First Order of Business | Adrienette

Poster Boy for Anxiety

Marintte isn't sure when she became so fond of Adrien, but she can spend all day staring at him. It's reminiscent of when she had posters of him on her walls as a teenager. Only this Adrien was real, and he's definitely nothing like the poster child that was sold by a PR company. She feels oddly protective of him even though he's the one that can have the whole world at his disposal in the snap of a finger. It's why looking at him is so calming. She knows he's not off getting hurt somewhere or getting sold a nightmare by his father.

It's a rough week in their office. Adrien still has meetings, and he starts going down to the lower floors to speak to workers and bring up a notebook full of suggestions. He's doing months of work in a few days, and she has to remind him to rest sometimes. He only rests if she lets him pull up his chair next to hers and watch her work while drinking tea. Occasionally, they will sneak a quick kiss in but it's always behind his closed office door.

With Adrien not there to distract her from work, Marinette has time to work and finalize her portfolio for the contest. The designs she chose were on the older side, but she redrew them to add a bit more details. Adrien went over them a loved them, but she knew he would. She's ready to scan and submit them, but she there's a part of her brain that remembers what it's like to be eighteen and constantly rejected.

Adrien grows more anxious as Friday comes to an end, and she notices it because he cannot sit still. He's talked all he possibly could to the workers. He is supposed to start drafting up emails to the people in the company that can help, but he starts pacing around between his and Marinette's spaces.

Marinette forces him to drink tea and bring his chair next to hers while she finishes up some digital files, and his leg bounces up and down the entire time. It's hard to hold one of his hands while typing, but she attempts it anyways. It seems to help.

Adrien jumps a little at the ringtone of his personal phone, and he quickly places his mug on her desk to check it. Marinette watches him closely, but his glum face cracks into a big smile. Seeing him smile has been a rare treat those days.

"Chloe had her baby," Adrien says and shows Marinette the photo of a baby loosely wrapped in a blanket in Chloe's arms. "It's a girl." Marinette takes the phone out of Adrien's hand to look closely. The baby is wearing the onesie Marinette made for Chloe's baby shower.

"She's so cute," Marinette cooed. Most babies look the same to her, but this baby who was wearing the bee patterned clothes she made is the cutest baby she's ever seen. "Do you know what her name is?"

Adrien takes his phone back to check, and he laughs before opening up his keyboard. "She always wanted to name her baby Mila, but she says Lila ruined it for her. She got mad at me once when she was really hungry and looking for a name. I told her Chloe Junior would be perfect, and she got even more mad."

"You guys really are like siblings," Marinette smiles as Adrien types out a text to send.

"Very much so," Adrien says fondly. "Nino, too. We've been calling the baby Chloe Junior this whole time." There's a quick response, and Adrien's mouth falls open a little.

"What's wrong? Is her name actually Chloe Junior?" Adrien grins, and he shows Marinette the screen.

Adrien: She's perfect. What's her name?

Chloe: Thank you! She looks just like me. Her name is Diane Adrienne. Some random lady off the street gave me the second name don't think so high and mighty of yourself. She smelled bad and didn't have a job. She was missing a tooth.

Adrien is definitely thinking high and mighty of himself, and Marinette is happy that he's happy. He asks, "Do I have to name my son Chlo-oh now?" Marinette makes a face, and he laughs again. It's good to have him back even if it's just for a moment. She treasures it.