Work Text:
Adrien sat at his desk, studying for university finals. His hand rested in his hand as he was refreshing himself on his history of literature. Since his university was close by, he elected to live at home. He always swore to himself he’d leave at 18, but he found it hard to when the time came. He couldn’t just leave the city he was meant to protect. He and his father also worked on patching things up between them, and, with Nathalie’s help… they became a family again. Adrien was proud of his father for being able to move on after all this time. This caused Gabriel’s heart to finally wander to Nathalie, who was patiently waiting for him all this time. As he reflected on how much he, his father, and Nathalie have grown, he was interrupted with light knocks on the door.
“Adeein, please help,” a tiny little voice called for him. Adrien wasted no time in answering to the knocking. He opens the door to see a tiny girl standing before him, looking up at him with her large blue eyes. He got down on one knee, to be on her level.
“What’s wrong, Adeline?” He asks his little sister.
She pointed to her room, which was just down the hall from his. “I can’t weach my cayons…”
He gets up and then walks out of his room, shutting the door behind him. He can take a study break for now. He knew his father and Nathalie were also probably busy, so he grabs her smaller hand delicately. “I’ll get you your crayons for you. Come on,” he said to her, as they walked to her room. He pushed the door to her room open, as he looked around her lilac painted room to look for her crayons. He spotted them, on top her bookshelf.
“What’s wrong with the markers you already have?” He asked of the markers that were sitting right on her little table.
“Nothing… but I want my cayons, please.” She insists. He sighed, as he fetched the crayons for her, and hands the box to her. She smiled at him.
“Thank you!” She says, as she immediately goes to sit at her “desk”. It seems like, judging from the scatter of papers, not only is she taking after Gabriel’s habit of having an “organized mess”, but it seems like she was working on something. He was curious, so he sits next to her on the floor.
“What are you doing?” He asks curiously, peering over to see her opening the box of crayons. She pulled one out, and began to draw something.
“Dwawing for mama.” She replied simply, beginning to work. Adrien was impressed- she was a pretty good artist for a three-year old. It was Mother’s Day, and earlier, she saw Gabriel gifting Nathalie a very expensive luxury spa package- it was a gift on behalf of all three of them, but Adeline insisted she give her mama a gift of her own.
“That’s very nice of you, I’m sure she’ll love it.” Adrien tells her, and noticed her hair was a mess- probably from when she was looking . While she was working, he decided to run her hair brush through her dark brown hair, and adjusting her half ponytail. He sets the brush down, and as he was about to get up, she stopped what she was doing and turned.
“Don’t go!” She called for him, looking back at him with a small pouty lip. How could he say no to her now like that? He sat back down, and carefully watched her drawing. It was very clear as to what he was drawing- a family portrait… similar to the one he drew when he was little. His father still has that picture, after all these years. It seems like she had taken on a different approach to his drawing, though.
The budding artist had drawn her parents, looking on at herself and Adrien playing what looks like playing princess- she was obviously the princess of course, as she had drawn herself in a princess dress and crown. She smiled as she set down the crayon.
“Adeein, take me to Mama and Papa please…” She asked, as she stood up from her chair. She grabbed her drawing as Adrien stood up.
“Alright, let’s go see if we can find them…” He smiled to her, as he lead her out of her room. They stood at the top of the staircase. Their parents were most likely in their office… even on a weekend, those two spent at least a few hours doing some form of work… “Where should we look for Mama an--”
“Mama! Papa! Where are you?” The young girl shouts from the top of the stairs, small voice echoing throughout the spacious chamber. After a moment's delay, the office door opens up. Nathalie steps out.
“Adeline, what have we told you about yelling in the house like that?” Nathalie asked the small child sternly.
“Sowwy, Mama. But I have a picture fo’ you. Happy Mama’s Day.” She said, proudly holding the piece of paper over her head. Nathalie headed up the stairs, and soon after, was joined by Gabriel. He just had to see what the fuss was about. Nathalie took the piece of paper from her daughter and looked at it. She smiled, as she leaned down to give the small girl a hug.
“Ma petite, I love it.” Nathalie said to her. Gabriel took a look at the drawing for himself. He knew he was going to frame this, just like the picture Adrien drew as a child.
“Where did you get the idea for such a lovely drawing?” Gabriel asks her. Adeline smiled proudly.
“A lady in my woom… She said I should do it...” She replied simply. Adrien was confused, while the two adults just shrugged it off as an active imagination.
Adrien decided to press further, “What did she look like? Do you remember?”
Adeline nodded, and said, “She was pwetty… like a pwincess! Gween eyes, light hair…white clothes…” Her response seemed to have left all of them a bit surprised. Even Gabriel, the most skeptical member of the house was a bit shocked. That description matched Emilie. Adeline had onced asked them about Adrien’s mama, and she was simply told that she had went to sleep, forever. Adrien may have shown his sister some pictures, but that was about all.
“And… was there anything else she told you?” Adrien asked again. He hoped that she wasn’t trying to play a joke on them, but she was only three. He didn’t think a toddler would clever enough for something as elaborate as what she was describing.
Her eyes lit up with excitement, “Yes! She said I was pwetty and perfect too… and… I am the bestest pwesent… She weely wanted mama and papa to be happy again, so she sent me.”
Adrien, Nathalie and Gabriel couldn’t believe what they were hearing- if it didn’t come from the source themselves, they wouldn’t believe it. Gabriel picked up his daughter and hugged her close to him. Adrien and Nathalie then hugged them both. Adeline was a little confused as to what was happening, but she happily accepted the embrace from them, head resting against Gabriel’s shoulder.
“Papa…? Mama…? Adeein? Are you sad?” She then asks, as she looks to her mama, who was wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
“No, baby, we’re not…” Nathalie assured her daughter, looking to her husband for some help. She struggled to find words to describe to such a small person.
“Then why are you cwying, Mama and Papa?” She lifts her head and looks up to her dad, who was trying not to cry, but failing.
Gabriel looked at her, and smiled a little. “You really were sent by an angel...” He said, almost in disbelief. His daughter still seemed a little puzzled.
“We’ll tell you more when you’re a little older. But, just know, that the pretty lady was right, ma chérie. You did make mama and papa happy, and big brother, too.” Nathalie tells her. Though not totally happy with the answer she got, Adeline was looking forward to growing older, to hear more about the angel that sent her.