Adrien couldn't sleep. He had been lying awake staring at his ceiling for almost two hours now. It had been two hours since he had watched Ladybug disappear into the streets of Paris. Two hours since he'd lost his ability to think clearly.
The moon had moved from its low place along the horizon up through two panes of his large bedroom window to its current place in the sky. He felt it might be watching him, and mocking him, keeping him awake with it's pale light. He didn't want to think about what time it was. He didn't want to think about how little sleep he was going to get if he fell asleep this very moment. He wouldn't fall asleep this very moment unless he was drugged. He was restless. He couldn't tame his thoughts enough to sort through them. Whether it was his nerves, elation or terror he couldn't tell. His joy at seeing Ladybug again was all mixed up with his worries about confronting Robyn. His father still wasn't speaking to him, and everyone still thought that he was going to California in the morning. Whatever emotion it was that was twisting up his insides and wringing his heart like a dish towel was doing a fantastic job of keeping him from getting any sleep.
He'd thought that since he hadn't been Chat Noir for so long, that he would be tired from his dash across the rooftops. He had hoped that his body would be at least a little weary from the exertion. To his disappointment, he wasn't even winded. Years of athletic training, healthy eating, and regular exercise had honed his body, making it even easier for him to maneuver across the rooftops of Paris, not harder. If anything it had only been exhilarating. He cursed his backwards luck. So long as his body wasn't tired and his mind was overwhelmed, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. He sighed and turned again in his bed, facing away from the large window and the cheeky moon.
Plagg on the other hand had been exhausted, and had wasted no time falling asleep inside of Adrien's open suitcase. The large black rectangular box was shiny and hard, with a zipper that split it in two. Adrien hadn't done anything more than thrown things in the suitcase's general direction. The scattered mess of clothes and toiletries had made for a very nice bed for the kwami, but Adrien was clearly not ready for his trip in the morning. The large pile of things would take more than a few seconds to tame. Even though he technically had nothing better to do, he had no desire to sit on his bedroom floor and fold clothes for a trip he didn't want to go on. He had no desire to even go with Robyn to California or to go to California at all. He turned his head, his fine blonde hair falling in his face. He didn't bother to move it. Forget the trip. Forget the suitcase. Forget Robyn. Forget his father. Forget modeling and acting and forget everything except her. His Lady Luck. She had returned basically from the dead, and he couldn't keep her out of his thoughts. She was like the sun in his cloudy life, and she hadn't shone so brightly in almost seven long years.
His mind whirled back to his daydreams of Robyn as they filled his mind for the millionth time since he'd laid down to try to sleep. He had been trying to feed them to his tired mind, practically begging for it to let him sleep. Robyn Handen. Robyn Michelle Handen. American model, and Adrien's girlfriend of almost two years. Treasure of America and Pearl of the Agreste Family. He pictured her perfect wavy brown hair, and the sweet red tint to her lips that split to show her perfectly straight, white teeth. He imagined the way her eyelashes fluttered when she wanted something, and the way her hips swayed when she walked, making her sun dresses and frilly skirts swish around her knees. He thought of her warm brown skin, and the way the sun shone through her hair, turning it almost a caramel color. Adrien waited for his heart to race. It didn't. He waited still, reminding himself that the relationship he had with Robyn was perfect. They were the talk of all the gossip magazines, in the best way possible. He was the heir to the Agreste fortune and she was the beautiful American model. They were a match made in heaven, and his father couldn't be happier to have her in his life. Gabriel loved Robyn. Adrien loved Robyn, he was going to ask her to marry him. They were leaving for California in the morning and his jet lag would be horrendous. But, it would be worth it to be with Robyn.
He sighed. He couldn't convince himself. How would he convince everyone else?
He would have to. He'd never even met Ladybug outside of their roles as heroes. He didn't really know anything about her. Only the things she would let him know, like that her favorite color was pink and that she had always wanted a pet cat, but her father was allergic. He sighed. He would have to let Ladybug go. He couldn't go on being in love with a person he didn't really know. It was settled, he did not love Ladybug. She was a crush from his childhood that he would get over with a little time. He hadn't seen the spotted girl for almost a decade. She couldn't steal his heart and turn his head so easily. He would sleep and be engaged before the week was out. He forced his eyes shut and tried to think of warm beaches, Robyn's tan skin, and the smell of the ocean.
But, as his eyes stayed closed, visions of his teenage love, the girl he'd adored so dearly as a pre-teen pulled him from any sleep he might have gotten. His heart skipped and thundered in his chest. She was like a ghost, something he thought he'd left behind, but was now back to haunt him. Embarrassment washed over him as her smile flashed through his mind, he was questioning everything in his life because of a girl he'd never even met in real life. The only version he knew of her was the version that walked around in a ladybug costume and saved Paris. It was silly to be so enamored with a person he was so distant from. But he didn't feel distant. He felt like she probably knew him better than anyone else, even though they'd been apart for years. They'd spent so many long nights on the rooftops of Paris and they'd shared so much. She was his dearest friend, and oh, how his heart ached for her.
He groaned and turned back over in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling of his room and listening to Plagg snore softly. He remembered his days as a lovesick fanboy, obsessed with Alya's blog that focused on Ladybug. The Ladyblog. He thought of all the things he loved about Ladybug. She was charming and flirtatious and didn't much care for his looks, where he came from, or his horrible puns. She was kind to him and respected him as a person and not just a pretty face. She was beautiful and smart, witty and kind. And that had been when she was younger. His heart tightened as the memory of the previous night flooded his senses. Her long curling hair, so black it was almost blue, bright blue eyes, and rosy pink lips. She had only become more beautiful since they had been apart.
He sighed, he was being ridiculous. There was no way that he could truly be in love with a girl whose real name he didn't even know. He was going to marry Robyn. He couldn't go back on two years of stolen moments and sweet kisses just because a pretty face from his past had come back from the dead. He couldn't jeopardize everything he'd worked for just on the chance that he would see her again. He couldn't justify overturning his whole life for one person. He couldn't assume that just because he didn't want Robyn anymore would mean that Ladybug would want him.
He sat up in his bed.
The realization struck him like lightning. He didn't want Robyn anymore. The truth of it sunk deeper and deeper until it hit him at his core. He'd loved Robyn, that was true. He'd thought that she would be everything to him. And she had been, in her own way. She had supported him and pushed him to be better. He had believed that she was everything he'd ever wanted. Pretty, similar life plan, and a little feisty. His father adored her, and would probably wholeheartedly agree to his original plan to propose to her. The press thought they were the cutest couple since his father and mother. And his publicity team took every chance they had for them to be seen together. She was beautiful and charismatic, and yet he didn't want that to be the only thing that mattered.
He wanted something real, not what people thought was real. She was like everything else in his life, picture perfect. She was smart and talented and had worked her way to the top. She had won the heart of the heir to the Agreste empire, and everyone knew they were on track to get married. But, he didn't want picture perfect. He'd had enough of pictures that looked perfect, but only covered up the broken truth. The large painting of his family in the front part of his father's house was a painful reminder of what pictures could hide.
He didn't want brown curls and perfectly round eyes. He didn't want what everyone thought he should want. He wanted to live his life. He wanted to feel like he'd made a choice for himself, for once. He wanted to wake up and feel like his life was worth all the trouble it caused him. He wanted to live a life that was fulfilling and rewarding. He didn't want Robyn and the life they would live if they got married. They would never have children, Robyn had already said that her career was more important than a family. And they could adopt, but that wouldn't be the same. He didn't want to be a model. He didn't want to be stuck here in his father's shadow. And, he didn't want to go to California with a girl he no longer loved on a trip he no longer needed.
The urge to jump up and pack his things and run home to his own apartment gnawed at him. But, he pushed it down. If he was really going to do this, if he was really going to break Robyn's heart and disappoint his father, he would need at least an hour of sleep for strength and clarity. He would do it the right way. He would let Robyn go, and he would tell his father he didn't want to be a model any longer. He kicked off his jeans and slid back into his covers. He reached for sleep, and didn't fight back when his mind filled with dreams of Ladybug instead of Robyn. Instead, he let her ghost pull him towards his dreams, where he was free and they were together. He dreamed of what it would have been like to live a life where his Lady Luck had never left him.
He woke to the sun coming up over the skyline of Paris. The bright streaks of light coming in through the large windows of his room brushed against his face. He sat up, and rubbed his eyes. Plagg was still asleep on the pile of clothes. Adrien smiled, Plagg had been a loyal friend and ally throughout all of his trials. Adrien glanced at his watch, and his stomach clenched. Robyn would be here any moment to wake him. He had to be quick.
He leapt from his bed and over to the suitcase. He gently moved Plagg from the pile of clothes to the bed. The little black kwami only stirred a little. Adrien quickly stuffed everything he could in his suitcase, and closed it tightly. Everything that didn't fit he pushed under his bed, giving his suitcase the illusion of being packed. He pulled on his jeans from the floor, and slipped a sleeping Plagg into the pocket. A knock on the door. Adrien slipped into his bed and pretended to be asleep. Robyn walked into the room without knocking again.
"Adrien. Wake up, my love, it's almost time to leave. We're going to be late." Her sweet voice cooed.
Adrien yawned, "Hmm, five more minutes." He smiled, and burrowed into the blankets.
Robyn snickered, "Okay but only five." She stood and left the room.
Adrien was floored at how much he truly didn't desire Robyn anymore. She was a nice girl, and he wouldn't want to see her get hurt. He would probably always care for her as a person, but he no longer felt the pull of his heart to be near her or to kiss her, and he couldn't imagine marrying her. Not anymore.
Realization hit him again. He was no longer half-asleep and reeling from his adventures with Ladybug. He was back in reality, and he was feeling more nervous and more secure in his decisions that he ever had. He was in big trouble. Refusing to go on this trip with Robyn would mean a breakup big enough to win him the front page of every gossip magazine. It would be the talk of fashion for weeks. It would mean a chastisement from his father. Adrien growled. His father. Who cared what his father's company was or who his father was? Adrien felt the anger boil inside him, and for the first time, he didn't want to cool down. He didn't care if his father would be angry. He was a grown man, and he would do what he desired. No longer would he be a jewel in his father's crown. No longer would he be the poster child for success under the Agreste name. He wanted to fail. He wanted to scrape his knees and have scars. He wanted to be truly loved, and maybe get his heart broken along the way if that's what it took. He wanted to leave this horrible house as soon as possible. He wanted freedom.
Robyn appeared in the doorway, "Would you like to join us for breakfast?"
Adrien beamed, "Yes. I'll be right behind you."
Robyn disappeared, and Adrien sat up in his bed. He swept his hand through his hair and looked at his things, he didn't care for any of them. All of his trophies and awards, his large bed and his larger windows. What did it even mean if it wasn't really his? He stood, and packed up his clothes and essential things. He wheeled his suitcase to the front door before heading to breakfast. He was prepared for the worst.
He walked into the large dining hall, and the smell of a perfectly prepared breakfast greeted him. He smiled and took his seat across from Robyn and down a few feet from his father.
"Good Morning, Adrien." his father hummed with a disapproving tone, "How gracious of you to join us."
"Oh Gabe," Robyn waved, "Leave him be, he's had a long week."
Gabriel huffed and sipped his coffee. He pretended to be annoyed, but Adrien saw him smile at Robyn behind his mug. Adrien resisted the urge to growl.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Adrien bowed his head, "I had some trouble sleeping last night. I had a very strange dream. I'm afraid it let me rather restless."
Robyn gasped, "Oh Adrien, are you alright? What was the dream about? Was is scary?"
Adrien chuckled, "No, Byn. It wasn't scary. Just odd. I dreamed that I was Chat Noir, and that I was facing the Akumized Party Crasher. She blasted me with her headphones and I couldn't stop dancing." He smiled at Robyn, "I guess the mysterious return of the Akuma and the masked heroes got to me, and to my imagination, in my sleep."
Gabriel huffed, "What a ridiculous notion. Chat Noir and Miss Ladybug are no more than a couple of vigilantes who get in the way of traditional law enforcement. They should be banned from the country. Or arrested."
Robyn laughed, "That seems a little extreme, don't you think? While that's true that they aren't a part of the justice system, I also think that they are a strange symbol of hope for the people of this city. They are quite charming even if they have poor fashion sense." Robyn sighed, "We have heroes in America, too. But they are more like vigilantes than your Black Cat and Ladybug. At least they have an enemy only they can face. American heroes tend to get in the way more than they help after a while."
Gabriel huffed and returned to his morning paper and coffee. He had given his signal, he was no longer interested in what either of them had to say. He would not argue with Robyn, but did not think she was right. Adrien sighed. This was going to be worse than he thought.
He looked at his plate of bacon and toast. It should make him salivate, and he should greedily be shoveling the delicious food into his mouth and politely asking for more. However, even though his stomach was empty, he did not have an appetite. The thought of food was making him a little nauseous, actually. He pushed the plate away.
Robyn noticed. She looked at him across the table, "Adrien?"
He leaned back over the back of his chair, "Hmm?"
She raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you feeling okay?
He sighed, and sat up, "I'm not sure. I think I," he hung his head and then looked up at her across the table, "Actually there is another reason I couldn't sleep last night. I have something that I need to talk with you about."
"A-adrien?" Robyn hummed nervously.
"I'm sorry, Robyn." He smiled sadly.
She stopped chewing, and swallowed hard, "I don't like the look you're giving me, Mister Agreste. You stop it right now." She pointed her fork at him. She paled, and quickly put her hand and her fork down remembering her manners.
He stood up and bowed, "I'm afraid that I cannot accompany you to California. The events of the past week have opened my eyes to how much I am not ready to take the next step in our relationship and I wouldn't want to keep you hanging on the chance that I might be. I don't think I will ever truly be able to commit to a relationship on that level as I am."
Robyn stood and looked at him with frantic eyes, "Adrien stop this. You're exhausted. You're dreaming that you are Chat Noir. You aren't thinking clearly."
Adrien smiled at her, "Unfortunately, I feel as though my thoughts have never been more clear. I'm sorry, Robyn. It's not you, I swear it's nothing you did. Somewhere between here and last week, I seem to have lost my affection for you. I can't continue to pretend that I still love you when I do not."
Robyn looked like she might cry. Adrien felt the familiar pull of guilt as he watched the truth burrow into Robyn's heart. He was surprised however to see anger in her eyes when she looked back at him. She turned on him and growled, "Are you seeing someone else behind my back?"
Gabriel looked over the top of his paper. Of course his father would be interested to know why he was suddenly breaking up with a girl who, in his father's eyes, was perfect.
Adrien smirked, "I had a dream that I was Chat Noir. Perhaps I am in love with Ladybug."
Robyn shot him an angry look.
His features turned sad, "No. I'm not seeing someone else. I just don't feel the same way I used to, Byn. I'm sorry."
She glared at him, "No, you're not sorry, because you aren't leaving me. You are not giving up on this relationship. You are marching upstairs and getting your bag and we are getting in a plane to California. You are going to forget this small relapse of clarity that you're having and I'm going to forget you even brought this up."
Adrien blinked. He had never seen Robyn act this way. She had always been gentle and a little feisty. She raised an angry eyebrow. Gabriel remained quiet but also rose an eyebrow at Adrien. He expected him to do the same thing. They expected him to cower when they bossed him. They expected him to fold like he always did. Adrien frowned. He could play this game too.
"No I will not. I am going back to my apartment outside of the city. I am going to evaluate my life and the things I need to do to better take care of myself. I have a lot of things to consider, not all of them good. I don't want to drag you down with me." He put his hands in his pockets, standing tall and defiant.
Robyn's anger crumbled and she broke into tears, "You." Her voice warbled, "You're serious aren't you? You really don't love me anymore?"
"Not like I think you deserve to be loved, Byn." He smiled.
She sniffled and growled at him, "Don't call me 'Byn'. I don't want to see your face. You don't want me fine, I'll leave." She turned to leave.
"Please," Gabriel spoke up, looking at Robyn while ignoring Adrien, "Miss Handen, do not let my son's careless words offend you so deeply. If he wishes to leave, let him. Sit down my dear, and enjoy your breakfast." Gabriel glared at Adrien.
Adrien turned away before Robyn was even back in her seat and marched from the room. He grabbed the keys to a car, it didn't matter which one, and his suitcase and walked out the the cars. He pressed the button on the keys and one of them beeped at him. A large truck with outdoor tires and no real doors flashed its lights in his direction. His father had likely bought it for a photo shoot. Perfect. Well, now it was his. He took out his phone and texted Nathalie to transfer all of the information and ownership of the vehicle to him. His father could live with one less toy. He swung his suitcase in and started the engine with a roar. It was strangely fitting, the loud hum of the engine and the rugged tires. He clicked on his seatbelt, and pulled out of the driveway and out into the streets of Paris.
He glared at the road as he drove. He knew that his father didn't truly want his love or care about his life. He had always known that to live his own life would be to give up everything his father had offered him. He also knew that to accept what his father gave him mean that he was trapped. But, to so blatantly choose Robyn over him. It was just another sign. If he'd had any doubts about what he was doing before, he didn't anymore. He was prepared for every bit of backlash he was going to get from Robyn and from his father. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number for his publicist.
A chipper voice answered the phone, "This is Chyna Vie, how can I help you?"
Adrien smiled, "Chyna. This is Adrien Agreste. I called to warn you. Robyn and I broke up. It'll probably be hitting Robyn's social media any minute."
Chyna sighed into his ear, and Adrien almost felt sad for her. She clicked her tongue, "Well, at least you didn't marry her before you decided she wasn't the girl for you." Adrien could hear her smile, "Thanks for the heads up, Adrien. I'll do what I can."
"Thanks, Chyna." He hummed and clicked off the call. He was suddenly grateful that it was a long drive to his apartment. It would give him time to think. It would give him time to mull over the day and ponder about what he wanted.
His phone started to ring. He glanced down at it. It was Robyn. He frowned and threw it into the console by the radio. He didn't want to hear her try to say that they belonged together and that he should come back. They could work through it. He didn't want to hear her sad voice begging him to return to his cage. He wouldn't let her try to talk him out of this. She was probably still with his father, and if his father got on the phone Adrien would lose his resolve.
They couldn't work through it, because no matter how much he cared for her, she would always be a part of a world that he no longer wanted to be a part of. She would always belong to the world where appearances were everything. Her career would always be more important. She would never be the girl he truly longed for. This had been what he'd wanted, no more Robyn, to get away from his father, to pursue his own dreams. His phone started to buzz. He groaned, it was likely notifications from every social media that Robyn had access to. She was probably tearing him apart. Girls always did.
He turned on the radio, and listened to the first station that came on, an old rock and roll station. He relaxed a little. He would look at his phone when he got home. Until then, he would relax. He would feel the freedom of this choice. He would plan his defense. Before he got back to his apartment, it would be all over social media that he had broken up with Robyn, and there would likely be a mob outside of his apartment door. With a smirk, he realized he could easily avoid them. They weren't watching for this monstrosity of a car, nor were they expecting him to go in through the garage.
He would go in through the garage parking, and he would head up to his suite. He would make it that far. He stretched his fingers over the wheel. He let the sound of Rock and Roll fill his ears and his thoughts.
As he had suspected, there were a few people waiting outside of the main doors to his apartment complex. Manuel was keeping them from getting inside, but they were waiting for him. He pretended he didn't notice and pulled up to the garage entrance, and swiped his key card. The gate opened and he was through unnoticed. He sighed and parked quickly. After he had killed the engine and made sure that everything was locked, he grabbed his hastily packed suitcase and rode the elevator to his suite.
He pushed the door open with a sigh. Was he really going to do this? Was he really going to fight everything he'd been raised for? Everything he'd worked for? He frowned, and looked around the apartment. Just like his room at his father's house, there was nothing here that he cherished or had really earned. He unpacked his suitcase on his bed, and walked into his closet. He picked his favorite few pairs of jeans, some nice shirts, and his favorite pair of red sneakers. He walked them to his bed, and returned to the closet. He grabbed his nice suit, his nice shoes and a couple of ties. Just in case. He grabbed a few other essential things and shoved them all into his large black suitcase. He sat on his bed and opened up his laptop, and cringed at the barrage of noises that meant he had notifications and emails from all of his social media sites.
His phone buzzed. A text. He almost ignored it, but saw Nathalie's name. He swiped a finger across the screen and read her message. The loud truck with no doors and huge tires now belonged to him. The title was in his name, as well as the insurance and registration. Adrien smiled. It felt good to have something that was his.
Another chime. A notification. Robyn was going to tear him apart.
Chyna would handle all of the messages for now. Once he finalized his plan, he would be on his own. He ignored the notifications and opened his banking website. He checked his savings once more, and moved all of the funds that his father had given him to his personal card that he had opened after he left his father's house the first time.
Adrien had been saving for anything. Piling his money away like a dragon, hoarding it for a time like this when he would truly need it. The progress bar turned green and a message saying "Success " told him that his money was safe. He shut the laptop and placed it in the suitcase. He zipped it shut and walked it down to the truck in the parking garage. He made his way back, and grabbed a backpack, and filled it with the remaining things he cared about, like his favorite mug and his toothbrush. Plagg was still asleep in his pocket. Adrian was grateful for that at least. He had no desire to listen to Plagg whine about him leaving his glamorous life.
He set his keys down on the counter and walked out of the apartment with only his car keys and the backpack. He squared his shoulders, he had to face the growing mob of reporters outside. He walked to the front lobby doors. He took a deep breath, and walked out into the crowd. Cameras flashed and people held microphones and recorders up to him.
He held up his hands, "One at a time, please."
"Is it true that you are no longer planning to marry Robyn Handen, the famous American model from California?"
"Is it true that you are seeing someone else? Were you cheating on Miss Handen?"
"Are you going to ask her to take you back?"
"Do you love someone else?"
"What does Gabriel Agreste have to say about this?"
Adrien held up his hands again, "There was only ever a public expectation that I would ask Robyn to marry me. While we may have talked briefly, we are no longer seeing each other romantically. I am not seeing anyone else, just taking a break to re-evaluate what is important to me and what I want."
The cameras flashed again and reporters crowded him closer to the doors.
"So were you planning to marry Miss Handen, then?"
"Why the break up if there was no one else?"
"What are you re-evaluating?"
"What does this break up mean for your future in modelling?"
"Are you going to continue modelling for your father's company?"
Adrien felt the world slow around him. He felt like everything was in slow motion. The reporters scrambling to get his attention, and to get any information they could from him. It all meant nothing. Who really cared about this life? Why was it so important what he wanted to do or what he had to say? He frowned, and held up his hands. Time returned to normal speed and he spoke clearly.
"I am finished with modelling and acting. I will be moving home to my beloved Paris, where I am hoping to find myself, and a career I will truly enjoy." He turned back towards the apartments, "No further questions," and disappeared behind the locked doors.
His phone started to ring. Nathalie. He picked it up quickly.
"Hello." He answered breathlessly.
"You have been disowned, Adrien." Her voice was calm.
Adrien blinked, "What?"
"You have broken up with the perfect girl, and you have quit the world of modelling. Anything that is not in your name outside of your father will be revoked or taken from you. Your right to any share or part of the company, and your title as Gabriel's son are no longer yours. You will be stripped of everything he can take from you. He wanted me to make sure you knew." She said it like she was reading him the weekly grocery list.
He sighed, "That was faster than I thought."
"The news is already all over your social media feed."
Adrien huffed, "My life feels more like a sitcom than a life. Everything I do is on display for someone else. The whole world knows what color my underwear is, and I can't even sneeze without it being fashion news."
Nathalie growled a little, "Adrien, I'm serious. Your father is furious with you. You are going to be cut off."
Adrien smiled, "I know, Nathalie. I have been thinking that he might disown me at any moment since I was twelve. All of my money is in my name. My car has been moved to my possession. You confirmed that a few minutes ago. There is nothing in my apartment that I truly want. It's alright."
He could hear Nathalie frowning sadly at him, "Adrien you won't survive on your own."
Adrien smiled, "Nathalie I've never been more sure that I will. I am free from my father's empire and from the world of fashion. I will miss you."
"Save your sentimentality." She huffed, then sighed, "I will miss you as well."
Adrien could hear his father's voice in the background.
"Goodbye Nathalie." He smiled.
"Farewell, Adrien." There was a beep in his ear, signaling the end of his call and of his life as the heir to the Agreste Fashion Empire.