I apologize that I took so long with this chapter. After deciding to change the direction of the story, I had a lot of rewriting, adjusting and planning to do. Now I'm more certain of where I want this story to go and hopefully can keep writing at the normal pace. Don't forget to follow and leave a review since not only do I love to know your thoughts but It also makes me want to write more
Marinette refused to open her eyes, afraid that it would all be a dream and Adrien wasn't really with her. She was scared that if she moved too much it would cause her to wake up. It took seconds, minutes, or maybe hours (who knew). But finally, and half expecting it not to be true, she dared to open her bluebell eyes. To her surprise, he was really there and was looking at her with such endearing expression that her heart was about to melt.
"Do you really love me?" she whispered, cuddling even more in his arms and wanting to enjoy this moment to its fullest.
After her explanation on why she refused to marry him as Ladybug, he realized just how insecure she was. It was strange seeing his lady with this level of self-doubt but at the same time, it wasn't unusual for Marinette. Seeing the nervous look on her face and the hesitation in her words, he reassured her "For the one hundred time. Yes. I love you Marinette."
She felt relief at his words. He then let his lips on hers be the proof to lessen her fears and show his love.
Suddenly and breaking away from his kiss she asked: "And it's not because I'm Ladybug or because of the baby?"
"Those are just bonus. I love you, Marinette, with all my heart," he said, resuming the kiss.
They kissed for a while before going back to cuddling.
Feeling a draft of cold air, she snuggled even more into him. The only way to describe this moment was: perfect.
As they stared into the night sky she admitted, "I wish we could stay like this forever."
She should have been quiet because it was at this moment that Adrien's phone rang. The blond gulped, it was his father. Slowly he accepted the call. "Hello father."
"Son, how was your date with Mrs. Tsurugi?" His father asked with his usual stone-cold tone.
"My date with Kagami? It didn't go exactly well."
Marinette gave him the death stare and Adrien whispered, "I'm sorry," to her.
With a deep sigh, the elder Agreste, still on the line, said, "Then I suppose you are on your way home then."
"Yes father, I will be home soon."
Gabriel ended the call and Adrien did not find it strange. For him, his father hanging up or not even returning his calls was sadly the norm.
Gabriel Agreste usually only cared about what he wanted and everything else became second. Even the blond was usually left behind when the man had other important issues to attend to. Adrien promised himself to be different from his father and give Kitten all the love and attention in the world.
As soon as the call was over, Marinette didn't even give Adrien time to say anything before immediately firing back. "So you were on a date with Kagami?"
That was a tiny detail he might have forgotten to mention in between their talk about his akumatization, Luka, Kitten, and the rejection of the proposal. But there was no way to run away from it now.
So he admitted, "Yes I was with her... but when I saw you with Luka I couldn't think of anything else. It's you and only you. I swear. Are you mad?"
"No," she said while pouting a little her lips.
Adrien knew his lady and Marinette well enough to know that she only did that when she was angry. It was a similarity he never picked up before, but now made sense. "I find that hard to believe," he confessed.
She sighed, "I'm just tired. You did admit you planned to ask me out, and I kinda rejected you when you proposed, and we weren't actually together, so it's fine. We're fine. Everything is fine. I'm okay with it." She ended her words with a soft peck on his lips before transforming.
Just as she was about to leave he grabbed her arm. "Are you sure it's safe for you to go transformed? Maybe I should take you?"
"Don't worry. Me and kitten will be fine... besides it looked like your father wanted you home. I'll see you tomorrow my sweet, worried kitty."
And with that, she jumped off and ran fast across the Parisian streets. Adrien resisted the urge to go after her and instead went to his house. Trying to contain the smile on his face, he entered his home and was surprised to find Natalie still there and likely waiting for him. "Where's my father?"
In her monotone voice, she answered, "He was feeling unwell. So, he took a walk in the garden to see your mother's statue. You should go to your room. It's getting late."
"Thank you Natalie," he said with the driest face possible. His date had gone terribly, so he should not be smiling. Not that he even believed his father or Natalie knew what a smile was... or recognized one that wasn't plastered on a magazine.
Happily and joyfully he ran upstairs to his room. He should be a little sad about Kagami, and was going to apologize obviously... but not even that was enough to bring him down.
It was hard to believe he even considered Kagami for so long. Sure, at some point, his feelings for her had been greater than for Marinette, but they were never greater than his love for Ladybug. So, in a weird way, Marinette/Ladybug had always been his one true love.
He sat in his bed rethinking all the interaction he had with Marinette, and all the near misses, and all the times he had "saved" her. They were always so close, yet so far.
It was hard to imagine someone as incredible as her even existed, and he was lucky to have her as his girlfriend, mother of his child, and one day his wife.
He had been a little disappointed she refused his proposal, but after seeing how insecure she was about his feelings he tried to understand. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let that ruin their moment or their relationship.
The most amazing girl in the world loved him. She had picked him over Luka, or any other boy. He was going to have a family with that girl.
With a blush and whispering it like the secret that it was, he said, "I'm with Ladybug. I'm with Marinette. They are one and the same, and she loves me. She picked me! She loves me!"
This became Adrien's mantra for a while, the blond repeated this so many times that was ruining Plagg's eating ritual. "I knew you would be all lovey-dovey, but it's too much. So much romance makes me sick... and I can't eat my cheese!"
Plagg, despite his complaints, was thrilled that those two were together and was already counting the hours until he could see his Tikki again. Not to speak of all the fine pastries Marinette could bake for him. It was worth putting up with the whole goofy Adrien.
The blond, registering the complaint of his kwami, did the usual for these situations and gave Plagg his cheese. Of course, he didn't even notice he was giving the double of what the kwami generally ate. Said kwami also didn't mind and as he chewed the portion whole.
Cleaning his whiskers, Plagg said, "You are definitely going to be a great dad." Now, the black kwami was over the moon. His kid was happy, feeding him extra cheese, and he would see sugar cube soon... and they still say black cats have bad luck. He was proof otherwise.
He continued to look at the blond who seemed to have a whole new mantra. "I'm going to be a father," he whispered happily as he fell to his bed. This love-struck expression only lasted a few seconds as the realization kicked in. "I'm going to be a father!" He repeated once more, but this time in full panic mode. He had no idea how to be a parent. His mother was gone and his father might as well be, considering the lack of time they spent together.
Adrien didn't doubt Marinette would be an amazing mother. She had a very warm and nice family and she herself wasn't any different. Always looking out for others and sharing so much love and positivity, she was going to be the perfect mom.
But he didn't know if he would be even a good father. So far, he had been so love struck with Ladybug being Marinette and her love for him, he momentarily forgot about their kitten. He didn't know anything about babies or how to raise a child.
Feeling insecure he searched the internet. The pages he found didn't ease his fears... and instead increased them. There was so just so much he didn't know. Some pages said things that sound simple and obvious, but he still copied those fearing he might forget. Others contradicted themselves and others were just old wives tales, but even those seemed to make sense at some point.
He was freaking out completely, and was on the tenth page of don'ts when Plagg saved the day by flying in front of the screen and typed on the keyboard. The screen was soon replaced with the cutest pictures of babies. "Trust me kid, you will do just fine. Babies cry and poop. It's easy to take care of them. You feed them, change them, and give them lots of love."
"Yeah... almost what I do with you." Adrien snickered and once more over fed Plagg with a double portion of camembert.
The kwami happily ate and then, partially offended by the blonds joke, pointed out, "Just tonight, you fed me almost a whole day's worth of cheese... and you didn't even notice. If you are as distracted with the kid as you are with me, I don't know how you are going to do it."
Plagg obviously joked, but the blond seemed to believe it. "You are so right. I'm so going to mess up. I need to go back to researching..."
The kwami sighed. "I so wish Tikki was here since pep talks are usually her thing. Anyway, you will do fine, I was just joking. Let me tell you that every Chat freaked out in some way, but then they all did great work. Seriously, relax and calm down. I know you and know how much of a good caregiver you are. You have a big heart and, despite your impatient personality, you still find patience for me when I mess up... and that means a lot. If you tell Tikki, or Marinette, or even Master that I said this, I will deny it... but you are one of my favorite chosens, and I think any baby would be lucky to have you as dad."
Plagg then flew into Adrien's pocket and retrieved the ultrasound that Marinette had been kind enough to let him have. Slowly, he gave it to Adrien. "Oh, Plagg," the blond said, petting the little kwami on the head and pulling him into a hug.
"Yeah... yeah... that's enough for tonight. Now go to sleep, or buy baby stuff, or something... just anything besides research. I'm full and need my sleep, so goodnight."
With the kwami of destruction going to bed and the ultrasound in his hand, the blond decided to follow his kwami's advice and buy stuff for his kitten. There was no way he could sleep right now with how energetic he was.
Looking at baby things was a whole new world of fluff and adorableness. He found the perfect Chat Noir onesie and a tiny Ladybug dress that was just spot on. He clearly bought both. Even if Kitten was a boy, they could always save it in case they had another child someday.
Adrien didn't even notice the time go by as he proudly searched and bought things for Kitten. A few hours later, the blond lifted his head from the computer yawning, and checked his clock. Was it morning already? He just couldn't wait to show Marinette all the things he learned, and also show her the incredible things he bought.
He was prepared to go to school all excited when something strange happened. Gabriel Agreste was standing in front of his bedroom door, clearly waiting for him.
"Father?"
