Author's Note: This chapter fits the prompt for Day 7: Future

It's late, I'm tired, but I wanted to get this out on time, so forgive me if there are any typos or mistakes. I can't see them anymore.


A new taste

'Take this to the guardian when he returns,' Gabriel put a small black box on the dining table between Adrien and Marinette. The teens tilted their heads to look at him.

'Is this…?' Marinette raised a brow.

'Yes,' his father replied. 'You can take the moth miraculous, the book and all the scrolls from my safe and give them to the guardian.'

'But?' Adrien sensed there was more, but Gabriel was reluctant to share.

The man fished the peacock brooch from his pocket. 'But I need to keep this.'

Tikki flew out of Marinette's purse while Plagg popped his head out of Adrien's shirt.

'This is the peacock miraculous,' the red kwami stated.

Gabriel nodded. 'This is where my wife is trapped,' he confessed and for a moment he dropped the unemotional façade, grief flickering in his eyes.

'What?' Marinette and Adrien exclaimed.

'How?' the kwami added.

The man took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. If Adrien wasn't watching carefully, he probably would have missed the single tear that spilled from his eye, before he put the glasses back on.

'This is a story for another day, when we're all rested,' he sighed. 'I feel like today lasted for a week at least.'

With this last mystery revealed now it was obvious to Adrien why his father decided to help Chat Noir against an entity that hunted for miraculous. He couldn't help but to wonder, what would have happened if the entity hadn't showed up at Paris, or if he chose another way of persuading Hawkmoth to cooperate. He had had more luck than he thought.

'I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry,' Gabriel continued in a subdued tone. It seemed as if he was gaining years in the span of minutes. The bags under his eyes deepened, the skin paled. His hair looked more silver than blond. 'I thought that by using both miraculous to make a wish I could fix this.'

'Do you know about the price?' Tikki asked in small voice.

'The price?' the man looked at her in surprise.

'The price of using the power of our joint miraculous,' Plagg supplied gloomily. 'There's always a price for the universe to balance out. Otherwise the guardians would have queues of people wanting to avert things on their doorstep.'

Gabriel nodded. 'I haven't thought about that. I was too focused on my goal,' he hung his head. 'And there may have been a not so small ambition issue after a while.'

Marinette cleared her throat. 'As soon as the guardian returns, we'll talk to him about all this,' she promised. 'There has to be another way to bring your wife back.'

Tikki settled on her chosen's shoulder and nodded encouragingly. She looked extremely proud of her bug, contrary to Plagg who was still sulking, despite the copious amounts of cheese Adrien offered him when they got back.

They were all exhausted, the fight taking its toll on them, despite the powers granted by moth miraculous. As his father had predicted, the two of them were able to circle the entity and push it back to its domain, destroying the passage when it left. Carbon Copy was in fact two Chat Noirs, but their teamwork wasn't affected by the fact that Marinette possessed a different set of abilities. And hearing Hawkmoth's appreciative and encouraging comments in their heads, together with advice and concern was surprisingly nice. Having multiple cataclysms at his command turned out extremely effective, but Adrien felt as if each destruction took the energy out of him directly, even if his father claimed it was all Nooroo's powers. The violet sprite was rewarded generously with a bucket of fruit juice as soon as they got to the mansion. And now it slumbered inside his dormant miraculous.

Adrien reached to take the box with the moth brooch at the same moment as Marinette. Their hands collided and it was like an electric shock. Both of them blushed and launched into a set of mumbled apologies.

'You'll have to excuse me,' he heard his father's voice, 'but I need to retire. Today was very draining. I know you two have some things to discuss,' his eyes flickered to the box on the table, 'but consider saving it for tomorrow after resting. Adrien, I think it would be a good idea to take Marinette home.'

'Thank you,' he added quietly, just before disappearing down the hall.

When he left Adrien felt Marinette's hand on his shoulder. 'Thank you,' she repeated after his father. 'For coming after me. That was very brave.'

'And very irresponsible,' Plagg piped in.

'Well,' the girl hesitated. 'You had backup and it all turned out fine.'

'You have to give your Chosen some credit, Plagg,' Tikki chided. 'Given how little he had to work with, he did splendidly!' The red kwami flew to the boy and nuzzled his cheek. 'Nice to properly meet you, Adrien!' she giggled.

'And you,' Adrien raised a finger and Tikki fist bumped with it.

'Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Plagg,' Marinette gasped. 'We haven't been properly introduced.' She offered the black sprite her palm and he plopped himself on top with a sour smile. 'Well, aren't you the cutest flying cat I've seen!' she exclaimed.

'I'm the only flying cat you've seen,' he grumbled. 'At least I hope so,' he added under his breath. But he let her rub his head and ears with her finger and soon was sprawled shamelessly on her hand as she stroke his back. The content purr was the only proof he was still there.

They decided to walk to the bakery to prolong the time they had. Adrien didn't notice the moment when their fingers entwined and they fell into their routine step of Ladybug and Chat Noir. This was new, at least on this side of the masks, but he could definitely get used to it.

He could also definitely get used to Marinette kissing him. They spend quite some time at the side door practicing this new activity, which left them both flushed, breathless and smiling like goofs. Marinette's fingers slipped into his hair, stroking and tugging, while his hands caressed her back. He wished the slow, leisurely brushes of their lips could never end. His senses were full of Marinette - her touch, her scent, her sighs and breaths against his face and he quickly decided that her arms where his favorite place.

'I could stay here forever,' he murmured blissfully.

Marinette pressed her forehead to his and kissed him on the nose. 'We both need our rest, Chaton,' she whispered. 'But tomorrow is the first day of a better future. One I hope to be spending with you,' she shyly supplied.

Adrien laughed and dove in for another kiss.

'How do you feel now?' Marinette asked pulling away after a delightful moment.

He considered the question. So many things had happened in the span of just two days. Not every trouble had found its conclusion, but the experience gave him more knowledge about himself than three years of vigilantism taken together. He was stronger than he had thought; he had what it took to be a hero not only for total strangers, but also to people close to him. He was loved, and the love he received made him feel as if he was invincible. The terrible weight he didn't know he had been carrying dropped off his chest and he could finally breathe freely.

'Alive?' he offered. For the first time in forever the freedom had a new taste to it and he shivered in joyous anticipation for what the future held. 'I finally am alive,' he decided.


AN: That's all for now. Thank you for reading this story. I know it was more difficult than my usual fics, but I hope you enjoyed this journey. Please, let me know.

If you liked my writing, I encourage you to check out my other stories for Appreciation Weeks: Nino's (ChroNINOcles), Plagg's (One of His Best Kittens), Gabriel's (Days of Gabriel Agreste – from Father's Day to Bite me!), Marinette's (Once There Was a Heroine).

A sincere and gigantic thank you to Remasa for brainstorming the plot line with me and beta reading this fic. Check out her stories, they are great!

Now I'm talking a short break, but I will be back soon with another multichapter and maybe some drabbles or oneshots.

For more miraculous content visit perditaalottachocolate-blog . tumblr . com . Check out tag "perdita writes" for my drabbles and fics or "perdita draws" for my lousy attempts at art (including some Marichat May doodles and drabbles). My askbox is always open!