Hawk-moth was gone, but so was his father and Adrien felt conflicted, he hadn't even been there to help in the final confrontation against him, and that was his fault he couldn't control his dam temper and decided to temporarily give up Plagg

He still regretted that decision, but it was too late to change it. His father wasn't exactly a great dad and his mother was certainly better suited to be a parent but he still didn't quite know how to feel it was as if he had exchanged one parent for another.

Still a victory was a victory, and he had decided to get Ladybug something to celebrate, a cake from Tom Sabine's bakery; it was the best place he knew. Needless to say, they were surprised when a superhero ordered a dessert.

He'd invited Ladybug to meet him on a rooftop overlooking the River Seine and gave her the cake. Of course, Ladybug had to pretend to be surprised, but she still appreciated the gesture all the same.

"You didn't need to do that kitty." Ladybug set the cake down before sitting down, dangling her legs over the side off the roof.

"I know, but you deserve it. Think of it as an apology for not being there when you faced Monarch." He sighed as he sat next to her.

"I'm sure you would have if you could have." She tried to comfort him, but he didn't respond.

"What actually happened when you confronted him?" She had been pretty cagey about the details, but he wanted to know.

She paused to try and think of a way to say it while keeping it vague. "He actually beat me. He got the miraculous and used the wish to bring someone back to life, but he went in their place."

This sounded eerily familiar to him. He wasn't sure he wanted the answer to his next question. "Wh-who was he?"

"Does it matter? he's gone. " Ladybug tried to deflect the question, but Chat insisted.

"Yes, it matters. I've been fighting him for a year. I'd like to know,"

Ladybug sighed before relenting. She could trust him with that he wouldn't tell anyone. "Gabriel Agreste"

Chat felt his world shatter as he heard that name. He had hoped he was wrong. He clenched his fist before quietly mumbling. "And you're okay with the world thinking he was a hero?"

"What?"

"You heard me,"

"It wouldn't be good for his family if the world knew he was -"

"Isn't that their decision to make?"

She didn't have a response to that.

"And what about me? You were happy to let me think my greatest enemy was some tragic hero? That didn't bother you at all? The man who made me terrified of my own emotions in case I got akumatised?"

"he's gone, so what does it matter! Knowing now won't change anything"

"It matters because you still don't trust me!" Chat snapped as he stood up

"Of course I do, I trust you more than anyone!" Ladybug got up to try and stop him from leaving.

"Who are you?" Chat demanded suddenly as he approached.

"Ch-chat, you know I can't tell you that," Ladybug stammered nervously

"No, we couldn't know because of Hawk-moth or Gabriel. He's gone, so if you actually trust me, you tell me who you are now." Chat refused to backdown this time. She could claim he trusted him all she wanted, but words were cheap.

"I don't know where the Butterfly Miraculous is! Anyone could have it. We still can't take the risk, " She answered a little louder than she had meant to. She hadn't expected this out of him.

"And you didn't tell me that either!?" Chat snapped back at her. How could she keep him in the dark on something so important?

"Chat, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner,"

"I know you are,"

"I know you're mad, but -"

"I'm not mad. I'm done."

"Done?"

"I'm done expecting better from you, I dont want anything to do with you."

"What about protecting Paris?"

"I'll help with that, but we're not friends. We're professional acquaintances, that's it, I'm done with you." Without another word, he turned and vaulted away, heading back home he needed to get away from her for a while.

As Ladybug watched him leave, she felt herself begin to cry more than she thought she would have, She'd always thought of Chat as one of her best friends, and she'd just ruined all that.

He jumped through his window before undoing his transformation, and before Plagg even had a chance to talk, he spoke up.

"Did you know?" Adrien asked in a hushed tone secretly dreading the answer.

"I wasn't sure if -" Plagg began

"DID YOU KNOW!?" Adrien cut him off before he could make any excuses.

"...I did," the Kwami admitted, unable to meet his friend's gaze.

"I can't believe you,"Adrien left plag to get his own food and just went to bed. But he couldn't sleep. He had too much to think about. His father was Hawk-moth, Ladybug, and Plagg had both kept it from him. There was potentially a second Hawk-moth in the near future, and he'd been kept in the dark about it.

After a few more moments of tossing and turning, he stood up. "Plagg, we're going out again."

"Kid fighting with Ladybug like this isn't going to end well Master Fu always said -"

"Master Fu? Fu played favourites this entire thing is his fault, I didn't even meet him for the first time until I threatened to quit if that doesn't show how little regard he had for me I don't know what does." Adrien was probably being a little too loud, but he didn't even care. "If anything, she's just following his example of barely telling me about anything!"

"Whatever you're going to do, sleep on it. Give yourself a chance to cool off and then -"

"Claws out." Plagg was probably making sense, but Adrien wouldn't hear it. He ran off into the night, ready to blow off some steam.

—

It was all over the news the next morning that the statue of Garbriel Agreste was rubble and spray painted in green outside the mayor's office was a message that read.

"Gabriel Agreste was Hawk-moth,"

"The Butterfly is still out there,"

Marinette skimmed through social media on her way to school. Most people were calling the vandalism disgusting and disrespectful, but there were a few people who seemed to be considering the possibility. More still, were terrified at the concept of a second Hawk-moth.

Marinette, of course, knew this had to have been Chat Noir. Nobody else knew as far as she knew, so it had to be him, but she wasn't going to out him for this if she did that. Any hope of them reconciling would be gone.

That aside, she had more important things to worry about right now. How would Adrien be taking this? It was his father. She'd talk to him as soon as she got to school.

"Hey Marinette," he greeted her with his usual friendly smile, but he looked very tired.

"Are you feeling okay?" She questioned as they headed to class. Adrien simply shrugged.

"Well, as okay as I can be, all things considered."

"You know I'm sure no one would blame you if you didn't come to school today."

"I know, but I'm not gonna let this get me down. We can talk more after class."

Without another word, Adrian walked into class and took his seat. It was quite most of the day, thankfully Adrian wasn't called upon to answer any questions, and Nino was doing his best to comfort him, but it didn't seem to be having much effect.

"I wasn't the biggest fan of your dad but spreading rumours like this after he died? That's not okay. " Adrien simply nodded in agreement, only half paying attention.

"I can see why people buy it. He was pretty reclusive, nobody knew much about him." The model sighed, resting his head against the table.

"Wait, you don't think he did it, do you!?" Nino asked a little louder than he had intended mostly out of shock.

"Well, Chat Noir told me he did, don't see much reason he'd have to lie." Adrien was, of course, lying right now, but he wasn't going to reveal his identity.

Marinette nearly choked on her drink at that, Chat had disagreed with her not telling Gabriel's family would he really go as far as telling them himself? Without even telling her? "Th-the Chat Noir!?" She spluttered, catching his attention.

"Huh? Uh yeah, he told me that Ladybug told him that my father was Hawk-moth. He said he wasn't really supposed to tell me, but he thought I deserved to know." He decided to keep it fairly vague on the details. That way, it'd be easier to make sure he didn't contradict himself.

"If Chat Noir told you about it, does that mean he's responsible for the graffiti and destroying the statue? He's certainly got the firepower." Alya chimed in. This could make for a good article all though she'd wait for hard evidence first.

"Maybe, but I think you shouldn't speculate without hard proof." Marinette didn't really want her partner labelled as a criminal even if they were fighting.

"You're probably right, but what about this second Hawk-moth he alluded to? Did he have any ideas on who that might be?" Adrien simply shrugged in response to Alya's question.

"If he did, he didn't tell me,"

"I hope he's wrong, but I guess we'll find out soon enough." Nino sighed. He didn't exactly like the idea that they'd essentially just traded one maniac for another.

They wouldn't have to wait too long as later that day Marinette got a notification on her phone about an attack downtown.

And she somewhat awkwardly excused herself, followed by Adrien, Alya, and not long after Nino.

Ladybug met up with Carapace en route to the scene, who informed her that Rena Rouge would be hanging back and providing support when they needed it.

They arrived outside the Mogador Theatre before hesitating. Apparently, the Akumatised villain was in there, but they needed a way in.

"Carapace, any ideas? I doubt the front door is safe, and I don't wanna break in."

Before he could answer, they saw Chat Noir up above smash a window and simply climb through.

"Well, we didn't break anything. We can just follow him."

Ladybug and Carapace both went through the window, and before long, they caught up with Chat on a balcony overlooking the stage, but he didn't seem too talkative.

"Hey-" Ladybug began before being cut off.

"Shhh, he's down there," Chat hushed the pair of them. Pointing down to a pale blue skinned man in a colourful suit.

"I already know you three are here," the man's voice echoed through his microphone as he looked up at them. "No need to be shy. There's room on this stage for all of us! No, really, I insist. " He held up a detonator, and as they looked around, they saw the room was full of explosives."As you can see, the audience is so excited they might just explode!"

--

Hey, it's been a while, but it really Bugs me that Adrian doesn't even know that his dad is Hawkmoth, so I decided to write this as a way to vent about it, I guess? I don't know