Cinnamon and Vanilla

Chapter 7

Gabriel rolled around the contents of the glass in his hand. A double scotch on the rocks. He hadn't been a big drinker in his life, but tonight he felt he needed one, or three. Nathalie closed the curtains behind him sharply before turning to head back out the door.

"Care to join me in one Nathalie?" He asked, not looking up from his glass. His voice sounded demure, almost apologetic. His assistant turned to him, her eyes filled with anger.

"You have some nerve asking me after that stunt you pulled with that akuma today." She snapped. Gabriel continued to observe the amber liquid as he swirled it in his glass. He had to avoid her gaze. He hated to admit it, but there was something alluring in that fiery temper of Nathalie's, something that made his blood run hot.

"I didn't know Adrien would be there." He replied, acting evasive. Nathalie scoffed.

"It's his school Gabriel, where else did you think he would be? It's not like it's the first time you have akumatized one of his classmates." Gabriel finally looked up at her. Emilie was always so quiet, rarely raising her voice to anyone she preferred to avoid confrontation. Nathalie though had no qualms speaking her mind. Not these days at any rate. It might have been the alcohol taking, but he found it terribly attractive. Nathalie had become so much more to him than just his assistant. She was his confidant, the one always by his side, the one person he could truly count on.

"I thought he was going to be here for lunch like usual, safe in the house." He realised almost immediately that was definitely the wrong answer. Nathalie looked at him in disbelief.

"Gabriel, Adrien hasn't been home for lunch for weeks. He spends it with his friends. Had you actually come to lunch at any point in the last fortnight you would have known that." Gabriel went back to looking into his glass before taking a gulp, emptying the contents. It burned a little, but he didn't mind it as the warmth spread through his chest.

"I'm going to London in the next week or so." He stated, changing the subject. "I convinced Spencer to come back to the Paris HQ. His designs arrived today and will be the basis of the summer collection." Nathalie was surprised Gabriel would go himself to the London office, but she wasn't going to question it. God only knows they needed Spencer back here. He was still one of Gabriel's leading designers and was the only other person who's designs Gabriel allowed to be worn by Emilie. When she 'disappeared', Spencer returned to London. He would be a welcome breath of fresh air back at HQ.

Gabriel lifted the bottle to pour himself another drink. Nathalie eyed him warily as he gulped down another shot, his eyes looking bloodshot but Nathalie knew it wasn't from the alcohol, it was lack of sleep. She sat down in the armchair opposite from him.

"How many of those did you have before I came in?" She queried as he lifted the glass to observe the ice inside.

"One, maybe two." He said topping the glass back up from the carafe. This time he sipped rather than gulped. "Don't worry, I don't plan on anymore akumas tonight." He laughed dryly. Nooroo had actually told him off once before for transforming while under the influence of alcohol. That had definitely been one of his less useful akumas.

"Gabriel..."

"You care a lot for Adrien, don't you?" There was no malice in his voice. If anything it held an air of regret.

"Yes." She replied quietly. "I care about him very much."

"I don't know my son, do I?" Nathalie could see tears pooling in his eyes as he averted his gaze from her. "He's going to be a man soon and I don't even know who he is. I saw him this morning walk through the house and it was like I was looking at a stranger. He smiled as he headed out the door, a smile I'd never seen on him before, like his heart was filled with pure joy." He sounded bewildered as he lifted the glass back to his lips. Nathalie had a fair idea why Adrien had been so much happier the last few days, but she was keeping that to herself for now.