Flowers in my throat

Unlucky Lotus

The what was supposed to be calming morning was disrupted by a dreadful coughing fit, Gabriel shot up from his slumber to attend to his assistant, when Gabriel got to her she was  huddled over the edge of the bed hacking up her lungs, Gabriel rubbed slow and soothing circles on her back, she finished coughing but she began to choke. Adrien turned to help Nathalie with his father, Gabriel wrapped his arms around Nathalie's upper abdomen and lifted her up, Adrien turned his head away from the scene, frightened from the situation, Gabriel began to thrust helping Nathalie get out whatever was lodged in her throat. After a few thrusts Nathalie shot blood and lotus flowers out, Gabriel was taken aback at what he just witnessed, Gabriel put Nathalie down on the ground, there was no time to question what just happened, "breath in and out", Gabriel said demonstrating an inhale and exhale. Nathalie was having trouble copying but eventually she got the hang of it. Gabriel looked up at his son, he was rocking back and fourth and breathing heavily, "Adrien, it's alright come here", Gabriel said, Adrien slowly crawled out of the bed and into his fathers arms. "Nathalie is alright now", Gabriel reassured, "b-but l-look", Adrien said pointing at the blood puddle, Nathalie raised her head at Adrien, "it's alright Adrien, I'm okay", Nathalie said giving him a weak motherly smile. "Go to you're room and get ready for the day alright? Marinette is coming over, I'll take care of Nathalie", Gabriel said, Adrien was hesitant but obeyed leaving Gabriel and Nathalie alone.

"MISS NATHALIE!", Dussu screamed with tears in her eyes, "Dussu I'm fine", Nathalie said, Dussu hugged Nathalie's cheek. Nooroo emerged from his hiding spot and flew to Gabriel, he was fixated on the purplish lotus flowers sitting in the blood, Nooroo flew over to the flowers, "I think I know what this is", Nooroo said, Nathalie and Gabriel put their attention on the lavender purple kwami. "Hanahaki disease", Nooroo said, "what's that?", Gabriel questioned, "Hanahaki is a disease where a person who is suffering from unrequited love will cough up flowers that grew in their lungs", Nooroo said, Gabriel looked at Nathalie with widened eyes, she loves someone? "Is there anyway to fix it?", Gabriel asked, Nooroo nodded. "It can be fixed multiple ways, if the other person returns the others feelings, or if the person falls for another, and surgical removal but if they did that it would also remove that persons ability to romantically love someone", Nooroo said, Nathalie flinched at the thought of that, Nooroo went silent for a moment, "or if the person....dies", Nooroo said dispirited. Dussu gasped, "we can't let that happen!", Dussu yelled in distress, "she's not going to die", Gabriel said, Dussu settled down a bit, Gabriel turned his head to Nathalie, "who...who do you love?", Gabriel asked hesitantly not really wanting to be snooping into her personal life. Nathalie gripped her knees and looked down, "it..it doesn't matter", Nathalie said, Gabriel took Nathalie's cheek into his hand, "it does matter Nathalie, I can't lose you", Gabriel said, Nathalie put on her best poker face, "it's an old friend, they love someone else though", Nathalie said, "how do you know that?", Gabriel asked, "they're married, and have a kid", Nathalie said shifting away from him, she technically wasn't lying. Gabriel brought Nathalie into his embrace, "I'm sorry", Gabriel whispered into her ear, "it's not you're fault", Nathalie said, after a long moment Gabriel backed away, "let's go join Adrien downstairs", Gabriel said.

After they got ready and called a maid to clean up Gabriel's room, Gabriel helped Nathalie downstairs and into the foyer where Adrien sat, "Nathalie", Adrien said running to her, "hello Adrien", Nathalie said patting his head, "Ms. Dupain-Cheng should be here soon", Gabriel said, "I should probably go get started on some work", Nathalie said turning around, Gabriel quickly grabbed her wrist, "no, you are not", Gabriel said, "but sir I have to do my job", Nathalie protested, Gabriel gave her an irritated look. Suddenly the door bell rung, "That must be Marinette", Adrien said running to the door, "Now that Adrien's friend is here we should go into the dining room for breakfast", Gabriel said, Nathalie huffed as Gabriel lead her into the dining room.