A Dork Named Adrien - a Miraculous Ladybug fanfic

Family

"Marinette is really a Daddy's girl," Sabine bemused as she observed her pig-tailed head daughter holding a mixing bowl carefully while Tom was pouring a hot liquid into it.

"But you know that Marinette equally loves you, right?" said Adrien who rested his head on top of his hands as he looked at the heartwarming scene.

"She can connect easily with her father, given that they're both artists, in a sense," she went on, then winced when a stainless-steel bowl was dropped on the floor and produced a loud clanking sound "And pretty much clumsy."

The blond couldn't help but guffawed when Sabine stormed into the kitchen and scolded her husband and daughter who were bathing in flour and confectioner's sugar.

Ever since they revealed each other's identities, Adrien became a common body in Dupain-Cheng's household. Sometimes he would show up during rush hours to help them manning the counter or restocking some supplies in the storage room. These were some of the things that he usually does around Marinette and her family, and even though they were very insistent to pay him for his service, he would always decline politely.

He just like spending his free time with the Dupain-Chengs.

"Why don't we go upstairs, Adrien?" Sabine said after she removed her apron and hung it on its designated rack "Let's leave these two hooligans here as they clean up their mess."

He snorted indignantly when he saw the father and daughter duo scowled at Sabine's comments.

"What's the menu for dinner?" he asked when the Chinese woman pulled out a large pot and placed it on the stove.

"We'll be making a Pot-au-Feu," was her casual reply, picking out potatoes and carrots in the pantry, "Marinette said that it's your favorite."

"Oui," he answered with a nostalgic smile "Mère often cooks it when I was young."

Sabine pulled out the meat from the fridge then placed it on the sink to thaw "Your mother must be a good cook."

"Oh no, Mère wasn't much of a cook. She can only make simple dishes," he reasoned as he took a peeler and start removing the vegetables' skins "The recipe for her Pot-au-Feu was quite simple, but for some unknown reasons, I can't replicate the taste."

"Did you double check the ingredients?"

"Several times, yes," he muttered despondently. How he wished he could cook it for Marinette.

"Then why not you do it right now?"

Adrien stared at Sabine with disbelief when she yanked him to the kitchen counter and passed the apron to his hand "Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you all by yourself. I'll just sit here and walk you through on how to make a classic Pot-au-Feu."

"Really?"

The woman chuckled when she saw how his emerald eyes glimmered with mirth "I have some fresh produce that I bought from the market this morning, so feel free to use them as you like."

"A-Are you sure?" there was a slight hesitation on the boy's voice "Pot-au-Feu will take at least five hours to cook."

"I don't see any problems with that," she shrugged nonchalantly as she glanced at the wall clock "Besides, it's pretty much early for dinner anyway."

"Bu-But – "

"Adrien," Sabine patted his back with a smile "You're not a stranger in this house. You're part of the family now."

He was mumbling some incoherent words but after few reassuring words, he began to add some ingredients according to the recipe that he memorized by heart.