#adrien: oh. i don't know how to uh. deal with that

[3mz0mbi3]

HOLY SHIT YOU WRITE FOR MIRACULOUS!? KEKWIWISJSJ-

CAN I REQUEST HOW YANDERE LADYBUG OR CHATNOIR WOULD REACT IF READER WAS AKUMATIZED???

A BLACK SWAN ON STAGE!

—TW; Yandere Behavior, Stalking, Mommy issues, etc.

₊˚⊹꒰YANDERE LADYBUG AN CHATNOIR꒱₊˚⊹

You hoped your day wouldn't be as shitty as it's now.

—"Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

You sigh, about to explode, but you just give them a forced smile.

"Come on, Chloe, it's just a table, you can always get another one! Besides, lunch is almost over, there's no point in arguing anymore, so with Marinette and Alya."

— "No! This is my table! Sabrina and I always sit at this table, can't these plebs come and sit in the place of royalty like me?”

“Well, the tables are all the same, uh—, but come on! I can find you another one worthy of your beautiful presence! Besides, you don't want to deal with so much "plebs", do you? I'll find you somewhere a little more secluded. Not everyone is worthy of your presence.”

You spoke animatedly as you smiled at Chloe, causing her to ponder her words for a moment before she smiling mischievously, blinded by the flattery that made her boost her ego, so it was easier for you to convince her

—“Well, now that you mention it, you're right, so Shu-Shu! Hurry up and find me a better table!”

“Sure, Chloe.”

You smiled, but inside you were pissed off. It was a wonder you didn't explode on the spot and rip out all the blonde girl's hair. You directed your gaze towards Marinette who was with her entire red box., similar to how Nathaniel's hair shook when he hid behind Alya. You only gave a quick nod and a "sweet smile" to the two girls and went back to take care of Chloe, followed by Sabrina to find her a new table so she'd stop making such a fuss.

— “God, this girl is amazing.”

The girl of brown-skinned spoke, fascinated by how much patience you had and how well you could handle Chloe.

— “Right?”

Now the raven girl with the two pigtails spoke dreamily as she followed her beloved with the gaze.

— “Come on, Mari, try talking to her, it's a bit weird that you're looking at her from a distance.”

Marinette ignored her friend's advice and continued looking the girl from a distance. She couldn't believe what an angel [__] was even with a witch like Chloe, but there the girl was looking for a table for the annoying blonde… Spoiled, the young girl with the pigtails returned to reality as the bell rang, indicating that her break was over and it was time to go back to class. She sighed as she turned back to her best friend, who was only gave her advice.

‎♡‧₊˚˗ˏˋ 🩰 ˎˊ˗₊‧‎♡

At last, your hell was over and you could return home to recover from the annoying day. You'd have liked everything to change for once, but everything was the same. You had no choice but to go home and rest, only to experience the same shit the next day. As you walked to the school exit, discouraged, you didn't expect someone to suddenly touch you gently on the shoulder; you quickly turn your head and see beautiful green eyes.

— “[____], Uh— Hello!“

“Oh, Hello, Adrien. Do you need anything?"

The blond boy looked noticeably nervous as he tried to remember his words well and not embarrass himself in front of the young woman. He took a deep breath to start talking.

— “Well, actually, I just wanted to give you something.”

He reached into the pocket of his blue jeans, pulled out a pretty pink ribbon and held out his arm to the young woman to hand it to him, whereupon the young woman took it in one of her hands.

“Oh, its cute but may I know why you're giving it to me?

— “Oh— Well I thought you could tie it in your hair to match your ballet dress.”

He spoke nervously as he played with his fingers, but you were still processing what he had just said, you thought that almost no one knew you practiced ballet, you looked at the ribbon in your hand and couldn't help but smile.

“Thanks so much Adrien, I really appreciate it, how did you know I practiced ballet?”

​—“Ah—"It's just that I, well, uh—I heard you practiced ballet, so I thought you'd like it.”

“Oh, I see… Thank you again, see you tomorrow, Adrien.”

She gave Adrien a smile of gratitude, he just smiled nervously as the young woman turned back towards the exit of the school to head to your house.

— “UHG! Who does Adrien think he is? "Why did he get so close to [____]? Do you think Adrien likes [____] too?"

— “Come on girl, maybe they were just talking, you know that not all the people who get close to [____] its because they have to be into her.”

— “Alya, but— did you see the way Adrien was looking at [____]?! Also, he approached her very suddenly! I know Adrien is up to something, and I am going to make sure he does not get it!

— “Chill out Marinette, you might still have a chance if you just talk to her, you will never know if you do not try.”

The young girl with the pigtails just grumbled, still annoyed by the interaction of his beloved [____] and Adrien, while Alya tried to calm her down.

♡‧₊˚˗ˏˋ 🩰 ˎˊ˗₊‧‎♡

You collapsed on your bed with your backpack, exhausted from walking. You still had the ribbon bow in your hand you just looked at it, you were very tired from walking, not only from that but from having to go to school and from having to solve the problems. Problems from all your "friends", and having to stay up all night studying for even the easy questions in class, you tossed and turned in your bed until you stayed face up looking at the ceiling of your room and think

—“Oh, but your only just helping them; what's wrong with that?”

Well, if you had to listen to them all the time, in class, all the time talking about them and their emotional problems, maybe you were already a psychologist??

—"But they're just blowing off steam!"

Of course you never saw anything wrong with that. Some of your classmates had a lot of trust in you, but one thing was that they wanted to blow off steam, on the other they expected you to come up with an answer that would solve everything. You could only give them comforting words and support them; why did they expect even more from you?

"Did you always try to please everyone around you, but why? Why didn't you want to disappoint anyone, or why did you want to present a good image? Maybe because that was what your mother expected of you? After all, you They were his golden girl… His perfect girl, right?

…

How pathetic to want to fulfill the expectations of others, but you didn't even have an expectation; you just hid it next to your dreams.

"Why your life now isn't what you always imagined it would be like a child?"

"When did it all go down the drain?"

The only one you blame for this is your mother. As a child, you always had a grade point average of 8. Your mother always congratulated you; she never demanded more from you; she even rewarded you; she paid for a course so that you could learn ballet and practice, since you always adored him.

"Why did everything change from one day to the next?"

You just remember sobbing while your mom yells at you about how much you disappointed her.

—“Damn it, tell me! What do you think they're going to say about me when they find out my daughter got a 7 in math?! You always disappoint me! You've always done that! It was my mistake to leave you practicing that shit! Isn't that more than standing on your toes and flying around? What good would it do to you in life! It won't make anything of you instead of worrying about your future! What university will you go to? None!, if all you can do is dance and not even that well!!"

You were startled to hear the memory of your mother's voice echoing in your head. That memory did nothing but make you cry. It was the worst moment of your childhood, when you literally had to bury your dreams because your mother had had enough of your crying and ended up burning your pretty ballet shoes along with your tutu and the ribbon you used to tie your hair with. You sigh as you try to calm yourself down, but you can't; the only thing going through your mind are these words. You realize that even as you are crying, squeezing the hand holding the ribbon Adrien gave you, you do not want to look at it. Now that you were trying to calm your silly whining, you were so focused that you didn't even notice a little black butterfly appear with purple tones that now approached you and perched on your ribbon bow

— “Oh, poor girl, you help everyone with their problems, but never with yours. You get recognized by someone who is not you. I am Hawk Moth. How about I help you shine and be recognized for your biggest dream?"

Now that you hear a man's voice, you smile at his suggestion as you sit down on your bed.

"Yes…"

You spoke unconsciously, thinking about how everyone would finally see what you were made of and what you should have been all along, but that your mother despised.

— “Just in return, I want you to bring me Ladybug and Catnoir's Miraculous

“Sure…Hawk Moth.”

— "Go and shine, Cygnus Noir.”

‎ ♡‧₊˚˗ˏˋ 🩰 ˎˊ˗₊‧‎♡

A young girl in a red suit with black dots was moving quickly from building to building thanks to her yo-yo with which she was swinging. She had been alerted by the sighting of an akumatized person near the Eiffel Tower, On the news they described it as a horrible gigantic monster. While she was swinging, she watched as several citizens were attacked by what seemed to be small porcelain dolls dressed as ballet dancers. I watched as they attacked mainly with the sharp pointed ballet slippers. He wondered where his companion Catnoir could be. For some reason, the faces of the dolls seemed familiar to him, something that worried him.

Meanwhile, a boy in a black suit was carefully sneaking out of the Agreste mansion to support his partner. As he ran across some rooftops he could already see the disaster that was generated by that akumatized person.

He did not hesitate to come down from the heights of the buildings to face some small dolls that attacked the citizens with fury, they were fast with their movements so he barely had time to see them in detail, while he dedicated himself to dodging and counterattacking with his cane at the moment that one of the dolls attacked him directly at her face with her sharp sneakers, while stopping his attack he could see her better when he managed to look at her more carefully. It was at that moment that he was little terrified when he looked at her face, the thing he least wanted to think about was that his beloved was the akumatized one but it was obvious. He did not hesitate much to break the doll into pieces with one blow with his cane and the other little dolls that were still intact only quickly dispersed, escaping from the hero for fear of ending up like his companion.

Cat Noir was trying to take his time from him as he could feel the panic running through his body. He was staring at what were now just broken pieces of the doll, although he was looking to one in specific. The face, broken into just one perfect piece.

— “There you are, Cat Noir! “I was looking for you!”

The hero in red and black landed a few meters near the black cat who was still in shock. The confused girl approached him, but it was then that the blonde reacted and walked away from her, which disconcerted her.

— “My Lady, we have to finish off the Akuma as quickly as possible.”

I speak Cat Noir seriously. Could be heard the annoyance in his voice.

—“Uh— yes I agree, but it something happened to you?, Are you fi-

The raven girl's words were suddenly cut off when she felt something creak under her foot and a noise could be heard as if it were broken porcelain. Under her gaze, she had actually stepped on something. When she removed her foot, she gasped in fear..

'That is what I think..?'

It was when she now knew who the akumatized person was, it was her beautiful angel [____], she felt how not only worry invaded his body but also the rage.

NOTES

꒰🌊꒱ؘ ⊹ ── Everybody died and the end. ꒰🌊꒱ؘ ⊹ ── AHAHAHA- Sorry, I didn't have so many ideas for a fight between the akumatized reader and Ladybug and Cat Noir (╥﹏╥), but I'll definitely update it when I get an idea. ꒰🌊꒱ؘ ⊹ ── I didn't really like how I did it to the reader, I would have liked it to be a little more neutral, I don't know if I understand- ꒰🌊꒱ؘ ⊹ ── I apologize for any mistakes I have, if some things don't make much sense or can be misinterpreted, my English is not very good.

[howhow326]

Nino salt prompt: What if Rocketear had consequences

Basically, everything that happens in Rocketear happens the exact same way (Nino assuming the worst of Alya, Nino assuming Chat Noir is Ariana Grande, Nino breaking Ladybug's AND Alya's trust at the same time by revealing his/Alya's identity to Adrien, Nino slut shaming Adrien to his face on accident) except the very end of the episode, where Alya tells Nino she is now Rena Furtive.

Instead, Alya tries to reassure Nino that she will always love him no matter what, while lightly asking him "hey, you followed me to my house without permission and took a video of me without my knowledge, wtf?!"

Nino then proceeds to show his ass like usual ("I needed to protect you from that homewreaker!" "I'm your boyfriend so it's perfectly okay for me to stalk you!!").

Alya really dosen't like this side of Nino, so she asks if their relationship can go on break for a bit (and Nino tries to manipulate her more with his "you don't love me!!!" Shtick)

The next day at school, Adrien pulls Alya aside and jokingly asks her "hey, are you Rena Rouge haha lol".

Alya is horrified.

Adrien then gives Alya the full story: Nino wanted to convince Adrien that Chat Nior had seduced Alya and revealed their identities as proof that Alya was only now kerping secrets. Adrien wanted to forget he heard anything, but he decided to ask Alya anyway because he knew what Nino had done wasn't right.

Alya is now infuriated. She can't believe Nino had the gall to be upset about her secrets only for him to go behind her back and violate her privacy this way. Especially since what Nino just did puts his identity at risk!

Alya thanks Adrien for being honest with her. After school, she marches straight to Marinette's house and tells her everything. Alya thought her best friend would be even angrier than she had been.

Marinette is heartbroken when she hears the scoop. How could someone she trusts do that, especially after what happened with Chloe. Marinette decides that Nino news a new secret identity since Carapace has been compromised, but Alya orders her to cut him loose. Nino can't be trusted.

When Ladybug pulls Nino aside and tells him he can't be Carapace anymore because he revealed his identity, the only thing he feels is surpise. The boy really didn't think this was a possibility.

The realization eventually sets in and he gets akumatized. He becomes Shell Shocker and goes after Adrien for "ruining his relationships!" Adrien tries to encourage Nino to give up the akuma, but then Nino reveals he willingly accepted Hawkmoths deal... this is who he really is.

Ladybug, whith some assistance from Rena Furtive, takes him down. Nino tries to play it off, "oh uh, i was akumatized??? Thanks for saving me Ladybug!" But Adrien shuts him down right quick, "He's lying! He willingly accepted the akuma just to get back at his girlfriend!" Adrien calling him out like that takes Nino by surpise, but it's the least of his worries.

Alya secretly recorded the whole fight and posted it onto the Ladyblog. Everybody in Paris now knows who Nino truly is. All of his friendships are destroyed; Marinette and Adrien cut him off for good; and Alya finnaly dumps him. His family decides to leave Paris for his own good.

At the airport, Nino has a chance encounter with Chloe. "Well well well, if it isn't the loser who got exposed for working with Hawkmoth! Even when I did that fashion victim a favor, I made sure that nobody in Paris could see I made a deal with him. You're ridiculous, Lahiffe, utterly ridiculous!"

"Sh-shut up Chloe!" Nino stutters out.

"Waaa, shut up! God, even your insults are basic, bitch. Well, before you go, I have a new scoop for you Nino... News flash! Alya dosen't love you anymore, and it's all your fault!!! It's hilarious, utterly hilarious!"

When Nino finnaly gets to his new bedroom, he cries himself to sleep realizing that he ruined his own life because didn't think there would be consequences...

Edit: optional shipping: Nino x Lila, Alya x Marinette, Alya x Adrien, Marinette x Alya x Adrien

[milarqui]

Scarlet Lady: Silencer

Directory | Intermission 2

Tikki watched the encounter from one of the flowerpots nearby: since Chloé wasn't carrying a bag with her now, this was the best way she could stick close to Chloé in case there was an Akuma.

Unfortunately, that still meant having to deal with Chloé's issues and her father's. Such as today.

“How good to see you, Bob!” the Mayor said, greeting a rotund man with sunglasses over his bald head she knew was Bob Roth. “And little Xavier–”

“Ah! XY!” Oh yeah, this was the boy Chloé liked for some reason. His music was decent, but nothing to write home about.

“Of course!” M. Bourgeois apologized. “You remember my princess?”

“How could I forget,” Roth said neutrally. Not that Chloé seemed to care, as she was making eyes at the singer.

“Hello XY! I got you Daddy's best table!” Chloé said.

“Thanks, Clarice,” XY said in a bored tone.

“Uh, it's Chloé,” her wielder corrected, not that the singer seemed to care. “Daddy, don't forget to comp XY's meal!”

M. Bourgeois was clearly not as enthusiastic about the idea as his daughter.

“Ma chérie, that's a little–”

“Don't worry, you can still charge M. Bob.”

“Ha. Ha,” the older man laughed humorlessly.

“Thanks, Cassie.”

“Chloé.”

Once more, XY didn't seem to care much about the correction, as he pulled out a laptop.

“Alright, let's hear what you cop– uh, created,” M. Roth said, as XY pressed a key, and music came out of the laptop's speakers. Chloé sighed in pleasure, but Tikki sighed in boredom. All of that boy's music always sounded the same to her ears.

“It's so cool, like you~” Chloé said. Tikki wondered if her wielder had an ear defect or if she was just blinded by her celebrity crush.

“It's the same as last year,” M. Roth stated. Tikki would have said that it was the same as everything else XY had ever made, but she had to stay hidden.

“Eh?”

“Oh, so it is,” XY blandly replied. “My bad.”

“No big deal. As for visuals...”

“Visu-what?”

Tikki blinked.

“Don't worry, we'll use my usual method,” M. Roth continued. “If you're short on new ideas, borrow someone else's.”

As if the manager couldn't fall lower...

And yet, as the two men laughed, she could see Chloé smiling.

Given her attempt to steal Marinette's design for the hat contest, Tikki could tell Chloé just felt like at home amidst her fellow plagiarists.

----

“We're looking for visually and musically creative talent! You have two weeks to send in your videos!” Bob Roth, the well-known manager, announced in his usual hammy style, from Marinette's phone as she showed it to his friends.

“It's the perfect chance to showcase Kitty Section!” Marinette suggested.

“And your designs!” Luka added with a smile.

“You guys will make something awesome for sure!”

Everyone in the group turned to Adrien.

“Huh?” Rose mumbled in shock.

“Adrien, you're not joining us?” Marinette asked, worried.

“It goes against my dad's contract, but it's okay! It doesn't bother me!”

“Sure looks like it bothers you,” Marinette replied, taking in on her friend's tense smile and shadowed features.

----

During the next two weeks, both Kitty Section and worked hard in everything to be made. Rehearsals, choreography, fittings, brainstormings, designings... a lot of work went into a music video, particularly one that had to be thrown together in such a short time, but the five teenagers rose to the occasion with greatness.

It was during one of the rehearsals that Marinette had the perfect idea for the designs.

“You know I love unicorns~ And nothing makes me feel better~”

Quickly, she began to put her idea down to pencil and paper, letting her prodigious mind become awash in patterns and designs... unaware of the fond looks the group's lead guitarist was giving her.

“I see their faces everywhere I go~ Dreaming about them in the night!”

----

“I only want them to be mine, mine, mine!”

And, of course, when the final product was finished, they sent it to their unofficial fifth member.

“THEY LOOK SO GOOOOOD!” Adrien cried out, tears waterfalling out of his eyes as Plagg patted his cheek.

“There, there,” the Kwami said, having expected this reaction. It wasn't as if he hadn't complained about it for the past two weeks.

“No fair~!” Adrien kept crying, even as the video kept playing.

“I dream about them every night!”

----

SUBMISSION ACCEPTED

“We did it!” Kitty Section and their costume designer cheerfully shouted.

Unaware of what was about to happen.

----

One week later, Marinette was at the Liberty, talking with her friends, slightly worried.

“They're sure taking their time...” she noted: despite the promises that they would get an answer soon, M. Roth's company had yet to send an answer on the video contest.

“They must've gotten a lot of videos and haven't chosen a winner yet,” Luka pointed out, knowing how things could be in the musical field–

“DUDE, WHAT THE FRIG?!”

Everyone turned to Ivan, who had just rushed into the room, clearly angry about something. Which was way out of character for the boy.

“Ivan, what–?”

“That dweeb XY ripped us off! Look at the TV station!”

Juleka quickly picked up the remote and turned on the TV, which showed the tail end of a music video.

One that all five people in the room were intimately familiar with, given that they had worked on it for two weeks. Hell, the singer's costume was almost identical to what Marinette had made for them!

Only, there were a few differences: every Kitty Section reference on the stage had been replaced with an XY monogram.

“XY is here to debut his new sound and style!” the announcer said. “A true original! You've outdone yourself, XY!”

It was only five seconds of video, but it was more than enough to suddenly turn the interior of the room into an atmosphere that promised both sides of hell for the singer and his manager.

“Oh, you hack frauds are dead,” Marinette declared, clearly ready to press her point straight into Roth's face – along with her fist. And the same for everyone else: for all that they were the nicest people around, Bob Roth had really managed to press their buttons.

----

Arriving to the studio where XY was showing off his 'new video' was easy.

Entering, however, became harder.

“No solicitors,” one of the men-in-black at the entrance stated.

“Hey! That's our music and our costumes!” Marinette yelled, filled with righteous anger at how her and her friends had been robbed of their work.

“And your problem,” the man-in-black replied, uncaring.

Kitty Section looked at each other. It was time to plan.

----

“ROOOOOAR!”

“Ahh!”

“Eek!”

“HELP!”

Ivan had grabbed his video's costume and was now running after Rose and Juleka, who were screaming in 'fear' as they attempted to stay ahead of Ivan.

“Our friend is akumatized!”

“There's no heroes to save us!”

The men-in-black rolled their eyes.

“Kids, c'mon.”

“That's not going to work on us.”

“Do you think we're that stupid?”

Behind them, Luka and Marinette struggled not to burst out laughing at the oblivious men-in-black, as they took advantage of their distraction to sneak inside without them noticing.

Yes, you are that stupid, Marinette thought as they made their way in.

----

Finding where the thief was showing off their ideas was somewhat complicated, mostly because they couldn't just stop someone and ask, but a few minutes later they found the studio behind one large door.

“Your new single is way better than your last one! It's your best hit!” they heard Alec Cataldi exclaim as they opened the door.

“There he is!” Marinette whispered.

“How can they praise him when he messed up the music?!” Luka asked, disgusted, while Marinette took in the decorations that were such a rip-off from the ones she had made.

“And he made such a cheap costume and set up!” she realized, offended that XY would so mess with her work. “Isn't he rich?!”

“And where'd you get this look?” Alec continued asking, not realizing what the singer and his manager had actually done.

“Oh, my personal designer, uh...” he said, nodding at a girl standing next to him.

“Chloé Bourgeois.”

“Right, Cleo.”

“Of course,” Marinette growled. She had already tried to steal her work once, who else would it be? The two of them angrily pushed open the door and walked up to the hack and the thief, who were accompanied by the manager. Marinette pulled up her phone.

“M. Roth, I sent you this video on the group you're blatantly copying!” she shouted, queuing Kitty Section's music video.

“Oh, please, there's no similarity!” the manager blatantly lied.

“We were just... inspired!” XY had the guts to say.

“'Inspired'?!” Luka shouted, grabbing the cheap knock-off mask XY was wearing and ripping it off.

“OW!” Luka hadn't been gentle when he did it.

“You didn't create this mask, Marinette did!”

“Mon Chouka!” Chloé chimed in. “I worked so hard on that mask! Are you calling me a liar?”

Marinette felt like ripping off that false innocent face off her... face.

It looked like Luka would beat her off the punch.

“I'M NOT CALLING YOU A TRUTHER!”

----

“Fine, you won't admit the truth? Then I will! Right now, LIVE!” Marinette shouted, pointing at the manager in righteous anger – only for the manager to grab her by the arm.

“If you do that, I'll ruin you and your friend's careers by telling them you're the copycats!” Roth maliciously replied. “Who do you think they'll believe? A renowned producer, or some nobodies?”

“Wha–?!” Marinette exclaimed in shock.

“You won't make another costume ever again!” Roth threatened.

“Of course, I won't let that happen to you, mon Chouka!” Chloé said.

He liked to think he was a calm guy. But... that comment made something snap in him, and he turned to fire a glare that could have probably stripped the paint off the studio's walls.

“Uh, um...” Chloé babbled as she realized that maybe she had made a mistake. “W–What's that look for?! I did nothing wrong!”

She turned around, giving her back to him.

“I'm just saying, with your looks, you could go solo like XY! You just have to ditch your loser friends!”

Luka was so beyond rage, that when he saw the black butterfly fusing with the mask he had taken from XY, he didn't care.

“And forget about Dupain-Cheng, her designs are way too complicated! Do you know how hard it was to copy them?”

That did it. He put on the mask.

“And also–”

He flipped her off with both hands.

“Oh fuck.”

----

Luka quickly transformed, becoming covered in what looked like a motorcyclist body suit, complete with a helmet that only showed his eyes, and he reached out with his left hand.

“Uh, Luka, what are you–”

“Shhhh,” Luka – or, more like, Luka's Akuma – shushed, getting closer.

“Eek! Don't touch me!” Chloé shouted, and suddenly grabbed XY, who found himself with Luka's hand on his lips.

“Huh?” the singer mumbled.

“L–Luka?” Marinette said, shocked as she finally realized her friend had been Akumatized.

As Luka pulled away from XY, out of the singer's mouth came a wiggling blue jellyfish-like thing.

“Haha! I'm the best! I'm the richest! I'm famous!” the jellyfish said in XY's voice, before it was snatched by Luka.

“EEK! Akuma!” Chloé shrieked, before running off behind one door. “See you later, bye!”

Then Luka started to move his hand...

“Tsk, there goes my chance to silence her for good.”

… and somehow spoke with XY's voice.

“Luka, don't do this!” Marinette begged, approaching her friend. “It's not justice!”

“Marinette, I won't let anyone hurt you again,” Luka said, still with XY's voice. “You're an extraordinary girl. Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody.”

Marinette felt her cheeks starting to burn as she kept listening on Luka's words.

“You're the music that's been playing in my head since the day we met. I won't let anything happen to you.”

And, as Luka left, Marinette clenched her fists.

That was the most romantic thing I've ever heard... she thought, and you said it in XY's voice!

But, never mind that, she needed to hide and transform! So she quickly ran out the exit and into the first bathroom she could find.

“A love confession!” Pollen said as soon as she could come out of Marinette's bag. “I'm not surprised, my Queen commands attention!”

A blushing Marinette closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand.

“P–Pollen, he's an Akuma! Who knows if he meant it!”

“Hm, I don't know~” Pollen sing-sang, clearly enjoying the moment... even if it was not the moment.

“G-Geez, Buzz On!”

----

“You can't escape me, Bob Roth!” the Akumatized Luka said, still using XY's voice. “And I'll force you to tell the truth on live TV!”

“Eek!” the manager yipped, sounding almost like a little girl. “Don't touch me! I have influence!”

“I can't let you do that, Luka!” Marigold shouted, landing between the Akuma and the manager.

“About time!” Roth complained – and before she could react, he grabbed her by the shoulders and used her as a shield. “Stop standing around and protect me!”

Marigold didn't even have the time to get loose before the Akuma touched her lips with his fingers – and another jellyfish, this one with the same colors as her costume, flew out of her mouth.

“Venom! Bien Joué! Just use your Lucky Charm already!” she heard herself shout before the Akuma stole her voice.

WHY?! she silently cried out. The cowardly idiot not only had ruined her plan to protect his ass, he had taken advantage of the distraction to run away, taking a lift at the other side of the building.

“Byeeee!” the thief sang as he disappeared – and, to pile on Marigold's misery, the other idiot showed up.

“Marimold!” Scarlet shouted. “Hurry up and sting him!”

I can't use Venom without my voice! she thought, and tried to convey it with signs.

“You can't talk?!” Scarlet realized, and then (like the Chloé clone she seemed to be) started to laugh at her. “Hahaha! What a loser! I can't believe you let your voice get stolen–!”

“An opening.”

That was Marigold's voice.

And Luka's fingers on a shocked Scarlet's mouth.

Idiot, Marigold thought. Knowing that she'd be unable to bring her full power ahead, she pulled out her top and swung it to grab a higher point. Scarlet followed her, and as they climbed away from the Akuma, Marigold picked her top-phone.

Text Chat Noir, she sent to Scarlet.

You text Chat Noir! Scarlet replied.

“You can run, bugs, but you can't escape me for too long,” Akumatized Luka said. “I'll find you and Bob Roth!”

----

At the entrance of the studio, Ivan, Rose, and Juleka were still waiting for Luka and Marinette to come out... and they were getting worried.

“I hope everything's going okay...” Rose said, and Ivan nodded.

“The commercial break's been going for a while too...” Juleka answered, checking her phone.

The gate to the studio opened all of a sudden, and a large man ran out, clearly in a hurry.

“Wuh?! Is that Bob Roth?!” Juleka asked, shocked.

“Why's he running?” Ivan wondered.

They got the answer when someone walked out, following Bob Roth, wearing a full body leather suit and a helmet covering everything but his eyes.

“Who is that?!” Ivan shouted.

“You don't think...” Juleka could recognize who had passed by them... or, rather, who it was supposed to be.

Rose was just stunned at the sight of the obvious Akuma.

And then the three members of Kitty Section looked at each other with dread.

“Maybe we shouldn't have let them go alone,” they agreed.

----

Back at home, Adrien was showing Nathalie his friends' music video, pointing out the blatant thievery Bob Roth and XY had carried out.

“It's in Père's best interests to know his business partner's unethical practices,” he argued, “like plagiarism.”

Much to his relief, Nathalie nodded. Clearly, she could see that this was a serious matter.

“I'll pass on your concerns,” she said, and firmly walked out of his room, carefully closing the door behind herself.

“That's all I can do, though I don't have much confidence,” he said as Plagg came out of his hideaway. “Unless there's a public backlash...”

However, Plagg wasn't looking at him, but at the window.

“Hey, look.”

Adrien looked, and saw something unexpected.

“Marigold?” he realized.

“Scarlet Lady?” Plagg asked as well.

“That means...! My friends might've been Akumatized! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Adrien cried out, brandishing the Miraculous Ring. “Plagg, Claws Out!”

----

“I am here!” he announced, and was pleased to see Scar jumping in shock. “I checked your texts about the Akuma, what's the plan?”

Marigold put up an awkward face, while Scar made a lot of gestures while attempting to say... something.

“Wait, you lost your voice?!” he realized, and began to laugh. “Hahaha! Truly we've been blessed!”

Then he approached Marigold and gave her a playful nudge with his elbow.

“Goldie, we don't need to rush with this Akuma, right?” he said, winking at her.

But then, instead of speaking up, she moved her lips and made a wordless noise, similar to the one Scar had made.

“Oh no, my poor Honeybee!” he exclaimed, realizing she had suffered the same as Scar, and he hugged his fellow heroine. “We'll get your voice back right away!”

He could feel Scar's anger and what was likely her flipping him off, but he paid her no mind. He pulled his baton-phone, knowing that it was the best way for her to 'speak' now.

“So you can't use your powers... and you can't detransform,” he said, summarizing the situation. “So we're fucked."

Marigold quickly tapped away at her top-phone, sending a message.

“You want to make Silencer say 'Venom' or 'Lucky Charm' with your stolen voices?” he asked, and she nodded. “How?”

She sent him another message, and he quickly read it.

“Huh?! Would that work?”

She smiled as she sent another message.

“Well, you're right that we don't have much choice.”

He got another message... but this time it was worthless. Namely, Scar making a selfie.

“Thanks for the contribution, Scar,” he sarcastically said.

----

The phone rang at the Hôtel de Ville, and a hand pressed a button.

“André, it's me, Bob!” the manager screamed. “I need the police!”

“No problem, Bob,” Silencer said, using the voice of André Bourgeois, who was now voiceless and struggling against the tight ropes holding him in place. “Just tell me where you are.”

----

As soon as the lift doors opened, Silencer reached out and grabbed Bob Roth.

“Thank you for escorting my prisoner, Officer Roger,” he said with Andre Bourgeois' voice, shocking the poor police lieutenant.

“Who–?” he asked, shocked at being tricked by an Akuma, but he was drowned out.

“EEEEK!” Roth said, once more screaming like a little girl as Silencer pulled him and threw him on a chair.

“I could easily take your voice, Bob Roth,” the Akuma said with Marigold's voice. “But what I want is for you to admit what you did!”

“NEVER!” the manager shouted.

“You think I can't make you?”

He switched to Scarlet Lady's voice.

“I can ruin you like you threatened to ruin Marinette!”

Then to Andre Bourgeois'.

“I know everyone in showbiz, Bob!”

Then to XY's.

“I'll never sing for you again, Dad!”

“Fine, fine, I'll do it!” Roth begged. “Why couldn't you just threaten my son?”

“Like that would've worked,” Silencer said, giving the manager a deadpan look.

“Damn, you knew.”

----

As they entered the studio once more, the television stopped showing ads, which were replaced by Bob Roth's cringing mug.

“Dear viewers, we're back with an exclusive interview with Bob Roth~” the voice of Alec Cataldi sounded out, although Marigold knew it wasn't him: this had to be Silencer!

“Hey, maybe we should let this play out,” Chat Noir suggested, eager to see the man getting punished for stealing his friends' work, but Marigold sent him a message.

“'It would be revenge, not justice. He'd just take it back later,'” he read aloud before sighing. “Well, you're right. No fun, but right.”

Marigold playfully stuck her tongue at him. Then he got another message.

“'You better not let an Akuma make XY or Chloé Bourgeois look bad'...” he read, wondering how that could not happen, and looked at Scar, who was also sticking her tongue out at him. “Leave the convincing to Marigold.”

----

The heroes quickly bursted in the set, and Chat Noir tackled Silencer out of the way while Marigold took Roth away.

“Mind your business or I'll shut you up forever!” Silencer threatened with Scarlet Lady's voice.

“Aw, but I'm hilarious,” he said, grinning and fending off his stretched-out arm.

Marigold dragged Roth to the first room she could find that would be isolated enough, which, much to her joy, was a dressing room she could use to pull off her plan.

“See here, Marigold! You need to hurry up and get rid of this guy!” Roth ordered, but she paid him no mind as she began to put together what she needed.

“This is all those brats' fault anyway, kitty whatever. Should've just let me steal the idea,” the man kept talking, making her twitch in anger. “Are you seriously doing arts and crafts right now? And where's Scarlet Lady?!”

Alright, that did it. This wouldn't be heroic, but it would feel amazing.

----

Scarlet Lady cuddled up with the tied up XY, who was struggling to move away from the superpowered stalker.

----

With Silencer running to attempt to find Roth, Chat Noir knew it was time to find the enemy and see what Marigold had come up with to do her part. And he also knew how to trick the Akuma.

“Oh nooo, Marigold, where'd you go?” he shouted, knowing that Silencer would be unable to resist the chance.

“I'm here, Chat Noir!” the Akuma said with Marigold's voice. “I defeated Silencer, meet me at the film set!”

He struggled to avoid cracking up, and just barely kept his laughter out of his answer.

“Sure, you got it!”

As he began to run for his destination, he found Marigold in the same corridor, holding her top with a few additions.

“There you are!” Chat Noir happily exclaimed, and he eyed the top. “What is that, 'Venom'?”

Marigold nodded.

“Got held up?” he asked, and Marigold's smile told him there was a story there that he'd love to listen to.

----

In the same dressing room Marigold had taken him to, Bob Roth was currently (unwillingly) cooling his heels thanks to the judicious application of a full roll of duct tape, tying him up to a chair, and rolled out of the way like junk.

“DAMN YOU MARIGOLD!” Roth screamed.

----

As they entered the film set, they found Silencer there, alone, and Chat Noir smirked as he pointed at Marigold.

“Too bad, Silencer, Marigold still has her superpower!” he taunted.

“Impossible!” Silencer exclaimed with Marigold's voice, making Chat Noir grin even wider. “I stole your voice! How could you summon Venom!”

And then the tricked-out top began to shine and twirl, and Marigold stuck her tongue at the Akuma, who realized too late that he had been tricked by the heroes.

“Aw crap,” he said, still using Marigold's voice, but before he could attempt to run away, Kitty Section tackled him.

“Hold still and take it, Luka!” the three teens shouted, grabbing him by the arms and torso to keep him from moving.

“Wuh – guys! Let go!” Silencer said, still using Marigold's voice.

“Omigod is that how you talk?!” Ivan said, laughing at how ridiculous it looked.

“No! Snap out of it!” Juleka ordered, while Rose hugged him even tighter.

“You can't do this!” the blonde girl shouted. “This isn't what we or Marinette want!”

The words caused Silencer to stop struggling, as he pondered the truth of it... giving Marigold the time she needed.

“An opening!” Kitty Section announced as Silencer became paralyzed by Venom, finally allowing Chat Noir to grab the Akumatized object.

“Thanks for the help, Kitty Section!” he said, smiling.

“Juleka, he knows our name!” Rose whispered, excited, but her girlfriend was checking something else.

“Uh, where'd you get a net?” she asked, pointing at the object in Marigold's hand.

Amazing what you find in dressing rooms, she thought, as the jellyfishes flew away from Silencer and she caught them with the net, putting her voice back where it belonged. Picking the one she had seen coming out of Scarlet's mouth, she found her sitting next to XY, who clearly looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the universe other than here (and who could fault him?).

“Here, Scarlet, we got your voice back,” she said, showing the red-with-black-spots jellyfish. “Just put it in your mouth.”

Scarlet made a disgusted sound and crossed her arms in front of her.

“What?”

Scarlet kept making similar wordless sounds and tried to push her back when she approached the voice.

“Just take it already! You have to fix things!” Marigold yelled, annoyed by Scarlet's skewed priorities. Then she looked down at it... and decided that, if Scarlet didn't want it, then she could probably use it.

But when she made to eat it, Scarlet changed her opinion. Clearly, a life without hearing herself talk was too hard for her to imagine.

----

As Scarlet cast the Miraculous Cure, Marigold rushed back to find Luka, who was finally recovering from the effects of Akumatization.

“Ugh,” he mumbled, still a bit disoriented. “What happened?”

“You were Akumatized, but it's fine now!” Marigold said.

“It's a scandal, Marigold!”

Everyone turned to the piece of junk Bob Roth, who had managed to drag himself to the film set along with the chair.

“Tying me up in a dressing room?! But at least you did one thing right!” he yelled, turning to Luka. “Serves you right, thinking you could make me tell the truth! Like I'd admit I stole Kitty Section's song and look for my son! HA!”

Then the man noticed how Marigold and Luka were smirking, and he felt dread going down his stomach.

“... uh, why're you smiling?”

“Because, Bob Roth,” Marigold said, before pointing to a camera... manned by Chat Noir, “you are on Candid Camera!”

“Smile!” Chat Noir added with a smile that wouldn't be out of place in the Cheshire Cat.

“GAH!” Bob Roth yelled, as he realized he had actually confessed the truth to all and sundry! He had to fix this quickly! “Ahahahaa! Obviously I was just joking! I love, uh, Kitty Section, which is why I'm signing them a record deal and having them finish the show!”

As he said this, he was sweating like it were midday in mid-summer, knowing that he was this close to getting his business ruined.

“Can we get that in writing, Bob Roth?” Luka imperiously asked.

----

As Kitty Section quickly went to pick up their things, Chat Noir had to leave, and Marigold hid away so she could undo her transformation, just as her hair comb beeped for the end of her transformation. Returning to the set, it was to see everyone getting ready for singing their song, and she walked up to Luka.

“Luka, um, did you mean what you said? As an Akuma?” she timidly asked, but he shook his head.

“I'm sorry, Marinette, I don't remember. I hope it wasn't mean.”

“Ah, no–” she said, but before she could add more, he spoke.

“You're an extraordinary girl, Marinette,” Luka said, and she felt her entire face burning. “Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody. You're the music that's been playing inside my head since the day we met.”

Marinette gave a silent nod, and as Luka walked to the scenario, she collapsed on the floor and against a wall.

THAT WAS SO MUCH BETTER IN HIS OWN VOICE! she yelled in her mind, even as the ghost she was giving up squeed in delight.

Poor Marinette was left K.O. by the sudden confession, and as she gathered her wits, things were not much better.

“T–That was a love confession, wasn't it, Pollen?” she asked.

“Sure sounded like one to me!” her Kwami teased her, as the music started.

“Aw, geez,” she muttered, as she noticed Luka's eyes zeroing in on her. “How am I supposed to act now...?”

----

After all the kerfuffle was finally sorted out, Adrien was in the middle of his piano practice, as he went over what had happened to his friends.

“Thank goodness things worked out for Kitty Section,” he said; not only did they get that record deal, they had also ensured that all of their work would never be associated to XY, who (along with his father) was very lucky had not been slapped with a demand for plagiarism. Even if Gabriel Agreste had threatened to make things worse for Bob Roth.

Someone knocked on the door as he talked to himself and Plagg.

“Adrien, delivery,” Nathalie announced, and he stepped off the piano to grab the rather large package she had brought to him.

Putting it on a low table, he ripped off the tape.

“Huh, wonder what–”

And then he opened the package and gasped.

“My own Kitty Section costume?!” he shouted in joy. This must have been sent before everything that had happened, which meant Marinette had taken the time to sew him up one in the middle of all the hard work she had done.

“Oooo,” Plagg said, somewhat amazed at how good it looked.

To hell with piano practice, this was super-cool! He quickly donned the entire costume – unicorn mask included! - and posted it on his social network accounts. He may not be an official member of the band, but he would gladly show his love of his friends' group!

----

He had learned many things about crocodiles while taking care of Fang, and one of them was that crocodiles liked to hunt by ambush.

“Alright, Jagged, why'd you call me over so late?” Bob said as he entered the room.

The crocodile was not an animal that liked to run on land. No, they would wait under water, near the surface, unmoving... until prey got close enough.

“I'm in a bad mood so you better have a good reason!” Bob continued to yell, unaware of what was about to happen to him.

Because, as far as Jagged had been concerned... this man was prey today. And he was about to make clear his displeasure about the rotten thing he had tried to do.

“Why's it so dark–”

What a perfect cue! He stepped on the light switch, and the spotlight flashed over him.

“Bob.”

“EEEEKK!”

Ah, the sound of prey that knew how utterly fucked it was. He glowered at the bastard that had tried to ruin several lives that were very important to him.

“Let's talk about you threatening my favorite designer. And my ki– uh, her friends.”

Whoops, nearly slipped out. He hoped Fang was having as much fun as he was.

----

CHEW CHEW CHEW

Tasty thing! Shiny, with color of meat like Father gives me! Feels good to rip!

“DADDYYYYY! JAGGED STONE'S STUPID LIZARD IS EATING MY SHOES!” Loud Human shouts.

Who cares? Father said to chew on these things Loud Human put on her legs, and that was what he was going to do!

----

Desperada

@zoe-oneesama I think Jagged would have learned stuff about crocodiles, even if Fang still behaves like a dog! (Also, can't wait for Crocoduel)

By the way, that's 441 pages, 176582 words, 951399 characters.

[sailor-toni]

An interview with Chat Noir

You can also read this on AO3, FF.net, and Wattpad

The internet was full of fake news, misunderstood topics, and the ego of every wannabe influencer. Usually people would dismiss what they saw as another false story, and that’s what he would hoping would happen. They would dismiss the video as some sort of deep fake, because why would a famous model, moonlight as a superhero? That’s such a silly idea, nobody would believe it. But they did, and now six hours later, Adrien Agreste was hiding under his bed. 

“You can’t stay there forever,” said Plagg. 

“You don’t know that. Maybe this is my life now, sleeping under beds, darting through shadows, living on the edge,” Adrien replied. 

“Really? Is that were going with?” 

“What else am I supposed to do? Everyone knows now! My father probably knows now, and he’ll freak out! I’ll be locked in my room again, all privileges gone, and…” Adrien awkwardly turned around, staring at his ceiling. “What will Ladybug think?” 

“Ladybug? I don’t know, maybe she’ll like that you’re a famous model?  Maybe she’ll be so enamored that she won’t notice how dorky you are?” 

“Thank you Plagg.” 

“Your welcome, now get out and let’s go! I’m hungry, and you’re out of cheese.”

“I just bought some cheese yesterday!”

“It’s not the kind I like.” 

“You know you’re a real slave driver Plagg.” 

“Yeah whatever,” Plagg flew around the room opening and closing the cabinets like a human staring at a full fridge, dissatisfied by what's in it. 

    Adrien groaned into his hands. Sometimes he wished he lived in Plagg’s world, where everything was so simple and easy. He didn’t have to deal with responsibilities or controlling parents, or rejections from very beautiful girls. Would she still like him? Or would she make the same assumptions as everyone around him? He didn’t think so, but what if? The thought stressed Adrien out, making crawl further under the bed. Hand wringing themselves to death as he thought about it all. 

    When he his bedroom door open. Oh no was that his father? He thought, but no. It was Alya? She was tiptoeing through his space, camera in hand. 

“Adrien? Adrien, that girl is in your room,” Plagg whispered, no Plagg couldn’t whisper to save his lunch. Plagg almost yelled at him, in his scraggly voice. 

“Yes, I see that,” Adrien whispered back. 

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but let’s ask her.” Alya was rummaging through his desk, taking pictures of some of his files. “Hey Alya?” She jumped. “What are you doing in my room?” 

“What am I doing? Well, I- ugh, I’m here for an interview with the great Cat Noir!” She said. 

“An interview? Alya I don’t think this is the-” 

“You know ladybug, right?”

“Yeah bu-”

“I run the Ladyblog, I know almost everything on Ladybug, but you’ve actually talked to her, and fought with her. So, tell me Cat Noir what is it like working with Ladybug? Is she amazing? I mean of course she is-” 

“Woah Alya, I don’t think this is really the best time-”

“Why not? Oh, what's her favorite color? Does she have a favorite weapon? What is like to work with her? Does she like anybody? Do you know her secret identity?”

“Uh um I don't know, her staff? She's really great and uh, does she like anybody?! Uh well I don’t know-”

‘You don’t know if she likes anyone or you don’t know her secret identity?” 

“Both? I ugh-”

“I thought you guys were partners?”

“We are!”

“But don’t know a lot about her?”

“Well I -” Adrien didn’t know a lot about Ladybug, but he knew, “ladybug is one of the nicest braves people I know, I don’t need to know her favorite color to know she's an incredibly good person with a heart of gold.” 

Alya paused, her lips paused into a thin line. “Interesting.” 

“Yeah anyways you should get going-” 

“Adrien!” The two of them froze at the new voice. It was his father. 

“Alya you need to go, my father doesn't want me to have friends around without his permission,” Adrien pushed her towards the door.

“But your Cat Noir? Just tell him what's going on-”

“Alya my Father isn’t the most understanding person.”

    He should explain more, but his doorknob was jiggling. His father only giving a moment’s notice before storming into the room. His fist red from how hard he was clutching them. He called out Adrien's name several times, pushing various items out of the way. His permanent ambiguous face now a deep scowl as images of ladybug slid past on his son’s screensaver. The sound of the computer crashing rattled through the mansion as Adrien guided Alya down the pristine stairs. Her bright person being the only splash of color in the Agreste's cold ice mansion. 

“Adrien? Where are we going?” She asked.     “Away from here. Come on, before someone finds us.” 

    Running from the mansion, Adrien pushed his friend up a nearby fire escape, pushing her to follow him across Paris rooftops.

“He didn’t look too happy.” Alya commented, more to herself than to Adrien.     “I don’t think he ever felt happiness.” Plagg joked, his petite black body flying around Adrien’s head. 

Adrien jumped over a large alleyway, his feet mimicking his Cat Noir sense of style. 

“Wait!” Alya called out. “I can’t make it that far!” 

“Yes, you can, the roofs are deceitful about their heights, it's actually a small jump when you time it right.” She didn’t believe him. “Here you jump, I’ll catch you.” 

“Promise?” 

“A cat would never back on his promise!” Adrien smiled for the first time that day, throwing his hands out to her. 

She ran, stopped, backed up, and repeated this process a few more times. Each time the oncoming gab twisting her stomach and stalling her feet. 

“Alya! I know you can do it! If Ladybug was here, she would believe in you to.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, now come on, if you stop, you’re gonna fall. You have to do it in one big motion. Like cat.”  

“Or a ladybug” Alya muttered. Lightly smacking her face before running at full speed, leaping over the gap and crashing into Adrien’s arms. The sunlight catching his hair just so that she could see why her friend had such big feelings for him. 

“See! You did it! Now let’s go.” Adrien let her go, running towards the next rooftop. 

“Go where? Where are we going?” She followed him. 

Adrien didn’t know where they were going, “To find Ladybug!” he called out, his voice more confident than he was. Eventually the two stopped, Alya short of breath, at the rooftop near the Eiffel tower. It was where him and Ladybug usually met up, the building also looked over on of Paris oldest streets. A rose vine grew a few buildings over, he knew it by heart as that’s where he stole all of those roses for Ladybug. 

    “So, uh Adrien, Chat Noir, where is she?” Alya asked, taking her water bottle from her bright orange and green backpack. 

    “Well ugh, we usually meet up here after all the attacks, so maybe she’ll show up?” he wasn’t sounding confident anymore. 

“You really don't know who she really is?”

“No.”   “Does she know who you are?”

“Maybe? It’s all over TV right now. It would be hard not to,” Adrien collapsed into his usual spot. 

“So, you guys worked together but didn’t know your secret identities?” 

“Yes, Alya we didn’t know. We don’t need to know to fight crime.”

“Yeah, but are you not curious?” 

“I am,”

“Then why not ask her?” Alya was asking the real questions, like a perfect reporter for her blog. But each one felt like an arrow to Adrien’s heart. 

“Because it’s a sensitive topic? If her identity got out it would have consequences, for the both of us. Hawkmoth wants her power for something and he knew who she was, he would attack anyone she knew in order to get her power. Plus, any enemies we made would go after her.” Alya sat next to him, listening to every word. “And what about you? Couldn’t the same be said about you?” “Yeah,” Adrien didn’t know if he could go back home. Maybe he could live with Nino or Marinette. Or he could live as a street cat, ladybug would find that amusing. “It’ll be fine, I can take care of myself.”  

Alya wasn’t convinced. “Wouldn’t ladybug be able to help you?” 

“Maybe this is all the fault of an Akuma and everything can go back to normal tomorrow.” he joked. 

“Hopefully, But Adrien I have some other questions, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Sure, now that you asked, I be more than welcomed to answer them.” 

Hours later Alya descended the Paris rooftops waving Adrien goodbye. Her phone full of answers for her ladyblog. Adrien walked her home wishing her a goodnight. Walking down the Paris streets alone. Plagg was there to comfort him. If moaning about a lack of cheese was comforting

“Plagg you might have to get used to lower quality cheese now that we can't go back,” He joked. Plagg gasped, the mere suggestion causing him to whine and complain. The noise filling the foggy night. Adrien laugh, his feet taking them somewhere. 

In the distance he saw Marinette’s bakery. The smell of bread uplifting his spirits. And a flash of white dashing them. Down a dark alleyway was an Akuma, flying towards its next victim. He followed it, leaping over the trash and bikes that stood in his path. Until his heels froze to the ground, the fog thicker than guilt, but as solid as broken promise. In the darkness stood his father, surrounded by white butterflies. Adrien wished this could all be fake, like a scary story online. The Twist so obvious only a moron couldn’t see it coming. 

[ellienettie]

Maotif and Scarlet luck pt.2

Marinette: Listen, bug boy, all I'm saying is-

Adrien: all your saying is you'd rather intensify the already intense paranoia of an old man who dresses up as a bat.

Marinette: *pouting* well when you put it that way instead of 'playing a prank on batman' it's less fun.

Jason: *smirking* It sounds fun to me.

Adrien: You're sick.

Marinette: But he says it's fun so it should be!

Adrien: Cat, he's not the best person to judge whether something is fun or not.

Marinette: For you. Killjoy. We have the same definition of fun, so of course I'll have him as a judge!

_________________________

Adrien: Mari, gotta go. Akuma.

Marinette: which one?

Adrien: Pigeon

Marinette: Ha! sucks to be you.

Tim: What's wrong with Mr.Pigeon?

Adrien: *shivering* we don't talk about Mr. Pigeon.

Marinette: Adribug here hates him cause of all the feathers.

Tim: Be safe!

Marinette: No guarantee!

Tim: Don't go and sacrifice yourself again.

Marinette: Again, no guarantee!

Tim: I'm serious, I care about you.

Marinette: I care about you too, pretty bird.

Adrien: faster lovebugs! The less time I deal with that stupid pigeon the better

Tim and Marinette simultaneously: *dramatic gasp* How dare you insult Recardo/Julyo like that!

Adrien: *groans*

___________________________

Adrien: You know, with how careless you are as a hero I'm seriously amazed at how much work you can do. You could be a better bug than me.

Marinette: *downing her 5th cup of coffee* remember that time when we switched miraculous? I AM a better bug.

Adrien: *inching the 6th cup of coffee away* Yeah but you need less responsibility in life

Marinette: That's what maotif is for.

Adrien: Why can't you just tell Bustier that you're tired of doing her job?

Marinette: *grinning while snatching the 6th cup* at this point, it's a matter of pride.

Tim: *other side of her, downing a cup of coffee* And spite. I'm helping her compile evidence as to why she's a horrible teacher.

Marinette: *humming as she finishes part of her work* I'm going to sue her ass so hard.

_____________________________

(In this au Marinette still makes all of the plans. Basically it's now they both really need each other. Adrien has the lucky charm and the cure while Marinette makes the plan) (This is how they met Lila btw)

Lila: *talking to Adrien* I'm friends with both of the heroes!! They're so cool, Maotif even told me that she's in love with Scarlet luck! It's just such a shame that Scarlet and I are dating...

Adrien: *tired* Maotif likes birds, not bugs. Not to mention, Scarlet luck is too focused on beating the akumas to pay attention to love.

Lila: That's not true! Maotif and Scarlet told me themselves!

Marinette: Scarlet luck and Maotif stops by my house a lot, hell they even let Alya interview them when I asked. I don't think they mentioned you?

Lila: *spluttering* I'm so sorry! This was a mistake! *runs away to avoid them*

Adrien: That was weird

Marinette: Yeah...

(I don't plan on having Lila lie here a lot, a tiny bit of bluffs here and there but over all she's quiet because Marinette and Adrien are in her class)

_________________________

Adrien: *stepping in through the portal to the batcave* You will not believe the day I had

Marinette: *sits on Tim's lap* Suck it up whiny bug

Adrien: Suck it up?! You don't have to go through being Chloe's target!

Marinette: Uh, yeah I did. So suck. it. up.

Tim: Chloe?

Marinette: Bourgeois

Tim: *Scrunching his nose* I don't really like her

Adrien: Nobody does

Marinette: That's not even a lie!

Adrien: Oh! Before we forget, can you make a file about a girl named Lila Rossi? She's kinda suspicious

Marinette: *leans close to Tim's neck* She was talking about knowing us in front of us

Tim: Superhero to civilians or?

Adrien: Superhero to civilians plus civilians to civilians for Mari

Marinette: Such is the pain of being an anonymous celebrity!

Tim: *boops her nose* I don't think she's that suspicious. As long as she isn't doing any real harm, or manipulating someone.

Marinette: *rolls her eyes* that's what I keep telling him, but he's so insistent.

Adrien: She just has the whole...vibes

Marinette: *murmuring so only Tim can hear* I swear I'm the one who looks like a wayne but if anything he's the one who acts like one

Tim: *whispering so only she can hear* think Damian will fight him when Bruce adopts him?

Marinette: *giggles* definitely

Adrien: Don't ignore me!

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Grand Premier

Summary: Barely in Paris and Kagami is already expected to rub elbows with the local elites. Specifically, one Adrien Agreste. At least he dresses better than his father.

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

Kagami didn't want to be here.

"This is an important deal for our company's expansion into France, Kagami," Tomoe Tsurugi reminded her in Japanese. "Be polite with Adrien Agreste."

"Yes, Mother." Kagami would play her role to perfection. Even if it was at the premier of a mediocre movie.

"And if the young Agreste isn't polite I hear he fences at the same school we're enrolling you in."

Kagami didn't smile. No, not at all. And if she did there were no witnesses. "Yes, Mother."

Keeping her usual stoic expression as the parasites, pardon, the paparazzi used flash photography in her face Kagami walked down the red carpet. Arm extended for her Mother.

Gabriel was just as tedious as she imagined him and wearing the ugliest suit Kagami had ever seen. And she'd seen ugly yakuza suits in person. At least Adrien's all black suit was suitable for a family in the fashion industry.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsurugi Kagami," the blond boy greeted in heavily accented Japanese. A polite smile on his face as he bowed slightly. "Welcome to Paris. My name is Adorian Aguresuto."

Kagami raised an eyebrow. That didn't sound right.

Eyes widening as he realized his slip up and- Wow, those were expressive eyebrows. -hand going to rub the back of his head as a faint blush painted his cheeks. "I mean Aguresuto Adorian! I, yup..." Suddenly self-conscious Adrien jerked his hand down. Smile nervous but more honest.

Kagami decided to have mercy on him. "Your inflection needs work but the pronunciation is adequate."

His lips twitched. "Adequate?"

"Yes. That is the most accurate description," Kagami stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, then I guess I better ade-quit while I'm ahead," Adrien joked, switching to French.

She could pinpoint the second Adrien noticed what his mouth had said (seemingly without permission) by the way his rosy cheeks went into full bloom. Kagami was fairly certain she was interpreting that expression correctly. "I see why you learned, Japanese."

Apparently deciding her impression of him was already ruined, Adrien forged ahead. "Anime has some impressive puns. I couldn't resist."

Kagami's perfect posture straightened ever so slightly. "Oh? What kind of anime are you interested in?"

Adrien began listing several shonen. Which, honestly, Kagami should have seen coming. At least it included One Piece. Kagami resisted the urge to proclaim the merits of the completely arbitrary power ranking system unprompted. It just fit the story so well and- No! Focus! What was he saying?

"...but right now I'm reading Fruits Basket."

Ooh! Kagami's self control slipped just a little bit. Her eyes might've lit up even. "Yuki is my favorite character."

Adrien beamed at her. "He's amazing! Torhu's my favorite!"

Kagami glanced at a large poster of the movie. Chat Noir displayed prominently with Ladybug. Oh, right. That was a thing. "I would've thought it'd be Kyo"

"Not all catboys are created equal, Kagami," Adrien stated solemnly before breaking into a grin. "He's my second favorite. I just really like Torhu 'cause she's so kind and selfless and..." Adrien paused. Looking down as he fiddled with a silver ring on his finger. "And she's so brave. After losing her mom like that. I really admire her."

Kagami felt she was missing something. She usually felt that with strangers but it was on the tip of her tongue.

Before Kagami could pinpoint why Adrien's appreciation for Honda Tohru felt the way it did Adrien snapped out of whatever he was in. "Anyway, what about you?"

"I relate a lot to Saiki Kusuo. He has trouble understanding people despite being telepathic." Was that too much? It felt like too much.

Apparently not 'cause Adrien's smile was back. The honest one, not the polite one. "Yeah, it's hard to understand people when they don't say what they mean."

Oh, thank you! "What's worse is when they say things they don't mean. It's very confusing."

"Right!? It'd be so much simpler!"

"..." Kagami was supposed to respond here. She was positive that it was expected. But she didn't have anything she felt like adding at the moment. "... So have you read Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Kagami was positive Adrien was restraining himself from vibrating in excitement. She could tell because his eyes were huge and his grin unrestrained. His enthusiasm making her lips form their own smile. Kagami had never met someone her own age she could tolerate, let alone geek out about the differences between anime and manga adaptations.

Most of the other rich kids Kagami knew acted like that ponytailed girl who thought Kagami couldn't see her glaring from across the room. But she wasn't important.

... Actually, there was something Kagami wanted to know. "I hear you fence."

Suddenly shy again Adrien's hand went back to rubbing his neck. "Uh, yeah. Not to brag but I'm the best fencer on the team."

"Not for long."

"Huh?"

"I'll be coming for that top spot, Adrien," Kagami promised.

Adrien's eyes widened, then a competitive gleam sparked in his eyes. "Looking forward to it," he smirked.

In the end the movie was just as mediocre as Kagami thought it would be. Enjoyable sure, if you ignored all the cliches.

"It's even worse on screen!" Adrien proclaimed cheerfully.

Kagami eyed him as they filed out of the theater. "Aren't you the male lead?"

"Against my protests!" He grinned.

"A pleasure doing business with you Madame Tsurugi," Gabriel Agreste's grating voice said from his assistant's tablet. Kagami amused herself by imagining Gabriel was actually that small in person. "Come along now, Adrien."

"Yes, Father." The open expression was gone. Adrien's demeanor immediately subduing at Gabriel's call. Turning towards her, Adrien gave her a small smile- "I look forward to seeing you at school." -and winked with his whole head.

Kagami's cheeks heated up slightly as she returned his smile. "I won't go easy on you."

Adrien frowned. "Well, of course not. That would defeat the entire purpose of dueling."

Kagami's smile grew wider. "Yes. Yes, it would."

She stared at the passing city through the window as they made their way to their new home. Committing the unfamiliar skyline to memory.

"And how was the young Agreste, Kagami?" Tomoe asked. "Was your interaction fruitful?"

Kagami thought about Adrien's predilection for certain manga tropes, how he'd blundered effortlessly past her walls, the clear eagerness Adrien felt at talking to someone else who gets it. He was... endearing. And Kagami wouldn't mind his company again.

"Yes, Mother." Yes, it was.

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

Notes: Written for the Alternate First Meeting promt of Adrigami Week 2021.

[princess-of-the-corner]

ML Sin Kids A/U funny moment: Chloe discovers that Max is Xam when she's admiring the recent magazine that featured Adrien modeling with Xam when Max passes by. She looked between the magazine and Max before she nabs Max and takes him someplace secluded to ask him directly if he was Xam.

Max (pretty casually): "Oh, yeah, Xam is the name I gave to my other human form. You're the first human to notice that."

Chloe (disbelief): "What?! How? I mean, how do you have two human forms?! I though you Hell Spawns have only one of those?!"

Max: "Um... I am the son of Asmodeus. The Lord of Lust."

Chloe: "Is that suppose to mean anything?"

Max: "Shapshifter that can turn into anyone to bring out the most lust. Meaning that I can use more than one human form. Though I can only do two at the moment."

Chloe: "Oh..." *Looks at the image of Xam before looking at Max and back at the image of Xam* "Okay, I can now see where you made the changes to make your human forms different, but they're still pretty similar."

Max: "I'm still in-training for that... Changing the pigmentation of hair, eyes, and skin is very tricky. And changing one's height and body shape is... Hard."

Chloe: "Okay, I think I'm understanding this a little better... Kinda..." *Looks at the image of Xam and then Max*. "But how come you seem... Uh, hotter at Xam than you do as Max?"

Max fidgets nervously before finally saying: "Um... As the son of the Lord of Lust... I, uhh... Can make people... Swoon over me if I want..."

Chloe: *raises brow in confusion* "Uhh, what?"

Max *blushing*: "I can make people become... Attracted to me... You know... Desire me..."

*Takes a few seconds for it to click* Chloe: "Oh! Oh. Oh... Wait, you're kidding?"

Max: "I don't... Like using it, because well, it's... *gulp* I just don't like using it! Especially at full blast... I use a weaker glamour when I'm Xam to, uh, have that model-esque aura."

Chloe: "... Uh, is it really that bad?"

Max: "... It... Makes people fall completely fall head-over-heels for me, even if I'm currently nowhere near their type or interest... I don't... Like manipulating humans like that..."

Chloe: "That sounds exaggerated."

Max: "I wish it was..."

Chloe: "Oh come on, it can't be that strong. In fact, hit me with it."

Max: "What?!"

Chloe: "I'm gay and not into geeks, so I'm not going to fall for you."

Max: "Umm, I really don't want to..."

Chloe: "Okay, just do it for a second and you'll see that it's not that strong. I'm totally not going to fall for you."

Max takes off his glasses and looks directly at Chloe.

Chloe: *turns bright red in embarrassment and love* "Holy shit! You're like super totally hot!!"

Max quickly put glasses and Chloe snaps out of it.

Realizing what she said, Chloe couldn't help but get out in shock: "Okay... Wow... You weren't kidding... Uhh, sorry for making you do that..."

Max: "Um, it's fine... Umm, can you not tell our classmates about me being Xam... I haven't figured out how I can explain how I am Xam w/o going through the whole demon thing..."

Chloe: "Yeah, sure... I doubt anyone would believe me..."

After an awkward moment of silence Chloe finally said: "I won't tell anyone about you being Xam if you don't tell anyone that I called geeky you totally hot."

Max: "That deal has acceptable terms."

HA RIP

[when-the-stars-aligned]

As Luck Would Have It - Chapter 2

Adrien sat down in his usual seat near the front.  He was considering moving up a row--since it was hard to make out the teacher’s name on the board--when none other than Chloe Bourgeois herself walked in.  She marched right up to him and pushed him out of his seat. 

“Move over, Dupain-Cheng.”  She sneered at him as he picked himself off the floor.  “That’s my seat.”

Adrien brushed himself off and stood up.  “But Chloe, this has always been my seat.”

“Not anymore!  New school, new year, new seats!”  Sabrina chimed in.

“So why don't you just go and sit beside that new girl over there?”  Chloe points over to someone Adrien hadn’t seen before.  “My best friend Marinette Agreste is coming today and since that's going to be his seat, this is going to be my seat. Get it?”

‘Wow.’  Adrien thought, ‘Another ‘Chloe’ to deal with?’ 

Apparently he was silent for too long, because Chloe continnued, "Are you dense, Dupain-Cheng?  Marinette Agreste.  The daughter of the famous fashion designer, Gabriel Agresete, who is a model and an up-and-coming designer herself.”

“And she’s our best friend.”  Sabrina adds.  Well, at least Chloe seemed to actually care about Sabrina enough to sit with her still.

“That’s right, and I am her best friend and you need to be as far away from her glory as possible.”

Or maybe she just kept Sabrina around to copy notes off of.  Adrien sighed and was about to make his way over to the other side of the room when the new girl came striding over.  

“Hey! Who elected you Queen of Seats? “

Chloe laughed, and Sabrina quickly joined her.  “Oh, Look Sabrina! We've got a little do-gooder in our class this year. What are you gonna do, super newbie? Shoot beams at me with your glasses?”

“Wouldn't you like to know.”  She responded evenly.  “You know Karma’s going to get you better than I ever could.”  With that, she spun around and grabbed Adrien’s hand and dragged him to their seats.  “Come on.”

He tries to grab some of the baked goods, but Chloe snatches them away from him at the last second, causing him to lose his balance and take the new girl with him.  However, she manages to catch herself, and consequently him.

Adrien, with a blush across his face, manages to quickly pull himself together and upright himself.  They sit together at the desk, and Adrien sighs.  “I wish I could handle Chloe the way you do.”

“You mean the way Majestia does it.”  She pulls up a picture of the comic ‘Majestia’ where the said superhero is flying for the photo. "She says all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing.” She makes it a point to point over at Chloe “Well, clearly, that girl over there is evil, and we are the good people. We can't let her get away with it.”

Adrien really hoped she couldn’t tell how fast the blush was spreading across his cheeks.  “You really are majestic.”

The new girl raises an eyebrow.  “What?”

“Uh!”  Adrien stutters.  “I said she really makes my life majorly horrible.  Standing up to her is easier said than done.”

The brunette looks him up and down, and he’s afraid he’s going to burn under her gaze.  She finally settles on his eyes, and smiles at him.  “That’s cause you let her!  You just need more confidence!”

Her smile is infectious.  Adrien smiles with her, and then remembers something.  He pulls out a small paper bag out of his book bag.  He reaches in and pulls out a macaroon to offer it to her.  “I’m Adrien.” ”Alya.”

[galahadwilder]

Officiated, Ch. 8

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AO3

*

As many of you noticed, when I started writing this they weren't originally going to be 18. And then I looked up France's marriage laws.

I know the ages/timelines in this don't work so please just... ignore that, because the story is way less funny if I try to go back and make those logistics make sense.

Thanks!

*

She can't help reveling a bit in the way he looks at her. He's absolutely stunned, and for the first time she can see him without his guard up, without the carefully-crafted walls Adrien and Chat Noir erect to hide how fragile, how vulnerable, they really are, and her heart aches for him, for her silly, flirty, dorky partner who was kind to her on the days she needed it most. There's no tension in his muscles whatsoever; if she poked him, she's certain he'd collapse into a puddle of boneless jelly. And he's doing that fish-face thing she's sometimes seen Kim do when he's taken by surprise, his mouth open just a little, like he can't really open it all the way but he can't quite muster the brainpower to close it either.

"That..." he says, finally. He blinks, rapid-fire, and she can see the effort it takes him to tear his eyes from her, to twist his neck to look at the cake. "That's your flower," he says. "Your... that's your signature rose."

"Yep!" Marinette chirps, much louder than she anticipated, and immediately flushes bright red as it echoes through the cavernous room, slapping her hand over her mouth and sinking into the chair with the "farting" sound of leather against skin.

"I—don't understand," Adrien says, staring at the box. At the cake. "This is—that's Chat Noir's colors, that's his—" He points. "But... those are my initials?"

Marinette removes the hand from her mouth, slowly, blinks. "Wait, I—?" Oh, seriously? "Chaton. I know."

He spins around to stare at her with wide eyes, overbalances a bit, and staggers into the chair. She barely catches him, her hand sliding on ladybug-print flannel.

"It's—it's you," he sobs, gripping the straps of her camisole and burying his face in her sternum. (It's mildly uncomfortable because his nasal bridge is right on the bone, and she wishes he would move his head a little lower to where there's some more cushioning, but she's not going to suggest that lest they both spontaneously combust.) "It's—it's—" He jerks back, his eyes zipping upward. "Did you just," he says, measuring his words carefully in the way she knows Chat does when he's struggling to remain verbal, "just propose to me... with a meme?"

"Um... no?" she squeaks.

His face falls. She can see tears gathering at the edges of his eyes, and she realizes how what she said must sound, and immediately her brain jumps tracks trying to backtrack.

"Because—!" Her arms start shaking, as she tries not to flail them at the boy currently in her arms, tries to not accidentally slap him in the face. "We're—we're already married, right?" She squeezes his shoulders, trying to keep in the nervous energy. "Can't exactly be a proposal!" Her voice feels shrill and awkward, and she wants to collapse as soon as she hears herself, but, well—she's caught between the chair and her oh my gods I have a husband.

Adrien goes limp, sliding downward out of her arms. She scrabbles after him, trying to hold him up, but... well, Adrien may be underfed, but he's still got about a fifth of a meter on her, and while she can sling Chat Noir across the Seine from a standing start she's working with normal human muscles at the moment. She's yanked out of the chair and onto the ground, flopping on top of him.

She shouldn't have put on her pajamas before she came. She thought it would help her with her nerves, make her more comfortable, but instead she's only too aware of how little clothing is between her and her husband right now. And she's right on top of him. If he weren't shaking like a computer with a busted fan she'd be positively exploding at how intimate this position is.

"Wow. You two are morons."

Marinette gasps as she realizes that someone else is in the room, and looks up to see a familiar tiny black shape, though she’s only seen it around seven times before. “Plagg?”

”You expected Xuppu?” Plagg cackles.

"Plagg! Don't mock them!" Tikki hisses from her place inside Marinette’s pigtail. “This is very stressful for them both!”

”And if we don’t give them a kick in the rear neither of them will move past the ‘uh? Buh? Guh?’ stage,” Plagg responds, settling in top of Marinette’s head. “I’ve seen how bad your girl is at talking to him.”

”I’m getting better!” Marinette protests.

Plagg’s weight shifts on her scalp in a way that suggests he’s rolling his disproportionate eyes. “You’ve been ‘getting better’ for years now.”

”Shut up, Plagg,” Adrien says, and Marinette suddenly realizes that he’s stopped shaking—and that she’s now once more very aware of how she’s lying on top of him.

”H-hi!” she squeaks, trying to roll off him. “Feeling—feeling better?”

”A bit,” he says, with a smile that’s—well, it’s too “Adrien” and not enough “Chat Noir.” Or maybe it’s too Chat Noir and not enough Adrien. Either way it doesn’t seem genuine. “Sorry about—” He glances down, as if finally realizing that he’s holding her on top of him. “Oh!”

He releases her wrists and she launches herself sideways, flopping onto the tile carpet next to him. “Sorry,” she gasps. “That’s—easier in the suits.” She looks at him, holds a hand out to touch his shoulder, thinks better of it. “You know. Touching—touching you.”

“...Ah.” Adrien sits up, and she can’t miss the way the disappointment is written across on his face.

She steels herself, reaches out, places her hand on his foot. It’s the most intimate thing she can do right now without exploding.

He flinches anyway.

”What’s wrong, Kitten?” she says.

”Do you—” His voice breaks, and he looks away. “How’d you find out it was me?”

She blinks, sitting up. He’s very clearly dodging the question. “Alya saw the license,” she says. “And since she didn’t realize it was for Chat and Ladybug, not Marinette and Adrien...”

”She could read both our names,” he finishes. He’s trembling. Again.

”Chaton,” she says. “Either tell me what’s wrong or I will chuck you out the window.”

He freezes, then turns to her with wide, sad eyes. “It’s—nothing,” he says. “I can deal.”

”It’s not nothing,” she shoots back. “I know you’re not disappointed in me because you’ve suspected...” She pushes back her hair, showing the earrings. “You’ve suspected my identity multiple times,” she continues, “and you always looked like you’d... you know, got the cream when you thought it was me...” She clenches her hands, twiddling her thumbs. “I just—I can’t think of what else it could be.”

”It’s not your problem,” he says, gruffly.

”Of course it’s my problem,” she says, reaching out to take his wrist. “I’m your...” She swallows. “I’m your wife.”

He jerks like a gunshot at the word and yanks his hand out of hers. “Not for much longer,” he gasps, and then he’s collapsing into himself, his head falling into his hands falling into his lap, and oh. Oh.

”You thought the cake was sarcasm,” she says, softly, as all the pieces slot into place in her brain like a Lucky Charm. "You think—you think I still want the annulment."

"Don't you?" he whispers.

She swallows, walks her hand up his leg. “Why would I?” she says, feigning more comfort than she’s feeling.

Adrien stiffens, looking at her with shock in his eyes. ”Because... you never wanted me,” he says. “There’s always been someone else.”

Marinette giggles nervously. ”Do you know,” she begins, only to choke on her dry mouth. “Do you know how hard it was to avoid falling in love with Chat Noir?”

He gapes at her.

She entwines her fingers in his. “Yeah, there was someone else at first,” she says, not meeting his eyes. “But... but he didn’t know me like you do. I never trusted him the way I trust you. He could never... make me feel proud, the way you do.” She smiles, tears gathering in her eyes. “I think over time, I just... I kept chasing him so that it wouldn’t hurt so much when I kept losing you.”

”You've never lost me,” Adrien whispers, his thumb gently tracing her palm.

She swallows. “You died just last week, Chaton,” she says. “I lose you all the time and I can’t—” She hiccups. “I can’t stand it.”

He lets go of her hand, and she can’t stop herself from whining at his sudden absence, but then his hands are pressed to her cheeks and he’s holding her gaze to his own. “My Lady,” he says. “I will always come back to you.”

The utter conviction in his voice rocks her to her core. He’s not saying that she’ll bring him back—he’s saying that, even if she can’t, he will tear down heaven to make it back to her side.

”The—the other boy,” she gasps. “His name was Adrien Agreste.”

Emerald eyes stare into hers, uncomprehending—and then his breath is in her mouth, mixed with the fire of her life, of his life, and it’s exactly like Dark Cupid, hot and desperate and painful and real.

*

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[quicksilversquared]

A Musical Connection Ch. 6

In a world where soulmate bonds can range from a simple matching mark to timers to shared dreams, of course Adrien would get saddled with an inconvenient bond that keeps him from going out and living life- because whenever his soulmate sings, Adrien has to as well.

But the singing, as inconvenient as it is, presents another opportunity. Can Adrien use it to track down his soulmate?

(Ch 1)  (Ch 2)  (Ch 3)  (Ch. 4) (Ch. 5)

(AO3) (FF.net)

Adrien had not been in a particularly good mood for... well, a while. His soulmate had been singing more than usual as the semester started to draw to a close, resulting in a whole slew of canceled engagements on his end. There had been some that he hadn't been looking forward to that much- stuffy business meetings with the self-important company investors, mostly- but Adrien had been looking forward to some of the others.

Mostly because he was tired of being cooped up in the house with only Plagg for company most of the time, if he was being honest. Had he been allowed to skip those very same events only a few years prior, Adrien probably would have cheered just because those "parties" weren't particularly interesting.

But at least they weren't set in his room. Adrien was tired of seeing the same four walls around him, day in and day out.

Thankfully, there was a spot of hope on the horizon. Adrien was still working with Max to figure out where his soulmate was performing, so he could maybe find her before the end of the semester. Hopefully in only a few short weeks, Adrien would get to celebrate the holidays with his soulmate at his side and with his friends around him.

Adrien was stuck mid-daydream about it- his soulmate would become instant friends with all of his friends, obviously, because Alya and Nino and Marinette were all so friendly and surely his soulmate would be as well, and then they would all celebrate the holidays into the night and share stories of their school years- when the buzzing of his phone startled him. Adrien scrambled for a moment, trying to figure out where he had put it. Plagg groaned loudly at his nap being interrupted, shoving the vibrating phone out from under a book at Adrien and promptly curling back up to go to sleep.

"I found it!" Max announced as soon as Adrien picked up the phone, accepting the video call. "The place where your soulmate is, I mean. Your soulmate is attending the university in Paris that we were looking at before. They're doing a production of Mary Poppins in a month, and they did Little Shop of Horrors earlier in the year, right when your soulmate was singing those songs."

Adrien perked up, pushing his Physics textbook away so he could give Max his undivided attention. "That's perfect! Should I call them to try to figure out what I should sit so I'm not disrupting the performance?"

"I already did. They had two suggestions." Max adjusted his glasses, pushing them up on his nose as he looked at his papers. "Option 1: Come on the audience sing-along night. Problem: The understudies are more likely to also be singing along, and the audience members would as well. You may have some difficulty figuring out who your soulmate is. I think that actors not involved in the scene might also join the audience in singing, even in songs they aren't in."

Adrien made a face. That sounded like far too many variables. Besides, what if Max was wrong and he burst out in song at the wrong time? "The other option?"

"Option 2: the lighting and sound booth. It's soundproof, and there would be one light tech and one sound person there, and they probably wouldn't be bothered by any impromptu duets."

The suggestion had Adrien grinning. "I like the sound of that."

"I also believe that that would be the best option. You would have arrive early, so people don't see you going in and complain about preferential treatment."

Adrien nodded. He had had to deal with people thinking that he got where he was due to his father far too often and while people did have a point when it came to his modelling, other times it was just unfair. He'd prefer to have to explain his situation to as few people as possible.

"It's been a while since I've been to a play," Plagg said once Adrien finished hashing out the details with Max and had hung up. "Is it a good one?"

"I think so," Adrien said, turning to his computer and searching the university. A few clicks, and he navigated to the page for the theater department. A colorful photo filled most of the page, an announcement about the musical and the run dates printed across the bottom. Adrien's eager eyes scanned the photo, wondering if one of the people pictured was his soulmate. It was mostly just featuring the main characters, though, so maybe not. He hoped that he would know soon enough. "If she's doing it, then it's definitely got to be good."

Plagg sniffed. "You haven't even met the girl and you're already a lovesick kitten. Pathetic."

"I'm just excited!" Adrien defended himself, already planning his outfit for his theater outing in his head. "What do you think she'll look like? I don't know anything about her, really, besides where she goes to school, and the fact that she likes musicals. And that she's a theater major, I suppose."

Plagg sniggered, clearly abandoning his nap in favor of bothering Adrien. "Maybe she has blue eyes and black hair. We all know that's your type, after all."

Adrien felt his cheeks flood with color. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The cackles from Plagg were louder now. "Uh-huh. Sure you don't."

"Liking Ladybug does not give me a type!" Besides, that had been ages ago. Adrien had long since accepted that he and Ladybug were destined to just be friends. "Just because she has blue eyes and dark hair doesn't mean that I automatically have a type."

"Uh-huh. And what about Marinette, hmm? She has blue eyes and dark hair too!"

Despite himself, Adrien's cheeks heated up. "She's one of my friends." Still, even if he would never admit it, he knew Plagg had a point. Marinette was the kind of person who Adrien likely would have gone out with, had the whole soulmates thing not existed and had he not been hung up on Ladybug for years. But he had never allowed himself to let his mind wander too far down that path.

It had taken him too long to get over Ladybug and really get around to accepting that they would just stay at the level of really good friends and nothing more. Falling for someone else all over again would just set him back, and that was not what he needed now, when his soulmate was so close.

Plagg just made a dismissive little noise and zipped off again. Adrien picked his phone up again and texted Nino the news, grinning as he did. Maybe his best friend could come with him to the performance as support. Nino had been dating Alya successfully for years now and would doubtless have some good advice for Adrien so that he wouldn't make a complete fool out of himself in front of his soulmate the first time they met.

Even though he knew he was going to be a ball of nerves, Adrien couldn't wait.

  Adrien arrived in the university theater a with excitement building steadily in his chest, dressed in a tidy green button-up and slacks. Once he explained his situation to the usher it didn't take long for him to get shuffled up to the lighting and sound booth, where he got parked on a chair among the mess of cords. Nino hadn't been able to come, but he had texted Adrien a whole list of tips beforehand, do's and don'ts and suggested icebreakers.

He was going to make a giant fool of himself, Adrien just knew it. Even with the tips, he was likely to go overboard with things and be ridiculously dramatic about it. That was just his default with he was nervous or jittery, and right now?

Adrien was both nervous and jittery, and very liable to start doing low bows and knuckle kisses once he met his soulmate.

"I didn't know there was such thing as a musical soulmate bond," the light tech said, already fiddling with a series of switches on a board. The sound tech, a quiet girl with glasses and a high ponytail, had retreated to her own section of the booth and closed the door between the sections without a word to Adrien. "That's cool."

"It's slightly inconvenient when I don't know when I'm going to burst out in song," Adrien admitted. Then he winced, realizing how ungrateful he was sounding about his soulmate. Anyone who didn't know exactly how much disruption the bond caused would likely jump to the wrong conclusions. He hastened to say something more positive. "When I'm at school or out in public, you know. But yeah, it's interesting and I've learned about a lot of cool musicals because of it. There's a lot of really fun songs, but I would prefer if the timing was a bit better."

Lights properly adjusted for the time being, the light tech leaned back in his own chair and glanced over at Adrien. "Oh, I had never thought about what a pain that might be. Did you get in a lot of trouble in school for singing when you were younger?"

Adrien shook his head. "It didn't start up until recently. I was maybe halfway into my first semester of university when the singing started, and I've been taking classes online ever since." He made a face. "It would be nice to get back into normal classes, though. Online isn't anywhere near as fun. I miss talking to people, and I can't really properly finish my science degree or start my Master's studies to become a teacher until I have the singing sorted out."

"Hopefully you'll be able to go back after this semester," Jason said. "And what a great holiday present, too, to find your soulmate."

Adrien's grin lit up his entire face, so wide his cheeks were hurting. "Yeah! That's what I'm hoping for. She might already have holiday plans, but I'm flexible, so maybe I could tag along with her. I've already got all of these plans for, like, dates to go on and everything. I'm just super excited."

Jason laughed. "I can tell. You're practically vibrating out of your chair. I've still got three years to go," he added, flashing his wrist at Adrien. 3Y 4M was printed in dark ink. "I'm happy to wait, just knowing that there's someone out there for me."

Their small talk continued until the show started. Adrien sat up straight, eyes focused on the stage as he waited for the telltale tickle in his throat. His excitement mounted as the house lights dimmed and went off, and the curtains parted.

Even though Adrien was nervous, he couldn't help but enjoy the first few minutes. The orchestra started- Adrien briefly wondered how in the world they could even see their music in the dim lighting- and the jack-of-all-trades Bert appeared onstage in a lone spotlight.

Not his soulmate, obviously.

The ball of nerves mounted as one character after another sang and there wasn't so much as a tickle in his throat. Adrien squinted at his program in the dim lighting of the light booth, mentally checking off each character after they sang, trying to figure out if there was anyone left who had yet to sing. The list of possibilities was growing steadily shorter with every passing scene.

...maybe it was someone in the ensemble? Adrien's breath was starting to feel tight in his throat as cast members swarmed around the stage, changing the set before the next scene started.

He couldn't be wrong. Max couldn't be wrong. This was literally their only lead. No other theater in the country had put on the same combination of shows. What were they meant to do if this, their only lead, didn't turn anything up?

But the ensemble sang, and the play continued on. But Adrien was barely listening, heart sunk into his toes.

Nothing. His dream of spending the holidays with his soulmate was going down the drain.

The light tech- Jason, he had told Adrien- eyed Adrien as the lights were raised for the halftime intermission. "No singing?"

Adrien shook his head morosely. "Nothing at all. We were positive that she was in this performance too, since she was singing stuff from the Little Shop of Horrors before, when you guys were doing that show."

"Understudy, then?" Jason suggested as he watched the audience filing out of the auditorium for snacks and bathroom breaks. "I'm not terribly familiar with a lot of the cast, so I don't know if there's any repeats from before." He frowned. "I thought understudies normally become part of the ensembles, though. Maybe I'm remembering things wrong."

"Has everyone sung at least once, do you know?" Adrien asked, flipping through the pages of his program. He had been marking off the main characters as they sang, but it was difficult to tell apart the background characters at times, especially from as far back as the light box. Now that the lights were on, he could look at the cast list more carefully. It still wasn't giving him any leads.

The other boy shrugged. "Probably? I don't really know the cast, sorry. I'm more familiar with the other backstage workers."

Adrien slumped in his seat as he texted both Nino and Max. He had been so positive that he would find his soulmate tonight. If everyone had already sung, then where did that leave him? Where had they gone wrong?

Nino reacted with dismay. Max's text was so very typical Max.

Max: Huh. Will expand search area into other French-speaking countries and regions. Will keep you posted.

Adrien sighed and turned his attention back to the auditorium. People were starting to filter back in, trips to the bathroom done and snacks in hand. They were chatting excitedly amongst themselves, no doubt discussing the play and their favorite songs so far, or something like that. Adrien couldn't manage to even fake their level of enthusiasm, not anymore. Jason suggested that maybe there were a few members of the ensemble and understudy cast who hadn't sung yet, but Adrien couldn't bring himself to get his hopes up again. Something in his gut told him that there was no point.

An announcement sounded over the auditorium, and Jason started dimming the lights. Audience members hurried to their seats, getting fully settled before the lights went off completely. The music started up again and the second half of the play started. Even though the songs were peppy and upbeat and normally made him smile, Adrien watched it all rather listlessly. His eyes tracked the actors and actresses on stage automatically, but he was utterly unable to get past the crushing disappointment of what he had thought was a solid lead turning into an utterly dead end.

There wasn't so much as a tickle in his throat the entire time. By the time Adrien left the auditorium at the end of the show, following a cheerful crowd, it was with a heavy heart and discouragement sitting sour in his gut.

[abadmeanman]

Something that continues to bother me about "in which we establish the directory" is that marinette says "I don't want to have sex," aaaand... then they have sex. Usually with straight people saying stuff like that I guess they mean sex that involves a penis + a vagina or sex that involves penetration. But the sex they had meets both those criteria. Either way, that was sex. If that wasn't sex no people with similar genitals have ever had sex (which would make me a virgin 😱). (Continued...)

(Cont.)… I don’t know if you’re straight or where you’re coming from, but ya, the way you used the word sex there just felt really straight. Which is disappointing because porteboner tends to be really good about The Gay™. Also, where were the condoms in all this? Adrien and Marinette were about to have P in V sex before Marinette said she wasn’t ready and in none of that time were condoms ever involved. It’s important to include condoms within the narrative of any healthy sexual encounter.

This got long, so let’s see if I can get a read more in here.

There we go. So:

I see what you mean with this critique, and I’ll definitely grant that it’s coming from a pretty much straight cisboy perspective. I am like 95% straight, but I try to be good about this kind of thing (thanks for telling me that I’m doing okay!). That being said, my intention at the time, and my interpretation while rereading this scene was different than yours, and I’d like to give that here.

So, some setup. It’s been a running joke-slash-foundational conceit of the story that the “baseball metaphor” for hooking up has been replaced by events in the timeline of the French Revolution. I’m specifically talking about this, from chapter 4:

“Let’s do it like the French Revolution! So the Fall of the Bastille is kissing, the Reign of Terror is feeling up, the Directory is touching each other’s… uh…” Adrien blushed. “And First Consul Bonaparte is f…fout… fornicating.”

The baseball metaphor is obviously fucking worthless and biased towards a hetero cis experience, with a generous dash of the male gaze. That’s part of why I chose the French Revolution–if you’re going to see sexual acts as existing on a continuum, one with essentially infinite points and interpretations along the continuum is obviously better than first, second, third base and home plate. Sex is less orderly than the baseball metaphor, and like a few hundred words down from that quote, Mylene dismantles the concept that even the loose matching of Bastille = kissing, Reign of Terror = groping, falls apart, immediately. She cites a historical event that is objectively AFTER the revolution. So from the get-go, chapter 4, I establish that I’m going to be using this absurd metric.

Also, Nath brings up a working definition of “sex” and defines it like this in chapter 23:

“Never have I ever had sex. I mean, like, pelvis on pelvis sex. Whatever you figure counts. I-I’m a virgin, I guess is what I mean.” Presumably, pastries wielded by Alix didn’t count.

This is a construct, and I tried to make it very clear that I was aware of that, while still keeping the conceit of the French Revolution. 

So, from Marinette and Adrien’s perspective, we’ve got a more or less working definition of capital-S Sex from within the story, twice, as well as the bullshit but widely-acknowledged-as-meaningful definition you get from societal superstructures.

What I meant when Marinette said “We… can’t have sex tonight” was taking those three things into account. French Revolution metaphor, Nath’s definition, and society at large. She’s thinking PIV sex, and I thought that was pretty clear in the context. I know it’s not perfect, but I also don’t think that I’m failing to think about this at all. The title of that chapter is “In which we establish the directory,” after all. That already places the sexual contact on a pre-defined continuum. I know it’s a flawed continuum, but it’s the one I’m using for story purposes, and we’re currently dealing with cis-hetero acts. What’s important is that she and Adrien are not defining what they do as sex. 

I also don’t see them as about to have PIV sex–the way I meant that scene to read was “oh fuck our position slipped and while this is nice we really should put our respective pelvises in a different region from the other pelvis involved.” Here’s the scene:

In the midst of her ministrations, while their bodies had temporarily stopped mashing against each other, Adrien’s minute hand migrated from high noon to 6 o’clock. Slipped away from her belly, it nestled comfortably between Marinette’s legs, teasing her with its firmness right there on her personal bijou -bevel. She could feel the full length of him sliding gently back and forth across her lips, bringing a delightful direct coil of warmth to sudden life inside her.

So there was contact, but not penetration. Feels nice, but not First Consul Bonaparte, not to them. And it was accidental, and they stopped. 

That was my intention when writing this scene, and looking back on it, I still think it works. 

As far as condoms go, condom use is definitely going to be in the fic. I’m from Texas, but I’m not THAT from Texas. 

The sexual encounters portrayed before chapter 26 in this fic have either been distant from the POV characters (the various hookups at Marinette’s party), accidental and clothed (Marinette accidentally straddling Adrien during brunch), or within a fluidbonded relationship (Marinette walking in on Alya and Nino). For those reasons, condoms weren’t explicitly mentioned. In chapter 26, neither Marinette nor Adrien went into the shower being like “hell yeah gonna have some unprotected hetero PIV intercourse”; using the definition of “sex” I described above, they both knew they were going to do something sexual, but not have penetrative sex. So, neither brought condoms. 

Safe sex is incredibly important, and I’d like to think that I’m mostly modeling pretty good relationship and sexual practices in Porte-Boner. Not perfect, but that’s not what I’m going for. I’m not convinced that a trusting, established relationship that involves sharing sexual fluids requires condoms to be healthy, particularly if the relationship is monogamous. 

This position of mine at least partially springs from the fact that I’ve been in a fluidbonded polyamorous relationship of three people until very recently. So because of that, my perspective may not be the same as yours. But I’m also not going to agree with your claim that “It’s important to include condoms within the narrative of any healthy sexual encounter.” Condoms are good, and valuable, and condom use should be encouraged. However, the absence of a condom does not automatically make a sexual encounter unhealthy. I’d rather see consensual, informed, birth-control-involving sex without a condom than any abusive relationship dynamic, no matter how much safer sex is involved. I’m trying to focus on the relationship here, not the mechanics of boning down. So that is my perspective. I’m talking within established, respectful, positive relationships here. Cruising for randos, you should definitely be using barrier protection.

Lastly, I apologize for taking a while to reply to this message. I got it right as my relationship was breaking apart, and I couldn’t really bring myself to address your many valid concerns in any great length. And because they were good and valid, I wanted to give them a good addressing.

I hope this helps you see where I’m coming from in Porte-Boner. Let me know if you’ve got further concerns.

[milarqui]

Scarlet Lady: Desperada

Directory | Silencer

Wishing to relax after the absolute mess that was dealing with Bob Roth the previous day, the girls had agreed to join Kitty Section at the Liberty and just enjoy the afternoon, listening to the group practice for their future record.

For Marinette, though...

“Orange juice, Luka?”

“Thanks, Ma–Ma–Marinette.”

… it was just another stressful thing on top of all previous stress.

Because, after Luka's confession, she just didn't know what to do.

“Eheheh!” she tried to laugh, her cheeks burning up at how close Luka was. “You're really hot–” SHUT UP! “uh, tall!–” SHUT UP! “uh talented! How long have you been playing?”

Luka gave a soft laugh.

“Since I was in diapers,” he replied, taking off his guitar and carefully hanging its strip over Marinette's shoulder. “Wanna try?”

“Oh! S–Sure! Heehee!” she stammered, as Luka gently grabbed her left hand.

“Put this hand here...”

“H–Here?”

----

The feeling of being a third wheel was mighty amongst the girls as they saw Luka giving Marinette a too close lesson on guitar playing – and the awkwardness peaked as the last people meant for this encounter entered the room.

“Hey, guys!” Adrien said as he put his bag on the floor.

“Adrien, Kagami!” Mylène exclaimed, part in shock, part in happiness.

“Your parents let you out?” Alix asked, grinning.

For all answer, Adrien turned to his partner, and it was obvious they were both struggling not to break down laughing.

“Wait, you mean this isn't fencing practice?!” Adrien asked, acting shocked at the 'sudden twist'. “Oh no, Kagami, we messed up the address!”

“Dear me, it would seem so!” Kagami replied, holding her face in fake distress.

“Pft,” Alix snorted, rolling her eyes, “okay, guys.”

Then Adrien saw Luka's hands-on lesson to the blushing Marinette, and suddenly the sunshine boy was in the middle of an eclipse.

“What's going on there?” he said in a deceitfully tranquil tone, while Kagami looked at him as if he were a bomb about to explode.

“That's what we wanna know!” Alya exclaimed.

“We're not co-captain anymore, get lost!”

Everyone looked away at the sound of Anarka Couffaine shouting, shocked – mostly because everyone who knew her had barely heard her this angry.

“But we played so perfectly together!” a man said. A voice everyone found very familiar.

“What–?” Kagami said, shocked.

“Up deck!” Juleka pointed out.

“Let's go!” Alix added, and everyone ran for the door.

Well, not everyone – because Marinette collapsed on the closest couch, mentally exhausted, and Adrien stayed behind to make sure his classmate-slash-friend-slash-crush was alright.

“UGHHH~” Marinette groaned, feeling like her face was ready to be used for cooking.

“Marinette? What's wrong?” Adrien asked with worry.

“Oh, Adrien. Luka confessed to me and I... I...”

Adrien felt his eye involuntarily twitching at the idea of someone else confessing to the girl he liked, but held on her knee-jerk reaction as Marinette's face turned devastated.

“I'm trying so hard to be normal and it's! Not! WORKING!”

“Oh, boy,” he mumbled as Marinette began to cry, and he sat next to her as she covered her crying face.

“I'm not trying to date Luka but I'm not trying to ruin things with Luka and I keep overthinking everything and I don't know what to do!”

Now knowing that Marinette was really in a bind, he knew he had to park his feelings aside and be the friend she needed, so he put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed.

“Just... talk to Luka,” he suggested.

“Talk?” she asked, rising her face.

“Tell him what you told me. Luka's not the kind of guy to hold it against you.”

“True,” Marinette admitted, a couple of tears still on the corner of her blue eyes.

“More than anything, he'll appreciate your honesty.”

“Yeah...” She sniffed, and gave him a trembling smile. “Thanks, Adrien.”

----

After recovering from her cry spell, the two of them ran outside, where they found Mme. Couffaine in a screaming match with...

“I'm no one's back up plan, skipper!”

“It's not like that! You're the only one I want to play with, Nanarky!”

“Jagged Stone?” Marinette said, a bit shocked.

“'Nanarky'?!” Mylène asked, shocked that their favorite singer was speaking so casually with their host – and that said host was answering in kind.

“You don't fool me, pirate! I bet you threw your guitarist overboard! Again!”

“Nooooooo!” Jagged Stone said, unconvincingly. “I didn't, I swear! She, uh, sailed away!”

“LIE BETTER!” Mme. Couffaine replied, clearly angry.

Jagged looked over the people on the Liberty, and smiled.

“Marinette! My awesome designer!” he cried out. “Do you play guitar?”

“Uh, no–” she timidly replied, and Jagged shook his head.

“Bummer. Do you know one? Like one in a band on a houseboat with blue hair?”

“Uh, yeah! Exactly that!” Marinette replied, turning to Luka with a smile. “Wow, so specific!”

“You rock, Marinette!” Jagged said, pointing at Luka. “So, you up for it little dude–”

“Jagged Stone! I finally found you you hack!”

Of course, there was only one person in the world that could have uttered those words.

“Chloé?!” Adrien said, shocked.

“HACK?!” Jagged Stone fired, annoyed.

“I demand reimbursement for the shoes your stupid lizard ate!”

“Ugh,” he said, but he kinda acknowledged she was right, “send the bill to Bob Roth. Stop hounding me.”

“HEY.” Everyone turned to see someone else had arrived on scene, and was standing at the prow of the Liberty. “Jagged Stone is my target.”

“What?!” Chloé yelled at being ignored, but Adrien was more aware of the situation.

“Akuma!”

“Vivica?” Jagged asked, surprised.

“There ain't no more 'Vivica',” the Akuma said. “There's only Desperada now! You fire me and try to replace me with a school kid?!”

“Vivica, you're only two years older than him,” Jagged said.

Luka and Juleka looked at each other, feeling awkward and hoping no one noticed that Jagged shouldn't have known Luka's age.

“Back off my kids, ship rat!” Anarka furiously shouted at Desperada, who gave a smirk.

“Then I'll get you first!” she said, and strummed her guitar – and Anarka, after being hit by a projectile, disappeared in a cloud of golden smoke, as a sticker with her face appeared on the guitar.

“Ahh!” Mylène screamed in fright.

“Desperada always hits her targets,” the Akuma declared, and she started to pluck her guitar again.

“Ah–!”

“No–!”

Juleka and Rose, despite the former's attempt to push her out of the way, were soon taken out as well, while Marinette angrily glared at the Akuma before ducking away.

And Adrien, who could tell who was the Akuma's target right now, grabbed Luka's hand.

“Quick, let's get outta here!” he said, pulling his friend-slash-romantic rival out of the way.

----

As soon as she found a safe place, Marinette took a breather while Pollen came out of her bag.

“It's that time again, My Queen!” the Bee Kwami declared, while Marinette kept glaring at the Akuma.

“Does Hawkmoth never sleep?!”

----

“C'mon, Chloé, you gotta transform,” Tikki tiredly said.

“This one looks really annoying,” Chloé replied. “But I have to avenge my shoes, so–”

Tikki rolled her eyes. Figures that that would be her goal.

----

“You probably got fired over your stupid hair!” Scarlet Lady shouted, and she began to run to a side as Desperada fired her musical bullets, which all hit the ground right next to her feet.

“GRRR!” the Akuma growled over her failed attack. But then another guitar started to sound, and Desperada turned to the source. “Another guitarist?!”

She started to shoot at him, while he remained in place, making his solo.

“LUKA!”

Before Desperada realized it, a large rope twisted around her waist.

“AH!”

“HYAAAAAAAH!” Marigold mightily yelled, and pulling from the rope she tossed the Akuma far away enough that none of those present could see her. With danger temporarily out of the way, she smiled at the boys and waved them towards what she had found. “Down here, quick!”

“Ew, the sewers?!” Scarlet Lady said with a disgusted tone, but Marigold paid her no mind and pulled the manhole cover before forcing the Ladybug heroine in.

All while Luka turned to Adrien.

“Did Marigold just kill Desperada?” he asked, shocked, and Adrien shrugged, before they followed Marigold inside. As soon as they closed the cover, the two boys started to huff from running.

“That was very reckless, but very brave,” Marigold encouraged them, ignoring Scarlet Lady as she skipped around in disgust. “Thanks.”

“N–No problem,” Luka replied between huffs, as he recovered his breath.

“You guys should hide while we find Chat Noir,” she suggested, immediately grabbing Scarlet Lady by the face before she could do what Marigold knew she would do.

“Nooo!” Scarlet Lady whined as she tried to reach out to them.

“Sure thing, Marigold,” Luka said, and both of them went off, eager to be away from the Ladybug heroine.

----

As soon as he got Luka into a closet, Adrien started to do a run around to find a different passageway that would lead to where Marigold and Scar were waiting.

“Chat got your tongue? Leave a message!” he heard his own voice say.

“Dammit, where are you?” Scar complained; she must have called him to his baton-phone.

Time to hero, he thought.

“Plagg, Claws Out!” Soon, he was once more clad in leather. “I'm here!”

As he turned the corner, Marigold and Scar looked at him.

“Chat Noir!” the former said.

“Why are you sweating?” the latter asked, disgusted.

He laughed. He wasn't going to tell them he had ran all the way around to avoid being tracked.

----

As soon as she recovered from being flung around, Desperada ran back to where she had found that boy, but by then there was no one around, as they had either taken refuge elsewhere or just hid.

“I'll find that brat guitarist sooner or later, you bugs!” Desperada yelled into the empty air.

----

Good thing I'm not claustrophobic, Luka thought from within the locker Adrien had told him to go into. There was literally nothing for him to do right now.

Perhaps he could think of a song to make for Marinette...

----

With no ideas to pull from, Scar used Lucky Charm, which took the form of a bronze dish.

Or, rather...

“A gong?” Marigold realized.

“You know what that means, Goldie!” he said, winking at her.

“You're going to get another Miraculous aren't you?!” Scar said, and Chat Noir looked at her, surprised that she had actually made the connection. “You are going to give whatever-it-is–”

“The Snake, probably,” Chat Noir suggested.

“– to my Adrien!” Scar continued. Chat Noir held the instinct to tell her that he wasn't hers, but instead chose to help avoid the potential problem.

“Wuh – Agreste? I don't think–”

“Actually...” Marigold said, blushing, “I think Adrien would make a good hero.”

Stunned at Marigold's words (and feeling a bit of a flutter in his heart) Chat Noir looked down with burning cheeks.

“... I'll find him while Scar recharges and you fetch the Miraculous,” he conceded.

“YAY!” Marigold cheered.

Splitting up to do their parts, Chat Noir found a place he was certain he wouldn't be seen in and detransformed.

“Claws In.”

“This'll never work,” Plagg warned him as he reappeared.

“You know that, I know that, but do they know that...?” Adrien asked.

“You're just soft because your honeybug recommended you,” Plagg deadpanned.

“Shush. Why're you worried, Plagg? For you it'll be like no time at all,” Adrien replied with a chuckle.

“I guess.” Plagg didn't look excited.

“And this'll get Adrien Agreste off the Hero roster.”

Plagg tilted his head in askance.

“Uh, how?” he asked, and Adrien gave a smirk that wouldn't be out of place in a cat's face.

“By being such a nuisance I never get called on again.”

Plagg felt a sweatdrop at the back of his head. Which was weird, because he didn't sweat...

----

We did all agree on Adrien...

But Luka distracted Desperada...

But Adrien saved Luka...

But Luka –

“Marinette? The Akuma?”

Marinette shook herself off. Oh, right, she was still at Master Fu's parlor.

“R-Right! Thank you, Master!”

----

“It's that it?” Scarlet asked as soon as she arrived with the Miraculous.

“Yeah. Where's Chat Noir and Adrien?”

“Here! I'm here!” Adrien said, and Marigold quickly put her hand exactly where it had to be.

“Mon Prince~” Scarlet said, attempting to grab Adrien in a hug, only for Marigold's hand to hold her in place, well away from the boy.

“Adrien!” the Bee Heroine exclaimed, ignoring the irritant behind her. “Where's Chat Noir?”

“Oh, uh, he had to check on the civilian thing he ditched,” Adrien replied. “But he said you needed me?”

“Yes!” Marigold said, offering the box. “Adrien Agreste, this is the Snake Miraculous, which grants the power of Second Chance. You will use it for the greater good–”

“Let me give it to him, Marimold!” Scarlet yelled.

“Omigod, let me finish!” she replied with irritation as she struggled to keep her away from Adrien, who was now awkwardly waiting.

----

Alright, time to start faking this, he thought, and he opened the box. With a flash of light, the Snake Kwami of Intuition appeared.

“Oh, woooooow,” he said, trying to look like he had never seen something similar.

“Greetings,” the Kwami said, “my name is Sass, and...”

“Are you, like, some kind of genie?” he asked, playing dumb, but Sass' judging look told him that the Kwami wasn't falling for it.

“... I am a Kwami,” Sass replied, unimpressed. As he put on the Ouroboros bracelet, he noticed Plagg hiding at the wall, and he really looked unhappy.

Sorry.

“Sass, the transformation phrase, please,” Marigold kindly asked, and Sass sighed.

“Guess we're doing this. Right. Just say, Sass...”

“Scales Slither!”

He quickly noticed the difference as he transformed: while the feeling of leather was similar, it wasn't the smooth touch of his Chat Noir suit, but slightly rough, much like a snake's scales. The full black was partially replaced by aquamarine. The mask covered more of his face, and his hair felt wilder than normal. As the transformation finished, a name came to mind.

“Call me Aspik,” he told Marigold. “I won't let you down, my Queen!”

“Ha! I know,” Marigold replied, smiling.

“Adrien~ I believed in you first!” Scar said, but he scoffed.

“I don't care.”

Finding the ladder going up, Scar quickly went up first, while Marigold looked back at him.

“If anything goes wrong, Second Chance will let you go back to the time you used it.”

“Got it,” Aspik nodded. “Second Chance.”

As Scar left, she made a sigh.

“Finally out,” she said. “Where is she?”

She quickly got her answer, as a musical projectile hit her in the back.

“Ah–”

“Oh no!” Marigold exclaimed.

“Second Chance!” Aspik said, grinning at the sight of Scar being in distress. And, as he reappeared in a minute before... he realized something.

Every time he had wanted to do something to Scar, he had held back because he knew he would have to deal with the consequences.

But, here and now?

He could do something... and then use Second Chance to undo it.

And he could do it... as many times as he wanted.

It was a bit of a jerk move, but, honestly, after dealing with Scar for months, he felt he had the right be a bit of a jerk.

Time to have some fun!

----

He tripped her.

“Ah–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

He shoved her.

“Wuh–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

He used her as a shield.

“Ad–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

“Aspik...?” Marigold asked, shocked.

Alright, perhaps this one was too hard.

Who cared?

“Don't worry. You won't remember this. Second Chance!”

----

"Hey, Scar, guess what, I'm not just Adrien Agreste, I'm also Chat Noir, your 'sidekick'!"

Scar's face suddenly twisted into horror as the two images clashed against each other.

"YESSS, THAT'S THE FACE I WANTED! SECOND CHANCE!"

----

“If anything goes wrong, Second Chance will–”

“Sass, Scales Rest.”

Marigold gave a gasp of surprise as Adrien detransformed.

“I'm so sorry, Marigold,” Adrien apologized, returning the box with the bracelet. “It didn't work, no matter how hard I try. I just... can't protect you two.”

“No! We can try again!” she said, but he shook his head.

“Um–! N–No, I've been trying! Like, 25,913 times!”

“Oh no!” It must have been tough for Adrien, trying for so long without success! “Adrien, I'm so sorry for putting you through that!”

“I–It's okay.”

“We'll figure things out,” she encouraged. “Don't take it to heart, okay? We chose you for a reason, don't forget that!”

“U-huh,” Adrien replied, but he clearly was feeling guilty over what had happened.

----

“So what do we do now?” Scarlet asked, clearly irritated that she wouldn't get her way.

“Relax. I know just who to go to,” Marigold replied.

“Marigold?”

The Bee heroine turned to the voice.

“Luka! Right on time!”

“I was looking for Adrien, have you seen him?” Luka asked, worried.

“Yeah, he's right–”

And she turned to where Adrien was.

Or where he should have been.

Because now there was a vacuum in the form of her friend.

“Huh?! Where'd he go?!”

“He was right here!” Scarlet wailed.

“Guys!”

And, right on time, Chat Noir returned from whatever thing he had been doing as a civilian.

“Chat Noir!”

“Why are you sweating again?!”

“So–So much running,” he puffed.

As much as she wished to check on Adrien, Marigold knew the Akuma remained the priority, so she turned to Luka, offering him the Miraculous.

“Luka Couffaine, this is the Snake Miraculous, which grants the power of Second Chance. You will use it for the greater good and then you'll return the Miraculous to me. Can I trust you?”

“Absolutely!” Luka replied, and gingerly picked the box and opened it – causing a flash. “Wow!”

“Ah, another one,” Sass said, and Luka was clearly confused.

“Huh–?”

“Greetings. I am Sass and I'll be your Kwami.”

“A 'Kwami'?” Luka asked, pronouncing the unfamiliar concept.

“Alas, we have no time for explanations,” Sass said. “All you need to say is, 'Sass...'”

----

“Scales Slither!”

----

“Looks like Desperada is sniping from the Eiffel Tower,” the newly minted Viperion said after a quick look.

“Let's take away her vantage point with Chat Noir's Cataclysm!” Marigold suggested.

“And how are we supposed to find the Eiffel Tower from here?” Scarlet Lady pointed out, to which Marigold pointed at a sign. “Oh!”

Eiffel Tower zone: Wear a hard hat in case of Akuma MANAGEMENT

“Yeah,” Chat Noir said, slightly embarrassed.

“Hm,” Viperion hummed, giving an amused smirk at Marigold. “You guys destroy the Eiffel Tower so often it's a work hazard zone.”

Marigold grumbled, whistling away her awkwardness.

“I mean, technically the Akuma destroys it, not us...”

And, as if to contradict her...

“Cataclysm!”

----

The heroes jumped into action, ready to stop the Akuma... but they ran into their own problems.

Like Scarlet Lady tripping and smacking Chat Noir, leaving them open to Desperada's attack.

“Second Chance!”

----

Or Scarlet Lady setting herself up for getting hit by Desperada's weapon.

“Second Chance.”

----

Or Scarlet Lady just bantering with the Akuma and getting distracted enough that she got hit. Again.

“Second Chance...”

----

“Could you maybe chill the FUCK out?!” Viperion asked, irritated with Scarlet Lady... who didn't know what was going on.

----

As Desperada tried to recover her wits, she saw Viperion playing his harp, sticking his tongue at her.

“YOU–!”

“You're OPEN~” Marigold declared as she entangled Desperada's left arm with her top.

“AH!”

“You're surrounded~” Chat Noir said, as Viperion grappled her other arm, forcing Desperada to her knees.

“AGH!”

“You're done~” Viperion finished, as Scarlet Lady struck the Akumatized guitar with her yo-yo, breaking it and freeing both everyone that had been trapped and the butterfly.

“AGHHHH!”

----

With Vivica now restored, and the air filled with ladybugs, the heroes split their tasks.

“I'll escort Mlle. to the houseboat while you return the Snake,” Chat Noir said, leaning on his baton while Vivica smiled at him.

“Sure,” Marigold agreed. “Let's go, Viperion!”

“Hey!” Scarlet yelled. “I'm coming too! Show me where you get the Miraculouses, Bumbling Bee!”

Marigold smirked.

“Sure.” And she opened the manhole cover. “You just have to come down here with us.”

“EWWW! Oh, look at that, timer's going off, byeeee!”

And Scarlet ran away as if she had a bird flying to eat her.

Marigold and Viperion had a bit of a laugh before the latter detransformed, and Luka returned the Miraculous.

“You were great, Luka,” Marigold praised him.

“We make a good team,” Luka replied. “Thanks for not actually taking me to the sewers.”

“I agree. Most new sssnakes have to use Sssecond Chance many more times or ssselfishly,” Sass said, flying next to Luka. “You're certainly a bright, caring young man. A perfect snake!”

Luka blushed and looked aside.

“Aw, geez.”

“You're right...” Marigold said, causing Luka to blush even harder.

“Marigold, you too?!”

----

Back at the houseboat, when confronted with the young guitarist, Jagged Stone knew he had to fix his mistake.

“Sorry, Vivica. Eating my cereal and drinking Fang's milk wasn't a good enough reason to fire you,” he apologized. “You can come back if you want, I'd love to play with you.”

“Me too!” Vivica cheered. “I'm in, Jagged!”

The girl left, happily humming a song as Jagged Stone and Anarka Couffaine looked at her fondly... before the latter looked at him with an ominous glare.

“You fired her on purpose to play with our kids, didn't you.”

Just like that. A statement of fact.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

Just like that. A terrible deflection.

----

“Orange juice?”

Penny looked up from her tablet and saw Juleka holding two glasses of oh-so-inviting juice.

“Oh, thank you, Juleka,” Penny said as she picked one of the glasses, slowly sipping it and letting it help her relax: after the mess with Vivica and the Akumatization, that kind of thing really hit the spot.

“Maman and Papa think they're being slick, huh?” Juleka asked.

“Mhm,” she agreed, still drinking.

“Funny they think me and Luka don't know.”

“Yup, hilarious,” Penny replied, taking another sip.

“Well, at least we get a cool step-manager.”

The resulting spurt covered a good part of the deck in a sticky liquid that took a while to clean up.

----

Marinette took a deep breath and sat next to Luka. She really needed to follow on Adrien's suggestion.

“Luka?”

“Hm?”

“I'm sorry for being so weird lately.”

“Hey, I like Weird Marinette as much as Put-Together Marinette. And Passionate Marinette, Justice Marinette, Designer Marinette–”

“Okay, okay!” Marinette interrupted, struggling (and failing) to keep her cheeks from flushing.

“I'm just glad you didn't become Avoiding-Me Marinette,” Luka replied, smiling. “I didn't tell you how I feel to put pressure on you. I told you so you know how important you are to me.”

Marinette sighed in relief. It was just as Adrien had said.

“You're important to me too, Luka!” she said, smiling. “And I'll never run from being your friend!”

“Good,” he nodded, before his smile became a bit naughtier. “That said, I'm gonna compliment you a lot more to bring out Blushy Marinette.”

Oh.

Oh no.

“NoOOOOOO!” she wailed.

----

Adrien watched from afar as Marinette – completely red in the face – slapped the air next to a laughing Luka, and he sighed in relief.

“Whew. At least they're not dating,” he said out loud.

“This time.”

“Ah, Kagami!” Where did she come from?!

“Marinette can choose whomever she wants to date,” his friend said, “yet you don't make yourself a known option. Why?”

Oh. That. His life second's major irritant.

“There's an obstacle,” he said, crossing his arms. “A big, tall, annoying, dumb obstacle with bad fashion sense and is so selfish!”

Kagami patted his arm.

“I understand. Your father is a difficult person to overcome.”

“Eh?”

I meant Hawkmoth...

----

Ikari Gozen

@zoe-oneesama Adrien better make a move soon, lest he lose his chance with his Princess!

That's 453 pages, 180836 words, 974597 characters!

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

(Written for Adrien August... I'm not sorry)

Bad Luck: Frozer

Summary: Adrien struggles to move on from his first crush so he confides in one of his friends. Or is she more than a friend?

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

Chat Noir smiled sadly down at the red rose in his hands. Passion, romance, true love, he recalled in his head.

"Chat?"

Hiding the rose behind his back as he turned around, Chat Noir grinned at the question in Ladybug's eyes. "I have to say that rescuing civilians without a supervillain around is a nice change of pace. Don't you think, My Lady?"

"Not every day you see a hang glider delivery service," she agreed, smiling at the nickname.

Chest suddenly constricting Chat Noir's smile became a touch strained. "Love to stay and chat but this cat's gotta run!" Taking out his baton he extended it, launching himself away.

"Oh! See you la... ter..." Ladybug called to his retreating form.

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

Landing in the empty locker room Adrien detransformed in a flash of green light. Plagg stretching as he came out of the ring.

Eyeing Adrien's downcast features, Plagg pried at his holder. "It's not like you to leave Ladybug so abruptly."

"Yeah..." Adrien absently offered a wedge of Camembert to his floating friend who promptly swallowed it whole. "Guess I just need some time to myself."

"So she turned you down. There's plenty of other kinds of cheese!"

Despite himself Adrien smiled. "You need better metaphors."

Plagg shrugged. "You could always take it literally. You can never have enough cheese!"

Adrien rolled his eyes as he changed into his fencing gear. Plagg wasn't as articulate as he thought but... he wasn't wrong...

These thoughts swirled in Adrien's head as he joined Kagami at practice.

A mistake he paid for when Kagami knocked him off his feet. Standing, Adrien parried as Kagami lunged. She always gave her all in beating her opponent. Scoring a point he smiled and they retook their positions.

But his heart still wasn't into the sparing session and her next lunge drove him off balance. Her foil poking into his chest.

"Predictable," Kagami chastised.

Eyes narrowing, Adrien's more competitive nature surged forward at her words. Heart beating faster, grip tightening on his foil and-

It was gone as soon as it came.

Leaving Adrien vulnerable to Kagami's strike...

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

Adrien stared pensively at his fencing helmet. He knew Ladybug didn't like him the same way he liked her. That wasn't anything new. So why was he-

"What's wrong, Adrien? Usually I like beating you but it's no fun when you make it this easy." Kagami stood in front of him with an unreadable expression.

Adrien gave her a bittersweet smile. "You ever feel like you're stuck, Kagami? Like, no matter how much you try to move forward, nothing will ever, ever change?"

Kagami blinked in surprise as Adrien opened up to her. This wasn't what she was expecting... Sitting next to him Kagami took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Adrien. The biggest mistake a fencer can make isn't choosing the wrong technique. It's choosing the wrong target."

Oh. She liked metaphors too. Well, with his luck to was bound to-

Her hand gently cupped his cheek and turned his head to face her. "So, switch targets."

...Oh. A rose tint colored Adrien's cheeks. Kagami was always beautiful but for some reason... it was especially true just then.

Smiling in encouragement Kagami grabbed her things and walked out of the locker room. Leaving Adrien to his thoughts.

He stared after her for a moment... Launching to his feet Adrien raced after her in a moment of sheer panic and recklessness.

"Kagami!" Adrien practically shouted.

Not having gone far Kagami turned around, puzzled.

Taking a deep breath, heart pounding against his ribs, Adrien let out the thought that propelled him to his feet. "Would you like to go out some time!?"

Kagami's eyes went wide. "Out? As in a date?"

The color on Adrien's cheeks bloomed into scarlet. Suddenly even more self-conscious he rubbed the back of his neck- "Um," -and nodded. His mouth refusing to form words.

Half turning, Kagami gave him a small smile. "I'd like that."

Adrien felt his lips pull into a grin. Heart somersaulting in his chest for some reason.

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

"What should I do, Plagg?" Adrien bemoaned. Head thunking onto his computer desk. "I've never been on a date before!"

"Wasn't this your idea?" Plagg flipped through his favorite cheese magazine. He swore this romance nonsense was the silliest invention humans had ever come up with. "If you ask me it's about time you expanded your palate."

"You're no help," Adrien grumbled. Lifting his head up Adrien swiveled around to look at Plagg. "What if I asked Father or Nathalie for advice?"

"Sure." Plagg stretched lazily. "If ya want them to know about you and sword girl."

Sighing, Adrien discounted that idea. "Oh! We can ask the Gorilla!"

"I don't know," Plagg mused, "doesn't seem like a good idea."

"You just don't like it 'cause he found your Camembert stash that time," Adrien teased, poking Plagg lightly.

"It was perfectly edible! How could he!?"

Chuckling at his antics, Adrien thought about who he could go to for advice...

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

Adrien tried not to hurry ahead of Kagami into the ice rink proper. The chill making his arm hairs stand on end. His breath sharp in his throat. Heart beating with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Asking Marinette had been a great idea!

He turned back to see Alya and Nino slowly catch up. If only she could have made it. But that essay on periwinkle migration sounded important to her... Oh, Chloe's dad was here.

As they put on their skates Adrien glanced at Kagami out of the corner of his eye. Scooting closer to Nino he whispered: "Thanks for coming last minute, Nino."

"Hey, no problem dude! Anything for my bro." Nino's grin was a tad forced and his eyes drifted to something behind Adrien before snapping back.

"I don't know what to do with Kagami."Adrien admitted, leaning in. "Should I... offer to hold her hand?"

"Yes!" Nino snapped his fingers and held up finger guns at Adrien. His eyes flickered away again. "I mean, no! I mean- Why don't you take it slow?"

Adrien turned around to see what Nino was looking at but it was just Alya smiling politely, hands behind her back. Probably waiting patiently for him to finish with her boyfriend.

Straightening, Adrien smiled at her. "Thanks for coming, Alya."

"No big deal! Just a double date, right!" Alya smiled wide in an attempt to draw attention away from her accidental inflection.

"...Right." Adrien politely declined to comment on it.

"Anyway!" Alya grabbed Nino's hand and dragged him off. "We'll let you two get to it!"

Adrien turned back to Kagami, who was tying her skates. Hesitantly, he made his way over and stood beside her.

"Don't be scared," Kagami promised conspiratorially as she looked up, "I won't tell anyone."

"About what?" Adrien asked slowly.

"That you don't know how to tie your laces," she teased, kneeling down to do just that. Once done Kagami smiled at him, grabbed his hand and led him onto the ice.

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

"I can't believe you agreed to this!" Alya stage whispered. Arm locked tightly around Nino's elbow as they skated on the opposite side of the rink.

"Aw, c'mon Als. Y'know I couldn't leave my bro hanging like that!" Nino widened his eyes and tried to sparkle them like Adrien had. "He gave me the look. How could I say no to that?"

"I know..." Alya sighed. The crease between her eyes softening from accusation to guilt. "I just..." Adrien and Kagami caught her eye as they skated hand in hand. "Feel like I'm betraying my girl just by being here."

Nino patted her hand and gave her a soft smile. "I'm sure the dudette will understand." His gaze drifted towards Adrien and Kagami. "Besides... I don't think she'd want to see this."

"Hey, young man! Have you ever thought about signing up for ice skating lessons!?"

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

Kagami turned her head as Alya and Nino skated past them on their lap. "Did you invite them because you were scared of being alone with me?"

"Of course not!" Adrien lied, waving his hand to ward off her words. "It's just... that I asked Nino to help... me."

Her brow creased. "Help you with what?"

"Uh, to perfect my figure skating skills!" Adrien decided.

"But you don't need him for that." Suddenly, Kagami let go of his hand and launched into a short routine of spins and twirls.

Adrien blinked at her presentation before an appreciative smile graced his lips. Kagami has so many talents, Adrien thought as she talked with that man who had been discussing something with Mayor Bourgeois.

Seamlessly, Kagami interlaced their fingers as she took his hand again and pulled him forward with her momentum. Glancing at his smile through the corner of her eye.

"Adrien Agreste, I can see it now!" The skating instructor (that's what he was) was suddenly beside Adrien. "Grace and style model! And professional ice skating champion! If you take lessons with me I'll have you shining like the candles on a birthday cake!"

Skating? Adrien had never thought about it before. "Uh, may-beeee!"

Kagami switched their positions so she was closest to the instructor. "He already does fencing with me," she informed him. And sped up with Adrien in tow.

Adrien stared at the back of Kagami's head. She was very assertive in her desires, bold even. Kagami knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to go for it. He admired that about her, was drawn to it. Kagami would meet any challenge without backing down.

Just like Ladybug.

His fingers slipped from Kagami's grasp as he slowed to a stop. Staring at the floor as his cheeks burned not with embarrassment but shame.

"Adrien? What is it?" Kagami asked as she circled back.

Adrien smiled. "Nothing. I just have to use the restroom real quick." Turning, he let his smile fall as he left the rink.

Plagg poked his head out of his pocket once they were alone. "What's gotten into you, kid?"

Adrien stared at him. "I don't know."

Worry started to prick at Plagg's fur. "Adrien-"

"I don't know what I want, Plagg!" His heart hammered against his chest, pulse rising to his throat. "Kagami knows. Ladybug knows. Chat Noir thought he knew but... but I don't." Adrien wrapped his arms around himself, making himself smaller.

"... Listen, you're young right? Even by human standards? Like a freshly made wheel of Camembert."

Adrien frowned, turning away. "Plagg-"

"Hear me out!" Plagg zipped closer to Adrien's face, keeping in his line of sight. "But freshly made Camembert is terrible! It's got no flavor! No delicious scent! You need to let it age to bring out all the good stuff."

Adrien glanced at Plagg. Seeing his tail twitching in concern even if he wouldn't voice it. Strangely, Adrien understood what he was trying to say.

"All cheeses age differently. There's nothing wrong with taking your time." Plagg finished, not quite satisfied with how it came out.

Adrien smiled at him, reaching out to pet his head. "Thanks, Plagg."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Plagg let himself be petted. Not because he enjoyed it, of course. It just happened to make Adrien feel better.

Suddenly, ice started crawling up the walls. Magic coming from the ice rink. "Oh, no. Guess we have to go save the day," Plagg said, very disappointedly, yes.

Adrien grinned as he brought out the transformation cheese. "Uh-huh."

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

Chat Noir's good humor lasted until he spotted Ladybug on a rooftop. Oh. He didn't... want to see her right now. Reluctantly, he landed beside her. Doing his best to keep the conflicting emotions wrestling in his chest off his face.

"Chat Noir! We need to set up a trap for whoever turned the city into a giant ice rink." Ladybug anchored her yo-yo onto a nearby building, ready to take off.

Say something. Say something! "My feline instincts prefer to track and observe before I attack." Ha! Nailed it! Chat Noir scooted closer to the roof's edge as he scanned the frozen city.

Ladybug gave him a puzzled look. "What? Since when?"

Chat Noir pouted. "Rude."

Shaking her head as she fought back a fond smile Ladybug inched towards him. "We have to work together on this."

His hand rubbed the back of his neck, catching her eye. "I don't know. We don't have to do everything together. If we split up we'll have a better chance of finding him." Chat Noir jumped. "Race you!"

"Chat Noir, be careful!" Ladybug called out as he sped away. "... Okay, so he's acting weird. Not the first time he's acted weird. It'll be fine!" She cast her yo-yo and swung off. I hope.

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

Being by himself helped Adrien order his thoughts. His feelings were all over the place so he focused on doing what he told Ladybug he was gonna do. It was child's play to follow the only imperfection on otherwise smooth ice. Leading him to the Eiffel Tower where the akuma victim was hiding.

Okay. Now I just need to-

Frozer launched himself at Ladybug!

Acting quickly Chat Noir tackled Ladybug out of the way. Grabbing her hand and leading her onto the frozen Seine. Skating away at top speed to put some distance between them and Frozer.

"Thanks, kitty!" Ladybug smiled.

And Adrien smiled back. Confusing questions forgotten for the moment. Then Frozer launched shards of ice; Chat Noir letting go of Ladybug's hand so they could dodge it. Only then realizing that he'd been holding it at all.

"He's too fast!"

She was right. Frozer easily kept pace with them. Leaping into the air to launch more ice shards. Rounding a bend in the river they were out of sight for a second. Taking advantage of it to hide.

"I'm positive the akuma's in his skates," Ladybug stated once Frozer passed them.

"My Cataclysm could destroy them but he'd have to be up in the air... You were right My Lady. We're going to have to set a trap."

"You were right, too. We observed and now we know enough."

Chat Noir smiled. "Seems we're just missing a little push of luck to get the edge on him."

Ladybug nodded. "Lucky Charm!"

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

Adrien raced back to the ice rink. In the end the plan had been pretty straightforward. Ladybug baited Frozer into following her while Chat Noir laid in wait.

Business as usual. Except...

'Are you sure you're okay? You've been off since yesterday.'

'...I'm just figuring some things out. Might take me a while but that's okay... Thanks for worrying about me.'

Being around Ladybug didn't make him feel quite so sad anymore. Chat Noir meant it when he said her friendship was important to him, after all. And... Adrien was happy. That he could be normal around her.

He spotted Alya and Nino discussing something, waving at them as he looked for... There. Kagami was returning her skates. Adrien walked up to her, fidgeting with his ring. "Uh, hey, Kagami. Sorry I ran off like that."

"It is fine. We were interrupted anyway."

Adrien couldn't tell how she meant that but he took a deep breath and forged ahead. "So, I know I'm the one who asked you out and all. But..."

Kagami frowned. "Are you saying you do not wish to date me?"

"No!" Adrien waved both hands emphatically in the negative. "No, no, no! I just... wanted to say that I think we should take it slow."

She raised an eyebrow. "We go any slower and our pace will be glacial."

Adrien was 90 percent sure that was a joke... 80 percent. "W-well if you think it's too much of a challenge..."

Kagami's eyes widened at Adrien's audacity. She poked him in the chest. "Don't flatter yourself, Agreste."

Without thinking, Adrien grabbed her hand and kissed the back of her palm. Kagami's answering blush nowhere near as radiant as Adrien's. Why did I do that!? Who froze for a moment before turning around. "W-wouldn't dream of it... Ryuko."

"Ryuko?" Kagami raised a brow at the nickname.

Adrien's hand went back to rubbing his neck. "I can call you something else if you don't like it."

"No," Kagami decided, a small smile on her lips as she passed Adrien on her way to the exit. "Ryuko will do just fine."

"... So, that's a yes?" Adrien sprinted to catch up.

"Mm, perhaps if you define what you think 'taking it slow' is."

Adrien leapt in front of her and held out his hand. "Let us drive you home?"

Kagami blinked at the offered hand. Slowly reaching out for it. His palm was warm in hers. "Going slow is not too bad. I suppose," she relented.

Adrien beamed. "Oh! Just one last thing!"

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

Kagami entered the Agreste car as Adrien held the door open, sliding in behind her. "You're still doing what other people want."

"No, I just want him to be happy," Adrien countered. Giving the skating instructor free advertising didn't cost him anything. "Besides, how're we supposed to come back if it's a Chloe catered gym?"

"Back?" That sounded promising.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and couldn't quite look at her but he smiled. "Since our first date was cut short I was hoping we could try again."

Kagami gazed at Adrien as he fidgeted. "Just the two of us?"

"Y-yup!" Adrien's face burned.

"Good. You're crush on Nino was distracting."

"Wh-what!?" Adrien spluttered.

"... You're crush on Nino? I thought everyone knew. Personally, I prefer Alya but-"

"I don't- That is- I..." Adrien's shoulders slumped. "His eyes are so beautiful, it's like he stares into your soul."

Kagami's hands hovered awkwardly. "I am sorry. I thought you knew."

Adrien buried his face in his hands to muffle his yelling. "I thought I only had the one thing! This is... I don't even know how many things this is!"

Reaching for his hand again, Kagami squeezed it reassuringly. Back straightening as his grip turned out stronger than she expected.

He peeked at her through the splayed fingers covering his red face. Breath speeding up. "I... I don't..."

"You don't have to say anything. I know it is not easy to come to terms with."

Nodding gratefully, Adrien slowly took his hand away from his face. Taking deep breaths.

Kagami relaxed as Adrien did the same. This wasn't what she was expecting. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Turns out, Kagami had been aiming at the wrong target too.

Adrien's grip eased as he looked up at Kagami. That was... certainly a lot. But Kagami hadn't turned away from him. Only a handful of people had ever seen him so vulnerable. And two of them preferred to pretend otherwise. But Kagami didn't pretend. And Adrien admired her for it. He smiled, wobbly and honest.

"Thanks... Ryuko."

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

In case it's unclear the two people Adrien's talking about are Gabriel and Nathalie.

*Rewatches Frozer (again) for this fic* ... If my friend fell and they said they didn't feel well I'd check up on them too. IDK why the the fandom- I mean, Plagg, is so hung up on that part.

I have taken liberties with the production of Camembert for this fic. Please, forgive my transgressions cheese enthusiasts.

@adrienaugust