Author's Note:
First of all, THANK YOU for landing on this story. Any constructive feedback you have is very welcome! Any kind words/comments are also quite welcome! Both are very appreciated!
I wrote this prior Gang of Secrets and then never posted it. This story was intended to be canon prior to Gang of Secrets, however, I may or may not stick to canon throughout the story.
I intend to update once every other week but I can't promise that will happen.
I currently have no beta. If you're interested in being a beta for this story, let me know :)
This is my first fanfic in the past 15 years...Please have mercy on me! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous or the characters. I'm just a fan, thinking of all the ways our favorite Heroes of Paris could possibly be in more craziness than they already are.
— Chapter 1 —
Today was the day. It had officially been 6 months since Marinette and Luka broke up (again, wasn't the third time supposed to be the charm?). 5 months since Luka told her to reach inside her heart and be with the person she really loved. 4 months since Kagami and Adrien agreed to never try to be anything more than friends. 3 months since her almost kiss with Chat Noir as Ladybug after a particularly murderous akuma attack, to which she pulled away in tears at the last minute. 2 months since Chat had told her that he was falling for someone else. And one month since she and Chat promised to confess to their crushes in their civilian lives.
The opportunity was set up perfectly. Alya had found a way to get Adrien into the art room right after school while Marinette was stuck cleaning up. Adrien, being the gentleman that he is, immediately sought to help Marinette finish cleaning. The blush that crossed her face when she thanked him was met with one of his own before they both quickly turned back to that task at hand.
Marinette had a feeling that Adrien had been warming up to her, and she was finally able to get most sentences correct around him, so long as she didn't say too many of them at once. Their eyes had locked a couple of times as they caught each other glancing over to the other one. What started as them being on opposite sides of the room, somehow ended up with them only a couple of feet away from each other within about fifteen minutes. Gathering all of her courage, Marinette stood and turned to Adrien's direction. Adrien noticed the movement and turned to face her. As she opened her mouth to speak, her eyes turned wide as she gazed in his direction and almost past him, to the doorway behind him. Adrien was about to turn to see if she was looking beyond him, but her panicked voice froze him instead.
"Ch-Chat Noir?" She gasped.
His face paled in a panic as he waited for any additional information. For a moment, time stood still as a million scenarios played through his mind along with a million different excuses. A voice from behind him sent his reality into a spin.
"Future Bug, my Princess," came the voice from behind him, laughing lightly. The endearment and affection in the tone of said voice was not lost on Adrien. He whipped around to see a slightly taller version of Mister Bug, walking toward them from the doorway. Adrien tried to make sense of the situation, tried to figure out what was going on, but Future Bug was already heading toward a stunned Marinette, delicately moving a stray strand from her face back behind her ear. His hand lingered longingly on her cheek and Adrien no longer cared what the explanation was for an older version of himself to be present with them. Akuma, illusion, or the real deal, Adrien wasn't going to wait to find out. Broom in hand, he swiftly moved himself between Marinette and Future Bug, causing the latter to chuckle and take a step back from the teens.
Not even acknowledging Adrien, Future Bug smiled softly back at Marinette.
"Sorry, my dear Purrincess," he said softly, "I forgot how adorable you are, and how much time I wasted when I should have been appreciating you more properly."
Adrien's eyes went wide and Marinette's face went red. What in the world was happening here?!
Adrien's eyes narrowed before grabbing Marinette's hand and pulling her with him toward the door. He heard the familiar zip of a yoyo before feeling Marinette being pulled away from him.
"I'm afraid we need you, actually," the owner of the yoyo stated.
"You have to know, I won't let you take her," Adrien growled at his older self.
A heavy sigh from behind him caused Adrien to turn back to the doorway. Blocking the exit stood a different looking Chat Noir, black ears, a more sleek and stealth-like costume, but a mask that was blue and white, showing his true green eyes behind it.
"We need both of you, Doofus," this Chat scoffed before walking closer.
"I've got this, Time Chat," Future Bug whined, subconsciously standing himself between Marinette and the new Chat.
"I can't handle both Miraculous for long, Idiot. You should know that by now! If you wanted to waste time flirting, YOU should have combined with Fluff."
"Civilians shouldn't be hearing this conversation," Future Bug said sternly.
"That's fine, because this conversation is over!" Time Chat snapped as the ring on his finger beeped, leaving only three pads left.
A portal opened up behind Marinette. Without warning, Time Chat charged Adrien, grabbing him around the waist, and then pushing Marinette and Future Bug into the portal before falling through it himself with Adrien.
They landed on what seemed to be a rooftop near the school that they were just at.
"See you at the meeting place," Time Chat scoffed before pulling out his baton and jumping away.
Future Bug sighed and shook his head, carefully letting Marinette out of the yoyo, then offering Adrien a hand to stand up. Adrien took his hand, though suspiciously, and moved to Marinette's other side. Future Bug stopped immediately when he realized how pale his charges were, and how much shock they seemed to be going through.
Marinette seemed to recover first, "Prove that you are the real Future Mister Bug. Let me speak to your kwami."
