26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Marinette rushed down the street toward her self-defense class. She was going to be late, and she hated that. Five years of tardiness should have numbed her to it, but nope.

She bumped into someone and nearly dropped her phone. "Sorry," she said to the man without stopping her race to beat the clock.

"You should be sorry," Alya remarked over the phone, not realizing the apology was meant for someone else. "You talked to Chat yesterday, but you're just now telling me about the interview today."

"Adrien showed up as Chat left and I got distracted."

"You think that's an excuse, but it's not. This interview could set off my career. It'll be the biggest news of the century."

"Really, Alya." She shifted her gym bag back onto her shoulder and rounded a building. "He said next week, so there's plenty of time for you to prepare."

"I know that, but, honestly Mari, you get distracted way too easily. First with Chat and now with me?"

Marinette stumbled to a stop, mouth slack and phone nearly slipping out of her hand again. "I am a horrible friend." To her and Chat.

Alya sighed. "I didn't say that—"

"But it's true. I'm sorry, Alya." She hoped she heard the sincerity there.

"You know I can stay mad at you, but I appreciate the apology."

Marinette breathed out and started speed walking again.

"I take it Chat is okay with the relationship news?" Alya asked.

"Yeah. Surprisingly so."

"I can't believe you had the guts to go through with it."

Marinette blinked as she dodged a person taking their sweet time down the road. "I had to. He deserves my honesty." At least as much as she could give. Guilt wiggled through her like a barrel of slimy worms. Every time she saw him as Marinette, it felt like she was lying to him. It was why Adrien was the easy choice. Granted, in a way, she was lying to him as well, but, at least, she wasn't fighting him, trying to take his most valuable possession. She had to keep a level head around Chat. She bit her lip. Well, she had to try.

"So, what did he say?"

"He offered to share me with Adrien." She still couldn't believe that herself.

"Shut. Up."

"I couldn't do it, though, you know?"

"No." Alya barked a laugh.

"I can't tell Adrien about him. And without the consent of everyone involved, it would just feel wrong. I couldn't do that to him." She came up on the training center and ran inside. "I'm here now. Gotta…"

She stopped dead in her tracks. Adrien was here, training with the big bald guy, Daniel. He hadn't come back since the black eye incident.

"Is it Chat Noir or Adrien?" Alya asked in that gossipy tone again.

"Adrien."

"Aw, he probably wants to spend more time with you."

The instructor waved her toward their group away from Adrien. He must be getting a private lesson. He was definitely focused, not noticing her as she passed by.

She hung up with Alya, dropped her bag to the side of the mats, and joined the lesson on escaping chokeholds.

As the instructor explained what to do, she couldn't stop watching Adrien through the mirrors. And it wasn't because he was shirtless and glistening from sweat. While that was definitely a wondrous sight, he seemed off. There was a hardness to his brow and jaw she'd never seen before. He had to be biting his mouthguard. Plus, his movements were intense bursts that lacked the soft fluidity of his fencing days. It was almost as if he were a different person.

Jordan elbowed her. "Pay attention."

She tried. She really did, but the two seemed to really be getting into the sparring session. And it wasn't just her having a hard time focusing on the choke escape demonstration. Others now had eyes glued on them, even completely turning around to see better.

Adrien was very light, moving easily and quickly, snapping punches and kicks. Daniel was like a tank, grounded and firm, absorbing hits as if they were nothing, even though the impact was clearly heard.

"Damn, he really can fight," Jordan said.

A sudden flurry of punches and kicks pulled everyone, including the instructor's attention their way. People from various stations in the open space joined the onlookers. A hush swept over the growing crowd, leaving only the music playing in the background and the popping of their strikes to fill the space.

Something niggled in the back of her mind as she watched them spar. Adrien was silent, green eyes trained on his opponent as if nothing else existed, muscles rippling with each twitch of movement. His counter strikes seemed vaguely familiar. She bit her lower lip as she watched.

Daniel zipped in for a takedown, but Adrien flipped over him and landed with a back kick that left the big guy sprawled out on the floor.

Everyone sucked in a breath, some clapped. It was impressive.

Normally, that would've been it. The one down would get up, they'd touch gloves, then start back into it again, but Adrien's shoulders didn't soften. He didn't let go of his fighting stance. He didn't even stop for a breath.

As Daniel climbed to his feet, just getting his bearings, Adrien shot in, scissoring his legs around the larger man's and twisting them out from under him. One second they were standing. The next, Adrien was over him, just wailing on Daniel. Even with the gloves it looked brutal.

While everyone was stunned, blinking as if in slow motion, Marinette darted in, latched onto an arm rearing back for another strike, and pushed Adrien back off the bigger man. She fell on him and grimaced, realizing she hadn't thought this through. Sure, she had used his momentum against him, but he still outweighed her, definitely outclassed her. If he was in a haze, he might not even realize it was her on him.

"Adrien, stop," she said in his ear, hoping the sound of her voice would snap him out of it. "Please."

Like a balloon deflating, the tension hardening his muscles under her vanished. "Marinette?" He looked at her, then at their position. "What happened?"

"You tell me."

"I don't know. I was sparring, and then. And then." He shook his head. "What did I do?"

"Nothing too serious. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Daniel's feet came into her peripheral vision. "What the hell, man?"

They both looked up at him, holding his bloody nose, and Marinette released Adrien to stand. "That looks bad." She turned to Jordan to ask him to get a rag, but he was already on his way to them with one in his hand and an ice pack in the other.

She stepped out of the way as the instructors got everyone back to their stations to focus on what they'd been teaching before the interruption.

Adrien jumped up, concern and something else altogether etched onto his face. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I went off like that."

"That was a punk ass thing to do." While Daniel was definitely not happy, he didn't look to be starting another fight.

"I know. I'm sorry." Adrien's gaze fell to his gloves, then to Daniel's busted face. He looked appalled at what he'd done. "This was a bad idea." He apologized again, grabbed his bag, and left, all the while avoiding Marinette.

"Newbies never have control," someone said as the door closed behind Adrien.

Running after him, she called his name.

He didn't stop. While he wasn't running away, he certainly wasn't meandering down the street.

Catching up to him, she said, "What happened back there?"

"Stress and, I guess, competitiveness."

This was different than the time he'd dueled Kagami with unbridled intensity. "But where did you learn to fight like that?"

"My father."

Jumping in front of him, she planted her feet and made him stop walking. "Wait. Gabriel Agreste knows how to fight?"

"He's had me in all kinds of classes for as long as I can remember. Not just fencing and piano."

"Okay, but—"

"Marinette, please. I just want to go home and take a shower before I have to meet a designer."

She nodded, doing her best not to feel rejected. "Yeah. Sure. You have things to do."

"I'm sorry I made it weird for you back there." He reached for her, only to pull back and stuff his hand in his pocket. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Of course, we live together."

He blinked. Normally, she would've expected his little crooked smile to appear, but his face remained troubled. "Yeah. Sorry."

After walking several steps away, he turned to face her. "Thank you. For stopping me." He glanced to the side. "But if that ever happens again, you should probably stay away. I, um"—he rubbed the back of his neck—"I don't want to hurt you." He seemed to want to say more, but he spun on his heel and took off at a faster pace than before.

oOoOo

Marinette rushed back to the apartment, hoping to catch Adrien as soon as he got home. She didn't want to bug him, but the whole sparring session just felt strange. And why would he say he didn't want to hurt her, as if it might even be a possibility? Just what was going on with him?

Upon hearing someone inside the apartment, she threw open the front door, expecting Adrien. Who she found, though, was his dad.

Marinette's legs seized and she stumbled to a stop.

He stood near one of the large windows, looking outside, while talking on the phone. To whom or about what, she had no idea. Her brain was still trying to process the fact that Gabriel Agreste was in the apartment, without Adrien. Surely he knew his son was meeting with a designer. The man dictated his son's professional life. So why was he there? What did he want?

"Thank you, Natalie," he said before hanging up and turning to face Marinette. He watched her for a long moment, as if sizing her up. "I suppose you are surprised to see me."

Surprised? She'd expected to see baby kangaroos dancing a little jig before she expected to find him standing in the living room again.

Her gym bag fell off her shoulder to the floor with a loud clunk. The man's frosty blue eyes didn't veer off hers for a second.

Clasping his hands behind his back, he stepped toward her. It took everything in her not to back away. "I realize I was unnecessarily harsh with you that night. I apologize for that."

Marinette's mouth dropped open, and she quickly closed it.

He moved a little closer to her. "Unfortunately, there are people who see our wealth and fame and believe they are entitled to a piece of it. Adrien's kindness makes him an easy prey."

"But I—"

"That wasn't your intention. I understand that now." He finished his slow walk to her, stopping an arm's distance away. "So please understand that what I did wasn't personal. I was just protecting my family."

She nodded. While his method was a bit much, she did understand his motive. It was the same reason she didn't tell her family and friends that she was Ladybug.

"As to what I said about your design talent—"

Her heart jolted, partly in fear, partly in excitement.

"—it was a lie. You do have an eye for fashion and a gift of creativity. I saw it in the derby hat you made years ago."

He remembered the competition!

"And I think you would make a great addition to the company. As an intern, of course. But you would be working closely with me."

Was she standing or was she floating? Her body felt airy, a feather, dancing in a breeze.

"Is this agreeable with you, Miss Dupain-Cheng?

"Yes," she squeaked, then cleared her voice. " Thank you. I won't let you down."

"I expect you not to." He moved out of her way. "Now, bring me your design book."

On her way to the stairs, their phones beeped and buzzed the familiar akuma alert. Oh no. She froze on the bottom step.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"An akuma."

He looked at his phone. "It's nowhere near here. We should be safe."

"That's...good." How was she going to get him out? She grimaced as an idea came to her. "You know, I think I left my book at my parents'."

"You think?"

"Actually, I'm certain." She crossed the room to him. "I can go get it, and you can wait here. Or I can bring it to your house later if you need to leave."

"Your design book should be your most sacred item, Miss Dupain-Cheng, kept safe from prying eyes."

"It's just my parents. I doubt they'll steal my ideas." She smiled, amused by the image of them taking her designs and turning them into cookies and cupcakes.

"Are you certain you want a career in this industry?"

Her nerves spiked. "Most definitely, sir."

His brows lowered, probably thinking she was a flaky kid, but then his face softened. "I'll have the Gorilla drive us there."

"You don't have to go out of your way. It's just my design book."

"Which will reveal who you are—"

She swallowed.

"—and help me better understand how to work with you, to help you grow."

With a sigh, she nodded. He really was being nice and helpful. Maybe he wasn't as bad as he seemed. Regardless, she needed to get rid of the akuma. It wouldn't take long. She could escape for a bit and be right back with him none the wiser.

"Well?" he asked.

"Okay. Let me get my purse."

"It's on your shoulder."

She glanced at it and blushed. "Oh. Maybe I should change first?" At his exasperated look, she quickly added, "Actually, let's just go."

"Wise decision."

As he walked to the door, Tikki's head popped out of her purse, her expression impatient. Marinette lifted her hand and shrugged. She was trapped, on her way to her parents' place to get her design book that was upstairs in the apartment. Why was her life so complicated?

They filed into the fancy black car and sat in silence as the large man drove them toward the bakery. Gabriel stared out the window, sitting straighter than a pole. It was hard to see Adrien in him. He was just so much warmer and gentler than his father. Except, today when he sparred. The set to his jaw and the hardness in his eyes did remind her of the cold designer. It gave her a chill.

"Are you cold?" Gabriel asked.

She'd thought he wasn't even aware of her presence. "No. But thank you for your concern."

He said nothing else.

Fiddling with her fingers, she opened and closed her mouth several times.

Gabriel slowly turned to face her. "Do you have a question?"

"I was just wondering about Adrien."

"Yes?"

"Well, he seemed a little off today."

One of his brows lifted.

"He was sparring with one of the guys at the self-defense place, and…" She tried to think of how to describe what happened. "It was like he was a different person, harder." Crueler.

"Was he victorious?"

"Yeah, but—"

"He's just under some stress. I've been pushing him hard these past several months."

That could be it. "I didn't even know he could fight like that."

"Remember I said that people try to take advantage of us?"

She nodded.

"Abduction has always been a possibility, and Adrien needed to know how to protect himself. Keeping him safe was the main reason I wanted him home schooled."

That did make sense, in a paranoid, overprotective way.

The car stopped, and they climbed out. She rushed ahead of him and opened the door. "Mama. Papa," she called.

Gabriel stood in the middle of the bakery inspecting every inch with his hawk-like gaze. He looked so out of place, she would have laughed if he wasn't standing next to her.

"Marinette?" her father asked as he walked in from the back. "I wasn't expecting you today." Then his eyes landed on Gabriel and he tensed. "Oh, you brought a...guest."

"This is Adrien's dad, Gabriel."

They nodded at each other in greeting, the designer sizing up her father.

"Welcome," her dad greeted him. "Can I get you anything? I just made some macarons."

"No, thank you. We're just here to retrieve her design book."

"Oh?" His brows crinkled. "I don't think I've seen it here."

Gabriel looked down at her, and he definitely had to be thinking she was indeed flaky.

"I'll go look for it upstairs." And leave to take care of that akuma. As she moved to the back, she said, "His macarons are the best in Paris. You should have one."

Then she ran to the second floor and barged through the front door. Her mom looked up from the computer she sat behind and smiled. "We weren't expecting you today."

"No time to explain. I need to get my design book. Gabriel Agreste is downstairs. Please make sure dad doesn't thoroughly embarrass me."

Her eyes widened and she stood. "Did he offer you an internship?"

"Yes."

They both squealed, grinning from ear to ear.

"But your book isn't here," her mom said.

"I left it upstairs."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Keep him company as I look for it, okay?" Not waiting for an answer, she darted up to her old room, transformed into Ladybug, and flung herself off the balcony.

Akuma, book, then back to the bakery. "We're going to have to get this done in record time, Tikki."

And hope your parents don't try to help you find it.

She swung and released her yo-yo that much faster.

AN - dun dun dunnnn! Sly Gabriel. And poor Adrien. I hope he can keep his two worlds separate.

I said this to someone on AO3 and I think it's important enough to put in my notes. One of the reasons I love reading comments is because I find people's interpretations of what is written fascinating. We all color stories and fill in the blanks with our life experiences, preferences, understandings, hopes, etc. And if you get frustrated with or hate a character/circumstance, that's totally okay. I want to write original fiction one day and I can only hope people will be so taken with the characters/story they develop strong reactions.

Even my sister will sometimes come up with something different than what I had intended. If it's not too far off, I'll keep it as is. Otherwise, I'll tweak the chapter. It's also why I keep her in the dark on certain things. I want to see where she thinks the story is going.

Thanks for reading!