Writing By Dezdee

A collection of my fan writing and updates related to fics.

[avrildiamant]

I'm that mom friend.

Not because I'm an actual mom, but because I constantly need verification over what the hell is going on with the internet.

[remnantsfennec]

Completely accurate Wonder Woman review

“Nigel Thornberry is worse than Hitler”

[doublebadger]

This is the hardest I’ve arted in a looong time. My D&D character, Evelyn the drow lore bard, inspired heavily by the work of Alphonse Mucha.

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I love the style and color palette!  

[foxpirates-art]

An update on Commission prices.  Will Not draw: Nsfw, Gore, robots/mecha, anything that’s considered Illegal, full body furries, scalies, 

Will Draw: Original Characters, Furry headshots, fanart, 

Please Note Any furry commission will be bust only and for now it is only furry. No scalies/dragons/etc. (They will be the same price as the bust prices for each category.)

RULES Prices are per character and in USD. Payment is through PayPal only. If interested email me at: [email protected]                                     Please include in the email: -A short description of your character. If you have references that’s even better and I give you props/points/kudos.  -What option you would like for your piece. -Anything else you feel I need to know -If you’re okay with me livesteaming/posting it and your name/tag so I can tag you.

Once I receive a payment I will begin work on your piece. I do reserve the right to turn down anything I feel uncomfortable drawing. There are no refunds for artwork bought. If you are unhappy with it let me know and I will do my best to work with you. (I will only refund if I am unable to work on it) 

[dezdee]

[avrildiamant]

Second day in a row of major dental work. Buddy is making sure I get my rest. I went straight from my wedding to finals to honeymoon to majorly needed dental work. I hope to get something posted before the new year, at the very least before my next semester starts. One last procedure that includes a wisdom tooth removal is still on the books, but I hope to get something finished with typing over the holidays. In the words of the great Stephen Colbert: "May your Winter Feast be an Orgy of Delight."

[dezdee]

Happy Halloween!

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No More Heroes:  Update.

Hi all!  I’m still working on this fic, but my schedule is just insane at the moment.  I’m not happy with the current length of the chapters.  I’m tossing out quantity for quality and will be having a little more time between chapters, but they won’t take forever.

I’m less than a month away from my wedding and have a lot of huge projects coming up for class.  The fic is something I work on for fun and I have to prioritize my time management.  The whole thing is planned out and written, so it will not be left hanging, but there will be a bit longer between updates.

Thank you!

[dezdeedoodles]

Journal Entry

Ok, so school started back on August 23rd.  I’ve put a few posts up, but not as many as I would like.  The reason/excuse?  The first thing anyone thinking about art school should know is that it is not just the time spent in the classroom.

You don’t just work in class and get something magical finished.  Class time is for occasional lectures, guidance, and critiques.  Where I go to school there is a minimum suggested time of 3 hours per week of studio time per class.

I’m taking 2 project based classes along with a math and art history course.  I get my studio time in by showing up to class at least 2 hours before each scheduled session.  Not to mention working at home on my projects that don’t require a specific still-life.

Another thing my school requires is attendance to guest lectures and art gallery openings. Missing them can result in loss of a full letter grade.  This really takes a lot of time outside of class.  With the extra requirements, I’m on campus 50-60 hours most weeks.

Sometimes, you are lucky enough to have a few weeks to work on something, but the average is about 2 weeks.  Which usually equals 3-4 class sessions before a critique happens.

At this point, someone may be asking “What is a critique?”

From the experience of what my school does, this is pretty much the equivalent of an exam or test.  For us, we place our work up on the wall and as a class talk about what we like and don’t like about each piece.  Ultimately, the teacher will base a grade on a rubric. i.e. craftsmanship, completing the objective, level of creativity.  Still, the critiques allow you to properly utilize the vocabulary of art and art appreciation.

All of this is going on on top of two other classes.  I’m lucky enough to have the experience of time management on my side and I still struggle to get some things done in time.

So far, I’m an “A” student, but while the time to work on projects does not increase, the difficulty level does.  

The stress level is pretty high and there can be a lot to deal with all at once, but I have to be honest.  

I am loving every minute of it.

The question still arises: “Is art school worth it?”

My suggestion is still to do it if you have the opportunity.  If you are wanting to equivocate everything with money, I’m not the person to talk to.  I’ve spent time getting a different degree based on the “good jobs” that came from it and was completely miserable.  I would say that degree was not worth what I spent.

I can already say that the simple experience of doing what I’m doing now has been worth more than anything I’ve done so far. 

[avrildiamant]

In case anyone was wondering what I do when I'm not writing fan fiction.

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No More Heroes:  A Miraculous Fanfiction Chapter 24

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

1 2 3 4 5 6 7  8 9 10  11 12 13  14  15  16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Chapter 24:

FanFiction.net

AO3

          When Marinette entered the mansion doors, she was greeted by a scent that simultaneously made her hungry and nervous. Her original plan was to sneak in and surprise Adrien, but the air was filled with the smell of so many different dishes that she couldn’t pin down an individual one on its own.  He only cooked this much when something was bothering him.  

           Stepping into the dining room did nothing to quell her fears.  The spread on the table was beautiful, but it was just too much.  Everything down to the silverware was precisely arranged. From her guess, Adrien had already been in the process of putting this together when he texted her around lunch time. Whatever had gone wrong, he had been dealing with it by himself for the last few hours.  Steeling herself against the rising panic in her chest, Marinette made her way towards the kitchen.

           Quietly steading the door behind herself, Marinette’s fears were confirmed. Adrien was in his own tiny world.  He flittered between each of the miniature stations he had set up in the large kitchen.  She should have realized when he asked to have dinner at the mansion.  The apartment was too small for him to anything remotely close to this.  Her tiny counter barely held a cutting board, much less the makings of a multi course meal.

           “Adrien.”  Marinette calmly spoke out to him.

           Adrien paused in his tracks and turned to look at her. He plastered on a fake smile that barely reached the edges of his lips, much less his eyes.  He reached up and began rubbing the back of his head.

           “Marinette?”  His eyes began darting around in search of something.  “What time is it?”

           When his sight finally landed on the clock, he began skittering around the kitchen once more.

           “I was going to have this all finished, and meet you outside….”

           Marinette slowly approached him and lightly placed her hand on his bicep, causing him to freeze and look her in the eye.

           “Adrien,” She spoke softly. “there’s enough food out there to feed all of the guests staying at Le Grand Paris.  What’s wrong?”

           “Is it that obvious?”

           Marinette paused to look at the organized mess of the kitchen.

           “I can’t remember it ever being this bad.”  She stepped over to the stove to remove a pot that looked like it was about to boil over.  “How about I help you clean this up, and you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

           A more genuine smile grew on Adrien’s face and he nodded before joining her at the stove.

***

           The next morning, Adrien stood in his office, starring at the view of the city.  Speaking with Marinette the night before had been a huge relief, but it did not quell all of the nervous energy that had been building up around him over the last few weeks.  It had become such a part of his daily life that he could not pin down the exact moment it had all began.

           The ding of the elevator and the sound of multiple people approaching pulled Adrien away from his thoughts.  He picked the click-clack of Nathalie’s heels out from the cloud of sound, but did not know who was with her.  When Nathalie appeared, she was flanked on either side by people Adrien had never met before.

           “Good Morning, Adrien.”  Nathalie nodded in greeting.  Adrien returned the gesture.

           “I’d like to introduce you to our two newest hires.” She smiled and encouraged each person to introduce themselves.  

           A round gentleman with neatly trimmed dark brown hair and a full beard stepped up and held out his hand.

           “Bonjour!  Je m’appelle Robert.”  He was a head shorter than Adrien and had to look up when he spoke.

           Donning a huge grin, Adrien reached out and grabbed Robert’s offered hand.

           “I sense a strange accent.  I’m guessing French is not your first language.”  

           “You caught me.”  Robert chuckled.  “I’m American, but I’ve always been fascinated by French culture.”

           Adrien stepped back as they released hands and took in the medium grey suit and lack of tie Robert sported.  There was a definite sense that Robert had a large personality that took up more than just the physical space that that his body occupied. Adrien liked that.

           “I’ve been to America a few times.  To be honest, it always makes me miss home.”

           The whole room had a friendly laugh and the tension in the room dropped a notch.  

           Adrien turned his attention to the fourth person in the room.  The long dark hair that hung past the hips of a thin frame and tapered off next to long manicured nails had Adrien guessing she was a woman, but their suit was suggesting otherwise.  Where Robert was a presence, this person was so quiet they were almost invisible.  

           “Nǐ hǎo, wǒ de míngzì jiào àidéhuá, nǐ kěyǐ jiào wǒ āi dí.” His voice was soft, but definitely male.

           “Nice to meet you Eddie.”   Adrien held out his hand and smiled.  He was surprised by the strong grip Eddie possessed.  It left Adrien feeling as if Eddie were much stronger than he was letting on.

           “Robert will be your new assistant, and Eddie will be joining me.”  Nathalie informed.  “I’m going to finish taking them on a tour of the building and getting them acquainted with their duties.  I believe they each bring something very valuable to their new positions as well as the company.”  She smiled knowingly.  “Come along gentleman.”

           “Nice to meet both of you.”  Adrien called out as they rounded the corner towards the elevator.

***

           Marinette was cursing her luck.  Adrien’s emotional breakdown that surrounded the news of his mother had left them with far too much food to eat on their own.  She had decided to pack a really nice lunch for Alix in celebration of her recovery progress.  Alix had been more than happy to help dispose of the extra food, but a traffic jam on her way back to work had left Marinette running behind.  

           Staying overnight at the mansion had allowed her to be early this morning, but she was sure Nichole would latch on to her being even thirty seconds behind on coming back from lunch, much less ten minutes. By the time she had reached the elevator, Marinette was out of breath and admittedly a little disheveled.  On the ride up to the seventh floor, she had done her best to pull herself back together.

           To her surprise, when the doors opened, Nichole was not at the door waiting to hound her over this latest foul up.  Instead, the woman was seated at her desk, grinning like the cat that had just eaten the canary.

           “You picked one hell of a day to come back late.” Nichole commented.  “Madame Lyon in waiting for you in her office.”

           Marinette stared at Nichole in shock for a moment.

           “Did I do something wrong?”

           “The longer you sit here asking me questions, the longer you are going to keep her waiting.  Is that really something you want to do?”  Nichole did little to hide the smirk she donned while delivering the news.

           “How do I get to her office?”  Marinette readied herself to get back to the elevator.

           “Behind me.”  Nichole pointed to the door that was located behind her desk. “There’s a private elevator that will take you there.  It’s not accessible from the main one.  You better hurry.  I’m letting her know you’re on the way.”

           Marinette quickly ran past the desk and through the door. The room appeared to be a small lobby with a couch on either wall to frame the private elevator door.  While the main elevator was a very industrial stainless steel, this one had the appearance of a dark polished wood.  

           Marinette looked around for a button to call the elevator, but became concerned when there appeared to be none for her to press. Just as panic was beginning to set in, the doors opened on their own.  They revealed a plush burgundy carpet and more polished wood along the walls. Stepping inside, she noticed there were no buttons on this side of the door either.  Without warning, the doors shut, enclosing her within the tiny space.

           There was a slight shift as the metal box made its journey upward.  The ride itself was noticeably smoother than that of the main elevator, Marinette was barely able to register when it had stopped compared to the jarring sensation she had grown used to from her routine of the last week.  A slight feeling of unease began to settle into her bones as the door slowly slid open.

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes:  A Miraculous Fanfic.  News.

Hello all,

While it could have been much much worse,  I live in an area that felt the effects of Hurricane Matthew.  I hope to be back on my weekly schedule by next week.

Hope others affected are safe and able to recover.

See you next week!

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes: A Miraculous Fanfiction Chapter 23

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

1 2 3 4 5 6 7  8 9 10  11 12 13  14  15  16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Chapter 23:

FanFiction.net

AO3

           Marinette was sitting in the hospital room with Alix when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

           “You should check that.” Alix urged.  “It will give me a minute to dig into the sandwich you brought.”

           “Only if you’re okay with it.  I set aside my lunch to spend time with you.”

           “At no point did I say every day, but I’m not complaining.  Believe me, the only person that understands how much you’re dealing with aside from Adrien is me.”  Alix emphasized the statement with a large bite of the turkey sandwich she grasped in her hands.

           “Okay.”  

Marinette pulled the phone from her pocket to look at the message.  It was from Adrien:

“Do you mind if we stay at the mansion tonight? I want to cook you a nice dinner and enjoy it at an actual table.”

Marinette smiled down at her phone as she sent a response.  

           “I’m gonna guess that the current lack of exasperated means that’s Adrien.”  Alix took another bite.

           “You’d be right.” Marinette chuckled.  “He’s been pretty patient with me about how much he hates the apartment.  He’s sort of asking for a break from it tonight.”

           “From the way you’ve described it, I’m surprised you both fit in there at the same time.”

           Marinette had to giggle at the statement.  

           “Adrien’s actually said that a few times before.”

           “Maybe I’ll get a chance to see it if I ever get out of here.”  Alix’s tone grew somber.

           “You’re getting better, right?”

           “Yes, but not as fast as I’d like.”  She pointed to the blindfold over her eyes.  “What I want to be able to do the most is take this thing off, but the doctors are afraid I might still have such strong reactions that I’ll lose all the progress I’ve made. Then again, I’m kind of scared that the ‘other’ one might come back if I let in any light.”

           “Have you had anymore flashbacks?”  Marinette took the time to eat her own lunch while Alix spoke.

           “A few, but they’ve been a lot more manageable.  Mostly when I’m sleeping.  When I dream, I can still visualize everything as if I’m actually seeing it. That might be what’s triggering the mild flashes, but they never happen when you’re around.”  

           Marinette paused at Alix’s statement.

           “You don’t think I have anything to do with it, do you?”

           “I have a theory on that. It was your magic that always made everything right.  Maybe some of that magic is still hanging around you.  Too weak to hold the world together anymore, but maybe just strong enough to have an effect on the people around you.”

           “It kind of makes sense when you put it that way, but that would also mean it’s all my fault.” Marinette drew into herself at the thought.

           “Not at all.”  Alix rushed to explain her statement.  “If it wasn’t for Hawkmoth, you wouldn’t have needed to save people from themselves in the first place.  You didn’t cause anything; I just think that you might still be subconsciously using some magical leftovers to help people out.  It’s just a part of you.  You’ve always helped people, whether it was as Marinette or Ladybug.”

           Marinette furrowed her brow as she considered the statement.  She hadn’t thought she’d done much helping recently.  The silence in the room was interrupted by a series of sharp beeps.  

           “I’m sorry Alix, I have to leave.”  Marinette stood up, but was surprised to feel a hand grip her around the wrist.

           “Don’t let something I said get you down.”  Alix hung her head.  “You’re a good person and nothing is going to change that.”

***

           When Marinette exited the elevator she was shocked to find Nichole waiting.  The sour look on the assistant’s face made the intern stop in her tracks.

           “I’m sorry, did you need to get on?”  Marinette stepped to the side.

           “No.”

           The sharp response sent a reflexive shiver down Marinette’s spine.

           “Were you waiting for me?”  Marinette pointed to herself.

           Nichole simply huffed and rolled her eyes as she turned to walk back to her desk.  

           “Did I do something wrong?”  Marinette stepped out quickly to catch up with the other woman.  

           “No.”  Nichole was almost pouting as she dropped into the chair behind her desk.

           “Ooohhkaay,” Marinette drug out the word.  “Was there anything special you needed me to do?”  

           “Is there any way for you to just not be here right now?”  Nichole growled as she began to angrily tap at her keyboard.

           “Ummm…..how about I go back downstairs and work on the backlog?”  Marinette offered.

           “Whatever.  Go away little bird.”

           Marinette lifted an eyebrow before walking slowly away.

***

           “Hi, can everyone see me?”  Alya looked at the screen full of waiting faces.

           “Yes.”  A chorus of voices came across the screen.

           “Thanks for trying out this video meeting set up.  I’ve noticed the regular meeting times don’t always work out best for everyone and now that I have the ability to get this running I want to make sure it works. Does anyone have anything they’d like to talk about?”

           “I do.”  A soft voice drifted from the computer speakers.    

           A face framed with short blonde hair filled the main window.

           “Go ahead, Rose.” Alya acknowledged.

           “I don’t know how things have been for everyone else, but everything has been going really well for me lately.”  Rose paused a moment.  “Honestly, it’s scaring me a little. Things were going along like usual, getting through everything one day at a time.  Then, a few days ago I wake up feeling like everything is fine.  I know everything I did and how it makes me feel, but for some reason it’s not bothering me the way it did before.  That’s the part that freaks me out.”

           “I know what you mean.” Ivan cut in.  “It’s like before, when Ladybug and Chat Noir were still around. Only I know I should feel bad, but I can’t.”

           “Yeah!”  A cacophony of voices began to chime in over each other.

           “Everyone calm down!” Alya took control of the situation. “Are you all saying you’re upset because you’re not having problems?”

           Alya stared at the screen full of nodding heads in front of her.  

           “When did this happen?”

           “About a week ago.” Rose’s answer set off another chain reaction of positive responses.

           Alya just stared in disbelief.  She thought about herself for a moment.  When was the last time she’d had a nightmare?  Her schedule had been so jam-packed that she hadn’t even noticed the change.  

           The conversation between the others in the chat group faded into a low buzz.  A slow realization passed through Alya’s mind.   She’d been affected as well, but when? Thinking about it, she was able to place it sometime between Alix’s breakthrough and when she first reconnected with Marinette.

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes: A Miraculous Fan Fiction Chapter 22

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

1 2 3 4 5 6 7  8 9 10  11 12 13  14  15  16 17 18 19 20 21

Chapter 22:

FanFiction.net

AO3

           Even though the morning had started the same as any other for Adrien, something didn’t feel quite right. Marinette left a little earlier than normal, but that should not have contributed to the aura of unease that wrapped around him.  Surrounding air had a tangible charge, causing goose pimples to prickle over the surface of his skin as the hair on his body stood at attention.  The sensitivity of being consistently on edge made for a very uncomfortable ride to work.  

           Arriving early, Adrien took the extra time to head to the office gym for a workout, hoping it would ease the torturous miasma that surrounded him.   He divided his time between running on the treadmill, lifting weights, and repeating crunches until his muscles ached.  Sometime later, he had only managed to add being tired and sweaty to his woes.  After checking in with Nathalie, he decided to take a shower.

           The gym rarely saw any traffic in the mornings, and today was no exception.  Adrien was the only person in the white tiled room as he stepped into the personal shower stall.  Placing his personal items onto the small bench just outside of the shower area along with his towel and a change of clothes, he reached into the stall to turn on the water.

           As he stepped into the steaming stream of water the crackling energy began to gather in his toes and fingertips.  The painful sensation began to travel through his limbs as if it were filling him up from the inside, growing solid and heavy as it reached the center of his chest.  The mounting pressure made it hard for him to breathe.  Losing control over his own breathing added an element of panic to Adrien’s situation. How long would it be before anyone came to find him if he passed out here?  

           Just as darkness began to edge into Adrien’s vision, the unbearable fear and tension broke when the first few bars of Harry Chapin’s Cats in the Cradle began to echo off of the tiled walls.   Pushing through the small opening of the shower, Adrien grabbed his phone.  His hands were too wet to swipe the screen. Scrambling, he snatched his towel from the bench to dry one of his hands.  Luckily, he managed to pick up the last moment before the voicemail would pick up.

           “Hello?”  His mouth went dry with the knowledge of who was on the other end this call.

           “Adrien, I will have to keep this brief.”  Gabriel’s monotone voice came out of the speaker.  “I’ve received a very promising lead in the search.  I may have just found out where she is.”

           Adrien was speechless. After all these years, his mother was not only located, but quite possibly alive.  A faint pulse from his hand refocused his attention.

           “Are you sure?”

           “The source is extremely reliable.  However, if he is telling the truth she is located in an extremely sensitive area.  I’m going full dark on this one and I wanted to talk to you, just in case something happens. I wanted you to know just how proud I am of you and everything that you’ve done.”

           “Thanks, Dad.” Adrien donned a wistful smile, knowing his father couldn’t see it.  “Go get her. I’ll be waiting for both of you.”

           “Goodbye, son.”  

           Tears began to form in Adrien’s eyes as the line went dead, drawn from a source of both happiness and sorrow.  He had always been expecting this call, but had hoped he was simply worrying over nothing. If that latent knowledge hadn’t been the original source of his anxiety, it was certainly a new contributor to brewing storm that had been following him around the last few weeks.  

Utterly defeated, Adrien took the few steps to the shower bench and collapsed.  With everything that had been going on, he finally gave in to the emotions swirling around inside his head.  Bringing the towel up to his face, he let the tears flow freely.

***

             Nathalie was checking her email when she came across one with no subject from a private address.  There was a simple message in the body of the email:

               “Initiate protocol.”

             She wasted no time.  Before leaving on his mission to find his wife, Gabriel had made plans to cover several scenarios.  He had made a will in case he never returned.  The message she received could eventually lead to that possibility, but the first step required a phone call.  

           “Hello, Dr. Fabian.” She spoke with directed authority. “Prepare the suite.”

           The voice on the other end simply gave a grunt of confirmation before hanging up.  Her next steps consisted of gathering files and sending emails to appropriate parties.  She was now on high alert for anything that could happen within the next few days.

           Nathalie briefly glanced at the clock as she completed her task.  It was then she realized how much time had passed since she had last spoken to Adrien.  He was going to stop by her office after finishing up his workout.  That had been at the start of the day, it was nearly lunch time.  Something wasn’t right.  She left her office as fast as her heeled shoes would allow.  

           Nathalie tapped her foot as the elevator moved painfully slow.  Adrien wasn’t answering his phone.  One of the established procedures would have been for Gabriel to call his son. With the stress he appeared to be under lately, this call could have a larger than intended impact on the young man.

           When she entered the gym, it was eerily silent and empty.  If anyone had been inside, she wouldn’t have heard the quiet sobs coming from the Men’s locker room.  The mats covering the floor absorbed the sound of her approach, making the echoing click of transitioning to the tile an impactful noise.  The sound caused the sobbing to stop.

           “Nathalie?” Adrien’s voice carried over from where he sat.

           She slowly strolled to the row of showers and leaned against the wall outside of his stall.  

           “I’m guessing he called you.”  She kept her tone matter of fact in an attempt to gauge his emotional state.

           His response did not come in the form of words, only a sniffle disguised as a conformational grunt. Nathalie kept silent as she tried to analyze the overall impact of the situation.  Some shuffling noises signaled that he was up and moving around.

           The sound of a curtain being pulled back revealed the bleary-eyed blonde.  His clothes were disheveled and slightly wet.  His hair was still damp, but kinked slightly away from his skin adding to his unkempt appearance.  Without a word, he took an uneasy step towards Nathalie and fell towards her.  Reacting quickly, she gripped him under the arms and did her best to support his weight.

           Awkwardly, she adjusted their position so she could pat his back comfortingly.  Adrien gripped the back of Nathalie’s suit jacket between his fists and began sobbing into her shoulder.  

           “Do you want me to call Marinette?”  

           Surprisingly, he shook his head against her shoulder.

           “Don’t want to bother her at work.”  His response was muddled by fabric.

           “Go home.  I’ll have a driver take you where you need to go. I’ll handle things here today, and you let me know when you’re ready to come back.  I’m making calls to the assistants I’m hiring this afternoon. They will be plenty helpful.  You need to focus on being ready for the event this weekend.”

           Adrien pulled away from her and nodded numbly.  

           “I should be fine by tomorrow.”  He stated. “It’s just been so long.  I think I might have convinced myself the next call would have been him giving up.  Now, I don’t know whether to feel happy or bad.”

           “You could just accept that you feel.”  Nathalie offered.  “You don’t have to label every feeling.  Just acknowledge that you have them and that they are valid.”

           Adrien wiped moisture from his eyes and pulled himself back up to his full height.

           “Thank you.”

Chapter 23

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes: A Miraculous Fanfiction Chapter 21

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

1 2 3 4 5 6   7 8 9 10  11 12 13  14  15  16 17 18 19 20

Chapter 21:

FanFiction.net

AO3         

  Adrien made it back just after lunch.  When he stepped into his office, Nathalie was seated at his desk going over a binder of notes.

           “How goes the hunt?” He asked as he approached.

           “A few promising candidates.”  Nathalie never looked up from her task.  “I still have a few to conduct over video chat, but I can handle that from my temporary office space.”

           “Sounds like you have everything handled here.”

           “How are things at the venue?”  She sat up and pulled away from her binder.

           “They seem to have it together.  I think this is going to be a great celebration.”

           “It sound like you want to tack a ‘but’ on there.”  Nathalie observed.  

           She looked over her glasses at him to emphasize her point.  Adrien collapsed into the nearest chair and sat silently for a moment.  He brought his hands to his face and rubbed his chin in concentration.  Nathalie waited patiently for him to choose his words.

           “I feel like I shouldn’t be here, doing this.  My father started this company, made it what it is.  What have I really done?  I haven’t even finished school and I’m in charge of an international corporation. I keep second guessing myself at just about every turn.  Then, just as I think I have a handle on things something new pops up.”

           Nathalie stood up and came around the desk to stand next to him.  She placed a hand on his shoulder and crouched so she was looking him in the eye.

           “You are doing better than you think.”  She paused to let the comment sink in. “You were able to recognize your own limitations and took appropriate action to strengthen your perceived weaknesses. That takes a lot of insight and courage that very few people gain throughout their entire lifetime, much less at your age.  If your father didn’t have confidence in your abilities, he wouldn’t have left everything in your hands.”

           The creases in Adrien’s forehead softened as she spoke.  The speech did little to quell his latent anxieties, but it was one less thing for him to worry about at the moment.

           “So, I’m not just dropping my responsibilities onto other people?”

           “Even if you had the time to handle every little thing yourself, there is no harm in employing others with more experience.  Recognizing quality work is an asset in itself.”

           “I did promote you.” Adrien smiled weakly.

           “Game recognize game.” Nathalie lifted her fist up to him.

           Adrien blinked in confusion for a moment.  This was way out of character for the reserved Nathalie.  He recovered quickly and met her fist with his own.

***

           Marinette left the hospital feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.  The scooter brought her back to the office just in time to see Nichole returning from her own break.  Marinette took a moment to consider the implications of riding up the elevator with the other woman and decided to hang back a moment. She took out her phone and sent a text asking if she should pick up an order of coffees before coming back into the office.

           Nichole was about to enter the elevator when her phone buzzed in her pocket.  It was Marinette.  There was some definite regret in giving the intern access to her personal number, but in the moment it also worked in her own favor.  She had been made to wait for her interview and didn’t have time to grab anything to eat before she had to be back in the office.

           Nichole tacked a lunch order for herself onto the usual afternoon coffee list.  The other drawback to the texting, solid proof if she provided an incorrect request.  Not that she would be so tacky as to try the same trick twice on one intern.  Still, if the interview went as well as she thought it had this little bird was never going to bother her again.

           Nichole stepped onto the elevator and took the quiet ride by herself.  She allowed herself to entertain a few what-if scenarios about what it would be like to switch jobs.  She had been with Lyon Creations for some time, but had felt recent stagnation in her career.  A move to a more recognizable company could only move her up.  She would be dealing with an entirely different level of talent and clientele.  No more people like the unrealistically lucky Marinette to bother her.

           By the time she stepped off onto the seventh floor, Nichole was genuinely smiling.  This was the most optimistic she had felt in a while and nothing was going to bring her down for the rest of the day.  Not even an annoying birdie.

***

           The last thing Alya expected when she opened her apartment door was for a hand to grab her wrist and pull her inside.  Attached to the offending hand was a familiar figure.

           “Don’t you ever go home?” She glared at Nino as he dragged her into the office.  

           “Been there all day. Came over when I noticed something.” He said quickly before pointing at the computer screen.  “Look at this.”

           When Alya looked at the screen she saw graphs, numbers, and other code filling up the page. Considering she hadn’t even been given the opportunity to take off her shoes after a long day, her brain was not quite absorbing the importance of what she was looking at.

           “What am I looking at?”

           “This is the traffic report for the LadyBlog.”  Nino explained.  “It’s a good thing I upgraded the servers when I did.  The new ones are struggling to keep up.  It would have straight up crashed the old set up.”

           “Whaaa?”  Alya brought up the blog on her cellphone.  “I’ve been monitoring all day.  There haven’t been any posts outside of the normal daily convos.  Where’s this coming from.”

           “That’s just it. This is just people visiting.  Nearly every registered user is logged in and there are even more unregistered users going through the site.  I’d say they were all looking for something, but I haven’t been able to figure out what’s going on.”

           “I know we’re connected to a majority of the Akuma community, but there could be hundreds of people that we haven’t even been in contact with before.”  

           Alya looked at some of the other numbers dealing with the site.  There had been a considerable uptick in the number of hits within the last twenty-four hours.  She berated herself internally for not having picked up on this sooner.  Her internship took up most of her day, but this still shouldn’t have slipped past her so easily.

           “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”  Nino put a hand on her shoulder, having noticed her obvious discomfort.  “I only found out because the server sent me a warning. I have it configured to send me maintenance emails and error codes so you can focus on your internship.  We may be dealing with this right now, but we both know it won’t take up the rest of our lives.  Eventually, everyone will start moving on with their lives and I don’t want you to struggle to catch up when that time comes for you.”  He kissed her lightly on the temple. “Until then, we’re in this together.”

           Alya looked at Nino and smiled warmly before pulling him into a hug.  He lay his cheek on the top of her head and the two stood for a moment, just holding one another.  When she pulled away, Nino lifted his head so that he could look down at her.

           “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

***

           Marinette was greeted with a wonderful smell as she entered the apartment.  Adrien was standing over a pot, stirring it slowly. He turned to smile brightly at her.

           “How was work today? Outside of the whole ‘Mystery Girl’ thing.”  

           “Surprisingly uneventful.”  Marinette admitted as she took off her shoes at the door.  “Alix really liked the stew.”

           “She was able to eat it?” Adrien checked on whatever was cooking in the oven.

           “Yes.  In fact, she inhaled it.  Told me she’d like the opportunity to thank the chef.”

           That statement caused Adrien to pause.  He stood slowly and really turned to look at Marinette.  He was silent for a moment as he rubbed the back of his neck.

           “I don’t know.”  He finally said.  “Even if I had the time, wouldn’t I bring a bunch of unwanted attention to the hospital?”  

           “Wouldn’t want anyone thinking she’s your ‘Mystery Girl,’ huh?”  Marinette walked up to Adrien and hugged him tight.  “I get it.  You’ll talk to someone else when you’re ready.  Just know, I’ll be here to support you in every way I can.”

           “I know.”  His expression softened as he returned the hug. “For tonight, would you mind eating the roasted chicken and red potatoes I made?”

           “I think I can handle that.”  She beamed as she stepped away from him.  “Should I  go ahead and set the bed?”

Chapter 22

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes:  A Miraculous Fanfiction Chapter 20

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

1 2 3 4 5 6   7 8 9 10  11 12 13  14  15  16 17 18 19

Chapter 20:

FanFiction.net

AO3

           Marinette awoke with Adrien wrapped around her in a gentle embrace.  A glance to the clock let her know there were still a few minutes before her alarm would be disturbing them.  Watching the calm expression that sat on his face as his breathing kept an even pattern, she gave a silent giggle.  Something in her had always thought he would be a snorer. Instead, he was a cuddler, a character flaw she could live with.  

           It suddenly dawned on Marinette she was genuinely well-rested.  The previous day obviously had a lot to do with it.  The stew Adrien made for dinner had warmed her soul just as much as it had her body.  She couldn’t hold back from giving him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

           Adrien’s eyes fluttered open at the light contact.  His goddess came into view and it was the best thing he could imagine waking up to.

           “What did I do to deserve that?”

           “Absolutely nothing.”  Marinette snuggled into his neck as she answered.

           “I should do that more often.”  He joked.

           Marinette mumbled an intelligible reply against his skin.  They enjoyed a comfortable silence until the expected alarm heralded the start of a new day.  Marinette held back a groan and pulled herself out of Adrien’s arms.

           “What do you think the chances are Nichole will just text me the coffee list if I ask her?” Marinette asked on her way to take a shower.

           Adrien could only give a non-committal shrug.  He did not have a very good impression of this woman, but would not make any comments without ever meeting her.  He grabbed his phone to review emails while Marinette took over the bathroom.

           The smile on Marinette’s face when she came back out was quite the surprise.

           “It worked.  I sent a text asking for the full list and I got it. No snarky comments no arguments.”

           “That’s good.” Adrien responded. “And if there’s something off about it you have proof on your phone.”

           “True.”  She agreed. “Shower’s free if you want it.”

           Adrien set down his phone and stretched as he stood.  

           “I shower would be nice.” He admitted.  “Would you mind packing up some of the stew for me when you make your lunch?”

           “Absolutely.  Is it okay if I take some extra for Alix today? I’m going to try and visit her on my break.”

           “Sure, just let me know how she likes it when you get home tonight.”  Adrien smiled along with his request.

           “Deal.”

***

           Marinette stepped off of the elevator leading to the seventh floor of Lyon Creations, balancing the usual coffee order.  Today, she had a little extra bounce in her step.  The ability to pick up the order on the way in had made the morning run much smoother.  

           She should have known something was about to happen.  Voices drifting down the hall made her stop cold in her tracks.

           “Have you seen the story about the mystery girl?”  Marinette recognized the voice of the blonde receptionist from the front entrance.

           “Bekah, not only have I seen it, but I’ve made it my personal mission to find out who she is.” Nichole responded.

           “What makes you think you can find out the identity of this girl when the photographer couldn’t even get a picture of her face?”  Bekah was skeptical of the statement.

           “I just applied to be Adrien Agreste’s new personal assistant and we both know that assistants know everything about their employer.”

           “What happened to Natalie?”  Bekah gasped.

           “She got promoted and is looking for an assistant of her own.”

           “We should totally apply together!”  Bekah gushed.

           Nichole smirked at the woman across the counter.

           “Already ahead of you. I have an interview during my lunch break.”

           Marinette chose that moment to emerge with the morning beverages. She plastered an awkward grin on her face as she walked past the desk to hand out the drinks.  The two chatting secretaries grew silent as the intern approached.

            Marinette placed Nichole and Madame Lyon’s drinks on the desk next to a tabloid paper with a headline about a mystery girl.  A fuzzy picture of her and Adrien from the day before had been blown up in an attempt to figure out her identity.  The helmet she wore made it impossible to see her face, but anyone that really knew her might be able to figure it out from her body type.

           She broke her gaze on the object to see both secretaries staring at her.  Marinette just smiled wider and moved on without saying a word. Once Marinette was out of earshot, Bekah turned to Nichole.

           “That is one weird girl.”

           “You have no idea.” Nichole emphasized the statement with a roll of her eyes.

***

                         “I’m going to need you out of your office today.” Nathalie explained to Adrien. “I’ll be conducting the interviews for our new assistants in here.”

           “That’s fine.  I have a few things I need to handle down at the venue site for Saturday’s event.”

           Nathalie took in Adrien’s overall demeanor and grew concerned.

           “You still look stressed. Did Friday not go well?”

           “Friday went great. It’s Saturday I had a problem with. Marinette has been getting a lot of unnecessary flak from some secretary named Nichole.  She called at a ridiculous hour on Saturday for Marinette to come down to the office, only to cancel it once she made it down to the office. I’m sure there’s been more to it, but I can’t get much from Marinette.”  He explained.

           “You said Nichole? That would be Madame Lyon’s current assistant, correct?”

           “Your guess is as good as mine.” Adrien answered.

           “Interesting….” Nathalie tapped her bottom lip with her finger.  She caught herself in the thought and continued the conversation.  “Anyway, I have several promising candidates on today’s list.  I should have the positions filled no later than Monday.”

           “Don’t push yourself too hard.”  Adrien admonished.  “You’ve already got your plate full.  Shouldn’t HR be handling this?”  

           “They picked the final pool, but I insist on vetting the top candidates.  I need to find people that will be here for the long-term and can transition between assisting you and your father should he choose to get involved with the company upon his return.”  She explained.  “Over the years I’ve learned that it takes a very special person to cater to your family and this company.”

           Adrien wasn’t sure what to do with that comment, but smiled and nodded as if he understood.  

           “I’m heading to the hotel to finalize the details.  If you need anything, from me I’ll have my cell on me the whole time.”

           “Good luck, Adrien.”

           “You too Nathalie.”

***

           Marinette was freaking out.  She held everything in until she had finished passing out the morning orders, then immediately jumped into the nearest supply closet.  Whipping out her phone, she quickly fired off a text to Adrien.

           Instead of a return text her phone rang.  Hunkering towards the back of the closet, she answered with a raspy whisper.

           “What are we going to do?”

           “Honestly, I’m more surprised that you got wind of this before me.”  Adrien admitted calmly.  “Nathalie must be really overworked if this hadn’t crossed either of our desks.  Then again, it’s one of the trashier publications.”

           “Should I be worried?”

           Adrien gave a warm laugh before responding.

           “Don’t get yourself worked up.  I’m keeping my promise about no press conference, but we also knew they’d see us together sooner or later.  Enjoy the mystery while you can.  It kind of feels like old times.  If it helps, I’ll keep monitoring the situation.  I’m out of the office today, so I can keep track of what is sitting on the newsstands.”

           “Okay. I’ll let you handle it.”  Marinette bit her lip.  “I’m going to get back to work.  Text me if anything else happens.”

           “Will do.”  His voice grew further away.  “Looks good to me.”

           “Oh my, you’re busy!”

           Adrien’s voice sounded closer again.

           “Just finalizing some odds and ends for the event.  Mostly menus and schedules.  I’ve always said I’ll make time for you and I absolutely mean it.”

           “I love you too.” Marinette smiled warmly as she hung up the phone.  With a deep breath, she straightened herself up before stepping out of the closet.

***

           Adrien smiled as he put the phone back in his pocket and turned back to the task at hand.  He had been passively approving the menu, absolutely sure the hotel knew what they were doing.  The whole reason it was chosen for the company anniversary was its reputation for handling large and prestigious events.  

           “It looks like everything is in order.”  The event coordinator commented.  “Would you like to review everything to be sure?”

           “I think you’ve got everything handled.  Is there anything else you need from me?”

           “Just your signature.”

           Once Adrien had signed the papers, he made his way out of the hotel to the nearest newsstand.  He found that only a single tabloid had the story. From the photo, you could barely tell it was actually him much less Marinette.  He was sure Nathalie was aware of it, but had deemed it unworthy of attention.  

           He was a bit relieved at having one less thing to worry about, but it didn’t completely dispel the odd feeling that had been following him around for the last few weeks.  He has slated a lot more time for handling the event details and decided going for a run may not be a bad idea before heading back to the office.

***

           “It’s really nice of you to come visit me today.”  Alix smiled in Marinette’s general direction.  “If you keep this up, I’ll be absolutely spoiled.”

           “It’s my pleasure.” Marinette tried to sound as cheerful as possible.  “To be honest, it’s nice to have someone to talk to that knows my secret, aside from Adrien.”

           “I know I’m not as close with you as Alya is, but I’m happy to be of service.  I think we are both kind of benefitting from this.”

           They both shared a small laugh.

           “Was there something specific you wanted to talk to me about today?”  Alix asked.

           “Initially, I just wanted to bring you lunch, but something happened today and I don’t know if I should be worried about it.”

           Alix raised her hand in a motion for Marinette to be quiet.  She paused as if listening to something that the other girl could not hear.

           “Soup’s on.”  The nurse’s voice came through the door as it opened.  “The smell of this made everyone in the breakroom jealous.”

           He entered carrying the heated stew in two foam cups.

           “Thank you for heating it up.”  Marinette took an offered cup.

           The nurse made sure that Alix had a grip on the cup before releasing it. Alix slowly inhaled the aroma of the stew, letting its warmth soak into her.  She relaxed for a moment before taking a slow sip.  The thick broth coated her throat as she swallowed and Alix could not remember the last time she had enjoyed such a meal.

           There was an odd silence in the room as she came out of her food induced calm.

           “What?”

           “You literally just inhaled that.”  Marinette said carefully.

           “I’m going to step out and make a note on your record.”  The nurse stated.  “Please press the button if it doesn’t feel like that will stay down.  You really did take that in too fast.”

           “I didn’t realize I’d even done that.”  Alix gauged the weight of the cup in her hand and found it to be empty.  “Is it weird that I want more?”

           “Let’s hold off on that.” The nurse took the cup from Alix and stepped out of the room.

           “Should I tell Adrien that you liked it?”

           “It’d be nice if I could thank the chef myself, but yes, it was delightful.  Now, you were saying something’s worrying you?”

Chapter 21

[avrildiamant]

No More Heroes: A Miraculous Fanfiction Chapter 19

               It’s been three years since Papillion’s defeat, Paris is on the road to recovery.  One year after Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared, the magic holding his victims’ memories in place broke. The LadyBlog is used to help those victims deal with the memories.

               Nobody has been more affected by this than Alix Kubdel.  Her memories haunt all of her waking moments.  Amongst those memories, she alone knows the identity of Chat Noir.

               Gabriel Agreste leaves to find his missing wife, leaving Adrien to run the company.  Marinette has taken on an internship, but it’s with his company’s largest rival.  While reconnecting with Alya, she learns of the horrors Akuma victims are dealing with and resolves to help them.  She just has to do it without revealing her own identity.

               Sequel to All Good Things.

Warning:  May cause you to feel

Rating: T+

Thank you to my beta readers @ace-fox​ and @fuchsrenard​

All Good Things

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Chapter 19:

FanFiction.net

AO3

           The aroma of fresh coffee nestled itself into the nooks and crannies of Marinette’s sleeping brain. This was not the manufactured smell from commercial establishments.  This was the wholesome one of a kind scent that comes from a private blend of carefully roasted beans.  One that was unsullied by sugary syrups and heavy creams.  

           As she cracked open her eyes, the fluffy whiteness filling her vision caused confusion. This was not the bare brick wall she usually saw.  Slowly the memories of the previous night came back to her.  The fluffy white objects surrounding her were pillows. She and Adrien had decided to stay in the city the night before.  

           Her day had been longer than she realized the night before and she had passed out the moment she touched the mattress. She did not remember changing into the oversized t-shirt and lounge pants she now wore, but it would not have been the first time Adrien had dressed her and tucked her into bed after pushing herself too hard.

           Next, she noticed that she was alone.  Slipping out from under the duvet she used the momentum of a stretch to exit the bed. She sleepily made the trek from the room to the kitchen.  The closer she got to her destination, more delicious scents began to mingle in with the coffee.  Cinnamon and warm butter beckoned her ever closer as it caused her stomach to growl.

           Her lazy shuffle carried her into the kitchen and across the floor to the press sitting on the far counter.  She numbly reached into the cabinet overhead and pulled out a mug. She filled it with the dark warm liquid from the container in front of her.  Slowly, she brought the mug up to her mouth and took a long sip.  She turned around and leaned against the counter before pulling the mug away from her face.  Three sets of eyes looked back at her.

           “Morning, Beautiful.”  Alya broke the awkward silence from her position next to Nino at the breakfast bar.

           Adrien smiled at Marinette as he dropped a pat of butter into the hot pan on the stove.  It was adorable the way she blinked while processing the situation.  She shifted her gaze back and forth between the three people in front of her, finally settling on a him with a questioning look.

           “I wanted to let you sleep in.”  Adrien explained.  “So, I called Alya.  Turns out, you never set up a time or place to meet up.  I invited them over here and started to make breakfast.”  He held up a spatula in one hand then used it to push around the contents of the pan that he held in the other.  A genuine smile was on his face as he gave the explanation. He hadn’t smiled like that in a long time and Marinette took a moment to admire it.  

           She had been so distracted that she didn’t notice Alya walk up and lean against the counter next to her.  Marinette jumped a little when she felt the gentle hand on her shoulder.  

           “You know, it was awfully convenient to just hop over here this morning.”  Alya shot Marinette a look over her glasses.  Marinette met it with an eye roll.

           “You sound like my parents did last night.”  She took another sip from her cup.  “Lucky for everyone, I’m going to start looking for a new place once things calm down. I’m still getting used to my new schedule with the internship.  My overall goal is to have a new place picked out by the end of the summer.”

           “I’m going to hold you to that.”  Alya promised.

           “You aren’t the only one.” Adrien chimed in, then turned back to cooking and his conversation with Nino.

           “By the way,” Alya continued.  “that’s a pretty sweet scooter I saw on the way in here.  Is it a Tryptik?”

           “Yeah.”  Marinette nodded.  “It’s made life so much easier.  I think I’m going to start visiting Alix on my lunch breaks.  I might just go crazy if I have to keep eating quietly by myself.”

           “A full week in and people still won’t talk to you?”

           “I know!”  Marinette agreed with light sarcasm.  “As articulate as I am, everyone should want to talk with me.”

           Both women had a private giggle at the comment.

           “Food’s ready.” Adrien called over to the duo.

***

           “I have to admit; it was nice to have a meal in an actual dining room, at an actual table.” Marinette conceded as she handed another dish off to Alya.

           “I wish we could stay longer, but I have some cleaning to handle and a group video chat scheduled with people that weren’t able to make it to Friday’s meeting.”   Alya shut the door to the dishwasher after placing in the final plate.

           “Maybe we can meet up again later this week?  Make it a double date?”

           “Sounds like a plan.” Alya wrapped her arms around Marinette. “We’ll hash out the deets later.

           “I’ll walk you to the door.”            “No.  I still have to grab Nino.”  Alya stepped towards the kitchen exit.  “We’ll show ourselves out.”

           Marinette followed Alya into the main foyer before splitting off to head back to the studio. Alya’s voice calling for Nino followed her down the hall.  A quick sweep of the racks turned up a black collared shirt and red slacks.  Even though they were a little long, she was able to roll up the bottoms.  It would be good enough to get her home.

           Marinette decided to take advantage of the decadent baths before heading out.  Unlike the tub at home, she could stretch out and soak in the warm water without her feet sticking out.  The tension of the week seemed to flow from her shoulders into the water.  She was about to drift off when she felt a warm flush from her ears.

           “Maybe there are disadvantages to such a nice bath.”  She spoke out loud to herself.

           Marinette got out of the tub, toweled off, and got dressed.  Her next mission was to find Adrien.  After quietly wandering the halls, she found him sitting at the smaller dining room table, polishing her helmet.  She stood in the doorway for a moment watching him work meticulously at buffing out things she couldn’t see.

           “Everything okay?”

           “Hm?”  Adrien hadn’t noticed her enter.  “No, just noticed a smudge on the eye shield. Wanted to make sure you’d be safe driving back.”

           “You’ll be behind me in the car, right?”

           “Actually, I’m going to stop for some groceries on the way.”  Adrien stood and brought the helmet over to Marinette.  “I’m making lamb stew.”

           “Really?  That sounds amazing.”  She took the helmet from his hands and smiled up at him.  “Care to walk me to my carriage?”

           Adrien gave a bow and brought one of Marinette’s hands to his lips.  

           “It would be my pleasure, Princess.”  

           The grin he gave her caused Marinette to smile playfully as she regained control of her hand.  She lightly pressed on Adrien’s nose with her pointer finger.

           “Silly kitty.”  She giggled and headed for the door.

           Adrien playfully chased her down the hall and into the foyer.  He grabbed the helmet back when he caught up to her and placed it on her head.  Before she had a chance to respond he opened the front door and bent at the waist.

           “Your chariot awaits.” He emphasized a flourish with his hands.

           Marinette put her nose in the air and walked out the front door.  Adrien followed her down the front steps to the scooter.  He stood and watched her get onto the vehicle.  A rustling in the bushes near the front gate caught Marinette’s attention.

           “Did you see that?” She asked.

           “It was probably just a bird or something.”  Adrien shrugged.  “You need to get going.  Drive safe.”

           She started the scooter and took off towards the gate with Adrien waving goodbye.  Neither of them noticed the flashes that accompanied the rustling bushes.  Once the coast was clear, a single figure emerged from the shrubbery clutching a camera.

***

           Adrien arrived at the apartment to find Marinette sitting on the bed with her sketchbook propped up on her knees.

           “I’ve always loved watching you work.”  He stated as he closed the door.  

           “Your father’s workspace gave me some inspiration.”  She never looked up from her sketching.

           Adrien stepped around the bed and over to the kitchen counter.  He set the groceries on the counter and set about gathering a pot and utensils.  While he prepped the meat and vegetables, Marinette looked up and began to follow his movements.

           “I love watching you work too.”  She commented.  A light blush traveled from Adrien’s nose to his ears as he continued on his task. Once he finished placing the prepared food into the pot and turned on the water, Adrien flopped onto the bed next to Marinette and snatched her sketchbook.

           “Let’s see what my future head designer is working on.”

           Marinette halfheartedly swatted at him, but let Adrien look through the designs she had been creating. The two sat close as she explained the concepts and the smell of stew filled the small apartment.  

Chapter 20

[avrildiamant]

I don't know what's real anymore.

My phone just finished a software update where everything is the same, but round. It's freaking me out a little. Am I actually a character in someone's fanfiction?