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#bamf marinette
mochinek0 · 1 year
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Where is MY Boyfriend(FINAL)
PREVIOUS
Damian proposes.
Marinette: No
Damian: What?
Marinette: Damian, we've only been dating for five months.
Damian: You kicked the Joker's ass for me. You saved me!
Marinette: And if I hadn't saved you....would you still be proposing?
Silence.
Marinette: Exactly. Let's get to know each other better first
Damian: Fine, but I save you next time.
Marinette: How?
Damian shows off his katana collection. Marinette turns and looks at him
Marinette: Deal
She goes back to looking at the katanas. Damian ego boosted that she trusts him.
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BatFam find out she rejected him
Bruce: Oh thank god.
Jason & Damian: What the hell?
Dick: She's adorable!
Bruce: You just met her! At least she's smart enough to realize that!
Tim: Also, if she said yes, she likely would have been after the Wayne money.
Damian: Didn't think about that
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3 months later:
Damian proposing each month
Marinette: You have to stop proposing!
Damian: But I have your parent's blessing
Mairnette: You called my parents?
Damian: I had to get their blessing.
Marinette turns red
Marinette: 1 year
Damian: Huh?
Marinette: We've been dating for eight months. Wait four more. I want this to last, please. I don't want this to end and I'm afraid it will. I love you. I love Titus and lil Alfred. I love Jerry and Batcow. I love your art and how much you understand me.
Damian sees she's tearing up. Gets up from kneeling and hugs her. Kisses her forehead.
Damian: 1 year.
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True to his word, Damian proposed on their one year anniversary.
Marinette: Yes.
Parents learn they are finally engaged. Happy for their daughter.
Former class learns Mari is never coming back and happily engaged to someone on another continent.
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Joker's mouth is finally healed.
Breaks out of Arkham and tries to take control of an art auction.
Spots Damian Wayne. Looks around cautiously.
No Marinette in sight.
Marinette comes out of the bathroom.
'Fuck!'
Drops his weapons and laughing gas.
Joker: Nope. Nope. Nope.
Goons: Boss?
Joker: No!
Walks out to GCPD and just gets in the back seat
Officer: J-Joker?
Joker: No!
Slams door closed
Joker: Just take me back
Marinette looks to Damian confused
Marinette: Did I miss something?
Damian: Not a thing.
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quindread · 11 months
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THE COTTAGECORE MARI AU PROMPT THAT NOBODY ASKED FOR
Pairing: Daminette (edit: they’re like 19/20 in this, post high-school)
Rating: It has mature themes, you have been warned. But it’s pretty tame at the same time. Violence + Sexual Themes
________________
Mari is diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorder after she quite literally removed her beloved city’s supervillain (and her dear partner’s parent) from the plane of existence. Like she removes the suffering from the minds of all of Paris and has Gabriel written off in a car accident a year after his wife’s disappearance. Only her Court (Adrien, Kagami, Zoe, Alix, Max) and the Order remembers. Mari and Adrien decide not to pursue a relationship. They’re both healing and are decidedly better off friends - siblings in everything but blood.
Lila, who was not punished due to her not really being a miraculous holder and upsetting the balance, continues to slander Mari. Her class isn’t hostile but has no desire to interact with the “new and mean Marinette” Lila was painting her to be. It’s still a huge betrayal given the fact that Mari was supportive and very generous to these people.
So here’s how her new housing arrangement works: have you ever wondered how Gina can afford to travel around the world without a job? Yeah, I think she came from money. Like, old money - real estate old money to be precise. Passive income and such. Hearing about her Fairy’s situation, she offers an unused property at the countryside of Metropolis.
Marinette’s therapist and parents approve of her vacationing there for the summer when they realize that her stressors and triggers where all environmental. So off our girl goes!
Note: She does not have the mother box with her anymore, just Tikki, Plagg, and Kaalki. (She does have unrestricted access to it as the Grand Guardian though - she trains with the Order once a week in Tibet until she doesn’t)
Mari is aware of the Supers and was relieved that the Kwamis don’t show up in x-ray visions and with the fear of them eavesdropping she learns FSL to communicate with them.
The townhouse and the verdure around the property inspires Mari to start a garden. The quiet oddly soothes her and when she feels lonely she goes into town or the nearby farmer’s market where she charms the locals. She meets the Kents - they love her! Martha enjoys baking with her. Lois uncovers her identity as Jagged and Clara Nightingale’s exclusive (and reclusive) designer - they bond over fashion trends and the gossip surrounding the industry. Clark and Jon were another story.
She figures them out having sensed the same soul in Superman and Superboy in this father-and-son duo. They x-ray her as a precaution and finds the mysterious cracks and evidence of past injuries that should have killed her. There’s a very anti-climatic reveal that Martha and Lois are not privy to with respect to Marinette’s wishes.
At least one Kent would be in her home during the day. The Kwamis are free to roam around when it was Clark and/or Jon visiting. She ends up bonding with Jon who also grew up too fast (metaphorically and literally).
She ends up extending her stay in Metropolis indefinitely. Her parents also decided to open a branch of their patisserie there which Mari managed. They visit her as often as they could.
Mari was dismayed to find that no, Metropolis had no schools with both a fashion and business degree - that’s how she ends up in Gotham University.
Jon tells Mari about a Damian - a friend of his.
J: He’s…. uh… he has a big heart.
M: …
J: He’s a bit of an asshole(?)
M: Ah.
Mari meets Damian who reminds her of Kagami - antisocial and proper. They share a few business classes and are both members of the art club.
Mari is still this ball of anxiousness and has only allowed Mia “Maps” Mizoguchi and Katherine Karlo into her life, the former she learned was close to Damian - she didn’t mind when she and the girls met up with Damian, he was quiet, honest, and minded his own business. Through their hangouts Damian finds out about the friendship between Jon and Mari.
He’s hesitant to befriend her at first due to the conflicting rumors about her: due to her timid personality she had a split reputation. One side called her sweet, shy, and kind. While the other calling her arrogant, high-maintenance, and rude. He soon finds out that the latter half were spread by cliques who’s offer of friendship she declined and men she rejected. He was glad that he relented to Maps’ insistent invitations - she was a decent person to hang out with and it didn’t hurt that she was pleasing to the eye. (She also enjoyed sharing her vegetarian salads with him - he starts appreciating it more when he learns that she picks the vegetables straight from the garden she grows.)
As her luck would have it, a robbery unfolds at one of their favorite coffee spots. Mari and Damian - who were both pretending to be civ - try to find a way to protect their friends. The robbers recognizes Damian as a Wayne and takes him and another GU(a school for rich and affluent people’s children) kid - Marinette - who had stood in front of her friends.
They’re gagged, blindfolded, and carted off to who knows where. Damian discreetly activates a distress signal and the bats spur into action. Mari, aware that she was sturdier than Damian, draws the men’s attention to her (she purposely pisses them off and gets beaten up when they start to pester Damian).
M: [removes her gag somehow] Really? A ski mask? And in black? How boring can you get?
*Damian shaking his head furiously in the background*
Kidnapper(KN): Shut up, girlie!
M: You know I always wondered how Kidnappers could have a secret a warehouse as a hideout. It’s not like you can afford the rent—
KN: Are you trying to get yourself killed?
M: You’re backed up by some politician aren’t you?
KN: H-How the fuck did this bitch know?
M: There’s literally a stack of campaign papers behind you.
KN: Wha—
M: That’s some shit graphic design by the way. I’ve seen grade schoolers that can do better.
KN: [points a gun at her] Shut up or I’ll blow your brains out.
M: You wouldn’t.
KN: The fuck do you know—
M: You need me alive to get ransom from my parents.
KN: …Nobody said you had to be in one piece though.
M: Touché—[get slapped hard]
*Damian basically starts convulsing in the background*
M: …Damn. You punch like a cunt—[And the kidnappers basically start to rough her up]
The bats arrive in five minutes and it’s Red Hood that finds them first. He sees these mf’s beating up a woman and goes ballistic(pun intended). Red Robin and Spoiler has to forcibly restrain him when he starts to use his fist instead of his guns.
M: [bleeding and bruised] And that’s how you deck someone, you amateurs.
D: [who was released by Black Bat is confused, mad at himself, and in awe] You blithering idiot! Why the fuck would you aggravate our captors like that?
M: [delirious] It was either you or me Damian. Can’t have your pretty face damaged now, can we?
D: [Is floored and very concerned] And what of yours?
M: … dun worry—my assets are…elsewhere… [passes out from the pain]
D: …
Later, his family would tease him about the flirting when he isn’t all sensitive about the incident.
Winter break comes, most of the Batfam visits the Kents(they have a penthouse/some ridiculous property in Metropolis) as a tradition. The Kents went to visit Gotham and stayed at the manor last year.
(Batfam who went: Bruce, Dick, Jason, Steph, Cass, and Damian)
They visit Mari too. Dick and Steph are absolutely thrilled about her cottagecore lifestyle. So much so that they match her aesthetic and begin helping out in the garden - they send pictures to Alfred who request they bring back fresh produce.
Jon and Jason plot to get Damian and Mari together. Unbeknownst to them that Damian was already resolute on courting Mari like the decorous man that he was - he didn’t know what he was doing but Mari’s flush when he initiates flirting tells him he’s doing okay.
Because of his childhood, Damian was never the type to be touchy but imagine his shock when he finds out that one of his more prominent love languages was physical touch. He realizes he’s touch-starved almost immediately when Mari starts giving him small touches like a hand against his bicep, she had a fondness for touching his hair which never failed to deliver a shiver down his spine, and hugs from her are comforting - she felt like home.
Meanwhile Mari does not have any idea how she survived the early stages of Damian’s advances. He was blunt and did not pull his words with insults but it apparently translated to him being verbally open with his affections.
M: I always wanted to be the Knitting Fairy while growing up.
D: Does it not please you that you became a garden fairy instead?
M: Huh, that doesn’t sound so bad.
D: Well, you certainly look the part.
M: [turns into the same shade as the poppy beside her]
And then when the tension between them became more prominent he wasn’t shy with dropping innuendos too.
M: [open’s the door for Damian, haggard from lifting sacks of garden soil] Oh, I didn’t know you were coming so early. I’m a bit of a mess. Sorry.
D: [Tilts his head] You say that as if I wouldn’t appreciate you sweaty and tousled after a rigorous activity.
M: [self-combusts]
And when the touching began?
M: Damian, what color do you think looks better with this shade of blue?
D: [places a hand on her side while looking over her shoulder] I think the a more neutral cream would do.
M: [stops functioning]
Their first kiss?
Pulled straight out of a book that Marinette only read in the privacy of her bedroom.
They’re teasing each other, it evolves to a game of cat and mouse with Damian skillfully evading her. She corners him by turning on some of her sprinkles. He gets wet, growls in the way he would in Mari’s dreams, and pulls of his shirt. She’s too distracted by the hard planes of his stomach to notice him prowling towards her like a beast moving to claim his prey. He picks her off the ground with ease - he’s a foot taller than her - and takes her to the sprinklers.
(I’m going to write this part out properly, maybe to inspire myself or a potential adopter of this prompt)
“Nononono!” Marinette shrieks as the first round of water splashes her. She writhes but Damian had her arms held down her sides.
“All is fair in love and war, Ya Amar.” She ignores the endearment in favor of closing her eyes as the sprinkles rotate in their direction again. But she knows what it means. Ya Amar. My moon. His moon. The water had nothing on the chill that ran down her spine
The water stars seeping into her intimates and she’s soberly aware that the light fabric of her dress would betray her. It doesn’t take long for Damian to discover that fact, he releases a strangle sound. She opens her eyes, he snaps his eyes from where he was clearly looking at her chest. He scrambles to drop her.
“Shit— I’m sorry. This was not my intention—“ he starts but she’s faster. Her now free arms grasps his shoulders and without a second thought, she drops her lips to meet his. Damian inhales sharply and he tilts his head, temporarily breaking the kiss before raising her higher and pulling her by the back of neck - he kisses her with hunger and passion that has Marinette melting further against his chest.
She wraps her legs around his back and he moves to tightly grasp both the back of her thighs. She would worry about bruises later when she didn’t have Damian’s tongue caressing her own. He drops them to the ground and Marinette does not release her hold over his waist. She whines against his lips when she feels the consequences of their activity.
His hands start wandering as he greedily collects and files the sounds that leaves her lips. He begins to trail kisses down her neck to the neckline of her dress that now clung to her body like a second skin giving him his first peek at the maddening shape of her body. And just when he trails a finger against the underside of her breast a loud noise pulls them apart.
Jason finds them and the sight in Mari’s garden has him dropping the shovel he was asked to bring over.
J: Fuck! No, don’t stop! Hell—I’ll leave—I didn’t see shit!
D: [moving to cover Marinette who covered her face in embarrassment] Fuck off, Todd!
J: I’m sorry! [slams the door shot]
D: Tt.
J: [shouts from inside the house] Use protection!
D: Todd!
They started officially dating that day and Jason had no reservations in sharing that he definitely cockblocked his little brother much to Mari and Damian’s horror.
Both keeps the PDA to minimum in school but it was very clear how amorous they where in “private”. There is a table in the art hall that Mari can’t quite look at without blushing to her roots.
She finds out he’s Robin after her first encounter with his alter-ego. He confesses his past when she confronts him. There’s fear of abandonment in his eyes when he gazes at her after his spiel but she kisses his worries and doubts away. She even goes to show her appreciation for his years of service to Gotham.
Her reveal happens when she unceremoniously drops a vial in Jason’s hand claiming that it would remedy the effects of the Lazarus pits with continuous use - it was completed after a year in the making.
Cardinal joins the Batfam occasionally as part of Batman’s contingency plans. They respect her choice as a retired super-soldier and try to keep her out of the business which she appreciates. She is officially initiated as a member of Justice League Dark as an informant/magic specialist and a wildcard.
Years later, she legally inherits the property from Gina when she and Damian get engaged. Damian moves in with her and she lives her cottage life all while being a reclusive designer that comes out once in a while for fashion week.
FIN
AN:
Maybe there’s a Lila take down somewhere but I don’t have the energy to write her at all. We all know its Damian and Tim that makes sure she never sets a foot in high society ever again.
Ig add some details about learning to healthily cope with her anxiety disorder under the guidance and love of her found family? (I have a similar illness but me and my therapist are still figuring it out so I have little idea how to write this) Her PTSD does not need further discussion (miss ma’am had to kill someone) but her anxiety disorder stems from the fact the she’s a person who’s in charge of world-ending powers - everyone and even yourself can become untrustworthy. She starts to get nervous from misreading body languages and everyone is suddenly out to get her.
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aliensunflower-fics · 11 months
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Dating ‘Prince Charming’ Part 2/3
[ Lila is finally starting to learn what its really like to be Adrien Agreste's girlfriend and finding out its not everything she hoped it would be. But while the liar struggles Marinette works toward her goals and meets someone new. ]
[ Prefer AO3? Link HERE! | Part 1 HERE! | Part 3 Coming Soon | Masterlist Link HERE! ]
Chloe made her grand return 3 weeks after Lila and Adrien’s big dating announcement. The bossy blonde had been away in New York with her mother and it was only in retrospect that Marinette briefly wondered if the entire timing of her and Adriens break up and Lila and Adriens announcement had been planned. After all Chloe had not taken well to Marinette dating Adrien and the class president was positive she would not take the news that Lila had swooped in right after their big breakup any better.
As it turns out Marinette had been right at least about Chloe not taking the news well. She’d walked into class early (for her) only to be met with chaos as Chloe and Lila stood opposed and yelling filled the classroom. Despite the fact that Marinette KNEW Chloe would hate whoever dated Adrien the sight was still enough to leave her mildly stunned after all Lila and Chloe had been tag team harassing Marinette since the second she and Adrien had started dating so to see the once allies now locked in a vicious match each using their unique brand of awful against each other… Well it was something. 
Luckily Marinette knew she would not have to lift a finger to fix things. Because this? This was Adrien’s problem. And Marinette had no intention of helping or playing mediator. After all Adrien had let Lila and Chloe stomp all over their relationship when they’d still been dating, heck he’d even asked Marinette to simply deal with it so now he could deal with it and Marinette severely doubted that Lila would be even half as accepting or accommodating as she had been. 
 So while the two wannabe queens duked it out Lila with fake tears and Chloe with vicious mockery Marinette simply glided past the drama and up to her seat where she pulled out her sketchbook and started adding the finishing touches to a sketch of a brand new rock and roll suit for Uncle Jagged. Now that she wasn’t chasing after Adrien 24/7 and making him gifts and worrying about him or Lila or Chloe not to mention trying to keep up with her school work and grades all while also being Ladybug well Marinette had time on her hands and she’d been using it to study, track down Hawkmoth with Alya’s help, spend time with friends but most of all she’d been using that time on her career. 
 As she wrote in what materials she would need to get a certain sheen effect on the outfit, Marinette noticed the green eyes looking up at her desperately from the front of the class. Marinette glanced up noting how Adrien seemed to be trying to plead with her to help as he tried to reign in his dramatic new girlfriend and attack dog childhood friend; she only cocked her head to the side, smiled and offered him a little wave before continuing with her work. Yeah no way was she willingly throwing herself into THAT.
 Sure enough before class could start Adrien managed to drag Lila out of the room and into the hallway no doubt to give her the same speech he had given Marinette when THEY were dating Lila bursting back into the classroom a few minutes later looking like she’d just swallowed a whole lemon only confirmed Marinette’s suspicions. 
 What Marinette had not expected was Lila openly complaining about ADRIEN at lunch, hours after the incidents of that morning. Marinette ate her steamed bun as she watched with mild surprise as the Italian wailed and threw a veritable tantrum as she told the girls all about how Adrien had put Chloe first and had asked Lila to simply deal with it. It was so painfully ironic that Marinette struggled not to roll her eyes. Honestly after the breakup Marinette had for a brief time contemplated revenge because truthfully. She was hurt and mad but Tikki had talked her out of it claiming that karma would have its way Marinette hadn’t believed the little god at the time too lost in her grief and her ice cream but now? Well now Marinette was starting to understand what Tikki meant. Because Lila wanted to be Adrien Agreste’s girlfriend no matter what it took, and she was only now starting to see what that really meant.
 Sure enough in the weeks that followed Lila and Chloe kept each other busy allowing Marinette to for the first time in years relax at school. Of course Lila tried to redirect Chloe’s hatred back at Marinette by telling the blonde about how it had been Marinette who initiated the break up. But Marinette had easily overcome Chloe’s rage with honesty after all she had only broken up with Adrien because she knew they were incompatible and that Adrien would be happier with someone else, something Chloe agreed with though the way in which the blonde agreed made Marinette’s eye twitch just a little.
 And then of course there was Adrien who was still trying to get Marinette to step in and help him handle his childhood friend and girlfriend but Marinette had been able to dodge him for weeks until they were having a class meetup at the park. Chloe was not attending due to wanting to avoid the ‘peasants’ as she so called them and Lila claimed she would be late due to an important meeting with some famous person. Honestly Marinette had not even bothered to pay attention. Adrien had noted the lack of ‘problem people’ and had decided to make a bold move calling Marinette out as they all hung out together to ‘talk to her in private’ yeah like THAT was going to happen. 
 Marinette knew Adrien’s modus operandi very well. He’d call you out, ask to talk to you privately and then lay on the guilt trip. No way was she doing that anymore she’d endured enough of them while they were dating to last a lifetime.
 “Actually I would prefer not to talk to you alone, Adrien. You're publicly dating someone and we never know when your fans or the paparazzi might be around. Besides anything you can say to me in private you can say in front of OUR friends.” 
 Adrien looked like a kicked puppy at her words. But as their classmates quickly took her side and insisted he tell Marinette whatever he needed with them around the blonde was backed into a corner.
 “Well the thing is… I was wondering if you could help? With the whole Lila, Chloe situation?”
 Marinette wasn’t even given a chance to respond. The second the words left Adrien’s mouth the entire class bristled, many giving Adrien looks of confusion and shock as if he’d just spoken pure nonsense and honestly in a way he had. Nathaniel however was the one who said it best.
 “Wait I’m sorry are you seriously asking Marinette to mediate between her long time bully and the girl you started dating not even an hour after your break up with her? Are you serious?!” 
 “W-Well I just thought-”
 “Thought what Agreste? That Marinette should put herself in the worlds worst situation completely ignoring her own feelings just to make your life easier?” 
 Oof Kim going straight for the throat.
 “B-But shes the class president!”
 “So?! That doesn’t make her a genie! She can't just clap her hands and fix everything nor should she have to!”
 Marinette had never heard Rose sound so upset in her life, which is when the young fashion designer knew it was her turn to say her piece and get things back under control.
 “Adrien.” She ignored the hopeful look he shot her. “Not only do I not want to get involved but I don’t think it would help. Chloe doesn’t like me and Lila’s ‘disease’-” she said the word with barely concealed sarcasm “acts up when I’m around. So I’m sorry but no I will not help you with this.”
 “But I’m sure if you just-”
 The look the class shot him was enough to end the conversation and Marinette let out a relieved sigh as her heart filled with warmth she really loved her friends.
 A month after the conversation in the park Lila Rossi got her second harsh wake up call to the ‘true joys’ of being Adrien Agreste’s girlfriend and it was a two for one deal. 
 Lila had seemingly been under the assumption that once she was dating Adrien her own popularity would rise to meet his but she was starting to learn that wasn’t the case. Adrien still got plenty more photo-shoots then she did and most were still solo and since they were fast approaching the spring fashion season Adrien was plenty busy with more and more shoots while Lila was left waiting for her turn in the spotlight.
 Perhaps it was the frustration at not immediately sky rocketing her way up in fame or maybe it was the snide comments from Adrien Fangirls talking about the lack of couples shoots but Lila seemingly came up with the brilliant plan to force the spotlight onto herself by demanding, manipulating and forcing Adrien to take her on big flashy fancy dates where the paparazzi always conveniently found them Marinette had no doubt Lila was the one tipping them off but she kept her mouth shut. It wasn’t her problem.
 However while Lila was enjoying her tabloid paparazzi fueled fame the class and more surprisingly Gabriel Agreste himself were beginning to notice the way it was wearing Adrien down. Between his photo-shoots and busy schedule all of Adrien’s precious free time was being filled up by Lila and her many needy antics and it was starting to show in the way Adrien carried himself and how exhausted he seemed.
 Nino was the one who led the charge just as he had when Lila manipulated the class into thinking her ‘clingy’ but where Marinette had gotten some hurtful but well meaning lectures about her Adrien obsession which in retrospect DID help her realize her love was unhealthy. Lila was not given such a kind well meaning speech instead Nino got mad, something he rarely let himself become.
 As it turns out Lila had worn Adrien down to the point where the blonde was too exhausted to function and he’d nearly passed out while standing and talking to Nino and that mixed with the fact that it had previously been Lila who painted the faux picture of Marinette as the clingy evil girlfriend isolating the boy from his friends was enough for Nino to harshly call her out. The liar did do her best to wriggle out of the situation trying to claim she only wanted ‘some’ private time with her oh so busy boyfriend but Nino was not having it and the class was too happy to back him up.
 The more Lila tried to defend and excuse her actions the angrier Nino got and much to the liars annoyance the young musician had proof and plenty of it. Between his text correspondence with Adrien that revealed the model was constantly being forced to cancel relaxing friend days to take Lila out on flashy dates that always ended with paparazzi and fans swarming the location and forcing Adrien into high stress situations, and an extremely detailed schedule planner that Nino had made to keep track of his best buds work life balance (potential evidence to blackmail Gabriel Agreste if he ever threatened to pull Adrien out of school again apparently). The facts didn’t lie and they were showing that Lila was the real ‘clingy’ girlfriend.
 Things eventually got so heated between Nino and Lila arguing that an akuma appeared to try and take advantage of the situation. Luckily for everyone Ladybug had been patrolling and stopped the naughty little butterfly from making things worse. In the end Lila was forced to grit her teeth and apologize to her darling boyfriend. Though perhaps what upset her more was the way the class proceeded to apologize to Marinette after the fact for ever accusing her of being clingy and taking up too much of Adrien’s free time.
 However Lila still thought she had one last ace up her sleeve, and so after the class luncheon ended the liar proceeded to contact Gabriel hoping to get her new boyfriends dad to reign him in and do her bidding. Unluckily for Lila however Gabriel had been paying attention to the situation and that fact that it had ALMOST led to an akuma made him look even closer into things.
 And he was not happy with what he found. The paparazzi pictures and articles that resulted from Lila and Adrien’s flashy dates had started positively enough with headlines and puff pieces about how cute the couple looked together, how it was nice to see the young Agreste in more casual settings with his girlfriend. But as the dates became more and more frequent and Lila’s constant demands and needs grew the articles slowly began to change soon they were discussing the concerning amount of money Adrien must be spending on his girlfriend, how exhausted and stressed the young Agreste heir looked under his strained smiles and was he eating and sleeping enough?
 The akuma he’d sent had only further confirmed Gabriel’s negative feelings toward Lila though it did make him re-evaluate the young Lahiffe boy. Gabriel had originally thought the wannabe musician might just be interested in Adrien for money but seeing the lengths he went to defend his friend had the designer impressed and even a little grateful. So when Lila phoned to try and throw the boy under the bus and get Gabriel to side with her, well she had another thing coming.
 Marinette heard later from Alya and the rest of the girls that Lila was ‘devastated’ how she’d wailed sobbed and thrown the tantrum of the century as she ranted and raved about Gabriel putting a 1 date a month maximum limit on Adrien and Lila. The two lovebirds could still hang out of course but it would be in the company of the rest of the class or other friends, or if they really wanted some privacy it would be strictly at the Agreste mansion for studying. Lila had told the girls that it was unfair and unjust that Gabriel was trying to get in the way of their love! Alya had relayed to Marinette that while the girls agreed that 1 date a month was a bit rough they all thought Lila’s tantrum was a bit childish especially when they all remembered how Marinette had rarely if ever got to enjoy 1 private date a month with Adrien and never in public.
 Of course just because Lila had been told ‘no’ didn’t mean the liar was going to listen. And so she began trying to find ways to manipulate Adrien into ‘accidental’ dates, bugging the blonde to take her out instead of settling for lunch at school or trying to conveniently separate the two of them from the rest of the group during weekend and after school hang outs. But each time Lila tried Nino thwarted her eventually the Italian had gotten so angry at his meddling that she phoned Gabriel again this time to try and get the musician removed or banned or ANYTHING so that he’d back off, so when she instead learned that Nino had been asked by Gabriel to keep an eye out on for his son and that Adrien knew about it well the liar was furious. 
 Marinette learned later this time from Rose and Juleka that the Italian had tried to go on another tantrum tirade only to be stopped by Alya who would not tolerate anyone badmouthing her lovely boyfriend. Needless to say, Marinette was quick to notice the following Monday how Lila pouted and avoided the Ladyblogger like the plague. Luckily Marinette made sure Alya didn’t dwell on it too much by inviting the girl over to help her brainstorm some new ideas.
 Because while Lila was focusing on leeching the fame and fortune off her boyfriend and being met with endless failures and a very hostile guard dog called Chloe. Marinette had been THRIVING. The suit she’d designed for Jagged had gone viral online and soon Jagged was passing on her contact information to a small selection of celebrities Marinette felt comfortable designing for. The fact that her identity was a secret and she had a very exclusive client list had only caused MDC to soar even higher in popularity with the public making it clear that they too wanted access to MDC fashion. And so Marinette had done her research and with the help of Uncle Jagged and Aunt Penny she’d set up an online store where she would sell ready made clothes. 
 Of course just because Marinette was seeing success didn’t mean she had forgotten about her friends. In fact the entire class minus Lila, Adrien and Chloe knew very well the true identity of the elusive MDC and that was because while Marinette was taking big steps toward her dreams she was helping her friends do just the same. 
 After all it didn’t take long for the internet to learn that the mysterious MDC designed Kitty Sections outfits causing the band to have a surge of free publicity that led to many people discovering their music and falling in love with the band. 
 Then there was Nathanial, Marc and Alya who Marinette or should she say MDC collaborated with while designing her ‘hero hoodie’ fashion collection all of them saw a boost in views with Marc and Nathanial’s comic picking up new readers though it was there brand new all original idea that had really flown off the shelves earning them an online cult following. Alya meanwhile got her blog spotted by Lois Lane herself who was impressed with the young future journalist and contacted Alya for a summer internship the scream Alya had made almost gave Marinette a heart attack.
 And it didn’t end there. When Nino made a short film with Mylene and Kim of all people as his lead actors and uploaded it for free to YouTube MDC who was well known for supporting smaller creatives and signal boosting them on her social media was more than happy to make a tweet linking to the short film. Nino’s short film had been impactful and powerful despite being a comedy satire on Hawkmoth and it had quickly blown up earning Nino a summer internship at a film studio and Mylene and Kim several job offers. Kim had never been particularly interested in acting but after seeing the outpouring of love and support not to mention with the encouragement he got from his lovely girlfriend Ondine he decided to accept a few offers surprising everyone as he developed a new passion that he and Mylene bonded over.
 Max, and Alix were also boosted in a similar way to Nino, Kim and Mylene when MDC retweeted some of their creative endeavors. Alix a video where she had used spray paint to recreate a few classical paintings though that had only acted as a signal boost that allowed the skater to be noticed for her real passion Extreme Sports! When a very exclusive extreme sports training summer camp contacted Alix about her attending she’d squealed almost as loud as Alya had. Max meanwhile had his demo for his work in progress video games retweeted by MDC and saw a huge surge in interest and a few interested investors and publishers even arrived with offers, though before he could agree to anything his popularity ballooned even further when a video of him showing off Markov surfaced. He had later joked to Marinette that while he appreciated the support he wasn’t sure how he felt about suddenly gaining a ‘nerd cult’ as Kim called it. 
 Of course all of Marinette’s friends knew she was largely responsible for their sudden surge of fame and good fortune and many of them tried to dismiss their own talents and give all the credit to Marinette. But the young designer simply threw it back at them. Yes she had signal boosted them and given them a helping hand but at the end of the day the only reason they had gotten so popular and stayed so popular after the brief burst from her influence passed and the internet moved on to the next big thing was because they were talented and amazing without Marinette.
 The only problem with the classes' new found fame. Was that sooner or later Lila was bound to take notice. And take notice she did when Mylene appeared as an extra in one of Lila’s favorite daytime soaps. The liar had been so focused on Adrien and trying to leech her fame off him while beating Chloe back with a stick that she had somehow missed all the major developments. And she was livid. 
 She was supposed to be the most popular girl in school! She was meant to be the star, the one people admired and aspired to be like! The one they envied but loved too much to truly hate! And when she’d finally gotten Marinette and Adrien to break up she thought for sure that all her dreams would come true. But somehow while she’d been busy trying to reign in the pesky little blonde her classmates had all gone and gotten famous without her. Most of them wouldn’t even BE in Paris in the fast approaching summer since many of them either had internships, specialized camps, acting gigs, or in Kitty Sections case a whole music tour with Jagged Stone that for some reason Marinette was also a part of?!? 
 None of it made any sense and when Lila had gone looking for how exactly everything had happened she kept finding herself looking at MDC’s social media. The elusive and private designer was apparently a super sucker or something as every week they would highlight some small time random creator. Honestly it disgusted Lila who just handed out fame like that? Fame and popularity was meant to be exclusive! Earned! Something for only the most beautiful and talented of society. Not for chubby little idiots like Mylene or nerdy freaks like Max. 
 Of course Lila was nothing if not an opportunist. Sure in her opinion none of her talentless, average, classmates actually deserved their new found fame and popularity but the good thing was they were also a bunch of gullible idiots. And if she played her cards right they would surely carry her to the top. She already had the perfect lie, she would simply claim to be best friends with MDC and tell the class that she had been the one to recommend that the designer boost her classmates. 
 It was perfect. Genius really.
 So then why did it fail immediately?
 Lila stood in front of the class, her face frozen in shock as she was stared down by 10 pairs of angry glares. She had expected overwhelming thank you’s and the class bowing at her feet but the second the lie slipped out of her mouth the class instead turned on the liar like a close knit pack of wolves smelling a sheep. Honestly Lila could not understand where she’d gone wrong, and even if she had said something that was an obvious lie wouldn’t the class just normally brush it off as her disease? So why is it that they were acting this way?
 It was Alya who broke the silence first.
 “You want to run that by us again? Lila.” 
 The Italian girl swallowed the lump in her throat and ignored the obvious warning sign that was Alya’s sharp tone. Forcing a charming smile Lila brought out her sweetest voice determined that she could salvage whatever THIS was.
 “I was just saying that I’m so happy for all of you! I didn’t want to say anything at the time BUT me and MDC are such good friends! So when he-”
 “He?” Alix snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah that about confirms it.”
 The entire class seemed to agree with Alix as they all shook their heads and shot Lila disappointed and annoyed looks before returning to their own conversations and or hobbies freezing her out. Ignoring her.
 Oh that? That pissed Lila off like nothing else. Her cheeks grew hot as she stomped her foot angrily, regaining their attention. 
 “You guys think I’m telling lies again! You all promised that you wouldn’t judge me for my disease but you are!” For added effect she started to sniffle and sob expecting the class to do what they always did and feel guilty about their treatment of her and rush to comfort her.
 Instead she was met with even harsher glares.
 “Uhh yeah no duh we think you're lying because you ARE. We” Alix gestured to the people currently in class. “Have all met MDC and SHE not ‘he’ is a wonderful person who helped boost our careers because she thinks we're all super cool and talented not because you asked her too.” 
 Lila felt her face screw up like she’d just sucked a lemon but she quickly worked it to her advantage as she began to loudly sob.
 “T-That’s not fair! You know I can't help my disease!” 
 “Uhh yeah no. I’m stopping you there.” Alya stood up looking down from her perch at Lila with her hands on her hips commanding the room, Lois had been training her well. “We can accept that MAYBE your lying disease makes you claim things when your nervous or scared like how you always accuse Marinette of stuff, and we can MAYBE believe that your disease makes you mix up names and words so you end up giving the wrong information out about charities and celebrities and yes MAYBE we can believe that you sometimes make false claims about yourself when your stressed out like that time with Clara Nightingale stealing your dance moves. Whatever! But Lila that right there? You were not having an ‘oops I lied’ moment you were actively trying to deceive us to make the false claim that YOU are the reason MDC noticed us when we know the truth. And when I gave you a chance to correct yourself you tried to double down. That was intentional. That was malicious.”
 Lila felt her mouth fall open, her eyes blinking in shock. Too late she tried to recover. Tried to explain away the situation and make herself out to be innocent. But the class was done with her and they made it clear in how they iced her out. Eventually she had no choice but to suck it up and sit down at her seat. Not long later Marinette rushed into class followed by Chloe who was latched onto Adrien with Sabrina in tow.
 Soon enough the school year came to an end and Lila watched bitterly through the all seeing eyes of the internet as her classmates left for their internships, job opportunities, highly specialized summer camps, and more. Meanwhile she was stuck at home. Oh sure she got to go on a few out of country photo-shoots with Adrien but her fame was still nothing compared to her boyfriends, and it was quickly becoming less than nothing as her classmates rose in influence and popularity. Come the new school year Lila would need to find some way to force the class back under her heel.
 Marinette was having the best summer of her life! Jagged had taken Kitty Section on tour with him and insisted on Marinette coming with them as their designer. Marinette hadn’t been sure at first worried about the Hawkmoth situation and her own career. But in the end Tikki and her parents had convinced her. Her parents loved the idea of Marinette leaving Paris and going to see the world with her friends for a bit, and Tikki had reminded Marinette that she had the Horse Miraculous and could come home anytime, besides Hawkmoth had been getting lazier and lazier with both his akumas and the amount of them. So in the end Marinette agreed and it had been the BEST decision of her life.
 They visited England before eventually traveling overseas to America. The sights and sounds and new foods were filling Marinette with inspiration and she’d never been so busy sketching. Then of course there was the great company. Uncle Jagged and Aunt Penny were wonderful and quickly ‘adopted’ all of Kitty Section + Marinette. They'd act like doting parents one second and then the next they’d be ordering way too much pizza for the teens to share. 
 Of course everyone missed their friends and family but video call existed and it was only for the summer anyway. Ivan was the one who was probably the worst off pouting over his beloved Mylene but the group was able to cheer him up encouraging him to write a song for his girlfriend, the piece he wrote became a new hit single the second they performed it on stage and Mylene had loved it. 
 The group stopped by Florida first where Jagged took them all to Disney World and then Universal Park, pictures of the rocker wearing mickey mouse ears and a hufflepuff scarf of all things while being followed by a gaggle of teenagers had soon gone viral, after that it was off to New York, and then Metropolis where they spent a bit of time so Alya could see them and hang out. Her internship with Lois Lane was going well but she’d still been relieved to see her friends and get some down time to just chill. After that they went to Gotham, which was Jagged’s home town. Now most parents might veto a place as dangerous as Gotham but seeing as how Paris was under siege by an emotional butterfly themed terrorist and they were from a class particularly used to dealing with deadly akumas on a regular basis well they were able to convince their parents to let it happen. And to Marinette’s surprise Gotham turned out to be her favorite place of the whole trip.
 Sure the city was gloomy but the gothic architecture somehow inspired Marinette, and while the people were not outwardly all smiles and sunshine they were kind in their own way. But the thing Marinette ended up loving most about Gotham was its beautiful parks and famous greenhouses. Thanks to the influence of Poison Ivy and Bruce Wayne the city of Gotham had become the greenest city in all of America and it was a never ending source of inspiration for the young designer. Not to mention it was thanks to all the inspiring greenery that Marinette had met HIM.
 She’d been walking through one of Gotham’s older parks admiring the beautiful blooming wisterias that had been shaped into a long hallway arch when she got bowled over by a massive terrifying but very friendly dog. Marinette had been terrified at first until she noticed the fast wagging tail and happy smile on the dog's face. Tikki had warned her that one side effect of holding the Ladybug miraculous would be extra friendly animals a rather ‘tame’ side effect compared to the super strength, increased speed, and occasional urge to hibernate when cold but still the designer had never expected to be attacked with friendly happy dog kisses, not like THIS anyway. As she squirmed and laughed she tried to gently push the dog off. That was when the dogs owner had come to her rescue. Yanking his dog off of her while admonishing it Marinette was finally able to sit up and begin wiping the dog drool off her cheek with a laugh.
 “Don’t scold the cutie too much I’m okay I swear he didn’t hurt me.”
 “Even if he didn’t hurt you he’s been trained better than that. I’m very sorry, please allow me to help you.”
 The boy’s voice was cool, firmly polite and matter of fact leaving no room for argument. To an untrained ear he might even sound annoyed or angry but Marinette could tell that wasn’t the case. As Marinette accepted the hand the boy offered and let herself be pulled up she suddenly came face to face with the most beautiful pair of green eyes she’d ever seen. 
 Where Adrien’s eyes were bright like a blinding peridot green, these eyes were soft and warm like the green of a pine tree and Marinette could feel herself melt into them. It didn’t help that the rest of the boy's face was also incredibly handsome. The designer quickly shook herself out of her thoughts and glanced away not wanting to stare. Instead she directed her attention to her assailant, the dog was sitting now staring up at her with its tail still wagging wildly. Marinette smiled and reached her hand down letting the dog sniff her before she gave him some soft pets.
 “Such a softy for a big guy. What's his name?” 
 “Titus. And I apologize again. He really is trained better than that. I don’t know what came over him.” 
 Marinette felt a little bad but she couldn’t exactly say that she was the chosen champion of a god and a side effect of that was very friendly animals so instead she shot the boy a smile.
 “Don’t worry I just seem to have that effect on animals. Back home the pigeons and crows have started fighting for dominance of my roof and balcony because they both want my attention.” 
 The boy gave her a stunned look before he made a sound that Marinette believed might be a covered up laugh. She smiled even brighter and offered the boy her hand to shake.
 “By the way my name is Marinette. And it's a pleasure to meet you.”
 The boy looked at her hand for a moment before he eventually grabbed it and shook it awkwardly.
 “Damian… It's nice to meet you too. Though I can tell by that introduction that you're not from here.”
 Marinette snorted at that.
 “Really the introduction was what gave it away but not my accent?” 
 The boy seemed to blush a little at that before he coughed awkwardly. Marinette took pity on him and giggled.
 “You are correct in your deduction mr.detective. I’m visiting from Paris, France with some friends and my uncle.” 
 If Marinette hadn’t been too embarrassed to look him in the eyes she may have noticed the spark of curiosity when she mentioned Paris. And had she known who Damian truly was at the time she would have known that his curiosity came from the fact that Batman and the other supers had recently learned about the situation in Paris thanks to Lois Lane taking on a new intern who ran the Ladyblog. Mayor Bourgeois had been doing a good job hiding the situation but he’d overlooked the civilian journalist. 
 “Hm. We don’t get many tourists. What brought you all the way out here. If I may ask.” 
 Naturally without much thought the pair began to walk through the park together as their conversation flowed. Marinette avoided using Jagged's name not wanting her new very handsome friend to take an interest in her solely for her connections. Instead she told him that Gotham was her uncles hometown and that this was the last stop on what had already been a pretty busy summer vacation. That turned into her telling him a bit about her family in general which got him talking about his family, he complained about his adopted siblings of which there seemed to be many but Marinette could tell he loved them. 
 Talking about family made him admit he’d come to the park to get away from them for a little while which got Marinette talking about the park and all the beautiful nature in Gotham which got the two of them talking about the best parks in Gotham and then Marinette brought up her sketches and suddenly they were talking about art and other hobbies. Before they had even realized it they were sitting at a bench together hidden away in the trees and wisterias chatting away. Marinette didn’t know why but something about Damian made her feel comfortable. Maybe it was the way he gave her his full undivided attention, maybe it was the way he made sure not to invade her space without consent or how he didn’t interrupt her when she spoke. Either way she felt safe, felt warm, almost like she was home. And judging by the way he seemed to relax the longer they spoke, his stiff body unwinding and his gaze softening, she thought maybe he felt just as comfortable with her as she was with him.
 Honestly Marinette could have sat there chatting with Damian all day in fact it had already been several hours when the pair were finally interrupted. Both of their phones began to ring, Marinette’s with the tell-tale alarm of an akuma attack in Paris and Damian’s with an emergency as the Riddler had broken out of Arkham. The teenagers regretfully had to go both citing emergencies before they departed. It wasn’t until later that they realized they had forgotten to exchange phone numbers.
 The akuma back in Paris had turned out to be Lila Rossi, it seems that Adrien’s fangirls had never truly warmed up to the liar and they had been trying to dig up dirt on the girl for months before finally finding there evidence. Alya may have privated the videos of Lila’s lies after finding out about the ‘lying disease’ but apparently someone had copied and saved them beforehand. And those videos had finally made their way out into the public. Luckily no one criticized Alya seeing as how she’d already had the common sense to remove the videos from her blog it helped that Alya also made a post explaining the situation in more detail which led to the general public agreeing that it had not been Alya’s fault when she had a teacher and a principle telling her to believe in a fake ‘lying disease’ clearly it was the adults at fault here not the young girl who had believed in them. 
 Needless to say the public ripped Lila to shreds for being a serial liar with more of her lies coming to light each day now that she had been exposed. And obviously the Italian had not taken it well and gotten akumatized.
 Marinette knew that she should be happy that Lila had been exposed. Her classmates certainly were, but instead Marinette could not help but mope. Damian had been SO kind she really had wanted to get to know him better. The fact she’d completely missed out on getting his number gnawed at her. Little did she know that Damian was across the city thinking the same thing as he sat on a Gargoyle statue. 
 But fate likes to play funny games. A few days later Jagged got a call from Bruce Wayne, a few of his sons namely Tim, Jason and Dick had heard about Jagged being in town and tjat the rocker had brought MDC the famous designer with him. Apparently they were huge fans and had bugged, pleaded, whined, and eventually threatened a hunger strike until Bruce would ask Jagged to pretty please introduce them. So Jagged got the go ahead from Marinette and the gaggle of teenagers plus Jagged and Penny piled into a big van and drove over to the Wayne mansion.
 Seeing it from the outside, Marinette felt only intimidation and dread. It was so huge and they were so rich. What if they were unimpressed when they found out MDC was just some teenage girl? Letting Jagged guide her and her friends push her forward Marinette nervously knocked on the door and let herself be led inside by the kind old man who introduced himself as Alfred.
 Walking through the halls in wonder Marinette slowly felt her fingers twitch with the urge to design. But she suppressed it and focused not wanting to be rude. As the group turned a corner into a large sitting room Marinette’s blue eyes somehow found a pair of familiar green. She gasped, he blinked wide eyed.
 “Marinette?” - “Damian?” 
 They blinked again, shocked. Marinette eventually snorted and laughed. Damian found himself smiling as he approached the small girl. And everyone else? Well they were just confused. Except for Damian’s family they were confused and freaked out. 
 “Is the demon spawn, smiling Dicky bird? Or am I hallucinating?”
 “No I see it too Jason. He looks genuinely happy.”
 “So it's official.” Tim added “we're all hallucinating.”
 After some introductions and explanations things settled down with Marinette happy to take the Wayne’s on as clients. And the Wayne’s in turn being suitably impressed and amazed by the young girls accomplishments though the part they found most amazing was how she interacted with not only them but Damian. She was genuine and kind, no fake smiles or hidden double meanings, nor did she let their money and fame impress or blind her in any way. Jason soon declared her a little sister and Jagged preened and puffed as he gloated about not only Marinette but Kitty Section as well. 
 The rest of the summer spent in Gotham was tons of fun with Jason teaching Juleka and Marinette how to shoot guns and ride motorcycles, Rose and Marinette learning some of Dick’s gymnastics moves, Ivan meanwhile got along well with the quiet Cass and level headed Duke. Eventually Stephanie and Bab’s returned home as well and they also took to the french teens with ease they organized girl nights where they taught the girls how to break and enter something Marinette had a natural affinity for go figure. The most surprising development however was Luka. The slightly older boy had seemingly set his sights on the awkward coffee addicted Tim and had spent the remainder of the summer wooing him. 
 But while Luka was wooing Tim there was one other couple slowly forming. Everyone had seen the spark between Damian and Marinette and soon enough everyone was shipping it. The pair were often ‘conveniently’ left alone or were sent on errands that somehow conveniently became accidental dates. Marinette had been guarding her heart after Adrien had shattered it but Damian made her want to take the risk and fall in love. He was charming, polite, kind, sarcastic, and as she’d learned after telling him about the entire Paris situation akuma’s and all he was protective but without going so far as to undermine Marinette’s strength. He trusted her to be fast and smart and strong enough to defend herself (especially after they did a bit of fight training for fun and she laid him flat on the ground) but he did worry and care about her.
 But still there was something holding back both teens. Something that shattered near the end of the vacation. Marinette had been caught by a villain. Poison Ivy to be exact. The plant villainess had taken note of the new frequent visitor to her greenhouse but what had really gotten her attention was how the plant life reacted to her. And furthermore how the plant life SPOKE about her. Ivy’s curiosity eventually grew too large and so she snatched up the young designer and brought her home. Luckily Marinette wasn’t particularly scared of Ivy or Harley, sure she didn’t like being knocked out but she felt no real fear, in the end Ivy, Harley and Marinette ended up having an unprompted girls day complete with junk food, ranting, bad American tv and more. Ivy eventually figured that Marinette was some kind of Meta one who had a strong influence over plant and animal life and that was enough for her to adopt the small half Asian girl and inject her with her special blend the same one she’d given to Harley to keep her safe in a town full of crazies.
 But while Marinette was perfectly fine hanging out with 2 of the 3 sirens Damian had not taken it so well. He had scoured the city trying to find the sirens newest abode all while he gnawed his lip until it bled. Maybe it was the stress that made him slip up or maybe it was just Marinette being too smart for her own good. But when the young Robin came bursting in through a window yelling Marinette’s name something had immediately clicked and she knew who he was. After she’d calmed the situation down and made sure no one fought anyone else, Marinette thanked Ivy and Harley for the nice day and let Robin carry her away. After talking with Tikki and deciding to be reckless and selfish for once in her life Marinette confronted Damian the next day, revealing her own identity in the process. There was some freaking out and a LOT of talking with Tikki and the rest of the bat clan but in the end it seemed to work out for the best. Ladybug was certainly happy to accept the help anyway even if Chat Noir wasn’t going to be.
 A week later Damian finally asked Marinette out. Two days after that they shared their first kiss on the ferris wheel. And come the end of summer Marinette, Kitty Section and surprise guests Damian and Tim Wayne were all boarding a flight back to Paris.
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echoing-gravity · 11 months
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MLB X MCU AU in which Marinette gets revealed as Multimouse to the entire world
Because Alya cant be trusted to be responsible with a camera.
Every-fucking-one knows now. hawkmoth. her PARENTS. Hell even TONY fucking STARK knows she was a hero.
and then her parents make/force her to take Style queens offer to intern in NYC, because, from their perspective she is not safe in paris. and like- the AVENGERS are in new york so surely it must be safe there. so they pack up and move their entire bakery business.
and she ends up going to midtown high-school, where not to her knowledge, fellow teenage superhero Peter parker aka "Your friendly neighborhood SPIDER-MAN" goes to school.
Cute adorable shipping commences.
peter is all like "omg another teenage super hero???!!! like me???? i thought i was the only one???? transferring to MY school?!!! SO COOL!!"
"marinette is super smart, marinette is pretty, she was one of THE Miraculous Ladybug's sidekicks how cool is that??!, marinette is COOL!! maybe we can be friends? how am i gonna talk to someone that cool though?? i cant tell her my secret identity!!!"
insta-crush. peter is a marinette SIMP
(and yo, dont get on my case about marinette being super fucking smart, this is the girl who figured out she was getting a birthday party from just seeing one of her friends holding a bike pump. that girl is a tactical genius! she just has self esteem issues. they are both nerd, their just nerds about differnt things, let the nerds date!!!!)
of course Marinette still has the ladybug miraculous -even tho everyone thinks she doesn't have the rat miraculous anymore- and the miracle box. so she can still fight hawkmoth because the horse is basically fast travel irl, Space miraculous super conveintent.
(also concerning the mirsacle box, im going with my headcanon/Unlucky 13 AU on what that looks like post "ladybug becomes guardain" because that egg thing from canon? fucking lame
Tumblr media
These ones^^^)
It would be canon compliant till season 2 and most? of season 3? but like fuck miracle queen, season3 finale + truth made me stop watching the show. so like in this au, lets just assume Fu is dead, and ladybug has had the miracle box for some time now. and that they got the miraculous when they were 13, and are currently 15? yeah? okay.
(also prolly chat salt, it doesn't HAVE to be chat salt, but like- He. Keeps. Trying. To. Quit. And leave all the work to marinette!!!! its happened like 3?? times now? Marinette CANT quit!!! its literally "do this or lose all your memories!!!" she is being held hostage by a fucking magic box full of responsibilities no 15 year old should have to deal with.)
I headcanon that marinette stress-bakes, so like cute scene number #1 after peter and marinette become friends, could be something like "marientte stresses for a test, and then bakes to much food so her parents make her take it to school to share with her peers, and she ends up giving like- 1/2 of them to parker, becuz of his super high metabolism.
and how marinettes got her whole "i'm RESPONISBLE!!! for the whole fucking universe now, omfg i'm the reason fu is basically dead" angsty shit going on which kinda parallels peters whole "i have super powers, and if i dont do something to help then its my fault if someone gets hurt, like how my uncle died. With great power, comes great RESPONSIBLITY!!!" angst. maybe they could trauma bond. who doesn't like a good hurt comfort trauma bond fic?
marinette likes designing fashionable but also functional clothes.
peter likes designing gadgets and techy things. let them be nerds together!!! in love!!
i feel like they would be the kind of couple/friends to just ramble on about their passions and they would listen to each other even tho they dont know much about each others interests yet. (also hey what if marinette and peter co designed one of peters early suits pre-stark suit??? the fucking writing potential this ship has omfg c'mon ppl!!! why are we sleeping on this??)
oh! and maybe peter figures out that marinette is also ladybug -but later on- cuz like, he has superhearing? and tikki isn't as subtle as she thinks she is.
and then he's all in awe like "Wow holy shit!!! she made her ladybug secret identity FOOLPROOF!!!! no one would ever fucking suspect!! maybe she can help me with mine???"
Fox miraculous shenanaigans insue????? The daily Bugles next headline be like: "SPIDER-MAN SAVES SI INTERN PETER PARKER FROM ETC ETC"
( the media thinks Ladybug and Chat are 1000+ years old due to that thing alya found in that museum that one time. and the fact that people know that Thor and Loki are super old.
Ladybug's excuse to the public for letting a teenager, Nay! for letting a THIRTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD use an extremly dangerous magical artifact for a little over 2 years, goes something like this: "Marinette was the ONLY person in france- maybe in the whole world! that was compatible with the Rat miraculous, it takes a very smart person to be able to multitask like that, and marinette has a photographic/phonetic memory."
i headcannon that marinette photographic/phonetic memory, and that the Rat Miraculous is the math miraculous that was mentioned in the comics that one time, and that if an incompatible person were to try and use it they would at BEST develop a severe case of split personality disorder/ or schizophrenia, and at WORST their brain would- just- melt out of their ears. )
Also he calls her "Spots" or "LuckyBug" when shes in hero mode.
(i cant think of cute nicknames for peter, ugh "web head" is just something i cant picture marinette saying. what's the french word for spider? what's the french word for cobwebs??)
She prolly just calls him "Webs" or "Spidey"
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lovely-lynn · 2 years
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If You Mess With Me, You're Messing With My Family
Summary: Being a Wayne means many things. It means being emotionally constipated and stubborn. It means having guilt and hero complexes the size of an entire country. It meant late nights,it meant fist fights and screaming matches but above all, being a Wayne meant that you always had someone watching your back. Wayne's protect their own, for better or worse. No one could mess with a Wayne and Lord help the one that tries. (Also known as Lila threatens Marinette but doesn't exactly get the reaction she's expecting)
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If there was one thing Marinette hated more than anything else in the world, it was liars. Whether it be from the media or a certain classmate. In recent weeks, Marinette had gotten really good at ignoring Lila's eyes. It wasn't easy by any means. It had taken several long conversations with Alfred to come up with a plan that would keep most of the heat off of her and eventually put an end to Lila's lies. She wisely made Alfred promise not to tell her siblings. He agreed on the conditions that she keep him informed and that she promised to let them know if it got out of hand. To say Marinette was grateful was an understatement.
Her family was overprotective to say the very least. Even Damian, as prickly as he may be at times. Marinette had no doubt that if they were aware of the situation, they would come swooping to the rescue with lawsuits and most likely some blood in the mix. It was never good when a Wayne lost their temper. Lex Luther had found that out the hard way. She smile fondly at the memory. Had it created a bit of a media storm? Yes. Had it been worth it? Absolutely.
The plan Marinette had cooked up involved a lot of sitting back and waiting, as much as it pained her to do so. Sitting back made it look like she was submissive . It made it look Luke she was bowing down. However, it was necessary. Evidence was a lot easier to collect without everyone hating you. Plus if an incident were to happen, her father would undoubtedly hear about it and that, as she had already pointed out, wouldn't end well.
Despite how much she hated it, Marinette was proud at how well she played her roll. Not that she would have expected anything else, she was the daughter of Batman after all. Lila wasn't the only one who knew how to manipulate the situation in their favor. It was a back and forth game at this point. A game that, despite being frustrating, Marinette couldn't deny she kind of enjoyed. If only to watch the poorly concealed rage on Lila's face when she realized she had been outsmarted. The key to this tactic was mind games, something all the bats were exceptionally good at. By far Marinette's favorite, was to stay silent and watch Lila talk herself into a corner. Everyone had something that caused them to slip up. Lila's was her constant need for attention. When things go quiet, Lila would talk to fill the space in order to keep the attention on her. This often caused her to inadvertently contradict herself or leave small discrepancies in her story. Then all Marinette had to do was point those out. The hard part was pointing them out in a way that sounded genuinely confused and interested instead of accusing and frustrated. She also had to leave some of the alone lest it look like she was trying to search for the bad. Marinette's problem was that she often got over excited which led to mistakes on her part. Patience was something she was working on. She chose to focus on the bigger holes Lila left in her stories. Besides, the goal at this point wasn't to expose her. It was just to sew seeds of doubt. Just enough that people began to take her word with a grain of salt. Maybe someone might actually end up googling her claims for once.
Marinette had worked long and hard on this plan and she could tell it was beginning to work. People no longer followed her blindly. There was even people who would point out contradictions before Marinette had to. In short it was working perfectly. She should have known something would go wrong.
You see the only thing Marinette hated worse than liars, was people who lied about her family. That was by far the quickest way to make her blood boil. Her brothers weren't the only ones that were protective. Being a Wayne means many things. It means being emotionally constipated and stubborn. It means having guilt and hero complexes the size of an entire country. It meant late nights,it meant fist fights and screaming matches but above all, being a Wayne meant that you always had someone watching your back. Wayne's protect their own, for better or worse. No one could mess with a Wayne and Lord help the one that tries. That is why the thing that caused Marinette to break her perfectly crafted disguise, to ruin all the progress she had made, was when she heard Lila Rossi say,
"Damian is a complete and total jerk, He's so mean to everyone. If I was his parent I would have shipped him off to some behavioral correction school," Lila stated confidently. Instantly Marinette's blood pressure sky rocketed. Though Lila at least hadn't tried to paint Damian as sweet and innocent or claimed to be dating the fierce eight year old. IF she had their would have been nothing stopping her from jabbing her pencil into her neck. Still, Damian might be a brat at times, but he was her brat and no one was going to talk about him that way. She could barely hear Alya's reply over the blood roaring in her ears.
"Wow girl, you certainly seem to know the Wayne's well," The astonishment and admiration in her voice almost made Marinette feel sorry for the gullible reporter. Almost.
"Oh yeah, well I traveled to Gotham not long ago. Me and Richard really hit it off. We've been talking ever since," Lila added a rather convincing blush at the end. Marinette's control, snapped. Dick was 24 years old, a stark contrast to their 14.
"Prove it." Marinette's voice was like steel as it rang through the classroom. Everything went silent as her comment seemed to echo throughout the room.
"Excuse me?" Lila questioned, narrowing her eyes.
" You heard me. Show us the text messages that you apparently have had with Richard Grayson," Marinette demanded. Fake tears welled up in Lila's eyes.
"Are you- Are you accusing me of lying?" Her voiced trembled rather convincingly. Marinette might have been impressed if she wasn't so angry. Marinette could feel her face flush but for completely different reasons than Lila.
"Marinette, come on, not this again. I thought we got past this," Alya cut in, disappointment lining her voice, " There is no need for this jealousy. Just because Lila has done some cool things doesn't mean that your accomplishments are lesser."
"Oh believe me I know. I never implied that I felt insecure and I have no reason to be jealous. What I have implied is that I am tired of the lies that spill from Lila's mouth. Especially when those lies can ruin someone's life and reputation," Marinette snapped. Lila let out a sob and Alya opened her mouth again but Marinette fixed her with the significant 'bat glare' as she continued, " I refuse to listen to the poison that you feed everyone you speak too. So listen close Lila cause I'm not going to say it twice, stop the lies or I will stop them for you. And I promise you that my way won't be nearly as pleasant, " The silence in the room was deafening. Several people in the room sat in shock at the cold, angry outburst from their generally sweet and gentle classmates. More people appeared to be angry about her accusations. As he temper began to boil over, she made the wise decision to remove herself from the situation. The last thing she needed was to be akumatized or give into the urge to punch her classmate.
Marinette reveled in the way that the door slammed behind her as she exited. She quickly made her way to the bathroom and took a deep breath once she entered. She paced the floor, attempting to rid herself of her anger induced energy. She still seethed with rage but the longer she was away from the classroom, the calmer she got. She had just managed to reign in her temper once more when she heard the door open behind her, admitting Lila Rossi. Lila stood with a triumphant smirk.
"Alright Dupain-Cheng it seems someone has forgotten our little conversation. But since you've been a good little girl up until now, I will give you one last chance. You are either with me or against me. Your choice but I can assure you my way won't be nearly as pleasant," Marinette had to physically hold herself back from lunging at the girl. Instead she let out a humorless laugh, more of a cackle really, that sent grown men running. She steeled herself, exuding as much confidence as she possibly could. Gone was Marinette Dupain-Cheng and left in her place was Marinette Wayne. Hero of Paris, Vigilante of Gotham, Daughter of Bruce Wayne. Marinette was done pretending to be anything less than the confident girl she was
"My father raised a daughter who was kind, empathetic, responsible, trustworthy, willing to help others, forgiving, someone who put others before herself, and someone who would do the right thing even when it was hard,"Marinette said,slowly walking towards Lila, " But my father did not raise a push over. I have never let anyone walk all over me and I'm not going to start now."
"I will ruin you," Lila spat but Marinette just laughed. The laugh was more genuine this time as she found the prospect truly amusing.
"Oh I would love to see you try. Many people have said that sentence and all of them have yet to succeed.You see Rossi, I am more powerful then you could ever dream to be," Marinette thought of all the tabloids, political figures, and haunty businessmen she had faced over the year. If they couldn't beat her, with all of their resources and influence, than Lila Rossi certainly couldn't.
"Who do you think you are?" Lila scoffed, Marinette had to give it to Lila, she had her to waiver or show any signs of uncertainty. That was more than most people could say. It was common knowledge in Gotham not to make a Wayne angry. They had proved time and time again that they will stop at nothing to gain justice.
"Marinette Wayne, daughter of Bruce Wayne. Trust me Rossi, you can't touch me," That caused Lila to pale ever so slightly, and a look of fear flashed through her eyes. A normal person would have missed it but Marinette had been trained in observation since before she knew what the word meant. It sent a sense of satisfaction rushing through her.
"I will take away everyone you care about. I will turn all of your friends against you,"Lila threatened and Marinette had no doubt that she would and honestly, she didn't care. Lila could have the gullible attention seekers who wanted nothing to do with you unless you benefited them. They didn't want friends, they wanted stepping stones. It would hurt yes,that much she knew, but she had people that would pick her back up.
"Is that supposed to scare me? "Marinette question raising an eyebrow at the empty threat. Lila might be able to convince the akuma class but her best and most trustworthy friends, the ones she held most dear, were not so easily fooled. They may live in Gotham but Marinette had no doubt her siblings could be in Paris within the hour. Whether through Zeta tube,which they had ensured was in place before she moved, or by certain super individuals.
" It should ," Lila replied, standing firm. Marinette smiled,
"Honey, I'm from Gotham, you don't scare me," Marinette mentally put Lila next to any of Gotham's villains and laughed. She left out the fact that all of those villains she had fought at least once. Her nightly activities with her family might be fairly new in Gotham but they weren't in Paris. Marinette shuttered as she remember when they found out that she was Ladybug. To say they had been unhappy was an understatement. It wasn't so much that she was a superhero that had been the issue. It was the fact that she hadn't told them or gone to them for help. It was the fact that she was facing her struggle with Hawkmoth alone. Of course her working with Chat Noir hadn't helped any. His incessant flirting and goofing off had not gone over well. That paired with the fact that he was a boy had her siblings, specifically Jason, after his head.
"You won't be so confident when I'm through with you," Lila stated firmly, fire in her eyes.
"Bring it on Rossi. But let me warn you, Wayne's protect their own. If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us and trust me, that is not something you want to experience. Do you know why?" Marinette asked, face only inches away from Lila's own," Because we Wayne's, never lose,"and with that final statement, Marinette strode confidently out of the bathroom. She paused a second in the doorway before adding, "And Lila, if you ever lie about dating my eight year old brother again, there will be nothing that will save you from the full extent of my wrath," Marinette didn't look back as the door closed behind her and she made her way back into the classroom.
This was me venting not gonna lie. Its not my best work but I really loved the concept and so here we are. Let me know if you want me to add to this. As always let me know what you want to see next!!!!
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raeuberprinzessin · 8 months
Text
Making Amends - Fantasy - Prompt 16, Chapter 9
@felixmonth, @stainedglassm
Summary: For Felix Month 2021 - beware, the chapters are not in chronological order^^
When Felix loses a bet with his cousin, he has to make amends with Adrien’s friends. Well, at least this provides a good excuse to spent a lot of time with Adrien’s “very good friend”, a certain designer, who may or may not be described as tolerable … or cute. This may not be so bad. Yeah, not bad at all.
AO3 | Masterlist
Prompts: First | Previous | Next
Chapters: First | Previous | Next
"Don't worry, dude. Everything's chill between us. We both think - Ah, I mean, Felix and I are bros now. I mean, you're still my best bro, but you know. You get it, right?" Nino's rambling was almost as bad as Marinette's when she was nervous. At least that was Felix's opinion.
"That's great! I'm so glad you two get along!" was Adrien's reaction. He didn't even seem to notice that he barely escaped a word vomit. Instead, he gave his cousin a proud approving smile. Felix loved his cousin, he really did, but he would prefer him not to give him the look a pet owner gave their puppy for not shitting on the carpet.
That had been right after he made amends with the DJ. And as nice as it was to get along with Nino, simply by the law of the enemy of my enemy, he still had a long way to go. He knew that. He just had no idea how to continue.
“Well, your little stunt got Alya, Juleka, and Rosé akumatized. You already did something for Alya, which by the way is another stunt I will get both of you back for. As soon as I have more time,” Marinette declared, threateningly brandishing one of her colouring pencils like a sword. A very short cyan-blue sword. “But anyway, I’d advise you to continue with them. Although it probably doesn’t matter which one goes first. Rosé would probably be a bit more open, but I guess Juleka would be easier on you.”
“Rosé is the bubbly pink … girl? And Juleka is her goth friend?” he asked as he continued to note down what materials Marinette already had and how much. He barely stopped himself from using any derogatory term for the small blond and very, very pink classmate. The girl had too much energy, always talking and gesticulating. Her voice was so high and she was talking practically all the time and just everything about her was so … so … very not English. There was no better way to describe her.
Yeah, choosing her as his next target would not go well.
“So, Juleka it is,” he announced and turned to his friend. Since the theme for the silent auction was decided and Marinette said, she was fine with designing the costumes for everyone - fine his ass, he didn’t want her to do it, but nobody even took a second to listen to his very relatable concerns … -, she had been designing almost non-stop. And right now she just hummed as she added some accents to Max’s futuristic dolphin suit.
“I said,” Felix tried again leaning slightly over her, blocking the light, “I’ll continue with Juleka.”
“I heard you the first time and Felix, I swear to whatever unholy deity is willing to listen, probably Plagg, Trixx or Xuppu-”
“Not unholy,” the monkey kwami interjected. He sat on one of the ceiling beams and was doodling a few of his former holders’ transformations. Most of the kwamis had been very excited about the theme. Just Kaalki sat on Marinette’s bed, eating sugar cubes, watching interviews with celebrities and was all around sulking. And making nasty remarks about the dolphin kwami going by the name of Flipp.
“- if you don’t step out of my light, I will tie you up, throw you over my shoulder like one of our bags of flour, climb up onto my balcony and let you dangle there as if our house is a donkey and you’re the carrot. And don’t think I wouldn’t do that.”
On one hand, Felix knew it was a serious threat. On the other the mental image alone almost had him daring her to do as she said. But hanging from her balcony he wouldn’t get anything done and in the end, she would only regret what she said, since she just had a very short temper while designing. And he knew that. So, he stepped back and she turned back to her sketch with a slight huff, but he caught the little smile she unsuccessfully tried to hide.
“Fine. But, please, just tell me what I should do for Juleka,” he complained as he turned back to her materials.
“What makes you think I know?”
The blond snorted at that. “Of course you do! She’s your friend and you’re a bit scary with how much you know about your friends.” It was true. Marinette knew a lot about her friends. She even wrote their events down in her planner and now that he was in charge of her schedule she had him memorise those events as well so if he planned possible events that not only included both of them but also other classmates, nothing would coincide. But that wasn't a half-bad idea! Quickly he pulled out his phone to check his calendar app for any events Juleka had going on.
“You mean, like how I know that you’re hungry but won’t ask for the pain au chocolat with the dark chocolate Papa made especially for you, because you want to eat it with your five o’clock tea later and won’t allow your stomach to dictate when you eat something?” Felix looked up from his phone and stared at the girl. She just shrugged. “You have checked the time at least five times in the last half hour and that’s only what I have witnessed,” she explained. “Plus, I could almost see the saliva run down your chin when Papa told you about your favourite pastry.”
Felix audibly clapped the cover of his smartphone case shut and put his phone away. She was correct, of course, but he felt petty and unwilling to give her this win. “Just so you know, pain au chocolat is not my favourite. I like the mocha macarons better.”
“Oh? That’s good to hear, then I’ll give the pain au chocolat to Adrien tomorrow.”
Felix hissed at that. “Over my cold dead body!” he growled quite irritated but he instantly felt a bit soothed when he heard Marinette’s soft giggles. Of course, she wouldn’t do that. He knew that, but still, he was a bit miffed at the thought she might give something to someone else that was meant for him. Whether it be a pastry or his place in her life.
“Actually, this is just more proof, that you definitely know what I should do for your friend,” he tried to get back to the original topic. Marinette just hummed noncommittally. “Please, Marinette? You know, I need your help to do this making-amends-stuff. And it’s also a bit your fault I’m in this predicament.”
“Okay, first off: I did not tell you to make that stupid bet. That’s on you. You made a mistake and I hope you learned from it and it better not be to make sure that the odds are even more in your favour the next time-”
“Was there any other lesson to learn from that?”
Marinette heavily breathed through her nose when he interrupted her, so he decided to not add anything and to just let her say her part for now.
“Anyway, what I wanted to say is, that a part of this making-amends-stuff, as you called it, is that it should show that you are trying to be a better person. I will help you at some point, but first, you will have to put in some work. This is more than some homework you can finish and not think about again. Try to find out what Juleka’s fantasy is and what you could do to make her happy. Happy and grateful enough so she might accept that the bad behaviour from your last visit is not who you are.”
Having said what she wanted to say, Marinette turned back to her sketch and narrowed her eyes as she critically looked it over. She was done with their discussion.
***
Talking to Juleka turned out harder than he thought. He tried to start a conversation but she just mumbled something unintelligible and hid behind her hair. And Marinette just gave him an amused grin and a slightly raised eyebrow, letting him know that she still expected him to make an effort to find out what Juleka would like himself. Maybe he should pay for a few lessons of confidence training? She could definitely use it!
At the end of their lunch break, he still hadn’t made any progress and he was ready to ask Adrien to give him another punishment. He would get nowhere like this.
“You could use some help, am I right?” he heard a high voice ask and turned to the source. The pink flower girl, Rosé, stood there and gave him a small smile. The kind of smile someone gave out of embarrassment when they weren’t sure whether to smile or even say something.
“Yes, I could use some help, but Marinette has this idea that I have to put in the effort before she considers helping me.” He sighed and pulled an overly dramatic grimace. “Why is she one of my favourite people again?”
Rosé giggled and relaxed her posture slightly. “Probably because she sent me a message last night. Hey, Rosé, tomorrow Felix will try to find out what he could do for Juleka to make amends with her. I want him to try on his own at first, but if he hasn’t been successful when lunch is over, could you help him? He’s not a bad person, I promise. If you can’t trust him, trust me with this. Have a good night, see you tomorrow, Mari,” she read the message and looked back up. “Well, you don’t look like you had any success, so here I am. Also, you’re stressing out Juls with your attempts to approach her. Maybe we could meet at the library after school and brainstorm an idea?”
“That should be possible. I’ll just inform Marinette that I’ll come over later than planned. She’ll probably design first anyway and we can finish homework later.”
Rosé smiled and nodded. “Okay, see you then, Felix,” she bid goodbye and returned to her friend group. Finally a silver lining! And in the end, Marinette had helped him anyway, even if it was indirect. It was actually scarily smart. Before now he had thought Rosé was annoying, but now that he had talked to her, she didn’t seem that bad. Quirky and excitable maybe and if he had to spend long periods of time with her she would certainly be unbearably annoying after a while, but she seemed to be alright if he only had to interact with her for a limited amount of time. He wouldn’t have known that if Marinette hadn’t sent her his way.
Felix grabbed his bag and went to find his friend to tell her: Well played!
***
"Do you really think a new instrument is the best we can come up with?" Felix frowned as he looked at the list of ideas Rosé and he had come up with. He learned that Juleka liked music and played several instruments like everyone else in her family, although she preferred the bass guitar. She liked make-up and styling and had dyed her hair in different colours in the past.
"I guess it's the best thing that's possible and not just some fantasy," Rosé answered doodling a little cute kitty next to the list of ideas. "A fantasy?" What did she mean by that? In a city that got attacked by a magical supervillain and his butterflies almost daily - and got saved by two teenagers with magical jewellery just as often - he would think anything fantastical wouldn't seem quite as out of reach. "You know, if you have another idea, just say it. Even if you don't think there's anything I can do. Maybe we can think of something that's close enough or I can make sure to at least turn a part of this fantasy into reality," he offered after he had a few moments to think about it.
"Are you sure?"
Felix gave her a small self-assured grin. "I better be!"
Rosé giggled at that and began to tell him about the curse her girlfriend only recently broke.
***
“What do you say?” It was a bit later in the afternoon and Felix had just told Marinette about the idea Rosé and he had come up with. “That should be possible, right?”
Marinette sat at her desk but turned to face him. She fiddled around with some ballpoint pen, rolling it thoughtfully between her thumb and her index finger.
“Maybe,” she finally answered, “but the last time Juleka tried to model for me, she got very nervous. Alya was a bit pushy because she convinced Adrien to help out as well and that’s why we had a time limit. In the end, I was pushed to model with him and Juleka got akumatized. Do you have any plan for what to do if Juleka gets anxious again?”
“Well, not inviting these two might be a good start for now.” He didn’t intend to have them there, but this just confirmed his thoughts on the matter. “I could also take the shots myself. I have some experience behind a camera and I imagine having a professional photographer there would mean more stress to her. I could even try to not be seen by her.”
“You mean, you would hide in the bushes and on trees?” Marinette asked slowly. She gave him a look as flat as a sheet of paper. And to be honest, hearing it like this, it sounded … weird in the best case.
“No, I think I better not do that.”
“No,” Marinette agreed sagely, “you better not.”
***
Felix wasn’t sure how he thought Juleka would react, but he didn’t expect her to look like a cornered little bunny.
“You- you want me to model some of Marinette’s designs? Don’t you remember, what happened last time?”
“Oh Juls,” Rosé whispered and hugged her friend. “That’s exactly why we want to have a do-over! Don’t let that one bad memory stop you from doing something you really want to do!”
“We hope to create a less stressful situation this time,” Felix offered. “It would be just you, Rosé, Marinette, and I. I will also shoot the photos. So, there will only be people you have at least talked to already. This could be the foundation of a portfolio if you want to do more modelling gigs. Also …” Felix looked around and after not seeing the lying girl anywhere near them, he leaned a bit in and lowered his voice, “considering other people who confidently model and who have less than half as much reason to be as confident in their looks as you should be, you really should do this. Always remember: If you would like to do something but you wonder if you are qualified enough, rest assured that there is at least one unqualified person who does exactly this.”
Juleka still looked a bit hesitant, but finally, she nodded.
***
Felix should have known. Of course, it would have just been too easy, if they could just get to the location and take the photos.
Some students from her brother’s school recognised Juleka and immediately crowded around her. Rosé was so excited for her friend, she told them about the photoshoot and they asked if they could stay. They wanted to help and watch.
After all this excitement Juleka’s confidence took a nose-dive. She was nervous and stiff and looked like she was forced to do this at gunpoint. Felix only took half a dozen pictures before he decided this didn’t make any sense.
“The only fantasy I see in these pictures is her fantasy of running away and hiding,” Felix whispered as he stood next to Marinette and showed her the pictures. His friend gave them a critical look, but finally, she sighed and gave him the camera back.
“Well, at least they seem to be genuinely supportive. That’s not the worst-case scenario. But maybe we should still reschedule?”
Felix shook his head. “We won’t have enough time if we don’t get the pictures by the end of the week.”
Marinette frowned at him. “Why the time limit?” she wanted to know. Felix hadn’t told her, but he had sort of planned another surprise for Juleka, but he hadn’t told anyone. He didn’t want to put more pressure on Juleka or disappoint any hopes he might spark, should it not work out as he planned. But maybe he should tell Marinette now?
“The modelling agency you work with has a youth program and I know someone working there because he used to work for my acting agency. I showed him the class photo and he agreed to take a look at Juleka’s portfolio. And if he could get the portfolio by the end of the week, he might be able to get Juleka into their summer program. This would-”
“Felix, I have to interrupt you.”
Marinette cut him off with a raised hand and a pensive expression. “We don’t even know if Juleka would want this. I agree, it’s an amazing opportunity and Juleka deserves this chance. I appreciate how much thought and work you put into this and I’m sure Juleka would, too.”
“But-?”
Marinette’s lips twitched into a tiny smile. “Still,” she continued, emphasising the word to point out that she was not using a but, “I think you should talk to her before you show the pictures to anyone else. She’s surrounded by people who support her and she is this anxious. Could you imagine how violated she might feel if she learns afterwards that some stranger saw the photos without her consent?”
Felix couldn’t precisely understand why Juleka might be hurt. He was usually ecstatic when he learned people saw his work. But Marinette knew the girl better. Maybe she really wouldn’t want that. The boy decided he should talk to Juleka first, but when he looked around he couldn’t see her anywhere.
“Mari.”
“Give me a moment, I’m texting Luka. I’m sure he can calm her down.”
“Amazing idea. Maybe he can also tell us where she likes to hide?”
The young designer looked up and let her gaze wander over everyone present as well. She couldn’t find her friend but only a moment later they both noticed something else. “Merde!”
“With baked beans on toast,” Felix added with a nod. “Alright, you find a place for your glam up and I try to find our model before Mothbreath does.” With this Felix followed the little black butterfly. It was surprising enough that nobody else seemed to notice the akuma. Rosé talked to those other students about the band she and Juleka played in. If he had to guess, he would say she tried to keep their attention from her friend. Only, Rosé did it too well, so she didn’t notice anyone leaving.
Felix followed one of the paths for a bit until he found a hair clip near the edge of the grass. It was black and pretty simplistic, but he was sure he had watched earlier as Rosé used this clip to keep Julekas hair out of her face.
He looked around and noticed that there was a shortcut towards the toilets if he walked over the grass compared to the gravel path. Of course, an upset girl would run to the toilet. He should have learned this from Marinette by now!
With a deep sigh, Felix cursed Hawk Moth and public toilets and the fact that he would still do what he had to do. To put one over on Mothbreath and so Juleka wouldn’t be reminded of past traumatic events.
He didn’t usually storm the ladies’ room, but this also wasn’t a usual situation. He was faster than the akuma and skidded in front of a still pretty upset Juleka.
“Not her!” he hissed, watching the flying pattern of the black insect. “Not today!”
Felix heard the scared sobs Juleka tried to suppress. As if the butterfly could hear her and take control of her if she was too loud.
“Juleka, please listen to my voice,” he begged while internally praying that Ladybug would soon appear. “Take deep breaths. Concentrate on your breath on the feeling of your lungs expanding when you breathe in and contracting when you breathe out. You’re doing great! Ok, Juleka, do you think, you can listen? Hawk Moth can only control you if you think the power he offers is the only way out for you. Do you understand me? You don’t need his power. I think the fact that you are here is proof that you are so much stronger than he is. Do you want to hear my theory on why he mainly akumatizes teens and children?” Felix didn’t wait for an answer. Giving the girl something else to focus on seemed to be as good a plan as anything else.
“Teens and children haven’t had the chance to learn a few important life lessons. It’s a lot more likely that a situation seems hopeless to them. Hawk Moth thinks they are the best targets. Easy victims. I don’t think you’re a victim and I’m offended Mothbreath would dare to think this!”
A surprised little laugh sounded behind him and Felix felt a tiny part relax slightly.
“Mothbreath?” Juleka whispered.
“Yeah. I’m also convinced the akumas are created by his burps.” This was improvised, but he heard the girl giggle softly. The dark butterfly seemed to be scandalised by his words and left the restroom through a window. Felix felt himself finally relax. He was confident that Ladybug would be able to do the rest.
“Thank you. I … I really didn’t want to be akumatized again. I just get so anxious when so many people expect something from me. What if I disappoint them? Rosé and Luka’s friends were so excited for me and you organised everything and Mari agreed to let me model some of her designs. And my dad loves her designs and I just know that he would make this big deal about this. And if I end up having this portfolio and people immediately see through me and know I’m not an actual model? After all, most pictures of me end up being awful!”
No, no, you can’t get upset again, just when I was able to calm you down a bit! Felix tried frantically to come up with an idea.
“I just don’t want to disappoint everyone if I can’t do it,” Juleka added faintly not knowing how her words sparked an idea in the blond boy. Felix remembered himself saying something very similar many years ago. Reaching a decision he carefully looked out the door and saw Ladybug de-akumatizing that pigeon guy and joking with her cat boy. Seems as if Hawk Moth had to use the akuma one way or another and the pigeon guy was the only other option. He hoped Mothbreath bumped his tiny toe when he kicked something, angry about his newest loss and his stupidity.
“Look, over there is a bench, let’s sit for a moment,” he offered and pointed to a wooden bench not far away. Juleka nodded and followed him there. He took a moment to sort through his thoughts.
“Many years ago, when I had my first acting role, I said something similar. I was afraid I wouldn’t get it right and would be replaced by another, more experienced child actor, which would surely disappoint my family. One of the assistant cameramen found me and sat down with me. He told me that even though people may think otherwise, a camera doesn’t capture reality. This goes for acting and modelling. Shortly after my aunt disappeared, there was an interview and a photoshoot with Adrien. In the interview, they praised how brave my cousin was, because he could still smile for the camera. I like to think that I know my cousin well enough to know that he didn’t feel like smiling or brave in any way and this interview is just another reason I owe my uncle a kick in the crotch. He hid and mostly still hides in his obscenely large house and Adrien had to manage on his own, while the media hunted him down because stories and pictures of the son of the mysteriously vanished wife of a failed designer sold well.” He took a deep breath, to get back on topic.
“What I’m trying to say is, that in front of a camera, you can be whoever you want to be. It’s not Juleka, the girl who had a photo curse. When you’re in front of the camera, it’s Juleka, the model. If it would help you, you can have a pseudonym.”
“Do you have a pseudonym?”
“No,” he answered but pulled a piece of cloth out. “Back then, a friend gave me a piece of cloth she had used to practise stitching. I could hide it in the pocket of my costume. With it, I had an easier time getting into character.”
“Was Mari this friend?” she asked and finally there was a soft smile on her lips. She knew the answer, which is why Felix only smirked but didn’t answer. She snorted at that. “So, who are you playing if you have it with you now?”
“Initially I thought I would play the photographer, but it seems I also picked up the role of a civilian hero and your coach. This reminds me …”
Felix raised the hand in which he still held the hair clip she lost earlier.
“I think you lost this. It’s not a talisman made by Marinette, but then again, what else is? And I’m sure, Rosé will be more than happy to supply you with your own talisman. May I?” Felix didn’t comment on how Juleka blushed when he mentioned her girlfriend. Instead, he motioned to the hair that was hiding half her face. He leaned forward and fixed the hair clip so her hair would be held back.
“See? Now I can only see the model of today’s photoshoot. Before we go back, Marinette scolded me and told me, I should tell you before: I know someone working for a modelling agency with a youth program because he worked for my acting agency when I started out. He said he would be happy to take a look at the photos we shoot today and maybe he could get you into their summer program if we can show him the photos by the end of the week. Initially, I only wanted to tell you if everything worked out, but Marinette thought it’s more important that you are okay with someone else seeing your photos. What do you think?” Felix watched her and carefully tried to take note of every twitch that might tell him if she felt uncomfortable with the idea. Of course, he wanted to respect her wishes and if she didn’t dare to outright tell him, she didn’t like the idea, he wanted to be able to offer her a way out.
But he was worried for no reason because he could see determination steel her face and she gave him a brave nod. “That sounds like an amazing opportunity, Felix. Thank you. But, you know, now I really expect you to shoot amazing pics!” She gave him a small smirk and he returned it as he stood up.
“Perfect! Then let’s return to the location!”
***
When Felix saw his uncle later that day he was walking with a limp and when he asked his cousin what happened, he told him that Garbiel had bumped his tiny toe somewhere.
Huh! Well, it didn’t hit someone undeserving, Felix decided and revelled in the petty feeling of schadenfreude.
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wordsofrowan · 9 months
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From Ashes to Embers
Chapter 4 - A Half Smile and A Blank Stare
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As the piercing sound of the alarm clock filled my room, I groggily opened my eyes. With a bittersweet smile, I forced myself to get out of bed, knowing that another day awaited me. I went through my morning routine, dressing up and mentally preparing for the challenges ahead. But deep down, a heavyweight tugged at my heart, a constant reminder of the recent events that had unfolded.
When I arrived at school, a wave of commotion greeted me as I entered the classroom. My classmates huddled together, their voices blending into an excited cacophony. They were buzzing with excitement, their animated chatter revolving around their newfound heroism and their supposed connection to Ladybug. I couldn't help but sigh as I made my way to my seat at the back, silently observing the unfolding conversation.
Nino, Alya, Kim, Max, and even Chloe reveled in their heroic exploits, proudly boasting about their encounters with Ladybug and their special roles. It was both exhilarating and disheartening to hear them speak so passionately about their experiences. Experiences that I knew would have to come to an end soon. Because the truth was, Hawk Moth had discovered their identities, putting them in grave danger. I couldn't afford to entrust them with their miraculous any longer, not when their lives were at stake.
As I listened to their stories and laughter, my heart sank. I knew what I had to do. I had to find suitable replacements for all of them, individuals who could take on the responsibility of protecting Paris and wielding the miraculous. It was a daunting task, but it was necessary to ensure both the safety of the miraculous and the well-being of my friends. Deep down, I hoped that they would understand the reasons behind my decision, even if it meant keeping them in the dark about my own identity as Ladybug.
Soon, to my utter displeasure, Lila Rossi strutted into the classroom as if she owned the place. She wasted no time inserting herself into the conversation about the temporary heroes, once again bragging about being "Ladybug's best friend." It made my blood boil, but I tried my best to keep my composure.
Just as Ms. Bustier entered the room, the chatter died down, and we all took our seats as she began the roll call. But before that, she delivered the news that Lila would be joining us for the remainder of the school year. The class erupted in applause, and Lila basked in the attention. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but scoff quietly under my breath.
As the teacher continued with the morning announcements, she declared that we would have a free day since she knew how taxing the events of "Miracle Queen" had been for all of us. The class cheered, and instantly everyone gathered in a circle in the first few rows of seats, clearly determined to make the most of this break. They were so loud, practically shouting to the world, and it made it difficult for me to concentrate on my designs.
"You know, I would've helped if I could, but a miraculous can't be activated twice, so I couldn't help," Lila chimed in, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. Alya's expression briefly fell before she perked back up, seemingly unaffected.
"I didn't realize there were multiple Miraculous of each kind," Max commented, genuinely intrigued by the revelation.
"Oh yeah, there are way more Miraculous scattered all over the place! They're in safe hands, unlike here. I actually know most of the guardians!" Lila boasted, blatantly lying without a care in the world. It was infuriating to listen to their conversation, knowing she was manipulating them all. But none of the others seemed to notice, all too happy to fall for her lies.
I couldn't help but scoff quietly to myself. What a load of nonsense. It didn't matter what they talked about or believed at this point. Soon enough, I would have to replace them all, find new heroes to protect Paris and wield the Miraculous. Their obliviousness to Lila's lies only reinforced my determination to keep them out of harm's way and ensure the safety of the miraculous.
"Do you think I was a good holder for Trixx?" Alya's hopeful voice reached my ears, her eyes shining with anticipation. I knew how much being Trixx's holder meant to her, and it pained me to see her seeking validation for her role and from Lila of all people.
But before I could respond, Lila, always eager to steal the spotlight, interjected with her false generosity. "Of course, Alya! You were absolutely amazing as Trixx's holder! In fact, I personally recommended Ladybug to choose you. After all, my own identity was exposed when I was Akumatized. But don't worry, no hard feelings towards you, Marinette, or anything," she said, her words oozing with insincerity.
I couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration at Lila's blatant lies. The audacity she had to twist the truth and manipulate everyone around her was infuriating. I rolled my eyes, struggling to contain my annoyance. At that moment, I made a conscious decision to tune out the rest of the class discussion, focusing solely on my sketches in an attempt to regain my composure.
As I sat in the classroom, surrounded by the cacophony of voices, I turned inward, finding solace in my sketches. With every stroke of my pencil, I channeled my frustrations and uncertainties, pouring them onto the pages before me. My designs took shape, each line representing my determination to protect Paris and find suitable replacements for my friends.
The discussions around me faded into the background as I focused solely on my task. Alya's excitement over Lila's false praises went unnoticed by me, for I knew the truth that lay beneath Lila's deceitful facade. I resisted the temptation to confront her, understanding that it would only complicate matters further.
My pencil moved with purpose, capturing the essence of what it meant to be a hero. Each design was infused with the qualities I sought in the next generation of miraculous holders—trustworthiness, bravery, and unwavering dedication. Through my art, I sought to bring forth the heroes that would carry the torch, ensuring the safety of our city.
Soon, the lunch bell rang, abruptly breaking the tense atmosphere that had settled over the classroom. Lost in my own distracted thoughts, I accidentally bumped into someone while stepping off the last step. A pained "Ow" escaped the person I collided with, and I looked up to see it was Lila.
"Seriously, Marinette?" Alya's voice carried a hint of disappointment, accompanied by a small glare directed my way.
My heart sank, ready to apologize for the accidental collision, but before I could utter a single word, Lila interjected, her tone mocking and deflecting the blame from me. "Alya, come on. I'm sure Marinette didn't mean it. We all know how clumsy she can be, right, Mari?" Her words were laced with insincerity, yet it seemed that everyone else remained oblivious to her true nature.
Silently enduring Lila's taunts, I felt a heaviness settle within me. The weight of her lies and manipulation had worn me down, and I longed for an escape from the constant torment. With a heavy sigh, I mustered an apology, "Right, yeah, sorry, Lila."
The air in the room grew suffocating, a toxic haze that threatened to consume my sanity. I could no longer bear the weight of the tension, the jagged edges of their conflict cutting into my soul. With a surge of resolve, I made a split-second decision to escape, seeking refuge from the chaos that plagued us all. But just as I turned to flee, fate intervened with a cruel twist.
My wrist was abruptly seized and yanked into the depths of an empty room. Startled, I looked up to find Adrien, his grip releasing me as realization dawned upon his face. The room crackled with electrifying energy, our gazes locked in a battle of emotions.
His gaze held a mix of concern and determination as he spoke, "Marinette, I'm glad you apologized, but you need to stay away from her. The tension between you two is escalating, and we can't risk her getting akumatized."
A pang of disappointment surged through me, realizing that Adrien's concern seemed solely focused on preventing an akumatization. It was as if my own emotional well-being was overshadowed by the need to protect Paris. A solitary tear escaped my eye, betraying the inner turmoil that had consumed me. Did he even care about how I was coping?
Quickly wiping away the tear, I straightened my posture and lifted my head. I summoned my inner strength, realizing that I needed to prioritize my own mental and emotional health. "Yeah, I understand, Adrien," I replied, my voice infused with a newfound determination.
It was at that moment that I felt more of my love for Adrien die. As I stared into Adrien's eyes, a chilling realization settled within me like frost creeping across my heart. The concern and determination etched on his face weren’t meant for me, he didn’t care about me, he wasn’t worried about me, he was only worried about Lila. With each passing second, it became clearer that my own emotional well-being was being eclipsed by the weight of his personal goal to maintain peace over all else, even if it meant siding with Lila over me.
As I made my way to the lunchroom, I deliberately chose to sit alone, seeking solace in my own company. It was a bittersweet moment of self-reflection, realizing that my once overwhelming crush on Adrien was gradually fading as I embraced my own resilience and independence. I vowed to focus on my own well-being and find strength within myself, even if it meant distancing myself from those who couldn't see beyond the facade.
Sitting there, alone at the lunch table, I took a moment to gather myself. Inhaling deeply, I attempted to push aside the negative emotions that had burdened me since morning. Opening my lunch bag, I took a small bite of my sandwich, trying to find some solace in the familiar taste.
My eyes wandered around the bustling lunchroom, finally settling on the group of my friends gathered at our usual table. Nino, Alya, Adrien, and Lila were deeply engrossed in conversation, oblivious to the internal turmoil that had been consuming me. Seeing them together, the laughter and camaraderie they shared, a pang of sadness washed over me. I yearned for the days when we were united when Lila's lies hadn't torn us apart.
Taking another bite of my sandwich, I realized that dwelling on the past wouldn't change the present reality. I had to find a way to move forward, to adapt to the changes that had occurred. As much as it hurt to see my friends oblivious to Lila's deceit, I couldn't force them to see the truth. I had to focus on taking care of myself and protecting Paris from impending danger.
The lunch period had passed by quickly, and it was time to face the remainder of the school day. Gathering my belongings, I took one last glance at my friends' table, silently wishing them well.
Walking away from the lunchroom, I carried within me a newfound determination. I knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but I was ready to face the challenges head-on. With each step, I embraced the strength that lay within me, ready to protect Paris, fulfill my responsibilities as Ladybug, and carve out my own destiny.
The rest of the day crawled by, each passing hour stretching like a lifetime of loneliness. I found myself adrift in a sea of unfamiliar faces, a ghostly figure haunting the halls of my own school. The once familiar classrooms became foreign territories, the laughter, and camaraderie of my friends now distant echoes.
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of another desolate day, a flicker of hope ignited within me. I mustered the remnants of my courage and approached Alya, desperate to salvage the fragments of our shattered plans.
"Hey, Alya," I said, my voice laced with hope and excitement, "we're still hanging out at my house, right?"
Her face twisted momentarily, a flicker of guilt dancing in her eyes before she responded, oblivious to the magnitude of her words. "Oh, Marinette... I completely forgot. I made arrangements to interview Lila again for the ladyblog!" Her voice brimmed with excitement, oblivious to the dagger it drove into my wounded heart.
I tried to conceal my disappointment, my fragile hope crumbling like ashes in the wind. A hollow smile formed on my lips, a veil to hide the ache that gnawed at my core. "Okay, maybe another day then?" I managed to utter, my voice trembling with a bittersweet sadness that threatened to consume me.
Alya nodded hastily, already engulfed in the fervor of her new endeavor. She dashed away, leaving me standing there, a solitary figure in a world that had forgotten my existence. I mustered a feeble farewell, my voice swallowed by the void between us. "Good luck," I called after her, the words dissipating into emptiness, lost to the winds of apathy.
Feeling a mix of sadness and frustration, I decided to linger at school a little longer. I sought refuge in my sketches, pouring my emotions onto the pages, seeking solace in the strokes of my pencil.
As the sun began its descent, casting a warm glow across the city, I finally left the school grounds. Aching for a moment of peace, I took a detour through the park on my way home. Lost in my thoughts, I walked aimlessly, oblivious to the world around me.
Then, amidst the hazy twilight, I heard my name. "-I just don't get why she's so mean to me." I looked up, drawn towards the gathering of my classmates surrounding Lila. My heart sank as I watched her weaving a tale of my supposed cruelty. I couldn't bear to witness the charade any longer. With a tear streaming down my cheek, I ran the rest of the way home, seeking solace within the familiar walls of my sanctuary.
As I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for support, I wiped away my tears, trying to gather myself. Taking a deep breath, I entered the bakery, where my parents were finishing up dinner. Their comforting presence provided a much-needed refuge.
During dinner, my parents must have been able to tell something was wrong with me because as soon as I sat down to eat with them I was greeted by my mother asking me, "Is everything okay, sweetie?"
I let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "Not really," I admitted, my voice barely audible. "It's Lila. She's spreading lies about me again, and now the whole class is turning against me."
My father put down his fork, his eyes fixed on me with genuine worry. "What kind of lies is she telling this time?" he asked, his voice filled with fatherly concern.
Taking a moment to collect myself, I shared the latest incident in the park. "She's determined to poison everyone's perception of me," I explained, frustration and hurt seeping into my words. Tears welled up in my eyes, betraying my emotional turmoil.
My mother reached across the table, taking my hand in a comforting gesture. "Remember, Marinette, we know who you truly are," she reminded me, her voice filled with unwavering support. "Don't let her lies define you."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of my lips, grateful for the love and understanding from my parents. "Thank you, Maman, Papa," I whispered, gratitude lacing my words. "I just wish it would stop. It feels like she always manages to stay one step ahead of me."
My father's gaze softened, and he gently patted my hand. "We'll find a way, Marinette," he assured me, his voice brimming with determination. "Perhaps it's time to speak to your teacher or the principal. It's important to address this situation."
I nodded, contemplating my father's suggestion. "You're right," I agreed. "I can't keep allowing her to trample all over me. Maybe seeking help from someone in authority is the right course of action. Although, I'm worried it might make things worse."
My mother squeezed my hand reassuringly, her eyes filled with unwavering support. "Speaking up for yourself isn't making things worse, my dear," she affirmed. "You deserve to be heard and respected. Remember, we're here for you every step of the way."
A surge of determination coursed through me, pushing aside my doubts and insecurities. I realized that it was time to reclaim my voice, refusing to be a victim of Lila's lies any longer. With newfound strength and resolve, I finished my dinner, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead.
At that moment, I knew I had my parents' unwavering support, and that was all I needed to confront Lila and assert my true self.
As the evening waned, I retreated to my room, surrounded by sketches and designs that represented my creativity and resilience. Sitting at my desk, I made a silent promise to myself — to rise above the pain, protect my city, and never let the weight of others' lies define me.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, feeling a flicker of hope ignited within me. I knew that I possessed the strength to overcome any obstacle. With that newfound resolve in my heart, I let myself drift off to sleep, ready to face the uncertainties of tomorrow with unwavering determination.
XoXo Rowan
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rainnthundr · 1 year
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HAHA MLB LOVERS MY OBSESSION WITH BAMF MARI KNOWS NO BOUNDS
AGAIN MY OWN AU OF MARINETTE
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eighthchair · 2 months
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Damian Al-Ghul Wayne: could kill a bitch, wouldn't hurt a fly
Marinette Dupain-Cheng: couldn't kill a bitch, would if she could
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alien-slushie · 2 years
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Another Maribat prompt! I tried to write this one but it wasn't working out for me 😭, so I thought I'd post the idea here so maybe someone would have better luck than me.
Another "Marinette is shipped off for BioDad!Bruce Wayne" storyline because I really like those ones, but with a little 💥flare~💥
Prompt: Because shes constantly getting in trouble Sabine and Tom send her to Bruce to straighten her out. Bruce read her school files but didn't look too deep because he didn't think a school would be so incompetent not to research bullying, and thievery claims, and he is not impressed. Right out of the gate, before Marinette can even enter the house, he lays down the rules. And of course he told the others, warning them so they wouldn't be swayed. So, there Marinette stands, in a unfamiliar country, in a unfamiliar house(manor), with unfamiliar people staring at her like shes a wild, unpredictable animal(they didn't even give her the decency of letting her prove herself) after her parents, friends, and school basically turned their backs on her, and something just snaps.
She was Marinette Cheng, upcoming fashion designer, and weilder of (and Gaurdian of) the Miraculous. If they wanted to treat her like a wild, unpredictable animal, fine then, she'd give them what they wanted! But it was well known that if you corner a injured animal, they will fight, and fight she does.
Marinette is coldly polite with them(except Alfred, Jason, and Seline who she happily greets, and chats with because they treat her normally), until they treat her badly, and then all gloves are off. And boy does she know how to hit them right where it hurts. They hurt her? Well shes going to hurt them right back.
Bruce watches her likes shes going to steal something from the manor when she just stopped to gaze at a picture? She loudly wonders what her 'grandparents' would think about the untrusting, emotionally shut off batchelor Bruce had become. Damian sneers at her while she sketches in the garden? Marinette gushes about how lucky she was that her parents had at least kept her around because they loved her instead of seeing her as a weapon for their own means. Dick suspiously questions where she got the money to afford 3 MDC originals? Marinette cant help but wonder what it feels like to be continuously replaced by stronger, smarter, and blood related siblings. Tim questions why she would take answers to a test when she could get high marks if she just tried after it's his turn to check her homework? Wow Marinette sure is glad she doesn't want any part of Wayne industries because she would hate to be used as a pack mule who's only use is to do the paperwork Bruce doesn't want to do.
But sometimes the injured animal, after fighting for so long, just can't fight back anymore, at which point they can either surrender, or run.
Bonus Points if: Marinette is the Black Cat and Gaurdian rather than the Ladybug, and Cat Woman + Marinette bonding both in and out of the suit.
A/N: You can change this in your rendition of this prompt, but I have a reason that Alfred, Jason, and Seline were spared. Alfred knows all and treats Marinette like he would anyone else, Jason is really carefree and can tell when someone is just trying to defend themselves(plus watching his families insecurities get poked at by a little girl is hilarious), and Seline warned Bruce not to go in guns blazing and recognized her defense mechanism for what it was as soon as she had seen Marinette's eyes during the first interaction between Bruce and Marinette(plus Seline + Marinette step mom and daughter bonding).
Like with all the prompts I post, this is free to use, but PLEASE send me the link to the finished project so I can check it out.
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coffeebanana · 7 months
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🐑 drinking games, there was only one bed, BAMF Marinette Dupain-Cheng
A drunken game of Twister somehow lands Marinette in Adrien's bed. And there's cuddling. The sort that feels like maybe it's leading to something a little less than platonic. So when an Akuma interrupts the fun, Marinette is NOT about to let Hawk Moth win. Not tonight. This would have been a lot easier if she'd remembered to transform.
thanks for the ask!! 💜
fake fic ask game
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youasked · 2 years
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Ladrien?
Can someone recomend me good Ladrien fics? If possible, ones that you don't need to know a lot about the series. I really like the dynamic this pair has since I shows two sides of themselves at the same time, because yeah I am really really in love with her/him but I can't show it.
I really like the pairing and I would like to read some more about them, so I would appreciate some recs
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echoing-gravity · 6 months
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can someone give me fic recs for maribat where there's lots of fight scenes
forget romance lemme read about Marinette beating up criminals pls.
It can have romance but I wanna read a fic that doesn't turn Marinette into a damsel in distress, like c'mon guys Marinette fights a magical emotional terrorist like- daily, she should be way OP against the normal no-powers criminals of gotham.
I've already read angel of Gotham (Mar fights the riddler and the joker in that one and it's written extremely well)
I've also just finished reading Canary but in that one mar is more anti hero than hero hero
I've also read journey to you and I really really don't wanna go digging thru all the extremely ooc daminette fics to find more badass fighty Marinette fics Any fic recs?....ANYONE ??
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beetlelemonade · 8 months
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Me having a week long mental breakdown: life is terrible and everything is horrible
Ao3: wanna read miraculous ladybug fanfiction?
Me in tears: yes. Yes I do.
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raeuberprinzessin · 8 months
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Making Amends - Hazy - Prompt 18, Chapter 5
@felixmonth, @stainedglassm
Summary: For Felix Month 2021 - beware, the chapters are not in chronological order^^
When Felix loses a bet with his cousin, he has to make amends with Adrien’s friends. Well, at least this provides a good excuse to spent a lot of time with Adrien’s “very good friend”, a certain designer, who may or may not be described as tolerable … or cute. This may not be so bad. Yeah, not bad at all.
AO3 | Masterlist
Prompts: First | Previous | Next
Chapters: First | Previous | Next
"Nevertheless," continued Poirot, "in view of what has happened, the police there would like to have another look at the anonymous letter I received. I have said that you and I will go down to Andover at once."
An ear-piercing thunder outside the bay window made Felix jump. He looked up and realised to his surprise that he hadn't even noticed the dark clouds that had claimed the sky. When he had started reading The ABC Murders, one of his favourite Poirot novels by Agatha Christie, only a short while ago the sky had been a cerulean blue, dotted only by a few soft-looking clouds here and there. Now it seemed like the apocalypse had come, another great flood hell-bent on drowning all of Paris. The city lay almost abandoned in the darkness of the overcast sky, which was quite unusual for this hour. Strong winds ripped through streets and alleyways, jolting the shutters of the windows and shaking, no, nearly bending the trees lining the streets of the posh neighbourhood he lived in. The window pane was cold enough that his breath left a small spot on the glass. Another bolt of lightning illuminated the world outside the window for a few moments soon accompanied by its roaring thunder. Heavy drops of rain pounded against the window forming small rivulets as the water ran down the glass.
To be honest, it was the perfect weather for an afternoon reading session with his favourite detective novel. And still, the sudden change in weather didn't sit well with him.
Felix pulled out his phone to check the news. Maybe this was the result of an akuma attack? If he remembered correctly there had been an akuma with weather-based powers in the past. Weather Girl or Storm Witch or something like that. She, like practically every akuma victim, looked nearly as bad as every poor model who had to wear one of his uncle's creations. That was the one relevant information he took from Marinette's rant over text back then. The rant had started with her disappointment over her losing the chance to model with Adrien to the girl she babysat that day, although she was happy the girl had a good time. Felix deliberately forgot this detail and selectively remembered the complaint about the design of the one akuma he heard about before he caused three of them at the same time.
There had indeed been an akuma battle earlier but the victim hadn't possessed any weather powers. In the end, the hero duo won the battle with some safety pins. Felix was confident that the local heroine was well-versed in this item's utilisation.
The lights in the den suddenly turned on and Felix looked over to the door where his mother had just stepped into the room. “Felix, how often have I told you to turn on the lights and not read in the dark? You’re ruining your eyes by doing that,” she reprimanded him, but her voice was gentle. “I just noticed the storm when I heard the thunder. But thank you for turning on the lights,” he answered and looked out again, watching the spectacle for another minute before he wanted to return his attention to his novel.
“It’s really coming down now,” he heard his mother mutter. She had stepped to the window next to him and looked out with a frown. And as much as Felix would like to return to his book, he had a feeling that his mother actually wanted to talk to him about something. Of course, it could also be that she just didn't get the hint that the still-opened book in his lap was
“I just thought how a storm like this is the perfect weather for an afternoon with my favourite detective,” Felix told her and glanced back down to the pages of his novel. "The ABC Murders again?" she wanted to know. There was a slight smile on her lips when she looked at him, but Felix could read the worry in her eyes. He closed the book, showing her the cover to let her know that she was correct, and placed it next to himself.
"What's wrong? I can see that you are worried. Is it Gabriel? What did he do this time?" His mother shook her head. "No, Gabriel doesn't have anything to do with this. At least as far as I know. It's just …" She fell silent and turned fully to him.“Have you heard anything from Marinette?” she asked after a moment of silence.
Felix froze. Why would his mother ask about Marinette? He felt a bit queasy the more he mulled over her words. Was she just trying to make conversation? Or did she have another reason? There had been an akuma battle. Had his mother figured out who Ladybug was as well? Or did he give something away? He could have sworn he didn't change his behaviour after he found out. “Not since school today. Is there a reason you asked?” he carefully probed, trying to seem nonchalant about it. His mother turned back to the window and watched the storm, but her frown had deepened.
“I called Sabine earlier and asked her if we could get something delivered. Initially, she told me that the delivery man had to leave for an emergency, but right at that moment Marinette came back from babysitting the daughter of a friend and she said she would send Marinette to us,” she explained and finally sat down next to him.
“Mrs Cheng sent her daughter out into pandemonium?” he questioned in disbelief and gestured at the apocalyptic conditions outside. His mother shook her head. “That was before the storm. I guess Marinette had to take shelter when that akuma attacked. The battle took place right between the bakery and our building. And right after that, the thunderstorm started. I had hoped she might have sent you a message to let you know she would be late. But if she hasn’t …” His mother fell silent once more, visibly perturbed by the thought of a young teenager running an errand in a storm like this.
Felix picked up his phone again to take a look at his messaging app, but when he couldn't find a text or a voice message from his friend he tried to call her. He had no success, so he put his book down and stood up. “Felix? Where are you going?” He turned at the door back to his mother. “It’s not like Marinette to worry others. If she could, she would let us know she's late. So, I’ll go out to find her,” he declared.
“Felix, look outside! You can’t be serious! We can call the police-”
“I am perfectly serious, mother. If I’m not back or haven’t told you where I am in half an hour, you can still call the police. But I will go out and look for Marinette. After all, if anything happened to her it’s because you asked for a delivery when you could have sent someone. And I will also let Mrs. Cheng know not to spring more responsibilities on Marinette. She already seems to drown in all the burdens people just load on her.”
With that, he got a coat and decided with a look out another window against an umbrella and instead took a rain poncho to go out. The strong wind would have just ripped the umbrella from his hands.
Outside he could only see as far as a few meters. The rain came down heavy and shallow rivers ran down the streets. He tried to walk around at least the bigger puddles, but he couldn’t avoid them all and soon his feet felt wet and cold. He wasn't really angry and immediately regretted his harsh words. His mother had no idea about everything Marinette was juggling. It was his own worry that had made him react harsher than he usually would.
The streets were pretty empty. Most people probably took shelter when the akuma attacked and stayed there when the storm followed after, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t what Marinette had done. After being held up by the akuma she would have felt guilty for being late, so she would have tried to make it as fast as possible through the storm. The thought of her out here all alone gave him another freezing shiver which had nothing to do with the cold rain or the biting wind that found its way under his coat.
It only took ten minutes to find her. Felix had held his eyes open and when he found a person with black hair lying on the pavement he recognised the girl immediately. “Marinette?” Felix gently shook her shoulder and when she wouldn’t react he shook her harder. A groan stopped him. “Marinette?” he repeated with slight trepidation. “Felix?” she slurred and closed her eyes again. Felix looked at his phone to check the time. He could call an ambulance and wait with her, but he could bring her back to his apartment faster than the ambulance could be here. It was only a few minutes, he had taken longer to get here because he was searching and had to be sure since the visibility conditions were quite poor. But he could call his mother and have her call for a doctor and he could bring her to the apartment. By doing this he could try to get her warm and dry while waiting for a doctor.
Decision made he pulled the rain poncho off and draped it carefully over Marinette. After that he called his mother and let her know about his plan then he turned back to Marinette. Felix left the box with the bakery’s logo that had spilt next to her where it was. That stupid delivery was the reason she was in this state. Well, maybe one of the reasons. The pastries were soggy anyway, so nobody would eat them anymore.
The boy tried to pick up Marinette carefully. He made sure to cover her with the poncho as much as possible, so she would be protected from the rain for now. He also held her close to his chest in a desperate effort to share his remaining warmth with the sogging wet icy bundle in his arms as he made his way back to the apartment at a hurried pace.
“Felix?” he heard the girl in his arms rasp after he started walking back to his apartment. “Shhh, Marinette. Everything will be fine. I’ll bring you back to my apartment and we’ll get you dry and warm and comfy there, alright?” he reassured her, but he wasn’t sure whether she could hear him over the thunder and the rain pattering against the material of the poncho. Still, Marinette seemed to relax at his words. “Ev'ything's so hazy. 'don’ like it,” he heard her complain and he felt how she snuggled her face against his shoulder. “We will make the haze disappear,” he promised her after a moment he took to take a deep breath. Marinette just sighed and didn’t stir again until he was back at his building.
The lift couldn’t be fast enough and at the door, he rang the bell and knocked against the door. With his arms full of a bundle of unconscious designer he couldn’t unlock the door on his own. His mother opened, the worry and guilt written across her face. “You found her!” she exclaimed in relief. “Ines has prepared the guest bedroom for her. Ines? Can you help to get her out of her wet clothes? Felix, could you go and get some of your lounge attire? It’s probably still too big, but not as big as my clothes would be.”
Although Felix was loath to leave Marinette for even a second, he agreed that Marinette wouldn’t want him there when she was changed into dry clothes, so he left. In his wardrobe, he looked for the softest, comfiest clothes he had and soon returned with them to his mother. While he was waiting to be allowed back in he heard the bell ring and answered the door. It was the doctor his mother called. He allowed the woman in and led her to the bedroom. His mother came back out and waited with him in front of the door.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she finally admitted. And Felix knew that. He wasn’t truly angry with his mother. Of course, she would assume it was fine if Marinette’s mother said so. He couldn’t blame this on her. He was just worried and his mother was there.
“I know,” he replied and offered her a hug which she accepted. “I’ll still need to have a serious talk with Marinette’s parents and with Marinette. She was lucky. Who knows if she would be as lucky the next time? She needs to take things slower or she needs someone to keep an eye on everything she does, so she won’t overdo herself.”
Actually, this wasn’t a bad idea. He was brilliant at planning and organising. Maybe Marinette would agree to have him manage her schedule. It would give him the perfect reason to spend more time with her as well. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He would approach Marinette about this when she felt better and not a moment earlier.
"Felix?" He looked away from the door to the guest room to his mother. "You're drenched. Go, take a hot bath or at least change into dry clothes as well. I'm sure Marinette wouldn't want you to get sick. The doctor is with her and Ines and I are here. It's going to be fine. You can take care of your own well-being now." She was right. Felix took a deep breath and let it go slowly. He felt the tension slowly leave his body and exhaustion settle in. If he took a bath, he would only fall asleep there, so he decided to just change his clothes. "Thank you, Mom," he croaked and turned away. The worry didn't leave him altogether, but the queasy feeling he had was barely there anymore only to return with a vengeance when he came back in lounge attire to see the doctor talk in a hushed and severe voice to his mother.
“-After enough rest, she should be fine,” the woman ended just as he arrived at the door. She couldn’t tell them more but would inform Marinette’s parents about the details. Felix wasn't satisfied with that, but there wasn't anything he could do. The doctor told them enough to properly take care of Marinette, any more information about her health would be reserved for her family. And after all, this was another way to let them know how dangerous the situation was, by a medical professional no less. He stepped into the room and sat down next to Marinette. No matter how tired he was, he wanted to assure himself of her health condition. Carefully he took her hand in his and gently stroked it. It pained him to see his fiery friend this vulnerable and fragile and he swore to himself, he would never allow anything like this to happen to her again. He would have to be there to prevent a repeat!
“Felix?” he heard Marinette mutter once more. Said boy felt his heart beat a bit faster and stronger. He changed his position so he sat down next to her on the bed and his fingers clasped her hand with a bit more force. “I’m here, Marinette. I’m with you.” The girl smiled a bit. “‘s not hazy an'more. ‘s comfy. Like promised,” she slurred and pulled his hand next to her face to snuggle it as she slipped back into sleep. Felix stayed right next to her on the bed until her parents arrived to bring her back home.
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seldomscilence16 · 2 years
Text
Whumptober day 17: Hanging By a Threat
Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug
Prompts;
Breaking point
Stress positions
Reluctant Caretaker
I'm so behind on this show I don't even know what's happening anymore. So welcome to another AU so I don't have to know canon!
(Guess who's writing on Docs now cause I'm still mad? This nerd. So sorry if formats messed up)
She doesn't know how much longer she can do this.
All they seem to do now is fight, battle after battle that they can't seem to win, barely survive. And as the leader, every injury, every fallen comrade, every failure, falls on her. She's tried everything to defeat the Le Papillon Enterprises, and their mission against, well everything. Marinette had saved her schoolmates, and even a few families, but it wasn't enough, she wasn't enough.
The Akumatrons he continues to send are ruthless, and her codes to shut them down are working slower and slower, she knows they'll stop completely soon, if she doesn't update them. But how do you update something when you can't get the information needed to do so? When the Akumatrons fry themselves in defeat, leaving their circuits and codes unusable, unhackable.
With their numbers dwindling, and only her classmates left to fight, the odds aren't in their favor. Kids against robots out to destroy them? She's surprised they'd made it this long. And it was only Master Wu's help that had gotten them this far, his mods that gave them any chance against the Akumatrons. And of course Le Papillon Ent. Wanted said mods, and he didn’t care how he had to get them.
He didn’t care if he was hurting kids, didn’t care if he destroyed the city, he wanted them. Mari was just glad he seemed most obsessed with The Ladybug mod, though she could do without him fixating on the Chat Noir as well. She was fine with her life on the line, but he insisted on trying to hurt the ones she cared about. She never wanted her friends to have to undergo the operations for mods, but He took away that choice, forcing them into harm's way and hurting her friends. She aches everyday to see them forced into this life.
Like she aches now, when faced with an impossible situation.
How to choose a life over others, how to choose which loved one to sacrifice, how to live with that choice.
With one arm trapped in the grip of an Akumatron, the other straining to hold the weight at the end of her grapple—The weight being an injured Carapace over the edge of a building— while one leg bears the weight the other can’t hold with a broken ankle— thankfully the prosthetic, easier to fix. Her shoulders tremble, her knee is locked, but the ache she can’t take is the decision before her. Rena Rouge and Viperion are trapped in the newest trick He’s come up with, a bubble of sorts that continues to shrink, Rena is trying to keep it larger, but Viperion is unconscious. Her choice is which to save, to drop carapace and press the button to free Rena and Viper, or let them get crushed and save Carapace.
She wracks her brain for any type of solution, she can’t count on the others, Chat Noir is out of commission, as well as a few of the others, the ones that aren’t are split between protecting the hideout and a situation across town. She hopes they’re okay… that they’ll be able to handle it. Because she’s about to do the only thing she can think of. The only thing that gets them out of here.
“I’ve made my decision!” She calls, to be heard on the mic the Akumatron holding her was equipped with.
“Who will you save then Ladybug?” His voice comes, grainy over the speaker.
“All of them, let me save all of them, and I’ll hand myself over to you, no fight.” She ignores Rena and Carapaces calls, the fear in their voices only solidifying her decision.
“And I’m supposed to believe you?”
“We’re all injured, just let me save my friends and you can have me, I promise.”
She sends a silent apology out, but this was the only way to keep them safe.
And if all went well, it could even be the end to all this.
Being Hawkmoths prisoner was not what she was expecting.
She had been allowed to initiate her reset mod, though she supposed it benefited HM somehow, for whatever he wanted the mods for, he’d need them in working order. And she supposed she knew why he needed them now too.
Her duties as a prisoner included taking care of HM’s wife, who lays in cryo sleep. She was as good as dead in Mari’s opinion, but in the world they lived in, it wasn’t too odd to have a machine keep you alive. She could see in theory how her and Chats mods could maybe help her, but she could also see a hopeless endeavor when it laid unresponsive in front of her. She knew somehow, deep inside, that this wouldn’t be what she wanted. A voice that sounded suspiciously like Chat— Adrien.
She could see him in her, and perhaps that was why she took the care she did when she did her duties. Though the duties themeselves was done reluctantly, so she could get out of her cell. She had a second plan after all, and she couldn’t complete it in the cell.
And finally, her time comes.
Hawk moth calls for her to be brought to his office. She’s forced to her knees, leaning on her haunches in a way that pulls on her tendons uncomfortably. HM stands with his arms behind his back, staring at a large screen before him, though nothings on it at the moment.
“I have a surprise for you Ladybug.”
She bets hers is better.
“Would you like to see?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, pressing a button on his keyboard that has the screen lighting up.
Her eyes widen at the sight before her, a feed of destruction, the building in ruins, a building far to familiar for her liking. The building they’d taken for their hideout, big enough to house them all, but run down enough to be hidden in plain sight. The building where the injured were resting, and the families were hiding, and her friends called home base. And it was rubble on the ground, on fire and billowing smoke. Her heart stutters in her chest, they were gone, they were all gone.
TIKKI tries to stop her, but the AI is hurt too, it’s easy to bypass her and start the plan she’d concocted on the spot that day, the last day she would ever see anyone. She had hoped they’d be alive after her sacrifice, but she supposed avenging them would have to do. She has an answer to her question though, how much longer could she do this? 3 minutes.
He monologues, but the words never reach her ears, simply static as she stares at the screen.
2 minute.
Like a rock beneath a hammer, she’s finally been broken. No one left to fight for, but everything left to defeat. And she would finally do just that, he would pay.
1 minute.
She should have hugged everyone tighter. She should have fought harder. She should have been better.
30 seconds
Adrien, Alya, Nino, mom, dad, Luka, Kiyomi, her brave class. Their families. The Kwami AI’s who felt more than some humans did.
15 seconds
Would she be joining them? Or would her failures punish her in the after life as well?
7 seconds
She’d deserve it.
4 seconds.
So long, my dear friends.
2 sec- destruction delayed, code Camembert issued, plan B initiated, distraction requested.
Sneaky Kitty.
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