Demigods: In Paris (a Miraculous Ladybug and Percy Jackson crossover)

Well this got deep real fast

"I don't think you understand, this is already a trade. Your son for your miraculous." Ladybug watched Chat Noir with sympathy. He was trying so hard to hold himself together that it hurt to watch.

"You said it yourself - you aren't villains. You won't hurt my son."

"Master, no!" Hawkmoth's kwami pleaded.

"We won't give you our miraculous," Ladybug said confidently, getting into a fighting stance. "Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Please, let's talk about this."

"Enough talking! I have waited far to long!"

"For what, exactly? I think I speak for both of us," she gestured at herself at Chat Noir, who looked at her in alarm, "when I say you are a role model. I have looked up to you for as long as I remember. Gabriel Agreste, world-famous fashion designer, wealthiest businessman in Paris, father to a son who is perfect in almost every way. What more could you want?" Ladybug look Chat Noir in his shocked green eyes, putting a voice to the question she could tell he desperately wanted an answer to. "On behalf of both of us, why?"

"And on behalf of both of us," said a familiar voice from below, "why not?". Ladybug looked down in shock as she realised two figures were scaling the Eiffel Tower. 

It was Percy and Annabeth, and they looked ready for a fight.

"Annabeth!" Ladybug yelled. "What are you doing here?"

"We want to talk to you," Percy called back.

"This is our fight!" Ladybug hollered back. "I don't care how old or powerful you are, stay out of it!"

"No!" The couple climbed over the railing. "This is a serious discussion, and it would be irresponsible to let two children in fancy dress make a decision when they don't even know half the story."

"Fine, so tell us the story," Chat Noir said.

"Gabriel?" Percy prompted.

"I... My wife, Emilie. I love her to the ends of the earth. A year ago, she was very ill. S-she didn't make it. I just need your miraculous to bring her back. I swear I will return them immediately." He looked broken. "Please."

Chat Noir looked stricken. That was his mother. Marinette knew how much he loved her, how much he missed her. Adrien rarely spoke about her, but when he did, his words were tender. 

"Bugaboo..." he began softly.

"Chat, no."

"What harm could it do? We let him bring her back, and all of this can stop. We could save hundreds of lives."

"Listen to your partner," Percy said.

"You don't know the full story either," Ladybug accused him. "There is a balance to everything. Yin and yang, creation and destruction. Save one life, and you take another. If we give him our miraculous, it'll be murder."

Percy and Annabeth shared a wide-eyed glance. Clearly Gabriel hadn't told them that part.

"Milady, it's one life against hundreds..." Chat continued pleadingly.

"And you want to give the man who took those lives what he wants, especially at such a high price? You don't beat a bully by giving him what he wants."

"But-"

Ladybug grabbed him by the shoulders and hissed furiously into his ear.

"I understand why you want this, because it's easy to sacrifice someone you've never met for someone you love. But if you let him bring back your mother, mine might die. Have you considered that?"

Chat Noir stumbled backwards. "How- You! You told her!"

"Told her what?" Annabeth asked.

"My identity!"

"You know his identity?" Gabriel asked.

"We didn't tell her anything!"

"I worked it out by myself," Ladybug snapped. "Give me some credit."

She turned to Gabriel. "Look, I know you want her back. But it was her time. Now it's your time - to stop living in the past and pay some attention to your present. You have a son, who loves you despite how much you neglect him and how little you care. I'm not telling you to forget your wife, I'm asking you to move on. Spend some time with your son. Be a little kinder to your assistant. Start appearing more in public. Who knows, maybe you'll find new love where you least expect it. But you'll never find happiness with your eyes closed."

"Of course that's what you'd say, Ladybug. You don't understand. You say you're a hero, but you kidnapped my son and now you want to stop him from getting his mother back. Did you ever stop to ask him what he wanted?"

"Did you?" Chat Noir asked, stepping forwards. His eyes glimmered with unshed tears.

"Chat..." Ladybug warned.

"What would you know about it?" Gabriel scoffed.

"Seeing as everyone else seems to already know," Chat shrugged, his smile strained. "Plagg, claws in."