Notes:
For this chapter we will have a look at the background of Adrien in this new verse and how he became Hawk Moth's partner in crime.
Chapter Text
Adrien Agreste had a lonely childhood with his daily schedule putting him under the beck and call of his parents who controlled his look, diet and how he acted outside the mansion. When he was old enough, he would take up the role as model for his father’s fashion company on top of his lessons and training. In his whole life there was only one person who Adrien had as a friend:
Chloe Bourgeoise.
Their parents were work colleagues and with her mother being so absent in her life; Adrien thought that they could relate to how cold their parents would be. Her mother’s cold and absent parenting took it’s toll on Chloe and she would start to act out with it getting worse and clingier to Adrien the only person who it seemed could understand her.
They had drifted apart over the years but would keep in touch since Chloe was allowed by her father to attend school and Adrien could not get his parents to relent on his home schooling.
However, it came the day when he got a nasty shock upon learning from the news that Chloe was in serious legal trouble. She had gotten carried away with one tantrum and it led to a string of dominos with most of her peers at school slandering her as a malicious bully. Adrien glared when he looked at the footage of her classmates giving their statements to the news.
Slandering poor Chloe, misrepresenting her and talking about her as a selfish bully. He knew that Chloe could be a bit much sometimes but they didn’t know her, the poor misunderstood girl longing for friends and her mother’s love. He bet that they never even tried to give her a chance or get to know her.
He wanted to make a statement defending Chloe to the public and to fight this smear campaign against her.
However:
Adrien was on the handheld tablet on his video call with Chloe who was in tears, “It’s awful Adrikins! Daddy’s lawyers are saying that at best I would still be spending a few years in juvie.... I bet Dupain-Cheng masterminded this, laughing about this with the other ingrates in that stupid class! It’s ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!!!!”
Adrien wanted desperately to embrace her and assure her that everything was going to turn out fine. “Don’t worry Chloe, I am going to be going to my social media accounts and making a stand against all this...” Adrien told her with Chloe giving a grateful smile but then Adrien had a hand force the tablet from him and ended the call.
He looked up to see the stern face off his father, “That social media page is for approved posts only and you will do no such thing. That is the last communication that you will ever make with the Bourgeoise girl, you are to block her on everything as well as not mention her to any outlet.” Gabriel Agreste told his son with a voice and face that clearly said that it was all that there was on the matter and it was closed.
Adrien was open mouthed upon realising what his father wanted, “But father Chloe is my friend and her parents are your friends as well. She needs my help....” Adrien protested but Gabriel glared at him for not dropping the matter instantly.
“Not at the expense of your image and brand, she and her father are bad eggs in the eyes of the media and we don’t need possible trouble by the slightest implication that we support them. It's best to cut them out entirely.” Gabriel answered unconcerned about Adrien’s feelings.
Adrien went to protest further but Emilie his mother put a hand on his shoulder with a condescending smile as she told him “you will make better friends someday Adrien.”
