"One down, one more to go!" Hawk Moth laughed as he held the precious black cat miraculous in his hand. "Now where is that pesky girl?" the villain was about to jump after the two teenagers but as he heard his assistant cough he immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed over to Mayura's side.

"Oh god, we should go."
"No-no I'm fine."
"Please don't lie to me Mayura, I know you're not fine. But don't worry you did quite well, I'm proud."
Hawk Moth said as he slowly slipped his hands around her waist and carefully lifted his assistant up from the floor. Her eyes easily closed while she got comfortable in his arms and by the time they were back at the mansion Nathalie was fully asleep.

"Oh my Nathalie...I'm sorry, I know this is all my fault.." Gabriel delicately placed his assistant down onto the soft sheets of his bed which didn't even crumple over her lightweight. "You're doing so well...I promise it will be over soon" the designer kissed her forehead before leaving the room to go 'talk' to his wife.

As Gabriel made his way down to the basement the green light on the coffin shined through the entire room making him cover his eyes before he could take a look at Emelie...his wife. And once the designer finally managed to catch a glimpse of her, she laid there, perfectly preserved, as if it was only yesterday that she had passed away.

"Em..." Gabriel mumbled as he waited for her response although he knew that was like asking for the impossible.

He missed it so much, her sweet soothing voice that always calmed him through rough times. And her presence,... the truth was that he just missed being loved. Being held close at night, and endlessly kissed in the morning. All Gabriel wanted was to find love once more but as days, weeks, months, and even years had passed Emelie lied there, motionless.

"I'm sorry Em...I know I promised" The designer sighed as he picked up the fallen rose that used to glimmer in the light, but now petal by petal the flower was losing all of its beauty. And by the time Gabriel had lifted it up to his face, only the thorny rose stem remained in his hand which left a few minor scratches.

"It's alright...I trust you." A familiar but vague voice answered which made Gabriel immediately turn around.
No one.
Was he hallucinating?
Was his mind playing tricks with him?
Did he just imagine sounds?
But before he had the chance to answer those questions the voice spoke again: "I know you can do it."

"Who are you!?!?!? What are you?!?!?!?" The designer yelled furiously as he couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from.

"Don't you recognize your own wife's voice?? Have you been listening to someone else's?!?!Are you cheating on me G-Gabriel???"

"W-What NO!!! I-I love you, Emelie!!...Emelie?"

Suddenly the voice didn't respond anymore and everything was so quiet it almost got loud. So before Gabriel could go fully insane he left to get some rest. Hoping that tomorrow would be a more successful day for Hawk Moth.

As Gabriel entered the bedroom he observed Nathalie peacefully sleeping on his bed.
She looked so exhausted and hurt it almost pained him.
He knew he had been overworking her these past couple of days and guilt filled Gabriel's heart as he got under the covers and glanced down at his assistant who held a pillow close, holding onto it as if her life depended on it.

Suddenly before he knew it his hands drew closer towards her and slowly pulled Nathalie's arms off of the pillow and instead laid them onto the designer's chest.
His own actions took Gabriel by surprise but as he saw a slight smile appear on her face he couldn't help but blush the most vibrant color of red.

"Mhm you're so comfortable" she mumbled quietly which only caused Gabriel's stomach to feel like it got invaded by a million akumas.
But was she awake?
Or did she just dream about someone else, some more special like Martin.
Before Gabriel had the chance to find out if she was awake or not Nathalie audibly giggled as she could sense Gabriel's heart beating faster and the akumas messing around in his stomach.
"Are you hungry?" The assistant opened her eyes to look up at Gabriel who tried his best to formulate an understandable sentence in response:
"Wha-no..."
The designer managed to utter after a little while, but it only got worse when Nathalie chose to lay on top of him and stare down at his blushing profile.
"Well then what's happening?"
The assistant smirked as she dragged her finger along the outline of his face before placing it on his lips as she waited for an answer.
"I-I-I- d-don't k-know-..." Gabriel nervously mumbled, not knowing what has happened to him and why he began stuttering so much but it seemed like his assistant had quite an effect on him.
"You don't know? I'm pretty sure we-"
"Nathalie stop it! I'm married!!"
And immediately after that she 'slid' off of him and even turned around.
This made Gabriel feel horrible, he didn't mean to yell at his assistant but just a second ago he was down in the basement promising all types of promises to his dead wife. He couldn't just cheat on her...but he already did.

"Nathalie please, I'm sorry for yelling. I didn't mean to-" Gabriel shifted closer to Nathalie and slowly tried to wrap his arms around her waist, but she just slapped his hands away and let out a grumpy sigh.
"ITS FINE! You were right, you're married and I'm dating someone else."
"Y-you're d-dating?...b-but then...y-you cheated..."
"SO DID YOU!...I'm sorry sir...that wasn't meant to sound so-"
Now it was Nathalie who turned back around to wrap her arms  around his neck, but what was different is that Gabriel actually accepted her gesture and rolled onto his back with her laying on his chest.
"I'm sorry Nathalie...we really shouldn't be doing this."
"I know but-...I-...I like it."
"Me too, sadly."

And now both adults laid there, one on top of the other, and whilst the designer ran his fingers through her hair the assistant just snuggled into his pijama shirt,...and slowly both drifted away into their dreams.

*the next day*

Both of them woke up around the same time but before Gabriel could even open his eyes Nathalie stared at him, impatiently waiting for this old man to finally look at her.
"Happy birthday sir!" She greeted first thing in the morning to which he stared at her in shock, no one ever celebrated or even mentioned his birthday.
It was just one of the things Gabriel had forgotten about and he didn't even bother to remember, but Nathalie was correct, today was his birthday.
"Fuck, why did you need to remind me, I'm just getting old."
"Oh please...47 isn't 'that' old." The assistant smirked as she glared down at Gabriel to which he only buried his face in his palms.
"Nathalie! Don't say that!"
"What? Do you feel bad about your age?...Well I can assure you that not many people look this...hot-I MEAN-attractive at 47."
"Thanks but-...let's just not talk about it."
And with that he got up from bed making Nathalie fall down onto the cold mattress.

This left her alone, thinking about all of the different ways she could possibly celebrate his birthday and she knew just the thing that would cheer him up. But first, it needed to be organized nicely and then she could show him the big surprise.

*later*

By the afternoon Nathalie had already reserved a table for the two of them in a fancy restaurant at which Gabriel and Emelie first met, a very long time ago.
Nathalie did this to keep her memory alive so this way it felt like she was also there with them, celebrating his birthday.
Now the only thing she needed to find out was how Gabriel would like his present.

"Sir! I have something for you!" The assistant slowly walked up to his podium before explaining what she had done.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked emotionlessly. 
"Well I-...I got us a place at 'the' restaurant."
"YOU WHAT?!?! At THE restaurant?!?! And whyyyyyyy everyone will think we are together?!?!"
"F-for your birthday!...To celebrate!"
"CELEBRATE?!?! DO YOU THINK ILL BE HAPPY WHEN I GET REMINDED OF WHERE I HAD MET MY WIFE?!?! WHO IS DEAD NOW-?!?!"
"n-n-no...I'm so sorry sir. I'll cancel the reservations!"
Nathalie walked back to her desk and completely ignore the tears that were slowly filling up her eyes. Gabriel immediately felt bad as he saw his assistant trying her best not to sob, and he knew it was all his fault.
Once again he had hurt her, badly.

"W-wait Nathalie...come back please. I'm sorry I just got...frustrated...I need to think this through, but I'll let you know my decision soon."
Gabriel tried to smile a little towards her but Nathalie cold heartedly ignored that and only replied with an emotionless: "Yes sir."

*later*

It was getting dark outside, the cold wind had made an introduction, and with him brought his good friend...the rain.
Of course thunder and lightning were also present but none of these bothered the two working people who only lived in the warm, cozy office of Gabriel Agreste.

Nathalie still didn't get an answer about if he wanted to go or not, so she stood there, once again before his podium, shaking a little as she asked the question:
"S-sir-..."
"Yes Nathalie?"
"W-what about the r-restaurant-...I can cancel it if you want-"
"NO! Keep it! In fact, I should be getting ready now, and so should you. Come on don't stare at me with that look, be done in 20!"
Gabriel walked out of the office and up the marble stairs leaving Nathalie alone to wonder "what the hell just happened."

Soon the assistant realized she didn't have any clothes here in the Agreste mansion, so she had to run up to his room and ask if Gabriel had any spare dresses for her from his old collections.
Nathalie knocked on the door, no response.
Was he showering?...but the water wasn't running.
Was he sleeping?...WHY WOULD HE BE SLEEPING?!?!

Before she knew it Gabriel had opened the door and stared Nathalie down with a grumpy look.
"What is it?" He asked but Nathalie couldn't respond as she only admired how incredibly hot-I MEAN-attractive he looked without a shirt.
No way was she falling for her boss who was 12 years older than her, and he was married-...oh god if only he wasn't married she could just-
"Nathalie! What is it? Did you come to stare at me or what?!?!"

The assistant shook her head and cleared her throat as she began to explain: "I-I don't have any-...clothes-..."

What a pity-...he thought to himself, BUT NO! He couldn't be imagining her without clothes, that would be a sin! Well-...truth was he had already seen her like that, and that was the sin that haunted his soul.

"I'll get you something!"
The designer announced as he grabbed her hand and dragged her downstairs.
Nathalie still only kept thinking about inappropriate things, and the real question was: "how do you look so perfect?"

"Pardon?" Gabriel turned around as he had stopped walking and instead gave his assistant a death stare.
"I-I didn't say anything!"
"Yes you did-...I just didn't quite hear it...whatever." With that he once again grabbed her hand and dragged Nathalie downstairs who by now was blushing allover.

She couldn't believe he had heard her 'innocent' mumbled, which wasn't that innocent at all, but still, what if he would find out about allllllllll of the secret fantasies she has had of him.
"gosh he's so fucking perfect"

To be continued-