Hello, everyone! We have just sent an email to anyone who is still missing a gift, following up to let them know the status of their backup gift. If you have not yet received a gift and did not receive an email from us, please send us an ask off anon or send us an email, and we will be sure to follow up with you!
Thanks again to everyone who created gifts for our exchange this year! It has been absolutely wonderful to see all of the incredible pieces you all made!
Is it safe to assume that if we haven't received a gift that we won't be getting one? I'm not upset but its a little disappointing. This was still a really fun event to be a part of! :D
Hello! We did not hear back from several gifters, unfortunately, so us mods are working on creating backup gifts for anyone who hasn’t yet received one! We will be aiming to have them posted by the end of the month, but we do intend to make sure that everyone who posted something also receives something. If you’d like to check and see if you received a gift or if we are working on one for you, please feel free to contact us off anon!
Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! Many apologies for getting this to you so late!! ;o; School started and I just now had the time to finish it BUT I hope you like it!! May your 2019 be spectacular!!!
Hello, everyone! The backup gifting period just ended, and we do see that some people still have yet to receive their gifts. We are currently following up with anyone who has not yet posted their gift, but please know that we will make sure everyone receives something!
You’re absolutely welcome to send us an ask or an email if you aren’t sure if you’ve received something, and we’ll check on it for you!
Happy belated holidays @inkdrohp! Your gift was completed by an artist who doesn’t currently have a tumblr but wanted to create a lovely Kiki’s Delivery Service AU for you! Hope you enjoy it!
Happy belated holidays, @noblechaton! I hope you had a wonderful start to your new year, and I hope you enjoy this gift for the @mlsecretsanta exchange!
This assignment was a joke. Alya knew it, and the utterly ridiculous editor who assigned it to her knew it, too. She grumbled the entire walk to her desk and half-slammed a notebook onto her desk for good measure.
"Whoa. Is everything okay?"
She rolled her eyes. "Chloe just told me my next assignment is finding out who this stupid food blogger is. Just because her dad practically owns the school, doesn't mean-"
"Doesn't mean she should be able to run the paper like some kind of dictator," Nino finished for her. "I know."
"It's a fluff piece!" Alya hissed, glaring in the direction of Chloe's small office, built just for her when she decided to take over the school newspaper. "She doesn't even care about this. She just wants to be in charge something!"
"Then, let her." He shrugged. "Do your own stuff on the side if you want. She won't care."
"I care! And so should you! This is why journalism is dying!"
"Really?" he didn't need to give her more than a look to point out just how ridiculous she sounded.
"Okay, so it's not the only reason," she said, still annoyed but at least now she'd let out some of her frustration. Finally, she slumped back into her chair and pulled out her phone. "Have you ever even heard of Ladybug's Kitchen?"
"Now, you have to be careful when you pipe in the filling. If you overfill it, you're going to have some messy macarons. And it's harder than you think to clean chocolate filling out of the carpet. Not that I've done that..." She laughed a bit at her own joke, which was oddly endearing in Alya's opinion. "Just a little swirl like this, and you'll have the perfect treat for your family or your friends or even just yourself if you've had a long week."
"Are you still watching that?" Nino peeked over Alya's shoulder. "It's been hours."
"I'm doing research," she answered, despite the blank notebook beside her. "She doesn't ever show her face."
"Yeah, that's kind of her thing."
"I noticed." She paused the video. "You can see her apron, and sometimes, you can see her hair, but that's as close as I can get. I'm just looking for clues."
Nino reached over to scroll down the page. "How many videos does she have anyway?"
She swatted his hand away. "Hey, don't make me lose my place. She's been doing this for years, and I'm watching all of them. She had to leave a clue somewhere."
"Seriously?" he chuckled. "What happened to this just being a fluff piece?"
She blushed. "I'm a serious journalist, okay? I take every assignment seriously."
"Half of your last fluff piece was filler text. You just put your questions in and all of the mayor's answers were just lorem ipsum whatever."
"What, you don't think our mayor speaks Latin?" she smirked.
"Okay, Mademoiselle Serious Journalist. Have fun with your crepes." He stuffed his laptop into his bag and waved. "I'm off to fail a chemistry test."
"Good luck!" she called after him. "And they're macarons, not crepes! Maybe if you don't fail, I'll buy you some so you can learn the difference."
"Seriously, one point away from failing really shouldn't earn you anything, especially not the best macarons in Paris," Alya grumbled as they waited in line.
"Hey, you said if I didn't fail, you'd buy me some."
"I also said maybe."
"Next!" the woman behind the counter called with a smile brighter than sunshine.
Alya paused for a moment, just staring at her until Nino pushed her forward, and she nearly stumbled into the counter. "Uh, hey!" Alya straightened and smiled back. "A dozen macarons and um..." she scanned over the available pastries. "Do you have any crepes?"
She smiled. "Sure! What flavor did you want for the macarons?"
"What flavors do you have? Like vanilla or chocolate...?"
She produced a list from behind the counter and handed it to Alya. "We definitely have a lot more than those. You can pick up to six different flavors when you buy a dozen. Why don't you take a minute to decide, and I'll get your crepes started, okay?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Dude, you're blushing," Nino murmured once she'd stepped out of earshot. "And you're staring."
"Shut up!" Alya glared at him and shoved the list into his chest. "One more word, and I'm getting nothing but apricot."
"Rude, using a man's allergies against him," Nino said under his breath as he scanned the list that spanned both the front and back of the page. "She wasn't kidding. There's tons of flavors here. I didn't even know some of these existed."
"Let me see." Alya held up the list so she could read the back. "Wow, I've never even heard of pomegranate macarons."
"Do you still need a minute?" Alya hadn't even noticed the woman had returned from the back. "I know there's a lot to choose from."
"Uh, maybe," Alya said, glancing over and trying not to stare this time.
"I can recommend a few." She stepped out from behind the counter to stand beside them, and Alya could feel soft heat spreading over her cheeks. "The cheesecake and the strawberry are really popular, but my favorites are the green tea and the honey and lavender."
"Those sound great," Alya answered quickly, releasing the list so Nino could look it over some more and Alya could look anywhere else. "I'll get those two, and he can decide the rest." How was it possible for someone to actually smell this good? Was it just because she worked in a bakery? Maybe it was just the bakery.
"Perfect! And what about the crepes?"
Alya wasn't exactly new to the idea of flirting with women she found attractive. Some would even say she was good at it, but right now, she couldn't even speak. This wasn't like her. Sure, she'd felt flustered and tongue-tied before, but that was back when she was a teenager and still new at all of this. She shouldn't have trouble answering a simple question just because this woman was exceptionally pretty.
"Chocolate sounds good," Nino said from behind Alya, handing over the list as he did, "And we'll get cheesecake, strawberry, cappuccino, and orange."
"Coming right up." She looked back at Alya. "And could I get your name? For, um, for the order?"
And maybe it was Alya's imagination, but did she just trip over her words? "Alya. And you?"
"Marinette," she darted back behind the counter. "It'll be ready in just a minute."
"Huh," Nino said, watching her leave. "Was she blushing?"
"God, I hope so," Alya murmured.
"You know..." Nino spoke between bites. "If you buy these every time I don't fail a test, I might pass chemistry."
"Yeah, I so didn't sign up for that." Alya reached for another one while the latest video from Ladybug's Kitchen loaded. "If you want to pass, buy them yourself."
"But, if you do, you get to see Marinette again."
Alya hated how quickly her cheeks reddened at just the mention of her name. She'd nearly dropped the bag twice when their order had come out, and Marinette had been painfully sweet about it. "Who says I need to buy anything for you to see her again? My mom's been asking me to pick up some better bread. Apparently, she works at the best place in Paris."
"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even know she existed." He snatched one of the macarons from her pile. "You owe me."
She slapped his hand away. "Nice try. If we get married, maybe I'll send you a box from our honeymoon."
He shrugged. "I'll take what I can get." He looked over at her screen. "Any clues yet?"
"Nope." She sighed and clicked play. "And I've gone through all of them twice."
"Twice?" His brows raised. "But, you said she has tons of videos."
"I take my job seriously, okay?"
"Maybe you just have a thing for bakers," he teased.
"Yeah, like you've got a thing for models?" she smirked. "Or did you think I missed that perfume ad you've been staring at?"
It was nice to see Nino blush for a change. "That's research. Chloe needs a model for the front page."
"Sure..." she chuckled, grabbing one of his cheesecake macarons. "You keep telling yourself that."
As annoying as it was to admit Nino was right, maybe she really did have a thing for bakers. She'd been watching for hours now, and Alya was beginning to suspect she had a crush on a voice that she couldn't identify. Ladybug was cheerful and encouraging, and she had the worst sense of humor, but Alya chuckled at it anyway. She was humble, too, showing her failures right along with her successes.
"Everyone burns cookies every once in a while. And that's okay. It's not a great feeling, I know. The first time I burnt my cookies, I cried. I mean, I was seven, so of course I cried," Ladybug chuckled at the memory, holding up a blackened cookie. "My dad found me, and he told me that mistakes just means you're trying something new. Or, in my case, it means I got too invested in a tea party with my stuffed animals.
"So, just keep trying. And make sure you set a timer!" Ladybug waved at the camera. "Hopefully, I'll have something a bit more appetizing for you tomorrow! Thanks for watching, and I hope you all had better luck than I did making this!"
"Are you still going through her videos?" Nino dropped down beside her. "I thought you saw all of them like a million times."
"Yeah, I did." Alya took the coffee from his hand and drained it. "I'm not getting anything. And everyone says the same thing. They know she's in Paris, but that's about as close as they can get."
"They?" Nino took the cup back and frowned down at it once he realized it was empty. "Now you owe me coffee and macarons."
"In your dreams. And, yes, they. I'm not the only one looking for her." She smirked. "There's boards and websites trying to figure it out, and she visits sometimes to say hello."
"Nice." He nudged her side. "So, if everyone's trying to figure this out, maybe it's more than just a fluff piece, huh?"
He actually flinched at the look she sent his way. "Just because Chloe got lucky, and this is actually interesting doesn't mean she gave me a good assignment. She thought this was fluff, and she wants to waste my time."
"Whoa, hey, I'm not arguing with you. Just saying. It's a good piece."
"It will be if I can figure out who she is," Alya mumbled, scrolling through the notes she'd made for any sort of connection she might have missed.
She might never have figured it out at all if not for one little mistake.
Ladybug had just posted up a video, and Alya had started watching the second it was available.
"It took me a little while to come up with an idea for this video. I feel like I've kind of shared everything I know how to make with you guys, so you'll need to send in some new recipes for me to try." She shuffled through some pages beside her as she spoke. "But, then, I was inspired by a customer that came in the other day. They were looking at macarons and couldn't pick a flavor.
"I mean, I can't blame them. All the flavors are amazing. So, I offered some suggestions, and they went with my two favorite flavors. And that got me thinking, maybe I could try out a new recipe based on their order. You can find the full recipe under the video, but I'll go ahead and walk you through it. Hopefully it's better than my cookies from last week!"
Alya scanned every frame while Ladybug spoke, looking for even the hint of a reflection or some sort of personal item that might give her a clue.
"So, first, we'll gather our ingredients. Some of them are a little unusual, so feel free to come back and bake with me later on if you need to go get anything."
Nothing. Even when it looked like she might catch a glimpse, the image was blurred or distorted, or even in one case, replaced with a tiny stock photo of a ladybug. Whoever edited her videos was thorough.
"So, some of you might be wondering why I'm making a recipe based on a customer. It's not something I do every day, you know." She measured out flour as she spoke. "But, well, I have to be honest with you guys, this customer was just really, really gorgeous. And I really wanted to ask for their number or try and flirt or anything, but I just kept chickening out. I'm sure at least one of you knows that feeling."
Alya frowned. She knew it a bit too well. She'd tried to work up the nerve to ask Marinette for coffee or lunch or anything, but she hadn't even walked by the bakery since the day she and Nino went. She could use the excuse that she was busy working, but it really was just that. An excuse.
"And, anyway, they came in with someone, so maybe it's a good thing I didn't. But, I just wanted to try my luck. And if they ever come back, maybe I will. I know I always tell all of you to take chances, but I have to admit, sometimes I'm scared to try something new. You've all been brave enough to bake with me, so let's all try to take chances outside the kitchen, too! Even if it means embarrassing ourselves in front of someone we like."
Alya rolled her eyes. She had to, since it really was a bit on the cheesy side, but it was just like Ladybug to say something like that, and it hit a bit too close to home for Alya's liking.
"So, here we are! Honey and lavender crepes! Let's see how they taste." She pulled out a fork and cut off a piece to eat. "Oh, that's even better than I thought! I hope yours all turned out great, too! Tune in on Thursday for part two! We'll be making green tea crepes with our own handmade whipped cream on top!"
"Wait..." Alya frowned. "No way..."
It had to be a coincidence. Just because that happened to be her order and she happened to be with someone when she made the order and she also happened to go there a few days ago... It didn't mean anything.
Alya started the video over again, this time scrutinizing each frame. Her heart was racing, but she was still trying to convince herself that it was all in her head. It was just too convenient. Like something out of Hollywood or a cheesy made-for-TV holiday movie.
But then she saw it.
There, in the middle of the papers Ladybug looked through was the recipe she'd written down. Anyone else might not have recognized the significance, and Alya might not have even seen if it if she wasn't so desperate for evidence.
There it was. The title, clear as day: "Crepes for Alya". The recipe was for her.
And that meant Ladybug was actually Marinette.
And that meant Marinette was interested.
Alya arrived at the bakery moments before it was time to close, a little out of breath and hoping she wasn't somehow wrong.
"Welcome!" Marinette greeted her when she walked through the door. "What can I get y-"
Oh, that was definitely a blush. Alya grinned, all confidence now that Marinette was the one visibly flustered. "Hey, Marinette! I actually had a question for you."
"Sure!" Marinette relaxed a little. "It's, um, good to see you again, Alya!"
Great, now she was blushing, too. "Yeah, you, too." But, she had the upper hand here, and she had to find out the truth. "Do you do any special orders? You know, stuff that's off the menu?" she asked, her smile just a bit playful.
"Maybe." Marinette leaned in a little, her voice dropping just enough that Alya could tell she was starting to realize Alya was flirting. "What did you have in mind?"
Alya approached the counter, close enough that anyone else wouldn't overhear. "Well, I was thinking of some honey and lavender crepes. Maybe green tea, too, but I don't know. Do I have to wait till Thursday for those?"
The color drained from Marinette's face. "What? I mean... I don't think I've heard of anything like that, but I um, I could look that up or..."
Alya grinned. "Really? And here I thought you made the recipe for a really, really gorgeous customer just like me."
"What? No!" Marinette realized her mistake in an instant. "I mean, not no. You are really, really gorgeous, but I didn't make a recipe for you. I don't know what you're talking about."
Alya pulled out her phone to show the video, paused right at the moment where the recipe's title showed on the screen. "You know, if you wanted my number, all you had to do was ask."
Marinette stared at it, clearly stuggling to think up some explanation. Finally, she looked back at Alya. "You're not going to... tell everyone, are you?"
Even if she wanted to, Alya knew she never would. "Not a chance. I'm way more interested in dating you than making you famous."
"Thank you." Marinette grinned, and Alya couldn't help but smile back. "I really-" Then, her eyes widened. "Wait, did you say you want a date?"
Alya laughed. "Yeah. Is that a yes?"
"Hold on." She ran over to the back. "I need to leave early! Mom, can you take over?"
"Sure!" A voice answered from the back. "Is everything okay?"
"Yep, just gotta go! Bye!" Marinette tore off the apron. "I'll be five minutes. I just need to freshen up."
She was gone before Alya could clarify that exactly meant tonight, but maybe it was better that way. Who was she to argue? The more time with Marinette, the better. She pulled out her phone while she waited, a slow smirk spreading over her lips. Besides, her deadline was tonight, and the only thing that could make a date with Marinette even sweeter was turning her phone on silent and ignoring irate calls from Chloe during said date.
"Ready to go?" Marinette asked, somewhat out of breath.
Alya looked up, briefly mesmerized by Marinette's quick transformation. She'd somehow managed to pull her hair up into a perfect updo, put on a hint of makeup, and change into a gorgeous pink dress in just moments, which left Alya was simultaneously jealous, impressed, and completely smitten. "Absolutely."
