#so this is his room and that is his ladybug doll

[sleepysebris]

:) 🖤

@mlsecretsanta gift for @thequeenofspace! happy belated holidays and apologies for the delay, had a serious family emergency followed by sickness! I had so much fun making this though, was so excited to finally draw these two 🖤 hope you enjoy!!!

#i absolutely believe emo marinette went home and made dolls after seeing the ladybug & chat noir dolls #im assuming adrien's room is the preferred hang out space in this universe #so this is his room and that is his ladybug doll #also obsessed with his quiet blushy personality #assume that when they detransform she laughs at his half-finished makeup cause they forgot what they were doing before they left #and he deserves it for poorly-timed teasing her mid-battle or something #there's the fanfic #ml secret santa 2023 #ml secret santa #miraculous ladybug #ml paris special #adrienette #emo love square #emodrien #my art #my ml comics

[cockdestroyer32]

all mine

tangerine x fem!reader

word count: 2304

summary: after the events in the bullet train in tokyo, you and ladybug have a new job in a new place, unfortunately, you're not alone.

a/n: okay so in this reader's codename is sarin. and you're besties w ladybug bc I lov him. title is from brent faiyaz's 'all mine' which has nothing to do with this fic but I didn't know what to name this and I rlly love that song so. also no smut in this.

When I grow up, I wanna be famous I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies, when I grow up I wanna see the world, drive nice cars, I wanna have groupies.

The song blew out of the car’s speakers, and both you and Ladybug sang each word perfectly (and very obnoxiously, you were practically yelling out the lyrics.) He drove and you sat in the passenger seat, you both swinging your arms around dancing tirelessly as the citizens of Greece who were able to spy inside the moving car judged your shameless partying. You hadn’t seen Ladybug in months, so when you found out you were finally going to be assigned to a mission together again, you both beamed, and got together to plan your entire trip from the cities of New York to the city of Larissa. You went from cackling a little too loudly at comedy movies on the plane, to endless chatter at the airport, to listening to your iconic super duper awesome 2000s hits playlist on a rented Jeep (the playlist title was Ladybug’s decision.) There’s no one you’d rather work with. Except…you weren’t working alone tonight. 

This hit wasn’t just any hit, it was a stakeout. So, Lemon and Tangerine were called. 

You had walked into Tangerine a few times before; New Zealand, Cuba, Romania, and Tokyo, of course. You’d been the longest with him while in Tokyo, when you had to team up because of a lost briefcase. He was incredibly irritating and the different ways you both did your job clashed immensely, but by the end of the night you two had worked frustratingly well together. 

You’d never met Lemon before though, you hoped to God he wasn’t just a Tangerine 2. 

“Oh, boo!” Ladybug starts and you join him when you look up.

“Booo!” You yell out at the warehouse as if it’s just told some awful joke at a stand-up show.

The building has the same architectural creativity as a cardboard box. Except that instead of brown, it’s grey and dirty, and instead of holding a gift you just spent the last days waiting anxiously to arrive at your home, it just holds the next gruesome hours you’ll spend planning your hit.

You and Ladybug allow The Pussycat Dolls to finish the last few seconds of their song and turn off BlueTooth before you can be sad about not singing Britney.

You sigh and say, “It’s gonna be a long night.”

“Yep, but the sooner we do it sooner we’re done. Come on, let’s meet the fruit duet.” You chuckle.

The warehouse acted as a lighthouse, the nighttime a sea of nothingness. You can spot the remnants of the trucks that passed by in this area marked in the muddy ground. Tonight smells of wet grass and fancy dinner parties, the ones you should be in right now.

You enter the warehouse, the night’s cold air vanishes and it shifts to a warm, still atmosphere. You take off your coat. Tangerine and two other men are already in the room. Even at such a dead spot in town, Tangerine is still dressed elegantly, sporting a blue striped suit that fitted him perfectly, and smelling of rich men’s perfume. You often wondered if he could fight in those suits. Although you loved a good luxurious suit—God knows your blood money could buy one, your closet was full of Versace, Vivienne Westwood, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry—you preferred to wear more tactical outfits for the job, you know, in case someone fucked something up and everything went to shit.

“That’s Lemon, by the way.” Ladybug whispers to you, while pointing his head to the man standing in front of Tangerine.

“What? I thought they were supposed to be twins,” Ladybug shrugs.

“Um, I hope we’re not late…you’re Lemon I suppose?” You pretend like Ladybug didn’t just tell you and offer a handshake. He takes it.

“That’s right, and you’re...”

“Sarin.”

You look over to his brother.

“Tangerine.” A nod, no handshake.

“Sarin.”

“You’ve met Ladybug.” You say to the two brothers.

“Yes, we had the pleasure.” The taller man doesn’t hide the sarcasm.

“Accommodating as always, Tangerine.”

“So, shall we?” Says the other man in the room, the one who was managing this whole thing, and you all follow him.

He takes you to a desk where there lie multiple files on different workers and a big map layout of the warehouse. The man shows all of you the place, discussing what approach the team should take for the mission, at what time each one should arrive at the building, the shift times of each warehouse worker, the spots each one should be in…and so on and so forth. Time passes relatively quickly, demanding you and Ladybug a secret high-five, and you all turn to look at the man who’d organized this.

“Yeah. That’s it.” The man repeats.

“Yeah.” You agree, still looking at him.

“You can go home now.” He practically demands.

“Uhh, I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to get paid now,” Lemon adds.

“You’ll get paid after you get the job done.”

“Did you not get the memo lad? We get first half now and second half after the job is done.” Tangerine said.

“Yeah, we’re supposed to get paid now, didn’t our handler message you?” You asked honestly.

“Well I didn’t bring the money, so what do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know, but we’re getting paid.” Tangerine insisted.

“There are lots of ATMs in Larissa…” Ladybug spoke. The man mutters some curse word under his breath,

“Fine. I’ll get you your fucking money, but you’re gonna have to wait.” He disappears from sight, making his way up the stairs in the corner of the building.

“Damn, what a Gordon.” Lemon remarks.

“Thomas the Tank Engine?” You ask.

“Yeah.”

“Nah, I think he’s more of a James, just super cocky.”

“Oh my God, there’s two of them.” Tangerine sighs.

“I’m gonna go get some air.” You say.

With your coat in hand, you make your way to a backdoor on the side of the warehouse. Slipping the garment on as soon as you open it, the chilly air cutting through your skin. You slide your hand into one of the coat pockets, finding a small rectangular box and a smooth metallic item. You fish one of the cigarettes out of the box and light it, inhaling the nicotine, warming your body while letting yourself freeze in the moment. You were so far out of town that you couldn’t hear any of the cars, any of the people in Larissa, your team also seemed to be particularly quiet inside the building. Here, it was silent, save for crickets chirping in the vast nothingness that was the field at nighttime. Tomorrow it’d be full of people, receiving and delivering new packages, trucks coming and going and workers arguing amongst each other, all their chatter overlapping, sounds of life, until you all arrive and the sounds of an active workplace morph into that of an action movie, slashing and yelling (no guns, this was supposed to be a somewhat subtle and more practical job) and then, nothing. The building once again ghost quiet, but this time painted red. 

It didn’t bother you. You’d been in this business for way too long to be perturbed by the sounds of the dead now. You knew what you were getting yourself into from the beginning, this is no bombshell. Although the still of a city that’s beginning to fall asleep is much better than one that had its commotion ripped away from it. So you took these quiet moments you had to yourself and held them tightly in your hand, like some old trinket gifted to you by someone special. And for a few moments, as you exhaled the smoke out of your body, you felt outside of space and time, frozen in the moment, your feet planted on the ground, scared that if you move even an inch, you’ll fall off the face of the earth. You melt off the moment when you feel a pair of eyes on you.

Tangerine stands by the back door on your right, looking at you. You’re not sure how long he’s been there, but he has a calm look on his face, a smile on his eyes but not on his lips, by far much different than all of the ticked-off facial expressions you’d seen on him before.

“The fuck are you looking at?” You tease.

“Geez. I’ve just come to get some air.” He walks in your direction. You offer him your cigarette, he takes it. You two breathe together for a while before you ask,

“Do you like this?”

“What? Jobs in the middle of nowhere handled by some fucking dickhead who can’t even pay us right?”

“No. This.” You look around, motioning slightly to your surroundings, “The quiet. We don’t get a lot of it in our job.”

“I suppose we don’t,” He passes the cigarette back to you. “It is kinda nice, I can hear my thoughts for once, don’t have to listen to Lemon yapping about.”

You snort. “He’s nice. I was scared he was gonna be like you.”

“What? I’m nice.”

You stare at him.

“How am I not nice?” He continues.

“How are you not nice? Okay let’s see, you’re impatient, you’re always irritated, you look like you’re constantly on the edge of throwing a fit, you’re always cursing people out and you always got that look on your face of a teen girl who just got her phone taken away by her parents.”

He takes this in for a second, surprised at the speed of your answer, as if you’d been waiting for this moment for a while, and maybe you were.

“Hm…still think I’m nice.” He adds, you smile to yourself, nodding your head in fake disbelief.

You can feel his eyes on you, even as you take another puff on your cigarette and stare at the darkness. You don’t look back, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

“S, Fruit, guy’s back.” Ladybug pops out of the door, and you follow him back into the building, followed then by Tangerine. 

The man now holds bags of money, one for you and Ladybug, and one for Lemon and Tangerine. You finally leave the warehouse, each of you making your way to your hotel rooms. And you would’ve been able to wash the night off your body and rest on the hotel’s comfy bed, if it wasn’t for the misplaced amounts of money. See, your bag and Ladybug’s held only his share, not yours. Thankfully, it wasn’t some scam, your money was placed along with Lemon and Tangerine’s. So, now you’re going up an elevator to Tangerine’s room to get your share. You knock on 215 and he opens the door.

“Hey.”

“Hey, come in.” You walk into the room, but only close the door slightly, not shutting it, and you stand next to it, ready to just get your money and leave, not expecting to stay here any longer than you have to. He goes to the back of the room and brings back a bag, “Here.”

“Thanks,” You spy inside the room, the place is quiet, most of the lights are off and it holds only one bed. “Is Lemon not here?”

“No, different hotel, leave no trail and such.”

“Oh.” You’re genuinely surprised. Shit, that’s smart, perhaps you and Ladybug aren’t as great professionals as you thought you were—even if the bar when you two worked together was already pretty low.

“What? Is me delivering your money instead that bad?”

You snort. “No, no, that I don’t mind.”

You look at each other for a second, perhaps you should be on your way-

“Are you staying in Greece after the job?”

“Uh, no. Me and Ladybug are going back to New York right after.”

“Oh.” He looks down, the expression on his face something you can’t quite read. “Are you and Ladybug…”

“No! God, no!” You almost yell. “No, he’s my best friend.”

“Oh, right.”

“Why?”

“Just…curious.”

Hm. Curious. 

You stare at each other again, a smile on your eyes but not on your lips.

“Okay, I should get going.” You start opening the door to leave.

“Wait,” He says, grabbing your arm. “I think…you should stay here the night.” 

The smile reaches your lips, amused. “Why?”

“You know, you could just stay here the night, if you want…”

“Okay but, why?” You tease. He furrows his brows. “I’m sorry Tangerine, I just don’t know what you’re telling me.” Your words are of someone genuinely confused, but your face and tone tell a different story. He catches on and sighs.

“I’m just saying…you could spend the night here, with me.”

You click your tongue, “Tangerine…you have to speak clearly.”

He squeezes your arm, and approaches his face to yours, changing his tone, “Sarin. I want you to stay. I want you.”

You let your lips fully curve up this time, pleased.

You put both your hands on his face, and close the space between you, only placing a light kiss on his lips, then pulling away to see his reaction. He keeps his eyes shut for a moment, as if still in the moment. Then, he opens his eyes, staring at you for a second, and pulls you in for a stronger kiss. His hands at first cupping your face, then one makes his way towards you back, pulling you in closer, even though you were already as close as you could possibly be right now. You shut the door with your foot behind you, not letting each other go for even one second. Tonight your own bed’s gonna have to wait for you.

#bullet train fanfic #tangerine bullet train #bullet train tangerine #tangerine #tangerine fanfic #tangerine fic #tangerine fanfiction #tangerine x you #tangerine x fem!reader #aaron taylor johnson #bullet train #tangerine x reader

[astrogre]

The Planet that is Pluto

Words: power, control, obsession, the underworld, intensity, intense emotions, intense everything, domination, taboo, depth, sex, repressed emotions, shadow self, the survivor, detective, alchemy, dark arts, superiority, fear, bravery

Astrological placements associated with Pluto: Scorpio, 8th house, Aries

Character I associate with Pluto: Femto-Berserk

The way Griffith sacrifices the souls of his people to transform into Femto and have dominance over others. What he does to Casca as well. He is the epitome of an extreme Plutonic character.

Honourable mentions: Homelander- The Boys, Laurie- Euphoria, Makima- Chainsaw man, Erik- Phantom of the Opera, Gaara-Naruto

Places: hades underworld realm, chess tournament’s, hell, anywhere with hierarchy aka corporate workplace, government institutions (because of power play/dynamics), caves, underground tunnel, escape rooms, secret society hidden meetings, nightmares,

Random somewhat astrologically influenced things that personally remind me of Pluto: Rigger, black grapes, death by strangulation, wine, babushka dolls, long nails, snakes, a public executor in the medieval ages, chess, cults, BDSM, the colour black, power play

Song I associate with Pluto:

Listen to this while you read it to immerse yourself in Pluto energy and surroundings, also read the lyrics too it’s very much Pluto energy

For you Pluto dominants:

(Pluto 1st house, Pluto 8th house, Pluto conjunct asc, Pluto conjunct Sun, many strong aspects to Pluto & Honourable mentions: 8th house stellium, Scorpio Stellium.)

This is entire post is dedicated to you

Plutos Traits:

Regenerative and transformative

Think of a snake shedding skin to become anew or when you’ve overcome and left abusive relationships and you’re back in your self confidence. Pluto is a phoenix bird it has a DEEP urge for regeneration and can transform itself from its own ashes into a diamond, Pluto itself is the pressurising machine. Say ashes represent the shittiest moments of our life e.g abuse, relationships, trauma, Pluto has the ability as an alchemist to use this horrible event to make something of more value, it transmutes basic base metal to gold. Transmutes pain and death to renewal. Pluto sees trauma as fuel. Without ashes (intense emotions or experiences) Pluto cannot show up and do it’s thing. Check where you have Pluto in the houses, this may be where you can get hurt most but it’s purposefully for a reason you’re supposed to use those intense emotions and make something beautiful of them

Eg. Pluto in 11th houser may have intense traumatic social circles or communities that ostracise, diminish, use or control them. As a Pluto 11th houser YOU have dominion here, you guys are social climbers the real life underdogs to Royalty stories. Use their exploitation of you as fuel, motivation and a resources to your success.

(Kylie and Kris Jenner have this placement and we all know how they absorb the drama, publicity and negativity from others like a champ, embody it, all to gain constant relevancy, power, influence and fame in their careers. Scandals make their profits go up like the whole Jordan woods drama and using it as marketing to do a sale on Kylie Jenner lip kit, Kris having their children’s private lives scrutinised and publicly available all so her family can gain relevance and wider opportunities)

Dominance and control

The reason why Pluto is known for obsession is because it urges to have the upper hand, Pluto won’t argue when defied he simply acts unbothered but exacts revenge in a cold manner, it wants to dominate and will go to extreme lengths to do that, it will go at all costs, the obsession manifests in an illogical, ego based way think of Gabriel Agreste from miraculous ladybug- how he prioritises triumphing ladybug over saving his wife, that kind of obsession. In my personal opinion I see Pluto as the second ego after Sun. It’s better if I explain by comparison… Think of powerful and dominating planets like Saturn and Mars, imagine if you owed each of these planets money and were in deep debt with them this is how they would respond:

Saturn: would employ you to do gruelling long hard work for many years, no retirement so that you’d die working on their behalf. If you refuse or die before debts are paid they would simply pass your debt onto your children make them do it to repay the money you owe. (If you’ve seen Chainsaw man, Saturn would work/treat the debtors children kind of like the way Denji was treated he had to pay off his fathers debts; in burdensome conditions where his health was being compromised for repayment.)

Mars: if you owed money to mars and were not able to pay it back, mars would most probably threaten you, beat you up, do a drive by shooting, physically destroy your assets like keying cars, graffiti and bulldozing your house, may be very aggressive think of loan sharks and mafia

Pluto: Now if you owe Pluto money.. Pluto is the kind to go further than mars, he would make you pay for it personally, in a way that can be grotesque/dark think of maybe rue from euphoria. When she owed money she just randomly woke up in a strangers bed and the house being filled with men implying she had been sex trafficked. Pluto is very wicked, obsessive and can be unsympathetic. It would not care if you feel pain and regret for inconveniencing them, it does this to put you in your place and prefers you repay the money with your suffering. Pluto may not even want the money anymore but rather the control and prioritises the debtors torture or will get the losses at your expense. eg. Sex trafficking you, have you wake up on the road after being unconscious and notice your kidneys are missing, hold you hostage, torture you, sell your body parts at an elite auction house, make detestable arrangements behind your back like forced marriage etc. This is how Pluto exacts its power and control.

Power obsessed

Pluto gets what it wants and exerts control over others while it does. That’s why it’s described as “scary” and associated with fear, a combination of ego and revenge. This is why wherever Pluto is in your houses it can show where you are intimidating, relentless and powerful and what you have constantly been resiliently obsessing over for years.

E.g Pluto 1st housers feel the desperate need to be in control and that they are seen to be dominant. They’re kind to get insulted if you call them “cute” or make jokes about their authority. (Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Justin Beiber all have this placement and came out of being typecasted or known as the “sweet good girl/boy” stereotype to powerful and to be taken with caution.

Taboo

Pluto is labelled taboo because it inserts itself into light AND darkness. It doesn’t mind and in fact rather enjoys exploring sex, defiance, repressed emotions, any subject that the general public refuse to speak of, Pluto relishes in that. I remember as a child there was a myth that I was told. It was that if you say “Bloody Mary” three times in the mirror you’ll get haunted and a ghost will appear to attack you, while other children may scream and dread in fear to even think of doing such an act, Pluto ruled natives may be the kind when alone to quickly run into the bathroom turn off the lights and try it out alone. That’s why they’re known to participate in dark arts, have interest in disturbing topics, they are fearless, like the challenge and find the minuscule information available on it a challenge. It’s not that Pluto ONLY has interest in taboo topics it’s just that it doesn’t hold as much fear of it as everyone else, talking about sex or death to Pluto is like talking about the weather, it’s no different, after all it’s just another subject.

The reason why they’re so fascinated by such topics and affiliated with them is because they see wasted energy and potential in these dark topics, abandoned resources that nobody wants meaning there’s more for them, and that’s why Pluto wants to explore it. Pluto isn’t wasteful. If Pluto were to kill a cow it would use its meat for food, bones for medicine, skin for rugs and teeth for necklaces, not a part of it would go unused. It gets excited when someone hits them because it means they can hit back.

Hidden self

Pluto is the hidden shadow part of yourself self you may want to hide and refuse to acknowledge. This is because as mentioned before Pluto loves the darkness and inside the subconscious there’s the good stuff and the bad stuff, our subconscious holds our fears, our beliefs, our desires and Pluto brings out all that stuff as conversation starters and wants to explore it and use it as fuel. This is why Pluto is known to be triggering because to be honest who wants to remember the fact they are afraid of touch and their abuser that caused that? But Pluto does. Pluto wants to remember them, Pluto wants to bring it up, Pluto wants to know who they are, Pluto wants to get revenge on them and put them in their place. Wherever Pluto is in your houses can also show how you can exact revenge so that it hits hard on others.

E.g. Pluto 4th house can suggest native can use powerful resources in their family, or their family has status, control, authority over others and can utilise it against others to contribute to their downfall.

(Megan Markle has this placement and she certainly lives up to it. She’s able to use the traumatic experiences she endured as a royal as fuel against them and is slowly contributing to the downfall of the monarchy by using her name and her affiliation to the royal family).

How to activate Pluto

Pluto can only transform and use its powers of Alchemy, transformation, control and power if you tap into its energy otherwise Plutos potential will be ignored. The same with any placement really. If you have a Venus 1st house, you want to be a beauty influencer but don’t put yourself out there, it’s energy will never manifest and remain as wasted potential.

The way you’re supposed to use Pluto is by confronting your fears. When you are most afraid, do it anyway.

E.g. Pluto 7th housers when you’re laying in bed and you’re thinking of that traumatic experience in your relationships instead of suppressing it, allow Pluto to remember it and allow that level of disrespect you feel to take action in the way of your Pluto sign.

(Shakira, Cardi B and Megan Thee stallion all have this placement and exacted revenge on their partners in different ways, Shakira and Cardi did it by artistically exposing them in music and making money form it, Megan did it the same way and also by lawsuits, doing public interviews on torey Lanes and pressing charges)

Anything Pluto touches is where you hold the most power in your birth chart. Usually people say how come i’m not good in that area?? It’s because you’ve not utilised Pluto. It’s because you won’t let Pluto explore it and turn your tribulations into gold.

What can Pluto tell us:

The best way of how you can exact revenge for it to successfully hit hard on others.

Where your wasted potential is. Basically where you allow your fears, desires, trauma to lay dormant instead of using that intense energy for Pluto transformation

Where we get excited when someone hits us because it means we can hit back. (Applies only if native is used to Plutos energy, otherwise you won’t be able to hit back. You’ll know if it’s active if when you have challenges under the themes of the house Plutos in you trust you can fight back like you have in the past)

Where you hold the most power

What you obsess over

How you deal with fears, death, change and trauma

Which part of your life you experience extreme transformation and changes

What you like to fight for

I will most likely be making a series that incorporates all of this for each house. However due to the fact that I am unfortunately very detail oriented this may take a while for me to commit to.

Pluto Series:

Pluto in 1st House

#dark astrology #astro notes #astrology observations #astro placements #astrology #pluto #sagittarius pluto #pluto aspects #pluto in 1st house #pluto 1st house #scorpio #8th house #astro posts #Spotify

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

IOTA Reviews: Pretension

Oh joy, another Felix episode. Because the last one was just so good, wasn't it?

Let's get into the nineteenth episode of Miraculous Ladybug's fifth season: Pretension

We start off with Kagami and Adrien heading to school, with the former making plans with Marinette to spend a little time together, all while Argos stalks them. We then cut to Gabriel, who's attempting to heal his Cataclysm wound with a machine that drains the energy from his imprisoned Kwamis. It fails because... uh... uhhhh... it just doesn't?

Kaalki: I told you. No magic can heal this wound.

Barkk: A Cat Noir Cataclysm can't be healed!

Yeah, they just say nothing can heal the wound, and don't even mention the fact that we've already seen the Ladybug Miraculous heal Adren when he was wounded by his own Cataclysm in “Miraculer”. And before you say it was a weaker version of the attack, check out what Astruc said a few years ago when the subject was brought up.

Whether you want to take this as fact or not since it wasn't explained in the show itself, the point is that we've seen Ladybug heal someone who was wounded by Cataclysm before. Then again, considering the recent reveal, that episode only opens up another can of worms.

Back at school, Marinette talks with Adrien and Kagami about how Gabriel only sees her as some crazy fan, though she doesn't do a lot to help her case.

Tomoe arrives, and just like she's done this whole season, is only here to provide exposition while nagging Gabriel to get Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous already. Gabriel comes up with a plan involving a gadget Felix accidentally dropped at the end of the last season. If you forgot, I understand, since it's a pretty weird thing to call back to.

Marinette: He feels worried and I would be too if I were him. He thinks I'm one of those fans who follows you everywhere, showers you with hand-knitted gifts and knows every single one of your middle name days.

Kagami: Isn't that what you used to do, Marinette?

Marinette: Yes... except no! I mean, yes, but I was doing it out of love and, besides, I've changed a lot.

Kagami: You are correct.

Marinette: Really? You think I've changed a lot?

Kagami: No. Well, not that much.

I love when even the show points out how little character development there is. Makes my job a lot easier.

Adrien goes with Marinette to talk to Gabriel about their relationship. We get a pretty somewhat chilling moment where Gabriel's kind father facade briefly fades as he orders Adrien to go to his room so he and Marinette can talk, all while he still puts on a welcoming image. After Plagg reminds Adrien that all Gabriel knows how to cook is pancakes, Gabriel then lectures Marinette about why he doesn't want her to see Adrien.

Gabriel: I don't think you understand, child, so let me put things differently. Life is like fashion. You think you have a choice, but all you have is the illusion of choice. And I decide what choices are given to you.

Marinette: You're wrong! (Shows Gabriel her sketchbook with her designs) Fashion is about listening to people, it's about understanding who they are, what excites them and creating the clothes that will help them express their inner world. Help them connect with others and make their dreams come true.

Gabriel: (Laughs and looks over Marinette's sketchbook) No, that's not fashion. That's making dresses for your dolls. Fashion is a product, a marketing strategy, an industry that relies on uninterrupted trend renewal that forces you to either throw away everything you have and buy more or, worse, to be out of fashion.

That bastard! I can't believe Gabriel wants to make an honest living by using market research data to his advantage! What a piece of scum...

I joke, but the rest of Gabriel's little rant is even worse, as he acts as if he decides what people like and don't like, even though he just mentioned the importance of keeping up with current trends. Seriously, this dude's talking as if the entire world revolves around his brand.

Gabriel: Thanks to the clothes I create, the celebrities who wear them, the advertisements I design and the Alliance rings that broadcast them, I create an idyllic vision. A perfection that everyone aspires to achieve, while keeping it just out of their grasp. You finally understand the difference, don't you? You listen to people's desires and create what they want. Somehow, people make you. Whereas I create people's desires. They buy what I decide to buy. They think what I want them to think. I'm the one who makes people. You think you love Adrien, but you're just under the spell of this world I've created. A world where Adrien is the star, shining high above. A world where you're just part of the crowd below looking up at him.

Let's see... a complete narcissist with an obsession with controlling others, puts on a facade to make himself look more approachable, uses his influence to sell something to the masses that are part of his greater operation, and acts as if his products are necessary for society to function when they're more of a luxury than anything else? Where have I seen this before?

Marinette goes against Gabriel's wishes and tells Adrien she loves him before rightfully telling him to piss off... through a pancake metaphor, for some reason.

Marinette: You know what the problem is with your pancakes? Way too much flour, not enough butter. You're using an old, completely outdated recipe. No one likes them like that anymore. And that's the good thing about being a baker's daughter. I don't even need to try them to know that they're tasteless.

You know, I could make so many jokes about the state of the show with this little speech, but I feel like it'd be too easy.

Meanwhile, Kagami tries to tell her mother that she's not interested in Adrien anymore, but we get the same crap Tomoe has been saying ever since Season 3. “You must follow our family legacy, Kagami!”, “Stop letting your emotions control you, Kagami!”, “I'm only blind for a cheap visual metaphor, Kagami!”, yadda, yadda, yadda. During this, Argos overhears this and outright kidnaps Kagami. Rather than call the police to report a kidnapping, Tomoe calls Gabriel, who had transformed into Monarch offscreen, and tells him to akumatize him (even though she's still carrying her useless Magical Charm), which he does, turning her into Matagi Gozen.

Matagi Gozen is basically Ikari Gozen, only instead of a centaur, she now rides a robot dog for some reason and has a bow and arrow now. Her powers are basically related to her size and riding a robot dog, mostly so we can focus on her Miraculous powers for the day. Even though Tomoe was seen wearing six Alliance rings before she called Gabriel, she only gets three powers, the Bee Miraculous' Venom, the Rooster Miraculous' Sublimation (which she uses to give herself an enhanced sense of smell), and the Mouse Miraculous' Multitude. It's really just the same setup we got in “Multiplication” with a few changes, and it's nothing special. Although, it's too bad that Monarch doesn't have the Dog Miraculous, as that would have really gone well with her powers.

As the four Matagi Gozen clones go on the hunt, Argos takes Kagami to the Eiffel Tower to hide out, where we get—wait, it's, it's, BY GOD, IT'S KAGAMI WITH A WOODEN CHAIR!

Argos transforms back into Felix, and unintentionally throws Matagi Gozen off the trail since she was tracking him through one of the feathers on his fan. It turns out that after that single conversation they shared last episode, Felix is suddenly developing feelings for Kagami, and the whole reason he kidnapped her, aside from “protecting her from her mother”, is to get to talk to her again.

Felix: We have so much in common, and yet, you're also so different. I've never met someone like you.

Kagami: We don't even know each other!

Felix: I know you. I've been following you non-stop.

Kagami: Even better! You follow me, you spy on me and now you've kidnapped me to get to know me?!

Felix: Uh... yes?

Kagami: You are utterly incompetent at social relations.

See? Felix isn't a sociopath who just tried to wipe out all of humanity last episode! He just needs to make friends, that's all.

Yeah, in case you can't tell, it seems like the show is still trying to course correct the characterization of Felix. Rather than the overconfident and manipulative wild card he was for his last five appearances, the episode is now trying to make Felix out to be a secretly awkward person with noble goals. Afterall, he saved Kagami, so by that logic, he has to be a good guy. Yeah, he technically stalked her like a creep, but it ended up being good in the end, didn't it?

After Marinette and Adrien transform into Ladybug and Cat Noir respectively, the Matagi Gozen clones start to track Felix through the scent of the aforementioned gadget. Right as Matagi Gozen finds Felix, Ladybug and Cat Noir arrive on the scene, giving Felix the chance to transform into Argos and escape with Kagami again.

Matagi Gozen: This is what heroes do? Not only did you help that monster escape, but now you're going to fight me? A mother trying to save her daughter?

Cat Noir: Hey, my lady. When you think about it, they're not wrong. We all want the same thing. If we let them save Kagami, we could seize the opportunity to get Felix's Miraculous back.

Ladybug: Too risky. They're under Monarch's influence.

Yeah, but you can't even try to negotiate a temporary alliance between Matagi Gozen? Yes, we know that she's working for Monarch, but the heroes don't know that. All we get is Ladybug asking Matagi Gozen to reject the Megakuma, and she goes back to fighting them. How interesting would it have been for Ladybug and Cat Noir to make an uneasy alliance with someone they don't know is working for Monarch?

After Cat Noir gets ignored during one of the few times he makes a decent point, he escapes to the sewer and detransforms, Matagi Gozen losing their scent trail. Matagi Gozen goes back to looking for Kagami, and decides to shoot her with some arrows tipped with Venom. Argos defends Kagami, and breaks up his fan to throw the pieces around and create multiple fake scent trails to throw off Matagi Gozen before detransforming. How Argos even came came up with this plan when I don't think he figured out Matagi Gozen could smell really good is anyone's guess.

As Kagami and Felix keep running away, Kagami asks the question I'm sure you've all been thinking.

Kagami: I don't understand. You have the Miraculous of the peacock, why don't you create a Sentimonster to get us out of here?

Felix: First of all, don't call them that.

Fine, “walking sin against nature” it is. Got anything else to say there, buddy? Maybe anything that isn't a half-assed speech meant to make the audience sympathize with you?

Felix: I refuse to create a being to manipulate them, control them, abuse them, and end up destroying them. When you bring a living being into this world, you have a responsibility towards them. Your duty is to protect them, love them, help them discover the true meaning of their existence. To deprive them of that... is monstrous.

Kagami: Are you talking about... yourself?

Felix: I'm talking about... us.

Come on dude! I said anything that isn't a half-assed speech meant to make the audience sympathize with you!

Okay, I've been putting this off long enough. Let's talk about Felix's ideology, his little speech, and, how it contradicts his previous appearances.

First off, for someone who refuses to create a Sentimonster to control and abuse, Felix had no trouble screwing around with Adrien in his first episode when his main goal was to get one of the rings from Gabriel. Hell, it makes even less sense why he'd keep that ring that we know can be used to control Adrien if his plan ultimately amounted to trading it away along with the fifteen Miraculous in Ladybug's possession.

Second, Felix literally created a Sentimonster to destroy humanity with just last episode, and he doesn't even mention that. Yeah, you can chalk it up to character development, but we don't even get a line about learning about the burden of ending a life you yourself created. It just feels like a way to make him seem more sympathetic after he went all “I'M THE GOD! I'M THE GOD!” last episode.

Third, and I'm just going to be honest about this, but why should I care about the life of a Sentimonster when the show has shown it doesn't care either? Ever since the end of Season 2, we've seen Sentimonsters be summoned and erased from existence left and right, and other than a single occasion (Ladybug), nobody has really brought up the fact that Sentimonsters are living beings too. Even putting that aside, most of the Sentimonsters we've seen have either been giant monsters, clones of other people, or mindless tools, none of which showed any desire to be alive other than to serve their purpose. It's only because Adrien, Felix, and now Kagami are revealed to be Sentimonsters that we should care about the ethics of summoning a Sentimonster in battle. Even in the last episode, Felix never brought up than Ladybug is essentially taking innocent lives whenever she de-evilizes an Amok.

And finally, the fact that this speech was used to set up a romance between Felix and Kagami, not because he saw a kindred spirit in her, but rather, because he believes that she's a Sentimonster too. You know that episode of South Park where Cartman tried to set up Token with a new girl, where the entire joke was that it was because Cartman believed that black people can only date other black people? This is basically that story with none of the irony. The episode seriously treats Felix taking an interest in Kagami specifically on the basis that she may be the same kind of artificial creation as him, as if he isn't capable of relating to anyone who also has to deal with abusive parents and isn't a Sentimonster. On a completely unrelated note, isn't it funny how out of the four rich kids with abusive or neglectful parents, Chloe is the only one who isn't a Sentimonster and is the least sympathetic?

Ladybug (having gotten a pair of scissors from activating her Lucky Charm offscreen) and Cat Noir try to stop Felix, but after a single speech from him, Kagami is now completely on his side for some reason.

Kagami: Felix is not your enemy! He's like me! He doesn't know how to express himself. Everyone is wrong about him! Including me.

Funny, I don't seem to remember you dooming all of Paris by giving over a dozen magical artifacts to a supervillain. Also, speaking from someone who struggles to socialize in real life, I can confirm that social awkwardness isn't really an excuse to kidnap someone. Just remember what happened in Misery.

Ladybug realizes that Felix and Kagami are vital to her Lucky Charm working, she decides to trust Felix. Felix then transforms into Argos and immediately escapes without contributing to the plan, while Kagami uses the scissors to cut the string of Matagi Gozen's bow after Ladybug and Cat Noir restrain the Akuma.

Ladybug then de-evilizes the Megakuma, uses Miraculous Ladybug to fix the damage caused by the fight, gives Tomoe yet another useless Magical Charm after the last useless one broke because it was completely useless, and Argos once got away without facing any consequences for his actions.

Afterwards, Kagami tries to stand up to Tomoe, but she orders her to hand over her ring containing her Amok—I mean, her ring that has absolutely no control over her, and is part of this thrilling mystery. Adrien also tries to stand up for Marinette, and Gabriel tells him to enjoy her time with Marinette... before saying he's moving to London next year. This is supposed to be a dick move, but with how often Adrien gets caught in the crossfire of Akuma attacks, with or without the mask, this is arguably the smartest thing Gabriel has done for the past five seasons. Adrien chooses not to tell Marinette about London, because I guess all that whining about hating secrets only mattered when someone else was withholding information from him.

The episode ends with Felix revealing that the ring Kagami gave her mother was a fake. Of course, this makes no sense because not only did we never see Felix steal the ring from Kagami, but Tomoe has a mental connection to Kagami, she should notice the ring is a fake. Also, you know how Kagami's arc so far has been a mixture of finding independence from her controlling mother while coming to terms with her breakup with Adrien? Get ready for all of that to be thrown out the window, because the writers are desperate to make him look good, Felix is now the one to save her from her mother and give her independence back, while also hinting at a relationship starting between the two. I'd say this episode fumbled the landing, but I haven't even gotten to the season finale yet.

This episode started out pretty poorly, and quickly went downhill afterwards. The idea of explaining why Gabriel's Cataclysm wound can't be healed was convoluted, Felix continues to be unlikable, Tomoe once again shows how terrible of an antagonist she is.

I'll admit, the chemistry between Marinette and Adrien was decent, but it's far too late to really establish a proper rivalry between her and Gabriel more than halfway through the fifth season, especially while discussing fashion when it's only been used to justify plots where she tries to make stuff for Adrien. The writers had plenty of time, yet rather than build up tension between the main hero and main villain, they decided we needed more episodes revolving around Chloe, Lila, and Felix.

Speaking of, Felix once again shows how poorly written he is. He was the one to instigate the conflict, it wasn't established if he even had a plan on what to do once he gets away with Kagami, and if anything, only made things worse because of his refusal to surrender, much less acknowledge his fault in this situation when the Akuma chasing after him is only as powerful as she is now because he gave his evil uncle multiple Miraculous to use for his Akumas. But no, he has to be the one to wreck Kagami's character arc and be the one to try and liberate her from Tomoe's influence because he's a good guy now! It says a lot when Cat Noir is the only one who still isn't trusting Felix at this point.

While it's nowhere near as bad as “Emotion”, this was still a really bad episode to follow up on.

THE BIGGEST IDIOT OF THE EPISODE IS...TOMOE

While Felix came dangerously close to winning the award, he at least showed more restraint here, and was able to throw off both Matagi Gozen a few times. Tomoe, on the other hand, got nothing to show any real intelligence, and if anything, proved she was just as incompetent as Gabriel is. She chose to nag Gabriel while he was suffering from the effects of his fatal wound, decided to akumatize herself instead of even considering contacting the cops to stop a single kidnapping, while ironically drawing more attention to herself in her attempt to save Kagami and stop Felix, decided to try shooting her daughter instead of the one who abducted her, and didn't even realize the ring capable of controlling her daughter was replaced by a fake when she should obviously be able to sense something.

#immaturity of thomas astruc #iota #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug salt #marinette dupain cheng #ladybug #adrien agreste #cat noir #chat noir #felix graham de vanily #argos #gabriel agreste #hawkmoth #hawk moth #monarch #kagami tsurugi #tomoe tsurugi

[harlowcomehome]

What if: One of the girls are throwing a tantrum and only wants Jack but he’s not at home🤭

“Daddy or nobody!”

You were up cooking breakfast for you, Jack and Hazel when you heard the pitter patter of footsteps coming your way.

“Mommy!” Hazel ran over to you, hugging your leg as tight as she could.

“Good morning my beautiful girl” you smiled, playing with her curls with one hand as you cooked with the other.

Jack was coming out of the bedroom now, wearing a tight white tank and baggy sweats that hung off his hips. His hair was a mess but you still thought he was as handsome as ever.

“Daddy!” Hazel ran over to Jack. He quickly picked her up and raised her above his head making her giggle.

“Careful” you warned but couldn’t help but smile.

“Good morning” Jack mumbled before placing a kiss on your cheek.

“No kisses” Hazel scrunched her nose.

“Not even on the cheek?” Jack gasped making her giggle again “that’s cold hearted!”

“You cold?” Hazel asked curiously reaching out and rubbing her dads arm. You laughed to yourself before setting down both her and Jacks plate on the table.

“No baby, I’m not cold. Daddy was just making a joke” he smiled as he cut up her eggs for her.

“Ohs” Hazel responded watching as he cut her eggs into smaller pieces, “I can eat them. I’m a big girl now.”

“Let daddy cut them so you don’t choke” you hummed and Hazel furrowed her brows at you, an expression that mirrored her father completely.

“So you have two meetings today right?” You asked as you sat across from Jack at the table.

“Yeah, and that photo shoot” he groaned, checking the time on his phone.

“You’ll be gone most of the day?” You frowned and he nodded, finishing his food.

“I’m going to go shower real quick” he stood up and Hazel instantly started to pout.

“Why daddy have to work today? He should just stay here with us” Hazels lip quivered and you immediately knew how today was going to go.

“We will have a fun day just us two my little ladybug, don’t worry” you hummed and she giggled, “okay mommy!”

Jack walked into the living room, dressed for the day. “I’ll call you after the first meeting if I have time” he hummed and you stood up to give him a hug and kiss goodbye.

“Be safe!” Hazel giggled as she got her hug and kiss goodbye too.

Once Jack left the house, the two of you played dolls in the living room, colored for a while and watched movies. You were watching a movie and eating celery sticks by that time Jack had text you. He was letting you know that his day was hectic so he wasn’t going to be able to call, something you were already used to.

“When’s daddy calling?” Hazel asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“Daddy got busy at work bubs, so he won’t be calling today” you braced yourself for her reaction but she just nodded and continued to sleepily watch the movie.

It was obvious that Hazel was exhausted and when nap time arrived it was a struggle.

“I’m not even tired!” Hazel yelled as you carried her to her room.

“It’s nap time Hazey, you’ll feel better once you sleep” you sighed.

“Only daddy can call me that!” She whined as her cheeks became more and more red from crying.

“Okay” you replied defeated, knowing she didn’t mean it but you were still too tired to argue.

“I want my daddy” Hazel hollered as she turned to face the wall, coughing as she couldn’t stop crying.

You covered her with a blanket and left to the living room knowing she’s tire herself out eventually.

Jack sent you a text telling you he missed you both and asking how your day was going, you knew he was likely in a car on the way to his photo shoot.

You text back, “Good besides your daughter driving me crazy. She misses you a lot today.”

“Does mommy miss me too?” He replied.

“Of course, send me a sneak peek of your photo shoot?” you replied back.

“You got it Mrs. Harlow” you read with a smile, eager for him to come home.

#Jack Harlow #Jack Harlow x reader #Jack Harlow concepts #Jack Harlow imagines #Jack Harlow fluff #dad! jack #Jackharloww

[fandomregression]

plz we need regressed chat noir hcs. (He's totally a kitten regressor, I can see it.)

Regressor Chat Noir Headcanons!

oh yeah we all know why adrien regresses like. its pretty obvious.

he regresses as chat more than anything just because its somehow easier. even when he should be doing patrols or fighting akumas, its easier to let himself regress when hes chat

kitten regressor, 100%

when he age regresses, hes usually around 1st and 3rd grade, and he does love playing at the park

ladybug takes care of him when she weasels it out of him why he's acting so Weird on patrol one day. when hes a kitten, she is constantly petting him, scritching his chin, playing with him with cat toys, that sort of thing

when chat is age regressed, ladybug tries to keep him under control so he doesnt accidentally cataclysm the eiffel tower just to see what happens

(it falls down, adrien, thats what happens...)

he learns very quickly that playing tag on rooftops is Not A Good Idea

chat has a bad habit of going to marinette's house when hes regressed, too. he loves just being with her while she works on projects

marinette will turn on cartoons for him, let him play with her ladybug and chat noir dolls, and sometimes she plays with him too (those are chat's favorite times)

also, cuddle fiend. oh my god please hug this boy he needs it so bad

adrien will a lot of times regress because of his father, and he just transforms into chat and runs off to marinette. he'll collapse in her room and just cry. he'll cry until he's out of tears, and just lay there with her petting his hair until he falls asleep

there are definitely people all around paris theorizing and gossiping about chat's mental health. when alya learns from marinette about his regression (a total accident, she was tired and gushing about him being cute) she writes about the benefits of regression on the ladyblog

someone abSOLUTELY capitalizes on that and starts selling both chat noir and ladybug themed pacifiers/bottles/sippies. this does Not help chat keep it together on patrols akzkfxkakxjf

he doesnt even like pacifiers, they annoy him to no end. he likes sippy cups and silly straw cups, and he likes chewelry (he has a green cat one his lady gave him and, yes, he did cry when she gave it to him)

has nearly been akumatized before when regressed because ladybug booped his nose to make him stop running around and tagging her shoulder. he now has to keep a charm on him at all times because he has such big emotions

most common phrase ladybug/marinette hears when he comes barreling toward her is "look what i maked you!!!" and yet every time she acts surprised and so appreciative of every drawing/clay figure/bead bracelet he makes

anyway. i need to watch the new season of miraculous smh

#fandom agere #age regression #sfw agere #miraculous agere #🧸headcanons #agere chat noir #agere adrien #cg ladybug #cg marinette

[hayateart]

Today in fanfiction I will never write - Miraculous Ladybug - Monarch gets his wish

I caught up to the current episodes on Disney+ (which is s05e08, English order) and I have ideas.

We all know what Gabriel's wish is - to have Emilie back. And we know that Adrien is a sentimonster with at least 80% certainty (all other theories on the show turned out to be true eventually. This one will as well.)

Gabriel finds out his son is Chat Noir. Instead of akumatising him (which never ends well in alternative futures that never happened) he simply orders him to get Ladybug's earrings as Chat Noir. Just take them off of her ears when she's not paying attention.

Adrien of course does not want to do this. Gabriel might be his father but he is also the villain they fought for years already. He has almost all the kwamis captive and they are suffering. He realises he himself has been captive since birth. His father claims to love him but does he really love Adrien or just the idea of a perfect son he created? Nothing more than a doll.

Ladybug, on the other hand, has been his best friend ever since they got their Miraculous. She relies on him, she trusts him, and be it as it may, platonic, romantic, familiar, she loves him and Adrien loves her back. He cannot betray her!

Alas, he must. Gabriel cleverly forbids him to reveal his plan in any way to Ladybug or any of her allies. There is no way out.

Chat steals Ladybug's Miraculous, at the same time discovering Ladybug is Marinette, which makes the situation even worse. That's the girl that has a crush on him and he barely discovered he might love her back. She is the nicest, kindest person he knows and he just destroyed her.

Marinette herself just breaks down. She tries to fight Chat (she still doesn't know it's Adrien) but a distraught, brokenhearted girl cannot defeat a sentimonster who has been given orders. At the same time she figures the Chat in front of her must be a sentimonster created by the Monarch, because the real one would never hurt her, even when akumatised.

Adrien brings the earrings back to his father. At this point he's already a completely broken person. And then his father says that since it was Adrien who got him both Miraculous, he is the one to make the wish: "Emilie Agreste never died."

"Yes, father," Adrien replies. "Emilie Agreste never died."

The world shifts.

It is a normal day in Paris. Marinette wakes up in her room and she still has her earrings and Tikki says nothing strange ever happened. It must have been a dream.

Except, the world looks slightly off. Nobody is wearing the Gabriel rings, and there are no commercials with Adrien.

When Marinette gets to school, she notices that the seat by Nino is taken by a different person so she asks where is Adrien.

"What Adrien?" Nino replies, and so does every person Marinette asks the same question.

The world did change and Adrien Agreste does not exist in the updated version.

Everything else is the same, though. Monarch still attacks Paris but it is definitely a different Monarch - it is a woman for a change. Ladybug still goes out to fight her and save akumatised people and Chat Noir fights by her side. He seems different as well, a little sullen and a little slow. But Marinette has bigger problems than that. Her Kitty will have to wait.

They save the victim and cleanse the akuma and after the battle Ladybug explains the situation to her partner. She tells him what she remembers and how the world changed. They need to fix it!

But do they, really? Chat questions. It doesn't look like the situation is that bad. The world barely changed and what is the life of one person who was never born. Was he even real to begin with?

Marinette is hurt by these words but she knows she can make her Kitty understand. For now, they just need to figure out a way. Chat doesn't really agree to help her, but he's not actively opposing either. He's very apathetic in general and his flirting is a mere obligation.

After a while of fruitless research and aimless fights, Luka finally gets a hold of Ladybug. He's there to tell her that the world changed and offers his help to fix whatever happened.

Turns out that Marinette, Luka and Alix, both of whom had Miraculous afflicted with alternating/travelling the timeline powers kept their memories of the real world. Marinette must have because she is the Guardian. Together they are forming a plan to use the Miraculous to get to the point of world shift to see what actually happened. In order to do that, they need to defeat the current Monarch.

Before that, however, Luka/Viperion says he wants to speak with Chat. See if he can give him more conviction to fight for their cause. Ladybug arranges their meeting.

Viperion and Chat meet in private, just the two of them. Viperion asks why Chat doesn't seem to want to help them he asks the same question he asked Ladybug "why try to save a person that never existed?"

"If he's not real, why are you here?" Because he knows Chat's identity. "Adrien, what happened?"

Adrien breaks down and explains the situation. His father, the sentimonster issue, his mother. He has seen them in this world. They are happy! Why should he take that away from them if he's not even their real son, just a toy they made together! He will help Ladybug save Parisians, he will keep them safe but he will no longer be the reason his father went insane with grief and his mother died.

Viperion understands and says he won't try to convince Chat anymore. After all, it's not his decision to make. He will support Ladybug but he will keep Chat's secrets. He just asks how come Chat is still here if Adrien doesn't exist.

As far as Chat understands, Emilie never had the peacock Miraculous so she never created any sentimonsters, including Adrien (Felix is gone as well, the Peacock was never in possession of their family). But he is the Chat Noir and that's all he is in this world.

When he's not transformed it's like he doesn't even exist. Plagg needs to take care of his needs all by himself and that makes Chat feel bad. He asks Viperion that since he knows his real identity maybe he could take care of Plagg in his abscence. The kwami must feel so lonely.

"You must as well," Luka says and Chat doesn't reply. "Come live with me. I will take care of both of you. My real name is Luka and I used to be your friend in the other life. I still am."

And this is as far as I got. The new Monarch is Emilie who did try to create her perfect son but he was taken from her before she could. The Peacock Miraculous has been forever lost and she hopes that by attacking Paris Ladybug and Chat Noir will slip for her to get a wish of bringing her unreal son alive.

They find that out after a while and Chat is stricken with grief that he is the reason both of his parents turned to the dark side.

Also, if it's not obvious enough, it would be a Lukadrienette story. My OT3.

#miraculous ladybug #chat noir #adrien agreste #ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #lukadrinette #luka cauffaine #viperion #fanfic idea #fanfiction i will never write #I'm making it a series #I have no time for writing #adrienette #adrien x marinette #lukanette #luka x marinette #luka x adrien

[the-delta-42]

The Truth 4

[1 The Truth] [2 Soul] [3 Through a Shattered Mirror] [4 Healing]

Healing

“Why are you asking me over again?” Asked Luka, following Marinette.

“It’ll be easier to explain when we get there.” Answered Marinette, waving a hand behind her. Luka chose not to ask about the red markings that were supposed to be gone.

“Does this have anything to do with the Guardians?”

“No, this is completely different.”

Luka frowned, stopping, “So, this hasn’t got anything to do with the alternate world you, Adrien, Alya and Nino got pulled into?”

Marinette froze, “Well, it does, but none of the guardians are involved.”

“Okay, what am I walking into?”

Marinette sighed, before looking around, “Okay, I may or may not have kidnapped my abused double, she’s going by Bridgette now by the way, we’ve managed to get her to talk about her world and, from what she told us, you were the one good factor before you left.”

Luka blinked, “Oh-kay, that wasn’t what I expected.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Anything that wasn’t you kidnapping your double? Something a bit normal!”

“Do you want to help or not?”

“Right, yep, Lead the way.”

H

Bridgette watched Odette conducted a trial for a Collector doll Marinette had made.

“And for the crime of being ugly,” Said Odette, grabbing a pair of scissors, “You are being eggs-et-cuted!”

The dolls head fell to the floor, the fluff spilling out of the hole on the head and body.

Bridgette reached out and grabbed a needle and some thread, just as Marinette popped up through the hatch and spotted the Collector’s decapitated state, “Seriously?!”

“I’m going to fix it.” Mumbled Bridgette, as Marinette entered the room fully, followed by Luka.

“Actually,” Said Marinette, gently taking the needle and thread, “I thought you’d like to hang out with Luka for a bit.”

Bridgette stared up at Luka, her heart fluttering slightly, “O-okay.”

“Great!” Grinned Marinette, grabbing Odette and exiting the room.

H

Adrien watched at the other him stared at a book in front of him, unlike Adrien, the other him had regressed to the age of a toddler like the other amoks.

“Maybe they created him a few weeks before Hawkmoth’s first attack.” Suggested Nino, as Shelly and Bubba wandered around the room.

“We’ve started calling him Aiden,” Said Adrien, frowning, “He’s taken to it well, but he’s a bit hard of hearing for some reason.”

“Have you had his hearing checked?” Asked Alya, looking up from her phone, “Oh, Mari’s on her way with Ode, she said something about leaving Bridge with Luka.”

Adrien frowned, ever since those Guardians had blown Luka off, he’d been distant, “Tikki did say something about the Luka of that world being remembered more fondly than the others.”

Something collided with Adrien’s leg, before a sharp pain emanated from his knee, “Agh!”

Bridgette ran away, giggling, as Adrien sat down and rubbed his knee, “Why does she do that?”

“I told her cats bite to show affection.” Said Marinette, dropping into a seat, “I’m meeting Su Han later, I’m going to ask him about manipulating Monarch’s wish again, try and get Bridgette and Aiden secured to this world.”

“Are you going to talk to him about those markings?” Asked Adrien, frowning.

“I’ll bring it up, it might be a permanent side effect of saving me from Monarch’s wish.” Murmured Marinette, looking up at the ceiling.

Adrien quietly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, while Odette dragged Aiden over to Bubba and Shelly.

H

Ladybug watched at the gloves and arms of her suit vanished, revealing the black swirls and lines that covered her skin.

“I’ve told anyone who’s seen them that they’re temporary tattoos.” Said Ladybug, as Su Han frowned at the markings.

“They’ll go away in time.” Said Su Han, “But, you may want to sit out of a few fights with this new Hawk Moth, just to be safe.”

Ladybug nodded, “What about Bridgette and Aiden?”

“Since the portal they came through was made by you,” Said Su Han, after a moment, “they would already be tethered to this world.”

Ladybug let out a small laugh, looking up at the Guardian, “That’s great. I was worried they’d be forced to go back.”

“They won’t and they can’t.” Responded Su Han, “Tikki and Plagg destroyed their world, as I am sure you are aware.”

Ladybug winced, before nodding.

“It is unusual for Kwami’s from one reality to destroy the Kwami’s of another.” Commented Su Han, looking over Paris, “We will continue to search the city for Hawkmoth, we will find them and reclaim the butterfly.”

Ladybug nodded, as Su Han vanished, before she launched her yoyo and swung away.

H

Marinette looked up as Bridgette and Odette played a game of snap, Felix and Kagami were performing magic tricks for the other toddlers, producing a toy rabbit, which quickly found it’s way to Aiden. Adrien was talking quietly with Nathalie, no doubt trying to find a way of forging two more birth certificates.

“Eh, things are gonna be fine.” Plagg made Marinette jump as he flew out of her shoulder, “Sugarcube’s already working on it.”

“That’s…” Marinette pause, “reassuring.”

“That other me was a nightmare.” Said Plagg, settling on Marinette’s shoulder, “He knew everything that was going on and did nothing. Half the crap the child went through was a nightmare.”

“What happened to the other Tikki?” Asked Marinette, looking down at her sleeping Kwami, “She hasn’t told me anything about what she saw.”

“She hasn’t told anyone.” Stated Plagg, “For all we know, she could’ve slapped the other her, or blew her up. No one will ever know.”

“What happened to the other people, the ones that were innocent?”

“Oh, they were transported over here and merged with their counterparts here.” Dismissed Plagg, as Luka dropped down next to Bridgette, the girl leaning into him as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

‘Yeah,’ Thought Marinette, shifting as Adrien sat down next to her, ‘Everything’s going to be alright.’

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #luka couffaine #Bridgette Dupain Cheng #Odette Dupain Cheng #adrien agreste #Aiden Agreste #nino lahiffe #Bubba (OC) #Shelly (OC) #alya cesaire #Su Han #nathalie sancoeur #plagg #tikki #delta writes #the truth

[nullsleepy]

Hear me out, people’s faces becoming sort of blurry to marinette and she loses her ability to understand emotions or react to them properly after years of dealing with hawkmoth. She tries to move on with life with the help of her family and friends but it’s still a struggle. One day, sabine and tom sit her down to tell her that her biological parent is trying to reach out and connect. She doesn’t know how to react but she is wiling to meet them. (Whoever her bio parent is, they definitely didn’t expect mari’s resting smiling face and her empty voice.)

Doll Eyes

Prologue: The Strings

Prologue(Here), Chapter 1(To Be Added)

Trigger Warnings: Mentioned Self Harm, viewer be warned. (Not a warning but there is a poll below and you should check it out!)

Marinette slowly opened her eyes as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Her once bright blue eyes were closer to grey in color, unable to take in any light. She didn’t bother to move her face around to see who it was, instead barely lifting head up. A dull, polite smile formed on her face as the footsteps stopped in front of her.

“Hello, father.” Her unmoving, cold voice rang out into the room.

She tried to fix the problem, started to see if maybe wearing glasses would work. She borrowed stole Alya’s glasses for a little bit and attempted to interact with others. When that didn’t work, she even tried to direct some of her miraculous cure at herself, yet nothing seemed to fix her problem. She couldn’t even recognize, see, herself in the mirror or photos. But she still went on with life as normal. No one suspected a thing. No one thought their local ladybug couldn’t even see their faces anymore.

Until it all went downhill on the day her mama found her trying to scrape out her eyes.

“Marinette!” Sabine screamed as she flung the half opened attic door away. Her steps were heavy and quick, as if she was desperately trying to stop her daughter. Marinette’s eyes were covered in scratches, some bleeding heavily. Her fabric scissors were centered right in front of her eyes.

“……” Marinette said nothing as Sabine yanked the scissors away from her, flinging them out of her glass door leading to her terrace. Sabine took Marinette’s face into her hands, yelling incomprehensible words as she looked over her daughter’s wounds.

“Hello, Marinette…” A soft voice cooed at her, taking her hand into theirs. “It’ll be okay, alright? We’ll take good care of you.”

Marinette imagined their face had glowing red eyes and a smile too sharp to be natural. Maybe the devil finally came to claim her life.

“My sweet chérie, ma cœur, I have good news for you. You’ll be released soon. You’ll get to see all of your friends again.” Her mother held her close, resting her head on Marinette’s. The warmth was the only thing Marinette noticed.

“Bǎo bèi, be careful with your steps now. I don’t want you to fall.” Her mom held her hand, leading Marinette down the stairs of the hospital. She thinks that was a hospital anyways.

She said nothing.

Her room was changed to the downstairs one, and all of her sharp objects were gone. She was given a wiggly pencil and oddly soft paper instead of her sewing supplies. Her bed was exchanged for more mattresses to stack on top of eachother.

She felt herself lose whatever remains of her life she had left.

“Mari…” Her father slowly petted her head, leaning her onto his chest. “Your mama and I wanted to talk to you about something…”

“Marinette, we…” Her mother began, softly rubbing the girl’s arm.

“-aren’t your real parents.”

As the footsteps stopped in front of her, Marinette tilted her just a bit, as if she was a doll.

“Hello, father.” She smiled politely, not a single bit of light reaching her eyes. The figure in front of her kneeled down, his arms rested on the knee that was bent.

“Hello, Marinette.”

Notes: I am so sorry for taking so long making this, heavholic! I hope this storyline so far is enjoyable though. Also, hopefully the images/divider I made is working! Wanted to do something different than the usual “-“ to separate them. My other fics will be updating(eventually) when I have time and inspiration, which should be soon(Or I will be taking on the quest of defeating the inspiration god and stealing all his inspiration! Jk pls inspiration god, give me strength!)

Tag List: (Open)

#maribat #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #mlb x batman #self harm #only for a bit #but trigger warning #fanfiction #fanfic

[fragileizywriting]

[being dragged off of stage by comically long hook] no no no, hold on, wait, i promise i'm studying i promise, i just—- [scuffling back stage] just give me a second, give me a SECOND, it's really important that i talk about this because i—- [hook pulls harder] stop it stop it stop it hold ON, let me talk about this sharks and sugar + locker talk idea that i have that i want everyone to know about because it's Such a good idea i have and i think about it so often (and it will get written, because i will get to everything) STOP PULLING !!!!!!

i want to write a tiny little throwaway of little marinette playing with all the kwamis. this fits both sas and locker talk because the two girls deviate at one specific point in the timeline, but they started identically. huzzah!

LET GO hold on just give me a [struggles with hook] let me just get the microphone. hold on. got it.

ANYWAY,

little tiny marinette playing in master fu's dojo with all the kwamis. every single one is there, including plagg and tikki— they're all so excited, following her around like bees would follow a human. they're swarming, playing chase with this little tiny girl dressed in a cute cupcake pink dress and shiny mary-jane shoes and sweet little odango buns in her hair.

she asked her mom to help with the hair.

but she dressed herself. frilly socks and all.

she's 7 or 8, finally learned the secret that her (great great great great) uncle told her, much to sabine's disappointment.

she's in love with them.

she's not afraid of them, these moving, floating dolls that blink at her and nuzzle into her cheeks, all of them so excited at the prospect of a little girl being their friend.

it's been so long since they've had a little girl to dote over... and look at her! so sweet, so excited, so gentle!!

as sabine and master fu argue about something in the other room, marinette is playing with them on the mats. she teaches them how to cartwheel, how to summersault, messing up her hair and taking off her shoes so she doesn't get them dirty on the mats. they play hide and seek— she searches, of course, because she's way too big to hide under folded up cushions and there's barely anything in the room other than the racks of bamboo sticks and giant mirrors.

sabine is even more disappointed when they come back to the room and marinette's hair is completely and totally down, excitedly telling all the kwamis that they should have tea parties. she has doll furniture back at home; do they want to live in her doll house? there's a bunch of desk space back at home since she doesn't keep her homework papers after she's done, maybe they want to move in?

when master fu introduces every single one to her formally, with her sitting on her pillow with her hands tucked in even though she wants to touch the kwamis over and over again (does wayzz's shell feel hard? does plagg have fangs? does barkk actually wag his tail? why does sass look so sad?). when plagg is introduced, she cooes, laughing at how funny he is when he calls her princess.

they all call her princess afterwards.

princess, princess, princess. you're our little princess!

"you'll be the guardian of this box when it's time," master fu tells her, as tikki flits in her hands to find a comfortable resting position. marinette's palm is too small, but just big enough with both to keep her. "you'll wield tikki's power to keep it safe."

she gasps. "really?"

"yes. very much so. when you get su-han's blessing, you will be our family's ladybug, and this box will be yours to keep safe."

"do you hear that, tikki?" marinette's grin is as bright as the sun. "you and i are going to be best friends forever and ever! i'm so excited!"

#speakizys #sharks and sugar #locker talk #in locker talk tikki and plagg have gone missing which is why marinette is multimouse #in sharks and sugar... well. we all know the irony here #sass can tell the future i'm calling it now :) #i just LOVE the little tidbit of all the kwamis calling her princess in both universes #i think i got tikki to do it in the last chapter of sas i'm so happy

[halogenrobotics]

Brooooo the brainrot is consuming me alive-

I know a LOT of people are opposed to the idea of Inhuman!Gregory and find the GregBot/GregEvan theory very controversial (pretty much just like SentiAdrien from Miraculous Ladybug) but I freaking LOVE the trope of inhuman characters whom are masquerading as humans and has everyone around them think of them as just another human being. 

Especially if they were once human before tragedy struck in the form of their death, and them being ripped away from everything and everyone they ever loved and held dear and had their entire world crumble down to ash around them as they watched helplessly. 

Such good angst material, you know? I’d imagine it would be pretty traumatizing for a ten year old who was supposed to graduate from fifth grade but instead had his head and torso crushed inside the mouth of his best friend- during his birthday on a spring afternoon in 1983. Of course that would leave a pretty deep scar.

Not even that- I just created a whole backstory of messed up shit that happened to him afterwards, you know? Evan’s body gets repurposed- every cell, molecule, atom of his body fundamentally altered on the material level so that it’s not organic anymore, mixed in with robotics and remnant technology- his father sees him as his greatest creation- the first immortal lifeform, not just a soul being hosted inside of an empty husk of a body.

He was a cybernetic flesh puppet who was beyond human, but also not truly- there was a genuine consciousness within- the soul of his son, his youngest son, reborn inside, sleeping akin to a newborn that couldn’t be awoken no matter how hard one tried. William smiles- a twisted, deranged smile, knowing that the creation, an incredibly flawless and perfect replica of the regular human child that his son once was, was complete. And it was beautiful. Every thrum of power that made itself known in the form of a low hum of warmth and vibrations beneath his chest as it rose and fell, rose and fell with every steady, deep breath the creation took… the way his hands were folded over his chest as if in prayer, mouth only slightly ajar to reveal the thin crease of pearly white teeth within.

As if he never died.

Then, when the strange being awakens again after what feels like eternity, he is… confused, not to mention utterly time blind. Names linger on the tip of his tongue, but he can’t speak of them without a lump rising in his throat and a strange liquid brimming like brine on the edge of his eyes. Nothing lingers in his brain but the emotion of being perplexed and overwhelmed as his doll-like eyes blink so unnasumingly, large and gentle and compound in nature. 

The irises- dark like nebulous nights, the light reflected within glimmering like stars as they were lacking the little black dots of pupils to them entirely- they flicked around way too naturally to glimpse his surroundings of the dilapidated room- dark, cold, empty and falling into some degree of disrepair (it isn’t anything like the tomb-like chamber William stored him in when he was asleep, though is that even a memory?).

This isn’t how the world is supposed to be, he thinks to himself. This isn’t how the world works- dark and cold and empty and so, so terrible, with no knowledge of who I am or what I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to be in my home, laughing and playing with my… my… my? My what? My who?

Things still feel wrong on a fundamental level, from the ground up as static lingers where his memories should be- a thick white fog that is impenetrable, that makes his head ring with sheer pain whenever he tries to push past it.

Or had things already been wrong to begin with? Had there been cracks since the beginning?

My family. My name. My home.

As the creation arbitrarily decides on a name- the title of the watchful and vigilant, “Gregory”, who’s eyes don’t let anything escape their encroaching, scrutinizing gaze- he stares down at his trembling hands, the grief within his heart waiting to be unlocked and flood every pore of his being until he had shed his last tear for the ruined past and the future that could never be in this time.

With every second that passed, as his being gradually trembled into consciousness more and more, the question was burned into his mind that he quaked as he thought about it, shook with ferocity and passion and desire, NEEDING NEEDING NEEDING to know moremoremoreMOREMOREMORESHOWMEMORE.

Who am I? He wants to ask to the heavens that remained out of reach- he was still tethered to the earth for god knows what reason. Why am I alive?

But out of his mouth comes trills and beeps that he arbitrarily writes on a miniscule slip of paper and sticks it to the box that he found, the things that he could do with just his hands still fascinating him so much. 

01110111 01101000 01111001 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001

Why is I.

This is quite the well constructed theory/story idea. Personally I kinda, uh, hate the gregbot/greg is evan theory (the latter because I think the afton family has had its time in the sun and should be put to rest, except William lol). No offense.

However I won't knock anyone for believing it, and I have to say that this is probably one of the better posts on the subject. I can tell that a lot of passion and real effort went into it. The little segments that show the thoughts of...Grevan? Evagory? are really well made and show a lot of depth.

(I am not a writer so sorry if my complements seem repetitive :P )

Keep up the good work and idea making/explaining!

#fnaf gregory #fnaf #angst #my asks #answered #gregbot #starry-skies-116 #i dont agree with it but i respect it #fnaf evan

[casadefreewill]

No school AU for the wip game?

you know what, I'm just gonna put everything in the doc here

Adrien never went to school

Adrien is a sentimonster

Adrien still has fencing at Dupont - can be seen there sometimes

Only friend is Chloé

Lack of other social connections = subconsciously clings desperately to ladybug 

Likes to explore the city at night as much as possible

meets marinette through exploration / she’s up and has food and art out on her balcony, just chilling

Meets Alya through her interviewing of them

Meets Nino through his relationship to Alya, they still get locked together during an akuma attack

 No civilian adrien = Ladybug considers Chat’s flirtatious advances

Chat Blanc happens > enforce that Marinette's presence had very little to do with the end result of how things played out. Gabriel reveals himself to Adrien for different reasons.

Marinette take away is they need a way to keep in contact if anything goes wrong for either of them in their lives

Chat's civilian ID must stay secret at all costs (even from her)

They eventually compromise with minimalist phones (adrien orders them for both of them when they have the idea) - only allows calls and text, no internet to be tracked. Meant to be used to alert for akumas, they expand it eventually into general chitchat when one akuma’s power just kind of gets to Chat and he just isn’t in a good place after the fight no matter how he covers it up (her either).

Adrien is FAR more isolated here.

He does eventually meet and make friends with Kagami.  

Civilian friend list:

Chloé (sees her when Chloé thinks of it, at events when his father lets him out)

Queen Bee? > because Chloé likes Adrien and Adrien knows its Chloé/Chat is teammates with her

Kagami (sees her when their parents allow, fencing)

Chat’s friends:

Ladybug

Marinette - she helps with several akumas and he starts to see her a responsible person and a good friend

Eventually:

Alya

Nino

Rina Rouge

Carapace 

Luka/Viperian (exploration leads him to the liberty)

Queen Bee? > Chat picks her as team member

Ryuko? > Chat picks as team member

——

Senti:

The amok is one of the Gram De Vanily rings.

Gabriel doesn’t use it to control adrien/adjust his behavior because Emily made him and he doesn’t want to mess up any of the work she put so much effort into.

When things start to climax/get bad he does grab the ring and command Adrien to be silent. — (Adrien isn’t actually 100% sure that’s not just something adults can do to to children but he’s mostly just terrified and contacts Ladybug via phone)

— Gabriel also commanded him to his room, it’s the compulsion he felt to obey both commands that makes him start to wonder/freak out a little

— Plagg’s “discussion” with him about it (adrien can’t talk) also leads to them concluding there is some fuckery going on somewhere 

— it’s that he goes looking for the ring where he finds the lair and “mom”’s body, Plagg recognizes the amok and they take the rings.

show them to lady bug, they find a place to hide the rings

Adrien has a break down/identity crisis 

Not just treated like a doll but is one

Also Dad is probably Hawk Moth

#WIP game #ml #miraculous ladybug #yo any of these ideas are free game btw I'm probably never going to finish them #they are like work hiatus in progress or something #except the art stuff #that actually has a chance #if anyone DOES do something though please tag me I wanna see

[purrincess-chat]

Under the Moth’s Wing (Not-so-Enemies AU) CH4: Bubbler

This chapter gets angsty at the end oops. Nino is the goodest boy in this AU, I swear. Next week will be the last chapter for a while. I will be uploading this story in 5 chapter chunks, so whenever I have the next 5 chapters ready, I’ll start uploading again every Wednesday. I’ve broken this story into smaller arcs that span about 4-5 chapters at a time. This first arc that will wrap up next week is what I call “The Friendship Arc.” Adrien’s sole objective in these first five chapters is to integrate into society and make friends. I’ll see you guys next week with chapter 5 aka Gamer ;)

Read on AO3

Chapter 4

Adrien shot up in bed, a grin stretching his cheeks. A couple weeks had passed since he started attending public school, and while the first few days got off to a rocky start, he was finally starting to settle in. More of his classmates talked to him, and he got picked first for basketball in PE. Of course, it was Nino that picked him, but from what he’d gathered, getting picked first was a big deal!

Marinette and Alya still didn’t pay attention to him, but at least they didn’t glare at him anymore. It was progress, albeit minor, but not even that was going to get him down because today was-

“Happy Birthday, Adrien,” Nathalie said when she entered his room. “Your father has requested to see you in his office.”

Adrien kicked his blanket off and rushed downstairs, biting back a grin. Every year he asked his father to have a birthday party, and he always said no, but this year was different. He and his father were closer than ever. Adrien had a good feeling as he walked through the doors of his father’s office.

“Good morning, Father. You wanted to see me?” Adrien clasped his hands behind his back, veins pumping with excitement.

“Yes, I need you to be on the lookout for a potential candidate for my akumas today. These past two weeks have been nothing but failures. We need someone whose emotions are strong,” he said.

“Oh.” Adrien slumped.

Another day, another briefing. It was true, the last several akumas his father created were all lame. Honestly, they peaked with Stoneheart, though his father could only blame himself for following the rock monster up with a deranged pigeon man. He even akumatized a little girl having a tantrum over some dolls. Surprisingly, their efforts were thwarted more easily than they thought by Ladybug — she filled everyone in Paris with too much hope. Among other things in Adrien’s case, but now wasn’t the time for daydreams. He had party plans.

“Father?” Adrien squeezed his hands into tight fists.

“What is it, Adrien?” his father asked without looking up from his tablet.

“Well, I was just thinking since today is my birthday…”

“Ah, yes.” His father nodded, stooping to retrieve a gray giftbox. “I got you a gift to celebrate.”

“Really?” Adrien perked up as Nathalie carried it over to him. Usually his mother bought all the gifts, but perhaps his father was stepping up in her absence.

Tearing through the delicate wrapping, Adrien pulled the lid to find an assortment of pens, paper clips, safety pins, and post-it notes. He stared down at his “gift” in silence, wondering if it was a joke, but seeing as his father had no sense of humor, it was unfortunately real.

“Uh, thanks, Father.” Adrien closed the lid, biting his lip hard.

“Don’t forget our plans today. With any luck, we may have your mother home for dinner,” his father said.

Adrien returned to his room with a sigh. He should have known better than to expect arcade machines and flat screen TVs from his dad, but a box full of office supplies? What was he thinking, hoping he could have a real party? His father would never change.

He hadn’t thought about it before, but as he packed his father’s gifts into his schoolbag, realization dawned on him: It was his first birthday without his mom. Usually, she’d wake him up singing happy birthday with a big slice of cake and a candle. They’d eat it together in bed before she gave him a big gift. Last year, she got him a basketball hoop and scoreboard. She made him help plant roses in the garden all afternoon just so he wouldn’t catch them installing it…

He missed her. His father’s methods made his skin crawl, but it would have been nice to have her home for dinner, like he said.

“Adrien! Are you ready to go to school?” Nathalie called from the doorway.

He pressed his lips together and zipped his bag closed.

“Yeah.”

***

“Morning, dude!” Nino extended a fist when Adrien met him at the base of the stairs outside the school. They exchanged the secret handshake they’d made up — Nino’s idea.

“Hey, Nino,” Adrien replied, lacking his normal enthusiasm.

“Why so down today? You’re usually stoked to come to school.” Nino tilted his head to the side.

“Happy Birthday, Adrikins!” Chloe sprang from the steps into his arms, shoving Nino out of the way and planting kisses on Adrien’s cheeks. “I ordered you a present, but those stupid delivery guys are taking forever to get it here.”

“Thanks, Chlo.” Adrien unlatched her arms from around his neck.

“Yo, it’s your bday? Why didn’t you tell me, dude?” Nino punched his arm.

“Probably because he didn’t want to pretend to enjoy gifts from you poor losers after seeing my amazing gift,” Chloe said.

“Chloe.” Adrien shot her a warning look, and she turned away with a huff.

“Fine, let the peasants give you cheap gifts, but don’t be mad at me when they all pale in comparison.” She sauntered back up the stairs, ponytail flipping over one shoulder.

“I know you guys are tight, but she’s the worst.” Nino shook his head. “But still, you should have told me your bday was coming up. We’ve got to throw you a big bash! I can DJ, and we can invite Marinette and Alya to get some good vibes going between you guys.”

“Thanks, but I’m not having a party.” Adrien sighed as they made their way up the stairs.

“What? Why not?”

“It’s my father. He barely even lets me out of the house. I doubt he’ll let me invite friends over. I think he’s allergic to joy.” Adrien shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Oh, come on. He can’t be that bad,” Nino said.

Adrien looked him in the eye. “He got me office supplies as a gift.”

“Ouch.” Nino winced. “Okay, so your pops is uptight, but he just needs someone with the right vibes to ask him. Let me talk to him today, and I’m sure I can convince him to change his mind.”

“He won’t, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Adrien smiled. “Really, thanks, Nino.”

“Have some faith, my dude. And get your dancing shoes for tonight.” Nino draped an arm over his shoulders.

“I don’t think I have dancing shoes. Should I buy some?”

“I swear, I’m gonna write you a cool kid dictionary.” Nino groaned.

“You’d do that?”

“Ugh.” Nino shook his head, a gesture Adrien was starting to recognize every time he said something lame. Something told him he wouldn’t be getting that dictionary.

“Yo, party at Adrien’s house this afternoon!” Nino called to their classmates as they passed through the locker room.

“Whoa, wait a minute. You haven’t even talked to my dad yet, and besides, he’s gonna say no,” Adrien said.

“Relax, dude. Parents love me. I’ll convince your pops, no sweat.” Nino ruffled his hair. “It’s about time you got out more. Then the idea of a cool kid dictionary won’t be so exciting to you.”

“But it would be so helpful!” Adrien said.

Nino placed his hands on Adrien’s shoulders. “That’s what worries me. You need to hang with more kids your age, so help me spread the party buzz!”

“But-”

“Come on, don’t you want to have your first party?” Nino asked.

“Well, yeah, but my father isn’t a reasonable person. I just don’t think we’ll be able to convince him.” Adrien lowered his gaze.

“You mean you’ll be unable to convince him without my help.” Nino corrected. “Get hyped, dude. We’re throwing you a party today. There’s no way my bud is gonna miss his own bday.”

Adrien did want a party. Plus, he knew his father’s secret, and he did want Adrien to deliver him someone to akumatize. A party was the perfect way to deliver a lot of potential akumas…

A smile curled on Adrien’s lips. “Okay, yeah. Let’s do it. Thanks, Nino.”

“That’s the spirit.” Nino patted his shoulder. “Spread the word. Tonight’s gonna be sick.”

“Sick means good, right?”

“Yes.” Nino rolled his eyes, spinning Adrien around. “Now, go tell people that.”

The electric giddiness he’d felt that morning returned as he relayed Nino’s party plans to his schoolmates in the locker room. Everyone seemed just as excited as he did, which only added to his enthusiasm. He was finally throwing a party! They still had to convince his father, but Adrien could get anything he wanted out of his father if he said it was for the mission. Besides, Nino sounded so confident.

Rounding the corner to the next row of lockers, Adrien stopped short, breath catching in his throat. Marinette and Alya stood by their lockers, backs turned to him. Nino did recommend inviting them, but Adrien wasn’t sure he had the guts. Would they even want to come? Probably not. But if he didn’t invite them, would they get mad at him and ruin the small steps toward friendship they’d already taken? Forget the cool kid dictionary, Adrien needed a whole textbook on friendship.

Their conversation slowed to a stop when Adrien approached, and Alya quirked a brow at him. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders.

“Um, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but today is my birthday,” he said.

“No, we haven’t heard,” Alya said.

“Oh, well, uh, Nino is kind of planning to throw me a party this afternoon, and it probably won’t happen because I’m pretty sure my father is going to say no, but if it does happen, you two can come. If you want!” Nailed it.

Alya and Marinette exchanged looks, and Marinette turned to him.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to-”

“We’ll be there,” Alya said.

“What?” Adrien and Marinette said in unison.

“I said we’ll be there.” Alya winked at Marinette, linking their arms together. “See you later, birthday boy.”

Adrien blinked a few times, a smile spreading across his lips. “Awesome! See you there.”

It worked! They wanted to come. Adrien was no expert, but that had to be good news. Who knew? With the luck he was having, his father might say yes to a party after all. And even if he didn’t, it was already one of the best birthdays he’d ever had. Sure, he didn’t get a fancy gift, though the thought of whatever Chloe bought him both worried and intrigued him, but he had friends now. Friends that wanted to celebrate with him. He’d take that over a basketball hoop any day.

Nino rode home with him that afternoon, and Adrien’s good mood plummeted with each passing block. The idea of convincing his father was nice in theory, but in actuality…

“This was a bad idea.” Adrien hugged his knees to his chest as Gorilla pulled into the front gate.

“Relax, dude. I got this.” Nino nudged him, but Adrien felt far from encouraged.

Nathalie’s eyes narrowed when they entered, the first crack in their plan. Adrien’s shoulders curled.

“Your father didn’t give you permission to bring a friend home.” She looked Nino up and down. “I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Nino shot Adrien a wink and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to barge in unannounced, but I was hoping to speak to M. Agreste regarding Adrien’s birthday party.”

“M. Agreste is very busy. Besides, Adrien isn’t having a party,” Nathalie said.

“Yeah, but that’s the problem!” Nino blurted. He paused to regain his composure and continued, “I understand it’s an inconvenience, but is there any way you could make an exception?”

Nathalie flicked her gaze to Adrien.

“Please, Nathalie? I’m sure my father will find that this will suit his plans today.” Adrien pressed his palms together.

Nathalie pushed her glasses up with a sigh and beckoned them to follow her. Nino glanced around the tall ceilings and sparkling tile floor in awe, but when they entered his father’s studio, he straightened his hat.

“What is the meaning of this?” his father asked.

“Remember what we talked about this morning, Father?” Adrien said. “I think what my friend has to say will be of interest to you.”

“Go on.” His father narrowed his eyes.

“Well, du- er, sir! Adrien has never had a birthday party, and that’s so messed up! He does all of the modeling stuff for you and makes good grades. Don’t you think it’s about time he had a real party for his bday?” Nino asked.

“No.”

“But it’s all he wants! It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just some pals from school. Please, du- sir!” Nino pressed his palms together.

His father stroked his chin in thought, and Adrien shot him a pleading look for good measure. A small smile tugged on the corner of his father’s lips, a rarity Adrien had only ever heard stories of.

“You’re right, Adrien. This is of interest to me,” he said. “I’m now concerned that you’ve been given too much freedom. Your so-called friends are a bad influence, and I never want any of them to set foot in this house again. Do you understand?”

“But-”

“Nathalie, see this young boy out and make sure Adrien returns to his room.” His father dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

“But that’s so unfair, dude!” Nino pleaded.

“M. Agreste has a lot of work to do. It’s time for you to leave.” Nathalie gestured to the door.

Nino flashed Adrien a panicked look, those golden eyes wide with fear as Nathalie and Gorilla flanked him through the foyer, ensuring he made it out the door.

“Great work, Adrien. I can already feel his negative emotions.” His father turned toward the portrait where the buttons for the secret elevator were concealed.

Adrien’s heart dropped. He had intended for the party guests to supply a victim for his father’s akuma, but his father thought he was delivering Nino! He’d unknowingly lead the best friend he had right into a trap.

“Nino!” He took off after him, catching the door before Gorilla could close it. “Nino, I’m really sorry.”

“You were right, dude. Your old man is impossible!” Nino threw his hands up with a huff.

Adrien lowered his head with a sigh. “I know. Thanks anyway, Nino.”

“Adrien.” Nathalie’s voice was a warning behind him.

“I’ll see you at school.” Adrien waved, but Nino was already stalking up the driveway.

His eyes burned hot when he shut the door to his bedroom and flopped onto his bed. How could he have been so stupid? Of course his father wasn’t going to let him have a party! Now Nino was probably going to get akumatized, and he wouldn’t even get to see Ladybug because he was stuck inside. He rolled onto his stomach, burying his face in a pillow with a sigh. So much for the best birthday ever.

An alert beeped on his phone, reminding him to do his homework. Great. He didn’t even have time to sulk. Not that it would matter because Nino was bound to be akumatized in a few minutes, so he’d have to go support his father in the lair anyway. Not even the sweetness of Ladybug’s angelic face could overcome the sour taste from getting his best friend akumatized on accident. He and his father really needed to work out a system of hand signals.

He set to work on their maths problems, figuring they’d be easy enough to knock out before his akuma duties. Things were still quiet after maths, so he moved onto physics. After an hour, he crept out into the empty halls, finding the house silent. Maybe his father hadn’t akumatized Nino after all?

“Nathalie?” Adrien’s voice echoed through the foyer.

They must have been in his father’s lair. He pushed open the door to his father’s studio, nearly jumping out of his skin at the red and blue figure standing just inside.

“Hey, dude!” Golden eyes glinted behind a blue and red mask. “I was just about to come get you. You ready to party?”

Adrien blinked. “Nino?”

“Yeah, dude!” He draped an arm over Adrien’s shoulders. “Well, technically it’s Bubbler now, but don’t worry. I still know how to hang.”

Bubbler extended a fist, and the two exchanged their secret handshake.

“See? Still me, now come on. My best bud isn’t going to spend his bday inside,” he said.

“As validating as it is to hear that I’m your best friend, my father said no, remember?” Adrien said.

“Well, I did come in here to give your pops another talking to.” Bubbler reached back to pat the large bubble wand in the container on his back. “But he wasn’t here, so I sent his assistant and that beefy dude to time out.” He pointed to the window where Gorilla and Nathalie were floating outside in large green bubbles. “Either way, dude. I’ve bubbled like all the adults in this city, so let’s go have some bday fun!”

Adrien eyed the portrait of his mother. His father would want him to help the akuma defeat Ladybug, and if Bubbler wanted to throw him a party, then…

“Okay, let’s do it.” Adrien grinned.

Bubbler pumped a fist, leading Adrien to the front door. All of their classmates cheered when they walked into the courtyard, party banners and tables of food lining the driveway. Adrien could barely contain his grin.

“Happy Birthday, dude.” Bubbler patted Adrien’s shoulder. “Now, let’s get this party started!”

Bubbler had pulled out all the stops. There were lights, confetti, music, dancing, cake, all of their friends and classmates. It was the party of Adrien’s dreams. Sure, his best friend was akumatized, but it guaranteed that Ladybug would show up sooner or later. In a weird way, it was the best birthday ever, and Adrien was starting to learn what Nino meant by putting on his dancing shoes.

Somewhere in the middle of dancing with Rose and Juleka, Adrien spotted Marinette walking through the front gates. She had come after all! Should he go talk to her? It would be polite to welcome her to his party, right? Were cool kids polite? What would Nino say? That cool kid dictionary would have come in handy.

Stay calm.

He was overthinking it. She and Alya were both over by the snack table, and the fact that they were both at his party meant that they liked him a little bit. He was confident. No second-guessing. Just the start of two new friendships. He could do this.

“Hey.” He waved. Their conversation petered out when he approached, but he didn’t let that faze him. “Are you two enjoying the party?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alya said. “Totally awesome.”

“Yeah.” Marinette sipped her drink, side eyeing Bubbler. “You’re not concerned at all that Nino has been akumatized?”

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I am, but Nino just really wanted to throw me a birthday party. Besides, Ladybug will show up to save us sooner or later.”

“Rumor has it you got to work with her when Mr. Pigeon attacked. Care to talk about it?” Alya pulled out her phone.

“If by work with, you mean acted as bait, then spent the whole night draped over a humidifier, then yeah. I worked with Ladybug.” Adrien shrugged.

“Wow, what a scoop, Alya.” Marinette smirked.

Alya tucked her phone back into her pocket with a pout. “Can I use your bathroom?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s inside up the stairs to the right.” Adrien instructed.

Alya quirked a brow at Marinette and scurried off, leaving the two of them alone. The perfect chance to talk to Marinette without anyone looming and finally make friends!

“So, uh, how are you liking the party so far?” he asked.

“I just got here.” She shrugged, swirling her drink.

“Right.” Adrien nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. He read somewhere that it made people more at ease. “Do you want to dance, or we could just stay here and talk if you want.”

“Actually, I think I’m gonna join Alya in the bathroom.” Marinette gestured over her shoulder with her thumb.

“You don’t want to hang out with me because I’m friends with Chloe, right?” Adrien sighed. “Look, I know she’s awful, but I didn’t know she was like that until I started coming to school. She and I were friends as kids, but we’re not even that close anymore.”

As if on cue, Chloe materialized beside him, latching onto his neck.

“Ugh, get lost, Dupain-Cheng. It’s Adrikin’s birthday, and he doesn’t need to waste it talking to a loser like you,” she said.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you two are totally distant.” She set her drink on the table and stalked off.

“Come slow dance with me, Adrikins.” Chloe insisted, preventing him from chasing after Marinette. She stretched up, lips puckered, but Adrien pulled away.

Horrified shrieks saved him from having to evade her advances, and everyone stared at the giant green bubble floating in the air above them. Ivan twisted and fumbled clumsily inside, face blanched in terror.

“If any of you peeps think you can sit this party out, then you can join the adults in the sky, got it?” Bubbler brandished his bubble wand. “Now, dance!”

Whimpering, their classmates complied, and Adrien searched their terrified expressions with a frown. As it turned out, having your best friend turned supervillain throw you a birthday party where everyone was forced to attend didn’t make for a very lighthearted party atmosphere. What was Adrien thinking, letting Bubbler host his party? He should have gone to his father’s lair instead of taking advantage of the situation to get what he wanted. Now everyone was suffering because of him. This was all his fault in more ways than one.  

The music screeched to an abrupt halt, and Bubbler turned over his shoulder with a growl.

“Who turned off my mix?”

“Sorry, Bubbler, but the party’s over.” Ladybug snapped her yoyo back to her palm on top of the wall.

Adrien’s classmates cheered her on, much to Bubbler’s annoyance.

“I don’t remember inviting an insect to this party. Only true VIPs are allowed for my boy,” Bubbler said.

It was a tense situation for everyone, but Adrien had to admit, he was touched.

“When you take innocent people hostage, you can always count on me to crash the party.” Ladybug tossed her yoyo, but Bubbler deflected it with his wand.

Classmates dove out of the way as Bubbler and Ladybug sparred, cowering behind the walls of the front porch. Adrien hung back, looking for an opening to assist Bubbler, but he couldn’t help admiring how powerful Ladybug was. The way her muscles moved under her suit with each twist and kick. Why did she have to be so stunning?

“Ah!” Ladybug gasped as a bubble encased her. She kicked the sides, but it was no use — she was trapped.

Bubbler threw his head back with a triumphant laugh. “You should have just been cool, Ladybug, but you’re even lamer than the adults.”

“No, you’re lame if you think a world without adults is better.” She shot back.

“Oh, come on. Adults are the worst. They’re always setting these unfair rules and forcing us to do stuff we don’t want to.” Bubbler had a point.

“Kids need adults! They keep us safe. They love us!” Ladybug said.

Most adults anyway…

“If you love the adults so much, why don’t you join them?” Bubbler said.

The earrings!

“Nino, wait!” Adrien stepped in. “Look, I appreciate you wanting to throw me a birthday party. Really, it’s like the coolest thing anyone’s ever done for me, but I don’t want to force our friends to be here against their will.”

“What, so you’re on her side?” Bubbler grunted.

Their classmates huddled together, hands trembling and eyes wide. Adrien had always wanted a birthday party — he’d always wanted friends — but what kind of friend was he if he forced them all to like him? The truth of the matter was, Adrien didn’t know how to make friends. Alya and Marinette couldn’t stand him. Chloe only liked him because he was rich and famous. All of their other classmates didn’t know what to think of him.

Nino was the only person at school that considered him a true friend, the only person that wanted to throw him a birthday party, and Adrien delivered him on a silver platter for his father to chew up and spit out. This mess was all his fault. He never should have let Nino come. He didn’t need a big party, and he certainly didn’t deserve one. Adrien would have been content with just the two of them, his friend on his birthday.

“I’m not saying I’m on her side, but I’d much rather spend my birthday with my best friend Nino, not the Bubbler.” He retrieved a safety pin from his back pocket and slipped it through the slippery outer layer of Ladybug’s bubble behind his back. Might as well make his father’s gift useful, besides if it earned him a kiss from Ladybug, it really would be the best birthday ever. He held up cautioning hands to Bubbler when he reached for his wand and approached slowly. “I’m really happy that you did all of this for me, but please, Nino. Let all of our friends go.”

Sadness flashed in Bubbler’s eyes, but just as quickly as it came, it vanished. Bubbler clenched his jaw. He brushed past Adrien, sprinting toward Ladybug’s bubble and kicking it into the sky. Her adorable shrieks grew fainter the higher she soared. Bubbler turned back to their classmates and crossed his arms.

“Fine. All you haters can leave if you’re so unhappy, but once I get Ladybug’s earrings, we’re gonna be partying without adults forever.” Bubbler jumped over the wall, chasing after Ladybug’s bubble as their classmates clambered for the gate.

Adrien rushed into his father’s office, nearly colliding with Alya just inside. She hid her phone behind her back and pressed her lips together.

“I wasn’t snooping to find dirt on you!” she said. “Uh, I mean, this isn’t the bathroom?”

There was no time to deal with that.

“Bubbler captured Ladybug. They’re heading for the Eiffel Tower,” he said.

“What? Ladybug showed up and I missed it?” Alya raced out the door.

Adrien eyed his mother’s portrait, biting his lip, and followed after her. Alya was strapping on her helmet when Adrien caught up with her by the front gate.

“I’ll go with you,” he said, and when she quirked a skeptical brow at him, he added, “Nino is my best friend. Maybe I can talk some sense into him.”

“Fine.” Alya rolled her eyes and pointed to her bike. “But you’re peddling.”

Adrien considered himself physically fit between his fencing and karate classes, but peddling two people across the Trocadero on a small bike was a lot harder than it sounded. When they made it to the base of the Eiffel Tower, he leaned the bike on the ground, gasping between ragged breaths.

Alya charged straight for the elevator without so much as a thank you, and Adrien hobbled after her. While Adrien was happy for the adventurous birthday to shake things up, he could have done without the exercise.

When the elevator made it to the top, Alya jumped out, pressing record on her camera. Ladybug summoned her Lucky Charm, a pipe wrench, and surveyed the scene with pursed lips. She deflected another bubble with her yoyo that curved straight for Alya.

“Hey!” she gasped as she floated off.

Everything moved in slow motion. Adrien flicked his gaze between Bubbler and Ladybug, thoughts racing. What should he do? Help Ladybug put an end to this birthday nightmare? Or help his friend at the expense of the girl he loved? She still hadn’t figured out what to do with her lucky charm. If he was going to sabotage her, it would have been the perfect opportunity, but his legs wouldn’t move in either direction.

What kind of birthday did he want? One with his mother? Of course he wanted her there, but part of him wished his father had just given him the day off instead. That they were spending the day together, even in her absence. That Nino could have come over just to hang out and play games, even for a little while. Anything other than spending another birthday locked alone in his room with a shiny new toy.

Bubbler might have been the one to throw him a party, but he wasn’t Nino. And Adrien was starting to miss his real friend. His only friend.

Red flashed across the ducts as Ladybug charged for the air pipes and fit her wrench to the bolt perfectly. Her mask narrowed over her eyes when Adrien raced over to help.

“What are you doing here?” she growled.

“Getting my friend back,” he said.

Together they loosened the screw, and Adrien caught the tube as it burst free. He held it steady, blowing bubbles away from Ladybug as she grappled with Bubbler. She hooked her yoyo around his wand, yanking it into her hands and snapping it over her knee. The black butterfly fluttered out, and Nino collapsed to his knees as dark energy washed away from him.

Adrien sat back with a sigh, catching his breath as Ladybug’s magic repaired all of the damage to the city. She approached him, offering a hand to help him up.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done that without you,” she said. Not even her soft smile was enough to cheer him up.

Adrien shrugged. “I guess this isn’t exactly the birthday I wanted.”

“Bro!” Nino raced to his side, enveloping him in a tight hug. “I’m sorry, dude. I lost my cool and totally wrecked your bday.”

Adrien leaned against his shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut to prevent tears from spilling over. “It’s okay, Nino. It wasn’t your fault.” It was mine.

“Hawkmoth will take advantage of any negative emotion he can find. Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Ladybug patted Nino’s shoulder.

Nino pulled away with a frown, squeezing Adrien’s shoulders. “We’ll have a better party for you next year. Something totally chill with just a few friends and sick beats, and we won’t tell your pops about it, okay?” He extended a fist, and they exchanged their secret handshake.

Adrien smiled. “Thanks for everything, Nino.”

When Ladybug’s earrings beeped, she palmed her yoyo. “I’ll only have time to take one of you home.”

Adrien stepped back, nudging Nino forward. “Take him. I don’t live that far from here.”

“You sure, dude?” Nino asked.

Adrien flicked his gaze to Ladybug, mask furrowed in an expression of concern more beautiful than any statue at the Louvre. Of course he wanted to nuzzle close to her while she carried him over the rooftops, and his father would have insisted he swipe the earrings the moment they landed. But after everything, he was just ready for his birthday to be over.  

“Yeah. I’m sure.” He nodded.

Ladybug wrapped an arm around Nino’s waist, but her hands hesitated on her yoyo. “Happy Birthday, Adrien. I’m sorry things didn’t work out.”

Adrien offered her a small smile, an expression she returned before tossing her yoyo and swinging off with Nino. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Adrien headed for the elevator with a sigh.

His father was waiting in the foyer when he made it home, but Adrien wasn’t fazed by the frown darkening his father’s expression. It wasn’t that different from any other day, and Adrien was too numb to care.

“It’s disappointing that we lost today. I was really hoping we could get your mother back to celebrate your birthday,” his father said.

“Yeah, Ladybug pretty much already had him beat by the time I got there.” Adrien lied.

His father patted his shoulder. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way we wanted, Adrien. We will succeed next time.”

Adrien nodded and paced past him toward the back door. “I’m gonna sit in the garden for a while.”

His father gave a relenting nod and disappeared back into his office. Adrien shoved open the door to the kitchen, riffling through the drawers until he found what he was looking for. He paced down the corridor and out into the garden, the towering walls casting late afternoon shadows over the yard. His mother’s statue was cold against his cheek as Adrien curled up by her feet, resting his face in her lap. Retrieving the candle from his pocket, he struck a match and lit the wick.

“Joyeux anniversaire. Joyeux anniversaire…” Adrien sang, watching the flame dance between his fingers.

He’d ended up alone on his birthday after all. It wasn’t exactly the party he wanted, but he should have expected as much from his father. Even if they saved his mother, Adrien’s father would never be comfortable with his friends — what few he had anyway. At least Nino was okay in the end. The last thing Adrien wanted was to lose him.

He blew out the candle with a sigh, hugging his knees to his chest. Maybe his father would come around some day. Maybe they’d succeed in bringing back his mother. He just wished his next birthday would be better than the last.

#miraculous ladybug #ladrien #adrien agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #ladybug #my writing #under the moth's wing #not so enemies au #simply ladrien au

[mystical-renaissance]

Marinette

Age : 13

Female

Is the younger sister, her older sister by two years is Brigette

Her father works at a bakery/pastry shop that he owns, his father (grandfather) works with him, even if he wishes he would rest. Her mother is a Lawyer.

Mari feels as though she’s been cursed or is just simply unlucky. Often getting herself in embarrassing situations or scenarios. Or breaking things, tripping over nothing, and if it's raining her umbrella will mysteriously not open and she will always get splashed on by passing cars. 

Her favorite animal is a hamster because they're so cute and tiny, but another is a ladybug. This is all because when she was six Mari tripped and fell down the stairs of course getting injured Brigette trying to make her sister feel better gave her a ladybug charm bracelet of hers and told her that ladybugs are said to bring good luck and good fortune. Plus in Chinese culture red is said to be a lucky color. After that Mari was obsessed with ladybugs not so much for the color red but pink which is technically a shade of red so it counts ( not really).  

She still wears the charmed bracelet to this day. And now it’s possessed by a magical Ladybug creature that turns her into the hero ladybug. 

She has a childhood best friend her name is Alya

Mari has a dream of being a renowned fashion designer with her own brand, but for now she makes her own outfits that she doesn't really wear. Except for a jean jacket she customized and a pink pair of shorts. (only because she promised Alya). She’s trying to learn to be more confident. Baby steps are key.

She’s not really allowed in the kitchen of the bakery due to her being “accident prone” so instead she runs deliveries for her dad. Something akin to “Kiki’s Delivery Service” that’s just the vibe I get probably due to how Mari's dad is built so dramatically which reminds me of the husband from that movie. It also might be because they both bake. She travels on a moped to do her deliveries. 

When she turned 12 her parents made a promise that the girls could have their own rooms. Both girls wanted the “best room” , the attic space which was a huge space with a balcony. It was the ultimate room,  but since they both wanted it they basically had a mini war over it, going to the great length of even creating a PowerPoint presentation over why either of them deserve the room. Their parents, tired of their constant bickering, decided to pick Mari in the end due to her needing space for her fashion projects. Either way they both finally get their own rooms and the parents are happy that things are going back to normal, except for in the morning when they can hear Mari screaming at Brigette for hogging the shower. 

 Tikki is with Mari at all times until she transforms. Tikki hides as a stuffed doll if Mari’s family or friends find her. Tikki doesn’t really talk. She is the size of a kitten.

Marinette always tries to see the bright side of things and always carries a go getter attitude. Even if she thinks she's riddled with bad luck she tries to stay optimistic about things. Even if she trips for the hundredth time she will always get back up, clean herself off and have a smile on her face as if to say nothing wrong. But that’s not all true, she wishes that for once in her life she could do anything without embarrassing herself, hurting herself or others, and to not be known as the clumsy or accident prone girl that she is. She wishes for once she could have good luck, like the ladybug she so admired for that sole purpose. Good luck. To be confident and unashamed to be herself like Alya, never second guessing herself and being firm in what she wants and believes in like her sister. To not be bogged down by one's emotions and to truly be herself without the fear that she’s going to ruin things or break something. She wants to feel proud of her works instead of doubting her own capabilities. Something like her father. She just wished that luck was on her side and she could become her best self.  

All of her desires seem to come true one day when a fairy-like creature emerges from her bracelet. And seemingly granting her wish by turning her into a ladybug bug themed hero. Who can seamlessly conjure up good luck but also turn her into a dreamed version of herself. Something she thought was a simple fantasy is now reality. She can walk and not trip on her feet, she doesn’t stammer in her speech, she feels like she’s on top of the world and more confident than ever. She feels like a whole new person and someone she doesn't ever want to separate from. Even if she can only be that way for a couple of minutes. She wants to stay or at least keep ladybug for as long as possible, but how long could that last for before things get complicated and before  people get hurt due to the action of her selfish desire? 

Mari also has a small crush on her sister's friend Luka, but he tends to treat her as he treats his little sister.

Her favorite pastry that her father makes for her when she leaves for school is a Chocolate Croissant/ Pain au Chocolat.

#fanart #concept poster #miraculous ladybug #digital art #cute art #cover page? #ladybug au #creative writing #fanfic #illustration #clip studio illustration #character info #marinette cheng

[starry-skies-116]

Brooooo the brainrot is consuming me alive-

I know a LOT of people are opposed to the idea of Inhuman!Gregory and find the GregBot/GregEvan theory very controversial (pretty much just like SentiAdrien from Miraculous Ladybug) but I freaking LOVE the trope of inhuman characters whom are masquerading as humans and has everyone around them think of them as just another human being. 

Especially if they were once human before tragedy struck in the form of their death, and them being ripped away from everything and everyone they ever loved and held dear and had their entire world crumble down to ash around them as they watched helplessly. 

Such good angst material, you know? I’d imagine it would be pretty traumatizing for a ten year old who was supposed to graduate from fifth grade but instead had his head and torso crushed inside the mouth of his best friend- during his birthday on a spring afternoon in 1983. Of course that would leave a pretty deep scar.

Not even that- I just created a whole backstory of messed up shit that happened to him afterwards, you know? Evan’s body gets repurposed- every cell, molecule, atom of his body fundamentally altered on the material level so that it’s not organic anymore, mixed in with robotics and remnant technology- his father sees him as his greatest creation- the first immortal lifeform, not just a soul being hosted inside of an empty husk of a body.

He was a cybernetic flesh puppet who was beyond human, but also not truly- there was a genuine consciousness within- the soul of his son, his youngest son, reborn inside, sleeping akin to a newborn that couldn’t be awoken no matter how hard one tried. William smiles- a twisted, deranged smile, knowing that the creation, an incredibly flawless and perfect replica of the regular human child that his son once was, was complete. And it was beautiful. Every thrum of power that made itself known in the form of a low hum of warmth and vibrations beneath his chest as it rose and fell, rose and fell with every steady, deep breath the creation took… the way his hands were folded over his chest as if in prayer, mouth only slightly ajar to reveal the thin crease of pearly white teeth within.

As if he never died.

Then, when the strange being awakens again after what feels like eternity, he is… confused, not to mention utterly time blind. Names linger on the tip of his tongue, but he can’t speak of them without a lump rising in his throat and a strange liquid brimming like brine on the edge of his eyes. Nothing lingers in his brain but the emotion of being perplexed and overwhelmed as his doll-like eyes blink so unnasumingly, large and gentle and compound in nature. 

The irises- dark like nebulous nights, the light reflected within glimmering like stars as they were lacking the little black dots of pupils to them entirely- they flicked around way too naturally to glimpse his surroundings of the dilapidated room- dark, cold, empty and falling into some degree of disrepair (it isn’t anything like the tomb-like chamber William stored him in when he was asleep, though is that even a memory?).

This isn’t how the world is supposed to be, he thinks to himself. This isn’t how the world works- dark and cold and empty and so, so terrible, with no knowledge of who I am or what I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to be in my home, laughing and playing with my… my… my? My what? My who?

Things still feel wrong on a fundamental level, from the ground up as static lingers where his memories should be- a thick white fog that is impenetrable, that makes his head ring with sheer pain whenever he tries to push past it.

Or had things already been wrong to begin with? Had there been cracks since the beginning?

My family. My name. My home.

As the creation arbitrarily decides on a name- the title of the watchful and vigilant, “Gregory”, who’s eyes don’t let anything escape their encroaching, scrutinizing gaze- he stares down at his trembling hands, the grief within his heart waiting to be unlocked and flood every pore of his being until he had shed his last tear for the ruined past and the future that could never be in this time.

With every second that passed, as his being gradually trembled into consciousness more and more, the question was burned into his mind that he quaked as he thought about it, shook with ferocity and passion and desire, NEEDING NEEDING NEEDING to know moremoremoreMOREMOREMORESHOWMEMORE.

Who am I? He wants to ask to the heavens that remained out of reach- he was still tethered to the earth for god knows what reason. Why am I alive?

But out of his mouth comes trills and beeps that he arbitrarily writes on a miniscule slip of paper and sticks it to the box that he found, the things that he could do with just his hands still fascinating him so much. 

01110111 01101000 01111001 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001

Why is I.

(nvm reverted back the AU change. Gregory is still the one that accidentally slaughtered the mechanics in a paranoia and hysteria-induced meltdown, though they were few in number- and he was the one that also took out the therapists one by one before Vanny could plan on killing them at all, since they were growing suspicious about him in the Patient 46 logs more than her.)

#FNAF Gregory #crying child fnaf #crying child #Evan Afton (CC/BV) #fnaf security breach #gregevan/gregbot/gregvessel #more brainrot #AU change!! #FNAF Vanessa/Vanny

[kasienda]

Rite of Passage - Ch 4: Reunion

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Ao3 Link

Written for @jennagrinsoverml

Chapter 4: Reunion

Ladybug wanted to scream. This akuma was the worst. She had already gone through three different lucky charms and two cataclysms. She just couldn’t seem to come up with a plan that required only three people to pull off.

She needed four.

But would Tikki give her any clue about Master Fu’s current location so she could borrow another miraculous?

No.

Marinette was never sure how much influence Tikki had on the item produced by her lucky charm, but she wouldn’t put it past her kwami to try and force her hand in handing out the ring.

But Marinette was stubborn. She ducked away and let one transformation fall while instantly taking up the other. She would figure this out. And she would do it without recruiting a new holder for destruction.

Her next lucky charm was a ladybug printed copy of her Chat Noir doll.

“Tikki,” she growled.

“Rena!”

Ladybug’s head shot up at Carapace’s shrill scream.

Her best friend had been thrown up against a cement wall, and fallen to the ground in a crumpled heap. She didn’t move.

Ladybug and Carapace both rushed to her side, a green dome immediately materialized around them as Carapace cradled Rena Rouge to his chest.

Blasts struck the side of the shield, but it held.

“Rena, can you hear me?” Ladybug called.

She stirred, but she didn’t wake up.

Carapace pressed his forehead to hers and whispered something against her hair. She still didn’t open her eyes.

Ladybug looked on, her chin trembling in terror for her best friend. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.

Carapace threw her a startled glance. “It wasn’t your fault,” he assured. “This akuma sucks.”

But it was her fault. She could have chosen a new black cat weeks ago, or even just two lucky charms ago.

But she had been selfish.

“I’ll fix this!” She wasn’t sure she was promising Nino or herself. “When your shelter falls, take her to our old rendezvous point, let Wayzz eat, and wait for me there.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, both of their miraculouses beeping in warning.

“To get help.”

“What about the akuma?” Cracks formed in his protective bubble as the shield was struck by another barrage, as if to punctuate his point.

“Don’t worry about the akuma. We can’t win right now. Focus on getting Rena to wake up! Hopefully, the ladybugs will heal everything later. See you in a bit.”

“Aye-aye, boss lady!”

He dropped the shield and she covered his retreat with her spinning yoyo. Once he was clear, she took off in the opposite direction, swinging rapidly between buildings.

She still wasn’t certain in her choice, but it didn’t matter.

There was no one else.

…

Adrien was locked in.

His father had been so pissed at him after the stunt he had pulled with the last akuma that he had apparently ordered Adrien to his room the second the akuma alert had gone off.

Or at least that’s what Nathalie had said. His father hadn’t bothered to grace Adrien with his presence. Adrien had gone willingly, figuring that pretending to go along with the order would cost him less time than protesting.

He hadn’t expected Nathalie to lock the fucking door!

Adrien paced anxiously back and forth across his room with the coverage of the attack on his giant screen. The walk lasted fifty-two paces in one direction, and then fifty-two in the other.

That space suddenly felt incredibly small.

He walked it over and over, watching as the fight went from rough to disaster.

His heart rose into his throat, and his ringless hand clenched into a fist. Fu had been wrong. He needed to be out there. Paris needed him. Ladybug needed him.

When Rena Rouge was flung into the side of a building like she was a strand of spaghetti, super powers or no, he seriously considered climbing out the window.

They needed him.

Ladybug needed him.

When Carapace’s shield came down, Rena Rouge wasn’t standing - she was cradled in Carapace’s arms. Both he and Ladybug fled into different parts of the district, and the akuma ran wild. Building after building came crumbling down like they were built in quicksand instead of solid earth.

He wondered how many people were still trapped in those buildings.

There was no way he could do anything against this akuma without powers, but maybe he could help evacuate people out of those sunken buildings.

He turned towards the window, determined to find a way down, but before he had torn his gaze from the screen, he heard a thump behind him.

He turned and had to blink.

Ladybug was standing in his room with tears in her eyes. She said nothing. She glanced at him for a second and then her eyes locked onto the akuma coverage behind him.

“Ladybug?” he prompted.

She wiped her eyes and turned her gaze back to him. “Adrien…  as you know, something happened to Chat Noir. And Paris…” her voice broke and she visibly swallowed. “Paris needs a new black cat.”

He sucked in a breath.

“I…” and she broke off into tears. “I don’t want to see anyone except him wear this ring, but this isn’t about me, and you’re the only person I could think of who… fits what this miraculous needs.”

“Wh-what do you need?” he asked, all too aware that he was wasting time while the akuma still ran free. But he had to understand. He had to know what he had done wrong, so he wouldn’t do it again.

“The black cat needs to care about others more than themself, more about the world than wealth, power or wishes.” She opened her yo-yo and pulled out a black octagonal box. His gaze flashed to the familiar container and then came back to her face even though she refused to meet his eyes.

“The black cat needs to be compassionate and slow to anger,” she explained. “You’re being gifted with the ultimate power of destruction. You have the ability to destroy the whole world,” and she broke off into tears. He was about to go to her, but she recovered quickly. “So you have to have restraint and self-control. Know when to go all out, and when to remove just a single thread.

“You will be given your miraculous full time, so you need to be discreet. Chat Noir has to protect both the citizens of Paris and me. You may have to take a beating on occasion, and so you must be resilient.”

Her tear filled eyes finally rose to meet his. “Do you think you can do all that, Adrien? Do you think that you could be my partner?”

His eyes burned with the need to cry.

“You-you really think I am all those things?” he managed around the brick in his throat.

She nodded. “I know you’re all these things. You’re the only one that has all the traits. But I don’t want to give this to you. It’s… his. I don’t know what happened to him.”

“I… I am honored that you think I could take his place,” he whispered.

“No one can replace him!” she snapped, her eyes flashing in anger. Then she took a slow breath and adopted a more neutral expression. “You’re not his replacement. You’re his successor.”

His eyes watered with threatened tears, and he blinked them back. His crying wouldn’t make sense. He nodded carefully, knowing he couldn’t manage words at the moment.

She offered him the box. And he hesitated. He didn’t know if he was supposed to say no. Fu’s note said a new cat would be chosen.

But one look at Ladybug’s distraught face, offering him the one thing she didn’t want to offer to anyone out of loyalty to him , he knew he could never say no. Not to this. Ladybug had chosen him. He trusted no one more. And if he had to choose between loyalty to Fu and loyalty to Ladybug, there was no competition.

And he knew Ladybug needed him, knew that he could be her partner, whatever Fu had to say about it.

He opened the box. Plagg manifested before him in a familiar flash of green light.

Adrien wanted nothing more than to scoop up the kwami and never let go, but Plagg probably would hate that.

Plagg said nothing for a moment. Just stared at Adrien stoically. Then he turned back to Ladybug, who was still silently crying.

“So this is to be my new holder?” Plagg asked, his tone oddly formal.

“What?” Ladybug asked. “No ‘I told you so’? You were right, Plagg. I need a Chat Noir. And Adrien will take good care of you. He’s really kind and patient and he can afford to buy you whatever kind of cheese you want. He’s also often lonely. Perhaps, your company will be good for him as well?”

He whirled back to Adrien, flashing him a huge smile and a nod.

The joy of the moment finally burst in his chest. He slipped the ring onto his finger.

It felt like coming home.

“Plagg, claws out.” The power slid down his form, cracking with adrenaline and strength that he thought he’d never feel again.

Ladybug stared at him with wide eyes.

A grin stretched across his face. “Good to see you, m’lady.”

But she didn’t smile back. Her face twisted into pure rage. “How dare you pretend to be him!” she accused. “Take it off!”

His grin evaporated. “I’m not pretending,” he told her. “It’s me.”

But she remained rigidly frozen, glaring at him with ice in her eyes. “Prove it.”

He held out a fist. “It will always be you and me against the world.”

Her anger melted away, as she let out a broken sob. She ignored his offered fist and threw herself against him. He grunted from the unexpected impact, but caught her anyway.

He would always catch her.

“Chaton!” she sobbed. “I don’t understand. I thought… I thought…”

His arms tightened around her. “I know. I’m sorry.”  

“Why didn’t you have the ring?”

“Master Fu took it. He left a note that said for the greater good a new black cat needed to be chosen.”

She looked up at him in horror, her fingers clutching into his shoulders. “He had no right! Why do the guardians get to decide who gets what miraculous?! What Kwamis are allowed to do or say?! It’s not fair!”

“Hey! It’s okay,” he said, gripping her shoulders hoping to anchor her.

“Nothing about these last few weeks has been okay! I’ve missed you so much!” She buried her face into his chest and dissolved into tears.

He clung to her harder. “I’m right here.”

Her sobs jumped an octave at his words. “Y-You tried to tell me,” she whispered in horror.

He laughed. “Yeah. That didn’t go so well.”

“I was so mad at you, then.”

“Why?”

“You sounded just like him.”

He rested his head on hers.

“But it was you the whole time,” she whispered. “You were right there, still helping. I’m so glad I found you again.”

“Apparently, I have all the makings of a black cat!” he said, his face spreading into a huge grin.

She smiled back, though her eyes were still glassy. “I’m so glad you were in my life enough for me to know that,” she whispered.

He stiffened, pulling away enough to look at her face. “I… I’m in your life?”

She nodded. “I’m Marinette.”

“Marinette?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, giggling.

Something in his brain seemed to shatter and he could see it. They suddenly looked exactly alike.

This was why Marinette had been so distraught over the last few weeks. And so tired. She had been crying over him.

“I love you,” he blurted.

She laughed. “I love you, too. I’m sorry it took losing you to make me realize that.”

His hands held either side of her face, and he pressed their foreheads together letting her cerulean-blue eyes fill up his entire field of vision.

“You never lost me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked.

His lips pressed together, as he searched for words. “I… I thought I had made a mistake, or done something wrong. I thought you needed to find a better partner, and…” he rubbed the back of his neck. “And I didn’t want to get in the way of that.”

She shook her head rapidly in disagreement. “No! You did nothing wrong. You’re the best partner in the world! I’ve missed you… so much.”

And she was crying again. He pulled her head back against him, but before he could reassure her further, an explosion louder than all the ones before sounded from over his shoulder.

They both turned in time to see the pile of rising dust and rubble that was in place of the Montparnasse Tower.

“Sounds like we have an akuma to fight,” he said.

She nodded. “We have to go get our allies first. This one is going to need all four of us.”

“After you, m’lday!” he said, gesturing grandly to the window. She grinned at him, and launched herself out the window. Chat Noir was only a second behind.

He vaulted from building to building naturally, wind blowing his untamed locks in every direction. Despite the circumstances, he exalted and laughed in the freedom of it.

He had missed this far more than he had realized.

He faithfully followed his Lady, meeting Carapace and Rena Rouge in an alley. Carapace was still halfway supporting the fox heroine, but her eyes were open.

She blinked at him for a moment, and frowned. “Ch-chat Noir? Am I dead?”

He laughed. “Doesn’t look like it.”

“But aren’t you dead?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

All the mirth faded from his face, and he turned back to Ladybug. “I can’t believe he told you I died.”

“More implied, but yeah. Let’s worry about that later. Here’s the plan.”

The akuma wasn’t easy even with the four of them. But he and Ladybug were both in rare form, playing off each other in almost perfect sync, both of them giggling and teasing one another throughout the encounter. Rena Rouge and Carapace were swept up in their joyous banter. Morale could not have been higher for any of them. It was only a matter of time before the akuma was purified.

…

Fu watched his chosen heroes wrap up the battle like the well oiled machine he knew them to be. He smiled at their obvious joy at being reunited.

He turned towards Sass. Sass had always been the leader of this miraculous box, but Fu had never connected with him the way he had with Wayzz. He definitely missed his turtle companion, though he suspected that the miraculous of protection was never going to be returned to him as Ladybug gradually took over leading her team.

“Was I too cruel to them?” he asked.

Sass hummed in thought before replying. “You were only doing as you had been taught.”

“I’m starting to wonder if what I was taught was the best thing.”

Marinette was amazing. The best miraculous holder he had ever encountered. And she did it with creativity and a flexibility of thought that would have been stamped out of her almost immediately had she been trained by the old Guardians.

“She’s successfully completed the trial in any case,” Sass said. “There will be no more tests for her.”

Fu knew that wouldn’t be the case. She was a miraculous holder who had been thrown against a villain far more experienced and resourced than she, and she was a guardian in training. Her responsibilities wouldn't end even when the villain was defeated. There would always be more trials.

Life would see to that.

But he had one more test for her himself. One of his own devising. Wayzz would have told him it was unnecessary, and maybe it was. Marinette had already proven herself time and again.

But Fu wanted her to be free of any Master. She would become her own Master in a way that he had never been able to.

Even if it meant she hated him, the first human connection he had made in decades.

So with a heavy heart, he transformed with the snake and set off to crash what was no doubt a joyful reunion.

…

Ladybug met the three closed fists in their traditional fist bump celebration with a huge grin. Marinette wasn’t sure if she would ever stop smiling.

She tackled Chat Noir in another hug. Rena Rouge and Carapace were only a beat behind. Chat couldn’t hold them all, and they went tumbling over in a fit of giggles.

“I am happy to see you all, too! But I can’t breathe.”

Ladybug pulled back, a silly grin still stretched wide across her face.

“Can you stay and hangout for a bit?” she asked. “Or will you be missed?”

His head cocked to the side in the most adorable way as he considered her question.

But before he could respond there was a thump behind him. And every muscle in her body tensed at the sight of the man that approached their group.

Chat saw her expression and flipped around to take in Master Fu transformed with the snake.

He scrambled to his feet and to her side, their fingers interlaced tightly as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

It was the most natural thing in the world, and she drew strength from the gesture of support and solidarity. They would never be separated again. They couldn’t be even if Fu took their miraculouses.

Because she knew his name. And he knew hers.

The ancient Guardian’s expression was stone-faced. “I told you to choose a new black cat.”

“You made it sound like the first one had died!” she bit out.

“If you are to become the Guardian you must choose your own heroes,” he countered.

“I did! I chose Chat Noir.”

Chat’s hand tightened around hers.

“Did you tell her who you were?” Fu asked, directing his attention towards her partner.

She felt him stiffen in her hold, and she felt a protective urge wash over her. Adrien couldn’t lose his miraculous. Not again. It was too important to him.

Chat said with his head hung low. “She didn’t know when she offered it to me. And I almost didn’t accept it. But It was clear she needed help and Plagg indicated it was… okay?”

“Plagg has a tendency to choose based on his own preferences rather than what is for the greater good,” Fu announced dryly.

“And why shouldn’t he?” Marinette snapped, feeling as indignant on Plagg’s behalf as she did for her partner.  

Adrien stepped forward, as if to shield her, but she took the step with him. He would not sacrifice himself for her. Not this time. They were in this together.

You and me against the world.

“You know I will do what’s best for Paris and for Ladybug,”  Chat said. “If that means giving up the ring, I will do it.”

Ladybug opened her mouth to object, but Chat squeezed her hand harder, and she bit her lip.

“But I’m no longer confident that that is what’s best,” he finished.

“Of course it isn’t!” Ladybug snapped, pulling Fu’s attention back to her. “I didn’t know he was Chat Noir when I chose him. I did as you taught me. I thought about all the characteristics that the black cat requires, and he fits all of them! No one else does! Who do you expect me to give it to? I stand by my choice!”

“Even if it costs you both your miraculous?” Fu challenged with arched eyebrows.

Rena Rouge hissed in the background, reminding Marinette that their friends were still there. Ladybug waved her back.

“I won’t give Tikki back to you either,” Marinette insisted.

“I hope you know what you’re asking for, Ladybug,” Fu said coldly, readying his harp.

“I don’t want to fight you!” Marinette insisted, readying her own weapon. Chat and the others only a beat behind. “But I will! Chat Noir is my partner. You do not get to decide that he’s not good enough. It is my choice or his! And the kwamis - they aren’t things! They deserve to be free. To have their own thoughts and choices! And if I give her back to you. If I allow you to take the others back, they won’t be free. They will always be caged and beholden to those who would use them for their power!”

Master Fu smiled. A huge smile. It took a full ten seconds for her to recognize the expression because it didn’t make any sense. She felt like she had just stumbled and lost her balance, but Chat Noir was still holding her steady.

“You’re going to be the best Guardian there ever was,” Fu said, lowering his weapon.

“W-what?” she gasped out.

“In selecting an individual incredibly well suited to the miraculous of destruction, you have passed the Guardian’s Trial. And I am confident that if something should happen to me, the miraculous will be in good hands.”

“This was a test?” Chat Noir asked, and she could feel the tension in his form melting. But she did not feel the same. She felt no relief at all. In fact, she felt more angry.

“You put me through all that for a test?” Marinette screeched. “You let me grieve my partner as if he had died? You let him doubt his own worth and abilities? You let me face akuma after akuma without him at my side to evaluate me? For what?! ”

“Ladybug, I very much apologize for what I have put you both through. Both in making you heroes in the first place when you are so young. There weren’t any other good choices. And for putting you through this trial. It is one you shouldn’t have had to undergo for another several years. But you must understand, the Guardian has the power to change the very fabric of existence, has the power to destroy the world and more, and has access to all of time. It is not something that can ever be passed on lightly. You’ve seen the havoc one miraculous in the wrong hands can bring. Imagine the whole box was lost?”

Ladybug forced herself to take another breath, letting her thumb pass over the back of Chat Noir’s gloved hand over and over. He squeezed her hand again.

“What did your trial tell you about me?” she made herself ask.

“It told me that you were able to identify the perfect holder for the black cat. Someone who would never abuse his powers. It showed me also, that you were eventually willing to put aside your own desires, and do what needed to be done for the good of the world around you. And it told me that your partner was able to recognize his own worth when it had been called into question. And coming to that realization himself it will be harder for anyone to shake him.”

Marinette felt her anger dissipating, which irritated her immensely. She wanted to be angry. And she definitely wasn’t sure if she had forgiven him, but she could maybe understand what he had been trying to do, though there was still one piece that she wasn’t ready to let go.

“Was choosing Chat Noir the only way to pass your trial?” she asked.

Fu shook his head. “No. Chat Noir would have been the only person suitable to be your black cat. But if you had taken up destruction yourself, there were a few other candidates that would have been suitable to wield creation. You also could have chosen another pair altogether. I will admit though, this was the outcome I was hoping for.”

“So you’re saying that I could’ve passed your trial without ever learning that my partner was okay?” Her voice was ice as her anger flooded back to the surface.

“It’s worse than that I’m afraid,” Fu said.

“How?”

“I extended the trial. Normally, it ends when you choose an appropriate holder to replace someone you cared about. But I wanted to know if you would go against me if I was in the wrong.”

“Would you have reunited us?” she demanded.

“I didn’t have a plan one way or the other. You are the best with the miraculous that I have ever seen, Ladybug. Kwami buster was amazing. I’ve never heard or seen anything like that. I knew that you were an excellent guardian, and I knew Chat Noir was a huge part of your life and I knew that you had taken your lessons to heart. I truly did believe that you would find him.”

Chat Noir squeezed her hand soothingly once again. Adrien was there squeezing her hand. Adrien loved her. They loved each other and they had been reunited.

She closed her eyes and took a breath, letting some of her anger wash away. “If I become the Guardian, do I have to put others through these kinds of trials?”

“No, you do not have to do anything. That’s why I wanted to see if you would go against me. The Guardians have an ancient tradition that carries much wisdom from centuries of learning. But it is not perfect or infallible. That’s why I wanted to see if you would go against me. I hope the traditions of the past can teach and aid you, but I hope you do not become beholden to them the way that I was. You’ve taught me that there can be a better way.”

“So I don’t have to limit what the Kwamis do and say?”

“No, but there are consequences of that choice, too, and you must be prepared to face them.”

She nodded. For the first time, she wanted to become the next Guardian. She wanted to craft a system and a team that was better for both the holders and kwamis. One that didn’t require them to live tangled up in censored words and unspoken secrets.

“I understand why you did what you did,” she conceded. “I don’t know that I am over it. Now that we’ve passed your tests, can you leave us? Let us reconnect?” She really didn’t care if she sounded rude. She was exhausted, and she just wanted to curl up in the sun with her kitty and her friends.

Fu smiled. “Of course.”

Marinette sagged in relief as he departed, and she was immediately enveloped in Chat Noir’s - in Adrien’s - solid embrace. “M’lady! That was amazing!”

“Oh my god!” Rena Rouge said at the same time, rushing into their huddle. “You totally told him off!”

Carapace grinned. “Definitely badass!” he said.

She smiled back at all of them. “Only because I have been so supported.”

Rena rolled her eyes as Chat shook his head in fond exasperation. Goodness, she loved them all so much.

She pulled away, and tried to don a more serious expression. “Rena Rouge, Carapace? Will you please release your transformations?”

The two heroes evaporated and were replaced with their friends, but Ladybug paid them no mind. Instead, she watched Chat Noir as his jaw dropped, and then slid into the most gleeful smile she had ever seen.

“This explains so much about these last few weeks,” he said.

She grinned, but didn’t bother to respond. Instead, she turned her attention to the two kwamis who were eating happily out of their holders hands. “Trixx, Wayzz, I have a question for you both.”

They floated towards her.

“How do you feel about becoming permanent partners to your holders?”

Alya and Nino both tensed at the question.

Trixx squealed immediately and did a somersault in the air before whipping in circles through Alya’s hair. Alya giggled at Trixx’s antics.

“Wayzz?” Ladybug prompted. “Would you prefer to go back to Master Fu? I know you and he are close.”

Wayzz shook his head. “Master already suspected that I would not be returning to his care. He and I have said our good-byes, though I would appreciate the occasional visit. The young master Nino is a worthy chosen and I am delighted to stay in his care. But I wanted you to know, Ladybug, that once upon a time before there were Guardians, the kwamis used to choose our own holders. I would be honored if you allowed that practice to return.”

Ladybug nodded. “And would you choose Nino? Or did you have someone else in mind?”

The turtle kwami flew to Nino’s head and phased through his hat and settled there. They all laughed.

“And what about the two of you?” Ladybug asked, turning towards her friends. “Do you want to become permanent heroes? Or has this all been too stressful?”

It was a pointless question. Alya was literally jumping onto her toes in beaming excitement, and Nino was smiling at her fondly.

“We are totally in, boss lady,” Nino said.

Ladybug then turned to Chat Noir who was still grinning like an idiot. “And what do you think? Should we tell them who we are?”

He grinned, squeezing her hand that he had never relinquished. “It would make things a lot easier.”

“My thoughts exactly,” she said.

And they both dropped their transformations.

Marinette grunted as Alya tackled her from the side.

“No way!” Nino gushed. “Dude! You’re Chat Noir?”

Adrien smiled. “The one and only.”

They were wrapped in yet another group hug. Marinette caught Adrien’s eyes.

“You and me against the world?” she asked him.

“Always, m’lady. Always.”

…

#miraculous ladybug fanfiction #love square #identity reveal #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #angst #happy ending #coming of age story #speed write #for jennagrins #My Own Content #Apparently I never posted this here #oops #better late than never