songerein | [Closed] Settling In

Entry tags:

[Closed] Settling In

Who: Gabriel and Adrien Agreste
When: Early this month
Where: Their new house, then likely later out and about
What: Agreste awkwardness. Agreste awkwardness everywhere. Also errands.
Warnings: Likely also some Agreste angst, given the nature their situation.

All in all it hadn't taken them too long to find a house both he and Adrien could agree on. While a far cry from the Agreste mansion in either of their worlds, they both agreed that it was likely the better for the differences. And far more practical, given that they'd have to maintain it largely on their own, at least for the present. A modest, two story house with the kitchen and living area on the ground floor, and the bathroom and two bedrooms upstairs. Technically, there were three bedrooms, but one was rather smaller than the other two, and Gabriel was gradually setting it up as an office and workroom. It was surrounded by a small, fenced in yard, what would be a few small flowerbeds come Spring, and tree that neither of them could immediately identify- given that it was currently bare of leaves- in one corner. All in all it was rather charming.

That didn't make the living situation any less awkward, however. Of course they'd both likely somewhat expected it to be. They got along reasonably well most of the time, but things were distant at best, despite the much closer quarters. While this was also somewhat to be expected under the circumstances, it wasn't a state of affairs that Gabriel wished to have continue. But how to break the metaphorical ice in a way that wouldn't seem like he was intruding, or trying to step into a place that- whatever his feelings about the version of himself Adrien had called father- was not his to take? After discussing the matter with Nooroo, he'd finally come to a decision, settling on a course of action that he felt would likely be relatively stress free for both of them- or at least he hoped so- and one that Adrien could easily refuse if he didn't feel he was ready.

Even so he found himself hesitating outside the closed door to Adrien's bedroom. Why on Earth did simply knocking on a door feel so daunting? He glanced back at the door to his own bedroom; Nooroo hovered there, giving him an encouraging smile and a 'go ahead' gesture before popping back through the closed door and out of sight. Buoyed by his little partner's support, Gabriel took a deep breath and knocked.

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It didn't help the situation any that Adrien was unaware that his notfather could sense emotions, since when he was in his own room with the door closed he didn't really have cause to hide them so long as he was quiet. So there had been a LOT of strong emotions with seeming no warning.

After all... Teenager. Plus living with someone who looked like his father but wasn't. Plus missing Marinette given for the first time ever the person he was in love with was actually in love with him back. Plus guilt over not being there for Ladybug and Paris. Plus the fear that he won't just... wake up... with no time having passed. It was a lot.

And Plagg...

Well...

Plagg both helped and didn't help. In his own special way.

Some things were obvious in retrospect, perhaps, why he felt the way he did. Like his storm of negative emotions - disgust and bitterness mostly - when he went back to his room after they agreed that the spare room was for a work room. Of course he would claim it for himself. Of course it wouldn't be for both of them or saved for a guest. Yeah right! No reason to leave Adrien hope he'd ever be allowed to have friends stay over. Or over at all. Why should he have thought otherwise? Why had he thought anything would be different?

Of course he hid all of this until he was in his room later, which made it pretty close to impossible to actually open a conversation about it, because he hid it so well.

Well... mostly he did. Because apparently emotions did things here? Made him glad that his room didn't have carpet, because he kept having to dry the floor, and pick up things that got knocked down.

The things that happened from happier emotions... well they were rarer because happy things were usually tingled with guilt or loss... but those he tried to hide but keep, sadly the harder he tried to keep them the faster they seemed to vanish, to be replaced by the effects of frustration, anger, and sorrow.

So yes, teenager mood swings to the umpteenth degree, but nearly only when he was in his own room with the door closed.

Before the knock he was actually on the calmer side, at least. He had been listening to Plagg recite poetry to cheese. Quietly though, because this house was so much smaller and there was no way to know yet how well soundproofed it was. especially without carpets. He was thinking about getting tapestries or something for the walls. Or maybe finding a way to just play music at all times to drown out their voices. Until he figured that out, however, they were quiet. Emotional, in Adrien's case, but quiet.

The knock on the door startled him and there was a thrill of fear through him as he held his outer shirt open for Plagg to hide in. He quickly wiped up the most recent puddle, the kicked the towel under the bed. Then he sat on the bed, hoping the towel was under enough as he called "Come in..." to what had to be the man who was somehow Gabriel Agreste but not his father. Though he was starting to wonder...

Adrien's emotions had been... a lot, yes. But for better or worse he was somewhat used to it. His own son's emotions were hardly quiet most days either, especially in recent months. Which was part of why it had taken him until now to approach; his own son tended to be angry and resentful toward him, and there were definitely shades of that with this version of Adrien as well. Especially since he'd begun setting up his workspace, for some reason, though he wasn't certain why. He did need a place to work on designs after all, even here, and with the way his creative endeavors tended to take over any space used for that purpose, having a designated area for it had always been the most practical option.

Now that he'd knocked however, there was no turning back. He opened the door partway, but rather than coming inside, he merely leaned around it, making an effort not to intrude into Adrien's space. It wasn't really necessary to come in for this anyway. "Adrien, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be going out for awhile," he said. "There are a few errands I need to run, and given the time, I thought I might stop somewhere for lunch as well." The bubbles that had tended to appear whenever they were together for the past few days made themselves known once again, drifting around him in shimmering colors and currently in the vague shapes of a shopping bag, a bolt of fabric, and a sandwich.

He really didn't know what the deal with those bubbles were, honestly. They made him think of Nino, though, so there tended to be a small flurry of small very bright bubbles that were blue and red, mostly blue with just a bit of red on top.

But he tried to focus on the words said, not the flurry of bubbles that made him miss his friend. "Okay," he said. Why... was he bothering to tell him this? He didn't understand. Was he going to be told what to study while he was gone? Well, maybe that was a chance to slip away for some freedom... maybe? Or was it a trap and he was waiting for him to do that?

So a mix of confusion and wariness, but neither very strong at the moment.

He hesitated for just a moment at the wariness, wondering if he'd made a mistake. But no, he needed to follow through with this. Despite his best efforts, though, it still came out slightly awkwardly when he asked, "Would you... like to come with me?"

Now he was startled, and there was a small flash of light behind him to reflect that. "What?" He asked. He... had to have heard that wrong, right?

Meanwhile the colors of Gabriel's own bubbles dimmed slightly in disappointment as he cleared his throat softly. Maybe he'd been wrong; maybe Adrien wasn't quite ready for this yet. "Of course you don't have to if you'd rather not," he said, verbally backpedaling a bit. "I simply thought that since the weather is relatively warm today, you might enjoy getting a bit of fresh air. Especially since there's not nearly as much for you to do indoors here as there likely is back home..."

"Why... would you want me to come with you...?" He asked, unsure and just as awkward.

A look of confusion crossed crossed Gabriel's features at that. Almost comically, one of the drifting bubbles also changed shape to a question mark. "Why would I not?", he said. "There's no reason you need to sit at home by yourself for hours with little to do. Unless you want to, of course; I doubt that running errands will prove especially exciting, especially for a teenager."

"I... don't... particularly want to just stay home alone..." he said after a long moment of trying to figure out how to reply, without realizing just how similar their awkward was at root.

Some of the faded color came back to the bubbles, and he smiled slightly. "Yes, it really would be very dull," he said. "There really isn't even much in the house to read at the moment." They'd mostly been focusing on getting the essentials settled up until now, but now that they were largely squared away, the lack of... really any indoor entertainment options was becoming noticeable (a certain someone's attempts to wax poetic about dairy products notwithstanding).

"Anyway, I'm going to get my coat and head downstairs. If you'd like to come along, you can get yours on as well and come join me." It might be a fairly nice day, but it was still winter.

"Alright... I guess. But you never told me what kind of errands..." he pointed out, still a little unsure about this.

He really really wished Nino was there.

Oh look, more bubbles..

"Nothing especially urgent, unless you count restocking the pantry with a few things," he said with a bit of a shrug. He could have sworn that they had more cheese, but apparently he'd been mistaken. "But I had planned to pick up a few sketch pads and other drawing supplies; there are a few designs I have in mind and I'd like to get them sketched out, at least, before I forget them. And a shop selling art supplies might also know where I can get supplies of fabric, if they themselves don't carry them. Eventually I'll need a dress form and a sewing machine as well, though those can wait; finding either around here will likely require quite a bit more searching than can be done in a single afternoon, and I don't have a space ready for them currently anyway."

"There's also a bookshop I've been meaning to visit, and I wanted to look for a few decorative items for the house as well, even if I didn't pick anything up today. While it's good that it came furnished, the house is a bit spartan at the moment; a few rugs and a painting or two would make it feel a bit less bare."

"All the fabric and design stuff will be good and all for making money down the line, but it's not like anyone here takes Euros. And we don't exactly have credit." He wasn't loving the realization that they were broke and was still waiting for the other shoe to drop about the cost of the house. He planned to do some of those mission board missions... but probably as Chat Noir. Once he figured out how to explain away where whatever he earned came from...

"Actually, money is far less of a concern here than you might think," Gabriel said. "Not long after that whole candy world business, I began looking into how the local economy worked, as it seemed I would be here for some time, and I didn't want to keep imposing on those running the emergency shelter. Apparently, there is no currency here; trade is conducted primarily via bartering for goods and services. And people are generally remarkably understanding with regards to newcomers, as when most people arrive here, they don't have much more than the clothes on their backs, so you needn't be concerned that creditors will come banging on the door."

"Now that we're somewhat established, though, we will be expected to contribute to the community. Or at least I will, being an adult. That's why one other thing I'd planned to do today was to make a brief stop at the Dream Board and post this." He pulled a neatly folded piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, then held it up so that Adrien could read it. It was an advertisement for tailoring services, penned in neat, crisp handwriting all but identical to that of his own father. "I don't have the resources to actually produce new designs yet, but repairs and alterations are simple enough."

Edited 2024-02-11 03:44 (UTC)

"I thought the Dreamboard was more like an advertisement for help that was needed, are you going to be allowed to post an advertisement for providing a service?" he asked, to hide how weirded out he was by Gabriel Agreste offering to do things to help people... things they wanted him to do rather than what he told them that they wanted. Then again that arrogance would fit with putting his advertisement over people's genuine requests for help.

Also he had to think over this barter thing. Maybe Adrien couldn't really offer much... but Chat Noir.

But did he dare? Did this Gabriel's world have a Chat Noir? He'd met at least one other version of himself... if there was another one as well... then Chat Noir showing up now could be too... obvious. He would have to wait until more people arrived. Or just be careful not to be seen. Which would be hard to deliver things or talk to people who needed help. If he had the Fox Miraculous this would be much easier, of course. But...

Well, he'd have to give it some more thought, clearly.

He didn't noticed that there were small black bubbles trailing behind him as he thought.

"It's the only place I've seen to publicly post things like notices and requests," he said. "So for now at least, it will have to do. Though you're right; I should likely look into it a bit further and see if there's a dedicated place to post advertisements. And if there isn't, perhaps we could propose that one be added; I don't imagine it would be especially difficult for someone with a bit of carpentry skill to put one together."

Gabriel refolded the advertisement and put it back in his pocket. When he looked back up, however, he noticed the black bubbles trailing behind Adrien. He didn't know what they symbolized, as he seemed relatively calm at the moment, but it was mildly concerning. "Is something the matter, Adrien?", he asked. "Some of the bubbles floating around you have turned black."

Propose? To who? And why did he suspect demand was more the word he meant?

But the question startled him and he glanced back as the bubbles popped. He had to come up with a cover, quick, so he used a thread of the anger he had been tramping down. "So you're just going to do what you want until you can find someone to convince to do what you want?" he asked, crossing his arms.

It was the fastest way he could think to explain away the bubbles, and it wasn't like it ever took much to provoke his father. If nothing else, seeing Nino trying to not provoke him had taught him that.

The sudden shift in the tone of the conversation and resurgence of anger was startling, and Gabriel was somewhat taken aback, his own bubbles loosing much of their color and luster. "That's not my intent at all," he said. Though with a bit of a sigh, he added, "Though given what you've told me, I can see why you might think so."

"If you know of a better place to post the advertisement, I'll gladly consider it. But as I said, the Dreamboard is the only public noticeboard that I've seen; posting it there just seemed the most practical option. As for convincing people of anything, I think you're somewhat overestimating my persuasiveness; while in my own world I do wield a certain amount of influence, here I'm simply an ordinary citizen, and a newcomer besides. I have no greater authority or influence than anyone else. I simply meant that I would suggest the idea via the local communications network connected to those crystals we each got, and participate in any discussion that might result."

Did Gabriel Agreste even know how to be simple an ordinary citizen? He doubted it.

"Why can't you just use that communications network to announce the work instead of covering up other people's postings?" he asked, crossing his arms, clinging to stubbornness to keep him from falling apart. Standing up to someone who looked this much like his father was terrifying and the crossed arms were as much to keep himself together than it was a show of anger.

You'd likely be surprised, Adrien. "I have no intention of covering up anyone else's postings," he said. "I intend to find a relatively open space on the board to post it; while the board obviously sees a great deal of use, there were a few open spots when I last looked."

"And while I have included my contact information on the advertisement and likely will make an announcement, from what I know about the communications network, it would be impractical to rely solely on that for advertising, as opposed to a more permanent posting. This is especially true since I'm looking to establish myself with clientele in an entirely new area, where I'm largely an unknown and have no real reputation to speak of. I can't simply make a one-time announcement and expect people to come running."

"But why do we have to use the board when no one else seems to be using it that way?" He didn't even realize he said "we"... "Can't we just ask store owners if we can put your posters up in their windows?" Wasn't community always the better option?

Gabriel, on the other hand, noticed the 'we'. He didn't comment on it, but a bit of color returned to the bubbles floating around him. "I likely will, once I have more than one hand-written flyer to put up," he said, with a slight, wry smile. "As it stands, however, it would likely get more attention in a place where people are stopping to read notices anyway. That's how I'd get commissions in college, after all; I'm hoping it'll be similarly effective here."

"We could just make more then. Marinette could..." he brought himself up short the pink heart bubbles popped before they could fully form. Right. Marinette wasn't here. None of his friends were.

His shoulders slumped as he remembered just how alone he was.

Gabriel noticed the pink bubbles too, but also noticed how quickly they vanished. He hesitated a moment, but then stepped forward and rested what he hoped was a comforting hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Marinette is a friend of yours in your world, I take it?", he asked. Or perhaps more than a friend; those bubbles had looked suspiciously like hearts before they'd abruptly popped. though it wouldn't do to assume. "How about we make up a few more ads before we head out? If you like, you can tell me a bit about her while we work."

"She is," he said, defensively. He couldn't help but remember how his father had treated her. He failed to protect her then. He wouldn't fail again. "But we don't have to talk about her."

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