Turning A Monster Into A Man

Fourteen

Marinette shook her head at the unfortunate thread that would no doubt be added to her web. The web of lies she has been weaving for years. The web she found herself too often entangled in.

She took a moment and imagined herself in front of a reporter. Preparing an answer that would satisfy the interviewer's curiosities but obscure enough to hide the truth.

"I do assist with Ga- MISter Agreste's designs and since Felix has a history of being… how should i put it? Finicky? I assumed his input would be valuable and I thought why not get insight on the environment of my idol and mentor."

"Here for only business?" Charmaine asked as she was suspicious of Marinette's intentions. As her words did not coincide with her actions nor wardrobe. As surely someone bent on professionalism would present herself with dignity and grace.

Marinette looked briefly at Gabriel. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips before she nodded. ‘If this was customs and I had the options of business or pleasure. I would surely choose Business.. only for business….’

She could lie for the sake of HIM as long as she could take a little compensation for playing along. Or perhaps she could take significant compensation. As her payment plan seemed to not coincide with the Oxford definition of small.

Charmaine shook her head and a few sharp "Tsk tsk tsk" excited her heavily rouged lips.

Gabriel thought to separate his mother from Marinette as both Emilie and Natalie had been drilled endlessly by Charmaine. Nearly cost him his relationship with Emilie. And where would he be now? Perhaps not holding on desperately to a second chance. Where would SHE be if not for him? Alive?

Marinette took a breath as she could sort of understand where Charmaine was coming from. Marinette was a strange woman that seemed like an alien invading her territory. Territory she hardly stepped foot on but her territory nonetheless. "I am trying to show initiative since being ahead is quite important to the brand. I know it isn't the most appropriate way but it is the approach I am taking."

"Well-spoken." Gabriel complimented. He was taught by his father that a smart man sides with someone who will stay by his side through sickness and through health. That it also would be wise to choose a person who has chosen to be by his side through thick and thin. Someone like her who seemed to have a ceaseless amount of warmth even for the outliers, a person that can only ever be her. His heroine. The only person that had professional experience rescuing the hopeless.

Gabriel had only ever thought that someone could be his late wife, Emilie. But he did not think Emilie let alone a Gran de Vilany had the compassion to forgive. Who in their right mind would? One would have to be raving mad. And would that be fair to describe Marinette that way?

He wondered if her knack for quickly forgiving was one of the qualities that enhanced his complex emotions. Emotions that he fought again and again. Was it simply wrong to feel this strongly about this woman who stumbled into his life?

He did not look back on their earliest memories with as much fondness as he did their most recent ones. The earliest he could recall was an awfully young Marinette on the Manor's security camera. She was rocking back and forth on her heels waiting. Waiting, waiting, and waiting. Minutes then hours went by and yet she stayed.

Wanting nothing more than to be in the presence of the boy she had an unhealthy crush on. Her clutching something wrapped in a box. Gabriel's personal assistant took pity on the poor thing and addressed her much to Gabriel's protest. He was confident that she would leave of her own accord before night struck. But Natalie felt that the stubborn teenager had no intention of leaving, not until her present was delivered.