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They followed Hawk Moth silently. It was so untypical for him to be outside. It could be a trap. But it didn’t feel like one. He couldn’t have known that they would see him. Maybe he had had to do something he could have asked Mayura for in the past. Whatever had happened to her, he was now on his own. When they saw him, they agreed without a word to follow him. This was their chance.
When they arrived at the Agreste mansion and he disappeared through a window they hadn’t noticed before, they just stared in shock. This could mean only one thing.
Marinette had been right. The grimoire, his interest in the Miraculouses, his own eccentricity and isolation. It made so much sense. Of course it was Gabriel Agreste.
“I can’t…” Chat gasped suddenly, drawing her attention to him. “No. I can’t go there and face my father.” And just like that, she had a very different problem on her hands.
She hadn’t meant to find out like that. She hadn’t meant to find out at all. But she knew why he told her.
She knew that Adrien loved his father but he was also afraid of him and the power he had over him. She hadn’t realised it before but it made sense why he felt so much freer when he was Chat.
“He’ll stop me and I won’t be able to resist,” he muttered, staring at the mansion in horror.
“He doesn’t know who you are,” she reminded him. “He doesn’t know that you’re his son.” This mattered. They had an advantage. They would surprise him and not leave him time to turn this against them by figuring out who they were. They had this small window they had to use. “I’d understand if you want to wait in the sidelines. I can call on back-up. But I believe in you. Just like you’ve always believed in me, I know that you can do it, kitty.”
“M’lady.” It fell from his lips like a plea, broken and desperate.
He pulled her to him in a bone-crushing hug that made her gasp for air. He would be there with her. She felt that. She also knew how much this cost him. But he was still going to do it for her. This made tears prick her eyes.
“No matter what happens, no matter how we make it out of there…” he said, his voice gruff. “I love you. I need you to know this.”
With a final squeeze he let go of her and turned around. But she stopped him before he could take off.
“Adrien.”
There was something in his eyes, a glimpse of happiness he could barely afford to feel in the moment. But she saw it. She knew how much it meant to him for her to know who he was.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
There could probably have been a better moment to do this. But could it wait? What if something happened and she’d never had the chance to tell him? There wasn’t enough time to tell him everything she had kept inside of her. But this should be enough. He needed to know as well. He needed to know that whatever happened, she was there for him.
“It’s a surprise, I know but…”
His lips silenced her. It was the last kiss she’d ever expected to share with him. There, on the edge of the final battle, when they were about to face their biggest enemy for the last time. Knowing that he was her partner, that she had loved just one boy all this time.
This wasn’t the first kiss she would have chosen for them. Hell, it wasn’t even the first. But somehow it fit them. It was about letting go and embracing their feelings. About shrugging off the fear and choosing to stand together. It was about hope and a promise.
She had to blink back tears when he pulled back. It was happening. It was scary. But feeling his hand in hers, she knew that she had to be strong. For both of them.
“Let’s go. Let’s do this one last time,” he said, looking braver than he probably felt.
Hopefully there would be time for more afterwards so she would be able to tell him how proud of him she was.
*
“Marinette.”
She was watching through the window as the police dragged Gabriel away when Adrien’s voice reached her. This wasn’t over. He’d fight, she was sure of that. But they had the Miraculouses and this was what mattered the most. He’d never be able to oppose them the same way even with all the money in the world.
When she turned to Adrien, her smile was sad. She knew that this would be very hard for him. That everything he still had to face, unravelling all the secrets that had led to this and dealing with the aftermath, would be painful.
But in spite of the heaviness in the air, the soft look in his eyes still made her heart beat faster. He knew. She finally understood how he’d felt when he’d heard him call him by his real name. It was different. She had no reason to hide anymore and however small, this was a reason to be happy.
They had done the unthinkable. It was over. They could still celebrate this win even if it was marred by sadness.
She just pulled him into her arms, his head resting next to hers as he held her tight. He was over the initial shock but he was still trying to come to terms with all this. It would be a long road to walk. She had seen his determination to do this the right way, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
He needed her more than ever and she was going to be there for him. Together they were going to embrace this new life. They had to believe that it would be better. They would fight to make sure it was.