#marinette dupain cheng messes up big time

[mochinek0]

Daminette December 2023: 18-Hiding in the Shadows

Marinette looked around her pent house in Paris. She had everything she wanted as a teenager. Well, almost everything. She was a well-known fashion designer, to the people that were aware of her. She kept her business a secret and used an alias. Her clients all came from judgement on her other clients. Others designers knew her as 'Passion' after her store's brand. Very few knew her as Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Gabriel Agreste, Audrey Bourgeois, and Jagged Stone.

Marinette had enough money to pay her rent, her fabric, all of her equipment, anything a business woman could need. Marinette herself, not so much. She missed being able to walk out and go sit at a café for a bit. When she saw Wayne Enterprise opened a section in Paris, she came up with an idea.

'Wayne Enterprises is a place that usually pays big. Even a part time job should be fine. A little play money couldn't hurt. A few extra euros so I could eat out, get some comfy clothes so I'm not rushing between orders and messing up wouldn't hurt.'

Damian Wayne sat at his desk, looking through potential applicants. Many of them were attached to big names or had one of their own. As he rang background checks, he could see they were all connected to each other in one way or another. He smirked at his idea.

'Let's put on a show. I want to see what kind of people these applicants are around each other. Would they out themselves?'

Mari was escorted to a waiting room as Damian Wayne got through other interviews. When the door opened, the last thing she expected was to see some familiar faces: Chloe, Adrien, and Lila.

"I don't know why you're even here, Dupain-Cheng." Chloe snarled, after the door was closed, "This is a big company that would love to work with our families. You have nothing going for you."

Marinette sat down and smiled, "Is that right? I guess I must have sent the wrong order to your mother and that's why she wore my design down the red carpet at the MET Gala."

Chloe tensed up and refused to meet her gaze. She could tell Adrien and Lila were surprised as well.

Chloe cleared her throat, "You're lying."

"Call your mother and ask." Marinette shrugged, "Oh, that's right! She doesn't like you; she prefers your half sister, who can actually work and living on her own, instead of leeching off of her Daddy."

"This isn't you, Dupain-Cheng." Chloe declared.

"No. This is me." Marinette shrugged off the concerned looks, "I'm just not being forced to coddle you to make Caline Bustier's life easier. 'Oh, just show Chloe some love, so she'll know what it's like and she'll get better eventually. You'll see.' Even she knew you were a horrible person. She basically thought you were The Grinch. That with enough love, your heart would grow three sizes and you wouldn't be such a bitch anymore."

Everyone was speechless at Marinette's attitude. This wasn't the Marinette that they grew up with.

"Chloe Bourgeois." a security voice called.

Chloe held her head high as she walked into the office.

"Damian Wayne." Chloe stated.

"Sit!" he demanded.

Chloe was shocked by his attitude.

'Doesn't he know who I am?'

"Do you know who I am?" she shouted.

"A spoiled brat; Ive read the articles on the internet." Damian stated, "You are known for crying for your father when you don't get what you want. Even though you are the oldest, your half-sister is who your mother relies on to bring customers for Style Queen in New York."

"My father-" Chloe snarled.

"Isn't the mayor anymore. He hasn't been the mayor in three years." the Wayne heir spoke, "If you're thinking of blackmailing me, you chose the wrong person. Spread whatever lies you want or cry to your father, the hotel owner. I could make one post about how horrid his hotel is and he would go out of business. Could you live with that?"

Chloe stood there, speechless. The only person who talked to her like this was her mother.

"I'm in charge, here, and if it came down to it, your job would be scrubbing toilets all day." Damian declared.

Tears formed in Chloe's eyes.

'He's glaring at me, just like Mommy. He doesn't look happy. He looks at me like he wishes I was gone or someone else.'

"We're done here." Damian stated.

Chloe quickly rushed out of the office. The three saw her rushing away, crying.

'I knew she wouldn't last.'

"Marinette, I can't understand why you're like this." Lila spoke, as she took her seat.

'He made that Daddy's Girl cry. I better go at this carefully.'

"Oh, shove it, Lila." Marinette sighed, "All three of us, here, know you're a lying manipulative bitch. You don't have to fake it."

"I don't know-" Lila continued.

"Adrien already told me years ago that he made a deal with you. He made one with me, too. Did he ever tell you that?" Mari questioned.

Lila glanced towards Adrien, who kept his head down.

"Oh, he didn't." she giggled, "You see, I was already designing for Jagged Stone when you arrived to our school. Adrien even had me autograph things I designed for him."

The model had turned towards Adrien and was now glaring at him.

"I could have made your whole 'tinnitus-kitten bullshit' story go up in flames since day one." Mari smiled, "I could have video called him and you would have been labeled as delusional."

"I took all our friends away!" Lila cried out, in victory.

"No." Mari answered, "You took away people, who were finally talking to me. Chleo ensured that for seven years, I had no friends. Those 'friends' just went back to not talking to me. You didn't actually do anything. If anything, you helped me. You took away the class president duties from me and I had more free time. You turned Alya and Nino away, so I couldn't babysit. I designed more clothes and got more clients. You didn't make my life worse, Lila, you made it better."

Lila fumed. Adrien had played peace maker between the both of them. From what Marinette was saying, she could have won the war in an instant! She thought she had chased Marinette Duapin-Cheng out of school all those years ago and here she was smiling, practially laughing at her, saying it wasn't true. She had thanked her and said she made her life better.

'I need this job so I can rub it in her face! I need to win against her!'

"I do hope you at least did some research into Damian Wayne." Marinette stated.

"I've known Damian Wayne since we were children!" Lila announced.

"Is that what it told you, you should say when you looked up how rich his family is?" Mari inquired.

Lila stood up, in rage.

'How dare she!'

"Lila Rossi." security called out.

Lila smirked, "I'm coming."

"She really should have done her research." Marinette spoke out loud.

"Why do you say that?" Adrine asked.

"Lila likes to play off her tears and looks." Mari declared, "Damian Wayne hates going to galas because of girls that try to attach themselves to him."

"And?" Adrien questioned.

"He broke an Italian model's arm two months ago, for lying to him." the designer stated.

Adrien paled at her words. Marinette merely smiled and pulled out her phone and dialed emergency services.

"Hello, what is your emergency?" the voice asked.

"I think we need an ambulance at Wayne Enterprise." Marinette stated, "I think someone's arm is broken."

"Are you with this person?" the voice questioned.

"No." the designer answered.

"I have sent medical to your location." the voice declared, before hanging up.

"That was pretty extreme, Marinette. I have faith in Lila!" Adrien shouted, "I don't think he would do that! The Waynes have an imagine to uphold!"

"Maybe, you should have done your research." Mari shrugged, "You still have time. Maybe five minutes."

Lila sauntered her way into the office.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne." She spoke, calmly.

"Sit." He demanded, not looking up.

Lila waved off his decleration. She moved past the chair in front of his desk and walked her way to his side.

"Can I sit on your lap?" She asked, "You see, I have tinnitus and-"

"There is nothing in here that would activate your tinnitus. Tinnitus is when you can't here anything for a brief amount of time, but a loud ringing. It's usually followed after hearing an extremely loud sound. I should know; I went to medical school." Damian stated.

'Shit. My usual tactics won't work here.'

Lila nodded and made her way back to the seat.

"Why shoud I hire you?" The Wayne heir questioned.

Lila fluttered her lashes, "I'm a model for Gabriel Agreste."

"Former model." Damian interjected, "You now model on Instagram and Only Fans."

Lila turned red. She didn't expect them to aware of her new lifestyle.

"Now, Miss Lerouch-" he continued.

Lila paled, "Wh-What did you call me?"

"Cerise Lerouch." Damian stated, "Did you think I would not delve into your background? I have to know who I am working with."

Cerise quickly leaped up from her seat and rushed around the desk.

"Don't touch me." Damian demanded.

"I'll do anything." Cerise cried out, grabbing onto his arm.

The Wayne heir growled, "Let go."

"I can help you relieve stress in other ways, you know." Cerise pleaded.

Damian grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her back, harshly. Cerise screamed in pain.

"I have no need for whores." Damian spoke.

He grabbed the back of her shirt, arm still twisted, and walked her to his office door. He grabbed the knob and threw her out, in front of his security team.

"Drag this whore out by the hair, if you have too, but I want her off Wayne Enterprise grounds and blacklisted!" Damian shouted.

"Yes, Mr. Wayne." they spoke simultaneously, as he slammed his door shut.

"Shit, I think her arm is broken." the one on the left declared.

"She would call an ambulance?" the one on the right asked.

"Please, help me! It hurts so much!" Cerise begged, cradling her arm.

"You shouldn't have pissed him off." the one on the right declared, "Damian Wayne isn't one to mess around."

A man rushed towards them with medical workers.

"Did you guys call for an ambulance and someone with a broken arm?" the new guy asked.

"No, but perfect timing." the one on the left stated, "Girl with broken arm right here."

Cerise was walked by the waiting room. Inside, she could see Adrien looked horrified before turning to Marinette. She was smiling at her. Then, the baker's daughter flipped her off.

'She knew! That bitch knew how this would end!'

Cerise burst into tears as she was carted off.

"I guess that just leaves you and me, Agreste." Marinette stated.

Adrien began to feel uncomfortable.

"I do hope you do better than they did." She spoke, "For your Father's sake."

"Huh?" Adrien asked, confused.

"Damian Wayne isn't one to back down, not even to his father. He can make his father bow down to him. You have no idea how......attractive that is to a woman, Adrien." Mari smiled, "A man with a spine."

The model gulped, watching Marinette lick her lips.

"You should grow a spine." she declared, "Maybe then your father won't force you to model for him. I' sure that's why Kagami chose Felix over you. Your cousin has a spine. It looks good on him. Maybe, that's why Kagami didn't take my advice on how to get back with you after the break up."

Adrien only looked at her in shocked.

"Alya told me you broke up and I went to see her." Marinette continued, "I tried to help, but she didn't want to. She said it was better that way and well, Felix and you did look alike as teens. The same face with a spine; kind of hard to resist. They're so happy and their twins are adorable."

"Adrien Agreste, Mr. Wayne will see you now." the voice spoke over the intercom.

The model looked over at the designer. She waved at him, but said nothing. Adrien stood up and stood tall.

Adrien walked into Damian's office. It was intimidating; Marinette was right. He was scarier than his father.

"Why should I hire you, Adrien Agreste?" Damian questioned.

"I hate modeling. I prefer computers and science. I want to break free of Gabriel." Adiren admitted, "You don't have to worry about me telling him anything because I never learned anything about fashion. I couldn't even tell you the names of two different shades of fabric. If anyting, you should hire Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette has always been an amazing designer. She was recognized by Father and Style Queen when she was only thirteen. She's the one who would know everything about fashion."

Damian hid his smirk behind his hand and looked down at the papers about Adrien again.

'What a miracle worker you are, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Agreste grew a spine.'

"We may have an internship available in our science department." Damian spoke, "Do you still live with your father?"

"Yes." Adrien spoke.

"We have a company home we prefer our interns reside in." Damian continued.

He noticed Adrien seemed relieved about that.

"The internship isn't a guarantee." The Wayne heir continued, "We need to see you commitment and dedication first hand. If you can't keep up, we'll put you in a different department. If you keep failing to meet our expectations, you'll have no choice but to keep modeling for your father."

"Tell him we'll work with him for one year, as a test." Damian continued, "You have one year to get your affairs in order. You'll need to move in one month from now and if not, consider the contract cancelled. I will inform them you are expected."

"Thank you." Adrien smiled.

Damian waved him off and Adrine walked out of the office, happy.

Marinette stood up when her name was called. As she walked towards the office, she saw Adrien smiling at a paper. She entered the office and closed the door.

"Please sit Miss Dupain-Cheng." Damian ordered.

Marinette immediately took a seat in front of him.

"Why should I hire you?" He questioned.

Mari shrugged, "You don't really have to."

"Oh?" Damian pushed.

"I'm only here for a part time job." the designer answered, "You know, helping out on the floor, coffee grabber, secretary gig. That sort of thing."

"Excuse me?" he asked, shocked, " Aren't you a fashion designer."

"With my own clients and I can pay for my own things." She smiled.

"Then why are you here?" Damian questioned.

Marinette sat back further in the chair and got comfortable, "Play money. I spend my own on my deisgns, fabrics, equipment, rent. Why not have a little extra to treat myself to a night out or a night in, for once?"

That was not the answer he had been expecting.

Damian laughed, "What if I decide to keep you?"

"Keep me as in?" Marinette pushed.

"I decide I want to become one of your clients." he offered.

"Are you offering?" the designer asked, "I've seen some of those suits you wear to galas and it doesn't bring you out to your full potential."

"And that would be?" he asked.

"You're outshined by your father, your older brothers, and the company." She spoke, "You can stand out, but maybe you want to fade into the back, less people to grope you."

Damian chuckled and stood up from his seat. He made his way around the desk and rested on it.

"What would you dress me in, right now?" Damian questioned.

"Depends." Marinette smiled, "Do you always wear a suit to work or are you interested in a change?"

"Tell me about this hypothetical change." He demanded.

"Ever heard of quick change wear?" She asked.

"No." he replied.

"It mainly takes woman into factor. Clothes that can go from working at the office to going out on a date or partying." Mari answered, "Just a few adjustments and possibly a new shade of makeup and usually people tend to think they took all day to get ready."

Damian took what she said into account, "And for men?"

"Most don't really have the option." Marinette shrugged, "Shame, but on you.....your figure. Well, there's nothing sluttier than a man wearing a sleeveless turtleneck."

The Wayne heir couldn't help but think of his old League of Assassin's outfits.

"No one at work would know if you have a blazer on and buttoned." She continued, "It is your office so you can always install a closet here and keep an extra pair of clothes. Jeans, if you prefer. Who is to say that this whole time, you weren't wearing sweatpants and just dressed from the waist up."

He chuckled ather way of thinking.

'Effective, but true not the less. I could kick out anyone who entered my office, should I choose to dress comfortably, and there was a closet hidden behind the cabinets.'

"Another thing most people tend to do is incorporate their culture into their clothing, as well." Marinette spoke, "Personally, I use apple blossoms in most of my designs for myself."

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, you are not what I was expecting." Damian declared, "I like to expect everything."

Mari smiled, "I've been known to be...unpredictable."

"You want to work part time in the fashion section." The Wayne heir stated, "Even if it's just grabbing coffee or lunch for others."

"Correct." she answered.

"Fine." Damian spoke, "You can work here, part time, at least three days a week. I f you have a big comission, I want to know about it. You can keep the details to yourself, but I want a time frame."

Marinette nodded, happily.

"I also want you to make me something to relax in the office that could pass for office wear." he suggested, "I'll pay for fabric of course. I can send you the details of my heritage via email, later."

Marinette stood up, "I'll start on that and bring it by Friday."

Damian grabbed her hand and kissed it, "I'll see you Monday morning, at 9AM, for work. We can go over your schedule then."

Marinette felt her face flush as his lips connected with her hand. His gaze was piercing.

"Yes, Mr. Wayne." She answered, flustered.

Damian waved his hand, dismissing her, but he still followed her to the door.

"You know, Miss Dupain-Cheng." He whispered, pressing himself to her back, "They may not be able to see it, but I see what lurks in the shadows. I can see what you hide there. I can wait a bit longer for the side of you that wants to come out and play."

"Is that so?" Marinette whispered back.

"I'll enjoy getting to know you, in the future." Damian spoke, before opening the door.

Marinette took a breath before she walked out the door.

"Marinette, did you get the job?" Adrien asked.

"Yes." she answered.

The model sighed in relief, "I told him you were good. I told him about Father and Audrey."

"Did you think I wouldn't be able to get it on my own?" Mari questioned.

"That's not what I meant!" Adrien cried, surprised at the question.

"Then, don't belittle me and my work." Marinette declared, "He already knew who I was. The Wayne keep a check on everyone and everything. Did you seriously not expect him to know about our families? He was probably listening to us in the waiting room."

Adrien gulped in response.

"Besides, I wasn't apart of whatever you three were fighting over." Marinette smiled, walking away.

'What did she mean by that?'

Adrien turned to see Damian Wayne leaning against the door, wearing a smirk on his face. Damian took notice of the model and hardened his gaze. Adrien gulped as Damian stood tall and closed his door again.

'What was he staring at?'

Adrien turned his head back down the corridor and saw Marinette speaking to the receptionist.

'He was after Marinette the whole time!'

'He already knew who I was.'

'He was probably listening to us in the waiting room.'

'Besides, I wasn't apart of whatever you three were fighting over.'

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[ggomos-maribat]

5 | in which Marinette Dupain-Cheng is behind schedule

Part 5 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist

Marinette's schedule had become a mess.

She went to the grocery store to do some late night shopping, but when she got to the fresh produce section, the place had fallen victim to a robbery. So there she was, cart positioned in front of her, leaning against the crates after the customers were all told to get down. She tapped on her knees restlessly—Gotham's vigilantes hadn't arrived yet.

If the robber is intercepted in forty minutes, I'll have fifteen minutes to finish shopping and fifteen more to fall in line and pay. Her face twisted into a frown. That's too much time off from work and sleep.

Marinette yawned and peeked through the aisles where the goons were yelling at the poor cashiers. Does it count as work time if I help the vigilante side of my boss? She wondered tiredly. She'd promised not to get too involved when such things happened (she had a cover to keep after all), but the interruption had become an annoyance.

Fine, if they're not here yet after ten minutes, I'm kicking those asses myself, she decided. She opted to scan her surroundings instead to save some time looking for items.

Finally, the sound of grappling guns whizzed in the air, followed by capes swishing. The Bats wasted no time introducing their fists to the criminals. Marinette rolled her eyes. Seriously, how'd they get the idea to rob a grocery store? It's too big of a space for a small group of robbers—anyone can run out and get some help—ooh, wait, is that half-priced lettuce?

Unfortunately for her, the vigilantes seemed to be taking a longer time rounding up all the robbers. She really really wanted to get the lettuce and go back to her apartment. A few more minutes passed and she made up her mind to transfer her items to a basket and crawl through the floor to continue shopping. If I can get to the self-checkout line, maybe I can still follow my schedule, thought Marinette.

She made her way between shelves, grabbing what she needed while laying low without a care in the world about the grunts and punches and kicks she was hearing. She got her precious lettuce, moved on to the frozen section for a while, and then back to the main aisles to fetch the seasonings she needed. Whenever she got a glimpse of Batman, she ducked out of he way, knowing that he'll fuss over her the next day if he found out that she was in the middle of the robbery.

Alas, she forgot to also pay attention to the other Bats. While she was on her knees, ground pepper in one hand, she looked up to see Robin who was staring at her in shock.

She stared back with a straight face.

"What are you doing? " Robin finally spoke.

"Shopping," she said, putting the pepper shaker in her basket.

"What—how—why now? "

Marinette settled for no more than one word. "Capitalism."

The boy cleared his throat, seemingly still puzzled by her actions. "Have you seen other robbers holding customers hostage around here?"

She distractedly pointed to the next aisle over and he took off.

***

Marinette thought she got the stabby Robin off her back, but he came up to her while she was in self-checkout after the robbers were all rounded and tied up.

"What are you doing?" The vigilante asked. "We need your statement first before you leave, miss."

When Marinette looked up, she saw a number of other patrons continuing their business . . . plus Batman speaking with the commissioner. Seriously, he couldn't have asked anyone else?

"What you did was dangerous. You could've been seen by them," Robin scolded.

"I was in a hurry. There was half priced lettuce." Marinette began to shove all the goods into multiple bags as fast as she could.

"You could've waited—"

"No, I couldn't." With a nod, Marinette took all the heavy bags into her arms and ran out of the store as fast as she could.

***

The company didn't require her to work late at night, obviously, but it became a habit for Marinette just like when she sketched before bed. It helped her set things in order for the next day and go over the details she needed to prepare. WE was by no means the perfect corporation and Bruce wasn't the perfect boss, but Marinette was content with her job, especially since it paid well.

She tucked her legs up her chair, reading the files under the yellow light. Yes, WE had its own faults—there were still supervisors from the Marketing Department who'd send interns on coffee runs instead of giving them actual work, and a few execs seemed keen on pocketing money for themselves. Though if she could pick out those issues one by one and bring them up to Bruce, it would be a good change in the workplace.

Meanwhile, as the girl focused on her work, a few vigilantes hung out outside of her window.

"Tt. Father, are you overworking Marinette?"

"What?"

"I found her in the store shopping while the robbers were still active." Robin crossed his arms. "When I asked she only said 'capitalism'."

". . . What?"

***

One office day, Tim decided to stretch and take a walk outside his office for a break. He wandered into the copy room, where he saw Marinette waiting by the printer. He was a little sleepy by that time, but managed to greet her with a quick 'hello' which she reciprocated, followed by: "Do you need anything, Mr. Drake?"

He yawned. "No thanks."

He'd say he needed coffee but he knew Bruce banned him from consuming any more for the week.

After the copy room, he then went to the break room where he found Marinette again. This time, she handed him a cup of what looked like decaf, freshly prepared. "Uh." He squinted at her. "Weren't you just . . ."

"Hmm?"

"You were just . . ." He pointed towards the direction he came from. "Nevermind."

Maybe he was starting to hallucinate.

Not wanting to decline the drink, he took a seat and began taking small sips. He idly watched Marinette heat up pastries for snacks, probably for Bruce. A few minutes ticked by and he excused himself to go to the toilet.

. . . Where he saw Marinette coming out of the ladies' room.

"Weren't—" he sputtered. "You—you were just in the break room! I left you there!"

Marinette's smile appeared forced, but concerned. "No, I wasn't . . .?"

"You were!"

". . . Perhaps you should get some sleep, Mr. Drake," Marinette advised.

"No, I swear! You were there!"

She gave yet another worried smile and went off towards the elevator. Tim shook his head as he went to the bathroom. Had he lost his mind after all? He finished his business quickly and hurried back to his office to gather his thoughts.

But as he passed by Bruce's office he caught someone going out the door.

Someone by the name of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

"Didn't you go downstairs?!" He exclaimed, wide-eyed. This particular Marinette seemed surprised by his outburst.

"Sorry?"

"You went to the elevator!"

"No, I was here." She raised an eyebrow. "In Mr. Wayne's office."

He grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her. " What are you?!"

He was sure he saw her disappear through the sliding doors. He was certain it was her who was in the break room, and outside the bathroom, and inside the copy room. He didn't stop mumbling nonsense until a curse-spouting, stressed Tamara Fox dragged him away from the confused Marinette.

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What the poor Tim Drake didn't know unfortunately, was that Marinette strived to meet deadlines every day. And when schedules were tight, she simply couldn't do all her tasks by herself.

So, occasionally, the assistant would pull off a little Hermione Granger and employ the help of a certain time-traveling Miraculous to be in several places at once.

[msweebyness]

Akuma AU- The Villain Class

Here it issss! The formal introduction to my new villainous AU, where all the kids are their akuma selves!

Here’s the rundown: Paris is split into two sides, dark and light. The dark side regularly terrorizes the light, though a resistance tries to fight them. All people on the dark side are akumas, so all the kids’ families are. The deal is: you don’t get a supervillain name until you prove yourself and demonstrate your power to do harm and cause chaos, and most akumas are just content to be evil but otherwise normal people. The akuma class are like the ‘gifted’ class of Dark Paris, everybody knows these guys. I’ll also be expanding on some of their powers! Also, they wouldn’t be their ugly and fashion-backward canon akuma looks. I REALLY like the akuma redesigns for the Scarlet Lady AU by Zoe-oneesama, so imagine them in something like that! Alright, let’s get into it! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

Miss Fortune (aka Marinette Dupain-Cheng): Born with the power to inflict terrible luck and pain on whoever she pleases by way of her hexes and anti-charms, Marinette is a girl who has more than a couple screws loose. She adores seeing people get hurt and actively goes out of her way to make things go wrong in every way possible. Serving as the class’ unofficial leader, Marinette often takes the helm when they go out to terrorize Paris. As dark as her heart is, Marinette adores her partners and family and would do anything to keep her friends safe.

Chat Blanc (aka Adrien Agreste): Wielding the power to destroy anything he pleases with a flick of his wrist, Adrien is not someone you want to cross for any reason. Just like 1/3 of his partners, Marinette, he lives for seeing chaos and pain, especially when he can make it as big a show as possible. He’s known to taunt and mock the people he terrorizes with cruel jokes just to add a little further humiliation. Despite being evil, he’s normally a jovial guy…unless you make the mistake of making him angry. Let’s just say it’s a bad idea to bring up his father.

Lady WiFi (aka Alya Cesaire): Wielding the power to control the world around her as if it were a livestream, Alya boasts a massive amount of power over the digital world and as such, rules the media of Paris with an iron fist! Serving as Marinette’s right hand woman, Alya makes sure her bestie’s orders are carried out without question and broadcasts their victories to spread fear in the light side of Paris. It’s useless to try and hide anything from her, Alya has surveillance in every corner of Paris and uses this to the advantage of herself and her class. She also adores her boyfriend Nino, and is quite protective of her sisters.

Bubbler (aka Nino Lahiffe): While Nino’s powers, creating bubbles that serve various functions, may not seem threatening at first glance, this villainous DJ is not one to be messed with. He’s a master of making people feel at ease before he strikes and causes as much chaos as possible, alongside his friends and girlfriend. Nino is fond of throwing parties and knows how to give his fellow villains a good time, but heaven help you if you’re a good citizen who wanders in. Like his bro Adrien, he’s a chill guy most of the time, until something sets him off and he goes full villain.

Queen Wasp (aka Chloe Bourgeois): Hosting quite possibly the biggest ego of any of the fledgling villains, Chloe wields the power to make anyone stung by her beloved wasps obey her every command, often to do degrading tasks. Almost seeing fitted to her powers, Chloe has a rather imperious attitude and expects people to do what she tells them to when she tells them to do it, and can be more than a little arrogant. However, she also has a soft spot for her best friend Sabrina and sister Zoe, and will eviscerate anyone who messes with them. If you value your freedom, don’t cross this queen.

Vanisher (aka Sabrina Raincomprix): Given the power of fading into the background like no one else can, Sabrina’s ability to become invisible and/or intangible gives her a major edge in the battles against the heroic citizens. Sabrina is a vindictive young woman who loves to use her powers to find people’s secrets and then exploit them to her own benefit. She’s also fond of pulling pranks and watching her best friend Chloe order her minions around, which she finds endlessly amusing. Always make sure to check your surroundings around this one!

Gamer (aka Max Kante): Max’s formidable powers allow him to bring video games into the real world, corrupting reality around him into whatever he would like it to be. Considering himself to be intellectually superior to the common rabble of Paris, Max enjoys using his technology to drive people to the brink of madness, knowing they don’t have the capacity to fight back. His arrogance in his intelligence can sometimes make him come off as a know-it-all to his friends, but he’s loyal anyway. His ingenuity makes him a valuable asset to the class.

Timebreaker (aka Alix Kubdel): Alix’s powers allow her to steal time from the people around her in order to accelerate her own speed, and if she gathers enough, she can reverse the flow of time. A reckless lover of chaos if ever there was one, Alix loves to speed around causing as much confusion, damage and panic as possible. She has a special love for getting under people’s skin and causing them to lash out, only to knock them flat on their backs. While mischievous, she’s a loyal friend who will take a hit for someone she cares about. Keep clear of this speed demon’s path.

Dark Cupid (aka Le Chien Kim): Kim’s power over the heart cannot be denied, though it’s not the power to spread love. Whoever gets hit by his arrows is overcome by hatred and anger. A bruiser at heart, Kim loves to stir up arguments and get fists flying whenever he can, almost as much as he loves causing drama in the relationships of others, replacing happiness with animosity. Despite this, he cares deeply for his friends and especially his girlfriend, Ondine, with whom he shares a passionate love that they love to flaunt to others. You better run fast, because he always shoots true.

Princess Fragrance (aka Rose Lavillant): Rose’s powerful and toxic perfume can do a myriad of wicked things, but it’s most prominent ability is to turn anyone who breathes it in into a dutiful servant of the princess. Though she’s not above a good poisoning every now and again. Rose doesn’t see most people as ‘people’ so much as drones meant to serve her and her friends’ purposes. After all, are some not made more powerful than others? It’s towards only her friends and her beloved Juleka, who she treats like a queen, that she shows a more loving side. All bow to the princess!

Reflekta (aka Juleka Couffaine): Juleka’s wicked transformation powers are a thing to be feared should you ever cross her in any way, she can reflect her thoughts to turn you into whatever she pleases! A malevolent trickster at heart, she loves to put people in the most inconvenient and dangerous situations she can when she transforms them. She also has a habit of transforming into something frightening to scare people, an activity often engaged in when hanging out with Mylene. Despite her pranking nature, she’s fiercely protective of those she cares about, especially her girlfriend Rose and brother Luka. Don’t trust the image you see in the mirror!

Horrificator (aka Mylene Haprele): One of the most terrifying villains in the whole menagerie, Mylene possesses the two-fold ability of not only finding your worst fear and producing it, but growing in strength and power from the fear she garners from you! She takes great delight in the mental anguish she can cause her victims and relishes nothing more than the sound of screams, and loves to give the occasional spook to her friends and her beloved boyfriend as well. Surprisingly, she also has a strong motherly side and will often comfort them when needed. Make sure you check under your bed with this one around.

Stoneheart (aka Ivan Bruel): A villain whose strength cannot be overstated, Ivan’s massive frame and physical matter made of solid stone make him functionally indestructible, more so when you add the fact that any blow dealt to him only increases his already tremendous size and strength. With a quick temper and massive brawn to back it up, Ivan enjoys nothing more than some head bashing and property destruction when he goes out to terrorize Paris. Despite this, he’s very protective and gentle with those close to him, especially his girlfriend and his little sister. Think twice before trying to rile this guy up.

Evillustrator (aka Nathaniel Kurtzberg): Nathaniel’s powerful sketchpad allows him to bring whatever dastardly things he might wish to draw to life to attack his enemies or cause general mischief. Something of an unpredictable and unhinged creative type, Nathaniel is always conjuring up new weapons, beasts and means of torment on the fly, laughing maniacally as he uses them to terrorize good citizens alongside his villainous classmates. He especially loves drawing tributes to his boyfriend Marc, who he’s devoted to above all else. An artist can be a fickle thing!

Special Additions:

Syren (aka Ondine Rivas): Ondine’s tears pack more of a wallop than most girls, given that with them she can flood the city as well as control any source of water in her range. Vindictive and manipulative, Ondine loves to trick unsuspecting citizens into sinking into the watery depths with her charming voice and wiles, seeing them thrash and struggle to stay afloat. She can also be a bit unstable, her moods fluctuating unpredictably, though she is generally kind and supportive with her friends. She has a bit of a playful streak and especially loves teasing her beloved prince, Kim, and they are never shy with affection. Steer clear of the deep water, you never know what’s lurking!

Silencer (aka Luka Couffaine): Luka’s power to silence those he doesn’t like is menacing because it doesn’t just wear off when he leaves, he can permanently steal someone’s voice! He also has the power to manipulate sound as a whole. A reserved and stoic individual, Luka prefers to let his powers do the talking for him when he’s wreaking havoc across Paris, smiling serenely as he tears apart entire blocks with sonic blasts. He serves as a steadying presence for his partners, sister and classmates, reminding them to look before they leap and serving as a source of advice. The sound of danger is approaching quickly!

Riposte (aka Kagami Tsurugi): No blade on earth can rival the power of the ones Kagami summons, which can slice through anything without a problem. Which, combined with her icredible speed and agility, makes for a powerful enemy. Cold and cruel with no concern for anyone outside of her friend circle, Kagami relishes the feeling on causing her opponent a world of pain and subjecting them to the crushing humiliation of defeat. This also makes her a bit of a sore loser. Despite her icy demeanor, Kagami has a caring side with her friends and partners, and will protect them at any cost. She’s a cut above the rest!

Reverser (aka Marc Anciel): Marc’s powers are as confusing as they are terrifying, with the ability to turn people against their own natures, to become their polar opposite once his paper airplanes touch them. Unpredictable and chaotic, Marc loves nothing more than to turn Paris upside down and leave everyone in a maddened state of despair. He’s not even above using his powers to mess with his friends, though he does care for them. His greatest joys are spending time with his boyfriend Nathaniel and teaching his young brother Kiran (aka Sandboy) the ways of villainy. You never know what you’ll get with this guy!

Sole Crusher (aka Zoe Lee): Zoe’s shoes aren’t a pair you would ask to borrow if you have any sense. Anyone she crushes under her heel adds to her size and strength as she terrorizes Paris. Having more than a bit of a superiority complex, Zoe wants everyone to know how much better than them she and her friends are, and is willing to crush them underfoot for that to happen. Perhaps that’s why she gets along so well with her sister. She also might have feelings for a certain akuma in her class, though both have yet to admit it. Step out of the way or get stepped on.

Zombizou (aka Caline Bustier): The villain class’ nefarious teacher, with the power to hypnotize and zombify people with a kiss from her magic lip balm. She adores her students and enjoys teaching them to be the most vile villains they can possibly be. She’s able to turn anything into a lesson about doing evil, and especially loves taking them into the field for some hands-on experience. She’s also fiercely protective and if anyone messes with her kids, there’ll be hell to pay!

And there you have it, folks! The possible first set of Wicked Kiddies! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[artzychic27]

More Favoritism stuff, cuz… I fucking love this au. Also, the person who sent in the first ask, sent in another one where two gay punks get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous, so expect to see that soon

Now, let’s just throw around a few incorrect quotes

Marc: *About to go into battle as Mariquita* I know you're a little worried about me. Look, I'm not gonna lie to you. We've never gone into a fight like this, and I don't know what's gonna happen. But you don't have to worry. I will make it back. I love you, man.

*Kiran hugs Marc*

Lila: Aaw.

*Marc then turns around in shock to see Lila, who has heard his every word*

Lila: Are you talking to your baby brother?

Marc: No!… Shut up!

Lila: That's adorable!

—

Mariquita: And where have you been?

Bomb Shell: Nowhere?

Mariquita: How did you get so hurt?

Bomb Shell: Oh, that. Well, uh, we were...

Vulpix: Hit...

Viperion: By a...

CapriKid: Bus?

Queen Bee: *whispers to CapriKid* Hit by a bus?!

CapriKid: Well, what was I supposed to say, meteor, cow, flying building?!

—

Lila: *To the student body* Okay, yeah. I've got an apology. So, I have this friend who took pity on me as the new student this year. And I convinced him that it would be fun to mess up Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s life. So I pretended to be friends with Marinette, and then he would come to my house after and we would just laugh about all the dumb stuff Marinette said. And we gave these candy bar things that would make her break out, and then we turned her best friends against her because, oh yeah! She has her crush’s entire schedule in her room, which is creepy. And then... Oh yeah, Marc- you know my friend Marc? The mastermind got Adrien, Marinette’s obsession, to see the light and separate himself from her. Oh, God, and we gave her foot cream instead of face wash! God! I am so sorry Marinette. Really, I don't know why I did this. I guess it's probably because I've got a big crush on a guy who’s not even into you! Suck on that! AY-YI-YI-YI-YI-YI!

—

Marinette: Can I just say that we don't have a clique problem at this school? And some of us shouldn't have to take this workshop because some of us are just victims in this situation.

Mme. Mendeleiev: … Raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by Marinette Dupain-Cheng? *she watches all students and teachers raise hands*

—

Marc: Marinette Dupain-Cheng... How do I begin to explain Marinette Dupain-Cheng?

Jean: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a blackmailer.

Denise: I hear she’s got dirt on all of her classmates and they don’t know it.

Lacey: I hear she’s stalking Adrien now.

Ismael: Her room is lined with photos of him.

Simon: One time, I caught her kissing a wax statue of him at the museum.

Mireille: And she threatened me not to say anything.

Cosette: One time she punched me in the face... So I kicked her ass. It was awesome.

—

Marinette: I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me... but I can't help it that I'm popular.

—

Marinette: Why were you talking to Marc Anciel?

Nathaniel: Well, I mean-

Marinette: He’s so pathetic. Let me tell you something about Marc Anciel. We super close back in middle school. I know, right? It's so embarrassing. I don't even... Whatever. So then in eighth grade, I started going out with my first boyfriend Gerard who was totally gorgeous and obsessed with me, and Marc was like, weirdly jealous. Like, if I would blow him off to hang out with Gerard, he’s be like, "When can we hang out?" And I'd be like, "Why are you so obsessed with us?" So then, for my birthday party, which I invited Gerard to, I was like, "Marc, I can't invite you, because I think you're in love with Gerard." I mean I couldn't have that at my party. There would be so much drama. I mean, right? Of course, everyone caught on, and saw him only as a homewrecker, because, duh, he is. And then he dropped out of school because no one would talk to him after, and he came back in the fall for lycee, his hair was messed up and he was totally weird, and now I guess he's on crack.

—

Adrien: Marinette seems... sweet!

Marc: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is not sweet! She's a scum-sucking demon queen, she ruined my life!

—

Okay, now headcanons!

Marc occasionally gets revenge on Marinette by cutting holes into her jeans, leggings, and shorts

After Marinette tarnished Lila’s reputation by claiming she got Akumatized because she was jealous of her liking Adrien, Marc seized the opportunity to adopt her

Marc: Hey, when you’re done crying over the school’s cult leader shunning you, I wanna restyle your hair.

Lila: … Why are you talking to me? Aren’t you worried about her highness sending them after you?

Marc: Honey, we’ve been bitter enemies the minute she was born. She can do or say whatever the hell she wants. Now, let me do your hair. I’m not a fan of the three ponytails.

Lila: Fine, go ahead. *Marc starts undoing her ponytails* … You do know you’re in the girls bathroom, right?

Marc: Screw gender, you needed help.

They spend their days avoiding Marinette and her classmates at all costs, reading under the stairs on in the basement, and doing each others nails

Lila has considered switching classes, but she doesn’t want to give Marinette the satisfaction

Marc’s closed off from his classmates in this au. He doesn’t know if he can trust them or not, and they don’t talk to him

Whenever they try to make conversation, he gives one worded answers and then walks away

Marinette has blackmail on all of her classmates, and they’re none the wiser. One person thinks everyone else loves her and they go along with it because they don’t want to be shunned and harassed like the outcasts by the rest of the school

It’s mob mentality. She popular and supposedly nice, so people go along with everything she says, and becuase she has connections with celebrities

The moment Nathaniel behind hanging out with Marc and Lila after Marc refused to make an Adrinette comic with him, Marinette made sure to let everyone know about his anger issues, causing him to be avoided by almost half the student body while the rest just try to provoke him

Well, that all ends when Marc defends him

Marc: Oh, Louis. Do I need to tell a certain someone I caught you making out with another certain someone in the school basement?

Louis: Y-you wouldn’t!

Marc: … Try me, bitch. *Louis runs away* That’s what I thought.

Nathaniel: … Thanks-

Marc: Don’t talk to me. *Leaves*

For that Carrie au, Marc’s not bullied as badly as 80s Carrie (because it’s not the 80s where teenagers had knives and could shiv you at any moment and slaughtered pigs), but it’s common to find graffiti on his locker and for some people to steal his belongings

Marc discovers his telekinesis when he inadvertently causes a cup of water to spill all over Marinette after she threw a crumpled up napkin at him

He gets his small dose of payback by tripping a few of his tormentors from other classes, making phones short circuit, and tying some shoelaces together

But enough about that, let’s talk about Malice- Marc’s akuma form in the Favoritism au, and the catty name everyone likes to call him at school

Grimm Reaper going through a punk phase, still has a scythe, can teleport similarly to Oni-Chan, and when people are slashed by his scythe, the worst parts of themselves are revealed

Imagine just these glowing hazes emerging from you, taking your form, and blurting out every awful thing you’ve ever done

Malice’s overall look is a hooded asymmetrical black jacket with a chain belt, torn black pants, and fingerless black gloves. The hood covers his face, showing only his narrowed glowing green eyes and wide smile. (That’s all most people ever see Marc as, just this malevolent person who enjoys the misery of others. But when you pull the hood down, there are cracks on his face, his eyes are dull with black streaks running down like tears, and the smile is gone)

[maribatz-2k]

Day 10: Adoption of The Rich

Note:

So I walked away and my son pushed publish. XD

READ ON! :)

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

"That's it! Today's the day! I'm adopting Chloe!" Marinette says drawing up adoption papers.

"So I get a new sister?" Adrian asks sitting next to her in class. "Wait, she's already technically my sister."

"Welp, she needs to know proper love, Chaton." Mari says finishing up and smiles as she leaves two blank spots for signatures. After months of convincing Chloe that she needed the right environment and people, she had become close to Mari and Adrian more. They met up in the library at one of the small tables and talked over the document with Max monitoring. Yes it's not a legal thing, but hey, not the point here! Chloe agreed and signed her name first then Mari making it now "official."

A year later, now seniors, Mari has succeeded in adopting Adrian, Chloé, Kagami, and Zoé. She'd have adopted Luka, but he was always a part of her family so no adoption paperwork needed. They decided to do a graduation trip kagami agreed to join while Luka said he would be joining his father on tour across the United States. Lots of debate on locations and where they would stay for the month. Yes, you heard right, a month. Finally settling down to closing eyes and pull strings to pick the location, luck had decided on Gotham.

The four walked across the stage in their first sets of cap and gowns, accepting their diplomas they earned with sweat and blood and meet up with Marinette's parents, Kagami, and Luka. The group huddled together in a giant group hug filled with congratulations. The night before their flight, everyone crashes at the Dupain-Cheng's house, well everyone but Luka. He had to leave after graduation day. Despite having to get up early for a flight, Mari stayed up later than everyone else, too excited to sleep. And boy did she regret that decision on the flight there.

Arrival at in Gotham, Adrien was carrying Mari on his back as Chloé led everyone to a paid limo. Marinette had fallen asleep and refused to wake up long enough to even get off the plane. Snugged into the limo, they rode toward the richest hotel Chloé and Kagami picked out against Mari's desire.

Marinette woke up in a strange bed and it was dark outside. With an annoyed stretch, she slides out of the bed and looks around finding a balcony outside her window and three other doors. She went to the first door finding it connected to a big open living room. Quietly closing it she tries the second door opening up to a beautiful grand bathroom. Blinking, she sees her hair is a jumbled mess she quickly rips her hair out if the pig tails and brush her fingers through the knitted strands. She didn't bother with the third door figuring it was the closet then goes out onto the balcony and look around.

Gotham strangely looked beautiful at night. Sure you got the big lights scanning the sky, and the loud noises lights everywhere that you can't see the stars. But watching the people and the buildings just glitter was starry enough for Mari. She leans against the rail catching sight of shadows jumping and swinging from roof top to roof top. Something tells her that its the vigilantes of Gotham probably on patrol. She notices two of them stopping at the building across from her what seems to be arguing? Marinette just couldn't hear what was being said, but there was lots of movement and someone just went over the edge falling.

"Oh my god!" Marinette yells covering her mouth not catching her scream in time. The fallen person shot his grappling gun, up at the building across from her and slam against the wall. He looks over at her then zips up to the roof and disappear after the second person. Mari quickly ran back into her room, closing the double doors, and flop on her bed until later that morning.

Three blondes and two blunettes enter Gotham Mall. There's a joke here right? Well try this one. Chloe insists on going shopping for their first official day in Gotham. Kagami linked her arm around Mari's as they walked behind the triplets going from store to store. They finally took a break in the food court circling one of the center tables with each blunette between them. Chloe was complaining about how tired she is but still wants to shop. Zoe was leaned over her drink, stirring the ice around watching Mari draw. Adrien conversed with Kagami over who knows what.

"Let's play again." Adrien clears his throat. Mari looks up and Chloe gleams.

"I know just the one." Chloe says and Mari groans.

"No..."

"Yes."

"What game?" Zoe asks. Mari puts away her sketch book and lays her face into the table.

"Rich man, poor man." Chloe says. Kagami chuckles.

"The card game?" Zoe asks again reach over and pets Mari's hair.

"No. Chloe is talking about us people judging on who's rich and poor. Winner is the one with more points or if you can identify the big name." Mari mumbles then sits up pressing her head into Zoe relaxing. Zoe gives an "oh" expression. So the game begins. They started in the food court and across the whole mall. Adrien kept score on his phone as they walked; Chloe scored ten for poor one rich, Zoe got five poor zero rich, and Mari didn't participate at least not yet. She was waiting for the big game. Now Chloe knows all the big names, so Mari has to be smart about her choices. They have gone through almost all the clothes stores only to come up toward the bookstore. As the game commence, Mari moves into the bookstore with Zoe and Adrien while Kagami and Chloe sat on the bench talking.

Mari slips into the classic romance section until she found one of interests. Of course it's on the freaking top shelf, so she tried to reach on her toes but then decided to climb. A chuckle was heard beside her taking her attention from the climb to falling off the shelf with a yelp, landing in someone else's muscled arms.

"Whoa there princess." The man said.

"Mari!" Adrien and Zoe run over. Soon Chloe and Kagami walk behind them and face palms.

"Of course. Leave it to Mari to not only fall but fall into a big rich." Chloe says as Kagami laughs behind her hand. Marinette blushes covering her face forgetting she was in someone's arms.

"Then Mari wins. Again." Adrien says with a chuckle. The man and his companions look confused. He sets her down finding her smaller in height than he thought.

Mari, meet the Wayne kids. Kids, meet your new mom in a few days." Chloe says then drags Marinette and her crew out to their shopping bags then leave.

Sure enough, a week later adoption papers were tapped on her balcony doors for all the ROBINS to sign.

@maribatserver

[intercoursefluids]

TBTSB Chapter 4 (Bruce's POV)

To say Bruce was shocked was an understatement, surely the passing of such a high-profiled individual would have reached him.

A loud groan comes from behind the group before a blonde boy pushes his way to the front and glares at Ms. Dupain-Cheng.

“Stop telling people I’m dead! I already said I was sorry, what more do you want from me, Mari?”

The boy- presumably Mr. Agreste shakes his hand with a smile.

“Sorry about that. Marinette is mad at me right now and decided to pretend I was dead, she got the rest of the group in on it but I’ll get them to break eventually. I’m Adrien, Adrien Agreste.”

Bruce is about to answer when Ms. Bourgeois speaks up.

“It's a terrible thing, to die so young. He had so many big dreams too.”

The other girl with blue hair- Ms. Tsurugi? Nods along.

“He wanted to be a physics teacher. He would have been good at it too. It's so unfortunate.”

Mr. Agreste groaned again before grabbing Ms. Dupain-Cheng by her shoulders and shaking her back and forth in a way that closely resembled his eldest son Dick.

“Quit acting like I’m dead! I can assure you I am still very much alive!”

Marinette looked him dead in the eyes for the first time since she decided to ignore her best friend, waiting until he was clearly paying attention to speak.

“You may still be alive but you are dead to me.”

Her three other friends broke down laughing as Mr. Agreste raised a hand to his chest to clasp dramatically at his heart.

“I said I was sorry, Princess! Please speak to me! I’ll do whatever you want!”

Ms. Dupain-Cheng had already started walking away from the group at this point. Looking over her shoulder at the dramatic blonde she smiles sweetly.

“Then perish.”

She turned back around walking away with Mr. Agreste trailing after her pleading to forgive him.

“If I may ask, why is Ms. Dupain-Cheng angry with him?”

Mr. Couffaine turned to the businessman with a fond smile on his face.

“Marinette hasn’t met her soulmate yet, she can’t see green and it drives her insane. A little over an hour ago Chloe was talking about how we should all go on a trip after this, you know, just take a break from everything. Adrien decided to recommend a forest knowing it would make her mad. She’s already forgiven him. If she hadn’t we wouldn’t be messing with him like this, but it's still funny.”

Ms. Tsurugi and Bourgeois quietly gossip to each other watching as their friends walk away and commenting on the people around them.

They are a rather lively bunch and he can’t help but think how they would get along with his children.

A surprised gasp breaks him from his thought and he turns just in time to see his youngest son Damian and Ms. Dupain-Cheng bump into each other.

And knowing his son's blunt attitude and displeasure in being touched by anyone who doesn’t have his explicit permission he can’t help but prepare for the worst.

Come Find Me In The Maribat Discord!<3

[alien-slushie]

Hi! If it's okay, can you write a maribat Damian X Marinette with class salt, Alya salt, Adrien salt, Lila salt and Bustier salt based on this prompt please? 🙂 (I send you a link 'cause the prompt is a bit long sorry! ^^')

https://at.tumblr.com/sayuricorner/maribat-salt-prompt-adopted-sisterenigma-au/xcl9fupxbi9s

Disclaimer: I don't hate any MLB characters, salt drama is just funny, and I want to get my writing enthusiasm back. Don't like, don't read. And any hate comments that are not constructive criticism will be laughed at and then ignored so don't waste your own time.

Thank you for the prompt, this was a lot to read and comprehend, and I wanted to include as much as I could from what was provided in the prompt, but this turned out pretty messy and bad, so I am so sorry if this isn't how you imagined. Anyway, let's get into this.

Contains: Batman crossover, (Mild)Class, (Mild)Adrian, Lila, and Bustier Salt, cannon typical violence, brief mention of child abandonment, Daminette, Le Coin de Sayuri's OC as a Main Character(as the prompt asks), Not beta read, (kinda)implied past Batman x Riddler.

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

Title: The Weird Life fo Jade Dupain-Cheng

Jade Dupain-Cheng, the older daughter of Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng. In complete honesty she was adopted, though for your own safety you shouldn't bring it up as a slight towards her. Jade had come to terms with her birth, how she was found, by chance, in a Gotham dumpster as a baby by her grandma Gina and was adopted by her parents, so her adoption being brought up never really bothered her. Her parents loved her, her sister loved her, her extended family loved her, and that was enough for her. But the Dupain-Cheng family was tight knit, and proud and did not take shots fired at their family lightly, and while they didn't try to hide the adoption or anything so absurd, Jade was as much their blood and Marinette was. But no matter what the Gotham snark seemed to be ingrained into her blood.

Oh Jade was every bit as golden hearted as her sister, but she had every shred of snark and scrappy intelligence that was needed to survive the streets of Gotham. She was smart, and wordsy, she could twist and tangle anything anyone said to make them embarrass themselves. Though, she was too well raised to use it against anyone that didn't deserve it(ie, anyone who slighted herself, her sister, or her family). And though she was only born four months before Marinette(to the day, hilariously enough, born March 9th), she took her role as Marinette's big sister very seriously.

They were in separate classes, the school feeling that pairing siblings together encouraged in fighting, cheating, and/or co-dependance. It did little to curb Jade's involvement with her sister's class however. She loved her sister, truly she did, but she was a naturally hard worker on the best of days and a supreme over achiever on the worse, she just didn't know how or when to stop herself, As a result Jade had a rather bland feeling towards Marinette's class. She didn't necessarily like them, but she also didn't hate them. She did wish they showed Marinette proper appreciation from time to time but while rude, they weren't doing it from a place of malice. There was the issue with her crush on Adrian that Jade had to deal with, what with Marinette's female classmates fanning the flames into borderline obsession, but Marinette was always one to be talked down, and the harsh tongue lashing the girls got after the Beaver Incident(do NOT ask) but a swift end to that mess. And do not get her started on the Ladybug situation. Jade hated Hawkmoth /before/ she knew Ladybug was her sister, but afterwards she was determined to see him burn. Initially she was in shocked, as anyone would be, but looking back it had been pretty obvious, and after sitting in a borderline comatose state for three hours, Jade was extremely proud of her sister and for her sake, and maybe her own, never spoke a single word about knowing, not even a few weeks later when Ladybug appeared in her room.

After finding out Marinette was Ladybug everyone else sort of fell into place and she was able to connect who everyone else was, except for Chat Noir, as he had been chosen by someone else and not Marinette. Because of that, Jade was somewhat unsurprised when the spotted hero appeared at her window with a Miraculous. She knew that things were tense between Marinette and Alya, so while the fox being replaced wasn't a surprise to her, her being the replacement had been. And thus, Silver Fox was born.

And through it all she had only ever been akumatized once, after she found out about the idiot storm that had overtaken her sister's class. Marinette hadn't spoke a word to her about Lila. Oh she knew Marinette had been unfairly expelled, and while pissed she had let the matter go for Marinette's sake once the matter was cleared up, and then she was asked to go to the nurse's office to escort Marinette home. Marinette was quick to assure her that it was an accident, she had gotten into a fight with Alya and the girl had shoved her down in a moment of anger, but kept pushing and it all came out. The lies, the betrayal, the slights made towards Marinette by the people who were supposed to be her friends. Her anger and frustration had consumed her, and in her moment of weakness, she took the butterfly. Her time as an akuma had been short, she would never willingly hurt her sister, possessed by a butterfly or not, but it did happen. Using her akumafication as an excuse Jade pushed to be moved to Marinette's class, and while the teacher, Bustier especially, were hesitant, Sabine Dupain-Cheng made it happen. With her presence in class Marinette became outcast but no dared hurt or bad mouth her.

Not all was bad though, Chloe did seem to be making a turn for the better. While the would-be princess was by no means friends with them, she had sloppily apologized. She still obviously had a long way to go, but it was a start, no matter how minimal it was. Marinette's crush on Adrien also slowly dried up, and one night the girls spent carefully removing her collages off the walls before breaking into the ice cream tub.

And then the Cultural Exchange Program was announced. Jade was surprised on where they would be going. Gotham was /the/ most dangerous city in all of America, why would any teacher from anywhere agree for a class of 13-14 year olds to go there of all places, school necessity or not? According to Marinette, Ms. Bustier used it as an example and Lila had latched onto the idea, and Marinette had been out voted. Jade was even more surprised the parents agreed, Marinette and Jade were only permitted because Jade was curious about her birth city and their grandma Gina would be in the city to watch over them, even then they were given strict rules they had to follow, such as: not going out at night, no going anywhere without their safety keychains(equip with: bear mace, a mini taser, body alarm/gps, seatbelt cutter, whistle, foldable knife, and window breaker, both customized with little yarn dolls, curtesy of Marinette), and calling them every breakfast, lunch, and dinner, no matter the time difference. Though from a few whispers she gathered the other students didn't tell their parents where they were going, or outright lied because they knew they wouldn't be allowed to go.

Something told her the exchange was going to interesting.

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

The Cultural Exchange Program was to las three months, and for the first month everything was fine. There was a slight language barrier, Jade and Marinette was stuck having to deal with the class 24/7, and culture shock was real, but other than that things were generally going very smoothly, they were roomed together and other than a confusing couple of times they were ambushed by rogues, only to see Jade and turn tail for some reason(?), the Americans seemed nice enough. Damian Wayne had been a right pain in the butt, but Marinette fully body flipping him to the ground in Gym class seemed to turn his whole opinion around, for them at least, as he went from pain in the butt to rude but somewhat polite.

Yes Jade laughed when he awkwardly asked her on a date. Yes Jade laughed when Marinette agreed and he turned 50 shades of red all at once. And yes Jade tore Adrien Agreste apart when he got on Marinette's case for "agreeing to date Damien just to out Lila as a liar!", followed by another ripping to shreds of Lila when she claimed, "Marinette is a no good, boyfriend stealing has been that would amount to nothing." Neither Adrien or Lila were very popular with the class after that, seemingly coming to their senses a little too late.

But everything came crashing down when she and Marinette came face to face with the Riddler. It had been like looking into a funhouse mirror, she looked so much like him, but also so different. She could map out their similarities, even the inflections in their voices were similar! The Riddler fled and Marinette guided a shocked Jade back to their dorm.

The next morning Jade contacted Poison Ivy, a rogue who had taken a liking to Marinette, and together they were able to meet with the Riddler again. With Marinette's hand gripped tightly in her own she explained the circumstances of her birth and they got a blood test drafted. It took a few heart wrenching days, but they got the results back.

Positive.

There was only a 1% chance the Ribbler, Edward Nygma, was not her father.

When Jade called their parents that night, she told them everything and was reassured that if she wanted a relationship with her father that it was okay with them, and they just hoped she'd keep them updated. Jade cried wrapped in her siters arms while on call with her parents, and later set up another meeting.

Meeting her birth father again was awkward, especially when Batman dropped by to check over the situation. Jade was unsure of the relationship between the two, but it was somehow more awkward than her own relationship with the estranged Rogue. According to Robin, who dropped by with Batman and was chatting Marinette, suspiciously enough, there used to be some serious tension between the two, and while it was still tense it was now more just awkward. But as Jade sat back and took in everything that had happened in her life, no matter how weird or crazy, she actually quite enjoyed it.

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Perfect Paradise Ch.5

Take My Hand and We'll Make it I Swear

Summary: Children under the law.

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

"What're we going to do!?"

"We're not doing anything Marinette. I'm hiring the best lawyers in the world and Cataclysming this circus into oblivion."

"We can't let her have the kids!"

"...You think I don't know that? You think I don't know that?"

"Sorry... I'm just... Call if you need anything. Please."

"... I'll let you know... And Marinette?"

"Yeah?"

"She's not taking them. No matter what."

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

"So what you're telling me is that I'm fucked."

"M. Dupain-Cheng-"

"Adrien. Please."

"... M. Adrien. Your... biological relatives, are very public figures. Emilie Agreste was instrumental in establishing the Centre pour Victimes Akumatisées. Despite the recent controversy surrounding Monarch the CVA is still regarded as providing the best help to Hawkmoth's victims."

"And her decision to let the CVA become independent of Agreste holdings only strengthens her character in the eyes of the public."

"Precisely. Under the law a grandparent has the right to a relationship with their grandchildren. Your decision to prevent contact between your children and their grandmother gives Emilie a legal advantage. If you were to allow her to visit them her position becomes much more tenuous."

"No. No."

"... I see. Then you must offer some evidence that would support your decision."

Adrien sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face. Processing his lawyer's words. Nike was the best and most experienced lawyer who specialized in superhero/supervillain related cases. It helped that she used to dabble in both.

Nike hesitated for a moment before deciding to take a leap. "M. Adrien, in my experience family members often feel guilty about exposing supervillains they are- were close to. Especially a parental figure."

Adrien looked at her.

"Perhaps you do not think Mme. Emilie did anything to warrant legal action. Or you do not wish to be scrutinized even more than you already are... M. Adrien. Did you cut ties with Mme. Emilie because of something related to Monarch?"

"...Yes."

Nike felt something bubbling up and crushed it with ruthless professionalism.

"But it's all circumstantial. Without proof it's my word against hers."

"Unfortunate... Then we'll have to take the other approach."

Adrien felt the churning in his stomach speed up.

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

"Why can't you come too?" Emma asked.

"Papa has to deal with this mess Grand- Emilie has decided to stir up." Adrien gave her an apologetic hug.

"But you said you'd be able to spend more time with us after the... After it was over," Louis pouted.

"I know kiddo," Adrien kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you when you get back.

"Okay..." Louis looked down.

... Adrien ruffled his hair.

"Hey!" Louis pulled out of reach of his Papa's unfairly long arms.

"Besides, you don't want your old man cramping your style."

"Pfft! Yeah, sure." But Louis was smiling.

Adrien's grin softened as he walked to his other son. "Try to have fun, Hugo. It's basically a vacation!"

"I don't want a vacation! I wanna go to school!" Hugo snapped.

Adrien sucked his lips in and bit them as he was suddenly reminded of another kid who wanted to go to school. "You'll-" he cleared his throat, "You'll be back before you know it."

The main gate opened, letting in a large van.

"Besides," Adrien smiled, blinking rapidly. "I got you a present."

"S'up little dudes?"

"Uncle Nino!" Emma practically barreled into him.

"Whoa!" Nino stumbled a bit at her momentum with a massive grin. "Hey there, Little Em."

"Uncle Ninoooo," Emma protested.

"Alright, Big Em then. Got enough trophies for it at least."

Emma stuck her tongue out while Louis giggled.

"Sunshine!" Nino offered his fist and Louis bumped it. Flowing into their signature handshake. "Ha! Still got it! Now where's- oof!"

Hugo buried his face in Nino's chest as his own hug dislodged Emma.

Nino returned the embrace. "Missed you too, little dude."

"Ahhhhh! Lookit you!" Rose squealed, giving Emma a big hug and Louis a 'pinkie hug'. "You've gotten so big!"

"Aunt Rose! Aunt Juleka!"

"You miscreants staying out of trouble?" Juleka grinned.

"No!" They lied.

"That's what I like to hear."

Adrien chuckled at the normalcy of this moment. Grabbing onto the spark of joy in his chest like a lifeline.

Juleka walked up to him after ruffling Hugo's hair, who was still hogging Nino, arms outstretched.

Accepting the hug gladly, Adrien took the opportunity to wipe at his eyes. "Thanks for doing this."

"You kidding? Rose practically begged to come along. She adores those three." Juleka glanced over to see Rose had pulled everyone into a group hug with Hugo now trying to wriggle free in the middle. "We all do."

"I'm sorry things are weird with Luka... and Marinette... and Alix... and-"

Juleka held up a hand. "Nope. Stop right there. I've already gotten enough apologies for one day. Er, week. My brother's an adult. He can deal with whatever happened between you two like one."

"... Thanks Juleka."

She shrugged. "If it makes you feel better you can think of it as me returning the favor."

"Which one?"

"Now listen here M. Moneybags!"

Adrien laughed. Startled out of his thoughts by the old nickname. He forgot who gave it to him but it was quickly adopted by their... his, friends. Usually when he was about to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a gift or something. 

A gentle reminder that his friendship meant more to them than his wealth... And that ludicrously expensive gifts made them uncomfortable for several reasons.

That didn't stop Adrien from recommending Juleka to several modeling agencies.

"I just open the door," Adrien started.

"But I have to walk through it," Juleka finished with a smile.

"God, I haven't even asked you how you're doing!"

"I'm good. Modeling experience still comes in handy when they want a magazine cover or something."

"Very dumb of them to only want the Juleka Couffaine to model their clothes some of the time."

"Eh, I'm fine with it. Y'know models don't last long in the industry. Your career already lasted longer than most professionals when you quit as a teen."

"That's what happens when your parents think of you as a doll."

Juleka nodded less from understanding and more to let Adrien know that she was listening.

"Anyway, how's Rose?"

"She's got good days and bad days. The new treatment means she's got more good ones."

"So she's taking care of herself?"

Juleka snorted. "Y'know how she is. Doesn't like dwelling on the bad shit. But, yeah. Mostly."

"Your girlfriend is quite stubborn," Adrien grinned.

"Yup. We have unfortunate taste in women I think."

Adrien covered his mouth to keep from laughing hysterically.

Juleka laid a hand on his shoulder. Worry in her eyes. "If you need anything just call us and we'll come rushing back."

Adrien took a shaky breath. "Yeah."

"Adrien!" Rose said as though she'd just remembered him. Entirely possible considering how engrossed she was with whatever Emma was saying.

Adrien kissed both cheeks as Rose did the same. "Hey, Rose."

"I'm sorry about Marinette," Rose said, energy dampening a little.

"Ah, thanks..."

"Adrien, they should leave soon if they want to make it there before nightfall."

"Gregor!" Rose reached up to cup his holographic face. "Hiding again?"

If Kanté could blush Gregor would. "No... Just busy is all."

"Too busy to say hi?"

Gregor's face went through several emotions too quickly for Rose to follow before simply settling on an embarrassed smile. "No. Not that busy."

"Gregor! My man!" Nino held up a fist again.

Manifesting a hand Gregor met Nino's fist as they went into a completely different handshake.

Adrien raised his hand for their own greeting but Nino flew past it and into a deep hug.

Nino felt Adrien tremble slightly as he melted into his arms. "You need anything you call. You hear?"

"Y-yeah. Juleka already gave me the once over." Adrien said as he bent his knees a little so he could rest his head on Nino's broad shoulder.

"Cause y'know how you are about asking for help."

"That's why I'm here to keep an eye on him," Gregor teased.

Adrien waved Gregor over to the kids without looking up. "Go on. Say goodbye."

Gregor smiled as he floated over to his niece and nephews. "Remember this is a public plane you're going on. There are other people onboard even if it is first class."

"We know Gregor," Hugo rolled his eyes. Which were still a little red from crying.

"I miss the private jet," Emma sighed.

"You know how dad got after he learned about the carbon emissions. He got all... all..."

"... Droopy?" Hugo supplied.

Louis nodded. "Yeah, that."

Emma sighed again. "Okay, okay. Public transportation can't be that bad can it?" She glanced at Rose.

"Ehhh." Rose made a so-so gesture while trying not to pull a face.

"Encouraging," Hugo deadpanned.

"Is it? Then I hope you'll all be good for your Grunkle." Adrien laid a hand on Emma and Louis' shoulders. "He's even older than Grandpa so no roughhousing, got it?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Okay, Papa."

Hugo mumbled something but nodded.

"Good... Th-that's... good..."

Emma and Louis hugged Adrien from both sides.

Adrien squeezing them tight before clearing his throat. "Now go on. Don't want to be late."

"Bye, Gregor. Don't overheat your CPU!"

"That was a one-time occurrence!"

Hugo chuckled as Emma and Louis made their way to the van... Feeling Papa's presence behind him. "Don't let Gregor overwork himself. You know he's bad at judging his limits."

"I'll take care of him," Adrien promised.

Hugo sniffed, wiping at his face. "... I'll miss you."

"It won't be for long," Adrien smiled softly. "But I'll miss you too."

Nino grabbed a bag from the back of the van. "What?" he asked at Adrien's look. "You think I'm going to let my best bro handle this by himself?" he asked as though it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. "No offense Gregor."

"None taken!" Gregor grinned.

"Think again." Nino set his bag down and wrapped an arm around Adrien's shoulders. "We're having a sleepover!"

Adrien rubbed the back of his head. "We're a little old for sleepovers."

Nino took his cap off, pink from sun exposure, and placed it on Adrien's head. "I resent the implications!"

Adrien chuckled, any protest he might have brushed aside.

Juleka and Rose gave a last hug goodbye before driving off. Adrien waving back to his kids as they left the manor's gates. Other hand gripping onto Nino's for dear life.

[bl1tzm1k3]

Triplet Dupain Cheng AU

So I thought to myself , what if Marinette had 2 siblings that formed a triplet trio with her? AND some aspects & characters from canon were changed to fit this goofy idea of mine. WELL, have I got something for you all.

Post 1: Marinette's Siblings

Michael Dupain Cheng

"I can be the definition of chaos, but a good friend in need."

Son of Tom Dupain & Sabine Cheng. Brother of Marinette Dupain Cheng.

Michael is a tall & slender teenage boy that's around 6.5 feet. He's the tallest of his siblings. He's got regular black colored eyes compared to the rest of his family, his hair is medium length that's combed smoothly towards the right with a slight left side split. He also has bangs slightly covering his forehead that is combed similarly to his hair.

Whilst his hair is blue like Marinette & his mother, it's slightly darker & sleeker looking that has caused some people assume to think it's black. The color does get more pronounced when he uses a little bit of his favorite hair conditioning & shampoo.

He regularly wears 2 shirts, one collared & another with no collar. Both are specially made by Marinette.

Both shirts is 2x2 checker board style on the front but a horizontal split on the back with a stripe in the middle. For the front, the upper right is black, upper left is purple, the bottom right is blue & the bottom left is white. For the back, the upper half is black, the bottom half is turquoise & the stripe separating both halves is magenta. The collar on the collared shirt & the neckline on the collar-less shirt are both dark grey. The sleeves on both shirts are white for the right sleeve & light grey for the left sleeve.

He sometimes likes to wear a zipless hoodie that starts at blue at the top & fades into a purpleish-magenta color going down.

For pants, he either wears either long, pocketed pants that go to his ankles in either a black or grey color or cargo shorts in either black or grey.

As for footwear, he wears either some bog standard grey strap slippers with orange detailing or light grey lace-less sneakers with some black & white striped socks.

In terms of personality, Michael's personality is a big mess of many traits.

Positive Personality Traits

Most of the time, Michael is a big guy with an even bigger heart. He's essentially a big, happy pile of sunshine & rainbows, rivalling Rose in this regard but in a boy-ish way.

He likes to act silly, his humor is mostly derived from memes & puns, & he always tries to look on the bright side of things.

He can be a very chill dude, as much as Nino & Luka, in an almost zen-like way & can be very laid back.

He's also very smart in the academics department with great grades across the board much like his siblings. It helps him to be creative in many situations.

His imagination is the size of the universe & has helped in five ways; it gives him a high level of creativity, it's helped him to think outside of the box, it helps to inspire himself to have big dreams of anything he can think off, it has given him a very open mind to anything as he has a good eye for fashion like Marinette, a diverse palate for food, & a keen ear for good music regardless of genre, & it lets him be brave enough to try new things & experiences.

Due to the fact that he has two sisters that share everything with him & vice versa, Michael has a vague idea on giving dating advice to any of his friends. Emphasis on vague.

When anyone is feeling down, Michael is a good friend to talk to & a good shoulder to cry on if needed. He always tries to think of the best things to say in any situation no matter how dire or deadbeat it could be.

He has a sheer amount of determination & willpower. He never gives up no matter what's thrown at him & refuses to throw in the towel when he knows there's a way to solve a problem but that doesn't mean he's stubborn.

He can be very passionate about the things he likes, particularly his loved ones, & is very loyal to those he loves.

Despite his kindhearted & goofy nature, Michael can be as serious as a soldier in a war when the situation calls for it.

Neutral Personality Traits

Taking in all of his personality traits, Michael can sometimes be the living, breathing definition of chaos. He can be mix of any of his traits at any time when he's feeling a little chaotic.

He's very emotional as he can very happy & cheerful one moment, very angry or aggressive another moment & very sad or bored in another moment. So be VERY careful when he's feeling sensitive or passionate about things.

Michael can be very protective for his family, friends & his stuff. While it's a positive thing, it can be a bit too much at times.

While he's a stickler for cleanliness, it has lead to some annoying habits that he's ashamed to have such as the fact when he suddenly feels the need to wash his hands or use hand sanitizer/wet wipes.

He can be very rowdy sometimes & it has lead him to be a bit unpredictable when he's at different kinds of events or parties. He can either very reserved & gentleman-like or a party animal that knows how to control himself.

Negative Personality Traits

While not an entirely negative thing, Michael is the foulest mouthed member of his family. He essentially can curse whenever he wants in whatever way possible towards anyone or anything but he can control it. While his family are used to this, they're worried it might land him in trouble, which it rarely does.

Much like Marinette, Michael can be a bit clumsy. Compared to her though, he can make a very quick recovery & is trying to help Marinette do the same.

He can be a bit forgetful about things at times. In fact, due to the fact that he knows so many things & people, it can be hard for him to keep track of things & has led him to forget some basic things.

When he's in serious mode, Michael can be a bit cold at times & can be a bit harsh, although he knows not to be too harsh.

Michael, despite the fact that he's a hard worker, at times can be a bit lazy. Sometimes it's due to being tired or due to being too laid back. But when push comes to shove, he'll get off his ass & do what needs to be done.

Michael can be a little bit overdramatic at times, exaggerating situations when it's not really that big of a deal. However, this particular trait has helped him at times.

When meeting someone new, especially girls, Michael can be a bit shy & won't open up to people until he knows slightly more about them. Once he's comfortable, he will open up more when around them.

Michael can act bit childish at times, particularly around his loved ones like his family & very close friends. He feels like it's his coping mechanism to some things but is trying to steadily grow out of it.

The dude talks to himself a lot due to his large imagination. It's even caused him to talk in his sleep in both good dreams & nightmares.

Michael has a huge fear of abandonment. Despite the fact that his family & his friends have all assured him that he's never going to be alone, he still has doubts about that a lot of the time & has a hard time opening up about it.

Shelby Dupain Cheng

"Life is a very beautiful thing, just like my loved ones."

Daughter of Tom Dupain & Sabine Cheng. Sister of Marinette Dupain Cheng.

Shelby is a tall & slender teenage girl that's around 5.9 feet. She's between Marinette & Michael in terms of height. She's got dark brown colored eyes compared to the rest of her family, she has long hair that flows neatly until her waist with bangs that flow neatly over her shoulders. Much like Michael, her hair is slightly darker & sleeker looking blue compared to Marinette & her mother.

However, Shelby decided to dye her hair a dark orange color as it goes up her hair before finally reaching the dark blue area around the top of her head. She has light freckles that gives an 'adorable' appearance according to her family, but she likes to wear makeup a lot so it's not shown often. Her makeup appliance isn't very heavy & even without it, she still looks very beautiful.

Her usual body wear consists of a black short sleeved dress with puffed shoulder sleeves, white polka dots, & white lines that split the upper & lower part as well as flowing down the skirt area, &/or a sky blue short sleeved blouse that she pairs with a few things.

Speaking of which, she pairs her blouse with either a matching sky blue skirt or black slim fit pocketed jeans. She of course wears a pair of shorts when wearing her dress or skirt.

Her shoes consists of either black Mary Janes shoes, peach colored 2 inch heels or dark brown combat boots. Shelby also likes pairing them with either regular or thigh high socks, usually colored white, or fishnets stockings.

Personality wise, Shelby is much more simpler compared to her brother.

Positive Personality Traits

Much like her siblings, Shelby has a big heart & is very kind soul. Between her, Marinette & Michael, she's the most gentle.

Much like Michael, Shelby likes to act silly to lighten up the mood & look on the bright side of things like her brother.

She's the most chill between her siblings but doesn't border to the point of lazy.

In fact, academically speaking, Shelby is the most hardworking of her siblings. Often times she has the best grades among herself, Marinette & Michael but these two aren't slouches & keep up with her very closely. Let's just say Sabine & Tom find it cute that their children are competitive concerning their grades.

She's also very smart in general. In fact, Shelby has rarely had a dumb moment in her life & is always careful to a T.

Between the three, Shelby tends to act the most mature as she acts as the older sister of the trio.

This lends her to be the most nurturing of the three, alongside Marinette. She is often Michael's source of comfort as she's often on the receiving end of a clingy hug from her brother & is very careful with how she handles Marinette when giving advice to her about anything.

Shelby is also surprisingly effective at negotiating, followed by Michael.

Unlike her siblings, Shelby is rarely ever if not at all clumsy. She's always managed to avoid situations where she would get herself in trouble.

Neutral Personality Traits

Speaking of clumsy, while Shelby is rarely clumsy, when she does slip up, it hits her hard & leaves feeling very guilty. But with two siblings that are very supportive, the guilt doesn't stay long & she's quick to fix her mistakes.

Shelby is very protective of her family. While mostly a positive, depending on the situation, the way she is protective is either wholesome or even slightly scary.

She loves giving strangers a mysterious vibe when they first meet her. She can either be silly & goofy, calm & mature, cold & calculating or just outright mysterious. Only people that get close to her know what Marinette & Michael get with her on the daily.

Negative Personality Traits

Despite not being a perfectionist when it comes to her looks, being a very simple girl when needing to look good, Shelby can be very self conscious about her looks. She hates when her looks are ruined in any major way that makes her look near unfixable but tries to keep a calm when it happens.

However in some scenarios, when she can't keep her cool, the waterworks start running & Michael & Marinette have to come to her rescue. She & Chloe (who's changed in this AU) resonate with each other in this regard.

In the event that either Marinette or Michael get a partner, she would be the one to judge them after their parents. And let's just say that she can very harsh & critical when it comes to this. IF their partners are lucky, they'll get judged still but to a less harsh & more friendly degree.

Shelby can very distrustful of people sometimes. This was because of some old friends who left her behind to be friends with her old bullies when she was younger. In Dupont, she's trying to be more trustful of people outside of her family as she's already getting closer with the Akuma Class.

Let's just say if anything bad happens to Marinette & or Michael, & it wasn't their fault & was caused by someone else, you don't, & I repeat, you DON'T want Shelby to find out. Because if & when she does, you're in for a dreadfully bad time.

AND THAT'S THAT! Phew let me tell you all. It took a very long time for me to write this as I didn't want to make these two look like Mary Sues. Keep an eye out for more posts on this AU coming in the future. That's all from me. Bl1tzM1k3 out!

[burningstarfishqueen]

Tangled in Marinette’s blanket cocoon, it was warm enough Adrien didn’t feel like he’d woken up alone. He thumbed the comforter. The design was a ladybug perched on her kitty’s ear.

“Minou minou minou! Pancakes!”

Pancakes? Really? He climbed out of their bed. As much as he didn’t want to have to eat those things, it was worth it to see her.

A quick detour to clean his teeth and he stepped into their kitchen. She was there by the window, the sunrise sparkling in her messy hair. The tip of her nose tapped on her phone. Her hands were too full to text properly.

“Marinette.”

“Mon Adrien!” She waved her spatula at him. “Come see. I figured out the thread for my midterm.”

Her project was laid out over the counter in a mess of fabric scraps and pins. He could sew a bit, but not enough to help someone as talented as her. He met her bluebell eyes. “Beautiful.”

“We’re talking about the slippers.”

“But I was!” He grinned. “I wouldn’t call you just beautiful, ma lady. You’re beyond gorgeous. There are no words for how amazing you are. How I fall deeper in love every moment we spend together.” He slipped the spatula from her fingers, lowering his head over her calloused hand and letting his kiss linger.

She pushed him off. “Just go eat! Stupid, flirty alleycat.” Through the silky tangle of hair the back of her neck pinked.

“Alas, my love has banished me.” He took his seat in the breakfast nook and poked the awful, dry thing with his fork. It might smell good, but he wasn’t going to trust a pancake.

Over their time together, he’d made many sacrifices for his Marinette. A pancake was nothing. He cut a big chunk. Bracing himself, he shoveled it into his mouth.

It was buttery warmth and the soft flavor of bread. Surely it was a thick, fluffy crepe.

“This isn’t a pancake.”

It was tempting and luscious, whatever it was. He devoured it in two bites and wanted more.

“Is it bad? I take multitasking a bit far sometimes.”

He shook his head hard. “These are amazing. Pancakes are awful.”

“Had any pancakes since we brought down Monarque?”

The pancake mystery clicked together. “So, you’re saying now that I’m a part of your family I get Dupain-Cheng pancakes.”

“Yes, mon mari.” She dropped two buttery soft pancakes on his plate.

He smiled goofily up at his wife.

[evermorehqs]

CATCHING MY BREATH, STARING OUT AN OPEN WINDOW

Anastasia Tremaine is based on Anastasia from Cinderella. She is a 25 year old human, Bippidi Boppidi employee, and uses she/her pronouns. She has no powers. Anastasia is portrayed by Maddison Brown and she is taken.

CATCHING MY DEATH, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE

Smiling through the pain was the motto of the Tremaine household and no one understood that better than Anastasia. She was the younger of the two Tremaine sisters, and because her older sister Drizella was always doing the right thing in her mother’s eyes, most of what Anastasia did was wrong. Drizella was demure and spoke perfectly; Anastasia was loud and too brash. Drizella got perfect grades; Anastasia might as well have flunked out if she got anything less than an A. She was pitted against her sister the moment she was born it seemed like and it wasn’t fair. She had been closer to her father when he was around but when he passed away there went the last person rooting for her. The only way to get by was to act like Drizella and while Anastasia felt somewhat conflicted for the cruel nature her family had, she did as she was expected. That unfortunately meant that when Eleanora was brought into the family, she treated her poorly, even though she knew in her gut that it wasn’t right. The only way she really expressed herself was through her fashion style and her clothes told stories that she never could utter out loud. She may have felt like she wasn’t being herself but at least she could look as amazing as she knew she should feel. Despite being old enough to move far away from her family, she stuck by them because it was what her mother wanted. She hated moving around but she was more afraid of being cut off from her family entirely if she didn’t do what they wanted. Evermore was not the destination she had in mind for herself, but in reality she was more happy to not be considered for marriage, though she knew her mother would probably start looking if Drizella somehow messed her plans up. Anastasia had always been more of a romantic at heart and wanted to fall for whoever she was meant to fall for. She was not so sure that the love of her life was in Evermore either and she was stuck there. She thought about taking this time to sort of reinvent herself, but since she is stuck with her family, her snobby exterior is still very intact. Maybe one day she will have the nerve to stick up to her mother and tell her she wants to live her life her own way, but right now the odds are not looking too good. At least she still has her clothes and the chance to tell her stories through her fashion. If she didn’t have that, she was sure she would go insane.

I HAD A FEELING SO PECULIAR

❀ Alfredo Linguini: He is just so sweet! Anastasia has found herself visiting his place of work more and more to talk to him lately. She feels like she can be the version of herself she wants to be around him. ❀ Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Anastasia is conflicted when it comes to Marinette. She thinks the girl is so talented, but she is just too sweet. She couldn’t be caught dead around her, but a big part of her wants to get to know her better. ❀ Flora Adams: Anyone who has a passion for pink is amazing in Anastasia’s books. She loves spending time with the woman and bonding over their similar passions. She thinks the two of them could go over their closets for hours.

THAT THIS PAIN WOULD BE FOR EVERMORE

[san-fics]

Hunting My Ghosts

Felinette

Part 1

AVAILABLE in patreon.com/san_fics

COMING SOON (~2 month) on Ao3/Wattpad

Summary:

“Maybe I just imagined it,” she reassured the troubled Tikki.

Kwami silently nodded and flew back to her favorite bookshelf.

“You didn’t imagine it.” The same distant voice was heard, although Marinette had the feeling that the speaker was somewhere right in front of her.

She sat up in bed again, this time slowly, trying not to make any sudden movements. She pinched herself hard and grimaced in pain, but if Tikki didn’t hear that voice, there was a possibility that she was hallucinating. Maybe she really dozed off after a long day and dreamed it? But the pain of her pinch was very obvious to be a dream.

__

PROMPT: Gost Life

Felix is hit by an Akuma and is sent in a ghost-like state to a world where he never existed. For some reason, there is neither Adrien nor Chat Noir in this world, and Ladybug is fighting a completely different enemy too. But Felix understands that she is still his only chance to return home, if only he found the way to let her know that he is here…

__

Akuma Shenanigans Alternate Reality Alya Césaire ArgoBug Argos Chloé Bourgeois Enemies to Friends Enemies to Lovers Falling In Love Felinette Felix Feels First Kiss Fluff Friends to Lovers Félix Graham de Vanily Gabriel Agreste Gabriel is a Big Shit Getting Together Ghost-State Happy Ending Hot Mess Félix Hot Mess Marinette Idiots in Love Ladybug Ladybug Identity Reveal Marinette Dupain-Cheng Marinette x Felix Master Fu Miraculous Holder Félix Miraculous Ladybug Multiverse But Not Really Mutual Pining Protective Felix Reality Bending Sexual Tension original akuma voyeurism

Felinette Tag list (ask me to join)

@mochegato

@thepapillonnoir

@snow-leopard-777

@loves-books

@turiankitty

@toodaloo-kangaroo

@readingismyoxygen

@aespades

@starlightshield

@jessigurl-design

@trippingovermyfeet

@apasponsor

@avs17

@fangirlingfanatic

@psychicdelusionwerewolf

@ur-beautiful-when-u-smile

@spicemallow

@kking13

@frieddonutsweets

@miraculous-panic

@ateneagirasol

@its-maemain

@unoriginalmess

@achaoticmess1

@starfire21

@peachayim

@starling218

@iloontjeboontje

@jennifer-rose123

@a-slytherinish-gryffindor

@wegetitethan

@jacimari

@hammalammadamdam

@rosewood1sedona

@rosesandsailboats

@soap-lady

@queens1234

@cafedeagua

@lizslibrary

[giuliafc]

Voicemail... Again?

Read it on Ao3 || FFN

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Fluffy, KhanOfAllOrcs

Summary: Marinette forgot again to close the call with Adrien's voicemail after calling him to arrange a cinema 'date'. And this time, Adrien gets more than he bargained for. (Wordcount: 951 words)

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Written for the "Snippet July" challenge of the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server @miraculousfanworks AND for LadyNoir July @ladynoirjuly Day 11 — Hypocrisy/Voicemail-calls. Let me know what you think!

oOoOoOoOoOo

She had done it. Again! She couldn't believe it! And this time, it was even worse. Much, much worse. So incredibly worse that she couldn't even breathe for how much worse it was.

———- Flashback———-

There was this new 3d anime movie that was going to air the following week at the local cinema. Marinette knew that Adrien was a dork, and how much he loved anime, and this one in particular was one of his favourites. So, Alya had convinced her to invite Adrien to the movie and eventually, after hours of looking at the phone and then throwing it on the chaise, Alya had grabbed Marinette's phone and dialed the number. Marinette wished she could dig a hole and hide when the call went into voicemail.

"Uh, h-hi, it's Ma-marinette. Hi. I… know you like ears. Uh, I mean anime. You don't like ears, that would be silly. Uh, well, yeah, so… theeeeeere's this anime cinema and… maybe… watch it? I m-mean, with me. Uh. Not as a date. N-no… totally as friends. So, let me know. 'Kay. Cya!"

That said, she threw the phone on the chaise and sat down on her desk chair to stop the mad beating of her heart. And, of course, she had again forgotten to hang up. And, of course, Alya said,

"Way to go! You finally asked him out!" She raised both arms in a victory. "Although I must say that, for the one and only Ladybug, I would expect more courage. I mean… 'totally as friends'. Yeah. Right…"

Marinette blushed. "I've been Ladybug, all along, Alya, and that has never prevented me from being a blushing mess in front of him."

"Yes, I know," said Alya with a smirk, "but now you decided to give up all romantic relationships because it would interfere with your role as Guardian. So you—"

Marinette's phone interrupted Alya with a loud beep: "End of the message. Goodbye!"

Marinette's heart sank to the ground, her face blanched, her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?" She grabbed her phone and saw Adrien's picture fade away.

"Uh oh…" whispered Alya. "Don't tell me you forgot again…"

———- End of Flashback———-

Marinette lost the ability to breathe. She looked at her phone. Then at Alya. Then at her phone again. Then she let out a skin curling scream, as she grabbed Alya by the shoulders and shook her. "THIS IS A DISAAAAAAAAAASTER!!! ALYA, YOU CALLED ME LADYBUG! I CONFIRMED IT! YOU SAID THAT I WAS THE GUARDIAN! OH MY GOD! IT DIDN'T EVEN ASK ME TO SAVE IT, IT JUST DID! MY LIFE IS OVER!"

"I thought you had hung up!" said Alya, who also lost all redness from her face, looking quite grey.

Marinette dug the fingertips of both hands into her cheeks. "He can't listen to that message! This time, he REALLY can't!"

That was how they ended up once again stealing Adrien's phone. And this time, Rena Rouge helped Marinette with one of her Illusions. They snatched the phone, and after quite a few hours of attempts, they managed to work out Adrien's new locking pattern, and went into the voicemail to delete the message.

When the voicemail said, 'Message deleted', finally Marinette breathed.

But she shouldn't have. She should've noticed that the message was stored in Adrien's read inbox. Because in his room, sitting in his desk chair, elbow pinned on his desk, chin resting on the heel of his hand, was Adrien. Eyes-wide and super pale. Holding his home phone receiver (which he had just used to check his stolen phone's voicemail) in his other hand.

"Marinette is Ladybug?" he whispered as he recovered his ability to breathe. "And Alya knows?"

Plagg looked sheepishly at his holder, noticing how hurt he was by his partner's behaviour. Honestly, Pigtails? Stealing his phone? That was low… and telling her identity to someone else before a reveal with his holder? That was even lower. Plagg felt a rush of disappointment shooting through his little body and, before Adrien asked anything or even dared look at him, he fled inside his cheese cabinet.

He wasn't paid enough for this. Nope. He wasn't going to help Pigtails out of this mess. For once, she would need to face his gamin and tell him the truth. Because he didn't deserve this hypocrisy. But he couldn't finish his reasoning because, from outside the cabinet, Adrien said it loud and clear, "Plagg, claws out!"

oOoOoOoOoOo

When Ladybug landed atop the Eiffel Tower, she expected to see Chat Noir smile and greet his Lady warmly. Not tonight. Tonight, he didn't even look at her until she sat next to him.

"Who else knows?" he asked abruptly, his gaze lost, admiring the lights of the city flickering beneath them.

Ladybug's brows furrowed. "Knows what?"

"Your identity, Marinette." The way he emphasised her name left no doubt about the kind of black humour he was in. "Besides Alya, who else knows?"

Ladybug uttered a shocked gasp. "Wh-wha…? How?"

Instead of answering, he showed her his hand, palm facing up. "Can I have my phone back, please? Since you already deleted your message. Is that what happened when we faced Copycat? You made a mistake and had to steal my phone to rectify it?"

Ladybug's eyes widened, her complexion paled. "A-adrien?"

Chat Noir's gaze didn't soften. He just stared, his green eyes looking uncomfortably serious to Ladybug. "Don't change the subject, M'lady. Stop being a hypocrite and be honest with me. Tell me the truth. I think I deserve to know."

And as Ladybug lowered her gaze and blushed, she knew it was true. She cleared her throat and finally let it all out.

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

Author's Note

There you go. Day 11 a bit earlier than usual but… this was easy. I had this thought in my mind since the day I watched Copycat: how could Adrien not have called his voicemail from his house phone to hear the message when he 'lost his phone', since it's not hard at all to do? So when I got the prompt with hypocrisy written next to voicemail… I just let my brain go loose!

I hope you liked this little story and will decide to reblog with tags and/or comments, or leave me a comment on Ao3 or FFN. You know that comments are my bread and butter and I love to read your feedback!

Until (hopefully) tomorrow, bug out!

[maribatz-2k]

Day 3: Fun Times

Every summer, Marinette would go to the United States with her maman since she was 11. Her great uncle Alfred had asked for her to visit due to a new addition to the family he lives with. Marinette got to meet everyone in the family as well as the boy who was only a couple months older than her, Damian.

It was Mari's 5th summer visit when Damian decided enough was enough and he wanted nothing to do with her. Dick and Jason tell her it's just a puberty thing. Mari huffed and went to the sofa in the formal living room. Alfred had seen her upset, went to look for a box, then dropped it in the table in front of her scattering photos everywhere.

"What is this uncle?" She asked looking at the photos. The box wasn't a big box, but not was it a shoe box. Inside were loads of photos from Dick's time as a young boy to Marinette's and Damians's 14th birthday. There were so many that had no place to be. After some time looking, Mari decided to make scrape books for each of the boys. Alfred offered to take her out for supplies and off they went.

Returning a couple hours later, Marinette stationed herself in the formal living room creating each book with intricate designs then begins to fill the pages for each boy. Unknowingly, she created each book design to look like their vigilante personas.

When it was time for dinner, Alfred asked Jason to get Marinette from the living room. Laughter was heard as Jason entered, finding Mark almost in tears holding a photo.

"What's wrong pixie?" He asked come over and sitting down behind her. She loves the photo where he can see. He too began to laugh. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. Bruce had decided he needed to be parent of the day because Mari and Jason as they were running around messing with all of Demon Spawns "Toys." Jason kept hiding all the shop items when Mari would run with his art supplies. Mrs. Dupain-Cheng was not happen when she saw Bruce holding Mari in his lap eating ice cream while Jason and Damian sat and watched.

The two didn't arrive to the dining table so Alfred sent Dick to retrieve them. He found them looking at photos and laughing. The two laying into each other almost in another fit of laughs.

"What is going on?" Dick asked scared to walk over. Marinette held up a photo showing another photo of when Damian and Marinette had to stand and take photos together. They were 12 in the photo and Damian was not happy. Dick had to bribe the boy with a zoo day to even get the photo. Marinette held up another photo that made Dick laugh. It was one taken right after they had taken the first photo. Apparently Alfred took it while they were walking away. Damian had Mari's cookies behind his back as Mari had Damian's katana behind hers.

Now three didn't arrive to the table and Alfred just began to fill the plates. This time Damian went to get them. He found all three of them on the floor staring at a photo.

"Dinner is ready. What are you idiots doing on the floor?" Damian demanded.

"Oh hush. We are looking at photos." Jason said as he watches Mari apply then into a book. She was working on one with photos of her and Damian. One that shows them sitting in the other living room with Jason. This was when they were 11. Mari had managed to convince Damian and Jason to play with her. The game wasn't what was expected. Mari was mommy, Damian was daddy, and Jason, he was the baby. It had astonished everyone that the boys were even playing. No one talked about how she did it. But they did play. Damian stood there looking down his ears red.

See, what happened was that Marinette threaten Damian to play. She told him she would tell Bruce he was sneaking out at night again. Though she didn't know he was Robin. When he didn't budge to play she went to Alfred complaining that Damian wouldn't play with her with fake tears. Alfred looked at Damian with a raised eyebrow making him sigh and hold his hand out. With a sniffle and a smile she grabbed it and they went to the living room to play. Then she conned Jason to play too. He had to be the baby. So he did as such, with difficulty, but he did it. Surprisingly, Damian was a good dad to baby Jason, and Mari was just enjoying herself. Alfred had snuck a photo of the cute family curled up sleep on the floor.

Damian tackled Mari for that photo to tear it up. With no vail he didn't get it, but he did mess up her project which earned him a hand to hand combat there In the living room. No one knew, once again Alfred was standing at the door holding his camera taking photos from the moment Damian had walked in to the end of the fight.

"What? Got to keep the memories for the family." Alfred said to himself as he smiled.

@maribatserver

[botherkupo]

one night (chapter 2)

struggling to draw, but apparently i’m good for writing so here’s the next chapter lol

ao3

2: return to cinderella 

Adrien sat on the hotel bed with mechanical stiffness, his expression vacant, as if his mind had floated away like dandelion seeds on the wind. Just poof. Gone. It was understandable since he was still reeling from the knowledge that he’d slept with Marinette, one of his best friends, except he hadn’t known it was her at the time, and then she’d thought he was Chat Noir because of the stupid mask, and then she’d run away, and then—

He groaned and ripped his mask off. Why? Why had he got so drunk yesterday? So what if university exams had been stressing him out, on top of modelling, akuma fighting, and publicity events. He should have known better than to think alcohol would be the magic cure. Instead, all of that alcohol had led him into the arms of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

And she was a really good kisser. Like really good. Wow.

Wait, he shouldn’t think things like that. Those were bad thoughts. Marinette was his friend. His no-touch, out-of-bounds, meant-to-be platonic friend.

Who he’d had sex with.

Damn it. This was so messed up.

He let out another frustrated groan and grabbed fistfuls of his hair, flopping back against the bed so he was spread out like a tragic starfish. The Pose of Despair did not help. Her scent lingered on the rumpled sheets, whispering of soft skin, silky lips, and fire-sparking pleasure. Every breath was a memory of her.

Yeah. He was so, so screwed.

“It’s just ‘cause she reminded me of Ladybug,” he told himself. “It was an accident. If I’d known it was her, I wouldn’t have …”

He bit his lip. What would he have done if they had removed their masks and he’d seen Marinette’s face? Would he have wanted to keep kissing her? Would he have stayed?

He swallowed, throat bobbing. The fact he wasn’t certain was answer enough.

“Forget about it,” he muttered. “Just pretend it didn’t happen.”

That’s what Marinette wanted. He could respect that. Maybe. Okay, probably not. The memories were too vivid. There was no way he could forget about their Night of Passion™ easily. Plus, even if she thought he was Chat Noir, he was still her friend, Adrien Agreste, and that meant he would have to see her regularly. Except she wouldn’t know it was him, only he would, which meant he was the only one who would be uncomfortable, which meant—

Gah! He was going in circles again.

Adrien sat up and slapped his cheeks twice. “Focus,” he ordered.

It was time to be practical. Awkward or not, he couldn’t let her know that she had slept with one of her close friends and not some random guy she thought was Chat Noir. Ladybug would kill him if he exposed his identity, especially to fix a one-night stand gone wrong. He would just have to pull on his big boy shoes and deal with it.

Which brought him to his next problem.

He picked up one of the blue heels on the floor—the same one she had tripped over. Unlike Cinderella, she’d left both her heels behind in her mad rush to escape. It would have been funny had the situation been different. As it was, her hasty retreat had been a huge blow to his self-esteem. He had to keep telling himself it was just because she was embarrassed and not because he totally sucked in bed. Yes, that had to be it.

“She didn’t have to steal my shirt, though,” he muttered.

She was lucky he could transform into Chat Noir, otherwise he would have been stuck going home shirtless, and that would have got way too much attention. Speaking of which, where had Plagg got to?

“Plagg?” Adrien called. “You there?”

He didn’t like Plagg hanging around him when he got, uh, intimate with people. Granted, this was the first time he’d had a one-night stand, so it wasn’t like Plagg could make a fuss about it. Still, Plagg shouldn’t have gone too far. He hoped. A horrible vision presented itself: Plagg invading the hotel kitchen looking for cheese.

That sounded terrifyingly possible.

“Plagg?”

He peered under the bed. Nothing. Marinette’s strapless bra was hanging from the lampshade, though.

Heat spread over Adrien’s face. He picked up the bra, trying very hard to repress a fresh onslaught of memories. He still had to figure out what to do with her belongings. It wasn’t like he could keep them, and it felt wrong to toss them out. The best thing would be to return them to her somehow, but the question was how? She didn’t want to see Chat Noir, and he couldn’t do it as Adrien.

He sighed and tugged on his jeans. Whatever. He’d figured that out later. For now, he just had to find Plagg and get out of here.

oOo

“You’re being pretty quiet, kid,” Plagg said, sprawled on the mini fridge and swallowing a whole wheel of stinky camembert. “Still thinking about last night?”

Adrien choked on his juice. Orange droplets sprayed all over his phone, and he had to hit his chest several times before he could breathe again. Plagg’s cackling did not help.

“Looks like that was a yes,” Plagg said gleefully. “Pigtails must have really been something.”

“Shut up.”

More cackling.

Adrien scowled and wiped the juice off his phone. Plagg hadn’t stopped teasing him ever since they’d left the hotel. He seemed to take evil delight in knowing that Marinette was the girl from the club.

“You should just ask her out,” Plagg said. “Make it all official, as you humans call it. It’s obvious you like her.”

“I can’t do that. She thinks I’m Chat Noir! I mean, I am Chat Noir, but—but that’s not the point. Besides, I love Ladybug and—”

Plagg burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” But the traitor actually wiped a tear of laughter from his eye.

Adrien scrunched his nose in disgust and went back to scrolling through social media apps on his phone. Easy way to pass time. Not so great at redirecting his thoughts, especially since whenever Marinette’s name popped up in the comments, his heart would do a little stutter flop. Hi, that stuttering beat seemed to say. Remember when you slept with your friend? Well, you do now. Vividly. Ha, ha, ha.

Adrien tossed his phone aside. Damn it. Nothing was helping him to forget.

He glanced towards his window where Marinette’s belongings lay hidden in a Mr Banana tote bag. (Bought for him as a joke from Ladybug.) He really needed to get rid of Marinette’s stuff soon. It would be just his luck for one of the cleaning staff to find them, and then rumours would spread all over the house that he had been sneaking girls into his room. And then Nathalie would hear about it, because she always did when it came to these things, and Adrien would have to suffer through a very uncomfortable, very unwanted conversation. (He should know. He’d been there before when he was fifteen.)

“I got it!” he exclaimed, shooting to his feet. “I’ll just leave them on her balcony.”

“Huh?” Plagg stuffed a piece of cheese in his mouth, making his cheeks balloon out. “Leave wha—”

“Plagg, transform me!”

Green light flashed and Plagg disappeared. All that was left on the mini fridge was a cheese wrapper.

Adrien scooped up the tote bag and shoved the window open, leaping out with his baton to vault to the next rooftop. It was a cloudy night, but that didn’t matter since he could never see the stars anyway with all the city lights fogging everything up in one big soupy glow. (But he had pulled a cheesy one-liner on Ladybug once by saying he loved watching the stars in Paris—the stars in her eyes, that is.)

Marinette’s rooftop came into view. Her bedroom light was on, but the balcony was clear. Perfect. So long as he avoided the window and the skylight, she’d have no idea that he was there.

He landed on the balcony and retracted his baton. Carefully, he removed her belongings from the bag and then paused, biting his lip as he glanced around. Should he leave them on the table? But then her stuff would be too exposed, and maybe a pigeon would poop on them or something. (And then Marinette would hate him even more. Pigeon poop was horrible to clean, no matter what Mr Ramier claimed.)

His brow wrinkled. He could put her things back in the bag and leave that for her, of course, but that would mean parting with the Mr Banana bag, and he couldn’t give up Ladybug’s gift that easily. Nostalgic memories were awakened every time he looked at that ugly grinning face. Banananoir and Bikerbug had made an epic duo that night.

“Ah, whatever,” he mumbled. “I’ll leave them on the table.”

He’d just knock on her skylight before he left so she’d come out and find them. No pigeon poop catastrophes could happen then. All would be well, and he would be far on his way.

Pleased with his clever thinking, he was about to carry out this plan when he heard the sound of nightmares: the mechanical click of a latch being unfastened, as disturbing as the pebble that sends ripples through a silent-still pond.

His shoulders tensed. His jaw clenched.

“You!”

Marinette’s shriek pierced his ears. He winced and slowly turned to face her, conscious of the fact he was holding her shoes in one hand while he clutched her bra and top in the other. And it was awkward. So painfully awkward.

Her face went pinker than her pink pyjama pants. “You—why are you—”

“I’m just returning these!” he said, impulsively shoving them into her arms.

Bad idea. Very bad idea. Now he was close to her, and he could smell the fruity sweet scent of her shampoo, and his heart was stuttering all over again like, Hey dude, this is the friend you had sex with. Doesn’t she look pretty under the soft glow of the fairy lights?

“This is so mortifying,” Marinette whispered, eyes squeezing shut.

He stood there like a useless lump of flesh trapped in Error mode. No thoughts. Just error, error, error. This was not helping to ease the Awkward. In fact, the Awkward was becoming an unnatural force cocooning them inside a bubble of hell.

He needed to do something. Say something.

“Can I have my shirt back?”

Not that!

She raised her head and stared at him like they were enacting a dramatic scene in a Korean drama, and he had just accused her (wrongfully) of having a secret love affair with his husband. Big gasps all around. Prepare to be splashed with a cup of water, Marinette.

“What?” she said.

“It’s just, it’s one of my favourite shirts and you, uh, kinda took off with it.”

Wow, he just couldn’t stop talking. Maybe he should take a page from Marinette’s book. Flee before any further mistakes could be made.

“You still have it, right?” he said.

Idiot. Stop talking.

Her blush darkened. “I—yes. I have it. And it’s not like I planned to run away with it! I’m not some creep trying to collect souvenirs from my one-night stands. Not that I have one-night stands. I mean, I did with you, but you were the first and—” She clenched her mouth shut, took a breath, and then continued her bullet-train rapid rambling. “I just happened to be wearing your shirt, okay? That’s why I took it. There was no special reason or anything. It was completely unintentional and—and it’s your fault for letting me wear it last night!”

He blinked. It was all he could do after having her throw words at him like a machine shooting tennis balls at his face. “Okay,” he managed to say.

“Good.”

The Awkward reared its ugly head. It was a cloak of silence choking them both.

He cleared his throat. “Um, so the shirt?”

Might as well take this disaster all the way. Plus, it was true that he wanted it back.

“Right,” Marinette said. “The shirt. I’ll go get it. You, uh, wait here.”

She vanished inside her room. He fidgeted with his ring and shifted from foot to foot. Soon, she was climbing back through the skylight and gave him his shirt.

“There,” she said, not meeting his gaze. “Now we have no reason to see each other.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but then he closed it again, not sure what he wanted to say anyway. All he knew was that their friendship, odd as it was with sporadic heart-to-hearts and random outings, was now ruined. It was kind of depressing. Even if he could still hang out with her as Adrien, he’d enjoyed spending time with her as Chat Noir.

Stupid alcohol. Stupid hormones.

“You should go,” she said.

He nodded and took a step towards the balcony railing, but then he paused. “Marinette?”

She jumped like a startled rabbit and swung back to face him. “Yes?”

“Was it really that bad?”

The words spilled free before he could stop them. They stared at each in horrified, mutual understanding: he, because he couldn’t believe he’d just said that; she, because he’d basically just asked if he was terrible in bed, and that’s why she didn’t want to see him anymore.

She coughed and looked the other way, pink spreading over her face like a hot slap to her cheeks. “Um—”

“Forget I said that!” he blurted. “I just—it’s nothing. I’m gonna go now.” He shot finger guns at her and vaulted over the balcony.