Adrien didn't mean for Nathalie to find out about his sneaking out habits, but now he knows it's all over because Nathalie has figured it out. It doesn't stop him from trying to persuade the cold woman.
"Cover for me, please!" He begs his father's assistant but he knows there is no point so he drops his head and begins to go to his room. He doesn't know what he is going to tell Marinette, he hasn't missed one of their meetups and he really didn't want to now.
Nathalie lets sympathy get the best of her. She didn't want to but she knew that lovestruck look all too well. She might have to hide her feelings but Adrien certainly didn't.
"Who is she?" Nathalie asks carefully, facing where Adrien once stood.
"Marinette," Adrien says, perking his head up, "she won the derby hat contest."
Nathalie nods, she remembers, "she is a good girl. You're a good kid too, Adrien, be back before midnight."
Adrien stops, he isn't sure he heard that right. Nathalie was permitting him to go. He turns back to Nathalie hoping that it isn't too good to be true.
"Really?"
Nathalie turns to face Adrien and nods. He runs up and hugs her because he has never been more thankful.
"Your father will never hear about this deal," Nathalie says like a command and a promise.
Adrien smiles once again at his mother figure before leaving, he is glad she has stuck around all these years.
Adrien waves at Nathalie as he leaves and she gives a small one back. Nathalie tries to crack a smile but doesn't know how she is going to keep Adrien's missing presence hidden from Gabriel, granted she assumes Adrien has hidden it from them for some bit of time. Gabriel rarely asks about his son anyway, it's going to be alright.
Adrien slips into an alley and transforms into Chat Noir. Landing on Marinette's balcony she is already waiting there and with a tray of baked goods waiting for him.
"Sorry, I'm late, had a bit of trouble sneaking out tonight," Chat says.
"It's alright k- Chat," Marinette stutters reminding herself that she can't call him 'kitty', that's Ladybug's thing, "croissant?"
Chat Noir smiles, "thank you," he says as he picks one off the platter.
"How'd it go with that boy, I know you wanted to confess today?" Chat hesitates to ask but is curious so he does.
"I-" Marinette blushes, how does she tell Chat the boy she likes is him. When she had first met Chat Noir, she was all about Adrien but now that she had gotten to know Chat, she knows he is a really good guy. She doesn't know exactly when her feelings shifted from Adrien to Chat. She finds herself daydreaming about her kitty more often, his gestures to Ladybug hold more value to her, and his green eyes flash in her instead of Adrien's.
"Don't tell me you chickened out again?" Chat pleads, knowing she has a few times.
"I like you!" Marinette blurts out, "I don't care if you don't like me but I-"
Chat Noir brings a finger to Marinette's lips and it cuts her off, "I like you too Mari," he admits.
"I- I thought you liked Ladybug."
"She will always be my partner but she will never love me," Chat Noir explains.
Chat closes his eyes and leans in. Marinette still can't believe it as their lips meet.
"Can I tell you something?" Marinette asks as their kiss breaks.
"Of course."
Marinette takes a deep breath, "Tikki, spots on!"
"Ladybug?" Chat gasps.
"Hi, Kitty," she smiles with a small wave.
"Claws in," Chat commands.
"A-Adrien?"
"M'lady," he says with a smirk.
Ladybug feels like she could hardly breathe. Even when she thinks she had gotten over Adrien, she is still in love with him. Adrien still feels a similar amount of shock. While he still harbored an affection for Ladybug, he didn't realize that he had been falling for her real-life identity.
"Spots off," she finally says.
It's just them. Marinette and Adrien. No Ladybug, no Chat Noir. Maybe that's the way it was always meant to be. They were always inexplicably drawn to each other no matter who they are.
*meanwhile with Nathalie*
Nathalie continues to remind herself that Gabriel never asks about his son. It's rare for him to ask about Adrien this last when they have nothing planned. At night, if Gabriel doesn't feel a negative emotion, he is always sketching. She knows this, he sketches best at night. Though, of course, this had to be the time when he was actually interested in spending time with his son.
"Nathalie, where is my son?" he asks.
"He went to bed already. He said he wanted to be well-rested for his photoshoot tomorrow and for his fencing tournament this weekend," Nathalie answers promptly, giving no signs she is telling a lie. She has never been more glad to have the Agreste schedule memorized.
"Oh," is all Gabriel says and turns to go back to his office or look for Adrien, Nathalie doesn't know.
"Did you want to watch a movie with me?" Nathalie asks cautiously. A way to spend time with him and make sure he wasn't checking on Adrien was a good plan in her book.
Gabriel looks at his assistant with an eyebrow raised, "sure," he agrees.
Nathalie tries not to fool herself into thinking that he smiled at her.
Nathalie tries to sit far away from Gabriel but when she briefly shivers, he gestures her over and lifts the edge of his blanket. Nathalie hides her blush as she follows his instruction. He wraps his arm around her and while she had been cold a moment before, she is very warm now. She tries to remind himself that he doesn't care but she thanks Adrien in her head for asking her to cover for him.
Adrien expects to see Nathalie waiting for him at the door when he arrives home at 11:48 (23:48). When he doesn't see her, he assumes she has already gone to bed. The flash of something catches his eye and he realizes it's the television. He walks into the room and sees Nathalie and his father both asleep cuddled together under a blanket. He snaps a quick picture and smiles, it was bound to happen at some point.
*the next night*
"Please Nathalie, just one more time!" Adrien begs, he was really going to have to come up with a better way to sneak out.
"Adrien, I let you go once," Nathalie reminds him.
"Once more, cover for me, please" he looks up at her with wide eyes and pouts with his lip just a little bit.
Nathalie signs, she shouldn't be this affected by a teenage crush. She lets him go hoping that Gabriel won't ask for Adrien again.
Chat Noir lands on Marinette's balcony. Like always there is a silver tray with macaroons and croissants. He knows if he asks for anything Marinette is likely to get it for him but he doesn't do that to her. Chat is thankful enough that she allows him to come, that she is welcoming every time.
"I don't know how much longer I can do this," he admits although regret laces his voice.
"What do you mean, Chat?" Marinette asks, concerned.
"Nathalie caught me sneaking out last night, that's why I was held up. She found me again tonight too. I don't know how much longer I can keep convincing her to let me go out."
"Maybe I could come to you?" Marinette suggests.
"I'm not sure," Chat signs, he wants to be with Marinette but he wishes it was easier, "I can't imagine my father would be too happy to find Ladybug in my bedroom."
Marinette nods, she supposes that makes sense, "you don't have to risk it every day. Maybe we can only see each other every other day."
"Or maybe Adrien can tutor you after school?" he suggests with a wink.
Marinette giggles a bit because it might not be so bad. She was willing to do anything to be with the boy who she was content just sitting beside. With him, her problems seemed to dissipate. In her head, she thanked Nathalie for covering for him.
*with Nathalie*
"Nathalie, can I talk to you?" she hears Gabriel's voice and maintains her composure despite being fearful inside.
"Of course, sir," she says, keeping her responses simple.
"My son isn't in his room, where is he?"
Nathalie's eyes widen and she wishes she had never promised to cover for Adrien, "let me go check, I'm sure he's there," she practically runs away from Gabriel.
"What am I going to do?" she asks herself while pacing Adrien's room.
She remembers the peacock brooch tucked away in her blazer, is she powerful enough, strong enough, to create an Adrien sentimonster? She has to be because she knows it is that or she will have to tell Gabriel the truth. She feels fine, she hasn't coughed all day, so she transforms into Mayura.
Picking up a ring that was in Adrien's room and dropping a feather onto the ring, a blue blob appears in front of her. She creates a sentimonster very reminiscent of the younger Agreste. She detransforms and slides the ring onto her middle finger. Nathalie is glad she has practice with a sentimonster because there is no time to practice. Nathalie leads her creation back to Gabriel who is still waiting for them.
"I found him, sir," Nathalie says walking into the room.
"And where were you?" Gabriel asks Adrien.
"I was in the kitchen getting a snack," he answers.
"You know that will ruin your diet," Gabriel sneers.
"I apologize, father," sentiAdrien mumbles.
"You may go to your room, I know you want a good night's sleep before your fencing tournament tomorrow."
"Thank you father," he says, "Nathalie," he nods.
There is a brief moment of silence as the sentimonster leaves the room. Nathalie almost exhales a sigh of relief but knows she isn't off the relief. Nothing is that simple with Gabriel Agreste.
"Do you think that low of me, Nathalie?" Gabriel asks.
"What?" she asks, confused because she has never thought lowly of Gabriel, quite the opposite if she was honest with herself.
"I know the difference between a sentimonster and my son. You also never wear a ring on your middle finger. Now, where is my son?"
"I-" Nathalie is shocked. Her creation was a perfect replica, well almost, she supposed. She was also surprised that Gabriel had noticed the ring.
"Don't lie to me," he adds.
"He's at a friend's house."
"You are not to let him out without my permission again," he says between gritted teeth.
"He just wants to have some freedom," she tries to explain but Gabriel shoots her a glare that quickly makes her regret her words, "yes, sir."
Gabriel takes a few steps closer to her and places a hand under her jaw, "don't lie to me again either."
Nathalie nods, "yes, sir," she repeats.
Nathalie hates to admit that she found it hot but her knees feel weak beneath her. Her brain creates a fantasy of Gabriel pushing her against the wall and pinning her arms above her head. Maybe she needed to let Adrien out more often. She shakes her head, she can't, she knows better than that, nothing good lasts forever. Nathalie counts it as a blessing that she still has her job and she isn't risking losing it again.
"Adrien, I can't cover for you anymore. Your father found out last night," Nathalie explains the next morning at breakfast, which Gabriel refused to attend.
"Could you add 'extra fencing' into my schedule?" Adrien begs.
Nathalie wants to refuse but she knows she will cave in so she agrees right away.
"You're the best Mo- Nathalie," Adrien says with a smile and hugs her.
"Unfortunately your father would not think the same," Nathalie mumbles, Adrien doesn't hear her.
Adrien is off for an actual fencing tournament and she adds some extra lessons into his schedule.