Gabriel knowing that it's Marinette scene? What's that scene? The cliffhanger last chapter? Nope, don't know that. It probably won't be continued here. Anyways lets focus on Chloé's development.
•••
Adrien knocked on the door lightly, a bouquet of flowers hidden behind his back. He took a long and deep breath, readying himself whatever his wife would say or throw at him. It was Chloé, sure she loved him, but nobody knew what would happen if he made her mad. All hell would probably break loose and all those over-exaggerated things adults would say. But he was ready, right? He had to be. It was his wife who cared for him greatly and loved him unconditionally… right?
Despite how controlling, selfish and self-centered Chloé was, she was still human. And, well, humans tend to make mistakes, even if she did it more than once every hour. He accepted her because at least she was being real. At least she was trying to make a relationship work unlike somebody who was just trying to push him away even further.
He shook his head. He can't think of Ladybug that way. He had a mistake there too and he was willing to fix it. There was a huge mistake that might as well have destroyed the rest of her life and dreams. He had to think positively at their relationship, that there was a way to get back together.
But none of that for now. It was time to apologize to Chloé. He had been, in a way, cheating on her with Marinette and she didn't deserve that.
Chloé was his friend and they had a long long history. Way back from when they were children, probably as toddlers. As far as he knew, they had known each other their whole life.
He met Chloé through his mother whose best friend was Chloé's mother. They instantly became the best of friends with all of the playdates and outings, and, well, Chloé was the only kid he knew. He wasn't exactly the type of person to go out and make friends, he wasn't allowed to go out and make friends so he settled for something instead of nothing. After all, it was better to have a not so nice friend instead of an imaginary one.
Chloé was like that from the beginning, spoiled, rich, a brat, he could say many negative words describing the girl at dawn and he wouldn't be done by dinner. But despite all of those little bumps, she was still a friend. A friend who cared.
She defended him from some bullies they met through schooling. Of course, a scrawny and pale kid would get bullied. He was an easy target despite his social status. But she was by his side, telling them off and knowing every 'curse word' a seven year old knew, consisting of "meanie", "jerk" and "loser". She was there when he cried at the nearby park because the bullies had pushed him and he had scraped his knees. He knew that his father was very strict about his body and he was scared as to how the man would react when he knew what happened to the boy. Chloé was there too, helping him up, clean it, and tell it to his parents. She was kind.
She was there when Adrien had problems with his father since she knew how to live with it. She taught him how to not mind it too much, to choose to not think about how much his father wasn't spending time with him and see the bright side of it all.
She was there when he was alone at photoshoots. She would willingly cut class when she knew that it was lunch on the set. Nobody wanted to be with the model kid, after all, he was just a kid who barely knew anything about living. Sure, he was glorified, in more ways than one, but no one actually wanted to get to know him beyond the exteriors but Chloé was there and she kept him company even if it meant that she would get in trouble.
She was there when he was crying his eyes out. When his mother disappeared. They had no clue as to what happened. She just disappeared as if she never existed. There were no traces of her, even eight years later. If it weren't for the portraits, he was sure he'd think that every memory with her was an illusion and nothing but that. She was there then. She hung around when he didn't want to let anyone in. She was there when he shut everyone out. She even forced him to take care of himself after days of not eating and sulking in the dark. He lost an important woman that day but he was sure that he still had one left.
Chloé was caring for what she knows she has and deserves. Chloé knew the right words to say at the right time. Chloé was kind enough to see beyond what the face shows, seeing him beyond the supermodel look. Chloé may be a brat, but she will forever be his brat friend and nothing can change that. Not time, not their parents, not Ladybug, of all people. Chloé was his friend and he wanted to keep it that way. And that would be for the rest of his life.
"If it's you Adrien then don't bother." Came Chloé's reply
He sighed. She said that, sure but she didn't actually mean that. She never meant it when she pushed him away.
He pushed the door open and saw Chloé with so many tissues discarded on the floor.
"What do you want?" Her voice proved to him that she had cried if the red eyes didn't give it away
"I'm here to say sorry." He spoke softly
He approached the bed and placed the bouquet in front of her. She eyed it then looked back up at him.
"And what am I going to do with that?"
"It's… a peace offering." He told her, "I'm really sorry, Chloé. I didn't mean to yell at you. I was tired that night, I'm sorry."
"You know that sorry doesn't do it for everything, Adrien." She responded, "Sorry is just a word."
"Yeah but I'm going to try and make things right." He said, determination lacing his voice
"I would say that I'd like to see you try but not anymore. Don't pretend because it's not working. I tried so hard to do this for you. I tried to be a good wife, I tried to be a best friend and you gave me nothing in return." Her eyes started welling up, "Isn't it unfair, Adrien? And now that I'm letting you go, now that I'm letting you do whatever you want, you're coming back," she bit her lip, "you're coming back when I don't want you to anymore."
Adrien got down on his knees, "Please, Chloé. We can fix this, I promise. I'll do everything I can to fix this."
Chloé's lower lip started trembling then it felt like an eternity. It felt like they were just staring at each other, doing nothing, then Chloé got up and hugged Adrien as tightly as she could.
"Oh thank goodness." He breathed out, "I'm really sorry, Chlo."
"It's fine." She whispered back, a small smile creeping up her face
•••
"Aunt Tikki," Louis started as he got out of the bathroom, "mama doesn't talk about my dad much. Who is he?"
"I, uh, your dad was a great man." Tikki responded
Way to go, Tikki. For someone who's been fulfilling a centuries old prophecy her whole life, that was a terrible answer to a simple question.
"But that's what mama always says." Louis pouted, "I always see other kids and they have a mama and they have a dad but I don't. It's not fair."
"What do you know about him?"
"Why he's not with us."
Tikki paused. She couldn't tell Louis the answer to that and she most definitely did not know what Marinette told him regarding that but if Louis was that curious, then Marinette might as well hasn't answered.
"I-I don't exactly know why he left but I can tell you everything about him. He's kind, funny, smart, brave, did you know that you look exactly like him?"
"No I didn't know that." He shook his head no, "Does he have a missing tooth too?"
Tikki chuckled, "No he doesn't. But his hair is just like yours, golden. And your eyes too, they're so green."
"That would be awesome. What if we told other people that we're twins? They'd believe us because we look alike!" Louis grinned wide
"Yeah, you do that." Tikki laughed lightly, "It'll be pretty hard to know who you are and who Adrien is."
"Adrien? You mean the guy from the chariots?"
"I, um,"
"He's my dad?"
Tikki stared at the boy for a while, him waiting for an answer, her dreading to answer truthfully. He'd hate her if she told a lie and he'd hate Marinette if she told the truth.
"Y-You know what? Your mama's probably waiting for you." Tikki stood up
"Aunt Tikki why aren't you answering my question?" The boy furrowed his brows as he followed the red head towards the door, to the car waiting for them downstairs
"There are things that your mama should tell you and there are also things that you can't know now. When you're older, we'll explain everything to you. I promise." Tikki replied
"When I'm ten?" Louis raised a brow
"Hmm, I was thinking more like eighteen." Tikki replied
"That's forever to go!" Louis exclaimed
"That's too bad then, we have forever to wait." Tikki chuckled
•••
Marinette's eyes widened. He just called her by her real name. How? And why? Was this Adrien's fault somehow?
"So nice to finally have you back." The man continued
"I-." Marinette cleared her throat, trying her best to keep herself in proper composure, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh please, I'm not dumb to not know that it's you. So tell me, how was telling the whole world that you're dead? It must've felt exciting." He added, voice still in a deadpanned manner
"Look, I'm not Marinette, okay? Last time I heard, she was dead. I was at 8 when it was announced." Well it wasn't completely a lie
"Just stop it, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Do you really think that I wouldn't notice how your son looks so much like Adrien? I'm not blind nor stupid." Gabriel scoffed
"Whatever it is you want to know, you can't. I'm not Marinette. Not anymore." She defended
"I know that. You've… changed. For the better." Gabriel stated, "I've noticed changes in my son as well. There's the reoccuring denial of having children but there's more. And I presume that it's because of you."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Now, now, be a little patient bug. I know why you're here." He eyed her
"And that is?"
"To overthrow Andre."
"And what if it's not?"
"Then I think that you're getting yourself killed, exposing that Ladybug's alive, that you have a son," Gabriel said flatly, "I'm not here to scare you off, Miss Dupain-Cheng, believe me when I say this,
"But there are so much more things that you don't know. If I knew that you wouldn't need my help then I wouldn't be talking to you right now." Gabriel sighed, "Good day, Miss Dupain-Cheng."
Marinette furrowed her brows. Her needing Gabriel? That was new.
"You… said something about me needing you," she spoke, "why?"
"Well you still belong to District 8 and when this is all over you have to go back. Time will pass and Louis' name will soon be in that bowl," He paused, "we wouldn't want that right?"
"R-Right but I thought-."
"And I thought I said good day." Gabriel raised a brow
Marinette stood up abruptly, "Good day, monsieur."
She hurried out of the room and out of the building.
Gabriel put his glasses back on and pressed a button on his telephone.
"Nooro, get me Adrien."
•••
TwelveTurqiose12: Yes. Anaya totally does have to win.
ANONYMOUSPERSON: With your reply, I felt like so many things happened last Also ~spoiler starts here~ with the amounts of reviews and comments about wishing Anaya would win, I'm starting to rethink my plan of actually making her win. I'm weighing if her winning or the readers' heartbreak would bring more for me ~spoiler ends here~
geekygirl20000: Thank you :)
Kitty Chesire: Thanks :)
Shimmergallagher: He will soon, don't worry :)
daughterofposeidon9: Thank you AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
Guest: Here it is then :)