#i still need to fight gabriel again too so ill do that first

[crowliphale]

May your ideas be many and your art blocks few

#artwork #my art #crow does art #traditional art #ultrakill #v1 ultrakill #gabriel ultrakill #gabv1el #i actually managed to play ultrakill yesterday! #it was so much fun omg #ill admit i am playing it on harmless but its cuz i wanted to get a hang of things #ill be sure to replay it on a harder difficulty soon to get more secrets! #i still need to fight gabriel again too so ill do that first #v2 ultrakill #cannot believe i forgot to tag his ass

[flightfoot]

Miraculous Fanfic Recs for ongoing Miraculous fics

So I got an ask requesting me to give some ML fic recs, so I decided to focus on some ongoing Miraculous fics! All of these have updated within the past two months. Feel free to tag anyone who I didn't know the tumblr username of!

Boulangerella by @aidanchaser

Once upon a time, magic was wild. The two princes of the kingdom have been tasked with choosing their brides by the end of their 21st birthday celebrations. Crown Prince Adrien Agreste will have to choose between a woman who can protect his kingdom, a woman offering the power to wake his sleeping mother, and the woman he has loved and admired for the past year. Then there's also the seamstress that he is suddenly falling for. By the time he realizes he doesn't have the power to choose at all, it may be too late.

Kind of a Medieval Fantasy AU here, though with more resemblance to regular Miraculous than I normally expect with such AUs. Kwamis are actually fae, but aside from needing some sort of "deal" in order for humans to draw out their power, they function mostly the same, with Ladybug and Chat Noir being activated in order to help fight against Hawk Moth, even.

Oh yeah, this fic was written pre-S4, so there's some oddities because of that, like Felix actually having a good father, for instance. Adrien and Felix are both still sentimonsters though.

---

Lows And Highs (Of Adrien Agreste) by @blackcatsbutterflies

Adrien Agreste- Teenage supermodel, son of Gabriel Agreste, hero of Paris... Type One Diabetic. When Adrien is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he goes through the mental struggles of dealing with this new life. Nothing will ever be the same again, and if anyone were to find out, he'd be humiliated. The world would find him repulsing. Who would want to love someone who was constantly giving themselves shots? Marinette would. (Based off my real life, when I was diagnosed at 13 years old.) TW: Mentions of drugs (no one does them) and the following stuff that will appear in chapters: - Needles - Blood - Paralysis - Seizures - Fainting

Oh man this one is a real treat! I know some basic stuff about diabetes, but not so much what people's day-to-day lives are like, so it was interesting watching Adrien go through this, what he has to do nowadays in order to, well, live. And since he only just got diagnosed, he's going through major lifestyle changes which is pretty overwhelming, and he's feeling pretty awful about it because well, this is gonna hit hard. Though thankfully, Marinette is able to help quite a bit.

---

Bell the Cat by @heartfulselkie

Ladybug is the Miraculous Hero of Gallia. She has spent the past number of years fighting the minions of the tyrant Hawk Moth, only for the war to come to an abrupt end. News reveals that Hawk Moth was brutally slain by his own champion and captain of his own elite guard - the infamous knight Chat Blanc, known to wield pure destructon itself. With the disintegration of Hawk Moth's army, Chat Blanc is captured and imprisoned until his certain execution. Being a beloved hero and instrumental in the realm's defences during the war, Ladybug is offered a reward of her choosing. Instead of choosing a title or luxuries as expected she chooses...custody of Chat Blanc??? A new threat is rising in the chasm Hawk Moth left behind, and Ladybug believes Chat Blanc's knowledge and skill will be vital in what's to come. And perhaps he could also answer some questions that have plagued her since even before the war with Hawk Moth began..

This fic is awesome so far, I adore a good enemies AU and Fantasy AU, so both of them together is great! There's a lot we don't know yet, like the specifics of how akumas work in this AU, but I'm eager to know more. Just as Ladybug's eager to try to find out what happened to an old childhood friend of hers who vanished around the time Hawk Moth rose to power...

---

Madness series by @consistent-chaos-corporation

Summary for "Found", the first multichapter installment in the series:

Chat Noir and Ladybug need to tie up some loose ends. Unfortunately, one of those ends is Felix.

I've really been enjoying my time with this series, and if you like Felix-focused fics, you might too! In this universe, Nooroo and Duusu actually used to play with Felix and Adrien when they were little, but Gabriel made Adrien forget that happened - Gabriel and Emilie edited out a lot of little inconvenient things from Adrien's memory, as it turns out.

Anyway, we mostly follow Felix post-Strike Back as he figures out what to do now that he has the Peacock Miraculous. The heroes bursting in and confronting him about it kinda forces his hand.

He goes through a lot of character development here, which I adore, especially when it comes to realizing "oh crap, I sold out living beings to someone who I knew would mistreat them." This series tackled that subject better than any other fanfic I've seen, with Felix directly helping to recover the Miraculous and free the kwami, feelings guilty upon realizing how badly Gabriel had hurt them, and having to deal with a lot of the kwami not liking or trusting him for very justifiable reasons - though they ARE willing to understand why he did what he did.

---

Kintsugi - The Beauty in Broken Things by @xaran-alamas

When freed from Mayura's control, and given a chance at a normal life, the Sentimonster clone of Ladybug must learn what it is to be not only a hero, but also a human being, and part of a family. Meanwhile Marinette needs to figure out what to do with a hyper-energetic Kwami with a broken Miraculous. Updates Sundays and Wednesdays

I've always loved Sentibug Lives AUs (as you might guess from my having written two fics where she gets to stick around), and this is one of the best ones I've seen, and certainly the longest.

I love how we get to follow Centi (as she names herself) as she tries to figure out what to do now that she exists and is likely to stay that way, and as she tries to cope with the knowledge that her creator controlled her and when she disobeyed, tried to kill her. She's a nicely developed OC, her feelings are really delved into!

---

Not Part of the Plan by @kasienda

“What’s wrong, Marinette?” Marinette wiped her tears with her sleeve, and pulled away just enough to reach into her pocket. She gripped the pregnancy test and held it out to her mother. Sabine’s eyes widened as she took in the results of the test in her hand. Her gaze flashed back up to Marinette’s. “You’re pregnant.” And it wasn’t a question, but it was enough to send Marinette into devastated tears once again. Her mother pulled her back into the hug and just held her. “It’s going to be okay.”

Teen pregnancy fic here, which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea. I love how everyone comes together to help figure out what to do and to offer support - and not just to Marinette either, since Adrien's about to be a father as well.

---

True Blue by @rosie-b

Golden Bug and Chat Grise are the heroes of Paris, fighting to protect civilians from Hawk Moth and his akumas. Marinette is Gabriel Agreste’s young apprentice, training under the famous designer to become the next big name in fashion. But one day, Marinette finds an open safe with a beautiful peacock brooch in it... and suddenly, she’s not sure who the villain is anymore.

I love Enemies AU, as I've already mentioned. This is a more unusual one, with MARINETTE being the one on Hawk Moth's side instead of Adrien. I love how Rosie painstakingly weaves together Gabriel's manipulation and lies so you could actually believe that Marinette might be willing to help him - maybe not very enthusiastically, but believing that it's the best option she has. It's pretty impressive!

---

The Beauty of a Rose by properjitterbug

In the small town of Bellerose, Marinette and Adrien are childhood friends while secretly pining for each other. They lead happy lives until one day a long, forgotten promise is stirred awake; changing their lives in ways they couldn't imagine. With time marching on, Marinette is left to chase after ghosts of her past as a strange creature appears in the depths of the mysterious forest. Arc 1: Chapters 1-11: Complete Arc 2: Chapters 12-?: In Progress -- Werecat!Adrien x Marinette

Fair warning, this is an M-rated fic, and it earns that M rating, given it has several extensive sex scenes.

Anyway, I love a good fairy tale AU, and this is one of the better ones I've seen. I love how it's clearly inspired by Beauty and the Beast, but doesn't constrain itself by it. Adrien is not a jerk nor does he capture Marinette. Instead he randomly changes into a Werecat and is abandoned by his family, mistaken for a lumbering beast by the townsfolk, left alone for a year - until Marinette comes to visit the Agreste mansion, the home of her friend who just suddenly left one day, and she sees him in his werecat form...

I love this, Marinette is drawn to Chat, even with him looking pretty terrifying. Adrien's pretty insecure about his whole situation, but slowly opens up as he gets to reconnect with Marinette.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic rec

[veliseraptor]

Top five WIP excerpts

this is just because i wasn't doing a wip meme instead of a top five meme isn't it

1. from Life After Death: “I’m so tired of death,” Xingchen said, his voice wobbling. “I’m so tired of it. You, and a-Qing, and then Xue Yang, and I did nothing to deserve you and a-Qing back, and I never looked for…but he’s here and I can’t stand the thought of losing him. All my struggling, all my searching for answers and closure, everything I ever said about justice, and that’s what it comes down to.” He bowed his head lower. “Xue Yang dying would rip something out of my heart that I can’t bear to lose. Not now.”

Song Lan let out a slow exhale. :I know,: he said again.

“I’m sorry,” Xingchen said.

:Xingchen,: Song Lan said, :I’ve known that, or something near it, since I made the decision to bring him back to life.: He swallowed hard. :You loved him.:

“I don’t want to,” Xingchen said, “but I don’t know how to stop.”

2. from the devil drives: “Bringing a full complement of bodyguards would be too conspicuous,” said Khun Kinn. Khun Vegas smiled and Pete thought oh no. 

“I agree,” he said. “But there is room for a plus one. He knows my staff, and most of your bodyguards, but an unfamiliar face…” Khun Vegas’s eyes drifted very slightly in Porsche’s direction before moving back to Khun Kinn. 

Oh, no, Pete thought again, but with a little more despair this time.

“Take Pete,” Khun Kinn said.

Vegas’s gaze swept to Pete, flicked slowly over him from head to toe. “Isn’t he one of Tankhun’s?” he said. “He won’t be thrilled that you’re loaning out his bodyguard to me.”

“That’s not your problem.”

“Considering Tankhun,” Vegas said, “it actually might end up being my problem.” 

“Pete doesn’t go out as much as some of the other guards,” Kinn said, “so he’s less recognizable. I’m offering you one of our best. Pete’s competent, observant, and I trust him completely.”

Pete might’ve been more flattered if he hadn’t been very aware that he was getting thrown this first and foremost so that Vegas didn’t take Porsche and only secondarily because Kinn trusted him.

3. from post-canon vegaspete long(er) fic: “Let me get you some painkillers?” Pete said.

“I’ll get them myself,” Vegas snapped, but of course he still had to put his clothes back on, which was an ordeal all on its own when he was already like this. He ended up sitting on the toilet with his head down to control the dizziness, fighting back tears of frustration and anger. Pete fled (“I’m going to get you some painkillers,” he said, this time not a question) and Vegas sat there marinating in rancid self-loathing until he came back. 

He took the pills in silence and didn’t look at Pete hovering and radiating anxiety. He bit down on the urge to snap at him hard enough to taste blood and felt like a monster. 

A sexually frustrated monster. 

4. from et ipsi sunt jacula: “Your wound,” Gabriel said, removing his hands, “needs tending.” 

“And you, with your healer’s hands,” Lymond said. “Ille more suo victus pietate, nec sordes cavit, nec fetorum exhorruit.”

“I make no claims to the miraculous,” Gabriel said. “But such things come first and foremost to the faithful.”

“Accept Christ,” Lymond said, “and my deformities shall disappear. Deny him, and I am cast out of the body public. Is that it?” 

Gabriel knelt, beginning to remove the dressings. “You cast out yourself,” he said mildly. “If you refer to your convalescence…I am given to understand it is exhaustion and overwork that brought on your collapse. You drive yourself hard, my dear.” 

“I do what I must,” said Lymond. “Should I let my opponent set the pace, instead?” 

“Your opponent,” Gabriel said, setting the soiled bandages aside. Lymond made no move to pull away, head turned just slightly to retain view of him as he examined the wound, livid and angry. “Your metaphors are all of war.” He paused, leveling a clear gaze at Lymond. “Is it any surprise there should be casualties, when such is your approach?” 

“You made it so,” Lymond said, suddenly blunt. 

“Did I?” Gabriel asked, smiling very slightly. “From the beginning you greeted me with nothing but hostility. You decided that I was your enemy and have proven unshakeable in that conviction, for all I did to prove I have nothing but your best interests at heart.”

Lymond’s laugh was sharp as a blade. “My best interests, and Scotland’s too?”

5. from Redux: “Let’s watch something,” Xiao Xingchen said. “You can choose. I’ve–” he swallowed hard. “I’ve missed you.” 

“Yeah,” Xue Yang mumbled after another brief silence. “Same here.” He huffed a weak laugh. “Look what you’ve done to me. Made me a sap like you.” 

Xiao Xingchen pulled back just enough to kiss him on the forehead, making Xue Yang wrinkle his nose, and said, “there are worse things to be.” 

“Probably I’m some of those too,” Xue Yang said with a too-quick smile, but Xiao Xingchen let it pass, steering them over to the couch. Xue Yang fell asleep with his head on Xiao Xingchen’s shoulder within a few minutes, and shortly after slid down further to be curled up with his head on Xiao Xingchen’s lap instead. Xiao Xingchen’s chest ached with fondness.

At the same time, something tickled at the back of his mind, an uneasy twinge like he’d forgotten something important, and at the same time it was something he didn’t want to know.

#conversating #ameliarating #fic excerpt #top five meme #lise memes

[unchataparis]

A Review of Passion

The episode with the long-awaited returned of Lady Noire and Mister Bug. This could be great fan-service and plot continuation all in one.

Alya doesn’t believe that Marinette is in love with Chat Noir. I don’t either. It just feels like she’s trying to avoid her feelings by fixating on completely irrelevant targets.

“Marinette, you find yourself a new, unavailable crush just when Adrien seems interested in you. Aren’t you running away from your feelings a little?”

The animation of Marinette looking down but lifting up her eyes to look at Alya was so smooth. So personable.

I don’t like Adrien’s sudden change of heart either. The way he’s speaking Marinette’s name around the house paints his love as a hyper-obsession rather than any genuine feelings. Yes, Adrien could just feel very strongly, he is a person who like to feel things at 200%. But this is such as whiplash change after four seasons of the same old thing.

Both Adrien and Marinette woke up really early. I wonder what’s the symbolism of this.

Adrien being completely blind to the tension might be the funniest thing this episode. Love how they’re both fighting for the right to take care of him. 'Bout time people are fighting to love him rather than abandon him.

And here, we remember Nathalie has martial art training.

Again, Nathalie reminds the audience that whatever ‘pure’ intentions Gabriel had to start out as Papillon has ended with the madness he now dons Monarque’s cowl with. I can’t remember everything from Season 3’s Stormy Weather 2 episode, but Nathalie mentioned feeling deep affection for Adrien, Gabriel, and heavy sorrow for Emilie, which inspired her desire to gain Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. Now, it seems that any affection she has for Gabriel has disappeared. Nathalie capitalises on the fact that she’s here for one thing and one thing only: Adrien’s safety. Nice. I would definitely be concerned about Adrien’s safety as well. And it’s time Adrien has someone on his side.

It’s debatable if they’re both wearing Miraculous, because Gabriel has experience but Nathalie has been out in the field, but in hand-to-hand combat, with only their bare fists in civilian forms, Nathalie would win, even with paralyses legs.

Gabriel hits back with the argument that “Everything I do is for Adrien’s happiness” and Nathalie responds the blunt truth, that all Adrien needs to have for his happiness is an available father. Adrien has no idea both Gabriel and Nathalie are still tangled up in the very-present issue of Emilie. Adrien appears to have moved on and completely accepted Emilie’s death/disappearance, he made inferences that he’s okay with Gabriel pursuing Nathalie in both Stormy Weather 2 and this episode. To bring Emilie back now would be to traumatise him.

And now Emilie has left recordings. Which were conveniently absent for the first four seasons.

Oh, dang.

Yeah, he’s dying.

And this gives Nathalie plausible reason to want to continue helping Gabriel. Because he’s right, Nathalie can’t be saved, maybe Emilie won't be saved, and now Gabriel is dying too. Adrien will be left alone if Gabriel kicks the bucket.

It’s great that Adrien is immediately making plans on confessing to Marinette. Moved faster in a quarter of an episode than Marinette did in five seasons.

They keep adding new lore? In Season 1, Emilie was guessed to be in a coma due to some illness, in Season 2 and 3, hints of Peafowl-related mayhem were bought up, in Season 4, the issues of Sentibeings became available, and now they were all on a safari together? What is going on? I cannot piece all these broken parts together.

I’m going the assume the latest version of the lore is the one the writers are now following.

So Gabriel, Emilie, and Nathalie has all been searching for the Miraculous for sometime. None of their reasons are clear yet, but Nathalie’s is especially obscure, seeing that she’s not part of the family. But Emilie has wanted Gabriel to stop searching for them long before all this catastrophe happened. She knew she was going to die, or be out-of-commission of some sorts, which was why she recorded her videos. But Gabriel never honoured his wife's wishes, his Miraculous-obtaining goals simply switched targets from the original aim to saving Emilie.

Aw. That’s so innocent, Adrien going to a parental figure for advice on love.

These stills are so awkward, the lightning doesn’t match up and the heads looks superimposed on. This looks like those bad fan-made edits. Nathalie literally looks like her head was pasted on a stock-image body. Why does the clothes have so many wrinkles.

“No, it will be okay. Don’t worry about me, Adrien”, Nathalie says. Lying to Children 101.

“Emilie, I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do anymore.” Do what’s right. When you don’t know what to do, do what’s kind and what is good.

Love Tikki’s absolutely zero faith in Marinette.

Huh, this is the first time Monarque was spoken to by a Champion he personally knows. Both Lila and Chloé has called to Papillon before, made offers, demanded powers, but Nathalie is the first person to explain his own feelings back to him.

And it’s a Mega-Akuma this time, Monarque is placing a lot of faith on him.

Giving Nathalie the power to create her own ability. I’m excited to see what she comes up with.

This is a weirdly well-rendered box.

Ohh, she’s created her own weapons kit!

Safari looks really good, making it onto the list of best-dressed villains alongside Style Queen and Chat Blanc. 

It’s never referred to, as they can’t waste a single moment, but I wonder if Nathalie felt relief and awe at being able to move so freely and easily again.

Pretty much the entire class has Alliance rings. The only people that don’t are Adrien and Marinette, self-explanatory, and Ivan and Mylène, as a protest against technology? That Akuma alert is very useful. Parisians get to know immediately.

Everyone in Paris picking up an Alliance rings seems like a Chekov's gun.

What are they learning, that is not collège-level maths.

Love this tiny detail that Marinette’s stall-door is the only one that's locked.

Safari’s powers are cool, but I am so confused about the power scale now. Is Monarque bearing the weight or is Safari just able to handle six Miraculous powers on her own?

Both Manipula and Safari used Miraculous powers as part of their inventory. I guess the writers really want to emphasis how the ball is now in the other field, what once belonged to Ladybug is now being fired back at her.

This scene made me gasp, that was really cool. This is the best way Chat Noir has used Cataclysm in some time.

And it’s Ladybug out of commission for once.

That was a really good chase scene. Hasn’t seen action like that since Season 1.

I love how Chat Noir will trash-talk even an arrow.

Ladybug has all the brains but Chat Noir has all the confidence. These two need to realise they’re still separate people, they don’t need the other to function.

“I’m sorry. Without you, I fail.” No. Terrible message to send, horrendous message.

This was pretty clever. For most episodes of Miraculous, I can still spy another route the hero could’ve taken, some way they could've gotten out and the only reason why they didn't is to adhere to the plot. But, here, Chat Noir really was pushed into a corner.

There you go, baby. You’re thinking.

Season 2 finale vibes. Love that the first thing Marinette notices is the absence of her Earrings. Her instincts always goes towards protecting those.

Adrien actually proposes the possibility of using a Wish. But Marinette is right. Not only would wishing for something mean nothing, there'll be a terrible price to pay.

Oh, they did not waste time.

“My suit has a really weird influence on you.” Lmao.

“There’s nothing else to destroy. All that’s left is her suit.” Rip her suit off.

They would not have been able to defeat Safari if Adrien didn’t realise that was Nathalie.

For some reason, Mister Bug keeps getting items of extreme convenience. He wants a mirror? He gets a mirror. He needs an excuse to go to the Agreste Mansion? Ta-dah! Must be his straightforward way of thinking influencing the Miraculous.

That’s right, assert yourself, baby boy.

I just happened to be walking by and decided to help.

Animation error, Tikki’s eyes are brown.

This episode explains why Nathalie can't help out anymore, she gave her all in one last push. And the episode gives an opportunity for Lady Noire and Mister Bug to shine once more.

#miraculous #passion #marinette dupain-cheng #ladybug #adrien agreste #chat noir #tikki #alya césaire #gabriel agreste #nathalie sancœur #review #season 5

[justheretolurkonevajacks]

A scorned Phoenix

ROXY

As usual, I had slept in and missed out on whatever exciting trip Gwen had been taken on by Gabriel. After more than a decade, both had given up on making me do anything early in the morning. As a matter of fact, I was biologically incapable of happiness before 10 A.M.

There was an exception. But that day - of all days - wasn't the time to linger on that thought. Max and his insufferable scaly companions were around the manor and even if I had the strongest mental shield in the realm, I was never fast enough. Last night, Max had caught on the disappointment I hadn't been able to banish all day, even after forcing Gabriel to offer me an extra-training session with all the threats of royal calibre I wasn't old enough to make.

The moment Gabriel had encouraged me, saying that soon I would even be faster than him, that obnoxious feeling had settled in again and I had barely touched anything at dinner.

Pathetic.

I didn't need him.

I had Gwen, and Gabriel, and Geraldine, and Caleb, and Max, and Seth, and even if besides Gwen, all of them were unbearable to be around at least twice a day, at least none of them had ever made me want to carve their eyes out.

As if I answering the silent summoning, a blur sprang the door open and Caleb rolled in front of me, his blonde locks dishevelled and a blush on his cheeks. "I'm still working on adjusting to the speed" he panted, still sprawled on the floor. I realized I hadn't even wasted a giggle on his entrance - had he taken the joy out of making fun of Altair, too? I shook the thought away, rising from the sofa I had been meditating on - and when did I ever meditate? was I ill? - and shrugged. "I admit, for a moment I thought you were Seth. Rolling around is kind of his thing".

Caleb immediately stood up. "Yes, Seth. Have you seen him, lately?" 

"Not today".

"And what about Darius?"

"What about him?" I replied way too fast, turning so that he didn't catch me frowning.

"Apparently, he had an eventful birthday". His expression darkened. "You don't know?"

"By all the stars in the sky, why would I know? It's not like we're BFFs or anything". But even as I said it, I could feel the fire starting to build inside me. I had to be careful, or I would never hear the end of it. To feign indifference, I started playing with the air that had started flooding in from the corridors, twirling it around the room in tight coils that could have easily snapped any fae's neck who was suicidal enough to threaten me.

Not that I ever recurred to such drastic methods - the right degree of suffocating could go a long way.

I preferred fire, anyways.

The moment I let that thought in, a curtain caught flames. "Damn the stars" I whispered, as Caleb's heightened senses sought the source of the burning smell. "On edge, sweetheart?"

"Just bored". I quenched the fire with a drop of water. "What were you saying?"

"We were talking about Darius".

"You were talking about Darius" I corrected. "What has the lizard done, this time? Do we need to humble him again? Perhaps like that summer we stole his golden chains, knowing that he would be stuck looking for them all night? We won the Pitball game the next day".

"That was kind of cheating".

"Not if we hadn't agreed on when the playing started". Darius had been mad, but he had ended up flying it off because he was ten and I was nine and he wasn't about to fight someone whose order hadn't emerged yet. The first genuine smile in almost 34 hours tugged at the corners of my lips. "Fine. It might've been a little cheating, but it's not like he's above it either".

A dangerous glint danced in Caleb's eyes. "He most definitely isn't".

"So?"

"He kissed Margaret the night before his birthday".

I tightened the grip on my powers. "And? Why would I care?"

"A full-on make out session. I don't think he had ever done it with anyone else before".

"Once again, why would I care?"

"Because... Well..." Caleb might've continued, if I hadn't shot him a glare that spoke louder than a thousand warnings. "I mean, I wouldn't have turned down Marguerite either. She's become so hot last summer" he changed course. Wise.

I snorted. "I mean, there's little that thirteen-year-old fae males would turn down. You'd make out with a tree if it grew lips and boobs".

"That's true. To be honest, I'm surprised that Darius hadn't done it yet. Dark and brooding is in style right now".

"Dark and brooding is always in style" I corrected him. "I had three Fae males begging to spend time with me just yesterday. Darius isn't special".

"Oh, I know that, sweetheart". Caleb looked at me for a while without saying anything, as if taking me in all over again. "You do look especially dashing, today, lady Roxayna" he imitated Justin Masters, the most insistent of my suitors.I had to admit it, Altair knew how to make me smile even in my darkest hour. "Stop it". I tried to hide a giggle, punching his arm. For a moment, our gazes locked. "Your eyes..." Caleb breathed. "There's fire in them. Almost like--" He halted. "Doesn't matter".

But I knew who he was talking about. The image of Marguerite and Darius appeared in front me, a vision too clear for my liking. "I heard that blonde, angelic assholes are back on trend, too" I whispered, so close that his untrained fangs came out. "Not enough for me to give you a taste of that, though".

Caleb didn't move, but his teeth went back to normal. "Not even if I beg, sweetheart?"

"Not even if you beg".

I pandered what to do long enough for Margaret's face to flash in front of me. Darius thought he could hurt me – by not showing up on his birthday, by making out with a shallow social climber instead – but he didn't know that I liked playing too. I let Caleb's lips brush against mine, inviting him in.

And just like that, I was exploring Altair’s mouth, relishing in how purely physical it was – and as I did it, I pictured a pair of dark eyes burning with flames that mirrored mine.

 DARIUS

I still remembered the night that I had first turned into a dragon. It had happened sooner than most expected, even before Caleb, Max and Seth, who had been awakened at nine like me.

I wished that I didn't have to associate being a Dragon to Lionel - I hadn't called him father in a long time - because it didn't matter how well-meaning most Dragons were, the memories of Lionel still lingered in the eyes of anyone that crossed mine, and confirming that I shared his Order wouldn't have made it better.

However, that morning when I had discovered that I was a Dragon I hadn't felt entrapped in Lionel's heritage. I had felt free.

After a few attempts, I had managed to stay off the ground and by the dawn of the next day, I felt more Dragon than Fae. I had been soaring across the sky, bathing in the pale sunlight above, and I had wished to never touch the ground again.

Even if Mother never said it out loud, I knew that she no longer took any joy from flying - Lionel had broken that, too. Her lessons had been out of duty, more than out of true pleasure. In a different world, I wouldn't have been flying alone that morning.

Looking back, I couldn't remember how I had decided to tap on Roxy's window. Perhaps it hadn't even been conscious. Perhaps it had been luck.

As if haunted by a shadow, I had fled loneliness to defend that perfect illusion of happiness that had seemed unending, and I had ended up by her window. And the loneliness had shrieked backwards.

Even through the curtains, I could see that Roxy was sleeping. Her dark hair was sprawled on the pillow, her palm on her eyes as if attempting to cover them from sunlight.

She looked beautiful.

I thought it was impossible, but through the eyes of the Dragon it seemed like all of the details that made her Roxy were more carefully drawn. The differences between her and Gwen, that to me were clear but undetectable as a Fae, were starking. Her skin, that was slightly darker, and the shape of her eyebrows, that seemed more capable of frowning than Gwen's, and the shape of her upper lip, that exhibited a harsher cupid bown in comparison to her sister's. I hadn't known whether she would've shouted at me to leave her alone - Roxy despised doing anything before 10 A.M. - but had been overcome with an emotion that I couldn't yet name and I had needed to wake her up.

Because she needed to see. Because she would've understood.

I tapped on the window, clumsily beating with the tip of my head. I hadn't quite figured out the proportions, so I had sprang it open and a gust of wind had entered the room. Roxy had startled awake, her eyes wide open. "What the-"

I had turned back into Fae, rolling inside - not the most graceful entrance. "Darius". She had looked at me in awe. No one had looked at me with such untainted pride, after learning that I was a Dragon.

"You emerged".

"Yes".

"If it wasn't your birthday, knowing you can fly I would've pushed you out of the window already. Are the birds even awake yet?"

"Nice to know you wouldn't kill me, given the chance".

"I first need to beat you like Faes do. I know that I'll have at least three elements when I'm Awakened next month". 

Roxy had glanced at me with a challenge in her eyes and I had wished that I could fight with her already. It would've been different than with Caleb, or Seth, or Max. I wasn't sure I would've ever wanted to fight again with anyone else.

"Perhaps".

"You won't be able to show your face around for days afterwards. Caleb will make fun of you to death, Seth will never let it go, and you'll have to fleed the Realm". Roxy wanted to get a rise out of me, but I was still thinking about flying and I wasn't sure that I had ever actually touched the ground. She seemed to realize it too, because her taunting look softened. "You seem different".

"I am".

"How does flying feel?"

"Like..." Her curious eyes peered into mine, as if she didn’t need me to answer at all. "Like freedom".

We had stayed silent for a while, as if absorbing what I had just said. Then, she had broken the quiet – as she usually did.

"I wonder if I'll fly, too". She looked outside the window, a crushing longing in her eyes.

"I know you will".

I didn't know why I had said it - she had equal chances of turning out to be a Hydra - but there was a side of me that had never doubted that I'd share the sky with her.

But I hadn't wanted to wait.

"Fly with me".

"What?" 

"Fly with me," I offered her a hand. "You can ride on my back, I won't drop you".

"Isn't there some snobbish Dragon code against it?"

"I don’t care".

I wasn't sure if I'd break it for anyone else, but I knew I didn't want Dragons to be what Father had wanted them to be - lonely creatures, destined to reign alone a step above all else. I had wanted her up there with me, I had wanted her to feel as unchained as I had felt. We had walked outside, as I created a silence bubble around us. Roxy had made a show of considering whether turning me down, but I knew her well enough to have seen through her act.

Since then, it had become a birthday tradition. I had showed up on the same day, at dawn, when I turned eleven, and then again at twelve, and I had intended to do the same when I turned thirteen until Marguerite had taken initiative and stolen what I thought belonged to Roxy. She had never laid such claims on me, but for the first time in four years, I wasn't sure if I could still ask her to fly with me. Would have she smelled Marguerite on me? Did it even matter that I took her flying, when these days she could do it so well by herself? Did she even care?

I circled the castle three times, reliving the memory of that first time again and again, as if Marguerite making out with me could make it vanish.

I had taken her flying for hours, until Solaria had started to wake. The noise should have been able to touch us, but it hadn't.

 ROXY

I spat in the sink again, attempting to wash the sour taste of blood that still lingered from Caleb. I had told him that in no parallel universe would that ever happen again, unless he brushed his teeth beforehand to make sure that I had an entirely, blood-free, mint-flavored experience. Besides that side effect, the make-out had been an adequate performance for a thirteen years old – not that I had much experience to judge it from. Seth might have been a wiser choice, since he seemed to be all over his pack all the time, but he likely would’ve been a lap dog for months begging for more if I offered him just an inch – and I didn’t want a boyfriend. I didn’t even want a BFF that I made out with – apparently, Max had proposed it to Geraldine once out of sheer despair – and that made Caleb ideal for the role. He wasn’t clingy and enjoyed punishing Darius almost a tenth as much as I did, which is more than I could say about anyone else – besides perhaps the anti-Lionel radicals who still vouched for depriving him of the title of Heir to the Council.

I didn’t intend to make out with him again, but it had taken the edge off enough that I hadn’t been on the verge of sprouting flames for almost fourtyfive minutes afterwards.

“Roxy, I’m sure that Darius didn’t mean to not show up the other day”. Gwen was sitting on her bed, her dark hair in a neat updo, her bright eyes softer than mine could ever be. “I know you’re hurt, but-”

“I’m not hurt” I snapped.

“Upset”.

“I’m not upset”.

Gwen let out a laugh, and I would’ve strangled her if I didn’t love her so much. Besides, I would’ve never admitted it out loud but while I wasn’t upset, or hurt, or even angry, I had had controlled mood swings between the three for four days. “Fine. I still think that you should talk to him about this, even if just about how it didn’t impact you in the slightest”.

I went through the clothes that our mother had chosen for us, discharging the third gown with a frown. It was orange – why would I ever wear an orange dress? I was a Phoenix, not a mandarin. “Sure, considering how busy he is, I doubt he’ll even have time for that tonight”.

“He will”. Gwen stood next to me.

“I shouldn’t even show up” I sighed. “But if we don’t, then it will look like I want to challenge him politically, while I just want to hide his golden toys so far away that not even his damn fast wings will reach them before the next full moon”.

“I’m pretty sure you did that. Fourteen times. I don’t even know why he keeps leaving them there with no protection”.

“Because his brain is made of ash” I replied, as I adjusted the dark red dress I had picked.

“Technically, we’re the ones-” Gwen didn’t finish. “Never mind. Can’t you just approach him and ask him nicely why he missed out on your birthday tradition?”

I took out a tube of red lipstick from a hidden floor-board – Father thought it was too soon, but I didn’t care – and I applied it, side-eyeing my twin as I stood in front of the mirror. “Whatever. It’s not like we had made a Star Pact about it or anything”. Gwen’s reflection offered me an unconvinced smile. “If you say so…”.

As soon as we arrived, I started looking for the Heirs. Our parents stayed behind, entertaining Catalina, who had organized the most press-acceptable party to date. Darius would’ve likely preferred to spend his birthday with his closest friends, but he didn’t have much margin for mistakes when Solaria was observing his every move. I hadn’t met Lionel, but it was clear to me that he hadn’t inherited the dictator gene – I didn’t understand how no one saw that he would’ve likely preferred not being an Heir at all to ruling Solaria on his own.

Without even looking around, I saw him. I didn’t understand why, but I never had trouble seeking him out. As children, when we had first started to have classes together, he had made a habit of distancing himself from us when we were in public – even if it was an average playdate in the Solaria Gardens. But no matter where he hid, I always found him – as if there was an invisible tether between us. It was likely that we were Nebula Allies, but I had never had the same ease with the other Heirs, and I refused to linger on the reason why.

Before I could reach him, Marguerite stomped in front of me, a plastered smile on her freckled face. “Roxayna, we were wondering where our beloved Princesses were”.

“Beloved?” I echoed. It wasn’t a secret that Marguerite’s father had sided with Darius’ father and supported his coup. It didn’t matter that it had long been proven that Father had been misguided or how much effort Tyler’s mother put in re-establishing his reputation, Lionel’s supporters still believed that the Savage King had conspired against the Heirs and that Lionel was a fallen hero. That was likely why Darius had been allowed to retain his birthright.

She ignored me. “Not that Acrux would’ve noticed”.

“Gwen is quiet, but I’m sure he would’ve still taken notice if she wasn’t here”.

“I wasn’t talking about Gwen”. I bit my tongue. It wasn’t the right place to cause a scene, not with Marguerite, and not where Darius and the press of the entire Realm could see me. Attempting to channel Gwen’s composure, I made another step in the Heirs’ direction, but Marguerite stepped in front of me again – but not before I saw that Darius’ gaze was fixed on me. I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of seeing me falter. “I mean, I’m sure you’ve heard that Darius and I are a thing, now”.

“I’m a Princess, I know better than to believe the gossip” I feigned sweetness.

“Well, this time it’s true”. Marguerite stared me for a second, likely expecting a reaction – she didn’t know that I had long accepted that piece of information. “His wings are so strong, I’m sure he will become even stronger than his dear father. He didn’t have any issue carrying me”.

My tongue went dry. “His wings?”

“Sure. I mean, I had seen him transform, but not like that. I also didn’t know that Dragons even let others touch them, but I’m sure even Lionel made exceptions for Catalina”.

He had let her ride him. He hadn’t forgotten our birthday tradition, he had just taken someone else. “What’s up, Roxayna? Did you not know?” I heard Marguerite’s voice, but I wasn’t looking at her – I was sustaining Darius’ dark gaze, that likely hadn’t left me since I had entered the room. I held back the sting of the tears, willing them to vanish as I called upon the Phoenix within me to dry them before they fell. Because I didn’t care about Darius Acrux. And he certainly didn’t mean enough to me to make me cry.

But I didn’t want to be near him – not that night, not for a long time. He had never told me he would never let others ride him eventually, but I though it would be the Heirs, or Gwen, or even Geraldine. Not Marguerite. I had no right to claim a betrayal, yet as I reined in the flames that were burrowed beneath my skin so that I wouldn’t make a scene in front of the press, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was.

Caleb rushed out of his chair, faster than any of the other Heirs would’ve managed. “Roxy?” he whispered.

“I just want to be alone” I murmured. I was about to push him out of the way, when I noticed that Darius had almost reached us. I deliberately curved the corners of my mouth in a smile. “Before, though, I wouldn’t mind a little fun”. I erased the space between us. “Roxy, I have fed ten minutes ago, I don’t know-” I interrupted him, making sure I made eye contact with Darius as I ignored the metallic taste of blood in Caleb’s mouth. By the Stars, I wished I could wield water already.

Darius stopped, his eyes betraying his emotions as slits flashed in their stead.

I heard clicking sounds as the press caught that moment, but I didn’t care. “That’s enough” I decided, pushing Caleb out of the way. “I need to go”. Too startled to react, he didn’t stop me as I left the crowd, as the enchanted lights suspended over the Acrux Gardens dimmed into darkness.

The moment I knew that the shadows would hide me, I burst into flames and soared into the sky.

 DARIUS

I had seen Roxy from the moment she had entered the party with Gwen. I had almost been afraid she wouldn’t show up – I had even asked mom if the Vegas had confirmed their participation, and she’d laughed it off saying that I was too anxious about the press. I hadn’t even thought about the political implications of her absence, but remembering that the Vegas not showing up would’ve been an offense to the entire family had reassured me.

As I made sure I didn’t lose her in the sky, I ran through the number of mistakes I had made that week – the last of which, not making sure Marguerite and Roxy didn’t cross paths at the party. If I had been a little braver, I would’ve told her myself about what had went down, instead I had avoided her for three days.

I didn’t owe her an explanation, and yet as I raced after her, all I wanted was to reassure her that I belonged to her – in a way I couldn’t yet name, I had belonged to her all along.

Haunting her light in the dark, I didn't even notice that we had left the urban area behind until flight halted. Spreading her wings, Roxy was floating above the Blackhole Forest - the most dangerous area of Solaria. In that moment, her eyes crossed with mine. Not human, but more - as if the spark that seemed to ignite them at all times had set them aglow, sharpening her emotions. And yet, beneath the fire, it was Roxy staring at me. A dare shone on her face, her wings shuddering in promise.

A moment before I realized that I hadn't been chasing her at all, she plunged in the shadows.

I landed next to her, thankful that being thirteen, I was still average-sized. I was about turn into Fae, when I remembered that I would've been naked. The expensive suit that I had been wearing was likely shredded outside of the Acrux manor.

Roxy, on the other hand, retracted her wings and let the fire burn out, leaving her beautiful dress intact. It hadn't even torn on her back, since all of the twins' clothes had been adapted to their Order. A victorious smile crowned her lips.

"You can't talk. That's how I like you the best". Her sweetness almost made me breath smoke. I might have let Marguerite kiss me, but she had made out with Caleb in front of the press, in front of all of Solaria's high society, in front of me. She had crossed a line. "Why did you even chase after me? I thought you had plenty entertainment at your party. Plus, I know how much you love those fancy canapes that Catalina orders all the time".

I hated them.

"To be honest, I didn't even know if you'd follow me here. You don't quite have the rule-breaking streak".

But it wasn't true - I was a broken rule. I should've been disowned after what Lionel had done, but I had stayed as Heir because of the conspiracy that the likes of Marguerite's father believed in. A conspiracy that I daily denied to the press, even if I knew that I owed it all.

"Guess I was wrong". Roxy's eyes softened. I noticed that while thinking about Lionel, I had settled on the ground. Perhaps even through her anger, she had noticed the effect her words had had on me. "Why don't you go back to the party, Darius?"

Because I want to be here. With you.

I didn't even know what Marguerite could've said to her to make her lose her temper. The Heirs had casually mentioned that Caleb had told her about Marguerite, and Roxy had never laid claims on me - I hadn't even dared to get close enough to kiss her, no matter now much I desired it. 

I wasn't exactly the most suitable partner for a Vega Princess, anyways.

"Fine. You won't go, will you?" Her harshness had burned out, as if the flames had taken her fury with her. I hadn't been close enough to hear what Marguerite had told her, but I wanted to fly back to the Acrux Manor just to torture her until she denied it.

I shuddered at the thought. At times, when I was a Dragon, I feared that Lionel was closer than he should've been.

I wanted to turn into Fae to be able to question her, to explain, but I couldn't. But perhaps that wasn't what Roxy wanted. Perhaps she hadn't led me in the Forest just to taunt me and leave me stranded. Neither of us had ever been adept at voicing our feelings out loud. I nodded, brushing the nuzzle against her cheek.

She was sad, and I still didn't know why - but if that's all she let me do, I would comfort her until I could make up for what Marguerite had said to her. Roxy didn't push me aside, but didn’t make a move to stroke me back either. Her voice became soft, almost like a whisper. "You let her fly with you".

What? I stopped caressing her, stepping back. I felt the taste of smoke before I saw the twirls in the air, twisting around Roxy.

"I wouldn't even care. But why that day, of all days? When--" Her voice faltered. "You know, I shouldn't even be telling you this. Gwen was wrong".

Fast as lightning, Roxy spread her wings and skirted up above the trees. I went after her, but this time around it wasn't a chase. She glided through the sky, her flames at bay, the unique trace of her Phoenix fire an unnatural incandescence in her wings.

Once we arrived to the Acrux Manor, instead of landing where the photographer couldn't see her, Roxy hovered above the crowd and span for the press before retracting her wings on the dance floor, knowing I couldn't do the same. As I saw Gwen rushing to her sister, I turned around and I circled the Manor. Thankfully, the fact that I came from a family of Dragons meant that most windows were sized to accommodate our Order. I dressed as fast as I could and I rushed outside, begging the Stars that Roxy hadn't taken off again.

"Darius, where the hell were you?" Max greeted me. I wasn't focused enough to keep his Siren gifts at bay. "Anguish, desire, despair, which means that--" I didn't hear what he said, because I saw Roxy. Gwen was sitting next to her on the sofa, no Heir in sight - knowing Gwen, she had told them to make themselves sparse - and their hands were intertwined.

I pushed the crowd aside - including Marguerite, who I still wanted to set alight even without the Dragon instincts guiding me - and I reached them. "Roxy" I breathed. But the moment I saw her, I knew that something was wrong. Gwen offered me a tight smile. "It's not Roxy, it's an illusion casted by Catalina. She casted an illusion of you too, he might be wandering somewhere".

"Where's the real Roxy?"

"She's likely back at the Palace by now". Gwen bit her lip. "Look, I think you should wait to talk to her. This is not the right time. Twin advice".

"I never meant to hurt her" I murmured.

"I know".

I sat next to Gwen, who even while looking like her sister, couldn't be more different from her. "I asked Gabriel to cast a scary illusion for Marguerite, by the way, and there are excellent pictures of her going around" she added nonchalantly.

"Gabriel was here?"

"I might've called him". Gwen shrugged, an innocent look on her face. "I don't even know what she told Roxy exactly, but the moment you two left, she started saying that the Savage King's daughters were clearly as unstable as their father and it would be a matter of time before we realized that Lionel was a savior, and all that bias".

I growled. "I shouldn't have even invited her".

"At least there are excellent photos of her going around at the moment. I mean, it does make it a little more embarrassing if you want to date her in public, but--"

"No" I interrupted her. "By the Stars, I don't care about Marguerite".

She curved her lips. "That's what I thought". 

We observed the crowd in silence for a while, Gwen lazily interacting with her twin to make the illusion more believable. I had yet to see either mom or fake Darius, but I suspected that both meetings would be interesting. "Little shrewd?" I called. She had been lost to her thoughts, as usual, and the daisies intertwined in her brains quivered in surprise when I spoke. "Yes?"

"Not to discourage you, but being thirteen so far seems so much harder than being twelve. Enjoy it while it lasts". 

 ROXY

A noise awakened me. It took me a while to notice the shape behind the curtains, casting a long shadow in the room. Darius. The second I thought his name, the memories of the previous night came back to me like a wave of nausea. His slits were looking at me, a pleading softness to them.

I pretended I didn’t hear him for a few minutes, considering whether I should open the window or not. And then, I couldn’t help but think about how he had comforted me until I had mentioned what Marguerite had told me. I had never been possessive, not of Gwen, not of any of my friends – and yet I couldn’t tolerate the idea of sharing him.

I needed to make sure he didn’t know, though. I needed to fix the glimpse he had seen of me the previous night, when I had carelessly opened up to him. I didn’t want us to change. I wasn’t ready. Wearing the most prideful look I was capable of, I tiptoed to the window and I opened it. I turned around as he put on the clothes that he kept at the Palace – just in case.

“You can look”.

I met his gaze, attempting to shake the vulnerability of our last conversation. “It’s early” I muttered.

Darius smiled shyly. “I’m here for our ride”.

“You don’t have to-”

“Marguerite lied” he interrupted me. “She didn’t fly with me. I had been hanging out with other Heirs and was heading home, when Marguerite and her friends saw me. Do you know that café full of Pegasus’, the one on the roof?” I nodded, still unsure where that was going. “Well. They were there. They started pointing their finger at me, shouting my name. I don’t know exactly what happened afterwards, likely a bet or whatever, but Marguerite threw herself off the building. I don’t have the Air element, so all I could do was turn into a Dragon to catch her. I just acted on instinct. Then I realized that her older sister, who wields Air, was behind them and nothing would’ve happened anyways”.

That girl was crazy. “That’s it?”

“When I caught her, she screamed that she knew I would save her and the whole the café started clapping. The owner handed me some spare clothes and when I headed out of the bathroom, there were even more people there. Before I could escape, Marguerite kissed me in front of every star-damned bastard that had stopped to stare. I was stunned, but I escaped a moment later, I swear. I didn’t mean any of it”.

“You don’t need to swear it, it’s not like I have a say in the girls you date” I managed. But I would’ve been lying if I didn’t admit that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “Is that all?”

“I’m sorry I missed our ride. I was just-” His voice trailed off. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Roxy”.

We stared at each other for a while, in silence. I knew what he wasn’t saying – and he knew what I hadn’t said. The air seemed to be electric, as if ignited by all that the words that had fallen through the cracks.

“So…” I broke the silence. “What about that make up ride?”

It was by far our best one. For the first time unafraid of me falling, Darius span in the sky, and the rush made me breathless each time, even as I asked him to do it again. Towards the end, I threw myself off him and transformed into a Phoenix, and I chased him until neither of us had any strength left. I didn’t reach him, but I promised that one day I would. I bought him the most embarrassing shirt I could find – he still owed me for the disgusting blood taste in my mouth – and I waited for him to change.

“A Medusa cartoon? Really?”

“I’m sure that Marguerite will love it”.

Darius let out a snarl. “You’ll never let this go”.

“You can bet I won’t”.

“Wait to see the pictures of her escaping from Gabriel’s illusion. Gwen told me it was insane”. I laughed. He stopped at a café – safely placed on the ground, so no danger of Marguerite falling from the sky there – and told me to wait. When he came out, he was waving a bag full of little chocolate wafers. “Peace treaty?”

I faked a swoon. “Why do you know all my weaknesses, Acrux?”

He watched me eat them, a satisfied grin on his face. He didn’t ask me to share. I hated that he knew me so well. “What’s up with that silence, Dragon boy?”

He seemed to pander what to say for a few seconds. “There is no Marguerite” he blurted out. I didn’t expect it and I almost let it show. “There is no Marguerite?” I echoed, the voice more unsteady than I willed it to be.

“No. There’s only-”

“Guys!” a voice shouted from across the street. Seth and Caleb were frantically waving at us. “Hi” I yelled back. Seth was pointing at the screen of his phone, a picture that I couldn’t make out the details of in the middle of it – but I was quite sure it included a certain red-head. “Come here, these photos are insane” Caleb assured.

I turned back to Darius. “You were saying?”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know. Even as he struggled for words, I had the temptation to shut him up so that he wouldn’t say the ones that would change it all. I wanted to remember our ride, and our laughs, and his humiliating t-shirt, and I wanted to chase him around the sky, until both of us went numb. I wasn’t ready.

He seemed to understand.

“Nothing”.

He opened up in a smile that wasn’t entirely sincere - but I didn’t let myself dwell on it, as I dragged him across the street to our friends.

I didn’t want morning to end quite yet.

#torydarius #zodiac academy #fanfiction #au #tory vega #darius acrux #darcy vega #seth capella

[ritacrow-blog]

-daminette

-introverted mari

-the usual class, adrien, lila, Alya! Salt

-Chloe redemption. She appoloises but leaves for New York a few months later due to bullying from the class.

- To distract herself from all the negatives in her life she immersed herself in work.

-has trust issues with strangers. Supportive Friends (Luka, Chloe and Kagami) and Parents.

-designs and sells her designs under MDC

-Solves cold cases while hunting down hawk-moth as "Nettie". (and because of this, hacking becomes a secret talent of hers) and reports her findings to the chief of police. Sabrina's dad (I forgot his name). Using Ladybug as the messenger. Ladybug explains to the Chief that she found someone to help track down hawk-moth, but doesn't want to be known. And that she is only giving acting as Nettie's messanger for cases that she just so happens to "accidentally" come across while searching for hawk-moth. So he sees Nettie as a "Robin Hood" just without the stealing part.

-She hangs out with Kagami but also learns how to use a Katana from her as an excuse to give to her mother. Like: learning how to teach people and is using Marinette as her Guinea pig student. Which Marinette then starts to enjoy. Especially when she needs to vent and just cut something down. And she eventually gets really good at it.

-the bullying gets worse

-by this time she's already gathering evidence against Gabriel and Natalie. Also finds out that Chat noir is Adrien. (she isn't very surprised). And makes a promise to herself that she will take them down before the school year ends.

-She goes to the Chief as ladybug to report what Nettie found. So they plot.

-stealing the miraculous from Adrien first before finding Kagami to be her Black cat for the final battle. And Luka as Python (different costume for identity reasons). They sneak into the Manor going straight to the lair where she found Adrien's Mom via CCTV. Heals her (let's pretend that LB has healing abilities. Ya?) and explains everything that is going on while Panther and Python search the area for the miraculous just in case. LB talks ladybug into getting Gabriel to surrender and she agrees. But Gabriel and Natalie storm in already transformed to fight. Not noticing Emily at first. When he finally does he stops. While Angry at them she convinces Gabriel and Natalie to stand down and surrender the miraculous to ladybug and face proper judgment.

-Ladybug, Panther and Python escort Gabriel and Natalie to the police waiting outside and Emily to get herself checked by the medics. Adrien is still asleep and unaware in his room. He will definitely be having quite the shock in the morning. His miraculous is gone. His mom is alive. Emily knows about him being Chat noir through LB. Is now under Emily's strict supervision.

-The last few months of school are loud after the news. Court hearing scheduled a week after the last day of school. Gabriel reveals Lila's role. Lila tries to get out of it but is proven guilty with evidence provided by Nettie. Bye-bye Liela~

- the class find out about what lila did and try to find Marinette to apologise.

-Marinette forgives but doesn't accept them as friends anymore.

Alya: "so now that we're friends again. Think you could get me that interview with Ladybug about the Hawk-moth case?"

Mari: "No"

Alya: "Thank you so mu-... What?... Why? We're best friends! True bestfriend help each other out!"

Mari: "exactly. Best friends help each other out. But where were you when I was bullied by lila. Heck the whole class. How about the harassment with Adrien. When I was clearly over him. We're not best friends alya. Not even close to being a friend"

Alya: "when did you get over adrien??? I thaught you were dating Luka to make adrien jealous."

Mari: (-_-) "I'm not. I haven't had a crush in adrien for 3 years now. I got rid of everything related to him. And I set Luka up with Kagami. They've been dating for over a year now"

Alya: "what the hell"

-not wanting to have anything to do with the class anymore. She applies for her last year in Gotham Academy (let's just say that she likes their curriculum: includes fashion design, coding and programming, and a kendo club. Kagami successfully converted her into a katana welding badass)

-Mari gets permission from her parents to move in to her Nona's apartment in Gotham.

- She leaves without telling anyone from the class. Only her family, Kagami, Chloe and Luca know.

-She arrives in Gotham and encounters Scarecrow on her fist day there. Gets caught in the fear gas.

-She sees her old classmates. Hawk-moth. Mayura. Chat Noir and Chat blanc. The Akumas. Purple butterflies.

-fights while under the fear toxin. Attacks every "akuma" (goons) coming her way. Unknowingly fighting the batfam thinking that they're "akumas". Until Nightwing holds her down and Robin injects the antidote.

Mari: *muttering* fuck you hawk-moth and your disgusting purple butterflies. *faints*

Red Robin: What the fuck...

Red Hood: I call dibs on Pixi pop becoming my sister.

Batman:.......

Nightwing: *looks at Robin* please tell me you heard that too...

Robin:.......

-Mari wakes up in the ambulance. Feels fine so she just hops off and goes straight for her bags.

Nightwing: where are you going? You still need to get checked.

Mari: I'm fine. I've dealt with worse. I'm just gonna go and get my bags. I don't trust the security here.

Nightwing: hey! Wait!

Mari keeps walking to her bags. Picks up her katana and straps it to her back and grabs her luggage.

Nightwing: Hey! You still need to get checked anyways... And questioned...

Mari: *stares*..... Fine. But please Hury I want to get to my place before it gets dark.

Batman: how did you fight the fear toxin?

Mari: it's called fear toxin... No wonder I saw what I saw... *looks at batman* I'm used to having to deal with my fears. I've had to fight them head on in Paris constantly.

Red Robin: Isn't Paris a peaceful city?

Mari: *scoff* peaceful my ass. It hasn't been peaceful at all the past 3 years. I've seen enough deaths and magical shit to last me a lifetime.

Batfam:......

Mari: *sigh* sorry for my language. I'm just cranky from not having had any sleep in the past... 1,2,3,4,5... 6...oh shit... Anyways... Look I just landed I haven't had sleep the past few days. Got caught in the attack. Somehow fought them of. Lost consciousness... Not even sure why I even woke up considered my lack of sleep...and now being questioned... And... That pretty much it really.

Batfam:.....

Mari: what still not satisfied?

Robin: you mentioned having encountered enough magic and deaths to last you a lifetime.

Mari:..... I did?

Batfam:......

Red Robin: yes you did

Red Hood: *mutters* why do I suddenly feel like I'm looking at a female replacement....

Mari: Oh... Damn... I'm not even sure if the blackouts been lifted yet.

Batman: blackout?

Mari: the media blackout...it should be lifted soon. Not sure when....

*Phone notification rings*

Mari: speak of the devil... Here.

*she shows batman her phone*

He goes through the news and 2 videos of akuma attacks.

Mari: can I have my phone back and go now? It's getting dark.

Robin: how are you getting there.

Mari: a cab.

Batman gives her phone back

Mari: am I done here?

Batman nods

When mari is leaving...

Batman: Hood, Robin keep an eye on her and makes sure she gets to her destination safe. We're going back to the cave to look more into this.

When mari gets out of the cab. She feels like she's being watched and followed. Discretely looks around trying to spot who's following her. (ladybug sense is tingling~) She shifts her katana to her hip just in case. While going to her apartment. And instantly locks the door and checks the windows. Wonders if they followed her... Then she spots Robin on the neighboring building.

Mari: ah... Its just them... Welp I'm off to bed.

--------------------------

Robin POV

Robin: She knows she's being followed.

Redhood: I'm not blind demon spawn.

They watch her enter her apartment while on guard.

Redhood: one of us should probably pass by her window. Just to let her know we're not goons. Pixi looks wound up...

Robin: ill do it.

He swings by her window. They guessed right. She was keeping watch.

Robin: something isn't right...

Redhood: no shit sherlock.

Robin over the comm: she's in. We're heading back to the cave.

----------------------------------

Batcave

-Siren, Gigantitan, Hero's day, mourning star (saw this in a fanfiction somewhere. Its a sad one)

Redhood: Holy shit...

Batman: How did we miss this?

Red Robin: found a call on the JL emergency call log.

Batman: play it.

Video call from Ryuuko on Hero's day. Showing the chaos, requesting for help, getting controlled, dropping the phone and walking away.

Batman: who answered this call?

Red Robin:.... Green Lantern

Robin: wait... Scroll up... Its the girl from the airport.

They play the mourning star akuma video.

Mourning star: a widow that had a miscarriage. Mourning the death of her husband and unborn child. The akuma kidnapping children and killing them infront of their mothers. So that they know the pain of losing a child. (I know it's depressing... I found this in a fanfiction. Forgot the title. And it was way more depressing than what I just wrote...) (ill skip this bit)

Marinette getting children to safety. Away from the akuma. Calming them down and getting them to hide in an abandoned building. Distracts the akuma by pissing it of and luring her away from the nearby preschool. (she's badass both in and out of the suit) then suddenly transforms into a mouse themed hero while on the run. Divides herself into smaller selves. And splits up each going down different alleyways. (she never becomes multimouse again after this: she got compromised again. Let's just say that she staged this bit to get halkmoth off her trail... In case he suspected her of being LB). Then not long after Chat noir shows up looking for LB. When LB finally shows up... He starts flirting and causing even more trouble. Akuma gets caught. Butterfly gets purified. Magical ladybugs fixing everything and LB punching Chat in the face. The end.

Redhood: he had that coming.

Robin: She was a hero? Are there others?

Redhood: why? Got a crush~?

Robin: *blush* no.

Red Robin: found one. Evillustrator. CCTV footage...

CCTV: Evillustrator breaking into the top floor of a bakery. Then leaving. Chat Noir showing up. Marinette answering the door. Chat Noir flirting. Marinette sarcastic acting. More chat noir flirting. He leaves. Fast forward. She leaves the bakery all dressed up (Robin's thaughts: she looks cute... WHAT THE FUCK BRAIN!!!! NO!) (I changed it a bit hehehe)

They shift to different CCTVs until she gets to her destination. Meeting up with the akuma (Redhood: what the hell... She went on a date with an akuma?) (Red Robin: wait look... Chat Noir) (Robin: *clenching his teeth and fists*) chat noir sneaking on the boat. And laying low. Mari snatching something and throwing it at chat. Chat messed-up. Mari gets trapped with chat in a glass box with the boat sinking. Chat trying to find a way to get out of the box. Mari just standing there until she gets fed up. Grabs the baton and extends it upward while grabbing chat noir's tail/belt and flinging him towards the pier. Gives back his baton. Chat flirts again. Kisses her hand then salutes. Mari turns away of cam. (Nightwing: did that count as a date?) (Redhood: yes) (Red Robin: no) (Robin's thaughts: strong, beautiful, smart, tricky ... Just what else do you have under your belt... Shit I called her beautiful...) (Batman: follow chat noir)

Shifting again to other CCTVs. Stopping on one viewing a hotel. Chat and Ladybug already on the scene. Doesn't take long after that for the battle to end.

Batman: we need to keep looking more into this...but right now. I'm going to the tower. And deal with Green Lantern.

-----------------

-after this Robin makes sure to make Marinette's apartment to be part of his patrol route.

-Mari notices but doesn't try to call him over.

-he observes her and finds more things about her. (a designer, a gamer, a Baker and if her katana and fighting skills is anything to go by... Judo?)

-Mari knows that she's being observed so she makes sure the kwamis are hidden.

One night she decides to embroider on her balcony.

-curious... Robin comes closer to take a peek at what she was making... A dragon embroidery.

Mari: are you going to stay there or are you going to come down here and tell me what you need?

Robin:.... This place is part of my patrol route....

Mari: I noticed but I don't believe that that's all your here for.

Robin:...... you're one of the heroes...

Mari:........ *she looks at him* ex-hero... Retired hero??.... Who cares. I've been compromised.

Robin: I know... But it looked on purpose.

Mari:....... What do you want? Did you need something?

Robin:....... I don't trust you..... Your confusing...

Mari: I'd be worried if you did. Trusting people you just meet... Not a smart move.

Robin:.........

Mari:........ Anything else?

Robin: No. I'll be on my way.

Mari: wait hold on a second... Here (she gives him the extra macaroons she made) I'm a stress Baker. I made too much.

Robin:....... I thaught that we agreed that we didn't trust each other....

Mari: I don't. Not completely. But I also know your not a bad person. Protective sure. But that's to be expected considering your cutrent occupation...... Just take it.... You've been observing me the past few days. You should know by now that I'm not a horrible person...here I'll even take one. (she takes one and pops it in her mouth) see? Safe.

Robin: fine I'll take them to the idiots........thanks.......(then he leaves)

Mari: hmm... Now back to work...

---------------------

Keeps going on like this for the next few months.

Until its time for the new school year to start....

(I'm sleepy right now. I'll continue this tomorrow. I'll edit this same post. I won't be making it separate)

#daminette #Introvert marinette #maribat #mlb x dc

[euterpessi]

Romance Manhwa/Manga Recommendations:

Historical Manhwa/Manga:

Death Is The Only Ending For The Villainess

I’ve reincarnated as the reverse harem game’s villainess, the one and only adopted daughter of the ducal Eckart family.

But the difficulty just has to be the worst!

Everything I do will only lead me to death.

I must be paired with one of the main male characters from the heroine’s harem before the ‘real daughter’ of the duke family appears!

Two older brothers who always pick a fight with me on every little thing.

The insane crown prince whose route will always lead to my death.

‘I only see the heroine and no one else’s wizard, and also her loyal slave knight, too!

‘First, let’s take some of them which I see no hope in, out of the list!’

“I didn’t know my place up until now. From now on, I’ll live as quiet as a mouse so you wouldn’t care the slightest bit!

But why do their interests in me keep on rising every time I draw the line?!

The Villainess is a Marionette

Cayena, the Imperial Princess, was known as the most beautiful woman in the Empire. She was a woman who knew nothing but evil and luxury.

However, she was destined for ruin: she would be used as a chess piece by her younger brother to secure his throne and killed by her crazy husband.

“I’ll make you the Emperor.”

“… Sister, are you referring to me?”

“In exchange, give me freedom.”

She had to change things before she became that Cayena.

The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’S Mansion

Poisoned to death by her own betrothed?! Eunha didn’t wake up in a novel’s story just to get killed off again as an unfortunate extra! To change her story she needs a cover… 6 months pretending to be the fake fiancée of the novel’s male protagonist, Duke Noah Wynknight. But will this cold-hearted, angel-faced demon of a man really help her avoid another ill-fated ending?!

Your Throne / I Want to Be You, Just For A Day

The story follows main characters Medea Solon and Psyche Callista, who become archenemies after competing for the position of crown princess of the Vasilios Empire. On the day of the Yearly Prayer, Medea and Psyche accidentally switch bodies.

The Remarried Empress

Navier was the perfect empress, however, the Emperor wanted a wife, not a colleague. And so, the Emperor abandoned Empress Navier and placed an enslaved girl beside him. That was fine until Navier heard the Emperor promise the slave the Empress’ position. After many ups and downs, Navier decided she would accept being the Queen of the neighbouring country and remarry.

Kill The Villainess

Eris Mizerian was the villainess of a novel. The only daughter of a marquis, she got executed after scheming against the pure and lovely protagonist, Helena. My only goal, after possessing her, is simply to leave this world and go home. I am prepared to face even death, but the laws of this world keep stopping me.

A changed Eris begins to draw the attention of three men who once loathed her; the Crown Prince, the High Priest, and the Knight.

"It doesn't matter. I will never be able to love this world."

Even if the only way out is death,

even if the only way out is make a deal with a witch...

I will absolutely leave this world!

This is the story of the villainess who defies fate, Eris, and her escape from this world!

The Way To Protect The Female Lead's Older Brother

I accidentally took possession of someone in a 19+ reverse harem novel.

The problem is that I became Roxana Agriche, the older sister of the sub-villain. My damn father kidnapped the heroine’s brother. Now, is the only thing left to meet a terrible end from the vengeance of the heroine?

But what if I can avoid that horrible development?

“I’m also interested in this toy.”

“I’ll protect you until you can get out of here safely.”

The heroine’s brother, Cassis Pedalian, will definitely be able to pay me back later.

Shadow Queen

“Can you be my daughter for me?”

By his offer, Elena became Duke of Franceschi’s fake daughter.

She became the queen and gave birth to Crown Prince’s son.

Then suddenly, Princess Veronica who was assumed dead came back.

She was only just a toy.

But eventually, Elena gets her son taken and is murdered.

However, she went back to the past.

“I’ll destroy all of you.”

I’ll never live as a toy again.

Elena decides to seeks revenge.

Under the Oak Tree

The daughter of a duke, the stuttering Maximilian, married a knight of lowly status at her father’s coercion.

After their first night, her husband departed for an expedition without another word.

He comes back three years later, this time as a famous knight in the whole continent.

How would Maximilian face him on his return?

"The more I think of you, the more lonely and lonely I become. I don't know why I can't quit even though it's so painful."

I'm Stanning The Prince

Angela’s fanfic became such a sensation that it even reached the Imperial Family, leading her to get arrested on charges of treason. Nevertheless, her fanfic improved the First Prince’s image, and his sister, the Princess, decides to take political advantage of this and keep Angela by their side. 

The heroine who can now fangirl to her heart’s content, and the Prince who doesn’t know how to act around her. As they bicker back and forth, they start growing closer…

Miss Not-So Sidekick

Hyejung loved to read to escape her daily stress. But that’s before she woke up inside the bizarre world of her favorite novel! Instead of the main heroine who courts three eligible men, she is now Latte Ectrie – a minor villain that everyone hates?! One way or another, it’s a chance to live out her most beloved storyline, with popcorn in hand to watch all the drama! Taking charge of the narrative takes on a whole new meaning!

Even Though I’M The Villainess, I’ll Become The Heroine!

I wasn’t able to overcome the harassment and took my life, but I was reincarnated with the perpetrator? The perpetrator is the heroine, Florre, and I am the villainess, Dahlia, who’s going to die horribly.

“They said you are a villain with neither blood nor tears, but unlike the rumors, you often shed tears.”

“Your Highness must believe all the nonsense the idiots are talking about, huh?”

Grand Duke of Cervian, the half brother of the Male lead and who will be punished for treason afterwards. He approached me. I can’t lose the man who will be my greatest ally.

“Your Highness, would you marry me?”

“Now…… what did you say?”

“And take revenge together.”

A similar situation, a fixed ending. The heroine is not the only one who knows the ending of the novel. I took a long and arduous path of revenge.

Who Made Me A Princess

The beautiful Athanasia was killed at the hands of her own biological father, Claude de Alger Obelia, the cold-blooded emperor! It’s just a silly bedtime story… until one woman wakes up to suddenly find she’s become that unfortunate princess! She needs a plan to survive her doomed fate, and time is running out. Will she go with Plan A, live as quietly as possible without being noticed by the infamous emperor? Plan B, collect enough money to escape the palace? Or will she be stuck with Plan C, sweet-talking her way into her father’s good graces?!

The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass

With the marriage of her prostitute mother to the Count, Aria’s status in society skyrocketed immediately. After leading a life of luxury, Aria unfairly meets death because of her sister Mielle’s schemes. And right before she dies, she sees an hourglass fall as if it were a fantasy. And just like that, she was miraculously brought back to the past.

“I want to become a very elegant person, just like my sister, Mielle.”

In order to face the villainess, she must become an even more wicked villainess. This was the new path Aria chose to take revenge on Mielle who murdered both her and her mother.

The Evil Lady's Hero

Junipe Magnolia, a villainess friend of the heroine in this novel called Rael Cania.

The Junipe inside the novel has always loved the male lead, Iseed. To the point where she harassed Rael out of jealousy because she's loved by Iseed.

And thus, Junipe is destinied to die in the hands of the male lead of this novel.

But one day.

"Why did I become Junipe?!"

But let's think about it, it's still one year away from the time Junipe is going to get killed by Iseed. So, I have to meet Iseed and Rael first, I'll be able to find a way out of my death if I do so.

Yeah, let's meet them first!

But, this man is just so tender-hearted and kind. Would Junipe be able to escape from this man?!

I Tamed a Tyrant and Ran Away

God gave me a chance to relive my life. Before the rebirth, I had been used for the past 400 years as the empire's sword. And so, I swore to destroy the empire. I found the young prince of the country and became his teacher. I taught him how to become a tyrant and asked for the country.

"I will do the lady's will."

He conquered the whole empire for me, and I ran away.

"I came to take you, Charlize Ronan." Dylan became a perfect tyrant and searched the entire empire for me.

"You tamed me, so why did you run away?"

Untouchable Lady

“Please, Hilise. Please die in place of Gabrielle.” My always dignified brother begged me for the first time. He wants me to die for our stepsister, whom we don't even share a drop of blood with. “For the first and last time, I ask you this.” I've always been miserable, and there is no exception this time. The seventh time that I was betrayed and killed, I was completely free of lingering feelings. “I'm glad that you're a scumbag until the end.” I won't be swayed by love anymore. It's my turn to abandon them first.

I’ll Live On As A Villainess

I reincarnated as the villainess in a book!

The one who dared to commit attempted murder on the heroine is the owner of this body?

Let's just live in a quiet place where we have fun and eat! That's what I thought for a while.

It was so, so, so cold here in the north, where I was kicked out as a punishment.

Before I froze to death, I called the Great Demon of Fire and set fire to the fireplace but...

Why isn't he going back? If you've done the job, shouldn't you go back?!

I was flustered to find out that I had signed a life contract with a demon just to start a fire but to think that I'd be responsible for relieving his desires!

The bickering romance between a big puppy demon and a small villainess lady!

It Looks Like I’Ve Fallen Into The World Of A Reverse Harem Game

When I opened my eyes, I was in a different world. I had become the game’s villainous princess who was feared by all. Not to mention… Completely naked men I didn’t even know were approaching me left and right! “Are you cold? Shall I warm you up with a hug?” “Oh? Have you not had enough yet?” Seriously, what’s up with this situation? And just how the hell am I going to get out of this freaking game?!

Father, I Don't Want to Get Married!

I’m Jubelian? The daughter of the duke and the villainess of this novel?

I managed to avoid my death with some previous knowledge about my life, as this was my second time at it. Now, I should be able to live a peaceful life!

“I’m not going to marry a man unless he has everything. I want the most wealthy, famous, and competent man there is.”

I dreamt of a glamorous life as the daughter of the duke, but my father tells me the Crown Prince who is known to be a lunatic is to be my husband! As an extraordinary measure, I couldn’t help but start a contract relationship. That is, with a handsome side character that looks better than the main one.

“Why are you trying to avoid being engaged to the prince?”

“He’s scary. I heard that he even kills his own entourage if he doesn’t like them.”

A few days later, the prince sent a terrible letter to me.

“I will not kill you.”

Oh no, did I set up another death trap for myself?

Like A Wind On A Dry Branch

"Hi, You."

Count Casarius fell victim to a plague and died suddenly, leaving behind a will stating that Rietta, his beautiful young widow of the manor, whom he tried to use as a concubine, be buried alive alongside him. Just before Rietta is buried, Archduke Axias, rumored to be a cruel tyrant, arrives at the funeral to collect the enormous debt Count Casarius still owes him.

“Everyone here seems to feel sorry for her, and I still have a debt to collect from Casarius… If I take her instead of debt, I think all of you here should be happy," he smiled.

"Hello, Temptress."

Everything was a Mistake

Roa Valrose reincarnated as villainess in the book. In order to avoid the fate of being burned at the stake, she approaches the hero, Nocton Edgar.

It hurts every time she gets closer to him. Nevertheless, for her survival, she does everything he wants her to do.

“Come again, Valrose.”

The mysterious Nocton unexpectedly sought her out every day.

Then one day, her friend for 10 years says something unknown to her.

“Actually, I have a dream. The Duke of Edgar is a terrible villain!”

He is not the hero, but the villain?

As soon as she realized that she had misinterpreted the role, she decided to get away from Nocton.

“Let’s not meet anymore.”

But the villain’s reaction was strange.

“Don’t go. You’ve always been special to me.”

She was suspicious of his sudden change of attitude.

Will she able to get rid of Nocton safely?

I Became the Tyrant's Secretary

I became the secretary of a tyrant in place of my clumsy brother to survive.

But I have so much potential for it. I’m so darn good at my job. Because I served the tyrant so well, ‘Everyone has a happy ending’.

Well then, shall I quit being a secretary and live a leisurely life now?

“Rosaline, tell me what you want.” He asked as he stepped down from his chair.

“I want to quit.”

His eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Do you want to die?”

Your highness, you never hold on to people who want to leave, so why’re you being like this to me?

Seduce the Villainess Father

After being in a bus crash, I woke up to the world of my favourite web novel.

Not only that, It was before the protagonists were born, to their parents’ world!

To stop the incoming multiple bad events.

I tried to prevent the kidnapping of the sister who is pregnant with the female lead!

But I got kidnapped instead?!

It's depressing to be kidnapped, but my body couldn't handle the mana and became a sunfish-like state

But... if I am next to the emperor who kidnapped me, my body becomes normal!

Right! The way to save that man from marrying a witch and getting killed by his son, and for someone who is vulnerable to mana such as myself to live, is for us to get married!

The Villains Savior

Set on a path to tragedy and misfortune from a young age, Aseph Randell is doomed to die a villain. That is, until the mysterious Elzay Tiathe appears in his life with a promise: "I can save you." After having vivid visions of him for so long, can Elzay untangle the twisted fate tied to Aseph... or will they both be dragged down together?

Contemporary Manhwa/Manga:

Night Crying Crow

This woman; who is she?

If something was action, it'd be action. If something was romance, it’d be romance. The A-list actor Cheon Woo Kang, who's great at every (genre), had his heart stolen away by an unknown woman who’d broken into his house!

“We'll meet again.~"

Woo Kang contracted an over imaginative illness as he drew the woman, whose name he didn't even know. In front of Woo Kang, she reappeared as the police officer Park Tae... Could the shadow of the crisis that appeared in front of them be a coincidence?

Raise wa Tanin ga Ii

Yoshino Somei would have been a normal high-schooler if not for the fact that she is the granddaughter of the leader of the Osaka-based Somei Group, the Kansai region's largest yakuza organization. One day, Yoshino hurries home after hearing of the news about the unification of Kansai and Kanto's biggest syndicates, the Somei and the Miyama groups. This, according to the article, will result in a marriage of the leaders' grandchildren—one of whom is Yoshino herself! Despite her best efforts to annul the arrangement, Yoshino has to go to Tokyo to visit her fiancé, Kirishima Miyama, who is unexpectedly nice and charming.

During their first meeting, Yoshino is swept up in various events and becomes unable to refuse moving to Tokyo, which is why, half a year later, she now lives with the Miyama group. At school, she soon realizes that Kirishima is very popular, so her relationship with him garners the hate of his fangirls and subsequently results in bullying. To make matters worse, Kirishima could not be further away from her prince charming since he, after all, was born to be a yakuza member.

Raise wa Tanin ga Ii follows Yoshino and her new life in Tokyo that is filled with nothing but troubles connected to the underworld. However, though she wishes to be as far from it as possible, this isn't Yoshino's first time dealing with the world of the Yakuza...

Positively Yours

To Hee-won’s dismay, the BFF she crushed on and her other BFF are now dating! Seriously bummed, Hee-won decides to go wild just one time, and find solace with a handsome stranger. A very satisfying one night affair has now turned into more — she’s pregnant! Fate brings them together again, and now the regimented Doo-joon is determined to do the right thing and marry her. But they’re basically strangers! Except... their bodies have been very intimately acquainted. What’s this mother-to-be to do?

True Beauty

After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy comic book fan masters the art of makeup and sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl overnight. But will her elite status be short-lived? How long can she keep her real self a secret? And what about that cute boy who knows her secret?

Cheese In the Trap

Hong Sul is a ordinary college student. Yoo Jung is the school's most popular upperclass man. He's good looking, rich, smart, and even nice. However, Hong Sul thinks there's more to Yoo Jung than what meets the eye…

SPY x FAMILY

The master spy codenamed has spent his days on undercover missions, all for the dream of a better world. But one day, he receives a particularly difficult new order from command. For his mission, he must form a temporary family and start a new life?! A Spy/Action/Comedy about a one-of-a-kind family!

Doppio Senso (18+)

“What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about a guy.”

KyungHyun stopped in the middle of a deep kiss and sighed. His lips began to form a smile, but his fierce glare said otherwise. Possessiveness and jealousy spread across his sculpted face.

“Will you tell me his name?”

His easygoing and languid voice reached her ears.

“Why?”

“So that I can shoot him down.”

#I’ll probably add more later on #hope you enjoy this extensive list #manga #anime #manhwa #the way to protect the female lead's older brother #death is the only ending for a villainess #true beauty #cheese in the trap #untouchable lady #the villainess is a marionette #the villainess reverses the hourglass #who made me a princess #miss not so sidekick #under the oak tree #the remarried empress #your throne #the reason why raeliana ended up at the duke's mansion #kill the villainess #I’m stanning the prince #Even though I’m the villain I’ll become the heroine #the evil lady's hero #everything was a mistake #seduce the villain's father #raise wa tanin ga ii #doppio senso #manhwa recommendation #manga recommendation #recommendations #villains

[bisexualwannabewriter]

“This is killing me” Part Twelve - Spencer Reid x female reader

Summary : You’re working for the BAU, and Dr Spencer Reid is your best friend on the  team. Actually, he’s your best friend, pErIoD. The thing is, you’re not supposed to feel that way about your  best friend. He makes you feel some type of way, everyone in the  team   can see it, except you and him.

In the previous chapter, you put all of your focus on a new case involving a disorganized unsub, with an obsession with conspiracy theories and the existence of “lizard people” within our society. Spencer tried to tell you something about his date with officer Maggie Rowe, and Derek even tried to encourage you to listen to what he had to say. In addition to everything, you overheard a conversation between Spence and Maggie, that left you dubious : the both of them kissed, but it didn’t seem like things were going well between them...

You can find all the previous chapters here.

Chapter Summary : Your hard work has paid off. On the trip back to Quantico though, you and Spencer finally have the most honest conversation you’ve had so far. Your relationship takes a new turn, but things can never go too smoothly between the two of you. Still, after some clarification from Derek, hope starts to creep in...

TW : Violence, death, mental illness, drug use, conspiracy theories, exhaustion, anxiety. It’s fluffy, it’s angsty, it’s romantic, it’s clumsy, the tension is crazy. We’re getting there, people. Slowly but surely.

(Not my GIF)

You caught the unsub in a stupid way, really. He just killed at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Sometimes it happened. You could work as hard as you wanted, know the killer better than yourself... they would just leave one body, in a way that was even more sloppy than the others, and you could catch your man. One mistake, and that was it. It was a good thing, of course, but in situations like this, you never knew what the unsub's next move was going to be. They didn't even know it, until they did it. Your unsub fit in every category of an unorganized killer : below average intelligence, check. Socially inadequate, check. Worked an ungrateful job near the crime scenes, check. Living alone, check. Check, check, check. Your profile, your whole theory on his obsession with lizard people : check. You knew you would have caught him one way or another, as Spencer had managed to narrow down the places where the unsub could have been living, given the places of the last murders. But you caught him thanks to dumb luck. Gabriel Calahan was just a paranoid schizophrenic, whose mental illness had been exacerbated with severe drug use as a teenager. He believed some higher power was ordering him to uncover the truth about those controlling reptilians, who were going to lead us into chaos.

///

On the jet back to Quantico, you sat alone. You needed some peace and quiet. You were exhausted. You really worked your ass off on this case. Derek seemed a bit worried about you, while Hotch and Prentiss were pretty happy with your efforts. Spencer seemed restless, and the bags under his eyes were even darker than usual. His mind was a wonder that worked in mysterious ways, but you could tell he was just really agitated these days. Not telling you what he wanted to tell you, probably took more efforts and energy from him than an average person could possibly understand. You wanted him to go into a peaceful sleep, to forget about what was troubling him. Even in times like this, you just wanted him to be okay. Things were probably complicated for him right now. You somehow managed to get over the fact that he kissed Maggie, and tried to focus on the rest of the chat. It was wrong to listen to people's private conversations, and you lacked context. What they were talking about could mean a hundred different things, and you would know soon enough anyway. The rest of the team was slowly drifting off to sleep, and you were trying to as well, but you could feel Spencer nervously glance at you pretty regularly. At some point, you just gave up, let out a deep sigh, opened your eyes, and motioned him to come join you on the couch.

He sat heavily next to you. You just stayed together in silence for a moment. You didn't want him to start to talk. Because that would be it. You would be having the conversation you had been dreading for a while. Eventually, he had to start talking, and you felt your heart beating like crazy in your chest. "Go ahead Spence, break my heart." was all you could think about. Instead...

"Listen y/n, I know this isn't ideal. But... you have been avoiding me for a while now and... I don't even know if you want me in your life or not anymore. I just... we texted over the holidays and everything, and we hugged like nothing happened when we got back to work but... Things aren't... Things have been weird for a while now, and... I hate it. I hate to see us drift apart like this." You were listening to every single word that was coming out of his mouth as carefully as you could, like someone waiting for their verdict at court. You felt like you were going to get the death penalty somehow. He paused, before starting to talk again. "I don't know what to think anymore. I've been trying to understand, but it seems like my brain... can't function properly when it comes to you." You were going to die from a heart attack, right here and there. On the outside, you tried to put on your best poker face, but hearing Spencer utter those words made your eyes betray you, you were sure of it. You felt exactly like this when it came to him too. How could two people feel things so similarly, and still not understand one another ? He looked so nervous, as he was looking for the right words to say exactly what his heart had been meaning to tell you. " I guess I'm just... I think... Jesus, why is this so complicated ? Just... say something, y/n. Anything."

You honestly didn't know what to say. He said so much and so little at the same time. What was there for you to say ?

"I... I don't know what you want from me Spence... I know things have been weird, and I'm... I'm sorry, okay ? I've been acting strange for the past couple of months, I know it. I just... Of course I want you in my life. And I hate that we don't even know how to talk to each other anymore... You said you wanted to talk about your date ? What does it have to do with anything ?" You tried the innocent card, but Spencer wasn't biting. "Come on y/n... no more mind games. I was trying to get there slowly but... You're not giving me much of an alternative, are you ?" He stared at you, more directly than he had in a while. You hadn't noticed, but he got closer too. You had to fight the urge to drag his face to yours to kiss him feverishly. He was so right, your minds just wouldn't work properly around each other. Something about the way you were looking at him might have given him some newly found determination, because he carried on without letting you out of his sight at any moment, shifting his gaze between your tired eyes and your slightly parted lips. The nervousness was still there, but he was going to say whatever it was he wanted to say, no matter the consequences now.

"As you know, I went on a date with Maggie. It was great. I wanted to have a good time with her. I really did. Everything worked out just fine. It was almost too cliche, how smoothly the evening went." You felt your heart sink in your chest. Yup, there it was, you thought. The end of all hope. "She was wearing this really pretty red dress, and at first, all I could think about was how you have a really pretty red dress too, that you don't put on nearly as often as you should. But then I thought, hey, you're on a date with her, with Maggie. Y/n even seemed happy for you, even though you thought she kind of hated her. So focus on her, focus on Maggie. And I did. I tried." He paused, looking for something in your eyes. Were you supposed to understand where he was getting at with this story ? "I... we kissed. Okay ? I kissed her, after I walked her back home. It was really romantic. The sky was filled with stars, and there was a nice little breeze... I- It was perfect." You couldn't help it, but you wanted to cry. You felt like you couldn't breathe anymore. Why was he telling you this ? It took eveything you had in you to keep listening to him as calmly as possible. "And then... I don't know why, I just... I couldn't... You're not supposed to think so much, when you're kissing someone, are you ? It just makes sense, and you go with the flow. And so... I thought I could kiss her, touch her, and hold her. I wanted to try to take my mind off of... things. But it felt... wrong ? It just felt weird, like something wasn't... what it was supposed to be ?" And then, the hope subtly came back.

You saw how hard it was for him to express himself. What was the point of all of this ? What was he really saying ? You wanted to scream that question, to just demand an answer from him. Your emotions were all over the place. He had a date with Maggie. It was perfect. She was wearing a little red dress, that looked like the one you put on, when you went out of your way to impress him when you went out sometimes. But he had a hard time focusing on the present moment, even as he kissed her, because... ? "What are you saying Spence ?" you murmured as softly as you could, contrasting with the inner turmoil you were facing. He tilted his head to the side, looking almost desperate, silently asking with his eyes why you couldn't understand the true meaning of what he was trying to say.

Behind you, you felt Hotch and JJ move in their seat. The jet was almost back at Quantico. Spencer saw them, and you saw him slouch a little. He looked more exhausted than ever. The determination in his eyes seemed to have abandoned him. "Nothing, y/n. Forget it. I had a date with Maggie, we kissed, but it didn't work out in the end. It's okay. It doesn't matter now." It mattered. You saw how much the whole conversation meant to him. You thought you could understand now. You felt like it was starting to make sense. But you had to hear him say it, otherwise you would never truly believe it. "Spence..." you tried to call, as he stood up. "We're nearly home, and we need some rest. I'm gonna get my things now."

When the jet landed, Spencer barely acknowledged your presence. He went back home as quietly as possible, without letting anyone know he was leaving. Derek helped you with your luggage "You look like you've seen a ghost. I don't understand, didn't he tell you about his date with Maggie ?" You hesitated : "He tried... I don't really know what he was trying to say." He gave you a soft smile and answered "Yes you do y/n. Come on, let me drive you home."

The ride home was pretty quiet. You were both tired. When you got there, Morgan and you sat in silence for a moment, before he told you : "Listen, I know me and Garcia have done enough already when it comes to the two of you. I don't want to overstep on your boundaries. But I feel like you guys just need a little extra push, otherwise it'll take ages." You laughed a little "I thought you said we were going to find our way back to each other at one point or another, no matter how much time it would take ?" He chuckled "Yeah yeah, I know what I said, but listen... what I understood from this entire situation, is that kissing that woman made him realise just how much he wanted you. The only problem with her, no matter how perfect the whole date was, was that she wasn't you. He thought he could be with someone else, he thought he could give her a chance. After all, you showed him you supported his decision, thumbs up and all that bullshit, right ? He kissed her, felt like shit, tried to kiss her some more to get over that weird feeling, started to think about you, got into it, but then she said something, and that threw him off." You were raising your eyebrows at him, questioning what he was reporting. "Hey, me and pretty boy talk a lot, alright ? And what he doesn't tell me, I understand. I see right through him. The rest is just me being good at my job. The only way the kiss kind of worked, was if he was thinking about you. Trust me, I know that. I've been there. You can try and pretend for a little while, until it doesn't work anymore, and you end up feeling like shit because the poor girl doesn't deserve that." You just stayed there, numb with fatigue and the overwhelming nature of what Derek was telling you. You told him about the conversation you overheard between the two of them "I think she was calling him to try and understand why it didn't work out between them, even after that perfect date. Knowing Spencer, he didn't want to hurt her feelings, and he didn't tell her what was really going on." It wasn't like you did either. What WAS really going on ? Morgan answered "Yeah, he vaguely told me about it. My guess ? She knows it's about you. She just needed to hear him say it. Just like you do. But deep down, you know what this all means. You know what's going on." After a little moment, you admitted "You're right. And I knew what he was trying to say, but I just... froze. I can't really... fully comprehend any of it right now. I think I just need some sleep." You paused, before breathing out with a soft smile :  "He tried... he really did..." Morgan answered "Now it's your time to try, pretty lady." You smiled at him, not entirely sure whether that whole conversation was a dream or not, and headed back home to get some restorative sleep.

Chapter Thirteen is here !

#spencer reid #doctor spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #mgg #matthew gray gubler #Criminal Minds Fanfiction #Criminal Minds #fbi #fbi agent #FBI BAU #FBI imagine #profiler #criminal profiling #conspiracy theories #aliens #mentally unstable #mental disorder #jealousy #bestfriends to lovers #slow burn #Jennifer Jareau #aaron hotchner #Penelope Garcia #derek morgan #emily prentiss #jason gideon #david rossi

[fanficmaniatic]

The "Anti-Chat" Theory.

(Which is also why Chat Blanc 2.0 wont work and why Ladybug needs to be akumatized).

This is a turducken on my thoughts for S4 and the future of the show so just roll with it.

So, Season 4 has been wild so far, and if clues given by the writers and people involved in show are any indication, this is only the beginning, we are in for a bumpy ride and things are just going to keep getting worse.

In all the discourse revolving season 4 something that we are all mentioning is how “Chat Blanc” is still a thing and there is no guarantee it won’t happen again. If anything it now seems more likely Chat Noir will get akumatized considering the imminent Ladynoir fallout, and how Adrien is still living with his Father, as his isolation keeps getting worse. And though I am always In for some good Character angst, and I feel like it is necessary for Adrien to know about Chat Blanc, and/or for Chat Blanc to reappear, I don’t think Chat Blanc 2.0 is something Adrien nor the show needs right know.

This theory has many parts, I promise it all ties neatly at the end.

First things first, I may be a little biased, Chat Blanc is an episode I really enjoy. I love Time Travel shenanigans, and I was dying to see Adrien finally find out about his father. The heavy consequences of the episode were obviously erased, but the impact of it all still remains trough Marinette, whom we see in the episode ‘Sentibbubler’ is having nightmares about the whole thing. But still, I love the episode, and I really don’t want an “Stormy Weather 2”… which is an episode I heavily dislike, compared to THE BEST formulaic episode of the Whole show, a.k.a “Stormy Weather” a.k.a My favorite episode. So yeah, this whole first point is just me REALLY not wanting an episode called “Chat Blanc 2.0” But there is more to it, and is the fact that I don’t see how it could work out.

“Chat Blanc 2.0” is unnecessary, and the reason why is that bringing him back wouldn’t actually do anything besides perhaps bringing Ladynoir further apart. Ladybug still CAN’T know Chat noir’s identity, (Let’s be honest and admit that’s prolly s4 finale OR happening during s5) so the show would go out of its way to make his dialogue as plain as possible without mentioning his father being hawkmoth. And yes, I do realize that Chat has been bottling his emotions and it all is likely to come out during THE ladynoir fall out… But people are ignoring the elephant in the room which is that Chat Noir DOES NOT fight Ladybug.

I promise this is relevant.

Chat Noir, unless mind controlled, would never attack Ladybug. The most clear example of this is in “Gamer 2.0” when he straight up says “I could never bring myself to fight you” as he sacrifices himself for her, that added to their classic “Is us against the world, My Lady” every season finale, and Marinette’s “In case something happens to me” In ‘Optygami’, it all could pretty well be a foreshadowing of a Ladynoir fight, where Ladybug is akumatized, and Chat has to willingly fight her. Yes, one could argue that he did fight her during ‘Chat Blanc’, but it could also be read as more of him trying to make her listen.

Where am I going with this? Chat Blanc 2.0 would be unable to bring the nuance the story needs right now. Chat Blanc still wouldn’t fight his father, because I doubt they won’t leave that for season 5. Chat Blanc still doesn’t have a motive to actually fight Ladybug. But the most important part is… What would happen at the end? What would be the change? What conversation are we having? What would be different than what we got in the original Chat Blanc?

To be fair, maybe I am wrong, maybe it can work out, this is just a theory. Maybe all the things I crossed out as impossible will actually happen, but I have been watching the show for 6 years, and If I have learned something about it, is that it is a slow burn, in ALL the aspects.

So yes, I believe Ladybug/Marinette needs to be akumatized, but I also think that Adrien has to learn about Chat Blanc, and that Chat Blanc needs to reappear, having a bigger Role than just a nightmare. So… how does that tie with everything I just said? Easy, the “Anti- Chat” Theory’

So you probably remember “Anti-Bug”, one of the best episodes from season 1, where Chole tries to help Ladybug, she doesn’t listen, and Chloe ends up being akumatized into “Ladybug but evil” … In theory, that is the deal, and is no wonder I am picking Felix Graham De Vanily to fill this role.

From an animation perspective, Felix is the obvious choice, he is identical to Adrien, and if following Anti-bug’s logic in costume desing, that would mean they can reuse Chat Blanc model with no alteration needed.

Now, How would this work? By giving Ladybug a jump scare. She thinks she has to live one of her worst nightmares again, to then find out “Oh… This is not Chat Noir” while still creating enough tension, by looking scared and distraught, that she HAS to tell him that she is scared of him being akumatized WITHOUT actually needing to mention the alternative timeline. This gives Chat noir the chance to lash out, once he realizes this is part of why ladybug is keeping him away, which can lead to Ladybug’s future akumatization.

Why this way? And please hear me out. Chat Noir NEEDS to let his emotions out, and I don’t think lashing out at ladybug is the best way but I see it as necessary. Adrien needs to take on more responsibility while being Chat, but he also needs to learn how to healthy express his emotions, because he is not allowed to do that in his current situation. Ladybug being akumatized because she feels guilty about Chat Noir allows Adrien to do BOTH. Because to save Ladybug he would have to realize “My emotions are valid, and is okey to let them out, but the way I did it was not the right one”, and both Ladybug and Chat Noir would have to apologize because this whole thing is not miscommunication… is a misunderstanding of their partners character. Ladybug needs to relay more on Chat and Chat needs to take on more responsibility… it won’t happen if Ladybug is the one that needs to save Chat Noir.

Adrien needs to realize that he needs to save himself, and that there’s people outside of his father that care for him. Ladybug is this figure that he looks up to and Admires, and is from a side of his life that his father has no control over, (At least from his perspective). So if she forgives him, if they are able to fix their relationship he will realize that things can get better.

Now, going back to Anti-Chat… his deal is way bigger than just bringing The Ladynoir fight… Is about setting up seasons 6 and 7.

What do we know so far? The Love Square and Gabriel’s Hawkmoth is going to come to an end by season 5. Which has left many fans wondering “Then what is happening on seasons 6 and 7?” And the best answer we have so far is in the episode “Timetagger” where Bunnix reveals that there is a whole team of miraculous holders fighting the Hawkmoth of the future, which is by the same episode confirmed to not be Gabriel Agreste. Besides this, I think it is safe to assume that the specials are quietly setting up themes that could come back In seasons 6 and 7.

Now, when speaking about characters that could be future villains the fandom seems to have its collective mind set on two individuals: Lila Rossi, and Felix Graham De Vanily.

Besides ‘Rocketear’, (E17), ‘Wishmaker’ (E18), and the special ’Shadow Moth’s last attack’ (Eps 25&26) we don’t know the names of the episodes of the second half of the season, which is really uncommon for miraculous ladybug, and the reason they gave us as to why is “You would know who is akumatized based on the names”… Which AGAIN, is really uncommon for ML. If you have been in this fandom for a long time you’ll realize that most people working in the show don’t really seem to care about spoilers. Now, this is kinda a conspiracy theory, but If you saw that there was an episode called “Anti-Chat” would you have assume it was any one other than Felix?…. No, right? That’s what I though. Miraculous has proven that it is good at subverting expectations, so when they are pointing at something (like a Chat Blanc 2.0 episode) it may not be as we want or suspected it to be. So I think an Anti-Chat episode makes a lot of sense.

Now, Why am I saying that this can set up future season? Buckle up, pals, here we go. What do we know about Felix?

He is evil, or at the very least seems to be ill-intentioned, if his attitude and look at the end of his episode is anything to go by.

He is after jewelry. Which, yeah, was only shown in that one episode he appeared, but this could pretty much be a foreshadowing of him later on going after the miraculous.

We know that he is bound to appear 3 more times

For this theory to work, I need it to happen in episode 22… Yes, the feared 100th episode of the show. It is not as important why Felix is akumatized, but what is happening WHILE he is akumatized.

Besides what has already been discussed, with Ladybug being scared, Ladynoir should not be able to work together. They are tumbling on each other because Chat Noir feels like she doesn’t trust him, but Ladybug NEEDS his reassurance right now, which he wont give.

This, is directly parallel with what is happening between Anti-Chat and Shadow Moth. Because Felix, even though he wants the miraculous, he won’t let himself be bossed around. He is demanding things from SM, and like in Robustus, Anti-Chat tries to, not just take Ladybug’s and Chat noir’s Miraculous, he wants to destroy Hawkmoth too. Which will lead to Shadow Moth being the reason he gets de-akumatized, instead Ladybug and Chat Noir saving him... bringing more fuel to the Ladynoir fire.

Now, Why should Felix have an attitude with Shadow Moth? Well, my friends… Do you remember, years ago, when the producers of the show said “The peacock miraculous holder will make Hawkmoth look like a baby”…. That’s not Mayura. Nathalie is a great miraculous holder, and she is really clever. But instead of making Gabriel look like a baby, she makes him look smart because he has someone like her on his team. What I am saying with this is that Felix, will suspect/ figure out Gabriel is Hawkmoth at the en of Anti-Chat, and that he will get the peacock miraculous during “The Last attack of Shadow Moth.” Thus, setting up a villain for future seasons.

This makes Felix 3 appearances be: In episode 22 (Anti-Chat), In episode 26 (SM last attack, part 2), and during S5’s finale. Felix situation will be much like Lila’s during s1 and s2 where she was introduced at the end of the first but not used until the end of the second.

Conclusion:

Felix Graham de Vanily has the potential to be a future villain and bring the Ladynoir conflict to finally surface.

And to clarify, The Ladynoir conflict, just like this Felix theory, is not something that will, nor can get resolved in one episode. If anything the fight will be around the end of season 4, and it will get resolved during season 5.

But again, this is just a theory, and I will probably be death wrong, but who knows?

#Watch E22 be called Anti-chat #Anti-chat Theory #ml theory #ml meta #miraculous theory #miraculous meta #miraculous season 4 #rocketear #shadow moth #miraculous season 4 finale #shadow moth's last attack #felix graham de vanily #Adrien agreste #Gabriel Agreste #Marinetter dupain cheng #akuma #wishmaker #senti bubbler #Chat Noir #Ladybug #Cat Noir #Anti-Chat #AntiCat #miraculousladybug

[jordanstrophe]

Be a Good Guest, part 9

CW: Broken whumpee getting conditioned, confined for a long time, blindfold, heavy restraints, *inhales* Creepy, parental, possessive, protective, intimate whumper, with a seasoning of angsts of course 

(It’s a short, but I really like it and I don’t wanna ruin it. He will get a happy ending though! ...As depressi spaghetti this one may be. I’m also taking the advise from the lovely anon who helped me write stuttering, I like it much better now, thank you very much to the kind anon <3)

Masterlist

The door creaked open, a sliver of light blazed through the door as Walter pushed his way down the stairs. Gabriel could feel long hair strung in his face, he didn’t know how long he had been down here, but judging on how long his hair was hanging in his face, it must have been awhile. The first few days were a panicked frenzy, fighting, cursing, ignoring the blood dripping from his wrists as he battled the restraints. 

Walter would come down often to see how he was doing. He never once spoke a word, ignoring his pleads for mercy, for an inch of freedom, for at least his eyesight back. He would only tap his chin for him to open as he spoon fed him breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, stroke a finger through his dirty hair and leave quietly.

It was infuriating. The darkness and silence was bad enough, but knowing someone was there to ignore his solemn cries was the worst. 

Walter lifted a long lock from his face to study it. Gabriel couldn’t see, but he could feel it.

“You need a haircut...” He muttered under his breath. Gabriel’s head shot up, that was the first time he had spoken since he was locked down here! 

“Ple-please, I’ll be good! I’ll be any-anyting you want” He rasped. “Can we just... Please go back to wh-what we were? I won’t leave, I wo-won’t run, I won’t do anything you don’t tell me to. Just... Please!” He sobbed, his chest heaving, but he tried to appear pathetic and hopeless.

Just like he wanted.

There was silence looming over him for a while. He wondered if he did the right thing, but the more time that passed the more he doubted it. He was probably going to get brought to the inch of his life again.

He felt a hand cup his cheek, his instinct was to flinch, but he couldn’t help but to lean into the soft warm feeling... The first nice feeling he felt in a long time. He heard Walter chuckle to himself as he stroked his thumb along his cheekbone. 

“Why don’t we see how much you’ve grown, hmm?’’ His voice rumbled. 

Gabriel’s heart jumped when he felt the cuff on the left hand pop open, then the right. He wanted to rip the blindfold off, rub his sour bruised wrists, but he stayed right where he was. 

“Good boy.” He felt a hand stroke his hair. “Alright, up we go.” Water took his arm as he helped him to his feet. Gabriel’s legs trembled underneath him as they could barely keep them straight. Walter slithered his other arm around his back to keep him up, slowly coaxing him forward. 

“Take a step.” He instructed. Gabriel was still blindfolded, so he did was he was told. One foot at a time, Walter walked him up the stairs still taking the most of his weight as he struggled. 

He was taken to another room, sat down and told to be still and silent. So he did. He didn’t know what room he was in, but he could hear Walter fumbling around with tools and objects. 

“Chin up.” He instructed. Gabriel slowly raised his head as he felt locks of his hair taken and cut. He could feel the cut strands falling down his shirt like dust with each snip. His body was still quivering from both stress and excitement, thankfully Walter didn’t seem to mind. A gentle brush stroked through his hair, combing out all of the tangles and dirt left for too long. 

He let out a shuttered breath as the soothing touch, it felt almost too much... It was too good for what he was used to. It was heaven and hell at the same time. He bit his lip to keep tears in, almost enough to draw blood. 

He could sense Walter in front of him, brushing the hair from his face as he took his chin in his hand, tilting his face up a bit more. A warm cloth washed over his face, freeing him from the dirt and blood. To say Gabriel was enjoying it a bit was an understatement. He only noticed he had a small smile on his face when he heard Walter chuckle, tracing his smiling lips with his finger nail. 

He felt a hand slip under his blindfold as it was lifted from his face, the instant light forced him to squeeze his eyes shut. They fluttered open again as he squinted up painfully, barely able to make out Walter standing over him with a sweet loving smile.

“I missed you, little one.”

“I mi-missed you t-too.”

@alien-octopus @yesthisiswhump  @lave-whump @whumpasaurus101 @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @hamiltonwhumpdump @just-another-whumper @castielamigos-whump-side-blog @approach-me-and-ill-cry  @whump-it @kixngiggles @as-a-matter-of-whump  @five-fictions-5-9 @rippedjeansandfadeddreams

ʕっ• ᴥ • ʔっ  Thank you for reading!

#whump #whumpee #whumper #parental whumper #creepy whumper #possessive whumper #controlling whumper #conditioned whumpee #broken whumpee #intimate whumper #whump writing #whumpee held captive #whumper adopting whumpee

[rein-ette]

for @needcake's request, 5 times Engport died and one time they saved each other.

III.

Portugal finds him in the attic. The ceiling of the inn is heavily slanted, and through the drawn curtain hardly any light comes through. The room is musty and damp and smelled of — of rot, of festering wounds, of things falling apart.

England himself is still.

No one had bandaged his wounds, so lying on the bed infested with all manner of pests his body was a rich tapestry of reds and browns and mottled grey. Sickness cradled his spectral figure in its wings, perched on the headboard as it tore into its meal with abandon. For a moment, Portugal thought England was already dead.

Then he coughed, eyelashes fluttering weakly. Gabriel, he mouthed, voice long consumed by the illness — by the war, damn those things — that ravaged his body. Portugal saw the question in his eyes, anyways. Why are you here?

"To take you home," he murmured, brushing his knuckles over one bare cheekbone, rising from his pale skin like the spine of a great beast. "Did you think I could not find you? That I would not come for you?"

England only gazes at him. In the desolate landscape of his face, only his eyes remain a fevered green, too bright. Two jewels, set in clay.

He does not — cannot — protest when Portugal wraps his body in cloth, cradling his frail figure against his chest. Does not protest when Portugal carries him down the stairs, does not protest when he's forced onto the horse and Portugal rests his forehead against his and murmurs. It's not far. Hold on to me.

He does not protest, but oh — oh, how Portugal wishes he had.

England is dead now. Lying on a soft bed, cradled by linen and silk and velvet canopies, he's hidden away like some stolen treasure — an antique sword, a broken childhood doll — stashed in an opulent corner between Lisbon and the sea. This far away from his isles, the sun finally warms his skin, but his eyes are fixed and dark.

Portugal guards his corpse and regrets.

IV.

Tomás was — to say the least — confused.

He began getting a little disoriented when the first Dutch cannon struck their ship, and when the Dutch themselves boarded he was kind of lost — but to be confused in the chaos of battle was normal. Fights with the Dutch were normal. Even losing was pretty normal; their captain may fight like the undead, but the crew was only human, and they had been caught alone without escort.

At least, their captain had fought like the undead, until a tall Dutch sailor put a sword through his belly and a shot in his shoulder. Then he’d really just been dead.

That was when Tomás’ confusion really started. Because after killing their captain, the Dutch soldier had simply waved a hand and left, soldiers straggling behind as they made their way back to their own ship. The cannons fell silent moments later, and Tomás own battered comrades hadn’t tried to pursue. Watching their enemy’s flags disappear into the distance, Tomás had helped drag their barely conscious captain below deck as he pondered over this strange occurrence: in the middle of a war, a Dutch warship had just caught them, trounced them, and simply let them go.

But that had not been all. For just as he was leaving the sick bay, an officer had grabbed him in the hall and rasped, “Tell the navigator to set course for Dover.” Wide-eyed, Tomás had only managed to squeak out an affirmative before he’d been released, leaving him standing there with a bloody cloth with one hand and absolutely no clue why they were about to head into enemy territory after they had, uh, just been utterly destroyed by their enemy.

Still, Tomás had done his job and relayed the message, expecting that to be the end of the madness. He was only a rigger, he reasoned — if he just followed orders surely everything would straighten themselves out with time.

He was wrong. Now, a week later, Tomás still understood nothing. He had orders to find one Sir Kirkland, Lord of Canterbury, but he had no idea if he’s found the right one. When he’d asked the first mate what this Lord Kirkland looked like, the first mate had only shrugged and said, “Never met ‘im. Probably a geezer, since he’s a lord.”

Yet this young man standing in the doorway in front of Tomas, claiming to be Lord Kirkland, could not have been older than twenty.

“Are you or are you not one of Gabriel’s men?” The man demanded impatiently. His Portuguese was heavily accented, but clear.

“Yes. Yes sir.”

“And? What does the bastard want with me?”

“He’s dead, sir. My first mate asked me to come get you. Sir.”

The young man — Lord Kirkland — raised his eyebrows. His gaze seemed to skewer Tomás right through his skull. “Dead.” He repeated. Tomás nodded hesitantly. Lord Kirkland muttered something in his own language under his breath, then rolled his eyes and said, “Fine.” Fine? “Joseph!” He barked to someone in the interior of the manse. “Get this man a horse and ready the carriage. And call the doctor, for god’s sake, Gabriel’s gone and gotten himself killed again.” He whirled around and pinned Tomás with another look. “What’s your name?”

“Tomás Santiago, sir.”

“Thanks for your hard work, Santiago. After we put your captain back together, I’ll tell him to give you a bonus.”

Tomas stared. Put him back together? Bonus? Wasn’t the captain dead?

But this Lord Kirkland guy was still look at him expectantly, so he stuttered out a “Yes, sir” again and thanked him.

A few minutes later, Tomás left on a fine horse more confused than ever.

Notes

Scene 3 is set during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Portugal brings him to the Ribeira Palace, which used to be where the Praça do Comércio is now situated.

Scene 4 is during the Dutch-Portuguese wars. But it’s pretty much crack, so there’s really no need to say more.

#engport #hws portugal #hws england #fic #i'm just gonna post this bc i have a crippling anxiety about not posting for a while even tho literally no one cares #maybe this is product of me living by deadlines #part 4 coming soon hopefully if my brain cooperates

[p-artsypants]

P-Artsypants Fic Masterpost!

This information is always available on my blog. 

Find most, if not more, of these fics on:

Fanfiction.net | Archive of Our Own | Wattpad

(~AU’s, *Finished, ❤️Author’s Favorites)

Kingdom Hearts

~❤️Rage Awakened AO3 | FF.net- Ten years ago, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus lost their fellow apprentice, Sora, in Deep Jungle. Now, they are to return with two new students, Riku and Kairi, to lock the heart of the world. All the while, something watches from the trees. Feral!Sora AU

My Kingdom for a Heart AO3 | FF.Net - The curse of being one of the Princesses of heart, is that there’s always someone out to get you. As Xemnas looked failure in the face, he reached out in a last ditch effort and destroyed Kairi’s heart. Now her friends must travel the worlds again. Sora, to find a way to recover Kairi’s heart, and Riku, to make amends to those he has wronged. All the while, the darkness grows. [Unfinished, on permanent hiatus]

Miraculous Ladybug

One Shots

*❤️Amalgam- When an young man is rejected for being ‘incompatible’ he turns into the akuma ‘Amalgam’ able to fuse two people together. And later Adrien and Marinette would debate if it was lucky or unlucky that they got hit. (Also Available in Russian)

*Sing We All Noel- After receiving the worst Christmas present ever from his father, Chat Noir finds himself out on the streets with nowhere to go on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, Ladybug finds him and brings him home.

*Speechless- In a world where everyone has a soulmark, the first words their soulmate will say to them, Marinette is born without one. But Adrien Agreste has two. Curious, considering he’s mute.

*❤️Tunnels of Love- The night started out with an accidental kiss from Adrien Agreste, and ended with her bleeding in the Catacombs of Paris. Ladybug, the wielder of the miraculous of good luck. Yeah right. (Some blood)

*The Reveal That Wasn’t- First Parts My ending to kittybug’s Tumblr Prompt

*What A Mess We’re In- Ladybug has a lot on her mind, and when Chat Noir bugs her enough, she tells him she’s going to confess to her Crush, Adrien Agreste. Chat’s reaction is not what she’s expecting.

*Oblivi-oh no! - A retelling of Oblivio, except Ladybug is the only one to lose her memory. How will Chat deal?

*Bad Day (3 chapters) - Marinette was Ladybug! This was Adrien’s luckiest day ever! Except it wasn’t, because all his good luck was used up in one go. Turns out this might be the worst day of his life.

*One Win, So Many Losses- Marinette was forced to break up with Adrien. It had been a low blow from Gabriel, to be sure. But she was Ladybug. She’d find a solution…right? An alternate ending to Chat Blanc, where Adrien doesn’t Cataclysm the akuma.

*❤️Five Minutes- Gabriel has had enough of all these girls fighting over Adrien. He decides it’s high time Adrien picks one, and arranges the perfect opportunity for him to do so. Each candidate has five minutes to present why they’d be a good girlfriend. Marinette decides to take this opportunity to shoot her shot.

~*Panache- Every eligible maiden was invited to the Prince’s ball. That included Marinette, scullery maid in her own household. But her stepsisters destroyed her dress, and she can’t go to the ball in rags. Or can she? (Cinderella!AU)

*Perfect, No Matter What-In which Gabriel sets the bar even lower for himself, a reveal happens because of pain medication, and the new guardian actually goes to Chloé for advice.

*Crushed- Stuck under a collapsed building together, Chat Noir and Marinette have a heart to heart.

*Lovelace- Convinced that he's unlovable, Adrien is quickly thrown for a loop when Marinette confesses her love for him out of the blue. An akumatization and reveal later, he changes his mind about being unlovable.

Long Fics

*❤️Longest Night- (FF.net | Ao3) - The day started out sucky to begin with. Her crush ousted to the class and Adrien. Lila taking pride in exacting her revenge. But by the time patrol was over, a young man was dead, and Ladybug’s identity was at risk. Lila was the least of her concerns. Good thing Adrien was taking it all like a champ. (Rated M for scenes of torture)

*❤️Nine Lives- (FF.net) When Adrien Agreste is scheduled to go to a Military School in Germany, Chat Noir must make a critical decision. Does he give up his Miraculous? Or does he give up his life as Adrien? I’ll save you the trouble of guessing, he gives up being Adrien.

*Tender Words- When Marinette finally gets the guts to confess her feelings for Adrien, some things go so wrong, and other things go so right.

*Integrity- Overwhelmed with her responsibilities, guilt, and drama, Marinette has an emotional breakdown in front of everyone, and even hands over her earrings in a moment of weakness. Only for a few seconds, but the damage was done. Adrien’s pretty quick on the uptake like that.

~Much Obliged- Everyone deals with grief differently. Some take to drinking, others devote themselves to charity. Adrien Agreste? Well, he became a cowboy. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a witch, one of very few in the world. She knows what it’s like to be doubted, and assumed delusional. Maybe that’s why they got along so well. Or maybe it’s just because they both like big hats. AU where everything is the same, except instead of superheroes, Adrien is a Cowboy and Marinette is a witch. (Unfinished) (Based on a AU by @bugaboo-n-bananoir)

*I’ll Handle This- “I’ll solve all your problems,” Plagg had said. “You just have to agree to it.” A fixed relationship with his father, Lila to stop bothering him, and Ladybug to fall in love with him? Who wouldn’t agree to that? Except Plagg was the God of Destruction and Chaos and had a more…hands-on approach. Adrien just wants his body back. (Body swap fic)

The Ghost of Smokey Joe- Adrien Agreste was acting bizarre. Stilted body language, plastic smile, and he seemed to have forgotten how close they were. Before she can get the truth out of him, Marinette finds herself as the sole heir to the Gabriel brand and the mansion, following the murder-suicide of both Adrien and Gabriel Agreste. The mystery continues as Tikki explains that Adrien was Chat Noir...but if Adrien is six feet under, why is Chat Noir still running around?

How To Train Your Dragon

One Shots

The Vikings Have Their Tea (FF.Net | AO3)

Arranged Marriage- Takes place at the beginning of HTTYD

❤️Breathe- Survival of the fittest

~Childhood Friends- At the Sandbox

❤️Easy Fix- In which Hiccup has a bad day

~Fashion Designer- Astrid needs a fill in

❤️Frozen- In Which Astrid takes a Dip and things get frisky (Rated M)

❤️Headache- In Which Hiccup hits his head….really hard

❤️Heir- In Which Hiccup is Picked (Longer version by FateCharms)

Illness- In Which Stoick is a dad

~Illusionist- Trick gone wrong

~In the Walls- In which there’s a poop ghost

~Knocking On The Wrong Door (2) - A chance encounter

❤️Messages- Astrid is Frustrated with Hiccup’s obliviousness

~To Mirkwood- Hiccup is not a dwarf

~Monster Falls- Hiccup and Astrid take a dip

❤️Mute- In which there’s a quiet stranger

~Music Video (ImgHS)- He didn’t expect it

❤️Operation: Lovebirds- In Which the gang makes a plan, and Hiccup gets Drunk

~Over- Too many nightmares

~Partners in Crime- A normal day at work

~Pirate- Astrid is the greatest treasure

~Prince- He doesn’t want to be a broken King

❤️Sorting Things Out- In Which Astrid gets her ducks in a row

~The Dragon and The Dame- Beauty and the Beast Au

The Pit- In Which Hiccup is rescued

Hide and Seek- Part 1

Lost and Found- Part 2

Long fics:

*❤️Infernal Responsibility- Being the son of the chief takes brains, courage, and a lot of patience. But at his father’s the request for marriage, Hiccup decides he has had enough. When he seeks out a life of ease, he runs into more than what he bargained for.

*❤️Roses and Lilies- “Astrid, you and I both know you’re much tougher than I am. You’re more brave, and a better fighter…but just for a little while…could we pretend that I’m the one protecting you?” “Oh gods yes!” (Also Available in Spanish!)

*~What the Water Gave Me- The sea is a wild and dangerous thing, something that cannot be foretold or predicted. Hiccup discovered this many years ago, in human naiveté. Yet, what was meant as a sacrifice became a new life, one like no one could comprehend. He now finds himself once more in the unknowing hands of those that sentenced him to death. He only prays things will be different this time. Merman!AU

*Parasite- Soulsnatcher Dragons are rare but deadly. But, As Hiccup finds out, it’s the eggs you have to watch out for.

*~320 State Street- Gobber’s Goods. A Hardware Store that was rumored to have everything you needed. She thought she only needed a job. Turns out, she needed a lot more than that. (A Modern AU no one asked for)

*~❤️The North Tower- When Finn Hofferson died, Astrid inherited his castle in Wales…and a whole lot more. Something sinister lurks in the North Tower.

*~❤️Boy Toy- AO3 - At the age of 21, Princess Astrid lawfully has to pick a husband. But when the perfect groom is nowhere to be found, she requests the toymaker to create one for her. It’s safe to say that everyone in the kingdom is a little concerned. (Pinocchio!AU I guess?)

No, You Go First- AO3 - The Chief of Berk was a headstrong viking, stubborn and full of pride, and willing to do whatever it takes to keep his village safe. But for a moment, he puts that aside, and listens to his son. In which Hiccup convinces his dad not to make him go through Dragon Training, and the subsequent changes that follow.

*In Due Time- AO3 - As another illness sweeps through Berk, Gothi needs another ingredient for her medicine…one that doesn’t exist anymore. Fortunately, she kept that old spell book around for such an occasion. Big Hiccup is sent to five years into the past, and his younger self sent to take his place in the future. But it’s only a few days, what could go wrong?

Trollhunters: Tales from Arcadia

❤️Arcadia or Bust- In Which Arcadia welcomes back it’s underground citizens.

Teen Titans

Oneshots:

~Big Brother- Don’t turn out the light (Horror)

Dear Jason- Bruce Writes a letter

Just Drawing- Bruce thinks about Robin

The Prisoner- Starfire is Guilty

Of Mustard and Three Foot Purple Tongues- A collection of Oneshots and Drabbles

Long Fics (*Finished):

*~❤️Carol of the Bells- High in the dark Bell Tower of Notre Dame, there lives a mysterious bell ringer. Legend tells of the angel who fell from the sky, and the curse she bares. There are few who know her true identity though; her master, the priest, and the acrobat that performs on the streets below. Based loosely on ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ RobxStar and slight BBxRae

*No Escape- Three years ago, Starfire escaped an Alien race called the Gordanians, to arrive on Earth. They’re back, and ready to put Starfire back where she belongs, behind reinforced Titanium bars. Robin’s not about to let her go…if only he hadn’t got captured first. How does it feel to be the alien, Robin?

*Now you Know My Pain- When the new Villain, Gender Bender, comes to down, the Titans find themselves in an odd situation. They’ve been turned into the opposite gender against their will! Now in order to change back, they must learn to understand the gender they’ve turned into. Rated T for obvious reasons. A great read if you’ve ever wondered why girls or guys do [blank].

*Paint it Black- Robin disappeared three months ago. Now, Jump City’s crime rate is mysteriously being taken care of by a normal, albeit strange, teenage boy who goes by the name Black. As the Titans befriend this lunatic, they begin to see a relation between him and their missing leader. Will they be able to find Robin, or will Black turn them all insane as himself? Actually, contains NO OC.

*Saving Grace- “When I’m done with you, you won’t be able to walk upright or speak coherent sentences and all you’ll see is my mask and my voice repeating in your head…Weak. Richard Grayson, I am not tough, I am everything that you fear.” Happy Ending! Smudge of RobStar. NO Slash!

Other Fandoms

Final Fantasy XV

❤️Requiem for Pitioss-“O King. The god’s have heard your cries. Know that we weep with you. The Oracle’s calling has not yet been fulfilled. But…Lunafreya as you know her cannot return the way she was.” Noctis looked up, hopeful. “But she can return!” Canon divergence from Chapter 9. Happy ending. Some spoilers.

Final Fantasy X

I Do…I Guess? - “I would…like to ask you something.” “Shoot.” “Well…if it’s not too much…I’d like to ask you…to marry me.” Knowing what’s to come during her pilgrimage, Yuna asks Tidus to marry her, strictly for convenience and having an official next of kin, of course. Starts after Luca and how this decision would affect the rest of the story.

Beauty and the Beast

*❤️Behold the Beast- A Oneshot alternate ending to the Animated Film

Cinderella

*❤️Midnight- “When the clock strikes twelve, the spell will be broken,” the fairy godmother had warned. A retelling of the story, when Cinderella doesn’t escape the ball in time. Oneshot

*So This is Love- What if Jaq and Gus hadn’t made it in time to help Cinderella? A new twist on the ending of the classic Fairytale, and what lies beyond the story. She still gets her happy ending and her Prince, and her step family gets their just deserts.

Sleeping Beauty

*❤️A Love Song Back To Me- Maleficent saw the loophole that stared her in the face. Prince Phillip would break the curse in time, for sure. After all, he was betrothed to Aurora. So in an effort for her evil plan to stay in action, Maleficent takes care of the young prince herself. Phillip never imagined having to live off the land like the birds above. Alternate twist on the classic Disney tale.

Escaflowne

Down Feathers- Hitomi’s depressed. She’s been away from Van too long, he comes back to visit her…but what if something went wrong with the transfer? (Not finished. Never will be finished. Mwahaha) Circa 2012

*Angel’s Wounds- Fanelia’s been victorious in their most recent battle with Basrum. Unfortunately, someone is wounded and just seeks solace in his love that lives so far away. Post Anime.

Momma Look Sharp- With the war between Fanelia and Basrum finally coming to a close, the kingdom is celebrating. The young king, however, is suffering from an experience unlike any he had before. Van finally seeks solace in his wife.

#fanfiction #miraculous ladybug #ml #kingdom hearts #Final Fantasy X #final fantasy xv #sleeping beauty #cinderella #beauty and the beast #Escaflowne #httyd #how to train your dragon #trollhunters #Teen Titans

[gale-gentlepenguin]

ML Fic: Nathalie’s Gift Part 1

She sat up in the middle of the night.

She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She knew it was late, likely an hour or two away from sunrise.

She examined her surroundings until she saw him. There he was, sleeping in the chair at the end of the room. Gabriel Agreste, her boss, her ally, and the one she had fallen for, was asleep in a chair several feet away.

Ever since the defeat of the guardian and the plan to use Chloé to get the miraculous, she had been far too weak to be as mobile as she was in the past. Gabriel had set her up in his quarters, despite the mansion having dozens of rooms. He had reasoned that Adrien would never walk into his room without permission, so that it would never become apparent how her condition was deteriorating.

His logic wasn't entirely unfounded. She was constantly teetering towards the brink. Overuse of the once broken peacock miraculous has left her bedridden most days. Despite the miraculous no longer having such a negative effect now, she knew the damage was already done. 

Yet he hasn't discarded her, was it out of loyalty that he felt the need to care for her despite being more of a burden? Did he perhaps start to feel something more for her as this whole debacle went on.

The later of which was unlikely, she knew better than anyone that Gabriel was far too loyal to his wife to entertain such a notion. So long as he believed there was a chance of bringing her back, he wont stop. She could never be Emilie Agreste, the love of his life and mother of Adrien. She was Nathalie Sancoeur, trusted assistant, and partner in crime. 

She forced herself out of bed. Moving quietly as to not awaken the sleeping mogul.

She snagged her tablet, and the peacock miraculous that was next to it.

She moved to the office and sat in the office chair. Perhaps she could get some work done while she was awake. And should she feel the need to speak to someone, the blue bird Kwami would be a fitting companion.

She started looking through work but her mind kept wandering to one thought

So long as Emilie could be brought back, he could never love me. I could never replace her.

She coughed.

“Not that it matters, I am on borrowed time as it is.” She commented to herself.

She stopped herself as she let her own comment sink in.

She was on borrowed time.

With how she was now, how much time did she have, a few months? A year? Maybe a decade if she really tried to take care of herself. But it wasn't like she was sick with a normal illness. But would Gabriel be able to get the miraculous? Even with everything they had, Ladybug and Chat noir always seemed to best them at every turn. At the rate things were going, she would likely end up in a glass coffin as well, and if Gabriel fails...

In that moment of worry. An idea that could fix everything slipped into her brain.

It was a long shot sure, there was a possibility that everything will backfire. But she needed to do it.

She exited out of her work and went into the security feed using her tablet. She disabled the secret camera hidden in the lair below.

She started making a few preparations.

_______________________________________________________________________

Gabriel awoke to his phone’s sudden vibrating.

He quickly shook himself and looked at his phone.

“The alarm was tripped. Someone damaged Emilie’s chamber!”

The fashion mogul rushed out of the room. His thoughts were firing through his brain a mile a minute.

Who found the lair? Was it one of the heroes? A spy? Who would dare desecrate my beloved wife’s container?

The fashion mogul made his way to the secret elevator.

A purple Kwami emerged from the pocket of the rushing fashion designer.

“Is something wrong master?”

“It appears there is an intruder in the secret sanctum.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“Im going to show them the error of their ways. Nooru, Dark wings rise.”

Gabriel transformed into the villainous hawkmoth, His face covered by a silver mask, and is candy cane color scheme replaced with a purple suit. 

He was armed and ready to fight should. 

As the elevator reaches the bottom. Hawkmoth dashes out as soon as it opens.

He would strike quick, and take care of the intruder before they realized who they were facing.

As he approached, he stopped dead in his tracks. As he noticed someone standing infront of the Glass container.

“Hello?” The figure called out. Her voice having a familiar tone that caught the butterfly villain off guard.

As his rage diminished, he felt his vision clear and noticed the shattered glass on the floor, along with the glass container that was now broken.

“It... It can't be...” Hawkmoth’s words escaped as he realized who was standing in front of him.

“Can you tell me where I am? I woke up in this... thing over hear. Im not entirely sure what’s going on.”

“Emilie... is that you?” Hawkmoth questioned, unsure if this was a dream, or if by some miracle the love of his life was indeed back from the abyss.

“How do you know my name Mr. Masked man?”

“Nooru, dark wings fall.”

The blond woman watched as the costumed stranger revealed himself.

“Gabriel? Is that you?”

A tear spilled from his eyes as he rushed to her. 

“You're here. How is... How is this possible?”

“I... I dont...” She started to stumble as she walked towards him. Her vision was starting to fade and the world was spinning.  

Gabriel quickly moved to catch her as she suddenly fell.

He felt his heart panic, but he could hear her breathing. She was simply sleeping.

“Perhaps it would be best to take her out of her.”

Gabriel walked to the elevator, his wife in his arms, asleep yet very alive. 

His mind had 1000 questions, but in this moment, he didn't care. He was holding the woman he loved in his arms again, and thats all that mattered.

___________________________________________________________________

“Gabriel!” She cried out as she woke up.

Sunlight was beaming from the window, it was clear it had been bright out for sometime.

She felt sheets underneath her. What she expected was a hard floor in a weird sanctum but now she felt the comfort of a room that felt familiar.

She heard the door open and looked to see her husband carrying a tray.

“Oh good, you're awake.” He spoke with soft relief.

She looked at the tray.

“Are those.”

“Lemon tea cookies. Your favorite.”

She smiled at him as he brought the tray to her bedside. Allowing her to snag a bite of one of them.

“So good!” She said as she finished her first cookie. “I feel like I haven't eaten in years!”

Gabriel’s expression faltered. She could see the pained expression as she said that.

“Gabriel... how long was I gone?” Her question verbally stabbed him.

He took a moment to process the curious expression on his wife’s face as she continued eating the tray of treats.

He looked down at his hands.

“A year and 6 months.”

She gulped down her cookie hard at the revelation.

“Wow... I've been gone for so long... Adrien must be taller then... ADRIEN!”

Emilie grabbed her husband by the collar.

“Where is Adrien?!”

“He’s at school” Gabriel answered.

Emilie blinked.

“School? You mean he is no longer being homeschooled?”

“He still has some lessons, but he was insistent on trying to go to school like other children his age. It was more ideal for him to go out than for him to be stuck here most hours of the day.”

Emilie processed that information.

“I see, I am surprised you said yes. You always said you hated public schooling.”

“I still believe the school systems are... inferior, but Adrien’s grades haven't faltered according to Nathalie. So I don't bother intervening.”

“My boy has grown up so much since Ive been gone. Wait, is he dating yet? Please tell me I didn’t miss his first crush!”

“Emilie, I am sure that you didnt miss anything. You and Adrien can catch up once you are rested and he is back from school.”

Emilie took a deep breathe.

“Okay, You're right. It will be nice to hear everything from him.”

She looked around the room a bit and noticed the vase full of roses.

“Oh, fresh roses. Gabe-y you cheesy romantic.”

Gabriel felt his cheeks go pink.

“It was... the room needed some color in it.”

“Much like those red pants you insist on wearing.”

“They are fashionable.”

“If you were in charge of candyland perhaps.”

Emilie loved to tease him about is fashion calls.

“Who is the fashion designer here?” He said with a mock stern tone.

“Speaking of fashion, that costume that you were wearing. That didn’t look like the peacock miraculous.”

Gabriel’s tone shifted to genuinely serious. He figured the time would come to answer that question.

“It is the butterfly miraculous. After your...departure. Nathalie and I investigated the temple where you and I had found the peacock miraculous. We discovered a new miraculous, one that wasn't damaged.”

Gabriel felt a twinge mentioning Nathalie. When he had rushed to bring Emilie up here, he felt guilt and relief that his assistant wasn't in the bed. He would have quite a difficult time explaining that one, even if nothing happened.

“So with that miraculous you were trying to find a way to bring me back.”

“It was a means to an end.”

Emilie processed the information she was told.

“Gabriel, I want you to do something for me.”

“Anything.”

“No more miraculous. None.”

Gabriel blinked.

“But...”

“Those jewels are nothing but trouble. It has only caused our family suffering and pain.”

Gabriel was surprised by the claim, but he knew she was correct. The miraculous have been quite the curse on the family, despite the powers they gave.

“It will take time for me to stop using it outright, there is a... situation with how I’ve been using it. Your sudden appearance and the disappearance of Hawkmoth might be suspicious.”

Emilie looked at Gabriel intensely.

“Hawkmoth? Gabriel what did you do?”

“Well... in order to try an bring you back, the butterfly miraculous wasn't going to be able to accomplish that goal. So the only way I could bring you back with certainty was to attain the ladybug and Cat miraculous.”

The former actress listened as her husband explained how he became a super villain for the sake of getting the jewels.

“Unbelievable.”

“I admit, explaining it makes it sound a lot worse than it actually is. I planned to fix any damage caused once I got the jewels”

“And what if people found out your identity!? You would have been thrown in prison and left our son an Orphan!” Emilie pointed her finger in his chest.

“It was the only way I could think of to attain the miraculous. How else would I have been able to confirm the miraculous were in Paris?”

Emilie was ready to let him have it. But she felt herself calm down. She had to admit, in a weird way, it was quite romantic. Something out of a tragic romance novel.

“I should be angrier with you, but I know if the situation was reversed and I had a way of bringing you back, I would have likely tried the same thing, albeit in a smarter way.”

Gabriel felt a bit of relief seeing his wife not so cross with him.

“So we figure out how to orchestrate your ‘Defeat’ and then we say good bye to the miraculous for good.”

“We will plan it out when you are completely better. Though this does raise the question. How are you back?”

Emilie pauses, she tries to think back.

Protect the Agreste family... no matter what.

She heard that phrase echoing in her head. But she couldn't figure out why. Who said that to her. Why is everything so fuzzy?

“I don't know... I remember hearing glass shatter, and a flash of blue. But the next thing I remember was... seeing you.

Gabriel looks at her, he could tell from her eyes she was telling the truth.

“I will look into that later. In the meantime, you should rest. I will check on you in a few hours.”

He moves the empty tray from the bed.

“Wait.”

Gabriel stopped.

“Get Adrien here. I want to see him now.”

“Dear, he is in school. It will dismiss in a few hours. Besides you should rest.”

Emilie got up from the bed.

“Nonsense. Ive been resting long enough. I am sure Adrien can miss a few hours of school. I want to see my baby boy.”

Gabriel wanted to find some way to dismiss her request, but he knew he couldn't say no to her. She was far to headstrong and determined... and man did he miss her.

“Okay, I will have his driver go an pick him up.”

“You aren't going to pick him up yourself?”

“Emilie I have work to do. Besides that is why we have...”

“You can take some time off to bond with your son. Seriously, you need to stop putting up walls Gabe-y.”

Gabriel took a calming breath to compose himself.

“Very well. But do use this time to rest.”

She moves to kiss her husband.

“I promise.”

Gabriel’s expression turned into a soft smile.

“I will be back with our son shortly.”

Gabriel left the room to go pick up Adrien.

Emilie smiled as she moved to vase of roses. She picked on up and sniffed it.

The rose in her hand began wilting and shriveled up.

She looked in the mirror.

“Everything went perfectly.”

______________________________________________________________________

End of part one

(Should I continue? Let me know your thoughts)

#nathalie sancoeur #ml #miraculous ladybug #ml fic #miraculous fanficiton #Gabriel agreste #emilie agreste #ml angst #hawkmoth #adrien agreste #Nathalie's gift #Nathalie's gift au

[khaleesiofalicante]

¡Holaa! Bueno, siento que este capítulo va a tener algo grande de Rafael, entonces el español me pareció la mejor opción. ¡Espero que hayas descansado este fin de semana! Y terminado todos los pendientes :)) *inhala profundamente* No estoy lista, pero no importa:

Mina is a Queen!! She is gorgeous, amazing, funny af, just perfect💙

You know? The time I saw the Max snippet from a while back I saw something like this!! Mina telling Max it wasn’t a good idea!! (It was not a good idea to go that way, but I still feel proud of myself😂)

"For god’s sake, his own parents had gone to hell for each other. More than once!" (Not to take sides, but he is kinda right...)

"But they hadn’t told him. They hadn’t told him the hardest temptation was love." Just shoot me already please 🥺🥺

“You and I? For sure. We are definitely going to hell,” I need Mina in my life!!

Abshjdkfbd I'm in pain😭😭 I'm in the dentist Dani!!! I cant cry here!!

Magnus is sus...

Bfkdvdhs please tell me they are going to talk to each other!!!

"In retrospect, they probably shouldn’t have done that. They should have let him get hurt. They should have let him feel the pain. They should have let him heal slowly." This is so accurate. I thinks sometimes parents  hurt their kids doing things to protect and help them. And it's cause they are not perfect, and they were trying their best right?

JDHDJDBD HE CALL HIM HERMANITO🥺🥺 Well, my sister calls me hamster cause she once caught me filing my mouth with grapes to see how many could fit...the lil shit has my contact like that!! Idk, random fact😂

“We are both okay. I’m just worried.” Now that's a lie…

“It has to be love - that shit fucks you up.” Sounds accurate

“I’ve gone too deep. I can’t let you guys drown with me.” Kenidje please, I want them to be happy!!

🥺🥺🥺THEM💙 They really sum up siblings!!

Her lips had the power to make him break the law – and burn the world down if necessary. (I'm a Rosewood supremacy first, human second)

Hdvwkeb he painted her nails!!!

Dani you can't give me Magnus and Rafael feelings and then continue with the angst!! Its cruel!!!

"The older man had accepted it as his reality. And he was only ever been grateful for it, no matter how strange or how sad it became with time." I'm full of feelings, half of which I don't want to look at...

Hdkdbdn too much pain!!! They are having dinner together!!

"Even the high warlock of Brooklyn was not able to say no to that smile. So, Rafael stood no chance." 💙💙

THE FEELINGS!!

"His divine offering." Pain. That's it🙂

This is hurting so much!!!

“What if you weren’t alone?” BITCH NO. PLEASE NO!! I literally screamed!! I can't. It's too much!!

Bitch you too?? Really Magnus??? I cant.

My inmortal squad is just 🥺🥺

Now I want to know Gabriel... They sound interesting...

"So, they had promised each other to do whatever was necessary to stop it from happening again." That squad is superior!!

“I don’t know about that. The last time my children were acting secretive, one of them was fighting a greater demon and the other was bringing her boyfriend back to life. And don’t even get me started on Kit!” My Tessa deserves a break😂

I need Tessa to give me life lessons too!! 🥺

What does Ragnor has with dungeons???😂

Immortals always give me an existential crisis...  But I love them💜

Lmaoo I love Alec😂💙

"I have to do it while I can, Alec wanted to say. I’m catching up for all the ones I am going to miss." I am once again asking you TO TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?? I NEED TO KNOW THE ILLNESS ALEC!!

I love when he gets all simp for Magnus, but not when he gets like this, like he is going to die any minute now!!

“Tempting,” Alec said, nuzzling his nose against Magnus’ neck. “But I am on dad duty tonight.” “But you can also be on dadd-” (I literally screamed 😂😂)

“That’s where Diego lives,” Alec pointed out. “I should ask him if he has seen Rafael around.” (Oh you lil shits!! Can't you connect the dots???)

“Anjali,” the boy whispered – his face shocked. “It’s Anjali.” (Thank you!!!!)

And then his parabatai punched him in the face. (thank you Jace!!!! Love you)

Now I will sleep late reading this instead of doing the work I have... Sounds valid to me

Bejbdks I hate he is so calm!! Wtf dude?? I'm here crying??? And you are smiling??? That's not fair!!

“Magnus,” Alec smiled and held up his hand, his wedding ring shining against the night. “I have more protection charms on me than the entire Clave combined.” I'm crying, its just pain😭😭

“The world is on fire,” Alec pointed out dryly. “Then let it burn,” Alec snapped. “For once, save yourself first.” (ngl, I love world burning related metaphors...)

Because that’s what Alec did and has done his whole life. He took care of people. Jace might be a fighter, but Alec was a protector.💙

No. No no no. Please it's too much😭😭Nooooooo, my tears are literally falling on my computer.  I just need a moment...

That ending!! Not only Alec is dying, now his son is getting his marks stripped. That can cause the third attack.

I have no words other than this was one of the angstiest chapter so far for me and honestly I just want to cry, but i loved it!!!💙💙

¡Espero que tengas un buen día! Y sepas que mi estabilidad emocional ya no existe gracias a LBAF💜💜

I would like to thank Google translate for being so helpful:

SDJFBJSDH ILY.

I loved your reactions. And omg I love world burning related metaphors tooooooo

Sorry about your emotional stability <3

#lbaf

[vancilocs]

Is kabal and zephi on the table 👀 just dont answer what doesnt apply aaand colm and naomi?

they have a Thing going on

Who's the one who's reckless and always getting into trouble while the other gotta pull em out

They both think the other is the reckless one! But not getting in trouble, just being careless. Kabal would always like to make sure Zephi gets home safe and Zephi makes Kabal promise he drives safely

Colm doesn't think there's anything reckless about Naomi going into the forest during new moon, his mom disagrees

Who's the one to send the other "I love my gf/bf" memes

Kabal sends memes appreciating rude and powerful women who kick him in the nuts

If they had phones, Naomi more

Who's the one who listens to a music genre the other doesn't like and how does the other react

Kabal is dad rock 100% and that's his playlist when on roadtrips, Zephi is welcome to suggest other songs or even make her own roadtrip playlist if she wants to, but please don't be rude abt his taste in music

They'd both listen to folk rock sampled with mushroom growth sounds and throat singing

How one spoils the other more and do they ever get competitive to show the other more love

Not really? Zephi spoils Kabal by letting him stay at her place for a night or two, he spoils her by giving her flowers sometimes

Colm spoils Naomi by giving her extra affection, Naomi spoils Colm by letting him be by himself sometimes (but makes sure solitude doesn't drive him into a worse headspace)

How many years did it take to get married or was it just not for them

They haven't even discussed being serious yet, marriage isn't a big thing for either so like. It's whatever

Weddings and marriage aren't really a big thing in the clan, people just end up together and move in together and have kids without there necessarily being a ceremony (more like just a bonfire party). They just... became an item.

Are their friends/family supportive

Yeah... mostly. Mehara is fine with Zephi, Hafza is happy for her dad, Gabriel is pleased Zephi might have found someone fun. Herah is still very dubious but also doesn't want to interfere too much, Zephi is a grown woman who can do her own decisions

Very much so, Mahran is so happy to see Colm happy and she also very much likes Naomi. Myra couldn't be more pleased, Kaede is glad and Koldun doesn't really care but he's not very close with Colm in the first place

How does one comfort the other when the other is in distress/having a panic attack/crying

-

Naomi has to be careful because if she spooks Colm when he's agitated he will teleport by accident and she doesn't want him dropping himself off the rooftop again. Just speak to him calmly, give him his own space, reassure him he's safe and at home. If he allows, hold his hand or hug him. If Naomi's crying or otherwise distressed Colm will just hug her and pet her hair until she's okay.

Which one dissociates

-

Colm mainly

Which one stares at the other's booty like "damn" and how does the other react when catching them

Both honestly and neither really minds? Kabal will just ask if Zephi likes what she sees

Neither much, sometimes it's fun to walk past and give the other's butt a pat just to hear them giggle

When they live together what kinda place do they live in? What does their home look like?

More like what does Zephi's place look like, Kabal is practically homeless lmao

Cozy and warm, not too small so it fits their kids later on as well, decorated with dried plants and wreaths and branches etc., a bit messy sometimes but it's very much a home and a very comforting place

What do their dates look like

Grabbing fast food or going to a diner after work at like midnight or 2am, maybe going to a bar for a couple, Kabal being invited to Zephi's place, he brings flowers and gets tied to a chair

Go for a long forest walk, maybe take some food along and have a picnic on a cliff or something, enjoy calm nature, have a snuggle, kiss a little, avoid werewolves,

How does each act when getting drunk

Kabal gets louder and more jovial, careful not to trip all over his long-ass legs

Naomi gets a little giggly and very talkative, will talk your ear off about the stars and bones and how you can see the future if you do this this and this under the full moon. Colm starts sobbing inconsolably

Which one rolls over in the morning to wake up the other one just to kiss them

Could be a delicate way for Zephi to say you need to leave my apartment

Naomi, but after letting Colm sleep for a while

Have they saved each other's lives before

Nope

Nah

Does one have an interest the other thinks is weird but wants to listen to it regardless

Zephi has to introduce Kabal into BDSM delicately so he realizes it's a bit more than just handcuffs

Colm might not quite get Naomi's psychic tendencies but he knows it's important to her and people haven't always believed her about it, so he will listen to whatever she has to say

Which one uses cropped hentai as reaction images

I don't think Kabal even crops it

-

Does one of them kinkshame the other

Kabal will let Zephi know of his limits but he never shames her

Naomi has no kinks, Colm is ace

Is one of them self-conscious about their body? If so how does the other comfort them

I don't know if either, Zephi is shy but fine about her body in general

Colm has the scar on his belly from that time his dad stabbed him he's uncomfortable about, Naomi just doesn't acknowledge it. He's not super comfortable being undressed anyways so just let him keep his clothes on and he's alright

What song do they listen to while going on a joyride

Kabal has a whole playlist of dad rock and synths for his hours-long drives

What kinda joyrides do they go on? Relaxing ones or wild ones?

Relaxing for Kabal at least, excitement for Zephi when he moves on the highway and speeds up

Do people ever get annoyed of their PDA

Herah gets annoyed at Kabal for breathing but otherwise not really? They don't really show it anyways

Never, it's just cute.

Would they live in the city or the country

It's whatever for Kabal. He'd be going on a long ride nowhere anyways

They live a bit outside the village proper, more quiet which they prefer

Are either of them mentally ill, if so how do they help one another cope

I don't think so? Zephi is just shy.

Colm is a mess of PTSD and general anxiety, Naomi is just weird otherwise but she's very quiet, calming and comforting so if Colm wants to talk she's always available to listen and if he wants to be alone she'll make sure he's fed/warm/dry at least

Does one have a spot on them where they would melt when the other kisses them there

Inner thighs, neck almost behind the ear, throat when his head is bent back for Kabal

Naomi lives for cheek and forehead kisses (and kisses on the mouth), Colm likes kisses on his head

Do they dance together

They could hit a club, sure. Kabal is not super good at it, but passable

Hum a song and sway together at home, if real happy maybe even do a little dance at a bonfire party

Do they sing together

I could see them (or at least Kabal) belting out a tune in the kitchen or something when there's a good song on the radio

Sometimes, one starts humming and the other one joins

Which one is better at cooking than the other and makes most the dinners

Zephi is probably better, Kabal sustains himself on fast food mainly

They both kinda suck. Colm can grill a pheasant on a firepit but that's about it, and Naomi can chop up a cucumber and put some leaves on top. Mahran teaches them how to make the basic casserole before they starve

Are they a reckless couple or safe

Bordering on reckless?

Very safe

What be they kinks and do they try each other's kinks

Kabal isn't aversed to milfs and femdom but Zephi had him topped (hee hee) with bondage. The rougher stuff he will need to be eased into but he's always open for new experiences

Their kinks are Love and Care and Pants On Hugging

What would be their Valentine's gifts be to each other

A bouquet, some candy and a pack of condoms from Kabal

If they knew what it was, a good dinner and flowers.

Do they get into fights often? If so, what do they fight over and how do they make up?

They're not really in a serious enough relationship to have fights

They don't fight

Which one's top, bottom, verse

Both verses, but when Zephi tops she tops hard

What kinda sex they be having

If Kabal gets to pick, just... regular with a touch of rough. If Zephi gets to pick, he's screaming for mercy by the end

If Colm's ace ass is even in the mood it's lights off shirts on missionary

Who would fight in honor for the other if someone would insult them

Kabal would get mad if someone insulted Zephi, he wouldn't immediately throw hands but he'd be very vocal like hey, apologize to the lady

Don't get Colm angry the guy knows blood magics he doesn't have full control over

Do they want kids

Naaaaah. Kabal has a grown up daughter whom he adores and who's the light of his life, but he doesn't want more nor does Zephi

Yeah and they have a couple!

#colm is a very sensitive boy. #long oc thing #but like if herah hears zephi complain about kabal even once she will call a hitman

[cassandraclare]

Cassandra Jean’s illustration for this month’s Chain of Gold flash fiction — this one’s about Will and Gideon, and features James, Thomas and Jesse as little kids. It’s a two-parter, so here’s part one!

LONDON, 1889

Will Herondale was full of Christmas spirit, and Gideon Lightwood found it very annoying.

It wasn’t just Will, actually; he and his wife Tessa had both been raised in mundane circumstances until they were nearly adults, and so their memories of Christmas were of fond family memories and childhood delights. They came alive with it when the city of London did, as it did every year.

Gideon’s memories of Christmas were mostly about overcrowded streets, overrich food, and over-inebriated mundane carolers who needed to be saved from London’s more dangerous elements as they caroused all night, believing all trouble and wickedness was gone from the world right up until they were eaten by Kapre demons disguised as Christmas trees. Just for example.

Born and raised a Shadowhunter, Gideon, of course, did not celebrate Christmas, and had always borne London’s obsession with the holiday with bemused indifference. He had resided in Idris for most of his adult life, where the winter had a kind of Alpine profundity, and there was nary a Christmas wreath or cracker to be found. Winter in Idris felt more solemn than Christmas, so much older than Christmas. It was a strange facet of Idris: where most Shadowhunters ended up celebrating the holidays of their local mundanes, at least the ones that spilled out into street decorations and public festivals, Idris had no holidays at all. Gideon never wondered about this; it seemed obvious to him that Shadowhunters didn’t take days off. It was the blessing and the curse of being one, after all. You were a Shadowhunter all the time.

No wonder some couldn’t bear it, and left for a mundane life. Like Will Herondale’s father Edmund, in fact.

Perhaps that was why Will’s Christmas spirit annoyed him so. He’d come to like Will Herondale, and consider him a good friend. He hoped that when their children were older they too would become friends, if Thomas was all right by then. And he knew Will deliberately presented himself as silly and rather daft, but that he was a sharp and observant Institute head, and a more-than-capable fighter of demons.

But when Will insisted on taking them all to see the window displays at Selfridge’s, he could not help but worry that perhaps Will had a fundamentally unserious mind after all.

“Oxford Street? Days before Christmas? Are you mad?”

“It will be a lark!” Will said, with the slight lilt into his Welsh accent that meant he was a little too excited for his own good. “I’ll take James, you take Thomas, we’ll have a stroll. Have a drink at the Devil on the way back, what?” He clapped Gideon on the back.

It had been a long time since Gideon was last in England. As one of the Consul’s most trusted advisors, Gideon not only lived in Idris but rarely found opportunity to leave. He also remained so that his son Thomas could breathe the healthy air of Brocelind Forest, and not the air of this filthy, foggy city.

This filthy, foggy city, his father’s voice echoed in his mind, and Gideon was too weary to silence his father’s voice as he usually did whenever Benedict crept in. More than ten years dead, yet he had not shut up.

His brother Gabriel lived in Idris, too, and for less obvious reasons. Perhaps it was not only the bad air; perhaps they both were happier with a good distance between them and Benedict Lightwood’s house. And the knowledge that its current resident would barely speak with either of them.

But now Gideon had come to London, with Thomas, just the two of them, leaving Sophie and the girls behind. He needed advice about Thomas, people with whom he could discuss the problem discreetly. He needed to talk to Will and Tessa Herondale, and he needed to talk to a very specific Silent Brother who was often found in their vicinity.

Just now he was wondering if that had been a good idea. “A good bracing walk” was exactly the kind of English nonsense he’d half-expected Will to suggest for Thomas, but “a good bracing walk down the most crowded shopping street in London three days before Christmas” was a level of nonsense he had not been prepared for. “I can’t take Thomas through that crowd,” he said to Will. “He’ll get knocked around.”

“He isn’t going to get knocked around,” said Will scornfully. “He’ll be fine.”

“Besides,” said Gideon, “we’ll get looks. Mundane fathers don’t usually walk their babies in prams, you know.”

“I shall carry my son upon my shoulders,” said Will, “and you carry yours on yours, and Angel protect anyone who complains about it. Fresh London air would do all of us some good. And the windows are meant to be a spectacle, this year.”

“Fresh London air,” said Gideon dryly, “is thick as molasses and the color of pea soup.” But he acquiesced.

He had left Thomas in the nursery, where Tessa kept a watch over him and James. A full year older than James, Thomas wasn’t always good at understanding what James could and couldn’t do or understand. Tessa had been concerned that James would end up hurt. Gideon, though, was more concerned about Thomas, who was still smaller than James, despite the difference in their ages. He was paler than James, too, and less sturdy. He had only recently recovered from the latest of his terrible fevers, which had brought a Silent Brother, unfamiliar to them, to their house in Alicante to examine him. After a time the Silent Brother declared that Thomas would recover, and left without any further conversation.

But Gideon wanted answers. As he picked up Thomas now, he couldn’t help but think about how the boy was hardly any weight at all. He was the smallest of all “the boys,” as Gideon thought of them – of James, and his brother’s son Christopher, and Charlotte’s son Matthew. He had been born early, and small. They had been terrified the first time he caught fever, convinced it was the end.

Thomas hadn’t died, but he hadn’t fully recovered either. He remained delicate, weak of constitution, quick to illness. Sophie had fought harder than anyone to drink from the Mortal Cup and become a Shadowhunter, but now she was forced to fight a far worse battle against death by their son’s bedside. Over and over again.

Sighing, he took his son to fetch their coats for their bracing Christmas walk.

#

As expected, Oxford Street was a madhouse of pedestrian shoppers, carriages, gawkers, and menacing groups of roaming carolers. Gideon would just as soon have glamoured them all invisible from mundane eyes (although one of the groups of carolers were obviously werewolves, who had exchanged Acknowledging Looks with Gideon), but Will of course wished to bask in the experience.

James also seemed mostly intrigued by the noise and lights, giggling and yelping at the merry scene around them. A London boy from birth, thought Gideon, and then thought, well, but I was a London boy from birth, and this is too much commotion for my liking. For his own part, Thomas was quiet, watching with wide eyes, clutching onto his father’s shoulders. Gideon wasn’t sure how weakened Thomas still was from the last fever and how much he was overwhelmed by the crowds. In some ways, when he wasn’t sick, Thomas could be guilt-inducingly easy to care of; he rarely made a fuss, just looked out into the world with those large hazel eyes, as if aware of his own helplessness and hoping not to be noticed.

Will waited until after they had already joined the crowds at the windows of Selfridge’s and Will had made a number of nonsensical exclamations of delight of the “By Jove!” variety. He had held James right up to the glass to examine the scenes in detail, which seemed to revolve around some blond children ice skating on a river. Gideon had pointed things out to Thomas, who had smiled.

Only once they had stopped to purchase some hot cider from a man hawking it down a side street did Will say, “I heard about Tatiana’s son Jesse. Dreadful business. Have you spoken to her?”

Gideon shook his head. “I haven’t spoken to Tatiana in nearly ten years, or been back to the house.”

Will made a sympathetic noise.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” said Gideon.

“What?” Will said.

“A coincidence,” said Gideon. “That both her and I have children who are—sickly.”

“Gideon,” said Will reasonably, “forgive me for saying so, but that is a load of codswallop.” Gideon blinked at him. “For one thing, you have your beautiful daughters, neither of whom were more than usually ill when they were babies. For another, all of what happened to your father was his own doing, and happened long after you were born, and neither you or Gabriel were sickly.”

Gideon shook his head. Will was so kind, so eager to spare him the consequences of his family’s sins. “You don’t know the extent of it,” he said. “The extent of Benedict’s experiments with dark magic.  They were ongoing, from as long as I can remember. The demon pox just sticks in the memory, because it is rather lurid.”

“And also we were there,” said Will, “when he turned into a giant worm.”

“Also that,” said Gideon grimly. “But two sickly sons, small and frail—I cannot say with certainty that it is a coincidence, that it has nothing to do with the depredations of my father. I cannot risk the possibility.” He looked at Will imploringly. “It took Jesse years to become ill,” he said, “and Thomas has been ill so much already.”

There was a profound silence. Quietly, Will said, “You sound as if you mean to do something.”

“I do,” said Gideon with a sigh. “I must look at my father’s papers, his records of what he called his “work”. They are at Chiswick, and I must go and ask Tatiana for them.”

“Will she see you?” said Will.

Gideon shook his head again. “I don’t know. I hoped her anger would cool, over time, and her resentment. I hoped the fact that the Clave gifted her with all my father’s wealth and possessions would help her find peace.”

“Well,” said Will, “if you go, you absolutely must leave Thomas with us.”

“You wouldn’t want him to meet his aunt?” Gideon said innocently.

Will looked at him seriously. “I wouldn’t want him, or any of my children, on the grounds of that house!”

Gideon was taken aback. “Why? What’s she done to it?”

Will said darkly, “It’s what she hasn’t done.”

#

Gideon could see Will’s point. Tatiana hadn’t done anything to the house. Nothing to change, or clean, or preserve it in any way. Rather than restoring it or redecorating it to her own tastes, Tatiana had simply allowed it to rot, blackening and collapsing in on itself, a ghastly monument to Benedict Lightwood’s ruination. The windows were clouded, as though fog were seething indoors; the maze, a black and twisted wreckage. When he opened the front gate, the hinges screamed like a tortured soul.

It did not bode well for the emotional state of its resident.

When Benedict Lightwood died in disgrace from the late stages of demon pox, and the full history of his infamy was revealed to the Clave, Gideon laid low. He didn’t want to answer questions, or hear false sympathy for the damage done to his family name. He shouldn’t have cared. He’d known the truth of his father already. Yet it stung his pride, when he shouldn’t have had any pride left in his besmirched name.

The houses and the fortune were taken away from Benedict’s children by order of the Clave. Gideon could still remember when he had found out that Tatiana had brought a complaint against him and against Gabriel for the “murder” of their father. The Clave had first confiscated their possessions, and finally laid out the situation: Tatiana Blackthorn had petitioned the Clave for Benedict’s fortune to be given to her, as well as the Lightwood’s ancestral house in Chiswick. She was a Blackthorn now, not the bearer of a tainted name. She made many accusations against her brothers in the process. The Clave said they understood that Gideon and Gabriel had had no choice but to slay the monster their father had become, yet if they were to speak of technical truth only, Tatiana might be considered correct. The Clave was inclined to give Tatiana the full Lightwood inheritance, in hopes of settling the matter.

“I will fight this,” Charlotte had told Gideon, her small hands tight upon his sleeve and her mouth set.

“Charlotte, don’t,” Gideon begged. “You have so many other battles to fight. Gabriel and I don’t need any of that tainted money. This doesn’t matter.”

The money hadn’t mattered, then.

Gabriel and Gideon discussed the matter, and decided not to contest her claims. Their sister was a widow. She could live in the former Lightwood manor at Chiswick in England, and at Blackthorn Manor in Idris, and welcome. Gideon hoped she and her son would be happy. As it was, Gideon’s memories of the house were, at best, ambivalent.

Now he waited at the front door, its paint mostly peeled off, with deep gouges here and there, as though some wild animal had tried to get in. Maybe Tatiana locked herself out at some point. After a time it swung open, but waiting behind it was not his sister but a ten year old boy, looking somber. He had the midnight black hair of the father he’d never met, but he was tall for his age, willow-thin, with green eyes.

Gideon blinked. “You must be Jesse.”

The boy narrowed his eyes. “Yes,” said the boy. “Jesse Blackthorn. Who are you?”

Jesse, his nephew, after all this time. Gideon had asked so many times to see Jesse when he was a child. He and Gabriel had tried to go to Tatiana when she had the child, but she turned them both away.  

Gideon took a deep breath. “Well,” he said. “I’m your Uncle Gideon, as it happens. I am very glad to make your acquaintance at last.” He smiled. “I was always hoping for it.”

Jesse’s expression did not improve. “Mama says you are a very wicked man.”

“Your mother and I,” Gideon said with a sigh, “have had a very…complicated history. But family should know one another, and fellow Shadowhunters, as well.”

The boy continued to stare at Gideon, but his face softened a bit. “I have never met any other Shadowhunters,” he said. “Other than Mama.”

Gideon had thought about this moment many times, but now found himself struggling for words. “You are…you see…I wanted to tell you. We have heard that your mother doesn’t want you to take Marks. You should know…we are family first, always. And if you don’t wish to take Marks, the rest of your family will support you in that decision. With the—the other Shadowhunters.” He wasn’t sure if Jesse even knew the word Clave.

Jesse looked alarmed. “No! I will. I want to! I’m a Shadowhunter.”

“So is your mother,” murmured Gideon. He felt a slight twinge of possibility there. Tatiana could have disappeared like Edmund Herondale, abandoned Downworld entirely, lived as a mundane. Shadowhunters did, sometimes; though Edmund had done it for love, Tatiana might do it out of hatred. That she had not gave Gideon hope, although, he was sure, foolish hope.

He knelt down, to be closer to the boy. He hesitated, then reached out for Jesse’s shoulder. Jesse stepped back, casually avoiding the touch, and Gideon let it go. “You are one of us,” he said quietly.

“Jesse!” Tatiana’s voice came from the top of the entrance stairs. “Get away from that man!”

As if prodded with a needle, Jesse leapt away from Gideon’s reach and retreated without a further word into the shadowed recesses of the house.

Gideon stared in horror as his sister Tatiana drifted down the stairs. She wore a pink gown more than ten years old. It was stained with blood he well knew was more than ten years old as well. Her face was drawn and pinched, as though her scowl had been etched there, unchanged for years.

Oh, Tatiana. Gideon was flooded with a strange amalgamation of sympathy and revulsion. This is long past grief. This is madness.

His little sister’s green eyes rested on him, cold as if he were a stranger. Her smile was a knife.

“As you can see, Gideon,” she said. “I dress for company. You never know who might drop by.”

Her voice, too, was changed: rough and creaking with disuse.

“Have you come to apologize?” Tatiana went on. “You will not find exoneration, for the things you have done. Their blood is on your hands. My father. My husband. Your hands, and your brother’s hands.”

And how was that? Gideon wanted to ask her. He had not killed her husband. Their father had done that, transformed by disease into a dreadful demonic creature.

But Gideon felt the shame and the guilt, as well as the grief, as he knew she intended him to. He had been the first to cut ties with his father, and with his father’s legacy. Benedict had taught them all to stick together, no matter what the cost, and Gideon had walked away. His brother had stayed, until he saw proof of their father’s corruption he couldn’t deny.

His sister remained even now.

“I am sorry you blame us,” said Gideon. “Gabriel and I have only ever wished for your good. Have you—have you read our letters?”

“I never was fond of reading,” murmured Tatiana.

She inclined her head, and after a moment Gideon realized this was the closest she would get to inviting him in. He stepped across the threshold nervously and, when Tatiana did not immediately shout at him, he continued inside.

Tatiana led him to what had once been their father’s office, a sculpture in dust and rot. He averted his eyes from the torn wallpaper, catching a glimpse of writing on the wall that read WITHOUT PITY.

“Thank you for seeing me,” Gideon said as he took a seat across the desk from her. “How is Jesse?”

“He is very delicate,” said Tatiana. “Nephilim like yourself wish to put Marks on him, because they are intent on killing my boy as they have killed everyone else I love. You sit on the Council, do you not? Then you are his enemy. You may not see him.”

“I would not force Marks on the boy,” protested Gideon. “He’s my nephew. Tatiana, if he is that ill, perhaps he should see the Silent Brothers? One of them is a close friend, and could come to Jesse at our house. And Jesse could know his cousins.”

“Mind your own house, Gideon,” Tatiana snapped. “Nobody expects your son to live to Jesse’s age, do they?”

Gideon fell silent.

“I expect you want Jesse to marry one of your penniless daughters,” Tatiana went on.

Now Gideon was more confused than offended. “His first cousins? Tatiana, they are all very young children—”

“Father planned alliances for us, when we were children.” Tatiana shrugged. “How ashamed he would be of you. How is your grubby servant?”

Gideon would have struck any man who spoke of Sophie so. He felt the rage and violence he’d known as a child storm within him, but he’d desperately taught himself control. He exercised every bit of that control now. This was for Thomas.

“My wife Sophia is very well.”

His sister nodded, almost pleasantly, but the smile quickly became a grimace. “Enough pleasantries, then. You came to Chiswick for a reason, did you not? Out with it. I know what it is already. Your son is like to die, and you want money for filthy Downworlder remedies. You’re here as a beggar, cap in hand. So beg me.”

It was strange: Tatiana’s obvious, undeniable insanity made her insults and imprecations undeniably easier to bear. What was she even saying? What Downworlder remedies? How could remedies be filthy?

Had Benedict destroyed Tatiana as well? Or would she always have been like this? Their mother had killed herself because their father passed on a demon’s disease to her. Their father had died of the same sickness, in disgrace and horror. Will Herondale could dismiss it all as nonsense, but could it be a coincidence that Tatiana’s son, and his son, were both sickly? Or was it some weakness in their very blood, some punishment from the Angel who had seen what the Lightwoods truly were and passed his judgment upon them?

“I need no money,” Gideon said. “As you well know, the Silent Brothers are the best of doctors, and their services are always freely available to me. As they are to you,” he added with emphasis.

“What, then?” Tatiana said. Her head cocked slightly.

“Father’s papers,” Gideon said in a rush of expelled breath. “His journals. I think that the cause of my son’s illness might be found there.” He found he didn’t want to say Thomas’s name in front of his sister, as though she might decide to conjure with it.

“A man you betrayed?” Tatiana spat. “You have no right to them.”

Gideon bowed his head to his sister. He had been prepared for this. “I know,” he lied. “I agree. But I need them, for the sake of my child. You have Jesse. Whatever our differences, you must understand that we could both love our children, at least. You must help me, Tatiana. I beg you.”

He’d thought Tatiana would smile, or laugh cruelly, but she only gazed at him with the impassive, mindless stare of a dangerous snake.

“And what will you do for me?” she said. “If I do help?”

Gideon could guess. Get the Clave to leave her alone, to let her do as she wished with Jesse, for one thing. But in Tatiana’s madness, who knew what she would come up with.

“Anything,” he said hoarsely.

He lifted his head and looked at her, at his mother’s green eyes in his sister’s pitiless face. Tatiana, who would always break her toys rather than share them. There was something missing in her, as there had been in their father.

Now she did smile. “I have just the task in mind,” she said.

Gideon braced himself.

“On the other side of the road from this estate,” Tatiana said, “is a mundane merchant. This man has a dog, of an unusual size and vicious temperament. Quite often he lets the dog run free in the neighborhood, and of course he comes straight here to make mischief.”

There was a long pause. Gideon blinked. “The dog?”

“He is always making trouble on my property,” Tatiana snarled. “Digging up my garden. Killing the songbirds.”

Gideon was utterly positively sure that Tatiana did not keep a garden. He had seen the state of the grounds on his way in, left to crumble as a monument to disaster no less than the house itself.

There were definitely no songbirds.

“He’s made a disaster of the greenhouse,” she went on. “He knocks over fruit trees, he throws rocks through windows.”

“The dog,” Gideon said again, to clarify.

Tatiana fixed her piercing gaze on him. “Kill the dog,” she said. “Bring me the proof you have done this, and you will have your papers.”

There was a very long silence.

Gideon said, “What?”

#gideon lightwood #will herondale #tlh #the last hours #chain of gold #cassandra jean #flash fiction #cog2 #november