A New Partner | #MLWattysAwards | ✔️

The Book

Once Adrien had control of what he was thinking, he finally came to a conclusion: he would investigate Ladybug at Alya's sleepover. Was that Ladybug really Marinette?

He would check for clues or hints that would support his theory.

He quickly packed everything he would need for a night's stay at Alya's house, then attempted to run out the door.

Attempted: key word.

Gabriel Agreste, himself, stopped Adrien in his tracks.

"Son, have you heard about the reincarnation of Matinette?" He asked him, seeing that his face was still streaked with tears from when he had been sobbing.

"Uh- yeah! Great news Father! I have to go!" He responded hastily, trying to rush getting out the door.

"Adrien, may I ask where you are going?" He asked with a slightly fatherly concerned look on his face.

Adrien dropped his bags.

"Uh- hmm. Yeah, um you see, I was actually going to go to a friend- friend's house! Yeah... Um like Nino! Yeah, I'm going to Nino's house for a sleepover!" Adrien lied slightly.

Gabriel Agreste didn't take lies.

"Adrien, please sit with me on the table. We need to have a... talk," Gabriel decided.

Adrien didn't understand what he was talking about so he quickly ran to the table. Gabriel sat as well in a chair next to Adrien.

"So, Adrien," Gabriel cleared his throat, his face turning slightly concerned, "I too was once a young boy, growing into adolescence. I remember when I used to have- um... urges as well."

Adrien's face turned redder than Ladybug's suit once he realized what his father thought was happening.

"Father, no! That's not what's happening, I swear!" Adrien stood from his chair immediately.

Gabriel sat him down once more.

"Listen son, I just want you to be safe when you do these kinds of... things. I know, I talked to Nino. He told me it was a boy-girl sleepover. I remember my first one, actually. It's how your mother and I had-"

"Father! I promise! I'm not going to do that!" Adrien stood up once again. He saw his father stand up and go to the bookshelf where he pulled out a forbidden book.

Five-year-old Adrien used a chair and stood on his tippy toes to reach for a book on the bookshelf.

When he finally succeeded in grabbing a book, he pulled it down.

He made sure his parents didn't see because they had always told him not to read any books on the top shelf. He had been told that they were grown-up books and he shouldn't read them.

Adrien put the book on the floor and quietly scooted the chair to its original spot. He hid the book under his jacket and ran past his mother to the hallway.

"Adrien! Watch out, sweetie! You could trip!" She called after him as he giggled, running to his room.

He closed the door behind him, then carefully pulled the book out from under his jacket. It was a old, big, picture book.

He couldn't make out what it said on the title, but he saw cool preteens on the cover.

Adrien flipped through the book, not sure of what the pictures were. He wanted someone to read it to him before he went to bed.

Since he knew his parents didn't want him to read it, Adrien snuck up behind Natalie and poked her arm.

She jumped, not expecting that.

"Hello, big boy. What bring you here?" Natalie asked the enthusiastic young child.

"Can you read a story to me?" He asked, looking up at Natalie hopefully with his big green eyes.

She couldn't refuse after looking at him so she agreed with a little laugh and a smile.

"Sure thing, Adrien. Right before bed," she smiled.

"Thank you Natalie!!!" He cheered, hugging her legs before giggling and running off to go hug his parents.

Natalie's heart softened at the young boy.

When bedtime arrived, she hadn't forgotten her promise. Adrien had told his parents that Natalie would tuck him in that night.

When she came into the room, his eyes lit up.

"Natalie!! Here's the book!" He picked it up and handed it to her.

She smiled and took it into her hands. When she took a look at what the book was, she gulped and froze.

"Adrien, let's read another story," she insisted, picking up a train story on the side of his bed.

"But Natalie! I wanna hear this one!" He pouted.

"I'll be back in a minute, Adrien," she told him, picking up the book and taking it outside the room.

She walked over to Mrs. Agreste and handed her the book.

"Natalie? Why are you giving me th-this book?" Mrs. Agreste stammered, her face turning pink.

"Adrien had somehow gotten to it and he asked me to read it to him..." Natalie cleared her throat and looked away nervously.

"Oh no. I hope he's not corrupted," she whispered nervously.

Mrs. Agreste ran over to Gabriel with the book.

"Adrien found this..." She told her husband.

Gabriel's mouth hung open.

"I th-thought we put that one in an unreachable area," Gabriel stammered nervously.

Adrien stomped in between the adults.

"Why is everyone hiding the book?!" He yelled, almost ready to throw a tantrum.

"You're not ready to see everything yet," Gabriel bent down to his level, then picked Adrien up as he stood.

"I'm ready now..." He whined.

"Dad, I'm positive I don't need to see the book. It's been like ten years and I still remember what's in the book," Adrien shuddered at the memory. Even though he had no clue what he was looking at during the time he saw it, now he had a good idea of what he was looking at previously.

"But I want to stay safe when it happens," he insisted.

Then, Gabriel gave the entire talk.

To sum it all up, Adrien never wanted to hear what he had heard from his father ever again and he would remain traumatized for a lifetime after they read the book together.