People all over Paris were standing still, staring into space. They were frozen to one place but none of the victims even realized. Some people were screaming, some were laughing, and some were crying. These people, who had been hit by Future Bringer, were seeing a snippet of their future. Ladybug and Chat Noir had gathered two pieces of information, thus far. Those who were struck with Future Bringer's beam couldn't interact with what the scene held within the vision and there was a huge possibility these were actual futures the victims were seeing. Had only sad emotions been expressed by victims then the super duo would know these futures were false. Those with joy on their faces are what convinced Ladybug and Chat Noir the visions were real, for if the villain was making up the future events everyone would have an unfortunate future.
Ladybug was in the midst of calling upon her lucky charm when Future Bringer shot a time beam toward her that she wouldn't be able to avoid in time. Instinctively, Chat Noir jumped in front of his partner, getting hit with the beam instead. He had no way of knowing what went on next as black mist swirled across his vision and he was suddenly in a kitchen.
(::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::)
A dark-haired woman, with a high bun atop her head, had her back turned to him. She looked to be rolling out cookie dough balls and placing them onto a baking sheet. Chat was unbelievably confused as to why his future contained this woman until a wedding ring caught the light and flashed as she moved her left hand. This was his wife. He desperately wanted to see her face but he couldn't move from the spot he was standing in no matter how hard he struggled.
Somewhere in the house he heard a door unlock and open. A child's laughter floated to his ears. Was that? He heard footsteps coming from behind him and a voice that sounded like his own but deeper. "Where is my beautiful wife? I have a small sack of potatoes here had has been asking for maman the entire time we were at the store. I don't even think this one even loves me. Hopefully I'll have better luck with the next one." The next one?
The child giggled again and shouted. "Papa, of course I love you." Chat had to choke back a sob at the words utter by his future child. At the noise the woman looked over her shoulder to the hallway Chat assumed he stood in front of, she was smiling softly. He was met with the face of a woman, but there was no doubt in his mind that she was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Before he could fully comprehend that fact, he was walked through like a ghost.
His older self walked into the kitchen carrying a boy of about three and a grocery bag. The child had Marinette's dark hair but his green eyes. He was the most beautiful thing Chat had ever laid his eyes on. Older him leaned against the counter next to Marinette and set down the bag. "You two are back early. I wanted to surprise my two favorite boys with some of their favorite cookies." She sighed dramatically. "Alas, I guess I'll just have to throw all this dough out."
"Oh, but bugaboo, the cookie dough is the best part anyway." Older Adrien grabbed one of the cookie dough balls off the baking tray and retreated a few steps. He'd called her bugaboo. Did that mean? The question wasn't thought of farther when Marinette turned to face her husband. Suddenly, his older self's comment about having better luck with the next one made sense. She was pregnant, very pregnant by the looks of it. She rested a hand on her stomach as she walked over to older Adrien.
"Adrien Dupain-Cheng-Agreste, don't you dare eat that cookie dough. I grew up in a bakery, I know the dangers of eating raw dough." She was glaring at him with an intensity he'd seen directed at akumas on multiple occasions. The glare was directed up if he were being precise. At their current teenage heights, Adrien was already taller than Marinette. As adults, he practically towered over her.
"As you wish my princess." Older Adrien turned his head to his son. "Alright Hugo, maman said not to eat the cookie dough so what are we going to do?"
"Listen to maman and put it back?"
"Very good my boy." Older Adrien kissed his son on the cheek while walking over to put the cookie dough back on the tray. Hugo giggled and nestled closer to his papa. Marinette followed behind smiling as though they were her entire world. Older him placed the dough back onto the cookie sheet and turned to his pregnant wife. "Well, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng-Agreste, since you denied me the cookie dough, do you plan on giving me something else sweet instead?" He leaned forward giving Marinette a smirk only ever worn by Chat.
"Silly kitty, I was already planning on doing that." She pretended to bop something at his chest, very much like Ladybug would do Chat's bell from time to time. Older Marinette then took a fist full of older Adrien's shirt and brought his lips down to press against hers. His hand went to her belly while the other held Hugo who giggled at his parents' display of affection.
Chat was suddenly pulled out of the vision. "NO, I WANT TO GO BACK!" He was sobbing as his legs gave out and his knees hit the ground. Vaguely, he felt someone scoop him up, carrying him away. He'd seen his family. He was so happy in the future. Chat wanted to be happy now. He was set on a roof somewhere and Ladybug was in front of him. Marinette was in front of him. His future wife was in front of him. She had his face gripped in her hands, concern written all over it as she asked him what he'd seen. He wrapped his arms around her back and crushed her to him. He was sobbing into her shoulder as he quietly began to tell her what he saw in both their futures.
"I saw us Marinette." She stiffened at her name but he continued after a few more choked breaths. "We were married. We had a son named Hugo and another child on the way. Your hair was longer and you were keeping it in a bun. You were so, so beautiful." He felt her beginning to shake has she began to cry but he had to finish. He didn't know if he could continue if he let his own sobs overtake him. "We hyphenated, Dupain-Cheng-Agreste. It's long but I already love it." He heard her gasp at the name and she gripped him tighter.
"You kissed me. I had one hand on your stomach and the other was holding our son. I wish I could print the moment out and frame it. It was so full of love and joy. I loved you and you loved me. We were a family. I can't wait to be happy. I can't wait to be happy with you Marinette." Ladybug tightened her grip even further, holding onto him like her life depended on it. They both let their sobs take over as they clung to each other. They both wanted to be living in the moment now, they didn't want to wait years.
Ladybug's breathing began to even out. She still clung to Chat tightly as she spoke. "I love you. I love you as Adrien and I love you as Chat. I love you so much it hurts sometimes. I'm so excited that we get to spend our lives together. I'm so happy we're happy." The end of her sentence was choked as her tears began again.
"As Marinette Dupain-Cheng or as Ladybug I love you with all my heart. I can't wait to spend my life with you. I'm so happy we're happy too." He pulled her from his shoulder and pressed a kiss to her lips.
Neither one of them wanted to separate from the other, their emotions were too raw. Marinette suggested he sleep at her place that night. Both heroes landed on her balcony right as their Miraculous timed out. The teens looked at each other for the first time knowing that the classmate in front of them was their partner, in more than one way. Arms opened and they were wrapped in an embrace once more.
Before too long, the teens untangled themselves and climbed down into Marinette's room. Once inside, Plagg laid a hand on Adrien's cheek. "Hey kid, I know you couldn't take in all the details when you were in the vision but I was seeing it too since you were transformed. I just wanted to let you know that you and Marinette were still wearing your Miraculous. Even though you didn't see me, I was still with you."
Adrien smiled at the kwami of destruction. "Thank you Plagg. I was starting to wonder." The boy gave his kwami a loving smile which was returned, much to Adrien's surprise.
Adrien and Marinette settled into her bed while to two kwami flew off to let them be alone. Adrien wrapped his arms around Marinette as she laid her head on his chest. They were both exhausted from their crying and were soon asleep.
(::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::)
As the two heroes' breathing evened out, two kwami whispered together in a corner of Marinette's room. "Plagg, why did you let him about them still having the Miraculous if he hadn't seen it for himself? They shouldn't know about their futures anyway!"
Plagg sighed and looked across the room at the sleeping teens. "He was going to start worrying about it soon enough. I couldn't let the kid wonder if another person he loves is going to leave him eventually all night. I know they shouldn't know about the future Tikki. I'm going to destroy the memories." Tikki gasped, it had been a lot time since Plagg had tampered with someone's memories. "I'm going to leave some of it. Them knowing who the other is, confessing their love for each other. Everything from the future has to go though." Tikki heard Plagg sniffle slightly. "It hurts that I'm going to have to take that happiness away from him. He gets so sad sometimes Tikki and, I-I don't know what to do when he does. Taking away the knowledge that he has happiness to look forward to absolutely kills me." More shocking than Plagg tampering with memories was Plagg crying. It had been centuries since the cat kwami had last cried. Seeing his tears really struck Tikki with how much Plagg had come to care for Adrien.
"Plagg, I know it's hard but I'll be right next to you. Plus, even though you're taking away the memories from the future, he'll still have his memories of the present. He'll know that Marinette is Ladybug and that she loves him. This is the start of his happiness. Just because he won't have proof his future is happy won't stop him from thinking he will end up happy." Tikki used one of her paws to wipe one of Plaggs cheeks. "You ready?" The kwami of destruction nodded.
(::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::) /ᐠ.ꞈ.ᐟ\ (::)
The next morning Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng woke up in each other's arms for the first time. Marinette loved the sleepy look that was still in Adrien's eyes and Adrien thought Marinette's bed head was absolutely adorable. Neither knew exactly what happened to bring them to cuddling in Marinette's bed through the night. What they did know what that the other was their crime fighting partner, they both loved each other immensely, and they wanted to wake up next to each other again. Adrien pulled a still drowsy Marinette into a kiss and for some odd reason his hand drifted to rest on her stomach as he did.