#plus she's kinda busy with the whole colt thing and whatnot to reach out to gabriel

[aloeverified]

au where emilie doesn't "go missing." gabriel fully believes in his plan to bring her back with the black cat and ladybug miraculous, so he doesn't want to fill out a police report and label her as missing as it would both put more attention on him as well as make it more difficult to explain her disappearance when he brought her back.

instead, he stages a tour for her. she's taking a break from her acting career to focus on the gabriel brand, traveling the world to learn about different cultures and their clothing for a new line they'll be releasing.

the press is excited, conspiring and making predictions about which countries will be included. many people wonder why emilie decided to make such a stark career change so suddenly, but no one really questions it as suspicious.

except for adrien.

adrien, who has seen his mother less and less over the past few months. adrien, who has been nervous to speak to his father ever since his irritation has spiked. adrien, who can't remember the last time he had a meal with both of his parents. adrien, whose only friend is chloe.

he begins to think. all the times his mother left for months to film a new movie, his father burying himself in his work for days on end, adrien being left in the care of his parent's assistants while they filled their schedules as much as possible — keeping busy and far away from one another.

he wonders if he's just be oblivious this entire time, if his family has been drifting apart and he's been forced into photo shoots and advertisements as a way to keep him distracted from it all. he notices the way his father looks longingly each time they pass a portrait of his mother, as though he's lost something, and the way natalie's eyes soften when she notices as well.

he stops asking his father why he didn't tell him about the new line. he stops asking his father why he can't call his mother, why she won't call him either. when he comes across his father sitting at his desk, holding his wedding ring is hand and looking at a framed photo of their family, he stops asking questions all together.

adrien doesn't know much, but he has a strong feeling his mother isn't coming back.