Title: "A Ring like Maman's"
Author: Veritas Found
Characters/Pairings: Kurt "KK" King, Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Melody Couffaine; Kurt King/Melody Couffaine, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Rating: K Plus / PG / Most Ages
Summary: If Mellie's going to marry KK, he needs to get her a ring just like her Maman's: one with flowers and shabooey knots and everything. (Or: that time in Maternelle when KK 'borrowed' Marinette's wedding ring to propose to her four-year-old daughter.)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes/Warnings: It feels weird tagging Kurt and Mellie as a relationship when they're in kindergarten, but I guess it works? xD It has been a week, y'all, and Quick sent me this IG vid that was adorable and screamed Mellie. I needed some silly, fluffy distraction writing to escape life for a bit.
"A Ring like Maman's"
"What's that?"
KK King looked down at the item in his hand with a pudgy, frustrated frown. He thought it was fairly obvious what it was: it was a ring. A very pretty ring. One he had been sure Mellie would love because it was sparkly and Mellie liked sparkly things – almost as much as KK liked Mellie.
"…it's for you," he said, holding the very sparkly ring out to her. She puffed out her cheeks in a frown of her own.
"Why?" she asked. She asked him the same way that Monique Rivera had asked Mlle. Bourdaine why they needed to know why a starfish wasn't a butterfly or why she couldn't add little squigglies to the tops of her capital letters. KK looked at her the same way Mlle. Bourdaine had looked at Monique.
"Because I wanna marry you," he said. He figured he had to be patient with her. She was just in Moyenne Section, after all. She'd understand better when she was in Grande like him. "And when you wanna marry someone you give them a ring. It's the rules."
Her nose scrunched up, and he was suddenly worried she didn't really like the pretty, sparkly ring after all. He'd forgotten she was a Couffaine, and Couffaines liked rules about as much as Kings did.
"I know that, stupid," she said, rolling her eyes, "but I don't like that ring. Why do I gotta take it if I don't like it?"
KK frowned harder at the ring he'd gotten from the little bowl his Maman kept above the kitchen sink. He thought it was a rather nice ring. His Maman seemed to think so, too. She hardly ever took it off.
Well.
Except for when she was working. Something about the chemicals damaging the sparkly rocks and Papa not wanting to replace it. She'd used the word "cheap" a few times.
"Well…" he started, admiring the way the sun shone on the rock in the center. He didn't understand why she didn't like it. He liked it. His Maman liked it. Shouldn't Mellie like it, too? "…what's wrong with it?"
"It doesn't look like Maman's ring," Mellie said, as if it really was as simple as all that. KK's lips stuck out in a pout. It didn't look like her maman's ring, she meant. "Maman's ring has pretty pink and blue flowers on it."
…ok. He supposed that was fair. Mellie did like flowers.
"And it's all knotty, 'cause Papa's good with knots," she continued. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Sha…sha…shabooey! Aunt Gami called it shabooey!"
"What's that?" KK asked. Mellie shrugged.
"I dunno. Stuff with knots," she said. "Papa does it. Because Granarchy lives on a boat. It's a boat thing."
"Aunt Gami doesn't live on a boat," he said. Mellie shook her head.
"I didn't say Aunt Gami does it. I said Papa does it. Aunt Gami just said that's what it's called. When he does stuff with string," she said. They were both frowning now. Her Aunt Gami was weird. "Though Maman does stuff with string and sticks and calls it knitting. Maybe knitting is with sticks and shabooey isn't?"
"Mellie!"
They looked up at the shout to see Harmony waving from the gate by their maman. Auntie Nette waved at him, one of the Twins in her arms, and he waved back. He could see the head of the other Twin peeking above her shoulder, but the baby was asleep.
"So…you don't wanna marry me, then?" he asked, looking back at Mellie. She shrugged.
"Maybe," she said. "I want a pretty ring. A ring like Maman's, with flowers and shabooey knots."
Well, where was he gonna find a ring like that?
"Bye, KK!" she cried, smacking a kiss against his cheek. He waved as she ran off, still frowning.
He supposed he should take his Maman's ring back to her. If Mellie didn't want it.
– V –
A few days later, KK was no closer to finding Mellie the perfect ring. One with flowers and shabooey knots.
He wished his Papa was home. Papa was always good with stuff like this – his presents always made Maman smile. Stupid tour. Stupid Uncle Lulu. Stupid rock-n-roll.
He was sitting at the counter, swinging his feet as he poked at a bowl of cereal, when Maman walked in with Auntie Nette, who shook her head when he looked up and searched behind her for Mellie. He slumped back in his chair, disappointed.
"I've found it's excellent stress relief," Maman said. She shot him a warning look as she slipped her rings off and put them in the little dish she kept above the sink. Auntie Nette didn't wear as many rings as Maman, but she also put hers on top of Maman's in the dish. "Besides, whenever Ding really pisses me off, I can just throw the scrap pieces at his stupid head."
Maman was smirking at Auntie Nette.
"I maybe mess up more pieces than I should just to keep some ammunition handy," she said, making his aunt laugh. Auntie Nette reminded Maman that she loved that stupid head as they went out to Maman's studio, but KK wasn't really paying attention to them anymore anyway.
He was much more interested in Maman's little ring dish. Specifically, the knotted ring with the pink and blue flowers sitting on top, glinting in the sun coming through the window.
Mellie had wanted a ring like her Maman's.
Well, he thought, he supposed Auntie Nette's ring counted as a ring just like her Maman's, right? Auntie Nette wouldn't get too mad if he just…borrowed it…right?
– V –
Luka closed the door to the Twins' room as quietly as he could, not wanting to wake the little terrors. He quietly made his way across the hall, just as quietly opening the girls' door to check on them. Harmony was sound asleep in her bed, covers kicked off and limbs splayed and mouth open as she snored, but Mellie was still sitting up, humming and rocking as she admired her hand in the glow of her bluebird nightlight.
"Hey, songbird," he whispered, and her face lit up when she looked up and saw him slipping through the door. "What are you still doing up?"
"Papa!" she cried, and he chuckled as he raised a finger to his lips and shushed her. He jabbed a thumb at her sister's bed as he crossed the room to her, and she was only a little quieter when she whisper-shouted a "Sorry!"
"You should be sleeping, too, baby," he whispered, bending to kiss her head before he sat down on her bed.
"But if I was sleeping I wouldn't see you," she whined, tapping her feet together as she grinned up at him. He chuckled and ruffled her short hair.
"I got in early," he said with a wink. "You weren't supposed to see me until tomorrow, anyway."
"But I did, so I win!" she giggled, and he laughed as he pulled her in for a hug. She hummed and snuggled close to him, her tiny arms doing their best to wrap around him in a hug. His little Melody gave some of the best hugs.
"I suppose you do, songbird," he chuckled, patting her back. "Now, what's got my baby girl so excited, hmm?"
"I got an egged!" she cried. He was too confused to shush her this time.
"A…what?" he asked, blinking. His Ma had gotten some chickens a couple months back. He wondered if they had finally started laying.
"An egged! Just like you and Maman!" she said. She held up her little hand, and Luka's eyes widened as he saw Marinette's wedding ring hanging loosely on her middle finger. "KK asked me to marry him and gave me a pretty ring just like Maman's and now we're an egged!"
Luka had been on the road for a little over a week. Dingo, who had been his drummer since he'd first struck out on his own and stopped playing backup guitar for Jagged, had been with him the entire time. Luka knew this, and yet he was still struck by the strangest feeling of absolute certainty that he had to stop going on tour and leaving KK alone with his daughter. Somehow, he just knew this was all Dingo's fault. He was going to kill him.
"Have…uh…have you shown Maman your ring yet?" he asked. He wondered how upset Mellie would be if he took the ring back. He wondered if the inevitable tears would be enough to wake the Twins or just Harmony.
"Nope!" she chirped, and then he wondered how much of a tizzy Marinette had worked herself into by this point. (He knew she was in their room, but he had stopped to check on the kids before going to her. Suddenly the thumps and crashes he'd heard coming through their door made a lot more sense…) "Isn't it pretty, Papa? KK gave me a stupid ring first, but I told him it wasn't pretty and he got me this one next! It's just like Maman's!"
…yep. He was pretty sure that was because it was her Maman's. Marinette was the one who had made their wedding rings, after all. It would be damn near impossible for KK to find one that looked exactly like Marinette's ring.
"It's very pretty, Mellie," he said, kissing the top of her head. He squeezed her shoulder and held out a hand. "So pretty, in fact, I don't think you should sleep with it on. Can I put it somewhere safe for you?"
"But, Papa! I wanna wear it! Just like Maman!" she whined. She pulled her hands back against her chest, holding them close and pouting up at him. He sighed and rubbed her shoulder. Marinette was probably losing her mind.
"You can wear it tomorrow, Melody," he said. She stuck her lip out more, and it started wibbling as her eyes filled with tears. Marinette was going to kill him. "Ok, ok. Just…be very careful with it, ok? It's a very pretty ring."
"I love my ring," she chirped, smiling as she looked back at her hand. Her nose suddenly scrunched, and she looked back up at him. "KK's still stupid, though. He's not you, Papa. Do I really have to marry him?"
Luka tried not to snort as he shrugged.
"You did take his ring, songbird," he said. "That's how it usually works."
"…I don't wanna marry KK, though," she said, frowning back at her ring. "I wanna marry Papa."
"I think your Maman might have some things to say about that, baby," he chuckled, shaking his head. Not to mention Captain Raincomprix… "I'm glad you like me more than KK, though."
"I have to give it back, don't I?" she sighed, slumping against him. He hummed and rubbed her arm.
"Probably best," he said. She yawned, snuggling against his side. "I can hold onto it for you tonight, and we can give it back tomorrow."
"…can I keep it? Just one more night?" she asked, peeking up at him. He sighed and nodded. She yawned again as she looked back at the ring. "It's so pretty. It's got flowers and shabooey knots and looks just like Maman's."
…shabooey…?
You know what.
He wasn't even gonna ask.
"I know, songbird," he said. "We'll get you your own ring, ok? One with even more flowers."
"And knots?" she asked. Her head was starting to droop. He laid her back in the bed and kissed her forehead.
"And knots," he promised. "And we'll make sure it actually fits. Next time KK tries to give you a ring," he started, sincerely hoping that day was far, far away in their future, if ever, "make sure he gets you one that fits."
He held up his hand, where his own wedding ring – made of his old guitar strings, just like Marinette's – twisted securely around his finger.
"It has to fit so you don't lose it," he said. She giggled sleepily and held her hand up next to his, smiling when she saw the matching rings. He was amazed hers hadn't fallen off yet. "Sleep tight, songbird, and be very careful with your ring, ok?"
"Ok, Papa," she said, grabbing her stuffed snake and cuddling it close. She was out a minute or so later. Luka sighed and dropped one last kiss against her head before standing up. He hesitated only a moment, debating if he should just take the ring back now, but the thought of the complete meltdown she was guaranteed to have when she woke and found it missing – if she woke and thought she'd lost it – made him leave it. It was safe enough where it was for now. It was just one night.
He stopped by Harmony's bed on his way out, smiling down at her as she snored, and bent to push her bangs back and kiss her forehead before he slipped back out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
The light was still on in their room, and when he pushed the door open he had to bite back a laugh. Marinette was on her hands and knees, her butt raised in the air and the rest of her half under their bed. Around her, the room was a disaster. Clothes and boxes were everywhere, like a little Marinette-sized hurricane had blown through. He could hear her muttering, her tone frazzled and frustrated as she pushed the storage boxes under the bed aside. He chuckled and walked over to her, kneeling behind her and laying a hand on the small of her back.
"Darning –" he started, but she yelped and jumped the second his hand was on her. He winced at the thwunk and pained moan that answered him. "Sorry, sorry – it's just me! Are you ok?"
"I'll be happy to see you when my head stops hurting," she grumbled. He chuckled and reached for her hips, gently tugging her out from under the bed. He smiled down at her when her face appeared, but her lips were pressed together in a frown and tears were in her eyes. He rubbed her back, smiling, but that only seemed to upset her more. "Luka. I am so, so sorry."
"…what for?" he asked, helping her sit up and lean back against the bed. He leaned in to kiss her (he never truly felt like he was home until he'd gotten his welcome back kiss), but she turned her head away from him with a whimper. He reached up to cup her cheek and guide her head back to his. "Hey. I'm the one who scared you. What do you have to be sorry for?"
"I lost my wedding ring," she sniffled. He chuckled and shook his head, leaning in to kiss her anyway. She whined when he pulled back. "Luka! It's not funny! I have torn this place apart trying to find the stupid thing – I can't find it anywhere!"
"Relax, darning. Breathe," he murmured against her lips, kissing her again. "I found it. It's fine."
"What?!" she squeaked, jerking back and gawking at him. He tipped his head towards her, giving her the best Serious Face he could manage. It was hard, now that he was finally home and all he wanted to do was smile at the sight of her.
"Marinette, I've been stuck in a van with Dingo all day, breaking every speed limit and traffic law to get home before you went to bed," he said, his hand dropping to curl his fingers behind her neck. He tipped her head up with a thumb against her jaw, and he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. "Can you please just kiss me like you missed me?"
"…stupid," she laughed, grabbing the lapels of his jacket and tugging him to her. He smiled when she eventually pulled back, dropping his head to her shoulder and pressing his face against her neck. "I always miss you. I love you, you big dork, but I'm really upset right now. I don't know where I put my ring – I don't even remember taking it off, Luka. That ring is one of a kind. Those were your guitar strings when we first met. The ones you first played for me on – the ones you first played my song on. I can't replace that, Luka. And I just –"
He cut her off with another kiss, pressing her back into the bed and smiling when the hand that came up to push him away fisted in his shirt and pulled him closer instead.
"Marinette. Darning. It's just a ring," he said, kissing her again when she tried to argue that it was her wedding ring and special and – "I love you. Not the ring. But you'll be happy to know I know exactly where it is, so please stop tearing yourself and our bedroom apart over this and welcome me home like you're actually glad to see me back early?"
"Shut up," she grumbled, tugging his mouth back to hers. She slipped down against the bed, giggling as she pulled him after her. He braced an arm on the bed above her, the other wrapping around her and holding her against him, and he chuckled as he grinned down at her. "I am happy to see you. I'd just be happier if you hadn't caught me with a missing ring. I feel so scatterbrained – I never even lost it at the height of my twin-induced baby brain. Where is it, Lu?"
"Mellie has it," he said. She stilled beneath him, her eyes widening as she blinked up at him. "It's perfectly safe, darning. I'd have it for you right now, except I might have promised her she could keep it tonight. She's very excited about having a ring that looks just like her Maman's."
"Mel…how did she get…?" Marinette mumbled, shaking her head. He eased her onto the floor, mindful of the mess around them, and dropped down beside her – or tried to. He winced when he landed on a small box, the corner jabbing him somewhere boxes had no right to jab. She giggled when he picked it up and waved it at her, but then he was tossing it behind them and pulling her close, sighing happily once she was back in his arms.
He missed that entirely too much when he was on the road.
"I don't know the full story. I'm assuming we'll find out tomorrow. But apparently KK gave it to her. They're an egged now, just like us," he said. Marinette was still blinking at him, clearly confused. He grinned, pecking a kiss against her nose. "You know. When someone gives you a ring and you agree to marry them? God help us. KK's going to be our son-in-law. I'm really hoping he grows out of his dingo-ness and starts taking after his mother."
"An egg…engaged?" Marinette squeaked, her mouth dropping open. He nodded.
"Except she wants to marry me, not KK," he said, chuckling, "so maybe there's still hope. I told her she'd have to take that up with you, though. I'm a one-woman man, you know, and I'm quite happy with the woman I've got."
"Dork," she snorted, rolling her eyes, and he bent down to kiss her.
"Your dork," he murmured against her lips, and she hummed before stealing another kiss. "We'll get it back tomorrow, darning. It's fine."
"I'd just like to know how KK…oh, no," she groaned, dropping her head against his chest. He hummed, and she shook her head. "I was over there yesterday. Bri's taken up pottery, and she wanted to show me some of her new pieces. I took it off so I could try making something. KK must have taken it then."
"…you were missing your ring for an entire day and didn't notice?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting in amusement. She jabbed her elbow into his side.
"I noticed last night when I went to bed," she grumbled, snuggling closer to him. "I thought I left it by the sink while I was making dinner, and I didn't start freaking out until it wasn't there this morning. I had this flat in pieces while the girls were at school. Mellie didn't say anything when I picked her up, either. The little sneak. I'm very upset with her, Luka. My baby girl got engaged –"
"An egged," he corrected, making her snicker.
"And she never told me," she sighed. Luka chuckled as he kissed the crown of her head.
"Give her hell tomorrow," he said. "She's sleeping right now."
"What I would be, if she hadn't stolen my ring and scared me half to death," Marinette grumbled. Luka tipped her head back and kissed her.
"KK stole your ring," he reminded her. "Mellie was just excited to have a ring just like yours. Maybe we could make her one to match. You know she's going to be inconsolable when you take it back tomorrow."
"I am not making my four-year-old daughter a wedding ring," she groaned, shaking her head. She scrunched her nose up, making him snicker. "Her fingers are so tiny, Luka. I'd have to get one of the kwamis to do the weaving for me."
He pressed his face into her hair, trying to keep his laughter down so he didn't wake any of the kids.
"Of course," he snickered, kissing her head, "because it would have to be a ring just like Maman's. Shabooey knots and everything."
"Sha…?" she started to ask, but then she shook her head. "No. Nope. I don't wanna know. Luka, stop laughing."
"I love you," he laughed, pulling her closer and squeezing her tight. She pushed him back onto the floor and crawled on top of him, kissing him when he wouldn't stop laughing. "So much. Thank you for marrying me. Thank you for our beautiful little disasters."
"Luka?" she asked, rolling her eyes fondly.
"Yes, Marinette?" he answered, smiling stupidly at her.
"Shut up and kiss me," she said, and he chuckled as he reached for her face, guiding it back to his.
"Yes, Marinette."
– V –
The next morning, Brielle was elbow-deep in wet clay when her phone started ringing.
"Ding! Can you get that?" she called, but she could hear the sound of drums from deeper in the house and knew he probably hadn't heard her. They weren't very good drums, either, which let her know that he probably had Kurt in there and was giving him a turn, so he definitely hadn't heard her. She sighed and leaned over, tapping the answer button with her chin and praying it picked up. Hitting the speaker button with her nose was a little trickier, but she managed. "Hello?"
"We're going to be in-laws," Luka said by way of greeting. She could hear screaming in the background of the call. It sounded more like Mellie, but it might have been the Twins.
"What?" she asked, frowning as she reached for a wet towel to clean her hands off with.
"Your son proposed," Luka said, and she paused to stare at the phone. What? "Mellie only said yes because he used Marinette's ring to do it. Apparently the first one wasn't pretty enough."
The first…oh. Oh. Brielle blinked at her phone, recalling the afternoon earlier in the week when she had picked Kurt up from school and he'd handed over her engagement ring (that she admittedly hadn't realized had been missing until that point). There had been words that night about taking things that didn't belong to you, no matter how good your intentions, except Kurt had never actually said why he'd wanted the ring in the first place.
"Wait, that's why he stole my ring the other day?" she asked, shaking her head. "That little sh–"
"Wait, he stole your ring?" Luka asked, choking on a laugh. When she told him about the incident earlier in the week, he started laughing in earnest. "God help us. Mellie's gonna marry a pirate. Ma will be so proud."
"Tell Mari I'm sorry. I'll be having words with my…pirate," she said, shaking her head. "My God. I can't believe I gave birth to a Boat Kid."
"You did marry one," Luka said, laughing. She winced as the screaming on his end grew louder.
"No, I married a rabid dingo," she scoffed. "Who has delusions of Boathood."
"Please. Ding's more of a Boat Kid than I am," Luka said. He sighed as Mellie started screaming for him. "I have to go. She's pretty upset Marinette wanted her ring back."
"I'll make sure Kurt finds her her own ring," Brielle said, shaking her head. "Later. Much, much later. Much…Jesus Christ, Couffaine. We really are stuck with each other for life, aren't we?"
The screams were accompanied by a crash, and then Marinette was shouting, too.
"Love you, too, Bri," he said before disconnecting the call. She rolled her eyes and sighed, dropping her arms to her knees and tipping her head back before counting to ten. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and screamed.
"KURT PEREGRINE KING, GET YOUR THIEVING BUTT IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"
