Chapter Text
Stifling back his yawn with closed lips, Gabriel Agreste’s immaculate posture never wavered as he flicked his finger over the large tablet screen. Streams of fashion scrolled right to left. From a civilian’s perspective, the styles ranged from glamorous to professional to business casual.
To Gabriel - it was all inferior garbage. Light steel eyes narrowing, he pulled up the recent emails from Nathalie and scrolled to hit reply. Letting her know to set a video conference call this afternoon with his design group, he was about to close out the program when a new notification popped up.
“Adrien’s staying home today. Running a fever. Scheduled doctor to visit at noon.”
A touch of warmth flickered in his stomach. Where would he be without Nathalie?
Shutting down the tablet, Gabriel turned on heel to the large gold mosaic of his wife. Emilie’s frozen smile made his heart twist in his chest. She had been the love of his life, a single light in his world. Her kindness - her joy - she had kept him grounded. Encouraged him. Teased him.
Made him smile.
Gave him Adrien.
His son’s hair, his eyes, his temperament - he was becoming more like Emilie every passing day. Though a bit overly emotional at times, Adrien was a good kid. Talented and smart. He excelled at his academics - and perhaps letting him attend College Dupont had been a wise decision. The boy had certainly kept up his end of the deal. He hardly missed lessons, was present for photoshoot schedules, and his new Chinese instructor had nothing but the highest praise for him.
There was something that was bugging Gabriel though. The boy had everything he wanted - games, books, that weird cheese he was suddenly obsessed with.
Looking into the green jeweled eyes of his wife, he searched for guidance. There was an important detail he was missing.
What was it?
Love. The word brushed to him like a whisper in his ear.
Spine ramrod straight, Gabriel scoffed at his thoughts and turned away from the portrait.
Love? Adrien was fourteen! Just a child! He had a busy schedule that didn’t need to be tampered with such nonsense! If Adrien was starving for attention, he’d tell Nathalie and Gabriel would set up some form of entertainment for him! His son was a good kid. Obedient and loyal. Besides, Adrien had his school friends - that unfortunate hooligan with the headphones being one of them. What more affection could his son possibly need?
“He’s fourteen. He has his whole life ahead of him. Right now, he needs to establish himself and focus on his career. He has his friends and his freedom at school. He’s too young and immature for something like love.”
“Master?” A purple head popped out of his collar. Nooroo’s large eyes were tight with concern.
“I’m thinking out loud. No need to concern yourself, Nooroo.”
“It sounds like you’re thinking about Adrien,” the kwami pressed bravely.
Gabriel sighed, his shoulders finally dropping with fatigue. Heading to his office chair, he plopped down on the seat. Nooroo floated out of his shirt, his lavender head tilted worriedly.
Gabriel rubbed his eyes behind his glasses before confessing: “I have a feeling I’m missing something. Something concerning Adrien. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
He didn’t notice the flicker of panic brushing Nooroo’s face before it was quickly schooled away.
“Y-You said the word ‘love’, Master…”
“It was just a fleeting thought.”
“You think Adrien needs love-”
“I said it was a fleeting thought, Nooroo!” Gabriel barked sharply. The purple kwami zipped away fearfully. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his flaring temper. It wasn’t like him to lose his cool so quickly - especially when he was Gabriel Agreste.
As Hawk Moth - emotions were everything.
“Master… if I may say one thing…” Nooroo carefully slipped close enough to talk, but not enough for Gabriel to grab him. “I think you should consider what you’re saying. Adrien is a young man. He’s getting to an age where love will become a focal point in his life.”
Silver-blue eyes flipping to his kwami, Gabriel mulled over Nooroo’s suggestion with a finger tapping his chin.
Fourteen… that was technically teenager age. And he had upgraded Adrien’s modeling to the newest adolescent style since he’d grown past 175cm. He was attracting attention wherever he went - vendors, paparazzi, even no-names on the street lined to take pictures with him. Nathalie had mentioned Adrien had gone to the skating rink a while ago and simply posted online about it. Frozer - Gabriel hadn’t bothered to learn the man’s real name - had a new class full of eager students due to that one little post. It’d be hard to akumatize the happy man again - not that he wanted to. Frozer had ended in a failure.
Just like the rest of them.
“He’s growing up so fast.”
“That’s normal, Master.”
“You’re right. I should consider this. He is attracting a lot of attention.”
“From females and males,” Nooroo added solemnly.
Shoulders suddenly squaring off, Gabriel sat up in his chair with a start. “I will have to curb his attentions. I cannot have him associating intimately with some common Parisian floozy.”
“There’s plenty of girls to choose from, I’m sure.”
Hands clasped, chin braced on his fingers, Gabriel’s eyes tossed with distracted thoughts. Adrien was more than just his son: he was the face of his fashion empire. Who he hung around with from day-to-day mattered. Who he decided to fall in love with definitely mattered.
“I will choose someone worthy of him,” Gabriel finally said with resolve. “I must find a girl that meets my standards. Someone who will not shame the Agreste name. A girl with talent, creativity, cleverness. Who matches Adrien in terms of looks and manner. She must be poised, strong-willed, and yet knows her place. Someone like-”
“That Lila girl?” Nooroo proposed.
Gabriel glared so hard the purple creature ducked underneath his desk with a frightened squeak.
“She is a tool and nothing more!” he snarled. “She is unworthy of my son! Adrien needs someone pure - not that lying trash!”
No, Gabriel thought, calming himself to concentrate on this predicament. I have to consider this carefully. I need a proper girl for Adrien to fall in love with. Chloe Bourgeois? She was Adrien’s childhood friend - however, the girl was a superhero now in league with Ladybug and Chat Noir. Queen Bee, as she called herself. Not only would someone like her put my true identity in peril, she was a fool. Nowhere near clever or creative. She’d even stolen the derby hat idea from that pig-tailed girl-
His phone buzzing in his pocket, Gabriel pulled it out slowly and spied Nathalie’s name. He answered the call.
“Sir,” her stoic voice said through the phone. “Adrien’s friends are requesting to see him later today.”
“What for?”
“...Because he’s ill, sir.”
Right - Gabriel sighed lowly. He’d already forgotten. But then his eyes narrowed.
“Who is coming?”
“I believe it is Nino Lahiffe, Alya Cesaire, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng… you mean the one with the pigtails?”
“Yes, sir. Adrien showcased her designs at the fashion show.”
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng…” Gabriel repeated quietly. He remembered her from that disaster of a fashion show - his ultimate Style Queen falling at the hands of Ladybug and that imbecilic black cat kwami. The girl was talented - her designs going so far as to impress Audrey Bourgeois. That fact alone was saying something.
Not only was the girl artistically gifted, but she was well liked among her peers. Evillustrator had loved her so much he defied Gabriel’s will just to take her on a date. During Befana, her entire class had risen up to protect her. Even Adrien had personally shielded her during Gamer - something Gabriel hadn’t expected of his son.
The girl checked quite a few boxes off Gabriel’s list: talented, well-mannered, pretty. She had a kindness about her that reminded him of Emilie - perhaps it was her eyes…
“Sir?” Nathalie’s voice broke his train of thought.
“Let them know they are allowed an hour of visitation. Adrien needs his rest.”
“Yes, sir.”
The call ended and Gabriel leaned back in his chair - his fingers lacing together.
Slowly, a sly grin, one that was usually only seen with a silver mask to accompany it, slipped on his lips.
********************************
It was only a matter of days before the ideal situation fell right into Gabriel’s lap. Three students sent to detention, one of the teachers at College Dupont was at her wit’s end with her troublemaking class.
The place was set up. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Adrien was back at school.
Time to put his ideas to the test.
Sending the akuma away, he waited - watching through his connection - as the black butterfly slipped inside the school as easy as a breeze. Focusing on the teacher, who was sitting at her desk alone, he pushed the akuma into the small laser pointer that draped dismally in her fingertips.
Channeling his voice, he couldn’t keep the smirk off his face.
“Mistress Time-Out, I am Hawk Moth,” he began, almost rubbing his hands in anticipation. “Those students have been giving you grief for far too long. I’m giving you the power to put whoever you want in a permanent time-out. All you have to do is put Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng in time-out together!”
He felt a weird hesitation from the woman - as if she was confused about his instructions.
“Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng? But…”
“What?” he asked, his smile slipping.
“I don’t teach them.”
He sighed. “Then find their classroom.”
The teacher sat up straighter with a frown. “But I have heard wonderful things about both of them. Bustier has the best homeroom in the entire-”
“Do you want this power or not!?” Hawk Moth snarled.
“I-I, yes!” The woman nodded briskly. “My apologies. It was just my understanding you were after Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses. That’s what you usually-”
“Yeah, yeah - that, too.” He rolled his eyes. “Now get going!”
The power enveloped her and his smile returned.
You’ll thank me later, son.
********************************
14 minutes later...
The white butterfly returned to him.
Hawk Moth’s eyes were dangerous slits.
It had gone all wrong the moment she’d transformed...
********************************
The akuma, having left her classroom, stormed into the hallway, hell-bent on finding his son and the baker girl. She shot her laser pointer as she went, zapping the frantically escaping students into a cold white dimension where desks lined the room and homework continually materialized in the air. He saw their terrified faces as math, physics, and history popped on the surface of the desks just waiting to be filled out.
Hmph… this was troubling. An endless room with endless homework…
Not the best place for a romantic setting.
Hawk Moth chewed his bottom lip contemplating what to do - when a flash of blond hair came into view. His heart leaped! It was Adrien! He was hurrying out of a classroom, determination set on his lips.
And, as luck would have it, following closely behind his son was none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng!
“Do not put them in detention!” he shouted, causing the akuma to stumble to a halt.
“But you said-”
“I know what I said! Change of plans, I…” he thought quickly, “I need you to capture Adrien Agreste and lock him in a closet with Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”
Anything would be better than that dank detention room!
“I-uh, okay, Hawk Moth.” Following his orders, Mistress Time-Out zapped the students in her way and hurried to where Adrien was trying to escape down the stairs.
“You are coming with me!” she crowed, grabbing the back of his white jacket. Green eyes wide with alarm, Adrien was half-dragged, half-shoved down the hall and thrown into a small janitorial closet. The door shut on his handsome, confused face.
“Perfect. Now find Marinette...” Hawk Moth hissed, his grin of triumph spreading on his lips.
She’d run out the same time Adrien had. She couldn’t have gone far. He’d thought he’d seen her go left towards the girl’s bathroom.
They should start there.
“Not so fast, akuma! Let Adrien out of there right now!”
Hawk Moth scowled and his shoulders dropped with annoyance.
Ladybug...
Mistress Time-Out glanced behind her and, sure enough, there was the red and black spotted hero holding her yoyo ready, her blue eyes sharp and her posture tense.
“I’m sending you to detention!” the akuma roared, shooting her laser at the girl. She jumped away, swinging from the rafters to the other side of the large school.
“Ignore the bug! Find Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” he barked, stomping his foot angrily.
The akuma hurried to where Ladybug had just been standing, pushing open the bathroom door.
The stalls were empty. No one was in there.
Hawk Moth growled. “She must have gone the other way! Quickly!”
Stepping out of the bathroom, he almost dropped his cane. The janitor door was open and Ladybug carried his son in her arms.
“NO!” Hawk Moth roared. “Get him! Don’t let her take him away!”
“Unhand Adrien Agreste!” the akuma shouted, pointing the laser at the hero.
“You’re after Adrien?” Ladybug looked confused for a moment. Adrien was just as puzzled and their eyes met briefly.
Stomach curling in dismay, Hawk Moth watched horrified as his son blushed - blushed - at Ladybug.
“No… No, no, no, this is all wrong!” he cried, falling to his knees.
Hope dashed away, the yoyo hit the laser pointer and his akuma was purified. His connection was gone.
Lost.
The white butterfly returned to him.
Hawk Moth’s eyes turned into dangerous slits. Of all the people… of all the girls in Paris…
His son was in love with Ladybug.
His own arch-nemesis.
Teeth gritted together, Hawk Moth rose to his feet and powered down - Nooroo flying out of his brooch.
“Master?” The kwami murmured fearfully.
“I have neglected my son, Nooroo. You were right. He has fallen prey to his own foolishness.”
“I… I don’t quite understand-”
“Ladybug!” Gabriel growled. “Adrien is in love with Ladybug! How could I have been so blind all this time?”
“To be fair, Master, you’ve had quite a lot on your mind. It’s understandable that you’d be distracted enough not to notice Adrien’s attachment to her.”
Hands clasping behind his back, Gabriel pressed his lips together thoughtfully.
He needed another plan.
He needed Nathalie.