How Many Lefts? Chapter 1: 1 – Hawkmoth Won, a miraculous: tales of ladybug & cat noir fanfic

Hey there! I have a ton of other fics I want to work on but this one seems to be short so I'll do it first. Love Adrien and the endless possibilities with him and his 'Hawkdaddy'. XD So this is just one. Originally it was intended to just be this chapter here, but it's gone further. gee, what a surprise. *looks at Daddy, Not Bats* So this will be a little more disjointed. Playing around with storytelling this time.

Either way, enjoy! and remember:

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Miraculous characters in this fic. I just borrowed them at work for my entertainment and am sharing them with everyone else now. :P

1 – Hawkmoth Won

Beep

"Adrien," the Cesaire girl started, almost squatting at the teen's side, "you need to leave. Sitting around here won't -"

"I don't care." The anger and grief in his son's voice felt all too familiar. Adrien stayed at the bedside, holding her hand. "I'm not leaving her. Not again."

"Adrien..."

"Dude," his less than savory friend stared, his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, "if you don't leave on your own, security's gonna pull you out of here. And you'll be blacklisted. Believe me, you don't want that."

The teen hesitated, then rested his head on their hands. "I… just a few more minutes. I can't just -"

"I will ensure he makes it home." His son's friends looked back to where the fashion expert was waiting the entire time. Shortly after the doctors collected the Dupain-Chengs, to tell them the damages, Gabriel snuck in as adult supervision. And to collect his son.

It may not have been his akuma, but in a way, this was still his doing. Why hadn't he been more vigilant?

Nino and Alya both nodded, worry and dried tears covering their faces. The boy gave Adrien's shoulder a squeeze before the girl gave him an awkward hug, both trying to support him. Odd how he was the most distraught when until that day, his son only thought of this girl as a friend.

Now, injured, Adrien refused to leave Marinette's side.

The blow to her head and the damage done by the akuma to her body was rather severe, but something Ladybug should have healed instantly.

She didn't. The hero never appeared at the attack.

Only Chat Noir did, and he nearly killed the victim in his rage.

Clearly, this could only mean one thing. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug, and he saw her fall at the akuma's feet.

And if Adrien didn't leave the room, Chat Noir would never be able to see her after hours to reassure himself of her survival.

Well, current survival. Such a pity, really. Adrien's friend would likely never be the same if she awoke, and never save a soul again. She showed promise as a designer too. And her effect on his son…

Still, the opportunity was too good to ignore.

Shortly after the friends left, Gabriel came closer to his child. The steady beeping of the monitors was almost a pleasant lullaby to the mind, but it couldn't stop the pain. He recognized it. If he wanted to, he could easily akumatize his son in this state, but that was a line he'd never cross. His son would not be subject to the same fate as his… friends.

The duo left the room, giving them the 'five more minutes' Adrien requested. It gave Gabriel enough time to slide to Marinette's personal things and remove the only items he ever wanted from this girl. If she just gave them over at the beginning, none of this would be necessary. Guilt from his decisions tried to rear it's head like it did hundreds of times before, but once more he squashed it.

Focus on the goal. In the end, everyone will be happy.

Everyone would be whole.

Beep

Gabriel slid the Ladybug earrings into his pocket before eyeing his son once again. Adrien didn't move a muscle; he just held his 'friend's' hand and watched her face for any change. Yes, it would be too easy to akumatize his son in that moment. But he would lose him then as well.

Perhaps there was a way to gain an ally at this moment instead of a tool.

"This never should have happened."

His son didn't answer verbally, but shrank further towards the girl, his thoughts already spoken aloud. No. This should never have happened. Hawkmoth had a line. The other akuma making villain did not.

"Heroes truly cannot be everywhere," he continued, telling a truth he knew all too well. It was a pain he carried a long time. "They are, after all, flawed humans underneath their masks. As skilled and prepared as they are, Ladybug and Chat Noir are unable to protect everyone."

He heard a soft sob, nearly taking his nerve. But as a father, Gabriel had to teach his son hard lessons, for his own good. He had to see how flawed it was for a couple of teenagers to be given the powers of creation and destruction. To give anyone those powers. Course Hawkmoth's actions forced the Miraculous out into the open, but he hoped no lives would be lost if he controlled the akumas well enough.

This wasn't his akuma.

And now lives could be lost.

"I should have been there for her." Adrien's voice was thick with sorrow. "I should have… I promised I'd… Marinette… I'm so sorry… I'm so -"

He couldn't finish the thought and just kept on crying. Gabriel's heart stung watching him. His half-baked plan to take advantage of the situation turned sour in his mouth, urging him to vomit. But no. No, he could not be weak. Not for a moment. He took one breath in to stop the guilt and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Support. He could do that. Adrien wouldn't take anything but that at this point.

Grief and a touch of anger came from the boy now. "Where was she… where was Ladybug? Why didn't she..."

More sobbing.

He was starting to get it.

Gabriel took in another breath. "They are only human, Adrien. Their powers can only do so much for either of them. Do not blame them for being late, or not appearing. They did the best they could."

"I should have been there!" Self-loathing. For each of them. "I should have -"

"Then it would be you in the bed and Marinette bawling at your side!" And himself. Gabriel would not lose his son, no matter the cost. The Dupain-Chengs have each other to grieve with. Gabriel would be completely alone. He could hardly stand a day without his beloved wife. Take away his son as well and all hope was lost. "Never wish for that Adrien. No matter what happens. Do not put yourself in her place."

Adrien deflated, a new kind of guilt coming to him. He rubbed his cheek against her hand, likely hoping it'd wake her. Such a strange tactic, but understandable. As he recalled, his son was rather tactile as a child. Only time and learning manners changed that. Adrien truly did care for Marinette to forget his lessons. Care enough to help his father's goals.

"There may be a way to help her now. To undo what's happened."

His son stiffened for a second before jerking around and gaping at him, surprised and wanting. A way to undo everything. It was a risk, but one Gabriel was willing to take. His son should never be in mourning, and this was the second time. "What?"

"It's a risk," he acknowledged, "but the best chance we have to help Marinette. And even return your mother."

His son's eyes widened further, desperate and willing to do whatever it took. Salvation was at their door. He just needed to put it together. "What is it? What do I have to do? Father, please! Tell me how to save them!"

Gabriel took a breath. No going back now, or ever. "I need Chat Noir's miraculous. The ring on his hand and the source of his powers."

Instantly the blood seemed to drain from his son's face, and devastation came to him. "What?"

Part of him wanted to know what changed his expression meant, but he had to continue. "It has the ability to change the outcome of events in our favor. I only need to use it once, then he can have it back."

Adrien slowly looked down, his expression increasingly troubled as he turned away from him and towards the unconscious injured girl. It was quite a bit to think about, so Gabriel let his attention slide. "You have a higher chance of getting his attention than I do. I've done everything in my power to get close to him, but he's always too quick to convince him to help."

"Everything in your power..." There was bitterness and sorrow in the boy's voice as he clutched Marinette's hand again. "All this time… you..."

"I did not wish to get your hopes up if I failed," he tried to reason. Why did it feel like he was losing? Hawkmoth failed each time. The heroes were a little too good at their jobs. "But there hasn't been a day I haven't tried to bring your mother home. With the Miraculous, I can save -"

Without warning, Adrien ripped off the ring on his finger and threw it blindly at him. "Just take it!"

Gabriel caught the ring instinctively, stunned by his son's actions. Just take it? Adrien sobbed and yelled at the same time, never looking at him. "That's all you want! A stupid cat ring! Take it and go! I don't care anymore! I just..."

Sobs took over his son's body, shaking from the thoughts and revelations he received. Gabriel watched him dumbly for a moment before opening his hand and seeing the ring clearly and completely for the first time. He suspected it once or twice before, but now he knew.

"Can't do this anymore..."

Adrien was Chat Noir.

All the self-loathing and guilt he suppressed these past years threatened to choke Gabriel as everything fell into place. His son was Chat Noir. He loved Ladybug. Marinette fell to an akuma. She was Ladybug. It didn't matter if this one was his or not. Everyone blamed Hawkmoth. Only Hawkmoth knew what the Miraculous could do together. Gabriel Agreste asked his son for the Miraculous to change things.

All the secrets were out.

And it only destroyed them.

"Adrien -"

"Just leave."

His shuttering reply tore his shattered heart. He did this. No one else. He destroyed his son.

Beep

Gabriel just stared in silence at his boy, unable to look away at the destruction he caused. Turning his son into an akuma would have been a kinder fate. Unable to move or speak for at least a minute, it took all his strength to move even an inch. Walking to the door while his son sobbed over the love of his life drained him of nearly everything. A shadow. No, a heavy darkness. That's all he was compared to the man he once was. Adrien did not deserve a father like him.

Opening the door, he looked back. His son wouldn't even look towards the light from outside. The image burned itself into his brain, grieving the villain more than anything he could have done.

"I swear, I will do everything in my power to make this right. You have my word."

No response.

So Gabriel closed the door.

A/N: Yeah a lot of one line paragraphs here, and that's a little annoying, but the next chapter (mostly written) makes up with a lot of inner dialog.

So who else believes Gabriel isn't evil and is just severely misguided? Show of hands? Oh, look at the masses of people! When it all hits the fan, we know Adrien will be devastated, Gabriel may lose his nerve, and Ladybug will not be able to really save the day. So I'm playing with leaks for some parts and fan theories for the rest. Here, LB and CN have been around for over a year and in their mid-teens, so a little into the future. Keep in mind I'm waiting for S2Ep17 to come out right now. We know all their goals by now (and if you don't and was surprised by the reveal at the beginning of this season, I seriously wonder about you) so I'm just building on that. Do I think Adrien would just give up his miraculous like that? Not really, but considering everything hitting him in that moment, he was either going to break down in desperation or blow up in a rage, so a little bit of both seemed right here.

Honestly, with Adrien and Gabriel's relationship, I'm not sure how to handle one scene near the end of the story. I may make a poll asking for your opinion then, but not quite yet.

Anywho, expect an update at least once a week, provided people comment. If I lose motivation, I'll move on to a more entertaining idea. Also, if someone has a better cover page idea for this, please tell me via deviantart (same name as here). Until next time!