Eerie silence filled the room. Even though Adrien was incredibly nervous not even a minute before, it all drained away upon seeing the man before him behind the glass, hands tied together by chains. His cheekbones were more defined and his skin was gray and wrinkly by old age and lack of proper hydration and sunlight. His hair had lost all of its color, a shining silver now, and his eyes were empty; devoid of all emotion.
"It's been a while," Adrien eventually spoke, tired of the silence. Why wasn't he responding to him? He should be lucky Adrien had considered visiting him!
It kept on being quiet, and Adrien wondered if he should just turn around and leave now. Apparently, this was a waste of time.
"It has."
Adrien gasped and his eyes widened.
"You've grown up so much. Grown up so well." It was a fatherly compliment, but his eyes didn't show it.
"Uh… thanks?"
Then the silence enveloped the room again. If it was going to be like this all the time, then ten minutes wouldn't be enough.
"Tell me about yourself." It wasn't demanding. It was an honest, curious question. Adrien thought he even spotted a slight smile.
"I work at your company – my company – with my wife. Nice house. No kids yet."
"Married? To whom?"
"Marinette," Adrien answered, and grabbed his phone. He tapped the screen until he opened his gallery and opened the first picture he could find, turning his phone and pressing it against the glass that separated them.
"She looks beautiful."
"I know," Adrien responded proudly, retreating his phone and putting it back in his coat pocket. Talking about his lovely wife always lifted his spirits, and Gabriel could read the fondness for her off his son's face.
"I remember her. Hat designer extraordinaire."
"That's her." He found it easier to talk to him than he anticipated. He didn't think he would ever get entirely comfortable with him again, but at least they could have a civilized conversation. "How are you? Have they been treating you well?"
Gabriel sighed and it sounded tired, defeated. "I suppose I could have ended up worse."
"Certainly."
His father was lucky the death sentence wasn't legal in France anymore, otherwise all of Paris would have gladly put his head under a guillotine. Imprisonment in a psychiatric hospital might seem soft compared to the punishment a lot of people thought he deserved, but Adrien knew that being sentenced for life long was as harsh as it would get. And even now he understood that it might have even been too strict, with the underlying motives. Gabriel could have saved face by telling the public why he did what he did, but he remained silent during his trial and the entire process. The only person who knew what was really going on and why his actions were justified, was Adrien.
"We could waste time and not say anything, but I want to know why you're here… Chat Noir."
Adrien closed his eyes with a deep sigh. He knew that it would come to this, but felt less prepared than he actually thought he was.
"I know why you did it."
"…Pardon?"
"Why you're here. I don't agree with what you did, and you deserve the punishment, but I know and understand why you did it. For her."
Gabriel nodded. "Adrien, I-"
"Monsieur Agreste, one more minute left," spoke a voice through the door.
"I need your help," Adrien started, "Ladybug and I are no longer partners, but the Peacock Miraculous is being used for evil now. I can't let that happen again."
"No… it can't be," Gabriel whispered to himself, only talking louder when he addressed Adrien again, "I know that I made a mistake. Sadly, I realized that too late. I still don't regret it though."
"You shouldn't," Adrien agreed. After all, he did what he thought was right.
"I only want to tell you that, if you see her again, don't trust her. Or else it will end badly.
"What do you-?"
"Times up." The door creaked as it swung open, a broad man gesturing for Adrien to move. "Strict policy, monsieur Agreste. No exceptions."
Adrien eyed Gabriel one more time, before defeat clouded his mind. He needed one minute more to understand what his father meant, but they had run out of time. "Goodbye." He didn't look back as he passed the guard.
What did he mean by her?
"…The peacock is indeed most curious. Yet again a Miraculous is being used foully. She seems like a strong adversary, and most definitely cannot be underestimated. We have to make sure that Duusu is returned to me as soon as possible."
"But how?" Marinette asked the old Master. While Adrien was gone, she decided she should go visit Fu and ask for advice considering their new enemy. She couldn't just leave without Adrien inquiring where she was going. She had mastered lying about her alter ego, but except for that, fibbing wasn't her forte. He would know if she lied to him. "She has only come out of hiding a few times now, and we don't know anything about her. It took us years to figure out Hawk Moth was Gabriel Agreste. We are in the same situation now. How are we supposed to find and defeat her?"
"Do not forget that, just like you said, she comes out of hiding. Hawk Moth did not until that fateful day. Her willingness to fight you could be her weakness, especially since the Peacock Miraculous wasn't made for combat." Master Fu carefully put down his cup of tea, and poured another for Marinette, seeing it was empty.
Marinette cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean, Master?"
Fu smiled. "Every Miraculous has its own special meaning and power. The Ladybug stands for creation, the Black Cat for destruction. You are complimentary. As you know, there are many more Miraculous', but the main seven are the most powerful. The Fox has the power of illusion, the Turtle of protection and the Bee Miraculous to immobilize. The Peacock and the Butterfly Miraculous are very similar, both granting powers to others. While the Butterfly creates a champion to fight for themselves, the Peacock creates an ally to fight for you when you are at your weakest. It is not supposed to be used for close combat, but to be on the side lines and help when needed. Using it directly on an opponent wears the holder and the Kwami out. That is probably why whenever she appeared she left just as quickly."
"But won't that make her weaker eventually? If we just hold her off until she can't fight anymore, then we can take it from her! It might take a few months until she's worn out completely, but at least we know that she can be defeated," Marinette beamed, clasping her hands together in glee. "This is the first good news I've heard in ages!"
"Don't get your hopes up, Marinette," Fu placated. "Who knows what kind of destruction she can cause in that time? Besides, Duusu can't hold out that long. If Le Paon is drained, it means Duusu is drained as well. Who knows what kind of disasters than can create? I am not sure if the Peacock will ever be the same by then. Duusu might stay dormant forever, or worse, disappear. It is your priority to not let that happen. If we lose a Miraculous, the balance of the universe will shift. The outcome will never be positive."
Marinette's wide smile faltered. Damn. Just when she thought they'd found the solution. "I see. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I just want this to be over with. She's crazy and unpredictable. How am I supposed to beat her on my own?"
"But that is where you're wrong, my dear. You are not alone."
She giggled. "I'm sorry, Master, but you're in no shape to fight."
Fu sighed, his tea rippling by his breath. "While I wish I could do more, I know I would only be a hindrance. I wasn't talking about myself though."
Marinette's brows furrowed. "I haven't asked for help in a long time. I doubt Rena Rouge, Queen Bee and Carapace are in any shape to fight. They were young teenagers back then, now they're adults. The only reason I'm still able to even make a cartwheel, is because I'm still Ladybug. They will snap their backs the moment they jump into action."
He laughed at the image. "That would indeed not make for a nice image. However, I didn't mean them either."
She bit her lip in thought before sighing in defeat. "Oh… you mean Chat Noir. I know, Master, but I can't-"
"He came by. He misses you and wants to talk to you in peace. I think that would be wise, considering the current circumstances. In order to defeat Le Paon, you two need to work together."
"Of course I understand that!" Marinette cried out. "I just… I can't just go on and forgive him. No matter what he says."
Fu shoved her tea cup closer to her to make her calm down. She took it gratefully. "And you shouldn't. You're just human, Marinette. A person with feelings that he hurt. It would be reasonable that things won't be back to normal immediately. But he cares about you deeply and I know you do to, you can't convince me otherwise. I'm an all-knowing old man, after all." He grinned at the last part. "There is more to this story than meets the eye and you're hungry for answers. If you want them, I'd advise you to ask him instead of punching it out of him. As much as I want to give you all the answers, you need to do this on your own. Your partnership will never revive otherwise."
Marinette nodded in silence, letting the words sink in. She knew where he was coming from and she knew that she couldn't let her own feelings get in the way of the fate of the city. But just being near him… already made her go crazy! In more ways than one and that was the most frustrating part.
"You know him. His identity," she suddenly spoke.
"I do. I picked him, remember?"
"But you can't tell me who he is."
He gave her a soft smile. "Like I said, if you want the answers, go get them yourself. It is not my place to relay that information to you. I'm convinced he would tell you if you just asked, but not now. You two need to rekindle your bond first."
Marinette stood up from her place on the floor next to him. "I will try and see him as soon as possible. Hopefully we can have a civil conversation." She called for Tikki who flew in her purse on her way to the door. When her hand was on the door handle, she hesitated. "Master, one more question," she spoke as she turned back to him. He nodded in acknowledgement. "Do you also know who Le Paon is?"
Fu sighed deeply, frustration clear in his features. "Sadly, since it has been so long, it could be anyone. I could say I have my suspicions, but it wouldn't make any sense. It's better if we let that subject rest for now. Go home to your family, Marinette. Rest."
"Thank you, Master," she smiled. "Until next time."
She closed the door with a soft thud behind her as she entered the street. Master Fu was right. She did need a breather. Maybe a night snuggling on the couch would be good to her. Adrien would probably be bit upset after his visit to l'Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière. He might need the snuggles as well.
She noticed Adrien wasn't home yet when she parked in the garage, but she was actually glad he wasn't. It was nice to have a little time for herself. She spent some of that sharing cookies with Tikki while scrolling through her Instagram, looking at pictures posted by her favorite designers. She never used it to copy, but it was always nice to have some inspiration if she ended up sketching later on tonight.
When Tikki mentioned she was tired and would retreat to her personal drawer, Marinette decided she wanted to relax with a bubble bath and a glass of wine. She undressed herself while the water was running and the moment she was sinking down in the warm water, the front door clicked open.
"Marinette, are you home?" Echoed through the house.
"Bathroom," she responded and soon after, Adrien was standing in the doorframe.
"Well, would you look at that? Getting naked without me, my love?" He smirked.
"Just wanted to relax," she said, taking a sip from her drink before putting the wine glass down again. Adrien stepped toward her and leaned on the edge of the tub.
"Mind if I join? I think I need some relaxation myself." He eyed her body through the gaps the bubbles allowed him.
She lifted her leg out of the water and toed his chest. He took hold of it and tickled her foot, making her giggle. "I can't say no to that."
Adrien nodded and started to strip. It was always a sight to behold, no matter how upset she was with him. He might not model anymore, but the term would always be applicable.
Adrien dropped his clothes on the floor and Marinette tutted at the crinkles in the blouse that would surely appear later on, that she would have to iron. He sighed as his body was covered by the water and the smells invaded his nostrils. He leaned his back against the opposite side of her and she turned around so she was with her back to him and seated herself in his lap. He rested one arm on her stomach, the other going in the water and dropping droplets on her shoulder every few seconds to keep the area warm. His face was pressed in her hair and he breathed her in.
This was nice, he thought. Finally a peaceful moment.
But you have no time for peaceful moments. You need to focus on catching that god-awful bird, not spend that essential time relaxing with your wife. Then again, you were never good at prioritizing, were you?
Adrien growled softly and tightened his hold on her.
She started to rub his arms at his sudden change in demeanor. "How was it?"
"Intense," he answered almost immediately, "but also a relief."
"That's good."
"I want to hate him, you know?" He took a short pause, the words coming out unexpectedly, but he continued nonetheless. "When I came there, I wanted to see how miserable he was. But he looked okay, albeit a bit uncared for, but he seemed fine. And for some reason, that made me feel better."
"He's still your father who you loved and who loved you. No matter what happened, you can't ignore those feelings," Marinette said, turning around in his lap to face him and put her arms over his shoulders. He obliged and put both of his hands on her waist instantly. "It's all a healing process, Adrien. You're doing amazing."
"I feel like I shouldn't feel this odd though. It's been so long."
"Some people take longer to cope with things than others and there's nothing wrong with that. You're doing it at your own pace and that's okay."
Adrien nodded and leaned forward until his forehead was pressed against hers. She smiled and brushed their noses together. He was the one to close the distance entirely at last and connect their lips. It was gentle and soft, which it hadn't been for quite some time. Even though their problems couldn't be forgotten with a snap of a finger, it was nice to pretend everything was all right for this moment.
"I want you to come next time," Adrien spoke as they parted for breath.
Marinette looked at him quizzically.
"I told him I was married and he recognized you. I don't know when I'll visit him next time, but I think he would love to see you. And I would appreciate it."
She lazily followed droplets of water on his shoulders with her fingers. "If it will help you, then of course."
Adrien showed a smile full of gladness and kissed her, trailing his lips down to her neck and assaulting her skin there with much vigor. She shivered, but let him do his thing by petting through his hair.
She didn't mind supporting him by going to Gabriel with him, but she was wondering how she would respond by seeing him for the first time after all these years.
Could she handle it?
Man, oh man, oh man. It has been a while, hasn't it? I wouldn't be surpised if people actually thought this story was never going to be finished, but I have too much pride to let it sit.
So yeah! If you haven't noticed: I scrolled through every chapter and fixed errors and typos (though if you still see some, please let me know in the reviews), I changed the titels and added a matching quote to every chapter (quotes AO3 only), just to make the story a bit more of a whole and prettier! I wanted to change it for some time now, but due to personal matters, I didn't. That being said, I will be honest here, even if I shouldn't on the internet, but this is pretty much an outlet to me and I want to keep you guys up to date with how I'm feeling, so you can calculate when the next chapter will come.
Anyways, I actually haven't been happy these past days/weeks/months/ohmygodhasitbeenthislong, despite my cheery attitude now. I did contact a psychologist though and will be meeting them at the end of November (damn you, slow government). I was actually quite pre-occupied, but since I have one free evening now, I'm throwing in two chapters (though the next chapter isn't finished yet and it might come later this week). Since the start of this story, I was so excited to start writing chapter 10 and it is finally coming after this one! It's so dark at the beginning (Warning! Gore!), but my sadistic mind loves it. Also, the rating might bump to E (A03) after chapter 10, which has nothing to do with the gore... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ whoops ... ;)