pages in the wind

writing blog | main blog: @keentrigger | ao3: keentrigger | sin ao3: ktafterdark | pfp by @mikoriin | header by @inkmousey

[keentrigger-writes]

Hello! I'm keentrigger, and I'm a multishipper who writes fanfiction. Right now, I'm obsessed with Miraculous Ladybug. You can find my works using the #my (keen) works tag.

I use the following main ship tags, so please mute any that you don't want to see: #lovesquare #lukanette #marigami #lukadrien #adrigami #lukadrinette #lukadrigaminette

[keentrigger]

Love Before Family

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen & Up (aged-up characters) Pairing: Kagami Tsurugi/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Crowd Anxiety, discussion of racism, discussion of being disowned by family Synopsis: Kagami has always been proud. Proud of her heritage, proud of her accomplishments, proud of her family name. To have it all ripped away from her in an instant almost breaks her, if not for the woman she chose, over all of it, to keep. Marinette helps put the pieces of her soul back together. Read on: AO3

—

There was a commotion outside her door, but Kagami chose to ignore it; the maids had already been in the room several times, collecting her clothes, and she had locked the door afterwards for privacy. If they need me, whoever it is, they can wait. Her room was silent, save for the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. The lights were off, but the sun shining in the window cast plenty of light into the room; she wished she could feel the warmth, but instead she didn’t feel anything.

She stared blankly at the ground, looking at her feet as they dangled above the floor. She tried counting the lines in the grains of the wood, trying to distract herself from the noise in her head, the static that was nearly overwhelming but at least was blocking out the words, the memories she was repeating in her head on a never ending loop.

I am not having a panic attack in my own room, she forced herself to think. I will not lose control in my mother’s house. I am stronger than that. I am better than that. I’m not as weak as-

Keep reading

[keentrigger-writes]

Just realized I didn't post this here, whoops-

[keentrigger-writes]

Kidnapping - Kagami Week 2023 (Day 1)

Surprise! I'm going to try to participate in Kagami Appreciation Week 2023, organized by @kagamiappreciationweek2020.

This time, I've chosen to not have a set word count, but I expect most of these fills will be under 500 words, as I typically write them either very early or very late in the day.

---

Cool, calm, collected.

Kagami rarely strayed from this state, but her close friends knew that her serene exterior only mostly concealed the passionate, emotional soul contained within.

Which is why Argos did not realize the amount of danger he was in when Kagami's tone grew increasingly cold.

“Let me go, Felix.”

Argos chuckled, turning his gaze back to her, bemused as he watched her struggle against the bindings holding her wrists to the bench. “Not until you admit you're mine, dear.“

”Now, Felix.“

Purple fingers ran down her cheek, lifting her chin to force her to look into his magenta eyes. ”Or what? I already have you and I'm not letting go this time.“ His lips curled as he ran his thumb along her jaw. “Can't we just be happy together?“

Kagami tasted bile in her mouth at the thought, the memory of kissing this man, when he still possessed the ring that held so much sway over her, the ring that was now firmly on her finger, tight in her balled fist. “You need to learn to accept 'no', Felix.”

“Oh?“ Argos rolled his eyes. “Who's going to make me?”

He never saw the kick coming, landing firmly in his nethers, nor the punch that landed square on his nose, sending him spiraling to the ground, unconscious.

Kagami winced as she shook her now-bruised hand, the glowing Dragon Miraculous dangling from her fingers, the last remnants of the bindings burning to ash on the ground under the bench.

As a relatively inexperienced holder, Felix had failed to consider that veteran heroes might have a few tricks up their sleeve.

The dragon holder shook her head, reaching up to affix the miraculous around her neck.

“It appears the honor is mine today.”

[keentrigger-writes]

Suits / Lipstick - Marigami July 2022 (Days 7 & 8)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

Four days late? Nah, that doesn't sound like me. 🙃 Sorry, my life got turned upside down there for a minute. Everything's fine now.

I've decided to combine these two prompts. I don't think anyone will mind the result. 😂

---

When Kagami turns around, her heart stops at the sight in the doorway.

She has seen Marinette in dresses many, many times. As a fashion designer, she has swept down red carpets in gorgeous creations of her own making, surrounded by cameras eager to catch a glimpse of the industry's newest rising star. Kagami could only glare from the sidelines at the drooling men, wishing she was armed (with both her blade and a license to kill).

But tonight's different. Sure, it's still Marinette's own creations—they're wearing matching sets—but Kagami realizes she's never seen her in a suit before. 

Suddenly, the soft Marinette that she knew, who makes her tea and croissants every morning with a smile, was gone. In her place, Ladybug stood, all power and poise, only missing the mask and the spots.

Suddenly, Kagami's own suit feels tight, restrictive.

Hot.

Her wife smirks, ruby lips glistening. "You clean up nice," Marinette purrs, giving her a slow, careful once-over. Kagami's cheeks flush at the attention. "Missing a touch of something, though."

On the red carpet, cameras flash as they approach. The ruby lipstick kiss on Kagami's neck is plainly visible for the entire world to see.

[keentrigger-writes]

Scar - Marigami July 2022 (Day 6)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

---

The scream shocks her awake.

Kagami's eyes dart across the dark bedroom before she hears the sobs. Turning over, she spots pale hands yanking at dark hair, another wail muffled by a pink pillow.

"Hime…" When Kagami runs her hand down Marinette's pajama-covered back, she's suddenly enveloped by clinging arms and legs, her wife's hands frantically searching her abdomen, looking for the wound that's no longer there, long since healed.

Kagami rests her hand over Marinette's, holding it over the scar. "We're safe," Kagami whispers, holding her close. "It's over. We won."

Piece by piece, they put themselves back together.

[keentrigger-writes]

Adrenaline - Marigami July 2022 (Day 5)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

Can't be sunshine and roses every prompt.

Rotten apples spoil the entire bunch.

cw: police brutality, racism, racist language (slur)

---

The hand against her arm makes her heart pound.

"ID and residency permit."

Despite the plan, Kagami's fingers tremble as she reaches into her purse. She can feel the officer's eyes on her as she feigns not being able to find her wallet.

"Fucking bridée." She gasps when the man painfully yanks her aside. "You're-"

"Free to go." 

Ladybug's glare could melt steel. Behind her, Alya watches, phone raised.

"Told you I had friends," the ladyblogger quips.

"You're done harassing innocent people, officer," Ladybug snaps. "Let go of my wife."

The fear in the man's eyes makes everything worth it.

[keentrigger-writes]

Spy - Marigami July 2022 (Day 4)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

---

“Planning a heist?”

The sudden quip nearly sends her flying off the ledge, but Ladybug catches herself, swatting at her snickering partner’s shoulder. “Of course not.”

Chat Noir glances across the street, through the window of Kagami’s apartment. The dragon holder flows in practice, sweat glistening off her bare biceps as she wields her katana with perfect form. His eyes drift back to Ladybug, smugly grinning. “Just ogling, then?”

Ladybug says nothing but her cheeks tint pink, answering for her.

Inside her room, Kagami completes the routine, breathless, keenly aware of the bright azure eyes that track her every move.

[keentrigger-writes]

Confusion - Marigami July 2022 (Day 3)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

There's still 31 minutes left today, right? Completely on schedule. 😅

---

The moment their eyes meet across the courtyard, their hearts sink in union.

Oh, they both think.

She brought Adrien a valentine.

Marinette winces, clutching the card close to her chest as they get closer, seeing storms in Kagami's eyes.

"I hope he likes it," they both say: Marinette meekly, Kagami flippantly.

Both freeze. "They're not for-"

Kagami holds up her hand. "Who, then?"

Marinette sighs sadly, staring at the ground. "... you." Kagami gasps, drawing her gaze. "Why-"

Kagami shoves her box into Marinette's hands, tears in her eyes. On the lid, Marinette recognizes her name in Kagami's perfect cursive.

[keentrigger-writes]

Flowers - Marigami July 2022 (Day 2)

I'm participating in @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

Hints of my Stardew Valley AU? 😏

---

The front door bell jingles. Setting the sheet of croissants on the counter, Marinette looks up-

The lilies are beautiful, orange with streaks of red and gold, like a candle's flickering flame. She gasps, hands covering her open mouth. "O-Oh, my. Those aren't- surely those aren't for me."

"They're not my best," the farmer mumbles, eyes averted.

Marinette considers her for a moment before rounding the counter, setting the stems in her water glass. A soft kiss on her cheek successfully stirs Kagami from her funk, shock evident in those amber irises when their eyes meet.

"I think they're perfect."

[keentrigger-writes]

Juice Date - Marigami July 2022 (Day 1)

I'm participating in Marigami July organized by @marigamijuly! Like my previous prompt months, I'm choosing to fill all the prompts this month in exactly 100 words.

---

The menu's huge, but today, the last Sunday, Kagami chooses plain orange juice.

Freshly squeezed, it's the perfect combination of tart and sweet, a reflection of the couple at their regular table, enjoying the quiet morning.

Her voice is soft, eyes downcast. "I'll miss this."

The other girl stops mid-sip, hesitant. "... same. But-"

A hand reaches out, resting on hers. Kagami catches a glimpse of gold, the ring. Her ring. When she looks up, Marinette is grinning, scheming.

"I can have juice with my wife every morning instead."

Kagami's heart swells in her chest, overflowing with love.

"I can't wait."

[keentrigger-writes]

Anger, Then Regret

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Pairing: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Kwami Swap, Lady Noire, Mister Bug, although it's just Adrien in this, so it's Adrinoire Synopsis: It’s been a week since they’d said more than ten words to one another. They had managed to take care of the akuma, but it had been a slog, and Lady Noire had finally had enough. Slipping through his open window, she was about to give Adrien a piece of her mind, but found him in tears instead. All relationships need communication. They were no different.

Read on: AO3

Fashionably late gift fic for both the Valentine's Day event for the Lukadrinette OT3 Discord and also @fragileizy who has been through a lot these last few weeks.

Inspired by Izy's Sharks and Sugar AU, but I'm not authoritative enough to say it takes place in it.

---

The poor pot didn’t stand a chance. When it hit the brick wall above the lounger, it exploded into a thousand tiny pieces, sending pulverized dust and shrapnel pieces flying in all directions. The frustrated scream she had released at the same time echoed across the Seine, and for a split second, she regretted it. But, just as quickly, the anger came rushing back, filling her vision with red. Lady Noire huffed angrily, drawing in huge lungfuls of air and releasing them just as quickly.

The fight had been an absolute nightmare.

And it was all my fault.

For all her rage, for all her fury, she could at least admit that much to herself. She’d fucked up.

And the fight went on for another hour because of it. All because she hadn’t told Mister Bug the solution to the akuma, the easiest way to take it down, figuring he had already figured it out and was simply waiting for the right moment.

I take it back , she groused. If he’d just seen the obvious, we would have been done. So it’s just as much his fault, too.

This time, the spiral didn’t send her spinning into manic depression. This time, it was building up her anger, building it and molding her perception, painting her partner in a different light.

This was all his fucking fault!

She’d had to recharge before coming home. (In fact, they both had to recharge twice that night, showing how long it had taken them to defeat the akuma. Plagg had given her a pointed stare while downing the cheese danish, had mumbled under his breath about “stupid teenagers”.) So, since she didn’t have a timer, it was a Friday night, and because she couldn’t let this atrocity stand, Lady Noire grabbed her baton, vaulting into the air.

Heading towards the Agreste mansion.

Landing on the rooftop, she gingerly scaled down the side, down to the window she knew he kept unlocked, both for his own escapes and so she could sneak in for kisses. But, tonight, kisses were the last thing on her mind as she slipped into the darkened room, her feline eyes seeing in the dark far better than if she was a civilian.

Unless, of course, he wants his cheek kissed with my fist for tonight.

“Adrien.” Her tone was serious, with a sharp edge, and she didn’t ask if he was here. She knew he was here, there wasn’t any reason for him to be anywhere else and she hadn’t seen him on her baton’s tracker.

There was a shocked gasp from the other side of his bed, a sob. “What?”

Despite her anger, the noise drew a pang of regret from her chest. She bit her lip, clenching her fists, the claws digging into the hexleather covering her palms. “Can we talk?”

Slowly, she watched as the back of Adrien’s head popped up over the edge of the bed as he stood. He was wearing his usual pajamas, a white shirt and black sweatpants with blue lines, her colors, and the sight of him still made her breath catch in her throat.

When he turned around, when she saw the shimmering sadness in his eyes, how red and puffy they were, how stained his cheeks were with both a pink flush and streaks of tears, her resolve crumbled. She gasped, hands flying to her mouth, eyes wide. “Oh my god, Adrien, what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry.” He looked so small, so sad, that her heart ached in her chest. “I’m sorry I fucked up.”

Depsite that being the very reason she had just stormed across the city in a blind rage, she shook her head. “Adrien, you didn’t-”

“I absolutely did!” he shouted, before growing quiet again, looking down at the ground, tears dripping onto the carpet. “Tonight was my fault! I didn’t understand the lucky charm, both of them , and you clearly saw the weak point well before I did!” He wiped at his eyes angrily, before covering his face in his hands. “And I knew you saw it, because you gave me such a pissed-off look after we took it down, and you didn’t stay after I purified the akuma.”

He swallowed, throat dry, running his hands through his soft locks, grabbing at them in frustration. “I got home, and I detransformed, and when I went to the bathroom to look in the mirror, I realized that it’s not just been tonight, either.” His voice grew rougher and more tears streaked down his cheeks. “I have been the weak link for months. You’ve had to tell me how to use the lucky charm so many times, I can’t even remember the last time I figured it out on my own. And it’s been your plan that gets the job done more often than not, I’m just there to purify the akuma and to look good in front of the camera during the interview.”

Lady Noire stood there, speechless, all of the anger she had felt earlier drained from her body, replaced completely with confusion and, more importantly, regret. “That’s not true, Adrien. You’ve always been the other half of me. You’re there to make sure I don’t take hits being a careless kitten, and you just see things differently than I do.” She went to step closer to him, reaching out her hand to take his. “We’re a team, bugboy.”

Adrien was looking at her now, through his tears, and when she took a step closer, he took a step back, which stopped her in her tracks. “We’re not, though. I’m a failure, and you’re the person who has to clean up after me.” He shook his head, hands reaching up to his ears. “You deserve these more than I ever did.”

In a flash, Lady Noire had closed the distance between them, pressing him up against his wall, hands on both of his wrists and holding them to either side of his head, stopping him from removing the earrings. Her anger had boiled back to the surface, but this time, it was in his defense . “Don’t you fucking dare do that, Adrien! I did not come all this way just to take your earrings from you, so don’t you fucking dare.”

“Why the fuck not!” Despite being pinned, he was able to look furious, his Mister Bug voice coming through. “Why do you fucking care? You haven’t said a single thing to me in a week, you stopped answering my calls, my texts, why do you care if I’m still your partner! You hate my guts, Marinette!”

“I don’t!” The admission took her by surprise, and she let go of his wrists, stepping back out of his personal space. “I don’t hate you, Adrien. I was mad at you, not just tonight but all week, and I broke one of my favorite pots tonight because of what happened, but-” She fiddled with her thumb, looking down, not able to look him in the eyes. “I don’t hate you, Adrien. Please don’t give up the miraculous.” Tears built up in her eyes, at the mere thought of doing this without him at her side, his dazzling smile shining just as much as his twinkling emerald eyes surrounded by red and black.

“I can’t do this without you.”

“You can, though, kitty.” Adrien sounded down, defeated, resigned to his fate. “You’d be so much better than me. I bet you’d have akumas down in five seconds flat with the earrings.” He chuckled softly. “Ladybug. You’d be such a good Ladybug.”

“Red’s not my color.” Lady Noire reached forward, grasping his cheeks, lifting her gaze to his and pulling him down to her, bringing their foreheads together. “Black’s a lot more my style. Not to mention the entire catwoman vibe.” She smiled softly, fondly. “Red and green go so well together.”

“Marinette.” His eyes were shimmering again. “I don’t deserve you.”

She shook her head. “You’ve always deserved someone who loves you, bug. I’m so sorry I didn’t see how much you were hurting, I was too blind with anger.”

“What were we even fighting about, anyway?”

Lady Noire paused, looking up, thinking about it. “Honestly? I don’t remember now. Something about Valentine’s Day, I think?” Realization crossed her face. “Oh! You wanted to get me something big for Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t want you to spend so much on me!” She laughed a little, shaking her head. “So petty of me. I was worried you would think less of me because I didn’t get you something just as expensive.”

“Please don’t be mad, but I still bought you something expensive.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I wanted to, though. You didn’t have to get me anything, not even something small, I just wanted to give you something to prove that I love you.”

She bit her lip. “You don’t need to prove that to me, Adrien. I know you do. I love you, too.” Pulling him down the rest of the way to her lips, she kissed him softly, tenderly, her heart singing at the contact. Oh, gods, I'd missed this , she thought, her eyes slipping shut as she felt his arms slide down her sides, hands grasping her waist as her hands slipped into his hair, the kiss building until they finally had to pull away, breathless, puffs of air brushing against both their lips as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“I missed you.”

He smiled, genuinely, rubbing soft circles over her hexleather. “I missed you, too, kitten. Forgive me?”

She gave him a huge grin, leaping into his arms, Adrien releasing a small noise as the wind was knocked from him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, felt his arms holding her up. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing their foreheads together again, azure eyes gazing fondly into his.

“Always.”

[keentrigger-writes]

Patrol - Purple Noir Week 2022 (Day 1)

Let's just ignore the fact it's Day 6 today and go on from there, shall we...

I'm filling prompts for @purplenoir-week Purple Noir Week 2022, which promotes the platonic friendship between Adrien Agreste and Juleka Couffaine.

Fair warning, this is Luka Couffaine/Adrien Agreste and Juleka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng endgame. Mentions of chronic illness (Rose), mentions of a character death (Adrien's mom), lots of swearing (Couffaines swear like sailors).

---

Their first week paired up together was an unmitigated disaster, to put it mildly.

Why Ladybug thought that pairing up two heavy-hitters on the same patrol route was a wise idea, she didn’t know, but Purple Tigress was too new to the team, too fresh to question the Guardian, so she kept her mouth shut. She knew, though, that Ladybug knew she was upset, because she could still feel their leader’s gaze on her long after they left the meet-up point near the tower.

Rose would’ve talked me down from this anger, she thought, a wave of sadness washing over her mid-leap that nearly made her stumble off the next rooftop. No, not right now. Focus. Ahead of her, she caught sight of a sliver of black hexleather in the moonlight, and adjusted accordingly to follow. Don’t fall behind.

When they finally made it to their assigned rally point, on the far western side of the city, it was already well past sunset. Chat Noir was waiting for her, chin balanced on his baton in front of him. “Feels like you’re getting slower, stripes.”

“Fuck off.” Her left hand, the one without claws, balled up into a fist.

Surprised at her anger, Chat raised both his hands. “Whoa, okay, there’s no need for that. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. If you’d like, I can message Ryuko, she and I can finish this patrol route tonight.”

Tigress turned away from him, back the way they came. “It’s fine. Let’s just go.”

“No.” She turned back to him at his tone, finding him staring her down seriously, clipping his baton behind him. “Something’s wrong here and we need to fix it, now, the sooner the better.” He took deliberate steps towards her until they were toe-to-toe. Tigress stood straighter, standing her ground.

“First off, if there’s something distracting you, you should take care of it. The rest of us can cover for you until you’re better, and there’s no reason to let something in your personal life fester until it comes crashing down.”

She glared at him. “You’re not my therapist.”

Behind him, Tigress could see Chat’s tail whipping angrily through the air. Despite his growing frustration, his eyes softened. “It’s not you. It’s someone else.”

“What?”

“Someone you care about is sick.”

Purple Tigress felt her stomach twist painfully, her mind bringing up images of Rose, of her laying in her hospital bed, separated from her by plastic and clear walls and noisy fans and the whirring of medical equipment. She grimaced, shaking her head to clear the thoughts. “So?”

“My mother passed when I was thirteen.” She turned her gaze back to him, startled at the admission. He continued, tone even. “I loved her. A lot. And all I have left are the memories of her, and I’d give up a lot to be able to make new ones with her again.” Chat reached out, taking her clawed hand in his, squeezing it softly. “You should be there with them.”

The tiger holder sniffled, only then realizing she was crying. “She’s my girlfriend. They don’t know what’s wrong with her, and she’s getting worse, and I don’t know if I can watch her-” She cuts off with a sob, pulling her hand away from him, wiping at her eyes angrily with the back of her hand. “Message Ryuko. I can’t do this anymore.”

Chat nods, understanding, reaching for his baton. He’s about to open it when he stops, reaching out and grasping Tigress’s wrist. Stopping her from taking off the miraculous. “No, stripes-”

“Why the fuck not?! I just said I can’t do this, and I mean all of this!” She wrenched her arm away from him, running both her hands through her hair. “I’m not cut out to be a hero! I can’t figure out why Ladybug put us together, I can’t keep up, my power is practically a carbon copy of yours, so obviously she was just weighing the two of us together to see who’d last longer!” Falling to her knees, she took handfuls of her hair and yanked hard, screaming at the ground, tears streaming down her face. “My entire life has been one fuck-up after another, and I wish someone else would finally realize it!”

When Chat joined her, kneeling in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, Juleka finally let the dam crumble entirely. She sobbed against his shoulder, screamed her frustrations out, arms around him squeezing almost painfully as her claws scraped against his hexleather back. The entire time, all Chat did was hold her, brushing her hair softly with a gloved hand, letting the sorrow and pain ebb out of her until she had run out of tears.

When she pulled away, she stared at the ground, unable to meet his eyes. “You need to take my miraculous, Chat Noir. I can’t be trusted with it.”

“Nope.”

One last reserved ounce of rage filled her. Tigress looked up, glaring at him through her tears. “Why the fuck not?! I’m clearly not hero material!”

“I think I figured out why Ladybug put us together.” Chat grinned, reaching out and brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. The tender gesture caused her anger to recede. “She knows who you are, right? Your civilian self. She probably knows about your girlfriend, knows you’re struggling with it.” When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “She’s not interested in a power contest or a marathon, stripes, she knew I could help you through this.”

Purple Tigress laughed at that in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s the truth, though!” He stood and extended a hand down to her, which she accepted after a few tense seconds. “I’ve told Ladybug about my mother before, so she clearly saw the parallels.” He grinned, patting her on the shoulder. “Take the rest of the week’s patrols off, Ryuko can cover for you. I’ll tell Ladybug you’re dealing with a private thing, she won’t mind.”

Tigress shook her head. “You don’t know that. What if there’s an akuma-”

“If we need you, we’ll find you.” Glancing around one last time, for any cursed butterflies she realized, Chat quickly extended his baton. “Don’t worry, stripes, we all have our own things to worry about. We’ve got you covered. After all, we’re a team, and teammates trust one another.” He smiled, a sympathetic look in his eyes. “Tell your girlfriend I said hello.”

Before she could argue further, he vaulted off the roof, heading back the way they came.

Purple Tigress watched him leave, staring at his fleeting form. Once she couldn’t see him, she looked down at her hand, where the miraculous still glistened in the moonlight.

With her other hand, she moved to pull it off.

But in the back of her mind, Chat’s voice echoed. We’re a team.

Teammates trust one another.

She stopped, staring at both her hands for a long moment. Finally, she moved her hands back to her sides, the miraculous still secure on her wrist.

With a leap, she dashed back towards the city center.

To the hospital.

On my way, Rose.

I need to tell you about my new friend.

[keentrigger-writes]

100 Days

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Pairing: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Tags: Kwami Swap, Fluff, Cultural Misunderstandings Synopsis: Luka gets his kitty cat something special to celebrate their first hundred days together. Because that's a Chinese tradition, right? Kagami even reminded him. Read on: AO3

Something special I whipped up for @fragileizy reaching 100 followers at @fragileizywriting. Congrats, you deserve way more everything!

This is a standalone kwami swap AU that borrows from Daydreams, but isn't set in it.

---

The jitters were starting to get to him.

Luka let out a frustrated sigh as he pressed his palm against his knee, stopping the tapping of his foot. He closed his eyes, trying to sooth his nerves with the gentle rippling of the fountain, the quiet air of the early morning.

It didn’t work.

Get a grip, Lu. He looked over to the front door of the bakery—still no sign of her. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the screen, seeing no new message. His brow furrowed in concern. She said she’d be right out, but-

Across the street, the familiar jingle of the bakery’s front door interrupted his thoughts, as well as the sing-song voice of the girl who lived there. “Thanks, maman! I owe you one!”

Jumping up to his feet, the musician quickly dusted himself off before walking over to the park gate. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her, the spark of recognition in her eyes when she spotted him, and the sharp grin that filled her face as she dashed towards him, leaping into his arms.

“Luka!”

He caught her effortlessly, laughing as he spun her around to slow her momentum before gently placing her feet back on the ground, hands still grasping her sides. “Good morning, Marinette.”

The grin on her face turned into a smirk as she brought her hands to his cheeks. “Not yet it is. Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Hm.” He pretended to ponder a moment, watching her slowly raise herself to her tiptoes, before grinning. “Oh, right!” Quickly, he turned his head to avoid her lips, kissing both her cheeks before pulling his face away with a cheerful smile. “Good morning!”

Marinette huffed, twitching her nose in annoyance, face drawn into a pout. “Rude.”

Leaning down just a little, Luka brushed her cheek with his thumb. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself, melody. Forgive me?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, grasping his shirt by the collar with both hands, pulling him the rest of the way down to her. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” When their lips met, Luka’s heart nearly fluttered out of his chest, every single worrying thought instantly canceled out by the spark. It was amazing how much affection he had for this woman, how much his soul sang for her when they were together. It had been smoldering in the background for years, as friends and then as miraculous holders fighting together, but now, now that they were together-together, he found himself drowning in affection for her, consuming his every waking moment. Three months had gone by like nothing-

Suddenly, he remembered why he’d texted her last night, asking her to meet him this morning. His present burned in his pocket, and he pulled away, slightly out of breath. “M-Marinette-”

He was barely able to get her name out before she was on him again, kissing him like they hadn’t seen each other in months despite the fact they’d gone to lunch together two days ago. His thoughts thoroughly fried, he could only return the effort, kissing her until they finally pulled away, lips bruised and huffing like they’d ran a mile together.

“Mmm, now it’s a good morning.” She sighed a little dreamily before taking a step back, as if she needed to physically put some distance between them or else she’d jump him again. “Sorry, I’ve only been wanting to do that since last night. I don’t think you realize just how much my head spins when you start whispering on the phone like that-”

Luka chuckled a little. “I was wondering what happened. Here I was, thinking you’d fallen asleep but instead you were fantasizing-”

“Shush.” Marinette flushed, trying to cover her embarrassment with another sharp grin, the tips of her canines showing over her lip. “Let’s just say that you almost had company last night.”

Leaning forward, he softly whispered in her ear. “You’re always welcome at my door, kitten.”

With a shove, she pushed him away, red from the tip of her ears down to her neck. “I know, I know, you don’t have to remind me-” Clearing her throat, Marinette slid up next to him, wrapping both of her arms around his and leaning against him, looking up at him with her azure eyes. “So what’s the plan this morning, star? I’m all yours.”

His heart melted again at her words. I’m all yours too, melody. He quickly pulled his eyes away from her before he started drifting again, reaching into his pocket. “Well, a friend told me that today is a significant day in terms of a new relationship-”

“Wait, what?” Marinette blinked up at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

Luka smiled, pulling out the slim jewelry case, holding it up to her. “Here’s to another hundred days.” With practiced dexterity, he popped open the lid, revealing the simple silver charm bracelet. He had spent a month working odd jobs to be able to afford it, just getting enough last week to be able to purchase it. On the length were an assortment of hand-crafted charms, each one representing one of the miraculouses, with the black cat and snake charms on either side of the clasp.

In a way, it was an ouroboros, just like his miraculous, but at the same time, it represented them all, together as a team, with Lady Noire and Viperion anchoring them together.

His chest filled with warmth at her gasp, her hands flying to her face, covering her mouth. “Oh, Luka-” She swallowed a sob, tears gathering in her eyes-

But then, her shuddering sobs turned into giggles, then full-blown laughter.

He definitely hadn’t expected that.

Marinette quickly pulled away from him, stopping her laughter long enough to wipe at her eyes. Smiling cutely at him, she reached out, taking the box from him and gently closing it, placing it back in the chest pocket on his jacket, softly patting him there-

Unable to hold back any further, she wrapped her arms around his waist, laughing hysterically against his chest. “Oh my GOD, I can’t believe- oh my god, she’s such a wicked witch, isn’t she-”

Luka looked down at her, still a little stunned at her reaction. “Did I miss something?”

Giggling, Marinette looked up at him, azure eyes glittered with mirth. “Luka, darling, sweetheart. Kagami tricked you.”

His stomach dropped like a stone. “What do you mean?”

She shook her head, pressing her cheek against his chest. “Yes, the hundred day mark is celebrated in China, but for newborns.” She gazed back up at him. “You celebrate a baby’s first hundred days.”

Several emotions passed over Luka, rapid-fire, one after another.

The first was, again, shock.

Then embarrassment, for not realizing he’d been had.

Then shame, for not bothering to check and see if he was actually following his girlfriend’s cultural traditions.

For a split-second, in anger, he considered ways to hide a body.

Then, finally, acceptance.

Pretty sure he was as bright as a tomato and overheated like the surface of the sun, Luka groaned, pressing his cheek against the top of her head. The action only made Marinette laugh again.

“I’m so sorry, Marinette.”

“It’s okay, Luka, you’re not the only one Kagami’s fooled.” She chuckled. “Poor Adrien. She did it to her own boyfriend. Some way to thank the savior of Paris, huh.”

Luka blinked a few times, pulling away. “Wait, so why did I see so many recommendations for couples gifts for their hundred-day anniversary online?”

“It’s a Korean custom, actually. I mean, Koreans also celebrate a newborn’s first hundred days, but they also celebrate the first hundred days of a relationship.” She smiled at him. “Should’ve read those articles closer.”

Luka groaned again, pulling her close. “I’m so, so sorry, Marinette, I should’ve checked-”

“Luka.” She pushed against him, then stood up on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss. “You got tricked. It’s okay, I’m not angry or anything.” She smiled. “It’s still really sweet, even if the sentiment was a little misplaced.”

He frowned. “If you’re sure.”

“I am sure.” Grinning wide, Marinette pulled away from him, grasping his hand. “Let’s go get something for brunch, then we can spend some time together at your place and plot Kagami’s demise like I know you want to right now.”

"What about the bracelet?"

She winked at him. "Later. Hard to sneak up on dragons if you're jingling all the way down the road."

Luka laughed, nodding. “A lazy afternoon cuddling sounds amazing right now.” He stopped, pulling her back to him, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss. “Especially when it’s just you, me, your drafting tablet, and my guitar.”

“What can I say?” Marinette smirked, smiling slyly at him. “You know how to make me purr, rockstar.”

[keentrigger-writes]

One Year Later

I know I haven't done anything for the October Minific Challenge, but this October has been abnormally busy for me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But I knew I wanted to write something for LBSC's anniversary, so here we are.

In case you're not familiar, the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers sprint challenge involves writing an entire Lukanette fic or fanart in 3 15-minute sprints, followed by a 24-hour window where you can edit and add until you think the work is complete. Since they're more guidelines than rules, I definitely added more than I edited after my three sprints, but I only spent about an hour adding and editing so it maaaaybe only stretches things a little.

Is this coherent? No idea. Am I entirely happy with it? No, it's pretty Chat-centric, but I don't know if any talk about the defeat of Hawk Moth could avoid it. Did I write this when I should've been sleeping because I'm getting married in nine hours? No comment...

---

It had been spring when Hawk Moth had finally fallen.

The grounds of the cemetery were still damp with dew. Marinette shuddered, not just from the cold, while standing at the entrance. Thankfully, Luka was there with her, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze and a soft smile.

“We’ll make this quick,” Luka whispered, teal eyes gentle.

The designer took in a deep breath, shaking her head. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

He gave her a knowing look. “You’re not fine, melody.”

“I will be.” She took her first steps into the cemetery, Luka following close behind.

They walked in silence, only the sounds of nature and the city surrounding them as they made their way to the plot. Marinette tried to stay focused, but her mind began to wander, trying desperately to keep her from fixating on what she was about to see.

Suddenly, Luka’s hand tugged on hers, bringing them both to a stop. She glanced back at him, but he instead was looking forward. “Look.”

She turned her gaze, then took in a sharp breath.

Chat Noir.

He was sitting on the ground, leaning against the back of the gravestone. His eyes stared at the ground, glassy; his suit was covered in droplets, as if he had been there since dawn. If he had noticed them approaching, he hadn’t acknowledged it, unmoving except for his steady breath.

Oh, Adrien.

They both silently approached the hero, who still didn’t move. Looking past him to the next plot, Marinette noticed the neighboring gravestone had a bouquet of lilies placed at its base.

“Chat?”

Chat Noir startled, eyes darting to the two of them. “O-Oh! Um-”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Marinette glanced around, making sure they were alone, before pulling away from Luka, kneeling down in the grass next to Chat. This close, she could see his eyes were cracked with red, that the shadows under his eyes weren’t just from the mask. “How long have you been here, Adrien?”

Chat didn’t hold her gaze, looking away. “My flight landed last night.” He sighed, leaning his head against the marble, closing his eyes. “Kagami was going to take me here in the afternoon, but I just... I had to come here myself.” He swallowed, throat dry. “I don’t know why.”

“When I saw you, I was surprised to still see the headstone intact.” Marinette grinned a little at the chuckle that drew out of him, her hand reaching forward and resting upon his. “I wish I could’ve been here to keep you company, chaton.”

He scoffed at that. “Trust me, it was better you weren’t. I didn’t have a lot of kind things to say at the time.” He opened his eyes, smiling sadly at her. “Besides, it would’ve been hard to explain why Chat Noir and Ladybug both hung out at Gabriel Agreste’s grave the night before the anniversary.”

“We would’ve thought of something. We’re a team, Adrien.”

Marinette hoped that the words would lift him up, but instead his stare grew distant. An awkward silence fell upon the three of them.

They were saved by the sound of an electronic chirp.

Reaching into her purse, Marinette pulled out her phone, looking at the notification. She smiled, holding it up to Chat’s face. “Kagami. She’s about to ask me to send the others out looking for you.”

He sighed, reaching behind to grab his baton. “I’d better go, then, before she sends the entire Self-Defense Force to France to look, too.” Standing together, Chat attempted to dust himself off, which only drew a smile from Marinette and a chuckle from Luka at the futility of it.

“Are you joining us tonight?”

“At Alya and Nino’s place? Maybe. I haven’t decided.”

Marinette frowned at that. “You should. Everyone will be there. We’ve all missed you, Adrien.”

He closed his eyes again, taking a steadying breath. “I know. I’m just not sure if I’m ready for that.”

“Adrien.” Luka crossed his arms. “We’re your friends. You’re not being judged for your father’s actions.”

“I know. But, it’s still hard to accept, even now.” When his eyes opened again, they were brimming with tears. “My father terrorized everyone in Paris for an entire decade. And now, I have to live with the weight of it, even if no one else knows it was him.” He turned towards the gravestone, grimacing at it, before kicking at the grass above it. “I want to forget him, but he’s always there. His voice still rings in my head, and his last words-”

Chat swore, wiping at his eyes. “I know you’re all willing to help, but this is something I have to work through myself.” He turned towards the two of them, eyes filled with sorrow and a flash of something else, there and gone in an instant. “I’m going to go fix things with Kagami.”

He left on his staff without giving them a chance to say anything more.

Marinette watched him leave, tears stinging her eyes. When she felt arms slowly wrap around her, she turned in Luka’s embrace, burying her face in the soft cotton covering his chest. “I want to help him,” she whispered, barely audible.

Luka brushed his hand through her hair, humming softly. “I know you do, melody, but he has to open up first. Everything’s still too fresh and tender.” He rested his cheek against her head. “Especially today.”

She nodded, just letting him hold her. When she finally pulled away, wiping at her eyes, Luka kissed her forehead, then turned so that they both were looking at the gravestone atop the grave containing the man that had tormented them all for years.

Gabriel Agreste Designer, Loving Husband and Father Perished in Hawk Moth’s Final Attack

“I still can’t believe we let him get away with it.”

“We did it for Adrien,” Marinette murmured. “The world knowing who Hawk Moth was would’ve only ruined the brand and resulted in the state confiscating all of Gabriel’s assets as restitution.” She frowned, hugging Luka’s arm. “Trust me, I’m not happy about it, either, but-”

“Maybe we should’ve let them.” Marinette glanced up at him, watching his features harden. “It would’ve been cathartic, in a way. And maybe then Adrien wouldn’t be stuck in his father’s shadow.”

She hummed. “Maybe. Speaking of catharsis...” Taking in a deep breath, Marinette pulled away from Luka, reaching into her purse to pull out the item she had packed for this visit.

Carefully, she began salting Gabriel’s entire grave.

“You know, if Adrien knew you were doing this, he may have stayed to help.”

Marinette chuckled. “The last thing I need is Chat Noir being caught vandalizing a cemetery. Now be a good lookout and make sure we don’t get caught, either.”

They weren’t. Despite the number of people who visited the cemetery daily, the Agrestes were buried in a somewhat secluded area. Her task completed, she shook out the paper bag and crumpled it, tossing it on the ground at the base of the gravestone. She turned back to Luka, who was grinning ruefully at her. “What?”

“Do you plan on doing this every year?”

She shrugged, smirking. “Maybe. But, eventually, it’ll be better to never come here ever again.” She took one last glance at the gravestone. “Just let him be forgotten.”

Luka nodded before reaching a hand out to her, which she gingerly took. Together, they walked down the path towards the entrance, just as the grounds were sprinkled by the rain of a spring shower.

That night, the miraculous holders, including the black cat holder, gathered to celebrate the anniversary. Through laughs, through tears, the team let themselves put the strain and the stress of saving Paris behind them.

Finally, Marinette thought, we can get on with our lives.

Luka apparently agreed. The next week, when he presented her with the engagement ring, shining silver and adorned with sapphires as blue as her eyes, Marinette all but tackled him to the ground, kissing him senseless.

Finally, I can live my life.

[keentrigger-writes]

Unending - LBSC Minifics (Epilogue)

I'm participating in the @/lovebugs-and-snakecharmers August mini fic challenge, where you complete each of the @/writersmonth prompts in less than 50 or 100 words (I'm choosing exactly 100 words).

I felt like this challenge needed a proper send-off, so here's one last, extra fill to close out the month, my first ever completed prompt month challenge. It's been a wild ride, and I thank each and every one of you who read, liked, reblogged, and commented, both in and out of the tags. 😂 It was a lot of fun, and I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!

This "fill" references Day 12 and has the return of someone a lot of you enjoyed seeing this month, not to mention a ton of references that some of you might recognize. 😁 Thanks again for reading! 💙

"Beggars can't be choosers. Better late than never. Look before you leap."

"The best things in life are free."

"Let me guess, beauty is only skin deep."

"Silence is golden."

"Jack of all trades, master of none."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Life is too short."

"Good things come to those who wait."

---

The burrow took many forms. Today, it was a wall of screens.

Somebody had watched The Matrix.

“Ugh, boring.” Bunnyx clicked the remote.

“There’s so few timelines where they get together-together.” Another Bunnyx sighed, leaning against the back of the chair of the first Bunnyx. “So depressing.”

“But the ones that exist are so good! Life on the farm? Neighbor needing a shower? Sharing airplane seats? Balcony-hopping? The Lucky Lady Cafe? Pink roses, apple picking, perfect water, baking panettone? Ooh, Lukanoire visits-”

“Of course you remember that one.”

“There’s childhood friend naga-”

“Really-”

“‘This is whatever you want it to be’-”

“That’s-”

“Vipermouse in the closet, a personal favorite-”

“Come on-”

“Star pilot with the forked tongue-”

“Enough!” Bunnyx 2 glared at Bunnyx 1. “Are you sure you’re one of us? You’re not very ace.”

Bunnyx 1 shrugged. “They’re hot together. You’re all just a bunch of prudes.”

Suddenly, the screens flickered at the same time a portal opened. Another Bunnyx entered, looking smug.

“Wait-” Bunnyx 1 turned to the newcomer, pointing to the screens. “What did you do?”

“I told him what he needed to hear.” They laughed, pulling up a seat. “Take a look.”

The other two looked back to the wall, then gasped, jaws slack. More and more of the screens were filled with azure and teal, with tender touches and smiling embraces.

“How-”

“Just a little push.” Smug Bunnyx grinned, munching on popcorn, settling in for the night. “I love it when a plan comes together.”

[keentrigger-writes]

I realized it's really silly to call out all these great fics but then not link them. 😅

Fics cited by Bunnyx, in order of appearance:

A Kick in the Head by @verfound Neighborly by @quickspinner Love in the sky by @airi-p4 Locked Out (NSFW-ish) by @mintaka14 Hero Cafe by @freedom-shamrock A Pink Rose and a Blue Rose by @emikogale Picking Out A Date by @anon-rebel-writes Perfect Water by @crescent-woods Worth the Wait by @chrwrites Cat nip (NSFW) by @kryptored And Then, There Were Two (NSFW) by @livrever Whatever You Want (NSFW) by @nerdypanda3126 locker talk (NSFW) by @fragileizywriting The Star-Pilot's Kiss (NSFW) by leafweaverRyn

I really hope I didn't miss anyone. 😅

Thank you all for your support this month!

[keentrigger-writes]

Unending - LBSC Minifics (Epilogue)

I'm participating in the @/lovebugs-and-snakecharmers August mini fic challenge, where you complete each of the @/writersmonth prompts in less than 50 or 100 words (I'm choosing exactly 100 words).

I felt like this challenge needed a proper send-off, so here's one last, extra fill to close out the month, my first ever completed prompt month challenge. It's been a wild ride, and I thank each and every one of you who read, liked, reblogged, and commented, both in and out of the tags. 😂 It was a lot of fun, and I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!

This "fill" references Day 12 and has the return of someone a lot of you enjoyed seeing this month, not to mention a ton of references that some of you might recognize. 😁 Thanks again for reading! 💙

"Beggars can't be choosers. Better late than never. Look before you leap."

"The best things in life are free."

"Let me guess, beauty is only skin deep."

"Silence is golden."

"Jack of all trades, master of none."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Life is too short."

"Good things come to those who wait."

---

The burrow took many forms. Today, it was a wall of screens.

Somebody had watched The Matrix.

“Ugh, boring.” Bunnyx clicked the remote.

“There’s so few timelines where they get together-together.” Another Bunnyx sighed, leaning against the back of the chair of the first Bunnyx. “So depressing.”

“But the ones that exist are so good! Life on the farm? Neighbor needing a shower? Sharing airplane seats? Balcony-hopping? The Lucky Lady Cafe? Pink roses, apple picking, perfect water, baking panettone? Ooh, Lukanoire visits-”

“Of course you remember that one.”

“There’s childhood friend naga-”

“Really-”

“‘This is whatever you want it to be’-”

“That’s-”

“Vipermouse in the closet, a personal favorite-”

“Come on-”

“Star pilot with the forked tongue-”

“Enough!” Bunnyx 2 glared at Bunnyx 1. “Are you sure you’re one of us? You’re not very ace.”

Bunnyx 1 shrugged. “They’re hot together. You’re all just a bunch of prudes.”

Suddenly, the screens flickered at the same time a portal opened. Another Bunnyx entered, looking smug.

“Wait-” Bunnyx 1 turned to the newcomer, pointing to the screens. “What did you do?”

“I told him what he needed to hear.” They laughed, pulling up a seat. “Take a look.”

The other two looked back to the wall, then gasped, jaws slack. More and more of the screens were filled with azure and teal, with tender touches and smiling embraces.

“How-”

“Just a little push.” Smug Bunnyx grinned, munching on popcorn, settling in for the night. “I love it when a plan comes together.”

[keentrigger-writes]

Purple / Merpeople - LBSC Minifics (Day 31)

I'm participating in the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers August mini fic challenge, where you complete each of the @writersmonth prompts in less than 50 or 100 words (I'm choosing exactly 100 words).

I'm breaking my rule a little, writing this before I've slept on the day, but it's the last day and rules are meant to be broken. I'm sure you won't mind this being a little early. 😁

This is the last prompt, but as a thank you to everyone for reading these fills, the first time I've ever completed a prompt month, I'll have a special epilogue for you all... tonight, maybe? Tomorrow, definitely. 💙 Thank you for all your support!

---

Her scales sparkled with blues and purples as she swam towards him, smiling bright when she surfaced. “Hello, sailor!”

Luka nodded respectfully. “Good morning, melody.”

She covered her mouth with her hand, giggling. “You know that’s not my name, but I’ll forgive you because it’s cute.”

He sat at the edge of the dock, feet dangling, a grin teasing his lips. “I feel like your name is a secret, one that shouldn’t be spoken lightly.”

“Oh, but I love to hear you say it.”

I love everything about you, melody. “Whatever you wish, Marinette.”

She swooned.

He fell even more.