Stammering Adrien is a Miraculous Ladybug AU created by A Whole Lot of Ladybug
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Adrien was born with a stammering speech disorder that makes it hard for him to talk to others without being laughed off. One day, there is a plan to send Adrien to Collège Françoise Dupont, a year after his father's death. After a disastrous first day (he wouldn't talk to anyone, making everyone think he was a stuck-up rich kid), Marinette comforts him, giving Adrien his first friend in years.
From there, Adrien gets to know other people in school and becomes more outgoing in the process.
A master list for the AU can be found here.
General AU contains examples of:
- Adaptational Heroism:
- Nathalie is much more motherly to Adrien than in canon. She has also never used the Peacock Miraculous
- On account of being a Posthumous Character, Gabriel never became Hawkmoth.
- Zig-Zagged with Lila. While she is akumatized into Volpina, she isn't nearly as evil as she is in canon, as she never willingly worked with Hawkmoth outside of being akumatized twice. In addition, she eventually has a Heel Realization and confesses to her lies.
- Adaptational Personality Change: Because he was bullied so much as a kid, Adrien has a lot less self-esteem than he does in canon for a while. At the same time, he's a bit more empathetic when it comes to others actually calling Chloe out on her bad behavior rather than just accepting it.
- Adaptational Superpower Change: While Lila's second Akuma form in canon was the Shapeshifting Chameleon, here she becomes Toxinator, turning everyone against each other with a Hate Plague.
- Affectionate Nickname: Nathalie has one for Adrien which is "Angel".
- Ambiguously Bi: Emilie and Nathalie both loved Gabriel and the writer emphasizes how close the two are, to the point they could be seen as romantic partners. The writer goes with the interpretation that in the main story, they are very close friends but nothing more but has written a few posts where they do get a Relationship Upgrade and is willing to take requests for such posts.
- Broken Bird: Growing up with a history of bullying, losing his father, and being diagnosed with depression has had a huge impact on Adrien mentally. Even though he goes through therapy and is on antidepressants, Adrien still has emotional episodes, and Plagg has referenced some nights where Adrien has cried himself to sleep.
- The Bully: Adrien has two that he has to keep dealing with, Bale Boucher and Corbin Coste.
- Disabled in the Adaptation: Adrien and Nathalie have depression, while Marinette has ADHD.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Marinette berates herself for looking at Adrien's butt in one of her diary entries.Marinette: "Dear Diary, Today, I caught myself looking at Adrien’s butt. Bad Marinette! Bad! You shouldn’t look at boys that way, especially one you’ve only known for a week. Even though it is a really nice butt, and legs… and arms… and face… and eyes…"
- Doting Parent: Emilie adores her son and sees to it their is no shortage of love and support for him.
- Audrey becomes this after she Took a Level in Kindness, trying to make up for years of neglect to her daughter.
- Drives Like Crazy: One post implies this is true for Emilie as Nathalie, who was trying to teach her, goes to lie down after they get back home.
- Fluffy Tamer: The Bourgeois family decides to get a dog and choose a Doberman Pinscher that was a literal vicious junkyard dog. Chloe and Audrey treat him like a docile puppy and he happily lets them.
- Her Heart Will Go On: Emilie was broken when she lost Gabriel but she found the strength to keep the company going, offer comfort to her best friend Nathalie and be the mother Adrien needs in his life.
- Jerkass Realization: Audrey gets one about how horrible she's been as a parent when Emilie gently points out how cold she's become and also how much happier Chloe is not following her example.
- Knight of Cerebus: Most of the posts are uplifting or humorous but whenever Hawkmoth appears expect nothing but dire seriousness.
- Like a Son to Me: Nathalie admits that she sees Adrien this way.
- Mama Bear: One ask post has Nathalie being questioned if Adrien is on any starvation diets to stay thin. Needless to say, she gets livid over the very thought, angrily pointing out how much damage that could do to the poor boy, physically and mentally.
- Married to the Job: Nathalie says in one asks post that she has little interest in dating and isn't lacking for companionship given how busy the manor has gotten. Though she may have other reasons.
- The Nicknamer: Emilie has nicknames for Adrien and all of his friends.
- Adrien is "Sunshine."
- Marinette is "Dumpling."
- Alya is "Scoop."
- Nino is "DJ."
- Chloe is "Honeydrop."
- Luka is "Blueberry."
- Juleka is "Lullaby."
- Rose is "Rosebud."
- Nathaniel is "Doodlebug."
- Marc is "Gumdrop."
- Alix is "Champ."
- Kim is "Monkey."
- Kagami is "Sakura."
- Only Sane Man: Nathalie to Emilie, who is a good woman doing her best but lets her cheerfulness and energy get ahead of her. About half of Nathalie's job seems to be trying to reel Emilie in when she gets an overexcited idea going.
- Rage Breaking Point:
- "The Zit" has Bale and Corbin giving Adrien trouble again before his classmates get involved. When the bullies decide to leave one of them makes a final insult to Adrien under his breath. That's the Last Straw for Ivan who decides to let them have it.
- In "Sticks and Stones", Bale is akumatized into Badmouth, who focuses his attention on Chat Noir. This infuriates Ladybug enough to subject Badmouth to a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, demanding he take back his insults.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: A rare example where the recipient asks for one, as Chloe begs Sabrina to tell her the truth about how she really feels about their "friendship".Sabrina: "Okay Chloe, fine. You boss me around, you mock me behind my back, and even to my face, you’ve ignored me, and you’ve even made me cry, but I haven’t said anything because you’re the only friend I have, and I don’t want to lose you! And I won’t even get into the Akumas you caused. But between the two of us, it feels like I’m giving it my all while you’re doing the bare minimum! I’m sorry Chloe, but the truth is you have been an awful friend! There! I said it!"Chloe, breaking down in tears: "You’re right! I’m sorry! I am an awful friend! I don’t deserve you, or Adrikins, or anyone! You should just leave me!" she shouted between sobs. "Leave me, and find someone who can treat you better! You deserve a better friend!"Sabrina, also starting to cry: "I don’t want to find a better friend! I want you to be a better friend! I know you can be! You can be so much better! I can help you! Please! Please let me help you!"Chloe: Oh Sabrina! I’ll never use you again! I promise!"Sabrina: Oh, Chloe!
- Reformed, but Not Tamed: Audrey is trying to be kinder but she is not one to be bullied. She brings Rex to heel with a single sit command.
- Running Gag: Poor Adrien tends to have horrible things happen to his butt. From getting wedgies from bullies, sitting on thumbtacks, having squirrels run up his pants, and getting bitten in the rear by a stray dog, it's gotten to the point where the creator of the AU even says that he "might as well have a bullseye on his booty".
- Tomboy with a Girly Streak: Alix loves to dress up in princess dresses when she's alone.
- Took a Level in Kindness:
- After some encouragement from Adrien, Chloe makes an effort to be nicer to everyone.
- This extends to her mother, after some encouragement from Emilie.
