma and not wanting to worry her friends or her partner, Marinette has put on the act as if she was completely fine.

Despite not being fine at all, Marinette has done a pretty good job of making everyone around her believe she is okay. That is until one night when a certain Cat makes a visit to her balcony.

#miraculous ladybug #mlb #miraculous #ml #ml season 5 #ml elation #my writing #marichat #marinette dupain cheng #chat noir #ml eras #miraculous eras event #also happy birthday Taylor swift!#taylor swift #ml fanfic

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miraculousfanworks · 3 months

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we at Miraculous Fanworks would like to invite you to participate in Fluff February!! Every two days, there’s a new prompt you can work on and show off in our Discord’s event channel!!

interested in participating? Join our server or tag @miraculousfanworks so we can reblog your work!

happy creating!

#miraculous fanworks #miraculous ladybug #ml #writing prompt #fluff #prompt #mlb #fandom event #server event #fluff february

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sprog-writes · 8 months

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I have finished @writersmonth !!!! One fic a day wow that's a lot 😰

word: blossom | setting/AU: on an island (Danny Phantom| Dan&Danny| 1.3k)

word: perfume | setting/AU: 1.camping AU (Spider-Man| Peter/MJ| 208)

word: seashell | setting/AU: at a festival (Danny Phantom| Danny&Valerie| 882)

word: momories | setting/AU: underwater AU (Moon Knight| Steven| 522)

word: sun | setting/AU: poolside (DC| Bruce/Clark| 494)

word: surf | setting/AU: backpacking AU (X-Men movieverse| Kurt&Peter| 430)

word: vacation | setting/AU: in the mountains (Marvel| Peter/Wade| 407)

word: watermelon | setting/AU: fishing AU (Miraculous Ladybug| Ladugug/Chat Noir| 1.3k)

word: warmth | setting/AU: home for the summer (Daredevil| Matt/Foggy| 100)

word: sandcastle | setting/AU: lifeguard AU (Spider-Man| Flash/Peter| 1.1k)

word: sweat | setting/AU: on a road trip (Daredevil| Matt&Foggy| 987)

word: lemonade | setting/AU: band AU (Batman| Damian&Dick| 100)

word: fan | setting/AU: cruise ship (Danny Phantom| Danny&Dash| 371)

word: bonfire | setting/AU: vacation fling (Camp Camp| David&Max| 494)

word: blue | setting/AU: neighborhood barbecue (DC| Freddy Freeman&Captain Marvel&Superman| 1.4k)

word: energy | setting/AU: tourist AU (Marvel/DC| Peter Parker&Clark Kent| 1.7k)

word: blossom | setting/AU: at a wedding (DC| Bruce&Dick, One -sided Superbat| 375)

word: free | setting/AU: restaurant au (Captain Marvel| Freddy&Billy| 968)

word: cloud | setting/AU: at a party (Spider-Man| Peter&Flash| 238)

word: fireworks | setting/AU:1. different first meeting (Miraculous Ladybug| Ladybug&Chat Noir| 252)

word: hammock | setting/AU: at a bar (Marvel| Peter Parker/Jack Hammer-Weasel| 872)

word: sunscreen | setting/AU: non-human au (The Witcher| Geralt&Eskel| 329)

word: storm | setting/AU: in the woods (NSFW| The Witcher| Geralt/Jaskier| 611)

word: summer | setting/AU: different powers au (Miraculous Ladybug| Ladybug/Chat Noir| 100)

word: relax | setting/AU: at a concert (Danny Phantom| Danny&Sam&Tucker&Ember| 292)

word: found | setting/AU: online dating au (Daredevil| Matt&Foggy| 447)

word: blossom | setting/AU: at the beach (The X-Men movieverse| Erik&Peter| 284)

word: bright | setting/AU: mythological au (Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II| Soap/Ghost| 1k)

word: fireflies | setting/AU: at a cabin (Animaniacs| Yakko&Wakko&Dot| 100)

word: happy | setting/AU: kid story/children AU (DC| Captain Marvel&Justice League| 1.1k)

word: fall | setting/AU: at a hotel (DC| Bruce/Clark| 445)

Oh great heavens I'm done. This post too so long...

#Writer's Month 2023 #Writing event #Prompt fill #marvel #DC #shazam #dc captain marvel #danny phantom #justice league #spider-man #Deadpool #Camp Camp #call of duty #animaniacs #miraculous ladybug

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gabenathreversebang · 1 year

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ATTENTION WRITERS! Were you on the fence about writing for the GabeNath Reverse Bang 2023 and regret not signing up? Good news, now you can! We’re doing one last call for writers for our event! We have limited spots available! Sign up here!

#gabenath reverse bang #gabenath events #big bang #writing event #miraculous ladybug fanfic

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themorethemerrier2023 · 9 months

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Meet the Moderators

What would you like us to call you?: Bre!

What’s your AO3 username?: Writer Rider Dirty Thirties

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: Lukadrinette!!!

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: Hey, I'm Bre! I'm a host! I love writing and am so excited for this event! I have an agenda of spreading Lukadrinette and Klimax and this is a perfect opportunity for that! 😆

What would you like us to call you?: Nil

What’s your AO3 username?: Talkstoself

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: Lukadrienette!!! 💙💚 💖

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: Hello, I’m Nil! I’m one of the hosts of this event. I hoard WIPS like a dragon and occasionally even post them!

What would you like us to call you?: Mundane

What’s your AO3 username?: MiraculouslyMundane

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: Lukadrienette, Core Four, or the OT5 combo Lukadrialyaninette

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: Also a moderator and sometimes a writer ✌️

What would you like us to call you?: Tori

What’s your AO3 username?: littlemourningstar

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: Lukadrienette or Felukanette!

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: I’m the graphic designer for the event as well as a mod! And I may not look it, but I’m actually a celestial goddess trapped in a human body!!

What would you like us to call you?: Ris

What’s your AO3 username?: sfigatino

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: lukagaminette!

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: eyy, hi! I’m moderator 2.0 for this event and i really love writing and drawing for miraculous! I also play piano, bass, and guitar, which is a bit more random

What would you like us to call you?: Rafflesia

What’s your AO3 username?: Rafflesia

Your favourite Miraculous Poly Ship?: everyone x Adrien 🙂

Anything you’d like to tell us about yourself?: Mod and beta 🙂

#the more the merrier #writing event #polyamory #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug writing event #polyam shipping #mwc

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mlwritersguild · 2 months

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Chlonette / I Wasn’t Like This Before

The response to this prompt comes to us from @galahadwilder!

---

The worst part of dealing with Chloé isn’t the pranks. It isn’t the mean-spirited comments. It isn’t the constant attempts to get Marinette thrown out of school. It isn’t even the outright violence. No, the worst part about dealing with Chloé is that Marinette remembers who she used to be before her mother left. And that Marinette may have had a tiny, teenie, itty-bitty baby crush on her.

Chloé was Marinette’s first kiss, “practicing that thing that grown-ups do in movies.” The two of them had gotten married by the slide in elementaire. They’d been best friends, sharing everything, everything, until Chloé’s mother had vanished and Marinette’s parents had stayed. And Chloé hadn’t forgiven. The worst part about dealing with Marinette isn’t the self-righteousness. It isn’t the sabotaging of Chloé’s plans. It isn’t the way the designer keeps turning the class against her. It isn’t even the stupid cracks about Chloé’s family, though those hurt quite a lot. No, the worst part about dealing with Marinette is that Chloé remembers how things used to be before her mother left. And that Chloé is hopelessly, helplessly, desperately in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. And she has no idea how to be her friend again.

---

Want to participate in this month’s event? Check out the rules, and send us a prompt!

#writer spotlight #galahadwilder #ml writers guild #mlb #miraculous ladybug #chloenette #mlb fic #march 2024 event #the fic i might write

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passionfruitbowls · 2 years

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@ladrienjune day 30: made for each other

————— “Do you believe in soulmates?”

Adrien’s question catches Ladybug off guard; she turns her head and sees him staring up at the night sky, with an unreadable expression on his face. His hair is tousled now due to the period of time they’d spent swinging from building to building, but he doesn’t seem to mind it. If anything, the messier look suits Adrien (it also reminds Ladybug of someone else she knows, someone she’s spent many nights with sitting on rooftops and looking at the stars).

Suddenly she realises that she never answered his question, and brushes her previous thoughts aside. After a long pause, she says, “I don’t know.”

Adrien looks at her then, eyebrows raised.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” She sighs quietly. “I think I did believe in them at one point, but… nevermind, it’s too complicated.”

“No no, you can keep talking,” He assures her, shuffling over so that they’re face-to-face. “I’m happy just listening to you talk, honestly.”

Ladybug feels a surge of happiness knowing Adrien cherishes her company as much as she cherishes his. The soft glow of the moon above them lights up his eyes, and although his smile is as warm and genuine as the ones he gives at school, it still feels different somehow, like he’s reserved this one just for her. So for a few minutes, she tries to keep her worries at bay as she explains it all to Adrien with no names given, because what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right?

“Wow,” Is the first thing he says once she’s finished. “That does sound kind of complicated. So, this boy in your class, is he seeing anyone at the moment?”

“No. I mean, I-I don’t think so; if he is I’d probably have found out by now-”

“Okay,” Adrien continues, “and do you know if he… likes anyone?”

Ladybug averts her gaze, nervously twiddling her thumbs. “He did talk about this girl he was in love with once, but it was ages ago and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t referring to the girl he used to date.”

“Hmm, it seems to me like you still have a pretty good chance with this guy,” Adrien says. There’s something slightly off about his tone of voice, but Ladybug can’t quite put her finger on it.

“Agh, it’s hard!” She exclaims. “On the one hand, I really want to be with him, I had our whole future planned out including all his birthday presents, but on the other hand I know that nothing is set in stone, and no matter what happens… he deserves to be happy.”

“So do you,” Adrien reaches out and takes her hand in his. He’s speaking quietly now. “You’re Ladybug, you deserve more happiness than life probably has to offer-”

Right away she can feel her face turning bright red.

“Y-you really think so?!”

As if on queue, he starts to blush as well, and hastily tries to justify his comment.

“Of course! I mean, doesn’t everybody need some positivity?”

Ladybug can’t help but giggle at that.

“Thank you, Adrien,” She says, smiling up at him and feeling confident enough to place a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re welcome,” He smiles back, feeling confident enough to throw a tiny wink at her.

“So.” He continues after a moment of silence. “Are you still thinking of asking that boy on a date?”

The words slip out of Ladybug’s mouth before she can process it.

“Yeah, it’ll be pretty easy to do since he’s right in front of me.”

When she realises her mistake, her jaw drops, and she quickly lifts a hand to cover it. But before her inner critic can scold her or bombard her with potential bad scenarios, she sees a smile creep across Adrien’s face, and the way his eyes seem to sparkle even more.

“Are you serious?” He asks, a mixture of joy and disbelief. She nods, and that seems to be enough for him, because suddenly Ladybug finds herself being pulled into a hug. For a few moments she forgets about everything else, and focuses on how warm and safe it feels to be in his arms.

“By the way,” She says once he pulls back to look at her. “I never got to ask you if you believe in soulmates.”

Adrien grins in a way that feels awfully familiar, and just as she sees a flash of silver on his ring finger, he answers, “I certainly do now, because I get the feeling that you and I were made for each other…” He leans in so that their noses are almost touching, “Marinette.”

She giggles and can sense her face turning red again, but this time she doesn’t care; his face is flushed too.

“Do you really?” She asks. He hums as if to say ‘yes’, then reaches out and gently cups her left cheek.

“Could I… show you what I mean?”

A small nod and a smile from her is enough. Adrien closes the gap between them, and as the moon re-emerges from behind a cloud in the sky, Marinette finds joy in the way that kissing him makes her feel so alive, over and over again.

#one last hurrah to finish this event off <3 #also no there isn’t any context as to why they’re on a rooftop but that’s ok <3 #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #miraculous ladybug fanfic #ladrien june #ladrien #ladybug #adrien agreste #pfb writes

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halfagone · 4 months

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Master List

Hyperlinks to Major Fics

lex luthor's ascent from supervillainy to fatherhood | lex luthor's guide series - Based on Father-Son Relationships between Lex Luthor and Danny Fenton.

Off With [the Demon's] Head - The hot mess that is the Al Ghul-Wayne family. Includes: Dad!Danny, Young!Ellie, my OG Danny and Ra's Paradox Fic.

what was lost, found again | lost and found series - Where Danny finds Jason digging his way out of his own grave and brings him home.

down the rabbit hole (goes the throne) - No One Knows AU, Major Canon Divergence. Amity Park has many secrets and Batman Inc. are left to discover them.

bloodlines | born from flesh and bone, clay and stardust series - Danny is the biological son of Diana (Wonder Woman) and Bruce Wayne. A prophecy is involved.

billy batson and the phantom - Adventures of Billy Batson and Danny Fenton. Oh, and Vlad is there too, I guess.

all I am to you is a tragedy, right? - In which a grieving Bruce Wayne brings a Danny Fenton from another universe back with him. This has consequences.

Insomniacs Anonymous - Three-way crossover between DC, Danny Phantom, and Miraculous Ladybug. Social media and chat fic. Now with plot!

pay your dues - An exploration of politics in the Infinite Realms, and the debts that must be paid in full.

weekend wonders - A character study into Stephanie Brown and her resolve as a hero, especially when a close friend comes into suspicion.

present, future, past - Time travel fic in which Bruce falls into the future where everything seems perfect, better than he could have hoped it would be. It doesn't last.

trust no one (trust me) - In a world where the GIW are more competent than in the show, Danny draws some unwanted attention. The people he leaves behind search for him.

bones and all - Inspired by horror films, video games, and fiction. A ghost story set in the DPxDC crossover.

Other Ongoing Series

Please note that some fics may overlap on more than one series.

Readable Arrangements - Short Works for DPxDC, mainly romance.

It's All About Presentation - A collection of gift fics.

Writing Problems? I Say Writing Solutions - A collections of works from "Who Wrote That?" games.

Martydom - Stories exploring heavy topics, such as gore, violence, etc. Must check tags for each work.

oh, the (in)humanity - Hazmat Suit AU. Now featuring multiple timelines.

Our Gentle Sin - Centered around a romance between a Danny from another universe, where the end of the world has come and gone, and Bruce Wayne who helps him relearn what it means to be human.

Blood is Thicker Than Water, But So Is Ectoplasm - In which Danny is a clone of Batman.

Co-Written Works

Born to Make History | written alongside NightShiftShenanigans (@nightshiftshenanigans) - Patrol Partner Event; No Capes AU, Ice Skating AU, featuring Enemies to Lovers Danny and Jason.

For more completed works and series, explore here:

#quick jump to tags #halfagone's masterlist #halfagone's fics #with yours truly :D #lex luthor's ascent from supervillainy to fatherhood #lex luthor's ascent from supervillainy to fatherhood fanart #lex luthor's guide memes #halfagone replies #halfagone rambles #halfagone's fics fanart

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nobodyfamousposts · 1 year

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Why Scarlet Lady Is Better Than Canon: Lila Rossi

I had mentioned before at length regarding my distaste, dislike, and dissatisfaction with the character of Lila Rossi in Miraculous Ladybug canon. A character so horrible, so poorly written, and so two dimensional that I did not think it was possible to make any iteration of her I wouldn’t dislike.

And yet it seems @zoe-oneesama has come through for me yet again in Scarlet Lady by taking what was quite possibly one of my biggest issues and most despised characters within canon and with only a few changes, turning her into something enjoyable. Dare I even say…likable.

More than that, even. It says something when my least favorite character in Miraculous Ladybug canon can somehow become one of my top favorite characters in a different variation of it.

It’s because Zoe shows an understanding of the characters and what makes them engaging, and other than SL Adrien, it shows the most in the form of SL Lila.

See, Canon Lila Rossi is a selfish, manipulative, egotistical, petty, and self-centered liar.

Scarlet Lady Lila Rossi, on the other hand, is a selfish, manipulative, egotistical, petty, and self-centered liar.

Now I’m sure all of you are looking at those two sentences and noting that they’re the same thing. And you are right. That’s the point! Because the difference between the two versions isn’t who Lila is but rather in how the narrative and writing treat her and what Lila ends up doing because of it. And it’s why Scarlet Lady is superior in its handling of Lila.

Lila in Scarlet Lady is not a good person. Nor does she become a good person. She admits that she lies for fun and just to see how far she can take it. She’s fully on board with continuing her lies and trying to fool her mom and the school to get away with staying out of school for a year. This is all in lines with regular Canon Lila and shows that they are still the same person, it’s just the events and situation and narrative that differentiate them. It’s in how the Scarlet Lady story handles Lila and her character.

For the sake of convenience, I'm going to be using Scarlet Lady to refer to the comic itself and Scar to refer to Chloe's hero identity specifically.

Let’s review and compare Lila in Scarlet Lady to canon:

1. Lila in Scarlet Lady is NOT a plot device.

She doesn’t need to be. It’s clear that the plot is and has been moving forward on its own without her. Even if Lila were to have been removed from Scarlet Lady altogether, it’s pretty evident from everything else that’s been happening that we would still be getting to some plots and story points without too much difference or delay.

Scarlet Lady has a natural progression. The story and characters aren’t so rooted in the status quo that sudden additional character like Lila or Felix are necessary to throw in just to move things along. And Lila isn’t simply forgotten about when she’s not needed to do so. She doesn’t vanish without an explanation only to return also without explanation just to be able to force the plot to move.

Events within a story can be dependent on the characters, but the plot itself should not be dependent on what feels like a third party to show up and force things to happen when they should already be happening. That speaks of bad writing.

Canon Lila existed for the purpose of getting the Grimoire into Marinette’s hands so she could be the one to take it to Fu and learn about the Guardian and Miraculous secrets, as well as to be a future helper to Hawk Moth. Up until that point, the plot had done nothing with Fu and had done nothing to move things forward in learning about the Miraculous or why Hawk Moth would want the specific two. And after Volpina, the episodes that feature Lila are the ones that display more plot progression or involve Hawk Moth having layers to his plans. Lila only appears when she’s to be used to further a plot, then disappears until needed again.

In Scarlet Lady, by the time Lila appears, it’s already clear to Adrien, Plagg, and Fu that Scar is a horrible person and that she had no business being a hero. It’s also clear that Adrien is handling the hero work on his own and needs help. This is part of what causes Adrien to know that Lila is a liar and call her out on his own because in addition to Lila stealing his book, he already knows Scar well enough to know Lila’s story of Scar saving her would never happen. Lila isn’t the reason they find this out, nor is she the reason that the book is discovered and gets to the Guardian because Plagg chooses for himself to take Adrien to Fu. And afterwards, Lila’s appearances are more natural. Plot progression happens with and without her. Her appearances involve her interacting with her classmates like a person. They don’t have to have a plot-relevant purpose.

Narratively, there are three reasons to put in a scene.

Plot

Expansion/information/character focus

Entertainment

In canon, all of Lila's scenes are plot-focused and plot-driving.

In Scarlet Lady, they vary. Some are plot (like Lila's anti-Scar attitude getting more focus and validity over time). But more of Lila's scenes are focus in on her character and entertainment. This builds Lila as a person and makes her enjoyable to watch.

Lila is not a plot device as the plot doesn’t NEED her to progress. But that’s not to say that Lila doesn’t matter…

2. Lila has a role that nobody else in the story could cover.

As I’ve stated before, Canon Lila is pretty much another Chloe and there was nothing she was used for that Chloe couldn’t have or wouldn’t have been able to do. As a rival/foil to Marinette, as another love interest for Adrien, and even as a helper to Hawk Moth—by the time Lila started any of these roles, Chloe was already there and fully capable of filling them.

In Scarlet Lady, due to Scar being the hero Lila is butting heads with and being outted earlier on, SL Lila ends up not filling those same “roles”. She’s not a rival to Scar or Marinette, just a hater/critic of the former and a friend to the latter. She was called out by Adrien so she is shown to have no further interest in trying to pursue him. And as of yet, there has been nothing of Lila helping Hawk Moth.

Instead, Lila’s scenes show her engaging with the other classmates. More of the results of her being revealed as a liar. Her being a queen of sass and snark. And most importantly, her going head to head with Chloe and Scarlet Lady in verbal lashings that prove her silver tongue is no duller for people knowing of it.

In fact, she’s a part of people starting to realize that Scar is in fact horrible and her popularity starts to break down.

Yes, yes, we do have both Adrien and Marinette who realize how horrible Scarlet Lady is and hate her, but other than some snarky comments at her expense, they don’t do much about it. Mostly because they can’t. Especially early on, it’s clear that they’re forced to keep Scar around because as useless as she is otherwise, she is the only one who can purify the akuma and undo the damage. And as Fu has told them, Scar is still too popular with the city that trying to take the earrings from her would result in more problems. The two of them have to focus on dealing with the akumas more than trying to deal with Scar. Plus let’s be real: even as snarky as they both can get, they’re just too nice.

Others are also similarly of no help. Alya is still completely wrapped in Scar’s facade of a hero to see how selfish and unheroic she is. Most of the other classmates also go along with this narrative. But even the ones who DO know like Alix and Nino aren’t that active. They know but they don’t do anything with that knowledge.

Lila has no such barriers. She’s not a hero. She doesn’t know how “necessary” Scar is in akuma battles. And she doesn’t have to worry about not upsetting Scar since the “hero” already hates her. And thanks to Marinette and the other classmates with their “we still care about you for you” bit, she now has no reason to put up a mask…or a filter.

This makes Lila in prime position to try to push more against Scarlet Lady’s popularity and talk at length about how horrible she actually is. Something she is MORE than happy to do.

Lila is essentially the first main civilian hater of Scarlet Lady.

And with that in mind…

3. Lila’s actions are reasonable. Perhaps not intelligent, but they are reasonable.

She commits a number of the same acts as canon in Volpina. Stealing Adrien’s book, buying a necklace to be a fake Miraculous, trying to claim herself as the hero’s best friend for attention, and trying to claim she is a hero herself to get Adrien’s attention.

SL Lila is not a master manipulator or an up and coming villain. We are not expected to view her as a real threat to anything except Chloe’s ego.

Sure, she wants to speedrun the popularity and attention and maybe a nice rich blond boytoy to be her arm candy, but it’s clear in the very first comic she appears in that Lila has NO IDEA what sort of people she’s interacting with or telling lies about, and so has no way to prepare for what happens. First in that Adrien is so DONE with everything that he calls her out himself from the get go. Second in that Scarlet Lady appears to “save” Adrien from Lila’s lies when it was no longer necessary, proclaims aloud to the multitude of bystanders that Lila is a fraud, and then dumps her in a fountain for good measure and further insults her to boot. And at the end of it all, Scar doesn’t apologize for her actions, doubles down, and only further insults Lila. And as if all of that wasn’t bad enough, still being wet AND being on top of the Eiffel Tower results in her getting sick.

As such, Lila’s hatred of the Ladybug Hero in this version of events feels more understandable and based on a legitimate grievance. Several even. Scar’s actions go well beyond canon’s version. We clearly see how hurt and humiliated Lila is. Plus we have all of Scar’s previous antics to look back on and…well, we already came into this with more reason to hate Scarlet Lady than Lila, and Lila simply jumped on the bandwagon that was already there.

It also makes more sense then that Lila never even pretends to forgive Scar. Scar never apologized. She caused emotional and physical harm to Lila. And unlike Ladybug, Scar never tried to make an offer of friendship so Lila isn’t losing out on any opportunities out of spite. Heck, Scar’s treatment of Alya shows us that there is nothing to be gained from even pretending to be a fan of Scar. So Lila’s hatred of Scar is understandable and her refusal to be friends with Scar makes perfect sense.

When she hides away at her home, there’s a valid reason behind it due to her being sick. Her “plan” to fool her mom and the school in order to avoid going back also makes sense given the fallout she knows she would have to face if she did. (At least more sense than it made in canon for her to disappear for months just because Ladybug outted her to one guy who clearly seemed to be on her side more and neither of them did anything to inform anyone else of the truth.)

And when she returns to the school and the classmates, it isn’t out of nowhere. Once she was no longer sick, she was planning to continue some ruse. We clearly see how despondent Lila was over her situation and the feeling that she’s on her own and no one would side with her over Scar. This was deep. It shows real fears and feelings on Lila’s part. And it’s telling that it was the assurance from Marinette and support from her classmates that convinced her to rejoin the class. It doesn’t look like she would have had the willingness or perhaps the courage to do so if Marinette hadn’t reassured Lila that they had her back and had taken steps to try and help her, even when she wasn’t there and as of yet had done nothing to warrant it.

Here we see a Lila who is vulnerable and real. Who is clearly impacted by events on a deeper and more personal and meaningful level—or at least better than “GRR! Superhero revealed I was lying about her to a boy I like! I shall join the terrorist attacking the city and potentially destroy the WORLD for revenge!”

In this way, Lila is portrayed more like a normal girl. Since the narrative isn’t trying to play her off like she’s supposed to be some master manipulator the way canon does, Lila for all intents and purposes IS a normal teenage girl. A normal teenage girl who was humiliated and injured by someone with more power and social status than she can fight back against. She’s less of an archetype and more of a person with her own thoughts and feelings and ultimately choices which—even if we don’t like or agree with, we can at least see and understand.

Her actions are reasonable. Not just in that we as the audience can empathize with them but that they make sense. For Lila’s character, for her personality, and for someone in her position.

4. No plot armor.

SL Lila’s plans don’t just seamlessly work out. If anything, they go very wrong very quickly. Even before Scar calls her out, Adrien already made it clear that he knows she’s a liar. This effectively ruins her plan to try and get his interest and not just in the “Adrien being nice but not in to her” way. Furthermore, as she’s revealed as a liar in front of the entire class, we clearly see some of her classmates (Alya) continue to take issue with her later on. And even the ones who don’t have such issues are at least fully aware of Lila’s personality and don’t allow her to fool or manipulate them.

Sure, she still tries to manipulate her mom and the school to avoid having to go back, but that doesn’t last that long. And in Lila’s defense at that period of time, she was legitimately sick as a result of her dip in the fountain.

So it’s pretty clear that Lila lacks the plot armor that she had in canon. But it’s not just that Lila experiences losses, it’s also in the ways she succeeds. And unlike Canon Lila, SL Lila is not reliant on the plot to accomplish anything or make things work in her favor.

Some classmates still consider her friends. She’s still welcomed back—even with a bit more trepidation than before. She gets some epic zingers on Chloe and Scar. She got to have another interview with Alya just to be able to go on at length about how horrible Scar is. She manages to get on live TV just to heckle Scar. And over time, more and more people are seeing the problems with Scar.

Lila still gets some victories. Certainly not as many and not as big as what she gets in canon, but at least they don’t feel so forced. And they’re entertaining to see.

Which delves a bit more into an additional point I wanted to make…

5. There are consequences and responses to Lila and her lies.

With Canon Lila, everyone is in this weird sort of limbo where they automatically believe Lila JUST ENOUGH to not question her but at the same time NOT ENOUGH to actually follow through with some of her lies. In Chameleon, Lila claims to have and then magically be cured of Tinnitus and Bustier believes her just enough to rearrange the seats for her at her will but not enough to require some doctor’s note or confirmation of either the presence or recovery from the medical issue—even in the event the former could be overlooked, the latter could NOT and any school or teacher worth their salt would require SOME proof to discontinue an accommodation for someone with a disability because that would be a liability. In Ladybug, Lila claimed Marinette pushed her down stairs and the adults believed her just enough to admonish Marinette but not enough to get Lila actual medical attention, which is a liability and gross negligence. In Ono-chan, Nino believes Lila’s lies about needing Adrien to help tutor her just enough to give her an opening to go to his place but not enough to follow through, check up on her afterwards, or reasonably consider that maybe the supermodel with the super strict father might not be the best person to tutor her and he should ask for help from Max or Sabrina instead?

Each and every time, Lila is believed in the exact way she wants to the exact extent that would most benefit her with minimal effort on her part when it shouldn’t work that way. Even if we disregard how stupidly obvious many of her lies are, there is something wrong when they believe her enough to trust what she says over anyone else telling them otherwise but not enough to follow through on what that belief should then involve. They believe her when she says someone pushed her down the stairs but not enough to get her medical attention? Make sure she has no broken bones or internal bleeding? This has the issue of ruining the suspension of disbelief and making it look like the problem isn’t Lila being amazingly smart and evil so much as it is everyone around Lila being infuriatingly stupid and negligent.

Scarlet Lady nixes that problem in one episode by having Lila be revealed as a liar immediately, but furthermore follows up on it and the fallout of those lies. Nothing big or major or life-ruining—it’s middle school, after all. But the impact is still there.

Even episodes later, we see effects of Lila’s earlier lies. Chloe of course keeps referencing them in their encounters and yeah, it is reason for no one to really take Lila’s word against Scar’s—at least at first. Alya and Adrien both give her some pretty evil looking stares, showing that even five episodes later they both still very much remember what she did and do not approve of her getting free jewelry. Alya in particular stands out. She is shown to bear such a grudge against Lila for lying on her blog that she holds no sympathy for her being sick. And in the second intermission, she looks physically pained when she has to ask Lila for an interview on why she hates Scar. Something she had apparently sworn she would never do again after being fooled the first time. And something Lila looks completely overjoyed to do. There are people who are angry with Lila. They have every reason and every right to be. But it doesn’t have to mean the end of the world for her. It just means that there needs to be something.

The classmates don’t have to be made out to be stupid to make Lila work. They are canonically very kind and forgiving people. But canon makes them come off that way more because the lack of continuity seems to erase the lessons of previous episodes or somehow make them forget that certain people are horrible.

Zoe fixes this and a lot of problems in canon by having not just the classmates but EVERYONE in Paris remember and respond to things that have happened previously, even if just in little ways. Given how little room Zoe has to work with, this is HUGE. Simply adding comments here and there puts the scenes from canon in a new light and makes the classmates feel more fleshed out and like…dare I say it: PEOPLE.

The difference from Canon has a lot to do with how everyone else reacts to Lila, which makes these other characters and Lila appear more real and like fleshed out people rather than caricatures who only exist and move as the plot requires. They don’t have to bash Lila or try to light her on fire for it to be clear that Lila isn’t a good person and that there are consequences to her actions.

This is all leading up to the real possibility of…

6. Character arc?

It says something that contrary to most expectations, Lila is not what one would consider to be redeemed in Scarlet Lady. Lila is not a good person here just because she rejoins the class and becomes their friend and Zoe at no point tries to pretend that she is.

Marinette and other classmates made the choice to reach out and try to befriend Lila, but unlike most other arcs in other stories, this doesn’t result in Lila being redeemed. And she in no way got Lila to admit she was wrong and try to be a good person.

Lila is not necessarily forgiven or absolved of what she did. Nor is anything Lila did magically erased. All Marinette did and all she had to do was encourage Lila to not run away now that the truth was out. She helped convince her to return to the class with everyone fully knowing what she’s done and the type of person that she is and move forward with that. She informs Lila that despite her lies, there are people in the class who genuinely care about her and are worried about her.

Hell, it’s not even all up to Marinette. We see Alix sending messages to Lila encouraging her to join the class for Marinette’s birthday party. Sabrina fully admitted to inviting Lila to that party. Same with Rose, who has also been expressed to be worried about Lila. There are members of the class who are shown to care about her and who were noted to have made an effort to help Lila even after what had happened. Because they consider her a friend despite what she did, and that’s what friends do. All they asked was that Lila stop with the lies, stop with running away, and give people a chance.

And the result is the more mellow but passive aggressive Lila Rossi we see in Scarlet Lady. Not a Lila who is a good person or who is redeemed. This is a Lila who is at least honest with everyone about the sort of person that she is. She’s not pretending like she was in canon. She’s not being fake. She’s not putting on a mask of niceness anymore. This is a Lila who is fully acknowledged by everyone to have been a liar, to still be very selfish, and in some ways...a bad influence.

With a few episodes left, perhaps there is more we’ll see of Lila’s development and who she’ll become. Maybe we’ll get to see her take the steps to become better. To be a good friend, a good person, and maybe even a better hero than Scar. I don’t know for sure just yet what Zoe has planned for a character like Lila, but I do know what I see here:

A good start.

#ml analysis #scarlet lady #scarlet lady is better than canon #lila rossi #lila salt #for zoe #merry christmas

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