Alix sat at the bar, meeting up with her old friends at their annual class reunion.

She tipped a small nod to Adrien and Marinette; she rarely saw them out, but did know they maintained a weekly date night.

Adrien met her gaze and walked over. He subtly slipped Alix a sheet of paper.

Puzzled, Alix flipped over the thicker photo paper, fingers carefully noting the soft wrinkling with the handling of age.

Slowly, she flipped the picture, feeling the sudden weight of history.

She was initially shocked to know he had kept it all these years; however, knowing him, she figured young Adrien probably kept carrying it this entire time to make sure his older self wouldn't get into trouble.

Sure enough, he explained in the next breath. "I had to hold onto this until it was safe, but I'm pretty sure this belongs to you?"

She chuckled… there were only two people that knew her alter ego. And, like a shit, he'd just clearly outed himself as Chat Noir…

Suddenly their incredibly deep and abiding affection made entirely too much sense.

"Thanks for holding onto it." she acknowledged, before he drifted back over to his lady.

Most everyone seemed quite happy. Even Chloe seemed bemused, if a little extra inebriated.

Maybe not Lila, who she noticed was scowling sharply at Marinette and Adrien and their very obvious public displays of affection from her table in the corner. She'd always seemed to have it out for Marinette in particular… Alix shrugged.

Adrien had his arms wound around Marinette... it was obvious on first glance how much she meant to him. Alix was amused at how it was possible for him to linger closer than he had been... he was far more of a smitten kitten than she'd ever recognized.

Alix rolled her eyes, watching Adrien practically nuzzling his wife—cat that he definitely was.

She'd need to book an appointment with Max. She could already feel the cavities brewing...

Alya ambled over to the bar and set her empty glass down, standing beside Alix. "Hey, can I get that bottle now please?" she asked the bartender. Noticing Alix, she traced her gaze, then snorted at the spectacle.

"They're ridiculous… it's like they think they're still newlyweds." Alix grumbled before taking a sip of her drink.

Alya chuckled. "They've always been bad. You know?" She took a longer than usual swig. Nino was on travel for work and missing this particular get together. Alya seemed to be drinking her way through his absence. "... once they both got their heads together, of course. Then, they couldn't see anyone else..."

"You might be right about that." Alix smirked, lifting her glass in Alya's direction as Alya headed back to her table with another bottle of wine. She'd never be able to tell Alya just how right she was.

She tilted her own glass up to her lips once more. "Then again, it might just be a little bit of the butterfly effect…"

Author's Notes:

First WIP completed in a bit! (First of many, I hope!) :D

I hope you've all enjoyed this one!

Thanks again to Kellarhi for beta reading throughout. 3