#found one that could have been miraculous ladybug non-magic au today

[thelibraryloser]

I’m the librarian that gets to cover the new books and I read all the inside flaps while I’m covering them and then based on that synopsis I play a little game called which fandom was this originally fanfic for?

[scribble-blog]

Soulmate AU part 12!!

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“Thank you, Kaalki,” Marinette stepped out into her bedroom. It was, predictably, unchanged from how she had left it.

“Is that you, Mari?” Her Papa’s voice called from downstairs, and she called back.

“Yes!” She gave her room another once over, eyes lingering on the closed closet door where the Miracle Box hid before climbing down, only to be caught in her father’s arms.

“It’s only been a few days,” she complained as he squeezed her. “You don’t need to suffocate me!”

“But I’ve missed my little girl,” Tom Dupain pouted.

“Miss me with me on the ground then,” Marinette rolled her eyes, but she hugged him back before he put her down. “I’ve missed you too, Papa. How’s Maman?”

“She’s napping, after that akuma had to wake her up early this morning,” he told her, giving her one last squeeze. “I’ll be back down in the bakery.”

Marinette gave him a kiss and then went to knock at her parent’s bedroom door. When she heard the answering yawn, she entered.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” Maman defended herself with another yawn.

“It’s the midnight Akumas,” Marinette found herself laughing. “They’re the reason I fall asleep in science sometimes. My Hawkmoth suspicions list has sleep-deprived written right at the top, with three underlines.”

“I know what Tikki said,” Maman scowled, “but are we sure I can’t just take over being Ladybug for you?”

Tikki popped her head out of the pillow as well. “It wouldn’t work out, Sabine.”

“I have to be Ladybug, Maman,” Marinette echoed. “It’s...” there aren’t words, not really, for how right it feels down to her bones to be Ladybug. The times that she’s used other Miraculous are always interesting, but there is nothing that compares.

“I know,” Sabine said softly. “I know that you’re... chosen, or bound, or whatever word we use. Even if I’m not a true holder, being Wūguī feels more correct for me than being Ladybug.”

“You do a wonderful job at being Ladybug too though,” Tikki supported. “And after working with you, I can understand where Marinette gets it from!”

Tikki got up and floated over, alighting on Marinette’s shoulder before gasping.

“You met them!”

Marinette felt her face go from normal to bright red almost instantaneously. Sabine sat up straight, looking from her daughter to the red Kwami. “Met who?”

Marinette scrambled to grab Tikki as if it would be possible to contain her and keep her from saying, “She met her soulmate! I can feel it! Oh, Marinette, this is wonderful!”

Her Maman’s lips curled into a teasing grin. Of course, when Marinette had become Ladybug, her parents had found each other’s names, rolling up the insides of their forearms, where the were on constant display. They’d poked and prodded at Marinette about hers ever since, even if they ultimately respected her privacy. “Oh? Marinette? Why didn’t you tell us? How could you rob us of the joy of knowing about our future child?”

Marinette managed to make a noise somewhere between a wheeze and a whistling teakettle. “Maman, nooooo-“

“Oh, but now we’ll have to join you in Gotham~” her mother stood up and started bounding about the room, grabbing a bag and beginning to fill it, “meet them and their family, plan a vacation to get to know each other, start figuring out if you’ll get married in Gotham or Paris-“

“MAMAN!” Marinette had reached the reddest she’s ever been. “I only just met him earlier today! Stop planning weddings and give me back Tikki so I can meet with the Gotham heroes!”

“A dress designed by you, and the cake made by us, of course, and Adrien and Chloé and Luka and Kagami as your bridesmaids...”

Marinette grabbed the Kwami and marched out of the room. “I’ll be back tomorrow with Tikki unless there’s another akuma.”

“Oh, Tom!” Sabine called as she left. “Have you heard?”

“Oh, Marinette, she’s just teasing,” the Kwami giggled at her still blushing holder. “But it truly is wonderful that you’ve been able to meet your soulmate! Now we can truly balance the Miraculous, and you’ll be stronger than ever in your fight against Hawkmoth!”

Marinette froze in her steps at the bottom of the entrance to her room. “What do you mean? Balance the Miraculous?”

“Well,” Tikki’s big blue eyes blinked up at her. “Adrien is a wonderful Chat Noir, of course, but the balance of the Miraculous is always going to be off, with one true holder and one non true holder.”

“That’s-“ Marinette let out a strangled breath. “Tikki. Tell me honestly. Is there going to be any ill effects on me or Adrien just because we aren’t perfectly matched like that?”

“No!” Tikki rushes to comfort her. “Simply that you’ll never be at your true full strength unless your Chat Noir is also a true holder for Plagg. Which, by everything I know, your soulmate should be!”

The icy grip on Marinette’s chest released. “I’m not giving my soulmate the Black Cat Miraculous, Tikki.”

Tikki tilted her small head. “But-“

“No.” Marinette sighed. “I don’t care about my strength. As long as it won’t hurt either of us, I’m not ever going to take Plagg away from his chosen. Not for anything. Adrien is my partner, no matter what.”

Tikki sighed, but she didn’t sound particularly put out. “I guess I knew you’d say that. Even if it helped fight Hawkmoth, I don’t suppose you would be my Marinette if you did something like that.” The Kwami snuggled back into her neck. “Maybe we could give him another Miraculous. It would be fun to see if he’s as wonderful a hero as you.”

“I think he could be,” Marinette climbed into her room, remembering the series of, quite frankly, adorably awkward conversations she’d had that day. “He’s... a conundrum.”

That was the easiest way to describe her feeling about Damian. On the one hand, he was rich, hot, had a wry humor that made it difficult for her to keep a straight face, and a caring side that she very quickly realized he had done his best to bury. On the other...

He was proud, seemed shut off and cold to anyone who he didn’t deem as worth his energy investment, and- Marinette was, frankly, a bit wary of the way he’d fought at the Gardens. The grace and confidence he’d moved with was impressive, but no one learned to move like that for no reason. Even self defense only stretched so far.

“Do you think it’s possible that my soulmate isn’t exactly a good person?” Her lips are forming the question before she can stop them.

Tikki squeezes against her. “If he weren’t a good person, he wouldn’t be your soulmate, Marinette. Whatever made you think that, I’m sure there’s a reason behind it.”

Marinette nodded slowly. “If you say so. Hey, is there a reason it feels like I’m being electrocuted when I touch Damian?”

Tikki giggles. “Oh, that’s just- a safety measure of sorts! Throughout all the different Ladybugs I’ve had, quite a few of you decided to put your duty above your personal life and connections- to my chagrin. This makes it pretty impossible to ignore! Besides, it doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“No,” Marinette admitted. “And who knows if we would have actually met and somehow touched each other during the rest of our trip? But still, grabbing his arm and getting a hundred volts was a bit off putting.”

Tikki shrugged. “It’s not something I control. And it changes with each Ladybug! One time, I had a Ladybug whose eyes would glow whenever she was near her soulmate!”

The thought of what her friends would say about that made Marinette immediately slump with relief that it hadn’t happened to her. The connection she and Damian shared was subtle enough for her, thank you. “Let’s get back to Gotham. I’ve only got a few hours before I need to meet with Red Robin, and Chloé and Adrien are still waiting to ambush me about Damian. Kaalki?”

The horse Kwami zoomed out from the spot on her bed, ready as ever. “At your call, Marinette!”

“Full Gallop!”

TAGLIST:

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