The Big Reveal

22 - The first half of the plan

Gabriel Agreste stood exactly in the same place where he had been when they left the lobby. Marinette was pretty sure that he had seen and heard their talk at the gate. How did he manage to move so quickly? Or maybe he had a mobile monitoring device hidden somewhere around him?

"As I can see, you have a gift of persuasion, my son." Gabriel said slowly.

"Dad..." Adrien sighed.

"All right, all right..." Gabriel smiled suddenly, and this time it was a quite warm smile. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other a bit surprised. Adrien's father looked like someone completely different with that smile. "I'm just teasing you. Come in, young lady. I think that we should talk in more comfortable place."

After those words Gabriel led them to the living room.

Marinette felt as if she was entering a lion's den. And she wondered whether she'd leave it alive after the meeting with Adrien's father. Fortunately, Adrien was by her side – like her own lucky charm – making her more self-confident. She clutched his hand for courage.

They went into the sophisticated living room. Sophisticated and cold. Decorated in black and white. Poor Adrien... He had to grow up in such unfriendly house! Marinette suppressed a sigh of empathy.

They all sat down – Gabriel Agreste in a black armchair, Adrien and Marinette on a white couch. She hid a smile after realising the double meaning of their choices.

"So... You're a couple." Gabriel said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, father." Adrien answered looking at his face.

"Will it be tactless if I ask how it happened?"

"Dad!" Adrien exclaimed indignantly.

"Son. I'm very interested in it."

"Don't you think it's a little prying?" Adrien asked.

"Adrien..." Marinette whispered soothingly. "Don't be surprised. We're turning in different worlds. It may look a bit... well... strange that there's anything we have in common."

"But we have a lot in common!" he replied heartily.

"I know!" she laughed. "But it doesn't have to be so obvious for your father, does it?"

Adrien gazed at his girlfriend in astonishment. Not only her words, but also her calmness surprised him. Wasn't she afraid of his father? She smiled at him as if she heard that question. And then she looked at their hands joined together on the couch. Yes, Adrien was her lucky charm. She didn't have to be afraid of anything.

"You're a very reasonable young lady, Marinette." Gabriel Agreste said cautiously.

"Oh, thank you for the compliment."

"Girls probably prefer other compliments." He commented.

"Dad!" Adrien moaned. Could this conversation be more awkward?

"You hide many talents, miss Dupain-Cheng. Now, I'm not surprised anymore that my son is crazy about you."

Marinette blushed. A thought crossed her mind that Gabriel had used those words "you hide" for a reason – because he still suspected her of being Ladybug. She decided not to analyse that issue now. She preferred to focus on talk to Adrien's father.

"Uhm... Thank you." She stammered, embarrassed.

"I hope you'll have a good influence on Adrien." Gabriel continued. "Sometimes he seems to be emotionally unstable a little bit. You may give him... well... some stability and calm down."