Turning A Monster Into A Man

Four

"Ummmm… I should go…" Marinette realized that maybe it wasn't her brightest idea to sleep with him. Not that she didn't enjoy it. She moved off of him trying to gather her items before she found herself diving into deep. Drowning in desire, disruption, chaos, and uncertainties.

"Do you?" Gabriel asked as he wanted her to stay. He missed having someone by his side and yearned to fill that void that was left long before these confusing feelings. He found himself longing for her smile and simple "Good morning, Mr. Agreste." As giving her a studio of her own was a terrible idea. She didn't greet him and now she was no longer his employee.

All because he had the terrible habit of destroying his next change of happiness. Too busy hanging on to the past wanting to be with someone who was unaware of what he was doing. 'Emile.' His heart ached. He recalled the wedding vows they made to each other "to death do us part."  He closed his eyes and shook his head trying to dismiss his lingering guilt.

He wanted to let Marinette have a chance to be free before she was condemned to a cage. To free her from the misery to come to be with a man who didn't deserve her. A man who couldn't move on but wanted her more and more each day. A walking contradiction.

"Well, I don't have a reason to stay. This was just…. I don't know… maybe a mistake? Or maybe just two adults just losing to the heat of things? I sound so stupid. I should go."

The words 'be selfish' echoed through his head. "If you want to come back, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I will gladly ignore your upbrut resignation."

This was supposed to be a one-off thing. A temporary distraction from everything else. She knew once she left, she would be jobless and would have to explain how she let her dreams go to her parents, her friends. To everyone who supported her and that was going to be hard. She would have to come up with some sort of lie and she hated to lie to the people who cared for her the most.

His offer sounded so tempting but what strings were attached? Because she knew when Gabriel Agreste was involved there were always strings. 'Will I have the same job? The same responsibilities? Or will I end up being something, someone I'm not okay with becoming?'

"I can't. I won't. It's because I can't pretend that everything is okay when it's not. So I have to… I need to go." Marinette had seen how Gabriel pretended everything was fine and it took a toll. Pretending that he was a family man, pretending that he was happy. It was exhausting and she was already tired enough from her nightlife.

To smile and play the part of 'the good girl'. She hated it. She wanted to be shut into her own little world. A world in which she was choosing to walk away from as the man before her held the key. All she had to do was say yes. 'Yes I'll stay.' But her throat tightened. She couldn’t stay just because he was feeling remorse or regret. Or whatever emotional cocktail he had brewing in his head. She refused to succumb to it.

"I want you to stay. Even if it sounds cliché, I want you to stay. You are an incredible individual and my life will seem bleak without you. Is this just selfish nonsense? Most likely. Doesn't make it any less true."

"Gabriel, there's almost a guarantee that this won't work out." She said, trying to button her blouse as fast as she could. She had literally kissed her professional career goodbye and maybe that was for the best.

She wasn't in love with him. It was a stupidly fun freak accident. She didn't like him in a romantic way, in fact she loathed him up until he kissed her. He was arrogant, stubborn, and an overall hassle to deal with at times. He was nothing like his younger self who used to dream of pushing for a happier, more unique society. A designer that she looked up to.

'And what if he found out?' A question that hurt to even ask. He was a man that used everything he knew to benefit himself. He used his sons to boost the Gabriel Brand and had no guilt for what the stress of that was doing to their development. She had been there for Felix when he finally had enough and stood up to Gabriel.

He couldn't play the perfect part. Not anymore. He hated everything he was becoming and perhaps that was what started the snowball effect in her and Felix's relationship. Maybe Gabriel was the root of all Felix's problems?

"Miss…. Marinette, I could stand here and plead but, I am apparently a man quite content with sabotaging himself." He sheepishly smiled after he reached his hand out then pulled away. "So, do as you wish. If you wish to stay, if you wish to go…."

Marinette hung her head low before walking out the door that seemed to weigh a ton. 'Did it always weigh this much?' She asked herself. 'Or is that just the weight of my conscience?'

Not walking away the first time was what got her into this mess. 'Ladybug will always help! She's always there for whoever is in need!' Catchy commentary of reporters that rattled inside her head at the worst of times. "Go…Marinette" She pushed herself as without encouragement she was afraid that she'd be selfish enough to use him to get her job back.

Gabriel rubbed his face knowing that he made a mistake. A mistake which was the kick he needed to get himself back on track. To pick up the mantle of Hawkmoth once again. He put on his suit jacket and patted the breast pocket. "Nooroo."

A purple creature that seemed like a child's drawing of a fairy brought to life. A disproportionate head and body ratio, stumpy arms and feet, no nose, and big eyes. He was no bigger than a deck of cards.  "Master! Don't you think you're being a bit rash? She's a young lady… I am sure she's just-"

"ENOUGH!" Gabriel knew his Kwami was right; this was an overreaction. "Nooroo, dark wings rise."