Lift Me Up | A Gabenath Story

Chapter 2: Risk For the Angel

As he rushed through the halls in subdued tones towards Nathalie's bedroom, he could feel guilt in his heart rising. I said what had to be said, thought Gabriel. He knocked on her door, lightly but in a rushed manner, and had no choice but to let himself in when there was no reply. He found Nathalie on her bed. She was sitting hunched over, her elbows on her knees whilst supporting her head in between her hands. One hand clutched the side of her head while the other clutched her now folded glasses in a tight fist.

Nathalie barely noticed when he came into the room. Door behind clicking shut, Gabriel sat at her side and once again placed his hands on her shoulders as she softly groaned in pain. He'd scarcely seen her with her hair down. But everytime he did, he was reminded of how gorgeous she looked with it that way. The aches came in short sequences before starting to wear off. The lowering pain finally allowed her to feel the warmth of his hands through the fine material. She froze, vividly remembering their earlier conversation.

"Sir, please," she started whilst removing his hands off her and jolting up into a standing position. She emptily faced him, "I would like to get some sleep. If you could please leave-"

"I do not feel safe letting you be alone when you're in this shape," he interrupted. He was still sitting in the same position on her bed looking into her eyes with a condemned and remorseful expression.

Nathalie reacquired her usual cold, expressionless stare as she said, "Mr. Agreste, I am feeling better. Thank you for your concern. Now, leave." 

She looked away before she could hear him sigh as he reluctantly stood and exited the room without saying another word. The door shut and the slight sound of footsteps narrowing down the hall could be heard competing against the sound of the rain.

Every individual except for Gabriel within the Agreste mansion was sound asleep. He had made the decision stay up for a few extra hours just incase Nathalie's coughing fits and dizzy spells came back to torture her. They did not, though. And with that, Gabriel went to sleep.

─

"Your coffee, Sir," said Nathalie walking into his office. It was early morning as the rising suncast a rosy hue across the morning sky. She looked straight ahead in her usual disposition, placed the cup of coffee on his desk, turned and walked out.

Gabriel was about to greet and thank her but she'd already shut the door behind her. Is she avoiding me now? he thought to himself. He did not think much about it, though, and resumed his work.

Nathalie was to accompany Adrien on the car ride to school. She knew that attending school and getting to socialize made the angel happy. She still remembered the smile on his face written with gratitude all over it when she had accepted to reorganize his schedule just so he could attend. Nathalie knew how to convince her boss and helped influence some of his decisions regarding Adrien. Gabriel seeked her advice from time to time. And she gladly gave it to him. She did this for the benefit of the Agreste family. She wished that Gabriel and Adrien had a stronger father-son bond.

Unfortunately, Gabriel spent most of his time searching for negative emotions. And when he'd finally find one, he would do the same routine─ transform into Hawkmoth, akumatize his victim, wait for Ladybug and Cat Noir to participate in the fight, fail, become short-tempered. 

Because of his failed attempts, he would wrap himself into a temporary depressive state, causing him to become desperate and highly impatient. 

When Adrien would ask what was wrong with him, Nathalie often disregarded it and said that he was not feeling well or was having a stressful day. Sometimes Adrien would directly ask him only to be dismissed by a short explanation. And sometimes Adrien's timing was wrong, causing Gabriel to become angry. Most of the time Gabriel threatened to remove Adrien from school as a punishment. Nathalie despised this.