Miraculous Ladybug: Marinette

Part 1: Separation

*Adriens POV*

"Gabriel Agreste... my father was a good man."

Adrien Agreste spoke out to the sea of faces. Some familiar, some not. Regardless of who they were, there were some things he needed to say to them.

"For the first few years of my life, he was a loving, caring man. Someone who would put his life's work aside for the sake of his family. Someone truly happy with his life." He stood at the pillar, doing his best not to look back at the coffin that lay 2 feet behind him. His knees were weak, and his lips were dry. His eyes were on the verge of tears, held back only by his determination and need to be strong in this trying time.

"It didn't last. My mother died shortly after my 4th birthday. As a result, my father became withdrawn and reclusive. He turned to his work for support, hoping it would provide some stability in his life. However, in doing so, he ended up inadvertently neglecting me and leaving Natalie and hired tutors to raise me." He glanced over at his newly revived mother, who was silently crying in the front row. "They raised me well and taught me skills I may need in life, despite my career as a model.

Last year, I asked him if I could attend public school for my education. Initially, he disagreed with the notion, but after some... persuasion, Natalie and I were able to convince him to let me attend the local school. It was terrifying, and I was very close to leaving since I knew almost no one there. Then the Stoneheart incident occurred, and it was then that I decided I should stay. Because despite the fact we were facing a dangerous, superpowered individual, my classmates who I had met that day, protected me and put their lives on the line to save me.

After the incident, my father became paranoid. Worried about the villain attacks that were happening across Paris. Ironically, it was only after he was akumatized that he began to return to his old ways. He realised that I could be attacked anywhere and that he, a simple man, couldn't protect me from these villains. With this realisation, he began to open up to me. Not instantly, but slowly and over time. He started listening to me, and would sometimes virtually attend school events, such as judging art events or observing student cinematography. A small step.

Shortly before... the incident, it seemed like he was trying to be a good father again. He would make breakfast every morning, and would physically attend school meetings. He would make an effort to be there for me, even though it clearly made him uncomfortable.

Was he a perfect father? No. Was he a perfect person? No. But when Monarch attacked, and our house got caught in the crossfire, he sacrificed his life to defeat Monarch. He gave up everything so that we could live freely. And I intend to make the most of my life so that it wasn't for nothing. Thank you."

As he stepped down from the podium, he was deaf to the polite applause that followed him, deaf to the kind and comforting words of his friends. The only thing he could truly feel as he sat down in his seat, was the hot tears running down his cheeks and the soft hands of his mother surrounding him in a loving embrace.

Later...

Adrien scrolled through his phone's contacts, seeing the floods of messages pouring in. Some from Nino, some from Alya, a lot from Marinette (he briefly smiled at that). It should have made him happy that all of his friends were supporting him... but it didn't. He didn't feel glad that there were people he could rely on. He didn't feel tired of the devastating pain in his heart. He just felt... empty. He felt like he had lost something that he would never be able to get back.

And he didn't know what to do about it.

*Marinette's POV*