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Chapter Text

Once upon a time, an evil man found objects of great power. While hiking in Tibet, he stumbled across a box containing a variety of mystical jewels, which could be used to do incredible things.

He used the jewel of the Fox to create scandals that brought down his enemies. He used the jewel of the Snake to woo the woman he loved. He used the jewel of the Tiger for revenge, and the jewel of the Butterfly to spread his influence over the whole of the country.

The man gathered supporters to topple the democracy, bring back the traditional monarchy. Some supporters were magically influenced, while others were simply longing for how things used to be. He rewarded them all with titles and honors for their families.

King Gabriel was installed on the throne, and a new era of darkness began in France.

The King was power hungry and tyrannical. Even with his crown and rule tightly in hand, he didn’t stop the attacks on the city. His akumas, minions of his terror, were sent out to control the citizens and force them into compliance.

He had a son. Young Prince Adrien, the only bright light left in Paris. The people adored the baby boy, doted on him whenever he went out in public. He was only a child, innocent of his father’s sins.

But when Queen Emilie passed away, Prince Adrien’s public visits became less and less, until he was just a recluse in the King’s mansion. He was shuttled from one appointment to another, kept busy with private tutoring, and only allowed short, supervised visits with the children of the King’s allies.

This left the Prince with plenty of free time alone in the mansion. His studies could only fill up so much of the day, and without true friends to distract him, Adrien made a habit out of seeking out every single nook and cranny of his home, finding every secret. He was very good at leaving no trace.

Through buried files and shredded documents, Adrien learned the truth about his father, about the history of his homeland, and about the Fraternité, the resistance group seeking to depose the King and restore democracy.

On Adrien’s 18^th birthday, when he was left alone again, he went exploring. And behind the portrait of his mother in his father’s office, he found a jewelry box.

Curious, he opened it, seeing a wide variety of jewels inside. He curiously took a ring from the center and slid it on one finger. The ring glowed, and the light coalesced into the shape of a small cat…thing.

“Ugh, finally!” the cat-thing said. “I’ve been stuck in there for so long! So, what are we destroying today? Got any cheese?”

“What—who are you?” Adrien asked.

The cat-thing rolled its eyes. “Name’s Plagg. I’m a kwami. I grant you the power of destruction.” It floated up and narrowed its eyes as it stared Adrien in the face. “Hold on. I know you.”

“We’ve definitely never met,” he replied.

“Find a place to sit down, kid,” Plagg said. “This might be a lot.”

Adrien stepped deeper into his father’s office, sitting down at his desk. The kwami floated in front of him and began to hum, a melody that seemed to reach down into his soul.

Another life flashed in his mind, meeting Plagg as a teenager, going to school, making friends! He recognized some of the people he saw as the nobility he was permitted to spend time with, and he saw them wearing colorful animal-themed costumes as they fought against akumas!

His head was spinning, and he was glad he was sitting down. He recognized Kagami, Nathaniel, Chloe, Max, and there were so many more whose names he now knew but had never met.

And then, suddenly, he remembered her.

Adrien knew Marinette as well as he could know anyone. She was his betrothed since birth—her grandfather had been one of Gabriel’s loyal supporters. The two had spent quite a bit of time together, all supervised, and Marinette always struck him as a shy but kind girl, someone he could learn to love.

But the Marinette in his mind was a firecracker, sharp-witted and clever, always standing up for justice. She was beautiful, and a hero, his partner in red and black spots.

And he loved her.

Marinette was everything. His beloved. His other half. His soulmate.

But…that wasn’t the Marinette he knew.

Adrien came back to the present with a gasp. “Plagg…what was that?”

“How things are supposed to be,” the kwami replied. “The path that fate wanted. But, you’re stuck with this one instead, so, whatever.”

“Not whatever,” Adrien insisted. “Marinette…she’s supposed to be a hero. She’s supposed to be so much more…”

“How about you find me some food and then worry about your girlfriend?” Plagg asked.

He shook his head. The details of that other life were fading from his memory quickly, like a dream. Only the strongest feelings, the important knowledge, remained.

“Foooood,” Plagg whined, butting his head against Adrien’s shoulder. “I haven’t eaten in 400 years! Do you have any cheese, maybe natto? Surströmming? I’ll even settle for a good durian…”

“I can get you some cheese,” Adrien replied, standing. “But first…I need to get those earrings. Marinette needs them.”

“As long as I get some food,” Plagg said, floating alongside Adrien as he made his way back to the safe. “I’m wasting away to nothing…”

Adrien picked up the earrings, watching them change from black jewels to flat silver studs in his hand. He stashed them in his pants pocket before sealing away the jewelry box and closing the safe.

“By the way,” Adrien said to Plagg, “don’t let my father see you. He can’t know I was looking around.”

Plagg just stared at him for a long time. “Oh, kid…I promise. No one but you is supposed to know about me, anyway.”

“Let’s go feed you,” Adrien said, smiling then. He held open the lapel of his dress shirt, offering the kwami a place to hide before they headed to the kitchen.

He opened one of the fridges, and pulled open a drawer stuffed with all sorts of cheese.

“Is this heaven?” Plagg asked as he dove in, carefully selecting a variety before popping a hunk of camembert in his mouth. “I think I’m gonna like staying with you, kid.”

“I need to get these earrings to Marinette,” Adrien muttered, holding the studs in his hand and staring at them. “I—I don’t actually know what that’ll do, but I have to get them to her. How am I supposed to do that when I’m not even allowed to leave the mansion?”

“Oh, easy,” Plagg replied around a mouthful of cheese. “When you’re ready to go, just transform and sneak out.”

“Transform?” Adrien asked, but before the kwami could respond, the two heard footsteps from the hall. “Plagg, hide!”

The kwami tucked himself inside Adrien’s shirt as Gabriel’s assistant Nathalie entered the kitchen.

“There you are,” she said as Adrien closed the fridge. “Your fencing lessons begin in twenty minutes. Go get your things.”

“Later,” Adrien whispered to Plagg as he headed to his bedroom. “Tell me about the transforming thing later.”

Chapter Text

“Plagg, claws out!”

The kwami had explained the basics of his powers—enhanced strength, cat-like reflexes. He could run across the city in mere minutes, and he’d be able to see in the dark to find his way.

In a flash of green light, Adrien stood transformed, wrapped in black leather. He felt a mask on his face and the weight of a tail trailing behind him. His hearing was improved, and he felt another set of ears perched on top of his head, perking up as he noticed small sounds from elsewhere in the mansion.

He held out his hand and admired claws at the ends of his fingers, which he could flex and retract at will. He eyed the large window of his bedroom and pushed out his claws, using them to cut a large circle in the glass.

“Purr-fect,” he murmured to himself before climbing through the hole and leaping to a nearby rooftop.

He knew where Marinette lived, from his visits to her home to get to know his betrothed. He’d always looked forward to those visits, a chance to get out of his house and meet the shy sweet girl he knew. But now that he’d seen another life, another Marinette, his heart thrummed with joy as he approached her.

Could the shy girl who barely spoke be as fierce as the one he was supposed to know?

He leapt across the gap between two buildings, feeling free. He was almost flying, the power of the kwami making sure he knew how far he could jump, where he could safely land.

But he couldn’t account for something wrapping around his ankle and yanking him down, pulling his body to roughly hit the side of the building before he landed on the ground.

The suit kept him from being too hurt, but damn that smarted. “What the hell?”

“Who are you?” a familiar voice demanded.

Adrien followed the pink rope wrapped around his ankle to look up at a girl his age with a gray face mask obscuring the lower half of her face. He recognized her bright blue eyes, though.

“Marinette?” he asked, unable to believe his luck.

Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know my name?”

“It’s me,” Adrien replied. “I’m—”

“You know what, I don’t care,” she snarled at him. “Where’s your akuma, so I can get rid of you already?”

“What?” he asked. “No, I’m not an akuma, I’m just—”

“Shut it,” she snapped. She glanced over him. “Cat themed, huh? Usually you lot are tackier than that.”

Adrien probably wasn’t supposed to hear what happened next, but his ears picked up the staticky, crackly voice coming from an earbud Marinette wore. “Carapace! Multimouse! Akuma at the Louvre! I’ve got her trapped for now, but I don’t think that’ll last long!”

Marinette pressed her finger to her ear. “Rena, are you certain?”

“It’s a pink latex clown nightmare turning people into copies of herself, I’m pretty damn certain!”

Marinette turned to look at Adrien, confusion evident in her face. “Who are you?”

“I’m…Chat Noir,” he said. “New recruit. Let’s go get the akuma, my Lady.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not your Lady. And my name is Multimouse. Don’t you dare use my real name again.”

“Got it,” he replied. “Want a ride?”

“No thanks,” she snapped in reply. She stepped back before running and leaping at the wall. She jumped from building to building in the narrow alley, using bricks and windowsills to climb her way up to the roof.

Adrien—Chat—watched her with wide eyes. She was as amazing as the Marinette from that other life. And he loved her just as much.

**

Chat Noir followed Multimouse across Paris, leaping across rooftops until they arrived at the Louvre. He watched her talk onto her earpiece and find the room where the akuma was.

She was trapped inside one of the halls, held back by iron bars. She fired beams from her bracelet, turning those it hit into copies of her—but they didn’t seem inclined to fight, mostly just confused.

Multimouse and Chat ducked behind a bench to avoid one of the beams, meeting Rena already there. Chat didn’t recognize the girl with an orange face mask, but she seemed familiar from his other life.

“Butterfly’s probably in her bracelet,” Rena said. “No one can get close enough without getting hit.”

Chat just grinned. “I got this.”

He stood and approached the akuma, spinning his staff to deflect her beams.

“Cataclysm,” he said when he reached her. His hand crackled with destructive energy, and he tapped a finger against the bracelet, breaking it instantly.

The pink clown turned back into a normal teenage girl, who slumped against the bars, holding her head.

“Hey,” he said softly. “It’s gonna be all right.”

“How did you do that?” Multimouse asked, approaching Chat. “That—that looked like magic. Like his powers.”

“His?” Chat asked, cocking his head to the side.

“The king’s,” Multimouse replied. She grit her teeth and spat out the word like it was poison.

Chat frowned, his hand curling into a fist. “I’m nothing like him. I’m here to help. I have something for you, Ma—Multimouse.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? What could you possibly have for me?”

A young man around their age ran into the room suddenly, a green face mask covering him. “Guards are coming! Scatter!”

Multimouse’s eyes widened, and she ran. Chat chased after her, the earrings seeming to burn in his pocket, but she ducked into a side hall and seemed to vanish.

He’d saved her from an akuma, but he hadn’t fixed anything. He headed home with a heavy weight settled in his chest.

Chapter Text

Days passed before Adrien saw Marinette again.

He snuck out every night, roaming around the city and trying to see her, but Multimouse wasn’t out again. He helped Rena Rouge stop another akuma, but—she wasn’t the one he wanted to see.

He wanted Marinette. His Marinette. The one who fought for good and cared with all her heart.

But he was still her betrothed, and that meant that they had prearranged, supervised dates. The next one was at a gala his father was hosting for his supporters. That meant a perfect opportunity for him to ditch their chaperone and give Marinette the earrings.

And confess his love for her. His real feelings, not the trite statements promising their betrothal that he’d had to recite before. He’d always thought he’d learn to love her after they were wed, but now—even the idea of the wedding made his heart race as he pictured Marinette in his arms, loving him.

One step at a time. He had to get her the earrings.

He kept the earrings in the pocket of his suit as he was chauffeured to the gala. He fixed his hair and straightened his tie so many times out of nerves.

“Adrien, stop,” Nathalie said, sitting beside him in the car. “You’re going to crease the fabric if you keep pulling at it.”

“I’m sorry, Nathalie,” he replied, lowering his hands to his sides. His heart pounded as he thought about Marinette Marinette Marinette.

He arrived at the gala and was led to his rendezvous spot with Marinette. She was beautiful, wearing a soft pink gown with a sparkling sleeveless bodice. Her hair hung loose, just brushing her shoulders, and her lips were painted pink, which he noticed when she smiled at him.

“Good evening, Sir Agreste,” she murmured demurely, bending into a curtsy.

“Lady Dupain,” he replied with a small bow. He held out his arm to her, a perfect practiced dance between them. All eyes were on them, and they knew how to keep up the act better than they’d ever known each other.

Adrien was going to change that tonight.

They entered the gala together. Nathalie kept a close watch over them as they walked around and greeted King Gabriel’s supporters.

Adrien stayed acting like a perfect gentleman until Nathalie deemed it appropriate for the two to dance together, a romantic waltz.

“I want to talk to you tonight,” he murmured, leaning close as if he were going to kiss her cheek, the closest to affection he was ever allowed. “Without Nathalie or anyone around.”

She blushed as pink as her dress. “Y-you do?”

“I have something very important to tell you,” he said. “Can you excuse yourself? I’ll meet you in the service hallway.”

Marinette nodded, and her smile bloomed into genuine happiness, such a wonderful look on her that sent his heart soaring. “Of course. I’ll be there.”

The song ended, and Adrien placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand before they left the dance floor.

“Excuse me,” Marinette said as they stepped away. “I need to powder my nose.”

What did that even mean? Adrien shook his head slightly, chasing away the thought. “Nathalie, is there anyone I haven’t greeted yet?”

She nodded. “The Bourgeois family. Lady Chloe will want to see you.”

“Of course,” he said. “I should go greet her while Marinette is indisposed.”

“Lady Marinette, Adrien,” Nathalie reminded him.

He just nodded in reply before walking away. He noticed after a few steps that Nathalie was still behind him—so he took a calculated step in front of a waiter, and a tray of hors d’oeuvres spilled onto his suit.

Adrien frowned and glanced back at Nathalie. “I need to take care of this before meeting Lady Chloe.”

She pursed her lips in displeasure, but nodded. “Clean yourself up.”

He stepped out of the ballroom and made his way to the service hallway, where Marinette was waiting for him. She smiled brightly on seeing him.

“Adrien! You—you wanted to talk to me?”

God, she was adorable.

“Yeah,” he said, stepping close to her and taking her hands in his. She gasped and glanced down at their joined hands, then back up to his face. “Marinette, I—”

He didn’t finish his thought before her lips were on his, her body pressed against his with such force he stumbled back against the wall. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the softness of her lips and how she seemed to fit just right in his embrace.

He loved her. He loved her so much and now—it seemed she loved him just the same.

He forgot about the earrings as he kissed her again and again, drawing soft gasps and groans from her lips, sounds he burned into his mind to replay over and over in the future.

“Marinette,” he murmured against her lips, holding her close.

“Adrien,” she groaned back.

Someone nearby coughed, and the two sprang apart.

“I’m sorry,” a waiter said. “We’re serving the meal soon and you two will be in the way here.”

“R-right, sorry,” Adrien said with an awkward smile. “We’ll be gone in a minute.”

The waiter nodded and left, and Marinette turned to smile at Adrien. “I’ve been waiting for a moment alone with you for a while.”

“You have?” he asked. “I—I didn’t know you feel that way about me.”

“I know we’re betrothed or whatever, and marriage is honestly, not even on my mind,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “But I love you, Adrien. I have ever since we met. You probably don’t remember, but you were so nice to a servant after your father made them cry. And I just—you’ve always been nice to everyone, even though you’re the prince. I believe in you, Adrien. You’re going to do amazing things for France.”

“I love you too,” he murmured. “You’re the amazing one, Marinette. Here, let me show you.”

He pulled the earrings from his pocket and pressed them into her hand, closing her fingers around them. She furrowed her brow in confusion, but gasped when a light shone in front of her and coalesced into a shape, similar to Plagg. This creature was red, though, and resembled a large ladybug.

Marinette shrieked. “Bug mouse!”

“I’m not a mouse!” the creature said. “My name is Tikki, I’m a kwami.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Adrien murmured, standing behind Marinette as she faced Tikki, his hands rubbing her arms lightly. “Um, Tikki, can you do the memory thing that Plagg did for me?”

“Of course,” Tikki said with a calm smile. She began to hum, and Marinette stared in awe, resting against Adrien as she relaxed from her fear.

She turned back to him, her eyes alight with understanding. “Adrien.”

“Marinette,” he murmured, his hand lifting, reaching to cup her cheek. He hesitated and asked, “Do—do you still love me?”

“More than ever,” she replied, leaning in to kiss him again.

Chapter Text

“What do we do now?”

Adrien tucked a stray piece of hair behind Marinette’s ear, rubbed his thumb under her lower lip to get rid of stray lipstick. “We fight my father.”

“Are—are you okay with that?” she asked, meeting his eyes.

He nodded, his jaw set in a firm line. He had to be okay with this. “He’s Hawkmoth. He’s ruined countless lives. He needs to pay.”

Her hand brushed his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“We should get out of here,” he said. “While my father’s not home. I know where he’s keeping the miracle box. If we get ahold of that…we can win.”

Marinette nodded. Her eyes were sparkling as she thought up a plan. “Tikki, can the other kwamis do the memory thing with everyone else?”

Tikki shook her head. “Only the two of you can remember the previous universe, since it was Plagg and my power that changed it.”

“Can we go back to that universe?” Adrien asked.

Tikki glanced down, sorrow clear in the way her entire body drooped slightly. “No. It’s gona.”

“So, we save this universe,” Marinette said. “We’ll recruit the rest of the team, and draw him into a fight. Once his miraculous is out of his control, there’s no more akumas, and no reason for everyone to be afraid of him.”

“And he’ll go to prison, where he belongs,” Adrien said.

“And you’ll be king.” Marinette’s hand grasped his. “You’ll make a much better ruler than him.”

He frowned. “Yeah…I’ll deal with that when it comes to it.”

The two left the gala through a staff entrance, ducking into a nearby alley and transforming before heading to the mansion.

When Adrien saw Marinette in her spots…he fell in love again. This was who she was meant to be. His partner. His Lady.

He knew every blind spot in the mansion’s security, knew exactly where to go, so finding the miracle box was incredibly easy. Years of not having a real foe made his father relax his security—and that would be his downfall.

“I’ll handle Carapace and Rena,” Ladybug said, taking the miraculouses. “And I’ll hide the box somewhere safe. Can you get Viperion, King Monkey, and Pegasus?”

Chat nodded. “Meet at the usual spot?”

She smiled softly at him. “I’ll see you there, Kitty.”

“Be safe, my Lady,” he replied, stepping close to give her a soft kiss before he grabbed the jewels from the box.

**

“Does everyone know the plan?” Ladybug asked the assorted heroes.

Rena Rouge nodded. “Follow you into the gala. Confront the King.”

“Don’t let him escape,” Pegasus finished. “If anything goes wrong, run.”

“Right,” Ladybug said. “And guys—I know these powers are all new for you, but you’re meant to have them. You’ll all do fine.”

She thrust a fist forward, and the rest of the team met their fists in a circle.

“I’m counting on all of you,” Chat Noir said. “Let’s get him.”

The team leapt forward and raced across the rooftops towards the gala. Ladybug and Chat led them through the front door, easily disarming the guards who tried to stop them.

“Gabriel Agreste!” Ladybug cried when they entered the crowded ballroom. “Your reign ends today!”

The crowd parted, revealing the king. He sneered as he set down his drink, but turned pale when he saw the heroes.

“You can’t be real,” he murmured. “You’re not…I already won!”

Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo from her side and spun it as she approached him. Gabriel backed away from her, the crowd parting to let him escape. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small box, popping something into his mouth.

“Give up your miraculous,” Ladybug said. “We won’t let you control the people of France any longer!”

Gabriel stood up straight abruptly. He straightened his tie and gave a calm smile. “I will never live in a world where you are the winner.”

He coughed, then coughed again, suddenly gasping for breath—and he fell to the ground, eyes glassy and open.

Chat Noir took a few cautious steps forward and knelt beside his father, feeling for his pulse. “He’s—he’s dead.”

The ballroom erupted into pandemonium. Chat let Ladybug lead him away. His vision was blurred, and his cheeks were wet, and he didn’t understand what was happening.

The next few days were a blur. Adrien felt relief, sadness, anger, every single emotion he could feel.

A funeral was planned. Adrien was shuttled to the service and given a pre-prepared speech to read. He said the words, but he could barely look at the mourners.

The only bright spot was Marinette. As the nobility of the city shuffled past Adrien, offering their condolences, Marinette stood by his side, hand on his shoulder as she played the role of dutiful wife-to-be, supporting her fiancé through his grief.

Finally, after the pomp and circumstance was done, Adrien found himself in the front room of his house, sitting beside Marinette as Nathalie told them what would be happening next.

“Your wedding will be moved to Friday,” she said. “The wedding day will also be your coronation day, at which time you’ll read a prepared statement outlining your vision for the country. Your father left behind very specific instructions of what he wants you to accomplish as King.”

Adrien nodded. All he could focus on was Marinette’s hand holding his.

“I need to continue the preparations,” Nathalie said. “Since your wedding will be soon, and given the circumstances…I’ll let you two be alone for a few minutes.”

She walked out of the room.

“How are you feeling?” Marinette asked softly, her thumb gently stroking the back of his hand. “Really?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Numb. Upset. Relieved. There’s…a lot.”

“I’m here for you,” she murmured. “I love you.”

He turned to her, so pretty with her blue eyes staring back at him with nothing but kindness. “Marry me.”

She cracked a small smile. “We’re already getting married. In two days.”

“I know, but—for real,” he said. “I love you. I want to spend my life with you. Forget the arrangement, forget what’s going on. Please, Marinette, please be my wife.”

She smiled widely and leaned close, a brief kiss to his lips. “Yes. Yes, I’ll be yours. I love you so much.”

**

The wedding was a grand affair. Marinette designed her own dress and had a team of seamstresses help her turn it into reality. The ceremony was held at Versailles, and when Adrien saw his bride, his Queen, reflected in the famous mirrored hall, every surface holding her beauty—he nearly forgot why he existed at all, except to make her happy.

The ceremony was beautiful and far too formal. Gabriel had left behind strict instructions of how the wedding and coronation of his son was to go, and it was a lavish production inspired by the wedding of Louis XVI.

Adrien, having learned in the past few weeks the actual history of France, wondered if Gabriel realized just how ironic he was being.

He couldn’t even enjoy a few minutes alone with his wife before he was dragged into more ceremony, accepting a heavy crown and ornamental scepter.

“My people of France,” he announced to the gathered crowd and multiple cameras pointed at him, “I want to do what is best for all of you. I want to right the wrongs of my father.”

He paused, and saw an entire country waiting for him to continue.

“That’s why I have decided my first and only action as King is to restore the democratic government my father took from you,” he said. “I know I cannot turn back time and undo his years of terror, but I will do everything within my power as a citizen, not a noble, to atone for his actions.”

Nathalie and a crowd of nobles scowled, but the crowd cheered the loudest, happiest sound he’d ever heard in his life.

**

“And that’s how King Daddy saved France,” Adrien said.

Little Emma Agreste sat in her bed, wide-eyed. “You were really a king?”

“He was the best king,” Marinette said as she entered their daughter’s bedroom. She kissed Adrien’s forehead before adding, “and you should have been asleep already.”

“How can I sleep?” Emma asked, dramatically throwing herself back onto her pillow. “Daddy was the king! And that makes me a real live princess!”

“Even princesses need to sleep,” Adrien said with a chuckle. “Good night, Princess Emma.”

“Not sleepy,” she argued, even as her eyes drifted shut. “Good night, King Daddy.”

Marinette turned off the light as Adrien followed her out of their daughter’s room. She glanced at him and asked, “Do you ever miss it? Being royalty?”

He shook his head. “I don’t need to be a king. I have everything I need right here.”