A.N.- I'm alive. So this is the first of several one-shots that I'm planning on producing over the month as Christmas gifts. (Along with A Moment in Time don't worry). This one goes out to CallMeAkumatized because she was one of my first real friends in the fandom over tumblr. I appreciate our conversations and how you manage to squeeze them in despite your super busy life. Hope this one makes you smile.
Excitement stirred the air amongst the snowflakes as Adrien stepped out his ride. It was the last official day of school before their short break. Knowing that his father wouldn't allow him to attend much outside of the party that Chloe was hosting for the class tomorrow. He was proud of the progress she had made over the last couple of years, she had a standing friendship with almost everyone in the class. It just went to show that everyone was capable of change.
When he reached his classroom, he couldn't help but notice everyone gathered in a circle; which meant one of four things.
"There's no way you can accomplish that!"
"Want to bet?" A set of oohs spread through the crowd at Kim's response. Adrien cocked an eyebrow and nudged Nino. "What's going on?"
"You'll see," he replied.
"What do I get when you fail miserably?" The placing of bets had been a tradition since their middle school years, and as the two grew older, the stakes grew higher.
"When I kiss every single girl under the mistletoe tomorrow, I want a date with you." Adrien's mouth dropped, Kim's affection had jumped from girl to girl, but it seemed to always go back to his pink haired classmate.
"What?"
"And if I fail, which I won't, I'll-I'll streak at graduation." Alix's lip curled between her lips, and the room went dead silent. If she accepted, then there wouldn't any take backs. She held out her hand, and the two shook hands. A smirk played Alix's lips a new rushed through her.
"Prepare to lose, because the only way you'll get me under the mistletoe is if you drag me under it."
Any further conversation when M. Cardon entered the classroom, everyone scattered to their seats. He didn't tolerate wasting time. It wasn't even three minutes into his lecture when Marinette came stumbling into the room.
"Sorry, overslept," she mumbled rubbing her arm sheepishly. Adrien threw her an emphatic look, if it weren't for the three cups of coffee that he drank this morning, he would have probably been late himself. He had stayed up till the early morning chatting with Ladybug. It was supposed to be a quick patrol and then return to their homes, but he had to open his big mouth and ask for girl advice. Ladybug's eyebrow had risen at the request, but the next thing he knew, hours had gone by.
At the sight of her returning his smile, he melted a bit in his seat. Through the years, Marinette had managed to lose the stutter around him. They had grown closer, and the more time they spent together, the harder it was to deny that he harbored more than "just a friend" feelings for her.
His eyes narrowed as he studied her in the short window as she walked to the seat. He couldn't tell if the color that flushed her cheeks was from the cold or embarrassment that she was called out in front of the class. Either way, it was a good look on her. Plagg might tease him, but he was going to find some way to tell her how he felt.
"Alright now that everyone is here, turn to page 97." Adrien didn't know why they bothered to hold class on the last day, so he let his mind wander to more thoughts of the girl sitting behind him.
Hot chocolate had become a staple at the Dupain bakery immediately following school during the winter months. The four would walk the short distance only to be greeted with Sabine's dazzling smile, the smell of fresh bread, and hot chocolate and pastries on a platter.
"How was school today?"
The more time he spent there, the more Adrien saw the where Marinette got her cheery disposition from. He had never seen them in a sour mood except maybe when they came to Marinette's rescue on the jagged stone show they did once in the bakery. "It was great!" he pipped in even though he hardly paid attention.
"We were going to go to my room and play some video games for a while." Marinette kissed her mother's cheek and grabbed the platter for her guests.
"Make sure that you don't get distracted of your responsibilities." She called out behind them.
"It won't!" was the last thing Marinette shouted before her trap door closed. She turned to the trio with a smile. "What do you want to play?"
The debate raged on for nearly ten minutes before they decided to play Mega Strike. To be fair with the teams and their abilities, it was split with Marinette by herself and the trio on a team. After the first round, Marinette could feel the glares coming from the three as 'Player 1 wins!' displayed prominently across the screen. To avoid any further hostility, the four quickly agreed to watch a movie instead.
"Marinette," Her father peaked his head in through her trap door. His smile faltered when he noticed that she was alone. "Did your friends leave already? I was hoping that I could use them as taste testers."
"They left 15 minutes ago, Adrien had to go back home, and Alya and Nino wanted to spend some time together before the holidays. I'll see them tomorrow at Chloe's party if you want to give them something then." She just got a small head shake in response. "I'm sure whatever you make will be amazing as always, and if you need me to taste anything, I'd be more than happy."
"I knew I could count on you. I'll bring some treats a little later." He flashed a smile. "I almost forgot, Grandma sent you a package, it's waiting on the table." Marinette glanced past them onto the table, her grandma usually sent her souvenirs from her adventures from all around the world. Sometimes the as well-meaning as the gifts were, she kept forgetting that she was in collège now. She picked up the package, and it molded to her hand bending the shape despite the wrapping paper. When she tore the paper back to reveal the brown bag with the words Hershey's Kisses in white lettering and tin foiled shape here inside the bag.
"What are these?" She tumbled the package around in her hands, but her only clue to its contents was the words milk chocolate.
"Grandma said in her note that they are called Hershey Kisses, and she found them everywhere when she was visiting in the states. She thought you might like them." Curiosity got the better of her, and she tore the top corner of the bag open, and a single kiss fell into her hand. Once the foil was pulled away, Marinette popped it into her mouth. It was okay, she decided as the chocolate played with her taste buds as it slowly dissolved. But the taste faded in comparison to most of the chocolate that they had locally. Still, her Nonna tried, and that was the important part.
"That was very thoughtful of her," she smiled towards her parents. The wheels in her head started turning at how she could possibly use these. She could combine it with some of the other baking, but the chocolate might not meld well together and ruin the whole thing. The word kisses on the bag kept drawing her eye. Her mind clicked, and the corner ticked up into a smirk, she knew exactly how her gift could be put to good use, all while helping a friend.
The party could only be described as extravagant, but nothing less would be expected from the Mayor's daughter. Lights lined the railing, and there had to be at least three Christmas trees. There was a hot cocoa bar with any toppings imaginable. And true to form, multiple mistletoe hung prominently within the room for the opportunities for couples or anybody who was single who dared to use it.
Once Marinette arrived with Alya, the party was in full swing. Everyone from the class was present, no doubt curiously invested in the latest bet between Kim and Alix.
"Might I say how beautiful you two ladies you look tonight. I look forward to our inventible time under the mistletoe."
"I don't think this will be one bet that you won't win."
"We could work out a wager between the two of us if you want." A smug smirk grew, and he wiggled his eyebrows. "But it seems to only fair to tell you that I've already kissed half the girls and the party has just begun."
"I hate to break it to you, Kim. The only person I plan on being under the mistletoe is Nino." Alya's hand rested naturally on her hip. "Speaking of which here comes my handsome now."
Marinette's breathe hitched when she saw that Adrien and Nino were walking man towards them.
"You never told me your plan to escape Kim under the mistletoe." Alya eyed her best friend.
"What's this about Marinette under the mistletoe?" Both girl's gaze was drawn to the owner of the voice.
"Ad-drien." She all to manage to stutter.
"Actually Adrien, we were planning on how to keep Marinette away from the mistletoe, unless you want to volunteer yourself of course."
"Alya!" Heat flared up on her cheeks, but when she glanced over at Adrien, he was in the same state.
"I'm hoping is to avoid Chloe, I'm pretty sure she set up the mistletoe with me in mind." Adrien cringed while he rubbed his neck.
An innate sense of the need to protect him overcame her. "Not on my watch," she proudly stated. Marinette patted her bag gently, "I have a secret weapon."
"What do you mean?" His eyes peered down to her bag only for a moment.
Marinette opened up her bag and pulled out the bag she was gifted "My grandmas sent me these, they're called Hershey Kisses. If you get trapped under the mistletoe with someone you don't want to kiss, give them one of these."
"But if you're under the mistletoe, isn't it expected you to give real kiss?"
"It says that a kiss has to be exchanged, and this," she held out the kiss towards them, "Is exactly that." She dug a couple out of the bag and handed them to Adrien and Alya.
Marinette wandered through the crowd looking for Alya. Somehow, they had gotten separated.
"Need any help?"
Adrien's voice caused her to jump. She could never understand why he could sneak up on her the way he did. Marinette fought the idea that his stealth made him part cat.
"I was looking for Alya," she explained.
"I can help you out with that." He flashed a smile, slipped his hand into her and started to weave through the crowd.
The warmth from the contact made her want to melt on the spot. Adrien was holding her hand. She wanted to freak out, but a sense of calm radiated off him that was mellow. He pulled her into a doorway.
Nino and Alya were too preoccupied with each other's lips to notice the pair. Marinette's blush spread across her cheeks as she forced her eyes away.
"Uh, Marinette?" Adrien's voice caught her attention, by the way, there were tremors when he said her name.
Her eyes jumped to him and followed his gaze until they reached the mistletoe.
Oh.
There had to be a way out of this, she couldn't just kiss Adrien. Knowing her luck, she would probably miss and kiss his eye causing him to go blind or something equally as embarrassing. Her purse! The chocolate kisses could provide the easy way out that she was looking for. "That's not a problem," She replied more confidently.
Adrien's head dipped to the side as his eyes narrowed in confusion. "It's not?" Did she realize that she had feelings too? Was this her subtle way of letting him know?
Marinette dug through her bag easily pulling out and placed a Hershey kiss in his hand.
The small smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. Either Marinette didn't have feelings for him, or she didn't want to kiss him; neither option seemed to be in his favor. He'd much rather breath the rules than getting the reminder that she didn't like him. "You don't need to."
"Rules are rules, Adrien. A kiss has to be exchanged."
"Mari"- He sighed. It would be easier to tell her everything right then and there. "There's something that I"-
"Why am I not surprised that Agreste beat me under the mistletoe?" Kim's voice couldn't cut in at a more critical point if he tried. The two snapped away from each other. The chocolate reminder slowly burning his palm.
Adrien couldn't explain it, but his gut reaction was to guide Marinette behind him. It could have been his alter ego shining through, but Adrien knew better than to ignore his instincts. He knew what Kim wanted, and he would have to go through him to get it. Kim, however, seemed less impressed by his heroism.
"Lay off Agreste, all I need is one simple kiss." Kim barked.
Adrien didn't move but remained in position. Even though he was only his civilian self currently, he made a promise to protect the Parisians. Marinette fit into that category.
Kim ignored him and leaned to the right so he could have eye contact with her. "What do you say Marinette? Your lips are the last ones I need."
The news genuinely surprised her. That meant Kim had successfully managed to gain a kiss from Alya, Chloe, and Alix, a feat that she had no clue how he accomplished. If she was truly the last one remaining that meant that her Hershey kisses were even more of vital importance. "Sure," she replied shrugging her shoulders.
"What?" Both boys echoed in disbelief.
She reminded herself that she was doing this for Alix because the changes are when Kim found out what she had done, he wouldn't be happy. "It's just a kiss," she winked toward Adrien and patted her bag in attempts to reassure him. When she watched his eyes widened, Marinette knew no further explanation was needed. "Where do you want me to plant one on you, Kim?" This was her way of keeping the damage minimal. He could kiss her right then and there, and the embarrassment wouldn't be witnessed by the class but if he chose-
"In the lobby. I want to see Alix's face when I win the bet."
Marinette sighed. It was his funeral. She had talked to Alix before the party to make sure that the two had clarified the terms of their bets. The last thing she wanted was to unintentionally make Alix lose and must go out with Kim. "Lead the way."
Kim paraded her through the crowd his chest puffed out for all to see.
"Marinette!" She heard Alix exclaim to keep appearances.
"Prepare to lose, clear your calendar for Friday night." He added with a wink before turning back to Marinette.
When he started to lean in, Marinette stopped him. "Close your eyes," she reminded, and he complied. A kiss was pulled from the bag, and the second he got close enough she knew it was now or never. She gently pushed the kiss inside his mouth. Immediately the kiss was spat out, and Kim's eyes burst open.
"What is that?" he sputtered.
Marinette smiled sticking to her decision. "I gave you a kiss. A Hershey kiss to be exact."
Kim opened his mouth to protest, but the way Alix smirked stopped him in his tracks. "You knew!" He accused as he took a step towards her, Marinette is was forgotten.
"So, what if I did?" She shot back. The two began to argue back and forth about the validity of the kiss.
Marinette took the opportunity to slip away. If Kim wanted her kiss, he would have to take every single one of her chocolates.
The night continued on in the same manner, and despite the numerous attempts that Kim caught her under the mistletoe, each time she proudly handed over one of the chocolate candies. By the sixth time, Kim had pleaded and begged. Although touched by his words, she still handed over a kiss. If Alix wanted to go out with Kim; she would have said yes in the first place.
The mistletoe had gained lots of attention throughout the night, including a kiss that took place between Chloe and Nathaniel; that was one memory Marinette planned to remember. Not that she hadn't fallen victim to the mistletoe several times during the party and not only to Kim. She had been caught under the mistletoe with Ivan, Max, Nathaniel, Adrien, and Nino. One by one she handed them the chocolate as her payment. By the way, Nino grinned he had only done it for the chocolate.
Marinette glanced down at her phone, it was getting late. She promised that she would help out with the bakery the next morning. The evening was a success in the fact that she had avoided giving Kim a proper kiss. She had said her goodbyes to Alya and Nino but couldn't find Adrien. As much as she wanted to give him a proper goodbye, but she didn't have time to search the hotel for him. Maybe she would text him apologizing when she got home. Out of the corner of her eye, she witnessed Alix and Kim arguing only to stop and kiss each other. Maybe something good did come out of tonight. She only made it halfway towards the door when she heard her name be called out.
"Marinette!" She turned to see Adrien running towards her.
Her eyebrows squinted together. "Adrien, what are you doing?" It wasn't like they wouldn't see each other in a couple of days.
"I thought I missed you."
She opened her mouth to reply when she heard a series of whispers and laughter. Since when did her classmates care that Adrien chased her down to say goodbye. When a crowd started to form, it was her first clue that she had missed something.
It wasn't until Marinette glanced in horror to see exactly why her classmates were snickering. Whether Adrien meant to or not in catching her attention before she left, he had stopped her under another mistletoe. The fate of the kiss was sealed the second he caught up with her to say his goodbye.
'I"-Her voice faded out trying to think of something, anything to say. "Adrien, I don't have any Hershey Kisses left."
"It's okay, Marinette. We don't have to."
"It's not that," she didn't know where she gained the confidence to confess that. When Adrien's eyes widened in shock, she instantly regretted it. "I mean if you don't want – I mean people would probably talk— I don't want to put you in that kind"-
Adrien's laughter stopped her mid rambler. "Let them talk," he used his finger to hook underneath her chin. "I'm going to kiss you now."
"Okay," she squeaked not sure of what else she could stay. Marinette's eyes flitted closed the second she could feel his heated breath on her face. His lips were warm and inviting as they brushed her own. The contact made her head spin in the best way possible, but it ended as quickly as it began.
Marinette's heart raced between her ears as she dared to open her eyes to meet his.
Everything else melted away.
Adrien kissed her, and she wanted to experience the sensation again. She fought the heat rising to her face, but it wasn't much use. His eyes seemed to be searching hers, for what, she had no clue.
"Adrien I-"
"Guess the third times a charm."
Before she had time to react, one of his hands gripped the pocket of her coat pulling her back towards him while the other cradled her face as the gap closed once more. Marinette's hands circled around his neck as she leaned into the kiss. It was hard to focus as Adrien's hands couldn't pick a spot to rest gliding from her cheek to her hip.
The hoots and hollers drove them apart, this time both faces dusted in blush.
"I'll walk you out," he offered. Marinette couldn't help but accept. Her world kept spinning after all. The only downside to Adrien's gentlemanliness was it meant that she would have to have a sit down with Alya and dish out all the details when she got home. Marinette eyed him briefly, fighting the butterflies in her stomach enough so they could talk about what just happened.
"Adrien?" she couldn't bring herself to look at him when asking, "what just happened— how does that change things between us?" It was a valid question. The first kiss was obligatory for the mistletoe, but the head spinning, heart-stopping semi-make out they experienced right after, friends didn't do that.
"I don't know," he answered honestly shifting his weight. "But I think the two of us could sit down and talk about it, maybe on a date?"
Marinette released appreciatory hum, "I'd like that."
It wasn't until the car horn beeped that the two realized that Adrien's ride had arrived as well. "I'll check with Nathalie about my calendar, but maybe something this week?"
"It's a date," she beamed proudly.
"Merry Christmas, Marinette." His cheeks were already filled with color from the temperature drop outside. Marinette knew if she were to stay out here for much longer her teeth would chatter together.
"Merry Christmas," She echoed.
Adrien's lips spread into a smile that for a second, she forgot about the cold before heading to his car. Marinette did everything in her power to not spazz out in such an open place where he might be able to get a glimpse of it. If there were any chance that Adrien liked her, she would want to spoil that chance.
She slipped her hands into her pocket her lips flopping into a dopey grin. Adrien kissed her, sure it was just because the mistletoe and the fact that she had run out of kisses to give, but nothing could hinder the memory. As her hand slid forward further in the deep pockets, it was then that she felt it. The smooth tin foil wrapping. Her fingers pinched the object to confirm her suspicions. Marinette gasped as the sight of the familiar chocolate fell into the palm of her hand. But she had kept all her kisses in her bag, there was no way that it should be one in her jacket pocket. Alya had given some of hers to hold at one point in the evening, but she remembered flipping her jacket pockets inside out to show she had returned them all. The only other person she gave some too – was Adrien. The memory of their kiss flashed through her mind. He had grabbed her jacket pockets to urge her closer. He was the only other one that had come close to her after she handed out kisses. The heart inside her chest started to flip. All he had to do not to follow the mistletoe protocol was to give her the chocolate. Instead, he kissed her for real. Her eyes drifted over the busy street even though Adrien's car was long gone.
He kissed her.
Marinette didn't know what the is meant, all she knew was things were starting to look up. If they were asked how their relationship began, she would smile and answer 'with a Hershey kiss.'
It's nice fluff that makes you warm inside. Let me know what you think! Hershey Kisses pale in comparison to European chocolate by the way ( Drools). Hopefully I'll get something else out soon. See you all next time!