Notes:
Trigger warning for this chapter: Mentions of abortion
Y'all wanted Adult!Chadrien, right? Here ya go.
Chapter 3: Afternoon 1
Adrien popped his leather jacket's collar once more. The supple material did a well enough job of hiding his face along with his shaggy hair flapping against his forehead and cheeks, but he could never be careful enough. He knew the dangers of being found by anyone outside the Miraculous Team. And if his father caught wind of someone of his description being seen, he had no doubt bodyguards would be on his tail. And though it had been several years, he wasn't sure if he could face his father yet. Actually, no. He knew he could not. The thought of confronting him brought a deep frown to the man's flawless face. Once Hawk Moth had been captured in his time, Adrien could not even bring himself to visit the man's prison. Not after he had attacked Ladybug. Not after everything he had done. And it had all been so pointless. His mother could not have been saved.
"I know what you're thinking, Kid, and you need to cool it." A nasal voice drawled from his pocket. The man's frown deepened as he turned a corner. He tapped the ear piece had had taken up wearing. It was easier to talk to Plagg in public if people assumed he was speaking into his Bluetooth. It cut down on the amount of time he spent trying to duck into alleyways and bathrooms.
"I'm twenty-five, Plagg. When will you stop calling me that?" He didn't mind the nickname, truly, but he didn't want to delve into the topic of his father with Plagg. He knew the topic would come up evidentially, but he needed to keep it as quiet as he could. This Marinette and Adrien could not learn Hawk Moth's identity. Not yet. And he had promised Nino he would not destroy the timeline.
"When you stop acting like one," was Plagg's retort. "You know Marinette's going to kill you when we get back."
Adrien winced. That was in fact true. He had not been totally honest with Marinette when he left.
'I'm heading out, bug. You need anything?'
She had smiled at him like he was her whole damn world. And he figured he was because she was his whole world. Adrien could still not believe that she loved him back. That she was more than willing to be with him. That she agreed to marry him and start a family.
That she was willing to risk her life for him.
He growled and clenched his fists. He had been so stupid. He had known it would happen and he had gotten careless, sloppy. He had once more failed to protect her. All because he forgot a condom one time. One time he had allowed himself to be seduced by the miraculous beauty and had gotten lost in the moment. He knew he wasn't totally to blame. She had obviously forgotten her pill a morning or two. Fashion Week did that to people. Marinette had been running herself ragged for a month and he had barely gotten to see or touch her. And at the end of it, when she had finally collapsed in his arms, he could not stop himself from kissing her, from trailing his fingertips across her soft skin, from whispering his undying love for her, from worshiping her body.
His heart clenched as he thought over that night once more. God, he loved her so much. And he wanted a family with her, but not at the cost of her life. In the end, Hawk Moth had made sure he had gotten the final blow.
'I love you, kitty. Come back soon, okay?'
Adrien stopped much to the dismay of a few businessmen behind him. With a shuddering breath, he leaned against the wall with his shoulder. "I can't lose her, Plagg," the man admitted. He dragged a hand down his face, the stubble of his light beard scratching against his palm. "I should have been more careful. I knew it would happen and I tried so hard to keep her safe. But I…" He closed his eyes against the onslaught of pain.
"And that's why we're here, Kid. Fu can help us. This is why Nino and I helped you to learn Black Hole. We care about her, too, you idiot." He felt Plagg's nub poke his chest and cracked a small grin. "And once we figure this mess out, you're not getting near her without a chastity belt, you tomcat."
Adrien's response was a hard slap to his chest that made a few pedestrians ogle him strangely and Plagg to hiss.
XXX
The old Chinese shop was just as he remembered it. It had long ago been torn down in his time to make room for developmental buildings. He thought they may have been law or doctor offices, but he wasn't sure and tried his best to avoid the area since it brought back too many painful memories. He rolled his shoulders to release some tension before he pushed the door aside. Adrien strolled the familiar walls casually with his focus centered on the makeshift examine room Fu practiced inside that was just off to the side of the main living room area. Adrien could remember secret meetings being held there before the team went after his father. Before everything went to Hell.
The exam room door was shut and he could hear faint mutterings inside due to his enhanced hearing. He rapped on the door with his knuckles. "Please wait in the front room!" Fu called from within.
Adrien cracked his knuckles against the door once more. "I hate to bug you, but I'm afraid this is a purrsonal call," he replied. He knew his voice was much deeper than the Adrien Fu knew, but the puns would be telling enough until Fu saw his face.
The was a beat of silence before Fu whipped the door open. Adrien shot the older man a two-finger salute and his eyes widened. Fu turned back to his client and said, "I'm sorry, but we'll have to cut your appointment short. You can see yourself out, yes?"
The business man stood from the massage table and straightened his suit jacket. Adrien could tell it was a Gabriel brand. All of Fu's clients were wealthy businessmen with ties to his father or his father's circle. Adrien stepped back into the faint shadows of the hall and hung his head down, his shaggy blonde locks falling into his face like a shield. He saw the man frown at him but he left the room and passed the two others before heading for the front door. Fu waited for the faint click of the main door before he addressed Adrien. "You were foolish to come here," he sighed and stroked his beard. "You weren't careful either. You're all over the Ladyblog." Fu walked closer to the main room. "But, I figure since Plagg taught you Black Hole, there is a reason you're here."
Adrien followed Fu and perched on the floor before the wooden table. The same wooden table that had held the plans to defeat his father. "She's dying." He looked up at Fu with wide, begging eyes. "I can't lose her," he repeated his mantra.
Plagg appeared from his pocket and sprawled on the table as Fu sat across from Adrien. Wayzz buzzed out from his hiding place in the ancient gramophone to roost beside Plagg. "Start at the beginning, my child."
Adrien licked his parched lips. "It was during the final battle with…Hawk Moth," Adrien frowned. "He was able to crack the code on the Tibetan book. He was going to attack me and she…she…" His voice cracked and Plagg hovered to Adrien's shoulder. He patted the man's scruffy cheek with an uncharacteristic sympathetic look.
"She took a bad hit," Plagg supplied. "Messed her up real good."
A frown cut across Fu's face. "If it's Ladybug's time, there is nothing-"
Adrien slammed his fists against the table with a loud bang. The table wobbled on its stubby legs as Adrien screamed. "It's not her time! That attack was meant for me! She was never meant to be the shield! Gabriel wanted me dead!" He snapped his mouth shut with a click. "I shouldn't have said that," he muttered darkly.
Fu shrugged. "I've known. It's not time for them to know yet."
His nostrils flared on a snarl. "You mean, you knew! The whole time! You son of-"
"Since Marinette brought me the book. When she said it belonged to you, I knew there was a possibility. But, that's beside the point," he folding his arms together. "You've come for something I cannot provide. I'm sorry you've wasted your time, Adrien, but you need to return before the Chat Noir in this time is affected."
"She's pregnant. Does that change your mind, old coot?" Plagg hissed from Adrien's shoulder. "She pulled out alright. That battle was a long time ago, but the damage is still there. And this tomcat," he pointed a nub at Adrien, "knocked her up. She'd be fine if she got rid of the kitten to save herself, but they're both so stubborn."
"We're not aborting Emma," Adrien growled. "And I'm not giving up Marinette."
"And Marinette will do whatever it takes to have the kitten," Plagg finished.
Once more, Fu stroked his beard as he allowed the news to settle over him. Wayzz blinked up at his Master. "Master, a child…"
"This certainly changes things," Fu agreed with Plagg. "I'm assuming she's about four or five months?"
"Four and a half," Adrien answered. "She's been on bed rest for about a month due to complications. Her blood pressure for one and she came close to miscarrying during month two." He rubbed at his tired eyes. "Marinette has been surprisingly willing to stay at home. She wants this baby so bad," he chuckled darkly. "Mari told me once that she had dreamed about having kids with me when we were fourteen. She even had the names picked out."
"And you?" Fu questioned. "Your mother left and Gabriel was never a paternal figure. And now the woman you love is having your baby. You said abortion was not an option, why is that? Are you so desperate for a family that you're willing to risk her?"
"I love her," he declared. "I've been in love with her since I was fourteen years old. I promised her I would give her everything she wanted. God, I want nothing more than start a family with her." He rubbed a hand through his unruly hair. Mari had admitted that she liked his hair unkempt and he had let it grow out in messy layers to just passed his shoulders. He normally wore it in a manbun, but today he had worn it down to help disguise his face. His face heated. "Maybe I am selfish," he admitted. "But I want Mari and Emma. I'm not choosing between them. I think I have earned the right to be selfish about my family for once."
The older man sighed. "I see." He stood and his aging joints cracked. "You have until Sunday night?" He continued when Adrien stood with a nod. "I have the spell book saved digitally and I'm sure my successor has the actual book but is unable to read the codes." He nodded towards Wayzz who took off. "We'll see what we can do, Chat Noir. In the meantime, you must say close to Ladybug and try to stay away from this Chat Noir. Having two gods of destruction and their wielders in one time line is not good for the space-time fabric. It's already damaged by your use of Black Hole. No need to strain it further."
Adrien followed Fu to the door. "I'll see what I can do," he grinned. "I'm sure this Chat will be excited to share Mari." He rolled his eyes. "He'll probably hiss at me and say something cheesy about protecting his Princess' honor."
Plagg snorted before ducking into his pocket. "Yeah, because that's exactly what you did."
Fu sighed.
XXX
Chat Noir waited in Marinette's room. As an adult, he could clearly see how creepy it was that a man nearly ten years her senior was waiting in her bedroom, but considering in the future he'd slept with her and they traded razors regularly, he would be forgiven in the long haul. So, he sprawled on her bed and waited as he flipped through her diary. It was cute that she thought her whimsical box could keep him out. It was even cuter that his wife had dotted her i's with hearts when she was younger.
Chat flipped another page and his ears twitched towards the other trapdoor. He flung the diary to the side carelessly and sat up fully on the bed. He watched as Marinette pulled herself up the trapdoor and slithered into her room. She sighed as she tossed her school bag away and turned towards the general area of her bed.
The tiny girl froze like a canary when she spotted the leather clad man. He smirked at her and offered a fluttering wave of his fingers. "Hello, princess." His smirk grew as she shivered. Oh, he knew exactly what his deeper voice did to her. Mari had told him in vivid detail.
Just as the words left his mouth, the trapdoor above him opened and another leather clad cat gazed inside. "Hey, Princess, can I…" He trailed off on a hiss at seeing the older man in Marinette's bed.
Chat tilted his head back and winked up at his younger self. "One cat just leads to another."