AN: Chapter prompts: Candy/Be Mine

Chapter Four: Unfolding

Gabriel stared at a blank page, his pencil hovering, waiting for inspiration.

He didn't usually take commissions from people who weren't regular clients, but when a big name asked, it was hard to turn down. Though he wasn't entirely sure why Jagged Stone had come to him. Their styles weren't really complimentary.

"But you're my favourite designer's favourite designer," the rock star had said with a grin when Gabriel had pointed this out. "And she has complete faith in your skill, so I do as well."

"And who is your favourite designer?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I believe you know her too?"

Of course Gabriel knew the extremely talented girl who had won his competition. He had no doubt that one day her name would be at least as big as, if not even bigger, than his own.

"Yes, I do. But may I ask why you're not asking her?"

"She's still at school; she's got far too much on her plate at the moment. I asked her to recommend someone, and she immediately pointed me in your direction."

He was flattered, but also hesitant.

It wasn't as if Jagged Stone was asking him to design him something for a show. It was far more personal a commission than that. All the same, Gabriel wasn't sure he was the designer for the job.

The doorbell made him jump. Gabriel sighed and set down his pencil. Maybe stretching his legs would help.

As he approached his atelier door when he heard a muffled voice say, "Special delivery for Nathalie Sancoeur." A moment later the front door closed again.

Gabriel opened the door to find Gorilla there with his fist raised, ready to knock. "That's for Nathalie?" He received a nod in return. "She's upstairs. I'll put it on her desk."

The delivery was a dark brown box tied with gold ribbon; wide and flat. The gold lettering told him it was from one of the most expensive luxury chocolatiers in Paris.

He placed it on her desk, glanced around to make sure no-one was around, then opened the card, his curiosity getting the better of him. His eyes widened.

In gold calligraphy it read:

The moment we met I knew we had a confection.

Your secret admirer xxx

Nathalie had a secret admirer?

For some reason the thought caused a weird sensation in his stomach.

Well … it shouldn't have been a surprise. She was a wonderful person; if she had more of a social life she would probably be inundated with admirers. As it is, her job didn't leave a lot of spare time; something he frequently tried to address, but she seemed to be allergic to taking any time off.

But she'd obviously made an impression on someone. Well, not that Nathalie Sancoeur really needed a lot of time to make an impression on anyone. She was a very beautiful person, both inside and out.

Gabriel moved back to his desk and took out his diary, then hesitated. He knew he should give Nathalie an opportunity to have a date on Valentine's Day if her secret admirer found his feelings returned. But for some reason he had the mad urge to fill up the whole day with essential tasks.

He shook his head, and scolded himself for even thinking it. In underlined letters he made a note on the fourteenth to keep Nathalie's schedule flexible.

The door opened just as he put his diary back down, and his assistant walked in.

"Nathalie, you received a special delivery," he tried to say in a neutral voice.

"Oh—thank you, sir," she said, sounding a little puzzled.

"It's on your desk."

She turned towards it, and stopped dead when she saw the box.

"Aren't you going to open it?"

Nathalie slowly reached out and took off the lid. Inside was several dozen heart-shaped chocolates, the middle ones iced to spell out Be My Valentine.

"Oh, no," she groaned.

Gabriel blinked, taken aback. "Nathalie, is something wrong?"

"What?—No, nothing." She quickly closed the box and placed it back on the desk, her cheeks flushed.

"Aren't they your favourites?" he asked.

"Yes," she muttered, still very red.

"Do you … er … have any idea who they're from?"

"Unfortunately, yes," she muttered. "I know exactly who sent them."

He waited, but she didn't seem keen to elaborate.

It seemed whoever the mysterious admirer was, she did not feel the same way. Gabriel couldn't understand why he felt relieved about that. He wasn't such a slave-driver as to resent Nathalie taking any time off, no matter what she had said about him in Adrien's classroom.

"Oh. Well … I suppose there's no sense in letting good chocolates go to waste."

"If you wanted one, you only had to ask," Nathalie said, holding the box out to him.

That wasn't what he had meant at all, but Gabriel helped himself anyway. "Thank you."

"I'd have preferred a box of gourmet cheese," was Plagg's helpful contribution after Adrien read out the texted confirmation his second 'anonymous' Valentine gift had been delivered.

"You're in the minority," Adrien replied. "Would it be too much of a giveaway if I went downstairs to see her reaction?"

"You're not exactly great at subtle. I'd resist the temptation if I were you."

"Ahh, you're probably right." Adrien flopped back on his bed, grinning at the thought of their plan coming together. "Anyway, there'll be more opportunities."

"Ever think maybe you're going overboard?"

"Nope," Adrien said confidently.

"What if it doesn't work?"

"Nathalie's being introduced to the concept of my father returning her feelings; and he's getting jealous, you can see it a mile away. Of course it'll work! What could possibly go wrong?"

Plagg groaned. "You shouldn't have said that."

There was a sharp knock on his bedroom door. "Adrien, you're going to be late for school!"

"Coming! Oops," Adrien added with a bashful grin. "Forgot about that little detail."

Nathalie suppressed another groan when she laid eyes on the Valentines decorations being plastered all over the school gym, and checked her watch. Where was Adrien? He should have been out ages ago.

She had been wrestling with herself all day whether to have a word with him about this wild idea of his. As sweet as she found his intentions, she knew she had to put a stop to it and talk him out of his completely erroneous and naïve impression of their relationship. But for some reason she wasn't sure she could bring herself to do it.

Adrien, your father and I are not going to fall in love no matter how many Valentines you send me pretending to be from him. Why? Because he's still in love with your mother and trying to bring her back.

Yes, that conversation would be treading on risky territory. And even if she successfully managed to avoid getting too close to the subject of Gabriel's secret plan, there was still the possibility of giving away her own feelings on the matter. Which Adrien must suspect already, but if he didn't believe her when she denied it, she had a horrible feeling it would only encourage him.

Her phone beeped, and she did groan when she saw the text.

Sorry Nathalie—forgot to tell you I'm staying late to work on a class project. Will only be about half an hour or so.

There didn't seem much point in going home and then coming back. Nathalie headed to the doors, intending to sit in the car to wait, but someone accidentally bumped into her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Oh, no."

Nathalie knelt down to help Adrien's teacher gather up her dropped papers. "It's fine; no harm done."

"Thank you," Miss Bustier said. "Oh, it's you, Ms Sancoeur! Adrien won't be out for a little while—"

"I know; he just texted me. I was just going to wait for him in the car."

"Oh no, we can't have that! Come to the staff room and have a cup of tea. Or coffee?"

"Well … alright. Thank you."

"What do you think of the decorations?" Miss Bustier asked cheerfully as she led Nathalie back through the hall.

"Very … pretty."

"That reminds me, I don't think we've had an RSVP from you and Mr Agreste?"

Nathalie stopped dead. "Excuse me? RSVP for what?"

"Didn't you get the letter?"

"What letter?"

"Oh—I'm sorry. We're holding a party on the evening of the fourteenth. All the students' families have been invited."

Nathalie raised an eyebrow. "To a Valentine's Day party?"

"We're celebrating all types of love. Including families and friendships. You and Mr Agreste were both invited. I'll get you a copy of the letter."

"I don't know if Mr Agreste will be able to make it," Nathalie said, figuring such an event would probably be the last place Gabriel would want to be on the fourteenth. He would most likely spend the whole day holed up in his lair looking for some heartbroken soul to akumatize.

"Well, I understand if he can't. Though I'm sure Adrien would love you both to be there."

"I'm not family," Nathalie felt the urge to point out.

"Maybe not by blood, but it's obvious he's extremely fond of you," Miss Bustier said with a twinkling smile.

And I'm sure this party is exactly where he wants Gabriel and I to be on Valentine's Day, Nathalie thought with an inward sigh.

It was going to be bad enough shattering his illusion; far worse if it happened in public. That settled it. She was going to have to talk to him.

TBC …