#also rip Clara I don’t have anything against her and but I truly think they brought out the ‘worst’ in each other | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

snow-leopard-7772point0 · 4 years

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I'll Change My Crown, from Light to Dark

The akuma landed on Marinette's windowsill, the girl not even noticing as she sat in the tattered remnants of her designs. Luckily she had dropped off most of her completed works the day before to be delivered to the appropriate patrons, though everything she had yet to send off was ripped, cut, burned, there wasn't a scrap of cloth that was usable for anything but as a guide for buying more. Her sketchbook was in shreds on the floor, paper scattered like confetti over the remaining slivers of all her hard work.

The akuma danced in place. It's master was urging it to go forward, to possess the girl, but… there were so many objects to choose from! Should it just possess the entire room? The sewing machine? One little scrap of fabric? A piece of paper? What about her emotions? This butterfly had made some of the strongest akumas to date, though the strength behind her feelings was astromically larger than any other person they had targeted. The little insect itself was slightly afraid to act as a bridge for her. It finally flew forward, choosing the scraps of the dress the girl had been making herself for the Wayne gala.

Marinette froze when her emotions intensified, hearing Hawkmoth cooing in her ear. "Greetings, Mistress Hawthorne. They all accuse you of being the bully, of being a liar, never paying attention to the proof you give them. They destroyed your designs, your livelihood, and expect to get away scott free. I'm giving you the ability to turn all your ruined dreams into hawthorn bushes that force people to see the truth, whether they can accept it or not. No more hiding behind lies or masks, everyone will have to be honest and pay for their crimes. All I ask in return is for Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous."

"I refuse, Hawkmoth "

The villain froze for a second. Only one other person had ever resisted him so easily, and that was due to her love for Ladybug. Nothing about Marinette Dupain-Cheng screamed that she truly cared for the heroes, so why would she resist? He was giving her the perfect way to get revenge! If he didn't fear that it would give the heroes a clue to his identity, he wouldn't have even asked for the Miraculous for this offence! "Why do you refuse? Imagine how great it will feel, trapping them in their castle with your thorns until the truth comes out!"

"Oh, make no mistake, revenge will be divine. But I'm already looking at little to no sleep for the foreseeable future so that I can press charges against them, email all my patrons whose clothes were destroyed about the delay, buy all the fabric to remake their outfits, and get my own dress together for the Wayne gala. Luckily I'm not starting completely over with it, their mindless destruction gave me an idea for my dress, but there is still much to do. I have no time to become an akuma, I have to get to work immediately, and it will be tomorrow before my classmates are all in the same place again."

"What… what if I didn't ask for the Miraculous in return, and you miss a few days of school to get everything completed?

"While missing school may become a necessity before everything is over and done with, I still have much to do. It would take far too long to force the truth out of Lila Rossi, and I am uncertain if Ladybug's Miracle Cure would erase any progress I made on designing as an akuma. You seem like a reasonable businessman, I'm sure you understand."

"Ah, yes, I do, actually. Cut me some slack here, I've been trying to akumatize you for over a year now! What kind of cloth are you cut from?"

"A different kind from my classmates. I refuse to stoop to their level. Besides, I have pride in the fact that I am not helpless, and the costumes I see akumatized people in are atrocious. Please have a nice day, but I do need to get to work."

"I-very well then. Good luck. Please at least make your classmates suffer."

Marinette's smirk alone was fuel to create a fear-based akuma. "They'll pay. But on my terms." The purple butterfly left her dress, and Marinette caught herself as she slumped to the floor. Resisting Hawkmoth had taken much more out of her than she had anticipated.

⏳

Gabriel rose from the underground room, surprising Nathalie. "Sir, surely she didn't-"

"No, Nathalie, she didn't loose. She didn't even accept my offer. I even offered to not require the Miraculous this time, but she still refused. Her mental strength is highly admirable, especially when her guard is at its lowest. She would be a great asset to us."

"In what manner?"

"Any way I can get her. She is one of the best designers I have seen in a long time, especially at her age. I caught a glimpse of her revenge plan when my akuma possessed her and it was astoundingly terrible, and she is kind and independent enough to make an amazing daughter."

"Sir, kidnapping is illegal."

"I don't have to kidnap her, I'll throw Adrien at her." Gabriel started to wave his hand in dismissal, then noticed the look on Nathalie's face.

"Sir, I think you should watch the rest of this." Nathalie walked forward, bringing up the video from earlier. Gabriel had only watched a second of it before rushing to his butterflies, it was easy to recognize the girl's room by her designs. He'd been gunning for her since she lied to him to help keep Adrien in school and made the feathered hat. Her spirit and dedication let him know that she could be a great ally or terrible enemy. She didn't (yet) have the money or power to come after Gabriel Agreste on her own, but he was certain that the girl was being considered for a Miraculous. He knew she didn't already have one, she hadn't responded to Miracle Queen, after all, but several of her classmates had used one. He actually paid attention to the video this time, watching all the way through. The first people seen on camera were the blogger girl and Lila Rossi, several other classmates cropping up through the video. He didn't notice Timebreaker, Evilillstrator, or the Bourgeois girl, though he did see his own son halfway through the recording, happily cutting at a gown that had been carefully beaded with a hawthorn pattern with a pair of scissors, cutting off the beads and chunks of fabric.

Gabriel's frown deepened. "Cut all ties to Lila Rossi immediately. We will be making a public apology, telling the public that we did not know of her abhorrent tendencies, nor did we expect her to pull Adrien into her schemes. Adrien will be appropriately punished, and we will offer Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng compensation for the destruction of her property, along with a small team of designers that will know to make every stitch to her preference, no matter their opinion on the piece."

"Of course, sir. How would you like to make your statement to the public?"

"Call that news anchor, Najda Chamack, and ask her to come here. I will speak to her in person as soon as she is available. I also want the apology posted to every social media outlet we use, including our official website."

"Sir, is this not overkill? This isn't Audrey Bourgeois."

Gabriel glared at Nathalie. "No, she is not. She designs for more famous people than Audrey does. She is the main designer for the Wayne gala this year. Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, Tsurugi Tomoe, even the Wayne's commissioned her work. All of her designs are paid for in a split payment plan, the money for the materials is required upfront while the rest of the payment can wait until after the person received their design to make sure it is what they want. That means there will very likely be several highly influential individuals and families gunning for us because of Rossi and my son."

Nathalie paled. She hadn't imagined that the small girl who stumbled and stuttered every time she saw her would have that kind of power backing her. Everyone knew that the girl had Jagged Stone backing her, MDC was his main designer for everything and anyone who personally met the girl and the rocker knew who MDC was, especially since they were supposed to have their identity reveal at the Wayne gala. Jagged Stone by himself would be bad and the company would take a hit, though she was positive Marinette would stop him before he went too far. But with so many others working with Jagged… Gabriel (the company) would not survive.

"I will get everything arranged." Nathalie quickly left the office.

⏳

Marinette's first order of business was to email all of the clients affected by her classmates's actions. She informed them that they did not need to worry, as she was suing all the students for the costs of what they destroyed- not just materials, but labor as well, and would be buying new material for their clothes out of her own pocket until she got retribution. She also informed them that their orders would come in slightly later than planned, though not by much. Clara, Jagged, Kagami and her mother, and the Wayne's all responded to her email with assurances that things happened and to take her time. Bruce Wayne offered to delay the gala so that she would have plenty of time to rectify the situation, though she was quick to assure him that it was not necessary.

Her next order of business was cleanup. She collected every scrap of fabric big enough to make so much as a small patch or strip and sat them in a small box next to where her personal dress was. Everything else was collected and thrown in the trash. She dug out her receipts for all the fabrics destroyed, including the fabrics for projects intended for her classmates. She quickly pulled up the video Alya had posted, writing down who destroyed what. She matched the fabrics to the people, then calculated the time she would have spent on each piece. She reviewed the video one more time, noticing that none of the art students, including Chloè, were in the video. Though it was to be expected. The whole class knew how important all art was to the art students; those students would have stopped them if they were in the know. Chloè was not only in the art club, but also still exiled from the class, though her relationship with Marinette had gone from bully to ally. They still weren't friends, but they stuck together against most of the class, only Nathaniel and Alix leaving them alone. The class may have had five braincells in the entire room, Chloè, Marinette, Alix, and Nathaniel each having one all to themselves while the rest of the class, including Madame Bustier, shared the other one, but they used that one braincell to know who could be brought in on a scheme like this.

Marinette had just finished calculating who she would she for what and was on her way to buy fabrics when her phone rang. She grabbed it as she opened her hatch, activating her recording app as she answered. "Hello?"

"Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, it has come to my attention that Adrien Agreste and Lila Rossi have vandalized your property. Lila Rossi has already been terminated and Adrien will face suitable punishment for his actions. I wish for you to come by the manor at your earliest convenience for us to discuss payment."

"If you're free now, I was just about to head out."

"Of course. I'll send a car for you."

"Merci, Monsieur Agreste." Marinette pocketed her phone and made copies of the expenses each of her classmates would be charged. She had no way of knowing where, exactly, Gabriel Agreste stood, but she refused to leave anything to chance. The original, along with the receipts, was stored in her diary box while one copy was left on her desk and another found its home in her purse. She stopped by the kitchen to inform her parents that she was headed to the Agreste Manor and would explain later before walking out to wait on the car.

⏳

Adrien was smiling after school. He had never realized how freeing it was to tear clothes apart, especially clothes made by someone who refused to listen to him. Marinette deserved everything she got, plus some. He wondered what of hers he could destroy next.

He was surprised when he returned home to see his father glaring at him from in front of the stairwell. "We need to have a talk, son." The designer's voice promised pain. "About your friends and actions today."

Adrien stared at his father, confused. "Why? What happened?"

Gabriel growled. "Nathalie."

"Sir?"

"Show him the video, then leave us to our discussion."

"Yes sir." Nathalie quickly pulled up the video of the class destroying Marinette's designs and held the tablet out to Adrien before taking her leave.

Adrien watched the video, unable to understand what had angered his father. "Do you understand what you have done?" Gabriel demanded.

Adrien shrugged. "I got payback. She wouldn't listen to me when I told her to lay low, so I decided to help the class teach her a lesson."

Gabriel coldly glared at his son. "You have cost me over a thousand dollars just in the hours that girl put into her work. That does not include the cost of the materials, deformation of private property, or potential unlawful entry and vandalism charges. How do you know that Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng is not currently an akuma gunning for your head? Or that her clients aren't going to press charges? Her clientele could ruin your entire class, your entire school, with a single phone call."

Adrien scoffed. "She doesn't have that many big clients. Just Jagged Stone. And Marinette can't get akumatized. She's too stubborn to listen to anyone."

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Adrien, I'll tell you this as your classmate is revealing it in less than a month. Marinette Dupain-Cheng has been taking the world of fashion by storm while using her initials, MDC. Only certain celebrities and rich people know who she is, mainly people she has worked or designed for. Jagged Stone is the first and main one, yes. But Clara Nightingale has been using her more and more. MDC is the main designer for the Wayne gala, not only Monsieur Stone and Mademoiselle Nightingale commissioning her, but the Tsurugi family and the Wayne family, along with several friends and supporters of the four families. Aubrey Bourgeois supports her, perhaps even more than she supports me, and I have admired several of her pieces done for contests."

Blood began to drain from Adrien's face, though Gabriel doubted that the boy fully understood anything yet. "Her mother's best friend is Najda Chamack, and Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng babysits her child. Her uncle is a famous chef who loves his family dearly, especially since his great niece learned Mandarin to be able to talk to him and help him with his French. Alix Kubdel is friends with Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, and also comes from a respectable family- as well as Chloè Bourgeois becoming her ally after she helped with her mother. Not to mention that the Dupain-Cheng family is not hurting for money, as they are the best and most popular bakery in Paris. They get orders from all over the city, plus serve at almost every party that has edible food. You attacked the livelihood of one of the most powerful children in Paris. Not only that, but you destroyed the property of some of the most prolific people in the world." Adrien's face had lost all traces of blood, though Gabriel did not expect it to be from shame. No, his son was afraid because he had been caught. "You will not return to school until Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng has revealed herself as MDC to the world, nor will you have access to any of your social media, messages, or phone. You may return to being homeschooled. I shall have to reassess the situation at a later date. If I do allow you to return to school, it will not be François-DuPont. You will drop contact with your current classmates. You are dismissed." Gabriel turned from his son, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

⏳

Marinette was escorted straight to Gabriel's office upon arrival. The man shook her hand before gesturing for her to take a seat. "Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, my assistant showed me the video of what your classmates did. My sincerest apologies. I assure you that my son is currently being punished and Mademoiselle Rossi's contract has been terminated. I also wanted to offer you compensation for your loss as well as a team of designers that will follow your instructions to the last stitch."

Marinette eyed the elder Agreste. "What do you want in return?"

Gabriel blinked at the girl. He knew she was smart, though he hadn't expected her to ask that. "For this? Nothing. My son deserves every lawsuit you draw up. I remember what it was like when I was first starting my company; something like this would have been devistating."

"Well, Monsieur, covering everything will not be necessary. I have already calculated the damages each student did and how much they owe for it. I am not holding you responsible for the actions of any of my classmates, not even Agreste or Rossi. I'm sure you have paid your son for working for you," Marinette felt viciously victorious when he nodded, "in which case he should be able to pay for damages himself. The same holds true for Rossi; she was a contract model for your company and was paid as such. They should both be able to afford my work- custom or not."

"Might I see what you've drawn up? I heard from Aubrey that you have a tendency to undercharge for your work, and, as you just said, my son and former employee should be able to afford your work. The beaded dress my son ruined, for example, should cost twenty-five hundred dollars, bare minimum. I would charge much more than that, especially with how much work is put behind hand-beading." Marinette could do nothing but gape at her childhood idol. She had been expecting a bribe, a threat, something to try to protect his son.

She pulled the paper out of her purse when he raised an eyebrow, pulling the video up on her phone. "Césaire was stupid enough to put her phone in the corner where I could track everyone's movements, and I can figure everything out if I can get Markov. I figured out who destroyed what and calculated what they owe from there. I don't know who picked the lock to the upper floors, or to my room, though my money's on either Césaire or Rossi. Césaire's obsessed with being a great reporter while Rossi is a liar and a thief. Harleprè, Lavaillant, Bruel, Couffaine, and Lahiffe owe the least, they didn't do much. They just ripped a few pages out of my sketchbook. Raincompx, le Chein, Césaire, Rossi, Agreste, and Kantè did the most damage, and so will face the bigger lawsuits. I have already contacted my clients and informed them of the slight delay. Your team of designers, while most appreciated, will not be necessary. It shouldn't take me more than a few days to recreate the Wayne's suits and send them off, I sent the dresses yesterday. Jagged and Clara will both be in Paris next week and can stop by my house to pick up their outfits and have a final fitting. I can easily deliver the Tsurugi chensogams to their home. That covered everyone that had their outfits for the gala destroyed. I had finished the majority of them yesterday and done the final checks before sending them off. I was supposed to send the Wayne suits off today, though that plan was foiled. I was lucky that I went ahead and finished my commissions rather than more personal projects. Most of what got destroyed were projects my classmates requested of me rather than important works."

"Are you positive you don't want help? At least on your beaded dress?"

Marinette pulled up pictures of what she had. "I have several different scraps of colors, most of them either on the darker end of the spectrum or metalic, from the works they destroyed. I'm going to use those scraps from my other works to make a pair of wings on the back of the dress, the colors getting darker the further down they go and metalic fabrics making the outline of the wings."

Gabriel considered the dress. "You'll look like a fallen angel. I hope you're still planning on charging my son the full amount for the dress."

"Most definitely. There will be some alterations I make besides the wings, putting some pieces back together, cutting or tearing others, partially rebeading sections, I have some work to put in. Your son added to my work load when it was already full, he personally destroyed not only my dress but Jagged and Penny's outfits as well. Might I know what punishment he is suffering?"

"So you can plan revenge accordingly?" Gabriel questioned. He sighed at her innocent expression. "He will no longer attend François-DuPont. He will basically be under house arrest for everything except shoots until after the gala. I am undecided as to whether he shall go to another school or be permanently homeschooled. He is not allowed any contact with his former classmates nor access to social media or his phone. So if you wish to strike, do it right after a photo shoot. You can do it before or during as long as you don't ruin the clothes on display."

Marinette's grin was pure evil. "Don't worry, Monsieur Agreste. I have too much respect for the work designers put into their work to be so crass. Will Agreste still practice fencing with Kagami?"

"I shall allow it on a trial basis."

"Very well. It was nice meeting with you, Monsieur Agreste, but I must take my leave. I have too much to do before I traumatize, I mean get payback, I mean revenge, wait, no, deal with my classmates after the gala. But before I go… You wouldn't happen to know anyone that would be able to teach me how to, how should I phrase this… I guess basically be an Ice Queen?"

Gabriel smirked. "Actually, my nephew, Felix Graham de Vanily, will be at the gala. He's a model from England, and many consider him an Ice King. He'd be a great teacher." And perhaps potential mate to bring you into the family. I wonder how many love akumas it would take to get you two together… perhaps Adrien needs a good influence his age around the Manor…

Marinette slightly felt as though she had signed her future away, though that was ridiculous so she simply thanked Gabriel before leaving.

⏳

The next few days flew by in a rush of designing and lawyers. The lawyers her parents got were more than willing to come to the bakery and talk to Marinette as she sewed, especially since she had eyeballed them and given them all scarves and beanies the next time they were there. Marinette didn't bother to pay attention in Bustier's class, electing to nap instead. She was awake for Mendeleiev's classes, though. She liked her dragon-like teacher as the woman actually taught her students. She managed to finish her clients' clothes with time to spare, having gotten so used to designing for Jagged, Penny, and Clara that very few adjustments needed to be made. A couple Wayne suits had come back with notes on where they needed to be adjusted and how, and those were shipped back out that same day. Her own dress took until the last minute, Marinette completely finishing it, including adjustments, the day before she was set to leave for the gala. She would be staying with Jagged and Penny in the Wayne Manor for the two weeks she was to be there, a week before the gala and a week after. Her classmates's parents were horrified to hear what their children had done, making sure the kids paid every penny of what Marinette was suing for without even going to court. Alix and Nathaniel had nearly gotten in trouble with their families, though Marinette was quick to personally visit and explain things. Apparently the other families had contacted the Kurtzburg's and Kubdel's about the scandal with the children, no one noticing that some of the children weren't involved.

She already had her traveling designing kit packed so that she could make sure the Wayne's outfits all fit properly. Chloè and Kagami were traveling with her, determined to make sure their former rival was well taken care of while their parents took care of the hotel. Jagged was fuming beside Marinette whole they rode through Gotham, the girl talking to her friends.

"So, Mari-hime, you told me that you would explain what was going on if Adrien refused to before we left."

Marinette gave Kagami a highly stressed smile. "I think watching the video would explain things better. I didn't want you to get akumatized because of me while we were in Paris."

"So you knew Adrien would refuse to tell me what crime he committed against you. What video?"

Marinette pulled it up on her tablet. "For the record, I simply suspected that he would keep his mouth shut. Though Monsieur Agreste is making sure that his interactions with anyone besides himself, Madame Sancouer, and his bodyguard are highly limited." She passed Kagami the tablet, Chloè leaning over to watch it with her.

The Japanese girl dropped the tablet in her lap as she watched, clenching her fists so hard that her palms bled. "How- how dare that baka! They all have no honor! They should meet my blade!"

"Kagami. Calm down. I have it handled. I want you and Chloè to teach me how to be a vengeful Ice Queen while we're here. Monsieur Agreste suggested talking to his nephew for lessons as well. By the time I'm back in Paris, I don't want our classmates to be able to recognize me. I already have some revenge planned, the wheels for those are already in motion. I messaged the Césaire and Lahiffe families to inform the entire family that I will be unable to babysit for them for the foreseeable future. Ambassador Rossi has a request in her inbox to visit the school while we are gone, as Rossi's classmates would love to hear about what it's like to be an ambassador. The le Chein family was sent a list of tutors for their son's failing grades, unfortunately all those tutors work at the same time as mandatory swim practice. I sent Luka a copy of the video, so Kitty Section is about to loose their lead guitarist so that he can learn under my dear uncle. Agreste will be facing a startling amount of bad luck for a good chunk of time whilst loosing all of his beloved friends. By the time I am finished, even Hawkmoth won't want to work with them."

Chloè stared at her friend. "Did you really just say 'whilst?' Who hurt you? I just want to talk."

Jagged continued to sulk. "She won't even let me send my rockin followers after those bloody rats. She's only letting me steal away a new guitarist!"

"Because I have everything planned out. And Agreste will become even more isolated once we return. No matter what I say, Kagami is going to duel him to the, figurative, death before informing him of her distaste for him and his actions."

Kagami mock glared at Marinette. "So what if I do? He deserves it. He deserves much worse. But how will he become more isolated? I will still be sparring with him twice a week."

"A person is more isolated surrounded by people that don't care about them than all on their own. Yes, you will physically be there. But your obvious emotional distance will leave him more isolated than him being stuck in his room all day."

Chloè stared at her new friend. "Where was all this evil cunningness when I was your bully?"

Marinette smirked. "I had a wake-up call. Césaire, ironically, taught me that it's okay to stand up for myself, and Hawkmoth helped release a part of me I had blocked out."

"What? Were you akumatized? How did I not know?" Chloè demanded.

Marinette waved her hand dismissively. "It was a few days before we actually became friends, and he didn't manage to akumatize me. He possessed my dress, but I refused to work with him. Apparently he's wanted to akumatize me for a while, but I'm good at forcing myself to calm down."

"What was he going to call you?" Chloè was highly excited to finally have someone who knew what it was like to fully resist Hawkmoth. Not calm down before the butterfly reached them, not resist for a second before giving in, but fully resist the man.

"Mistress Hawthorne." Marinette laughed. "I was going to have the ability to turn my ruined dreams into hawthorn bushes that would trap everyone in their castle and force them to see the truth." Marinette had to stop, she was laughing so hard. "I told him no, and he was so shocked that he only argued for a second before wishing me luck with revenge!"

Jagged continued to sulk through the teens laughter, refusing to give in. He wanted to crush those bloody teens. No one gets away with hurting his niece.

⏳

As soon as she arrived at the manor and had her bags unpacked, Marinette began tracking down the Wayne's, one by one, and dragging them back to her room with their suits or dresses, forcing them to put them on so that she could fully alter them to her preference. Dick was scared of the tiny Asian girl that slung him over her shoulder before grabbing his suit and forcing him to come with her when he hesitated and then worked silently, ignoring his attempts at friendship. He was so scared of her that he sprinted the other direction the first time he saw Kagami. Jason and Bruce both wanted to adopt the girl- she blended in perfectly with their family, and Jason had witnessed both, the girl's kidnapping of his brother and Dick running away from Kagami. He had to respect someone who could instill more fear than Demon Spawn himself, and Bruce wanted to cultivate that talent until he got a Nightingale. Damian and Cass both respected the girl for her professionalism and silence (and word of her traumatizing Dick had already spread through the manor). Tim instantly fell in love with the girl, as she asked him if he wanted coffee or tea while they were doing his fitting, as he looked dead on his feet (he did not choose both or cry tears of joy, and no one can prove to Alfred that he did). Selina purred at the amount of pure chaos she could feel pouring off of the girl, even with her suppressing it while she worked. She needed a kitten. Bruce already had his litter, it was her turn. Kor'i bounced in place the whole time, trying not to inturupt the girl as she adjusted her glorious creation.

Jagged disappeared with Bruce after his fitting, explaining to the billionaire what Marinette had been going through, even showing him the video of her work getting destroyed, before asking for his help to get revenge. He explained Marinette's known plans, and the rocker and vigilante began planning around hers, using their collective contacts and knowledge to open the class's wounds even deeper.

Dinner that night was chaos. Jason, Selina, Bruce, and Jagged were in a constant argument, with Penny occasionally interjecting, that abruptly cut off any time Marinette drew near, she was only able to catch the words adoption and revenge, Kagami and Cass spent their time in silence, eyeing each other. Chloè didn't breathe while swapping between berating Dick and Tim for their fashion choices and interigating them about Gotham and its foreign student transfer policies. Damian scowled at everyone the entire time from his seat next to Marinette. Marinette did her best to emulate him, not noticing Dick slowly sliding his chair further and further away from her.

Damian decided he liked tolerated Marinette five days into her stay. Dick had been complaining to him and Jason about how much Asian girls scared him and Kor'i wanting them to live with them. Marinette had somehow heard his complaints and came storming up to them, cussing Dick out in a mixture of French, Mandarin, Arabic, Italian, and English. Damian did not know why that caused a blush to creep up his face, though he admired the way her accent curled around the words, making everything seem like a language all of its own.

Jason chuckled when she walked off. "That. That was the art of cussing at its finest. I'm getting Alfed and we're going to go teach my new little sister how to shoot guns. Angel's my favorite, you can all suck it." Jason walked off in the same direction the girl had left in. It didn't take but forty-two minutes for the sound of gunfire to echo around the house.

⏳

The night before the gala, the women in Wayne Manor gathered in Marinette's room. The night was spent coaching her on how to act and reveal her identity, both on the carpet and during the gala.

"Don't fret so much, kit." Selina advised. "You are a queen, act as such. Keep you head up and keep your cool. They'll all be tripping over themselves to speak to you, and you don't give them the time of day." Chloè nodded her agreement, even as Kagami objected.

"You're approachable and professional at the same time. Just let people see both sides of you."

The women continued to argue, Marinette finally escaping to talk to Alfred. She spent the night under his tutelage, learning all she could about presentation. The man finally ushered her off to bed. "You have a long day tomorrow. You will need sleep to get through it."

⏳

Once arriving at the gala, Marinette kept her head high as she glided down the carpet, the press quickly stopping her to ask if she was a new Wayne and what happened to her dress. "No." She offered a small smile to them. "I'm the designer MDC. The Wayne's hired me to design their suits, and were kind enough to offer their home to me and my aunt and uncle, even letting two of my best friends, Tsurugi Kagami and Chloè Bourgeois, spend the majority of their time with me at the Manor. My parents live in France, where I will be returning to in a weeks time. My room was broken into a few weeks ago, and some of my classmates ruined the outfits I had in there, including my dress. I decided to take what they did to my dress and use it as proof that nothing will bring me down. Excuse me, I need to go. I do not wish to keep my companions waiting." Marinette offered them a small bow before leaving them, giving the press a good look at the drooping angel wings sewn on the back of her dress.

"Angel," One of the reporters breathed, leading to a frenzy. MDC was announced to the world that night as Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Angel of Gotham.

⌛

Finding her group was easy, and it was almost just as easy to spot Felix, Gabriel's nephew. She grabbed Damian by his forearm, the boy too startled by her random action to react, and drug him over to the boy she assumed was Felix.

She tapped.the boy on his shoulder. "Excuse me, are you Felix?"

The boy gave a hesitant nod. "Great! I want the two of you to teach me as much as you can about being a vengeful Ice Queen."

Felix raised one eyebrow, looking between the girl and the scowling boy. "What do we get out of it?"

"You get to live with the knowledge that I am going to use your teachings to traumatize idiotic classmates and I can keep the girls from making passes at you, as you are already occupied with entertaining a lady."

The boys both quickly gave their consent, refusing to let the girl leave their side for even a moment the entirety of the gala. They were appeased enough with the girl that her lessons continued throughout the following week, the boys enchanted enough with her to seriously consider following her to Paris and watching her strike like a coiled viper.

⌛

When Marinette returned to school, she had changed. Not just in personality, no, she changed everything. Her personality (at school), her hairstyle, her clothes, everything was redone to fit who she had become. Flowy black pants, a black sleeveless top held up by a ribbon that wrapped around her neck, a red leather jacket loosley hung on her frame, and black boots could be seen under the pants.. Her gaze was frozen as it swept over the class. She was unsurprised to see Adrien sitting in his usual seat, Gabriel had informed her of his decision to place Adrien back in Bustier's class for the time being so that Marinette could teach him a lesson. Alix and Nathaniel had transfered out of the class as soon as they had learned of what the students had done, moving to Madame Mendeleiev's class. Chloè was also leaving, though she was transferring to Gotham after the week was up. She wanted that week to be able to watch the havoc Marinette would wreck on the class. Kagami had already decided to join the class, and Marinette spotted her in Nathaniel's old seat. She was not expecting to see Felix frowning next to Kagami, nor Damian smirking at the back of the blond's head. Thanks to those very boys, though, it was amazingly easy to hide her surprise. A smirk crawled its way across her face, even as she stepped far enough into the room that everyone could see her. She had timed her entrance perfectly. As soon as the class went to explode with praises and questions, the bell rang, Madame Bustier walking in and asking them to all take their seats. Marinette made sure her steps were conscice enough to make it seem as though she was gliding up the rows, refusing to shoot her classmates so much as a glance.

Lila walked into the room moments later, late, her gaze zeroing in on Felix. "Felibear! It's so nice to see you again!" She squealed, rushing up the steps.

Felix stopped her with a cold glare. "Do I know you?"

Alya glared at the blond. "How could you ask your girlfriend if you know her? Especially since everyone knows you transfered to François-DuPont for her!"

Felix looked scandalized. "I did no such thing! I came here on request of my uncle. There are very few people here that I know from previous endeavors."

Lila burst out into tears. "H-how could you treat me like this? At least my Damiboo didn't do this!"

"Damiboo?" Marinette asked. Clearly Bustier wasn't going to stop the girl.

"Oh, I forgot you weren't here!" A sly grin crawled across Lila's face. "I suppose Damiboo didn't speak to you the whole time you were in Gotham, otherwise you would have known I used to date Damian Wayne!" The girl boasted.

Marinette looked at the horrified expression on her deskmate's face, and began her countdown. "I would never date a harlot like you!" He burst out, unable to stop himself. The class turned to stare at him, then realized that he had been just ahead of Marinette when the Wayne's and Jagged Stone arrived at the gala.

A slow smirk crawled across Marinette's lips, erasing the smile she had given her friends. "Do tell, Lila. I would love to hear all about your relationship with the Wayne's. Or about you dating Felix here. Oh! What about your relationship with my uncle? Save any of his cats lately? Let's not forget Clara Nightingale! Since she steals her music and dance moves from you, perhaps we could get a preview for her next video?"

Adrien frowned at Marinette. She seemed… different. "Mari, don't be so mean! Your supposed to be our everyday Ladybug, the better-"

"Agreste, if example is the next word to come out of your mouth I will steal Chloè's six inch stiletto right off of her foot and shove it down your throat while I laugh at your struggles." Adrien's mouth snapped shut as he paled, the class staring at Marinette in shock.

"Marinette! That was uncalled for!" Madame Bustier frowned at the girl. Perhaps letting her go to Gotham was a mistake.

"Really, Madame Bustier? From where I'm sitting, it was perfectly called for. Agreste is not going to use my emotions to manipulate me into being the perfect placemat anymore. You are not going to manipulate me into being the perfect victim. I will no longer tolerate this class's treatment of me. Four people in this room have the authority to call me by a nickname. They know who they are. Four people have the ability to ask something of me. None of them were the ones that destroyed my sketchbook or commissions. None of them told me that I always have to be the better person and set an example for my classmates. I refuse to allow myself to be used any longer."

Alya glared at her friend as the rest of the class stared at the noirette in shock or turned their head away from her in shame. "Girl, what are you talking about? First you want us to pay you a while bunch of money, and now you don't want to do anything for us?"

Damian started to retort himself, stopped by Marinette's hand on his arm. Her voice was frosted fire when she commanded the room. "Everyone in this room, excluding my four friends and our teacher, had a hand I destroying commissions for the Wayne gala, requests from all of you, and my sketchbook. That is why you were sued for damages. Some of you paid more than others because Alya was gracious enough to post a video she had taken of what you did on her blog that allowed me to see who destroyed what. That allowed me to see exactly who has hell to pay." The dangerous smirk several of her classmates had noticed danced across her face yet again, like a sword would dance in the hands of Robin.

Adrien scoffed. "you're just a baker's daughter. What could you possibly do?" He paled not long after the words flew out of his mouth, remembering what his father had told him.

"You look like you just remembered that I am not just a baker's daughter. Why don't you share with the class?" Marinette offered up one of her customary sunshine smiles, though Adrien was not fooled this time, quickly yelling the class exactly what his father had told him.

Lila blanched. Forget the Agreste's and that stupid reporter, she should have set her sights on Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette smiled down at the class, her court sitting in the back two rows with her. Chloè had kicked Felix out of his seat next to Kagami, and Felix had nudged Marinette into the middle of the bench, sandwiching her between Damian and himself.

Her blue eyes were frigid as she glared down upon her kingdom. The time for the Queen of Light was over- Darkness had come for her, and she welcomed them with open arms. Her crown darkened, from gold and diamonds to silver and onyx, and her reign had only begun.

#I'll Change My Crown From Light to Dark #Daminette #Felinette #Felidaminette #Félix Graham de Vanily #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Salt #Bashing #Miraculous Ladybug #MLB #mlb #MDC #Gotham #Wayne Gala #Clara Nightingale #Jagged Stone

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user-2-electric-boogaloo · 3 years

Text

A Comparison of RTD and Steven Moffat: Saving The Day

So for this analysis I’m going to compare when Moffat and RTD save the day well and when they save it poorly. There are a few bits of criteria I need to explain.

First I will only be including main series, no Torchwood, no spin-offs, and no mini episodes.

Second, I have to define what makes a good and a bad ending (my examples will come from episodes written by neither of them):

Bad endings include when the sonic saves the day (see The Power Of Three) (there are exceptions, see below), when a character spouts some useless technobabble that doesn’t make any scientific sense/when it doesn’t make logical sense in general, when the Doctor invents/presents a machine/equipment that miraculously stops the baddy and is never referred to again (see Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS), and any other ending I deem to be bad (see The Vampires of Venice)

Good endings include when the sonice activates a device that has been well established to save the day, when technobabble is used that actually makes some scientific sense, and just generally when the baddy is destroyed in what I deem to be a creative manner that makes sense with all the things that had been set up in that episode (see The Unquiet Dead).

There will also be cases where there isn’t really a day to be saved, however this happens more often with Moffat.

Let us begin (obviously there will be spoilers but the last episode in the list aired nearly 4 years ago so what you doing with your life).

RTD:

Rose: Bad

What even is anti-plastic?! Like seriously, he’s faced the Autons loads of times and has never thought to use it any other time.

The End Of The World: Bad

The Doctor just goes up to the appearance of the repeated meme (ha meme) and rips its arm off. He then just summons Cassandra back by twisting a knob which apparently everyone can do if “you’re very clever like me”.

Aliens Of London/World War Three: Good

Just nuking them all was a bit dodgy but I’ll give it to him purely because it had been set up earlier in the episode and it is a genuine option that could have been taken.

The Long Game: Good

The heating issue was set up within 2 minutes of the episode starting. It’s always good to see the Doctor using his enemies weakness against them.

Boom Town: Good

Only just. It’s technology that hadn’t been showcased ever before and came out of nowhere, but I’m allowing purely because it was setting up The Parting Of The Ways.

Bad Wolf/The Parting Of The Ways: Good

See above. It was set up the story before so it works.

The Christmas Invasion: Bad

This was so close to being good. If RTD had just let the Sycorax leader be honourable then everything would have been fine. Instead he had to let him be dishonourable and then the Doctor through the Satsuma at a random button that for no apparent reason caused a bit of floor to fall away.

New Earth: Bad

It only makes sense if you think about it for less than 10 seconds as just pouring every cure to every disease ever into a giant tub and then spraying said supercure onto them all, then having them hug each other to pass it on. That is suspending my disbelief just a bit too far.

Tooth And Claw: Good

Everything is set up in the episode so I’ll allow it but I fail to see how Prince Albert had the time to ensure that the diamond was cut perfectly.

Love And Monsters: Bad

It’s Love And Monsters. Need I say more?

Army of Ghosts/Doomsday: Good

It was very clearly set up throughout the episode.

The Runaway Bride: Bad

I don’t like how a few bombs can supposedly drain the entire Thames.

Smith And Jones: Good

All the events were well established

Gridlock: Good

It’s a fairly bland way to save the day, just opening the surface to all the drivers. But how else could he have done it?

Utopia/The Sound Of Drums/Last Of The Time Lords: Bad

As much as I like the idea that he tuned himself into the archangel network, he basically turned into Jesus. It is arguably the least convincing ending in modern Doctor Who history.

Voyage Of The Damned: Bad

Why was he the next highest authority? If he’s the highest authority in the universe why didn’t they default to him in the first place? If not then why not default to Midshipman Frame? And if he’s somehow in between them then why? Also Astrid killed herself for no reason when she easily could have jumped out of the forklift.

Partners In Crime: Good

It works in the context of the episode, but I don’t see why they needed two of the necklace things.

Midnight: Good

It’s human nature, you can’t get more well set up than that.

Turn Left: Good

It works logically

The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End: Bad

Donna just spouts a load of technobabble whilst pressing buttons and then the Daleks are magically incapacitated.

The Next Doctor: Bad

Why do the infostamps sever Hartigan’s connection with the Cyberking? As far as I remember it ain’t explained.

Planet Of The Dead (co-written with noted transphobe Gareth Roberts): Good

A good couple scenes are dedicated on getting the anti-gravs set up.

The Waters Of Mars (co-written with Phil Ford): N/A

The day isn’t really saved cause everyone still dies anyway.

The End Of Time: Good

Using a gun to destroy a machine is much better than using the sonic to destroy it.

Summary for RTD:

Out of 24 stories written by him, I deem 10 to be bad endings with 1 abstaining. That’s 41.7% of his episodes (43.5% if we don’t count any abstaining).

Steven Moffat:

The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances: Good

You’ll see this a lot with Moffat, he knows how to explain things without stupefying levels of technobabble. “Emailing the upgrade” is a perfect example of this.

The Girl In The Fireplace: Good

Some basic logic, the androids want to repair their ship, but they can’t return to it, they no longer have a function so they shut down.

Blink: Good

Always loved this one, getting the angels to look at each other, however they do look at each other sometimes earlier in the episode.

Silence In The Library/Forest Of The Dead: Bad

This is more of a problem with the setup of the episode, I don’t like that he can negotiate with the Vashta Nerada. I’d rather see them comprehensively beaten, but I guess it’s good for the scare factor that they can’t be escaped from.

The Eleventh Hour: Good

He convinced the best scientists all around the world to set every clock to 0 all in less than an hour. In the Doctor’s own words “Who da man!”

The Beast Below: Good

The crying child motif pretty much ended up saving the day (well for the star whale, life went on as normal for pretty much everyone else).

The Time Of Angels/Flesh And Stone: Good

The artificial gravity had briefly been set up earlier so I’ll allow it.

The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang: Good

Everything had been set up perfectly, the vortex manipulator, the Pandorica’s survival field thingy, the TARDIS exploding at every moment in history.

A Christmas Carol: Good

Literally the entire episode is the Doctor saving the day by convincing Kazran not to be a cock.

The Impossible Astronaut/Day Of The Moon: Good

The silence’s ability to influence people is their whole thing, so using it against them is a good Doctory thing to do.

A Good Man Goes To War: N/A

The day isn’t really saved, Melody is lost, but River shows up at the end so is all fine? I love the episode it’s just the day isn’t really truly saved (yes I know Amy was rescued but she still lost her baby).

Let’s Kill Hitler: N/A

There isn’t really a day to be saved. They all get out alive but no one is really saved other than maybe River but we all knew she was gonna live anyway.

The Wedding Of River Song: Good

Whilst opinion is divided on the episode, the ending still works. the Tesseracta was established in Let’s Kill Hitler, and the “touch River and time will move again” was established well in advance.

The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe: Bad

I don’t like how the lifeboat travels through the time vortex for no reason but to rescue the dad. It don’t make no sense and I don’t think it’s explained

Asylum Of The Daleks: Good

Oswin had access to the Dalek hive mind so of course she should be able to link into the controls and blow everything up.

The Angels Take Manhattan: Good

Paradoxes really do be something powerful, and they even acknowledge how nobody knows if it’d work so I’ll let it slide.

The Snowmen: Bad

Lots of people cry at Christmas, why are the Latimers anything special?

The Bells of Saint John: Good

The whole episode is about hacking so why shouldn’t the Doctor be able to hack the spoonheads

The Name Of The Doctor: Good

It was the story arc for the season pretty much, so of course it was explained well in advance.

The Day Of The Doctor: Good

Both the storing Gallifrey like a painting and the making everyone forget if they’re Human or Zygon works in the context of the episode.

The Time Of The Doctor: Bad

Since when were the Time Lords so easily negotiated with?

Deep Breath: Good

I like the dilemma over whether the half-face man was pushed or jumped.

Into The Dalek: Good

It’s set up well with this new Doctor’s persona of actually not being too nice of a guy (at first).

Listen: N/A

There isn’t a day to be saved. It’s just 45 minutes of the Doctor testing a hypothesis and I low-key love it.

Time Heist (co-written with Steven Thompson): Good

It works logically so I’ll allow it however it isn’t very well set up at all.

The Caretaker (co-written with noted shithead Gareth Roberts): Good

The machine to tell the Blitzer what to do was set up well in advance so I’ll allow it.

Dark Water/Death In Heaven: Good

The fact that Danny still cares even as a cyberman is set up fairly early on after his transformation.

Last Christmas: Good

He does use the sonic to wake up Clara but he convinces the others to wake up through talking so I’ll allow it.

The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar: Good

It’s set up well with that little scene from actually inside the sewers.

The Girl Who Died (co-written with Jamie Mathieson): Good

IDK why the vikings would randomly keep electric eels but they’re set up well so I’ll ignore it.

The Zygon Inversion (co-written with Peter Harness): N/A

Not including this one as it’s only the second part and I’d argue the ending is most likely Harness’.

Heaven Sent/Hell Bent: N/A

Again there isn’t really a day to be saved, yes Heaven Sent really is amazing but it’s only the first part and, being completely honest, he dies several billion times before finally getting through the wall.

The Husbands Of River Song: N/A

Again there isn’t really a day to be saved here.

The Return Of Doctor Mysterio: Good

He gets Grant to catch the bomb which is good. But he does just sonic the gun out of Dr Sim’s hand and says UNIT is on its way which just sort of wraps it up very quickly.

The Pilot: N/A

No day to be saved here.

Extremis: Good

You could technically call it the sonic saving the day, I consider it to be the Doctor emailing the Doctor to warn him of the future.

The Pyramid At The End Of The World: Good

The fire sanitising everything makes sense and it’s in character for Bill to love the Doctor enough to cure his blindness in return for the world

World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls: Good

Yes it is the sonic just blowing the cybermen up, but it’s blowing them up with well established pipelines so I’ll allow it (also the story is amazing).

Twice Upon A Time: N/A

No day to be saved here. Just Doctors 1 and 12 getting angsty about regenerating.

Summary for Steven Moffat:

Out of 39 stories written by him, I deemed 4 to be bad with 7 abstaining. That’s 10.3% of his episodes (12.5% if we don’t count any abstaining).

Conclusions:

Moffat was much better at saving the day than RTD

Moffat liked telling stories where the day didn’t actually need to be saved

I’ve spent way too long on this and I need to sleep

If I spent as much time on this as my coursework I’d probably pass

If you’re still reading this, you probably need to get a life

#doctor who #steven moffat #rtd #in case you can't tell I really don't like RTD #Remember the Superwholock days when everyone ripped the shit out of Moffat #what am I doing with my life #tardis #rose tyler #martha jones #donna noble #amy pond #rory pond #rory williams #river song #clara oswald #Bill Potts

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riversofmars · 3 years

Photo

Chapter 10: The Lesser Evil

Tranzelore

“Don’t go, please my love, it’s too dangerous.“ River pleaded, grabbing her husband’s arm as he headed for his time stream that pulsed and flared in the middle of his supposed tomb.“You can’t cross into your own time stream.“ It was done, Vastra, Jenny and Strax where back, so were Amy and Rory. Clara had done it, jumping into his time stream, she had stopped the Great Intelligence at every turn, keeping the timeline intact. There was nothing left to do.

“I’ve got to get her out.“ He insisted stepping closer to his time stream.

“You could die, you could cease to exist.“ River argued trying to stop him.

“She’s always there, all over my time stream, that is why she is important.“ The pieces were falling into place. This was why they had been encountering Clara over and over again. He had been so intrigued and finally, he had figured it out. “Run you clever boy and remember.“ He echoed the words she had said to him many times over.

“Darling.“ River could sense she wasn’t getting anywhere, her husband was in a world of his own thoughts.

“Finally I’ve worked her out.“ He grinned, pleased with the accomplishment. Initially he’d only kept her close out of curiosity, trying to work out how she could be appearing and dying again and again but what a nice surprise that she was actually a loyal friend all along. Sacrificing herself by jumping into his time stream, he could hardly think of a greater proof of loyalty.

“Then leave it at that.“ River tried to reason with him. “We’re safe, the timeline is intact, don’t risk it now, making her sacrifice pointless.“

“I won’t fail.“ He reassured her, a confident smile on his handsome features.

“But what if you do.“ River exclaimed. “You can’t risk your life for hers!“

“Why not?“ He looked back at her confused.

“Why not?!“ River echoed his words in disbelief.

“There are only very few people we can truly trust River, we need to keep them close. She’s just proven her loyalty.“ He looked back to the pulsing energy as if he could see Clara within it. “I owe her to get her out of there.“

“Is that all? Loyalty?“ River’s words were sharper than she had intended, revealing more than she meant to.

“River.“ He groaned in annoyance. Jealousy was not an attractive quality.

“I think it’s a fair question, you’d make me a widow of me in a pointless attempt at saving her?“ River retorted accusingly. Surely he had to know how this would make her feel.

“River, I love you, you must know that.“ He started reaching for her hand, trying to reassure her.

“Then listen to me!“ River insisted, her expression one of both anger and fear. What if he did, in fact, lose himself in there? She couldn’t bare the idea of losing him.

“I always listen.“ He told her and pulled her into his arms. “You’re the one that always here by my side, you’re the first thing I see when I wake and the last when I go to sleep. And I always listen.“ He pressed a kiss to her hair. “But sometimes, you have to listen to me too when I tell that this is what I have to do.“ He took her face in his hands and kissed her, hoping to convey his love and devotion. “Trust me?“ He asked softly as they parted.

“Always.“ River smiled. That impossible, infuriating man.

“See you in a minute, Professor Song.“ He gave her a wink, straightened his bowtie and jumped into his time stream.

——

“Now isn’t that a bit forward, seeing as you’re still fully dressed, Doctor?“ River smirked as she grabbed the Doctor by the collar and ripped her shirt open, buttons flying everywhere. The Doctor jolted back, colour draining from her face. She was too shocked to respond and River took advantage of her stupor. She pulled her around, knocking her into the wall face first. The Doctor tried to pull away but River pinned her against the wall with her own weight. “What? Should I not have said anything? Would you like to keep going and we pretend I don’t know who you really are?“ River hummed against the shell of her ear as she pressed herself against her. She brushed her hair aside and pushed her other hand around her, fumbling with the button of her trousers.

“You knew.“ The Doctor groaned as River trailed kisses up the side of her neck. She tried to pull away from her touch. This had been a terrible idea. She was already regretting her moment of weakness. “When did you realise?“

“About five seconds in.“ The amusement was audible in River’s sultry voice.

“Then why did you…“ The Doctor tried to throw her off, anxiety building as River succeeded in unbuttoning her trousers. She should have realised this was a trap, she should have questioned why River had fallen for her act so completely. She should have known she wouldn’t be able to imitate the Emperor well enough to fool her own wife.

“It got you here, didn’t it? Also… I was curious to see how far you’d go…“ River chuckled as she buried her hand in the Doctor’s hair and pulled her head back. “Maybe I should have let you carry on, now we will never know.“ She ran her hand along the waistband of her Doctor’s pants, clearly enjoying the Doctor’s near-panic as she fought against her. “But alas, I couldn’t do that to my wife.“ Unexpectedly, she let go of her and took a step back, tying up her nightgown. “I didn’t think that I would have to be the one to stop.“ She tilted her head in amusement as she watched the Doctor turn around quickly doing up her trousers, she tried to pull the shirt shut to cover herself up but the buttons were all but two ripped off. Her eyes darted around the room for a way out as River regarded her like a lioness her prey. “Don’t even think about it. I triggered a silent alarm ages ago when I went to get changed.“ River smirked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Of course you did.“ The Doctor groaned, annoyed by her own stupidity, she really should have known.

“Well, I didn’t know how much time I would have. How was I to know you were that easily to keep close.“ River chuckled. “The guards are outside the door and my wife should be home any minute. You think you had a hard time last time? Just wait till she finds out what you’ve been up to.“

——

“Fine, no more games.“ Clara chuckled, there was no need for theatrics now that she had got River out of sight of anyone else. “I think that’s quite enough of that.“ Somewhere in the other room the squark of a raven sounded making River look around for a second. As she looked back to Clara, her tattoos began to blur, rising up into the air.

“A quantum shade.“ River jerked back, immediately realising what she was dealing with.

“Aren’t you the perceptive one.“ Clara replied patronisingly as she pushed River’s hand with the knife away. “Now, I suggest you stop this.“ She tried to shove her off and River obliged, she got to her feet and stepped back, keeping the swirling darkness in her sights. She knew when something could be fought and when it was better to take a step back and reevaluate her options. “There’s a good girl.“ Clara got to her feet as River tried to formulate an escape plan.

“You’re trying to use me to get to the Doctor. Is she even here?“ River tried her best to control her anger, as she realised what was going on. She wanted answers. She didn’t do well at the mercy of others. She threw the butter knife across the room in anger.

“Oh she’s here alright.“ Clara said softly. “And yes, I am going to use you to get her help.“

“Her help? If you need help, you just ask for it! You don’t have to blackmail the Doctor, the Doctor always helps if…“ River exclaimed but Clara started laughing, interrupting her.

“The Doctor always helps.“ She mimicked her. “I bet she does as well… You’re so naive. Both of you are. It’s laughable. Just between us girls, River, I don’t think it’s the sort of help she’ll want to give.“

The Raven burst out of the other room making River take a step back. It landed on Clara’s shoulder as she held out the note she’d written earlier.

——

“Alright, fine, shouldn’t have done this, I get it.“ The Doctor tried her best to steady her voice. “Brain short-circuited, physically you could be my wife after all.“

“Yes yes and since she’s dead, it’s not really cheating, is it? You tell yourself that. I thought you were someone who would be kept up at night by this sort of thing but maybe I underestimated you after all. Or I overestimated your devotion to your wife.“ River hummed with no small measure of gratification in her voice. “Do you still want my hand between your legs, Doctor?“

“That’s quite alright, I can sort that out for myself later.“ The Doctor bit back, trying to give as good as she got and gloss over how much her words stung.

“I very much doubt you’ll get the opportunity.“ River grinned briefly glancing to the door. The Doctor couldn’t be sure if she actually expected her wife to return any moment now or if she was only trying to intimidate her by acting like she would. Either way, she needed to get out of here now.

“You really are remarkably like my River, witty, determined, strong… but there’s just one thing, one mistake my River never would have made.“ The Doctor said as River returned her attention to her.

“Yeah? And what’s that?“ River laughed.

“My River never let’s me keep my sonic when she doesn’t want me to get out of handcuffs.“ The Doctor grabbed her sonic screwdriver from her back pocket and blasted River with it. It wasn’t much, not harmful, not debilitating but for a moment, she blinded her, disoriented her, scrambling the signals from the nerves in her eyes to her brain. A moment was all the Doctor needed to bolt and rush to the TARDIS. River screamed, not in pain but in anger as she needed a moment to recover. The Doctor wasn’t even paying attention to her anymore, she didn’t look back, when she found the TARDIS wasn’t locked. She rushed inside and the lights came on. It wasn’t the warm golden light she knew, it was red and garish against the black walls.

“Really bloody cheerful.“ The Doctor mumbled to herself as she hurried to the console. She started pressing buttons and pulling levers but the TARDIS revolted. The humming and wheezing was loud, unhappy, the Doctor got an electric shock and she pulled her hand back. The TARDIS knew she wasn’t the Emperor and she was refusing to cooperate.

“She won’t let just anyone fly her.“ The Doctor whirled around to see River heading for her. The diversion had been even less effective than she had hoped. “You’re going to regret this, Doctor.“ River snarled.

“Emergency teleport then!“ The Doctor used her sonic to blast the TARDIS console. Sparks flew and River lunged forward but the TARDIS control room around her disappeared. It wasn’t ideal, she didn’t have the TARDIS like she had hoped, but it was a way out.

When the Doctor materialised she looked around panicked, trying to orient herself.

“Great, it worked!“ She exclaimed as she recognised Clara’s quarters. “Clara! We need to talk!“ She looked around for Clara but froze when she found a second person with her. “River…“ The Doctor’s eyes widened in shock. There was no way the Emperor’s wife would have been able to get here before her. She wouldn’t have known where the teleport went and this River was wearing the environmental suit she had worn in the Library. There was only one explanation. The Doctor’s head was spinning, she felt sick as her emotions overwhelmed her. The extraction chamber had worked, River was here.

River looked back at her in surprise. This woman had just appeared out of thin air and judging by the look on Clara’s face, she hadn’t expected her sudden appearance either. The blonde looked at her as if she was a ghost or perhaps a wish come true? There were all sorts of emotions painted on her soft features and tears were welling up in her big eyes that were so impossibly deep and old, not at all matching the youthfulness of her pretty face.

“Doctor?“ River asked slowly remember what Clara had told her. The Doctor was a woman now and this woman looked at her as if she was her sun and stars.

“River, you’re alive!“ The Doctor exclaimed and throwing caution to the wind she rushed to her, flinging herself around her neck. River was overwhelmed, she nearly knocked her off her feet but she pulled her close, held her, reflex more than anything else, as she tried to wrap her head around what she already knew to be true.

“Is it really you?“ She asked tentatively as she pulled back and looked the blonde up and down.

“Oh right, you haven’t seen this face before.“ The Doctor smiled as she took a step back and wiped away a few stray tears in embarrassment.

“Can’t say that I mind…“ River chuckled. “What have you been up to?“ She raised her eyebrows at her barely buttoned shirt.

“Ah… uhh…“ The Doctor blushed and a crushing wave of guilt came over her, overshadowing her joy for seeing her. What had she done? How could she? She struggled to breath as she was searching for the right words.

“Sorry to interrupt this touching moment, but you are in my quarters.“ Clara interrupted at last, fed up of being ignored. She scrunched up the note she had been about to give her Raven. There was no need for it now. This was even better than she could have imagined.

“Clara.“ The Doctor pulled River behind herself as she turned to face her.

“How nice of you to join us, Doctor.“ Clara smirked, observing her protective gesture with amusement. Yes, this would work very well indeed. “It seems as though you forgot something in the extraction chamber.“

“What’s going on here?“ The Doctor demanded to know.

“What’s going on is that I was just trying to work out what exactly happened when you came here, Doctor, and as I was having my look around the extraction chamber, your wife appeared.“ Clara explained with a smug smile.

“River, are you okay, are you…“ The Doctor glanced to her wife and grabbed her hand to assure herself she was here.

“Alive? I think so. As alive as one is coming out of an extraction chamber…“ River replied giving her hand a squeeze. “I know what it does Doctor, you sentimental idiot, you couldn’t just let me die, could you? I’ll have to go back eventually, you know, unless you want a paradox ripping time apart… again…“ She knew the sad truth behind what the Doctor had done. As much as she appreciated the sentiment, there was more heartbreak to come for them, it couldn’t be avoided. And yet, she was grateful for every moment she got to spend with her husband… wife.

“But not for a while. How about we deal with all that when we get out of here.“ The Doctor suggested, trying not to think about what she was implying.

“Sounds like a good idea.“ River nodded looking around for an escape route again.

“You are not going anywhere, Doctor, not just yet. Mind you, we probably haven’t got long to have this conversation. Your teleport, I’m sure they’ll be able to trace it.“ Clara pointed out.

“I don’t think there are any guards at the door.“ River said and the Doctor nodded, having come to the same conclusion.

“Run?“ The Doctor suggested as they inched away from Clara.

“Let’s.“ River agreed and they bolted to the door but Clara had other ideas. The Raven took off and sailed in front of them, barring the door.

“I don’t think so.“ Clara hummed and the tattoos dissolved, swirling into to air and jolted forward. The dark smoke struck the back of River’s neck forming a quantum lock.

“No!“ The Doctor shouted whipping back around to Clara.

“Do I have your attention now, Doctor? I said we need to have a conversation.“ Clara crossed her arms in front of her chest expectantly.

“Take it off her.“ The Doctor yelled taking a threatening step towards Clara who grinned:

“I will, eventually, if you agree to help me with a little something.“

“What?“ The Doctor asked and looked to River with great worry. River touched the back of her neck her expression darkening. Of course it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“I would like your help, Doctor. Your wife assures me one only needs to ask for your help? Well, I thought it would be more convincing if I had your wife as collateral.“ Clara revealed and the Doctor squared her jaw.

“What do you want?“

“You’ve been here long enough now to know, Doctor, that this is not a nice place. You’ve been to the streets, you’ve seen the poverty, the state of the Empire? Perhaps you will reconsider what we talked about before?“ Clara smiled.

“You want to topple the Emperor.“ The Doctor concluded with a sigh.

“I’d never be able to do it by myself as you know and it’s unlikely I’ll ever be able to convince her that I am a far more suitable match for her… so I’m left with few options.“ Clara confirmed with a shrug.

“I won’t kill anyone, not even her…“ The Doctor retorted firmly.

“I realise that and I don’t expect you to. What I do need you to do is play a role. It looks like you have been having a practice run already. There is a ceremony tomorrow, celebrating the Emperor’s return to Gallifrey, it’s the most important holiday. That is why the Emperor has been so eager to get information out of you so quickly, I presume she was trying to announce the next big chapter for the Empire tomorrow.“ Clara explained crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“That’s never going to happen, I would sooner die than tell you how…“ The Doctor shook her head. River looked on in confusion. Who was this mysterious Emperor they were referring to? It sounded like the Doctor had been here a while already and was one step ahead of her.

“Oh I know and I’ve accepted that. I want you to announce the next big chapter in the history of the Empire in her stead tomorrow.“ Clara clarified and the Doctor understood:

“Transfer power to you.“

“Exactly. Not so difficult, is it? Small price to pay for your wife’s life isn’t it?“ Clara glanced to River who still had confusion painted all over her face.

“And how are you going get rid of the Emperor?“ The Doctor asked which seemed to be the one big catch.

“You leave that to me. You just be back here tomorrow at noon. I would keep you here but you’ve ruined it now with your teleport trick. It they find you here we’re both done for, they need to see you fleeing the palace so the don’t suspect me.“ Clara sighed, what an inconvenience. Likelihood was they had traced the teleport by now and were on their way here. She had to wrap this up.

“And what if I don’t agree?“ The Doctor huffed.

“You will do this for me, Doctor, or your wife, who was so very fortunate to get a second lease on life, will die.“ Clara shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s really a very easy decision to make. I will contact you with the details, my Raven will find you.“

“Take off the lock.“ The Doctor demanded, her voice firm.

“Once I can be sure of your cooperation.“ Clara smiled giving River a wink.

“Fine, alright, I’ll do it, but you leave her alone.“ The Doctor threatened.

“I’ll take the mark off her once it’s done.“ Clara clapped her hands together in excitement.

“No! You take it off her and you take it off her NOW!“ The Doctor yelled jabbing her finger at her.

“Alright, fine. Just remember I can put it back whenever I please.“ Clara huffed and with a wave of her hand, the chrono lock disappeared from River’s neck. River gave a sigh of relief.

“And you take it off the Monk.“ The Doctor went on, remembering why she had come here in the first place.

“The Monk?“ Clara frowned confused.

“Sign of good faith. If you want my help, do it.“ The Doctor insisted.

“Alright, fine, don’t care about him either way.“ Clara gave another wave of her hand. It wasn’t like the Emperor had any way of finding out about this.

“Doctor, you can’t help her…“ River spoke up. She wasn’t sure what exactly was going on but the Doctor was being blackmailed into doing something she didn’t want to do, and that in itself was enough information for her to protest.

“It’s a matter of the lesser evil, River. You haven’t met the Emperor yet… and her wife.“ The Doctor replied, hoping she never would come across them. “They deserve it.“

“Yes they do, Doctor. I’m glad you have come to your senses.“ Clara agreed.

“When it’s done, I’m taking the TARDIS. You can’t fly it anyway. I will need it to find a way home.“ The Doctor realised this was the right moment to bargain. If she wanted to find a way back to her own universe, the TARDIS would be her best bet.

“Fine.“ Clara smiled at her graciously. She had no use for the TARDIS anyway. The Emperor and her wife were the only ones that could fly her. She couldn’t imagine the Doctor would even find a way of using it. “See, the things we can accomplish when we work together.“

“Then you have yourself a deal.“ The Doctor nodded. Her best and only cause of action right now was to agree. She could reevaluate her options later when her and River had got to relative safety.

“Now, I suggest you go, before the guards turn up.“ Clara engaged a screen on the wall, surveillance of the corridor outside.

“River…“ The Doctor grabbed her wife’s hand again but Clara cut in:

“…will be my honoured guest until tomorrow. No harm will come to her, I need her as assurance and you know I wouldn’t harm her, else I would have nothing to pressure you with.“ The Raven squawked for emphasis. “You know I’m right.“ She extended her hand to River. “Unless you’d like that chrono lock back?“

“I’ll be fine, Sweetie.“ River gave her wife’s hand a squeeze before letting go and joining Clara though ignoring her hand. “I’m sure Clara and I have a lot to talk about.“ Perhaps she could find out more about this place.

“We’ll braid each other’s hair and drink champagne, nothing for you to worry about, Doctor.“ Clara smirked at the Doctor who balled her fists, feeling anxious. She didn’t like the idea of leaving River here but under the circumstances she might not have another choice. She glanced to the screen and spotted guards heading their way. They were running out of time. “Now be a dear and make sure they see you as you bolt down the corridor so they leave us alone in here.“ Clara said going her a little wave.

“Everything will be fine, River, I promise, I will come back for you.“ The Doctor looked to her wife who gave her a little smile.

“Well, you better, what good was all that business with the extraction chamber if you don’t.“ River winked. “Go before they catch up with you.“

“I will be back.“ The Doctor insisted. There was so much she wanted to say, she had played it out so many times in her mind of what she would say if she ever got to see River again, but now there was no time. And very little hope. But she took what she could from the little smile and nod River gave her. There was time for words later.

The Doctor had hardly pulled the door shut behind her, when she heard voices. She hurried towards the hidden passage way but hung on by the corner where she could still see the door to Clara’s rooms. She couldn’t allow for River to get caught. If they had in fact traced her teleport signal, they would be searching for her there. When she realised the guards indeed headed straight for the door, she knocked over a nearby bust that crashed to the ground and drew their attention. Calling “Oi! Over here.“ would have been too obvious, they couldn’t realise she was drawing their attention on purpose. When she was sure they’d seen her, she bolted down the corridor. Luckily, she knew more than one secret shortcut to the city below.

——

Clara knocked over a table and some vases, creating traces of a struggle. She picked up a shard from the broken vase and cut her own arm, barely flinching. River raised her eyebrows, concluding that she had to be very scared of the Emperor to go to such lengths to not be found out.

“I don’t think I have to explain to you what will happen if anyone finds you in here.“ Clara caught the questioning expression on River’s face and ushered her to a small room further into her quarters.

“No, you don’t but there is something you do need to explain to me: the Emperor, who is she? And why do you need the Doctor?“ River asked.

“Miss Oswald, please open up.“ There was knocking on the door.

“We haven’t got time for this, get in here and not a sound.“ Clara pushed her into the room and locked the door. River didn’t struggle, she didn’t trust Clara but she trusted the Doctor and if she was concerned for her safety should anyone find her, she know she should try her best to hide. She looked around the room, a small spare bedroom by the looks of it. Nothing much to it, nothing that she could fashion a weapon out of if needed. The vase on the dresser appeared to be her best bet so she grabbed it and stood against the door, pressing her ear to it. She had to find out more about what was going on here.

“Emperor…“ Clara’s voice was distant but clear.

“Don’t even start, Clara! We know she was here. Using my own TARDIS, she’s going to pay for that!“

River froze when she recognised a voice that sounded exactly like the Doctor’s, only with an icy edge to it. Suddenly, Clara’s demands were making a lot more sense. The puzzle pieces were falling into place and River didn’t care for the picture they were revealing.

#Really hope you like this next chapter!!#Doctor Who #river song #river x thirteen #river x 13 #thirteen/river #thirteenth doctor #thirteen #dark!13 #Mirror Universe #mirrorverse #fanfiction #yowzah #space wives #eleventh doctor #clara oswald

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oswildin · 4 years

Text

Bonded {Part Nine} ~ Dhawan!Master x Reader

~ The story is nearly complete... ~

Summary: You try to reason with the Doctor, trying to be there for her, but she isn’t having any of it. You and the Master find comfort in each other.

Warnings: Angst, more fluff as you asked, bit steamy

You headed down the corridors of the TARDIS. You felt better after showering and changing your clothes, finally feeling fresh. Of course, your mind was still full of thoughts and emotions, but you knew you had to try and be there for the Doctor. You dreaded to think what state she was in.

The TARDIS seemed to understand your intentions as she guided you to where the Doctor was hiding. You stopped in front of a door, the TARDIS humming as you understood what she was telling you. You hesitantly reached out, twisting the handle, as the door slowly opened. You furrowed your brows, seeing the library. You swear it had moved position... Perhaps the Doctor had asked the TARDIS to keep it hidden... You stepped in, seeing the Doctor sat by herself in the darkness, surrounded by pages of books.

“I always rip out the last page.” She told you as you watched her, biting your lip. “That way the story never ends.” She explained as she looked around at all the pages sprawled about the place.

“Oh I don’t know... sometimes stories need to end.” You offered as you approached her. “I’m guessing the Master didn’t find you.” She shook her head. “But you let me.”

“No, the TARDIS did.” She almost frowned at her ship as you laughed lightly.

“Maybe she’s just worried about you.” You told her as you went to sit beside her. “I am.” She didn’t look at you.

“Don’t be.” She gave you a sharp smile, not reaching her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem it.” You sighed. “Doctor, I don’t want you going back... You’ve come so far... Please don’t shut me out again.” You almost begged as she felt guilt pang in her chest at your words. “Remember when you lost Clara.” You said, as you saw her flinch at the name. You looked at her sadly. “Remember what she told you?”

“This is different.” She argued.

“Is it?” You raised a brow. “You again lost something dear to you. But remember how much good there still is in the universe. You’ve got Yaz, Ryan, Graham... Me...” You trailed off, seeing her face soften. “Even the Master seems concerned. Although, you didn’t hear that from me.” You teased as she turned to face you. “Actually he’s helped me... a lot...” You realised. “Perhaps he could do the same for you. Maybe you could help each other...” She shook her head.

“I don’t need help. I’m fine. See!” She jumped up, putting her jacket back on. “Let’s go for an adventure! I can pick up the others and we can go somewhere new.” She exclaimed as you sighed, standing too.

“Doctor, you can’t keep ignoring this.” You told her truthfully.

“Yes I can.” She argued. “I’ve ignored things half my life, and I’m fine.” She told you before walking away, leaving you alone as you felt defeated. You didn’t know what else to do. Perhaps you needed to be harsher? More brutal? No... you couldn’t do that to her. You sighed, sitting back down as you felt a presence appear in the room.

“Didn’t go to plan then?”

You shook your head, turning to see the Master stood in the doorway.

“She’s impossible to deal with when she’s in this mood.” You said exasperatedly.

“Perhaps she needs to do this alone.” He offered, walking into the room as you watched him. “And when she wants help, you’ll be there to give it to her.”

“I guess.” You said, defeat evident in your tone. “Why does she have to be so stubborn?”

“You’re asking the wrong person.” He joked as you gave him a small smile. “King of Stubborn here.” He sat beside you as you shook your head at him.

“Funny, I could see you in a crown and a big robe.” You joked.

“So that’s what you’re into.” He teased, smirking as you rolled your eyes.

“I’m scared.” You suddenly admitted, causing him to narrow his eyes. “I’m scared what this all means... How this changes everything...” You drifted off, gaze ahead.

“You were the one giving the speech yesterday.” He offered. “Maybe you should take your own advice.” He shrugged as you scoffed.

“It��s easy to dish out the advice, but to take it yourself is another thing.” You retorted as he nodded slowly.

“That’s a very human statement.” He commented.

“Na...” You shook your head. “It’s a very universal one.” You gave him a small smile.

“Hmm, along with a leopard never changes its spots.” He added as you pursed your lips.

“I don’t know about that one...” You gazed at him. “You’ve changed.” It was his turn to scoff.

“I’ll never change.” He said defiantly. “It’s in my nature. I love the chaos too much.”

“Or is that just what you keep telling yourself?” You raised a brow. “Cause if you keep feeding yourself that narrative, you’re going to continue to execute it.”

“Maybe, I enjoy that narrative.” He argued, as you saw his walls begin to build back up.

“Will you stop?” You shook your head. “For one second, let your walls down. Not everyone is out to get you.”

“Don’t lecture me.” He snapped, eyes turning dark as he pushed himself up. “You know nothing.”

“I think I’ve seen enough in my time.” You told him. “Or have you forgotten what I’ve been through already?” You stood too, staring up at him. “You’re not the only one with issues, so stop acting like it.” You told him sternly as he growled under his breath.

“Humans, always sticking their nose into other people’s business.” He spat. “Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps there are just bad people in the universe? Born sick and twisted?”

“No.” You furrowed your brows. “Things in their life have made them that way. There’s always hope.” He groaned.

“You’ve been with the Doctor too long.” He rolled his eyes.

“Maybe I have! Or maybe she’s actually right?” You argued, stepping towards him. “You aren’t the only one with issues. Accept it. Embrace it. It may even help.” He looked down at you, the rage in his eyes lessening as you looked at him. You relaxed him. It was an emotion he’d never really truly felt before. It was... nice. But also scary. “You can always start again.” You said in a softer voice as he tightened his jaw.

“Can I?” He raised his brows.

“Yes!” You laughed lightly. “Of course you can. If you allow the change.” He stared into your golden eyes as he stepped closer to you, his face close to your own. You could feel your heart beating in your chest.

“What if I don’t want to change?” His voice was low.

“Then... You’ll live a lonely life.” His eyes flickered down to your lips as you felt warm under his stare.

“I don’t think I can ever be alone now.” He said quietly. Before you knew it, his lips had crashed to your own, as your bodies melded together. He had grabbed either side of your face, holding you gently as he kissed you. You were surprised at first, but as soon as the electricity flowed through your veins, you gave in to the feeling, clutching his jacket with your hands. You felt complete with him. You’d never felt like you belonged, but in this moment, you felt what you had been longing for. Acceptance.

You hadn’t realised he had backed you against a book shelf, drinking you in as he pulled you as close to himself as possible. You gasped for breath as you hadn’t broken away. You saw images of golden energy in your mind at the touch. It was electric. He finally pulled away, resting his forehead on your own. Both of you were breathing heavily as you stared into his eyes, searching for anything.

“That was...” You breathed out as he couldn’t help but smirk.

“I know.” He whispered. “We could just leave.” He spoke lowly. “Run away. Take a leaf from the Doctor’s book.” He raised his brows. “What do you say?” You felt your breath hitch, unsure on what to say. You couldn’t leave the Doctor... could you? Was it time? Your life had been consumed by the Doctor and your adventures, was it finally time to move on?

You didn’t answer, but pulled him back close, moulding your lips to his own once more, feeling the rush once again. His hand moved to your waist as he gripped you tighter than before, almost urgent, desperate.

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kittinoir · 4 years

Text

Echoes of You Ch. 5

You can read this on Ao3

The photoshoot was over after that, and for once, Marinette couldn’t say she was upset the time was cut short.

To her surprise, most of the staff seemed…annoyed that they weren’t to continue. She watched them pack up, grumbling about the lost hours and messed up schedules and spoiled models.

“Come with me.”

Marinette jumped, nearly knocking over an irritated grip. Dominique raised a brow. She looked remarkably unflustered for someone who’d been being hunted down by a monster intent on shish-kabobing her to death.

“The shoot - ”

“Cancelled,” Dominique barked as she turned on her heel. Marinette scrambled to keep up, snatching her bag and sketch book off her chair. “An artists constitution is a delicate one. Adrien finds he is unable to continue under these conditions.”

Marinette’s heart leapt. Adrien. She hadn’t even thought about him during the attack. She hadn’t seen where Scream-ripper had come from; what if she’d run him through on her way to the set? Feelings of failure swirled through her; she hadn’t been able to protect him. She hadn’t been able to protect anyone.

But…no… What was she supposed to have done? She did everything she could; there was no way someone like her could have done anything. Besides, she remembered with a shudder, she’d done what she’d had to. She’d given Chat Noir a second chance. Apparently it had paid off.

To her surprise, Dominique lead Marinette straight out of the building to the car. Adrien, she saw, was already inside, staring out his window. Dominique spun on her heel without waiting for so much as a ‘thank you' and Marinette slid in quietly, pulling the door closed behind her. Suddenly the comments she’d heard about spoiled models made a lot more sense, and she scowled. Anyone who knew Adrien would know he wouldn’t just blow off work if it wasn’t serious, even if, as she was learning, it wasn’t something he was truly passionate about.

“You ok?” Marinette asked quietly. She suddenly realized she didn’t know if her question was rude or not, but she also discovered she didn’t really care. Right then it didn’t matter that this boy held her heart in his hands, whether he knew it or not; no one should have to hurt alone.

“Yeah,” Adrien said, barely glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “Yeah. Just…that was intense. I figured everyone could use some time to recover, myself included. Juliette was a talented seamstress.”

“Juliette?”

“The girl who got akumatized,” Adrien said, finally looking at her. “I don’t know what Dominique did, but I’m going to try to speak to my father about it. Juliette’s only been working for our label for a couple of months, but she was skilled and passionate - kind of like you, actually. I think she deserves another shot.”

Akumatized…? Marinette bit her lip as she probed the emptiness that was becoming more and more familiar. She didn’t know what it was, exactly, but she got the sense she was barely skimming the surface of a next to bottomless lake.

“I…I don’t know what that- ”

A rocking guitar riff Marinette recognized from Jagged Stone’s latest single ripped through the car, cutting her off. Adrien winced.

“Sorry,” he said, pulling out his phone. “My father. I have to take this.”

“I understand,” Marinette said. After all, he was his boss, too.

Unfortunately, the car pulled up outside the bakery minutes later. Adrien was still on the phone. From what she could gather, Gabriel Agreste seemed more concerned about the thousands of dollars going to waste from the shoot being cut short than he did about the attack itself.

Adrien waved to her as she slid out of the back seat. A blank mask had settled over his features, and just for a second, a heartbeat really, he looked like someone else, someone she didn’t know. A stranger. The boy she loved was gone.

Marinette shut the door, but slid quickly up to the drivers side as inspiration struck. She knocked on the window, her hand acting before her brain caught up. She blanched as Adrien’s bodyguard rolled down the window but didn’t falter.

“Wait, please,” she said, “Just for a minute. I have something for Adrien. And - and for you! If you just wait, please, just for a second.”

The bodyguard didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no. Marinette took that as a positive and turned to dash into the bakery.

“Marinette?”

Sabine Dupain-Cheng paused mid-transaction as her daughter came tearing into the bakery, very nearly knocking over not one, not two, but three customers as she did.

“Hi mom!” Marinette said as she tore open a bag and began shovelling pastries inside. “I’m home, the shoot was great, I just need a sec.” Blueberry muffin. Apricot scone. Chocolate croissant. She grabbed a smaller bag and shovelled three or four more pastries into it before dashing back outside. She handed the smaller bag to the bodyguard. The eager smile was small, but she didn’t think she was imagining it. He dug in right away, a silent but loud and clear sign that he would wait to leave while she conducted her business.

Biting her lip, Marinette tugged open the back door one more time. Adrien turned, eyes wide, still on the phone.

“As a thank you,” Marinette whispered. She placed the bag on the seat. Adrien softened and smiled.

“Thank you,” he mouthed, but then his father reeled him back in. She waved and shut the door, waiting and watching as the car pulled away.

Marinette barely saw the bakery as she headed back inside and up to their apartment, to her room, and up to her balcony.

The sun was just beginning to set over the city, glinting off the glass and stone, but it was completely lost on her. How had a day that had started so wonderfully turned into such a nightmare? The…akuma was burned into her memory, picking at Marinette’s focus. Every thought turned back to the attack.

Scream-ripper hadn’t been working on her own, obviously. But who… Hawk Moth. That was what Adrien had said that morning; that Hawk Moth was becoming more volatile. But how? What could have twisted that woman’s body that way? She shuddered; what could have turned her to stone?

Marinette jumped as her own phone rang, the Clara Nightengale verse letting her know Alya would be on the other end. “Hello?”

“Tell. Me. EVERYTHING!”

Marinette frowned. “I…what?”

“You were there, girl!” Alya said almost too fast for Marinette to understand. “I saw it on the news! New akuma! What was it? Did you get a picture? A video? DID LADYBUG RESCUE YOU?”

“Alya, calm down,” Marinette said as panic threatened to overwhelm her. “I don’t know, I…”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Alya demanded. “Didn’t you see it?”

“I…I…”

“Are you…ok, girl?” Alya asked, suddenly serious. “Did you get hurt while you were there?”

And just like that, Marinette found herself choking back tears. “Something’s wrong, Alya,” Marinette got out. “There’s all these…these gaps, and things I can’t remember, and I don’t…I don’t know what to do. I think I need help.”

“I’m on my way, Marinette,” Alya said. “Do you want me to grab anyone else on the way? Rose? Juleka?”

“No, no,” Marinette said. “I just don’t know….I don’t know…”

“It’s ok,” Alya said. Marinette could hear her pulling on a jacket through the phone. “Be there in 10, ok?”

Marinette bit her lip. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, girl,” Alya said. She hung up, and Marinette stared down at her phone, suddenly wondering if she wasn’t over-reacting. Was she really forgetting things, or had she just been so busy with her own escapades she’d missed the obvious?

Marinette climbed back down her ladder and made her way to her desk, pushing aside a stale plate of half-eaten cookies before she sat down. Like her phone, the webpage automatically loaded the Ladyblog. That, more than anything, assured Marinette this wasn’t something she was dreaming. It was real.

She was still scrolling through the Ladyblog when Alya burst in seven minutes later with pastries.

“I came as fast as I could,” Alya panted, dropping onto the chaise and patting the empty end. “What’s going on, girl? Was it…” Alya dropped her voice to a whisper, “Was it the akuma?”

Marinette joined Alya on the end of her chaise, crossing her legs and clutching a pillow to herself. “Yes, but…no. It’s been…well, everything, just…”

“Ok,” Alya said slowly, “Everything how? On the phone you mentioned…I think gaps…?”

“Yeah,” Marinette said as a blush fought its’ way onto her cheeks. “This is going to sound so stupid, but I think there are gaps…in my memory.”

Alya frowned. Marinette recognized her reporter face. “Random memories? Like people, or events? Homework, or friends? You remember that you’re a total goner for Adrien, right? Because you, like, just started managing coherent conversations with him.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Marinette said. Despite it all, she giggled. “I don’t think I could ever forget that. But…I don’t know. I don’t usually realize what I’ve forgotten until someone’s talking about something like I should know it.”

“Ok,” Alya said. She’d pulled out a notebook and was tapping her pen on her chin. “Do you have any specific examples?”

“Well…yeah, I…” Marinette dredged up her memories of the past twelve hours. “Like this morning when you said you had an interview for the Ladyblog. I knew about it, but I didn’t. I remembered you want to be a journalist and had been working on this project, but I couldn’t remember what the blog was about, except it was the home page on my phone and my computer, so obviously I’ve read it.

“And then this morning, Adrien said something about Ladybug and Chat Noir and Hawk Moth, and…Alya, I had no idea who they were.”

Alya stared at her, as though waiting for clarification. “Wait, like…nothing?”

Marinette shook her head. “None at all.”

“O-ok,” Alya said, jotting down her notes. “Anything else?”

“The… akuna?…attack today,” Marinette said, bracing herself against the terrifying memories.

“The akuma,” Alya corrected. She raised a brow as though she wasn’t completely sure Marinette wasn’t just playing a prank, but the other girl just shrugged.

“I had no idea what it was, what it could do.”

“That’s pretty typical,” Alya said cautiously. “Every one is different with different powers.”

“I didn’t know that,” Marinette said quietly, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. “I don’t know where they come from, or how they’re made.”

“Well, it seems to me,” Alya said slowly, “That the things you have trouble remembering have to do with the Miraculous.”

A chill ran down Marinette’s spine, a silent warning. “The what?”

“The…Miraculous,” Alya repeated. “Oh, my god. How many heroes are there?”

“I don’t know,” Marinette said, “I guess two? Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“How did they get their powers?”

“Sleight of…hand, maybe…?”

Alya was practically vibrating. “What is Hawk Moth after?”

“I don’t know, Alya!” Marinette said, clenching her hands to keep her panic under control. “I don’t know what he wants, or who he is, or why he’s doing all this!”

Alya reached over and squeezed Marinette’s hands a silent apology. “It’s ok, Marinette, it’s ok. I have a theory.”

Marinette wasn’t sure how someone could derive a theory from all the crazy things she’d already said, but she let Alya plow ahead, desperate for any explanation, even a wrong one.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir are Paris’s protectors,” Alya began, “But sometimes they need help. They get their powers from their Miraculous, a magic piece of jewellery guarded by an immortal being. There are a few pieces of this jewellery. When Ladybug and Chat Noir need help, they ask a select few people to wear a Miraculous and help them defeat an akuma.”

“Isn’t that…dangerous?” Marinette asked.

“Not that I know of,” Alya said. “The Miraculous protect the wearer, but once the one time power is used, they have five minutes until the transformation exhausts itself and they transform back into their civilian self.”

“Ok…” Marinette said. “I’m with you so far. What does any of that have to do with me?”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir had a close scrape with Hawk Moth, in person, a few days ago,” Alya said. “Normally he just sends out his akuma’s to do his dirty work for him, but for whatever reason, he came in person that time.”

“Adrien mentioned something about it,” Marinette said, suddenly recalling their conversation. “But there wasn’t anything about it on the Ladyblog.”

Alya shrugged, her brow creasing. “It was a bad day. I was across town at a family function and no one could get close enough to film or ask questions. Worse, it was at the top of Montparnasse, so the actual news outlets weren’t able to get close enough to film, either. I missed a lot of what happened that day. What I could gather, though, was that another Miraculous holder was with them, one of other heroes.”

“Ok,” Marinette said. “So?”

“So,” Alya said, “I think that hero might have been you.”

Marinette nearly fell of the chaise. “Me!? I can barely remember who the Kitty is, you think I was out there with them?”

“I think,” Alya said softly, “That while the Miraculous can protect your body, they can’t always protect the mind. I’ve heard of cases before, where people are so traumatized by what they experience their mind tries to protect them. Sometimes they go blind, or deaf, or…forget things that hurt too much. I don’t really know what happened that day, Marinette, but not all of the stories on the Ladyblog are good ones.”

Marinette pulled a blanket off the back of the chaise and pulled it around herself with shaking fingers as she processed what Alya had said. Her, a…super hero? But she’d never been one for direct confrontation; what in the world would make Ladybug choose her?

“It’s ok, girl,” Alya said, pulling her best friend in for a tight hug. When Alya realized Marinette was trembling, she didn’t let go. “It’s just an idea, something I read about. Maybe it’s something else. Maybe it’s a side effect of an akuma - like Oblivio!”

Marinette struggled to calm down. “Oblivio?”

“Yeah, they were this super-villain that erased people’s memories. Maybe Hawk Moth’s getting stronger and this is a side effect of that.” Alya paused, then quietly said, “Actually…Oblivio was me.”

“You?” Marinette straightened, staring at her friend.

“Me,” Alya said with a nod, “And Nino.”

“But…how - ”

“I guess that’s the most important thing you need to know,” Alya said as she studied her jeans. “Anyone can be akumatized, Marinette. Anyone. When you feel really angry, or sad, or any strong negative emotion, it somehow creates an opening for Hawk Moth. He can send one of his butterflies after you. It amplifies that emotion until you’re happy to work with him, so you have to be careful. He’ll sweet talk you, promise you whatever you want, in exchange for one thing.”

“What?” Marinette whispered through lips that had gone cold.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous.”

#echoes #echoes of you #fic #writing #marinette #miraculous ladybug

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leswansong · 5 years

Text

Marichat May - Kitty Cats & Ballet Shoes

Day One: No Powers

[ A03 ]

Marinette chalked her ballet shoe’s and waited stage side for her name to be called, she anxiously bounced in place, every little noise was magnified with her tightened senses. She tried to calm herself down, singing a little tune counting to one hundred, nothing seemed to work. The solo she was about to perform replayed itself in her head, she was relying on it to win her the lead role, this was everything she had been working towards since the young age of twelve. She had had lead roles in other productions before but this… this was a major role, this was for the chance to play ‘Clara’ in the Christmas production. Marinette wanted this role, she wanted it more than anything else in the world.

Her eyes flicked down to her shoes, she groaned and walked back over to chalk her shoes again, her constant movement had shaken her last dusting off.

She held her breath but let it go when someone else’s name was called, she rolled her eyes in boredom, they landed on the huge shadow being cast on the ceiling, she traced it to the source only to find nothing there but she knew someone was there she could feel their eyes. She kept her eyes train on the spot in where she thought the person was as she slowly backed away from the stage, her footfalls were silent as she climbed the steps towards them. She intended to cut them off in the hall leading to the dressing rooms but they caught her first, strong arms wrapped their way around her waist, she let out a yelp in surprise and one of the hands flew up to her mouth silencing her.

She struggled, kicking her legs and pushing on the arms in an attempt to free herself but the person's grip was tight and didn’t budge. Marinette couldn’t deny how terrified she felt in that moment, she tried to bite the gloved leather fingers around her mouth as he dragged her down the hall to a small broom closet. She fought to stay out of that room but he was stronger, her pointed shoes collided with the wooden door frame and she pushed against it trying to send her attacker into the shelving on the wall behind them, he let out a grunt when he collided. Her fighting back didn’t deter him, it just made him hold onto her a lot tighter. Her heart raced, she was panicking, she was about to die that's what her mind screamed. If by some odd chance she survived, she tried to commit everything about him to memory, his gloves and jacket was some sort of leather it didn’t feel like the real leather, his zipper on that ‘leather’ jacket was round and made of metal, it jingled every time she brushed against it in her struggle. He stunk of camembert cheese and there was also a slight hint of aftershave.

Something sharp dug into her sides, she whimpered at the sudden pain, he seemed to notice that and release his grip on her slightly. She used that to her advantage and stopped her struggle against him and he loosened his grip even more, he let go of her waist to try and close the door and she elbowed him in the side feeling bone collide with bone, he sucked in air through gritted teeth in pain. She pushed against him clambering for the door, her attacker recovered quickly, cut her off and slammed the door in front of her. She screamed when the room was plunged into darkness, his hand instantly found her mouth again and her screams were muffled.

Her back met a cold bricked wall of the small broom closet, tears fell freely down her face, she was now truly trapped and the moment she accepted that she felt herself ease. Her breathing levelled out and her heart rate slowed back to its normal speed, she stopped fighting and relinquished control, she became limp in the stranger's arms. His hand was removed from her mouth, the temptation to scream had long since died, she stayed perfectly still using the shelving to her left to support her weight.

“Well aren’t you a pretty one,” his voice was surprisingly sweet, “how did you see me up in the rafters?”

“What do you want?” she asked getting straight to the point and ignoring his question.

“’Le Grande Gazelle Blanche.’”

The name rang a bell, “the necklace?” she queried.

“Yep,” he replied popping the ‘p’, “the one and only, do you know where they keep it?”

She rolled her eyes, “why would I know?”

He chuckled, “A pretty ballerina like you-“ a gloved finger ran across her jawline, she shivered in disgust, “-most certainly knows.”

She rolled her eyes again, of course, he thought flirting with her would get him somewhere but boy was he wrong, “try again,” she replied, “I’m a student, there is no way they would let me see that thing and besides you and I know it only comes out once a year for Christmas and the last time I checked Christmas is six months away.”

“A smart ballerina too,” he commented.

“Anything else?” she snapped.

“All work and no play for you.”

“What do you want,” she repeated.

“Nothing.”

“Then why am I still trapped in a broom cupboard,” she asked raising an eyebrow.

He let out a small laugh, “how about I ask the questions hmm?”

She sighed and reluctantly nodded her head.

“Have you seen my face?” he asked.

She frowned at his question but shook her head forgetting they were in complete darkness, she opened her mouth to say no but he spoke first.

“Good, then I don’t see why we can’t come to an arrangement.”

“And that is?”

“I let you leave here unharmed and you-“ his hands found themselves on the wall beside her, “-you tell no one about our little chat.”

“And if I don’t.”

“Then my little ballerina, you may just find yourself in quite a lot of trouble.”

“Is-Is that a threat,” she stuttered.

“Yes, yes it is, now do we have a deal?”

She paused to think it through, she swallowed the ball of saliva that had built up in her mouth. Closing her eyes she nodded her head once again forgetting that he couldn’t see her in the dark room.

“Good, now keep your eyes closed and count to twenty, when you open them I shall be gone and you can go back to try out for that role you want,” his feet shuffle across the room towards the door, “and sorry my ballerina but you sadly won’t get that role. Start counting,” he commanded.

She bit back her anger at his words but followed his command, “1… 2… 3… 4…”

Her ears picked up on the sound of the wooden door being opened, she continued her counting out loud, he had paused at the door, her mind told her it was to get one last look at her before walking out and closing the door behind him.

“9… 10… 11…” she slowly stopped her counting.

Her hands felt along the wall heading towards the door looking for the light switch, light flooded the room revealing the mess her struggle had caused. She sighed and her eyes fell onto her tutu, it had been ripped and bent in ways that she had never thought possible, it was ruined. Her hair that had once been tied in a neat bun was most likely a mess now with strands of it falling down onto her face. A few tears dripped down her face as she set about fixing the mess she had caused, the strangers words stuck with her, it had crushed her to hear such words and sadly some small part of her believed them, no, she couldn’t think like that, her ripped outfit could easily be fixed with one trip to her small dressing room.

Marinette picked up the last mop and lent it against the wall. She opened the door and peaked out onto the corridor to find it completely empty so she stepped out into it. She quickly slipped her pointed shoes off and ran down the hall towards her dressing room.

She pressed her back against her closed wooden dressing room door, it was if she had just locked out all the noise and self-doubt. Her mind was free to process what had just happened to her, she pulled her spare skirt out of the wardrobe and replaced the ripped one she was wearing for it. She wondered if she should tell her dance teacher about the strange man, the turn woman was someone that wouldn’t believe her but it was worth a shot. Marinette fixed her hair tucking the loose strands back into the tight bun, she reapplied the small amount of makeup she had originally put on and ran back to the stage. She hoped no one had noticed that she had been gone for the five to ten minutes it had taken her to return, she re-chalked her pointed shoes. Something within her told her to look back up to the spot she had originally seen the stranger, he was back up there watching her, she ignored him to wait only for her name not to be called.

The judges congratulated everyone then disappeared out of the seated audience to discuss their choices on who would play the lead role.

Marinette never felt so angry before, she had never missed an audition before and the one time she did it was because she let her stupid curiosity get the better of her. She kept her composure all the way up until she closed the door of her dressing room, angrily she pulled off her pointe shoes and tossed them into her gym bag along with everything else she didn’t need. She ripped her jacket out of her bag and pulled it over her arms, it was going to be a cold walk back to her small two bedroom apartment but she reckoned her anger would keep her warm enough for her to reach home.

She avoided the other auditioners gazes as she exited the opera house, she kept her head buried in her phone. Alya, her best friend, had spammed her phone with text messages trying to find out if she had gotten the role, Marinette spared the girl all of the details and just told her that she didn’t get it, she swore that sometimes Alya was more upset at her not getting roles than she was at times.

Marinette put on her best smile to try and distract herself from the crushing disappear within, her anger had mostly subsided, she was still most definitely pissed at the stranger but she more pissed at herself. Her ex, Luka, had described her as a roller coaster of emotions, it had its highs and lows, its twists and turns and at times was unpredictable and went off the rails at times. Her mind wandered back to the guitarist, if she had the strength she would kick and scream at herself for even think of him after what had happened but right now she didn’t have the mental fortitude to argue with herself. She allowed herself to get wrapped up in the warm rose coloured glasses of the past, memories of time spent on his families houseboat and her own parents bakery, she smiled as the many times he snuck into her old dance studio with flowers flooded back to her, she couldn’t deny how much she missed him.

Slipping the key into the lock she opened the door to her apartment, she flicked the light on and stared at the dreary apartment she called home, she sighed in disgust and slammed the door shut behind her. Throwing her gym bag onto her sofa she made her way to her small kitchenette, the cheap bottle of wine she had bought the night before sat on the counter, she had originally bought in to celebrate whether she won or not but right now she felt like downing the entire bottle. She peeled the cheap plastic seal off and twisted it open, she didn’t bother with letting it breathe or with a glass. Marinette never liked the taste of cheap wine but it was all she could afford, she downed a quarter of the bottle in one go not caring about alcohol poisoning.

She sat down in front of her small blank tv, she hated how her life had turned out, she had expected to be a lot further along in her dancing career and not where she was right now. She had believed every little lie her dance instructors had told her, companies would do anything to hire her, the usual lies they told a twelve-year-old girl so that her parents would continue to pay for the lessons, how could she be so gullible.

She downed another mouth full of wine, she didn’t drink often so she already felt the buzz, reluctantly she put the lid on the bottle. Although heartbroken she still was a struggling dance student and needed to be on time for an 8 am class. She placed the half drunk bottle of wine back on the kitchen countertop as she passed by it to her bedroom. She tossed the clothes she was wearing aside before slipping into her cold lonely double bed. The springs creaked as she settled onto the uncomfortable mattress, she looked at the time on her phone one last time before tossing it across the room onto a stray pile of clothing.

Made for @marichatmay

Drabble Master List Next—>

#marichat may #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #SwanSongWrites #I keep drabbling on #Kitty Cats & Ballet Shoes #marinette dupain cheng #chat noir

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godsdamnit-pixelberry · 5 years

Text

doesn’t matter if i’m not enough (‘cause i’m young and in love)

Book: Desire & Decorum

Pairing: Annabelle Parsons/MC

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Comfort

Rating: T

Summary: MC is tired of playing the role of a refined lady. Annabelle finds and comforts her. Confessions ensues. A little angsty but with a happy ending.

Word Count: 2478 words

[also on ao3]

oh wow my first choices fic no pressure. so hallo, i would just like to say that annabelle parsons is a brave darling we should all stan and also that shitty aesthetics of annabelle up there is made by yours truly. that’s all, please enjoy and thanks for reading :))

set somewhere during book 1 where they haven’t talked about this ‘thing’ they have.

title is from the song ‘love’ by lana del rey

"Lady Clara, are you alright?"

You force your head to turn to the direction of the voice. Your eyes soften when you see Annabelle at the doorway of the balcony.

You take a deep breath and compose yourself, "I'm alright. I apologize for storming off like that, I only needed a breath of fresh air,” You wave her off. "You won't need to worry yourself, Annabelle."

"Of course," She replies, though her brown eyes tell you that she doesn't believe a word of that. "Would you mind if I join you then?"

You smile despite yourself, "I would never, your company is most welcome."

You don't say the things that matter. Like, how her company is the only one you look forward to in every social gathering your grandmother forces you to go. And perhaps if the heavens allow it, how friendship isn't quite the word you'd use to describe what you feel for her.

You let those words dissolve on your tongue, like you always do.

You turn back to the view of the dimly-lit estate, exhaling. She stands next to you and you have to grip the railing to keep your hand from taking hers.

A couple of minutes pass before she says anything, "You don't have to pretend, not in front of me."

Your shoulders sag and you sigh. Why does she have to be so perceptive?

"I don't- I’m not-" You try to deny, but she takes your hand and suddenly, the lie you've formulated in your mind disappears.

You feel the back of your eyes burning with tears you don't want to shed just yet, "It's just, I don't like this."

You feebly gesture to your surroundings. Annabelle doesn't question the vagueness of your statement and you have a feeling that she understands what you're trying to say.

"I don't like the parties, the competition between women to become the 'most accomplished lady' and be sold off to the first man with title who gives them attention, the suitors, Duke Richards," The name leaves a bad taste in your mouth. You despise the man and his inability to understand the word 'no'. Beside you, Annabelle stiffens at the mention of the name. You squeeze her hand and she squeeze back. "I don't like the way my grandmother dangles me in front of that wretched man like I’m some sort of mindless puppet and Countess Henrietta for trying to take my father's estate from me.

"I don't like it here," Your voice breaks and your vision blurs as the tears finally makes their way out of their sockets. The place, that weeks prior was a cause of your joy, now brings you weariness.

You feel so utterly defeated and Annabelle’s warm hand in your tight grip feels like a lifeline. You think about how Annabelle in general has been your lifeline your whole stay at Edgewater.

And you want to cry even more because the accompanying thoughts that came with that is not kind. It stabs your heart with the kind of pain you've only experienced when your mother, then later your father, passed away.

The implications of that makes fresh tears flow out of your eyes.

Annabelle has been quiet this whole time and you don't know what to think of that.

Finally, she speaks, "You don't like anything here?" She says in a quiet, horrified voice, as if she can't believe she didn't know.

"In all honesty, there's been only one good thing about this whole ordeal," You reply and you can hear your heartbeat thundering in your ears.

She swallows slowly, like something is clogging her throat, and you can see her glancing back at the party you two left behind. You follow her line of sight and see her eyes stop at a specific table where Mr. Chambers, Mr. Konevi, Mr. Sinclaire and Prince Hamid are sitting. Her eyes linger on Prince Hamid before she turns around again, jaw now clenched.

"What?" She whispers, voice sounding strangely exhausted.

You take a moment to appreciate her soft but firm hand in yours, the heat radiating off her, and her scent that is wholly Annabelle Parsons. You focus on anything your senses say is related to her - in fear that you can never be this close to her again.

Then you say it, "You."

One word, a simple word that will change your life for better or for worse. You pray to your mother and your father that it won't be the latter.

She inhales sharply and it's taking everything in you not to squeeze her hand even more. You’re afraid she might rip it out of your grasp and stalk off. Instead, you squeeze your eyes shut, maybe if you won't see her disgusted face directed at you, it'll hurt less.

You know it won't, but you are such a child that you hope it will anyway.

To your surprise, however, she stays put. You don't dare hope for hope.

You can hear her trying to speak but failing several times. You don't know what that could possibly mean for you.

"Do you truly mean that?"

Your eyes snap open and you turn to her sharply, heart in your throat. You’re taken off guard by what you saw, however.

She’s already looking at you, her soft brown eyes shining in the moonlight. Not with disgust or hate, but with pure, naked hope. Her hand is trembling in your grasp and you can't help but think about how Annabelle Parsons is the most beautiful woman in the world and how you're irrevocably in love with her.

"Yes," You whisper back. You hope against hope that you did not just single-handedly ruin one of the most important relationship in your life.

A mix of a sob and a laugh leaves her mouth, her hand that isn't holding yours wipes at her eyes that are suspiciously damp. All the tension that gathered in her earlier seem to seep out of her. In their place is absolute, unadulterated happiness.

The hope you'd tried to bury in the depths of your heart springs up once again. You have to swallow it down to speak. "Do you...?"

Annabelle nods her head at your unfinished question, tears now steadily running down her face. Despite that, her brown eyes are alight with so much joy.

Your breath hitch as the full realization hits you. Your eyes fill with tears again, this time - out of happiness.

"Annabelle!" You rush to embrace and she does the same.

"Oh Clara!"

You rest your head on the crook of her neck, breathing her in. You try to let the gravity of the situation sink in, but you still can't wrap your mind around it. All of earlier somehow feels like a dream and you've only just woken up, grasping at the barest threads left to make sense of everything.

But you know deep in your bones that it was real. Because well, if it wasn't, you wouldn't be holding on to Annabelle like this now, would you?

"I love you," You whisper. the words make you feel lighter. Like an unbearable itch that finally went away or perhaps, like a muscle that was stretched for the first time after a long time.

She tightens her hold around you, running the pads of her thumb on the skin of your nape – as if making sure you're real, this is real.

"I love you too, " She smiles, then takes a step back. For one horrible and pain-stricken moment, panic seizes your heart at the movement.

Sensing your nervousness, she takes your hand and squeezes it in reassurance. You relax.

"Clara, may the night and the moon be my witnesses, I promise this to you," She intertwines your fingers together, holding them up. "I will love you until the very day my soul fades from this world."

She holds your hand to her lips and kisses every knuckle, "Until then, will you be with me?" She asks, her smile nervous.

You feel your own lips curl into a blinding smile, "I would be a fool to deny the woman that holds my heart in her palm anything."

She grins back, "Is that a yes, then?" You eye the balcony door and see a servant who's closing the curtains.

"A million," You pull her towards you and catch her lips in a passionate kiss. At the same moment, the servant finishes closing the last of the curtains that allowed sight into the balcony, curtains that allowed an audience to your and Annabelle’s love for each other.

After a minute, you reluctantly pull away. The curtains may have been closed momentarily, but it certainly wouldn't stop any curious guest from peeking out the windows. Nor does it stop any wandering servants on the estate grounds from seeing you two.

All that are promptly forgotten though, when a few seconds later, Annabelle takes your face in her hands and presses your lips together for the second time. When you get over your surprise, you wrap your arms around her waist and pull her even impossibly closer to you.

You kiss her back, just as passionately as her. She playfully bites on your lower lip, you gasp, allowing her tongue to slip inside your mouth.

You tighten your hold on her, it's all you can do to stop yourself from melting when her tongue dances with your own.

She’s the one to pull away first this time and you - unable to help yourself - steal a few more kisses from her sweet, soft lips. Although, maybe steal isn't the best word since she so generously complied with your requests.

She giggles as you peck her lips repeatedly, "You are insatiable!"

"Only for you, my dear 'Belle," You grin.

"Well, I would certainly hope so," She says, but the joking tone she's trying for isn't successful in masking the raw truth in her statement. She straightens up suddenly and avoids your gaze, still, you can see the plea in her eyes.

You blink, confused with her behaviour until a particular memory from earlier strikes you.

Annabelle’s eyes tracking the tables inside the room and stopping short on a table full of your most pleasant suitors. Her eyeing everyone from Mr. Sinclaire to Mr. Chambers. Then, her eyes narrowing when they land on Prince Hamid, your most forward – but kind – suitor yet.

The pieces form together in your mind and a surge of amused endearment flows through you.

"’Belle," You call out, delicately. "Were you perhaps jealous of a few gentlemen tonight?"

She turns back to you, eyes full of indignation. "No! Of course not! I was absolutely not jealous, I was simply... displeased at how they fling themselves at you at every occasion that arises." With every word, her voice loses volume. Her face is red and her eyes are wide, you stifle a laugh because it isn't every day that one could fluster Annabelle Parsons – a task she's usually the one to do – and you want to milk it for as long as you could.

"Right," You reply, amusement dripping off your tone.

She glares at you, which makes a burst of laughter escape your lips.

"Can you blame me?" She counters. "With how beautiful and talented you are, I fear it's only a matter of time before you pluck a handsome gentleman from your endless suitors and make him the luckiest man alive when you marry him."

Your heart breaks at the amount of sadness and conviction in Annabelle’s voice, as if she's absolutely sure you're going to do just that after you're done with her. Her use of present tense doesn't escape your notice.

You hate how defeated she looks, it doesn't fit her. Annabelle Parsons is a lot of things: strong, kind, intelligent. But, defeated isn't one of them.

"I’m not going to leave you," You declare, loud and true. "It pains me that you feel like that, Annabelle. I’m sorry for unintentionally inflicting that fear in you, it seems my acting is better than I expected. Perhaps I should consider a career in the opera if Edgewater doesn’t fall to me.”

"Acting?" She asks, still not looking at you directly.

You scoff, "Come now, you don't think I actually desire to be courted by men, do you? And in extension, by anyone who isn't you? I would soon rather tie boulders to my ankles and jump into the ocean than live to see the day I get married to some pompous brat who lacks the decorum and grace only you have."

She huffs out a tired breath, "I didn't want to get my hopes up. I didn't want to make a fool out of myself by thinking you feel the same way as I do. I didn't want to imagine what our future might be if you chose me, because then, it will give me hope. And hope is dangerous when you gamble for love."

You take her hands and squeeze them three times, "I choose you now, I chose you all those times before, and I will continue to choose you every day. We may be born in the wrong time, but that won't stop me." You wait until she finally looks at you in the eyes, before you say the next piece. "Because I’m in love with you, Annabelle."

Her eyes water and she lean in to kiss you deeply. When you part, she smiles at you with so much happiness it made you smile too, "I’m in love with you too, Clara."

Your heart soars at that. You rest your forehead against her and sigh in contentment.

Truthfully, you have no idea what comes next for the two of you. If anyone caught wind of the nature of your relationship, both of your names and reputations would be destroyed. Not to mention, your already flimsy hold of the Edgewater estate would be taken from you. You don't even know where to begin in finding a suitor who's willing to overlook your unusual preferences in romance. Travelling down this route would be equal to setting yourself on fire – it would only get harder and harder each day. There would be no getting better for the two of you in this path.

But, if it would mean you get to hold Annabelle close like this, then you're willing to do everything it takes – even go to hell and back.

If there's something you learned from your parent's tragedy, it's that you never give up on love. It may be reckless and others may call it stupidity, but you have to stand by the person you love. Because that's just simply how one loves.

You won't be your father, you will learn from his mistakes and hold on to Annabelle. Happiness skipped your parents' lives, you’ll make sure it doesn’t skip yours.

#i keep forgetting to post this #annabelle parsons #annabelle x mc #desire and decorum #choices d&d #choices fanfiction #choices fanfic #choices #playchoices #choices the stories you play #my writing

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chucksandjeans · 3 years

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2020 in Review and Goals for 2021

This has been a challenging year. I say that with the utmost respect for people around the world who have had it way worse that I had but, in all honesty, it’s been tough. I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to separate out the days from the months and the weekends from the weekdays. For this year-end review, I thought about going off on a rant. That would have been easy because it was a sh!t year. But, I decided against that. The previous sentence will be the only and last negative thing I’ll pen in this entry because I truly believe that 2020 delivered many moments of positivity and hope for a world that was growing increasingly disconnected. Let’s put the sad stuff away. This means putting aside COVID19, the passing of icons and visionaries (RIP Kobe, Chadwick B, Sean C, RBG, George F), forest fires, political dohickeys, etc. For the first time in many years, humankind was up against common enemies and it united the world. The most uplifting part of 2020 was worth seeing, even if it meant we all had to see it from afar.

My daughter was born in January and I am grateful to see her grow up every single day. She was born the day just before the first COVID19 patient arrived at the very same hospital she was born at. Lucky much! I originally had plans for bachelor parties, work trips, going to the office (which seems outrageous now) and many other things, but I would not trade any of those for my daughter’s time. It has been incredible to share in Leia’s every day with my wonderful wife and mother of my child. I am lost for words when I think about how I will likely spend less time with my next child(ren) when life goes back to normal (fingers crossed). The three of us became closer than I could have ever imagined, and we built those memories in our first home. This home has an abundance of memories of 2020 and I am thankful for this house for keeping us safe, warm and loved.

RELATIONSHIP - A

Staying at home with a newborn was tough but rewarding for Celine and I. Many friends, family and literature conjure up how draining it is on a relationship to raise a child. It is indeed personally draining physically and mentally, but it is not draining on our relationship. In fact, it has strengthened our relationship. I continue to be impressed every single day with this woman who has brought strength, kindness and patience to our child in addition to being a fantastic partner to me. We were unable to climb big physical mountains this year but we certainly are scaling the mountain of life in a more coordinated and stable fashion than ever before.

PARENTHOOD (new category) - B

Being a father is difficult. The fun stuff is easy - playing, tickling, carrying - but almost everything else is hard. This applies to feeding, pooping, wiping, teaching, and anything else you can think of. I have the basics downpat but I must admit that my ‘intermediate’ parenting skills are lacking. To make up for it, I have read a few books that talk about parenting best practises but I realized that these books are just opinions of other people. There is no one obvious parenting method that trumps all else. I kept the baby alive this year and as the years go by, I’ll need to come up with some specific principles to live by so that I can pass the right values on to her.

FAMILY - A

There have been limited chances for this category to shine in 2020 with various lockdowns in place. I can probably count how many times I have seen family on my toes and fingers and it’s been a constant battle in my head of whether I should listen or not listen to public health guidelines that are telling everyone to not mingle with those outside of your immediate household. During the lockdown, is it better to see family or not see family? Should we just see them anyway because we are family, but risk infection and super spreading? Is one good and the other bad? I don’t know, but for the most part, I have done what I think is best to protect my family, even at the expense of loneliness. I hope that I made the right decision(s).

FRIENDS - A+

With the backdrop of 2020, I think I did a splendid job with friends. I have delivered on my goals of reaching out to friends as much as possible and “hanging out” virtually to play games and chats. I organized a few outdoor gatherings at parts when the lockdown was lifted in the summer. I did good.

CAREER - A

I embarked on a new journey in 2020 and learned new skills and gained new experiences. It was a rewarding year for personal and professional growth. I am proud of myself for managing the fast-paced and always-reorging style of Square. Case in point, I am working for my third manager already in only 12 months in my role. I’ve managed to build strong relationships and inched closer to gaining clarity on my ambitions.

TRAVEL - A

We did a fair bit of exploring in 2020. Despite not being able to travel very far, Celine and I took it upon ourselves to maximize the opportunities that we had. I have let go of my prior country counting practise as I learned that what’s most important about traveling is experiencing new cultures and seeing new things off the beaten path, no matter the country. We became tourists in our own neighbourhood, Toronto and surrounding areas, Prince Edward County, and Bruce County to hike and see everything we could, all while lugging our growing baby. We used a stroller, a front baby carrier, a back baby carrier, and a shoulder baby carrier, hoisting a bag of Leia’s clothes and stuff to see what we could. It was a great year to get used to traveling with a baby. We are ready for international travel once the pandemic is over.

HEALTH - B-

I started a habit with Celine last summer of sharing, just before bed, three things that we are thankful for that day. We call it ‘daily affirmations’. We have built this into daily routine and it has worked very well to inject positivity into our day. Other than this mental wellness commitment, my overall physical health regime was tossed out the window with COVID19 and no access to a gym or proper equipment. I blame COVID19 but I really can only blame myself. I learned that I am very much a gym rat that enjoys quick bursts of workout in 45-60 min sequences. This can be bench press for 3 sets of 10 and squats for the same, but asking me to do HIIT or workout videos in my house with light dumbbells or bodyweight exercises just doesn’t do it for me. I have been bad at adapting to new workout regimes.

FINANCE - A

This year was great for the finances. Not having any ‘extra’ expenses, like vacations, in-person shopping and dining, our spending has never been lower. Celine’s been on mat leave and, surprisingly, despite lower family income, our budget has been healthy. Square stock also did well which delivered unexpected surprises, but this was serendipitous so I am not giving myself credit for that one.

PERSONAL - A+

I had a lot of time this year to “do me”, with the lockdown and all. I did not take as much paid-time off as I would have liked but in the time that I had, I was able to think deeply about my life and what I want to achieve. That’s a big plus. I also read a solid number of books, blowing by my stretch goal of 5 books. I read 11 (list below), with 7 in the last 2-3 weeks, thanks to my new Kobo Clara HD! I find the reading exhilarating and much more useful than watching TV shows, which I did a lot of too this year.

Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built - Duncan Clark

Tools of Titans - Tim Ferris

The Innovation Stack - Jim McKelvey

Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters - Richard P. Rumelt

To Pixar and Beyond - Lawrence Levy

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Amy Chua

How to Raise Successful People - Esther Wojcicki

The Ride of a Lifetime - Robert Iger

Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber - Mike Isaac

Born a Crime - Trevor Noah

How Will You Measure Your Life? - Clayton M. Christensen

Range - David Epstein (currently reading into 2021)

2021 and Stretch Goals

RELATIONSHIP

Preamble: I recently read a book called ‘How Will You Measure Your Life’ and there was a concept that I wanted to implement. It’s called ‘jobs to be done’. It’s a popular framework in the product development world to tangibly describe what a product does for a user a.k.a. what does a user hire a certain product for. What does the customer need the product to do? The book draws connections to marriage such that partners think about the job that their partner needs them to do. For example, instead of “I’ll clean the house so that my wife doesn’t have to”, the concept asks that we first think about “what does my wife need me to be/do”, and then do that. It’s a simple but powerful way of putting the other person first.

I will think about what my wife needs and wants me to do before I make any assumptions using something like the ‘jobs to be done’ concept.

I will support my wife in her personal and career endeavors.

I will encourage my wife to be creative, ambitious and honest with herself so that she can find her path.

I will be an attentive and caring husband, and try to be positive in the most difficult situations. I will listen first and offer an opinion if suitable in the situation.

I will be cognizant that my wife is stressed from taking care of the baby and try to relieve her stress as much as possible.

I will recognize milestones and also everyday events because life is short.

Stretch: I will create and capture more memories outside of Instagram, through writing, photos or videos.

PARENTHOOD

Preamble: There are various schools of thought on parenting that have some similarities but more stark differences. Specifically the “Western” and “Chinese” schools have opposing tenets, and generically there are more studies not specific to raising children that pose another theory. In the coming year, I’ll digest a few more of these parenting hypotheses, come up with a set of strategies and principles, and align with Celine on tactical steps to take to get there.

I will read 2 to 3 more books on parenting techniques.

I will create a set of strategies, goals, principles and priorities for us and Leia to follow.

FAMILY

I will be more present to foster the most harmonious balance where possible.

FRIENDS

I will build on strong social bonds by reaching out, staying in touch, physically or virtually seeing friends, and recognizing special moments.

I will not be non-existent to friends.

I will think about my friends’ ‘jobs to be done’ and try as much as possible not to project my own expectations onto them.

Stretch: hang out with 1 friend per a month and recognize special moments with handwritten cards and gifts.

CAREER

I will continue to think about my career structurally and critically to deliberately plan out my path. I am entering my mid 30s so the next move or two have to be career moves.

I will consistently evaluate my skills and proactively find ways to fill the gaps, either through structured learning (courses), unstructured (books) and/or experience (asking to lead a project).

Stretch: meet at least 2 new people every month who can help me in my career or gives me new ideas; discuss international opportunities with Square

TRAVEL

Find a new travel goal that revolves around cultural exploration. I want to love to travel immensely again and give that gift to Leia.

Go at least one place with Leia on the plane.

Stretch: Take Celine and the baby to San Francisco for a few weeks.

HEALTH

I will find a new workout regime that I am deeply passionate about. It can be cycling or running up and down the street with a box of weights. In any case, I have to love it and stick with it.

I will choose to eat healthy food more often. In particular, this means more fish, chicken, vegetables and legumes, and less red meat, fried foods and dairy products.

I will eat more fruits and drink more water (at least 2L daily).

I will workout at least twice a week.

FINANCE

I will continue shifting the finances on a monthly basis to ensure that Celine and I are tracking towards our retirement goals.

I will spend less money on products and more on experiences.

I will cut back on impromptu purchases.

I will continue saving money for myself, Celine and the baby.

Stretch: plan for investment property.

PERSONAL

I will keep learning what it means to be a husband and father.

I will dedicate time to self-improvement through reading 24 books this year (2 per month) that span a wide range of topics, from non-fiction to fiction.

I will focus on what I can control and push out things that I cannot control. I worry too much so this will help me reduce mental stress.

I will be a better listener and only dish out tough love sparingly.

I will continue documenting my career ambitions and philosophies in my journal at least 2x a month.

I will clean the house once a month. This means wiping the windows, vacuuming and mopping the floors, bleaching the sink, etc.

I will not leave my shoes and jackets everywhere, and will not leave the lights on if I don’t have to.

Stretch: I will read 36 books (3 per month) this year.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF 2020

Driving around the city with Celine a week or two before Leia was born. We went for brunch, went shopping, and had some delicious dinner at Pinky’s Ca Phe. It was a simple day but oh so memorable.

The day just before and the day Leia was born. I woke up and Celine “surprised” me by telling me that she thought her water broke (lol?). We rushed to the hospital and the doctor told us to come back at 7pm that night to start the labour process (if it hadn’t started already). We went home, hung out, took a shower, had a quick nap, had pho for a quick dinner and then got ready. It was the beginning of a long night. Then, watching Celine deliver Leia, and holding her in my arms throughout the first night. I was so tired that I was delirious. Maybe that’s why it felt like a dream.

Watching Leia interact with my parents. Leia has taken a liking to them and it fills my heart with warmth and joy. It also feels like I gave my parents one of the best gifts they could ask for - a smart, healthy and happy grandchild.

Hanging out in the basement, which is essentially Leia’s playroom. All of it.

Walking to the beach.

Each and every day that I woke up to my wonderful wife and child. Leia smiles every so widely in the mornings, making cute sounds and greeting me. It’s a shot of caffeine in the morning, even after a possible poor night of sleep filled with Leia making funny noises.

Making trips to Prince Edward County and Bruce County.

Seeing my parents and in-laws after weeks and months of lockdown. Humans are not wired to be alone, and definitely not wired to say no to seeing family or waving to them behind a window.

Hanging out with my boys before Ryan’s wedding and the wedding itself. There was so much love and joy that day.

Doing ‘normal’ things, like going to the mall, eating at a restaurant, playing golf and having out with friends at the park. Seeing friends at the park, even socially distanced, felt amazing.

Seeing a new administration installed at the White House.

Reading the news about the vaccine being discovered, manufactured and now distributed across the world.

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buckybarnesappreciationsociety · 6 years

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“HappyNess Is Not A Myth”

Summary: Bucky and Patricia Barnes are preparing for the birth of their first baby. This story follows the joys and pitfalls of pregnancy.

Characters: Bucky Barnes x Patricia Barnes

OFC: Steve, Tony, Nat, Wanda, Sam, Dr. Azalea Mitchell, and Sarah Natalia Barnes

Word Count: 2,889

Warnings: Talk of labor pains.

A/N: Thank you @violentlybarnes for allowing me to participate in your writing challenge. My prompt: “I’m going to die” Congrats on 500+ followers.

A/N 2: I’m aware happiness is misspelled. :D

Childbirth is a blessed event. There’s no greater joy than pushing an 8 pound baby through a small canal. Hours upon hours of stabbing pain, sweating, cursing, and morphing into a crazed lunatic are worth it. The sweet sound of piercing cries of an infant (s) are music to parent’s ears. In the end, you’re rewarded by watching your little one grow up into their own person.

Also, the cherished teenage years; “Dad, can I borrow the car?,” “Mom, I’m having company over, will you make some snacks please?,” and “You’re embarrassing me!”

Bucky and Patricia Barnes, married 2 years, are expecting their first baby! Everyone at the compound are ecstatic. In 8 months, a new “Avenger” will join the team.

The mile-wide smile on Bucky’s face speaks volumes. No longer in the field, he trains new agents, while Patricia’s morning sickness keeps her bedridden sometimes. But never fear, Mr. “I’m here for you always” Barnes to the rescue.

Rubbing circles on her back when she’s kneeling before the porcelain god, keeping saltines, ginger ale, and a wastepaper basket handy. Dr. Azalea Mitchell, the couple’s OB/GYN physician, assured the nervous couple the nausea and vomiting should cease after the first trimester.

Nat and Wanda would stop by and sit with Patricia, when they weren’t on a mission. Bucky wasn’t far away. The training room was four floors down from their apartment, and he was a phone call away.

Tucking her legs on the bed, Wanda held Patricia’s hand. “How do you feel pumpkin?”

“Do you need anything?” Nat asked, fluffing her pillows.

“I love you guys so much. No, I’m fine. As you can see, Bucky took care of me before he left.”

Patricia pulled the covers down a bit.

The trio chatted well into the evening. Patricia only left the bed to use the bathroom, with Nat’s assistance.

Soon after, Wanda and Nat left for dinner. Patricia wished she could go also, but her husband would have a kanipshin.

The bedside clock read 4:30 p.m. Bucky would be home soon. “I’m going bananas. I’ve gotta break free.” Patricia plotted her getaway.

Just as she touched the doorknob, she heard footsteps...Bucky’s footsteps. Scrambling to the sofa, Patricia had a silly grin on her face.

The lock clicked signaling his arrival. “Doll, why are you out of bed?”

Taking a deep breath, Patricia pleaded her case. “James, I’ve been in bed for over a week and I’m going out of my mind! I would love to eat in the common room with everyone else.” Her eyes glossed with unshed tears.

If there’s one thing that ripped Bucky’s heart was his wife crying. Sitting on the sofa beside her, “I’ll make a deal with’ya. Use the wheelchair. If’ya get to feeling sick, you gotta go back to bed. Deal?”

Kissing his cheek, Patricia gushed, “Deal!”

Nat, Wanda, Sam, and Bruce were at the table feasting on spaghetti and tuna casserole, salad, yeast rolls, corn and for dessert blueberry and lemon pie.

Standing at the kitchen island, Tony and Steve were engaged in friendly banter.

Bucky wheeled Patricia around the corner, much to the delight of everyone in the room.

Tony was first to comment. “Well look who it is? Hot Wheels and Heavy Metal.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Shut up coke can.”

Steve greeted Patricia with a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Good to see you Patricia. How are you?”

“I’m feeling better. Just going stir crazy in that bed. Made a deal with Bucky, so here I am.”

Patricia greeted with hugs and kisses, engaged in festive conversation. Bucky prepared her plate with small portions, just in case baby Barnes didn’t approve of the menu.

Time moved swiftly. Patricia’s baby bump grew by leaps and bounds. 5 months along, she felt the baby flutter for the first time.

“Bucky!! Come quick!!” Falling over the chair and stubbing his toe, Bucky thought that something was wrong.

“D-doll what’s wrong? Is it the baby?” Panicking, Bucky stumbled in the room.

Giggling, Patricia apologized for scaring him. “Babe, I’m really sorry. Didn’t mean to upset you. The baby’s kicking and I wanted you to feel it.”

Laying his flesh hand on the side of her stomach, little peanut kicked Patricia hard.

Bucky’s eyes were big as dinner plates. “Wow! She’s gonna play soccer. Doll, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world. I dunno what I did to deserve you and our daughter, but Imma love and protect my best girls always.”

Overcome with pride, Bucky’s cerulean eyes filled with tears. “I love ya so much.”

Rubbing his back, Patricia turned his face to her. “Sweetheart, those better be happy tears. James Buchanan Barnes, you deserve all the happiness life has to offer. You’re not the Winter Soldier; you’re my husband and father to our daughter.”

Wiping his eyes, Bucky hiccuped. “M’sorry, This feels like a dream, ya know? Is this real?”

“Yes my love, it’s real and you’re here, with us.” Patricia kissed his eyes, one by one.

Bucky Barnes had been to hell and back more than once. It’s okay if he shed happy tears. After years of hell, time for heaven on earth.

Sonogram

Bucky paced back and forth in the waiting room. Patricia reached out, grabbing his hand. “James, sweetheart come sit down.”

“Can’t Trish, m’anxious. Why is it taking so long?”

“Dr. Mitchell has other patients. Our appointment is at eleven. It’s just 10:30. Buck, sit down.”

Clara, Dr. Mitchell’s nurse, called them to an exam room.

“Mrs. Barnes, please remove your shirt, put on this gown. Dr. Mitchell will be right in.” The congenial nurse left the room.

Bucky assisted Patricia with her clothes, then, she laid on the examination table. “Doll, are ya alright?”

“Yes, kinda nervous.” Patricia reached for her husband’s hand.

Entering the room, Dr. Mitchell smiled at the concerned parents. “Good morning. I’m sure you’re ready to find out if your baby’s a boy or girl. Let’s get started.”

Adjusting the screen, squeezing cold ultrasound gel on the probe, Dr. Mitchell lifted Patricia’s gown. “This is may be a little cold at first touch.”

Placing the probe on her stomach, the image of baby Barnes came into view. Bucky’s cerulean eyes pooled with unshed tears.

Moving the probe over Patricia’s stomach, Dr. Mitchell determined the baby is a girl. “Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, you’re having a girl. I’ll print a picture for you.

Patricia held Bucky’s hand. “James, it’s a girl.”

“Wow. There she is, Sarah Natalia Barnes.”

“Oh sweetie, Nat and Steve will be so pleased. I love her name.”

Dr. MItchell removed the remaining gel with a soft cloth. “You may get dressed, and Clara will show you to my office.”

Holding the black and white image of their daughter, Bucky rubbed his calloused fingers over the paper. “Hey peanut. It’s you daddy. Me and your momma loves ya so much.”

In her office, Dr. Mitchell called in a refill on Patricia’s prenatal vitamins, gave them instructions on having sex this far along in the pregnancy and her diet.

Bucky and his wife nodded, thanked the doctor, and left.

Eyes gleaming Bucky put a plan in motion. “ It’s okay to tell the team we’re having a girl, but keep the name a secret.”

“Gotcha Sarge. Besides, Steve can’t keep a secret for shit.”

Second Trimester Blues

At the 6 month period, Patricia’s hormones played dirty tricks on her; crying, an insatiable appetite for sex (Bucky didn’t complain), weird cravings, and horrific mood swings.

One evening while watching a movie, Y/N asked Bucky if she looked fat . Afraid to answer, he decided to keep quiet.

Well, his silence meant it was true in her eyes.. “I know you think I’m fat and ugly. You’re gonna leave me for a woman with firm breasts and ass.” Stomping from the room, Patricia slammed the bedroom door, locking it.

Dumbfounded, Bucky simply shook his head, talking through the door, “Dollface, open the door. I dunno why you’d say that. I love ya so much. No woman in the world can hold a candle to ya.”

Sniffling and hiccuping, the lock clicked. Bucky’s face fell. Patricia was sitting against the headboard with their wedding picture. “Do you ever regret marrying me?”

Taken aback, Bucky turned towards his distraught wife, taking her hand. “Trish, why would’ya ask me something like that?”

“I’m sorry James. I know you love me and our unborn daughter. My emotions are all over the place and I hate it.”

Wiping his eyes, Bucky explained to Patricia what she and their baby truly meant to him.

“When HYDRA controlled me, I did things that’s still hard to talk about; felt I wasn’t worth of a happy, normal life. Then, here comes this stubborn, feisty, dame. The moment we met, somehow I had to make ya mine. Yeah, we’ve had some rough patches, yet, our love withstands all the crazy shit.”

Rubbing her growing belly, Bucky continued. “Patricia, you loved me back to life and for some strange reason, ya wanted to marry me. Now, we’re ‘bout’ta have a baby girl. So, to answer your question, no I don’t regret marrying ya. Thanks to your undying love for me, I feel like a man and not a monster.”

Bucky calmly stood walking to the door. Turning around, “I’m gonna make us a cup of tea. I love ya so much.”

Reaching out for his hand, “James, please forgive for being a hormonal bitch.”

“S’okay doll, there’s nothing to forgive.” Gently closing the door, Y/N held her pillow, sobbing.

Steve, sitting at the kitchen island reading, noticed Bucky’s glum expression. ‘Hey pal. What’s the matter?

“Stevie, do’ya think I deserve t’be happy?” Bucky’s shoulders slumped.

“What brought this on? Pal, you’ve earned the right to be thrilled ‘bout your wife and baby. Don’t ever second guess that.”

“Guess you’re right. Trish asked me if I regret marrying her, saying I’ll leave her for another woman.”

Steve consoled his gloomy friend. “Trish’s frame of mind is all over the place. One minute she’s laughing, next time, she’s bawling and biting everyone’s head off. Go home and hold your wife, Buck.”

“Thanks a lot. I was gonna make tea, but I need to hold my best girls.” Bucky left the kitchen.

Patricia curled up on the bed, holding Bucky’s pillow.

Removing his clothes, Bucky pulled the geometric pattern comforter back, easing into bed. He scooted close to her body, draping a hand over her stomach.

Inhaling the scent of her shampoo, Bucky entered into peaceful sleep.

Over waffles, eggs, bacon, coffee and orange juice, Trish expressed deep regret about the night before. All’s forgiven. If anything negative plagued gripped her mind, she’d talk to Bucky before things got out of hand.

The Nursery Dilemma/Baby Shower

Anthony Edward Stark, billionaire smartass, hired contractors to build an incredible nursery. Bucky adamantly assured everyone he was capable of assembling baby furniture.

“Listen Father Russia, I’m sure your abilities to assemble and disassemble a weapon are impeccable. Why not let the professionals take over.” Tony quirked an eyebrow.

Unfazed by his comment, Bucky retorted, “I am a professional, damnit. Now, let me get to work.”

Sam snorted, “Shit, Frozen, your baby will be 3 before you’re finished.”

Wanda, Patricia, and Nat chuckled. “Husband dear, I have faith in you. We’ll be in the common room preparing for the baby shower.”

Nat joked, “He’s gonna mess up Trish” Wanda nodded in agreement.

“I know. Our baby girl’s probably going to sleep with us until she’s 5 years old.

Snapping his head around, Bucky narrowed his eyes. “I heard that. Just wait’n see. Daddy Barnes will have everything put together before ya know it.”

Steve groaned, “Tony, keep the contractors on speed dial.”

“Already on it Capsicle.”

After 2 hours and a lot of swearing, Bucky conceded, informing Tony to call the pros. Tony smirked.

Crossing his arms, Bucky inquired about this bet. “So, Rogers betted against me?”

Steve whistled, glancing at the ceiling.

The common room became a pink and white wonderland. Balloons, streamer, a 3 tier cake, and rounding everything out, Pepper hired caterers.

Patricia had a special request: chocolate ice cream, bananas, potato chips, and dark chocolate almond milk.

Clint, Laura and their 3 kids joined in the festivities. Food, games, gifts and laughter were the order of the day.

Bucky and Patricia revealed their daughter’s name.

“First, we wanna thank everyone for coming. Trish and I appreciate all you’ve done for us. We’ve chosen Sarah Natalia Barnes for our ‘peanut’.”

Nat gasped, “Barnes, are you serious?”

“Yeah Nattie. You and I have been through the ringer. It’s only right to bring some sunshine to ya.”

Normally stoic, Nat embraced Bucky and Patricia. “I’m honored.”

Steve couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. “My ma’s smiling in Heaven!”

A huge white box with a pink bow remained on the table. Trish removed the top and gasped. Inside were custom made pajamas and bibs; Iron Man, Captain America, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Hulk.

Tony had one more surprise. “Guess we saved the best for last.”

Bucky couldn’t believe his eyes: a pink onesie complete with a metal arm and red star. The matching bib inscribed: Daddy’s Little Peanut. Everyone applauded the special gift for Sarah

Trish pulled Pepper into a hug, and Bucky enveloped Tony with his massive arms. “Okay Icicle. You’re welcome!

Bucky and Patricia thanked everyone again for coming. Sam, Steve, and Tony helped with the gifts.

“Sarah is loved, Buck. We’re fortunate to have our extended family. I love you.”

“Yeah she’s spoiled already. Doll, we’re in trouble.”

Sarah Makes Her Debut

Dr. Mitchell informed them, little Sarah had turned, head down. It wouldn’t be long before Bucky and Patricia meet their daughter.

Now that the nursery was completed, furniture built, room decorated, and clothes put away, only thing missing…...Sarah!

Patricia felt discomfort in her abdomen. Chalking it up to indigestion, she huffed and laid down.

Suddenly, a sharp, stabbing pain, accompanied by wetness coursed through her body. Not able to move, Patricia screamed for Bucky.

“BUUUCKY!!! COME QUICK!!!! MY WATER BROKE!!!.” Patricia doubled over in pain.

Scrambling to the bedroom, Bucky speed dialed Steve, who in turn alerted everyone else.

Bringing a stretcher from medical, Patricia was carefully wheeled to Tony’s SUV, along with Bucky, Pepper, Nat and Wanda. A police escort cleared the way to Mt Sinai Hospital.

“OH MY GOSH, I’M GOING TO DIE!!! BUCKY I HATE YOU. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!! OWWWW!!!

Bucky smiled, trying to calm his wife. Her contractions were 10 minutes apart. “M’here sweetheart. Shhh, I got’cha.”

Arriving at the hospital, Dr. Mitchell met them at the door. Bucky followed the doctor and nurses to the birthing suite.

After 5 hours of misery, Trish gave birth to 8 lbs. 3 ounces., 19 inches, Sarah Natalia Barnes Bucky cut the umbilical cord amid teary eyes.

Peanut, as she was affectionately called, sported curly brown hair, beautiful blue eyes with long eyelashes, and her mother’s nose.

Beaming with pride, Bucky held his bundle of joy. “Hey, darlin’ m’glad you’re here. Gosh, ya got a heart already. I’ll protect you and your mommy always.”

He placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Patricia weakly smiled at her husband and daughter. Labor took a lot out of her. “Hey Sarge, can I hold her?”

“Of course doll. She’s a heartbreaker.”

Knocking on the door, Nat stuck her head in. “Are you up for visitors?”

“Sure, come on in and meet your goddaughter.” Patricia cooed as she fed Sarah.

“Nat, would you like to hold her?” Sarah burped.

“Yeah, she’s definitely Bucky’s daughter.” Nat carefully held the little cherub.

Beaming with pride, Nat whispered, “Hey this is your godmother. I love you so much. When you’re older, I’ll teach you how to kill someone using only a spoon.”

Bucky and Patricia groaned. “I have a feeling Sarah will be a lethal weapon by her 5th birthday.”

Another soft knock at the door, Tony peeped from behind the door. “Is it okay if her uncles and aunt come in?”

Bucky sitting in the wood rocking chair, whispered for everyone to keep it down. Patricia and Sarah were asleep.

Tony had to make a wisecrack. “Little Creamsicle’s a cutie. She’s your twin, Frostbite. I hate to admit this. You look good holding your daughter. I’m happy for you and Patricia.”

Steve noted, “Jerk, look at’cha. You’re a daddy now. My goddaughter’s precious. Buck she’s your twin.”

Sam and Wanda took pictures of James Buchanan Barnes grinning from ear-to-ear.

At last, the happiness train pulled into his station, bringing Patricia and Sarah Natalia Barnes into his once shattered life. He was no longer a brainwashed killer. No, Bucky held the title of husband and father. About damn time!!!

Fin

@violentlybarnes @omalleysgirl22 @rebelslicious @pegasusdragontiger @suz-123 @electrica-xo @inumorph @3brosangel @arabellaaurorabarnes @the-shield-of-writing @kimistry27 @papi-chulo-bucky

#violentlybarnes 500 writing challenge #daddy!bucky #bucky x patricia #sarah natalia barnes #husband bucky #bucky imagine #bucky is not a villain

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