Little levels of love | A marichat/maricat story

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"what? He has pictures of me?"
She looked back at him, blinking her eyelids.
"Run along now, Adrien must really want to see you." She slowly stumbled to the doors of his office to stop and look back. He wiggled his fingers, indicating a wave, as she left the room.
"Nathalie, I've hit the jackpot."
She grabbed his arm and looked at him seriously.
"This is cruel Gabriel, they're just kids. Evil men like you shouldn't exist. Emilie would not approve." She let go and paced to her room. He had a shocked look on his face, not expecting that reaction. He tutted and sat on his couch.

"Marinette! It's so good to see you! What did my father say?" He approached her as he asked.
"He just told me how similar I was to your mom." Adrien took a step back, obviously shocked about this.
"He's right, your so sweet and bubbly like my mother." She smiled and sat on his couch. She grabbed the remote, pressing all types of confusing buttons. The door crept open and Gabriel opened up.
"Son. I realised I don't spend enough time with you. I'm sorry," he leaned into adriens arms and they embraced. While they were hugging, he reached for adriens hand and slowly slid the ring off of his finger. He released the hug and quickly put the ring in his pocket.
"Thanks father, I love you." He smiled and stared at his father.
"What is that dude on?" Nino quietly blurted out. Alya elbowed him and told him to shut it. Marinette watched as Gabriel put something in his pocket. She brushed it off as she turned back. He left the room and Adrien was left with a great smile on his face. He noticed marinette was struggling.

She was tapping at the controller confusingly as she kept groaning.
"Marinette, you use it like this." He put his hand on hers and led her to the on button. She looked back at him and saw his determination just to show her the buttons. She started to blush a rosy colour but she  immediately stopped because she didn't want to stop thinking about chat. She finally pressed the button to turn on the TV and started to flip through the channels. Nadja filled the speakers and declared,
"Live in the news helicopter, I'm Nadja and don't be amused! It's only the news!" They all turned their heads to face the television.

"What is it now dude... and dudettes?" Nino sat down with marinette and Alya leaned over the couch.
"We are live at an akumatized villain attack!" They all stood up and started panicking.
"Uhm.. me and marinette are going to go to the bathroom be right back!" She said eagerly.
"Together..?" Adrien asked nervously.
"Lady problems you know?" She pointed to the bathroom and quickly left. She soon came out to let marinette transform in peace. Adrien told alya and nino that he was going to check on his father but he just needed to transform.

"Plagg, claws out!"
"Tikki, spots on!"

"Huh? I didn't.. Tikki!?"
"What the- plagg!?"

Marinette felt her ears and couldn't feel any jewels there.
"No, no, no! Are you kidding me!?" She started panicking and got on her hands and knees looking for the earrings. She couldn't find them anywhere so she hushed alya into the bathroom.
"Awe man, I'm obviously the one who gets no involvement!"

"Plagg!? I'm not joking! Where are you?" He whispered, not knowing he wouldn't appear. He felt his finger and looked down, seeing nothing but flesh.
"This can't be happening!" Adrien balled up on the floor behind the plantpot. He put his head in his knees and started crying.

"What is it girl?" Alya looked worried but knew it was nothing serious, Oh how wrong she is. Marinette pointed to her ears and alya slapped her hand to her mouth.
"I think... Gabriel took them. I was looking at the painting of Emilie in his office and my earrings were there, I swear, but now they're gone! He took his hands off my shoulders for a second. He took them." She had tears in her eyes. Alya pulled her in for a hug but soon pushed her away.
"Wait... why would Gabriel want the miraculous? Unless he was...  !!!" They looked at eachother with panicked look. They ran out the bathroom and Alya grabbed ninos hand as they sped past.
"What are you- AGHH" He asked questions which weren't being answered at this time.
"We need to find Gabriel! Right now." They slammed his office doors open and searched around the room.
"I saw something earlier, three spots on his painting were worn out." She slid her fingers to the spots that were faded and pushed on them. The floor below her lowered and alya and nino got on before it was too late.

Adrien saw them dash into his father's office and quietly followed them. He saw marinette push on the painting and the floor take her nino and alya down. He sprinted to the platform and jumped down just to make it into the elevator.
"Adrien!? Have you been crying?" Alya put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't mind that, what are you guys doing?" He wanted answers. And straight ones at that.

"Your father is hawkmoth."