ml fanfic

“A-a-a-Ad…” Beside her, suited in green, was Aspik, but for some reason his costume had changed and she could see his blond hair. Hair that fell in the same pattern as Chat Noir and not in the length or style she was used to for Adrien. “A-aspic!”

That wasn’t quite right was it? No time to worry about that.

“So I don’t have a complete plan just yet to get the akuma, but I guess I don’t have to worry. If it doesn’t work you can just go back and let me know.”

Aspic frowned, and it was both endearing and heartbreaking to see. “About that, I don’t think my powers are working quite like they’re supposed to.”

“What do you…?” But before Ladybug could ask her question they were interrupted.

“Ho-hoo, ho-hoo!” Mister Pigeon called out, standing in front of them. Why he was the akumatized victim, Marinette hadn’t figured out.

Spinning her yo-yo, she tried to attack the akuma, but he dodged. She did not miss, honest. Though her current partner did sneeze enough to startle her and when she glanced at him he seemed to be wobbling some. This was the worst akuma to have with Adrien as a Miraculous Holder.

Thoughts about why he had the snake miraculous for that matter had to wait as she tried again to capture Mister Pigeon who was far too agile. When she glanced at Aspic again he was holding his weapon, but it wasn’t the lyre, but a bundt pan.

The bundt pan was flung like a frisbee disc by Aspic, hitting Mister Pigeon. Feathers went everywhere. What Ladybug saw as the feathers moved away from Mister Pigeon was the akuma, who’s fashion sense had already been horrific, now in a bad Zoot Suit and his mask replaced by Cat Eye Glasses.

The sneeze from Aspic was like a hurricane and hit Zoot Pigeon with gale force winds, making him wobble. Not just wobble, but jiggle. Ladybug blinked several times, but no, he was in fact jiggling. She looked over at Adr... Aspic and he too was jiggling from his sneeze. But his whole body was going forwards and backwards while his hair was going side to side.

Ladybug screamed!

Marinette woke up in her bed in a cold sweat. A dream, a horrible terrible dream. It meant nothing, absolutely nothing!

It would be years before Marinette would have bubble tea with anything but tapioca.

Alya stopped, looking up at the street light on the path they were following before once more glancing at her phone.

“So is this it?” Chloé asked as she placed her hands on her hips and looked around. Alya nodded even though it seemed a strange spot to come for a wedding.

“Ah, are you folks also here for the wedding?” A voice asked ahead of them, half cloaked in darkness. The person walked closer until the lights gave them a view of who was speaking. A middle aged man in the garb of a catholic priest smiled at the group of about twenty former akumatized victims. It was a small number of Hawkmoth’s victims, but considering the last minute invitation it was a testament of not only Alya’s organization skills but also the true gratitude even after all this time for the two heros.

Behind the man was a woman with a pair of boxes in her hands. They seemed too short to be cake boxes for some reason. “We are. Are they here?”

The priest nodded. “Right over this way I believe.”

Just off the path, behind some large bushes, stood Ladybug and Chat Noir, quietly talking to each other. Chat Noir kept going up and down on the balls of his feet, the excitement nearly tangible, as Ladybug seemed to keep him anchored with one hand laced in his.

It was an illusion though, because one look of the red spotted heroine’s face proved she was glowing and just as giddy as her partner, nay, fiancé and soon to be husband.

“You made it,” Ladybug called out happily when she saw the group.

“So many of you came? I… thank you everyone,” Chat Noir said, looking a bit emotionally overwhelmed.

“There were many others that only didn’t make it because they couldn’t get a sitter at such short notice or were out of town,” Nino explained.

The two heroes looked surprised which Alya found both silly and endearing. Did they not know how much the former victims, that the whole city, loved and were grateful to them? She wondered if they knew what was going to happen tomorrow when she got to break this story. Not that she was going to have much time herself to enjoy the public reaction.

The priest, Father Frederick, instructed the guests to form a semi circle as he placed the bride and groom in front of him so all could be witnesses. Alya and Nino took up positions, her to record and him to take pictures, of the event before them.

“Dear Friends, we are gathered here this evening to celebrate the love of Paris’ beloved heroes. Typically I would be saying that I am joining them in matrimony, but tonight’s wedding vows are more of a redecoloration, for they have been partnered for years now. The vows they make are for them tonight, vows of love and commitment, but can any of us here say they have not made such vows in the many battles they have fought to protect all of us?”

Damn if this priest wasn’t going to make her cry.

The woman with the boxes came forward and Father Frederick took the lid off the top one. Alya caught him muttering something about ‘colorful’

Ladybug moved and pulled out the flowers that were contained in the box. The grin on her face was so wide, so happy, that Alya stopped wondering what was with the flowers. It was so amazing to see her, no both of them, for Chat Noir’s grin was just as wide, be so happy and so in love.

The crown of flowers were placed on Chat Noir’s head as Ladybug repeated the vows she had been asked to commit to. “I, Ladybug, take you, Chat Noir, to be my husband. For good times and bad. In sickness and in health. And for as long as we both shall live.”

The vibrancy of the colors of the flower crown were only paled by the couple’s gaze at each other.

When it came for Chat Noir to repeat the steps, his hands shook as he took the flower crown and placed it upon her head. Once it sat there, she took his hand in hers. It was a moment longer before Frederick started to speak and by the time Chat Noir spoke the vows his voice did not shake like his hands did moments before.

It took all of Alya’s will power to keep a steady hand, to preserve this moment. She would have to watch the video later to get the full effect of this wedding, because the kiss, the kiss to seal them as husband and wife was so tender and so precious Alya expected little baby cupids to show up. Ladybug had put both her hands on his face as though he was the most important thing she ever held and kissed him so softly.

Alya had seen, either being too close to the action or just shots from other photographers, many kisses by this powerful couple and while it always seemed loving, it never looked this vulnerable.

The cheers when they pulled apart was as spontaneous as it was expected after such a sweet, little, ceremony. They moved to look at the people there and Alya knew that they remembered each person there, some they might have known better than others, but they knew each person’s name and as they went around to talk to everyone, showed they knew something about every person there. The victims were always more than just random citizens to them. The whole of Paris was their family.

Alya had put away her equipment and was enjoying a soda that the new bride and groom had brought as refreshments for this late night wedding along with easily bought snack food. It was a very casual atmosphere.

“I’m a very lucky man,” Chat Noir’s voice startled Alya as she hadn’t noticed the hero beside her.

“I’m sure she thinks the same thing,” Alya told him, glad she didn’t spit out her soda or worse choke on it. Quiet as a cat. It was very weird having a casual conversation with a hero.

He shook his head, a smirk on his lips. “She is luck. But it’s more than that…”

Alya waited, but he didn’t continue. She wasn’t sure if he just didn’t have the words or if he realized he might overshare in a way that would jeopardize his identity. In the end it didn’t really matter. Alya had an idea what he really meant. Those two had shared so much, had come close to death or failure so many times, defeated the madman that had caused so much paranoia and anxiety in the city finally and now were here, able to do such a normal thing as get to choose to spend their lives together. “You’re both lucky you got to be with each other and we’re all lucky we got you.”

(Well I ot sick so now I’m a few days behind, boo!)

The large dining table was full of life. While there were only four at the table, one look at Adrien declared that it was the happiest he’d been during a meal there in quite some time. It was not the first meal they’d all shared together since moving in, but it was the first in the dining room. Something the girls had been aiming towards since Marinette’s official move in a week prior if Nino was to guess.

Not that there was anything wrong with eating in the kitchen, or in front of the tv watching a movie together, but there was a normalness about sitting at a dining room table eating dinner together. The bread was of course fresh from Tom & Sabine’s and each of them had a hand in the preparation, even if the majority was done by Marinette.

Just as Nino was reaching to get himself a second helping of green beans, their dinner was interrupted by a ringtone. Chloé glanced at her phone on the table, and then had the gall to pick it up!

“Daddy!” She called into it.

Nino resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Growing up it was considered improper at best to talk on your phone at dinner, and given that as long as you used your ‘pleases’ and ‘thank yous’ his mothers didn’t fuss much about table etiquette he was surprised and maybe even flabbergasted that someone that had been probably taught table manners he’d never even dreamed up would break such a cardinal rule. Yet there Chloé was having a conversation with her father. Something about a party and a date. Nino was too distracted by green beans and Marinette explaining the logo design she was currently working on to follow.

Eventually Chloé’s conversation ended. At this point Adrien was trying to tell a joke about a seasick crocodile, which Marinette must have heard at one time because she kept trying to get him to stop.

“Nino, do you want to be my date for the opening in Reims,” Chloé asked suddenly as Adrien attempted his joke for the third time. Adrien gave her a pout, but Nino just found himself staring at her with his jaw hanging down slightly. “Oh, nevermind!”

Nino shook himself out of his shock. “No, no, wait a minute. I want to know what you mean by date.”

“Okay, not date, arm ornament,” Chloé said dismissively.

“Still not an explanation Chloé,” Marinette said in a sing song voice. Nino thought she looked a bit smug too, but her turned his attention to the blonde who just asked him out and then downgraded the request.

“Fine,” Chloé groaned. “Daddy as the date for the opening of the new hotel in Reims. He’s had this in the works for a few years now, but it’s finally finished and staffing has been completed for the most part so now it’s time for the big grand opening.”

“And you need a date,” Nino started.

“Arm ornament,” Chloé corrected quickly.

Nino wasn’t sure why but he was enjoying this who idea more and more. “And you need an escort because you’re the owner’s daughter?”

Chloé nodded, “Basically. Daddy will probably have some young actress as his arm ornament during the weekend as well. It’s just how these events go.”

Nino sat back in thought. “Okay, I’m in, but I got to ask, why are you taking me and not some hot minor celebrity yourself?”

Chloé covered her face with both hands, which Nino was sure was also not good table etiquette. Adrien chuckled slightly and that seemed to catch Chloé’s attention. “You would be a much better date. I’ve changed my mind!”

“No, nah-uh. Not happening Chlo! Besides Nino already said yes!” Adrien used exaggerated hand gestures to help put his point across.

“But Adrikins! You’re hot! You’re a celebrity! And we have fun at these events!” Chloé listed off her reasons on her finger while batting her eyes in a fashion that Nino just wasn’t buying.

“Nino’s hotter, he’s an up and coming music sensation, and we both know you’d rather him go up to Champagne with you.” Adrien listed on his finger right back.

There was a slight blush over Chloé’s cheeks as she crossed her arms. “Hmph, you just want to be home alone with Marinette so you have an excuse to eat at her parents’ place for dinner all week.”

“That is a perk,” Adrien grinned, purposely not looking in Marinette’s direction.

“Fine, I reinstate my request for you to come up with me to Reims,” Chloé looked directly at Nino. Sure she was just playing around, but she could be intense at times, and Nino felt his heart speed up at bit.

“I’ll pencil you in.”

Long before Adrien had a decision on what to do with his childhood home. Before his best friends came to live with him. Before there was a chance to clean out the wine cellar. Long before all that a horrible battle was won.

Ladybug hadn’t so much suggested, as outright told everyone else to leave them alone. She might have left him alone too, if she didn’t think someone other than a kwami ought to be with him. While the others were elsewhere in the manor still, either celebrating or trying to figure out how to murder Gabriel multiple times without powers, Marinette watched Adrien pace in the North Wing sitting room.

There hadn’t been much chance to talk before and now that it was over it seemed like there was no words. Even without words though she would be there for her partner, her friend. Even as the adrenaline faded, exhaustion started to take over, and the cold started seeping into her bones.

Marinette absently started to rub her arms.

Adrien turned and looked at her. He blinked, as though he was surprised she was there, and maybe he was. Despite his world tumbling down his first words to her since they’d detransformed sounded like too much an apology. “You’re cold. Do you want a fire?”

Marinette was a bit confused by the statement, somewhere in the very unherolike part of her brain she wondered if roasting their former nemesis on an open fire was being offered. Then she realized, “oh you mean in the fireplace? You don’t need to go to the trouble.”

“It’s not really any trouble,” he told her, walking over to the side of the fireplace and flipping a small switch she hadn't noticed. With a swoosh, the fireplace was alive with a crackling fire. He looked over at her with a sarcastic grin, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit silly.

The grin slowly died and the moment passed.

“Let’s get a couple of pillows and just sit in front of the fire,” she suggested, hoping to keep him from getting completely lost in his thoughts for a bit longer.

“I.. I guess we could?” Adrien didn’t sound sure and Marinette doubted it had anything to do with if he did or didn’t want to do it and more with moving things in the pristine room. A room that looked like something in a magazine, not lived in.

Marinette chose action not words, and grabbed a couple of pillows from a couch that looked very pretty but not the least comfortable. Placing the pillows close to the fire she looked for a few more. Her actions spurred Adrien as he found an afgan to go with the small pile of pillows forming. The worked in silence, but as a team. Tikki and Plagg, who had been a pair of silent observers on the fireplace mantel for quite some time even did their small bit to help until they had a nice little nest in front of the fire for themselves.

Marinette settled into the pillows and the warmth and comfort was heaven sent, she felt she could sleep then and there. In front of her she saw the kwamis cuddling into each other on one small pillow, half under a tea doily, already looking asleep. Sleep would be welcomed, but only after the lump of sadness that was leaning heavily next to her was able to rest. She still didn’t have the words. Absent of words she put her arm around Adrien.

At first they just sat there but then she noticed him shaking. She looked over worried, was he going into shock? But no, it was him trying to hold back from crying.

Finally she had her first set of words for him. “It’s alright Adrien. You can let it all out. I’m here for you. We all are.”

In the overly stylish North Wing sitting room, with a crackling fire in the fireplace, Adrien got his first chance to grieve his losses, wrapped in the arms of loving second chances.

Marinette looked up at the perpetual grey sky that had been hanging over Paris for the last several days and gave a shutter. The weather hadn’t been miserable but it was most definitely not Spring and she was eternally grateful for the invention of fleece. When she heard the distinct ring of her cellphone she turned away from the sky and grinned as she answered.

“Alya!”

“Cupcake!” Alya’s responded over the line. While Marinette had her phone to her ear, she could tell her best friend was on speaker phone. “How’s Paris?”

“Cold,” Marinette complained half jokingly. “How’s Munich?”

“About the same, but I’m too busy to notice it and when I do I get myself some hot cocoa,” Alya told her. Marinette could hear the rustling of papers on the other end atesting to Alya’s claim of being busy. “Oh, I did see Rose and her partners the other night. Met them for dinner.”

Marinette, who’d been absently pacing as she talked sat down in the chair closest to her, excited to hear what Alya had to say. “You met her mysterious new girlfriend? What’s she like?”

“Well, she’s pretty.”

Marinette rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “I know that! I’ve seen the pictures.”

“Well, I never know,” Alya teased. “You’ve never seemed to notice anyone!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Marinette tried to sound annoyed, but honestly she missed Alya’s teasing.

“Okay okay, but she was nice. A bit shy so I didn’t get much of a gadge on her personality.”

“And Fredrick never shut up I’m sure,” Marinette added remembering more than one dinner party with Rose’s other longtime partner.

“You know it. I’ll probably get to see them once more for lunch while they’re in town. It will be a nice break from working. I knew an internship was going to be rough, but I feel like I only eat, breathe, and drink the news right now.”

Marinette wasn’t convinced her friend wasn’t enjoying every minute of the high paced life she was currently living. “And loving it!”

Alya laughed. “Yup. Speaking of love. How the Manor of Romance!”

“Being sold,” Marinette said bluntly. She head Alya gasped and felt a bit of triumph surprising her friend.

“You guys…?”

“Nope, Adrien chose to do it all on his own. We were all a bit surprised. I mean, we all knew eventually he probably wouldn’t want to live here, but it was a very quick decision.”

It was an open secret among their special friends group that no one thought Adrien would want to spend any time at all at the mansion once the dust settled. When instead Nino, then Chloé and Marinette moved in many thought it was just to convince him to leave. That hadn’t been their reason. They just wanted to be there to support their friend. That it had turned into an enjoyable living arrangement had been a pleasant surprise.

“Well I think it’s a good thing and you can tell him that,” Alya said to Marinette, then in the background an alarm of some sort started going off. “Dammit. Sorry, I’m going to have to cut this short but you can tell me all about your guys’s plans later this week, okay? I’ve got a virtual conference I need to be in attendance for.”

“I’ll call you the normal time. Miss you!”

“Miss you too babe.”

After hanging up with Alya, Marinette looked around the large library, where she’d just spent her time on the phone with Alya. Like much of the mansion, it’s design gave an air of coldness, which did not couple well with the weather outside. She needed something warm and cozy. She wondered if Adrien and Chloé would be back soon from the meeting with the real estate agent. She sent off a text to them, and Nino, as she headed for the kitchen. Alya had the right idea, if you can’t be too busy to not notice the weather, hot cocoa would do the trick and she was sure her little family would like some too.

(Well it’s been over a year since I’ve written anything, so here’s a little story. I haven’t ever made it though a whole prompt month so don’t expect too much. This might just be a oneshot.) 

Adrien slipped out of his bed and grabbed his robe. On slippered feet he exited his room and went down the stairs and down the long halls to the office. Pulling out the chair at his father’s desk he glanced at the frost covered window. He did not see the world outside, but rather the stern look on his face. No, not stern, exhausted. He refused to believe he was seeing echoes of his father.

Sitting down he opened up the laptop before dawn, to start the work he’d chosen to do himself instead of allowing others to do for him. For the longest time the only sounds in the large manor besides the humming of electronics and the furnace blowing warm air, was the tapping of the keyboard.

He didn’t hear her, but he recognized her presence just as she placed an arm around his shoulder. He didn’t look away from the screen but noticed  it was lighter outside now, though perhaps not quite dawn.

“Hey Chlo.”

“Hey yourself. What’s got you up so early?” Chloé was leaning into his personal space looking at the screen.

“I thought I’d just get an early start on things.” Adrien finally looked up at her. “I could ask the same thing of you.”

Chloé laughed, a delighted expression. “Adri-honey, don’t you know how much work it takes to look this good?”

She stepped to the side and spread her arms out, showing off not a glamorous look but rather the over large pajama top she was wearing. Adrien couldn’t help but to snicker slightly. With a stuttered start he finally said.  “You always look good Chlo.”

Grinning back she held out her finger. “It’s because I start early. Unlike some people. Now I’m off to get some coffee to start my day right like a rational person.” Chloé started to walk off then paused and turned back to the desk. “I’ll bring you a cup too. We don’t need you grumpy as that cat after all.”

Chloé was as good as her word, though it was several minutes later before she came back with a mug of coffee. Surprises were a plenty with the coffee. First, the mug wasn’t familiar to him at all. It looked far too casual, a blue mug with cartoonish snowflakes, and she actually got his coffee exactly how he liked it with sugar and nutmeg. By the time he’d taken this all into account she had already disappeared out of the office, probably to start on her morning beauty regimen.

Taking two more sips of his suspiciously perfect coffee, in the suspiciously adorable mug Adrien stood up and left the office. He could hear voices on the other side of the door into the kitchen before he opened it, but he was still surprised to see a very sleepy looking Marinette sitting atop of the kitchen island bundled in her fuzzy robe, with an equally sleepy looking Nino, with only pajama bottoms, leaning on the counter across from her. Each drinking coffee from similar, but not matching mugs.

“Since when did everyone in this house get up before dawn?” Adrien asked as the two turned to look at him.

Marinette slipped down from the counter and went over to wrap her arms around him. “Since your ‘longest friend from forever’ woke me up and told me I just had to make you coffee.”

Marinette didn’t look too put out, but he didn’t know why Chloé would wake Marinette up for that. He could make his own coffee. For that matter despite her spoiled upbringing Chloé could make coffee herself. Even if it wasn’t nearly as good as Marinette’s.

“And you?” Adrien asked Nino.

“Dude, you need someone to drink coffee with,” Nino told him with an attempt at a straight face. There were a multitude of reasons it wasn’t working.

Adrien sighed deeply. “She told you what I was working on.”

“We’ve told you before, do whatever you want to do with this place. If you want to sell it, that’s fine, but even if that’s the decision you’re happiest with we all know that’s still a hard pill to swallow,” Nino pointed out.

“There’s too much history here, and not enough of the good ones,” Adrien said though his gaze seemed to go passed Nino. It wasn’t the first time in the last several months that had happened. There was silence as Nino and Marinette waited for him to go on. His focus seemed to go back to his best friend. “You, all of you, have made it better and it’s given me time to focus on bigger loose ends.”

“We’ll always be here for you man,” Nino reminded Adrien. Marinette’s agreement was with a kiss on the cheek. He got now why Chloé woke them both. Even if she wasn’t down there with them in the moment she was also a part of this.

“Why don’t we continue this in the library. There’s a big picture window we can watch any snowflakes that pass by,” Adrien suggested.

“Snowflakes?” Marinette asked as Adrien turned them to the kitchen door, Nino having already pushed himself off the counter to head out with them.

“Snowflakes,” Adrien said with confidence as he clinked his mug lightly to hers. The winter scenery might only be on the ceramics for now, but Adrien wanted to add a few more good memories to this place before he let it go.

lies and trying times (chat noir!lila au)

i.

There’s a girl in a hotel lobby sitting on a plush sofa, watching raindrops trail down the glass pane of the window. Paris storms have overtaken the seemingly quiet morning, and on her first day in the city, Lila Rossi wants nothing more than to leave the stuffy hotel room her father has booked. 

It’s supposed to be for three days, a business trip to impress a few French officials, but her father has already warned her that it might stretch out a bit. However, “a bit” in the Rossi family, is code for “three months to a year, depending on work”. He hasn’t decided whether they’re staying or leaving, which means she can’t decide whether to plan for permanence or establish an escape. The whole thing, like most other relocations throughout her entire life, is exhausting and messy. It’s the whole reason her mother decided to take a vacation to Barcelona three years ago… and hasn’t come back yet. 

Outside, the rain pours hard. Lila can only watch. 

She’s tired of waiting—for her father, for her mother, for her life to start. 

She pushes herself off the sofa, gets up on her feet, and heads towards the front entrance of the Bourgeois hotel. Outside, there’s a bustling and busy city, full of ancient history and secrets—a whimsical world she so desperately wants to throw herself into but has never had a chance. Lila rushes out onto the wet pavement, wedge heels clacking through puddles as she pushes past people. 

The rain pours. Lila leaves. 

She’s tired of waiting.

thu jan 3, 2019

It’s been two years! We started Miraculous Beta back in December 2016 during the long, dry hiatus before season 2. Since then, we’ve received dozens of submissions and learned a lot about what works and doesn’t work when pairing betas with fic writers. With the start of 2019, we think it’s a good time to make some major updates to Miraculous Beta and reintroduce ourselves to the current fandom!

Here are some ideas we’re thinking about:

a system for fanfic writers who use Miraculous Beta to send us their published stories for us to reblog

expanding to include meta writers

weekly/monthly grammar and writing tip posts

masterlists or links to masterlists of characters, locations, akuma, etc.

a system for beta readers and writers to be re-paired when needed

contacting beta readers and fic writers through email rather than Tumblr (this comes with advantages and disadvantages)

For those who have signed up with us before, here are some changes that we already know will be made:

Currently, beta readers sign up as “always ready to read” and are contacted (potentially multiple times) whenever a fic matches their skills and info. In the future, beta readers will submit a form every time they’d like to beta a fic. We think this will give readers more flexibility and let more people sign up.

If you signed up or sign up as a beta reader before changes are made, we’ll contact you through Tumblr in the next few weeks. You will no longer be on a permanent list.

The writers and readers sign-up forms will have updated options (details on this pending)

Before we make any changes, we need your feedback and ideas!

Fic writers, beta readers, casual fanfic readers who are just finding out about us now — please take THIS SURVEY to let us know your thoughts! We want to become a better resource for the writers, readers, and editors of this fandom, and to do so, we need your input <3

We plan to close the feedback survey on Thursday, January 10 and announce changes a few weeks later. In the meantime, beta and fic sign-ups will be open as usual. Just know that it’s currently more difficult to pair up fics since our beta readers list is outdated, so we’ll be slow. We especially encourage beta readers to wait until the changes are put in place to sign up.

@purrincess-chat is running Miraculous Spooktober and I’ve decided to use a few of the prompts this moth to make a mini Halloween story in the Orchid Bee & Fox Tail universe. I hope you all enjoy!

-Next-

(AO3 Ch 1 is parts 1-4)

Juleka was no stranger to Magic. As the wielder of the Bee Miraculous she was far too familiar to the feel of magic. It coursed through her veins everytime she transformed. She could taste it while battling akuma and she could smell it when Ladybug healed everything that had been wronged by HawkMoth.

Juleka was no stranger to magic, but even she was caught by surprised one autumn afternoon when a strange vortex, portal according to Rose, opened up in front of her and a figure came stumbling out.

The figure was dressed in red with black accents, her mind screamed Ladybug. This was not her Ladybug though!

“Are you alright?” Rose asked, letting go of Juleka’s hand and racing to the stranger. Juleka glanced at her girlfriend in worry, but her attention went back to the stranger and the weird psychedelic gateway, on alert to see if anything else came though, though it soon closed.

“Yes,” the person who was NOT Ladybug said, taking Rose’s offered hand to help stand up. “Thank you.”

Juleka walked closer to the pair now, ignoring how people were staring. This was the least odd thing the people of Paris had seen. Rose, seeing that the person in front of them seemed uninjured decided to make some inquiries. “Where did you just come from?”

There was a sheepish look on the person’s face, rubbing the back of their neck. “I suppose saying Paris wouldn’t really help to explain, would it?”

“No,” Juleka said simply.

“Maybe you should tell us who you are?” Rose suggested. Juleka glanced at her girlfriend, sure that the wielder of the Fox Miraculous knew who they were talking to. How though Juleka wasn’t sure since she felt as though what they saw had not been created by an akuma. That this person was not from the Paris she knew.

(AO3)

“Find his location?” Ladybug asked as they sat atop the Florist Shop.

Chat Noir had been scrolling on his baton. He looked up to her and nodded. “Yup, and you were right. He’s got his own perish now.”

“Good for him,” Ladybug said with a grin. “Lead the way.”

It was with a bit of hindsight that Chat Noir realized it bad months since they’d gone out as their superhero selves. Sure there would be times he would transform to get somewhere faster, Paris transportation system never living up to their express way of travel, but he couldn’t recall when they last went for one of their evening patrols of the city.

“I miss this,” he told her when they momentarily paused a top a museum roof.

There was a sad smile upon her lips. “I have too.”

Reading over, Chat Noir took Ladybug’s hand and gave a soft kiss atop her glove. “We’ll do it more often.”

He got an eye crinkling smile for his effort and he knew they would both work harder to keep to this commitment. Letting go of her hand he extended his baton once more for the last leg of this trip.

Chat Noir knocked on the rectory door and waited, putting an arm around Ladybug’s waist. When the door opened, a middle aged man in a sweater opened. “Ladybug, Chat Noir, this is a surprise.”

“Father Frederick, we’re hoping we’re not disturbing you,” Ladybug said smiling at the priest. Chat Noir recalled when the priest had been not nearly so kindly. He had been Vin-geance, an akuma that made half of Paris drunk during Good Friday. The poor man had been very embarrassed by being used by Hawk Moth and had vowed to learn better control of his temper and to learn how to see more joy in life.

After being invited in and handed some tea, the priest sat down with the heros that were his guests. “To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

Chat Noir noticed something bump up his leg as Ladybug spoke. “We have a favor to ask of you. Chat Noir and I are getting married… tonight.”

It was a little orange kitten, rubbing up against his leg. Carefully Chat Noir reached down and picked up the tabby with one hand, placing it on his lap. “Tonight? I am guessing you are asking me to officiate the ceremony?”

The kitten started to purr before he even got a chance to start petting it. Chat Noir smiled between sips of his tea. “Yes. We know it’s very last minute but we decided to have a ceremony as our hero selves a few hours ago.”

The kitten was restless though and started to attack his hand. It’s little claws trying to grip onto his fingers. “While I would be honored, don’t you think you should be getting properly married?”

Chat Noir had a feeling that the kitten bites would have stung a bit if he wasn’t suited up. “Oh, we are, tomorrow. It’s just…”

Looking up he noticed two sets of eyes on him. He grinned for he didn’t feel any shame being distracted by the pile of fluff and claws. He finished the explanation. “A good portion of our life is wrapped up with these masks, and it would be nice to commemorate an important moment in our life.”

The priest smiled. “Then I shall love to wed Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

Once they finished their tea, and gave back the kitten, the two heros went back onto the rooftops of Paris. “And where should we land?”

Chat Noir smiled as he pointed to a bright spot in the distance. “Is there anything more romantic and cliche then to get married under it?”

Ladybug shook her head. “We’d better see what spot we want and drop the GPS location to everyone soon.”

(AO3)

Adrien collected the money from the ATM. Plagged looked down at the bills from his spot on Adrien’s shoulder. “That’s not even a tenth of what you paid for your wedding bands.”

“It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy. Right my Lady?” Adrien asked looking up at Marinette as he put his wallet away.

“Certainly not. Though I do wonder what we can do,” Marinette admitted before shrugging. “Maybe we should get a bouquet first?”

“We can do that.” Adrien wondered what sort of bouquet Marinette would pick out as Ladybug. Would she want him to wear a boutonnière? How would they even pin it on his suit? It wasn’t like he had any button holes in the suit. Well there was the belt tail.

There destination ends up being a florist shop not far from their old school. Adrien probably ran in there a few dozen times as a teenager, but it’s been years now. From the outside it doesn’t look much different than he remembers.

As they walk in, a bell chiming to announce their entrance, a woman about their age looks up from her sweeping. Her eyes go big. “Ladybug! Chat Noir! What are you doing here?”

Chat Noir gives her a big grin. “We realize you’re getting close to closing up, but we’re hoping you can help us with a rush job.”

The woman blinks a couple of times. She then moves quickly to put the broom up against a wall and then pass them, swinging the sign on the door to say closed on the outside. “So you don’t feel too rushed!”

Chat Noir had a feeling he was going to like this florist.

They soon explain in short what they want and the woman starts pulling out buckets of flowers in pinks and whites like Ladybug suggested she might like. It was going to be very different than the minutely designed bouquets that Marinette would have for the ceremony and reception tomorrow. Absently Chat Noir looked around at some plants and found a circle of succulents as their florist came back with another bucket of flowers for them to look at. With a smirk and a swagger he walked back over to the counter, the plants on his head like a crown.

Ladybug looked over at him and laughed. “What are you, a cat-tus?”

“These are succulents as I’m sure you know my Lady,” he said in a stuffy tone that just made her giggle. “I just want to be as pretty as you. Don’t you like my flower crown? It’s the latest fashion.”

Ladybug was in a fit of laughter at the florist was doing her best at not joining her, a polite customer service smile that kept twitching. “I could make those you know.”

Chat Noir blinked, carefully taking the potted plants off his head as Ladybug straightened, her laughter being pushed down. They looked at each other and nodded.

“We’d both like one if you think you can manage in a few hours,” Ladybug said. “If not, at least one for Chat Noir.”

“It shouldn’t be a problem. I have to just get some wire to figure out how big the circlettes will be for each of you and you will need to pick some flowers,” their florist told them.

Chat Noir had to kneel down so she could pull out her design wire and put it around his head for the length, his ears twitching despite him trying to stay still. With both circles measured out Chat Noir started to pick his flowers. While he could imagine Ladybug wanting to stick to pink, he wanted lots of color, orange, yellow, red, blue. She caught on to what he was doing and modified her own selection though it wasn’t as flamboyant as his. It wasn’t the type of rings they were expecting to buy, but he couldn’t help thinking this was much better.

The only problem came when they tried to pay. “No, this is on the house. Years ago my brother was akumatized. You remember Chlorophella?”

Chat Noir indeed recalled the botany student turned villain. He had turned Paris into a practical jungle. Chat Noir might have made a Tarzan reference at one point to his lady as they swung around. Ladybug had used a wall clock as her Lucky Charm to stop him in the end.

“My family and I have always wanted to thank you, so please let me make these for you.” Chat Noir and Ladybug looked at each other. Neither were comfortable with the idea it was obvious. They didn’t rescue people and purify akumas to get stuff. They had money to pay for this service. The florist then added. “Besides if I can say I made the flower crowns for Ladybug and Chat Noir’s wedding I’m sure we’ll get a upswing in business.”

“Alright,” Ladybug relented.

(AO3)

Marinette’s bachelorette party was going surprisingly good considering Marinette herself wasn’t there. It was a small group of friends that were some of the nearest and dearest to her, be they long time friends or new strongly held friendships. Despite their different personalities everyone was getting along well.

When her phone rang she expected it to be Marinette but the video request was odd and most definitely not her first friend in Paris. The faces on the other side made her squeal in delight. “Ladybug?”

On the screen was Ladybug, with Chat Noir behind her leaning in her shoulder and waving into the camera. “Hello Ms. Césaire. Chat Noir and I wanted to let you in on a little scoop if you’re interested.”

Alya had found herself to the far wall away from all of Marinette’s friends. “Of course!”

“We’re getting married,” Ladybug told Alya with a huge grin on her face. This was no little scoop.

“Oh my…,” Alya slammed her hand over her mouth before she started shouting. She squared her shoulders then continued. “This is great news. Do I get to do an interview with you both?”

“Better,” Ladybug told her. “You’re invited.”

“Wait, I get to learn your identities?” Alya asked in a whisper. All thoughts about questions about how Chat Noir asked her, because Alya was sure the cat themed hero made a production of it, went out the window.

Ladybug and Chat Noir both laughed. “I think you misunderstand. We’re inviting you to our wedding. As us.”

Alya was in shock. Ladybug and Chat Noir were getting married in suit, and she was invited. She couldn’t object though. At least this way she could tell people about it. Heck she could write the best article of her career. “When?”

“Tonight.” Ladybug said and both her and the groom to be looked so happy and excited. Alya was almost ready to agree.

“Tonight?” Of all nights, it would be tonight!

“It’s super last minute, but,” and Ladybug shrugged the one shoulder Chat Noir wasn’t leaning on. “We don’t want this crazy or anything, but thought the public would still like to know, even if it’s after the fact. We’ll give you the location in a few hours.”

Alya nodded a bit dumbstruck. “Okay.”

Chat Noir whispered something in Ladybug’s ear she grinned, putting a hand up into his hair. “I was just getting to that Kitty.” Ladybug then looked back at the screen. “We thought it would be neat if you’re still in contact with that guy that use to sometimes help you record battles if he came along. In fact if you’re personally close to any of the former akuma victims, and think they’d like to come. Again we don’t want this a big deal, but a few people would be nice as witnesses.”

Alya found herself thinking of which of her friends were former victims and who was in the city. She knew a few were in this very building with her. Dammit! She couldn’t leave. Before she could interrupt though Ladybug was finishing the conversation. “We have a few things to set up, so I’ll hang up. See you soon!”

“But Ladybug…!” The screen though was dark. Of all the rotten luck. Alya’s phone pinged as she was about to pull at her hair. It was a text message from Marinette.

‘Found Adrien. He’s okay. We’re heading back to the apartment though. Tell everyone I am really sorry but to have fun without me.’

Alya blinked at the phone several times before the manic grin started to form. She could have all her ships in one weekend.

Adrien and Marinette were sitting on top a flat roof, well Marinette was sitting, Adrien had his head in her lap as she ran her fingers through his hair as he waited on his phone for the other end to pick up.

“Adrien, dude, where are you?” Nino’s voice came through.

“I’m with Marinette,” he told his best friend. “Sorry about ghosting on you. I had a lot on my mind and I let it build up.”

“I keep telling you that you need to be more honest about your feelings bro!” Nino sounded exasperated and Adrien didn’t blame him.

“I know, I know. I didn’t mean for it to blow up like this. Can you make sure everyone know a round is on me for being MIA to my own party and I’ll see them all tomorrow.” He was feeling much better about tomorrow but he was very happy with what was happening tonight.

“You’re not coming?” Nino sounded disappointed.

“Sorry, I’m just going to try to chill tonight so I’m not groomzilla tomorrow.” It was sort of true.

“Okay, I’d talk more but for some reason Alya is blowing up my phone. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Adrien kept from chuckling until he hung up. He was going to have to take Nino out for breakfast or something after the honeymoon as thanks for putting up with him. Reluctantly he sat up, Marinette’s fingers dropping out of his hair.

“Time to start setting up?” Marinette asked.

“Time to start setting up,” Adrien agreed as he stood and dusted off his slacks. “Plagg…”

Plagg and Tikki had been sitting nearby, having their own private conversation. “What happened to relaxing?”

“Can’t need to go to an ATM and get some cash,” Adrien explained to the little god as he scooped him up in both hands.

“What for?” Plagg asked not letting Adrien have an easy time about it.

“I need to buy flowers for my lady, and possibly a ring,” Adrien told the kwami as he looked down at the street.

“She already has a ring,” Plagg reminded Adrien.

“Marinette and Adrien have rings they’re exchanging tomorrow, but Ladybug and Chat Noir might need something too.

(AO3)

Chat Noir wasn’t completely surprised to hear the sound of the line from Ladybug’s yo-yo. It was even reassuring. Any other time he would have stood to greet her as she landed, possibly take her hand for a kiss, maybe even made a pun.

Tonight though he just sat on the beam of the Eiffel Tower, swinging his legs and only looked over when he could feel the heat from her body as she sat next to him. There was a space between them, which wasn’t normal, but he couldn’t blame her.

“How’s Paris’ favorite black clad hero?” Ladybug asked in a teasing tone. It was almost funny how much he loved her at this moment. She probably wasn’t furious with him, but he doubted she was pleased either. Instead of asking him what the hell he was doing there, she was trying to make it casual. Gently showing she wanted to see why he was here.

Why was he here?

“I don’t feel like much of a hero right now,” he admitted, though he gave a smirk. If he had a purpose to what he said and did, which he really didn’t, it served its purpose. Ladybug scooted closer, putting a hand on his arm.

“What’s going on? You’ve seemed so withdrawn lately. I would have thought tonight would have helped.” The concern in her voice cut him. He hadn’t meant to worry here. Far from it!

“I…,” he started, looking into the infinity of her eyes. He needed to be honest, but he couldn’t make things worse. “I feel like I’m going to say this all wrong, so, don’t think for a moment I don’t want to spend my whole life with you. Because I do. I really do my Lady.”

He didn’t realize he was getting misty eyed, but she put both her hands on either side of his face, whipping under his eyes. He had been bottling things up too much. “It’s just this wedding!”

“The wedding?” It was obvious she wanted to understand but he hadn’t given her enough details.

He lifted his hands to take hers so he could hold them. He nodded slowly to collect his thoughts. “You and Father, though mostly you, have created an amazing, beautiful wedding. It’s going to be incredible. The talk of Paris!”

“But?” She tilted her head, showing she was listening. That she cared.

This is where Adrien felt guilty. “It’s not what I want. I know it’s too late. I’m not going to not be there tomorrow or anything. It’s just…”

“Not really what you wanted?” Ladybug hazard to guess.

“I’m sorry. I should have said something sooner,” Adrien admitted with a frown.

“Yes, you should have,” she agreed even as she squeezed his hands. She looked thoughtful and far away. He waited until she focused again on him. “What would you have liked?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged knowing that wasn’t an answer. “I guess something smaller. More intimidate. Maybe a bit less formal. This wedding just seems like a production.”

“You’re use to all the pomp and glamor,” she said with a small frown.

And though he knew it, in that moment he came to realize that Marinette was getting the fairytale wedding many girls dream of but know isn’t a reality. She was one of the lucky ones and was excited. Truly excited about her wedding day. He wasn’t just not a hero, he was a villain!

He kissed the knuckle of each of her hand. “I will happily go through all the pomp and glamor for you.”

There was if he wasn’t mistaken a small dusting of a blush on her cheek. He might still have it. A smirk was playing on her lips, trying to come out. “You weren’t so happy a bit ago.”

“I was being selfish,” he told her in all seriousness.

“So have I, but what if you could have your small wedding?” There was a gleam in her eyes that both excited and worried him.

“We can’t call off the wedding. The tabloids would eat us alive.” He usually didn’t care about what the public believed gossip wise, but there was tabloid stories about various people he was suppovely dating and then there was something huge. He couldn’t image all the important people being put out by it either. It would be a PR nightmare the which he was sure would cause him grief into old age.

(This is my birthday week, and what better timing for Adrien Appreciation Week! So here we are on day 1, Friends!)

(AO3)

Adrien found he had drifted off again. Not asleep, but in a mindless state as they went through the wedding rehearsal. It was similar to how he would tune out as a teenager during dull and tedious photo shoots or gala events. He would be ordered around, and he would comply, but there was no thought and usually no memory of it all.

Adrien had noticed he had started doing it during the planning stages of the wedding. He wasn’t always privy to certain details, like Marinette’s dress, but in other circumstances his opinion was never sought. Not in the theme of the wedding; it would be big and traditional upon insistence from his father. Nor the colors; rose gold, peach and cream. Not even the invitations.

Marinette was enjoying every minute of the planning process, even when her and Gabriel did not always agree. He watched them negotiate until a compromise was reached. Everything was perfect.

Adrien hated it. Worse he knew he had no one to blame but himself. He just kept agreeing to things, first because he honestly did like Marinette’s vision and was so thankful his father was trying so hard. He’d enjoy watching them work together for the first time ever, and it was because of him. He didn’t want to upset the balance.

Once he realized he was doing things only to please those around him it was too late. The final decisions were being made and he didn’t even know what he wanted an opinion on.

The wedding was going to be amazing. Yet it didn’t seem to have his touch anywhere.

Adrien moved as he had been instructed, a ceremony choreographed for him. He wished he could say this was cold feet, but it wasn’t.

Marinette grinned into the mirror. “What do you think?”

“I think you look ready for your bachelorette party,” Alya told her, winking at her from behind as she also looked into the mirror.

Marinette was about to say more when her phone rang. She smirked when she saw who it was. “Hey Nino, how’s Adrien’s party looking?”

“Well, all of Adrien’s friends are here,” Nino said from the other end. Marinette had insisted when Nino and Chloè helped make the guest list for Adrien’s bachelor party that only people he honestly enjoyed hanging out get invited. No one that was an acquaintance but good for business or anything like that. She wanted the party to be fun for her future husband. She had wanted to do a joint party but Nino and Alya insisted they needed to be separated for a few hours at least since as their friends saw it they were joined at the hip. They were not completely mistaken but Adrien was her best friend. They enjoyed doing things together. “Just hoping the man of the hour is with you.”

“Wait,” Marinette frowned. “He’s not with you?”

Alya was making faces but didn’t say anything so Marinette could hear what Nino said. “No, I went to pick him up at the apartment but he wasn’t there. I tried calling his cellphone but it went straight to voicemail.”

“Okay, um, I’ll give you a call when I find him,” Marinette said, pinching the bridge of her nose as she said goodbye to Nino and hung up.

“Do you know where he is?” Alya asked loudly, as she’d been holding herself back while Marinette talked to Nino.

“I have a few ideas,” Marinette told her best friend, frowning in thought.

“Where should we go first?” Alya asked, grabbing her jacket off Marinette’s old chaise.

Marinette blinked in surprise and then shook her head, grinning at Alya. “You go ahead to the party.”

“But…,”

“I shouldn’t be that long and that way no one is worried,” Marinette smiled at her friend.

Alya though looked worried. “You’re sure Adrien’s okay?”

Marinette nodded. “I’m sure he’s fine. I’m also sure he’ll be embarrassed once he realizes he was worrying his friends.”

“You don’t need to tell him I was worried,” Alya grinned looking more at ease.

“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll text you once I find him.” Alya seemed much less worried when she left the bakers’ home. Which was what Marinette wanted.

Once alone in Marinette’s old bedroom, Tikki flew out. “Do you think he’s alright?”

“I don’t know. If he is, he might not be when I’m done with him,” Marinette muttered the last remark darkly.

“Weddings do strange things to people. Don’t be too hard on him,” Tikki tried to council.

Marinette nodded. She doubted she’d want to skin her cat, but anything was possible. “Let’s go find him. Tikki, spots on.”

(AO3)

The week after the Evillustrator gave Marinette something of an ego boost. Chat Noir kept singing his praises about Marinette to Ladybug. On one hand it was a little embarrassing hearing someone talk to her about her, but it was something she was somewhat use to, if in reverse. Still she tried to not let it go to her head.

She probably would have forgotten the whole thing, had the Puppeteer incident hadn’t happened soon after. Once that was over Chat Noir couldn’t stop talking about how talented Marinette was for the next few patrols. “Marinette made all those dolls you know, and that’s not all she can make. She makes a lot of her own clothing too!”

She wanted to know how he knew that, but she couldn’t ask instead she would play clueless as he would talk to her about, well, her.

The thing was Marinette was starting to realize slowly, in steps, that Chat Noir’s feelings for Ladybug was perhaps a bit, just a bit mind you, more than just companionable partnership. Marinette should have suspected when she was able to break Dark Cupid’s curse, but in all honesty she just didn’t want to think about it, after all HER heart belonged to another.

Chat Noir, with all his antics, with his devil may care attitude, with all his cheesy grins and boundless energy and never ending puns, was also a flirt. Except, and this was important Marinette was coming to realize as he placed her down after saving her from becoming a power up point for the Gamer. As he saluted to her and then dove off the building. As she was worried about Adrien and transformed with Tikki. Except he only flirted with two people. This realization was ticking away in her brain for hours, weeks, months.

Marinette bolted up from her bed and nearly screamed. “Chat Noir only flirts with Ladybug and Marinette!”

hi, i’ve returned from war after 80 years to finally finish a fic i started.

cat’s out of the bag | love square | 4k | masquerade continuation, reveal, fluff, misunderstandings

The final installment of Souls Unmasked! After the magical and enchanting Masquerade evening, Adrien finds that he can no longer accept not knowing who Ladybug really is. Will he finally catch himself his little lucky bug?

“Don’t worry, Marinette, you did the right thing.”

Tikki was hovering over a dejected Marinette’s shoulder and patting her head, which was resting on her arms upon the railing of her balcony. She had spent the entire Saturday after last night’s visit with Adrien feeling miserable and was now spending much needed alone time with the peaceful night sky around her just thinking about the last two weeks. Although in the morning and afternoon, she had helped out with the bakery, done some homework, and talked to Alya on the phone—everything that amounted to a reasonably productive day—nothing Marinette did made herself feel any better. It was all Tikki could do to try and cheer her up.

“I know, Tikki,” she said. “But that’s not what’s bothering me.”

Adrien liked Ladybug. The truth was out. And while she supposed his affection was what she wanted, this new development did the opposite of ecstatic for her. She touched a finger to her lips. She had kissed Adrien—twice! And both times felt so incredible and magical and it gave her butterflies to relive the moments in her mind but… Could he really like her if he didn’t know her true identity?

Then there was the complication of Chat Noir. She had been stubbornly preventing her thoughts from straying anywhere near the midnight rendezvous they had. There was just no way she was jealous over that stupid cat. No way. She refused to think about it, yet it kept cropping back up in her mind and demanding her attention.

She lifted her head and looked out into the city, letting the beauty of the lights below consume her. Closing her eyes, she took it all in: the fresh air, the sounds of cars whooshing by, the smell of pasta from a nearby restaurant. Her kwami sat down on her shoulder and touched her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Marinette, but I know it’ll all be okay.”

Well this is cliche, isn’t it?  I LOVE IT!  Have an aged up reveal fic! (AO3)

Please RSVP

“So I’ve been thinking,” Chat Noir said one night during their weekend patrol. It had been nearly a decade since they defeated HawkMoth and years since any other magical trouble had bothered Paris.

“No, I don’t think the Polka would make a comeback even with your endorsement,” Ladybug said without a hint of a smirk.

“I think you’re just afraid it will be a runaway smash and take me away from you,” he retorted with a grin, then took a deep breath. “I’m going to propose to her.”

“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you? You even missed being able to pun about it,” she said as she turned from looking out at the city from the top of Notre Dame to look at him.

“Yeah, I guess I have,” he told her simply, the breeze playing with his long blond hair.

Ladybug smiled at him, not for the first time noticing the smitten look on his face. Chat Noir’s angel, for that’s how he often referred to his girlfriend to Ladybug, was supposedly a force to be reckoned with. Sadly the reason he started talking about her to Ladybug had been because of things that happened in his personal life. Things he could not, would not, tell Ladybug about. A guardian angel, who for a time he looked at as a friend, though dearly held. In time though this angel had stolen away his heart though and when Chat Noir realized it, he had been beside himself wondering what even to do.

“I know she’ll say yes,” Ladybug was completely confident.