#She’s latched so hard onto the “mystery” of him they’re deranged

[fumifooms]

"Marchil? I guess I can see it on Chilchuck’s end, but what about Marcille’s? What makes you think she could develop feelings for him?" I’m glad you asked!

The first thing to note is that she does think highly of him

In the page on the right, literally defending his virtues and literally comparing him to Dalclan. And oh…

She does love a brooding mysterious guy who closes himself to love. But surely, Chilchuck isn’t her type at all, right? He’s not princely or knightly at all. In apperances certainly not, both looks wise and demeanor wise, but then that’s why she seeks to know him on a deeper level, to not only look shallowly.

And hmm. Chilchuck really is quite selfless isn’t he? Always looking out for others, and saving specifically her often, always making sure himself and, staying in or even running towards danger for her sometimes. Modesty is often considered heroic…

And can we talk about that drowning one… You can definitely frame the special attention as him knowing she tends to hesitate or be clumsy, and then his insistance on pulling her out of danger that she’s the healer aka the most important to keep alive, but. From the one who says that he just keeps his ass out of fights and won’t help this is a lot of risk to take, and he does die trying to pull her to safety in the dungeon rabbits chapter. And the drowning bit??? That’s when the dungeon collapses. The only reason they DON’T die of drowning here is that the water then gives way to outside. There was NO hope of pulling her to safety here and resurrections would likely not work either, he truly preferred to die with her than try to survive himself.

Sit your ass back DOWN you are in no state, self-sacrifical hero much damn

And Marcille definitely noticed this imo, after all she loves learning all she can about him, remembering things like how he hates waiting on people too. She pays attention to him and what he does and what he says. This to say that it’s notable, whatever reason for it you may think (though we know by this point at least she was already aware he was an adult though it wasn’t internalized), out of everyone it’s Chilchuck’s bed that she wants to sleep in during the Golden Kingdom stay. He’s safe and comforting to her: dependable, the defining trait in her view of him as is shown by the relationship chart in the Adventurer’s Bible.

^ Lending handkerchiefs is a romance trope btw and handkerchiefs have irl history of being used for courting. Especially in old English literature and plays like Shakespeare’s Othello, and personally I do see a lot of Shakespeare in Dalclan (nobility political drama with some romance). There’s how his cowl is a dearly beloved souvenir from his family too, there’s a lot of aesthetic tropes you can apply to him.

All this to say you can 100% romanticize Chilchuck into a princely noble guy if you try and that’s exactly what Marcille does with the wife roleplay. She doesn’t need much in the first place, she latches onto crumbs and makes aesthetic narratives out of details, give her an inch she’ll take a mile.

But what’s interesting about the shift throughout the arc of her and his relationship is that she starts out idealizing him into a little angel of a kid (shapeshifter), and she ends it idealizing him as a virtuous husband and family man instead.

And what’s doubly interesting is that in the former, she’s actively warping who he is personality and demeanor wise to fit the aesthetic, he doesn’t have that bitter pride of not asking for help and the edges have been smoothened. But what she does during the wife roleplay is something else, she acknowledges the flaws and just… Accepts them, rolls with them. She’s aware of his flaws and implements them into the narrative, but the reason why his wife left doesn’t capitalize on them even, rather Chil is chilblivious and his wife loves him very much still, she’s just testing him after having had a night of feeling out of place at his side.

And this is what separates the idealization vs romanticization, she’s not twisting him into someone else she’s just uplifting what he is and focusing on the good sides.

Marcille: "he has a shitty personality sometimes but if he was my husband I’d still cherish him" "If I were your wife I’d be overjoyed to go out with you and would get myself prettied up while you complain about me taking a long time, your friends would tell me that I’m nice and that’d make me happy, but I’d also be sad because you wouldn’t tell me that you love me enough"

He’s angry and his wife left him, he’s *flawed*, but he’s still worth hyping up, still worth having his own romance story, still has a shot of winning back his beloved. She sees him for what he is, human and real and not a carefully scripted character that fits an aesthetic, and she thinks it’s still worthy of love and admiration and fighting for

And what’s funny too is that you might expect her to cool down on him once she learns more about him but actually she only gets increasingly into his business. You tell her your age and next thing you know you promise to introduce her to your family. Give her an inch she takes a mile. And too the thing is, Senshi is equally mysterious but she doesn’t pester him like at all, asks him ONCE about his succubus and he doesn’t even answer and that’s like… It. With Chilchuck it starts off innocently enough with her wanting to know his age, hometown, the stuff she mentions having asked pre-canon. But it just keeps and keeps going and escalating. Think she’ll be satisfied now knowing you have a wife and kids, maybe she’s disillusioned now? Wrong! She wants to know their names and ages and occupations and hey how did you propose to your wife? Do you think she’ll stop after meeting them? What’s next? What will she want to know next????

She’s… Like it’s not a reach that Marcille is all over him. Like it doesn’t mean it’s romantic but she just is. She is not normal about him idk. Can you not ask him about what tongue technique he used when first kissing his wife, give the man breathing room

Marcille could literally go "if I was Chilchuck’s wife" having deeply pondered and thought out the hypothetical and people would still ask where anyone sees any romantic potential between them. Oh wait

There’s a platonic explanation for everything (almost?) in Dungeon Meshi don’t say I’m saying otherwise, but it’s definitely not like there’s nothing here to read into lol

Going off a bit more under read bc it’s my fave topic

Marcille has a whole theme with the charming prince trope with her idealization and storybook motif and Chil is kinda the "Well someone perfect like that isn’t very realistic and romance is usually more complex and that’s ok and good and flawed people can still be ✨virtuous✨" catalyst

Do you see do you see she starts canon thinking the most romantic thing is a prince charming but her arc in the end has her romanticizing an average, flawed, real and realistic family man, who’s on the poorer side and is on the verge of divorce. And that’s what he needed, too, seeing the positive of himself and the situation instead of focusing on the negative is explicitly what inspires him to hope that he might be able to reconcile with his wife, gives him the courage and self-esteem to shoot his shot.

He IS a prince figure instead that now it’s not about idealizing the grand and overt it’s about romanticizing the small things in real life!! About finding joy and beauty in things that seem normal or mundane and uplifting them to make the world feel kinder!!!!

He’s the devoted virtuous man that she wantsss not the storybook prince that’s unrealistic and could crumble like a script at any time. He’s the perfect example of a flawed realistic but virtuous & devoted & loving man. Far from a prince charming, but not fully detached from it either. Something worth fighting for despite the flawed cracks. Like literally, flawed romance being worth fighting for is literally the finale of Chilchuck and Marcille’s arc on the matter, where their separate arcs and issues intersect at the most crucial moment.

Marcille is important to Chil’s arc not only because of her optimism, but also because of her interest and knowledge in romance & matters of the heart, and that’s what he needs to both open his heart up to hope and to try to reconcile with his wife, like idk sounds gay

Their arc together is literally learning to 1) see each other for how they are and not undermining their qualities capacities etc etc while still not leaving flaws unchecked either and 2) opening up to people. Marcille LITERALLY makes Chil open his heart up to hope like idk man. What do you want from me. He’s literally the guy helping her through deconstructing novels and fantasy and rose tinted glasses and like. Deconstructing the prince charming figure into something more real but still romantically beautiful like KUI KUI STOOOOP STOP I’M ALREADY HOOKED I’M ALREADY-

 Ok fine that’s me reading into the tropes too much forgive me for being storybook brained but like. Speaking his heart out to a lone woman on a balcony, Romeo and Juliette shit, asking if she, too, doesn’t want to meet his family, madly blushing. And like she’s learned with Chilchuck it’s all in the little things, all the implications he cannot speak aloud. She does reciprocate, does blush madly back, and the first thing she does is shower him in flowers and jewelry and what in her heart is coded as romantic gifts

A lady, stashed away in a high tower by her lonesome, waiting for someone to call out to her from below… Romeo courting type shit with an offer, a heartfelt spiel, implicit confession from underneath her balcony. Offering him flowers because he succeeded in calling out to her heart…….. And they have to climb to her too…. Crazy

Doesn’t it sound like a proposal. One that’s both so storybook-like and not, contrastedly real and grounded, all about the implications rather than in your face grand gestures, "Don’t you want to meet my family?". They literally have an arc about the topic of romance and this is the climax/pinnacle of it like god?? This is @ the woman who said "Chilchuck is a shy/bashful man so I know he wouldn’t tell me he loves me, but…" btw

To quote a friend, truly the shiny secret unlockable dating sim capture target : THE DUNGEON LORD BIT WAS SO FUNNY BECAUSE HE KNEW SHE'D TAKE IT HOOK LINE AND SINKER HES THE ONE WHO GOT HER TO TURN AROUND COMPLETELY SHES LIKE. WIDE EYED FLAG RAISED???? FLAG RAISED WITH CHILCHUCK 👀👀👀‼️👀👀‼️👀

And the way that this is the culmination of their arc together… Like people are not ready for the ‘Chil calling out to dunlord Marcille on the balcony has Romeo and Juliette romance novels imagery’ take. Or the ‘their arc is about growing to see beauty even in the non-idealized, in the flawed and in the real’ take which makes it so so perfect if she were to lower her ideal from a charming elven prince to a virtuous halfling man (which she does end up romanticizing)

So there, you got to witness in real time what happens when I think about marchil for longer than 2 minutes, there are so many layers it’s a deranged rabbithole. I saw the necronomicon of subtext and it’s driving me to madness with forbidden knowledge that no one else sees

……. Like what if I told you she implicitly picked Chilchuck over a "unrealistic prince charming who’s actually disingenuous" much earlier in the story already. If she was given the choice to think through going with a guy that seems perfect and chivalrous like her succubus she’d pick Chilchuck over the other actually. If I sound insane rn tune in for my full analysis on them coming this month hopefully thank youu. Interwoven arcs of fantasy vs reality and idealization vs pessimism I love youuu

So now you know the general thesis of my planned analysis about the importance of the prince charming figure in Marcille and Chilchuck’s arc, where she romanticizes things to a sometimes worrying degree or idealize people into something easy and digestible and poetic (like Chil being a kid, and then him being a virtuous ✨✨✨husband), and how she needs to value aesthetics less and actual acts and facts more, be more grounded (like seeing people for what they are flaws and all, and accepting that people need money and not pulling through on principles of honor or unity shouldn’t get Namari shamed) and a part of that is accepting that Chilchuck is BOTH flawed and virtuous, a loving husband that still has shitty moods and fumbled his marriage so bad etc etc. So it’s like, her image of perfect prince charming that will whisk you away on an ethereal romance -> realistic flawed middle aged dad with personality issues and a failing marriage but he still is worthy of love and having his cute grand romance story and his happy ending. Ik I keep repeating the same point through this but I need it to be burned into everyone’s brains it has its grip on me I can’t do this. They are so special……

#Someone did ask (on discord) btw i’m not just being a smartass though I do love being that too #This is stuff I cover in my upcoming marcille & chil arc analysis except here I can go full romo and don’t keep the strictly platonic angle #It’s at like 15k words rn I think. The 30 pics limit is killing me which is why I started asking my friend to do collages of panels for me #Sob #I keep alternating between it and the Falin analysis save me. Should be dropping soon idk i might test out having a beta reader for that on #Marchil foreplay is 2 years of being coworkers and slowly worming personal questions out of him until he blinks and she has #a key to his house #Dungeon meshi #marchil #marcille donato #chilchuck tims #like they’re so so funny look at this shit. Nonconsensual romanticizing of you as a person. Obsessive interest in your personal life #She’s latched so hard onto the “mystery” of him they’re deranged #MAYBE ITS ALL COMPROMISES MAYBE ITS ALL SWEET INBETWEENS <3 #maybe we'll take our vision of what we thought we could be and make something new together. something for just us #Fumi rambles #Maaan Marcille’s ‘idealizing him into liking him even for all his flaws bc his personality is often kinda shitty’ arc’ #and Chilchuck’s ‘prejudice against elves and mages and optimism into respect and trust’ arc are everything to me #Meta #Spoilers #Dungeon meshi manga spoilers #Tagged this so late oops #It’s so funny. She’s canonically wondered how Chil would be like as a lover #No no but like do u see. Fantasy is a key part of her chrcter and arc and he’s the foil to that he’s the thing that comes challenge it

[koo1creations]

Monde Onirique

MLB Fanfic Summary:  As designated sidekick to Paris' very own Ladybug, Chat Noir has felt unloved and belittled. But he's hidden the hurt below layers of ego and charisma, even from himself. Then, through an enemy encounter, Chat Noir becomes very aware of where his insecurities lie, as well as something else...something extraordinary. WARNING: Contains some tough emotional material and mild violence.

The power of the seeds was intense. Or, at the very least, that’s how it seemed. When Coma, the akumatized victim, threw one of her corrupted flower seeds at a civilian it latched on like a parasite and rooted into the skin. It was absolutely agonizing to watch so he couldn’t even imagine how it felt. Chat Noir watched in horror as the roots spread out under the surface of the skin of the victim like crooked worms, snaking their way below. They were like black veins, pumping purple mystery liquid rhythmically. Consistently, within a minute, they would latch onto the brain and the victim would drop like a rag doll to the Paris soil.

Everywhere he looked there was citizen after citizen lying on the ground unconscious. He looked extra hard just to make sure she wasn’t among them. Those who weren’t completely taken over by the comatose seeds were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Frantically screaming for help. “Save us! Help! Save us!” It was classic deranged panic.

“I’m working on it.” He grumbled as he leaped from one rooftop to the next. His eyes grew to saucers when he saw one of those tiny seeds come ripping through the air, straight towards his face. He tensed and sprung to the side, narrowly avoiding contact with the root of all evil. After catching his breath, he snickered to himself and looked to Coma. “You’re a little seedistic, aren’t you?”

Coma narrowed her flaring red eyes and growled. “Stay still you stupid cat!” She cried. She shook another seed out of her packet and Chat Noir prepared to dodge.

“I’m afraid you can’t rely on me for that.” He told her. Just as soon as the seed launched from her grip did a red and black polka dotted yo-yo launch to intercept it. The little projectile dropped powerlessly to the ground, after hitting the yo-yo, like a dejected sesame seed.

Ladybug swung past his right and swooped in between Chat Noir and Coma. She stood with the grace and poise of an absolute angel. He allowed himself a single second to stare. There was a charmingly confident smirk on her beautiful face as she locked eyes on Coma. “Don’t you know?” She said with a small snicker. “Cats are like weeds, they’re too hard to whack, and they come back just as fast.”

Her yo-yo returned to her hand and Ladybug stood up straight, placing her fists on her hips, as she raised an eyebrow. Coma death glared in response. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you, Ladybug,” Coma said with a scowl that defaced her otherwise pleasant features. Then she smirked, which was much more unsettling. “But it’s not.” She shook another seed out of the packet, just as predicted, and Ladybug readied her stance.

It was a slow-motion moment where the whole world seemed to stop and Chat Noir’s eyes narrowed to slits so he could focus on the seed. It was hurtling slowly towards his beloved Ladybug and he wasn’t going to let it reach her. He leapt in between Ladybug and the seed as expertly as if he’d done it a hundred times (because he had). He raised his baton in front of his chest as a thin barrier, certain the seed would be deflected, instead it grazed the silver surface just barely and latched onto his chest.

Almost immediately did it start. The black roots ripped through his suit as if it wasn’t even there and dug under his skin. They crawled their way across his sides, using his ribs as a ladder, as they made their way up his back. The roots themselves didn’t actually hurt, aside from breaking the surface of his skin. The feeling was more uncomfortable than it was painful. Then the purple liquid came pumping in and he crumpled to his knees. Now that exceeded his expectations of pain. “Gah!” He cried.

“Chat!” Ladybug cried, rushing over to him. Chat Noir pushed her away just as soon as she attempted to touch him, because as far as he knew it could latch onto her too and no one needed that. He clamped his fists closed tightly and gritted his teeth. Despite the mind-consuming pain and the dots slowly blotting out his vision he forced a grin.

“I know you’ll get to the root of the problem, M’Lady.” He told her. Ladybug looked too stunned to say anything.

“You can—!” She began to say, but she was cut off by the thud of Chat Noir collapsing flat against the rooftop. Sound became muffled in his ears and eventually he didn’t hear anything at all. Soon, the world was a mocking black.

…..o0o…..

Suddenly...he woke up.

He stumbled to his feet and brought a hand up to his head. He groaned and wondered why it was still so dark. It wasn't impossible to see, in fact there was almost a sort of ominous glow that seemed to originate from the ground. When he looked down though, the glow seemed to be coming from the ceiling. When he looked up, the glow originated from all sides. It was bizarre to say the very least.

Chat Noir looked at the floor again, having noticed something in his peripheral. It was a tinted black reflection of himself and he looked perfectly normal. There was no roots, no seed. He might even say that his hair looked less messy than usual. He smirked at himself and glanced up, only to be met with...himself?

Or...it wasn’t himself, well it was, but it wasn’t Chat Noir. There, standing about 2 meters away from Chat Noir, was Adrien Agreste. He looked shocked. Chat Noir was sure he looked shocked as well. He looked down, just to be sure he was still wearing the suit. He brought his hands up to his face. Yeah, the mask was still there. Adrien was doing something similar, but not the same, so it wasn’t some crazy mirror. Chat Noir was confused. They were one in the same, so why were they standing apart as if they were two separate people?

After a moment of thought Chat Noir shook his head and approached Adrien who just stood there, as if he wasn’t sure what to do. Chat Noir was about 90 centimeters away when he smacked face first into the cold, unforgiving surface of glass. He stumbled back, holding his nose that now spiked with pain. “Ow!” He hissed. Adrien rushed up, seemingly to make sure he was okay, but he too was met with an invisible wall. He had to reach out his hand just to make sure it was actually there. The glass was so crystal clear it could be virtually nonexistent. Sure enough when he touched the surface with his fingertips, he noticed fingerprints left behind.

Adrien looked confused, tapping along the glass like he was trying to find a corner. A weak point. His expression changed to something like fear when his fingers met something. Chat Noir walked over to see whatever he was staring at and unmistakingly it was a corner. It was not the corner of a sheet like Adrien might have hoped for, instead it was more like a seam. He reached his gloved hand out to feel it, just to be sure it was there, and it was. Adrien darted around, feeling the walls, his now rapid breathing fogging up the glass. A box, it was a box. Chat Noir felt around the box on the other side, and he was definitely outside of it.

After coming to that troubling realization Adrien rushed over to where Chat Noir was standing and pushed against the glass as if trying to dislodge the wall. Chat Noir felt anxiety boil up inside him watching Adrien struggle. Pressing his palms up against the glass. Paying desperate glances to the outside. He opened his mouth, but Chat Noir didn’t hear him say anything, not aloud. The only reason he knew what he was saying was because he could hear Adrien’s voice echoing in his mind with a heartbreaking sense of urgency. “Let me out!” He screamed, budding his shoulder up against the glass. “Get me out!”

He was trapped and he was practically voiceless. Unheard, unseen. Chat Noir swallowed harshly, the tension nearly unbearable. He remembered the feeling and knew Adrien felt it intensified. He was shocked to a standstill, just staring at the poor helpless boy in the box. “Nathalie! Father!” As Adrien yelled for help, begging for escape, the world shuddered as if to respond to his pleas. “Let me out!”

The vibration throughout his body brought Chat Noir back to reality and he gasped. “I’ll get you out!” He shouted at Adrien. “You hear me? I’ll get you out!” Adrien was tearing up, but he froze, as if caught off-guard by Chat Noir’s voice. Maybe Adrien heard it inside his head like Chat Noir had Adrien’s voice. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes and pulled out his baton, bringing it back and budding it into the glass like a battering ram. Adrien jumped back, but otherwise, nothing happened.

Then to the boys’ absolute horror the box shrunk. Not by much, very little actually, but the whole ground shook and their reflections in the black surface below became hazy from the vibration. For a while, both of them were silent and panting with fear. Adrien ran up and pressed his hands against the glass, still scared beyond belief. “That was good.” He said. “Keep trying!” Chat Noir blinked for a moment and nodded.

“I’ll get you free!” He said again, as if to give himself a confidence boost.

A chuckle erupted throughout the world. It would have been soft and pleasant if it wasn’t so darn creepy. “No, you won’t.” A girl’s voice said. Chat Noir heard someone drop next to him and he stiffened, hair prickling with discomfort. He turned and pursed his lips at what he saw. It was Ladybug, but she was different. She had a smile on her face, but it wasn’t the same. There was a glint in her eyes that was almost malicious. She seemed...angry, on a deeper level. “You’re not cut out for it.” She told him.

Chat Noir blinked for a moment, stepping back into the glass as she approached. “Step aside, Chat,” Ladybug ordered. “Let a real hero do her job.” Her voice was cold and nothing like the woman Chat Noir was in love with.

He was tempted to do what she asked, feeling intimidated and below her, instead he took a step forward. He was shaking more than he would have cared to admit. “Ladybug?” He said. “What is this? Where are we?”

Ladybug shook her head and rolled her eyes as if that was just another one of Chat Noir’s stupid jokes. “Poor clueless kitty…” She said. She locked eyes with him, her gaze fierce and threatening. “Does it matter?” Chat Noir flinched. Ladybug pushed him aside and Chat Noir stumbled, blinking. “Now let me do my job.” She pulled back her fist and Chat Noir didn’t react in time to stop it.

“M’Lady, no!” Chat Noir screamed. Adrien’s eyes were wide as Ladybug’s fist smacked against the glass with a dull thud. Again, the glass didn’t shatter...it shrunk. The world quaked and Chat Noir, Ladybug, and Adrien stumbled to keep on their feet.

“What?” Ladybug cried, furiously. Despite her yelling, the sound of her voice was a hollow, echoey noise. She raised her fist again.

“No! Stop!” Adrien screamed in Chat Noir’s mind. “Don’t! You’ll make it worse!” But Ladybug didn’t seem to hear him. She thudded her fist against the glass once more and again the same thing happened. Ladybug stumbled from the vibrations and looked frustrated. Chat Noir could swear the world was vibrating faster every time she hit the box.

Adrien’s eyes were widening with fear and Chat Noir could feel his heart racing rapidly with his. Adrien pleaded with Ladybug to stop. Finally, Chat Noir rushed forward when Ladybug raised her fist again. He grabbed her wrist and held it there, pushing her back from the box. “Stop!” He cried. “Didn’t you hear him?”

“Hear what?” Ladybug scoffed. “He obviously wants out.” She gestured to Adrien who was still pleading with her to stop. He did want out, but she was only making it harder. When Chat Noir turned to look at him Adrien met his eyes. His pupils were practically shaking and he pressed his hands up against the glass once more and pushed.

“Don’t let her do it again…” He said. “Don’t…” And it was in that moment did Chat Noir truly realize that he was the only one that could hear Adrien’s voice. He turned back to Ladybug, blinking and shaking his head. Ladybug just glared at Chat Noir as if he were nothing but a nuisance. She tried to push him aside again, but this time Chat Noir narrowed his eyes and took her other wrist in a firm grip, standing his ground.

“No.” He said, firmly. “You’re making it worse.” Ladybug growled and ripped her wrists away from his grip. If looks could kill Chat Noir would have been incinerated.

The heroine met his eyes and she looked furious. “Step aside you stupid cat.” She said, coldly. Chat Noir stiffened and sucked in a deep breath. It was like being pelted with the world’s most blunt weapon, straight in the chest, up to the left. It hurt. It hurt so bad that she could have punched him and it would have hurt less.

He narrowed his eyes and spread out his arm, pushing her back with his baton. “I said no.” He told her. Ladybug scoffed and whipped out her yo-yo.

“You’re not cut out for this, Chat.” She told him. Her tone was so much more than just condescending, it was practically murderous. “Don’t waste my time.”

Chat Noir bit his lip and shook his head. He couldn’t get the question out of his mind as soon as it had entered. It ate away at him like acid, until he just couldn’t ignore it anymore. “Why don’t you trust me?” He breathed, voice almost embarrassingly quiet.

Ladybug laughed. “Trust you?” She laughed a little more and shook her head. “Why should I trust you?” She wondered. “You’re just a screw up.” The ground shook and Chat Noir spread out his legs to hopefully keep from stumbling again. He gripped his baton tightly and once the ground had stabilized, he looked up to meet her eyes again. As soon as he did, he wanted to look away. Her normally vibrant blue irises were dull and hazy, like ice.

“What do you mean?” He asked, trying to tell himself that this wasn’t happening. His Lady would never say this to him. Never. Right?

Ladybug chuckled, and the world vibrated subtly this time. “You never do anything right, Chat.” She told him. When the words left her mouth they came in tremors, shaking the world violently. “You’re always getting into trouble…” She took a step closer and whipped her yo-yo while Chat Noir struggled to keep standing. For some reason, Ladybug herself was no longer struggling, it was as if she didn’t even notice the tremors were happening. The yo-yo spun and flipped in the air, tangling itself around something. Chat Noir tried to lift his baton to deflect only to notice the thin black cord wrapped around the silver cylinder, a red and black polka dotted yo-yo hanging from the end. It dangled back and forth like a pocket watch, hypnotizing Chat Noir for a moment. “...and you’re always in the way!” She yanked back and Chat Noir was pulled forward, much to his displeasure. As he fell to the vibrating black surface, Chat Noir stared at his shaky reflection and he felt like his brain was pounding against the sides of his head.

Ladybug stepped carelessly over him and made her way over to the box. Chat Noir pushed off the ground with his hands and spun around, heart hammering in his chest. Still holding his baton, he looked downward and realized the yo-yo was still hanging there. For a moment, he smirked and nodded to himself, yanking back and sending Ladybug tumbling to the ground. It was a short-lived victory though, because soon, she got up.

She immediately and stubbornly proceeded towards Adrien. It was as if Adrien Agreste was her only focus in the world. Chat Noir pulled her back with his baton again, but this time she didn’t fall back. Instead he ended up dragging her away from the box. She tried to dig her heels into the ground, but the smoothness of the surface kept her from making any progress in that endeavor. Not wanting to let go of her yo-yo she had no choice but to let him drag her along. “Stop this, Ladybug!” Chat Noir cried desperately. “This isn’t you!”

“This is exactly who I am, Chat!” Ladybug insisted. She rushed forward at the speed of a lightning bolt and tackled him, grabbing the ends of his baton and pushing harshly into his neck. As his back lay flat against the cool ground, he struggled to push his baton away from his neck, gulping air greedily while he still could. Ladybug removed one of her hands and began to untangle her yo-yo, allowing Chat Noir a moment to breathe freely. “You’re nothing like me!” She screamed in his face, her saliva splattering against his chin. When she’d finally untangled her yo-yo, she grinned and leaned into his baton with all her weight, cutting off his oxygen for a moment.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally stood up and Chat Noir sat up and leaned over slightly, gasping for breath. “I’m resourceful, strategic, careful, and reliable. You’re just a stubborn screw up, waste of a miraculous who’s never accomplished anything and doesn’t deserve my respect let alone my trust!”

Chat Noir tilted his head upwards to stare at her. The ground shook violently below him and as he waited for it to stop so he could stand up, he wondered if he should even bother at all. Those words she said? He took them to heart. She was right. He really was good for nothing. And soon, he felt the fight leave him.

Then in a suffocating world of self-doubt the voice of confidence spoke up. “You’re incredible! Don’t listen to her!” Came Adrien’s voice in his head. Chat Noir stiffened, his ears swiveling, and the world stopped shaking. “Who's helped her when she was down? You.” His heartbeat slowed.  “Who’s always been by her side? You.” His breathing returned to normal. “Who’s always trusted her even when she didn’t deserve it? You.” The fight returned to him. “You’re a valuable asset to this team and you know it, so don’t go defeating yourself.” Chat Noir nodded. He gripped his baton and slammed the butt of it into the ground, using it to hoist himself up on his shaky limbs.

Adrien was right. After all, who knew him better then himself? “You’re wrong!” Chat Noir told Ladybug, narrowing his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath and spread out, preparing himself for a fight.

“I’d like to see you prove it…” Ladybug dared, snickering like a psychopath. She tossed her yo-yo into the air. “Lucky charm!” She yelled, ferociously. A red and black polka dotted baton appeared and dropped into her hand. She spun it around and hunched over, aiming it downward with a smirk. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Kitty.”

He blinked helplessly as he watched her, swallowing back a knot in his throat. He felt out-matched and out-witted. In that moment, he could still feel the baton pressing on his jugular. He was overcome with the idea that she was so much better than him. Stubbornly he pulled himself together and raised his baton. “I’ll show you!” He insisted. Ladybug smirked and rushed at him. Their batons clashed.

“Face it, Chat…” Ladybug said as she pushed hard, trying to get him to stumble. “You’re not a hero, you’re Paris’ biggest disappointment.” There came another tremor and Chat Noir hissed through his teeth as he too pushed forward. He mustered some more strength and shoved forward, hard, sending her back.

“No, I’m not!” He cried, angry now. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, blood pumping a million miles a minute. Although he knew a lot of it was adrenaline, he felt fear. At first, he was sure it was his own, but then the tremors became faster as Ladybug tore him down both physically and mentally. Beating and beating him without a shred of sympathy to show for it. It was then that he seemed to realize that it couldn’t be all her. Something else was happening. The fear he felt? It was suffocating. Distracting. Ladybug knocked him over.

“Really?” She laughed. “Cause I don’t see it.” Chat Noir growled and flipped over, glancing back to the box to check on Adrien. The first thing he noticed was that the box was considerably smaller than when he had last looked. Then he saw them. The dark shadowy forms of people he looked up to but looked down upon him. They were blackened silhouettes of themselves, all of them. Nathalie, the magazines, the reporters...his mother. All of them were black. Except one...his father was in full color, full form, a condescending look in his eyes. All of them were yelling and banging on the box as Adrien was curled up in a fetal position, begging them to stop. The box was shrinking rapidly and no matter how small it got they didn’t stop. If anything, they pounded harder.

“Stop!” Chat cried, attempting to get up to help. Something jabbed him in the shoulder blade and he grimaced, dropping back to the cold, smooth ground. “Gah!” He cried, turning to see Ladybug standing over him, baton raised.

“You’re nothing!” She told him. “You’re no hero and you never will be.” The ground was shaking so rapidly now that Chat Noir couldn’t see clearly. His head was aching. He couldn’t imagine the kind of head trauma these tremors would cause. He panted and his eyes widened as turned to stare up at Ladybug. He couldn’t believe this was happening. Why was she doing this to him? He paid a desperate glance back at Adrien. Why were they doing this to him? Ladybug chuckled sinisterly and began to bring down her baton. Chat Noir raised his own baton to deflect the blow and when it hit, he huffed and pushed as hard as he could. She couldn’t win.

He glanced back to Adrien who was crying hysterically. “Stop!” He begged. “Just let me out!” Chat Noir felt his heart beat quicker still. “Father, stop!”

And suddenly, he felt a jolt. It seemed to wake up his senses and Chat Noir no longer felt the tremors. That was it. Chat Noir gripped his baton tightly and shoved forward with such force that Ladybug fell back on her butt. He pounced to his feet with new determination and raised his clawed glove. “Cataclysm!” He cried. Black beads of unstable energy buzzed around his glove like a horde of deadly silent bees. He approached the box, fingers spread apart.

Ladybug stood up and laughed, almost maniacally now. “It’ll never work!” She told him. “You’ll miss and screw up. Just. Like. Always!”

Chat Noir gritted his teeth and forced himself to focus on Adrien’s pleas. He was what was important right now. She wasn’t right. He could never let her be right. “I’m going to get you out!” He announced to Adrien, confidently. The shadows and his father who were banging on the box disappeared and Adrien looked up to meet his savior’s eyes.

He stood up with a deep breath and nodded at Chat Noir. “You can do it.” He said, encouragingly.

Chat Noir froze. For a moment, he hesitated. For a moment, he was sure he’d screw up if he tried. Then, Adrien’s words sunk in and he balled a fist. “I know I can.” He agreed. He was about to swipe downward with his claws, when he felt something yank his wrist back. He glanced to his wrist and noticed the thin black cord wrapped around it. He turned to Ladybug with a growl. “Let go!”

“No!” She yelled, furiously. “You’ll screw up, Chat! You always screw up!” The world shook for a moment and Chat Noir glared at Ladybug.

Before he could do anything about the yo-yo wrapped around his wrist, a bright light consumed the vicinity. Chat Noir brought his other arm up to shield his eyes from it. He squinted and the light slowly died away as a figure stepped through it.

“Hey, Kitty.” Marinette said, with a happy giggle. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes in confusion, looking her up and down. She couldn’t be here, could she? No, she was definitely there. And on top of that, she was smiling happily at him, almost proudly. Chat Noir turned, just to be sure there was no one behind him, because he was almost certain that smile wasn’t meant for him. She chuckled and shook her head. “Silly cat.” She said.

“Mari…?” Chat Noir said, having to shake himself out of his thoughts. Marinette outstretched a hand to him with a smirk on her face.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” She asked, curling her fingers in a gesture for him to hurry up.

Chat Noir blinked and stared down at her hand for a moment before looking up to meet her beautiful bright blue eyes. “What?” He said, feeling dazed.    

“Come on, Kitty,” She said, with a small chuckle. “We don’t have all day.” Her tone was playful and inviting. “I have a box of macaroons, just for you.” Chat Noir almost smiled, he could feel serenity tug at the corner of his mouth.

Chat Noir shook his head, as if to snap himself out of a trance. No, he had to focus. “No, I—” He began, turning to gesture to Ladybug. Except...she wasn’t there. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes and glanced back to his wrist. The black cord, where a yo-yo once dangled, was no longer there. Chat Noir spun his gaze back towards the box, back towards Adrien. He was still there, but the box was back to its original size now, and he had his hands pressed up against the glass. He was staring at them in befuddlement.  

The feline hero’s gaze finally rested on Marinette. He was a little amazed and definitely confused. She only smiled at him, as if the rest of the world wasn’t even there. Then she blinked and tilted her head. “Is something wrong?”

He blinked and shook his head. “No.” He answered, certainly.

Marinette beamed and took his hand. It was only a moment before he realized that the hand she took was his right. “Marinette, no!” He cried, too little too late. But nothing happened. Marinette didn’t crumble to dust. She didn’t dissipate into nothingness. She didn’t die right on the spot. Actually, she frowned and let go of his hand with an eyebrow raised.

When he looked down at his hand, he was surprised to find it was no longer emanating black energy. It was just a normal leather glove. Aside from the claws, it looked like a perfectly average gloved hand. He shut and opened his fist, just to be sure. Nothing. It was as if nothing had ever changed.  

“What’s the matter, Kitty?” Marinette asked, prompting him to look up. “Cat got your tongue?” She had an adorable smirk on her face that Chat Noir couldn’t help but smile at. Soon, she grabbed his hand again and Chat Noir couldn’t help but notice that her grip was warm and inviting, just like her smile. “Come on…” She giggled. “You don’t belong here.” The feline hero was quick to nod and he let her drag him off.

Until he suddenly remembered Adrien and stopped, turning back the box. Much to his pleasant surprise, Adrien was smiling at him. It was a sad smile, but there was also something joyful about it, hidden beneath the surface. He was still trapped in the box, his hands still pressed up against the glass, his much calmer breaths gently fogging up the transparent surface. And he was watching them. Watching as Marinette pulled Chat Noir along and he followed. “I wish I had that…” Came those wistful words in Chat Noir’s head. He spared a small encouraging smile towards Adrien.

When he glanced back to Marinette, he grinned. “Where are you taking me, Princess?” He wondered, laughing lightly.

“Back to reality.” Marinette said. She wasn’t facing him and there was a look of precise focus in her eyes.

“What?” Chat Noir blinked.

Marinette laughed, shook her head, and turned back to face him. Without a word of warning in advance, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Wake up, Kitty.” She whispered, her gentle voice tickling his ears.

Just as soon as the words left her mouth did the whole world fracture like glass. Cracks spider-webbed across the plane with a sharp, high-pitched sound. Then the world crumbled away like shavings from a piece of camembert that Plagg was nibbling from. Sound became muffled in his ears and eventually he heard nothing at all. All at once, the world was nothing but a bright white beam of hope. And then it was gone. 

…..o0o…..

“You can do it, Chat!” A voice echoed in his mind. “Ladybug?” He wondered. Chat Noir’s eyes shot open to a not much brighter world than the one he left. As he stood up roots shed out around him, dropping limply to the rooftop. The seed popped off his chest and bounced back up as it hit the rooftop, powerless. Soon his suit repaired the hole it left behind as though it was never there at all. The freakish plant shriveled up and withered away without his brain power to give it life. Chat Noir let out a small chuckle and checked himself, just to be sure he was still intact. He glanced around and smirked. He was back in Paris, in the dead of night, on a rooftop with a supervillain and Ladybug. Thank goodness for normal. “I’m back.” He breathed. “Fantastic,” Ladybug said. Chat Noir turned to the sound of her voice and found her still whipping her yo-yo and dodging seeds. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead as she leapt back and forth. In his eyes, she never looked more beautiful. She inched her way closer to Coma, but with just her it was difficult to divert Coma’s attention. “I could use some help!” The feline hero nodded and jumped back into the fray with vigor. He grinned as he spun his baton around like propeller blades, seeds clanking and rebounding off the silver surface. “I apologize if my absence soiled your mood, M’Lady.” He said. Ladybug rolled her eyes and offered a small laugh. A pity laugh? Maybe, but Chat Noir was never happier to hear it. He leaned against his baton as he admired her beauty once again. “Chat!” Ladybug cried. Chat Noir blinked and turned to see a whole pack of seeds flying at his face. He stiffened at the sight and leaped straight up, balancing on his baton as the seeds shot by. He breathed deeply and whistled as he hopped down. Ladybug took that opportunity to trip Coma up with her yo-yo. “Chat, the trowel.” She said urgently, glancing at him as she continually yanked Coma off her feet. His heart thumped excitedly in his chest as he turned his attention to the trowel hanging from Coma’s belt. The akuma must have taken residence there. He turned to Ladybug and nodded. He raised his clawed glove. “Cataclysm!” He cried. Again, the black beads of unstable energy formed. Chat Noir pulled his hand down and stared at it for a moment, remembering the world he’d returned from. Remembering Marinette and how she snuffed out the effects of his cataclysm effortlessly. “Now, Chat!” Ladybug yelled. He blinked and brought himself back to reality. Pouncing forward, he curled his fingers around the trowel and ripped it from Coma’s belt. Soon the trowel dissolved to dust and the akuma emerged. Chat Noir snickered as he turned his hand, watching the dust pour out of his fist like sand. Ladybug grinned and tossed her yo-yo, scooping up the akuma in one swift swing. As she said her classic lines and the butterfly fluttered into the air, reborn, Chat Noir took in his surroundings. The Paris floor was still littered in the unconscious bodies of citizens. Were they living out their worst nightmares like he had? Or were they dreaming peacefully, blissfully unaware of the world beyond their own? He couldn’t help but wonder. Then another question entered his mind. “Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug cried, tossing something into the air. Soon Paris returned to normal and all the citizens were back on their feet, bustling around as if nothing had ever happened. Ladybug approached him and he offered a smile as they did their usual fist bump. “You okay, Chat?” Ladybug asked, maybe a little concerned. Chat Noir turned to meet her refreshingly vibrant blue eyes. “Excellent as always, M’lady.” He told her, smiling. “May I say you look pawsitively radishing tonight?” Ladybug chuckled and shook her head. “You’re fine.” She decided. Chat Noir beamed. Then, all at once, their miraculouses beeped simultaneously. Chat Noir looked to his ring and Ladybug brought her hand up to one of her earrings. They both sighed. “I’ve got to go.” They said in unison. Ladybug spared Chat a smile. “Get some rest, Kitty.” She said. “You’ve earned it.” “I’ve had enough rest for a lifetime, thank you.” Chat Noir told her, laughing. “Besides, I don’t need anymore beauty sleep.” He puffed out his chest and Ladybug shook her head again. “When was the last time you looked in a mirror?” She asked him. Their miraculouses beeped again and they both stiffened. “Adieu, M’Lady.” Chat Noir said, tipping a nonexistent hat. Ladybug giggled and spared him a heart stopping smile. After that, both heroes fled to their respective homes. When Chat Noir touched down in the Agreste household, he was Adrien Agreste and normal had finally come full circle. He sighed gratefully as he laid out a plate of camembert for Plagg and collapsed on his bed. Plagg nibbled on his cheese and raised his droopy eyes to stare at the exhausted blond sprawled out on his bed. “So, are you going to talk about the...dark place?” He wondered. Adrien curled his fingers and sucked in a deep breath before letting himself relax. “Not tonight.” He said. “Not tomorrow. Maybe not even the day after that.”  “Okay…” Plagg said, tossing a piece of camembert into the air and swallowing it whole. “But don’t you think you should talk about it at some point?” Adrien sighed and stared at the wall sullenly. 

“Goodnight Plagg.” Adrien said. Plagg sighed and finished off his camembert before curling up on the pillow beside Adrien. He stretched out his little arms, yawned and curled into a ball. Adrien would have thought it was kind of cute if he wasn’t so distracted by his own thoughts.  “Goodnight, kid…” Plagg said, quietly. And while Plagg was sleeping soundly in no time, Adrien had a much harder time nodding off. 

…..o0o…..

A week went by and all that Adrien seemed to be able to do was think about the “dark place”, as Plagg called it. He’d learned so much about both sides of himself and he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. He was confused with the way things went down in his mind and although he was walking around in a much brighter reality, he wondered if maybe he really was still trapped in that box, alone. With as much time as he had given himself to think about it, things did start to connect. It kept his mind a little too absent from school though. He just barely managed to get work done, but his social life was all but nonexistent for too long. Nino kept asking him if he was okay. Was it his father again? Did he need help with a project? “I’m fine.” Adrien would tell him, honestly not sure if he was or not. He’d spare a small smile and try to include himself in a conversation for a while before his mind would inevitably travel back to that dark place. The thing that stumped him the most? Marinette. Everything about Marinette was confusing. He felt like he was so close, yet so far from the answers he was looking for. Every time he thought he was getting closer, the further away the answers seemed. Why was she there? How did she counteract his cataclysm? How did she wake him up? Why didn’t anyone else wake up? “Adrien, you okay there, man?” Nino wondered. Adrien blinked and rubbed his nose, having just slammed face first into a door. Despite the sudden flashbacks, he nodded. “Yeah, I’m just tired.” He told Nino. Nino looked mildly concerned. “Dude, you need to get more rest.” He insisted. “This isn’t healthy.” Adrien turned to Nino, about to tell him not to worry, when he spotted Marinette glancing at him, looking a little concerned over Nino’s shoulder. She blushed as soon as she’d realized he’d spotted her and she turned away quickly, rushing off, mumbling to herself. Adrien blinked and suddenly everything seemed to click in his mind. He met Nino’s eyes, feeling more awake now then ever. “You’re right, I’ll work on it.” He promised. Nino sighed gratefully and nodded. “It’s okay if you need to talk, man.” Nino reminded him, setting a hand on his shoulder. Adrien smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Nino, but I don’t think it’s you I need to talk to.” He replied. …..o0o….. It felt a little weird to be Chat Noir anymore. Things were different. He still loved Chat Noir, but it wasn’t quite the same, if anything the admiration towards his heroic persona deepened. He found himself really paying attention to the little things, like the way his hair brushed against his cheeks, or the barely noticeable burn he felt in his calves when he touched down on the next rooftop. You may have guessed where he was going. The Dupain-Cheng household wasn’t very far now. It was just a leap from here and...he touched down. Carefully, he made his way over to the railing and hopped off, onto the balcony. That caught Ms. Dupain-Cheng’s attention and soon she was out on the balcony with him, wondering what on earth he was doing there. “Chat Noir?” She said, sounding surprised. “Good afternoon, Purrincess, I hope I didn’t disturb you.” He greeted. Marinette raised an eyebrow and turned to stare at the sunset. “What do you need, Kitty?” She wondered, leaning against the railing. Chat Noir followed her lead and sighed as they stared out at the small portion of Paris that was visible from her balcony. This wasn’t his first time coming here. He’d been here a few times before actually, just to talk. Call it personal therapy, if you will. But, something was different this time, something he couldn’t quite place. “Do you remember a week ago, Princess, when Coma had all of Paris under her green thumb?” Marinette turned to him with an eyebrow raised and nodded. “Yes, that was really…” She glanced off at the horizon with an indiscernible, somehow far off, look in her eyes. “...something, wasn’t it?” Chat Noir was a bit confused by the gesture, he tilted his head and angled his ears to express his confusion, but once she noticed she only smiled, making it appear as though it was nothing at all. “Why?” Chat Noir decided to let it go and breathed in deeply before breathing out a chuckle. He felt almost a little overwhelmed by everything he’d come to discover and he could hardly believe he was about to tell someone for the first time. The fact that it was Marinette somehow made it easier and harder simultaneously. “Well…” He began, a certain smug attitude in his tone of voice. “I know it’s wildly unbelievable—I can hardly believe it myself—but she had me lying down on the job at one point.” Marinette smirked and clasped her hands together. “Oh really?” She said, sarcastically. “What a shocker.” Chat Noir stuck his tongue out at her childishly. “Are you jealous of my purrfection, Mari?” He dared to ask, teasingly of course. “Oh, of course.” She told him, sarcasm still seeping through her tone. “If only I was Chat Noir.” There it was again, that adorable smirk. Marinette tilted her head again, suddenly getting serious. “Why do you bring it up, Kitty?” She wondered. Chat Noir sighed and sat on her railing, legs hanging over the edge. “I’ve been thinking about it lately.” He told her. “Why’s that, Chat?” Marinette inquired seeming intrigued and a little concerned.  He sighed again. It just slipped out. He gripped the railing and pursed his lips, first looking up, then down, puffing air out between his lips that pushed up his bangs. For a moment, he met her eyes and he just instantly laughed, for some reason he seemed to be losing all his bearings. He turned away from her and tilted his head somewhat indecisively as he stared at the gradually setting sun on the reddening horizon. “While I was under the influence of her seed, something strange happened…” He finally said. Admittedly, it wasn’t much progress. “Oh?” Marinette asked, her tone curious. She straightened herself out as if to show further interest. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes at the horizon. “I guess it was a dream.” He told her. “It was dark and bizarre things happened...Ladybug attacked me and my counterpart, you know, the real me…” He turned to meet her eyes, wondering if she was following. “Your real identity?” She caught on, nodding. “Yeah,” Chat Noir nodded to let her know she was on the right track. “He was stuck in a box made of glass and we weren’t the same person—well we kind of were, but we weren’t at the same time…” “I’m not following.” Marinette informed him, snickering a little and looking very confused. Chat Noir sighed in frustration. “There were two of me.” he clarified. “One was Chat Noir, moi, and the other was Adri—uh, my counterpart.” Marinette nodded to tell him she was following along. “Is there a point to this, Kitty?” She asked, still not seeming to completely understand, not that he blamed her. “I don’t know.” He told her, shaking his head. “I just...I think I need to talk about it with someone, and I think it has to be you.” Marinette’s eyes sparked with something he couldn’t identify and she spared a smile. “Than just tell me, Kitty.” She replied. She had this way of making him feel relaxed and he smiled, nodding. He understood the message, beating around the bush wasn’t going to help anyone. “Well, there was a lot of really freaky stuff happening…” He did his best to go into further detail without giving too much away. “...and I guess eventually my mind just had to find a way to dispel the stress. I was looking for some kind of anchor to reality, a little bit of happiness you could say, and well…” He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed lightly. Marinette smirked, looking further and further amused the longer he went on. “...it came in the form of a person and then it woke me up and when I came to and when we defeated Coma—Ladybug and I—I couldn’t help but notice that none of the citizens had woken up. Maybe it was just because...I’m Chat Noir?” Marinette chuckled and shook her head. Seeming to understand, she stood up straight, gripping the railing as she flashed Chat Noir a smile. “Anyone in particular?” She wondered. “Your Lady, perhaps?” She blinked. “Your real Lady.” She clarified. Chat Noir let out a small amused sound and bit his lip as he nodded. “No, it wasn’t Ladybug.” He told her. Marinette’s eyes widened and she spared a half-smirk as she narrowed her eyes. “Now there’s a shocker.” She commented, shaking her head. “Alright, so if it wasn’t Ladybug, then who was it?” The feline hero found his cheeks increasingly heating up. “She was more like a Princess.” He told her. Marinette’s face turned pink when she realized, very suddenly, what he meant. It was painfully quiet for several very long minutes, and then she suddenly giggled and her giggling slowly transitioned to laughter. Chat Noir blushed furiously and cleared his throat. “It’s not like it was suggestive or anything!” He said, quickly. “I think it’s just because you and I are friends and we always have each other’s backs.” Marinette narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. The suffocating silence that followed lasted all of about ten seconds. “Okay, that was a lie…” He chuckled awkwardly. Marinette laughed and when she stopped laughing to smile at him she suddenly started laughing some more. Chat Noir frowned and his ears drooped. “Why are you laughing at me?” He whined. “This is supposed to be a serious moment where I confess feelings I wasn’t even aware I had and you’re laughing at me?” Unsurprisingly, she didn’t stop laughing, merely calmed down a bit. “We don’t live in a movie, Chat.” Marinette replied. “I’m not laughing at you, I’m just…” She giggled. “I’m just surprised.” She looked down for a moment. It was a very short moment, but even still Chat Noir felt an intense pressure in his chest and stomach as anxiety he didn’t understand flared up inside him. Then she met Chat Noir’s eyes and instantly everything was better. “So, I was your saving grace, huh Kitty?” Chat Noir chuckled and nodded. “I guess so.” He shrugged. Marinette grinned. “Any particular reason it was me?” Chat Noir blushed again. “Well, I don’t know…” “But...you have a theory?” Chat Noir blinked and narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re so not making this easy.” He told her. Marinette smiled and turned her whole body to face him. “Is there something you need to tell me, Chat?” She wondered. Chat Noir stiffened and he swallowed hard. He knew it would reach this point eventually, although he had hoped he would have thought of something to say when it had. “Mari..” He began, turning away and glancing down the roof. “I want to tell you that I really appreciate you. You listen to me and all my dumb jokes and my stupid inflated ego sometimes...and call me crazy, but I think you even genuinely laugh sometimes and I’m always a little proud of myself when I hear that. But you’re here for me when I need you, or at the very least, you’re willing to be there for me when I need you, and that means a lot. I don’t have a lot of people who really want to be there for me.” Marinette furrowed her eyebrows in concern. “What about Ladybug?” She wondered. “Ladybug’s great. She’s incredible, don’t get me wrong. She’s always got my back and I couldn’t be more grateful, but…” He said. “But…?” She inquired. “I think...sometimes I need someone to have my back in other ways. Even heroes need a little emotional support from time to time and well I do think M’Lady cares for my well-being, I’m not sure she’d ever sit through a real in-depth conversation about personal emotions with me like you do Marinette.” He looked into her beautiful blue eyes again. “And I guess that means a whole lot more to me than I can even express to myself.” Marinette smiled and then frowned. She looked conflicted. Chat Noir could only hope he wasn’t making her uncomfortable. She sighed. “Chat, I had no idea that these little meetings meant that much to you.” Their eyes met and the feline hero’s ears drooped seeing her look so...sad. “If I’m being perfectly honest,” He replied. “I didn’t either.” Chat Noir chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood, but Marinette only spared a smile before leaning further into the railing, cheek in palm, frown on her face. “Ladybug must be pretty blind, huh?” Her words were followed by the world’s most insincere chuckle and a depressing sigh shortly after that. Chat Noir let out his own sigh and tilted his head, trying to figure out how to cheer her up. He thought of nothing. “Not blind,” He told her. “Just busy.” He smiled. “I’m sure she’d be there for me if she was capable.” Marinette groaned and hid her face in her arms. “Did...I upset you, Mari?” Chat Noir wondered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Quickly, Marinette straightened up and turned to look at him, shaking her head furiously. “No, no!” She insisted. “It’s not your fault...I just…” She let out a small sigh this time and he hoped it was the last one he’d be hearing. Then she smiled and he felt a little better. “I guess I feel bad for you, Kitty.” “Bad? For me?” Chat Noir laughed. “You don’t need to feel bad for me, Princess, I’m fi—” 

“Except I do, Chat!” Marinette cried, sounding very frustrated. She slammed her fists against the railing and then gripped it, leaning back and taking some deep breaths. Chat Noir furrowed his eyebrows in concern. Marinette shook her head and met his eyes and he couldn’t help but notice how glassy her eyes looked. He felt his stomach twist and curl. “I do.” She whispered. She suddenly slammed the railing and nodded, as if to make a point. “And I should!” 

Chat Noir blinked and shook his head. “Mari, I don’t unders—” “No. Listen, Chat,” She said, firmly. Chat Noir nodded and remained silent, still very confused. “Chat Noir does so much good for Paris. You’re so stubborn, resourceful, kind, loyal, protective, compassionate…” She smiled and Chat Noir admired the pride in her eyes. “You’re there for people when Ladybug isn’t. You hold every life within the highest regard! You make the people who need it most, smile. And you never give up...never lose faith in anyone, especially not Ladybug.” Marinette bit her lip. “And it’s not fair! Paris pretends like Chat Noir doesn’t even exist! It makes you fe—We make you feel like you can’t do anything right. You don’t get any credit, even though you deserve so much of it. And despite your ego, you never ask for it, not even once! And Ladybug gets everything! And she treats you like dirt sometimes too! She uses you for things and you happily oblige because you trust her and she doesn’t deserve that kind of blind faith! Has she ever done anything for you?! She puts the needs of the many before everything else, even her…” She gestured to Chat Noir and then she stopped, taking several deep breaths as she darted her eyes across the ground. Tears were pouring down her face and she sniffed loudly as she narrowed her eyes. Slowly, she lowered her hands and leaned into the railing again. “...best friend…” She sighed and shook her head. “You’re not just a partner to her, Chat, you’re her best friend. And despite all the stupid mistakes she makes with you, you still love her…” Chat Noir nodded, even more confused than he was before. He didn’t understand what she had against Ladybug or how she even knew half the stuff she did. “...and I know she loves you. How couldn’t she?” Marinette chuckled and wiped her eyes. “You deserve so much more, Chat. So much more. And that’s why I feel bad for you.” Chat Noir sighed and nodded. There was a long moment of silence where Marinette just stared at him, waiting. “Oh.” He said. “Oh, can I talk now?” Marinette laughed and nodded, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. “Yeah, Kitty, go ahead.” She told him. Chat Noir huffed and breathed out a chuckle, shaking his head. It was a lot to absorb. Marinette chuckled lightly and patiently waited. He met her eyes, feeling warmer the deeper he delved into them. He didn’t know what to say. What could he say to that? What should he say to that? He bit his lip and Marinette looked a little nervous, but she kept quiet, even though Chat Noir was sure she’d burst any moment. He ran her words through his mind repeatedly and the more he did...the more he realized she was right. But the more he realized she was right, the more he knew she cared about him, perhaps deeper than anyone ever had before. His eyes watered and he smiled, he laughed. “Well, firstly, I guess I should say...thank you, Princess. Thank you so much.” He licked his lips and wiped his eyes before he could get too sappy. He’d done enough crying after the dark place. “You have no idea how much that means to me.” Marinette beamed, looking proud of herself. “You deserve it, Chat.” She told him. “Unfortunately, I have to disagree with you.” He said, smirking. Marinette frowned immediately and knitted her eyebrows together in concern. She looked adorable. “What?” She replied, sounding dejected. “Actually, it’s more like I need to clarify something.” He corrected, nodding. “What is it?” Marinette wondered. “Chat Noir may love Ladybug, but she’ll never be his best friend.” He told her, as-a-matter-of-factly. “Oh…” Marinette said, looking down sadly. He raised an eyebrow and she perked herself up a little. “Oh?” She breathed. “Why’s that?” “Because you have always been his best friend, Mari, and he was just too dense to realize it until now.” Chat Noir chuckled and shook his head. “You are my best friend. And you deserve to be my best friend. I’ve never known anyone, not a single other person who cared about me as genuinely as you do, Marinette. Not even Ladybug.” Marinette smiled and her eyes watered again. “Chat…” She said, as if she were chastising another one of his jokes. “That’s so sweet...” She giggled and Chat Noir’s heart fluttered. He beamed, his happiness and excitement radiating off him. He darted his eyes to the side, carefully considering his next move and he nodded. “And I trust you.” He told her, nodding firmly. Marinette blinked, but held her smile. “So, I need to tell you something. No, not need—want. I want to tell you something, Mari.” She narrowed her eyes and seemed confused. Chat Noir excitedly took her hands and Marinette blushed furiously, as if she knew what was going on. “Chat, I don’t know what to say—” “Plagg.” Chat Noir said firmly. “Claws off.” He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he counted the seconds of his heroic persona shrinking away. Marinette gasped and her hands flew out of his. He opened his eyes to see her holding her gaping mouth, shock written all over her expression.

“Yeah...it’s me Marinette. It’s Adrien.” He chuckled and spread out his arms as if to say “Ta-da!” before dropping his arms to his sides. Marinette looked him up and down and her face turned bright red. Plagg yawned and made his presence known. He scratched his head. “It’s about time, kid.” He said, crossing his arms. Adrien blushed and laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Marinette, this is Plagg, my kwami. He’s the reason I can be Chat Noir.” Marinette turned to Plagg and she took a step back in shock. Adrien could tell he’d overwhelmed her. Plagg leaned over to Adrien, tilting his head. “I think she’s broken.” He whispered not so quietly. Adrien shook his head and set a hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “You okay, Mari?” He asked her, concerned. “Do you need to sit dow—” Suddenly, Marinette threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close and squeezing him tightly. Adrien stumbled, eyes widening. When he’d finally regained his balance, he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the hug with a smile. “I’m such an idiot…” Marinette laughed over his shoulder. Adrien could feel a wetness soaking into his shoulder and he chuckled. She could cry this time, he’d allow it. He glanced at Plagg for a moment to see the kwami smiling and clapping quietly. Adrien was sure if Plagg could give a thumbs up, he would have. “Of course it’s you. It’s always been you.” She pulled away and smiled at him, rocking back and forth from toes to heels in her excitement. She shrieked, opening and closing her fists. Adrien laughed and shook his head. “I’m so happy that you’re happy.” Marinette suddenly stopped and looked down for a moment, tapping her chin. She met Adrien’s eyes a couple seconds later with a smile, her face red. “There’s something I want to tell you too.” She announced. “Something I need to tell you.” Adrien tilted his head and nodded after a moment. “You can tell me anything, Mari.” He promised. Marinette nodded and turned her eyes to her little purse. Adrien followed her gaze curiously. “Tikki, come on out.” She urged, gently tapping the side of the purse. A red streak couldn’t have shot out of the bag fast enough.  “I’m so proud of you, Marinette!” A high-pitched little voice said. The red and black dotted blur, twirled in the air and then floated over to Adrien, a huge smile on her face. Adrien stared at her wondrously. She was a kwami, he couldn’t have been more sure of it. And who did he know that was red with black dots? His eyes widened. Everything suddenly clicked in his mind. Marinette giggled. “Adrien, I’d like you to meet Tikki,” She introduced. “My kwami.” Just as soon as Marinette finished introducing her, Tikki tilted her head, retaining that big smile. “Hi, Plagg!” She called, waving her arm vigorously. Plagg waved back. “Hi, Tikki.” He greeted. Adrien and Marinette shared a look, laughing and shaking their heads in unison. “Of course.” They both said, rolling their eyes. Adrien looked at the ground and took a deep breath, then he looked up. “Why?” He wondered, remembering how Ladybug never wanted them to reveal their identities to each other. Marinette smirked. “I decided it was about time Ladybug started treating you as wonderfully as you always treat her. This is a good start.” Adrien smiled. “Besides, it’s only fair.” She gestured to Plagg with an eyebrow raised and Adrien laughed again. This time he threw his arms around her and spun her around. “This is the best day ever.” He insisted. Marinette froze and blushed, hiding her face partially with her hands. Adrien chuckled. She was adorable. “You’re adorable.” He told her. Marinette became almost as red as her counterpart’s suit. “Y-you’re c-cute too…” She stammered. Adrien chuckled and then he grinned. “And no more Mr. Oblivious.” He promised, kissing her cheek. As if Marinette couldn’t get any redder. Tikki shrieked, clapping excitedly. Plagg raised an arm. “Now that you two finally know who each other are, we can finally celebrate, right?” He wondered. “Yes, with lots of camembert I presume?” Adrien wondered, raising an eyebrow. “I mean...if you insist.” Plagg replied, a grin spread across his face. “And cookies!” Tikki eagerly suggested. Marinette giggled and shook her head. She marched back inside to the trap door. “I’m sure there’s something for everyone down in the bakery.” She said. Plagg and Tikki high-fived at the news. Marinette laughed. Adrien stopped her for a moment, grabbing her shoulder. She met his eyes and they both smiled. He looked down to her hand and took it in his. “Thank you...Ladybug.” He said. “Thank you, Chat Noir.” She winked, before immediately turning away with a blush. Adrien had a feeling it was going to take a little while before they found a new normal. He was certainly willing to wait though.   Finally, after safely tucking the kwamis away, it was with big smiles on their faces that Adrien and Marinette finally made it downstairs. Once descended they took one another’s hand and looked into each other’s eyes, and they both knew that despite everything they’d been through, this was one of the biggest moments of their lives. And of course, to Adrien, her vibrant blue eyes were one of the most wonderful things about it. So, from beginning to end it never stopped being the best day of Adrien’s nine lives.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupen chang #adrien agreste #marichat #mlb #chat noir #mlb fanfic #fanfic #This took forever #I really hope people can get enjoyment out of this #This is like the 4th time I've posted this #But it's only here this time because my friend convinced me to post it #You know who you are #enjoy