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Ladybug POV
I have been living on my own for about three years now. Paris, from what I have heard, is a complete disaster, and deaths are becoming standard now. My parents moved to America long ago when Adrien started attacking in his early days.
Alya and Nino have a kid, but the two are divorced due to Lila breaking them apart. Something about Alya focusing too much on her and listening to her when she should have spent more time with their own child and him. I don’t really know about them, to be honest. Alya and I barely talk to each other, and when we do, it’s mostly just arguing about some topic.
“You’re not her mother. Stop trying to take her away. You are running my child’s thoughts!” Alya has always said.
Nino, on the other hand, reached out to contact me after I moved. He was the first one I told about my child and begged him not to tell Adrien until 3 months later. When I first mailed the sonogram, Adrien sent the letter back with a rip up card of the picture. On one of Nino’s visits, apparently Adrien decided to come with him to meet the supposed child he didn’t believe he had. His face was pale as his fingers kept twitching to fidget with the ring on his right hand when he saw me holding little Emilie. His steps were slightly clumsy as he marched towards the both of us. I was completely frozen in my place as he was barely two feet away from Emilie and me.
As soon as my rational thoughts came back, I immediately took three steps back and hid Emilie from his sight. Her face stayed pressed in my shoulder away from his prying eyes.
“Please?”
One word. Just one word, and the begging, desperate look he sent to me. I glanced at Nino, and I saw him nod his head encouragingly. My lips twisted downwards, but I slowly turned Emilie towards him.
She made grabby hands towards him, and my heart broke at the motion. She knew he was her father.
I kept a firm grip on her, not trusting Adrien to hurt her.
To take her away from me.
“Please?” He asked again. His face never looked anywhere but Emilie’s face. Her green eyes reflected his own.
“I thought you didn’t care. You always sent the pictures back, ripped up.”
My voice was hard and no longer weak for I knew I needed to be at my strongest with this man.
“She’s my daughter. That was on me that I didn’t believe you. But, please, Marinette?!” His pitch went high as his eyes widened in desperation. His lips pulled back as he physically restrained from taking her from my arms.
“Marinette, let the man hold his child.”
I looked at Nino as he laid his hand on my shoulder.
“As a father, I know what it's like. Let him.” Nino encouraged as Emilie cooed happily, receiving more attention.
I gently twisted her in my grip as Adrien immediately went to take her from my arms.
To take her away from me.
Emilie’s hands went straight away to his golden locks that had grown out from a year of being unmaintained.
His hold was feather-like unlike when he choked me at the chimney on the roof. His head was bowed down towards her, his princess in his arms.
“My sweet Emilie, I’m so sorry,” Tears dripped down his cheeks, but Emilie didn’t understand why. She just snuggled closer in his hold, seeking the comfort one would expect from their father.
“Nino, can Adrien and I talk. Alone.” I pronounced the word alone heavily as he sighed.
“Just don’t kill the other,” Nino walked away and went to one of the ice cream stands, waiting in the line.
We stood there together, both of our eyes on Emilie only.
“You’re not taking her back to Paris,” I finally spoke in the quiet park.
“She’s my daughter,” He growled as he narrowed his eyes at me.
“She’s also mine.” I narrowed my eyes back at his, not backing down from this challenge.
“She’ll be better off without you. I know that from personal experience,” He hissed as he readjusted his hold on her.
“You have no right to take her away, especially with your acts towards Paris!” I snarled as I pointed an accusing finger at him.
“The people there deserve it!” He yelled back before lowering his voice back down as Emilie fussed at the noise.
“But does she?!” I snapped back, “Does she deserve to have a father who murders innocent people because he believes he shouldn’t be the only one to suffer?! Does she deserve to live in a world where there is only blood that is spilled in the streets she should be playing in?!”
His stance faltered as he looked back at Emilie with pained eyes.
“She’s better off here, where she doesn’t have to worry about being targeted. Imagine if people found out you were her father. You already have the press at your head as you. Imagine how it would be if they found out about your other activities,” I muttered in disdain as he glared at me, challenging.
“You wouldn’t be the one who would reveal that information?”
Underneath that threatening voice, there was a hint of fear.
“I, unlike you, care about my daughter. I don’t want her thinking her father is a monster from my words. She’ll probably learn on her own if she were to stay with you,” I knew I was pushing him, but right now, anger was flooding my senses, blinding every common sense I had.
“I do care about her! She’s my daughter. I deserve the chance to at least give her something I didn’t have!” He shouted back defensively.
“And what’s that?” I asked mockingly.
“An actual father present in her life,” He stated quietly.
I pursed my lips as my memories brought me back to the day we revealed his father was Hawkmoth. All the times Adrien was cooped inside that mansion, miserable and alone. Never seeing his father unless he was scheduled into an appointment with him.
“If she were to go back to Paris, she would be stuck in the house. She wouldn’t be allowed outside, or do you not remember that Paris has an active terrorist there?” I mockingly asked the last part as he looked down at Emilie who was now sleeping in his arms.
“Chat Noir would not be a problem.”
I raised my eyebrows at him, slightly surprised.
“You think,” I looked around to make sure we weren’t being listened to and saw it was clear.
“You think you would be able to give that up? You would have to give up being Chat Noir forever. The ring goes back to the miraculous box.” He took a deep breath as his eyes snapped to my ears.
No earrings. I haven’t had my earrings in such a long time. Tikki respected my decision as I took the Ladybug mantle off when I had Emilie.
“I get to say goodbye to Plagg.” He finally said after a while.
“We work out custody rights too,” I added.
His lips pulled down, but his eyes softened at Emilie’s body nestled in his arms.
“I am not cruel enough to separate her from her mother. Unlike you.”
I was this close to punching the bastard in his face but stopped myself knowing Emilie was still in his arms.
“I actually cared about her and took the time to raise her. Not spending my evenings terrorizing Paris’s civilians.”
We both were at a standstill before he gave Emilie back to me.
“You’ll be receiving a call from my lawyer.” He cast a longing look at Emilie’s sleeping form in the stroller she was placed in.
“I’ll see you soon, my sweet kitten,” He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead before rising up and walking away.
I let out a breath, releasing the tension I had in my shoulders.
“So what’s going to happen?” I turned around back to Nino and saw him eating his ice cream cup.
“I find myself a component lawyer, and I beat the shit out of Agreste. No way am I losing this battle.” He raised his eyebrow at me before looking at the slumbering Emilie.
“I admit that this is going to be an interesting and terrifying experience watching both of you go against each other like this.”
“Trust me. This is going to be one hell of a battle.”
Especially since it is Ladybug vs Chat Noir.
This time, no one is holding back.