Gabenath Oneshots [Discontinued And Completed]

Her Smile Isn't For Me

Gabriel can’t believe that Adrien is gone. Gabriel can’t believe that Emilie doesn’t know who he is, or who Nathalie is, or who Adrien was. Maybe it’s all for the best that she doesn’t remember, it’s enough of a burden that he killed his own son for his wife. He can’t keep her locked up in the mansion though, she doesn’t feel comfortable and can’t even remember who she is living with. Nathalie hands over the keys of her apartment to Emilie, Nathalie hasn’t even been to her apartment in over a year. The place looks bare as if nobody lives there at all, yet Nathalie always pays the monthly rent. She should've gotten rid of it long ago but supposes it might have been worth keeping it now. Nathalie is going to be there to comfort Gabriel, no matter the circumstance, she always had been there at Gabriel’s side which led her to spending much more time in the manor, which posed the current living situation where Nathalie was a constant guest at the residence. Now the circumstances are worse than they ever have been, Gabriel lost his son and even if Emilie is alive, how much does it really mean if she can’t remember him? 

Gabriel has tried to explain it to Emilie, all of it. She can hardly remember her name, she didn’t know she had a twin, or a son, and all of the information about the miraculous just goes over her head. Emilie is convinced Gabriel and Nathalie are married and while both deny the claim, Emilie is far from convinced. Gabriel gives up and lets it be, lets her go, it kills him not to see Emilie anymore but there is nothing else that he can do. He can blame himself for not making the wish more specific but without the bunny miraculous and having no clue where the two other miraculous went after the wish, there is no point in wishing to go back in time. 

Gabriel looks down at the teacup on the saucer in front of him. The pastel pink gives the tan liquid a slightly more red undertone. He didn't even know how long he had to be staring into his tea for him to notice this, probably too long. The warm Paris day also offered a light breeze. It was a beautiful day and couples, native and tourist, were out enjoying it. Gabriel sits alone at the cafe, it's not ideal but he needed to get out of the mansion for at least an hour. 

He looks up and sees his beloved- no she isn't his, not anymore. He sees the woman he once knew as his wife. It was the first time he had seen her in almost two years now. He couldn't fix the horrible mess and had tried to settle into a new life, it wasn't working too well. She seemed to be doing just fine, not even trying to remember the life she once had, but living a spontaneous new one with eyes so bright someone would think she never had a trouble in her life. 

Emilie smiles and it's brighter than he remembers. Her eyes still squint a little bit though and it's an image he wishes he could save forever in his mind. He swears his heart stops and that time is frozen. Gabriel couldn't begin to describe how much he had missed her or what he would do to have her back the way it used to be. The only woman he had really interacted with had been Nathalie and while she was pretty, she was just his assistant. He realizes he has probably stared at Emilie for a little too long for them to be ‘strangers’. 

He finally smiles back, a smile that had always been reserved to her, and occasionally his son when he had still been alive. He stands up from his seat to meet her in the middle, he expects some movie-like scene where Emilie explains how her memory has been recovered and how much she loves him. Someone shoves past him with not a care in the world that they shoved a famous fashion designer. That's when it clicks, Emilie’s smile wasn't for him. Gabriel watches as the man that had just pushed past him embraces his wife and passionately kisses her. He expects to feel his heart crack but surprisingly he feels nothing, it’s been too long. 

“This was all for nothing,” Gabriel tells Nathalie. He felt horrible dragging Nathalie into this situation. She insisted it was always her choice to do everything she had trying to get Emilie back but Gabriel was never too sure. He didn't understand why after all these years she still stood by his side, he needed it though, he couldn't be alone, maybe she couldn't be either. At least she's better, she never gets dizzy spells anymore and any cough is an actual cold instead of a curse. 

“You got exactly what you wanted, sir. This is why they tell you to be careful what you wish for,” Nathalie says and she knows it's dark but there is no point in sugarcoating it. 

“I just- I guess I thought things would have gone back to the way they were before we ever found the miraculous.”

“You knew the wish came at an equal cost, a life for a life, what were you expecting it to be?”

“I don't know, I didn't think that far ahead, I assumed that the consequence would never be that bad, that the miraculous wouldn't be so cruel as to take my son in exchange for my wife.”

“The world is cruel and unfair, it doesn't surprise me the miraculous aren't different.” 

“When did you become so cynical?” 

“Maybe when I almost died helping you for a best friend who can't even remember me, when the cost was a boy who is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a son.”

“Don't you think I feel bad enough? I lost my wife, I lost my son, I have nothing left besides these cursed jewels!” Gabriel starts crying and this is what breaks Nathalie. She should be used to this, should have accepted the fact two years ago, but Adrien had so much left and was unfairly cut short. 

“It’s not much sir, but you still have me.” 

A small smile finds Gabriel’s lips, “thanks, Nath.” 

It’s not much but they are all they have left in this world that has ripped everything else away from them. Gabriel smiles for her and Nathalie gives a similar smile back. They are both smiling to keep from falling apart but their smiles are for each other and it's what is keeping them together. Without each other, neither one is sure how far they would have made it, or where they would be now.

Nathalie moves closer to Gabriel and wipes a tear from his face. The silence is comforting as everything from the last five years really sets in. Everything they lost hurts but the pain fades with the person next to them. As much in their lives that they would change, they are content next to each other. 

“I’m sorry,” Nathalie says, “I failed you.”

“You’ve never failed at a single thing,” Gabriel tells her, “you did everything you could and therefore it's not a fail.”

“Wouldn’t you do anything for her back? I promised to help you and now she doesn't remember, Adrien is gone, and I’m the only one you have left.”

“It's not ideal, I’ll admit, but I don't mind being here with you.” 

Nathalie can't let herself believe. She knows Gabriel, she knows the truth, he will never mean the words he said, at least never what she wants them to mean. Nathalie lets herself fall into her own mind's trap as she leans in and presses a kiss to Gabriel’s lips. 

His lips were soft and sweet. There is a semi salty taste from his tears but Nathalie really doesn't mind. She is surprised when their kiss doesn't end after a split second but instead feels a hand snake into her hair.

Gabriel shoots up from his bed and a hand goes to his lips, he was just kissing Nathalie, he was enjoying kissing Nathalie. She isn't anywhere to be seen. That's when he remembers, it had happened except in reality he had pushed her away, holding out faith that his wife would return with her memory and her love for him. It had been four years since that day that Nathalie kissed him, close to seven since Emilie had been back, it was safe to say that nobody, not Emilie, not Adrien, not Nathalie, was coming back to him.