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Adrien looked down at the young woman sleeping next to him, her midnight blue hair spilling over the pillow in a mess around her head, and a feeling of love swelled in his chest. She knew he'd had a bad day with the schedule his father had placed, but she still was there for him. She had stayed up waiting for his photoshoot to end, so she could swing over with croissants and a thermos of cocoa.
They had been partners for almost two years now, and he still couldn’t believe how sweet and wonderful his Lady was. He swept her hair back from her spotted mask. Leaning down he kissed her forehead and vowed to himself that he would never leave his Lady without her partner to lean on. If he had to spend his life making sure she knew how he felt then he would.
Ladybug stretched and rolled over onto her back, her eyes slowly opening; a lazy smile on her face.
“Hey, hot stuff,” she mumbled out at him.
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Adrien replied, placing a gentle kiss on his girlfriend’s cheek. A small giggle escaped Ladybug’s lips, filling Adrien with delight.
“What time is it?” she asked. Her eyes shone bright with love, melting Adrien’s worries yet again.
“Almost 4:30. I wanted to make sure you were up before Nathalie came in to wake me up,” Adrien replied.
“Dang it,” Ladybug grumbled as she sat up. “I better get back before my parents realize I’m not home.”
Adrien watched his girlfriend get up and gather her stuff from around the room. She was becoming his home more and more each day. He wondered if her family was as warm and loving as she was.
“Hey Bug,” he started.
“Yes, mon Cheri?” she replied, stopping what she was doing to come sit by him.
Adrien reached out and took both her hands in his. “When will I get to meet your family?”
Ladybug giggled. “You have to know who I am behind my mask first, silly. And I told you, once Hawkmoth is defeated.” She booped his nose with her index finger, causing a blush to spread across his cheeks.
“Then I eagerly wait for the day,” he whispered to her, his hand now cupping her face as his thumb traced the edge of her mask. “I love you, Bug,” he said, his voice just quiet enough that it could have been mistaken for a sigh.
Ladybug blushed. She didn’t reply with words, but she didn’t have to. Adrien could see her answer in her eyes. With one last kiss, she stood up and headed out.
Adrien would make sure that Hawk Moth was defeated. He would find who his lady was and love her till the end of time. He knew he could do it. After all, they were a team. It was them against the world.
*****
Marinette ran to school. She really couldn’t be late on the last day of exams. After this, she would be done with lycee and headed to university. She smiled in excitement at the life she had ahead of her. Hawk Moth had just been defeated, and she now knew that her boyfriend, the one and only, amazing, Adrien Agreste was also her partner — her Chat Noir. They had made a plan to move forward together, to rebuild together.
Once Hawk Moth was revealed to be Gabriel Agreste, it had taken weeks for Adrien to feel safe again. So she brought him home. She told him who she was and introduced him to her parents. The teens explained who they were and how much everything had changed for the two heroes. Her parents, bless them, just embraced both teens and let them cry. After that, they made sure Adrien never ate dinner alone again.
She would say that she couldn’t believe her luck, but, as Tikki pointed out, she was supposed to be the embodiment of good luck. Speeding up, she made it up the steps into the school just as the bell rang. Today at least, she would be on time. Marinette looked down at her left hand. A delicate promise ring sat on her finger. The shine of the red stone in the middle reminded her that she could do anything. After all, no matter the outcome, at the end of the day, she still had her Chaton.
*****
Graduation from University was a milestone like no other. Somehow Adrien, Marinette, Alya, and Nino had all managed to graduate together. Adrien gathered with his friends and family in the Dupain-Cheng living room as they all raised a glass to the accomplishments they had achieved together. Adrien stuck his hands in his pockets to check that the ring box was still there. He had Tom and Sabine’s approval, he had a ring, and they were both in a good place, goal wise. Everything was lined up, really. But he was still nervous.
Son, you have been family since the day Marinette first brought you to us when you were in college, Tom had told him.
You don’t have to ask, Adrien, you know how we feel, Sabine had assured.
He watched Marinette smile at Alya as their kwamis flew around their heads. Looking around the room at his teammates and friends, he knew he was home. His family was one he had found, and it was what he cherished most.
He looked over at Tom and gave him the signal. It was time.
Tom raised his flute of champagne and tapped the side gently with a fork. Cling cling cling!
“Attention everyone!” Tom’s voice boomed, full of love and pride at the scene in front of him. “I would like to raise a glass to all of our graduates for their great accomplishment! I think it is time for a few speeches and words from those we are honoring tonight. Marinette! Sweetie, would you like to start?”
He smiled down at his daughter, her face quickly turning red from all the attention.
“Uh, haha, sure Papa.” She cleared her throat and raised her glass. “Here’s to the end of late-night finals studying, and the beginning of the next chapter for us all. Santé!”
“Santé!” the crowd cheered back.
Alya and Nino gave Adrien knowing smirks, and he stepped forward with his glass raised in preparation for his own speech.
“Um, hello everyone, I wanted to thank you all for coming to celebrate our accomplishments,” Adrien started. “I look around this room and see not just my friends, but my team, my family. Life is never easy, but all of you have taught me how to keep moving forward. So I would like to take a moment to thank a few of you. First, Nino.” Adrien turned to his friend. “If you had never reached out to me that first day of school, I don’t think I would have ever found the courage to stand up and be true to myself. You have helped me in so many ways and I know you will always help me in many more. I hope I have been half the friend to you as you have been to me. Santé.”
Nino wiped a small tear from his face and lifted his glass. “Love you too, bro,” he replied.
Adrien smiled and looked over to Alya. “Alya, thank you for all you have done to help Marinette and me; but especially Marinette. You are truly a friend for life, and I deeply appreciate you. Santé.”
He took a sip as Alya smiled at him again, shooting him a thumbs up. As he turned again, he smiled at her
“Tom, Sabine, I want to thank you both for not only for welcoming me into your lives as you have but also for welcoming me into your family.” Adrien could feel the start of a tear form in the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath before continuing. “You have shown me the true meaning of unconditional love, and I hope to always live by your example. Thank you again.”
Instead of taking another sip though, he was quickly swept up into a hug by both parents, their warmth and love giving him that last boost of courage needed for his final toast. After they all separated from the hug, Adrien walked over to stand by Marinette.
“And finally, a toast, and many thanks to my Lady, Marinette.” He lifted his glass toward her. Her face covered with a deep pink blush while she smiled at him. “I would have never made it as far in this life if I didn’t have you to be my support. You help keep me level and grounded. You give me hope for the future and all the things that it could bring. We have always said that it was you and me against the world, and in so many ways it has been. But you have shown me how to lean on people, how to trust them again. You helped me find joy again when I was in the darkest place of my life. You have shown me more love in the last 10 years of knowing each other than anyone can possibly hope to experience in their lifetimes.” Adrien set the glass on a table nearby. He reached into his pocket and got down on one knee. He heard her gasp as he reached for her hand with one of his, and held the ring out in his other, the diamond sparkling almost as bright as his lady’s eyes. “Marinette,” he said between the tears he knew were now flowing, “I hope you will give me the opportunity to spend the rest of my life to show you the love you have given me. Will you marry me?”
Marinette stood shaking her head up and down, as silent tears ran down her face. She opened her mouth to speak several times, before finally squeaking out a simple, “Yes!” At that, the room erupted in cheers.
Adrien could feel a smile spread across his face. He slid the ring on Marinette’s finger before standing up and kissing her. He kissed her mouth, her cheeks, her nose, brushing feather-light kisses across her face, and laughed all the while.
“I love you, Marinette,” he whispered between kisses.
“I love you too Adrien.”
*****
Marinette opened her eyes again, her whole body fatigued.
“Let me see him,” she whispered, reaching her arms out.
A nurse came by and passed her the infant. His head was covered in the same midnight blue hair she had, but his nose was undoubtedly Adrien’s. She looked up smiling at her husband. Tears were in his eyes as he gently held their baby’s hand.
“You did great, Bugaboo,” he whispered. The baby yawned and slowly opened his eyes. They were grey, like their other children’s eyes were, but Marinette had no doubt they would be green like his father’s.
“Welcome to our family, my sweet Hugo,” she whispered to her son, kissing his head.
“Ma’am, you have some very excited visitors, would you like them to come in now?” the nurse asked.
Marinette looked over at her husband and nodded her head at him.
“Yes please,” she replied.
The nurse disappeared through the door and was soon replaced by excited blonde twins and her parents.
“Maman! Emma says you are gonna replace me with Hugo! She is lying, isn’t she?” the little boy cried.
“Emma,” Adrien sternly warned, “stop distressing Louis with that nonsense.”
“Louis, honey,” Sabine chimed in, “you can never be replaced.”
Marinette’s heart swelled at the scene in front of her. Her family was here, and the world was right.
*****
Adrien held his wife’s hand as they both waved goodbye as Hugo drove off in his car, “Just Married” painted across the back window. All three children had grown and moved out. It was once again just him and his Lady. He looked down at Marinette, barely holding it together, but with a brave smile still on her face. But even a smile couldn’t hide the pain in her eyes.
“What is it, Buginette?” he asked.
“It’s just, Hugo is married now--and they’re all grown up now,” Marinette sniffed, wiping her nose again with a handkerchief. “Do you think this is how Maman and Papa felt when we left to start our lives?”
Adrien leaned down and placed his forehead on hers. “Undoubtedly.”
“Suddenly I miss Papa and Maman,” she whispered.
“Then let’s go visit. It has been a while since we have been home,” Adrien replied. He smiled at her as he kissed her nose. “We can go and do whatever we want now.”
“I'm not sure about whatever we want ,” Marinette scoffed. “We still have work in a week.”
“True,” Adrien conceded. “But in the meantime just think of what you want to do. We can go anywhere and do anything. After all milady, it's you and me against the world.”
Marinette smiled up at him, bringing his hands to her face, and kissed his knuckles gently
“You and me against the world, Chaton. I love you.”
“And I love you.
They kissed one last time before linking their hands together and turning back to the reception hall to clean up and decide where to go next.
They had the whole world waiting for them, after all.