Author's Note: This is my mlshipfleet Valentine's Day Exchange gift for whatarubberchicken and also my first try ever at a poly ship. I hope you'll like it!
A big thank you to Remasa for beta reading it and fixing all the plot holes, typos and other mistakes!
Of Hortensias and Sunflowers
Marinette was in the middle of a designing spree when the first messenger appeared carrying a basket of blue hydrangeas. All eyes turned to her desk as she opened the little note, and the light blush that warmed her cheeks didn't escape their attention.
It was Valentine's Day and Marinette, being officially single, though not for the lack of eager suitors, made for the perfect topic of office gossip. But when the second bouquet arrived, composed entirely of miniature sunflowers, the whole department buzzed like a beehive.
'Someone's going to have an interesting evening,' Angela, one of the other designers, said as she poked her head into Marinette's impromptu garden, making her jump as she was about to open the second letter.
'So? Who's going to get lucky tonight?' the woman teased. 'Mr. Cover Boy?' she ran her hand over the sunflowers, 'or Mr. Blueberry Rocker?' She sent Marinette a sultry wink, sniffing the hydrangeas.
'That's none of your business, Angela,' Marinette snapped, hiding the envelope behind her back. She just noticed it contained more than a note and her colleague would probably choke on her own spit if she knew it was a silk blindfold. The first envelope included velvet gloves. Both contained instructions and a time, but no locations. The evening indeed might prove to be interesting, she thought. Butterflies danced in her stomach in anticipation.
'Come on.' Angela never gave up easily. 'They've been trying to woo you for how long now?' She nudged Paul, another designer.
'Dunno,' he replied with a sly smile. 'At least since she started working here, so two years?'
'I want to know how you do that, Marinette,' Jessica, the office secretary piped in. 'Staying non exclusive for so long, and with those two guys chasing after you nonetheless.'
'Wow,' Angela whistled appreciatively. 'So, who's it gonna be for you tonight, Nettie?' She turned to Marinette with a truly predatory grin. 'Mr. Sunflower or Mr. Hydrangea?' She snickered at Marinette's frown. 'Once you take your pick, let me know.' She got back to her desk swinging her hips on the way. 'I'll gladly comfort the poor runner up,' she winked lewdly.
Marinette shot her a dirty look, but Angela was already busying herself with her computer so one of the finest Ladybug's glowers went to waste. She sighed and turned to the designing board, but the mood had been spoiled.
Getting back into the zone took the better part of the afternoon and before Marinette noticed, she was alone in the dark, abandoned office. Her eyes drifted over to the two bouquets that brought a hint of spring to her desk five weeks before the actual season began.
Four years.
That's how long this has been going on. That's how long they had been patient with her. Angela might have been a mean, jealous witch, but she was right about one thing. It was time to make a decision. Marinette really shouldn't keep them waiting longer.
She glanced at her watch. There was still time before she needed to be ready for the evening. With one decisive swipe, she scooped the flowers from their containers, thankful for the empty office. It was time do something about her relationship status. And that time would be tonight.
Engrossed in her last task she inevitably lost track of time. She barely made it home to change and refresh her make-up and she already needed to leave. The Town Car waited outside her building, the chauffeur looking rather surprised that Marinette arrived on time. Just as if he'd been warned she might be late. And he probably had been. Marinette hadn't grown out of her poor time management habits, and anyone who knew her well was aware of that.
The car rolled over the Parisian streets, passing cafes and restaurants thick with red hearts and Valentine's decorations, and just when Marinette thought she recognized the neighborhood the chauffeur asked her to put on the blindfold. That was part of the instructions she'd received, so she didn't hesitate.
Just a few moments later the limousine stopped and the door opened. A warm hand clasped hers and guided her outside. She caught a sniff of a familiar cologne.
'Where am I?' she asked and earned a chuckle in reply.
'Be patient, dear,' a low voice murmured into her ear and a pair of lips brushed over her neck. 'This is a surprise after all.'
Not as big as you think, Adrien, Marinette giggled under her breath.
His fingers entwined with hers and she felt the weight of Adrien's other hand on her lower back. His touch prompted her to walk forward until the rough crunch of pavement under her feet yielded to smoothness. They were no longer outside, they must have entered a building. Their footsteps echoed in a vast empty space, Marinette's heels making click-clack sounds over something that might have been marble.
She dressed warm, as per the instructions, but the sting of cold air still caressed bits of exposed skin. A bit odd, since she had expected the air to warm up once she escaped the outdoors. She smiled to herself as the scent of frost filled her lungs. Despite the blindfold and the secrecy, coupled with the small clues she gleaned so far, she already had a strong suspicion as to where she was.
'Mind the step, M,' Marinette felt Adrien's grip tightening as if he wanted to make sure he'd keep her from falling. Her shoes touched against an obstacle - possibly a threshold - in front of her before stepping over it. 'There's a chair behind you. Please, take a seat.'
She reached a hand back, her fingers brushing over cold, hard plastic. She grasped for a sturdy hold before Adrien's warm hands eased around her, anchoring her as he helped her down into the seat. It further confirmed her suspicions as to her current location. She'd be seriously surprised if this wasn't Phillipe's ice rink.
'You're finally here, love,' a second voice crooned near her, accompanied by loud footsteps. Another pair of lips brushed hers, but this time she gave chase. Her kisser's lips quirked upward against hers and he replied with fervor. Luka was always eager to steal a kiss or three.
'Hey! Knock it off, you two!' Adrien's voice echoed from a lower level now. 'We're on a schedule here,' he chided.
A classic Agreste, she thought and almost snorted into Luka's mouth at the thought.
'Fiiiine,' she heard Luka's deep sigh as he withdrew.
A hand rested upon her knee a moment later. 'We need to change your shoes, dear,' Adrien explained. 'Can I?' The hand slid lower in a soft caress before reaching the hem of her boots. She nodded in silent agreement.
He slid her boots off and soon something that could only be a pair of skates enveloped her feet. At the same time, Luka pulled gloves over her hands, taking extra care in kissing each and every one of her fingertips before hiding them under the material. He had picked up that habit from Adrien, as the blond always had a soft spot for her fingers. Of course they might have switched places, but Marinette was quite certain Adrien was the one currently busying himself with the shoelaces and… ah… appreciating her legs at the same time.
'New design?' The model asked, confirming her surmise. 'I don't recall seeing these on you.' His hand climbed up her calf over the thick material of her red pants and squeezed it appreciatively from time to time.
'My Valentine project,' Marinette giggled. 'Are you done?' She arched her brow over the blindfold. 'I'm quite sure tying shoelaces does not require feeling up my legs.'
'Fiiiine,' Adrien whined in a manner similar to Luka's. 'You're good to go.'
'Let me just…,' Luka grunted and she heard quiet sounds of pressed keys. 'Something for the mood,' he explained as music filled the air. A duet of soft piano, definitely Adrien's performance, accompanied by Luka's acoustic guitar. Marinette smiled. They rarely played jazz, a genre so distant from their preferred styles. Such a waste, she thought.
'Ready?' Adrien asked and Marinette nodded.
One set of hands pulled her up, another landed on her hips, helping to balance her as they led her to the ice.
Marinette wobbled unsteadily. Standing on two blades on a slippery surface while being blindfolded proved to be a rather difficult task, even after years of moonlighting as Ladybug.
'Can I take the blindfold off now?' She asked, teetering in their grasp. 'I'd rather end the evening in one piece and preferably with nothing broken or bruised.'
'Sure, you can take it off now, dear,' came Adrien's reply and she removed the blindfold, taking care not to smudge her makeup.
The sight in front of her stunned her to silence. She must have visited the ice rink hundreds of times in the past, but the way it had been transformed for this evening took her breath away. The space was bathed in a subtle glow. Candles burned around the barrier and in little globes placed on the ice, too. Flower petals were scattered around the cold surface, adding color to the soft light. And in the center of the rink a huge heart flickered with red and glitter.
'Wow,' Marinette breathed in awe. 'You've outdone yourselves on this one,' she whistled as she slid on her skates to admire the decorations. 'This is absolutely amazing!'
'Happy Valentine Day!' Adrien cried after her. He still stood next to Luka in front of the heart, while Marinette circled them squealing in delight.
Something flashed in Luka's eyes as she neared them. Suddenly he caught her waist and spun her into a pirouette. When she stopped spinning he wasted no time pressing his lips to hers.
'Sorry,' he whispered. 'I couldn't help it. You looked so lovely skating in the candlelight.'
'Hey, I'm getting jealous,' Adrien grumbled next to them.
'Well, we can't have that, can we?' Luka chuckled. With a sly grin he gripped Adrien's hand and with proficiency that came from years of practice he dipped the blond into a passionate kiss.
'That's much better,' Adrien smiled, as he was returned to standing position. 'But something's still missing.' He looked around only to find Marinette hiding behind his back. Without hesitation she swung him into a similar dip and planted a giggly smooch on his lips.
'Thank you for a lovely Valentine surprise,' she praised once the blond got his fill of kisses.
Adrien smirked at her. 'How do you know it was me?'
'Because I don't know anyone sappier than you, cat dork,' Marinette nudged him and skated away with a wink.
Luka and Adrien followed her closely, covering the ice with myriads of trails. The three of them brushed hands and exchanged smiles and kisses occasionally as they explored the rink. Adrien looked proud of the decorations but he seemed a bit anxious.
'So… did you like the sunflowers?' He asked Marinette after a while.
'I liked them very much, Sunshine,' she bopped him on the nose, while she passed him.
'Sunflowers?' Luka gasped. 'You sent Mari sunflowers? AlI got was a bouquet of daffodils,' he pouted.
Marinette giggled, while Adrien blew him a raspberry. 'Daffodils are your favorite flowers, Luka,' he deadpanned.
'Yeah, they are,' Luka burst into laughter. 'And I loved them. Thank you,' he tilted his head and stole a quick kiss from the blond. 'And did you like the hyacinth I chose this year?'
Adrien and Marinette winced in unison.
'What?' Luka asked stopping abruptly.
The other two halted next to him.
'Yeah, Nathalie took it over immediately,' the blond rubbed the back of his head.
Luka was still staring at him, dumbfounded.
'He's terribly allergic and hyacinths are actually toxic,' Marinette whispered to Luka's ear. 'Especially to cats,' she chuckled. 'You'll be lucky if Gabriel doesn't consider it a death threat.'
The musician paled in an instant, his brows shooting up in concern.
'What? No!' Adrien waved frantically, narrowing his eyes at the girl. 'She's teasing you. Nathalie intercepts all the things I'm allergic to. There's never been a problem with that.'
'You can have some of my hydrangeas, Sunshine,' Marinette offered.
'Awwww,' Adrien sighed, 'hydrangeas are so nice!'
'See?' Marinette winked at Luka. 'You can just send him a pot of catnip next time,' she added sliding away, followed by two indignant "Hey!"s.
'You mean little bug!' Adrien called after her, breaking into chase with Luka at his heels. 'I'll give you catnip!'
'You'd have to catch me first,' she teased speeding up.
Skating over candlelit rink was quite funny. The speed was nowhere near what she was used to while gliding with her yoyo over the Parisian rooftops, but it was more than enough for Marinette. Being chased by her two boys added a pleasant thrill to the exercise. Unfortunately the flower petals, though lovely to look at, once mixed with ice slush from their skates, made for a surprisingly effective obstacle. Marinette's foot hit one such trap, instantly losing traction. It was enough to throw her off balance and after a set of spectacular acrobatics she ended her ride on her butt in the middle of a flower heap.
'Ouch,' she rubbed her backside. So much for no bruises.
'Are you okay, love?' Luka was in front of her in a second, extending a hand.
'Do you need help, bug?' Adrien was already next to him and reaching for her.
Marinette blinked at the deja vu played out in front of her eyes. Two hands offered by two boys, a scene identical to what had transpired in this very rink ten years prior. All that was missing was one pissed fencer. For a long, quiet moment she stared at the hands, then at the faces above her. Luka and Adrien caught up with what she must have been thinking, because their lips stretched in amused smiles. They still waited for her reaction.
Finally with a snort of laughter and a shake of her head Marinette grabbed each of their hands in her own and allowed them to pull her up.
'I can't believe we had our first date ten years ago,' she chuckled.
'That was way before you realized you had two hands,' Luka ruffled her bangs.
'Before any of us realized,' Adrien supplied helping her to get rid of the frost from her clothes.
'Still, it would have been funny if I did it then,' Marinette reached for them and pulled them both into a hug.
'Kagami would have pulverized you on the spot,' Adrien muttered.
'And whose fault was that, Agreste?' Luka squeezed his side. 'Roping up the loves of your life to help you date another girl? A perfect plan!'
'Oh, come on,' the blond whined. 'It was ten years ago! How long are you gonna make fun of me?'
Luka pursed his lips considering this question. 'I don't know. What's the life expectancy for a 24 year old French male?'
They loved to bicker over their first experiences. Their teen years had been quite a ride, before the three of them realized with whom they really belonged. It took even longer to accept it before an agreement was reached. And now all that was stopping them from going out of the closet was Marinette's hesitation. She knew she'd hurt them in the past and for a long time she'd been terrified of doing it again. But they waited for her. Each day they reminded her this was what they wanted, what they were excited to commit to. Neither Adrien nor Luka were afraid of the consequences, and they were the ones in the public eye, not Marinette.
She had known for a while it was the right choice and now she finally understood this was the right moment.
'I'm ready, guys,' Marinette said, interrupting their banter.
'All right,' Adrien smiled. 'We can head to dinner now.'
'No!' Marinette cried startling both boys. She backpedalled immediately. 'I mean, dinner sounds wonderful, but I wasn't talking about that.' She took a deep breath and stepped back, wanting to see them both for her confession. 'I'm ready to go official, and to move in with you.'
Adrien vibrated with excitement, as he caught Luka's hand.
Luka's eyes lit up. 'Are you sure? You know we don't mind the wait.'
'Yes,' Marinette nodded reaching out for them. 'I'm ready. I don't want to wait anymore. I love you.'
'I love you,' her boys echoed, trapping her in a celebratory hug.
It was dawn when Marinette finally drifted to sleep, comfortably sandwiched between the two loves of her life in an apartment she was about to share with them. In just a few hours, the first of her coworkers would start to fill her office. She smiled, thinking how they would react to her subtle statement.
On her desk one huge bouquet of hortensias and sunflowers greeted the first lights of morning.
AN: Thank you for reading! I always appreciate your reviews if you'd care to share your thoughts.