"Miss Rossi is on her way in." Nathalie informed Gabriel as she walked into his office. In her hands she had the proof photos from the photoshoot. "Under the circumstances, I think these photos are some of the best ones Adrien has ever done." Gabriel took the pictures without acknowledging his assistant and looked them over. He wouldn't admit it to Nathalie, but despite Marinette's lack of experience as a model, the pictures captured the kind of romance that Vincent had only dreamed about producing. There was already a buzz around the building this advertising campaign was going to be one of the most successful campaigners yet. There was something more to it though. Something pure in their eyes made Gabriel almost still. He had rarely seen this kind of love before, not since…Emilie.
"Be that as it may, I am highly displeased with this turn of events Nathalie. Nor am I pleased to learn that Marinette has turned down my offer of the internship." Nathalie took a step back, running her finger along her collar.
"She had already made up her mind before I had even made the offer Sir. I believe Miss Rossi and her lies had a lot to do with it. She feels that people are judging her for being with Adrien." Gabriel only grunted in reply. Lila was always a difficult one to control, but she had her usages.
"What is your opinion Nathalie." She turned her head away from him and looked out the window.
"I think they love each other very much." Gabriel shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"It's a bit sudden isn't it to be throwing such strong sentiments around." Nathalie shook her head, but wouldn't return his stare.
"They are different Sir. There's a bond between them I can't explain. Stronger than Miss Rossi and her lies to break at least." She turned her head to look at him. It was his turn to avoid her.
"Good." He murmured. Picking up his cup of tea, he slowly stirred it before laying the spoon on the saucer. Nathalie watched him as he took a sip of the hot liquid. He was playing games, and Adrien seemed to have been the bait. But for what? "I intend to revise my arrangement with Miss Rossi." He said, avoiding Nathalie's glare. "I should never have left her to her own devices when I let her into this place."
"Then why did you?" Gabriel turned his eyes up to her. Sometimes she wondered what she ever saw in those cold grey eyes.
"I hate to admit it, but she is a very good model and does her job well. She has also been my eyes and ears where Adrien is concerned at the school. Besides, like the saying goes Nathalie, keep your family close and your enemies closer."
"You called me Mr Agreste." Lila chirped sweetly as she entered the room and delicately took a seat. She didn't know why she had been summoned so late in the afternoon to Mr Agreste's office, but she had heard about Veronica walking out and assumed she was being called to replace her. She was almost giddy with the anticipation of being named Gabriel's leading model in Paris, right next to Adrien. Gabriel sat opposite her, in his hands still were the proofs from the revised photoshoot.
"You can drop the act Miss Rossi. Soon I will no longer be requiring your services here in Paris." Lilia's face shifted in an instant, her eyes blazing.
"I thought we had a deal. " She seethed between gritted teeth. Nathalie almost felt dizzy at the 360 turn in her disposition.
"Plans change Miss Rossi. I suggest you hear what I have to say and accept the offer I am about to make you." Lila eyed him with a level of contempt that made Gabriel almost withdraw the offer before he even made it.
"You promised me Adrien if I got rid of Marinette. It's not my fault her expulsion from school got reversed, or that Adrien fell for her pathetic sweetness, or embarrassing clumsiness." She was struggling to keep her composer, trying to match Gabriel's unwavering stare.
"I promised you the chance to be around Adrien as a model, and I kept my end of the bargain, despite your failure in that endeavour. I take no responsibility for his lack of interest in you. Unfortunately for you, Adrien is not as stupid as you clearly took him for and he saw straight through you." Lila huffed.
"That was Ladybugs fault. I could have had Adrien if it wasn't for her interference." Gabriel narrowed his eyes.
"My son is not a prize to be won Miss Rossi. Besides, that particular arrangement was a long time ago and something I don't recall asking you to revisit. Your job since then was simply to report Adrien's activities to me." Lila went quiet under his cold glare. "Now, since you have done that job well, I have a proposition for you." Lila eyes him suspiciously but nodded for him to continue.
"You will leave Paris to take up a new residence in London. I will see to your transfer when the school year ends. You will attend a prestigious modelling school there on full scholarship and be employed in our London branch." Lila listened to the offer with keen interest. She had always dreamt of being a world famous model, with the fame and opportunities that came with it, but then she knitted her eyebrows and her expressions dropped.
"It's a rather generous offer Mr Agreste but you're not offering this to me as a job well done though, are you? What's the catch?" She asked, skepticism evident in her voice.
"Sometimes wild birds need to be caged for their own protection Miss Rossi, but it doesn't mean the cage can't be a comfortable one. The offer is quite simple really. Your signature buys you the opportunity of a lifetime, all I ask in return is your silence and you keep away from my son and his girlfriend, but continue to observe them and report to me." Lila stood up, pushing her chair loudly behind her.
"Why would I do that! You can't seriously be entertaining the idea of Adrien being with that...that… insignificant little baker's brat!" Gabriel did not deviate from his posture throughout her outburst.
"May I remind you who you are speaking to Miss Rossi." His cold flat tone sent Lila shrinking back into her seat. Nathalie brought a document over to her and sat it on the desk with a pen. "Adrien made his choice for reasons I'm sure will become apparent in time, your little games over this last week, however, just cost me my lead model and almost cost me this shoot." He said, pointing to the photos. Lila gasped.
"But I was the understudy.I was supposed to have been brought in to replace Veronica, not...not her. It was supposed to be me, I'd planned it perfectly…" Gabriel curled his lips slightly as the realisation hit Lila that she had just walked into a trap.
"Was that your plan, Miss Rossi, get rid of both Veronica and Marinette so you could be the lead model and take Adrien? Because it certainly wasn't in my plans, nor was it part of our agreement." Lila sat back into her chair. Everything was starting to backfire spectacularly. "You were always a wildcard Miss Rossi. I kept you close to keep an eye on you as much as I used you to separate Adrien from those fools around him at school. Your success at that was dubious at best, and you no longer serve me a purpose in Paris once the school year ends. Our deal has now changed, and your presence here has become a liability to me." Lila's eyes widened at the man's tone. "Now, you can either take this offer and leave graciously, or I will have you removed permanently." Lila gasped.
"You...you can't do that. My mother has diplomatic immunity." Gabriel's lips curled into a menacing grin.
"Shall we test that theory then? I'm not without connections you know, and not all of them are strictly legal. I can assure you Miss Rossi," he leaned forward in his seat towards her, "I never bluff."
Lila squirmed in her seat. Gabriel had her exactly where he wanted her, with nowhere else to go. He'd used her for whatever purpose he had, and now that she had served that purpose she had been double crossed, albeit with a very attractive offer. Lila began to realise that she had made a deal with the devil the day she had shook hands with Gabriel Agreste, in a situation she could no longer control. The older Agreste watched her as he could see her weighing up the options in her mind. He leaned back satisfied. "I always win Miss Rossi, one way or another."
Nathalie pointed to the pen on the document. She knew Adrien had been keen to see the back of the Italian girl for some time, and she didn't care much for her either. Since she learned of Lila's most recent tirade of gossip in regards to Marinette, she was more than happy to kick her out herself.
Lila picked up the pen, twirling it in her fingers as she looked at the document before putting the pen down. "But I'm still a minor, therefore the document isn't legally binding." Gabriel slowly shifted his head from side to side.
"My dear Miss Rossi, you turned 18 over a month ago. Don't assume I'm not well versed in facts here. Your lies have no affect on me." Lila gritted her teeth. She should have known he would have been thorough. She looked up at him, defeat becoming more evident in her eyes.
"And what if I just go to Adrien with all of this? I'll tell him you used me to try and isolate him, I'll tell him you..." Gabriel let out a low menacing chuckle.
"You really think after all you have done Adrien would ever believe you now?" He leaned forward again across the desk, his eyes like daggers down at hers. "Besides, it would be unfortunate if you were to meet with an unforeseeable accident because you stayed in Paris, wouldn't it?" Nathalie stifled a gasp as Lila paled. The assistant averted her gaze away from the pair. This went far beyond anything Nathalie had thought Gabriel capable of, and it terrified her, not just his words, but the absolute coldness with which he delivered them.
"Are you threatening me?" Lila spoke in an almost hoarse whisper.
"No Miss Rossi. I am simply informing you that Paris can be a very dangerous place, and not all accidents are caused by akumas you know. It's hard to tell the difference sometimes." He sat back in his seat eyeing her over his glasses. "You shall be quite safe in your gilded cage my little wild bird, I promise you, and you know I am a man of my word." He then lowered his voice into a husky whisper. "But make no mistake Lila, you work for me and if you cross me then all bets are off."
Lila looked back at the document in front of her. With a slow shaking hand she picked up the pen, scrawling her name across the dotted line. For the first time in her life, she had been defeated. Rising from the seat she turned towards the door.
"Oh and Miss Rossi." She stopped and looked back at Gabriel, a smug victorious look on his face. "Don't think I won't have eyes on you in London. One false move, and you are aware of the consequences."
Lila stepped out of the room closing the door behind her, the tightness in her chest making it difficult to breath. She heard laughter in the corridors before seeing Adrien and Marinette as they walked arm in arm through the halls towards his office. She had to wonder if Adrien even knew what kind of a man his father really was. She suspected not, and while she felt bad in a way for that, self preservation was her main priority now. She looked down at her copy of the contract in her hands. She was being handed fame and fortune, but not Adrien. She would never have Adrien. She folded the contract carefully, placing it into her bag. 'Marientte can have him' Lila thought to herself. 'She has no idea what she's walking into with that father of his.' Lila side glanced at the door to Gabriel's office and a cold shiver ran down her spine. She had wanted Adrien once, she believed she would have done anything to have him, but when it really boiled down to it, he wasn't worth dying for.
"Permission to come aboard Captain." Adrien called out from the shoreline.
"Permission granted." Came Anarka's reply from the bridge.
It was a somewhat awkward encounter when Adrien and Marinette dropped the repaired Kitty Section masks off at the Houseboat. Rose bounced around them excitedly, asking them a dozen questions about how they had finally gotten together. Adrien and Marinette giggled shyly, telling all about getting splashed on the street and having dinner in his office, finally sharing their feelings. Of course there was that little detail of being crime fighting partners for the last 4 years they kept to themselves
Adrien struggled to keep his hands off Marinette, with them either around her waist or interlocking their fingers, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Juleka. Rose, of course, ooh-ed and ahh-ed at how romantic it all was. At least she gave them less of a grilling than Marientte knew Alya would tomorrow. Juleka was more reserved, as she always was, hugging them both and giving her congratulations. She said Luka wasn't there as he was on a sound check for the concert the following night. News of Adrien and Marinette's relationship had already spread like wildfire, Alya having been quick on the text to all their classmates. There had also been leaks from the photoshoot set creating a huge buzz for the advertising campaign. Marinette knew that Luka would have heard everything by this and she was grateful he wasn't there, although she wasn't sure Juleka was being entirely truthful judging by the confused look on Rose's face.
After the couple departed, Juleka left Rose up on the deck to wait for Ivan and Mylene who were coming over and headed down below. Luka was, in fact, sitting on his bed cross legged with his headphones on and his eyes shut.
Juleka sat down on the bed and at the movement Luka opened his eyes and took his headphones off. He didn't have to ask her, her face said everything. "Is she happy?" He asked simply. Juleka looked up at him through her long fringe.
"Yeah, really happy. They both are." She replied quietly. Luka nodded and picked up his guitar and started plucking a few chords. "You want to change the song for tomorrow night?" She asked as he continued to strum.
"No." He shook his head. "I still want her to hear it."
"But she will be there with him." She put a hand on his over the strings, stopping the music. "I don't want you to be hurting Luka." He laid the guitar down across his knees and looked at his sister.
"I know you're worried about me Jules, but it's alright. Really." Juleka didn't look convinced. Luka gave a low chuckle. "Jules, you and I both know how long those two had been looking at each other and growing closer. It was always just a matter of time. Their songs just needed a chance to find their perfect harmony together, and they have now."
"But you love her Luka. Don't pretend to me that you don't. I know you better than that." Luka picked the guitar back up, replaying the same chords as before. Juleka was torn between being happy for her friends, but knowing that her brother was more heartbroken than he was letting on to her.
"I can't make her love me Juleka. I hoped there was a chance when we all thought Adrien was with Kagami, but as soon as he did that interview, and the truth came out, I knew she was gone. Her heart's song always belonged to him. I knew that. I would only ever have been second choice." Juleka dropped her head as Luka continued to play. " Yes I do love her. I love her with every note, with every chord, and with every lyric I wrote into that song. It's still her song Jules, but I can't claim what's not mine. I just want to see her happy."
"How can you just let her go through Luka?" Juleka said, shaking her head. Luka finished the part he was playing, laying the guitar down on the bed, he put a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"I love her enough to let her go." He said simply, Juleka looked back up at him, a sad smile on his lips. "And I hope he loves her enough, that he never will."
"Dinner will be ready in about an hour, if you kids want to go hang out upstairs, I'll call you when it's ready." Sabine grinned as Adrien and Marinette walked into the bakery hand in hand.
"Thank you Mrs Cheng." Adrien said, accepting the warm motherly hug she was offering him.
"It's Tom and Sabine now son." Tom chimed in, wiping flour off his hands. "You've been around long enough, you're almost part of the furniture along with Alya and Nino." Adrien could only smile in happiness. He had always loved coming to the Dupain-Cheng bakery over the years. It felt so much more comforting and homely compared to the starkness and cold of the mansion and it filled him with warmth that he would get to spend more time here.
Marinette led Adrien up through the trap door into her bedroom. It had been a long time since he had been up there. Usually when Alya and Nino came with them for a study session they tended to stay down stairs where there was more room. Tikki and Plagg flew out and Marinette got out some cookies and cheese puffs that she had kept aside. Plagg dived in, almost devouring the cheese puffs whole.
"Oh, you know how to look after me Marinette." Plagg purred as he stuffed a second cheese puff into his mouth.
"Plagg, don't be such a pig, that's rude." Adrien chided, but the Cat Kwami only gave him a cheeky crumb laiden grin, before disappearing off with Tikki. Marinette laughed at the Kwami's antics.
"He's so cute." She giggled, sitting down on her chaise next to her boyfriend. Boyfriend...was she ever going to get used to that fact that Adrien Agreste, her Chat Noir, was also her boyfriend.
"You say that now because you don't know him better. Wait until you have to live with him." Marinette flushed pink and Adrien could feel heat in his own face. "Oh, I..ah...I didn't…" Marinette looked up at him through her lashes and Adrien felt like his heart had stopped when she laced her finger through his.
"It's okay, I know what you meant." She said softly. "I, ah, thought about that too though you know." Adrien reached over to her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Was it wrong this early in their relationship to be thinking about a lifetime together? He didn't think so. They had trusted each other with their lives for almost 4 years, not knowing the name of their partner behind the mask. That kind of bond Adrien believed was stronger than anything else ever could be. He knew Marinette would have thought the same. Knowing now who the other wise, just cemented that bond even more.
Marinette wanted nothing more than to just jump into Adrien's lap and kiss that perfect face silly, but there were things that needed to be said first.
"Adrien, we need to talk about us and where we stand." Adrien cocked his head to one side.
"I thought it was fairly obvious m'lady. I did declare you as my girlfriend in front of everyone today. Why? Was I wrong to do that?" She saw panic start to sweep across his face.
"Oh, no. Nothing wrong at all. I meant us as in Ladybug and Chat." She saw him visibly relax before curiosity took over his features. She sighed, taking his hand into hers. "Kitty, I think it would be safest if Ladybug and Chat Noir continued to just be seen as friends and partners to the public eye, at least for the meantime." Adrien lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles.
"Can I ask why? What difference would it make?" Marinette bit her bottom lip and dipped her head. Adrien hooked a finger under her chin lifting her eyes up to his. "It can't be good if it's so difficult to say." Marinette took in a deep breath, letting it out before she spoke.
"Adrien, do you remember a few years ago, Ladybug delivered you a beret. A black beret with hearts embroidered on it." Adrien had to think back, then the memory dawned on him.
"Sure, I remember. You said it was from my fan club in Brazil. I still have it in a draw somewhere." Marinette nodded.
"Except it wasn't from Brazil." She said. His eyes widened.
"You made it, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me." She tightened her fingers through his, giving a little squeeze.
"I did. I had written my name on the parcel, then when you saw Ladybug leave, you realised I was Marinette." Adrien looked at her confused.
"But I don't remember that."
"No, you don't. Bunnyx came and took me to fight an akuma in the future and set the past right again so that you didn't figure out who I was. It wasn't the right time for us to know back then and knowing our identities had led to disaster." Adrien nodded as he processed what she said.
"So who was the akuma? What did they have to do with us." Marinette swallowed. This was a lot harder than she thought it was going to be.
"It was you." She almost whispered. Adrien's mouth gaped open. "Or more specifically, Chat. You were Chat Blanc." Adrien went to speak again when she placed a finger over his lips. "Before you ask, I don't know why. All I know is that we loved each other and Hawkmoth found out about us." He kissed her finger still on his lips, causing her to smile softly. "I didn't know it was you Adrien."
She wasn't going to go into any more details about what he had done to the world. It wasn't something he ever needed to know. Adrien could see tears begin to form in her eyes at the memory. He didn't know what to say, so he cupped her face in his hand and leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips. He couldn't begin to imagine how he would have become akumatized, but he was determined to do everything he could to make sure it never happened again. Gently he trailed kisses across her cheek and slowly down her neck.
"It will be hard not to be like this with you with the masks on." He admitted, his warm breath tingling against her skin. "But you are the Guardian, m'lady, of the Miraculous and my heart. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe." Marinette tangled her fingers into his soft blonde locks as he trailed his kisses back up her neck.
"Keep us safe, Chaton." She said softly into his ear. Adrien pulled back slightly to look at her. "Our relationship is already going to be in the public spotlight as Adrien and Marinette. We can't take the risk." He nodded and hummed in agreement.
"Well, as long as I get to be like this with you outside the masks, then I'll try to be a good Kitty." He pulled out her hair ties, letting her soft dark tresses fall over her shoulders. Her eyes shone up at his while he ran his fingers through her hair. "I love you Marinette." She reached up and ran a finger along his face, across where his mask would normally be.
"I love you too Adrien, so very much." He leaned back in, crashing his lips into hers. It was heated and passionate as their lips danced against one another, both of them completely losing themselves to each other. Marientte fell back onto the chaise, Adrien moving with her, their bodies entwined. His hand slid down her side, coming to rest on her hip where her shirt had ridden up. His bare hand on her skin sent her heart racing. They were so caught up in each other, that they didn't hear the approaching footsteps until there was a creak of her door.
With eyes wide, Marientte flew up into a sitting position, sending Adrien off balance. She reached out for him, but she wasn't fast enough as he crashed with a thud on the floor. It was at that moment that Sabine popped her head through the door.
"Dinner is on the table, when you two are ready." She was clearly failing at suppressing a giggle at the flustered pair. She slipped back through the door, and Adrien and Marinette heard her laughter as her footsteps retreated. The two teens looked slightly mortified at each other before they too broke down into a fit of giggles.