"the moth's apprentice" chat noir x y/n

A Life for a Life

Adrien tenses at my words, his fingers curling into his sleeves. "You want to talk to him?"

I nod. "He's the only one who might know what happened. If the wish really did take Marinette, then he—" I hesitate, glancing at Adrien's pale face. "Then he got what he wanted."

Something in Adrien shifts. A breath catches in his throat, but he exhales slowly, pushing his emotions deep down where I can't reach them. When he speaks, his voice is tight.

"We go in, we get answers, and we leave. That's it." His gaze flickers toward the storm outside. "Things are too weird right now for me to be in the same room with him."

"Agreed."

We step out of the hospital into the downpour. The city is drowning, streets turned to rivers as we trudge toward the Agreste mansion. The weight of the sky presses down on us with every step, as if it knows what we're walking into.

By the time we reach the iron gates, I'm drenched, but I don't care.

I'm also dressed in my hospital gown, Adrien's coat, and a pair of nearly ruined sneakers. 

I ring the buzzer.

A moment later, Nathalie's voice crackles through the speaker. "Adrien?"

"Let us in," he says, no hesitation.

The gates swing open.

Inside, the house is eerily silent. No Gorilla, no staff, and no Emilie. 

I'm slightly relieved not to see Adrien's mother, simply because the cause of our arrival is not under good circumstances. Either Gabriel will offer a plausible solution, or we might be yet again facing a battle. 

It's just us and the faint hum of the rain against the windows. Nathalie stands at the entrance, her face unreadable.

"He's expecting you," she says simply, stepping aside.

Adrien and I exchange a look before heading for the office.

We don't knock.

Gabriel Agreste stands by the window, hands clasped behind his back. The glow of the city reflects off the glass, casting shadows across his sharp features. When he turns, his face is unreadable.

"Adrien," he greets, voice even. Then his gaze flickers to me. "Y/N."

I don't waste time. "Where's Marinette?"

Gabriel's lips twitch, just barely, before he schools his expression back to neutrality. "You already know the answer."

A lump forms in my throat.

Adrien's hands tremble at his sides. "She's gone because of the wish, isn't she?"

Gabriel inclines his head. "Equivalent exchange. A life for a life." His voice is steady, but something dark lingers in his eyes—remorse, or maybe something crueler.

A sharp breath escapes me. I knew it. But hearing it out loud makes my stomach twist.

Adrien takes a step forward. "Undo it."

Gabriel exhales, slow and measured. "You think it's that simple?"

"Undo it," Adrien repeats, his fists clenched.

I reach for him, but he shrugs me off.

Gabriel watches him carefully, like he's assessing whether his son is fragile enough to shatter. "I didn't dictate the terms of the wish. It was beyond my control." A beat passes. Then: "Your mother is alive, Adrien. Is that not what you wanted?"