Marinette Dupain-Cheng has always balanced the impossible: a double life as Paris’s beloved superhero, Ladybug, and the pressures of being a teenager. But when Shadow Moth’s attacks grow darker, the weight of her responsibilities begins to crush her. Each battle leaves her more drained, her body and mind unravelling under the relentless demands of her role as both protector and Guardian of the Miraculous.
As the city increasingly relies on Ladybug to rebuild their lives—physically and emotionally—Marinette spirals into unhealthy coping mechanisms to maintain the perfection they demand. Her relationships fray, her secrets grow heavier, and the distance between her and her partner, Chat Noir, widens when misunderstandings and their shared burdens collide.
As Ladybug pushes herself further to uncover his identity and end the war, the question looms: how far will she go to protect her city before the cost becomes too high?
TW: ED
Words: 10723, Chapters: 6/?, Language: English
- Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug
- Rating: Not Rated
- Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
- Categories: F/M
- Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Nino Lahiffe, Alya Césaire, Gabriel Agreste, Original Akumatized Character(s), Akuma Butterflies (Miraculous Ladybug), Akuma Class, Miss Bustier, Nathalie Sancoeur, Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug)
- Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Tom Dupain & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
- Additional Tags: Alya does not know Marinette is Ladybug!, Eating Disorders, Fluff and Angst, LadyNoir - Freeform, I will think of more tags in the morning when it is not 2am, Pancakes, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I need to proofread