A little shocked and dumbfounded, Adrien couldn't take his eyes off little Emma. His little daughter Emma was playing a few meters away and completely ignoring everything around her, including her star-struck, newfound father whose heart was quickly filling up with something he had never experienced before. He couldn't look away - the sight was truly mesmerizing. In a matter of ten minutes, the girl climbed the playground set a few times, built something remotely resembling a castle from sand and managed to squeeze in serious talk with her dolls, all while exhibiting an impressive range of emotions on her adorable face. Watching Emma, realizing that she was a part of him, a tiny person he unknowingly created with the person he loved, was still a bit surreal, startling and unbelievable at the same time. He didn't even notice as a small smile started to play on his lips.
It was probably just his imagination, but Adrien could already see the resemblance, past the obvious physical features, not only to him but to his Lady as well. Little Emma had fire and fervour in her, just the right amount of sass and impressive pouting skills. She rolled her eyes like Ladybug used to. She punned like Chat Noir. His sense of humour, Adrien noted. Definitely his. It made him proud. There were so much life and light pouring out of this little person that he couldn't help but grin, something he hadn't done in years. Emma was someone Adrien ceased to be when he left Paris all those years ago. His spark and vigour had long burned down by now, replaced by an overbearing sadness and emptiness, a void nothing and no one could fill for years, the hollowness that was now rapidly shrinking because, standing there, looking at this little girl, Adrien couldn't help but wonder what if. What if there was still a chance for him? An opportunity to live his life to its fullest, to love and be loved and to do something worthy at last. A chance to be the father he never had.
Wholly submerged in his thoughts while observing little Mlle. Feisty, Adrien didn't notice a small red car pull up in a parking lot behind him. Nino, however, perked up at the sight of a petite woman coming over to them a minute later.
"Hey, Nino!" she greeted him, still some distance away. "Thank you so much for doing this for me. I appreciate it."
Adrien stilled at the sound of the painfully familiar voice, his heart plummeting inside his chest. How did he never notice that Marinette had Ladybug's voice?
He slowly turned around.
How? Just how in the world had he never seen the obvious before?
Marinette was a little older and didn't wear her superhero suit anymore, but he could suddenly see his Ladybug so clearly. She was gorgeous. A petite frame, but a huge measure of confidence. Shyness and nervousness were gone, giving way for determination, elegance, and grace to shine through. Her midnight hair was down, cut just above her shoulder. She wore a simple yet stylish dress that highlighted just the right features of her figure. A few simple accessories completed the look.
Adrien stalled. If he could describe Marinette in one word right now, it would undoubtedly be exquisite. Gorgeously, dreamingly, wonderfully, beautifully exquisite. A light blush treacherously covered his cheeks as a realization that the six years of separation did nothing to lessen his feelings hit Adrien hard. He still loved this woman with all of his heart and now, knowing that she was Marinette, a cute girl he used to have a crush on, he loved her even more.
"Mama! I've missed you so much!" A cheerful shout interrupted his thoughts.
"I've missed you even more, my little kitten." Marinette caught the running Emma on the move and, taking the girl into a tight embrace, placed a tender kiss on her nose. Emma laughed and pouted a bit, but instead of pulling away as Adrien thought she would, she leaned closer and rubbed her nose against Marinette's, drawing a giggle out her.
"Thanks again, Nino. I don't know what I would do without your help," Marinette said standing up with Emma safely settled in her arms.
"Don't worry, Marinette," Nino replied. "I always enjoy spending time with my little monkey. By the way—" he motioned into Adrien's direction, "—we have a surprise guest."
Standing silently aside until this point, Adrien gulped. Despite the overwhelming range of emotions and thoughts running through his mind, the moment Marinette's eyes met his, only one question consumed his whole being – would she? Would she consider him worthy enough of a second chance after what he did to her? Would she ever consider forgiving him? Would she let him be a part if not of hers than of Emma's life? Was it too much to hope for? Was it too soon to ask? Was it too early to even consider?
A lot could have changed in those six years. A lot had, probably, changed but fifteen minutes with Emma, not even five with Marinette and he was prepared to beg for forgiveness and to explain everything right there and then.
"Adrien?" Marinette seemed surprised. "I thought you weren't coming back for another day or two."
"I—" Adrien smiled weakly, "—I wanted to surprise Nino, so here I am."
He couldn't find the right words to say. He couldn't pull his eyes away either, so for the next few moments, the pair just stood there staring at each other, blushing for no reason, nervous sparks flickering in each other's eyes, millions of questions in Adrien's, thousands in Marinette's.
"Mama," a sulking voice interrupted the duo's silent conversation. "He wanted to lure me in his car with candy and kidnap me so he can demand all of your cookies for himself!"
Adrien's eyes widened in surprise as he, quite perplexed by the accusations, looked at Marinette helplessly, trying to figure out at the same time how to defend himself against this "little, devious, it seemed, kitten". There must have been something on his face because Marinette stopped narrowing her eyes at Emma and broke out in a fit of giggles as soon as she glanced at him.
"I think someone's pants are on fire, sweetie." She bumped her child's nose. "What did I tell you about lying?"
"But he did want to steal me, mama," Emma pouted. "Asked me my name and smiled nicely, just as you warned me about the strangers. Like this." Emma's lips split into a wide grin.
"She had quite a few rather impressive word choices to scare him away," Nino added with a smirk. "I don't even think she needed me here for protection."
"Oh, no," Marinette gasped and turned to Adrien. "She wasn't rude, was she?"
"No, not at all," Adrien smiled. "Just a bit intimidating."
"Emma, apologize now." Marinette put the pouting child to the ground. "You can't be rude to people, no matter how much you think they want to steal you."
"I'm sorry," the girl whispered after losing a minute-long staring battle with her mother. "I'll try to be polite next time."
"All is forgiven," Adrien crouched down in front of the little girl. "My name is Adrien," he said and offered her his hand. The girl eyed him suspiciously for a moment but after obtaining a nod from Marinette stretched her hand as well. "I am Emma."
Shaking her little palm lightly, Adrien smiled again. "Now, we are not strangers anymore. It's nice to meet you, Emma."
"Nice to meet you too, M. Kidnapper," the girl tried to pout, but a mischievous, barely-there smile was still visible.
"Emma!" Marinette frowned. "You know what? Go into the car while I say goodbye to Uncle Nino. And—" she leaned closer and looked straight into her eyes, "—do not touch what is laying at the back seat. You didn't deserve it-"
The girl squealed before Marinette could finish her sentence and, yelling out a quick "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you", ran off.
"I'm so sorry, Adrien," Marinette said as soon as the car's door shut behind the girl. "Emma has a wild imagination sometimes. Don't take her too seriously most of the time and you should be fine."
A wild imagination just like her father's when he was younger, thought Adrien.
"She is adorable, Marinette," he said out loud. "I am thrilled to meet her."
Despite everyone keeping her a secret from me for years, he mentally frowned. Why?
A very Chat-like grin appearing on Adrien's face stopped Marinette in her tracks. Shaking off a light shiver suddenly running down her skin a moment later, Marinette paused. Must be just her imagination… or that wishful thinking she hadn't been able to put an end to for all those years.
"It's nice to see you again, Adrien, but, unfortunately, I have to run now. We should catch up later, though," she smiled at him and turned back to Nino. "Say Hi to Alya for me, and I'll see you both on Friday, right? Dress rehearsal?"
"Yup! See you then, Marinette!" Nino smirked, eyeing Adrien with unconcealed satisfaction. The minute Marinette pulled out of the driveway he placed his arm on Adrien's shoulder, purposely not mentioning the fact that the latter was still staring in the direction where the small, red car left and whispered: "She is still single, you know. And—" he leaned closer to Adrien's ear, "—a very impressive catch, by the way. A successful career, that adorable kid, her own house and don't forget her amazing cooking skills. Mmmmmm…. Makes me wonder, though," he frowned a bit. "Why is she still single? But, dude," he lightly punched Adrien in the shoulder a moment later. "That doesn't matter right now because it only plays in your favour." Nino wiggled his brows, not even bothering to suppress a wide grin on his lips. "You've got a real chance, man."
Adrien stirred up, furiously blushing by this point. He hadn't felt like that in a long time. Ever since he left Paris, the pinkish tint of his cheeks became an alien concept, and now Marinette made him blush at least twice in a matter of minutes. If he was giving away his inner feelings more than that, Adrien wasn't aware. He was too smitten to notice anything.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," he murmured and shoving his hands in the pockets as he finally took his eyes off the horizon.
"Whatever you say, man," his friend grinned even wider. "But I'm just saying that if you like what you see, you should act before it's too late. Because to me, it looks like Marinette hasn't quite gotten over her high school crush on you, Agreste. And—" he patted Adrien's shoulder, "—by the look of you, it seems that you've just developed one for her as well. So, think about it. Plus," Nino stretched. "There is a bonus in Emma. She is an amazing kid and could easily pass as your own, by the way," he paused for a few seconds before plastering that grin back on his face and playfully wiggling his eyebrows. "She does resemble you a lot, man. Anything you want to share?"
Adrien only glared back. "Since when did you become so straightforward?"
"Ever since I started to hang out with Alya, bro," Nino's eyes instantly filled with a lovesick, dreamy look. "My gorgeous woman is right in one thing – life is too short to hold back on anything. If you really want something, go and at least try to get it or you will regret it later. Give it a thought, Adrien."
It took everything Marinette had to block out the flood of emotions and memories that the unexpected meeting with Adrien brought back. As if on autopilot, she started the car and drove away. The further, the better. She didn't need this right now. She couldn't afford to deal with that avalanche. She didn't think she could handle another heartbreak. Not now. Not ever. Her child was now her top priority. The need to get Emma home safe through all of the Parisian traffic was far more important than her school crush and her growing desire to hide somewhere and either blush and scream because, man, he was still so gorgeous, or cry in pain, because she didn't realize just how strong her feelings for him still were.
Marinette sighed and stopped at the red light. A couple of years ago when she was looking for a new place to live, she moved to the suburbs for Emma's sake. Fresh air and more space for her baby outweighed the convenience of a short commute. Besides, Marinette didn't really want to spend too much time in the city that held some of her most painful memories, memories of two boys, to be more precise. The one, whom she still loved ever since he gave her his umbrella on that rainy day but who was always so out of her reach. And another, who she fell for so suddenly and hard, whom she chose to be with after much deliberation and to whom she gave her first kiss and herself. That same boy who left her after their first serious fight. She wasn't blameless in the slightest. Far from it, but sometimes she wished he would have stayed and at least tried fighting for her. Yet he simply left when she snapped. She still loved him as well.
Red changed to green, and her car slowly drove back onto the streets. Yes, Ladybug had said all those horrible things to Chat Noir that day, but it's hard to blame entirely a confused and emotional girl who just had her life's dreams go down the drain. When she decided to be with Chat, Marinette was so confident that it was the right decision. Undoubtedly, that adorable dork behind the mask was the man for her. But as soon as the girl acted upon her decision, the guilt kicked in. Her long-lived, sun-filled dreams to be with Adrien invaded her head and accused her of choosing Chat Noir over faithfully waiting for her first love, berated her for giving up on Adrien. She had fought it for days but, exhausted from the constant emotional struggle, in a spur of the moment, Ladybug dumped all of her feelings on her partner that evening.
Some of those things were not worded even remotely correctly.
They fought. He left. Marinette decided to take some time to calm down and cool off, finally sort out her feelings and thoughts. Only after that, she would go back to Chat Noir and beg him for forgiveness; only after she would be sure of her feelings so that similar accidents could be prevented in the future. It took her a few days but once they passed, all the girl wanted to do was to find him, press close to his chest and whisper just how sorry she was, just how much she loved him and just how hard she wanted to make their relationship work. She decided that the truth would be the best route for them. Ladybug would tell Chat everything he didn't know about her yet – her pathetic and embarrassing at this point crush on Adrien and her real name. The masks would come off to give them a chance to work on this together. They would succeed, Marinette believed. Adrien wasn't in her life for a long time already, and with Chat by her side, she would probably forget him soon anyways.
The only problem was – she couldn't find him anymore. Ladybug spent weeks searching for Chat Noir, jumping from roof to roof, expecting to see him around the next corner but gradually losing hope. Chat never came, not even to help her with those small crimes they helped to deal with since Hawkmoth's defeat. Soon Marinette realized that she was pregnant and in a matter of days some new teenage boy in Chat Noir's suit told her that Plagg wanted to let her know that her partner had left Paris. That evening, with a heartbroken face, Tikki told her that she also would need to give up her miraculous to a new Ladybug. Those were the rules they had to follow and, considering Marinette's condition, it was also the smart choice to make. It would be for the best.
Marinette asked Tikki for only one more night. She needed to come clean with Alya because ever since their school days there was no one closer to the girl than her dear, Ladybug-obsessed journalist friend and having been forced to lie to her all this time Marinette wanted nothing more than to drop this weight off her chest. That evening Ladybug swung by Alya's apartment and detransformed. Many tears, hugs, explanations, and apologies later Marinette gave her miraculous back to Tikki. They couldn't let each other go for quite some time, but in the end, the kwami had to fly away, and Marinette had to start planning her new life - the life with her baby. She never hesitated to keep the baby, she poured all of her love into that little girl, a part of the man she had loved, a part of the man she still loved all these years later.
And now there was Adrien. She knew he was coming, but it still took her by surprise. She didn't expect him to be this handsome, this sweet, kind and this dreamy. Gosh, it hit her the second she saw him. She still loved him. Marinette thought that wasn't the case anymore, but she blushed when he merely looked into her eyes. Unexpected. His voice made her heart beat rapidly and tighten. She didn't anticipate that. What's even worse - she thought he looked so much like Chat Noir would've looked at this age. Marinette stopped herself before she could even imagine him being Chat. What good would it be if she did? He wasn't him. He was way too different. She was also not so lucky. She would only set herself up for another disappointment.
The good news was that she didn't stutter around him anymore. She had grown out of it. She had to. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a respected designer now, and aces of communication were at the top of the list of her qualifications.
Marinette was also wiser now.
She perfectly realized that even if she was still in love with Adrien and even if he, against all possibilities, might like her back some day, it wasn't as easy as it sounded.
Would he take her with someone else's child? Sure, Emma was adorable and Adrien was incredibly kind, enough so to actually to do it, but what sort of reputation would that bring to the Agreste family? His father was a very conservative man, a world-famous fashion mogul, and her employer. He would never approve of Adrien having a relationship with a single mother who didn't even know the name of her child's father. He didn't need a scandal attached to his name or his brand. Marinette couldn't afford even to imagine the existence of the possibility if she wanted to keep her job and her sanity. She had Emma to take care of now.
The woman turned the light off and slipped under her comforter, curling up on herself and covering even her head. Some sleep sounded nice right now if it would even happen this night.
First thing in the morning Adrien found himself standing outside of Gabriel's office. There wasn't any particular reason nor had he any strong desire to be here, but the rules of etiquette demanded a greeting when coming home from a long absence and his father was impossible to catch at the mansion anymore. It was the right thing to do, and so Adrien came to see his only parent in person. Once he arrived, however, the secretary asked him to wait for a little while since there was already someone else in the office. So Adrien waited, pacing the room impatiently.
Years of separation aided by Adrien's realizations that his childhood wasn't normal in any sense didn't do well for their relationship. Estranged more than ever and coming here solely out of politeness, Adrien just wanted to get it over with and be free to do what really mattered right now. Specifically, try to make sense of the information he had received yesterday from Nino - Marinette was now a successful designer at his father's company, she had Emma, his daughter (though, she seemed not to know that), she also was Ladybug, and he still loved her.
Adrien stopped. He still loved her but did she love him? Frustrated, he started to massage his temples lightly. This was too much too soon too suddenly. Everything was too uncertain, too chaotic. And just how in the world was he supposed to fix this mess? Only one thing was undeniable – they needed to talk. He needed to confess.
A moment later the door behind him opened rapidly, almost hitting him in the back. Adrien quickly stepped away and turned around, nearly crashing into Marinette. She gasped, lifting her eyes to him but regained her grace and posture almost immediately. A light blush and a quiet babbling slipping from her lips, sounding a lot like "Good morning", and the one he loved was leaving the room in a hurry, clutching a few overstuffed folders to her chest. Adrien stared after her until Nathalie interrupted him.
"M. Agreste will see you now, Adrien."
Stepping into the room, Adrien noticed with a sad, barely there and almost ironic smile that his father was still just as unapproachable to him as ever. Same strict posture, serious look in his eyes and not a single hint of wishing to spare him even a few minutes willingly. Gabriel, it seemed, had frozen in time. He did look a little older, but that was about the only visible change. His speech remained just as harsh, dry and short as Adrien was used to during his childhood. That no-nonsense attitude was still present. The subjects for conversations were just as absent. Their talk was, unsurprisingly, just as small and tense as ever, ending with Gabriel asking when Adrien was going back to the States.
"I have a ticket booked in a week, Father, but I might stick around a little longer," Adrien answered.
"I don't see a reason for that—" Gabriel replied coldly, "—but suit yourself, Adrien. You are an adult now and, I hope, a responsible one. You may go now." The man went back to the work he was doing before Adrien walked in. "I have too much work and too few reliable people to do it."
Not surprised at the slightest at his cold dismissal Adrien stood up and left without a word. The first thing he did when the office's door closed behind him was to find out where he could find Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. The first thing he heard when he reached the place was Marinette's disappointed voice through a slightly ajar door. The first thing he saw, peeking in through the opening, was a small blond girl standing at the table, looking guiltily at her feet, hiding a pair of scissors behind her back.
"I told you not to touch anything on my table, Emma." Marinette was kneeling beside her, holding a bunch of cut-up papers in her hands. "Was that so hard to do for the fifteen minutes I was away? What am I supposed to do now?"
"I'm sorry, Mommy." The girl wiped away a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Adrien held his breath, his heart tightening in anticipation, his own childhood incidents surfacing rapidly in his mind.
She's just a small kid, his mind screamed, she did it innocently. He should be punished, his father's voice echoed in his memory, he should learn to take responsibility for his actions.
From Adrien's experience, being in trouble, no matter how small or big the damage was, didn't bring anything good. Ever. The scissors long dropped to the floor and forgotten, Emma stood there and cried in front of an equally distressed Marinette as his fears awoke. His whole being screamed to go in and protect his little girl, but he couldn't move an inch. It wasn't his place. He knew that much.
Maybe, Adrien thought suddenly, if he would walk in and distract Marinette a little, Emma's punishment wouldn't be too severe? He promptly raised his hand to knock when the scene in the room made him stop. In a split second, Marinette pulled Emma into her arms and pressed her closer, tears streaming down both of their faces.
"Come here, kitten," she whispered. "Don't worry about it. It's not a huge problem. Not at all. We'll find a way to fix this, ok?" She gently brushed Emma's hair and wiped away a few remaining tears. "Don't cry, sweetie. I am at fault here too, you know. I should not have left these papers where you could easily find them. Don't cry, Emma." She pulled away a little and placed a gentle kiss on the little nose. "Mama still loves you no matter what."
Adrien froze. That… that was so different from anything that he'd ever experienced as a child. His eyes filled with tears at a simple realization. How amazing was she? How perfect. How much of an idiot was he for giving up on such a great girl all those years back?
He finally knocked. "May I come in?"
Marinette raised her eyes and stiffened. Her cheeks covered a pinkish tint as she replied: "Yes. Of course, come in." Standing up and letting Emma go, she hastily tried to wipe away her tears undetected by her unexpected guest, spectacularly failing in the process.
"I'm so sorry about this, Adrien," she apologized. "We didn't realize you were here."
"That's alright," he smiled. "I should've probably waited for a better moment though?"
"No, it's fine," Marinette assured him with a small smile of her own. A small, adorable smile on her lips. "How can I help you?"
"Marinette," suddenly sounded behind his back. Adrien turned around to find one of his father's employees peaking in. "The boss asked for those final sketches again. What should I tell him?"
"Um," Marinette paused, looking desperately at the papers Emma cut up a few minutes earlier. "I will bring them in a few hours?"
"Cool," the girl replied and shut the door.
"I'm sorry, Adrie—"
"Hey, Marinette? We need you at the fabric department a.s.a.p," sounded from the door again. Turning around Adrien saw another of his father's employees. This time there stood a young man. "They've been waiting for you for twenty minutes already," he added.
"Just a sec," Marinette nodded and looked back at Adrien.
"Mommy, can I colour this?"
Marinette closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Fine," she whispered barely audible. "Everything will be fine. I just need to do one thing at a time."
"I'll be right there," she told the man at the door and turned to Emma. " You can't touch those, but I'll give you a few blank pages to draw on. Go sit at the desk and be quiet."
"I think, I'd better go," Adrien smiled when she looked back at him. "Bad time for a chat."
"I'm really sorry, Adr—"
"Mama!" Emma's voice filled the room again. "Can I play with this?"
Another knock on the door and one more person peeking into the room seem to put Marinette in a state of despair. Clenching fists by her sides and biting hard into her lower lip, she was visibly trying hard to keep herself in check and not to scream at the top of her lungs. After a couple of deep breaths, she sent the girl on her way letting her know that she'd be right there and that Thomas already told her that she was needed at the fabric department a minute ago.
"I'm sorry, Adrien." She turned back to him again. "But I have a huge project due by the end of the day and with all the last-minute tweaks in addition to Emma's setting me back a couple of hours I really can't spare a minute right now." Her eyes shifted into the girl's direction, but despite all the stress and chaos, they were full of warmth and love. "I usually don't bring her with me but today was an emergency," she explained. "Our babysitter got sick. Alya and Nino can't watch her all the time, especially with the wedding so close and all of the last-minute preparations and my parents are away on their annual vacation right now. Emma," she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Emma is so stubborn sometimes that she refuses to go to a different babysitter or anywhere else for that matter. I tried to force her a couple of times, but every time she caused so much trouble that I was pulled from the work to pick her up immediately. Bringing her here—" Marinette looked anxiously at the remnants of her documentation before glancing at the clock on a wall, "—seemed like the best option in the morning but I am not so sure about it anymore."
"Mama!" Emma called again. Marinette sighed and turned to face the girl. Her face paled.
"Emma, no!" She almost cried and moved quickly to snatch a folder out of Emma's arms. "I told you not to touch anything. How am I supposed to leave you here alone again and not expect another disaster?"
His next words Adrien didn't expect himself, but once they were out, he desperately hoped Marinette wouldn't refuse.
"I can watch her while you go to the fabric department if you want."
"Oh, no. No, Adrien," she mumbled right away. "I can't bother you with my problems, and even if I agree, Emma won't stay with you. She doesn't trust people easily and she doesn't know you well enough yet. But thank you for the offer." Her lips quivered in a ghost of a smile.
"Come on," Adrien smiled. "I'll just sit in the corner and watch her, so she doesn't spoil anything else. I have nothing more important to do today anyway."
"That's not a few minutes, Adrien," Marinette sighed. "That's half an hour at least. They won't let me out until everything is settled."
"Then half an hour it is," Adrien replied. Seeing an uncertainty that started to give in on her face, he quickly added: "And don't worry about it bothering me or being too much. I owe you a lot from back in the days, and if it comes to it, you can always repay me by getting a coffee with me someday."
Adrien didn't wonder much about the reason why Marinette's cheeks glowed a pretty shade of pink as she looked at him almost shocked but it indeed was a good look on her. A moment later she snapped her eyes to a side, eyeing that clock again. Her anxiousness grew, and she asked quietly: "Are you sure it's ok?"
"Yup," Adrien nodded. "We'll be just quietly sitting in here while you are doing your job. So you go, make us proud, and don't worry about anything."
"Okay," Marinette barely exhaled. Her cheeks flamed even more as she went back to the desk. "Emma," she crouched by the girl's side. "I'll go out for a few minutes. Uncle Adrien will stay with you, so you be a good girl and listen to him. Alright? Do not go outside the office and don't be rude. Do you understand, Emma?"
"You're leaving me with M. Kidnapper?" The girl asked in surprise.
"His name is Uncle Adrien, and he is not going to kidnap you, Emma," Marinette corrected. "He'll stay with you here in this room until I get back. Okay?"
"Okay," the girl agreed and went back to scribbling on the piece of paper without any further fuss much to Marinette's surprise. Well, that was unexpectedly easy.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Marinette called as she was practically running out of the door. "Thank you so much, Adrien."
"No problem," she heard him say before closing the door and quickly heading to that damned fabric department. Today was not an easy day already. Final days of any project weren't easy. Finishing a major collection was the worst of all. Bringing Emma along was a necessary evil today. Adding Adrien to the mix was the worst thing possible, but she didn't have a choice. Either that or failing the project and possibly losing her job. That she couldn't afford.
Forty minutes later, all details and questions settled, Marinette nervously stepped back into her office. The scene before her eyes was picture worthy yet heartbreaking. Sitting on the floor, both Adrien and Emma were furiously fighting with paper cut out dolls. Marinette stopped. She had rarely seen Emma so ecstatic. She was a happy child overall but the way her eyes shone, the width her smile stretched and the range of her gestures, as she watched Adrien with unhidden awe, were surfacing only on special occasions.
"Surrender, Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Adrien proclaimed in the serious voice, raising what seemed to be a cut-out Hawkmoth drawing. "I want your Miraculous and your amazing ability to pun!"
"Nevaaaar!" Emma cried and shook one of her dolls. "We are a mew-velous team, and you'll nevaaar win!"
"But if I won't I will cry," Adrien answered and grimaced so impressively even Marinette couldn't hold back a giggle.
"Mama!" Emma jumped to her feet, finally noticing her. "Look what we did!"
The girl ran up close carrying two paper dolls of Chat Noir and Ladybug in her hands. Her, Marinette's, blond, green-eyed Chat Noir, not the other boy they had now and her, Marinette's, image of Ladybug with dark hair tied in pigtails and sky-blue eyes, not the current one.
"Uncle Adrien drew them for me," the girl continued to babble cheerfully. "He is so cool and such a good drawer, mama. And did you know he knows a lot of stories! And he is funny-"
Marinette looked at Adrien with amazement in her eyes. No one was ever able to get Emma to like them so fast. So fast and so much. He shyly smiled back at her and stood up.
"Can he stay, mama?" Emma's request caught Marinette's attention amidst the flood of "Uncle Adrien" compliments.
"No. Absolutely not, Emma," she answered right away. "I'm sure Uncle Adrien has a lot of much more important things to do today than to babysit you."
"Please, mama, please," the girl continued to beg. She knew her puppy eyes didn't work on Marinette, but that didn't stop her from using them. After all, Marinette wasn't the only person in the room.
"Emma-"
"Mommy, please. I'll be super good-"
"Emma, this is out of the question," Marinette crouched down and, taking her hands into hers, looked the girl into the eyes. "Uncle Adrien is very busy. He can't stay."
"Please?" Emma's little lips started to quiver and eyes filled with tears, as she looked up not at her mama's eyes but into the other ones in the room. "Please?"
"Actually." Adrien finally gave up, his words a bit hesitant. "I can stay if you want. The only thing I had planned for today was lunch with Nino and Alya but that can wait, and you do need help. So-"
"No, Adrien," Marinette protested standing up. "I'm thankful, but I can't accept this-"
"Marinette." The door opened and in peaked the first girl. "The boss is asking again."
"In two hours, Maerynn," the woman almost seethed through her teeth. "I told you the first time."
"Okay. Geez," the intruder frowned. "Just doing my work. Don't get all riled up."
"We'll be in that corner," Adrien whispered and followed Emma who was already tugging him by the hand, sporting a winner's smile on her lips.
"Adri—"
"It's not a big deal, Marinette," he called. "Make it two coffee dates, and we'll be even."
"D- ddat- tes?" Marinette stuttered, unsuccessfully trying to suppress yet another blush. Not a good habit to return in the most unfitting of times.
"Um," Adrien stalled. "A friend catching up with a friend kind of outings?"
"Okay," she finally replied a few moments later watching the duo getting right back to their banter. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she refuse him? Why couldn't she make him go? He seemed to be willing to leave. Then what happened for Adrien to be still remaining here, in the same room as her? How did she end up owning him two coffee dates… eh… two a-friend-catching-up-with-a-friend outings in less than an hour? Not that she minded deep down but still...
"Thanks. I appreciate it," Marinette mumbled and went to her desk. Half an hour later the woman wished she'd insisted that Adrien left the minute he stepped into her office the first time. Better yet, she should've locked the door before he even entered. True, it was technically easier with Emma not bothering her every five minutes but the pair's non-stop giggles and muffled laughs, silly voices, and dramatic conversations were distracting, not to mention the sight of Adrien playing on the floor with her child was too attractive to miss out on. Unsurprisingly, Marinette couldn't keep herself from constantly glancing over, ultimately losing her concentration and ability to work fast. The few times she caught him looking back didn't help either.
"Do you have any candy?" she heard Emma ask.
"No," Adrien replied. "But I have mints. Do you like mints?"
"Is that those little green thingies?"
"Yes," Adrien laughed and pulled a small container out of his pocket. "Here, want one?"
"Ewww." Emma frowned. "They are spicy. How can you eat them?"
"I like spicy food," Adrien teased, popping one in his mouth. "Try them. They are not so bad."
"They are green." Emma wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I don't like green candies. I like pink ones."
"I'm sorry," Adrien smiled apologetically. "I'll bring you pink candies next time."
"Can we go get them now?" she asked all of a sudden.
"I don't-" he started to protest, but Emma was already by Marinette's desk.
"Mama, can we go buy some candies?" she asked. "Please, please, please, pleeeeaseeee."
"Emma." Marinette sighed. "You already made Uncle Adrien play with you all of this time. You are not forcing him to take you out for a treat."
"But, mama!"
"Emma-"
"Hey," Adrien interrupted softly. "If you don't mind I can take her out for a bit." He walked closer with the sincerest expression Marinette had ever seen. "We can go to Le Jardin des Tuileries. It's not that far, and then we can have lunch with Alya and Nino."
"Adrien—"
"Just think about it, Marinette," Adrien reasoned. "You really need to concentrate right now, and I doubt that we are helping you much here. Plus, I, honestly, have nothing else to do. It'll just have a good, relaxing day with Emma."
He is right, Marinette thought. I really need Emma, no, both of them, out of this office right now because there is no possible way I'll do anything let alone finish this if they stay. On the one hand, Emma would be much better off visiting the park and having fun than being cooped up in the office with her stressed-out mother. But- but it was so weird to have Adrien Agreste play a babysitter to her daughter. A bit cruel, maybe also, to let Emma and Adrien bond only to have him leave her in a week.
No. Marinette couldn't let that happen.
She was about to refuse but just before her lips opened Emma came to stand by Adrien and took him by his hand. That stalled her.
"I'll bring her back as soon as you tell me—" Adrien continued to convince her, enjoying the feeling of a small palm in his hand. It was selfish, he knew, but he didn't want to let her go yet. If he could have just a few more hours- "—and I will send you reports every hour, so you'll know where we are and what we are doing."
"Adri—"
"It's either that or we are playing here," he shrugged. "I just thought that walking around outside is more fun than sitting on a hard floor."
When Marinette didn't respond right away, undoubtedly tempted by the prospect, Emma's eyes brightened. She knew her mother too well to grasp that deal was as good as sealed. Just one last push.
"Please, mama," she begged. "Let M. Kidnapper steal me away just for today."
"You are not calling him M. Kidnapper, Emma," Marinette corrected. "He isn't kidnapping you."
"Borrowing?" the girl asked, grinning from ear to ear. Marinette didn't refuse this time.
Marinette paused, stalling under the gazes of two similar if not identical green, begging eyes. The moment she glanced at that clock and her mind calculated just how far behind she was, Marinette gave in. She wouldn't do any work with those two around anyway. Might as well let them go to enjoy themselves.
"Oh, alright," Marinette sighed, still hesitant but cornered in a tight spot with no better options in view. After all, it'd be just a day out for Emma with my old friend/crush. What could go wrong? Nothing, she insisted. Everything, her heart corrected. "But you are sending me those updates every hour, a picture and a description of what is going on. And make sure she behaves. If she starts to bother you, bring her back right away."
"Yay!" Emma cheered and pressed her palm into Adrien's hand even tighter. "I'm ready, Uncle Adrien. Let's go."
"I'm sure everything will be just fine, Marinette. Don't worry." Adrien pulled his cell phone out. "Can I have your number, so I have somewhere to report to."
"Will you buy me a black cat plushy?" Emma bumped in again.
"No, Emma!" Marinette groaned. "Not another one. You already have a hundred of them. Please. No more."
"I have only thirty-two," Emma corrected. "Not a hundred. And I don't have any from Uncle Adrien yet. A black cat plushy and ice cream," she looked back at Adrien those big kitten eyes on a full display. "Please?"
"Sure." Adrien could barely hold himself from hugging and kissing his daughter's little, pretty face. "The biggest plushy we can find and an ice-cream."
"Don't let her order you around, Adrien," Marinette protested. "She only looks innocent but she is a master extortionist in reality."
"I'll keep that in mind," Adrien smiled and passed his phone to Marinette. The pair exchanged their numbers, and five minutes and a ton of instructions and warnings later Adrien left the office with the five-year-old girl walking by his side, holding his hand and cheerfully telling him all about her fantastic collection of black cats. He never felt prouder and more scared at the same time. He was going to be Emma's daddy for a day. That alone scared the hell out of him but also filled his heart with so much pride he never thought possible.