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When Gabriel landed swiftly in the atelier from his open window, he could sense the negativity lingering from the effects of using his miraculous.
The anger, the sadness, the mourning. Those constant feelings seemed to swarm his household, no doubt emerging from his wayward grieving son whom he had no idea how to approach.
When Emilie had first died, Gabriel had tried to converse with him, he would insist on a joint breakfast everyday, or for Adrien to come to the office and model for the company- anything to distract him from his spiral of grief, a constant emotion that seemed etched in his very being. However, any attempts at closing the gap between them was met with rejection and a stilted silence at every opportunity they would converse. Gabriel was trying to keep the house alive with joy and hope, but his son didn't seem to follow along or was actively rejecting such feelings.
When Emilie died, it seemed like Adrien had been taken with her and Gabriel didn’t know what to do with himself. His entire message relayed on hope and optimism in their disparaging and corrupted world but Gabriel felt like a failure that he couldn’t even ignite those same feelings in his son.
As he detransformed, mostly to relieve himself of the negative emotions swirling within his mind, he gently stroked the top of his kwami’s head, before he let out a soft giggle and flew to the kitchen, no doubt to find the stashed jar of treats he kept in the kitchen cupboard. As he watched his kwami fly away, Gabriel himself took a deep breath to approach his son’s room down the hall.
He hesitated but knocked gently but with an edge of persistence, he was determined to approach Adrien today and talk things through. Seeing the collaboration between Ladybug and Chat Noir and the peace that existed in their world had given him the inspiration he needed to confront his issues head on. On most occasions he would leave Adrien to his devices, leaving him alone to mourn thinking it was what he wanted, evidently that had not been the case, with his growing callous nature and shouting matches alongside numerous altercations in school. Gabriel felt the need to confront Adrien on the topic once and for all.
"Adrien, can I come in?” No response. Gabriel sighed before gently opening the door, Adrien was possibly asleep or in the shower, but a lifetime of heroism and loss had told him to ensure his safety was confirmed.
However, as he opened the door he found, far from what he expected, Claw Noir, his knees to his chest crying on his son’s bedroom floor.
Claw Noir, the reformed villain, the dangerous reformed villain.
The new hero seemed to realise Gabriel had entered before he looked up, purple eyes wide in shock. Gabriel merely stared at him in shock before his stomach sank and his heart leapt in a flurry of panic.
‘Where was Adrien?’
Claw Noir seemed to sense his panic, Gabriel had seen him earlier that day after they had returned to their reality, the newly reformed heroes seemed tired and weary and Gabriel had gently suggested they go home.
Yet Clawnoir was here, in his home
And Adrien seemingly was not.
Unless…
Suddenly his mind had put the pieces together, the realisation dawning on his mind had sunk his heart deep into the pits of his stomach. A sudden horror enveloped him as he realised what this revelation entailed. His body seemed frozen in place, Clawnoir- his son, was still looking up at him with wide eyes, tears welling and threatening to fall under his mask, an action which finally pushed Gabriel forward to speak.
“Adrien?” He whispered. A part of him couldn’t quite wrap around the idea that his son was Clawnoir. Sure, Adrien had been lashing out but Clawnoir had been terrorising innocent civilians, had tried to kill him on numerous occasions and had even cataclysmed himself
‘My son cataclysmed himself.’
Gabriel nearly felt his eyes well with tears at that revelation, to think Adrien was hurting so much that he would do this .
“Father?’ Adrien whispered, his voice barely discernible amongst his quiet sobbing. Either he didn’t realise he was still transformed, or he realised that hiding from reality was pointless as his father had found out who he was, what he had done.
The revelation seemed to break Adrien apart completely as his breathing began to quicken, his hands clutching tightly to his locks.
“Dad I'm so sorry, I-I didn’t mean, I….”
Gabriel didn’t let his son continue to spiral as he gently gathered up in his arms, hugging his gently to his chest as he gently rubbed up and down his back soothingly, like he did when Adrien was a toddler, scurrying into his arms after a frightful nightmare. Adrien at first tensed at the motion, as if he didn’t quite know what to do with himself, before he slumped against Gabriel’s chest, completely relaxed in his hold as he let himself be embraced by Gabriel for the first time in a year. At some point Adrien had quietly detransformed, and his kwami no longer silenced after Gabriel had given him and Shadybug the unsilencing spell when they had returned to headquarters was evidently still angry at their owner as they glared at Adrien, before quickly flying away.
Gabriel made a note to send Nooroo to talk to the black cat Kawmi, he certainly could use the company.
Gabriel had looked down to see his son had stopped crying, but his face marred in residue of tears and snot, no doubt the same on his shirt as well. Adrien seemed almost sound asleep, his eyes closed as he rested his head against his dad chest, almost as if he were feeling his heartbeat.
Like he was thankful that his dad was alive, that he hadn’t killed his dad as Clawnoir had tried to do many times. Granted, Gabriel suspected that Adrien still didn’t know of his identity, and he didn't plan on telling him, at least today. His son had suffered enough emotional turmoil to last a lifetime, he didn't need more whirlwinding burdens on his mind right now
“Adrien?” Gabriel whispered as he gently stroked his blonde locks, rousing his son ito wakefulness which seemed to happen very quickly as Adrien slowly looked up, rubbing at his eye and smearing black eyeliner across his face that Gabriel couldn’t help but smile. And Adrien, who hadn’t smiled for the longest time seemed to do the same as well, both Agreste’s basking in the joy of each other’s company.
Gabriel slowly got up, helping Adrien in the process. His knees aching and sore for kneeling for so long and his ribs still bruised from the events earlier today. But Gabriel ignored the aches in his body as he grasped both hands on Adrien’s cheeks, trying to smoothe over his eyeliner before giving a gentle smile to his son. To reassure him, to comfort him.
“It’s going to be okay Adrien, we are going to figure this out together.”
Adrien nodded along, most likely to exhausted to speak, but his demeanour seemed almost positive, as if a great relief had been lifted from his chest at the fact that his father wasn’t horrified at him for becoming a villain.
Unbeknownst to Adrien, Gabriel was horrified, but mostly at himself for not realising things sooner. For not being there for Adrien when he needed him. But with secrets now in the open and more to come at a later date, when Gabriel felt assured that Adrien would take the news of his father being Hesperia without having a mental breakdown, Gabriel knew they had a long way to go.
But they would get through it.
Together.