#i have a horrible obsession with kwami swaps

[monpetitchattriste]

No thoughts just them

[nobodyfamousposts]

Good ML fic recs? I really trust your taste as you’re an amazing writer!!

...Oh boy...

To be honest, there isn’t nearly enough room for all the ML fics I would want to recommend because there are a great many very good ones. I guess it would depend on what you’re looking for, but for now I’ll try to note the biggest ones that come to mind for now.

Please note that these are only some of my recommendations for completed works.

Oleanders and Belladonnas by Cynial Wonderland - There is an akuma running around targeting young women and putting them into comas and Ladybug and Chat Noir are on the case. But things get worse when Marinette becomes the next target. The intrigue is great and the characterization is spot on. It hits upon some of the issues of the characters which can often be overlooked in many stories, and notes how those issues are utilized by the villain to enact his plans. It’s the sort of level of manipulation and hard-hitting emotional impact I would have expected from Chameleon.

A Familiar Story series by Freedom Shamrock - A magic AU where Marinette is a witch who is looking for a cat to be her familiar. She is found by a black cat who seems intent on having the job. Plot twist: the black cat isn’t just a cat. It’s wholesome content and I adore how much love there seems to be and consideration the characters have.

Prince Charming by MiniMinou - A fantasy AU where Adrien is a prince “blessed” to be charming—and it’s not a good thing. Anyone who sees him falls under his spell and he hates it. Normally with this sort of story, there would be one girl in all the kingdom not affected who would become his true love. That doesn’t happen here and the story is all the more beautiful and tragic for it.

Operation secret garden - secret weapon by Krispo - Kim does not get enough appreciation and this story proves it. Adrinette happens and it’s thanks to the last guy that any of the girls would have thought.

A Teacher Does Her Job by Music_Feeds_My_Soul - In which Bustier is a good teacher and steps in before things get out of hand in Chameleon.

You Can Say No by PsychoBabble192 - Another Chameleon-based fic, but addressing a very different point than most others and an issue that has long been overlooked. Namely the tendency of certain persons to infringe on Adrien’s personal boundaries and Adrien’s struggle to voice his discomfort on the matter.

Welcome to the WC by Omeganian - In which an identity reveal happens in the restroom and Adrien and Marinette are forced to hide in a bathroom stall together to avoid getting caught. It doesn’t help that Chloe and Lila start up an argument over which of them Adrien is in love with and Adrien didn’t keep trying to kiss Marinette.

Nine Lives by P_Artsypants - Can I just say ouch? In an attempt to keep his dad from forcing him to leave Paris, Adrien goes to some…rather lengthy extremes. There are consequences.

It Started as a Joke by TheNovelArtist - to make Alya happy for her birthday, Chat Noir proposes to Ladybug. Now Paris wants to throw them an official wedding.

Double Sided, Double Blinded by mckinlily - In which Marinette discovers that Adrien is Chat Noir and Adrien discovers that Ladybug is Marinette. Both have difficulty coming to grips with this. Marinette tries to deal with this through puns and flirting. Adrien just tries to deal.

Sting by KryallaOrchid - A bit of a kwami swap involving Adrien getting the Bee after he somehow loses his Miraculous. It’s unique and expands quite a bit on Pollen, Gabriel, and Adrien’s mother.

Obsessions by KryallaOrchid - The Miraculous come with side effects. For Ladybug, it’s a struggle with cold and winter. For Adrien, it’s a need for pats and physical affection. Luckily, Marinette helps out with that.

Yesterday was plain awful by zipadeea - An akuma attack goes horribly wrong and nobody knows if Ladybug survived. It’s a lot of focus on the aftermath, for Marinette, Adrien, and everyone.

When May Comes by Blikdelie - A Marichat May but with Felix. He tries to lay claim to Marinette’s balcony. Marinette has a few things to say about that.

Talk This Through by Blikdelie - Ladrien happens but goes wrong. Chat Noir confronts Ladybug to find out why she dumped his civilian self and was not expecting the answer he got.

I will follow you by Blikdelie - Ladybug is the lone hero of Paris, trying to get by in akuma attacks on her own while waiting for her partner to appear. Then some blond kid finds out her identity by accident and won’t leave her alone.

Miraculous on Ice by moonbabyscoot - Marinette can ice skate! And apparently has a less than fully positive history on the rink. Adrien decides after an akuma attack where he was next to useless that he needs lessons. Good thing he happens to get the perfect partner.

If At First You Don’t Succeed by Leisey - The class as a whole has had enough. Adrien and Marinette are clearly in love but won’t admit it for some reason, so the group decides to step in to push the matter.

Benefactor/Top Cat by Otoshigo - Adrien wants to help Marinette but knows she won’t let him. But she can’t refuse random gifts from Chat Noir. It starts getting out of hand.

What’s Black and Red and Red All Over? by Otoshigo - Deadpool comes to Paris. Enough said.

Snitches Get Stitches by Otoshigo - Marinette finds out Adrien is Chat Noir and if anything, it actually lessens her view of Adrien. Adrien is convinced Marinette is Ladybug but can’t confirm it. Plagg has had enough but Tikki is no help and won’t let him reveal the truth. That’s okay. Plagg’s had hundreds of years to know how to get a girl to fall for a guy so she can do it for him.

Unfinished Business/The Love Itch by Otoshigo - Adrien gains an obsession and is desperate to get someone to say three words to Marinette. He remains oblivious to his own feelings, things get out of hand, and Marinette has a hard time dealing.

A Host in Paris by Otoshigo - Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club comes to Paris. Enough said.

All That Jazz by midnightstarlightwrites - An akuma attack goes wrong and sends Ladybug back in time to 1920’s New York while switching her with the Ladybug of that time. An interesting take on the previous Ladybug and Black Cat holders as well as time travel complications.

Scarlet Lady AU by zoe-onesama - An AU where Chloe stole the Ladybug earrings from Marinette that first day and becomes Scarlet Lady, the heroine of Paris! A nice bit of catharsis after the train wreck of a “redemption arc” in the series.

Anything by iamthepunchlord. Flat out anything. But in particular…

Manynette - Akumatized Marinette where she is so exhausted and overwhelmed that as an akuma, she’s split into multiple versions of herself. People have difficulty dealing.

Loyal Chevalier - This actually predicted a couple of things—that Hawk Moth can akumatize two beings at once, that he can akumatize an object as well as a perosn, and what ended up happening in Chameleon to an extent with the return of Lila and sabotaging Marinette. Marinette gets akumatized, but she’s not alone. She  has a loyal companion who promises to protect her no matter what.

Lucky Fox Paradox - Marinette successfully gave up the earrings to Alya and considered herself done with Miraculous, but the Miraculous aren’t done with her.

a little problem - Kwami curse AU, where there’s a curse that comes with misusing a Miraculous and Gabriel is on the receiving end.

Rise of Mariposa - Kwami swap where the Ladybug is the Miraculous being used for evil while Marinette finds an abandoned Butterfly Miraculous.

Just Our Luck - A superhero AU. Marinette has good luck that helps others at the cost of herself. Adrien has bad luck that hurts the people around him and leaves him pretty much slated for a future of villainy. Good thing luck works in mysterious ways.

A Declaration of Love - Kwami swap where Marinette got the Peacock and Adrien got the Fox. This was before the reveal of the Peacock being damaged.

Echoing Balance - Kwami swap with Cat!Marinette and Ladybug!Adrien.

Curiosity and Satisfaction - Enemies AU where Marinette must fight alone against Hawk Moth and Chat Noir. It’s primarily from Adrien’s perspective showing his take on trying to fight Ladybug to bring back his mother and just dealing with issues, as well as his growing interest in a certain baker girl.

Trouble In White - Akumatized Adrien is Chat Blanc. And apparently Marinette’s soulmate.

That’s just for starters.

I apparently have a big list to go through…

[freedom-shamrock]

A Little Secret - Chapter 9

Also on AO3

Chp 1   Chp 2   Chp 3   Chp 4   Chp 5   Chp 6   Chp 7   Chp 8   Chp 9 Chp 10   Chp 11

Amazing art created by @soundofez​  pg 1  pg 2  pg 3

Unsure What to do With all Ten Fingers

Adrien wondered how Marinette always managed to seem so calm when Chat Noir stopped by out of the blue.  It wasn't like his visits were scheduled.  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her parents were aware of his stops and had encouraged the friendship.  Actually.  That probably had a lot to do with it.  He could drop in to visit any of them, as Adrien or Chat, and they welcomed him as family.  There was no pressure and no obvious stress.

The same definitely could not be said for Ladybug's visits to Adrien's house.  Despite the fact that no one ever came into his room unannounced, there were plenty of places to hide, and the mansion was essentially empty, he was constantly paranoid that someone would come in and find him sharing a bowl of popcorn while watching Cardcaptor Sakura with the superhero.

"Relax kid," Plagg said, hovering over the hastily assembled blanket fort that shielded the couch and wall mounted television.  "The only people in the house are you and your bodyguard.  The chef left half an hour ago.  Your boss and minder aren't due back for a week."  Over the summer, the tiny black cat had given Adrien's father and Nathalie nicknames consistent with how they treated his charge.  Adrien had quickly given up on trying to get him to use their names.  After all, Plagg had an excellent understanding of the relationships involved.

"I know," Adrien said, flopping onto his bed.  "The logic is all on your side, which I've gotta say is a weirdly swapped situation.  But I just… can't help it."

Plagg nuzzled Adrien's neck.  "It'll get easier with practice.  I promise."

Adrien sighed.  "It's been two and a half months, Plagg."  Ladybug had been visiting once a week, on pre-scheduled evenings, ever since Adrien had been confunded by an angry Harry Potter fan.  "I don't think it's gotten any easier."  He looked around his room.  "But it's probably because I'm inviting her into this place."  He waved his hand at his room, large enough to contain most of Marinette's family apartment.  "Marinette welcomes me to her home .  It's just… different."

"You're not wrong," Plagg agreed.  "If it helps any, I'll hang out in the hallway, and I'll disrupt the electricity, briefly this time, if someone's coming."

Adrien rubbed the kwami behind the ears.  "Thanks Plagg.  I'll have extra cheese for you later."

For once, Plagg's timing was perfect.  The moment he phased through the bedroom wall, there was a tap at the window.

Adrien scurried over and let in his guest and best friend.  "Hi!"  He waved up to her, then held out a hand to help her down.  "I'm glad you were able to make it."

She smiled, and suddenly his room didn't feel nearly so cold and empty.  "I would have texted if something came up."

He nodded.  "I know," he said quickly, wanting to correct her misperception before it could take hold.  "It's just… it sometimes doesn't feel real that we do this.  Not until you're here.  And I just realized that makes me sound like I have problems with the difference between reality and fantasy, and ohmygod I'm going to shut up."  He covered his mouth with one hand.

Her giggle made him so happy.  He loved that sound.  "Are you okay with me being here?"

"Yes," he said quickly, worried she'd leave, and no irrational fear was worth that.

"You seem kind of… nervous.  Is everything all right?"

He nodded and gestured to the blanket fort.  "Yeah.  Peachy.  It was just a long day.  Intense photo shoot.  Minor diva moments.  Interns breaking down in tears.  The usual."

"That sounds exhausting," she said, cringing before ducking into the tent.  "Oooh.  Nice place you have here."  She flopped happily onto the pillows.

"I thought it would be more cozy," he said, shrugging as he settled in with her.  He already felt better and he wondered how much of that was just being around her.  Plagg had mentioned something about past Ladybugs and their ability to soothe and calm others.

"Now back to your ghastly day with all the drama," she suggested.

"We don't have to," he started, but she was shaking her head.

"This is what friends do," she reminded him.  "Vent a bit.  Decompress.  Then we can set it aside to fully enjoy the movie."

She knew him so well; it was really nice.  "Not all fashion houses are like this," he said.  "But my father's… it tends to run pretty high strung.  A lot like my father, actually."  He took a seat beside her.  "I would never recommend a friend of mine seek an internship at Gabriel."

Ladybug stared intently at him for a moment.  "Really?"

He nodded.  "Interns are treated as disposable commodities."  It was something he'd recognized as problematic even when he was homeschooled and friendless.  "But because there are so many people who think that completing an internship at Gabriel will give them a leg up, there are always others to take their place.  It's completely fucked up."  He'd tried to get his father to see what that could do to the company's reputation, since that was pretty much the only thing he cared about.  "My father is warped enough that he thinks it makes the company seem more attractive.  It's not just the standards of beauty that are unattainable, it's everything about the company and its designs."

"Wow."  Ladybug sighed.  "That's disgusting."

"Yeah."  He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.  "I've got this friend named Marinette who's an amazing designer even though she's entirely self-taught.  She's thinking about internships, and I know she's always wanted to study with my father, but… interns don't get to do that at Gabriel.  Even the really good ones.  And so many of them leave the industry completely after their time with us."  He snorted.  His father considered it weeding out the chaff, those who didn't have what it took.

"Yikes.  It must be pretty horrible if it makes people give up their artistic dreams."  She looked horrified.

"I would never want one of my friends to work there in any capacity."  Marinette had what it took to land a spot, and she had the talent and skill to make it in the business, but he couldn't stand the idea of her enduring Gabriel's standard abuse, of her getting jaded and bitter.

"Even if it meant you got to see them at work?" she asked.

Adrien shook his head.  "I absolutely don't want anyone I know picking up a job at Gabriel because of me."  He shrugged.  "I'm planning on bailing at my earliest opportunity."  Plagg was the only one who knew about that plan, and he'd encouraged it.

Ladybug stared at him in wide-eyed shock.  "You… you're leaving modeling?" her words came out in a raspy whisper.

"Can't imagine me as anything other than a model?" he teased.

"Oh.  No, that's not it at all," she assured him, one hand reaching out to land lightly on his shoulder.  "You're brilliant.  I can imagine you doing all sorts of things."

He felt his sly Chat grin on his face.  "Really?"  He drew the word out and leaned forward, suggestively arching his eyebrows.

"Not those kinds of things!" she squeaked.

He chuckled, thinking and hoping the pink in her cheeks told a different story.  "Seriously, though," he went on before he could dig himself into too deep a hole.  "I'm not leaving modeling entirely, at least not at first.  It's not like I hate it.  It makes good money, and I'm decent at it."

"Decent?!" she demanded.  "That's like saying Chat and I are okay at defeating akuma."

He grinned, but continued his train of thought.  "But modeling isn't a realistic life career, so I need to work out a plan for when I no longer have the look companies are aiming for."  He shrugged.  "I don't want to model for Gabriel anymore, and I want control over my schedule."

Ladybug nodded.  "That all sounds fair, and probably past time."  He'd shown her his crazy schedule when they first started trying to arrange times for her to stop by.  "Have you decided what that plan will include?"

"Decided, not really, but I've obsessed over the possibilities," he admitted.  His dream of freedom was relatively near, and he'd spent many of his free hours and breaks between activities thinking about his options and identifying what he really wanted in his life.  A lot of his dreams were long range hopes for a warm family environment.  Some were vague and nebulous because he'd had so little opportunity to explore his own interests.  The few that were specific and detailed were too personal to share just yet, even with Plagg.

"If you need anything, you know you can ask your friends, right?" she asked.

He nodded.  "My friends are amazing, and I hope I'm half as good to them as they are to me."

"You are," she insisted.

He unfolded the paper he'd pulled out earlier.  "I'm making a list for Marinette."  He flattened it on the table.  "These are fashion houses that have good reputations for how they treat their interns, staff, and models."

Ladybug glanced down at the paper and froze, her mouth dropped open into an adorable O of surprise.  A red fingertip hovered over an e-mail address.  "Are these…"  Her voice was reverent.

"Those are my contacts, most work in talent acquisition, and they've offered to look at her portfolio."  It wasn't a tiny list, and he was very much aware that the details were not publicly available.  He'd used his well-honed schmoozing skills in talking up the staff he ran into during various fashion events.

"How long have you been working on this?" she asked, wonder clear in her voice.

"Oh… a while, I guess."  He shrugged.  "Probably since April.  That's when I realized I needed to get Mari some options other than Gabriel, while I was still in favor."

"You think that'll change?" she asked.  "That people won't want you when you… um… go rogue?"

He grinned.  It was such perfect phrasing.  "Hard to say.  Some won't care, even if my father makes a scene and throws bad publicity my way."  He rolled his eyes.  "Some would probably prefer it if things get really ugly, so they can claim to have poached me from their rival."

"You've transposed your numbers," Chat said gently, tapping the scratch paper where Ladybug was working through a physics problem on refraction.

"Hmmm… oh… yeah," she said groggily, striking out the mistake and rewriting the problem.

"Why are you so tired tonight, Bug?" he asked, catching the edge of the blanket that tried to slip off her shoulder.  Snuggle studies had somehow ended up being part of their post- workout routine, so they were huddled together under a blanket on the floor of the dojo they'd been using all winter.  Late February saw some warmer temperatures, but it wasn't nearly enough for his partner.

"Designing," she muttered.  Then, as if realizing this version of her wasn't supposed to be telling this version of him about her personal life, she scrambled to cover.  "Uh… you know, planning how I want my gap year to go.  Figuring out what I need to do, to be where I need to, at the end."

"I can completely relate," he admitted, hoping to ease her mind.  He'd been doing a lot of planning and researching as well.  "I'm hoping to make a lot of changes during my gap year, and… they're taking more time to work out than I expected."

She leaned into him, her face pressing into his ribs, and hummed.

"But, you know you don't have to do it all now, right?" he asked.  "That's part of what the gap year is for.  Figuring things out."  He pushed her paper out of the way before straightening up and scooping her into the nest made by his folded legs.

"Yeah," she agreed.  "But I'm a planner, you know that.  I feel better if I have some idea or road map, even if it's going to change."

He adjusted the blanket to make sure she was fully covered.  "I know."  It was part of what made her such a great hero and them such a perfect team.  She planned in advance, while he did it on the fly, and she was flexible enough to modify as needed.  "But maybe you should just put down the basics for your plan now, and figure out the details after Final Bac."  It was surprisingly sound advice from Plagg when he'd been stressing out over it.  Though to be fair, his kwami had been much more helpful to his personal plights in the last eight months.

She snorted.  "Tikki told me something a lot like that too."

"I get that you have big plans, L.B."  He tightened his hold on her for a moment.  "I really do.  And yeah, there are things you'll need to do to get there, but you can't do it all at once.  You'll burn yourself out.  And where would that leave me?"

She let out a little laugh.  "Fine.  I'll try to balance things better."

"That's all I can ask, Bug," he said.  "But it will cut down on my worrying."  He looked at her homework.  She still had a few problems to go, but she had time tomorrow.  "How about we call it a night, and you go straight to bed.  You've said you have afternoon science, so you can hit those problems during your break."

"Okay," she agreed, making no move to get up.

"You want me to take you home?"  He felt oddly breathless.  Knowing who she was, without confirmation, was one thing.  A full-on reveal was something else.

She shook her head against his side, instantly snuffing out the brushfire in his brain.  "Can't tell you who I am; you know that."

"It's not safe," he said, unsure if it really mattered at this point.

She nodded.  "But I want to."  It was the first time she'd frankly admitted that to him.

"You… you do?" he asked, warmth of happiness suffusing him.

"Course I do," she insisted, hugging him tightly.  "You are my most favorite person, ever."

"You're mine, too," he said softly.

"And as soon as it's safe, we're doing a whole reveal hand hanging out, and everything," she promised.  "Sound okay?"

He let out a sigh.  "Sounds purrfect."

"Great.  Now, two minute power snuggle before I have to go out in the cold."  She tugged the blanket over her head before wrapping her arms around him in her cocoon.  

He chuckled and pulled out his baton to set an alarm.  He wasn't as tired, but falling asleep seemed very possible given his current comfort level and the happy buzz filtering through his head.

Chapter Title - "Not knowing how to do anything with all ten of your fingers" is a French idiom for being or feeling completely useless.

Huge thanks to @soundofez and my betas: Karnival and @chatbug-jk​