A/n: you don't have to read it, but if you want a more in depth look at the parallels drawing in this oneshot I made an analysis on how Adrien and Delores of Lolita are very similar in their experiences of abuse. It can be triggering, but it's definitely interesting to think about. This oneshot will also be triggering, so TW for physical abuse.

The dots had started to connect, those rose tinted sunglasses had shattered on the floor. Over the past year as Nathalie had been getting sicker, Adrian noticed something. This was all the exact same thing that happened to his mother. It can't be a coincidence that two women that are close to his father have mysteriously come down with the same terminal illness.

An illness that seemingly no one could pin point...

It was once he started to realise that, he also started to realise his own abuse. The way Gabriel treated him wasn't normal, it was beyond just 'strict parenting'. Isolation, gaslighting, neglect, threats. Looking back on his life so far, Adrien noticed that this had really started to happen even before his mother died. Initially Adrien thought maybe it was just grief making Gabriel so cold, but when he thought about it... no he always had a chill to him. It just got more frigid as the years went by after losing Emilie.

It was late one night when he was awake thinking about it a horrific realisation hit him.

Had Gabriel... killed Emile?

Maybe it wasn't intentional, maybe it was an accident. Or maybe it was a result of neglect for her health? Either way, the fact Emilie dies and then Nathalie gets the same sickness only around a year later was very suspicious to Adrien. Any woman, mother figure to him specifically, that came into contact with Gabriel ended up sick or dead. Understandably, that revelation sent Adrien into a panic. The thought that maybe, intentionally or not his own father was behind the death of his mother? That hurt. Even more than the abuse he was currently facing. Emilie was everything to Adrien, his one lifeline and the voice of reason in the family. It was like Gabriel wanted any other parental figure out of his life so he could have full control.

But what for? Just to use him as a puppet for the company? Or was there something else going on here? Maybe he just craved power, maybe he took joy in harming Adrien and didn't want that information getting out. Whatever the reason, Adrien became convinced that his father had something to do with his mothers death, and Nathalie's sickness. Once the panic and shock subsided, it was replaced with anger and frustration. As well as a drive to get the hell out of this god forsaken household. If it weren't for Nathalie being so sick, he'd have run off ages ago.

He became cold and angry toward his father, distant and disengaged. He only ever did what he said when he had no choice, otherwise he'd started to talk back and get snappy. Of course, that irritated Gabriel, Adrien was taking back the power and he didn't like that. The household became a minefield of psychological warfare, when the cameras were off the mode smile and polite nature of Adrien Agreste turned to a snarky, quiet glare at his farther.

It all finally came to ahead, in typical abusive parent fashion, over school. He'd heard the phone ring, and only a few minutes later his name was called down the hall. With a annoyed sigh, Adrien got up and found his father at the top of the stairs with his phone in his hand.

"Yes?" He muttered.

"That was your school, they want to organise a parent teacher conference" Gabriel began.

"Ok? You won't go, you never do. Why are you telling me this?"

Gabriel crossed his arms, glaring at Adrien disapprovingly.

"Do you have any idea why they'd wish to see me? Is there something you're not telling me, Adrien?" He said.

Oh so he was playing this game? Trying to trick him into admitting something so he can latch onto it. Not this time old man...

"No, sometimes teachers just like doing progress reports. Not that you'd know, you never pay attention to my school unless it's a grade on a report card" Adrien replied.

"This attitude is getting ridiculous Adrien, I hope you're not like this to your teachers"

"Of course not! My teachers actually respect me. Now are you going to tell me why they want a meeting or are we going to go in circles here?"

Gabriel sighed in frustration, the fact Adrien was starting to call him out on his bullshit was really starting to get on his nerves.

"They have some concerns, about your well-being. Apparently you've become reserved and closed off, apparently that's out of character for you" He explained.

"Gee, I wonder why? Could it be because I'm worked to death as a model with 4 extra curriculars and by the time I gave to get to glass I'm exhausted?" Adrien replied.

Gabriel stepped toward his son looming over him. That used to intimidate Adrien, but now he saw it for what it was, a scare tactic. Adrien stood his ground, even though he was a little nervous inside.

"If I get a call like that again, I'm pulling you out of school. You can't be ruining our image like that, you're an Agreste, start acting like one" Gabriel threatened.

"I'm no Agreste. I'm my mothers child, not yours. Ghram de Vanilly if anything at all. This could all be fixed if you I dunno, let me take a damn break for once? Maybe knock piano or fencing off my schedule? I've been doing them for years it's not like I'll loose all my skill overnight" Adrien replied.

"Take this seriously Adrien, and don't you bring your mother into this. She'd be beyond disappointed in your recent behaviour"

"Oh really? I think she'd be proud of me. She always taught me to stand up to bullies"

Gabriel clenched his fists, rage at his child's attitude boiling. As if he weren't the one to fostered this attitude in the first place by filling Adrien with all this hate for him.

"That's enough. Don't bring her into these arguments, let her rest" Gabriel said.

"You let her rest, you haven't since the day she died. I will bring her up, she's MY mother and SHE raised me to have self respect and not take any shit from people who seek me harm. I'm allowed to talk about my own mother" Adrien scoffed.

"She's MY wife, and I'M your FATHER. You will not bring her into our disagreements"

"That's what we're calling it now? Disagreements? Well yeah I sure as hell disagree with your parenting style-"

"THATS ENOUGH ADRIEN"

"DON'T TELL ME I CAN'T TALK ABOUT MY OWN MOTHER!"

Here it came, another screaming match. This was becoming a common occurrence by now, Adrien just felt bad for Nathalie who had to listen to it all from her bed where she could barely muster up the energy to tell them to shut up.

"I AM YOUR FATHER ADRIEN YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME!" Gabriel snapped.

"THE FUCK I WILL! TRYING TO SEPARATE ME FROM MY MOTHER WHEN SHE CAN'T EVEN DEFEND HERSELF!" Adrien snapped back.

"STOP BRINGING HER UP"

"WHY? BECAUSE YOUR GROWN ADULT ASS CAN'T LET HER REST? YOU CAN'T GET OVER HER IN A HEALTY WAY BUT YOUR TEENAGE SON CAN?"

Adrien always had a feeling Gabriel could get violent, but he wasn't expecting it to come so quickly. So when he suddenly felt a sling against his cheek and his back hit the staircase railing, he just stared at his father in shock for a moment. Rather than fear, or sadness, it was rage that filled him.

"Go ahead, murder me" He spat.

"Wh-"

"Murder me like you murdered my mother"

"EXCUSE ME-"

"MURDER ME LIKE YOU MURDERED. MY. MOTHER!" Adrien screamed.

"ADRIEN THATS NOT-" Gabriel tried to intervene.

"YOU THINK I DID'NT NOTICE?! THAT ANY MOTHER FIGIRE I HAVE GETS DEATHLY SICK? YOU DID SOMETHING TO HER! AND TO NATHALIE! YOU FREAK, GO AHEAD MURDER ME TOO!"

Adrien wasn't actually asking for death, he was stabbing Gabriel with the thought of not having a son to manipulate and control anymore. If he wad dead, who'd Gabriel abuse? That was a horrific thought for the abuser. Not his son being dead, but having no one to control.

"I'M ASKING YOU TO MURDER ME! I KNOW YOU CAN! YOU KILLED MUM, YOU'RE KILLING NATHALIE- GO AHEAD ADD ME TO THE LIST. MURDERER!" Adrien screamed.

"DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF SUCH THINGS YOU DISGUSTING BRAT!" Gabriel screamed back.

"WHY, CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH?!"

Gabriel went to slap Adrien again, but this time Adrien was expecting it, and managed to land a hit first. Although he was much shorter than his father, so Gabriel was able to grab his arm to stop the hit. That didn't stop Adrien from swiping with his other arm, and kicking at his fathers shins.

"GET OFF ME!" He exclaimed.

"THAT'S ENOUGH ADRIEN!" Gabriel replied, trying to twist Adrien away from him so none of the hits would land.

Adrien squirmed, fighting back against his fathers grip and trying to wiggle out. Gabriel's grip only tightened and as he tried to twist Adrien away from hitting him, he managed to pin his arm behind his back making him yelp in pain.

"GET OFF YOU SICK FREAK!" Adrien screamed, the fear now starting to set in as he was being physically hurt.

"DON'T YOU DARE ACCUSE ME OF HURTING YOUR MOTHER!" Gabriel snapped.

Adrien managed to land a kick in the knee, making Gabriel stumble at let him go. Adrien took the chance to rush down the stairs, with his father quick on his heels. Knowing full well that if he was caught he'd only be hurt more, he couldn't help but scream in fear.

"GET BACK HERE RIGHT THIS SECOND!" Gabriel screamed.

Adrien shoved the front doors open, rushing down the front steps. Gabriel went to scramble for the security system to lock him in, but Adrien was quick to grab his bike that sat by the fence and rush out just as the gates locked behind him. He was off, to where? Anywhere but here. It was raining, he was wearing nothing but his clothes from school, but he needed to leave. Finally all the anger faded into fear and sadness, the rain obscured his tears but he knew they were falling.

Past the school, past the park, past Marinette's bakery, he just rode. Anywhere that Gabriel wouldn't be able to find him was there destination. No doubt he'd have gotten in the car and come looking after cursing his too slow reflexes getting to the security system too late.

On autopilot, Adrien took the same route he usually took when he'd go to band practice. Which happened to the only times he really got to ride a bike nowadays. That's when he realised, he did know one place he could hide. Turning down to the docks, he skidded to a stop by the couffinae houseboat and almost dropped his bike to rush in. But then he realised if his bike was visible, Gabriel would know where he was.

Thanks to adrenaline strength, he managed to pull his bike onto the deck and hid it under the shade cloth that was pulled down against the walls of the cabin at the moment. The noise of someone on the deck got the attention of the captain of the vessel, and Anarka was the one to open the door.

"Adrien? What the hell are you doing out in the rain, get inside you dummy!" She said, not realising the distress he was in at first.

Taking that chance immediately, he practically skidded down the steps and slipped on his wet shoes at the bottom, landing with a thud and desperately trying to catch his breath. He hasn't rode that fast in... ever probably.

The noise alerted the twins of course, who'd come out of their rooms to see what was going on.

"Adrien?" Luka questioned.

"You alright there kiddo? These floors are a bit slippy when they're wet" Anarka added.

The lack of a response from Adrien was the first sign something was wrong and he didn't just accidentally get caught in the rain. The shaky breaths of someone crying while out of breath was next.

"Adrien, what's wrong?" Luka asked, ducking down to his spot on the floor.

Adrien finally lifted his head up, and the area on his cheek that had been slapped was visibly bruised.

"Don't let my dad know I'm here" was all Adrien could get it between frantic breaths.

"Woah, what the fuck happ-" Luka began, cutting himself off when he realised.

He looked up at his mother, who had the same realisation. Juleka stayed silent, hardly believing this was actually happening. They all knew Gabriel was a shithead, but they didn't ever know if he'd genuinely go this far.

"Luka get him some dry clothes, I'll get an ice pack. If his father or Nathalie calls don't tell him, not until we sort something out" Anarka said.

He didn't have to be told twice. Luka's clothes may be a bit long on Adrien, he was taller after all. But dry clothes would feel a hell of a lot better than soaked ones right now.