#gabenath gift exchange

[theredeyeswolf]

2023 vs 2018

This is a redraw of a Hawkyura drawing I made back in 2018 as an exchange gift in a Gabenath server (sadly my giftee dropped out so I never published this one). I wanted to see my improvement on the last few years.

[black-rose-writings]

MLB - Season 2 - Episode 24 and 25

Finale time!

Catalyst (Heroes' day 1)

These two dorks (Gabriel and Nathalie).

I want to say that maybe if Marinette got a better hobby than proving Lila wrong, things may not have gone as badly... but I'm suspecting with what I've heard about Lila after season 3, it wouldn't have helped.

Oh, he's on his best chaos behavior in front of Nathalie. He's be monologuing so hard if nobody was listening.

She just straight up murdered his ass. I mean, I know it's an illusion with the explicit purpose to make everyone feel awful, but fucking christ, this is a fucking kids show.

Aw, look at them, being so sweet with each other, exchanging magical gifts. (I still think Gabenath has its merits, but I also know shit gets fucking weird in the later seasons, so like, don't crucify me for it. Let them and Emilie be an evil villain thruple, that would have been really cool)

There is the Hawkmoth dramatics I came here for.

Plagg is so proud of himself.

Poor Sabrina, she's trapped in a sewer and blind.

These two already have a secret handshake? Fucking hell.

Look at these dorks with their dorky little eldritch god friends.

Catalyst transition screen is 10/10.

Mayura (Heroes' day 2)

Mr. Mothball has this all planned out. He didn't count on one thing, though. That Marinette always wins.

The trust of these two is incredible.

Epic battle time.

These two are out here playing 4D chess, fucking christ.

You call it cowardice, he calls it strategy.

Man who's got nothing to lose, huh? Mayura 3 seconds later proving how wrong that is. Also, damn, he really wiped the floor with them.

Nathalie, that is one hell of an effort to impress a taken man. But go off, queen.

[shadowmayura]

My Gabenath gift exchange piece for @kinggodtombs !

[jaythesaltybastard]

Fallen Streaks of Red

GABENATH GIFT EXCHANGE GIFT FOR @auroralynne

Nathalie Sancoeur, for all the pristine smartness and beautiful form that she is, considers herself an idiot in that moment of time. She’d been enraged; she’d been rebellious; she’d been heartbroken.

An Akuma never came, but a blade did.

Or

Nathalie cuts her hair

Pls note that this is absolute trash and my italics/bold stuff didn’t transfer over.

Nathalie had been staring at herself in the mirror for a long while. It could have been moments. It could have been decades. She did not care to know.

Clots of dark hair lay swirling around her, a splash of red fisted in her right hand on the bathroom counter, in her left was a knife.

She promised herself she would never cut again, not after Michael had caught her nearly twenty years ago.

And yet…

She had acted on spite, with no emotions but confusion and rage, heartbreak coursing through her veins like a wildfire.

She had been prepared to end it all, but stopped.

Michael’s blue eyes had flashed through her eyes. Not his thirty-one-year-old eyes, but the ones of a seven year old checking on his crying thirteen-year-old sister.

She had promised. Nathalie could never break a promise to her brother.

And so, she cut her hair. Chopped it off like it was the thing that would stop Gabriel’s damned obsession.

Gabriel.

Nathalie’s already-white knuckles turned a shade lighter as her fist tightened. She had not cried since she was fifteen, she would not cry now.

With a shout, she whirled around, throwing the knife full force at the wall.

Glass shattered as the knife went home.

The fragments of the clear, sharp material glistened in the dim light, but Nathalie’s attention was drawn to the frame, still hanging from the wall.

It was a picture of her and Gabriel shortly after he had started his business, six years prior to him meeting Emilie. Nathalie had been his best friend, still was.

She looked back at her mirror.

Her hair was a mess. Cut just above her shoulders, lopsided, strands beginning to cross and tangle. Nathalie sighed.

She undressed swiftly, turning on the water of her shower and stepping in before it had a chance to change temperature. The frigid water caused her to bite her lip, goosebumps trailing down her arms. It did not last long.

Two seconds later, the water was scalding hot. Nathalie gasped, first instinct to move away from it. She did not. Her feet remained planted to the tub as the water burned her shoulder, quivers running through her. She bit her lip as she moved, turning to face the water so to wash away her makeup. She winced as the harsh heat travelled down her face, barely daring to move. Her hands were frozen at her side for a moment longer before she raised them, collecting a small amount of soap and getting a rag wet. She placed the soap onto the rag and lifted it to her face, scrubbing away the makeup harshly. She had no doubt her face would be slightly red.

After she was positive that all remains of the makeup were gone, she grabbed her shampoo, squirting some into her hand. She paused after only a moment. She wouldn’t need nearly as much as she used to.

After scrubbing her hair clean for far longer than she normally would have, even when she had longer hair, she moved to the rest of her body.

After she finished, she turned the water off and reached out from behind the curtain, grabbing a towel and pulling it into the tub. She dried her hair as best she could before stepping out.

Nathalie paused as she looked at herself in the mirror. She bit her tongue, lips curling into a scowl.

She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table, sighing as it was only eight o’clock.

She glared at her reflection once more before turning and exiting her bathroom.

She sifted through her closet, finding an old, too-big t-shirt from when she’d met Jonathan “Jagged” Stone back in Iycée, the print nearly impossible to find these days.

She allowed herself a small smile at the memory.

She walked her her drawers, pulling on a pair of loose-fitting underwear and throwing on some sweatpants while she was at it.

After cleaning up the glass, she wondered back to her living room, pulling out her personal phone and dialling up a number.

He answered after two rings. “Hey, Nat. It’s a little late to be calling, isn’t it?”

“Hey, Mikey. Remember that chinese place we used to love to go to?” Nathalie asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“Can you grab some takeout from there and come to my apartment?”

“What’s wrong?” His voice betrayed concern.

Nathalie sighed. “I just want to see you,” she half-lied weakly.

A pause from the other end. “Be there in twenty.”

~~~

Roughly twenty minutes later, the door opened and the smell of chinese takeout filled the room.

The moment Michael set his stuff down, he had embraced Nathalie. They stood like they for a few seconds, before Michael pulled back and examined Nathalie’s wrists. Seeing nothing, his fingers trailed over the ends of her newly shortened hair.

“Oh, Nat,” he breathed, embracing her once more. He was less than an inch taller than her, so Nathalie found it easy to sag against him, burying her head into the crook of his neck like she always did when she needed comfort.

“I brought terrible horror movies,” he whispered, Nathalie tried to hid her amusement, but a ‘tch’ escaped her, setting her off. She laughed, Michael joining in a moment later.

~~~

“This movie is terrible,” Nathalie snorted, curled into her huge, fluffy recliner while Michael stretched out on the couch.

“I know right?” Michael laughed, taking another bite of his noodles. “They had literally no chemistry at all.”

Nathalie chuckled.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as the movies credits finally rolled by.

“I can fix your hair, you know. Uncle Sam used to keep me in the barber shop and I asked him to teach me once.”

“How old were you?”

“12.”

“And you’re, what? 32 now?”

“31, actually.”

Nathalie gave a disbelieving scoff, rolling her eyes.

Nearly a half hour later, she was tracing her fingers over the ends of her now shorter-than-before hair. It reached just below her chin, tickling her ears lightly.

“Reminds me of when you were twenty.”

Nathalie smiled. “It does, doesn’t it?”

“Are you going to go back to work?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Michael didn’t press further.

“Want to watch the sequel?”

Against her will, a smile bloomed on Nathalie’s face.

“I’d love to.”

~~~

Later that night, Nathalie awoke to the feeling of something breathing below her. She opened her eyes slowly, squinting as she tried to focus them.

Michael’s face, although nearly consumed in shadows, was unmistakable despite the darkness. She pulled herself up, careful to avoid waking him.

She padded into her kitchen, silently pulling a glass from the cabinet and grabbing some form of alcohol from her rack next to the fridge. After quietly pouring herself a glass, she took a quick drink, grimacing as the strong tang of her Spirytus Rektyfikowany hit her throat. This stuff could knock out 200 pound, fully grown men, and here Nathalie was, in all her 87 pound glory, drinking it like it was water.

Weaklings, she thought, nearly snorting. She had thirty years of tolerance, so of course she had an unfair advantage. Maybe she could drink some and get Gabriel to try it. That would be a show.

After finishing her, admittedly small, glass, she put the whiskey back, opting for something a little weaker. She’d always had a soft spot for brandy.

Once she finished two glasses of that, she put it back, not wanting to get too tipsy. She was already buzzed. Glancing at her watch, she read 2:47 and wondered what to do next.

She could always get an early start on the day, though her alarm wasn’t supposed to go off until 4. She had decided to go back to work as the second movie came to an end the night before. She would not let Gabriel get the better of her. Besides, she needed something to do for the day. Boredom never bode well with her.

And then there was also Adrien, she’d never leave him alone in that house.

So, she decided she’d shower, get dressed, maybe scroll through her private social media a bit. What? She may work for Gabriel but that doesn’t mean she can’t have a social life.

By the time she’d finished showering, Michael was awake and making breakfast.

“Mornin’,” he greeted, Nathalie raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not used to people cooking for me, feels a little weird.”

“We’ve got to get some meat on them bones, you’re like, what? 90 pounds?”

“87, actually.”

“Even worse. Eat,” he ordered, setting a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her. Nathalie rolled her eyes but picked up her fork and stabbed a couple of pieces.

They ate happily for thirty minutes, chatting about whatnot and complaining about the recent weather.

Nathalie’s alarm went off in her bedroom, and she stood, moving to turn it off. Once returning, she saw Michael doing the dishes and moved to help him.

“No, I’ve got it,” he said. “You go ahead and finish getting ready.” Nodding in appreciation, Nathalie went back to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she wondered what to do with her hair. After a good ten minutes of messing around with it, she settled for just pinning the right portion to her head so it would stay out of her face.

She went back to the living room, dressed in her usual work suit.

“I, personally, think the short hair suits you,” Michael complimented. Nathalie gave him a small smile.

“Thanks, Mikey.”

“No problem, Nat.”

~~~

The initial response to her shorter hair had been hilarious. Adrien had glanced up at her, saying a quick hello before returning his gaze to his phone. She counted exactly six seconds before his green eyes had snapped back to her, mouth agape.

She almost smirked. Almost.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked flatly, raising one of her eyebrows smoothly.

“I just… your hair,” he said, blinking.

“What about it?”

“It’s shorter.”

“You don’t say,” she quipped sarcastically.

There was silence for a short moment.

“What will father think?”

Nathalie just barely kept herself from tensing. Shit. “I doubt he’ll care.”

Adrien shrugged. “Whatever you say. You know him better than I do.”

Nathalie figured the younger Agreste was referring to her and Gabriel’s past friendship, but still felt a pang of anger in her stomach, yesterday’s argument fresh in her mind.

“You should be heading off to school soon. None of your activities are until after five so feel free to do whatever you like until then.”

Adrien perked at the notion that he’d be free for almost an hour after school ended. “Thank you, Nathalie.”

“Get going.”

The moment he was gone, Nathalie walked to Gabriel’s office, knocking swiftly once to let him know it was her and only her. She did not wait for a response as she opened the door, stepping inside. Gabriel kept his eyes trained on the screen before him

“I’m a little surprised you came back,” he stated calmly. Nathalie tried to decide whether or not she wanted to answer.

“I as well.” She sat down, booting up her computer.

She could feel his eyes on her, but she did not look.

“Nathalie.”

“Yes, sir?”

“What have you done to your hair?”

“It’s shorter, obviously I cut it,” she replied smoothly. She knew he wouldn’t care that she was being sarcastic, maybe a little rude. He knew she could yeet him out the window if she so desired.

“I know that. I meant why.”

Nathalie sighed, sending him a glare she’d only dare show to her worst enemies.

“Oh my god, Nathalie, stop. Please, you know that look gives me the chills.”

Nathalie felt a spark of triumph, but she did not let it show.

Gabriel let it go.

For a while.

After another two hours, they were getting ready for a conference when Gabriel stood behind her, his fingers running through her hair. She tensed, fighting to keep a grip on her coffee as a quiet gasp escaped her. She forgot how much she loved it when people played with her hair.

“I see you still like it,” Gabriel purred in her ear. She turned, her chest nearly brushing his.

“I do. Is there a reason you care?” she asked.

“Remember back in collège when I played with it and you pretended to hate it?” Nathalie bit her lip. She did remember. “We both know that was bullshit.”

Her phone buzzed, and she held back a sigh of relief. “Come on, the meeting starts in five minutes.”

She could see Gabriel’s disappointment. As good as he was at hiding emotions, Nathalie could see right through anything he threw at her.

The conference was boring, Gabriel wasn’t even paying attention. Half of the people there weren’t paying attention. Thinking quickly, she picked up her phone.

“Hello, you’ve reached Agreste Fashion, Nathalie Sancoeur speaking.”

Silence.

“Is it important?”

The rest of the board were looking at her, she kept the act up.

Widening her eyes only slightly, she asked, “What do you mean ‘Adrien sprained his ankle’?”

A few seconds of silence. She sighed. “Of course. I’ll be there to pick him up in twenty minutes.” Making sure the screen was viewable to no one but herself, she ‘hung up’.

“Sir-”

“I heard you. Terribly sorry, but I must see to my son.”

“Understandable, Gabriel. We’ll continue without you.”

Gabriel nodded, standing and following Nathalie out the door. He turned to her. “Good thinking.”

Nathalie shrugged. “It was obvious which way the discussion was heading. I saw no point in staying.”

He was in front of her. He was close, very close. He was leaning down. Nathalie did not move.

He first kissed her jaw, feather light, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. Before he continued, he paused.

“Short hair looks exquisitely good on you, you know,” he murmured, running a hand through her hair. Nathalie’s breath hitched. “Do you want this?” he asked. Did she want this? She didn’t know.

Her body apparently did, because she moved, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her.

Their lips met, soft at first, but slowly becoming more fervent.

“Sir-” she gasped when he kissed her neck.

“Yes?” he purred.

She forced herself to push him away. “Not here. Not now. Literally any other time but now.”

“Maybe in an hour? At the mansion?”

Maybe never, she thought. “No. I have to meet Michael then.”

“Michael?” His brows furrowed together.

“My brother. I’m going out with him and his husband in a bit.”

“Husband?”

“Gay people exist, sir.”

Gabriel hummed. “Perhaps I can indulge you later, Miss Sancoeur.” He pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. Then he was upright and fixing his hair. Nathalie followed in suit.

~~~

True to her word, Nathalie left within the hour, heading to a nice coffee joint where she’d be meeting Michael and David.

David was a handsome, tall black man with kind brown eyes and a drop-dead smile. Nathalie wouldn’t admit it aloud, but she’d had a crush on him before he and Michael got together.

“Nathalie!” David smiled, waving her over.

“Hey, David!” Nathalie smiled, hugging him. Michael was grinning beside her.

“It’s been too long! Tell me, can I kick Gabriel’s ass now?” David asked, chuckled when Nathalie smacked him lightly. “I’ll take that as a no. I saw you in TV the other day, I wasn’t sure if it was actually you.”

“How so?” Nathalie asked, crossing her arms and giving him a pointed look.

“You were so...” He motioned with his arms as he search for the right word. “Dead? Emotionless? Not the Nathalie so know.”

Nathalie shrugged. “Work has always been stressful. I have to depart my soul for the day to keep it from getting sucked out by Gabriel.”

“What about the kid, the blonde one. You said his name was Adrien?” Michael cut in.

“He survives only because he’s naturally a ball of sunshine,” Nathalie said plainly, her expression dead serious.

Michael and David shared a look.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to yeet him?” David asked in a soft, comforting tone. Nathalie let out a laugh.

“As tempted as I am to say yes, I’m afraid I can’t have the authorities after you,” she grinned.

An hour later, Nathalie and the two men were walking along the street when a loud explosion was heard. Screams followed a moment later, and Nathalie cursed.

“Guys!” David shouted. “We need to go!”

Nathalie nodded following them.

“Nathalie, come on!” Michael called. Nathalie grit her teeth.

“Fuck it,” she hissed, ditching her heels and racing to catch up.

They had just turned into an alley when Nathalie stepped a piece of glass.

She cried out, gritting her teeth and grunting with the effort to stay quiet.

“Nat,” Michael gasped, leading her to the wall and helping her sit. “David, you’re a doctor, you think you can help?”

David shook his head. “The best thing to do would be to let Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat the Akuma and let the lucky charm heal it. If I pull the glass out, the blood with flow free and we won’t have anything to stop it.”

Nathalie took a deep breath, focusing on the sounds of fighting. “At this rate it shouldn’t be long. It’s just a little pain, I’ll survive a few minutes.”

David sighed and nodded while Michael kept watch for flying cars.

A little over fifteen minutes passed, then the familiar glowing ladybugs whooshed by and Nathalie felt the pain, which has dulled significantly, vanish. Nothing but a dull throb remained, and Nathalie notes that her heels were back too.

She stood up, brushing herself off and giving the two men a smile. “I’d better head back to work. Maybe we can actually hang out next week?”

David hugged her and said, “Yeah, text me a time and a date and we’ll be there.”

Michael joined in on the hug. “Yup.”

~~~

The moment Nathalie arrived at this the mansion, she went to Gabriel’s office, opening the door without knocking and making her way to his desk.

“I should punch you, you know,” she said icily.

Gabriel actually looked up. “And why is that?”

“Because of your Akuma, my foot was stabbed with a piece of glass. Believe me, had it been Michael or David, you would be bruising right now.”

Gabriel stared at her coolly. He stood slowly, circling around the desk smoothly. Nathalie fought the urge to step away from him.

His hand lifted and he began to stroke her hair. Nathalie heart thundered in her ears and her breathing stilled. Gabriel leveled his gaze with hers.

“If I apologized for the Akuma and for the argument, would you let an old dog have his fun?”

“Maybe if you stop,” Nathalie breathed, “that old dog could have all the fun he wanted.”

That made Gabriel pause. She could see the desire hidden in his eyes, and knew she’d won.

Gabriel gave her a wicked grin. “You have yourself a deal, Miss Sancoeur.”

Nathalie knew it would not be easy, but maybe, just maybe, she could get him to move in and let go.

She hoped to god she could.

[dishwater-blondie]

Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Hawk Moth | Papillon/Nathalie Sancoeur Characters: Gabriel Agreste | Hawk Moth | Papillon, Nathalie Sancoeur Additional Tags: Akuma Attack, Sentimonster (Miraculous Ladybug), Pining, Attempt at Humor, Gabriel Agreste is a Dumb Bitch, This isn’t crack but it sure is stupid, GabeNath Covert Cupid

Summary: “And that’s how Gabriel Agreste wound up face-to-face with Mayura, surrounded by fifty unsuspecting Parisians, caught alive in one of the ugliest pieces of clothing he’s ever seen.” 

Written for @gabenathevents‘s GabeNath Covert Cupid Gift Exchange! 

I hope you like it, @starry-sky12

[starryluminescence]

Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nathalie Sancoeur, Duusu & Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth & Nooroo, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Plagg

Additional Tags: Confusion, Meddling, Valentine's Day, Gabenath is a team effort, Love Poems, GabeNath Covert Cupid, Gabriel if half of the Gabenath fanbase can accept they have a crush on Nathalie so can you

Summary: What boss hasn’t given their live-in assistant/close friend/partner in crime Valentine’s day present? A perfectly normal thing to do, in his opinion.

A perfect respectable opinion that is incorrect in every way for Gabriel Agreste. Many things sound significantly different without context, and Nathalie is going to find that out.

This fic was written for @gabenathevents Covert Cupid <3. My giftee is @granadactonica ! I hope you like it :)!

[leonhardtmills]

This is my work for the Gabenath gift exchange 2019

@avatar-jenny-mac this is for you, I hope you like it 💙💜

[cheeseeatingtrashmonster]

Stolen Flowers, Shared Umbrellas

Adrien Agreste is a model kindergartener in Nathalie's class - almost. When Gabriel hears what Nathalie thinks is a problem, things get a bit frustrating for all involved. Will Adrien be pulled from school? Or will these adults find a way to fix things (and maybe find a little something more)?

For @dreamwreaver! I hope you like tiny Adrien and the ridiculous adults in his life :)

Ao3

-

"Mr. Agreste. I'm Adrien's teacher, Ms. Nathalie."

Gabriel couldn't focus on the woman in front of him. The classroom was full of kindergartners and their parents. The blur of movement and primary colors, adult conversations and childish shrieks made him regret attending the school's open house.

"I received your email saying that you didn't have a lot of time to spare tonight, so why don't we talk now, while the other parents socialize?" Nathalie gestured to the chairs set up opposite her desk. Gabriel took his seat and Adrien ran around Nathalie's desk to climb up her side, attaching to her torso like a small monkey.

"Adrien!" Gabriel stood, reaching for his son. "I'm sorry, he's usually much better behaved for me."

Nathalie scooped Adrien into her arms and held him on her lap. "I teach Kindergarten, Mr. Agreste. This is fine."

Gabriel sat down again, but the way his brow furrowed and lips pursed put Nathalie on the defensive. The young woman who worked in the school's office had said that Gabriel Agreste was difficult. She had hoped she was wrong. How could a sweet boy like Adrien be the product of a man who made Bridgette, the world's sweetest secretary, cry?

“Do you have concerns about Adrien's behavior?” Gabriel watched Adrien cuddle into his teacher and felt the urge to pull his son back to his side of the desk. "For his age, he has more self-control than seventy percent of his peers and is better at following directions than sixty-fi-"

"-sixty-five percent, yes," Nathalie cut in. "I sent those numbers home with him last month if you remember."

Gabriel blinked. "Oh." She was right. She had sent him a summary of Adrien's development and he had been well above average in every area. "Yes. Of course." He mentally shook himself. Stay on task. Why had she sent him multiple reminders to attend the open house? Andre and Audrey Bourgeois had said they had received one email between the two of them. "Then what is the purpose of this time?"

Nathalie frowned. "The purpose is to develop a partnership in helping Adrien grow while he's my student. While he is, in most areas, a model student, there are still some concerns."

Adrien looked up at Nathalie with big eyes. "Did I do something bad?"

Nathalie put a hand on Adrien's head. "We talked about this today, remember?"

"Oh. The flowers." He sighed. "Can I go color, please?"

Nathalie helped him off her lap and the adults watched him trot across the room to a table covered in paper and crayons. Chloe latched onto his sleeve with one hand and started grabbing handfuls of crayons from other children to drop in front of Adrien. Gabriel and Nathalie sighed at the same moment. The Chloe Sigh.

"'The flowers?'" Gabriel echoed as he turned back towards the desk, quirking an eyebrow at Ms. Nathalie.

"To the point then," she said. She folded her hands and placed them on the desk, straightening her spine. "Despite being told to stop by multiple school bus monitors and teachers on multiple occasions, Adrien has been stealing flowers from the house next to the school."

One of the children who had lost their crayons to Chloe started shrieking at that moment. Gabriel visibly flinched. Nathalie waited for his attention to return, watching him watch Adrien for a few seconds, then eye the door to the hallway. The tension didn't leave his posture, but his eyes returned to her after a long moment.

"He's been 'stealing' flowers?" Gabriel all but rolled his eyes at her. "That's the reason you insisted I attend tonight? My son picked a few flowers?"

"Mr. Agreste, your son took those flowers from private property. When he gets off the bus, he runs away from the school and over to the house. He's opening and entering a gate on private property and taking flowers from a well-maintained garden. This is more serious than just 'picking a few flowers.'"

He shook his head, drawing a breath. “If Adrien really is-”

Another child started shrieking. Two more started crying. Gabriel stood, his eyes wide, his fists clenched.

"This is not a real problem. If you’re more worried about a handful of daisies than keeping the children in your class from throwing fits-"

"Those children are fine! They're safe and with their parents. Expressing emotion is-"

Gabriel wasn't listening. "Adrien! Come here, we're leaving."

Adrien looked up from handing out crayons evenly with his classmates. "Father, can we stay until I finish my drawing?"

"You can draw at home. Come here, now."

Nathalie came around her desk and reached out to Gabriel. "Mr. Agreste, I'm sorry I upset you, but-"

Adrien was standing next to his father, clutching a handful of the leg of his colorful pants. Gabriel swept him into his arms, one supporting his weight against his side, the other holding his head close to his shoulder- defensively, protectively. "I'm not so sure this is the best schooling option for my son. I'll evaluate over the weekend."

He turned and walked out of the classroom without another word.

"Mr. Agreste!" Nathalie called, following them out. "Please, reconsider. It's Adrien's safety I have in mind by bringing this up."

He turned around, clutching Adrien closer. "I know what is best for my son."

He was around the corner before she could get out another word.

-

Adrien was not in school on Monday. Nathalie tried not to worry. She had children here to focus on, each with their own troubles. She poured herself into the development plans she had for each that day. She even managed to get Chloe to apologize for throwing a marker at Juleka.

When school ended and she was standing in her classroom alone, however, Adrien's voice came to the front of her mind.

"School is my favorite place to be."

"Thank you, Ms. Nathalie!"

"Can I take my drawings home to show Dad what we did today?"

"Writing practice is my favorite. Except for science. Oh, and drawing! And..."

The overhead lights, on an automatic timer, shut off above Nathalie's head. She must have been standing at her desk thinking for longer than she realized. She finished tidying the room and gathered her things. After closing and locking her classroom, she headed towards the parking lot.

She stopped in the doorway. There was a torrential downpour. How had she not noticed? She reached in her bag for her umbrella and-

Her umbrella was in her entryway at home.

She had to decide if she should get a cup of bad coffee from the staff room and wait out the storm or brave the rain. If she stayed, it would make her late for her book club that afternoon. If she ran to her car, she would soak her last clean pair of dress pants, favorite shoes, and probably the inside of her car. Just as she started raising her purse to cover her head for the dash to the car, someone called her name.

"Ms. Nathalie?"

She blinked at him a few times before calling, "Mr. Agreste?"

He caught up to her and held out a piece of paper. Her heart sank.

"If this is the paperwork to withdraw Adrien, I urge you to-"

"Just look." He shoved the paper into her hands.

It was a crayon drawing. One of Adrien's by the look of it.

"Mr. Agreste, why-"

"I spent the day with Adrien. When I asked about the flowers, he drew this. Look at the drawing."

The drawing contained three figures; one was clearly Adrien with lots of scribbled yellow hair, one looked like a cross between a man and a gorilla, and the third stood in the doorway of a house, smiling and waving. The house was surrounded by gigantic flowers in every color.

"I see Adrien holding hands with... Is this the gentleman allowed to pick Adrien up in the event of an emergency? The head of your security?"

Gabriel nodded, tapping the paper over the second figure. "That's Gorilla, as Adrien calls him. Gorilla picked Adrien up from school recently when he had a fever. Apparently, on the way to the car, Adrien asked him to take him to the house next to the school- the house with the flowers."

Nathalie was seeing where this was going. She pointed to the third person in the drawing. "Adrien asked permission to pick flowers, didn't he?"

Gabriel nodded. "I asked Gorilla about this. He had forgotten to tell me because right after he got Adrien home, he had to leave unexpectedly to pick up his own son from school, probably with the exact same virus Adrien had. Gorilla also said that the older gentleman in the house told him that had Adrien not asked so politely and just taken the flowers, he would not have hesitated to call the police on a five-year-old."

"He has before," Nathalie said, handing the drawing back. She looked him in the eye. "I was trying to tell you that."

He met her gaze, then looked away. "Yes. It seems I was a bit hasty to dismiss your concerns."

"The safety of the children in my care is my highest concern."

He sighed, his hand coming up to the short hair at the back of his head for just a moment before returning behind his back with the other. "Clearly I misjudged you. I apologize."

She nodded, her own hands clasping behind her back. "I apologize for sending so many reminders about the open house. I tried to call, but I never got through. Perhaps I should have tried leaving a message."

Gabriel's hand raised to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I seem to be between assistants. The phones are not being answered as often as they should be because of that."

"Between assistants? I couldn't possibly understand why."

Gabriel looked up at large blue eyes blinking innocently at him from behind stylish glasses.

"Are you making fun of me?"

She kept a perfect poker face except for the smallest twinkle in her eye.

"We've only just met. Why would I do that?"

Gabriel was surprised to hear a laugh from his own lips.

"Well, I've heard I can be rather unpleasant. Hasty, judgmental, quick to anger."

"You know, I have heard that." She gave a small smile. "But I know your son, too. One so kind can't come from someone without good points."

"Adrien is... He's the light of my life."

There. Under the layers- cold, professional, angry, anxious- there was love in this man. There was love in him, and it was shining out his eyes as he talked about the other drawings his son had made for him that day.

She wanted to get to know him under those layers.

Gabriel's phone beeped, interrupting him and pulling Nathalie from her thoughts.

"I'm neglecting a work meeting," he said, putting the phone back in his pocket. "They'll get along fine without me."

"Oh, I won't keep you," she said. "I was heading home anyway." She glanced out the door. The rain had not gotten any less intense.

"Forgive me if this is forward," Gabriel said, a bit more of the "professional" and "anxious" layers falling over him. "Would you consider letting me take you to get coffee?"

"Oh!" She ignored her heating face, hoping he couldn't see her blush. "Coffee? Now?"

"Only if you'd like."

Oh, she wanted to say yes. "I have an event soon. Book club. I picked the book we just read, so I have to be there."

He nodded. "I apologize if I made you uncomf-"

"Would you consider dinner on Friday night instead?"

They both froze. It was as if her words were hovering in the air between them, expanding and pressing against the silence that had overtaken the hallway.

"Dinner sounds nice."

They exchanged details and set a time for him to pick her up. As they were saying goodbye, Gabriel noticed her lack of umbrella.

"It's pouring out. Allow me." He picked up an umbrella Nathalie had failed to notice leaning against the wall next to them. He walked her to her car, both huddled together under the barely-wide-enough umbrella.

“Thank you,” Nathalie said when she was settled in her car, hand on her open door. “I’ll see you Friday.”

“See you then.” He took a step back, then paused and closed the umbrella.

“You’ll get soaked!” Nathalie said, her hand reaching out as if she could reach the handle of the umbrella to stop him.

“I’m fine,” he said, tucking the umbrella carefully next to her. “Enjoy your book club.”

Gabriel Agreste walked away with his hands behind his back and his hair gel slowly dissolving and making his hair stick to his skull.

He turned back a few yards away. “I forgot to ask. Do you happen to know why Adrien was picking flowers in the first place?”

Nathalie covered her mouth to smother a laugh. “He brings them to a girl in the other kindergarten class across the hall from us. She brings him a cookie or hand-sewn sock puppet or something every now and then.”

“Young love.” Gabriel smiled. “I look forward to seeing you Friday.”

Nathalie couldn’t wait to tell book club about this.

[gabenathevents]

The GabeNath Covert Cupid sign-ups end today! Don’t miss out on this exciting gift exchange event!

A schedule, rules list, FAQ, and other information can be found here!

Sign up here!

Artwork by @thehopeelias 💖

[seasonofthegeek]

This art and drabble is dedicated to @theredeyeswolf as part of the Gabenath Discord server gift exchange! I hope you like it, sweets, and Happy Holidays!

___

“From the way Adrien talked about you, I expected someone...nicer.” Bunnyx shook her head. “That’s on me though. I knew you couldn’t possibly be nice. I’ve seen too much.” Her face screwed up in disgust. “But I’m going out on a limb and trusting his judgement on this because I actually owe him this time around and he won’t let me forget it.”

“You realize I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Nathalie tightened the belt of her robe in an irritated gesture. “If you’re an akuma--”

“You know I’m not.” Bunnyx rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to act around me. Believe me when I say I’ve seen you at your worst, just like I’ve seen with everyone else.”

The other woman noticed the tightening around the hero’s eyes, the slump of her shoulders. She would use that if she needed to. She took the moment to study the large room she’d been brought into after being whisked through a portal right in the middle of the Agreste hallway. She wondered if Gabriel would realize she was gone before morning. 

She slipped into his room night after night and the few times that she didn’t come on her own, her bedroom door would open and there would be a weight on the other side of her bed. He would never cuddle up to her and even slept with his back to her most nights, but if she didn’t come to him, he came to her. He would realize she was gone.

She wrapped that thought around her like a blanket and realized the other woman was watching her. “Well, you brought me here. I assume you have a reason.”

Bunnyx gave her an indiscernible look before gesturing to the left. “Yeah, I’ve got you set up over here. Just watch.”

A grouping of blurred viewing windows became clearer simultaneously and Nathalie stared up at the wall of Gabriel with a soft gasp. There was Gabriel as she knew him, tall and stoic, awkwardly hugging his son. There was another side of Gabriel she knew in the next one, Hawk Moth using the dark power between his hands to create his next akuma as Chat Noir cowered before him. There was Gabriel as a young man and Gabriel as an anxious groom waiting for Emilie to come down the aisle and even Gabriel  as the holder of the Peacock Miraculous, fighting on the side of good and aiding Chat Noir and Ladybug with a sentiprotector.

A Gabriel with his Hawk Moth transformation falling around him as he held her broken body, the last magic of Mayura slipping away with what was left of her life. A Gabriel genuinely smiling as he held her close and they enjoyed a beautiful sunset. A Gabriel clapping proudly as Adrien finished his final fencing match at the top of his group.

Nathalie felt too many things at once and locked them down the best she could. She felt her face smooth out into a comfortable mask of indifference. “If you have a point, now would be the time to make it.”

“Really? You’re going to make me spell it out for you? And here I thought you were smart. I swear if I didn’t owe him, this would be going really differently right now.” Bunnyx shook her head. “Look, you can change things. You’re it. You’re the fulcrum.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Nathalie hugged herself as she watched Hawk Moth turn to ash from a deadly blow of Cataclysm in one of the windows. 

The hero sighed. “As hard as it is to admit it, no one is beyond redemption. Not when they still have life left. It’s a hard lesson I’ve come to learn while holding this gig.”

“You’re saying I need to help Gabriel change his dastardly ways.” Nathalie knew her tone was too dry. “I have nothing to do with him being Hawk Moth.”

“Maybe that’s not why he started, but without you, I don’t think he’d have it in him to keep going.” Bunnyx shrugged. “It’s a theory, but one I’ve seen play out a few times now that makes me believe there’s some weight behind it.”

“I see.” Her eyes strayed to the windows showing a happier Gabriel, a man who was a stranger to her. “And why should I believe any of this magic show, White Rabbit?”

“The name’s Bunnyx,” she scoffed. “And it’s not magic. Well, maybe it is, I don’t know. Max would say it’s all science. The point is that all of these futures have the potential to happen and I’ve watched enough to know that you can prevent a lot of them.”

And there it was, that small flicker of hope Nathalie felt sometimes. The way out. The way to a better life for both of them, for all of them. It couldn’t be that easy though. She refused to believe that she was the reason he kept going. It would be too...too...

“What I’m saying is that I don’t think the Agreste apple falls far from the tree and believe me, I’ve seen more than enough of knowing what Adrien will do for the love of his life. Gabriel isn’t any different.”

“Perhaps you’re forgetting that he’s not doing any of this for me; he’s doing it for Emilie.”

“Things don’t always end the way they started.” Bunnyx brandished her umbrella and a new portal appeared. “Anyway, I fulfilled my end of the bargain. You’ve seen what could happen if you get him to change and what does happen if you don’t. That’s all I can do.”

“You haven’t done anything.” Nathalie could see the familiar hallway through the portal. “You haven’t told me anything I didn’t know.”

The hero looked sad. “Yeah, I know.”

Nathalie went through the portal without another word and there was a staticky sound behind her as it closed. She took in a deep breath and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Wow,” Duusu whispered. “That was a lot, huh?”

With a blink of surprise, the woman reached up to feel the kwami nestled in her hair. She’d completely forgotten her presence in the middle of everything that just happened. Although it was very unlike Duusu to have stayed so quiet.  “What did you think of it all?”

“Oh! I think she’s right!” Duusu flew in front of her holder and clasped her tiny paws together. “It’s so romantic, isn’t it? You saving him from a bad life.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“You keeping him from making bad choices and showing him there’s still good in the world.”

“I’m not sure there is. Besides, I’m not his keeper. He’s a grown man with his own agenda. I don’t want that on me.” Nathalie tightened her robe and looked down the hall towards Gabriel’s room. She needed distance and time to think. She turned and began down the path back to her own room.

“But he needs you!” the kwami whined. “You can make him good.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for that! I can’t even make good choices for myself.” She slipped into her room and locked the door behind her. 

Duusu flew through the wood, unfazed. “Maybe you can help each other then!”

Nathalie curled up on top of her bed, not bothering with the blankets. She felt confused and angry and lonely and sad. She hated Bunnyx for showing her futures she didn’t think she could have and she wished she hadn’t seen the futures that were all too possible. “I can’t change anything,” she whispered miserably. “I don’t know how.”

She wasn’t sure how long she lay in the dim light of her room like that before she heard a rustling outside her bedroom door. The doorknob turned slowly until it caught on the lock. She watched it happen once more before she spoke. “Gabriel?”

There was a distinct silence from the other side of the door of someone trying to stay quiet and still. Nathalie held her breath. She wasn’t going to do this by herself. She wasn’t going to always be the one reaching. Even with the small flicker of hope burning in her chest, she couldn’t bring herself to get up without a sign from him.

She’d almost given up when the doorknob let out a small sigh of release and she heard Gabriel’s voice on the other side of the door, low and quiet. “May I come in, please? Nathalie?”

Her heart jumped in her throat as she rose from the bed and crossed the room. She opened the door and looked at him, not sure how to feel. His eyes were filled with guarded concern. “Is everything okay?”

“I can’t keep doing this.”

Gabriel blinked and took a step back. “Right.” He cleared his throat and tightened his own robe. “Of course.” He turned to go and Nathalie reached out, grabbing his arm. He looked down at her hand in surprise.

“No, I mean...” She trailed off with an exhausted sigh. “We can talk about it in the morning. Come in.”

They were quiet as they moved into the room and took their usual places on each side of the bed. Nathalie had a moment of indecision before she curled up close to Gabriel’s back. She felt him stiffen under her touch and then he was rolling over to hold her. Neither of them spoke in the quiet of the room, though there were plenty of words that needed to be said.

Duusu’s words rang in Nathalie’s head. Maybe they could help each other. Maybe they could both change. Maybe they could have a new life, together.

Maybe there was hope.

She closed her eyes and listened to Gabriel’s heart racing in his chest. 

Maybe they could still find redemption together. 

[auroralynne]

GabeNath - Adjustments, by Aurora Lynne

Happy Valentines Day! We’re doing a gift exchange event at the ML Ship Fleet server and my Valentine is @aliensfordonuts, this wonderful creature that brings us so much joy! Hope you like it, love! 

Sometimes a world renowed fashion designer needs a model and his assistant ends up playing the role... Or maybe he just wants to make sure his surprise gift fits her perfectly ;) 

--DO NOT REPOST--

[keiththeweirdo]

Gabenath Gift Exchange

My gift to @theredeyeswolf

Enjoy!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17348177

[auroralynne]

GabeNath - Want, by Aurora Lynne

This piece is a GabeNath Server’s Secret Santa gift for the lovely @dianmari :D Hope you like it, sweets! 

Thank you @aliensfordonuts for organizing this gift exchange!

-DO NOT REPOST-

[seasonofthegeek]

To Save and To Sacrifice

We did a gift exchange for the Gabenath server and I was excited to write this piece for @dreamwreaver. I have ideas for future chapters so hopefully I can make that happen! <3

Gabriel eyed the woman in front of him speculatively. “It’s settled. You’re to be my wife then.” His words brooked no question and the tone set Nathalie’s teeth on edge.

She schooled her expression and held her composure in the way she’d been taught. “It would appear so.”

They stared at each other, sizing the other up without words. Two kingdoms hung in the balance but for that one moment, they were a man and a woman who most certainly wanted nothing to do with the other.

Nathalie knew immediately that she didn’t like Gabriel Agreste. He was arrogant, though most kings were, but his arrogance seemed unearned. Her kingdom wasn’t the only one in need after all. There was restlessness in his and his leadership was being questioned. To bring in another kingdom, along with acquiring a sought-after queen who’d held her throne alone for almost a decade would be quite the feather in his cap. Nathalie wasn’t sure he deserved it but her land was tilled to dust and her people were in need. She narrowed her eyes as she watched his lip curl up in disgust.

“Is there a problem?”

Gabriel pursed his lips, his expression smoothing out into one of blankness. “I wasn’t aware you wore glasses.”

“The same could be said for you. You weren’t wearing them the other times we met.”

“Neither were you.” He frowned then. “I believe it’s different for a woman of royal lineage to need glasses though.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Well, if you were to have my heir—“

Nathalie held up a hand. “There will be no heir. That’s not part of this agreement. This is a business contract to benefit both of our kingdoms. We will be united in law alone,” she said pointedly. She watched his face cloud over before the blank mask was back in place. “You already have two sons. Another heir is not a necessity and this contract is one of necessity.”

He picked up a red pen and held it over his stack of papers. “Then we’ll change the contract.”

“Fine,” she nodded, grabbing her own pen. “Then I’ll pull out. I received an offer from King Stone of—“

“You can’t go to the buffoon,” he hissed.

“No heir,” she said simply.

Gabriel’s jaw clicked but he dropped the pen back to the rich lacquered tabletop. “Fine. No heir.”

They held each other’s gaze in challenge for a few moments before there was a silent agreement to continue and they picked up their private review of the final contract one last time. __________________________________

Nathalie played her part throughout the wedding. She wore the dress Gabriel picked out and smiled for the photos and outwardly expressed the correct emotions at the correct times. It was no secret that this wasn’t a match made of love since so few royal weddings were but there was no reason to let anyone think she was in a miserable circumstance. She held her head high. She greeted his people as he did the same for hers. The merging of two kingdoms was quite the event and ambassadors from around the world arrived in droves to give their well wishes and plan their betrayals behind closed doors.

Nathalie found herself alone in the corner of the reception hall later in the night and took in a breath to steady herself. This had been the right decision for her people. She knew that. She could handle this burden. She could live the rest of her life legally tied to the vile man across the hall.

“It’s nice what you’re doing.”

She was surprised to find the two Agreste heirs in front of her. She’d seen photos of them, of course, but they’d never surfaced in her visits to the castle for negotiations. And now here both of them stood, technically her sons through marriage. One was almost a head taller than the other and both had the golden hair she’d seen in past pictures of Gabriel.

“It’s not nice, Ren,” the taller one chided. “It’s business.” He looked her over with the same unimpressed air his father had. “Isn’t that right?”

Nathalie found herself straightening, her chin tilting up defiantly. “I’m doing what I need to for my kingdom.”

“Our kingdom now that the papers are signed,” the man corrected. “Which is quite nice. It’s now the second largest in this country.”

“You’re Prince Felix.”

He gave a quick forced smile that was more social reaction than genuine.

“And I’m Adrien.” The shorter of the two offered his hand with a hopeful smile that radiated so much sincerity, Nathalie had to hold in a wince.

She clasped his hand firmly and saw him nod in appreciation. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

“For the record, I still think it’s a kind thing you’re doing,” Adrien said, releasing her hand. “It must be hard moving away from your home. Most of your people are migrating this way too, from what I’ve heard.”

Felix sighed and turned away to melt back into the crowd. Adrien looked after him with a frown before turning back to Nathalie. “Don’t mind him. He gets like this sometimes. If you need anything, you can ask me.”

“I’ll remember that. Thank you, Prince Adrien.” Nathalie dipped in a half bow that wasn’t required but she thought might be necessary after Felix’s departure and heard the young man chuckle.

“You don’t have to do that with me. I’m just Adrien. Are you just Nathalie or should I call you Queen Nathalie?” He gave her earnest green eyes and Nathalie felt the first tickle of pleasantness since she’d set foot in the hall.

“Just Nathalie is fine, Adrien, thank you.” __________________________________

“The staff you brought over seems to have acclimated well,” Gabriel noted, not bothering to look up from the tablet his assistant had presented him with moments before.

“Yes, I believe the merger was successful.” Nathalie sat at the other end of the large conference table and looked at the report on the previous week’s import and export trades. “I’ve had a few disturbances reported but they’ve been handled relatively well. I believe this will be an experiment depending on time for more results.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “The exports are higher but the imports have dropped. That wasn’t planned in any documentation I approved.”

“I saw that too,” he frowned. “There were multiple unapproved transactions.”

“We’ll need to bring in the trades supervisor and start an inquiry immediately.”

Gabriel gave her an impressed nod. “I’ll have him brought in today. Would you like to be a part of the inquiry?”

Nathalie set down her own tablet and picked up the delicate teacup to her right. “I think that would be for the best, yes.”

“I’ll have it scheduled when we can both be present.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” __________________________________

Nathalie stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped the thick towel around her body. While her own home had been full of nice things, Gabriel attempted to provide the very best and she found that she was quickly becoming accustomed to the lush and extravagant.

While she’d been very careful in making sure that her people were provided for with the merging kingdoms, Gabriel had surprised her with going above and beyond what she expected. Her people were treated no differently than his people, both kingdoms coming together seamlessly with few disruptions. The people she formerly thought of as solely hers now had a better quality of life, access to more opportunities, and more security. There was the small part of her that wondered if what she provided in the merger was enough but Gabriel had come to her with the request for a wife to strengthen his throne to send a message to other kingdoms. Their marriage had seemingly done that.

She stepped into the large suite and it felt too big, too empty. It was filled with luxurious fabrics and expensive furniture but the bed was huge and sometimes Nathalie felt lost in it alone. She’d had temporary bed partners before but none she was comfortable enough with to settle with for anything permanent. In the back of her mind perhaps she’d thought that someday she would find someone to love and share her life with in a marriage but this marriage had been created out of necessity and there were worse fates. Gabriel left her to her own doings for the most part except for their daily management meetings and she appreciated that.

Although she was realizing that she wouldn’t mind more company.

They’d had lunch together two days ago and it had been a nice occasion. Nathalie hadn’t realized how much she’d started to crave interaction with someone else who didn’t bow their head in her presence. Adrien was nice to talk to when he was around but he was younger and still had that overprotected naivety she saw in royals from time to time. Felix seemed content to ignore her and she was fine doing the same with him. He gave off the air of a sleeping bear that was just looking for a reason to go off and she was not going to be the one to poke him.

She slipped into her bedclothes and curled into the too large bed, pulling the pillows around her for comfort. She usually took breakfast in the dining hall alone but had noticed Gabriel took his in his study. Perhaps she would try to join him in the morning.

Yes, she thought sleepily, his company would be nice. __________________________________

Gabriel knew it was late from the dull ache behind his left eye. He closed the appeal he’d been going over and pushed away from his desk. He shouldn’t be staying up so late but there was double the work to be done with the kingdoms merging.

Not that the work couldn’t be shared.

He’d known Nathalie was an intelligent woman within moments of meeting her when they began negotiations. Other royals who had reached out to him had preened and bowed and presented in a way that was pleasant but not completely genuine. The first time he saw Nathalie narrow her eyes at one of his offhand comments, he’d been intrigued and pushed to continue talking terms. She’d also held onto her throne alone for a decade and that wasn’t the most common thing for a woman. Widowed queens were an exception but Nathalie was still relatively young. It proved her worth and experience.

It also didn’t hurt that he found her gorgeous, but he was trying to keep his space. His mother had been coerced into marriage with his father and there had always been a heavy sadness about her, though he realized with age how she’d tried to shield him from it. He’d watched his father treat her like a possession more than a person and Gabriel had promised himself not to make the same decisions. Although marrying for business was probably on the line.

He stretched and made the short journey to his suite. He knew Nathalie took her breakfast in the dining room in the mornings. Perhaps he would join her tomorrow and see if she would be interested in taking on an even more active role with some of the legislation.

And if Gabriel were being honest with himself, he wouldn’t mind having an excuse to be in her presence more often. __________________________________

“Well,” Gabriel said, clearing his throat. “It would appear we had similar ideas this morning.” He nodded his thanks as a server placed a cup of coffee to the side of his plate.

“It appears so,” Nathalie agreed, taking a sip of her own coffee. The kitchen staff had finally perfected a creamy blend that she’d come to love.

“Yes, well, you’ve been here a couple of months now and hopefully have found things to your liking.”

“Your home is very nice.”

“Our home.” He shot her a tentative smile and was relieved to see her give him one in return.

“Our home,” she conceded.

Gabriel cleared his throat once more and picked up a slice of toast and reached for the jam. “If there are any changes you would like to make, of course, that can be done.”

Nathalie chewed on her bite of toast and then swallowed. “My bed.”

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s too big.”

Gabriel blinked. “And that’s a problem?”

Nathalie huffed. “Yes, it’s a problem. I feel like I’m going to get lost in it. I have to put pillows all around me just to feel comfortable.”

He tried not to smile. “That does sound serious.” He felt a surge of satisfaction when he saw her eyes narrow.

“It is,” she ground out and took an angry bite of her toast. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping and I believe it’s because the bed is too large.”

“I’ll see to it that a smaller bed is ordered then.”

“But not too small,” she warned.

“Perhaps it would be best for you to go through the catalogues and choose one. “

Nathalie lifted her chin. “Yes, I think it would. And while we’re at it, I want more to do.”

“Like what?” he prodded.

“Gabriel, I ruled my own kingdom for over a decade. I’m more than capable of doing that here as well. To be honest, I’m growing rather bored.”

“I see.”

“I know we have our daily meetings to go over reports but I also know there is more that can be done and I want to do it. There’s no reason for me to waste away here.”

“I agree.”

Nathalie paused, unsure of where to go now that he’d easily given in to her demands.  “Well, okay then,” she nodded, raising her cup to her lips.

Gabriel finished his coffee and stood. “I’ll retire to the study to begin my work for the day. Join me when you’ve finished.”

She smiled into her cup and met his eyes. He gave her a pleased nod and turned to leave the room. Perhaps this marriage wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Buy me a cherry coke?

[seasonofthegeek]

Run and Return: Prologue

The wonderful @gabriel-fucking-agreste put together a gift exchange in the Gabenath Discord Server (join us if you would like!) and I was blessed with being able to write a story for the amazing @auroralynne! <3

This story serves as the prologue for the AU I’ll be writing for Gabenath Week on @mlshipfleet starting this Sunday! 

“With all due respect, sir, you look like week-old takeout on a bad day,” Nathalie said, adjusting her glasses.

“I never knew you could be so descriptive, Nathalie,” Gabriel muttered as he scratched at the stubble along his jaw. “You may as well drop the ‘sir’. You don’t work for me anymore.”

“If it’s all the same, I may still use it,” she shrugged. “It gives me some sense of normalcy in this ridiculous situation.” She lifted a dark ball cap from the hook by the door and settled it over her newly shortened hair. “I’m going out for a food run. I suggest you shower and clean up before I return.”

“Yes, and if I don’t?” he challenged.

Nathalie picked up a reusable shopping bag and turned back to glance at him. “Then you’ll realize that the past month has been paradise compared to what it could be if you don’t stop moping around. My patience is wearing thin, sir, and I’m all you’ve got left.” With that, she exited the motel room, pulling the door shut with a bit too much force.

Gabriel glared at the old wooden door for a few minutes before he forced himself off the couch. He made his way to the dingy bathroom and stared into the mirror at a stranger. Gray stubble lined his jaw and worked its way into uneven patches up his cheeks. His gray roots were showing badly, made more visible by the lack of washing. Dark bags had formed under his eyes and even those seemed gray, as if the blue had been leeched away just like everything else over the past few weeks.

He missed Nooroo. He missed his shower. He missed his bed and his clothes and his office and…

Adrien.

Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut but the heartbroken look on his son’s face didn’t disappear. Adrien realized he was Hawkmoth and confronted him as Chat Noir. Gabriel tried to explain why he’d done the things he’d done but even he had to admit it sounded weak by the end. If he was being honest with himself, Gabriel continued to be Hawkmoth because he wanted to be, original motives intact or not.

He’d disappointed his son more times than he probably even knew, but he doubted he would ever forget this instance. Adrien had taken the Butterfly Miraculous, handing it over to Ladybug without a word. He told Gabriel to take the day to figure things out and then he needed to hand himself over to the authorities so he could pay for his crimes.

Gabriel glared at his reflection. He had no doubt that had been Ladybug’s influence. The look of righteous anger in her eyes during the whole exchange told him everything he needed to know. She’d poisoned his own son against him…or perhaps he’d done that all on his own.

So Gabriel ran.

He was surprised Nathalie chose to come with him but he was grateful for it. Loosing Nooroo took more of an emotional toll than he expected and she’d taken care of the plans to ghost them away from Paris and to their current location, wherever that was. He hadn’t made it out of the motel room since they arrived but couldn’t work up the energy to care. It had been years since he’d left the safety of his mansion and being forced away and into a small, dirty, strange place hadn’t done much for his psyche.

He finally coaxed himself into the shower. The showerhead was too short so he had to bend down to wash his hair and the hot water ran out as soon as he started. He cursed under his breath, knocking his elbow against the cracked tile of the stall wall.

“Are you okay?” Nathalie called from the bedroom, apparently back from her quick run out.

“This damn shower is—“ The back of Gabriel’s head hit the lip of the showerhead and he felt an instant sting of pain. “Damn it!”

“What’s going on?”

He froze, one hand gingerly touching his scalp. Nathalie was in the bathroom. He could see the outline of her through the flimsy shower curtain and found himself turning his body away and towards the wall. He cleared his throat. “Everything is fine, Nathalie. That will be all.”

He eyed her shadow as it stayed in place for a few moments before it disappeared with the sound of the bathroom door closing. Gabriel let out a relieved sigh and quickly finished washing the best he could in the shower stall from hell. __________________________

“Dinner,” Nathalie offered without looking up at Gabriel when he entered the room. A cardboard box lay open on the small table, a pizza sitting in it with two slices missing. A bag of salad was beside it, half the contents scooped out onto Nathalie’s plate. “You have to eat.”

“I’m not particularly hungry.”

“You’re losing weight,” she noted, “and you weren’t exactly robust to begin with, sir. Eat.”

The small television was on and Nathalie watched the news as she ate but Gabriel watched her. Her new hairstyle suited her; short and sleek and still somehow stylish in this wasteland they inhabited. She had a gift for that, it seemed. Seeing her in a loose t-shirt and jeans was a new experience though. He wouldn’t have thought they would look right on her but they did. Even different, she was a comforting constant for him.

Nathalie caught him watching her. “Eat.”

“You aren’t the boss of me, Nathalie.”

“Actually, Gabriel, I’ve decided I am because you aren’t qualified for the position yourself at the moment.” She stood and picked up a paper plate, unceremoniously dumping a clump of salad on it and a slice of pizza. “Eat.”

“This is garbage.”

“That’s our reality right now.”

Nathalie sat back down and picked up a pizza crust, chewing on it thoughtfully as she watched a car commercial.

“Why are you here?” Gabriel finally asked; his food left untouched on the plate on his lap.

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you come with me? You didn’t have to.”

Nathalie pursed her lips. “The authorities would’ve questioned me and I would’ve been found as an accomplice if I stayed.”

Gabriel nodded. “Then you’re running too.”

She shrugged. “I go where you go, sir.”

“You could’ve gone anywhere though. It’s probably more dangerous that we’re together. Why here? This place is awful.”

Nathalie looked around the rundown motel room. “It is,” she nodded, “but no one is going to look for Gabriel Agreste in a place like this.”

“I’m not sure I feel like Gabriel Agreste anymore.”

“You certainly don’t look like him.”

Gabriel wanted to argue but his reflection came back to mind. “Or maybe I finally look like I should.”

“Sir?”

“I could’ve stopped,” he said quietly. “When I found out I couldn’t bring Emilie back, I could’ve taken off the brooch and walked away, but I didn’t.”

Nathalie remained quiet, waiting for him to continue.

“I think I enjoyed it on some level. I enjoyed knowing that I wasn’t the only broken one in that awful city who felt wrong inside. I fed off finding that in others.” He shook his head and tossed his plate on the table, the pizza slice sliding off the side. “Adrien was all I had left and I couldn’t make myself stop even for him.”

“You did though,” she replied after a few long seconds. “You didn’t fight him in the end. You could have, but you didn’t.”

“His face.” Gabriel ran his hands into his hair. “The way he looked at me.” He closed his eyes but the image of Adrien was still there. “He’ll never forgive me for this.”

“I think perhaps you shouldn’t sell Adrien so short. Just because you don’t deserve his forgiveness doesn’t mean he may not give it.” Nathalie stood and took her empty plate to the trash bag hanging from a knob on the dresser. “You could go back.”

Gabriel swallowed hard. “Go back?”

“He asked you to turn yourself in. You could do that. You could make amends.”

“I can’t.”

“Can I be honest with you, sir?”

He eyed her warily. “Has this not been you being honest with me?”

Nathalie exhaled slowly and met his eyes. “You’ve already lost, Gabriel. If the company somehow survives this, you will most likely never be a part of it again. Hawkmoth is gone. You’re never getting the brooch back. It’s in the past. Emilie isn’t coming back. She was never coming back and I think you know that.”

Gabriel felt the sting of tears and he blinked angrily, clenching his jaw.

“The life you knew is absolutely over, but there are still people who care about you and if you keep running, you’re going to lose them too.”

He shook his head. “I can’t go back.”

“You mean you won’t go back,” she corrected.

“How dare you talk down to me when you’re running too? You aren’t any better than me in this.”

She went to her bag by the door and pulled out an envelope, placing it on the table. “There are two bus tickets back to Paris. It will be a three-day trip. I’d like it if you went with me.”

“And just moments ago it was ‘I go where you go’,” he muttered.

Nathalie stiffened. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

They glared at each other for a few moments and then she was crossing the room, scooping up her bag as she went.

“Where are you going?” Gabriel called out, irritation coloring his tone.

“Out,” she snapped, slamming the door closed. __________________________

Gabriel reached for the doorknob for the fifth time and let his hand fall away with a growl. He hated the anxiety he got at the thought of opening the door. And what would he do once he opened the door? Stand in the open doorway while he worked up the strength to step outside? How much energy would it take to make himself walk far enough to actually look for Nathalie? Ridiculous.

The door suddenly opened and he stumbled back in surprise. Nathalie blinked at him. “What are you doing?” She closed the door and looked back. “Were you going to go out?”

“Don’t be absurd.”

She studied him. “Were you going to look for me?”

Gabriel went to the couch and sat down stiffly. “I assumed you’d left for good. What would be the point?”

“You didn’t think that. For a liar, you have a terrible poker face.”

He glared at her. “Where did you go then?”

“I wanted to clear my head. It hasn’t been exactly easy being stuck in here with you all this time.”

“Yes, you’ve made it quite apparent what a burden I am to those around me.”

Nathalie crossed her arms. “You’re being an asshole on purpose. That’s not what I meant.”

“Isn’t it? I’m still not sure why you chose to run away with me, Nathalie. You’re obviously unhappy being here.”

“It wasn’t about running away, Gabriel. It was about staying with you,” she growled, eyes narrowed. “But I’m beginning to see what a fool I’ve been.”

Her words gave him pause, his mouth opening for a moment and then snapping shut.

“Do you honestly think I’m still here because I worked for you? Who in their right mind would put up with you without a nice paycheck? What employee would keep you hidden and safe until you came to your senses?” She went to the inset closet and pulled her suitcase out, dropping it on the bed and flipping the top open as Gabriel watched her. “I knew this was futile, but I think I still thought…” She trailed off and shook her head, going to one of her drawers and beginning to move the clothes from there to the suitcase.

“If not for any of those reasons, then why?” Gabriel finally asked once she’d emptied the second drawer.

“Because I love you, you absolute idiot,” she muttered, moving to the last drawer. “Because I’ve loved you for years and I should’ve stopped you earlier and I didn’t and this was me trying to make penance but I’m done now.” She zipped her suitcase and took a deep breath. “I’m going back to Paris on the bus tomorrow. Are you coming with me or not?”

He was silent for a few moments. “I don’t deserve your love.”

“I’m fully aware of that.”

He looked up at her, eyes sharpening. “Our lives are over if we go back.”

“Perhaps,” she nodded. “Or maybe it’s a chance for a new start.”

A heavy silence fell between.

“I don’t know if I can make myself leave the room,” he admitted, shame filling his eyes.

Nathalie felt the anger inside her soften and she reached for her bag and produced a small bottle of pills. “I got you here, sir. I know how to get you back.” __________________________

Nathalie held Gabriel’s hand as the bus traveled down the long path back to Paris. His head dipped forward when the bus hit a bump and she reached over to tilt it to the side to rest on her shoulder. She heard him mutter nonsensically.

“Go to sleep,” she demanded gently. “Stop fighting the medicine, sir.”

She felt him give up after a few moments, his fingers loosening between hers but she didn’t let go. She let her mind wander to what awaited them. Perhaps she could work things out. Fair or not, Gabriel was still considered a powerful man by some people. His punishment didn’t necessarily need to mean jail time.  She would reach out to Adrien first. A word from Chat Noir could go a long way if he was willing. The mansion had been both of their prison for so long, it could remain one for Gabriel.

She wasn’t sure what awaited them. She wasn’t sure what would happen once the dust settled and her confession of love sat like a weight between them. She didn’t know what to expect from Adrien or if Gabriel could still be saved. She wasn’t certain of a lot of things but she still had hope. And she would hold onto that hope with everything she had.

Buy me a cherry coke?