After I Knew: The Agreste Short Stories

The Baby - Part 2

Marinette and Adrien sat quietly as they drove back home.
"Two kids," Marinette said, in a trance like state.
"Maybe this is what Fluff was scared about. What if there will be a problem in choosing a guardian between two kids?" Adrien said, focused on the road.
"Adrien we're gonna have two kids!"
"Marinette, I'm just as aware as you are. Do you think we'd have to separate them so they don't learn the truth?"
Marinette exhaled sharply. "Adrien Agreste," Marinette said, "My lover, my husband and my best friend. Are you so blind to not see the actual problem?"

Adrien rolled his eyes. "I've been called blind for other things,"  he retorted, "You're no less."
Now it was Marinette's turn to roll her eyes. "Let me remind you that I'm pregnant, hormonal and in the middle of a baby crisis!"
"What could possibly be bigger than the Guardian problem?"
"Adrien," Marinette said, turning to look at him, "We're gonna have two babies. Not one, but two! How do you think we're gonna manage?"
Adrien chewed his lip and pulled over, next to a retail store. "Like this," he said, getting out and opening Marinette's door. 
"What are you doing?" she asked as he pulled a  cart and entered the store.

Without saying a word, he led her to the baby section and started taking packs of diapers. Marinette watched as he put things into a cart, wishing he'd just talk to her. She felt agitated and somewhat helpless as Adrien continued to ignore her. Yes, there was a problem in choosing a Guardian but how he could he possibly be okay with the idea of managing two kids at once? How will they provide? Will they have time?
The thought of motherhood had always come to her in a warm embrace but the thought of a double deal in the kid department had obviously overwhelmed her. Swallowing her anxiety, she turned to rack with bibs and bottles and started toying with a burp cloth, trying to get her nerves in place.
Adrien finally turned around to look at her. 

"Look Bug, it's no easy to take care of one kid, let alone two," he said, coming forward to her, "but we were the superheroes of Paris. I think we're good at handling people."
"It's different Adrien-" Marinette started.
"It is," he said, his hands up like he was surrendering, "I agree, this is completely different but we started saving the world at 13, Bug. And we did a great job at that, right?" he asked, his green eyes bright with pride. Marinette looked at him and slowly nodded.
Adrien smiled and continued, "I think we can be super parents too, no matter how many little Agrestes will crawl around." 
There was still a curtain of uncertainty on Marinette's face. Adrien understood her hesitance, using the twins problem as a distraction from the Guardian problem. He knew he was being kind of a jerk, ignoring her and everything but she's Ladybug. It will take her some time to digest the problem before accepting it and finding a solution.

"Look, I'm really sorry for this whole scene. Yes, I'm still curious about the future Guardian and I wanna know the safest route for this, but you really thought I'm prepared for what's gonna come? My father abandoned me for a while, putting me a rather doubtful future of deciding to even be a father. Then you told me about your pregnancy and every doubt I had in the past cleared. I've been so excited to meet our girl but now there's another one! Yes, I know we're young, and yes, I know we're new to this but we have so many people to support us, to help us and to love the two new additions to our family.
A-And I never knew my heart would be able to find space for more love and happiness after Mother and Father reunited, after I married you, after I found out about our baby but now there's one more and I swear, my heart exploded all over again.
We're Ladybug and Cat Noir, superheroes of Paris, saviors of the world and now soon to be diaper-changing, college-going parents. It's not gonna be easy, but...I think we'll be fine."

Marinette smiled and looked at the burp cloth. Adrien knew that look: she knew what she had to do. She quickly tossed it into the shopping cart, along with baby bottles, bibs and rattles. Adrien smiled and hugged her from the back, knowing she was back to her confident self.

-x-x-x-

Every time Adrien and Marinette threw a party, there always seemed to be a surprise.

"Marinette, we wanted to throw you a surprise baby shower, not the other way around," Alya said, taking a plate from the counter. They were all at the beach, for Marinette's baby shower plus surprise party, so it wasn't a typical baby shower. They had invited a few friends: Alya, Nino, Luka, Vivica, Chloe, Alix and their parents. Marinette's parents had brought a bunch of pink colored macaroons and Adrien's parent brought multiple pink bouquets and customized newborn dresses for their baby girl.

"Will you tell us the surprise now?" Alix said, smirking.
"Okay okay," Marinette said. Adrien rushed to her and helped her get up. Marinette kept her hand on her baby bump and looked at everyone. 

"Uh okay, well," she started, "W-We, Adrein and I, had recently visited the clinic and found out something." She looked at Adrien and smiled.
Adrien suddenly shouted, "We're having twins!"

The group gasped, as Adrien and Marinette took balloons and pins and stood in front of everyone. 
"Welcome to our baby shower slash gender reveal party!" Adrien shouted as they popped the balloons. Blue confetti and glitter fell everywhere, earning hollers from everyone. 
Marinette's eyes welled and she was sure Adrien shed a few tears but he said it was the glitter. She hugged him and he laid a peck on her cheeks. She had to admit, she couldn't be happier. All the anxiety she had about second baby and choosing a guardian all vanished. She couldn't wait to meet her two little muchkins.

-x-x-x-

"It's very simple, isn't it?" Wayzz asked Fluff, "It's the first born, isn't it? The twin that comes out first?"
"Absolutely," Fluff said, "but it gets better: if the firstborn isn't suitable, they have a back up. There are perks in having twins."
"I'm guessing they don't need to know all this?"
"There's a time for everything," Fluff said, grabbing a carrot, "and it is time for them to enjoy, and us as well."
Wayzz grabbed a leaf of lettuce and lightly touched it with Fluff's carrot, mouthing a "cheers" taking a bite out of it as they watched the Parisian sunset from Marinette's balcony.