A/N I will admit that I do not like how this fanfiction has gone. I feel absolutely no motivation to write this. I am now realizing that I am just trying to shove every single trope into a story that should've ended a long time ago. The point of this story was supposed to just be about a love square reversal, but I have made it more and thus have bitten off more than I can chew. That is why I am going to apologize for the rush. I know that this story has a lot of loose ends, and I am going to try and tie them all together. The chapters are going to escalate quickly, and in the next few chapters, the story will be finished. I am sorry but I do not like this story. I enjoyed writing it up until I started making it more than what it should've been. I still hope that you, my loyal readers, will enjoy how it ends. I have just constantly been wanting to write anything but this story. I have pages and pages of other stories and concepts, ready for publishing, but I know that I accepted the responsibility of finishing this story when I started it. I am determined to not be the author who leaves the readers on a cliffhanger. I have experienced it many times and know how it feels to be unsure of where the story would have gone. I have enjoyed the journey, and there are around 200 of you who are constantly reading my work. I do apologize for rushing it, but I hope you will stay with me to appreciate my new works which I will put my utmost effort into them. I hope you enjoy :3
Every single day was the same thing. Wake up, fight a villain, eat, school, fight a villain, lessons, fight a villain, sleep, have sleep interrupted with a villain, sleep, repeat. Adrien was tired, and he was sure that Luka was too. Shadowmoth had been absolutely relentless. Tikki was sure that it was because he knew something was up with Ladybug. She had gotten used to being with Adrien, and Adrien sort of liked being Mister Bug, but still, he missed being Chat Noir. He missed Plagg. He missed Ladybug being at his side, always knowing what to do. Adrien was tired.
"Tikki... " Adrien said panting, "I- I can't be Mister Bug anymore. Luka literally almost cataclysmed me!" Adrien went into his bathroom and splashed water on his face, and drank out of the faucet. "Luka needs sleep, I need sleep." Adrien breathed in heavily and looked at his face. The bags under his eyes were prominent. The magical ladybugs had stopped healing so easily, with scratches and bruises being left behind.
"Father is trying to put me on lockdown because I look like this!" He pointed at the mirror, "this isn't a face worthy of Paris." He breathed in and turned off the faucet. He slumped down onto the bathroom floor and closed his eyes. "Marinette's jaw better be healed at her appointment next week." Tikki stared at Adrien, unsure of what to do next. She sat on his shoulder and breathed in.
"She will be healed," Tikki said assuringly, "but you need to go to bed, now."
Adrien's eyes welled with tears, maybe it was the sleep deprivation, but he was unable to contain his emotions anymore. "What is the point of sleeping, Tikki?" He screamed at the kwami. "As soon as I finally fall asleep he is going to attack again! I never get a break anymore."
Adrien sobbed on his bathroom floor, exhausted emotionally and physically. Eventually, his eyelids closed and he fell asleep.
Adrien awoke to his shoulders shaking. "Adrien, are you alright? Why are you sleeping on the floor of your bathroom?" Nathalie said, grabbing his face and inspecting it, "what are all these scratches? Adrien?" Nathalie sat down next to him and stared into his eyes, "what has been happening to you?"
He tried to fight back the tears, because how was he supposed to explain his outburst to Nathalie. It wasn't like he could just tell her he was Chat Noir. Could he? Alas, tears cascaded down Adrien's face. Nathalie's expression of worry deepened. "I just want it to stop -" Adrien bit his tongue. He said too much.
Nathalie grabbed tissues off his sink and handed them to him, "what do you want to stop Adrien? Are you having problems at school, with Marinette, with-"
"Shadowmoth- I want him to stop!" Adrien screamed. Nathalie's expression changed. She looked deeply perplexed, but also angry. I said way too much now. "I just want sleep." Adrien tried to stand up but Nathalie held him down. I don't know how I am going to explain this away…
"Adrien, are you that afraid of Shadowmoth?" Nathalie said with an odd tone in her voice.
"Yes?" Why did that sound like a question… now she is gonna be suspicious.
"Don't worry about him Adrien, we have top-notch security."
"That isn't" he mumbled. I need to sleep or else I am going to say something I regret. Adrien's phone buzzed with the distinct sound of an akuma alert.
The sound ignited something in Adrien. He stood up, escaping Nathalie's grasp, and screamed, "WHY won't HE JUST STOP ATTACKING PARIS" He grasped at his hair, "I just want to sleep," he sobbed. Nathalie grasped his shoulder and lead him to his bed.
"No one is stopping you from sleeping Adrien, I can stay here if it will make you feel safe."
"Nathalie, don't you get it?" Adrien cried, tears streaming down his eyes, "I can't sleep until Shadowmoth is defeated because…." Adrien had lost all control of his mind. Everything told him to stop, but he needed to vent. He couldn't talk to Marinette, he didn't want her to feel guilty. "I am Chat Noir."
Nathalie gasped and was frozen. I messed up I messed up I messed up. She breathed in deeply and contemplated her next words. Adrien was expecting her to say anything but what he heard, "your father is Shadowmoth."
Adrien froze. "Father?" He breathed in. No no no no, she must be kidding she must be kidding she must be kidding. Nathalie placed a hand on Adrien's shoulder but he jerked it away, "you knew this whole time didn't you?" Adrien hissed.
"Adrien- let me explain! Your father… he wanted to bring your mother back." Nathalie said rushed, trying to get an explanation in before Adrien went berserk on his father. "He wanted to make the wish in order to bring her back. I thought it was a noble cause but-" she breathed in "recently I realized that he is no longer doing it for the right reasons anymore."
"Mother?" I could see mom again - no. He is Shadowmoth. "I don't care about his motives."
"Neither do I-" she responded, "at least, I don't care anymore. I was going to tell you soon, but then you-"
"Yeah, I know…" Adrien angrily replied. "Do you know how many times he has put me in danger, not only as Chat Noir but as Adrien?"
"More than he should've…" Nathalie looked down at her hands.
Adrien stood up, rage filling his veins. "Where is he?" He seethed.
Nathalie grabbed his shoulder, "I don't think you should fight him… not yet."
"I don't care." Adrien said, "I will not ask again, Nathalie. Where is his lair? I am going to take those miraculous from him." Adrien was filled with rage. The sleep deprivation mixed with the anger of his father's betrayal. Nathalie breathed in and walked with Adrien over to Gabriel's office.
"It is here." Nathalie said after messing with the painting, opening the entry for Adrien, "I advise-"
"No," Adrien cut her off, "by the way, I have not forgiven you yet." He entered and was sent into the lair.
"Nathalie, what have I said about interruptions?" Shadowmoth said harshly.
"I will interrupt if I please, Gabriel," Adrien said. Shadowmoth whipped his head and was surprised by the sight of Adrien.
"Son-" Shadowmoth said, clearly shaken by the appearance of Adrien, "I can explain."
"I don't care about any of your explanations, Gabriel…. Tikki, spots on!" Mister Bug yoyoed Shadowmoth into a tight grasp, "I will not let you hurt Paris anymore." He reached for the miraculous' on his father's chest but was put to the ground by a kick. I didn't think he would fight me back.
"May I remind you that I am your father and you shall address me as so," Shadowmoth grabbed Mister Bug and pinned him to the ground. "I will win," he seethed.
"I do not consider you my father anymore!" Mister Bug struggled under the weight of his father's body. He managed to roll away from his father, "This is not what mother would have wanted!"
"We need her back! This is the only way." Shadowmoth was fighting with every ounce of power in his veins. Mister Noir was weak compared to him. I wish I could cataclysm him right now…
Shadowmoth tripped him with his staff and pinned Mister Bug to the ground, "I will not be defeated by my son." He chuckled at his son's weakness. I can't move…
"Get off him!" Adrien heard Nathalie scream. He watched her feet collide with Shadowmoth's face and watched as she ripped the miraculous off of Gabriel. "I am done with you, Gabriel. We both know that this isn't for Emilie." Gabriel's eyes were wild as if he still believed he had an ounce of power left.
"Oh, so you betrayed me." Gabriel said chuckling, "of course you grew soft for him. You just had to tell him. Now he will never have a mother."
Nathalie had Gabriel pinned under the heel of her shoes, "he has me! I will never betray him again. He doesn't need you anymore!" Nathalie pushed her heel deeper into his jaw, causing him to yelp in pain. "Your reign is over."
