24. Part Three - Secrets and What is Necessary

"Not bad," Tortue de Fer begrudgingly agreed, much to Rena Argenté's slumping annoyance. Chat had made sure to be overly enthusiastic about the results of her first time using her powers, as he'd known Ladybug wasn't in any mood to offer much more than a smile. But he couldn't hold up the positive vibes all on his own. Fer staring at Rena like she'd just spit in his cereal certainly didn't help morale, nor did his defensive body language.

"Well, I think it's perfectly convincing," Rena decided stiffly, turning back to the scene that was still playing out before them. The four superheroes were currently hiding quite well behind some ash-stained chimney's, while the horde of reporters down the street were running after the the illusion Rena had created that matched their likenesses.

All but Ladybug's anyway, which Rena had created to resemble what she'd looked like prior to their transformation that very day. The illusion had her upgraded costume and wings to match Chat Noir's, which was to dissuade any unease in Paris' populace. It was bad enough that the damage done to Notre Dame had been so extensive and then left all through the night. Seeing Ladybug out of sorts (because even the daftest would realize something wasn't right) would only put the city more on edge than it already was.

In any case, the illusion of Ladybug had made a show of summoning her miraculous to fix all the damage, while the real Ladybug had done it behind the scenes. All that could be was repaired, leaving the city once again quiet and altogether too calm given the shadows the four heroes knew yet lurked.

"You did a great job," Chat said, offsetting Nino's bad attitude as he came forward and laid a hand gently on Rena's shoulder. She smiled up at him, clearly happy to be getting some kind of positive reinforcement. He could tell she was excited to have a miraculous—much as he had been when he'd first become Chat Noir—and it was actually rather sad that she had to enter the scene after such a disastrous confrontation.

"I just hope I'll be able to train enough that my powers will actually be helpful the next time we…" Her meaning was obvious, Chat watching as the four illusions she'd created bounded from rooftop to rooftop, avoiding contact with anyone and anything that might cut across them unexpectedly and dissipate the trick. Until they'd all sufficiently outrun anyone chasing them down, at which point they vanished behind some buildings and disappeared fully.

The foxtail shaped zipper Rena wore began to beep a moment later, signaling that she had limited time left before she'd transform back.

"You'll get there," Chat replied. "Don't worry too much—we're all here to help you."

She nodded. "You're right. After all, if Lila could do it, then I certainly can."

Chat smiled, deciding not to ruin the day further by pointing out that Lila and Queen Bee had both been assisted by Hawkmoth in accessing their powers. She'd find out eventually, after all, so there seemed little point in bringing her spirits down further.

Besides, Chat had plenty of bad news yet to dole out that day. He wasn't too interested in adding more to the load.

"We'll see," Fer interjected a moment later, seemingly intent on countering every bit of Chat's attempt to lighten the mood. "If you can't improve fast enough, then you might only be a liability against certain foes."

Which was true, but Chat didn't really think it needed to be said out loud. Then again, he wasn't entirely surprised that Fer seemed to be actively working against him. They had yet to discuss his little magic trick during the previous battle. To say that Chat was still somewhat miffed about the whole thing was a bit of an understatement.

"If you can do this, so can I," Rena replied darkly, her arms crossing severely over her chest.

"I—we—had a proper teacher," Fer pointed out. "Who is now dead, in case you forgot."

"No, I didn't forget," Rena snapped. "Did you forget how I was there, with you, the whole time?"

A fact that only added to Fer's obvious discomfort.

"What is your problem?!" Rena finally barked, Chat backing away from the confrontation to join Ladybug, who was standing some off to the side and watching the entire exchange in silence.

"Clearly, it doesn't matter," Fer bit back.

Alya growled. "I don't understand you! One minute you're avoiding me, the next you're flirting with me! Then you're kissing me and now you're being a dick again! What the hell, Nino?!"

"You don't understand," he said stiffly. "None of you understands."

"Then explain!"

"I can't do that!" he practically shouted, before releasing a frustrated growl of his own. "I can't just explain everything, alright?! It's not that simple! I have a responsibility that I can't…" He took a deep, steadying breath, clearly trying to compose himself. "What we do is dangerous, Alya. It's bad enough that I have to watch the two of them," he gestured to Chat and Ladybug, "constantly put themselves in danger. So forgive me for not being all that thrilled at you joining the team."

"It's not your job to protect me, Nino," Rena replied simply.

"It's not your job to protect any of us," Chat said pointedly, drawing Fer's sharp gaze his way. True, that wasn't exactly the case given how the miraculouses and their users were expected to function, but seeing as such relationships were extremely complex, the statement got his point across well enough.

"That's not fair, Adrien. Don't even go there," Fer said, his voice so guarded that it sounded as though he were speaking through his teeth.

"You went there first," Chat dared to say.

Fer glared at him.

"That is enough." Finally, Ladybug stepped forward. Though she sounded tired, her voice still carried her typical sternness. "Fighting amongst each other isn't going to help anyone. Fer, I don't know what your responsibilities are as the guardian, but they're not going to impede on our status as a team. Alya has a miraculous now because Chat and I decided she should, that's it. So I suggest you get on board with that."

A scolding that Fer clearly didn't appreciate, but that he didn't object to either.

"And as far as you, Rena, you need to realize that Fer does know what he's talking about. If you want to get up to speed, you're going to have to listen to all of us. I know exactly how rocky the relationship between you two has been, so it's going to be easier for all of us if the both of you just get over it. Chat and I have already been through that kind of team dynamic as far as our own problems, so I assure you, I'm not going to deal with it again."

She looked sternly between the two of them. "Is that clear?"

Neither of them said anything for a few moments, until Fer finally offered her a silent nod, which inspired Rena to mumble out a barely audible "yes."

"Good." Apparently satisfied it was settled, Ladybug took a huffing breath and said nothing more. Watching her, Adrien saw the way she wavered a bit in place, appearing far too much like a leaf liable to blow away in the breeze.

She was ill—injured. Perhaps she needed rest, as anyone would for any sort of wound.

"Fer, why don't you take Rena and give her a tour of the city from above, hm?" Chat decided, stepping forward and placing a steadying hand on Ladybug's shoulder. "After all, she needs to know all the best places to hide out and recharge."

Fer sighed. "Yes, alright."

"What are you two doing?" Rena asked, sounding more concerned than put upon.

"Ah, we're gonna head back to the bakery," Chat decided.

Rena looked pointedly at Ladybug. "Do you want to go back?"

She blinked as though she hadn't even been listening, which only had all of them watching her in further concern. "Um, yes, that's fine. Back home. I want to go back home."

Pursing her lips, Rena nodded before tearing her gaze away and putting her attention back on Fer. He motioned her after him a second later, sparing Adrien only a quickly guarded look before he took off. Rena bounded after him.

"Can you make it back home?" Chat found himself asking, once he and Ladybug were alone.

"Yes, of course," she said shortly. "I was just… distracted, that's all."

"It's alright," Chat said gently. "I'm not… I'm not trying to coddle you, My Lady. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Any defensiveness in her posture dissipated then. "Of course," she said quietly. "I'm just—I'm just tired." Reaching up, she pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers and released a shaky breath.

"I know," Chat murmured. "I know…"

They ducked down into an alley a few minutes later, deciding it would be best that no one see Ladybug in her current "state." They walked the rest of the short distance back to the bakery, Mari tucked up under Adrien's arm. He felt almost like she wanted him to be a shield around her, and so that was what he did his best to become. They walked in silence, Adrien careful not to bump anyone as they made their way through the city streets.

The bakery was still closed when they finally arrived. The miraculous ladybugs had repaired all the damage done by Volpina, but it still appeared somehow… off. Haunted, maybe. Marred with the scars of the battle as well as those inside it. Which Adrien found incredibly disheartening. He'd come to look at the bakery as a place of warmth and positivity, yet now it seemed shadowed by things much larger and darker.

Tom was working at the counter as they walked in, the sound of the bell as they opened the door almost jarring. Looking up, he smiled at the sight of them, before motioning around the repaired bakery.

"I suppose I have my daughter to thank for this miraculous fix-up," he said. Yet Adrien could see the fragility in his expression. It was no different than the small smile Mari spared her father in return.

The whole exchange made him… angry.

Angry at their enemies, angry at the universe. And angry at himself, as well as all the previous black cats.

But showing that anger wouldn't help anyone, so he put on a fake smile of his own and did his best to push through it.

"Ladybug's the best of us for a reason," Adrien assured. Which had Tom releasing a pleased sort of hum as they made their way past the counter to the door at the back. Mari finally separated herself from him as they climbed the stairs, but Adrien stayed right behind her nonetheless. All the way up to the apartment, which was stale with silence. Sabine was nowhere to be found and Adrien watched Mari cast her parent's bedroom a pointed glance before she moved on to the narrow stairs leading up to her own bedroom.

He continued to follow, closing the hatch door behind them. He watched her as she drifted over to her desk chair, her hands landing on the back of it as if to steady herself, before she seemed to waft over to her sewing machine. She ran her fingers along the top of it, then to some fabric that was sitting beside it. Yet she picked up nothing, her gaze and expression distant. Like she was… somewhere else.

Adrien swallowed hard. "Hey, c'mere," he said gently. She looked up at him with something akin to wonder. Which was disconcerting because, one, it either meant she'd forgotten he was there, or, two, was still having trouble believing that he was alive at all.

Moving closer, he took her hands in his own before leading her over to the chaise on the other side of the room. Pulling her down with him, he made sure to keep her hands in his own as they sat. He rubbed them lightly, much as someone would in order to warm them. Her fingers weren't cold, but the way she unconsciously deflected his mental attempts to reach her reminded him of something similar.

He missed her. It hadn't even been a day since the battle, but the gaping hole in his consciousness where she'd previously been made him feel hungry. Empty almost. She wasn't gone, but it was like she was submerged in a pit so deep that he couldn't reach her. And all the space between them was casting a chill over his thoughts.

He wanted to fix it. He wanted to do something. But he didn't know how, which left him as helpless as she was.

The guilt that had been trickling down through his whole body since he'd woken up that morning didn't help matters. On one hand, he felt responsible for how "wounded" she was. It was because of him that this had happened—because of her connection with him. It didn't make him regret anything they'd ever done, but it made him all the more desperate to find a cure, if such a thing even existed. Any way to relieve her of whatever pain she was feeling that he couldn't touch or understand. Which ran in contradiction with what he had to tell her, because he knew it'd only add to her misery. Yet, another line of guilt was growing the longer her kept it to himself.

He'd learned his lesson about lying by omission, after all. Telling her was the only option, no matter the consequences.

"I need to talk to you about something," he finally managed to choke out, his hands tightening some around hers. "I—I need to tell you something, actually."

Having vacated their persons, Tikki and Plagg looked knowingly at one another from where they floated nearby, Tikki with an air of tense expectation, while Plagg released a broken cringe. Which inspired Tikki to buzz up beside him, take his paw in her own, and flit off elsewhere, out of sight.

"Something to tell me?" Mari asked weakly, an uneasy laugh lining her words. "You sound so serious."

Taking a shaky breath, Adrien pulled his attention from her hands up to her face, taking in her questioning stare despite how he feared doing so.

"It is serious," he murmured. "It's about me. About—About Chat Noir. About me being Chat Noir."

Her gaze turned to apprehension, which he couldn't blame her for—he wasn't exactly being articulate.

"And it also has to do with what happened yesterday," he finished.

"Adrien…"

"Plagg told me something before the battle, something that I think you need to know. Something that I know I can't keep from you. Not—Not that I keep anything from you, really, or that I want to keep it from you. I don't. Actually I kind of wish now that I didn't know…" His attention had once again strayed, which inspired Mari to pull one of her hands from his hold, reach up, and gently turn his chin back in her direction.

"Adrien…" she said quietly. "What's going on?"

Once again looking her in the eyes, he opened his mouth to speak, but found himself abruptly assaulted by cripplingly anxiety. It was a familiar feeling and one he'd been dealing with for years. It was the same feeling he got every time he had to confront his father (though he was far better at it these days than he had been a year ago), the same feeling that had inspired him to lie to Mari before. Like someone had reached inside his chest and taken hold of his heart, their grip a threat that tightened every time he tried to voice the truth.

But what he needed to say was so much bigger than his own personal fear of letting her down. This was a moment he couldn't afford to side-step or walk away from. Neither of them could afford that. Maybe telling her wouldn't make a difference, but she still had the right to know. Especially after what had just happened.

"I, um…" his breath was shaky, which only unnerved her further. "It's—It's my miraculous." She looked quickly down at his ring, before bringing her questioning stare back up to his own. "It's… cursed."

"Cursed?" she asked, her head vaguely shaking. "I don't understand."

"It has to do with how our miraculouses work together, I guess," he went on, doing his best to articulate as Plagg had. "You're creation, I'm destruction. Or good luck and bad luck, in a way, I guess. And the closer we become, the more powerful our miraculouses become. Like Master Fu said…"

"What does that have to do with being 'cursed?'"

"Well, the stronger your miraculous becomes, the—the better your luck is. That's what makes you so powerful. You get to 'create' the outcomes, kind of. Or sway them, in any case. Plagg said that without you, our chances would be much worse. That it's you that makes winning possible."

"Okay… but what does that mean for you?"

"It means that…" Retrieving the hand she'd pulled away, he held her fingers more tightly between his own. "It means that I'll succumb to the power of my miraculous."

"Succumb?" she asked, sounding somewhat fearful. "What does that mean?"

"It means that…" Yet he found himself suddenly speechless. How did other people tell those they loved that their situation was critical? That something in the world—be it illness or otherwise—was going to kill them?

How was he supposed to hurt her that way?

"Adrien, just tell me," she whispered, her voice already sounding broken. Like she knew what he was going to say, no mind-reading necessary.

"My miraculous is going to kill me, Mari," he murmured, his voice thin and choked.

She said nothing in response, her lips parting some as she blinked, as if trying to digest. Which spurred Adrien into nervously trying to fill the gap between them. As if there was any way to make it easier.

"It's happened to every black cat before me," he continued. "They all die at the height of their power. It's—It's the price to be paid, to make sure you reach the height of your power."

"My power?" she snapped, yanking her hands out of his own as she did. Standing, she paced a few steps away before turning back to him. "That's ridiculous! No one ever said there was a price! Besides, what does 'luck' have to do with anything? How does that even—It doesn't make any—"

"Mari, we have magical gems that grant us superpowers. Why shouldn't it make sense?"

A statement that she clearly couldn't find a response for.

"That's just the way it is, Mari…"

"So, what?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she trembled in place, her breath huffing through her nose as she gathered herself. "In order to defeat Hawkmoth, you have to die? Is that what you're telling me?"

"No. But we clearly need to be as powerful as possible in order to defeat him."

"You don't know that."

"Who else is going to do it?" he asked. "Do you think Alya and Nino can take him out on their own? We barely made it through the last fight. I… I probably shouldn't have." But it was only because Master Fu had known. He'd given him a second chance, but that wasn't likely to be the case next time.

"So we find a different way. We—We keep you away from the fighting, and you don't transform. We keep you safe."

"It won't make a difference." Drawing their attention upward, Plagg slowly floated down toward them. "Transformed or not, fighting or not, it doesn't matter. So long as he wears my ring and so long as you two are together, that's his fate."

"That can't be the only option," Mari practically begged.

Plagg released a hollow breath and turned away, as if unable to continue. It was Tikki who came forward, her expression sad despite how she took over.

"I shouldn't tell you, but… The previous black cat—Sabine's black cat…" She stared sadly down at the floor. "Plagg tried to protect him. He told him from the beginning about the curse and that he needed to stay away from my ladybug and me. Their increase in power was slow as a result. They fought all through the war, distant from one another. It took them decades to become close, but still…

"There hadn't even been a great threat at the time. Not like Hawkmoth or war or anything like that. But he died anyway." She sounded bitter, as Plagg had. Because—like him—she'd seen it happen over and over and over again for lifetimes. "Not transformed, murdered in an alley and left. Killed by something as ordinary as a knife. All because he'd dared to love his Ladybug despite the risks."

"So long as you wear those miraculouses, nothing else matters." Plagg took over again. "You could wear them in a time of total peace and it'd end the same way. You could never transform even, just wear them, and it wouldn't matter."

"Your power is not determined by your skill, even if that helps," Tikki explained. "Your power increases with your bond to one another, whatever kind of bond that may be. The stronger that bond, the stronger you become. Because through that bond, you bring Plagg and I closer together."

"Closer to what we were when we first came to be," Plagg finished.

Hands falling to her sides, Mari balled them into fists, once again trembling in place. Though he could feel nothing from their mental connection but fuzziness, Adrien could see anger and distress painted across her face. And in the wetness that welled up along the edges of her eyes.

"Master Fu knew this when he gave us the miraculouses," she whispered, before turning her gaze up to Tikki. "You knew this."

Saying nothing, the little red kwami continued to stare at the floor.

"That's what Wayzz meant when he said this had to be an accelerated cycle," she continued. "Pushing us faster to this end."

"Pushing you to become stronger, together," Tikki replied. "No matter the end."

"Then you'll take off your ring," Mari determined, looking to Adrien then. "Stop wearing it and this curse goes away, right?"

"And all our powers, yours included," Adrien objected.

"My powers are already gone!"

"All the more reason why I need to keep my own," Adrien replied, doing his best to stay calm. "Besides, your powers aren't gone, you're just… injured. But if I do stop wearing my ring, you won't be able to recover."

"Then we both give up our miraculouses. We'll give them to Nino and he can…"

"He can what?" Adrien asked, standing as he did. "Give them to someone else? So that another set of soulmates can go through this instead?"

"You two are likely the only soulmates of this generation anyway," Plagg added.

"Which means we're the only people that can be Ladybug and Chat Noir," Adrien finished.

But Mari's stubbornness remained. "Then we do like I said before and find another way to defeat Hawkmoth without our miraculouses."

"What other way?" Adrien asked, his hands outstretched before him. "Mari, there isn't any other power strong enough to defeat him. At least, not something we could find fast enough. He'll act again, and soon. We both know that. What would have happened if Nino had been alone last time? We can't just… abandon our responsibilities. Innocent people will die if we do!"

"And you'll die if we don't!" she cried.

"That's a price I'm willing to pay!"

A statement that had her taking an even further step back, her lips quivering as the tears finally came streaking down her cheeks.

"You don't know what it feels like," she whispered. "I already felt you die once."

"I know." Stepping quickly forward, he closed the space between them as his hands came up to rest gently on her shoulders. "I know, love. And I'm so sorry."

For a moment, it seemed she wanted to lean away from him again. But ultimately she couldn't do it, her breath hitching as she reached up and placed her trembling hands upon his shirt. Leaning in, she gripped tightly at the fabric and placed her forehead upon his chest.

She shook like a dried leaf against him, seeming so weak and small—a far cry from the Mari he knew. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her as tightly as he could and doing his best to ignore the emotion that swelled up behind his own eyes. No amount of blinking could dissuade it, however, and so he gave in. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and breathed in everything that she was, even as his own tears came trickling down.

"I know we can't run away from this," she eventually whispered. "I just… It's not fair."

"I know."

"How am I supposed to live in a world without you in it?"

She didn't ask in the manner of just love. She wasn't an infatuated teenager so caught up in her emotions that the idea of going on without him seemed impossible simply because she loved him. The side-effects of their situation were more acute that heartbreak. Yes, there was that, but so too was there everything else she'd already endured. Adrien didn't know exactly what she'd suffered, but it'd been torture beyond anything he'd ever imagined. He could see her future without him in the pain she was already going through, which perhaps wasn't even as bad as it was going to be.

And he could see it in her mother—in how broken she was, though she'd tried to move on.

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

"I won't," she said then, her voice sounding of more conviction that in had their whole conversation. "I'll go with you."

Pulling back some, Adrien shook his head as he looked down at her. "Mari…"

"What? You can accept your inevitable death, but I'm not allowed the same thing?" she snapped.

"You don't have to die. Your mother found a way to keep living. If she hadn't, you wouldn't even be here."

"I'm not my mother," she said staunchly. "And when you go, I'll go with you."

He wanted to dissuade her, but he'd seen that determined, immovable look in her eyes so many times that he hardly knew where to start.

"We're made up of the same stuff, right?" she continued. "We're soulmates. So when you go, so will I. We'll be together."

He wasn't sure it was that simple. He wasn't sure of anything, really. He didn't know how to change her mind because he didn't know anything beyond her certainty. Which had always been more of a comfort to him than not.

He was trying to stay strong in the face of what Plagg had told him, but that didn't change the fact that he was… scared.

Scared of leaving their world behind. Sacred of how it'd happen. Scared of never seeing his friends and family again. Of never seeing her again.

Maybe none of that would matter once he was gone, but it mattered then. And though it was seemingly criminal, the idea that she'd be with him was… reassuring—in a dark, twisted sort of way. His morals told him to object, but his fears were pulling him in an entirely different direction.

Then again, maybe it didn't matter. They had no way of actually knowing what would happen, so maybe it wasn't wrong of him to take comfort in her words.

"Okay," he agreed weakly, even if his thoughts remained doubtful. "We'll go together."

Leaning back in, she once again buried her face in his chest, while he pulled her in tight.

"Together," she repeated. "To whatever end."

oOo

"You are now, officially, part of the club," Adrien announced, just as Alya was opening her eyes.

They were all sitting up in his bedroom, Alya the center of attention in Adrien's computer chair, while Marinette and Nino had placed themselves at the end of his bed. Adrien, meanwhile, was standing before her, Marinette's latest creation hanging from his hands.

It'd been a little less than a week since their last confrontation. Despite how crucial it was for them to get to work in finding Hawkmoth and his remaining lackey, a break had seemed necessary in order for them to recover enough to come back together. Tempers had been up and down for a few days, as had moods. Master Fu's death was still lingering, as well as the problems his absence posed. On top of that, the battle was still fresh, along with all the problems it'd posed. And Marinette knew things were still a bit tense between Nino and Adrien (and Nino and Alya, for that matter). She'd learned what Fer had done to Chat during the battle, which the two had yet to discuss. And while she didn't approve of Fer's methods, she didn't entirely disagree with his reasoning.

Not that she'd told Adrien that.

But all of that aside, she'd had her own issues to try and adapt to. Being able to design and create Alya's onesie seemed like it would have been a good distraction, but all it really did was keep her hands busy. It didn't do anything for the constant anxiety weighing at the back of her thoughts, or the continual panic she had to push back on whenever Adrien wasn't with her.

Rationally, she was able to tell herself he was fine, but her body seemed to have other ideas entirely. It didn't help that learning of the nature of his miraculous had her paranoid something would happen any time she wasn't watching him.

More than the cloudiness in her head or the throbbing nothingness where her connection with Adrien had once been, the whole situation was just… exhausting.

It was upsetting her sleep as well. Though she'd done little more than "rest" the last week, she'd barely gotten any sleep. The only time she could sleep was when she was wrapped up in Adrien's arms, and even then, she generally woke up in cold sweats a few hours in.

Which meant Adrien wasn't sleeping well either.

Not that he complained. He'd been nothing less than supportive and constantly with her since the battle. Not even her parents could get him to leave her for very long (not that either of them had really tried). And though Marinette oftentimes found herself slumped and wearied with frustration, Adrien was always wearing a brave face. The more down she was, the happier he tried to be. Which was thoughtful, yet unnecessary.

She knew he was suffering because of her issues as well, even if he wasn't voicing it.

"Um, what is this supposed to be?" Alya asked, smiling some as she reached out and gently fingered the onesie. Marinette had created it to mimic as much of Alya's new transformation as possible, looking up very recent news reports as guides on the black, gray, and orange color pallet. It wasn't her best work, but it was far from her worst.

"It's your badge of honor," Adrien insisted, lowering the new onesie before gesturing to his own Ladybug onesie, which he proudly wore. Marinette and Nino were wearing theirs as well, at his insistence. And while Marinette thought the whole "onesie club" was a little inconsequential at that point, she understood why it was important.

No energy used in trying to find positive spins on their current situation was energy wasted.

"Did you make this?" Alya asked, her smile widening a bit more as she looked to Marinette. Offering a small grin of her own, Marinette nodded, which encouraged Alya to reach out and finally take the garment from Adrien. She touched it delicately, as if it would turn to dust between her fingers at any moment.

After a few more seconds, she hugged the onesie to her chest, appearing all the more delighted.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Adrien asked, posing with his fists on his hips as if to show off his own. Though it really hadn't been that long since he'd been gifted the onesie, he'd really grown into it. No more frumpy legs and arms. Nino had grown into his as well, though Marinette may have underestimated how wide his shoulders would get. He left it unzipped as a result of the tightness.

"A badge of honor, indeed," Alya agreed. Her gaze turned critical then, as she looked Adrien up and down. "Hey, now, wait a minute, why is Adrien the only one that gets a Ladybug onesie?"

Marinette frowned. "Did you want a Ladybug onesie instead?"

"I want both, naturally," Alya replied. "You did promise me a Ladybug onesie once upon a time, after all."

"I have it half finished, if that makes any difference?" Marinette offered. "Sorry. I gave the first draft to Adrien."

"Wait." Alya turned a glare on the tall blonde. "He's wearing my Ladybug onesie?"

Skirting back a step, Adrien gripped at the chest of his onesie possessively. "She gave it to me."

"Well, it wasn't made for you."

"Why should you get a Ladybug onesie anyway?" he asked. "You're not Ladybug."

"Neither are you!"

"Tch, well… I could be…"

Marinette rolled her eyes, while Nino huffed and flopped back on Adrien's bed.

"Um, I would make a much better Ladybug than you," Alya rebuked.

"Impossible," Adrien made perfectly clear. "There is science and… magic at work here. I could be Ladybug, but you could never be. I'm Ladybug's partner, after all—in case you missed that very obvious detail."

Standing, Alya carefully set her onesie on her chair before turning a very critical eye on Adrien. "And I'm Ladybug's best friend. I was her best friend long before you were her boyfriend."

"I was her partner before you were her best friend!"

"Um, actually, Marinette and I became friends before the first ever akuma, so that isn't true at all. I'm a reporter—I know my facts. And what was happening between you and Marinette back then? Oh right, she hated your guts because she thought you and Chloe were playing tricks on her."

"That… is… very technical." Adrien said far too haughtily, considering it was a very poor defense on his part. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm still her partner. Besides, you're talking about, like, a one-day difference."

"Hardly! What were you two doing for months after you met? Oh, that's right, nothing! Because you were so awkward around each other that you could hardly be called friends, let alone anything else."

"We were friends as Ladybug and Chat Noir! Not that you'd know anything about that. Why? Oh right, because you only got a miraculous last week."

"Yeah, and I'll be a better superhero than you ever were."

Adrien scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"I'll be so good that everyone will regret not making me Ladybug's partner," she said, slamming her hand to her chest as she did.

Adrien waved his hand in a rather sassy manner. "Doubtful. That's not how it works."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Oh yeah?!"

"YEAH!"

Nino groaned. "Oh my god…"

"I can just finish your onesie, Alya," Marinette interjected. "It'd probably be a better one than what Adrien has anyway."

Her statement seemed to calm some of the hostility, though Alya was still visibly simmering even as she twitchingly turned, picked up her own onesie, and flopped back in her chair.

"You might as well give up," Adrien said a moment later. "Fact is, you'll never be as close to Ladybug as I am."

"Just you wait, cat boy. You'll see," Alya threatened.

"What are you gonna do, get her to dump me?" he goaded, which drew a groan from Marinette this time. "Impossible."

"Don't worry, Alya, he usually does a good job of pissing Marinette off all on his own," Nino offered, not even bothering to look at either of them as he did.

"Gee, thanks," Adrien snarked. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

"He's trying to get back into my good graces," Alya said with a smirk, her claim earning her a scoff from Nino. "Obviously, he's on my side."

"Oh, so now you're trying to steal my girlfriend and my best friend?"

"I can't help it if I'm the superior choice."

"Wait…" Finally sitting back up, Nino eyed Alya suspiciously. "Are you suggesting that Ladybug be your girlfriend?"

"She's already my best friend. And seeing as boys only make things more complicated, I'm failing to see any potential problems." Crossing her arms over her chest, she shrugged quite as though the whole thing was commonsense.

Adrien glared harder. "Giving you a miraculous was a mistake."

"Afraid I'll out-woo you?" Alya asked teasingly.

"Out-woo? Let me tell you, I'm not worried as far as wooing goes. I'm am a first-class wooer."

Marinette pointed into her mouth and gagged—not that Adrien saw.

"I've already wooed Marinette. I have wooed her all the way to the bank and back, okay? We're on wooing overlap at this point!"

"Compensating for something, are you?" Alya dared ask.

Which had Adrien gaping in offense. "Compen—How dare—Am I a joke to you?!"

"Only you can answer that, spandex-cat."

"Well, spandex or not, I don't need to compensate for anything, alright? Just ask Marinette. She knows. Intimately."

Alya stuck out her tongue in disgust, which only encouraged Adrien's devious smirk.

"And so now we talk about something else!" Marinette announced, the laugh she released following sounding a bit manic.

"Indeed!" Wayzz agreed, flitting up between the four teenagers and looking none too impressed with their behavior. "We have a lot of serious matters to discuss, all of which have been ignored this past week." He made a rather dramatic cutting motion with his paw, clearly finalizing the topic change.

"Ugh, here we go," Plagg drawled, lazily floating up beside Adrien. "All work and no play."

Wayzz glared.

"I love to play!" Trixx shouted, practically vibrating in place as she zipped first one way and then another. She remained close to Alya, however, the chain that held her to their planet linked to Alya's belt loop. "Let's play, let's play, LET'S PLAY!"

Wayzz huffed. "We don't have time for playing!"

Trixx visibly wilted.

"Mood killer…" Plagg muttered.

Tikki released an exasperated huff as she plopped down on Marinette's shoulder.

"He's not really wrong," Nino interjected. "We do need to discuss our next move."

His words sufficiently stifled their previous silliness, everyone turning quite serious as they put their focus inward. Yet, despite this, silence soon bloated up between them, gazes darting around from one to another as they waited for someone to come up with a brilliant idea.

"We should probably go back to training," Marinette finally said. "We never really finished and Alya has a lot of catching up to do."

"Yeah, but even if we can catch her to speed with us, who's going to continue our training?" Adrien asked. "We don't… have a teacher anymore."

"We're on our own," Nino finished.

Alya sank some in her seat, looking a bit uncertain before she finally opened her mouth. "But can't one of the older heroes help?" she asked. "Like your mom," she looked to Marinette, then to Adrien, "or your dad?"

"I don't think my mom could handle that," Marinette said quietly.

"And my father isn't exactly the mentoring type," Adrien replied.

"No, it's not a bad idea, actually," Nino said thoughtfully, drawing all eyes his way. "Whether he likes it or not, dude is using an active miraculous. Which means he has a responsibility to serve the ladybug and the black cat. No, he doesn't have the same knowledge as a guardian, but he could help with our combat training."

Adrien almost laughed. Almost. "By that logic, Hawkmoth is obligated to serve us too. Trust me, my father is not going to help us. He's been actively working against me for months."

"Which is the exact opposite of what he should be doing," Nino reasoned.

Adrien eyed him skeptically. "No offense, but I don't think you're really one to talk. Not after what you did to me during our last battle."

Alya looked to Marinette questioningly, but she just shook her head.

"I wasn't working against you, Adrien," Nino said coldly. "I was trying to protect you."

"Which is the exact same defense my father has been using this whole time too. I don't need to be protected, okay? Not preemptively, anyway, when I'm not even in any danger." Arms crossing over his chest, he turned and glared at the floor.

Nino clicked his tongue and took a deep breath. "You're right," he admitted.

Clearly surprised, Adrien flicked his gaze back to his best friend.

"It's one thing to save someone when danger is immanent and it's another to take away their freedom in order to do so. As a miraculous holder, I'm here to protect you. Both of you." He looked between Marinette and Adrien. "But I can't thwart fate just because I know where it leads."

Swallowing hard at his reference, Marinette ignored Alya's look of confusion and instead stared down at the floor.

"Master Fu was a guardian for over a century and he was barely able to do something when it mattered." A reference to the ring that may have saved Adrien's life. "No matter what I want, nothing I do will actually change anything." Looking pointedly to the side, Nino took a shaky breath. "I know that."

Adrien stared at him for a moment, before slumping as if giving in. "I'm sorry, Nino," he murmured after a moment, drawing his best friend's gaze back his way.

"It's alright, man. It's not your fault."

It took all of Marinette's self-control to keep herself together.

"What's… going on…?" Alya asked after a moment of silence had passed.

"Doesn't matter," Nino said, straightening some as he did. "It's ladybug and black cat stuff, which basically means it's none of our business."

"But… you clearly know what's going on…"

"That's because I'm the guardian," Nino replied. "It's my job to know things. I'm just not supposed to talk about them."

Alya curled her lip. "That seems kind of stupid."

Nino frowned. "Maybe from the outside, but if you guys knew all the things I know, you'd understand."

"Then tell us," Alya persisted.

Nino stared at her for a moment, before releasing a tight breath. "Don't ask me to do that, Alya," he said quietly. "I can't."

"This is probably why guardians were usually inactive miraculous holders, isn't it?" Adrien realized. "You guys make everything more complicated."

"It's a thin line to walk," Nino admitted. "After we defeat Hawkmoth, I probably will go inactive. Knowing too much makes doing things I shouldn't… too tempting." He and Adrien shared a knowing look.

"So, wait, he's just allowed to not tell us things?" Alya asked. "Aren't the ladybug and the black cat, like, in charge? Can't you make him tell us things?"

"Unless anything he knows can help us against Hawkmoth, then I don't think that's wise," Marinette replied. "He has his own responsibilities and we have ours." And she wasn't about to disrespect Master Fu's teachings by disregarding the trust they'd put in him. She trusted Nino in much the same way—he'd more than proven himself.

"Okay, so what are my responsibilities then?" Alya asked.

"To serve and protect the black cat and the ladybug," Nino replied simply.

"Okay…"

"Which means," he continued, "that by not doing all he can to help us, Gabriel is not using his miraculous properly."

Adrien pursed his lips.

"And if he refuses to serve the ladybug and the black cat, his miraculous is forfeit to me," Nino finished.

Adrien gaped. "Uh, what?"

"The peacock miraculous has been missing for millennia," Nino explained. "If the one using it isn't willing to take up their responsibilities, then it's my job to collect it before it disappears again."

"So… what? You're gonna take my father's miraculous? By force?"

Nino looked thoughtful for a moment, before resolve settled quite firmly onto his expression. "If I have to," he finally said. "He's got a book that belongs to me too, after all."

Abruptly standing, he quickly shed his onesie before heading toward the door.

"Wait, right now?!" Adrien asked, clearly alarmed as he bolted after. Marinette and Alya quickly stood as well, shuffling out the bedroom door last as Nino headed down the hall and directly for the stairs.

"Nino, wait!" Adrien called, reaching out and grabbing him by the arm just as they reached the middle of the staircase. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Why? Because your dad's an asshole?" Nino asked. "Dude, no offense, but I've never been afraid of your dad." As if that settled the matter, he slipped from Adrien's hold and continued on down the stairs. Clearly uncertain what to do, Adrien trailed after, as did Marinette and Alya.

"But what if I'm okay with him not, uh, fulfilling his responsibilities?" Adrien asked as Nino reached the door that led into Gabriel's study.

He paused and turned just as he was reaching for the door, casting Adrien a flat, unconvinced look before he grabbed the handle and pushed his way inside. Sharing a single look with Alya, Marinette followed after Adrien, who skirted in ahead of her.

Gabriel was there, standing on the other side of the room at his podium. He looked up as they walked in, showing not the minutest amount of interest at their invasion of his workspace.

He looked like an entirely different man that he had the morning after their last confrontation. More like his usual self. Prim and proper and groomed immaculately, he sported a vibrant navy suit, white vest underneath, and a pink tie. He eyed them for only a few seconds, before putting his attention back on his computer.

"What do you want?" he asked, not bothering to look at any of them as he did.

Adrien twitched uneasily, spurring Marinette to come up beside him and place a comforting hand on his arm. Truth be told, she was curious as to how this would go. She wasn't sure whether she entirely agreed with Nino's perspective or not, but would watch it play out for the moment. If she had to, she'd intervene.

"I want your miraculous," Nino said simply, not the least bit perturbed by Gabriel's lack of care.

Still not bothering to look up, Gabriel chuckled. "How typical."

"What do you mean?"

"That someone would grant you a title as if it amounts to little more than an archaic, washed up tradition that was never all that ingenious to begin with, and that you'd arrogantly make demands of others as a result." Still, he refused to so much as look at them. "As if you have any power over anyone."

"It's not about power, it's about responsibility," Nino replied. "And if you're not willing to fulfill your responsibilities, your miraculous is forfeit."

Releasing a long-winded sigh, Gabriel finally looked up. "I'm failing to understand your point of view. I've been supporting Ladybug and Chat Noir, have I not? I've intervened on both of their behalfs multiple times."

"Okay," Nino agreed. "Then if you are… amendable to serving Ladybug and Chat Noir—"

"Serving?"

"—then you won't have a problem with a more involved role."

Gabriel took a deep breath. "What, exactly, are you proposing?"

"We need a new teacher," Nino said simply.

Gabriel chuckled again. "No."

"Then hand over your miraculous." Nino held out his hand expectantly.

Beside her, Adrien tensed and opened his mouth as though he might interject. But Marinette tightened her hold around his arm, causing him to look her way instead. She lightly shook her head, which puzzled him. But he clearly understood her meaning and stayed quiet.

"I wasn't aware that blackmail was part of a guardian's job description," Gabriel replied.

It was Nino's turn to maintain silence, his hand continually outstretched as he waited.

"I'm not about to be dictated to by a child," Gabriel continued. "Nor am I going to assist any of you in fulfilling your death wish. If you had any sense, you'd give up on this entire endeavor altogether." He looked pointedly at Adrien as he spoke, which had his son tense less with anxiety and more in defensiveness.

"You know that's not going to happen," Nino reasoned. "By not helping, you're just making it that much easier for Hawkmoth to defeat us."

"Your attempts at mental manipulation are poor and failing."

"Dude, I'm not trying to manipulate you," Nino said, shoving his hands in his pockets and offering up a shrug. "I'm just stating facts. Either you can help us and give us a better chance, or you can hand over your miraculous so we can give it to someone who is on our side."

"I'm more on your side than any of you seem to realize," Gabriel said darkly. "And no number of threats from any of you are going to change my mind."

"Then I guess you need to hand over your miraculous."

"No."

"Then I'll have to take it from you."

Gabriel was clearly amused. "By force? I'd like to see you try."

"The only advantage you have are your physical skills," Nino reminded. "I'm immune to your powers."

"I don't need my powers to deal with the likes of you."

"Then let's go." Nino stretched his arms out to either side in challenge.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, finally turning his attention back to his computer. "You're wasting your time."

What happened next was both fast and unexpected.

Under his breath, Nino murmured the words to transform, bolting forward at the same time. The bright green flash of his transformation blinded the room, Alya gasping in surprise while Marinette and Adrien took in identically startled breaths.

And with the transformation complete, Tortue de Fer had bounded from one side of the room to the other, landing deftly atop the thin edge of Gabriel's computer. Shield raised out in front of him, he clearly intended to lambaste Gabriel into the wall.

"Nino!" Adrien shouted.

Gabriel barely had a second to react, his eyes wide and outraged as he stumbled back, but wasn't fast enough. Fer's shield bashed into him, hard, and sent him flying. Straight into the painting of Emilie Agreste, which buckled under the blow into the safe hidden behind.

The only saving grace that had Marinette continuing to hold Adrien back was the blue flash that had sparked just before Gabriel had gone whipping into the wall.

Growling, Gabriel flicked his newly magenta eyes up to his attacker. "Foolish boy," he bit out, before shoving himself up out of the buckled painting.

His transformation wasn't entirely relatable to the idea of "superhero" as the others had come to recognize it. Rather, it dated him considerably. The jacket was military in style. Vibrant navy in color, the collar sat high around his throat, his miraculous pinned right beneath. The peacock pin, made of five sections formed to look like feathers, each one dark blue in the middle with a lighter blue border. Magenta gems sparkled at the top of each feather-piece.

Down the front, the jacket was double-breasted with shiny, black buttons, the military braids that hung, connected, between them black to match. While along his shoulders, tiny feathers were inlaid upon the jacket, branching out from where the pin sat above the dip between his collar bones. They were barely visible, seemingly navy to match the jacket until the light caught them, at which point they sparkled with a vaguely fuchsia sheen that graduated back over his shoulders and, seemingly, around to his back.

The jacket was short, ending just above his hips. The sleeves were long, however, growing tighter as they progressed down his arms. They faded from blue to black just after his elbows, melding into gloves.

His pants, by contrast, were tight-fitting and white, vaguely seamed in the lightest of pink on the outsides of his legs. Until about midway down his thighs, at which point they began to fade into pink, barely colored as they stretched over his knees.

Just below his knees, the pants sank beneath black spats, which fell all the way down over his feet. Shiny black buttons to match the ones on his jacket lined the sides, hardly noticeable until the light caught them. While his boots—of which only the the toes and heels were visible, as well as the strips of foot on either side that connected them—were white, slim, and reminded Marinette some of ballet flats in form.

His mask was shaped not unlike Chat Noir's, taking up more space both above and beneath his eyes. But it cut more sharply around his nose, resembling a beak more so than a cat nose. It was dark blue to match his jacket. Simple. While the sclera of his eyes had darkened to black to match his pupils.

His hair retained its usual shape, but faded from his light blonde to dark blue at the tips. A single peacock feather was tucked into the left side of his hair, lining up along his skull. It was tinted blue, while the interior circle was a dark pink-ish purple.

At his back—likely sprouting from the bottom of his jacket—was a long, gracefully shaped train, which dragged some over the ground as he moved forward. It was navy in color, matching his jacket, and fanned out at the bottom to resemble feathers. Like the feather adorning his head, it was simply designed, each rounded edge accented with a magenta circle, which was bordered thickly with a blue just slightly lighter than the tail itself.

In his hands, he held two long, metal sticks, which Marinette knew from their previous battle would snap out into fans.

Hopping back off the computer, Fer kicked the monitor as he did, trashing the podium and sending it flying at Gabriel, who deflected it easily. Landing in the lower part of the room, Fer held up his shield, widened his stance, and waited as Gabriel slowly approached.

Finally, Adrien broke free of Marinette's hold. Rushing forward, he placed himself between the two men, his hands raised in warning.

"Stop! Both of you!" he commanded, breathing hard as he looked back and forth between them. Marinette had tensed as soon as he'd run in, ready to transform if the situation escalated. But Gabriel came to a halt at the sight of Adrien, while Fer remained guardedly waiting for any sort of assault.

They were all silent for some moments, tension continuing to spark between all three. Until Fer finally let down his defenses and straightened. Lowering his shield, he set a severe stare on Gabriel.

"You refuse to train us, but you interfere with our battles," Fer started. "What, exactly, are you trying to do? You can't stop us, so what else is there left to do but give us the best chance we have at defeating Hawkmoth?"

Gabriel didn't reply. Instead, he merely continued staring coldly at Fer for a few seconds longer, before turning away. He said nothing as he approached the now destroyed painting. Looked it up and down, his shoulders visibly wilted, before he shook his head and reached for the edge. No doubt with the aid of his miraculous, he was able to yank the collapsed painting from the wall. It basically fell off its hinges as he did, a broken, tattered remnant of what it'd been only minutes before.

Setting it along the window to the right of the safe, he then stood before the dented metal door and attempted to use the code to open it. To no one's surprise, it didn't work.

Adrien watched the whole thing for a few silent moments, before he called on Plagg and transformed as well.

Lips parting, Marinette watched as he approached his father and the safe. Not because she disagreed with what he was doing, but more so because seeing Chat Noir in such an enclosed space really hammered home how… impressive his transformation had become.

How impressive he'd become.

He was tall now—nearly as tall as his father as he made his way up the stairs to stand beside the older man. Yet, even with a few inches yet between them, Chat appeared…

Bigger.

He stood more solidly than Gabriel did, his head and shoulders held higher. Gabriel looked almost tired by contrast, his gaze sizing his son up and down only quickly before he stepped out of the way.

The wings only added to Adrien's impressive countenance. Their bright gold color drew every eye in the room, the way the brilliant feathers shimmered in the limited sunlight giving off the impression that they might just meld with the very air and disappear at any moment. There was something in how they shifted that was unnatural—not of their world. The feathers appeared both soft and hard as blades at the same time, their iridescent sheen sparkling with a rainbow of colors that were impossible to follow with the naked eye. All of it existing inside that golden glow.

Gabriel's attention went from Chat to those wings, before he took one more step to the side—as if he were actively avoiding the large appendages.

Marinette, meanwhile, felt her own body drain away to emptiness, her being seeming to throb as she watched Chat pull up a single claw and lightly touch the front of the safe. Her throat felt dry, her tongue heavy, her legs unstable. Something inside of her longed for what she saw, ached for it desperately, and left her feeling even more helpless than she already was.

The safe door crumbled a second later, revealing the disorganized mess behind it. Likely it hadn't been the way originally, the untidiness a result of Gabriel's collision.

It was Chat's turn to step aside then. He looked only quickly to his father, before his attention flicked to the others. They were all staring at him, which made him visibly uncomfortable. Recalling his transformation, the impressive sight was gone in a flash of green energy, leaving only Adrien. He slumped some in his Ladybug onesie, as if attempting to make himself smaller.

Marinette frowned.

The blue flash of Gabriel calling back his own transformation snapped focus back his way, the group watching in silence as he gathered together only a few items from the safe. Namely, a book on Tibet, the photo of Adrien's mother, and a large manila envelope. There were a few rolled-up scrolls that he took as well, before he pulled back, arms full. He stared at the damaged safe for only a few seconds and then turned to Adrien.

"Nathalie picked up your glasses this morning," he said stiffly. "They're in the dining hall. You should check to make sure they fit correctly. If they don't, we'll have to return to the optics store to have them adjusted."

Blinking once, Adrien visibly swallowed and nodded, before his gaze fell to the floor.

"If your vision continues to get worse, tell me," Gabriel continued. "Getting you a new pair would hardly be an expense."

"Yes, Father," Adrien replied.

"If you desisted training, however, your vision would likely remain as it is for some years to come," he pointed out. "Fu's… unnatural training cycle does not consist of only 'benefits,' as you've all been led to believe." Turning away from Adrien, he glanced out at the other three. "After all, being in possession of adult bodies does not change the fact that you're all still children."

Saying nothing else, he pulled his attention away and marched off. He paused only once he reached the door that led out into the foyer. Turning halfway back, he met Marinette's stare, the two watching each other for some seconds. Marinette wasn't bothered by his coldness. She returned his look without blinking, wondering what it was he was searching for in her own gaze.

Something flashed there, in his expression. Something that reminded her of regret, or perhaps pain. It lasted only half a second, before he turned back to the door and pushed his way through.

The silence that followed his retreat was both stifling and bloated.

Thankfully, Alya cleared her throat a few seconds later, sufficiently deflating the entire room.

"So I get the impression he doesn't entirely approve of everything going on here," she said.

Adrien released a huffing laugh. "My father doesn't approve of anything," he said as he walked back across the room, clearly headed in Marinette's direction.

"He's up to something," Fer decided, finally calling back his own transformation as he did.

"Of course he is," Adrien said as he came to stand at Marinette's side. "My father's always up to something. And attacking him in his own home," he looked pointedly at Nino, "probably isn't going to get him to tell you anything."

"I didn't really think it would," Nino replied. "I was just… testing the waters."

"What waters?" Adrien asked.

"He knows something," Nino reasoned, turning back and heading to the now exposed safe. "You said it yourself. Even if he says he doesn't know who Hawkmoth is, Hawkmoth knows him. And it's not like any of us are smart enough to outwit your dad."

"So you thought you'd try force?" Adrien asked.

"I wanted to see what he'd do." Reaching up into the safe, Nino pulled down the thick, ancient book that Gabriel had left behind. The book of miraculous holders, which Adrien had been sneaking pictures of only the week before.

As if it proved some kind of point, Nino held the book up for them all to see.

"He says he doesn't want to help us," Marinette said thoughtfully, "but he's always been around doing just that."

"He's trying to protect us, not help us," Adrien corrected. "Trust me, there's a big difference."

"Then why'd he leave this behind?" Nino asked, the group coming together as he flipped through the pages. "I don't know what your dad's deal is, but he's never telling us the whole truth. A lot like his miraculous."

"Elusive and mysterious," Marinette finished.

"What is this?" Alya asked as Nino flipped through the book.

"It's kind of like a superhero guide," he explained. "Master Fu told me about it. It used to be passed down from guardian to guardian and they'd add their own histories. But it was lost a long time ago."

"What language is it written in?" she asked.

"It's a coded language," Nino replied, visibly growing frustrated. "Master Fu… He was just starting to teach me how to read it when he… But I didn't learn enough."

"Can't you guys read it?" Alya asked, looking between the kwami.

Tikki shook her bulbous head. "Just in case any of the miraculouses fell into the wrong hands, we were never taught the code. Abusive users could have used us to decipher it if they'd wanted."

"Which means we can't get anything useful out of it," Alya determined.

"We could still take it to Mr. Kubdel," Adrien pointed out. "Like we'd planned before. Maybe he'd make something of it."

"Kubdel?" Alya asked. "Alix's dad?"

"He's been helping us every now and then," Marinette explained. "Him and his assistant."

"Richard Banes," Adrien supplied. "They just help us out with historical stuff, when they figure out anything useful."

"Hey, wait a second…" Nino pointed to Adrien thoughtfully as he snapped the book closed. "That Banes guy that we met with at the museum, we saw him once before, right?"

"Marinette and I have met him before, sure," Adrien replied.

"No, you and I saw him. He was here that one time, remember? Talking to your dad."

"Oh yeah…" Adrien tapped his chin thoughtfully. "He was dropping off, like, historical fashion stuff for him, right?"

Nino cocked a skeptical brow. "Uh, maybe?"

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon, man. After all the shit you know about your dad now and you don't think it's even a little bit weird that one of the same guys we talk to about the miraculouses shows up at your house?"

"Well, seeing as my father is a miraculous user, no, not really. He could be looking for info just like us. The Louvre would be a logical place to start. Besides, what does it matter? Not like my father is going to tell us anything. He probably only left that book behind because he knows there's nothing in it that's going to help us. That's the exact kind of dick move he'd make."

All valid points, which had Nino pursing his lips in annoyance.

"You know, guys, you could just go ask this guy," Alya said. "Do a little interview. Ask him how he knows Gabriel."

"And give away our identities at the same time," Nino pointed out.

Alya slumped. "Oh, right."

"It's a better idea to just take the book to Kubdel and see what he can make of it," Adrien said. "I doubt anything that has to do with my father is going to tell us anything useful. He's very careful about that kind of stuff."

"Secrets, you mean?" Alya asked.

"Yes."

"Fine, let's take some info to Kubdel, but we're not giving him the whole book." Nino held it tighter, almost protectively.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Besides, the fact that your dad left it behind makes this book suspicious," Nino continued. "He could just be leading us on a wild goose chase."

"That is very possible," Adrien agreed.

"What's your dad's deal with this whole thing?" Alya asked.

"He just… doesn't want me to get hurt," Adrien said. Or lied, rather. Though Marinette supposed it wasn't a total lie—just not the whole truth. Not that she blamed him for keeping most of the facts to himself. She knew the entirety of the truth only because he'd told her, and Nino knew because apparently it was something a guardian knew about. But there was no point in dragging anyone else into their situation. Alya knowing the truth wasn't going to change anything, after all.

"C'mon, let's go get your glasses," Marinette said then, taking Adrien by the arm and turning him toward the door. "I want to see what you look like in them."

"Like a sexy beast," Adrien determined, more than willing to go along with her.

"Or you'll look just like your dad," Alya said, which had Nino snorting out a laugh as Adrien turned back to her and gaped in offense.

"Don't worry about it, kitty," Marinette assured, patting his arm as she did. "Your dad's not bad looking."

"I… don't know how to respond to that," he said.

"It means your dad is a total dilf," Alya supplied, mortifying Adrien further. "You know, when he's not being a complete douchebag."

"Well, as it would turn out," Adrien said as they pushed through the door into the foyer, "I inherited less of my looks from my father and more from my—"

They all came to a sudden halt, Adrien's words cut sharply off as they stared across the room.

The front door was open, two figures standing before it. One was Gabriel. The other was a woman. A woman that Marinette had seen pictures of, but never met.

She was petite in comparison to Gabriel. Thin and tired looking as she gently touched his arm, talking softly up to him. Her golden-blonde hair was cut into a bob, which hung with light waves around her sharp chin and jaw. She wore a knee-length, loose-fitting shirt-dress, navy in color with a matching belt tied around her waist and the sleeves rolled up around her elbows. The buttons lining the front were white, matching her simple, canvas sneakers.

The two appeared to be having a very serious conversation, Gabriel's hands up like he was practically—if not gently—barring her from coming any further into the house.

They only whipped around on the group of teenagers when Nino's murmured "holy shit" echoed their way.

She stared at them through wide, green eyes.

Eyes the exact color of Adrien's.

He'd stiffened beside her, Marinette looking quickly up at him and noting how he'd paled. He stared at the two adults through wide, shocked eyes of his own. Until his voice somehow managed to filter its way up through his throat. Even so, it sounded broken with grief and disbelief—

"Mom?"