Day 2 – Safe

When Emilie and Gabriel finally ventured out of their room, it was well past noon. Though Gabriel was content to lie in bed all day long, Emilie's stomach protested that decision. Together, they went in search of food.

"How has Nathalie been?" Emilie asked as they descended the stairs, Gabriel hovering near her for support in case she needed assistance.

"Tolerant of me," Gabriel replied. "More than any person has a right to be. She's working at the main office today, letting us all have some time alone." He chuckled as a thought struck him. "I expect she'll insist on managing all of our superhero scheduling conflicts as well."

Emilie smiled at him. "If anyone can do it, Nathalie can."

They ambled slowly toward the kitchen. Before they even reached the doors, they both heard voices on the other side. Emilie exchanged a curious look with Gabriel, and he stepped ahead of her to investigate. He pulled open the doors and stopped short. The voices quieted.

"What is going on here?" he asked.

Emilie stepped beside her husband and peeked inside.

Adrien and Marinette looked at them, guilt marring both of their expressions. Dirty bowls and plates surrounded them on the island countertop. A pile of cookies – freshly baked if the smell was anything to go by – was stacked on a large platter. A few crumbs of cheese was next to it, along with a handful of candy.

A couple of pink boxes were on the counter behind them. Their kwamis hovered around the two teenagers. Tikki held one of the cookies in her paws, the giant size almost comical compared to her tiny body as she chased the purple sprite. Nooroo seized the opportunity to dive into Marinette's hairdo, seeking sanctuary among the pigtails. Plagg was the exception to the excitement, sprawled on the countertop next to the remains of several cheese wrappers and for all appearances appeared to be asleep. That explained why there was no cheese left.

"Father!" Adrien exclaimed, and as he stepped forward Emilie noticed a light dusting of flour on his cheeks and hair. "We were just making some cookies for Tikki."

Ah, that made sense.

Gabriel, however, arched an eyebrow. "Really?" he drawled, clearly not believing a word out of his son's mouth.

Emilie frowned, ready to chastise her husband for not trusting their son's perfectly reasonable explanation when Gabriel indicated the pink boxes on the countertop.

"Doesn't Marinette live in a bakery?"

Oh. That could explain why Gabriel didn't believe them.

In reply, the two teens flushed at being caught. Gabriel continued to level a stern expression at them both.

Tikki flew forward and held up her cookie to Gabriel's face. "They really were making me cookies," she said. "Marinette brought over food, but Adrien said he wanted to learn how to make his own cookies for me."

Emilie cooed at the adorableness of the kwami (and her son) and Gabriel shot an exasperated look at her. Really? You're siding with them? His expression seemed to say, but she saw the glint of mischief in there as well. She giggled and looped her arm around her husband's. "That seems plausible," she confessed, examining the cookie still floating in front of Gabriel's glasses.

He softened and plucked the cookie out of the air, studying it intently. Abruptly, he stuffed it whole in his mouth. Adrien and Marinette gasped in unison. Gabriel puffed out his cheeks comically and he munched on the treat.

"Okay, fine, I believe you," he said after he swallowed his purloined cookie. He entered the kitchen and headed over to the two gobsmacked children. He threw a wink at Tikki and Emilie over his shoulder. "But do you mean to tell me that you both have only eaten sweets today?" Emilie could tell his fatherly disapproval was only for show, but the younger heroes couldn't discern Gabriel's teasing.

"No, Mr. Agreste!" Marinette quickly jumped in. "I brought over sandwiches and stuff from my parents' bakery." She picked up the pink box and held it out to Gabriel. "See? We had toast and fruit for breakfast, and were just about to take a break for lunch. There are sandwiches in here, and I put a spinach salad and some cold pasta salad in the fridge along with the rest of the fruit from breakfast."

"Are you going to join us?" Adrien asked.

Marinette nodded. "I brought enough for everyone," she said, turning back around and pulling out another box from a bag that Emilie hadn't noticed on the floor.

Gabriel's stern expression cracked under their hasty explanations and a tiny smile appeared. "We would be honored, thank you," he said. Adrien ducked in the fridge and emerged with the aforementioned salads while Gabriel stepped beside him and pulled out a few bottles of fresh juice.

Gabriel had dismissed most of the staff for the day, which explained how Adrien and Marinette were able to have free reign over the kitchen. Emilie pulled out a few plates and followed them out of the kitchen. Plagg stirred from his slumber (which further confirmed to her that the black kwami was merely pretending to sleep) and the three kwamis trailed after her. Once they had settled inside the dining room, and after Marinette and Adrien both asked how she was feeling, they fell into a comfortable conversation. Emilie asked about Adrien's schooling, Gabriel inquired about some of Marinette's designs, and the four of them kept their topics to relatively safe lunchtime banter.

Until Marinette hesitantly asked a question. And from the worry reflected in Adrien's eyes, it was a question that the two teens had discussed previously.

"What happens if that thing attacks us here?" she asked.

"It won't," Gabriel immediately assured her.

"How can you be so certain?"

Gabriel set his fork down. "This house is protected."

"But your physical defenses won't do much against something magical," the girl insisted.

Her husband blinked in surprise. "Ah, I don't imagine Master Fu explained much to you," he said, suddenly understanding. "No, this house is quite safe," he repeated. "It has magical enchantments on it, both to shield the Miraculous wielders inside and also for protection against detection from other magical beings."

"What?" Both Adrien and Marinette exclaimed.

"It's somewhat of a standard procedure," Gabriel continued, "at least that's what Master Fu told us both years ago."

"Can he do my home, too?" Marinette asked.

The elder man shrugged and picked up his fork again. "If I had to wager a guess, those protections are already in place," he said. He turned his head to look at Tikki for confirmation.

The red sprite nodded. "Gabriel is correct, Marinette. Master Fu put those protections in place the day after you got your Miraculous. He's very meticulous. Your home is safe."

She visibly relaxed at that.

Adrien frowned. "Speaking of safes," he said, "have you retrieved your Miraculous yet, Father?"

Gabriel's hand stilled. He lowered his fork once more and Emilie noticed his hand trembled slightly. He avoided their looks, studying his plate. "I don't believe I am the best choice to hold a Miraculous anymore," he said in a quiet voice. "I forfeited that right a long time ago."

To everyone's surprise, it was Nooroo who spoke first.

"That's not true!" he exclaimed, flying right into Gabriel's face. "You've changed! You were chosen to wield Duusu's Miraculous all those years ago, and you still are the perfect fit for it."

Emilie rested her hand upon her husband's arm. "I need my partner," she said. He turned his head to look at her, and something flashed in his eyes that she couldn't quite read. "You promised we would be partners forever. Don't tell me you're going to back out of that," she said. He closed his eyes and turned his head away.

"It's not my decision anymore," he said.

Adrien stood then, scraping the chair against the floor as he pushed it away. "Then let's go and see, right?" He strode out of the kitchen. Seeing no one else following him, he turned back and stared at them. "Well? Let's go ask Duusu what she thinks about all of this," he said.

Emilie squeezed Gabriel's arm and rose as well. Gabriel reluctantly followed suit, entwining his fingers into hers. She knew this time, he would need her support. Marinette and the kwamis brought up the rear. Inside the atelier, Adrien had pushed aside the painting and stood next to the safe with his arms folded across his chest.

"Well?" he said. "I can get Plagg to open this up again, but you already know the combination."

Gabriel squared his shoulders and the familiar neutral facade washed over him. In his eyes, his neutrality and poker face was as much a shield to keep him safe as the very walls surrounding their home. His hand slipped from hers as he approached the safe. He tapped in the combination and the door opened.

He reached out with one hand, his fingers hesitating mere centimeters from touching the pin inside. Emilie stepped up beside him and squeezed his hand. His fingers grabbed the pin. He turned back to the others, holding it in his palm. He closed his eyes. Marinette and Adrien watched in silence.

After a long moment, a blinding blue light burst from the pin. Gabriel opened his eyes as the others shielded theirs. When they finished blinking away spots from their vision, a blue feathered kwami faced Gabriel.

"Hello, Duusu," he greeted, his voice a breathless whisper of softness.

"Gabriel!" she shrieked, launching herself at his cheek. He chuckled and moved his hand to cup her, but the excitable kwami couldn't be contained. As soon as his fingers came close to touching her, she shot away, up and over his head. She twirled in his hair, mussing the strands. Gabriel reached up to follow, but she zoomed away, zipping around his neck and swirling around his jacket and hands before cuddling against his cheek again. Emilie's heart melted at the fond smile that appeared on her husband's face.

"Ugh, and I thought Tikki was the overly dramatic one," a nasal voice drawled, breaking the moment.

Everyone turned to the cat kwami. "Plagg!" Tikki admonished, but she was cut off by an excited shriek.

"Plagg!"

And a blue blur collided with the black kwami, tumbling end over end until they could barely tell the two colors apart. Tikki giggled.

"Argh, Duusu! Stop! Knock it off! Yes, yes, it's me and I know I'm amazing now would you cut it out!"

Duusu finally ceased her bear hug of Plagg, calming down as she preened and smiled at him. At least until she turned and spotted Tikki and Nooroo floating nearby. She shot at them with another shriek.

It took another ten minutes to stop the four kwamis from chasing each other around the room. Miraculously, they didn't knock over anything, electing to phase in and out between the mannequins and seeking temporary refuge among the different humans before darting away with another giggle.

"See, darling, I think Duusu's accepted you back," Emilie said while the magical creatures reunited. "And we certainly have. Is that enough for you?"

Gabriel pondered the question for a long moment. "No," he said at last. He gave her a sad smile. "It never will be enough to make up for what I have done. But I will certainly try." He squeezed her hands with both of his. "From now on, I will do my best to keep everyone safe."


Author's Note: I love Duusu, she's my favorite kwami behind Plagg.