#mlnextgen

“Ten more minutes, Mari. Okay? There should be ice cream there,” he grinned and made a slow turn into the neighbourhood. “But remember our deal.”

“Sandwiches first, then ice cream,” Mari smiled and started giggling when Louis tickled her tummy with one hand.

Her black hair fell into her face as she wiggled, her face flushing pink as she squealed. “Papa! Papa, stop!”

Louis pulled up to the large Gothic house and parked behind his parents car, turning off the engine. He unbuckled his daughter and held her on his lap, facing him. She wiggled around impatiently, her rounded bottom lip sticking out.

“When we go in, please stay by my side, okay? I know everything is new, but I would really like it if you stayed next to me until I can find your cousins, okay? Then I’ll let you go play,” Louis said, holding onto her little chubby hands. Three years of being her father had gone by so fast and he can honestly say he has not gotten any less protective of her. She was just so small and curious and he always remembered how she used to fit safely into the circle of his arms.

She had the Agreste eyes, that’s how he was sure she was his. He never even asked for a test. Now, she was three and meeting the whole family for the first time and even though he trusted everyone in that house, some part of him would always worry. Mari always had a habit of getting herself into trouble, just like he used to. He could never tell if he was proud of that or worried.

“I promise, Papa.”

That promise was immediately broken minutes after they walked through the doors. His sister Emma nearly pounced on him, locking him into a hug like a vice. After years on the team, her body was pure muscle and could easily crush him. God, how he had missed her.

“Hey, little brother! It’s been so long. You live in the same damn city now, where the fuck have you been? Everyone’s been worried about -” Emma started but she cut her sentence off when she noticed the little girl at her brother’s pant leg, looking down at the floor. “Oh, hello! I’m your Auntie Emma. Your cousin must be around here somewhere. Lotte? Baby, have you seen Nova?”

Louis placed a hand on Mari’s head, letting her know he was there. Lotte walked over after hearing her wife’s voice. “They’re probably playing with Plagg and Tikki in the garden. I can go check - oh, who’s this little cutie? Louis, is this your daughter? Hello, Mariposa. I’m Auntie Lotte,” she smiled and held out her hand to shake. Mari wrinkled her dark brows at the woman’s hand then walked away without saying a word, head bowed. Louis reached out for his daughter but narrowly missed her because Hugo showed up to see him. He clapped a hand on his shoulder and pulled him in for a hug he hadn’t been ready for.

“Finally, you cut your hair! You were starting to look like dad during his midlife crisis, no offence. Where’s your daughter?”

“Well, she was just here. She walked away. If I could just go get her -”

“Louis, she’ll be fine. We’re all family here. Let her be. Trust me, it’s really difficult to let your kid go for the first time. But this place is super safe. Now, let’s go see Bri. She’s missed you a lot,” Emma smiled and led him away. That’s how the first few hours went: Louis trying to sneak away to keep an eye on Mari and someone steering him away to catch up. It was driving him a little crazy.

Piper -

She gently rubbed her eye, careful not to smudge her makeup. Her little brother had invited her to his anniversary party and she couldn’t be happier, she just wished he could’ve picked a better date. Just when she thought she was on this hacker’s tail, he slipped through her fingers again last night. This game of cat and mouse had been going on for a year and it was wearing her thin. But she had to put on a happy (and well-rested) face for her brother and his partners. It wasn’t about her today.

She wandered the house, sipping a triple espresso and just hoping to stay awake for the party when she spotted a little girl with curly black hair and ocean green eyes. Was she a new child of Emma and Lotte’s? She hadn’t seen her before now but she sure was cute in her little purple dress with a large butterfly on the front. The little thing looked lost so Piper went up to her and squatted down to her level.

“Hiya. I’m Piper. You look a little lost. Do you need help finding your mommy,” she asked gently. The little girl looked at her and slowly smiled.

“My name is Mari. I don’t know where my papa is. I went to look for the garden so I could meet my cousins but I don’t know where it is,” she said. Piper stood up and held out her hand until Mari took it, wrapping her hand around two of Piper’s fingers. Piper thought she had to be Emma’s. She had the Agreste eyes and was obviously named after the matriarch of the family.

“I’ll take you to the garden, okay, Mari? Maybe your papa is waiting for you there,” Piper smiled gently and walked with her, saying hi to people as they walked. The house was large but they made it to the garden without any problems. Until one problem showed himself.

Louis.

He looked better than she remembered. He had stubble and his hair was cut short and swept to the side, as if he had actually tried to look decent today. Her chest squeezed painfully at seeing him again but he didn’t seem to be looking at her, not until she spoke.

“Louis.”

“Piper.”

“Papa!”

Mari dropped Piper’s fingers and ran over to the man Piper had grown up with. Then she saw the resemblance: same eyes, same forehead. Louis scooped the little girl up and placed her on his hip in a move so natural, he must have done it a thousand times.

“Papa,” Piper asked, still unable to believe it. Louis’s cheeks slowly turned from pink to red, looking from the little girl in his arms to the woman he hadn’t seen in five years.