Gabriel did not want to answer the phone at first. He had more important matters to attend to than to listen to some child ramble on about whatever lies she managed to throw together half-heartedly. Yet, his thumb hovered hesitantly on the red button that would send Lila's call to his voicemail.

He was not the type to hesitate, but if it was in regards to Adrien, then perhaps he could get more information on his son.

Lately, Adrien has been acting strange, his son seemed unfocused during his lessons. In piano, his teacher informed him that Adrien made not one, but several rooky mistakes. Then in Chinese, Adrien forgot to address his teacher in a respectful manner, luckily the teacher was understanding, easily overlooking this. Then the coach in Adrien's fencing class reported that the boy had misstepped and fell, apparently distracted by something, or another.

Normally, Gabriel would chalk it up to simple teenage boy troubles, but deep down he sensed something was amiss. Something he himself had experienced as a boy no older than Adrien.

Adrien was in love.

Gabriel knows he's far from a perfect father. He will even admit he's possibly one of the worst examples but will allow history to be the judge. In the end, his actions are justified and one day Adrien will forgive him for his actions once Emilie was returned to them. The few times, Gabriel spotted his son during his 'episodes' he noticed a certain sparkle in Adrien's eyes, it was then that Gabriel knew his son was thinking about the person who had stolen his heart.

Knowing this, Gabriel felt a protective coil tightening inside his chest. Even though he is not a good father, he did care about his son. He loved Adrien with every fiber of his being and wanted the best for his boy. If whoever Adrien was in love with were to break his heart he would immediately want to fix it.

Yet, at the same time, the knowledge of Adrien's crush could provide some powerful akumas. Love was a powerful emotion, and where there is love, there is also heartbreak. A devastating blow to one's core that could lead someone down a very dark path, such a window of opportunity could provide Gabriel with a wonderful villain at his disposal.

Of course, he felt terrible for thinking such thoughts, but hopefully, the ends will justify his means. Even if Adrien were to hate him for a short time, being reunited with his mother should soften the blow, and hopefully in a few months, or a year, they can go back to being a perfect family again.

Perhaps Lila was calling to report Adrien's love life. If he plays his cards right though, he could easily retrieve the information from her. Being a businessman, Gabriel had turned persuasion into fine art, his careful analysis of an individual's interest easily one over several loyal customers and created his empire.

Lila, being so young and naive, was one of the easiest targets he's ever worked with. She felt she was playing him, but in reality, it was the opposite.

Making his final decision, Gabriel decided to humor the girl and perhaps learn a bit more about his son's new love interest.

The first thing Lila said after he answered, " Mr. Agreste, this is Lila, Adrien's friend, I have some terrible news about Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

He listens closely as Lila went on in a terrain of pathetic story-telling, claiming Marinette was a liar, a cheater, a terrible influence on his son. She spoke for close to thirty minutes before coming to her conclusion. "I think we need to do something about that girl, she's going to ruin Adrien's life!"

Now, Garbiel could easily cancel working with Lila. He could ruin the young teen's life with a few short orders but decided against it. No, this would be a nice place for him to enact a new plan, a much more destructive plan than when he was Scarlet Butterfly. If he plays his cards right then he could have both the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous in his palms within a few days.

All he needed was to set the pieces and watch the dominoes fall.

"Thank you, Lila. I will see to it that Marinette is dealt with properly." All the while you just be careful to not raise any more trouble for yourself, you little troll.

Adrien still couldn't properly wrap his mind around this. He in love with Marinette? Was that even possible? Maybe it was misunderstanding his own affections. Yet, there was no denying that she had somehow snuck into his heart. This wasn't like how he felt about Kagami. No, Kagami was different, she was a friend who he thought he could fall in love with, but after a few days of spending time together, he realized she was only interested in their similarities, not willing to expand and learn more about him.

It was sad because she was a wonderful person but he could not imagine himself being with her. One day she will find someone perfect for her and Adrien truly believes she deserves to be happy with someone. He just doesn't see himself in that picture. Thankfully, Kagami agreed that while they had similar interests and hobbies they did not fit together as a couple.

He and Marinette though...

There was something about Marinette that reminded him of his mother, it could be her undeterred spirit, her need to help everyone she cared about, even those that had wronged her in the past like Chloe. She was willing to put her feelings aside and give them another chance. While he didn't fully understand what was going on between her and Lila, and Lila's new friendship with Chloe, he did know for sure that Marinette was not about to back down, especially if she feels someone is being used or mistreated.

Of course, he also knew his classmate had her limits. She was willing to help Chloe, but there was no way she was going to bend over backward to save her. Chloe had her chance at redemption and abused it for personal gain. Ladybug had no choice but to take the Bee Miraculous back, a much-needed action from the leader of their team. Chloe had not been pleased and left them with an evident chip on her shoulder.

Afterward, Ladybug had been stressed. He could tell she was losing herself with her new responsibilities weighing heavily on her shoulders. He wished she would let him help, but that would be going against Master Fu...

Speaking of Master Fu, Adrien wonders if the former guardian was enjoying his retirement. He might not remember his actions or his powers, but he was a good man and all good men deserve to be happy.

Then his thoughts drifted back to his lady. Ladybug was the new great guardian. If Hawk Moth were to ever learn her secret identity then Ladybug would have no choice but to give up not only her Miracle Box to a new successor but also her miraculous as well. She would lose her memories and forget her victories, her trails.

She will forget him as well...

Adrien didn't know what was scarier, his new feelings for his classmate, or Ladybug forgetting him.

Speaking of Marinette, his classmate was becoming much more outgoing than she had been when they first met. She looked confident, proud even. And had a knowing look on her face. Since he started to observe her more closely, Adrien realized just how much like Ladybug his dear friend was. If it wasn't for the fact that she had used the Mouse Miraculous he would have been convinced she was Ladybug.

It shouldn't disappoint him that she wasn't Ladybug, but it did. When he realized his classmate and partner were two separate people, his heart split into two directions, one half going to Marinette, and the other remaining stubbornly loyal to his lady.

A little shift beneath the layers of his white jacket brought Adrien's thoughts back to the real world. Plagg pokes his tiny blackhead out from his warm confines and smirks knowingly, "So, still confused about pigtails?"

Adrien rolls his eyes, "Why are you suddenly interested in my love-life? And shouldn't you be hiding, people could see you, and a lot of them have cameras."

Plagg laughs, "Oh that's rich! You really think anyone is going to notice little o'l me? Plus, I already told you, kwamis can't be filmed or photographed? They'll just see you talking to your shirt and everyone in the media will think you're nuts."

"Thanks for that evaluation, Plagg, I really appreciate it."

"No problem!" The kwami of destruction laughs and pats his stomach, a tell-tale sign he was hungry, "By the way, when we get to pigtail's house, you need to buy me some of those delicious cheesy croissants! They smell divine!" He swoons, "I never thought anyone could ever improve the taste of cheese, but her dad did. Please, Adrien, I need it, or else I'll die!"

"Aren't you a tiny god?" He snaps half-heartedly, before playfully pushing his finger on Plag's forehead, shoving the kwami deeper into his jacket so as to not be seen by anyone prying eyes. "Besides, we're not going to Marinette's, we're going to Nino's house."

His friend smirks, unconvinced, "Really, because last I checked, Nino's was in the opposite direction. You're going straight to Pigtails, I can smell those delicious croissants a mile away!"

Adrien babbles incoherently for a minute before Plagg's knowing smirk finally won him over. The blond sighs and with two fingers shoves Plagg's head back into his jacket again, "Shut up."

Plagg snickers.

So what if he was going to see Marinette. Did that really warrant any teasing? He was only seeing her because she is his friend. It's not wrong to visit friends. Is it?

Doubt sinks in, as Adrien continues his route, completely ignorant of the chilly air. Marinette was a friend, but lately, something has changed between them. Ever since he started his late-night visits, he's noticed things, like the way her blue eyes shine when she's excited. Or how her nose is dusted with cute tiny freckles. Or that her hair is extra silky when it's out of her signature pigtails and hanging loosely around her shoulders, shiny and no doubt soft to the touch. He always itches to run his claws through those silky locks and feel how soft it was. Even with his black gloves, he still had sensitivity, the suit was more or less his second skin. The leather-like material was magical and allowed for an extra boost of power and endurance that helped him and his lady fight akumas.

His lady was another story. Ladybug has always been confident and beautiful, but she held their relationship at a professional level, and when he tried to reach for more, more of her, she would retreat behind her defenses, locking him outside in the cold, dark world that was his civilian life.

Marinette though never did that. She was always warm and welcoming and never threw him out like a stray. She welcomed him in and gave him food and some affection. Not only that but her parents, who were aware of his visits, treated him like a son; feeding the poor stray not only food but attention and familiarity he has been craving for a long time.

'Since Mom disappeared.' His heart sinks a little.

It shouldn't be a surprise that after his mother left a terrible cold fell onto the Agreste household. Gabriel distanced himself from his son, only speaking to him through screens and Natalie, very rarely seeing Adrien in person, and even in those rare, once in a blue moon, moments they were cold, distant, and sickeningly professional. It didn't take Adrien long to realize that in his father's eyes he was no longer a son, but an employee to take orders and do as told.

Adrien hated it. More importantly, he was beginning to hold disdain towards his father. Does Gabriel even see him as a son?

Tom and Sabine do. They are warm, inviting, and so affectionate that he couldn't help but soak up their loving embraces much like an alley cat lying in a spot of sunlight.

Okay, so maybe there is something more going on. Adrien can no longer deny it. Marinette and her family became important to him, and if there is one thing to know about cats its that they're very territorial.

Marinette was taken aback by Adrien's sudden visit, she was working at the front of the bakery while her parents were in the kitchen preparing a large order when her former crush strolled in and flashed her his signature perfect boyish smile that came with years of modeling. "Hi Marinette," he greets charmingly with a friendly wave.

Marinette schools her features, fighting to ignore the way her heart double jumps inside her chest. Even though she has given up on pursuing her crush, following all the steps with taking down his pictures, schedule, etc. She still finds herself swayed by his charms. Forcing herself to smile she greets back politely, "Good to see you, Adrien. Wh-what brings you here?" She mentally congratulates herself for speaking an almost perfectly normal sentence.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he says and drops his tone to a worrying sound, "Lila has been acting off recently."

"Yeah," Marinette sighs aloud, part of her felt stupid for even doing this, but with Lila constantly on the prowl, she needed to show that liar who was in charge of this war. "I wish I could convince her to stop but she's really bent on 'exposing' me as Ladybug. Pretty silly right?" She laughs weakly, fighting to keep herself composed. Beneath the shattered remains of her former crush, the many bits and pieces were still tingling and humming to life in Adrien's presence, stubbornly holding on to him even though he was unattainable.

She would be happy if Adrien merely wanted to remain friends. She was, honestly, content with just being friends with him and nothing else, but with Adrien's sudden arrival in her parents' bakery, complete with Chat's midnight visits, the little needle in her heart's compass was shooting back and forth between the two. Somewhere in the mix, Luka was there, and while she did care about him, it wasn't anything compared to her feelings for the blond model and blond cat. Did she just have a thing for blonds with green eyes?

"I'm sorry, Lila is acting like this, Marinette." Adrien sighs, "You know, she probably isn't that bad of a person, she's just the type who wants attention. Eventually, she'll learn why she doesn't need to lie, and hopefully, by then we can all be friends."

A bitter taste floods over her tongue. For the second time since she's met him, Marinette felt annoyed. The first time had been after she saw him at her seat with a piece of gum and believed he had been the one to put it there until Adrien spoke up and said he didn't. He was so kind and at that moment in the rain, she fell hard for him.

She still loves him, there was no denying her affections were still there, even if her image of a perfect happily ever after had been smashed to pieces, there was still a place in her ever-loving heart devoted to Adrien and Adrien alone.

However, love has limitations and Adrien was naive. Despite this, Marinette forces herself to remain polite, smiling at him and nodding, "Yeah..."

Adrien's phone beeps and he immediately waves goodbye, "That's Natalie, I'll see you around, Marinette!" Quickly, he turns and rushes off, hopeful if he gets back in time his dad's secretary won't send in the Gorilla to track him down.

"You're terrible."

Adrien blinks and looks down at his shirt, never ceasing in his sprint. Poking out from within his white jacket was Plagg, "W-What?"

Plagg actually glares at him, "I said you're terrible, Adrien. You're a terrible friend. You know Lila is hell-bent on ruining Marinette's life. She's lied to everyone around her, framed Pigtails for something she didn't do and got her expelled for it. Look, I know you're new to being in school and having friends, but this," he waves to the air around them, "Isn't a slice-of-life anime. Lila physically attacked your friend in class and now she's planning to drag Chloe down with her, your childhood friend. And you're still defending her. If your roles were reversed then I know she would have stuck out for you, because that's what friends do."

Adrien stops his pace staring down at the tiny god in shock, "Y-You really think I'm a terrible friend?"

"One of the worst I've seen. Then again, I have over five-thousand years of experience with that mushy stuff so what do I know?" He chomps heartily on the rest of his Camembert. "Yum! And you know, if I was in her shoes I would have knocked your lights out a while ago. I'm not really the violent type, but if any of my friends sided with the enemy I would be super mad."

"Lila isn't the enemy though."

Plagg gives him a look, "Really? Then what is she? Are you really willing to put her above your friends? I've seen some terrible stuff in my time, but you're putting them all to shame with your 'I have to be the best person ever because I'm the son of Gabriel Agreste and everything about me needs to be perfect.'"

Adrien snaps, "Shut up, I'm not like that!"

But he was. Thinking back on it now, he had not been a good friend to Marinette. She's one of the best people in the world and he has been emotionally neglecting her.

Plagg watches, noting how his chosen's face shifts from fierce defensive to realization, to mourning and finally acceptance. All in a span of a minute. Which wasn't that bad, the kwami was proud to admit. His previous chosen would always put up a fight when their pride was threatened, Adrien was much more understanding than them which was why he was one of Plagg's favorite kittens.

And having unlimited access to Camembert was a huge bonus.

"I am a terrible friend, aren't I." The boy finally speaks in a soft-defeated tone. It wasn't a question, it was a confession.

In situations like this, Plagg allowed himself to show the rarest side of himself, placing a delicate paw on Adrien's chest and giving him a loving pat, silently comforting his friend before diving back into Adrien's jacket.

Adrien is a terrible friend. Despite everything Marinette has gone through against Lila, he was still siding with the new girl and hoping like some delusional child that everything will be alright in the end. But this isn't a Disney movie, this is real life and not everything ends with a happy sing-along song and dance number. Nor was it a cool anime where everyone bands together with their friends and defeats the baddies in epic fights with awesome powers and secret techniques.

Marinette isn't Ladybug. She is a strong-willed girl that he has fallen for. She is real, she is his friend, and she needs help to stop Lila.

Adrien's phone buzzes.

It's his father. "Adrien."

"Father?"

"I need to speak to you in person regarding your friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." The way Gabriel spit out the words left Adrien's blood running cold. Something happened and he knows Lila is behind it.

This is no longer a game of fox and bug. This is turning into a full-on war.

I'm very sorry for taking so long. I actually had this written months ago, but then I got caught up between school that went from public to online halfway in the semester and moving to a new place, I lost a lot of motivation to continue. But thanks to Turquoise-Starlight-Wolf I decided to go ahead and post this chapter. Thank you so much for your sweet review, that really made my day! :D