#rarepairmonth2019

[daily-miracuclass]

[#137] Valentine for @mlrarepairmonth

[landturtlealyce]

Day 6 Lonely for @mlrarepairmonth

Super OT4 featuring an attempt to practice shading/backgrounds (sort of…)

click for better quality | chibi ML ko-fi commissions open (link in bio)

[ladyofcreation]

Changing Targets

In the midst of battle, Ladybug and Chat Noir encounter Kagami taking out her frustrations about her date on the Akuma minions.

Written for @mlrarepairmonth Day 28 - You Okay?

Something more lighthearted to close out Rare Pair Month, unrelated to the angsty AU I posted earlier in the month.

---

Kagami almost welcomed Akuma attacks. Especially the ones that spawned a large number of mindless minions. There really wasn’t much better stress relief than taking up her foil and taking out her frustrations on waves of opponents like a real-life video game. In a way, she envied Ladybug and Chat Noir, they got to do this everyday.

And Kagami had good reason to be frustrated right now. The reason, of course, was Adrien. Why did he keep inviting her on dates if he was going to spend most of them chasing after Marinette, instead? What the hell was he playing at?

Next time, she was putting her foot down. No more double dates. Next time, it would just be him and her.

She smacked down some poor soul that got too close.

No, she reflected, it was really past time to face the truth – this wasn’t going to work out, him and her. They got along much better as friends and rivals than as boyfriend and girlfriend, and in the end, it was probably for the best that she’d found that out so early through these double dates.

If this was how he was going to act…so inconstant, so wishy-washy – then he wasn’t for her, as much as she had wanted it to work out. And really, it wouldn’t work out for many girls, down the line. Adrien needed to get his act together. The next girl might not be so patient with him.

She’d talk about it with him, as his friend, later. But for now, she was going to get all her frustration out of her system.

Again and again, her blade struck. They were crowding around her in even greater numbers now, falling back less and less, giving her less room to maneuver. All the better, a challenge was more satisfying than easy targets.

Kagami was unexpectedly yanked to the side, and as she tried to twist to respond to her attacker, she found herself pulled into the air. Briefly disoriented, she gripped her foil tightly, only to find that it was somehow bound to her side.

Her feet touched something solid, and she was released.

“Are you okay?”

CONTINUED ON AO3

[iwroteinapastlife]

Soulmates

For @mlrarepairmonth day 30, I decided to write some more chlolukanath because I am obsessed with them, and I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope you like it~

Day 30: Soulmates

Ship: Chloé x Luka x Nathaniel

Nathaniel had always been able to see color…sort of. It was like it was half-there. A flicker of blue, a flash of yellow, a splash of red in his periphery, but only greyscale in focus. Half-there.

But there nonetheless. No one could deny that he was seeing color, even if only sort of, and even if he was only five years old. No one knew what to make of it. Nothing was wrong, his doctors would say. He was always in perfect health, he could just…see color. Sometimes.

Others questioned it. His whole life they questioned it, but Nathaniel didn’t. It was just the way he was—it was his normal—and he loved it. He was able to use his crayons like most other kids couldn’t; depict the world that most others couldn’t see. The world of color, even if only half-color.

He had a gift; he was special. He had been given a half-color world and regardless of why or how, he intended to use it.

But it wasn’t until he was seventeen that he learned what color really was; when that flicker of blue turned solid in the form of soulful eyes up on stage.

Loud music echoed off the walls around him, but Nathaniel’s world was silence. All he knew was blue—blue eyes, blue jacket, blue heart—steady and unwavering, remaining even after he let himself blink.

From there it spread, ripples on the water pulsing with his heart, until color was no longer half-there but all around him in full, unfiltered detail. But he wouldn’t look at that full-color world until later because in that moment, his attention couldn’t be torn from the center of it all—the guitarist on stage.

He was beautiful, with messy black hair and a tall, thin stature and breathtaking blue eyes. His expression was a positive sort of calm, with an easy gaze and a soft smile—the kind of face that he imagined could soothe him even on the worst of days. The kind of face he could and would fall in love with.

He tore his eyes away just long enough to search through his program. A name, he needed a name.

Luka Couffaine.

Luka’s sister had begun seeing color when she was only five years old. He remembered meeting her at the school’s front steps that day—remembered her blinking and unable to stop looking around confused, telling him that the first day of school was a lot weirder than he told her it would be. Not weird in a bad way, she had said, just weird. It wasn’t until they got home and talked to their mom that he found out it was weird in a way he didn’t understand. Weird in a way his mom said he probably wouldn’t understand for a long time.

He was okay with that though, even once he grew to understand the concept of colors. He was okay with his eyes not seeing everything because at least his ears still heard everything. And that was all he needed, really. Music was all he needed.

When he started to understand what a soulmate was, he thought it sounded nice, but he didn’t get why everyone else had to make such a big deal about it. Kids in his class lamented not seeing color when they looked at their partners and impatiently complained that they wanted to meet their soulmates already.

Luka would just shrug and put on his headphones when those conversations came up. He already had a one true love; if someday he gained a soulmate on top of that, then he supposed that would be nice, but he was happy seeing in black and white.

He was nineteen years old when a splash of red showed him a hint of what he’d been missing out on.

He had heard of Nathaniel Kurtzberg before—had even seen a couple of pictures of him—because he was friends with his little sister. But seeing him in person was like the moment the bass drum hits for the first time—powerful, impactful, right, and every moment after that, you don’t know how the song ever played without it.

His hair splashed red and his eyes flickered blue—but not the same blue that flickered in the mirror. He lived with a passion for his art that resonated with Luka’s passion for his music and together, they were the best duet he could imagine.

The song was still missing something, though, they found. Because soon, Nathaniel realized that Luka was only seeing half-color. Just like he had up until then.

Nathaniel said he had never questioned it in himself, but now he questioned it in Luka. He thought it was just him—just a strange fact of his existence—but if it was happening to Luka now, then maybe it really meant something.

He thought about it every day, even the days he didn’t say anything about it; Luka knew he did. He thought about it every day for years. But Luka didn’t fret. He had his one true love. He had his soulmate. He even had half-color. He was happy with that.

He was twenty-four years old when he understood—understood why Nathaniel always wished he could see full color, understood why he only saw half-color, understood even why Nathaniel had only seen half-color before. Because he was twenty-four when he saw in person for the first time a flash of yellow he had only before seen on the news and in his sister’s school pictures.

Chloé Bourgeois.                                            

Chloé was five years old when she met her soulmate—or at least, sort of—and she refused to believe it even then. The colors were wrong. Everyone said they would fill her entire world and they would always be there for her to see, but they weren’t; they were only half-there. And she knew—she knew—it was because the colors had messed up. It had to be. Because there was no way—absolutely no way—the weird art boy was her soulmate.

She never told anyone she saw in half-color, because she knew what they would say. Just like him. He was the only other person who saw in half-color and everyone knew it. Everyone knew and so if she told them, she knew the conclusion they would come to. The conclusion that was wrong.

It was easy to tell herself that when they were thirteen and the same growth spurt hadn’t hit him that was starting to hit the others. He didn’t know how to take care of his hair, so that splash of red in her peripheral was always a mess and he was awkward and dorky and antisocial and everything that she wasn’t.

He started to post his art online that year and sometimes she would see it. She would stare at the half-color world he painted—their half-color world—and she would shake her head. It was wrong. That was why it was only half, because it was wrong. It had to be.

It was harder to tell herself that when they were seventeen and he started to smile like that. There was almost always paint on his cheek or ink on his fingers and his hair was so long he was starting to pull it back out of his eyes—his eyes that sparked teal. He was still dorky—he was always going to be dorky—but he made dorky look cute now and she didn’t understand it. She didn’t understand his smile or the emotions it stirred in her and she didn’t understand why a small part of her always wished she was causing it.

That was when his art changed. He stopped painting their world. Now he painted a world of full color—his world—a world she couldn’t see. Because he had found his soulmate. He had found his soulmate and it wasn’t her, so…so she was right. The colors had been wrong and someday she would see full color too with her own soulmate who wasn’t him.

She didn’t understand why she felt so lonely that night.

She didn’t understand until she was twenty-two and she saw him again. Out under the sun in the park she saw that splash of red she hadn’t seen in so long except now it was next to a flicker of blue and suddenly they were both solid. They didn’t move when she stared straight at them. They stayed and out from them color bled into the rest of her world. Full color. Full color that started with a splash of red and a flicker of blue.

Blue tips on black hair and blue eyes that found hers and paused. He paused and she knew. She knew that he was seeing full color too—that he had seen half-color too. Just like her. Just like Nathaniel.

He paused and she understood.

The colors weren’t wrong. They were never wrong. They were just incomplete.

[secretagentspydetectiveninja]

Rare Pair Month, day 14: childhood

I may be a few days late in keeping up with @mlrarepairmonth but brotps/friendships totally count as rare pairs too, so have two tiny art nerds defacing the floor of a museum with violent historical shenanigans

[seasonofthegeek]

Rarepair Month: Lonely

Today’s drabble was commissioned by the lovely @munofsilver for Chloe/Nathaniel. Thanks for the request, sweets! <3

“Who’d you dump this time?” Nathaniel asked, dropping down into the wrought iron cafe chair with a grunt.

“You’ve got paint on your cheek,” Chloe pointed out before taking a long sip of her coffee. “And your clothes. You look like a mess.”

“I told you I was working when you called,” he grimaced. “You should know what to expect by now. We’ve done this dance enough.”

She frowned and wrapped her hands around her mug. “You’re grumpy.”

“Yeah, a little. The mural isn’t going the way I planned.” He slid down in the chair a little more and picked at some dry paint on his thumb. “It’s the highest paying thing I’ve gotten in a while and I’m afraid the client isn’t going to be happy if I have to ask for an extension.”

“You know if it’s a money thing,” Chloe said carefully, “I--”

“I’m fine.”

“Okay.” She glanced around the mostly empty cafe. “There is never anyone here. It’s a wonder the place stays open.”

“We obviously give them enough business,” Nathaniel sighed, slumping down further in his seat. “All right, Chlo, let’s just get to it. Tell me who you dumped and how it wasn’t working out and how you just want things to be easy for a while and let’s go back to my place and get started because I’m really tired and I don’t have it in me to go into overtime tonight.”

“You’re such an asshole,” she snapped, pushing her chair away from the table. It tore along the flooring with whining protest. “Just forget about it, Kurtzberg.” She picked up her purse and Nathaniel barely managed to snag the handle before she could pull away. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, tone exhausted but sincere. “That was out of line and I shouldn’t have said it. I’m in a bad mood and I put it on you and that’s not fair.”

She eyed him angrily but dropped back down into her chair. “I can’t believe you’ve turned into such an ass,” she spat.

He chuckled darkly. “You and me both. Tell me what happened. I’m listening.” He sat back in his chair again but gave her his full attention.

“Okay, well,” she glanced across the table at him as if making sure he was still being attentive, “I was with this girl I’ve flirted with off and on for a few years now and we finally got together.”

“Sounds nice.”

“It was,” she nodded, “until...”

“Until,” he echoed. “Isn’t that always the way?”

“She dumped me,” Chloe explained quietly. “She said she needed to be with someone with more ambition.”

Nathaniel’s brow rose. “Than you?”

“Apparently I don’t have,” she raised her fingers in air quotes, “life direction. She said at our age, she didn’t have time to babysit her partner.”

“That’s harsh.”

“She was right,” Chloe admitted. “I let her make all the important decisions in our relationship and just worried about the inconsequential ones even when she asked for my input.” She slumped down in her chair. “I wasn’t in love with her, but I did love her, if that makes sense. So I guess it doesn’t hurt as much as I feel like it should but the pain is still there.”

Nathaniel reached across the table. “I’m sorry.”

She ignored his hand and he took it back reluctantly. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I should’ve have even called. It’s been, what, five months since the last time?”

“Seven,” he answered quietly. “You had just dumped the model. Francis or something like that. He was obnoxious.”

“But he had a great butt,” she sighed. “I’m a mess.”

“You’re not a mess,” Nathaniel replied automatically. He’d given her the same reply for years now. They’d fallen into this routine when they ended up at the same university and Nathaniel had come across a heartbroken Chloe draining her sorrows at the campus bar. Ever since, he’d been her fallback whenever she fell out of love with someone else.

“I am though. I keep doing the same things over and over.” She leaned forward. “Even this between us. This isn’t healthy. I know that.” She stared at him intently. “Are you even seeing anyone?”

“Not right now.”

“You’re never seeing anyone when I call you,” Chloe accused. “Why is that?”

“Not everyone feels the need to be constantly dating,” he shot back in irritation.

“But never? Over all these years, there has never been a time when there was someone else when I called?” She gestured to his paint-splattered clothes. “Even tonight you were busy with something important and still showed up.”

He threw his hands up in agitation. “Why am I suddenly on trial for being a good friend?!”

“Why do you keep saying yes to me?” she pushed.

“Because I...” He trailed off, his voice going quiet. “Because I’m lonely, I guess.”

“That’s not it.”

“That’s all you get.” His mouth set in a firm line, brooking no further discussion.

They sat in a charged silence as the minutes ticked by and their drinks cooled. Nathaniel finally pushed away from the table and stood. “Are you coming or not?”

Chloe looked up at him and saw all the things he was refusing to say. She knew why he always dropped everything when she called. He didn’t have to admit it because it wasn’t really a secret, it was just something left unsaid. And she knew from experience that sometimes being in love and being lonely were the same thing so she would let him slide this time. But just this one more time.

She stood and gathered her purse. “Lead the way.”

Still have Rarepair Month prompts :)

Buy me a cherry coke?

[chelleaslin]

Rare Pair Month Day 31- Valentines Day

@mlrarepairmonth

“Alya, this is it, this is the year.” Marinette sternly said as she took a deep breath and marched towards Adrien, her hands holding a Valentines card behind her back. Adrien was surrounded by a group of girls all fighting for his attention as they shoved gifts of all sorts at him, he smiled politely at all the girls but anyone could tell he was uncomfortable. He looked around for help from anyone, luckily his green eyes landed on a familiar figure approaching him.

“Hey Marinette!” He called out smiling, waving the girl over. Marinettes heart soared as he greeted her until she noticed the group of girls around him all sending her death glares. She awkwardly waved back at the boy before spinning on her heel and marching right back to Alya.

“Alya, this is not my year.” She sighed sadly as she hung her head in shame. Alya sent her a sympathetic smile, throwing her arm around her shorter best friend.

“It’s okay, the day just began you’ve got plenty of changes.” She encouraged her as she guided her inside. Marinette sent her a soft thankful smile as they headed into class.

The day passed with multiple attempts to confess to Adrien but each and every one of them was a bust. By the time the final bell rung, Marinette was physically and emotionally exhausted. She endured a day full of faliure while also watching many girl sussessful confess to him, sure he kindly rejected them but it still made Marinettes head hurt.

“I’m done with romance.” Marinette yawned as her and Alya walked out of school. Alya snorted as she rolled her brown eyes at her friend.

“Sure you are, Mari.” Alya laughed as she hugged Marinette. “Love ya girl, I’ll call you after my date.” She then turned and started jogging to catch up to Nino. Marinette sighed sadly once again, she watch her two friends intertwine their fingers as they walked hand in hand. She felt a small twang of jealously, she hated Valentine’s Day, it did nothing but remind her how single she really was. She pulled her backpack further up her back before turning towards the Bakery and walking home.

“Hello, honey!” Her Papa chirped as soon as she walked in. She sent him a soft smile while mumbling back a greeting. If he noticed her off mood, he made no attempt to mention it. “How was Valentine’s Day? Any boys I have to fight off?” He joked as he pulled out a baguette. Marinette knew he was only trying to make her laugh and didn’t mean any harm by the question but she couldn’t help but feel upset about his joke.

“Actually Papa, I-“ She was cut off by her Mother waving a red envelope in front of her face.

“She got a letter delivered here.” Sabine sang as she continued to wave the letter around. Marinettes heart started to race, someone wrote her a Valentine letter? Was it Adrien? She all but snatched the letter from her Mothers hand before running upstairs to her room for some privacy.

Once the hatch to her room was firmly shut Marinette opened her bag to let Tikki out.

“Oh a Valentines letter, how exciting!” The Kwami chirped as she flew in circles around her chosen.

“I know Tikki I hope it’s from Adrien.” Marinette replied as she threw her school bag on the ground and sat at her desk. She held the letter out in front of her, finally getting to inspect it.

The envelope was a red with light pink heart on the front, there was also a Jagged stone sticker on the back, sealing it shut. She brushed her fingers softly over the black permanent marker on the front before frowning.

The hand writing was a beautiful neat cursive, nothing like Adrien’s large sloppy hand writing. Even though this was her first ever Valentine she couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She groanned in annoyence that her hopes had been crushed once again, she threw the envelope on her desk.

“Marinette?” Tikki asked curiously, why wasn’t see opening it.

“It’s not from Adrien.” Marinette muttered glumly, she glanced at Tikki, shocked to see the Kwami glaring at her. “What?” Marinette asked as she said up straighter, not liking the judgmental look she was receiving.

“Someone spend time, effort and money on you, YOU, for Valentine’s Day! you’re the person they had to build up the effort to write and send this too. Your the person how they wanted to spend the day of love with and YOU’RE telling me that you’re not even going to bother opening it just because it’s not from Adrien?” The tiny god was absolutely fuming as she angrily ranted at her chosen.

Marinette felt an over whelming sense of shame as she guilty avoided eye contact with Tikki. What was she thinking? was she really going to ignore her first ever Valentine because it wasn’t from Adrien, sure she loved him but they weren’t a couple, he didn’t even know about her feelings and here she was dismissing a stranger that actually had feelings for her.

She picked up the envelope and opened it, revealing a simple folded piece of paper. She unfolded the letter and begain to read.

Dear, Marinette Dupin-Cheng

I’m going to start this letter by telling you about how much of a coward I am. I didn’t have the guts to give this too you in person , so I got my sister to put it in your mailbox.

I wanted to give this to you with flower or chocolate but I know that your heart belongs to another so I couldn’t face you. I keep trying to tell myself that it didn’t mater that you didn’t return my feelings, that I should express my love for you without expecting love in return but it is a lot harder to stay humble than I originally thought...

You just blow me away with every small fact I learn about you. You’re incredibly brave, kind and funny you’re extremely talented which you already knew but yet you’re so down to Earth.

You’re friends with so many rich and famous people but are as humble as anyone common person. How can you been so ordinary extraordinary? It blows my mind, you blow my mind.

I just love you so much Marinette, inside and out, you are the most beautiful soul I have known in all my lives.

-Just another face on the street.

“Marinette?” Tikki’s voice broke her from her trance.

“Yes, Tikki?” She sobbed out, surprising herself. She tenderly reach a hand to her cheeks, feeling a warm wetness. When did she start to cry? “I have to find however wrote this?” She whispered to more herself than her Kwami. She reread over the note, her secret admirer said their sister delivered the letter, implying that their sister knew her address and most likely knew her. It wasn’t much but it was a start, she needed to know who this letter was from.

“Tikki, I need a notepad, pen and my yearbooks.”

[purrincess-chat]

Rare Pair Month Day 2

Hey, here’s some MarcNath for @mlrarepairmonth. I know I’m still behind, but I’ve been busy being social lol.

Read on AO3

Day 2: Winter Night

“So, what if we have Rena Rouge fighting against Pharaoh and Stormy Weather and then Reverser swoops in to save her from an arrow from Dark Cupid?” Nathaniel suggested as Marc tapped his pen on the notebook in his lap. “Then Mightyllustrator can help Queen Bee with her family.”

“Then after Ladybug captures all of those akumas, the citizens can still help out with the big villains surrounding Hawkmoth,” Marc considered aloud jotting down notes. “With 7 heroes against Hawkmoth, he isn’t going to stand a chance, but if we take him down, who would he be?”

“I’d be up for Mme. Mendeleiev after that last physics test,” Nathaniel grumbled pursing his lips. “We don’t have to take him down; he could still get help escaping from the mysterious peacock Miraculous.”

“That’s true.” Marc nodded, conceding the point. “I’ll start writing the draft now.”

Nathaniel sat back in his chair as Marc set to work, glancing out the window at the falling snow. He was glad that he was spending the night with Marc to work on their comic book so that he didn’t have to walk home in the cold. His gaze shifted back to Marc, linger as he watched contently while he worked. Marc always looked so cute when he worked, the way his eyes followed the pen across the page, and Nathaniel felt his heart skip a little as a small smile curled on his lips.

He stood up to cross the room and sat behind Marc, spreading his legs along either side of Marc’s and wrapping his arms around Marc’s waist. As he rested his head against his back, Marc relaxed into his touch, nuzzling closer as Nathaniel tightened his grip before resuming writing.

No, on cold winter nights like this, Nathaniel was perfectly content to spend time with the person he loved, even if they didn’t get much work done because they spent too much time cuddling.  

[my-guilty-pleasure-blog-oops]

ML Rarepair month day 3: Cold day

@mlrarepairmonth

[mlrarepairmonth]

Someone asked me in discord if platonic pairings could be submitted, and the answer is absolutely, yes! Any aro/ace friends or even non-aro/ace friends who want to participate in the event but don’t care for romance, feel free to interpret the prompts for your favorite rare friendship pairings too! I have no problem with that whatsoever. 

[samanthaares]

I Like My Pairs Rare 1: New Year's Resolution.

[landturtlealyce]

Day 2 Winter Night for @mlrarepairmonth

Rare Pair Month may be over but I’m still determined to finish all the prompts even if it kills me!! It would help if I stopped envisioning comic ideas for all of them but I caved on this one because I’m weak and I love my furry children too much... Also you can click to scroll through all the panels!

click for better quality | chibi ML ko-fi commissions open (link in bio)

[ladyofcreation]

The Secret Kept From Yourself

Being secretly in love with your best friend while having to encourage her to pursue the boy she's crazy for is hard even under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances.

Alya knows Ladybug's identity. Ladybug...doesn't.

Written for @mlrarepairmonth Day 6 Prompt - Lonely

AU where not even the heroes know their own identities - their memories of civilian live are blocked off while transformed, and their civilian selves have false memories in place of the times when they were transformed.

The kwamis are also very different, less friendly from having less human contact, and so are very OOC to the point of being practically different characters from canon Tikki and Plagg, though that'll be shown more in the follow-up fic to this next week.

---

For a few months, Alya had been living the dream. She’d dutifully followed the heroes around, recording their efforts, even got personal interviews with them! Oh, they were amazing, especially Ladybug. It was hard not to fall in love with her.

Which of course, was exactly what Alya did. And that was fine, great even! Because Ladybug, as impossible as it might’ve seemed…reciprocated. It was hard to tell, of course, because Ladybug was usually only out when the city was in immediate danger, and when the city was in immediate danger, Ladybug was being professional. But there were the small things – the light blushing, the stumbling of words, the special preference Alya seemed to get when Ladybug was rescuing civilians.

And then Ladybug had kissed her.

It wasn’t much, just a peck, really, as Ladybug told her to stay safe. But at that moment, Alya knew for certain that Ladybug was interested.

It felt wonderful. Alya was giddy for days. The reporter and the superhero…what a classic couple they were! The danger didn’t scare Alya – if anything, it added a thrill to the developing relationship. Even if they couldn’t have “normal” dates, everything was just perfect as far as Alya was concerned. And it might have stayed that way, had Alya never noticed Marinette, eyes glazed-over, walking into a secluded alley. If only Alya had turned away, gone to video the Akuma wreaking havoc. If only Alya hadn’t quietly followed Marinette in concern.

If only she hadn’t seen Marinette transform.

She’d been too shocked to do anything but stay hidden where she was.

How…how could this be? How could Marinette be Ladybug? How could she keep this a secret from Alya for that long? How could she kiss her and then sit next to her the next day like nothing had ever happened?

Had Alya misread the affection entirely? Or was Marinette…toying with her?

No, Alya told herself. Marinette wouldn’t do that. She’s way too nice to…

But…Alya knew all too well how much Marinette was in love with Adrien. She’d never look twice at anyone else as long as Adrien was around.

But then, why would Ladybug kiss her?

There had to be an explanation. Clearly, Alya didn’t know Marinette nearly as well as she thought she had. And the way forward was clear. Alya needed to confront her.

So, with determination fueled by her hurt, confused heart, Alya set out to catch Ladybug alone.

CONTINUED ON AO3

[iwroteinapastlife]

Party

Woot woot I took day 10 of @mlrarepairmonth a lil differently with some Lukadrien and Marcnath (Marcaniel? What are we calling this ship?). Enjoy!

Day 10: Party

Ship: Luka x Adrien, Marc x Nathaniel

cw: No sexual content, but a lot of suggestive flirtation

“Alright, I am begging you.” Nino leaned over the table with his hands clasped, staring into Adrien’s eyes. “Please please make this roll. If we have to fight this goblin any longer, I’m gonna run out of song references.”

“Don’t worry,” Luka said, shooting him a smile that had him making one of his own. “I’ve seen the playlist he compiled. He’s just being impatient.”

“Dude,” he whined, looking back over his shoulder. “You peaked?”

Luka shrugged, looking as relaxed as ever as he leaned back and softly strummed his guitar. “You made it a public playlist on your Spotify; of course I looked at it.

Nino opened his mouth to argue, but Marc thankfully cut in first. “Go ahead and roll, Adrien.”

“Right,” he nodded, tossing his d20. Five pairs of eyes followed the die across the table, Marc leaning over his DM screen to watch as it approached him.

18.

Nino reached across the table to fist bump him as Marc announced, “That’s a hit! The goblin is dead.”

“Rio comes up to you, playing a victory tune on his mandolin,” Luka said, those blue eyes falling on him again. Adrien’s heart skipped as he plucked some notes on his guitar and sang along, “‘And the last of the goblins he did slay, keeping the peace another day. Oh a million hearts that rogue could sway, but in whose bed I wonder will he lay?’”

He could feel a blush rising to his cheeks as he smiled and replied in character, “‘Well that depends on whose bed is available to me.’”

“While that all is happening, Catherine will go to take the key from the goblin’s belt,” Nathaniel said beside him, but Adrien’s attention was trapped by the sexy smirk that took to Luka’s lips.

“‘With anyone a man like him could have his way. Who he wants tonight he need only say.’”

“‘And here I thought you couldn’t get more gay,’” Nino sang along in a higher (sassier) voice, acting out his character. Adrien broke—unable to keep a straight face any longer—and was happy to see Luka laughing too. “Lyra walks through these two to join Catherine.”

“Okay,” Marc said through his giggles. He turned to his boyfriend. “You going to try to unlock the door then?”

Nathaniel’s shoulders slumped. “You’re going to make me roll even for that, aren’t you?”

“Has that potion worn off?” he asked with a deceptively cute smile.

“No,” he sighed. Then he turned to Nino and spoke in character. “‘Here,’ she hands the key to you, ‘You’ll probably have better luck with this.’”

“Lyra takes it and goes to open the door. ‘I told you not to drink that thing, but does anyone ever listen to the bard? Nooooo.’”

“‘They listen to me sometimes,’” Luka butt in, giving him a shit-eating grin. “‘But I am the greatest mandolinist in the world, so how can they not listen to me?’” Adrien laughed and that seemed to catch his eye again. His stomach flipped as he watched Luka’s smile shift into something much warmer.

“Lyra flips you off over her shoulder,” Nino replied. “So what’s behind the door?”

“Okay!” Marc sat up in his seat, practically glowing in excitement. “You open the door to what appears to be a bedroom somewhat in shambles. There’s a wardrobe on the right wall. Both of its doors are open—one hanging from its hinges—and inside all you see is a torn cloak struggling to hold onto a mangled wire hanger. To the left, you see a desk with an open journal, an overturned bottle of ink, and a matted feather quill. The ink has spread across most of the desk and now steadily drips into a small puddle on the floor. The journal looks like it’s had several pages torn out of it, and you can see them crumpled up and strewn about the floor. Lying down on the ground next to the desk is a chair that’s had one of its legs broken off. Next to that is a bed whose sheets have been torn up quite a bit, and the wooden headboard looks to have several tally marks carved into it.”

“How many?” he asked excitedly.

That smile confirmed his suspicions. “27.” Adrien jumped up and down in his chair as Marc giggled and went on. “And lastly, sitting in the windowsill at the far wall, wearing an elegant but sullied dress and holding the chair’s missing leg in a fist, is a young woman.”

Nino drummed his hands on the table right as Adrien threw his arms in the air. “Gentlemen, I believe we have found our missing princess!”

“Is she pretty?” Nathaniel asked. He leaned forward on his elbows and looked at Marc with a flirtatious smile.

Marc glared at him but was failing to keep a smile from his face. “Yes, she’s very pretty.”

“Catherine immediately approaches and kneels before her.” He took Marc’s hand and kissed it reverently before continuing, that flirtatiousness seeping heavily into his tone. “‘Your grace, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance at long last. My name is Catherine and I am but a humble sorceress, come to rescue you from your prison. I swear on the soul of my father, Domingo Montoya, you will reach your kingdom alive.”

Adrien and Nino both burst out laughing, Marc used his free hand to face palm (though he couldn’t hide his smile), and Luka quoted with a grin, “Throw me the rope.”

When Marc picked his head back up he was giving Nathaniel a (blushing) you’re so dumb sort of look, which only made him grin wider. “Did you take her hand too?”

“No, that was just for you,” he replied, kissing his fingers again. Marc’s blush deepened, despite him trying to act serious.

“Nath, if you keep flirting with the DM, he’s going to throw more cursed potions at you,” Nino said, still chuckling.

“It’s worth it.”

Marc flicked Nathaniel’s nose before taking his hand back. “The woman stands, her eyes shifting between the four of you. She seems wary, but does not say anything.”

“Lyra steps forward,” Nino said. “‘I assure you, princess, you are safe with us. We may seem a rather odd rescue party, but we can hold our own against your adversaries. We are here to assure your safe return.”

“She tightens her grip on the wooden leg. She still looks awfully wary, but she lifts her chin and speaks with the kind of confidence and regality befitting of a future queen. ‘Good,’ she finally says. ‘Then let’s go.’ Aaaaaaand I think that’s where we’ll stop for today.”

“Yeeeessssssss,” Nino groaned, leaning back in his chair. “We finally found her.”

“Does anyone else want to watch The Princess Bride now?” Luka asked.

“Can’t,” Nino replied. “It’s date night with Alya.”

“And Marc and I are going to see that play with Rose and your sister, remember?”

“Oh yeah, that was tonight, huh? Well then,” those breathtaking, heart-stopping blue eyes turned to him once again, “Adrien?”

He swallowed and tried to keep the giddy smile from taking over his face as he nodded. “Yeah. I’d love to.”

[secretagentspydetectiveninja]

Rare Pair Month, day 11: Pick-up lines

Oops this is a few days late, I started it on time but then I forgot, anyway have some Cupid’s Wifi for @mlrarepairmonth

AO3

Alya was no slouch when it came to flirting. Sure, most of the kids in her class were on another level of obliviousness entirely, and especially this one ridiculously hot but ridiculously stupid jock sitting just a little way down the table from her. But she was certain she could get him to notice.

She had picked a fabulous outfit with the help of her loyal girl squad, had re-dyed the ends of her hair so they really popped, and spent most of her pocket money on new makeup, considering that Nora had let all of hers go stale and crumbly years ago with little use. And now, here at this end-of-year party, she hoped to be able to bring in the new year on a bright note.

In other words, she really, really needed to do something about her annoyingly sudden crush on Kim.

“Hey Kim!” she said, leaning forwards and waving at him to get his attention.

“Oh hey Alya, what’s up?”

It wasn’t until he had turned to face her with his usual effortless dazzling smile that the nerves and adrenaline hit. She took a quick glance down at her watch – less than one minute to go until the new year. Time for her plan.

Pulling her freshly bought tube of lipstick out of her pocket, she opened it up and put a little on her lips as a top-up. “I bought some new lipstick earlier.”

“Oh, cool!”

“It’s cherry-flavour…”

“Nice.” He was giving her a thumbs-up. For all his stereotypically sporty interests, he did seem to be genuinely happy for her – though she was partially convinced he didn’t actually even know what lipstick was.

In any case, time was running very low if she wanted to start the year off with a new boyfriend. Leaning in quite a bit closer, she put on a smile with those cherry-red lips of hers and gave him a wink. “Want a taste?”

That was smooth, right? She really had to hand it to herself. It was a plan she had told Marinette to try on Adrien, but that poor girl could barely even get in a sentence around him. Alya was thankfully a lot better at getting her heart under control. She even puckered her lips slightly, another adrenaline rush running through her that was probably making her whole face red too. Would he take the hint and kiss her?

“Sure,” Kim said.

Then he grabbed the lipstick tube off her and took a bite out of it.

For several seconds Alya just stared in utter disbelief. Kim handed the tube back to her, chewing thoughtfully, and she barely paid it any attention. She couldn’t believe it.

As weird as Kim was, as unexpected and surprising and impulsive he could be, he had somehow managed to completely outdo himself.

“Hmm, I guess it is a bit cherry-flavoured, it tastes super weird though…” He picked up a napkin from the table and wiped his mouth.

Alya had still not managed to shake herself out of her state of shock. Distantly, she heard the end of the countdown and the fireworks beginning, signalling the start of another year. The first thing she had been wanting to do was to kiss Kim – and instead she was sitting here watching him eat her new lipstick!

“Happy New Year,” Kim said, his sweet smile being enough to finally snap Alya out of it.

“Huh? Oh yeah… Happy New Year…”

“Let’s start this year off with something awesome! I’m gonna do my New Year’s Resolution right now, actually, before I forget.”

How typical of him to hit the ground running, already on a roll even on the first day of the year. “What is it?”

He was blushing suddenly, his fingers fiddling nervously with the strings on his hoodie. “To ask you out. Well actually my resolution was ‘kiss someone cute’ and I like you a lot so um…”

Once again, Alya stared in surprise. “You’re… asking me for a kiss?”

He nodded.

“Well then what do you think I was just doing?!”

“Wait, what?” A second later it dawned on him. “Ohhh…”

“Yeah. I worked hard on that pick-up line, dang it. Appreciate it.”

“Your way of asking was so much better than mine…”

Now he was being humble for once in his entire life? Would this boy ever stop surprising her? To think that her wondrous pick-up line had failed, and yet all he’d had to do was outright ask, with no tact whatsoever, and it somehow worked better, because wow she really did want to kiss his stupid face right now–

Well, no better time than the present. She pushed her glasses up out of the way and went for it.

A minute or so later she sat there rather smug, watching him swoon as he covered his lipstick-marked face with his hands, not enough to hide his dopey grin.

“So, did that taste better than – ahem – a tube of lipstick?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him and pushing her glasses back down. To her surprise, he gave her almost the exact same expression in return.

“Hmm… I don’t know. Couldn’t tell. I guess you’d have to put on some more lipstick and do that again.”

“Ha, very sneaky.” She put an arm around him, her smile widening. “Will you be my boyfriend? ‘Cause then you can taste my lipstick anytime. Or chapstick. I’m not gonna wear lipstick all the time, y’know.”

“Hey, I’d have agreed without the lipstick or chapstick too. I like you ‘cause you’re fun, Alya. You’re awesome. I’d be honoured to be your boyfriend.”

To think that here she was, trying to be as flirty and smooth as possible, and Kim was just saying any old heartfelt nonsense that came to mind – and it somehow worked better! Maybe forget the pick-up lines then, he clearly didn’t need them, and they went right over his head anyway.

She opened the half-eaten lipstick tube and put a little on again. “Well then, in that case…”

“I’ll buy you new lipstick, I promise,” Kim mumbled in embarrassment at seeing the thing again.

Alya simply laughed before putting the tube down and kissing him again.

[seasonofthegeek]

Rarepair Month: Pick-Up Lines

Today’s drabble was commissioned for Kim/Adrien by the amazing @lahiffed. Thanks for always being the best and I love you so much. I thought it might be fun to continue a drabble with them I have so here we go!

Parts 1, 2:

“So this is what you do all day?” Kim grabbed a banana off the snack table as they passed it.

“Not everyday,” Adrien corrected, “but yeah, this is my job.”

“You know, two weeks ago if you’d told me I would be escorting a gorgeous model around to his photoshoots, I would’ve asked you in what dream.”

Adrien ducked his head to hide his blush. He’d found himself doing that a lot since employing the man at his side to act as a temporary bodyguard. He’d picked up that Kim was a flirt from his regular trips to the coffee shop but he hadn’t predicted what it would feel like to have all of that flirting attention concentrated solely on him for hours at a time. The make-up artist had to keep trying to even out his blush between sets.

“I gotta admit though, I’m glad nothing dangerous has happened. I was a little worried about that after all the stuff you were talking about with your dad,” Kim continued, seemingly unaware of the effect he was having on the other man.

Thankfully talking about Gabriel was enough to dampen any blush-inducing feelings his crush was giving him. “Yeah, thank goodness for that,” he replied dryly. “I still think he was blowing things out of proportion.”

“Yeah, maybe. Better safe than sorry though, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Adrien was suddenly flanked by the photographer’s assistants and hurried forward to the set. 

Kim gave him half a wave, following behind slowly as he peeled his banana. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. “Oh crap, that wasn’t very good bodyguard work,” he groaned, jogging to catch up. “Hey! You better not be kidnapping him!”

___________________________

“So I’m guessing you aren’t dating anybody.” Kim stretched out on Adrien’s couch. 

“That obvious?” Adrien went to the small bar in the corner of his living room to fix them both drinks. 

“Just a vibe I get.”

“Great, so I give off ‘sad and single’.”

Kim laughed. “No, man! Not like that. You just don’t seem like someone who puts down roots, I guess.” He sat up and looked around. “Like take this place, for example. You live here?”

Adrien frowned and looked around his apartment. “Yeah...why?”

“Who could even tell?!” Kim pointed to art on the wall. “That doesn’t tell me anything about you. And all the decor is so ‘any rich white guy’, it’s laughable.”

“I didn’t actually pick any of it.”

“That’s my point.”

Adrien’s brow rose. “Your point is that you don’t like my apartment?”

“My point is that this is where you apparently live and there’s no trace of you anywhere.”

“My shower drain that tends to get clogged with my hair would probably argue that point with you.”

Kim frowned. “Don’t you have any pictures with friends or family or something to put up? Or like trophies or I don’t know, man, posters from your favorite movie or something?”

Adrien shifted uneasily. “I guess I could...”

“But you don’t plan on being here long?”

“I’ve lived here for three years.”

“Three years?!” Kim stood up. “Okay, that’s it. Before all this, I was thinking up pick-up lines in my head to maybe get dinner to turn into something more but there’s been a change in plans.”

Adrien felt his blush come back in full force even amidst his confusion. “I don’t...what?”

“First things first.” Kim took his phone out of his pocket and crossed the room, pulling Adrien close and holding the phone up. “Picture with a friend.” He took a few shots of himself and a confused but smiling Adrien and then turned to kiss Adrien’s cheek for a few more. “You know, just in case,” he winked, pocketing the phone once more. “Grab your jacket. We’re going out.”

“Out where?” Adrien was already pushing his arm through the sleeve of his coat. He was apparently going to do whatever Kim told him. His cheek burned with an unfamiliar but very welcome warmth where he’d kissed him. 

“To figure out what kind of stuff you like to make this place more like a home,” Kim answered as if it was the most simple thing in the world.

“It seems kind of late to go shopping.”

“Not if you know the right places.” He pulled a scarf free from the coat rack and wrapped it around Adrien’s neck, tugging on it to pull him closer and lowering his voice. “Don’t worry. I’m not forgetting the job or anything. Your body will be completely guarded. Promise.”

Adrien swallowed loudly. “Okay,” he squeaked. “Lead the way.” 

Buy me a cherry coke?