#please imagine Gabriel ‘Good Dad Now’ Agreste kicking down Adrien’s door like ‘Get up. we’re getting choquettes. together. father and son’

[snoozingcat]

Monarch should exploit Chat Noir’s feelings for Marinette Dupain-Cheng…maybe with a romantic rival. I bet if he picked someone really well-known and liked and handsome like, say, his own son, Adrien Agreste, and helped him woo Marinette, Chat Noir would get so upset he got akumatized!

That’s just what I would do. Strategically.

[miracul0us-multishipper]

Welcome to the Back - Interlude

Adrien centric. Basically an apology for all that chameleon induced salt I had on him during wttb.

Masterpost

Adrien sneaked a look outside. There was a gap between the panels that made up the background of the show, just large enough to peek out without being seen. It was quiet here, away from the bustling make-up artists and designers, hurrying to put finishing touches on their assigned models. His father wasn’t among them of course. He was Gabriel Agreste and didn’t need to improve anything, his designs long since perfected during late nights in his atelier. And he had full faith in his son!

(“I trust that you know how important this is,” he had said this morning, with face like marble, “how crucial it is to not lose face when working with the competition. I have no doubt you will behave accordingly.”)

Still. His happiness that his father had taken the time to build him up did not keep him from scanning the crowd for him. Was he there already? Or would he arrive in a way his mother called “fashionably late”?

Sighing, he turned away from the panels. He wasn’tsad that his father didn’t visit him before the show. Really, he had already talked to him only hours ago and was doubtlessly busy; Adrien shouldn’t be selfish.

Besides, it wasn’t like he was on his own.

“Are you nervous?”, he asked the other model when he returned to their private changing room. “There are so many people out there!”

Felix Leanne rolled his eyes, but his finger was tapping on the table relentlessly.

“Of course there are many people. Otherwise this whole ordeal wouldn’t be worth the hassle.”

“You’re dodging the question,” Adrien noted with a tiny hint of smugness. He liked Felix, even though he was a little cold sometimes. They had worked together often enough to be on friendly terms, both being the only models of each other’s age in their shoots. Both fairly isolated, both so busy.

Felix sighed.

“I’m not. Nervous, I mean. Just impatient.”

His eyes flitted towards the door.

“Mum… Mum said I can start accompanying her to work if I do well tonight. I’d get to see how everything actually works! I wrote down so many questions I want to ask. I just want to be able to askthem already.”

Adrien frowned.

“Aren’t you a little too young to be so interested in… company math?”

“We’re the same age, Adrien.”

“Exactly! The same youngage.” He couldn’t hold in a deep sigh. “If mymom offered to let me do anything I want, I would ask to go to a real school. No more homeschooling, just… doing something normal for once. I’d get to meet so many people, to make so many friends!”

Felix pretended to shudder.

“Ugh, people. Horrific.” He ignored Adrien’s giggling. “Seriously, they’re everywhere.”

“I bet you could go to school with me!” he, in turn, ignored Felix’ nagging. “Then we’d already know someone there. Plus Chloé, of course.”

Felix grimaced at the name but refrained from commenting. He’d learned that Adrien didn’t handle it well if you openly disliked his only friend. He wouldn’t have had the time, anyway, because just then a blur of oranges and yellows stormed into the room, carrying dozens of safety pins and wearing several dozens more clipped to her dress.

“Felix!”, Evelynn Leanne squealed, “you look wonderful, darling, navy blue just makes your eyes pop! Let me see the jacket, will you? Oh, this looks a little tight! It doesn’t chafe, does it? Does it?”

“Mum, stop it! Personal space, please.”

Felix pulled a face when his mother gave his jacket one last tug before stepping back.

“Of course, of course. It’s just… Ugh, you look adorable! Doesn’t he, Ms. Cess?”

The Leanne’s assistant, a round black woman that looked absolutely unshakable, gave Felix a small smile.

“He looks like a professional.”

Felix didn’t beam. Adrien was sure his face was physically incapable to. But the hint of a smile that graced his usually tight lips might be his version of that.

“Thank you,” he said genuinely, before sobering up again. “Now, if you’d leave me to prepare? Also, I’m pretty sure you have more than one design to check up on.”

Evelyn sighed, just the way her son was prone to do.

“Let me have my moment, will you? But fine! I still haven’t heard any news from the missing accessory line, and that Sancœur lady was very adamant that it be complete. Good luck, Felix! You too, Adrien! Love your tie, by the way.”

He perked up immediately.

“Thank you, Madame Leanne!”, he tried to answer, but Felix was already hurrying her and Mademoiselle Cess out of the door. When they were gone, his coworker was leaning against the door in relief and Adrien’s throat felt weirdly tight.

“Sorry about that,” Felix said nonchalantly, “she’s been a little clingy since… you know.”

Of course. The divorce, he’d read about it in the newspaper. He couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to lose his father like that, how terrible Felix must feel.

“Are you okay?” the (slightly) older boy asked after a moment. “You were so quiet.”

Adrien shook his head, shushing those thoughts.

“Of course! Your mother is great, I just… Mine can’t be here today. She’s still not feeling well.”

An understatement, he feared. His father wouldn’t let him into her room to say goodbye before he went to the show. He was just worried, of course! And he’d explained it to him.

(“Don’t bother your mother now, Adrien. She needs her rest.”

“I just wanted to see her before the show. To say goodbye- “

His father flinched at that; his tone sharp.

“There’s no need to- She’ll still be here after the show! Don’t- Don’t let your nerves get the better of you.”

Then, a little softer: “You can talk to her tomorrow.”)

Felix looked at him through somber blue eyes.

“I’m… sorry to hear that. But your father will be here, yes?”

Hurrying to smile, Adrien nodded.

“Yes, we’ll drive home together.”

At that, Felix’ eyes narrowed.

“Uh… great? But before that he’ll want to see you, won’t he?”

To be honest, he was never quite sure what his father wanted. But that wasn’t what this was about, anyway!

“He is very busy,” Adrien explained. “Managing the Show, and all that. But that’s alright! It’s very important to him, and I’m happy to be part of it. It makes me feel… I don’t know, closer to him.”

Felix’ did not relent.

“But don’t you want him to say Good Luck or something? Surely, he can’t be thatbusy.”

“Well…” he admitted. “I… I did hope he’d come by. Like your mom always does. But I don’t want to be greedy! He’s needed elsewhere, probably.”

He straightened.

“Besides, I don’t want to complain to you. With all that… divorce business you’ve already got on your shoulders.”

It was a cheap trick to change the topic, but it worked. Felix scoffed and turned away.

“Oh please, I’m happymy Dad isn’t here. Not that he would care, anyway. I barely saw him even before Mum kicked him out, and what I saw of him was distant, dismissive and derogatory at best. Really, I could never see him again and not lose any sleep about it.”

Adrien couldn’t believe anyone could truly feel that way about their father. Sure, he was disappointed in his father from time to time, sometimes even angry. But he was still, well, his father.

“I’m sure he does love you.”, he tried to comfort his friend. “Maybe if you gave him another chance, he would- “

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Felix snapped, still not looking at him. “He had thirteen years’ worth of chances. I won’t let him… I won’t stand for that kind of inconsequence.”

With that, he straightened his shoulders and turned around.

“Besides, you’re hardly unbiased. It’s rather obvious you’re projecting.”

His voice was harsher than intended and it showed. No sooner than he said it, his eyes widened and he looked away.

“I… I meant…”

“I’m not projecting.”, Adrien said. His voice was oddly quiet to his own ears, and his chest felt cold. “I’m not- I love my père. He’s not- I love him. You don’t know him. He’s just- I’m sure you love your father too, deep down.”

He didn’t know what his own face looked like, but Felix looked stricken.

“Yes,” he said softly, caving, “I guess so. I didn’t mean to imply…”

“It’s okay,” Adrien quickly assured him. No need to be so upset. He was just getting emotional again, and that so close to the beginning of the show. “I know you didn’t mean it that way. I’ll just…” – he pointed towards the door – “…leave you to, y’know, prepare.”

He was out of the room before Felix could protest, towards the back entrance. He needed air, just for a moment. To ground himself.

The heavy door swung open and the security personnel outside gave him a curious glance, but let him pass without question. Cool evening air hit him, soothing and clear. It helped. It always helped.

He could always think more clearly when he was outside. Felix hadn’t meant to say that. He hadn’t meant it, because it wasn’t true. Adrien’s father wasn’t dismissive. He wasn’t distant. He cared, and he loved him. Adrien knew it. So what if-

The crash of a shutting door around the corner caught his attention.

“…know who I am?!”, an angry voice shouted. “I have a right to be here!”

Curious, Adrien came closer until he could see the speaker. A light-haired man with impressive sideburns and an expensive looking suit was raging against a closed door, or rather the person who had shut it.

“You can’t keep me out! Tell her that! Tell her she’s a- “

The man fell silent when he spotted Adrien.

“What are you looking at, boy?!” he snarled and Adrien took a step back. Oh god, had he been staring?

“S-sorry,” he muttered, “I didn’t mean to- “

That’s when he noticed his eyes. Blue-grey, like cold stone. Like Felix’ eyes.

“Monsieur- Monsieur Leanne?”, he asked tentatively. The man in front of him flinched, then towered over him with something in his eyes Adrien couldn’t place. It frightened him.

“It’s Bordeaux.”, he spit, emphasizing every syllable, “René Bordeaux. And who are you?!”

Oh god, he was doing everything wrong today. Leanne was Felix’ mother’slast name.

“Adrien- Adrien Agreste,” he pressed out, not knowing whether to apologize or to run. His fear was misplaced, however. Within mere seconds Monsieur Bordeaux relaxed, all hints of aggression evaporating like boiling spaghetti water.

“Agreste!”, he said cheerfully, a dizzying contrast to his previous demeanor, “Gabriel’s boy, I take it?”

“Y… yes!”, Adrien confirmed quickly, relieved that the situation was apparently saved. Had he imagined Monsieur Bordeaux’s anger? There was no trace of it now! Perhaps he had read the situation wrong… it wouldn’t be the first time. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Well, I’m a big fan!”, the reporter beamed. “Of you andyour dad. Excited for the show? You must be so nervous, being the main star!”

Flattered, Adrien shrugged.

“Oh, it’s not… not a big deal. But thank you, Monsieur Bordeaux.”

“But it is!”, Bordeaux insisted. “Call me René, young man, no need for formalities.”

He put a hand on his shoulder, lowering his voice.

“To be honest, I’m very impressed how well you are handling all this pressure. I have a son your age, and I know he would be at a total loss for what to do.”

“Oh. Oh!”, Adrien realized, “You mean Felix! I’m actually working with him tonight!”

“Oh? You don’t say!”

“It’s true! He’s doing great, though. A real professional!”

Monsieur- René sighed.

“I’d love to believe that. The Felix I know tends to be… stubborn. I fear he’ll refuse help from everyone, even those who have his best interest at heart.”

Adrien frowned. That was true, Felix was stubborn. But Adrien hadn’t noticed anything the other boy might need help with, so he couldn’t judge. It just didn’t sit right with him that his dad didn’t believe Felix could do it.

“Really, you can be proud of him!”, he tried again. “He’s gonna be flawless, you’ll see at the- oh.”

Another mistake. René wouldn’t see his son, because he was not allowed at the show.

“Well, yes.”, Felix’ father agreed, patting him on the back as if to say ‘no worries’. “There’s the problem, you see?”

“I’m sorry for that.”

“Ah, don’t be! It’s not your fault. Really, that’s between me and Evelyn. She just… doesn’t want me to be a part of Felix’ life anymore. All because of some small mistakes I made. And now, now Felix will never…”

“Give you a chance.”, Adrien concluded. René smiled wistfully.

“Exactly. I just want… another, uh, chance.”

He was looking into the distance, before promptly jumping up and turning to him.

“Wait a minute! You are the star of the evening! What if youbrought me in with you? Then I could see Felix before the show!”

Adrien blinked. He… he could do that! But…

“I… I don’t think that would be a good idea. Felix said he doesn’t want to see you.”

“Oh, I’m sure he did. But sometimes, what people say they want, and what they need are two entirely different things!”

…that sounded familiar, but not quite right.

“I don’t understand.”

“See,” René began, crouching down to his height, “take your dad! He’s probably very busy, isn’t he?”

He didn’tflinch.

“That’s fine! I am supporting him!”, Adrien said, voice sharper than intended.

“Of course you do! And you probably tell him that. You don’t wanna nag him, am I right?”

Slowly, he nodded.

“But surely, deep down, you would like him to see you more, wouldn’t you?”

“I… I guess. And you think Felix is the same? Even though he is mad at you?”

“Let me put it that way. I did some tinythings wrong, and now Felix wants to punish me for it. But you make mistakes too, don’t you? And you don’t want to be abandoned for them either.”

“No!”, he gasped, horrified, “No, of course not!”

“See? And you’re right! Know why?”

René gestured into the distance.

“There’s good people, and there are evil people, who do evil things, like bombing churches, or kicking puppies. But people like you and I – Good People, the rightkind of people – wecan change.

“...or explain why we didn’t do anything wrong in the first place. There’s always two sides, and all that. Nothing is made better if everyone just turns away from us! Punishing us for mistakes doesn’t make them disappear. Only if we are given another chance we can make things right.”

Something still didn’t sit right with Adrien, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“But… but what if the mistake is really bad?”

René’s face darkened, before lighting up again.

“Clever kid, you! Even then, punishing bad things never made them good, am I right? You can only” – he snapped his finger – “suck it up and support others to do better. And you are exactly the kind of person who would know better, clever as you are. Really, Felix could take a page from your book!”

He stood up, looking down on him.

“So, what do you say, young man? Do you wanna be my hero and help a worried father care for his son?”

Adrien looked back at the private entrance. The security people who would do as he said. The building his own father was probably in.

“I…”

Felix would thank him, eventually, right?

“I’ll do it.”

-

“So, here we are!”, Adrien announced to his companion. “Welcome to the back... stage. This is the hallway that leads to the stage, there you’ll arrive at the stairs to the audience, and here’s the way to our private changing room! Do you want me to tell Felix you are coming, or do you want to talk alone?”

René wasn’t looking at him. His eyes were darting over the many settings on his camera, then towards the changing room.

“Know what, kid? Maybe don’t tell Felix I’m here just yet.”

Adrien’s smile faltered.

“But… but the show is going to start soon! Don’t you want to wish him good luck?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.”, René dismissed with a wave of his hand, “Luck is the last thing he needs. Tell you what, I have something… special planned. You don’t want to ruin the surprise, do you?”

That made sense. He shook his head, and the reporter grinned.

“That’s what I thought. No off you go, get ready for your modeling gig!”

Adrien’s chest felt tight. He didn’t like the expression in René’s eyes. But he had been wrong so often. Felix would thank him eventually, he reminded himself. René just needed another chance.

Felix would thank him.

-

Felix did not thank him.

An hour later, there was press everywhere, and at least one police car. Adrien was lost and stumbling around between running people. Camera’s clicked, someone was yelling, he could see Felix’ mom talking to an officer. Her make-up was running. Was she crying?

“Adrien!”, a hoarse voice yelled, and suddenly Felix was there, pulling at his arm, “What did you do?!”

His eyes weren’t like stone anymore. They looked like thawing ice. Cold and watering andbreaking.

“I-”

“What did you do?!”

“I only wanted- I was just- “

“What?! Whatwere you?! Trying to ruin everythingfor me!?”

“No! I didn’t think- “

“There you are!”, a familiar voice called and Adrien almost sagged in relief. Nathalie pulled him away from Felix with no effort at all, instructing the security personnel to drag the kicking and cursing boy back to his mother. Then she pulled Adrien with her, towards the private box where his father sat.

Adrien gulped.

Gabriel Agreste was utterly motionless, looking down upon the chaos below. Not a hair was out of place, not the hint of an emotion in his eyes.

“That would be all, Nathalie.”, he said simply, and Nathalie let go of Adrien to return to her tablet.

“Father…”, he said, voice breaking. “I don’t understand what happened. Did I… did I do something wrong?”

His father was still watching the crowd below. The press, trying to get a shot of Evelyn Leanne. The police, running around and interviewing people. A blonde boy in navy blue, so small from above, blocking his ears and trying escape the cameras.

A show in ruins.

“Sir,” Nathalie spoke up again, before Gabriel could even turn to his son, “we heard back from Madame Bourgeois. She wants to reconsider doing her Fashion Highlights article about the Gabriel Brand instead of Leanne’s. And there’s a British perfume company looking for a new partner in fashion.”

With that, Gabriel stood up. His son lowered his head, trying to sink into the ground before the yelling could begin. But instead of raising his voice, his father raised his hand and –

“Let’s go home, Adrien.”

–…pat him on the shoulder.

“Father?”

He was confused. He’d been so sure this was his fault, that he had messed up somehow.

“Shouldn’t I- shouldn’t I go talk to Felix first?”

His father looked past him, towards the Leanne’s.

“I doubt you will be working with him again.”, was his reply. He looked almost… content when he turned away from the scene. “Let’s not waste our breath.”

With that, Gabriel Agreste started walking away.

And Adrien, ever the obedient son, followed.

—

Many things would happen between that fateful night, and another night that promised to be even more fateful.

Adrien had lost his mother.

Adrien had gained friends.

Adrien had gone to school; Adrien had left it.

He had been a hero and a villain, and through it all, a child.

A child that had to be better. A child that now knew, he could become what had become of René Bordeaux.

A child that would not.

He would not become like Bordeaux. Like Lila. He wouldn’t allow it.

And he would prove it!

He would do better, be better. So that he could return to school, to his friends, and show them that he wouldn’t let them down again. If they’d still have him.

He would show Nino that he’d never ever lie again.

He would show Alya that he’d never let her be used again.

He would show Marinette that he would never abandon her again.

And… he would show Felix that he got it now. That he wouldn’t disappoint him again.

And maybe, that would show Ladybug that she had been right to trust him one last time. Even if it wasn’t as her partner.

The door to his room opened, and Adrien held his breath. Nathalie would have knocked.

“Adrien,” his father greeted him, an even for him atypical amount on tension in his face, “we need to talk.”

“We do,” Adrien agreed, opening the tab with the list of therapists he’d been considering. Then he remembered himself and bit his lip. “Uh, you go first.”

He didn’t know if his father had even heard him. He was turned towards the window, before looking back at his son.

“I always wondered… I knew you were hiding something. Your behavior was so… unlike yourself.”

Adrien’s brow furrowed.

“Father?”

“I am not mad at you Adrien, though I admit, at first…”

He turned around, simmering anger in his usually cool eyes.

“I couldn’t believe you would be able to hide something of that importance from me. Clearly, I was wrong.”

“Father, I- “

“No. Listen to me, Adrien. This might be our chance, our onlychance. Your mother’s only chance.”

The room seemed to get colder. Gabriel talked on.

“I never thought I would be able to involve you, always thinking you might be too… fragile. I see now that this was a mistake. If I had been more open in my endeavor, this would have ended a long time ago. But maybe it needed to happen. It needed to happen, so that you would truly understand what needs to be done.”

What do you mean, Adrien wanted to ask, but his mouth was frozen shut. Something icy was growing in his chest. In his pocket, he clutched a colorful little lucky charm like a lifeline.

“Adrien.”

His father stepped closer.

“I know that you were Chat Noir.”

Somewhere, deep in his soul, his subconsciousness was already connecting the final dots, only waiting for his mind to catch up. It kindly refused the invitation, choosing to revel in blissful ignorance for a few more minutes.

“I… F-father, I… I swear- “

“It’s alright, son. Everything will be alright. Look at me, Adrien.”

He did. He did, and he did not know who he was looking at.

“My son,” his father said, and there was a spark in his eyes that scared him, “it seems so fitting. That all of us would carry such a burden, at one point. As if fate itself kept a close eye on our family.”

“You are Hawkmoth.”, someone said. It took both Agreste’s a few moments to realize it had been Adrien who’d said it. And even then, it took Adrien’s mind several more to put ‘blissful ignorance’ back into its box and catch up with his subconscious and mouth. The lucky charm in his pocket felt cold, so cold, like it had felt only once before.

At TV1.

“You are Hawkmoth,” he repeated, and his voice didn’t falter. Neither did his father.

“I understand if you feel… betrayed.”, the latter said slowly, pronouncing the last word like something spiky he didn’t want to get too close to. “There is much you don’t know yet. But until I show you, I need you to remember that we are family. And that we have a common goal, and since quite recently, a common enemy.”

In his head, his thoughts were racing, too fast to be of any use to him. He felt numb. But fifteen years of experience with his father had taught him when to be quiet, and when to ask questions.

“A… common enemy?”

“Yes.”

His father smiled. It looked wrong.

“You were a hero. You were the Black Cat, you were Chosen. But they took that from you. The moment you didn’t meet their expectations anymore, they tossed you aside. As if you hadn’t sacrificed so much for them. I saw you, everything you did for them. For her.”

“Ladybug.”

The word felt odd in his mouth, as if it didn’t want to be said. His father’s smile widened.

“Ladybug,” he agreed, and if the name had hesitated on Adrien’s tongue, it positively rebelled on Gabriel’s. It sounded poisonous, dripping with disdain. “And the Guardian. And, not to forget, the imposter that took your place.”

Adrien looked up at him, slowly.

“You akumatized me.”

His father didn’t flinch. But he blinked, once, before stepping back.

“So I did.”

He turned around, towards the window. Towards Paris beyond, that feared him every day.

“Imagine my surprise when I learned that the one I was doing this all for was the one fighting me, all along. That the key to our happiness had been beneath my very own roof.”

He shook his head.

“The past is in the past. I know exactly how you felt, in that moment. I could feel it firsthand. How alone. Abandoned by those that should have stood with you.”

He turned back around, facing his son. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was genuine emotion on his face.

“Adrien, if you still feel that way, then we can fix it. Together. We can retrieve your Miraculous, and every other Miraculous too!”

He gripped his shoulder with unexpected strength, eyes wide.

“Adrien, I know just how deep Ladybug’s betrayal cut you. But now that you see her for what she really is, you have the power to make her regret. To take back what you deserve, what you are owed.”

He remembered Lila. Her power to make people believe anything. Just by knowing what they wanted to hear.

“Imagine it, son.”

Adrien imagined.

Being Chat Noir once more. The thing in his life he had loved so much, so much.

But he knew, it hadn’t been the costume he’d loved. When he thought of being Chat Noir, he thought of Plagg’s annoying voice. His constant company, his purrs. He thought of Ladybug and laughter, and racing over rooftops with someone that believed in him.

He thought of escape. Why did he want to escape?

Alone. Abandoned by those that should have stood with you.

He hadbeen alone, for so long. He had been abandoned.

“I love you, Father.”

He looked up. His father looked confused.

“I will always love you.”, he added, and the words felt right. They felt true. He smiled.

“Of course I will help you! I have always supported you, no matter what.”

Because what else could he do?

“I knew I could trust you.”

He was no hero anymore.

“I am so proud of you.”

And he was no villain either.

“You’ll see, Adrien.”

He was a child.

“It will all be worth it, in the end.”

A child that knew he could become everything his father wanted him to be.

A child thatwould not.

“Of course, Father.”

He would not become like Bordeaux. Like Lila.

Like Gabriel Agreste.

“Let me show you the reason for all this.”

Adrien felt like he knew already. Like it would be painful. Like it still wouldn’t change anything. And yet, he smiled. He smiled, the exact same smile he had always worn when his father ignored another birthday. The smile for when his father turned his back yet again. The smile that was so false it hurt.

The smile that would have given him away if his father had looked at him just a little bit closer, those past few years.

“I’m right behind you,” he said, reaching out with one hand for his father’s, with the other for his phone. He had no way to contact Ladybug now. But he knew someone who could. Whose lucky charm was in his pocket, comforting and warmonce again.

He wasn’t scared. He wasn’t angry. He knew exactly what needed to happen, and that she would makeit happen.

“With your help, Adrien, this will all be over soon.”

Alone. Abandoned.

Oh yes.

Distant, dismissive, derogatory.

He was right.

I will not disappoint you.

More so than he knew.

“My son,” his father said, and Adrien was so sure he could see love in his eyes. “Now I know that we will be victorious.”

With that, Gabriel Agreste started walking away.

And Adrien, no longer the obedient son, followed.

[tsuki-chibi]

Blueberry Peach (Adrien AUGreste) Part 28: Purrs

Or read it on AO3: Blueberry Peach

Also find the other parts of the series AO3: Fruitful verse

-------

Marinette had never spoken so sternly to an adult in her life. Though Adrien assured her that she didn't look it, inwardly her heart was racing and she felt almost sick as she waited for Master Fu to respond.

Her heart thudded against her ribs when Master Fu's expression darkened, and she actually thought he might yell.

'I hope he doesn't,' Adrien thought, and it was a thought accompanied by a fleeting shadow of raised voices and angry parents.

She stiffened, squaring her shoulders and lifting her head. Suddenly, she didn't care if Master Fu got upset with them. She didn't even care if he yelled. She would bear his reaction with grace so long as he didn't direct one word of anything towards Adrien.

'Marinette,' Adrien thought. 'You don't have to protect me that way.'

'Yes, I do,' she thought without even looking at him. Because no one had ever protected Adrien that way, and he was her partner, and he deserved to know what it was like to be loved.

"You feel very strongly about this," Master Fu said at last, and it was such a composed response that both Marinette and Adrien looked at him in surprise.

Marinette recovered first, nodding. "Yes, we both do. But it was my decision." She cast him a challenging look. Much to her surprise, Master Fu merely smiled.

"I understand now why Tikki likes you so much as a Ladybug," he said thoughtfully. "Very well. In recognition of everything you have done in your time as heroes, I will trust you on this and agree to allow Mlle Bourgeois to keep the Bee miraculous as long as she agrees to abide by the same rules as the two of you. Meaning, she must not tell anyone her identity." He gave them stern looks. "Intentionally or accidentally. And she must never use her powers for evil or selfish purposes."

"She won't," Adrien said confidently. "Thank you, Master Fu."

Master Fu inclined his head slightly. "You both have my gratitude for retrieving the missing miraculouses and the book," he said, lowering his gaze to the table. "I will be much more careful with them in the future."

"Good," Marinette said. "I don't ever want to face another Hawkmoth, and I can't even imagine how much of a pain it would have been to face both Hawkmoth and someone using the Peacock miraculous."

"It is unusual that Hawkmoth didn't use the Peacock miraculous. I would have thought he’d want to use every weapon at his disposal," Master Fu said.

"Not really. My father didn't have anyone he trusted that much," Adrien said. Maybe Nathalie - but really, probably not even her.

"Hmm," Master Fu said, but he didn't add anything else. Instead, he picked up the Peacock and Butterfly miraculous and turned to put them back where they belonged.

'Chloé is going to be ecstatic,' Marinette thought.

Adrien smiled. 'I can't wait to tell her. You want to go as soon as we leave here?'

Marinette shook her head slightly. 'No. You go. I know we were supposed to go have ice cream, but I think I need a rain check. I have something else that I need to do before we talk to my parents.'

He knew exactly what she was planning, of course, and his warm acceptance of her plan made Marinette smile back.

"Did you need anything else?" Master Fu asked, closing the miraculous box and picking up the book. "I don't mean to kick you both out, but I don't like to leave the shop closed too long."

"No. Thanks," Marinette said, getting up. Master Fu had frustrated them a lot, but in the end he had come through. She thought that they could work well with him from now on, especially since it seemed like Master Fu might be more willing to listen to them in the future now that he realized both she and Adrien knew what they were walking about.

As soon as they were outside, Adrien let out a semi-hysterical laugh. "My god, Mari, you really don't hold back when you're mad."

"It worked, didn't it?" she said, putting a hand over her heart. "I was nervous, but - if that's what it takes to make Master Fu listen to us, then I will always stand up for you. For us. For our team."

"I love you so much," Adrien murmured, pulling her into a kiss.

'I love you too,' Marinette thought, since her mouth was otherwise occupied.

But unfortunately, they didn't have much time to linger. Their ice cream was going to have to wait. Adrien transformed and went off to tell Chloé the good news in person, while Marinette took the long way towards her destination. She spent the whole way there mentally rehearsing what she was going to say, though she did take a quick break to peek through Adrien's eyes when he told Chloé that she could keep the Bee miraculous. The stunned expression on Chloé's face, which quickly melted into a look of awe mixed with a tearful smile, was one Marinette would remember forever.

She could only hope that Alya took this news that well.

"I'm coming!" Alya's voice called out when Marinette knocked on the door. A moment later, the door swung open. Alya blinked in surprise at seeing Marinette there.

"Hi," Marinette said.

"Hi?" Alya said, confused. "Did we - did we have plans?"

"No. I just wanted to talk," Marinette said. "I've got something to tell you. Can we go to your room?"

"Sure," Alya said. "Mom! Marinette's here. We're going to my room." She led Marinette down the hall and ushered her inside, quickly shutting the door.

"Ella and Etta around?" Marinette asked knowingly.

"They should be home any minute. Now. Please tell me you're not here to say you and Adrien are breaking up," Alya said, clasping her hands together.

"What?!" Marinette said, shocked. "Of course not!" Adrien's indignation at the very idea blossomed in the back of her mind.

"Oh thank god. I thought maybe Lila had driven a wedge between you guys after all," Alya admitted. “I would’ve felt awful if that was the case.

"No, nothing like that. I just - there's something I need to tell you. And I know you're going to be upset... or I think you will be, but I really want you to hear from it me and I -"

"Marinette, just tell me!" Alya said.

"Adrien and I are soulmates," Marinette blurted out. She was vaguely aware that Adrien and Chloé were hugging and crying, but she couldn't focus on them. She concentrated on Alya's expression, which went from shock to realization to a frown.

"You're soulmates," Alya repeated woodenly, staring at her.

"Yes. When we met that night at Chloé's party, the summer before I met you, I said his words and he said mine," Marinette said, pressing a hand to her chest. Neither she nor Adrien could have possibly imagined where that night would bring them.

Alya just kept staring at her. "I don't really know what to do with that information," she said. "Why didn't you tell me?" Hurt was seeping into her voice.

Marinette sighed. "We didn't tell anyone. My parents don't even know. We couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because of Adrien's dad. You don't know what he's like. He would've been really mad if he found out Adrien had a soulmate. We were afraid he'd try to put blocks up in Adrien's mind," Marinette explained. "Or that he would’ve forbidden Adrien from seeing me. We couldn't risk telling anyone, just on the off chance that the information might make it back to him."

“He’s really that bad?” Alya asked, her frown deepening.

Marinette nodded. “He really is.”

"Okay… but we're friends. You could've trusted me. I wouldn’t have said anything to anyone," Alya said.

"I know that now. I didn't when we met," Marinette said gently. "By the time I knew I could trust you, I didn't know how to tell you."

Alya frowned. "So what changed?"

"Now that Adrien's dad is going to jail, I think we have to tell my parents to keep Adrien in Paris," Marinette said. "I didn't want it to get back to you. Not without telling you myself."

"I guess I appreciate that," Alya said slowly. "And I guess this explains why you and Adrien are so close, and why it always seemed like you know what each other is thinking..." She looked back at Marinette. "You must have your shields down enough to talk."

"We can talk," Marinette agreed, carefully omitting any mention of shields. No one, except for maybe her parents, really needed to know that she and Adrien had no shields between them.

"Oh damn. I feel so stupid for going along with Lila," Alya groaned, facepalming. "No wonder you got so mad."

"It was pretty annoying. I'm not gonna lie," Marinette said. "Lila's lucky Gabriel Agreste never caught wind of her rumors, or she would've been having a very unpleasant conversation with him."

"Maybe we should've told him," Alya muttered. She was quiet for a moment, frowning at the floor, and Marinette bit her lip. Adrien was her soulmate, and she was friends with Chloé by extension. Alya was the first friend Marinette had made on her own, and she didn't want to lose her.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you sooner,” Marinette offered.

Alya sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me when Lila showed up and started saying she was Adrien’s soulmate? I wouldn’t have believed Lila then.”

That made Marinette frown at her. “Alya, you should have believed Adrien and me even without us telling you that we were soulmates,” she said sternly.

“I guess,” Alya mumbled, though she still looked put out. Marinette bit her lip, worried.

I hope that we can still be friends," she said hesitantly.

Alya's head shot up. "What? Don't be stupid. Of course we're still friends. Best friends. I'm a little mad, and I feel dumb for not figuring it out on my own because in retrospect it was kinda obvious, but I'll get over it."

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as that emotion echoed down the bond to Adrien. A reverberation that Marinette could only describe as purrs came back to her. He was relieved too, and very happy that Chloé had cried happy tears over being referred to as his sister.

"Hug?" Marinette said, opening her arms.

"Sure," Alya said with a small smile, and hugged her.

[miraculous-ladybug-bitches]

Summer Days

12 years old

Marinette sat at a table with 4 others.

The female blonde grins at her and says, “Hi. My name is Chloe!”

Marinette smiles back just as brightly. “I’m Marinette!”

“Nino!”

“Alya!”

“Adrien.”

Alya looks around. “Guess we’re stuck together.”

Chloe looks around and wrinkles her nose when she sees a kid shove mud down another’s shirt. “Definitely could be worse is all I’m saying.”

Alya snorts. “You're telling me.”

Nino looks around. “Our table is pretty nice.”

Mariette looks around the large camp. “It’s kind of a big camp. Pretty sure I’ll end up in the archery range instead of the bathroom at least once.”

Adrien suddenly lights up. “Why don’t we share numbers in case we get lost?”

They all quickly type in their numbers into one another’s phones.

“So what are you guys like?” Nino asks.

“My parents run a prestigious bakery. But I’m a fashion designer,” Marinette says.

“My mom works as the head chef at a very important resteraunt. I’m an up and coming reporter,”  Alya proudly declares.

“My dad’s a fashion designer and I’m a model,” Adrien says.

Marinette gasps. “I knew you looked familiar! You’re related to Gabriel Agreste. And you!” Marinette says, pouting at Chloe. “You’re the mayor’s daughter, aren’t you?”

Chloe chuckles awkwardly. “Yeah. But I want to become a lawyer.”

“That’s pretty cool!” Nino exclaims. “My dad’s a DJ and I’m taking after him.”

Everyone chatters for a bit till their table gets their cabin number.

“This seems like it’ll be a fun year.” Alya chirps.

Everyone nods in agreement.

13 years old

“Look who it is, the great Chloe Bourgeois,” Alya said dramatically, bowing down.

Chloe turns and squeals in delight, running to tackle Alya in a hug.

Alya laughs and hugs her back. “We’ve been texting all year, dude.”

“That’s not the same as being in person,” A voice says from their left.

The two girls turn and see Marinette grinning with Nino and Adrien by her side.

“Guess who all are still in the same cabin?” Nino sing songs.

Chloe’s jaw drops “Really?”

Adrien smiles. “Oh, yeah.”

Marinette seems to rembarrer something, her mood dampening.

Alya notices right away. “Marinette? What happened?”

Marinette sighs. “I forgot to tell you but….my PARENTS GOT A JOB WORKING AT THE MAYOR’S OFFICIAL PARTY BAKERS!” Marinette screams.

Chloe screams with her the two girls hugging.

Alya smirks, pushing up her glasses. “Well,my mother got a job at his restaurant.”

Nino looks a bit lost but says,”My fam got a house near the mayors.”

Adrien snaps his fingers and points at Nino’s. “3 Florence street.”

Nino gaped at him. “How did you-”

Adrien grins. “That’s my neighbors house that just got sold!”

“Wait, so we’ll all be close to each other?” Chloe asks.

“Yup!” Marinette says, popping the p.

“You know it, girl!” Alya says, making everybody laugh.

They make their way to the cabin they recognized from last year.

14 years old

Nino opens the cabin door and laughs.

“Really guys? Again?” Nino says, flopping on his bed from the past two years after he sees the rest of the group.

“That best not be disappointment or we’re gonna have words,” Alya teases.

Adrien laughs at him from the bunk above him.

“Where’s Mari?” Nino asks.

Chloe waves off the question. “She went to go to the bathroom.”

Adrien snickers at a memory. “Remember when she got stuck in the archery range instead of the restroom?”

“She called it, man. She called it,” Nino affirms.

Alya nods thoughtfully. “She did, didn’t she?”

That exact moment, Marinette threw open the door but immediately hurried to shut it.

“We. Have a problem,” Marinette hisses.

Everyone stares at her.

“The fact that you may have broken the door?” Chloe says, pointing out the rattling hinge.

Marinette rapidly shakes her head. “No! They started the paintball tournament without us!”

Alya gasps in outrage as Adrien falls off top bunk. Nino tries to stand but hits his head on the top bunk and Chloe throws her magazine to the floor with an outraged, “What!”

“What are you waiting for, people, let's go!” Marinette yells, ushering everyone out.

They forgot to wear the gear and were covered in bruises for the rest of camp.

15 years old

“Spill,” Alya demands.

Marinette flushes. “I think I might have a tiny, itty, bitty crush on Adrien.”

Chloe immediately opens her hand and looks expectantly at Alya. “You owe me twenty bucks, Nancy Drew.”

Alya scowls and mutters a ‘bitch’ but gives her the money.

Marinette looks appalled between the two. “You bet on me liking Adrien!”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “Of course not. We bet on when you would fess up. Now Alya has to, too”

Alya folds her arms over her chest. “Fess up what?”

“Please, darling, you may have got everyone else fooled, but I’m not a dumbass. You like Nino, plain as day,” Chloe scoffed.

“Well you like Nathaniel!” Alya says indignantly.

Chloe gives her a flat look. “Yes, that’s why we’re dating.”

Marinette tried not to gape at the two. “How the heck are you figuring this out so quick?”

The two other girls give her a flat look. “We aren’t oblivious idiots.”

Marinette huffs. “Go suck a dictionary.”

Alya sighs. “We need to teach you how to swear.”

Marinette glares at her. “No. I will swear in ice cream.”

Chloe scoffs. “How the fuck do you swear in ice cream?”

Marinette clears her throat. “What the Mint Chocolate Chip did you say to me, punk? I’ll kick your Rocky Road and then beat the ever loving Strawberry Cheesecake out of you!”

There was a beat of silence.

And then the three girls burst out laughing.

“Marinette not swearing,” Alya wheezed.

“Fucking imagine,” Marinette said, howling with laughter.

“The ice creams though,” Chloe choked, unable to breathe.

They girls spend the rest of the night under covers, laughing.

16 years old

“We’re counselors, guys!” Marinette cheers.

Adrien and Nino high five while Chloe and Alya smile at each other.

“Actually, I have more good news,” Alya says, excitement growing on her face.

“Me and Ayla are dating,” Nino blurts out.

Alya slaps his chest. “Nino! That was my line!”

Chloe sighs dramatically. “Finally. Took you long enough.”

Adrien grins. “Nino finally worked up the courage to ask her out.”

“Cough, bullshit, cough,” Marinette says, fake coughing.

Alya chuckled. “I asked out Nino and he was speechless.”

Adrien groans. “Come on, dude.”

Alya shook her head laughter in her eyes. “No, no, that’s not even the best part.”

Nino buries his head in his arms out of mortification.

Alya shook with laughter. “He asked the guy behind us, ‘Line?’ And the guy said, ‘I like you too and I’d love to go out with you.’ AND NINO SAID THE SAME DAMN THING AND AFTER HE TOLD THE GUY, ‘Thanks, bro.’”

Marinette couldn’t breath and Adrien’s stomach was hurting.

Chloe was full on cackling as Nino sighs.

This is what he gets for being friends with people like this.

17 years old

Adrien walks into the cabin, arm slung around Marinette’s shoulder.

The second they walk in, the other three start clapping.

“Finally, Mari!” Alya exclaimed.”

“Adrien, my man. Finally getting some!” Nino said, grinning.

Chloe looked between them. “Nope, they’re still virgins.”

Marinette squawks in outrage as Adrien flushes.

“How do you know?” Alya asks, looking over the edge of the top bunk to look down at Chloe.

Regardless of changing relationship statuses, no one would move from their spot. It was just the way it was.

“His hands are on her shoulder, not waist. And neither have that ‘sex glow’ on them,” Chloe points out.

“Sex glow?” Marinette sputters.

“Yeah, now I see it,” Alya said, squinting at the two.

“Adrien. Adrien, Adrien, Adrien. Come on dude. I thought you had better game then that,” Nino chides.

Adrien sighs. “I also thought I had better game than that.”

Marinette snorts. “I can assure you that you don’t.”

“Damn. Shots fired,” Chloe says.

“Roasted, toasted, and burnt, Adrien,” Alya says from the top bunk.

“Gotta get used to it, man. The whole sweatshirt giving. It doesn’t matter if you’re uncomfortable or freezing, just give it to her,” Nino says solemnly.

Adrien frowns. “Why can’t I be comfortable?”

Nino deadpan looks at him. “Adrien, you can either be in a relationship or be comfortable. You can’t have both.”

The cabin erupts with laughter from that one, simple line.

18 years old

“Off to college, huh?” Alya says as the group of 5 stars off into the lake on their last day of camp.

“Yeah. Me and Chloe’s universities are actually pretty close,” Nino says.

Chloe smiles. “I don’t mind having a coffee together every now and again.”

“Me and Alya are going to the same uni,” Adrien says.

“Hell yeah, up top!” Alya said while grinning, high giving the blonde.

Marinette was silent.

“Mari?” Chloe asks.

Marinette sighs. “I’m going to America. New York City, to be precise.”

Silence engulfs the group.

Nino breaks the silence. “Congrats. You deserve it. You worked really hard to get where you are now.”

Marinette smiles gratefully.

“We should meet up on vacations.” Alya suggests.

The rest agree.

“So I guess this is goodbye.” Adrien whispers.

Chloe lets out a bittersweet smile.

“Not goodbye. Just, see you in a bit.”

[purrincess-chat]

Will You Be My (Fake) Lover? CH6

Finally finished! This one clocked in around 5.6k, so it’ll be pretty even with chapter 7 which is where the really good shit happens imo. This one is cute too, but yall better get ya anti-cavity toothpaste ready for tomorrow. And btw, you’ll want to have In the Rain ready on standby for the last scene. You’ll know when you need it ;)

Read on AO3

Chapter 6

“It was a lot of fun going on a double date with you guys,” Alya said as the two waited for Adrien and Nino to return with their ice cream. “It’s so great that you two are finally getting to go on a proper date. It’s awesome that you’re together and all, but it’s not the same if you barely get to spend time together.”

“Uh, yeah. It’s hard, but Nathalie has been making a lot of extra arrangements in his schedule for us, so I guess that’s nice,” Marinette said, flicking her gaze to her lap. “I’m just really happy to be with him, so I try not to complain.”

“I know, and I’m sure you guys will work through it. I mean, seeing the way he looks at you…I can tell he really cares about you,” Alya said with a smile that made Marinette’s cheeks warm.

“Does he really look at me like that?” She asked, biting her lip.

“Girl, he looks at you the way my dad looked at my mom in all their wedding photos. He’s so smitten with you. It’s honestly precious,” Alya chuckled. “I have a feeling you two are gonna last. No matter what.”

“Ice cream for two pretty ladies,” Nino said as he and Adrien paced down the steps.

Marinette locked eyes with Adrien who offered her one of those soft smiles that made her heart race as he took his place beside her. Those smiles had often seemed so genuine to her, but she’d always chocked it up to wishful thinking. Though as of late, his affectionate behavior came with less hesitance or stiffness perhaps because they’d finally gotten used to this whole fake relationship. She really doubted that he felt any differently about her now then he had at the beginning but hearing Alya say that it looked like he liked her did make her a little happy.

“Hope you like peach and pistachio,” Adrien said, scooping a spoonful for her.

“Yum.” She smiled before taking a bite.

Adrien draped an arm over her shoulders as they shared their treat, and Marinette noticed that soft look in his eyes that Alya mentioned. She knew Adrien was a good actor, but it did look awfully convincing.

“Can I tell you something?” Adrien asked, licking ice cream from his spoon.

“What?”

“You’re cute,” he said with a smile, and she shot him a playful glare.

“You’re cute,” she shot back, but he shook his head.

“No, you’re cute.” He nuzzled his nose against hers.

“And I’m trying to enjoy my ice cream without getting nauseous,” Nino said, and Alya elbowed him with a smirk.

“How come you never tell me I’m cute?” She asked, placing a hand on her hip, and he faltered a little at that.

“I-well, I mean, you’re cute!” He stammered, and Alya leaned her head back with a laugh before resting against his shoulder.

“You’re cute too. Now leave them alone. It’s their first real date,” she said, shoving a tiny spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

“Sorry, I just can’t help myself around Marinette,” Adrien said, flashing his friend a grin before turning back to her. “She’s my Cinderella.”

“And you’re my Prince Charming,” Marinette said, leaning up to touch her lips to his just before his phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket with a sigh.

“It’s Gorilla. I didn’t realize it was already 9,” he said, offering her the last bite of the cone. “It seems that we’re turning into pumpkins early tonight, my love.”

“I’m just glad we got to come out,” Marinette said as he stood and offered her his hands to pull her up.

“Yeah, whenever you can, we should all go out together like this again,” Nino said, and Adrien smiled, touching their fists together.

“I’ll beg Nathalie,” he said, offering Alya a small wave before taking Marinette’s hand.

“Bye, you two!” Alya waved, flashing Marinette a smile as they headed up the stairs to meet Adrien’s bodyguard.

Adrien opened the door of the car for her and helped her in before moving around to the other side. Once inside, he slid into the middle and buckled his seatbelt before draping an arm around her as Gorilla started the car. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, lingering close with a contented sigh.

“Tonight was fun,” Adrien said pressing his forehead to hers, soft lips brushing gently against her own as he spoke. “I want to have more nights like this.”

“Where you get to hang out with your friends?” Marinette asked.

“Where I get to hang out with you,” he said, and she felt her heart jolt.

“What about Nino? He’s your best friend,” she said as he caressed her cheek with his thumb, tilting his head ever-so-slightly.

“He is, but I don’t think Alya would appreciate it if I kissed him,” he said pointedly.

“I’m starting to think you only like me for my lips.” She narrowed her eyes with a playful smirk, and Adrien let out a breathy laugh.

“I like you for a lot more than that,” he said, touching his nose to hers. “I like how genuinely sweet you are. The way your eyes light up when you’re happy, or the way your eyebrows furrow when you can’t figure out a problem for our maths homework. The cute way your purse your lips when you can’t make up your mind, or the sound of your laugh. I like a lot of things about you, Marinette.”

He gave her another one of those soft looks, and for a moment, she swore it actually seemed real. She didn’t doubt that he meant all of those things in some capacity platonically, but such sweet sentiments weren’t really hers to claim. After all, they weren’t exactly alone in the car. Adrien’s bodyguard might not say much, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t listen in. It only made sense for Adrien to play the part of the doting boyfriend considering they were on their way home from a first date, and she supposed that it was her turn to play the flirtatious girlfriend fueled by an intimate evening with said doting boyfriend.

“You just want me to kiss you,” she said, brushing his nose with her finger.

“Fine. You caught me,” he sighed, leaning in close again. “But for the record, I always want to kiss you…if you want to.”

“I want to,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, and she felt his lips curl into a smile before closing around her own.

Acting or not, she wouldn’t complain about getting to kiss Adrien for the duration of the car ride to her house. Especially not when he cupped her jaw in one hand, pulling her in closer at the waist with the other. His lips were gentle and soft, and she felt that blissful numbness clouding her mind. If fake kissing him felt this good, she could only imagine what it would feel like to kiss him for real. To kiss him knowing that he loved her back.

Maybe Alya was right. Maybe Adrien was falling for her, and maybe she really was one step closer to her happily ever after. She seemed to think so as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, twisting strands of her hair around his fingers as his lips met hers with eagerness every time, and she considered for a moment that maybe Adrien genuinely did want to kiss her. The thought made her heart skip, and she quickly dismissed it for fear of the lasting damage of heart palpitations.

It was all just acting. Really, really good acting. And a delightful amount of tongue. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to having him kiss her like this, but she’d certainly enjoy it all the same. Of course, he was far gentler now than he had been the night of Nino’s party, but the passion behind his lips was all the same. And it still made her just as dizzy.

“There’s never enough time left when I kiss you,” Adrien sighed, and Marinette realized that the car had stopped again. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

Marinette blinked a few times as Adrien unbuckled his seatbelt before swiftly doing the same. No matter how many times they made out, she still found herself disoriented for several minutes afterward, and she was grateful that at least in this instance, she was heading up to her room immediately after.

Adrien walked her all the way up to the living room door, pausing outside with a timid smile.

“I really did have an amazing time tonight, and I’m glad that you’re the girl I’m getting to experience all of this with first,” Adrien said, taking her hands in his. “Thank you, for everything.”

“I’m really glad that I’m getting to do this with you too, Adrien,” she said, and his face softened again before he pulled her in for a tight hug.

“I don’t wanna let go,” he murmured against her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck before reluctantly pulling away. “Good night, Cinderella.”

“Good night, my prince.”

***

Come over. I have a surprise for you.

Marinette read over the message again as she stood outside the Agreste mansion gates, patiently waiting for them to open. The small security camera popped out, examining her briefly before the gates parted in front of her, and she headed inside. Adrien was waiting at the door with a huge grin as she made her way up, and he stooped to kiss her in greeting.

“Come in, Marinette. Mr. Agreste would like to see you,” Nathalie said, interrupting their moment, but Adrien perked up with a suspicious giddiness that piqued Marinette’s curiosity.

“What’s this all about?” She asked as they paced across the foyer, and Adrien shot her a knowing smirk.

“You’ll see,” he said as Nathalie opened the door to Mr. Agreste’s office.

Her stomach churned with nerves, but she told herself that if Adrien was smiling then it couldn’t be anything bad. Maybe he’d told them about Lila and gotten her permanently kicked off of their photoshoots. That would make her happy.

“Good afternoon, Marinette,” Gabriel said without looking up from his screen when they entered. “Please, have a seat.”

“Okay…” Marinette said, curling her shoulders a little and sitting awkwardly beside Adrien.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, the Agreste Foundation gala is coming up in a week,” he said, and Marinette sat up a little.

“Yes, my mom and I were going to pick out a dress tomorrow,” she said, and Adrien smirked beside her.

“That won’t be necessary,” Nathalie said, and Marinette turned to her with furrowed brows.

“Oh, am I not going anymore?” She shot Adrien a worried look, and he took her hands in his.

“Of course you are,” he assured her, pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles.

“If you are going to attend the gala with a fashion mogul’s son then you have to look the part, so I’ve had a gift made for you. I’m sure you’ll find its design quite familiar,” Gabriel said, motioning for Nathalie to remove the sheet from a mannequin at the front of the room, and Marinette felt her breath hitch in her throat.

“That’s-” She gasped, shooting up and pacing over get a closer look. “That’s my design?”

“Nathalie showed it to me when you left your sketchbook here, and I thought what better way to support my son and his budding romance than bringing your dreams to life,” Gabriel explained, clasping his hands behind his back. “Your designs show a lot of promise, Marinette, and I felt it best that you attend the gala in something of yours rather than something of mine.”

“But I- this is- I get to wear this?” She stammered, and Adrien suppressed a chuckle, jumping up to stand beside her.

“Yep. It’s a Marinette original,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist as she cupped a hand to her mouth. “Do you like it?”

She flicked her gaze between him, Gabriel, Nathalie, the dress. Her eyes stung with tears, and her throat closed with a dry lump. She wasn’t sure words existed to describe how she felt, so she simply nodded before turning to bury her face in Adrien’s shirt.

“Thank you,” she finally managed, and Gabriel nodded in acknowledgement.

“Nathalie will help you try it on so that we can have it properly fitted. Someone will delivered it to your house this week once it’s finished,” he said, and Marinette flicked her gaze over to Nathalie who gestured for her to follow.

“I wanna see you in it,” Adrien requested, but Nathalie held up a hand to stop him.

“You’ll see it at the gala. Right now you should go practice your piano,” Nathalie stated, her tone leaving no room for argument, so Adrien deflated a little, shooting Marinette a longing look.

“I’ll be in my room then,” he said, pursing his lips. “Can Marinette hang out for a while when you’re finished at least?”

“I suppose.” Nathalie nodded, and he smiled at that.

“Then I’ll see you in a bit, kay?” He blew her a kiss before retreating up the stairs, and Nathalie ushered her into the dining room.

It felt a little surreal putting that dress on, and she half expected herself to wake up before she could get a look in the mirror. She could hardly believe that Gabriel had actually made one of her designs. When she’d designed this dress, she never actually intended for it to exist. It was just a dream. A fantasy. A fairytale.

But she supposed that nothing was outside the realm of possibility in her life anymore. After all, she was fake dating the boy of her dreams to keep him out of the clutches of an evil witch, so she supposed every princess story such as her own came with a fairytale makeover.

“Adrien talks about you a lot as of late,” Nathalie said as she pinned her up. “He’s always requesting that I make time for him to see you. He really cares for you.”

“Oh.” Marinette’s cheeks burned at that. “I- thank you for always making arrangements for us.”

“I’ve known Adrien since he was born, and working for Gabriel, I watched him grow up,” she said. “I know he’s always wanted freedom to do what he wants, so I try to allot him as much as I can.”

“Is that why you talked his father into letting him come to school?” Marinette asked, and Nathalie lowered her gaze with a small smile.

“He was always miserable being cooped up in this house. After his mother disappeared, he stopped smiling for a long time, so I hoped that if he was allowed to go to school like he’d always wanted that it would cheer him up,” she said softly. “I’d say that so far it’s been a success.”

“You really care about him,” Marinette said, feeling her heart sink with a twinge of guilt.

“I’ve never had any children of my own. I guess you could say I’ve always been married to my work, but the Agrestes are family to me,” Nathalie said, sticking the last pin in the skirt. “Adrien took the loss of his mother very hard, and I’m the next female he’s close to, so I try to be there for him as much as I can.”

“You’re really kind, Nathalie,” Marinette said with a smile that Nathalie returned.

“Adrien says the same about you,” she said before moving around to help her out of the dress again. “It’s nice to see his face light up whenever he sees you. I’m glad he’s found someone that can make him happy.”

“Yeah…” Marinette lowered her gaze before stepping out of the dress and changing back into her regular clothes. “Thank you, Nathalie.”

“Thank you, Marinette,” Nathalie said with a smile. “Please continue to make Adrien happy for a long time.”

Adrien was practicing arpeggios when she entered his room, and he smiled up at her as she approached him, pausing his playing briefly as she sat beside him.

“How did it fit?” He asked, switching to a soft tune.

“Fine. It didn’t need very many alterations. Your father has a good eye for measurements,” she said, pressing her palms between her knees. “I kind of know how you felt at dinner with my family now.”

“What do you mean?” Adrien tilted his head, and she lowered her gaze with a frown.

“Nathalie really cares about you, and your father gave us his blessing…It just makes it kind of hard to lie to their faces when they’re so kind and supportive,” she said, and he turned back to the piano.

“Yeah, but it’s like you said. They never have to know it’s not real,” he said, bouncing from one melody to the next. “We should probably be careful talking about it though. They like to watch me closely, and we don’t want them to overhear anything that could give us away.”

“Lila would have a field day if the truth got out,” Marinette said with a sigh. “And we don’t want that happening.”

“No.” Adrien pressed his lips into a firm line, and Marinette drummed her fingers on her legs and pursed her lips.

“So, I’ve never been to a fancy event like this before. What do I need to do? Will there be dancing? Are there going to be photographers?” She asked.

“It’s mostly just to appease my father’s investors and clients. He throws them a fancy party, and they talk business. It’s usually pretty boring for me, but at least with you going I’ll have someone to talk to,” he said. “And I won’t have to dance with any stuck-up girls.”

“Oh, I didn’t know Chloe was coming,” Marinette said with a smirk, and Adrien threw his head back with a laugh.

“Thankfully not.” He shuddered a little, and Marinette pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a laugh.

“I’m not so sure I’m really a step up. You’ll be lucky if I don’t step on your feet,” she said, biting her lip, and Adrien quirked a brow at her.

“We’ve danced before, and you were fine,” he said pointedly, and she averted her gaze.

“Lucky, as I said.” He paused his playing and turned to her.

“Do you want to practice?” He asked, and she shrugged her shoulders.

“I dunno, Adrien, I don’t want to hurt your feet,” she said, and he offered her a hand.

“Dance with me,” he pleaded, sticking out his lower lip. “Please?”

“Don’t you have to practice your piano?” She tapped a key, and he flashed her a smirk then reached for his phone.

“I do this all the time,” he said, queuing up a playlist of recordings. “I record myself sometimes so I can goof off every once in a while.”

“Won’t you get in trouble if Nathalie comes in?” He flicked his gaze up to her with one of those smiles.

“I think you’re worth a light scolding,” he said, setting his phone in the speaker dock and offering her a hand again. “May I have this dance?”

“I suppose,” she sighed, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

“You’ll be fine,” he said, pinching her sides as he pulled her in close. “Just follow my lead.”

Marinette took a breath as they waltzed in circles, those green eyes burning into hers with a gentleness that made her forget her nerves. Why did he have to be so sweet and charming all the time? If she didn’t love him so much, she’d hate him, but she couldn’t even fathom someone hating Adrien. He was just too kind and genuine of a person to hate.

“See? You’re doing fine,” he said softly, and her cheeks warmed as she smiled down at her feet.

See? Her point exactly.

“I guess you’re just good enough of a dancer to cancel out how clumsy I am,” she said, biting her lip.

“You’re just so fun and easy to be with that I stay relaxed. I don’t have to worry about anything when I’m with you,” he said, and her face burned hotter, effectively frying her brain into missing a step and landing her foot right on top of his.

“Sorry!” She jumped back, curling her shoulders. “I told you!”

“Hey, you’re fine.” Adrien pulled her back in and cupped her face. “No harm, no foul. Just relax.”

He pulled her into his arms, opting just to sway in time with the music, and she nuzzled against his shoulder, taking the opportunity to breath in as much of his scent as she could without him noticing. Relaxing around him a few months ago would have been an impossible task, but as he held her close, rubbing her back with his thumb, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease as she melted into him. He didn’t seem to mind, in fact, he welcomed it, tightening his grip around her waist as they circled in place.

“If all else fails we can just do this,” he said in her ear with a breathy laugh.

“I think I like this better,” she said, lifting her head to look up at him, and he touched his forehead to hers.

“I do enjoy being close to you,” he said, and she leaned against his shoulder again with a content smile.

“Can I ask you something?” She said, and he flicked his gaze down to her. “Nathalie told me that she wants me to make you happy for a long time, so how long do you think you’ll stay with me like this?”

“Hmm,” he hummed before shrugging. “I told you before that we would keep this up as long as we had to.”

“I know, but it’s been almost two months now, and we haven’t even considered stopping,” she said, and he seemed to consider that for a moment.

“Do you want to stop?” He asked.

“No, I’m not saying that, but I just- you’re probably getting tired of me I bet.” She lowered her gaze, and he stopped dancing, stepping back slightly to cup his hands to her cheeks.

“I’m not tired of you,” he said, eyebrows knitted together. “I’m really happy that I’m getting to spend so much time with you because I’ve always wanted to.”

“You have?” She blinked, and he squished her cheeks together.

“Of course. You’re only like the coolest girl in class. Everybody loves you, and you’re super talented and awesome. Why wouldn’t I want to be your close friend?” He chuckled. “I was just too shy to really approach you, and you never really approached me either, so I thought that maybe you weren’t interested in being closer than we were.”

“That’s not it at all!” She stepped forward, pulling his hands away from her face. “I just thought you were really cool, and I was too scared that you wouldn’t want to hang out with me.”

“Wait, really?” He seemed surprised by this fact, a small grin curling on his lips. “So, all this time we could have been really good friends, but we were both just too scared to ask each other?”

They held each other’s gazes for a moment in stunned silence before they broke down laughing, and he picked her up and spun her around.

“Why would you think I’m cool though?” He asked, setting her back on her feet. “I’m so lame.”

“Adrien Agreste, you’re cool.” She placed her hands on her hips, and he scoffed.

“I’m not cool.”

“You are cool.”

“So not cool.” He shook his head, and she shot him a scolding glare. “But I am hot.”

She covered her face with one hand and sighed.

“I’m gonna step on your foot on purpose at the gala,” she teased.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he shot back.

“Okay, you know what-” She crossed her arms over her chest, and his shoulders shook with laughter. “I’m gonna break up with you.”

“No, I take it back. Don’t leave me!” He pouted, tugging her back into his arms. “Stay with me.”

“For how long?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Forever,” he said, and she rested her chin on his chest.

“Forever?” She cocked a brow. “So we are going to get fake married then?”

“We’ll have a fake wedding and everything.”

“Are we going to have fake kids too?” She laughed as he laced their fingers together.

“Maybe,” he said then waggling his eyebrows added, “or we could have real kids and live a happy domestic life together.”

“You think you could stand me for that long?” She said, tilting her head to hide the flush of her cheeks.

“Definitely. You’re the cool one, remember? I’m just the hot one,” he said, and she glared back up at him, prompting a cheesy grin. “Can I be your trophy husband after you become a world-famous fashion designer?”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, and he leaned into her face.

“Please?” He kissed her cheek, and she stepped back with a giggle, prompting him to follow, peppering her cheeks with more kisses.

“You’re gonna marry someone way prettier and smarter than me,” she said finally, and he gave her a skeptical look.

“I’m not sure such a girl exists,” he said, shaking his head.

“Don’t sass me.” She pinched his side.

“I’m not sassing you. You’re really pretty and smart, and I would happily be your trophy husband,” he said, holding a hand over his chest, and she rocked back on her heels.

“I suppose I could allow it. You are hot,” she said, pursing her lips. “And also really funny and sweet.”

He smiled at that, leaning down to kiss her softly.

“Then I guess it’s settled. We’re gonna be together forever,” he said, touching his nose to hers. “Sorry, but you’re stuck with me.”

“Darn,” she sighed, and he let out a breathy laugh.

“Whatever ends up happening between us for real, I hope that we stay friends when all of this is over,” he said, and she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck.

“Of course we will. You don’t have to worry about that,” she said, and his face softened with relief.

“I’m glad. You’re someone I don’t ever want to lose, Marinette,” he whispered, and she bit back a smile.

“Yeah. Me too.”

***

Marinette stared across her bedroom at the poofy pink dress. She still couldn’t believe Gabriel had her design made! And she was going to wear it to an official Agreste Foundation gala tomorrow. Every time she looked at it, she felt a surge of pride, but it was almost immediately followed by guilt.

Gabriel had gifted her this dress as a sign of good faith in her relationship with Adrien. Her fake relationship. She told herself that no one ever had to know it was fake, but to receive such a gift under false pretenses made her feel a bit…wrong. Like she was using them even if she knew she wasn’t.

She leaned back in her chair with a sigh. In actuality, if she thought about it, Adrien was the one using her to get out of dating Lila, so one could argue that she deserved such a gift as payment, but she didn’t like thinking like that. She wasn’t helping Adrien to get something out of it herself. Sure, she didn’t want Lila to get a hold of him, but that was less out of jealousy and more out of concern for his well-being. She really did want to help him, whether or not he fell for her in the end. It would be nice, but she was happy just to help him. Besides, this whole experience had brought them closer, so even after it was over, talking to him like a normal human being should be a breeze considering his entire tongue had been in her mouth on several occasions.

When her phone buzzed on her desk, she swiveled around to read the message, a small smile curling on her lips. Speak of the devil.

Hey cutie can you chat? I want you to hear something…

im in my pjs lol she responded

haha that’s fine. He said then a moment later, a video call request flashed on her screen.

“Don’t judge me,” she said when she answered.

“Why would I judge you?” He tilted his head to the side, and she gestured to her pajama and messy hair situation happening. “You look cute, as always.”

She gave him a look before setting her phone on a stack of books and resting her chin on her fist.

“What was it you wanted me to listen to?” She asked, and he perked up.

“Well, I may have kind of wrote you a song,” he said, biting his lip.

“A song?” Her eyebrows raised.

“It’s not finished yet, but I dunno. I sat down to practice yesterday, and I was just thinking about everything you’re doing for me, so I wanted to express my gratitude somehow…” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“As if your father making me a dress I designed isn’t payment enough?” She said pointedly, and he let out a breathy laugh.

“Well, that was a gift from my father that I had nothing to do with. This is something straight from my heart,” he said, placing a hand over his chest. “It’s a little rough, but let me know what you think so far.”

Adrien set the phone on the piano gently before situating his fingers over the keys and taking a deep breath. As he started to play a soft melody, Marinette felt her breath hitch in her throat. Adrien had written such a soft melody for her. He’d spent time thinking about what she meant to him, and in that moment, her heart threatened to burst from her chest. How was it possible that she could still find new ways to love him even now when her heart was so torn?

Marinette closed her eyes as the melody picked up, layered on top of gentle harmonies and allowed herself a few moments to put her worries behind her. She and Adrien would figure it out in the end, and so long as Adrien was safe from Lila, she’d try not to let the fakeness of their relationship get to her. After all, Adrien’s feelings registered to her with every note, and it was clear to her that he cared for her a great deal. Even Alya could see it, so for now that was enough.

“Ah,” he sighed as the song ended abruptly. “I’m still working on the ending, but what do you think so far?”

“It’s beautiful, Adrien. Did you really write it for me?” She asked, blinking her eyes open.

“Well, yeah, I was just thinking about how far our friendship has come since we met, about how we weren’t exactly sure of each other at first, but as we’ve gotten to know each other more, we’ve become so close.” He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Our friendship has really turned into something beautiful that I cherish deeply, and I’m so thankful for that.”

“Me too.” She leaned against her fist with a smile.

“So, ready for tomorrow?” He asked, and she shot her dress an uneasy look.

“I think so?” It came out as a question. “I’m nervous about walking in that big dress, but I’m really excited to attend something so fancy.”

“You’ll be fine. I’ll catch you if you fall,” he chuckled then his face did that thing again, those gorgeous green eyes conveying hidden affection that she didn’t know what to make of. “Do you wanna stay up with me and talk for a while? We didn’t get to see each other much today outside of school.”

“Sure. I was just about to look over my history notes for our test on Monday. Quiz me?” She rolled away to retrieve her notebook.

“Yes, I need to study for that too,” he said, fumbling through his bag.

Adrien had brought up a good point. Having him see her so dressed down before would have sent her into cardiac arrest, let alone talking to him for several hours. They really had come a long way since that day in the rain, and she was really glad for that. And from what she could tell, Adrien had grown more comfortable around her since this all started as well, so maybe there was hope that everything would work out in the end.

“Marinette?” Sabine poked her head in a few hours later. “It’s getting late, honey. Are you still up?”

“Sorry, Mme. Dupain-Cheng. It’s my fault,” Adrien said with a small wave, and Sabine glanced between them with a small smile.

“Five more minutes then go to bed,” Sabine said sternly, giving them a warning look. “Good night.”

“Night,” Marinette and Adrien said in unison as she retreated back down the stairs.

“We always seem to lose track of time when we’re together even through a phone. I guess it’s true what they say about time when you’re having fun,” he said.

“Yeah…” She said, biting her lip. “See you tomorrow?”

“I’ll pick you up at 6.” He nodded.

“Kay, good night,” she said, blowing him a kiss out of habit then curling her shoulders. “Sorry.”

He chuckled good-naturedly before blowing her one in return.

“Good night, beautiful. Can’t wait to see you.” Her heart lurched at that. “You hang up first.”

“Why do I have to hang up first?” She laughed, and he ran a hand through his hair.

“Because I don’t want to. I wanna keep talking,” he said, and she pressed her lips together to hide her smile. “Five more minutes?”

“Okay. Five more minutes.”

[mikauzoran]

Lukadrien/Lukadrienette Drabble: Nachtmusik Chapter Ten

A Little Night Music (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik) Chapter Ten: The ACDC Residence

Adrien was ready to pass out.

…After he scrubbed the rest of the stage makeup off.

Luka and Marinette would fuss if he got the stuff on the sheets (on them and their clothes and the pillows) again, so first he’d take a shower, and then he would crawl into bed between his husband and his wife, and Adrien would pass out.

He opened the front door of their house in the sixteenth arrondissement as quietly as possible, gently pushing it open as he debated whether or not he wanted to risk waking Hugo and Emma by sneaking into their rooms to check on them and give them kisses. Hugo was such a light sleeper, and Emma had been sick when Adrien left that morning. If he woke Hugo up, Hugo would want to cuddle. Ditto with Emma, and he was sure they were both in need of the rest.

Adrien slowly pulled the door closed behind him, only letting go of the knob when the door was flush to avoid making noise.

He needn’t have bothered.

Once inside, he heard the soft and steady sounds of Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude emanating from the front room off to the left of the foyer. The piece was just getting to the deep, rumbly thunder part low in the register that made Adrien shiver in pleasure.

It had to be Luka playing, as Hugo’s little hands couldn’t span an octave yet.

Sure enough, when Adrien peeked around the corner, he found his husband at the piano, their two-year-old daughter in her sling, her head resting above Luka’s heart.

“Hey, Orpheus,” he called softly as he made his way over to his family.

Luka looked up, eyes filled with exhaustion, but when they met Adrien’s, they lit up with renewed energy. “Hey, Perfect Fifth. Welcome home.”

In one fluid motion, Adrien sat on the bench beside Luka and leaned in for a kiss. He could feel Luka smiling into it even as Luka’s fingers still found the right notes on the keyboard.

“Why Chopin?” Adrien chuckled against Luka’s lips before gently nipping and pulling back slightly. “Isn’t that kind of my thing? Why not Ravel?” He carefully reached down and tucked a loose strand of thick, obsidian hair behind Emma’s ear.

Luka’s smile turned pained. “Because Chopin is your thing.” He tipped his chin down at Emma sleeping fitfully, eyes cracking open only to slip closed once more.

“She’s been calling for you all day, Adrien-bocchama,” Nooroo informed, fidgeting nervously as he came to settle in his customary spot on Adrien’s right shoulder.

Adrien gave the butterfly kwami an affectionate scritch under the chin.

“I got her to settle for ‘Daddy’s music’ until you got home,” Luka explained with a weary sigh.

Adrien gave Luka’s ear a nibble. “How’s Hugo?”

Luka took a deep, tired breath. “…Hugo should be back to sleep by now, but he’s already been down here twice fussing over Emmie and asking why Chopin’s always crying in his songs. He said it sounds like ‘Chopin lost something he loved a whole lot’, so we had to talk about how Chopin was sick and lonely and heartbroken. The whole time I was thinking, ‘What four-year-old talks and thinks like this?’”

Adrien rested his chin on Luka’s shoulder as he hummed, “I bet you did.”

Luka rolled his eyes fondly at his husband. “Not even I was that spooky-perceptive that young. I may be considerably empathic, but Hugo looks at you with those big, blue eyes, and he sees into your soul.”

“He would be a good Butterfly Miraculous user,” Nooroo noted, nodding in satisfaction. “I feel a deep affinity with him.”

Luka winced. “Please keep the arcane magic away from our four-year-old. He’s enough of a handful as it is without the ability to create an army. I don’t want him turning out like his grandfath—er…uh…” He turned his head to smile apologetically at Adrien. “Sorry. No offence.”

Adrien shrugged, sitting up straight. “My father has the capacity to be both a very good and a very bad man. I’m proud of him for choosing to fight his inner demons, and I’m grateful that he’s winning. I love my father, but I’m about as eager as you are for our son to take after him. At least Hugo has genetics on his side.”

Luka winced again. “So if he turns out like Gabriel, it’s nurture. If he turns out like my father, it’s nature, and that’s on me and my inferior genes. Thank you, Angel.”

“Any time,” Adrien snickered, giving his husband’s cheek a lick.

Luka tried not to laugh as he ended the Chopin piece on a satisfying closed cadence. “Come here,” he whispered, voice husky and completely enamored as he cupped Adrien’s face, running his thumb tenderly over Adrien’s cheek as he took Adrien’s lips in a deep, unhurried kiss.

The music lapsed, and, with a muted whine, Emma starting to blink sleepily into wakefulness, startling her parents apart with her quiet yet pained cries.

In a flash, Plagg flew out of Adrien’s left shoulder and down to check on his grandkitten. “Hey, Minette,” he purred, rubbing against her cheek.

“Blague,” Emma burbled as Plagg phased through her and came out the other side.

“She’s still hot,” Plagg observed. “I’m intimately familiar with what the internal temperature of a human being is supposed to feel like, and she’s too hot.”

“Her fever hasn’t broken yet?” Adrien gasped, suddenly going cold. He looked to Luka in wide-eyed panic. “Marinette said she was doing better when I called between shows.”

“She is, but she’s still running a temperature. It’s not super high, but…it doesn’t seem to be breaking, so I’m starting to get a little worried. I was waiting for you to get home to decide whether we should take her to the hospital.”

Adrien shook his head. “I’ll ring up one of the doctors Dad has on call and have them come. It’ll be easier than trying to take her out in the cold.”

Luka nodded slowly. “I always forget that we’re rich and can do things like that. I don’t know how I feel about relying on your father, though.”

Adrien waved away Luka’s reservations, already dialing the doctor on call and getting up to pace. “Dad knows she’s sick. When he calls me tomorrow morning, he’s going to ask how she is, and if she’s not better and I haven’t called one of his doctors, he’s going to freak.”

Luka put up his hands in surrender, familiar with how fanatically Gabriel Agreste doted on Hugo and Emma.

“Papá, piano,” Emma whimpered, reclaiming Luka’s attention.

Tears were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes, so he gently wiped them away before obliging her entreaty.

Luka pressed down on the mute pedal as he began Chopin’s Spring Waltz so that Emma could still hear the song but the playing wouldn’t disrupt Adrien’s phone call.

“Thirty to forty minutes depending on traffic, he said,” Adrien reported a minute later, coming back to sit on the bench beside his husband.

Luka smiled wryly. “Seeing as it’s just past one in the morning, I don’t imagine traffic will significantly impact arrival time.”

“Daddy!” Emma called, beginning to struggle. “Papá, down,” she pleaded. “Daddy!”

“Just a sec, Minuet.” Luka stopped playing to loose their daughter from the sling.

“Hey, Angel-Baby,” Adrien cooed, taking the carrier and child from Luka and fitting her to his own body so that she rested snug against his chest. “You not feeling so good?”

Emma made a little grumble, large green eyes staring up distractedly into his own.

Adrien dropped a gentle kiss to his daughter’s forehead and nuzzled her hair, wrapping his arms around her and patting her back. “Hang in there, My Sweet One.”

All the while, Luka looked on with a besotted grin.

Adrien glanced up, caught his husband staring, and quirked an inquisitive eyebrow. “What?”

Luka shook his head, reaching out to run a hand through Adrien’s hair. “You’re so incredibly beautiful; I can’t believe you’re real.”

Adrien laughed in delight, catching himself by surprise. A delicate rose blush spread like spilled ink across his cheeks. “You’ve been married to me for how long?”

“Four years, eleven months exactly now that we’re past midnight,” Luka decreed, immeasurably pleased with himself. “And I thank the powers that be for every hour.”

Adrien gave Luka a warm, soft look. “You and me both.”

Luka leaned in to nuzzle Adrien’s ear. “You holding our daughter ties for second place as my all-time favourite sight.”

“What’s first place?” Adrien wondered.

Luka didn’t even have to think about it. “You and Marinette holding both of our children. No contest.”

“You’re so sappy,” Adrien purred. “I love it. You turn my insides to mush…. You know, when Marinette finally kicks this stomach bug, we should seriously discuss making more babies.”

Luka hummed in amusement, running his hand down Adrien’s neck and back up to rub behind his ear. “You’re already ready for another one?”

“It’s been two years,” Adrien whined, nuzzling Emma’s hair. “…Speaking of our lovely wife, how was Marinette today? Like I said, I called her between shows to check on her and Emmie, but she was really evasive.”

“I’m beginning to think she’s not really sick,” Luka confessed.

Adrien gave him an odd look. “She’s been throwing up for a week. How is she not sick?”

An impish smile unfurled on Luka’s lips, and an excited glint came into his eyes. “You’re out of tofu.”

Adrien frowned, even more confused. “I had half a block left after I made my tofu scramble this morning. How am I out of tofu? No one else eats it.”

“After Marinette finished throwing up this afternoon, she announced that she had the strangest craving for tofu and rose jam.”

Adrien’s eye flew wide. “You think we’re pregnant,” he gasped.

Luka shrugged. “Only Marinette would know for sure, but…I am seeing similarities between this and the other pregnancies.”

Adrien had to restrain himself from tackling Luka or leaping for joy so that he wouldn’t jostle Emma. “I can’t believe it,” he breathed, leaning in and resting his forehead and nose against Luka’s shoulder.

“Please don’t get too excited yet, P5,” Luka begged, beginning to regret telling Adrien. “Please don’t get your hopes up too much until it’s confirmed and the doctor says we’re out of the woods. I don’t want you hurt, and you know how torn up you were after…” Luka bit his lip.

Adrien nodded. “…the miscarriage,” he completed in a whisper, nuzzling Luka’s arm and holding Emma closer. “I know. I’ll calm down,” he promised. “But…a baby,” he giggled. “Even the possibility of a baby is just so…” He looked up and shook his head, grinning. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Luka whispered against Adrien’s lips, taking a long pull from them.

“You should head to bed,” Adrien suggested as they pulled away. “I’ll sit up with Emmie; you’ve had her all day while I was gone and Marinette was sick.”

Luka shook his head. “Adrien, didn’t you have a matinée on top of an evening performance? You must be exhausted.”

Adrien shrugged, downplaying his fatigue. “My understudy is filling in tomorrow; I have the day off, so I can sleep then. You, on the other hand, need to go to bed. Don’t you have some kind of concert tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow night,” Luka countered. “I can sleep all day tomorrow once our daughter is doing better.”

Adrien rolled his eyes at the stubbornness of his spouse. Figuring it wouldn’t do much good to argue, Adrien shrugged. “You know best.”

“Finally he admits it,” Luka snorted, but his smile was all fondness and teasing.

“So…I’m horrible, but remind me of what kind of concert exactly you have tomorrow?” Adrien asked sheepishly. “Are you a rock star or a piano soloist or in with the first violins? You’re too talented. I can’t keep up.”

Luka shrugged and wrapped an arm around Adrien, thumb rhythmically stroking the top of Adrien’s shoulder as Luka tipped his head to rest against his husband’s. “I’m performing with the symphony tomorrow—just one violinist among thirty—so it won’t be as bad if I’m a little tired. The band has shows on Thursday and Friday. Next Saturday and Sunday I’m soloist for Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. Don’t worry about not being able to keep it straight…. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I can’t remember what show you’re in right now. Are you…Raoul in Phantom of the Opera?”

Adrien chuckled, shaking his head as he smoothed Emma’s hair. “That’s next month; we’re in rehearsals, so that’s what you’re thinking of. Right now, I’ve got one more week left of playing Gabriel in Next to Normal.”

Luka nodded, licking his bottom lip. “That’s right…. Isn’t that…a challenging role for you? Maybe a little taxing emotionally?” he carefully inquired. “I remember being a bit nervous when you were telling me about the part.”

Adrien hummed thoughtfully. “…Yeah. Yeah, it is a difficult, draining role. I’m glad it was only for a month. I mean…I play the manifestation of the main character’s dead son and spend the whole musical feeding my ‘mother’’s mental illness, at one point encouraging her to join me in death, and constantly taunting my insecure ‘sister’ and being denied and dismissed by my ‘father’. It’s tough to be in that headspace, but…in the end, each of the characters reaches a sort of closure, and when my ‘father’ finally looks at me and acknowledges me…when he looks at me and says, ‘Gabe…. Gabriel?’, and I smile and say, ‘Hi, Dad’…it’s a good feeling. The whole show I feel like I’m working up to that scene, and that scene makes the rest of it okay.”

Adrien turned his head so that they were face to face and smiled self-consciously. “Does that make any kind of sense? It’s okay if it doesn’t.”

Luka considered for a minute and then nodded. “In a way, yes. I have songs that I wrote about painful things. It stings and throbs and itches when I play them, but when I hit that final note…there’s resolution there. It’s cathartic. Now, I don’t know if I could make it through a two-hour musical experience like that, but…I kind of get what you’re saying.”

Adrien hummed, satisfied. “…It’s different now than it was a decade ago. I wouldn’t have been able to play Gabriel when I was eighteen. Now, it’s okay because the wounds have scabbed over a bit. My relationship with my dad is…I mean, we have a relationship. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. It’s strong. He’s hurt me, and there are things that are difficult to forgive him for that still kind of hang between us, but I’m mostly at peace with my dad. And I finally have closure about my mom.”

Luka tightened his hold on Adrien.

“Just knowing that she’s dead and that she didn’t abandon me…that’s a huge weight off. There’s still a lot of pain there, but it’s better than the decade I spent thinking not even my mother loved me.” Adrien smiled sadly at his husband. “It’s also different because I have my own family now. You and Marinette…with you two beside me, I don’t have to be afraid of anything. I know you two will always catch me if I fall. We had a bit of a bumpy start, but we fell into place, and now we’re unshakeable. And our kids…”

Adrien looked down at Emma, and his heart swelled. “This is pure, untainted, uncomplicated love. Having kids of my own with the two people I love most in the universe has given me all kinds of closure and a new perspective on my relationships with my own parents. I couldn’t have played Gabriel ten years ago, but now…with my family, our home…it’s a healing experience more than reopening old wounds.”

“Yeah,” Luka whispered, kissing the side of Adrien’s head. “Yeah. I know what you mean. These past five years…our marriage, our children…even though there have been dark times, these past five years have done a lot to heal the wounds inside of me.”

“Blague?” Emma called as she came into wakefulness once more.

Plagg was hovering at her side in a heartbeat. “Yes, Minette?”

“Purr?” she entreated, turning her big, peridot baby eyes on him.

Plagg nestled up against Emma on Adrien’s chest and started a gentle, comforting purr.

“Plagg, you’re so whipped,” Adrien snickered.

Plagg gave a little snort but kept purring. “It’s been a long time since one of my kittens had kittens. This is special, Kid. Precious.”

“Yeah,” Adrien sighed contentedly, raising a finger to scratch between Plagg’s ears.

“Daddy?” Emma called, eyes glassy with fever.

Adrien’s ears perked up. “Yeah, Angel-Baby? What is it?”

“Piano?” she mewed interrogatively.

“Looks like she’s tired of hearing me play,” Luka chuckled, giving Adrien’s arm a pat before scooting over on the bench to give Adrien better access to the instrument.

“You have been playing for several hours,” Nooroo reasoned, poking his head out of Adrien’s right shoulder to gaze down at Plagg and Emma. “Poor baby.”

“What do you want to hear Daddy play, Emmie?” Adrien inquired as he warmed up with some scales.

“Papá song,” she answered sleepily.

Adrien and Luka looked at each other, raising eyebrows in tandem.

“Ravel?” Adrien guessed.

Emma made a little hum of assent. “Woof,” she specified.

Luka and Adrien traded glances.

“I believe she means barque,” Nooroo translated.

Adrien and Luka nodded, sharing an, “Ooooh” of elucidation.

“Miroirs Three: Une Barque sur l’Ocean,” Adrien announced and began to play a series of shimmering, rolling notes: sails billowing in the soft breeze, seagulls calling in the distance, waves gently lapping at the side of the boat, the sun shining down in a bright, even shower of tangible warmth.

Emma’s eyes slipped closed two minutes in, and she quickly fell back to sleep.

Adrien kept playing with a soft smile.

Luka was content just to watch and treasure the moment.

“You know,” Adrien chuckled quietly. “I was talking to the people in charge of marketing and programs for the production of Phantom of the Opera I’m going to be in, and I managed to convince them of the efficacy of crediting me as ‘Adrien ACDC’.”

Luka cracked up. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, I did,” Adrien snickered. “Didn’t I tell you I would? They were a little reluctant to lose the ‘Agreste’ because of name recognition, but I reasoned with them that it was a ridiculous amount of space on the line, not to mention the ink, to print ‘Adrien Agreste-Couffaine-Dupain-Cheng’. They suggested just going by my maiden name, so I told them that those three other names were a hard-won battle that I shed blood, sweat, and tears for and that I wasn’t giving them up without a full-scale war…. So ‘Adrien ACDC’ it is.”

“That’s too wonderful,” Luka laughed, putting a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound so as not to wake Emma. “I might need to talk to my agent about crediting me as ‘Luka ACDC’ going forward. That’s too wonderful.”

“Aren’t you glad I thought of it?” Adrien preened.

Luka nodded appreciatively. “It’ll make signing autographs a lot easier.”

Just then, a trampling of feet came pounding down the stairs, long nails clicking on the wood floors.

Adrien made a mental note to schedule a grooming appointment to have those nails trimmed. The children often roughhoused with Mélodie and were liable to get scratched.

One hundred pounds of pony-sized Anatolian Shepherd lumbered into the front room, a sleepy-eyed Hugo loosely hanging onto her creamy tan coat.

“Papá?” Hugo yawned. “Daddy?”

“Hey, Buddy. Up again?” Luka got to his feet and scooped Hugo into his arms, bringing their four-year-old to sit on the bench with them.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Hugo explained, resting his head on Luka’s shoulder.

“Hey, Sweet Prince,” Adrien greeted, leaning in to kiss his son’s forehead and nuzzle his thick black hair.

This resulted in Adrien fumbling a few notes and Emma stirring once more with a little whimper.

“Sorry, Angel-Baby,” Adrien whispered.

“How’s Emmie?” Hugo leaned in to look down at his sister, sapphire eyes wide with worry.

“Gogo,” Emma whined, and Hugo reached out to stroke her hair.

Nooroo flew over to nestle in his favourite spot on top of Hugo’s head.

Mélodie sat at Adrien’s feet, resting her head on the piano bench and nosing Adrien’s thigh for attention.

“Hey, Baby Girl,” Adrien cooed.

Mélodie gave a tired thump of her tail. She would be ten years old in December, and she was beginning to slow down. She adored her little siblings, but Hugo and Emma wore Mélodie out.

“Emmie’s in pain,” Hugo observed, beginning to tear up himself.

“She’s going to be just fine, Young Master Hugo,” Nooroo assured, petting Hugo’s hair.

“Yeah. No need for tears, Minou.” Plagg flew up to wipe Hugo’s eyes before returning to his post cuddled up with Emma.

“We called one of your grandfather’s doctors, and he’ll be here soon to take care of her,” Luka added with a big, encouraging smile.

Hugo looked deep into Luka’s eyes and frowned. “You’re worried, Papá.”

Luka grimaced. “But that’s no reason for you to be. This is a grownup worry thing, not a Hugo worry thing. …Why don’t you play something for your sister? Emmie, would you like to hear Hugo play?”

“Mmm. Gogo,” Emma agreed.

Hugo pursed his lips, staring Luka down for a minute before relenting. He turned himself on Luka’s lap and slowly worked through Adrien’s usual set of ‘bare-minimum-warmup’ scales. He took a deep breath and carefully, slowly started to play Mozart’s Twelve Variations on “Ah, Vous Dirai-Je, Maman”.

“Twinkle, twinkle little bat,” Emma sang along, substituting in the lyrics from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that Adrien had been reading the children as their bedtime story. (It was a dramatic reading complete with singing and dancing and character voices and sound effects. Sometimes Marinette and Luka would come stand in the hall to peek in and listen without disrupting the children’s one-on-one time with Adrien.)

Hugo’s hands were sometimes too small to hit all the notes, and his motor control wasn’t good enough to always play at tempo, but he did his best, and, although his best paled in comparison to his professional and hobbyist pianist fathers, he far outshone most other four-year-olds.

“That’s really awesome, Hugo,” Luka praised as Hugo finished playing the theme section with relative control and fluidity.

Hugo smiled up toothily at his fathers. “I can do more. It’s not that good—I can’t do it like it’s supposed to be—but I can do the first six variations.” He proceeded to play the first variation slowly and imperfectly, but his performance definitely showed promise.

Luka let out a low whistle. “You’ve got all that in your head?”

Hugo nodded, moving on to the second variation.

“Where did you learn this?” Adrien wondered, awed. “We don’t have the sheet music, do we? Was it in one of your beginning piano books?”

Hugo shook his head, concentrating hard on the notes. “Grandpa plays it with me. He says the songs in my books are too simple for me, so we play Mozart when I go over.”

Luka looked at Adrien quizzically.

Adrien put his hands up in surrender. “I did not know about this.”

“And you like playing Mozart with your grandfather?” Luka asked neutrally, testing the waters.

Hugo nodded, hitting the wrong key, frowning, and starting the measure over to fix the mistake. “It’s fun. We play other stuff too.” Hugo gave up on talking and playing at the same time and looked up at his fathers. “Grandpa likes Ravel like Papá, so sometimes we play Ravel. I like the fairytale pieces.”

Adrien nodded knowingly, his nose scrunching up. “He used to make me play those.”

Luka frowned. “You didn’t like them?”

Adrien’s grimace turned sheepish. “I didn’t like that he made me play them.”

Luka hummed in understanding.

“Is that why you didn’t love the piano until you met Papá?” Hugo inquired, big sapphire eyes boring into Adrien.

Adrien blushed, head tipping to the side. He adjusted his hold on Emma. “That’s part of it.”

Luka rested a hand on Adrien’s knee and squeezed.

Adrien placed his hand on top of Luka’s, rubbing his thumb back and forth in a quiet, unspoken declaration of love.

“Grandpa doesn’t make me play piano,” Hugo remarked thoughtfully. “I have to make him some days. Some days he has projects he has to work on, so I play on his tablet painting clothes until he can play piano with me.”

Luka and Adrien blinked down at their son.

“He lets you play with the tablet? He never let me play with the tablet,” Adrien pouted, giving Luka’s hand a squeeze. “Orpheus, I think my father loves my son more than me.”

Luka tried not to laugh too hard. “It’s okay, P5. Don’t get a complex. I love you.”

“I love you, Daddy,” Hugo chimed in.

“Mmmm,” agreed Emma.

Nuzzles and kisses were passed all around.

Then Hugo thought of something. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that I paint clothes. Don’t tell Grandpa I told. It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

Adrien and Luka’s brows furrowed at that.

“What kind of surprise?” Adrien pressed. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Grandpa you told.”

Hugo bit his lip. “…When I paint clothes, Grandpa tells me which ones are really good, and we save those ones to make into clothes patterns in real life like Maman does. Grandpa trusts money for the clothes that become real, and he said that when I’m older I can trade the trust to go to university or for a boat like Nanna’s Liberty or a bicycle or a whole lot of ice cream or the newest Zelda game or whatever I want.”

Adrien got the feeling that Hugo had verified this list with Gabriel, item by item.

“That’s…really generous of him,” Luka replied, a little stunned. “Very…thoughtful.”

“But Grandpa said it should be a surprise because it was too much like working and you wouldn’t like me working.” Hugo looked back and forth between his parents. “But I like painting clothes. I don’t have to stop, do I?”

“No,” Adrien assured, reaching out to stroke his son’s face. “You can keep painting clothes as long as you want. I think I owe your grandpa a thank you, though. That really is nice of him to do that for you.”

Suddenly distracted, Hugo looked down at Emma. “Emmie’s feeling better.”

Plagg quirked an ear curiously. He hadn’t felt any change in Emma’s status, pressed up against her as he was, but he experimentally phased through Emma anyway. “She is cooling down,” he confirmed. “Still a little hot, but definitely better.”

“Thank God,” Adrien breathed as Luka sighed in relief.

Hugo turned back to the piano and began to play the Snowdin Town theme from Undertale.

Luka snickered, leaning in to nip Adrien’s ear. “He’s your son all right.”

Adrien nipped back, getting Luka’s cheek. “He’s inherited my good taste in video games. You should be grateful. I mean, he’s biologically Marinette’s son. You dodged a bullet.”

“Papá, play the bottom hand,” Hugo instructed. “My hands are too little to do the chords one-handed.”

“On it,” Luka assured as Adrien held in a laugh. He teased Luka with his eyes instead.

Luka made faces back at Adrien as Hugo played contentedly and much more consistently than with the Mozart.

“We’re doing Scarlet Forest from Delatrune next,” Hugo announced, and Luka was happy to comply.

Emma hummed dreamily along.

When they’d finished, Hugo looked up and back and forth between his parents. “Now you two. Play Field of Hopes and Dreams from Deltarune. Daddy, you be on top. Papá, you take bottom.”

Luka clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing.

Adrien just grinned. “I mean…what else is new?”

Luka flicked Adrien’s cheek without malice. “You say that like we never switch.”

Adrien shrugged. “I just know your preferences.”

“Piano,” Emma whined, losing patience with her fathers.

Luka shook his head and counted them in, covering the bottom line with his left hand while Adrien took the top with his right. It was a little difficult with both children in the way, and sometimes their hands almost overlapped in the quick note turnover, but they managed and stayed more or less in sync.

As the last chord rang out and dissipated into the air, applause sounded from the entranceway.

Luka, Adrien, Hugo, and Nooroo turned as one to find Marinette watching them.

“Maman!” Hugo called out, hopping down from Luka’s lap to go to his mother.

Mélodie wisely moved her tail out of the way with a little whine of indignation.

“Mama!” Emma echoed, beginning to fidget.

“Just a sec and I’ll let you out, Love,” Adrien promised, standing and undoing the sling so that he could hand off the wiggling Emma to her mother.

Marinette tussled Hugo’s hair as he wrapped his arms around her legs. “What are you still doing up, Caterpillar?” she hummed, smiling down lovingly at her child.

“I was worried about Emmie, so I couldn’t sleep,” Hugo explained, squeezing Marinette’s knees to his chest. “Papá and Daddy and I were playing piano for her.”

“You’re such a good big brother,” Marinette chuckled before turning carefully to take Emma from Adrien. “And how’s my baby girl?” she cooed, nuzzling Emma and giving her a kiss.

“Better,” Luka supplied, coming up behind Adrien and wrapping his arms around him, pulling Adrien back against himself and giving Adrien’s neck a kiss. “She’s still feverish, but I think it’s going down. One of Gabriel’s doctors is on his way to get her checked out, though.”

“Probably for the best.” Marinette nodded, bouncing Emma gently and making soothing clicking sounds with her tongue.

“Do I get a welcome home kiss, or am I old news nowadays?” Adrien pouted, leaning back against Luka, placing his arms on top of his husband’s.

Tikki flew up and deposited a kiss on the tip of Adrien’s nose. “Welcome home, Adrien!”

Luka snickered into Adrien’s neck, the vibrations tickling.

Adrien laughed. “Thanks, Tikki. It’s good to be appreciated.”

Marinette smiled, but it was her ‘smug Ladybug’ smirk. “You’ve got one of the hottest guys in the country literally hanging off of you, and you want my attention too?”

“I’m greedy.” Adrien shrugged, turning his head to lick Luka’s cheek.

“You’re needy,” Marinette corrected, shifting Emma onto her hip so that she could have a hand free to pet Hugo’s hair, mindful of the kwami still perched there.

“You married me, Milady,” Adrien tossed back.

Marinette shook her head. “Not legally, Chaton. Legally, you’re Luka’s problem.”

“Be nice to my husband, Chanson,” Luka chuckled. “He’s perfect.”

“Isn’t he, though?” Marinette stepped in, careful of Hugo, to press her lips to Adrien’s. She pulled back so that their noses brushed. “Welcome home, Adrien.”

“Good to be home, Princess,” Adrien purred, perfectly content to be sandwiched between the two people he loved most with the children their love had made.

“…but I think you need to take your husband back up to bed,” Adrien added gently. “He’s got a concert tomorrow night, and you’re still sick, so you could both use the sleep. Only one of us needs to stay up with Emmie to wait for the doctor.”

“I don’t want to go to sleep,” Hugo pouted, sounding like a tiny Adrien replica. “I want to make sure Emmie’s okay.”

“She’s going to be fine, Buddy,” Luka assured, reluctantly letting go of Adrien to scoop up their son. “Why don’t I go tuck you in?”

Hugo gave Luka the ‘petulant Adrien frowny face’.

“Or not,” Luka conceded defeat. He’d never been much good up against the full-sized version of the ‘petulant Adrien frowny face’, and the miniature version wasn’t any easier an opponent.

“How about we all pile onto the couch and wait together?” Marinette suggested, leading the way with Emma.

Adrien, Luka carrying Hugo, the kwamis, and Mélodie all fell into step behind her. Marinette tucked her feet under herself as she sat on the near end of the couch with Emma reclining against her. Mélodie curled up on the floor in front of Marinette, and Tikki landed on Emma’s head. Plagg snuggled up next to Tikki, and Adrien curled up with Marinette. Luka threw an arm around Adrien as he sat on the far end of the sofa, hip to hip with Adrien and with Hugo on his lap, Nooroo on Hugo’s head. All together, they made a snug bunch.

“So,” Adrien hummed once they were all situated. “…Luka tells me that you ate my tofu, Buginette? Care to explain yourself?”

“Adrien,” Luka scolded. It wasn’t very effective, as he was smiling widely at the time.

Marinette blushed and returned her husbands’ grins. “I haven’t taken a test yet, but…it’s highly possible that our family might be getting bigger in the near future.”

Adrien could barely contain his squeal of glee as he leaned in to place a sloppy kiss on the side of Marinette’s head and then turned to do the same to Luka.

Hugo looked back and forth between his parents. “Are we finally getting a hamster?”

Marinette laughed like the starlight-like notes of the upper register of the piano. “No, Sweetie. Maybe someday…but I was talking about a baby.”

“Baby?” Hugo scrunched up his nose.

“Mmhm. How would you like a new little brother or sister?” Marinette proposed.

Hugo’s expression turned troubled. “But I like Emmie! I don’t want a different sister. Is this because she got sick?”

Adrien clapped a hand firmly over his mouth.

Marinette grimaced. “Oh…no, Sweetie.”

Luka gave Hugo a squeeze. “Buddy, Emmie’s not going anywhere. We meant that we’re going to have a new baby in addition to Emmie.”

“I get to keep Emmie?” Hugo verified, a hint of terror still in his voice.

“Yes,” Luka stressed. “And you’ll get a new little sibling too.”

Hugo pursed his lips and thought about this. “…Okay. That would be okay. …Could we get one with hair like Daddy and eyes like Auntie Juleka and skin like Uncle Nino? Can you order one like that?”

“Do we tell him about designer babies?” Adrien chuckled.

Marinette smacked his arm. “No, Sweetie. You don’t order babies. You grow them. They’re like flowers.”

“So can’t we just buy seeds for a baby with yellow hair and orange eyes and tan skin?” Hugo reasoned, looking up at Luka.

Luka and Marinette grimaced in unison.

Adrien took a stab at answering the question. “Unfortunately, we only have seeds on hand for babies with blue or green eyes and black hair. Maybe brownish hair if the genes mix right. Your new little sibling is going to look a lot like you and Emmie. If not, your mother will have some explaining to do.”

Marinette pinched Adrien’s nose hard.

“Ow!” Adrien whined. “It was a joke. I was joking, Milady. Luka, save me!”

“You’re on your own, P5,” Luka snickered.

“Mama, no hurt Daddy,” Emma whimpered, reaching for Marinette’s arm.

Marinette let go of Adrien and beamed down at her daughter. “Oh, Baby, I wasn’t really hurting him.”

Adrien leaned in to nuzzle Marinette’s ear affectionately. “We were just playing. We love each other, right, Princess?”

“Mmhm,” Marinette agreed, turning to catch Adrien’s lips. As they pulled away, Marinette gave Adrien another ‘smug Ladybug’ smirk. “But I like Luka better.”

Adrien stuck out his tongue. “What a crazy coincidence. I do too.” He turned to wrap his arms around Luka, tucking his head under Luka’s chin. “Mine.”

Hugo reached out, putting his hand on Adrien’s face. “You’re silly, Daddy.”

“I’m theatrical,” Adrien corrected patiently. “That’s why I’m so good at my job.”

“I’m good at playing pretend too,” Hugo boasted, grinning broadly. “…How old do you have to be before they give you money to watch you play pretend?”

“I had my first acting role when I was a couple months old,” Adrien recounted, reaching out to stroke Hugo’s hair. “My mom, your Grandma Émilie, was an actor like I am. I used to be in plays and musicals with her when I was little. There are roles for children of all ages, but…I think maybe you should wait until you’re a little older.” Adrien snuck glances at Marinette and Luka who both nodded.

“How old?” Hugo pressed.

Adrien bit his lip. “Hmmm…a few years older? The Parental Council will discuss and let you know. If you’re still interested when you’re a little older, maybe we can sign you up for a class or a summer camp or something. I don’t know. I don’t know if I want you jumping into the bigtimes right away like I did. Being famous is no good for a kid. I know you’re already kind of there just with your family, but…I don’t want that for you, Hugo. Okay?”

Hugo frowned and opened his mouth to ask a question, but he was blindsided by an enormous yawn. “Okay,” he replied sleepily, starting to rub at his eyes.

“Why don’t you sleep for a bit?” Luka suggested. “We’ll wake you up when the doctor gets here.”

Hugo blinked slowly at his father. “No, you won’t,” he moped but set his head down on Luka’s left shoulder anyway, closing his eyes. “Daddy, wake me up, please.”

“Will—” Adrien was cut off by a yawn of his own. “—Sorry. Will do.”

Marinette and Luka snickered at Adrien’s expense.

“Tired, Chaton?”

“You can close your eyes for a bit too, Angel,” Luka tempted with a smirk.

Adrien nuzzled Luka’s neck. “I’m not falling for your clever scheme. I’m staying awake with Emmie. You should head up to bed.”

Luka turned his smirk on Marinette. “He’ll be asleep in less than five minutes.”

Adrien bit his husband.

Luka chuckled sibilantly. “I love you.”

“…of ya…too,” Adrien replied disjointed, his breath starting to even out. His eyelids fluttered open several times as he fought off inevitable slumber, but he eventually succumbed to sleep.

Marinette smiled at Luka. “You know, if you wanted to close your eyes for a few minutes…”

Luka rolled his eyes. “Love you too, Chanson.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” she assured, reaching out past Adrien to fiddle with a strand of Luka’s hair.

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist. “I know.”

[freedom-shamrock]

Taste of Freedom

Also on AO3. This is a Hugdrien story and direct follow up to “Settled In”, though it can stand on its own.  It is also the @adrinetteapril April 15 prompt, heartache. 

For the first time in her entire secondary school career, Marinette had no trouble getting ready for school on time. It helped that her boyfriend and superhero partner was now her roommate, and that he was definitely a morning person.  It also helped that he offered sweet rewards, like kisses and neck nuzzles, along with his nudges to keep her moving.

"Have a great morning, kids," her papa called, waving as they picked up a small bag on their way out the door.  "See you at lunch."

"Bye, Dad," Adrien replied, positively beaming.  He hadn't taken up residence with them for even 24 hours yet, and he already looked so much happier.  "Have a fantastic morning."

Marinette ignored the wide-eyed looks of their customers, many of whom were long term and knew she was an only child, and most of whom recognized him as Adrien Agreste.  She caught his hand and tugged him out of the bakery. At this rate, the gossip rags would have them married by lunch, but she didn't really care that much. His joy was infectious, and she smiled at him as they started down the sidewalk.  

"I like seeing you like this," she said.  "It might even be nicer than hugging you."

His eyes narrowed slightly.  "To be clear, you aren't planning on withholding hugs just because I'm happy, right?"

"Of course not," she insisted with a laugh.  "I'd never do that to you."

"I know, and I'm grateful," he replied, going completely serious.

And she was back to wanting to suit up to plant her first in his father's face.  "Unlike the poorly-blended buttercream that you commonly call 'father,' I am not an abusive fuck."

His eyes went wide.

"I'm honestly horrified that you think it's okay or even necessary to thank me for not being manipulative."  She held up a hand when it seemed like he was about to interrupt.  "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault you were conditioned by a loaf of moldy supermarket bread to expect abusive treatment."  She sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't realize earlier how bad it was for you."

"It's not your fault, Princess."  He leaned down and kissed her forehead.  "I didn't really realize it, either." He shrugged.  "And since we're on the subject of my delightful father."

She rolled her eyes and bit back the commentary that wanted to come out.

"I'm meeting with him after school."  He pulled on her hand when his words made her freeze in the middle of an intersection.  "Not at the mansion, because I don't want to have to physically fight anyone to get back out."

"You think he'd…" she stopped herself, shaking her head.  Of course Gabriel would try to use force to keep his son under his control.  "When and where, and should I be there?"

"Right after school."  His smirk was very Chat Noir in nature.  "With two months until Final Bac, he tried to pull me out of school once he realized I'd really moved out.  Or rather, once Nathalie told him. But I'm eighteen, so Mr. Damocles contacted me to see if this was what I really wanted. With a very brief summary of the situation, he was willing to let us borrow his office."

"Wow."  She smiled.  "Score one for Mr. Owl."

"Yeah.  It's honestly the most neutral spot we could meet."  He looked down at his feet. "I think you shouldn't be there, just because that would give my father a target other than me, and the minute he blames you, I might kick his stupid teeth in."

"Oh."  She stared at him, surprised.  It was a really good reason. "Uh.  Can I wait for you in the library?"

"I'd love that, actually."

Marinette was on her feet and out of her chair the moment Adrien opened the library door.  Shoving her sketchbook into her bag, she jogged over to him before he'd gone more than three steps.  His arms were slipping around her waist, pulling her to him before any words were spoken, which was unusual for him.  Even after being assured that hugs were available anytime without a request, he tended to ask or announce his plans to hug her.  She felt a faint tremble in his hands where they rested on her back.

She pulled his head down to her shoulder, pushing her fingers into his hair.  She wanted to ask what happened, but it was obviously bad, probably even worse than he'd expected, and really, she didn't need to know right now.  

"Can we go home?" he asked, his voice small.

"Yeah."  She tightened her arms around him.  "You want to go the regular way, or the fast way."

"Fast, please," he mumbled.

She stepped back, and he let her.  She took his hand and hauled him to one of her favorite on campus places to transform.  It was even easier since school was over, and the only students they had to watch out for were staying after for clubs or studying.  In less than five minutes, they were dropping into her… their bedroom through the skylight, transforming as they hit the bed.

"What do you need?" she asked.  "You don't have to tell me what happened or even how you're feeling, just let me know what I can do to help you."

"Can we snuggle?"  

She hated hearing him so meek. She flopped onto her back and held out her arms.  "Come here Kitty. Ooph." He'd sprawled mostly on top of her, burrowing his face into her neck.  She settled herself in for a long session of comforting him, one hand on his back and the other in his hair.

After several minutes, he broke the silence.  "I don't know why I let him do this to me. I give him power he doesn't deserve over me."

"It's hard to break a pattern after several years," she said.  "Even if you can look at it and logically recognize something isn't right, emotions don't work like that."

"It makes me feel stupid," he grumbled.

"You aren't stupid, but it's okay to feel that way."  She sighed. "Should I ask what happened or would you rather not talk about it?"

"He's just such a jerk," he blurted, one of his hands finding the skin of her arm to draw random designs with his fingertips.  "He didn't think I'd actually move out."

"Not a surprise, there," Marinette said.  Gabriel's reaction after Adrien announced he was leaving, had not sounded like a man who believed his son.

"And he thought he could threaten me into going back."  He moved to rest his head on one hand, but kept his eyes on the mindless motion of his fingers.  "No bribery, and certainly no apologies. Not even empty promises that neither of us believe anymore."

"Ugh."  She couldn't quite keep it in at this point.  "How on earth did you spend the last five years raised by that separated ganache emulsion, and end up so kind and caring?"  His lips twitched briefly into a faint smile, reinforcing her use of food-based insults. She shook her head. "Do we need to do anything to prepare to deal with his threats?"

Adrien snorted.  " He thinks he can blackball me from modeling, cut off my income and ability to support myself, but he's going to be disappointed on that front."  He smirked. "The day before I moved, I spent a lot of time contacting other agencies and fashion houses in Paris, and it turns out Gabriel Agreste has made plenty of enemies with that charming personality of his."

"Oh my," Marinette whispered in delight.

"Enough of them are eager to poach the Agreste heir, that they aren't going to push for long term contracts with non-compete clauses, leaving me free to model what I want."  He looked pleased for a moment, then it gradually faded. "He didn't mention you, but I get the feeling this won't be the last I hear from him. I'm worried he'll try to hurt your career next."  His warm green eyes filled with tears. "And I know, rationally, that none of this is my fault, but it's like you said. And I can't help but wonder why my own father doesn't love me."

Marinette reached up to catch his tears with her thumbs.

"And the things he said…"  He took an abrupt breath. "He wants to hurt me, ruin me so I come crawling back to him.  I expected the anger, but that…" he gulped. "It was worse than even I imagined he could be capable of."

Seeing him so hurt, made her feel like crying, and she had to swallow the frog in her throat before she could speak.  "Think you'll be up for a war council tomorrow? I think you'll feel better if we have contingencies."

"War council?"  His tear-stained puzzled look was positively heartbreaking.

She nodded.  "Mama, Papa, Alya, Nino, and Chloe.  They love you too, and we're going to help you move past this so you can regularly be the happy guy you were this morning."

Next in series > No More Lumpy Custard