Cat Noir, half of Paris' beloved hero duo, was curled up in his office chair, asleep. Through the rain drumming against the window, Gabriel could hear the gentle rumble of a cat's purr as Cat Noir's chest rose and fell slowly. A flicker of a green glow indicated to Gabriel the location of his Miraculous. Gabriel knew he should seize the moment and take it.
He'd never have an opportunity like this again.
As quiet as possible, Gabriel inched closer to the chair. His arm was outstretched, ready to snatch the ring from the unsuspecting child.
The office chair creeked as Cat Noir squirmed in his sleep. His ear twitched. Gabriel froze and glanced at the hero's face. He was relieved to see the boy was still asleep.
Gabriel readied his hand to grab the ring, his fingers practically touching the small piece of jewellery.
So very close.
Cat Noir's eyes opened slowly and Gabriel pulled his hand away with haste. As Cat Noir's vision adjusted and he caught sight of Gabriel, he squeaked is surprise, sliding further down into the chair so that his head was barely visible behind the desk.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Cat Noir." Gabriel said with crossed arms, annoyed that he hadn't been able to take the Miraculous before the leather-wearing teen woke up.
"I was, um, seeking shelter from the storm."
"In my office?"
"It was closest." Cat Noir lied, shifting akwardly so that he was sitting in the chair properly. "Lightning makes me... uncomfortable."
Gabriel knew he had lied; an akuma battle had finished not too long ago across the other side of the city, nowhere near their current location. Of course, Cat Noir wasn't to know he knew that so he brushed the lie off and focused on the rest of the hero's words. "You're afraid of lightning?"
"No!" Cat's sudden reply was clearly louder than the boy intended. His voice then became softer, quieter. "I just... don't like it."
"And why's that?"
"I've been struck - once or twice - during storms because of the electric charge being attracted to my baton. The suit is indestructible but it still-"
"Scares you?" Gabriel finished, mentally noting down the hero's possible weakness for future use.
"I was going to say 'startles me' but that works." Cat Noir nodded, leaning against his baton. "Could- could I stay here and wait it out?"
"Won't you have parents worried for you?"
"I... they're asleep. They have no idea I'm gone."
"Your parents don't know that you're Cat Noir?"
"Of course not. I'd never be allowed to be again if my father found out."
"Well, I don't know what your parents are like but if you were my son, Cat Noir, I'd want to know."
"You would?" Cat Noir looked towards the window, deep in thought, and Gabriel noticed his brow furrow similar to how his son's would when he was conflicted.
"Naturally."
Cat Noir looked as though he was about to say something only for a yawn to cut across him instead. Gabriel caught sight of tiny, but definitely pointed, canines in his mouth as his jaw opened.
"Fangs?"
"Just small ones." The teen stretched in the office chair, arching his back in a very cat-like manner, "They grew in recently. Bugaboo thinks it might be our bonds to our powers getting stronger."
"Fastinating."
"You think so?" Cat Noir's cat ears perked up, as though relieved to be hearing that from him. "I was a little worried about them."
"Worried about having fangs?"
"Worried about my powers growing stronger." Cat Noir flicked his belt-tail. "Descruction's not an ability to be taken lightly, particularly with Hawkmoth still out there." He didn't notice the barely visible change in Gabriel's expression as he mentioned the man's alter ego.
"And Ladybug? How does she feel about these... changes?" Gabriel pressed.
"Fine, I think. Mi'lady doesn't like talking personal. Says it makes keeping our identities secret easier." Cat Noir used his toe to nudge the floor, causing the office chair to rotate slowly. The designer placed a hand on the chair's back to halt it.
"Don't spin, you'll break it."
The young hero grinned cheekily, "Sorry. Couldn't help myself. Must be the cat in me."
Gabriel almost rolled his eyes at that.
"You can stay." Gabriel said after a short silence. Cat Noir, who had been staring at the portrait of Emilie with a forlorn expression, looked at him.
"Excuse me?"
"You can stay here until the storm calms. Or, at least, until sunrise."
Cat Noir's ears perked up again and his belt-tail began swaying. He smiled.
"Thank you, Mr Agreste."
Gabriel couldn't help it. He smiled too.
He could attempt to gain the Miraculous another time.