Spoilers through Season 2.

This is the sixth work of a series. You should read the following works in order, as they are direct continuations and I don't explain previous stories:

1) Fanboy

2) Cosplay Contest

3) Resident Expert

4) The Merchant of Paris

5) Miraculously in Concert

Additionally, Gabriel does NOT know that Adrien is Chat Noir. I know what has occurred in season two thus far, and while it may or may not conflict with canon, Gabriel NOT knowing works better for this story.

Written for Miraculous Fluff Month 2018, for the two prompts "Weekend Together" and "A Special Gift", though I swap the days because it works better for the story that way :)

Weekend Together (Day 19's prompt)

For once, Gabriel got wind of the new convention before Adrien. He had been coloring some sketches on his tablet, pondering over the different options, when the news feed announced it. Normally something like this didn't warrant a notification tag, but once Gabriel read the tag, he hurried to click on the link to read further.

This was the first time Ladybug and Chat Noir would be officially attending.

Regardless of past appearances, this upcoming convention would be the first time both of the "heroes or Paris" announced their intentions to do autographs, panel discussions, and mingle with the crowd. They had scheduled events.

Gabriel's hands trembled in his excitement.

"Nathalie," he said, smacking the button on the intercom, "clear my calendar for the weekend of the convention. Adrien's too," he added. It wouldn't be long before his son inevitably asked to attend with him. And this time, Gabriel was more than eager to comply.

He leaned back in his chair, the designs now forgotten on his computer. Both of his hated enemies confirmed to be at a specific place at a specific time. What could he do with this information?

Akuma? His akumas have had plenty of opportunity to grab the Miraculouses when the heroes were distracted and had never succeeded before. The two would probably be on high guard against attacks anyway. But what about in his civilian form?

He had almost succeeded in getting the Miraculouses when he was targeted. His hands drifted so achingly close to his goal. Maybe if he expressed the same interest?

Or maybe he could try a different method. Forget the Miraculouses for the time being and do a reconnaissance mission. See what his enemies let slip about their civilian identities. If he could identify either one, that would tilt the scales in his favor. He thought about what little tidbits he had gleaned from his previous encounters.

Ladybug admired him as a fashion designer.

Perhaps he could manipulate that to his advantage. Get her to lower her guard around him and drop more hints to her identity. He didn't want to do it at the panels where the heroes were used to speaking in front of large crowds and would undoubtedly hide personal information better.

He could do it at the autograph sessions. One-on-one talks. He could lead in with a discussion of fashion and see what that unveiled. Gabriel pulled out his pad. He would have to plan this carefully. He would have limited time in contact with the heroes and he wanted to have his questions lined up perfectly. There would be no wasteful small talk. Every word would be crafted to extract valuable information from his enemies.

A thrill of anticipation coursed through him. This could actually work!

He spent the remainder of the afternoon brainstorming questions to ask the heroes as he waited for Adrien to arrive home and ask him about the convention. He was so caught up in his work, it was only when his stomach protested the time that he realized it was well past dark – and well past the time Adrien would be awake.

He frowned. The boy probably didn't want to disturb him. Adrien would certainly ask tomorrow. Gabriel set aside his pen and went in search of leftover dinner.

But tomorrow came and went, and Adrien still didn't ask. And the next day. And the day after. A full week passed before Gabriel started to get worried. What if Adrien hadn't seen the convention announcement? There was really no other explanation for why his son – always so eager to attend these dreadful events – wouldn't have instantly queried Gabriel for permission to go (and dragging the elder along with him).

Three days before the event was set to begin, Gabriel had enough of waiting around for Adrien to ask his permission. He knocked on the door to his son's room and entered, discovering Adrien at his desk computer.

"Hello, Father, did you need something?"

"I was informed there was going to be another Ladybug and Chat Noir convention this weekend," Gabriel began, withdrawing his tablet from behind his back and bringing up the relevant website. "The heroes are confirmed to be in attendance."

He expected Adrien's eyes to light up in joy; for his son to instantly leap to his feet and beg to go. Instead, Adrien shied away from meeting his gaze. "Oh?" he remarked.

Gabriel's hand stilled for a moment. He appraised the boy over the edge of the tablet. "Yes," he replied, wondering why he suddenly felt as if he was in tense negotiations with a supplier. "I've cleared both of our schedules so we may attend. I'm certain I wouldn't hear the end of it from you otherwise."

"Ah." Adrien fidgeted with his hands. Gabriel frown. His son never fidgeted. What was going on? "I know the last event was a bit stressful for you." That was an understatement. Gabriel still could hear the ear-splitting shriek of Jagged's "honorary song". He winced on reflex. Adrien noticed. "See, so I thought that we could skip this event."

Skip this event? Skip this event? When at last they had verified proof that the two heroes would be in attendance at specified times? When he had spent the last week planning and plotting the perfect questions to ask? When he had theorized hours upon hours of different ways to akumatize someone? When he had imagined the blissful joy at somehow acquiring both Miraculouses in his civilian form?

Not a chance.

"I'm perfectly fine. I wasn't expecting Mr. Stone to bestow such an honor upon me. It caught me off guard, is all." Years of masking his emotions to rivals allowed the lie to slip easily from his lips.

Adrien didn't look convinced. "I don't know, Father," he said. "I don't want you to get overworked again."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. That was a stretch even for Adrien's usual flimsy excuses to get out of doing something. "Is there a reason you don't want to go?"

The direct question struck a nerve as Adrien immediately flushed. "Not at all," he insisted, his eyes darting around the room.

The telltale signs of a desperate person. And his son still refused to meet Gabriel's eyes. What was going on?

"Then it's settled," Gabriel said. The only way to draw the truth out of Adrien was to push him into a corner.

"Actually," Adrien began. Gabriel hid a smile.

"Yes?" he prompted when his son hesitated.

"I was hoping I might be able to attend with Marinette," he said.

Gabriel really should have expected something like this. And any other time, he would be jumping for joy at his son's apparent infatuation with his classmate. But not today. Not when he had this convention planned out and victory nearly within his fingertips. He could order his son to attend. But that would look a bit odd.

"I thought perhaps we might be able to get a picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir together," he said instead. Adrien's expression shifted, but Gabriel couldn't decipher it.

"Ah, well..." Adrien looked around the room for a moment before sighing in defeat. "That would be great, Father," he said, though his unenthusiastic tone betrayed his true feelings.

Well, he couldn't exactly have his son around when he enacted his plans, now could he? "Of course, after the photo, I don't mind if you go off with your good friend," Gabriel added.

Adrien snapped his head up. "Really?"

"Of course. She's a positive influence on you," he said.

"Thank you, Father!"

And so, the day of the event arrived and Gabriel eagerly appeared first thing in the morning. He snagged a pamphlet that displayed the schedule of the heroes. Next to him, Adrien trailed along, considerably less enthused than Gabriel would have expected.

Maybe one of the panels would cheer him up? Gabriel didn't really want to get dragged to another boring panel session, but he knew Adrien enjoyed it last time. However, not even the cosplayers that strolled by managed to capture his son's attention.

"Adrien, is everything okay?" Gabriel asked at last.

His son looked up. "Uhm, yeah, Father, why do you ask?"

Gabriel frowned. "You're not acting very excited to be here." He wasn't implying his son was ungrateful, but it was rather unusual for the blond child to not be dragging Gabriel to every single inane event this convention had to offer.

"I'm not feeling too well," Adrien admitted. Gabriel immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to him.

"What's wrong?" Instantly, a hand rested upon his forehead, feeling for a fever. Upon further examination, he discovered his son's skin clammy under his touch and his face pale. His green eyes, normally full of sparkle, dulled under the fluorescent lights of the large convention hall.

"I feel like I might throw up," Adrien answered. His hands hovered over his stomach.

Gabriel dropped his hand and moved it to Adrien's shoulder. "We're going home right away."

"No!" Adrien protested, pulling out from his father's grip. "I really don't want to leave. I... I know how much you really wanted to come."

He did, of course, but not at the expense of Adrien's health.

"Please, Father? I might feel better in a little bit."

He would like to say that it was entirely due to his son's desire to stay that he relented, but he also knew that his desire to get close to Ladybug and Chat Noir influenced his decision.

"Fine," he said. "But we're taking you to the infirmary."

Without waiting for Adrien's response, he pulled out his map and consulted it for a moment before steering Adrien away. He guided his son over to the appointed first aid station. After explaining the situation to the staff, they were directed to one of the rooms in the back. The nurse instructed Adrien to lay down on a paper-covered vinyl examination bed. Gabriel pulled up a chair beside him.

"I'm sorry, Father," Adrien breathed out in a whisper after the nurse departed, stating the doctor would be in to see him momentarily.

"Don't apologize, Adrien," Gabriel said, stroking the blond bangs away from his son's forehead. "You didn't choose to get sick. Just focus on getting better and maybe we can enjoy a couple of hours of the festival."

"Okay." Adrien bit his lip.

The doctor came and could discern nothing obvious with Adrien's condition.

"Perhaps all of the excitement has gotten to him," she offered as an explanation. "Let him rest, and if his condition changes for the worse, alert one of the staff immediately."

Gabriel nodded his understanding, realizing it was hard to adequately diagnose anything more complex than acute injuries. The doctor departed and when Adrien closed his eyes, he pulled out his tablet while his son slept. After a while, Adrien cracked his eyes open. Gabriel looked up. "How are you feeling?"

"Weird," Adrien answered, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he stared around the room. "What time is it?"

He checked the time. "Almost noon."

"The autograph session!" Adrien gasped, shooting upright. He immediately doubled over and clutched his stomach.

"Calm down," Gabriel said, pushing his son firmly down on the bed. "You'll make yourself ill. You're still not well."

"But I wanted to meet Ladybug and Chat Noir," Adrien said, and the crack in his voice nearly broke Gabriel.

"There will be other conventions, Adrien."

"Could... could you go get me a picture?"

"I'm not leaving you alone."

"Please, Father?" Adrien widened his eyes in his best helpless expression. "I'm just going to fall asleep again. It would mean a lot if you could go get me their autograph."

Gabriel mulled over the option. Adrien would be safe in the first aid room. Plus he would be able to enact a little bit of his scheme to discover more about Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"It's really the only thing I wanted from this convention," his son added, and that settled it.

"Fine, I'll go get you a picture," Gabriel said. "But you have to give me your word that you won't move from this bed at all."

"I promise, Father."

Gabriel stood and rested his hand upon Adrien's head in an awkward pat. "Sleep well, son. I'll be back soon enough."

"Thank you, Father."

Author's Note: Special thanks to PerditaAlottachocolate and Pippip_Hurray for brainstorming help and beta-reading goodness. :)

Check out Perdita's Marichat work "Next Rainfall" for some adorable fluffy content where Chat Noir comes across Marinette walking in the rain and wants to know why, and each time he finds her she gives him a clue. It's super cute with warm-fuzzy feels.