The last time Adrien Agreste saw his schoolmate, Marinette, was a week after graduation. Ten long years ago. To a time that he loathed to remember as it seemed that year was the year he helplessly watched his whole life collapse before him. Finding out that his father was none other than the dreaded Papillon.

To let himself succumb to the stress of such a secret in the arms of his forgotten friend. A mistake that made it impossible to face her. At least not as Adrien Agreste. A shame that he had to live with for who knows how long.

He separated himself from his friends as he believed himself to be a burden on their lives. Always one action away from destroying everything much like his Alter Ego. He occasionally called his highschool best friend just to check in. Just to prove to himself that he made the right decision in cutting off contact with the majority of his old classmates.

When asked to meet up, he lied through his teeth saying "Sorry, my schedule is packed. Maybe next time." Next time never came. Friendships lost, all because he could not hurt someone as much as he hurt Marinette. He often wished he knew he was in the good ole days before he left them.

Leaving the days where the only worries were if he was going to finish his homework or stop an akuma in time. Not running on unrealistic amounts of caffeinated drinks to keep up with his never-ending schedule. Wishing that he was a better person as perhaps he would not feel so lonely.

When Adrien found out his father invited Marinette to collaborate in a new Men's collection, he protested. He could not face her even though Adrien Agreste was not the person she had a distaste for. He wanted Gabriel to choose anyone else. Anybody but her. His father had a habit of ignoring Adrien's personal opinions. Which lead to his now unfortunate confrontation of the past.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was an up incoming Designer. Making her reputation through vlogs, Instagram posts, and short tik tok tutorials. To collaborate with the Gabriel Brand was a step in the right direction. A chance to have her name associated with one of the greatest designer's in the world. This partnership doubled as Gabriel's chance to possibly find an heiress or heir for his company. As his son lacked the eye for design.

Adrien and a group of about four other attractive young men awaited for the new designer. She was late, very late. One of the qualities that Gabriel detested.

Marinette stumbled in. Her appearance much different from the young school girl that Adrien reminisced about. She traded her ponytails for trendy short waves keeping her bangs, although styled differently. She wore a white tank top that fitted almost too well, highlighting her womanly curves. Making Adrien realize that despite how cliche it sounded that she aged like a fine wine. A three quarter sleeves black blazer with a bright pink satin lining obscuring her sides and back. Her top tucked into her pink jeans that were possibly hand dyed and black ankle boots with silver chains as decor.

Marinette held two things. The first being a hand of a little girl, possibly nine or so by Adrien's account. Ebony hair pulled into a haphazard ponytail, inquisitive green eyes darting around the room. Marinette took a deep breath as in her other hand held a handle of a plastic travel box that contained measuring tape and other useful sewing tools.

"So sorry, I had to pick up my daughter."

She apologized to the models. Gabriel stood, hands crossed as she dug into her box pulling out a folder of a plethora of designs. Containing loose ideas of what concept each model could wear. Leaving her daughter momentarily with the models who would not object to be her child's entertainment for the evening. As they were just getting paid to stand around and wait.

Adrien raised a brow as he was curious to know who fathered this child as his father surely would have mentioned her having a spouse or partner. 'Wouldn't he have?' he questioned thinking that maybe such information escaped him due to his fatigue. 'Perhaps father mentioned a name in passing?'

The young girl was dressed in a teal hoodie featuring the saying: WARNING: May Suddenly Start Talking About Viperon. In white font paired with a scale print going down the sleeves. A limited edition Zagtoon hoodie. A company that became popular for selling quick and fast superhero merchandise. She smiled widely as she rummaged through a freakish ladybug book bag looking for her handheld gaming device.

She was told to be on her best behavior. Having her incentive be croissant and Camembert sandwiches. An odd pairing even for Marinette's taste. As she enjoyed cheddar cheese and apple pie, perhaps just an attempt to hold on to the memories of Master Fu. He ate the mix for dessert and she found herself copying him in her adult years. .

"Tartar sauce! It's not here." She pouted as she realized she must have left it at her grandparent's apartment. "

"Forgot something?" Adrien asked as he did not have anything really to do besides get his measurements taken.

"Forgot my switch."

"That's quite unlucky."

"Mom, just got me the new Mecha Strike game too." She whined.

"Shucks. It's such a good game too."

She quickly perked up as she was not against spending the time talking about video games, "You've played it?"

"I've even beat it."

"How? It hasn't even been out that long."

"I pulled strings to get a copy before it was publicly released."

"I want that to be my superpower."

"What?" Adrien questioned having a hard time following the train of thoughts of a child.

"To get games before everybody else does. But then somebody has to choose my side effect. I guess you got to cause that's them rules." She was referencing some obscure internet post that involved picking a superpower then having the next commenter pick the side effect. A post gaining popularity due to the revelation of real superheroes.

"Uhh... sneezing uncontrollably around birds. That sounds like a decent enough side effect for a superhero." It was what he suffered with.

"Try again.. I already have that."

"You're allergic to birds too?" Adrien laughed, finding it ironic that out of all things he could have thought of, she just happened to actually have it. He assumed with her backpack and hoodie that she was a fan of the superheroes that protected Paris or at least the stories of them."Just like ChatNoir."

"I don't want to be like him. I want to be like Viperon! He is SO cool!"

"Viperon over ChatNoir? Really?" Adrien had barely seen Viperon out on patrol ever since the loss of Ladybug. He only made appearances when accompanied by Rena Rouge or Carapace. Never alone. Perhaps it was so-called safety in numbers? Or was he afraid of being alone? Weren't snakes supposed to be solitary creatures?

"Viperon, never leaves a friend behind. And he can travel in time! That's so much cooler than destroying things."

Adrien bit his tongue as her words "never leaves a friend behind" hurt more and more he thought about how he left HER. His one and only. "I can't argue with that."

"Also Mom does not like him. So I can't have ChatNoir things even if I wanted them," She shrugged as she pulled out a Gairfleid folder that contained her homework. Homework that she did not want to do but it was better than being bored half to death.

"Your Mom is right. He's not really a good influence." Adrien added. Knowing that ChatNoir was becoming a symbol for anarchists as he flipped off the Mayor on more than one occasion. Ignored police, firefighters, and any other government officials and kinda just did whatever fit his current mood. "What's you name... uhh.. Kitten?"

He was going to call her Kid but it seemed like a nickname reserved for his Kwami who still after all the years of being together called him Kid. She glared at Adrien as that was a nickname that Mom occasionally called her. "Emma Dupain-Cheng."

Adrien wondered if Marinette was divorced or perhaps unattached? As Emma did not have a different last name then Marinette. Adrien did not want to pry but curiosity was known for killing the cat, "Do you want to tell me about your dad?"

"Mom says I'm a bank baby."

Adrien's fellow models laughed as they eavesdropped on the two's conversation. They all knew that Marinette was referring to a sperm bank. Adrien immediately regretted asking the question as face was turning red, He wasn't prepared for the question to backfire..

"So, your Mom's single?" A model about Adrien's height that had brunette hair and brown eyes to match asked. He was a German model named Leon Müller, one of the few straight guys that modeled professionally.

"Sorry but Mom says she's married." Emma quickly replied.

"To whom?" Leon and Adrien nearly asked at the same time.

"Her career."

Adrien laughed at her smartass answer paired with her cheeky smirk. Their laughter echoed throughout the room. Marinette was quite surprised to hear how similar Emma and Adrien's laughs were. The other models began enjoying macaroons that had been picked up by Nathalie earlier from the Dupain-Cheng bakery as a reward for the long wait.

Marinette and Gabriel both worked hard on coming up with a general idea for this year's fall collection. Marinette softly smiled, noticing how different Gabriel and Adrien acted around each other. A good difference. Adrien was no longer the young boy looking over his shoulder afraid of what his father had to think. And Gabriel seemed less tense as if he finally stopped projecting Emilie onto Adrien. Letting Adrien live his life.

"How about red silk instead of gray? To give it more of a pop?"

Marinette asked knowing this fall collection was going to be dedicated to Ladybug. It was the tenth anniversary of her death according to the public.

"Or would spots fit better?" Gabriel suggested as he laid a swatch of fabric next to the sketch of a tailcoat that Marinette designed. Adrien amused Emma by trying to balance a strawberry Macaroon on the end of his nose as he tilted his head back.

"That's silly." Emma laughed as she stacked another on top soon enough he was balancing three. Trying to guess how many he could balance before the Jenga tower wannabe toppled over.

"Now the tricky part is how to eat them like this."

He stuck his tongue out trying to reach the macaroons. He knew he would fail of course but Emma enjoyed watching him try. Marinette looked up from her designs to see Adrien doing his goofy little trick. Marinette blushed slightly as after all these years he remembered the dumb little trick she taught him. She was still sporting the Ladybug mantle at the time, A mantle she missed but wouldn't trade for the life she had now. She did not have time for it and with Papillion's disappearance, there was no need for a Ladybug. Not anymore.