AN: Le gasp! What's this?! A new chapter within days of just recently uploading one is a miracle in itself. Lmao. Probably won't be able to do this again in sometime since I'm swamped with English assignments.
Thank you for the continued support/reviews!
I normally won't answer reviews on a story itself but felt the need to clear up/comment on some stuff.
1st off – to the Guest reviewer who was kind enough to give me the heads up on Nino's last name – thank you! This story was started during that time when we still didn't know any of the other characters' last name. I try to keep up to date with MLB and Thomas Astruc so I knew about the last names when they first dropped. :)
2nd – Chat is completely oblivious to the pregnancy because, well… they're in pitch darkness getting it on. He's not gonna be paying attention so much but more to whatever Ladybug is about to do next to him. Lol. I've done my research, extensively, on both pregnancies and petite women while pregnant. Not all of them look like their spines are about to snap in half because they have a protruding watermelon as their bellies. Lol. Just like waistlines and heights – the size of a woman's pregnant belly differs. There's also cases where women don't even know they're pregnant, continue doing whatever their lifestyles are and end up with healthy kids (miraculously) or pregnancies where the person looks (seriously) the same as if they weren't pregnant – maybe like they added a couple of pounds but not a defining round stomach. (Have a cousin who was this case) Plus y'know, I leave a few things out but Tikki is magic, the miraculous powers are well… magic. :)
3rd – I never thought about a drastic time skip where Emma could possibly become a superhero! That'd be interesting but also the thought of the Agreste children being young adults makes me sad. Lol, I wanna keep them little forever. And also, for the sake of this story, I decided on not including Louis in this fic – he is tho, in my other one! :D
Anyways, this chapter has been brought to you by ANGST. Angst, angst, and more angst, topped with even more angst, served on a silver platter… with cake. You'll see.
Happy reading~
L'amour D'un Père
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Adrien's eyes were puffy and stained with dried streaks of tears, the tip of his nose, ears, and cheeks a rosy red, and his lips indented with bite marks from when he broke down.
In his hand he held the handle of the basket carrying his newly discovered daughter and the other twisted the doorknob to the mansion.
For once, Adrien had wished that his annoying cousin Felix would be the one waiting for his late-night arrival but instead he came face to face with his own father Gabriel.
He was pretty sure he had dear ol' cousin Felix to thank for being ratted out.
That asshole.
"What is the meaning of this? Coming home at this ungodly hour from who knows where?! And what is that, that you're bringing into this home?" Gabriel lowly growled as Adrien was too tired to deal with his pissed off ranting.
"Dad… please calm down" Adrien begged as he braced himself for another verbal onslaught.
Gabriel was taken by surprise by the weak, tired begging, as Adrien silently guided his father to his room, which was the most sound proof of all the rooms in the entire mansion. As a teenage boy with all his fancy toys and gadgets, Gabriel made sure to block all the intruding noise from his home.
Once inside Adrien's room, he gently placed the basket on his glass coffee table as he told his father to sit on his white leather couch.
Gabriel did as he was instructed and watched as his son's back was facing him.
"I don't even know what kind of excuse I can even give you for my actions this time but…" Adrien began as he hesitated with lifting the blanket covering the basket. He had been a rebel in the past but this was beyond being a rebel.
"Adrien…" Gabriel warned.
Adrien uncovered the basket and moved aside so that Gabriel could finally see what he was hiding inside.
"This… This is… my, m-my d-daughter, Emma"
Gabriel was speechless as his eyes briefly widened.
"I know it's not ideal and I'm only eighteen but I fully intend on keeping and raising her" Adrien swallowed the large knot lodged in his throat as he watched all the emotions from shock to anger phase through his father in a range of colors on his face.
Gabriel calmly stood up and grabbed Adrien by the collar of his shirt, giving his son a hard slap on his right cheek that his head forcefully titled to the left.
Not once in his eighteen years had Gabriel Agreste ever laid a hand on him. Not once.
The stinging quickly turned into throbbing as his reddened cheek slowly grew numb.
If Adrien knew any better, he would've thought his father had finally lost it as Gabriel started laughing after he had slapped him.
"You want me to honestly believe that you have a daughter? You? Adrien, you're still a child yourself. What makes you think that you're fit to even be a father? And who's to say that this is even your child. Whatever model you've been fooling around with that I'm unaware of is probably looking for a payout. This isn't your daughter, Adrien" Gabriel reasoned as he brushed past his son.
Adrien clenched his fists. "I'm only a child in your eyes, father! I have been nothing but diligent and respectful towards you! This is your grand-daughter whether you like her to be or not and I'll prove that with a DNA test if it'll set your selfish, cold dead heart at ease!"
Gabriel said nothing as he made his way towards the door, "Do as you please but I want no part in this, Adrien. Just know that you've created your own funeral with the paparazzi"
"Like I give a shit about what the media has to say!" Adrien harshly whispered after his father had left him all alone.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
In the coming weeks a hell storm of rumors, false claims, and speculations over flooded the Agreste manor as the paparazzi had snapped thousands upon thousands of photos of Adrien walking out of a clinic with a baby stroller.
To Gabriel's utter horror, the DNA test proved that the baby Adrien had brought home a month ago was indeed 100% his.
A new Agreste would be raised in their manor.
But Adrien didn't plan on sticking around for long, planning on moving out not long after graduating from high school. He would make sure that his daughter grew up in an environment filled with nothing but love and freedom instead of the toxic one he had grown up in for the past eighteen years. For now, he had no other choice but to stay in his childhood home as he knew little to nothing at all about infants and was grateful that his loyal maids were there to help teach him.
Gabriel was pissed.
Wanting his son to fail and for him to see that this was a bad idea. In his eyes, Adrien was unfit to raise a child and was not pleased to find out that the maids were helping him out in-secret.
"If it weren't for that child being a true Agreste, I would've had her in an adoption agency by now" Gabriel barked.
Adrien was too busy feeding his daughter a bottle that he simply rolled his eyes at his father, "If you're worried that this will interfere with my work, it won't. I won't give you the pleasure and satisfaction of seeing me fail at something that any normal human being struggles with on a daily basis"
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Adrien kept to his word.
He was constantly tired, burnt out by his demanding scheduling plus trying to be a better father to his child than his own father ever was to him. He knew that Gabriel was purposely piling on the workload onto him as punishment for the tabloids having a field day with their family, being unrelating to fashion news for once. Adrien had given the media something new to gossip over, seeing as for years they tried hard on unearthing skeletons from their large closet to no avail.
None of that mattered to him.
After Emma's first birthday, Adrien moved out like he had planned.
His father had cut his earnings in half but Adrien wasn't stupid. Ever since he had started modeling for his father's company when he was young, he secretly had Nathalie set up a savings account for him so he was never short on cash.
If Adrien and Gabriel had some semblance of a relationship before - it had evaporated into thin air as Gabriel struggled to accept his grand-daughter. Not once did he ever question what happened to the mother of Adrien's child, figuring that she must have been a fickle model.
Adrien was still very much in love with his Lady and he could only hope that maybe someday she'd come back into his life.
Ever since Ladybug vanished, it was like Hawkmoth and the rest of the akumas vanished along with her. Paris had been quiet for over a year and there was no use for his own destructive powers of Chat Noir.
He had missed Plagg's constant nagging, only imagining what his Kwami would say about him being a father now.
Adrien didn't want to dwell on the thought about his missing powers nor the absence of Plagg in his life.
Adrien was out on his own, confident enough that with the parenting skills he was taught by his maids that he could make it out on his own as a single parent.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
The years flew by like they had happened within seconds.
From sleepless nights where he had to constantly wake up in the middle of the night just to hold his daughter in his arms so that she could sleep after the darkness of night and nightmares scared her.
From the many ups and down adventures of trying to potty train her.
From the silly antics in where Emma would run around their penthouse naked and trying to escape from bath time as Adrien chased her around with a towel.
From the hard times when Emma would ask when 'mommy' would come back.
From the quiet nights when Adrien felt the urge for something strong as he broke down into his drinks.
He was trying to hold himself together for the sake of his daughter and for the sake of proving his father wrong but it was hard when he was a single parent.
His social life was almost non-existent, the last he heard was that his best friend Nino was getting married and he was expected to attend.
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Groaning, at twenty-three, Adrien leaned his head back on his living room's couch, kicking off his shoes as he held the mail in his tired hands. He had just gotten in from a long day of shooting a cologne ad. On her way out, Adrien thanked his babysitter who was one of his father's senior maids. She had helped raised Adrien as a kid. She excused herself for the day and left after bidding him a goodnight, still addressing him as 'young master.'
The wedding he was supposed to go to five years ago had been postponed until this coming weekend. Nino had become a successful EDM DJ while his fiancée Alya was the hottest journalist in this side of Paris and with how young and successful they both were, in the span of five years they couldn't find time to set a proper date to finally tie the knot.
Adrien felt a bit apprehensive about taking Emma to a wedding.
Call him an overprotective father but he had never taken her to big events and he doubted that anyone else in their small friend group had kids of their own except for maybe Marinette.
Marinette…
Adrien chuckled, that was a sweet name left on a sad note on his lips. After they had graduated, she distanced herself from everyone. The only person who knew about her whereabouts was Alya but even then, she was tight lipped about her.
Marinette would have a child around the same age as Emma by now.
Maybe she'd bring her own child and then Adrien can playfully tease the bride and groom about hurrying up to catch up to them.
That'd be a fun thought.
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"Daddy, you're home! You're home!" Emma excitedly ran up to Adrien as she climbed onto him on the couch and hugged him.
Her long blonde tresses had been freshly washed and brushed as she wore a pink nightgown that made her beautiful green eyes sparkle.
Adrien kissed her cheek as she presented him with a piece of paper, "A gift for me?" Adrien acted surprised as Emma nodded, sitting on his lap.
Taking the white piece of paper, he noticed the drawing of a family drawn in crayon.
"Who's this?" Adrien asked her as he smiled.
"Me, Daddy, and Mommy!" Emma proudly told him as she pointed to the black blob right next to her in the picture, "And that's our pet cat, Plagg. He's fat"
Adrien chuckled at the Plagg of her picture and knew that if Plagg was a real cat, he would most likely be a fat cat from all the camembert he consumed. His eyes then fell onto the 'Mommy' of the picture and his face fell. She had scribbled black hair and large stick looking blue eyes with swirly red crayon as a dress.
Over the years, Adrien had preserved his Lady's memories inside fantastical tales that he'd tell his daughter every night. About how he was once secretly a lonely prince with a grumpy king for a father that wouldn't let him out to have some fun and then, how one day he decided to be brave and set out on a magical adventure where he came across a beautiful and super kind princess from the neighboring town who loved his silliness and his own kind heart.
Adrien would create his own sound effects and even act out his bed time stories and as Emma sleepily asked for more of the stories, he'd add in about how the prince and the princess were so madly in love that they had a baby named princess Emma but the prince's princess wasn't just the princess of the land - she was also a superhero and because of her secret job of protecting everyone - she couldn't be with her own baby princess and her prince that she loved.
Sometimes he'd add twists in where he'd tell his daughter about how the prince in the stories was also secretly a superhero but because both the prince and the princess couldn't be superheroes at the same time, that the prince decided to stay a prince and raised their daughter, princess Emma on his own while the princess did all the protecting.
Other times, Adrien would switch the stories to tales of the prince's friend - the magic minstrel Nino, who had a flute that could sing music on its own and his best friend the good fairy Alya who could grant any wish princess Emma's heart desired. He'd tell these stories instead whenever the tale of his own princess got too hard to tell his daughter.
Adrien was a broken man left with a hole in his heart.
"Daddy?" Emma questioned as big green eyes looked up at him.
"Yes, Princess?" he replied as he snapped out of his thoughts as he stared at the crayon stick figure of his Lady on the white piece of paper.
"I hope I can meet Mommy soon" Emma told him as she took her picture and climbed off him. "Ok, bedtime! I'm sleepy now" she yawned as she held out her hand for him to take wanting him to go tuck her in.
Adrien didn't know what to say.
Every single day he was noticing more and more of his Lady's traits in his daughter.
And it killed him.
Taking her small warm hand into his, he got a surprised squeak out of Emma as he lifted her up and carried her upstairs.
Inside her dim bedroom, there was no need for a nightlight as the Eiffel Tower illuminated her room from the large window panes.
Adrien had grown to be a bit of a masochist, purchasing a luxurious penthouse apartment that was right in the heart of the city.
The Eiffel Tower was a constant reminder every night when he'd go to bed that he was once there, that he once used it as a beacon of hope, a beacon of freedom, a beacon that broadcasted his love for his Ladybug to the high heavens and all of Paris. Whenever his own home life was dark and bleary - she was there, she was always waiting there, calling out to him on that illuminated 324 meters of iron. Their home's national treasure and an another wound he held in his heart.
Adrien finished his bed time story for the night. He was too tired to fully immerse himself into tonight's performance but he tried anyway.
"Daddy, it's okay. Go to sleep" Emma yawned, rubbing her eyes as she wiggled around her comforter trying to get comfortable.
Adrien watched her sleepy face, silent, and taken by surprise as usual. Emma could easily read his emotions and for a five year old - he sometimes wondered who was holding who up.
Lately it was his daughter, his anchor in this world.
Leaning over her, he quickly kissed her forehead bidding her a goodnight, telling her how much he loves her and walked out to his own bedroom.
Once inside his own room, he went and did his nightly routine. Cleaning his face, brushing his teeth, and plopped down on his bed. Normally he'd undress, decide whether he wanted to sleep in boxers or pj bottoms for the night but this time his tired mind just had him sit on the edge of his bed.
His already loosening tie around his neck was pulled down further as he held the red silk in his hand. The other hand firmly planted on the soft mattress, a black ring with a dull green paw print faintly shimmered in the dim room.
Staring at the tiny red silk, in his opened hand, Adrien's lips trembled as he pressed the tie against his stinging eyes. The tears cascaded down his cheeks as he laid back on his bed.
The cries muffled into the tie, not wanting to burst more than he already did for the sake of his sleeping daughter.
"I-I-I m-miss y-you" Adrien choked on his sobs.
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"Dude, were you hit by a semi that was loaded with liquor on your way here?" Nino asked as he commented on Adrien's appearance.
While clean cut and model material in his white dress shirt, turquoise blue tie and vest; Adrien held his white tuxedo jacket with white lapels and a turquoise handkerchief in the right breast pocket tucked neatly over one arm, but his face looked horrible.
"And your black trousers are missing the belt and isn't even zipped!" Nino freaked as Adrien set his jacket on a chair. He looked at the time on his silver and black Rolex.
"Sorry, I rushed over after going home to shower since I was finishing up a shoot. My old man isn't letting up on my workload but I wasn't going to start slacking on my best man duties. Just give me five minutes to freshen up" Adrien told him as he quickly zipped up his pants and pulled out his belt from inside the jacket as he weaved his belt around the loops, buckling and adjusting the belt around his lean waist.
Once he was done, he ran his hands over his blonde hair and tousled the short locks. He picked up his tuxedo jacket and put it on, buttoning it up as he stared at Nino.
Nino inspected him and once he approved, he smiled, "Oh come here, you!" he excitedly pulled Adrien into him giving him a tight friendly hug. It had been far too long since Nino had last seen his best friend.
"I'll forgive you for having puffy eyes for today. We all know how much of a slave driver your dad is. Besides I'm sure all the ladies will approve of the broody vampire look you have going on with those piercing green eyes of yours" Nino commented as he let go of Adrien.
Adrien was somewhat grateful that Nino didn't question his look further and neither did he feel like telling him how he was feeling pathetic, lonely, and sorry for himself the night before as he cried himself to sleep even though he knew he had a wedding to attend.
"Nino…" Adrien whined, "Don't make me steal you away from your bride only two hours before you say the big 'I do'" Adrien laughed as he patted Nino's shoulder.
"You really think you'd ever get the chance to? Alya is crazy scary when she's focused and determined on something" Nino shook his head smiling, "As much as I love you, I can't deprive the world of single bachelor, hot dad, billionaire Adrien Agreste"
Adrien rolled his eyes at Nino's description of him, "If only women cared about the dad part"
"Speaking of, where's the little lady?" Nino asked, knowing that Adrien never let Emma out of his sight.
"With Alya. I ran into Rose and Juleka who were setting up the last of the flower arrangements outside in the courtyard and they told me where to find the bride. Alya offered to put makeup to cover up my puffiness but while I declined, Emma decided to take her up on the makeup offer herself"
"Whoa, letting Emma wear makeup now? How progressive"
"Don't get any ideas. My parenting isn't that carefree. Alya promised she'd only use minor eyeshadow and lip gloss on her"
"Hmm, still. Daddy Adrien is finally loosening up"
Adrien's face twisted in a displeased look, "She's my little girl and I'll keep it that way for as long as I possibly can"
Nino laughed, "You know I'm only teasing you man. I don't want my cute niece growing up either. And just you wait, someday soon, Emma won't be all alone"
Adrien raised an eyebrow at this, "thinking about finally settling down with kids now, Nino?"
Nino shrugged, "Don't know about the settling down part but kids? Sure, I'm down for that. I think I'm ready for that next big step in my life"
Adrien smiled at his best friend, "As long as you don't abuse me as their uncle, I'm more than happy for you to enter the world of fatherhood"
Nino snorted at that, "You won't have to worry about me trying to get you to spoil my future kids but Alya on the other hand… well…"
"Oh boy" Adrien genuinely laughed.
It felt good to be surrounded by familiar faces, some that he hadn't since he graduated. It felt good to have something for himself for once, instead of running his same daily routine of having his father pile on shoot after shoot, commercials and interviews, etc. It felt good not being stuck in his home, wallowing in self-pity in the confines of his room.
This felt good.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Later that day, the world welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Nino Lahiffe with the Norte Dame ringing loud and proud.
Cheers and claps as people hugged, kissed, and threw rice.
As the festivities continued, Adrien held Emma in his arms as he did his best man duties. He posed for every photo, making sure that no mishaps happened and as the evening settled, he did the first toast with a glass of Dom Perignon. His best man speech that followed was light-hearted, recalling fond memories that he's had with Nino over the years and how his best friend's love story came full circle with his intelligent and beautiful new bride Alya, ending his speech on how he wished them the very best, years of bliss, and how much he loved them both – which earned him sweet awing from the crowd.
Since Adrien was sitting at the main table with the rest of the wedding party, he momentarily left Emma in the care of Rose and Juleka - whom, had caught the wedding bouquet earlier. Both women blushing but it was the first time that Adrien had seen so much color on Juleka's face. Ever.
He had a feeling that he'd be invited to yet another wedding very soon.
As he walked out of the roaring party to make his way down the quiet lobby to the restroom, his hand twisted the doorknob and came into contact with someone entering back in.
It was the last person he thought he'd ever get to see again.
After all, she had disappeared from everyone's lives for the past five years. Merely being a ghost in friend's casual stories.
His heart skipped a beat as green emeralds met an ocean of blue.
Her lips stained in a passionate rouge, thick long eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks, tiny freckles splashed around her nose and cheeks. Did she always have freckles? He never noticed.
Her turquoise strapless bridesmaid dress that was adorned with a white sash belt with a large bow on the side caught his eyes for a brief second as the bow was wet, contrasting the rest of the light-colored dress.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped, looking up again at her, he was caught in the turquoise of her smokey eyes. The makeup heightening the sapphire shade of her already gorgeous eyes.
He was self-aware of the way she was studying his own face. His short blonde eyelashes caught in her gaze without blinking, the decreasing puffiness of his tired eyes, the plumpness of his lightly tanned lips, and the light feather dusting of red on his defined cheekbones. Over the years, Adrien had lost the baby fat in his cheeks while growing taller.
He was easily towering over her, casting a shadow on her petite frame as they stilled. Unmoving from their positions.
They both continued holding the doorknob on both ends of the door.
The one and only Marinette Dupain-Cheng was back.
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Done! To be continued.
Dun. Dun. DUUUUUNNNNN.
I wonder what will happen next… mwahahaha.
Where the heck did Marinette disappear off to?
What happened to Plagg and the miraculous?
Why didn't Adrien notice Marinette since the beginning if she's part of the main wedding party?
Will Adrien choose the chicken or the fish at the wedding?!
All this will be answered in the next chapter! So, stay tuned!
Emma is so precious, lots more of her is coming very soon~
If you squint your eyes real close, you'll catch a bit of hinted JuleRose featured in this.
Oh, yeah, ps. Gabriel is a major jerk in this. Shocker, right? Yeah, totally. *Tumbleweed drifts by*
Again, I don't know when I'll be able to update but this long chapter plus its cliffhanger should suffice for now. Seriously tho, longest chapter thus far. I keep telling myself I won't torture myself like this but what do I do? I continue to not listen to my own advice. But I'm sure that y'all aren't complaining, only the author here. So much editing. /cry.
Please do review! Follows and Alerts tell me that you guys are at least interested in the story but reviews really let me hear out what your feedback and personal opinions on my stories are!
If anyone is afraid to leave reviews due to language difference - please don't be! I can fluently read Spanish and partial French! :) And hey, that's why Google translate was invented after all! LOL.
So ya know the drill! Tell me what ya think! ;D