redemption arc! Or the au where Gabriel wasn't completely a prick. If you have any one shot ideas or pairings you'd like to see or a chapter you'd like to see expanded, leave a review or shoot me a message!

Gabriel Agreste was an astute man and a shrewd businessman. He knew how to work the system and he prided himself in his instincts. Instincts that led him to daring fall lines and stunning spring shows. And yet, here he was duped by two teenagers once again. It put him in a foul mood. Nooroo claimed it was the luck provided from the ladybug miraculous that always swung the odds in their favor but he had a hard time believing that. Odds could only go so far.

And it was his own son that he was facing against, what a disgrace.

The identity of Chat Noir had not come easy. And it was not confirmed, just an inkling, a nagging that he could not put to rest. He planned on confirming it today.

There was a knock on his office door and Nathalie entered, tablet in hand, "I have the schedule for the next two weeks for your review."

He waved her over, not trusting himself to speak in his mood. She passed him the iPad and he scanned it briefly. A note made him pause, "Nathalie, what is this?"

She looked over, "Adrien's graduation is in six months but it falls on the trip to Milan. You must inform the school that you won't be in attendance for the event by next Monday."

His son was graduating. The time had slipped his mind. He would need to make arrangements to inform the appropriate schools, though Nathalie had probably been two steps ahead of him. He had several contacts in prestigious university located in Paris.

"Nathalie, be sure to schedule time with M. Lamour and Jacques. I can speak with them regarding Adrien's future schooling."

She hesitated, causing him to look up. Was she...nervous? "Sir, that may not be necessary."

"Excuse me?"

"Adrien has already applied and been accepted to the local university's physics program."

"Physics?" he said with utmost disdain. "Is my son here for lunch?"

"No sir. He remains at school for lunch most days, though he takes the lunches prepared by the chef to remain on his diet."

Gabriel's mouth thinned. When did this happen? "Very well. Inform him I wish to speak with him when he returns from school."

"Yes sir." Nathalie all but ran out of the room, not that he was surprised. She could tell when her boss was in a bad mood. Unable to focus on work, Gabriel got up and wandered the house, pausing on the wall that held family portraits. A young Adrien smiled up at him, a gaping hole in his mouth from missing teeth. Emilie was laughing at something. He put his hand on it.

Adrien was barely 14 when she died and it seemed like time had ceased, but today was a reminder that his son had not waited for him to get it together. His son had not waited for him to bring back his mother.

"She cannot come back, master," came a whisper at his shoulder. Nooroo had floated into view, "And even if you succeed, all those years have been lost. You may bring back Emilie, but you will lose Adrien in the process, one way or another."

All too soon, his son was entering the house. Gabriel had been waiting for him, so he was able to witness the inexplicable change as his son went from vibrant and alive to subjected and subdued. He looked up, startled to see his father waiting for him.

"Is everything okay, father?"

"Nathalie informs me that you have applied for a physics program? This does not seem wise."

Three years ago, Gabriel's tone and pressing would have sent Adrien into a tense ball of emotions, hackles raised like a cornered cat. Now, there was ease when he replied, "Yes, I hope to go into research or teaching."

"And what of the business? This is your company too." Neither male could miss the inference, but Adrien refused to accept the responsibility.

"I am employed there, yes, but I make no pretense of owning it. I know nothing of the business side of things and more, I have no interest in it. I'm still willing to model while in school but it will not be my priority."

Gabriel's eye twitched ever so slightly. When did his son grow so confident? When did he stop vying for his approval? "Anyone living in this house, rent free, has expectations and rules. As my son, you have an image to uphold."

Again, the attack bounced off him like it was nothing, "I understand. I'm actually moving into a flat with a friend after graduation. It's closer to university and cheaper than if I rented on my own."

"You..." This couldn't be happening. His son's flagrant disobedience and disregard was insulting. How dare he think he could toss aside everything Gabriel worked for. He would not stand for this.

"If that's all, I have studies to attend to." Adrien glanced at him curiously, then left before he received an answer. With a start, Gabriel was faced with the truth. His son was not a child anymore and he was making his own decisions. After all, when was the last time he encouraged healthy discussion between him and his son? When was the last time he talked with his son?

He intended to approach it more at dinner, only to find the table empty. He even had to order the chef to send his plate to the table instead of his room. After an hour of Adrien not showing, he reached out to Nathalie.

"Where is my son? He was absent from dinner."

The question surprised Nathalie, more so than seeing her boss at dinner, "He spends every Thursday with the Dupain-Cheng's, his girlfriend's family."

"Girlfriend?" he demanded. She gulped visibly.

"Y-yes sir. You met her last year. Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

The name rang a bell. A budding fashion designer, if he remembered correctly. He must have approved of the relationship, Adrien wasn't that rebellious. And he did note that there was a dinner scheduled, but he had dismissed it as normal. How much detail had he been missing with Adrien?

He retired to the attic, too restless for sleep or work. Butterflies drifted around him, feeding off his anxiety, itching for change. He could feel several emotions spike around the city and each time he held out his hand for a butterfly, only to shoo it away at the last moment.

Finally, around 2 in the morning, he left the attic and made his way to his son's room. He stepped inside, glancing at the sleeping form in the bed. He stood over him, noting the glint of metal on Adrien's hand. A ring he never seemed to be without. He reached for it. Growls sounded across the room.

Gabriel's eyes flitted across the large space, settling on green reflecting from the rock wall. His eyes narrowed at the small creature. The black cat miraculous. So it was true.

And just like that, a choice was presented to him. Take the miraculous and lose his son or release his aim to restore his family and repair his relationship with Adrien. It would be so simple, so easy. The slip of a hand, half of his goal would be just within reach. And if Adrien was Chat Noir, he had no doubt that his girlfriend was the other side of that coin. From what he gathered of the miraculous, those two were fated together.

He looked at his son, sleeping soundly. All he needed was to reach out. Lose his son or lose his wife? He stumbled back, somehow making it to his room before crumbling. Was this what a nervous breakdown was? He wasn't sure, regardless Gabriel was not a fan.

Sweat trickled down his neck as he gasped for breath. Nooroo fluttered about his head, silent and waiting.

"It's not worth it Mon Amor."

Gabriel's head snapped up, the image of his late wife sitting on the bed, dressed in a simple nightgown, her hair falling around her shoulders, just as she looked the last day, a smile on her lips. "You...no, you're not here."

"No," she said sadly, "I am not."

"I'm going insane."

She shook her head, "You're having a crisis, a break in character, but you can come out of it stronger."

"By letting you go," he spat, anger boiling to the surface. Her image flickered and he panicked, not willing to have her fade just yet.

"Gabriel, things can never go back to the way they were. Even if you managed to revive me." Her image stood and knelt beside him, "You must let me go. For your own sake as well as Adrien's."

"The miraculous, they can revert time. It will be like it never happened."

"It would be a half-life at best, scars and unspoken memories would still break through. Magic can only erase so much damage." She sounded a lot like Nooroo at the moment. Was it his kwami manipulating him. Fingers drifted through his hair.

"Ladybug has erased damage from the akumas, even brought people back to life."

"Yes, to those affected by magic. Magic curing magic. You are hoping to bend the laws of life to your will." Her hand rested on his cheek, forcing him to look up. Her hand chilled on his skin, a reminder that she was dead.

There was a moment of silence as he basked in her gaze, her light, but the sadness had yet to lift. "Do you remember that day on the Seine? The one before my diagnosis."

Of course he did. He remembered everything, "I promised you forever."

"And what did I tell you?"

"That no one is promised forever," he muttered, annoyed by her reminder, "You asked me to promise you the days we had left, whether it be one day or thousands."

"And then Adrien fell out of the boat," she said with a laugh, bringing a smile to his face. "That silly boy thought he could catch a fish with his bare hands."

"I don't want forever," he whispered, "Just a few more days like that."

She sighed, "Oh amor. How many days have you missed with Adrien in this futile quest? How many more will you miss if you succeed? There's still a chance to fall out of the boat and catch a few fish with your son and possibly future grandchildren. The damage isn't irreversible yet."

He held onto her hand, the words sinking into his heart, the image of children and laughter filling this mausoleum of a home.

"Make your choice, Gabriel. Don't let this opportunity slip through." He looked into her eyes as she began to fade, the sorrow lifting for the briefest moments as he said his final act as Hawkmoth.

"Nooroo, I renounce you."

The next day, the household staff were greeted by an unusual sight. A nervous Gabriel Agreste. He paced the halls, a letter and box in hand. When approached by Nathalie he simply cited he was waiting for his son. He had been up for hours, but he had to do this today, before he changed his mind.

Adrien startled when he left his room, greeted by an unkempt version of his father, his knuckles white as he gripped something in his hands.

"Is...everything okay, father?"

That seemed to douse him awake. He straightened, squaring his shoulders, "Yes. I apologize for interrupting you so early in the day, but I wanted to be sure to catch you before school. Here."

He handed Adrien the box and letter, which he took hesitantly, "What's this?"

"A graduation present. And...an apology. I have come to the realization recently that I have neglected my duties as your father and, while I cannot compensate for the time lost, I can strive to be better in the future."

Adrien's brows knitted together as he looked at the plain box and nondescript envelope. He began to fumble to open them and Gabriel's heart raced, his hands snapping up to stop him, "This present is one to open alone, or only in the eyes of your girlfriend."

His son stared at him, then slowly placed them in his bag, "I...thank you father."

He nodded and began to turn, to flee from this pitiful excuse of redemption, before Adrien grabbed his arm, "My graduation is in a few months, can I expect you there?"

An olive branch. Gabriel smiled briefly, "I'd be honored. If...you'll have many questions regarding that gift. If you at any point no longer wish me in attendance, please let me know."

"And Adrien? My door is always open."

His son nodded, still frowning as he slipped through the entry towards school. And like that, Hawkmoth was no more.