Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug
Gabriel's Decision
Gabriel Agreste sighed and allowed a small smile to creep on his face as he closed his laptop.
He had done it.
After weeks of working ahead he had finally managed to get himself a few days free off without any contracts, e-mails, meetings or anything other work related that he needed to take care of.
His smile slipped a little when he remembered why he had been working himself even more then he normally did.
Flashback
"Nathalie." Gabriel called out to his assistent who was standing in the hall.
The woman jumped at hearing her boss' cold voice and nervously turned around to look at him.
"Yes, sir?" she politely answerred him as he glared down at her.
"Adrien appeared to have trouble with smiling during the last photoshoot. Do you have any idea why that is?" he asked her as it was true.
Earlier that day Gabriel himself had been present at another one of his son's shoots due to the shoot having been an extra large one with multiple models of which some weren't even French so he had wanted to keep an eye on everything.
While Adrien may have looked just as perfect as he always did to the rest of the world, Gabriel could see how the smiles were smaller, the composure was stiffer and how Adrien had looked like he was hiding a great pain.
Seeing Nathalie bite her lip and look away confirmed Gabriel's suspicion that she knew something.
"Nathalie..." he let his voice trail and she flinched.
"Uhm... While we were on our way towards the shoot I happened to overhear him talking to one of his friend on his phone. I honedtly didn't mean to eavesdrop but I couldn't help it! I think he was talking to his friend named Nino. Adrien didn't seem bothered at all during his call and he even smiled a lot but after a while it sounded as if they were talking about his father having done something for him. Upon that his attitude seemed to change. He said he was alright after I asked and I didn't want to pry too much so I left it at that." the woman quickly explained herself while hoping she wouldn't get into trouble for accidentally listening in on Adrien or maybe even for not listening enough.
She really didn't understand her boss sometimes with what he wanted from her.
"Hmmm..." Gabriel hummed in thought before looking back at her.
"His mood changed when it sounded as if he and his friend were talking about his friend's father, you say?" he asked and she nodded.
"Very well." Gabriel had simply said and left his assistant who just stood there being confused and wondering what had happened.
Reaching his office the man walked inside and lowered himself into his chair ans sighed.
Once again he thought of what Nathalie had told him and something clicked in his head.
He was well aware of how he had been treating Adrien differently ever since the boy's mother had disappeared but he had never really put much thought in however it might affect Adrien.
Gabriel distanced himself from him because of how much he looked like his mother with emerald green eyes, sunshine blonde hair and a gorgeous smile, all things that constantly reminded him of his lost wife but he never took the time to think of how Adrien would have surely also been suffering all the time from losing his mother who he adored and even more because his father barely talked to him.
Back when his wife disappeared Adrien had been twelve and now he was seventeen, nearing eighteen.
Gabriel sighed to himself and felt ashamed of how it had taken something work related as one of his son's photoshoots to realize how foolish he had been.
After all, the boy was all he had left.
That's when he decided he would try to be a better father again.
He knew he could most likely never reach the level he used to be back when his wife was still there thanks to the years a neglect he showed but he would at least try to stop being selfish and be there more for his son.
End Flashback
Gabriel swallowed as his throat suddenly felt very dry.
He felt like he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help but feel nervous as he slowly made his way towards Adrien's bedroom.
'Five years...' he thought to himself as he walked.
He had almost ignored Adrien for five years, only ever talking to him when telling the boy what to do.
He stopped and wondered to himself if Adrien would even be willing to let him try to make up for everything.
The fear of his son brushing him off almost made Gabriel turn back around but he pulled himself together.
He swore to himself that he would at least try to bond with Adrien again and he wasn't going to give up before even starting!
With new determination he started walking again, faster then before as he tried to figure out what he would say.
Sooner then he thought had he reached the door that lead to his son's room.
He stood there for a moment before taking a deep breath and raising his hand to knock on the door.
"Adrien? Are you in there?" he asked and waited for a moment before hearing some shuffling inside.
A moment later the door opened and there stood his son, blinking at him in confusion.
"Father? Is something wrong?" he asked and Gabriel frowned, not at his son but at himself for not having noticed how much the boy had grown, now being slightly taller then Gabriel himself and bulking with strong muscles he most definitely got from all the fencing, basketball and his modeling diet.
His voice had also gotten deeper.
"Father?" Adrien asked again and Gabriel realised he had been staring at his poor son who looked nervous.
He couldn't really blame Adrien for being nervous because for the last few years he had only ever talked to him when he needed him to do something or if he wasn't pleased about something.
But that was why he was here.
To try and change that.
Clearing his throat Gabriel stepped forward and asked "Adrien, could we please talk?"
"Uhm... Sure... Come in." Adrien answerred and stepped out of the doorway, allowing his father to enter.
Together they sat down on the couch and there was an awkward silence.
Gabriel cursed himself for finding himself at a complete loss for words.
"Sooo... How can I help you? Is there something wrong? Is this about the last photoshoot?" Adrien asked and Gabriel frowned to himself as that was exactly how this started.
"Ahem... I suppose that is a good way to start this talk." he nodded and felt his heart hurt a bit upon seeing how scared Adrien actually looked at that so he decided to just try and explain himself.
"I suppose that is one of the reasons I'm here." he sighed.
"One of them? Do you have more reasons?" Adrien asked and he nodded.
"Yes. Originally I wanted to know why you seemed to have trouble smiling but Nathalie gave me some information that made it more clear to me?"
"Did she now?" Adrien asked, annoyance clear in his voice even when he tried to hide it.
Gabriel cleared his throat again.
Maybe always asking Nathalie to take care of everything in his son's life was also not a good choice if it seemed so familiar it was annoying to Adrien.
"She told me that she heard you talking to one of your friends on the phone and the conversation seemed to turn towards your friend's father at some point." seeing how Adrien tensed up Gabriel knew the information he got was right.
"I-I'm sorry! I know you're a busy man and I'll do more my best at the next shoot and-" "Adrien." the young model froze and stared at his father after the man cutt off his rant.
"You do not have to apologize." Gabriel said and held up a hand when it looked like his son was about to protest.
"Listen, I am aware why you had trouble smiling after that talk." he said before taking a deep breath and looking into his son's green eyes.
"I have been a horrible father." he said and he saw Adrien's eyes widen.
"Please don't try to deny anything. Ever since your mother has disappeared I have treated you horribly. I have avoided you unless for anything business related." he continued and he saw how Adrien tensed up at the mention of his mother and even more when the results of her disappearance were spoken of.
"I have drowned myself in my work to distract myself from the pain but I never thought of you." Gabriel's voice cracked and he found it hard to keep himself from starting to cry as he looked at his son.
Adrien just looked back at him.
"I should have been there for you but I never was. It's just that you look so much like her." Gabriel reached over with one hand and gently cubbed his son's face, an act he hadn't done in years.
"Father?" Adrien whimpered, looking like he too was fighting to keep himself from breaking down.
"My son... The worst part is that it took something work related for me to realise this..." upon saying this the man couldn't help himself anymore and tears freely flowed down his cheeks.
"Father? Why are you saying all this now?" Adrien asked as he was in the same position.
"Adrien... You are all I have left and I know I have been a terrible father but... But I would like to try and fix that. That is... If you'll let me..." Gabriel looked at the boy, terrified of what he would say.
Instead Adrien didn't say anything but leapt towards his father, wrapping his arms around the man and burrying his face into his shoulder where he started sobbing uncontrollably.
Gabriel froze at the act, unsure of what to do as his son cried.
"F-Father!" Adrien whimpered, breaking him from his trance.
The poor boy needed him right now and this time he was going to be there.
Carefully he wrapped his arms around his son and pulled him even closer.
Running his fingers through Adrien's blonde locks he noticed how they were just as soft as his wife's hair had been, another thing that reminded him of her but he found he didn't even mind this time.
"Adrien." he whispered as he gently pulled away to look at his son who's face was flushed and covered in tears.
"Will you let me make it up to you?" he asked and he felt his heart swell with happiness upon seeing Adrien give a small happy smile and nod.
With that he pulled his son into another hug as he felt more tears stream down his own face.
After a while he slowly pulled away and stood up and pulled out a hankerchief to wipe away all the tears.
He looked back at Adrien and held out a hand.
"It's getting late. How would you feel about having dinner together?" he asked with a small smile.
Adrien smiled back and took the hand.
"I'd like that." he said and together they walked towards the dining room.
The End
Hey! I hope you all enjoyed this fic and will read my other work too!