#also reading that fic got me thinking about how Viola would look and act when Odette first finds her-

[abyssalmermaiden]

"Thank you..."

(with Odette of @ahollowgrave <3)

copying over my tags on Pigeon's post:

ghost Viola has been lonely for thousands of years-getting all dressed up for a fancy date with a woman as beautiful kind and genuine as Odette is something she would have enjoyed while she was alive- and it means even more to her now. Viola rarely gets truly nice things in any version of her story and this among the best and sweetest TTuTT <3 her ghost outfit would normally be what she died in but I'm saying that Odette's abilities and the love and care she offers allows Viola to view herself differently and that affects her appearance, even though she's dead Odette is helping her to have a present not just a past

[colour-outside-the-liness]

Hi Colour! How are you doing today? I don't know about doing meaningful things with my life, feel like I've just been surviving this entire time lol. However I am trying to figure it out and working on building the life I want to live and hopefully I will be able contribute to this world in some way.

I don't think I've ever played a game of trivial pursuit. Have never been to a pub either, not like the ones you have in the UK anyway. Just been to very dirty bars where me and my friends used to drink as much as we could afford, shared questionable food that could potentially make us sick the next day and there were no quizzes or games really haha. So your exp sounds way more fun! 😂

I'm glad you're giving the song a chance! Only Spotify knows how many times I've listened to it lol. I reckon Hozier's going to be my artist of the year for 2021. I love attributing works of art to Dani x Jamie, have a whole ass Pinterest board full with images of paintings, poetry, music and anything that I think relates to them really (yeah I know, I have a problem).

I love everything you've said about how Dani, Viola and the lady in the lake are alike, I hadn't really thought about their similarities before, but everything you've said makes perfect sense. I always saw Viola as a narcissist, even her drive to protect her child felt selfish in a way, don't know if you know what I mean. And when she fades away and becomes the lady she's just pure (almost animalistic) instinct while on auto pilot, bc she only remembers rage and abandonment, she takes anything on her path aggressively unless they're a child. So what she sees in Dani is not processed logically, right? It's pure instinct and emotions, so what she recognizes in her when Dani invites her in is the desperate need to protect this child, so she sees her as deserving. Perhaps she also saw in Dani and opportunity to escape this nightmare. Despite all her faults she didn't deserve what happened to her either.

And don't get me wrong, Jamie is so, so strong and solid and she is my favorite mostly bc I identify with her personality more than Dani's. But we know Jamie is all that even before we learn her story, and I feel like it is expected that she'll be the strong and brave one bc she's had to be that her entire life albeit unwillingly. But Dani? We expect her to break at any given point, I mean she is reaching her limit after all that's happened, with all the weight she's carrying. I remember thinking "Jesus, this girl needs help" when I first watched the show hahaha. But she fights every damn time, she doesn't run away and that's why I find her so fascinating. That's why I thought this song was so fitting. Even if Dani would never see herself that way. But it's Jamie's perspective (and fire signs tend to exaggerate everything 😂) so it feels fitting that she thinks so highly of her baby haha. Ugh I just wanted them to stay together forever. 🥺

Omg yes! I love how you refined this idea, good thing you're a writer and I'm not hahaha. And yeah I'm absolutely here for sapphics with weapons like holy shit imagine Jamie fighting with a sword? 🤤 I'm weak. Hahaha would be cool to see them in a pirate AU too! Maybe someone's already done it? Idk. But aaaah I want to see them in every possible universe hahaha. Makes me want to get back into drawing too. 😩

Aww you two sound like you have a lovely bond going on. Your niece sounds like the coolest! I started out drawing anime too when I was a kid and ended up doing graphic design for a living! How did learning how to draw anime style go for you today?

Hey I'm doing great thank you I hope you are too? I know that feeling because I feel like that's how I have made it to 27 just surviving (barely) and taking things one day at a time to get me to this point and hopefully I can contribute in some way even it its just a small way... so I totally get that feeling but I am sure you contribute so much without you even realising it!! Oh it's great but depending on how competitive the people you're playing with are it can get pretty heated... I've been in some heated games of it before because people just refuse to believe I know the answers to some of the questions and they think I've been cheating and have all but demanded I have another question asked instead of the one I got right... and pub quizzes can be fun again depending on the team you're in and how seriously you wanna take it I have been in teams where its been a serious thing and we have all desperately wanted to win and then I've been in teams and we've just had fun with it... all the pubs I go in are dirty bars too but sometimes they have pub quizzes... I have had many nights where I have drank what I can afford... one night me on my roommate went over board though and we ended up spending ALL our money even our taxi fair and we had to walk home in the dark along country roads with hardly any lights to guide us... because of how drunk we were it too us around 3-4 hours and I fell over a road sign and ended up in a ditch... I've had a lot of fun experiences but some really stupid ones as well... your experiences sound great though!! I would love that!! I listened to the song and I loved it so much!! I don't even wanna know what my most listened to artist will be this year... my money is on it being the Six musical soundtrack... probably All You Wanna Do from that musical I'll be surprised if it's anything else. I would love for it to be someone like Hozier, but ever since I have done my Spotify wrapped thing it's always been a musical of some kind that's been my number 1 song / artist haha I love doing the same thing. If I can make something fit Dani x Jamie I will like it doesn't even matter what it is haha... I don't think you have a problem I think that sounds so cool!! I have nothing like that. I just have a head full of random ideas screaming to be let out I agree Viola is definitely selfish and narcissistic and everything she did came from a place of anger and rage over the things that happened to her she fell in love and got married and had a child and saw her sister try and take that from her while she was ill and in the end her sister killed her. Like yeah, I do feel sorry for Perdita with the way she was treated but I do think everything Viola did was out of frustration over what was happening to her. Like you said she acts on auto pilot and only knows rage until it comes to children- because all she knows is she is looking for a child so when she saw Dani so selfless sacrifice herself for a child she saw a little bit of herself in Dani she knows Dani is a good person and she can relate to that protective streak and I think she did see Dani as deserving I definitely agree with everything you've said here. Viola might have had faults and flaws and who doesn't? But I definitely think she had it rough and did deserve better than she was given. I agree, you can tell looking at Jamie that she is strong and brave while Dani comes off as the exact opposite. But I think you see fully how brave they both are when Dani sacrifices herself for Flora and when Jamie offers to keep Dani company and loves her despite knowing she won't be able to love her forever. I love Jamie but definitely relate to Dani's personality more, there are a lot of things Dani does that I see myself in her because I have done those types of things myself and the whole beast in the jungle speech resonates with me so much and every time I watch the last episode and hear that speech I am a crying mess from that point on. It's funny that you thought that about Dani when you first watched it, because me and my sisters got my mum to

watch it and she said the same thing about Dani "she needs help" but then once told me she liked Dani because she reminded her of me that was an interesting conversation to be a part of "Dani needs help... but I like her she's like you." I was like "Thanks?" I agree this song is definitely more how Jamie would see Dani, I think Dani just has a very blasé view of herself, like I don't think she's self conscious or self deprecating in anyway but I think she sort of walks around like "this is me and this is just how I am" where as Jamie just sees Dani for how brave and strong and amazing she is- maybe even if as a fire sign she exaggerates a little bit haha Jamie just thinks Dani is the most amazing person in the world and I just know that Dani saw her the same way!! I really wanted them to be together forever... I am never going to emotionally recover from Bly Manor. Your idea was incredible and I think it would be a great story to read honestly that's the type of thing I live for!! OMG Jamie with a sword is just 🤤 🥵 I am all for sapphics and weapons of any kind!! There's this pirate AU which is absolutely amazing!! I don't know if you've read it or not but iamalekza writes some really great fics!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/28631598/chapters/70179306 ^^ Pirate AU I really wish I could draw I would love to be able to draw scenes from fics I have read and even ones I have written but I just don't have the skill set for that!! I would love to see other fan arts though I think drawing is such an incredible talent to have and I am in awe of anyone that can do it!! Me and my niece have a great bond, she's like a little mini me (despite almost being as tall as me). She is honestly such a cool kid I have a hell of a lot of fun with her- I'm looking after her again tomorrow and I have no idea what we're gonna do but we will figure something out... she's such a good drawer she's only just started doing it at the beginning of the year and she's really progressed with it... I however have not so I am definitely gonna need more practice. That's so cool that you started out doing anime drawing and then ended up going into a career in graphic design. Again that's a talent that I am just in awe of because it's just something I have never been able to do!!

[owlsoldwritingcorner]

The Ghost (Part 2)

Pairing :Wrench x Reader

AO3 Link

Summary:

“So. You a big fan of hackers?”

“I guess you can say that. ” You may not be able to make a coherent string of codes but you know that vague code speak means: He’s in the group.

Note: 

Here's the look reader has in this chapter!

(The helmet and biker suit is the main canonical look reader has cuz it's important to the fic, underneath you can insert your own look)

Chapter 2: Fresh Air and Graffiti

You woke up to the smell of your grandmother’s cooking, checking your phone revealed it was 8 in the damn morning. God you weren’t ready for the strong smells so early in the morning. Looks like Ripley wasn’t either considering she was already away and giving you her big ole puppy eyes that just scream “Walk time? Walk time!”.

Such a sweetie.

“Let’s get you some breakfast first before we can think of any w-a-l-k-i-e-s, alrighty?” Oh gosh, she gave you a little nod and a gentle ruff, you’re gonna get killed by the cuteness of a pup. Not by any of those burly men with guns that you’re so used to on the job, and obviously, you welcome this kind of death with open arms.

Getting up, you cleaned yourself up from the rest of your grogginess and went to the kitchen to fill up Ripley’s food bowl but not before taking a puff of your daily asthma medicine.

Gah… The smell of dried fish was getting more and more prominent now. The dried fish your grandma makes for the conge tastes so good but god it smells like the ocean flooded the house and dried up.

“Mom! Did you really have to make that fish so early in the morning?” Looks like your aunt was up and at ‘em too now. Strong smells always did make her grumpier.

“ It takes so long to fully seep and cook this fish so I should just cook it now! ” Your aunt looked as if she was going to pop a blood vessel already.

“Mom. Now the whole house smells like fish. You could have made it tomorrow or even later today!” You just sighed as your aunt and grandma argued, you really didn’t want a headache so early in the morning…

Ripley was done eating her breakfast so it was time to go for some walkies. Maybe Ripley will make some friends in this neighborhood? You brought out some body spray for yourself to put on once you’re out of the house, your emergency inhaler, then finally you put the pit-bull on her leash. Hopefully a walk around will ease your headache a bit.

So far so good.

It was sunny and surprisingly nice out, your little pup was letting out some energy and you got some fresh air. You finally arrived at a small dog park, certainly not the park Clara told you about. That hideout is about 20 more minutes away from where you’re currently at.

You sat at one of the benches to give your feet some rest, your little pit-bull laid down next to you on the bench, her head on your lap and wanting you to pet her as you two relaxed. You smiled before slowly starting to go into a daze, your eyelids drooped a bit from the nice temperature and your little friend snored away on your lap before your mind finally started to dream away as you stared into space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Run.

You needed to run.

You have to get out of here.

Opaque silhouettes slithered after you, their limbs contorting as they ran on all fours, letting out whaling cries as if trying to coax you into stopping. Its grotesque body leaving mucus in its wake.

But it didn’t work.

It only made you run faster.

Faster and faster until--

You choked.

The air was knocked out of you as one of the silhouette’s slimy, long arms grabbed one of your legs causing you to fall forward. You tried to crawl away, your nails scratching the concrete below to no avail. You looked behind you to see the mass of disgusting limbs catching up to you, still holding onto your captive leg.

As you continue to try to get away from the creature, you see another silhouette step in front of you and kneel down, and outstretched as if saying “Here. Let me help you up”. This one was different from the ones trying to chase you, they weren’t contorted or slimy nor did they have any extra limbs on their body.

You were so close to reaching for that gentle hand when--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Excuse me?” You woke up from your daydream by that new voice trying to get your attention. Looking up, you see a man (probably just a couple years older than you) wearing dark lensed glasses and had a light moustache and a soul patch. You also noted the shirt he wore.

Dedsec.

You wanted to snort. The Chicago branch would instantly kick that person out for wearing something so blatant. They’d hate seeing their name with a face.

“Hey, uh, sorry for intruding, I just wanted to pet your dog. Don’t really see many Pitbulls in this neighborhood.” You raised an eyebrow, most people would be terrified of Ripley and cross the street from you two (Granted, she is a big dog with large scars and cropped ears, you can’t fully blame them for being intimidated.) But you gave the man a little nod, he seemed nice enough.

“Sure, she’d love the attention.” The man immediately went to work, giving Ripley little scratches behind her ears, cooing as she gave him some kisses.

“What’s her name?”

“Ripley.”

“As in Ellen Louise Ripley ?”

“Yep. They’re both super tough, so, I just named her accordingly.” You mumbled, god it’s been so long since you had social interaction with a new human. The man just chuckled.

“I can tell, she definitely looks like she been through some stuff.”

You let out a little hum, “She was rescued from one of those dog fighting rings.” He nodded.

“Poor girl. Looks like she’s in better hands now though.” You chuckled as you scratched behind Ripley’s cropped ears, your eyes wandered back to the man’s Dedsec shirt. Honestly you can’t tell if he’s just a big fan or actually part of the group.

“So. You a big fan of hackers?”

“I guess you can say that. You into what Dedsec has to say?” You may not be able to make a coherent string of codes but you know that vague code speak means: He’s in the group.

“They have some good points. Highlighting vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the CTOS systems, showcasing how Blume truly acts. It’s like embarrassing the prom king on stage, I’m all for that.” The man raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

“You seem to have your share of Dedsec knowledge.”

“I’m from Chicago, they’re a pretty big deal there too. Dunno about here.”

“That explains it. Heard they released some pretty big blackmail over there.” You gave the man a nonchalant hum. Dedsec’s blackmail, huh? Aiden did most of the work though…

“I heard that too.”

Checking the time it was already almost 12 pm, that fuckin online college got you on a damn leash. Plus, you were getting pretty hungry, you did skip out on breakfast in favor of feeding Ripley.

“Well, I need to be on my way now. Hope you have a nice day.”

“Oh, you too. I’m Marcus by the way. I have a feeling I might see you again.” Well that sounds only mildly ominous, but, certainly not the worst you’ve heard. The taller man reached out his hand for a handshake, to which you reluctantly shook and gave Marcus your name.

“It was nice meeting you, Marcus.”

You nudged Ripley a bit to let her know you two were heading home now only for her to whine a bit but obliging. Yeah, you don’t wanna smell like fish again but… You really needed to at least finish the week’s assignments. You gave Marcus a final goodbye wave as you walked home with your dog by your side.

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

You flopped onto your bed in defeat.

Why the fuck did this online school have to give you so much work every week? Well, you managed to do a few weeks worth of work and should be free earlier for Dedsec work.

Speaking of, it’s almost time to meet your new “coworkers”. It's time to suit up.

Donning your binder, biker’s helmet and suit, you made sure to test out the helmet’s voice modulator and check for any kinks. Afterwards, it was time for some real clothes! The skin tight biker suit feels pretty breezy despite you not being actually naked. At least the binder makes you look like a super buff guy, not to mention the boots give you some extra height. You really need those 3 extra inches…

Let’s see…

Pastel week? Or maybe something vintage? Or perhaps some fall colors would be nice! Sweaters always feel nice. But, it has been a while since you’ve done a punk week…

Well! It’s been decided!

Finally, you were ready for work. Giving Ripley a final forehead kiss and head pat, you headed for your destination.

Weird that a notorious hacker group put one of their hideouts in a nerdy tabletop shop. Then again, it doesn’t raise a lot of suspicion on the outside. Looking around, you see a bunch of people rolling their 20 sided dice on the tables. You always did want to play Dungeons and Dragons, never had the time to read up on it though. You walked towards the back, ignoring any wandering eyes. But no one really spoke up against you being there, they looked too scared to even try if they actually wanted to.

Aha. There was the entrance. You pushed in the pass-code Clara gave you and viola! You’re in. You took in the appearance of the entrance down the hackerspace. The graffiti is quite a look. Most of the Dedsec graffiti back home were mostly on CTOS ads or other signposts, this is a stark contrast from those dark hacker rooms in Chicago. But, you certainly didn’t mind it. Actually heading into the space itself revealed it looked more like a hacker’s man cave or hangout spot than a big name hacker group meet up room. Dedsec’s name was graffitied around every inch of the room, the table in the middle was filled with snacks, beers, and some computer equipment, and there were some really old rage comics memes near the 3d printer area.

Looks like you’re the first person here though. You sat at the sofa area, crossing your legs. God, the spaces back home needs a sofa like this instead of those rackety pull out chairs. Just as you were getting used to the appearance of… Everything. The sound of the sliding door and footsteps catches your ears. Guess it was introduction time.

Turning around and facing the first person you got to the space first, you were greeted with a familiar face.

“You guys should have seen Mr. Weak Chin’s face in perso--” The man locked eyes with you as you gave him a little wave.

Marcus. Your instincts had always been pretty on point.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” His hand was hidden behind him, probably reaching for a weapon to prepare himself from any surprise attacks. You only raise your hands to tell him you don’t mean any harm. Just as you were going to let him know why you’re here, the rest of the crew came down. Marcus wasn’t the only familiar face around here.

Your hidden eyes gazed into familiar digital Xs.

[sage-nebula]

fandom: pokemon, ship: keitor, character: hiccup!

Putting this under a cut because it’s long.

PokéAni:

Favorite character:

ALAN, as if that’s even a question. He’s the best boy. ♥

Least Favorite character:

Paul. Failing him, Damien.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

Mmm, let’s see …

Ash/Misty

Jessie/James

May/Drew

Sycamore/Meyer

Either Dawn/Zoey or Grant/Viola

Character I find most attractive:

Cynthia, probably.

Character I would marry:

Cynthia again.

Character I would be best friends with:

ALAN. ♥

A random thought:

If they didn’t want to make movies about Ash as he is in Alola, they literally could have based the movies around characters that aren’t him instead, and yet they chose not to, smh.

An unpopular opinion:

Alan is the best character in the series, fully deserved to win the Kalos League, and Greninja is a waste of a pokémon.

My canon OTP:

There … aren’t really canon ones, generally, haha. But Ash/Misty, Jessie/James, and May/Drew are all arguably so.

Non-canon OTP:

See above.

Most badass character:

ALAN. Threw himself out of an aircraft to save Lizardon in the midst of a primal legendary fight. Also managed to run the mega evolution gauntlet and win, even though his final opponent was a member of the Elite Four. To date he is the only character to defeat a member of the Elite Four on screen (at least in terms of non-E4 / Champion characters). Additionally, he and Lizardon took on 50% Zygarde and won, and he’s the only one who was able to throw a wall up against Ash-Greninja. Badass. 

Pairing I am not a fan of:

There is no pairing in the whole of the PokéAni (outside of bestiality / incest ships) that I hate more than Alan/Manon. That ship is what NOTPs are made of for me.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another):

We don’t talk about Alan’s story after XYZ044 because none of the episodes after that happened. They also robbed Manon of any and all development and growth she coud have has a person and character by refusing to allow her to recognize, own up to, and learn from her mistakes and flaws (e.g. recognizing that she should have never sent Hari-san away in an unfamiliar location would make her a more responsible trainer; admitting that she’s afraid of battling and has been trying to use Alan as a crutch could provide the first step on an independence arc, etc), but you know, what’cha gonna do.

Favourite friendship:

Alan & Lizardon, Ash & Pikachu, and Alan & Ash are all right up there for me.

Keitor:

when or if I started shipping it:

After season four. I don’t remember the exact point, or why it happened; I just remember realizing that Lotor was in need of a co-pilot, and that he had saved Keith’s life, and that there were so many similarities between them, and it just … it was like an avalanche after that, and now I’m buried far, far beneath the snow.

my thoughts:

It’s honestly the best and most interesting ship and it’s a shame more people don’t appreciate or acknowledge that. It’s also incredibly annoying that so many people think they would be at each other’s throats if they met when canon has explicitly proven otherwise (5x04, “Kral Zera”), and incredibly, unbelievably, agonizingly boring that people want them to fight over Allura. If you want Allura reduced to a prize for two boys to fight over, go watch ‘80s Voltron. Keith, Lotor, and Allura as we know them in VLD are way too developed and good for any of that shallow, petty, trivial nonsense.

What makes me happy about them:

How perfect they are for each other. They can connect and understand each other on levels that they just don’t have with anyone else, and since they share many of the same pain points (parental abandonment and neglect, past abuse, part-galra heritage, a lack of undersatnding from their respective teams, and so on), that allows them to connect and help each other on those levels as well. They’re so similar, yet they have enough differences between them to both keep things interesting, as well as complement and balance each other out. They’re perfect.

What makes me sad about them:

THEY HAVEN’T HAD ONE FRIENDLY CONVERSATION IN CANON YET, AND AT THIS POINT I’M AFRAID THEY NEVER WILL.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me:

I don’t read VLD fanfic, generally, because as a general rule I don’t read fic for fandoms I write for. However, I’m still aware of the fact that there are fics out there that turn Lotor into an abusive rapist (why), turn Keith into a submissive victim (why), and otherwise depict the relationship as being full of hatred and abuse (w h y), and I can’t stand any of that nonsense. It’s out of character for both parties and completely disgusting. Give me healthy Keitor or give me death, tbh.

Things I look for in fanfic:

N/A, I don’t read VLD fic. But if I did, again, healthy Keitor or bust.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I ship Keith with Allura, but I don’t really ship Lotor with anyone else, tbh. I can see why others would ship Lotor with certain other characters, but I just don’t. I don’t know why, they just don’t click for me.

My happily ever after for them:

They come together and form a revolution, acting as the change they want to see in the universe. They succeed in this, making life better for them and those like them, and end up getting engaged and married at a later date.

Hiccup:

How I feel about this character:

HE’S A GOOD BOY AND I LOVE HIM. He’s one of the characters I relate to most, honestly. I’ve got a lot in common with this snarky boy.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Astrid, and for the most part it’s just her.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

HICCUP & TOOTHLESS, OBVIOUSLY. They are literally, DreamWorks confirmed canonical platonic soulmates.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Uhhh, I don’t know that I have one? Idk what opinions are or are not popular in the fandom nowadays.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

Again, not sure I have an answer for this one. So far I’ve been pretty chill with how Hiccup’s story has gone. This may well change with the release of the third movie, though.

My OTP:

Hiccup/Astrid.

My OT3:

I wouldn’t be opposed to Hiccup/Astrid/Heather, or Hiccup/Astrid/Eret.

[abadmeanman]

Secret Santa! @do-the-fandom-mash!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, @do-the-fandom-mash! I’m your secret santa! My Adrien/Rose fic is below, and I’m going to post it on AO3 at this link, too: http://archiveofourown.org/works/13088808. 

Title: 

Not That It's A Competition Or Anything

With a flash of lightning, and a clap of thunder, the akuma struck Ladybug with a jolt of electricity. Her pigtails briefly stood on end and her skeleton briefly become visible, cartoonishly. She blinked, shook herself, swung out of the way on her yo-yo as a thin plume of steam rose from her head.

“I can’t believe Aurora got akumatized again! I didn’t even know that could happen!” she shouted to Chat Noir, as he pole-vaulted Rose Lavillant away from the park-cum-crime-scene. “And as basically the same akuma!”

“And same park! It speaks to Hawkmoth running out of ideas, my Lady,” he said, as Rose’s floppy sun hat and picnic basket flapped in the akuma-related turbulence. Juleka had already been safely spirited away by Ladybug, pre-zappage. “How else would he land on Stormy Weather 2: Electric Bugaboo?”

Ladybug paused, mid-swing. Which is to say, she kept swinging, but turned to stare at him, incredulous.

“How long were you waiting to use that pun?!”

“ALL DAY,” he shouted over his shoulder, alighting on a rooftop and setting Rose down gently. “There you are, Ro--I mean, citizen with whom I am unfamiliar.”

“Chat Noir, haven’t we met like, seven times?”

Chat Noir simply grinned and shrugged, turning back to re-enter the fray.

And then he made a little cringing sound as he saw that her picnic basket had tipped over during his landing. He scrambled to set it back upright and replace the no doubt delectable confections therein, except…

“Hey… is this picnic basket just full of flowers?”

“Of course!” said Rose, chipper despite the mortal peril. “It’s a romantic picnic date, after all!”

“Uh, very good, citizen,” said Chat Noir, batonning off back into the fray. “Carry on! Stay safe!” He threw her a wave with one hand, which she returned with a smile and a blown kiss.

And meanwhile, in his own private monologue, he kept repeating to himself: Damn. That’s romantic.

--------

Once Stormy Weather 2: Electric Bugaboo had been defeated (using same lucky charm, it turned out), Ladybug and Chat Noir went stealthily back to the Louvre to detransform.

“Hey Marinette… if I were, to, say, ask Rose out…”

“Do I think she’d go for it?” replied Marinette. “Oh definitely. She’s just about the only person who could manage to out-romance you, I think.”

“Part of me wants to take that as a challenge, but my heart is aflutter regardless.”

“Well don’t use up all the magic,” said Marinette, slipping her hand into his. “But I doubt anything could beat when you learned how to bake for me. You are my king of romance, after all.”

“So sweet, my lady,” he said, pulling her up into a kiss. “Put in a good word for me in the girls’ group chat?”

“Oh babe if you think she doesn’t already know all your tricks you’ve got another thing coming.”

----------

The date was off to a promising start as soon as both Adrien and Rose brought flowers.

It went like this:

Working up to it, Adrien was a little nervous about bringing roses to a date with a girl named Rose. But what can you do--romance traditions are heady things, after all, and what was an impressive first date without roses.

He went with one dozen, pink. A little off-brand, as you’d expect the color red to do the heavy lifting in the romance department, but bonus points for being her favorite color, Adrien thought. And given that Marinette’s favorite color was also pink, he already knew a guy who could get him the good stuff, and by good stuff he meant pink roses.

And so he found himself, hand-on-the-back-of-his-neck nervous, holding a dozen pink roses, standing in front of Rose’s door, blushing.

Rose, for her part, practically bounced in her pumps as she opened the door, one dozen red roses in hand, with a blush almost exactly matching the pink of Adrien’s bouquet. Nice, Adrien thought to himself. Nailed it.

“We match!” said Rose, leaving to the interpretation of the viewer whether she meant the flowers, or them both blushing, or her blushing matching his flowers, or what. It worked on multiple levels, but then again, so does… rrrromance. And nothing is more romantic than matching your bouquet to your date’s blush. He’d picked that trick up with Marinette on like, date two.

Not that it was a contest or anything, but Rose: 0, Adrien: 1.

-----------

“Oh Adrien! These seats are perfect!”

What’s an evening on the town without some theater? Adrien had managed to score some primo matinee seats at the (AUTHOR’S NOTE: look up a famous French theater and put it here) (EDITOR’S NOTE: this omission was intentional, as a gag). Front row, center, with plenty of legroom. One could practically high-five the comic relief.

“Oh!” said Rose, folding down her theater seat to find yet another bouquet of flowers decorating the velvet. Red, this time--Adrien had figured he’d cover all the romance-color bases. Rose picked them up with a grin, and read the note aloud.

“My dearest Rose,” she read. “I hope that a gift of more of your namesake will bring you as much joy as I have in accompanying you. Oh you scamp!” she said, slapping his arm lightly. “Double roses! I am impressed.”

“I can’t get enough rose in my life, I suppose,” he said, smirking. At last. The five days of puncrafting pay off in this moment.

Rose made a sound somewhere between a squeal and a squeak, and kissed him on the cheek, sweeping up her new bouquet and settling onto the cushion. “You scallywag! What a line,” she said. “Well don’t just stand there! Join me! I’ve got all of these knees, and no free hands to squeeze them with.”

Adrien obliged.  

-----

The play that evening? A romance, of course.

Well, a romantic comedy. Twelfth Night was technically one of the Bard’s comedies, but it carried its weight in raised eyebrows and kissing and innuendo and what-have-you.

The perfect kind of play to see while holding hands with a lovely young fashion model, or an adorable young parfumier. And if Rose’s foot happened to slip up Adrien’s calf a little bit during the final few acts, and if Adrien’s hand squeezed a bit northward of the knee, well, that’s no problem at all. After all, Shakespeare was a dirtybird, as we know.

Adrien did, however, receive the start of his life when, after the cast had done the curtain call and taken their bows, “Viola” stepped forward and announced that the performance was dedicated to the most striking man in Paris, who happened to be in the audience that very night: Adrien Agreste.

Not that it was a competition or anything, but Rose: 1, Adrien: 1.

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

Adrien was very proud of himself for his next trick.

Modern restaurants are generally equipped with electricity, for a variety of reasons--candle-only illumination had gone the way of the dodo back when France had an emperor. But, if one happens to be the scion of the Agreste fashion empire, it’s a simple matter to reserve an entire restaurant for a night, and have the whole place lit with candles.

Rose gasped, putting a dainty bisexual hand up to her lips. “Oh Adrien! So romantic.” She reached to her left (daintily shifting her many bouquets to the crook of one arm) and pulled on a velvet rope that Adrien hadn’t noticed. “It matches the chandelier!”

His heart skipped a beat, with a surge of anticipation making his fingers buzz. Directly above their table, a panel opened in the ceiling and a glittering glass chandelier, illuminated by dozens upon dozens of pink candles, descended to light their meal. The flames danced in the shape of a heart.

Adrien, for his part, gawked. Now that was romantic.

“Thank you,” said Rose, and kissed him on the cheek, gracefully accepting Adrien’s silent compliment. “Now, what did Monsieur Agreste select for the wine pairing?”

Not that it was a competition or anything, but Rose: 2, Adrien: 1.

-----

The problem was (and it wasn’t really a problem) that Rose was incredibly, unbelievably, dramatically romantic. She was an elite, and Adrien had never before been truly challenged, in the romance department.

He was sweating under his cravat (blue--matched her eyes), and dabbed lightly at his temples as his next romantic maneuver was wheeled out. It already seemed so weak, so tawdry compared to the various glories of romance that Rose had devastated him with.

The waiter placed the chocolate fountain on their table, and Rose clapped excitedly. That was simultaneously the best and worst part. She was soundly defeating him in romantic firepower at every turn, and yet she also sincerely and earnestly enjoyed and appreciated every gesture he made. No matter how she’d outdone him.

By god, she’s gracious in her victory, he thought. And I’m just getting competitive as Kim trying to keep up. I should… I need to live in the moment. And with that, he picked up a fork, speared one of a curated assortment of tidbits to envelop in liquid chocolate, and began to truly enjoy the decadence of the chocolate fountain.

… Until he unfolded his napkin and discovered a small, folded piece of paper under it, which contained a poem that she had written for him.

And it rhymed.

Adrien sat back, eyes drifting to the glimmering chandelier above. I am absolutely destroyed.

Not that it was a competition or anything, but Rose: 3, Adrien: 1.

--------

But Ladybug never gave up and dammit neither did he.

Adrien thought he had Rose on the romantic ropes when an attendant wheeled over the grand piano. Nothing is more romantic than playing a song you wrote for your lover true.

“I was so happy you said yes when I asked you out, Rose, that I couldn’t help but compose a little song. If you’ll indulge me, I’ll--wait.” He looked around. Where had she gone?

“Oh Adrien,” said Rose, reclining slinkily atop the grand piano, flower clenched between her teeth. She somehow maintained perfect diction with a mouthful of stem. “How you do go on. I’d love to hear your song!”

How did she… damn, thought Adrien. There is nothing more seductively romantic than a woman draping herself over a grand piano, or at least that’s what all the midcentury black and white movies implied. But… I haven’t unleashed my art yet.

He grinned as rakishly as he could up at Rose, who beamed around the flower in her teeth, and fingered the first chord of his--

And someone had put a note reading “I hope that chord isn’t the only thing getting fingered tonight” in the middle of his handwritten sheet music.

He played, because there was absolutely nothing to do but serenade her. Even if she’d absolutely devastated him, romantically. Even if he was helpless silly putty against her powers of seduction. How had she even gotten to his sheet music?

Rose stretched languorously, or as languorously as a very short French girl can stretch, arcing her back up from the piano, as the perfect aperitif to the last resonant notes of Adrien’s song. She removed the rose from between her teeth, and, holding it at arm’s length, prodded him on the nose with it.

“How did you even…” he began, but couldn’t continue.

“I’m exquisite,” said Rose, by way of explanation.

And she was.

Not that it was a competition or anything, but Rose: 4, Adrien: 1.

But Adrien mentally rolled up the sleeves on the romantic leather jacket of his imagination. He wasn’t nearly done romancing Rose.

-----

Red velvet carpet muffled their steps up the stairs as the doors to the Agreste mansion parted, and the string quartet started playing. Rose gasped, and Adrien felt her hand (which he was carefully clasping as he led her up the portico) squeeze his, in an involuntarily clutch of delight.

One of the advantages of being filthy rich (or as they would say in France, crasseux riche), is the fact that the atrium of your mansion becomes a ballroom if you simply add an orchestra. And oh, Adrien knew a great orchestra.

After all, if you’re going to take the most romantically inclined gal in Paris back to your place, one simply must do it in style.

He might not be able to outdo her at romance activities in a restaurant, but something must be said for having a private ballroom at one’s disposal. And so they laughed, and spun, and Rose found out just exactly how much she could feel like a princess all in one night. Adrien had nailed it.

Not that it was a competition or anything, but Rose: 4, Adrien: 2.

-----

As Adrien and Rose made out on their way to the boudoir (which is French for bedchamber), bouncing off of the walls at irregular intervals and giggling, a corner of Adrien’s mind was congratulating himself for absolutely and literally romancing the pants off of the most romantically-minded girl in Paris. She had been sneaky--romantically sneaky--during their dinner and during his piano recital, but oh, a ballroom dance is a pièce de résistance before which no romantic heart can fail to melt. Or, as the French would say, a pièce de résistance before which no romantic heart can fail to melt.

In anticipation of this eventuality, Adrien had made some preparations. The pathway to the bed was lined with candles, a cheery fire glowed softly in a fireplace he’d had specially installed, and he’d done some decoration on the bed itself.

Just in case.

(It was more rose petals)

… But how the fuck had Rose managed to scatter rose petals in a pathway to the bed?

… And how the fuck had she managed to surround the bed with candles in the shape of a heart?

… And how had she managed to install a hidden reservoir of rose petals which would gently shower over two people in a bed when you pulled on a velvet rope?

“How did you--” he began, surrounded by a cascade of petals. Because he had to know. But before he could complete the thought, he was interrupted by the soft plap of a pink tulip plapping against his lips.

“Shhhhhh, shhh shh, my darling,” said Rose, raising one hand to cup his cheek as she whispered. “Let the romance find you.” She tugged him gently, but insistently, to sit upon the bed.

Aha! thought Adrien, who had also prepared for this eventuality. He plapped an orange tulip of his own against Rose’s lips, even more gently, shushing her, but in a romantic way.

“Shhhh, quiet my love, let the emotion overcome you…” he whispered, around the tulip, delicately cupping her chin, and reclining further on the bed.

“No no no, shhhhhh,” replied rose, plapping him in the eyebrow with a second tulip, red this time. “We need no words.”

“But I must express what I feel,” said Adrien, who felt like he had just aced that delivery. Pure rom-com dialogue, right there. He stroked his second tulip (pastel yellow this time) down the line of her cheek and lips as they lay down on the bed.

“Shhhhhhhh,” said Rose. “Our love is so much more than we could ever say,” she said, as she plapped a third--

Wait a minute.

Adrien took a quick inventory: One tulip plapped against his lips, another against his eyebrow, both of which Rose was still holding in her dainty, pinkly manicured hands. And a third tulip plapped against his nose, held by…

He looked down his and Rose’s reclining figures, to see an appealingly bare length of Rose’s leg extended from her hiked-up dress and bent up towards his face, the third tulip daintily clutched between her toes, plapping it onto his face. Adrien turned back to her, phenomenally impressed.

There is nothing more romantic than softly holding someone’s face and plapping them with flowers. And Rose had done it thrice.

His admiration must have shown on his face, because Rose blushed the perfect amount, averted her eyes a tiny bit, then brought them back to gaze full into Adrien’s own extremely fucking emerald orbs, and giggled softly.

“I’m very flexible.”

And at a certain point on a date, that is one of the most romantic lines you can say. Rose had undoubtedly, unbelievably vanquished him with romance.

Not that it was a competition or anything.

And, cinematically speaking, the rest of the night gently faded out on a soft-focus shot of the fireplace.

--------

“What’s the final score?” asked Marinette, cuddled up with Juleka under a blanket in front of a horror movie.

“Looks like Rose: 23, Adrien: 2, from Alya’s latest update.”

“Sweet. I beat the spread,” said Marinette as she popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth, and fed another one to Juleka.  

“Honestly, I’m surprised he scored at all,” said Juleka around said popcorn. “Rose is phenomenal.”

“What can you do? Bringing flowers to the door is a power play, and so is a ballroom dance. Those were his aces in the hole,” said Marinette. “Plus, I think we both knew he was going to… score.” Marinette emphasized her extremely mature joke by elbowing Juleka in the ribs. Juleka giggled, and elbowed her back, which started a brief elbow fight that ended with them getting yet snugglier.

Juleka sighed, and tilted her head into the crook of Marinette’s neck. “It was awfully sweet of Alya to spy on them for us. How extra do you think they’re being right now?”

“At least extra extra, we’re in 2X territory absolutely.”

“Maybe even extra extra extra?”

“Oh definitely possible we’ve hit 3X.”

“Well, I for one know that Rose was definitely hoping for it to get a little triple-X at the end.”

They giggled at that for almost the rest of the movie.

When the credits were rolling, Juleka got a little smirk on her lips, and ran her hand up the back of Marinette’s neck, very gently. She whispered into Marinette’s ear:

“I’m, uh… a little scared after that movie. Maybe you could… escort me back to my room?”

Marinette smiled and nodded, walking back to Juleka’s boudoir still wrapped in the blanket. After all, who said Adrien and Rose got to have all the romance?