Miraculous Short Stories

Kittens and Queens

When Adrien starts bringing their daughter Emma daily new toys, Marinette can't figure out what her husband is up to. Is she missing something? Well yes, but not what she thinks she's missing.

Marinette staggered up the stairs to the apartment door, car keys dangling from her mouth, handbag slipping off her shoulder and a grizzly, fussing almost two year old Emma wriggling on her hip. It had already been a long day at work, and an overtired cranky toddler that she was sure her parents had fed too much sugar to at the bakery all afternoon, would make for a long evening. She didn't even want to know how Emma managed to get raspberry jam in her hair! Add to that needing to make dinner and trying to put said cranky toddler to bed and Marinette was about ready to collapse from exhaustion just thinking about it. Come to think of it, she had felt pretty exhausted all week.

Opening her bag, Tikki thankfully had already found her front door key and passed it up to her with a sympathetic smile. Thank heavens for little magical creatures! When Marinette opened the door though, she almost dropped the car keys she was still holding between her teeth. The apartment smelt devine from whatever was cooking in the slow cooker, and on the table was a vase of beautiful vibrant pink roses inter sprinkled with baby breath taking pride of place.

Noticing an envelope against the vase, Marinette placed Emma on the floor with Tikki and opened the letter.

M'lady,

I thought I would try out that recipe your mum gave me for Mongolian Beef in the slow cooker. It should be ready by the time I finish patrol with Nino. You just worry about Emma's bath, this cat has dinner all sorted.

See you soon xx

Marinette surprised herself at how teary that made her feel. Adrien always did seem to know exactly what she needed. She carefully placed the letter back in the envelope and picked Emma up, kissing her on the cheek. "Come on baby girl, let's get you cleaned up before daddy comes home." She said carrying her little one to the bathroom.

"Pag!" Emma called out as they walked into the bathroom. Tikki picked up a little black cat bath toy and handed it to Emma with a giggle.

"Well, it does look like him." Tikki said, placing the toy in Emma's hands.

"Where did that come from?" Marinette queried as Emma inspected her toy. She was sure she would have remembered Emma having a toy like that.

"I think Adrien gave it to her yesterday when he bathed her." Tikki replied. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"That must be the third new toy this week." She said, turning on the taps and pouring in some baby babble bath. "Wasn't that mouse plushie in her bed new too?"

Tikki nodded. "And don't forget the dog with the floppy ears."

Marinette poured water over Emma's head and rubbed in a little baby shampoo to clean away the jam still stuck in her hair. Sometimes she couldn't work her husband out. Oh she loved him to pieces, that was a given, but every now and again he would do something that she couldn't put a finger on, like these toys for Emma. He doted on their daughter and was such a sweet and hands on father that it made her heart melt when she watched the two of them together, but she worried he may be overindulging her.

"Teek ba." Emma said, patting the water.

"Me?" Tikki said, clearly amused. "Do you think I need a bath?"

"Ba." Emma repeated, pushing her toy cat around in the water. Tikki plopped into the bath water with her, blowing bubbles around much to Emma's delight.

Once Emma was all clean, Marinette wrapped her up in a soft pink towel and laid her on the bed. As she dried her off, Emma began to fuss. Marinette's parents had thankfully already fed Emma her dinner, but it was clear that bedtime is what she really needed. Tikki sat beside Emma and picked up the little one's hand. Slowly she started to swirl a circle around Emma's palm.