𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 ✔️

Chapter Seven

"Do you have to go, daddy?"

Marinette could see the heartbreak on Adrien's face. She couldn't blame him, not when Emma pouted like that. "I do. But Mrs. Marinette will be here for bedtime."

"But what about our story?" she whined.

"Mrs. Marinette will read that to you."

Emma's pout just got bigger.

With a sigh, Adrien knelt on the ground and scooped her up in his arms. "I love you."

"I love you, too, daddy."

He pulled away enough to press a kiss on her forehead. "Best daughter in the whole, wide world."

"Best daddy in the whole, wide world."

Marinette could only grin.

Adrien stood once again. "Be good for Mrs. Marinette, okay?"

Emma's frown returned.

"I'll see you in the morning."

With one last wave and a "thanks again" directed at Marinette, Adrien headed out the door.

Leaving Emma to sit on the floor and pout.

Inwardly, Marinette sighed. "Do you want to play a game, Emma?"

Emma shook her head.

Since it was clear the girl wasn't moving, Marinette sat cross-legged next to her. "Do you want to read the story early?"

Emma didn't even answer before the waterworks started.

Marinette pulled the girl into her lap. "Oh, Emma." she cooed, rubbing the sobbing girl's back.

"I-I-I want d-daddy."

"I know you do, but he has a meeting for work he has to go to."

That only made Emma's tears worse.

Marinette frowned but continued to rub Emma's back. For a while, they sat on the floor just like that until Emma's tears faded. "Feeling better?" Marinette asked.

Emma shook her head.

Marinette pursed her lips. "How about this?" she said, an idea forming in her mind. "We take a bath early, then you get into your pjs and we build a super. Awesome. Pillow fort."

Emma looked mildly intrigued at this.

Marinette nodded slowly, trying to make it seem as magical as possible. "We take all the blankets and pillows we can find and build a fort. Then we'll take a flashlight and read a story."

Slowly, curiosity replaced the tears that filled her blue eyes.

"Do you want to do that?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?" Marinette repeated, inwardly cheering at her success. "Okay. Then let's take a bath. That way, you can get all nice and snuggly in your pjs before we build the fort. All right?"

"Okay."

From there, Marinette coaxed Emma to stand. They went up to her room to get her kitty cat pajamas before making their way into the bathroom. It was a bit odd for Marinette to figure out her way through Emma's bath time. Of course, she'd read a handful of parenting books that had touched on the subject, but that was very different than actually trying to wash the little girl up.

Eventually, the bath was finished, Emma was rinsed off, and the tub was drained. Marinette pulled the towel off the rod and draped it over Emma's head before ruffling her hair.