After I Knew: The Agreste Short Stories

The Planning - Part 1

"No problem, I'll see to it," Adrien said, over the phone. "But I suggest you make the main selection yourself. I'm not very sure what the boss has in mind."
After listening for a minute, he continued, "What do you mean you don't know? She's your boss and you need to figure that part out. I don't work too closely with her."
Then a few seconds later, his face dawned with realization and then with an annoyed expression. "I can't ask my co-worker things like that without arousing suspicion. You need to do your research and I'll handle the rest."
"Yes, yes, you can trust me on this. I've  done one already and I got a great deal out of it. Two, actually."
"Alright, I'll call you later," Adrien said, spotting Marinette on the dining room. Marinette had been listening to the entire conversation and couldn't digest how unnatural it sounded. Main selection? I don't work too closely with her? Can't ask my co-worker things like that without arousing suspicion? Two great deals? She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling of Adrien's work and focused on cutting up her strawberries. For some reason, her third trimester had been filled with everything strawberry: strawberry milk, strawberry candy, strawberry macaroons. She had no idea how she was going to shed off the extra weight. So much for cravings.

"Hey Bug," he said, taking the strawberries from her. He started cutting them up and she took a seat.
"Morning," Marinette said. She decided to shoot her shot, "New client?"
"Yeah. He's absolutely clueless. I have no idea how his boss ever hired him," he said, casually. Marinette relaxed a little. A clueless assistant isn't anything new, she's had her share of them. 

"I'm gonna meet Alya later today," she said, setting her cup down. She tried getting up and Adrien immediately rushed to her. He helped her get up, pushed her chair in and took her cup from the table. "You don't have to clean up after my messes, Adrien," she said smiling.
"And make you work while carrying two babies? No way," he said, washing the cup.
"Have fun with Alya, okay?" he said, placing a kiss on her forehead. Where she got a great guy or why she got him will be a mystery to her, but she smiled anyway. Maybe being Ladybug had its perks.

-x-x-x-

Once Marinette disappeared into the bathroom, Adrien let out a breath of relief.

"Can't let your guard down too soon," Plagg said, taking the washed cup from Adrien.
"Easy for you to say since you've been keeping secrets your entire life. I haven't kept anything from her since we revealed our identities," Adrien said, picking up his keys.
"Rush up to the office before you blow your cover. You're struggling enough."
Adrien wrote a note about needing to rush to the office and kept it on Marinette's nightstand. He saw three new messages from his "client" and rushed out of the house.

-x-x-x-

"Apparently, he' had this new client for a week now. He even left early today," Marinette told Alya as she sipped on her strawberry milkshake.
"Come on Marinette, it's Adrien," Alya reassured. "Besides, this is probably one of those new kids. You know your industry, the bosses and their babies." 
"Yeah I guess. And what of Nino? Still too busy to meet?"
"Yeah. He's been packed with meetings with small artists. I don't think he's slept in a week."
"Can't you go see him?"
"I wish, but he's at new studios every hour or so. I don't think I'll make it, besides he needs his space for this one."
"Space?"
"Yeah, some super mega project. Apparently he's only got one shot at this and he absolutely cannot blow it."
"Adrien said something about getting two deals after doing one already? What is it with men and abnormal work language?"
"Alright, I think you need to stop feeding on those strawberries. Let's hope your brain's pink hue stays the same and that you don't have strawberry-scented babies with pink skin."

Marinette's Ladybug gears started turning. She shouldn't be so suspicious of her husband but even Nino has been too. This whole week. She was sure they were up to something, something big. She just wanted to know what it was. 

"Alya, I think we need to spy on our significant others," Marinette said.
"What? Why?"
"Think about it. Both of them have been blowing us off for a week. Both of them have been really weird with work. Don't you think something's up?

Alya's eyebrows furrowed. Marinette could see her investigator brains working up.
"I don't know Marinette, it doesn't seem-"
"Are you a part of this too?"
"What? No! No! I'm not part of anything." Marinette tried to see through Alya's defensiveness. Something  about that 'No!' seemed off.
"Then come on, we gotta find out what these boys are up to!"
"Marinette, I understand you're not used to Adrien being so busy but I am. This isn't the first time Nino's blown me off. I think you should go home and cool down."

Marinette couldn't believe what Alya was saying. Now she was sure Alya was part of whatever they had been planning. She drove home and took out a box of macaroons, sitting on the couch and contemplating the entire week.

When Adrien got his "client", he seemed to be completely immersed in tending to them.
By the designs she had seen in his file, they seemed to be a wedding jewelry designer. Adrien was already married so he wasn't planning a wedding. Alya and Nino are in on this plan so it's not their wedding either.
 What if Luka was planning on proposing to Vivica? Nah, that won't make sense. Luka would want to make it a small affair and would tell Marinette too.
What if it's not related to a wedding after all?
What if he was trying to throw her off track?
But what surprise could Adrien possible plan now?
They're married, the had a baby shower and gender reveal party.
Did he buy a new house?
Did he get a new job?

What was he up to?

Marinette nearly chucked her box of macaroons across the room if it wasn't for the door which just opened