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