A/N - Hello my lovely readers and welcome to my new story. I hope you enjoy this journey. Don't forget to leave comments, they absolutely make my day.
You picked up my pieces and put me together
There's no way you'd ever know
That my heart was breaking
Cause you came and threw me a line
I was falling apart but now I'm falling forever
For someone who won't let go
My love's a token
Because of you I'm unbroken.
Now every piece of my heart is falling back into place
("Unbroken" by Stan Walker)
Chat Noir looked up into ocean blue eyes, tears pooling within them. She had brought him back from the dead again. Hawk Moth's akumas had slowed down in number, but had been getting more dangerous as the years had gone on. He may be no closer to his goal, but the villain of Paris had been able to up the ante against the heroes. Ladybug believed he had been merging the Peacock and Butterfly Miraculous, creating even greater supervillains. It would explain why they hardly saw Mayura anymore. It helped not having the extra villain to contend with, but Hawk Moth hardly needed his bird sidekick when he was akumatizing multiple victims at once himself.
To make matters more difficult, Ladybug had been reluctant to bring in the other heroes to help, preferring to merge Miraculous instead. While Ladybug had said several of their allies were no longer in Paris, many of the heroes' identities had also been compromised over the years and while Chat loved battling by his Lady's side, a little more help wouldn't have gone astray, especially when he knew that sacrificing himself would leave her all alone.
What was haunting him most now though wasn't that death had stared him down the face yet again, he knew the consequences of the choices he makes, it was the look in Ladybug's eyes when he came back. It was still quite early in the morning when they finally defeated the akuma. At first Chat thought perhaps he had been dreaming when he opened his eyes to see her beautiful tear filled blue orbs searching his, aware that his head laid in her lap. She tenderly ran her fingers through his hair calling "Kitty" softly to him. He blinked at her and said "Hey Bugaboo" with his usual bravado. He expected her to shide him like she normally did, tell him he was reckless and irresponsible. Instead her facade cracked, wrapping her arms around him as she cried into his shoulder.
"Don't scare me like that Chaton." She whispered into his ear. "Don't ever leave me."
"I promise m'lady. I'll always come back to you." He replied, just as her Miraculous began to beep. As they got older, their Miraculous lasted longer, but so did the fights, and their kwami's were no doubt exhausted, as he knew she was.
Chat sat up, pressed a kiss to her forehead and scooped her up into his arm. He frantically looked for a place to hide her from the nearby news helicopter. She held onto him, limp in his arms. She felt so small. As the last beeps of her earring rang out, he dived into a covered garden on top of one of the roofs. Pink light engulfed her, and Chat slid his back down the wall behind the potted plants, holding her firmly to his chest.
"Chat..." Her voice quivered.
"It's all right m'lady, I've got you. My eyes are closed. I promise I didn't see anything." He said to try and reassure her, running his hand in soothing circles on her back.
"I know Chat." She said quietly, holding onto him tighter, her face pressed against his shoulder. "I trust you." His own Miraculous began beeping, and she pulled back from him slightly.
Marinette rested her hand to his chest. She could feel the steady beat of his heart under her hand. He was alive, and right now that was all that mattered. Not Hawk Moth, not the Miraculous, not even her identity, just that he was there and he was alive. She lifted her eyes back to his face. The early morning light filtered through the green tinged sunroof and illuminated his features. He really was beautiful with his eyes still closed and his mouth slightly open. She lifted her hand from his chest and gently brushed the long bangs from his face. He flinched at first, the contact unexpected. Marinette paused before she ran her fingers down his cheek and across his defined chin, her heart racing as she did. His ring beeped again and Chat let out a shaky breath.
"M'lady?"
"There's a fire escape. I can go down that way." She said, knowing it was what he was going to ask. It was always like that with them though, like they could read each other's thoughts. He always seemed to have known exactly what she wanted, what she needed. Do you know what it is that I really want Chaton? She said in her mind. Can you hear my thoughts? Can you feel the beating of my heart the way that I feel yours? She questioned herself as she watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. Marinette felt she was betraying her own heart by looking at Chat like this.
Her breath on his face let him know how close she was to him, his hand still cradling her waist. He could smell cookies in her hair. He hadn't noticed it before. Perhaps the transformation masked it like everything else. It was familiar and made him feel warm inside. Chat carefully moved his hand up Ladybug's arm until he found her cheek, gently rubbing his thumb across her skin. He wished he could feel her softness without the gloves.
"I'll wait here for awhile. You'll have plenty of time. I won't look."
"Chat, I..." She began, and he held his breath and waited, but there was no sound. When his ring beeped again he reluctantly let her go and felt her slowly move from his grasp. A moment later, Plagg fell into his lap and she was gone.
~~~~~
Adrien jumped through his bedroom window and dropped his transformation, flopping onto his bed. Not only had he been having to battle more complex akumas lately, but his father had kept his schedule packed for months. He'd barely had time to sleep, let alone catch up with anyone. He knew he should try and sleep now, but his mind was racing. Something was different about Ladybug. It wasn't the first time one or both their transformations had fallen, but it was the first time she hadn't tried to hide. She trusted him, but somehow it felt more than that. Before his own transformation wore off, she had hesitated, like she had wanted to stay.
Adrien shook it off, picking up his phone to check his email. Any tiredness soon left him though when Adrien received an email from the university he was to finally start attending. He had been waiting for his class schedule, but this was not what he was expecting to see at all. Printing it out, he ran into the hall and found Nathalie walking through the corridor. "Nathalie." He called out, his father's assistant taking in his crossed features. "Do you know anything about this?"
He showed her the paper and watched her expression change. "I don't understand Adrien." She said, shaking her head. "I confirmed your on campus enrolment last week." Her bewilderment was clear to Adrien as she handed the paper back to him. He should have known Nathalie wouldn't do something like this.
"Then I guess only one other person who would have been responsible then."
Adrien marched towards his father's office. He didn't know if he was angry, frustrated or both. Adrien thought he was used to his father manipulating his life, but he wasn't sure he could handle much more. After his father had pulled him out from the last year of Lycèe and back into homeschooling again the one light in the dark Adrien had was that he would be able to attend university the following year, maybe even get his own apartment. That went out the window when his father forced him to then take a gap year, insisting that he should learn more about the company while upping his PR work. Now he was already a year behind his peers in starting study and the forced isolation was beginning to have an affect on his mental well-being. If it hadn't been for Ladybug he may very well have gone stark raving mad.
Adrien knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. Permission! His father's office in his own house and he still needed permission to enter like a naughty little boy who had been sent to the principal's office. It added insult to injury.
Nathalie followed him in as he entered and headed to her desk. She took a sip of her glass of water before taking a seat. Gabriel barely lifted his head from where he was working to acknowledge his son. "What is it Adrien, can't you see that I'm very busy."
Adrien took a deep breath. "Yes, very busy interfering in my life." He held up the paper he had printed out. "Why did you cancel my enrolment at the university?" Adrien tried to keep his voice even, but he feared the quiver betrayed him. It was rare that Adrien would challenge his father. The last time he did it was because of Lila being unprofessional in a photoshoot. His father responded by arranging for Adrien to do an underwear advertisement which he knew Adrien hated doing. This was more detrimental though, and he was tired of his life never being his own.
"Your hair looks like a shaggy dog Adrien, it needs cutting."
Adrien pulled his hair back into a tie. "I really don't care what you think about my hair." Adrien practically growled. "Answer me."
Gabriel didn't answer immediately, making Adrien wait. "I did not cancel your enrolment Adrien. I simply transferred it to the more suitable online program." He still hadn't looked up from his computer.
Adrien gritted his teeth. "You promised me that if I resigned my modeling contract for another three years that you would let me attend university. It's written in the contract, father." He spat, his voice raising. "You gave me your word."
Gabriel paused what he was doing and finally looked up at Adrien. "And I have kept my word." He replied in a flat tone. "It says in paragraph five, section two that you may study a tertiary business course while you work for the brand. I never stipulated how that study would occur. Your future commitments to this company, as per your contract, will make it too difficult for you to attend on campus courses. You will be studying your business courses online, that is all."
"That is all?" Adrien retorted. "That is all? That was not the deal and you know it." He seethed. "And I only agreed to study the business course because you wouldn't give me any other options." Gabriel continued to ignore the rising anger in his son.
"Are you questioning my authority Adrien? Haven't I always done what was best for you?"
Adrien folded his arms. "That's debatable." He mumbled under his breath.
"Your last photoshoot was subpar to say the least. Despite what that photographer of your says, I find your performance to be unsatisfactory, and this attitude is precisely why I removed you from school in the first place. You were being led astray by those people you called your friends. Your behaviour had become defiant and I have it on good authority that you had been going places without my permission - like that houseboat with those rag tagged musicians and that boy that thinks himself as a DJ and his nosey reporter girlfriend. Not to mention that bakery girl ruining your diet with all those carbs..."
"Leave Marinette out of this." Adrien bristled between his teeth. Gabriel raised an eyebrow at his sudden defensiveness but let him continue. "Those rag tagged musicians as you called them, just signed their second major record deal with Bob Roth and are touring with Jagged Stone. Nino is following his dreams in a music tech apprenticeship and living in a happy relationship with Alya who is an understudy at the BBC in London and as for Marinette..." He let out a sigh. "Marinette is always amazing no matter what she does. I guess Lila did her job well, isn't that right father? Or are you going to deny that she had been your little snitch that you had sent to spy on me."
Garbriel gave him an incredulous stare. "Spying is a dirty word Adrien. I prefer to think of it as protecting you from making unfortunate choices."
"It's my life father. I have a right to be able to choose the people I want to be around."
Gabriel ground his back teeth together and narrowed his eyes. "Your choices reflect on this company and family. I had hoped some of this attitude of yours would have left you by this, but I see you clearly have a lot more growing up to do." He said curtly.
Adrien was struggling to control his growing anger. "I am an adult in case you hadn't noticed. You can't lock me away anymore and treat me like a child." Gabriel gave him a deadpan look.
"There is the door Adrien, you are free to leave. Go be an adult then if you're so keen to. Remember that if you walk out you will be in breach of your contract and all that entails." Adrien wanted to go, dear god with every fibre of his being he wanted to run out that door and never look back, but where would he go? Who would he even go to? Adrien could feel Plagg pressing a paw to his chest under his shirt. It was the Kwamis way of letting him know to calm down and not do anything rash.
Gabriel took his silence as an admission. "I thought not. At any rate, you will be accompanying Miss Tsurugi to a business networking event tomorrow night. She returns from Japan in the morning and I expect to see you representing the brand in a professional manner." He heard Adrien grumbling under his breath. "Would you rather attend with Miss Rossi?"
Adrien summoned the most fierce glare he could muster. "You can't be serious." Gabriel just scoffed at him.
"No, I suppose not." The designer mused, but the blond was far from amused.
"I'll tell you what father, why don't you try having Lila pore her hands all over you for hours and see how much you like it." Adrien bit back.
"Need I remind you that is your job Adrien. No one pretended that modelling was glamorous. You have no designer ability, but you were blessed with your mother's beauty and it is that face that keeps this brand alive." He said, pointing his finger between Adrien's eyes. "Lila is an excellent model and a valuable asset to this company. Your personal feelings towards her are not my problem. I would, however, like to see some progression in your relationship with Kagami. You have known her for years now, and there is a level of expectation. You will be twenty in a few months and Kagami is a perfect choice for a wife. You know it's what your mother would have wanted."
Adrien ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Whenever his father wanted to guilt trip him into anything, he always brought up Adrien's mother, knowing how much Adrien wanted to make her proud. Nathalie was looking over her glasses at them from her desk. Gabriel looked over at her, but quickly looked away from her glare.
Adrien had spent a great deal of time with Kagami over the last few years, both through fencing and socially. His father had arranged for Kagami to accompany Adrien to several social events, and while he always enjoyed her company, he was well aware of the gossip columns already speculating over the nature of their relationship. Now Adrien was questioning his father's real motives.
"Kagami and I don't have that kind of relationship. I like her, she's a great friend, but I'm not in love with her." Adrien said. "I'm not going to pretend that I am for your benefit." Nathalie stood up from her desk and walked over to where the two men were standing.
"Sir, you're not suggesting..."
"If I wanted your opinion on this Nathalie, I would have asked for it." Gabriel shut her down and Nathalie gave Adrien an apologetic look.
Tentatively Adrien tried to talk to his father again. "Father I..."
"Love is a relative term Adrien." Gabriel's voice had flattened out once more. "Your romantic ideals do not reflect the real world. There is no such thing as destiny or soulmates or happily ever after. It is your job as my son to represent this company and marry suitably within your station." Adrien frowned at him for that, but Gabriel ignored it. "You clearly have no idea about choosing the right partner. Your mother and I didn't build this fashion empire just to watch it crumble under your childish incompetence. Kagami has beauty, intelligence and the right background, not to mention the Gabriel brand has well established ties with Tsurugi Industries. A merger would be to our mutual benefit. Now if you don't mind."
Adrien glared at the hand waving him away, like he was nothing more than some sort of stray. Maybe he was, because this didn't feel anything like a family to him. Families supported and cared about each other, not profits and bottom lines. Families were like Nino's or Alya's. Families were like Marinette's. Adrien scrunched up the paper in his hand and threw it across the ground before storming towards the door.
"One moment Adrien." Gabriel called. Adrien stopped and turned around with a contemptuous look. His father opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small black box. Walking over to his son, Gabriel held out the unassuming box.
"I gave this to your mother when I proposed to her. I expect to see it on Kagami's finger by the end of the summer." Adrien slowly reached out, taking the box and opening it. Inside was a 4ct flawless square cut blue diamond solitaire on a platinum band. It was large, over the top, and was worth more than most people would make in years. Adrien honestly couldn't remember ever seeing his mother wear it and it was nothing like the kind of ring Adrien would have chosen. There was a coldness about it and it was very much something his father would buy. A show piece, not a show of love from the heart.
"But father..." Adrien began to protest, but Gabriel cut him off.
"I'm not going to sit around waiting for you to come to your senses on this Adrien and enough time has been wasted. I want to be announcing your engagement in time for the Autumn launch. We can then look at a spring wedding the following year. It will certainly give a boost to our bridal sales."
"So all this is just to boost your sales?" Adrien questioned exasperated. Gabriel glared over his glasses. Adrien may have been the same height as him now, but Gabriel knew his son still found him intimidating.
"No Adrien, of course not. After the wedding you will go with Kagami to Japan as the new head of our Asia Pacific expansion."
"What!" Adrien was dumbfounded. He can't marry Kagami, he can't leave Paris and he absolutely can not leave Ladybug. He is Chat Noir, his duty and his purpose was here. His Lady was here. His whole life was being snatched from him right before his eyes.
"I really don't see what your problem is with this Adrien." Gabriel said dryly. "You are not only my son, but the future of this company. I expect you to do as you are told."
"And what if I don't?" Adrien asked, contempt dripping from his words.
"Don't cross me Adrien." Gabriel warned. "Remember, the security system on this house works both ways you know." Gabriel could see the betrayed look in his son's eyes. Without saying another word, Adrien lowered his head and left the room.
Nathalie turned to also leave when Gabriel called her back, grabbing her arm. Gabriel looked down over his glass at her, but let go at her cold glare. "You don't agree with me do you?"
Nathalie pursed her lips. "No Gabriel, I don't. I don't approve of you forcing Adrien into a marriage of convenience, and at his age." She could see Gabriel's nostrils flare.
"I can't risk it. The sooner he and Kagami are married and in Japan the better it will be for the company." Nathalie looked at him disapprovingly and Gabriel scowled at her. "Why do you think I went to the trouble of making sure Kagami was put in the same fencing class as Adrien? Why I tried to keep him away from everyone? I need this merger to happen. Tomoe Tsurugi will hand over control of her company to Kagami in the next year or so and I want this merger in place by then."
"Why on Earth would Mrs Tsurugi do that?" Nathalie asked, confused. "She runs that company with an iron fist."
Gabriel gave a grin that made Nathalie feel decidedly uncomfortable. "What little vision she had left is deteriorating rapidly and she will be completely blind within a year. She'll still be there of course, but in the background. Kagami will be the one in charge on her mother's behalf. I want that business under the Agreste holdings banner. It would be foolish not to capitalise on this. A merger by marriage is always stronger than on paper." He paused for a moment, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. "I feel like I've been losing control."
"So you control Adrien's life instead? Is he nothing more than a commodity to you?" Gabriel gave her a sour look.
"He's much more than that Nathalie. He is the face of this company. Everything is tied to him. I should never have listened to you and let him go to public school. I could have lost him."
"He liked a girl Gabriel, there was no crime in that. For the first time in his life he had real friends. Did it never occur to you that Lila was most likely lying to you and acting out of jealousy?"
"Obviously she was. I knew exactly what Lila was when I took her on, but the outcome is no different. Miss Dupain-Cheng was not suitable." He said dismissively. "I won't deny that she had some impressive design talent, but a girl who drops out of the best fashion school in Paris clearly is not cut out to be part of this company nor is she suitable for my son."
"Isn't that a little harsh given the circumstances?" Nathalie said, shocked but not surprised at his coldness. Gabriel pressed his lips into a thin line. Yes it was harsh, but he wasn't about to back down now.
"Life can be cruel Nathalie, you either rise above it or succumb." He said, turning away from her.
Nathalie folded her arms. "So your solution is forcing Adrien into an early loveless marriage?"
Nathalie watched him as he sat back down at his desk. Emilie was gone as far as Nathalie was concerned, nothing more than a preserved relic behind glass to be venerated and worshiped like a fallen Angel and yet Gabriel wouldn't give up. He was still trying to be in control. This wasn't what she had signed up for and Nathalie didn't believe any of this was what Emilie would have wanted for Adrien either. Emilie may have had her faults, but Adrien meant the world to her. Nathalie almost wanted Gabriel to succeed in bringing Emilie back, if only so Emilie could stop his insanity.
"Despite what you think, I do love Adrien and I want what is best for him." Gabriel said more quietly.
"Love? Is this what you call love? How did an arranged marriage work for you Gabriel?." Gabriel shot her a foul glare.
"I loved Emilie." He declared vehemently. "I gave her everything and I will continue to give everything."
"And how much did she love you?"
Gabriel stilled. "No one forced her Nathalie." He said in a lower voice. "Her father was worried about the company she was keeping - directors, actors, you know what the scene was like, you were there. I promised I would look after her. I promised."
"And Adrien?"
Gabriel fisted his hand before letting it go again. "Amelie is asking a lot of questions. I don't know what she knows. Her and Emilie had always been close. It would be better if Adrien wasn't here. She's putting pressure for me to have Emilie declared legally dead and I'll be damned if I hand over half this company to her."
"You won't have a choice." Nathalie pointed out. "Emilie's last will named Amelie as executor and the recipient of her share of the board."
Gabriel shook his head. "Adrien was still a child when she did that. She would have changed it if she'd had more time." He gave Nathalie a determined look. "I will have Emilie back by the end of this year. I swear it."
~~~~~
Adrien paced up and down in his room, the ring box practically burning a hole in his hand. Thumping down into his computer chair, he bumped the mouse on his desk and brought up a picture of himself standing at the Trocadero with Alya, Nino and Marinette. The photo had been taken the day before Alya and Nino had left for London. Adrien hadn't seen much of Marinette since then, his father piling up his modeling and other commitments letting time get away from him. At least that's what he told himself. The truth was in a way he was also avoiding her.
Adrien felt bad that he hadn't been able to help her in some way. He really was a terrible friend, but he didn't want to suddenly show up on her doorstep and burden her with his problems. On top of that, his own feelings towards Marinette were confusing him, even more so after what had happened with Ladybug that morning. Adrien let out a defeated sigh. "This isn't fair Plagg. I'm almost twenty and he's still treating me like a child. Telling me who I can see, who I can be friends with..." he closed his eyes and sighed. "...and who I should love."
The black cat Kwami chewed on his Camembert and watched as his chosen dropped his head on the desk, rolling the ring box around in his hand. "So what are you going to do? You can't leave Paris or Ladybug without giving up your Miraculous." He said, urgency and worry evident in his voice. Plagg didn't want Adrien to leave anymore than he did. Adrien looked up at him, his eyes pained.
"I know that Plagg. Believe me I know. And I can't very well tell Kagami why I can't leave. I mean, it's not that I don't trust her but the first person I wanted to share my identity with was Ladybug."
"You know you're not the first Chat Noir to find himself in an arranged marriage." Plagg offered unhelpfully.
"That doesn't make me feel a whole lot better. I hardly expected to be facing a situation like this in this day and age. It's not the 16th century anymore in case you hadn't noticed and I'm not some Prince that has to marry a Princess."
"But that's exactly what you are Kid. Companies are like kingdoms in the old days and marriages of allegiance are now arranged in boardrooms instead of the King's court. The problem you have is that Kagami is the wrong Princess, am I right?" Adrien looked away from him. "Why don't you talk to Ladybug about it?" Plagg suggested. "She usually has good advice." Adrien looked at him before flopping his head back in his seat.
"What can Ladybug do? I can't very well say to her my father wants me to marry this other girl and leave Paris, would you marry me instead? She'd yeet me off the Eiffel Tower."
"She might say yes."
"Yeah right." He said listlessly. "She'd probably demand my Miraculous and send me on my way." Plagg let out a little huff.
"She wouldn't do that Kid. You forget that I know her, and I know she would help you any way she could." Adrien shook his head.
"Why would anyone want to help Adrien Agreste? To most people I'm just a face on a billboard. Besides, how could I explain all this without revealing my identity. I can't imagine there are too many nineteen year old models with megalomaniac fathers." Plagg sat on the desk and placed a paw on his chosen's hand. He hated seeing the defeated look in Adrien's eyes.
"Well, what about pigtails then? You always got along with her, I'm sure she would help you. You always say how amazing she is." Adrien let out an incredulous laugh.
"Oh sure Plagg, I'll just walk into the bakery and say hey Marinette, sorry I haven't talked to you for months, can you hide me from my power hungry father? She'd probably throw a rolling pin at me and I wouldn't blame her. Anyway, I think she's dating Luka now. I doubt he would appreciate it." Plagg folded his arms and flipped his tail around. This boy sometimes...
"It was just a suggestion?"
Adrien gave his Kwami a knowing smirk. "You just want to get into her baked Camembert and cheese danishes."
Plagg poked his nose in the air. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Adrien shook his head. "I don't know what to do Plagg. My father wants that engagement ring on Kagami's finger by the time they launch the Autumn collection. You know how difficult my father can get. If I try to hold out, he'll find a way to force my hand and either way, that doesn't stop him making me go to Japan. I'm sure there is some other damn loophole in my contract he will exploit." He opened the ring box and looked at the blue stone and he felt like he was drowning in it. "I can't do this anymore Plagg. I can't keep letting him control my life like this. I don't want to be his model, I don't want his company, I don't want any of this."
Adrien pushed the ring away from himself and getting up, stood at his vast windows. Images of Ladybug's fearful eyes earlier that day invaded his memory. He had more important things to worry about. Ladybug had felt so vulnerable when he was holding her, like the weight of the world was on her slender shoulders. All he wanted was to help her, be there for her, to love her. How could he be what she needs if he's hundreds of miles away?
Adrien rolled his hand into a fist and pressed it against the glass. Ladybug was his best friend, sometimes his only friend, and the lines of their relationship were blurry at best, yet until today she had always held back her emotions. There were moments where he would catch a look in her eyes, and his heart would flutter that maybe this time she would say those words he had longed to hear. Then the moment would be gone. She kept the wall in place and he couldn't seem to find a way to break it down.
"You okay kid?" Plagg asked at the frown on Adrien's face.
"Yeah, I'm okay." The model held back tears as he looked back out the window. He felt like an animal in a gilded cage. To the world outside he had everything you could dream of, but he didn't have what he really wanted, to be his own person, and it was like something inside him had begun to die.