"Sir," Nathalie says louder this time, "are you alright? I mean I saw the news. I know you lost but you have never had this sort of reaction before."
"No, Nathalie, there was so much you didn't see, so much you can't comprehend now, but I almost lost you and- and it was awful Nathalie, I can't lose you."
"I'm right here, sir."
"Nathalie, I've been so caught up with her that I've missed what was in front of me this entire time. You have constantly been by my side and I realized that I can't even fathom you anywhere else. You started as my assistant but you're so much more than that, you always have been."
"Sir-"
"Gabriel," he corrects before remembering he is still transformed, "well, Hawkmoth, but dark wings fall, there is no more Hawkmoth. There will be no more Mayura either."
"I think you're delusional," Nathalie says, "I know you just lost, I know that is hard on you but you can't just move on to me because you're tired of failing. We can keep trying like you always promised her and I'm sure-" Gabriel cuts Nathalie off with a kiss that she melts into.
That was the thing about Gabriel, he always had this way of making people believe him. It didn't matter if he was telling a lie bigger than himself or if he was being completely honest, he always had a way to get people to believe him. As much as Nathalie tries, she thinks she might be starting to believe him too.
"Bunnyx took me to the future, it was an awful future, I can't let that happen-"
"Wait, the holder of the rabbit miraculous took you to the future. You didn't think that was dangerous?"
"I didn't get much of a choice, I was dragged to the future," Gabriel clarifies, "either way, I wasn't successful and I let it get to me in that timeline and it was catastrophic, I can't do that."
Nathalie doesn't understand, she doesn't know what Gabriel saw that still has him clinging to her like a small child would cling to their mom. Nathalie doesn't understand how any information would change how he feels about her. Nathalie doesn't understand why his touch feels better than anyone else's.
Gabriel knows he doesn't want to let her go, he understands that at one point he will be forced to but right now he likes the way her arms are loosely draped around him too. Gabriel swears to protect them from that future because he loves Nathalie, he can't let that happen. He is saving a future, his, hers, theirs.
