Adrien left his childhood home for what he realized could be the last time. Not that it had ever been a warm place, at least not since his mother disappeared, but it was still a disconcerting notion. Something else discomforting was the conversation he'd just had with his father. No, conversation was the wrong word. A conversation indicated that there were at least two sides exchanging information or opinions and, in turn, listening. This had been more of a lecture on Gabriel's part as Adrien's plea fell on deaf ears. It had also been the last straw for Adrien.
For years, he'd tolerated his father's coldness and demanding nature. Gabriel had never been an outwardly warm man, but things had been better when Adrien's mother was around. When she left, their relationship only got worse, and while Adrien technically had all the necessities for life and then some, he had the distinct feeling of abandonment. It was as if he'd suddenly become an orphan, even though he knew at least one of his parents was still very much alive.
He loved his father, though. There would be moments when Adrien would see the man he must have been when his parents met, kind-hearted and even funny, but those moments were fleeting and he hadn't experienced one in years. His father had become unfeeling, easily agitated, distrustful and miserly. When he insulted Marinette, it was the final push Adrien needed to speak up.
All he'd wanted was Grandmere's ring. His mother had left it to him in her will, he just didn't know where his father had stored it for safe keeping all these years. Apparently that was the last straw.
He could understand it to a point. It was the ring his grandmother had given to his mother on the day she married his father. She hadn't been wearing it the day she disappeared and it had practically become a sacred item in the Agreste household. Adrien had seen it for the last time two years after his mother had disappeared; on the day they had her officially declared dead and her final will and testament was read to the much too small group of loved ones. He'd still been young, and his father had stored the ring for safe-keeping.
Years had passed, but he'd thought about that ring more and more. Specifically, he thought about it on Marinette and had been comforted by the thought that it might once again grace the hand of someone as vibrant and loving as his mother had been. It was his small way of keeping her alive in his life, and he'd thought it would comfort his father too.
He'd been wrong.
Gabriel had never been outwardly supportive of his and Marinette's relationship, but he hadn't spoken against it either, so Adrien figured that was the closest to acceptance that he was ever going to get. Nothing had prepared him for his father's horror at him announcing his intentions to propose to Marinette.
Adrien put the conversation off for as long as he could, but if he were being honest, a small part of him hoped for a father-son moment. He'd tell his father that he'd found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and they'd share a tearful smile over Adrien's burgeoning happiness and would be brought together by dreams of the future. A wedding, years of family holidays, grandchildren…
But reality wasn't always so sunny, and Adrien never had such luck.
He stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets and tucked his chin into his scarf, hunching against the chill in the air and huffing out a breath, visible in the frosty air. He took the long way home, trying the shake off the conversation and work through his anger.
"What?" His father scarcely looked up from whatever he was working on, but Adrien had given up hope of having one hundred percent of his father's attention years ago. It was the dream of an illusioned child. He'd gotten over that stage quickly.
"I have news father," he started, pausing to make sure Gabriel had heard before continuing. "I'm going to ask Marinette to marry me!"
His father paused and looked up at him, his face still impassive. Adrien took the eye contact as potential happiness over the news and was quick to go on.
"I mean, I've been thinking about it for a while, but now that we've both graduated, and I've had my teaching assistants position for over a year and her business is really taking off... I think it's time." He smiled at his father whose face was still frozen, but he was still focused on Adrien, which he took as a good sign. "So, I was hoping to get Mama's ring."
"Her ring?" He repeated, his eyes narrowing a bit in confusion.
"Yeah," Adrien prompted, speaking a bit more hesitantly as he noticed the sudden tension in his father's face. "The one from Grandmere? The one that she left me?"
His father just stared at him, eyes still narrowed, but no longer looking confused.
"Father?"
"No."
His response was so short, Adrien almost missed it.
"No?" He looked at his father, waiting for an explanation, but Gabriel just stared at him coldly before turning back to whatever he had been working on. "Um, Father? Mama left me that ring in her will for this exact reason. If you could just tell me where you're keeping it, I'll get out of your hair."
"I said no, Adrien. You will not give your mother's ring to that girl."
"That. girl." He repeated his father's words, gritting them out between his teeth.
"Yes. The one who has somehow convinced you to abandon the family business in pursuit of a... teaching career of all things. The one that is no doubt chasing your fashion connections and money." His father shook his head and his indifferent mask fell for a moment to reveal his disdain. "I've let this go on long enough, but marriage is off the table. As is your mother's ring."
All the air left Adrien's lungs as he felt the full impact of his father's words.
"Well, sir," he felt his shoulders stiffen and a cold anger at his father's response settled in his bones. "That's not really your decision to make, is it? My mother left me that ring for my future wife. Thankfully, there wasn't the stipulation of your approval."
His father looked back up, considering Adrien for a moment, an angry set in his jaw. Then Adrien took a breath, and just felt sad.
"I'm not going to argue with you. I'm done vying for your non-existent approval. I've found someone who is my real family and all I want is to make it official for the rest of the world to see. I wanted Mama to be a part of that. You don't need to be." He paused, giving his father one last chance, but was only met with silence. "You know where I live, please messanger the ring there within three days. Goodbye, Father."
And with a final glance, Adrien turned and walked out of the room.
Now, as he paced through the park adjacent to their apartment building, Adrien allowed all the anger he'd suppressed in his father's office to flow freely. He knew Gabriel's opinion shouldn't matter. He'd never spared even a moment to get to know Marinette, so he clearly had no idea what he was talking about, but that wasn't why Adrien was pissed.
No, he was infuriated because he'd given his father so many chances. Years of chances, and it still ended here. His father could so cavalierly throw away his relationship with his only son. Despite having one parent very much alive and the other only presumed dead, his father had no qualms about essentially making an orphan of him. Adrien was finally making a family for himself, and his father had just made it abundantly clear that he wanted absolutely no part in that.
He collapsed onto a nearby park bench, forcing himself to feel each emotion as it came. He refused to turn into the void his father had become.
"Kid?" Plagg peeked out from his coat and Adrien sighed, trying for a small smile but failing. For once, Plagg's face lost it's mocking expression.
"I wish I could say he didn't mean it, but I'm not a liar. I've lived centuries, and you humans still manage to surprise me with how stupid you can be."
Adrien huffed a laugh at that and Plagg sent a small smile his way.
"You know that, right kid? That he's an idiot for treating you that way? Because he is. You deserve better from a father," Plagg spoke softly, grumbling to himself, but Adrien heard every word and couldn't help but smile at his usually grumpy kwami.
"Thanks, Plagg." He whispered.
"I mean," he continued, his gruff personality coming back to the forefront. "You're the least annoying holder I've ever had. Well, top ten at least. That's gotta count for something."
"Top five," Adrien shot back and Plagg rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Fine, top five. So needy," he muttered, but darted a look at his boy once more to make sure he was okay before burrowing back in his pocket.
Plagg's words weren't a miracle cure, and Adrien knew it would be awhile before he could really move past this, but it had given him a shred of peace that he concentrated on while he worked through his frustration.
That's how she found him. It could have been minutes or hours later, though judging from the setting sun, it was most likely the latter.
"There you are!" He heard her voice before he saw her, but when he turned to look at her, she was immediately rushing to his side. "Chaton? What is it? What's wrong?"
She reached up and was immediately combing his hair back with her fingers while her other hand cupped her cheek. He leaned into her palm, savoring it's warmth and the feel of her slight calluses from where she gripped her yo-yo. He knew every line of her palm, every joint in her hand, every curve in her body…
"I'm okay now," he turned his head and kissed her palm before taking her hand in his.
"Where were you?"
"I had a...talk with my father. I...well, it didn't go...well. Any hope I had of a relationship with him is pretty much gone at this point," he laughed humorlessly, but held her eyes.
She still looked concerned but nodded her head, brushing his cheek lightly.
"I'm so sorry, Adrien. I know how important the people you love are to you, and I can't exactly relate, but I do know one thing for certain," she squeezed his hand and he saw the unshed tears in her eyes as she spoke her next words. "It is absolutely his loss. You are so loved and so deserving of love."
"I know, bug. Plagg already made sure I knew what an idiot he was." He reached up to play with one of her pigtails. She smiled at the mention of the cat-like god but then continued to regard him seriously.
"I know it can't replace what you're missing, but I love you so much, Adrien Agreste," she whispered fervently and he leaned over to rest his forehead against hers, a peace flowing through him just from her touch.
"I love you more, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
Three days later, not a minute late, a messenger arrived with a small package and a note. Adrien placed it all in his drawer, and shut it tight. He'd finally resolved himself to his situation. He'd never have his father's love the way he'd hoped, but that didn't mean he lacked a family. He'd been raised by his mother, and then his friends took over. The man he was today was only a small part due to his father. He had Plagg and Mari and Nino and Alya and the Dupain-Chengs... It wasn't conventional, but it was his.
It would be almost a week before he opened the letter attached to the ring.
I don't approve, but your mother would be proud of who you have become. She'd be honored to be remembered in this way. Congratulations.
And that was it. No apology or admission of love. Nothing had changed. His father was still who he was and Adrien would never forget the way he had spoken about Marinette. Still, as much as Adrien accepted their estranged relationship, it gave him hope that not all was lost between them. Maybe, if nothing else, they could honor his mother together, the two people who loved her best.
He placed the note back in his drawer and opened the ring box, smiling as the heirloom ruby winked out from the rose gold setting. Then he heard footsteps behind him and smiled.
"What's that?" Marinette called as she passed him, her sweats dragging on the floor and voice still languid with sleep. He turned to her and smiled, ready to start his forever with his lady.
His family.