#it's like an older woman calling you sweetie or hon but honestly i find it even less of an endearment it's just like

[morethanonepage]

the discourse about this on ask a manager is so funny to me, esp bc honestly “mama” is just sort of a filler word to describe a female person amongst some latin-american people. it doesn’t actually mean mom/mother specifically.

[perditaalottachocolate-blog]

Once There Was a Heroine (6)

Marinette/Ladybug Appreciation Week, Day 6: Baking Bakery

In which Dottie visits a bakery

Part: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

AO3 / fanfiction.net

“Once There Was a Heroine”, Part 6: Bakery

The encounter at the park shook Adrien to his roots. There was probably a sleepless night ahead of him, but he was grateful for Dottie’s presence - a welcomed distraction from reliving that nightmare. Her warm hand firmly gripping his felt more real than anything in the world, reminding him of all the reasons they had fought for. Of the future that came and was brighter and more beautiful than he could dream of.

‘Can we go to the bakery?’ Dottie asked as they were collecting their things and preparing to leave. ‘I want to say hello to Maman and Papa.’

Bakery sounded good, great even. Bakery smelled like home should have. Bakery was definitely something he could use right now, even if he knew he wouldn’t find her there.

‘Sure, kitten,’ he keenly agreed.

‘A ride?’ Dottie asked hopefully, fluttering her lashes.

‘Aren’t you getting too big for that?’ he laughed but easily sat her on his shoulders. He might have had six decades behind him, but there was enough of Chat Noir’s strength left in his limbs to carry his own granddaughter like that. She wrapped her hands around his forehead and they set off in the direction of Rue Gotlib.

‘Duck,’ Adrien commanded, hunching a bit and Dottie lowered her head as he carried her on his shoulders over the patisserie’s threshold.

‘Nana!’ the girl cried at the top of her lungs and all but jumped to the ground. He prepared for a scream of pain. He was almost two meters tall after all. But Dottie bounced gracefully and made a beeline for the woman at the counter. When they entered, she was chatting with Hugo, who manned the shop today, but as soon as she heard Dottie’s cry, she turned and flashed them a surprised but beamy smile.

A smile that shot him right in his heart and weakened his legs.

Maybe it was because of the little sentimental journey he had taken earlier with Dottie. Maybe the guide and her miraculous tale of Ladybug and Chat Noir were to blame. Maybe he was a bit tired. And maybe it was all of this. But when Marinette smiled at him from the counter, Adrien felt as if he saw her for the very first time. He could have sworn he felt her crashing into him and tangling them with her yoyo string.

His Lady Luck was here, when he so desperately needed the reassurance that she was real, that she was alive, that they’d made it.

He hadn’t seen her in just a few hours, yet the sight took his breath away. How she held herself with dignity and confidence, that surpassed the experience of fulfilled, mature womanhood, and let the heroine underneath shine through. How her hair slipped from the bun she tied on the top of her head, mostly silver strands with shots of midnight blue here and there, bringing the starry night sky to mind. How her cheeks covered with a fresh coat of blush and pink lips parted in a silent gasp. How her blue eyes, enveloped in dark veil of lashes, bore into him. He got lost in them so many times and he still didn’t have enough of them. A new Gabriel creation tenderly hugged her magnificent figure, bringing out all of her assets and cunningly hiding everything she didn’t want to show.

Adrien would be the first to admit that he was absolutely smitten, had been for over forty years and never minded. His wife was a gorgeous, stunning, mighty woman, a masterpiece, that would make Van Gogh, Renoir and Degas bite their brushes in half and give up painting forever.

She was all he ever needed, and in return for his love and adoration she had given him the world, home, family and inexhaustible happiness. She had helped him to find himself, never judging, never doubting, showering him with affection and acceptance he craved so much.

As joy, relief, love and exhaustion fought for dominance over his heart Adrien stumbled in his step towards the counter; just for a split of a second, but that was enough for Marinette to frown in worry. One look was all it took her to see right through him.

She was already coming to him, prompting Dottie to move with her, as the girl clung to her dress. ’Kitty?’ her voice was soft, but laced with concern. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Everything is fine, love,’ he uttered, a bit too fast for it to be believable.

Marinette’s questioning stare left no doubt that she didn’t buy it. ‘Hugo, why don’t you pack Dottie and Papa some of those fresh rolls, hmm?’ she asked, never taking her eyes off Adrien. ‘I’m sure she’d love to help you choose. She knows which ones we like.’

‘Sure thing, Mom,’ their son replied, knowing exactly what she meant. ‘Come on, sweetie, let’s pack you something for the afternoon snack,’ he extended his hand. Dottie squeezed her Nana one more time and ran to her father, a wide smile on her face. Soon she started babbling excitedly about their visit to the park.

As soon as their granddaughter was out of earshot, Marinette started her friendly interrogation. ‘Is it your blood pressure again? Did you eat anything today? Is Dottie too tiring? Maybe I should cancel on Alya and come home early?’

She shot him question after question until he laughed wholeheartedly and pulled her in for a hug. ‘I’m okay, bug,’ he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, taking a deep breath full of her enchanting scent. ‘I promise. Things just got a little bit too emotional and overwhelming at the park.’

Marinette withdrew from his embrace to look him in the eyes. ‘At the park? I don’t think I follow.’

‘I’ll explain it in the evening,’ Adrien assured her, ‘but I’m purrfectly fine now that you’re here, my Lady. Cat’s honor,’ he promised with right hand on his heart.

She giggled lightly and hugged him again. Everything was nicely warm and soft with her in his arms, but good things never last as long as they should.

‘Is this a spontaneous Agreste reunion at my bakery?’ A deep voice boomed over the shop. Tom Dupain was standing in the back door with a steaming tray of buns in his huge hands.  ‘Give me a hand, Hugo, will ya?’

Even at 93 he still was an impressive man. His bulky form shrunk only a bit with time and just as before he could easily loom over most people. His silver hair had thinned, but he still sported his trademark mustache. Age didn’t take away his skills nor energy, the years his body had accumulated only slowed him down a bit.  

‘Technically it is an Agreste bakery,’ Hugo admonished lightly, taking the tray from his grandfather’s hands, ‘at least since someone retired and left all this mess to me.’

‘Dottie, you’re here already?!’ Tom exclaimed when he saw her peeking from behind the counter. ‘I thought you were at the mansion today?’

‘Nah, Great Grandpa, we’ve come to say hi and take some rolls, and will be going back,’ Dottie smiled sweetly.

‘Hi, Tom!’ Adrien waved at his father-in-law.

‘Hi, Papa!’ Marinette followed suit.

‘Hello to you too,’ the old man replied. ‘Am I interrupting something?’ he asked with a sly grin that earned him a snort from Adrien and an eye roll from Marinette. ‘Just kidding, take your time, I’ll keep this mademoiselle company,’ he waved at them and turned to Dottie. ‘Go ahead, Hugo, take a break and check on Melanie. I’ll take care of the shop for a while,’ he added, putting a hand on his grandson’s shoulder.

Hugo nodded. He crouched in front of Dottie. ‘See you in the evening, sweetie,’ he tickled Dottie under her chin, earning a chuckle, ‘Have fun at Grandpa Adrien’s and be nice, okay?’

‘I promise, Papa,’ she replied earnestly. ‘Hug Maman and Renée from me,’ she called as he was already at the door.

‘Wait for us!’ Marinette rushed past the counter. ‘We’ll come for a minute to say hi. Come on, hon,’ she prompted Adrien to join her.

‘Tom, would you-’ the older Agreste gestured to Dottie and the half packed bag of rolls.

‘I’ve got this,’ his father-in-law man winked at him. ‘Go say hello to the girls.’

‘So, what are you up to this afternoon, cupcake?’ Tom asked as he was finally left alone with his great granddaughter.

Dottie’s eyes lit up as she remembered their plans for the rest of the day. ‘Grandpa Adrien is going to teach me how to make lucky bracelets!’

‘Really?’ her great grandfather sat her on the countertop, ‘I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun, cupcake! Maybe you could do one for your future beau?’ he winked at her curling up his mustaches. ‘Your Nana gave her lucky charm to your Grandpa when they were fourteen and look at them now.’

Dottie would have fallen down from the counter if Tom wasn’t there to still her. ‘Do you remember how that bracelet looked, Great Grandpa?’ her voice trembled as the old man gave her a puzzled look.

‘Oh, cupcake, it was more than 40 years ago!’ he chuckled. ‘There’s plenty more important things I’ve forgotten since then.’

‘Please, Great Grandpa,’ Dottie went straight for kitten eyes, ‘you really don’t remember?’

‘Well, let me think,’ he hesitated under the force of the emerald gaze. ‘I’m sure there was a red string involved, because as far as I know it’s mandatory for lucky charm bracelets. And there must have been…’ his forehead wrinkled with the effort, ‘a few beads, but I honestly don’t remember them at all.’

The girl pouted in disappointment.

‘Oh, I remember the large one!’ Tom slapped his huge hands onto his thighs. ‘It was kinda green, a rectangle I think, with a sort of flower engraved on it? I’m not sure though,’ he faltered. ‘Why do you even ask?’

Dottie positively beamed at him, her chest so swelled with happiness it was a miracle she didn’t hover over the counter. ‘I just wanted to know what worked for Nana and Grandpa,’ a sly grin split her face in half. ‘In case I want to make one for my future beau, you know.’