Chapter Text
Friday, 14 February
Marinette slowly started waking from the most wonderful dream. She had spent practically an entire day with Adrien. He had been so charming and sweet. She had even kissed him, repeatedly!
Then they had gotten a hotel room together after she had been goaded by a drunk wench who had been trying to steal Adrien away. Her Adrien! No one was going to take her Kitty from her.
Right, that had been another part of the dream. Adrien had called her his Lady, and all of the pieces fell together. Of course the captivating young man was her loyal Chat Noir. There was no one else it could be.
They had stayed up until the early hours of the morning playing video games. She didn’t remember falling asleep in her dream, but she did remember feeling safe and warm as she cuddled into his chest. He had wrapped her in his arms and purred, lulling her into a deeper sleep.
Marinette sighed happily and rolled over. It had been such a nice dream.
Her face pressed into a pillow that smelled just like him. Her dream must be lingering. She hugged the pillow, took a deep breath, and hummed.
She heard her partner’s throaty chuckle behind her. “Good morning, Princess.”
Marinette hummed again. “Good morning, Chaton. I just had the best dream,” she sighed, still half asleep.
There was a long pause, then she felt a weight settle carefully behind her on her bed. “Oh?” Chat asked, prompting her to continue.
“Mm-hm. You were Adrien, and I didn’t have to feel torn between the two of you anymore. I got to be your wife for a day, and we had so much fun together. I never wanted it to end.” She snuggled deeper into the soft bedding and Adrien’s scent.
Chat started stroking her hair, pulling it back from her face. His bare finger brushed her ear and she frowned. “What happened to your claws, Kitty?”
“M’lady.”
Marinette rolled over to look at her partner. One of her arms was raised over her head, and her dress was twisted around her middle uncomfortably. She blinked a few times and focused on Chat.
The ends of his wild mane of blond hair were still damp. He looked like he was fresh out of the shower. He was wearing a white undershirt that clung to his chest in an appealing way that made her mouth water. His emerald green eyes were burning with intensity as he focused only on her.
She sat up straight. “Adrien,” she breathed. It wasn’t a dream.
Unhelpfully, her scrambling brain decided to take that moment to update her ‘days since I’ve seen Adrien’ tally.
‘Zero.’
Adrien smirked, but the intense look didn’t leave his eyes. “I hope that isn’t my score. I’ve been told by others that I’m more of an eleven.”
Marinette blushed. Oh, no. Had she said ‘zero’ out loud?
“It… it isn’t anything like that.” She looked down at a fold in the plain white duvet that was covering her lower half and traced it with a finger. “I, um, got into this habit years ago that I still haven’t been able to kick.”
Her hair had fallen forward and hidden her face. Adrien reached out a hand and brushed it behind her ear. “Tell me,” he implored.
Marinette shook her head. It was too embarrassing.
“Please?”
Marinette sighed in defeat. She focused on his knee. He was wearing the same navy blue slacks he had been wearing yesterday. The color was deep and rich and shifted in the light just subtly enough to attract attention without the observer knowing why they were looking at it.
“Back when we were in collége,” she began slowly, “I had the most embarrassing crush on you. Every morning I would wake up and count the days since I last saw you.”
Adrien started slowly trailing his fingertips up the exposed skin on her arm. His touch left a trail of tingling sparks in its wake. Marinette stopped running her finger over the duvet and went still, hyper aware of the man sitting next to her. She bit her lip to keep herself from doing or saying anything stupid.
“What’s the highest number it ever got to?”
“Two hundred seventeen,” she said reluctantly. She didn’t want him to know how obsessive she had been, but she had vowed to always be honest with her partner.
“Marinette,” he said her name like a prayer, “what if I never let your count go above zero again?”
He slipped his fingers into her hair and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. She met his gaze and saw a mixture of hope and fear that matched her own feelings.
“What do you mean?”
“What if,” he leaned closer to her, “I spent every day with you? I love you, Princess.”
She watched his eyes as he slowly closed the distance between them. “You know that’s not really a feasible promise.”
“I’d find a way.”
His words warmed her in a way that intensified when his lips pressed into hers. Her heart thrummed, and she did her best to ignore all the thoughts twisting around her mind to concentrate on the new sensations flooding her senses.
Adrien crawled forward, and she brought her hands to his shoulders to keep from falling backwards. Their lips started moving together experimentally. Marinette had never kissed someone like this before. She started wishing she had brushed her teeth. When Adrien nibbled on her lower lip, all thoughts of her morning routine vanished under a haze of longing.
One of her hands moved to his neck to keep him with her as she relaxed back onto the pillows. He didn’t miss a beat in the rhythm of their mouths pushing against each other as he straddled her hips with his knees.
He kissed the corner of her mouth and started peppering kisses along her jaw. She tried to stroke his back, but it was awkward with the distance between them from him propping himself up on an arm. She switched tactics and ran her fingers over his shoulders, up the back of his neck, and buried her fingers in his hair. It was just as soft as it had been the night before. She was in heaven.
Mariette started lightly scratching his scalp with her fingernails. Adrien sank deeper into her and nuzzled the sensitive spot on her neck behind her jaw and started leaving open mouthed kisses on her.
She ran the side of her face against his cheek. Oh, wow. His bare skin was so smooth. He had used the hotel’s products for his shower that morning, so it wasn’t his usual scent, but it was still divine. Tingles flooded her body, causing her toes to curl.
A soft, vibrating rumble started in Adrien’s chest and he froze. Marinette giggled and nuzzled his cheek again. “I like it,” she whispered. Her warm breath caressed his ear. Adrien surrendered to the purr and started working his way down her neck to her collar bone.
Marinette giggled again, and Adrien moved his hand from her hair to her side, gripping her ribs through the thin fabric of her dress.
He was impeded in his progress across her shoulder by the neckline of her dress. He started licking and sucking her skin on the point where her shoulder met her neck. Marinette squirmed with pleasure. He was going to leave a mark. She didn’t care.
She was deciding what to do with her hands next, when there was a knock on the door.
Adrien paused, then gripped her side tighter and ran his nose up her neck, flicking her earlobe with his tongue.
There was another knock—louder this time.
“A-Adrien,” Marinette rasped, “th-the door.”
Adrien growled and pushed himself off the bed. “I swear, I’m never ordering room service again,” he hissed under his breath. He stalked to the door, leaving Marinette to absorb her new reality.
She stared at the plain ceiling, not really seeing it, and let all of the air in her lungs out in a long exhale. Her arms fell back onto the pillows above her head and she let herself relax into the plush mattress. A lock of her hair brushed her hand. She twirled it around her finger absently as she blinked.
She just made out with Adrien Agreste. That thought was quickly followed by the fact that she also just made out with Chat Noir.
A grin slowly stretched across her face. What would her younger self think if she could see her now?
She heard the door shut and Adrien returned with a breakfast tray piled with breads, fruits, yogurt, and two glasses of orange juice.
Marinette forced herself up from where she had melted into the mattress, and hastily straightened her dress and the bedding. She knelt primly on the duvet, and tucked her skirt around her legs. Adrien set the tray on the bed as she raked her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame her bed head.
She beamed at him. “Thank you for breakfast.”
Her cheeky partner bowed dramatically with a sweep of his arm. “I hope it meets with your approval, Princess.”
Marinette giggled. “I'm sure it does. Come here.”
Adrien slunk onto the bed and kissed her on the mouth with a loud smack. Then he licked the side of her face. “Ew, Minou, that’s gross.” Her protest was ruined by another fit of giggles as she wiped her cheek with her palm.
She didn’t like that glint in his eye or the way he was playfully growling. It spelled trouble.
Thinking fast, she grabbed a sweet bread from the breakfast tray and shoved it in his mouth.
“Don’t think this will stop me, Bugaboo,” he said around the small pastry. He snapped it up and started chewing.
He wasn’t the only one that could play games.
As soon as he swallowed, Marinette popped a blueberry in her mouth and climbed into Adrien’s lap.
He barely had time to look surprised before she was kissing him. She coaxed him into parting his lips and granting her access. He opened his mouth and she passed him the blueberry with her tongue. He crushed the berry with his teeth, and moaned as he shared it with her, her tongue slipping against his.
Marinette didn’t know what she was doing. She felt warm all over and only knew that she wanted to be closer to him. She gripped his shoulders and pushed her chest against his.
Adrien’s fingers were making a hopeless tangle of her hair and his purring was louder than before.
“Okay, break it up you two,” Plagg drawled. “Hey, Kid, where’s my camembert?”
Marinette yelped and flailed as she jumped away from the boy she had been making out with.
Right. They weren’t alone. Her cheeks flamed as she saw Plagg and Tikki floating nearby.
Plagg had his arms crossed and was glaring at his human partner. Tikki was shaking her head with a paw on her forehead.
Adrien snarled and threw the cheese at his kwami. Plagg caught it easily.
“Plagg, you are as subtle as a brick,” Tikki reprimanded.
“Hey, if they don’t want kittens in nine months, he’s going to have to learn some self-control,” Plagg said around a mouthful of cheese. He swallowed and pointed an accusing paw at his chosen. “Three feet on the floor, young man!”
Adrien threw a pillow at the black cat, which he neatly dodged. “We weren’t going to go that far!”
“Keep telling yourself that, Kid.”
Marinette buried her flaming face in her hands.
“It would be wise to take some precautions,” Tikki offered.
Marinette groaned. “Not you too, Tikki.” Her voice was muffled by her hands. She still couldn’t bring herself to risk looking anyone in the eye.
“She’s right, Pigtails. You're fighting against magic and nature here.”
She dared to lower her fingers just enough to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“You’re paired with the kwami of creation. Think about it.”
Adrien choked and coughed, drawing Marinette’s attention. His face was almost as red as hers.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
Adrien’s face maintained its flush as he explained. “You know how a holder can be affected by their kwami over time? Like how my senses are slightly heightened and I can purr even without being transformed?”
“Yes…?” She hadn’t known about the senses thing.
“I think what Plagg is implying is that you—um, we—I mean—Tikki, help me out here.” Adrien gave up and looked to the ladybug kwami.
Tikki sighed. “He’s saying that it wouldn’t take much to create a new life.”
Marinette could practically hear the steam coming out of her ears. She grabbed a pillow and smashed it into her face.
No. Oh, no, no, nonononono. She and Adrien were not prepared to have a kitten—baby—whatever! They were barely adults. They weren’t ready to start a family yet.
She felt Adrien rubbing soothing circles on her back. She tensed for a moment, then dropped the pillow and leaned into his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Mari. I’m not ready yet either. But, um, they probably aren’t wrong about being more careful.”
“Yeah, especially with spring coming.”
“Plagg!!” Tikki and Adrien yelled at him.
Marinette had Adrien drop her off at home after they finished their breakfast and checked out of the hotel.
Technically she should be at school, but there was zero percent chance of her being able to concentrate in her remaining classes or get any work done.
She collapsed on the chaise in her room and ran a fingertip over her lips. His parting kiss had been sweet and chaste, and she could still feel his perfect lips on hers.
She retrieved her phone from her bag, knowing what was coming. She dreaded it, but it had to be done.
The phone rang a few times and her best friend picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Alya. Can you come over?”
“Right now?”
“Uh-huh.”
Alya sighed. “Girl, you know I’d love to, but I am up to my eyeballs in homework that I’m trying to get done before tonight so that I can go out with Nino. He’s trying to surprise me with dinner and ice skating for Valentine’s. Can we get together tomorrow? We can go discount valentine chocolate shopping.”
Marinette let a sly smile stretch across her face. “Sure, Alya. I can tell you later all about the hotel room Adrien and I shared last night.”
She held her phone away from her ear and waited for the penny to drop. It was almost immediate.
“Say WHAT?! MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!! Where are you? I’m coming over right now!”
Marinette tried not to laugh. “I’m at home.”
“I’ll be there in five.”
Adrien let himself into his apartment on autopilot. He kicked off his shoes and tried to lay his jacket on the back of a chair, but missed. It fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. He didn’t notice.
“Uh, Kid?”
Adrien drifted to his sofa and sat in a daze.
“Adrien?”
Adrien’s face fell into his hand. He’d held it together for as long as he could. A low chuckle turned to nearly hysterical laughter.
“Do I need to call someone?” his kwami persisted.
Adrien’s shoulders shook as his laughter devolved into sobbing, then back to laughter again.
“Okay, you either snap out of it or I’m calling one-one-two,” Plagg warned.
Adrien sighed and wiped the tears from his face. “I’m sorry, Plagg. There was a lot I needed to get out.” His voice was cracking with intermittent chuckles like he was still laughing and crying at the same time.
“I suppose this morning was a bit of a shock to the system.”
“Plagg!” Adrien shouted in jubilation. “She’s Ladybug! Marinette is Ladybug! Ladybug is Marinette! This is the happiest day of my life!”
He flopped sideways so that he was lying on his back, letting his legs drape over the edge of the cushion. “I kissed Ladybug. Marinette kissed me!”
“You know you’re talking about the same girl, right?”
“I know!” Adrien jolted upright, throwing his arms out. “It’s perfect!” He fell back again, sighing. “She’s perfect. My perfect Marinette.”
Plagg gagged. “Oh, please let this phase end soon.”
Adrien jumped up and sprinted to his computer.
“What are you doing now?”
“Looking up local jewelers.” His cheeks were starting to hurt from how wide he was grinning. “I did promise I’d take her ring shopping.”
“Agh! I need CAMEMBERT!”
Marinette was pacing her attic bedroom.
“So then what happened?” Alya asked. The aspiring journalist was sitting on her chaise, watching her movements.
“Then, I, uh, sort of lost my temper.”
“Again, you mean?”
“I couldn’t help it, alright?! All these women kept throwing themselves at him! And Adrien is too kind to ever say anything.”
“He always has been a little too nice for his own good, but what happened?” Alya snapped her fingers impatiently. “Details!”
“I, uh. Well, you see, ha, ha.” Marinette rubbed the back of her neck.
Alya slapped her thighs. “Just tell me!”
Marinette stopped her pacing, took a deep breath, and screwed her eyes shut. “I-marched-Adrien-to-a-hotel-and-we-got-a-room-for-the-night!” she said as quickly as she could.
“Yeah, I got that part. What happened after that?”
“Oh, well, uh… we played video games until we fell asleep.”
Alya cocked an eyebrow. “And by ‘video games’ you mean…?”
“Ultimate Mecha Strike.”
“So, actual video games, then.” She sighed exasperatedly and started massaging her forehead like she was fighting off a headache. “You had the boy in a hotel room. With no chaperones. All night. Do you even know what usually happens in those scenarios?”
“I know, but I don’t think either of us are ready for that. I always kind of imagined I’d wait until I was married, to be honest.”
“Girl, you are too pure for this world. You know I admire that about you, right?”
Marinette’s lips twitched up in a small smile. “Thanks.”
“So what happened next? Let me guess. Sunshine slept on the floor?”
“No, we shared the bed.”
“Really?!” The excitement was shining in her hazel eyes again.
“Yeah. He’s a… bit of a cuddler.” She blushed faintly. She was a deep sleeper, but she had vague memories of his arms wrapped securely around her. Her head resting on his arm. The tip of her nose pressed against his sternum. Their legs tangled together.
“Aaaawww, that’s so cute! So what about this morning?”
“Oh, um, we had breakfast and he brought me home.”
“Ah-uh. That blush says you’re not telling me everything. Spill, Dupain-Cheng.”
“Alyaaa…” Marinette groaned.
“Oh, come on! Tell me! I told you right away after my first time with Nino.”
“Yeah, and I really didn’t need to know that.”
“Mari!” she whined. “I’m begging here. How am I ever supposed to sleep again knowing that my best friend is holding out on me?!” She stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.
“Pretty soon my grades will start to suffer, and Nino will break up with me because he doesn’t want to be dating a zombie, and I’ll lose my job and have to move back in with my parents. Do you really want to be responsible for ruining my life just because you wouldn’t tell me what happened between you and a supermodel so fine you could wash clothes on his abs?”
“Not helping.” Marinette ground her teeth, trying to get the image of straddling a shirtless Adrien with a wet, soapy shirt in her hands out of her mind.
After taking several steadying breaths, she finally said, “We made out, but it didn’t go beyond that. Clothes stayed on, nobody groped anybody, and he was the perfect gentleman, alright?”
“Okay. So just some sweet kisses. I can get behind that. It was your first time and you’re both so innocent.”
That may be true of Adrien, but Alya didn’t know about his Chat side. Marinette smirked and pulled aside her collar, exposing the mark on her shoulder. It was faint and would heal quickly, but it was there.
Alya’s eyes went wide and she unfolded herself from the chaise to get a better look. “Is that…?”
“Yep.”
“No…” She breathed in disbelief. She inspected the hickey as Marinette kept talking.
“It would have been a lot darker if we hadn’t been interrupted by our room service delivery.
“Gentleman, huh?” The gleam in Alya’s eye turned wicked. “So, how does it feel to be marked?”
“Like I’m the luckiest woman in the world,” Marinette sighed. She released her collar and grabbed Alya’s arms. “He loves me. He told me he loves me!”
“I knew it!” Alya whooped, and they crushed each other in a hug. “I am so happy for you!” Alya pushed her back to arm’s length before asking her next question. “So how did he react when you told him you love him too?”
Marinette’s blood turned to ice. She felt like a living statue. She couldn’t move. Her vision started to swim. She had forgotten to keep breathing.
“Marinette? Marinette!” Alya shook her by her shoulders. Marinette gasped as sound and color returned to the world.
“Alya!” She wailed. “I forgot to say it back!”
Alya facepalmed. “Honestly, what am I going to do with you?”
Marinette’s catastrophizing was interrupted by a buzz from her cellphone.
[Adrien] Hello, Princess. Care to join me for some shopping this afternoon? Purr-haps a little dinner afterwards?
“Aww, look at that. He called you ‘Princess’,” Alya cooed as she read over Marinette’s shoulder. “But what’s with the cat pun?”
“I have no idea,” Marinette muttered. How many times had she scolded that alley cat for not being more careful with his identity?!
[Marinette] Sure. What time?
[Adrien] Can I pick you up in 2 hours?
[Marinette] I’ll be ready.
[Adrien] Until then, fair lady. <3
[Marinette] Dork. <3
“So where do you think he wants to take you shopping?”
Marinette froze. He wouldn’t.
He would, responded that pesky voice in her head.
She was willing to bet her miraculous that he was planning on keeping his word to get her a ring.
Adrien pulled up to the curb outside of the Dupain-Cheng bakery and turned off his car’s engine.
His heart was pounding and he felt jittery. Lifting his hands to run his fingers through his hair, he let out a careful exhale.
“Don’t do it, Adrien. I’m telling you, it’s a mistake.” Plagg perched on the top of the gear shift and stared at his chosen.
Adrien rolled his eyes at his kwami. “It’s not like I’m proposing today, Plagg. I just want to make sure that when I do, they’re something she actually loves.”
Plagg grumbled and flew into Adrien’s coat pocket. “Don’t scare her off by buying a wedding ring so soon.”
As he got out of the car and walked up to the side door of the building, Adrien sighed. “Plagg we’ve…” He took a deep breath to keep himself calm and avoid laughing uncontrollably again. “We’ve been wanting this for years and we just didn’t know it. Excuse me for thinking that slow is probably not how this is going to go. I just want to be prepared, because there’s not a doubt in my mind that I want to marry Marinette.”
He heard a soft thud on the other side of the door that he hadn’t yet knocked on.
Oh, crap. Adrien hesitated a moment and then reached out a shaky hand to knock gently with his knuckles.
The door flew open almost immediately and Sabine pushed Tom back, making her way toward Adrien. “Oh hello, my dear! Marinette’s expecting you.” She smiled sweetly and wrapped him in a motherly embrace.
Adrien returned the hug and looked up at Tom, who appeared to be in shock. “Good to see you both.”
Tom stepped to the side to allow Adrien to step inside the small entryway, still looking dazed.
As they walked in, Sabine linked her arm with Adrien’s and he noticed her shoot Tom a warning glance. “Marinette should be right down, would you like something from the bakery in the meantime?”
Adrien was feeling a little panicked. He didn’t know what Tom and Sabine had overheard. Who had they thought he was talking to if they did? If they had heard him talking about wanting to marry their daughter, it would explain Tom’s current condition. Adrien just wasn’t sure if the baker was feeling shocked or murderous.
Doing his absolute best to hide his concern regarding the mental state of the man he hoped would one day be his father-in-law, Adrien plastered on his best model smile. “I’m planning to take Marinette to dinner after we go shopping, but thank you so much for the offer.”
Sabine smiled sweetly at the young blond and patted him gently on the arm. “Of course, dear. You’re welcome any time.”
“Maman! Have you seen my—” Marinette appeared on the stairs and looked down at the three of them, a nervous look on her face. “Adrien! You’re early.”
“He’s right on time, actually. You’re just running behind.” Sabine unlinked her arm and moved toward the stairs. “What do you need help finding, sweetheart?”
Marinette was wearing a grey and white striped shirt with a high neck and long sleeves, an adorable red sleeveless dress over the top with a bow tied in front, and black tights. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her wear red before, or especially red and black, but in that moment he couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized she was Ladybug sooner. If her hair was in pigtails, he wasn’t sure there was a Parisian alive who wouldn’t put two and two together.
After staring in awe for a moment, he realized that Marinette had said something to him and then rushed upstairs with her mother in tow. He was alone with the heretofore silent Tom Dupain and he hoped he didn’t have to fear for his life. If Tom had heard what he’d said, he worried that the large man would insist he take a step back from a relationship with Marinette.
Turning slowly as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his wool coat, Adrien made eye contact with the tall baker. “Tom, I—”
He was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug, his arms pinned to his sides awkwardly, and somewhat painfully. His feet lifted off the floor as Tom stood to his full height.
Tom wailed. “Adrien, I just know you’ll make my Marinette so happy. She has barely looked at another boy in almost six years!” He set down the slightly crushed model. “Sorry, son.”
Adrien rubbed one of his arms and laughed nervously. “It’s fine. I… If I can, I’ll see to it that Marinette is happy every day of her life. I love your daughter, Tom.”
Tom placed a hand on Adrien’s shoulder and looked as though he may start to cry.
“I hope you’re not intimidating the poor boy, Tom.” Sabine hurried down the stairs and returned to her husband’s side.
Before either of the men could rebut, Marinette came down the stairs wearing black kitten heels and a grey peacoat with her outfit. Adrien was once again mesmerized by her. He was still coming to grips with the new reality of their situation, and kept getting lost in his Lady’s eyes.
“Ready to go?” Marinette smiled at him sweetly, the soft pink of her lips enticing him.
He nodded, unable to speak, then watched as she passed him and hugged her parents.
They let go quickly, ushering their daughter toward Adrien.
Marinette moved to Adrien’s side at their behest but glanced back, unsure. “We might stay out for dinner.”
Tom grinned. “You could stay out forever! Adrien’s your boyfriend, not some stranger. We trust him.”
Adrien and Marinette gazed at one another, said goodbye, and made their way to the car. Once Adrien had helped her into her seat, they sat in silence for several minutes while they drove.
Marinette turned to look at him while they were stopped in traffic. “I’m sorry if my dad calling you my boyfriend was too much for you.”
He wanted to respond that it wasn’t nearly enough for him. He would, against all of Plagg’s advice, absolutely have loved to ask her to marry him that very day.
Instead, he reached over and took her hand, glancing at her with a genuine smile before returning his attention to the road. “I’m not the least bit bothered by it. I just don’t want you to feel rushed into anything. I… I’d love to be your boyfriend, if you wanted me to be.”
They arrived at the mid-level jewelry store that Adrien had decided on and he parked. He would have been more than happy to take her to Cartier or Chaumet, but he knew he would never be able to get her in the door.
Marinette actually laughed. “Silly kitty. Of course I want you to be.” She stroked his hair and kissed his nose. “You didn’t even have to ask.”
Adrien purred quietly at the attention she was giving him. “I will always ask, M’lady.”
The store was quiet, only a few other people browsing the jewelry cases. Marinette seemed to be in somewhat of a daze, but she gravitated toward a case filled with rose gold pieces.
A nearby clerk made eye contact with Adrien, a questioning look on her face. He held up a finger to indicate that they weren’t ready to be helped just yet.
“Do you like rose gold?” Adrien came up next to Marinette, placing a hand delicately on the small of her back.
“I do. I think it’s lovely.” She turned to face him. “But we really don’t have to do this, you know.”
Adrien shook his head. “We both know you can handle yourself, but if something as simple as this gets guys like Simon to back off, it’s one hundred percent worth it. Also, you deserve to never have to wear that sad piece of costume jewelry ever again.” Marinette sighed and looked back at the rings.
He silently got the attention of the clerk, who moved behind the case where Marinette was surveying her options. “Good day. Is there a specific ring you had your eye on?” The clerk unlocked the glass case, pulling out a tray of rings.
Marinette smiled at the woman and stepped closer. “I’m not sure yet. I need something I can wear while I’m working…” She spotted a very simple three-piece set of bands that was inlaid with a series of small gems. “What about the middle one from that set? It’s not too gaudy. Still attractive, though.”
Adrien eyed her suggestion with distaste. “Not on your life. That would almost be a downgrade from the one you have.” Adrien picked up a cushion cut solitaire. A halo of white diamonds surrounded the light pink, two carat center stone. “How about this one? It may barely be worthy of you.”
She rolled her eyes and gave him a look that unmistakably meant ‘no’, then resumed perusing the simpler rings. Adrien replaced the ring in its display and kept looking alongside Marinette.
The sales associate cleared her throat, drawing their attention. She slid a small tray forward on the glass counter. Three rings shone against the black velvet.
Two of the rings were obviously a set. The round cut solitaire had the same pink hue as the last ring Adrien had suggested. It was accented with single white diamond side stones. The matching rose gold wedding band was simple and inlaid with white diamonds along the top half of the ring.
The third ring was a wide, silver color wedding band in a men’s style that was much larger than the women’s rings.
Adrien glanced at Marinette and was stunned by the mesmerized look on her face. Slowly, she extended a hand and plucked up the engagement ring.
“One carat,” the sales associate said. “Light pink champagne color. Round brilliant cut. Nearly flawless.”
Marinette was still looking at it in wonder. Adrien raised her left hand, gently took the ring, and placed it on her finger.
Watching as Marinette admired the ring, Adrien felt whole. The entire situation felt right.
The mid-forties sales clerk smiled at the young couple. “Do you like the wedding bands as well?”
Marinette smiled dreamily at the sight on her hand and then looked back down at the matching wedding band and the third ring laying in the tray. “They’re perfect. We’re only here for an engagement ring, though. Is that a problem?”
Adrien snatched up the wedding band and slipped it on.
“Platinum. Ten millimeters,” the sales associate informed him kindly. She was very good at her job. Adrien didn’t want to take it off.
“We’ll take them.”
“Adrien,” his fiancée softly admonished. “It was only supposed to be the one ring.”
Right. She wasn’t actually his fiancée yet.
Marinette let out a trembling breath, and took off the ring, setting it back on the tray. He slipped his ring off and set it on the black velvet as well.
He had waited five years, five months and twelve days to call her his. He could hold out for another year. ...or maybe a few months.
A buzzing sounded faintly from Marinette’s purse. She pulled out her phone and glanced apologetically at Adrien. “I’m sorry, it’s my dad. I’ll be outside.” Electronic bells chimed as she exited the store.
“It isn’t just any woman that would pass on a larger diamond. She’s a rare one,” the clerk noted.
“She is indeed.”
“Do you need a minute?”
“No. Wrap them up, please. I’ll take all three.”
Two ring boxes were burning a hole in Adrien’s coat pocket when he exited the shop. He found Marinette sitting on a bench nearby holding her phone to her ear.
“—none of your business, Papa.”
She looked up as he approached and mouthed the word ‘sorry’. “No Papa, I’m not going to do that, and I’m not sure when I’ll be home. I have to go though.”
She smiled awkwardly up at Adrien before turning away from him, leaning close to her phone, and whispering something unintelligibly.
She hung up, her annoyance quickly being replaced by a sweet smile as she stood and stepped closer to her boyfriend. “Ready?”
Adrien smiled lopsidedly as he pulled the smaller of the two velvet boxes from his pocket. He wanted to get down on one knee and make it official. Alas, his conversation with Plagg popped into his mind and instead he pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Absolutely. After you, m’lady.”
Staring down at the ring on her finger, Marinette slid into the passenger seat of Adrien’s car once more. As soon as he was sitting next to her she turned to him and placed a hand on his forearm. “Adrien.”
Halting in his progress toward starting the vehicle, Adrien gave Marinette his full attention. “Yes, my love?”
Goodness, he needed to stop doing that. If he kept distracting her with amazement that Adrien Agreste was in love with her, she’d forget what she needed to say.
She smiled softly at him. “Chat. Wow that is still going to take some getting used to.” She shook her head. “I need to say something and I just need you to sit and listen until I’m done, okay? No interrupting.”
Adrien looked worried but nodded slowly.
Marinette shifted so she could look straight at him instead of having to look to the side. “Okay. You’re amazing. You’re kind, you’re sweet, you’re considerate. You have been my partner for years and I know your heart and I know how I feel about you.”
She took a deep breath and rubbed her hands firmly against her thighs. “None of those things have anything to do with your money.”
Adrien raised a hand and opened his mouth as though to respond, but Marinette held up a finger, stopping him.
“I love that you wanted me to have a ring that better suited me to keep the Simons of the world at bay. But please, if you have some elaborate date planned, can we cancel and just… cook dinner together or something?” She laced her fingers with his and smiled. “I want to experience everything with you, I do, but what matters about that isn’t where we are, what we’re doing, or how much we spend. What matters is that we’re together. I just want you, Adrien.”
Marinette wondered if she should tell him that she loved him then, but stopped, deciding that she wanted to do it when they weren’t out and about.
Adrien was staring intently at her, an unreadable expression on his face. After a moment he dove in, kissing her firmly on the lips as he ran his fingers along her jaw and then buried them in her hair. Their position was slightly awkward while in his car, so he pulled away after only a few lingering moments. However, the intensity of the kiss left Marinette breathless.
“Okay,” Adrien let out a sigh as he started the car, “the store then. And after that, my place…?”
Marinette could see a slight blush adorning his cheeks. She thought of everything Plagg and Tikki had told them and it wasn’t long until her cheeks were pink as well.
“Yeah. That sounds great. I haven’t seen your apartment yet.” She peeked into her black handbag where the two kwamis were curled up together, napping. She could really use a tiny interruption, she thought idly. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be more intimate with… her boyfriend… but she wanted them to take their time, and she definitely didn’t want to rush into parenthood.
Adrien pulled into traffic and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter than seemed necessary. “We should probably get Tikki and Plagg something to eat, anyway.”
Nodding, Marinette was glad, and also nervous, that his mind seemed to be on the same thing.
More and more, Adrien was realizing how much Marinette thrived on having a plan in place. Not only in her role as Ladybug, but in her civilian life as well. She was flitting from aisle to aisle in the grocery store and he was doing his best to keep up, carrying their basket as she went along on her hunt, unencumbered.
Since moving into his own place, Adrien had become used to shopping for himself. Shopping with someone else was a new, and welcomed, experience. Their basket was half-filled with cheese and cookies, and they’d already gotten several of the ingredients for Sabine’s Chinese dumpling recipe.
“So, I’ve been thinking about your counting habit.”
Marinette paused in looking for some decent fresh ginger to glance up at him. “Oh?”
“Yeah… It wasn’t two hundred seventeen days after all. It was more like two weeks, since we would see each other on patrol. We just didn’t know it.” He grinned, pleased with the realization.
“Eighteen days.” Marinette placed some ginger in the basket before walking over toward the green onion.
Adrien grabbed a carton of blueberries and added it to the basket, their breakfast that morning on his mind. “Sorry, what was that?”
“Last August.” She turned and dropped her selection in the basket, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously when she spotted the blueberries. She smirked slightly before continuing. “You went on that trip. I didn’t see you for eighteen days.”
Adrien’s grin was wide enough to show off his perfect, pearly white teeth. “Why, Princess. Did someone have a little crush on Paris’ black cat superhero?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” She playfully flicked his sternum where his alterego’s bell would hang.
Adrien caught her hand and ran her knuckles along his cheek and lips. “I very much would like to know.”
Marinette seemed to consider him. Her head cocked to the side and Adrien could have sworn she was staring at his lips.
“Purr-haps,” she whispered, answering his question. She then turned back to the displays of vegetables.
Adrien snaked an arm around her waist from behind, exhaling his hot breath across her neck. “This is a cat-astrophe. I finally learn my lady had the hots for me all along, she actually uses a pun, and I’m stuck in public where I can’t show her how much it means to me?”
He bit down gently on Marinette’s earlobe, eliciting a soft moan from her lips.
“Down, kitty. There are other people here.”
He could feel her increased heart rate as he held her, but did as she asked and released her, stepping away. He would always respect her limits, but taking a step back that time had taken every ounce of his self control.
When she turned around, he could see the flush of her cheeks and the way she seemed to be trying to catch her breath. She looked up at him and the intensity in her eyes matched how he felt.
“Let’s finish shopping, shall we?”
After making their way back to his apartment, Adrien let them in, his hands filled with bags of ingredients. Marinette stepped into his apartment, glancing around as she carried Adrien’s new bamboo steamer basket as well as a bag of other kitchen tools he hadn’t had. His apartment was large, but modestly decorated.
“I’m just saying, I had no idea so much went into making dumplings.” Adrien walked over to the kitchen and set down the bags before turning back toward Marinette.
“And I’m saying,” she set down her items on the kitchen counter, “that these are kitchen essentials, Adrien. It really is not okay that you didn’t already have them.”
They both moved back toward the door, where they removed their coats and shoes. Marinette dropped down to her original height after slipping her feet out of her heels, and she saw the amused look on her boyfriend’s face.
“Don’t you dare make a comment about my height right now, minou.” Marinette smirked to herself when he responded with a scoff and a look of mock offense. “Come on. We have a ton of work to do, and I’d like to eat before midnight.”
They began their tasks, Marinette guiding Adrien through the process of mixing the dough while she chopped the shrimp and green onions.
Mostly quiet other than patient instruction and the occasional question, they fell into a comfortable rhythm.
Marinette had several things on her mind while she dumped the shrimp, green onions, and marinade ingredients into a bowl.
She walked to the fridge and started thinking about how amazing Adrien was and how much she wished other people would stop objectifying him.
Her temper was getting the better of her again by the time she had placed the pork in the bowl. Marinette stabbed violently at the ground meat with a pair of chopsticks while she mumbled unintelligibly.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Adrien stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin lightly on the top of her head.
“I’m just still so annoyed about all these women who are so blinded by your gorgeous face that they forget you’re a human being who deserves respect.”
Adrien chuckled and bent to rub his nose against the side of her neck. “Well… you proved me wrong.”
Marinette turned her head and leaned away just enough to look him in the eye. “About what?”
Grinning, Adrien pulled her into a deep kiss. “You really can hold a mean grudge.”
Rolling her eyes, Marinette smiled and stuck out her tongue. “Hush, Kitty. Just go chop the cabbage, already.”
He kissed her on the cheek once more before taking a step back. “As my lady wishes.”
Adrien got started on his task as Marinette rolled out a couple dozen perfect, circular dumpling wrappers.
“Okay.” Marinette took the chopped cabbage and added it to her marinated meat, mixing it in before carrying the bowl over to where Adrien was poking at the wrappers. “Cut it out, you’ll ruin them! Let me show you how to do one, and then I want you to try.”
Adrien watched closely as Marinette placed a wrapper in one hand, used the chopsticks to scoop some of the filling onto it, and effortlessly fold it into a perfect crescent shape.
“Clawsome job, m’lady.” He picked up a wrapper and tried to replicate her actions, only to end up with a bulging mess. “You made it look easy. It wasn’t.”
Marinette giggled. “It just takes practice.” She reached over and fixed the one he’d messed up, then placed another wrapper in his hand, topping it with the correct amount of filling. “Here. Now, it’s like pleating. Fold and pinch, fold and pinch.”
“Well that explains why you’re so good at it.” Pulling off his dark grey sweater and draping it over a nearby chair, Adrien rolled up the sleeves of his button-up shirt. He tried again and it turned out much better than his first attempt.
“See?” She rose to her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a natural. Now let’s finish so we can steam them and eat.”
They made short work of the remainder of the dumplings and Marinette placed them on a bed of cabbage in the steamer basket while Adrien filled a large pan with water and started it heating on the stove.
“Perfect. Now we just put the steamer in the water and let them sit for about ten minutes.” She placed the lid on the steamer basket and did just that, setting a timer on her phone and lifting herself up onto the counter to sit.
Adrien walked up to her, placing himself between her legs and wrapping his arms around her midsection. “Thank you for teaching me how to do this. It means a lot to me. This was a fantastic suggestion.” He leaned closer and kissed her gently. “I love you.”
Marinette peered up at him, her heart pounding. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and searched his eyes. “I love you, too. So much.”
Licking his suddenly dry lips, Adrien pulled Marinette’s body to the edge of the counter, pressing her against himself as his mouth crashed against hers once more.
She could feel his fingers digging into her hips and it only ramped up the ferocity of her desire for him to be as close as possible. Her legs wrapped around him nearly of their own volition as she bit down gently on his lower lip.
Adrien moved his kisses away from her lips, across her jaw, and down to her neck. She moaned softly as he gently dragged his teeth along the sensitive skin he found there.
As she moved her hands to feel the firm musculature of his chest, Marinette realized somewhere in the haze of passion that if they didn’t stop soon, they probably wouldn’t be able to.
It wasn’t until Adrien’s hands had drifted to her thighs, making their way further and further up, that she gained the courage to put an end to it.
“Adrien.” Her voice was quiet and breathy.
He seemed to take that as permission to proceed, sliding his fingers up the silky fabric of her tights, just under the hem of her hiked-up dress.
Marinette moved her hands and placed them on top of both of his. “We should stop.”
Freezing, his mouth still on her neck, Adrien groaned softly before unlatching his lips and resting his forehead against her shoulder. “You’re right.” He cursed under his breath. “Sorry.” He pulled back, only to be held in place by his girlfriend.
“I’m not sorry. I just…” She trailed off, her gaze falling to the floor.
“I get it. Plagg and Tikki are right.” He nodded with his eyes closed, as though trying to convince himself. “We should wait until we can guarantee that we’re not risking…”
Nodding as she caressed his arms, Marinette sighed. “Yeah. Based on what they said, I’m not sure I trust just one form of protection. I probably need to make an appointment with my doctor.”
Adrien ran his fingers along her elbows, still looking down.
Marinette bit her lip, worried that he might not take what she wanted to say very well. “And… Adrien?”
He looked up, a curious look on his face.
“I’m not sure if I want to… any time soon. Can we just, I don’t know, table it for now? Just get comfortable with… both sides of each other, without that getting in the way?”
To her surprise, Adrien smiled. It was soft and happy and he looked almost relieved. “Of course, Marinette. I… don’t get me wrong, I want… all of you… but I’m still processing the last week, and it’s going to take some time to figure out exactly what all this means for us. You’re my amazing friend who I’ve fallen in love with. You’re my lady who I’ve yearned for for years... and now you’re my girlfriend. All of this is new, and it all happened so quickly, so I think we should take it one thing at a time from here on out.”
Marinette kissed him; chaste and sweet. He was everything that she wanted, and when they were ready, they would have everything together. Moments later, her phone alarm went off, signifying that the dumplings were ready to eat.
“Where were you two?” Adrien was carrying two cups of tea as he walked out of the kitchen on his way to the balcony. Tikki and Plagg sat on the counter eating the cheese and cookies that had been bought for them while they were sleeping.
Tikki looked up at Plagg’s chosen. “Cat’s make the best pillows.” She went back to eating her cookie, a sleepy look on her tiny face.
Adrien shrugged and walked out onto the balcony, sliding the glass door shut behind him.
Rain was coming down steadily, large droplets creating a serene harmony that gave them a sense of comfort. His recessed balcony luckily protected them from the elements. Marinette was already sitting comfortably on his outdoor sofa, a couple of warm blankets spread across her lap. Adrien handed her one of the mugs and set his down on an end table, settling in with her under the covers before picking it up again.
“Thank you, Kit— Adrien.” Marinette winced slightly. “Sorry, I’m still figuring out what to call you, and I don’t want to give you away by getting too much in the habit of calling you by my nicknames for Chat. Or, you know… you.”
Adrien grinned and took a sip of his tea. “I completely understand, Bugaboo. This is going to be a weird adjustment.” He wrapped his arm around her as he continued to drink his tea.
They both sat in silence for a long while, watching the falling rain. Heavy clouds overshadowed the city but they could still make out many of their favorite landmarks shining with city lights from their location.
Marinette leaned her head against Adrien’s shoulder, sighing. “I’ll never live somewhere with a view this amazing.”
Kissing her head, Adrien smiled. “Never say never, Princess.”
Marinette snuggled closer to him, listening to the beating of his heart.
“I’m sorry, Kitty.”
Adrien adjusted so he could look at her face. “What on earth are you sorry for?”
She sat up a little straighter and sipped at her tea, appearing to take her time deciding what to say. She looked at him and smiled ruefully. “I wish I had known. I wouldn’t have pushed you away. I would have just let myself love you.”
Adrien took Marinette’s mug and set it on the side table along with his own. He turned, facing her and taking her hands. “Marinette… you loved me in all the ways that I needed. You showed me what it was to be a good friend. You stood by my side and believed in me while we were figuring out how to navigate our roles as the protectors of Paris. You have saved my life more times than I can count as my partner and my lady. You have comforted this stray cat again and again when I was feeling alone. Marinette, we have loved each other this entire time. Every part of each other. I love you. I always have.”
Marinette closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that was all at once soft and filled with fire.
As she held his face in her hands, Adrien focused on everything he was feeling. It all felt right when he was with her. Everything about her was home to him; from her sugar cookie scent, to the way the curves of her body felt in his hands, to the way her satin lips played against his in a delicate dance. When she pulled away, he found himself lost in her bluebell gaze.
The intensity in Marinette’s eyes made Adrien’s heart skip a beat. She gently caressed his cheeks with her thumbs as she leaned in and pressed her forehead against his.
“Marry me.” She rubbed the tip of their noses together and sighed softly. “I love you. Marry me.”
Forget skipping a beat; Adrien was quite certain his heart had completely stopped. Had he heard wrong? She’d said it twice. Surely he hadn’t misheard twice, right?
“Did I… Am I dreaming?” He sat back slightly and furrowed his brow as he reached out to touch her face.
Marinette bit her bottom lip and looked concerned. “I’m sorry. It’s too soon, isn’t it?”
Adrien pulled her in for another kiss. It was passionate and, in part, a test to make sure that he wasn’t asleep. When he pulled back again, she was smiling.
“I was ready to marry you days ago, before I even knew you were my partner. I’m only sorry I didn’t ask first. Of course I’ll marry you. We can go right now, if you want.”
His new-girlfriend-turned-freshly-minted-fiancée laughed. “No. We can’t. You’re cute though.” She kissed him again. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Will you hold me?”
“Always.”
He laid back, pulling her into his arms. She pulled the blanket up over both of them, relaxing into his chest as they watched the rain fall onto their beautiful city.
“You were right. Seven days was all it took.” Tikki snuggled up to Plagg’s side as they both sat on the arm of the couch in Adrien’s living room, watching their chosens out on the balcony.
“I told you, Sugarcube. You should learn to trust me more.” The deep purr in his chest increased with Tikki’s proximity.
Tikki sighed. “I do trust you, Plagg. I went along with this because I know how much you love Adrien, and how much you want to see him happy.”
Plagg turned his head to look her in the eye, a blank expression on his face. “I’m fine with it, I guess. When they get married, I’ll get to cuddle with you as much as I want, and maybe they’ll be so happy that I’ll get extra cheese. Maybe I can trick each of them into believing I haven’t been fed yet so I’ll finally get enough cheese to—”
Tikki covered his mouth and glared at him. “Why can’t you just admit it to me? They’re not in here. Neither of them can hear you. We pulled off a miracle, Plagg. They were drifting apart a week ago. They had been dancing around each other for years. Now they’re getting married. We did that.”
Plagg looked out onto the balcony at the way the young couple held one another. “Fine. He means everything to me, Tikki. He was never going to move on from Ladybug, and he was just going to be miserable forever. I could feel him slipping into that… darkness that some of my kittens have ended up in.”
He looked back at Tikki and smiled softly, an unfamiliar expression in place of his usual smug or lazy looks. “But he’s happy. He’s so happy. His life has been so empty, Sugarcube. He puts up a good front but when he goes home… I’m not enough. I’m always there, but it’s not enough. He needs her, and now he has her. They have each other, and I’m happy.”
Tikki leaned her head against him and smiled. “I’m proud of you. I’m proud of us.”
Plagg raised a paw toward her. “Pound it?”
Tikki bumped her paw against his. “Pound it.”