LycoRogue

Adrien awoke before their alarm. The gentle sunlight through their curtains was enough to stir him. The laundry list of things that needed to be done raced through his mind, and he debated taking advantage of the early start to the day. Then Marinette softly snored beside him. With a smile, he knew his place was in bed. At least, for a little while longer. He shifted so he could spoon his wife; careful not to move her or wake her. He rested his hand on her hip, and closed his eyes to the world so he could soak her in with his other senses. They had been together for twenty years, but it still felt like not enough time. He knew that twenty years was both an amazing gift and just a drop in a hat. The duality of it being exceptionally long and tragically short. He needed another twenty years. Forty. Sixty. Eighty! No matter how long they had, it would always be too short. “Please,” he silently prayed. He wasn't sure to whom, but to any and every Greater Power there might be. He

“Adrien! Dance with me!” Marinette downed the last of her tequila sunrise before slamming the highball glass onto the guest bedroom dresser and pulling Adrien to his feet. Adrien chuckled. “There isn't any music playing.” Pouting at him, Marinette fumbled for her phone, and brought up some slinky, sultry club music. She slammed her phone on the dresser beside her glass and then gestured towards it. “How am I supposed to dance to this?” Adrien laughed again and placed his hands on his hips. “Oh, like you can't slink around?” Marinette stuck out her tongue. Her hips and head swayed with the music. Her hands slid up her sides, along her jawline, and then met above her head. As her hands traveled, her eyes closed. A smirk crossed her lips just before she gently bit her lower one. Her humming along with the song was what finally hooked her prey. Adrien's hands wrapped around Marinette's waist, feeling it sway. Her shirt slid up a touch, and his ring and middle fingers brushed against

**Contains spoilers for the season 5 episode "Transmission (The Kwamis' Choice - Part 1)"** Marinette snuggled into Adrien. The smell of his cologne, the warmth of his body, the movement of his chest as he breathed, the weight of his arm around her shoulders, the delicate way his fingers brushed against her elbow; it was all more comforting than she could imagine. The rest of the world could fall away, and she'd be content in that exact spot. The rest of the world was Alya's problem now. Marinette hated passing the burden over to her, but she always knew Alya would make a fantastic Ladybug. She was glad Tikki thought so too. Plus, this would mean that she could still see Tikki on occasion, and she would be able to support the new Ladybug. Alya had also worn the mantle before, as well as been a superhero before that. She had her own brand of training, and she deserved the honor of being Ladybug now. Alya also worked well with Chat Noir; as Scarabella, Rena Rouge, and even as her

**NOTE: This story DOES NOT contain any season 5 spoilers. This author’s writing will always be free of any Season 5 bible leaks.** **Does contain Glaciator 2 Spoilers** “You're still here?” Marinette toweled off her hair as she walked into her kitchen. It was fortunate that she had the foresight to throw on shorts and a spaghetti top before coming out of the bathroom. “What? You don't like eating?” Adrien gestured towards one of the kitchen-island stools before finishing up his plating. “I was so close to getting the timing right this time, too.” “You were here to help me,” Marinette protested as she draped her towel over the back of the stool and took her seat. “I should be treating you with dinner or something. Not the other way around.” “Marinette, you know I love you and all, but, while you can bake, cooking is definitely not your forte.” Marinette blushed slightly. Adrien meant platonic love, but it didn't prevent those age-old chills from running through her. “That's

“Adrien?” Plagg poked his head out from behind Adrien's cover shirt and looked up at his owner. The twenty-three-year-old had been wandering the halls of the maternity ward for nearly thirty minutes. Despite Marinette's room having a private toilet, Adrien marched to the public restrooms by the elevators on the opposite side of the floor. He didn't use them. He simply splashed water on his face and combed his blonde hair out of his bloodshot eyes. He then checked all five vending machines scattered on the floor; never finding what he wanted in any of them. Then it was back to the restrooms to mindlessly scrub his hands. Each time Adrien passed Marinette's room, he paused, but then continued on his wanderings. “Adrien, you okay?” “Yeah, Plagg.” Adrien was good at hiding his true feelings. Scary good. He had years to practice. Even so, Plagg could tell that the chipper joy in Adrien's voice wasn't really how he felt. Not sensing any other eyes on them, Plagg drifted up to Adrien's

**SPOILER ALERT: Story takes place after season 4, so it has Strike Back (the season 4 finale) spoilers. **CW: Due to Chat Blanc references, there are passing mentions of "death and destruction". ** ~ I'm Not Allowed to Love You ~ "Chat Noir, I'm sorry, but I can't." Ladybug hugged herself as she stepped back from him, her head low as she stared at the rooftop they were on. His feet came into view, and she whipped her gaze away, unable to even see that much of him. "I don't understand." His voice was soft, confused, and had a hint of pain hidden behind it. "You love me, don't you? I know you didn't love me romantically at first, but you do now. I know you do. Right?" There was no malice in his voice. No anger or aggression. Yet Ladybug still flinched each time he asked her if she loved him, and every step he took to try to close the gap, she took one to keep the distance. Three steps in, he stopped. "Look, if you don't love me that way, I get it. It hurts, but I get it. I've

She wasn't doing anything special. She was washing dishes. A lot of dishes. Adrien went a bit overboard with dinner, and Marinette offered to do “her part” by doing the clean-up. She was elbow-deep in soapy water, humming along with the music she had playing; a little bob in her hips as she resisted the urge to full-on dance. Her sweatshirt was two sizes too large, and hung on her like a tunic. It was a faded pink; a color Adrien loved on her nearly as much as red. After a long struggle to keep her sleeves pushed up while she did the dishes, she opted to just roll them instead, leaving a perfectly folded centimeter-thick ring of fabric just above her elbows. Tucked under her tunic-length sweatshirt, the black sweatpants fit Marinette well, but still hid the proper shape of her legs. They were warm, and comfy. They had become her go-to for the nights that Adrien wanted to just stay home. No company. No obligations. Just them. They were good “snuggle on the sofa and watch a movie”

**Contains spoilers for the fanfic Remember That Time When... found over on AO3** Marinette sat huddled in a corner, her knees tucked into the hem of her oversized sweater. She hugged her legs close as her fingertips played with the hem of her sleeves. Anything to avoid playing with the ring on her left hand. She closed her eyes tight and ignored the subtle weight of the ring. Ignored what it meant. Ignored where she was hiding and who she was hiding from. In her mind she was where she was supposed to be: at home, in her room. She was acutely aware that wasn't where she was though. Somehow, through methods she couldn't begin to uncover, she wasn't seventeen anymore. She was twenty-two. It wasn't 2018 any longer. It was 2023. She wasn't Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She was Marinette Agreste. Yesterday she still was all those things, though. Yesterday she was still seventeen-year-old Marinette Dupain-Cheng, living in her parents' home during the year of 2018. Yesterday she was still

“Action figures?” Alya doubled over, holding her sides as she laughed. “I think that's the worst argument you've made yet. Everyone has Ladybug action figures. And posters. And costumes. That just makes you a fanboy! You're no simp!” Marinette cautiously neared the heated debate Alya was having with Adrien on the front steps of their school. Inching beside Nino, Marinette gestured to her best friend arguing with the love of her life. “What on Earth-?” “Shh.” Nino waved for Marinette to keep it down. “Fine then. I assisted her by agreeing to be bait for Gorizilla, that way he would be distracted enough for Ladybug's plan to work.” Adrien stood tall as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He smirked at Alya, clearly mentally telling her, “check.” “He was your own bodyguard! He tracked you clear across Paris. You would have been bait whether or not you agreed to it. Also, it wouldn't have mattered. Ladybug would have come up with a different plan if you had told her

“Action figures?” Alya doubled over, holding her sides as she laughed. “I think that's the worst argument you've made yet. Everyone has Ladybug action figures. And posters. And costumes. That just makes you a fanboy! You're no simp!” Marinette cautiously neared the heated debate Alya was having with Adrien on the front steps of their school. Inching beside Nino, Marinette gestured to her best friend arguing with the love of her life. “What on Earth-?” “Shh.” Nino waved for Marinette to keep it down. “Fine then. I assisted her by agreeing to be bait for Gorizilla, that way he would be distracted enough for Ladybug's plan to work.” Adrien stood tall as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He smirked at Alya, clearly mentally telling her, “check.” “He was your own bodyguard! He tracked you clear across Paris. You would have been bait whether or not you agreed to it. Also, it wouldn't have mattered. Ladybug would have come up with a different plan if you had told her

“I- I love you, Adrien!” Marinette shouted at him, her shoulders tight, her fists balled, and her eyes shut. Her body did all it could to block out the rest of the world; shield her from the inevitable rejection. He loudly gasped, a hitch in the sudden inhale. Marinette couldn’t bare to look. Instead, she ran off. She knew she had to face him eventually, but she could avoid him for a few hours right now. “Marinette! Wait!” He shouted after her, but she kept running. She ignored the tears. She’d wipe them away when she was safe. Besides, feeling them roll down her cheeks was cathartic. “Marinette!” Adrien’s footfalls kept pace with hers, and Marinette secretly wished she had the extra stamina and agility of Ladybug; some way of getting away from Adrien. He didn’t tire, though, and she did; already exhausted from the confession alone. She found a little corner where she could hide away, and collapsed against the wall. She knew he’d find her in a few seconds, but she couldn’t run

Chaos. Ladybug had created chaos. She had unknowingly welcomed chaos into the city. She didn't fully grasp what it would actually look like to have the entirety of The Twelve Days of Christmas on display. Chaos. That's what it looked like. The Eleven Piping Pipers tuned up their bagpipes in a long, low braying hum. The song-bird specialist was cooing to the four blackbirds she had borrowed, and made sure she had enough treats to reward them for their showcase. The boat renter from the one park Chat Noir took Ladybug to was talking to his fellow conversationalists about the best way to keep all of the water fowl content. Meanwhile, the swans honked away their part of the discussion. Off to the side, the animal rights activist was trying to keep the Faverolles chickens from pecking at the eight farmers and their cows. Luckily, the ladies knew exactly how to handle the chickens, and the bovine seemed unfazed. Ladybug was glad to see the hens were already looking a little healthier

Ladybug crouched perched atop the Grand Paris hotel. She shuddered just recalling what happened there the day before, but that was precisely why she was there again. Christmas morning was one of the busiest for her parents, which meant an early night on Christmas Eve. It also meant extra time for Ladybug to finish getting Chat Noir's present ready while also sticking to her patrol schedule. Psyching herself up, she dropped to the street and entered the hotel. The meeting with Mayor Bourgeois took exhaustingly longer than intended, but doing so solidified Ladybug's plan for Chat Noir's gift. Next up was an equally tiring chat with the ten Lords of Achoo. After a long, one-way negotiation about how many dates Ladybug would go on with Prince Ali (she refused to participate), they finally agreed to help with Chat Noir's surprise, in hopes it would butter Ladybug up enough to consent to the match. As Ladybug finished giving them the details on what they needed to do, her yo-yo beeped.

“H-h-here, Adrien.” Marinette bowed low as she held the green-wrapped gift over her head. Nino and Alya stood in shock behind her as the quartet stood beside the Agreste town car at the end of their last school day of the semester. “I can't believe she actually did it,” Alya whispered a bit too loudly. “Wow! Thanks, Marinette.” Adrien accepted the box and stared at it a bit uneasy. “I'm sorry. I didn't know we were exchanging gifts or I would have gotten you something.” Marinette's heart sunk. Her last hope that maybe Adrien did buy those rings for her – or, at least one of them – was completely squashed. That didn't matter though. She had expected as much. What mattered was Adrien having a happy Christmas. “No! No-no, that's fine. Ferfectly pine- I mean perfectly fine. It's fine. You don't have to get me anything. I just-” She rubbed the back of her neck and looked at the sidewalk. “I wanted to show you how much you meant to me.” Alya squealed. “-as a friend, I mean!” Marinette

School was again rough on Marinette. Her mind kept drifting back to Adrien and the rings, but she tried to listen to Tikki's advice the best she could: enjoy the time she had with Adrien before the winter break. She also had to focus on Chat Noir. Her feelings didn't matter right now; his did. She had to figure something out for him. “Ug!” The moment Marinette made it to her room at the end of the school day she dropped into her computer chair and slammed her head onto her desk. “My head is about to explode! I'm out of ideas, Tikki.” “I find it unlikely that you, of all people, are out of ideas.” “None that are good enough. None that say 'I'm sorry you were just trampled by cows, and chased by birds, and nearly drowned in a lake because you've been up all week trying to get me the perfect gift when you had already done that'.” “He has had an oddly bad run of luck this week. The cows last night, the lake the day before, oh, and that swan taking off with whatever he had in his hand!

Marinette was not looking forward to going to school. Normally it would be the highlight of her day: being able to stare at Adrien for nearly eight hours. After helping him pick up those rings, however? She knew she was going to spend the whole day wondering who he bought them for, and if she loved him back. Of course she does. Who wouldn't be in love with Adrien Agreste? Instantly Marinette thought of a handful of women: Alya, Mylène, Rose, Juleka, and probably Alix, given how much she teased Marinette about her crush. They didn't count though. Alya had Nino. Mylène had Ivan. Rose and Juleka had each other. Alix- well, Marinette wasn't entirely sure Alix felt that way about anyone. Marinette also crossed off Lila. Adrien knew how much of a liar she was, and how she liked to hurt people with those lies. There was no way he could ever be in love with her. She then prayed that she could cross Chloé off that list as well. Everyone else though? They were on her radar as potential gift

Ladybug closed out the next afternoon blindfolded again. After their escape from the geese the day before, and their halfhearted patrol of the city, they parted ways with Chat Noir asking her to keep watch for a message from him. “I'll make this right,” he had said with a bow. “Chat Noir, you really don't-” “I do, and I will.” He had puffed out his chest to make himself as tall and wide as possible. “I promise you. Just keep an eye out for a new message.” He gave her hand a quick peck, and then off he went, grumbling deprecations to himself. It was a bit ridiculous to periodically transform just to see if she had a new message from her partner, but she couldn't deny his request. The next morning, however, she debated keeping up the practice. She hadn't heard word from Chat Noir the rest of Saturday, and she wasn't sure Tikki would be thrilled with another day of useless transformations. Her kwami reassured her that it was fine, however, so, like clockwork, Marinette snuck off to

Marinette woke up drained from her long night envisioning who Adrien could have bought the rings for. She couldn't even look at her board of Adrien pictures when she woke up. She also took down the ones that lined the walls above her desk. She just couldn't stand seeing his smile at that moment; wondering who was making him smile like that. “Marinette, are you sure you're not over-reacting?” Tikki awkwardly glanced at the stack of Adrien photos in Marinette's hand. “How do you know Adrien didn't buy those rings for each of his friends or for Nathalie? Do they have to have been bought for someone he was in love with?” Her voice suggested she already knew the answer. “You don't buy your friends expensive jewelry like that.” Marinette opened one of her drawers and threw the pictures inside before slamming the drawer back closed. “Marinette-” “Never mind, Tikki, I-” Marinette's eyes landed on the pear tree Chat Noir had made for her. She again ran her fingers over the little bird in

**DISCLAIMER: Contains major spoilers for the story Twelve Days of Chatmas by TaurusPixie. If you have not read her story yet, stop what you're doing, and go read it first. You can find it on FFN or AO3. I promise you, it will be worth it for the hurt/comfort, and my story will still be here when you come back.** ............................................................................................................................................... Ladybug paced the rooftop her and Chat Noir agreed upon as a meeting spot. They were supposed to go on patrol nearly ten minutes ago, and he was still nowhere to be seen. It wasn't like him to be late for patrol; for any sort of scheduled meet-up with her, actually. If anything, he was typically the one waiting, eager to spend as much time as possible together. “It's getting close to Christmas,” she reminded herself. “Maybe he's caught up in some family festivities or something. He's fine.” She tried picturing him hanging up