His Mute Princess

His New World

This takes place a few days after the epilogue

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With everything that had happened in the old world, Adrien didn't have high hopes for his father. His father wanted to use the power of the miraculouses to bring back his mother. In a way, he understood. Adrien missed his mother too, but using such power was dangerous. Adrien knew that very well. He lost Plagg, Chat Noir, Ladybug, and all that came with them. He had his memories but there were just there to haunt him. 

So when Adrien walked downstairs to see Nathalie and his father chatting with smiles on their faces, he was more than shocked. His father rarely smiled and his interactions with Nathalie were always professional, so what the hell was going on?

Adrien had stopped midway down the stairs. Gabriel and Nathalie turned to him and both smiled at him. Adrien was bewildered but shook off the look immediately, not wanting to rise any suspicions. 

When he went to go sit down to go eat breakfast, he was shocked to see that instead of standing over him and monitoring his eating, Nathalie was with his father. Not only that, but his father was there. Not to sit and to do work, no, to eat there. Nathalie had her tablet like always but instead of standing, she was sitting on the chair closest to Gabriel.

Adrien didn't know what to say or think, he just sat there in silence eating his food. He knew Jasmine's life had changed due to not having her miraculous, so did that mean his father's changed too?

After finishing his breakfast, he made his way over to school. Nathalie wasn't with him in the car, it was just his driver. Alya and Nino greeted him at the front doors of the school and they all walked in together. 

Marinette showed up late like usual, slipping into her seat next to him sheepishly. Adrien turned to her with a smile and she smiled back. His heart fluttered and he was eternally grateful that he still had Marinette. 

When lunch rolled around, Adrien got a text from Nathalie.

Nathalie: Adrien, your father has requested you join us for lunch. Marinette is more than welcome to come.

Adrien stared at his phone in surprise. Marinette pulled on his sleeve to get his attention. 'What's wrong?' she asked. 

"My dad invited us for lunch," he replied still bewildered. 

Marinette just smiled, 'Oh, that's nice of him.'

Adrien bit back a shocked look. She didn't find it weird?

"Do you... do you want to join us?" Adrien asked. Marinette nodded with a smile.

What the hell? This was not what he expected.

Not knowing what to respond, he just took her hand and walked over to the car already waiting for them.

When he arrived at his place, he was once more shocked to see his father and Nathalie. Only this time there were two chairs at both ends of the table. 

"So good of you to join us, son," Gabriel nodded. 

"And I'm glad to see you are joining us Mlle. Dupain-Cheng," he continued with a soft smile. Marinette smiled back. Adrien kept switching his gaze from his father and Marinette. What the hell is going on? he thought.

"It seemed appropriate to invite Adrien's girlfriend," Nathalie added. 

Girlfriend? Did that mean they approved? Had they known in the old world?

"I suppose so," Gabriel replied. "Mlle. Dupain-Cheng has been a positive influence on my son. It wouldn't hurt to have her here."

"Is... is something going on?" Adrien asked. All of this felt weird. This wasn't the environment he was used to.