Adrien woke up with quite the kink in his next. "Whaa?" Then he remembered Mini Mari was sleeping on his chest, balled up in his green hoodie. He chuckled, he reached for his phone, it was 5:30, "Well, I'm not gonna sleep anymore, but that's also the earliest I've gone to bed in a while." He flipped thought his schedule, it was Saturday, he had no shoots either as the model or the photographer, so the day was open, he texted Master Fu asking if the four of them could get together and train. Hawkmoth had been so quiet lately, he was waiting for a big battle. 

He carefully moved Mari off his lap.  And left her on the couch. He pocked Tiki, "Hey, I'm gonna go wash up, keep an ear open for Mari okay?" Tiki nodded and then went back to cuddling Plag. 

Adrien slipped into his bathroom and started a shower.  He was shocked to find out just how much the little girl could sweat. He was coved in sweat. He felt gross. He quickly washed up and changed into some loungewear. It was 6 am on a Saturday he wasn't about to get dressed in his day clothes. He then headed to the kitchenette. He could see the living room from his kitchenette, Mari seemed to have snuggled father into his hoodie. 

What did little kids like for breakfast that adults would also eat??? Pancakes. He could make pancakes. He quickly went to work, he made pancakes, fired up some bacon and scrambled up some eggs. He had looked in his pantry and he found chocolate chips, maple syrup, peanut butter. He then dug through his fridge and found orange juice, butter, some milk. He set the table, as he set the table he made a note to go buy a set of plastic plates. It had only taken him an hour to get all of this together. Did he wake Mari? Did he let her sleep? Thankfully he didn't have to think too hard about it, because little Mari started to stir. 

"Adrien?" She yawned and stretched. 

"Behind you Mini Mar" He teased. 

"Oh! What smells so good?" 

"Food. silly girl it's time for breakfast." Adrien chucked as the small girl worked her way over to him. 

"Good Morning hug!" She grabbed his leg.

"Woah! Okay, Good Morning to you little girl. Come on up and see what wonders I have made for breakfast." He detached her from his leg and lifted her so she could see their breakfast. Her eyes grew wide. He chuckled and set her on a chair. They ate till they both had their fill. Then they found Mari some clothes. And Adrien tried to do her hair and failed terribly. They chose a ponytail in the end. She twirled showing off a pink pocked skirt and a black t-shirt with the shoes that the magic had given her yesterday. 

"Alright, well it's already ten o'clock. Man, we gotta better at this kiddo." 

"What's next Adrien?" She smiled a big toothy grin. 

He was about to answer when his phone started to ring. "Hello?" 

"Adrien." Natalie's voice came though short always but a small smile aways lingered when she called him. "Your father wants to speak to you today as soon as possible." 

"I have a meeting this afternoon with a possible client, but I could come over for lunch." Mari tilted her head. Adrien put a finger to his lips.

"Of course Adrien that works best for your father as well. Would you like to come by the house or meet somewhere?" 

"Let's meet at the house, I can pick something on the way from that soup and sandwich shop we both like. Text me both your orders?"

"When did you grow up so much Adrien?" Natalie sighed smiling. "That sounds good."

Adrien hung up the phone. "Looks like we have lunch plans little lady, hmmm" He looked at her. The ponytail was going to be too plain for his father. "Ah, I got it!" He looked through the box of hair stuff Alya had left him, and found a pink bow. He pinned it into her ponytail. "Perfect!" 

"Adrien? Can we go to the park before your meeting? Please!!" 

"Oh alright but you can't get too messy and we only have an hour before we have to go pick up my dad and his assistant's lunch before we head over there." 

"Assistant? What about your mommy?" her eyes held a level of innocents Adrien couldn't fathom. Is that what Mari's kids were going to look like? He shook his head and got down on his knees and placed his hand on the little girl's cheek. 

"It's a sad story little one, but if you want to hear it Ill tell you as we drive to park, but let's get a bag of stuff together for you to play with, okay?" He went to stand back up but was stopped by a hand on his hand. 

"Adrien, I know I can't remember anything about you, but I can see that whatever happened hurts you. I don't want to make you hurt." She kissed his hand like a parent would kiss a cut better. Adrien took her hand and they went to her room and quickly packed a bag of toys.  He changed out of his loungewear and into a more business casual outfit. That would please his father. Then they headed to the park. 

"Mari, my mom died when I was a bit older than you. I don't know how she died. My parents sent had sent me away to visit my aunt and cousin, to cheer up my cousin and when I came back and mom was gone. Dad refused to talk about it. We had a funeral and that was that. My friends saved my life. You saved my life as Ladybug." 

"Adrien promise me when I get big again you will tell me all this." She smiled at him. Then they pulled up at the park and just like the kid she was, her attention was gone, all she wanted was to play. 

So they played, they ran, meant new kids and managed to stay clean. But the hour quickly flew by and they had to get to the soup shop. They picked up the orders. And headed to the mansion. 

They walked into the house, Adirens father meant him at the top of the stairs as he always did. "Hello, Father." Adrien bowed his head. He went to introduce him to Ally but to his horror Ally run up the stairs to give him a hug.  "Ally no!" Too late, she gave him a hug. His father was shocked, bent down and hugged the small girl. "Father I'm so sorry, this is Ally my Chinese teacher's granddaughter. She is staying with me while he recovers from a bad fall." 

"Yes, heart of gold you have..." His father put his hand on the girl's shoulders, "Young lady, for future notice I don't hug." 

Ally gasped, "But hugs are the best! You really don't like them?" Adrien sat bug-eyed, how could he stop this? Could he fix this? 

"Ally was it?" she nodded. "Well Ally it's not that I don't like hugs, it that I don't give them out often. So please refrain from this action in the future." His father stood again and shook his son's hand. "Welcome son." 

"I brought lunch, shall we head to the dining room?" He tilts his head towards the right. Ally runs back and takes his hand. 

"Lead the way!" Ally gave him the biggest smile. Adrien swore he heard his father laugh or at least chuckle. 

Adrien pulled out Natalie's french onion soup and chicken salad sandwich. His father's vegetable soup and roast beef sandwich. He handed Ally her tomato soup and girl cheese, and lastly his potato bacon soap and his BLT.  What could he say once he learned he liked bacon he left himself enjoy it.

"Before we dive into the business matter of this lunch, I want to know son, have you found a partner yet?" His father took a bite of his soup. 

"Partner? Like a wife, girlfriend or business partner?" Adrien was taken aback by this question.

"Well, all of the above really. I can't for the life of me figure out why you haven't asked Miss. Marinette on a date yet? Or at least to be contracted as her photographer?" 

"Father! I..." Mari was technically sitting right there. How could he just ask him about his best friend? Especially when he just learned that his best friend was the girl of his dreams. Fortanely he didn't need to find answer, because Ally intruptied. 

"Adrien look what I made!" Ally  showed him a napkin folded into a dress. 

"Very nice Ally, but you need to eat you lunch not design dresses." He laughed and cut her sandwich making it easier for her to eat. Gabriel watched his son really did have a way with kids. 

"Adrien, I saw your last set of photos on your website and the ones on Miss. Marinette's website. You've gotten quite good son."

"Thank you father, it helps that Mari's designs are easy to photograph and Juluka is a natural in front of the camera. Especially once we got Rose to be hair and makeup. It just made Juls light up." There derailed the conversation. He didn't want to have this conversation. 

"I know I tried to get Miss Juluka to model for me and she had several stipulations, Miss Rose being her stylist was one. You being the photographer was another. I know Miss Marinette turned down my offer to work for me, but I was hoping-" 

"Wait what?" Adrien looked at Ally who clearly wasn't going to have an answer. "You offered Mari a job and she said no?" Adrien couldn't believe it.

"Yes, last week, but she refused, said she had new plans. But we agreed to work on a line together to help give her a boost. So I wanted Miss Juluka to be the headline model and I want you to be the photographer. I know when you told me you wanted to be a photographer I acted poorly, so I want you to work with me on the project I'm doing with Miss. Marinette." 

"Woah, this is a lot of new information, but yes I would love to work with you and Mari." 

"Good, I look forward to it." Gabrial nodded. 

"Adrien?" Ally spook, Adrien was shocked she'd been so quiet all lunch. 

"Yes, Ally?" He turned and focused all his attention on her. 

"Don't we have to meet my grandfather before your meeting?" Adrien looked at the clock, it was almost time to meet Master Fu

"Oh! Yes! Sorry Father, we really have to go!"

"Of course good luck with your client this afternoon." he looked at the table then back at his son, "Would you and Miss Ally like to come again? I'm sure Miss Ally would love to see your old room and see what young Adrien was like." 

Adrien was stunned his father wanted to spend time with him? "Um. That would be nice father. I'll let Natilie know when we are available." And without saving another word, they left.