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Doubt.

It was plaguing Gabriel. Beating against his resolve. Breaking it down piece by piece with increasing fervor ever since his Akumatization of Audrey had failed and placed Adrien in such grave danger. And now the last blocks were beginning to domino.

Nathalie collapsing when they’d only just begun the plan they’d spent so much time honing.

Fall.

Mayura, held captive by Ladybug, too weak to fight back on her own.

Fall.

Mayura falling into his arms, unable to even catch herself.

Fall.

Nathalie lurching with coughs, her glasses falling from their usual placement to clatter on the floor so carelessly.

Fall.

“I will always be there for you.”

He didn’t want to involve her. But he needed her. And she’d insisted so strongly. How could he say no to those determined eyes?

…And to a chance to get Emilie back.

He couldn’t let go now. This was their closest plan yet.

The guardian of the Miraculous was before them. They had him. Had his knowledge. Had the Miraculous.

They just had to complete this plan, and then Nathalie would never have to use her broken Miraculous again. He could fix any damage she’d already sustained.

He could. And then… and then everything would be back to normal.

His cane struck the guardian’s shield, forcing him back.

So close to that return to normality.

Mayura moved to stand beside him, the fur on her sleeves brushing his suit.

Her standing so near… them being so comfortable in each other’s space…

When had that become their normal?

No. That didn’t matter. Bringing Emilie back mattered. She was supposed to be his priority.

…Even if she hadn’t wanted him chasing the Miraculous.

He stepped forward again, striking the guardian’s shield once more. “Your power won’t last forever.”

He just needed this win–

A series of sharp coughs fractured his concentration, and Hawkmoth snapped his gaze around.

Mayura. She was no longer at his side. She’d fallen behind, now on her knees in the park dirt.

“Mayura!” He abandoned his attack, cane dropping from his hand as he moved to brace her convulsing shoulders.

“Don’t–“ Another hack. “I’ll be fine! Keep going!”

He could keep going. Leave her to recover independently while he modified his methods and salvaged what could. She’d done most of her part. He could still win.

She trembled in his hold.

Fall.

“No. We’re going.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized it, but he meant them every bit.

“What? No!” Mayura protested, struggling, though she clearly didn’t have the strength to fight him with any real vigor as he scooped her off the ground into his arms. “Hawkmoth! We’re too close!”

“I’m not losing you too!”

He barely noted the guardian’s look of surprised bafflement. He barely cared. The old man wouldn’t be foolish enough to try and attack them when they were taking their leave.

Mayura squirmed, her frustration radiating from her. “At least take the Miraculous! The tablet!”

Hawkmoth complied with her demands, though his mind was more on a strange type of autopilot than anything else.

Mayura held the Miracle box as they took to the rooftops. Hawkmoth held on to her.

So much power. So many different ways to accomplish their goal.

But at what cost?

Mayura coughed again, weaker this time.

He tightened his hold.

Every plan was a risk. And he didn’t want to take any more. Not with her.

Never again with her.

What would he do if he lost her, and in the same way as Emilie?

He didn’t know how he’d go on. No… he was sure he wouldn’t be able to.

They’d grown far, far closer than they had been when Emilie had been with them. The thought of being without her…

Shock jolted through him at the same time as realization.

The thought of losing Nathalie now left the same hollow ache within him as Emilie’s absence.

No. That was impossible. Emilie was his wife. He loved her. He couldn’t feel that way about someone else–

”I’ve seen how close you and Nathalie have become.”

Adrien had seen it. Gabriel had denied it. Viciously. He hadn’t even allowed himself to think about what Adrien had seen.

How long had Gabriel’s feelings been growing without him even knowing? And what… what was he going to now that he’d realized?

The first weeks after putting Emilie to rest had been agonizing.

As if his own pain wasn’t enough, Gabriel had to put on a whole act of pulling Adrien out of school for the day to break the news to him that Emilie had been “found” finally. Adrien might have accepted she was gone long before Gabriel, but even so, he’d sobbed. And Gabriel was unashamed to admit he’d done the same.

But… it got easier. Without the false hope of her return… without the daily pounding of others’ negative emotions invading his head… without his every attempt to accomplish something ending in failure…

Things improved. Slowly but surely.

He learned how to let go.

The company increased in productivity.

The distance between Gabriel and Adrien lessened.

And Gabriel’s connection to Nathalie… well, their engagement had caused a bit of a stir in the media, but neither cared.

To say Nathalie was surprised when Gabriel confessed his newly realized feelings for her was an understatement, but it hadn’t taken her much time to admit she felt the same in return.

He’d already known to some degree – that much was clear without an emotion-sensing Miraculous – but he’d been surprised to learn how deeply her feelings ran.

Over fifteen years. She’d kept silent because she wanted him and Emilie to be happy.

Truly, no man on the earth deserved the level of devotion held by Nathalie Sancoeur. But he had it anyway. He had her. He was happy. And he’d be damned if he wouldn’t return the favor to her after she’d waited so long.

It was time.

His eyes flickered open for the first time that morning, and he had no need to check a calendar. He’d been counting down the days.

It was the day of their wedding.

As excited as Gabriel was to begin this new chapter of his life with Nathalie – officially, that was, given that they’d already done the legal part in the mayor’s office – he was still ready to pull his hair out by the time of 8:00 in the morning.

Evidently, the years had dulled his memory in regard to how obnoxiously stressful weddings could be. He and Nathalie thought having it at the mansion would simplify matters, but now he was facing the disadvantage of not even being able to avoid people in his own home.

Where did this decoration go, where did he want these flowers, where were the refreshments supposed to be…

It never seemed to end.

Nathalie was the one who had made all these arrangements, and he hadn’t seen her all morning.

The only thing he did know was that it was still too soon for any food prep.

And so, the former supervillain of Paris found himself ducking into the kitchen to seek refuge.

Only… he wasn’t as alone as he predicted.

“Good morning, Dad!” Adrien chirped from by the stove, a pan sizzling before him. The boy was beaming, as he always was regarding Gabriel and Nathalie’s relationship.

To think Gabriel had been angry at him for that the first time the topic of him and Nathalie arose… His denial had made him harsh, but all his son wanted was for him to be happy. And Nathalie, of course. Looking back, she’d already been a second mother to Adrien before Emilie was gone.

“Adrien.” Gabriel frowned faintly. “What are you doing in here?”

“I thought everyone would be busy, so I was making you and Nathalie breakfast! It’s just eggs and toast, but…”

Gabriel held a hand up to stop him. “It’s perfect. Have you seen Nathalie yet this morning?”

Adrien nodded as he poked at the eggs with a spatula. “She said she was making a call to somebody named Gerald? I thought both of you were taking time off?”

“Ah, yes, we are,” Gabriel assured. “Merely some last-minute details.”

Gabriel hated that he still had to lie to his son, but that code phrase wasn’t one he could divulge the true meaning behind.

Nathalie would never call Gerald. Gabriel alone made those specific calls. They’d agreed on that.

Nathalie saying that she was calling Gerald meant she was dealing with the kwamis.

Oh, how Gabriel regretted that particular mistake the day he took that damned box. He’d been worried about Nathalie. He hadn’t thought about the ramifications of dropping his magical disguise around the kwamis once they were secure back home.

Had he given up his quest? Yes. Wholeheartedly. Could he return the Miraculous to the guardian? Absolutely not, unless he wanted to go to prison.

And so, instead of a stasis coffin in the butterfly basement, he now had a small zoo of powerful magic creatures.

Fortunately, though hyperactive and annoying, the kwamis weren’t overly problematic since they weren’t being used for what they deemed “evil.” They liked the butterfly garden well enough. All he and Nathalie had to do was pop down and bring food and occasionally some form of entertainment, which Nathalie had even come to enjoy.

As long as they weren’t out spilling his identity to Ladybug, Gabriel didn’t care.

“I’ll see if she’d like to join us for breakfast.” Gabriel began to relax. He might have to bravely facing the onslaught of strangers in the house again to get to the atelier, but if he was quick–

“What?” Adrien protested. “You can’t see her before the wedding!”

What? Oh, his son really had gone all in on giving them the perfect wedding, hadn’t he? Though it appeared he’d been doing his research on the wrong country. “Adrien, that’s not a French tradition, and she hasn’t even started getting ready yet–”

“But Zoé said it’s bad luck!”

Ah. That explained it, with her having grown up more in America.

Gabriel hesitated. He’d promised. He’d promised Nathalie, himself, and even Emilie before he’d finally let her go that he would do better with Adrien. More time spent with him. More listening to what the boy actually wanted. If this meant so much to him…

Gabriel sighed. “Very well. And will speaking on the phone with my bride-to-be inflict the same ill tidings?”

Adrien beamed. “Nope! Voice call is fine! No video, though.”

“Noted.” Gabriel pulled his phone from his pocket, leaning against the wall by the door, far enough away that Adrien couldn’t hear anything Nathalie might say.

“Good morning, Sir. Is there anything you need me to arrange for you?”

Gabriel’s lips twitched up in the corner. These days, she only called him that as a nickname – a term of endearment. Or if she was exceptionally mad at him and giving him the cold shoulder.

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to some assistance with the hordes that have descended upon our home, but I have been ordered not to see you today upon pain of dooming our marriage before it’s begun.” Gabriel leaned, opening the door just a sliver to peak out.

Why were there so many of them buzzing about? How many people did they need to set up the last details of one event?

Nathalie chucked. ”…I can guess whose orders those were, but I can’t say I know why.”

“Evidently, it’s an American tradition he heard about from Miss Lee.” Gabriel wondered what other foreign traditions might find their way in today.

“I see. Well, I’ll be there shortly, so you better make yourself scarce.”

“I’ve shut myself away in the kitchen for the time being. You should do the same later. Our personal chef has ensured we’re starting the day off well.” He decided to leave Adrien out. Let that be a pleasant surprise for her.

“How thoughtful. Speaking of food, I have promised Gerald some of the wedding food.”

Gabriel groaned. Was that necessary? “Do you know how expensive that all is?”

”Do you? I arranged for it. And I hardly think it’s going to bankrupt us. Gerald is happy for us.”

Gabriel grunted. “Oh, I’m sure.”

They probably were. Many of the kwamis were… easily excitable. Duusu had literally burst into tears of joy, which had been highly startling given that Gabriel had been mid-proposal and had forgotten about her presence until that moment. He’d been half tempted to throw her Miraculous out the window, but he’d refrained, given how fond she and Nathalie were of each other.

Nooroo was much less exhausting. Gabriel didn’t mind his mostly silent presence.

”I’ll see you later,” Nathalie said, her tone amused.

“I look forward to it,” he said softly. Earnestly.

He felt much better as he hung up the phone.

Adrien slid a plate over to his side of the table. “Egg on toast!”

“Nathalie, you better not be nearby!” Adrien called, dragging Gabriel blindly down the stairs.

Gabriel dearly hoped playing along with his son’s wishes wouldn’t end with him breaking his neck. This dodging around each other all day was beginning to border on the absurd.

“I’m leaving!” Nathalie called back, her heels clacking on the stone floor as she headed away. “I’m going to get ready!”

That was later than expected. She must have been very busy the last few hours. Not that he was worried. Nathalie had never been late in her life. Her going to get ready finally, however, did mean that Adrien and Gabriel would be welcoming the guests still to arrive.

Guests. Also known as people Gabriel wished there were a lot less of.

If only he’d been able to cut some of the ones he was obligated to invite lest they take offense and start causing him issues on the business front…

“Audrey, my dear, I’m glad to see you made it,” he greeted with forced cordiality, taking her hand to kiss atop it in his usual manner.

“Yes, well, frankly, my dear, I’m surprised I had to be here after all.” She gestured flippantly with the hand he’d just kissed. “I’d thought for certain you would have come to your senses by now.”

“Come to his senses?” Adrien echoed from Gabriel’s side, where he’d been jovially greeting people until now.

Audrey, as always, used exactly zero tact in her reply. “Falling for the help? My goodness, it’s a good thing you and Emilie already secured the family future with Adrien.”

Gabriel felt as though a fuse had been lit on a bomb. He’d learned to bite his tongue when it came to his business associates. Adrien did not hold that self-restraint.

At that moment, Gabriel wondered just how much of his temper his son had picked up from him in the last year. Adrien was not as meek or as short as he used to be, and he looked much more intimidating in his sleek black suit with his eyes narrowed than when laughing with his friends in his school clothes.

But as soon as the anger had come, it was gone again. Adrien blinked just once, his eyes going round and innocent as he asked, “Oh, Mrs. Bourgeois, I almost forgot to ask! Did Zoe come with you today? I know she doesn’t always make it everywhere with the rest of your family.”

Gabriel nearly choked on air. That was a level of destruction Chat Noir couldn’t compete with.

What a tactfully placed insult. And Adrien had framed it so innocently that Audrey couldn’t retort without bringing up her ill deeds herself.

Gabriel was so proud.

Audrey made an aghast noise, her face twisting in displeasure.

“Adrikiiiins!”

Gabriel suppressed a wince. And there was the rest of the family.

Chloe had been so much more tolerable when he’d been relying on her as a steady source for people to Akumatize.

She rushed ahead of her father and Zoe to throw her arms around Adrien.

“Clarissa!” Audrey snapped, strutting further inside. “Don’t hold up the other guests!”

Gabriel snorted internally. As if she cared about that. She just didn’t want her daughter hanging over the boy who had just insulted her.

“Yes, mom!” Chloe scampered over to her.

“Do enjoy the refreshments, Audrey,” Gabriel called cooly after them before sending Zoe a curt smile as she walked in. “Well played, Adrien.”

Adrien beamed. “You think so?”

“Oh, yes, very much so.”

Well, if the Bourgeois family was the worst he had to deal with–

“Félix! Aunt Amelie!”

Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat.

What. The hell. What were they doing here?

“Hello, Adrien. Hello, Uncle,” Félix said cooly, a smug glint in his eyes that made Gabriel want to punch him in the face.

“Adrien!” Amelie cooed, strutting up just behind her hellspaw– son. “Aww, look at you! It’s been too long!”

No. It hadn’t been long enough.

…Had Amelie seriously come uninvited to his wedding for the other ring? Was that what this was about?

He hadn’t liked her before Emilie’s passing and cared even less for her now. The last thing he needed today was her parading around with his deceased wife’s face. He was moving on.

“And Gabriel!” Amelie went straight for a hug that Gabriel forced himself not to recoil from. She pulled back a moment later, resting her arms on his shoulders. “I was surprised when Félix told me you’d sent us an invitation!” Her smile faltered a bit, and her voice dropped for her following sentence. “And so soon…”

Gabriel didn’t seek out negative emotions like he used to, but he could still feel the brooch on his chest burning with her disdain.

Invitation? Félix…

That little gremlin. Amelie genuinely thought he’d invited them. And she was judging him about him moving on so soon.

Oh, if only she knew the lengths he’d gone to…

Perhaps he and Nathalie had arranged the wedding quickly, but Emilie had been long gone before they’d officially confirmed her death, and Gabriel…

He was so damned tired of waiting too long to enjoy what he had. He’d all but missed a year of Adrien’s life. He’d missed that he’d fallen in love again.

He wasn’t going to make another mistake like that.

He and Nathalie didn’t need to get to know each other. The timing worked for them.

Amelie couldn’t understand that.

All he could do was explain what part she might get.

“Emilie was never one to linger on the pains of the past,” Gabriel said finally. “I haven’t always been the best at following her lead in that regard, but I am trying.”

“How sweet of you to think of her still.” Amelie slid her arms off his shoulders, crossing them as she stepped back.

She could not have meant those words less. He would have been able to tell that without his Miraculous.

“Gabrrrriel!”

What.

The surprise that ran through Gabriel at hearing his name with that familiar roll of Rs was quickly trailed by relief.

“Gerald.” Gabriel didn’t hide the bafflement in his voice. “I… didn’t expect you to come.”

“Pfff,” Gerald scoffed dramatically as he approached. He may have been a wiry professional man in his mid-sixties, but Gabriel had learned firsthand that he possessed the sarcasm and vigor of a rebellious teen that started online debates for fun, and the amount of attitude he could pack in with his Scottish accent was a talent. “Miss your wedding? I wouldn’t dream of it. This must be Adrien! Hello, young man.”

“Hi!” Adrien greeted back. Gabriel could tell he was searching the man’s face for any type of recognition. And Amelie was doing the same. They weren’t going to find any, though.

Félix didn’t seem to care. He was just… lurking.

“And this is?” Gerald asked about Amelie, then gave Félix a double take.

“Amelie,” Amelie introduced herself. “And this is my son, Félix.”

“Ahh, Amelie and Félix, yes.” Gerald nodded. “I’ve heard so much.”

Gabriel snorted internally. Gerald had made that sound far more pleasant than it should have been.

“Pleasure! And you are?”

“Gerald Simson. Gabriel and I struck up quite the friendship this year.”

Friendship? Gerald considered him a friend?

Nevertheless… Gabriel was glad he was here.

“Is that so?” Amelie seemed shocked.

“Oh, quite!”

Amelie plastered on one of her fake smiles. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you! Best we don’t crowd up the door for too long, though.”

The same excuse as Audrey? Really?

“Looking forward to it!” Gerald called with a large smile that faded the instant Amelie had her back turned. He swiveled to face Gabriel, bushy eyebrows so high they were about to start fighting his fluffy hair for territory. “I could see you stressing from across the room.”

“I didn’t invite them,” Gabriel forced out through gritted teeth.

“What?” Adrien squawked.

“They just showed up?” Gerald asked.

“Apparently, Félix saw fit to invite himself and his mother anyway.” Gabriel glared at his nephew’s back.

Gerald grimaced. “This is the same kid that stole your ring on the anniversary of Emilie’s disappearance?”

“The very one.”

“He what?” Adrien squawked again.

“Hmm…” Gerald narrowed his eyes. “I should talk to that kid…”

“Watch your wedding ring,” Gabriel advised.

“I’m not married, you know this.”

“Then I suggest you keep an eye on your watch.”

“Oh, no.” Gerald tapped his old watch, which Gabriel had never seen him without. “This was my grandfather’s. He touches this, and I’ll be so pissed off that Hawkmoth might come out of retirement.”

Gabriel froze, fighting to keep his expression neutral. “…You’re not funny.”

“I’m hilarious, and you know it.” Gerald wiggled his fingers in a little wave as he moved on.

“Felix stole your ring?” Adrien demanded.

Gabriel was going to have an aneurysm by the end of the day.

He sighed. “Later. Adrien, take over welcoming the guests for a moment.”

“Er, yes, Father, sure…”

“Thank you.” Gabriel stepped away, making it to the closest bathroom quickly.

He clicked the lock.

“Nooroo, Duusu,” he said lowly.

The kwamis zipped up in front of him instantly.

Normally, Gabriel wouldn’t have both of them, but he’d taken the peacock brooch for the night, given that Nathalie’s dress made it difficult to wear subtly, no matter the camouflage.

“Yes, Master?” Nooroo said.

“I have a task for you,” Gabriel said.

“A task?” Duusuu flapped her arms excitedly.

“I need you to keep an eye on my nephew.” Gabriel looked at them seriously. “If you see him doing anything suspicious, come notify me. Can you manage that?”

It felt strange to give that request. They hadn’t at all gotten along during his time as Hawkmoth, but they’d existed in each other’s presence civically enough the last year. So long as Gabriel wasn’t using him to make Akumas, Nooroo seemed happy.

Nooroo did a spin in place. “Of course, Master!”

…Such enthusiasm. Gabriel had never seen him actually excited to do anything for him before.

“…Thank you.”

Nooroo beamed momentarily, then the kwamis zipped over to faze through a wall.

Given all the weird stuff that had happened during the guest welcoming, Adrien was relieved to see the rest of the day had gone off without a hitch so far.

It was beautiful. Perfect.

All those days of his father being cold and reclusive… Those were over. Adrien had never seen him so happy. The look of sheer joy on his father’s face when he saw Nathalie for the first time that day… the adoration as they both said their vows… the pure love as the two had their first dance together…

Adrien found himself blinking back happy tears. This was everything he’d been hoping for. Maybe it had been harder for his father to accept, but Adrien had always known his mother would want them to move on and be happy.

Adrien smiled to himself as he hung near a wall, sipping on some sparkling juice. Life had improved surprisingly since the worst week of Adrien’s life last year when Hawkmoth had stolen most of the Miraculous and he’d gotten the official news of this mother’s death.

Hawkmoth’s complete disappearance right after his biggest victory was a mystery and a concern, but at least he was no longer hurting people daily. Adrien and Ladybug still patrolled Paris, but they helped with the littler problems now. The most real action they’d seen was occasionally helping heroes in other countries.

They were still on guard, though. Ladybug and Fu had agreed that Hawkmoth might be planning, and this break was so he could catch them when they didn’t expect it, but Adrien doubted that at this point. Hawkmoth didn’t have that kind of patience.

Still… Hawkmoth was hanging over them all. Adrien and Ladybug’s identities remained a secret from each other, and Fu still couldn’t be with the woman he loved either.

But at least Nathalie and his dad were able to be happy.

“I see you’re enjoying the evening.” Kagami came to stand beside him.

“Hey, Kagami!” he greeted happily. “Yes, it’s been really nice.”

He was glad they were still good friends after their mutual breakup. It could have been awkward, but it wasn’t. They’d both realized they didn’t really fit that way, but he still valued their time together.

She’d been a much-needed source of support when his father had broken the news about his mother to him. He’d been paranoid and jumpy for ages, waiting for an Akuma to descend upon him or his father in their grief. He couldn’t even warn Ladybug without compromising his identity. Kagami had been the one to calm him down from that, and he would always be grateful.

Plus, they had the rare connection of both being Miraculous holders. Not that she knew it, but still. Hers was the only Miraculous apart from his, Ladybug’s, and Fu’s that was left, and Adrien enjoyed it when they called on her.

“Nice enough that I see you haven’t felt the need to escape with me and Marinette yet.” She smirked. “I was surprised to see her here.”

“I nudged Nathalie in the direction of her parents’ bakery for some of the catering.” Adrien glanced around the room. “Where is Marinette?”

“Her parents sent her to the kitchen for a supply run.”

Adrien scowled as he noticed another absence. “…And where’s Chloe?”

There was a pause as Kagami looked around as well. Then she abruptly started stalking towards the kitchen. “I knew I shouldn’t have left my sword…”

Oh, dear.

Adrien quickly found a place to set down his drink before following her.

The forger was a pretty sharp contrast at the moment to the reception room as they slipped out and let the door close behind them. All dimmed and quiet in here–

Crash. Clatter

“Chloe!”

Annnd, there it was.

Kagami heaved an irritated sigh, and Adrien rolled his eyes.

Chloe was cackling by the time they made it through the door, and Marinette was on her hands and knees trying to clean up a shattered plate of food while Zoé was off to the side, looking distressed.

“Chloe. Seriously?” Adrien immediately moved to help Marinette.

“One would think you’d have a better understanding of acceptable behavior at social events by now.” Kagami glared.

“Oh, pu-lease.” Chloe tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Dupian-Cheng is a klutz. Don’t go blaming me.”

“Funny how her level of accidents seems to triple when you’re in proximity,” Kagami snapped in return.

Chloe scoffed dismissively.

“This isn’t funny, Chloe.” Adrien stood back up to get the kitchen trashcan and bring it closer. “You promised me you’d make an effort to stop being mean to people, but now you’re insulting my friends and making a mess at my dad’s wedding?”

“Oh, come on, Adrikins. I’m not interrupting the party. Besides, it’s just a rebound wedding anyway.”

Adrien bristled.

He probably would have dejectedly taken that comment a year ago. But a year ago, he hadn’t dated Kagami for months and spent almost every dinner with Nathalie and his father – three people he was pretty sure had never let anyone walk over them in their lives.

Adrien jabbed a finger at the door. “Get out.”

Chloe blinked. “What?”

Marinette had paused cleaning.

“I told you if you kept treating people this way, we wouldn’t be friends anymore,” he said calmly. “Get. Out.”

“B-but…” Chloe’s lip began to wobble. “Adrikins–”

Zoé stepped in finally, grabbing her sister’s arm. “You heard him, Chloe. Let’s go.” She gave Adrien a nod as she tugged Chloe out the door.

The fact that Chloe didn’t even try to fight her was a testament to how much Adrien must have shocked her.

Adrien sighed, his shoulders slumping. He really wished it hadn’t come to that.

“I applaud you,” Kagami said after a moment, her face completely straight.

Adrien knew that was a high compliment. She was genuinely proud of him. He just wished he could feel good about it.

Adrien crouched back down to the floor. “You okay, Marinette?”

“Yes!” she squeaked. “Thank Chloe– I mean, thank you for dealing with Chloe!”

“It’s been… a long time coming,” he admitted.

Kagami joined them in cleaning up, and they finished fairly quickly.

“We best tell Marinette’s parents what’s delayed her,” Kagami pointed out.

“I’ll take care of that while you get the replacements ready?” Adrien offered.

Marinette nodded her head ferociously.”That would be thankful, help! I mean, helpful, thanks!”

Adrien chuckled, exiting the kitchen to head back–

Adrien sucked in a sharp breath as he saw the tail end of a figure disappear into his father’s atelier.

…Nobody should have been in there.

“Félix…” he muttered.

“Oh, nooooo!”

“Shhhh!” Nooroo hushed Duusu as they ducked through the ceiling into a vacant room.

“He’s snooping! Bad child is snooping! We have to warn Mr. Gabriel!”

“But how can we?” Nooroo wondered. “There’s so many people!”

“Let’s look!” Duusu zipped away, and Nooroo followed her until they were poking their heads though the ceiling of the party room.

Not good. Not good at all.

All kinds of people surrounded his master and Miss Nathalie.

“Oh, dearie dear…” Duusu whined.

How could they warn them like this?

Wait!

“Duusu!” Nooroo pointed. “We can get his attention!”

Duusu blinked. “But… who is he?”

“Trust me! Wait outside!” Nooroo flew off alone this time, navigating through the walls until he was behind his target. He popped out of the wall, tapping the man’s shoulder. “Mr. Gerald!”

Gerald flinched hard, spilling some of his drink as he twisted around. “Nooroo, what–”

“Come outside!” was all Nooroo said before he went back into the wall.

He and Duusu hovered briefly before Gerald slid out into the foyer with a confused look. “Can I help you, Nooroo? And… Duusu, I presume?”

“Master asked us to tell him if the fake Adrien started causing trouble, but we can’t get to him or Miss Nathalie!” Nooroo explained.

“Fake Adr– you mean Félix?”

Nooroo nodded. “He snuck into Master’s work area!”

Gerald sighed. “All right, all right. I’ll let him know–“

The sound of another door had Nooroo and Duusu swiftly moving to cover along with Gerald as he ducked behind the stairs.

Adrien and two other humans about his size also entered the master’s work area.

Gerald sighed again. “Oh, this doesn’t bode well…”

“What do you think he’s up to?” Marinette asked as they snuck out of the kitchen.

“I hope nothing, but given that he invited himself here, whatever he’s doing was probably part of a plan.” Adrien moved swiftly towards the atelier, staying low. Maybe it wasn’t needed, but his Chat Noir reflexes tended to kick in whenever adrenaline did.

“He invited himself?” Kagami asked with disdain.

“Yeah, among other things…” Along with apparently stealing his dad’s wedding ring. Adrien had a lot of questions for his cousin. They’d been so close, but Adrien did not like this trend. Last time Félix had visited, there was that whole deal with him insulting Adrien’s friends and trying to make a deal with Hawkmoth, and now all this…

Adrien reached the atelier and pulled the handle.

It felt so wrong, sneaking in here. Even now. His father may not have been as guarded anymore, but this was still the room Adrien knew not to disturb him in.

The lights were off in the atelier, and Adrien sorely missed his Chat Noir night vision as he squinted in.

“I knew it,” came a hiss of triumph.

There was Félix – by the painting of Adrien’s mother. Except it was open right now. Because Félix had apparently broken into his father’s safe there.

This was so over the line.

“Félix.” Adrien did away with stealth, walking forward with the girls behind him. “What are you doing?”

Félix flinched, spinning around to reveal some sort of… monocle or something on his face.

“Hello, Cousin.” It was clear they’d surprised him, but his expression quickly shifted into something more composed. “Get bored at the party?”

Adrien wasn’t playing this game. “Why are you trying to steal from my dad?”

“Who said anything about stealing? I’m merely testing a theory.”

“You literally just broke into his safe,” Marinette pointed out.

“Rather incriminating evidence regarding to you being a thief,” Kagami said.

“And you’ll all thank me for it if I’m right. Which is seeming quite likely.” Félix reached into the safe, removing a book that Adrien recognized. “Do you know what this is, Cousin?”

“It’s a book about the Miraculous.” Adrien crossed his arms. “What about it?”

Félix tilted his head. “You don’t think it’s odd your father has this? That he’s so protective of it?”

“No.” Adrien stalked up to his cousin and snagged the book. “It was the last gift Mom ever gave him. Unless you’re Ladybug, leave it alone.” He shoved the book back in the safe and closed it. “Why do you keep acting like this?”

“Like what?” Félix spread his arms with a smirk.

“Like an ill-prepared criminal, I’d say,” Kagami said dryly.

“I’m serious, Félix.” Adrien put the portrait of his mother back in its proper place. “Why are you doing this?”

But Félix wasn’t even looking at him. He was frowning at the portrait.

“What’s this?” Félix adjusted his monocle-thing, sliding around Adrien to run his hands over the portrait.

“What’s what?” Adrien really didn’t want him to damage the portrait. That was one of the last things he had of his mother. “Félix– ack!”

“Adrien!” Marinette called out as the floor dropped beneath him and Félix.

Félix obviously hadn’t been expecting it either, and he wobbled, clinging to Adrien as they ended up… in a tubed elevator?

They had an elevator in the house?

“Ow, my foot!” Adrien managed to shift away from his cousin, pressing his back to the elevator wall.

…What in the world?

Adrien could feel his eyes straining with how wide they were as he took in the massive cavern outside the elevator’s glass wall.

His father had… a secret garden beneath the house… with a secret entrance hidden in his mom’s portrait.

Why?

The elevator came to a stop softly, the tube sliding open.

Félix stepped outside first, smirking. “Ready to hear me out now?”

Weddings, more often than not, were terribly stressful. So much to arrange, so many things that needed to go right…

But that kind of stress had nothing on Nathalie’s everyday stress of being a supervillain’s secretary last year. Compared to that, anything that had happened or could happen today was barely an inconvenience.

Nathalie was pleased to say her happiness to stress levels was well within reason.

This was the happiest day of her life, she thought as Gabriel escorted her off the dance floor and over to the refreshments.

Of course, it couldn’t be ignored that Gabriel had been through another wedding before, so she wouldn’t dare presume to make that claim about him. Emilie had been his world, and Nathalie knew he would always love her. But she could at least say this was the happiest she’d seen him in years, and that was more than enough for her.

Gone was the stone exterior that he’d thrown up while in mourning. Any time he touched her, that touch lingered. He looked at her with nothing but sheer fondness – the way she’d always longed for.

Gabriel only released her hand to pluck a drink off the refreshment table and offer it to her.

“Thank you.” She kept her voice steady, despite being somewhat out of breath after their dance.

“This isn’t too much for you, is it?” Gabriel asked seriously.

“No, no!” She’d stopped using her broken Miraculous just in time. Any longer, and her condition likely would have been beyond help, but now she was still on that slow road to recovery. “I’m fine.”

“If you need to rest or turn in early–”

“Gabriel.” She placed a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll let you know.”

It wasn’t so bad anymore. She could deal with some exhaustion and the occasional flare of pain from her spine.

Gabriel nodded with a smile.

“Excuse me, pardon me, move, g-g-go!”

Nathalie turned, confused as some older Scottish man made a b-line for her and Gabriel without much care for the other guests.

He plastered a grin on as he reached them, clapping his hands together. “Hello.”

Nathalie arched a brow. “Do we know you?”

Gabriel placed a hand on her shoulder, stepping closer behind her. “It’s Gerald.”

Oh.

They’d sent the invitation, but she hadn’t realized he’d actually come.

“Pleasure to meet you.” Nathalie relaxed.

“Likewise, and I’d love to chit chat a tad, but, ah, I’m afraid we’ve got a bit of a situation.” Gerald lifted an arm… to show Nooroo peaking out of his sleeve.

Gabriel made a growling noise under his breath. “What has the little menace done?”

Nathalie shot him a look. That was harsh. As far as she knew, he and Nooroo had been getting along–

“Snuck into your office, evidently. Annnd your son and his friends followed.” Gerald’s forced grin was still plastered.

Gabriel swore, setting his drink down and swiftly heading for the door to the foyer.

…Nathalie hoped she was right about those stress levels.

Adrien could feel his mouth drying out with how long he’d been gawking.

His father had… an entire underground garden facility.

Why? Had this always been here?

Adrien’s feet carried him forward without him really even thinking about it. There was a long, suspended walkway ahead of them, ending in a massive circular platform that was filled with greenery.

Félix laughed. “Clever, hiding the entrance like that.”

Adrien was about to say something, but that was when the elevator left without them.

“Oh, no!” Adrien rushed back. There had to be controls down here. No way his father would have left this place with a design that could strand and starve him.

“Aren’t you curious?” Félix caught up with him casually.

“I’m curious how we going to get out of here.”

“Relax. It’s probably just your fangirls.”

“Kagami and Marinette are not–“

“Sure they aren’t.”

Adrien resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Félix was right, though. Not about the fangirl thing, but the lift – it came straight back down with girls on it.

Kagami was visibly surprised, but Marinette looked more like an owl at the moment than Mr. Damocles ever had.

A moment of silence followed as the two of them stepped out of the lift.

“…This was unexpected,” Kagami said.

“This is as big as the house!” Marinette turned in a full circle. “And you have a really big house!”

“Your father is no ordinary man, Cousin.” Félix started down the walkway. “Why don’t we see what else he’s hiding?”

“Why don’t you talk to him instead of snooping?” Adrien asked, growing frustrated. Frustrated at Félix. Frustrated at his father.

Things had been so good lately. Why didn’t his father ever tell him about this? What even was… this?

Whatever it was, it was something that could definitely wait until after tonight. But Félix seemed pretty dead set on pushing forward.

Félix scoffed. “You’re more naive than I thought if you actually think he’d talk about any of his secrets.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want to you.” Adrien and the girls jogged to catch up with Félix.

“So he mentioned this to you?” Félix said snidely. “Adrien, you should have told me. I wouldn’t have gone to all this effort.”

Adrien gritted his teeth. “Did you really steal his wedding ring on the anniversary of my mom going missing?”

“He did what?” Marinette demanded.

“Is it stealing if belongs to your family in the first place?” Félix returned cooly.

Adrien gaped. He’d really been hoping there was something he’d missed about the situation, but it was just like his father had implied. “Mom was passing them through her side of the family! She wasn’t even confirmed dead yet, and you took it from my father on that day of all days?”

“Inappropriate timing seems to be his specialty,” Kagami noted.

Adrien was beginning to feel the same anger as he had with Chloe.

Why were people he used to be close to so set on trying to ruin what should have been the happiest day his family had been able to have in years?

Chloe messing with Marinette was one thing – that happened frequently. But Félix…

They were still family. Why was he doing this?

“It’s the perfect time.” Félix adjusted the monocle thing on his eye. “What else would keep Uncle occupied for so long?”

But… why? “Is this about the other ring? Are you trying to take the second one now too?”

“Oh, I’m after much more than that this time.” Félix feet hit the edge of the green, and he started looking around, likely trying to find something with his monocle.

Adrien stalked forward, standing in front of him. “And if I don’t let you take whatever it is?”

Félix reached up to take the monocle from his eye. “You? Actually standing up for yourself? That’ll be the day.”  

“Knock it off, Félix!” Adrien snapped. “I am so tired of people treating me like a pushover! My compassion – my willingness to forgive people and see the better in them – is not weakness. It’s me choosing to be kind.”

Marinette made some sort of sighing noise, a hand over her heart. Adrien spared only a moment to wonder what that was about before Félix had his attention again.

“Is that what you tell yourself when you let your father walk all over you?”

Adrien wanted to scream. “My family – especially my dad – has been through hell the last couple of years. I gave him time, and now we’re closer than we ever were.”

“Then why didn’t he tell you about this?” Félix flipped his monocle over his fingers like a coin.

“We don’t even know what this is!” Adrien slapped the monocle, sending it flying into the greenery–

“Ow!”

Four heads snapped around.

Silence.

“…Did that plant just talk?” Marinette whispered.  

“They heard you!”

“Shh!”

Félix wasted no time in snagging a loose stick off the ground and sending flying into the same spot.

“Ah!”

Too small blurs of orange darted out of the greenery.

“I told you not to get so close, Trixx!” said the being that looked like a very small floating dog.

Adrien sucked in a sharp breath.

He was no guardian. He didn’t give out Miraculous like Ladybug had. But he damn well knew a kwami when he saw one.

There was no one in the atelier.

Somehow, that did not make Nathalie feel better. It just felt even more foreboding.

Gabriel turned his heel to face Gerald, spreading his arms in a gesture to the room as a silent question.

Gerald shrugged. “They definitely went in here.”

Nathalie’s bad feeling about this was definitely growing. “Duusu.”

“Yes, Miss Nathalie?” Duusu zipped up to her, as eager as ever to please. Sometimes Nathalie wondered if Duusu ever would have complained about working for her had Nooroo not been there to remind her what side they were supposed to be on.

But that didn’t matter now. Nathalie hadn’t had an “evil” use for her kwami in a long time. She was more of… pocket friend than anything else.

“Can you check the other levels for us?” Nathalie asked.

“Of course!” Duusu dove through the floor immediately.

“I’ll check above!” Nooroo was gone just as quickly.

“Surely they couldn’t have?” Gabriel didn’t take long to catch on to Nathalie’s thinking.

“I hope not,” Nathalie muttered, walking over to Emilie’s portrait. “But where else could they have gone?”

“How could they have found the triggers?” Gabriel quickened his pace to beat her there, looking over the portrait himself.

Nooroo appeared back at Gabriel’s shoulder. “Nothing above–”

“Miss Nathalie!” Duusu screamed as she popped back out of the floor. “They’re there!”

Gabriel swore. “All of them? Have they seen anything?”

Duusu shook her head frantically. “Not sure! I came back as soon as I saw them!”

“We have to get them out of there!” Nathalie stepped back. “Go! I’ll follow!” The platform wasn’t big enough for three people, and he’d be the fastest at getting to them.

Gabriel gave a sharp nod, fishing the peacock Miraculous out from under his tie and tossing it to her before jamming his fingers jamming into the triggers. “Nooroo, with me!”

Nathalie’s pulse screamed in her ears. They had to get there on time. They’d worked too hard. Gabriel had worked too hard for–

A gentle hand fell on Nathalie’s shoulder, and she glanced back to Gerald offering her a kind smile.

“It’ll be all right,” he said warmly. “Whatever happens will get sorted out.”

She forced a smile back.

She hoped he was right.

Adrien was close to hyperventilating. He wanted to scream. He wanted to throw up.

He wanted to wake up.

This couldn’t be happening.

He wanted to think of some other explanation – to believe any other reason than the one his mind was going to.

But he wasn’t stupid, and it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.

His father was…

Adrien pressed a hand to his mouth.

No… This couldn’t…

“Kwamis.” Kagami was the first of them to react out loud. She stepped up to the floating creatures. “You are kwamis, yes?”

The fox and dog kwamis blinked at her.

The dog’s ears perked up. “Hi! Yes, we are! I’m Barrk!”

“Barrk,” the fox chided

“What? She already knows what we are!”

Of course. They didn’t recognize Kagami. They wouldn’t know another kwami’s holder. They wouldn’t even know Adrien was Chat Noir.

“Oh, how sweet they are!” Marinette looked oddly frantic. “Are you the only ones here?”

The kwamis’ attention seemed to go solely to her.

“Nope!” the fox said.

“We’re here too!” came from another part of the greenery, and then…

All of them. All the kwamis that had been taken. There they were, swarming and zipping around Marinette while laughing as though they were all old friends with her. She looked close to tears of joy.

Adrien could not relate to the joy part of that, but the tears… they were already running.

“Look at you all!” Marinette had a couple of the kwamis nuzzling her face now. “But where are your Miraculous?”

“They’re jusssssssst over here!” A snake-like kwami and couple of others flew away momentarily, and then they returned… carrying the Miracle box.

…Wow, they were so desperate to get away from Hawkmoth that they were just handing the box over to Marinette?

Probably better her than him, to be honest. She hadn’t been living with a supervillain for years without realizing it.

“Still think your father talks to you?” Félix asked dryly.

“Shut up, Félix!” Adrien snapped at him, more tears falling free.

It wasn’t even just kwamis flying around. There were butterflies now too. As if they needed any more evidence…

Marinette’s jovial disposition fell the second she laid eyes on him. “Oh… Adrien, I am so sorry…”

And that was when he heard the footsteps behind him.

Adrien forced himself to turn around, his stomach sinking even further as his father skidded to a stop just before his feet hit the grass.

The kwami’s chatter ceased.

Kagami and Marinette both looked ready for a fight.

“Adrien…” his father said breathlessly as he did a quick glance over the scene before him. His expression dropped into one of pure dread. Then he turned a glare that looked like it could kill on Félix. “Damn you…”

“Hawkmoth…” The words fell out of Adrien’s mouth no matter how much he didn’t want to believe them. “You’re Hawkmoth…”

“No,” his father said sharply. “I was Hawkmoth. I stopped, Adrien. And I have tried so very hard to put all of that behind me in the last year.”

The last…

Oh, all the puzzle pieces were clicking together horribly well.

His father had been so cold – so absent – not because he’d buried himself in work after Adrien’s mother had gone missing, but because he’d been hiding away Akumatizing people.

All the canceled plans… all the times he just wasn’t available…

And how everything changed. His father had suddenly been back in full force, making every event and keeping every promise… starting right after the last time Hawkmoth had been seen.  

How had he missed all those clues?

“Why did you start in the first place?” Adrien demanded. “Terrorizing the city? Manipulating people at their weakest points?” Killing me time and time again… “What could you have possibly–”

“I was trying to bring your mother back to us.”

Adrien’s words died in his throat.

“…That was your wish?” Marinette said softly.

That wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Hawkmoth’s wish was supposed to be evil – something they would have given everything to stop.

But it made sense. What else would his father want that couldn’t be obtained through money or power? What had he treasured above all else?

But that still left Adrien with so many questions.

His father surprisingly answered Marinette with a soft nod, but Adrien could tell his attention was still on him as he spoke again. “Emilie was… never missing. The used of a broken Miraculous stole her life. The wish was the only way to bring her back.”

His mother had been a holder? And that had been what was wrong with her?

“Yet you stopped when you held such an advantage?” Kagami inquired.

His father took a slow breath. “I had thought I’d be willing to go to any lengths, but… the price had become too steep.”

“Mayura!” Marinette gasped suddenly. “She was always in terrible condition. I mean! She always looked that way in the news footage. Alya had some… theories…”

Marinette trailed off as more footsteps approached them. Two sets.

Nathalie and that Gerald guy had been close behind Adrien’s father, apparently.

Adrien felt another wave of nausea roll over him as Nathalie stepped into place by his father.

“Gabriel?” she slid a hand up to grasp his father’s shoulder. She scowled at the kwamis. “You couldn’t have stayed hidden?”

“We tried,” the fox kwami muttered.

“Oh deeeeearr.” A peacock-themed kwami was hovering by Nathalie.

Because, of course. Who else could have been Mayura? And her health… well, there was another clue Adrien should have caught onto long ago.

His father. Nathalie. His mother. Him. All of them were holders… And their house was a house of lies.

“So, let me get this straight.” Marinette clapped her hands together, her nose scrunched in concentration. “The first Mrs. Agreste died because she used a broken Miraculous. And… that was also why Mayura was always in bad shape.”

Sometimes Adrien forgot how smart Marinette was.

Wait…

“You had Nathalie using it after it killed Mom?” Adrien exploded.

“No!” Nathalie protested firmly. “It was my decision, Adrien. He tried to stop me. …He did stop me. That was why he called things off mid-plan during the last battle we had.”

“Yet you’re still wearing it,” Félix commented.

Adrien had almost forgotten that his cousin was present, and he was surprised to find that he moved. He was just… casually crouched by the Miracle Box with Barrk perched on his shoulder.

And Félix was right. Again.

Nathalie did have a brooch on her hip now that was almost certainly the peacock Miraculous.

“Nathalie!” Adrien said, aghast. Her health had seemed much better the last few months, but it had been bad for a while. Why was she even risking that?

“It’s fixed now, and I’m not using it.” She held her free hand up.

The peacock kwami settled onto her palm. “I like Miss Nathalie! I wanted to stay with her.”

“What about the rest of the kwamis?” Marinette demanded. “You just kept them here for over a year?”

“They knew our identities,” Adrien’s father said tiredly. “Ladybug may carry an unnatural amount of kindness, but I do doubt she’d have just let all matters slide had I returned them.”

“So you just tried to bury everything,” Adrien said hollowly.

“Yes.” His father’s eyes dropped. “Letting your mother go was the hardest decision of my life. But I have done my best to move on now. For all our sakes.”

“You really have made remarkable progress since we first met,” Gerald spoke up for the first time.

Kagami tilted her head. “And what connection do you have to all of this?”

Adrien was very much wondering the same thing. Who was this random guy he’d never seen before tonight, and why did he seem to know almost as much as Nathalie? He didn’t look surprised by any of the things happening. He must have been some ally his father had when he was Hawkmoth….

“I’ll raise you a better question.” Gerald maneuvered around Nathalie and Adrien’s father, his hands in his pockets as he walked up to Félix. “What does this one have to gain from all this? How did you even know Gabriel was Hawkmoth?”

Félix toyed with the collar of his formal clothes. “Uncle used to cause quite a splash in the press whenever he stepped outside the house. One ill-timed photo revealing the brooch under his tie was all I needed.”

“You figured it out from that?” Gerald scoffed. “Bit of a stretch, don’t you think? Also, don’t think I haven’t realized that you dodged my first question.”

“I have my motives.” Félix stood from his crouch. “Now, Uncle, you appear to be in quite the situation here. I can’t speak for the others, but I might be willing to stay quiet about your alternate life.”

“What do you want, Félix?” Adrien’s father snapped. “The other ring?”

“No. I…” Félix pointed at Nathalie, “Want the peacock Miraculous.”  

“What?” Nathalie protested.

“I don’t want to go with you!” Duusu sank further into Nathalie’s hand.

“The last thing Paris needs is a new supervillain!” Marinette looked ready for a fight again as she sank into a stance that was… oddly familiar.

“Then I suppose it’s a good thing I don’t live in Paris,” Félix snarked back.

“Out of the question,” Adrien’s father said.

“Shame.” Félix clicked his tongue. “I guess we’ll do this the hard way, then.”

Oh, Adrien did not like the sounds of that. “Félix–”

“Barrk, on the hunt!”

Oh, hell–

Félix sprang into the air before the light had even fully faded from his transformation, landing clear on the other side of Nathalie and whipping his hand around in one smooth motion.

“Watch out for the ball!” Marinette tried to warn, but it was too late.  

The ball – apparently the weapon of the dog Miraculous – struck the peacock Miraculous on Nathalie’s hip.

The ball bounced back into Félix’s hand. “Fetch!”

“Miss Nathalie–”

“Duusu!”

The peacock kwami vanished from Nathalie’s hand as Félix laughed, taking off towards the elevator.

“Nooroo, dark wings rise!”

And there went Hawkmoth himself, tearing after Félix.

“Ohhhh, this all escalated very quickly.” Gerald rubbed his neck.

Nathalie was going to end that child.

…Assuming Gabriel didn’t get to him first.

“Are they just going to galavant through the house and out the main door?” Gerald wildly gestured after them.

“They don’t have much of a choice.” Nathalie hiked up her dress, moving over to the Miracle Box. “Félix has no other means of escape, and Gabriel can’t let him get away. They’d both better hope everyone is still in the reception room.”

Félix would have been better off stealing the horse Miraculous, but that would have been a lot harder to hide than slipping the dog choker under his collar.

He’d taken advantage of their family squabble – secured his prize while they were all focused on Gabriel’s secrets coming to light.

“What are you doing?” Marinette asked, decently hostile with her tone.

“Ending this as quickly and quietly as possible. I don’t know what Félix wants those Miraculous for, but I doubt it’s anything good.” Nathalie bent down well as she could, yanking open a couple of drawers of the Miracle Box. She knew what she needed.

No matter how much she wanted to snag the tiger Miraculous and knock the obnoxious teen across the city, that wasn’t the best course of action if they didn’t want the whole city alerted.

Nathalie pulled out the horse and bee accessories, swiveling to face the only other adult left in the room as she fully stood up.

“Gerald…” She held up the horse Miraculous.

“No,” Gerald said kindly, yet firmly. “I am terribly sorry, Mrs. Agreste. I’ve helped Gabriel in every way I can, but I don’t think my legal protection goes quite that far.”

“I understand.” Nathalie exchanged the glasses with her own, then slid the bee comb into her hair as well.

Gabriel was going to have a fit when he realized she’d done this, but she didn’t have a choice. Ending up in prison was not an acceptable alternative.

Despite time being so essential, Nathalie hesitated, looking at Adrien. “I… we’ll discuss this all later, Adrien, I promise.”

Adrien’s tears had stopped at this point. Now he just looked mad. And disappointed. “I’m coming with you.”

Absolutely not. “Adrien, no.”

Adrien’s stare was cold. “This involves us all as a family.”

Still no. “I’m not going to put you in that kind of danger!”

“Oh, thanks for that,” Gerald muttered.

“You’re not a child,” Nathalie dismissed.

Adrien kept staring at her for a long moment. Then a high-pitched, borderline hysterical laugh exploded out of his mouth, so suddenly that it startled her.

“…Adrien?” Nathalie said, bewildered.

“Put me in danger.” Adrien’s shoulders kept shaking with his giggles. “Put me in danger.”

Marinette and Kagami shared a concerned look.

“Adrien,” Kagami said. “Your mental state is starting to concern–“

“I think we’re a little past that at this point, Nathalie! Plagg, claws out!”

Dread washed over Nathalie like a bucket of ice water.

She’d had those vivid green cat eyes staring her down before, but knowing that behind that magical disguise was–

“Adrien?” Marinette shrieked.

“Oh, shit,” Gerald said.

Kagami just stared.

Several of the kwamis also let out various squeaks of surprise.

Chat Noir wasn’t paying much attention to the others. He was still staring Nathalie down. “I’m pretty adjusted to you and Dad putting me in danger.”

Nathalie felt like she’d been slapped in the face. “You–”

“Will you please open the portal, or am I going to have to run after them?”

Nathalie swallowed. He was right. They were in a time crunch.

She swallowed. “Kaalki… Pollen… dual metamorphosis.”

The transformation that swept over her looked very different from what she was used to. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, and she could see enough strands out of the corner of her eye to tell her that it had turned mostly black with her usual red streak replaced by yellow. She gave a brief glance down. Ankle-high, yellow-heeled boots with black laces and wasp wings sticking out from the sides… a tight-fitted black suit with a texture close to leather in appearance… a slight overlay of yellow atop the suit’s sleeves in streaks that resembled the pattern of insect wings…

Not bad.

“Voyage!” Nathalie shot her fist out, planting the portal close to them.

Chat Noir darted through the portal quickly.

Nathalie followed behind him, closing it as soon as her feet hit the mansion’s rooftop. “They couldn’t have gotten too far. Maybe we can see which way they went–”

“Done,” Chat deadpanned. “Unless I missed a weather report for tonight.”

…Well. It didn’t seem as though Félix had needed a lot of time to start putting his abilities to use.

There was some sort of red orb in the sky – one that was sending out red spotlights like some kind of light show.

Sentimoster. Most definitely.

Nathalie shot another portal that put them on the street, hidden from the orb.

Where was Félix? Where was Gabriel?

“Guh,” Chat grumbled. “It is so not fair you get to use your power as many times as you want.”

Nathalie flattened herself against a wall, scooting along it until she could peer around the corner of the building. “It’s not unlimited. I may not have to stop and feed my kwamis, but they’re still drawing energy from me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know how it works– wait. Nathalie, are you going to be okay with that?”

“It’s only one battle,” Nathalie dismissed.

She squinted as one of the spotlights from the orb moved across the ground. It swept over some screaming civilians, but they seemed unharmed.

…Why did that make Nathalie more wary? If it wasn’t lighting people on fire or something, what was it doing?

“I don’t like this,” Chat muttered.

“Agreed–”

Nathalie was cut off as someone definitely in possession of the peacock Miraculous landed on the street.

“Run, everyone! Hawkmoth has returned!”

…That little wretch. Nathalie supposed he’d dropped his use of the dog Miraculous for the moment and moved on to his other stolen prize.

Nathalie made a noise of disgust as Félix’s transformed state ever so graciously shooed the civilians to safety while Hawkmoth leaped from one of the nearby rooftops and landed nearby.

“Run for your lives!” Félix’s tone was laced with amusement.

Hawkmoth’s expression clearly told that he did not share that amusement. “Last chance,” he growled, cane in hand. “Return what you stole.”

Félix smirked. “Or what? You’ve never been able to beat someone my age before, and I doubt you’ll break that streak of losses now.” He flicked his fan, and the red orb in the sky rotated, one of the spotlights sweeping toward Hawkmoth.

Hawkmoth dodged at the last second.

“I’ll distract Félix – then you can get the drop on him.” Chat Noir darted out from their cover, sending his staff sailing. “Hey, Feather Face!”

The staff struck Félix’s outstretched hand, knocking the fan from his grip and sending it skidding across the ground.

Félix hissed, glaring at Chat as he easily caught his rebounded staff.

Hawkmoth swore, regarding the two of them warily as he kept his weapon ready.

…He had no idea Adrien was there to help him.

Chat clicked his tongue. “You know, Mayura’s costume is much cooler. She can rock that whole blue skin, magenta-eyed look. You? Not so much. And what is that hair color?”

Félix scowled. “Why are you attacking me? He’s your enemy! You don’t even know me!”

“I know you’re the one with the red death orb in the sky!” Chat shot back.

Nathalie crouched, ready to spring. It would be useful if Chat got Félix to disclose some details about that Sentimonster before she paralyzed him. For all they knew, it might go on a killing spree or self-destruct.

“Who said it’s a death orb?” Félix challenged.

Hawkmoth scoffed. “You just vaporized six people for fun while you were testing it out!”

Félix shrugged. “Well, you interrupted me while I was making it and I didn’t get to properly bring it to life! I had to make sure it was still partially operational.”

“Partially? What was the full version?” Hawkmoth demanded.

“Let’s just say you wouldn’t have been able to dodge quite so easily.” Félix raised his hand, gesturing at them.

Immediately, the orb swept several of its rays at the two of them. Neither Hawkmoth nor Chat Noir had much trouble evading the attack, but Félix used the opportunity to reach for his fan.

Now.

Nathalie shot another portal. “Venom!”

She was just behind Félix, his back exposed. An easy target–

Nathalie’s vision blurred, pain tearing through her entire system.

Dammit.

Nathalie’s knees hit the ground as coughs wracked her form.

She hadn’t expected this so quickly…

“Well played,” Félix said coolly, his fan back in hand. “But not well enough–”

Félix jumped back to avoid both Chat’s staff and Hawkmoth’s cane, which had been launched at his head.

“Get away from her,” Hawkmoth snarled, summoning his cane back to him.

“Or what–”

Félix’s snide reply died when Hawkmoth flicked the top of his cane up with his thumb and unsheathed a sword from it.

“What the–” Chat yelped.

Félix retreated, jumping to the rooftops before his uncle got too close to him.

Hawkmoth didn’t follow him as the boy’s coattails disappeared out of sight. Instead, he dropped to one knee at Nathalie’s side. “Oh, Mayura, what were you thinking?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Nathalie wheezed. “You said he was killing people?”

Hawkmoth’s mouth pressed into a firm line. “I’m not certain if they’re dead, just that whatever gets caught in those rays will disappear with a snap of his fingers.”

Great.

“We’ll handle this, Nathalie. You should go home.” Chat Noir’s concern was obvious even though he seemed to be focused on texting via his staff.

Hawkmoth looked at him sharply. “You know her–”

“Yep.” Chat Noir didn’t look up.

Nathalie’s heart sank a little further. Adrien was avoiding looking his father in the eye after discovering the truth.

“Also, since when do you have a sword?” Chat’s staff dropped back to his side.

“…Since always,” Hawkmoth rubbed circles on Nathalie’s back idly. “He’s right, Nathalie. You shouldn’t be here.”

Nathalie forced herself to her feet. “You can worry about me after this is over.”

If Hawkmoth thought the start of this day was stressful, it had nothing on now.

The direction they were chasing Félix was putting them right under the orb. All the easier for it to hit them.

“Where’s the Amok?” Chat Noir flipped out of the way of another spotlight. “Did you see?”

“In the dog Miraculous.” Hawkmoth skidded to a stop at the edge of the roof alongside Nathalie, taking in their new arena. “I doubt he was counting on facing you alongside us.”

If Chat Noir wasn’t here, there would have been a major problem.

“Lucky you,” Chat said dryly, stopping beside them.

Félix was waiting for them below, perched atop a fountain in the square. Directly beneath his creation.

“It would be safest if I could paralyze him first,” Nathalie said.

Hawkmoth grunted. “I wouldn’t mind if Chat Noir’s aim missed a bit.”

Nathalie swatted his arm.

“Oh, don’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same,” Hawkmoth shot back.

“Nathalie’s right. Paralyzing him is our best bet. We’ll keep him distracted!” Chat propelled himself off the roof before anyone could argue with his plan. “Hey, Grass Hair!”

Hawkmoth sighed, following suit with his sword in one hand and the rest of his cane in the other.

“You’re all no match for Red Moon!” Félix gestured sharply with his fan. “Barrk, Duusu, unify!”

Hawkmoth grimaced. He admitted, some of his Akumatized victims had turned out bad – their fault, not his – but never this bad. What a disgusting color combination–

Despite nearly being blinded, Hawkmoth still managed to twist to avoid the beam that was headed for him. Only this time, it was very quick to change directions and come right back at him.

That was why Félix had waited for them here – it was easier for him to direct his attacks when he was with the source and had them all in view.

This could be difficult.

Nathalie was making her approach, but they weren’t exactly covering her. They’d lessened the amount of spotlights chasing her, but there were still plenty for her to dodge. It worried him. One stumble brought about by her condition…

Hawkmoth couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t… he wouldn’t survive going through something like that again. Especially not if Adrien hated him now–

Dammit.

Hawkmoth barely dodged the next sweeping light. He needed to focus. Get out of his head and take care of the problem.

Félix backflipped off the fountain as Nathalie leaped at him, all the spotlights converging on her at once.

“Watch out!” Chat Noir cried.

The chances of her dodging all of those–

But she didn’t have to. A cord wrapped around Nathalie, yanking her to safety.

Ladybug landed in a crouch beside Chat, her yo-yo already zipping back to her hand.

Hawkmoth was dismayed to realize he was actually happy to see her.

“M’lady!” Chat chirped. “You got my message!”

“MessagegotIdidyeah.” Ladybug shook her head. “I mean! Yes! Still having trouble believing it though.”

Félix growled in frustration. “Both of you would take their sides over mine?”

“They were retired,” Chat said. “Once again, you are vaporizing people in the present!”

“Vaporizing?” Ladybug demanded.

“Stay out of the lights!” Hawkmoth advised.

Ladybug gave him a nod. “Where’s the Amok? The stolen ring?”

“No!” Hawkmoth snapped quickly.

Wait, how did she even know about–

“In the dog Miraculous,” Chat Noir corrected. “My kind of job.”

“You’ll have to get to it first!” Félix snarled. “I have no quarrel with you two, but I won’t let you stand in my way!”

Félix went full offensive. His fan flew. The lights rushed. He even threw the ball of the dog.

…Except the ball was wildly apart from everything else, bouncing off the wall of a nearby building–

“Ladybug!” Hawkmoth warned.

The trajectory – it was headed straight for her yo-yo.

“M’lady!”

Except, like always, Chat Noir was there to take the hits she couldn’t dodge. A tale as old as their battles.

Only this time, it hindered more than helped. In his attempt to shield her, Chat Noir had made one very grave error.

Too late, he realized his mistake. Hawkmoth could see the horror dawning in his widening eyes as the ball bounced off his Miraculous and ricocheted back to its owner.

“Fetch!”

The ring disappeared from Chat Noir’s hand in a blink, reappearing in Félix’s grip instead.

Green light flashed over Chat Noir’s form, and in his place stood–

…This was it. This was the worst day of Hawkmoth’s life.

What the hell were the odds? Out of every teenaged boy in Paris–

“Adrien?” Félix blanched.

Ladybug shoved Adrien behind her protectively.

Félix broke into an outright cackle. “Seriously? It was the both of you all along? I knew you had family issues, but I didn’t know it ran this deep. Credit to you, Cousin, I never suspected a thing!”

Neither had Gabriel. Apart from that one time he’d been “proven” mistaken.

Adrien glared.

“Stay behind me, Adrien!” Ladybug said.

…She didn’t seem surprised by this development. And neither did Nathalie.

Adrien blinked. “Wait, you knew? How long–”

“Talk later! Adrien!” Nathalie snagged the glasses off of her face and sent them sailing in one smooth motion.

Even out of his suit, Adrien caught the glasses easily, jamming them onto his face. “Kaalki, full gallop!”

Nathalie didn’t waste a second. She was gunning it for Félix.

Hawkmoth followed her.

At least Félix was limited by his age, but Hawkmoth still didn’t like the idea of him having even one Cataclysm to use.

…Adrien had shown how effective that could be.

Felix dodged away from Nathalie and Hawkmoth both, stalling them with as many beams as he could. But he hadn’t accounted for Adrien’s new weapon.

Hawkmoth had almost forgotten about that one as well, and he found himself startled as a horseshoe flew by his head, knocking the cat Miraculous from Félix’s grip.

Nathalie dove after the ring as is it clinked across the ground before securing it on her own finger. “Pollen, Plagg unify!”

Félix jumped into an air attack.

“Cataclysm–“

No.

Hawkmoth could see her form trembling.

Another Miraculous power so soon…

Her focus had wavered just enough for Félix to get the upper hand by landing atop Nathalie and knocking her to the ground

“Nathalie!”

Her palm struck the pavement.

Instantly, cracks shot across the ground, following the shapes of the stones around the whole area. Adrien and Hawkmoth both leaped to the fountain while Ladybug zipped to the top of a light post.

Good. None of them were dead–

Ladybug yelped as the light post tipped over – its base sinking into the ground as the pavement beneath it had been eaten away.

Ladybug wasn’t injured, but the ground crumbled with her every step when she landed, restricting her movements.

Nathalie kicked Félix off of her, but he had already given the command – the spotlights streaked towards Ladybug

“Ladybug!” Adrien cried.

“Lucky Charm!” Something dropped into Ladybug’s hands as the light ran over her.

“No!” Adrien lunged, flinging his horseshoe.

Too late.

Ladybug tossed her Lucky Charm aside the moment before Félix snapped his fingers.

She was gone.

Prioritize.

If Hawkmoth had learned anything from his previous battles, it was to never discount a Lucky Charm. Ladybug was gone, but she’d ensured that she’d left them a way to achieve victory.

Hawkmoth dashed over to where Ladybug had been standing, plunging his hand into the ashen mess that remained of the Cataclysmed stones. His fingers wrapped around a familiar shape, and he withdrew a spotted… phone?

What the hell was he supposed to do with this?

“You psychopath!” Adrien raged, his voice thick with a level of grief that made Gabriel’s heart ache. “Bring her back!”

Focus. Adrien and Nathalie were keeping Félix busy. He had a moment to figure this out.

Everyone in Paris had a phone, so what made this one the solution?

Wait!

There was a website up on the screen.

…Of course it was the blasted Ladyblog.

How would that help?

Alya Césaire was streaming the Red Moon – rambling through theories about Mayura and Hawkmoth’s return. Instead of being on the scene, though, it appeared she was with a crowd.

…A crowd.

…Everyone in Paris had a phone.

“Adrien!” Hawkmoth slid in beside his son. “I know what to do.” He showed him phone screen. “I need you and Nathalie to get Félix here when I give the signal.”

Adrien dodged a hit, then gave him a nod.

“We’ll get her back, Adrien.” Hawkmoth tossed him the phone before taking off.

Oh, the irony.

But he knew how much Adrien cared about Ladybug. He’d been seeing it for years. And the last thing he wanted was for Adrien to go through the same pain–

Focus.

End this. Everything else could come after.

“Césaire!”

Hawkmoth ignored the surprised shrieks as he landed on the ground near the blogger and her group of fellow onlookers.

Well, had there been any chance left of hiding his return, it was gone now.

“Hawkmoth?” Césaire managed to keep her phone level as she stared at him with wide eyes.

“Since when does he have a sword*” And there was Nino Lahiffe, ever so bravely putting himself between them.

Hawkmoth still didn’t like that kid, even if he had been letting Adrien invite him over to the house.

Hawkmoth just looked past him. “I’m not here to cause harm. There’s a mutual threat, and Ladybug’s Lucky Charm points to you.”

“Mutual– Ladybug sent you to get me?” Césaire sputtered.

“No. Her Lucky Charm led me to you – Ladybug is currently a pile of dust.”

“What?”

“If you would prefer she not remain that way, then I recommend you assist us in defeating the thief that stole Mayura’s Miraculous and used it to vaporize her.”

Césaire gaped, rather resembling a fish.

Hawkmoth sighed. He didn’t have time for this. “Do I need to get Chat Noir over here?”

Césaire blinked. “Wha… what did you need me to do?”

Finally. “I need your abilities.”

“Ladybug told you she was a holder?” Lahiffe squawked.

Hawkmoth blinked. “…I was referring to Lady WiFi.”

“Nino!”

“…Oops.”

Again with the time constraints.

Hawkmoth slid his sword back into its sheath, popping the top to access the butterfly stored there. He caught it before it could take off and poured his power into it.

“Oh, boy,” Lahiffe said.

“Relax.” Hawkmoth flicked his wrist, sending the butterfly into the still-filming phone. “You’ll have control this time.”

Césaire grimaced.

“If you want to save Ladybug and Paris, I recommend you accept this power,” Hawkmoth said.

And so she did – Lady WiFi quickly took Césaire place.

“Alya?” Lahiffe said nervously.

“Oooh, this is weird.” She shook her head.

“Adjust quickly. We need you to assist in paralyzing the thief.” Hawkmoth looked into the phone camera. “Chat Noir, now!”

For a moment, there was nothing.

Then a portal spawned, and Nathalie tackled Félix through it.

He got his damned fan back again.

“Hold it open!” Hawkmoth shouted to Adrien, who was still on the other side. “Lady WiFi, the Sentimonster!”

“Got it!” She leaped through the portal, aiming her phone screen upward.

“No!” Félix kneed Nathalie in the face to get her off of him, scrambling for the portal. He hurled the ball of the dog at Alya’s phone.

Dammit. He couldn’t use his ability again, but if Félix broke the object with the Akuma or disarmed Lady WiFi–

Adrien was faster than Félix.

His horseshoe collided with the ball mid-air, and he snagged Alya by the waist and hauled her through the portal just as she sent her pause symbol into the sky.

Perfect.

Now that that little distraction was out of the way…

Hawkmoth popped his sword back out of his cane again, unleashing a flurry of attacks that Félix barely managed to block with his fan.

“Give it up!” Hawkmoth hissed.

“You don’t scare me!”

Lady WiFi appeared behind Félix – courtesy of one of the onlookers’ phones – and Hawkmoth smirked. “Who said it was me you needed to worry about?”

He shoved Félix off balance, leaving the perfect opening.

Another pause symbol struck Félix’s weapon, freezing it in mid-air.

“No!” Félix backed away, eyes wildly searching his surroundings. “I can still ruin you! All I have to do is say your name in front of everyone here. If you don’t let me go–“

“Venom!”

Félix never saw Nathalie coming as she dropped from above and jammed her magical stinger into his chest.

Silence fell.

Nathalie wobbled, and Hawkmoth caught her shoulders. “Easy… Are you alright?”

She nodded tiredly, panting. She reached out, yanking the dog Miraculous from Félix’s neck.

“And unpaused!” Lady WiFi said.

Hawkmoth snapped his fingers, returning her to her normal form.

Nathalie had a tight fist around the dog Miraculous. “…They’re all okay. I put them back. Cata–”

“Don’t you dare.” Adrien stalked over, holding out his hand.

“…Claws in.” Nathalie wiggled the ring off of her finger and plopped it into his hand.

“Did she just…” Lahiffe whispered.

“Scoop…” Césaire muttered.

“Plagg, Kaalki, unify! Cataclysm!” Adrien winced as the Miraculous crumbled in his hands and the feather drifted out. “Okay… that’s everything. Just… Ladybug!”

Hawkmoth grimaced at the volume. “Could you not have used your staff?”

“She’ll have heard me.”

Sure enough, there was Ladybug – zipping across the rooftops with her yo-yo to land near them.

“M’lady!” Adrien rushed at his partner, sweeping her into a hug. “Gah, don’t ever do that to me again!”

“Now you know how I feel all the time.” She hugged him in return.

“Yes, we need to talk about your self-sacrificing tendencies,” Hawkmoth muttered.

Adrien pulled back from the hug to glare at him. “You don’t get to tell me how to fight crime!” He held up the Lucky Charm to Ladybug without even looking at her.

“Thanks, Kitty.” Ladybug accepted the phone.

Silence fell for a moment.

Adrien’s gaze flicked between Ladybug and Hawkmoth. “So… what now?”

Hawkmoth swallowed, closing his eyes for a few seconds. There was no way for him to win this. No taking back the secrets spilled.

He had exactly one bargaining chip.

He knew what he had to do.

“I’ll come quietly, Ladybug,” he forced past the pressure in his throat. “Full cooperation. …On the singular condition that you leave Mayura be.”

“What?” Nathalie craned her neck and glanced up at him since she was still in his hold.

Hawkmoth tried not to look her in the eye, instead focusing on Ladybug. “You’ve seen the state of her health. She’s no threat to you.”

Mayura twisted around. “Hey! I’m not letting you take the fall for this alone! I was in this just as much as–”

“You were in this for me. Mayura, please.” He slid his hands up to cup her cheeks, bringing her closer to press an adoring kiss to her lips. There were tears leaking down her mask when he pulled back, and he brushed them from her cheeks with his thumbs. “This is the only good left I can do. My– our son needs at least one of us.”

Nathalie’s lower lip trembled, and he knew he’d already won the argument by playing that card. “…We only just started.”  

“…I know.”

Their marriage. Their lives together. Just shambles.

Hawkmoth sucked in a breath. “…Do we have a deal, Ladybug? Because I assure you, I can make this hell if–”

“I need Kaalki,” Ladybug interrupted, holding her hand out to Adrien.

He looked confused, but complied, handing over the glasses and returning to his normal Chat Noir suit.

Ladybug wordlessly dug a macaroon out of her yo-yo and fed it to the horse kwami. She didn’t even seem to care that her earrings were beeping at her.

Hawkmoth glanced at his son. Chat just shrugged.

“Tikki. Kaalki. Unify. Voyage!” She waltzed over to Félix, grabbing one of his frozen coattails and dragging him along. “Let’s go. All of us.”

Nathalie and Hawkmoth shared a look.

Hawkmoth sighed, taking Nathalie’s hand. “What do we have to lose?”

Hopefully, she was at least taking them somewhere without crowds…

Wait.

Hawkmoth scowled, recognizing the room just before they crossed through the portal.

The atelier.

How the hell had she known?

They were not alone when they stepped into the room.

“…if someone thinks that you need to be perfect to be their friend, then they’re either a narcissist and a hypocrite, or there’s a high chance they’re overcompensating for self insecurities, and hello. Welcome back, kids.”

Hawkmoth rolled his eyes, but the corner of his lips tugged upwards.

Gerald was lounging back casually in Nathalie’s chair, his feet propped on the desk while Kagami sat on the desk itself on the other side.

“Make yourself at home,” Hawkmoth said dryly.

“I’ve been running your home, actually.” Gerald had his fingers laced together in his lap. “Took care of all your guests, made up excuses for why you had to step out… etcetera…” He drifted off, eyebrow raised as Ladybug dragged the frozen Félix over to the secret elevator.

“Thank you for your advice, Gerald.” Kagami hopped off the desk, heading for the door. “I’ll leave you all to discuss these matters. Please let me know if you require my assistance again, Ladybug.”

“Yep. Thank you!” Ladybug yanked the peacock Miraculous off of Félix and stabbed the trigger buttons in the painting, sending the boy downstairs.

Kagami closed the door behind her.

“Miss Nathalie!” Duusu flew over to Nathalie, nuzzling her cheek. Nathalie petted her back affectionately.

“Kaakli, dismount. Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug threw the phone into the air.

Nathalie gasped. “Wait, he’ll be down with the other Miraculous! They’re–“

“Back in my possession.” Ladybug turned on her heel, hands on her hips. “I had Ryuko secure them.”

“But…” Chat Noir blinked. “I didn’t tell you about any of this yet?”

“…You didn’t have to,” Nathalie softly.

“Huh?” Chat said.

…Son of a bitch. Her?

“She saw everything herself.” Nathalie kneaded her forehead.

“But she wasn’t…” Chat sucked in a breath, his mouth snapping shut.

Ladybug evaded his gaze as her earrings gave their final series of beeps.

Marinette Dupain-Chang.

Chat Noir gawked.  

She stared at the floor. “I hope you’re not too disappointed–”

“No!” Chat barked out. ”Never.”

Wonderful. Their fates rested in the hands of his son’s fangirl who couldn’t speak two straight words around him.

“…So, just to confirm, I’m the only one in this room right now who wasn’t secretly a holder?” Gerald asked.

“That would be correct. Dark wings fall.” Gabriel was so done with this evening.

“Pollen, buzz off.” Nathalie still had her fingers entwined with his. She looked exhausted.

“So, Miss Dupain-Chang...” Gabriel leveled a cool gaze on her. “What’s your verdict?”

He would fight for Nathalie if he had to. He’d bring the entire mansion down.

Ladybug stared back at him, but she looked anything but victorious.

Finally, she took a breath, crossing her arms. “…I’ll let you know in the morning.”

“…Pardon?” Gabriel tilted his head, incredulous.

She looked like she was already regretting what she’d said. “I have every Miraculous but yours, and I know who you are. You’ve… clearly been trying to change. Enjoy the rest of your wedding night. I’ll sleep on things.”

In the year since Gabriel had stopped fighting her, he’d almost forgotten how generous she was.

Gabriel forced himself to stop glaring. “That’s… unwisely kind of you. Thank you.”

Gerald cleared his throat loudly, dropping his feet back to the floor before standing up. “If it helps… I did clear my schedule for tomorrow. Maybe we could all meet and I can see if I could help you talk some of this out?”

…Bless that man.

Gabriel gave him a wry smile. “And how much is a house call for this many people going to cost me?”

Gerald snorted. “Oh, not even you could afford it, my friend. Consider it a wedding present. Also… might be best if we keep this one off the record.”

“Okay,” Chat said loudly. “One question here…” He pointed his staff at Gerald. “Who the hell is this guy? I’ve never seen him before. Nobody at the wedding knew him. So, why is he suddenly your best frien–”

“He’s my therapist, Adrien.”

Ladybug startled at that.

Chat Noir was speechless for a moment. “…You’ve been in therapy?”

“For about a year, yes,” Gabriel admitted reluctantly. He had never wanted Adrien to know about that. “…I told you. I’ve done my best to move on.”

Nathalie squeezed his hand.

“And he’s made wonderful progress!” Gerald noted.

Marinette screamed in frustration suddenly. “Gah, you couldn’t have just been some single, family-less, remorseless guy wanting to enslave the world, could you?”

“…I apologize?” Gabriel said.

Gerald snorted. “What do we all say to noon tomorrow?”

“Great. I’ll bring croissants,” Marinette deadpanned.

“Grand!” Gerald clapped his hands together. “We have a plan.”

“…We may want to decide what to do about Félix in the basement tonight,” Chat noted.

Gabriel flopped backward into their bed, running his hands down his face.

Natalie did the same on her side, trying not to jostle the bed too badly.

Finally, the last of the guests were gone. Adrien had retreated to his room, and the house was quiet.

“…Honestly, I think it all could have gone worse,” Nathalie mumbled. She was already feeling Duusu’s absence, but at least Ladybug had agreed to bring her tomorrow after Duusu had insisted.

Nathalie coughed once, wincing. She wasn’t sure if tonight would have permanent effects on her health, but she was so damned drained right now. She’d barely had the strength to get her pajamas on.

Gabriel let out a weak chuckle. “I’ll withhold that judgment until we’ve seen what tomorrow brings.”

Adrien. She knew that was his main concern. More so than potentially going to prison. He was afraid he’d ruined everything he’d built with the boy in the last year. Not to mention the life Adrien would have if it came out his father was Hawkmoth.

Nathalie rolled, snuggling up to Gabriel’s chest and resting her hand over his heart. “Let’s worry about tomorrow tomorrow. We can’t do anything about it now. If this is the only night we have left together, I…” Her breathing hitched.

Gabriel trailed a hand down her back. “We’ll work something out with them. Having Gerald there should help… ease tensions.”

Nathalie couldn’t tell if he was trying to convince her or himself.

She trailed her hand up to cup his jaw and turn his face towards her.

The kiss was slow and lingering, as though they were both afraid to let go of the other. Their foreheads came to rest together once they parted.

She breathed in his unique scent. “I love you. No matter what happens.”

“And I love you, Mrs. Agreste.”