Hello everyone; This story had been written for the Miraculous Ladybug Big Bang 2021 event.

So here we are, I'm glad I can finally share this story with you. I have been working on it since August.

I wanted to write something that would honor the French roots of Miraculous, to exploit a bit of French history and its famous characters. It's not the biggest part of the story but as they travel back in time, they will have some interesting meeting.

This story works in depth the relationship between Ladybug and Chat Noir as well as a problem encountered with their Miraculouses. I always wanted to show that everything may not be so simple especially when you get so much power at 13. So they are going to have patience and improve their communication to be able to find a solution to their overdose and get better. And maybe at the same time heal other wounds from the past. I won't spoil too much about it. I hope you will enjoy it and I wish you a good reading for the 13 chapters and weeks to come.

TW : The characters are aged up to 18 and the story contains some NSFW scenes. don't read if you're under 16 or don't want to read explicit sexual content.

Chapter 1: The rabbit hole

"Burrow!" The bunny heroine made a circle with her umbrella, opening a glowing portal.

"M'lady, are you sure of what you're doing?" Chat Noir asked, his voice uncertain as he took a good look at her new appearance.

The outfit was pretty like Bunnyx's, except that the blue part on her shoulders was grey. The spandex which was covering her chest and back was white down to her thighs. Under her knees the fabric was red with black spots —Ladybug color—, just as her yo-yo and her umbrella. The upper part of her mask was red and polka-dotted and the lower half was all grey. She was also wearing a tiny grey rabbit's tail and two long grey and white rabbit's ears.

"With the Burrow? Yes. It's easier if we don't need to ask Bunnyx every time we need to move through time. It will be faster if I use it," Lady Bunny explained. "Plus, she explained to me how to choose a precise era. That way we don't risk seeing things we shouldn't in the Burrow," she reassured him.

Chat Noir put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "And what about the reason for our time travel?"

She turned to him, meeting his worried gaze. His expression perfectly mirrored hers. They were about to leap into the unknown and none of them could tell how it was going to end.

"I don't know," she confessed. She wanted to lie and see his usual cheerful smile, but she couldn't. She was exhausted from lying. "It's our last hope to find what we've lost and fix everything, Chaton," she sighed.

Her hand reached for his shoulder and she patted it softly. Together, they could do it, right?

"Can you remind me, what Tikki told you about our… problem? I was so mad at you that I didn't understand everything… Besides, I'm sorry for having yelled at you like that," Chat Noir apologized.

His shoulders slumped and he withdrew his hand.

"Don't be a cry baby Chat Noir! It's part of the problem and you know it!" she shouted before feeling a wave of remorse washing over her. "Ugh, it's happening again… we need to hurry up," she noted and he nodded, agreeing with her that the situation was really awful and uncomfortable.

"Tikki told me that we're getting a kind of overdose of our powers. We've used them too much because of Shadowmoth and his increasingly frequent and powerful attacks over the years," Lady Bunny explained. "When I use creation's power, I give a tiny part of myself. But, I gave so much these last four years that I slowly lost what made me who I am…"

"Your patience, your creativity, your cheerfulness, and kindness…" he lost all that too, well except he'd never been creative. "Plagg told me that a little part of the destruction I use each time was absorbed inside of me and was destroying my soul," he gulped, it was scary. "Normally this isn't a problem with moderate use, but we've been constantly using our powers the last four years."

"That's the idea. We're not made to use our powers almost every day. And it's even worse since now we can use our powers as much as we need to without detransforming and feeding our kwamis," she sighed. "Also, it's not usual to fight against the same villain for years either… We're so useless…" she almost sobbed.

"M'lady, it's happening again, you're being pessimistic," he sadly noted.

"Right. Let's find our older selves. Ready, Chaton Noir?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Buguinette," he exclaimed, determination shining through his feline eyes.

She grabbed his hand, intertwining their gloved fingers and they both stepped into the Burrow. Together.

They stepped out of the Burrow. It was the same place, same roof, but if she hadn't made any mistakes, they were just two years later.

"Bug, watch out!" Chat Noir suddenly exclaimed, jumping toward his partner, his body collapsing against hers, making them both fall to the ground.

They rolled over a few seconds before they found themselves still.

"Wrong time, Shadowmoth still has the miraculouses here. It's an Akuma attack," she whispered. "We must quickly jump back into the Burrow while it's still open and before anyone sees us," she added, standing up and reaching out to her partner, helping him do the same.

Soon, they leaped into the Burrow, getting back into their present, before the portal closed.

"So, you made a mistake," Chat Noir declared, disappointed.

"I can't predict the future, stupid cat! I'm not a fortune teller. I don't know when we will defeat this rotten moth," she shouted.

"Stop overestimating yourself Ladybug and go much further into the future! Maybe 10 years, if we consider that you're not as amazing as you think you are," he shouted back.

Ladybug clenched her fists, her eyes shooting daggers at her partner. "Maybe, it's your fault we haven't defeated him yet. You can't stop acting like a clown and making me waste my time!" she gritted her teeth.

A lonely tear rolled down Ladybug's spotted mask and Chat Noir shook his head, his hand gently reaching to her face and cupping her cheek. It startled her, but she stayed there, leaning into his soft touch.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said," he apologized. "I can't control myself, it's gotten worse each day since all this mess started."

She grabbed his hand, slowly withdrawing it from her cheek but keeping it in hers. "I'm sorry too…" She apologized, "I do miss your flirting, Chat Noir…" She whispered.

"I miss it too…" he replied, his face lowering as he stared vacantly at the ground.

She'd always rejected his flirting because she was in love with Adrien. But deep inside, she felt that if it hadn't been for Adrien, she would have fallen in love with Chat Noir at the beginning. But now that she'd learned she was losing parts of herself ever since she became Ladybug, she wondered if it wasn't because she'd never been able to be herself, that she was keeping Chat Noir far from her heart. She wasn't sure anymore that Adrien was the only reason she'd kept pushing Chat Noir away from her love life. Could she have fallen in love with Chat Noir over the years?

She shook her head, realizing that her gaze was focused on her partner and that he too was now looking at her intensely. It made her blush to the roots of her hair before she quickly looked away, calling for a new Burrow.

She fidgeted with the pocket watch, turning a small wheel to choose a specific time, before summoning the rabbit's house for the second time in an hour.

"I think you were right, let's see if we have succeeded in 10 years," Lady Bunny proposed, sounding more confident than before the previous time travel.

"There's no Akuma attack this time," Chat Noir noted.

"No, we will have to find if the Mothman has been defeated yet or not," Lady Bunny exclaimed. Then she released the amalgam.

"And how are we gonna find our future selves there?" he asked, dubious.

"Well, when I met Bunnyx yesterday, she gave me an address. She told me I would find myself there if I was going more than 3 years back into the future," explained Ladybug, opening her yo-yo and taking out a little piece of paper.

"This carrot-eater knows perfectly what we need to do and when we need to go," Chat Noir spat, upset. "She knows how to repair the damage we're suffering from," he bitterly added.

"We've already talked about that. Of course, Bunnyx knows everything. But she can't tell us what to do. It's our journey, we need to find all the pieces of the puzzle by ourselves, Chat Noir," she tried to give him a comforting smile, but it wasn't working well since he was still pouting. "You know, if this is the right time to find the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses, our future selves will be able to tell us, since they'll have our memories. Let's hurry to find the older Ladybug, okay?"

"Fine… Let's find the 28-years-old Ladybug… You never need the cat anyway…"

"Chat Noir!" she scolded him.

"Uh, sorry, I started being depressing again, right?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes," she sadly answered. "Let's hurry, but first, I need to put this over your eyes…" She told him, taking a blindfold out of her weapon.

"What? WHY?" he yelped, taking a step back.

She took a deep breath and tried to sound relaxed and reassuring. "Because it's my future place. We can't take the risk that something will lead you to discover my secret identity… The less we know about the future, the better."

"Fine," he mumbled without being totally in. "Make me your blind slave, m'Lady."

"Chat!" she groaned, knotting the blindfold behind his head.

She grabbed his waist and pulled him in her arms, "C'mere and hold on tight," she ordered, her tone stern and authoritative.

Ladybug read the address on the note that Bunnyx had given her, then she opened the tracer in her yo-yo, inquiring about the spot where they were going and the way to it. The task done, she threw her weapon toward a chimney, and propelled both of them toward their destination.

A few minutes later, they landed on a large terrace with a beautiful view of the Tour Eiffel. She turned around and faced a large bay window.

Ladybug walked over to the window and leaned in to look inside. What she saw made her suddenly take a step back and gasp. It was her, Marinette, ten years older. Even if she knew she would have to face her future self. It was something to know but another one to see it for real.

"What's wrong?" she heard Chat Noir ask. "You live in a dark and dingy two-room apartment?" He teased her. Well, she couldn't tell if it was just teasing or if he was serious.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wound you," he apologized.

So, he was serious. She sighed, this situation, where they were mean to each other, was very difficult to bear.

She took a step toward the window, seeing the older Marinette in the living room and talking with someone. But she couldn't see who it was, since the guest was in what looked to be a corridor.

Ladybug knocked on the glass to warn of her presence and Marinette jumped from the couch, eyes widened. Then she saw her rushing to the corridor and pushing the visitor who was about to come out, right into it again. She'd barely had the time to see a hand. Why did Marinette look so nervous? Oh… Could it be her future roommate? Or her boyfriend? The thought made her blush to the roots of her hair.

Anyway, she didn't get the chance to think twice about it, because the older Marinette quickly transformed into Ladybug. She saw her withdrawing something from her wall, before rushing to the window to open it.

"I'm sorry Mini Bug," the older Ladybug apologized. "I should have remembered that it was the day."

"So, it means we're in the right place? Well. I mean, time?" Mini Bug asked.

"Alas, no… And I can't tell you too much…," she confessed. "Also, Chaton Noir, you can dispose of the blindfold," she said.

"It's about time," he mumbled. "I thought you two had forgotten that this useless cat was here." His hand reached behind his neck to undo the knot.

"Uh, it's even worse than in my memories," future Ladybug confessed, a sorry look stuck on her face.

Mini Bug heard a huge gasp coming from Chaton Noir, she instantly turned to him and saw that all blood had been drained from his face. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost. Or an older Ladybug. A beautiful older Ladybug. Oh dear!

His feline eyes were glued to her and he was staring at her from head to toe. The red polka-dotted suit now was covered in black spandex, like boots, from her feet to her knees. Same for her arms, black from her fingers to her elbows, and she also had a zipper that was going down her chest, stopping just short of her belly button. Her pigtails weren't there anymore, replaced by a long ponytail that was falling along her back, stopping just before her backside. She had also grown up and she was a little taller than the young Chat Noir. Not a lot, but enough for him to need to raise his head to look her straight in the eyes.

"What's wrong, Chaton Noir? Cat's got your tongue?" The older Ladybug teased him, adding a playful wink to her words.

Mini Bug blinked, shocked from what she'd just witnessed. No way. A cat pun? Really?

She glanced at her partner, who could probably swallow a fly —a lot of flies— at this point. No wonder he was bugging after being through this meeting.

"I think you broke him," Mini Bug noticed.

Ladybug bit her lip, whispering apologies under her breath, before inviting them to follow her inside.

"I'm gonna try to reach… A—uh… Chat Noir," she said, sounding a bit nervous.

Ladybug took her Bugphone and started typing on the screen. Soon, a muffled ring was heard in the apartment but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came. That's when older Chat Noir made his entrance through the large bay window.

"I'm here, Ma— M'lady," the future Chat Noir greeted her. "Hi Mini Bug and Chaton Noir."

"Wow, that was fast," Mini Bug whistled in disbelief. She then took a few seconds to take him in.

Damn, he had grown so tall! Her present Chaton was 18 years old and was already a head taller than her, but a growth spurt seemed to have hit him even later.

His costume hadn't changed that much but the bell was undeniably smaller. The most impressive changes were his face with its chiseled jawline, but also his stature and those bulging muscles. The suit didn't hide any of his athletic physique. Those strong arms, those shaped abs, this V line going under his belt… Stop! Get a grip Marinette! She scolded herself.

She shook her head and faced away from her future partner and caught Ladybug's embarrassed face. The evidence then struck her like a lightning bolt. "Wait a minute… This is MY private place… It means—"

"They know each other's identities, the little bastards!" Chaton Noir suddenly exclaimed, glancing at his older twin who was looking at him with a wide smirk.

"Well, that's not so surprising that we eventually know each other's identities. Here, we have been partners for almost 15 years…" Mini Bug's words echoed inside of her and she turned to Ladybug. "But you told me it was the wrong time. It means that we've revealed ourselves before Shadowmoth's defeat?" she asked.

Ladybug looked at her Chat Noir, and if Mini Bug had to guess what was going on between them, she could say with certainty that she was silently asking him something.

Chat Noir laughed before taking a step toward Mini Bug. "Come on, m'Lady, We didn't fight against him for 15 years. We've defeated him! But… we only have the Peacock Miraculous." Chat Noir explained. "The butterfly isn't in our hands anymore. There's a new Papillon in town…" he confessed.

"But it's our problem, not yours. Well… not yet." Ladybug added while she was moving in her apartment, quickly lowering a frame that was on a table and hiding the picture it contained.

Mini Bug glared suspiciously at her older self.

"What? There are things that are better if you don't know," Ladybug replied, referring to the frame she'd just hid. "So," she started, changing the subject while Chat Noir muffled a laugh. "I know you need both Miraculouses because you've used too much of your powers. I know it's a part of the solution to fix everything," she admitted. "But I can't give you the Peacock. We need it. It's a very useful Miraculous."

Chat Noir came side by side with Ladybug, his hand squeezing her shoulder. "Although, we can tell you when you can find both. But we can't be precise with the day it happens. We can't risk changing the battle and our victory."

As the word victory fell from the older Chat Noir's lips, Mini Bug could see the pain and suffering flashing through his eyes. She couldn't have got it wrong because her counterpart of the future quickly put her hand on Chat Noir's and squeezed it gently in a reassuring way. She wanted to ask what they had been through during their struggle against Shadowmoth, but she was forced to accept the obvious: she couldn't know.

"You can go anywhere between the years +7 and +9 after you receive your Miraculous for the first time. I know you'll choose the right time," she smiled. "Ladybug and Chat Noir will wait for you and they'll tell you a bit more about the journey that awaits you."

"The journey?" Chaton Noir repeated. "Seeing you exposing your purrfect life to us isn't enough already?" He spat bitterly at Ladybug, staring at the huge apartment. Then, he turned to Mini Bug, "Besides, I'm sure he got you, well… her in his bed. He looks like the cat who's got the cream," he exclaimed shamelessly, waving at his older self.

"Chaton!" Mini Bug yelled at him.

"What? Have you seen those muscles? I thought I was well built… but him… it's like looking at a living God! I'm sure he has already rocked your world more than once," he winked at the older Ladybug while saying that. "Any sane girl wouldn't resist."

"Then I'm probably insane," Mini Bug glared at him. "Is it too much to ask you to have some filter sometimes?" she blushed, confused by her partner's words but also embarrassed by his behavior in front of their future selves.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were as red as her, but they managed to quickly ignore the awkwardness.

"I think it's time for you to leave before you argue and say things you will regret. It's your current state that consumes the goodness which is left inside of you," Ladybug said, compassionate to the issue she had once experienced.

"You're right, Fluff time to go! Tikki, Fluff, Unify!"

Mini Bug was wrapped in a blue flash of light, then she summoned the Burrow.

"Good luck and be careful," older Ladybug and Chat Noir encouraged them at the same time.

To be continued...

Feel free to leave a review. Opinions are gladly appreciated.

I'll publish once a week, on Saturday or Sunday (depends when I have the time during those two day).

I hope you'll enjoy the wild ride! I'm excited to share this story with you.

See you next week! Bug out and Miraculous kisses.