Miraculous Multiverse One-Shots

Family Nathalie 2

When she returned to the kitchen, most of her family were already gathered around the table, only the toddlers were still missing. And of course their mother.

"Good morning!" Nathalie said softly, getting replies from all around her.

She waited for her niece and nephew to finish eating and go back to their room to get dressed. Then she addressed the matter.

"Charlotte didn't come home last night!" She told her parents. Her youngest siblings had also gone to get done for school.

Her mother raised an eyebrow and sighed deeply.

"Have you tried to call her? Or text her?"

Nathalie shook her head.

"I was a little too busy, taking care of her children and her mess to do that."

"What do you mean?"

The young woman explained to her mother how she had found the younger children and what she had done to get them out of the mess.

While her father left for work, her mother tried to reach her other daughter's phone. After several attempts, Charlotte answered, yet seemed to be beyond drunk and told her mother she'd be home tomorrow morning.

The grey haired woman looked at her oldest daughter and tried to hold back the tears.

"What did we do wrong with her? You all either have a good job or are still getting an education to get one at some point."

"I still think it's my fault, mum. She started to do all those stupid things when I left to work for the Agreste's."

"Nonsense. She was a handful before. She just seized the chance of having her own room, yours, and brought her boyfriend home. Good thing you never cared about boys and all those things. I was worried when you were a teenager but seeing how your sister turned out... Oh no! What am I going to do with the little ones?I have to be at work in an hour. And you need to leave even before me!"

Nathalie gasped for the xth time this day. Then she placed a hand on her mother's and mumbled.

"I'll stay home. I'll call Mister Agreste and tell him that there's a family emergency and I can't come to work today. I've never taken one day off, so he owes me so much, right?" She tried to sound convincing but her voice trembled.

To her surprise though, Gabriel was very understanding and told her not to worry about him.

After everybody had left and it was only her and the three infants, Nathalie cleaned the table and washed all the dishes. Then she let herself fall onto the sofa in the living room to take a short nap until her niece or nephews would wake up again.

But just as she had closed her eyes the doorbell rang. Nathalie groaned and got to her feet, ready to yell at whoever dared to disturb that tiny amount of sleep she could get.

"G-Gabriel! What are you doing here?" She blurted out when she saw him in front of the door.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he sheepishly replied.

"Well, turns out as if I lack all inspiration if nobody is scolding me or even yelling at me."

His assistant scoffed.

"Yeah, right. Just come in and show me what your problem is, so I can take care of it and then continue with what I was doing!" She demanded angrily.

The designer shook his head as he stepped through the doorway and past her to wait until she would give him directions. Nathalie quickly nudged him into the living room, where she hurried to make space for him on the sofa, by placing the cushion and the blanket she had used for her nap on an armchair next to it. Gabriel watched her with furrowed brows before he sat down.

"Would you like some coffee? Because now that you robbed me of my nap, I certainly need a strong one." She asked.

The tall man was still looking at her with concern. Not being used to him, staring at her so intensely, made her nervous and she started to fidget with the sleeves of her turtleneck shirt. Her blazer was hanging over the backrest of the couch.

Gabriel had just noticed that she wasn't even wearing her usual make up and started to worry about her even more than when he had received her call. He had noticed her being tired and moody since she had moved here and wondered why she didn't just come back. He had told the truth when he said that without her he lacked inspiration. Without even being aware of it, Nathalie had become his muse when he was designing. She often was cold and rude towards him. But her behaviour impressed him instead of making him angry. She was an even opponent in every fight they had. Verbal and physical. If he was completely honest, she would destroy him in a physical fight.

He never had given her appearance much attention. Not until she moved out and he was left alone after her work hours were over. Adrien was almost off age and had started college and Emilie was resting in her family crypt in England. After a few days of sulking in self-pity, he had had enough of it and decided to finally move on and do something with the rest of his life.

It was around that time that he had begun to look at his young assistant in a different way, a way he knew she had for so long wanted him to look at her. Yet now it was her who seemed to have given up on everything she once dreamed of and when he noticed that he started to worry. And then she had called him and asked for a day off, what she had never before done.

"I... only if you make some anyway. If not, then I'd be fine with just sitting and talking." He replied.

"I just told you, I needed one, so yes, I'll make it anyway. As usual? With milk, no sugar?"

He sighed and suggested.

"How about I'll help you? I didn't come here to cause you extra trouble."

Nathalie chuckled.

"It's just coffee. Just stay here and please try to be as silent as possible."

"Why's that? Is there anyone I don't know about? Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" His attempt to sound playful failed and Nathalie could hear the bitterness in his words. She narrowed her eyes as she hissed.

"My sister's sleeping babies. So for fuck's sake, stay put!"

He gasped in shock. Never before had he heard her use that kind of language in front of him or anyone.