Gabriel's first move was to tell Nathalie to schedule him without any free time for being Hawkmoth. She had blinked, a bit taken aback.

"I need a break." He replied sternly. "And I'm sure that something good will happen."

"As you wish, sir."

"Oh, and Nathalie…" Gabriel paused. "Make sure that some of that time is spent with Adrien."

He wasn't sure if he hallucinated the smile on her face.

"Of course, sir."

His next move had been less easy. He had to confront Adrien about Marinette.

It was with an iron ball of dread in his stomach that he walked over to his son's room. He waved Adrien's bodyguard away, and the large man left without another word. He stared at the door to his son's room.

Gabriel had never hesitated like this before when it came to speaking to his son. Perhaps, it was because Emilie had talked some sense into him, just like she had all those years ago.

Either way, it allowed him to hear whatever was going on in his son's room. Specifically how his son was answering a phone call.

"Hello, Princess." Adrien's muffled voice reached Gabriel's ears.

He knew that he shouldn't, but he leaned in closer anyway. The nickname was familiar to him, having given it to Emilie back when they were younger. A smile threatened to break his carefully calculated mask.

Adrien really was the perfect mix of himself and Emilie. It made his heart swell in pride.

"What did you want to ask?" Adrien asked. He paused, seemingly listening to her. "Move it to tonight? Why of course, my lady."

Gabriel blinked, a bit taken aback. Move what to tonight? Adrien sighed.

"Marinette, I promise you, I literally have nothing going on. Moving up our patrol to tonight will save me from dying of boredom- not to mention that I'll get to see you sooner."

Gabriel could feel the floor beneath him slowly start to collapse. Figuratively, of course- there was nowhere safer than the Agreste Mansion.

"Ah, but I'm your alley cat, bugaboo." Adrien said cheekily in a flirty-ish voice.

"Hey, kid, you talking to pigtails?" A snarky voice that must've been his kwami's. He could invision his son rolling his eyes.

"You know as well as I do that I am, Plagg." Adrien sighed. He paused. "Yeah, Plagg just asked." Pause. "Tikki wants to talk to him? Couldn't it wait for patrol?" Another pause, and he sighed. "Alright, alright, I understand Marinette. Should I meet you at our usual place and time tonight?"

Gabriel took a small step away, thoughts surrounding his mind and focusing on going to his lair and akumatizing someone-

Only to freeze.

Emilie wouldn't approve. She had said so last night.

He had promised to try, for her. Running off and akumatizing someone wouldn't help him do that.

'But the key to getting your wife back is literally right under your nose!' Some dark thought in the back of his mind hissed.

'He's my son.' Gabriel reminded himself, steeling his resolve. 'I won't do that to him, not when I've already done so much- no, so little for him.'

"-love you, see you in a bit Princess." He heard Adrien finish up his conversation. Now was his best chance. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Adrien." He said in his normal, monotone voice. "May I come in?"

Footsteps, and then Adrien opened the door wide, allowing his father into the room.

"Did you wish to tell me something, father?" Adrien asked in a practiced way.

'Busy him, so that it's impossible for him to run out tonight.' The thought in the back of his mind whispered. 'Or call him out on his identity. Force him to give you the black cat miraculous- get Emilie back.'

Gabriel shook the tempting thoughts off.

"Adrien, I heard from Nathalie that you've been out on a date." He watched with expert eyes as Adrien froze, his eyes growing wide. "Who is the lucky girl?"

"M-Marinette." Adrien swallowed and cleared his throat, standing up a bit straighter. "I went out with Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"I see. You should invite Marinette and her family over for dinner on Saturday. I'll make sure that my schedule is free, just in case."

Adrien's jaw dropped, but the blonde swiftly picked it back up with a small, audible click.

"Are you sure?" He asked, almost in disbelief. "What if something comes up?"

"Then Nathalie can go and take care of it." Gabriel sighed, walking over and placing his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Adrien… I have realized that I may not be the best father, but I do want to spend time with my family." Adrien stared up at him, emerald eyes filled with awe and hope. "You know that it was hard on both of us when your mother left, and… if there's anything that I can do to make it up to you-"

"You don't have to do anything." Adrien interrupted, a true, and very wide, smile on his face. "Just trying is more than enough, father."

Dang it, he hadn't expected this to happen. He didn't prepare himself properly- he was going to cry.

Swiftly, so that his son couldn't see the tears building up in his eyes, he pulled Adrien into a hug. The seventeen-year old froze, but quickly returned the gesture.

The next thing that he had to do as Hawkmoth.

The temptations that he had experienced throughout the day grew stronger the second he had transformed. He called one of his butterflies over, and it landed on his hand.

But, instead of making it an Akuma, he left it there.

"I want you to deliver a message." He told the little butterfly.

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It was just before patrol when Adrien realized that there was something off in his bedroom.

His window was closed, and yet there was a white butterfly flying around in the air. He knew it wasn't dangerous, because it was white and not black.

He didn't see Plagg gaping at the butterfly instead of eating his cheese, and Adrien reached toward it.

"Why hello there." He said softly. "How'd you get in-" He was cut off, because the second he touched the butterfly it poofed out of existence. A soothing feeling ran through his body, and he could vaguely see a purple butterfly-outline around his face.

Adrien did the only sensible thing he could.

He panicked.

"What the- but I- Plagg, call-"

"Please, don't freak out, Chat Noir." A monotone voice said quietly. Adrien froze at the mention of his alter ego's name. "Yes, I know who you are, and I'm serious when I say that this is not about your miraculous, nor harming in any way."

"Then what do you want?"

"I'm here to tell you that I've given up."

"... what."

"I surrender my Miraculous to you- I give up trying to get my wife back. I have realized that there are more important things in life." A sigh could be heard. "You will find my miraculous on your bed tomorrow after you come back from school. I will not tell anyone yours or Ladybug's secret, and I hope that you and Ladybug, at least, can forgive me for all of the trouble I've caused."

"Wait." Adrien found himself speaking without thinking, even though he was processing the information given to him. "I want to thank you."

"Pardon?"

"Without you, I probably would have never gotten together with my lady." Adrien continued, unable to not say anything now. "You gave a reason for whoever gave me the miraculous to make Chat Noir and Ladybug. Without you threatening Paris, I would have never met Plagg and wouldn't be the person I am today. So, thank you, even though you terrorized Paris."

He couldn't see it, But Hawkmoth had fallen to his knees, a single tear falling down his cheek.

"You're welcome." The butterfly finally told him. The mask vanished and the butterfly materialized again, flying away and phasing through his window.

"Kid, you ok?" Plagg asked, actually worried.

"I'm okay." Adrien shook his head a bit, shaking what he had learned from his thoughts. "But I think it's time to tell my lady about it. Plagg, Claws Out!"