Quarantine In Prague

Chapter 17: Silly As Usual

After that the evening just got better and better. They reached the Oldtown Square finally, with it's historical clock and buildings transporting them centuries back in time.

Adrien kept spoiling Marinette with little Czech things with the excuse that she should taste the culture. Food was her weakness and he was abusing it with all his might. But Marinette didn't mind - those roasted chestnuts were surprisingly delicious!

Oh and the Christmas tree?! Insane. It stood in the middle of the Square, surrounded by the biggest Christmas market Marinette has ever seen.
The tree was almost as tall as the tallest tower of a nearby church! The branches beamed with light and decorations that made Marinette's designing side spin in inspiration.

The market was filled with all kinds of cute little wooden painted shops, looking like gingerbread houses, selling everything from jewelry to beautiful hand-carved wooden toys.

But of course Adrien, still being Adrien, gravitated to the silliest shop of them all. The Christmas outfit shop.

Marinette watched him patiently as he explained to her why wearing a gorilla mask during early november was a really funny idea.

"Not that I'd do it, it wouldn't fit me. But you could. You would nail the gorilla!"

Marinette gasped. "Agreste!"

"What ?" Adrien laughed as Marinette turned away with her nose up, playing offended.
"If I am King Kong, Adrien, then that means that you are the Maiden in distress."
"Touché." He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Gorilla or not, you are still my princess, you know that."
Marinette looked back at the masks more seriously. "Wait a second. Could you try one of them on?"

"Sure thing. Which one?"

"I think this one could fit you so much!" Marinette grabbed one of the masks and turned to Adrien, excited.

Adrien's smile vanished when he saw what she held. Chat Noir-like mask.
He shook his head.

"No, I am not wearing that." He stepped back.

"I think it would really fit you! You blond guys should stick together, you are rare!" Marinette insisted and reached out to put it on his face.

Adrien stopped her hands. "No, Mari, I don't want that one..."

"Why?" Marinette was growing increasingly worried at Adrien's anxious overreaction.

"Not after what he did." he looked down, almost as if he was directly responsible for whatever he blamed Chat Noir for. Strange. "Abandoning Ladybug like that, I mean. Getting stuck here."

Oh. "Who knows? Maybe Ladybug is here too. You never know."

He shook his head. "No. No, Ladybug isn't so irresponsible. She would have never left Paris like that and then jumped around Prague like a fool. She is smarter than that."

Marinette bit her lip. She was slowly realizing that revealing her identity... Even to Adrien... Would be impossible. She just couldn't do that. Probably ever...

"We can try another one, if you want."

Adrien relaxed into his adult-kid mode again. "Let's do it."

His eyes flew over the wide selection before focusing on something like an eagle focuses on his prey.

Of course it was silly. But as always, his silliness was inseparable from his cuteness.

He turned at Marinette and placed a large red and white santa hat over her head. She nearly couldn't see at first because of all the fluff hanging before her eyes. No, that was still the normal part.

When she managed to get the hat out of her eyes, she saw Adrien taking off his ridiculous earmuffs - Gasp - To replace them with something even more ridiculous.

"So what, you are a deer now?" she said, laughing.

He turned at her, smirking. Indeed, he put on a pair of red antlers on his head. Only he can put on something so ridiculous and be even hotter. Christ. How in the world...

"It seems like it."

"But why that?" Marinette kept laughing.

"Because as your true and faithful reindeer," he bowed down sweetly. "wherever you go, I go as well, my little Santa."

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"Are you sure?" said Marinette anxiously. "Won't it ruin your career? And your father, he will be mad, he will be disappointed and...and...what will the people think of you?! Wasting your time with someone like me..."

"Marinette." Adrien grabbed her by the shoulders, his touch soft as an Angel's. "I am not ashamed of you, no. I am blessed to have you. "

He kissed her on the nose and then proudly pressed Post on his phone.

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Hey guys, a bit of a short one today... I still have my injury (I know, I know, no one cares), but I still wanted to give you something. Today's and even probably the next chapter are basically things I left out from the previous chapter.

Two simple reasons for doing that - The chapter was getting already too long as is (3000+ words) and ending it on 'I love you' from Adrien was the best possible end of that Chapter and continuing just didn't feel right.

I really hope I can get the next one out tommorow, that would be really awesome.

Anyways, I love you and... have a great one! You really make me feel a lot better whenever you read my stuff.

You are awesome, never forget that. I sure know I won't :3