“Fertile Ashes Au” As Marichat gets stronger day by day, Ladynoir limps on its uncertain path. Thanks to her bonding with Chat as civilian and him becoming her pillar after the stress of being guardian drove her away from most friends after they separated to go to high school, Ladybug realised her mistakes in their partnership before and after taking the guardianship. No one knows her identity, but she wishes more than ever she could come clean with him and enjoy what they have as Marinette and Chat.
However, Hawk Moth becomes more brutal with each attack and well... if she wished to reveal on a side, on the other it terrifies her. She talks to him, tries to be a better partner, but their friendship and whatever bond there was is rebooting and uncertain as ever, with her needing to confirm by action her words of faith. And the rift between drove him away enough from her to being difficult crossing the already fragile and mere line of friendship.
He drifted away and concentrated more on himself and Marinette. The same she did with Adrien after his father made him skip a grade in high school and they got separated from being classmates.
She never felt so close yet so far. And after a long period of denial and gradual falling in love, nurturing those feelings... she got totally mindblown. She was close to him as Marinette, but as Ladybug they were always on a thin line and she couldn’t just let the walls down because their bond under that form was so broken. And well, acting normal while hints are thrown at your face that feelings are changing... is very difficult.
These are sketches of one of the situations she had with him while realising she is in love with Chat and trying to settle with the feeling.
André just wanted them to get an ice cream to thank them for rescuing him after being reakumatizated, and it ended up sending message to their minds. Ladybug recognises her ice cream is about Chat, and that his is about Marinette. Chat only gets his points at Mari, but doesn’t notice or pay attention to Ladybug’s so he doesn’t get it.
Reminder! This is set at the end of season 3, after Papa Garou, so most of what comes after and all season 4 is not canon to this AU and it didn’t happen. Alya doesn’t know about Marinette’s secret yet, Ladynoir naturally drifted apart for what happened before season 4 and during the 2 years time skip of the Au. What happened between them wasn’t as extreme as in season 4 and didn’t just explode in one shot, as also Ladybug’s actions weren’t SO extreme. Things were just bound to get a bit messy with the lack of communication and each’s personal issues.
It’s based on the concept of Marichat being friends and bonding with time, with him visiting her after it was enstablished! Luka and Kagami only had crushes on Marinette and Adrien, but in the end they stayed friends only.
Marinette and Chat’s bond only deepened after Adrinette and Ladynoir drifted apart.
Chat still cares a lot about LB as friend but there is a big wall between them. He doesn’t stay too much to engage and simply let things go their own way professionally. He doesn’t want to get hopes up that she won’t hide things from him anymore, Standing his ground would be easier if things got messy again.
He has no idea also that her feelings changed, since she still tries to not get her Marinette self out. Her focus is get their close bond back and she IS more affectionate and caring, but is very careful to not let her romantical feelings for him slip. When they do, he doesn’t really notice