(Uhm yes hi new story *dashes away again*)
Welllllllllll it began with a prompt.
And then I had to write almost 3k words for the first chapter.
AAayyyy!
(This story is kinda an experiment, by the way, and I'm kinda pushing all my other more important projects aside for this so it could be that it'll take me some time to update)
((Also I know how Adrien reacted in Glaciator but this takes place a little later and let's just assume even sunshine child can be heartbroken))
But for now, let's start the angst train :)

"I'm so sorry, Chat Noir, but-… We can't be together…"

He nodded. He had known that even after years of working together she wouldn't budge.

"I know… You already said it once…"

She sighed, stretching out on the roof and watching the sunset. True, Chat had picked out the perfect evening to try and confess to her again.

"Oh Chat… Really, I wish it was different but-…"

"There's still this guy?", Chat asked remorsefully and she flinched.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Chaton…"

He remained silent for a moment, shaking his head. She didn't dare looking over to him so they merely sat in the quiet evening, cars rushing through the street beneath their feet and people chattering in the distance. The sun lowered down until just a peek still showed over the roofs. Only then, Chat decided to speak up again.

"Tell me of him."

She shrugged, watching the last rays of the evening sun tilt upwards as the sun vanished behind the buildings. The shadow crawled up on her body and she slightly frowned as it got noticeably colder.

"Well… He's-… He's a classmate. We have a close friendship in the group of four. He's-…", she cut herself off, not wanting to hurt him by gushing on about Adrien, "He's-… Tall. And blonde, like you. And he's-… Kind. Really kind."

She didn't want to tell him more. For once, of course, to keep her personal life out of her job. He couldn't know more or Adrien was in danger. Every single information she lost about him as Ladybug could mean Hawkmoth would be able to find him and try to get to her by hurting him.

She also didn't want to hurt him more. The more she rambled about Adrien the more she'd begin dreaming. She knew herself a little bit after all.

They remained in silence once again while the sky lit up in the most wonderful colors, orange and dark red as well as pink and violet, painting the few clouds hovering above and dipping the city in a mysterious light. What a perfect evening it could've been if it wasn't for her being in love with Adrien.

"He sounds nice…", Chat finally choked out and she only now noticed how hunched over he sat. Almost as if he was-…

"Chat…", she began, trying to sound comforting but he abruptly stood up, shaking his head.

"No, it's fine. Really, it's fine. I'll just-… I'll go. Bye, Ladybug!"

She tried getting to her feet in time but he was faster, already jumping away, his baton carrying him away. She knew he had become faster than her by now. She wouldn't have a chance to catch up with him.

So, Ladybug slumped to the roof again, sighing deeply.

She hoped he would come back again but she knew at the same time that it would be useless to wait.

Well, she could at least stay a little longer.

The moment when Adrien slumped on his bed he released the transformation. Without missing a beat, he began sobbing into his pillow.

Plagg settled down on the mattress next to him and kept a sigh to himself. He knew how hard it could be to be rejected, for yet another time, and he didn't want to interrupt Adrien in coping with it. All he could do was watch silently, while his kitten would let everything out before falling asleep from exhaustion. Tomorrow was a new day.

Outside, the world darkened and all that could be heard in the big room was Adrien's sobbing while the minutes became hours.

Plagg didn't think of sleeping. He had only eaten a little piece of Camembert to recharge but otherwise he had stayed silent, watching over his chosen. He wouldn't leave Adrien alone, not under these circumstances, even if it became harder and harder to keep his eyes open at the light sniffles of the boy.

Finally, he couldn't resist the softness of the bed anymore. Plagg laid down, still keeping his sleepy gaze on Adrien's shaking shoulders but yawning.

"Adrien, you need to sleep.", he hesitantly said but his boy didn't give a reaction. He would come around, Plagg decided.

It was still early in the evening when Gabriel Agreste entered his son's room, wearing the usual monotone expression on his face. He had found out that Chat Noir was his son just a few days ago and when Adrien had come home sobbing this time Gabriel knew that was his chance.

He had waited for a moment like this since he had become Hawkmoth but now that he knew about Adrien's secret, He was even more keen on getting his son to work with him.

Careful, he stepped to the bed, confident that Adrien and his Kwami hadn't heard him. The cat Kwami slept next to his son and Gabriel wrinkled his nose at the tiny cat, knowing it would be harder to persuade this Kwami than his son. But well, if the Kwami was loyal to his son, he would obey.

With cautious movements, Gabriel sat down on the edge of Adrien's bed, sighing as Adrien was startled but stayed in the same position. The Kwami didn't even twitch once.

Slowly, Adrien looked up to his father, his eyes cried red and his face squished together by the pillow. Gabriel put a comforting hand on his shoulder and forced on a sad smile.

"She had always been better at comforting you…", he said, intentionally making Adrien even sadder to make his move. Reliable as his son's emotions were, a shadow jumped over the boy's face.

"Well…", he began, obviously not wanting to hurt his father but he merely shook his head.

"No, it's alright. She was better at this, we both know that."

Adrien hesitated but finally nodded and Gabriel knew he had him.

"Do you miss her?", he asked, purposely turning away to look out the window as Adrien's eyes widened in horror before trying to inconspicuously hide the exposed, sleeping Kwami from him, "Is that why you are crying?"

Adrien overcame his chock pretty quickly and finally shook his head, sitting up a little.

"No… I asked the girl I love if she wanted to be with me… She rejected me."

Gabriel couldn't help but grin a little which he quickly played down with a seemingly sympathetic grimace.

"Ah yes… Heartbreak… I'm sorry, my son."

Adrien visibly flinched at the nickname. He knew fully well that Gabriel only rarely used this term for his son and if he did, he was very thoughtful or had something planned.

"Father…", he began and the older man could hear in his voice that he basically had him wrapped around his finger now. The desire of this boy to be loved was just too predictable, "… Why are you asking me about mother?"

It wasn't really hard to make his voice weak and shaky as he turned back to the boy.

"Because I miss her, too."

They sat without saying a word for a bit, then Adrien scooted closer, his eyes careful and questioning. Gabriel waved him close, feeling that this was the last straw to persuade him. He opened his arms and Adrien leant against him, a huge breath leaving his chest.

"Thank you, father…", he mumbled, obviously sounding relieved. Gabriel moved his head so Adrien couldn't see his face and grinned viciously.

"I'm here, Adrien. Don't worry, I'm here."

The boy slumped more and he had to suppress rolling his eyes at the overdramatic sentimentality his son showed him.

"… I can bring her back…", Gabriel finally announced after a few minutes, his hand brushing through Adrien's hair. He flinched but didn't leave his father's embrace, "I can bring her back, Adrien. With your help."

"Wh-What-…", his son stuttered but Gabriel continued before he could ask more questions.

"I know of you, son… I know you're Chat Noir and I think you've suspected me for long enough as well."

Adrien surged back and stared at him wide-eyed, his chest heaving.

"… Hawkmoth.", he spat out, jumping off the bed and to his feet. The Kwami, startled awake by the sudden movements, flew up to sit on his shoulder, "… So, it's been you?!"

"Yes, Adrien.", Gabriel calmly stood up, squaring his shoulders and straightening up while steeling his gaze to be as cold and icy as before, "I pursue to get a hold of the key Miraculous, the Ladybug and the Black Cat, to bring back your mother. You have misunderstood me the whole time."

"To-…", the boy spluttered, "To bring back mother?!"

"Yes. And now listen. I can only do it if I have your Miraculous and the one of your friend."

Now, the Kwami decided to speak up, flying in front of Adrien's face.

"Adrien, don't listen to him. Please, he's lying, he needs something el-"

The blonde peered past his Kwami and furrowed his eyebrows while Gabriel kept his expression motionless.

"I can bring back your mother to comfort you, Adrien."

They remained silent for a moment, then Adrien lifted his fist.

"Never, father. She's gone. You can't go through with your plan. Plagg, claws out!"

"Nooroo! Dark wings, rise!"

Gabriel grinned viciously as the eyes of his son widened, both their transformations flashing to reveal their secrets fully. Chat Noir took a defensive stance but Hawkmoth surprised him by surging forward. He pressed his hand on his chest and cackled as sizzling dark energy flowed into his body, right above his heart.

"Wha-", he asked but suddenly, a burning pain robbed him of his breath. Just a second later, he felt different and the pain was gone.

It was almost as if he had replaced all other feelings with hate and anger while still feeling normal. Hawkmoth straightened up again, grinning.

"Father?", Chat Noir asked, surprised by how much like a snarl his voice sounded, "Am I akumatized?"

The supervillain shook his head, still grinning.

"No. I waited for you to call up your transformation to make you loyal to me. Your Kwami is now trapped in the ring and you can use cataclysm as often as you like since you're merged with the Miraculous now."

"… Where-…", his tongue felt like a brick, "Where did you learn this?"

"Out of the book you stole from me.", Hawkmoth replied, his grin still evident on his face, "But now that I have it back I could perform it on you."

Chat Noir panted, his shoulders hunching over as he growled.

"But-… Isn't-… Merging with magic… Harmful?", he narrowed his eyes at his father but he merely shrugged.

"If it's held up for too long, yes.", he stated, "But you won't take long for the task I will give you to bring Adele back."

"Which task?"

"To bring me Ladybug's Miraculous, of course. That's all."

"That's impossible.", Chat countered, "Not before I'll be damaged from Plagg's magic."

Hawkmoth bared his teeth in a horrid grin, glaring at his son.

"Then I suggest you hurry up. Bring me Ladybug's Miraculous and herself here."

Suddenly, as Hawkmoth spoke out the order, Chat felt like he was swallowed by a hole. His mind switched and he nodded, moving completely on autopilot, eager to complete the task. He was now completely loyal to him and so, he charged at the window, jumped out and vanished in the night, searching for a certain bug that needed to be squished.

"She doesn't love me anymore and it's your fault.", Chat Noir growled, his dark form hunched over her railing as she watched him. She had always adored his body control, his sleek movements and the seemingly flowing limits between cat and human. But right now, it looked terrifying.

Something was wrong but he didn't seem to be akumatized.

Briefly, she wondered if the Akumas must feel like that when he got angry but he rarely did, not in that extent and not without Ladybug by his side so this was probably new to both of them.

"Wh-What-… Chat Noir?"

She had noticed him as soon as she had detransformed, just wanting to descend to her room as he had touched down on her railing, crouching on it with perfect balance, like a cat.

"She confessed she likes someone.", Chat hissed deeply, threateningly, "Ladybug. She likes someone. She knew of my crush on her. You're the only person who I told of my crush."

Marinette gulped as he let himself down from the railing, his shoulders suddenly seeming so much broader through his hunched over body, his fingers spreading and clenching. Since she hadn't had the chance yet to turn any lights on he remained in the dark, all she could see were his silhouette against the slightly lighter night sky over the city and his luminescent green eyes.

His cat-like pupils were narrowed to slits.

"Chat-… I-"

"You told her!", he bellowed, interrupting her and causing her to jump, shrinking into herself.

"I-… I didn't-… She m-must've figured it out, I-"

He got down to all four to be on the same level as she was since she stood on her bed and only her upper body showed on the balcony, his eyes now coming closer. She could see tears pooling up but he paid them no mind.

She knew she shouldn't have let him go like that. And suddenly she also regretted having been out a little longer as he had already been gone, maybe she would've been safer downstairs in her room.

She briefly scolded herself for thinking of him as dangerous, he had been nothing but a friend to her in the past but right now, as he approached her like this, as if she was his prey, she couldn't think of a better word to describe it.

And now he had her cornered and she couldn't transform anymore. Not without giving her identity away.

"You told her and she decided to crush my hopes. I could've had a chance if I had had more time with her but you ruined everything.", he growled now, his face just a hand length from hers. Marinette gulped and leant back, feeling Tikki pressing against her leg.

"I-… I didn't talk to her, Chat Noir…"

"Don't lie to me!", he exclaimed, his shoulders already twitching as if he set on to a jump. She recoiled but he didn't attack, instead crouching down to eye her skeptically as she pressed her lips together. Her heart was beating faster but her sharp observation skills told her something else was up.

"You-… You're not akumatized… There's something else…"

Chat Noir narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth.

"Hawkmoth came to me when I was hurt and he picked me up.", Chat hissed, sounding conceited, "He's following a plan that I like better than Ladybug's aimless kindergarten fight with Akumas. Now that she rejected me nothing's holding me back. And I will hunt her down and get her Miraculous as well as her life but first, I wanted to pay you a visit."

Marinette's eyes widened as her back bumped against the frame, the hatch falling over to the back and creating a loud thump on her balcony floor. Chat Noir grinned and readied himself.

"Don't worry, 'princess'.", he snarled, "Your death will be painful but relatively fast."

He surged forward and she ripped her arms up, screaming desperately.

"TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

His hands pushed her back as the magical suit protected her. She was thrown against the frame of her hatch and yelped as he continued pushing her down, to have her back on the hatch.

He must've thought he could pin her like this but she threw her knees up, into his stomach. Chat immediately let go of her and held his stomach, coughing and wheezing as he fell back. Ladybug jumped onto her balcony and stood above her hatch, her yoyo ready.

"You…", he hissed, baring his teeth, "You're Ladybug."

She gulped as fear rose in her throat and she glanced to the side, trying to get up with a quick escape plan to at least keep her parents out of this. He still blocked her way off her balcony to the front but she could still throw her yoyo back and take a blind dive over the chimneys.

"You fooled me. You played me!", he growled, "Give me your Miraculous!"

"What happened to you, Chat?!", she countered, taking a step back so she could kick her hatch close. He crouched on all four, eyeing her way too much like a panther its prey for her taste.

"Hawkmoth showed me his plans. He's right and I'm loyal to him.", her partner snapped, crouching even lower, his cat eyes seeming to move with every one of her slightest movements.

It kinda creeped her out.

"You're loyal to him?! What's that even mean?!", she exclaimed, fear climbing up her throat with sharp claws. She couldn't speak in a moment anymore because he scared her.

"I'm obeying him. His plan makes sense and is in my favor. You're the slight obstacle in the way of something big."

"You sound fanatic!"

"Maybe I've always been, my lady.", he snarled, addressing her with his old nickname for her. For some reason, she found herself despising the way he said it now.

With a reflexive movement she threw her yoyo behind herself, praying that it would hook on somewhere. She felt a tug and off she went, away from Chat as he just pounced. Her feet narrowly escaped his claws and her breath hitched as she heard a very unhuman-like sound screeching from his mouth.

Something was massively wrong.