Nebula - Adrien Agreste

Chapter 33 - Gummy Queen

"Antoine, you realize that Ladybug is going to know who you are once it's announced you're my father... right?" I wondered, furrowing my eyebrows as I watched him make something on the stove.

At the comment he just shrugged, flipping the pork chops that he was cooking on the stove. "I can deal with that when the time comes," he assured me as he stirred the sauce that was beside the pan. Tonight he was making French Onion Pork Chops, and it smelled absolutely divine in the kitchen right now. I couldn't remember the last time someone actually cooked here. Gulla and Kuga sat on the bar beside me as they watched him cook, talking quietly amongst themselves as we talked together.

It was quiet for a few more moments, except for the sizzling in the pan of the pork chops. There was one question on my mind, however, that I couldn't help but ask. "Antoine, do you suspect Gabriel Agreste to be Hawk Moth?" I wondered, making him tense up at the stove. "Ever since you told me to stay away from him, and that I wasn't working with him it's had me thinking..." I admitted guiltily, making Antoine sigh.

There was a pause before he turned the heat down on the stove, allowing the chops to cook slowly for a few seconds before turning around to face me. "I do suspect Gabriel, yes. There's personal reasons for that, ones that I cannot tell you at this time," he told me and I nodded, accepting that answer. He didn't need to tell me everything. "You cannot tell Ladybug or Chat Noir. Especially Chat Noir," he told me sternly. "I don't want Adrien feeling even more awkward around his father than he already is." His concern warmed my heart.

I wish my mother was as understanding as Antoine was.

"What smells so good?" I tensed when mom came in, relaxing when I realized she didn't hear anything that was being said. The Kwami's both went to their respective hiding places before she entered the kitchen, Antoine gave me a raised eyebrow look, probably wondering why I tensed at her voice.

If he had been around the last 10 years, he'd know why.

"French Onion Pork Chops," Antoine grinned as mom came around the corner, leaning against the bar as she watched Antoine cook. Were they even still married at this point? I never thought to ask that.

"Oh, your specialty!" Mom perked up and it felt weird to see that happy look on her face. Were they already amending things? I couldn't imagine my mother completely changing from the stone-cold mother I had grown up with to one of Marinette's parents. "I've missed your cooking." She admitted, looking a bit sheepish and I blinked at that, glancing between the two in confusion and shock.

Antoine smirked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Well you're in luck. I plan to cook more here. I need to show Charlotte here what she's been missing out on," he gave me a wink and I rolled my eyes at his playful tone. Antoine had that charisma, it seemed. He could liven up any place.

An aura that this place needs.

I smiled at the picture in front of me before a ping sounded on my phone. Blinking, I looked down at it, wincing. "Uh Antoine?" I called over to him and he turned to look at me as I held my phone up to Alya's blog.

There was an Akuma happening right now.

Antoine bit his lip. "How about you go get ready for dinner, Charlotte?" He suggested and I nodded my head, standing up from my place at the bar and already walking down the hallway towards my bedroom.

"She's already ready?" Mother told him in a confused voice, and the rest of the conversation I didn't hear as I shut my door - Gulla flying up to my face.

"That's not weird, right?" I laughed nervously and she just gave me a sympathetic look.

"She's trying. No matter how much it's just because your father is here, she's still trying. Isn't that what you wanted?" She wondered, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. I wanted my mother to act like she cared, not because of someone else's involvement, but because she did. I want my mother to view what I wanted to do in life as something achievable, instead of throwing in my face that I should be working for her company, or maybe I should go into business.