Adrien had been born into luxury. Unlike many similar children he knew, he didn't take it for granted. At least he tried not to. He didn't like flaunting his money or status for multiple reasons. First, he hated the price he had to pay for that status. The wealth had more or less trapped him in a world he'd hated and no amount of physical possessions could make up for that. Second, it wasn't his. It never had been. He'd done nothing to really earn it all. Sure, he had a few photo shoots here and there, but even those were set up and managed by his father. Everything belonged to him, not to Adrien.
When he'd gotten the ring and the chance to become Chat Noir, it had seemed like an answer – a godsend even. A blessing. A miracle. He could call it whatever he wanted, but it had given a nearly-broken, very lonely teenager a reason to live instead of just exist, and he'd taken to it like a fish to water.
Plagg had become an escape from everything wrong in Adrien's life, one that he initially thought he'd earned. Which is why, out of all the losses Adrien suffered – money, status, reputation – the ring was the worst. A large reason for that was because he'd given it up freely...but he'd had to. True it had been his own idea and choice, but once he'd realized the lies his life was based off of, he couldn't keep it.
Master Fu had said the ring would be there for him when he was ready to get it back, but Adrien didn't think he'd ever feel worthy after his and Ladybug's defeat of Hawkmoth. Because what kind of a hero was he if the master villain behind the terrorizing of Paris just happened to be his own father...and he'd never seen it. Even Ladybug had had a better clue than he himself had, and Paris didn't need a blind super hero.
Not that anyone would want him to be a super hero anymore. Not if they knew his identity.
All of Gabriel's assets had been frozen and some of them seized, leaving Adrien with little more than the clothes on his back and a recently acquired secondary education diploma and some modeling history to his name. Once he'd given up Plagg (and he had no idea how temporary or permanent that would be) he felt he literally had nothing to his name.
No modeling agency wanted to take on the son of Hawkmoth (and he wasn't about to tell them he was Chat Noir either) and so he'd stood in front of the police station with a backpack of his belongings, his phone and whatever he happened to have in his wallet. He was actually pretty lucky to have that. He'd given up the ring before he'd even come here and now he stood on the street, staring up at the building and hoping he didn't look as lost as he felt. His future had never been so uncertain and he really didn't know where to go from here. Even Nathalie and the Gorilla were being detained for the foreseeable future. Something about aiding and abetting.
He glanced down at his phone and noted the date bitterly. "Happy Birthday to me," he muttered to himself. What a way to turn 18.
Thankfully, the choice was taken out of his hands when a voice brought his attention back to the present.
"Hey, man."
Adrien looked over to see Nino standing there, leaning against a bench as nonchalantly as the day they'd first met. Like none of... this had ever happened. Like they were still 14-year-olds in collége. Like Adriens' life hadn't just completely fallen apart. Like Adrien wasn't a failed super hero or the son of a super villain, no matter his reasoning.
"Nino," was all he managed to say, and it came out somehow sounding hoarse and squeaky at the same time.
"I heard about everything." Adrien tried to hide a wince. He hadn't checked any of the news feeds and had no desire to change that decision now. He hadn't even been able to bring himself to look at the Ladyblog or the Chatbox. He doubted he'd ever be able to look at the latter one again. He definitely didn't deserve the praise they heaped on him there.
Adrien looked down at the ever so clean street. Usually he took pride in how well maintained the city was. Right now, it just felt fake. Everything felt fake. The world felt fake. He was glad Akuma weren't a thing anymore because, especially without his Miraculous, he'd be a prime target.
"If you don't want to be my friend anymore, I get it," he heard himself say, not prodding the dull numbness that fell over him as he spoke. Maybe he could run away and join the circus? He imagined himself in some sort of tight outfit doing all sorts of flips and dives through the air and the almost snicker that had budded at his thought turned into a full-on grimace.
"What?" The disbelief in his friend's voice caused him to look up, but he couldn't' bring himself to hope right now. Nino did look angry though. Was his emotion directed at Adrien and his father, though? Or his words for some reason?
"Well, no one wants to have anything to do with the son of Hawkmoth," and if he sounded entirely too bitter, who could blame him? "So I get it if—"
The punch to his arm cut him off and he actually had to rub it. It looked like Nino had been working out if he punched a former super hero that hard.
"Shut up. I have a sleeping bag set out on my floor at home and permission for you to stay as long as you need. Unless you're going to stay with Chloé?"
Adrien actually stepped back from him, staring incredulously. If he went with Chloé he'd never get a moment's rest.
Nino nodded. "That's what I thought. Come on."
That hope was beginning to break through the numb, but Adrien had to ask one final time. "Are you sure? Letting the son of Hawkmoth stay with you...it could be bad for your family."
The amused expression in Nino's face caused Adrien's brow to furrow in puzzlement. "If you're talking about our reputation, you've never seen my mom on a war path. She said it's fine as long as you pick up and look after yourself."
For a few moments, Adrien was speechless. He'd always loved being a super hero and rescuing people, but at that moment, for the first time, he really began to understand what it was like to be rescued. The relief and the hope almost overwhelmed him.
While Adrien stood there, gaping like an idiot, Nino thumbed to the taxi waiting behind him. "Now, are you coming or not?"
Adrien finally felt himself smile for the first time in what seemed like forever. "Yeah."
xXx
It wasn't ideal at all, but Nino's family tried to make him feel welcome. Adrien appreciated their efforts, he really did, but it became apparent very quickly that he would need to find a place of his own, and thus a job. He had no idea when he could have access to his father's funds, and honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted access. He wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with that man right now.
Well, at least he recognized most of the issues he had to get over before he could really put everything that had happened behind him. He liked to think – and hope – that actually putting it all behind him would be possible some day, but wasn't sure he could really believe that right now.
He hadn't really gone to school with the intention to learn a trade. Max already had jobs as a programmer and Kim looked like he'd be going on to play professional sports. Chloé had gotten Sabrina a job as a secretary and even the blonde herself was looking into politics. He was sure Marinette would take over her father's bakery (and if she didn't, well, there just so happened to be a vacancy in the fashion world) and Alya had gotten an internship as a journalist. Nino was applying to higher education to further his music career and really Adrien just felt completely out of the loop. Without his modeling, he didn't know what he could possibly do.
He scowled at that thought, mentally kicking himself for the slip up. Like everything else in his life, it had never been his modeling, but his father's, and much like anything else that had Gabriel Agreste's name attached to it, Adrien didn't want to even acknowledge its existence. He wasn't the only one. There had been protests held outside city hall, the police station, even the Louvre. So many people wanted a piece of Gabriel Agreste and Adrien didn't blame them. As far as he was concerned, they could all get in line behind him.
Still, if he didn't want to go into modeling again, (and even if he did, who would dare take him on?) just what could he do? He'd even seriously considered the circus, but couldn't stomach the thought without that ring on his finger.
The ring he still didn't deserve.
Man, was he messed up.
But what else could a former model/super hero do?
As usual, Nino had the answer. Well, Alya had initially given him the idea, but Nino had pushed the note for the website application under his nose.
"What's this?" Adrien asked, eyebrows furrowed together as he looked at the card, then up at his best friend and then back at the card again.
Nino sighed. "You hate just sitting around, so I thought this could help. Well, Alya thought it could help. I'm just smart and agree with her."
Adrien's eyes widened. "This is an ad for the National Fire College."
"So the cat can read," Nino said sarcastically, then rolled his eyes at Adrien stiffening. He hadn't heard that phrase before...and why would Nino say something about a cat to him... did he know? If he did, he said nothing else and went on as if Adrien didn't suddenly look like death warmed over. "They sometimes recruit from the volunteers as young as 18, but going through the college would give you the most chance of getting hired on. If it's money you're worried about, I know you're not used to it so I did some research. There are grants we can check out, and you'll probably have to get a job and work through it all, but, I think this is you, Adrien."
The blond hadn't felt so vulnerable since his father had been arrested. "Why?"
His best friend looked confused. "Why what?"
There were too many whys, so Adrien tried to grasp at one. "Why do you think it's me?"
The smile that came to his friend's face looked so soft and warm that Adrien couldn't help but believe him when he spoke. "'Cause I've never met someone who cares so much about other people in my life."
He couldn't not believe Nino, and yet his mind still had a hard time wrapping around that. Adrien was, and had always been, a bit selfish and self-centered.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Adrien couldn't help but ask, awkwardly, "Are you sure you mean me?"
Nino just rolled his eyes and dropped the ad on Adrien's lap. "Just think about it, ok?"
He did.
xXx
Finding a job was a nerve-wracking process Adrien did not want to repeat if he had the chance, especially from half-way across the country. He ended up with a job at a local cafe that would work around his school schedule. The college itself was situated on an airbase in southern France and the decision to actually go seemed like the biggest, most uncertain step Adrien had ever taken – and he'd fought Akuma.
Finding a place to live hadn't been too difficult, but he'd be rooming with at least 3 other guys and sharing a room with one.
He'd never shared a room before Nino had let him crash at his place. That had been a new experience, and not one he particularly wanted to put up with for the course of his study, but the more he thought about it, the more right it felt. Sure, he wasn't going to be a magical super hero with the support of all of Paris behind him, but he found himself growing more and more attached to the idea.
The day he left Paris was a sad one. Most of his former classmates showed up, each promising to keep in touch. Marinette, the sweet girl that she was, had even baked him a cake and a batch of cookies for the road. She'd even managed to get them to him without tripping and crushing them all.
Then he was off on a train ride that would connect to a few others before he could catch a bus to arrive at the air base.
He got lost trying to find his new room at least four times, and the room he ended up in was nothing more than a glorified dorm room with a central area and a few rooms smaller than the private bathroom he'd had growing up. Beds had been shoved into either end of each room and they squeaked horribly as he sat down, despite looking fairly new.
Adrien loved it.
It had been a hard day, a sad day and (frankly) a terrifying day, and yet, even as Chat Noir, he'd never felt so free.
xXx
His roommate happened to be a boy named Aristide Campeau, a guy who looked like he could eat Kim for breakfast. He was large, had dark skin and a square jaw that looked like it could have been carved from stone.
"Uh, hi," Adrien said, trying to muster up as much courage as he could. "I'm Adrien Agreste and it looks like I'm your new roommate."
Aristide just cocked his head at Adrien, as if studying him.
"You don't look like the son of a super villain."
And that quickly, Adrien felt himself shut down. He didn't want to say anything that sounded rude or cruel, so he didn't say anything at all, choosing instead to simply glare.
"That's more like it," the guy said with a nod.
Adrien blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"Shoulda guessed that would be a sore subject, sorry," the big guy said, rubbing the back of his head like a sheepish 3-year-old. It made for a strange dichotomy.
That's when Adrien made connections. "Wait, you don't care that Hawkmoth, the super villain of Paris, is my father?"
Aristide just shrugged. "Should I?"
Adrien felt himself smile a real smile. "You know, I think we'll get along just fine."
xXx
It turns out, some of his fellow students and some instructors did care about Adrien's parentage. He was never pranked, but he could feel the stares and got more than one accusation in those first few weeks. Gritting his teeth, he bore it as best he could and threw his efforts into studying.
The courses were harsh and demanding and it all made his personal training routine growing up look like a pleasant walk in the park. He did bulk up a little bit, but not much. He'd always been more of the 'lean muscle' kind of person anyway. It kept him fast, light and agile. That was fine with him.
As the year went on, he began to recognize a few things. As he got stronger, he started to feel more and more like he had as Chat Noir. He hadn't initially realized just how much stronger that transformation had made him, but now he was beginning to get an idea. Secondly, he had the reflexes of a seasoned professional. More than one teacher made that comment, some of them begrudgingly. He just made up some excuse about how his father had liked hunting and dodged inquiries as best he could. He also had a sense of his surroundings that, while no where near what it had been as Chat Noir, was still leagues above normalcy. The problem was, it had become normal for him, but now he recognized it as a residual affect of being a super hero for so long or lingering trace of magic because other people couldn't seem to tell where it was or wasn't safe to step in the burning buildings set up for them to work on, let alone how to judge the distance and just flip or hand-spring over them.
After the first time, he was told in no uncertain terms to never do that again.
The best part about it, though, was that this was all him. Sure there might have been some things left over, but he wasn't relying on some ancient cat deity for it. He'd earned this himself. It was a good feeling. Although it did occur to him that if Plagg's power had been able to make Adrien so much stronger then, what could it do now?
He usually shut that thought down before it could get very far. Thinking about Plagg still hurt.
Aristide himself was a godsend. He reminded Adrien of Nino, Kim and Iven all rolled into one with Alya's tenacity and Marinette's straight-forward, matter-of-fact attitude. He was also more observant than all of the above combined.
"You're Chat Noir, aren't you." He said one night after a particularly harsh training that only Adrien had managed to beat...barely. He was really out of practice if he couldn't even jump as far as he needed to make it across that gap, but while he'd scrambled, he'd managed to make it. He'd had to jump and climb over the rubble though, which he found useless because he could have sprung over it much faster.
But that was the problem. Had he been showing off a little too much? Sure, he was at the head of his class, but did it really show enough for someone who had never even seen Chat Noir in person to put two and two together? Or had the magic really been protecting him?
He knew he'd paused for too long, but he couldn't help the nervous grin that came to his face like an old friend. "I'm sorry, what?"
Aristide shook his head. "Guess that's a 'yes'. I'm sorry."
Adrien opened his mouth to deny it again, rather frantically, but the apology made him stop. "Um...for what?"
He shook his head. "I'm just... Having to fight your father like that must have really sucked."
The former super hero forgot to deny the other's claim as he looked down grimly. "Yeah. It did."
"I won't tell."
Adrien smiled sadly. "Thanks."
"By the way, you were my favorite."
Adrien blinked. "Huh?"
Aristide grinned, his white teeth standing out and making him somehow look even happier. "Of the heroes in Paris, you were the best. You made me laugh. I loved your cat puns."
That made Adrien blink harder. Someone appreciated his puns? After years of getting flack for them, he almost didn't believe what he'd heard.
"You liked them?" he asked, incredulous.
"Of course! I always thought they were cat-astrophically funny."
Adrien just stared, not even bothering to blink anymore, his mind in full-on blue screen of death mode. It took him a second to restart his brain, and when he did, he just burst out laughing. "They were really that bad, weren't they."
"But that's what made them funny," his roommate insisted with a smirk.
Adrien grinned. "Doesn't stop them from being claw-ful."
"Eh, I didn't get that feline from them."
He didn't hide his snort very well, not that he was trying. "Paw-sitively terrible."
Anyone else would have shaken their head and rolled their eyes. Aristide joined him in his laughter.
xXx
"We have to get past this door," the current team leader said, a slightly frantic worry in his voice. They were minutes away from their goal time and the only thing in their way happened to be what looked like a steel door. It was probably made of wood and painted to look like steel, but they couldn't open it like usual as per instructions.
"Why would they have a steel door here?" Adrien asked Aristide softly. "It makes no sense."
The larger man shrugged. "Sometimes houses don't make sense. I guess they just want us prepared."
The blond rolled his eyes. "It isn't realistic enough."
They paused while people shouted out ideas, most of which were shot down.
"Hey, couldn't you use that attack?" Aristide asked suddenly.
Adrien blinked. "Attack?"
"You know, the..." he looked around and then leaned down and whispered, "Cataclysm".
Adrien felt his eyes go wide and then he hunched in on himself. "I can't use that power. I'm not Chat Noir anymore. I gave that up."
Aristide's own eyes went wide in shock as he stood up, still staring at Adrien, who couldn't meet his gaze.
"You can give that up?"
Adrien shot him a deadpan expression and held up his ring-less hands. "No Miraculous."
The other man frowned. "I did wonder about that, but thought it might be camouflaged or something. Wondered why you'd go through this kind of training if you can do all of that." He gestured vaguely at the air, but Adrien got that he meant the super powers.
The former super hero shook his head and sighed. "I gave it up. I don't deserve it."
Aristide blinked. "Wait, what?"
"Will you two stop talking and help us out?"
They both looked over to see their team leader staring at them angrily.
Adrien sighed. "If you want to get into the room, go through the wall. If you can't go through the wall, find a vent. If you can't go through a vent, try for the hinges. Of course all of this is moot if you know how to pick a lock."
With that, he held up his hand and moved forward. He examined the door for a moment before nodding. "Non-electronic, pretty straight forward. There's probably an alarm though." And then he picked the lock in under a minute and they had their people out.
"Why didn't you come up with that earlier?" their team leader, a man named Mansel, asked disdainfully after the exercise.
Adrien had just shrugged, "It's a team exercise. I wanted to hear what other people had to say."
"Or maybe you should pay attention? This may be nothing new to you – although I don't know why you of all people would learn to pick a lock – but that doesn't mean you can't learn anything."
"My apologies for getting distracted," Adrien said with a nod of his head.
Satisfied, Mansel turned around and stalked away. Adrien almost smirked after him. The guy may have been right, but he didn't intimidate Adrien. He wasn't nearly as scary as Nathalie, let alone his father and so Adrien was pretty easily able to just shrug his annoyance off. The whole situation soon slipped from his mind. He had a job to get to tonight, after all.
xXx
Adrien worked the closing shift that night. He never thought something so simple as waiting tables could be so tiring. He'd been through his share of tiring photo shoots when he was younger, but while they were comparable, there was something fundamentally different about both of them.
Still, as long as he didn't give out his last name, he usually only got recognized once or twice a night. Most of that was something along the lines of: "You look like Adrien Agreste, did you know that?"
He usually just smiled and nodded.
More often than not, when he got home, his other roommates had already gone to bed. Which was why he was surprised to walk into his room and see Aristide still awake and sitting on his bed reading their textbooks. He was dressed for sleep in shorts and a tank top that showed off his very well-built chest and arms that often made Adrien extremely jealous.
"Oh, hi," he said, surprised. "What are you still doing up?"
"Something you said earlier bothered me...worried me."
Adrien frowned. "What?"
"You said you didn't deserve your Miraculous. You're such a nice guy, though, and you were a great super hero. Why would you think you didn't deserve it?"
The blond sighed. Right, this was why he was supposed to deny his double life until his dying breath. Well, one of many reasons.
"Can we talk about it tomorrow?"
Aristide didn't frown or sigh or anything, he just gave Adrien the saddest expression without really moving any facial muscles. It was really quite a feat. It wasn't pity, he didn't think, but almost a disappointment. But not...and...ugh, it really was too late for this.
His roommate nodded silently and put his textbook away. Then he reached for the lamp by his bed and Adrien sighed.
"Fine," he said with an eye roll. He closed the door and went over to dress for bed. He'd take a shower in the morning.
"You know, I lived under the same roof as Hawkmoth for almost four years. In that time, I suspected him a total of one time, and that was because Ladybug herself suspected him. Not me. To this day I have no idea how she came to the conclusion she did, but when we went to confront him, he'd become an Akuma."
He didn't turn to look at his roommate as he stripped down to his boxers and then shoved on sleep pants. It was summer and he didn't really want to bother with a shirt, so he just shoved his clothes in the flimsy (but very useful) laundry basket Marinette had given him before he left.
"That sounds like a good reason to not suspect him," Aristide pointed out.
Adrien just shook his head. "Yeah, but there were so many other signs. Some of the things he owned, some of the places he'd been, some of his opinions and things he said... I..." Adrien had gone over to the closet-sized bathroom the two of them shared and held his toothbrush in his hand. Then he sighed and put his hands on the sink, as if bracing himself. He didn't really know what he was bracing himself against, he just needed the grounding.
"I was too blind to see it. Not because I wasn't a good hero – although most of it was Ladybug, I'm telling you – but because I didn't want to see it. And if I couldn't see it because of my own shortcomings – If I'm too selfish to do what I need to do to protect France over myself... I don't deserve that ring."
He could feel Aristide's eyes on his back but couldn't look at him. Aristide had been a fan, and what would he be now? Now that he knew just how selfish and self-centered Adrien was.
"He's your father. No one would have wanted to face that," he heard his roommate say softly. It was funny, but this big, dark-skinned giant of a man was the biggest inner teddy bear Adrien had ever met. Of course, the guy had a great family who totally supported him. Adrien tried not to be bitter or jealous of that too.
"Maybe not, but that's why they're called 'super' heroes. We...they have to do things other people can't." Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
"That doesn't mean they have to be perfect. Heroes are still human."
He appreciated the thought, he really did, but Aristide just didn't get it. Although, in all honesty, he'd make a good Chat Noir. Just about anyone would make a better Chat Noir than Adrien, but maybe he could convince Master Fu and the others that it would be for the better and take Aristide to them. Maybe. It was an idea, if nothing else.
"Thank you for telling me," he heard behind him and turned to see the larger man staring down at his hands with a sad smile. "I know that isn't easy."
Adrien took a deep breath and then let it out. "Actually, it felt good. I haven't been able to talk to anyone about it. It's... liberating, I guess." He did feel better about it, now. Like a weight had been lifted off of his chest.
Aristide blinked at that and looked up in surprise, meeting Adrien's gaze. "You didn't talk to the other super heroes?"
At that, Adrien lifted a hand to the back of his head and rubbed it sheepishly. "Not really. We don't know each other's identities. I was willing to let Ladybug know, but we were told that we can't tell anyone else. She stuck to that pretty hard." He sighed dreamily, remembering that determined gaze that always got to him. "She has such a sense of duty and honor. It's one of the things I love about her." His smile faltered. "And it's one reason I know I don't measure up."
"That's really not fair, you know," Aristide said, folding his arms and looking upset for the first time that evening. "You don't know what she dealt with on a regular basis or why she was like that. For all you know, she could have been convinced you wouldn't like her real self and using duty to hide behind."
Adrien felt his eyes narrow. "How would you know that? You don't know her."
The larger man put up his hands in surrender. "I don't know that any more than you do. I'm just saying you're putting her on a pedestal and then trying to measure up to that ideal. Without knowing her other self, you can't know that you don't measure up to her."
Adrien didn't stop frowning, but he did deflate a bit. Then he kicked himself for trying to make himself look bigger and tougher than he was...like a cat. Stupid habit that had never really gone away. He hadn't even noticed until just recently. He wondered if he still had that stupid purr too.
"I guess," he murmured noncommittally and turned back to brush his teeth.
"I think you're better than you think you are. And you're still my favorite super hero."
Yeah, Adrien just couldn't stay mad at that. "Thanks," he said, and even meant it somewhat. Then he shook his head and recalled something Aristide had told him in passing earlier. "Wait, are you psycho-analyzing me?"
It was the larger man's turn to look sheepish. "Maybe a little." His father had been a therapist and his mother a counselor. Before he'd decided to become a fireman, Aristide had actually been studying psychology. Then he'd decided it wasn't for him...or that he wanted to be a fireman more.
Adrien smiled. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing, but this is something I have to work out on my own."
Aristide sighed and deflated a little himself. "Yeah, I know. I guess I just wanted to let you know that you see yourself differently than the rest of the world does. You're harder on yourself – unfairly so. And I wanted you to know that you have support, man."
His smile grew in wry amusement. "Is that a fan speaking? Or a therapist?"
The look Aristide shot Adrien was so earnest he almost took a step back in surprise. "Neither. It's a friend."
They stared at each other for a moment before the older of the two of them smiled, shrugged and flipped off the lamp by his bed. "Night."
"Night," Adrien returned, finished brushing his teeth and retired to his own bed. He lay there thinking for several minutes before he went to bed, but slept better than he had in a long while that night.
xXx
Nino, Mareinette, Alya and Chloé all showed up for his graduation. He wasn't quite sure how he'd been able to hold a job and work and graduate at the top of his class, but he'd managed it. He'd even gotten a message from his father about how proud he was.
Adrien had thrown the message away.
He'd introduced Aristide to the others and hadn't been surprised when they all got along like a house on fire. Really, this guy fit right in. Even Chloé, who took one look at his muscles and was all over him. It warmed Adrien's heart to see everyone getting along like that.
He ended up being transferred back to Paris (he'd put that down as one of his preferences as placement). Initially he'd been worried about finding a decent apartment that he could afford on the salary he'd make. He'd probably have to get a second job.
Of course, that's when Nino had come through again. Apparently he'd moved out on his own as well (his youtube show had gotten more popular than Adrien had realized) and was looking for a roommate. Adrien took him up on the offer immediately.
Aristide ended up being placed in Marseille, nearer to his family, but they kept in touch often enough.
He'd just begun to settle into his new life when he got word that his father's estate had been settled and his presence was required.
xXx
Adrien wasn't happy to be there. This was a reminder of his old life – the good and the bad, and all of it painful. He sat there, watching his father's lawyer go over the settlements with what he really hoped wasn't a threatening expression. He couldn't help it. Hawkmoth sat right next to the lawyer, in a black and white jumpsuit and handcuffs.
"In short, everything that wasn't claimed in damage reparation and fines is to go to you, Mr. Agreste." The lawyer, Adrien had forgotten his name, said as he looked up. "A few properties here in Paris, as most of the rest were seized and liquidated, and the rest of the fortune, currently worth about 8,000,000 euros."
Adrien nodded and then smiled his brightest smile. "I don't want it."
The look on his father's face was priceless.
"I...beg your pardon?" the lawyer asked, looking gobsmacked.
Adrien shrugged. "I said, I don't want it. Keep it around for when he gets out," he gestured to his father, "or donate it. Either way, I don't want to have anything to do with it. Can I go now?"
"B-but Mr. Agreste, you are literally throwing away—" The lawyer started. Adrien cut him off.
"I know, I don't care. I am going to make my own way and my own life. I don't need any money from him."
"Adrien," his father said, voice quiet as he stared at the table in front of him. "I won't ask for your forgiveness, I know I don't deserve it, but at least know that I did it for us. I wanted your mother back, and you needed her so."
Adrien felt his jaw clench tight. "If mom would have wanted you to hurt other people to help her, then she isn't the woman I remember. You spat on her memory every time you sent one of those akuma out."
He expected his father to glare up at him or to laugh or to do something that the Gabriel Agreste he remembered would do. Instead, he flinched. Adrien couldn't help his own puzzlement and surprise.
"I'm...sorry," Gabriel said. What disturbed Adrien most was that he sounded like he meant it.
He didn't know what to say to that, so he just looked to the lawyer. "Can I go?"
The man blinked. "Well, yes."
"Good," Adrien said, grabbed his jacket and left.
xXx
Smoke surrounded him, oppressive and thick, but he saw no flames. Not yet. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his oxygen mask.
"Over here!" he yelled to his team. "I found the stairs!"
The town home they'd been called to was in a residential part of the city. The fire had started on the ground floor and they had reason to believe an older woman was trapped in one of the bedrooms. They hurried up the stairs and got to the second floor.
"You go down that way, I'll be over here," his senior companion yelled.
Adrien nodded and headed in that direction, opening doors as quickly as he could.
He turned the hall and, to his horror, saw flames. Dutifully, he reported it, but they weren't huge yet, so he rushed forward. In the second to last room, he opened the door to see even more flames and an older woman huddled in a corner.
"Madam!" he called to her.
She went to stand, but looked rather weak. Adrien rushed through the flames, somehow knowing exactly where to step so that he wouldn't fall through the burning material. He scooped her up and then looked back at the door. After a few seconds, he judged that yes, he could make it through there.
"Is there anyone else here?" he asked her. She shook her head.
Nodding in relief and let the rest of his team know that he still hadn't checked the last door in the area, then gave them an update on the situation. Then he took a deep breath and rushed back through the flames and out into the hall. There were even more flames than before. Of course.
He still hurried back down the hall and the stairs and then he was outside, carrying the woman to the medical services. A younger man rushed over, tears in his eyes.
"Thank you," he said. "Thank you for saving my mother."
For the first time in a long time, Adrien felt like he'd come home.
xXx
It really hadn't been too difficult to get to the roof of the buildings downtown. Of course, he knew this area like the back of his hand – still – and so now he sat, looking over at the Eiffel Tower.
He'd gotten slaps on the back and pats all around for saving his first life. And he'd done it on his own. No super powers, no special treatment, no money backing him or his schooling. He'd worked his butt off to get here...and it felt good.
Maybe for the first time, he also felt like he didn't really need that ring. And wasn't that just the strangest thought?
He didn't know how long he'd been there before he heard a soft thump behind him. He turned quickly, ready to explain why he was there when he really probably shouldn't be, but his words died in his throat.
"L-Ladybug?" He did not squeak, no matter what anyone said.
She looked at him hard, her mouth open and probably ready to reprimand him for being where he probably shouldn't, but her words died on her tongue.
"Adrien Agreste?"
He also did not flush like he was a 14-year-old with a crush again. Oh, he was so thankful for the darkness.
"Um...hi?" he managed to get out. Then he mentally kicked himself. That wasn't something a mature man would say. It was something a love-struck teenager would say. He mentally despaired.
"What are you doing here?" she finally asked.
"Oh...I guess I wanted to be alone," he said after a moment. Then he turned to look back at the Eiffel tower. "And I always loved coming here."
He could practically hear her raise her eyebrow in confused surprise. "You did?"
"Oh, um," he backtracked, "well, not 'here' per se, but well..."
"You're used to this?" she ventured, walking up to sit by him.
He thought about that. "I guess so."
"I heard you gave up your entire fortune."
Adrien snorted bitterly. "I didn't want anything that man had to offer."
A silence. "You're really angry at him."
The blond brought his knees up and rested his arms across them. Was it just him, or did it feel a little chilly?
"He's Hawkmoth."
"He was."
Adrien almost snorted. "I would have thought you of all people would hate him. And me."
She snapped her head around so quickly he almost wondered if she'd given herself whiplash. "I could never hate you! Besides, you had nothing to do with him or what he was doing!"
"Hmm," Adrien huffed a little and set his chin on his arms.
"And honestly, I forgave him a long time ago."
That surprised Adrien. "You did?"
She shrugged. "He had his reasons for doing what he did. They weren't good ones, and he shouldn't have done it, but also without him, I don't think I would have ever become Ladybug." She smiled softly. "I wouldn't be who I am today."
Funny, Adrien hadn't thought about it like that before. Oh, he'd known he wouldn't have ever been Chat Noir, but Ladybug... He couldn't imagine Paris without her. It hurt a little to try.
"Oh," he muttered.
She chuckled softly. "I know a lot of people who are stronger because of what happened with Hawkmoth. I don't think it was justifiable, but...sometimes, I guess I think it might have been necessary. Now the world knows magic exists and can be used. There are new areas of science opening up and studying what they've found. It's kind of amazing. And none of it would have happened without Hawkmoth."
"He still hurt people," Adrien muttered, trying to ignore how petulant and childish he sounded.
Ladybug sighed.
"Yes. But he can't do any more damage now, and I don't think he's really evil, if you know what I mean. Just a desperate, heart-broken guy."
"Who didn't recognize what he still had," Adrien returned, more to himself than to her.
She sighed but didn't refute him. He'd take that as a win for now. Maybe.
"So," he said, figuring that a change of topic might be best, "have you heard anything from Chat Noir?"
She slumped and the spark in her eyes seemed to dim. "No," she said softly. "I don't know where he is or what happened to him, but... I hope he's okay."
"You don't know why he left?"
She shook her head. "No. My mentor said he felt like he wasn't worthy to be a hero anymore and gave up his ring." She gasped and put a hand over her mouth, looking over at Adrien in horror. "Don't tell anyone I said that!"
He held up his hands placatingly. "I won't, My Lady. I promise."
She froze and gave him an expression he couldn't read. "What did you call me?"
My Lady. He'd slipped up. He tried not to let his eyes go wide with horror and just forced a chuckle. "Sorry. If you don't want me to call you that, I won't."
She didn't say anything for a long time, just studying him for what felt like hours.
"Anyway," he said, "if you don't have to worry about Akuma anymore, then why are you still out here?"
The super hero scrutinized him for a few moments longer before she answered. "I'm an intern at the police department. They think that having a super hero around can be useful."
He raised his eyebrows. "The police department?"
She smiled at him. "Yeah. Funny, it isn't what I imagined myself becoming, but...I like it. I like helping people and there are some things I can do that others just...can't."
"Yeah," Adrien nodded in understanding. Then he smiled at her. "I think it suits you perfectly." He had to stop himself from using a pun there. She'd figure it out if he said something stupid like 'purr-fectly'.
The smile she gave him this time was small and embarrassed, but real. "Thank you."
"And I've become a fireman."
"Oh yes, I heard about that! You saved a woman today, right?"
Adrien couldn't help it. He preened.
"Yeah."
She grinned openly at him. "So you're a hero now too."
He paused, blinking. "Huh?"
Ladybug looked away for a moment, expression thoughtful. "I've come to realize just how under-appreciated heroes are. Real heroes. Heroes like firemen and women, policemen and women, nurses, doctors, first responders, servicemen and women... There are so many people out there who don't get the recognition they deserve. People like me, super heroes, sometimes I don't think we're the real heroes."
Adrien stared at her, eyes growing wider and wider as she continued.
A real hero.
"But My...Ladybug you've always been a true hero!"
The woman's smile turned humoring and slightly wry. "That's only because you don't know my identity. When I first got my powers I had no training, no knowledge and no real idea what I was doing. Don't spread this around, but I almost didn't keep them because I was so unsure of myself."
Adrien felt his jaw drop and his mind go blank. "B-but you're the best, My – Ladybug!" he insisted. "You always knew what was going on in all the fights! It was you who finally took out Hawkmoth!"
She shrugged. "But I had to grow into it, and I wouldn't have gotten where I am without my friends and family. I wouldn't have gotten here on my own. I don't think anyone could have."
Somehow Adrien felt like his entire world had just been turned upside down. Again. He hated that feeling. This was the first time he'd felt it since Hawkmoth's capture.
Suddenly Aristide's words from so long ago came back to him. You're putting her on a pedestal and then trying to measure up to that ideal. He'd been right. Maybe not quite like he'd initially assumed, but still. Ladybug was a human, had been a teenager when she started, just like him.
And somehow he only loved her more for it.
He almost groaned. He didn't realize he had it that bad.
"Well, my boss will get on my case if I don't get back on patrol. Now," she raised an eyebrow at him as she got up and stretched. He couldn't look away. Yeah, he still had it that bad.
"I'll get down," he said with a sigh. It was just a rooftop after all.
"How about I take you down?" she asked. "And I won't tell on you this time."
He smiled.
"Thank you, Ladybug."
xXx
"Adrien! Long time, no talk," Aristide's booming voice came over the phone, making the blond smile.
"Hello, Mr. Therapist."
A pause. "Oh, it's one of those phone calls. Why can't you just call to say hi?"
Adrien laughed. "I called you on Thursday."
"Alright, you have a point. What's up, buddy?"
Adrien smiled softly. "I rescued someone today."
"You did? Good job, man!"
"It...felt good. Like I'd rediscovered something I'd lost. And this weird thought occurred to me, that I didn't need that ring anymore."
A long pause drifted over the phone while his friend digested that. "You think you used the ring as an excuse?"
"As an escape," Adrien replied, closing his eyes. "I hated my life growing up. Sure I had everything I could ever want, except a loving father and no friends. I begged my father to go to school, and when I got that ring..." He sighed. "It was an escape. Plain and simple."
"But you still liked helping people."
The self reproach faded and Adrien could smile again. "Yeah. I did. I really did."
"So you think you were using the ring as a crutch too?"
Adrien thought about that. "Yeah, I think I was. I didn't think I was anything if I wasn't Chat Noir." And how sad was that. He still understood why he felt that way, even if he didn't really feel it anymore.
"And now?"
Adrien took a deep breath and let it out. "Now...I am what I am. I've made myself who I am. I've...become who I want to be." Self sufficient and a hero. Not someone of his father's making and not someone of the world's making. Someone of his own making.
Another pause, but it felt softer than the others.
"Good for you, man. I'm proud of you."
Adrien smiled.
"Thanks. Me too."
xXx
Adrien sat in front of the glass, trying not to fidget nervously. Part of him wondered why he was here again, but another part of him knew he had to get this over with if he ever really wanted to heal – if he ever wanted to truly put his past behind him.
Gabriel Agreste, as put together as ever (how he managed that in prison, Adrien didn't know) sat down in front of the window, eyes wide in surprise. He picked up the reciever at the same time Adrien did.
"Father," he said slowly.
"I will admit, I didn't expect this," Gabriel said softly.
Adrien sighed. "Yeah. Well, I'm not going to lie. You were a pretty lousy father. I had every reason to be bitter and angry, you know."
The other man looked down. "Yes, I know."
The heat in Adrien's chest subsided and he forced himself to relax. "However, I've come to realize that you... care." He couldn't say 'love' right now, it was just too much. But this was a good start. He'd take it and hoped Gabriel would too, because he wouldn't be getting any different today.
His father looked up and for the first time, Adrien saw the age on his face. "I do, Adrien. I love you, son."
Then why couldn't you say that before?! Adrien wanted to say, but he didn't. That wasn't a question to ask today. This would take time to mend. Time and care from both ends.
Gabriel seemed to take Adrien's silence as a bad sign because he sighed. "Why did you come, Adrien? I'm terribly glad – relieved even – to see you, but we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."
Adrien frowned, part of him recoiling in pain, rejection. Gabriel didn't really want him here, did he? But he shook his head, clearing the insecurities as best he could and answered the question honestly, if a bit indirectly.
"Ladybug still patrols now, even without the akuma. Did you know that?"
Gabriel's face went blank. "I was aware, yes."
Adrien looked down. "I met her and...asked her about you. Do you know that she said she'd forgiven you a long time ago?"
He could see the surprise on his father's face, even though he tried to hide it. "She came to see me shortly after my initial incarceration... I... did not think she was serious."
He thought she'd been putting on a face. Adrien wanted to roll his eyes, but refrained (barely). That was such a Gabriel Agreste thing to think.
"Well, she meant it. She also said she didn't think she could have gotten where she was today without her family and friends supporting her. I'm pretty sure they don't know her identity, but she leans on their support anyway. I have always had good friends. It seems the only thing I'm missing is family. I... wanted that back and am willing to try to fix this if you are."
Fore several seconds, Gabriel just stared at him. Then he smiled, a sort of soft, sad smile that spoke volumes. "I'd like that."
Adrien smiled a real smile and felt a spark of hope. He didn't think he'd ever feel that towards his father again. It was a good feeling.
Then his father looked down at his hand. "You don't have your ring."
Adrien blinked at the non-sequitur and glanced at his hand. "Oh, yeah. I gave that back to its original owner a while ago."
Gabriel studied his son for several seconds. "You should get it back. Please don't let me come between you and your... friend."
The blond felt his eyes widen at the implication.
"You knew!"
"I suspected."
"For how long?" He couldn't help it if his voice sounded accusing.
To his credit, Gabriel took it all in stride. "Almost since the beginning."
"But why didn't you... I don't know, confront me or something?"
Gabriel snorted. "And risk the tenuous relationship we had? Besides, I knew you valued your... freedom. However, if an Akuma took something precious, though, and you never found out..."
Adrien couldn't help but just stare at his father for several seconds. Then he snorted. "We're seriously screwed up, aren't we."
His father shot him a wry smile. "That seems like a rather accurate statement." They shared a sort of amused, accusing, promising and annoying silence that held so much more than just that too.
"My initial statements still stands," Gabriel said after a few moments. "If you are looking to repair relationships, perhaps you should seek out your friend. If you returned to working together, I would feel better."
Adrien shook his head. "I've just come to realize I don't need it, Father. I like who I am now. I'm a real hero; a sapeur-pompier. I've become who I am without the crutches I used to have to lean on and I'm happy."
Gabriel's face relaxed and it was only then that Adrien realized he'd never actually seen his father relax before.
"You've become so strong, and I am so proud of you, Adrien. You have risen far above my hopes and expectations. I know you don't need that anymore. But, don't you see? That is why, if you do go back, you will be able to do the most good."
Adrien frowned. No, he didn't see or understand what his father was trying to say. Why would he need to go back if he didn't need to go back?
Gabriel must have caught onto that because he sighed. "At least go and say goodbye properly then? You owe him that much. Please don't take after me. I thought I was the only important person in my relationship. I forgot that the other person was just that; a person."
It snapped into place and Adrien's eyes widened. He'd abandoned Plagg! Well, he hadn't, but what if the Kwamii felt like he had?!
Gabriel nodded in satisfaction that his point had been driven home. "I hope to see you again soon, son."
Adrien nodded, still feeling pale and unsure. "Yes. Thank you, father."
Then he practically sprang for the door.
xXx
It had taken him 45 minutes to get herd, but he'd made it in record time. Gasping for breath, he looked up at the building in front of him and tried to ignore his stomach performing a gymnast routine. He still took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
The elderly Asian man, who somehow looked no different and yet frailer than he had just a few years before, came to the door. He blinked up at Adrien in surprise, but that melted away to a warm satisfaction.
"You're late," he said.
Adrien half-smiled, feeling sheepish and admonished. "I had a lot of things to figure out."
The man nodded and smiled (it was almost a smirk, Adrien realized with a sigh and a roll of his eyes). "I know. Come."
They walked inside the business and into the back room with the low table and the old, vintage turntable record player.
"Wait," Adrien said suddenly. Master Fu paused and glanced back at him. "Um...do you have any Camembert?"
The old man smiled and nodded. "Wait here."
Somehow just waiting for those few minutes seemed far longer and more intense than almost anything he'd had to endure before. His stomach still felt like it held all of Hawkmoth's hoard of butterflies.
When Master Fu came back and set a tray with an all too familiar smell wafting from it on the table, Adrien smiled. This brought back memories. And while they were still uncomfortable, they didn't hurt anymore.
He watched as the old master walked over to the record player and opened the secret compartment. Then the familiar box of the Miraculous. Then the box holding an all too familiar ring.
The butterflies turned into a raging hurricane.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly reached forward and picked the ring up. It always felt so smooth in his hands, but warm. Never cool. He could sense a thrum of magic in it as well. He gulped and glanced up at Master Fu who just smiled kindly and nodded encouragingly.
Then, closing his eyes, he slipped the ring on.
"Oh, it's you. What do you want?"
Adrien opened his eyes to see a little, black Kwamii. He'd folded his arms and glared up at Adrien with the most serious expression the blond could ever remember seeing.
"Heh," was all Adrien could manage as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Um, here?" He held out the plate of cheese to the Kwamii.
Adrien almost expected Plagg to go straight for the plate. The cheese had always seemed to trump everything before. Instead, though, the cat raised an eyebrow at the offering and then looked up at the blond again.
"Where were you?"
The former model's smile fell and he looked down. "I told you, I didn't feel worthy of the ring. I didn't feel good enough for it. For you."
The cat's eyes narrowed.
"And do you now?"
Adrien studied the (justifiably) angry cat for several seconds before he looked away again. "No."
He dared peek back at the Kwamii who had just raised one unimpressed eyebrow.
"But I feel worthy of myself," he finished, sitting up straighter. "I had a lot to work out, confidence issues, family issues...and I had to get there by myself. I had to know that I could."
"Relying on someone else isn't a weakness," Plagg practically growled.
Adrien fixed his gaze on the Kwamii again. "No, it isn't. But using them as a crutch is. I was using you as my escape and that wasn't fair, to me or to you, and I'm sorry. I had to get to a point where I didn't use people as crutches anymore. I had to learn to stand on my own two legs."
Plagg's expression had gone rather blank.
"And have you?" he finally asked.
Adrien felt himself relax and the confident smile that grew on his face felt so natural. "Yes." The smile dimmed a bit. "I understand if you don't want to forgive me, but I wanted you to know at least. I didn't want to leave things on bad terms."
The Kwamii sighed. "I won't lie to you, kid. When you left, it hurt. A lot. But, I understand more than you think."
And there was that blasted spark of hope again. Adrien couldn't help it.
"But you owe me a whole heck of a lot more cheese than that!"
With that, the Kwamii practically dove onto the plate and began to devour its contents.
Adrien couldn't help it. He laughed.
"You'd better not leave me behind again, though," Plagg said through a mouthful of cheese. Adrien never could understand how the Kwamii could be legible with that much stuffed into his mouth.
"I promise," the blond replied. "If it's within my power, we'll be partners for life. Well, my life."
Plagg paused, cocked his head at Adrien and then swallowed what he had in his mouth. "You really have grown up, haven't you?"
Adrien blushed a little. "I hope so."
"So, what made you change your mind?" Plagg asked. "I get the feeling something did."
"Well," Adrien said softly looking down at his hands and then turning his hand over to see the white ring, "It was a lot of things, but most recently, my father."
Plagg's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Alright, kid, you gotta fill me in on everything."
Adrien laughed. "Well, it all started on the day we beat Hawkmoth. After I left here, I got back to the mansion just in time to see Nathalie and the gorilla get carted away, along with most of the rest of the staff. Then the police saw me and escorted me..."
xXx
Sargent Cavel Caron sat in his office going over the paperwork for his firemen, almost finished with what he had to get done for the day and looking forward to the evening. It had been a long day, but a good one. There had been a few incidences, but no loss of life on their end. Those were the best kinds of days.
He had just finished filing some copies of his reports when he turned around and saw someone standing at attention in his office. He may or may not have let out a squeak of surprise. Then he realized who it was.
"Ch-Chat Noir?" he asked, almost not believing his eyes.
The super hero went from attention to swinging his baton around in an obvious display of skill before setting it down and taking a bow. Show off.
"Sargent Caron," he said with a smirk.
The Sargent raised an eyebrow, unable to hide his amusement. "So, you're back in town, huh?"
The cat grinned at him, full set of gleaming white teeth. "Yup. Had to take care of some family things. But now I'm back and, hopefully, better than ever."
It was the word 'hopefully' that made the Sargent realize the brash super hero had changed. He made a mental note of it and sat in his chair, gesturing for the hero to do the same.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well, you see, I spoke with Ladybug the other night and she told me that she's on a special team with the police department. I considered joining her, but...well, I have some training in fire fighting and this appeals to me more. I was wondering if you'd be willing to make a similar arrangement for me."
Cavel blinked. He hadn't been expecting that.
"Well," he said slowly, "I'd have to speak with my superiors. Would you have any stipulations?"
Chat Noir's smile seemed softer and far more genuine this time. "That's why I came to you," he said, almost to himself. That made the Sargent blink in surprise. Before he could ask, though, the man in the cat suit went on. "Well, I have another job, and the hours aren't that consistent. I could usually give my schedule to you about a week in advance, maybe a little longer. Also, my identity stays secret. It's part of the reason I can keep my powers, so that's non-negotiable."
The Sargent frowned. "Those are some rather difficult stipulations."
The blond sighed. "Yes, I know. But I figured that I'd ask first. After all, having a super hero who can destroy anything on your team might be worth it."
Yes, it would.
"We'd have to set up some sort of payment plan," Cavel said slowly, thinking through the implications.
"The police have worked out something for Ladybug. You may want to talk to them about it," Chat Noir pointed out helpfully.
The Sergent nodded. "Is there any way I can reach you?"
Chat Noir blinked, face blank. "Oh, um, not yet, but I can get a phone tomorrow."
"Then why don't you come back tomorrow and give me your phone number. I'll contact you when I have an answer."
The super hero stood and bowed gracefully. "Thank you, good sir! I really appreciate it. Well, I'll leave you to finish your work, then. Night!"
And with that, he jumped out of the window.
Cavel sighed. This might be a good thing, but it would honestly just mean more paperwork, no matter what happened.
xXx
He was sitting on the exact same roof in the exact same spot, admittedly in a far more cat-like position, with his knees up and his hands in front of him. He was looking out at the Eiffel Tower and just taking Paris in when a familiar thump sounded behind him.
"Adrien?" a voice asked.
He turned around and grinned at her. "Not quite, My Lady."
Ladybug froze and a hand flew to her mouth in a gasp.
"Chat?" she asked hesitantly.
"In the flesh," he said, leaping off the cement he'd been sitting on, doing a few flips and then sticking the landing perfectly. Then he took a bow.
"Chat!" Ladybug shrieked and launched herself at him. He caught her as she threw her arms around his neck.
"Well, if I'd known I would get a reaction like that, I would have left and come back sooner."
She shifted and then stepped back, angry tear-filled eyes glaring up at him. Then she punched his arm. Hard.
"OW!" he yelped, rubbing the spot where her fist had connected.
"You stupid cat!" she yelled at him. "You were gone for years! No note, no message, no nothing except from Master Fu who said you didn't feel worthy of the ring anymore! How could you just leave like that?!"
He rubbed the back of his head again, unable to hide his shame.
"I'm sorry, my lady, but I...had some things I had to work out."
She still looked like she wanted to punch him again, but her voice was steady as she spoke. "Were they important?"
He paused, but met her eyes squarely.
"Yes."
She sighed. "Did you get everything sorted out?"
He smiled softly. "It took me a while, but yes."
Ladybug studied him for a while before nodding her head. "Good. If you ever leave again, I'll hunt you down and beat you from here to London, got it?"
Chat Noir laughed. "Of course, My Lady. Now, why don't you fill me in on what's been going on since I left."
She sighed and took a seat next to him, sending a text to her boss that said she would be late coming back from patrol.
xXx
The girl across from Aristide giggled at his words, covering her mouth with one perfect hand and then lifting it to place a loose strand of red hair behind her ears. He couldn't help but drink her in. She was gorgeous and perfect and everything he'd ever wanted in a woman and...
Why did his phone have to buzz and ruin the moment?
He glanced over at it, saw who it was and sighed. He really should probably respond to Adrien.
"Sorry, Jaquline," he apologized and went to pick up the phone. It was a text message at least and it had an attachment. Curious, he clicked on the 'download' button and a picture of Chat Noir popped back up. The text at the bottom read: You may want to delete this as soon as you get it, but Chat Noir's back and ready for action! He's most likely going to join the sapeurs-pompiers in Paris. Go figure.
Just as he was about the put the phone down, another text rang through.
It only said one word: Merci.
He smiled and typed out: Anytime.
xXx
AN: Some notes on French Firemen, aka sapeurs-pompiers (and there are a few other designations, like the marine fire fighters and such). They seem to be far more militarized in France than they are here in America. I did some research, but couldn't find everything I wanted to know. Just remember that I've never been to France (sadly) and so this is my best guess on how things could/would/might work out. No offense was meant and if people will tell me where things are different, I'd appreciate it.
Anyway, there seems to be 3 ways to get into fireman service in France. 1. Junior Firefighter service which can start as early as middle school. If one is a volunteer Junior Firefighter for at least 3 years, they can get drafted into becoming a volunteer but paid fireman/woman (about 12 percent of the force there is comprised of women). 2. Military. I'm not quite sure how, but the military makes up a notable, if small, percentage of the sapeur-pompier work force. 3. The national firefighter school, located in the south of France near an air base. Since I DO know schooling, I decided that would probably be the best route to go.
Hope this wasn't too bad. I felt it was too fast, but since I was only going for a one-shot...*shrug*