Work Text:
15 years old
“What are you doing Sunday?”
“Father has scheduled dinner in the evening. I have tutoring until then. I’ve written him a song on the piano, but Nathalie’s asked me to record it and email it to him, he can’t fit it in his schedule to come and listen.”
Nino looked at his friend and his heart broke, how can a father abandon his child on Father’s Day?
•••••
17 years old
“Hey Adrien, how are you feeling? Are you seeing your dad on Father’s Day?”
“Yeah, his visiting time is at three in the afternoon. So Gorilla will take me to the prison then. Marinette’s offered to host me during the day.”
“I thought she might. Tom adores you, you know.” Adrien smiled at Alya.
“I am so grateful for him looking out for me, especially with everything that happened.”
Alya smiled sadly at Adrien. Her heart broke for everything he’d been through, but at least now he had a network supporting him, no father to ignore him, and no villain to terrorise him.
•••••
19 years old
“Do you think we’ll have children?”
“I want three.” Marinette smiled at the blonde laying beside her on her bed.
“Three?” He thought about it then smiled, pressing a kiss to the end of her nose. “I think that sounds perfect.”
“Are we visiting your father today?” Marinette asked.
“No,” replied Adrien, “I have a real father figure downstairs that I want to celebrate with.”
Marinette smiled, happy her father could help him through such a hard day. Fathers can come in any form, blood or not. It’s what they do and what they represent that counts.
•••••
21 years old
ADRIEN: Happy Father’s Day, dude!
NINO: Thanks man! Been up since 4am with ET. Alya’s still sore from her C-section so I volunteered, more fool me!!
ADRIEN: You need to stop calling him ET, and think of a name. Poor kid will have a complex.
NINO: Let’s be honest, he looks like ET mixed with a little old man. Behaves like one too. Did you know little boys can wee on their own face? It’s quite a skill really.
Adrien laughed, waking up the sleeping beauty next to him.
“What’s Nino said now?” Marinette asked, voice filled with sleep. “If he’s called him ET again I swear I’m going to slap him.”
“He better start running then.” Adrien hugged his girlfriend's warm body.
She giggled at him as she snuggled back.
“I want one.” He continued.
“A slap? You sure you can handle it.” His laugh vibrated through her body.
“No, a baby.”
“We will, kitty. I promise,” she yawned, stretching her legs out. “I just want it all to be done in order.”
“Well then, we better start?”
She felt Adrien move on the bed, the dip in the mattress causing her to roll over and face him. She was now looking at a top less model with wild supercat hair, and the most gorgeous ring in his hand.
•••••
22 years old
“Have you got the invitation?” Adrien asked.
Marinette nodded, clutching his hand tighter.
“We’re here to see Gabriel Agreste.” He said.
They were led into the visiting area to see Gabriel seated and waiting.
“It’s been a while Adrien,” the older man indicated for Adrien and Marinette to take a seat.
“Three years to be exact.” Adrien said, sitting down opposite his father. Marinette still had her hand in Adrien’s and was determined not to let go.
“So are you two together now?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes.” Marinette responded.
“Good.” Gabriel said, looking away.
“I suppose we should thank you for that. We never would have been as close without your tyranny.”
The father looked at his son. The son looked at his father. Both seeing a different person to who they’d been eight years ago, when this all began.
“I’m sorry.” For the first time, Gabriel Agreste admitted he was sorry.
“We forgive you.” Marinette said as she handed over the invitation.
“We’ve spoken to your parole guard, he thinks you’ll be granted a couple of day releases soon.” Gabriel studied the card in front of him. The detail was intricate, a representation of the Bride and the Groom.
Tom and Sabine Dupain would like to invite you
to the wedding of their daughter Marinette, and Monsieur Adrien Agreste.
Adrien and Marinette stood up to leave.
“Oh, and Happy Father’s Day.”
•••••
24 years old
“That was another amazing meal.” Adrien wrapped his arms around his wife, pressing a kiss into her neck.
“Papa really went full out this year.” Marinette giggled, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, oh and I have a gift for you.”
Placing another kiss on his lips she ran out the room and into their bedroom. Adrien smiled as he followed her with his eyes, before making his way over to the sofa and sitting down. Kwami’s situated on each shoulder.
Marinette arrived back a few minutes later with a bounce in her step and a box in her hands.
“It’s just a little something.” She gave him the box. A blue one with a white sparkly bow. “Open it,” She said.
Lifting the lid from the long cuboid box, he froze. In that moment he had no words, he felt happy and terrified at the same time.
“I think papa knew it would be his last Father’s Day for just him.”
Adrien looked at the two blue lines before looking back up at Marinette. Tears brimming along his bottom eyelashes.
“Are you- are we?” Marinette giggled, tears flooding her own eyes.
“We are,” she whispered. Springing on him and into a hug.
•••••
25 years old
Adrien lit the candle next to the framed sonogram picture. It would have been his first Father’s Day.
The tears trailed down his face, but no sound left his mouth. He’d done that sobbing nine months ago, they both had.
“Hey,” he felt the arms of his love wrap around his waist from behind, and rubbed the wetness from his cheeks. He faced her and saw she’d been crying too. He kissed her forehead, before turning back to blow out the candle.
“I’m so sorry.” She whispered.
He shook his head fiercely. It was just one of those things, no explanation. Nobody had done anything wrong, it just wasn’t their time.
“We’ll keep trying,” he said, “jellybean number two will make it. We’ll have those three kids, I promise.” He looked back at the picture, “and we’ll never forget bean number one.”
Marinette let out a few more tears as she kissed him on the lips. He deserved to be a father, and after the poor excuse of his own, he’d be a damn good one.
“We better go,” she sniffed. “Your fathers only allowed two hours out.”
“You got Papa’s present?”
Marinette held up a bag, as he took her opposite hand and squeezed it tightly on his own, lifting it to press a kiss on the back. They were in this together, they could get through this.
•••••
26 years old
“I wondered where you were.” Marinette walked into the office to see Adrien sitting in her sewing chair.
“We like it here.”
“It’s the lights I think, they’re all shiny and attractive.”
“Not as attractive as you.” He wiggled his eyebrows at his wife. She was standing in front of him looking every bit the famous designer she was. A short floaty dress accented the right features, and hid the wobbly bits she was suddenly so conscious of.
“Flatterer.” She said, walking towards him and kissing him lightly on the lips. “Do you like your present?”
“Loved it.” He replied.
Since the Shadowmoth days, both Marinette and Adrien wore anti akuma jewellery along with their Miraculous’. Today, Marinette had gifted Adrien a new one. A thick bracelet that matched his ring.
“Shall we go? I’m sure papa has something big planned for you.”
“I just need to get changed.”
Marinette looked at him quizzically, he looked as amazing as always why did he need to change. He could tell from her look that she didn’t understand.
Smiling, he lifted the bundle in front of him to reveal a wet patch and a hint of yellow.
Marinette began to laugh, and grabbed her phone to take a picture.
“When Nino told me to watch out for explosions, I didn’t think they’d be this explosive.”
They both smiled and laughed, as the bundle continued to sleep.
“Have you changed her?” Marinette asked.
“Yeah, I just didn’t change myself. I wanted cuddles instead.”
Adrien stood up and handed his daughter over to Marinette.
“I’ll feed Emma and then we can go,” said Marinette. Adrien walked into their bedroom to change his shirt. Sick, wee and korma colour poop all over him, but he wouldn’t want it any other way. He listened to the raptor noises of his daughter being woken up for her feed. Was there anything more wonderful than a newborn's noises?
“Do you want to use Kalkki?” A voice shouted to him.
“Not today. Load the Princess into her pram, my Queen, and we’ll enjoy a family walk.”
“You’re such a dork.” Marinette responded.
Adrien smiled and looked down at his bracelet, and the tiny handprint of one month old, Emma Agreste.
His heart had never been so full.