#Adrien a monster in Paris

[your-official-gingerartist]

I like to imagine that they sleep together a lot~ 🥰

[cray-2-the-z]

Well damn… @i-am-thornqueen outdid herself with this one…

Guess it’s only fair to turn myself in for my part in these delightfully sinful heinous acts.

Also, as a bonus, I joked that this was the most amount of clothing I had drawn Mari in to date, and dearest ThornQueen feared I was veering toward the straight and narrow. So naturally, I had to reassure her that was simply not the case, and offered as penance my best piece of art I have ever created.

[i-am-thornqueen]

Guess who had the day off from work and decided to write furry porn?

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I literally just called it A Furry Interlude. It has nothing to do with anything. I was simply struck by the fatal need to write furry porn, so I did.

[zoe-oneesama]

Emilie feels like she's gonna go full circle on her main character syndrome and just decide her new role is doting on clumsy daughter in law. Like that uncomfortable thing parents do where they push advancements in their kids relationships that they are just like thanks your support but input was not wanted. Like I can see her deluding herself as Marinette's fair God mother or something equalling overstepping but 'well meaning'. I mean if you can't beat em add em to the cast.

I can see Emilie slowly over time evolving into an overbearing but ultimately harmless and well meaning Mother-in-Law that Adrien and Marinette even come to like...though she'll still be exasperating at times.

There'll be ups and downs, especially when Adrien moves out and chooses his own career paths, and God Forbid he ever move outside of Paris, but with the way Adrien is already wise to her nonsense, I don't see Emilie being effective in being destructive to their relationship the way irl Monster-in-Laws can be.

And Emilie's not fooling everyone. I can see, like, Sabine seeing straight through her and being able to put her in her place when she gets too intense, but in that motherly way.

[sillysiluriforme]

senti monster chloe makes sense! like audrey clearly doesn’t like or want chloe and dislikes her husband andre enough to cheat on him and have a whole other child with some random guy in new york.

maybe andre desperately wanted a child while audrey refuses, having no interest in a child that she thinks will be a nuisance and a hindrance to her career. audrey also probably will avoid andre (she doesn’t want a kid, wants nothing more than her career, refuses to even carry a child and honestly might avoid andre even in the bedroom).

and andre turns to his long time supporters and sponsors, the agrestes who after hearing about his problem reveals a solution. and thus sentimonster chloe is born!

and ofc audrey hates chloe and thinks her existence is useless, because she never wanted her! or a child! but no andre turned up with a newborn one day and it’s their kid now. audrey might know vaguely about the miraculous to know how chloe was created but does not care about it. and andre completely spoils chloe because he finally has a daughter! except! he’s the mayor of paris and still cannot physically spend time with her. and poor chloe has an absent father who expressed his love through money and a mother whose out of her life and doesn’t care about her.

I think the relationship between Adrien “I look like my mom and she loves it” agreste vs chloe “I look like my mom and she hates it” bourgeois is sooooooo fun.

[nobodyfamousposts]

Missing Sneak Peak (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

The truth is out about Marinette's predicament, and to everyone's surprise, Chloe calls Ladybug:

"I need a favor."

It was a standoff.

Ladybug had faced down akumas, false heroes, monsters of man and magic, and even Hawk Moth himself. And not once had she ever backed down or given up.

But Chloe Bourgeois was nothing if not stubborn. She was long used to getting what she wanted.

And she wasn't going to let something as simple as facing an opponent with a mask and superpowers deter her.

“Look, I worked with you before. That has to mean something, right? I helped you before! Against my Dad and against Hawk Moth on Heroes Day! You…you owe me.”

Ladybug looked unimpressed. “The Miraculous do not entitle you to anything, Chloe.”

“No, hear met out!” Chloe insisted. “You trusted me to help you. And I did! I put my life on the line as your teammate. So…so that warrants something, doesn’t it? I deserve something! A wish. An ask. Just one request.”

The hero frowned. But Chloe was undeterred.

“So look, just…bring her back already. Bring back Marinette Dupain-Cheng and every stupidly good and positive thing she brings with her, and I’ll…I don’t know. I’ll find some way to return the favor.”

Ladybug simply stared at her. Blank. Unfeeling.

“I can pay you! Even superheroes need money, right?”

“Chloe….”

“I’ll be better! No more akumas, I promise!”

“Chloe.”

“I’ll be nicer! I’ll stop bugging my Dad for things and stop causing problems!”

“That's not—h”

“I'll donate my wardrobe to charity!”

“I can't just—"

“I’ll stop making comments to my classmates! I’ll just shut up completely! I’ll get voice surgery if I have to!”

“Chloe, that’s not how it works—”

“NO! It HAS to work!” She shouted, cutting her off. Because she refused—she refused to accept any other answer. “You’re Ladybug! You always make it work! So you can just make this work, too!”

Silence.

“Please.” Chloe begged. “This is the one good thing I have. I don’t want to—I can’t give it up!”

Ladybug simply looked at her, almost pityingly.

“Please." Chloe repeated. "Just this one thing. That's all.”

Ladybug simply shook her head, leaving Chloe feeling hollow.

And without even a word, Ladybug turned away.

Chloe just stared after her in shock.

Because Ladybug was Ladybug. A hero. THE hero. Always there. Always helpful. Always caring.

So why…?

Why didn’t she care now?

Then…

…it hit her.

And Chloe laughed.

How could she not?

“Of course.“ She laughed mournfully. “Of course she had gotten to you too.”

Because of course even Ladybug would be different.

Because of course if anyone could have helped make a Ladybug into the great hero she was today, it would be Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

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

“Chloe?" Adrien called out as he entered her room, worried and unsure. "Is everything okay? You were crying on the phone and…”

He froze, seeing Chloe curled up next to her Bee signal.

“Chloe?”

She didn’t move or answer immediately. He was worried she didn’t even realize he was there, given how blankly she seemed to be staring into nothing.

“Chloe?” He asked as he approached.

Silence.

Unsure of what else to do, he sat next to her and waited.

Chloe had gotten like this before. A long, long time ago.

She would have these times where she'd get quiet and small. And he would sit next to her, just barely touching. Close enough that she'd know he was there and could decide from there if she wanted to lean on him or push away. He always left it up to her. Always waited. Because Chloe never pushed him away. And with enough time, she would voice her feelings, just loud enough that he could hear.

...and sure enough...

“My Mom forgot my name today.” She whispered.

Adrien paused.

He knew how much that had to hurt her. Chloe’s Mother was everything to her. Everything she idolized and admired. Everything she wanted and wanted to be. He’d never seen her happier than when her Mom settled back in Paris and returned to her life.

It had meant everything to her. And to lose it again…

“I’m sorry, Chloe.” He said, leaning closer to her. “I thought things were better.”

“They were.” She sniffed, trying to hold back the hurt. “They were better. And do you know why?”

She laughed, startling him with how bitter it sounded.

“Chloe?”

“It was because of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Because of course it was!" She started off lowly, but her tone grew angrier the more she spoke. "Because of course she is! Because of. Freaking. COURSE if ANYONE was to get my Mom to do better and treat me like I’m actually family and just be a mom, it would be stupid perfect Marinette!”

She curled in on herself with a sob.

“Not…not me.”

Despite her efforts, the tears began to flow.

“And…and now—”

She hiccuped, forcing herself to speak.

“I heard it, you know. They're saying that Marinette got hit by that akuma and now not only did she disappear, but everything—everything connected to her is disappearing, too. Like…how? How does that even work? How does one person affect that much? She was just…just a little nobody! She didn’t matter!” Chloe lowered her head. “At least, she didn’t use to.”

Adrien frowned, wanting to argue, but forced himself to not speak.

Chloe filled the silence instead.

“And it was scary learning she was fading, because that could happen to you or me or anyone, but it was like no big deal, right? Because  yeah, she’s done some things and helped some people but it's not like she did that much, right? So her being gone wouldn't matter that much. Surely she didn’t impact me.” Her eyes clenched shut. “But she did, and now it’s hitting me in the face just how much of what I had was because of her and…and…”

She tried to wipe at her eye, only for more tears to trail.

“And now just like that! It’s all gone! Just back to how it was before. Like—like it never happened! Mom caring about me? Loving me? Yeah right! When did that ever happen? It wasn't me being awesome or a good daughter or following in her footsteps that got my Mom's attention!" She smiled falsely, tears falling from her eyes in a sad show of her true feelings.

"Nope! It wasn't anything about me! It wasn't even about Mom realizing she loves me! Everything we got to have was all only because of Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” She exclaimed with a wild waving of her hands. "Isn't that lovely? Isn't that awesome? Isn't it great how she just fixed everything and brought us together into the happy little family I'd been wanting for years?"

“Chloe…”

She shook her head, showing a bitter smile.

“And now because of stupid akumas and stupid magic, Marinette isn’t here. And because she isn’t here, she wasn’t there. And because she wasn’t there, it didn’t happen. And because it didn’t happen, everything’s just…poof! Gone! Just like that! Just like magic!”

She clenched her fists, her smile falling. “And now I know it never would have happened on its own. Not with just me. Not without her. It was only because of her that I had my Mom back at all. And now that she’s gone, I’m gonna lose that too and…and…”

She sobbed.

“It’s not fair.”

It wasn’t, he agreed internally because what could he actually say?

He understood her feelings about her Mom. It was hold he felt with his own Dad. Never feeling enough. And to have someone else come in and fix that…he wasn’t sure whether he would be grateful or hurt. He was even less sure how he would respond.

…he would feel sad. He knew that much.

“And the worst part? Ladybug is just the same. Harsh sometimes, but not like that. Never like that.”

Silence.

A breath.

“What does that say?” Chloe asked. “When her being gone makes that big of a difference? With my hero AND with my Mom. Not me. Not anyone. No. It's because of Her.”

Adrien stared in surprise. He'd known Ladybug was off, but even Chloe had noticed a difference? It was jarring.

“Ladybug is?”

Chloe wiped her tears. “She's different. You've noticed, haven't you?” She paused, before shrugging. “Though maybe you haven't been around her enough to. But she's different, too. Everyone is different without her. Ladybug. My Mom...I get why. I remember what happened to start it, but still...”

He had as Chat, but he couldn't tell her that.

“And I hate it!” She suddenly exclaimed, anger rushing through her. “I hate it because it means it was nothing about me that made it even happen or made me worth it in the first place but it was everything about her and I hate that but I’m so selfish because—yeah okay, I hate it but I’ll still take it if it means I get to have this and it’s still better than not having Mom at all even if I only got it this way but now I can’t even have that much anymore and soon I never will have had it at all and it'll be like it never happened and it’s not fair!” She ended up shouting, slamming her fist into the ground.

“Chloe!”

“I’m not good, but it’s not fair!”

He hesitated for a moment.

But it was only a moment before he drew her into his arms and let her cry.

He wanted to speak and reassure her. Insist that she was wrong and she was more than enough. It was the right thing to say. The kind thing.

But he was still learning and growing and still so very scared of saying the wrong thing.

Nino had helped him. Listened to him. Helping him without even saying a thing.

Because it was what he needed…because sometimes people needed to make their voices heard more than they needed kind words.

And Adrien could do that much.

So he sat by her, waiting in solidarity and support. The friend and listener she needed as she cried.

[menacerie]

Generally, I keep Zoé The Main Cast Character in a separate universe when I write, but when I do give her the spotlight, I have to give her a backstory with Félix. She is really fun to write with Félix if you consider:

A parallel to Adrien and Chloé. An insane one, at that. Félix takes Chloé's more assertive and domineering role as the one that seeks a stable connection. Zoé and Adrien are the warmer, brighter halves that Félix and Chloé severely depend on.

The difference is that Chloé seeks unconditional love and affirmation she could never attain from Audrey while Félix craves safety that Colt's volatility and standards don't allow.

They would most likely meet in America. I can't imagine Colt not taking trips there and taking Félix with him.

Zoé immediately attaches to Félix like a leech because he cuts into her facades. Painfully, yes, but Zoé accepts it with enthusiasm because it's exactly what she's been waiting for. His cold analysis of anything she rambles about is validating to her because he takes it seriously. That kind of attention is addictive.

By latching on to him, even while he's being his worst self, is a test of devotion that Félix can't ignore. The more they hang out, the more Félix is assured. (Although his certainty is never absolute, and neither is Zoé's. They're both in messed up life situations that reinforce their bad habits.)

Zoé loves playing the hero. Félix loves playing the villain. They do little mock plays on whatever becomes a stage at the moment. A fence, a sidewalk, a playground. Doesn't matter. They're really goofy around each other.

One is a jock, the other's a nerd. Both are emos at heart. They're giving cool artsy kids you want to talk to, but Zoé's the more approachable one whereas Félix is disassembling your molecules in his mind.

The messy platonic break-up would happen when Zoé finds out that she has a half-sister. She didn't know from the start, but when she finds out, it's a huge revelation. A half-sister. A blood relative beside her mom and dad. A potential family. Meeting her wasn't a want. It was a need. It would make sense why.

But Félix, who already met Chloé and knew that she wasn't the family Zoé was looking for, is repulsed by her resolve. Imagine your childhood friend, the hero to your villain, your fellow outcast and partner, ditching you for a half-sister she didn't even know existed.

Zoé tries to salvage it by pretending, by being someone else to soothe Félix's fears (he wasn't satisfied by her truth, so she defaults to satisfying him with a lie), but it backfires. Félix immediately drew his line, backed off, and never looked back. He goes back to London, Colt dies, Zoé heads to Paris, and the rest is history.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer brain-eating zombies in movies. Not in real life. And that's just what the Diamonds' Dance is! A party for brain-eating zombies. Back in New York, I already hated these hypocritical parties where I had to pretend to be friends with the same brats who were making my life a nightmare at school.” Imagine that line after choosing your half-sister who embodied the same elites you condemned with the friend you left behind. Oooh man.

I have a 4k image of Zoé at the Diamond Dance pointing some kind of makeshift sword, maybe the leg of a chair or a crowbar, at Red Moon like she's challenging the Sun to a duel— but instead of the floating red orb it's Félix who throws his glove down.

And Zoé would look terrified because only one person would do that specific gesture. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she was facing. But she couldn’t back down. She was the knight, defending her lady, Marinette, against the monster. It was like a prophecy come true; one that her and Félix weaved together.

The episode guide placed Sole Crusher and Queen Banana just before Gabriel Agreste and Adoration (a.k.a. Zoé’s confession to Marinette) is right before Emotion and Zoé was supposed to be at the Diamond Dance I’m going to chew on my DESK how did the writers not make use of this???

[maddascanbe-blog]

FINALLY I got something done! I've been in such a rutt recently. I actually started this forever ago and just never got it done.

Lifeswap Kagami and Felix.

Felix grew up with only his father. Colt Fathom was determined to make Felix just like him, ya know, an ass. But with no other option, Felix was stuck living that life. He doesn't really know who he is, just that he doesn't want to be his father's puppet forever.

When Ladybug accidentally mistakes him for Adrien he doesn't correct her at first. Flairmidable is his chance to just BE someone else, he doesn't mind helping Ladybug fight the akuma's to do so. Though, why does Chat Noir seem to unhappy with him?

After his first bout as Flairmidible, Felix does tell Ladybug and Chat Noir that he isn't Adrien and regrets betraying their trust like that. While they don't have full confidence in him anymore, Chat Noir thinks Felix should be given another chance.

Kagami meanwhile is Marinette's childhood friend, and come to Paris in search of the Peacock miraculous.

Kagami has convinced herself that the reason her mother treats her like a tool and her father never stands up for her is because she isn't human. She has incorrectly come to the conclusion that she is a senti-monster and that's the cause.

Because if she were human, if Felix and Adrien are human, than why do their parents treat them as lesser beings?

Kagami's young mind can't wrap around the idea that there is nothing wrong with her, and that some people should just never be parents. This also leads to her harboring a deep resentment against Marinette for having two ever adoring parents who don't force her to be anything other than herself.

She thinks Marinette's life is perfect and hates her for it.

Marinette meanwhile does not realize that Kagami has anything against her, instead assuming their awkward first meeting had more to do with not seeing each other for so long. So Kagami is given the dragon with full confidence.

Design wise I wanted Life-swap Ryuko to look more disjointed to reflect Kagami's mental state. So I played up baking the design even more asymmetrical and added ring/chain like designs to her to emphasize how she feels trapped.

Felix meanwhile, I haven't shown his normal redesign but this one sure does look more natural on him. Since cannon flairmidible was supposed to copy Adrien, but this one I wanted to make look more distinctly Felix. He looks super friendly with his big ol' curls and ears and he has a sport coat over his shoulders because he's a 'humble' rich bitch.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I hc that chat lacks self-preservation instincts because Adrien uses Chat as a form of escapism and kinda disassociates from real life, thus making it not truly come across to him how dangerous he is actually being. What are your thoughts on this "theory"/idea/thoughts on why Chat almost kills himself constantly.

Warning! Doyalistic analysis incoming: I think you've put more thought into the topic than the writers have. We're six seasons in and I can't think of a single episode where Adrien's self sacrificing streak was treated as a problem. I don't think that canon even acknowledges that it's a reoccurring issue. Every time he's killed, mind controlled, or otherwise incapacitated is treated like the first time because this is a formula show and you're generally supposed to view every episode as a standalone story even if it often doesn't feel like one.

While I don't like that canon made that choice, I will defend it to a mild extent because I get why it keeps happening. Or, at least, I think I do. My best guess is that the writers aren't viewing the self-sacrificing thing as a serious character beat. They're just using a standard trope and Adrien just so happens to consistently be the easiest character to shove into the role that the trope requires.

The trope in question is usually called the "red shirt" trope and, to save myself some time, I'm just going to quote TV Tropes' to explain what it's all about:

[Red shirts] are the Good Counterpart of Evil Minions and Mooks — set filler for our heroes' side. Their purpose is almost exclusively to give the writers someone to kill who isn't a main character... [Red shirts] are used to show how the monster works, and demonstrate that it is indeed a deadly menace, without having to lose anyone important. Expect someone to say "He's Dead, Jim", lament this "valued crew member's senseless death", and then promptly forget him. Security personnel in general fall victim to the worst shade of this trope, as most of the time their deaths aren't even acknowledged at all; according to Hollywood, you could walk into a bank and shoot a security guard right in the face without anyone making a fuss.

All of the above is why canon consistently lets characters be disintegrated, captured, mind controlled, and so on. These moments are not meant to be serious character beats. They're just there so that the show can raise the stakes for the day's fight.

While the trope is usually reserved for random characters that don't matter, Miraculous tends to use established characters instead because there's a magical reset mechanic which makes negative status effects a temporary issue. It's less the writers calling Chat Noir useless and more them taking advantage of the fact that they can "red shirt" characters that the audience actually cares about. That's a much better way to raise the stakes than red shirting a random character that the audience has never met.

Zombizou is a perfect example of this. That episode sees the entire miracuclass sacrifice themselves, but the message is not that they all have self worth issues. The message is that they trust Ladybug which is the only message canon is trying to send on the occasions when self sacrifice is actively chosen by a character, thus dialogue like this dialogue from Lies:

Cat Noir: There are only two liars left in Paris and one of them knows the ultimate way to catch her attention. Ladybug: No way! Don't do it! What if I fail?! Cat Noir: You know what? I trust you.

Other episodes see the self-sacrifice happen by accident and those don't even get a line about trust. It's just there to raise the stakes.

Of course, that's the Doyalistic explanation. If you want to get Watsonian, then I think your take is a solid one! I just don't think that it's even remotely intentional which is why I would only go Watsonian if you're doing something like writing a fanfic. Don't expect canon to ever address this issue because canon doesn't see it as an issue. It's even one area where I don't judge canon too harshly because this is a really standard trope so I get why they keep using it. Every episode has a fight and you have to do something to keep them interesting! I don't know how you make 130+ fights feel serious without some red-shirt-style moments. That's why the trope exists! It's just the nature of the beast.

My only real criticism is that Miraculous keeps red shirting a character that a lot of the audience understandably views as having self worth issues. That's not a choice that I'd personally make. If Adrien is going to be your standard red shirt option, then don't make him read as depressed and struggling to find his place in the world. Or, at the very least, round robin the red shirt role between the various cast members so that Adrien doesn't stand out in the role! In my opinion, it's yet another case of the writers really not thinking beyond the most surface level implications of their writing choices.

Since you seemed interested, I'll note that my favorite way to address the self sacrificing issue is to have this behavior come from Adrien doing what needs to be done even though he has no desire to die or even just be hurt. After all, Ladybug does need to survive every fight. She's the one with the cure! He's right to protect her! The story doesn't end there, though. Instead of just accepting this, I use it as a way to bring Carapace onto the team because you don't want to just randomly expand the team. Establish a problem, then expand the team to solve it. Ladybug needs to survive every fight and Chat Noir keeps getting hurt? Bring in a human shield. Problem solved!

[purplecatghostposts]

OOOOOOH I KNOW. Cat Walker and Flairmidable. But make it 🖤

(OHHHH NINA. THIS IS VERY GOOD. I WILL TRY MY BEST TO DO IT JUSTICE!! Aaaaugh, Cat Walker angst is endless. Cats vs Dogs. I didn’t take this direction in the little short but like, both of them are putting on different roles to serve Ladybug, though Félix is doing it for his own ends while Adrien is just kind of miserable but trying to make himself happy anyways. Much to think about. Thank you for the ask <333)

—

If nothing else, for once Cat Walker is the only person who really understands what’s going on. He’s learned to see the small silver linings for what they are. It makes it a little easier when he’s forced to dance on puppet strings and remain calm in the face of blatant hatred.

He can’t find it in him to blame them. From their perspective, Cat Walker didn’t just betray them all, he took down others with him. Chat Noir is MIA. Adrien Agreste is among the list of the missing. Paris is falling apart and Cat Walker is the one standing by Chrysalis, letting her have one half of the Miraculouses she needs in order to win.

The ring— his amok— means he can’t say a word otherwise. He can’t even tell them he doesn’t like her. Cat Walker has been fitted into a neat, constrictive box that he cannot escape.

Ladybug hates him for taking away her partner. But if there’s anyone who hates him just as much, it’s Flairmidable. And he knows why.

It’s kinda ironic. He hates him for taking away his cousin, even though he’s standing right here. He finds humor in it sometimes, when he needs something to laugh at. For once, Félix is not the one will all the answers. For once, Adrien understands why Félix sometimes looked so frustrated when he wanted to say something but seemingly couldn’t as kids.

He wishes they could talk about it. Just about the only thing stopping him from feeling like a monster is the fact that he’d be calling Félix one too.

Flairmidable is determined to get his hands on Cat Walker’s Miraculous. He’s come the closest. If he didn’t know his cousin so well, and if he weren’t ordered to protect it at all costs, Cat Walker might’ve lost it by now.

He wonders what kind of face he’ll make when the transformation is ripped away. If he’ll be shocked. Horrified. Disappointed.

If he’ll suddenly understand.

“Do you even feel anything?” Flairmidable asks him one day, a growl in his voice, not unlike a furious dog. Some days he seems to shake with anger. Today is one of them. “People accuse me of not caring but you— you never react to anything. Chrysalis destroys everything around you and you don’t even bat an eye. What do you fight for? Do you fight for anything?”

“Everyone has something they fight for.” As always, Cat Walker can do nothing but give a non-answer. He knows it infuriates him. It’s all he can do.

“It was worth it then.” Flairmidable makes an attempt at his ring. Cat Walker deflects it with his staff. He wonders if he’ll take his staff and fight him with it today. “Fucking over everyone around you was worth it.”

He can’t bite back the comment. Chrysalis wants him to make them hurt, however he can. “You’d know a thing or two about that, wouldn’t you?” He retorts. Flairmidable barks a laugh, a wild look in his eye.

“Everything I did,” he says with a furious and somewhat manic grin, “I did for him. And you just had to screw it all up for me, didn’t you?”

Cat Walker wants to press him for details. He wants to understand— whatever answer he gave Ladybug to let him keep the Dog Miraculous had to have been good. He wants to know what it was. He wants to know what his cousin was trying to do for him.

But Cat Walker can do nothing but hold all the cards and never reveal any of them. Even now, he has one thing over Chrysalis. She hasn’t asked him about the identity of any of the Holders since he came under her control. Flairmidable’s identity as Félix remains safe for as long as he can keep it.

Félix doesn’t understand yet. He hopes he will one day. Chrysalis can’t be allowed to win.

But for now, Flairmidable bares his teeth and makes swipes at his ring, and Cat Walker plays the role he has been forced into, hoping one day it’ll inevitably fall away and maybe, he can be Adrien or Chat Noir again, and not the mask of a person they left behind.

(Send me two ML characters and a symbol from the list and I’ll talk/write about their potential dynamic!)

[your-official-gingerartist]

🎶Just a little kiss will do~ 🥰🫣

[cray-2-the-z]

Last one, I promise!

[ninadove]

AO3 reading year in review 📚

Tagged by @teafig! Here’s a fraction of the fics I enjoyed this year! 💖

JANUARY: Of Wishes and Feathers by @trishacollins {Miraculous 🦚}

Little Felix spends an afternoon being entertained by his aunt.

Trisha wrote this for me because I am the most spoiled girl in the world! 💜 We need more Felix and Emilie in the world urgently. Someone make it your 2025 resolution. I demand it

FEBRUARY: my wings and my eyes by @bittersweetresilience {Honkai: Star Rail 🚂}

Jing Yuan is tired, but he has been tired for a long time now.

Sunny gets February for no reason other than it is Official Shipping Month and its prose single-handedly got me into Renjing. This fic in particular is so loving and tender… 🥺 There is nothing Sunny cannot write and these two idiots have helped prove it time and time again!

MARCH: I miss you more than anything by @sillyangstfic {Miraculous 🦚}

Felix reaches out to Adrien a few months after his mother's death to see if he would like to come visit. Adrien thinks that this is a great idea! Gabriel, not so much.

This was not yet published in March but WHO CARES THE VIBES FIT. Felix cares so much and the Adrien/Dandelion angst is, as the youth say, fire 🔥

APRIL: thirteen by @anna-scribbles {Miraculous 🦚}

The house was never something that belonged to him, and it still isn’t, no matter how many documents boast his name in bold print. Adrien has always belonged to it, though, like a dog tethered to a chain, like a ghost to its unfinished business.

//

The end of the world began on the day Adrien Agreste turned thirteen years old.

What can I say about thirteen that hasn’t already been said? I picked it for April because reasons, but it’s been a highlight of my entire winter and spring. The Adrien Fic Ever 🌼

MAY: love thorns all over this rose by @thevioletthread {Miraculous 🦚}

there's a boy knocking on her window. she lets him in.

[Doodles a tiny heart on your window]

[Kisses you in front of the sunrise]

[Gets down on one knee]

Alexandria, will you raise a hamster with me? 💜🦚❤️🐉

JUNE: Of Broken Bones and Promises by @bright-thehawksflight {Cyrano de Bergerac 🪶}

Christian had a leg amputated, and the two loves of his life manage to simultaneously save his life, plan for the tough times to come, and pine all over the Arras battlefield.

Lisa is the reference when it comes to Cyrano and Greek mythology fanfics. I think about the amputation-hug scene three times per week 🥺

JULY: Candle In The Wind by @phieillydinyia {Miraculous 🦚}

Someone was screaming. A horrific, guttural sound that infected the entire night with sorrow. He wondered if it was the ghosts of the people he'd just killed. He wondered if they'd come back to haunt him, to follow his every waking move, to never let him forget the way he'd demolished them into dust.c

The sound pounded through his head, threatening to burst open his eardrums, determined to push him to a breaking point. Collapsing to his knees, Chat Noir had to pause to draw in a deep breath.

It was only then that he realized the person screaming was him.

The highlight of my summer! A role reversal AU of the movie that includes the songs. How cool is that. (The answer is very cool. Mwah 💖)

AUGUST: If I hold you too close by @bbutterflies {Miraculous 🦚}

Paris didn’t come to a screeching halt for akumas anymore. They were so commonplace, so frequent, no one stopped their lives unless they were in danger. They trusted the heroes to fix everything if something did go wrong, save them if they got hurt. Adrien was still fighting the urge to find Plagg and go running into battle.

Plagg wasn’t here, though.

ADRINO ANGST MGRRRGRRRRR

SEPTEMBER: Luminous strike by @faiirygrahamdevanily {Miraculous 🦚}

Orders controlled the younger twin

Like a bird with a clipped wing

Silver metal out of his hand

The peacock at the monster's command

MY BIRTHDAY GIFT!!!! THAT CAME WITH ITS OWN MOODBOARD!!!! HELL YEAH!!!! 🎂💜🎉

Everyone should check Clara’s works out!!! The Sentikids are great for exploring themes of otherness and rarer forms of fanworks, and she does it extremely well! ❤️💜💚

OCTOBER: the monster who loves you by @purplecatghostposts {Miraculous 🦚}

Mum nods, clapping her hands together. “Your brother is finally feeling better and is coming home today! Isn’t that so exciting?”

Félix pauses mid-bite, processing her words. Mum waits expectantly, as if expecting him to jump for joy, or his equivalent of it.

But… Félix doesn’t have a brother.

(Or Félix’s brother is a monster, but only in the most literal sense. Félix’s father is a monster despite being very, very human. He learns to navigate the world through these two truths.)

SOAP SOAP SOAP SOAP I am eating you. I am eating you forever. You spontaneously appeared in the tags one day and literally haven’t stopped blessing us since but THIS FIC IN PARTICULAR. OH GOSH. OH WOW. THIS ONE IS MY ROMAN EMPIRE. You know how much I love Adrien being cast as the monster (rawr rawr rawr 🦖)

NOVEMBER: Emmy Altava and the Situationship from Hell by @drowsybadger {Professor Layton 🎩}

Or: Clive, Janice and Their Mutual Ex. Or: Emmy Altava and the Great Year that started off really, really, awful. Or: How To Overcome Your Past Mistakes

Basically, 22K words of people fixing their past mistakes and being lovingly awful to each other. Also, Clive is single-handedly responsible for London rent prices actually being affordable for the next half-century in this universe.

Drowsy infected me with the Clivejan QPR bug… My life has never been the same since…

DECEMBER: Me and You, We're Roses of Blue by @adastra-rising {Miraculous 🦚}

For centuries, the blue rose has represented mystery, royalty, and that which is unobtainable.

Why?

Because the blue rose is artificial. Unnatural. So close to being real, but not quite. The unfortunate, disappointing result of humanity daring to challenge the natural order.

And for some reason, Felix Graham De Vanily can't stop thinking about it.

Meanwhile Kagami Tsurugi, despite everything, thinks they are wonderful.

And Adrien Agreste, who prefers his roses red, is just here for a good time.

(A story in which Felix reflects on his childhood, his relationships, and the nature of what's artificial and what's real.)

(Alternatively, a story where the ideal date is destroying a dead man's property in the name of art, and two cousins who are actually brothers' bond over one truly terrible joke.)

Because excellent characterisation and flower imagery are always a gift! 🌹

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Aka works that didn’t quite fit but that I really wanted to feature:

Icarus by @dragongutsixofficial {Dumas Cinematic Universe ⚔️}

The year is 1630. The Cardinal of Richelieu won. Mme de Fargis is banned and has to leave the Court.

She has a few people to say her goodbyes to.

DRAGON STARTED WRITING AGAIN THIS YEAR AND I COULDN’T BE PROUDER. They have a real talent for emulating Dumas’ style while making the story uniquely theirs! 💖

time marches back by @asukiess {Miraculous 🦚}

The Loveybug AU was one of the highlights of 2023-2024, and this fic? This fic. It’s great, man. Definitely won’t break your heart or anything.

Everything in The Félix Zine! I have a particularly soft spot for @mostmagical’s Bridges and @nemaliwrites’ A Graphite Heart, but everyone slayed so incredibly hard! Please also contemplate our amazing artists’ pieces! 💜🦚

@beezonia’s Miraculous Mons AU. Bee, you know it, I’m the target audience for this universe. I love your ficlets, your team line-ups, your designs, everything! 💙🩵🧡

cringe origional works collection by @isdisorigionalenoughforyou

The kind of poetry that will haunt you. Discovered by accident after reading their Aroace Analysis of Jayvik, which you should also check out! 🦋

And my beloved AO3 collections (recs + my own works):

Felix | Adrien | Kagami | Senticousins | Feligami | Clive | Literature and mythology

Tagging… anyone who wants to do this, because I forgot who was and wasn’t tagged by my fellow writer friends. Go wild.

Happy 2025, everyone! May it be kind and filled with excellent stories for us to share! 💚💜❤️

[fayflutter]

Whatever Happened to the Akuma Class?

This post is to explore the futures of the students of Mme Bustier’s class as well as some other characters in the In Her Shadow AU. A lot of these ideas were inspired by @miraculous-thenextspots, mostly because I can see them going down similar paths in the future.

Buckle up, we’re in for a ride!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

It all started when information leaked on the internet about the truth regarding Hawkmoth and Gabriel. No one is quite sure who made the first post, but it spread like wildfire across Paris.

Betrayal and outrage grew among the people, how could Ladybug do this? How could she lie to them, to everyone? They built a statue to the man, believing he was a hero at Ladybug’s word.

No one was talking to her, not Adrien, Alya, or anyone in the class. No one was willing to listen to her.

If she lied about that, how much more had she lied about? In the eyes of the people, Ladybug was a liar, a manipulator, and a villain.

More and more crowds of protesters demanded Ladybug give up the Ladybug miraculous and stop being a hero…and she was starting to think they were right.

Until she got a message on her yoyo, someone finally willing to hear her out! In her desperation, she headed to the location and waited.

…She didn’t feel the devastating, deadly blow from behind until it was too late.

Her body was recovered and no one knows who was the one behind her death. Her case turned cold.

No one is sure where the Ladybug Miraculous went after that.

Chrysalis, the new butterfly holder, stopped sending out akumas after that. There was finally peace in Paris…but at what cost?

Adrien Agreste

On the surface he appears fine, but has not been doing well since his girlfriend’s death.

He was appalled, angry, and betrayed that Marinette would not only keep something like that about his father from him, but tell him he was a hero when he was actually a monster.

For a time, he became lost, withdrew into himself, and became a hermit like his father.

Plagg attempted to get him out of the house and back to his old self, but nothing helped.

Adrien attempted to fill the hole Marinette left behind with drinking and dark haired women. (It’s not the same for him, it’s never the same).

Had to be forced to give up the black cat miraculous and retire from superheroing.

Then Emilio came into his life or rather he was pushed into his arms by one of the many one night stands he had.

He knew he had to do better for his son and stopped drowning in self pity and guilt. He can’t end up like his father.

He’s not the best father though, but does his best to be not like his own father.

Adrien is constantly away on business but he does his best to communicate with Emilio and attempts to connect with him the few times he is home (it’s been hard for the both of them). But it’s difficult with him away for work all the time.

The hole in Adrien’s heart seem to grow bigger when he saw that Ladybug had returned.

Alya Césaire

Married Nino and works at the TVi network as a reporter.

Has one kid, Marin (guess who she is named after?)

Did her best to move on after Marinette’s death and is one of the few who secretly knows that Marinette was Ladybug.

Over the years, she has attempted to track down the lost miraculouses (Ladybug and Butterfly), but has been unsuccessful so far.

Gave the Fox Miraculous to Luka for safe keeping after retiring from superheroing.

Retired the Ladyblog site after Hawkmoth’s

Nearly died while on the job a few years back. She is more cautious and careful when it comes to reporting in dangerous situations (no miracle cure can bring her back those times).

Wants to figure out the new Ladybug’s identity so she can help/protect her. She’s not going to let this Ladybug go through what Marinette did.

Too bad, this Ladybug doesn’t seem to like reporters or cameras very much.

Nino Lahiffe

Married Alya, has two kids, and works as a DJ at clubs. (Alya is the breadwinner in their house)

Is the father of Marin.

Like with Alya, he moved on from Marinette’s death, but the sting of it and the circumstances leading up to it still leave a mark.

Helped his wife in searching for the lost Miraculous, but had been unsuccessful.

Retired from superheroing and gave the Turtle Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

A few years ago, he nearly served Alya divorce papers after too many close calls when reporting and recklessly thinking she’s invulnerable.

Supports Alya in figuring out the new Ladybug’s identity, this kid can’t be any older than they were, she needs to be protected.

Chloe Bourgeois

Moved to New York City after the events of “Revolution” much like in canon. But instead of going to London, she remained in NYC.

She also went to therapy (forced to go to therapy because it was apart of her sentence for, oh I don’t know, forcefully becoming an underage mayor and aiding a magical terrorist MULTIPLE TIMES!!)

Took over her mother’s Style Queen company and rebranded it to Chloe’s Couture.

Soon before the events of S1, Chloe moved back to inherit her father’s hotel after he retired as the owner and to also redeem the Bourgeois name (it’s practically dirtied up at this point, it’s not going to be easy).

Never settled down, but does have two children, the twins,

Tries her best to be a better mother than Audrey, though has high, high expectations for them.

Has calmed down and matured (at least that’s what she claims, who’s to say?). She can still be snappy and mean, but she learned her lesson, no longer aiding terrorists. (“Please, I have better standards than to help some nobody in a last season butterfly mask. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.”)

Even if she doesn’t show it, she truly loves her children. She cried so much when they were born, not even caring if it ruined her mascara.

She is saved by the new Ladybug a couple of times from akumas she probably caused. (I said Chloe was trying, she’s not perfect).

Sabrina Raincomprix

Decided to take her experiences as a doormat and her toxic friendship with Chloe and turn it into strength.

She became a child psychiatrist and offers her services to schools when akumas began popping up again.

Is polite towards Chloe, but aren’t friends anymore (Chloe respect this decision and doesn’t push it further)

Encounters Élodie as one of her patients, has come to realize how bad Mme. Bustier was and has become as a principal.

Juleka Couffaine

She and Rose separated from Kitty Section to pursue a career in modeling (grew enough self confidence to shine as a star).

The two got married and adopted a cute little boy from Achu (knowing Prince Ali helped the adoption process move much, much quicker).

Gave the Tiger Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

She, along with her brother, visit Marinette’s grave, leaving flowers and keeping it clean for her.

Luka Couffaine

Became the new Guardian after Marinette’s death…he doesn’t feel good about getting the position.

Sorrow, guilt and shame continues to gnaw at his mind for Marinette’s death.

Spilt from Kitty Section to pursue his own music career.

Still has the Snake Miraculous with him.

Is not on speaking terms with Adrien. The last time they spoke, they got into a fight as Luka requested the black cat miraculous from him, Adrien did not take it well.

Recently returned to Paris after hearing that Ladybug had returned.

Rose Lavillant

While her wife went into modeling, she devoted her time to creating and perfecting all natural, non toxic, organic, easily purchased perfume.

With Juleka promoting it, the line became a hit and she eventually turned it a perfume brand, known as Princesse Parfum.

Gave the Pig Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

She’s a regular customer at Élodie’s aunt’s flower shop and is always chatting the young girl’s ear off whenever she’s in the store. She’s become like a nosy aunt, always asking Élodie about what’s going on in her life.

Mylene Harprele

Married Ivan and is currently pregnant with their first child.

Created and organized an organization that assists akuma victims with their mental health and returning back to normal lives.

A lot of people targeted the akuma victims for their roles to play with Hawkmoth, harassing and even threatening violence against them. Mylene defended them, stating that akuma victims like her husband weren’t villains, but victims (SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!).

Many in Paris also struggled with their emotions, which lead to bottling them up and not expressing themselves, leading to life long damage to their mental health. Her organization offers free counseling and therapy sessions, Sabrina also comes in from time to time.

Calls to the organization has been booming recently…though Mylene wished it wasn’t because of the akumas returning.

She may or may not be thinking of running for mayor, but she’s waiting until after the baby comes to decide.

Ivan Bruel

Supports his wife in her organization, even facilitates some of the meetings with other akuma victims.

He also opened a gym so that people can have healthy ways of release aggression and anger as well as kids to defend them from bullies.

He also provides yoga and meditation as stress relief technique and

Élodie began going to his gym to learn self defense (she’s really learning to be able to fight against akumas, the girl is not Batman).

Alix Kubdel

…No one has actually heard from Alix or seen her in a while.

After Marinette’s death, she just kind of vanished from Paris.

The Rabbit Miraculous’ location remains unknown, but Luka assumes it’s safe with Alix wherever or whenever she is.

Max Kante

Max being Max started up his own robotics company known as Kante Industries.

He’s essentially Tony Stark, except less partying and more working late in his office.

Gave the Horse Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

Has a daughter to continue on his legacy, though their relationship is rocky.

Transformed Markov from a flying machine to his fully humanoid autonomous assistant (think like Jarvis).

Is working on a secret classified project for the government, all he can tell is that it will change the world.

Kim Lê Chiến (or Lê Chiến Kim? IDK However you say his name)

Kim is the P.E teacher at Collège Françoise Dupont after retiring from being a competitive athlete due to an injury.

Gave the Monkey Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

Vowed to never do another prank ever again after his son’s birth…only to get roped into a constant prank war when his daughter was old enough to pull her first prank (he’s so proud of her).

While he’s still lighthearted, he can be stern and doesn’t tolerate bad behavior in his class.

He, his wife, and his son are the only ones who can handle the little terror that is Arielle Lê Chiến.

His son is one of Élodie’s classmates and over the first season, they become friends.

Ondine

Went on to become an Olympic swimmer for France (Kim is so proud of his wifey, he was shouting the loudest when she was swimming at the Olympic Games).

Continues to compete, is away from home a lot because of it.

Ondine always FaceTime whenever she’s on break or far away, keep in touch with her kids, and makes sure to make every moment special when she is home.

Nathaniel Kurtzberg

Marinette’s death affected him. He even dedicated comics to her as well as drew out characters who resembled her.

Gave the Goat Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

He and Marc are married and make comics together. Their comics are their children, no matter what people say.

Their comics are highly successful and gain a massive following, there might be a movie adaptation coming out soon.

Marc Anciel

Also took Marinette’s death hard, was understanding when Nathaniel began drawing Marinette into their comics as a form of mourning and grief.

He began to write out the story Marinette deserved even writing her a happier ending (it’s what she would have wanted).

Gave the Rooster Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

He and Nathaniel are working closely with a movie production team to make their comic book movie a box office hit, (they even make Stan Lee esque cameos).

Kagami Tsurguri

Though she doesn’t show it, Kagami took Marinette’s death hard.

How could someone so bright be snuffed out so quickly? She just couldn’t understand it.

She moved to London with Felix and eventually married him.

Gave the Dragon Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

She pursued her interest in art and is now a renowned artist with works in galleries all over the world.

Felix and her have one son together.

Both Felix and Kagami are away for work, but Kagami is doing her best to be a good mother and encourages his son’s interests, not restricting him to the rigid perfection that her own mother put her through.

Felix Graham De Vanily

While he didn’t know Marinette quite as well as Kagami or Adrien, he still understands their pain and grief.

He took his mother’s last name as he didn’t want to be associated with his father anymore.

He eventually married Kagami and took over the Fathom company, stripping it of anything related to his father.

He tries his best to be a good father like Adrien does with his own son. But neither him or Kagami are good at showing their emotions and are away for work, leading to neglect.

Kept the Peacock Miraculous and gave Luka a fake for safekeeping. He feels it’s much better in his hands than some Guardian’s.

He wants to give his son the freedom he never received under his own father’s watch, though it may lead to more harm than good.

Zoé Lee

Zoé won’t appear much in the main story though may make an appearance if I decide to do like a New York special in the future.

She was one of the most devastated by Marinette’s death. It was Marinette who helped her feel at home in Paris and helped her make friends.

Gave the Bee Miraculous to Luka for safekeeping.

She moved back to New York City to pursue acting (and to get away from the pain of losing Marinette). She is known for her donations to charities for children in abusive households.

She has a wife now, has no children, but enjoys showering her niece and nephew with visits, love, and affection whenever Chloe can’t.

Lila Rossi

No one in the class has heard from Lila in years.

None of her old alias or names have come up, it’s like she didn’t exist.

Though she may have returned to Paris under a new name and identity, though who knows with Lila?

[matt0044]

Reserving Felix until “Emotion” was a good call.

I think the expectation for him to be making Sentimonsters like Gabriel was making villains to get the Miraculous... would've been too repetitive, especially when Season 4 and 5 were mixing up the formula more than ever.

Frankly, Emotion being in the third act of Season 5 makes him a delightful surprise after his last appearance in "Multiplication."

Furthermore, him creating a well thought out scheme such as slipping into a high society event that Adrien will attend and creating a Sentimonster that will allow him to snap all he chooses out of existence shows that he didn't rush into things like his uncle had.

Rather than try again and again with some new creation for Ladybug and Chat Noir to beat up, he bides his time for one big gambit.

It probably helps that if Monarch caught wind of him in Paris (his Miraculous would likely have a limited range to detect and harvest emotions), he'd be wide open for his uncle as well as Ladybug to get his Miraculous taken away.

His Heel Face Turn also works since, well, what is he doing but becoming the very things he hates: his monster of a father who'd snap his fingers and puppet his son out of spite. Finding that Marinette wasn't coming back in his care for Adrien, he had a chance to take a hard look at himself.

He’s something of a Wham Episode of a character if I may show my inner Troper. Basically he comes into an episode and doesn't exactly stick around for the episodic shenanegins we usually get with his episodes often concentrating a lot of myth arc revolving around Adrien's family.

He's also popular because he also doesn't overstay his welcome, making his appearances rather exclusive. The "absence makes the heart grown fonder" phrase comes to mind.

Honestly, I'm surprised by how well they made it feel not at all rushed but rather a Trap Card they were waiting to spring on us. I do think they should have Argos be Ladybug's more morally ambiguous ally, especially as it concerns Adrien.