Bruce bio-dad--father-daughter bonding
Her parents pulled themselves together while she changed. She came back down hoping they would be back to normal but their anger and fear seemed to have moved on to calm sadness and trepidation. While she was in her room one of them had made tea and they were sitting close on the couch talking with quiet voices. When Marinette reappeared they sat her down to talk.
"Honey, did you take a DNA test?" her dad spoke first.
"Uh-m yeah. I just sent it off last weekend. Did it come back already?" Marinette asked.
"Was there a reason you did it without telling us?" Sabine asked.
"We have been studying genetics in biology class. I knew both of you have O+ blood but that meant there was still a small chance I could have O-," she took a deep breath that didn't calm the twisting feeling in her stomach. "When I tested my blood in class it showed that my blood was A+. I just wanted to know how but I didn't like the idea of asking because--"
Her voice trailed off instead of finishing. Her parents understood what she was suggesting and pulled her between them. Marinette had been so angry at Lila when she arrived and then she shifted so quickly to confusion based on her parents' moods that she didn't know how to feel. She just sank into the couch and allowed her parents to hug her until her father began speaking again.
"Marinette, your mother wasn't with another man." She looked up at him. "When we decided we wanted children we expected that it would happen but it never did."
"After a series of visits with specialists, I eventually conceived you after using in vitro fertilization." Sabine continued.
"But you never told me." Marinette said.
"No. It didn't matter because when we were successful we took the clinic at their word that biologically you were ours." Tom said.
"They lied? Why?" Marinette asked.
"We don't know." Sabine said.
Her mom went on to explain everything that the man had told them about how he thought they had conceived his child. Her dad went further to tell her of their fears that the man would try to gain custody of her. He said they had plans to call a lawyer but that the man seemed to like he could probably afford a better lawyer. They didn't know what to do yet but they wanted her to always have her phone with the gps activated just in case.
Tim didn't catch up to Bruce until he was leaving the patisserie. He pulled him away from the building and directed him to a local diner. He didn't start talking about it until they were seated in a quiet booth.
"So how did it go?" Tim asked.
"I was just going to talk to her parents but she ended up coming in at the end. I got to meet her," Bruce said with a smile.
"I can't believe you rushed over like that. How did they react?"
"They seemed kind of stiff or aloof. But maybe that is just how they are when they aren't serving customers."
"Maybe you went into their home and claimed that their child was actually yours and they think you are trying to take her away from them."
"That seems like a stretch."
"Why else would you rush off to tell them. Did you tell them about the circumstances? Maybe that the situation was not consensual and that you now have custody of Damian from a similar situation."
"Well that seems like an awfully dark take on the situation."
Tim just gave him a look as Bruce finished paying the check and they walked back to the hotel in silence.
Marinette was happy that her mask covered so much of her face so no one could really tell that she wasn't as happy as she had been. She did fine when she returned and got everyone to sing to Alya and served the cake, hiding the side that Lila had 'accidentally' bumped. Kitty Section went on and performed all their old hits and a few new ones. Adrien joined them for the songs he was familiar with.
Marinette looked around after they finished and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Her mask worked with everyone except one. Luka could always see right through her dark moods and get her to talk about it.
"Is your mood just from your costume change or is there something else on your mind?" Luka asked.
"I was really angry when it happened but there is something else."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm not sure if I should. Or even if I can."
"Dance with me." He held his hand out to her. "You can talk or not."
So they swayed to the song and Marinette remained quiet. But when it was over she pulled him to the hallway and explained everything her parents had told her. Luka didn't know what to say but he didn't feel like she really wanted to talk about it anymore. Instead he just held her until she pulled away.
She didn't say anymore about it but she seemed to be feeling a bit better about it after talking about it. She had Alya pick the next activity and so everyone excitedly ran out into the night to do the scavenger hunt that Nino helped her make. They all were to be back to the hotel by 11 and they headed back up to the rooms. The desk clerk checked to make sure they all returned and reminded them to keep the noise down for the other guests.
They piled into one of the rooms and turned on a movie. They talked through the first one but went quiet during the second one most of them enjoying the creepy feeling of the scary movie and a few of them drifting off to sleep as it got late. Marinette didn't really like scary movies she snuck away to get her sketchbook instead of watching. She looked up a while later when Adrien came into the room. He got ready for bed but then came and sat by her.
"Are you okay, Marinette? You've been quiet since you got back. Are you still upset about Lila?"
"Not really. I'm not happy about her ruining my dress but that doesn't seem very important right now."
"Okay. I'm here if you need me. Not just for dealing with Lila."
Marinette nodded, not wanting to discuss her parentage any more. They talked about other things for a bit before Adrien told her he would be in trouble if he didn't sleep and looked too tired for the photo shoot tomorrow. Marinette prepared to get up and let him sleep but his hand on her arm stopped her.
"You can stay. It's dark in the other room and they were starting the sequel for those still awake. I know you don't like scary movies."
Marinette continued drawing even though it was very late she didn't feel like she could sleep.
When she woke much later it was disorienting. She knew she wasn't in her bed because the ceiling would be closer to her loft but it was much too soft to be her lounge chair. She shifted to move her sketchbook where it was digging into her side but was prevented by pressure across her midsection. When she turned over she realized she was in the hotel bed. The room was dark because of the curtain being closed with one line of daylight shining into the room directly on to Adrien's blond hair. Just as she noticed him in the bed next to her his eyes opened.
His arm that was over her trailer up her back as he pulled himself to sitting up. His green eyes met her blue ones and he pulled his arm back running his hand through his bed head down to the back of his neck. She knew that meant he was uncertain or nervous. She felt the same as she got out of the bed carefully making sure her pajamas hadn't shifted.
"I'm going to go find some coffee downstairs." Marinette whispered. "Do you want one?"
He looked around noting that there were others sleeping in the room besides the two of them. He looked down and checked the time before adding.
"I should get a shower though. My ride will be here very soon."
As she was getting their coffees, Marinette was amazed at how well she had managed waking up to her long-time crush sleeping next to her in a bed. She should have had a life changing discovery that took up all her over-thinking power much sooner. As she finished fixing the 2 cups of coffee she turned and then saw the younger man who she had seen with the man who claimed to be her biological father. She could see where he had been sitting with a newspaper when she entered but now he was blocking her way out.
She froze and looked around. She took a step back but with one step her back was against the coffee bar. He was at the opening of the narrow entrance that blocked the counter from the view of the public entrance. He lifted his hands in a surrender motion before speaking but that didn't stop her heart from beating quickly as her fight or flight response triggered her adrenaline. Her parents told her to leave her phone on her at all times but she didn't think it would matter in the hotel. She should be safe here.
"Okay, this was clearly a bad idea but I needed to talk to you."
Marinette said nothing. She was still looking for an escape.
"I told him to wait. I tried to tell him not to go off and talk to your parents without planning but he doesn't always listen." Tim took a breath before continuing. "No one wants to change your life. He simply wants to be a part of it."
"You just expect me to believe you?"
"No. I'm hoping you will give us a chance. Would you be willing to meet him?"
"More than an introduction. Maybe breakfast in an hour right over in the dining room. It's a public place with plenty of access to the exits."
"I won't hide anything from my parents."
"You shouldn't hide it from your parents."
Marinette carried the coffees back upstairs and tried to calm herself. Most of the party-goes were still sleeping. She snuck around gathering her things but left her bag plainly visible so if it was still there when she woke her friends would notice it. She checked that her phone had a charge and confirmed that she still had the gps turned on before calling her mom to tell her what she was doing.
Her mom really didn't like the idea but eventually caved when Marinette said she was curious about the man. Adrien came out of the bathroom ready to leave for his photo shoot but could hear her side of the conversation when he retrieved his coffee. He paused to give her a concerned look that she waved off.
They ended up walking back down to the lobby together. It has not been an hour but Bruce was already sitting there waiting. She had explained to Adrien that she was meeting with the man but not why. She just told him it made her parents very nervous.
Rather than let her walk up to the man alone Adrien waved Nathalie over and walked up to the man. He introduced himself in an arrogant manner that Marinette had never seen him use. He told him that the only meeting with Marinette would be in the park where his bodyguard would be watching. Marinette just stared at Adrien taking charge like that but the man complied with a smile.
It took a few minutes for him to gather the things but Adrien pulled Marinette after him without waiting for the man to follow. In only a few minutes 3 hotel employees had brought out a table and chairs and set it up under a tree and near the fountain. Marinette remembered to text her parents the change and got a quick response back that it made her mother feel better to know that someone else would be looking out for her since the bakery was too busy for either of her parents to be available.
She walked up tentatively and Bruce motioned for her to sit. He was smiling again but Marinette thought he also seemed a bit nervous about her reaction. She tried to calm herself with deep breaths. This was all happening so fast, she didn't know how to handle it.
"So, I'm assuming your parents told you a little about me." Bruce started off awkwardly.
"Yeah. They told me last night that you think I'm somehow your child."
"Yes, the results of your test were flagged because it was a match to my biological son Damian and a half match to me."
"I don't understand how any of that is possible. I only sent the test in a week ago."
"I own the company who did the testing. Typically it would take time to compile results but since it was a match, I was sent and alert."
"So what do you want from me?"
"I want to get to know you. Possibly have a relationship. Calls and emails. Maybe even visits after a time."
She made a face when he suggested visits.
"Perhaps not just yet on visits. But I could visit. I have other children who would like to meet you. Here, in Paris, if you would allow."
"That's fine. Tell me about you. Do you bake like your parents?"
"Well, I can make most of the things from the bakery. And I cook dinner when it is my turn."
"But it's not your passion. What is your passion?"
"Well I really like designing clothes and accessories."
"That's really cool. Do you have any pictures?"
Marinette pulled out her phone and showed him the album that she had set up as a portfolio of sorts. He listened to all she said about each item and asked questions. He was very excited to see the album cover she designed for Jagged Stone and then the picture of her with him when he was wearing his Eiffel Tower glasses. So she showed him the Kitty Section outfits and told how XY tried to steal her design and the band's music. Then she flipped past a few more of her own clothes and gifts for friends until she came to the picture of Adrien in the hat she designed.
"This boy again. Is he your boyfriend?"
"Oh no. Nothing like that. His father held a competition and the prize was having him wear my design on the runway for his brand Gabriel."
He gave her a knowing look as she turned a bit pink but kept scrolling through. He paused a bit longer on a picture of him in a blue scarf.
"He can't know I made that. It was for his birthday but there was a mix up and he thought it was from his father."
"But you couldn't correct the misunderstanding?"
"I could have. But he was so happy that his father got him something like that I didn't want to feel like I was talking that away from him."
He spent a moment just looking at this daughter he had just met and couldn't help but be amazed. He could tell that their time was ending but he wanted to find a way to drag it out. But she was getting restless and the model's bodyguard was mean mugging him.
"Well Marinette, I hope I can see you again during my stay. I would walk you to wherever you are heading, but I think that the bodyguard would like to see us walk away separately."
"I think my parents want to see me anyway."
She reached out to shake his hand. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug but he settled for shaking her hand and briefly putting his other hand on the back of hers before releasing it.
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