Emotional Support [Complete]

S1 E13: Lady Coeur Brisé

The first thing Adrien had gotten home to was his father, waiting patiently for him at the top of the stairs, arms behind his back, a displeased expression on his face. 

"Adrien," he spoke stiffly, "how come I have received numerous infuriated phone calls from both André and Audrey Bourgeois, about how you mistreated Chloé and now she refuses to eat or come out of her bedroom?"

The younger Agreste hung his head in shame, anxiously playing with his miraculous. "It's true, father. I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

"A quite costly mistake, I might add." Gabriel gritted his teeth. "The Bourgeois are very crucial business associates in the funding of my upcoming fashion show."

Adrien's pupils shrunk. If the Bourgeois refuse to place funding in his father's winter fashion show, they could lose a lot of money from the investment as well as many other offers and potential business partners they could gain at the show, or from the publicity. Not to mention the rumors that may spread due to the show so abruptly being cancelled only mere weeks before it was supposed to happen. What would happen to the Agreste name if people also learned that the perfect son of the king of fashion had mistreated the mayor's daughter? 

"I'm truly sorry, father," Adrien managed to say.

"Your apologies will fix nothing with me." The elder Agreste strode down the staircase to meet his son at the bottom. "You should do well to apologize and make amends with Mlle Bourgeois."

Adrien nodded. "I will, as soon as I can."

"Good." Gabriel held the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "Now, please. Explain to me how you came to face this... altercation with Chloé?"

"I was already in a horrible mood because I believed Marinette was upset with me. It was lunch time and I was trying to find her so I could make things better, but then, Chloé threw herself at me. I hate when she does it, but I was able to tolerate her like I always do. But, then, she started bad-mouthing Marinette and I..." Adrien sighed, rubbing his arm. "I completely lost my mind. I-I said things I really shouldn't have, and it wasn't until after Marinette pulled me away and calmed me down that I realized I had made Chloé cry. I tried to hug her and apologize, but she just ran away from me."

Gabriel understood his son's anger towards the mayor's daughter. He would have hated to see anyone speaking badly about the pigtailed girl as well. However, it did not excuse his behavior. It also didn't surprise him to hear that it was Marinette that calmed him down and brought him to reason. Gabriel knew how much of a positive influence she had on Adrien.

Adrien had expected a lecture or scolding or some sort of punishment, but he only received a long, dreadful silence on his father's part, which did the opposite of calm his nerves. After a few moments on this uncomfortable shared silence between the two Agrestes, the elder finally spoke.

"Just try to control yourself next time, son."

If Adrien wasn't already perplexed due to the lack of reprimanding or punishments, he was completely shocked to find his father's arms around his rather small body in comparison. Although delayed, Adrien didn't hesitate to return his father's embrace.