“Well,” Felix spoke, breaking the unbearable silence of the room. “As you can see, we have a bit of a bigger problem than before.”
Alya collapsed into her desk chair, the force sending it spinning for a second. “Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth.” She covered her face with her hands, threading her fingers through her hair. “I’ve been in his house. I’ve talked to him.”
“And I’m related to him, and Rossi is working for him, and Adrien is his son; come on, Alya, snap out of it!”
She shot him a look. “Do you even know what this means to me? To Paris?”
“It means you’ll finally have a chance to get rid of your terrorist. Why do you think I came to you?” he asked. “As far as Gabriel knows, I have no way to contact Ladybug or Chat Noir, nor would he expect me to ask you for help since the two of us ‘fighting.’ He’s going to try to get this—” He showed off the brooch— “back soon, so we need a plan. Now.”
She took a deep breath. “A plan. Right, a plan. It’s past time for Ladybug’s patrol, but I can track down her down tomorrow. We need to tell her right away,” Alya said, nodding resolutely. “Do we need to worry about Gabriel sending an akuma after you?”
“Possibly. Has he ever created any tracking akumas?”
“Nope!” Duusu called out. He’d almost forgotten they were here. “I don’t think you really have to worry about Hawkmoth right now; he’s not bonded with the butterfly miraculous, so he doesn’t have a lot of control of his akumas.”
Felix eyed the little beast. “What are you talking about?”
“Gabriel’s forcing Nooroo, the Butterfly’s kwami, to work with him. That means the two aren’t bonded and Gabriel only has the bare-minimum of powers, including no mind control and no control over the abilities his akumas have.”
“So, when he akumatizes people, he doesn’t know what powers they’re going to get?”
“He can suggest them, but the powers are ultimately decided on the people he akumatized. And people typically only get one or two akuma forms.” So that was why the three akumas that attacked him on the anniversary of his aunt’s disappearance were akumas that the Ladyblog had covered before.
Duusu giggled and continued. “It’s the same when he tries to control them. Hawkmoth takes advantage of strong emotions and gives people an easy way out of their problems, but he can’t force them to do his bidding. They’re only really obsessive towards their goal and attacking Ladybug.”
Felix wanted to ask how Duusu knew this, but bit his tongue. He supposed being held hostage by Hawkmoth allowed for some knowledge to leak through.
“And fighting Ladybug and Chat Noir?” Alya asked, skeptical. “I know I certainly didn’t want to fight my heroes. Are you saying that’s not mind control?”
“Correct!! It’s just self-preservation. Complete instinct. Akumas know that Ladybug will take away their powers, so they fight for themselves. It’s funny—” Duusu snickered to themselves— “Even if Hawkmoth akumatizes himself or Mayura, it won’t make a tracking akuma. And if he managed to give that power to someone else, there’s no way that akuma would care enough to track you down. Your scot-free!” It laughed, high pitched and loud.
“Why do you know all this?” Felix asked. “Why are you telling us this?”
Alya elbowed him in the side.
“Because you freed me, silly!” Duusu flew up in a spiral, stopping centimeters from his nose. “Gabriel Agreste had trapped me in that safe and is abusing my friend! So what if I bended the rules a little bit by thinking you were Adrien. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just what he deserves!”
“You mistook me for Adrien… on purpose?”
“Well… no. I did think you were him for a second. He’s looked through the safe before, and even stole the Book of Miracles, but he didn’t see me. My most recent holder, Mayura, told me not to appear to anyone who didn’t know Gabriel is Hawkmoth, so I just… assumed Adrien was in on it, since he’s been in the safe before!” Duusu said with a shrug. “By the time I realized that you weren’t Adrien, you’d already put on my brooch and became my new holder. Oops!”
“…I guess that’s one way to get around a villain’s orders,” Alya said.
But Felix was fixated on something else Duusu had said. “I’m not your holder.”
“Yes, you are.”
He glared. “No, I’m not.”
“Felix—”
“Yes, you are!” Duusu got up in his face. “You put the brooch on, that makes you my holder.”
He immediately snatched the brooch off his chest and threw it on Alya’s bed. “Find someone else then. I’m not a superhero; I don’t want to be one and I’m not going to be one. You can’t make me!”
“Felix—”
He jabbed a finger into Alya’s chest. “Don’t try to change my mind, Cesaire! All I wanted was to bring down Rossi and get my family’s rings back, not… this.” He gestured at Duusu, who pouted. “I’m not a hero and I would have been perfectly fine not getting involved with the Miraculous at all if given the choice.”
“I was going to agree with you!” Alya snapped. She rubbed her eyes. “You don’t have to be a hero if you don’t want to. No one, especially not Ladybug, is going to force you. But what about Hawkmoth? Even if he can’t track you down, he’s still going to send them after you.”
She… had a point. His uncle was stubborn, but had laser focus. Gabriel could work for days without a break, without sleep. And now Felix was the sole focus of his undivided attention.
But, Felix realized, he was horrible at multitasking.
“I can stay out of Gabriel’s sights for a few days.” He already had arrangements made with his lawyer; despite what Gabriel had claimed, he was not Felix’s guardian and had no right to hold him captive in his mansion. “Once my suspension is over, I’ll come back to school and we’ll enact the plan against Rossi.”
“But she’ll get akumatized!” Alya protested. “We’d anticipated that before, but this time Hawkmoth will be actively gunning for you!”
“That’s the point. I’m not too keen on being a superhero, but bait?” He smirked. “I’ve survived a few rounds with an akuma before. I can do it again. And while Hawkmoth is focused on me, he’ll never see Ladybug coming.”
Hey I love all your Lila exposed fics and I have bit a suggestion I’m hoping if it’s okay. What about a fic where Gabriel finally gets his karma (this also gets to be a Lila exposed as well) but this time Adrien gets akumatized from all of Lila’s harassing and Gabriel’s neglect. And this is where he doesn’t do the ‘high ground’ crap. I hope for Adrien’s Akamai form with be like blue diamond and spinel mixed together like he would have the power to make everyone cry (to make them feel his pain of all the silent tears he shed) and he would have the stretchy arms as well. You can figure out the rest. Because I just want a fic where Gabriel finally gets exposed as a bad parent and Adrien can get justice. I hope this wasn’t too much.
This story contains: sexual harassment, attempted rape, panic attacks and language. Proceed with caution.
Important info: in this au, Hawkmoth was defeated and Gabriel was never Hawkmoth (nor Natalie-Mayura), but don't worry, he will have karma in his ass.
I didn't tag anyone again, because of the possible triggers.
I wrote this story listening in the dark by bmth in the replay.
You will find things wrong about the law and things like that, but I'm not a lawyer or a police officer so ignore it. This is only a fanfiction.
9.05K
Maribat by @ozmav
Adrien felt numb.
He knew that his heart was beating normally, his lungs working as usual, but the sensation of being suspended... The extra-corporeal sensation he was experiencing, caused these two facts to be left in the back of his conscience.
There was something.
There was someone.
Someone was talking to him.
But Adrien-
"He's having a panic attack!"
Adrien was choking. The air entering his lungs made his chest hurt, his eyes were open - he knew - but he could see nothing but shapes; the wet on his cheek said that he had cried, that he was crying.
His body was freezing, the taste mixed with blood and bile in his mouth made him sick, the sounds seemed distant and the smell-
The smell of her perfume.
Was too much-
Too much-
Someone was touching.
Someone was touching him.
And-
It was like he was still there.
As if she were there.
Adrien-
...
▫▪▪
"Shit." Marinette sighed. "He passed out."
"Sorry!" Chloe was crying heavily in Kagami's arms. “I'm sorry, Mari! I did not know-"
"It's all right, Chlo." Kagami rubbed the blonde's back. "You were just trying to help."
"But-"
"Chloe, it's okay." Marinette said, trying to put Adrien on the sofa. “We are going to let him rest. I need to clean up this mess.”
The mess being the vomit spread on the wooden floor, the lamp shattered on the table, apart from the torn tablecloth.
Adrien, trying to stop himself from falling or, trying to find something to act as an anchor, had pulled the tablecloth tightly, tearing the embroidered details from the hem. And when he hit the ground, he slammed against the table with the lamp.
This was all because Chloe had touched Lila's name.
And Marinette knew at once, that Lila had crossed all lines. Even without knowing what had actually happened.
The three girls were surprised by the sound of the door opening, but soon relaxed when they saw that it was just Luka.
Luka who didn’t know what had happened and was looking at the calamitous state of Marinette's house with horror.
"... What?"
"Adrien." Kagami sighed.
"Adrien?"
"He had a panic attack." Chloe elaborated.
"What was the trigger?"
"Lila." Marinette responded with disgust.
"What the hell did she do this time?" Luka narrowed his eyes, eyes in which the pupils were a little more... sharp. Like a reptile. A snake.
"We don't know." Chloe sniffed, still shaken. "The only thing we know is that when I touched her name, he started to freak out."
"When he got here, was he acting weird?"
"A little less cheerful, but we thought it was Gabriel acting like absolute trash again." Kagami replied.
Luka approached the sofa, eyes sliding over Adrien's sleeping figure. Noticing the reddish spots under the eyes and how the hair was a little oily; which was not normal, since Gabriel did not accept Adrien less than perfect.
"Didn't Plagg say anything?"
"Plagg is hiding with Tikki on the gramophone and doesn't want to leave at all." Marinette sighed. “He barely stopped to speak to us when Adrien arrived. He just dropped the transformation and disappeared into my room. "
"So, he knows what happened and for him to be acting like that, it means it wasn't just one of Lila's lies bothering Adrien." Luka said, fingers stuck in the foam of the sofa. “And apparently it was something really serious. Serious enough to break Adrien.”
"I knew we shouldn't have left Paris without him!" Marinette growled. "If I had just-"
"Marin, please, this is not your fault." Luka said, approaching the girl. “It is not our fault. Adrien even encouraged us to make this trip.”
"He knew you missed Damian." Chloe pointed. "He wanted us to get away from Paris a little bit to celebrate our transfer."
"Even so!" The girl protested. "If I had taken Kaalki, perhaps I could have avoided what happened here."
"Hime..."
"I am afraid." Marinette murmured, tears flowing freely and Luka hugged the girl. “Afraid that Lila has broken Adrien beyond repair."
▫▪▪
The scent of chamomile tea was what woke Adrien out of a dreamless sleep.
At first, he shifted in confusion because that was not his bed. That mattress was a little harder than the mattress on his bed, besides being very narrow and the ceiling was too low to be his home.
But then he heard Marinette's voice whispering something close to him, the blond of Chloe's hair over his stomach, the distinct red of Kagami's fencing uniform and the comforting blue of Luka side by side.
"..." He moved, stretching to sit and Chloe was quick to lift her head. He noticed that her eyes were slightly red. "Good Morning?"
"Adrien!"
"Hey, Chlo."
He was at Marinette's house.
Adrien had gone to the Dupain-Cheng house after fleeing the Agreste mansion.
After running away from his father.
After running away from Lila.
His memory of the day before coming back like an avalanche.
Just like tears.
▫▪▪
"Adrien!"
Marinette, Luka and Kagami hurriedly got up from the table after hearing Chloe's voice.
"Hey, Chlo." They heard Adrien's voice, hoarse and weak, before they saw him.
The model looked the worst for wear. The deep dark circles, the hair pointing in several possible directions, oily and the vomit stains on the shirt, gave a much worse look than he had before passing out.
Marinette was distracted by the tears running down the boy's face.
"Adrien." Kagami sighed, devastated. Eyes shining with tears.
The model bent over his knees before he started to cry hysterically. With painful sobs, snot running down his nose, fingers digging into the blanket Marinette had thrown over him the night before.
Adrien's body shook with the force of sobs, his skin had turned an alarming shade of red.
"I-I-" He tried to say.
Luka was the first to approach him, cautiously so as not to overburden the blonde further. He had no escape when Adrien threw himself on him, arms tight around the musician's waist and his face buried in his chest.
Luka put his arms around Adrien's shoulders, returning the hug as tightly as he could.
Chloe sat next to Adrien on the sofa, gluing his legs over her thighs and crying silently.
Kagami approached, but preferred to sit beside Chloe, one arm on the girl's shoulders and the other hand making circular motions on the skin of Adrien's foot.
Marinette was the last to approach, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to Adrien, her hand making comforting movements on the boy's back and his blond hair.
They waited for Adrien to finish crying - Kagami having gone out once to make more chamomile tea - to give the boy a mug of tea.
When Adrien put his feet on the floor and leaned back on the sofa, giving Luka space to sit next to him, Kagami sat on the coffee table where Chloe joined her to be closer to the boy. The four around Adrien.
But it was only after he finished half the tea that Adrien started talking.
"Remember when I told you that I was going to talk to my dad about how Lila was making me uncomfortable in photoshoots and at school?" The four nodded. “Yesterday, before I left for school, I spoke to Gabriel. I told him how I was feeling about all of Lila's harassment and how I didn't want to have contact with her anymore and- “
Adrien took another sip of the tea, fingers tight on the porcelain.
“He said that I shouldn't complain. That an Agreste doesn't run away from a problem, he faces it.” He focused on the amber liquid in the mug. "That I shouldn't complain about my fiancée being sticky."
"What the fuck!?" Chloe whispered angrily. "Fiancée? Gabriel was classier than that.”
Adrien cringed at Chloe's words and the girl squeezed his knee in regret.
“I went to school; the day went by smoothly since Lila didn't show up for classes. I even got excited, even after the conversation with Gabriel. So, when I got home- “Adrien took one hand from the mug to intertwine with Luka's. Trying to anchor. “Lila was there, saying that my father had invited her for a romantic date with me, so we could get to know each other better... I ran away to my room. I-I don't know, I panicked I think.”
He shook his head, looking confused.
“I locked the door, I'm sure of it, but Lila managed to get in anyway. She saw Plagg.” He gasped; eyes wide. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't want to-“
Marinette put her arm around the boy's shoulders, pulling him into a hug.
“Shh, it's okay, chaton. It was not your fault." She whispered against his hair.
Adrien remained with his face buried in Marinette's shoulder for a few minutes before moving away, his eyes fixed nowhere.
“L-Lila was surprised, but she understood what that meant in some way, I don't know how! So, she threatened to tell everyone if I didn't do what she wanted and I couldn't let her tell everyone about Chat Noir! I couldn’t!" Tears started to run down Adrien's face again. "So, I accepted."
"Adrien." Kagami sighed.
"I thought she would force me to fake a relationship or support her in her lies, I don't know!" Adrien's eyes became more and more glazed. “But that wasn't. That wasn't it. That wasn't it. That wasn't-” His voice trailed off; his lips trembled.
"Take a deep breath, baby." Luka stroked the model's hand, squeezing when Adrien did what he asked. "This, like this... We are here for you."
"She asked me for a kiss." He said weakly and Marinette felt her blood run cold, dreading Adrien's next words.
The other three, having the same reasoning as Marinette, had frozen.
“I didn't want to, but I did what she asked. But then...” He took a deep breath. "But then she said that a simple kiss wouldn’t be enough to keep such a big secret and that she wanted more..."
Adrien placed the mug of tea in Luka's hands, before covering his mouth tightly. Eyes fluttered, but Marinette was quicker.
She took the bucket she had left near the sofa, in case Adrien felt sick again and handed it to the boy, who violently poured all the tea with bile.
When Adrien sat back on the sofa, tired of being sick, Chloe took the bucket and set it on the floor. "Do you want some water?"
Adrien shook his head. "Not yet. I don't think I can keep something in my stomach.” He looked at the ceiling. “... I think I blacked out when she started kissing me, because all I remember after that was Plagg shouting my name and hitting my face. I was undressed, but I still had my underwear on and Lila was lying on the bed just in lingerie. I think Plagg knocked her out.”
Marinette rose from the arm of the sofa, unable to contain herself.
She had tears - like all of them - rolling down her cheeks, her fists were clenched and her nails digging hard into the skin of her hand, she had to use all her restraint to keep from catching Tikki and hunting Lila all over Paris.
Adrien didn't notice the girl's action, his eyes unfocused and still immersed in the story.
"So, I got dressed and used Chat Noir to get away." He continued. "I didn't really think about it until Chloe-" Adrien looked up. “Now I don't know what to do. I don't want to go home because my dad is going to be there and I don't want to go to school either because Lila is going to be there. I also can't stay at your house because I'm sure you will be the first suspects, but it's not like I have much of a choice, so-”
"Adrien." Luka said, barely managing to control the tone of his voice. "Don't you dare suggest going back to that house."
"You are not going back there, Adrien." Kagami stood up, hands running through her hair before she sat down at the table again. "What happened here was not something frivolous. That was very serious.”
"But-" Adrien tried to protest.
"You are not going back to that house." Marinette interrupted anything he could say. “Not if I have anything to say about it. What I have."
That's when Chloe's phone rang with a message received. Five messages in a row.
She got up to check, trying to distract her mind from everything Adrien had told them. Chloe was not coping well with the fact that Gabriel had let Adrien be abused just because he didn’t accept that his son was gay.
Of course, she didn't mention it to her four friends. But she knew that Gabriel's sudden interest in Adrien and Lila becoming more than classmates or co-workers, was linked to Adrien's announcement about being in a romantic relationship with another boy.
Gabriel had smiled and acted like the father of the year on camera, but they knew the truth, of course.
Adrien was on a call with Marinette when Gabriel broke into the boy's room demanding that Adrien retract himself. Demanding that he go to the press and say it was a mistake.
Because Gabriel would not accept his only heir to be in a relationship that, in addition to not bearing fruit - children - would be dragging the Agreste name in the mud because Luka was not someone of high society.
Luka Stone was not a fact known to everyone, only close friends and family. So, the man thought Luka was just a gold digger.
Not that it mattered to Adrien.
So, Gabriel was an old man, homophobic and traditionalist. He wanted Adrien to marry a woman, one who would give him grandchildren and was rich. Someone like Kagami Tsurugi. But Kagami had dodged that bullet by telling Tomoe that she was not interested in romantic relationships, wanting to focus all of her time on fencing.
Which was a complete lie, but it had worked.
Chloe thought Gabriel would try to negotiate Adrien's hand with Audrey, since the first option was out of the question, but he never contacted either Audrey or André about it, so she thought he had finally come to his senses.
But apparently, he felt so trapped that he sold his soul to Satan. The talk of finding someone in high society left out, focusing only on the 'woman who could give grandchildren'.
Chloe tilted her head, taking deep breaths to calm herself.
She couldn't break. Not with Adrien needing all possible support.
The phone rang two more times, the screen lit showing seven unread Sabrina messages.
Brina <3
[3:25 PM]: Dad showed up with another police officer and Mlle. Sancoeur looking for Adrien, did you see him?
[3:25 PM]: Apparently, he ran away from home yesterday and nobody knows where he went
[3:26 PM]: Lila is saying some very strange things... I don't know if I believe her.
[3:27 PM]: She's accusing you and Marinette of kidnapping Adrien for being jealous of their relationship... But that can't be true, can it? Adrien is dating Luka! We all know that!
[3:28 PM]: Chlo, I don't like what she's implying. Is Adrien okay? Did she do something to him yesterday? Is that why he ran away????
[3:29 PM]: Nino said that Adrien doesn't answer the phone and doesn't know where he might be.
[3:30 PM]: If you are with Adrien now, let him know that they are going after him. They left for the Dupain-Cheng bakery.
"Mari, we have a problem!"
"What's it?"
“Gabriel pulled the strings and the police are already looking for Adrien. They are coming here.”
Adrien stood up from the sofa abruptly, his hands shaking and his face pale.
"I can't go back there." He stammered. “I know I talked about going back, but I can't. Don't make me go back there.”
Luka stood up, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders and forcing him to face him.
“Adrien, calm down. We will not send you back there.”
"What are we going to do, Marin?" Kagami asked worriedly.
"I know exactly what to do." Marinette replied, determined.
She wouldn't let Gabriel or Lila get away with it. They would pay for hurting Adrien.
▫▪▪
Chloe jumped in surprise at the sound of the doorbell ringing, but Kagami was quick to kiss the girl's hand in comfort. Trying to calm her down.
Marinette sent a look at the two of them, before getting up from the sofa and answering the door. Where M. Raincomprix, Mlle. Sancoeur and another police officer, one she didn’t recognize, looked at her critically.
“Oh! Hello M. Raincomprix! Mlle. Sancoeur and...”
“Berger. Louis Berger.” The man introduced himself.
"M. Berger.” She repeated, smiling sweetly. “What brings you here? I hope it's not for our pastry, because Mom and Dad are in London on vacation!” Marinette joked.
Sancoeur frowned in annoyance, Raincomprix looked increasingly uncomfortable and Berger was the only one who was courteous enough to smile pleasantly at her.
"Unfortunately, we're not here to-" Raincomprix started, but Sancoeur was quick to cut him off, almost pushing Marinette to the floor as she passed through the door.
"Where's Adrien?!" She snarled.
"Adrien?" Marinette murmured in confusion. "I haven't seen Adrien since last week, before I left."
"We received information that Adrien Agreste would be here." Raincomprix said, being more polite than Sancoeur when entering the house, followed by Berger.
"I don't know who could have informed you about this, but it is impossible for Adrien to be here." She answered. "I arrived from Gotham just last night."
Sancoeur grunted like a furious dog, looking like she was about to hit Marinette. Which was a surprise, since Marinette never saw the woman less than composed.
"Don't lie to us!" She spat. "I know that you are obsessed with Adrien and crazy enough to try anything!"
Marinette frowned, feeling offended. She was trying not to break the insolent woman's nose.
“Mlle. Sancoeur I really don't know where Adrien- “
"Adrien?" Chloe's voice cut the tension between the two. And the four turned to face Chloe standing in the middle of the room, Kagami beside her holding hands. "What's with Adrien? Something happened? He’s fine?" She was frantic, almost panicked.
Marinette had to admit that the girl had a talent for acting.
“Oh, Mlle. Bourgeois and Mlle. Tsurugi, you would be next on the list.” Berger said surprised.
"List? What list?” Kagami looked genuinely confused. “And what does this have to do with Adrien? Can someone explain to us what the hell is going on? "
Raincomprix had a painful expression on his face.
"Adrien Agreste went missing last night and nobody knows where he might be."
"WHAT?!"
▫▪▪
Needless to say, Natalie seemed less than happy to be leaving Marinette's house. Having sniffed every corner and not finding a single strand of blond hair to accuse the girl of kidnapping.
The officers left the house on various levels of embarrassment thanks to Sancoeur's less than ideal behavior.
▫▪▪
"What is the plan?" Damian asked.
All of them - except Luka who had gone to Liberty just to get him off the list of suspects - were at Wayne's mansion in Paris. The place that Adrien would stay hidden until it was time to appear again.
After Sabrina's warning, Marinette was quick to throw Trixx and the necklace over Adrien's hands, ordering him to transform and then casting an illusion over himself, becoming invisible. Soon after she got in touch with Damian explaining everything as quickly and succinctly as she could and he told Adrien to hide there, at Wayne mansion, where no one would come looking for him.
Luka had left at the same time as Adrien, losing the police and Sancoeur in a matter of minutes.
Kagami, Chloe and Marinette stayed in the house for an hour after Sancoeur and company left, before heading to Wayne's mansion.
Where they were trying to come up with a plan that would destroy Gabriel and Lila once and for all.
"I don’t know." Marinette sighed. “Defeating Hawkmoth was different from that here because well, the guy was a terrorist and I was just able to beat him up with all my strength. Now, Gabriel is a civilian, a despicable and horrible, but still civilian. The same goes for Rossi. I cannot go with brute force.”
"How about blackmail?" Tim suggested, they were all sitting on the floor of the game room trying to think of something.
Kagami shook her head. "Blackmail may be a good idea at first, but it loses its effectiveness as time goes on."
“It has to be something more definitive. Like jail or death.” Chloe said, not caring about her abruptness.
Adrien was not among them, which was a major factor in Chloe's lack of filter. The model had gone up to one of the guest rooms wanting to bathe and sleep. Trixx following him closely, since Marinette was not comfortable leaving him alone.
Plagg still refusing to leave the Kwamii dimension.
Plagg. Plagg.
"Wait!" Marinette stood up; her brow furrowed in concentration. “Do you remember what Adrien said? About Lila recognizing Plagg.”
Kagami bit her lip thinking, before opening her eyes wide. "He said that she knew what Plagg meant."
Tim cocked his head in confusion. "So, she saw Adrien transform before?"
Chloe shook her head frantically. The eyes were wide, too. "No." She answered. “Adrien said that Lila saw Plagg and understood what it meant. If she had seen Adrien transform before, she would have already tried to blackmail him.”
"Not to mention that he said she was surprised, before informing him that she knew what Plagg was." Kagami said.
"Which means..." murmured Marinette.
"Lila already had contact with miraculous and kwamii before she saw Plagg for the first time." Damian worked out the train of thought. "And the only miraculous who was not with the Guardian was-"
"The butterfly." Everyone said together.
The five froze, the meaning of those words weighing on them, only returning to normal when Plagg suddenly appeared between them.
"Pigtails, I have an idea on how to take down the demon Rossi." He said without the usual tone of mockery. “About Agreste senior, I think your boyfriend and his brother will get enough just by investigating his past. The guy is not very good at hiding the tracks.”
The four who were still sitting on the floor stood up, different levels of determination showing on their faces.
"But before that, let me call the cavalry." Marinette agreed, hand taking the phone out of her jeans pocket.
"Cavalry?" Tim muttered confusedly to Damian and the boy just sent a conspiratorial smile in response.
Marinette had the phone to her ear.
“Mom? I need your help and Dad's.” She said. “It's about Adrien. He needs his family.”
▫▪▪
Finding evidence against Gabriel was like Plagg said: easy.
The guy had the Everest of dirt, but he had no idea how to get rid of the evidence. He probably just hadn't been arrested yet because he was rich and because of corruption. After all, why arrest a guy for free when you can keep him free and still earn a fat bonus for that, right?!
They managed to do away with two printer paper packages and there was still a shortage of paper to print the evidence against him.
Rossi had been easy and complicated at the same time, because the evidence about her being less than a decent person had been easy to find. A little survey of the previous schools she had attended gave them more than enough evidence that the girl was at least a sociopath and at most a psychopath.
Not medicated and who, in a way, liked it.
However, finding evidence that Lila worked with the Paris terrorist had been more complicated than they thought it would be. Even with Tim and Damian together investigating this part of Lila's life, there was very little to prove that she was part of it.
What led Marinette and Damian- Ladybug and Thaelab, the current situation: La Santé Prison. Where Hawkmoth, Bob Roth, was being held. She had requested visitation for the criminal with the excuse that she had a proposal for the man in exchange for information.
She reached the small room, where there were two prison guards at each corner of the wall behind Bob, and the man himself was sitting, along with the lawyer, at the only iron table in the center of the room.
Marinette wasted no time in sitting on the available chair across the table, Damian preferring to stand, leaning against the wall behind her.
"What brings the heroes of Paris to my humble residence?" Bob Roth crossed his legs, his nose held up despite his lack of power.
"I want to know about Lila Rossi." Marinette wasted no time. "I want to know about the person who was helping you to terrorize Paris."
Bob froze in his chair, his lawyer casting suspicious looks at the man. Bob probably hadn't informed him about his aide in crime.
The prisoner cleared his throat in surprise before disguising his discomfort with a disdainful pose.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Marinette raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
“Bob, please. Don't act like I’m an idiot.”
"I still don't know what you're talking about." He insisted.
Marinette sighed, getting up from the chair.
"Okay then." She said. "I thought we could negotiate a reduction in your sentence in exchange for information, but apparently I was wrong." She sighed before turning to leave. "Thaelab." And Damian pushed himself off the wall, following her.
Bob's eyes widened in a panic.
"WAIT." He called, Marinette and Damian stopping inches from the door, still not turning around. "If I tell-" The lawyer nudged him, trying to stop the man from speaking, but he ignored the warnings. “If I tell you about Lila, can you bring Xavier over to see me? I haven't seen my son since I was thrown here.”
Marinette and Damian looked at each other before nodding and returning to the table, both sitting down, their attention focused on Bob Roth.
The man sighed, shoulders slumped and looking away.
"You're right." He started. "Lila Rossi knew about Hawkmoth."
“How did she knew that? As far as we know, Lila arrived in Paris after you started terrorizing citizens. So, how?" Damian questioned.
Bob Roth looked up, his mouth in a thin line.
"Lila Rossi is my daughter." He replied. "A daughter I never wanted, but who came to my door threatening to expose everything to the press if I didn't do what she wanted."
▫▪▪
"This is what I call a plot twist." Adrien whistled, a recording of Marinette and Damian's conversation with Bob Roth playing. "She was blackmailing her own father."
"But now we can understand where she got this toxic behavior from." Chloe murmured. "Madam Rossi is a loving person despite being so busy, so I never understood how Lila could be so..." She waved her hands in the air, trying to find the right word.
"Bob?" Kagami offered confused.
"That will do." Chloe shrugged.
"But I don’t understand." Luka frowned. "If she was already blackmailing him with fatherhood, then why let her know about Hawkmoth?"
"Because if she tried to hand him over to the police, he would be able to 'prove' that Lila was helping him all this time." Tim responded easily.
"So, he set up his own daughter." Marinette shook her head, failing to understand how most of the people she knew had serious problems with their parents, while she was rainbows and flowers with hers.
"A girl he didn't even consider as a daughter." Damian pointed. “It was easy to notice the contempt in his voice as he talked about Lila. Very different from when he talked about Xavier.”
"Do we know why he wanted the miraculous?" Chloe asked.
Adrien looked up in confusion. “Oh? Didn't I tell you?” He tilted his head. “He wanted to revive Xavier's mother. His wife."
"I'm kind of sympathizing with him." Kagami winced in disgust. "But I don't want that."
"Okay, guys." Tim slammed hard against the keyboard. “The dossiers about Lila Rossi and Gabriel Agreste are ready. I think it's time for Adrien Agreste to show up.”
"It's show time, guys!"
▫▪▪
Mlle. Bustier was in the middle of an explanation when Markov started to fuss, the screen turning red and flashing "Urgent!"
Everyone looked at the little robot in alarm until he started to project a video on the green board.
It was a report by Nadja Chamack.
"We are here, in front of the police station, where Adrien Agreste was spotted entering accompanied by Sabine Cheng and Tom Dupain from the Dupain-Cheng bakery and three other lawyers." Nadja announced to the camera, in the background, the police station in evidence. With barriers to prevent the overtaking of the curious and journalists. “Adrien Agreste, who had disappeared a week ago, appeared today for the first time. He has not yet left the police station and the only information we have obtained so far is that he is filing a complaint about what motivated him to run away from home.”
Nadja's image was replaced by a recording of Adrien getting out of a black car with tinted windows, accompanied by Sabine and Tom - Marinette's parents -, two men and a serious-looking woman wearing suits and with a leather briefcase in her hands.
Adrien seemed far from the model image that Bustier's students were used to.
There were dark circles under his eyes, eyes that were bloodshot. The blond hair that was once shiny and silky was dull and coarse. There was an abnormal pallor in the boy's skin.
The clothes he wore were atypical. A huge hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers. Black from end to end.
Tom and Sabine were on either side of the boy, trying their best to protect him from flashes and questions, before the police finally showed up escorting them into the police station.
Filming went back to Nadja.
“As you can see, Adrien Agreste gave no statement and we had no news from Gabriel Agreste or his staff. My name is Nadja Chamack and I will be back with more information.”
The projection was cut off abruptly, the entire class in shocked silence before they jumped out of chairs, loud and confused voices. Everyone trying to understand what the hell was going on.
Sabrina was the only compound, her eyes sharp on Lila Rossi who was strangely quiet, with a sticky glow on her skin.
Sabrina was sure that if she looked Lila in the eye, she would see the dread there.
▫▪▪
"How did they find out that Adrien was going to the police station?" Tim asked confused.
"Nadja is a close friend of the Dupain-Cheng family." Damian replied disinterestedly. "Sabine contacted her and with the promise of an exclusive and Nadja alerted fellow journalists to Adrien's testimony."
Tim frowned even more confused.
“But wouldn't it be better if no one knew that Adrien was back? For us to have the trump card.”
"I thought so too, but apparently the first image of Adrien's return would have to be shocking." The boy crossed his arms. "The image of Adrien Agreste at the bottom of the well, being the first to be published in the press, to pave the case against Gabriel and Lila."
Tim winced at the harsh words.
“Wow, wasn't that a little too much? Expose Adrien like this...”
"It was his idea, actually."
"... Despite everything that's going on, Adrien manages to keep his head cool enough to think that way." Tim murmured. “I am amazed and proud. I don't know which one stands out the most.”
▫▪▪
The disclosure that Adrien had appeared was not just to spread the boy's defeated image. Of course not. Marinette would not be insensitive to such a way of letting Adrien expose himself as harshly as if he were on a freak show.
No. That had also been bait.
They knew that as soon as Gabriel found out that Adrien was back and accompanied by Marinette’s parents, it wouldn’t take long for him to break into Dupain-Cheng bakery and distribute threats about what he could or couldn’t do if they didn’t hand Adrien back to him.
Which didn't take long to happen.
After the news that Adrien had left the police station without giving a statement of what had happened, Gabriel didn't take long to appear at Sabine and Tom's door. Natalie, Gorilla - who had an expression of sadness - and two men who were supposed to be for frighten Marinette's family, but that did not have the expected effect.
“Good evening, M. Agreste. To what do I owe the honor of this most dignified visit?” Sabine asked. The mocking tone of her voice did not go unnoticed by anyone.
Man, he had the guts. The bakery was surrounded by journalists and he still had the audacity to appear as if he were the queen of England.
"Where is my son?" Gabriel asked, his entire posture showing contempt. “I hope you are aware that I will be filing a complaint for kidnapping and private imprisonment. Your daughter lied to two policemen and you and your husband covered it up.”
Tom, who was comfortably seated on the sofa, looked up. The expression on his face was very different from what he normally had.
"Kidnapping? Are you sure about that, Gabriel?” Tom asked. "I want you to think very carefully about your next words."
Gabriel snorted in offense.
"What else would it be when my son goes missing for a week and your daughter lies saying she doesn't know his whereabouts?"
“How about: harassment, attempted rape, cover-up, exploitation of child labor, neglect, gaslighting...? There are a number of things I could also suggest here, but it is better to leave that for trial day.” Marinette finally spoke, rising from the sofa and approaching the door. Approaching Gabriel.
Natalie gasped, fury shining in her eyes. "What are you talking about you-"
“If I were you, I would keep the poisonous tongue in my mouth if I don't want to lose it, Mlle. Sancoeur. I personally don't like violence, but if it's necessary I wouldn't mind teaching you some good lessons.” Sabine said, there was a sweet smile on the woman's face.
"What is this story about trial?" Gabriel demanded.
That was when Katherine Spencer, one of the lawyers Bruce had made available to defend Adrien, rose from the dinner table. She had insisted on staying at the Dupain-Cheng house, since the likelihood of Gabriel showing up to take Adrien and threatening them, was high.
"M. Agreste?” She asked. "I have some documents that should be of interest to you."
"And who would you be?" Gabriel raised his eyebrow, snobbish.
"Oh, sorry for my lack of manners." Katherine opened the leather briefcase and took a business card out of one of the smaller pockets, before handing it to Gabriel. "I'm Katherine Spencer, one of Adrien's lawyers."
Gabriel looked at Katherine and the paper, disbelieving what he read and heard.
"It says here that you are part of the Wayne conglomerate...?" He said, bewildered.
Katherine smiled, probably enjoying the effect it had on Gabriel.
"Yes, Marinette and Adrien are very close to the Wayne family, so when Mr. Wayne heard about Adrien's situation, he sent three of his best lawyers to help." She replied, the smile never failing.
With that, she opened the leather briefcase again, taking a wad of papers from the largest pocket, before handing them out to Natalie, who took more by reflex. And then she handed Gabriel a single paper.
The man's eyes grew a few inches after reading the biggest words on the paper and Katherine used this as permission to continue her speech.
"As you can see, this is an immediate restraining order." She nodded. “You and any Gabriel employee, whether personal or from your brand, including models, may not contact Adrien Agreste by any means possible. Otherwise, the police may be called.”
“But-but Adrien is Gabriel's face! My main model!”
Katherine nodded as if she understood the man's indignation.
"As you can see a little further down in that document, Adrien is indefinitely prohibited from working under the Gabriel brand until the investigation and trial are over."
"Investigation? Trial? What the hell are you talking about?” Natalie asked, looking more and more irritated.
Katherine stared at the woman without reaction.
“Adrien, Mlle. Sancoeur, was sexually harassed and nearly raped by a classmate who coincidentally also works for Gabriel.” Natalie gasped in horror. "All of this under the roof of his own home, with the permission of his own father."
"That- no-" Natalie babbled. Behind her, Gorilla had his hand over his mouth, a greenish tinge to his skin.
“I'm afraid it's true, Mlle. Sancoeur. There is testimony and evidence about it. " Katherine sighed heavily. “Today Adrien went to give his testimony again, so that there would be no reasonable doubts and then we got the restraining order. Now you must go.” She waved her hands. "There can be no contact between Agreste and Adrien."
▫▪▪
Not surprisingly, when Lila received her restraining order, she freaked out.
The girl tried with all her strength to make herself a victim, even going so far as to give an interview to a local TV channel - less famous than Nadja's, but which attracted everyone's attention because Adrien's name was involved - telling what supposedly happened.
Madam Rossi was next to her daughter, both sitting on a sofa in what should have been Lila's house, while the girl cried copiously in a false way, telling how Adrien Agreste had attacked her at a business dinner. That he just didn't go any further because they heard a strange noise coming from the main floor, so Adrien ran for fear of being caught.
▫▪▪
Adrien's fans ate Lila for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
▫▪▪
It wasn't long before she also showed up at the bakery with the mask of a good girl being wronged. Demanding that Adrien withdraw the restraining order because it was destroying their relationship.
She looked more and more insane.
When Sabine took the girl upstairs to their home, Lila thought she had finally managed to get away with it. Only to come face to face with Marinette Dupain-Cheng and another frankly scary boy - he had a horrible scowl and a murderous look - sitting as if they were waiting for her.
Lila looked around expecting to see Adrien, but there were only the two of them there. Sabine soon returned to the lower floor.
“Hello, Lila. What are you doing here?" Marinette asked curiously, a cup of tea in hand.
"Where is he, Dupain-Cheng?" She spat, not bothering to act. Marinette wouldn't believe a word she said.
Marinette raised her eyebrow in surprise.
"He?"
“Don't be stupid, Marinette. Everyone knows that Adrien is hiding here like a coward after he ran away from home.”
"Don't you mean after you tried to rape him?" The scary boy asked. That was when Lila noticed the oriental sword leaning against the side of his chair. Unsheathed.
“I didn't do that! He's just confused!” She stammered.
"I don't know Lila..." Marinette tilted her head innocently. "Blackmailing someone for... sex, also falls into the category of rape."
Lila swallowed a sigh, surprised that Marinette knew the details. She believed that Adrien had told only the basics, trying to keep his furry secret out of the spotlight. Lila had plans to use this surprise factor to her advantage, but apparently Adrien was playing to win.
"Don't be surprised, Rossi." The boy said again. "Don't think you're the hunter here."
"What-"
"With that, I want you to meet someone formally." Marinette said nonchalantly. "Plagg."
And Adrien's kwamii appeared, incredibly scary for such a small and generally cute, creature.
“Hello sausage. We have a matter to discuss.” He said, his voice resonating on the walls of Marinette's house and Lila backed away in alarm.
She needed to get out of there as soon as possible.
▫▪▪
“There, pigtails! Her memory of me is erased, but I haven't erased the attempt to... Anyway! I'm going back to the house of your murderous boyfriend, Adrien promised to watch the lion king with me with a lot of camembert.”
"Thank you, Plagg."
▫▪▪
For the interview with Nadja Chamack, Adrien decided that the best place for this interview would be in the place where he felt most secure. The Dupain-Cheng house, on Marinette's balcony.
There were only Nadja and Adrien in the camera frame, but Tom, Sabine, Luka and Marinette were in the background, along with the cameraman, in the form of support.
"Thank you for granting us this exclusive, Adrien." Nadja smiled. "I know it shouldn't be easy to sit here and relive everything, especially now with Lila Rossi's recent interview."
Adrien nodded, he looked more composed than the first time he appeared on cameras at the police station, but it was still possible to see how puffy his eyes were and how thin he had become.
He was having a hard time keeping food in his stomach.
“Thank you, Nadja. It has been a difficult time for me, but with the support that I have received from my family, I remain strong on this journey.”
"This is very good to hear Adrien." Nadja nodded before speaking again. “Could you tell us what actually happened? Many of your fans believe that Lila's statements were false. What's your version of it all?”
"Well..."
▫▪▪
This time the witch hunt version Gabriel Agreste and Lila Rossi had tripled in strength, because in addition to Adrien's fans, parents who were outraged by Gabriel's behavior and artists who knew Adrien for the sweet and kind boy he was, protested.
They demanded that Gabriel and Lila to be thrown in jail and the key forgotten at the bottom of the seine.
▫▪▪
Both were arrested the day after the interview.
Gabriel got provisional release, of course. Such a rich man would not be arrested if he could do something about it.
Lila, on the other hand, had to wait for the trial in a juvenile detention center, even though Madam Rossi had tried everything she could to keep the girl from being taken away.
▫▪▪
On the day of Gabriel's trial, the press was in full force in front of the Palace of Justice, wanting an exclusive or some pronouncement from Gabriel, because since Adrien's interview, the man has remained strangely quiet.
The court was packed. The Mlle. Bustier’s class by weight had attended the man's trial. They were all sitting in the right hall, behind where Gabriel's group of lawyers was sitting.
Only Nino and Sabrina who were on the left. Nino was sitting in the front, as close to Adrien as possible.
He was happy that Gabriel was finally getting what he deserved, but also sad that Adrien had to go through hell for this to finally happen.
Sabrina was content to sit next to Chloe and Kagami.
The Wayne family had also attended, all wanting to show support for Adrien in this difficult time. Leaving the Super family to look after Gotham while they were away.
There were also curious people, some people from Adrien's fan club, some parents of Mlle. Bustier's students and accredited reporters like Nadja.
The stage was set and Gabriel was the main character.
The defense attorney had taken the route of trying to turn Gabriel into a victim of Lila's manipulations, which might have been true to some extent, but that made no difference when Gabriel was a terrible father. And such awful person.
He had no excuse for that, because it was obvious that Emillie was the only one of the two who really took care of her son and that it ended when she died.
To say that it was satisfactory when Katherine tore him up in front of the audience, jury and judge Lahiffe - Nino's mother - did not come close to the real feeling that the miraculous team felt.
When Gabriel was found guilty... Well, it wasn't Marinette's fault the shout of celebration they let out.
Thirty years in prison and a ban on any attempt to contact Adrien.
▫▪▪
Adrien later that day, discovered that the Dupain-Cheng were officially applying for guardianship.
He still had two years to reach legal age and as Gabriel and neither Emillie had close family, Adrien would enter the system. What Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng would not admit.
Adrien was already part of the family.
▫▪▪
The miraculous team was amused to realize that every time someone called Adrien Agreste, he would correct it by saying it was Adrien Dupain-Cheng now. With his chest puffed out like a peacock spreading feathers.
▫▪▪
Mlle. Bustier's class and even the teacher herself tried to contact Adrien or any of the three - Adrien, Marinette and Chloe -, but every attempt was thwarted by Tom.
Adrien needed time and he couldn't do that with a group of curious and insensitive teenagers buzzing in his ear.
▫▪▪
Lila's trial had been less of a show and more of a funeral.
She appeared in court accompanied by prison guards, her hands and feet handcuffed and typical prisoner clothing, but what attracted the most attention about the girl was her short hair. Navigating between a pixie and a mullet.
Adrien shifted uncomfortably in his chair next to Katherine, looking confusedly at Marinette.
He knew that Marinette was watching every step Lila took, even in the detention center, so she was probably aware of this sudden change in Lila's appearance. But she never said anything to him.
(Of course Marinette said nothing. She knew that if she told Adrien that other girls in the detention center - his fans - had taken revenge on the Italian girl for what she did, Adrien would feel guilty. Even if Lila deserved a lot worse than a simple bad haircut.)
As the trial passed, everyone there was certain that Lila was being judged just because she was a terrible human being who doesn't know how to hear no; but when Katherine was getting more and more evidence out of her briefcase, everyone started to understand that Lila was much worse than they thought.
Madam Rossi had hyperventilated three times before the big revelation that Lila helped Bob put terror in Paris. So, when the man came in as a witness against Lila and told the whole truth, the woman fell hard against the wooden bench.
She had to be carried out of court.
▫▪▪
There was no deliberation.
Lila was immediately found guilty.
She got a life sentence with no chance of parole.
▫▪▪
"How are you feeling, chaton?" Marinette asked, fingers dancing over his blond hair.
“Relieved, sad and tired. And also happy.” Adrien replied, his face buried in the girl's neck.
The two had built a fort on Marinette's balcony, enjoying the clear skies and warm night. Trying to disconnect from everything and everyone.
Adrien was curled over Marinette's body, grabbing the girl as if she were his lifeline and Marinette had her arms around him, her fingers playing with the blond hair on the back of his neck.
“I know it has been difficult, that it is a lot to assimilate, but I want you to know that I will always be here for you. Always." Marinette whispered. "I will never let my kitten suffer again."
Adrien sniffed, arms tightening Marinette even more.
“Thank you, Mari. I'm very lucky to have met you.”
BONUS #1:
"I was thinking here..." Adrien looked up from where he was kneading the dough, drawing Marinette's attention across the table decorating cupcakes.
"Yes?" She murmured, the tip of her tongue dangling in concentration.
"If you're going to pursue a career in the fashion world, who's going to take care of the bakery business?" He looked away, his cheek starting to turn a lovely red. "Sabi-Mom and dad won't have a lifelong willingness to take care of the business, so who's going to do it for them?"
Marinette placed the cupcake on the table, looking at Adrien seriously.
"Adrien, be direct and say what you are thinking."
"I-"
"I think Adrien is trying to say that he wants to become a full-time baker, isn't that cupcake?" Luka asked, appearing out of nowhere behind the blond boy and kissing the reddened cheek.
Adrien squeaked in surprise, almost dropping the dough off the counter.
"Luka!" He scolded. “Don't scare me like that! And don't call me a cupcake!”
"Sweetie?"
"Sweetie either!"
Marinette rolled her eyes at them both.
Luka, after he started his relationship with Adrien, seemed to discover new parts of himself that he was previously unaware of.
Like being hopelessly in love and endless flirting.
It was disgusting.
"Okay, you two stop." She got attention. “The two of you flirting is disgusting. Too much sugar for my system.”
Adrien snorted, offended, Luka just winked boldly.
Marinette ignored them both.
"But if that's the case, I don't think dad would mind Adrien." She continued. “He will probably be very happy, actually. God knows how that man tried with all his might to develop my interest in baking full-time, but he never succeeded.”
Adrien smiled, lighting up like a Christmas tree.
"Do you really think?!"
"Of course." She nods. "Best of all, we have some of the best pastry schools here in Paris, in case you don't want to leave."
"Who's leaving?" Damian came into the kitchen looking like he was still asleep.
He and Luka had spent the night at the Dupain-Cheng house after a double date for horror movies with lots of buttered popcorn and sugary drinks.
It was supposed to be a slumber party with everyone, but Kagami had taken Chloe and Sabrina on a date; Nino was on Chris' nanny duty and Damian's brothers, who had arrived in Paris that night, preferred to stay home to recover from the jetlag.
So, it was just the four of them. And they managed to get to half of Annabelle before they passed out in the dreamland.
Marinette and Adrien just waking up when Tom passed the room to go down to the bakery, Luka and Damian sleeping heavily.
"No one. Mari was explaining to Adrien that he is more than welcome to continue the family business while she reigns in the fashion world.” Luka handed him the coffee mug.
"Amen." Damian murmured, planting a kiss on the girl's forehead before swallowing half of the black coffee at once.
"He looks so much like his brother when he does that." Said Adrien, remembering the time he had slept on the sofas at Wayne Manor and woken up with Tim sipping a huge mug of black coffee as if he were drinking water.
Marinette snorts with amusement.
"I always say that, but he never takes me seriously."
Damian frowned unhappy with the comments, but said nothing, seeing Sabine open the door with a tray of cookies in her hand.
"Look what just came out of the warm oven!"
Marinette smiled, her eyes on Adrien who had run to the woman, trying to help her with the tray even though she didn't need to. He was blushing adorably for the attention Sabine was giving him.
She was happy that Adrien was finally getting the attention and love he deserved.
BONUS #2:
Marinette was sitting in a small, but wonderful, restaurant with Leon.
Leon whom Adrien affectionately called Gorilla and who of everyone in that house, took care of Adrien as much as he could.
He was also the only one to respect the restraining order - since he still worked for the Gabriel and Gabriel brand - when others believed it was just a means of scaring.
Marinette knew that the man was a good person, that he really liked Adrien and that he had been blaming himself for a while now, for what had happened.
"How's he doing?" Leon asked, his voice disproportionately small for such a large body.
Marinette smiled; the pasta dish forgotten in favor of the man.
“Getting better." She answered sincerely. “There are more good days than bad, there are words that we have to avoid at all costs because of the trigger, but Adrien is doing well. Therapy is helping a lot.”
Leon looked down, a shy smile on his face.
“Is he still going to school? I know how much he enjoyed having a normal life. Or as normal as possible.”
"Yes, mom and dad transferred him to the lycée that I'm attending with Chloe and Kagami." Marinette nodded. "Things at Dupont were inconceivable to him."
Leon looked at her again. “I'm glad he found people he could trust, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng.”
Marinette snorted, amused. “Please, Leon. Just Marinette.” She stared at the man, holding his gaze. "He misses you, you know?"
Leon's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Don't be so surprised!" She laughed. "It is true. You were the only person he really felt close to in that place and who never hurt him.”
"Oh..." Leon looked away.
"You should come to dinner with us sometime." Marinette continued. "Now that you no longer work for Gabriel, there is no restraining order to stop you."
"I-"
"Not to mention that we need someone trained to help us when Adrien's fans and journalists get really aggressive." She said innocently before drinking water.
Leon froze in surprise, incredulous at what he heard. Until a sincere smile opened on the man's face.
"Okay."
"Yea?" Marinette asked hopefully.
"Yes."
Leon watched the tiny girl wave her arms happily, not caring about the amused looks and laughter she attracted.
In this AU Marinette and Adrien gets the mentor and friend they deserves.
-----
Original Characters to note:
Marie Wang Lenoir ( Age 31-32): A Chinese-British women, who was adopted by Marianne. She have green eyes and jet black hair. She's a little bit shorter than Nathalie Sancoeur. A new teacher/counselor at Francois Dupont, sent by the Board to monitor the Akuma Class and suspicious teaching/management style at Dupont. She's compatible with Duusu ( Peacock Miraculous).
Seika Lenoir (Age 14-16): She's a Japanese-British orphan, adopted by Marianne when Marie was 19 years old. She's the petite version of Marie. Transfer student at Dupont, she transfered late due to her late release from the hospital because of her illness. She likes to cook, and is a regular of the Dupain-Cheng bakery's delivery service. She was trained to be the black cat wielder before she got diagnosed with heart disease.
----
Background:
- Wang Fu and Marianne reunites sometime in 2008. They lived in separate houses to avoid any accident due to Fu's guardian status.
- Both of Marianne's foster children were introduced to the concept of miraculous and guardianship. Marie was supposed to be Ladybug, but she was not compatible with Tikki's power. So instead, she was trained to be the next guardian while Seika was trained to be the next Black Cat.
- In June 2014, Seika was diagnosed with CDV. Fu was forced to find another Chat Noir.
- Backwarder did not happen in this AU.
-----
- No change in the Origins Story.
- Seika transferred a week after The Origins Story.
- Became friends with Marinette because of her being a regular in DC bakery.
- Neutralizes the chaotic energy in both Alya and Marinette. Advises Marinette on her crush while preventing the chaotic duo's wild ideas. Helps Marinette to not stutter / have anxiety attack around Adrien, tries to get Alya to film for her blog in a safe distance. It works... somewhat.
- Because of Seika's presence, the whole chaotic Adrienette scenes did not happen (she keeps on stopping those ideas/ Marinette spiraling). So no, no phone stealing, no stalking(or schedule hogging) happens (in Seika's knowledge at least).
- Told Marinette that being in love and being obsessed is different, and that Alya should stop treating everything like a scoop lest she'll become a tabloid writer. They fought but it smoothed out pretty fast.
- Chloe tried to bully the trio. Keyword: tried.
- The trio is very protective of each other.
- Seika knew who Ladybug and Chat Noir from the beginning from Fu, so she secretively provide alibis for her whenever Marinette needs to transform. Mari met Fu earlier because of this.
- The Trio enrolled for martial arts, Seika joined Fencing and Krav Maga, Marinette joined Karate, Krav Maga and Kung Fu, while Alya joined Muay Thai.
- Seika and Adrien talks a lot about Fencing and Piano.
- Marinette talks more with Adrien due to her friend's support. They're study and gaming buddies.
- Adrienette became much closer from the beginning. Marinette likes to gift him pastries every morning, while Adrien likes to give Marinette random gifts or Gabriel's sketch whenever he could.
- Adrien and Marinette likes the other's hero identity and each other unknowingly. The love square is still full of denial.
- Marinette gave a scarf and a leather bracelet for Adrien's birthday.
- Most akumatization happens anyways in this AU, except for Lady Wifi.
- When Lila appeared, she almost stole Adrien's grimoire only to be caught red handed by Seika. Lila ran away after threatening Seika into silence (not that it worked). Seika told the chaotic duo about Lila's supposed threat and plan to sway Adrien, so Marinette send Adrien a message to warn him while Seika stalks both of them to secure the grimoire. Adrien, warned by Mari told Lila to knock it off (kindly ofc). Lila still got akumatized into Volpina without LB's interference.
- Marinette, Fu and Seika made a convincing copy of the grimoire to fool Gabriel into letting Adrien return to class.
- The Collector still happened, but Seika and Fu are still convinced that Gabriel is Hawk Moth. They keep it a secret from LB and CN.
- Somehow during the Collector, Duusu manages to escape (as they were kept half dormant by Hawkmoth) and found Marie. Marie, who's training to be a guardian, is now in the loop. Fu started his final training for Marie.
- After Dark Owl, Marie was notified by the Board to be deployed to Dupont as a counselor and teacher assistant to find out the truth behind the high number of Akumatization in Dupont.
- Marie became the Akuma Class' homeroom teacher along with Bustier. Marie criticizes Bustier's way of handling bully and her habit to put all responsibility to Marinette, while stopping Chloe from ruining Marinette's gift for Bustier. Bustier got Akumatized for Chloe.
- Syren is Rena Rouge's debut. Mari didn't choose Seika because of her CDV, afraid that it will agitate Seika's condition. Adrien threw a tantrum like canon.
- Fu decided to order Plagg to leave Adrien for a while, Seika reunited with Plagg for a while.
- Adrien, aghasted that Plagg left him and saw Phantom Noire in his place. He was notably upset during Captain Hardrock and Frightningale.
- Phantom Noire is much more direct, discrete and merciless than Chat Noir. LB and PN works well together, Fu and Marie wondered if they should just give Adrien another miraculous, but PN reminded them of her condition, and that Adrien's soul is compatible with Marinette's.
- Due to years of training and Seika's natural compatibility with Plagg, she's able to turn the staff into a sniping gun and a hand gun. Plagg dulls the tremor and absorb any damage to PN to minimize any aftershocks/effects that will affect Seika's heart condition.
- Before Queen's Battle, Phantom Noire met up with Adrien. Adrien was upset with the fact that PN is his replacement and that PN is a good black cat holder. PN scoffed, and told him it was the other way around. PN is the original Black Cat, but due to an unexpected condition, she couldn't.
PN: "I might supposed to be Plagg's holder at first, but that doesn't mean that you're not destined to be Chat Noir. You're the only one who can be Chat Noir, and as your senior, I am going train you to be the best Black Cat the world have ever seen.
The reason why you're benched for a while is to train you. I'm not your competitor, I'm your mentor. Now your first task is to find out what you did that is not befitting of Chat Noir."
- During Queen's Battle, Chat is still benched. Queen Wasp didn't happen because PN and LB defeated Style Queen without needing the Bee Miraculous.
- Adrien is benched with Bee Miraculous until Chameleon. His alias is Alpha Bee.
- During Heroes' Day, Marie finally transformed into Blue Empress. They fought Hawkmoth with the assistance of Blue Empress with Rena Rouge and Carapace, although the later duo got akumatized. Hawkmoth demanded Blue Empress to return the Peacock Miraculous to him, though he manages to run away when more Sentimonsters attacked him. Catalyst tried to help but only able to get him out.
- The Heroes are aware of Volpina's involvement and Seika and Alya decided to collect evidences that she's working with Hawkmoth voluntarily as Lila have been telling them she's not even in France during the whole month.
- BE, Fu and PN met up with Marinette and Marie started to train her to be a better LB.
- In the beginning of March, CN finally gets back his miraculous and gave Pollen back to the guardian. CN and LB now were aware that BE will be the new guardian. PN dropped her transformation, and let the two know who she is.
- During Chameleon, Lila still have a grudge against Adrien for not falling for her lies. She also were jealous of Marinette and Seika who's really close to Adrien. She started her tactics to use the class with fake disabilities only to have Seika telling her to go to the nurse rather than whining about it. She tried to get Marinette move from her seat, only for her to gladly do so (as she can seat with Seika who volunteered to move with her to the back, much to Adrien and Alya's displeasure). But Seika told the class that Titinus doesn't work that way, where is her hearing aid, why is the school unaware of her needing any support? In the end, Marie didn't even let her seat anywhere near Adrien, much to Lila's displeasure. Bustier tried to support Lila, only to withered when she saw Marie's glare.
- It was not a good day or week for Lila. All her effort on buttering up and getting closer to Adrien fall short. Marie and the trio tried to kill her with kindness, no one is willing to bring her books, treat her lunch or do her homework. Needless to say, Lila's pissed.
- Seika taught Adrien to spine up... and high road doesn't exist when your mentor is silent storm incarnate. Adrien have learnt his lesson.
- Lila tried to butter up and threaten Marinette in the bathroom, caught by Alya and Seika who followed them in. Then she got Akumatized. She got defeated by LB and CN pretty fast.
- The liar then tried to ruin Adrien and the trio's reputation. Didn't work too well, so she tried to get Marinette expelled.
- Adrien, Plagg and Seika are all too happy to be a part of Marinette's Protection Club, and foiled all Lila's plan by collecting evidences and not letting Marinette's guard down.
- Lila got suspended for bullying from a report by an anonymous tip. We all know who did it.
- Lila butters up with Old Agreste and become Adrien's nightmare.
- Luka and Kagami's role is similar, but more subdued. Adrienette duo's is both obvious and oblivious to each other. Silencer happened and Weredad... kind of happen?
- Weredad were caused by Tom finding CN in Marinette's room late at night. Cue protective father instinct.
- Adrien already realizes his crush on Marinette, while Marinette started to realize her crush on Chat.
- Kagami and Seika's pretty close, because of their background and fencing. Kagami doesn't have a crush on Adrien... she have a crush on Seika.
- Lila pushed Seika and Adrien on the floor into a compromising position and took a picture of them for blackmail . The black cats were not amused.
- Lila send the picture to all Adrien's contact. Kagami got Akumatized as Oni Chan and is targetting Adrien. Seika then warn Kagami about Lila after she was purified.
- All holders and temporary holders know that LB's best friend is CN amd PN. So Lila's lie doesn't really have any effect.
- Gabriel is way to amused and happy to find a willing active victim in Lila so they form an alliance. One that Hawkmoth is willing to throw anytime.
- Oblivio happened, and the love square is stronger than ever. All the other casts were tired of the idiot couple.
- Lila somehow double the rate of akumatization in the class, causing another incident with Reflektor and Princess Fragrance, and others.
- Luka was directly given the snake miraculous by Seika... discreetly, after Adrien's mental breakdown for failing 24,913 times. She would've wield it if not because her health is deteriorating. Marie's concerned.
- In Kwamibuster, Marie and Seika watches everything in exasperation and confusion. What kind of chaotic mind does Marinette have and why the banana suit? Multimouse didn't get exposed because BE quickly make a distraction with her sentimonster.
- Marie, Fu and Seika wondered if LB and CN should know each other's identity soon.
- Hawkmoth found Fu's old sentimonster before Marie and Seika did. Fu's location got compromised, Marie send him off with Marianne to the country side and Fu relinquished guardianship to Marie as soon as Order of Guardians is restored.
- Marie decided to get CN and LB to be in the loop about who Hawkmoth might be. Seika make sure CN's okay after the reveal of Hawkmoth
- Felix happened, and he thought Seika is Adrien's girlfriend. Cue angry Akumatized Kagami again.
- Lila trapped Marinette in a cleaning closet after Marinette tells her to change her ways. Tikki got separated from Marinette, while Lila became an akuma who tried to torture Marinette to be her "friend". Tikki went to Seika for help. Phantom Rouge and Chat Noir defeated Lila.
- Chat Blanc happened because Gabriel is a bitch. Seika was hospitalized due to sudden attack. The catalyst is Volpina's illusion of Marinette's death that makes Adrien dropped his transformation in shock. Gabriel tried to get him on his side to resurrect and heal his friends. LB and BE manages to deakumatize him by employing Viperion, Rena Rouge, Carapace, Bunnyix, a mourning Ryuko, and surprise, a recently changing Queen Bee. LB needed to drop her transformation and let BE make a sentimonster based of her so that Chat could realized that she's okay.
- As Gabriel knowing Adrien is Chat Noir dangerous for Adrien, BE tries to convince all holders to stop Gabriel now. Chat who realized how crazy Gabriel is finally agreed.
- Battle of the miraculous, only it didn't involve the Bourgeois, but another Catalyst. The catalyst defeated Rena Rouge and Carapace, allowing miraculous Volpina and Purple Shell to aid Hawkmoth. They manages to defeat Hawkmoth and get back the butterfly miraculous and the other two.
- Gabriel and Lila tried to attack afterwards, and were apprehended by the police. Nathalie surrendered willingly.
- The miraculous team found Emily.
- To fix the damage by peacock miraculous, needs the power (living essence) from a butterfly soul. But Gabriel's damages the miraculouses so much that it's not possible to do it anymore.
-A miraculous can only be fixed by a compatible soul, called the soul treatment.
- Seika just happen to be one. The soul treatment have a steep price for the sick holder.
- Emilie lives. Gabriel and Lila lost everything. The Miraculous team mourns for their friend.
He wasn’t allowed to wander around the mansion; the bodyguard—who’s name Felix didn’t know despite the man working for the Agrestes for years—was there to make sure he didn’t escape.
Felix closed the door and paced up and down the length of the room.
What was he supposed to do now? So close to his goal, and yet so far. Gabriel wasn’t an idiot; after Felix robbed him the first time, he wouldn’t let his ring disappear the same way. It was probably hidden in a safe somewhere, but how was he supposed to find it when there was a guard with him the entire time? Could Felix wait until tomorrow, when the bodyguard had to take Adrien to school?
No, Nathalie would likely lock the door on him. Every lock in the mansion could be controlled remotely, as part of his uncle’s desperate need to control everything. He would have to wait to know for certain, but the door would likely be locked at night as well, giving the bodyguard a break.
Felix paused. So why was the bodyguard there right now? They could just lock him in his room and be done with him until dinner, not… whatever this is.
Did Gabriel expect something from him?
Well, Felix thought, sitting primely on his bed. Now he wasn’t going to do anything.
Felix wasted time until dinner on his phone. M. Henry had finally gotten back to him regarding the translation, asking Felix if he was alright in the email, which Felix understood once he read the diary. It was… a little disturbing, reading Rossi’s analysis of their classmates and theorizing lies that would specifically cater to their flaws. Rossi’s M.O. seemed to be lying about one little thing they wanted to get them hooked, then build up with promises—that she’d introduce them to someone, that she’d help them make it big, that she’d teach them to be like rockstars and celebrities. She wanted them dependent on her, protective of her so they’d one day get their investment back.
And then there was her lies about Ladybug and Marinette. Felix grouped the two together because Rossi did—in some passages it was like Rossi mistook one for the other. The hatred Rossi had for them disgusted Felix, it truly did. Felix didn’t really know Ladybug, but she seemed… alright, for someone who punched him in the face. To be far, he’d expected it, considering how he was trying to ruin Adrien’s reputation at the time. But the hero was perceptive and a generally good person by all accounts… if you didn’t count Rossi’s.
If you believed Rossi’s words, Ladybug was just a jealous showoff with a crush on Adrien, and Marinette was no better.
Felix closed the PDF before he got too angry, then forwarded the email to Cesaire. Hopefully she hadn’t blocked him yet, and was still willing to take down Rossi, even after he’d framed her. He hadn’t heard anything from Cesaire, which could be good and bad. But at least she hadn’t leaked his phone number to their classmates, so he didn’t have to deal with cyber harassment on top of everything else.
After a quick text to Marinette, informing her that he was okay, Nathalie fetched him for a family dinner. Gabriel seemed excessively angry at Felix, glaring and playing with his cravat, which Felix understood. He did punch his uncle’s cash cow in the face, after all. Dinner passed in stony silence, and when Felix was returned to his room, the locks clicked in place behind him.
With the knowledge that there was no one in the hall to check if he was still in his room, Felix turned to the windows. Despite Uncle’s numerous security measures, windows were his weak spot, as Felix and Adrien learned when they were children.
Gabriel would regret keeping Felix in his mansion, especially since Felix learned the position of all Gabriel’s security cameras years ago. Tonight, he’d find the safe. Lay low for a few days. And on the last night… Gabriel wouldn’t know what hit him.
An objective observer would call the security of the Agreste Manor flawless. The alarms, the sensors, the guard dogs, the cameras: all preciously poised to keep people out as well as in. in theory, Felix was a rat in a trap.
In theory.
Jimmying the window open with a knife he stole from dinner, he smushed a chewed piece of gum over the sensor as it was revealed, nestled against the side of the frame, never giving it time to set the alarm off. The sensor was designed to be unobtrusive at the cost of efficacy; Gabriel was paranoid, but he didn’t want anyone to know he was paranoid, so the sensor only triggered the alarm if it was fully uncovered.
Felix crept out onto the window ledge, years of gymnastics keeping him light on his feet. Tucked under the eaves of the house, out of sight of the security cameras pointed out at the grounds, he eased past darkened windows and balconies. Gabriel’s office was a floor above and around a corner, with a trellis covered in flowering vines between the two. Normally, a trellis wouldn’t support your weight, but Felix knew, from his childhood spent in and out of the manor, that it was anchored into the wall so that cleaners had access to the roof without the need for unsightly ladders.
He climbed the trellis, crushing ivy and flowers underfoot even though he could avoid hurting them, taking a perverse pleasure in killing them. They were only alive to keep up the perfect appearance of the manor. Eventually, they would die because of him, and then Gabriel would have to fork out thousands to replace plants.
Gabriel’s office window was more elaborate than Felix’s own guest window, with violet stained-glass butterflies all over. But Gabriel skimped on the security. There were no sensors, no cameras pointed at the glass. But there was an alarm. Gabriel had explained to him and Adrien when they were children that it was merely to alert him if the window was opened, so that no one could fall out. And while Felix thought it was strange, to only have an alarm on it, it was convenient. It only went off if he opened the window.
So Felix broke the glass instead.
Felix dropped in, shattered glass glinting in the moonlight from the broken window. The office looked no different from his memories when he and Adrien would stand side by side, bonded together in whatever mischief Gabriel was lecturing them over. Those years were long gone, and Felix ignored those lingering feelings in favor of the safe hidden behind his aunt’s painting.
The combination was their wedding anniversary. Felix gagged at the sappiness—as if his uncle didn’t have something to do with Aunt Emilie’s disappearance, as if he actually cared—but at least in meant Gabriel was consistent. The safe swung open.
A medley of treasures filled the safe. Felix recognized a few, like the pretty brooch Auntie used to wear, but others were more… eccentric. Like the salt encrusting the bottom of the safe. Felix snooped through several empty vials, crusted with an old, long-evaporated liquid, and crystals the size of his fist. An old book with a maroon cover leaned against the side, it’s title gibberish to Felix, with a Celtic knot on its front. There was a long black box, locked even inside the safe, and a lock of long, blonde hair inside a velvet bag.
He’d expected more. Corporate documents, evidence of secret dealings, something he could use to blackmail Gabriel. Not… weird cult stuff.
Finally, in the back, there was a telltale glint of silver.
He grabbed it, and slid his aunt’s wedding band onto his pointer finger, the diamond inset shining in the dim light.
