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#yes luka murders them when he finds out he's been PLAYED
meshlasolus · 6 days
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The Winner Takes It All
Episode 13
Pairing: Finnick Odair x Tribute(OC)!Reader
Chapter Warnings: This one's dark dark... Mentions of sexual abuse, human trafficking, murder, burning alive, mentions of blood. Mentions of suicide, suicide attempt, depression and anxiety.
Chapter Summary: One tribute remains in the arena with Mercedes... but which one?
Word Count: 3.5k
hello people yes i'm sorry for the delay I've been busy setting up a store front (I know I said I was not gonna be busy but I guess more things started happening so) but I will be getting back to posting I swear.
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The dress you’re wearing is now drenched, as your hips are fully submerged. It was white and purple, stingrays printed all over the fabric. It was quite beautiful, but not so much now that it clung to your skin. The dark woolen sweater overtop wasn’t doing anything to warm you, not like that was your objective, anyway. You got deeper than last time, the water drenching your shoulders. You let your eyes close, and let your steps take you until you heard paddling behind you. 
Finnick went to bed. He knows that he's done everything he can do, and that there are only two tributes left. He’s given everything he has and if it isn’t enough, he knows he can’t stand to watch it play out in front of him. Even though he believes in you, on the off chance that he’s wrong, he can’t watch you die. 
So he goes to bed. 
He doesn’t sleep, mind you… there’s no way in hell he could, but he locks himself away in his room, no screens, no capitol pigs to entertain, and no victors to talk to. He doesn’t want anyone’s company but yours right now. He keeps thinking about the last glimpse he had of you. The bare skin of your shoulder as you boarded the jet. It was so simple, so unimportant, and yet it burned itself into his mind. If that’s his last memory of you, he knows it will be well preserved for the rest of his life. He tried to remember the last glimpse he had of last year's tributes but he can’t for the life of him come up with any imagery. Hell, he doesn’t even remember his last glimpse of Lukas.
He sits alone past sundown, about three or four hours. He can hear no cheering in the capitol outside of his window, nor can he hear the thunderous applause from several floors below him. 
He starts getting anxious when he hears the noises of anticipation growing from the balcony of the winner’s circle, and so he closes his window to make sure the whispers of the outside cannot dictate his mind… as if they had the power to, anyway. His mind was still on you, your soft skin, the way he’d seen you in the silken nightgown after your interview. You’d been so soft, so angelic. You were mercy in its purest form, and he cannot think of a better word to describe you. What was once a threat to your chances in the games would now always be on his mind as a reminder of who you truly are. Whether you come out of that arena or not, he knows the word will echo through his brain always. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy…
He had rested his head against his pillows, nearly finding rest when it all fell apart. 
The silence was broken, and the thunderous applause of the outside sent him jolting into action. 
He cannot explain the terrible feeling he had there and then, but he knows it can’t mean anything good. 
He practically tears through the apartment to turn on the screen, and he can’t believe what’s happened.
-
It was later in the evening, the waters of four sloshing around your ankles as you did your best to slowly merge deeper into them. It’s been a long time, but you’re tired of the nasty looks, tired of all the bullying and name calling. Tired of never being able to get a word out without stares or laughs or your head pounding from the stress of producing a single sentence. Your mind was too fast for your mouth, and it was getting to be unbearable. You hate the way you sound, the way others perceive you. You hate yourself and the fact that you can’t be balanced or coherent. 
The last time you tried this, you had every intention of coming out, but you’d needed saving, as usual. No one was here, this time, and that’s how you wanted it. 
Your mother will miss you, that’s for sure. Your father will grieve you in his long days of work, and you imagine a certain young fisherman will have to find ways to pass the time without you… but you can’t stand another day in this world. This world built by the Capitol of Panem is a cruel enough place without adding a speech impediment and crushing anxiety into the mix.
You step deeper and deeper, and the water is cold this time of night. It sends a shiver up your spine that makes you wrap your arms around yourself. You do your best to keep the tears at bay. They don’t really do anything but make this harder. Your body is already reaping the nasty consequences of your decision, you don’t need to be racking sobs on top of it. 
You start shaking in fear and adrenaline when the water reaches your knees, something that shouldn’t make even the smallest child in four tremble. You contemplate letting your weight take you out, falling over would let nature take its course but for some reason you are insistent upon doing it this way. You have to secure the outcome, and sinking this shallow won’t do you any favors. 
The dress you’re wearing is now drenched, as your hips are fully submerged. It was white and purple, stingrays printed all over the fabric. It was quite beautiful, but not so much now that it clung to your skin. The dark woolen sweater overtop wasn’t doing anything to warm you, not like that was your objective, anyway. You got deeper than last time, the water drenching your shoulders.
You let your eyes close, and let your steps take you until you heard paddling behind you. 
“Mercedes! What the hell are you doing?” 
And again to your rescue came the boy you would miss most. 
He got close enough to wrap his arms around you, and you threw yourself into him, eyes bawling a river of tears that could make the tide rise in this ocean. He saved you, he always would. He’d been there since the beginning, and he’d be there till the end. If ever there was something to happen to him, you weren’t sure what you would do. 
Without him, you would need another to protect you. Not because you needed saving from others, but often because you needed saving from yourself. 
He sat on the beach with you, helping you calm down, using his jacket he’d left on the sands to help dry you off and keep you warm. He’d walk you back to your home, but he figured that was the last place you’d want to be on account of giving an explanation. 
“What were you trying to do?” He asked, but he didn’t need to. He’d already known by the slow and steady pacing you’d held that you didn’t plan on stopping. He knew you were trying to get rid of your problems once and for all.
You stayed silent, a few hiccups and tears resurfacing at his question. He knew, and you knew… you had wanted to die. 
“Why wouldn’t you talk to me?” Was his next question, and this time you felt you owed him an answer, but he wasn’t done. “If I hadn’t been here-”
“I’m s-so sorry, Lukas.”
He hugged you tighter into his side, the pain in his own chest increasing when he heard how hurt you still were through your voice. 
“Don’t be sorry. Just please, talk to me the next time you get an idea like that. Promise me you will,” he knew it was juvenile, but he held his pinky up anyways, just like when you both were children and made him use the meaningless motion. 
You took it, locking fingers but not letting go yet. You let your hands sink to the sand the way they were intertwined, and kept your head rested on his shoulder. 
“If someone had found you washed up tomorrow, I don’t know what I would do… I don’t think I’d ever get over it if you died.”
You felt terrible, not just because it was a foolish mistake on a depressive whim, but because you would have affected not only his life, but the lives of your family on account of a really bad day. 
“You can’t die, Mercedes… I’m sorry, but I won’t let you.”
You jolted awake, your head slamming back against the tree you were sleeping by. You didn’t have time to think, or to process a thing, because the sound of the twig snapping in the distance put you on guard. 
Your knife was in your hand, and you had to be prepared to face either Estelle or Brock. Both outcomes would be easily accounted for. You had no intention of losing anymore. There was a venom in your veins, a fiery need for revenge. It consumed you. 
The note that Finnick sent you wasn’t just telling you to kill this tribute, it was telling you something more. 
Show no Mercy. Don’t be merciful, but also, don’t be you. Forget yourself, and become something you swore you wouldn’t. You would have just given up and died had it been a different situation. Had your best friend’s blood not been staining your body. 
Out from the shadows of the humid forest, and into the light of your torch flame, Estelle stepped forward, her knife in her hands, and a wicked look on her face. 
“I would never have expected it to be us,” She said, her mouth twitching into a smirk. What kind of game was this to her? 
The hunger games are a terrible thing for all involved, but some tributes… they like it. The way they get to kill and be praised for it. She’s one of them. 
“You k-killed Brock?”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes as if annoyed you would even question it. 
“When it comes down to three tributes, you can’t keep allies. I knew I could kill you, but it was easier to kill him first. He wasn’t expecting to die before you, so it was pretty easy. Stabbed him in the back, literally.”
You twisted your face in disgust. You would give anything for Lukas to be alive right now, and here she is, bragging shamelessly about killing her ally. 
“You s-should have waited.”
She looked at you with surprise, taking more steps towards you while flipping her knife in her hand. 
“We’ll see.”
She stepped at you immediately with a swing of her weapon, but you had been on pins and needles, dodging the attack and trying to get the upper hand. You weren’t skilled in combat. You didn’t know what you were doing. She caught you off guard, pinning you to the tree and trying to dig her knife into your skull. 
The advantage you did have was your strength. You were able to push her arm back, keeping the knife a good distance away while being able to slash yours back over her shoulder, the blood splattering your face and your hair. She yelped in pain, but was back on you, chasing you the few steps you took away from the tree. 
“Get over here,” she sneered, her energy becoming more vapid and ruthless as she started swinging aimlessly with all the strength she had. You were able to get out of the entanglement and carefully lead her back towards the tree, but on the other side. You purposely fell out of the way and over the gathering of rocks you’d formed, landing on your back. Looking up at her, your knife had been lost in the dirt, and she had every right to believe she had the upper hand. 
“I’ve worked my entire life for this, and killing you,” she pointed her knife at you, her steps slowly coming forward until she was right where you wanted her. “Is going to be the most satisfying thing I’ll ever do.”
“I’m n-not afraid to d-die.” 
She scoffed, stepping forward one more time, losing her balance on the hidden tripwire. You quickly shuffled back when she fell forward, watching as your woven rope trap fell from the tree canopy above. The rocks attached to the four corners weighed her down, and she’d lost sight of her knife. 
“I’ve n-never been afraid to die… I’m afraid t-to live.”
You stood up next to the tree, taking in your hands the lit torch you’d set up earlier. You came before her once more, a pitying look on your face, but it wasn’t for her. 
“I guess I’ll have to f-face my fears.” 
And with that, you dropped the torch onto the rope, watching it catch faster than a candle wick. 
A mound of giant flames was seen, and an abundance of screams and painful cries were heard, but you didn’t wince. There was no compassion in you for the one who took away from you what you had held so dear. There was nothing you wanted anymore. 
You fell to your knees upon hearing the cannon, and curled into yourself with your hands over your head to try and dull the sound. You’ll be traumatized by cannonfire for the rest of your life, you know it. Even hearing it now, and feeling the fire still ablaze before you, you cannot feel peace. 
Your enemy is defeated, the person who took everything from you is gone, but it didn’t 
satisfy you. You still felt empty, and cold, despite the fire, and despite whom it consumed.
You only stood back up when you heard the canopy of the trees part over your head, a carrier lowering itself to take you away. It sounded crazy, and you know that mentally you shouldn’t even be thinking this, but you don’t want to leave this arena. You don’t want to leave Lukas here without you, and you don’t want to leave the place you last saw him alive. You have no intention of getting on the craft until it lands, and several men begin to pull and prod at you until you’ve boarded. 
You take one last glance at the rainforest behind you before the door raises and closes. You’ll never see it again. Never see Lukas again. Never see any of your allies again. Twenty-four tributes went in, and you came out… and you hate everything about that. 
-
His heart was pounding, his footsteps racing. People spoke to him as he walked by, but he didn’t hear any of it. They were all muted in his sense of urgency. It was real, but he had to see for himself, touch for himself. 
It was quick and all at once, the relief, the anxiety, and a new rush of sorrowful emotions. A cycle of the three, rotating constantly and turning his stomach over each time. He sees the back of your shoulder and arm, the only thing visible from behind the separation curtain between each medical bed. He never understood why there were so many. There was always only one winner. It’s not like this was a hospital. 
His feet still carried him, the walkway, though crowded with a team of experienced staff, were no match for him. He barreled through, earning little protest from anyone. He supposed it was a perk of being a Capitol darling, no one could ever tell him no in a setting like this. 
Your back faced him. Your hair, once braided in a unique and athletic style by Dalton, had been completely destroyed, strands sticking out, some covered in a dried red substance he didn’t care to think about right now. It had been all over you.
“Mercedes,” his whispered word reached your ears, and you turned your head. Bloodshot eyes gazed back into his, and the entire world stopped for you. 
He’s right there. The thought you’d been holding onto in the arena. The mentor who had taken such good care of you both in and out of the games. The only one you wanted to see right now. 
Due to his stillness, you almost thought him to be a figment of your imagination, a culmination of your dwindling sanity that somehow managed to form an actual manifestation… but then he stepped forward, once, twice, three times. 
He was careful, treating you like a scared animal. He’s seen what people can be like when they come back from the games. Sometimes they can’t tell that they’re no longer in them. He didn’t want to freak you out, or even make you feel the slightest bit uneasy.
“Finnick,” your eyes welled up with tears for the millionth time, and you tried your best not to let them fall now. This was a happy moment, don’t cry. Be happy. You survived the hunger games. It wasn’t even supposed to be you. 
He came close, not yet touching what he didn't know he could. You weren’t stiff by any means, but you just seemed so monotonous. So still and weak, and still scared. He took the moment to look at you more. Blood was smeared on your face, your neck, your arms. There were few places it wasn’t residing. 
He couldn’t help but reach up with one hand, his fingertips brushing over your shoulder. It had been the last thing he saw of you, and now the first. He hoped you weren’t so damaged from how you’d been when he saw you last. You had so much you needed to tell him,  he’d remembered. He remembered because it was his hope for you to come back.
“Are you hurt?” He knew he should have added a word, but it slipped his brain. Physically, are you hurt physically?
You shook your head, understanding what he meant. You didn’t want to have to ask, but you wanted his comfort, wanted his embrace. You just survived the worst tragedy someone of your age could experience, and yet, were too scared to ask for a simple hug. 
“W-will you-” you stopped short, the question hiding behind your teeth. You took a shallow breath and met his eyes. “Will you h-hold me?”
“Yes.”
His arms didn't hesitate to move of their own accord. They swarmed around your bare shoulders, smudging the dried blood around and making it feel crusty beneath his long sleeve shirt. He could care less. This shirt could never be worn again and yet he would sacrifice every shirt he had if it meant keeping you here and now, in his embrace. It comforted you, it helped you find peace. 
You hadn’t been able to think or speak of anything else since you left that arena. He was the happy thought on the carrier ride, and in the transport truck, and now even here in the medical ward. He was the sustainability that you craved to go on. You still wished it had been you. Someone else should be sitting here and thinking about going home. It should be Rodey or Lukas or Lyra. The people who saved you from harm and protected you when all else were out to kill you. You didn't blame those kids, either. They were just playing by the rules, doing what they were told. 
You didn't even want to go home. You didn't know what you would do when you got there. You didn't know if you could look your mother in the eye after what you had done. Your father would be ashamed of you. Your little brother would have to grow up with your reputation hanging over his head. You're a murderer, and a nasty one at that. 
The worst part about Estelle's death was that you didn't regret it. You were happy to stand there and kill her, completely enthused to watch her body be consumed in flames while she flailed about, burning to a crisp. It gave you a sense of pride, that justice had been done for your allies, the ones who should have won. 
She's the only thing about the games you don't regret. You should have stopped the venom from killing Lyra, you should have shoved off Rodey when he went to take the hit for you, and you should have pulled Lukas into the water. Those were the biggest regrets. 
Here and now, with everything that was at stake, you shouldn't be here. You should still be in the arena, or wherever they lay the tributes to rest after the games are over. 
Finnick felt you tense in his arms a few times, and he knew it was probably due to your thoughts. He remembers how badly they tortured him when he came home. His guilt was riding on his shoulders for weeks, all hidden under a stunning smile, of course. It was all he could do to mask how horribly he really felt. It wasn't long after that he’d been asked to start his favors for Snow. 
He'd been thinking about that all of last night. When he didn't know if you were going to live or die, he thought about all the things that could happen in either scenario. If you won, you'd be dealt the cards that he was. If you lost, you could escape it in peace. If you won, he'd be able to hold you just like he's doing now, but if you lost, he'd have to suffer the loss of you. He'd have thought about you every time he looked at a new promising tribute. He'd have to think about the promise he made himself and how he'd not only failed to honor it, but failed to save you. 
He shook it all out of his head. You were here, and you were alive. His sweet Mercy.
“I'm gonna take care of you. I promise.”
-
tags(open): @thepassionatereader @i-voluntears @secretsicanthideanymore @mystargirl-interlude @c4ttheart @lilibrn @emma-andrea1 @marvelescvpe
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A Failed Betrothal (Part 3)
There were a lack of stuff to read so I posted this instead.
[Masterlist]
(Part 1)(Part 2)
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PART 3
The next day was weird to say the least for everyone but for Marinette, it was another can of worms that she wished she didn’t open. For one thing, Chat Noir’s feelings obsession for Ladybug switched from one black-haired girl to another which unfortunately was Ladybug’s civilian form. Which meant Marinette had to deal with Adrien’s Chat-Noir-level flirting and bad pick-up lines.
Perfect, just perfect.
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Everyone thought that a declaration speech of ‘being soulmates and the only one for him’ in front of the whole class from the ‘love of your life’ would warrant a ‘blushing to death and stammering’ or ‘outright fainting’. Not a facepalm, a groan, “Why me?” and a “I am sorry but NO. I don’t feel the same way about you”. Marinette vaguely wondered if there was some kind of rule for interesting events and confrontations to happen during lunch break while the class waits for Mme Bustier to start the lessons.
Marinette went to sit in her seat next to Chloe in the back row where she and her friends had been exiled to. The class was in stunned silence and questioning about whether or not they had fallen into an alternate universe or dreaming. Nathaniel and Alix tried to hide their snickers. Chloe just started outright laughing, turning very red in the face.
Marinette felt a nudge from Plagg in her bag. Looking down, she saw them holding up her phone to show Lila’s gaping face of horror with a wicked smug grin on their face. She looked through the photos to see everyone’s faces of confusion and shock at her rejection. Eyes wide and jaws dropped on the ground. Different shots of her classmates in the same state. She smirked and showed them to Chloe who calmed down enough, letting out the occasional giggles and took the phone with glee.
“Thank you, Plagg. Here you go.” she whispered, giving them a camembert macaron.(Tom had started experimenting with camembert in his recipes. Plagg is his first taste tester for all of them, making Tom one of Plagg’s favourite people.)
Adrien didn’t take the rejection very well.
“But we are meant to be. You are a designer and I am a model. Our partnership is the one to be envied by many for the ages.”
“And by that logic,” The designer turned to her main model for her MDC website, “Chloe, my love, will you be my one and only? For our love shines so bright ,paralleled only by a thousand suns.” Using the same voice Plagg does when they go on one of their love odes about camembert before losing her straight face and giggling.(Plagg doesn’t know whether to be offended or amused.)
Setting Chloe’s laughter off again. “Mariiiii,...stop….I can’t..*gasps*....I can’t…”
Nathaniel and Alix, finally lost control and joined Chloe in death by laughter. Adrien was flustered, turning red in the face either from anger, embarrassment or both.
“But Chloe isn’t a model.”
Marinette decided to put a stop to this, just on the off chance that Gabriel finally decides to akumatized his own son. She recomposed herself.
“She is the main model for my website and we have a partnership. You, however, work for your father. So does Miss Rossi. Does that sound like the partnership to be envied by many for the ages? Hmmm, Agreste? Anyways, like I said before, I have no interest in dating you.”
“Why not? We are friends and sometimes, friends like each other enough to date each other.” Adrien angrily asked.
“Because-”
“Because, Adrikins,” Chloe cuts in, “friends having to date because one of them is interested in something more makes no sense and is fucked-up. Marinette doesn’t owe you anything. Besides, she already has a long distance boyfriend who lives in America.”
“WHAT!?” Adrien shouted.
“What?!” The class had snapped out of their stupor. Since when had Marinette gotten over Adrien and had a boyfriend?
“What?” Marinette looked at Chloe with wide-eyes. Last she checked she was still single so what the hell was Chloe playing at. For Kwami’s sake, she hadn’t been on a date since the one with Luka which went awkwardly before they agreed that they think of each other as siblings and it will be best to stay that way.
Chloe gave her a look that said ‘I will explain later.’
“Oh yes, they met online a few months ago and now they are all lovey-dovey together. It’s just so ridiculous, so utterly ridiculous how disgustingly in love they are. They have video call dates at least once a week and somehow make it work despite the time differences. He once came all the way to Paris just to see her. He brought her some special flowers that apparently meant-”
Marinette slapped her hand over Chloe’s mouth. “Well, Chloe, Queenie, as much as I love you as my friend, you can stop gushing about my love life now. Because class is about to start.”
She said through gritted teeth as Mme Bustier finished taking her sweet time and walked in. Sadly, Alya wasn’t done with the conversation ,“Wait a minute, since when did Chloe and you become close enough that she is modeling for you? And a boyfriend? Why didn’t you tell me, Girl? I thought we were friends. What about Adrien, he just confessed to you and you had been crushing on him for so long” Many girls gasped, angry that Alya broke the unspoken girl code.
“You have a crush on me?” Adrien looked hopeful. Like a lost kitten that had been stuck in the rain, was let into someone’s home.
“I had a crush on you,” Marinette corrected him, emphasising on the past tense, “and Alya had no business of sharing that information to the entire world despite us not being friends anymore.” She glared at the journalist who at least looked ashamed.
“You wanted to date Kagami so I moved on.”
One of the reasons anyway. I found out that you were my partner who had no concept of boundaries. You are a coward who only wants to maintain the class peace at the price of my mental health, she thought.
“Instead of continuing to pursue you.” She hoped the ever dense and oblivious model would get the hint she gave him. Tikki ,just this once, Grant me that ladybug luck.
“And Mme Bustier, it is time to start the lessons, don’t you think? Instead of focusing on the class drama to gossip about later on.” Marinette glared at the teacher, reminding her to do her job.
“Oh. Right.” Mme Bustier tried to regain her ‘perfect teacher’ image after getting embarrassed at being caught, “Right. Class, turn to page-”
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As soon as the bell rang for the end of school, Marinette dragged Chloe all the way to her room. Alix and Nathaniel followed them because as far as they know, Marinette had no boyfriends and they were as curious to find out what scheme Chloe had cooked up this time. They were as complicated and crazy as Ladybug’s. No offense, Marinette.
“Okay, Queenie, you have to explain why I now have a devoted American boyfriend who I am so in love with.” Marinette crossed her arms with a frown aimed at Chloe. The kwamis got out of their respective hiding places and went to the tray of food set out for them.
The trapdoor to her room opened, revealing the rest of their friend group before Chloe said anything.
“Did we miss anything?” Kagami asked as Longg and Sass joined the other kwamis.
“Juleka said something about an American boyfriend and how he sounds so romantic. Does that have to do anything with the text Alix sent us to come here?” Luka added.
“To recap, Adrien made a love confession to Marinette,” Alix started, biting into some of the delicious pastries the Dupain-Chengs gave them, ”in front of the entire class after an entire day of flirting and bad pick-up lines.”
“Wow, even after having his memories erased of being Chat Noir, he is still after Ladybug.” Luka chuckled, with the others joining in.
Marinette whined, “It was easier when he was Chat Noir. But now as Adrien Agreste, teen heartthrob, it is going to be much more difficult to get into his thick head that I don’t see him that way and it is going to get harder, now that Alya outed my old crush to him.”
“Oof. Sucks to be you.”
“So, our Mari-bug rejected him. He threw a tantrum and sulked, so like Chat Noir, how did we not notice?,” Alix continued, “After demanding reasons why they can’t date, Chloe gave Marinette an American boyfriend who she was in a long-distance relationship with. Speaking of, why did you do that?”
“I have known Adrik- Adrien since we were in diapers and I know how that mangy cat works. He grew up on Disney and had all those fairytales stuffed into his head. If you had told him that you were just not interested in dating at the moment, it won’t work because he will try his hardest to ‘woo’ you, because he still has a chance. He won’t push his luck as much if you were off the market.” Chloe explained.
“I am sure that, judging by the fact that Chat Noir still tries to date Ladybug despite her saying she is in love with someone, Adrien might try to get more proof of this boyfriend to make sure Marinette is just not pretending to have one.” Kagami pointed out.
“Ahh, but luckily I have a back-up plan. I have a friend, Tim Drake. We met at a few galas when we were younger and kept in touch. He also owes me a favor.”
“I hope this Tim Drake is cute.”
“He is and he’s older than you by two years and,” Chloe typed something on her phone, “A fellow caffeine addict so you can bond over that. Here’s a picture of him and his brother.”
On her phone were two extremely attractive and fit young men dressed in expensive suits at what looked like a gala, the older one had a charming polite smile with bright blue eyes, looking somewhat interested at what someone off-screen was saying despite looking like he will fall over any moment. His brother, however, looked like he would rather be anywhere but where he was. He was tanned and had green eyes that promised murder for daring to even breathe in his direction. Marinette noticed that he looked a little familiar but she can’t place why.
“Tim is the one that looks like he hasn’t slept in days and that’s his brother Damian next to him.”
“Wait a minute. That’s Tim Drake and Damian Wayne. The sons of Bruce Wayne, the billionaire co-CEO of Wayne Industries, which Tim Drake is also co-CEO of.” Nathaniel said with wide eyes and looked at Chloe, “You are using your favor to give our Mari here a fake boyfriend.”
“Of course, only the best for our Mari-bug.”
“Chloe, no, he is probably busy as he is with running the company. No need to get him involved in petty teenage drama.” No matter how much she doesn’t want to date Adrien, bothering a busy guy to be her fake boyfriend is not worth it in Marinette’s opinion. Which, of course, gets overruled by the overprotectiveness of her friends.
“I, for one, think this is one of Chloe’s better plans.” Kagami commented, the others agreeing with her. Traitors.
“Hey!” Chloe exclaimed, an offended look on her face, “Anyways, I will call him later.”
“Children, you better go home now before your parents worry.” Sabine’s voice came from below, “Remember we are also going through some drills tonight so try not to be late.” Having a former assassin for a mother is handy when you want to train a team of teenage superheroes.
“Bye, guys. See you later.”
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“Just because you have been trained since birth does not excuse you from the drills. You also need to get used to the black cat.” Lady Mǔ lǎohǔ reprimanded her with her arms crossed. When Ladybug started her new team, she was the first permanent member but as the team got bigger, she stepped back to be back-up and mentor for the team.
“Yes, Maman, I know but I am nearly finished with this commission. I will catch up with you later. Promise.” Marinette stretched, looking up from her latest project. Plagg was napping in the little basket she had made for all the kwamis to sleep in which fit all of them and had some extra space for Nooroo and Dusuu after they had been retrieved.
The reason she had Plagg instead of Tikki who was with Alix was because of the new tactic the Miraculous Team came up with. To keep the balance the Ladybug and Black Cat must be active at the same time but with Adrien gone, someone must wield the ring until a new permanent holder is found and it was not a good idea for both of them to be on the same person at the same time. The team decided to rotate using the earrings and ring between them with Marinette using other miraculouses when the others have them. It also had the added bonus of making it harder for Hawkmoth to find out who has them at any given time.
“See you later, 灵儿 (líng er, means intelligence). I will give you 15 minutes but that’s it. Don’t be late.” Sabine sighed and got out the skylight and went towards the safehouse where the Miraculous team met to get training. (It is one of Sabine’s emergency safehouse to use in times of emergency and it had the required space to train 6 teenagers. Chat Noir never came to training, lazy cat.)
Marinette never made it to the warehouse.
Because a few minutes after her mother left, the skylight opened to let in five figures dressed in dark colours to easily blend into the shadows like they were trained to be. Too bad they weren’t as quiet. Marinette immediately summoned a bo-staff to defend herself.
One of them lunged at her and she retaliated by hitting the end of her staff to their middle, coupled with a couple more blows and landed one that knocked them out. The others threw throwing stars which she dodged by jumping back. Which landed her to be trapped by the two assassins, whom she didn’t notice, had moved. She cursed in every language she knew as she struggled against them. It led to no avail as she was badly out-numbered. There was a prick on her head and her world went black.
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Plagg awoke to a loud commotion. Irritated, they poked their head out to see their new temporary kit knocked out, tied up and hauled away. Recognizing the kidnappers as assassins of the League of Shadows, they scowled. Ra’s Al Ghul was going to pay.
Plagg may not act like it much but the black kwami was patient and smart. Smart enough to leave a note with an explanation somewhere visible with the messy aftermath of a fight before trailing the assassins. Oh, Roarr’s tiger was going to be pissed once she found out what happened. Wherever they were taking Marinette, it would be best to have a kwami of destruction to help her escape. The night made Plagg almost invisible and allowed to move unseen. They caught up easily and hid in their holder’s midnight hair. Now, their patience came into play. It was a matter of waiting for the right moment to pounce.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tag list: @alysrose-starchild, @buginetye, @lookatthestars1, @blackroserelina, @macncheesemonster, @mochinek0, @myazael, @tonicxworld, @thewitchwhowaited, @t1dwarrior-of-earth, @kissa-chan, @iwantasecretidentity, @theymakeupfairies, @user00000003, @woe-is-me0, @kashlyn, @mochegato,@moonlightstar64 , @greatcatblaze, @moongoddesskiana, @tazanna-blythe. @tonicxworld, @toodaloo-kangaroo, @frieddonutsweets, @local-witch-of-mn, @lady-bee-fechin, @iglowinggemma28, @indecisive-mess-named-me, @k-tea-and-coffee, @jayjayspixiepop
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(Part 4)
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icerosecrystal · 3 years
Text
Daminette - The Goddess of Deception vs the Goddess of Creation Pt. 1
Next
Marinette, goddess of deception, at least, that’s what everyone thought. In reality, she was the goddess of creation, but all the other gods and goddesses had handed over the title to another goddess. Lila was her name, and she was the actual goddess of deception, not that anyone except for Marinette knew. Even the queens and kings of Olympus Tikki, Plagg, Wayzz, etc. were starting to believe Lila. How did Lila manage to do this? Well, it all happened a year ago.
(A Year Ago)
Marinette was heading out to meet her friends. Once she arrived, she heard a loud, obnoxious voice claiming to be the Goddess of Creation. She looked around and saw a girl with sausage hair, talking to the rest of her friends. Supposedly, she found out she was the goddess a couple of months ago, and she and the god of the sun, Adrien were to be married in six years. While the dates were correct, her claims most certainly were not. Marinette then came up and questioned, “How could you possibly be the goddess of creation?”
Yeah, tactlessness was not her forte. Sausage hair burst into tears, exclaiming, “Of course you would question me! I expect nothing less from the goddess of deception.” Marinette couldn’t believe what she just heard, she tried to stammer out an answer, but after sausage hair’s response, everyone swiftly turned to glare at her.
“That’s so not cool, have you been lying to us the whole time, Marinette,” Alya yelled, “And just because you are the goddess of deception, that doesn’t mean you have to have it out for poor Lila.” Oh, so Lila was her name, it should be Liar, not Lila. Everyone continued shouting similar things to Marinette, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lila looking at her smugly.
Lila then loudly laughed and said, “Well, I should tell more about what it’s like being the goddess of creation, ” and she then dragged everyone along, leaving Marinette shaking with blinding rage. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked around to see Adrien looking at her. He had a disappointed look in his eyes.
“Marinette, why would you do that? If you leave Lila alone, she will get some more friends and will eventually admit that she isn’t the goddess of creation. Just play along.” It made Marinette even angrier was he implying that she should leave her future in the hands of a LIAR!
Marinette gave him a cold glare, “ I don’t care what you think, Mr. Agreste. You think Lila’s well being is more important over my own. She is stealing my title and future, and it will end up harming everyone, including me.” She saw him opening his mouth to most likely retort, but before he could, she turned on her heal and said, “Have a good rest of your day Mr. Agreste.” After seeing Adrien’s true colors, Marinette swore that if she ever got out of this mess and be identified as the true goddess of creation, she would do everything in her power so that she wouldn’t marry Adrien. For he is a fool, the god of the sun is.
~Present~
Marinette sighed, reminiscing in the consequences that day. Who knew that her friends had so little faith in her?! The only good thing that came out of the whole ordeal was that she ended up dodging a bullet in having to marry Adrien. But, she realized that if she does come out as the true goddess of creation, she would have to marry him. Fortunately, it would be a bit harder for her to do because Adrien had kissed Lila, which resulted in the breaking of the bond between Marinette and Adrien. It came with a price of immense pain, but the bond, still broken.
Either way, she would end up losing something if she left or stayed, and did she want to out her true identity to a group of people who believed a stranger over her? No, she didn’t. So, she made the hard decision to disappear, well the semi-hard decision. She would miss her parents, the god of baked goods and family, and the goddess of the harvest. She would miss Luka, the god of music, Juleka the goddess of insecurities, Kagami the goddess of war, and surprisingly Chloe, the goddess of subjection, whom she got closer to over the year of isolation that Marinette faced from her old friends. Nonetheless, she would be sad about leaving them, but she needed this. She got in contact with her Grandma, goddess of traveling, and she then left for the mortal world, saying goodbye to Olympus, if only for a couple of years.
(Time Skip of 4 years)
It has been four years since Marinette left Olympus, and she was so happy. She was able to explore so many different places in the mortal world with her grandma. But, unfortunately, her grandma was needed back in Olympus a year ago, so she had been traveling by herself ever since. She was currently in Los Angeles, California. It was crowded with many mortals and was very noisy, but it was incredibly beautiful and a new experience for her. She was walking around the city when she saw a doorway. She looked around and saw that none of the mortals could see it, meaning it belonged to Olympus. She looked back at it and saw a dark figure leaning against the alleyway leading to the doorway. When he saw her, he pushed off the wall and walked to her. He stepped in front of her and smirked, “Little goddess, what are you doing all alone? And why are you looking at one of the gateways to the Underworld?”
Wait, Los Angeles was one of the gateways to the Underworld?! (Yes, I did get this idea from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) But, if that’s the gateway to the Underworld, then it meant that this figure in front of her was Damian, the god of the Underworld! “Yes, I am,” Oh, crap, she said that out loud. “Little Goddess, you didn’t answer my question. Why are you here and not on Olympus?”
It took a minute for the question to register into her brain before she promptly explained how Lila claimed the title of the goddess of creation, how she was the real goddess of creation. How she got completely isolated because Lila said that she was the goddess of deception. Marinette ranted about how her life had been five years ago, and how Marinette had had enough, deciding to leave Olympus for the mortal world. The whole time, she could see Damian’s face growing darker, and he looked like he would try as hard as he could to commit a murderer to a goddess, which confused her. Why did he care she just met him? By the end of her tirade, Marinette was panting for air, before she realized that he might no believe her like her old friends. So she timidly asked, “Do you believe me?”
Damian was snapped out of his murderer planning and quickly reassured her, “Of course, I believe you! I can feel the aura of creation surrounding you while you can most likely feel the aura of destruction and death around me.” She understood what he meant about the auras. She was also relieved that she had finally found someone who believed her.
Damian watched her closely before asking her a question that changed everything, “Would you like to go to the Underworld with me?” Marinette looked startled for a second before carefully thinking about her answer. It would be a great experience staying in the Underworld. And Damian had been so kind to her so far, on top of all that he believed her. No one believed her, especially not a stranger. She looked him straight in the eye before giving him her answer, “Yes.”
Damian leads her through the doorway, and after a series of confusing twists and turns, they finally reached the Underworld. Most would find it dark and spooky, but for Marinette, she was in awe of how all the shadows mixed to make a type of beauty that was found only in a place like the Underworld. Damian was watching her closely and smiled softly at the look of sheer awe displayed on her face.
Before he could say anything, a loud voice yelled from somewhere, “Well, if it isn’t Demon spawn, and look, he brought a goddess!” They turned around and, Marinette saw a god, as she assumed, with black hair with a shock of white along with blue-green eyes. His sentence was followed by a crash and dogs barking, and finally, three more gods barreled in from a doorway. Two of them squealed in delight, while the other one yelled, “Is that a real, goddess?” (I did just casually quote Frozen in the middle of my one-shot)
From there, it was chaos, all the boys were asking questions, trying to know her, but all of the questions were flying overhead, none of them understandable. Having enough, Damian whistled, halting everything to a stop. “Tt, enough you useless, morons! What’s going to happen now is that you are going to shut the hell up, let me explain how I met her, and then you will ask Father and Pennyworth to come here so that I may introduce each of you to her. UNDERSTAND!” They all muttered agreements and then waited for Damian to explain how they met. Damian then went on to explain how they met and exactly what Marinette told him about her past. By the end, all the boys looked like they wanted to tease him or get more info on Marinette. They decided to choose the former.
“Oooh, the demon’s in love. The brat found a girl on the street,” the boy that was in the room from when they first arrived exclaimed.
“Tt Todd, go get Father and Pennyworth so I can introduce you,” Damian yelled harshly. The other boy raised his hands as if to surrender and ran out of the room. After some awkward silence, he came back with two gods trailing after him.
“Damian, what is this,” the younger of the men asked.
“Father, this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, she is the goddess of creation, but the goddess of deception claimed her title, and everyone thinks that Marinette is the goddess of deception,” he went on to explain everything he already explained to the other gods. Once he finished explaining, he introduced everyone. “Marinette, I would like to introduce you to my Father, Bruce Wayne. These are my adopted brothers, Jason Todd, Tim or Timothy Drake, Dick or Richard Grayson. My best friend Jon or Jonathan Kent, and my butler Alfred Pennyworth. Father is the god of darkness and adoption, Todd the god of weapons and witchcraft, Grayson the god of death, Drake the god of judgment, Alfred the god of emotions, and finally, Kent, the god of happiness. If you couldn’t tell, he’s visiting.”
Marinette smiled widely at all of them, “It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Ahhh, blinded, we’ve been by the pure sunshine that you are,” Jason yelled, covering his eyes. Marinette’s mood automatically soured, “Please, don’t compare me to the sun. You would be comparing me to the god of the sun who is an asshole and a coward.” They all raised an eyebrow
at her response but didn’t further question it.
“Go be idiots somewhere else, heathens,” Damian screamed, pulling out a katana with the intent to impale them. All of his brothers and his friend ran out of the room, screaming bloody murderer, while his Father and Alfred calmly walked out.
Damian turned back to Marinette, “Would you like to stay for a little bit?” Damian asked. “Would you like to stay forever?” someone shrieked along with a thump. (If you couldn’t already tell, I am obsessed with Disney movies. This was a Mulan reference.)
Marinette smiled gently and replied, “I think I would like that.” Loud whoops, were heard after her response, which caused Damian to groan in exasperation.
(Time Skip, it is about the time of the “Lila’s” and Adrien’s wedding)
Marinette has been staying in the Underworld with Damian and his family, and she has been enjoying it. They were all very kind and supportive of her. They helped her, and she found common interests with each of them. But, out of all of them, she connected with Damian the most. He was the one that brought her here, and he was the one who always had her interests in mind. He made sure to check in on her every day, making sure that she was satisfied with her day and didn’t want to leave the Underworld. Marinette wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she loved how much he doted on her. It was a nice change for her. But, she finally realized the actual reason when it smacked her in the face, literally.
She was walking down one of the long windy halls that she would most likely end up getting lost in, but her being the stubborn person that she was, refused to ask for help. She then smacked right into a shirtless Damian. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her and looked at her, “Are you alright, Marinette?”
But she couldn’t answer. The only thing she was capable of doing at the moment was staring at Damian’s toned chest. It was smooth and had a beautiful shine to it underneath the lights. He had huge biceps, broad shoulders, and a very clear eight-pack. He had just finished exercising, so he was sweating, which made him look even hotter,“…Marinette, MARINETTE!”
“Huh,” she mumbled out. Damian gave her a curious look, “What were you looking at?”
She looked up at him, “You hot, I -I mean, you look nice, n-n-no, uhh your a chest look amazing, w-wait no, ” she then started mumbling to herself, so that Damian couldn’t understand her and hid her face in her hands.
He gently took her hands and rested them on his chest while putting his hands on her hips and pulling her closer, “So, you think I’m hot. Am I hot enough for you to do this?” He started leaning forward slowly so that she could pull away anytime. Yet, she didn’t. She instead tilted her head up and brought her lips closer to his, fluttering her eyes shut. Their lips met in a moment of passion. Her lips were warm and sweet, almost like strawberries, and they molded against his lips. Damian gripped the back of her neck, deepening the kiss, evolving it from chaste to intimate. It felt like a dream, her hands around his neck, his in her hair, and around her waist. Her finding the feeling of being loved. She pulled away and put her hands back on his chest. She looked into his amazing emerald eyes and his swollen lips while panting in sync with him. He pulled her close again and asked her after giving her a peck on the lips, “ Be my girlfriend?” “Yeah,” she replied, and they went back to kissing, this time making out. They heard the cries of joy at her response, it looks like they had some incompetent fools to murderer later, but for now, it was just them.
That had been a couple of months ago, and they were happy together. While things were going great in the Underworld, things were falling apart in Olympus and the mortal realm. Because Marinette, the real goddess of creation, was in the Underworld, plants stopped growing, and many other things that the goddess of creation controls, was, in the process, of destruction. In Olympus, the Kings and Queens were trying to figure out the cause of the lack of life in the mortal realm. And so they went to Lila. Lila claimed that someone was stealing her powers. The kings and queens were skeptical, but since everyone else believed her, they figured that it must be the truth. And so, everyone on Olympus was ordered to find the thief. And the wedding of creation and sun was to commence.
Back in the Underworld, Damian and Marinette were making plans to expose Lila, but one thing was still troubling Marinette, “Dami?”
“Yes, little goddess.”
“If I do go through with the plan, I would have to marry Adrien. I don’t want to marry him!”
Damian hummed thoughtfully, “That does seem like a problem. What do you suggest?”
She blushed underneath his loving gaze, “Would you be willing to marry me?” Damian looked stunned, opening and closing his mouth, looking like a fish. After several failed attempts to speak, he manages a nod with a hint of red splayed across his cheeks. Marinette squealed and tackled him to the ground.
Dick came inside, pretending that he wasn’t listening to their conversation the whole time, “Well, congratulations, make sure to use protection, we don’t need little demons running around the place.” Marinette blushed and swiftly tucked her face into the crook of Damian’s shoulder. If looks could kill, Dick would be dead three times over with the glare Damian was giving him at the moment. Dick seeing his reaction, quickly left the room in an attempt to avoid being stabbed by Damian.
Marinette cuddled into Damian. Damian looked at her tenderly and spoke, “When do you want the wedding to be? And before you answer, I want to tell you something. If we get married, we would be together legally, but you won’t be the Queen of the Underworld automatically. To do that, you need to eat these six pomegranate seeds, but don’t do it for me, I don’t want to ruin your life, okay?” She looked at him and nodded, “Good.”
They held the wedding the next day. It was a beautiful ceremony, but none of Damian’s family could believe it. Who would have thought that the goddess that he met in an alleyway in Los Angeles would be with him forever? None of them expected it. By the end, both Marinette and Damian were happy that they were together. But, they still had one more obstacle to face, the wedding of the goddess of creation and the god of the sun.
To be continued…
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madmaudlingoes · 3 years
Text
God Speed Your Love to Me
For @jonmartinweek​ Day 4, prompt: “Tea.” Set in mid-S4, feature Jon & Daisy friendship and Big Pining. Title by the Righteous Brothers.
It wasn’t that Jon couldn’t make his own tea. He’d been doing so quite competently for over twenty years: boil water, insert leaves. His grandmother used to re-use the same tea bag two or three times, until the resulting drink could hardly even be called tea, but Jon had somehow swung the opposite direction. He liked his tea strong and black (or, according to certain people, oversteeped and bitter — Georgie had done a spit take the first time he made her a cuppa).
Jon’s tea was practical. It fulfilled all the functions tea was meant for. It was fine.
He set the mug down within Daisy’s reach, near the corner of the tunnels she’d claimed. She was sat leaning against the wall, one earbud in, though the volume was too low for Jon to make out what she was listening to. (He knew anyway. The Archers. Trying to catch up on all the episodes she’d missed.)
Daisy stared at him blankly for a moment, and then at the mug; she thumbed her phone to stop the episode. “What’s this?” she asked, sounding more confused than suspicious.
“Surely I’m not that bad at making tea,” Jon said, but clearly the joke fell flat. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I, er. It’s still quite cold down here, so I thought — obviously you’re not obligated to, to take it, I’ll just drink it myself —”
Daisy’s arm shook a little as she pulled the mug to her, and she needed both hands to raise it to her mouth. “Tastes like shit,” she declared, but kept on drinking anyway.
“Well, you’re welcome,” Jon said, letting his annoyance slip, but Daisy just gave him half a smile in return. She always had found it funny when he lost his temper; at the time, he’d assumed it was because of how utterly unthreatening he was, compared to her. A wolf watching a Pomeranian snap and snarl.
Of course, she’d known he was a threat anyway. Had been planning to kill him for it. And now she was smirking at him from a nest of blankets instead.
“I’ll just — I’ll be in my office. If you, ah, need anything,” Jon said, for lack of anything else to do.
As he was walking away, he heard Daisy murmur, “Thanks.”
XXX
“Why do you keep making all this tea?”
Daisy had been listening to him record, again, though it wasn’t a statement she had any particular insight into. Perhaps she was just all caught up on the Archers. Jon looked down at the mug in his hand, and then at the — ah — three occupying various bits of his desk. Two of them were still almost full.
“Habit, I suppose,” Jon said, finding a convenient spot to nestle mug #4. “Martin use to —” No. He wasn’t going to talk about him in the past tense. He wasn’t dead. “Martin’s usually in here a few times a day with tea, if I haven’t made any for myself, and I suppose I got used to it.”
“His tea taste like boiled socks too?” Daisy asked.
“My tea tastes fine,” Jon said, “as proven by how much of it you drink.”
“Well, you don’t,” she pointed out. “No sense wasting it.”
Jon maintained eye contact with her while taking a deep drink from mug #4, and she rolled her eyes at him.
XXX
Jon slunk back to his office after the intervention, as much from shame as fear. Basira had looked truly furious enough to kill him, and he wasn’t entirely sure she was wrong.
But at least she and Melanie were here to glare at him. Martin apparently couldn’t even stand the sight of him.
He started when the door opened, bracing himself for another argument; but it was Daisy, who had been so much quieter than the others. She snagged the other office chair with one foot and pushed a mug of tea in Jon’s direction, even though by this point it was probably close to two in the morning. “You want to talk about it?” she asked.
“I’m not up for another argument,” Jon grumbled.
“Not what I asked.” Daisy had him fixed in a piercing stare. A predatory stare. “Remember, I’ve done at lot worse than steal someone’s story.”
Right. Jon involuntarily touched his throat, remembering the feeling of her grip crushing his windpipe. “I suppose so.”
“So if you want to talk about it,” Daisy continued. “We can talk. Monster to monster.”
Jon snorted. He probably should talk to someone, and it wasn’t as there were twelve-step programs for avatars. “Not right now, I think,” he said. “I’m ... I need a moment.”
Daisy nodded, and nudged the mug of tea closer to him. “Fine. Drink up, then.”
Jon’s stomach rebelled at the thought. Not just because he knew it wouldn’t satisfy him — not properly, not in the way he craved. But also ... did he even deserve the comfort?
Had Martin made tea for Jess Tyrell?
“I’m not thirsty,” he muttered, and pushed the mug back at her.
Daisy didn’t argue. Just studied him for a bit. “I know you and Martin were close,” she said, as if she’d read his mind.
“I ... yes. I suppose we were.” Were being the operative word here, apparently. “Not through any fault of mine, of course. He’s the one who made it work.”
“By bringing you tea?”
Jon sighed. “And taking me to lunch, and reminding me to take my medication... not that I deserved any of it.”
“Pretty low bar to deserve to eat,” Daisy observed.
He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I ... after we found Gertrude’s body, I was ... I took it badly. In hindsight, I’m not sure how much it was a trauma response and how much was the Eye beginning to take hold of me. But I was seeing murderers around every corner, and I ... I took it out on everyone else around me, in the worst ways. But for some reason, Martin kept reaching out, kept ... being there, even when I was awful to him. If it hadn’t been for him—”
Jon clenched his hands, imagining for a moment that it was Martin bringing him tea now; Martin saying you can talk to me, you know; Martin present, physically and mentally,  the way he’d been when Jon’s paranoia was at its worst. He’d never thanked him for it, not properly. He’d thought there would be more time—
Well. Martin had had time, while Jon lay in his coma. And he’d used it to put as much distance as possible between them, just when Jon was finally brave enough to reach back.
Daisy tilted her head like she was slotting something together. “Isn’t that what he’s doing now? Trying to help?”
“Sure, when he’s not off doing god-know-what with Lukas...” Jon muttered.
“I meant with the tape,” Daisy clarified. “He could’ve kept it. Kept your secret. But he cared enough to tell us. Cared enough to stop you.”
Not enough to come in person, though. Jon managed not to blurt that out, but only barely. “He’s made his choice and it’s not me,” was what he did say. “And I can’t even blame him for it. Although why he’d turn around and take up with Lukas if he finds it so objectionable down here...”
Daisy raised an eyebrow. “Are you jealous, Sims?”
“No,” Jon said immediately. “Of course not. I’m just ... I’m tired.”
Daisy took the hint, and stood. She didn’t remove the tea, however. “For what it’s worth, I think there’s something more going on with Martin than it seems. He’s playing his own game. I just can’t work out what it is.”
“If you do, let me know, because the Eye gives me nothing,” Jon told her morosely.
“Get some sleep,” Daisy said, and slipped out of his office.
Jon stared into the rapidly cooling tea. He wanted to trust Martin. He did trust Martin. But he also missed him, desperately, or at least the version of him from a year ago who never condoned Jon’s terrible behavior but nevertheless still cared — still treated him as someone worthy of care. He’d been such a lifeline then, but now Jon needed him more than ever and Martin had left him —
Ah. Yes. Lonely.
Come back, Jon thought, but even alone in his office he couldn’t bear to voice it. Finish whatever it is you’re up to and come back to me.
He tried to drink some of the tea, since it was there. It was exactly as bitter as he liked it.
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me4ml · 3 years
Note
Why don't you like Maribat? Why do you think it's a spite or salt ship?
This is presumably because of my Adrigaminette post or the whole Maribat being on the ship list thing.
Quick disclaimer: if you read/ship/write/like Maribat, cool! This is not an attack. This is me answering why I, personally, do not like it. It’s tagged anti, and salt, so it should be filtered. Please don’t harass me over it.
Another note before we start: a lot of what I’m about to write is based on what I’ve read, fic wise or meta, and I blocked off the Maribat tag and fandom a long time ago. It may have changed over there-I doubt it, and I have zero desire to go and look-but this is based on what I’ve seen and read about.
There are, principally, three reasons I can’t stand Maribat, why I think it’s a spite/salt ship.
1). I don’t like Damian Wayne.
2). I don’t like how Damian and the DCU are written in Maribat.
3). Maribat is a mutated salt fic.
If you want to see my reasons why, the rest is under the read more.
1). I don’t like Damian Wayne.
Damian’s not just my least favorite Robin, ranking behind any of the others who have born the name. He’s my least favorite Batfam sidekick overall.
Part of this is his introduction, where he’s a violent, murderous, arrogant, entitled, snotty little brat of a thug. Lest we forget, one of his first acts is to go out, kill a guy, cut off his head, stuff a grenade into the decapitated head’s mouth, and try to blow up Tim. This is his introduction! There are a number of other occasions, including how he treats Jon, his best friend, and the rest of his siblings.
Another part is that he believes that he deserves to be Robin simply because he’s Bruce’s son, and therefore has the blood right to be Robin, to become Batman, and damn anyone else, who are all pretenders. Doesn’t matter that those characters might have a right to become Robin, or the future Batman, he’s the bio son, he deserves it!
Additionally, Damian feels.....not unnecessary, but repetitive, in his actions/characterization. There are other characters who can perform pretty much the same way for whatever storyline is necessary, without including Damian.
Trained by an abusive family to be the best, as an assassin and warrior? Cassandra.
A killer who breaks the main rule of his mentor, which causes tension and strain in the family? Jason.
Incredibly intelligent and talented? Tim.
Damian isn’t unique in what he does, and while that can make him an interesting character, it can also make the focus on him unnecessary.
As well, so much of Damian’s actions and motivations feels like he gets away with stuff, in-universe, because he’s Bruce’s biological son, and so Bruce gives him too much slack, and out-universe, because the writers let him/the fans will defend him. He gets woobified, or leather pantsed. Which leads to:
2). I don’t like how Damian and the DCU are written for Maribat.
For all his (numerous) faults, when written well, Damian can be an interesting character. For example: How does he deal with being deeply insecure? By putting on a mask of arrogance and overconfidence.
Some more examples: How does Damian act like an actual child, when he’s never had a childhood? How can he be a hero, if he’s been trained to be a killer? Can he ever catch up to his siblings, or will he feel like they’re always better than him?
Damian’s sense of being Batman’s son, of being the heir to the Cowl, slams right up against the idea of the Batfam: that there are people who have just as much of a right to call Batman their father/father figure, people who are just as talented and skilled and capable as Damian himself is, if not more. Watching Damian develop, when he’s written right, is actually enjoyable; mainly because when it’s done right, it shows Damian actually progressing and growing, becoming more of a person, with friends and interests. Most times, seeing Damian with his pets can be adorable, same with when he hangs out with Jon.
Is he still a brat? Still sometimes a bit too much of a Demon, an al-Ghul? Yes, but that’s always going to be part of him, and as long as he’s shown to try and grow, or gets called out on that, it’s less of an issue (There’s a completely different rant to be written about how DC likes to chuck character development or backstory into the trash when it suits them for a new run. Damian gets hit with this, as does Tim, or they get handed the idiot/conflict ball, but not the space for it).
Maribat hurls this all out the window. Damian’s bad traits are all “fixed” offscreen-he’s developed, matured, gotten better, whatever you want to call it. It’s basically a writer’s hand wave to make Damian into the character who will be the lead of the story, perfectly suited for his main role of being Marinette’s boyfriend and utterly devoted to her every whim and will. He’s enchanted by her at first glimpse, and defends her against everyone who hates her, because no one can understand her like he can!
Uh, what? This is not Damian Wayne. Even at his best, he’s no broody boy, pulled from his “dark path” by the love of a gentle girl. He’s a Jerk with a Heart of Gold-emphasis on the Jerk. There’s a reason his nickname usually involves “Demon.” Is Damian trying to get better? Yes. But even then, he’s not the type to immediately fall in love. He takes a while to warm up to people, for them to earn his trust, and Marinette would not be like that?
Let’s say that Robin is in Paris for a case, he runs into Ladybug and Chat, and after they explains what’s going on, Robin gives them a stare over his mask, and goes “TT! What a worthless hero, I would have caught him already.” LB and Chat would probably want to deck him, and that’s before he keeps talking.
Same with if Damian transfers to the class, or they meet on a field trip to Gotham. Damian’s not gonna care about some random French teenagers on a tour, or if he was transferred he’s gonna be trying to figure out why his father sent him to Paris, and be focused on the mission, not making friends.
Of all of the Robins, the ones that would be the most likely to capture Marinette’s interest would be Dick or Tim, not Damian. He would remind her too much of Chloe, as Damian, and as Robin, he would be dismissive of Ladybug’s abilities, which would absolutely piss her, and Chat Noir, off.
In characters that aren’t Damian, no one seems to be written properly over in Maribatland. One huge example is that Marinette is so beloved, so pure, that she can make any character fall in love with her, and reform by her pure goodness, including a fic where the Joker-THE JOKER!-becomes her “Uncle J,” and pranks Lila on her behalf.
Uh-huh. Sure. Completely and totally something that one of the biggest, most sadistic twisted, notorious villains in pop culture would do. Maribat winds up worshipping the ground that Marinette walks on, cause she’s “Teh best evar!”
Which then leads to my third and final point:
3). The whole Maribat concept is a mutated salt fic.
Most of the themes you’ll find in Maribat? You will find in nearly every salt fic.
Maybe my biggest issue with the whole Maribat idea is that it doesn’t feel like a proper crossover, which, at their best, explore how characters from one universe and their rules would interact with characters from another universe, and the rules of that one. Putting ML and DC together is a rich opportunity to play with concepts in both worlds!
And yet, it’s mainly used to bash ML characters who the writers despise, predominantly Adrien, Alya, and Lila, with members of the class thrown in depending on feeling, and potentially even Marinette’s parents! The only “good” ML characters are the ones who are on Marinette’s side, usually Luka, Kagami, a Chloe who for some reason has been redeemed and is now Marinette’s best friend, and whatever members of the class the writer decides to throw in there.
You’ll notice it’s not called “MiracuBat”, or LadyBat and Bat Noir-it’s MariBat. It’s meant as a focus on Marinette, making her-the hero of the Miraculous Ladybug franchise, someone in-story in story who is incredibly smart and talented and the leader of her team, future Guardian-even more awesome.....by beating down everyone else around her.
Marinette is simultaneously treated as an beaten-up, beaten-down walked-on carpet, and the best person to ever exist ever, go who only needs a group of new, different, better people to recognize that and save her from the clutches of those greedy and ungrateful assholes! That doesn’t include the fics where she’s the unknown child of a superhero or supervillain, making her even more special.
It’s Chameleon salt, class salt, with pointy ears and a cape on.
Some specific examples.
Adrien: Adrien is a spineless doormat who prioritizes Lila over Marinette, or an entitled bastard sexual harasser, only fixated on Ladybug, or even both. Sometimes it’ll get worse, as Adrien will threaten or abandon Marinette if she steps off of his “high road,” and Chat will be a budding rapist, stalking or capturing Marinette after he’s learned she’s Ladybug, while ignoring her prior to that. He will, of course, have his ring stripped and handed off to Damian, who is the “true” soul of Destruction and so therefore a “perfect match” to Marinette’s Creation soul. Occasionally it will be Jason, or Tim, or Dick, but the key thing is that it’s not Adrien!
While Damian’s issues are magically fixed, Adrien gets no such courtesy. Adrien has been abused, just like Damian, and while Damian’s abuse is more extensive and extreme, abuse is abuse. If anything, if Damian met Adrien, he would probably see another abused kid, and want to be his friend/have his “adopt stray person!” Instincts go off. I can much more imagine Damian dragging a bewildered Adrien into the Batcave and yelling “Father I’ve found another one for you to adopt!” than I can Damian immediately hating Adrien, or Chat, simply for breathing.
We never see Clark taking Adrien under his wing, or Bruce, or any of the other Batfam; nor any of the other Justice Leaguers. We never see Selina try to fight Bruce over the kid, because he’s cat-themed, and Selina can train him, this one’s hers Bat, get off!
Adrien’s never treated as a kid, or given actual development. A major complaint among salters is that Adrien is treated as perfect and never develops, and in fic, rather than developing him, Adrien either remains static, with his flaws narratively exploded, or is developed negatively. He’s there to be beaten up on and punished by the writers, if not actually physically beaten up by characters in the fic.
Alya: the not-so-good friend, the cheap excuse for a journalist, the awful person who abandons Marinette for Lila and her “connections.” Never mind that Alya was Marinette’s friend from the beginning, or that Marinette’s chosen her multiple times for a Miraculous. One instance of questioning Marinette about Lila, and Alya’s a backstabbing bitch.
Maribat treats Alya as neglectful, bossy, domineering and submissive at the same time to Marinette and Lila respectively, and as a journalist, the worst of the worst. She’s played as a two-bit paparazzo, and once again, the DCU is used to punish her. We don’t see Alya get mentored by Lois or Clark-indeed, if they notice her, it’s with disdain or disappointment. Often, they’re crushing her under their heel, calling her not only a bad journalist, but a bad friend/person. This forgetting, of course, that Alya runs her blog as a hobby so far, she’s only a teenager, and that she’s had Marinette’s back against Chloe and Lila.
The Class: the dupes or allies as needed. Class salt levels depend on what the writer needs. If they’re pro-class, they’re all on Marinette’s side, aside from Alya Adrien and Lila. Chloe, for some ungodly reason, is “redeemed” nigh instantaneously, and often will become Marinette’s best friend, if that isn’t Kagami already. Kagami will drop Adrien like a wet tissue, never trying to reconcile him with the clas, or encourage him to stand up for himself, or if she does, Adrien, of course, will not listen.
If the writer is anti-class, whoo boy. Openly mentally, emotionally, physically abusive to Marinette, the worst gang of people you would ever have the displeasure of meeting, they all need to be in Arkham.
We never see any of the class make friends with the Batfam, the Titans, Young Justice-unless they’re on Marinette’s side, of course. There’s no Alix stopping Selina at the Louvre, for instance, or Max hanging out with Babs. It’s all based on how Marinette is treated as to whether or not the class is portrayed as being worse than the worst of the Rogues Gallery.
Wrapping it all up, Maribat has made me dislike the entire concept of a DC/ML crossover.
Even if someone had written an non-salt, in-character crossover, I don’t know if I would read it, simply because the well has been that poisoned.
211 notes · View notes
artxyra · 4 years
Text
The Secret Life of MDC | Part 2
Part 2 – DuPont believe anything they say
Part 1
Marinette was ready for anything they could throw at her because now she can bring them all down at once. Today was the start of her first time as a spy student for the School board and splitting her time between two classes. The first half of the day would be spent with Mlle. Bustier and the second half as a TA for a new teacher that recently just began over the summer.
“Are you ready, Buggy?” She heard Adrien ask her from behind.
“Buggy? That’s a new one, Kitten, and yeah I'm ready. Just one more school year with Lila and her mindless followers.” Marinette answers, absently playing with the ends of her blouse. Adrien feeling a shift in the air, grips her hand and gives the one person he sees as a sister the biggest reassuring smile he could muster.
“C’mon losers, I only have so many fucks to give out and I don’t want to blow it in the first half of class.” They heard Chloe call out behind them wearing sunglasses indoors that clashed with her golden outfit. Marinette had to prevent herself from scoffing at the fashion choice the blonde teen had made. It was a crime against fashion and the girl is the daughter of a fashion icon.
“Chloe, you know I love you, but what in the world prompted you to wear sunglasses indoors?” Marinette somehow managed not to raise her voice at a person she claims as a sister.
“Oh hush, Manette. I’m doing this to prevent future murders on my hands.” Chloe responded as Adrien and Marinette look at each other communicating with slight head shakes and hand gestures that went from them to Chloe and back to them.
“That makes no sense, Bee, and I’m afraid to know what you meant. Should I message Tim to get a lawyer on hand or just pretend that I didn’t hear anything and go on into the nightmare that we call class.” It was Marinette that took the charge like she always does in these situations where she and Adrien are at a loss when it comes to Chloe’s hidden mindset.
All Chloe gives them is a mischief smirk causing the two friends to fear what is to come.
~*~
“Good morning, class. Today I have exciting news!” The teacher, Mlle. Bustier, announces as she setting her things down and turning to the chalkboard.
The trio never would have thought they would be stuck with Caline Bustier since the beginning of their collége years to the end of their lycée years. The only reason why this is a fact is that many of the teachers in the surrounding Paris area moved out once Hawkmoth’s akuma attacks began to become more vicious. They didn’t want to teach in an area that could lead to death or effect their trauma even more. This caused the school board committee for all of Paris to let the teachers teach their current class up until graduation with only the senior teachers teaching two sets of classes which meant teaching a younger generation outside of their grade group. So far, the change has been going well with minimum out rejection.
For Mlle. Bustier’s class, it was the best transition ever; however, it only solidifies their downfall and future in the real world. Caline, a generous carrying teacher, has little to none of a backbone. Her teaching methods are questionable especially when it comes to her classes' growth, which is why the school board's deal to Marinette was to become a student spy rather than letting her go free once she passed the Baccalauréat.
Caline turns around to view her students. She’s happy to see every single one of them, but her inner smile fades away once she caught sight of Marinette. The girl had so much potential in the teacher’s eyes and it was a shame to see it go to waste. She tried to get Marinette to be an example for her peers, but the girl did nothing but cause a rift in the classroom.
“I have some amazing news. Starting today up until our class exchange program, each and every one of you will be working on a presentation choosing an infamous city in the United States. You can work in pairs no bigger than three for this assignment.” Caline began before going into detail regarding the largest project of their senior year.
The trio already knew what city they were going to pick; however, for Marinette, she was slightly wary. This assignment has little to with her problems, but she had forgotten about the exchange program that the class was selected last year to go on for this year.
Every year a certain senior class is chosen to go on an exchange to one of the partner schools in the United States. When Marinette graduated, she had forgotten that her class was chosen, so now she needs to find out how that will change her teaching assistant job plans and how she and the principal will overcome this.
“Ooh, we should Gotham! I personally know the Waynes. They are a nice family. You know?” Of course, it had to be Lila to ruin a good mood. The trio could feel the liar’s gaze lingering on them as they mentally plain on what to do. “You know Adrien, you could join my group and we’ll get an ‘A’.” Lila begins to sweet-talk her way through Adrien, ignoring the heavily implied discomfort the model was giving her.
“Huh, Lie-la, I’m actually planning on working with Chloe and Mari for this one. I’m sure Alya and Nino would love to be a part of your group.” Adrien speaks up as he repeatedly tapes the desk for help from his two surrogate sisters.
Lila huffs putting on the waterworks, like always does when she didn’t get her way.
“Adrien? C’mon sunshine, can’t you just work with Lila. She was really looking forward to doing the project with you. Nino and I decided to be a duo, anyway. I’m sure Chloe and Marinette can handle it on their own.” Alya may not be physically violent towards anyone, but she did know how to pressure someone into doing something.
Adrien shakes his head and decides that it was best to stay close to Chloe and Marinette in case something goes sideways.
Feeling the attention away from her, Lila knew she had to come up with something spectacular. However, it would be unfortunate for Marinette who decided to take a drink from her water bottle. “I know I shouldn't say anything, but I’m dating Damian Wayne.” Immediately the loyalist of flies surrounds the liar gushing about the latest news.
Marinette, on the other hand, chokes on her water creating a coughing fit. She stares aghast at the liar once the coughing died down. Chloe and Adrien couldn't help but laugh at this.
“Calm down, calm down, class. I still have much to discuss with you including the trip.” Mlle. Bustier states trying to reel on her students as the talking increases in volume.
Fading out of the class the trio opens their group chat. Marinette looks up every so often to make sure that their teacher was paying them no attention.
Queen Bee: Our class is filled with idiots. [insert screaming GIF]
Katana’s Bitch: Uh, Bee what happened?
My Voice is Music: Aren’t you like in class?
Gotham’s Princess: Yes, but that is not the point. Besides, I already did all this shit and just in class for "fun".
R U Kitten Me:  Luka, my love, I’m gonna need loads of therapy?
My Voice is Music: Liar?
Katana’s Bitch: Liar?
Queen Bee: She tried to guilt Kitten into being her partner for this large assignment. Ooh, how I can’t wait until he comes out of the closet.
Gotham’s Princess:  It will be something like this: [insert a WTF GIF]
R U Kitten Me: Ooh that’s a good one Mars.
Gotham’s Princess: [insert bowing GIF] Thank you.
Queen Bee: 10 o clock, Bustier’s looking right at us
Marinette looks away from her phone to be greeted by Mlle. Bustier stern facials. She sheepishly smiles at the teacher and begins to write in her notebook, but the content had nothing to do with what Mlle. Bustier was teaching.
A grueling class period later, Marinette rushes over to the other side of the building. She sets up the classroom for the teacher and waits for the students to arrive.
While Marinette becomes the TA for a different class, Chloe and Adrien are forced to deal with the idiocy of their classmates alone.
Chloe nearly got into a yelling match with Lila and Alya about Marinette’s whereabouts as everything soon became aware that the fashion designer was missing for the second half of the school day.
Lila, once again, tried to dig her nails into the model to be her partner for the presentation project, she even tried to pull the daddy card over the blonde not knowing that Gabriel has little power over him since he unofficially moved in with the Dupain-Cheng home and rarely makes an appearance at the Agreste home unless it was dire.
“I can’t believe how selfish you are?” Alya attempts to scream into Adrien’s face but is pulled away by Nino, once the DJ realizes what was going on. He even mouths his apologies to his friend as he pulls Alya to comfort Lila, who was making a big hissy fit.
“I just wanted him to have a good grade on this project. My Damiboo would have been a large help when we choice Gotham.” Lila sniffles in her limp hand as if she was the victim of a major crime. Chloe and Adrien just roll their eyes and continue to ignore their classmates as the second half begins.
~*~
Marinette laughs at the messages on her phone about the class before walking into Principal De La Fontaine's offices. Due to the constant attacks and akuma victim from Dupont, the Paris school board officials declared Principal Damocles unfit to be a principal and opted for De La Fontaine to oversee college and lycée of the Dupont schools seeing as they are short-staffed.
“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, you needed to see me?”
“Good evening, Principal De La Fontaine, and yes I do. It’s about the exchange program. The class that I’m spying for was selected to go last year and I was wondering how that will affect my teaching assistant job?” She asks taking an empty seat opposite from the Principal.
“Why yes, we probably should discuss this before you go. This might be the last piece for the school board in regards to Caline’s teaching habits. I have already discussed it with Mme. Margaux about your month's departure.”
A sigh of relief escapes Marinette’s lips. The feeling of knowing nothing will happen to her job on the school grounds with her being gone for a month.
“Merci.” She says once their conversations end and as she walks out of the office.
Nette @GothamsFashionSense Guess who’s returning to Gotham for a month?? This fille right here!! [insert a Dottie screaming & kicking her feet GIF]
Immediately, the tweet receives dozens of replies, all ranging from screeches of who is she to can’t wait to play “Spot the Nette game” on twitter. Marinette couldn’t help up chuckle as the replies from her extended family proceeds to enter the replies.
Maybe the trip wouldn’t be so bad?
Yeah, that was a lie. Before the trip started, Lila made a tearful excuse about the presentation project then saying that Marinette and her group stole the presentation from her as their city was the same, Gotham, New Jersy. That ended up becoming a large battle about right and wrong, to which Chloe and Adrien won because they did most of the project.
The moment before the trio stepped into the airport, saying their goodbyes to Kagami, Luka, and closet family members was just as emotional. Adrien tried his hardest not to breakdown in Luka’s arms but the reminder of seeing Jon made him excited. Chloe was a weeping mess saying goodbye to her girlfriend, who promise to send messages every day to keep the bee miraculous holder sane. For Marinette, she knew that Paris was in good hands and always having Kaalki on hand has been a huge help when traveling between the two cities.
Upon entering the airplane, there wasn’t a single moment that Lila didn’t lie about her experience in Gotham. She somehow managed to get every Wayne boys' name wrong except for Damian’s and Bruce’s. Like whom the hell is Tom Grayson and Drake Todd. It took every bone in the trio’s body not to breakdown laughing and cursing at the liar for such ludicrous names. Though parts of her conversation went into the ultimate group chat where everyone from Gotham to Paris is on. Let’s just say Jason was craving for a bullet to hit the liar in an “accidental” way.
Part 3 >>
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802 notes · View notes
mintaka14 · 3 years
Link
Coryphée
A Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction
By Mintaka14
Chapter Five – Apothéose
 The sight of Luka on her doorstep in the morning always caused Marinette’s unruly heart to stutter, but that morning the new memory of the feel of his mouth on hers sent a heady rush through her. Unconsciously, her hand lifted to touch her lips, and his eyes caught on the gesture.
“Come back to the Liberty with me tonight,” Luka coaxed, that husky note in his voice sending shivers down her spine as they started towards the metro together. His fingers tangled with hers, his thumb tracing a line down the edge of her palm. “Just to hang out. Or not.”
“I wish I could,” she sighed, trying to gather the thoughts he was scattering. “But I have to finish fixing the Florine costume I stole before tomorrow morning, or they’re going to find out it’s missing and kick me out of the company and I’ll end up going to jail for the rest of my life, or have to leave the country and go on the run.”
Luka missed a step and came to a stop, pulling her up short.
“Wait, what?”
He was staring at her, his mouth open.
“You stole your costume?”
“After Lila snuck in and damaged it,” Marinette said sourly. “I had to, to fix it.”
“You stole it?” he repeated as if he were stuck on a loop. “When did this happen? How didn’t I know?”
“It was after Lila put glass in my shoes. You were busy being an idiot and avoiding me.”
He jolted into motion again at that, and Marinette found herself engulfed in a tight embrace.
“I really was an idiot,” Luka told her apologetically. “I did suffer for it, though, thinking you were seconds away from telling me you were with Adrien.”
“Good,” she muttered. “It wasn’t exactly a picnic for me, either.” She glanced up at him as they started walking again. “The whole time I was crawling through that ceiling, though, I was wishing it was you there with me.”
“Crawling through the… I have to know, what on earth were you doing in the ceiling? And how the hell did you get up there?”
So she told him. By the time they reached the Palais Garnier, he was wheezing with laughter.
“Melody, you were born to be a Couffaine,” he said, his voice shaking. Marinette shot him a provocative look from under the sweep of her eyelashes.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, mister. Before anything else, I need to fix the tutu and find a way to get it back without anyone noticing.”
“That’s all the motivation I need,” he told her a little unsteadily, then the laughter in his eyes became something more intense, and when he bent to kiss her, all thought of the tutu left her in a rush as her eyelids fluttered shut.
“I’m not going to get anything done if you keep doing that,” she complained breathlessly as his hand came up to brush her cheek. “I already lost one night of work last night, and you’re very distracting.”
He grinned down at her. “I promise, no distracting until you’re not facing imminent arrest.”
True to his word, when he climbed through the trapdoor into her bedroom that night he had his acoustic guitar in his hand and Juleka right behind him. Marinette lowered the intricate beading she was reconstructing and raised an eyebrow at the Couffaines, and Juleka rolled her eyes.
“I’m here to make sure there’s no distracting going on,” she said drily. “And I told you so. Dumbasses, the both of you.”
“Ignore her,” Luka told Marinette, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her upturned face. “She’s just being unnecessarily smug. Whatever we can do to help, we’re here.”
“Luka said you need help with a heist,” Juleka said with a faint flicker of enthusiasm.
“More like a reverse heist. I have to break a valuable tutu back into the costume department at the Palais Garnier.”
Juleka’s black lipsticked mouth curled up in a smile. “Awesome. I’m in.”
“None of that’s going to matter if I don’t get it finished first.” Marinette looked down at the heap of glittering beads and satin in her lap and sighed.
“Then you focus on that,” Luka said calmly.
Even with the prospect of ruin staring her in the face, Marinette felt happier than she had in a long time. The pattern of glittering feathers was starting to emerge again, and she threaded another sequin into place, stitching it down.
“Is it weird that I’m actually enjoying myself?”
“Yes,” Juleka muttered.
“No,” Luka answered, and settled himself on the floor with his guitar.
“Are you going to stay with the company after all this?” Juleka asked. “Or are you going to quit?”
“I’m not backing down. I’m not going to give Lila the satisfaction,” Marinette growled. The tune that Luka was idly playing shifted into something a little dissonant.
“If you’re doing something that makes you unhappy just to spite Lila,” Luka said, his attention on his fingering, “then hasn’t she already won?”
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t just let her get away with everything she’s done.”
“Leave or stay with the ballet company, you know I’m with you. Just don’t let it be because of Lila. That’s giving her too much power over you.” He played an idle chord. “And besides, there are other ways to deal with her.”
“The Seine is deep,” Juleka observed darkly. “No one would find her.”
The Couffaines looked at each other over Marinette’s head.
“No!” she told them forcefully, then added, “Lila can’t spend the rest of her life regretting that she ever messed with me if she’s at the bottom of the Seine.”
And Luka burst out laughing.
“I think we’ve had a bad effect on you, melody,” he managed eventually, and Marinette tilted her nose at him.
“I was perfectly capable of murder and mayhem before you came along, Luka Couffaine.”
Juleka shrugged. “She was. Remember when we first met her?”
“I remember,” Luka said softly, his eyes on Marinette.
“I wonder what happened to that kid who was picking on me, the blonde one who seemed to think she owned the place?” Juleka said, spinning lazily on Marinette’s desk chair. “We never did see her at any more of the arts competitions after that.”
Luka’s guitar drifted from one song into another while they talked and Marinette sewed. It was somewhere around one in the morning when Marinette finally set the last stitch and sighed, holding the costume out to inspect the bodice critically.
She gave another sigh.
“Done.”
She carried it over to her desk and carefully laid the tutu in the linen bag, and came back to collapse onto the couch. Luka set aside his guitar and slid in beside her. He lifted her hand, the feather-soft blue tips of his hair brushing her wrist as he bent to press lingering kisses to the abused fingertips.
“Done,” he echoed tenderly. “Brilliant girl.”
“Gross,” Juleka muttered on the other side of Marinette’s bedroom.
Luka had always been one for casual hugs and touches, at least with the people he truly cared about, but Marinette hadn’t realised how much he’d really held back with her. He ignored Juleka and wrapped himself around Marinette, his face buried in her shoulder, and Marinette sank back into his embrace with a blissful sigh.
“Oh god, you two are going to be completely disgusting from now on, aren’t you?” Juleka groaned.
“Yup,” said Luka into Marinette’s hair.
“So what now?” his sister asked.
“I have no idea,” Marinette said, distracted by the feel of Luka’s lips against her neck. “I have to figure out how to get the costume back before the dress rehearsal tonight, but how on earth am I supposed to do that? I can’t just wander in with a bag full of tutu and say ‘Oh, look what I found!’ ”
She could feel Luka’s chuckle rumble in his chest. “You’re the one with the brilliant ideas. Jules and I are just here to do your bidding.”
She didn’t feel terribly brilliant at that moment, but it was hard to work up much concern about it with Luka’s fingers tracing patterns along the edge of her shirt and his mouth pressing kisses into the sensitive corner of her jaw. Her gaze drifted around the room.
“Oh!“ Marinette sat bolt upright, and Luka complained as she pulled away. He fell backwards into the couch cushions. “Oh, I have a plan. Or… more a start of a plan.”
“Of course you do, melody,” Luka said fondly, still sprawled across the couch.
She reached for her phone.
“Who are you calling?”
She waited for the other end to pick up. “I think Adrien can make himself useful, if he’s really serious about saving everyone’s careers,” she told them, her attention elsewhere as the call connected.
“So… you’re planning to ask the guy you just turned down to help you commit a crime,” Juleka pointed out, just as Adrien answered. “Nice.”
“Marinette?” her partner’s voice said sleepily as the silence grew awkward. “Are you there?”
“… yes, yes I… here. I’m here.” She really hadn’t thought this through. Luka was still stretched out on the couch behind her, but he’d flung his arms over his face and his shoulders were shaking. She gave him a shove, the unhelpful idiot.
“It’s past one a.m. Is everything okay?”
“Adrien, I need your help.”
There was another silence.
“You… need my help?”
“Or your father’s help.”
“My father’s help?”
“Well, not your father in person, because obviously we couldn’t tell him about any of this, but he is Gabriel Agreste and he did design the costumes, so he’d have access to them, and you’re his son, so it’s practically the same thing, and I only have a few hours to work out how to get it back otherwise I’m screwed, and the wardrobe staff are going to be in trouble, and –“
“Marinette,” Adrien interrupted her babble, “what do you need?”
“Fake paperwork from Gabriel that needs to be signed by the costume director,” she said in a small voice. “By eight o’clock tomorrow morning. It doesn’t matter what it is, it just needs to sound plausible enough to give someone a reason to be up on the sixth floor.”
There was a long silence, then Adrien’s voice said, “I’ll have something for you tomorrow at eight. I’ll be at the stage entrance then.”
After Marinette hung up, she sank down onto the couch and Luka wrapped his arms around her again. She drew in a deep, ragged breath.
“I just woke Adrien up at one in the morning to get him to help me reverse heist the tutu I stole. I’m going to get myself kicked out of the company and arrested and thrown in La Santé to rot, and they’ll bring tour groups through as a warning to anyone who even thinks about stealing a tutu, while the rats nibble on my feet, and Lila’s going to gloat because she won.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Luka said, deep and sure. “What do you need us to do?”
“I’m going to need a distraction,” Marinette said, tilting her head to look up at her boyfriend. Her boyfriend. That was going to take some getting used to, in all the best ways. “Something to get the staff out of the workshops and draw their attention for a few minutes.”
Luka’s soft smile sharpened to a roguish grin, and Marinette felt a moment of apprehension. There were times when she forgot that he was Anarka’s son.
“I can do that.”
“No explosions,” she cautioned, and his grin grew wider.
“Don’t you trust me? No explosions, no fire, I promise.”
“O-kay.” She gave him another mistrustful glance and turned her attention to Juleka.
“How do you feel about becoming an employee of Gabriel?”
Juleka’s eyebrow rose.
“I can do that,” she said, sounding very like her brother.
“Adrien’s getting paperwork that’d give you an excuse to be up in the costume department – you need to get Mme Marchand to sign something for Gabriel. She’ll be in Costume Central getting everything organised to go down to the dressing rooms before the dress rehearsal. All you need to do is walk the covered tutu up to the sixth floor and stash it near Costume Central, walk in with the paperwork and stall until the distraction gets her out of the room, and then get the tutu in there while no one’s looking.”
“What about the security cameras?” Luka asked.
“As long as we can get the tutu back in with no sign of damage and no sign that it was ever gone, then hopefully there won’t be anything to trigger a security check into what’s on the cameras.”
Juleka shrugged. “By the time anyone checks the cameras, I’ll be out of there. And what are they going to do anyway? There won’t be anything missing, unless we completely botch it.”
“I can get the tutu into the building, but I can’t go anywhere near the sixth floor and the ateliers, particularly not with a tutu bag in my hands, without raising suspicions,” Marinette said. “And neither can you, Luka. You’re orchestra. But there’s nothing to connect Juleka to any of this, particularly not if she goes in disguise.”
“And if they look for me at Gabriel, they won’t find any trace of me there.” Juleka’s mouth curved up in a smile. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
Fun was not the word that Marinette would have used. She smothered a yawn, and Juleka pushed herself to her feet.
“Come on, Romeo,” Juleka told her brother. “Mari needs at least some sleep, and you’ll see her again soon enough.”
Marinette followed them down and let them out into the street. Juleka wandered off after a quick hug, but Luka delayed on the doorstep. He reached out to brush a stray piece of hair back from her cheek, and his fingertips lingered.
“You have the most gorgeous blue eyes,” he said softly.
“Luka!” she protested weakly, and the besotted look on his face brought a blush to her cheeks.
“I’m allowed to say things like that now,” he insisted. He ducked his head a little to catch her gaze. “Hey. It’s going to be okay. You’ve fixed the tutu and done brilliant things, and we’ll get it back where it belongs. And then you can figure out where your heart belongs.”
“My heart’s right here,” she sighed. She cuddled into his arms, and let herself breathe in his warm, familiar scent. “If I’m not a ballet dancer,” she said into his shirt, “then what am I?”
“Melody, you are so much more than that.”
Down the street, Juleka called out impatiently, and Luka reluctantly let her go.
“Get some sleep,” he told her. “We’ll figure the rest out in the morning.”
~~~~~
When Luka arrived at the bakery door in the morning, he had Juleka with him, toting a large bag and dressed more conservatively than usual in black pants and a business-like shirt.
“What do you think?” Juleka asked as they headed towards the metro. “I’ve got blonde, red, or a hot-pink razor cut.”
“Why on earth do you have so many wigs?” Marinette asked, and was interested to see Juleka blush. On Marinette’s other side, Luka snorted.
“I bet Rose knows why,” Luka told no one in particular. Juleka reached around Marinette to punch her brother in the arm. “Ow!”
“Is the red one firetruck, or auburn?” Marinette asked, ignoring the sibling violence.
“Auburn.”
“Then go with that. People are more likely to remember the hair than any other detail about you, and once that’s gone, they’re less likely to recognise you again.”
Adrien was lurking inside the stage doors as they arrived, and if anyone had been around it would have been obvious to them that he was up to something. Fortunately, the entrance hallway was empty. Any early morning preparations for the dress rehearsal that night were happening elsewhere, and most of the company dancers wouldn’t be arriving for another hour or so.
Adrien handed Marinette a sheaf of papers, with a stealthy glance around the hallway.
“This should do it,” he said in a stage whisper. Marinette glanced down at them, and they seemed to be something to do with creative intellectual property. “You can just say Natalie misfiled it and needs to be signed again, if anyone asks.”
“Thank you,” Marinette said sincerely. “And I’m sorry I got you involved in this.”
“My father is going to kill me if he ever finds out,” he said enthusiastically, “and I don’t even care! I still don’t know how you came up with all this on the fly like that. I’ve never met anyone quite like you,” Adrien told her. He looked over at Luka and Juleka, waiting near the doors. “So you worked it out with Luka, then?”
“Yes,” Marinette admitted, and Adrien nodded.
“I’m happy for you,” he said, and it almost sounded genuine. He glanced ruefully at the papers in her hands. “Good luck.”
“Thank you,” she said again. “Really, Adrien, I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done.”
He gave another short nod. “I’ll see you in class.” Then he pivoted and strode away.
Marinette drew a deep breath and turned back to Luka and Juleka.
“Right, let’s do this.” She steered them both towards the ladies’ bathroom that hardly anyone ever used on the second floor, trying not to think too hard about what they were about to do, or how heavy the tutu bag hooked over her shoulder suddenly felt. Luka’s hand settled on the small of her back, solid and reassuring, and she glanced up at him.
“Are you going to tell me anything about this distraction of yours?” Marinette wheedled, and Luka kissed the tip of her nose.
“I’m just going to use the fact that most of an orchestra always thinks that the violins are overrated,” he said unperturbedly. “Just text me when you’re ready to go, and give me five minutes to get things moving. Jules, you’ll have a little less than a minute once the alarms go off.”
Juleka nodded, but Marinette’s eyes widened at that. “Alarms?”
~~~~~
Juleka hooked her hand through Marinette’s arm and dragged her away.
“Should I be worried?” Marinette asked, her eyes still on Luka as Juleka pulled her into the ladies’ bathroom with her.
“Too late now,” Juleka told her. “You knew what he was like before you kissed him.”
“That’s not what I meant. Wait here,” Marinette said, and disappeared out of the ladies’ bathroom. Juleka pulled her makeup case out of the tote bag and got to work. She leaned in towards the mirror, carefully putting dark brown contacts over the recognisable golden hazel of her eyes, before she twisted her long black hair up and pinned it. It all disappeared under the auburn bob of her wig.
She was busy outlining her mouth in unremarkable pink when Marinette burst back into the bathroom.
“I got a clothes rack for the tutu,” Marinette said a little breathlessly. “You just need to walk it up to the sixth floor and stash it near Costume Central until Luka does whatever he’s got planned.”
Marinette started unzipping her tutu bag, and Juleka put away the lipstick, reaching for her mascara wand. She shot her friend a sly look in the mirror.
“So, you and Luka. I’m just warning you now, I do not want to know any of the details.”
Marinette sputtered, “I wouldn’t –“
“Oh, he’s so dreamy!” Juleka quoted in a teasing, squeaky voice. “Hasn’t he got the most amazing –“
“Juleka!”
“I’m just saying, some things I really don’t need to hear about my brother, not even from my best friend.” Juleka thought about that for a moment. “Especially from my best friend. It’s bad enough sharing a bedroom wall with him.”
“Oh god,” Marinette was looking horrified, and Juleka couldn’t help smirking at her reflection as she carefully brushed mascara onto her eyelashes.
“And you do go all gushy when you’re in lo-ove. I was there for the Great Adrien Crush, remember?”
Marinette buried her face in her hands. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Nope.”
“You know this is different, right?” Marinette asked, sounding a little anxious. “With Luka… It’s… Back when I was seventeen, and Luka had been seeing that girl he met at summer festival, I don’t think I could ever have put it into words at the time, but it felt safer to let myself fall for Adrien like that. It was like a rollercoaster, a fun ride that turned me upside down, and it might have made me want to throw up sometimes, but it was never going to break my heart.”
Marinette’s voice dropped to a whisper that Juleka didn’t think she was meant to hear. “Not like losing Luka would.”
Juleka took pity on her and said, “You know you’re stuck with my idiot brother now, don’t you?” She put down her mascara and turned to Marinette. “He’s all yours, and you get to deal with the sappy songs and him stealing your eyeliner all the time, and his crap all over the place.”
The slow beam that spread over Marinette’s face was every bit as dopey as Luka’s had ever been, and Juleka sighed deeply.
“Let’s get this done before I hurl from a sugar overdose. How do I look?”
Marinette subjected her to a critical investigation. “Unrecognisable.”
They left the bathroom, and Marinette hooked the tutu in its covering over the mobile rack outside, and helped Juleka steer it into the lift used for moving props and costumes. The doors closed behind her.
“Right,” Juleka muttered, and stood straighter as the doors opened again on a corridor of glass windows and workshops and people hurrying past with arms full of shoes and bundles of prop swords. “This is just like performing. Own the stage.”
It wasn’t hard to work out where Costume Central was, and Juleka parked her rack with the tutu nearby, telling herself to just act like she was meant to be there. The one person who gave her a curious glance got Juleka’s best goth glare in return, and turned away as Juleka strode past.
Juleka’s bootheels sounded loud on the wooden floor of Costume Central. The woman who looked up and gave Juleka a cool stare over the top of her glasses was clearly Juleka’s target, and Juleka made her way around the counters and stands full of costumes.
“Mme Marchand?”
“Can I help you?”
Juleka held out the sheaf of paperwork.
“I’m from Gabriel. I’ve been asked to get your signature on these forms.”
While the woman turned over the pages, reading quickly through them, Juleka let her eyes wander around the room. She caught a glimpse of a rack with six or seven linen-covered tutus, and a tag with the words Soloist Dressing Room just visible. That was obviously her best bet for returning Marinette’s tutu.
“I’ve already signed these,” the woman said impatiently, and Juleka jolted back to attention. “M. Agreste should already have these.”
“Maybe they got lost or something.” Shit, what was the name Adrien had said? “All I know is, Natalie said she can’t find the paperwork, and we needed to get another copy signed, like, now.”
“Natalie?” the woman said with a frown. “Natalie Sancoeur? It’s not like her to lose something like the intellectual property contracts. Was she the one who sent you here?”
Juleka tried to look bored rather than nervous, like this was all above her pay grade and she didn’t care as long as no one was blaming her. She gave a shrug, hoping that the nerves didn’t show, and pointed at the sheaf of papers.
“They just gave me those, and said get your signature.”
That was the moment when the alarms went off at the other end of the floor, and they both whipped around to face the disturbance. Juleka let out the breath that she’d been holding as Mme Marchand almost ran to deal with this new crisis. She could have kissed her brother for his sense of timing.
Now she had a matter of seconds, and a contraband tutu to restore, before they all got caught.
~~~~~
“Alarms?” The way that Marinette’s beautiful blue eyes went wide was adorable, and Luka gave Marinette one more lingering kiss before Juleka hauled her away and he was left to his own devices.
He wandered in the direction of the staff cafeteria. He was counting on finding enough of the orchestra there, even this early in the morning, and he let his gaze drift over the scattered tables. He settled on one of the louder groups, and sauntered over to join them.
Luka might be the calm one, the port in the storm, but Marinette needed a distraction and Couffaines knew all about chaos and how to stir it up.
He dropped into an empty seat, grinning as one of the percussionists tried to get the timpani soloist in a headlock, and he threw a comment or two into the usual bragging going on. Most of his attention, though, was on his phone, and when it buzzed he glanced down at Marinette’s message before he slid it back into his pocket and leaned forward on his elbows.
“Yeah, yeah,” he told the young French horn player that he knew vaguely from the post-grad program at the Conservatory. “You say you guys have wind and stamina, but you’re all talk. You couldn’t keep up with me.”
He laughed, leaning back while the French horn took the bait, puffing out his chest.
“No way, violin boy! All you string monkeys have going for you is a bit of wrist action.” The horn player made a crude gesture. “Us brass guys can go all night.”
“Prove it,” Luka said with a lift of his eyebrow. “Doesn’t even have to be all night. Let’s see if you’ve got the wind to outrun me.” He swept a mocking glance around the table. “Anyone else think they can keep up with the string monkey? Loser buys the drinks tonight.”
And that, as he knew it would be, was the magic phrase. Half a dozen chairs were shoved back, and a handful of musicians were on their feet, all talking over each other and jeering and laughing.
“So where’re we gonna do this?” the French horn player challenged him, and Luka pretended to think about it.
“Up the emergency stairs, through the sixth floor, back down here. Last one back here buys the drinks.”
There was more laughing and jostling, and someone yelled Go! And they took off in a scramble of elbows and knees. Luka grinned as he jogged down the corridor just behind the horde.
The echo in the emergency stairwell was deafening as they panted and gasped their way up the stairs, and the door alarms shrilled with satisfying volume as the horn player at the front of the pack shoved the sixth floor doors open and belted into the costume department corridor. Staff came to the windows and boiled out of the doors in confusion as the musicians clattered past, and a woman with an air of authority emerged from the Costume Central door, striding towards them with a look of fury.
“Be careful of the costumes!” the woman yelled over the noise.
Costumiers and dressers yanked racks of clothing out of their path, shouting after them, and in the chaos, Luka was relieved see that no one seemed to notice his sister whisk the large round linen bag off one of the mobile stands and into Costume Central.
Then Juleka was out of sight and the runners were thundering down the staircase at the other end of the corridor. No need for Plan B. Luka put a hand to the stair railing, and vaulted over the side.
He hit the fifth floor and came to his feet just as the horn player yelled, “Hey! That’s cheating!”
“No one said there was a rule against it!” Luka yelled back, and kept going down the stairs at a breakneck pace. After a lifetime climbing all over his mother’s boat in all sorts of weather, a solid staircase held no terrors. On the second floor he blew a kiss to the adorable dancer with the startled blue eyes as he passed her, and skidded into the cafeteria.
He dropped into a chair and leaned back nonchalantly, his hands behind his head, as the French horn player collapsed and puffed and the rest of the horde staggered over to the table.
“I think we said something about loser buying tonight?” Luka said, surreptitiously glancing back in the direction of the corridor where his girlfriend and his sister would be.
“No fair,” the horn player gasped.
“Nobody said anything about fair,” Luka said, and grinned. “Good race, though. Drinks are on you.”
~~~~~
“Distraction,” Marinette muttered as her boyfriend raced past her and threw her a kiss. The sound of alarms were still echoing down the main stairwell, and she flattened herself against the wall beside the ladies’ bathroom as half a dozen other young men ran past. “I suppose that was pretty distracting.”
She glanced up at the staircase nervously, and tried to calm her breathing. Juleka was taking a long time, wasn’t she?
“What are you doing? Hiding in the toilets? That seems appropriate,” a voice said, and Marinette startled badly, clutching a hand to her chest.
“Lila,” she grimaced.
The Italian girl sauntered closer. “Anyone might think you’re not happy to see me,” she said sweetly.
If Marinette’s heart hadn’t jumped when Lila startled her, it certainly constricted as Juleka in her auburn wig swung around the turn in the staircase. Juleka stopped as she caught Marinette’s look of wide-eyed panic, her head tipping in a quick nod of understanding as she took in the girl facing Marinette down, and she retreated silently.
Marinette just had to make sure that Lila didn’t see Juleka coming down the stairs from the costume department. She backed up a step, turning to draw Lila’s attention, and she didn’t have to pretend too hard to be afraid. She shoved her hands into her coat pockets to hide the trembling, and closed her fingers around her phone to still them.
“What do you want, Lila?” she said. She backed up a little further, putting more distance between her and the bathroom door. Lila stalked her, giving a little laugh when Marinette bumped into a wall and was brought up short. She was too close for Marinette’s liking.
“Isn’t it obvious by now? And I thought you were supposed to be so smart.”
“I really don’t understand, what on earth do you think you’re going to get out of this?” Marinette voiced the question that had been at the back of her mind since Lila had started her campaign of intimidation. “You’ve only been in the company for less than a year so you weren’t seriously up for the part that I got, and you’re not even understudying me, so it’s not like you’re going to step into my solo if I’m not there. And getting rid of me isn’t going to make Adrien more interested in you. What do you think is going to happen if you force me out of the way?”
“He’ll change his mind fast enough once he’s not distracted,” Lila said with dismissive conviction. “And once I’ve convinced him I’m the one he wants, then it’s only a matter of time until I’m getting the roles and the promotions as his partner. Watching you suffer is just icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned.
“And yet you hate me enough to risk your whole career just for a bit of petty vengeance on my costume,” Marinette asked a little incredulously. All it would have taken was for one person to check the cameras and Lila could have been facing criminal charges.
“It wasn’t that much of a risk though, was it? You were never going to tell on me. You smile sweetly and pretend to everyone that if you just work hard and wish upon a star all your dreams will come true, but underneath it all, you’ll do anything to get ahead too. I may have ruined the costume, but you knew about it and didn’t say anything to anyone because you didn’t want to get into trouble. So unless you’ve waved your fairy wand and magicked it all better, the shit is going to hit the fan soon when they take out your tutu for the dress rehearsal. I’m going to enjoy watching you try to talk your way out of that one.”
“You don’t think they’ll notice you on the security footage too?” Marinette asked.
“I think they won’t have any evidence which one of us did the damage. It’ll be my word against yours and you’ve made it so easy for me to convince everyone that you’re losing it under pressure these past few weeks.” Lila gave a smug little smirk. “You never said anything when you found out about the tutu. How do you think it’s going to look now if you turn around and start accusing me now?”
Marinette thought about Mme Marchand’s kindness in allowing Marinette glimpses of the new designs, and turning a blind eye to Marinette’s frequent illicit presence in the ateliers, and the way Lila’s sabotage would fall back on the costume designer. She thought of Adrien, the third person on the security footage, and how his father would probably react if that came out. Marinette’s fingers curled tightly around the phone in her pocket.
She said, “Is it worth it?”
Lila stared at her as if she didn’t understand the question.
Before this season, Marinette might have felt the same way. Of course it was worth it. The glittering goal of Danseuse Étoile was worth any price. She would never scheme and sabotage as Lila had done to get what she wanted, but Marinette had worked and driven herself to her limits and sacrificed so much that it made no sense to waste it all now, except… except…
The stupid thing, the really stupid thing, and Lila would never know this, was that all Lila’s machinations were far more likely to make Marinette fight for a life she wasn’t sure she wanted anymore. But, as Luka had pointed out, if Marinette stayed with the company just to spite Lila, then Lila had already won.
“If you spent even half of that time and energy on working on your dancing -”
For one short second, Lila’s sly smugness cracked. “You think you know so much,” she sneered, hard and bitter. “It’s just so easy for you, isn’t it?”
“It really isn’t,” Marinette whispered, taken aback by the look in Lila’s eyes.
Past Lila, Marinette could see Juleka coming out of the bathroom, the tote slung over her shoulder and the red wig gone. Black and purple hair fell over her hazel eyes outlined with black kohl again, and there was no trace of the fashion house lackey left. Marinette let out an imperceptible sigh of relief as Juleka joined them.
Juleka turned a look on Lila, and tilted her head.
“This her?” she asked Marinette. She subjected Lila to a considering stare.
“What –?” Lila was saying indignantly, but Juleka ignored her to mutter to Marinette, “With the right weights, the Seine goes deep enough. No one would ever know.”
“Was that meant to be scary? Did you bring your goth friend here to try and scare me?” Lila’s contempt was scathing. “That’s pathetic. Whatever you think you’re going to achieve here, you and your –“ she swept a glance over Juleka “- friend, I’m not scared. Although you should be.”
The curl of Lila’s smile became secretive and sly, a reminder of glass and gossip.
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Marinette said, and she was pleased at how calm her voice sounded. Marinette knew it was silly, but she could feel the space between her shoulder blades prickle as she turned her back to Lila and walked away.
“I still think you’re missing an opportunity here,” Juleka said beside her. “We have a boat, and I’m pretty sure Ma has a bale of chicken wire in there somewhere.”
“What does Anarka need chicken wire for?” Marinette asked, momentarily diverted. Juleka shrugged.
“Don’t know. I think she had some idea of making a giant papier-mâché thing and burning it for the next music festival.”
Marinette’s mouth hung open as she contemplated that.
“I don’t know if I’m more terrified, or inspired,” she said eventually.
Juleka muttered, “Welcome to my world.”
“Just a minute.” Marinette came to a stop, checking behind her to make sure that Lila was out of sight, and drew her phone out of her coat pocket with a hand that she was surprised to notice was still shaking. Juleka raised an eyebrow as Marinette pressed play, and Lila’s voice sounded, a little muffled but perfectly clear and perfectly recognisable. She quickly backed it up to her email, and stuffed her phone in her bag.
“You got all that?” Juleka asked admiringly.
“Most of it.” Marinette let out a breath. “I fumbled a bit when Lila caught up with me, so I missed the first part, but I got all of her telling me how she’d cut up the costume. If she tries anything else, I have the proof to stop her. Now, let’s get you out of here before I have a complete meltdown. I’m not built for a life of crime.”
“Uh-huh,” Juleka said sceptically, but she didn’t argue the point.
~~~~~
Classes and rehearsals ended early for the dress rehearsal, and everyone scattered for an early dinner before the hours of makeup and hair and warming up began. Marinette managed to snatch a few moments and a few more kisses with Luka in a quiet corner before she had to head for the dressing room she shared with the other female soloists.
And there it was, her tutu shining softly in layer upon layer of perfect, frothy blue gauze on its stand behind the long row of old desk-like dressing tables. Marinette let out a sigh of relief, and began to unpack her things.
She lined up four pairs of ballet slippers along the shelf that topped her dressing area, with the ribbons dangling over the edge, and her makeup remover, water and sewing kit on the tiny shelves beside the mirror.
The room grew noisy as more of the soloists arrived, calling out greetings to Marinette and gossiping as they claimed their dressing areas and began to get ready. Marinette sat down and started the laborious process of hair and makeup. She warmed up in the Foyer de la Danse with the music of Act One drifting back from the stage, and then it was time for the final preparations. The dresser helped her into her costume, hooking up the endless row of fastenings in the back and pinning the tiara firmly in place, settling the crystalline blue pendant over Marinette’s smooth dark hair. The dresser moved away to help the next girl.
In the long mirror at the end of the dressing room, Marinette saw herself reflected, her eyes huge in her pale face and stage makeup. She was a jewelled princess, young and proud and willing to take flight if it meant escaping her prison.
The loudspeakers crackled with the call for Act Three starters. It was time to do what she’d trained for since she was old enough to put on her first pair of ballet slippers. Time to go and show Lila, and everyone that she’d dripped doubt and poison into, exactly what Marinette Dupain-Cheng was capable of.
Marinette walked softly through the darkness backstage and smiled serenely at Lila as she passed.
“What do you know?” she said artlessly, and spread her arms, giving a little turn to show her tutu. “I just waved my fairy wand and magicked it all better.”
The girl turned almost the same shade of green as her court costume.
Marinette reached Adrien’s side.
“Are you ready?” she whispered, and he turned, giving a start as he took in her azure tiers of feathered chiffon and gauze that caught the stray gleams of light from the stage. His eyes gravitated to the smooth, unblemished satin and the shimmering beadwork of her bodice.
“You’re staring, Adrien. Eyes up here,” she teased, and he jerked his gaze up to her face, his own face turning fiery red.
“You… I can’t even tell it was damaged. How…?”
She dimpled at him. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Just ahead of them in the wings, the White Cat settled her mask more firmly and Little Red Riding Hood’s Wolf gave a quick spring to loosen up his limbs.
“Seriously, thank you, Adrien,” Marinette whispered. “I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
From the orchestra pit, she heard the fanfare that heralded the fairytale characters.
“That’s our cue.”
Adrien took a breath and stretched out his hand. “After you, Milady.”
And they stepped out into the brilliant lights of a sumptuous, glittering court.
~~~~~
The elation of a perfect performance lasted until Marinette came off stage after they ran the curtain calls. Backstage was alive with noise and congratulations, and dancers clattering back to their dressing rooms, while the stagehands reset the stage. Dark clothed figures hauled set pieces and ropes back into place and shouted down from the gantry overhead as Marinette made her way past.
An arm shot out of the velvety darkness of the wings, yanking Marinette around, and she found herself confronting Lila. She jerked her arm free and shot a frantic glance after the crowd of dancers ahead of her, but no one seemed to have seen what was going on.
“Just because you managed to fix that somehow,” the Italian girl hissed, her hostile eyes raking over Marinette’s costume, “doesn’t mean that you’ve won. I’ve only just started.”
For a moment, Marinette thought the girl was going to lunge at her right there, and she stepped back before she could find out if Lila really intended to do anything to her.
“I got you on record,” she told Lila, watching the Italian girl carefully. “This morning, when you admitted what you did to the tutu, I got it on my phone.”
Lila grew still. “You’re lying.”
“I can send you the sound file if you don’t believe me.” Marinette tilted an eyebrow, her spine stiffening now that the initial shock was wearing off. “I’ve saved it, in case you were thinking of doing anything.”
“You play that to anyone, and you’re admitting that you did something to the costume too,” Lila spat at her.
“Yes, and it’d probably get me kicked out,” Marinette admitted, “but I will gladly hand it over and take the consequences if you hurt me or anyone else ever again. Mutually assured destruction.”
Lila made an abrupt movement towards her.
“Is everything okay?” Adrien’s voice broke in, and Lila’s motion was aborted. Her hands quickly clutched at her chest, her eyes widening, as Adrien came towards them, his gaze shifting uneasily between Lila and Marinette.
“Oh, Adrien!” Lila said a little breathlessly. “I was just telling Marinette how impressed I was by your pas de deux tonight. She’s so lucky to have you as a partner.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Adrien said, his tone polite and only a certain stiffness betraying his scepticism. “Marinette makes it easy.”
Lila’s façade slipped for a fraction of a second, then she pasted her smile back on.
“Some of us are going out for a late supper before we head home. You are coming, aren’t you?” she asked, completely ignoring Marinette, and Adrien’s smile grew stiffer.
“Thanks for the invitation, Lila, but I really have to get home, otherwise I’ll be a wreck for opening night tomorrow.”
“Maybe another time,” Lila called after him as he and Marinette moved away. Adrien stayed close to Marinette, protective and silent, until they were out of earshot.
“What was that all about?” Adrien glanced back at Lila with a frown.
“Lila is a little unhappy that my tutu is intact,” Marinette told him.
“You still think that was her?” he asked, but he didn’t sound disbelieving.
“I know it was. I have her on tape admitting it.”
Adrien’s eyebrows shot sky high. “Then… you have to tell someone!”
“And confess what we did too?” Marinette asked, and Adrien’s face turned pale. “Not unless there’s no other choice.”
They’d reached the door of Marinette’s dressing room, and Adrien closed his mouth on whatever response he’d been about to make as she put her hand on the door.
“It’ll be okay,” she told him with more confidence than she actually felt after the encounter with Lila. “It’s not going to come to that. She won’t try anything while I’ve got that recording. We’ve got opening night tomorrow, and we just need to focus on that.”
Any growing hope that they might have got away with it evaporated when she stepped into the dressing room and found the costume director herself there instead of the dressers who usually oversaw the minor role costumes. Mme Marchand was helping the other soloists out of their delicate tutus and gowns, returning the outfits to their hangers for cleaning and gathering up sweat-soaked undergarments and tights with calm method, and Marinette waited with growing apprehension for her turn.
Marinette was the last. Mme Marchand unhooked her briskly and whisked the costume away with a practised twist as Marinette stepped out of it and reached for her lightweight dressing robe.
“I know about the repairs,” Mme Marchand said coolly, and Marinette felt her heart clutch in panic. She glanced at the other girls, but no one was close enough to hear, and no one seemed to be paying attention anyway. “Was that your work?”
All Marinette could do was nod dumbly.
“I knew there was something odd this morning when that girl turned up with paperwork that I’d already signed and confirmed with M. Agreste. I imagine you had something to do with that stampede, too.”
Marinette stayed silent.
“I couldn’t think what the point of it all was, until I took a closer look at your costume.” Mme Marchand flipped the bodice inside out with a careful hand, showing the almost invisible line of the repair.
“Of course, once I watched the security footage it wasn’t hard to work out who was behind it. Three days ago, there were three people who went into Costume Central who weren’t supposed to be there, and it was your costume that had been mended. I still can’t work out how on earth you and Adrien Agreste managed to take the tutu out without anything showing up,” she mentioned.
“It also wasn’t hard to guess why it needed to be repaired, once I went back a little further and saw Mlle Rossi where she wasn’t supposed to be. I know you, Marinette, and I know what she is like. Although, of course, there is no proof that she actually did anything.”
The silence in the pause grew thick, and Marinette could feel her own heartbeat pulsing furiously.
“There is no proof that any of you did anything,” Mme Marchand added with emphasis. Marinette stared at her. “The costume is where it should be, and I only knew you’d done anything to it because I know every square inch of this garment. As do you, obviously.” She shook out the gown, eyeing it critically. “This is exquisite work. I can’t believe you managed this in three days.”
“Two,” Marinette amended faintly, thinking of the night she and Luka got together, and Mme Marchand looked up in astonishment.
“Two? Two days, in between rehearsals?”
Marinette nodded, and her head felt wobbly.
“Well.” The costume director’s eyes held a new measure of interest. “If you’re ever looking for work in the wardrobe, come and find me.”
She slid the linen cover over it and hung it carefully on the rack of costumes to be cleaned before opening night, leaving Marinette staring after her and trying to grasp that the axe hadn’t fallen.
It was only when Marinette gave a convulsive shiver that she jolted out of her abstraction and realised that she was still standing around in only a thin robe. She untied her worn out pointe shoes and set them aside, her mind lost in the idea that had taken a hold of her at Mme Marchand’s words as she pulled on her street clothes.
Out in the courtyard, Luka took his earphones out and straightened when he saw her. Marinette broke into a run, and threw herself into Luka’s arms.
“Did you get into trouble about this morning?” she asked anxiously as soon as he set her down, and he gave a casual shrug.
“I got a slap on the wrist, and told to never do it again.”
“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this.”
His soft smile broadened into a full-blown grin. “I’m not. And Ma will be so proud – she was beginning to worry that I didn’t have anything on my record. I’ll have to apologise to the costume director, but she doesn’t seem that terrifying.”
“No,” Marinette said slowly. “She’s not.”
Luka pulled back a little to look at her properly. “Melody, are you okay?”
“I think… I think she offered me an opportunity tonight.”
“One you want?”
“… yes,” Marinette breathed. “I think so.”
This was starting to feel like the thing that had been missing, in all her unsettling discontent over the past months. She hadn’t felt this sense of rightness about the path she was on in a very long time, and now that the panic was fading, she could feel a growing excitement. Plans began to unfold, and grew in her mind with astonishing speed. “Oh, yes, I want this.”
She pulled Luka down to kiss him in a burst of fervent energy that left him reeling and looking dazed, and then, her forehead leaning against his, she couldn’t help giggling.
“I hate to say it, but I think I owe Lila for this.”
~~~~~
The last night of a production always had a different energy to the first night gala. The company was buzzing with that peculiar rush of exhilaration, melancholy and exhaustion that set in after the last curtain call and after the auditorium had emptied of the rustling dull roar of the audience. Marinette’s parents had seen her performances earlier in the season, and so had Anarka and Juleka, so she didn’t rush through removing her makeup at the line of mirrors in the dressing room she shared with the other female soloists.
“You’re taking forever!” Alya complained from the doorway. “We’re going to leave without you if you’re not quick.”
“You can go on ahead without me,” Marinette suggested. “I’ll get my own way there.”
The company party would last for a few hours, and then whoever was still standing would drift off to spend whatever was left of the night at various clubs and bars and smaller private parties. Marinette was honestly just looking forward to going home and sleeping.
“I don’t think so, girl. If I don’t drag you there myself, you’ll find an excuse to not even go. I feel like I’ve hardly seen you since performances started,” Alya added, sounding a little hurt, and Marinette looked past her to where Lila was hovering, sharp-eyed and calculating, in the corridor. There was the reason she’d been avoiding Alya, because everywhere Alya went, Lila was glued to her side. And Marinette was fairly certain that everything she told Alya would get back to the Italian girl.
The one time she’d tentatively hinted at what Lila had done it hadn’t gone well, and Marinette had backed off because, really, she couldn’t produce the proof without opening a whole can of worms. Lila had kept up the campaign of insidious whispers against her, Marinette was fairly certain, but at least she’d stopped the physical attacks, and they’d reached a sort of stand-off.
The dressers had already taken away the costumes, and Marinette stood up in a rustle of skirts.
“Wow.” Alya’s eyes widened as she took in Marinette’s gown. Her eyebrow shot up suggestively. “So who are you all dressed up for tonight? The ballet partner you’re not crushing on anymore, or the musician you’re just friends with?”
“Oh, that dress is just too cute for words,” Lila chimed in, but it sounded like she was spitting glass. “Adrien is going to love it.”
Marinette’s own eyebrow rose at that, but she didn’t respond. There was no way in hell she was going to give Lila more fuel. She picked up her beaded evening bag and came out to join them. She would collect the rest of her things from the dressing room later.
The Foyer de la Danse was filling up with company members as they emerged from the dressing rooms in their celebratory street clothes. The light from the rows of huge chandeliers shone on the polished parquet floor and glittered on the gilded pillars, but Marinette didn’t spare a glance for the splendour around her, or for the painted glory of the vaulted ceilings.
She smiled at Adrien as her blond partner made his way through the crowd towards them.
“Congratulations to my partner in crime and ballet,” she said with a smile, and he leaned in for a hug.
“You were incredible,” Adrien told her, and his palms slid down from her shoulders to take her hands in his. “It’s been wonderful dancing with you, and I think we made a great team. I hope we get a chance to partner again.”
Marinette squeezed his hands gently, and stepped away.
“You were a fantastic partner, Adrien. It’s been an honour to dance with you, but I’m leaving the company.”
“Leaving! But… why? Everyone thought you were amazing on stage, and I know the director loved you. Every ballet dancer dreams of the opportunities you’re going to have in front of you after tonight.”
“This isn’t what I want anymore,” she told him. “The Costume Design Director here has arranged to take me on in the residency program here while I go back to study for a degree in Theatrical Design and Costuming, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve learned a lot dancing in the corps, and I’ve made a lot of contacts, but this is what I want to do with it.”
Adrien was staring at her in complete incomprehension, and she sighed. Very few of her friends in the company would ever understand wanting a life that didn’t happen under the stage lights.
“But… leaving?” he repeated blankly.
“You’re leaving?” Lila’s voice rose dramatically behind her, drawing far more attention than Marinette had wanted, and she heard Alya’s squawk of astonishment from somewhere close by. Marinette turned reluctantly just as the Italian girl threw her arms around her. “Oh no! Marinette, but we’ll miss you so much! The corps just won’t be the same without you.”
Marinette tried to recoil from the embrace, but Lila had a firm grip. The girl clutched her closer.
“I knew you wouldn’t last,” Lila whispered poisonously in her ear. “It’s wise of you to run while you can, before I completely destroy you.”
“Yes, yes, you won,” Marinette said absently. Over Lila’s shoulder, she could see a tall young man in a formal black tailcoat, with a mess of blue and black hair and a violin case, his eyes scanning the chamber. She felt herself light up with a smile as he found her, and she broke Lila’s hold, stepping away from her. “Good luck with that, Lila.”
She patted Lila’s arm as she drifted past the Italian girl, ignoring Lila’s smothered hiss of outrage.
“Wow,” Luka breathed as she drew closer. “When on earth did you find the time to make that?” He gestured at the soft, azure-blue skirts that flared out from the smoothly fitted bodice, and the crystal beads that twinkled like feathers falling through a twilight sky. “Is that based on your Florine gown?”
Marinette beamed at him. “You recognised it!”
She spun around slowly, showing off the dress, and tilted a smile at him over her shoulder.
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s beautiful, and that you are beyond incredible, melody,” he said in that husky voice that always did things to her.
She reached up and straightened his white bow tie, letting her hands linger on the lapels of his black tailcoat. The severe cut really did do very fine things to his lean, muscled frame.
“I like your usual look, Couffaine,” she told him, “but I have to admit, you do scrub up nicely.”
“Girl, you’re with Luka?” Alya appeared at her side, almost vibrating with intense curiosity. “And you didn’t tell me?! When did this happen?”
Marinette bit back the response While you were cosying up to the girl who glassed my shoes and wrecked my costume before the words could slip out.
“It just happened,” she said vaguely.
“And you’re leaving the company? You are going to tell me everything,” Alya insisted, and hooked her hand through Marinette’s arm. “All the details!”
Marinette gently disengaged Alya’s hand.
“We just need to drop some things off at my place, and then we’ll catch up with you all at the party,” Marinette said, and Luka bent to press a kiss just behind her ear. “Half an hour.”
“Maybe two,” Luka murmured into her hair, and his voice sent a delicious shiver down her spine. Alya rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. You’re not going to make it to the party are you?” she said.
Marinette could feel the blush rise in her cheeks, and the soft rumble of Luka’s laugh. “I will call you tomorrow,” she promised Alya.
Marinette circulated through the crowd, saying her goodbyes, and Madame stopped her to offer austere praise on a role well executed. There were kisses and congratulations, and Marinette moved from person to person until she arrived back at Luka. She took his hand, and took one more look around the Foyer de la Danse in all its gilded splendour, then the world narrowed down to the warm, callused fingers that closed around hers, and the warmer smile of the man that she loved.
“Are you ready to go?” Luka asked her gently.
Those blue eyes of his were fixed on her, and she heard the faint catch of his breath as her own smile widened, full of promise.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’m ready.”
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midnights-light · 4 years
Text
Ladybug and the hound
Chapter 1
Imma be honest I wasn’t expecting 1 person to read my story let alone 48 but life is full of surprises and while that may not seem like a lot of people I was expecting no one to read this so for me it means a lot. Now a few notes.
So I forgot to mention a few things in the last chapter such as Captain’s breed. He is a Malinois Dog breed, second I may use some things from @kelelamentia Dogs are a ladybugs best friend ‘cause I love the idea of the way Ladybug and Captain do the pound it.Now on to the second chapter. Also I did not forget August you’ll just have to read to know what happens with him. I also am terrible at describing things and how people look so imagine them as you please.
Learning about Marinette
Marinette’s POV
After the battle me and captain were just trying to get home so I could help maman and papa in the bakery but instead I run into the people I handed August to while I yelled at Chat. He’s been getting worse and worse each akuma that appears demanding that I go on a date with him and accept that I love him even though I told him that I don’t like him over and over again. I lost my feelings for Adrien when he left me to deal with the class bullying me to make me pay for ‘bullying’ Lila. One good thing that came from the Lila situation is that I learned who my real friends are. Max, Kim, Alix, Chloe, Kagami, Nino, and Luka all stick with me.
Max had his suspicions about Lila’s lies since the beginning but the napkin incident is what made him completely sure that she was lying because one it was a napkin so it couldn’t possibly gouge his eye out, and two is that even if it ‘could’ gouge his eye out HE HAS GLASSES which would protect his eyes. Kim and Nino have been my friends since forever so they know that I hate liars so when I called her a liar they knew that there must be a reason so one day after school they came to my house to ask me why I think she’s a liar. So I pointed out that all of the lies that could be proven wrong with just a simple google search. Alix has known me since we could walk so she knows that while I could hold my own in a fight, I wouldn’t do anything that would harm someone else on purpose (and if I did then I would do everything I could to make sure that they are ok afterwards) no matter how much they deserve it. Kagami and Luka know that I will give up my happiness if it means someone else will be happy like when I gave up on Adrien to let Kagami get with him, but sadly they broke up a month later after Kagami learned that he told me to take the high road in the Lila situation. And Chloe. Chloe is the daughter of the Style Queen and the Mayor of Paris so she has a knack for finding out liars, and after a month or two of me being bullied by the class sans, my friends, she came up to me and apologized for bullying me all those years. I forgave her because I know she can be good she just doesn’t have much experience in people being nice to her but my friends were still a little protective of me for a few weeks till they knew that she could be trusted.
They found out my identity by accident but I am so glad that they found out, especially when Chat or should I say Adrien acts like the world owes him something in exchange for ‘protecting’ Paris. I hadn’t meant to find out his identity yet cause I want to find the true black cat before I take his miraculous away from him. I am a true ladybug, but Adrien isn’t a true black cat but Master Fu needed to get both of them out into battle fast so he couldn’t look for a true black cat so Adrien would have to do, but ever since Lie-la showed up he acts as Chloe had before Lie-la. We have been talking about replacing him but I want to find the true black cat and test them to see if they are worthy and I am going to ask if they want the responsibility cause no one should be thrown headfirst into this kind of stuff like I was.
Where was I? Oh Right! I hadn’t meant to find out his identity but Plagg was getting sick and fed up with his behavior so he came to me one night and asked how long till we find the true black cat. I told him soon and that if we didn’t find them before my birthday (which was on Friday) that I would take the ring from him and asked Plagg to give me a clue as to who he is. The clue was his birthday and I thought of when the birthdays of every male blonde I know that is around my age was and landed on Adrien so I asked if i was right and he nodded then had to leave before he woke up. Back to the people I ran into I see that Damian I think is around my age and he also has a dog, doesn’t hurt that he is pretty handsome too.... WAIT WHAT!? ‘NO NO NO! BAD MARINETTE! YOU JUST MET HIM!
After he’s introduced Damian grabs my hand and place a kiss on the back, said “Nice too meet you Angel.” and I start blushing and internally freaking out like ‘OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! HE KISSED MY HAND! AND HE CALLED ME ANGEL!’ Then I hear Captain growling at Damian. He looks at me slightly waiting to see if he can shred him apart or not. I quickly say “Sorry Damian, Captain’s a little protective of me and doesn’t like strangers being around me.” I say a little worried that he would be offended but to my surprise he says, “I understand.” then he holds out his hand for Captain to sniff which he does and after he does he still is growling but he doesn’t look ready to rip him to shreds at least. Then we hear snickering behind us and Damian glares at the source of the noise which turned out to be his family... OH RIGHT! I am being so rude right now only focusing on Damian and not paying attention to his family. Then Captain and his dog start playing with each other making us laugh.  Then I notice that August starts trying to say my name, “Mariette, Mariette!” Oh that’s the guy I gave August to... AUGUST!!! I completely forgot to tell them what to do with him till his mom is able to get him. “Oh! Hello to you to August.” I say causing him to laugh and try to hug me which causes Dick to hand him to me, “It’s nice to see you again to. How about we call your mom and get you a snack?” He laughs and I say, “I’ll take that as a yes!” I laugh. I then turn to them and say ,“So shall we start walking to the bakery?” A chorus of Yes is the response so I start talking with Damian while Captain and Titus, I learned was his name, continue to play as we walk. Me and Damian talked while we walked and by the time I noticed our surroundings we were across the street from the bakery and as I was about to say we were there someone called my name and I froze.
Damian’s POV
I was having fun (Yes FUN) with the Angel next to me and as she was about to say something when an amber haired girl with glasses and a girl with sausage like hair called her and they looked angry. Maybe they were her friends though judging by the way she froze probably not... Wait why did she freeze? Just as I was about to ask what’s wrong she suddenly says, “Ok well the bakery is across the street just tell them Marinette sent you and could you take Captain and August in with you? Thanks!” She quickly handed the leash to me and August to Dick and ran off to where the other girls were and pulled them around the corner and Captain was desperately trying to follow her and was pulling hard on the leash.
“So we’re going to see what that was about right?” Grayson asks, “I mean she seemed in a hurry to get to them before they got to her and get them out of sight, so something is off right?” “Well I think only one of us should go instead of all of us. It could be personal though so how about we head into the bakery and wait?” Father asks. “Actually Master Bruce I believe Master Damian should go see what is going on, since they get along quite nicely.” Alfred says with a hint of worry in his voice, and while normally I would try to object I really want to get some time alone with the Angel to talk and ,if the chance shows itself, make her blush some more. So I agree and start walking with Titus and Captain who has gotten more desperate to get to her the closer we got. As I was about to round the corner a voice made me stop in my tracks, “-is for hurting Lila Marislut. You destroyed her homework so she gets to destroy your designs.” I then hear shredding noises and hear her crying and begging them to stop. I try to get myself to move and help but her heart wrenching sobs kept me frozen in place.
As soon as the tearing stops I then hear a loud crack and that gets me to move faster than I thought possible. I round the corner ready to commit a murder or help the Angel, preferably both, and as soon as I do I see a scene that breaks my heart. Marinette is sitting on the ground with a large hand print on her cheek and she is surrounded by torn pages and she is trying and failing to not cry. I then notice that Captain and Titus got loose from my grasp and are chasing the girls away and after a block they come back and try to help cheer Marinette up. Just then she notices me and she starts freaking out, “D-Damian wh-what a-are- you doing the-there?” I get down on my knees and start helping her pick up  the torn papers and say, “We noticed that you looked scared to go to those girls and wanted to make sure that you were ok. Good thing I brought Titus and Captain with me.” That makes her laugh though her voice is a little hoarse. “Are you ready to get inside?” She asks though I don’t know why she’s worried about me she just got slapped and had her designs torn up. “Only if you are but if you need a few minutes I can wait with you.” I reply.
“I’ll be fine,” she says, “I’ve been through worse I-” As soon as she says that I feel my blood run cold and boil at the same time. How bad has she been hurt before and who hurt her? Then I notice that she’s still talking “Sorry you don’t want to hear about my problems.Shall we go in?” I then did something that I had never done before but I have seen Grayson do it to Drake after he had a long difficult day at WE, I hugged her tightly and Titus and Captain lick her face. “Sorry I’m not to sure what to do to help cheer someone up but I have seen my brother do this to help. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.” I say then I feel her tightly hug me back but I find that I don’t mind it. “No it’s ok I actually needed a hug. Thanks.” We stay like that for a few minutes until she pulls away and I get a better look at her face and I have never wanted to commit a murder this badly. The place she got slapped is starting to swell and her eyes look like they lost the spark they had when we were talking. “Thank You. Really.” “I’m not the best at comforting someone so-” “No I mean Thank you for coming to check on me. Not many people would do that so thanks.” And in this moment I knew that I would do anything for her and protect her as much as possible. We get up and she takes Captains leash and the papers from me and starts to head to the bakery. As soon as we enter I hear my family happily talking with Marinette’s parents about busy and slow days.It seems that August’s mother has already picked him up so I guess this happens quite a bit but that makes me concerned about how often this happens. How often is Angel in danger of akumas (Whatever those are) harming her? I clear my throat and Grayson is the first to notice us, “Oh hey guys ho-” he then notices Marinettes red puffy eyes and the hand print on her face and his big brother instincts kick in, “What happened!? Are you Ok? Who did this?” Then he’s moved out of the way by Marinette’s Dad, “Marinette are you ok do we need to call Chloe, Luka, and Kagami?”
Marinette doesn’t say anything but nods. He then calls out to her mother, “Sabine can you call Chloe, Luka, and Kagami and see if they can come over?” “Already on it honey.” and not even a minute later the door bursts open and a Blonde girl, a Asian blue haired girl, and a chill looking guy with teal hair tackle Marinette in a hug with the blonde asking if she could sue them, the teal guy asking if she needs him to play her song for her, which breaks my heart a little cause he must be her boyfriend, and the blue haired girl asking, “Can I run them through my blade now Mari-hime?” “No Kagami also I have a few guests with me.” They then seem to notice us and they suddenly look ready to pounce at any second with the blonde doing quick introductions, “Hi I’m Chloe, that’s Kagami,” The girl with blue hair bows a little, “and that’s Luka,” The boy gives a nod with his head, “now I want you to answer truthfully, what do you want with Maribug?” “What?” Asked Todd and Drake at the same time. She let’s out an annoyed huff, “I said, What are you intentions with Marinette. You know are you using her, do you want to be friends with her, or what? And answer truthfully we will know if you lie to us and it won’t end well for you. It doesn’t matter who you are we won’t let you hurt Maribug.” She says with a snarl. I don’t know when or how but somehow Marinette’s parents got behind them and are giving us dangerous looks and Captain is back to growling at us. And Angel’s friends look ready to commit murder if anyone harms her.
The looks they give us makes everyone even father and Alfred take a step back. I had multiple questions running through my head at once. What happened to this beautiful Angel to make her friends so protective of her? Wait beautiful? Where did that come from? And why did my heart skip a beat when she looked at me? And why... I’m in love aren’t I? Well guess the city lives up to it’s nickname. 
Find out how this goes in the next chapter. Also we find out how Marinette and Captain met and how he became Hunter.
So I feel like I need to say a few things just so that they are known
1.I have quite a bit of free time but I can’t always get the motivation to write even though I want to get the next chapter out sooner rather than later
2. I have several parts of the story planned out in my head I’m just not sure what leads up to that point what happens to cause the thing to happen, or what happens after ting happens so I’m just running different scenarios through my head and I can’t make decisions easily so I have all these scenarios happening and I’m not sure which one I want and so most of the time I just come up with one when I start writing so sometimes it’ll make sense and other times probably not.
now I don’t know how many chapters I’ll write so the most I’m going to try for now is fifteen chapters and if I have more ideas then there’ll be more. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. See ya guys next time, Bye!
One last thing I don’t have a set time to chapter updates I just plan to write and get them out to you guys as soon as I can.
tags
#iglowinggemma28  #i-am-ironic
178 notes · View notes
bibliocratic · 4 years
Text
post-160, spoilers ahoy, Martin/Jon - Martin tries to rescue Jon from Elias
(This is an obligatory fix-it sequel to one of my earlier angst fics but you don’t need to read that first)
[CLICK]
JONAH MAGNUS [mid-conversation] …. rather find they show up by themselves. A curious if harmless side effect, I wouldn't pay them much mind. Unless you'd rather this little interruption was kept from him...?
MARTIN [shortly] I don't really care.
JONAH MAGNUS How boorish. Peter didn't do much in the way of teaching you any manners.
MARTIN He didn't teach anything worth listening to.
JONAH MAGNUS Oh, you were already an adept student of the Lonely before Peter decided to make you part of our wager. [as though noticing something] Forgive me. Would you like to sit down? Plenty of room at the table as you can see.  I was just finished eating.
MARTIN No.
JONAH MAGNUS Pity. I do relish the opportunity of a good conversationalist. My present company... as you can see, he's not exactly been up for chatting recently.
MARTIN [ignoring him, the steady tread of footsteps closer]
JONAH MAGNUS If you aren't going to be a hospitable guest, I think that's close enough. I'm sure you understand.
MARTIN [stops walking]  You're not surprised I take it?
JONAH MAGNUS To see you here? Not especially. I knew you'd end up here eventually. All brash, full of foolish righteous anger masquerading as justice, bolstered up on thoughts of my murder.
MARTIN Read my mind, did you?
JONAH MAGNUS Oh, I didn't think I needed to for that one. You can be very possessive about what you consider yours.
MARTIN Jon's not mine. He's not yours, he's not anybody's.
JONAH MAGNUS Jon hasn't been his own man for such a long time.
MARTIN You're wrong.
[a lull in the conversation, an impasse both are too proud to cross]
JONAH MAGNUS [deliberately, aiming to hurt] …. You can look at him, you know. See him alive, whole. But you won't, will you, or can't. Too many eyes in his head and none of them the ones you hoped you'd see.
[proud] I've moulded him. Shaped his becoming. And I watch my ruined world thanks to the words I pull from his dutiful throat.
MARTIN You stole him.
JONAH MAGNUS It was a fair trade. I took nothing that wasn't offered. And he pleaded ever so movingly for your life.
MARTIN [biting] And you're such the bleeding heart.
JONAH MAGNUS It was a business transaction. A life for a life.
MARTIN This?! T-this is no life!
JONAH MAGNUS Not as you would understand it. Oh, but, look.  Look at him, Martin. Isn't he magnificent?
[a roiling rumbling background sound of static]
MARTIN [whispered, almost fearful] Yes.
JONAH MAGNUS My Archives.
MARTIN [rallying, shaken] I – Jon – Is.... is he gone?
JONAH MAGNUS By which you mean, have I killed him?
MARTIN You know what I'm asking.
JONAH MAGNUS And yet I rather think you've not quite considered how much of a question it is.
MARTIN [sarcastic] Why don't you enlighten me if you're in sharing mood?
JONAH MAGNUS The Archivist has been dead before, has he not? You held his hand and said your little prayers over him as machines kept his body breathing, but I'm sure we can both agree that's not really a life. Jon was offered a choice, and he chose to embrace what he was becoming over death.
But the Jon who woke up is not the one who signed the contract to become my head archivist. Nor was that Jon the one who dragged himself and Ms Tonner out of the Buried. Nor, indeed, did any of those bear resemblance to the Jon who tore Peter Lukas apart to retrieve you from the Lonely. So many Jons, and maybe none of them still alive, none of them the man you want to find. Does that bother you?
MARTIN I don't.... I'm not here to discuss the bloody specifics of being a person. I want to know if he's still in there. His... I don't know, his choice, his emotions, his feelings.
JONAH MAGNUS Are you hoping to appeal to his better nature? How quaint. But to set your mind at ease, let me clarify that the role of Archivist would be poorly served by an unfeeling watcher. Jon's always had to, how did he put it, 'sit in his feelings'.
No, Martin, he feels everything. My Archive is a repository of knowledge. A catalogue of horrors I can collect and sample and observe and store, and they are kept perfectly preserved for me.
[a lip-curling smile obvious in his voice] Shall I have him tell you a story?
[the sound rises to audible, as though it's been playing the entire time but the volume has been turned down to a murmur.  An inflectionless rote recitation, tinged with someone else's voice overlapping like twisted signals interjecting over a radio broadcast]
THE ARCHIVES … and I was sure I'd told her to leave, and I turned around, ready to shout at her, to say anything if it got her to run, but the doorway grew toothed and grinning before my eyes and there was something broken-backed and crooked in that space where nothing should have been...
MARTIN [interrupting] Don't make him do that.
[there's the harsh horrifying sound of a jaw clacking shut, and it mimics the snap of a pause button]
JONAH MAGNUS You always liked listening to his voice. When it was the two of you in the Archives, all those late nights, you could hear him through his office door, and it would make you feel like you weren't so alone. We'll listen in on another one, shall we?
[a faint choking jerk, like a leash being pulled too tight, another snap of a play button, the dialogue restarting]
THE ARCHIVES [reciting flatly] … I had the oddest thought then and even as I backed away towards the stairs, I started to get my phone out. The daft thing was...
MARTIN [recognising, voice gone sharp] Stop it.
THE ARCHIVES … I wasn't even going to call anyone for help, I just wanted to take a picture of the thing. To prove to you that it happened – you're always so quick to dismiss these statements and I wanted proof for you....
MARTIN You've made your point.
JONAH MAGNUS Hm, I think so. And, remind me, what was my point?
[silence except for Jon's now-muttered static. Careful listening and it's not static at all, but an unceasing recital of horror, statement after statement pouring from his mouth]
JONAH MAGNUS You come into my home clutching that knife with such intentions of bravado. I imagine you wanted to swoop in, rescue him. But I possess him in all the ways that matter. And you know, surely, that you aren't going to be enough to save him.
[Martin's breathing is harder]
I wasn't lying before. I have truly enjoyed your visit, you can be quite distracting company. That's been the whole point of this, hasn't it?
MARTIN Wh – ?
JONAH MAGNUS [interrupting] Who is in the house, Jon?
THE ARCHIVES Martin Blackwood is in the dining room.
JONAH MAGNUS [indulgently, playing for effect] Who else is in the house, Jon?
THE ARCHIVES [a whirring, like the tape's stuck, the first sounds garbled, before a return to normal] Basira Hussain and Melanie King are approaching the east wing. Alice Tonner is patrolling the grounds of the estate.
JONAH MAGNUS You see? All the fear in this world and he can see all of it, every trembling terrified beat of a heart. You think they could approach unseen, hide when he can sense every firing neuron of their fear, the pulse and jump of their nerves? No one is fearless, not in my brave new world, and so he sees them all.
I underestimated you once, Martin. I don't make a habit of repeating my mistakes.
MARTIN I disagree.
JONAH MAGNUS [dismissive] Oh do tell why.
MARTIN Why do you think I came here? Huh? Flimsy knife in hand, having to listen to your gloating.
JONAH MAGNUS Likely a poor attempt at trying to draw my attention.
MARTIN And why do you think Basira, Melanie and Daisy came here?
JONAH MAGNUS To kill me, I should imagine.
MARTIN No.
JONAH MAGNUS No?
MARTIN All those eyes of yours, and they're always too busy focusing on what they shouldn't.
JONAH MAGNUS Tell. Me.
MARTIN No.
JONAH MAGNUS I had thought to spare you further indignities...
MARTIN [almost scoffing] Yeah, this sounds familiar.
JONAH MAGNUS Mart –
MARTIN How about no. H-how about not this time, how about you shut up for a moment?
[huffing sound, almost a disbelieving laugh] It's just so – so easy to distract you.
JONAH MAGNUS Not much of a distraction if I know you're coming.
MARTIN Who said I was the only distraction?
JONAH MAGNUS I –
[a small patter of careful footsteps across marble flooring, and then a grunt, a wet slicing noise that sickeningly sounds like metal through meat]
[Magnus howls in agony. His voice echoing like a wind tunnel, a guttural gusty howling of static, the scrape of a chair shoved back, cutlery and tableware disturbed and smashing]
[another grunt of exertion and someone hitting the table, silverware clattering, before a heavier slump of a body hitting the floor]
MARTIN You have to...!
GEORGIE I know! Just –
[sounds of a tussle for a few seconds, then a deep stabbing puncture, the noise like a punch. Magnus stops screaming]
GEORGIE Now. Now it's done.
MARTIN That is... eurgh, that's so nasty.
GEORGIE Let me have this triumphant moment, huh?
MARTIN Yeah. Sorry. When you said what you were planning, I thought.... it was a bit more  like popping a tomato than expected.
[pause, adrenaline fast breathing, the Archives' static]
He's... he's gone. Elias is really gone.
GEORGIE Finally.
Now, where's...? Holy f – Christ, Jon. Jon? Martin, is – that's not....?
MARTIN What Elias left of him.
GEORGIE What's –  What's he doing?
MARTIN [darkly] What he was made for. There's so many more statements to archive now. He's being kept busy.
GEORGIE [hand over mouth] God, that's... Christ. [despairingly angry] I thought –  I thought that would do it. That was the whole point of this, to get him back.
MARTIN The point was to kill Elias. He's.... Jon's not tied to Elias, he's tied to the Eye.
[creak of a door hinge, footsteps]
BASIRA [getting closer, echoing slightly in the space] He fell for it then?
GEORGIE [pulling herself back to the moment at hand] Yeah. Too busy monologuing at Martin.
BASIRA [creeping closer, sucking air through her teeth] Aim was perfect.
MELANIE She got him? Right across his eyes?
[Georgie makes a 'squish' noise as an affirmative]
Good. Fucker got what was coming.
BASIRA There's still the matter of Jon to deal with.
... Martin, you sure about this?
MARTIN [deep breath] As sure as I can be.
GEORGIE Can he... can Jon hear us?
BASIRA The rest of us, more than likely.
MARTIN [an agreeing 'hm'] He knew you were coming.
BASIRA I'd accounted for that. But being to all intents and purposes 'fearless'? Your invisibility cloak worked on Magnus. As to Jon, no idea.
MELANIE Look, we should hurry. Go, bring him back, Martin.
BASIRA And if you can't...
MARTIN [sharper] That's my call to make, not yours. We agreed.
BASIRA [a heavy pause] Just don't stay in there too long.
MARTIN Right. I'd... I'd stand back.
[there is a creaking static, like muted sound, a whip of rising wind. Martin makes a grunt of effort. Fading in to mix with the static is the rhythmic slosh of tide, the empty drone of wind over empty landscape.]
[a release of held breath]
MARTIN [almost wistful] Back again.
[footsteps digging into sand]
Jon? J-jon, we've... you're ok, Elias, he's....  I know this won't, it won't disconnect you from the Eye or anything, but you told me, you told me it was muted here.
Give you some space, s-so you can come back. I know – I know you're in there
[a crunching chewing sound like a tape spool caught]
[a manic and aggressive fast-forward]
MARTIN Come on, that's it. T-Try and talk to me.
THE ARCHIVES … she had shattered the glass of the horrid thing, its spindling legs made into a constellation of shards on the kitchen floor, but I couldn't move, I couldn't believe that it was over, not until there was a knock at the door. The police, finally. And even then she had to coax me to move, saying that it was finished, it was dead.... [cut off]
MARTIN He – he's gone, Jon. Really gone, he can't... you don't have to fight him any more. [a hopeful gasping exhale] Yeah, that's... that's it... yeah I know it's hard. [ harsh buzz of tape] Look at me, come on, yeah, good, you're doing it. You're out, you're... you're free.
THE ARCHIVES [a crunching whirr, then intoning, tainted with the over-lay of Magnus' intonation, smug and congratulatory] You do not administer and preserve the records of fear, Jon, you are a record of fear... [a sickening buzzing,  the sound of a tape recorder being forwarded] ... could be turned into a conduit for the coming of this – nightmare kingdom. Don't you see where I'm going...?
MARTIN I – Jon, I don't understand.
[garbling rewind]
THE ARCHIVES ...A conduit for the coming of this nightmare kingdom.
MARTIN [softer, sounding closer] He did that to you. He forced you to say those words. That wasn't... that wasn't you, that's not your fault.
Look, we – that's why we need you back. We can, Jon, we can stop this – we've... well, Basira's got a plan, and it's a small chance, but we could, with you and Georgie, we could change something. But we need you.
[empty static]
MARTIN [quieter] And I need you. I need you to come back.
THE ARCHIVES [wrenching, cracking, choked] Mar –
[buzz, like a fucked up tape that goes on for several seconds] …  I tried to explain, but all I could manage to say to get through the shaking sobs was 'I love you'.
MARTIN [throat tight] Jon, fight this, you can, come on...
THE ARCHIVES [a different recording tugged from his throat, a replication of Martin's own voice, shatter-hearted and Lonely, the faint echo of a hospital monitor] … but we need you, Jon. Please – just. Please.
MARTIN That's –  Don't, Jon. Don't use my voice like that.
I'm here. We weren't just going to leave you to him. So how can I... How can I stop this, how can I help you?
THE ARCHIVES [rewind] Please.
MARTIN I don't understand– I'm trying but... no, no, no, come on Jon, eyes on me, yeah, look back up, not....
[ripped and ripe with comprehension] Oh.
THE ARCHIVES Please [rewind]. Please [rewind]. Please.
MARTIN I can't. Jon, I –
THE ARCHIVES [more insistent] Please [rewind]. Please.
MARTIN [forcefully] I won't be your murderer, Jon!
I won't. I'm sorry, but – [makes a deprecating noise] It's not even sharp. It was for show, all part of the act.
[moves in closer, tread of feet in sand] Listen to me, Jon. I know. Sweetheart, I know. I know you're tired. I know everything, everything's wrong, it's been all wrong for so long, and there's only so much hope we can all bear.
 [quieter, almost ashamed] And we could stay here. It would be so so easy. Sit down together on the shoreline, let the fog take us.
I've been thinking, you know. [huff] Yeah, dangerous habit. I've had a lot of... I've had a lot of time to think, about Magnus and his 'grand plan' or whatever. He chose you, and let every horrible thing out there have their own pound of flesh from you. And the statements, they feed on you too, don't they? You live this sick repetition of other people's horrors, and that feeds the Eye, but it's too much for you to bear. And Elias, or bloody, Jonah or whoever, even he wasn't sure you'd survive, even before all this mess happened. He wanted you hurt, and scared but he couldn't be sure it wouldn't kill you outright.
[static, unbroken]
I read the statements too. Elias was very keen on giving me [dark laugh] well, professional development while you were away. And if that wasn't... wasn't enough –
[pause]
Jane Prentiss trapped and terrorised me in my home, and after that, Christ, all that time ago,  it all just kept happening.  The whatever-it-was that called itself Michael, I was in those corridors with Tim for weeks, and I've been, huh – if being pinballed between working for some – some evil eyeball and Peter Lukas doesn't count, I don't know what does.
[a low breath, gearing up. The static continues, an intent and intense sedateness]
I've got all of them now,  isn't that right, Jon? Whether it's the statements, or workplace collateral, or even just living in this horrifying hellscape of a world. That's all of them, leaving their mark. And Elias, I think you knew, [wry chuff] or Knew probably, that he would have made me Archivist. If you didn't make it. 's why he agreed to let me stay behind, while you all went to stop the Circus.
S-so my point is. I – I know. I know you're tired, I know you want this to stop. But we could end this, together. It's too much for you to take alone, s-so why don't you share it?
[gentler] You don't – You've never had to do this on your own. An Archivist always had Assistants, remember.
THE ARCHIVES [a break in the static, like signal breaking in and out, a furious dip and rise of disparate statements] – And I told her no –  […] He knew he could never ask that of – […] Please, please – [….] Martin – […]  – through the shaking sobs was 'I love you' – […...]
MARTIN You're not alone. Not now, not before. If we're to have any chance at all, you have to let me help.
[a staticky buzzing, low breathing, the distant call of gulls]
Look at me, Jon. Yeah, all those eyes of yours.
What do you See?
[the static rises like a wind swell]
[Martin gives an airless grunt]
MARTIN  That's it.... [gasp] Come on, Jon, let me in.
[Martin lets out a gasp that chokes into a clenched cry. He gags and swallows the sound, and it is dry and painful and crunching. The static over-washes the sound of the shore, and Martin starts making bitten-off hurt sounds, that soon devolve into screaming. This goes on for a long time.]
[He stops. The static stops]
[The loud sound of something heavy hitting the floor, Jon's breathing suddenly audible, mixed with Martin's panting. The scrape of sand, someone moving]
JONATHAN SIMS, THE ARCHIVIST [slurring and mumbled, his tongue numb and awkward] Martin... Martin... are you...?
MARTIN BLACKWOOD, THE ARCHIVIST [sucking in a harsh breath] Jon. [muffled, like he's embracing someone, or being embraced] Christ, thank god, Jon, you're ok, you're here, you're back.
[even more muffled] God, I thought I was too late.
ARCHIVIST Are you – Martin, tell me please, are you...?
ARCHIVIST I'm fine, I'm just... [wincing groan] It's just a lot.
ARCHIVIST R-right. Breathe through it. Look... look at me, that's it. The rest of it, a-all the noise, it's background. That's all. It doesn't have to drown you.
[For several long moments, they breathe in tandem as Martin calms]
ARCHIVIST I could hear you. B-back with Jonah. It was all so loud but I could hear you.
Thank you. F-for coming to get me.
ARCHIVIST Well, Basira gave me two options so it was that or murder [clearly responding to some visual expression] I'm – I'm kidding. Of course I wasn't going to just leave you.
[a surprised noise] Jon. Your eye.
ARCHIVIST What...?
ARCHIVIST The left one, it's not... It's different, it's not like – it's blue, it's blue, did something go wrong, is it...
ARCHIVIST [ever so softly, clearly a page ahead] Yours has changed too. Brown suits you.
ARCHIVIST I – Oh. Right.
So we've both.... Yours and mine....
ARCHIVIST I think so.
ARCHIVIST That's.... that's crazy.
ARCHIVIST Hmm.
[…]
[thoughtful] I forgot how quiet it was, here.
You really think we can stop this?
ARCHIVIST Basira seems to have a plan. You and Georgie, your abilities. And well, me to some extent now, I guess.  It could change everything back to the way it was, now Elias has gone.
ARCHIVIST What do you think?
ARCHIVIST I think we can stop this.
ARCHIVIST Then I believe you.
Martin, what you did –
ARCHIVIST Let's – We'll talk about it later. I promise. Once we're out of here. I'm... Today's been a lot.
ARCHIVIST OK. That's – OK. You should rest, when we get out of here. It's – it'll take a lot out of you, in the beginning.
ARCHIVIST I'm sure Elias wouldn't mind lending us his rooms. Not like he can complain.
ARCHIVIST We're in Jonah's house?
ARCHIVIST Well. More mansion. It's so ostentatiously gaudy, you'd hate it. Bet he has four poster beds and framed paintings of himself all over the place.
ARCHIVIST How charming.
ARCHIVIST Hmm. Melanie's probably started on slashing up the fixtures.
[quieter] Come on, then. Let's get out of here. I know the way back.
ARCHIVIST  [ever so softly] I've never doubted it.
[CLICK]
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zuffer-weird-girl · 4 years
Text
Requested by: @hello-lucky-luka
The corpse groom
Tumblr media
Every minimal details had to work, said your parents.
You were being forced to get engaged with Shigaraki Tomura, a noble from a family whose had their status, but no money. In contrary to your family who had money due to their bussines involving fish, but no such tittles.
You had only a conversation with the man, but both your mothers exclaimed how it was scandulous to be alone on a room alone before the marriage.... The wedding rehearsal was a disaster where you just wanted the ground to eat you alive... especially with that random woman laughing.
Despite Shigaraki calling you back, you ran away due to all extress of not being prepared to be married with a man you barely knew... You wish you had never entered that florest though.
A man. A DEAD man emerged from the ground and you colapse... wakening up only by some snickers, noticing that now you were in a world where dead creatures lived.
A man with an eye missing out with blong hair was shaking you and screaned along with yourself when you finally woke up.
"Where am I?! Where is this?! Who are all of you and why do you look so-so-?!"
"Fucked up? Absolute filled with trash? News flashes newbiew! We're fucking dead!" A man spoke, he was huge and with a hole on his chest that you even saw through it.
"Ooh new meat!!!!" Another man with the jaw broken aproached and you yelped, falling on the floor but with arms... DEAD ARMS on you as if they tried to prevent your fall.
"Pardon." The man with glasses spoke before casually kneeling to pick his arms and placed them back to help you stand up.
"T-this i-is-"
"Oi! YOu ShOUlD Be GrAtefUll To BE DraGGed DoWn HeRE!" A creature with their eye hanging of their head spoke and you almost vomited.
"Yes. Parcially because they are master's spouse." One blond man with a fucking katana on his stomach spoke calmly as you gagged in horror.
"W-what w-was that part again?"
"It seems we're engaged." A gruff voice spoke from behind you, scaridly you sneak over your shoulder and gasped at the sign of the main responsible for you to be in this circle of horror.
The man had messy brow hair with golden eyes, his skin was a mix of faint blue due to how long his corpse have been dead as half of one arma of his was pure bones while the other was... "fine". He wore a black messy and torn black tuxedo with half of his tie missing as he crossed his arms over his chest.
You screamed in horror when someone patted him on the back and his fucking eye dropped on your hand.
"Geez is just an eye." The man who patted the other spoke as he gravbed the eye nornally back and handed to the owner, his body was full of holes as if he had been fuzilied.
"Imbecile." The owner of the amber eye punched the back of the white hair man head... making it to fall to thhe floor.
You screamed again.
~
You came to learn that this man was actually murdered. He had fell for a woman's trick to get her hands on the money of his family. Ever since then, the dead people around there told that this man, Chisaki Kai; whose by disgust at himself decided to change his name by Overhaul; vowed to himself that he would wait for someone else, and perfect, to marry him.
And looks like you were the poor soul.
"I-I'm really sorry what happened to you. But I really cant do this! I have another man to-to-"
"YoU'Re An IdiOt?!" The creature screamed and you flinched at how his eyeball swinged... giving you shivers and even the urge to puke.
"We learned that you were on a arrangement married." The white, and dirty, haired man spoke and Chisaki's eyes narrowed.
"So there is another one huh?"
"There's no other one! A-Actually- You're the other one! My groom is waiting up there and you are just... just-!"
"Dead." He hissed and you swear you saw a tinge of sadness on those dead cold amber eyes of his "It doesn't matter. We are engaged and that's final."
He stormed his way out of the room, making every person of there to look at you as YOU made something wrong.
The fuzzilied man and the creature followed after him as you continue to think of something, anything to get you out of that place.
~
"Maybe they lost their head or something." Mimic spoke as Chisaki paced around the room with a frown.
"Shigaraki Tomura. Boss trust me, there's nothing special about this guy! Just give some time to them, and bing! The curse will be broken and you got someo-"
"Stop." He said nonchantly, shoulders sagging in defeat as he ran his reamaining hand on his hair "They have a point. I am prisioned with this.. dead. While they are still with lungs functionanting... maybe it was indeed a mistake." He sighed.
The two man changed worried glances. Before Mimic smirked and elbowed his commurate, aproaching Chisaki slowly.
"What does that wispy little brat have
That you don't have double?"
"He can't hold a candle
To the beauty of your soul." the white haired man placed a hand on his shoulder.
"How about a pulse?" Chisaki hissed, slapping Kurono's hand away from his shoulder.
"Overrated by a mile." Mimic answered smugly.
"Overvalued, overblown
If they only knew
The you that we do" the two continue
"And that despicable little creature
Isn't wearing their ring" kurono pointed to the ring of his finger.
"And he doesn't play piano
Or dance, or sing
No he doesn't compare" the both said in hopes to cheer up his boss and friend.
"But he still breaths air." He noted sharply before the two got in feont of him as he tried to exit.
"Who cares?
Unimportant, overrated
Overblown, if only they could see
How special you can be
If they only knew the you that we do"
He glared a both of them before hsi vision got into the only candle lighten up on the room, frowning at it...
"If I touch a burning candle
I can feel no pain
If you cut me with a knife
It's still the same...
And I know his heart is beating
And I know that I am dead
Yet the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
And it seems I still have a tear to shed" he layed his back miserably on the wall and placed his good hand to cover how much his pain was feeling.
"The sole redeeming feature
From that little creature
Is that he's alive," mimic exclaimed while getting from behind, transforming into his human form, still with the eye hanging from his skull as one of his legs were missing.
"everybody knows
That's just a temporary state
Which is cured very quickly
When we meet our fate" Kurono aproached from the other side while taking off his head to make his point.
"Who cares?
Unimportant, overrated
Overblown, if only they could see
How special you can be
If they only knew the you that we do"
Impatience and rage took over him as he punched from behind the two man. The two hissing in pain before seing how numb was he... how miserable he sounded for the first time since they knew him.
"...If I touch a burning candle
I can feel no pain
In the ice or in the sun
It's all the same
Yet I feel my heart is aching
Thou it doesn't beat, it's breaking
And the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
I know that I am dead..." he layed on the bed, looking at the ceiling with no hope before closing his eyes.
"Yet it seems I still have
One tear to shed" they widened their eyes at the single drop of water coming out of his closed eye.
"Do deads can cry now?!" Mimic whispered shouted before cursing out loud when Kurono merely sighed and punched him with more force than Chisaki had before.
~
You were absolutely horrified. Not even two days in here and one subordinate of your family had died from a heart attack and appeared on the same place you were stuck in... and it seemes like he brought the news which brought you to the reality.
When you went missing, your and Tomura's family had canceled the wedding due to you not being there, assuming you had ran away from your responsibilities and another woman came in rushing as a thunder to take the responsibility.
This made you realize how... you didn't were cared for by your supposed future broom. It was all a arrangment marrige after all.
The sound of a sad yet beautiful music took your thoughts away as you followed the beautiful melody... finding a door half closed, you decided to pick inside only to widened your eyes in shock as you see the man you were supposed engaged to playing the piano.
People could call you crazy, but in this scenario he looked... quite beautiful. His eyes were sorrow but still focused on the piano in fron of him, slender and bones fingers dancing on each piece of it as his shoulders tensed when he heard the door making it a sound... but still not looking up.
"You play wonderfully." You mused out loud as he scoffed, wincing a bit you remember that he some how must still be offended by what you said earlier.
You slowly and shyly took a seat next to him, visibly noticing him not enjoying the least your company as he still played.
"Im sorry I hurt your feelings-"
"I thought deads didn't had those." He grimaced and you instantly shut uo before slowly playing one note, smilling shyly when he stopped a bit to inspect your actions.
"My parents thought I didn't had to do piano classes, so I sadly didn't had one chance to play such beautiful songs as yours..." you tried to mimic his actions before you and him hissed at the horrific sound it came out.
"God have mercy, your parents were right on not trying to put you onto such a thing." He growled and you felt offended. Going to talk back you closed your mouth when he aproached you, placing his still carnal hand and skeleton one underneath yours, encouting you silently to touch it.
He started to play one song more animated, you gasping in awe at the beauty of it and how he was actually showing you how it was. The sign of it made him smirk as you giggle... although he widened gis eyes whem his hand decided to pop out of his wrist and dance on the fucking piano.
You giggled and hesitantly picked it back, offering him with a smile.
"Pardon." He coughed as he put it back with a scoff as you smiled at him.
The door suddenly slammed open, the blond man who scared you at the first day panting as Chisaki glared at him from his seat with you.
"What is the meaning of this?" He growled, getting up as the poor guy pointed at some place in the hall.
"I-Is urgent boss! Is something about your-" Kurono popped out of no where, shutting his mouth up.
Chisaki gave you an apologetic look before adjusting his tie and going after then.
After a few minutes of no company you sighed and decided to walk around until you heard whispers shouts on what was suppose to be the kitchen.
"I'm sorry master, but the marriage will only be "real" when both of the involved are from the same world." Tengai spoke as you heard Chisaki punching something.
"What is needed then?!" He shouted and you curled in yourself by instinct.
"That's the best part!" Mimic said in glee before darkening his voice "We're going to kill them!"
You muffled your gasp as you pecked inside the room, seing all the man in there looking at Chisaki. Who for the first time had a conflicted expression.
Suddenly he let out a heavy sigh. Making you curious and rather anxious on what he would say.
"No. I was a criminal while alive, but certainly I am not a beast." He murmured as the others on the room frowned.
You laid your back in the wall sighing... biting your lip as all the thoughts in your head ran and ran until you decided to enter the room slowly. Shocking everyone.
"What are you doing in here?" Chisaki growled, eyeing you between his eyes, before taking his hand out of his face to watch you more properly when you took a seat next to him.
"I will do it." You spoke witha smile, giggling a bkt when one of the man's jaw literally fell.
"You heard it." He mused out loud as you pondered over your final decision.
"You weren't selfish enoigh to murder me. And only what you done with my stay in here was trying to be gentle with me until i ruined everything with my hurtful words. But still I have one wish to make.... I want the wedding not to be soon, neither down here... on the surface more likely, so you all and myself can watch the beautiful nightsky."
"... fair enough. Then why are you trying to brush the wedding aside then?" He asked with his noss arched up, you hesitated before grabbing his hand that weren't left any skin or muscles on it, surprinsing him for once.
"Because I want to know my groom before I marry him. And I want you to know about me as well." You smiled and you swore the deadman was smilling as well.
"Very well.... finance."
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saltywhovian · 4 years
Text
seven minutes in heaven is hard when there’s four people in the closet
Marinette loved Alya. She was her best friend, her confidant, her rock. But Marinette was going to strangle Alya. She was going to murder Alya, ressurect her, and then murder her again. If she made it out of this closet without being suffocated to death. But hey, being suffocated during Seven Minutes in Heaven is such a good way to die. 
                                                  Earlier
“Marinette! I’m having a little sleepover tonight, nothing fancy, just a few friends, some chips, some bad movies, will you pleaaaase come??” 
Marinette glances over at Alya, who is practically down on her knees begging Marinette to come to the sleepover. “Alya, I-” Marinette makes eye contact with Alya, who has become the literal definition of puppy eyes. Marinette sighs, and grabs her phone. “You know what, I deserve a night off. I’ve been working myself too hard. Let me ask my parents.”
After getting a positive answer from her parents, Marinette gives Alya a thumbs up. Alya squeals, and throws her arms around Marinette. “Girl, you won’t regret it!”
“Okay weirdo,” Marinette chuckles. “Let me finish this homework.”
As Alya walks away, she grins to herself. 
She goes up to Nino and Adrien, and after planting a big kiss on Nino’s cheek, she turns to the boys. “Hey, I’m having a sleepover, do you two want to come?”
Nino nods, and Adrien furrows his brow. “I’ll have to clear it up with Nathalie and my father,” 
Alya interrupts him with a grin. “Uh-uh my friend. I already got approval from Nathalie. You can check with her right now.
Adrien, who is even more confused, pulls out his phone, dialing Nathalie. 
“Hey, um, Alya invited me to a sleepover, and-” he stammers.
“Yes, I am aware of Ms. Cesaire’s get together. You already have your father and I’s consent to attend. But of course, it is your choice on whether or not you go.” Nathalie responds.
“No, no, I want to go! Th- Thank you Nathalie.”
“Have fun Adrien.”
Adrien turns to Alya, amazement in his eyes. “How? Just- how??” 
Alya walks away dramatically, calling over her shoulder, “A magician never reveals her secrets.”
After inviting Alix and Rose, Alya goes to Juleka. “Hey girl, I’m having a little sleepover tonight, do you and your brother want to come?”
Juleka smiles, and shoots a text to Luka. “He would love to come.”
Alya smiles slowly. And that makes four.
You see, Alya was smart. And although everyone except for Adrien knew about Marinette’s “little” crush, Alya knew there was more. Because whenever Kagami was around Adrien, Marinette would get jealous whenever they touched each other. Not just if Kagami initiated the touching, but if Adrien did too. And whenever Marinette was with Luka, they were gentle, they were the same in a quiet kind of way.
So Alya dug a little more. She grilled Adrien enough to know that he’s head over heels for Marinette, just in denial.  She then accomplished the harder task, figuring out Kagami’s feelings. It took nearly a month of careful plotting, and finally, finally got Kagami to admit that she wanted to take Marinette into her arms, and.. Alya stopped Kagami there. 
And then she dug more. Kagami and Adrien weren’t hard to figure out. And the moments that Luka and Adrien shared were so sweet, Alya thought she might get diabetes. As for Kagami, and Luka? There was definitely something there. It just needed a little push. 
Alya did such a good job figuring this all out, she was considering a career as a detective. So with all this information, what was she going to do?
Well she was going to scheme. But she couldn’t do this by herself. So she enlisted Nino, and then after some careful thought, she pulled Juleka into the planning.
After another two weeks, they had a plan. Operation Seven Minutes was a go.
Honestly, the hardest part was convincing Kagami and Adriens parents to let their children attend a co-ed sleepover. Alya went to Nathalie first. She explained that Kagami would be there, and that they would be doing meditation, to relax and tame their emotions due to stress of everyday life. She said that it would be beneficial and would allow Adrien to focus more on his duties. Nathalie gave her a smile, and told her that Adrien had her permission to attend the sleepover. For Kagami, it involved simply stating that Adrien Agreste would be in attendance, and Gabriel Agreste approved of the affair. Ms. Tsurugi approved immediately. 
So she invited the four, and a few others to create less awkwardness in the room, so she could trick the idiots into a false sense of security. 
Technically the main objective of Operation Seven Minutes was to get the four idiots together, but the true objective was for Alya to live all her shipping fantasies and be as amused as she can possibly be. 
She sends a text to Operation Seven Minutes.
Red -The birds are in the bush
Purple - What?
Green - Everyone’s coming.
Purple - Why couldn’t Alya just say that?
Red - Code names, Purple!
Purple - They’re kinda dumb
Green - She’s got a point, babe
Red - Whatever, whatever. Time for Phase 3.
Evening
Marinette rings the doorbell at Alya’s place, face slightly flushed at her late arrival. Alya opens the door, and pulls Marinette in. “There you are, girl! I got worried for a second that you weren’t coming!”
“I’m so sorry Alya, there was an emergency at the bakery…” Marinette trails off as she takes in the people in the room. Nino and Alix are engaged in fervent conversation that’s no doubt involving some extreme dare, Juleka and Rose cuddling, and…
Adrien, Luka and Kagami all sitting together looking mildly awkward. Scratch that, really awkward. 
Marinette slowly turns to Alya, her face twitching. Before the situation escalates, Alya snatches Marinette’s bag and yeets it into a corner.
“Alright, gather round, gather round!” Alya beckons. “Now that Marinette’s here, we’re going to play Uno!”
Marinette balks at the circle, unsure on where to sit. Kagami tugs at Marinette's sleeve, indicating a spot in between her and Luka. “Sit next to me Marinette.”
Marinette smiles, which the team notices, thanks to a nudge in the ribs from Alya. “O-Okay Kagami.”
Luka makes a small wave at Marinette as she settles in. “I’m glad you’re here, Marinette.”
Adrien leans over from Luka’s other side. “Me too!”
Kagami gently scoots in closer to Marinette, leaning into the conversation. “I as well Marinette. I always seem to enjoy myself when you’re around.”
Marinette is practically speechless, already furiously flushing. Nino, Alya and Juleka fist bump, whispering “Pound it!”
Uno goes better than Alya could ever imagine. Sure Alix is another +4 away from murdering someone, but that was a foreseen circumstance. No, Alya is very pleased because the four have been slowly snuggling closer and closer to each other. And because of how competitive Marinette gets, she is no longer stuttering around anyone. 
Kagami looks at Marinette, her eyes gleaming in regret. “Marinette, I’m so sorry, I have no other card..” She places the +4 card down. “I hope you can find it in your heart to ever forgive me.”
Marinette meets Kagami’s eyes, her own filled with understanding. “It’s okay Kagami, I know you would never willingly betray me. Besides, you’ve given me the perfect opportunity.”
Luka looks at Marinette in alarm, clutching his three card deck to his chest. “Marinette, you couldn’t. You- you wouldn’t!”
Marinette shrugs, looking nonchalant, but a smirk is threatening to break through her casual expression. “I’m sorry Luka, but you are a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
“Marinette, it doesn’t have to be like this!”
“Oh but it does.” She slams the +4 card down on top of Kagami's card. “Uno.”
Luka stares at the card, disbelief taking his body. Adrien rubs his back, mourning the defeat.
Marinette tenderly places a hand on Luka’s face. “I’m sorry it had to be like this. Maybe in another lifetime it would work. But it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.” 
Luka gasps at the touch, much to Juleka’s delight. But before he can respond, Alix leaps to her feet, eyes raging, pillow in hand. “I’ve had enough! This means war!” Alix then swings the pillow into Ninos face, knocking him to the floor. 
The room erupts into chaos. Everyone scrambles to grab a pillow, and attack the foes around them. Adrien immediately jumps in front of Marinette, acting as a human shield. “Marinette stay back!” he yells. “I’ll protect you!” 
On the ground, Marinette looks up at Adrien, who is practically glowing in the fluorescent lighting, framed by feathers floating around them. The moment is ruined by Adrien being shunted to the couch by a pillow to the ribs. Marinette rushes to his side and clutches his hand. “Adrien! Are you okay?”
He looks up to her, and hands her his pillow. Marinette nods, determination in her eyes. “I’ll avenge you.” 
She rushes into battle, the power of the past Ladybugs flowing through her veins. Kagami and Luka, who are currently fighting back to back, can only watch in awe as Marinette, crowned with righteous fury, slams her pillow in Ninos stomach, causing him to fall into Alya.
 “Oh girl I’ll get you for that!” she cries, hoisting her pillow into the air.
In a blink, Kagami rushes to block Alya. While engaged in a furious standoff with Alya, she cries “Luka, now!”
Alya looks back to see Luka leaping into the air with his pillow above his head.
From the couch, Adrien yells “Finish her Luka!”
And finish her he does. With one final blow, Alya is struck to the ground. The battle ends with Luka and Kagami flanking Marinette, while their friends lay fallen around them. 
Rose looks up, and starts laughing. “I think that’s a good segway to pajamas, huh?” 
Marinette fidgets with her pajamas, displeased with her selection. She had picked them based on the thought that it was just going to Alya, Rose and Alix, so she’s wearing a silky tank top and short combo that she made herself. The pink tank top sometimes rides up to show a little stomach, and the shorts show way too much leg than she is comfortable letting Luka, Adrien and Kagami see.  “Alya,” Marinette hisses under her breath. “I cannot go out in this!”
Alya tugs a stubborn Marinette into the other room. “Girl, relax. Once you see what everyone else is wearing, you’ll calm down.”
Marinette doesn’t exactly calm down, per say. She doesn’t really notice what Alix and Nino are wearing, but sees that Rose and Juleka are matching. But she stops right in her tracks when she sees her crushes. 
Kagami, who is watching Luka and Adrien squabble, is wearing the prettiest red nightgown Marinette has ever seen. It’s big and billowy, falls right above her knees, and the puffy sleeves give Kagami this innocent yet beautiful look. Kagami rushes to Marinette’s side, clutching her arm. Marinette is trying, and failing to ignore how Kagami's fingers feel against her bare skin. 
“They’re fighting because they’re matching,” Kagami whispers into Marinette’s ear. 
Marinette finally looks at Adrien and Luka, and almost faints. Luka and Adrien are both wearing Ladybug onesies, both with hoods and feet, and are in a heated argument over the matching.
“I’m just saying that you should change because I’m the biggest Ladybug fan.” Adrien argues. “I’m literally Chat Noir- I mean in the animated movie.”
“Any true fan knows that the movie sucked,”  Luka counters. “Just because you are ‘Chat Noir’,” he mocks with air quotes, “Doesn’t entitle you to the title of the biggest Ladybug fan.”
Marinette whispers back to Kagami, “I should probably intervene before this cat fight gets ugly.” Shouldering her way inbetween the onesie clad boys, she gives both of them a stern glare, silencing them. “Boys, you’re both pretty. Besides, I think Chloe wins that title. She literally has an expensive Ladybug cosplay, wig and all.” 
The boys nod in agreement, mostly distracted by Marinette’s choice in pajamas. Luka hates to prove the “boys are distracted by girls shoulders” stereotype, but he cannot stop staring. There’s something about the dip from her next to the shoulder that just makes him…
“Alright, losers, let’s play some truth and dare!” Alix’s challenge breaks the spell. The boys and Marinette sit down where they are, and Kagami joins them at Adrien’s side. “Alright, Rose, truth or dare?”
Rose blinks at the question, weighing the options. “Truth!”
“If you could kiss anyone in this room, who would you kiss?”
Without any hesitation, Rose blurts out “Juleka!” 
Juleka, who is settled in at her side, slowly turns to Rose, her face the same shade as Rose’s pjs. “Um, really?”
Rose, who is also bright pink, nods, and pulls Juleka into the hall. The rest of the room sits in silence until the two come back a few minutes later. 
Juleka breaks the silence. “We’re dating now.” 
The room, once again erupts into chaos. Luka rushes to his sister, crying about how proud he is, Alix to Rose saying that it’s all thanks to her. In the chaos, someone bumps into Marinette, causing her to tumble right smack into Kagami. Thanks to some cruel twist of misfortune, Marinette’s hands… are dangerously close to where they shouldn’t be. Marinette flings herself back, stammering out apologies, but Kagami silences her with a hand and a smile. 
“Marinette, I know you would never purposely do anything to me,” Kagami assures Marinette. “You are pure and true. That’s why..” 
But Kagami never finishes her sentence. With a roar, Alya silences the room. “Okay, we can all agree that we all just witnessed something beautiful. Now let’s get back to Truth or Dare.” She peers around the room, eyes landing on Adrien. “Adrien, truth or dare?”
“Uh… dare?” the blonde answers.
“I dare you to sit in Luka’s lap until dared to move.”
Adrien is practically red. “I, uh, erm…”
Alix whoops, “You’ve got to do, blondie. A dare’s a dare!”
So Adrien makes his way over to Luka. “Are you okay with this, Luka?” Adrien asks, desperate to not be placed in this situation.
Luka, who most definitely wants to be placed in this situation, shrugs, trying to hide his excitement. “Yeah.” he pats his lap, wiggling his eyebrows at Adrien. “Sit down, Monsieur.”
Adrien slowly drops himself into Luka’s lap, gently moving until he’s comfortable. 
Alya sneakily takes a picture. 
After a few more truths and dares, it’s Juleka’s turn to ask. “Marinette, truth or dare?”
After a few seconds of thinking, Marinette answers “Dare.”
“I dare you…” Juleka makes a huge show out of thinking up a dare, but the one she has is one memorized from Alya’s meticulous planning. “To give Luka a kiss on the nose.” 
Adrien looks at the two, who are starting to look like Ladybug’s costume, and asks “Do I have to move?”
Juleka shakes her head. “Stay where you are.”
Marinette sputters, but makes her way over to Luka and Adrien. Leaning past Adrien, who melts at the feeling of Marinette breathing by his ear, Marinette locks eyes with Luka. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she whispers. He nods, and Marinette brushes her lips onto the tip of his nose. Luka cannot control the sigh that escapes him. Marinette pulls back and returns to Kagami’s side, who straightens up, and looks to Adrien.
“Adrien, truth or dare?” Kagami asks him. 
“Uh, dare I guess?” Adrien answers, intimidated by her intensity. 
“I dare you to sit in my lap.”
You can hear a pin drop.
The team was not expecting the operation to go this well. 
“You heard her right, Adrien.” Rose chimes. “Go sit in her lap!”
Luka, who is very reluctant to give up Adrien, watches as he goes, and settles into his second lap of the evening. Kagami leans forward into his back, and whispers into his ear, “I missed you.” 
Adrien thinks he is going to die. 
This time, Nino takes the picture.
After another round that results in Alix reliquenshing her hat to a very delighted Rose, Alya takes the reins. “Luka, Kagami, I dare you two swap pajamas. One of you can change in my bathroom, the other in my bedroom.”
Lukan and Kagami make eye contact, an unspoken message coursing through the room. Kagami taps Adrien’s lower back. “I’ll be back.” 
He stands up, sitting with a very delighted Marinette, allowing Kagami and Luka to go to Alya’s room. Once in the room, Kagami closes the door and turns to Luka. Luka is the first one to break the silence. “What’s your game at?”
“What game?” Kagami drawls, not breaking the stand off. 
“Well, I just found it odd that you dared Adrien to sit in your lap while Marinette was right there, and you’ve been glued to her side all evening.”
“I do not hesitate, Luka. I know what I want, and I get it.”
Luka raises his hands in a sign of peace. “Hey, I’m not trying to start a fight or anything. I’m just trying to figure out if we’re on the same page.”
“What page, Luka?”
“Do I really have to spell it out?”
Kagami’s silence is all the answer he gets.
“Fine, fine. Listen, I’m in love with Adrien and Marinette, and I’m almost positive that you feel the same.”
“You are correct about almost everything.”
“Almost?”
“You failed to account that I might be in love with you.”
“Oh.”
Kagami raises an eyebrow. “Oh? I confess to you and all you have to say is oh??” 
Luka backtracks, trying to explain himself, but Kagami interrupts. “It’s okay. I’m not going to be selfish.”
“No, no no!  You’ve got me all wrong, Kagami!” Luka slides a hand through his hair. “You’re like, part of my harmony. The four of us, we’re like a four part harmony. I… need all of the chords to sound good.”
Kagami gasps, a blush dusting across her cheeks. “Oh!”
Luka chuckles, and Kagami shoots him a glare. “The irony is not lost on me. However, the main issue at hand here is the fact that we’re being set up.”
“Definitely. But, I’m not mad about it..”
Kagami raises an eyebrow. “Hm?”
“Well, think about it. Do you think we would’ve ever figured it out on our own? I lo-love all of you, and you’re probably the smartest of us all, but we’re kinda dumb. Marinette will figure out if given many many hints, and Adrien…”
Luka falters, not wishing to insult Adrien, but continues. “When it comes to crushes, Adrien’s about as smart as a rock. Not like a cool rock. Just a rock.”
Kagami snorts at the comparison, and turns to Luka, smirking. “I say we play along, and enjoy ourselves. Besides, whatever’s going on,” She laces her fingers into Luka’s, who is smiling, and squeezes her hand back. “It already led me to you.”
“Let’s finally complete the dare, huh?”
Kagami nods, and they split to change, fingers touching until the very last second. 
When Kagami and Luka leave, the sitting arrangements have slightly changed. Alya and Nino are cutely snuggled up. Alix is sprawled on top of their laps, smirking at Adrien and Marinette. Alya sees the pair, and motions to be quiet. Adrien and Marinette are holding hands, red as Adrien’s onesie. Their feet are brushed up against each other, and Marinette is very pointedly not looking at Adrien.  
Marinette would later swear she felt Adrien purring. 
Kagami leans over to Alya, whispering, “Where are Juleka and Rose?”
Alya whispers back, “Alix dared them to play Seven MInutes in Heaven, which should be up right….” A timer beeps off, and Rose and Juleka stumble out of the coat closet, mildly disoriented but both foolishly smiling. 
Luka and Kagami make eye contact, an unspoken thought passing among them. Marinette finally notices Kagami and Luka and squeaks when she sees them. She’s mostly excited about how cute Kagami looks in the ridiculously oversized Ladybug onesie, but her and Adrien quickly notice the nightgown on Luka falls smack in the middle of his thighs. Both Adrien and Marinette fight an urge to touch his legs. 
Alya wiggles her eyebrows, and nudges Nino, who grabs Juleka’s attention. They all know it’s time for the final phase of Operation Seven Minutes. It’s perfect that Alix already made a segway to having people playing it, really, this is going way too well. “Hey Marinette, you haven’t had a turn in a while. Truth or dare?”
Marinette chuckles, somehow miraculously still holding Adrien’s hand, decides “I’m feeling a dare.”
Time to go for the kill. “I dare you to play Seven Minutes in Heaven with someone of your choice.”
Marinette looked ready to murder Alya. Twitching hands, and a very fake smile. Nino jumps in, as according to plan, in case Marinette couldn’t pick. “C’mon Alya, don’t make her pick! She’ll take so long, that we’ll all be 80. I’ll pick.”
“NO!” Marinette practically screeches. “No. No. Alya dared me to pick, and so I’ll pick.” She doesn’t pick. 
After a minute that felt like an hour, Juleka speaks up. “I have an idea. How about Marinette goes in the closet, and whoever wants to play Seven Minutes in Heaven with her will follow. Anyone opposed?”
When no one speaks, Marinette nods, and shuffles off to the closet. As she sits in there, her mind begins to race. Why is no one coming? It’s because no one likes you, you should’ve just picked Alya and hugged her for 7 minutes..
While Marinette worries outside, her friends sit in silence. Suddenly, Kagami stands up and rushes to the closet. Luka leaps up, hot on her tail. After a few seconds, Adrien jumps up, and scrambles after the two, muttering “Crap, crap, crap!”
Alya, Nino and Juleka just stare in amusement, and Rose and Alix...are going to need a moment.
Before Marinette can spiral any more, Kagami slams the door open, then attempts to lean on the door nonchalantly. “Uh, hey-” she’s promptly interrupted by Luka's body slamming into her, causing both of them to fall in with Marinette. She squeaks as they both fall in, and if it wasn’t awkward already, Adrien also trips and stumbles in. Alya makes no time in quickly shutting the door, and the fours eyes widen hearing the lock click. “Seven minutes starting now, have fun!”
Marinette is the first to speak up. “So, um, all of us are in here. In here, in this closet, for s-seven m-m-minutes in heaven. Hm, hm, so I uh, hm..”
Marinette is so cute that the three might die. 
Kagami smiles. “Marinette, may I?” Marinette cues her with a nod. “I believe that Marinette is pointing out the fact that we all wanted to play Seven Minutes in Heaven with her, a party game for the sole purpose of making out. I know that I would love to make out with Marinette.”
Luka nods in agreement. “Same here.”
Marinette is a squeaky, blushy mess. They all turn to Adrien.
He is blushing just as bad, if not worse than Marinette. “Y-yeah…” 
Marinette almost faints. “I, um, would like to uh, make, make, um up, no out, with all of you too.” 
Kagami, who would later claim that she already knew this and just wanted the others to know, lets out a faint “Yes!”
“Erm.. Continue.”
Marinette nods. “I, um, also, notice, that you guys, all kinda, you know, um, like each, each, other, and  I um, like, want to sugg- suggest,”
Luka tries to rub her back to encourage her, but because of how small the closet is, he ends up being squished a little too close to Marinette, with his face mere inches from Adrien’s.
Adrien is going to give Alya the entire Gabriel fortune. He’s going to give her the entire company. 
“I-” she gulps. “I would like to suggest us, being in like, a poly group. Only, only if everyone's okay with it, and I know we would have to work out all the kinks-”
Marinette is quickly silenced by a swift kiss from Kagami. While the two girls kiss, Luka and Adrien are both trying to decide to get jealous, or kiss each other. Kagami takes her sweet time pulling away, and whispers, “I would love to date you. All of you. If-if you’ll have me.”
Surprisingly, Adrien speaks up. “It would be a dream to date all of you. I, have to admit, I loved Marinette first, deep down, and then Luka and Kagami came into my life, and I’ve, I’ve never been the same.”
Everyone looks to Luka, who lets out a hearty chuckle. “Of course I want to date you guys! All of you are my harmony. My beautiful, beautiful harmony.”
Marinette looks up at all of them,  tears brimming in her eyes. “I love you guys!”
“We love you too Marinette!”
“You know,” Luka mentions, wiggling his eyebrows at Adrien. “Alya shoved us in here to play Seven Minutes, and those seven minutes are ticking by…”
Outside, Alix glances over to Alya. “Did you set the timer?”
“Oh no!” Alya gasps, most definitely insincere. She makes a huge show out of picking up her phone, and pretending to be surprised that the timer isn’t set. “I’ll just set it to seven minutes now. I just hope they don’t mind!”
Nino rolls his eyes, snaking an arm around his girlfriend. “I’m almost positive they won’t babe.”
After the actual seven minutes, Alya finally unlocks and opens the door. “Times up,” she calls, “I hope you guys weren’t too..” All four of them topple out of the closet, tangled and flustered. “Uncomfortable.” she finishes with a smirk.
Marinette smiles, stands up, dusts herself up, and pulls up her girlfriend and boyfriends, kissing each of their cheeks. “We managed.” 
Later that night
“M’lady,” Chat Noir calls, settling next to her on the Eiffel Tower. “It’s 1 am, are you okay?”
“No, yeah! I’m actually great!” she assures him. “I called you here to tell you something. So, you know how I kept rejecting you?”
“Yeah, about that-”
“Wait. Just, let me finish, kitty. I’m dating the boy now, and I’m also dating two other people that I really love, and I thought was a rival for me to the boy, and the other boy the boy thought was his rival and I’m telling you this because you’re my friend and my partner..”
And in that moment, a fog is lifted from his mind. He places his hand on Ladybug’s shoulder, and whispers, “Marinette?”
“How-” and the fog is lifted from her as well. “Adrien?”
He pulls, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. They pull each other into a deep hug, and sob into the night. 
“Of course it’s you,” Adrien cries into Marinette’s shoulder. “It’s always been you.”
They share a tear soaked kiss, weighted down by each other, by their love for each other, by their love for the two still with Alya. 
Marinette stands up, and pulls Adrien to his feet. “Let’s get back before Luka and Kagami notice we’re gone.”
They’ve already noticed, but they will let the duo tell them on their own time. For now, they just let the two snuggle in close, and hold them tight. After all, that’s what love is. Trust. 
https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltywhovian
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feminaexlux · 3 years
Text
A Needed Miracle - Chapter 18: But never complete
I'd been working on this one for months... because I did like 70% in 1-2 sittings and then fell off the face of the planet and I'm now just getting back into the groove.
Hope this is at least interesting to some people >_>
Read on AO3
(Nine years ago)
As soon as he said the wish Adrien knew he'd fucked up big time. He'd been dissolved, turning into the space in-between his component atoms, the trillions of tiny subatomic particles and… concepts that had initially, through sheer luck, linked up into some kind of personhood and made a pattern of Adrien Agreste.
He'd seen the Null forms of Tikki and Plagg. He knew the presence of the Invader. It was the best name they had at the time. And from there he saw how much he had cost this particular universe in terms of the energy and time it'd take to sink into his wish.
He'd asked for a "redo". A complete and total rewrite of reality because some 15 year old rich white boy with superpowers couldn't handle that his family and his friends had been murdered all around him. Well, in the grand scheme of things maybe it was a little short-sighted. Hawkmoth had been defeated at the cost of a bunch of teenagers playing superhero while there had been this thing looming in the outskirts.
Then he saw that Tikki and Plagg had cheated.
When he came to, he realized he'd been back in his bed. He blinked a couple of times and scanned his room, making sure that it was actually his room and… he wasn't dead? He wasn't dead. He was… still Adrien by the looks of it, his room being his room and all. He looked down at his hands, suddenly panicking that he'd lost Plagg. He didn't have the ring, holy crap! He turned over and went onto his knees, throwing the sheets and pillows off of his bed in a desperate search for his kwami. "Plagg!?" He yelled out. "Plagg, please let me know you're here!" Adrien cried, half sobbing.
If Plagg wasn't here… maybe Marinette had him?
Adrien ran out of his room and burst out into the main hallway. Apparently it was around the twilight hours, no one had been up and Nathalie (… and his father what the fuck they were both such huge assholes) wasn't around. He managed to throw open the front doors and ran out into the courtyard. Not even the gate could stop him as he vaulted through one of the holes in the giant decorative ironwork head first.
Marinette was only a block and a half away. His Lady had always been so close and he'd been an idiot for not even seeing her right in front of his stupid face. But he could fix it! He could fix it now, thank God. No… Thanks to Tikki and Plagg and--
A silver car screeched to a stop in front of him before he could run across the street to Marinette's house. A car door flew open and his Mother emerged, looking panicked in her white silk sleeping robe. "Adrien! What are you doing?!"
"Mom?!"
She ran to him and wrapped him up tight in her arms. "Adrien how could you leave like that? What were you doing?! You foolish, foolish child! Do you know what time it is?!"
Adrien had been a little… more than a little shocked and overwhelmed with a mix of joy and confusion at seeing his mother in person again. His wish made her come back! But… "Mom, I need to find--"
"You're coming home right now," Emilie said, dragging Adrien back into the car despite his protestations. "Simon, please take us home." Adrien heard a familiar grunt and the car was put into reverse, taking Adrien further away from his… Destiny? No. He'd changed all that. Emilie turned and forced Adrien to look at her by gripping his shoulders and turning him. "What the hell were you doing Adrien?! You know your father will be furious!"
Rage boiled over in Adrien. "I HATE HIM!" Adrien screamed. It all spilled out in the relative privacy of the car, how Adrien had found a Miraculous and became Chat Noir, how he had been fighting Hawkmoth with Ladybug, how Hawkmoth was Gabriel and Nathalie had become Mayura and they had become some disgusting couple thing but that Adrien had supported their relationship unknowingly because Emilie had been dead for a year and--
"That is quite the nightmare, Adrien," his father's cold voice interrupted, coming from over the car intercom. "Come inside. You've caused enough trouble for tonight."
Adrien had arrived at home. They didn't believe him. Of course they wouldn't. There was one way he could prove all that he was saying… that book was still in the safe, wasn't it? He ran out of the car to his father's office and slid away the Klimt-"inspired" painting of his mother. He punched in a few codes but they were all rejected.
"Adrien!" His father's voice boomed at him. Adrien ignored him for the time being, trying in vain to remember anything that might have been important to Gabriel. Adrien remembered how Gabriel had… died loving no one but himself, and punched in a sequence. The safe popped open and revealed…
Nothing? Where did that fucker hide everything? Adrien ran at his father and pulled off that stupid candy-striped cravat, shocking everyone in view. No Miraculous?
Wait… his wish really did reset everything. He stood still in place, staring back at his father. Oh shit, Adrien thought.
(Now)
It took at most 10 minutes of Adrien and Plagg waiting in Tatsue until Marinette and Luka came down from the apartment and walked toward the car, hand in hand. Longg had already come back sulking, apparently prematurely dismissed by both Marinette and Luka. Adrien got out of the car and opened the passenger door for the pair, but Luka stopped before entering. "Where are we going?" He asked.
Adrien smiled. "A safehouse."
Luka narrowed his eyes at Adrien. "Why?"
"Chances are you've been targeted on purpose, I'll explain more in the car," Adrien said, patting the roof of Tatsue.
"Wait… My sister and--" Luka paled. "I can't--"
"Oh don't worry, Kagami already took them to the safehouse earlier. We tried to take you both as well but Plagg and Tikki said it'd be alright if they watched over you until you both woke up. Can't really argue with them if they already made their minds up," Adrien shrugged.
"Why do you want to help us?" Marinette asked, squeezing Luka's hand tighter.
Adrien put his elbow against the car and rested his chin on his braced hand. "You're looking at the man who forced Universe number 2 into existence," he sighed. "I remember everything from the first one and I need to tell you why we're all here. I can't give you a bigger hook than that, can I?"
That'd been essentially what Longg (and Tikki) had explained to them, but Marinette still reeled back in shock. "This is… this is so crazy," she said shakily, feeling her hand squeezed back by Luka. "I still… I'm still having issues processing all this."
Adrien nodded. "Yeah. Crazy doesn't begin to describe it. Look, even if you still don't trust me you have Tikki and Plagg back and can absolutely obliterate and smear me into a thin paste if you wanted. I have nothing to hide and nothing to hold back. I just need you two to give me some time to explain what I can and show you what I know."
Luka sighed to himself, saying "I don't know where--" when Plagg phased out from Tatsue. "Nevermind."
Tikki flew next to Plagg, both kwami looking back at their holders. "Adrien's right. We need to be somewhere safer," Tikki said gently. "We trust Adrien to tell you the truth."
The ride to the safehouse was relatively short but plenty awkward and quiet. Marinette had looked back and forth between Luka and Adrien, but one was staring blankly out the window in a dark, pensive mood, still gently squeezing her hand as reassurance of his presence, while the other was staring at them, thoughtful and smiling whenever Marinette looked back at him but adding no additional comment.
Adrien, Tikki, and Plagg had initially given them a quick rundown of what they had experienced in the previous universe. That while Marinette had been Ladybug before as she was now, Adrien had been Plagg's original bearer. Both Marinette and Adrien had been much younger, starting their superhero lives at 13 years old and had years of practice using their Miraculous before the reset. The original Hawkmoth was Gabriel Agreste, but that had all been undone by Adrien's wish because they failed to defeat Gabriel in the end with Marinette dying.
Adrien had no clue who this Hawkmoth was.
Marinette understood most of it, but she'd noticed that Luka just… wasn't here with her mentally. If Marinette could guess what was going through Luka's head, she guessed it must have been worry over Juleka. She was half right.
Luka had been feeling an odd sense of… detachment since Adrien called. Yes, he was currently the Black Cat Miraculous chosen, but… he'd been a placeholder. He wasn't… the original. He wasn't even truly intended to be the one wearing this ring in Universe 2 and Plagg didn't seem to care much for Luka.
But if he hadn't had the ring and he hadn't been partners with Marinette, would they have ever gotten together? Would she have even noticed him?
It did feel like the past decade and change had been him swimming through mud trying to find his place in the world outside of his family. Didn't have a father, lost his mother, had to sell their houseboat, had his sister block any contact from him for the better part of a year, his love life and attempts at rock-stardom were disasters. He finally had things starting to go his way when Marinette literally fell into his life.
And then they each got a Miraculous. It was the first time Luka had felt alive and somewhat in control.
Hearing now that he was just some random asshole swept up in this whole thing was a little bit of a blow to that perspective. Maybe he needed to hand this ring over to Adrien, who supposedly knew how to handle it.
Maybe then Marinette would have a partner that wouldn't be such a fucking liability.
They ended up being driven to some fancy Japanese dojo and as Luka had been staring out the window most of the ride he saw a formidable looking man with a huge nose ring look over the car. There'd been a split second where that man had locked eyes with Luka, staring him down with a vague but palpable threat of violence in the air.
But whatever that man saw, he deemed Luka (and Marinette, probably?) safe enough and the car drove itself further in, going down a few levels in an underground lot. The car was parked and the doors automatically opened. Adrien moved out first, beckoning Marinette and Luka to follow him.
Having been lead into one trap today, Marinette had been hesitant in falling into another one, but… at least she and Luka had Tikki and Plagg. So she'd use that. She transformed in a pink flash after she noticed no one else was around and there hadn't been any cameras.
"That's… smart of you, actually," Adrien mused out loud, chuckling. "I get it." Both Adrien and Ladybug looked at Luka expectantly, but he… he just sighed.
"We wouldn't be here if I hadn't gotten caught, right?" Luka said. "I'm putting myself, my sister, Rose and Marinette in danger by being this… by being Panthera. This Miraculous shit isn't working out for me, is it?"
"Luka?" Ladybug asked quietly. "What…"
"Kid, don't--" Plagg was cut off when Luka took off his ring.
Ladybug panicked. "Luka!"
Luka opened his palm with the Black Cat Miraculous ring to Adrien. "This was always yours, wasn't it?"
Adrien looked down at the ring. A few moments passed, each one stretching out longer than the previous. There was a real sense of longing in Adrien's eyes and he reached out his hand toward Luka's… and took the ring. It shrank down a little bit and morphed into a signet ring with a flat silver face, blockier than the simple wide silver band it had been for Luka. "You just handed me one half of a universe ending machine, you know that?" Adrien said disbelievingly. "I'm not sure if you're serious. I didn't think either of you would want that back in my hands."
Luka shook his head. "It's always been yours."
"It's a nice thought. You're a better man than I am," Adrien chuckled. "But it's not mine." Adrien tossed the ring back at Luka, who nearly fumbled in catching it. "Not this time."
"You… won't take it?" Luka seemed confused.
"Like I said, it's a nice thought. But I can't use it."
"Can't?" Ladybug asked.
"Can't," Adrien confirmed. "One of those little stipulations in the fine print of resetting the universe. I can't ever use a Miraculous ever again."
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multibug · 3 years
Text
i'm out of my head and i know that you're scared (because hearts get broken)
chapters: 19/? (chapter one is a prelude from my love square fluff series and is included) words: 51,441 relationships: adrien agreste/marinette dupain-cheng, alya cesaire/nino lahiffe   tags: Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Chatting & Messaging, Long-Distance Friendship, Identity Reveal, Slow Burn, Influencers, Aged-Up Character(s), Human Kwamis, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Lila Shakes Things Up summary: ren from ren and stimpy: think its the opposite u furry lookin ass
right chat: Rena, nooo!!
ren from ren and stimpy: rena yes
or, Adrien is a streamer on top of his modeling job, with the help of his long-distance friends Ladybug, Carapace, and Rena Rouge. Shenanigans ensue, and the masks they’ve hidden behind for years begins to break.
“You’re telling me that some bitch—”
Nino sputters out a mildly horrified laugh. “Alya!”
A strand of hair is tucked behind her ear by said snapback-clad boy and she huffs loudly. “What, Nino? It’s not as if I’m wrong. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, she stole my identity?!”
A strand of hair is tucked behind her ear by said snapback-clad boy and she huffs loudly. “What, Nino? It’s not as if I’m wrong. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, she stole my identity?!”
“Yeah, we only realized she wasn’t you when the two of you returned from your trip and messaged us,” Adrien supplies helplessly, shifting to tuck a leg under him. 
Alya gives both him and Marinette the stink eye, though Adrien’s sure it’s just a test if he knows her well enough. “How could you ever think someone like that was me?” 
“To be fair, Als,” Marinette starts off, voice gentle as she scooches closer to Adrien to lean against his arm. “We didn’t really get to talk to her. I tried messaging her on Discord and on Twitch, but she kept claiming she was busy anytime I reached out. I figured you were just upset over the breakup originally and needed your space, you know? I didn’t want to push it.” 
The redhead’s harsh exterior fades, and they’re left with a sad one instead. “Yeah, it’s just bizarre that she’d even want my account? Is she that obsessed with sunshine over here?” 
“Hey! Don’t say that.” Adrien’s cheeks flush a deep shade of red, which has Marinette pinching them. He grabs her hands and huffs. “Hey to you too!” 
Marinette’s laughter is contagious. “Hey, what’s up?” 
Alya raises an eyebrow in Marinette’s direction and leans in to whisper into her ear. Whatever Alya says has Marinette’s cheeks burning a bright shade of pink that travels to her neck and parts of her shoulders. She quickly removes her hands from Adrien’s, yet stays tucked against his side.
Both of them blinking over in Adrien’s direction has him believing it had something to do with him. 
“Whatever the case may be,” Adrien begins, flicking his hair out of his eyes. He’s not thinking about those last few seconds. Nope. “We need to be smart about this, Ren—Alya. She has your account right now and has all of our subscribers like putty in her hands.” 
“Adrien’s right. If we go about this the wrong way, they might think we’re lying, and we do not want for that to happen,” Nino chimes in, resting a reassuring hand on Alya’s shoulder as she begins to close in on herself. 
“It’s weird seeing you be reasonable,” Marinette comments idly, her hair splaying out over Adrien’s arm and shoulder. 
Nino hums. “Only when it’s needed.” 
“That’s a good way to live.” 
“Yeah, I try.” Nino flips his non-existent long hair over his shoulder. 
“So what do we do?” Alya’s voice is soft, nowhere near as confident as the girl they know. 
Marinette sends her a reassuring smile. “Max is working on getting the account back as we speak. Going through the conventional means won’t work, but if anyone can do it, it’s Max.”
“He said he’d call once he has the account back, so instead of sitting around all day like plebs, I’ve planned us a little adventure.” Nino’s lips curve into a smirk that excites Adrien. “Get dressed, lads and ladettes. We’ve places to be, things to see!” 
“Do you have any idea what he’s got planned?” Marinette asks both Adrien and Alya as Nino disappears into the guest room to supposedly finish getting ready. 
A light breeze travels in through the screen door of the balcony. It’s chillier than it’s been the last few days, though not nearly as cold as Paris is during this time of year. Birds still flock regularly on Marinette’s balcony, a few residing today with the leftovers of what she’d given them earlier. 
Adrien loves it here. 
(Marinette definitely isn’t the main reason, no. He wouldn’t admit it to himself if he was paid to.) 
“No idea,” Alya replies with a shrug, a far-off look in her eye. “I’m going to go get dressed.” As soon as the look had appeared, it vanished, and she follows Nino to change. 
“We have to keep an eye on her,” Marinette whispers, a bit too close to constitute a reasonable amount of personal space, but Adrien isn’t complaining. “I don’t like seeing her like this.” 
His heart warms at how caring she is. “You’re too nice, Bug. She’ll be okay, but we’ll be there for her if she needs us, okay?” 
He hopes his reassurance is enough to quell her worries. 
It does seem to be enough, and a huge smile breaks out on her face. “Thanks, Adrien. You’re the best.” She leaves him with a quick, slightly wet kiss on the cheek and scurries out of the room with a giggle, much to Adrien’s amusement. 
He raises his eyebrows with a smirk, shaking his head fondly. If that’s how she wants to play, then so be it. 
Game on.
— — — 
PANINI: gamers im taking the ladies out today if you guys want to come, let me know and i’ll dm you the details
Banana head: NINO, YOU IDIOT. I’M NOT A LADY. Who changed my name? I will end you.
chlo: rmbr u rmbr right?
Banana head: Chlo, I swear to all that is holy. Don’t tell that story. 
chlo: how much?
RENegade: is sHE ASKING FOR SEX???
marimba: SEX???????? wheRE?????
chlo: GOD NO I’M A LESBIAN WHAT THE FUCK
Kagami: Lesbian, huh? ;) 
chlo: kagami stfu is2g
Kagami: ;)
chlo: ANYWAYS how much money, adri
Banana head: You want another Louis Vuitton bag, don’t you?
chlo: IT’S THE NEWEST OF THE SEASON AND THEY WON’T LET ME HAVE IT
Banana head: Sigh. I’ll see what I can do. 
chlo: thanks bitch! you’re the bomb bomb dot com bomb diggity someone take away my phone
Alix: hey, @Carapace, what time are you guys going out? rose, juleka and i are about to see a movie but if it’s after that, we can meet up
PANINI: we were gonna head out before the rain hit so in like five minutes
Juls: drat we can just hang out another time then :( have fun guys!!!!
marimba: YOU TOO JULES I LOVE YOU BITCH
Juls: I AIN’T EVER GON STOP LOVING YOU
Alix: BITCH
Banana head: Best meme. 10/10. 
luka: how can you say that when the chicken nuggets meme exists
marimba: I ONLY HAVE 69 CENTS!! GOOD MEME!!!!!! 
luka: see even marinette knows
marimba: haha it has 69 in it haha haha ha 
Banana head: You’re such a child!!!! 
marimba: COMING FROM THE MAN WITH THE NAME BANANA HEAD WHERE’S CHLOE I’LL GET HER THE LOUIS VUITTON BAG IF IT MEANS HER TELLING THE STORY
Banana head: I’M KIDDING. I’M KIDDING!!!!
marimba: that’s what i thought :) 
PANIN(o)I: y’all better be ready we leaving now let’s GO 
RENegade: I’M COMING BITCH CHILLLLL
marimba: wITHOUT ME????
Adrien’s been ready for a bit, but he doesn’t mind waiting. 
He decided on wearing a pair of black jeans instead of shorts, just in case it rains while they’re out, and a black sweater with a thick jean jacket. His hair is a dark brown shade, still lightening at a slow rate, though he doesn’t mind it much at this shade. 
He wouldn’t dye it again to match, but he’ll let it fade as he’s enjoying the brunet life.
Marinette’s bedroom door squeaks open and she appears through the door, dressed and ready to go. 
And wow. No one should look that good, and she pulls it off so easily. 
Her bangs frame her face like curtains, her hair just past shoulder length from being straightened. Her bright blue eyes blink amusedly at him, lips arching into a smile.
The only makeup he spots is on her lips, a lip gloss that makes her lips look super kissable. “Problem, Agreste?” 
Laughter bubbles out of his lips, and he averts his eyes. “None, Dupain-Cheng. Just admiring your beauty, is all.” Lying won’t help his cause, so he might as well be honest. 
She rolls her eyes, hard enough to hurt, yet her cheeks give her away. “Sure, whatever you say!” 
His eyes flash over her attire. While she’s not dressed up by any means, the outfit she chose suits her so well. 
Wait. Is she trying to kill him?
With the impending rain and whether they’ll end up caught in the crossfire, she’s chosen a black baggy sweater, denim jeans with large holes around the knees with fishnet stockings underneath, and black old-skool vans. 
And to top it off, she’s wearing his merch. His Chat Noir sweater that’s completely black, with white lettering in the center that says, “I’m the Chat’s meow”. He hadn’t noticed at first, been too preoccupied with, er, other things—her lips—and he’d lie if he said his face didn’t get slightly hot at seeing her in person in his merch. 
“I thought you only bought the sweatpants, Bug?” He asks offhandedly, eyes averting from her for a second time. 
(He has no idea the nickname brings another bout of red to her cheeks.)
“Shut up or I will take it off right now—” 
“Oh, please d—”
She’s in front of him in a second, her hand firmly covering his mouth with a menacing look in her eyes. “Adrien Agreste, if you continue with that sentence, I will murder you and I won’t tell anyone where I hid your body—”
Adrien bursts out laughing the best he can, and it sounds so bizarre with her hand muffling it. His own hand finds her wrist and wraps around it, gently prying it away from his face. “Bug, please, you’re going to kill me!”
“You’re not wrong about that,” she affirms with her eyes narrowed. She allows him to keep hold of her wrist.
“I was kidding,” he murmurs, eyes locking with hers as he brings her wrist to his lips and presses a light kiss to her skin. With how close she is, he can feel her breath hitch, so he sends her his best smile. “I would never want to make you uncomfortable.” 
Marinette’s head tilts to the side, face softening. Her free hand finds his cheeks and she squeezes them gently. “You’ve never made me uncomfortable before, and you haven’t now. I was kidding as well.” 
His eyes brighten. “Oh, so that means you—”
“You’re absolutely hopeless!” Her forehead drops to his shoulder as she whines loudly. 
“There, there,” he says, hand wrapping around her to pat her back. “You’ll be okay, Bug, don’t worry. I’ve got you.” 
She’s warm, so warm against him that his jacket feels stifling, and he tugs her closer, enjoying—savoring this moment with her. He doesn’t have many days left in Nice, and he wants to cherish every second he can. 
There goes his heart again, pitter-pattering away, following hers like a lost puppy. 
If only she knew.
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spooky-z · 4 years
Text
COLLEGE FRANÇOISE DUPONT’S TALENT SHOW [5.1/5]
The promissed epilogue.
• 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 4.1 • 5 • 5.1 •
@ozmav @maribat-archive
The show was over and the big winner declared. It was time to go home.
The mood was not the best around the class. Expressions ranging from anger, disbelief and sadness.
Marinette had to stop herself from feeling pity or remorse. They needed this reality shock to understand that it was no longer the Ecole and now it was adulthood. Responsibilities and maturity.
Her parents had already gone home on a ride with Alfred, Dick, Kori, Tim and Jason.
Allegra, Allan, Claude and Felix were gone too, not before saying goodbye, of course. The promise of meeting soon upon them.
Only Kagami, Chloe, Luka, Marinette and Damian were left, who had been ambushed by Adrien, Nino and Alya as they step out of the theater.
The three of them looking like they had been riding a roller coaster of emotions. None good.
"Mari, we need to talk." Adrien says, eyes red and puffy. He had cried.
Alya wasn't much better and Nino still had the incredulous expression on his face. Probably refusing to believe everything that had happened and everything he had heard.
Damian shook Mari's hand and was ready to tell them some truths, but before he could, Chloe along with Kagami and Luka, took the lead of the couple. An obvious attempt to hide Marinette from the three.
Kagami's expression was murderous.
"No. You have no right to want to talk to her! Not after all these years of acting like she's nothing but shit stuck in your shoes.”
“Kagami, this has nothing to do with you. Our business is with Marinette. Just her.” Alya had the audacity to counter.
Damian could see the thin smoke rising from Kagami's mouth and was apprehensive of the asian losing control in front of the other three.
Everyone on the miraculous team suffered with at least one side effect from carrying the jewelry for so long.
He could clearly remember every time Kagami spit fire from being angry or the first winter of all together, when everyone panicked because Marinette didn't wake up at all.
Chloe ate honey like water, and Luka found that he no longer needed to chew his food. This discovery had been a little disturbing at first.
Luka stepped forward, as if to beat Adrien, but Chloe stopped her friend by gripping his arm.
"It's our problem-"
"Chloe, that's fine," Marinette says, stepping in front of her friends. Damian following her closely. "You know I need to put an end to this."
"Minette..." Luka looks about to explode. This was a side of the boy that few people knew about.
She strokes his shoulder quickly and smiles, trying to calm her friends.
“Alright, guys. Just stay close.”
Only when the three of them pulled away, dragging Damian along, did Alya speak again.
"Girl, you look beautiful today." An attempt to lighten the mood. Which doesn't work, because Marinette only returns a bland smile.
“Thanks.” She replies. “But let's get to the point. I still have to say goodbye to my parents before the flight.”
It makes Nino wince.
"Are you really leaving?"
"Yes. I thought I was clear about that on stage.”
"Oh." He makes a sad expression.
Adrien draws Marinette's attention to him.
"Mari, I came to apologize." He says "For closing my eyes to what was happening and doing nothing to help you."
"Dude." Nino puts his hand on the blonde's shoulder in comfort and he grins gratefully.
“You're right.” Marinette cuts their moment. “You didn't do anything.” He cringes. “But thanks for that.”
Adrien was surprised by the girl. Alya even more so.
“What, Mari-“
"Because if you hadn't been a coward, I wouldn't have seen the true face of the people I thought were my friends."
“Mari…” Alya whispers “I'm still your friend. I never stopped being.”
Marinette lets an incredulous expression wash over her face. She was not believing what she was hearing. What the hell!
“You're kidding me, aren't you?!” She snaps. “You stopped being my friend the moment you preferred to believe a liar you barely knew! I tried to warn you, tried to open your eyes, gave you the damn evidences and you ignored it! You accused me of being jealous! Not once have you shown any faith in what I said! How can you say you're my friend?!” Marinette waited for an answer, an answer that didn't come. “I’d rather my worst enemy sleeping under my roof than have such a friendship, Alya!”
Alya was crying openly now, Nino was more discreet for comforting his girlfriend.
“I did everything for you and all I got was accusations, anger, disbelief and invalidations!” She was screaming but didn't shed a tear. They did not deserve it. “It was you who threw our friendship in the trash. So, don't give me that one of continuing to be my friend.” She gasped for breath.
Damian was having trouble holding the three friends and himself not to meddle in the discussion. He wanted to defend his angel, but he knew she needed that.
“I know we made a mistake, Mari.” Nino looks at her. “But we want to fix things. Pick up where we left off.”
Marinette returns her gaze, but the heavy tiredness in her being.
"You are three years late."
She glances at her friends behind her and her fiancé.
“I followed my life. You should do the same.”
Damian seems to feel this was the end of the conversation and picks up the phone. Probably calling Alfred.
"I have to go now." Marinette looks back at her former friends. "Goodbye." She says quickly. Wanting to get out of there ASAP.
Adrien takes her arm to stop her. He still had a lot to say. There was much more to apologize for. He wanted to show that now he would be there for her. That he loves-No, that he could not say. He no longer had that right. Not when she looked so happy with Wayne.
“Wait, Mari. I need-” He shuts up when she puts her hand over his cheek in a gentle caress.
She smiles sadly.
A black car pulls up beside them and Alfred gets out, opening the door for the five of them. Kagami, Chloe and Luka come in, but Damian waited for Marinette at the door. Alfred returns to the driver's seat.
"You know, Adrien, you were a good partner." She says quietly, but all three are able to hear clearly.
“Kinda messy, silly, and too gallant, but you got my back when I needed it on the battlefield. You fought by my side even when your world was falling apart.”
Adrien widens his eyes as soon as he understands what she meant.
“You were a very good kitten, Chaton.” She balances on her toes and kisses his cheek gently. “It was an honor to fight by your side. After all, I'm glad I met you.”
Alya chokes in the background.
"Oh my God. Oh my god!” She was almost jumping. “Ladyb-” Nino covers the girl's mouth.
Adrien still had the shock on his face, mesmerized by the woman in front of him.
"My lady..." He whispers, the raw emotion in his voice.
Marinette walks away.
"I have to go."
The blonde seems to come to himself.
“My lady, Marinette, please wait, I”
Marinette shakes her head no.
“Bye, Adrien. Alya, Nino.”
She turns and quickly gets in the car followed by Damian.
Alfred starts the car, but they are still able to hear Adrien calling for her.
Marinette wished not.
BONUS
The little girl, no more than six years old, looked at the wooden box.
Her pale pink hijab slung over her shoulder, leaving the dark hair free, the school uniform missing a sock and her backpack tossed in the middle of the room.
Aria Wayne was curious.
Even though her mother letting her play with her new cloths, she never let Aria get close to the box and that made the little girl increasingly uncomfortable.
There was an itch that wouldn't let her forget about the box, even when she tried not to think.
So here she was, in her parents' room, taking advantage of the fact that they were both working out adult things, to finally find out what was so important in the box that her mother wouldn't let her have a look.
Aria pushes the dressing table chair closer to the shelf, needing extra height to reach the box.
She peeks once more toward the door to make sure she is alone. When she decides that, yes, she was safe to continue, she climbs into the chair with a little difficulty.
Her uncles loved to joke that she had pulled her grandmother's side of the family.
When she is fully up on the chair, arms outstretched to reach the box, fingers almost touching the polished wood, a cough comes from the door, startling the little girl.
She screams and jumps. Almost falling from her chair with the startle, but manages to steady herself before falling.
"Aria Wayne, what did I say about trying to sneak around māmā's stuff?"
She looks at her father, who was standing in the doorway, his arms busy with baby Jules who seemed to be wide awake.
Aria smiles awkwardly.
“… Not to do?”
Damian raises an eyebrow at his daughter.
"And what were you doing now?"
Aria sighs hopelessly.
“But bābā! I want to know what's in that box. Why don't you and māmā let me see?” She pouts.
The man looks at the little girl, his heart melting with the cuteness.
"How about I tell you about the story of Miss Ladybug and how she and her friends saved the world from the powerful villain Hawkmoth?"
Aria seems unconvinced. Damian smiles.
"Can I have ice cream?" She asks.
"You can. But only if you come now.” He replies and leaves the room.
Jules was quietly sucking his finger as he looked around.
“YEAH!” Aria jumps off the chair and runs excitedly.
//
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Tikki comes out from behind the miraculous box along with Plagg.
"That was close." She says.
"She'll be a great kitten." The black kwami responds, the mischievous smile on his face.
He had plans for his grandchildren.
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akimmito · 4 years
Text
Heroes are made by the path they choose
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Master List
Chapter 13
Being married to Lila Rossi, now Agreste, for six years has been... an experience. The woman goes through life following her own path and coaxing people left and right, while he cannot say or do anything without the sole control over his mother's life being lost. Why would a man like Gabriel Agreste who claims to love his wife so much do such a vile thing? The worst thing is that he managed to sustain him legally and catch him with the last woman in the world he would have thought of marrying.
He must remain married to Lila as long as his mother remains in a coma or the hospital will be forced to kill her. Adrien has no other words for what would happen if he divorces her, but it's so sad to be married to a woman he doesn't love and he's the only one who must fulfill the damn contract, because if they discover an infidelity is the same as divorcing.
His mother deserved more, if she had followed that childhood love instead of his father, she woulded be happy...
Chloe and Marinette have been looking for ways to free him from torture, even Felix decided to help in order to free him from his sad fate. At least, it stopped being Chat Noir or that could have played against him, with how easy Lila manipulates people. He get migraines just from imagining making a mistake.
"Adrien, I'm going out to eat with Alya." Lila appears in his field of vision in her usual expensive way, always looking like he's attending a fashion event (which means expense and that translates directly to him working as a slave in different contracts. She makes her money, sure, but her expenses exceed those gains.) She barely looks at him as she checks her phone, probably talking to Alya or one of her lovers, not that he really cares.
"Sure, say hi on my behalf." She turns to leave, but Adrien stops her. "Remember that today we will have dinner with Michel Laforet for next month's charity event. "
"I wouldn't forget it."
They say goodbye barely looking at each other. Adrien is busy reviewing the job proposals, Marinette sent him a couple of locations to investigate a few weeks ago, due to a group of drug traffickers who settled in Paris and need to know their links, he of course must follow their leads and possible connections to find a way to disrupt it. He's now free to continue his work, especially since the MT is busy dealing with Akuma.
He was very surprised when he saw his first Akuma in seven years, he is also quite fearful of what this new villain intends. The way he has attacked, his champions are very different and, consistent with his cousin, he seems to be trying to measure the heroes. For that reason, he approves of Marinette's approach of keeping Luka in a safe place so that no one notices the use of the second chance, that way the villain will never know if his plans could have been altered in any way.
Wait this time it doesn't last for several years.
Now if he could understand why they want him to model in a banana suit for a soup ad, maybe he could consider it.
-----
The Anibiotic: How are bananas and soup related?
Wild goat: If it's another one of your jokes, I swear by Satan that I'll burn your house down
Silent Hill: I approve the plan
Plasticine: Your jokes are really bad, bro
Dragon Tamer: I think this is a serious question
The Antibiotic: It's a modeling proposal
Needle: They offer you the weirdest roles
Plasticine: Like the sardines!
Three balls: that was good
Not in hell: Maybe it's a way to get attention by putting two discordant elements together
Not in hell: You guys are that strange
Almost pretty: Pleasant
Wild goat: We are great, you know, there is no other creation as stylish as us
Not in hell: I would keep my comments, but I completely disagree
Dragon Tamer: If you start a discussion about this, I'm going to ban you from the chat
Wild goat: Tyranny! I will arm a revolution
Plasticine: Maybe it's banana soup. You don't understand art!
Three balls: Neither do you
Perfect Crime: You’re a disappointment
------
John Constantine was not planning to spend his morning avoiding being stabbed by a ten-year-old boy, nor avoiding being eaten by two German shepherds. But there he's, avoiding the edge of a Swiss knife as he tries to shake off two huge dogs without hurting them, because he's sure the boy's murderous intentions would triple if he hears a single screech from one of his pets.
He may not have met Damian in person, but he know enough about him from the chats and from what Marinette shared with him.
"Look, kid, stop, okay? Damn, I haven't drink enough for this... "
"Why?"
"I don't read minds, kido, you'll have to explain yourself." Damian frowns and presses the knife against the blonde's neck, if it wasn't for the dogs he couldn't have him subdued. The Kwami hesitate about what to do, they are talking... only in a very violent way.
"Why are you do with my mother?"
"Did they give you the talk yet? Because it would be very uncomfortable for you to receive it from me. ”John looks at the boy, who doesn't flinch at anything and seems ready to stab him. It would be better to collaborate, he doesn't want to harm the child, he can only imagine the adorable woman's anger if her son is hurt in some interaction between them. "Sure... Sexual attraction, simple like that. I don't pretend to be your father or to be a stable romantic couple, she deserves something much better than me. I'm just content to enjoy our time together, happy?
"Don't you want to be my father?"
"No, I'm the worst candidate for that position. What made you think that, kid? "Now it's his turn to frown. Much love can be had (he will not deny it), but both are aware that they would be the ruin of the other, he doesn't want to condemn her to a life as dark as his and expose her to all the demons that follow him, she truly deserves something better than misery fllow him.
He also knows that, despite all his complaints, Plagg has told him that he's its true owner and that his soul is balanced with that of Marinette, that's why they gravitate around each other and could trust as if they were born together. That doesn't mean they are romantically good to each other. Sexually? Magical, but the romance in their lives has been tragic and putting that together, well, it could be a problem for everyone.
"You've been with her for four years."
"We are mainly friends, confidants. Do we have sex? Yes, do we want to get married and have more children? No... We would just be miserable. Those stories that soulmates are happy together? Son, these are lies, romantic shit from movies and junk books.
Damian recoils, shocked by the information, all of it. Her mother had hinted at a casual relationship, but the look in her eyes told him otherwise. Soulmates? That doesn't exist, but the Kwami didn't exist for him either until his mother introduced them to him. Wretched? He need to analyze what he have learned.
"Why do you say that?"
"Experience, son. Do you want to sit down or go for a walk? The second seems to excite your friends more."
Damian snaps his fingers and the hounds stand beside him, freeing Constantine. Her kind gaze is very dark, long-suffering and ironic.
Just when he's about to answer, the alarm on his phone goes off and he knows what it means.
Akuma attack.
"Go away, I won't say anything."
Damian nods and Kaalki opens the portal, just look at the man's tired posture for a moment before breaking through the portal back to the MT. Agatha and Edgar just behind, have a job to do.
-------
Chloe B. @BourgeoisQueen
What a wonderful day for an Akuma attack. Somebody take the stick out of the villain's ass because the beast is horrible, nor Hawkmoth dared so much
Dick Grayson @TheFlyingGrayson
WHAT HAPPENS WITH PARIS? IS IT A VIOLET DOLPHIN WITH BAT WINGS?
The Last Hours @Toogoodtodie
@TheFlyingGrayson Paris would appreciate if you blocked any information on the city from external sources in the country, if you do not know how, you can contact the @MaxKan_Tech offices to receive information
Dick Grayson @TheFlyingGrayson
@Toogoodtodie ok?
Max K. @MaxKan_Tech
@TheFlyingGrayson @Toogoodtodie Subtle, Anthony. Please, Mr. Grayson, contact my office and we'll make your stay in Paris much more pleasant. You can also contact the prosecution to find out the legal procedures for staying in Paris and the security regarding the Akuma
Marc @MarcAC_twt
Does our villain use drugs?
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nxrthmizu · 4 years
Text
Daminette December Day 5: “Fire”
@daminette-december2019
--- 
[I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what to do for this but hey] [Update: I went so out of topic for this one I don't even know anymore] [I wrote this one in a hurry and welp]
---
Fire. 
it consumed everything without a second thought, red and golden flames flickering against anything and everything.
Damian always thought fire was a wild thing. It could represent multiple things- Hatred, passion, love- It was quite an interesting thought for him. 
Up until that day, he believed fire was only an element. Fire. That was it. Something that occasionally provided warmth and sometimes destroyed everything within it’s grasp without mercy. 
And then it hit him. 
Fire. 
Something that provided warmth. 
Marinette provided warmth. 
Check.
Something that destroyed everything within it’s grasp without mercy?
Ah, that would be him. 
---
“You nervous?” He asked, grasping her hand in his as he drove towards the venue of the class reunion of his pretty bluenette wife. 
Marinette bit her lip. “A little.” 
Damian gave her a comforting smile. “It’s going to be alright. And if they’re all still the stupid idiots they were, we can leave. Besides, Tsurugi, Couffaine, and Bourgeois will be there.” He reminded. 
She mumbled. “I suppose so.” 
“It’s going to be fine, angel.” Damian sighed, a little exasperated. “Come on. If they don’t love you, well, good for me, more of your love for me.” 
She laughed a little at that, and his heart soared at the sound of her laughter. Finally. The weeks counting down to the reunion had been tough and tense for her, and she hadn’t stopped worrying once. 
“I think we’re here, angel.” Damian told her, parking their car. Glancing upward at the building, he wondered where he would hide a body if he had to. If he had to. Damian smirked to himself at the thought. 
“Alright. Let’s go, kitten.” She smiled, taking his had in hers. 
“Why don’t you go ahead?” Damian suggested. “I’m afraid it would take a conscious effort for me not to perform homicide and I think it would be safe for me to take a moment to calm myself before I join you.” 
The pretty bluenette giggled at his comment. “Alright, alright, you murderer.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “I’ll be heading in first. Come find me later once you’re done calming down.” 
Damian nodded. “Of course, angel. Be careful.” 
Once she was out of sight, he whipped out his phone, swiping up one of his messages. 
[Damian Wayne]
She has entered the building.
{Luka Couffaine]
Roger. I’m in place. Locating target. Target has spotted bluenette.
[Damian Wayne]
I’m on my way.
Damian growled angrily. He was really prepared to murder someone if that someone hurt his angel. 
---
“Marinette!” Alya screeched at the bluenette, seconds away from clawing the girl’s heart out. 
“Hi, Alya.” Marinette responded calmly, sipping on a glass of juice. “How have you been doing?” 
“You-” The auburn girl looked moments away from strangling the bluenette, if it wasn't Rose and Juleka holding her back, Alya would’ve already attempted murder. Not that she would succeed, of course, seeing as her target was Marinette (Come on, Mari could take Alya down within seconds). 
“Hey everyone!” A chirpy voice resounded, and everyone turned to see Lila Rossi approaching with a bright smile on her face, an uncomfortable-looking Adrien following behind. 
“Lila!” Alya practically squealed, jumping up to hug the liar. 
“I’m so sorry about what happened with Nino.” Lila said sympathetically. “He shouldn’t have just broke off your engagement like that.” She sighed sadly. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing out on.” 
Alya looked at the floor, sadness pouring all over her body language. 
“Yo! What’s up, dudes?” 
Alya immediately growled angrily, turning away, not wanting to face her ex-fiance. 
“Hey, Nino.” Adrien greeted passively, a soft smile appearing on his face. Marinette narrowed her eyes- What had Lila turned Adrien into? 
“Hey! Marinette!” Nino greeted brightly, jumping over to the bluenette. “It was so kind of you to offer to make Aurore’s dress for a cheaper price. I can’t thank you enough, dudette! She was ecstatic when she saw the draft you drew! We can’t wait to see the actual dress.” Nino beamed. “Thanks so much!” 
“Anything for a friend, Nino.” She replied warmly. “It was just a favour I owed Aurore, after all.” 
“What? You’re friends with that bitch?” Alya screeched angrily, eyes blazing. “You little-” 
“Alya, calm down.” Lila tried, grabbing onto her best friend’s arm. “Let’s- Let’s just talk about something else. Did you know, I met David Wayne and his brothers, Jimson Toadstool, Timlyer Dread, and Dichard Gerald last week?” 
Alya immediately gushed over the names her best friend mentioned as Marinette snorted loudly. “Omg! You’re so lucky, Lila.” Adrien shifted uncomfortably in the background, having to play along. 
“I have never heard such ridiculous things.” The cold tone of her fiancé made the bluenette perk up. What was Damian going to do?
“I have a question, Ms. Rossi.” Luka popped out, smiling icily. “Where did you meet David Wayne and.... What was it again?” 
“Jimson Toadstool, Timlyer Dread and Dichard Gerald.” Marinette perked up, reciting the ridiculous names. 
“Ah, yes.” Luka smiled coldly. “Where, exactly?”
“Hawaii, of course.” Lila lied smoothly. “They were there on a vacation, and Adrien and I just happened to meet them on the first class in the plane. We even stayed at the same hotel!” 
“That’s utterly ridiculous!” Chloe giggled, Kagami walking in with a sarcastic smile next to her. “Funnily enough, Damian Wayne- Oh sorry, what was it again?” 
“David Wayne.” Luka reminded her. 
“Ah yes. Your ‘David Wayne’ was in Gotham last week, sweetheart.” Chloe snorted. “Hawaii. Tsk, utterly ridiculous!” 
“As a matter of fact, we were spending the weekend with ‘David Wayne’s fiancee, and I can very much confirm that both ‘David Wayne’ and his fiancee were at Gotham.” Kagami informed them breezily. 
“Besides.” Damian finally spoke up. “You can be sued for identity theft.” 
Lila spluttered at this. “W-What?” 
“Nice to meet you, Rossi.” Damian smiled. “The name’s Damian Wayne, not David. Actually, it’s not nice to meet you at all. From what I’ve heard, you’re a manipulative liar who deserves to be brought to court.” 
“W-Why are you here?” Lila froze. 
“Why, to accompany my fiancee, of course.” Damian informed. 
Alya couldn’t help herself. “Who’s your fiancee?” 
Marinette stepped up, smiling brightly. “That’d be me, thank you.” She hopped off her chair, walking over to join her fiance. “You took long enough to calm down.” She giggled. 
Damian shrugged. “Just figuring out the quickest way to perform homicide. Now, hold on a second, angel.” He took out his phone, dialling a few numbers quickly. “Grayson, get me a lawyer. I’ve got a crazy lady claiming to know a ‘David Wayne’, ‘JImson Todd’, ‘Timlyer Dread’ and a ‘Dichard Gerald’.” 
“GERALD? GERALD? I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYMORE OFFENDED! I’M GETTING YOU A LAWYER THIS VERY SECOND, BABY BIRD. I AM SO OFFENDED! GERALD! OF ALL NAMES, GERALD! WHATEVER CRAZY LADY THIS IS, SHE HAS A HORRIBLE TASTE IN NAMES! GERALD!” 
Luka, Marinette, and Chloe all simultaneously burst into laughter at Dick’s voice blaring over the phone. Even Kagami managed a little snicker. 
“Well, Ms. Rossi.” Damian smiled darkly. “Please have a word with my lawyer. I’ll arrange a plane flight for you to Gotham. Your trial should be sometime next week. As for you, Ms. Cesaire, I think it would be wise for you to keep a distance from Ms. Rossi unless you intend on getting involved.” 
So, after long, he had finally had the honour of meeting the woman who had caused so much chaos in his angel’s life. 
His angel might’ve been the warmth in fire, but he was definitely the destruction. Whoever hurt his angel would suffer his wrath, and he was only just getting started. 
[@miraculous-simmer7 @bluerosette23 @ladysblackcat @18-fandoms-unite-08 @dast218 @kris-pines04 @shamefullove @thesunanditsangel]
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