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generalluxun · 1 year

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Fanfiction: Chasing a Dream Chapter 1(of 14)

Alt Season 5, Adrienette, Original Akumas, Road Trips, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Chlodemption, and so much more! Chapter 1 below the cut. part of the @mlbigbang @apopcornkernel @nireu-art, inixyyl, and @mantabanter As Beta, and Artists respectively.

Chapter 1:Strike Out

Flairmidable held the ball of the Dog miraculous up triumphantly and smirked at his uncle. "Fetch."

Nothing happened.

Flairmidable frowned at the ball. "Fetch!" he commanded again. "Fetch!"

Still the ball did not move. Gabriel clenched his fists at his sides. "Another deception, nephew?"

Flairmidable shook his head quickly. "No, I swear to you, Uncle. There is no way she would have detransformed without getting the dog back from me. There is no logical reason this shouldn't work. Fetch!"

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

Marinette hummed to herself as she strolled up the street toward the manor. It was odd that Adrien had missed their rendezvous, but she was in no mood to worry. Adrien and Cat Noir, both by her side. It had been a dream come true. She used the walk to bask in the memory. Life would pile on problems soon enough.

She was shocked from her reverie by the wall of the Agreste compound shattering in front of her. A figure in orange flew out of the dust before impacting the storefront across the street. A purple figure—Hawkmoth!—pursued and lunged after the other—Flairmidable! Adrien!

Marinette dove into the swirling dust and debris. Under cover, she transformed and Ladybug leapt out, yo-yo already spinning. "Hawkmoth! Get away from him!"

Hawkmoth turned from where he crouched over Flairmidable. "Ladybug? Always where you aren't wanted. You've recruited a little liar this time, and it nearly cost you everything. But I'll let you go, for now. I've got what's mine."

"Who says I'm letting you go?"

Ladybug lashed out with her yo-yo; Hawkmoth dodged. He jumped over a second strike and landed on the roof of the store. The third he avoided by sliding down the backside of the roof. Ladybug tensed to pursue but then remembered: Adrien! He was down, maybe hurt. She ran to Flairmidable's side instead.

Flairmidable was pushing himself slowly to his hands and knees. Only his second time out and one on one against Hawkmoth. Ladybug reached down to help him up. "Take it easy Adrien, it's okay. I'm here.”

Someone landed lightly beside her and Ladybug turned to fight only to end up blinking into the green gaze of her partner.

"M'lady?” Cat Noir tilted his head. “What happened?"

Ladybug sagged in relief. This had been too stressful of a day. "Hawkmoth showed up, and attacked Flairmidable. I just got here myself." She crouched down again and lightly touched Flairmidable’s shoulder. "Are you alri-"

The look of panic and terror on Flarmidable's face stunned Ladybug. Oh, Adrien. But in a flash the look was gone, a quick calculating expression replacing it, then followed by contrition. Flairmidable hung his head. "Ladybug, I- I'm not who you think I am."

A trickle of panic ran down Ladybug's back. She glanced at Cat Noir then looked back at Flairmidable with a nervous laugh. "What, haha, what do you mean? Are you worried about Hawkmoth getting the better of you? You shouldn't be! He's extremely dangerous. He gives even us experienced heroes a run for our money, isn't that right, Cat Noir?"

An answer wasn't forthcoming so Ladybug applied a light elbow and got a begrudging, "Yeah. He's no kitten, that's for sure."

Flairmidable got to his feet, shaking his head. "No Ladybug, I mean I'm not Adrien Agreste."

Cat Noir’s confused, "Adrien Agreste?"

Was drowned out by Ladybug's, "Who—? Felix!"

Shock and fear mingled but anger outclassed them. Ladybug's mind raced. She had given the miraculous to Felix. She had to get it back. Ladybug held out her hand.

Her tone brooked no argument. "Give me the miraculous. Now."

Flairmidable's expression remained contrite as he transformed back and handed over the collar. Ladybug didn't let herself believe it for a moment. Felix had nearly fooled her before, and had fooled many of her friends. Yet as he stood before her in Adrien’s clothes, and his hair styled into Adrien’s signature ruffle, she still couldn’t tell them apart. The boy I love—why can’t I recognize him?

As he handed off the miraculous he explained, "My cousin and I switched places, so he could avoid going away. I wanted to keep his secret so I played along, but after the battle I got nervous. This seemed like something Adrien should know about himself. I was heading back to the manor to try and find him when Hawkmoth attacked me."

Ladybug had too many questions. How did Hawkmoth track him? Why was he Hawkmoth and not Shadowmoth? Where is Adrien now? One made her stomach churn above all others though. How did I mistake Felix for Adrien… again?

She glanced at Cat Noir. Her partner seemed wound up even more tightly than she was. His blond hair was practically bristling and his glowing green eyes had a darkness to them that she had never seen before. Instinctively, she laid a hand on his shoulder to soothe him before turning back to Felix.

"I can understand why you did what you did Felix,” Ladybug said, “but you lied to me and you put yourself and the miraculous in danger by behaving recklessly. Do you have your own way home, or will you need assistance?"

Felix looked between the two of them. Ladybug felt Cat Noir tense under her touch, and for a moment, thought he might actually pounce. But before that crucial tipping point was reached, Felix said, "I have my own way home. Once again, I am sorry Ladybug. I did not mean to deceive you."

Ladybug said nothing. She waited until Felix was already far away before taking her eyes off of him, surveying the damage. She swept her gaze back to the blown out wall of the compound. Adrien! Ladybug ran for the breach. “Cat Noir, we need to be sure everyone inside’s safe!”

Her command spurred him into action, but not the one she expected. “M’Lady! I don’t trust Felix. I’m going to put a tail on that dog. I’ll contact you if I find anything!”

Ladybug turned, but Cat Noir was already vaulting away. “Oh Kitty,” she said worriedly,”Don’t go getting into fights with strays. You’re better than that.” As she picked her way through the rubble of the breach, Ladybug hoped she was right.

The yard seemed to be in good shape. The rear doors were closed. Ladybug peered in with a frown. It looked deserted. She hesitated before trying them; during all her previous visits to the Agreste manor, something had gone wrong. “Adrien?” She called. “Mr. Ageste?” Don’t be afraid. You’ve got a good reason to be here this time. Go slow, don’t pry, just look for damage or anyone hurt.

She stepped into the ballroom and scanned. A loud *click* startled her and she spun to find… the door had closed behind her. She looked up and spotted the automatic closer, something so easily overlooked. But perfectly sensible for a man who doesn’t like the outside world sneaking into his home. What am I even looking for? There was no outward sign of damage. Neither Flairmidable nor Hawkmoth had particularly destructive powers though. The wall shot must’ve been a direct hit with Hawkmoth’s cane. Why here? Why as Hawkmoth? Ladybug reached the far doors and opened them to peek into the Atrium. There was no damage there that she could see either. “Mr. Agreste? Adrien?”

Still nothing. Ladybug crept silently into the atrium. The ground floor doors seemed closed. This time the click of the ballroom doors closing didn’t spook her at least. She turned and started up the stairs.

She was ready this time. Agreste manor seemed to have it in for her, so when another click sounded behind her Ladybug spun, Yo-yo at the ready. She came face to face with… Felix? No, he was dressed like Felix, but Felix was dressed like Adrien. So, who am I looking at? Ladybug ground her teeth in frustration, both at the situation and herself.

“Ladybug? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?” Felix-Adrien dropped the small day bag he had been carrying and rushed towards her.

“Stop!” Ladybug held up a hand, her insides knotting in uncertainty. “Who are you? Really?”

“Ladybug? It’s me, Adrien. I’m sorry. I switched places with my cousin to avoid going on this trip.” He stopped, hanging his head, just as Felix had done before. “But you can’t just run from your problems. I came back to talk to my father.”

She wanted to believe him, she wanted so badly to believe. “Tell me something only Adrien would know!”

He was silent for a long moment then looked up. A smile was on his face, the true gentle smile she had fallen in love with long ago. “Remember when Simon Says was attacking the house? You caught me in the shower trying to get me to safety. I asked if I could put my clothes on first and you said ‘If you–”

“--that’s good! Good! That’s good!” Ladybug waved her arms to cut him off. She felt like her cheeks must be redder than her suit. She stepped down to him. “I’m so glad it’s you, Adrien. Today’s been crazy.” She rolled her eyes and flashed a nervous smile. “Even for a Ladybug. There’s so much I want to talk to you about, but when I came here, Hawkmoth was attacking your cousin just outside. I came inside to check on you. I haven’t seen anyone though.”

Felix-Adrien blinked. “Felix? Is he okay?” He looked around. ”Father should be he–” He looked back at Ladybug who was now flexing her fingers in the air, eyes angled up from his own. “Ladybug?”

“Can- Can I please just… Fix it? It’s unnerving right now.”

Adrien followed her eyes up to his hair, laughed, then leaned in. ”I’d be honored, Ladybug.”

Ladybug ran her fingers through his hair mercilessly, ruining the perfectly smooth lay of it and mussing it up into the more natural look Adrien normally wore. He ran his own hand through it once after she was done and flashed her a model smile.

“Better?”

“So much better.” The relief was a physical thing. One part of the world, back to normal. “Felix is okay. He’s on his way home, I believe, with Cat Noir following him. You said your father should be here?”

Adrien frowned. “He should be.” He took out his phone, opening contacts and hitting call.

The volume was up; Ladybug could hear each ring and then the sound of the phone being answered.

“Adrien? What is the meaning of this disturbance?”

“Father? Ladybug is here. She says Hawkmoth attacked Felix outside our home.”

“Here? Aren’t you supposed to be on a train, Adrien?”

Adrien winced. “Yes, Father. I’m not, though. I’m home. Did you hear any fighting?”

“I heard noises before, I assumed it was some noisome public construction in the street. Now, you’ve disturbed my work more than enough for one day, Adrien. Unless it is an emergency it can wait until I am finished here. And we will talk about your disobedience at dinner tonight, young man.”

The fact that Adrien’s only response was an excited, “You’re coming to dinner?” broke Ladybug’s heart.

“Goodbye, Adrien.”

Ladybug wanted to fight Gabriel Agreste right this second, even more so when Adrien gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry for my father. He can be a bit hard to reach when he is deep in his work, and I did kinda try to skip out on a major brand project.”

Ladybug reached out and laid a hand on his forearm. “But if you don’t want to go, you shouldn’t. It’s not right forcing you to leave school in the middle of the semester; forcing you to leave all your friends.”

Adrien kept that same apologetic smile. “Maybe, but, maybe it might be good to think. It’s not like I can’t talk to my friends. For everything else she might fib about, Lila wasn’t wrong when she said I could keep touch with my friends via video calls. I’m used to missing school, and it might help me sort out a few things to be away from it all for a little bit.”

You and me both. Ladybug couldn’t argue against something she herself wished she could do. Instead, she reached out and gave Adrien a light hug before stepping back. “If you do go, just know Paris will miss you and we’ll be waiting for your return.”

Adrien’s smile was genuine, not a hint of the model about it. He slow-blinked at her before replying, “Then, I’d better be sure not to keep Paris waiting too long.”

Ladybug’s brain replayed his reply. Then it did it again. The air took on a pink hazy tint and time seemed to slow down. Ladybug felt a ‘tee hee’ bubble up before she could stop it. The small sound snapped her out of her daydream. She twisted her head aside in a rush to conceal her blush, and surprisingly, Adrien did the same.

Ladybug fumbled her yo-yo out. “I’d better get going! Take care, and safe travels, Adrien! I– I mean, we’ll count the days!”

She was running for the doors before he could reply, and didn’t look back once until she curled up on her bed in a pile of confusion and squees.

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

"It's still happening, and get this: Gabriel Agreste himself is coming along now!"

The sharp voice cut through the air and Marinette's cloud of thought as the school day ended. Lila. A quick check picked out her mark talking to a little clique of students on the stairs up to the second floor of the school. Marinette ducked out of sight under the stairs. She took a page from her other nemesis’ book and pulled out her phone, hitting record as Lila continued.

"Can you believe it? I mean, I can. Gabriel—I call him Gabriel—knows I am the best. It only makes sense he'd take a special interest in this project. A weeks-long project is the perfect opportunity to show him just how much Adrien and I are meant for each other. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if we came back with news of a betrothal. I mean, for when we're eighteen of course, but why hide it? Adrien couldn't find a better match."

Marinette wasn't sure which was harder: not screaming, not throwing her phone, or not losing her lunch. She managed all three, though. As the group descended into titters and congratulatory encouragement, Marinette pocketed her phone and headed for the doors. Think it through. Do it twice. Impulse almost cost us against Risk.

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

"Why are you still going through with this project, sir?"

Gabriel Agreste twisted his hands in the small of his back, gazing out a window at the ruined wall in the yard. "A new approach, Nathalie. A riskier one, to be sure, but one with potential."

Nathalie moved up beside him, the hydraulic whirr of her exosuit a reminder of his failure. "I suppose it is good I haven't unpacked. What is our new approach?"

Gabriel tilted his head, regarding Nathalie's faint reflection in the glass. "Fear. I have been engaging in physical conflict, which has never been my domain, and leaving my skills to rot. Paris loves Ladybug because they suffer little under her protection. We fight her; she repairs the damage. They are accustomed to it. On this trip, Shadowmoth will inflict wounds across the globe. Wounds Ladybug will not heal. Communities will suffer, for what? Because one person won't surrender their magical trinkets to another. Shadowmoth will, of course, be reviled too, but that mask is merely a tool. Ladybug is the hero. It is her problem to solve, her pressure to bear. We will win a war of minds, Nathalie. By the end we will have people worldwide howling for Ladybug's surrender."

He saw hesitation in Nathalie's reflection. "But sir, to start battles you know Ladybug will not arrive to? To kill civilians without having a chance to claim the miraculous?"

"None of this matters, Nathalie. None of this will have happened. When my wish is granted, the last fourteen years will be undone."

Nathalie's reflection vanished as she turned away from the window. "...Yes, sir."

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

Ladybug watched Cat Noir as he approached across the roofs of Paris. So much was building up right now, focusing was hard. She needed to deal with her feelings for Adrien, with giving the Dog miraculous to Felix by mistake, with Lila’s new gambit and trying to sort out how to respond, and yet she also needed to be here for her partner.

Things had been strained, and as he vaulted through the sky the moonlight reflection on his black leather costume turned it briefly white; reminding her why. Her heart seized, but in the wake of it all another thought wormed its way into her mind. Is this fair to him? Why is he paying for my fears? I thought he’d want the freedom from having to be a hero all the time, but it’s not the same. He wants to be out here. Why don’t I want to be out here? What good is a hero who’s afraid of all the really important things in her life?

Cat Noir’s graceful landing interrupted her thoughts. He spun his baton in one hand and quirked a brow at her. “A day for heavy thinking, M’Lady? Or just admiring your purrtner by starlight? You know we cats love attention.”

And just like that he could make her smile. She noticed the little changes. His words may flirt but his eyes held good humor rather than longing. He postured but kept himself out of her personal space. Her kitty was trying, changing, doing this for her. Do I owe it to him to try to change too? To do what? I love Adrien, but it seems I don’t even know the boy I love. Maybe… I should try loving the boy I know? That’s crazy! There’s no way! No way? Isn’t being Ladybug about finding a way when there is no way?

“M’Lady, you’re staring again. I’ll be blushing soon.” Cat Noir’s voice was a gentle whisper.

Ladybug shook her head. Not enough time, too many things; she would have to consider this later. It was time for patrol. “Sorry again, kitty. I’m a bit lost in my head right now. I’m still rattled from the near miss with Flairmidable and Risk.” She realized she was biting her knuckle and startled. “I want to talk to you about all that. I need to do more to keep you in the loop. I just can’t seem to get enough time to translate my thoughts into actions lately.”

Cat Noir stepped closer. He reached for her hand, and after the briefest of pauses for the subtle exchange of body language to indicate her consent, he took it and gave it a gentle squeeze. He brought her hand up and began rubbing across her palm with his thumbs. Instantly, Ladybug’s brain wanted to focus on nothing else, or maybe just nothing at all. The relief and reassurance in that touch was so complete.

Cat Noir spoke softly. “I– Thank you M’Lady. I know I’ve been a little unhelpful lately. I didn’t tell you how I felt.”

Cat Noir paused and put on a toothy grin before tilting his head and turning it into a self-deprecating smile.

“Well, I told you one of the ways I felt, entirely too often. I didn’t share other things though. That’s on me. I promise to try and be a better kitty though.”

At that, Ladybug’s eyes snapped open from her sedate daze. She turned her hand in his grip and squeezed his hand. Never mind that this left their hands clasped together. Denying affection for her partner was always a silly idea. Affection didn’t need to be love; it was its own warmth.

“Cat Noir, you’re an amazing partner. I haven’t been showing it enough, but I promise I will too. I’ve been focusing too much on just keeping things as they are, because all this is still very scary and new. I don’t know what a little change could do.” Actually, I know all too well. Should I tell him? Soon. I need to think about how. I don’t want to hurt him.

“We’ll figure it out together?” Cat Noir prompted. Their joined hands fell between them, but neither let go.

Ladybug smiled. She shifted her weight to go in for a hug, but balked. Would that be too much after all her talk of setting boundaries? She didn’t want to confuse him right now. She was confused herself. Relationships are hard.

She settled for a smile. “I’d like that.”

Cat Noir took a deep breath. His gaze went from hopeful to hesitant, and Ladybug tensed. She squeezed his hand to cover for it. He opened his mouth but closed it again.

“Kitty?” Ladybug prompted. “Now’s not the time to hide something. We have to start this off right don’t we?”

His eyes turned grateful. “Yeah, I thought I would have figured out how to say this by now. I don’t want to sound like it is coming from a bad place, especially with this little mini-breakthrough.”

She felt his thumb brush the backs of her knuckles. He took another deep breath.

“I have to go away for a while, m’Lady. I hate to do it, but my family needs me. I won’t be in Paris. I won’t be able to be here for you. I hate everything about leaving you, but at the same time. I think it might help me—help us—if I can get my head together, too.”

Ladybug’s stomach dropped. First Adrien almost vanished from her life. Now Cat Noir was going… again! This time, though, she had a chance. She could convince him to stay. I just need to let him know he’s needed. He’ll stay with me then. She opened her mouth but only a hoarse croak came out.

“I’m coming back!” Cat Noir added in a panic. He crushed her hand to his chest. “This isn’t like last time m’Lady. I’m coming back, just as soon as I can. We’re partners, and I won’t ever leave your side for a moment longer than I must. We can talk about the particulars. If– If you need Plagg while I am gone I understand, but know I’m coming back for him.” Cat Noir’s earnest tone rose to a teasing lilt, “Besides, unless you’re rich I don’t think you can afford his cheese addiction for long.”

From rock bottom to snorting with mirth. God, I love you kitty. … I what? Ladybug’s suddenly flushed cheeks earned her a confused look from her partner. She licked her lips to fill the silence with something, anything. “Keep Plagg with you, Kitty. We’ll miss you, but we’ll find a way to manage. It won’t be the same, but I have our allies now, and we’re a team. A team means no one person has to always bear the burden.”

Cat Noir raised his free hand to touch her nose. “That’s right, m’Lady. No one.”

Ladybug flushed anew, trapped by her own words. They were still linked at their hands and she squeezed again, taking strength from his presence. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, Kitty.” Ladybug turned her head to look out at the night skyline. “How long before you go?”

“Tonight.”

Her head jerked back. No time! Always no time. Why? “Do… Do you have time for a patrol?”

“I have time to visit the top of the Eiffel Tower, if you would. Don’t worry, there’s nothing waiting up there for you. I just want a few lingering moments with my Lady and my City and nothing else. I want to carry you both with me while I am gone.”

This time she hugged him. She launched herself at him and squeezed for all she was worth. He laughed softly, staggering under the attack before hugging her back almost as fiercely.

“I’ll miss you, Kitty.”

“I’ll miss you too, Ladybug.”

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

With a ‘spots off’, Marinette sat down on her bed. First almost losing Adrien, and now losing Cat Noir. The blows kept coming. Even if she felt like she was making some kind of progress in sorting out her feelings, life was giving her no chances. She picked up her phone and, spotting a notification, swiped it open immediately. She had to reread it twice before her brain would accept the words on the glowing screen.

Adrien: Hi Marinette. I’m sorry you have to hear this from me via text, but my father didn’t want a big send off like last time, at school. We’re going on the ‘First Love’ tour. I’ll try to text you every day if I can. If you want me to, that is. And if it’s okay, I’d like to maybe get ice cream when I get back? You’ve been there for me time and time again, but I feel like there’s still so much I don’t know about you. I hope this doesn’t come off as weird.

Tikki floated up with a cookie snack beside Marinette, and the poor Kwami took the brunt of Marinette’s internal explosion. “Tikki! Adrien’s going away! Cat Noir is too! At the same time! Do you know what this means?”

The little polka-dot Kwami blinked her eyes expectantly. “What does it mean, Marinette?”

“It means, after all my soul searching, I won’t be able to figure out how I feel about either of them!”

Tikki flopped onto Marinette’s pillow and took an overly large bite of her cookie, chewing with an uncharacteristic savagery for a moment before swallowing. “Is that all? I mean, if that’s all, then I wouldn’t worry too much. You have time. You don’t need to figure out your entire future before your fifteenth birthday, Marinette.”

Marinette flopped over onto her pillow, narrowly missing Tikki. She pulled her pigtails and let out a frustrated groan. “Why is love hard? I mean, I love Adrien right? I’ve known that since that first day. But what kind of a girlfriend can I be if I don’t know him well enough not to be duped? And why did Cat Noir have to change and become…”

Marinette rolled onto her back, letting her pigtails go and staring at her ceiling. Slowly she raised one hand to lay it against her chest, feeling an unaccustomed thumping both inside and out.

“... nice. Not just funny, flirty, goofy, or a jokester, but actually nice. Why can I see that smile now when I close my eyes sometimes, Tikki? Am I cheating on someone I’m not even dating yet?”

Her Kwami drifted into Marinette’s field of vision, looking down with concern. “Marinette, I don’t think that counts. You need to stop trying to feel with your head and think with your heart. They’re not made for that.”

Tikki settled and patted Marinette on the cheek.

“What is it you like about Cat Noir, Marinette?”

Marinette rolled carefully to avoid Tikki this time, pushing herself up on her elbows. “Nothing… really. I mean, he’s pushy, and always throwing himself into danger… to protect me. He never takes anything seriously! No matter how bad it gets he never stops smiling… I can always look to him when I need a boost. I swear, he’s so frustrating. You think he’s one thing then when you’re not looking… you find out he’s nothing like you expected at all.”

Tikki perched on Marinette’s forearm, her mouth open in anticipation. “And…?”

Marinette picked at her pillow, the next few words dropping out begrudgingly. “I never got to really see Adrien in action as a hero. I bungled both times. When I close my eyes, though, and think of what it would be like… I see Cat Noir.”

Marinette sat up abruptly, sending Tikki spinning through the air. Marinette grabbed her pillow and screamed into it before dropping it into her lap.

“How messed up is that, Tikki? Can you imagine if Cat Noir was Adrien?” Marinette stopped. Something was tickling the back of her brain. What if Cat Noir was Adrien?

Marinette shook her head to chase the thought away. Silly, stupid Marinette, you know better! You’ve seen them at the same time, right? Not that you haven’t been in two places at once half a dozen times. UGH, if Cat Noir were Adrien it would be so… so… easy.

She shook this thought away too. It was too crazy to entertain. Even just hinting at the idea was tiring her out. She stared at her cupped hands in her lap for several minutes until a concerned Tikki floated over to sit in them. “Marinette, are you okay?”

Marinette lightly scritched Tikki’s tummy with a fingernail. “Yeah Tikki, sorry. I kinda want to think about something else for a while, if that’s okay?”

Tikki nodded. ”Of course, Marinette. I’ll even give you until your sixteenth birthday to have your whole life planned out!”

The polka-dot Kwami giggled, and Marinette turned the scritches into a friendly poke. Tikki flew off towards the miracle box and Marinette turned to pick up her phone, looking at the message. Taking a deep breath she began to type.

Marinette: I’d love to hear from you whenever you are able! I’ll miss you a lot. Ice cream sounds awesome. I hope you enjoy your trip, and if you can’t, feel free to complain to me about it as much as you want 😁 Where are you stopping first?

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

“You don’t think Adrien will fall for it, do you?” Alya’s voice was cautious but concerned. Marinette could tell her friend was balancing the video evidence against Marinette’s past with Lila.

Marinette poked her turkey-on-brioche sandwich listlessly. “Adrien? No. Gabriel? That’s what I’m scared of. Even if you still don’t believe me about everything else, Alya, you have to admit Lila is persuasive. She gets what she wants.”

Alya replayed the video. “Well, all of us will put in a good word for you every time Adrien calls us. Aside from that I’m not sure what we can do. You can’t—” Alya made a flying gesture with one hand “—can you?”

Marinette shook her head. She settled for pulling bits of the turkey out of her sandwich and eating them without the bread. “No, I’ve learned the hard way what abusing the miraculous for your own gain leads to. Even if I could, what would Ladybug say? I can’t just show up as Marinette in random cities either.”

Alya sighed, passing the phone back. She reached across and rubbed Marinette’s back with one hand. “Sometimes it sucks being the responsible heroes, doesn’t it? Just once it’d be nice to be able to be selfish and have it work out.”

Marinette was half-listening. Alya’s words echoed around in Marinette’s mind waiting for a chance to sink in. As they did, Marinette's unfocused gaze resolved on the person she was staring at. Two added itself to two and Marinette banged her fist on the table. “That’s it!”

“What is it?” Alya scrambled to catch her drink which Marinette’s table abuse had upset.

“I’ll let you know if it works,” Marinette said, with a grin she borrowed from Cat Noir. With her head finally clear and her stomach settled, she crossed the lunchroom to a table that had never held more than two people.

Marinette took a deep breath as she approached; she opened her mouth.

“What do you want, Du-pain-Cheng?” ACK! How can she do that when I’m still behind her?

Marinette groped for her focus one more time then stepped around, hands clasped behind her back, and peeked at the seated Chloé. “Well…”

All her words dried up. It was like trying to talk to Adrien, but from a different place. Chloé’s sharp sapphire gaze drilled into her and everything seemed so instantly childish. Marinette didn’t even have the advantage of friendly support at this table. An audience to play off of might have given her strength, but here there was only Sabrina looking on with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

Marinette’s mind blanked, so she just dove in. “Lila’s going to try to marry Adrien while they’re on this trip and then he’ll be lost to us forever and then he’ll probably end up living in Italy for the rest of his life and we’ll never see him again!”

Close enough.

Chloé drew herself up under the verbal assault. Then after a brief silence in which Marinette felt all eyes in the lunchroom turning to the pair, she laughed. She laughed loud and harshly, covering her mouth with the back of one hand. “Oh Du-pain-Cheng…” Chloé flicked her ponytail and folded her arms. “You really have been working in that bakery too long. All that heat’s gone to your head. There’s absolutely no way–”

Marinette slapped her phone onto the table. Swipe, swipe, play.

She might as well have dropped a viper onto the table for the reaction she got. Chloé stared in confusion and horror at first, and then snatched up the phone. Her thumb stabbed replay. The short clip played again. Stab. Again. Again. Chloé’s face went from her usual bronze to pale, to flushed, to explosively red. “Why that long-eared, sausage-haired, fashion-deaf little cheater—!”

Marinette reached across to pry her phone from Chloé’s grip. “I was wrong about Kagami, and you were too.”

Chloé snapped out of her incandescent rage and narrowed her eyes at Marinette. I can’t lose her. I have to keep this going. Why did I ever think this was a good idea?

Marinette held up a finger. “But I’m not wrong about Lila. This time, we really do have to stop her from sinking her claws into Adrien. He doesn’t want this, but that’s not something someone like Lila cares about.”

Distrust still loomed large on Chloé’s face. She pulled out her own phone. “Well, unlike you, Du-pain-Cheng, I don’t panic. I’ll have this all wrapped up in no time.”

Chloé tapped a name in her contacts and turned up the volume with a smug expression on her face. The line only rang once though before kicking over to a recording.

“Hi! You’ve reached the voicemail of Lila Rossi. I’m currently traveling the world for a big project with the Gabriel Agreste. I likely won’t have time to get back to you until it’s over, but leave a message and I’ll see what I can do.”

“SEND ME TO VOICEMAIL!!?” Chloé screamed at her phone before pitching it across the table. Sabrina, with a padded glove already on her hand, dove to catch it.

Marinette fought desperately not to laugh. It wouldn’t help, but ohhhh that was good. Instead she pointed out innocently, “Why use a phone? Isn’t it more fun in person? If only there was some way to follow them…”

Chloé, on the hook, jumped to her feet, knocking her table askew. “There is! I have a jet!” Chloé reached for her phone, which Sabrina supplied without missing a beat. She stabbed contacts again. “DADDY! I need the jet! I’m going to see Adrien! Now! Yes, now! You let ME worry about that, you just get me my jet!”

She hung up while her father was still stammering on the line and swept her molten blue gaze around the deathly quiet lunchroom.

“WHAT?”

Everyone took an instant interest in their food, except Marinette. She couldn’t believe how well this had worked, but there was one snag. “Now, Chloé? Don’t we need time to pack and get things in order, and talk to our–”

Chloé switched from anger to disdain fluidly. “We? Who says you’re going, Du-pain-Cheng? Get your own jet, mine’s full.”

Marinette was ready for this and played her trump card. “And where’s it going?”

Chloé huffed. “After Adrien of course. I got their flight plan from Li–” she cut herself off.

Marinette smiled ever so sweetly. ”What’s the first city?”

Chloé growled, “Munich.”

Marinette countered, “Venice.”

Chloe folded her arms again, shifting her weight to one foot. “Oh? And how would you know?”

Marinette went for the throat. “Adrien told me.”

For once, victory didn’t feel so sweet. Chloé’s eyes widened and then darted around the lunchroom where everyone was ignoring them all too conspicuously by this point. She lifted her phone as if it might contain some hidden truth before jerking her head away from it and grumbling, “Fine, you can come. Just this once though! Don’t get used to it. Luxury isn’t meant for baker girls.”

Chloé’s voice trailed off at the end, the retort barely audible. Where normally the fire of competition would be burning between them there was an emptiness Marinette couldn’t explain. Later. Focus! “Okay, so, we’ll meet up after school?”

Chloé regained a spark of herself. “After school? Now, Du-Pain-Cheng! You’ve got an hour to get packed. The limo will pick you up, or you’ll stay behind.”

Without waiting, Chloé stalked out of the lunch room, her food barely touched. Sabrina snagged an uneaten sandwich and jogged after her.

Marinette sagged in exhaustion. Little prickling tingles danced across her skin in reaction. She was still trying to process what she’d just gotten herself into when Alya laid an arm across her shoulders. “Well Marinette, that was certainly a show for the ages. I got it all on tape, too. That was either brilliant or insane. I can’t wait to hear which.”

Insane. The word shocked Marinette back to life. She turned and caught Alya by the front of her shirt. “I’ve got an hour! I need to pack! I need to tell my parents! I need to figure out what to do about school. Do you think this will take long? How long is a trip to Venice? Oh my God Alya, what do I do about La–”

Marinette bit off this last worry. Alya gently extracted Marinette’s clenched fists from her shirt. “One thing at a time Marinette. I think packing and your parents come first. Why don’t I walk with you? We’ve got until the end of lunch to sort this out?”

Alya prompted them into motion, and the walking helped Marinette’s brain to restart. She picked out the most important thing first. Once she was sure they weren’t within earshot of anyone else Marinette leaned in to explain. “I’m going to give you a miraculous-”

“Trixx?” Alya’s voice contained heartbreaking excitement. I wish I could.

Marinette shook her head, “I’m sorry Alya, but Shadowmoth knows who you are in that form now. I’m going to leave you the Ox. You can get to know Stompp, and he’ll help you keep threats at bay. I’ll have Kaalki with me and I can voyage back as soon as I get an alert. That should keep us safe. Cat Noir’s not available right now though, so you can’t expect support from him.”

Alya blinked. “What happened to Cat Noir?”

He might be visiting family, or he might be on a trip around the world. Marinette’s heart twisted at the uncertainty. She grimaced. “I don’t know everything, we try not to share too much information. He’ll be back though, so he could show up. I just don’t want you to expect him to if he won’t.”

Alya absorbed the information and after a brief moment nodded. “Sounds good. Do you want to leave any others behind? Shelter sure might come in handy.”

Marinette gave her friend a little elbow. “Your boyfriend wouldn’t recognize you as the Ox anyway. I’ll be bringing back everything we need when I come. I trust you, Alya. You’ll be fine. You’ve already been Ladybug.”

Alya grinned. “Yeah, you have a way of going on last-minute trips and leaving me to hold things together.”

Marinette blushed. “Sorry. This time, I didn’t know I was going until the same time you did though.”

Alya elbowed her back. “Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky I love you, Marinette.”

#mlbigbang #mlb fanfic #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #canon divergent au #Starts at the end of Strikeback #gabriel agreste #nathalie sancoeur #lila rossi #alya cesaire #tikki

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aalissy · 10 months

Text

Panic Attack

This chapter is veryyyy angsty!! Just to let you know. I wanted to write about Ladybug’s thoughts during Strikeback bc it’s one of my fave lil Ladrien moments. I promise to be back with more fluff tomorrow <3

AO3

Ladybug swung from rooftop to rooftop. A slight wave of anxiety was building in her chest but she pushed it down. It must have been her fault. She either forgot to tell Adrien to meet her in the sewers or he went straight home by accident.

Flinging herself into the manor, the anxiety was instantly replaced with relief as she spotted the back of his head. Good. He had detransformed. It would be a lot easier to grab the miraculous of the dog now.

“Phew! There you are. I’m sorry I thought I told you we were supposed to meet up.” Ladybug walked over to him, the nervousness building inside of her once more when she saw the look of confusion in his eyes. Surely he knew that she had to get the miraculous back.

“Meet up?”

“Yes, so you could give it back to me.” She held her hand out.

It was going to be fine. After all, Adrien had no problems giving her back the snake miraculous before.

His face remained puzzled as he glanced from her outstretched hand back to her eyes. “Give what back to you?”

An uneasy feeling was beginning to churn in her gut. Something was off here... she just didn’t know what.

Ladybug shrugged it off. She was probably being paranoid. “Well, the miraculous of the dog.”

“But you didn’t give me anything.”

She almost laughed. Was this some kind of a joke he was pulling on her? It had only been an hour since she had last seen him, after all.

“Of course, I did! On the train.”

Adrien blinked at her in surprise. “The train?” All at once recognition lit in his eyes as he frowned. “Félix!”

Ladybug gasped, her eyes popping out as panic began to overwhelm her. But if it hadn’t been Adrien on the train then that meant that she had given the miraculous to Félix. The very same boy who had tried to make a deal with Hawkmoth without being under an akumatization.

She paused, clenching her eyes shut as she struggled to think. She couldn’t afford to panic yet. She had to think.

What was his plan? What could he possibly do with just the miraculous of the dog? It wasn’t the most powerful of miraculouses. Shadowmoth wouldn’t make a trade for just the dog miraculous alone. No. There was something here that she was missing. Something important.

While she wracked her brain, though, Félix’s true plan came to light. A bright orange ball came whizzing through the floor, stealing her yo-yo from her waist.

Oh god. Oh god. The miraculouses! Shadowmoth was going to have every last one of them!

Ladybug couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Panic was seizing her lungs, leaving her a hyperventilating mess. She struggled for air, trying to suck it in even as it felt like her lungs were constricting. Terror flooded through her. She couldn’t... she just couldn’t!

Through pants of air, she struggled to get words out. “The ball... of the dog...” She dug her nails into her forehead, trying to feel something other than the waves of hysteria that were slowly taking over.

It was over. It was over! She had lost and Shadowmoth had won.

“Félix... He has the yo-yo, and that means... he has the miraculous!”

Ladybug was shaking, her hands trembling as tears began to pool in her eyes. If Shadowmoth had every miraculous in his hands then there was nothing that she could do. She had failed to be a guardian. Master Fu would be ashamed of her. She was ashamed of herself.

Her thoughts continued to taunt and berate her. Reminding her of just how awful of a miraculous holder she truly was. It was no wonder Chat had been so upset with her recently. She was such a failure!

Spiraling even further down into a mass of panic, she continued to pant for air. Ladybug couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t she breathe? Was that Félix too?

A pair of hands cupped her shoulders gently, but she ignored them. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Not now that she had given every last miraculous over to Shadowmoth.

“Ladybug, try to keep calm.” Adrien crouched down, his voice and eyes snapping her back into the present. She focused on him, trying to slow her panicked inhales. “Think. There must be a way to get your yo-yo back.”

He was right. Think. She had to think. Had to lessen the waves of panic before she lost everything.

And he was right. There was a way to get her yo-yo back. Though she wasn’t entirely certain that she wanted to try it...

What if this was just another trick?

But it was still a plan. The only one Ladybug had at the moment and she had to at least suggest it.“Yes, maybe if I transform back and then—”

“Go ahead.” Adrien slid open the door to his bathroom, guiding her inside. “You’ll be safe here.”

Why had he been so sudden about her transforming here? Maybe she was right and this was another trick. Maybe after this Shadowmoth would swoop in and steal her miraculous when she was detransformed and entirely defenseless. Maybe she was wrong again and this was Félix and not Adrien.

“I-I don’t know anymore.” Ladybug glanced away, clutching her head as another wave of panic and horror surged within her. “What if it’s a trap? What if you’re Félix?”

“If you’re gonna trust me once, please let it be this time!” Adrien spoke with sincerity, slamming the door closed.

Turning around, Ladybug sank to the floor with a miserable sigh. He was right. This was the only way to get her yo-yo back. She needed to trust him. Did trust him if it was, in fact, Adrien.

“Spots off,” she whispered.

In a whirl of pink light, Marinette was left kneeling on the floor. Tears dripped from her eyes as she gazed steadily at the floor. “Please hurry, Tikki.” Quickly, she handed her kwami a macaroon. “We can’t let them take all the miraculous. Please let there be some left. There has to be some left!”

Marinette clenched her eyes shut, hoping... praying that Shadowmoth hadn’t stolen every last one. Just one. Let there be just one. It could be any miraculous. At this point, she didn’t care.

“I’m done!” Tikki shouted.

“Tikki, spots on!” Marinette shouted, barely waiting for the transformation to finish before she was pulling out her yo-yo. In a rush, she flicked it open, sticking her hand inside as she struggled to find even one.

But it was too late. There was nothing left. It was officially over.

“No! There’s nothing left!”

Soft sobs left her as she collapsed on Adrien’s bathroom floor. The cool tile on her face was the only thing keeping her from spiraling even further into despair. That and the sound of Adrien’s soft voice as he called out to her.

“Ladybug...?”

“I’ve lost...” she finished in a soft whisper.

Blinking back tears, Ladybug looked up at his window. She had to go. Had to get out of here before facing him again. She couldn’t let Adrien know just how badly she had messed up.

None of this was his fault and she knew, as sure as she knew herself, that he was feeling guilty for something that had nothing to do with him. It was one of the reasons why she loved him. He had so much heart. Unlike Félix.

With her lower lip wobbling at the thought, Ladybug pushed herself to a stand as she opened the closed window. She flung herself out, needing to get away. Needing to forget about her failures for a moment.

She was heading straight for the spot she and Chat always shared overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Right now, it was the only place she might feel some comfort. With her tears mixing with the rain as it streamed down her face, Ladybug swung her way over to that rooftop. He would come to find her soon.

#ladrienjune2023 #ladrienjune #ladrien #love square #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #ml fic #fic #fanfic #angst #strikeback #strikeback spoilers

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