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#should i go with this plagg face
coffeebanana · 10 months
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This was supposed to be for the Ladrien June prompt "morning", but I didn't feel like waiting another week or so 😂.
Excerpt:
[CW for grief/mourning and recent character death (Gabriel)]
Adrien cleared his throat. "I...ran into Chat Noir outside. He said he had to go, but he told me..." He took a deep breath, continuing in a whisper. "I know my father's dead." It was the first time he'd said it out loud, and the words came out surprisingly clear. It was only afterwards, when they hung in the awkward silence following Ladybug's sharp intake of air, that he felt like they were eating him from the inside out. Ladybug's grip tightened. "I'm sorry, Adrien. I'm so sorry."
Read on Ao3, or under the cut!! 💜
The rising sun hit Adrien's back as he forced his front door open, its light casting an eerie glow over the mansion’s battle-torn foyer. Half the ceiling was caved in. The staircase was all but destroyed. And scraps of metal amongst the wreckage glinted gold, like the dying embers of a fire. Like the end of an era.
It wasn't the victory it should have been.
As the door slipped from his fingers, Adrien squeezed his eyes shut and stopped to take a few steadying breaths—a dangerous idea. Police officers were still on site, gathering evidence amidst the wreckage. One of them could easily notice him, and then he might get stuck answering their questions. He needed to move. He needed to remember the simple instructions he'd outlined for himself before walking back inside.
Sneak into the kitchen. Grab food for Plagg. Get out.
Run.
He could cover his tracks later. It wouldn't be too hard to find an excuse for Ladybug as to why Chat Noir hadn't come back after he allegedly went outside to recharge. It would definitely be easier than facing her as his civilian self—as Monarch's son—right now.
But hesitation had cost him. "Adrien?"
Ladybug.
Unable to reply or to so much as glance in her direction, Adrien stared resolutely at a piece of rubble by his feet—a piece which he thought used to be part of the bannister. Tears burned the corner of his eyes, but he did his best to blink them away.
He tensed when he heard her approach, something he wouldn't have noticed so quickly if it weren't for the debris scattered about. Any other day, her footsteps would have barely made a sound against the marble floors.
Too soon, her feet stopped in front of him. He struggled to keep his breaths even, fighting to remain upright when it felt like the entire world was closing in around him.
"I...I thought you were at Nino's," she said.
Had he told her that? He barely remembered any of the excuses he'd made last night. It was hard to recall much aside from how he'd awoken a few hours earlier to find his father's body splayed unnaturally across the floor, his vacant stare somehow still bearing traces of disappointment.
The ambulance had pulled away maybe an hour ago, with no sirens to accompany its departure.
Adrien only realized Ladybug was probably waiting for a response when she grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the present with a gentle squeeze. His stomach swirled. Couldn't she have reached for his other side?
She deserved better than the hand he'd used to destroy his own father.
When he finally managed to look up, he only felt worse seeing the sympathy in her eyes. He quickly looked back to his feet, panic drowning out any response he tried to cobble together in his head.
"Has anyone told you what happened?" she asked.
Adrien almost said no—which would be the truth, technically. Nobody had told him, unless he counted the clarifications Plagg had provided after the fact, details of what occurred after Ladybug and Chat Noir fell victim to Monarch's Akuma. Part of him wondered how Ladybug would tell the story, which parts would she soften or leave out. He wondered what she really thought.
But maybe it was better not to know.
Adrien cleared his throat. "I...ran into Chat Noir outside. He said he had to go, but he told me..." He took a deep breath, continuing in a whisper. "I know my father's dead."
It was the first time he'd said it out loud, and the words came out surprisingly clear. It was only afterwards, when they hung in the awkward silence following Ladybug's sharp intake of air, that he felt like they were eating him from the inside out.
Ladybug's grip tightened. "I'm sorry, Adrien. I'm so sorry."
His gut coiled tightly with some unbearable emotion. He tried to think up something else to say, lips parting as he raised his head to look at her. But the second he met her eyes—so wide and blue and sad—speaking was a lost cause.
His lips quivered. A sob clawed its way up his throat, tugging another one up behind it before the first had even broken free. Ladybug's hand rubbed up and down his arm, and that was all the encouragement he needed to finally release the tsunami inside him.
Adrien had killed his own father.
For months he'd been suffering. Adrien had assumed, when Monarch reappeared from his brief hiatus, that he was okay. That the Cataclysm hadn't been fatal. Instead he'd had a front row seat to his demise—to all the times he cried out in pain while cooking breakfast, trying to pretend everything was fine whenever Adrien noticed.
But if it weren't for that Cataclysm, if Monarch's health hadn't been weakened, then the world might have ended a few hours ago, torn apart and rebuilt in his father’s image. With his parents and Nathalie still alive.
How was he meant to feel about that?
He didn't even know where he was supposed to sleep tonight.
But at least Ladybug didn't hate him. At least he still had one friend in this crazy, twisted world.
She pulled him into her arms as he broke down in tears, as he crumpled like the ceiling and shattered like the windows. As he was reduced to nothing but a shaky foundation, to the dying embers of who he used to be.
Adrien and his cold, lonely home finally had something in common.
...
"Here you go," Ladybug said, sliding a mug of tea across the kitchen counter as she settled onto the stool beside him.
Adrien wrapped his hands around the mug. The water was still too hot, but it took him a few seconds to notice. By the time he loosened his grip, his fingers already stung.
"Thanks," he croaked, his throat raw from crying. He wasn't really the biggest fan of tea, but it had seemed to make Ladybug feel better having some way to help him.
The least he could do was pretend she'd succeeded.
For a while they sat in silence. Adrien stared blankly at his tea, vaguely aware of how Ladybug kept shifting around like she couldn't get comfortable.
"Do you...have any questions?" she asked eventually.
He shook his head. None of his questions were for the living.
"Well," she said, "if you think of any later...I'd be happy to answer if I can. And if there's anything else I can do..." She reached out slowly to touch his shoulder, and it was all he could do not to shake her off. "Is there anywhere you'd like to go? Someone you'd like to see?"
Adrien fiddled with the string of his tea bag, watching it bob up and down. "Am I even allowed?"
"What do you mean?"
"To leave."
"Why wouldn't you be?" When he shrugged, her hand slipped from his shoulder. She slid her stool closer. "Adrien, you're not in trouble. Nobody thinks you had anything to do with any of this."
Maybe they should.
Adrien swallowed. "But...don't I have to talk to a social worker or something?"
"Oh. I, um...I don't know. I guess so, but there's nobody here right now, so...I don't think anyone would mind if I took you somewhere else to wait."
He nodded slowly, hand moving automatically to his pocket. He shifted to pull out the lucky charm he kept there, wrapping his fingers tightly around it. "Maybe I could go to my girlfriend's house."
"That sounds like a great idea," Ladybug said, jumping to her feet. "Let's go!"
Adrien remained glued in his seat, his stomach swirling. Seeing Marinette probably would make him feel better—at least on the surface. But how long could that last? Hiding his identity hadn't really come between them since they'd gotten together, but this was different. How could he hide the worst thing he'd ever done?
But what if he told her and she never looked at him the same way?
Ladybug's stool scraped against the floor as she sat back down, and she sounded upset when she spoke. "Do you not want to go?"
Adrien set the lucky charm on the table and watched the beads blur behind fresh tears. "I'm...scared."
"Why?"
"Because...what if Marinette sees me differently."
"Do you really believe she would?" Ladybug asked in a small voice.
He thought for a moment. "No? I don't know. Probably not, but...she could."
She grabbed his hand, and when he glanced her way there was an intensity in her eyes he couldn't interpret. "I'm sure she won't."
"You can't know that."
"But I do! I—she loves you, right?"
Adrien's stomach clenched, but he managed a nod as a hot tear rolled down his cheek.
"Exactly!" Ladybug said, gesturing nonsense with her free hand. "So there!"
He mustered a small smile for her enthusiasm, but it was short-lived. "It doesn't matter," he said, wiping his eyes. "Things are different now."
"Sure. But...that doesn't mean everything has to change, right?"
He didn't answer, trying to ignore the feelings swirling inside him by poking at his tea bag again. The water was cool enough now that it didn't hurt when he accidentally dipped his finger in, but the idea of actually taking a sip and swallowing seemed foreign. So he kept staring at it until a sniffle came from beside him. He turned to see Ladybug with one hand covering her mouth, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"My lady?" he said without thinking, reaching over to set a hand on her shoulder. Panic spiked through him when he realized what he'd called her, but she didn't seem to notice.
"I'm sorry!" she cried. "I didn't mean to...I'm f-fine! It's just that you—I just want to help you! But maybe I c-can't. And it's not f-fair, that you're hurting. And..."
Her next words were drowned out by a sob. She slumped down on the table, hiding her face in her arms. All Adrien could do was sit there rubbing her back until she calmed down, at which point she pushed herself up slowly, wiping her eyes.
"I'm sorry I let this happen," she said.
"What?" Adrien replayed her words in his head, certain he'd misunderstood. "It wasn't your fault."
"It was my job to stop Monarch from making the wish, and I...failed. Even if he didn't succeed...someone's still paying the price."
"That's ridiculous." It was his fault.
"Adrien, it's fine. You don't have to..." She drew in a shaky breath. "If you're mad at me, I understand."
None of the morning had felt real, but now Adrien was sure he must be caught in some sort of alternate reality.
Maybe the wish had worked. Maybe his mother would walk into the kitchen at any moment.
If only.
"That makes no sense," Adrien said slowly, still trying to wrap his head around things. "If anything, it's Chat Noir's fault."
Ladybug's eyes went wide. "Did he tell you that?"
How was he meant to answer that? "Not...exactly. But he told me about the Cataclysm, and—"
"Please don't blame him for that. I know he feels terrible enough already."
"Because Monarch's dead thanks to him. It's his fault!"
"It's not," Ladybug pleaded. "He was just following my plan, and Monarch caught us off guard, and then..."
"But...but you..." Adrien trailed off, his body shaking.
He didn't know what to say, because technically Ladybug was right. But he didn't blame her at all, and he certainly didn't want her blaming herself.
"It was my fault," he said, knowing it was true. He felt it with every inch of his body, with every useless breath he took.
The guilt consumed him.
"Adrien," Ladybug breathed. "It's absolutely not your fault. How could you even think that?"
Only once he processed her words did he recognize his own misstep. But she hadn't caught on yet. He could still walk this back.
But he wasn't sure he wanted to.
This secret took too energy much to hide.
"It was me,” he said shakily. “It was my..."
He couldn't finish the sentence. He could barely even breathe. But he could see in Ladybug’s eyes that she still didn't understand, so he raised his hand to mimic the motion, stretching out his fingers the way he would if he'd really called on his power. He tried to mouth the word too, but he wasn't really sure his lips obeyed. Slowly, he lowered his hand to the counter, letting it collapse into a fist when he made contact.
Cataclysm.
He watched as realization slowly dawned on her. Then she blinked hard, shaking her head as if trying to dismiss the idea. But her eyes flew to the ring on his hand, widening further.
“Chat Noir?”
"I did this," he said in a broken whisper. "I killed him."
"Oh, Chaton. No." Ladybug stood, wrapping her arms around him. "It was an accident. It's not your fault."
Adrien thought that maybe, if he kept taking breaths so small they barely counted, if he let his mind float away the way it had been threatening to do all morning, then maybe—maybe—he could keep from crying again. But Ladybug rested her head on his shoulder, her warm breath ruffling his T-shirt. And that was all it took for him to come apart again.
...
They ended up on the floor, wedged between both stools. Adrien wasn't sure if he'd fallen off his seat at some point or if Ladybug had carried him here. He didn't care. As long as he could keep lying here with his head in Ladybug's lap and her fingers in his hair, he could somehow keep the guilt at bay. He could stop it from devouring him whole.
But he couldn't stay here forever.
Marinette's lucky charm was clenched in his fist again, and he was afraid to let go.
"Should I tell her?" Adrien asked.
"Hm?"
"Marinette. Should I..." He closed his eyes. "Do you think she'd hate me if I told her the truth?"
Ladybug let out a shaky breath, her fingers freezing in his hair. "She won't hate you. And...yes. I think you should tell her."
"Okay. Maybe I will."
"How about this?" Ladybug said. "If she breaks up with you, I'll date you instead."
Adrien managed some semblance of a laugh. "What about your boyfriend?”
“Mmm." She twisted another strand of hair around her finger. "Somehow I don’t think he’ll mind.”
“All right then. It’s a deal.”
Her offer was a joke—he knew that. But somehow it still felt like a promise.
"Would you...like me to take you to her now?”Ladybug asked. “I still can, if you want."
"Maybe." He thought of the bakery. Of Tom and Sabine's welcoming smiles, the smell of croissants, and being wrapped up in one of Marinette's hugs. It sounded nice. "Give me five more min—" He broke off in a yawn.
Ladybug laughed. "Or you can get some sleep first." Her voice was gentle and steady and safe. "I'll stay with you."
He tried to reply, but his words were engulfed by another yawn. So he settled for mumbling his agreement, squeezing the lucky charm to his chest, and letting his eyes flutter closed.
Maybe in his dreams, the world wouldn't hurt so much.
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mochinek0 · 3 months
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Daminette December 2023: 25-Plain Clothes
Marinette sat on the hotel bed, easing her nerves.
'This is a simple mission; a test. Best outcome: we find ShadowMoth. Worst: Zero progress.'
Robin knocked on the door, startling her.
"How are you?" He questioned "Are you ready to leave?"
"Nervous." She answered with a sigh.
"Why? It's a simple mission, is it not?" he replied.
"It's my first mission, as myself. No one but Batman and Wonder Woman knows who I am." She called out.
"We can use an alias." Robin declared.
"Can't." Mari groaned, "I know people at the event. I was going to be here, one way or another."
"I take it that you are well known, then." Robin spoke.
"Yes and you?" Mari asked.
"Correct." he answered.
"Okay." Marinette said, before taking a deep breath.
Tikki shook her head a flew through the door, startling Robin. He quickly put his emotions back in order and glared at her. Tikki giggled.
'He reminds me of Plagg.'
"I am Tikki. I am the Kwami or Goddess of Creation." she spoke, "I am what makes the girl behind the door, Ladybug."
He nodded in response and looked back at the door.
"We will have somoene looking out for us in the shadows." he called out.
"Batman is here?" Ladybug asked.
"No, Superboy. Apparently, he saw your tiny companion here through a door once. His X-Ray vision works on her. Superman couldn't see her, at all." Robin declared, "I know his identity and he won't say anything, unless they have proper clearance. So far, that consist of you, me, Superboy, and Batman. We will have earpieces on and he will be able to communicate with us, if he notices anything."
"Meaning if ShadowMoth is in the crowd-" she stated.
"He should sense it." Robin answered, "If he tried to leave, he is capable of following him and giving us directions to his location."
Marinette walked out of the room, full of confidence and hope. Robin couldn't believe his eyes. Ladybug was a leader. She was strict. She reminded him of his parents, at times; dedicated. This girl in front of him didn't look deadly or commanding. She looked small and shy; she looked like an angel.
"You look.....beautiful." he spoke.
Mari smiled and tried to fight off her blush, "Thank you. How did the suit fit?"
"Um, well. Thank you for the suit." Robin replied, "Where did you get it?"
"I made it." she spoke, "I'm a fashion designer."
Damian looked down at his clothes. He hadn't appreciated them until that moment. He thought it had just been another suit. He looked back up before bowing to her.
"Damian Wayne." He announced.
She smiled back and curtsied, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
Marinette walked in on Damian's arm.
"I can see you both. I am still able to see Ladybug. I can see your earrings glowing and your little friend in your bag."
Mari gripped Damian's arm after hearing the voice speak
"Thank you, Superboy." Damian whispered, squeezing Marinette slightly, "He's on our side."
She just nodded. Soon, everyone crowded around them.
"I can see two other people with glowing items in attendance, aside from her."
Damian felt Marinette tense up again.
"Where?" Mari asked, "Who?"
"An older gentleman."
"Must be ShadowMoth." Damian inquired.
"The other?" Mari pressed.
"Our age."
Marinette bit her lip confused.
'Could Felix be here? No; Hawkmoth got the peacock miraculous back from him two years ago. That's why I used Kalki to get into the Justice League's headquarters in space.'
"Heads up. Incoming fast!"
"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien cried out, "I didn't expect you to have a date."
"Watch him."
Damian felt the tiny Ladybug grip his arm like her life depended on it, but on her face was plastered a smile.
"F-Felix?" Mari whispered.
"Uh, no." the blonde answered, "It's Adrien, Adrien Agreste. Did you forget about me?" 
"Why wouldn't my girlfriend have a date?" Damian demanded, moving his arm from to her waist to stabilize her better.
Marinette turned to him and smiled.
"His ring is glowing and he has a creature in his right breast pocket."
Marinette glanced at the familiar ring he wore throughout middle school. An image of it painted black with a neon print came to her mind.
'Adrien is Chat Noir!'
"There's something else. There's a....it looks like a feather inside of him. It looks like it branching out, like veins."
Marinette buckled, feeling faint.
"Mari!" Adrien shouted.
"Angel!" Damian cried out, catching her.
Adrien held her hand as Damian checked her over quickly.
"Are you okay?" Adrien asked.
"Do you think we can get some air?" Marinette questioned, "Still not use to these heels."
"Of course." Damian chuckled, "Did you remember to pack the bandages that Selina recommended?"
Marinette nodded, struggling to get to her feet. As she got up, she slipped the ring off of Adrien's finger, using her Guardian powers. Unfortunately for Adrien, Plagg was asleep and unable to warn him.
Once outside, Marinette burst into tears.
"Marinette?" Damian prodded, confused.
"Adrien is...was my partner." Marinette sobbed, showing him the ring.
"Why did you take it?" he questioned.
"The feather he saw." Mari declared.
"What about-"Damian began.
"He's a sentimonster! That's not the real Adrien and if it is.....who is to say he hasn't been helping Hawkmoth since the beginning?" she stated.
Marinette looked at the ring and placed it on her finger.
"Hey, Kid. What-" Plagg demanded, but once he saw Mari he changed his mind, "Where is he?"
"Did you know?" Marinette questioned.
"Know what?" Plagg asked, confused.
Tikki flew out of Marinette's bag, "Adrien is one of Duusu's creations."
Plagg's jaw dropped, "No!"
He floated down onto the Guardian's hand and sat down.
"You couldn't sense it?" Tikki asked.
"No." he answered shaking his head, "How big were the branches?"
"Large." answered Damian, "According to the half-alien who has x-ray vision and can see through people."
"It is possible that Adrien was never real." Tikki spoke, "For small times, it wouldn't be that much."
Tears poured down her cheeks. Adrien not being real opened up so many possibilities. She wiped her tears away.
"Bug?" Plagg questioned.
Marinette took a deep breath and reached into her bag. She quickly fixed her makeup and grabbed Damian's hand. The ring change from its once silver color to a dark metal with a large emerald.
"You are my partner for this mission." Mari declared, "It is only fitting that you now wear Plagg."
"Will he not notice?" Damian questioned.
"No." the Guardian answered, "The magic of the miraculous will keep him for recognizing it."
"Are you coming?" he asked.
"I need a moment." she whispered.
He nodded and walked back into the venue.
"Marinette?" Tikki whispered.
"I may have to kill Adrien." she answered.
"I have eyes on another."
Marinette stood up and walked back into the gala.
"Male, 40's. Maybe 50's. White suit and glasses."
Marinette looked around and spotted Gabriel Agreste.
She took a deep breath and asked, "Where is it?"
"Under his tie. It's red and white."
'Yep. That describes Gabriel Agreste, perfectly.'
Before she could make her way towards him, Adrien jumped out of the crowd, in front of her. From his eyes, she could tell he was panicking.
"Mari, hey, did you see me drop my ring?" He pressed.
"Ring?" Marinette asked.
"The one I always wear. The silver one!" Adrien stated.
"No." she answered, "I'm sorry. I didn't notice it. We can go back to where we were and see if It fell off. Maybe, someone kicked it under a table or something?"
Adrien nodded and followed her towards where they had been. He looked through the crowd.
"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked.
"Talking with other people about his father's business." Mari shrugged.
"Oh." he answered, "So, uh, how long have you guys been a thing?"
"Oooh, maybe he likes you. Robin, you need to step you're game up. Someone is trying to steal Ladybug from you."
'Yeah, right.'
"Be silent. This isn't a commentary show."
'Thank you, Robin.'
"Two years." Marinette answered, quickly.
"Nice save. Using how long you have been coming to the League, I'm assuming."
"Oh, that's nice." Adrien replied.
"Incoming."
"Miss Dupain-Cheng." Gabriel spoke.
"Hello, Mr. Agreste." Marinette smiled back.
"I couldn't help but notice that you came in with young Damian Wayne." he declared.
Mari answered back, "Yes. He is my date for tonight's event. We figured since we were both coming, why not announce our relationship?"
"I see." he spoke, not noticing his son wilt at her answer, "I was hoping you would come work for Gabriel. I understand Audrey still has an invitation open for you, as well."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Agreste, but Damian has offered me my own studio." She announced, "Not an internship. He will be paying for the building and I will take care of the rest. My boyfriend has confidence in my work."
"Well, Miss Dupain-Cheng, good luck to you." Gabriel stated, "Will your studio be here in Paris?"
"No. I'll be leaving Paris at the end of the week to Gotham." Marinette declared.
Adrien quickly turned to her in shock.
"You're leaving?" the model exclaimed, to which she nodded, "Why haven't you said anything?"
"Adrien." Gabriel growled.
"I've been so busy and my apartment can't really contain my designs and equipment." Mari answered, "I've been working out of my place and have been so focused on my commissions."
Damian created a distraction by throwing five silver platters at the giant windows, as if they were shuriken. People began to scream when all the windows shattered at once. Many believed it was the work of an akuma and started to scream. Many began to push people out of the way to get towards a door, faster. Marinette took notice of Gabriel leaving during the middle of the chaos, leaving Adrien behind. Quickly, an akuma appeared out of one of the scared party-goers.
"I have him."
Adrien began to look around the room, after he lost sight of Marinette. He spotted her again, hoping to see her transform into his Lady.
'She had to of taken the ring!'
Adrien noticed bits of the ceiling beginning to crumble above her head. He watched through the chaos as the ceiling began to collapse overhead.
'Transform!'
Damian grabbed her arm and pulled her to his chest, as he dodged the debris. Marinette sobbed into his chest. Damian picked her up and ran out of the building with her. Watching his friend cry in the arms of her lover, he realized it wasn't her. She wasn't Ladybug.
'Shit! Where the fuck is my ring?'
Marinette jumped out of Damian's arms, as he moved them to the side of the building.
"You're positive you have eyes on him?" Marinette questioned, getting into Ladybug mode.
"Yes."
"Spots on." Mari spoke.
"Claws out." Damian whispered.
"Can you creep up on him and knock him out?" Ladybug asked.
Damian smiled, evily, "I was trained in stealth."
"Do it." she replied, "I'll deal with the akuma."
He nodded and followed Signal's directions. There stood Gabriel Agreste in another room of the building, transformed as Shadowmoth. Damian quietly snuck up on him and used one of the techniques his mother had taught him to temporarily paralyze someone. Shadowmoth was caught off guard as he collapsed to the floor.
"My apologies, Shadowmoth," a new cat like figure spoke, taking the brooches off of him, "but the hunt is over. I have acquired them, Ladybug."
Ladybug quickly destroyed the akuma and announced, "Shadowmoth has been defeated. This plan has been in the making for along time."
Paris began to cheer in happiness.
With help from the Batfam, they were able to clear out certain evidence out of Agreste Manor. They placed Emilie and Natalie into a hospital. Gabriel was still paralyzed on his right side; the doctors believed he had a stroke. Adrien was temporarily staying at the Bourgeois hotel. Gabriel lay in the hospital bed upset. At the foot of his bed was Ladybug and Chat Noir's stealthy replacement.
"Your days are over." he growled, "I'll come back!"
"The miraculous will be out of Paris, tonight." Ladybug replied.
"You-" he hissed.
"Do you realize I have to kill your son, Adrien?" She asked, causing him to freeze, "I know he's a sentimonster. The question is was he always a sentimonster or is the real one hidden away like your wife?"
"My wife wanted a child!" Gabriel declared, "We couldn't have one and that was all she wanted. I jus wanted her to watch him grow up."
"Adrien is sucking the life out of her." The Guardian stated, "It's one or the other; not both."
Gabriel paled at the news.
"Will you kill her son, who she did everything for, just to bring her back? Or will you give him the life she wanted for him?" Ladybug questioned, "She will remember everything."
"We will find them again." Gabriel stated.
Ladybug sighed, "No, you won't. I've asked the Justice League to take them off planet and onto another. They could bury it on the center of Pluto or send it to another planet that Earth could never reach. No one will ever find them again."
Hawkmoth sagged in defeat.
"Adrien doesn't know." he spoke, "He had nothing to do with this."
"Then, let him live his own life, like your wife would have wanted." The Guardian whispered, "Spend time with him. The Justice League will be keeping an eye on you and your movements from now on."
Ladybug walked up to Adrien Agreste.
"Ladybug, I had no idea-" he began.
"Chat, I'm sorry." she whispered.
"Huh?" the model stammered, "Did you steal away from Plagg? You replaced me?"
"I had too." She answered.
"When did you find out?" Adrien asked, "Did you-"
"You know we've been getting help from the Justice League." Ladybug spoke, "At one point I had to recharge and someone was able to sense Tkiki. They came along hoping to sense ShadowMoth's kwamis. I had to take him from you; they sensed you were in danger."
"I don't understand!" he cried out.
She sighed, "Your father was Hawkmoth."
"No!" Adrien exclaimed, "We ruled him out!"
"He got smart. He threw us off his trail." Ladybug continued, "He won't go to jail, but he will be under Justice League surveillance. They will know every keystroke on his computer and be able to listen to every phone call. You can still have your father; be thankful you are not losing him too."
Adrien sagged in defeat, "What happened? Did he really have a stoke?"
"The temporary chat snuck up behind him and knocked him out. We think realizing he lost the miraculous caused the stroke." Ladybug declared.
"Why?" Adrien asked, "Why did he-"
"Your mother is very ill." She admitted, "He wanted to heal her."
"That's it?" he shouted, "All these years? All of Paris' pain and suffering, the nightmares.....it was for my mother?"
"I'm sorry." The Guardian apologized.
"Can I know who you are?" Adrien questioned, "You promised."
"I wish I could, but you're too close to him." Ladybug answered, causing him to pale, "Plagg is in good hands for now. I will be giving up my mantle today. I won't even remember you; I don't want to cause you anymore pain. Can you really handle seeing me everyday when I won't be able to remember my own name?"
Adrien's eyes began to water.
"I wish you a good life, Chat." She smiled, "Find love. Be happy. Your father can no longer design. Gabriel will likely fall so you won't have to model anymore."
He smiled through his tears.
"Do what makes you happy." Ladybug declared, before leaving.
"Are you sure that was a wise thing to do?" Damian questioned.
Marinette nodded, "He deserves to be happy. The Justice League will have him under heavy surveillance and if he starts to follow in his father's footsteps, I'll use the Peacock to undo him."
"I thought I was meant for the Kwami of Destruction." Damian smirked.
"Oh, shut up." Mari scoffed.
TAGLIST: @maribat-calendar-events @animeweebgirl@a-star-with-a-human-name@meme991001@vixen-uchiha@abrx2002@alysrose-starchild@fandom-trapped-03@dood-space@moonlightstar64@saltymiraculer@marveldcedits20@09shell-sea09@icerosecrystal@animegirlweeb@insane-fangirl-of-everything@blueblossombliss@nickristus-dreamer@megawhitleycalderonpaganus@missmadwoman@meira-3919@princessdaisysolosyourfaves@blep-23@fangirlingfanatic@darkhinauniverse@ravenr22@im-a-satanic-ritual@ravennm84@bianca-hooks123@a-slytherinish-gryffindor@starling218
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Never has Gabriel's manipulation of Adrien has been so open and clear.
He has suddenly turned so good that even Adrien is surprised: imagine being baffled to hear that your father is in the kitchen.
Gabriel is effectively weaponising his care for Adrien to manipulate him. He tells him to call him: dad, instead of father. Which is like, parenting 101, right? And just as Adrien is so benevolently opening up to him and accepting that his father has changed for the better, he literally pulls him out of school, realising Adrien's worst nightmare, to the point of making his friends get worried that Adrien will get akumatised. Oh and let's not forget how Gabriel immediately takes back the sliver of normalcy he had accorded to Adrien by asking him to call him "father" again.
And Adrien's fear when they try to get Gabriel akumatised? He keeps repeating how his father will be angry, enraged even (his words, not mine!). His hesitation when he drops the pasta on Gabriel's chest, the way he panics thereafter and apologises multiple times?
The fact that Gabriel has no hesitation playing with his son's emotions is sickening. He fakes having a psychotic episode (honestly, that studio has been trashed so much at this point) knowing that Adrien will witness him. No child should witness their parent losing control as such, lashing out physically, to begin with. But Gabriel effectively plans for Adrien to see him as such.
And the guilt-tripping. Oh no, look at that, I got akumatised because I was trying to be a better father and I failed dramatics, effectively shifting the blame of his akumatisation to Adrien. The way he responds when Adrien rightfully voices his discomfort of being the face of a wide-used AI helper; "say the word and things can go back to the way they were before." He says it in a sweet way, but in the context of his abrupt change, how could Adrien perceive it as anything but a threat that if he doesn't obey to his father's wishes, he will stop getting his love and care?
Conditional love at its best. Gabriel very openly displays in this episode that he will love, care, protect Adrien only as long as he obeys to him unconditionally.
To finish with Plagg's comment on Adrien AI in the Alliance: "since your father made a virtual model of you and Lila, you are virtual puppets."
Gabriel doesn't want a son. He wants a puppet.
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theerurishipper · 5 months
Text
Welcome to me watching the Paris special, this time with commentary! I watched the special and wrote down everything here as I watched it and forgot to post it cause I'm a dumbass. Also, this is long asf, in fact, it's so long that I had to make a Part 2.
Okay here goes!
Ah, the Gabriel version of the theme. This really took me by surprise. It's fire tho.
Straight into the action, I like it.
Max and Markov aren't different people in this?
That's some entrance from Shady and Claw, really ups the stakes. Makes you wonder why Nino tried to fight them with a nerf gun.
Ubiquity is so pretty.
I might be the only one who liked the Gabe scene we got.
Feeling some nostalgia for the candy cane cosplay ngl.
And we get a good scene with Adrien and Plagg. I liked the advice Plagg gave about how not all destruction is bad. Neat.
Some Alya and Marinette. Marinette is going through some tough times and is in need of support, and Tikki takes this opportunity to escape from her and steal macaroons. No hate tho, you do you Tikki.
Though she does react to the people of Paris cheering for Ladybug. That was sweet.
Alya turns into Ubiquity, and then we get... Betterfly.
Betterfly? Seriously? Coulda just gone with Hesperia.
"I'm not sure there's anything to hope for from Ladybug." My poor baby!
Love the look of absolute confusion on Alya's face.
Hesperia's confusion about his evil counterpart is really funny ngl.
SHADYBUG
"There, you can have your boyfriend back~" love the delivery on that line lmao.
But also, CLAW NOIR
Not her just stealing his belt immediately.
Marinette hates Adrien Agreste. This truly is the reverse world.
But also, I love Claw Noir pretending to be his own fan to impress Shadybug.
Claw Noir sure does love using that Cataclysm.
For someone who just woke up to see her friend gone and a hole in the wall, Alya collected herself pretty damn quick. I would be freaking the fuck out in her position. Just another reason she's the best.
RIP Alya's phone. Gabe really did a number on you.
Shadybug makes a butterfly tracker, proving that she ain't no Gabe.
Hesperia is befuddled by our world, Part 2.
It's always gotta be the Eiffel Tower, doesn't it.
Claw Noir's pulling a Chat Blanc?? Hello??
Hesperia (I'm not gonna call him Betterfly) is apparently a gentleman. It's almost disturbing after 5 seasons of Gabe being the worst piece of shit to grace our screens.
I guess no matter the universe and moral alignment, it's Gabriel's fate to get beaten up by teenagers.
Not Tikki loredumping about parallel universes right now lmao
Times like this remind me that Tikki is, for all intents and purposes, a god.
"You'd die before I could ever explain all this to you," is actually a pretty valid (and disturbingly hilarious) justification for not having bothered to bring any of this up before.
The Supreme is someone I'd like to learn more about. I've narrowed the suspects down to either Fu or Su-Han. Watch it be Lila instead if we ever get that info.
I feel like the info about the timers is something we should have gotten way, way earlier. Like, a few seasons ago.
Ladybug's triumphant entrance!
"Whatever, pest." Queen.
I love Claw Noir's staff.
Shadybug took no prisoners at all.
CHAT NOIR
Destruction vibes, and right after that incident too.
Claw Noir is unhinged.
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Claw Noir just fucking cataclysmed himself??? Guess Adrien is always gonna be self-destructive in every universe huh?
Welp, looks like Chat Noir is officially re-traumatized.
I want y'all to remember that this boy went through the whole special with a cataclysm wound on his person and did not falter once. Mad respect.
Chat Noir got tossed. Chat Blanc call back number 2.
Obsessed with the way Bryce Papenbrook pronounces "cockroach."
Finally, a villain who actually gets rid of the Lucky Charm. Hawkie, take notes.
"Who the cat are you?"
So Shadybug can create whatever Lucky Charm she wants, huh?
Someone's been listening to the fandom.
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Not the time freezing lmfao
I don't like that Gabe is turning Adrien into an angel, even if this is a good version. Anyway, Chat Blanc call back 3.
"Kitty catty" "Later loser!" I love her.
Of course, not all bugs can fly.
He moved out of the way.
I fucking love Claw Noir so much you guys, he's so funny.
Well, he tried. Shadybug's just better than him ig.
Hesperia stores his butterfly in his cane. So it's just our Gabe that tries to keep multiple butterflies, I guess.
I think they should kiss.
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So they're doing this in hopes that The Supreme spares them? Interesting, and pretty sad.
They're so scared of the Akuma lmfao
If I was Alya, I'd have given myself away by now. Actually, I wouldn't have had the presence of mind to even hide.
Guess the counterparts are from some dystopian world ruled by The Supreme. It tracks with the look we got at it in the opening.
"In order to get something I wanted." We saw the Peacock Miraculous in the opening too, and also Emilie died. So I guess Adrien is a Sentimonster in the other reality too. Damn it.
I guess this Gabe realized his mistake instead of descending into madness like ours.
She just broke Marinette's box like it was nothing. So much for that.
Claw Noir lounges around playing with dolls and mocks Shadybug for being lazy while she does all the work and he lazes around. Have I mentioned yet that I love him?
Also I am glad they stayed true to Adrien's character and had him play with dolls.
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The whole part about Chat Noir... be still my Ladynoir heart.
Love how they incorporated the webisodes into this. About time those had relevance.
Shadybug really "hates" Claw Noir.
Marinette's having doubts, my poor baby girl.
Shadybug and Claw Noir have power, but not their strength. That's a really good line.
She's reading the diary and crying... baby.
This is such a touching scene. I don't say that lightly, but it really is.
SHE FOUND THE WISH
Marinette really wrote down every single world ending secret in this one poorly protected diary huh.
She literally took him down in 2 seconds. Bruh.
IDENTITY REVEAL! THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL
Shadybug managed to achieve in 2 seconds what Marinette and Adrien have not achieved after 5 seasons of Love Square drama which I admittedly enjoy but that's not the point.
Those strange... marks? Cracks? Scars?
Blots off... I'm dying y'all.
Reverse Love Square? Hello??? HELLO???
She literally just beat his ass, tied him up and took his Miraculous and this is his reaction once he realizes who she is.
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He's down so bad.
They should have played Careless Whisper here.
CUTIE PIE, MY SON
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The Supreme is such a fucking asshole, he gagged the Kwamis.
Emonette wants our Marinette's life? She doesn't know the half of what she's getting into.
The Supreme got to the wish somehow? What the fuck?
"Reality is The Supreme." I don't know who this guy is, but he is DELULU.
This shot... masterfully done. My poor baby girl.
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These kids are not okay. My poor sweet babies.
Daggers out. Seriously, stop it, you two.
He's trying to comfort her. They're just... I'm in pain. I'm so sad for them y'all.
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Gabe in his prototype Monarch outfit.
Good thing (for him at least) he had the Ox, or else this would be his second cataclysm of the day.
Ladybug and Chat Noir are back in action, baby.
I'm sorry, I would not be able to say Betterfly unironically without bursting into laughter.
AFTER 5 SEASONS, WE FINALLY GET TO SEE CHAT NOIR'S NIGHT VISION AGAIN
Not that they needed it lmao
Alya coming in clutch with the recording. Queen.
LADYNOIR LADYNOIR LADYNOIR
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It's so so so nice to see Ladynoir on screen again after Season 5 killed it.
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Hit the word limit, so continued here.
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sariahsue · 3 months
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Wherefore Art Thou My(stery) Lady
When a failed attempt to let Chat Noir down easy ends with Ladybug learning his name, she does what any lovesick teenager would do: teases him mercilessly. Ch 1
Chapter Two
Plagg wasn't very encouraging when Adrien flopped onto the bed after patrol. 
“What do you think?” Adrien asked him as he handed over a wedge of cheese.
“Eh,” Plagg said through a full mouth. One crumb escaped and bounced onto the carpet. “She'll probably say something about it the next time you see her. Nothing you can do about it until then.”
“That was helpful,” he said as sarcastically as he could.
“You're very welcome! I'm glad you finally appreciate all I do for you.”
Adrien climbed into bed, still fully dressed, and pulled the blankets over his head. Plagg's reaction was a good sign, right? If Ladybug was about to turn him down again, Plagg would try to comfort him, so that meant her reaction had been a good thing? Right? Or maybe Plagg didn't know either. Adrien buried his head beneath his pillow and tried, unsuccessfully, to get some sleep.
He tossed and turned as bright moonlight poured in through his windows. He was too restless to sleep. Not knowing was driving him crazy. Twice he got up, determined to at least run another patrol if he was going to be awake anyway. But Plagg hid both times, so there was nothing he could do except crawl back under his covers and wait for the sleep that wouldn't come. 
When he got out his phone to check the time, Plagg grumbled loudly about the light from where he was perched on Adrien's pillow and threatened to hide again. Two hours. He'd been home for two hours already. What was Ladybug doing? Was she sleeping peacefully? Was she planning how she was going to let him down easily? 
He was about to put the phone away when he got a text message from an unfamiliar number. 
??? – I can't believe this! It's so obvious!
That sounded like the middle of someone’s conversation.
Adrien – I think you have the wrong number. ??? – Sorry, Adrien. I hope I'm not waking you up, but I really have to talk to you.
Okay, so it was the right number. This was hopefully someone he knew. But why didn't he have their phone number if they had his?
Adrien – Okay... Who is this? What's obvious? ??? – That you're Adrien! I can't believe I didn't see it before!  ??? – Or should I say Ch--
His heart flipped. Someone knew his secret. They were going to blackmail him, and he was the perfect target. 
??? – Wait. Are you alone? There's no one reading over your shoulder, right? Adrien – Who is this? ??? – Wait.  ??? – Don't you have me in your contacts already? Adrien – Noooo?
“Plagg,” he hissed. Plagg didn’t respond, still fast asleep. His mind was racing. He should know who this was, which was a good sign. And they didn’t want to leak his identity, at least not immediately. That– that was also a good sign, right? His hands were sweaty on his phone from clutching it so hard.
Adrien – Who are you? ??? – Wow.  ??? – I had to psych myself up all night for this stupid text.  ??? – And I didn't even manage to give you my secret identity like I'd planned on.
There was a gasp, and it took him a second to realize it was his. Secret identity? It couldn't be.
??? – That's what happens when I take the coward's way! I could have just come over. ??? – But I had it all planned out. You’d know I knew who you were, and my real name would be right there in your contacts, and I wouldn’t have to confess anything to your face.  ??? – It was going to be great, Adrien!
Another three dots appeared. She wasn’t done talking to him yet.
??? – I probably kept you up worrying. I'm sorry. I should have said something immediately. ??? – I'm probably not making sense right now either. Sorry.
The messages flashed across the screen at an impressive speed. Adrien didn't even try to answer them. Was that really Ladybug? It had to be. And she knew who he was, which meant that he'd really been the “other” boy after all. The dread he’d felt all night was replaced with tingling anticipation.
He had to check. 
Adrien – My Lady? ??? – Hey, Kitty. ??? – ❤️
“Plagg!” he yelled. That got the kwami’s attention.
“Seriously, kid? I'm trying to sleep!”
“Look! Look look look! She loves me!” He thrust the phone in the kwami's face, but Plagg howled and flew off, yelling something about teenagers and idiots.
Adrien – I love you! So who are you really?!
He added a name to her contact while he waited for her response. The despair that had been pressing on him for days had completely evaporated in seconds. He wasn't even tired anymore. He was the boy!
Before she was able to type a response, he’d changed her contact name. Her response left him baffled.
My Lady – … My Lady – …
He stared at the two ellipses. Maybe… he shouldn’t have asked her for her name so quickly. Was she too nervous to tell him? Did she not want to at all?
Adrien – What’s wrong? My Lady – You don't know who I am yet. Hmmm... Adrien – Ladybug? My Lady – There are possibilities now. Adrien – Yeah, like the possibility of me asking you out. Probability, 100%. What do you say? My Lady – I was talking about the possibility of me teasing you. Probability, 200%.  My Lady – Also, yes. I would love to! Adrien – Really?!
He wasn't entirely sure he was awake at this point. It seemed much more likely that he'd fallen asleep and was having a very strange dream in which Ladybug was admitting her feelings for him. (It wouldn't have been the first time he'd had one, but they’d never involved texting before.)
The rest of the house was dark and quiet, but his phone screen lit up again.
My Lady – Really! But– Adrien – !!! My Lady – You have to guess who I am first. Adrien – That's not fair! My Lady – :p  My Lady – I'm someone you know from school. There's your only hint. Good night! My Lady – And for the record, I love you too.
She didn't text again. (If this wasn’t a dream and that message was still on his phone in the morning, he was going to print it out and frame it.)
He read through the whole conversation once again. There was one hint that she hadn't realized she'd given him. They were close enough to have each other's phone numbers, and close enough that she was surprised he didn't have hers. He was supposed to have it already. 
She was so much closer than he'd ever realized. 
Ch 3
---
Author’s note: It is important for you to know that I started this story years and years ago. Like, season one or two is when I had the idea. She got the phone number from Alya, but we didn’t see her talking on the phone with Adrien until after I started writing. So she had his number but he didn’t have hers!
@mlbigbang
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mostmagical · 7 months
Text
Green & Red & Black
my mind has been inundated with misternette thanks to @spicysummer22's art (go LOOK) so I promised I'd write a fic
fits in canon somewhere between Passion and Elation
Ao3
Lady Noire touched down to the street, the miraculous on her finger ringing only more desperate by the second. Hurriedly, she flung herself into the alleyway with only a single cursory glance to ensure she was alone.
“Claws in,” she huffed, her transformation melting over her shortly after.
Plagg groaned despondently as she caught him in her hands. The swap had been last minute and unexpected, being that their fight with Safari had only been a few days prior. She would have thought Monarch would have come up with a better half-baked plan after that defeat, knowing she and her kitty would always figure out a way to beat him.
“Sorry, Plagg,” Marinette sighed. “I only have a strawberry macaron. Is that okay?”
He opened one green crescent eye to look at her, remaining spread eagle in her palm. “I guess it’ll do,” he agreed.
Marinette smiled and fished the snack out of her purse.
“Eat up.”
She couldn’t believe her luck. Her cataclysm had missed early on, and the battle continued. The bad timing had forced her to duck away before Chat– er, Mister Bug could even call for his lucky charm. Hopefully, he was managing out there okay on his own.
She would never forgive herself if anything happened to his pretty face while she was gone.
Plagg was taking his sweet time biting into the macaron, all the while dribbling crumbs all over her hand. It was as though the little cat kwami had no sense of urgency anywhere in his tiny body. Marinette tapped her foot impatiently.
“Can you hurry?” she worriedly asked, peeking out of the alleyway and into the open street. It was too quiet.
“I’m going as fast as I can, Pigtails,” Plagg replied with a roll of his eyes. “I swear, you kids have no idea how to savor your food.”
“Time and place, Plagg.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
Marinette cast another distracted glance out into the street. “I’m just worried about him,” she said, chewing on her lip.
“I get it,” Plagg replied around a mouthful of macaron. He made a loud gulping sound as he swallowed. “But he’s smart, you know. He can take care of himself just like you can take care of yourself.”
“Sure, sure…” She waved at him with her free hand, no longer fully listening as the air became stiller.
“Actually,” Plagg continued, chewing thoughtfully, “why are you worried about him? Since when do you–” His eyes went wide, and his chewing halted. He groaned. “Tikki wasn’t joking. It’s you, too.”
Marinette wrenched her eyes away from the street, narrowing them instead at the little cat kwami in her hands. “Me too, what?” Her face wrinkled in confusion.
Plagg opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get anything out, a wave of ladybugs passed over them.
Oh. He did it…
Marinette felt a swell of pride fill her chest for her partner. He was getting better and better at wearing her earrings. Maybe they should plan to swap every once in a while. And not just because she wanted to see him in her colors more often.
(Okay, maybe it was a little of that.)
“See?” Plagg smiled, his tiny arms placed on his hips in pride. “I told you he was fine.”
Marinette giggled at his display. She reached out her pointer finger to give him a scratch between the ears, earning herself a quiet purr. “Yes, you did,” she said. “We better get back out there to swap miraculouses again. Claws–”
“M’Lady!”
A tumble of red and black crashed into her, throwing her body hurtling towards the ground with a grunt. Marinette braced for impact, but there was none. Instead she found herself suspended in the air by two strong hands clasped around both her wrists. Slowly, she opened her screwed-shut eyes to green. 
Mister Bug stared down at her, his mouth dropped open in a gasp. 
“Ma-Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” he stuttered. (Since when does Chat Noir stutter…?)
Marinette tried to speak, but nothing came out. She could only vigorously nod her assent. Yes, that was her name, but she would have answered to anything he called her, surely. 
At her silence, Mister Bug took notice of her position, still hanging in the air by her arms. With a worried breath of air, he pulled her up, one of his hands landing on her waist and sending fire up her spine.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” he fussed. His green eyes roved over her body as if checking for any scratches, despite the fact that he had saved her from feeling even a brush of the pavement.
Marinette blinked up at him, still disoriented from her near-fall and the cosmic pull of his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I only just fell for you,” she said.
What. 
Mister Bug’s eyes widened, blinking owlishly at her as red pooled his cheeks. 
Oh, she loved how much that mask allowed her to see more of his handsome face…
Stop that!
“I mean—! Um!” Marinette scrambled to halt the unintelligible mess threatening to pour out of her mouth, but all she succeeded in doing was tying her own tongue into knots. “Don’t worry about me! You saved me! From falling!” She laughed awkwardly, punching the air with a curled fist. 
He smiled, and it was so soft and endearing that she nearly whimpered at the sight. “Yeah, I saved you. Right after I crashed into you.”
“Yeah…” she sighed dreamily. “You can crash into me any day…” She followed that one with an airy giggle.
Mister Bug’s smile curved into something more mischievous—that same flirty smile he’d toss Ladybug’s way anytime he made a pass. “Oh? And would you… provide me a safe place to land?”
Marinette’s heart stuttered in her chest, her stomach bubbling with anticipation. “Of course I would,” she replied, breathy. “Anytime.”
He stepped just a bit closer and she was so, so aware of the hand still placed on her waist, burning her skin through her clothes. She couldn’t decide if she wanted him to move it away for her sanity, or keep it there forever and let her melt away into the embers.
“What are you doing all the way out here anyway?” her bug asked, a wrinkle in his mask between his eyes to match his frown.
She wished she could smooth that wrinkle out, but instead she settled for a gulp to try to clear her dry throat. “I, uh, akuma displacement,” she answered, the usual excuse rolling off her tongue. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“I was looking for Lady Noire, actually,” he explained. “You didn’t happen to see her pass by, did you?”
“Yes– I mean, no— Wait–” Marinette cut herself off. Her brain was already too scrambled to come up with more excuses. “I mean, yes. She, uh, passed by here. Said she needed to run home for something.”
Mister Bug tilted his head, and, god, he was so cute. She had to force herself not to whimper again.
“She said she’d meet you at the usual spot later,” she added, hoping her voice didn’t sound as shaky as she felt. For good measure, she flashed him a thumbs up.
He seemed to accept her answer. “Oh, okay.”
Marinette sighed in relief.
His smile returned. “In that case, it looks like I have some free time,” he said. “Why don’t you let this charming bug fly you home, huh?”
“I’d love to go home with you,” she responded without much thought. “I mean– I’d love for you to take me home– I, wait, uh. My house. Yes. Please.” Her whole body cringed. “Thank you.”
To her relief, Mister Bug appeared completely unbothered by her constant tumbling over words, instead just grinning wider at her. The hand on her waist moved to wrap fully around her body. Marinette only had a second to snake her arms around his neck before he had tossed his yoyo above their heads to hook on a chimney.
“Ready?” he asked, turning to look at her. Every detail in his summer green eyes glittered at her through his red and black-spotted mask, and she felt like she might melt. Oh, she loved those eyes. She loved him in that mask.
Face hot, all Marinette could do was nod at him, and then they were zipping through the air. It was impossible to tell if the swooping feeling deep in her stomach was from the flight or her proximity to the pilot. Either way, she loved the familiar safety of his arm around her back and the solid strength of his shoulders beneath her fingers.
Before she knew it—in fact, it felt like no time at all, really—they had reached her balcony, and he gently set her down on her feet.
“Well, ma cher, we’ve arrived.”
Marinette blinked up at Mister Bug, not quite ready to part from him. Nervously, she played with her still connected fingers behind his neck.
“You should stay,” she told him. “We can sit up here and chat, or you can come in. I’ll bring some chouquettes up from the bakery. It would be nice to talk to you.”
Wait… Was that too familiar? She had to remind herself that she was Marinette; she wasn’t his partner right now. Marinette couldn’t even remember if she was supposed to know that Chat Noir was Mister Bug, so what was she doing right now?
Luckily, he was seemingly totally nonplussed by her suggestion. Instead, he smiled warmly down at her, a rosy tint to his cheeks that she was sure must have mirrored her own. He opened his mouth, looking incredibly agreeable. To her displeasure, however, his earrings chose exactly that moment to protest, beeping angrily in a way that she could just imagine was Tikki’s voice chiding her.
His smile turned regretful. “I’m sorry, Marinette,” he said. “I’d love to, but I have to go.” Gloved hands gently grasped her wrists, pulling them away from his shoulders.
She mourned the loss.
Marinette’s lip stuck out in a pout. “Do you really have to go?”
“Yes, I really have to go,” he replied sadly. Then, brighter, “But if we’re going to make a date of it, at least give me time to buy you flowers first.”
Her heart skipped a beat, butterflies beating furiously inside her chest.
“Oh,” was all she could say.
Mister Bug’s grin returned at her quiet utterance. Somehow, without her noticing, one of his hands had traveled from her wrist to wind affectionately around her fingers, and he squeezed.
He bowed deeply, her hand still in his, the perfect image of a chevalier encased in red and black.
“Until next time, mademoiselle,” he purred. His lips burned like the sun as they pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. “And when I see you again, I’ll be sure to remember your rose.”
Marinette remained silent and red as he straightened to his full height. Her mouth stubbornly refused to move, even as he waved at her in farewell and leapt from her balcony. She pressed her burning hand to her chest, dreamily watching her red bug become nothing more than a dot on the city skyline.
A whine sounded from her purse, and— Oops. She hadn’t even thought to worry about Plagg once that entire encounter.
“That was disgusting,” Plagg groaned, floating up into the air next to her. “I’m going to have to hear about that all night!”
Marinette sighed happily, sinking backwards into her lounge chair before her legs gave out on her. Plagg continued his grumpy buzzing around her head, but she remained lost in her thoughts and memories of bright green eyes in red masks.
She had no idea how she was going to face him later to return his miraculous to him.
Maybe they could stay swapped just a little while longer.
And if Lady Noire brought a bag full of chouquettes to their usual spot later to make up for the lost opportunity, well, that was her business.
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zoe-oneesama · 1 year
Note
Hi Zoe! I see you're done with Party Crasher. If I'm not wrong, Frozer is up next. What do you think about the episode?
This episode is a prime example of why Season 2 has nearly no rewatch value after you've endured Season 4. It's so hard to watch with hindsight.
So, the biggest funk of this episode was definitely Chat Noir - it was him when the episode came out and it still is now. Literally opening the episode with another romantic gesture when Ladybug confirms this MUST be post "Glaciator" because she very gently and sadly reminds him that he knows she's in love with someone else.
Well, he took the rejection SO WELL in "Glaciator", so why should we expect any different here?
This episode (paired with "Glaciator") is the episode that launched the "Nice Guy(tm) Chat Noir" idea. He says things in this episode that I swear were pulled right from reddit. He decides they should go solo because she turned down his rose... "We don't always have to do everything together, after all. It's not like we're a couple." Seriously dude? All this time together, our partnership, our relationship, our friendship, it all means nothing because I don't want to be your girlfriend? Because I was honest about having feelings for someone else? THAT'S the kind of person you are? What a great role model.
But then he's over it, like, immediately. I'm so confused as to why this was even here. To make Chat Noir look like a dick? Way to sell your main love interest, show~
So Sadrien sadly takes his sad rose to fencing practice and gets his sad ass handed to him by Kagami, who's like "wtf kicking your ass is boring if you just let me" and he asks her "do you ever feel like you're stuck, replaying the same story over and over again and hoping for it change but nothing ever does?"
And Kagami's response is her infamous "the biggest mistake a fencer can make isn't choosing the wrong technique. It's choosing the wrong target. Change targets" advice.
First of all, her metaphor sucks. Fencing is a 1 vs 1 sport, you can't "change targets". You can switch from aiming for the chest to aiming for the leg, but it's still the same opponent, weirdo.
Second of all, nothing about what Adrien just asked you suggested he was talking about a person or a romantic suitor whatsoever. Your only hint was that he was holding his Reject Rose, but even so, why wouldn't your first thought be that he's talking about his father???
Seriously, this could've been a good lead in for the Adri////gami set up if Kagami had assumed he was talking about Gabriel and responded with empathy. "Yes, sometimes I feel like that with my own mother, but I realized I don't like feeling like I'm waiting for change to happen. I make my own change happen. If you want your story to be different, maybe it has to come from you."
And Adrien, still thinking romantically, is struck. 'Wow' he thinks, 'she understands me in a way that honestly? Not a lot of people would.' And he declares that she's right, he's going to change his story starting now, and hands her the rose, starting their romance story.
But no, sure, a bad fencing metaphor about how he should forget other hoes and look at her, that works too, who needs BUILD UP amiright? I was a fool to think that maybe Kagami would need a REASON to be into the Writer's Pet Adrien when he's OBVIOUSLY already PERFECT.
Not that any of this matters since Adrien all but tells Kagami to her face "I had a great time but I'm sticking to my original pick." and she says she'll wait for him, girl, have some self respect.
But that's getting ahead of ourselves. After the two part ways, we have a scene with him and Plagg about Adrien maybe switching targets, and uh..
Look, I noticed a real problem with the dialogue in this episode - there's a lack of connectivity throughout the episode with the things people say. I know I make jokes about the show having five writers per episode who don't communicate with each other, but here it reeeeeally feels like maybe that's not a joke.
Like here: Plagg suggests that Adrien is going to start pursuing Kagami and Adrien rejects this idea because he's in love with Ladybug ("No, no way. Ladybug's the only one I love), and it probably wouldn't work with Kagami anyway because it's his technique that's wrong and he needs advice on what to do.
This seems to suggest that Adrien isn't going to go after Kagami, and if he did, it would be to test out a technique on her. Like going out with Kagami would be practice. Now that's obviously not verbatim what he said and could justifiably be seen as reaching, but do you see my confusion? Not once does he say anything about being into Kagami or wanting to go after her (though admit-ably he did give her the Reject Rebound Rose).
But then two scenes later when he's asking Marinette for help, he's describing Kagami as if he's in love with her, as if he's really interested in her. Where did THAT come from between scenes?! Writers! COMMUNICATE!
Also he says in the French version that they have classes together, and in English that they study together, and I would just like to see WHEN?!
There's another example when Marinette goes off to the bathroom after Kagami gives more..."advice". Tikki asks why she's sad, and instead of pointing out the very obvious "Oh, I don't know Tikki, my crush asked me for advice on how to get close to another girl, I'm third wheeling his date and am forced to watch them skate around holding hands, she practically claimed him when Phillipe was trying to recruit Adrien for his ice rink by reminding him AND me that Adrien is with HER, aaaaand I fell on my butt in front of him, her, and the guy who I also have caught feelings for but am feeling bad about potentially leading him on because of my lingering feelings for Adrien. And then my crush's date basically told me it's my fault that all these things are happening to me because I 'hesitate'. That might have something to do with why I'm sad."
But instead her answer is she likes Luka but doesn't know if what's between them is that they're just friends, like with Adrien????
Even if that WERE a part of it, that's not the thing that started this or even the thing that set her off. So why is that the thing they made her stuck on??? That's like the fourth thing on the list of Things That's Made Her Upset. Her answer sounds like it comes from a pre-edited script or something.
So yeah, the dialogue is...weird. But that's almost normal for Miraculous Ladybug at this point.
So anyway, Adrien vows to get advice from someone who is Not Plagg and realizes very quickly that every adult in his life is utterly worthless so he scouts out his friends. Except of the 4 couples he zones in on (Marc and Nathaniel, Ivan and Mylene, Alya and Nino, Juleka and Rose) 3/4 of them are together because of Ladybug and an akuma.
"Hey bro, I need some advice, how'd you and Alya get together?"
"Oh, Ladybug locked us in a panther cage during an akuma attack after you tried to set me up with her best friend."
Maybe it's not as crazy that he went to Marinette as I initially thought.
(That said this gave me flashbacks because for some reason all my friends came to me for relationship advice despite being chronically single for most of high school, so, I felt that pain Marinette.)
And just...wow, writers, I know Marinette is your punching bag but this was just cruel. Having her crush, the guy YOU'RE SELLING as her true love go off about how pretty and special and amazing this other girl is right to her face? Is this supposed to be an equivalent heartbreak to what happened in the first scene? Because this doesn't feel equal, this just feels malicious on the writer's end. Ladybug didn't grind into Chat Noir's face how AWESOME the mystery boy is and at least Chat Noir got to throw a tantrum about it, where's Marinette's tantrum?!
I'll say the one point I give to the Girl Squad is them telling Marinette she's crazy for agreeing to third wheel this date and that she should definitely cancel on Adrien. If he can't handle being alone with the girl he wants to date, that sounds like a them problem, there's being selfless and then there's being masochistic, girl.
But then they lose that point for yelling over her when she tells them she's going to try being Just a Friend for Adrien.
The Girl Squad scene is also frustrating in this way that Miraculous is continuously frustrating in that the characters just don't quite say the thing that makes sense (like in "Maledictator" with Marinette calling Chloe "useless" instead of things that would actually stick like "bully"). Marinette says she's giving up on Adrien because she stutters around him and dating would be impossible if she can't even talk to him, and that she's calmer when she's trying to be his friend instead of dating him.
But what she should have said was "he just asked me advice on how to ask out someone else, he's clearly not into me!"
She has a good point with the stuttering thing, but that puts all the weight on HER for the relationship not taking off. It's HER that can't get it together, it's HER that can't get her words out, it's HER that's stopping them from being together. Meanwhile Adrien's over here asking out other girls, calling her "just a friend", not showing up to meet ups that she'll be at... Hell, he tried to set HER up with SOMEONE ELSE ("Animan"). He doesn't want to date her! Message Recieved!
So she brings in Luka, (which honestly, smart move, because how much would Kagami have REALLY hated Marinette if she showed up by herself on THEIR date) and we get The Metaphors.
Marinette is clumsy, this is a known fact, yet the only times she's clumsy at the ice rink is because she's focused on Adrien - when she focuses on Luka, she's smooth, easily let's him guide her, and is pulling off professional moves. ALMOST like he's a good, calming influence compared to the chaotic energy that Adrien brings.
The "problem" (if you're writing for this show and want to encourage Adrien and Marinette being together) is that the episode never challenges why this should be a bad thing. They want her to be with Adrien, soooo why are they basically visually proving why Luka is the better option? Why does this whole episode feel like it's actively trying to turn Marinette away from Adrien?
I mean obviously they're starting the Love Rival drama, but I mean long term. With the Skating Metaphor and Marinette bringing up how her own inability to think clearly around Adrien is a problem, and then never COUNTERING those problems, why are we supposed to root for them again?
Oh because Luka gave his consent in the end, not because of any merit that Adrien brings to the table, got it.
Then there's the obvious Two Guys Reaching Out to Help Marinette Up and She Hesitates Because Her Heart is in Conflict Metaphor. I only give this one props because at least none of the characters explained that one, they just let that one speak for itself, even if it was obvious.
Though that one accidentally extended when the reason Marinette doesn't choose is because Phillipe forces his way into the interaction to beg Adrien to join his rink - kinda like random, out of pocket shit that she has no control over is CONSTANTLY MESSING UP HER ATTEMPTS TO MAKE MOVES.
Gosh Kagami, maybe Marinette would've made a choice if she'd gotten five seconds between them without INTERRUPTIONS! Maybe she even would've grabbed BOTH of their hands, then what would you have done?
Sighhhh, I'm sorry Kagami, I don't mean to rip on you. It's just that you were so freaking RUDE in this episode to anyone who wasn't Adrien (and also a little bit to Adrien tbh). You can turn Phillipe's offer down without telling him his favorite sport is basically trash. You can help Marinette up without rubbing it in that you got the guy first. You can let Adrien turn Phillipe down himself without peeing on him, as if you're jealous of a this guy just for asking Adrien to join a sport ("he already fences with ME!"). Let the boy speak for himself - maybe he actually was interested, did you check in on what he wants?
Yes, Adrien shouldn't just go along with people to make them happy, but he's not going to learn to stand up for himself if you just speak for him.
And Luka...well you're just here for a good time, aren't you? So patient, so kind, so the only person in the room who can read the writing on the wall. At least someone in this group isn't lying to themselves.
I'm losing steam, so let's rapid fire:
I knew I'd hate Phillipe as soon as I saw him and I was right. He's annoying and I bet he's the reason no one wants to come to his stupid ice rink because he's lurking there interrupting other people's dates. I was on Andre's side when he ragged on him for trying to force people to join (though dude you gave him ten minutes, what did you think would happen?)
Luka's so magical he can play electric guitar without an amp or any sound amplifying device, impressive. Or the people on this show have never touched an instrument.
Also Luka, your advice to just be natural and go with the flow is great and also WASTED on Adrien, his "natural" is a DISASTER.
Adrien panic-lying that he brought Marinette to teach him how to skate was pointless. Maybe Kagami would've thought it was endearing you were too nervous to go on a date with her alone if you were just honest about it, but now it's just Another Thing Kagami has to turn into a competition because she sees Marinette as a RiVaL (which honestly amazing jumping to conclusions because wut, where'd you get that idea?)
Also, does Kagami shoot a bow? She says she only participates in "noble" sports, like bow or fencing, but I can't tell if she's listing sports she considers noble, or listing sports she participates in. Also what does a "noble" sport even mean?
S-stalac-Tikki...and Plagg-lagla. I know it's Plagg-Glacier in English, but it's Plagg-lagla in French and it sounds like Adrien's VA is gargling or stuttering when he tries to say it.
What happened to Luka and Kagami, you're not even going to show them frozen?!
Frozer is so ugly omigoooood not looking forward to drawing him.
So yeah, anyway, Frozer is hard to watch, especially with hindsight, the bad parts with Chat Noir are really bad but don't stick around long, so there's that, and while it doesn't feel like the characters are being too bad during this whole "dating" fiasco, it suuuuure feels like the writers were~
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charlietheepicwriter7 · 3 months
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A very merry Christmas to you, @2-depressed-4-u . It is I, your secret santa from @mlsecretsanta . I have had a wonderful time talking to you this year (even if I wasn't supposed to, oops), and hope you have a wonderful holiday.
And now, without further ado, your present.
I Don't Need Sleep, I Need Answers
If his father could see his room at that moment, Adrien was sure the man would faint with shock. Fortunately, Gabriel Agreste was needed in China to investigate one of his companies’ main manufacturers, so Adrien was in the clear… for now.
His room looked like his couch was almost pushed up against one wall, but he’d left a foot of space between it and the wall so he had full access to his masterpiece. Along the north-facing wall was a chaotic conspiracy board, with red string threading from picture to picture. Some of his pieces of evidence were printed out from his computer, like the article about Marinette designing for Jagged Stone or the picture of Ladybug kissing him from back during the Oblivo incident. Others were hand drawn to the best of his ability if he couldn’t find an appropriate image online.
But in the end, all the pictures led back to a center image: his limited edition poster of Ladybug.
Plagg hovered near one of the most important pieces of evidence, the feathered bolo hat Marinette had made. “Hey, kid… when’s the last time you got any sleep?” he asked, his eyes flickering between Adrien and his evidence wall.
“I don’t need any sleep,” Adrien spat, climbing over and onto the back of the couch so he could connect some string between a picture of Marinette and badly-drawn recreation of Multimouse. On the hand drawn page, he wrote no earrings????, with multiple question marks going off the page and onto the wall. “I need answers.”
“I thought you’d decided that you weren’t going to look for Ladybug’s identity anymore?”
The boy scoffed. “I thought so too, but you didn’t see what I saw! During that last akuma battle, Ladybug left, and then… Marinette was there! She always hides during akuma battles, she wouldn’t just run around during one, unless…” He pinned another picture to the wall, wrinkling the paper with his force. “She was Ladybug.”
Plagg sighed. “Or she was trapped in the area and took it as her chance to run. Or she was hiding but someone was in danger, so she rushed out to help. Or some other reason why she’d risk her life. Why don’t you just ask her, kid?”
“Because if she’s Ladybug, she’d just lie!” Adrien explained. “I know how this works, Plagg; we’re not supposed to know each other’s identities. Ladybug sticks to that rule better than me… and no matter how good of a person she is, or how much Marinette hates liars, she’d still be willing to lie to protect herself.”
“If she’s lying to protect herself, then wouldn’t she be safer if you didn’t discover who she is? If you stopped your investigation now, before someone gets hurt?”
Adrien shook his head, picking up another picture of Ladybug. “You don’t understand, Plagg. She shouldn’t have to look out for herself. I should be the one to do it for her.”
I Don't Need Sleep, I Need Answers
Adrien’s plan started the next day at school.
Keeping an eye on Marinette proved impossible when she sat directly behind him, but he kept a keen ear on her and Alya’s conversation. While he didn’t think his Lady would be so blasé to discuss her superheroine life where anyone could hear her, he was expecting at least some reference. Alya was her best friend after all; he’d certainly let things slip to Nino throughout his months as Chat Noir.
But no. There was nothing. When not distracted by classwork, all they talked about was the Ladyblog, and Marinette’s new commissions for Kitty Selection. So, it was onto plan B.
When Plagg was trying to talk him out of this—and really, wasn’t that evidence unto itself, that Plagg was trying to talk him out of investigating—he’d said that Adrien reminded him of Alya. Reminded him that Alya had once done the same thing to Chloe, and gotten akumatized for it. But Adrien wouldn’t get akumatized! For one thing, Marinette was in no way like Chloe. For another, Adrien, and Alya back then, had direct evidence that Chloe wasn’t Ladybug, since Chloe was often seen with or around Ladybug.
Outside of the Multimouse incident, had Adrien ever seen Ladybug save or even talk to Marinette?
No.
But Plagg’s words had reminded him that he wasn’t the only person who’d ever searched for Ladybug’s identity. And his best ally sat behind him and to the left.
Adrien pulled Alya to the side during lunch, with Marinette watching curiously and Nino shaking his head in amusement before engaging Marinette in a conversation. Adrien knew he could count on him. And when he found an abandoned classroom to talk to Alya, he swallowed and began to explain.
She’d looked nervous, when he began, but as he kept explaining all his evidence as to why Marinette could be Ladybug, a thoughtful expression bloomed on her face. But that didn’t mean she automatically believed him. And then she asked a damnable question. “What about Lila?”
Ah. He’d forgotten about Lila.
He preferred to forget about her rather than think about—
Alya continued. “Because she and Ladybug are best friends, you know? But I’m pretty sure Marinette hates Lila. Not that she’d ever say she hates Lila, but she refuses to go to girl’s day when Lila is invited, and she leaves sleep-overs early when she’s there, but Lila has no idea why—”
Oh, Adrien had a good idea why. And it was the same reason why Adrien had convinced his father to only allow single or boys-only shoots for him this spring, that it was more fashionable that way.
“Maybe it’s a ruse?” He offered instead. “Maybe Marinette’s only pretending to dislike Lila so she doesn’t find out her identity? It’s not like Lila has ever said she knew Ladybug’s identity.”
“Well, she did imply it once…” When did that happen!? Adrien might be mostly ignoring Lila at this point, but how did he miss that? “But she backtracked when I asked some more questions, so I think she only suspects she knows who Ladybug is. But if Marinette is Ladybug, then we could talk to her and she doesn’t have to pretend to hate Lila anymore!”
Alya gave a blinding smile. Adrien didn’t have the heart to tell her that Marinette definitely would not change her opinion of Lila if they discovered her identity.
In fact, she might yell at them both.
I Don't Need Sleep, I Need Answers
With Alya on board to stalk Marinette for all the wrong reasons, Adrien had started to feel a little more secure in his plan to discover Ladybug’s identity. For the rest of lunch and the remainder of class, Alya used some leading questions on Marinette to try and get any information, but she was like a steel wall. Alya had even thought up a cool audience participation event where Ladyblog would post everyone’s fan heroes that sounded really interesting.
(Marinette said she’d want to be a black cat hero! She was so cute—)
But there was nothing that pointed towards Marinette being Ladybug. After school, once Alya had begged off girl squad duties and Adrien had lied about an extra long fencing meeting, the two met up to stalk Marinette.
First, she spent a few hours at Eiffel Tower, designing. Then, she spent an hour in a fabric store, picking out a few yards of champagne fabric, all of which looked the same to Adrien’s discerning eye, but were clearly different to her. And finally, she met her parents at a local Italian bistro for dinner. And despite spending their entire afternoon stalking her, they’d learned nothing.
Nothing except the fact that Marinette had an adorable habit of talking to herself when she was alone, but that wasn’t strictly evidence.
Alya sat back on the bench, pulling her disguise hat down to cover her eyes. Marinette and her family were clearly visible from the restaurant window. “Maybe she isn’t Ladybug?” Alya asked. “I mean, Ladybug usually patrols in the afternoon, and she hasn’t left our sight all day!”
That was more because Adrien had offered to talk Ladybug’s afternoon patrol that day, but Alya didn’t need to know that. He hiked the newspaper with holes cut out for eyes higher onto his face. “She could be having an off day?”
“No. Adrien, what was your real reason for—”
Suddenly, the ground shook and people screamed as an akuma, eye-screaming pink and cackling at the top of his lungs, whipped past. They shot to their feet. Alya begged off to chase after the akuma and Adrien let her, his eyes glued to the window. Her family was still there, but Marinette was gone. Was she in the restroom? Or…
“Adrien, what are you doing?”
“I’m just going to check,” he told his kwami, running to the backside of the bistro. If Marinette was Ladybug, she’d have to escape out the back, right?
“There’s an akuma! Come on, you have to—”
“I just need to check!” He scolded. He was almost there!”
“Damn it, kid!” Adrien froze. Was Plagg… mad at him? Plagg was never mad at him! “This has gone on long enough! Is your love life really worth other people’s lives!?”
No. No it wasn’t. And Ladybug would hate him if he even considered for a second skipping out on a battle just to look for her identity.
Really, there was only one choice left.
“Plagg, claws out.”
“Finally!”
He’d have to try again another day. Think of a new plan of attack. But for now, he was Chat Noir. And Chat Noir had a fight to win.
I Don't Need Sleep, I Need Answers
The next day, Plagg immediately wriggled his way into Marinette’s purse, where Tikki sat, contently eating a chocolate-chip cookie.
“Sugar Cube, you’ve got to make sure your user is more careful,” he said, rubbing his head with his paws. “Adrien almost found out her identity!”
“What!?”
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kleenex-tissues · 2 months
Text
Yours Truly (21)
Read on AO3 here
Ch. 21 - Stop the Clock
“Do you Parisian heroes make a habit of getting impaled, or is that just you?”
Marinette wanted to go back to sleep, but a burning pain in her leg and throat kept her mind from drifting off. She almost hadn’t heard the sly remark above her because of it. Almost. Most of her nervous system was currently failing her, but she managed to groan out, “No’ usually, bu’ firs’ for every’fing.”
She was met with a chuckle, and she tried smiling back. She wasn’t sure if she succeeded. Her eyes fluttered open to a blurry world, a black and blue blob staring down at her, and she wondered if this was a pain-induced hallucination. At least the voice speaking to her was nice. Maybe it was an angel?
“Ladybug, I’m so glad you’re okay!”
Adrien?  No, probably Chat Noir. Not that that distinction mattered anymore. It had only been a matter of time until she found out his identity. If not on the field, she would have had to know as Guardian eventually anyway. She just wished it could have been under better circumstances.
When Marinette tried to mumble his name back at him, he quieted her. “No, don’t talk! You’re really hurt right now, and you have to stay as still as possible.”
Staying still sounded nice. She could do that.
“Listen, I know Tikki is slowing the blood loss, but I need her. Someone has to cleanse the akuma and use the miraculous cure. I'll give you Plagg. We just have to do this quickly.” He was stumbling over his words in his panic. “I’m so sorry I let this happen, M’Lady.”
In any other circumstance, she’d hesitate, not wanting to reveal their identities to anyone else. She still wasn’t sure if the black and blue blob was a real person or not, really, but their situation was dire. This would be an issue for her to deal with when she was more coherent. Tikki would understand, she was sure of that at least.
“Spo’s off.”
As soon as the red flash of light disappeared, Marinette began screaming. The pain was too much too soon. It hurt, and she heard Adrien sobbing out apologies as he removed her earrings. He grabbed her hand and despite both of their shaking, managed to slip his ring onto her finger.
Someone held her head down, and she heard another voice whispering, “Mari, it’ll be okay. I won’t leave you, I promise.”
The voice sounded familiar, but she knew there was no way Damian was in Paris with her right now. She listened to it anyway, and thanked the universe for sending her such a comforting gift in her final moments.
“Your partner said you need to call for 'Plagg.' Can you do that?”
A gloved hand was rubbing her cheek, and she leaned into it. She tried nodding, but ultimately gave up in favor of mumbling, “Claws ou’.”
The green light that encased her seemed to ease some of the pain. It had become much more manageable, and she tried to pull her focus onto the hands holding her face to distract herself. She needed to focus on anything but the cold metal in her upper thigh and her scratchy throat.
The hands came loose from her face for a moment, and she tried to follow before they quickly returned, bare this time. They were warm. She leaned into them as best she could.
One hand rubbed soothing circles on Marinette’s cheek, and the other moved up to stroke her hair. She barely felt the tears dripping onto her forehead.
Finally, the world was righted again, and she felt the ladybugs swarming her body before she saw them. It wasn’t very often that she had the chance to feel the miraculous cure from this side, but it felt like nothing in the world had ever made sense before that moment. She felt like she was home.
Marinette began to properly stir, blinking away the blurriness that had clouded her vision. The night was bright with Parisian lights, just like it should have been. She began to that she might have imagined the last however many hours, but her fears were assuaged when she held up a black gloved hand before her eyes. This wasn’t the Ladybug suit, and that certainly wasn’t Chat Noir looking down at her.
Holding her were two men she had only ever seen in the news — Nightwing and Robin. Where had Damian gone? 
The hands still performing ministrations on her head belonged to Robin, and judging by the sopping wet hair Nightwing sported, they were who had pulled her from the Seine.
She blinked up at them before Robin pressed a desperate kiss to her forehead, tears still streaming down his cheeks.
Wait, why was Robin kissing her?
What had happened when she was passed out?
Damian had never felt such righteous fury before in his life, not even when his father had gone missing or all the times Ra’s had beat him senseless on the sparring mat. He had arrested many monsters and let them live, but he knew he could never grant such a mercy to the man who had done this to Marinette. This pure soul deserved everything life had to offer, and he would gladly give it to her, which meant destroying Hawkmoth.
He hadn’t had the chance to think better of it before he began pressing a hurried kiss to her forehead; he just needed to feel that she was still there, from his fingertips to his lips. It was rather embarrassing that Dick had been the one to witness it, as well. He wouldn’t say anything of it now, but Damian knew he was never going to live this down.
Yet right now, nothing else mattered. His Mari was safe, her beautiful heart beating in tandem with his. Everything about her was beautiful. Her delicate face, lithe hands, and soft hair felt almost too good to be true. He could live a thousand lifetimes repenting, and he still would never truly deserve her.
Part of him was glad that she had changed suits because the black leather highlighted the deep blush painting her skin. The red spandex would have distracted too much from it. 
Marinette let loose a nervous laugh. “Uh, what did I miss?”
Damian never let his eyes linger from her own, but he could feel the shit-eating grin dancing across his brother’s face. He chose, very pointedly, to ignore it.
“I took too long to get here,” he whispered to her. “I wish you had been able to inform me of this foul bastard tormenting your city. I would have had his head on a platter for you in a heartbeat.”
Dick chimed in, “Wow, kid. You sure know how to woo ‘em.”
Marinette’s face somehow became impossibly redder, and the skin was burning underneath his hands. She tried to sink into herself, but the tight leather suit left little room to hide. The faux cat ears were definitely not helping her.
Before she had the chance to question the vigilante’s familiarity with her, her partner came rushing towards them. He now donned a red and black polka dotted suit similar to the one she had worn earlier. The accessories they had swapped seemed to be the cause of it, but they could discuss this later. Maybe when they hadn’t just watched Marinette thrash around in agony.
The ladybug hero fell onto his knees and threw his body around her, crying into her shoulder, “Thank Kwamis, you’re alright! I don’t think I could have lived with myself if anything had happened to you.”
Marinette pulled a hand up to gently pet her partner’s hair, a soft smile gracing her now less-red face. He buried his face further into the crook of her neck, and she brought her other hand to rub along his back. Damian felt his heart drop at the exchange.
“It’s alright, Minou.” She let out a dry laugh. “Now you know how I feel every time you throw yourself head first into danger.”
Damian was overcome with a sudden possessiveness. He knew who this other boy was. He was Adrien, the boy who had broken Marinette's heart, and the one she still called her best friend. Damian believed that perhaps she was far too forgiving. He would never let anything bad happen to her again.
One of his hands moved to push Adrien off of her, the other still tenderly holding her face. The other boy was caught off guard by the sudden movement, and Marinette’s eyebrows jumped in shock.
“Bug off, Minou, ” Damian growled at him. His hand returned to rubbing her hair back. “She’s mine.”
He felt a sudden smack against the back of his head.
“For fuck’s sake, Damian. I taught you to act better than that,” Dick chided him. Damian swung his head around to meet his brother’s menacing gaze with his own.
“So much for secret identities, Grayson.”
Dick rolled his eyes. “Like she wasn’t gonna find out anyway. What, with your little kiss and confession.”
Heat rose in Damian’s face. Whether it was in anger or embarrassment, he couldn’t say, but suddenly he was tackling Dick back into the river. It wasn’t a ‘confession,’ okay? It was simply a truth she should be aware of. Damian Wayne didn’t do ‘confessions.’
They hit the water in a tangle of limbs and spandex, and Damian swore he could hear Marinette laughing as he submerged into the water. He was overcome with the thought that maybe, it wasn’t so bad to open up his heart to someone. After all, nothing in this world could possibly be sweeter than her voice. 
A kick to the jaw reminded Damian why he had tackled Dick into the Seine in the first place. He was so going to kill him.
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imthepunchlord · 1 year
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What exactly caused you to lose the rose-colored glasses for Tikki? Like was it one specific big thing or a bunch of small things?
It was a bunch of factors that I began to notice pile up, that were problematic and aggravating. And then it persisted, and in hindsight to seeing this, you got see a some red flags in the past episodes, even as far back as s1.
Biggest factor is that Tikki at the core is a mouth piece for the writers to criticize Marinette and her choices without offering REAL help and solutions. She's not even a true character and is more of an aggravation at this point. Biggest point to this is the fact that her criticism is EXCLUSIVELY to Marinette.
Given how much Tikki cares about how Marinette performs as a hero, to uphold her duty, and was the one to push secrecy; with how Adrien acts as a hero, you would think she'd be bothered by how he behaves as Chat Noir, and how he keeps pushing for a reveal and disrupting the hero work. Even pranking LB once during an akuma attack and messing up her Lucky Charm in Refleckdoll. Now, Adrien isn't her charge, but he IS getting in the way of her charge's duty and goal, and she should at least be getting onto Plagg about these issues. It'd be true to her character with how quick she is to get onto Marinette about things she doesn't liek. But the writers have a bias for Adrien and narrative wise, to them, he's not doing anything wrong.
Only Marinette does wrong. So Adrien gets to act as he wishes as a hero and face no consequences, leaving Marinette to struggle and step up.
This also extends to outside Adrien.
Take Gamer where Marinette had won fair and square in the competition, Tikki made a comment about her not being considerate to Max's feelings. Which like, it's a competition to see the best of the best. Max isn't being considerate about other's feelings. Why should Marinette prioritize other's feelings here when Max isn't?
And this just comes down to the idea the writers have that only Marinette can be wrong. Tikki's role here is to make sure we know Marinette is in the wrong.
Other issues is that Tikki is set up as a mentor figure and adviser/guide/conscious, but she doesn't truly do that. She's only here to call out or question and not offer help or solutions. To name a few:
Refleckta, she protests Marinette trying to sabotage Picture Day, but she doesn't elaborate on why this is bad or what Marinette can do alternatively to solve this issue of Juleka being excluded.
Antibug, where she's "advising" Marinette that she can help even not transformed, but she's not offering solutions to Marinette on how.
Another factor is that Tikki is not here to really help Marinette.
Take Frozer where Marinette is upset and confused and Tikki just asks "Why are you sad?" Why do you think she is???? Have you really not been paying attention? You're right there to witness it all.
Darkblade, she knows how much Marinette has on her plate, as someone going to school, who likes to create, and is a full time hero who is a MUST SHOW; yet pushes her to step up as class rep, piling more onto her plate and responsibility.
Bubbler, with her discouraging using the miraculous selfishly despite it would be helpful to Marinette if she was allowed to use it selfishly at times; which is extra aggravating as Adrien gets to use his ring selfishly.
Troublemaker, Marinette is having a break down but Tikki is acting like she's overreacting and should just be ok with this being how Adrien finds out about her crush.
You also got Tikki here to offer love advise, but later s4 ep takes a stance that kwamis don't fall in love so they can't really help; so that means she's aimlessly stringing Marinette along in romantic advise, not knowing if it'll really help or not.
Kuro Neko, allowing Plagg to deceive Marinette.
The little bit I've seen of s4 of Marinette with the kwamis, she's struggling to handle all the kwamis and Tikki isn't stepping up to help manage them despite Marinette getting very overwhelmed.
If you really want a specific moment, I'd say Frozer is where the rose glasses started to come off. Then I look at Tikki as a whole, how much does she really bring to Marinette's life as a character and presence. And she comes with a lot more stress and unhelpfulness. She's easily the most unlikable kwami out of them all.
A big part of that does stem from her being more of a mouthpiece than an actual character, but it doesn't make her any less aggravating to me.
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mcheang · 6 months
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Spot the difference
When Zoe and Alya become replacement heroes, Marinette could have told the kwamis to pass on the message to avoid wearing the rings! Except she was kinda depressed and their decision had been a shock to her.
However as she went to visit Alya to congratulate her, she also had a list of things to beware and avoid, among which was the alliance ring.
Alya dismisses Marinette’s concern, reluctant to give up the latest technical fad and unable to think of an explanation for even doing that. Besides, does Marinette know how much these things cost?
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After the events of Deflagration, Marinette, Alya, Tikki and Plagg are curious how Monarch discovered their secret identities so quickly.
What is the difference between Marinette and Alya? Could it really be the alliance ring?
Plagg: actually, now that you mention it, Chat Noir doesn’t wear an alliance ring, but Kitty does.
Everyone is stunned.
Alya hesitantly says, “And Kouki wore 5 alliance rings on his hands, Nora was complaining to me about him being such a spendthrift. That was the only time we faced an akuma with the powers of 5 miraculous. Did the other akumas wear multiple alliance rings?”
Marinette: no.
Alya said what everyone must be thinking. “So the alliance rings are how Monarch transfers the powers of the kwami.”
Tikki: you think Gabriel might be Monarch after all?
Marinette: i don’t want to think it could be true, but we can’t discount the possibility. I know he was the Collector before but the arrival of Mayura means he has at least one ally who could akumatize him on his behalf.
Alya: it is too much of a coincidence that Gabriel should be akumatized right after he loses the grimoire, the most incriminating clue that would lead to Hawkmoth.
Plagg: if Gabriel really is Monarch, there’s only one way to know for sure. He’ll have my mark on him after the wax museum.
Alya: right…how are we going to see Gabriel’s arm? A vaccine?
Marinette: not to mention, i am certain that Monarch would want to hide such a clue with makeup.
Plagg: there’s only one way to know for sure. A spy mission. Send me Marinette, no offense but out of all of you, I blend in the most easily.
Alya: right, then how do you explain kwami buster?
Tikki, who knows Plagg knows the Agreste mansion best of them all, speaks up. “No, he’s right. We need to send in Plagg.”
Marinette twiddled her fingers. “Especially since the Resistance’s last plan with Gabriel epically failed.”
Plagg avoids meeting Adrien, knowing he won’t take kindly to his father being accused again. But he really goes all out in exploring the house. He does more than sneak into Gabriel and Nathalie’s rooms, he searches for hidden lairs and vaults. He finds Monarch’s lair easily enough, and his captured friends!
Plagg reports this to Marinette. Grimly, she starts planning. “Gabriel must be hiding the rings under his gloves.”
Alya: what are you going to do now?
Marinette: I’m going to arrest Monarch in the last place he expects. When do you think Gabriel is making his next public appearance?
Alya: uh…no clue. I’m still surprised he went to the parent teacher conference.
Marinette: we need more heads. Plagg, you can go to Chat and-
Plagg: actually, it might be better if you leave Chat out of this.
Marinette: why?
Plagg: I can’t say.
A pause before they move on.
Alya: what if Adrien has his friends over, is that enough of a public setting for you?
Marinette nodded. It will do, but I have to ambush him easily.
Alya: you can count on the resistance.
Sure enough, Alya knocks Gabriel unconscious and lets Ladybug in through the window. Adrien is stunned when Ladybug exposes his father as the villain.
As the resistance stands watch over the bound villain, Ladybug summons her lucky charm to find his lair.
She frees the kwamis. Gabriel is arrested but there is still the question of who Mayura is, either Tomoe or Nathalie. Anyway, they are both taken into custody where Nooroo happily outs them.
Adrien then has to move away to Paris after the public backlash and stay with his aunt. Plagg offers the miraculous again but Adrien politely declines, instead promising to help recover the Peacock from his cousin should he show his face again.
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verymuchimmortalcat · 7 months
Text
Magic Induced Face Blindness
For Bio Dad! Bruce Wayne Month, Prompt: Take Your Kid To Work ao3 @maribat-bdbwm
The Justice League, simply put, was having a take your kid to work day. Less simply, they were holding an event for all the teenage superheroes. So not exactly a take your kid to work day but there weren’t exactly a large number who weren’t proteges of the Justice League.
Naturally, Ladybug had been invited.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng Wayne has not stopped freaking out about it since.
And not freaking out about it in the Chat Noir way, who’s been so excited that it’s all he talks about on patrol. Freaking out as in lying face down on her floor and cursing her family. Well, mostly her dad.
“Tikki, do you think if I fake cough in front of Chat Noir a few times and tell him I’m too sick to make it he’ll believe me.”
The kwami hums from where she’s settled in Marinette’s hair. “He’ll probably believe you if you’re convincing enough but is that really necessary? What’s the worst that could happen?”
Marinette scoffs. Really, Tikki should know better than to ask such a question. “I’ll walk into the watch tower and someone will immediately figure me out.”
In her one year of being Ladybug, Marinette has learnt that even her sweet kwami does not have infinite patience and Tikki’s exasperation is obvious in her tone when she says, “Marinette. Your identity is protected with magic.”
“The JL has magic users. And I’ve known most of these people most of my life. What if one of the idiots say something so dumb and I insult them and they figure it out and then Chat Noir knows my identity causing the end of the world.”
“Don’t insult them then.”
She scoffs again, “I can’t not insult them. When have you ever not insulted Plagg?”
The ensuing silence speaks for itself but Tikki doesn’t let it go. “You should go. It’ll be good to talk to heroes other than Chat Noir and temporary holders.”
She groans. Maybe if she lies here long enough the carpet will swallow her up and then Tikki can stop trying to convince her to go. “I have most of their numbers, I can talk to them whenever I want. I do talk to them whenever I want.”
The weight on her head vanishes and she feels a poke on her forehead. Lifting her head up, she glares at the tiny goddess of luck, who glares right back. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. None of them know you’re Ladybug.”
She drops her back down to the floor and sighs. “Fine. I’ll go.”
.oOo.
Wonder Woman waves them over when she sees them enter. As the two of them make their way through the crowd, Ladybug keeps her eyes on the floor while Chat Noir’s head swivels around trying to take it all in. What an odd pair they must make.
“Robin looks like an angry kitten,” her partner comments, breaking her out her reverie.
She coughs to hide her laughter. He’s right, of course. But regardless she turns to look at Damian, who’s sulking in the corner while Jon pesters him.
She grins, “I’d kill to watch you tell him that.”
He glances at her and snorts, “Not a chance. Not with that expression on your face.”
She blinks at him, “What expression?”
“The same one you had before you threw me off the Eiffel Tower for going on about the Justice League heroes.”
She smiles at the memory, “You totally deserved it.”
He holds a hand  up to his chest, as dramatic as always, “Meowch!”
She giggles. Diana is only few steps away from them now and is looking at them with an amused expression. Smiling comes slightly easier now, a chunk of her anxiety taken away by her partner’s antics. She whispers a thanks to him before greeting Wonder Woman.
.oOo.
If Diana suspects anything, she doesn’t mention it, nor do any of the others they talk to. But they haven’t had the chance to talk to any of the bats yet. At least Dick and Jay aren’t here, they’d be the most unbearable.
“We should talk to Batgirl,” Chat Noir suggests.
Marinette freezes, magic or not Cass would be the most likely to see through her but she can’t think of a valid excuse and he’d already picked up on her earlier nervousness. If she continues being paranoid, he might start to suspect something.
“Sure,” she mutters.
He waves enthusiastically to Batgirl who offers a small smile. Her gaze lingers on Ladybug and Marinette desperately hopes Cass brushes off anything odd as general nervousness. Thankfully, Chat Noir carries much of their interaction.
He’s gesturing wildly when he accidentally hits her sister’s arm. The arm that Marinette knows was in a cast until last week. Cass doesn’t wince, of course she doesn’t but the concern bursts out of Marinette anyway. “Is your arm ok??”
Chat Noir looks confused but Batgirl is assessing her. It’s a moment before she says, “I’m fine.”
Marinette nods, simultaneously relieved and panicked. She should’ve stayed home. It’s not too late to fake sickness, after all she has been acting particularly odd. When Spoiler calls Batgirl away, Ladybug visibly relaxes. Chat Noir gives her an odd look but he doesn’t say anything. Yet. She’s sure by the time they finish talking to her entire family, he’s going to think she’s lost her mind.
.oOo.
She’s mostly calmed down after her slip up with Cass when they somehow end up talking to Jon and Damian. Well, it’s not exactly talking as much as Robin and Chat Noir antagonising each other. Jon looks torn between interrupting and watching it play out. Marinette on the other hand wishes she had a bucket of popcorn and a valid reason to record their exchange.
When Damian calls the Parisian superhero, “a mangy alley cat,” Marinette snorts out loud and says, “I thought you liked cats?”
Damian stares at her, she can see his hand inching towards his katana as he asks, “How would you know that?”
Play it cool, Marinette.
She shrugs, “You just seem like a cat person. Also, I vaguely remember reading something of the kind on twitter once.”
Both of them know most things about the Bats on social media are deleted almost as soon as Oracle can get to it but people still do see them. He relaxes slightly but Marinette knows he’s wary of her.
Really, why did she let Tikki talk her into this?
.oOo.
Sometime later, Bart finds her in a corner. She’d left Chat Noir saying she needed a break and she could see him as he was talking excitedly with Steph.
“Heydoyoumindansweringaquestionforustosettleanargument?” he asks pointing at the rest of what was once Young Justice (or rather the still active members). Holding back a smile, she considers it for a moment. How wrong could it go? Actually, knowing them any thing and everything that could go wrong would go wrong but her curiosity takes over. Tim’s friends have the most amusing arguments after all.
Bart is bouncing back and forth, waiting for her answer. When, she agrees, he cheers and drags her over to their little group. He doesn’t question how she caught what he was saying instantly or how she’s totally fine even after being carted off with super speed regardless of the distance.
Thankfully, Tim is too busy arguing with Kon to notice.
“I have a solution,” Bart announces, “We ask Ladybug to be the tie breaker.”
And because when they’re together they tend to act on a single functioning braincell, all four of them turn to her at once and Cassie asks, “Do you think having several backup fake identities is necessary?”
Ah, not a new argument then. Honestly, she does. She’s suddenly even more grateful that Chat Noir isn’t with her. “I mean you do need something to fall back on if your go to identity is accused of art theft.”
Tim doesn’t have time to register the jab at him before Kon and Cassie start to rejoice loudly and Marinette slips away before they can drag her into their next argument.
.oOo.
Back in her room, after the event, Marinette sighs. “Well, that was interesting.” Her conversations with the others had gone perfectly well. It was extremely likely that Chat Noir wouldn’t dwell on her mistakes with Batgirl and Robin, and he hadn’t been there when she spoke to Tim. Regardless, she’s never doing that again. Chat Noir can go alone.
Her phone rings and she answers the video call to see a bunch of worried faces.
“Is something wrong?”
“You need to look into Ladybug,” her father states. 
She frowns, “Why?”
“It’s possible Ladybug knows our identities and is a threat.”
Her jaw drops, “What?” 
Marinette remains in semi shock throughout Tim’s explanation. He ends with, “If you need help any of us would be glad to come.”
“Dibs on helping Nettie!” Steph calls finally snapping Marinette out of her shock. Damn, Tikki had been right about the magic. World’s greatest detectives and this was the conclusion they came to?
She glances at Tikki once, making sure she has the kwami’s support in this decision. When Tikki nods Marinette let’s herself laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
It also ends the argument ongoing on the other end of the call. All of them stare at her in confusion until she finishes laughing. Once she’s finally calmed down she asks, “ A room full of detectives and that’s the best you come up with?”
Her father frowns, “Marinette, what-”
“Did it not occur to any of you that I’m Ladybug?”
She bursts into laughter at their startled expressions. Hurrying to take a screenshot and making sure to send it to Babs.
She is so going to lord this over them for at least the next few years.
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remmicreates · 1 year
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One shot time! - “What they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em.” (possibly 1 of 2 ;D )
——
Adrien stretched out his fingers from where they pressed out against his lap. The wind ruffled his hair and he hoped he’d be able to flatten it back down by the time he had to return home. If he did return home that night, anyways.
The park was practically empty and he wondered if he should have asked one of his friends if he could come over, before jumping out of his bedroom window and gunning it away from the mansion.
He should’ve transformed into Chat Noir, and ran around the rooftops till he found his lady, but Adrien didn’t want to be Chat right now.
He tugged his hood down off his head and pressed his hand against the satchel bag next to his hip, sat on the old bench next to him. The rumbling of a certain cat god from the inside made Adrien force a small smile.
He may have been alone, but at least he wasn’t home, at least he was with Plagg, even if the menace was asleep, it was better than nothing.
He made a mental reminder to get up in a few minutes, to get ready to walk back, before closing his eyes and leaning his head up to the sky.
He sat for a few minutes before he heard the sound of something landing near him. His eyes shot open, and he looked into his peripherals for anyone, nerves on edge.
He saw no one and let his shoulders relax, turning back to where he had been staring with his eyes closed.
“U-Um Adrien?” A high-pitched voice sounded from next to him and he had to hold back the yowl of surprise the threatened to come out.
He turned and was almost immediately calmed by the sight of his (favourite) classmate and one of his best friends, Marinette, coming into view. She’s holding a bag of what looked to be baked goods in her hands, like the type ladybug brings on lazy patrols. He wonders if she was looking for Ladybug when she found him. She wonders if ladybug is looking for him.
He stops his thoughts there.
“Hey Marinette” he said with a soft smile, scooting to the side so that if Marinette wanted to, she could sit next to him. “What are you doing out this late?”
She smiles, “I was going for a walk, school has been pretty hectic recently, I, Uh, saw you sitting here and I thought I’d go and say hi!” She says, throat was taught, like normal, when she spoke to him. And ‘hi’ most definitely not what she first said to him here, but he wasn’t going to comment on it.
“What are you doing out so late, A-Adrien?” She moved and sat down next to him, bag clutched against her lap.
He hums, facing away from her for a moment. Marinette was always the person he could be honest with, both as Chat and as himself, he could talk to her, he reasons.
“I was feeling-“ he huffs, leaning back against the bench. “I was feeling claustrophobic, I guess. Just wanted out, didn’t really think of where I was going, ended up here.”
Marinette nods, and when Adrien turns to look at her, she’s giving him a look that he usually reserved for Ladybug. (Or Chloe on a really bad day)
“Is there,,,” she trails off, “,, a time you need to be back by?”
He shakes his head, “I snuck out, it’ll be morning by the time they realize I’m gone,”
She nods again, focused, and Adrien smiles fondly, he loved it when she was like this around him, around Adrien.
“You could come back to my apartment. It's pretty warm there, you know.” She looked like she had more to say, but as she looked into Adrien's face, she began to get quieter and quieter.
She snaps out of it, face flushing, “if you wanted to, that is!” She waves her hands in front of her.
Adrien chuckles, before looking up at the sky again. “I would like that,, “ he says with a smile, “,but isn’t it super late? Not sure how your parents would feel about you bringing home a boy past nine pm.”
Her face is still flushed but she grows a playful grin as she speaks, “what my parents don’t know can’t hurt them”
Adrien barks out a laugh at that, hand reaching up to cover his mouth, “didn’t know you were so rebellious Mare.” He stands up, pulling his bag up into his shoulder.
She stands up as well, bag still clutched in her hands. She turned and started walking, “I didn’t know you were” she says, teasing.
Adrien smiles and starts walking next to her. The park wasn’t too far from her place, so they’d make it there in a couple of minutes.
He leans closer to her, “what the game plan then?-“ she turned to look at him, eyes bright.
“-how do I plan on sneaking you past my parents,,,?” She giggles, turning back to face the sidewalk. “Well, you can climb can’t you? If not, we can go through the front door and just be very very quiet, but I usually just climb back up.” She says with a shrug.
He laughs back at her as they step into the centre where the building resides, she leads him into the alleyway next to it.
“ I can climb,,” he tucks his hair behind his ear, “how do you think I got out?”
(and if it were anyone else, anyone other than Marinette, he would have been concerned about entering a dark alley alone with them.)
“ by jumping out the second story window yelling parkour?” She teases, and how dare she be so right. “I mean,,” she flushes again, “I have no idea!”
The alley way is fairly lit, a further up window lighting it up well enough to see. Against the alley wall was a stack of cardboard and other boxes leaned up on it.
“Just follow me, okay?” She affirms as she shoves the bag of good into her mouth and climbs on top the boxes before gripping onto a jutted out brick and swinging herself up to grasp at a window ledge. Once she’s not within kicking range, Adrien climbs up onto the boxes as well and follows her up to the balcony.
She’s waiting for him when he gets there, sitting criss-cross and playing with the latch on the door down to her bedroom.
Adrien leans down and sort-of half-crawls over to her, she stifles a giggle with her free hand as she unlatched the door. She gestures him down the ladder.
He follows here, pushing back his normal urges to cat-climb down into her loft, and avoids touching his shoes to the comforter. (Chat noir doesn’t really have shoes, so Adrien never really thought about it before this)
When they’re both down by her chaise, Marinette breaks the comfortable almost-silence. Do you want to eat some pastries and play video games? My parents think I’m doing homework so they won’t care if I run down to grab some, and what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
Adrien grins widely, “That'd be great Marinette” He rests his palms in his lap, sitting with his calves pressed to his thighs. She smiles back at him and opens the door downstairs and runs to what he assumes is their kitchen.
He looks around the room as if he’s never seen it before. (And he definitely has, as Chat Noir alone and as Adrien with Nino and Alya) He takes in the posters of himself on the cork board above her desk, and the fabrics laid half-hazardly across the floor underneath it.
Vaguely he recognizes one of the smaller fabrics as a very expensive silk, and thinks to himself, that maybe he should buy her a roll,,, or two.
She comes back up in less than five minutes, a tray filled with pastries leftover from the bakery.
He moves forward to grab the tray from her, similarly as he did as chat, less so when the pins were missing, and give her an easier time getting up fully past the ladder.
Once up, she tilts her desk chair over the door, like how she did when Chat came over.
(Adrien wonders how many people Marinette has snuck over, or if the right was reserved for just him)
He sets the tray down in the ground next to him.
He asks the same question he first asked as Chat. “Won’t your parents hear us talking?”
Marinette waves a hand unbothered, grabbing a crepe off the tray and stuffing it into her mouth. “They’ll just assume I’m on a call with Alya, or, that I’ve given up on homework and is playing video games.
“I’m not exactly quiet, and uh-“ she seems to realize that he’s here, for a second time. “-you aren’t exactly super loud either, “ she sputters, “- not that it’s a bad thing! You can be a loud or as quiet as you want!”
Adrien chuckled and picks up a macaron, looking down at the filling inside, she’s grabbed his favourite flavor, again. Had he ever verbally told her that it was? Had she guessed it? Or,,, he looks back over to the posters of himself.
He takes a closer look at them, taking a bite of the macaron. Those were from his most recent shoot, and looked to be taken from the sidelines, as opposed to straight on, as his father liked them to be.
She really was his biggest fan.
“I didn’t realize you were at my most recent shoot.” He mentions casually. She was getting further in the fashion world after all, so maybe he should have expected it.
She chokes, picking up a napkin and covering her mouth as she stammered. “Uh—- yeah! Um, ive been doing that intern program that Vincent’s been doing, for photographers—“
Adrien smiles fondly at her. “—Im not into photography necessarily but I figured it’s be a good idea for if I produce anything to learn more about it and I should asked but I didn’t want—“
“Marinette” he says, cutting her off from rambling any further. “I do wish you would have told me, I would’ve loved to see you. And I’m not surprised you were there, even if it’s just for photography, you really are amazing, it’s nothing new” he takes another bite of the macaron, finishing it off.
Marinette face is red and she giggles a little bit, resting her cheek in her hand. “Thank- thank you, Adrien, you’re pretty incredible too.”
Adriens smile brightens. “Why don’t you tell me some of the stuff you learned, father never lets me stay long enough after to ask any questions, but I always thought it was really cool.”
He takes another macaron off the tray, and Marinette begins talking.
By the time she’s done telling him, and by the time Adrien had stopped listening, it was midnight. They knew it was getting later and later as Sabine and Tom had gone to bed and the noises outside stopped in frequency. The tray has been long since empty.
Marinette checks her phone and announces it being “twelve o’ clock” and Adrien sighs. He stands up, knees popping from how long he’d been sitting. Marinette rushes to stand up next to him.
“I better get home,” he looks out the window, “it’s pretty dark out. “
Marinette bites her lip, but doesn’t say anything. Adrien turns to face, “walk me out, or, um, down? I suppose” he jokes
She nods and they make it up to the balcony. “Thank you for inviting me over Marinette, I’m glad I was able to sneak out tonight, you’re much warmer than the mansion ever is”
“Of course a-Adrien, you’re welcome anytime, um-“
“Tell me next time you make it to the shoot, I’ll sneak you back so you can look at some of the designs up close.”
“Are you sure your father won’t be upset at us for that?” She looks nervous as she guides him to the edge of her balcony.
He looks over the edge, leaning on his forearms. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” He laughs. “Goodbye Mare.”
“Bye,,,”
He climbs down with Marinette's eyes on him, and as he makes the walk home, blue eyes and red ribbons watch him as he goes.
(And it wasn’t like he was worried anyways, He was already good with combat before Chat Noir, he was better now that he was. Muggers and psycho fans no longer carry the same weight to him anymore)
——
Might upload this to AO3, let me know if you’d want me to. :)
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sweetgaleria · 8 months
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Just watched the ladybug movie with a friend and i want to share my thoughts
Things that i liked: -chat noir calling ladybug a watermelon -their miraculous glowing when they need each other (or when there's an akuma? idk, the movie didn't make it super clear) -ladynoir practicing fighting together!! It was so cute! I wish the show had more moments of them just being silly and hanging out outside of battles -Sabine, Gabriel and Nathalie's models looked great -the times careless whisper started playing made me laugh so hard -Marinette's dress was super pretty -I like it that their magical outfits weren't indestructible -them being literally stronger together was cool -The final scene when she takes his mask and puts it on her face to say she's ladybug
What I didn't like -the movie felt like a bunch of scenes glued together by spit and a half assed prayer -why was everything happening all the time with no explanation -the characters barely had time to connect to make their relationships feel genuine -that made all the important scenes have no emotional impact for me, I only cared about the characters because I already knew them from the show -this is just my personal taste but their designs/models were so... round? idk, I didn't like it that much, they looked kinda weird to me -"the power of love" being important out of nowhere?? -a lot of things just started happening without rhyme or reason, the movie didn't explain their powers at all and also -WHERE'S THE LUCKY CHARM -also the dialogs felt so out of place? Marinette asking her mom at the start how should she go after her dreams just felt like it was put there to make marinette sing -oh and this movie had the audacity of being a musical and having zero good songs -also I understood that she's insecure from the first song, didn't really need the other 3 -how Marinette went from "I'm too scared and I can't be a super hero" to "this guy sucks and I can beat his ass" in 0.5 seconds -why was plagg like that -also why was adrien chosen to be chat noir here? did plagg just fly inside the first house he deemed worthy of his presence? first place he could find cheese? where's his moment of selflessness? -Ladybug had no importance for the plot. at all basically. If all it took for Gabriel to quit being hawkmoth was realizing he was hurting his son.... what is left for her to do? -after god knows how many songs about believing in herself, her final battle she still felt too weak to fight and she still wasn't important for it - did i already say that the scenes had no emotional impact? -her speech to paris at the end just fell flat -again, ladybug had basically no importance in this movie
In the end the movie looked nice and it was fun to watch with a friend but I, personally, didn't think it was good. Had some nice things in there but that was it for me
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theerurishipper · 4 months
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So, as a child abuse survivor and someone who has been sexually assaulted by men who think they're entitled to take what they want Adrien is canonically a god damned dick.
He sexually harrasses Ladybug. When told NO he once let 2.161 million people drown because he was busy throwing a tantrum
Being a victim of abuse does not excuse the abuse of others.
He might not mean any harm but you know who else doesn't mean any harm? Gabriel. My goddamned mother.
Not meaning harm- lacking malice- does not mean harm is not caused.
People are going on about him being a rich white guy because anyone else acting like that in public would be considered an antagonist (in fiction), in jail, or have an active warrant for their arrest. And that's assuming they aren't killed for it.
First off, I am truly very sorry for your experience. No one should have to go through that.
But I still do disagree.
Adrien's pushiness when it comes to expressing his affections for Ladybug are in the same boat as Marinette being a stalker or Chloe being pushy with Adrien: it's a joke. You may find it to be a poor one, certainly, but it's a joke nonetheless. Miraculous relies on this kind of humor, it's not meant to be taken seriously. You can have issues with it, but imho acting like it's any kind of legitimate criticism of his character probably makes people like me less inclined to listen to any actual criticisms you may have.
I don't say this to trivialize your experiences, and if the joke is hurtful to you, you are well within your rights to dislike it or talk about how it's in poor taste to make jokes about these things, but that's all it is, a joke. It's absurdist humor. It's not meant to be taken at face value. It would be creepy if Marinette seriously had Adrien's schedule mapped out, tried to break into his house, or stole his personal items, but it's not supposed to be that way because it's a joke.
And as for your complaint about Adrien leaving people to drown, you can go ahead and blame Master Fu for that one. It's stated quite clearly in the show that the heroes couldn't do anything because everything is underwater. And he's staying there because he's waiting for Ladybug. Making up imaginary civilians who are drowning now isn't a good criticism. Ladybug spends a good amount of time underwater, but there's no-one there. There's no civilian begging for Chat Noir's help as they drown while he ignores them, so suffice to say that we're supposed to assume everyone is safe and sound. This is a kids show, so unless we're shown that people are in danger, we aren't supposed to assume they are.
And then let's talk about Adrien almost quitting.
I'll say it straight: he has every right to quit. He's a 14-year-old kid. This isn't his job. He's well within his rights to quit if he feels like this is detrimental to him. And it isn't about Ladybug not returning his feelings like you seem to be implying. This is about Ladybug keeping secrets from him and leaving him in the dark even though he's supposedly her partner. It took a situation like this for Master Fu to pull his head out of his ass and come give Adrien the tools he needed to do the damn job you're accusing him of not doing. How is he supposed to do anything if he isn't given then necessary tools and knowledge to do it? Should he just accept that he's being ignored and left in the dark? Accept his new role as Ladybug's unquestioning lapdog?
This is not Ladybug salt btw, this is Master Fu salt only, in this house we don't like Master Fu.
Anyway.
Literally look at why he tries to quit.
Adrien:(grimly) If you don't tell me what Ladybug is hiding from me, I'm done! Plagg: You can't do that! Adrien:(bitterly) Why not? No one'll know if I quit. No one'll care!
He doesn't think he's needed. He doesn't think anyone would care if he quits.
This isn't because of any entitlement. It's because he's being cast aside and left in the dark. It's because his partner (it's not her fault either, to be clear, it's Master Fu's fault) is keeping secrets from him even in this time, so he assumes he isn't needed and decides to quit because he feels like he's unnecessary and unwanted, and that no one will care if he quits. Adrien already has very low self-worth, and this is just adding onto all that already. If it is detrimental to his mental health, then he definitely has the right to step aside and quit.
So yeah. If this ask was to get me to change my mind, I'm sorry, but it didn't. You're entitled to your opinion, of course, but I think I've made my opinion on the matter clear.
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sariahsue · 2 months
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Wherefore Art Thou My(stery) Lady
When a failed attempt to let Chat Noir down easy ends with Ladybug learning his name, she does what any lovesick teenager would do: teases him mercilessly. Ch 1 Ch 2
Chapter Three
Adrien didn't remember falling asleep, but he jumped awake with a jolt, diving for his phone, before realizing with dismay that he'd forgotten to plug it in and it had died overnight. Had he imagined the whole thing? Had Ladybug really texted him and told him she loved him, or had he made that all up?
He fumbled for the plug, begged the startup screen to load faster, and frantically plunged into his messages. There was the final message she sent, as real in the morning as it had been the night before.
My Lady – And for the record, I love you too.
He read it over and over again. She loved him. She'd said so. He hadn't made it up! Ladybug LOVED him! LADYBUG loved him! Ladybug loved HIM! 
And she knew who he was! And she'd actually said yes to him when he asked her out! 
“I can tell from your face that you're not done being lovesick yet.”
“Nope,” Adrien said, staring at the message. He was stretched out on his stomach across the bed, chin propped up in one hand, dopey smile on his face. “This is my permanent state of being now. Get used to it.”
“Are you going to get me some breakfast?”
“No.”
Plagg left him, making gagging sounds the whole way to the cheese stash. 
Nathalie came in to get him for school a short time later, only to find Adrien still fully dressed in yesterday's clothes (not that she realized it) and looking happier than he’d ever been before. In his entire life. 
“Did something good happen?” she asked, hand resting on the doorknob. Her body and her attention were both already halfway out the door.
“Just got a really nice text,” he said, jumping off the bed. “I'll be ready in a moment.”
---
Adrien texted Ladybug several times while he was getting ready and riding to school. No responses. At first, he wondered if she was sleeping in. She had obviously been up just as late as he had, or even later. But when there were only ten minutes left before class started, he began to worry. Had she thought about what she'd said and decided to take it back? Was the prospect of dating her partner just too weird?
“Maybe her phone died,” he muttered to himself as he walked into the building. That was entirely plausible, considering what had happened to his phone. It was cool against his palm compared to the otherwise warm morning. It vibrated suddenly. A new text message.
My Lady – Urrgh. Why do mornings have to happen so early? Adrien – Have you been sleeping this whole time? You're going to be late! My Lady – Why are you so happy in the morning? It's terrible. Mornings are terrible. Why do I stay up so late? Adrien – Because you love spending time with me. Adrien – And thanks for the clue! My Lady – What? Adrien – Not a morning person. I should have guessed that already. I’m going to check the list of tardy students today. My Lady – I’m not going to be on it. So ha.
Who did he know that liked to sleep in? A plan to skip first period to watch the front doors for the late students popped into his mind, but he knew he'd get a call home and quickly scratched it out. 
She was someone from school, who he was probably friends with since she’d had his number, and hated mornings. What else could he piece together about her? He knew her physical description, and that she couldn't be in his class. He had the numbers of all of his classmates, and most of them had already been akumatized anyway. 
The most likely candidates were the other classes in his year, since Ladybug looked to be around his age. He'd start his search there, and then move to the other grades. It shouldn't be too difficult.
He walked all the way to his first class without another text from her. Nino was there, smiling at him smugly. 
“What happened?” Adrien asked him. 
“I got a text from a mutual friend of ours,” he said. “Just a few minutes ago.”
“Who?”
“I'm not allowed to say.” 
Adrien's stomach flipped. Ladybug had talked to Nino? What had she told him?
“She said she'd finally confessed to you. Anonymously.” He put extra emphasis on the last word, and shook his head, like he couldn’t believe she’d do something so crazy.
“Yeah, I got a text like that,” Adrien said, sliding into his seat and trying not to act too excited about it. It had been anonymous, after all. There was no easy way to explain to Nino he already knew it was from the love of his life. “Did she say anything else?”
“Just that I'm not allowed to give you hints. Is she really making you guess who she is?”
“Yeah. I have an idea of where to look.” The yearbook. Easy. If she had last year’s, he knew she would have to be in it.
Nino shot a look up at the table in front of them and looked quickly back. Alya smiled at him and turned around to the front. 
Ms. Bustier pulled open the classroom door just then. “Good morning!” she said, ever cheerful. The class collectively huffed out a quiet “hello” except for Adrien, who instead smiled broadly and waved. Sometimes he felt like the only awake one in their first period classes. Maybe not being a morning person wasn't such a good hint after all. Most of the class was trying to cover their yawns.
“Where's Marinette?” Ms. Bustier asked, counting her students. “Is she late again?”
“I'm here!” Marinette said as she dove through the door. “Sorry. Slept in.”
“Oh yeah? Why?” Alya called, in a tone that clearly said she already knew the answer. Marinette went pink but didn't duck her head. Instead she marched up to her seat, and said, “Good morning, Adrien” without a single stutter as she sat down. He waved to her too, then pretended to focus on the lesson. He was really just staring at the stack of books on the teacher’s desk, not taking in any of the words. 
His phone buzzed in his pocket. When Ms. Bustier turned her back on them to write on the board, he pulled his phone out to read the message. 
My Lady – Figure me out yet? Adrien – No, but I know where to start.
He felt bad. He didn't usually text in class, but this morning, he wasn't the only one. No sooner had he pocketed his phone than Marinette's notification alert went off, informing the whole class that someone had sent her a message. Ms. Bustier whipped around.
“Sorry!” Marinette said. “Sorry! I forgot to put it on silent.”
“Don't let me see it out again.”
“Good thing Bustier is so nice, girl,” he overheard Alya whispering to Marinette a few seconds later. Mendeleiev would have made you read that message out loud. Wouldn't that have been terrible?”
Marinette squeaked, and Alya laughed. 
Adrien barely heard them.
---
It was Wednesday night, and there wasn’t a patrol scheduled, but Adrien was willing to risk wasting his free time for a chance to see his Lady. Even if he didn’t run into her - and there was no reason why he would - it was nice to be out and seen by people. It gave the citizens of Paris a sense of security, a feeling that they were being watched over. (That was what he told Plagg when the kwami had griped at him for waking him up from his nap - oh, and also for using his powers for selfish reasons. Plagg had quit complaining when Adrien offered him double cheese for dinner.)
Chat Noir stopped at the Montparnasse Tower and looked over the city. It was just after dusk. Lights were twinkling on all around him, and from where he was, he could see the sun slipping over the distant horizon.
His cat ears twitched. Soft footsteps landed behind him, about 10 meters away. They crept forward three steps, stopped for a few seconds, then started up again, and he smiled. Ladybug was trying to sneak up again. His heart beat faster, but he pretended he hadn't noticed. 
He debated as she tiptoed closer, trying to decide if he'd turn around unexpectedly and scare her, but he held himself back. She knew who he was this time. There was no telling what she would do. 
Gentle hands reached around his head and covered his eyes. “Guess who,” she said, her breath so close it tickled his ear. Involuntarily, he leaned backward into her. 
“Probably Ladybug,” he said. She was warm and solid, able to hold him up even though he was putting what felt like more than half of his weight on her. She still had his eyes covered.
“I didn't surprise you at all, did I?”
“Sorry.” 
She lifted one hand away to tug on his cat ear, then slipped both hands around his waist, before she suddenly pulled away, leaving him unbalanced, literally and figuratively. 
“I forgot! I should probably explain,” she said quickly. “So last night, I figured out who you are, and I... like you. But I can't tell you who I am. We should probably not date as superheroes either. That's what I should have said first.” She wrung her hands in front of her. The light from the sunset reflected off of her face and made it glow slightly orange, clashing with her suit. 
“What about what you said in the text messages?” he asked, confused and more than a little hurt. From the sound of it, she was reconsidering everything.
“What text message?” She said it so sincerely, eyes wide with innocence, mouth set in a neutral line. She was perfectly non-responsive. Too perfectly. 
“The– the messages you sent me last night and this morning.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked. “I know who you are, but that doesn't mean that I automatically know your phone number.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. And that’s when it clicked. She was doing this on purpose. 
“Oh.” He fixed a frown over his face, which was difficult through the relief that he felt. “I just started talking to someone over text last night. I thought she was you.”
“That's unfortunate. I hope you didn't give away anything important.”
“I... I maybe mentioned that I'm Chat Noir.”
Her surprised reaction was too rehearsed to have been believable, even if he hadn't been expecting it. “You did?! Oh no! What if she tells someone!”
“It's okay, it's okay! Really! I can fix it!”
“How on earth are you going to fix this, Chat? You just admitted it to a complete stranger, and now they could tell anyone!”
“I'll just tell her tomorrow that I'm really Hawk Moth, and then she'll just think I'm crazy.” 
Her actual surprised reaction was very different from the fake one. She didn't shout, and her eyes didn't go wide. Instead, her face scrunched together as she thought about the new information. 
“You're not buying this at all, are you?” she asked.
“You looove me!” he said, drawing toward her. 
“I thought I was giving you a heart attack, and you were just playing along.”
“You’re in looove with me! Say it!” He wrapped his arms around her, and she didn't pull away. SHE DIDN'T PULL AWAY.
“I’m in love with you,” she replied, and the force of hearing her say it in person punched through him. Her slender arms wrapped around his waist again, hugging him back just as fiercely. 
He'd been so lucky lately that he decided to push it just a little further and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. She only hugged him tighter. 
“Once I figured out that you were, well, you, I couldn't believe how obvious it was. You two look so much alike!”
“I thought you said we'd been in the same place at the same time before.” 
“Volpina, but that had been an illusion,” she listed. “Simon Says, though I realized I hadn't actually seen you two together that day after all. The only one I'm still confused about is Gorizilla. How did you pull that off?”
“I had a helmet on hand that Marinette had given me,” he said. “I just gave it to someone who was dressed similarly. That's all.”
“So you could come and help me,” she said. “Smart.”
They stayed wrapped around each other until the sun was almost completely gone. Lights illuminated the darkening streets below them. 
Chat Noir was first to break the silence. “So you know Nino.”
“Here's another hint,” she mumbled into his shoulder. Even through his tough leather suit, he could feel the soft kiss that she placed there. His head started to spin. “I've known Nino for longer than you have.”
“No offense, but that's a terrible hint.” She kissed along his collarbone and he completely lost his train of thought. 
“That hint is terrible because?” she prompted.
“Uh.” There’d been a very good reason. He was sure of it. It was only when she’d rested her chin on his shoulder that he was able to have a coherent thought again and figure it out. “Almost everyone in school has known Nino longer than me.”
“I know him well, not just know about him.” She pulled away so she could frown at him properly. “Don't insult a perfectly good hint.”
“You'll need to give me a better one then.”
“Maybe later.”
“Come on!”
“Why don't you try asking me things?” She put her face back into his shoulder, her hands wandering up and down his back. 
The feeling of holding her was nice, but the feeling of being held by her was exquisite. 
“What did you tell him? He said you texted him this morning.”
“That's not much of a clue,” she said. “I don't know how that's going to help you.”
Truthfully, he was just curious. Nino hadn't given him much of an answer. 
“I told him, and my bestie, as close to the truth as I could. That I'd texted a confession to you, then remembered afterward that we hadn't actually exchanged numbers. I got it from one of our mutual friends.”
“When? Why?” 
“Oh, one of many failed attempts to ask you out ages ago. Super embarrassing.”
One of many? How many? “Do I get to hear that story?”
“Not today!”
“Why tell our friends, though? Nino taunted me about it all day.”
“Oh, good.” She peeked up at him and smiled. “I just thought it would be an easy way to explain later.”
“Explain what?”
She pecked his jaw. “Why I'm suddenly kissing you in public.”
The combined force of her words and her lips against his skin left him dizzy and clinging to her for support. Kissing, and kissing in public, were part of a reality that he fully supported living in. 
“Can I have another hint now, please?” His voice sounded raspy, and he tried to clear his throat.
“Hmm... I live close to you.”
“That's another terrible one.”
“No, it's not! These are all good hints!”
“We're in the same school district,” he said. “Of course we live close to each other. I deserve a better hint.”
Ladybug pulled back and pouted at him, then she stepped away. The vacuum she left behind was cold. “Civilian me has blue eyes.”
“Really? That's it?”
“There's less than eighty years' difference in our ages.”
“Now you're just being mean.”
“I eat food at least once this week.”
“Fine! I'll figure it out without any more hints!” 
“Okay, here's one that probably won't help you either.”
Chat Noir sighed, and she stepped up close to him again, though not as closely as he would have liked. There was still a few inches of space in between them. 
“I've had a gigantic crush on you for a long, long time. I probably wasn't subtle about it, but I don't think you noticed.” Her emphasis on “probably” made it sound more like “definitely.” He was a celebrity, though. He filtered out those types of signals from people daily to keep his sanity.
“If I didn't notice,” he said, “how is that a good hint? I think you should give me one last hint to make up for my shameful inattention to you.” 
Their faces were drifting closer together. He was acutely aware of when it started. She took another step toward him, looking like she wanted to say something more, but when her mouth opened to speak, he glanced away from her eyes and down at her lips. She took the hint and moved in even closer. He hesitated for only a second before lowering his face down to hers, slowly, slowly, until...
“Nope,” Ladybug said, bopping a finger on his nose and breaking the spell. “There's no way you're tricking me into kissing you before you figure it out.”
“You never said that was part of the deal!”
“I'm saying it now. Haha!”
“I was right. You are just being mean.”
“It's for your own good. It'll motivate you to find me faster.”
“Oh,” he said. “I'm very motivated.”
She giggled, then stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind already.” 
“I wouldn’t expect anything else from a true temptress like you.” He tilted his head, ready to kiss her back this time.
She put a finger on his lips to stop him. “You can't kiss me,” a kiss on his other cheek, “but I can kiss you,” and another on his nose. 
His lips felt hot where she pressed on them, and when he tried to kiss her fingertip, she pulled away fast, like she’d been burned. 
“Not allowed, Kitten.”
“That shouldn’t count. It was barely a kiss.”
“Do you want to try again?” she asked, smiling widely. “Or should I just go home?” 
“You’re having too much fun with this.” He held his arms stiffly at his sides to signal that he was willing to behave himself. (He had no intention of keeping his hands to himself, though.)
She reached up, lifting herself on her tiptoes to reach his forehead and left a small peck there. “And having fun while kissing you is bad because…?”
“Teasing me is.”
“My poor Chaton,” she crooned. She left the lightest hint of a kiss on his neck, right above the collar of his suit, before dropping back to his shoulder. “Maybe I should just stop?” 
His response was a garbled choke. No, he wanted to say. Never. But he couldn’t force the words out. Not when she was standing so close to him, mouth level with his, mischievous eyes pinning him in place. 
She reached for his hand - he hadn’t even thought to move it yet, he realized vaguely - and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “See you around?”
Chat Noir collapsed into a puddle as soon as she was gone.
Ch 4
---
Author note: I forgot to update last week, sorry! But you’re getting two this weekend to make up for it!
Tag list: @eclipsesmoonshine14, @alittlewolf2
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