Canon/Spoilers: Takes place some time post-series two, with major spoilers. Series three is not taken into account and therefore it contains no series three spoilers.

Ships: Not overly shippy, but hints of Adrien/Marinette and a little Gabriel/Nathalie at the end

Author's Notes: This is by far not the first Miraculous fanfiction idea I have had, or started writing, but since the others are mostly long complicated WIPs (and I try not to start posting fics until they're finished nowadays), this is my first posted Miraculous fanfic. (There may be a couple of one-shots coming soon, but no promises.) I only finished watching series three a few days ago and only then felt safe venturing into the online fandom; therefore I am pretty much an ML fandom newbie, so please be kind and don't criticise if I'm not fully aware of fandom tropes etc yet. Feel free to kindly point them out so I can learn, however.

Moral High Ground

By Alexannah

Gabriel Agreste was pacing furiously, grinding his teeth. Adrien had rarely seen him this angry. Nathalie hovered in the background, concerned and preparing to step in at any moment to try and keep Gabriel from exploding in his son's face.

"I can't believe it. Of all the stupid things—"

"Father, if you'll just hear me out—"

Gabriel rounded on him. "Go on then, explain!"

"Marinette accidentally left her design book in the shop, and didn't realise until it had closed, and she really needed it before her meeting with Jagged Stone tomorrow morning. They're closed at the weekends so she couldn't have picked it up beforehand. We couldn't get hold of the owner, so …"

"So you thought you would just break into private property!"

Adrien winced. "Um, technically it wasn't breaking in. There was a window open in the back …"

"That is not the point! Adrien, I expect much better behaviour than this from you. I don't know what's got into you lately—first the incident at the airport—"

"Nino's cousin said he had too much stuff in his case and could he put some in mine; I didn't know he had a thousand counterfeit Jamsazzle playing cards in there!"

"—and now this! I don't want to be bailing you out of any more police stations, do you understand me?"

"It's not like I'm a thief, Father!" Adrien protested. "I was only trying to get Marinette's book back for her! And the owners aren't even pressing charges."

"That is hardly the point!"

"So what is the point, Father?"

"The point is you are an Agreste, and you should be behaving like it!"

Nathalie resisted the urge to groan.

Adrien gave a strange sound which sounded like a cross between a snort and a hollow laugh. "And why exactly should I listen to any sort of parental guidance or lessons or lectures from you?"

"I think Adrien's officially become a teenager," Nathalie murmured drily in Gabriel's ear, smiling slightly.

Gabriel spluttered for a moment, unable to see the humour in the situation. "Because I'm your father!"

"And that makes you perfect, does it?"

"No, but I've never made any decisions as poor as—"

Nathalie facepalmed behind Gabriel's back as Adrien bristled.

"You want a moral contest, Father? Fine. Let's talk about all the things I've never done. I have never tried to use my famous name as leverage to hold up an opera performance because I realised halfway there that I left my wallet at home. I have never threatened to sue the dry cleaner's because one single thread on my trousers came undone in their possession. I have never humiliated contestants on a television show because they were unfortunate enough to end up with me as a challenger. And oh yeah … I've never akumatized anyone!" he burst out.

Gabriel's mouth fell open and the room was shocked into a ringing silence.

"Y-y-you …"

Gabriel looked wildly around for some kind of comeback or denial, but failed to find the words.

"So again, why exactly should I listen to you?"

There was a long silence.

"I have to go. Marinette's waiting for me." Adrien turned and exited the room.

Nathalie stepped forwards and put her hand on Gabriel's arm. "It was going to happen sooner or later, Gabriel."

"I didn't expect it this much later." Gabriel sighed and sat down. "You spend less than two years as a supervillain, and your son throws it back in your face two decades later."

"I'm honestly surprised he never pulled that one long before now. Well, with the exception of the lecture you got on ends not justifying the means when he found you with his and Marinette's Miraculouses …"

"What am I going to do with him?"

"Perhaps you could try accepting that he's thirty-five years old now and doesn't need your approval of his life decisions anymore?" Nathalie suggested, kissing her husband on his cheek to lessen the sting of her words.

"Hmph …"

Gabriel still firmly believed that breaking into a shop, for no matter what reason, was one of the stupidest things Adrien had ever done. But maybe Nathalie had a point. Perhaps he should ease up on the lecturing … a little.

And consider dropping his lawsuit against the dry cleaner's.

The End