The plan was to tell Chat as soon as he visited her again. She hadn't seen him in a while, at least not as Marinette, and she figured it was because he was giving her space. He had a tendency to do that whenever he knew something was bothering her. It happened before. She was feeling down and he didn't know exactly what was wrong, so he somehow deducted that he was what was wrong. They talked about it many times in the past and though she was sure he knew she would tell him if he was the problem, he still distanced himself at times. Marinette wished she could do something, but she had no other way to contact him aside from calling as Ladybug. How was she supposed to explain that to him?
It had been a week and she still hadn't seen Chat. She was beginning to wonder if maybe he figured it out and was avoiding her. That thought made her sigh.
"Something wrong?" Alya asked, quirking her eyebrow in Marinette's direction.
"Oh, uh, just some issues with. . . clothes," she stammered. She still hadn't told Alya about Chat and she wanted to keep it that way until she told him everything. She was hoping she'd get to introduce them. "They're a little tight."
"Are you showing already?" Alya's eyes brightened. "Let me see!"
Marinette laughed, swatting her hand away from her belly. "Not much. It's not quite maternity clothes level, but enough that I have a hard time buttoning my jeans."
"Aww, little baby is growing!"
"And mommy is suffering." She felt her smile grow and butterflies flutter when she said that. Mommy. "Though I'd prefer if you didn't broadcast it in the middle of the street." she grumbled. Alya only chuckled.
"No one's listening," she said, "but I'll be quiet when we get to school."
The rest of the walk was with only a couple comments here and there. Marinette wasn't nervous at all to tell Alya she was keeping the baby, she was actually excited and Alya shared that excitement. She kept squealing that she was gonna be an aunt. It kept her from asking any questions about Chat for the time being. It was only a matter of time until the excitement settled and she'd get curious again.
Alya was currently doing all the research she could on pregnancy to support her as much as possible. Marinette was beyond grateful. She couldn't have asked for a better friend.
Nino and Adrien were waiting for them on the steps when they arrived. That was a little habit they had since last semester. After Adrien and Marinette got closer, it tied the group together and made them practically inseparable. They would've liked to walk to school together, but it wasn't an option with Gabriel's preferred transportation for Adrien and the fact that Alya and Nino lived nowhere near each other to walk. It was too out of the way, so they settled for meeting outside the building and walking inside together.
Upon their arrival, Adrien raced down the stairs and greeted them. Or rather, he greeted Marinette. "Good morning, Mari," he chirped. "How are you feeling?"
She shrugged. "It's morning and I'm awake."
He cracked a smile. "Fair enough."
Marinette went to walk up the stairs, but Adrien stopped her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Here, let me."
"Am I crippled or something?" She had noticed him acting strange around her since that day in the park. It was random things like giving her his extra water bottle or jumping out of his seat when she complained about being tired. Alya was convinced that it was Adrien's way of expressing his feelings for her. Marinette was convinced he was just an overbearing gentleman.
"No, you can just be a little clumsy at times. Y-you know?"
She shook her head in mild exasperation, "I can walk up a couple of stairs without busting my head open. I'm fine." but right as she said that, her foot caught the next step and she went pummeling down. Fortunately, Adrien caught her before she hit the ground and sent her a smug expression.
"You were saying?"
She rolled her eyes as a small laugh escaped her lips. "Lead the way, prince charming."
She looked back to see Alya still a good ways behind, winking and giving her a thumbs up. Marinette frowned, gesturing to herself and mouthing the word "baby". Still, Alya wouldn't be swayed. She was shipping Adrinette, as she called it, more than ever. A baby wasn't going to get in the way of that, apparently.
Adrien still held her waist as they lingered and slowly made their way to the class as if that was the most natural thing to do. Marinette felt guilty at how pleasant the feeling of Adrien's hands around her waist felt. The only person she had ever let touch her so intimately was Chat, and though she planned to keep it that way, it took her a second too long to clear her throat and inch her body away. Adrien snapped his hand away and turned pink.
"Ah, sorry," he said sheepishly.
Feeling a little bad, she smiled up at him. "Thanks for watching out for me."
His embarrassment melted and he returned the smile tenfold. "Anytime."
Almost immediately after school, Alya dragged her away declaring that they were going shopping. Maternity clothes shopping, to be exact. Marinette insisted that she was fine and she didn't need anything just yet, but Alya was persistent and her eagerness was far too infectious to say no.
They got into the store and both of them went a bit wild. Marinette could feel her heart melt at the sight of the little onsies and hats, the tiny boots and bibs. Really, it was too much to handle, especially with her hormones bouncing all over the place. The two made it through that section without putting too many items in the cart and they reached the clothes for the mother herself.
Marinette gulped. "Don't you think these are a little large, Al?"
The girl in question blinked. "Um, don't you think you're gonna get a little large?"
She shifted her weight. "I mean, yeah, but not quite yet. I'm still in the first trimester."
"Barely," Alya responded. "You're getting up into the second, and you're gonna get big fast once you start growing for real."
She looked across the pants and shirts and bras she knew she'd need eventually, but just couldn't imagine herself wearing them. She was becoming more aware of how much her body was going to change. Her belly was going to expand, she'd likely get tons of stretchmarks, her arms and thighs would plump up. Her feet were already swollen, and with the struggle of pulling her pants up that morning, she was getting nervous.
Alya must have noticed her hesitation because she abruptly decided to skip the bigger things and go for what she needed then rather than later. Marinette appreciated it. She was keeping the baby, therefore she had to go through the whole nine months of the pregnancy and all it came with, but her decision didn't make it any less daunting. If anything, it made it worse.
Certainty had a way of being terrifying.
Marinette chose the floppy, stretchy clothes that didn't scream pregnancy. The ones that could just as easily be a fashion choice instead of a need, and she could make them work. She preferred form fitting clothes that accentuated her figure (something she presumed came from running around in skintight spandex), but she found something unique in every style and would never do herself the disservice of only sticking to one.
They threw a couple pairs in and were content with their choices. It was at that point Marinette and Alya found themselves browsing the baby clothes again. With all the excitement and anticipation, how could they resist?
"Ooh, look at these, Mari!"
Marinette turned her head and saw Alya holding up two onsies. One red with spots and the other black with a little bell at the collar. Ladybug and Chat Noir. She went to look at them closer and chuckled to herself. There was so little detail on Chat's. Marinette could picture the intricate lines and details in his suit, the pockets and the belt, every stitch. The piece in front of her, as cute as it was, didn't do Chat justice and it certainly wouldn't do for his baby either. "I could do better," she said with confidence.
Alya rolled her eyes. "Of course you could. I can imagine you picking apart everything in this store and completely redesigning them."
Marinette laughed. "I'll probably end up making most of my baby's clothes."
"I have no doubt in my mind you will, but are you sure you'll have the time for that?"
"I'll have some time, I'm sure," she responded, tilting her head in thought. "I'm not alone, so it won't be too difficult to eventually sit down and make something. Maman and papa said they could help watch the baby after it's born."
Alya looked into her eyes meaningfully, taking a short moment before saying anything. Marinette noticed she did that whenever she was about to say something that might be out of line or bother someone else. She unconsciously braced herself. "And what about the father of the baby?" she asked softly. "Will he help?"
"He uh. . ." Marinette wished she could say yes for sure. "Well, I don't know. I haven't talked to him yet."
"Still? Mari, it's been weeks since you found out. Shouldn't he be one of the first to know?"
Marinette sighed despondently. "He should, I know that. I just don't know how to tell him."
"Are you scared he's gonna run off or something?"
"Maybe? He's not that kind of person, but it's possible. He doesn't exactly have the best family and having a child of his own might scare him."
"Well, of course it's gonna scare him," Alya deadpanned. "He has no clue right now and when you tell him it'll probably hit him pretty hard. He's a normal kid one day and then a father the next. He's gonna be terrified."
"Way to make this easier on me, Al."
"I just mean there's no getting around that part. You were scared. Heck, you're still scared, but you aren't running away. What makes you think he will?"
"You sure have a lot of faith in a guy you don't even know."
"I don't have to know him to know you wouldn't care so much about someone that awful. You're generally a good judge of character and I have faith in that. I think you should, too. And if he does up and leave you, I'll make him pay for it. Nobody knocks up my girl without taking responsibility."
She groaned. "Do you have to use that phrase?"
"Excuse me," a new voice chimed in from behind them and both girls spun around to see an older woman eyeing them curiously. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation from the other aisle. You're having trouble telling the father you're pregnant?"
"Oh uh, yeah," Marinette responded. "I'm a bit nervous."
The woman smiled, empathy oozing from her hazel eyes. "I understand, dear, it's scary, but everything will be fine once you get it over with. I have a bit of a habit of building things up in my head and making them out to be worse than they actually are, so I get it. Say, how old are you?"
With cheeks burning in shame and fingers tangling themselves together, Marinette answered. "Sixteen-years-old, Madame."
"Oh," her eyes widened a bit. "That's quite a young age to have a baby. You're keeping it?"
"That's the plan." Marinette wished the woman would leave. It was only a few questions, she had answered more from her parents, but those were her parents. They had a right to know. This was a complete stranger and she couldn't help but feel like she was scrutinizing her.
"So young and brave." Her lips turned to a tight smile that held less warmth. "How far along are you?"
"Eleven weeks."
The edge of her lips flickered up and then down again, as if she wasn't sure if she wanted to frown or smile. It was a weird mix between the two and she didn't know what to think of it.
Alya intervened. "Well, it was nice talking to you, but we should get going."
The woman grabbed Marinette's shoulder. "Don't take this the wrong way, but are you sure you can handle this?"
Marinette gaped, not saying a single word, though her tongue begged to fight back.
"A child is a lot of work. You need the time and the money to do it, and that's not even the hardest part. You have to have resolve, know who you are and have your values straight, or you're just gonna confuse the poor kid when they're older. You have to be a good example and spend time with them. How are you gonna do that if you're too busy with school and homework and maybe even college if you neglect them enough? Leave them with Maman and Papa to pursue your dreams?"
"Shut it, lady." Alya glared. "You don't know what you're talking about or who you're talking to. What gives you the right to judge someone else's choices, someone you know nothing about? This is none of your business and this isn't your baby, so butt out and boss your own kids around."
The woman's lips finally decided which direction they wanted to go in, and the decision wasn't pleasant. They sank into a deep, deep frown. "You're right," she conceded. "It's not my baby. Not my baby at all."
Glaring one last time, she pulled Marinette away. They exited the store and was on their way to what Marinette assumed was the park.
"Don't listen to what that nosy prick said," Alya snarled. "She had no idea what she was talking about. You're going to be a wonderful mother, Mari."
Marinette placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I know. What she said didn't bother me."
"You sure? You tend to get pretty worked up when someone talks bad about you."
"I'm sure, I just. . . I feel sorry for her. Of course raising a child isn't easy, but she made it sound like you can't have a life outside of your baby, and that's such a saddening mindset. No wonder she was like that."
"I feel sorry for her kids more than anything," Alya mumbled as they made their way to the bakery.
When Marinette got home, she eagerly showed her parents what she and Alya bought and told them all about it, leaving out the strange encounter. Her mom was pretty upset she didn't get to take her shopping, but Marinette reminded her that there would be many shopping trips to come and she could take her to as many as she wanted.
Tom said Sabine could take care of that, he was more interested in getting things for the actual baby. Marinette had a feeling he was going to go overboard. He was already a doting parent, she couldn't imagine him as a grandparent.
Her baby was already spoiled.
They ate dinner and they chatted, and Marinette told them about her plans to make Ladybug and Chat Noir onsies. Her parents loved it. They started pitching in ideas of how to go about it and talking about how cute it would be.
Her parents ended up making a bet on the gender. Sabine was convinced it was a boy, Tom said it was definitely going to be a girl, and Marinette just watched them, smiling, thinking about how silly she was when she was scared of telling her parents those weeks ago. Everything changed, just like Tikki said. It was different and it would never go back, but she was fine with that, because they were still happy. Still a family with an addition on the way.
Marinette went up to her room after helping her mom with the dishes. She had homework she was planning to finish up, but more than that, she was excited to start sketching her designs for the onsies. She opened her trap door and looked up to see someone she hadn't laid eyes on in what felt like forever.
Chat.