Tell Me Why You Love Me

Like Father, Like Son

The dark and icy cold repository was still. Especially since Marinette stood away from the light, tucked away in the corner of darkness with Nathalie holding her up. The woman was probably the sole reason Marinette was even standing right now. Her leg throbbed, but there was no time to pay any mind to it. She could pull through for just a bit longer.

There was a faint humming sound echoing from the elevator. The platform that once was on the ground now hovered up and up toward the ceiling of the massive room. Gabriel was coming, and he would be here fast. Time was very hard to find nowadays.

When Marinette first heard Adrien's impulsive idea as he shared it with Nathalie, she protested. He was quick to give a list of reasons as to why he should proceed with the idea. It was like he read her mind. That's what happens when you fight alongside someone for six long years. Now that he knew her identity, he could read her like the back of his head. Why did her partner have to be so reckless? If she still had her earrings, she would have put a stop to his ridiculous ideas.

But alas, she couldn't do anything. Not in her condition, anyway.

When she first caught a glimpse of Adrien's face in the destroyed cell, she thought she was hallucinating for a split second. Like a mirage teasing her of everything she desired. To be in his arms. But it was true. She didn't believe it at first, but his voice was mere proof of that. It took the remainder of her energy not to sob right in front of him. Not exactly the best first impression to her partner finding out who was really behind the mask.

She watched as Chat Noir stood at the end of the walkway, preparing to face his father. Her heart fell for him. All she wanted to do was stand beside him, holding his hand, and remind him that she was here. She was alive and would never leave him. That he had a shoulder to lean on. To cry on.

It took one hell of restraint to shake off Nathalie's shoulders and limp over to her partner, who stood alone. But he wasn't alone. She was right here.

I'm right here, Chaton.

Marinette sucked in a breath when her eyes caught the sight of a silhouette slowly coming down the clear elevator. She glanced over at Chat, whose expression did not falter. He refused to. He continued to stand there, his shoulders up and his arms at his side. While she could only get a look at his side profile, it was still threatening. He looked sharper than ever. She had never seen him so serious. So angry. It was something she never imagined she would ever witness.

Her eyes switched back to Gabriel as he reached the bottom. She heard Nathalie let out a sigh. Marinette could only imagine what Gabriel's assistant must be thinking. This was a man she had followed for decades. And now, she was holding her up, her eyebrows creasing down. It was clear she was disappointed. When Marinette looked at her as soon as Adrien found her, Nathalie looked disappointed and just sad. Sad that her boss and friend would do something so extreme. So cruel. Marinette didn't expect it. Even Adrien was shocked as he learned more and more about his parent.

When Adrien's father stepped out of the tube, it wasn't Gabriel. No. Monarch stood in front of Chat, piercing a gaze right through him. A grin so malicious cutting across his curling lips. He clutched his staff in his right hand, tapping a finger on the top of it like it was an accessory. Like that staff didn't hurt thousands of people. Anger bubbled down Marinette's throat as she watched her enemy slowly stroll onto the walkway.

Something was different. Instead of the monotone purple that covered him head to toe, there were highlights of red marked his collar and highlighted his sleeves. His gloves revealed black spots that went up to his wrists. A glow of amber shimmered by his ears.

He had activated the ladybug miraculous. Marinette's heart ached.

Oh, Tikki...

There was an unexplainable flicker in Monarch's eyes at the sight of Chat Noir in his repository. It was like a cat spotting a laser pointer. A target. A trap.