Ch21

Adrien sat across from Luka on a bench overlooking the Seine River. The blue haired teen was playing a relaxing melody on his guitar as a cool breeze drifted throughout the area. It was a nice calm evening and for a moment he could forget all about the struggles and worries of his own life and just relax with a friend like a normal person.

"So is your father giving you trouble?" Luka asked.

He shook his head. "We hardly speak and frankly it's better that way."

"It must have been some fight," Luka said looking at him with his deep gaze. "I'm glad you're finally setting boundaries with him."

"Me too," He admitted. "It has been a long time coming and frankly I won't be going back." His heart was determined, deep down he loved his parents and was glad his mother was back yet he was still worried about fully trusting his father.

"Well I'm glad you are better. I'm sure your father still loves you deep down," Luka said.

The sound of river proved calming as he and Luka sat and relaxed enjoying each other's company. "Yeah in his own weird way," he muttered. He also terrorized Paris. But he didn't know if he should tell Luka that can of worms. The fact that his father was a supervillain was something he did not know how he could face. I doubt I can forgive him, even if it was for our mother.

With that he continued to chat with Luka talking about their daily lives and what was new at school. It was nice to have such a normal conversation when everything in his own life was anything but normal. The bright side to all this chaos was that he no longer cared about if his father said no or not, he'd as he pleased.

When it was time to leave he and Luka high fived each other. "Stay safe and let me know if you need anything," Luka said firmly.

He nodded. "Thanks. Tell Juleka I said hi." He then took out a ticket. "Oh if you're up for it I'd like to invite you to my fashion show." Yeah he wasn't into fashion but he'd rather have someone at his fashion show who he cared about.

Luka smiled. "I'll try and make it. Oh apparently Lila is back in her class," Luka said.

"Ugh I'm not in the mood to deal with her or her lies," He said as a shiver went down his spine. "See you around."

When he got into the limo he noticed a few lights were on in the mansion. His bodyguard led the way as he entered the Agreste mansion. "Adrien."

He froze and looked up as he saw his father up on the stairs. His posture turned rigid as he looked as his father's cold gaze. "Hello father."

His father looked at him coolly. "I was wondering if we could talk in my office, alone."

"Sure." He turned to his bodyguard. "Just wait outside I can handle things if they go badly." His bodyguard gave him a worried look but nodded as he stepped aside.

His heart raced in his chest as he followed his father into the office, they hadn't really been on speaking terms with each other these past few days and not just because he let his father know that any attempt to take any of the miraculouses he had in his position would result in him meeting Venom.

"Don't worry kid I got you," Venom hissed in his head as the symbiote reverberated throughout his body.

His father closed the door to the office and went over to his desk and sat down. The two stared at each other, his father's gaze was cold and calculating as usual but he wouldn't be intimidated by his father.

"I did not know you were Cat Noir," His father said softly. "If I had known-"

He cut him off. "What? Would you have stopped terrorizing Paris?"

His father frowned. "We could've worked together to bring your mom back."

It took him a second to process what his father had said, he nearly did want to laugh. "Father I would never work to terrorize Paris, even for her."

His heart raced as his gather's brow furrowed. "Surely you wouldn't wish your mother to die would you? To remain in that vegetative state? I was working hard to bring her back for us!"

He clenched his fists as the tension in the room increased. The urge to recoil under his father's glare was pushed back by a growing anger inside of him. "Not at the cost of the city." Raising his hand he showed his father the miraculous on his finger, he swore his father's eyes gleamed with interest. "I will defend Paris against any and all threats."

His father sighed and shook his head. "I did everything for us Adrien, please understand."

He stared at his father with a sense of anger and sorrow building up inside of him. "You have a very twisted sense of love father." Clenching his fists the years of oppression he felt under his father slowly began to come up, he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to. "You love me yet I know you wouldn't have hesitated to hurt me if you knew I was Cat Noir and wouldn't support you. You love me yet you've been controlling my life since forever!"

He shook his head. "Meeting Plagg and then Venom has given me the freedom to know that there is more life than the gilded cage you provided me." Tears formed in his eyes as his body shook al l the emotions and anger he felt towards his father were coming out. "I don't want to be in a cage anymore and if you want to put me back in I won't let you."

His father stood up his body shaking as his gaze hardened. "I did what I did to protect you and this family. How can you be so ungrateful? Did those people at that school teach you to be this way?"

His blood boiled. "They did nothing! You've wanted to control me more and more since mom passed and you hate it when outsider get close to me!"

"They aren't worthy of this family!" His father snapped. "To think they can taint your mind with their lifestyles."

It took all his will power to not get angry at his father. He had heard his father make disparaging remarks about other people of different backgrounds multiple times but now he wasn't going to get into that. "You just love controlling everything don't you? It must make your blood boil that your own son was one of the very superheroes who opposed you." He shook his head. "Why am I not surprised? You aren't a normal father and we aren't a normal family."

He could feel Venom inside of him calming him down as he stared at his father, all the years of suffering he felt under his father's hand began to boil up.

"Of course not we are Agrestes we are not some common family," His father said sternly. "You should know of the burdens we all carry inside of us. The burdens I had to carry for this family and the sacrifices I made so we can get to where we are."

"I don't deny the sacrifices you made," he said calmly. "I am proud of you raising me even if it did have its faults but I won't allow you to restrict me anymore. I don't know if I can ever forgive you, the question is if you can ever forgive yourself for what you did."

With that he turned around and headed for the door. "This will be my last fashion show until I decide to do another one. Also I highly advise against trying to take my miraculous, Venom has a habit of eating people he doesn't like."

He met his father's gaze as he felt his new backbone harden. "Also if something were to happen to me or the miraculous, say you prevent me from seeing any of my friends. They will send letters and tapes to all the tabloids in Paris. The entire fashion world will know what kind of monster you are." With that he walked out on his father without so much as turning back or giving his father a chance to respond.

His blood boiled as he passed by the various photos of him and his father on the wall. He isn't even sorry for what he did. As soon as he got to his room he slammed the door behind him and let out a sob.

"Hey it'll be ok," Venom said softly as he handed him a tissue. "Me and the kwami will always stand by your side."

He cleaned his eyes as the tears fell. "Thanks." With a heavy heart he fell onto his couch. "All my life I wished he was nicer and kinder like other fathers, but deep down he is ruthless."

Deep down he knew that if his father knew he was Cat Noir he would've taken the miraculous by force, his father was ruthless in his goals and no one stood in his way.

Plagg came out of the ring. "Don't worry Adrien I'm sure you'll find a way out of this. All families have their dark sides, but you aren't alone you have friends who can help."

He sat up and grabbed the remote for his TV. "Thanks. It's just I sometimes wished my family were normal."

Turning on the TV he was greeted by thew news. "Multiple fatalities have been reported," A news reporter said as the image of a crime scene appeared on the screen. Blood was sprayed all over the walls and ground while tarps covered the remains of bodies.

"It was absolute Carnage when investigators arrived," The reporter said. "Meanwhile authorities are no ruling out organized crime or terrorism. But a nearby security camera has caught the following video"

He sat up on his chair as he looked at the screen. "Was it some kind of serial killer?" However, as he looked at the screen he could make out a long tendril shape that briefly flashed on the screen before disappearing.

Oh god. His blood ran cold as he quickly turned off the TV. "Venom did you see that?"

The symbiote's head formed on his side with a grimace. "Looks like we got ourselves another one."

He sighed as he sat back in his chair. "Any clues on how to stop this one?"

Venom frowned. "I'm not sure." The symbiote paused and looked at the window. "But it'll come for us one way or another I can feel it."

"I take it your kind are territorial?" Plagg asked.

Venom shrugged. "Yeah you can say that. But don't underestimate us, not all of them are as civilized as me or Riot."

"I'd hate to know what is seen as uncivilized," he muttered as he turned off the TV and took out the peacock and butterfly miraculous from his pocket.

Nooroo and Duusuu came out of their respective miraculous. "What do you need us for?" Duusuu asked.

He frowned. "Frankly I'm half tempted to give you both to Ladybug but it looks like we'll have our own threat to deal with. Another symbiote is out there and this one looks vicious. I may need all the help I can get."

The two kwami looked at each other before turning back to him. "We'll be at your service Sir Adrien," Nooroo said.

"Then can we go back with the other kwami?" Duusuu asked.

He nodded. "You both can I promise." Both kwami were a bit traumatized working for his father and Nathalie. He knew they wanted to be with their other kwami friends but right now he had a feeling he might need all the help he could get. Standing up he stretched his arms. "I'm going to call it a night."

He managed to get some sleep though his conversation with his father lay in the back of his mind. He'd destroy the world for what he loves and make everyone miserable for the sake of his own happiness.

Surprisingly the next morning he found his mother at the dining room table. "Good morning Adrien did you sleep well dear?"

"Y-Yeah what are you doing up so early mom?" He asked as he carefully sat across from her.

His mother smiled as she sipped some coffee. "Oh I'm feeling a bit better."

"That's good." They both awkwardly ate in peace. "Are you going to come to my fashion show?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world," His mother smiled. "I want to see how my little Adrien walks that stage."

His face reddened. "I'm glad you'll be there. Though this maybe my last acting show for a while."

His mother sipped her coffee. "Your father told me. I understand you both had quite the argument last night."

He shifted in his seat. "Yeah you can sat that." His gaze drifted to the table. "Mother when you left father kept me under lock and key. I won't tolerate him keeping me caged up anymore."

"Your father was never the best at showing his emotions," His mother said softly. "But I know he loves you deep down."

"Yeah in his own cold way," he said softly. He looked up at his mother, to his surprise he could see sorrow and sympathy in her gaze. "If he wants to be in my life again then he'll have to earn it and I won't let him continue on with how he's been treating me."

"I understand." His mother sat down her coffee. "I hope the three of us can be a true family now. One that loves and supports each other."

He fought back the emotions inside of him. "I'd like that mom."

His mother got up and smiled. "We'll have a press conference soon, where the world will know that I am back. Would you like to attend?"

A part of him was surprised that she asked him his opinion, his father never gave him that opportunity. "I'll go."