#The Rebellion of Adrien Agreste

[car-toons]

My favorite part about reverse Adrien is that he still gives off prep energy, most likely because of his father. He rebels, but the rebellion is small, in the haircut and eyeliner. But when he transforms in the Claw Noir, his rebellion is free and he goes FULL PUNK! I love my son so freaken much!

[mikauzoran]

Lukadrien: Tattoo of Revenge – “Do you regret it?” (One-Shot)

Read it on AO3: Lukadrien: Tattoo of Revenge – “Do you regret it?”

Summary: Adrien enlists Luka’s help to get back at Gabriel for not respecting Adrien’s boundaries and bodily autonomy.

Pairing: Adrien Agreste/Luka Couffaine

Rating: T

[uptoolateart]

Hey, hey, hey - time for a Gabriel analysis!

So. After we learned that Gabriel Agreste wasn't his original name, my mind jumped to Andre Bourgeois, who also once had a different name. In keeping with the themes of the show, we are seeing that secret identities don't always come with masks and comic book names.

We had a hint of Gabriel's secret past in Psycomedian, when Harry visited and alluded to his Gabi days. How, oh how could the Gabriel Agreste we all know have ever been friends with someone like Harry Clown? This is only possible if he was once a different sort of person.

We had further clues in Gabriel's vision of the past, in the time burrow in Evolution - and in Emilie's video messages left for Nathalie, and the photographs of Gabriel, Emilie and Nathalie on some expedition, seen in Passion - and in Amelie's accusation that Gabriel has changed, in Emotion.

Adrien is also aware his father has changed with time, demonstrated when he tells Gabriel that Emilie once said they came from different backgrounds.

The photos shown in Revelation finally gave concrete evidence that Gabriel used to have an adventurous spirit and he used to smile. He was fun...but something changed...and I don't think it was just Emilie's death that caused the personality shift. Based on casual comments Adrien has made throughout the series, his father has been strange for years.

Gabriel tells Adrien that he and Kagami are 'of the same design' - and we know he means this literally. But taking it as a metaphor...for two seasons I've wondered what Emilie's parents were like. We can infer that she comes from a wealthy, 'important' family. Maybe Gabriel struggled to fit in and win the approval of his in-laws. Maybe he never felt good enough. When he tells Adrien things like, 'You're clinging to Marinette because her mediocrity lets you shine more,' perhaps someone once talked like that about him. With that kind of background, it would be unsurprising that he decided to try to forge a new identity.

And let's remember that Gabriel is a designer. His whole empire is founded on inventing personae. Even beyond the sentimonster aspect, he tells Marinette that he designed the image the world holds of his son. Everything is his invention. That speech in Pretension proved just how deep his God complex runs - he fully believes he has made the world in his image. Even the episode title - Pretension - smacks of the image he is presenting to the world in lieu of truth.

At this point, what we're seeing is a 'new money' stereotype - a self-made man who now spurns those who remind him of where he came from. It's one of the most shameful things about him. No matter how much fame and money you get...you can't forget your roots, people. Maybe that's easy for me to say because I'm not rich or famous. But I just can't imagine turning my back on my own origin story. It's what makes you who you are. Gabriel clearly didn't want to be that person anymore...and that's sad.

What's also fascinating is that, if we zoom in on those pictures Nathalie took in Revelation, we see that once upon a time, Gabriel - Gabi Grassette - was a punk. Let's take a moment to appreciate the spiked hair, makeup, leather jacket, ripped jeans, and dog collar - not to mention that smirk. And far from being ashamed of his work with Harry Clown as a human frites (who, by the way, reminds me so much of Mr Banana), he was smiling about it. Man, he loved it. Contrast that with Gabriel in Party Crasher - 'JOY.... What's going on in my HOUSE!?'

If it were at all possible for the old Gabi to meet Cat Noir, I can imagine him loving Cat's costume. On that note, I can't help but compare that dog collar with Cat's bell. I've said before that I see the bell as a symbol of Cat being domesticated and under control. Gabi probably saw his dog collar more as a rebellion, but maybe it too is a symbol of how he once felt controlled by someone.

The thing is...the punk movement was all about anti-establishment anti-authoritarianism. Today, Gabriel is the establishment he once rebelled against. It makes me think of John Lydon of the Sex Pistols turning Conservative and advertising butter. Musicians like Donovan - not a punk, but in a similar category, as a 1960s hippie - are rare for maintaining that same spirit all through their lives.

Gabriel is a 'sell-out'. He gave up that spirit and became someone unrecognisable. Those photos demonstrate that Emilie isn't the only body buried in a 'basement' in the Agreste mansion. There is a different person buried under the cold veneer that is Gabriel - a person Nathalie probably misses. I expect that's why she's stuck with him all this time, despite her better instincts. Something tells me Gabi would've made a better father.

The irony is that Adrien's moments of rebellion are probably one of the few things he has in common with his father, if we look far enough back in Gabriel's past. That, and their temper - and randomly breaking into eccentric dance and song. Gabi might have appreciated Adrien more for standing true to his principles. Maybe Adrien sometimes reminds Gabriel of himself and he can't stand it - can't stand thinking of what he's lost along the way.

I believe Gabriel exists in a perpetual state of regret. Part of him probably misses Gabi, too. After all, Gabi got Emilie. What has Gabriel got? Wealth, sure, but Emilie's dead, Adrien all but hates him, Nathalie's wasting away, and Gabriel himself has only weeks to live.

If you think about it, Gabriel's whole quest has been about getting a do-over. He wants a second chance with Emilie - a second chance for Nathalie - a second chance at his own life. He then tells Adrien that his greatest wish is to try to reconnect with him...because he knows he doesn't have much time left with his son. Even then, though, his selfishness prevails. (Psst, Gabi...you can't make up for years of terrible parenting with banana pancakes.)

Thinking of the snake miraculous, the second chance lets you know what's going to happen, enabling you to make better decisions the next time around. In other words: it's about learning from your mistakes. Gabriel never learns, and it is his refusal to accept destiny and his own human fallibility that is causing his disintegration.

The more Gabriel necrotises, the more we can see this as his 'sins' catching up with him. He doesn't seem to grasp that all the blackness devouring him is, in a way, the blackness of his own heart. Even if he erases the whole world, he can't erase his deeds. If he managed to get his Wish and bring Emilie back, she would be horrified. She'd wonder where her Gabi went.

Gabriel is proof that 'evolution' isn't always positive. He reinvented himself once, and now, because it didn't go the way he wanted, he's trying to reinvent things again. Tomoe also hints at a belief that the solution to her problems is to make the world anew - to get a second chance. Felix tries this, too, when he creates the red moon to wipe out all people except his select group.

But Felix does learn - Ladybug helps him see that even if you erase all the people causing you so much grief...you still have to deal with that pain. What Gabriel fails to see is that - like Cat Blanc on the roof, all alone without his lady - destroying your witnesses won't remove the witness in your own heart.

Even if Gabriel wiped everyone else's memory of his crimes, he would still know what he'd done. And when you cross those kinds of lines, you can never go back to who you once were.

Please no post-Revelation spoilers in the comments :)

[wonderwomanpleasesteponme]

Some Maribat thoughts with bio dad Bruce Wayne.

Normalverse -

Bruce coming to get the daughter that he has somehow managed to get to live a life sperate from his life as a vigilante: Marinette, your parents and I have come to the agreement that it would be best for you to come to Gotham with me as it is no longer safe for you to be here with Hawkmoth around.

Marinette internally: but I'm Ladybug I can't just abandone Paris and my team like this. Oh all my friends are here and my fashion business was just starting to take off. Most importantly who will defend Paris while I'm gone, I'm the only one who can purify akumas! Wait I'll use the horse miraculous to go back and fort whenever i get an akuma alert.

Marinette out loud: fine, I'll go.

Meanwhile in the world of Shadybug and Claw Noir after the events of the Paris world special -

Mirror Bruce Wayne coming to collect his daughter: l am going to say this once, you will be coming with me back to Gotham as that foolish rebellion has gotten more power and started wining more and more fights against to Supreme.

Shadybug/Marinette internally: shit shit, fucking shit, god fucking damn it, may the kwami of death if there is one and their not Plagg take me now.

Shady: I'm going to get my things. *goes into her room*

Shady who has all but officially moved into the Agreste Manor so most of her stuff is over there: *shoves whatever she hasn't moved into the Agreste Manor as yet into a backpack, before jumping out her bedroom window and booking it down the street.

Shady upon spotting Adrien's limo:*pulls open the door and gets inside startling Adrien and Gorilla* Fucking drive!

[marimbles]

Ey I forgot to post this here but! I wrote a lil ladrien fic!

Word count: 3.2k

Summary:

Ladybug sniffed. “I saw through you right away. You look just like a celebrity trying to sneak past the paparazzi.”

Adrien frowned. “Well, I think I blend in better than you do. What are you supposed to be, a film noir detective on holiday?”

Or, Incognito Adrien runs into I'm-Not-Here Ladybug on the bus.

Mr. Perfect Disguise

13:38

adrienagrestbrand

HALLELUJAH! My shoot was canceled!

lahiffesbeats

oh sweet!

wait the one with Lila?

adrienagrestbrand

Yes!!!

Apparently she caught the flu

lahiffesbeats

uhh why are you so excited that lila’s sick. that’s not cool man

adrienagrestbrand

Oh um I’m not excited that she’s sick! I’m just glad to have some extra time.

One of my mom’s movies is playing at this indie cinema downtown. Want to go see it with me?

lahiffesbeats

aw man, i cant :( im watching chris

adrienagrestbrand

Maybe you could bring him?

lahiffesbeats

nah, he can’t sit still during a movie lol

maybe alya is free?

adrienagrestbrand

Uh, you don’t think that would be a bit awkward?

lahiffesbeats

why

adrienagrestbrand

I mean, Alya is great, but we never hang out with just the two of us.

lahiffesbeats

ok so ask marinette

adrienagrestbrand

I don’t think Marinette would want to go with me 😅 Last time we went to the movies together, Gorizilla showed up and it was kind of a disaster.

I think I’ll just go on my own. I’m not sure the movie would be that interesting to any of you anyway, haha.

lahiffesbeats

well i know for a fact that marinette would be 3000% down to go to literally any movie with u but ok lmao

adrienagrestbrand

What do you mean? How do you know for a fact?

lahiffesbeats

nvm

have fun dude!

adrienagrestbrand

Sorry, but would you mind covering for me? I told Gorilla I was going to study with you.

lahiffesbeats

sure thing bro. i’m honored to protect your scandalous sneaky ways

i’m proud. honestly i might tear up

adrienagrestbrand

Thanks

And shut up

Gorilla will drop me off in a few, OK? Then when the coast is clear I’ll head over to the theater

lahiffesbeats

How are you gonna get there

adrienagrestbrand

I’ll take the bus

lahiffesbeats

the bus?

mr. famous rich boy teenage heartthrob model adrien agreste is gonna take the bus

adrienagrestbrand

Yes

And shut up

lahiffesbeats

bro i hate to ask but have you ever been on a bus

like do you know how it works

adrienagrestbrand

Yes!!!!

No

But how hard can it be? You just get on and pay the driver and ride it, right?

Wait, do they give change back for 100€?

lahiffesbeats

probably not lol

just take my travel pass

adrienagrestbrand

Really? You’d do that?

lahiffesbeats

ofc. i’m very invested in your teenage rebellion

u can give it back tmw

adrienagrestbrand

Thanks, Nino!! You’re the best

lahiffesbeats

yeah, yeah. i know

just have ur bodydude drop u off here and i will help u turn on Incognito Mode. for maximum stealth

i will make you a kit

adrienagrestbrand

A kit?

lahiffesbeats

yee

for Operation Teenage Rebellion

just trust me

see u in a few

adrienagrestbrand

See you

— — —

“Uh, Nino, are you sure about this?”

Adrien frowned down at his outfit. Nino’s “Incognito Mode” had turned out to be a pair of sunglasses, his signature red hat, and an old denim jacket with a mysterious stain on it, which he insisted Adrien wear to hide the fact that his shirt “cost literally a million Euros, dude.” He’d even made Adrien swap out his orange Agreste-brand sneakers for pair of Nino’s old Nike slides, which were the only thing small enough to fit him.

“Have I ever led you wrong?” Nino grinned. “Just trust me.”

Adrien opened his mouth to name a time or two when Nino had, maybe, actually, led him wrong, but before he could say anything, Nino was nudging him out the door.

“Sorry, man, I really gotta get back to Chris. And you gotta get to the bus.” He shoved a plastic sack into Adrien’s hands. “Later! Keep me posted.”

The door clicked shut behind him.

Adrien peered into the bag. It contained a neon yellow sports drink, a pack of American crisps with a cartoon cheetah on them, and a plastic blue card, which he assumed was Nino’s transit pass.

The bus would arrive in just a few minutes. Adrien hurried down the steps of Nino’s building and jogged to the corner to wait.

Soon, the bus rolled to a stop in front of him. He climbed aboard, pulling Nino’s hat lower over his eyes. The woman in front of him drew a ticket from her pocket.

“Oh—shoot.” Adrien reached into the bag and grabbed the blue card. The plastic rustled loudly. Blushing, he tapped the plastic card on the reader with a beep.

There was photo of Nino on the back of the card. Adrien’s hand shot back. He glanced up nervously at the bus driver, who was busy adjusting his mirror. Adrien’s muscles relaxed.

He followed the woman into the aisle. At this time of day, it was a crowded ride—standing room only. He squeezed through to an empty space next to a girl in a sunhat, pulling out his phone.

adrienagrestbrand

Why didn’t you tell me your transit card is also an ID??

lahiffesbeats

eh, they never check

how is operation teenage rebellion going

adrienagrestbrand

Well, I’m on the bus, at least.

lahiffesbeats

:’) proud of you, bud. my little rebel bro. breaking the law and everything

adrienagrestbrand

Wait, using someone else’s travel pass is illegal???

Before Adrien had a chance to fixate on the horror of his father bailing him out of jail (in this outfit), the bus took off with a lurch. He stumbled forward, nearly dropping his phone and treading on the toes of the girl in the hat.

“Sorry,” he said with a wince. So much for staying inconspicuous. He reached out and gripped one of the metal handlebars, tucking his other hand into his pocket. His fingers found his Marinette lucky charm, rolling the beads between his fingers.

“Oh, um, it’s fine!” The girl ducked her head. “It’s not a problem.”

Adrien blinked. There was something familiar about her. And something strange. Maybe it was the dark trenchcoat, which looked too heavy for the mild weather. Or maybe it was her wide-brimmed hat, more suitable for a beach than a crowded city bus.

He glanced down at her black leather gloves. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think she was trying to hide, just like him.

The bus rounded a corner, and despite his hold on the bar, Adrien staggered to the side. His free hand was thrown out wildly to try to keep his balance, and he nearly hit the girl on the nose.

“Sorry! Sorry,” he said quickly, scrambling back into place. His neck burned underneath the collar of his jacket.

“Don’t worry about it,” the girl mumbled.

Adrien shoved his hand back into his pocket and froze. His lucky charm was missing.

He scanned the floor and spotted it next to the girl’s boot.

“Um, excuse me, miss,” he said. “Would you mind handing me that? I dropped it.”

The girl peered down where he was pointing, face still hidden from view. Then she seemed to stiffen, frozen in place as she stared at the charm.

“Um, miss?”

She scooped it up and held it out to him, head bowed. “Here you go.”

“Thank y—” he started to say, but the words got lost on their way out. The girl’s hand was still outstretched, and he stared at the gap between her sleeve and her glove.

It was bright red, with a black spot.

The bus hissed to a stop. People clamored to their feet.

“Ladybug?” he whispered.

Her head snapped up. He caught a glimpse of her wide eyes through a pair of oversized sunglasses. Then she shot to her feet and pushed past him.

“Wait!” he called. He stumbled after her, down the steps and out the door. “Wait, please!”

She didn’t turn around. Just strode quickly down the street, the brim of her hat flopping with each step.

He broke into a jog and to catch up with her. “Ladybug!”

“I’m not—uh—who’s Ladybug?” She let out a breathless laugh. “Or, I mean, of course I’m not Ladybug. Why would you think that?”

“I, uh, saw your suit. Could you stop for a second?”

“No! I have to ca—I have … important business to attend to.”

“Um, before you do that, would you mind giving me back my lucky charm?”

She came to a halt, and he almost ran into her.

“Right,” she said quickly. “Here you go.”

She shoved the charm at him—he had to fumble not to drop it—and kept walking. But Adrien wasn’t willing to lose her that fast.

“What kind of business?” he asked quickly, dropping the charm into his plastic sack.

“Superhero business. Top secret.”

“Well, if it’s superhero stuff, then, um … why isn’t Chat Noir here too?”

“Because! It’s not—he isn’t—” She let out a little huff. “Because he wouldn’t get it. I have to do this alone.”

“I don’t think you ever have to do anything alone,” Adrien said. “Maybe he would get it if you explained.”

Finally, she stopped. Even with the double layer of her mask and her sunglasses, he could feel the weight of her gaze. “Why are you following me, Adrien?”

He blinked. “I … I didn’t realize you’d recognized me.”

“Well, um, that disguise isn’t very good.”

“It’s not?” He glanced down, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of the stained jacket and open-toed shoes. There was even a hole in the toe of his sock—Plagg kept stealing all of his good ones, and he always forgot to ask Nathalie for more.

Ladybug sniffed. “Not for me, anyway. I saw through you right away. You look just like a celebrity trying to sneak past the paparazzi.”

Adrien frowned. “Well, I think I blend in better than you do. What are you supposed to be, a film noir detective on holiday?”

Ladybug stiffened, and Adrien’s stomach dropped. He’d done it again. He’d let a stupid joke fall out of his stupid mouth, and now his lady was upset with him—this time, with Adrien him.

But Ladybug didn’t scoff, or cross her arms, or do any of the things she usually did when she didn’t like his jokes. Instead, she groaned, flattening the sides of her big, floppy hat to her head.

“This is so embarrassing,” she muttered. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“It’s—it’s not that bad,” Adrien tried, but Ladybug just buried her face in her hands.

“Ugh! This stupid suit!” Her head snapped up. “If you have any better suggestions, Mr. Perfect Disguise, I’m all ears.”

“You could just … detransform?”

She froze again, and before she could say anything, he went on in a rush.

“I mean, if you don’t want to be noticed, couldn’t you just take the bus as, like, yourself? And then just transform when you get to wherever you’re going? That would draw less attention. Unless, by chance, you daylight as a circus clown.”

He laughed awkwardly, mentally kicking himself for cracking another bad joke. But to his surprise, she laughed too.

“Nope,” she said. “That’s Chat Noir’s civilian identity. I’m just a normal girl with a normal life.”

He clung to the echo of her laugh, letting it fill him up with a hesitant sort of confidence he couldn’t resist testing.

“Aw, come on, mila—Ladybug,” he dared to say. “I’m sure there is nothing about you that isn’t special. Spots or no spots.”

“You’re wrong. I’m super normal. The normalest.”

“No way.

“Yes way! I bet—” She seemed to hesitate. “I bet I could sit behind you at school and you wouldn’t even notice me.”

“Lies,” Adrien said. “I would definitely notice.”

“Right. Well … um, wow, would you look at the time!” She let out a nervous laugh, glancing down at an invisible watch on her wrist. “I’d better be off. It was nice to love you, Adrien—I mean, nice to see you. Bug out!”

She spun on her heel, and without his permission, his hand shot out to stop her.

“Um,” he said, “do you—I mean … well, I still don’t get why you’re in disguise. Do you need help with something?”

“No! I mean, thanks, that’s okay, but I really need to … oh.” Her voice trailed off, mouth falling open.

“What is it?”

“I was going somewhere, but I guess now I don’t … need to.”

“What do you mean?”

She held his gaze, biting her lip, and then released a breath, her words spilling out in a rush. “I heard you and Lila were gonna have a photoshoot today, so I was going over there to, like, stake it out and stop her from whatever terrible thing she was planning. But I was worried that if I wasn’t suited up already I’d have to find a place to transform and that could take forever because do you even know how hard it is to find a decent hiding place in one of the biggest cities in Europe?”

“Well—”

“And by the time I hid and transformed and got back, who knows what kind of damage she could’ve done? So I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll just have to suit up beforehand so I’m ready for action at a moment’s notice.’ But there really isn’t much that can cover a whole supersuit, so I stole—borrowed—my mom’s coat and the hat she bought for her trip to Côte d'Azur last year because, I mean, she literally never wears it, and I was gonna put it right back when I was done, and I couldn’t use any of my hats because they don’t have a big enough brim to hide my mask. Because, like, even with sunglasses on you can still see it, so I thought I could just kind of, like, bow my head and it would be fine—”

“Ladybug—”

“—and of course Tik—my friend told me it wasn’t a good idea, but I just couldn’t let anything happen because I’m the only one who knows what Lila’s capable of. So I’m the only one who can stop her.”

At last, Ladybug paused, breathing heavily, looking flushed beneath her mask.

“This is about Lila?” Adrien asked. “What were you afraid she was gonna do?”

She was definitely blushing now, pink spilling out from under all her layers of disguise. “Well—I don’t know! She would think of something! She’s a liar. Or—I mean …” She breathed in, closing her eyes briefly. “She is at high risk for akumatization. Or getting others akumatized.”

Adrien nodded. “I know.”

“You—you do?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I thought you did, at one point, but then you started doing all these photoshoots with her, and you guys seem pretty … friendly.” She made a face at the word, like it was something slimy and poisonous. “I mean, like, being all cuddly and couple-y and—like, if you’re dating Lila, that’s … that’s fine, I just have to, um, warn you that—”

“We’re not dating,” Adrien cut in. “We’re not even friends.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” he said firmly. “The photoshoots are my father’s idea, and I kind of let Lila do what she wants with them because, well, I made a deal with her.”

Ladybug frowned. “What kind of deal?”

“I told her I would do the shoots with her if she’d leave my friend Marinette alone. Lila got her expelled from school temporarily. She almost got her akumatized. It was terrible.”

“You … you did that?” Ladybug asked, sounding strangely distant. “You did that for Marinette?”

Adrien nodded. “She’s really important to me. I couldn’t let anything else happen to her. I mean, I hate having to hang around Lila and pretend to be her friend, but”—he shrugged—“it’s worth it. To keep Marinette safe.”

Ladybug appeared to be in some kind of daze. She wandered to the edge of the walkway, sinking down onto a bench.

“Is something wrong?” Adrien asked.

She shook her head slowly, taking in a deep breath. “That’s, um, really nice of you, Adrien.” A pause. “You’re a good friend.”

He sat down beside her. “You know Marinette, right?”

“Yeah,” Ladybug said. “Yeah, I know her.”

“Then please don’t tell her about this. I don’t want her to feel guilty or anything. She has enough on her plate already. She does so much, and she cares about people more than anyone I know, and I don’t want this to be one more thing for her to worry about, you know?”

“Right.”

Adrien pulled his lucky charm from the sack. “She’s the one who gave this to me. Maybe it’s silly, but I feel like it brings me good luck. I always carry it with me wherever I go. My Marinette lucky charm.”

“That’s …” She looked down, hiding her face under the brim of her hat. “That’s really sweet.”

“Maybe … maybe this is what made me run into you today. At least, I feel like it’s good luck to see you.” He paused, smile faltering. “But maybe it wasn’t so lucky for you that I, like, chased you down. Sorry about that.”

She raised her head. “No! I’m really glad we ran into each other. Maybe that thing is lucky after all.”

“But you don’t need luck anyway, huh? You’re Ladybug.”

She laughed, and for the first time, she leaned her head back, lifting her face to the sky. “Trust me. I need all the luck I can get.”

For a moment, they just sat there, watching the people passing by. It was strange, to sit side by side like this with Ladybug—exactly like he’d done a thousand times before, but nothing was the same. A bench instead of a rooftop. The street instead of the sky. And Paris, bustling all around them, instead of twinkling from below.

He liked it like this. (He liked it any way, with her.)

“So,” she said, “were you not actually supposed to have a photoshoot today?”

“I was, but it was canceled.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Because Lila has a huge zit.”

Ladybug’s eyes widened, and then she snorted as her face crumpled with laughter.

“I’m serious,” Adrien went on. “It’s enormous. Like, a category 5 disaster event.”

“You’re lying! They’d just cover it with makeup.”

“You can’t cover a geographical landmark with makeup,” Adrien said gravely.

Ladybug doubled over, clutching her sides as she howled. He laughed with her, feeling almost weightless with the thrill of it. He was laughing with his lady, without his mask. He’d made her laugh, and she knew it was him, and when she lifted her head again, the smile on her face (big, bright, beautiful, brilliant) was for him, Adrien Agreste, and no one else.

Finally, Ladybug straightened, nudging her sunglasses up on her nose to wipe at her eye.

“Wanna go out with me?” Adrien blurted.

She froze. “What?”

“I mean—sorry!” Adrien shook his head quickly. “I was on my way to a movie. And since you’re free now, and you’ve already got your disguise, I thought maybe you’d want to … come with me? Or—or not! I don’t mean to presume any—”

“Yes,” she said.

“Wait. Really?”

“Yes, I’d, um …” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’d love to go with you.”

Warmth shot through him like a firecracker, and he felt his face split into a grin. “Great. I’ve always wanted to see a movie with Beach Vibes Sherlock Holmes.”

She laughed. “Lead the way, Mr. Perfect Disguise.”

[fatherfigurefusion]

AU where I give the DRDT cast original talents (plus my reasons for these talents)

Teruko Tawaki, the Ultimate Police Officer

(NGL: In addition to my theory of Wolfgang Akire getting a Teruko arc and my mental association between Teruko and Tsurugi Kinjo, the other reason I made Teruko a police officer was because of a Paw Patrol DRDT AU that had Chase as Teruko.)

Xander Matthews, the Ultimate Graphic Novelist

(He'd honestly write some pretty awesome graphic novels, probably centering around awesome adventures of rebellion and vigilantism.)

Eden Tobisa, the Ultimate Petsitter

(I only really gave her this talent due to that one remark she made in the prologue: "Do you think I walk dogs, silly?")

Hu Jing, the Ultimate Kickboxer

(I just love the mental image of a buff yet still chubby Hu who can and will beat someone up.)

J Moreno, the Ultimate Chess Grandmaster

(Just have the Rosales be a high-grade military family with J being groomed to be their best military strategist, only for her to just want to chill and play chess.)

Veronika Grebenshikova, the Ultimate Dollmaker

(She just has "dollmaker"/Jane Doe from "Ride the Cyclone" vibes.)

David Chiem, the Ultimate Part-Time Worker

(Customer service voice. Can also swap the XanVid dynamic by having David be a massive fan of Xander's graphic novels.)

Arturo Giles, the Ultimate Caterer

(Spending his whole life catering to and being surrounded by celebrities? That is Arturo's dream. Would cook the most elaborate and expensive dishes ever.)

Levi Fontana, the Ultimate Undertaker

(Maybe the indifference that comes from years of dealing with dead bodies could tie into both Levi's struggles with being seen as "heartless", despite wanting to be helpful, and Levi's friendship with the talentswapped Ace.)

Ace Markey, the Ultimate Paranormal Investigator

(A cowardly yet competent paranormal investigator is a character prompt that's too much comic gold to pass up. Also, see Levi's prompt above.)

Min Jeung, the Ultimate Archer

(I decided to swap Min's academic talent for an athletic talent, and found that archery would fit the focused and stoic Min. Also, Mafuyu Asahina.)

Whit Young, the Ultimate Model

(It's the Adrien Agreste energy. Also based around my theory that Kai and Diana would act like Whit figures for Damon, and decided to give Whit a talent that combines both Kai and Diana's talents.)

Charles Cuevas, the Ultimate Debater

(It's the Damon Maitsu energy.)

Arei Nageishi, the Ultimate News Reporter

(What better way to ruin people's lives then to dig up dirt on them and then put them on blast, on national television?)

Nico Hakobyan, the Ultimate Robotics Engineer

(Just swap out their love and understanding for animals with a love and understanding towards machines. Possible Entrapta kin.)

Rose Lacroix, the Ultimate Street Performer

(She would most likely take up busking, in order to support her family. I could easily picture her pulling multiple party tricks out of nowhere, wowing everybody around her.)

[theerurishipper]

A disappointing ending to a disappointing season

Most of us have watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, right? Consider, for a moment, the following. Imagine Aang, upon his confrontation with Ozai, instead of taking away Ozai's bending and protecting the world, chooses to let Ozai use his Avatar powers and save the world. Imagine Ozai confessing to Aang tearfully that he just wanted respect from the people around him. Imagine this being painted as a sad, emotional moment, wherein we are supposed to infer that this man is not a bad person, no really, he's not! He just wanted love after all! Sure, he may have destroyed countless lives, ruined nations and the people living in them, destroyed homes and families, and horribly abused his children to the point of driving one to a mental breakdown and horribly mutilating the other, but actually, he's a good person at heart, who was just misguided! He didn't mean any of it! And he saves the world, but only to make himself look good, and tells Aang to make sure everyone knows he saved the world, and we cut to a statue of Firelord Ozai being erected in the Water Tribe. Zuko and Azula, despite their horrific abuse at his hands, now only remember Ozai as a hero and a loving father, because the world has been rewritten and their memories changed.

That's the ending of Season 5 of Miraculous Ladybug.

Gabriel Agreste, the terrorist, the child abuser, the man who took advantage of people with a grin on his face, is a hero.

Despite all his crimes, all his awful actions, all the horrors he put everyone through, he gets a statue, he gets honored, and his victim never realizes he was his victim, instead choosing to look up to the man who abused him his whole life. Adrien's whole arc about reclaiming his agency and independence, and breaking away from his controlling father to make his own choices, is left to wither and decay, and drift away on the wind. He spends this whole finale locked up by his father and without any agency or ability to do anything. He ends the finale with having the people closest to him hide important information about who he is from him, hide the truth about his father and who he was from him, and deny him any sort of ability to make his own choices. He is denied honesty, he is denied agency, and he is denied independence and free will. He has the rings now, but how free is he if what he believes is still controlled by other people? Gabriel controlled Adrien his whole life. His every action, his every word, his every relationship. And just when you believe he is about to break away, when he is on the verge of self-actualization, on the cusp of freedom, we return in the picturesque finale to Gabriel, once again, controlling Adrien, by denying him the truth, and making sure Adrien perceives him the way he, Gabriel, wants himself to be seen by his son. Adrien is not allowed to decide for himself how he wants to view his father, knowing everything he is. He is fed a lie about his father, about what he has done, and about who he is, that forces him to view Gabriel the way he wants people to view him. As a good father, one who did no wrong, someone who he was not. His father continues to dictate his thoughts and feelings, even after he is long gone.

In the end of this conflict with Monarch, Monarch wins. He gets to make the wish he wants. He is remembered fondly as a hero. His victim was brainwashed into forgetting the abuse he suffered, so that the abuser could be remembered as a loving, caring person. And not for Adrien's own benefit, though that hardly makes it better. It is so that Gabriel could be remembered as he wants, so that he could continue to control what his son thought of him, so that his son could continue to love him. After the rebellion he witnessed from Adrien when he was being taken away to London, this is his final way of making sure he doesn't lose the power and control he has over him, doesn't lose the love Adrien has for him that makes him stay and listen. He faced no consequences for what he did, nor did he express any regret. He insisted that he was not evil, and the show agreed with him. Despite everything he's done, the show excused him, simply because he had sympathetic motivations. He was treated with empathy and compassion by the characters and in fact the narrative itself, which pushed us to see him as misunderstood, as someone with good intentions who went astray, but is not bad. It forgives him every sin, and vindicates him by having his wish be the one that saves the world, because supposedly he was going to wish for this all along.

Framing Gabriel as an ultimately good man who only did what he did out of love, and honoring him in the end and having his victim forget his abuse and love him deeply, this is excusing him. He did awful things, but he had good intentions, so it means he's good and nothing he did matters, and so everyone should love him. Everyone should forgive him, and no one should hate him. Because he was right in the end, and everything he did was for this, so really the heroes were fighting against this perfect world. Gabriel is portrayed as "not wrong" and "ultimately good" and so everything he does is forgotten and quite literally erased, even though he showed no regret or remorse, because he was "good all along." He did not have a moment of acknowledgement or a moment of apology, because his sympathetic motivations mean that his mistakes are justifiable and acceptable. And everything he did is retroactively not bad and not important, because he did it all for good reasons, he did it for a good cause, and he wasn't all that bad after all. He hurt so many people, but his motives were pure, and for that reason he is worthy of sympathy and compassion and is free from accountability. He is allowed to have his wishes to be seen as a good person respected, even though he was not. He is not forgiven, but is given a step beyond, where he is revered for fixing a mistake he caused. He refuses to let people hate him, he refuses to let people hold him accountable by denying them the truth and controlling how they perceive him, even in death. And Adrien, the victim of his abuse, who spent his arc trying to break free of him, has any development he had towards independence erased and reset by this new, untrue perspective his father wanted him to have. His father may have hurt him, but he was a hero, and is someone to be admired and respected and loved, despite everything. Years of neglect are made up for by a lie. The writers would rather have the memories of every character literally rewritten to make Gabriel seem better and absolve him of his mistakes than write him being held accountable for his wrongdoings.

This excusing of Gabriel is abuse apologism (Here is a good post discussing it). I don't throw the words around lightly, really. But to say that he may have done horrible things, but that his sympathetic motivations make up for it, and ultimately presenting him as a hero and not holding him accountable for his actions is excusing his abuse of his son. He never admits to how he hurt his son, he never admits to how he affected countless lives. He bemoans how he was not there for him, but his actions are downplayed, and the part where he controlled his son and abused him are forgotten in order to make him seem less monstrous and more sympathetic, as though he were just a grieving husband who coped poorly rather than a toxic abuser who controlled his son for years. To say that he may have abused his son, but he did so with love, and later have his son excuse him every flaw and look up to him without any acknowledgement of that treatment is abuse apologism.

Adrien is the greatest victim of this, of having his feelings and thoughts controlled by Gabriel to fit his own desires. He doesn't get to face Gabriel and confront him, to see his mother and be the one to reach his father in any way. Instead, it is Marinette who waxes poetic to Gabriel, which is something Adrien should be doing, since this affects him as well and is his family. All he is allowed to though, is sit around and wait, utterly absent from the plot thread that revolves around him, and accept this man as a hero at the end of the day. All he gets to do is be lied to and controlled. And the others in his life, like Marinette, Felix and Kagami, like Nathalie and Emilie are also complicit in this controlling of Adrien. Gabriel is the primary perpetrator, but in withholding the truth from him, they are also taking away his ability to choose, and are forcing him to perceive things the way Gabriel wants him to perceive things. Not by thinking for himself, but by being told what to think. That his father is a hero, and that he was a good father. I acknowledge that this is writing choice that has mutated these characters (Marinette and Kagami) into making choices they never would (Marinette and Kagami, who hate liars, lying to Adrien about who he is??), but nevertheless, it is what happened, and it is not okay. Any hope I held out for Adrienette died in the final kiss, because their relationship is tainted by this lie.

I wish this finale was different. I criticize the show a lot, but I always did hope it would fix things. But after this? All that hope's gone down the drain. This takes everything that the season has been building up to (however poorly) and tears it to shreds. And I've heard the hope that it will be resolved in Season 6, that this is something that is meant to be dealt with and addressed. But I don't think so. The way the narrative frames it, as a perfect ending, as a time of peace and happiness, all point to this being seen as the best outcome, the right outcome. And we're going to have other plot threads to deal with next season. Gabriel's time is done and he has emerged victorious. There is no bigger winner than the villain, and there is no greater loser than the hero.

[toxinellebug]

Paris Special HEADCANONS

Marinette only became emo after Chloe posted the video of Kim humiliating her online because there was no Socqulien to stop her.

Marinetter didn’t wear fishnet gloves or a scarf until those black veins started to appear.

Adrien only cut his hair after his father FORCED him to go to school, (because socializing with kids his own age would be good for his mental health) as an act of rebellion.

When the black lines started to appear, Adrien took inspiration from the Baker girl’s emo makeup to hide it.

Marinette ended up in Ms. Mendeliev’s class, NOT Ms. Bustier, which is why she never met Alya or met Adrien personally, but knew he was a spoiled brat because Chloe paraded him around the school as her Adrikins.

Adrien, who resented being sent to school, followed Chloe’s lead and probably bullied Nino, while Chloe made Alya her new fav target.

Marinette never met Luka since she and Juleka never became friends.

The Crush who thinks she’s a pathetic loser that she references is Kim. (In eng dub she says bf, which makes no sense since the special takes place at the begining of S5 after they got the Rabbit back and right after Cat Noir cataclysmed Monarch at the wax museum- and at this time Adrien has not yet fully accepted his feelings for Marinette and Marinette had broken up with Luka in ep 1 of s4 so she doesn’t have a boyfriend, which would be clear in her diary, but she does have a crush who sees her as a very good friend, whereas bad marinette’s last crush would have been Kim)

Adrien probably enjoys fame and modeling. His mother wanted to be a famous movie star after all. Also, he praises the perfection of Adrien Agreste when he is Claw Noir/Griffe Noir, and frowns when Shadybug/Toxinelle insults him. But Cat Noir has said that he is better looking and better dressed than Adrien and doesn’t understand why girls were fighting over him. Enjoying his fame and possibly relishing in signing autographs at school could also reinforce Marinette’s belief that he is self-centered despite not knowing him… Cuz remember, she was surprised that he seemed to know her, which means they aren’t classmates.

Good Gabriel obviously made Adrien go to school since being alone isn’t healthy for a teen, and Gabriel can’t design for his brand, save the world AND homeschool his son all at the same time. Plus, making friends and learning social skills would help Adrien overcome his grief.

The Centralist nature of the world ruled by the Supreme would result in Sabine having more conservative values, which would make her a more harsh disciplinarian who criticizes her daughter frequently.

Good Gabriel could not risk someone else suffering from the peacock, nor having his identity exposed to the Supreme, therefore FELIX was never born because Fathom Colt could not be trusted. (Sure, you could argue that the Supreme willingly lent Colt the peacock in exchange for something and that’s where Gabriel got the idea from but he had nothing to offer so he stole it, but since his wife is Amalie’s twin and suffered from the same infertility issues, it would be too suspicious if Emelie just miraculously got pregnant when it was impossible for her suster to do so without a miraculous.) The Gorilla was sent at Amalie’s insistence since Adrien is the heir of the precious DeVanilly bloodline and thus must be protected!

Gabriel accepted only because it stopped Amalie from insisting that she be allowed to adopt her nephew after her sister’s death.

This would also mean Amalie sees Adrien as the rightful owner of the DeVanilly twin rings and she would not insist on having them back, which means Gabriel could claim to keep them in a safe until Adrien comes of age because he knows Adrien will lose his free will if anyone gets their hands on those rings and good Gabriel respects his son’s autonomy as a person.

Gabriel never met Nathalie. She was a relic hunter, and since Gabriel stole what he needed from the Supreme, he never needed to hire Nathalie to search for magic jewels.

XY is famous and popular, Jagged Stone is either a nobody or his music is strictly underground indie because it is banned for it’s anarchist nature.

Andre never became Mayor, but he still has the Hotel and is a Movie Director. Chloe’s bad attitude still comes from her father’s wealth and Mother’s influence.

Mylene would not be allowed to attend Francios Dupont.

(Let’s face it, it is a Private school and all the kids who go there are either rich, middle class, or have show biz connections. They have an exclusive curriculum, including textbooks no other school uses, and no handicap access. Nino DJ’s as a hobby- do you know how expensive equipment is? For a 14 year old kid to have that as a hobby he needs to come from money. Building an AI robot isn’t cheap either, Max- son of an astronaut. Alya’s dad has at least a Master’s Degree if not a Doctorate in order to be a zookeeper and her mom is a chief in a 5 star hotel which affords her an apartment in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and ALYA, despite having 3 sisters, has her own bedroom with a balcony. Bakers in Paris also earn more than just a decent living, and sewing is not a cheap hobby either for a 13/14 year old who could lose interest because she’s a teenager. Mirelle and Aurora have the networking and connections to get on TV, you really think their parents wouldn’t send them to a highly rated private school? Chloe is repulsed by public transportation, do you think she’d be caught dead in a public school? Do you think the daughter of the Mayor and the Queen of fashion would go to public school? Do you think Gabriel Agreste who has a bodyguard for his supermodel son would allow him to attend public school? Do you think a world famous Fencer who also runs for political office would teach at a public school? Do you think Tsurugi san, who demands perfection and nothing short of the best, would allow Kagami to join a fencing club at a public school? No, Francois Dupont is a private school, and the only reason Mylene is able to attend is because her dad works there as a janitor. That’s why Chloe is always digging at how poor her clothes are.)

Betterfly said mutual aid is a crime in his world, meaning it is Centralist politics, which means Mylene and Ivan would not be able to protest anything legally and Ms. Bustier would not be able to get a job as a teacher with her idealistic liberal values… meaning she is not a teacher, or she is a mean teacher and probably even has a husband rather than a wife.

Post Paris Special, in addition to being homeless fugitives, Adrien will be a mess because the girl he has been yelling at, calling a cockroach, and trying to steal from is also the girl he’s been head over heels in love with but never had the guts to actually TALK to and it turns out she HATES his civilian identity and he has no idea how to talk to her without his mask but wearing the mask he falls into old habits and has to constantly correct himself before calling her cockroach and he constantly berates himself “WHY did I say that?? Stupid, stupid!” Everytime he ends up saying something snarky, rude, or tries to flirt and it just comes out cringe because he REALLY wants her to like him but he is also low key terrified of her hating him, yet just her grabbing his hand turns his brain into mush and have him daydreaming about wedding bells and a hamster.

Meanwhile, Marinette has never had a friend before, and has zero idea how to work as a team, especially with a moron who is as conceited and spoiled as Adrien Agreste, but they are stuck together now, and she DOES want to give it a shot, especially if it means she can change her crappy life and NOT be destroyed by her own powers. But she has no idea why her so called Partner is so bi-polar; one minute he’s acting smug and showing off, the next aloof (trying to play it cool), then he’s trying to crack jokes and get her praise, then he seems like he’s ready to snap and call her shittybug only to become apologetic, nervous/embarressed/awkward, and try to change the subject. Sometimes he acts like her touch burns him, othertimes he acts like he wants to hold her hsnd and follow her like a lost puppy. But most annoying is when he screws up her plans by trying to protect her by becoming a human shield or tackling her out of harms way (and spending way too long on top of her) when he used to be content to let her hit the ground and laugh about it. She doesn’t know if treating her like a damsel in distress is his idea of “team work” but it is annoying because for her plans to work he needs to focus and do the jobs she TELLS him to!

Marinette is still anti-love after her trauma from Kim so she has no romantic interest in anyone and is completely clueless to Adrien’s feelings and gets annoyed because she sees Paw Noir’s pathetic attempts at flirting as him mocking her even though they are supposed to be “good guys” on the same team now.

Gabriel is aware of both their feelings and it gives him a headache because teen romance is the worst and he knows Claw Noir would sooner drop dead from embarrassment than accept love advice from him, and quite frankly, Gabriel is far more worried about these children being put in danger and all the school they are missing and how worried Marinette’s parents must be with their daughter missing. But he knows the Supreme would show these two no mercy so they can’t return to their civilian lives until the Supreme is defeated.

IDK if Gabriel was able to remove Nooru’s muzzle, or if the Supreme started muzzling Kwami’s after the butterfly and peacock was stolen, but if Ladybug and Paw Noir are going to use their miraculous the right way, they will need to feed their kwamis.

Plagg still does not trust Adrien; it’s not the first time his miraculous has fallen into the wrong hands and been misused and the whole thing has left him jaded with a strong dislike of humans (who are only good for making cheese!) so Plagg will hate and be an asshole towards Adrien for a while before the kid can earn his trust and friendship.

Tikki wants to trust but she is nervous and dispirited from all the harm that has been done with her powers. She wants to believe there is still hope for her young holder, but she’s also not ready to open up her heart just yet. Marinette also is not used to showing or receiving affection, but she knows from reading her other self’s diary that Tikki is supposed to be her friend but she has no idea how to open up to the tiny creature that until now has only been her slave.

Gabriel feels great sympathy towards Marinette who has suffered so much abuse, and great guilt towards Adrien who has never learned how to socialize with kids his own age or deal with negative emotions in a healthy way, but he is certain that these two kids are made for each other.

Nino is still terrified of Paw Noir, and is super weirded out that the biggest bully in School after Chloe is now suddenly, awkwardly, trying to talk to him and asking about his favorite movies for dome reason? But they are members of the underground resistance together now and he’s not going to risk ticking this kid off and getting cataclysmed.

Alya is wary because Shadybug has tried to kill her several times these past few months… and now they are suddenly allies? Sure, that’s not weird or suspicious AT ALL.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Time-skipping Isakai Chloé PT3!

The consequences of Felix learning that the Rebellion are prioritizing getting the Peacock and S!Chloés amok actually makes him double time it to make a deal with dear uncle Gabriel. He genuinely believes that this is the most efficient way to get S!Chloé safety. He goes through with the plan and goes into hiding. Throughly investigating every adult that was attending the masked party as potential allies to HawShMonarch.

Monarch still gets Cataclysmed in the arm. Chat Noir dealing with new guilt. Chloé learns Adrien is Chat Noir and becomes his confidant at this point in cannon. He needs more support especially after the mess with Rocketear…

Adoration is not as terrible because Sabrina and Lila are actually tutoring S!Chloé in her room. Not the shit cannon did with trying to frame Marinette for theft. That was just dumb Monarch.

When the episode Emotion has another change to it. Argos doesn’t make Red Moon to commit Genocide against humans so only Sentis are in Paris. He has her power be similar putting them in suspended animation for 1 day if not called back earlier. He still poofs Gabriel and most of the dance attendees. When he brings Adrien back from Red it’s not pretty. S!Chloé is ready to strangle him having stopped attacking Marinette. Kagami has a real sword and is in a stance. Marinette has a rock or chunk of concrete from that wall that collapsed, hard to tell.

Argos tells them that he thought this was the best way to get S!Chloé’s amok so she can be free and retrieve the Miraculous and Kwamii from his uncle’s house?

All hell breaks loose. S!Chloé is yelling that he’s a liar. Adrien is yelling that “My father is Monarch!?” Kagami is asking what is wrong with him(Argos) and Marinette is in PANIK FREEZE. Argos explains that the people are essentially asleep until this time tomorrow and they only have until then to find the amok which he can sense when wearing the Peacock Miraculous. It wasn’t on anyone at the party.

S!Chloé is seething. Argos calls her his little sister and insists that getting her free is priority. Marinette demands proof of Monarch and Gabriel being the same person before they trust him to find the amok. Argos agrees and leads them to the Agreste Manor. Chloé meets them in the front hall. “Why is there a giant red moon out-oh you brought the baby here…” S!Chloé has existential crisis for real now with Chloé in front of her. Chloé hugs her and distracts her by asking if she wants to keep the name. They end up shoulder hugging/hand holding/physically grounding each other through the secret lair as Argos shows the whole group around.

They go to the attic first;Argos is trying to delay traumatizing Adrien with the basement coffin. They find the cases with the Kwamii. They all cheer at the thought of being freed. Pollen is a little confused but very happy that her Queen is back from wherever Hawkmoth sent her. Chloé leaves to look for a small gun or some tools to try to break the cases. Marinette and Kagami find and take the rings; keeping Monarch from using them even if the Kwamii are trapped. Adrien asks if Max would be able to hack into the system.

Possible but they are on a limited amount of time. Plus Argos didn’t poof the cops and they’re outside. Oops…

-

Felix honey PLEASE communicate with people!!

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Perfect Paradise Ch.15: Now You're Standing in Front of My Door Oh-Oh-Oh! Like None of This Happened at All, All, All!

Summary: The truth... In the worst possible way.

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

Dr Anouilh, what do you do for a living?" Francis Choquet asked.

"I'm a psychologist for the Centre pour Victimes Akumatisées." The man wore a sharp suit and sat straight. His face gave away no feelings of unease or undue confidence. Grey hair combed neatly, giving him a distinguished look.

"An admirable profession. Do you treat many akuma victims?"

"No, I focus on the people who were mind controlled, transformed or otherwise incapacitated by the akuma's anchor."

"In other words the people who were affected by the akuma's directed actions?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Can you verify the identities of any clients in this room?"

Doctor Anouilh gestured to Adrien and Emilie. "M Dupain-Cheng and Mme Agreste were some of my first patients. Before there was even a center."

"Let the record show that the witness referred to my client and M Lahiffe."

"Noted."

"Dr Anouilh, what was your assessment of M Lahiffe?"

"Well... Adrien was a bright but troubled young man. Often plagued by nightmares about Monarch's defeat even years later."

"Nightmares? What kind of nightmares?"

"Objection!" Nike called. "Relevance?"

"Withdrawn," Francis Choquet conceded. "For how long did M Lahiffe see you?"

"About ten years."

"Ten years. And why did he stop seeing you?"

"He needed a different touch."

"So you did nothing wrong? M Lahiffe just decided to replace you for no reason?"

Dr Anouilh took a breath to mask his annoyance. "It is perfectly within our patients rights to seek out a better fit for their needs."

"Of course, of course," Francis Choquet soothed with a smile. "By the time M Lahiffe chose a different psychologist he was already in his mid twenties correct?"

"... Yes," Dr Anouilh answered slowly.

"M Lahiffe was planning to start a family, correct?

Dr Anouilh shifted in his seat. "As I recall."

"In your professional opinion, was M Lahiffe mentally mature enough to start a family?"

"Objection!"

"Your Honor we are here to establish who should be granted guardianship of the three children. I think the competency of the defendant is highly relevant."

The judge sighed as he looked at Nike. "Overruled, Mme Pallas."

Adrien's heartbeat thundered in his ears.

"Answer the question, Dr Anouilh."

"... No. At the time I would not say Adrien was ready to start a family."

"Thank you. No more questions your honor," Francis Choquet said as he sat smugly in his chair.

Adrien could smell it. And smell the same smugness coming from Emilie.

Nike stood and straightened her suit. "Dr Anouilh, you say you worked with Mme Agreste as well?"

The doctor nodded. "She was the one who hired me."

"And when did she suspend your service?"

"When the CVA became independent from Agreste holdings."

"About two years ago, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"So you'd know her a lot better than you know my client?"

Dr Anouilh could tell where this line of questioning was going and he didn't seem to like it.

Adrien did feel bad for him but the anger from their last session hadn't faded... Oh. Another unaddressed memory for the list.

"-was remarkably resilient. Having woken up from a coma only to find her husband dead. That kind of grief doesn't really go away. But we mostly focused on how to help her with Adrien."

"Mme Agreste talked to you about my client? How exactly did she want you to help her?"

"Well, how to relate to her son mostly. She often said that he disobeyed her."

"Disobeyed? How?"

"He'd sneak out or talk back. Regular teenage rebellion. Adrien was a bit of a late bloomer so he went through it later than his peers."

"So when Mme Agreste would talk about my client sneaking out, that wasn't cause for concern?"

"If he was getting into trouble it might have been. But Adrien's friends were just regular kids. Going to movies or parks or what have you."

"Would you say that Mme Agreste was overly controlling of-"

"Objection!"

"Overruled, M Choquet."

"Was Mme Agreste overly controlling of Adrien's time? Who he could hang out with? That sort of thing."

Dr Anouilh swallowed. "Many parents are overprotective of their children."

"That was not the question, Dr Anouilh."

"I... don't recall."

Adrien smelled blood in the water.

"You don't recall?"

"No."

"You're saying that it was so long ago you don't remember how Mme Agreste's parented her son?"

"Well, I mean, I-"

"Yes or no, please Doctor."

"... Yes."

"If you don't remember how Mme Agreste parented her child then isn't it possible you don't remember how said parenting affected my client's emotional well-being?"

"It's... possible."

"And then, isn't it also possible that you are misremembering Adrien's mental state?"

Dr Anouilh shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose."

Nike looked Francis Choquet in the eyes. "Let's go back to the beginning, shall we?"

(Read the rest on AO3)

[pandaofsecrets]

What's in a Name? — Miraculous Ladybug

1. DUPAIN-CHENG, AGRESTE & GRAHAM DE VANILY

1.1. Dupain-Cheng

Dupain: "of bread", in French.

Cheng: most likely from 程 (chéng) meaning "schedule", "journey", or "procedure". It is the surname of Chinese-born French academician and writer François Cheng.

Marinette: a diminutive of "Marie" and sometimes used as a form of "Marine", it is ultimately derived from an Egyptian name meaning "love, beloved", which was later associated with the Hebrew words for "bitter" and "rebellion". It is etymologically connected to the name of the Ladybug Miraculous: in languages like English and German, the ladybug is named after the Virgin Mary.

"Marinette" is also a noun in French, namely the feminine form of "marin", meaning "sailor", and was thus most likely also chosen in reference to Sailor Moon. In Middle French, it also meant "compass"—a tidbit to keep in mind when watching Captain Hardrock.

The name is very old-fashioned. It was most frequently used from 1927 to 1957, owing to the popularity of the book series "Contes du chat perché", whose main characters were named Delphine and Marinette.

Tom: short form of "Thomas", which comes from an Aramaic word meaning "twin". References series creator Thomas Astruc.

Sabine: from the name of an Italic tribe that inhabited what is now Lazio. Is a reference to the woman who initially inspired Thomas Astruc to create Miraculous Ladybug.

Gina: short form of several Italian names that end with "-gina", such as Regina or Georgina. Was popularized by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, whose birth name was Luigina.

Rolland: English variant of "Roland", which is in turn derived from two Germanic elements meaning "fame" and either "land" or "brave". Roland was the name of a semi-legendary Frankish military leader, whose story is told in the epic poem "La Chanson de Roland". Aside from the historical associations, it was probably chosen as a pun on "rolling pin".

Wang: "king", in Mandarin.

1.2. Agreste

Agreste: meaning "rustic" in French, it's also used in the figurative sense of "rude, uncivilized". Is also the French word for the greyling butterfly (Hipparchia semele).

Adrien: ultimately derived from the name of an Etruscan city, which in turn might have been derived from a word meaning "water". Was probably chosen in reference to the Adriatic Sea, since Marinette, Luka, and Félix's names also have a nautical theme.

Athanase: from "Athanasios", a Greek name meaning "immortal".

Gabriel: "God is my strongman", in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel associated with carrying messages from God. Was most likely chosen in reference to fashion designer Coco Chanel, whose real name was Gabrielle.

Émilie: of Latin origin, it is probably derived from the word "aemulus", which means "rival" or "envious, jealous", and is etymologically related to the word "emulate". Is also most likely a reference to Emily Lyman, mother of Harry Osborn.

1.3. Graham de Vanily

Graham: from two Old English words meaning "gravel" and "homestead".

de Vanily: from the word "vanilla". Together with Emilie and Amelie's first names and their other surname, it forms a pun: in French, "Emilie/Amelie Graham de Vanily" sounds kind of like "un milligramme de vanille", meaning "a milligram of vanilla".

Fathom: from a unit of length equal to about 1.8 meters (6 feet, for the Americans), chiefly used in nautical measurements. As a verb, it means "to measure the depth of something", and is also used figuratively to mean "to comprehend, understand".

Félix: from a Latin word meaning "happy, lucky". Used to be Adrien's name in previous drafts of the story, and was thus most probably a reference to both Felix the Cat and Felicia Hardy.

Amélie: from a Germanic word meaning "work, activity".

Colt: from an English word meaning "young male horse", it was most famously the surname of American industrialist Samuel Colt, owner of the Colt firearms company.

[venting-corner]

Miraculous sibling AU part 1

What do you think Adrien needs? Good character development? Correct. Being the mc of his own story? Indeed. Screentime? True. An honest person in his life? Also true. He needs all of those things, but most of all, for these to happen he needs a good role model. After all, every adult in Adrien's life failed him (not sure about Emilie yet). Therefore, introducing older sister au!

(basically, this is me giving Adrien a role model that loves him with no strings attached)

Name: Lovett Agreste

Age: 19

Looks like a carbon copy of "the father of the year"

With her always being there for Adrien, whiplash of Gabriel changing from bad to worse would affect him more and not at the same time

However, as Lovett is 19 she is away in college (rebellion!) and can't support Adrien like she used to. Because of her 'little' rebellion Gabriel keeps an eye on Adrien more, but this also inspires Adrien to fight back and go to school behind his father's back.

Mr. "Fashion designer" tries to limit Adrien's interaction with Lovett, deeming her as a lost cause and a disappointment, but Lovett's collage knowledge comes in handy to help Adrien from a distance, giving him advice on love(she doesn't know anything about love), girls, interaction(from her own limited experiences, she's also learning), and even heroing, without knowing. She promises to get him away from mr.desperation, unfortunately despite her efforts Adrien still excuses his father's action, but not as severe as in canon. She's there as a good ranting partner, letting Adrien express his emotions in his civilian form and she listens.

That doesn't mean they don't have fights, especially regarding Mr.Insecurity. While they both have tempers, Lovett doesn't have a good handle on it and raises her voice to defend her argument without knowing. Screaming in general is a great way to let out her frustration, but it affects Adrien as it reminds him of their father, showing how similar they are. Adrien immediately falls into his obedient behavior he has around Mr. Superiority complex, but there's a different feeling that he doesn't have around Mr. Loneliness. Years of trusting his sister and feeling free to be himself with her makes him feel comfortable enough to argue, push back and scream. Something he would never dare to do to anyone else, maybe villains. So there are two sides that are fighting to be the main one. (I don't know how to continue)

She constantly sends memes to him and challenges him to a pun war.

When Chat Noir started his hero career, she became his fan and always gets into an argument with Adrien about how he is the best, funny, important. She even sends him pictures of his merch that she specifically ordered from France. Adrien doesn't know if he should be happy or die from embarrassment, so he decides to do both.

They sometimes suddenly play out anime or movie scenes, throwing quotes left and right. It also helps to be close to their mother, as she was an actress.

Because Mr. Hypocrite is Mr. Perfection, she also learned how to play piano and she has conflicting feelings about that as she loves piano. She bought a compact keyboard, so they could play duets over face time. When Adrien practices whatever piece he needs to perfect, she abruptly interrupts with other music. Like anime intros

For the last part she comes back before the collector, if Marinette is going to have a master that knows who she is, then Adrien is going to have a role model that knows about Chat Noir. A good parallel, don't you think?

[inner-sakura]

Theoretically Forever

[Adrien POV sequel to Hypothetically Ever After, childhood friends AU, adrienette, fake/pretend relationship]

Adrien Agreste has had a crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately for him, however, she’s only ever had eyes for his older brother Félix, who’s never so much as looked her way. But when an opportunity suddenly presents itself to turn the tables and rewrite the script on their relationship, Adrien finds himself hard-pressed to turn it down… Especially when it means getting to date the love of his life. Even if it is only fake.

AU where PV Felix is Adrien’s older brother. inspired by the novel “the boys next door” by jennifer echols. hello and welcome back to the brothers AU fic series that no one ever asked for yet i remain obsessed with.

read it here

chapter four

Adrien speared a stalk of asparagus, crunching on it angrily as he glared daggers across the table. 

That was about the extent of the rebellion he could allow himself, since his father was currently seated at the other end of the table, silently demolishing his egg white omelette with the same militant efficiency he did everything else. He would almost certainly be able to pick up on Adrien’s mood, and would no doubt dismiss his displeasure as a side-effect of being forced to spend one of his precious vacation days schmoozing with his father’s business associates and their families. 

Which, admittedly, was partially true. 

Nevertheless, that wasn’t the only thing that had Adrien chewing his breakfast like he had woken up with a personal vendetta against all stemmed vegetables.

No, the reason for his upset was currently seated across from him, looking wan as he pushed the healthy but ultimately flavourless meal around on his plate. 

Although he was as put together as always—as expected of the scion of the Agreste empire—Félix appeared distinctly green around the gills this morning, a side effect of his undoubtedly raging hangover.

Adrien’s eyes narrowed to slits, a grim sense of satisfaction filling him. 

Sure, it might have been slightly vindictive, perhaps even unkind to wish ill on his only brother, but after the performance Félix had put on last night, Adrien thought it only fitting that he be made to squirm a little. 

Aside from his drunken shenanigans—Adrien very deliberately tried not to think about his favourite pair of shoes, currently lying in their ignoble resting place at the bottom of the garbage bin—Félix had other, far more grievous offences to answer for. 

Namely, the look of pure devastation that had flashed across Marinette’s face last night when she’d finally clued into what was happening. 

Adrien couldn’t help but replay the moment in his head, recalling the bright flash of hurt he’d seen in her blue eyes in the instant before she’d been able to mask it. It felt as though it had been permanently etched into the walls of his memory.

It had been brutal to witness because Adrien hated seeing her in pain, and he especially hated it when it involved his dunderhead of a brother, who at every turn managed to throw Marinette’s love and devotion back in her face, whether he knew it or not. 

Marinette would willingly offer him her bloody and still beating heart if given the chance, and Félix simply didn’t give a damn. 

Not that Adrien actually wanted Félix to accept her offer. The thought alone was enough to leave him sick to his stomach. 

Still, it would have been nice if Félix could at least pretend to be grateful about it. Lord knew that Adrien would gladly offer up any of his limbs and even his firstborn child to be afforded the same opportunity. 

The whole situation was endlessly frustrating, and this frustration was what allowed Adrien to give in to his pettier desires that morning.

And so he sat back, and enjoyed watching his older brother attempt to conceal a massive hangover from their father’s hawk-like and all-knowing gaze. 

“Eat up, Félix,” Adrien said, shoving a large forkful of omelette into his mouth. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us...”

He smiled, making sure to showcase the mouthful of half-chewed egg he was sporting. 

The scolding he received for his improper table manners was well worth it, if only for the way the sight of the food between his teeth caused Félix to turn even greener. 

-x-

“Adri-kins!” Chloe squealed as he stepped into the grand foyer of the Bourgeois’s villa. 

He barely had one foot through the door before she was glomming onto his arm, behaving as though they’d been separated for years, rather than a matter of hours. 

To his brother, she delivered a perfunctory, “You look like shit,” accompanied by a steely once-over that would have felled a lesser individual where they stood.   

Félix merely grunted in reply, too exhausted from trying not to hurl during the car ride to muster anything more vitriolic. 

Rather than capitalising on her enemy’s momentary weakness, as she was normally wont to do, Chloe turned her attention away from his older brother, seemingly satisfied at having won this round in their neverending verbal sparring match. 

“Now,” she said, clapping her hands excitedly. “You must let me show you these new centrepieces that Mummy and I picked out!”

Without releasing her hold, she tugged Adrien forward, forgoing the greeting line entirely as she led him further into the house. He had just enough time to nod in her father and mother’s direction before he was being ushered into the elegant dining room and plunked into his seat.  

A seat that was conveniently located right next to hers. 

As Chloe continued nattering on beside him, Adrien sighed under his breath, resigning himself to his role as captivated audience member—a role it appeared he would be playing for the duration of their evening. 

This… is going to be a very, very long day, he mused, already counting down the hours in his head.  

-x- 

Before heading to dinner at the Bourgeois’s, Adrien and his brother had been hauled about town, carted to various lunches and meetings that Adrien had so little interest in he had almost mastered the ability to fall asleep with his eyes open by the end of the last one. 

He made sure to nod and smile and politely answer any questions that were directed his way—of which there were few, seeing how his main role at these meetings was always to sit still and look pretty—all while silently wishing for a swift and merciful end to his suffering. 

By the time they’d made it to the Bourgeois's house, Adrien was exhausted. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how Félix was feeling. It was a miracle he was still upright.

Yet, as luck would have it, Adrien’s day from hell wasn’t entirely without its silver lining. 

His solace was delivered in the form of one Marinette Dupain-Cheng, which really shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone. 

Although she wasn’t able to alleviate his boredom with her physical presence, she’d provided him with the next best thing in the form of the text conversation they had been steadily maintaining all day. 

While they would occasionally message back and forth for extended periods of time, they’d never kept a consistent conversation going for quite this long before. Marinette tended to be a horrible texter, often replying hours or sometimes even days later because she either couldn’t find her phone, or she simply forgot. It was something that Adrien had learned not to take personally, cataloguing it as one of the many quirks that made up her endearingly chaotic personality. 

But not today apparently. Today it seemed like Marinette was as glued to her phone as he was, her messages flying in within moments of his replies being sent. Adrien had almost been caught texting under the table several times already, but he couldn’t bring himself to care, so engrossed was he in their conversation. He’d even caught himself grinning like a fool after receiving a particularly hilarious response, which had garnered him a few strange looks from both his brother and Chloe, who were seated beside him at the Bourgeois’s long dining room table. 

Luckily he wasn’t in his father’s line of sight, so the chances of him getting into any real trouble were limited. But still, Adrien knew that he should exercise a bit more caution. The last thing he wanted was for his father to confiscate his phone. Then he wouldn’t be able to message Marinette at all. 

With that in mind, Adrien shoved his phone deep into his pants pocket. Then he grabbed his water glass, downing it in one fell swoop. 

If he drank enough water, then perhaps his frequent trips to the bathroom over the course of the evening wouldn’t look quite so suspicious. Hopefully. 

-x-

Halfway through the second course, Adrien felt his phone buzz against his hip. Unable to ignore its siren song for very long, he slipped it into the palm of his hand when no one was looking. 

His face broke into a grin at the message on the screen. 

[16:45] Marinette Dupain-Cheng:                                         hey can we hang out tomorrow? i have an idea i want to run by you

Adrien brought his napkin to his mouth, pretending to dab the corners of his lips as he tried to wipe the giddy smile off his face. 

He nodded along with whatever the person seated across from him was saying, pretending to pay attention as he quickly typed out a reply and hit send. 

[17:28] Adrien Agreste:                                                                               sure thing!  what time works for you?

Now he had even more of a reason to look forward to this day being over. 

-x- 

In hindsight, Adrien really should have realised what she was up to long before Marinette managed to corner him. 

After all, he was normally pretty good at sussing out her schemes—the benefit of an entire childhood’s worth of experience in dealing with her machinations. This inherent paranoia had served him well on multiple occasions over the years.  

It had saved him from The Great Treehouse debacle, along with a lifetime of GI issues that her brief foray into baking could have caused. Not to mention preventing him from meeting his watery end on the sad excuse for a jet ski her father was continually ‘fixing’. 

Up until now, he’d had the utmost confidence in his sense of self-preservation. 

And yet, these fabled, well-honed instincts had evaporated when he needed them most; abandoning him in the face of Marinette’s pretty, pretty blue eyes, and her sweet-talking mouth. 

Which was how Adrien found himself in his current predicament, hedged in by water on three sides, staring down the barrel of Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s completely unhinged proposition, and reconciling with how well and truly screwed he was. 

“Let me get this straight,” he stared at their clasped hands, willing himself not to hold on too tightly. It wouldn’t do for Marinette to discover just how desperately he needed a lifeline to navigate the treacherous waters of this conversation. 

He tried to focus on the way her fingers tapered elegantly at the ends, rather than the sheer, overwhelming terror trying to claw its way out of his chest. 

“You’re suggesting that I have a fling.” Finally mustering the courage to meet her eyes, Adrien had to summon every ounce of composure he possessed to keep from choking on his next words. 

“With you.” 

Marinette leaned back slightly, her expression mildly affronted. 

“Yes with me,” she said, sounding increasingly annoyed. “What’s wrong, am I not good enough to pretend to date you? Do you think people won’t buy that we could possibly have romantic feelings for one another?” 

Adrien clenched his jaw and looked away, unwilling to let her see just how deep of a blow she’d landed with those words. He had to remind himself that Marinette wasn’t deliberately setting out to hurt him with this proposition. She had no idea how he felt, otherwise she would have known that what she was proposing was the single most agonising scenario imaginable. 

Still, Adrien couldn’t bring himself to dismiss the idea outright, despite the fact that both his head and his heart were screaming at him to run for the hills and not look back. 

“That’s… not it.” He said at last, rubbing the back of his neck with the hand that wasn’t currently entwined with hers. “I just really don’t think this is a good idea. How can you even be sure this will work?” 

“I’m not,” Marinette answered honestly, her desperation plain. “But I have to try something. I can’t let this summer end and still be left wondering what if. This is it... This is my last chance, and I need your help.”

She clenched his hand unconsciously as she spoke, her slim digits slotting themselves more firmly into the groves between his fingers, as though the spaces there had been carved just for her. 

And just like that, Adrien felt the last of his resistance crumble away, reduced to dust in the face of her earnest plea. 

Perhaps sensing his brief moment of weakness, Marinette pressed on, her words tumbling forth in a rush. 

“Besides, what do we really have to lose?” She added with a laugh, her countenance brightening now that she had apparently convinced him to go along with her plans. 

“If anything, this will help us both in the long run. It’ll show Félix that I am girlfriend material, and it will help you get your groove back. And you know what they say—” Here she winked, levelling him with an enthusiastic and completely unironic snap and finger gun combo. “—the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.” 

Adrien gaped at her in disbelief. 

……..did she really just say that? 

Marinette stared back at him, apparently rendered mute.

OH MY GOD SHE REALLY JUST SAID THAT. 

For a moment, Adrien genuinely wasn’t certain who was more mortified out of the two of them. Marinette, for having said such a corny and overtly suggestive line, or him for having had to bear witness to it. 

In the end, he decided that they could comfortably call it a tie, based on the bright red flush that had overtaken Marinette’s features, and the unbearable heat he felt prickling his own skin.

She began babbling, undoubtedly deeply invested in recovering some semblance of her dignity, but Adrien found himself unable to tune back into her words, too preoccupied with contemplating all of the possibilities her statement had managed to dredge up in his brain. And the corresponding mental images. 

Marinette pressed underneath him, her body warm and soft and pliant—

His face grew even warmer. 

“ANYWAY—” Marinette cut in loudly, successfully breaking him out of his brain fog. Adrien sent up a quick prayer that the lecherous direction his thoughts had taken hadn’t been too obvious. 

“—I don’t see how anything could go too terribly awry. We’d both be going into this with our eyes open and our cards on the table. It’s not like we’re hiding anything.” 

Adrien's eyes widened, panic setting in as a new thought occurred. 

There’s no way she knows, right? 

Marinette leaned closer and his breathing picked up. 

If she only knew how much he was really hiding, there was no way she’d be able to gaze into his eyes with such warmth and openness. 

“Please, Adrien. I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else. I don’t want to do this with anyone else.” She admitted, her voice wavering ever so slightly. “You’re the only person I can trust to help me with this. Please.”

She squeezed his hand, imploring him with her eyes. 

And, just like the Roman Empire in 476 AD, Adrien could do nothing but fall. 

I can’t believe I’m seriously considering doing this, he thought, torn between wanting to laugh and cry in equal measure. This is a horrible idea. This is the most horrible idea in the HISTORY of horrible ideas. 

“So, just so we’re clear here: you want to hook up with me in order to make my brother jealous, which will allegedly also come with the additional benefit of signalling to everyone that I’m over my ex and ready to date someone else?” He asked, hoping that by listing it in explicit terms, she might come to her senses and realise how insane the proposition was on its face.

Marinette merely nodded, her expression resolute. 

Okay, he swallowed, very deliberately ignoring his mounting hysteria. So I guess we’re doing this. 

-x-

Later that night, Adrien flopped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he replayed the events of the last few days over in his mind. 

After the fiasco that wound up being Friday’s party, he’d known that Marinette might resort to drastic measures. She was single-mindedly focused in her pursuit of his brother, after all, regardless of the fact that this often wound up being to the detriment of both herself and any and all people that happened to be around her. 

Still, this plan was… A lot. Even by Marinette’s usual standards. She must have been truly desperate to resort to this level of skullduggery. 

His mind flashed with the image of her face crumpling when she’d seen Félix with Bridgette. As much as it stung to consider how deeply her feelings for his brother ran, it had been equally agonising just witnessing her distress. She was hurting, and if there was anything that Adrien hated in the world, it was seeing Marinette get hurt. 

Perhaps that was why he’d been so quick to agree to help her, despite knowing on every level that this plan of hers was a capital B Bad Idea. 

That’s not the only reason, and you know it. A small voice pointed out, and Adrien rolled over, trying in vain to smother it. 

Okay, so maybe his motives weren’t entirely altruistic for agreeing to date her. But was it so wrong of him to leap at the chance to date the girl of his dreams? 

The voice remained silent and Adrien huffed, dissatisfied. 

Although he might not want to, Adrien could certainly acknowledge that the potential for catastrophe with this plan was astronomical. If he was going to agree to go into this, then he would have to make sure to stay one step ahead of Marinette at all times, lest any of his secrets come to light before he was ready to reveal them. 

Like the fact that he was hopelessly in love with her, and he’d even gone so far as to date another girl in a vain attempt to both get over her and make her jealous. 

“This is so messy…” Adrien groaned into his pillow, fisting his hands in the back of his hair. After the catastrophic failure that was his relationship with Kagami, Adrien had never felt less confident in his ability to woo a woman. And now he was being presented with the golden opportunity he’d been waiting for—the chance to get to date Marinette and make her realise how perfect the two of them would be together. 

It was both exhilarating and terrifying. High risk, high reward. 

And oh, the rewards there were to be had. 

Adrien’s mind went back to the kiss he and Marinette had shared earlier on the dock, the magic of the moment still lingering as he recalled the way they stood suspended in the sunbeams.

He’d been surprised that Marinette had gone along with his seemingly flimsy excuse of them just figuring out their feelings for one another were reciprocated. As far as cover stories went, it certainly wasn’t his best, and Adrien had been convinced that Marinette would see right through him immediately. Hell, he’d half expected her to toss him into the water the moment he’d reversed their positions, and pressed her up against the wooden rail of the gazebo. 

Yet, she hadn’t. 

Instead, Marinette had gazed up at him wide-eyed, her face slackening with surprise, and if he wasn’t mistaken, the tiniest hint of intrigue as well. 

Adrien had waited with bated breath, giving her plenty of opportunity to back out, even as his heart pounded out a frantic rhythm in his chest, screaming at him to lean forward and do what he’d been dreaming of for the better part of his life. 

Up until the moment their lips finally touched, he’d been waiting for something, anything to happen that might indicate that what he was experiencing had only been a dream after all. 

Because there was no way that he was standing hand in hand with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, kissing her for the very first time. 

He hadn’t been able to bring himself to bridge any more of the gap between them, leaving their only points of contact their joined hands and their lips, softly brushing. 

If he allowed himself to give in to his desire to melt into her and crush her body to his, Adrien feared that he might never be able to uncross that line and go back to the way things were. That he would forever leave some part of himself inextricably linked to her, deeply embedded in whatever material their souls were made of, the same way she was sewn into his. 

As it was, Adrien already knew that a cosmic shift had taken place at the core of his being, and that every moment after that point would be defined by the fact that he now knew the taste of her lips, and the sound of the soft huff she let out through her nose when he leaned into her ever so slightly. 

Adrien squeezed the pillow tighter, feeling his face grow warm at the memory. 

So maybe this whole situation isn’t entirely without its benefits… 

If they were to fake-date, there would be plenty of opportunities for all of the things that he’d always dreamed of doing with Marinette, like holding hands, and going on dates. 

He rubbed a hand over his mouth, his lips still tingling. 

And more kissing. There could be plenty of that too. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, after all. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he could somehow manage to make the most of this unexpected arrangement and find a way to turn it around in his favour. He’d basically made a career of hiding his true intentions up until this point, so how hard could this be? 

All he had to do was make Marinette fall out of love with his brother, and into love with him, all within the span of two weeks. 

And without revealing the nature of his own subversively devious plans. 

“I am screwed,” Adrien breathed, his words catching on a hysterical laugh. “I am royally and unequivocally screwed.” 

-x- 

[uptoolateart]

It’s official - I’m planning out a sequel to Breaking Free, and it might end up being enormous. Some of it is inspired by requests made in your comments, so thanks!!!

Breaking Free - No archive warnings - Teen +

Adrien and Marinette were made for each other - so how can their relationship already be on the rocks?? As they both struggle with Adrien's newfound bond with his father, secrets will finally surface - and the star-crossed lovers will be faced with the biggest decision of their lives.

A character-driven novel following the events of 'Strike Back', with some crazy ideas I doubt we'll ever see in the show! I PROMISE there is a happy end to this book, despite all the bumps in the road getting there.

Tags:

Identity Reveal

Angst with a Happy Ending

Angst and Hurt/Comfort

Identity Issues

Action & Romance

Loss of Parent(s)

Mind Control

Mind Manipulation

Sentimonster Félix Graham de Vanily

Bad Parenting

Teenage Rebellion

Coming of Age

Self-Discovery

Personal Growth

Emotional/Psychological Abuse

Time Travel

Emotional Roller Coaster

Sentimonster Adrien Agreste