Their relationship had been in tatters for months now, so Adrien had taken matters into his own hands. It was time to rekindle the feelings he knew remained between them.
They still wore matching wedding rings, after all, even if he couldn't figure out why.
So he'd come into the office one afternoon and asked for a lesson on how to waltz. There was a gala coming up and he planned to attend with Marinette. Of course, he already knew how to waltz, but it wasn't hard to convince his father that his memory was foggy.
Nathalie was too tall to act as Adrien's partner. All part of his plan.
"Can you show me?" he asked the adults innocently.
His father looked at Nathalie, hesitantly taking her hand and pulling her closer to him. Adrien half-expected her to move away, but instead, she put her other hand on Gabriel's shoulder, expression tense.
To Adrien's delight, both seemed to relax as the dance progressed. Maybe it had to do with the apologetic smile his father aimed at her. There was more behind it but of course, Adrien had no idea what.
Looking almost mischievous, Gabriel lifted her by the waist and spun her around. Nathalie gasped quietly in surprise.
Whoa. Adrien didn't think he'd ever seen that side of his father before.
"I don't remember that part of the waltz," she told him, but a smile had made its way to her face.
"Improvisation." He winked at Adrien. "If it goes with the music, don't be afraid to improvise, son."
"Got it, Dad." He wondered how his father would react if he knew Adrien was taking Marinette to the gala.
By the end of the dance, Adrien could see the difference between them. Nathalie didn't move away from his father and her expression was bright.
And unlike the show he knew they'd been putting on for him recently, her emotions weren't faked.
Neither were his father's, who kept an arm around each of them.
Adrien considered his plan a success.