What am I for you?

Revelation

Adrien had made himself comfortable on his bed, he buried his face in one of his pillows while his cell phone on the piano played a melody itself to give the impression he was really trying to learn to play the song his father had choosen for him.
The sun itself was about to say goodbye for today and it was already getting dark. A beautiful sight in theory, however, Adrien didn't notice much of it himself.
"Why is he never happy, Plagg?" Asked the boy, his face still buried deep in the pillow.
"He is, he just has no way of showing that. It's like a hard cheese that can hardly be divided from the outside, but has a soft core on the inside." said the little black kwami before he allowed himself another piece of his beloved camembert.
"and probably no one will ever manage to even see its core," said the blond boy with a slight sigh. "Nobody but my mother at least ..."
"What about his lovely assistant? She seems to have achieved a lot already"
Plagg was right about that. And at the mere sounds of Plaggs voice saying it, Adriens thoughts wandered away from his father and to Nathalie herself. It is true. In the past year, since his mother's sudden disappearance, she had been able to achieve a lot for him. Thanks to her, it was possible for Adrien to attend school. Thanks to her he had been able to go to one or the other party of his friends. Thanks to her, he fells like one day he might be able to deal with the dead of his mother. And more than once, Nathalie had saved him from anger from his dad or simply covered him. He had also noticed for himself how close the two had gotten that year. Adrien really thought the two had become a couple, until his father had denied that vehemently, which he thought was a shame. Nathalie had been part of his family for as long as he could remember. She had always been there since he was born. Should she be able to make his father happy again, he would be happy to accept it and welcome her as his somekind of stepmother.
"She couldn't help me either .."
"But at least she tried."
Another sigh came from the boy's mouth. "I know .. But .. I just want to be seen by my father Plagg. Tell me. Why am I not good enough?"
A sympathetic open face slowly formed on the face of the little black magical being. He didn't now what to say to that. Nothing he could say would give the boy the comfort he needed. Kwamis didn't have such problems. And the time they spent among people didn't proberly pepared them for things like that. Plagg had many owners in his lifetime, but Adrien was definitely the most special of them all.
Angry from the look that Plagg now showed Adrien, he just turned away. "Forget it." he said with a soft hiss, and clearly more heartfelt than he wanted it to be. "claws out!" he ordered the little Kwami which he did immediately.
If Nathalie and Plagg couldn't help him, he would just ask Ladybug. Surely she would be able to help him.
With one jump he jumped through the wide open window, into the cold night that had already fallen over Paris. Up on one of the many roofs standing around on the houses around the property. With another leap, he left another house behind, and even two at a time with his staff. The cold air that was now blowing around his nose helped him to calm down a little. Jumping around the houses also helped a bit. But it wasn't enough. It was far from enough.

Gabriel was sitting in his own room, in front of his bed. He had his legs bent to his body while his gaze was fixed on the floor in front of him. Thanks to his Miraculous, he could feel the strong negative emotions in his house which he had caused. One quickly approaching him. Slowly he raised his head to find Nathalie in his door frame. He said nothing, looked at her and then back at the floor in front of him.
Nathalie slowly entered the room and closed the door behind her before she walked towards him.
"May I?" she asked while pointing to the seat on the floor next to him. Last thin she wanted was make the situation look like a mother scolding her son. No, she wanted to find out what was going on with the man who had been acting stranger than usual for some time now lately.
"If you want .." Gabriel replied softly while he pointed to the seat next to him with an elegant hand movement.
"Sir .." Nathalie said slowly after she had taken the place a little further from him. So she would keep a little distance. "You know, I really don't want to interfere more than necessary in the methods of raising a Kid and you have chosen for your son. But he was really worried about you today."
There was no reaction from Gabriel. He was still silent and stared intensely at the ground in front of him.
"He would just be happy if his father would be there from time to time. To eat with him, Gabriel .."
"I know .." Gabriel said quietly and carefully. "He .. I .. I should have just taken my time. It's just ... how do I say that .."
Nathalie slowly put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Take your time, Gabriel .. think about it and then say what you want to say." Moved by the touch itself, Gabriel watched her before his gaze wandered back , away from her. How did Nathalie always manage to be there for him in his darkest moments when, thanks to the Miraculouses, he was painfully aware of how hurt and angry Nathalie was because of his behavior. And yet at that moment she was the shoulder on which Gabriel could lean on. And for a moment it seemed to him as if he no longer needed to keep secrets from her.
"I don't know how to deal with Adrien. He's getting older, growing up, I know I won't be able to keep him here forever. But I'm afraid Nathalie. Afraid that he will be hurt. Afraid that I will lose him too. He's the last thing I have left.. and yet it seems I can't protect him and give him the freedom he desires.. "
"But nothing happened to Adrien .. he was not injured"
"Because you protected him"
"And I'll protect him again. I will always be there."
At these words Gabriel turned his head one more time to examine the beauty next to him. She was right. She would be there to protect his son. But what if that wasn't the case.
With a light sigh, he ran his hand through his hair, which had already lost all hold and was a little bit spaced at some ends.
"Listen Gabriel. You know as well as I do that you can't keep him here forever. He's growing up. It's good that he's growing up. You have to learn to let go of him. And take time for him. He especially misses you at the dinner table. I can't replace the family he misses so much in these moments. "
"I know .. But .. it's not easy .."
"Of course not. But it is part of life. At some point, children become fully fledged. But that doesn't mean they love they parents any less."
With a slightly submissive look he looked deeply into her soft, beautiful blue eyes until his hand moved almost by itself to her cheek where she was hit by the Akuma he made today. Which made Nathalie flinch for a moment. These moments had not been rare in the last few months, especially when the peacock Miraculous had stolen all of her powers again. But still Nathalie couldn't get used to it. Such gestures still increased the desire in her. Desire for more than they currently have. Which she tried to hide the best she could.
"Does it still hurt?" Gabriel asked
"No .. it's.. I'm fine"
There was a short silence before Nathalie winced again. Gabriel began to gently stroke her cheek with his thumb. Was he aware of what he was doing right now? Maybe? Probably not.
For a brief moment Nathalie closed her eyes and for a brief moment there was only him and her in this world. No miraculouse, no Emilie and no obligations. How much she would like to get closer to him.
"I'm glad .." Gabriel admitted cautiously, which now ripped Nathalie out of her thoughts and she tried to get her Selfcontroll again. Slowly she took his hand from her cheek. "What made you upset yesterday?"
"I .." stammered Gabriel who now turned away again. At this point Nathalie could see a pattern in his behavior. Which made her even more curious.
"I've never seen you so angry. And you once dropped a door on me out of anger."
"That ..." Gabriel stammered. Did she have to unpack the story with him as a collector over and over again? In general, how much she knew could be scary at times.
"You said it was due to you wanting me in your book of inspirations."
"I get it ..." Gabriel grumbled, which brought a slight grin to Nathalie's face.
"So .. what made you upset? I've done my job, so that's out of the picture .."
'Then you should know what it could be,' thought Gabriel to himself without saying a word.
"Or were you dissatisfied with my work, Mr. Agreste?"
'No .. that's not it ..'
"You would just have to tell me then"
'Please don't make me say it'
"So that I can satisfy you again next time and be better."
'.. this woman..'
Without a word, Gabriel now pulled on his tie, which came off his neck due to his tight pull and revealed the two miraculous that he had hidden under it. Slowly he took the butterfly off and handed it to Nathalie without looking at her. "It's easier that way ..." he stammered before dropping his little purple brooch into her hands, which made Nathalie blink in amazement. He would rarely have taken off Nooro's Miraculous and never in history had he given the brooch to someone else. Confused, she looked at the little piece of jewelry in her hand. Should she really go that far? But he had decidet to give it to her. But that surely wouldn't help her selfcontroll. But that is what she got for teasing, she suppoused.
"So I'm supposed to be a Hakwmoth? Does that make you happy?"
"Arg! No! You should put the Miraculous on now. Of course I want the brooch back"
"But-"
"Just do it, Nathalie ... please"
Carefully she attached the brooch to her sweater and in a few seconds all the emotioned ,they rolled over her like a wave coming crushing down on her. All thanks to the Miraculous that was now bringing them to her. It was overwhelming. Nathalie herself was only able to sit still for a few minutes before getting controll of herself again.
Slowly she turned her gaze to Gabriel who still stubbornly and rigidly examined the wall. He knew now that he could no longer hide anything from her. Not his feelings and the truth that came with them. slowly Nathalie also realized that he was able to do that the entire time. Now she knows what he was able to sense all this time.
Between the many emotions such as anger, sadness, relief, guilt, one particular stood out. Jealousy.
Carefully she leaned forward a little and reached out her fingertips to the man from whom all these emotions and feelings emanated until they had found their destination and took their place on Gabriel's chest. Gabriel was able feel her feelings for him the whole time. Even if this would no longer make a difference. He didn't seem to mind that Nathalie's hand was now spying on his heartbeat on his chest. Probably because the blood was already pumping far too much into his face and it was discolored turning his cheeks red.
What Nathalie took as an invitation to crawl a little closer to him so that she was now on all fours close in front of him. It all felt so overwhelming. Could it be true? Was the man she'd loved so dearly really jealous? Her big blue eyes were only focused on the man in front of her who didn't want to make any move to stop her or to move is body in generell.
Purposefully, she let her hand wander from his chest to his cheek to turn his face to her so that he now finally would looked her in the eye again.Even if is looked screamed, unsure.
"Gabriel .. I .."
"I just couldn't tell ..you I didn't know how to.."
"You're a drama queen .. and then you just give me your Miraculous .."
"It did help .."
"Yes.."
"And you are still here.."
"I will always be here for you. You know that .." Nathalie said before carefully approaching him more "Always .. And together we will bring Emilie back .." she addet hopeing the mention of Emilie would bring him to stop her.
"Yes .." Gabriel sight soflty "together we will bring Emilie back .." he repeated again what made Nathalie hold still for a moment. 'Stop me, I can't. I don't have any self-control left.. ' she said to herself ' Your alarm bells have to ring by the mention of Emilie .. or I .. I ... ' she stammered before she carefully placed her lips on Gabriel's and closed her eyes. It was a real firework of emotions which they both could now feel even with out a miraculous. It doesn't take long before they both really involved themselfs intothe kiss. It was Gabriel himself who took the first move to do so. They both lingered like that for a moment before they broke away from each other to get air. And only then, they realized what just happened. Confused, they both look into each other's eyes, one even more astonished than the other before Nathalie also sits up properly again to get some distance between them again. Her cheeks glowed like fire. She had finally managed to kiss the man of her dreams! .... Oh god she kissed the man of her dreams!
Carefully she put the Miraculous down and handed it to Gabriel before jumping up on her legs.
"I should see how Adrien is doing!" she suggested and without waiting for Gabriel's approval she left the room with a few quick step which was Duusu and Nooro's signal to finally show up again. Both with big grins on their faces. They saw it. They had seen it all. And They where very happy about it.
Gabriel himself was silent. Slowly he put a hand on his mouth, which was still pounding from the feeling of having felt Nathalie on them. He looked at the Miraculous, which was now back in his hand. He had expected a lot to happend but not that. Everything but that.
"Sooo" committed Duusu to break the silence but then she was interrupted by Nathalie who came running back to the room.
"Sir!" she said, gasping for air. "Adrien is missing from his room. And I can't find him."