Adrien

Marinette had been silent most of the way home, if he could call it home, and he couldn't help but panic; he'd pushed this too far. He didn't know her. He just saw the opportunity and took it without a second thought. There was something about Marinette; he wanted to know more. She fluctuated between confidence and complete and utter goofiness, and it was that vulnerability that had him curious. She was an enigma waiting to be solved.

As they pulled up at his apartment building, he could hear the awe in Marinette's voice, an awe which made him cringe. He'd bought the building with some of the trust fund he'd received on his 18th birthday.

It was the first proper time he'd rebelled against his father.

The two bedroom recently renovated apartment in Rer Champs de Mars Eiffel Tower had been a metaphorical 'fuck you' to his father. The morning of his birthday, Gabriel had seated him down and handed him a bunch of documents for possible 'homes'. Each one was situated near the manor in the 4th arrondissement and at a price Gabriel considered reasonable for Adrien's age.

That evening he'd taken to the rooftops and met with his Lady, his Lady who had supplied him with enough alcohol to turn him into a pirate. He'd proceeded to contact his own personal lawyer and buy a €2,500,000 apartment – in cash – in the 17th arrondissement. He may now be on the verge of starvation and working extra shoots to keep himself alive; however, he'd do it all again just to watch the look on his father's face. It was the picture perfect moment which made the tinned beans and soup worth it.

"This is beautiful."

Adrien smiled at the girl next to him before turning his attention back to Emma. She was still flat out, fast asleep, in her car seat and Adrien swore he'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Her lips were slightly parted, her double chin rippling under her face and teeny tiny whistles leaving her nose. Unfastening her buckle, Adrien cradled her against his shoulder, making sure she was still asleep before moving out of the car and into the street – the overly crowded street.

Gorilla, his driver/bodyguard, stepped out in front of him, Adrien turning around and telling Marinette to wait for his driver to return before leaving the car. She looked terrified and he couldn't help but feel like the world's worst human. She didn't want this. She didn't ask for this; if he'd only kept his eyes on the child whilst she was in his room they wouldn't be in this situation now...

Actually, who was he kidding? He worked with Marinette, at some point Emma would have seen her and this whole mess would have happened anyway. Better sooner than later he supposed.

Placing a hand on the back of Emma's head, and trying to keep her face away from the camera flashes, Gorilla helped guide him into the building and away from the general chaos before heading back out for Marinette. He began to rock side to side, an automatic motion to having the small child in his arms.

Adrien watched as Gorilla helped Marinette out of the car, and wrestled her into the building without anyone getting near. If all had gone to plan, Marinette and Emma would still remain faceless... for now at least.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, freeing one hand from Emma's head and leading Marinette over towards the elevator.

"Let's just get to your apartment." Her cold shoulder would have made his ears flatten if he'd been transformed. This is not at all what he wanted. When he'd met her earlier that day, he had a plan. He was going to go back to the coffee shop daily and hoped at some point he'd be able to start some conversation with her – maybe even trying to 'woo' her. He never expected to be here, at his not-so-secret apartment, with a 'secret' child.

"I'm really, really sorry."

Marinette's sad nod was interrupted by the sound of the elevator, her feet leading them inside without a word being spoken. His resolve almost broke as he pressed the button for the 7th floor. If it wasn't for the small child still asleep on his shoulder he would be pressing the stop button and demanding they speak there and then. He was barely breathing through the intense atmosphere.

Adrien held himself together, the day's events finally catching up with him, and keeping his static, looking forward into the mirrored walls. The reflection of a family of 3 stared back at him, his stomach pitching with the sudden longing suddenly grasping hold on him.

Even with all the confusion and upheaval of the day, he couldn't help but marvel at how good they looked together, and even though she wasn't Ladybug he could fully understand how he would have fallen in love with her. Her beauty was like no other. Her wide blue eyes glistened with so much life, he knew there was a depth there that he wanted to explore, especially after the slight glimpse he'd gotten inside the store room as she berated him. There was definitely something there, and as selfish as it seemed, he didn't want to lose it. Not yet. He wanted his time and his chance to get to know this woman more. The way she ticked. What she liked. How she was as a mother.

The small girl on his shoulder shuddered, the bunny falling from her grasp as her arm dropped loosely to her sides.

"I'll get it," the small voice of his companion said. Marinette crouching down and grabbing the bunny. She held it tightly against her chest.

He watched the reflection as she studied the bunny in her arms, stoking her thumb over the ear and down to its nose. "I made one like this. Someone commissioned me a couple of years ago, giving me these exact specifications."

A sudden stillness of the elevator, had them both focus on the door in front of them once more, the anxious need to escape and talk thickening the atmosphere again.

Had she made this bunny?

Adrien's head was swirling about how he was about to get through the next thirty minutes or so, an overpowering unease of what he should and shouldn't tell her.

The door opened, Marinette once more stepped out first, before Adrien led her down the minimalistic corridor and towards his apartment. He wanted to laugh, the first time he was having someone over to his apartment and it was a woman he didn't know and his illegitimate love child. Something not-so-bachelor taking over his swanky bachelor pad.

Adrien turned his head to look at Marinette only to focus again on the route in front of him. He didn't know what to say, and the sudden desire to transform and hide behind his mask grew increasingly stronger by the minute. Chat Noir always knew what to say... both a blessing and a curse. Adrien Agreste, however, did not!

What was only a few steps felt like a mile, both of them arriving and standing at the doorway as if it was the doorway to heaven... or to hell!

"Here we are."

He felt like an idiot. Of course they were there, where else would they be? Disneyland? It's not like they would stop in front of his neighbour's apartment and enter through the wall. He didn't even know who his neighbour was. Balancing Emma with one arm, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys (complete with Ladybug keyring) and fitted them into the lock.

As he pushed the door open, he heard a gasp. Not wanting to turn and show how smug he was about his ridiculous purchase, he calmed his face before turning to look at Marinette.

Opening his mouth to speak, he noticed that once again he'd read her completely wrong. Her face wasn't impressed in the slightest, instead he saw tears begin to sparkle in her eyes and a few make their great escape.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, careful not to wake Emma up.

"I haven't got my bag!" He watched as Marinette slammed the bunny over her face, both hands covering her eyes as she used the child's comforter to calm herself.

"It's okay," he said, again reaching out towards her, only to stop and bring his hand back.

"No it's not!" Marinette whined. "My sketchbook is in there and my purse, my lipgloss... and other things."

Adrien looked between Emma and Marinette, before reaching into his back pocket and grabbing his phone. Peering around the toddler's head, he found Gorilla's number and dialled, almost dropping it in the motion.

"Hey, can you run back to the office and grab Marinette's bag please?" The grunt on the other side of the phone reassured Adrien that the big guy had it sorted. "Done!"

"Thank you," she whispered, moving behind him and into the apartment.

"I'm not completely sure what to do with Emma, I don't exactly –" Adrien stopped dead in the middle of his lounge, Marinette stumbling into the back of him and causing Emma to groan. "What in the world?"

Looking around, he couldn't understand what had happened. His once homely bachelor pad had completely changed. Gone were his expensive, yet pointless, decorations, gone were his single seat reclining chairs, instead the room was full of baby dolls, stuffed toys and building blocks.

"I don't — I —"

"How long has she been living here?" Marinette came to stand beside Adrien, and he knew she thought he had been lying to her.

"I — I —" Unable to form a coherent answer, he continued to walk slowly around his home. Chairs had been moved, his tv was on a different wall and his —

Fear struck through him as he speed walked towards his 'music' section of the apartment. His piano was still there, but that wasn't the most important thing... looking side to side on the walls he found his one true love. His Jagged Stone poster.

Thank fuck!

"Um — Adrien?" Marinette's wobbly voice pulled him back into the lounge where he found her looking at his shelving unit. The one which used to display rows and rows of fencing trophies and pictures of him with Chloe, Zoé, Kagami and Félix ; however, now extras had been slotted in between.

He looked at the one Marinette was holding, moving his eyes upwards and onto the shelves.

Dear Lord!

Pictures upon pictures covered the shelves. Ones of him and Marinette, ones of Emma, ones of him, Marinette and Emma. Some very personal — the day Emma was born — others rather romantic — him and Marinette kissing on his very balcony. Their balcony.

"What the mackerel is this, Adrien?"

Controlling himself, he held back the laughter from her obvious lack of cursing and instead decided on the calm approach. If this had been scattered all around the lower area of his apartment, did that mean her bedroom had been brought here too? Whatever had happened, one thing was for sure, Bunnyx had definitely had a busy afternoon.

"I'll be back. Let me just put Emma to bed and we'll talk, I promise."

Before she could respond, he scurried out the room with his tail between his legs heading straight for the second bedroom. The one he'd been using as a gym.

As he opened the door, he wasn't shocked to find the whole room had been transformed. No more running machines and weights, instead it was Princess pink complete with a cot bed, teddy bears, wardrobes and changing table. It was stunning! Fit for a Princess.

Moving towards her bed, he noticed her sleeping bag had been positioned open for him. After a couple of minutes examining it, he lowered Emma into the middle, fastened the press studs and zipped it up around her legs. A sheep hung down beside her and he wouldn't if it was some sort of calming device. He pressed around the legs on the sheep and suddenly a whooshing noise sounded around the room.

The small girl let out a sigh in her sleep, looking so peaceful and calm. Not a care in the world. Without hesitation, Adrien stretched forwards and brushed some of her hair from her face, the soft baby skin under the pads of his thumb so mesmerising.

"What happened with Ladybug and Chat Noir, sweet girl?"

Removing his hand, he turned to exit the room only to find Marinette standing in the doorway bunny in hand. Stretching out slowly, she handed it over.

"You forgot this."