#nino: hey dude let's throw a party at your house. GUYS ONLY!!!!

[buggachat]

remember when miraculous ladybug finally decided to do an "adrien hangs out with The Guys" episode, like how we get scenes of marinette hanging out with The Girls all the time, but i guess the writers decided that the only way adrien would fit in an environment with a bunch of guys was if they were in a gay night club, and the night club was adrien's bedroom, and they were throwing around rainbow glitter and kissing each other and blasting The Village People so loud that it almost killed his already dead mother and

#everyone come get your bi-weekly ''buggachat thinks about Party Crasher'' post #''there is no canon evidence that adrien is LGBTQ'' yeah well try to explain the existence of party crasher to me #like why else would they write it like this #nino: hey dude let's throw a party at your house. GUYS ONLY!!!! #adrien: i dont understand the gender distinction but can we blast The Village People? on my special edition rainbow record w rainbw glitter #adrien: and can nathaniel and marc kiss me? #nino (nodding along): yes. of course.

[dakotacrisis]

Adrien’s Sick Day

(This dumb idea would not let me sleep. Adrien gets sick but refuses to miss school so chugs a bottle of Nyquil but starts crashing when he gets to school. Shoots back an energy drink to keep awake. Disassociates so hard he comes to with a new fencing trophy and a girlfriend.)

---

Adrien was sick. He never got sick easy but he was sicker than a dog today. His temperature was through the roof and the only medicine in the house was a bottle of Nyquil.

“Sounds like an easy day in.” Plagg said. “Chug it down and let’s get back to bed.”

Adrien shook his head. “I wanna go to school.”

“School?” Plagg rested on top of his head, “Kid, do you really want to attempt class today?”

“I have already missed normal human interaction for the first fifteen years of my life. I am not missing another day!” Adrien chugged down the Nyquil. “Let’s go!”

Despite Plagg’s protests to stay inside Adrien collected his bag and headed to school. He was doing well up until he stepped inside and the medicine really started kicking in. Right...the medicine wasn’t the non-drowsy kind.

“Hey dude,” Nino clapped him on the back to which Adrien almost fell face first into floor. “Dang, what’s wrong with you?”

“Fever. Medicine. Sleepy. Not missing class.” Adrien rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Got any coffee?”

“I have this.” Nino pulled out an energy drink from his bag. “You can have it if you really want it but I think you should just go home.”

“No, I’m fine. Hand it over.” Adrien took the drink and walked with Nino into class.

In the blink of an eye Adrien was no longer in class but back home in his room holding a half empty cup of boba. “What the...” Adrien looked around. “How did I...”

The sun was further down in the sky so it must be later. Oh god, where did he put his phone? On his desk was a new fencing trophy he didn’t remember earning. Hanging off the trophy’s miniature epee was the lucky charm Marinette had lent him.

This was strange. He checked the clock on his computer and was surprised to see that it was five in the evening. What had happened all day? He couldn’t remember a thing.

The sound of his phone ringing with a notification caught his attention. He rummaged around in his bag and pulled it out. The background on his phone had changed too. Instead of the picture of him and Nino it was him in his fencing uniform holding a trophy in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Marinette who was kissing his cheek.

Okay. What the heck happened today?

He went to his contacts and hit Nino’s number. Hopefully he could shed some light on this situation.

“Hey bro, what’s up?” Nino shouted over the roar of a crowd in the background, “You change your mind and want to come out to the party?”

“Party?” Adrien asked. “What party?”

“Well I guess it is turning more into a festival. I know Marinette said you should go home and rest but you sound a lot better. We’re currently out under the Eiffel Tower if you wanna stop by.”

“What festival? What’s going on?” Adrien couldn’t make heads or tails of what he was saying. He was fairly certain there wasn’t any parties or holidays today.

“Sorry dude, I can’t hear you.” Nino shouted over the noise, “Eiffel Tower! Come out! Have some fun!”

He hung up and Adrien was back at square one but with even more questions. Maybe there were some clues in his phone. He checked his pictures and saw that there were more pictures he had taken today. The picture he had set as his background was there. There was a group shot with the guys who held Adrien up on their shoulders. Those were taken around four.

Adrien checked his calendar and saw that he did have a fencing tournament today at three. So that’s where he must have been for that hour. And he ended up placing first while zonked out on cold medicine. Adrien wasn’t sure what to make of that. Either his opponents weren’t that great or he is just an amazing fencer when he’s blacked out. Neither sat right with him.

That’s still leaves the seven hours from school and the hour between when he won the tournament and when he got home. Wait! Plagg! Plagg was by his side the entire time! He’d know!

“Plagg!” Adrien called, “Plagg! Where are you?”

“Ugh, you said I could relax.” Plagg’s voice came from the cheese cabinet. Adrien opened it and saw Plagg nesting atop a large wheel of camembert. “Haven’t we done enough today?”

“Plagg, I don’t remember what happened today. You have to fill me in.”

“Seriously?” PLagg laughed, “You don’t remember a thing?”

“No! And it’s creeping me out!” Adrien pulled him out of the cabinet. “Please tell me what I did.”

“Well I don’t really know.”

“How do you not know? You hide in my bag all day!”

“I sleep in your bag all day. I only woke up for the akuma.”

“Akuma? When was there an akuma?”

“A bunch of akumas. We had another Scarlet Akuma pandemic going on before you ran off to go fencing. You and Ladybug were really struggling for a while there until your doppelgangers showed up. Something happened after the akumas got purified but I was tired and bored at that point and stopped paying attention.”

“No! Plagg, I need to know what happened! And what do you mean by doppelgangers?”

“Oh right, bunny girl brought future you and Ladybug back in time to help with the akumas.”

“My future self! Future Ladybug?!” Adrien was going to throw himself off a building. He had completely missed meeting his future self and seeing what Ladybug looked like grown up. She could have only gotten more beautiful.

“Yeah, it was trippy.” Plagg said. “That’s all I remember though. After you transformed back you had to go to fencing and I stayed in your locker resting.”

“So you don’t know anything else? Not even about this?” Adrien showed him the picture of Marinette kissing him.

“Awe, finally got that girlfriend of yours I see. But no. No idea.”

“You’re awfully helpful.” Adrien sighed. He needed answers. He wasn’t gonna be able to focus until he filled in the blanks from today. He got online and started combing through the footage from the akuma attack. Plagg wasn’t kidding. This was the most akumas Adrien had ever seen. It looked as if half of Paris had been infected.

Him, Ladybug, and some of the other heroes were fighting against them but losing ground fast. A shining portal opened up and...holy crap. It really was his future self walking alongside a grown up Ladybug. Bunnix also joined them. The footage sped by as the heroes, future and present fought side by side. Adrien had always thought that he and Ladybug were a well oiled machine but seeing their future counterparts fight made them look like fish flopping on a deck. It was as if they were thinking about each other’s moves five steps ahead.

There was an eruption of white butterflies as the akumas were purified. The people cheered. Future Chat grabbed Future Ladybug and spun her in the air in victory. And then...oh…present Ladybug grabbed present Chat and kissed him. Seriously?! Another kiss he couldn’t remember!

“PLAGG!” Adrien shouted, “YOU SAID NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED!”

“Nothing did!” Plagg shouted back.

“LADYBUG KISSED ME! THAT’S NOT NOTHING TO ME!”

“How is this any different then the other times she kissed you and you forgot?”

“Y’know what--!”

“Can’t hear you. Napping.” Plagg started snoring loudly.

Adrien sighed. He turned his attention back to the screen.

There was only more cheering as the two kissed. Wait. So he kissed Ladybug and Ladybug kissed him back and they both remember so why had Marinette been kissing him in his fencing picture? Once again, more questions.

The future miraculous holders went back through the portal. His present self and Ladybug waved to the crowd then vaulted out of frame. According to the akuma report online that was from 12:40 to 2:55. Another two hours accounted for. Yet it was the minutes in between that seemed to hold all the answers.

Adrien grabbed his school bag and dumped it out looking for more answers. There had to be something else. All of it looked pretty normal. Books, homework assignments, a couple empty containers of camembert, and a few loose papers. He picked up one and saw it was an excerpt of a script. A Midsummer Night’s Dream? What was this doing in his bag? They were supposed to start their Shakespeare period in literature class so it wasn’t so out of place.

The assignment was to recreate a scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays. At the top of the page was Adrien’s name as well as Marinette’s. He guessed they must have gotten partnered up. Maybe he should try calling her to figure out what was going on.

He picked up his phone and searched for Marinette’s contact, her name in his phone had been changed to Girlfriend with a bunch of sparkly hearts around it. So apparently she was his girlfriend now, according to his phone at least. He called her but the call went to voicemail. Okay, maybe Alya knows. He called her next and was relieved when she answered.

“Hey lover boy!” Alya was shouting over the same crowd as Nino had been, “Nino said you called. Feeling better already?”

“Alya, you have to tell me what I did today.”

“What?”

“What did I do while I was at school? I can’t remember.”

“How do you not remember?”

“I was zonked out on cold medicine! I don’t even know how I got home let alone how I won a fencing trophy and got a girlfriend in the past few hours.”

“Wow. Just...wow. I knew you were kinda loopy today but I figured you’d remember confessing to Marinette. Girl was over the moon.”

The memories tickled right in the back of Adrien’s brain but he just couldn’t get to them. They had been washed away in a tidal wave of medicine and energy drink. He needed answers. He needed to talk to Marinette. “Are you all still by the Eiffel Tower?” Adrien asked.

“Yeah, you coming out?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in a few.” Adrien hung up and grabbed his coat. He felt much better physically than he had that morning which was nice. The walk to the Eiffel Tower gave him plenty of time to think about what it was he was missing. There was a significant piece of the puzzle missing, the one piece that would make the rest of the day make sense. If only he could figure out what it was!

He found his friends and everyone cheered when they saw him and pulled him into their circle. Standing with Alya was Marinette. Face alight with a smile and laughing. She turned when she felt Adrien’s eyes on her and her smile grew.

“Hey, I thought I told you to go home and rest. Or was it that you didn’t want to miss out on all the fun?” She grabbed his hands, “I suppose I’ll let it go this time seeing as how today was very taxing and we could do with some fun after that Scarlet Moth fiasco.”

“Yeah, about that,” Adrien said, “Can we talk somewhere a little quieter?”

“Sure,” She pulled on his hands as she led him away from the group. Their classmates whistled and teased as the couple left. When they were far enough away from the noise and people Marinette spoke to him, “What is it you want to talk about?”

“Right um…” Adrien felt heat climbing up his neck, “So I was kinda really sick this morning and I took a bunch of drowsy cold-medicine that I tried to counteract with an energy drink and now I don’t remember anything that happened today. Nothing whatsoever.”

Marinette stared at him, her wide, unblinking baby blue eyes piercing through his skull. “Are you joking?”

“No. I swear I am not. I’ve put together some of what happened but there are some things that I don’t understand like how um, you know, how you and I…” He looked down at his feet, mortified that he had to have this conversation with her. He felt like he was breaking her heart or something.

“You dumb kitty.” Marinette bonked the top of his head, “That explains a lot actually. I’ve always known you to be kinda spacey but today was something else. How is it that when you’re out of it you can still function as a human being?”

“Marinette?” Adrien looked up at her, “What did you call me?”

Marinette sighed and motioned for him to sit down on the bench. “Alright, so this morning when class started…”

*Earlier that day*

“Did that help at all?” Nino asked Adrien as they sat down for class.

“I guess we’ll see,” Adrien almost missed his seat when he went to sit down, “So far it is a rousing success!”

“I really think you should just go home, dude.” Nino shook his head. “I think the caffeine just made this worse.”

“Nah!” Adrien corrected himself and slid himself into his seat, “I am fine! Look how fine I am! I am super fine!”

“Sure are.” Nino snickered, he couldn’t help it. His best friend was essentially high as a kite right now.

Everyone took their seats as Ms. Bustier began the lesson. “For this unit we will be focusing on William Shakespeare. I figured we’d start off with something fun so I want everyone to get into pairs or small groups and perform a scene from any Shakespeare play you would like. Group up and figure out what you’re performing in class today. Go over your lines and we’ll do the actual performances tomorrow. Try not to do really long ones. Have fun!”

Immediately everyone around the room started pairing off. “Hey Adrien,” Alya grabbed his attention, “How’s about you and Marinette team up? You would make a wonderful Romeo and Juliet.”

“But I wanted us to do Romeo and Juliet, babe.” Nino pouted.

“That’s fine, Alya. You two can have Romeo and Juliet.” Marinette told her, her face tinted a cute pink. “Adrien and I can do something else.”

“Hernia!” Adrien shouted, “You can be Hernia and I’ll be Lightsaber!”

“What?” The other three teenagers stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

“You know, that play, the one with the donkey head?” Adrien mimicked large donkey ears on his head.

“Oh! I got it!” Marinette said, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You want us to be Hermia and Lysander.”

“Yeah! Those two!” Adrien nodded, “Hernia and Lightsaber.”

“Adrien, sweetie,” Alya looked at him with an amused smile, “Their names are Hermia and Lysander. Not Hernia and Lightsaber.”

“Got it. Got it.” Adrien continued nodding so hard he looked like a bobblehead. “We can be them.”

“Alright, I’ll find us a scene to do.” Marinette started looking for a good scene. They eventually agreed to do the opening scene when Hermia and Lysander plan to runaway together. Marinette was being super giggly through the reading which made Adrien start laughing which made her giggle more until they were in a perpetual loop of laughter.

When class ended everyone got up to move onto the next class. Nino and Alya went on ahead leaving Marinette and Adrien alone still chuckling over their inability to be serious during their scene.

“It may be the fact that I was laughing through the whole thing but I have to confess that I have no idea what Lysander was saying.” Adrien squinted at the text before shoving it in his bag. “Did you?”

“It’s pretty simple actually,” Marinette said, “The couple are lamenting that none of Hermia’s choices that she was given from Theseus let her be with Lysander. Lysander though figures that they don’t have to follow their rules and talks Hermia into leaving Athens with him and getting married where the Athenian laws don’t apply.”

“I wish I could do that.” Adrien sighed.

“Do what?”

“Runaway with the love of my life. I have this whole plan with an island and a hamster but I know you’d never go with me.” He slumped, looking utterly defeated. “Why don’t you wanna go with me?”

“Love--love--love--love of your what? Runaway? Me and you? To an island? With hamsters!” Marinette was stammering as she tried to piece together what it was Adrien had just confessed to her. Was this really happening?

“Oh wait,” Adrien frowned, “I meant my lady.”

“Huh?”

“Ladybug is so pretty…” Adrien murmured dreamily, “She’s so awesome but she only sees me as a tomcat which--just--boo! I love her! Why doesn’t she see that?  My spotty lady! Buggy boo! I love her spots and her eyes and her pigtails…”

His green eyes turned to Marinette and batted a hand against Marinette’s hair. “Just like your pigtails.” He muttered, “You remind me a lot of Ladybug. You can be my Maribug!”

Tomcat? In love with Ladybug? No...there was no way. Surely someone like Adrien couldn’t also be her dorky partner in crime fighting.

“Hey Adrien,” Marinette smiled nervously, “Why do you think that Ladybug thinks you’re a tomcat?”

“Because I am a cat!” He stated proudly. Then his expression soured. “Or as Ladybug says, I’m a bad kitty that needs to stop flirting with her cause they’re working and she likes someone else. It’s sad that she likes someone else. I wish she could like me…”

Yep. Definitely Chat Noir. Although Marinette had never called him a bad kitty before. Chastised him for flirting an inappropriate moments? Yes. But she never berated him. She’d have to have a talk to him later as Ladybug.

WAIT! Chat Noir is Adrien! Adrien is Chat Noir! The love of her life is also her partner! Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy! Crap! Calm down, Marinette! More important things to focus on right now!

She looked over at Adrien who was still pouting like a sad little kitten. She put an arm around his shoulders. “Well I got some good news for you, kitty. I know who Ladybug is really in love with.”

“Really?!” Adrien looked at her with stars in her eyes, “Who? I’m gonna whoop their butt if they mistreat her!”

“Ladybug has a crush on Adrien Agreste.”

“Boo! He sucks!”

“Dummy, Adrien is you. Ladybug likes you.”

“Oh...SHE DOES?!” He nearly screamed and Marinette clamped a hand over his mouth. He moved his head away from her, gaping at the information. “How do you know that?”

“Because that’s who I have a crush on.” Marinette’s cheeks felt entirely too warm. When she looked at Adrien there was absolutely nothing going on behind those big green eyes of his.

“Adrien?” She waved a hand in front of his face? “Goodness, you silly kitty, you are really out of it, huh? Give it a moment. It’ll come to you.”

Marinette started counting in her head. She got to one hundred and seventeen before Adrien finally perked up like a meerkat. “Ladybug?!” He pointed at her.

“There it is.” She ruffled his hair, “I’m guessing you’re happy?”

“I--I--”

BANG!

*Present*

“Then that’s when Scarlet Moth and all the other akumas hit and we went to got fight them. Our future selves showed up to help kick some butt. We kissed. Then we went back to school so you could get to your fencing tournament. You won. You looked pretty tired so I walked you home after but you insisted we stop for boba first so we kinda went on an impromptu boba date. Got you home then I came out to celebrate with everyone about today’s akuma win.” Marinette finished, “Did that fill you in well enough?”

“So you are…”

“Yep.”

“And you like me?”

“Also yep.”

“And I somehow managed to do all this while disassociating to the point of amnesia?”

“Apparently so.”

“I am never mixing Nyquil and Red Bull again.”

“Turned out okay in the end though, right?” Marinette flashed him a bright smile.

As all the information settled within him Adrien smiled back and kissed her. She squeaked for a second not expecting it but eagerly kissed him back. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She giggled. She stood up and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, kitty, let’s go have some fun.”

*The next day*

“Hey bugaboo,” Adrien entered her room holding a hot cup of tea, “Sorry for getting you sick. Probably wasn’t a good idea to have kissed you so many times while I had a cold.”

Marinette blew her nose. “Worth it.”

#baby boy just wants to go to school #miraculous ladybug #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #adrinette #writing

[spartanxhunterx]

Bug And Shell(d): The Bubbler.

Normally Nino was excited for birthdays, between him, Kim and Marinette they were often a blast or at least memorable.

Today, however, was Adrien's birthday and Nino was a little afraid on how to proceed, just slightly really.

He'd only known Adrien for all of a few weeks and he felt like he didn't know much about his new bro-friend.

So he had decided to pick out a gift based on a little something that he did know about him. That was wrapped up in the box.

For now though, Nino's attention was drawn to the other item that had arrived with it. All very last minute but he didn't care. Opening the packaging he pulled out his brand new wireless headphones, gone was the plain orange and black colour scheme.

His new ones were custom designed with the outside of each ear piece looking like Carapace's shield, the inside was a dark green much like the darker shade on his costume and the head band came with a soft plush cushion of the same colour.

Overall, not bad and he could always claim it was his way in supporting the heroes, even if he looked a little biased towards his own alter-ego.

As long as their wasn't any harm, then there would be no foul.

 "I'm not as caught up with technology as I probably should be." Wayzz stated as he flew around the headphones, inspecting them. "But I'd imagine these won't last forever, power wise at least."

 " No they won't, " Nino picked up the headphones before pointing to a small cover, opening it to reveal the ports for wires. "That's why these are here, so I can re-charge it and not worry about power."

 he placed them on his neck, feeling a little tension fall out of him at feeling the weight on his neck. He'd gotten slightly stir crazy without his last pair, which he had broken helping that old gentleman, he had almost been tempted to break out the old-old headphones that he kept locked away.

 "That's better, come on dude." He opened up his jacket and waited for Wayzz to fly into the inner pocket. Picking up the wrapped present he tucked it under his arm before he left his room, messing up Chris' hair as he walked past him he called his goodbye as he shut the door.

-

 "Here you go dude." Nino placed the slightly haphazardly wrapped present in front of Adrien before he swung around the table to sit in his seat. "Happy birthday dude."

 " Oh, " seeing that look of genuine surprise on Adrien's face made this worth it, seeing the real excitement as his hands rested on top of the box before he turned to him. "Thanks Nino, you didn't have to do this you know."

 " I know. " Nino leaned back slightly. "I wanted to, you're my buddy after all."

 He leaned forwards, arm leaning against table. "Besides what friend would I be if I didn't celebrate my buddies birthday?" Holding up a hand to cut off Adrien's protesting he pointed to the gift. " Now are you going to sit there all day? Or open your present? We gotta get it done before miss Bustier gets in here. "

Nino watched as Adrien gave in, fingers carefully peeling back the paper as he tried so, so hard to not tear the paper.

Nino was patient though and let Adrien open it in his own time. By the time he was done the standard red paper was half torn off, half preserved and left all over their desk. Not that he minded though.

He saw Adrien peer into the clear plastic, seeing the Ladybug themed wireless headphones that were the same model as his.

It felt a little cheap or unoriginal but when the headphones came with a '50% for a second pair' deal he couldn't not capitalise on that. Besides, now he could also make the argument that they symbolized their friendship as they both had a single set of the pair.

 "100% accurate, Ladybug themed headphones dude. How's that for a B-Day present?"

 "Its... Wow, thanks Nino, I don't know what to say."

Slinging his arm over his shoulder he pulled Adrien into a side hug. "Its cool dude, Don't need to say anything," He smiled at him, getting one in return. "Say, why don't I throw you a party?"

That made Adrien's face drop slightly and Nino's own smile dropped as well.

"I don't know Nino... My father... I don't think he'd allow it."

Nino was about to respond, however, Both Marinette and Miss Bustier had entered the room. Marinette handed a wrapped gift to Adrien as she past him. "Happy birthday Adrien."

" Thanks Marinette. "

Before Bustier could get on their cases about the mess Nino scooped up the torn paper before depositing that into the trash bin as Adrien slipped the gifts into his bag.

 "Alright class, hope you've settled down now. Cause its time we get started."

-

 " Come on man, it's your B-day, Insists. " putting away his tube of bubble mix Nino wrapped his arm around Adrien's shoulder, leaning himself closer to him. "You know what? I'm gonna have a conversation with your pops."

 "Don't waste your time, he's not going to change his mind." Nino shook his head. His best bud wasn't going to go without a birthday party, not if he could help it.

 "Adrien, dude, I promise you, I will get your father to let you have a birthday party. I promise."

 Adrien turned to him, about to respond but was interrupted by Chloé, who had come running from behind them and latched onto him in a sort of awkward hug.

"Adrikins! Happy birthday!" She pulled back and Nino caught onto the genuine smile she seemed to give him. Perhaps Nino was imagining things but he was sure Chloé had been smiling more ever since Adrien had started going to school. It was subtle, but he could see it.

Perhaps her friendship with Adrien meant more to her then people realised.

 "Anyway. I ordered something special for you for your birthday, it should be there by this afternoon... Provided the moving guys aren't lazy or anything."

 " Thanks Chloé, I'm sure I'll enjoy it. " A cars horn went off several times and the trio turned towards Adrien's limo as it pulled up. "Anyway, I gotta go, Photo shoot."

Nino's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "On your birthday? Not cool dude."

The two of them watched as he walked to the car and Nino adjusted his hat so it wasn't loose. "Looks like I've got some business to take care of with Adrien's old man."

"You. Speak with Gabriel? Don't make me laugh Lahiffe, Gabriel would never waste his time with you."

He shrugged at the blonde girl, a small smile etching onto his face. "So? I thought you of all people would have been thrilled that someone was trying to give Adrien a B-Day party. "

 "I'm just saying it how it is." Chloé spoke as she examined her nails. "Uncle Gabe is very stubborn and set in his ways. So don't come crying to me when you can't do anything."

 "I'll keep that in mind... Cosplay."

 " Hey! "

-

Standing in front of Adrien's house made Nino feel slightly inadequate and nervous. Here he was, outside his buddy's house that looked big enough to house his family, cousins and other distant relatives and still have empty space inside.

Given that it was only Adrien, his dad and several staff, he could understand why Adrien was so keen on getting out of the house. It must have been terribly quiet.

Stil, he resolved his nerves and pressed the button on the intercom as Wayzz nestled into the crook between the headphones and the back of his neck for his comfort, yet out of the way of prying eyes.

He was not, however, expecting to have a large camera come out of the wall and nearly smack him in the face.

"Yes? How may I help you? "

Must've been some fancy camera.

 "Uhh... I'm Nino..." He spoke slowly, confusion clear in his voice. "I'm a friend of Adrien's and I was hoping to speak with his father regarding his birthday."

With each passing moment that was silent Nino grew more uncomfortable.

"Please wait, I'll be out there to guide you in a moment. "

within a minute the gates pulled back open and he could see someone walking towards him, he stepped several steps forwards until the two of them met.

"Come with me. Mr. Agreste will see you but only for a moment, he is a busy man."

Ah, this must have been his assistant. Nathalie, if he remembered correctly from when Adrien would take about his home.

The two of them stepped into the front door and Nino's hands shot into his jackets pockets and his hand fiddled with the bottle of bubble mix that was in there. He could feel Wayzz wiggling his way down his top and had to tense to not squirm in front of Nathalie.

Hqer head turned to him with one eyebrow raised but she didn't say anything.

"Nervous. Just a little."

She nodded before peering at her tablet before looking back up at him.

" Mr. Agreste will be here in a moment. "

Great... Just Great. He brought out his tube of bubble mix before unscrewing the cap, his hands fiddled with it as he waited, not spilling a drop.

Even though he knew they could most certainly afford to have to pay someone to clean it up.

Was it him or did the house feel cold?

"Adrien's not home yet." The sharp voice of the man of the house brought his attention to the top of the stairs, his hands freezing in place as he was dragged out of his thoughts.

He suppressed a shiver as he looked Mr. Agreste in the eye, he could feel no warmth coming from those eyes, not like what he saw when he looked in his mother's eyes.

Closing the cap of the tube he swallowed down his fear. "No I know du-Sir. I came to speak with you, actually."

" Me? " There was a shift in his posture that Nino couldn't place and the raise of an eyebrow that made him worry.

"Yes, I came to ask about giving Adrien a party du-Sir, it's his first birthday with some real friends and I think he really deserves to hav-"

" No. " Nino blinked at his cold voice, causing him to stop mid-sentence. "Adrien is my son, and I say what is best for him."

Somehow his eyes grew colder and Nino had to fight to not cringe away. None of the those present in the room noticed as Adrien slipped in behind them.

"Du-Sir. Adrien has been working really hard lately." Slowly Nino extending his fingers as he started his list. "Piano, Photo shoots, fencing, Chinese. I think it's only fair that he gets one day to enjoy himself. "

"Nino?" He turned to his side seeing Adrien next him. " You're here? "

Wrapping his arm around Adrien's shoulders he pulled him closer before before bumping his fist to his shoulder. "Of course, you're my buddy."

" You know what young man? " Looking back up the stairs Nino grew hopeful, maybe he had gotten through to him. "I've just decided that you're a bad influence on my son." Both boys eyes widened at that, Nino's hands tightening around his bubble tube. "In fact, you are no longer welcome in my house ever again, leave."

" Father. " Adrien called out, pulling away from Nino but Gabriel didn't listen as he turned and walked to his study, adjusting his tie as he went.

Nathalie stepped in front of Nino before he could try to follow. "Goodbye."

Eyes darting between between her and Adrien, he took a deep breath in before turning and walking out.

Adrien caught up to him after he was a few steps out and stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "Nino, I'm sorry, my father is stubborn... Thanks for trying though. "

"Its not fair Adrien..." Nino struggled to form his words as he gestured to Adrien, as if he could convey his thoughts that way. "Its totally not cool dude. "

Pulling his strap up his shoulder he turned and stalked away, he could feel Wayzz moving up his jacket again and he simply tapped where he was gently.

-

Plopping himself down on the park bench he pulled out his tube of bubble before taking the wand out and blowing a few bubbles out into the air.

"That dude it straight up not cool."

He switched forwards before resting his elbows on his knees. Trying to regulate his breathing and calm himself down, it wouldn't do to stay in a bad mood.

"But dad!" His eyes shot up, landing on the child who was trying, and failing, to break out of his father's grip.

"No Son, it's not playtime, you've got chores to do." He watched as the boy was taken out of the park before blowing a sharp breath out of his nose.

"Why have parents got to ruin everything man?"

Feeling Wayzz moving around again he opened his jacket enough to let him pop his head out. He didn't want to make him feel like he was trapped, not in the way Adrien was.

"You agree with me right little dude?" He turned his head away as he shook it. " I mean, we're kids, we should be allowed to have fun and be ourselves. "

"While I agree, I must say kids need adults, to guide them through life." Nino didn't stop him from floating out of his jacket, just a little in front of him as he started to look around. "But please calm down, being angry won't solve anything."

"Maybe not but I'm just so... Ugh, " he kicked his leg out at the grass, watching as it bounced back into place with ease.

"Please. Master, copy me. Deep breaths, in and out, copy me."

Nino turned to him, missing the pleading expression Wayzz was giving him before he groaned and rubbed his hand down his face. "You don't need to call me that dude, it's not necessary."

Today had been going so great until now and he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault.

He jerked slightly as Wayzz thumped against his temple. " Nino. Akuma. " The words spoken in his ear caused his head to jerk up, eyes widening as they landed on the black butterfly that was making a direct path to him.

"Woah!" He threw himself off the bench, before backing away from the butterfly without letting it out of his sights.

Why was an Akuma after him? He had a miraculous. Didn't they grant him immunity to being akumatised?

He grunted as his foot hit a upsticking root of a tree and he fell flat on his butt. His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to find some way out of this situation, his arms pushed against the ground as he tried to back away.

"Think happy thoughts!" Wayzz fluttered around him, trying to be both encouraging and hidden. "It can't get you if you're happy."

Happy thoughts? What was his most recent happy thought? Seeing Adrien happy this morning? Maybe Marinette's smile? that made him happy.

He could tell it wasn't working as the Akuma grew closer, his eyes darted to the tube in his hand and he threw it at the butterfly without thinking. As it made contact it sunk into it, leaving it to go a horrid grey colour.

"Ohh... That was close dude. Sorry about that." He kept his eye on it as he fell back to lay down on his back, just in case it came out on his own.

Wayzz landed on his shoulder before patting his check. " it's my fault, I should have warned you sooner, you're not immune to the Akuma's, I should have told you. "

Rubbing his head, Nino gave a slight huff. "Not your fault, I shouldn't have assumed." He sat up pulled Wayzz into the crook of his neck and gave him a one handed hug. "What are we gonna do about that?"

"We need to get Ladybug, then we release the Akuma and she can purify it. Don't touch it. "

 He nodded as he began to stand. Eyes looking around to find the closest place to transform. He didn't want to leave the Akuma unattended for long.

 "No!" His attention was drawn to the centre of the park, the boy from earlier was back and it looked like he was out for round two.

He watched as the boy ducked and weaved around people, doing his best to avoid his father. It looked like he really intended to stay at the park for as long as he wanted.

Which, now that he was looking at it more calmly, didn't look as good as it did before. He Could just imagine himself and Chris in that situation... It wasn't good.

Feeling Wayzz tugging at his clothes he was about to turn away before he saw the kid catch sight of the tube of Bubble mix. His eyes widened as he saw the kid make a break for it, no doubt thinking it was nothing more then bubbles.

"No, Kid! Don't! " Despite trying to run to it first, he had thrown it a good distance and had neglected to move closer in case the Akuma sprung out of it.

He, unfortunately, wasn't fast enough as the kid had picked it up before he could stop him. Hawkmoths symbol appeared over his eyes and Nino could see the discoloration that occurred around his eyes.

 "Kid!" he Stopped before him, hands hesitating to reach for the akumatised object, in case it somehow affect him too. " Don't listen to him kid, he won't help you. "

The boys father stopped not that far from him, seemingly hesitating to come closer. Nino grew hopeful when the boys eyes looked towards him and not spaced out, maybe he did get through to him.

"Yes... Hawkmoth." Oh Speakers, Hats and tables that was not good.

 The dark bubbles clouded around him and Nino scrambled to get a few feet back. As the bubbles peeled away he caught sight of the Akuma's form. And... ugh, it was going to make him sick just looking at it.

The boy now looked like a cartoon character, his top half was a bright red colour while his arms where a solid black, small 'bubbles' were sat around his joints and his legs were the same. He looked entirely like he was made out of plastic.

"Jason?" His father seemed to snap out of his stupor, stepping closer to his son. Nino was torn between running off to transform and staying to try to convince him to hand him the Akuma.

The akuma, Jason, turned his head towards the man with a frown on his face. "My name's not Jason." Quick as anything the boy raised his wrist and Nino saw what looked like a water gun strapped to his wrist , a small tube lead back to a tube looked backpack on his back. "Its bubble boy!"

In an instant a large bubble shot out and captured the man within it, turning it from its original purple to a sharp green, as the man floated up Nino decided that was his moment to finally get away.

-

The sound of an explosion caused Marinette to stumble off her chair with a scream, her dinner going flying, her mother jumped from the noise too.

scrambling to the window she could see both Carapace and an Akuma fighting it out.

"I... ugh, I'm going to my room! To hide!" Marinette scrambled up to her room, not giving her mother a second glance. Said woman stared after her daughter in confusion before closing the shutters on the window, just to be safe.

-

Carapace dodged to the side as another burst of bubbles shot past him, the park had long since vacated she to the Akuma and now it was just him and said Akuma.

"Listen to me kid! This isn't the way. This isn't solving anything, just causing more problems."

The akuma screamed at him, much in the same was all kids did when they were angry before pointing his bubble gum at him. "It's bubble boy! And I say it's playtime, Forever! "

Bubble boy fired off three massive bubbles towards him, two red and one purple. He knew he could deflect the red ones but he also couldn't touch the purple one without getting caught in it. He also would have time to deflect the red ones of he avoided the purple one.

He was about to cast Shell-ter when he felt something wrap around his torso. He was quickly yanked up and over the Akuma, at the peak of his impromptu swing he caught ladybugs eyes from where she was flying before he landed to a skidding halt well behind the Akuma.

"Just as a serious question. Is this going to become a regular thing with you? "

Fluttering down next to him, Ladybug let her yo-yo hang limply. "You're my partner, of course I'm going to protect you."

 "Yeah, but that's my job." He muttered quietly before taking his shield off his back and holding it in front of him. " Be careful of his bubbles, red explodes, purple captures you and they're unbreakable. He's already sent someone high up with one. Akuma's either in the bubble gun or in the backpack. "

 "Right," She nodded, eyes squinting at the Akuma . "Then let's get this done before I'm missed."

 Spinning her Yo-Yo into the air she called out- "Lucky Charm!" - The ladybugs swarmed around each other into the air and came together to form A- "Skipping rope? How's this going to help?"

 "He did say that he wanted playtime to last forever."

Ladybug nodded as she looked around, her nose scrunched up in thought. " Right I got it, " She tossed one end of the rope to him, which he caught. "You ever tie yourself up?"

Catching her meaning he nodded before he brought up his shield, the rope handle in his other hand. "Right, ready?" Receiving a nod he ran forwards, Ladybug floating just behind him.

 "You won't stop me!" Bubble Boy raised his hand at them, a large red bubble forming at the end of the bubble gun. "It will be Playtime!" He launched the Bubble and it shot towards them with speed.

 "Shell-ter! " A small semi-circular shield formed around his shield, protecting their front halves and allowed them to keep moving without removing it.

The bubble hit dead on, causing it to explode against it, the force caused his arm to real back. Instead of fighting against it he let himself be spun, throwing the shield once he was fully turned around again.

it flew through the air until it sailed right past the kids head, causing him to flinch in surprise.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction Carapace slid to the boys left while Ladybug flew past his right, as soon as both of them passed by his shoulders they turned to loop behind him.

Carapace ended up on his right, while Ladybug was on this left, the skipping rope was looped around his chest and arms, loose.

 "Now!" Both of them pulled, tightening the rope just enough to pin his arms down. Slowly Carapace wrapped his side of the rope around his arm as he moved closer.

Grabbing the Akumatised object he carefully removed it from the boy before violently tossing it towards his returning shield, where it shattered on impact and released the butterfly within. Ladybug released her end of the rope to capture it and purify it.

Carapace relaxed slightly as the boy when more limp in his arms as his Akuma form was stripped away from him. He carefully pulled the skipping rope away before throwing it to Ladybug And pointing upwards. The boys father was still up there after all.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

 There wasn't nearly as many magical Ladybugs as before, given the lack of damage, but Nino knew he would never tire of seeing them swarm the area.

 "Jason!" And there was the boys father, Nino released the boy and both of them collided into each other in a hug. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. What had he been thinking when he was groaning about the adults earlier?

The ringing of their miraculous brought him out of his trance and he turned to Ladybug as she began to hover slightly. "Not to charm and dash but I've gotta go."

" Bug wait! " He reached out and grabbed her wrost, stopping her from flying away for just a moment. "We need to talk."

Oblivious to Ladybugs face growing darker he looked to the father son duo as she began to talk. "Now's not a good time Cara, our timers."

 " I know," as if to punctuate her point their miraculous beeped again. "Eiffle tower, Tonight, ten thirty, yeah?"

Carapace was so caught up in organizing what he was going to say that he missed Ladybugs dreamy sigh. " Yeah... ok... " Snapping out of it Ladybug shook her head. "I mean, yeah sure, Ten thirty, not a second late."

 Nodding Nino let her go, watching as she fluttered away, chuckling as she looped in the air. Flashing the duo a peace sign he made his own quick exit.

-

Adrien's birthday might have been a bust but he had learned several important things today and Ladybug needed to know about them.

Which is why he found himself waiting on the top of the Eiffel tower, far above where anyone else could even reach. He didn't mind the height, despite how it was a little difficult to actually get up there for him but they needed the privacy.

Especially since what he was going to talk about was not something he wanted any civilian to hear. Lest he cause a little bit of a panic.

He was a little nervous about bringing it up to Ladybug, given that the Akuma was originally after him and he couldn't quite say that without worrying Ladybug and/or revealing who he was. Both of those things were bad in their own right.

The heavy thump of feet hitting metal caused him to spin around, meeting Ladybugs eyes with a nod. "Sorry I'm a little late, didn't want to get caught sneaking out."

Nino chuckled as he shook his head. " Oh, I know that feeling. The paranoia that you're being watched, your heart racing like it's beating its last. I know it well. "

"Sneak out a lot then?" Nino couldn't quite place the look that was in her eyes but he got the impression that she was... Impressed? Or maybe evaluating something about him.

"Not a lot, but sometimes I just needed some air and a walk around, you know?"

She shrugged, her wings fluttering behind her, despite being on the ground. "I guess, sometimes I need new stimuli to be able to work on some of my projects. "

He nodded and the two fell into a sort of awkward silence, he offered with his hands, finger brushing over his miraculous as Ladybug swayed side to side slightly.

"So?..."

 "I learned something today, a few things actually." Slowly Nino moved to the centre beam that stuck up the middle, before hitting his back against it and skidding down till he was sat down.

"We're not immune to the Akuma's bug. " Unknown to him, his words had ripped Ladybug out of her hypothetical daydream of Carapace confessing to her atop the tower.

Thoughts on having a hamster on hold she moved closer before kneeling down in front of him. "What do you mean? "

"Earlier, with the akuma," when he got a nod from her he continued. "The boy, he wasn't the original target for the Akuma." Seeing Ladybug about to open her mouth he held up his hand to signal that he wished to finish .

"There was this other boy, had these sick headphones styled after me, he was upset..." He completely missed the way how Ladybugs eyes widened in surprise, he had not way of knowing that she knew his civilian self. "Or mad, I dunno. "

"Point is, it went for him and he threw... Whatever the item was and it absorbed the Akuma but didn't turn him." He took a breath in as he pulled one of his knees closer. " The boy picked it up, became the Akuma. "

"Oh..." Ladybugs eyes darted around for a moment before she moved and sat next to him, their shoulders touching. "So we can trap Akuma's?"

" As long as no-one touches the item and we somehow get you there to purify it quickly. "

"Ok?..." Ladybug twisted her hand in a Thoughtful manner. " So, how does all that connect to us not being immune? "

"I made an offhand comment to Wayzz, about being glad we were immune. He said we weren't, that Akuma can come for us and we need to be careful."

He shivered as he remembered how close that Akuma had come to him, never again. Noticing the far off look in ladybugs eyes he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and bumped their shoulders together.

His missed as her face began to go the same shade as her suit, hands shaking slightly from the surprise contact. "Don't worry about it too much Bug. Just ask your Kwami to help you find your happy place, that should do it."

 " Yeah... ok... "

Despite it all, Marinette couldn't stop herself from looking at Carapace in slight awe. She leaned into his hold, glad to be able to take advantage of this moment, even if it wouldn't last.

#Miraculous Ladybug #Bug and Shell(d) #Ninette #Carabug #Caranette #Ninobug #Turtle Nino/ Carapace

[thewritewolf]

Nino’s Quest Chapter 6: Out of the Woods

The true struggle of DnD - getting the party together for a session. Not at all helped by magic terrorism attacks.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 (Final)

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3.  My ko-fi.

--- October 15th ---

Lord DM: Hey dudes, we still on for today? Since its been like two hours I’ll guess that was a no then

Adrien Regreste: sorry dude. Got roped into a last minute photoshoot :(

Marinoodles: same Wait no I mean- last minute bakery stuff Sorry to bail like this! D:

Alya’ll Beware: Don’t worry about it girl I was chasing that akuma that was running around It kept giving lb n cn the slip Got some good footage tho

Lord DM: Bummer dudes Guess thats one of the perks of living in paris We can try again next week, k?

--- October 18 ---

Direct Message From Alya

Alya: These akumas have been crazy, babe. Rain check on dates? At least until hawkbutt tires himself out

Nino: :( Can’t you take a break or two? You don’t have to be on the frontlines of EVERY akuma attack

Alya: …

Nino: [crying emojis, broken hearts, butterflies with red X’s over them]

Alya: alright, alright But just two, okay? People count on me for the latest news

Nino: totally, babe Just hope lb+cn won’t need rr+cara Cuz… you know That’d be rough

Alya: [eye rolling emoji] Yeah yeah I feel bad for them tho Their social life must be wack at this point

---October 22nd---

Lord DM: Hey, bro, we still meeting at your place or what? ??? Come on, dude! Not again! :(

Adrien Regreste: Sorry dude [sobbing emoji]

Alya’ll Beware: Akuma, babe. Can’t miss three in one week!

Lord DM: Yeah… guess so. Let’s just not miss the next sess, okay? I dont want this campaign to end

Alya’ll Beware: We’ve only missed two weeks so far. That’s not too bad We got pretty lucky with getting five in a row Esp considering how busy we usually are

Lord DM: Fair enough Next week sound good?

Alya’ll Beware: Should for me

---October 31st---

Lord DM: Im scared to ask but… DnD today?

Adrien Regreste: [thumbs up] I’ll be going on 4 hours of sleep But I can do it!

Marinoodles: Same here Lack of sleep and all

Alya’ll Beware: Yeah We good

Adrien Regreste: !!! Wait its actually happening Awesome! ...I should probably clean my room.

Marinoodles: XD Probably! :P

Adrien Regreste: :3

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

An hour later and Nino had made the trip over to Adrien’s house, Alya and Marinette in tow. Their chatting had been less energetic than usual, no doubt because there wasn’t a single person among them who didn’t feel exhausted. A fact that wasn’t at all helped by the late hours that they were arriving at. It may have only been nineteen hundred hours, but when you’d only had a few hours of sleep each night for the past week, it made all the difference in the world.

Despite all that, they were determined. The very thought that they were willing to go through all this just to go further in his campaign was thrilling for Nino, and he didn’t want to let them down.

A wicked grin, looking out of place on him, stretched across his face. With the events he had planned for tonight’s session, he was sure they’d be awake in no time.

They entered Adrien’s room and saw the bounty of sugary treats and caffeine that their host had prepared. After some brief chit-chat, Nino got set up quickly and rolled right into the session. The longer he delayed the more likely it was that his players would fall asleep.

“The forest at last thins as you crest the top of a hill. From your vantage point, you can see the capital city on the horizon.” There were sighs of relief around the room.

“Finally! My character could definitely go for a proper bed after a week of roughing it,” Marinette said after taking a drink of pop.

“You’ll have to hurry, then. The sun is going to start sinking below the horizon. Unless you want to be stuck outside the city until morning, you’d better get moving.”

“My bard starts one last travel song as we rush over.” Adrien opened his phone, no doubt to a lyrics site and cleared his throat.

Alya quickly covered his mouth. “I do not have the time or patience to listen to another of your renditions of Take Me Home, Country Roads, Sunshine. Let’s just get to the city, alright?” Adrien’s eyes darted to Nino in a silent plea, but he simply shrugged.

“Sorry, dude. Babe has a point.”

Pouting, he closed his phone. Beside him, Marinette giggled and patted his back consolingly.

“You reach the city gates without any issue - no bandit or monster is stupid enough to get within stones throw of the capital, not with all the guards on patrol. They were a little suspicious to see you guys so late at night, but… two noble sigils, a bardic license, and my holy symbol put those dudes right at ease. There are still a few rooms open at the inn - how are you guys going to divvy up?”

A trio of blank stares looked back at him. He sighed.

“Each room costs money to rent. You don’t have a lot, so while you could get a private room for each of you, it’s probably better to room with someone else. So who is spending the night with who?”

“Dibs on the cleric!” Alya cried. She tapped her chin theatrically, “I guess that leaves you two together, right?”

“I- I guess so?” Adrien blinked, surprised at Alya’s sudden outburst. Marinette paled a little but nodded.

“Since you guys arrived so late, most of the rooms were already filled up and you had to make do with what you can get. When you finally find your rooms, they are across the inn from each other… and there is only one bed in each room.”

A slight blush, but neither Adrien nor Marinette were freaked out. Alya slumped in defeat - there wasn’t any roleplaying involved in sleeping after all. Unless they decided to do some method acting and have a sleepover.

“The four of us drift off to sleep, which was a totally great change of pace from the creepy woods that you’ve been sleeping in for a week now.” Nino punctuated his words with a yawn that proved contagious. “It was way late at night when suddenly… M, Adrien. Roll for perception.”

Adrien, naturally, rolled a one. Just when Nino was scared he’d accidentally killed them off, Marinette pulled through with a high roll. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“With your keen elven hearing, the creaking of the wooden floor boards was enough to jolt you from sleep. There is a glint of metal above you, and you feel a presence in the darkness. You have just a few seconds to react - what do you do?”

“I roll over!” Marinette blurts out, her eyes wide.

Nino nods. “Right, that puts you right on top of Adrien, who is now totally awake too. It was a good move, though - a knife plunges into the mattress, right where your neck had just been.”

All business now, Marinette asks, “What can I see?”

“Not much. Loose cloaks with hoods pulled up. Knives. Two people. The other person has stumbled back, probs spooked by your sudden movement.”

She taps her chin before her eyes widen again. “Wait, what about the others?! We have to go get them! Or at least get their help.” She shuffles through her character sheet. “Okay, um… I whisper to Adrien in Elvish ‘close your eyes’ and then I toss a flash flare thing at the guy.”

Nino rolls some saves - without the warnings, neither of them stood a chance. He looks up to see Marinette watching him with hopeful eyes. “You got ‘em, M. Now what?”

“I roll off the bed and try to take the guy’s knife.”

“You’ve got it and your turn ends there. The dudes are blinded, but it won’t be long before they’ve recovered. Adrien?”

“Can I cast a spell?”

“Not without your lyre, bro.”

“Fine, fine. I grab it off the bedside table.”

“And why do you think it’d be there?”

“...I’m a bard. Gotta be ready to play, first thing in the morning.” Adrien smirked.

Chuckling, Nino replied. “Alright, fair. What do you cast?”

Adrien stuck out a tongue as he thumbed through his spell list. His eyes lit up as he looked at Nino. “I cast summon monster one, and I summon the Good Boy.”

“Right,” Nino said as the others giggled. “So you’ve got your celestial dog next to you. I figure you want it to attack one of the dudes?”

To his surprise, Adrien shook his head. “No, I command him to go wake up the other two. Probably to go sit by their door and bark in a commanding angelic voice.”

The fight didn’t last long from there - the two of them probably would have been enough to deal with the assassins after they lost the element of surprise. But four against two made it a landslide victory.

“Even though you try your hardest, you weren’t able to catch either alive. One got stabbed and bled out and the other, well… hopefully the innkeeper will understand that it wasn’t your fault that the window got broken.”

“Do they have anything on them?” Alya crossed her arms. “I get the feeling someone is after us.”

“You’re immediately proven right when you find a note in the dead guy’s pocket that reads, ‘Information about the Necromancer cannot reach the king. Dispose of the adventurers before they get their audience.’”

The party exchanged looks.

“Spooky,” Adrien said flatly. The others nodded in agreement.

“Do I recognize the handwriting or anything?” Marinette leaned forward, the gears in her head turning. “Remember, I am a court brat.”

“Nope. Looks like it was written deliberately poorly. You don’t know if you’d recognize it normally.”

“Time for the king?” Adrien perked up.

“Yup, it’s time for-” Nino was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

Adrien gulped. “Um… hello?”

Nathalie stepped into the room and narrowed her eyes at the dice and character sheets. Belatedly Nino remembered that Adrien usually claimed they were working on a project or homework during these sessions. “It is late. Your friends need to leave.”

Without a choice in the matter, they packed up and had the door shut behind them.

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

Nino’s fears were confirmed later that night during a discord chat.

Adrien Regreste: Sorry guys. Looks like we won’t be able to play at my house again Not for a while at least. :(

Lord DM: Don’t worry about it bro Had to happen eventually

Marinoodles: I’m so sorry! :( I hope you didn’t get in trouble because of us

Adrien Regreste: Nothing more than usual They aren’t threatening to keep me locked up at home So, you know Better than usual

Alya’ll Beware: That’s something at least R they going to let u hang out again?

Adrien Regreste: *shrugs* Probably. Anyway… Sorry to be a bummer. Night, everybody!

Marinoodles: Sweet dreams!

Alya’ll Beware: Night, kiddos.

Lord DM: Don’t let the assassins bite! ;) [Three thumbs down, one angry emoji]

#Miraculous Ladybug #Nino Lahiffe #Alya Cesaire #DJ Wifi #Adrien Agreste #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Adrienette #Dungeons and Dragons #DnD #D&D #ml fanfiction #my writing #Nino's Quest

[myheadinthecloudsnotcomingdown]

A Miraculous Birthday Present

Ao3

Adrien and Marinette walked through the door of the restaurant holding hands, looking around the restaurant until they spotted Alya and Nino. The couple had already found a table and waved their friends over enthusiastically.

“you two are seriously so cute together, it’s sickening” Alya deadpanned, “Nino, what did we do? Why did we ever ship these two?”

Nino just smiled as his girlfriend’s antics and shook his head, earning a smile from Alya and two blushes from Adrien and Marinette. They had been together officially for almost a month already, ever since they had accidentally discovered each other’s identities and finally broken out of their stupid love square, but the relationship was still rather new and awkward for the both of them, especially when their best friends called them out on it.

“Now if only the LadyNoir ship would sail, both of my OTP’s would be reality!” Alya sighed, “Marinette, do you think Ladybug and Chat Noir will ever get their act together long enough to admit they love each other?”

Marinette and Adrien shared a look. They had decided early on to wait a while between dating as civilians and dating as their superhero alter egos, but even they knew that the superheroes wouldn’t be able to hide their new relationship forever. Marinette turned her gaze to Alya.

“Well…” she said hesitantly, risking another glance at her boyfriend, “I think there’s a good chance…” She didn’t miss the smirk that Adrien was trying, and failing, to hide. She let herself smile as well; it was kind of fun talking about their alter egos like this.

“Woah girl, hold up.” Alya glared suspiciously at Marinette, “You have never shipped LadyNoir before, in fact you’ve been adamantly against them dating. Why the change of heart?”

Adrien noticed that his girlfriend had the good grace to look abashed, but only for a second before meeting Alya’s glare with a challenging look of her own, “Maybe you’ve corrupted me. Seriously, you think I’d be able to be around your gushing for all these years and not eventually reluctantly acknowledge that those two might be cute together? You underestimate your power.”

“As much as my girlfriend would love to take credit for converting you to LadyNoir,” Nino joined in, “I think the blame goes to a certain blond model.” Nino stared pointedly at his best friend. “Come on dude, everyone knows you are a hardcore LadyNoir shipper, and everyone also knows that Marinette would agree with almost anything to make you happy. Sorry Alya, but even you aren’t powerful enough to pull this one off.”

“Hey!” Both Marinette and Alya protested, but one look at the guilty look on Adrien’s face was enough to send them all into hysterics.

The group continued laughing and joking with one another until the waiter came to take their order. Marinette and Adrien couldn’t resist making at least a few CaraRouge ship references and watching their friends’ faces. After all, if they had to act cool while taking about their alter egos, the least they could do was force Alya and Nino suffer the same fate.

Alya excused herself to the restroom while they were waiting for their food to come and Nino watched her leave the table, making sure she was out of sight in the busy restaurant before leaning forward conspiratorially.

“Ok guys, we have to make this quick before she comes back.” Nino glanced toward the bathroom as if he was expecting Alya to reappear at any moment, “Alya’s birthday is this Saturday and I’m throwing her a surprise party.”

“Are you sure, Nino?” Adrien asked skeptically, “You’re dating a reporter, I don’t know if she’d be surprised if a black hole swallowed the Eiffel tower.”

“She wouldn’t be,” Marinette replied, “Excited? Yes. Running straight toward it regardless of her own safety? Definitely. But surprised? Not a chance.”

Nino threw his hands in exasperation, “Whatever, it’s the though that counts.” One more glance toward the bathroom, “So are you two in or not?”

Adrien and Marinette smiled at each other, “100%”

Nino’s face cracked in a smile, “Perfect, I’ll text you the details and we’ll work out assignments…She’s coming!”

Alya’s look of suspicion was back in full force by the time she got to the table. “You all look too innocent…”

“Us? Innocent? Never.” Adrien replied cheekily.

“Don’t I know it, sunshine boy.” Alya laughed, which set the whole group laughing again just in time for their food to arrive.

“What should we get Alya for her birthday Marinette?” Adrien asked from his place on Marinette’s floor.

“I don’t know Adrien; I want it to be special. I mean, she’s one of our best friends and is always there for us both in and out of the masks. I just want a gift that will reflect that.”

“But what does she even want?” Adrien puzzled.

“LadyNoir” Marinette joked. The two froze, each thinking the same thing.

“Well,” Adrien smirked, “It is about time…”

Saturday found the heroes reviewing their plan on the way to the movie theater. They had volunteered to take Alya to a new superhero movie that afternoon to distract her while Nino and the rest of their class set up the party. All they had to do was keep her occupied until it was time to deliver her to Nino’s house for the party at five.

“Hey girl,” Alya waved to them as they both walked into the lobby.

“Hey! So, I already got the tickets, but do you two want to buy the popcorn? I want to use the restroom before the movie.” Marinette was already walking away.

“Alright” Adrien called after her as he and Alya got in line. Phase one, complete.

It wasn’t long before there were shocked gasps and cries of, “Ladybug!” Adrien smiled as Alya whipped out her phone and looked up at the window where, sure enough, Ladybug was crawing into the building. The superheroine flipped down from the window sill and walked straight toward them, “Alya Césaire, I’ve been looking for you.”

Alya’s eyes widened, obviously wondering if there was an Akuma, and if so, did Ladybug need Rena Rouge, and if so why would Ladybug be approaching her in public like this and should she stop recording?

“Happy Birthday Alya!” Ladybug said causing Alya’s worries to dissipate and her eyes to brighten with joy. “Chat Noir and I wanted to do something for our favorite ladyblogger’s birthday, how does an exclusive interview sound? Chat Noir is already waiting for us, that is,” Ladybug paused, “if your friends are alright with us stealing you away?”

Alya looked between Adrien and Ladybug, torn, when Adrien interrupted, “Alya, it’s your birthday, you should do what you want to do. Don’t worry about us, I’ll tell Marinette where you’ve gone and you can meet us back here after the movie. It should end around,” Adrien looked at his phone, “4:45, just try to be back by then, or call us.”

Alya instantly became a bouncing ball of energy. “You really mean it? You’re not mad? Oh my goodness! Enjoy the movie!” Then she was off as Ladybug pulled her close and yoyoed out the window.

“Have fun!” Adrien called after the two, then walked toward the bathroom himself, so any bystanders would think he was ‘letting Marinette know where Alya went’, then called for his own transformation to race his girlfriend to the park.

Ladybug took the scenic route to the park, not that there were any non-scenic routes when flying over Paris, but she needed to give Adrien time to beat her to the park. Alya was live streaming their commute, with Ladybug’s permission of course, to give her followers a view of what it was like to swing through the streets like their favorite superheroine.

The two girls touched down to find Chat Noir waiting of them, apparently relaxed, if a little out of breath. Ladybug turned to Alya, “So we were thinking you might like to record us sparring for a little bit and then you can ask us some questions. How does that sound?”

“Amazing!” Alya could barely contain her excitement, “So it is alright if I record,”

“You can even live stream it,” Chat Noir said, “We’ll be careful not to do anything too revealing,” He added with an eyebrow wiggle. Ladybug rolled her eyes, “So shall we get started.”

The two heroes kept their eyes on the clock as fought, they didn’t want to get carried away with their normal banter and forget the whole reason they had made this ridiculous plan.

Alya seemed to be enjoying just watching them fight close up and being able to actually hear the banter and trash talk they exchanged, since it was so hard to get a quality recording of their dynamic during the heat of normal akuma battles. When the had been sparing for just over half an hour, their sparing had gotten more intense. Chat Noir tried to sneak up on Ladybug from behind, only for her to toss him effortlessly over her shoulder and pin him to the ground. He smirked and ladybug knew what was coming even before he grabbed her face to pull her lips down to meet his.

They pulled out of the kiss a few seconds later to appreciate the sight of Alya’s chin on the ground.

“So,” Chat Noir smirked, using his thumb to wipe smugly at the corner of his mouth, “I’m guessing you have those questions now.”

“LadyNoir is canon!!!” Marinette laughed as Alya screamed that sentiment for the third time since they had reunited at the movie theater 10 minutes earlier. Ladybug and Chat Noir had left Alya at the park, leaving her just enough time to run back to theater and arrive just after the movie ended. She had found Adrien and Marinette sitting outside awaiting a play by play of her exclusive birthday interview with Paris’s heroes and she hadn’t stopped gushing since. Adrien almost regretting actually going to the movie the day before with Marinette, since it seemed like Alya wasn’t going to question the plot or their alibi. It didn’t take long to arrive at Nino’s and Alya was so distracted by the LadyNoir kiss that she had caught on camera that she completely forgot to be suspicious, so she actually was surprised when Nino and the rest of the class jumped out from their hiding spaces when she walked through the door. Marinette and Adrien shared a smile as Alya made everyone watch the LadyNoir kiss again. Mission accomplished.

#miraculous ladybug #adrienette #adrienette april #ladynoir #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #marinette dupain cheng #adorable #adrien agreste #fluff #birthday #post reveal

[sparklyaxolotlstudent]

Karma Chameleon: The Finale.

AKA I can’t write drama to save my life. I’m sorry.

ENJOY!

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

“Ugh!” Adrien threw his bag at his bed, ignoring the protest coming from inside.

“Hey, watch it kid, I was taking a nap!” protested Plagg, floating out of the bag.

“I can’t believe them! Chloe provokes Lila into akumatization and somehow I’m the bad guy?”

Adrien kept ranting, pacing around his room. Plagg only occasionally nodded, while he ate his cheese. “Are you done?” He asked once Adrien had made a pause. Adrien glared at him.

“I really don’t need your sarcasm right now, you lazy cat.”

Adrien’s words felt icy, something Plagg was definitively not used to. But he knew this boy, and he also knew that he should have said something earlier. Uncharacteristically for Plagg, he placed his cheese in the plate, which surprised Adrien, and then floated directly to his face.”

“I’m sorry ” It was a simple statement, and Plagg had said it while putting his hands on what would be his hips, trying to look all business like.

“What?” Adrien was confused. He was expecting a scolding from Plagg, not an apology.

“I’m sorry I have let your attitude go unchecked for so long Adrien Agreste. I should know better than to let a human teenager become this entitled.”

“What? What are you talking about? Entitled? I’m not entitled.”

Plagg sighed. He really really didn’t like to play the stern father. Or any other figure of authority. He was destruction, for Tikki’s sake!

“Remember when you tried to manipulate me into introducing you to Master Fu?”

“Manipulate? I deserve to know the same things that Ladybug knows!”

“That might be true, but you did it while an Akuma was flooding the city. While people were drowning”

Adrien opened his mouth, but really couldn’t refute what Plagg had said. He hadn’t stopped to think in the implications when he had done that day; after all, he still got to meet Master Fu.

“Ladybug’s power fixed that” said Adrien weakly. Even he knew it was a lame excuse.

“They came back to life, yes, but the trauma of drowning didn’t magically go away.”

“But…”

“Adrien, for once, listen to me. I’m not finished, and I don’t know how much I can maintain being this serious”

Adrien closed his mouth. Plagg being serious was a bit scary.  

“Being the Holder of the Miraculous of the Black Cat is a duty, yes, nothing says you can’t enjoy its perks, but what you have to do come before what you want to do. No whats, no buts, no ifs. You duty is to stop Hawk Moth first and foremost, to protect people, not to throw a temper tantrum because you didn’t got what you wanted.”

“But Ladybug…”

“Ladybug was told not to tell. It wasn’t her secret. Would you like if your friend… glasses boy told everyone stuff you have told him in private? She got to know him because very special circumstances forced her kwami to do it.”

“But…”

“And I understand your frustration, I really do, but there’s the other times you have acted like a brat while an Akuma was attacking and wreaking havoc on the city”

“What? I never”

“That Ice Cream Akuma? When you were acting all pissy at Ladybug because she didn’t go to a date she said she wasn’t going because she already had plans? Not to mention you also ditched your friends to make that dinner”

Adrien was silent. Plagg’s words were stinging him in the worst ways. He had acted like that and he didn’t even notice it at the time. “She would love me if she gave me the chance”

Plagg had to use all his will to not facepalm in the wall. That would surely destroy the whole manor.

“Adrien. While that might be true, and I’m not saying it is, that’s not your decision to make. Ladybug doesn’t owe you anything more than collaborate to defeat the Akumas, and maybe a bit of friendship, but that is all. I have had cats that weren’t even on friendly terms with their ladybugs and they still got the job done.”

“Oh, so now I’m the worst Black Cat ever!”

Plagg noted the bitter tone. He really hated being the serious one, and he would make Adrien pay for this in camembert.

“Adrien” Plagg sighed, and then forced himself into Adrien’s field of vision. “I love you with all my heart, and if you make me repeat this, I will deny it and make you suffer with 700 years of bad luck. You are one of the most unique Black Cats I have had in my care, you’re brave, nice and always put Ladybug’s safety before yours… not always a virtue, but we’ll work on that. That’s why you acting like you have been, is so… odd. You’re a good kid, PLEASE keep that.”

“Thanks” Adrien was barely audible. Having Plagg acting like this was freaking him out, but in a good way.

“Now now, no need to get all mushy… but I do have to ask. Why side with Lila of all people?”

Adrien wiped a tear. “I wasn’t siding with Lila”

“You basically disowned Chloe.”

“I just want everyone to get along! What Chloe did seriously messed Lila”

“Lila was trapped in her own web of lies. And Chloe has done much worse than what she did today”

“But she wasn’t doing anyone any harm!”

“Except for Marinette and the tomato kid. And the ladyblog’s credibility would have been destroyed.”

“People don’t change just because you confront them.” Said Adrien defensively. “I tried. I told Chloe a lot of times, way before I met you. She just kept being Chloe. I tried again and only managed to get her butler akumatized. And my father. He was like that way before mom… He never changed. I know people don’t change”

“Still, Lila might not have changed, but people would have stopped believing her lies. She would have been akumatized sooner, but still, you should have said something”

“If I had confronted Lila, everyone would have shunned me too!” yelled Adrien, a little too loud. Fortunately, everyone in the manor was busy with their own stuff.

“Oh… Oh!” Plagg’s face went from stern to a sad realization. He approached Adrien, tentatively. He was really bad at this mushy stuff and really wished that that pony kwami of friendship or the bear of love were here instead of him. He would even settle for the kwami of fluffiness. He wasn’t sure one existed, but with the internet the way it was, it was entirely possible for humans to have come with that one. “Adrien, it’s okay. You can’t control how people feel about you, and you shouldn’t worry about that.”

“You don’t get it. I have been lonely all my life. I only had Chloe as a friend!”

“I’m the anthropomorphic representation of destruction. I know how it feels for people to hate you. Every time sometimes decays, runs down, every house that falls, every thing that explodes? They blame it on me instead of what caused it. They love Tikki, even if she created Hydras, and Chimeras and all manners of monster, but then they blamed the destruction those monsters created on me.”

Adrien looked up to Plagg. He was still unsure at how to feel about having an open talk with him.

“I know you just see me as a lazy freeloader, and I don’t blame you. I do enjoy the easy life, but should know better than that. At the very least, I should be able to hear you out. I’m bad at this stuff, but I will try my best””

“People… people who matter will NOT abandon you. At least not voluntarily. So maybe your class mates would have turned on you like they turned on Marinette due to that Mop girl lies, but you know Chloe would have jumped at your defense. Marinette too. And that Tomato boy would have been on your side. And you honestly believe Glasses dude would have abandoned you?”

Adrien was speechless. He was barely able to shook his head “no, they wouldn’t”

“Friendship is about trusting, about support and supporting. Glass… Nino even got akumatized because your dad didn’t let you have a birthday party. How many people have been akumatized for someone else?”

Adrien wanted so badly to reply with ‘Miss Bustier’ but that was not the point that Plagg was trying to make.

“I know your schedule is really packed, but you should still make time for your friends to get some stress relief. And talk to Master Fu. He’s 180 years old, he will be able to listen! And probably be better than this silly dumb cat”

“You’re not dumb” Adrien approached Plagg and hugged him as best as he could.

“Just let’s not make this a periodical thing; you’re ruining my style.”

Adrien wiped a tear from his face and gave Plagg a small smile.

“That being said, you still should apologize to them… And to Ladybug too, for how you’ve been acting.”

Adrien was about to protest but knew Plagg was right. He did need the stress relief, but also needed to work on his attitude, especially his one sided crush on Ladybug. Maybe Kagami was right after all and he should change targets. Not Kagami herself, but maybe someone else. Maybe a good friend.

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

THE END

I won’t write Adrien apologizing because, again, I can’t write angst, and it would just be rehash of the apology that Alya and Nino gave to Marinette. Adrien might slip in future fics, but at least Plagg will be quick to call him out. 

Chloe too. She’s still a sassy bitch, but she will try to use her bitchiness for the Greater Good. And Marc is a good influence on her. Speaking of Marc, I want to write him with some friends of his own class, even if I have to make a ton of OCs to achieve this. And the Trials of Marinette will continue until I make a chapter for each kwami or I run out of ideas, whichever happens first.

I’m also playing with the idea of Nathaniel knowing Marinette is Ladybug(His “get Ladybug” dialogue was ambigous like that)

And I really really REALLY want to write some dialogue for Juleka and Luka calling each other names like “buttface”, “purple booger” “Lezzy McGuire”, “Jonas Brother Reject” and other such things.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fic #ml fanfic #ml karma chameleon #adrien agreste #plagg

[bubbleblower]

Minor Details Ch 9/?

Ao3 Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4 Ch5 Ch6 Ch7 Ch8 Next

Marinette's existential crisis only overshadowed her natural instinct to help people for a moment. Before she knew it she was over grabbing the boy's hand, helping him up and reaching for the bag he had dropped.

"I'm so sorry, I should have been watching where I was going. I'm just late for school, not that that's an excuse and I-" she cut herself off, noticing that the boy was chuckling.

"It's okay, clumsy girl. No harm done." He smiled, it was wide and tipped up at the corners. /Clumsy girl/ Marinette felt her stomach twist unpleasantly.

"Well, sorry again I've gotta run. Late you know." Marinette panickedly pressed the boy's bag into his chest and turned tail and ran. Leaving the bemused blonde standing on the sidewalk, a small smile on his face.

Luckily she didn't have far to go as she dashed up the steps and into the building, not noticing Alya in her hiding spot.

-

"Alya?" A voice behind her made her jump about a foot in the air. She flailed and dropped her journal, papers flying everywhere. Adrien winced. "Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" He bent down and began collecting the papers. Alya squinted at him, recovering from her shock, and bent down to pick things up.

"Wow, Adrien, you move so quietly. Someone ought to hang a bell around your neck so you can't sneak up on people like that!" She watched his face carefully, smirking a little when his cheeks reddened slightly and nervousness danced at the edge of his expression.

"Ha... Um... Hey, Alya what were you doing hiding in the bushes anyway?" He asked, looking down at the papers he had picked up. A couple things grabbed his attention. His name, bolded, circled and triple underlined and a header: Chat Noir's identity. He gulped audibly as he raised his eyes to meet Alya's.

"Why, I was waiting for you! Chat Noir." She grinned at the absolutely caught look on his face.

-

Plagg hated leaving Adrien to the fox's mercy, but he had just seen Ladybug run past the bushes into the school and he needed to talk to Tikki as soon as possible. Before Adrien could stumble his way through trying to cover up what Alya had found, Plagg zipped up out of his pocket, winked at her and then dissappeared through the wall of the school chasing that little pink bag to the tune of Adrien frustratedly calling his name.

It didn't take long for him to find an appropriate moment to jump into Marinette's purse. Tikki squeaked at his sudden appearance.

"Sorry to just barge in on you Sugarcube but we've got a problem." Tikki collected herself quickly, her face morphing into an expression of sheer annoyance.

"Oh we definitely have a problem. Just what game is your holder playing? I know he knows who Ladybug is, so why is he trying to confuse her? I thought he wanted her to know who he was?" Plagg held his arms up placatingly.

"Tikki, it's about Hawkmoth." The red bug paused in her rant, her eyes growing wide again at the somber serious tone in Plaggs voice. "Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth."

"What?" She whispered. "But thats-"

"My holder's father, yeah. I found the entrance to where he stores the Akumas last night. I couldn't find Nooroo, but I'm sure that just means he keeps her locked away." Tikki's antennae drooped.

"Was there any sign of Duusuu?" Plagg shrugged.

"I'm not sure, but he has his wife encased in a glass coffin below the house. She's laying on a bed of white feathers so it seems likely." The kwamis were silent for a moment, contemplating the horrors of the situation.

"You're going to have to bring Wayzz to the house. He's the only one of us that can sense other kwamis nearby." Tikki said finally breaking the silence.

"I don't know if it will work, he and Master Fu already came to the house once. Granted Wayzz was only out in Adrien's room but he didn't say anything if he felt their presence nearby." Plagg sighed. "I'm gonna talk to them today."

"I'll go with you, if you want. I need to talk to him about Marinette's compromised identity anyway. We can go while our kids are on their date. We wont be in the miracle box so we can always hurry back to them if there's an akuma." Tikki floated over, wrapping her arm around Plagg, he leaned into her side.

"It's not fair, Tikki. Why did I have to be the kwami of bad luck? How am I going to tell my kid about this? He's already depressed. His dad neglects him, witholds emotional contact when he does see him, ties up his free time with a million activities to prevent him from spending time with people who would emotionally bond with him. And occasionally refuses to let him do things even when his schedule allows for it just to demonstrate his absolute control over my kids life. It's abuse, Tikki. And now this guy is the literal supervillain we've been fighting against. The guy who taunted my kid's friend for wanting to throw him a birthday party is the same guy who used dark magic on that same friend to make him hurt my kid and everyone he cares for. And the guy is his father! My kid still holds out hope that their relationship will improve when his dad stops grieving the loss of his mom, but his mom is down there. In Hawkmoth's lair, encased in some sort of weird glass coffin shrine. This is going to break him Tikki. I'm almost sure of it."

Tikki's heart broke watching Plagg's eyes swim with tears. It always seemed to go this way with black cats. Something always happened that her partner couldn't save them from, and despite all his bluster it killed him to watch the kids suffer.

"We'll think of something, stinky sock. He wont be alone. He has you, and me, and my kid, and Trixx and Wayzz and Pollens kids. Not to mention all the new heros that have been tested out lately. Even if we need to give every single other miraculous out to one of his friends, we'll make sure he has the support he needs. You wont have to take care of him alone this time." She hugged him harder.

-

Marinette had waited by the door to the classroom until the warning bell rang, but there was still no sign of Alya or Adrien. It was strange. Alya was never late unless there was an akuma. The last thing Marinette needed was for her to be sick today. She caught Nino's arm as he walked into the classroom.

"Sup, dudette?" He said, removing a headphone from his ear.

"Hey Nino. Have you seen Alya today? She's almost never late." Nino, nodded.

"Ch'yah she and Adrien were talking out front the school. They said they'd be in soon." Marinette's face blanched. That couldn't be good.

"Thanks Nino!" She took off at a run, unknowingly catching the attention of one Chloe Bourgeois.

-

Alya had her hands on her hips looking at a sheepish Adrien with a less-than-impressed expression.

"Look, dude, she's my best friend. You need to be upfront with her or you're gonna fuck this up. She's liked you for a long time and she doesn't play games." Adrien nodded.

"I will, I promise. I care about her too Alya."

"Good, and Adrien?" Marinette skidded out the front door looking wildly around for her renegade bff. "If you hurt her, I'll have Anansi rip your arms off."

"Alya!!!" Marinette yelled, appalled, looking for all the world like she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Understood." Adrien laughed. Alya winked at him, kissed Marinette on the cheek and walked into the building. Marinette buried her face in her hands.

"Oh my god I'm gonna kill her" She softly shrieked into her hands. Adrien, who hadn't been doing a good job keeping a straight face, laughed outright at this.

"It's okay Marinette. She just cares about you. I get it."

"She's a menace!" Marientte continued in the same tone. Adrien wrapped his arms around her.

"Would it help if I had Nino threaten you over my virtue?" He snorted. "Ooh better yet, Chloe." Marinette laughed weakly at this, causing Adrien to grin in triumph. She peeked out from behind her fingers, her face bright red and her eyes wide at the familiar contact.

"I can't believe she did that." His grin widened.

"Don't fret, Marinette. Despite threats of bodily dismemberment, I am still looking forward to our date tonight." He didn't know Marinette's face could get redder, but it did. She was just about the color of her suit. She was smiling though, so that was good.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" An unwelcome voice screeched from the entrance to the school. "A DATE?!? WITH DUPAIN-CHENG?!?! UNNACCEPTABLE!"

Marinette and Adrien turned towards Chloe's furious face just in time to see the akuma land on her sunglasses.

-

"Tikki!" Marinette whispered to her bag as she ran down the hallway looking for a place to transform. "I thought you were supposed to be the kwami of GOOD luck! What is even happening right now? Did I do something to piss Plagg off? Did he curse me?" She stepped into an empty classroom, locking it behind her."Because if so, I am absolutely ready to apologize for whatever it was. I will full on beg for his forgiveness if needed... I will buy him a literal mountain of cheese if that's what it takes-." She stopped as she opened her bag and noticed 2 sets of eyes staring back at her, one of them a very familiar green.

"A mountain of cheese, you say?" Plagg asked, a grin on his tiny black face. "Sorry Sugar cube, duty calls." He blew a kiss to Tikki, bowed to Marinette and phased quickly through the wall.

Marinette and Tikki looked at eachother for a moment.

"Nevermind, we'll talk later. Spots On, Tikki, hurry."

Marinette and Tikki looked at eachother for a moment.

"Nevermind, we'll talk later. Spots On, Tikki, hurry."

[pastelpenguins]

Yawning Adrien stretches getting out of his bed and sleepily making his way to the bathroom. While brushing his teeth he begins to smell something terrible and lifts his arm, sniffing his pit as Plagg gets closer with a piece of Camembert cheese wrapped with a red bow. Confused at first he turns around to see if its his trash and almost runs into Plagg .

"Happy birthday, Adrien!" Plagg holds his present out causing Adrian to cover his nose in disgust.

"Ugh, Plagg! Get that rotten piece of cheese away from me!" He manages to say while gagging, Plagg shrugging his shoulders pops it into his mouth before sitting on the sink beside his master. Waving his hand in front of his face to clear away the smell Adrien go back to getting ready before heading downstairs.

Sitting at the dining table Adrien stops smiling when he notices he'll be eating alone again. As he begins to cut into the croissant on his plate Adrien perks up hearing footsteps before seeing its just Nathalie walking in.

"Your schedule, Adrien." She states holding out a tablet for Adrien to grab, after a moment he does and thanks her as she begin to leave.

"Did my father get back to you about my birthday party?" Adrien asks his face lighting up with the question as she pauses by the doorway. Nathalie looks back at him before looking away as not to see the disappointment on his face when she answers him.

"Well, um...He doesn't think would be a good idea." Nathalie states frowning, already knowing how heart broken Adrien would be from hearing her.

"Course not." Adrien sadly looks down and speaks softly going back to mess with his food.

As Nathalie moves to leave she quietly wishes him a Happy birthday, leaving Adrien to eat alone. After a few minutes of just cutting up his croissant and not actually eating any of it, he sighs and grabs his bag on the way out to go to school. Leaning on his hand to watch through the window Adrien stays silent watching the different building pass by. Once they pull up to the school, he grins seeing Nino waiting for him outside.

During Lunch Adrien and Nino chatted while he waited to get picked up for the day.

"So are we doing the party at your place, mine, or somewhere like the park?" Nino asks after the two fist bump in greeting.

"Well my father decided against any sort of celebration." Adrien explains as Nino blows some bubbles.

"Dude, seriously? Has your dad always been such a downer? You'd think he'd remember what it was like to be young and wanna party a little."

"No, I'm pretty sure he was a downer back then too. Well, at least I tried." Adrien sighs before Nino wraps one arm around him.

"It's your b-day, dude! Insist! Actually, you know what? I'm gonna have a little convo with your pops." Nino decides determination in his eyes.

"Don't waste your time. He's not gonna change his mind." Adrien tries to talk him out of that plan when Marinette and Alya walk up to them.

"Um, he...Hey!" Marinette says nervous as she holds a gift box behind her back.

"Hey, what's up you guys?" He smiles as Chloé watches what's happening outside from the school entrance.

"Wait! Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing? Don't tell me it's Adrien's birthday?!" Chloé exclaims as Sabrina checks her tablet, surprised she smiles sheepishly as Chloé face palms.

"Ugh, do I have to do everything myself? Seriously, what are you good for?" Chloé groans before walking toward Adrien and wondering why she's making such a big deal when Adrian already knows she hates birthdays, nor remembers them.

"Marinette wanted to get you a gift." Alya says seeing her friend was too nervous to give it to him. She nudged her before holding up her own gift that was nestled in a brown paper bag.

"Also, this is from me." Alya smiles before fowning when Chloé showed up as Marinette starts talking. Chloé yawns hearing the girl stutter shyly before pushing her away with a rude "Move it." Throwing herself onto Adrien she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Adrien!" She exclaims happily before letting go and taking a step back.

"Did you get the gift I sent you?" She asks sweetly, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Uh, no." He states dryly as Nino and Alya help Marinette up.

"What? Those delivery guys are always slacking off. Ugh." Chloé says pretending to be annoyed before wrapping her arms around Adrien's shoulders again.

"I'll make sure they get it to you by tonight." She smiles giving him another kiss on the cheek before leaving while humming a happy tune to herself.

Before Marinette can try and give Adrien the gift again, a limo pulls up and he puts his bag back on.

"Sorry guys, gotta go. Photoshoot." He apologizes before getting in and leaving. Alya patted her on the back as Marinette made sure the gift wasn't messed up from the fall.

"Wait, where are you going?" Alya shouted as Nino started to walk away.

"I've got some business to take care of with Adrien's old man." He shouted back as he made his way to his friends home, only stopping when he heard foot steps catching up to him.

"Well we also need to stop by, so we can all head over together." Alya grinned looping her arm through Nino's as she spoke.

Outside the Mansion, Nino, Marinette, and Alya stood at the gate. Nino tried ringing the door bell to get in while Marinette attempted to open their mailbox.

"This mailbox won't budge!" She groaned, her arms pulling it while her feet pushed against the wall. After Nino pushed the bell a second time a hidden compartment on the wall opened causing a camera to appear, and Marinette to fall surprised.

"Yes?" Nathalie's voice could be heard coming through a speaker.

"Um, hi. I'm in Adrien's class and I, uh..." Marinette began when the camera pointer at her, after a moment she lifted the gift into view of it.

"Put it in the box." The was heard as the mailbox finally opened.

"Thank you!" Marinette said as she slid the gift into the mailbox before the camera retreated, the compartment closing afterwards.

"You signed the note, right?" Alya asks laughing as Marinette and Nino groaned.

"I didn't even have a chance to ask her to open the gate." Nino frowns at how fast and robotic the exchange was.

"Well you can try ringing the bell in a few minutes, we'll stay for moral support." Alya smiles at him as they wait.

Inside Nathalie enters her office after getting Marinette's gift and puts it on her desk. Once sitting down she hears Gabriel call through her intercom.

"Who was that, Nathalie?"

"A friend of Adrien's. She was delivering a gift for his birthday." She states getting any messages from today in order, to bring to her boss.

"Did you remember to buy him a present from me?" He asks surprising her.

"Oh uh, but you didn't ask me to." Nathalie says in surprise and dropping her pen in the process.

"Of course I did!" He states angrily not realizing he actually did not.

"Yes, Mr. Agreste. I...I'll take care of it."

"Good." Was the last this she heard before the intercom clicked to let her know it disconnected. Covering her mouth in fear of being fired she scrambles to think of how to get a gift quickly before deciding to use Marinette's gift. Making sure there wasn't a note attached she sighed in relief before hearing the doorbell ring again. Composing herself she got back up to answer it and saw a young man displayed.

"Yes?"

"Uh, hi."

Sighing because she didn't have time for this and recognizing him, Nathalie decides to buzz him in. Alya gives him the thumbs up as he leaves to go inside, while Marinette shyly smiles at him.

Nino and Nathalie are standing in the foyer, waiting.

"Adrien will be here in a minute." Nathalie begins to tell him just as Gabriel leaves his office and sees Nino.

"Adrien's not home yet." Gabriel states looking at the teen in front of him, remembering Nathalie reported his son had a friend who matched Nino's description.

"Uh, I was coming to see you, du...sir." Nino catches his slip up.

"Me?"

"Yeah, that right. Look, I know you don't want Adrien to have a party, but it's his birthday, dude...I mean, sir. It's all he wants!"

"No. That's final." Gabriel says harshly as Adrien walks inside while everyone is preoccupied.

"That's messed up. He never screws up in class, he always does whatever you tell him! Photo shoots, fencing, foreign language, piano.." He continues getting more upset.

"Nino forget it. Really, it's fine." Adrien begins trying to calm his friend down as he sees how angry his father is getting.

"Listen, young man. I decide what's best for my son. In fact, I've just decided that you're a bad influence and you're not welcome in my house ever again. Leave now!" Gabriel says his voice rising with every word said.

"Father, he was just trying to do a kind thing for me." Adrien tries defending his friend, but stops as his father glares at him and leaves.

"Goodbye." Nathalie motions Adrien's bodyguard to escort him out before shutting the door behind him. Dropping his bag, Adrien rushes outside to try and apologize to his friend.

"Nino, wait! I'm sorry. My father, he's pretty stubborn." Adrien tries to explain as Nino turns to look at him with an angry look.

"It's just best to stay out of his way." Adrien finishes quietly while looking at the ground.

"It's not fair, Adrien. Harsh. Uncool." Nino crosses his arms and walks off leaving Adrien with tears in his eyes from everything that just happened.

"Thanks anyway, Nino." He whispers before heading back into his home. As he passes the gate, Alya and Marinette try and ask what happened but he brushes past them and continues walking. The girls both look at each other but decide it would be best to let him calm down some before talking to him.

Nino continues to walk until he reaches The Place des Vosges and sits down on a bench, still looking angry. He starts blowing bubbles with his bubble wand to try and calm down, and watches people pass him by.

"But, Daddy, please!" A father takes his son by the hand.

"No, it's not playtime. You've got your chores to do."

"Ugh. Adults ruin everything all the time." Nino says to himself angrily, continuing to blow bubbles, after a few more minutes an akuma lands on Nino's bubble wand. Once it is absorbed Nino becomes still as his veins begin to burn and turn a dark purple color.

"I am Papilon, Bubbler and I will help you with these horrid adults. All you have to do in return is help me get something from Ladybug and Chat Noir." A melodic voice begins to sooth him into submission. Nino agrees and stands up as purplish black smoke is released from the bubble wand engulfing his body before dissipating once he transformed.

"No more adults means total freedom! This is SOOO sweet! Off the hook!" He shouts gleeful before taking out his now bubble sword and flying over Paris, leaving a trail of purple bubbles behind him. The bubbles start capturing adults, before turning green and flying away while they scream.

"Help!" A woman screams pounding on the bubble from inside.

"Look out!" A man screams trying to push another person out of the way, and ends up being taken instead. It becomes all out panic at The Place des Vosges as children begin to scream and cry as their parents are taken away. After a few moments no more adults are left once Bubbler has completely left the area.

Nearby Marinette is at home eating lunch with her mother. She laughs at something Marinette had said as a bubble flies in through the window.

"What in the world?" Her mom asks shocked knocking over her chair as it got closer and rushed to get her daughter safe. Holding Marinette behind her, she attempts to shield Marinette as the bubble engulfs her forcing the two apart. Sabine starts screaming as she's pulled out of the house and Marinette runs after her scared.

"Mom! MOM!" She screams before also seeing her dad in another bubble.

"Dad? Dad!" She falls to the ground reaching for her parents as they drift past the clouds.

"Your parents! Papilion must've released another akuma." Tikki says pulling on one of her pigtails.

"I've got to find his newest villain ASAP." Marinette says getting up once she snaps out of her shock. Quickly running back inside Marinette transforms into Ladybug and runs back out to find who did this, as purple bubbles appear in the sky broadcasting a message from the Bubbler.

"Today is your lucky day, little dudes. The adults have taken the day off, so make the most of it. No chores, no homework, no more nagging, just fun, fun, fun, fun. This is the Bubbler's gift to you." The message finishes before disappearing and the bubbles go back to hunting down any adults they find.

As Ladybug searches she sees lots of young children left alone and scared as older children try to help comfort them.

"Don't worry, your parents will come back. I'll see to it." Ladybug whispers to herself as she jumps from building to building in the search of anyone who could be akumatized.

Back at the Agreste Mansion Adrien finishes his lunch alone in the mansion's dining room.

"Wow. That was a birthday lunch break to remember. Yay!" He states sarcastically before he walks into the foyer, stopping when he sees its empty.

"Nathalie? Father?" He calls before shrugging sadly, walking outside he sees a crowd of his classmates cheering. Confused he looks around before seeing the Bubbler standing on top of one of his bubbles.

"Hey, hey, hey, birthday boy. Guess what? Daddy's gone. While the cat's away, the mice will play." He laughs looking overjoyed at his statement. Adrien confused, looks at the Bubbler until he realizes who he is.

"Nino?!"

"The Bubbler's brought all yo homies together for one single-sole purpose, to ce~le~brate!" The Bubbler exclaims before he jumps down from the bubble into a DJ booth

"Let's get this party started!" The teens cheer again as The Bubbler plays party music, and they start to dance, but some how it sounds off. Adrien looks around at everyone, then back to the Bubbler in surprise before running back into his house and quickly shutting the door behind him.

"Come on, everybody, I brought you here to party!" The Bubbler yells cranking up the music's volume.

"So dance or you'll join the adults up in the sky!" He laughs shooting Fireworks into the sky not caring what direction they go in. While Adrien has his back to the door hearing everything, Plagg flies over to a window his eyes lighting up at the fireworks he sees.

"Oh Adrien, he's shooting fireworks!" He says pressing his face closer to the window while trying to get Adrien's attention. Adrien just glares at his kawami, folding his arms in front of himself before Plagg sighs as lands on his shoulder.

"Jeez, what's your problem? Relax! You're getting the party you've always wanted."

"But Nino's been akumatized!" Adrien exclaims, upset that his kawami seems to not care about this. Sighing Plagg floats of his shoulder and in front of him.

"Look, you may never get this chance again! At least until your partner shows up, let's have a little fun. Then we'll save Nino, trap his akuma, and all will be good."

"Okay, I guess you're right. This might be the first day in my life that I actually get to do what I want for once." Adrien smiles, heading back outside to see who he recognized. Walking over to a short haired blonde named Rose he smiles at her while she looks at him sadly.

"Hey, I'm Adrien, this is a nice party right? It's actually my first one." He says dancing with her, she smiles and gives him two thumbs up before looking sad again. Adrien turns around and sees everyone dancing but with a grim expression, looking around he frowns when he doesn't see Alya or Marinette anywhere to talk to. As he continues to figure out why everyone seems so sad when Nino doesn't seem to be doing anything to hurt anyone, he notices Chloé motioning Sabrina to do something near the DJ booth.

"Um can I request a slow dance." Sabrina says gulping, afraid to get hurt.

"It's a bit early for that, isn't it?" The Bubbler narrows his eyes at her before jumping in surprise as Chloé shoves Sabrina down and puts on an innocent face.

"It's for Adrien. His first slow dance. Mm?" She flirts making a sweet face.

"OH! You know it, girl." He grins changing the music to a slow dance and motioning for everyone to find a partner. Everyone starts to pair up and keep dancing as Chloé walks up to Adrien.

"Is it me, or does everyone seem a bit weird?" He asks unsure about letting this continue any longer.

"Forget about them, let's go dance!" Chloé says excitedly as she pulls him behind her to find a good spot to dance in.

The next block over Lady bug is crouching on a balcony, watching the Bubbler going to change the music while Chloé and Adrien danced together. Glaring at the bubbler Ladybug calls on her Lucky Charm only to receive a record. Looking around for how to use it she spots an empty record spot in the DJ mixer, then the volume modifier, and a ledge on the building across the street. Quickly she throws the record, causing it to hit the ledge, bounce over to the DJ booth hitting the volume, and landing on the empty spot. It begins to play and everyone breaks their pairs to keep dancing.

"Dude! Who just hijacked my mix?" He yells pissed, causing everyone to look at him scared as he started to pull out his weapon and make bubbles.

"Yours truly." Ladybug states as she lands on the roof of Adrien's home.

"Ladybug!" The Bubbler growls letting the bubbles fizzle out just as her earrings begin to beep. Her eyes widen, haven forgotten about that tidbit of information. Quickly tossing her yo-yo at one of the tables of food, she yanks it towards The Bubbler causing the table to fly at him. Grabbing a cookie mid air, she quickly hides on the other side of the Mansion before de-transforming.

"Marinette!" Tikki states in shock as she lands in her hands.

"You know what happens once you use your Lucky Charm. You only have minutes before..." She begins to berate her recklessness.

"I turn back, I know, I was angry and forgot its a once a transformation power. But I figure, ya know the Bubbler, he's not going anywhere. We have time to get you some food to get your energy back up." She states handing Tikki one of the cookies she snatched.

"Then, we'll get right back out there, I promise, but I've got to find a place where I can transform, fast." Marinette finishes as she puts Tikki in her purse and enters the party looking around. Marinette jumps as she feels her shoulder get tapped and she turns around quickly.

"Where have you been, girl? I was so scared something had happened to you." Alya says relieved, giving her friend a hug.

"I was so worried about you too, where are Nino and Adrien?" Marinette asks as they pull away from each other.

"I havent seen Nino, but Adrien got pulled away by Chloé before I could go up to him. But relax, I'm sure Ladybug will be back and Chat Noir will show up in a minute to save us all. They never failed us, anyway come with me, I've got something for you." Alya grins starting to pull her friend behind her to navigate through the crowd.

"Uh, there's something I've got to do first." Marrinette says nervously as she follows her friend.

"It's about Adrien's present." She states not looking behind her.

"Well okay I guess, if its really quick." She says confused, feeling tikki move in her bag as they make their way to Nathalie's office. As Alya and Marinette sneak in they see Marinette's gift on her desk.

"Look! Now you can sign your gift." Alya grins as Marinette gasps, going over to sight in. They both jump when they hear an angry yell form outside and quickly run over to the window to peek through.

"Hey, you. Why aren't you having fun?" The bubbler yells, the broken table seen behind him, a moment later you see Ivan in a green bubble beginning to float away. Screams could be heard as everyone got back to dancing or acting like everything was fine. As Alya ran outside you could see Adrian get pulled over to the DJ booth and have a mike put into his hand.

"Hey, everyone." He begins gulping as everyone stares at him raising the mike up and towards the crowd he waits but no-one responds. The Bubbler, behind Adrien, threatens everyone with his weapon causing them to cheer. While everyone is distracted Marinette runs off to find somewhere private to transform.

"Well we can all see how fun my dude Adrien is having here today." The bubbler says taking the mike back letting Adrien jump down after a few moments. As he starts to go back into the crowd he notices his partner back on the roof.

"Ladybug?" He says shielding his eyes from the sun to look at her. Ladybug throws her yo-yo at a power strip unplugging everything before retracting it.

"Sorry, Bubbler, but the party is over."

"Why you gotta be like that girl?" He says in frustration.

"You made all the adults disappear, that's why! And now you're imprisoning anyone who isn't having fun." She yells at him angrily from the roof as Adrien runs into his house.

"You are not going to bust on my party!" He takes out his bubble sword and sends two bubbles at her, which she deflects as the crowd scatters. Ladybug throws her yo-yo at one of his bubbles, but it just bounces back toward her. As its about to smack her in the face Chat Noir appears and hits the yo-yo with his staff up in the air.

"Looks like I made it just in time." He grins at his partner before looking back at The Bubbler with a serious look on his face.

"I had it under control, but thanks." She huffs, giving him an apologetic smile as the yo-yo falls on his head. They jump away from each other as The Bubbler throws a stream of small red bubbles towards them. Snapping his fingers the bubbles turn green and start circling around them. As they start to knock them away some start sticking to them, pushing them closer to each other until they are both captured in one big bubble. Ladybug struggles against it as the Bubbler laughs.

"Oh this is just too easy, why don't you both give me your Miraculouses? If you don't you'll run out of air soon and I'll still get them." He laughs while keeping the bubble just in sight.

"Dream on, Bubbler. Don't you think we know how this plays out?" Ladybug says glaring at him as chat kicks where he can.

"Total party poopers, just like adults."

"Kids need adults Bubbler" Ladybug yells back at him.

"False! Kids need freedom, fun, let loose and live it up. Adults are controlling and bossy."

"But adults keep children safe and protected. They care for their kids, they love them!" She Cries out remembering how both she and all the kids she saw felt.

"Well most adults do anyhow." Chat mutters to himself having stopped kicking and punching the bubble for a moment.

"You must bring the adults back!" Lady bug yells one last time, trying to get through to him.

"Nope, never. Actually know what?" He says looking up at them for a moment in thought.

"Since you care so much about these adults, why don't you go float with them for a while? I'm sure you'd enjoy it much better up their then down here." He laughs running at them before delivering a strong kick, sending the bubble high up into the sky. As he watched them fly off Ladybug and Chat Noir scream in surprise before gasping.

"Use your Cataclysm!" Lady bug says once they stop moving so fast and just slowly begin to float.

"Couldn't you have said that five hundred feet ago?" He asks embarrassed he didn't think of it either.

" Well we can't stay stuck in this bubble together forever." Chat smirks and Ladybug face palms blushing at what he hinted. Groaning she takes her hand off her face, eyes widening at what she sees.

"No seriously Chat, Look!" Ladybug says alarmed as she points at the bubbles still rising around them. As he looks he also gasps, seeing many people already show the signs of Cyanosis, as wells as a few clutching the throat or clawing at the walls to get out panicking as they couldn't breath

"You're right, now is not the time for joking!" Chat states his expression hardening as he moved to sit on his knees and touch the bubble below them.

"Get ready, Cataclysm!" He destroys the bubble causing them to be freed and start falling.

"Your baton, throw it there!" Lady bug yells over the wind as she points to the Eiffel Tower and Chat grabs ahold of her.

"Got it!" He throws his staff so hard it gets stuck in the Eiffel Tower and Ladybug throws her yo-yo. It catches around the baton and they swing to the ground safely.

"Good thing cats aren't afraid of heights." He laughs, frowning as his ring beeps.

"We've got to get to his bubble sword, that's got to be where the akuma is." Ladybug tells him and he nods running after her, once they get back they can see the Bubbler getting more and more frustrated with the teens at the "party" he created.

" What's wrong with all you guys!?" He growls out before turning around as they all get excited about something.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one wants to party with you anymore, Bubbler." Lady Bug says landing side by side with Chat.

"Why you gotta be such haters!?" He grunts at them before taking out his bubble sword and traps all the teens in bubbles.

"Outer space is the next stop for your precious peeps, and they're never coming back!" He shouts at them as they all fly off. The Bubbler then jumps from roof to roof and Ladybug and Chat pursue him. As he flies to the Eiffel Tower, Ladybug and Chat Noir start climbing it while he throws explosive bubbles at them. Chat's ring alert sounds again showing that he is very close to switching back.

"Ladybug I'm gonna switch back soon, we have to hurry." He swallows thickly as they dodge another bubble that hits where they were seconds before. Nodding she calls for her Lucky Charm.

"Your... plumbing skill is gonna help us out?" Chat asks when they see a wrench appears. Ladybug shrugs and The Bubbler throws more explosive bubbles aiming at the duo. As they continue to dodge Ladybug begins thinking. Her lucky vision singling out a vent, a vent pipe, the screw connecting them, and the wrench.

"Got it!" She grins to herself before heading towards the pipe while Chat dodges more bubbles. She loosens the screw and the pipe comes off

"Chat cover me!" She yells throwing him the pipe.

"Go on!" He yells back at her as more bubbles head for him, he grins as the air flowing from the pipe deflects them. The Bubbler raises his bubble sword once again, but Ladybug throws her yo-yo and snatches the sword, bringing it to her. Slamming her Knee into it, it breaks in half, releasing the akuma flies within. The Bubbler then falls on his knees, black smoke covers him and he turns back to Nino.

"Get out of there, you nasty bug." She glares at the akuma as her yo-yo glows pink, swinging it she captures it and closes the yo-yo. After a moment she opens the yo-yo again and releases the purified Akuma. Taking a moment to rest and catch her breath she then throws the wrench up in the sky, and the ladybugs return everyone trapped back to where they had been before they had been trapped.

"Who? Dude my head is killing me." He moans in pain clutching his head as both heroes approach him to make sure he was ok. After a few minutes of checking him over and explaining everything as gently as possible, Ladybug pulls Chat off to the side while they still had time to be transformed.

"Ok, look Chat, I think we managed to keep a meltdown from happening with him as I don't know if anyone actually died. But after this, is it even safe to let him go? I re..." Ladybug get cut off by an angry looking Chat glancing over at Nino who was watching them on the ground worried.

"No, don't say that! He had no control over his actions, you are not going to lock him away, or whatever you are about to suggest!" He snaps low enough Nino wouldn't hear. There was no way his friend would suffer for what Papilion made him do. Glaring back at him Ladybug grabbed him by the arm so he wouldn't run off on her.

"I wasn't going to say anything like that Chat!" She snapped, letting him go when he visibly relaxed.

"Now if I can finish, I was saying that it might not be safe for him! You know if people died people will want revenge, and I have no idea if anyone even knows who he was during what happened." Ladybug stops as Chat's ears droop and he looks horrified.

"B..But he's just a kid, how could anyone...?" He trailed off as Ladybug gave him a sad smile putting her hand on one of his shoulders.

"If you want, I still have some time left and food for my kawami to recharge if you want to re-transform somewhere you can feed yours? That way we can figure out a plan. If anyone sees me carry him off then they'll know who did all this." Ladybug swallows and Chat nods, running off to find some cheese for Plagg. As she watched him get farther into the distance, Ladybug went back over and bent down to talk some more with Nino who still looked shocked over what happened.

As Chat leapt roof top to roof top, he could see people get up off the ground or calling out for their children, who had not stayed where they had been left. Landing on a high rooftop he crouched down and let go of the transformation and Plagg dropped to the ground exhausted. Adrien just offered him some cheese silently before moving to see what was going on down below. He sighed in relief when a couple teens ran up to a few adults clutching children to them, and began to tear up when he saw the parents clutch them while braking down over how scared they were. Slowly police sirens could be heard as well as paramedics and he slowly sat back down, pulling the last wedge of cheese out tossing it in the air.

"So I guess no one actually died?" He asked Plagg when he finished eating.

"Basically, as long as death was caused by the miraculous powers, then your partner should have been able to bring them back safely." He shrugged not really caring that much and landed on Adrien's head.

"Though she probably is going to be really tired after un-fusing with Tikki, creation takes a lot out of anyone." Plagg yawns before yelling startled as Adrien transforms again and heads back, happy to know that his friend didn't kill anyone on accident. While he was happy he still worried from the reactions he saw below and what would happen once the police got everyone back under control.

"Chat you're back!" Ladybug jumped up and walked over to her partner, Nino looking a bit more calm now.

"Well the good news is no one died," Chat whispered to her before leading her off to the side.

"But the bad news is, there are a lot of freaked out people, and children that still need to get back with their parents." Chat finishes as Ladybug frowns and thinks to herself.

"Ok that's a relief to hear, I think it's chaotic enough we can get him home without anyone noticing, but if anyone films us then we're in a lot of trouble. I might be able to use my lucky charm to disguise him, but that's a long shot." She frowns thinking, as she starts to head off Chat grabs her by the wrist.

"Wait, are you sure you can take transforming again? My kwami said it takes alot out of you to use the power of creation."

"I'll be fine chat, if that's true, Papilion will probably have a while before doing anything again. I can rest then, if your really worried I'll just go get a blanket we can wrap him in." She smiles before yo-yoing off, coming back a few minutes later with a large blanket. They decide to have Chat take him home as she is close to de-transforming.

Afterward, at the Agreste mansion as the panic has died down somewhat and both heroes back home de-transformed, Nathalie is typing on her computer when Gabriel calls on the intercom.

"Nathalie? Did my son like his gift?"

"I was just going to check sir."

"Good, please tell me as soon as you know!" Gabriel disconnects and she looks around, and takes Marinette's gift. Grabbing the present she crumples and throws Marinette's post-it note in the garbage. Grabbing a nice card, reserved for thank yous from the company she stamps his signature onto it and goes to the dining room where Adrien is eating.

"A birthday present, from your father." She states before handing the gift to Adrien. Extremely surprised by the gift he asks Nathalie to thank his father before he even opens it. Nathalie agrees, walking away, as Adrien looks happily at the gift before tearing the paper off and pulling out a soft blue knitted scarf.

#Miraculous: Tales of Paris' Heros Ladybug & Chat Noir #the bubbler #dark miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug #fanfiction #cyanosis

[ruthlessribbons]

The Martyr

Chapter 2: Surprise!

Also on Ao3

Hey guys, as promised here is Chapter 2!

Hope you all enjoy it!

Adrien was in shock. He has never thought he’d see the day where he would be happy to enter the front door of his house. Yet, upon entering his home, he couldn’t contain the look of joy that spread across is face. To see the front room, filled with the smiling faces of all his friends, all screaming the words “Happy Birthday!” brought more joy to him than he could ever imagine. Did his Father organise this? No not possible. His Father was far too constricting, and he wasn’t even in town at this moment. No, this was Nino’s doing. Somehow, he conscripted Nathalie and the Gorilla with helping to organise a surprise party. He didn’t how he did it, but he was glad. This was exactly what he needed today. Today, he could actually be happy with his friends.

“Yo Adrien, enjoying the party?” Nino asked, patting his best friend on the back.

“I am!” Adrien beamed. “I don’t know how you managed it, but I am so happy you did.”

“Actually, it was because I convinced your Father,” Nino replied, grinning smugly.

Adrien’s jaw dropped. “H-h-how?”

“I may have brought up the fact that as its your 16th birthday, a party is exactly the type of thing your Mother would have wanted for you,” Nino said, a hint of guilt in his voice. “I’m not 100% proud of using your Mother to do it, but I felt it was the only way to get him to agree.”

Adrien felt his stomach twist at the mention of his Mother. He wasn’t upset at Nino for using his Mother to sway his Father, but it still hurt to hear her mentioned.

“Cheer up bro,” Nino said, breaking into Adrien’s thought. “You’re 16 today. Enjoy it.”

Adrien smiled. “Your right, let’s have some fun.”

A few hours into the party and Adrien was the happiest he had been in a very long time. The presence of his friends was overwhelming positive, and he was having the time of his life. The only other times he ever felt close to a feeling anything like this was when he jumping from roof to roof, protecting the city of Paris as Cat Noir, with his Lady of course. Adrien had spent the night mingling with all his friends, laughing and partying. Overjoyed at how many of them showed up. Not to mention eating all the junk-food he could get away with while his Father was away. One thing made him feel uneasy though. He had been mingling all night, yet there was one particular person who he hadn’t seen at all, and they just happened to be one of the people he was hoping to see the most. That’s what lead him to the refreshments table, where he stood scanning the room, searching for the dark hair and bluebell eyes that made her stand out so well amongst all the other girls he knew. Maybe he was going about this all wrong way. Instead of searching for her, maybe he should look for Alya. She would know better than anyone else, where she was.

“Adrikins!” screeched an all to familiar voice, distracting him from his search.

“Hey Chlo,” Adrien said, smiling to his oldest friend, as she ran up to hug him.

“I am so glad I managed to get a moment with you amongst this party!” she said. “I hope your enjoying yourself!”

“I am actually!” Adrien replied. “I can’t believe Nino convinced my Father to let him throw this.”

“Well I may have giving him the idea to mention what your Mum would have wanted,” Chloe revealed proudly.

“Why am I not surprised?” Adrien chuckled, knowing how underhanded she could be. “Thanks Chloe.”

“Oh, come on Adrikins,” beamed Chloe. “If anyone deserved to be happy on their 16th, it’s you.”

Adrien smiled, thinking about how much Chloe had changed since receiving the Bee Miraculous. Not that she knew exactly how much he knew. Then again, he always knew her potential for kindness and compassion. She had always shown it towards him in their younger days, and he wished that everyone else had been able to see it sooner. Fact of it was, most people still saw her as the spoilt daughter of the Mayor, but every now and again, the kindness inside would leak out, when she thought no one was looking. He, however, always noticed.

“So, who were you looking for?” she asked him, curiosity leaking through her voice. “Because it clearly wasn’t for me.”

Adrien chuckled. “And what makes you say that?”

“Because you know I’ll always make my presence known to you.”

They both started laughing. In a way, she was right. He’d never have to search for Chloe. She’d always be there if she was needed, and even when she’s not.

“So, are you going to tell me?” Chloe asked again.

Adrien didn’t reply, distracted because someone had caught his eye - Alya. She was standing next to a marble column, Nino’s arm around her shoulders. From a distance, it looked like they were talking to the column, or more likely, someone hiding behind the Column. It wasn’t long until the girl hiding behind the column came out, or rather was pushed out by Alya, into the light. Adrien’s eyes widened.

She was wearing a long, strapless red dress, clearly self-customised and made by hand, which fit her figure perfectly. He dark hair, which was normally held in neat bangs, was let out to flow just slightly above her shoulders, and her bluebell eyes, as usual, were piercingly beautiful. His breath caught as they made eye contact from across the room.

“Marinette…” he whispered, watching as she quickly looked away, trying to hide her face.

“What?” said Chloe’s voice, breaking him from his trance.

“Oh, um, she just looks very pretty tonight,” Adrien sputtered, turning to Chloe. He felt something in his stomach turn. Curious.

Adrien noticed as Chloe’s face twisted slightly from jealousy and disappointed.

“She looks…adequate,” Chloe responded. Adrien frowned.

“Why do you insist on disliking her so much?” Adrien asked, frustrated.

Chloe didn’t respond, instead choosing to stare at her feet. Adrien sighed, looking back towards Marinette, as if drawn to her. She was still talking to Alya, but Nino had disappeared. Something in his gut turned again.

What is this? He thought.

“You like her, don’t you?” Chloe asked.

“Of course, she’s a good friend,” Adrien replied, as if by instinct.

“Not what I meant Adrien,” Choe said.

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked curiously.

“You have feelings for her,” Chloe stated. Adrien’s stomach churned again at her words.

“Of course not, she’s just a friend,” Adrien responded. His words however, left a bad taste in his mouth.

No, he thought. He only loved one person. Ladybug. He couldn’t have feelings for anyone else, right?

The thought made his stomach squirm further. What was this? Guilt? He wasn’t sure. But he couldn’t help but realise that he was trying to convince himself, more than he was trying to convince Chloe.

“Adrien,” Chloe’s voice cut in. “We’ve known each other a long time, and I know when your lying, even when it’s to yourself.”

“What are you trying to say?” he asked her, not sure where she was going with this.

“I’m saying that I have seen the way you look at her when you don’t think she or anyone else is looking. You may not want to admit it, or maybe you just don’t realise it yet, but you have feelings for that girl.”

No, I don’t, do I? he asked himself.

“Confident about that are you?” he said, chuckling slightly.

“Adrien,” Chloe said, her voice sterner than expected. Adrien stopped chuckling. He wasn’t sure what had gotten into Chloe, but he was curious.

“Just go talk to her,” she continued.

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to do.”

“Adrien, you of all people deserve to be happy. After everything you’ve been through the past few years, you deserve to be around people that make you happy. And I know that Marinette, although it loathes me to admit it, is someone you care about greatly and that you want to be closer to so… do something about it.”

“You think I should go over there?” Adrien asked, more to himself than to her.

“Yes,” she replied. “Go, ask her to dance, be yourself, be… happy Adrien.”

Adrien smiled at his oldest friend, heart warmed by the sincerity of her words, even with her own obviously complicated feelings towards both him and Marinette.

“But how?” Adrien asked. “Whenever I get close to her, she seems so… uncomfortable around me.”

“Oh, Adrien,” Chloe chuckled. “Only you could be so oblivious as to the reason for that. Trust me, just go over there, talk to her… and leave your mask behind.”

“Mask?” Adrien said panicked. “W-what mask?”

She raised her hand, cupping his face slightly.

“This one,” she said softly. “The one that comes with the name Agreste. The one you wear to hide your true feelings, and that you wear in order to keep your Fathers expectations as the heir to his ‘Empire’. Show her the real you, and I guarantee, she will seem way more comfortable around her.”

Adrien smiled. In fact, it was the biggest smile he made this entire party. Chloe’s friendship has always been important to him, despite all the difficulties that came with it. But it was times like these, that made him truly greatful for it. Turning to Chloe, he embraced her tightly smiling as she returned it.

“Thanks, Chlo,” he whispered, letting her go. “I’ll tell you how it goes.”

“Don’t worry,” she said, smiling. “I’ll know.”

Chloe watched as Adrien headed over towards Marinette, silently cursing herself for encouraging his infatuation with her rival. As much as her own feelings demanded that she did everything she could to get in the way of Adrien and Marinette, she couldn’t help but feel… content with the idea that she just took a huge step in helping Adrien be happy…even if it wasn’t happy with her.

“That was a nice thing you did dude,” said an annoyingly familiar voice.

“Were you eavesdropping Nino?” Chloe snapped, turning to find him standing behind her.

Great, she thought. Is he about to lecture me?

“Not intentionally,” he responded coolly. “Was getting a drink for Alya.”

“Well its still rude to spy, DJ-douche,” she sneered at him.

“Hey chill dudette, I was giving you a compliment,” Nino replied, obviously amused.

“I just…” Chloe started, the sneer on her face vanishing. “I just want Adrien to be happy…”

“I know,” Nino said, smiling softly. “That is probably the only thing we have ever agreed on as his friends.”

“Oh, is it?” Chloe chuckled. “I never thought we’d never agree on anything.”

“Don’t get me wrong Chloe, we aren’t exactly friends,” Nino said, watching Adrien start a conversation with Marinette. “But your friendship means a lot to him. Believe me, I don’t always understand why, except for moments like this.”

Chloe stared at Nino, slightly dumbfounded by his sincerity and the kindness of his words. She fought back a smile.

“Yeah well don’t get used to it Mister DJ,” she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder and rolling her eyes in the most Chloe-like way. “I’m not going to make a habit out of it.”

Nino burst out laughing.

“Don’t worry dude, I won’t expect too much from you,” he shot back at her, trying to suppress further laughter. “Except when it comes to wanting to make him happy.”

“I guess when it comes down to it,” Chloe remarked. “You and I know what Adrien has sacrificed over the past few years better than anyone else.”

“When in that case,” he replied. “Here.”

Chloe looked up at him and noticed he was holding up his fist expectantly, with a small smile on his face. Chloe raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry Queen Bee,” he said coyly. “No one is going to notice if you fist-bump me. No one’s even looking. It’ll be a secret between Adrien’s two best friends.”

Chloe smiled at the mention of her superhero name. She had a quick look around, just to make sure that there was no one watching. She had a reputation to keep after all. No one was looking. Perfect. She raised her fist to meet Nino’s, making contact with his. A brief moment of understanding passed between them as the both smiled briefly, both secretly glad that Adrien had both of them as friends. They lowered their fists, smiles disappearing from their faces, the moment passing. They both nodded sharply to each other as they went their separate ways, Chloe, to find Sabrina, and Nino, the give Alya the long overdue refreshments he had promised her.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #ml fandom #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #nino lahiffe #ml spoilers #ml post-season 2

[whitebear-ofthe-watertribe]

That Which Holds Us - Chapter 4

Pairing(s): Adrien / Marinette, Nino / Alya

Summary: It has been several months since Ladybug and Chat Noir discovered their true identities. Now that they are not trapped by secrets, they can finally be their full selves around each other and have never been closer. Marinette is going into her final year at university, Adrien is exploring new classes and passions, and their friends Alya and Nino seem to be moving towards a happy future together. It all feels like things could not be better.

But of course, nothing in life is quite so perfect.

When Adrien starts having vivid nightmares and visions about his mother, old questions begin to resurface. Will he be able to find the answers, or will these ghosts from the past tear apart the heroes of Paris for good?

Reminder, you can also read / follow this fic at AO3 here, and FF.net here.

Previous Chapters

Chapter Word Count: 7,802

Enjoy!!!

The first couple weeks of school had ushered in a gentle change in the weather. Gone was the blazing heat of Summer. Now, the nights were cool, and the days not too warm. The late afternoon sun filtered through the still-green leaves of the trees on the Quad, dappling the ground with soft light.

Adrien let out a massive yawn. He was seated near a tall open window in the campus library. His computer and a couple large textbooks were spread out on the desk before him. Barely into the semester and he’d already managed to collect quite the stack of homework. Plus, he’d been tasked a massive project of working with the CEOs of Valentino to make sure their visions for the upcoming winter shows were catered to. And on top of everything else, his father had insisted he play no small part in the event planning for the evening’s party, despite the fact that he was supposed to only be working part-time.

Adrien was worn out.

With a sigh, he hunched back over one of the books, trying to find the line he’d just read so as to get the quote right for his essay. Staring at the page, it took him several moments to realize he’d skimmed right over the line. Giving his head a little shake, he refocused on the words and mouthed them as he typed them out.

He paused again as another yawn took hold, his vision blearing a little. Leaning back in his chair, he looked out the window, watching people make their way up the wide paths. A guy was throwing a frisbee across the open space, and his large dog loped happily after it. A couple people lounged under the towering trees, napping in the grass. Birds were chirping softly high above.

Adrien’s hair tickled his forehead in the soft breeze that floated through the window. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling. Maybe he should rest, just for a short break. He was so tired. His breathing slowed to a gentle rhythm.

And all else faded away.

He was running.

His lungs were burning. The effort of each breath was a fight all on its own.

Darkness surrounded him. He stared around, frantically trying to find one tiny pinprick of light. Something. Anything.

But there was nothing. An endless horizon of absolute nothing.

On he ran. Desperate. There had to be a way out.

The darkness was suffocating.

He had to escape.

“Adrien?”

The voice pierced his heart. He came to a halt, gasping for breath. Turning, he saw her, glowing a soft, deep blue as if the light came from within.

The only light he could see in the sea of darkness.

His mother.

“Mom?”

“My love, can you hear me? I’ve missed you.”

“Mom please, what can I do?” he begged. 

He tried to move towards her. But his feet stayed put. He couldn’t move.

The darkness was swallowing him up.

“Adrien please come home. Please save me, you must save me!”

“Mom!” he cried, struggling frantically. “Mom what do I do!”

He tried to claw his way forward. She reached out her arms to him, as if to embrace him. But she didn’t come closer.

“Please Adrien, help me! HELP ME!” 

She was screaming.

The nothingness was devouring him. He struggled against it, but he couldn’t move. He could barely breathe.

“Adrien! ADRIEN SAVE ME!”

Her screams echoed like they were in a vast hall. They didn’t fade away. They grew and grew, filling the empty space. He was being smothered, crushed under the weight of the oppressive darkness.

“No! Mom no! Please!”

The screams built in his head. There was nothing else. Only nothingness and the screaming, screaming, screaming.

“No!”

He felt like his skull would shatter from the pressure.

“NO!”

Adrien jerked awake, startled by his own shout. His heart was pounding in his ears, and beads of cold sweat were running down the back of his neck. 

Looking around, it took him a moment to regain his bearings. No longer was he surrounded by the oppressive darkness. The soft light coming through the windows felt almost blinding in comparison.

A few people were peeking out at him from around bookshelves and over desk dividers. One of his neighbors muttered, “Dude, it’s not even midterms yet. Chill.”

Surreptitiously, Plagg poked his head out from one of the small pockets in Adrien’s bag. 

Adrien glanced at him, knowing they both had felt that darkness.

Reaching his shaking hands up to cover his face, Adrien tried desperately to slow his breathing, which had been coming out in ragged gasps as if he’d just finished battling an Akuma.

‘It was a dream. It’s just another dream. It’s not real.’

A buzzing vibrated through his desk, making him jump. 

Looking around, he saw his phone lighting up with an incoming call. Letting out a harsh breath and mentally shaking himself a little, he reached out to pick it up. Marinette’s picture filled the screen. He pressed the green button and put the phone to his ear.

“Hey,” he said quietly, grimacing a little when his voice had a bit of rasp, as if he really had been screaming.

“Hey,” she said, and her voiced echoed weirdly. “I’m just about to jump in the shower and get ready for tonight. I wanted to make sure you were still coming by later to eat some real food before we go over there?”

Adrien realized that she must be on speakerphone in her bathroom.

“Um, yeah. Yeah absolutely, I’ll be there.” 

He pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time. He must’ve fallen asleep for longer than he’d thought. The shadows in the library had lengthened somewhat. There were only a couple hours until the two of them were expected at the Agreste manor.

“You ok?” he heard Marinette said after a short pause and he returned the phone to his ear.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“No, it’s nothing, it’s just… I dunno, you sound a little off.”

“Hm,” he grunted. “I’m fine, I just dozed off without meaning to.”

“You haven’t been getting enough rest, huh?” she said.

“Uh-uh. Actually, thanks for calling, or else I might’ve slept right through the party.”

“Ugh, and abandoned me to the wolves? How rude.”

“I know,” he smiled a little, using his free arm to gather up his things and shuffle them into his bag. “Terribly ungentlemanly of me.”

“We don’t have to go, you know,” Marinette offered.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, even though she couldn’t see him. 

“Oh? And how would we manage that?”

“Well, if you’re already tired then you shouldn’t push it, especially when we have Nino’s gig tomorrow. We could just… say something came up, and stay home and just chill for the night. We’d put on a movie and order in, I could draw, you could take a cat nap… We could just... relax?”

He had to admit, she made something so simple sound incredibly enticing.

“Plagg would love that,” he grinned. “But I think we’ve already committed to tonight. They’re officially expecting us, now.”

“I’m sorry, Adrien,” she sighed, her tone serious.

He frowned. 

“For what?”

“I shouldn’t have just accepted Monsieur Agreste’s request like that without talking with you first.”

“You’re still worried about that?” Adrien paused in cleaning off his desk. “Please tell me you haven’t been beating yourself up about it this whole time?”

“I mean…” Marinette groaned. “Yeah? Kind of? I know how touchy things are between you two, I just didn’t know how to… say no.”

“He has that sort of effect on people,” Adrien said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and setting off between the towering bookcases. “Don’t worry about it, Mar. He would’ve found a way to make me come whether you’d been there or not. He’s been putting the pressure on for months.”

“I know, but still…”

“I’m not mad at you. It’s not your fault,” he said gently, a small smile tugging at his lips. “If anything, I’m just glad you’ll be with me for it. At least now I’m guaranteed to have one person there that I like to talk to.”

“…You sure?”

“Sure that I like to talk to you? Well, I mean I don’t think we could’ve been such good partners all these years if you bored me.”

“Ha ha. Very funny, Kitty.” He heard a soft rumbling and guessed that she’d just turned on the water. “You know what I meant.”

“It’s alright, Marinette. You did nothing wrong.”

“Kay,” she sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, Mar.”

“I’m sorr– okay.”

“It’ll all be fine, alright?”

“Yeah, sorry, it will.”

“Marinette!”

“I’m sorry aH! SORRY! I CAN’T MAKE IT STOP!”

Adrien let out a bark of laughter and shot his free hand up to cover his mouth, muffling the noise as he hurried past the reception desks. 

A librarian threw him an irritable look at his outburst.

“I’ll see you in a bit then?” she asked.

“Yep.” He kept smiling despite himself as he pushed open the library doors and made his way down the stone steps. “Let’s get this slow torture over with.”

The time from when Adrien left campus to the start of the party seemed to fly by. All at once, he found himself dressed in an elegant suit and tie standing beside Marinette in front of his old family home. Taking in a deep breath, he steeled himself to enter the house he hadn’t seen the inside of in years.

Marinette reached over to him and wrapped her warm, reassuring fingers between his.

He looked down at her and found that her small encouraging smile gave him the strength he needed to step forward onto the property. 

Arm in arm, they made their way into the crowd of guests that stood under the glowing lights that criss-crossed overhead. Adrien thought it made the place seem warmer than he knew it to be. A dozen cocktail tables had been set up throughout the courtyard; waitstaff wearing dark red vests mingled around, carrying trays of everything from drinks to appetizers. Rhythmic melodies wafted from speakers scattered about the garden, controlled by a DJ off in one corner.

Adrien was forcibly reminded of when Nino had been at those exact turntables all those years ago, Akumatized as the Bubbler for his birthday.

The people were dressed in beautiful attire, as one would expect at a party hosted by one of the most highly esteemed fashion designers in the world. While some men wore classic black and white tuxes, many had forgone the traditional in favor of more bold designs with bright colors and patterns. The women were even more splendid, wearing elegant dresses in all the styles and hues one could imagine – and in some cases, even more fabulous suits than the men. Many people danced along to the music. Everyone seemed to be glittering under the lights and stars above.

Marinette let out a soft gasp, and Adrien turned to see her taking it all in with her mouth hanging open in awe.

He grinned as he watched her. If he wasn’t so tense about being in this place again, he would’ve been permanently star-struck by his Lady.

She had pulled her dark hair back into a sleek ponytail. A long silver chain hung around her neck and shimmered with tiny crystals as it traveled down the plunging neckline of her midnight blue dress. Floor length and long sleeved, it clung tightly to her body and flowed down into a short train that brushed along the ground. Her hem was embroidered with thousands of tiny silver stars that mirrored the night sky.

If he was to be perfectly honest, the longer he gazed at her, the less he could remember how to breathe properly.

“How are you feeling?” Marinette said quietly, turning to look at him.

“I’m fine,” he shrugged.

“At least this is just for an evening, right?” she offered. “And tomorrow you can guarantee that we’ll see people we enjoy, and you won’t have to worry about anything else.”

Adrien smiled.

“Trying to keep my mind on the positive, huh?” he chided with a smirk.

“Is it working?”

“A little, but now I’m just thinking of how much I’d rather be there now.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and stood on her tiptoes to give him a swift kiss.

“Well, if it isn’t two of my favorite people!” came a rumbling voice, and Adrien looked around to see a tall man with dark skin and long braided hair making his way towards them, beaming.

“Izzy, you’re here!” Marinette exclaimed happily, moving forward and releasing Adrien’s hand to be drawn into a tight hug.

“Of course!” Izzy said, moving to pull Adrien into a hug as well. “You don’t think Monsieur Agreste would neglect to invite his best material supplier, would you?”

“He’d be mad if he did,” Adrien said, relaxing a bit more in the presence of a familiar friend.

“So, how’s that new design project coming along, Mar?” Izzy asked. “Do you have a murder on your hands yet?”

Marinette let out a strangled noise, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

“Oh no, don’t get her started Izzy,” Adrien chuckled, reaching his arm around her shoulders.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous!” she exclaimed. “He’s behaving better than I think he ever has, but that’s not saying much. He’s still an absolute ass, and I hate that he’s such a good designer, because half the time just being near him makes me want to smack him!”

“Ah, so the fact that no one is dead yet in this situation means it’s going well, hm?” someone asked, and they turned to see one of Adrien’s work partners, Zacharias, coming their way while balancing four glasses of champagne for them.

“I mean, we’ve made it further than I thought we would without me throwing my pincushion at him, so yeah I think it’s going alright,” Marinette laughed, taking one of the glasses from him and standing on tiptoes to place a swift kiss on his cheek.

Ever since Adrien and Marinette had started dating, she and Zacharias had gotten along swimmingly, and would often share their designs with one another for feedback.

Taking his own drink from his friend, Adrien tilted his head back and downed it all in one swig. He put the empty glass on the tray of a waiter that was floating by while simultaneously grabbing another. Turning back to the conversation, he caught Marinette’s eye. Her eyebrow twitched ever so slightly, and he picked up on her concern. Nodding apologetically, he sipped more slowly at the second champagne.

“Señor Adrien!” someone called out.

Looking up, Adrien saw Valentino’s CEO, his assistant, and several executive editors making their way towards him. His stomach plummeted as he moved forward to greet them. It was their project that had been causing him more stress at work than he’d had to deal with in quite some time.

He had not been aware they would be attending his father’s party.

“How wonderful to see you all,” Adrien said welcomingly, putting on as natural an air as possible. “It is an honor to have you all visiting this weekend.”

“The pleasure is all ours, my dear boy,” one of the editors said, flashing him a smile. “We wouldn’t miss meeting with you in person after you have put so much work into our account.”

“You give me too much credit, Madame,” Adrien offered her a nod, before turning to reach for Marinette’s hand and pulling her into the conversation. Marinette was the only one who caught sight of the mildly panicked look he flashed her before turning back to the group.

“May I introduce my partner, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist, more for her stable support than anything else. “She is in her final year at the International Fashion Academy.”

Marinette accepted the hand of the CEO, who put it to his lips for a swift kiss.

“Delighted, Señorita,” he said. “I am sure we are all looking forward to seeing the work you will produce. Anyone whom Señor Agreste approves of must be an exceptional talent.”

“Th-thank you very much!” Marinette stammered.

Adrien saw that her cheeks had gone bright red. Catching her eye, he grinned.

“Now Adrien,” the CEO continued. “I do hope you will join us tomorrow morning for a meeting? I believe it would be incredibly valuable to go over some of these plans with you in person.”

“Oh…” Adrien was rather taken aback by this. He usually made a point to avoid working on weekends if he could help it – there were already more than enough commitments on his plate without it – but there would be no way out of this.

“Of course,” he said, quickly reattaching his smile. “I would be entirely pleased to make some time for you.”

“Excellent,” the CEO nodded approvingly and held his hand out for Adrien to shake once more. “Then we shall see you in the morning. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Señor Agreste.”

“You as well,” Adrien bowed a little as the group carried on to another table.

“I will send the schedule your way immediately, Señor Agreste,” the assistant said as she trailed after them.

Turning back to Marinette, Adrien groaned and lowered his head pathetically onto her shoulder.

“Feeling a little sorry for ourselves, are we?” she asked, and he could hear the amusement in her tone.

“Extremely,” he said, his own voice becoming muffled as he leaned into her. “Nothing like taking an already busy weekend and replacing any time I had to sleep in with work meetings.”

“Is there anything I can help with?” Zacharias offered.

Adrien shrugged, lifting his head away from Marinette to glance at him. 

“I doubt it. They have all been very particular about wanting me exclusively, though who the hell knows why.”

“It’s because you’re good,” Marinette said, grinning up.

“Zacharias is good,” Adrien grumbled.

“Yeah, but you have the name to go with it,” Zacharias pointed out.

Adrien turned to him with a small frown, but he knew that Zacharias was right. 

They had spoken openly about this before. There had been a time when Zacharias had resented Adrien for the privilege that came with the reputation of his namesake. But over their years of working together, Adrien had made it clear how much he refused to use his father’s power for anything. He had also pushed the hardest for Zacharias to get into his current higher position in the Agreste company, and as they had gotten to know each other and work together, they had become good friends.

If Adrien had his way, he would turn any and all of his power within the company to Zacharias. He certainly had earned it.

“Oh, cheer up, Adrien,” Izzy said, patting him heartily on the back. “It’ll only be a few hours of meetings. You don’t have to worry about it like you’re saving the world or anything.”

 “You’re right, that’s just my night job,” Adrien said, and they all laughed.

He exchanged the briefest of smirks with Marinette. Oh, if only they knew…

The four of them found their way to a corner of the courtyard and continued discussing Marinette’s semester assignment, enjoying the various appetizers that came their way. From time to time, people that Adrien and Zacharias had worked with on various projects came up to say hello. 

Adrien was feeling significantly calmer. If the evening was to consist mostly of making conversation with people he genuinely liked, he began to hope that the party might not be so uncomfortable as he’d been dreading.

“Good evening, Adrien,” someone said behind him, and he turned to find his father’s assistant, Nathalie, looking as prim and professional as ever.

“Hello Nathalie,” he replied, offering her a smile. “Everything is going well, I trust?”

“As well as it can,” she said, nodding. “I wanted to inform you that dinner is about to begin in the main banquet hall for those in higher standings with the company. I must go and check in on the head chef to confirm that we are ready to proceed. Your father is presently in a meeting with some of the executives.”

“Business as usual,” Adrien sighed.

It was another element of his father’s events that he’d always hated; the “higher-ups” would dine with his father on obscenely expensive cuisine, while all the other guests were left outside to their party. It was just another way to sew division. Though on some level, he could never really decide which group of guests had the true short end of the stick.

“Indeed,” Nathalie continued, unphased by his tone. “Would you please go to his office and let him know that he must be in the banquet hall to welcome the rest of his guests with an opening toast soon?”

Adrien’s jaw clenched with a slight pang of irritation. He’d been hoping to keep the interactions with his father to a minimum. All the tension that had been ebbing away with the help of Marinette and their friends came rushing back to him. But instead of letting it show, he simply nodded to Nathalie.

“I will inform him shortly,” he said.

Nathalie nodded, and turned to disappear through the sea of guests.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Marinette said softly, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Adrien shook his head. Wrapping his own hand around hers, he kissed her fingers gently. 

“No, it’s ok,” he said. “You keep catching up with Izzy and Zacharias. I won’t be long.”

“Alright,” she said, giving his fingers a squeeze before letting him go.

Adrien wove his way through the party and climbed the stairs up to the large front doors, which stood open. Inside was filled with nearly as many people as there were outside. Glancing around the entrance hall, he noticed that nothing much had changed since he’d moved out. He had refrained from stepping foot in this place ever since, considering it a freedom to be rid of the confining walls and enforced solitude of his boyhood. Being back now brought on a flood of long-buried memories, and he shook his head a little to clear his mind.

He beelined towards the doors of his father’s study. Knocking softly, he turned one of the knobs and stepped inside.

Gabriel was pouring over his desks with a handful of the company executives. All of them were dressed as splendidly as the party-goers outside. One of them was talking about something to do with how the Fall Collection was being received.

Adrien cleared his throat loudly, causing them all to look up. “

I’m terribly sorry to interrupt,” he said formally, putting on an apologetic smile. “I wanted to inform you all that dinner is about to begin.”

“Thank you, dear Adrien!” said one of the women whom Adrien recognized from the long years she and his father had worked together. “You are very right to pull us away. This evening is about letting loose a bit and celebrating, after all!”

Everyone murmured their agreement, thanking Adrien as they moved towards the door. Some shook his hand or kissed his cheeks in greeting. 

Gabriel was the only one who remained in place, watching him.

“Father, Nathalie just asked me to remind you of the welcoming toast you are supposed to give.”

“Thank you, Adrien,” his father said, gathering everything up off his desk and storing it away. “I appreciate you coming to tell me. Somehow the evening has grown later than I’d realized.”

Adrien nodded, but as he turned to leave, he caught sight of the Miraculous Grimoire sitting on one of the smaller tables. He paused, staring at it, and wondered for the umpteenth time where exactly his father had gotten ahold of it. He had always suspected if Gabriel had any real knowledge of the true powers it held within.

Gabriel followed his gaze and moved to pick up the book. 

“I trust you and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng are enjoying yourselves?” he asked, moving across the office to the Gustav Klimt style portrait of Adrien’s mother, and pulling it forward to access the safe hidden behind.

“Yes, it seems everyone is having a good time.” Adrien followed his father slowly, watching while he entered the code to the safe. “It’s nice to see the house so full of life again.”

“Yes, well…” Gabriel sighed, opening the safe door and placing the book and several other documents onto its shelves, beside a photograph of Adrien’s mother. “It’s still a lot of work to try and please so many people. I find it rather exhausting to be honest, but I suppose it’s necessary to keep the company happy.”

Adrien grunted noncommittally in response, and was turning to leave once again when a flash of blue within the safe caught his eye. He shot out his arm, blocking his father from closing the door. 

Gabriel looked him in mild curiosity, but Adrien ignored him.

It had been years since he’d seen inside the safe for himself. When he was a boy, he’d had no reason to find the small jeweled peacock significant… but he knew that jewel, now. He’d just seen it while leafing through Master Fu’s copy of the Grimoire a few weeks earlier. Made out of turquoise and azure glass, the jewel reflected the lights in a way that made it seem almost alive. Almost magical. And all at once, Adrien knew exactly what it was.

His father was in possession of the Peafowl Miraculous.

Adrien stared at it in utter amazement. It was impossible. How on earth could his father of all people have something so precious? So dangerous?

Without thinking, Adrien reached out his hand and lifted the Miraculous off the shelf. It was strangely warm for something that had been sitting unhandled in a cold safe.

“It was your mother’s,” Gabriel said, his voice making Adrien look up in surprise. Gabriel was watching him closely, his expression guarded and unreadable. “She left it behind when she… when she disappeared.”

“Where did she get this?” Adrien asked uncertainly. 

Did his father know of it’s true power? Had his mother known? Was it really possible that his mother had been, like himself, a Miraculous wielder?

“Tibet,” Gabriel said. “In the same place I got my book of… inspiration.”

Adrien glanced at the Grimoire. Beside it lay a stack of travel documents he hadn’t noticed before, as well as a book on traveling through Tibet.

“Apparently, it is an ancient Chinese artifact. One of a kind and very, very valuable. It was one of your mother’s greatest treasures.”  

“But she didn’t take it with her when she… left?”

Gabriel pondered him.

Adrien looked back at him searchingly.

After a long moment, Gabriel sighed and held his hand out for the Miraculous.

Adrien hesitated. He knew that he should get the jewel back to Master Fu as soon as possible, restoring it to the safe care and protection of the Guardian. But he couldn’t just take it from his father. Something that had been so dear to his mother would never be relinquished easily, and to steal it would raise all kinds of concern and attention…

Finally, after what felt like a moment of eternity, he released his hold on the Miraculous, and Gabriel returned it to the safe.

Locking the door and repositioning the large painting to hide it, Gabriel took a step back to look up into Adrien’s mother’s eyes.

Adrien stood beside him, regarding the painting as well.

“When Emilie disappeared, it was the most painful day of my life,” Gabriel said suddenly.

Adrien looked around at his father in astonishment; it had been years since he’d heard his mother’s name spoken out loud.

“It was… as if she’d taken half of my heart, half of my very soul with her. I didn’t know where to go, what to do… I…” 

He paused, unable to make the words come to him.

Adrien hadn’t seen his father like this since he was a child. It was like the cold and aloof demeanor had suddenly cracked, and he could actually catch a glimpse of the man his father used to be. For that brief moment, he felt the urge to comfort his father in the same way he’d wished anyone had comforted him when he’d been in pain all those years ago. 

Reaching his hand up, he placed it hesitantly on his father’s shoulder.

“I’ve done everything in my power to… find her.” Gabriel continued. “To bring her back home, for both our sakes. But every time I get close to the answer, it’s stolen away.” 

His hands balled into fists as he said this, and suddenly the aching sadness was replaced with an incredible fury that caused Adrien to actually step back, flinching his hand away from his father as though he’d been burned.

A strange energy hung in the air, a darkness that made Adrien feel like he was back inside one of his nightmares.

The screams of his mother echoed through his mind.

All at once, the atmosphere around his father had shifted, and any hint of emotion from what they had been speaking of vanished. Gone was any shadow of the father Adrien had spent so much of his life longing for. He was Monsieur Gabriel Agreste once again, as cold and rigid as the polished marble that filled the mansion in which they stood.

“Enough of this, Adrien,” Gabriel said, his voice hard as he turned to leave his office. “We have a party to attend.”

He stopped and waited by the large doors, holding them open.

After a moment, Adrien followed him, his mind racing. But just as he stepped past his father, he heard a disturbance halfway down the grand staircase. Security was converging on several guests that were harassing a mortified looking waiter. One of them had his fist clenched on the waiter’s shirt collar.

Gabriel stiffened.

Looking at him, Adrien saw a strange gleam come into his father’s eyes. It sent a chill down his spine.

“Please inform Nathalie that I will be with our guests shortly,” Gabriel said, a strange note in his voice. “There is one last thing I must attend to… it should not take long, I’m sure, and the guests are well enough entertained without me there for another moment or two.”

And with that, Gabriel swept back into his office and shut the doors with a snap, leaving Adrien outside.

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and turned to find Marinette waiting just inside the large entrance doors, looking unsure. 

When she spotted him, she smiled with relief and hurried to his side.

“I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do,” she said, wrapping her arm through his. “Some people were moving into the banquette hall, some were staying outside, I dunno. Zacharias introduced me to a few of those lead designers your father was talking about, so that’s exciting! I was more nervous than I thought I’d be, though. They said they would keep an eye on me and my work this year, like that’s more pressure I need right now… Hey...” 

She paused her nervous rambling finally to peer up at him. “You look even more stressed out than before. Like you’ve seen a ghost or something… Are you ok?”

“I… I don’t know,” he said, staring unseeingly out into the crowd of guests in the courtyard.

He had no idea what to feel.

“What happened in there?” Marinette asked, serious now.

But before he could answer, they were shoved to the side by the boisterous group from the stairs who were being ushered outside by security. One of them – a sour man Adrien recognized as an agent from past photoshoots – was dabbing a handkerchief to a dark wine-red stain that was blossoming over his pale, snakeskin patterned vest. He seemed rather tipsy as he loudly exclaiming something about “… the audacity of it all, they should fire that imbecilic waiter on the spot!”

Marinette threw a frown at the man, but otherwise ignored them, pulling Adrien out of their way. They were now in one of the hall’s corners, hidden behind a tall marble pillar.

Adrien leaned against it.

“Ok, now tell me,” Marinette demanded, her hands holding his face gently as she gazed up at him in concern.

“I… I don’t even know where to begin…” Adrien’s mind was still reeling. “Marinette, listen… you’re never gonna believe this but –”

A piercing scream from just outside cut him off.

They both whipped their heads around to stare in the direction of the doors. There were shouts of confusing coming from the courtyard, and then another scream came. And another.

Exchanging glances, Adrien and Marinette rushed out from behind the pillar and hurried to the double doors to look out over the courtyard.

The scene that met them was utter chaos.

Guests were running and crying out in terror. Several cocktail tables had been knocked over. A throng had gathered at the front gate as people tried desperately to get off the Agreste premises, away from an Akuma that was laughing drunkenly in the midst of it all.

Adrien, having just witnessed the scene inside, recognized the agent that had been escorted out by security moments before. 

The man – though he could hardly be called that now – had grown to be several feet taller, his legs fused together and elongated into the horrible, pale white body of a giant snake. Wine-red scales made patterns down to the tip of his tail. He still had the use of his arms, though his head had grown a cobra’s hood, and his face stretched into a wide, flat snout.

“You can run, but you can’t hide from the Beau Constrictor!” the Akuma said, laughing again as he lashed out at the people sprinting past him. There was an undercurrent of hissing with every word he spoke.

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a swift nod.

Marinette rush off, soaring lithely over the railing of the front steps to find, as Adrien knew, a place to transform.

Adrien stayed where he was.

“Everyone inside, NOW!” he shouted, pulling one of the heavy entrance doors closed with a boom and ushering the nearest guests into the hall through the other. “Take cover! Get out of range!”

People followed his instructions without hesitation. Those nearest to him raced up the steps to hurry inside. Others sprinted around the corners of the mansion. He hoped they would have enough sense to find refuge through the side doors below.

His shouts had earned the Akuma’s attention, and Adrien narrowed his eyes as he searched for where the vile butterfly might have lodged itself… There. The vest the man had been futilely trying to rid of the spilled wine was still donned over his torso.

The Akuma’s tail flashed forward and snatched up one of the guests, who shrieked in fright. He began coiling himself tightly around her body. In the span of half a second, he had her bound.

Adrien watched in horror, unable to move fast enough to save her as the creature unhinged his jaw to reveal razor sharp fangs, preparing to bite.

“Hey!” Adrien heard a familiar voice shout, and looking around, he saw Ladybug swing into the courtyard and land upon the DJ’s platform. “This is a private party, and I’m fairly certain they wouldn’t add a slimy, overgrown reptile to the list!”

“Don’t you know?” the Beau Constrictor hissed, lowering his victim as he turned. “Insects are a main food source for snakes.”

“Well, I plan to be nobody’s meal tonight,” Ladybug retorted, launching herself forward to prevent the snake from biting any more people.

Adrien turned away from the fight then, hurrying down the stone steps to dive behind one of the thick shrubberies that lined the edge of the property.

“Let’s do this Plagg,” he said as his Kwami emerged from an inner jacket pocket to hover before him.

“Does this mean no more party hors d'oeuvres?” Plagg asked grumpily, but Adrien ignored his quip.

“Transforme moi!”

The electric current coursed along his skin, and in a flash of green light, Chat Noir leapt out of hiding. He could not afford to give more thought to what he’d just seen in his father’s office. He had to focus on what was happening now.

Drawing his staff into his hands, he sped across the courtyard.

Ladybug was swinging around the Akuma, staying just out of his reach as he thrashed around to catch her. His massive tail had collided with one of the outer walls, creating enormous cracks along the stone.

“Mind if I slither in?” Chat called.

Wielding his staff in a great arc above his head, he brought it down with a sharp crack on the serpent’s tail.

The Akuma howled in pain.

Chat dove out of the way as the Akuma bared his fangs and struck at him, lightning fast. He missed him by inches.

“Sir, why don’t we just try to calm down?” Chat called, finally cracking a smile as he rolled to his feet and took another shot at the monster. “Let’s not ruin such a lovely evening! How’s about we just k-hiss and make up, huh?”

Letting out a snarl of rage, the Beau Constrictor finally snatched hold of Ladybug’s arm.

She let out a yelp of pain as he twisted and launched her towards the trunk of a tree. Before the collision, she managed to catch onto one of the tree’s branches.

“Now now, no need to throw a hissy fit!” Chat quipped as he flew towards the Akuma and managed to land a satisfying hit on his jaw.

Spitting angrily, the Akuma reeled from the pain, his tail whipping around.

“Scum!” the Beau Constrictor hissed bitterly as Chat landed beside Ladybug. “I don’t know what I expected from a couple pathetic idiots who waste all their time defending the most worthless people of Paris.”

“Nobody is worthless,” Ladybug called, her yo-yo whirring as she paced towards him. “No one deserves to be taken advantage of!”

Chat flanked around to the other side, watching for her to give a signal.

“On the contrary, pest,” the Akuma snarled. “Some people just aren’t made to have power. They are made to serve those with power. If there were no one beneath me, the system would fall apart.”

“Yeah, your system of suppression,” she snapped, and Chat heard genuine irritation in her tone. “Monsieur, I think you need to take a long, hard look at who you consider to be beneath you. Because from where I’m standing, someone who takes pleasure in hurting others is right there at the bottom of the barrel.”

“Then for now, I’ll just take my pleasure in hurting you,” he said, slithering towards her, his revolting mouth curving into a smile that made Chat’s skin crawl. “And maybe later, I’m sure there are other ways I can get my pleasure.”

“That’s disgusting,” Chat said, gagging. “I swear, the way men behave these days to make up for their ereptile dysfunction is just pathetic.”

Ladybug shot an amused look in his direction.

“Come on, chaton,” she called, rolling her eyes. “Let’s just skin this snake and move on with our evening, shall we?”

“With pleasure! Oh no, he really ruined that word for me now…”

Shuddering, Chat sped forward, dodging around the massive tail to reach for the cursed vest.

The Beau Constrictor twisted out of his reach, snapping his fangs at him.

Chat deflected the bite with a kick. He rebounded and whirled through the air before landing on the cobblestone.

A flash of glowing blue caught his eye as he turned back around to face the monster. Whipping his head around in surprise, though, he saw nothing.

‘Strange,’ he thought, frowning as he turned back to the fight. ‘I could’ve sworn I saw –’ 

“Chat, look out!” Ladybug cried.

Once more, he dove to the side just in time, the Akuma’s razer teeth barely missing him.

He reeled back, shaking his head to rid it of whatever he thought he’d seen.

Ladybug flung her yo-yo out and managed to wrap it around the Akuma’s wrist. She yanked him towards her, using the force of his momentum to land a fresh blow across his wretched face.

He retaliated quickly. Before she could dodge away, his scaly tail slammed her in the chest. She landed flat on her back, winded.

Chat winced on her behalf. Using his staff, he blocked the tail from hitting her a second time.

“Snake it off, M’lady,” Chat called as he danced out of the Akuma’s way, leading him further from where she was struggling to her feet.

She shot him a withering glare. 

“Seriously?!” she wheezed.

“Oh please, that was hisss-terical and you know it.”

“Just focus on the Akuma!”

Allowing himself a smirk, he quickly chose another point to target, hoping to give Ladybug the in she needed to snatch up the vest.

The Beau Constrictor lunged at him.

Chat raised his staff, blocking the Akuma’s bite. His fangs glanced off the metal with a clang. Driving the end of the staff into the ground, Chat swung up and kicked at the Akuma’s shoulder.

He dodged and landed a hit to Chat’s ribs.

Chat grimaced, retaliating with his own quick jab, holding the Akuma’s attention.

Seeing what he was doing, Ladybug rallied herself and took a running leap forward. She landed on the Akuma’s back, holding on tight as he thrashed around in frustration. He tried to grab her and throw her off, but she dodged away.

Chat crouched down, preparing to spring.

“Adrien…” a familiar voice whispered, right behind him.

“Ah!” Chat let out a yelp, twisting around in shock.

No one was there.

Eyes wide, he gazed around the courtyard. He knew that voice… the voice which had been haunting his dreams… his nightmares… it couldn’t be possible.

“Chat Noir! Are you alright?” Ladybug called to him, flashing him a look of concern as she tried to strongarm the Beau Constrictor from behind with her yo-yo.

Chat shook his head again, trying to clear his mind. A cold sweat had broken out along his skin, and his heart pounded in his chest.

“I – I’m fine!” he called, not entirely convincingly.

He had no time for this. He needed to focus.

As he stepped forward, a piercing scream reached his ears. He froze, a chill running down his spine as it echoed around him. Shadows blurred at the edges of his vision, and he blinked hard, trying to drive them away.

‘What’s happening…?’

He stumbled, trying to focus on the Akuma before him.

“Adrien, save me!”

The voice rang so loudly that he brought his hands up to clench his head. A sharp pain jolted along his knees, and distantly he knew he was no longer standing.

The shadows had engulfed his vision, drowning out everything else around him.

“Please, Adrien! The darkness… it’s too strong!”

The screaming echoed around him, as if it came from every direction.

And suddenly, there she was. Standing before him, surrounded by that brilliant blue glow.

‘This isn’t real,’ he thought desperately. ‘This is just another nightmare, you aren’t here!’

“Chat, what’s wrong?!”

“Help me, Adrien! I can’t escape on my own!” 

His mother looked though she were engulfed in blue flames. They licked around her, caressing her skin as she dissolved away into the shadows.

“Save me!” 

Her screams grew louder and louder as she was pulled away.

He squoze his eyes shut, willing the reverberations to stop. Every bone in his body felt as if they were shattering.

“Chat Noir, I need your help! What are you doing?!”

The darkness pressed in on him, impenetrable. He was suffocating.

“Adrien!”

The noise was too much. He would die at any moment.

“CHAT!”

“ADRIEN!”

With a roar, Chat Noir raised his clawed hand into the air.

“CATACLYSM!” he yelled, and with a pulse of magic, he brought his fist crashing to the ground.

In an instant, the darkness around him fractured. Blinding light pierced through the shroud.

As if from a great distance, he heard a shout of “Miraculous Ladybug!”

The world came roaring back into focus.

Chat stumbled, shaking his head, trying to clear it of the screams that still echoed through his ears.

The man who had been Akumatized was sitting on the courtyard’s newly mended cobblestones, restored to his normal self and gazing around in bewilderment. His was the only pair of eyes not trained towards Chat Noir.

The guests who had not managed to escape out the front gate – and there were plenty – were staring in his direction. Every face was a mixture of shock and something else. Anger? Disapproval? … Fear?

Many of them had their phones out, recording pictures and videos of everything that had happened.

Ladybug was kneeling beside the Akumatized man, her hand on his back as she murmured gentle words of comfort. Her eyes were on Chat, though, and worry was etched into her face.

Chat stumbled to his feet, his breathing labored as his heart thundered in his chest. He was shaking.

As he stared back at Ladybug, movement at the top of the mansion’s steps caught his eye. He saw his father emerge from the hall within. But Gabriel did not look angry about his grand party being the scene of an attack; on the contrary, his expression was that of intrigue. His hands were clasped behind his back and all at once, Chat felt as though he were a small boy again, stealing himself for his father’s harsh reprimanding.

The familiar, sharp beep-beep of his ring sent a visceral jolt of fear through Chat Noir as he stared into Gabriel’s cold eyes. Without sparing another glance to the crowd surrounding him, he spun on his heel, struck his staff to the ground, and launched high into the cool night air. He did not even look back to see if Ladybug would follow him or stay to help smooth things over.

His feet raced over the rooftops of Paris, as fast as the thoughts that sped through his mind.

His father had a Miraculous in his possession. The Miraculous had belonged to his mother, Emilie. He didn’t know if Gabriel was aware of its true power. He didn’t know if his mother was a wielder.

Of only one thing he was absolutely certain; he needed to consult Master Fu as soon as possible.

Two new chapters in one day?! Aw yeahh!!!

It's a shorter one (compared to my usual standards) but it's packed with a lot of things so there's that! I already had most of this written when I posted Ch 3 earlier, so I figure'd might as well just wrap it up ;) Super pumped to keep sharing this with you guys, it's only gonna get more intense and exciting from here!!!

If you’re reading this after 9/18/2019 this chapter has been HELLA updated and is now twice as long as it was originally! I hope you enjoy this way more, because the story to come is pretty great!!

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