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(10:16) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
hey i’ve got free time this afternoon, do you want to go christmas shopping with me?
(10:21) adrien <3
that sounds very pog
(10:21) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
you . are such a nerd
(10:22) adrien <3
very poggers
(10:22) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
omfg
(10:22) adrien <3
pogchamp
(10:23) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
stopppp
(10:23) adrien <3
:P
yes mari i would love to go christmas shopping with you
(10:24) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
poggers
(10:24) adrien <3
.
what The fuck
(10:25) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
(:
(10:25) adrien <3
>:(
well now i am not coming
(10:25) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
):
(10:26) adrien <3
only joking jdjsjdjskdhsk i would never miss out on a chance to hang out with you
(10:26) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
🥺❤️
Later
“Oh my god,” Adrien says as he holds up the most ridiculous thing he’s ever seen. “What. What is this.”
“What?” Marinette says, setting down the bracelet she was looking at, before promptly stifling a laugh in her hand. “What is that?”
“I think they’re supposed to be…Chat Noir earrings?” Adrien says. “They– they remind me of those shitty Spongebob popsicles .”
“For twelve euros?” Marinette says, snickering. “Who’s going to pay that much for earrings that look like a five year old made them?”
Adrien just shakes his head and hopes there aren’t any store employees within earshot of them.
Marinette, laughter still dying down, goes back to the bracelet she was looking at. She wants to get Chat something for Christmas, and she’s been thinking about a piece of jewelry, but this bracelet just doesn’t seem quite right. Although to be fair, probably anything would be better than those god awful earrings Adrien showed her.
She toys with the bracelet absentmindedly. It has a gold chain with a small golden cat charm hanging from it, but it’s just on the verge of being tacky, and not in the cool, fashionable way. Besides, it seems a bit weird to give your friend something that’s kind of their own merch, or at least vaguely themed around them.
Her gaze lands on a rack of necklaces. One of them catches her eye: a small ladybug pendant hanging from a thin silver chain. Now that’s perfect.
“Ooh, that’s pretty,” Adrien says from over her shoulder, making her jump. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Who is it for?”
“Oh, just…a friend of mine!” she says. He doesn’t ask her to elaborate, thank god. Her identity is safe for another day.
“Oh, cool! I bet they’ll like it, even if they’re not a Ladybug fan. Which, I mean, why wouldn’t they be? Ladybug’s too awesome for someone to not be a fan. And now I’m realizing I don’t even know if you’re getting that because of Ladybug at all, but that’s cool either way, aaand I’ll stop rambling now,” Adrien finishes, blushing slightly.
Marinette giggles and tries to keep from blushing herself. He thinks I’m awesome! “No, you were right, it is because they like Ladybug.”
“Oh,” Adrien says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I bet they’ll love it then! Regardless of…whatever just came out of my mouth.”
Marinette just laughs and starts heading towards the checkout.
Once she’s paid for the necklace, they grab a snack at a small café and wander around the mall for a bit.
“Oh, a fabric shop!” Marinette says. “I’ve been meaning to go for a while; I’m missing the right color embroidery thread for Alya’s dress.”
“Wait, you mean it’s not done yet? It looks so good already!” Adrien says. He’s not lying; when Marinette texted a picture to him the day before, he thought she had finished.
“Nope!” Marinette says as they enter the store. “I still need to embroider a bunch of flowers on the bodice. And maybe the sleeves; I haven’t decided yet.”
Adrien whistles. “Well, whatever you decide, it’s definitely gonna look amazing.”
Marinette blushes and tucks her hair behind her ear.
He leaves her to pick out her thread and wanders the shop, looking for nothing in particular.
Since he knows Ladybug likes to sew, maybe he could get her something from here? Maybe a bolt of fabric—no, that’s way too big to buy discreetly and avoid questions from Marinette.
Oh, wait! His eye catches on a set of pins. They’re long and look old fashioned, but in a good way. Instead of colored balls, they have little ladybugs on the tips. They’re perfect!
He looks around the shop for Marinette, and it seems like she’s moved on from the embroidery thread and is now looking at ribbons.
While she’s distracted, he quickly pays for the pins and pockets them. Sneak: 100.
And just in time, too—Marinette’s finished browsing and has apparently decided to forego the ribbon.
She places the spools of colorful thread down on the counter and pulls her wallet out of her purse. For a second, Adrien thinks he sees a flash of red and black, but he decides it was probably nothing.
“Will that be all?” the cashier asks her.
“Yep! Just these,” Marinette says, smiling. Adrien marvels at how she seemingly effortlessly sounds cheery and he wishes his social skills were better. Maybe then you would have made friends with Marinette sooner, his brain says unhelpfully. Stop it, he tells his brain, and shoves that thought aside so he can focus on what Marinette’s saying.
“—think I’m done shopping, is there anything else you want to do?”
“Oh, um—” He’s about to say maybe see what’s playing at the cinema, but he’s interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulls it out to see who’s texting him—ugh. Damn.
“Who is it?” Marinette asks, seeing the disappointed look on his face.
“Nathalie,” Adrien tells her. “She wants me to come home. She didn’t say why, though,” he adds, frowning. “…It might be because I maybe might have snuck out to do this?”
Marinette sighs. “Oh no, I hope I haven’t gotten you in trouble! Maybe we can hang out again some other day?”
“Yeah, definitely,” he assures her. He’s already distracted, thinking about having to go back home and ugh, probably having to practice piano some more, which he already did today and it’s so boring , so he’s startled a little bit when Mariette suddenly hugs him.
“This was really fun, Adrien,” she says, “I’m glad you were able to come, even if only for a little while. I guess…I’ll text you later?”
“Not if I text you first,” he quips, hugging her back.
Marinette snorts. “Right.” She pulls away and gently punches his shoulder. “Bye, nerd.”
“Bye!” he says, and walks away. His phone buzzes again.
(14:36) ✧･ﾟ* mari *･ﾟ✧
<3
“Ugh, do you really have to make that dopey face?” Plagg says, zipping out of Adrien’s jacket pocket.
“What? I don’t—why would you—she’s just a friend, Plagg!” Adrien scolds him.
“Then why are you blushing?”
Adrien sputters. “I’m not! It’s just cold. And get back in there, people will see you!”
Plagg just snickers and zips back into his pocket.
Later that night
Marinette sits at her desk, necklace box and green wrapping paper in hand. She cuts a piece off and begins to fold it over the box, taking care to not crinkle it.
“Do you really think it was a good idea to let Adrien see the necklace for Chat?” Tikki asks.
Marinette tapes the last corner down and picks out a bow from the small pile on her desk. “Hmm? Oh, I dunno. I don’t really think it’ll be a problem,” she says, “since I doubt Chat’ll wear it while transformed, so Adrien probably won’t connect the dots. Don’t worry, Tikki, it’ll be fine!”
“If you say so,” Tikki says. Marinette, who’s drawing small black cats on the paper, doesn’t see her kwami trying not to laugh.
Once the present’s wrapped and Marinette’s sure her parents are fast asleep, she transforms, and it’s Ladybug who carries the wrapped box and the container of pains au chocolat and swings away from the balcony to her meeting place with Chat: a random, nondescript rooftop. It was mostly empty when they picked it, but she can see that Chat’s already laid out a blanket and a few candles. If you asked her, she’d deny it, but she feels a wave of warmth at the gesture.
She lands on the roof and seats herself on the blanket across from him.
Chat’s ears prick up. “Milady!”
Ladybug can’t help but grin. “Chaton!”
To her surprise, he’s already holding out a gift bag, striped tissue paper peeking out. “You go first!”
She takes the bag from him and pulls out a small parcel wrapped in the same striped tissue paper. It’s a set of sewing pins! They seem old and sturdy, and they have little silver ladybugs on the heads. “Oh wow, they’re beautiful!” she marvels. She opens her yoyo and drops them in for safekeeping. “Thanks, chaton,” she adds, and leans forward to hug him.
“Not nearly as beautiful as you, bugaboo,” he says, hugging her back.
Ladybug just rolls her eyes and pulls out the container of pains au chocolat. “You know, I had brought these for us to share, but…”
Chat’s eyes widen. “Nooo! Gimme,” he says, and almost literally goes starry-eyed. “Oh my god, I actually love you so much,” he says, already stuffing one into his mouth.
She snorts and passes him the wrapped jewelry box. “And here’s your actual present, dork.”
Chat rips the wrapping paper off. He sees the small velvet box and fake gasps, leaning forward. “Bugaboo, are you proposing to me?”
She shoves him back. “No, you idiot!” She can’t help but crack a smile, though. Typical Chat .
Chat opens the box and a look of surprise, then recognition flashes across his face. He looks at her, then the necklace, then back at her again. “…Marinette?”
Her heart drops into her stomach. “What?” How did he—wait. “Adrien?!”
He slaps his hand over his mouth and she notices his eyes glistening. For a second her heart drops again, but his hand falls a moment later to reveal the biggest smile she’s ever seen on his face.
“There’s—there’s no way,” she says. There’s no way I’m this lucky. The next thing she knows, she’s thrown her arms around Chat and he’s returning the embrace just as tightly.
“I can’t believe—Tikki literally asked me if I was sure it wasn’t a bad thing that I had let Adrien–I mean you see what I was getting for, well, you!” But as much as she wants to kick herself for not even considering this outcome, she doesn’t regret it. Not for one second.
“Best Christmas present ever,” Chat says. He pulls away and places his hands on her shoulders. “Even if you didn’t mean for this to happen.” He’s looking at her with the softest smile on his face that’s so unmistakably Adrien’s that Ladybug doesn’t know how she didn’t see it sooner.
She hums in agreement and leans forward to kiss his cheek. His face turns very red and she can’t help but laugh.
“Well…do you want to come to my place? My parents are asleep so—not like that!” She cuts herself off at the look on Chat’s face. Cheeks burning, she continues, “I meant to say we could probably play Mecha Strike for a bit."
“That does sound fun,” Chat says, standing up. “Maybe a few rounds of Super Penguino, too,” he adds slyly, reaching out a hand to help her up.
Her blush came back in full force. “Ch—Adrien!” Although it wasn’t like she hadn’t ever imagined that once. Or twice. Or a few times. Stop it! she shouts at her brain.
“I’m joking. Mostly,” he says. “…Only if you want me to be. Joking, I mean.”
“No, that—I—that sounds—um, I wouldn’t, uh…be opposed to it?”
“Oh,” Chat says. Ladybug thinks it’s a good oh , judging by how hard he’s blushing. Even if it does look like she broke him.
“…Anyway, um, shall we?” she says, pulling her yoyo out.
Chat, still somewhat recovering, grabs the container and clasps the necklace around his neck before grabbing his baton. “Race you!”