Work Text:
Promise
Marinette was preparing for a date: that much was obvious. Both her parents watched as she flitted nervously around their home applying and reapplying her lip balm and obsessively checking her impeccable outfit for any flaws that may have appeared in the three minutes since she’d last checked.
The question remained though, just who Marinette was going on a date with.
Tom, a romantic at heart, desperately wanted to see Cat Noir show up at their door with flowers in hand to sweep his little girl off of her feet. Sabine: a little more observant when it came to matters of the heart was hedging her bets. Adrien was high on her list, Marinette had been smitten for an eternity in teenage years, and Sabine was certain she’d caught Adrien’s cheeks glowing around Marinette more than once. Luka was another viable option, while the pair had broken up they had remained close and their affections clearly ran deep, Sabine wouldn’t be surprised if they had decided to try make another go of things.
There was something agitated in the way Marinette moved though that had her parents on alert. Tom knew he could be a little over enthusiastic about her dates but… surely she wasn’t embarrassed? He had zero intention of making things awkward. Sabine tilted her head and watched as her daughter span in her dress in front of the mirror, as though determined to find a catastrophic error in her own design.
“You look lovely, dear.” Sabine reassured.
“Stunning. Look at you! My little girl all grown up and going on dates.” Tom held his hand over his heart, touched.
“Dad.” Marinette pouted, embarrassed.
“Your date won’t know what hit him! Of course - he has to have you back by ten.” Tom warned, his tone immediately becoming firm. Marinette mumbled something inaudible under her breath and Sabine suddenly wondered…
“Or she.” She added gently. Marinette, startled, just blinked and stared at her mother for a long moment.
“What?”
“If your date is a girl. She has to have you back by ten.” Sabine said kindly, suddenly sure that was the reason Marinette was so high strung - if she feared their disapproval. She wouldn’t get it, Tom and Sabine had discussed it long before even having children and were on the same page, more than happy to support Marinette wherever her heart landed. Alya was still seeing Nino, as far as Sabine knew, so she was out of the running… Zoé, maybe? Kagami was another highly likely prospect. Probably Kagami.
“Not a girl.” Marinette said weakly. “But thank you for…” she paused and smiled, her sexuality was irrelevant to the discussion at hand but it meant a lot to her to hear it out loud, that they wouldn’t object. “I ever mention how much I love you both?” She asked, her restless heart soaring. Her parents adored her, and there wasn’t a day that passed she wasn’t aware of that and very grateful.
She flung herself at the pair, pulling them into a cuddle. For only a brief moment they remained like that, content in a familial cuddle - then the doorbell rang. Despite the time and the fact she’d been expecting it, Marinette nearly leapt out of her skin.
“Oh that’s… I should… yeah…” she raced excitedly toward the stairs, so eager to answer that she left her pink purse on the arm of the chair, giving her parents the perfect excuse to go downstairs and make sure she didn’t leave without it.
They followed closely behind, arriving just as Marinette opened the door into her own foot.
“Ouch.” She hissed, hopping backward to reveal a familiar face at the door.
“You okay?” Luka asked softly, leaning into the doorway slightly to assess the damage. Marinette batted her hand in dismissal.
“Fine. I’m fine. Let’s go.” She insisted.
“Told you.” Sabine mouthed at Tom, who only pouted and moved toward the pair.
“Marinette, you forgot your…” He began but was startled to see Adrien was also stood at the door, slightly behind Luka “…purse.” Tom finished and shot his wife a confused look. They hadn’t discussed that option.
Marinette turned scarlet and quietly accepted her purse, avoiding their eyes.
“Don’t worry, Mr Dupain, Mrs Cheng - we’ll have her back by ten.” Luka swore, already familiar with the rule. He offered a crimson-cheeked Marinette his arm. Seemingly nervous, Marinette accepted it, biting her lip but looping her hand around his elbow as Adrien did the same at her other side and the three linked.
“Promise.” Adrien agreed with an affected bow of his head.
The trio disappeared leaving Tom and Sabine staring silently at the door for a long moment.
“Well,” Sabine said eventually, slightly surprised by the turn of events as it hadn’t even occurred to her, but not that shocked. “Looks like I was right on two counts.” She smirked.
“Are we sure one of them isn’t Cat Noir?” Tom asked, his eyebrows furrowed.