Chapter Text
“You ever find yourself wanting to have a conversation,” Viperion mused, “but can’t bring yourself to do it?”
Chat nodded. “All the time, lately,” he admitted. Keeping his identity to himself was getting harder and harder, these days. Not in the sense that someone would find him out- but in the sense that he was desperate to tell someone.
Viperion hummed. “It’s like, you know you’re gonna want to hit the eject button,” he said slowly, “but there’s no such thing. You can’t just- take back what you say.”
“Exactly,” Chat agreed. “No going back.”
“Unless there is,” Viperion interjected.
Chat raised an eyebrow.
“Second Chance,” Viperion said pointedly, twisting his miraculous.
“Ah,” Chat noted. “I see.”
Viperion shrugged. “So, here’s the thing. I’m Luka Couffaine.”
“I know,” Chat said simply. “If we can take this back, I might as well tell you I know.”
“You goddamned idiot,” Viperion groaned. “I can take it back, but you can’t,” he explained. “I’m the one using Second Chance, so I’m going to remember.”
Chat blinked. “Oops.”
Viperion shook his head, laughing. “It’s fine, Chat,” he said. “I have a time-based power, you kinda get used to knowing things you shouldn’t.”
“Such as?”
“Such as, you’ve actually kissed me several times,” Viperion teased.
Chat turned a delightful shade of red. “I- uh-”
It wasn’t true, of course, but he suspected Chat had wanted to. “Sometimes, I’ll tell you guys I’m taking a loop off to breathe and rest,” Viperion explained. “It’s kinda nice to take a beat now and then.”
“Yeah, I did the-” Chat stopped. “I can imagine,” he corrected.
Viperion smirked. “I know you used my miraculous,” he pointed out. “Snake Noir was all over the Ladyblog.”
Chat nodded. “Right!! Right, Snake Noir. That’s what I was talking about.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have used my miraculous another time, would you?” Viperion probed.
Chat said nothing.
“How exactly did you know who I am?” Viperion pressed.
Chat shook his head.
Viperion was getting curious, now. But Chat knew he was onto something.
“Second Chance.”
“Ah,” Chat noted. “I see.”
“Say,” Viperion said offhandedly. “How was it, using my miraculous?”
Chat stopped dead. “Um,” he stammered. “I, uh. I wouldn’t know, would I?”
“Well, now it’s obvious you’re hiding something,” Viperion pointed out. “Because if you weren’t, you would’ve known I meant Snake Noir.”
“Right!” Chat yelped. “Of course! I forgot about that!”
Viperion said nothing, just leveled a look at Chat.
Chat kept up the silence.
“Tell me right now to drop it,” Viperion promised, “and I will. But you’ve gotten me curious.”
Chat said nothing.
Viperion shrugged. “That sounds like permission to keep digging,” he pointed out.
When Chat still said nothing, Viperion grinned. “Second Chance.”
“Ah,” Chat noted. “I see.”
“So, here’s what I wanted to talk about,” Viperion said as casually as he could. “I know.”
“You know?” Chat asked, puzzled.
“I know,” Viperion repeated. “But you’re not supposed to know I know, which is why I set my power.”
Chat frowned. “Why can’t I know that you know?”
Viperion shrugged. “Because of a reason relating to the fact that I know more than you,” he bluffed.
“So, what exactly is it you wanted to talk about?” Chat pressed. “Why use Second Chance to bring it up?”
“How many loops was it?” Viperion asked, dodging the question. “When you used my miraculous, how many loops?”
“Twenty-five thousand,” Chat said slowly.
“Wow,” Viperion cut in.
“...and nine hundred thirteen,” Chat added.
Viperion whistled. “That’s- what, like a month? Maybe two?”
Chat nodded. “I just-” he paused, taking a breath. “Ladybug told me she wanted to recruit me, the other me, and I just- I don’t know. I wanted to prove I was worthy, or something.”
The other him. That’s why he was hiding it. “You know that wasn’t the problem, right?” Viperion asked gently.
“I do now,” Chat confirmed. “Ladybug needed her partner, and I was busy trying to win her over in a different suit.”
“How can I help?” Viperion asked. “A month in a time loop has to be traumatizing, to some extent. Please, Chat. How can I help?”
Chat shrugged. “Talking helps, a little,” he offered. “I mean, I’m not supposed to talk about it, but- if you know, already.”
Viperion shook his head. He felt guilty, but- Chat had given him permission, kinda, to investigate. Was it because he wanted to talk about it? Could he talk about it?
“Chat,” Viperion whispered. “Who are you?”
Chat’s eyes went wide. “You said you knew!” he accused.
Viperion sighed. “I knew you’d used my miraculous,” he clarified. “I knew that you know I’m Luka. What I didn’t know, was how much you’re hurting.”
“I-” Chat stammered. “Um. I mean, yeah, I’m hurting. But there’s a reason for the secrecy! Ladybug-”
“Screw Ladybug!” Viperion interrupted. “You’re hurting, and I want to help.”
“Screw Ladybug?” Chat echoed. “How could you say that?”
Viperion took a breath to shout back, and stopped. “This isn’t working,” he said simply. “Second Chance.”
“Ah,” Chat noted. “I see.”
Viperion took a breath, leaning into Chat for comfort.
“Vipe?” Chat asked, concerned. “What’s wrong?”
“The secrets are wrong,” Viperion explained. “The lying, the deception. Keeping your hurt where noone can see it.”
Viperion sighed.
Chat leaned back into him, holding him tight.
“I know what my miraculous did to you,” Viperion said quietly. “I know it hurt you to use it.”
Chat didn’t say anything. He just hugged Viperion close.
“I don’t know everything,” he clarified. “Just that it hurt you. That Ladybug gave it to you as a civilian, and you spent tens of thousands of loops trying your best.”
Chat sighed. “Yeah,” he admitted. “It hurt me. But that’s not for you to worry about.”
Viperion pulled away, to look Chat in the eyes. “It’s not for you to carry alone, either,” he insisted. “I just- I wish you’d let me in.”
“Maybe,” Chat started to say, trailing off.
“What?”
“Maybe we trade miraculous,” Chat said. “It’s a silly idea, I don’t know-”
“Okay,” Viperion said quickly. “Scales rest.”
Chat quickly closed his eyes, which made Luka chuckle.
“You told me you know who I am, Chat,” he laughed, pulling out a snack for Sass. “You don’t have to pretend about that, anymore.”
“Oh,” Chat said quietly. “Um, right.”
Luka gently took Chat’s hand in his own, and slid his miraculous over to the other boy’s wrist.
“Plagg, Sass,” Chat whispered. “Unify.”
Light washed over Chat, changing his suit to reflect his combined transformation.
Luka smiled. He looked cute, like that.
“I should-” Snake Noir started. “I should give you the ring. In case anyone sees us, so we’re both transformed.”
Luka nodded. “Makes sense.”
“Plagg- no.” Snake Noir took a beat, gathering his breath. “Second Chance,” he said softly, twisting the snake miraculous.
“Claws in,” Snake Noir whispered, taking his ring off as he did.
He looked up to Luka, whose eyes were wide.
“Here,” Aspik offered, holding out the ring.
Luka didn’t take it. He didn’t move. “I’ve seen that transformation before,” Luka said quietly, “Adrien.”
“Well, shit,” Aspik said bluntly. “Second Chance.”
Snake Noir looked up at Luka, wondering what he should say.
“I think you’ll find the words are Claws in,” Luka joked.
Snake Noir- no, Chat, he decided. He was Chat Noir, even with the extra miraculous. Chat smiled at the joke, twisting his ring contemplatively.
“You recognized the transformation,” Chat said slowly. “When I took off the ring, you realized who I am.”
Luka blinked. “There’s only one way I could,” he pointed out. “I’ve only ever seen two other people use that miraculous. You, as Snake Noir,” he said, gesturing to Chat’s current appearance, “And Adrien.”
Chat frowned. “So, I gave it away again,” he muttered. “Great. Second Chance.”
“Turns out,” Chat said bluntly, “I’m staying as Snake Noir. Deal with it.”
“Oh… kay?” Luka replied. “Sure.”
“I don’t know,” Chat muttered. “You just- wait.” he paused, taking a beat. “The whole damn point of this was to tell you in a way I could take back,” he groaned. “Why didn’t I-”
Luka frowned. “Chat, what’s going on?”
“Ugh!” Chat moaned. “Second Chance!”
“Claws in,” Aspik mumbled. “Yeah, yeah, you recognize me.”
Luka blinked, accepting the ring. “Um, yeah,” he agreed. “Is that a problem?”
Aspik fished in his pockets for some cheese for Plagg, and came up empty. The cheese was in his civilian pocket, of course. “Not if I can take it back,” he said absentmindedly. “Got any cheese?”
“I’ll be fine this once, kid,” Plagg cut in. “It’s not like you used your power or anything, anyway.”
“Claws out, I guess?” Luka said hesitantly. The transformation washed over him, and-
“Meow,” Aspik said without thinking.
Luka smirked. “Like what you see?”
Aspik nodded dumbly. “Uh- I mean-” he paused. “Oh, hell, I can take it back. Yes, I like what I see. In fact, I’d very much like to kiss what I see.”
“I knew you liked me,” Luka said triumphantly. “But no.”
“No?”
“What’s the point in kissing you if I don’t remember it?” Luka pointed out.
“Fine,” Aspik relented. “Got a name for yourself, kitty?”
“How about,” Luka said with a mischievous glint in his eye, “Vi- purr -ion?”
Aspik groaned. “What was this supposed to be about, again?”
“How should I know?” Vipurrion teased. “It was your idea to swap miraculous.”
“Yeah, and then you distracted me by being extremely kissable,” Aspik countered.
“I lost track, too, to be honest,” Vipurrion sighed. “I guess you should reset the loop and ask me what we were talking about.”
“Second Chance,” Aspik muttered.
“What were we talking about?” Chat asked, scratching his head. “I, uh- got distracted.”
“Well,” Luka said kindly, “I said I wished you’d let me in, and you suggested we trade miraculous.”
Chat nodded. “Right. Um. I think I’ll hold onto both? If that’s okay?” He could do without Vipurrion distracting him, again. Or Plagg being a little shit about everything.
Luka shrugged. “Whatever floats the boat, kitty cat.”
“So, I- I’m Adrien. Is my identity.”
“Hi, Adrien,” Luka offered. “You realise I know like, six Adriens? This is Paris.”
Chat chuckled. “The famous one,” he supplied.
“Ah,” Luka said with a nod. “I- that makes sense. I saw you as- well, whatever your name was.”
“Aspik,” Chat said automatically. “Um, yeah,” he added. “Ladybug told me, as Chat, that she wanted to give the miraculous to Adrien. And- well, it’s Ladybug. I really liked her, at the time, so I wanted to prove myself, and- what?”
Luka had a devilish grin. “At the time?” he probed. “You don’t like her anymore?”
Chat shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s someone else, now. Someone I hadn’t considered before, but who’s slowly winning me over.”
“That wouldn’t be me, would it?” Luka asked gently.
“You- you know?” Chat asked, going red.
Luka nodded. “I- I suspected. Then you confirmed it, in one of the loops- before we swapped.”
Chat sighed. “How much do you know? Outside of this loop?”
“I- most of it, I think,” Luka answered. “Not who you are, but- that you’ve used the snake, as your civilian self. Twenty-five thousand, nine hundred thirteen. That it hurts you, and that it would help if you could talk about it. That you don’t let yourself talk about it, because you think the secrets are more important. That you know who I am- but not how.”
“That’s- that’s a lot more than I thought you knew,” Chat said bluntly.
“You get used to hiding how much you know, as the snake,” Luka explained. “It- knowledge is power.”
“Scientia sit potentia,” Chat offered. “I get it.”
“It sucks,” Luka spat. “But if I don’t hide it, people get hurt, and-”
“I get it,” Chat insisted. “It’s easier to reset, to hide what you know, than to let yourself time out when the people around you look hurt.”
Luka gave a sad smile. “Exactly,” he said softly.
Chat put a hand to his wrist. “You’re sad,” he observed. “I- every part of me is screaming to turn back, to take the hurt away.”
“I was sad before,” Luka added. “I was just hiding it.”
“Scales rest,” Chat breathed.
“I know how hard that was,” Luka smiled appreciatively. “Thank you.”
Chat tilted his head.
Luka took his hand.
“For letting me remember,” Luka added in explanation.
“Can I have that kiss now?” Chat asked with a chuckle.
Luka raised an eyebrow.
Chat frowned. “Wrong loop,” he muttered. “Um, you said, what’s the point in kissing me if you won’t remember it?” he looked up, kitten eyes on full display.
“Sounds like me,” Luka confirmed. “I think I can find it in me to kiss you.”
“You-” Chat stammered, feeling himself going red. “You should probably transform. Just in case someone sees.”
Luka smirked. “You’re worried someone might see, but you still want to kiss me?”
Chat smiled back, fighting the butterflies in his stomach. “Always,” he promised. “But it might make things complicated if Alya posts about Chat Noir kissing a civilian.”
“If you were really worried about someone seeing,” Luka pointed out, “You wouldn’t have let me detransform.”
“Let you?” Chat balked. “You just- you just did it! Out of nowhere!”
Luka chuckled. “Fair enough,” he relented. “But why add to the risk by having me transform back, again?”
Chat frowned. “I- good point,” he admitted. “I guess we shouldn’t kiss?”
“Yeah, no,” Luka interjected. “Sass, scales slither.”
It was a really nice kiss.