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karlrose · 7 months

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Vellus Aureum -Chapter 1-

An exploration of the concept of Happiness, the different characters pursuits of Happiness, and their refusal to have Happiness for themselves.

"Vellus Aureum" translates to "The Golden Fleece", the item that Jason of the Argonauts believed was the key to his Happiness, the key to getting everything he ever wanted, only to end up spurning the actual key to his Happiness, the gift bestowed upon him by his patron Goddess, Hera.

Ao3 / Google Document

He was sure this time she would say yes. The preparations were all complete. The room in which his father used to make all his designs had been renovated into a sewing room and creative workspace for her, his old room had been separated in two, an office in one half and the half with the adjoining bathroom into a smaller bedroom, and his things had been moved to the master bedroom which he would share with her.

He wasn't asking her to marry him. Just to move in with him. He wanted to show her that he was ready to be the partner she needed, that she could depend on him, and that he was ready and willing to work toward making her dreams come true.

He stood in the doorway of what he hoped would soon be her sewing room, deep in his own thoughts of the future he wanted to share with her, when a voice from behind brought him back to the present.

“Atrociously pink,” Felix scoffed as he came to stand beside him in the doorway. He and his mother had come to stay with him after his father's passing as Aunt Amelie's business could be conducted from anywhere, although she did make frequent trips back to England for business meetings and the like. “I would think an aspiring designer would have better taste.”

Adrien couldn't help but roll his eyes but didn't stop gazing at the room, imagining her hard at work on her newest project. “Well, I'm not the designer. It will look much better once she gets her hands on it.”

“Quite...” Felix responded, raising an inquisitive brow before returning his attention to the stack of papers in his hand. “When will she be arriving, exactly? I have some questions regarding this business venture.”

“Run them by me,” Adrien stated, preparing himself to be bored by talk of bottom lines and financial statements.

“No,” was Felix's flat response.

“No?” He finally turned to face his cousin, raising his own eyebrow in question now. “What do you mean 'No'?”

Clearing his throat, Felix stated as if he was explaining the obvious to a child, “This is a design company and she is the designer. She is the head of this business. The business that you, by the way, dear cousin, asked me to manage. Your answers to these questions would be superfluous.” Misinterpreting Adrien's confused expression, he added, “Superfluous means meaningless. Useless.”

“And you're synonymous with insufferable,” he threw back at him, holding the flattest face he could manage. “And what questions could you possibly have that I can't answer for you?”

“Marketing, advertising, product lines, additional employment,” Felix began listing with a bored tone. “How would she like to advertise? Does she have a design for a logo? Who manages her website and how may I get in contact with them? Would she approve of redesigning said website? Does she have any products ready to market? Does she have previous clients that I need to contact? Does she have models? Seamstresses? Will I be in charge of hiring additional personnel unaccompanied or would she prefer to be present for such things?” He stopped to look at Adrien with an air of superiority, knowing he had made his point, then sighed in exasperation, holding out his hand. “Just... give me her contact information. I will call her myself.”

Adrien stuttered for a moment before giving Felix a hesitant, “... No?”

“How am I to manage a business if I'm not allowed to speak with the owner of said business, Adrien?” He questioned with more than a hint of annoyance.

“Well... you see,” he began, scratching the back of his neck the way he did every time he was off put or nervous. “I kinda... sorta... haven't... told her about it yet.”

Adrien let out a slightly strangled laugh as Felix looked at him as if he'd grown a second head.

“You... you haven't...,” Felix took a deep breath and closed his eyes in order to gather his thoughts and not just outright call his cousin an imbecile. “You had an office and workspace built for her, redesigned half the house for her... and you haven't... told her yet?”

“No, but-”

“Have you even asked her to move in or is that in the air as well?” Felix asked, growing more annoyed by the second.

“Not yet, but-”

“No. Stop,” Felix put his hand up to make him cease speaking. “I am done with this conversation. I'm going to get some tea, eat something, and try to reconcile with the fact that we are related.” When Adrien opened his mouth to respond, Felix immediately silenced him, “No. You have unfinished business to attend to and I am out of patience for your... incompetence sounds more cruel than I intend it to be, but it's the most applicable word I can find at the moment.” He paused in the kitchen doorway before adding with a dismissive wave of his hand, “Off with you now.” before I say anything else I may regret.

“I'm no doctor of pepper, but I feel like you're giving me twenty three flavors of sass right now,” he tossed at the closing door.

He heard Felix's voice carry through the door, “It is only one flavor and most people call it salty.”

Adrien was reluctant to follow orders from Felix, of all people, but had to accept that he was right. It was foolish to build and plan for a life with her without talking to her about it first.

So, full of trepidation, he turned on his heel and walked out the door to face the inevitable.

He had to talk to her about it. He had to finally ask if she would move in with him.

And he had to prepare himself for if she said no.

Once outside with the sun shining on his face, pigeons flying overhead, and the wind tousling his hair, he began walking in the direction of the bakery that she lived above, no longer so sure she would say yes.

As he passed Place du Châtelet, gazing up at the statue of the goddess Victoire atop Fontaine du Palmier, he felt as though she was taunting him. In the upcoming tribulations he was to face, victory was anything but assured.

“Why the sullen and sour face, Adrien?” Plagg asked from the inside pocket of his shirt, trying to sound more mocking than concerned. “Usually, you float on cloud nine all the way to the boulangerie.”

“It's Marinette,” he began, eyes fixed on the ground.

“Marinette?! Why would you be all sad about Marinette?” Plagg exclaimed in surprise. “I thought it would be that obnoxious cousin of yours!”

“While I do agree that Felix can be... abrasive, he means well enough.” It was strange to say it out loud, even knowing it to be true. Felix did have his best interests at heart. It was just the methods he was willing to use and the lengths he was willing to go to that made it difficult for Adrien to really trust him. Well, that and the mischievous 'pranks' he often plays and his refusal to explain the actual intentions of such behavior. “Besides, he's right. I didn't think this through. I rushed into everything like I always do and I'm going to push too hard and she's going to pull back again and-”

“Woah woah woah!” Plagg flew in front of his face to break him out of his spiral. “Just breathe and look at me,” he gestured toward himself while trying to give as reassuring a look as he could manage. “Everything is going to be fine, Adrien. This is Marinette we're talking about. She loves you, you love her, the two of you are sickeningly sweet together. Everything will be fine.”

Once he saw his holder visibly relax and breathe deep, he added, “And I want a fresh baguette to go with my brie... Ooh, and some of that artisanal camembert!”

“Right. You're right, Plagg,” Adrien let out a sigh. “Everything... will be... fine.” He wanted so badly to believe it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to ruin everything.

And what if, this time, she didn't stay?

“I'm always right,” Plagg remarked, replacing his concerned expression with one of smug confidence. “And don't forget my cheese!”

“He is overwhelmingly daft,” Felix spoke into the cellphone held by his shoulder as he poured his cup. “Honestly, who rearranges their entire home for a woman without informing said woman?”

“He's afraid to have a conversation with her that could possibly change the status of their relationship,” Kagami's voice came through the line. “And after the fiasco last year, I don't really blame him. Although, I do agree that it was somewhat foolish to put all that work into her business and making a space for her in his home knowing he wouldn't have the courage to ask the question.”

“Oh, please do not remind me,” Felix rolled his eyes, taking a seat at the small table in the kitchen. “I had to deal with him whinging about it for months.” He took a moment to inhale the aroma from his cup before continuing. “How does he expect for this to work if he's afraid to talk to her?”

He heard her giggle before saying, “Like you're afraid of talking to her?”

“We have spoken about this,” he stated through slightly clenched teeth, placing his cup back on its saucer more forcefully than he intended. “I am not afraid. I just know better.”

“Mhm,” she hummed in a tone that clearly conveyed that she did not think he was being sincere. “And by 'know better', you mean building walls like a contractor.”

“I do not believe I appreciate your tone, luv.”

“Good. I've been working on it and I was worried it wouldn't translate without the ability to see my face.”

“Yes, your satire has improved quite well,” Felix responded as evenly as he could muster, taking a sip of tea. “Regardless, I am not building walls. I am maintaining proper boundaries.”

“Of course,” she began with a somewhat playful tone. “Because maintaining walls is what you do after you've built them.”

He pulled the phone away from his ear to glare at it before putting back up to his ear, “Could we focus on my cousin's problem and not mine?”

“So, you admit that you have a problem?” she added as more of a statement of fact than a question.

“My problems are irrelevant to the current situation,” he said with an icy air, staring at the distorted reflection of his visage in his tea. He despised the person he saw looking back at him.

“As much as I know it kills you to watch him struggle,” Kagami's voice broke through his regressive thoughts. “You're going to have to let Adrien handle his own problems. If you solve everything for him all the time, he'll never learn how to do it for himself. You want him to be his own person and be independent, so you're going to need to step back and let him make his own decisions and his own mistakes.”

“I just want him to be happy,” he spoke with more than a hint of melancholy. He knew she was right. He was constantly jumping in to solve Adrien's problems, whether he wanted him to or not. And she was right that, in the long run, it was doing him more harm than good. He had become too dependent on his help. But if one sees someone drowning, are they to just watch and hope they'll learn how to swim before the water takes them?

“His father used to say the same thing.”

“The difference in this instance is that I actually mean his happiness and not my own,” Felix spat back with a bit of bite. “And I am not a terrorist.”

“But you did assist a terrorist,” she interjected frankly. “And there was that one time you snapped the entire population out of existence.”

“I had my reasons,” he grumbled. “And that was one time. I have grown since then and I know better now.”

“I'm not sure that will hold up in court.”

“I am not going to court, luv,” he said with a small chuckle. He knew it was a joke, but playing along made it more fun. “In any case, I was granted Ladybug's complete forgiveness and support. She was quite adamant about that... So adamant that it became proper obnoxious, actually.” He got a warm feeling that made him slightly nauseous thinking back on it. He had hurt her and she still came to his defense. And, what's more, found it in herself to forgive him. His presence on her team had sowed discontent between her and her partner. Discontent that she really couldn't afford with the dangers of her obligations. He felt an immense guilt for it. He wanted to leave. He tried explaining to her that if Chat Noir had a problem with him, a problem which he had every right to have, it would be better if he wasn't there. And he never wanted to be a hero anyway. He wasn't cut out for it. He didn't have the right mentality for it. But, every time he broached the subject, she refused to hear it. And when she gave him that look, like she saw something in him he could never believe was there himself, he couldn't bring himself to fight her on it anymore. She gave him more than he ever deserved and he was indebted at the mercy of her unfathomable kindness and compassion. And that made him feel weak. Like a slave to himself and his emotions.

“You only find it obnoxious because it makes you feel things you didn't consent to feeling,” Kagami commented nonchalantly. He both detested and adored how well she could read him, even when he felt he was being extremely guarded. It was infuriatingly intoxicating.

“If I did not consent to it, it should not be happening,” Felix stated, crossing the arm that wasn't holding the phone in front of himself as he leaned back in his chair to look at the ceiling, no longer wanting to look at the reflection in his cup. “That is just the laws of human decency.”

“Good Afternoon, Felix,” Amelie sang as she came through the door. “What has mummy's special boy looking so dour?”

Felix immediately straightened himself to sit properly and flash a small smile at her. “Good Afternoon, mum. I am doing well,” he hummed happily, hoping it was convincing. “How was your morning?”

He heard Kagami playfully chirp through his phone as his mother spoke of her morning taking business calls and helping Nathalie in the garden, “Mummy's special wittle boy.” She giggled knowing he was glaring again. “Tell her I said hi.”

He rolled his eyes with a soft smile on his face as he relayed the message, “Kagami sends her greetings.”

“Oh, Kagami!” Amelie lit up at the mention. “She's just darling! Will she be joining us for dinner this evening? I feel like it's been forever since I've seen her.”

“She was here last week, mum.”

“That's forever in mum time, dear,” both women said almost in unison causing Felix to uncharacteristically chuckle.

“Kagami, dear,” he began as his laugh died down. “Would it please you to join my mother and I for dinner this evening?” He could see joy fill his mother. She looked as though she was going to start bouncing on her heels in excitement. “I believe mum gravely misses your impeccable wit and grace.”

“I'll be there at six thirty,” Kagami lightheartedly replied, thoroughly entertained by how Felix's whole demeanor always shifts in the presence of his incredibly upbeat mother. “We'll continue our conversation then.”

“Wonderful. See you then, luv,” He spoke warmly before disconnecting the call. He returned his attention to his mother who was impatiently waiting for his response, “She is more than delighted to join us this evening.”

“Marvelous!” she cheered, clasping her hands together, before placing a kiss on his forehead as she moved across the room toward the tea pot to pour herself a cup. Felix smiled as he watched her pour her tea, not into one of the beautifully expensive porcelain cups, but into a misshapen mug he had made for her in grade school. The handle had broken off years ago when he dropped it into the sink basin while trying to help his mother wash the dishes. He had been devastated when it happened, but she said it only made her love it more.

He found it a poignant metaphor for their relationship. They were bonded by pain, by trauma, by the damage that had been inflicted upon them by a monster.

And they were bonded by the love and understanding they found in each other.

He felt guilt for his wish that she could find that love and understanding somewhere else. She deserved to love and be loved in return. She had suffered so much.

It angered him to think of how his grandparents had auctioned her off like cattle to the highest bidder and how she, ever the dutiful and obedient daughter, went along without complaint.

She believed that she would learn to love him, but that never happened. He was too cold, too distant, and too cruel for love to ever blossom in his salted fields. But she had tried. All hope for such feelings died within her the first time she witnessed him gazing upon their child, the first thing to bring her true joy, and he had called him a monster. She had given him a son, an heir, and that man found him monstrous.

She realized she had been sold and married off to a monster who was incapable of love, incapable of understanding. But, ever the dutiful and obedient daughter, she kept up appearances. Appearances were everything in their world.

It had been years since the monster had died and she still wore only black, playing the part of the grieving wife, for a man she never loved for he could never love her. Keeping up the appearance of grief was a shield to keep her parents from, once again, selling her off to another monster. The experience with his father had made her afraid of men, of marriage, of finding happiness outside of being his mother. But she deserved so much more.

She deserved someone who saw their future in her eyes, someone to walk by the Seine with, someone to dance in the rain with, someone to share ice cream with, someone who would hold her close as she slept in their arms, someone she could smile about waking up next to. She deserved love. Real true love.

She deserved to be happy.

“Felix?” a voice reached out for him within the darkness of his thoughts. It took him a moment to shake himself free and focus on his mother's face, etched with concern and kindness. “Dearest, are you sure you're feeling well?” She placed a loving hand on his forehead and cheek to check his temperature, searching his eyes for a reason behind his distance. His eyes widened as she took a step back. She had found the reason. “You shouldn't let him into your head. He's gone. Let him stay that way.”

He wanted to ask why she still allowed his existence to dictate her clothing choices, but could never bring himself to say anything so hurtful to her, so he simply replied, “Yes, mother,” before flashing her a reassuring smile.

His answer seemed to be enough as she quickly returned to her usual cheerful demeanor, talking about her excitement to see Kagami, about her plans for dinner that night, about how happy she was for her son. He politely made chitchat back, laughing with her, sharing in her excitement, giving his thoughts on what they should serve for dinner. Then she asked a question that threw him off balance, “Do you think we could convince Adrien to invite Marinette to join us for dinner as well? I understand that her and Kagami are good friends so I'm sure she wouldn't mind the extra company. And poor Adrien has been wound so tight lately. A nice night in with pleasant company might be exactly what he needs to relax a little.”

“Actually, mum,” he began with some hesitation, trying to choose his words carefully. “Adrien is with Marinette as we speak, but I'm not sure she will be joining us for dinner. She has an... unusually busy schedule.”

“She works too hard,” she spoke with disappointment and sympathy.

“Yes,” he quietly agreed. “She really does...”

“And that is why I think it would be a good idea for you to move in with me,” Adrien concluded with an air of cultivated confidence, or that's how he hoped it came across, because under the surface, he was sweating bullets, anxiety filled bullets.

Marinette shifted uncomfortably on the chaise lounge, trying to think of how to respond. Moving in with him would be much too dangerous and make keeping her secret identity much more difficult. As much as she wanted to accept his offer, her duties as Ladybug had to come first. Marinette could be happy after Ladybug recovered the butterfly miraculous.

But would he wait for her? Would it even be fair to ask him to when she couldn't tell him the reason for the wait?

She took a deep breath to steady herself. “Adrien, I-”

“I know, it's really sudden and you don't want to move too fast,” he spoke before she could get her thoughts out. “But you'd have more space to work, and if you're uncomfortable with sharing a room with me, I could bunk with Felix. I'm sure he wouldn't mind.”

“Adrien, as much as I-”

“And I heard that it's not good for your sleep schedule to work in the same place where you sleep,” he continued, gesturing to her creative corner, which was directly under her bed. “This way, your work space and sleep space would be in entirely different areas of the house which should help you get better sleep which will help you have more energy for your projects.”

“While I'm sure that's true, I-”

“And Felix agreed to handle all the business stuff,” he said with a flourished wave of his hand. “So you can focus on being creative.” He looked at her with hope shimmering in his eyes and finally noticed that her eyes were downcast and stormy. “I... I know that there are things,” he took a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking, “that you're not ready to tell me... and it does bother me, but... I'm not going to push it. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or... or pressure you into anything.” He looked up to hold her eyes with his own. “Your secrets are your secrets. Your privacy will not be compromised. I want you to trust me and I understand that trust is earned. I'm just asking for the opportunity to earn it... please.”

There really was no easy way out of this. Saying no at this point would crush him, and after last year, she wasn't sure she could handle causing him so much pain again, even if it was to keep her superhero secrets. And telling him that she was Ladybug was absolutely off the table. She didn't know how, and she didn't want to know how, but Adrien knew Chat Noir and she knew that if she told Adrien that she was Ladybug, Chat Noir would find out. And Chat Noir would truly know that she doesn't love him because of her love for Adrien, and he would get akumatized, and she would have to face him again...

She wasn't sure she'd be able to face him again.

The thought of her partner, her friend, her kitty, broken and crying for her help haunted not only her dreams, but her every waking thought as well.

And the dominoes that lead to that tragic fate start with Adrien finding out who she is.

She would have to be extra careful, she would have to plan some excuses in advance, but every problem has a solution. She could pull this off. It would just take a little more effort. And if it came down to it, she was sure Felix could come up with some cover for her, being that he already knew she was Ladybug and knew how important it was to her to keep it a secret.

She still had some reservations, but had made up her mind, so she nodded her head and uttered a quiet, simple, “Okay.”

“O-okay?” he repeated, not quite believing that she actually agreed.

“Yes,” she said, trying to solidify her answer for him. “You had a lot of good points. It would be good to have a larger work space that is separate from where I sleep and I'm sure that Felix would be a lot of help, giving me more time to focus on my designs... and I'd have more time to spend with you.”

His face lit up with pink dusted cheeks and a smile that couldn't be contained as his entire being buzzed with excitement and radiated joy.

“Yes, okay!” he almost cheered, practically bouncing as he stood. “Um, let me know when you're ready and me and the guys will come over and help you move your things, okay?”

“Okay,” she confirmed with a slight tremble to her voice that she hoped he didn't notice. “I, uh, I should start packing.” She stood and closed the distance between them before anchoring her hands on his shoulders to lift up on her toes high enough to place a small kiss on his lips. “I love you, Adrien.”

“I love you, too,” he almost whispered as he bent down to return her chaste kiss with a slightly more passionate one of his own. “And thank you, Marinette. For everything.”

She watched as the trap door to her room closed behind him before bolting back towards the chaise lounge so fast that the piece of furniture flipped on it's side as she landed across it, causing her face to collide with the hard floor.

“Are you okay, Marinette?” Tikki questioned with a small voice laced with concerned as she appeared from the other side of the lounge.

“I'm not sure, Tikki,” Marinette responded, making no move to peel her face off the floor. “Do you think I made the right decision?”

“What do you think, Marinette?”

“I don't know,” Marinette said, finally pushing herself off the floor and putting the chaise lounge back up right. “I think that I might be putting my secret identity in danger by moving in with him, but I don't think there was a way to say no without telling him that I'm Ladybug anyway. I know that I love him, but I feel like I'm leading him on because I can never fully commit to him the way that he wants. Am I just prolonging the inevitable? He's going to want to get married.”

“Don't you want to marry Adrien?” Tikki asked, making herself comfortable in the crook of Marinette's neck.

“Well, yes, but how am I supposed to make a promise to share our lives when I know that I'm lying to him about half of mine?” Marinette expressed with a mix of conviction and panic. “It just... seems so wrong. I've lied to him about so much already. I... I can't lie to him about that.”

Tikki's eyes filled with sadness as she watched her holder visibly deflate from the weight of her burdens. She lovingly stroked her cheek as she said, “You know, I'll support whatever decisions you make. I trust you and you are a fantastic Ladybug. You'll find the answers.” Marinette turned her head to smile at her before Tikki continued, “I also think you should give yourself the opportunity to be happy. You deserve to be happy, Marinette. I don't want you to miss out on life just because you're Ladybug.”

“I know, Tikki,” Marinette exhaled an exhausted breath, letting her shoulders relax. “Thank you. I appreciate your support. I know I can always count on you.” She gave the small being a peck on the top of her head before collapsing onto the lounge to stare up at her ceiling.

Soon, this wouldn't be her ceiling. Soon, this wouldn't be her room. It was a lot to process and there was a lot to prepare for.

“I'll start packing tomorrow.”

Chapter 2 Preview

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aalissy · 16 days

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Soulmate Markers

Just a short fluffy lil soulmate AU for today's chapter :). I hope you like it! I love writing my fluffy Adrienette hehe. Plus, I always loveee writing soulmate AU's. Lemme know what you think <3

AO3

Adrien lay flat on his stomach in bed, a smile slowly stretching across his lips as he watched Marinette’s doodles come to life on his own arm. He delicately traced over the little flowers and stars that she had drawn, breathing out in awe.

Every day he was grateful that he had found her. That very first day when he crashed into her and found that the little sketches she doodled on her arm matched the ones his soulmate had drawn on his own arm was everything.

After finding each other, the two could barely stop writing little notes and messages to each other. Most of the time it was Adrien teasing Marinette that she was late. Again.

He shot a longing glance over at Plagg, wishing he could transform and head over to see her. But, alas, his kwami was passed out on the pillow next to him, snoring as dreams of cheese were surely filling his head.

Not wanting to disturb Plagg, Adrien quickly grabbed for a pen, scribbling on his unmarked arm.

You seem to be doodling instead of working on our physics homework there, Mari.

He bit his lip to stifle the large smile as the doodles suddenly ceased. There was a slight pause before his arm began to tingle as Marinette began to write back.

How do you know I haven’t already finished it yet and am taking a much-needed break?

Adrien snorted at the idea of Marinette having already finished all of her homework. Usually, she waited until the last minute for the classes she disliked the most.

Do you mean besides the fact that I also haven’t finished the whole assignment yet?

He took a short pause, letting Marinette read the words that he had scrawled across the inside of his wrist before he struck an even bigger point.

Or, how about the fact that you haven’t stopped doodling since we left school? Did you have time to even start the physics homework yet?

Shush you! I’ve only just gotten home! I don’t need to worry about the homework yet.

Marinette's protestations were met with a playful chuckle from Adrien. He knew her procrastination tactics well. There was a brief enough break from her scribblings that Adrien felt a twinge of sadness in his chest. It hadn’t even been five minutes yet and already he missed talking to her. He couldn’t imagine what life would be like if they didn’t have this constant method of communication.

Soon, though, the tingle on his forearm appeared again and Adrien eagerly stared down at the words that were slowly appearing.

Have you gotten the answer to number 3 yet?

Hold on!

Springing up out of bed, he raced over to his desk. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out the piece of scratch paper that he was using to solve the equations.

Together, they began working on the problems, their minds synchronizing as they tackled the physics problems. Adrien marveled at Marinette's ability to grasp concepts quickly, her work clear and concise even as they used their arms to describe the answers they were getting. Quickly, with both of them working together, the two finished their homework.

Great work, Mari!

Can I go back to doodling now, teacher?

Only if you keep doodling on your arm so that I can see.

Adrien could only imagine the light pink tinge that would light up her cheeks and for about the millionth time he wished he was with her so he could see it. This time, no reply of words came from Marinette. Instead, just as he requested, a trail of doodles began to replace over the words that they had previously written to each other.

He sighed happily, rubbing his thumb over the tiny images that were blooming along his arm. His father was certainly going to yell at him about his soulmate's pictures again. Something about how it tainted his perfect skin, but Adrien didn’t care. Not with the way Marinette was currently sketching a tiny heart with the letters A + M scratched into it.

Adrien beamed before he gave a series of happy cackles. Every day he sincerely wondered how he had gotten so lucky. His soulmate was the best one of them all and no one could ever... would ever get in the way of that.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #mlb #ml #fic #fanfic #adrienette #adrinette #ml fic #adrinetteapril2024 #adrienetteapril2024 #love square #adrinetteapril #adrienetteapril #soulmate au

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generalluxun · 6 months

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Fanfic Author 20 Questions

Thanks to @erisluna35 for sending this along! 1. How many works do you have on AO3?

On AO3? Right now 63, soon to be 64(tomorrow probably) and a couple on FF.net

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,020,860 on AO3 plus another ~86K fic I never ported over to AO3, as my 'recent' stuff, starting back in 2021

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Miraculous Ladybug, I did others a long time ago before joining AO3, but that was a long time ago. I've considered a couple others recently too, but nothing yet.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

At The Gala- A Chlonette fic inspired by fanart, and actually the sequel to my #2 by Kudos. This is just a cute series of strange interactions with Chloe from Marinette's PoV, culminating in understanding and discovery on a fated evening.

Slippery slope- Little Chlonette ficlet inspired by a fanart. Very short, it's about how a single unexpected moment can change someone's entire world.

Ever After- A long chapter fic set more than a decade post-canon that looks into the idea that 'Ever After' can be a long time, and that expecting life to be solved at 14 is a recipe for eventual disaster. Yet at the same time life continues to offer new experiences, new possibilities, and new ways to grow. Ships include Adrienette, Chloadrien, and Felinette.

Showing Love- An alternate ending to Queen Wasp, where instead of reuniting Chloé with her horrible mother by highlighting everything horrible about her (seriously, what?) Marinette comes face to face with the reality that a mother really *can* not love a child. Being Marinette she can't let such a thing stand, even if it is Chloé. Marinette&Dupain-Cheng family goodness.

What Do you See?- Adrigami fic that kicks off right in the middle of Kuro Neko. While Adrien is struggling with the pain of giving up Cat Noir, one thing crosses his mind. He can finally give one important person the truth she deserves. After all, he *Was* Cat Noir, not *is*. The two both struggle to navigate the ramifications of this revelation, especially when Plagg shows up once more with the ring. (there's a little bit of eventual Lukanette)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to most, especially any questions or curiosities. I love engagement.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh heck this is so not fair. I am in love with bittersweet ending, and have a couple of doozies.

I can't decide between three.

What Happened- The 'real reason' Chloé Bourgeois's redemption arc failed. What do you di when you do everything right, only to find out your happiness causes the end of the world, in every timeline?

A Modest Proposal- Marinette is happily impatient for Adrien to finally propose to her. Little does she know, a secret long kept is going to come back to haunt her. It's worse than you think.

The Risk Outweighs- A look into someone else's life during the episode 'Risk'. The courage to do anything finally gives Chloé the strength to break from the cycle. But the Ladybugs must set things right, and a few moments of clarity weigh nothing against a lifetime.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Again, lots with happy endings, though I prefer 'open' endings, so...hmmm

Cafe Noir- has an unambiguously happy ending, but I specifically set out to write a romcom so that feels like cheating.

Dog Daze- probably has the most comprehensively happy ending, Adrien's dad even managed to try to parent. They do go through a lot on the way to the happy ending though.

In Direct Opposition- My latest work, seems to end on a solidly happy note for all involved.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Ever After drew some upset people that expected their OTP to be the main ship. I never tried to deceive anyone, but a few people were just really upset.

I also had this weird thing where someone thought I was someone else, and stalked my comments for a while. That's why I use moderation now.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I've done M rated fics. I'm not sure 'smut' works for them, even if there's lots of sex narratively, it's usually mentioned rather than being detailed. I did one single 'this will be a smut fic' fic. And even that ended up with like, 5K words mostly plot, and about 2 paragraphs of (I think emotional and important) sex.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Nah, I've never had the crossover itch. I generally find each world intriguing enough on their own.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of...

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yep! I had someone ask if they could translate one of my fics to Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope. Talked about it before, but never went through with it. Not against the idea. I do a lot of rubber ducking for my friends though, so some of my ideas can end up in their finished fics.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I'm going ot have to go with adribrina, my goobers. I like exploring all kinds of ships, and these two I threw together on a whim but Oh, they're so comfy! I wrote Puppy Love to see how they would work, and then that evolved into Dog Daze, my Largest work to date. I had *intended* for them to amicably break up and Sabrina to be a wing-woman to Adrien in the canon ship of Adrienette.... but they just did not want to break up. Even if they wouldn't admit they were dating, they were just too *comfy* together. These two make me happy. (Marinette ended up okay though, she's happy!)

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

A third fic in my Senti-Sentai AU. 'Worlds Collide'. It was set in 'vague eastern Europe country in the middle of violent conflict' and then that suddenly got too real, too quickly.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Character voice. I write third person limited, and I've been told many times that I do a very good job of writing characters as their canonical selves, just in different situations that bring about different outcomes or changes in them. I consider that a high compliment, because the characters are what I am here for.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Brevity. Even simplistic plots 'enemies to friends road trip' become detailed 'Marinette manipulates Chloé into chasing Adien and Lila across the globe to prevent Lila from wheedling an arranged Marriage out of Gabriel' and then that blossoms into a 98K fic.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I feel like my last of understanding grammar and colloquialisms for another language would have me sounding like bad google translate. Singular words used? Viable.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

SWATKats. My first ever fanfic was a 30K fic about that show.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

They are all my babies! This is so not fair. I've spoken about some of my favorites earlier though, so I'll use this spot to mention some other ones :)

He's Perfect- Gothic Horror Adrienette! It even has a sequel and an entire AU in my head if I can circle back.

The Orphan and the Marionette- Written to feel like one of Grimm's fairy tales. Chlonette(kind of) with a heavy dose of magic and a surprise appearance from Marianne.

There are so many more but I'll plug Dog Daze again, because I to like how it flows and the alternate S5 we get from it. It also inspired a raft of 'post story' one shots, and I have another chapter fic waiting in the wings to continue the AU. There's plenty of stories to tell here.

@taketwoinink Tag, if you would like to play.

#ask #fan fiction #fanfiction #writing #miraculous ladybug #adrienette #adribrina #chlonette #so many ships

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inner-sakura · 2 years

Text

Hypothetically Ever After

[childhood friends AU, adrienette, slowburn, fake/pretend relationship]

With only two weeks of summer vacation to spare, Marinette enlists Adrien’s help with a task of utmost importance.

“I need you to help me seduce your brother.”

Quite predictably, nothing goes according to plan.

a fic inspired by jennifer echols’s book, the boys next door, and starrycove’s Brothers AU from approximately 9835 years ago that has lived in my head and my heart ever since.

read the rest: AO3 | ff.net

chapter thirty-three

Going to a party that night was the absolute last thing Marinette wanted to do.

She’d gone back and forth all day, debating whether she should even go in the first place. Around five o’clock she had herself convinced she wouldn’t be going. She and Adrien had just ‘broken up’ after all. Wouldn’t it be weird for her to attend a party at his house the very same evening? Talk about awkward.

Yet the thought of sitting at home, stewing in all of her hurt and regret and bitter longing while Adrien and Félix were living it up next door was infinitely worse than going and having a few potentially uncomfortable run-ins with Adrien.

With that in mind, Marinette stood, making her way to the shower.

Even if she felt like shit, that didn’t mean she had to look like it too.

-x-

In a moment of petty weakness, Marinette had briefly considered wearing The Dress from last Friday night, as a subtle way of throwing everything back in Adrien’s face. She had even taken it out of her closet, and almost slipped it on before she caught sight of herself in the mirror and thought better of it.

The memory was too important—too precious—to defile in such a way. The dress was a symbol; a reminder of one of the best nights of her life, and Marinette wanted to keep it that way. Pristine and preserved forever in her mind and heart—a beautiful flower lovingly pressed between the pages of a book.

So she promptly hung it up in the back of her closet, and gave up on finding anything cute to wear. By the time seven o’clock rolled around, she simply threw on a t-shirt and shorts over her bathing suit, slipped on her sandals, and headed out the door, making for the Agrestes’ house.

The walk took nearly twice as long as it normally did, owing in large part to the fact that she kept stopping and starting erratically, even doubling back nearly all the way to her house while she debated—for the thousandth time—whether to go to the stupid party at all. She certainly wasn’t in the mood for festivities, but she needed to check in on Adrien and make sure things between them were going to be okay.

Plus, if what Adrien had said earlier was to be believed, then she felt morally obligated to figure out what exactly was going on with Félix, since he appeared—for all intents and purposes—to be seriously Going Through It.

Her mind made up, Marinette forged onward through the woods.

-x-

Her indecisiveness meant that by the time she arrived, the party was already in full swing.

Both the inside and outside of the house were completely packed with people, which really should not have come as much of a surprise. The Agreste boys were celebrities after all, and usually notoriously hard to gain access to. They had never once thrown a party, so tonight everyone had come out—practically frothing at the mouth to get a glimpse at life behind the walls that for so long had kept their prying eyes out.

Marinette had to fight her way to the kitchen, searching for Adrien and Félix among the wall-to-wall crowds of people. Despite how loud the music was, she still managed to pick out a familiar voice over the din, coming from the other side of the great room.

She stood on her tiptoes, trying to peer through the mob.

One glance was all it took to confirm her suspicions. Although his back was to her, Marinette would know that silhouette and the cadence of that voice anywhere. Adrien sat on one of the white couches in the centre of the room, his arms slung casually over the backrest as he entertained the large group of people that had gathered around him. He must have been regaling them with some sort of amusing anecdote because at that moment they all burst into laughter, their enthusiasm carrying quite easily across the distance.

It was then that Marinette noticed another blonde head, tucked cozily under Adrien’s arm, all but cuddled up against his side.

Chloe turned, meeting her stare head-on.

She couldn’t get a clear read on the other girl’s facial expression from where she was standing, but she could see how the blonde leaned in, whispering something in Adrien’s ear. Whatever she said caused him to straighten, the crowd parting immediately around him as he pushed to his feet.

For a moment, Marinette’s heart swelled with hope. Maybe Adrien was coming over to speak with her, to reassure her that things wouldn’t be weird between them forever, and that they would eventually be able to return to being friends.

She watched him slip out of the room, sparing nary a glance over his shoulder.

Or maybe not.

Undeterred, Marinette hurried after him, trying to keep his blonde hair and rapidly disappearing back in her line of sight. She lost him at the last second though, her view suddenly becoming obstructed when someone stepped directly into her path.

Or perhaps staggered would have been a more apt description.

“Ah, Marinette. Just the person I was looking for.”

Marinette looked up. And up. And then up some more, until at last, she met a pair of very familiar blue eyes.

For the first time in her life, she—Marinette Dupain-Cheng—gazed into Félix Agreste’s eyes and felt nothing but abject disappointment at the realization that he was standing before her in the flesh.

Oh, how the turntables… She mused, her lips twisting wryly.

“Glad to see you made it to my party,” Félix leaned towards her, swaying slightly on his feet as he did so. “Are you having fun?”

If she hadn’t been able to tell he was drunk based on his movements, his words all but confirmed it. Although his attempt at small talk sounded perfectly polite and welcoming, the fact that it was coming from Félix Agreste’s mouth made it seem more like an alien had taken possession of his body than anything.

“As I understand it, parties are supposed to be something that most people traditionally enjoy. Although I feel that the sex, drugs, and alcohol may be significant contributing factors. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Marinette stared at him in disbelief.

Make that a very inebriated alien—one that obviously had yet to figure out the whole ‘normal human interaction’ thing.

“There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you, if you would allow me—” Someone bumped into his arm then, causing his drink to slosh all over his wrist. Félix did not appear to notice.

“Lord above, I so do not have time for this,” she muttered, tuning him out as she craned her neck to see around him, trying to figure out which way Adrien had gone.

But he was nowhere to be seen, having long since been swallowed by the crowd.

“Damnit,” Marinette cursed.

“What?” Félix hollered, having obviously missed what she‘d said thanks to the near-deafening level of the music. She winced. Had someone turned the volume up? At this point, her parents could probably feel the subwoofer rattling the dishes in their cupboards.

Her hopes of catching up to Adrien dashed, Marinette turned the full force of her attention back to Félix, giving him a perfunctory once over. His eyes were bloodshot, and everything from his clothes to the stubble she could just make out on his chin made him look… older. In a rumpled, worn down sort of way.

“Wow, you look like shit,” Marinette blurted out, as stunned by the realization as she was to hear herself saying it out loud. And judging by Félix’s raised eyebrows, he was equally as surprised to hear her speaking so plainly.

“Uh, thanks…?” He blinked at her as she took the drink from his hand, taking one sniff of it and scrunching her nose in disgust.

“How many of these have you had?”

“A few.” He avoided her eye.

Marinette leaned to the side, dumping the contents of his cup into one of the many decorative plants lining the hallway.

“Hey!” One second too late—hello, delayed reaction time—Félix tried to grab it back from her, but she pulled away, easily dodging his uncoordinated swipe.

“Félix, please know that what I’m about to say, I say with all of the love in my heart,” Marinette took a deep breath in, before levelling him with a glare.

“Get your shit together. You agreed to host this party—” because apparently we are living in the Twilight Zone now, she had the decency not to voice that part aloud, “—which means that you are responsible for all of the people here. Regardless of whatever you might be going through at the moment, now is not the time to be boozing on the job. Drink some water and sober up!” She punctuated her statement with a firm poke to his chest.

Under any other circumstances, Marinette might have been embarrassed by the fact that she was publicly scolding Félix Agreste like he was a puppy that had just peed on the carpet. But he was an eighteen going on nineteen-year-old soon-to-be university student—practically a grown-ass man—which meant that he should know better than to act like an irresponsible tool.

And so, she resolved, she would not feel bad, even if he did look a bit blindsided at being so thoroughly reprimanded.

Giving him a conciliatory pat on the arm, Marinette left Félix standing amongst the house plants, blinking down at his empty glass forlornly.

Then she turned her sights on locating his wayward brother.

A task that proved to be far more labour-intensive than she would have previously thought, based on the way she’d been at this infernal game of cat and mouse for what felt like hours. Adrien, as it turned out, was infuriatingly hard to pin down when he didn’t want to be found.

Marinette would finally track him down in some far-off corner of the house—often surrounded by gaggles of giggling girls, she was irritated to note—only for him to somehow become alerted to her presence and flee the room before she could close in.

Initially, she’d been inclined to write the first few instances off as coincidences. After all, there was no way Adrien would be as petty as to go out of his way to avoid her. Right?

Wrong, Marinette thought, glaring daggers at the back of his head as she watched him dart through yet another doorway, deftly squeezing past people’s shoulders. Slippery little bastard.

Adrien had either developed some latent and extremely irksome psychic ability, or he had an entire network of people conspiring to help him elude her.

“That. Is. IT!” Marinette growled menacingly, the people around her backing away slowly; content to give her a wide berth as she stomped out of the room.

Luckily for her—and unluckily for Adrien—she had now begun to figure out his system, recognizing the subconscious pattern he was following. Whenever he would spot her somewhere—whether it was upstairs, downstairs, inside, or outside—he had a tendency to flee in the exact opposite direction, bouncing back and forth from one side of the house to the other like a demented game of human pinball.

Therefore, it stood to reason that if she laid her trap in the middle of the house, she would have the highest chance of success.

A theory that was about to be put to the test, judging by the head of blonde hair currently bobbing towards her.

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? There went Romeo, cutting swiftly across the foyer, glancing behind him as though he expected to find the hounds of hell tearing up the polished wood floor at his heels.

Marinette watched him scan the crowd warily, making a break for the end of the hall once he realized the coast was clear. Her chest throbbed, a sharp stab of pain shooting through her at the all but incontrovertible proof that Adrien was indeed avoiding her.

And with the pain came a rising wave of anger.

Not yet… She shifted her weight, bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation.

Adrien moved closer, blissfully unaware of the predator lying in wait in the wings.

She would need to time her trap perfectly, when he was the exact right distance away. She stared until her eyes began to burn. Almost there…

When he came within arm’s length, she sprang.

NOW.

Reaching out, Marinette grabbed onto his arm and yanked with all of her strength, dragging him bodily into her hiding spot. She knew Adrien had her beat when it came to weight and height advantages, so she needed to catch him off-guard; the efficacy of her plan entirely reliant upon the element of surprise.

“WAAAGH!” Adrien bellowed, startled and off balance. His wide green eyes rolled in his head as he tried to figure out what was happening, no doubt confused about suddenly finding himself under siege.

She felt the moment recognition dawned; his body relaxing infinitesimally as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.

He stiffened anew, however, when her hand came to rest over his mouth.

“Shh!” Marinette shushed him, peering through the foliage over her shoulder to see if anyone had noticed his sudden disappearing act. Thankfully everyone was either too drunk or stoned to care, and those that weren’t wouldn’t have been able to hear his ungodly hollering over the pulsating bass beat anyway.

She turned back to him, slowly removing her hand from his mouth when she was certain he had no intention of continuing his caterwauling.

Adrien inhaled deeply, his chest expanding under the arm she still had pressed against him. He appeared to be trying to gather his wits.

“Care to explain to me why exactly we are now having clandestine meetings in dark corners?” He eyed their surroundings, looking distinctly unimpressed. “Even though I know for a fact you’re not after my virtue, this little rendezvous in the plants might give other people the wrong idea.”

Whoever had designed the Agreste’s summer home had clearly been a burgeoning botanist, because they’d filled just about every corner and cranny in the house with green, growing things. There were large, leafy plants strategically placed along both the main and upper floors, and thanks to the tall ceilings and windows that let in an abundance of natural light, some of them had grown broad enough to hide even a grown human under their boughs.

Or two in their case.

Ignoring his jibe, Marinette decided to cut to the quick, not bothering to waste any time with pleasantries.

“That’s pretty rich coming from the guy who’s spent the better part of tonight avoiding me,” she threw his unimpressed look back at him tenfold. “You’ll have to forgive me for my methods, Monseigneur Agreste. Apparently, employing guerilla warfare tactics is the only way I can pin you down long enough to speak to me anymore.”

Adrien had the decency to look shame-faced. It didn’t last long though—all signs of discomfiture disappearing behind a wall of ice, his expression turning stony.

“Well, excuse me for wanting to keep myself occupied and out of the way… I thought for sure you’d be on the prowl, too busy hunting to pay little old me any mind.”

The word ‘hunting’ fell from his lips heavy with a meaning Marinette wasn’t sure she cared for all that much. Adrien sized her up, his green eyes cool and dark as they raked over her features, starting at the top of her head and moseying slowly downwards, right to the tips of her sandal-clad toes.

It was all she could do not to shrink from his gaze.

This wasn’t the same kind of appreciative look he had given her in the past; the kind that sent her heart racing and her skin tingling with pleasant little zaps. This one left her feeling hollowed-out and exposed, as though Adrien had seen straight through to the very core of her being, and whatever he’d found there, he didn’t particularly like.

“How is my brother, by the way?”

Hating his snide tone of voice and the vulnerable feeling it gave her, Marinette crossed her arms, side-stepping his question as she fired right back at him. “Oh, you’ve definitely been keeping yourself occupied all right. I saw you entertaining your legions of adoring fangirls in the living room earlier. Great job looking torn up about our breakup! We’re really selling the fantasy.” She forced a laugh, tasting the bitterness on her tongue. “At this rate, no one’s going to believe you ever liked me at all.”

Now it was Adrien’s turn to shrink back, her words landing with unexpected force. Marinette’s stomach sank, the guilt lodging itself like rocks in her abdomen even as she cursed herself for it. He was the one who had hurt her by treating her like a leper. So what if he was looking at her like she’d just told him she accidentally ran over his new kitten? She had no reason to feel bad.

So why was she having such a hard time meeting his eyes?

The corners of Adrien’s mouth were pulled down, little frown lines etching themselves between his brows. Even still, he was so beautiful Marinette felt her heart swell, pressing against the underside of her breastbone with a painful sort of longing. She wanted to reach out and smooth the creases from his brow, tracing the line of his jaw first with her fingers, then slowly with her lips. She wanted to leave her mark on even the deepest parts of him, the way he had indelibly imprinted himself on her.

She wanted, she wanted, she wanted.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

Adrien bristled, his hurt giving way to anger in the space between one blink and the next.

“I hope you have a good plan for impressing my brother because you certainly didn’t come dressed for the part.” His teeth flashed in the dimness, lips pulled back in a cruel facsimile of a smile. “If your intention was to woo him in shorts and an old t-shirt, then I’m sorry to say you’ll have to do way better.” Her jaw slackening, Marinette gaped at him, uncertain whether she was bothered more by the petty insults, or by the fact that it was Adrien who was lobbing them at her. Never before had he stooped so low.

Marinette felt her tenuous grip on reality slipping, the foundations of the world as she knew it shifting beneath her.

Oblivious to her inner turmoil—or perhaps relishing in it—Adrien leaned in close, his hair tickling the side of her face as he backed her up against the wall. The warmth and scent of his body wrapped around her, intoxicating and irresistible at this proximity. Marinette couldn’t help but lean into him, craving the physical contact even as his attitude repelled her. Anyone passing by them right now would probably assume they were two lovers taking advantage of the dense greenery to share a private moment, wrapped up in one another and off in their own little world.

Yet there was nothing of love or tenderness in their embrace, or in Adrien’s eyes as he delivered one final parting shot.

“Make sure you put on a good show,” he murmured, his lips lingering by the shell of her ear for just a fraction of a second too long to be unintentional.

And then he was gone, robbing her of the warmth of his body and any chance at a response.

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Marinette slumped back against the wall, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. She stayed there for several minutes, waiting for the jelly-like feeling in her legs to pass. She had never expected Adrien to behave like this—like she was somehow betraying him by continuing to pursue his brother. It wasn’t like this was anything new or unexpected. He had known from the very beginning that this was her plan, and now he knew about her promise to his mother as well. Which meant that Adrien should, more than anyone, understand why this was something she had to do. Regardless of whether she really wanted to or not.

Marinette stared up through the leaves, searching for some kind of divine signal or message in the rafters.

But all she was left with was the thrum of the party around her, and a niggling voice at the back of her head that wondered why—if she knew what she was doing was right—she still felt like the bad guy.

-x-

#ml fanfic #miraculous ladybug #adrienette #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste #adrinette #ml fic #miraculous fanfic #ml fic recs #no miraculous au #ml fanworks #ml brothers au #childhood friends au #ongoing fic #hypothetically ever after

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