Just Keep Swimming With Me | MLB | Merfolk AU | ✓

|-3/3: The End... But is it theirs or yours?-|

As Marinette slowly came back to her senses. She looked around and noticed only the open blueness of the water. Where was she? It was then, Marinette realized she was lost.

---

Adrien was met with the sight of his extremely well-put-together (as usual) father, giving him the same expression he always did. Disinterest. Adrien couldn't believe it. He had only just seen his father after his disappearance of three days, and his father looked like he couldn't be any less bored. Though, Adrien had a feeling something was extremely off.

"Father," Adrien greeted with a short bow.

"Son," Gabriel spoke sharply, itching to go back to whatever he was doing though also slightly relieved to see his son.

"Father, I know what you've been doing." Adrien glared.

"And what is that?" Gabriel's expression was guarded, he looked ready to defend himself at any moment.

"You're known as a villain to those poor merpeople! You hurt people- For what??" Adrien shouted angrily.

Gabriel looked surprised, he took a step toward his son. "You don't know what I've done for you." He seethed. "You don't understand!"

"Then tell me why! Why father?! Why do you hurt innocent creatures so alike to yourself??" Adrien shouted back. His hands shook tremendously as he stood up to his father for the first time in a very, very long time.

"For your mother!" Gabriel shouted back, angry.

Every part of Adrien's body froze. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, wanting to say something but the words got stuck in his throat. "Wh-What do you mean Father?" Adrien's tone was flat as he glared at the taller man suspiciously.

"Those- creatures, are the reason your mother is missing my son." Gabriel grabbed Adrien's hand in his own. "By killing everyone I can, I get closer to finding her. For you, for me, for us." Gabriel's smile grew manic as he continued talking. Adrien tried to interrupt but he was cut off. "And now I've found a civilization of those creatures, I will attack them all and find Emilie. I promise you, my son, you will see your mother again." Gabriel's hand grew tighter around his as he spoke and Adrien flinched.

Adrien could only stare in horror at his father's manic expression, his love turning into an obsession. "Father," Adrien spoke in a level tone. "You've gone mad." He insulted, ripping his hands away. "I miss mom too, of course, I do! But you can't hurt people, much less kill them because you don't know how to handle your grief! Have you even thought of what she would say to you if she saw this??"

Gabriel quickly grew enraged. He lifted his hand too quickly for Adrien to react and slapped him with the silent snap of his wrist. "You will never speak to me that way again." Gabriel snarled. "I will find my wife and we will become a perfect, happy family once again." Adrien stared in horrified awe as Gabriel sharply turned away and descended the stairs, the doors slamming with the utmost finalization.

Adrien was greatly shocked, his father had never hit him with his own hands. After Adrien got over his shock, he was sent into a panic overdrive.

"No," He muttered. "No he can't... He'll kill them all!" Adrien immediately started on his way to the stairs, the words of Plagg's activation on the tip of his tongue.

"Adrien." Nathalie appeared out of the shadows, startling the determined blond boy. "It's no use, he will not listen to reason." She looked at him with sad eyes.

"Nathalie, I can stop him!" Adrien tried to push past her but she sidestepped him.

"Adrien, you must go warn your friend, you know how stubborn your father is." He knew she was trying to be helpful, but he needed her to move.