This chapter wasn't planed – the, originally, third one will be posted on (most likely) Saturday and cover the promised Adrien/Chat Noir point of view. When editing I realized I forgot to show Gabriel's perspective and I decided this would fit best at this point.
The chapters are generally posted in chronological order, however, due to the three-man perspective right at the start (and only at the beginning), there might be some overlap – ergo, Gabriel's reactions happens at the same time as Marinette's did, except it only covers early morning/noon.
oOoOo
.
Forget me not (because I will)
(How will you fight if they know, truly know, who you are?)
.
oOo
When Gabriel read through the news that morning, he had expected to read up on the election. He expected them to feature an enticing article on one or another culturally relevant subject. He was delighted to hear about a promising young designer who had quit his old label.
Gabriel was not the pickiest when it came to his morning reading. There wasn't much that he expected and, quite frankly, the identity of his arch nemesis being presented to him on a silver platter had most definitely not been anything he'd ever come to expect.
It was a nice surprise, to be sure. When he had seen the headline he had immediately opened the article, as misleading as the caption might be. He was used to those ("clickbait" as the youth liked to call it) by now; any self-respecting Parisian tabloid published an article on that specific topic at least once a month. They were as bountiful as stars in the sky and just as disappointing, but whenever Gabriel spotted one of them displayed by a trustworthy news source, he couldn't help but be hopeful.
And this time, for once, he wasn't disappointed.
It wasn't just some vague idea blown way out of proportion, some news on how Ladybug might be "a teenage girl", because, dear god, did anyone ever even look at her? It wasn't some nonsense about her possibly being of Asian decent or some other trivia fact that got him nowhere closer to getting the Miraculous.
Not this time, it wasn't. The newspaper might not know her full name yet, but they had a picture of her. Taken from a video posted on the Ladyblog itself, which had managed to capture Ladybug's de-transformation.
They did know her first name, though, as it had been said by the Ladyblogger herself during previously mentioned footage – and that first name – Marinette – was more than anything Gabriel could have ever hoped for.
Served on a silver platter indeed. Gabriel may be an absent father, but he knew his son's friends. He knew that Alya Césaire was the "Ladyblogger's" name and she was friends with his son. He knew both were also friends with a girl called "Marinette Dupain-Cheng" who most likely had a crush on his son and had been one of the people he had already suspected of being Ladybug anyway.
Silently, Gabriel put the newspaper aside. There was no wine to be had, no champagne – it was seven o'clock and he was a self-respecting man! - there were no outcries of triumph or hasty orders for Natalie to come to his office immediately.
There was a self-satisfied smile. A grin, almost. He allowed himself to lean back and indulge in a silent, yet heavy, victory.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug.
He had a face, a name – a home.
His smirk widened.
. O .
.
He had gone back to work not long after, his hands dancing across paper, unbeknownst to the body they belonged to. He was in a daze, similar to when he had married Emilie or when Adrien had been born.
He had won. He had won at life all those times and now he had won a war that had raged for a year too long already.
And once he had made his wish and got to look into his wife's loving eyes, telling him everything was going to be ok, he'd win once again.
.
. O .
It wasn't until much later – when he had looked at his hand and had seen it move by itself and he had wondered what was going on – he realized he had been right all along. Every scheme, every plan to get that girl akumatized – he had been right.
She would be his ultimate Akuma. One Chat couldn't defeat, one that would bring him the earrings and ring and would ward him from attacks as he spoke his wish into existence.
It'd be his ultimate victory.
And he could have had it months ago.
Gabriel grin vanished at once.
"Princess Justice", he murmured, his grin morphing into an ugly frown. She had been ready for his Akuma – his plan had been foiled by coughing fit and while he did not regret having stepped in it was a...setback nonetheless and-
She might be ready once again.
She might be ready once again.
Gabriel's grin returned. She might be ready once again indeed.
.
. O .
.
She wasn't ready. Not anymore. When Gabriel had transformed he had immediately zeroed in to her house, feeling for any emotion useful to him – anger, hate, disappointment, humiliation – he got almost lost in the vastness of what was offered to him. Most of them were happy though. There was a lot of curiosity and excitement from all the people crowding the storefront or anyone, really, who lived close-by. Gabriel felt sorrow and grief and fear – he supposed her parents, as they were mixed with pride too and buried that slightest hint of anger he could detect.
Nothing festered. Not the way he needed them to, for him to sent out an Akuma. And the girl herself – he couldn't feel her at all. No grief, no anger, no fear.
It was as if she had vanished.
Defeated, Gabriel returned to his office. Natalie had been there and brought him a new cup of coffee – it was cold by now. He wondered just how long he had spent up in his observatory.
He was going to leave on an important business trip soon – he'd be out of town for a few days. And already, the window he could have used, should have used had closed.
Gabriel cursed, his hands balled to fists.
It didn't matter. He could lay in wait, until the time was right. The next time there wouldn't be a sickly Natalie to consider, there wouldn't be a time frame that had closed already. He could pressure her until she gave in – either by surrendering or by letting her emotions take over.
He knew her identity – he knew her school her home, her friends.
Adrien. Adrien is one of her friends. He might even have a crush on her.
No. His son would understand. Once his son held his mother in his arms again, he'd understand. Gabriel was this close to getting the Ladybug Miraculous. He wouldn't let that chance slip through his fingers because of mere feelings.
He – finally, after a year of fighting – he finally had her.
Fun Fact: The reason this is out already, is because I used this to procrastinate on finishing a oneshot, which I used to procrastinate on editing my other story, which in turn I used to procrastinate on doing my university stuff.
:)
Please leave a comment if you enjoyed!