Chapter Text
When the portal opens in front of Adrien, he expects the worst. After all, any hero that invades his space will only mean the worst for him. Father will blame the slip on him, making things worse than they already are.
But what emerges isn’t a Holder he’s familiar with.
“Who are you?” Adrien asks.
The stranger’s eyes linger over Adrien. “I think the more interesting question I must ask is what am I doing here, Adrien Agreste. But my name is Chat Noir.”
“How do you know my name?” Adrien growls.
“Relax,” Chat Noir says. “Your face is just as famous in my universe as it is in this one, considering you live in a mansion. Bunnix said we were going to an alternate timeline, but…I didn’t think it would be so different.”
Oh. Okay. Chat Noir is a hero from a different timeline. He won’t be sympathetic to Adrien’s plight if he learns that Adrien is one of the villains that is to be fought in this timeline.
“I need your help,” Adrien says.
Chat Noir is a hero, meaning that he will help a person in need.
But Adrien is not just any person. He is a villain, he is evil. Chat Noir should not help him.
“What do you need?” Chat Noir responds, and something in Adrien tugs at the thought that Chat Noir is willing to help him. Because Chat Noir should not be willing to help him, really.
“To get away,” Adrien breathes.
Chat Noir is from another universe.
He is not here to stay.
There are no consequences if Adrien reveals himself, because things are so different in Chat Noir’s universe that a man has the Black Cat Miraculous.
He carefully removes the Peacock Miraculous from his pocket.
“This is my chain,” he says. “You have the power of destruction, right? Can I ask you to break the chains holding me?”
“If you are the Peacock holder,” Chat Noir says, “who has the Butterfly?”
Oh. Oh no, Adrien’s shown his hand too early, now Chat Noir will only claim that he is a villain. There is no other viable outcome, there is no way that Adrien can salvage the situation.
“My father is Hawk Moth,” he breathes. “And I’m not a good person.”
“You’re asking for help,” Chat Noir says. “You’re not a bad person for that, Adrien. I don’t know what you’ve done, but the fact that you are asking him for help means that there is something in you that is good, and I can work with that.”
“...really?” Adrien asks, looking up. “But I’m…”
“You are not forever stained. You are not irredeemable. Adrien, you must listen to me.” Chat Noir grips his shoulders. “I know you in my world, and the person you are in my world is good.”
It is here that Adrien realizes he might be slightly queer. Just slightly.
“I don’t believe you,” Adrien says, “but…maybe I have to.”
“I want you to believe me,” Chat Noir says, smiling. “I’d take you back to my timeline, but that would cause all sorts of issues in the continuum, or something. I should go and find Ladybug.”
“Ladybug considers me an enemy, Chat Noir,” Adrien says. “You won’t gain any sympathy from her by trying to help me.”
“You don’t know my Ladybug,” Chat Noir says, grinning. “She’s different from yours. She likes our timeline’s Adrien, and you don’t seem that different from him.”
Adrien straightens. “You cannot expect me to be the person I am elsewhere. I am different here, and I expect from your face that I do not have the Peacock Miraculous.”
“I want to help you, Adrien.”
“Adrien,” Chat Noir says, “I’d like you to meet my Ladybug.” He uncovers Adrien’s eyes, and he takes in the appearance of Ladybug — she’s different from the Ladybug Adrien knows. “This is this universe’s Adrien. He has the Peacock Miraculous.”
“You have the Peacock Miraculous?” Ladybug asks.
Adrien presents it to her without a word. He does not know how he can justify what he’s done.
“Who has the Butterfly?” she asks, gentler now. “And how do you feel?”
“I have grown more tired since this became my role,” he says. “And my father has the Butterfly. I found out about his identity, so he handed me the Peacock and requested that I join him.”
“The Peacock will kill you if you let it,” Ladybug says quietly. “Do you trust me?”
“If Chat Noir trusts you,” Adrien says, shifting on his feet, “then I will as well.”
“Give it to me,” she says, “and I will give it to this universe’s pair. I think this is why Bunnix sent us here.” Her eyes are alight with hope. Adrien does not wish to break it. “I don’t know if you’ll want to come. I wish I could heal you.”
“I don’t think a lot of damage has been done to him,” Chat Noir says. “You were manipulated, Adrien. I want you to know that.”
“Why do you care so much about me?” Adrien asks. “You’ve done so much for me, when you have no reason to. I’m not a good person.”
“I refuse to believe that,” Chat Noir says. “I think you’re a good person, Adrien. You just don’t believe in yourself.”
The accusation strikes him.
“I…take it with you,” he says. “I do not wish to see it again.” He coughs a couple times. “Tell them I’m sorry. I never wanted to be a villain, but that is what I have become.”
“We’ll tell them your story,” Ladybug says. She passes the Miraculous to Chat Noir, and Chat Noir puts it into his pocket. “You deserve more compassion than you have gotten thus far.”
“I don’t know about that,” Adrien answers.
“You do,” Chat Noir insists. “And we start here, right now.” Chat Noir smiles. “You deserve better than what you have gotten, and they’ll see it too.”
Adrien follows them, though it’s difficult without transforming. He sees the two of them talk to Ladybug, though her partner is conspicuously absent. And Chat Noir hands over the brooch of the Peacock.
“Thank you,” his timeline’s Ladybug says. “This is rather valuable.”
A portal opens behind the alternate Ladybug and Chat Noir. Chat Noir looks over at Adrien one last time.
Adrien doesn’t know why a strange emptiness fills his heart.