It was winter. Christmas was about sometime near here. Just after today, the last day of school (for now of course) and winter break will finally begin. Marinette darted back and forth across her bedroom. She was making sure every detail was just right for her Friday morning walk to school.
"You do know that he won't be able to see half of the work you're doing." Tikki giggled.
She watched her chosen fix her hair and compare two bottles of foundation.
"It's cold today and you'll both be wearing winter gear." Tikki added, "And you'll be bundled up." "I know, I know." Marinette muttered, "I'm wearing my hair pulled back because I'm not sure about what static electricity to it."
She stared at her reflection, weighing the choice and possible risk.
"I'm not trying too hard, am I, Tikki?" she sighed, "I mean...I know it's not a prom or anything, but now that I have his attention...I'd like to keep it."
"I'm just teasing you, Marinette." Tikki smiled, "You look just fine."
...
Tom watched with a wide smile as his small talk with Adrien (who had arrived sometime before) was abruptly interrupted once Adrien heard light footsteps coming down the stairs of the main household. His eyes flickered there with anticipation. You're hooked. thought Tom wryly.
"Good morning, Marinette!" he called out.
Marinette finally emerged. Her grin widening at the sight of who was with him.
"Good morning, Dad." replied Marinette, coming over for a quick hug, "And hello, Adrien!"
"Hello there." he replied, "You look very nice today, Marinette!"
"You can tell under all this?"
Marinette gestured to her heavy white coat and matching hat as she made that quip.
"Well, I can certainly guess the rest." Adrien answered, "I like that coat. Very stylish. Looks like Italian lines. Where did you get it?"
"This was from my grandmother." Marinette explained, "It was from last Christmas. I had the hat already, however."
"I can hear the wind whipping out there and just the sound gives me the chills." Tom noted, "Good thing you're not walking too far. By the way, did I hear right that you might be joining us for supper tonight, Adrien?"
"If you'll have me, I'd love to." Adrien answered.
Tom grinned as he said that in that case, he'll have some work to do in the kitchen. He asked what his favorite fruit flavor was, including his favorite dessert. Adrien mused that he had a weakness for passionfruit, however, it wasn't the easiest to find. Other than that, he's easily pleased with apples, cherry, raspberry, lemon and peach.
"I can't imagine that anything you could make won't be delicious, Mr. Dupain." said Adrien.
"Don't go too far, Dad." Marinette added lightly, "I don't think dinner for four calls for a full croquembouche."
"What's...a croquembouche?"
"A tower of pastries that's about half a meter high."
Marinette grinned at Adrien, then turned back towards her father. Tom claimed that his record was more than half a meter. The two then headed towards the door. Before they left though, however...
"Adrien, could you tie my scarf for me please?"
"Certainly." beamed Adrien.
Tom watched the model come in close and began looping in close and began looking it over and under, then under and over. Tom mentally congratulated Marinette. That was one way to get Adrien Agreste to face forward.
The pair trudged out into the cold morning. Marinette was admiring Adrien's handiwork. "I'm impressed you knew that particular knot!" she said, "It's more of a girl thing."
"Benefits of being in a family having to do with fashion." Adrien chuckled, "You pick up things you never thought you'd use."
Marinette then noticed a familiar pale blue and very familiar wrapped around Adrien's neck.
"That scarf really suits you." she noted, "I like it."
"Thanks." replied Adrien, "It's my favorite actually. My old man made it for me on my birthday last year."
"Made it? Not store-bought?"
"Nope. No tags are on it. And the knitting is hand-done. Whoever made this, they knew for sure what they were doing. I wish I knew who made this. I could commission a few more in other colors! Though the more I think about it, this baby blue goes with so many outfits that one will certainly do for now. It's nice and warm, but not so much that I'm roasting while I have it on the inside..."
Adrien then turned and looked over at Marinette. A sudden look of concern on his face.
"Oh, Marinette!" he said to her, "Let's get you out of this cold! This freezing wind has your face bright red!"
Adrien wrapped an arm around Marinette and hustled the two of them towards the school.
I should tell him. Marinette thought. They were in the lobby as she watched Adrien looking at her curiously. I should tell him. she thought again, I...need to tell him.
That was the scarf Marinette made for him for his birthday last year. And she forgot to sign the gift. Then somehow the signed Post-It she attached to it sometime after disappeared. But then, Marinette thought about it.
Adrien was so happy when he thought it was from his father. That's why she didn't tell him then. It was so nice to see him happy about anything involving his father. This whole thing between her and him started because of Gabriel mistreating his son. And they're just now starting to get back on the same page.
If Marinette were to tell Adrien now, it could start all over again. The tension between son and his father could be reborn and spark back into existence and...
No. Marinette concluded mentally, I just can't, even now! He's happy with who he thinks it was from. And that's what matters. I can't tell him sometime that maybe I can make one like...it...
"Marinette, are you okay?" Adrien asked.
He jarred her out of her pondering.
"You got very quiet all of a sudden." he explained.
"Oh!" replied Marinette, snapping back into reality, "Oh, yes,I'm fine, Adrien. Thank you for asking. I was just...um...lost in thought for a second there. Brrrrrr! Let's get away from the front door!"
...
Marinette exited her last period with a tingle running all through her body. This is it! she thought joyfully. She headed for the front door at a rapid pace, just short of actual running.
"Not excited or anything, are you?" Tikki giggled from within Marinette's purse.
"Just a bit!" she whispered, feeling all giddy. Marinette took a seat off to the side of the steps and waited as patiently as she could manage. She waved to her friends as they passed by. Rose mouthed a "good luck" at Marinette as she passed by. Mylene gave her a thumbs up.
"You've got this!" she said.
That's when a third voice came in...
"I have no idea what you told Adrien earlier to make him act weirdly..." Chloe snared.
Sabrina stood behind her looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else just then.
"...he's been acting really strangely this past week." Chloe continued, "I hope you don't think he'd be into you once he gets back to normal!"
"Chloe..." Marinette sighed, "...we're not really going to do this now, are we? Hopefully, not at all?"
"Oh, we don't have to fight. We know the truth. Whatever you've got him thinking at this moment, he's meant for someone bigger than someone like you could ever give him. His old man knows, I know, and Adrien himself knows."
Chloe stared down at Marinette. She expected her to cry or snap back in anger. Instead, she looked on, looking more puzzled as Marinette began to laugh steadily.
"Oh, you think I'm wrong?" Chloe demanded.
"Chloe, there's many things you don't know." Marinette smiled back, "but there's one thing in particular that you don't know, and that means that you spoiling my mood won't work."
"And that is?"
"What he's wanting."
Marinette turned to her right. She smiled unchanged and asked:
"What do you think, Adrien?"
Chloe turned to the model. She felt a bit startled by his mere presence. His glaring however, was doing most of the work.
"Okay..." Chloe mumbled, "...he heard me say that...so what if you heard that? You know everything I said is true."
"What I know, Chloe..." Adrien started.
He deliberately walked over to Marinette as he spoke. He extended his hand to her to help her up.
"...is that I have a date tonight." he finished, "You ready, Mari?"
"Definitely." Marinette beamed. She stood up, not letting go of Adrien's hand.
"A date?" Chloe barked, "Wait, with who?"
Marinette and Adrien left her standing there. They could hear her shouting various phrases involving the word "ridiculous" to no one in particular. They walked arm-to-arm over the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie.
...
Marinette led Adrien through the front door of the family bakery.
"Mom? Dad?" she called out, "Don't be alarmed, but someone followed me home from school. Can I keep him?"
Sabine immediately sprinted down the light of stairs and waved at them.
"So he did!" she said, "Hello, Adrien! We'll be right there. I'm just finishing up something in the kitchen."
"Need any help?" Marinette asked.
"No, I'm good. You can check on your father, however."
Sabine then disappeared upstairs again.
"Perfect!" Marinette then turned to Adrien.
"I'll give you the grand tour!" she said.
As she started to move, Adrien stopped her for a moment.
"You do know that Chloe's got no idea what she was talking about, right?" he asked with a serious expression.
"Pretty much since her birth." Marinette replied, "Most of the time, I can just tune her out. Even if she does strike a nerve, I've got you to help me come back to reality."
"Good. Because I've got no plans of thinking about her all night."
"On that note. Come on, I'll show you the back of the bakery. Be careful though, my dad *might* just put you to work frosting cupcakes."
She then saw Adrien raise an eyebrow.
"Did you really say, 'Can I keep him?'" he asked.
"Well, can I?"
Marinette watched Adrien try to work out the right answer. Then broke into giggles and took his hand.
"Let's go," she laughed, "before I ask that for real."
...
Heavy foosteps indicated to Marinette that her father was heading up to her room. She barely noticed however, as the majority of her attention was focused on the pile of pixels on her TV screen that she and Adrien were swiftly recuing to digital rublle.
The two were playing a version of Mecha Strike Marinette told Adrien about.
"Hello, kids. Is everybody decent?" Tom called out.
He poked his head through the doorway. Marinette looked up, caught a bit off-guard.
"Why...wouldn't we be?" she asked.
"Oh, just checking. It's in father's DNA." Tom chuckled in response, "if you two are at a point where you can pause, your mother sent m to tell you that supper shall be ready in five minutes."
"Shall we?"
"I can't wait." Adrien.
"Something down there *really* does smell amazing."
"I can promise. you that as long as you keep visiting me, you won't go home hungry." Marinette giggled, "Though you might go up a couple of clothes sizes if you're not careful..."
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