Marinette takes in a stray kitty on Christmas' Eve. To thank her, he offers to give her the thing she wants the most. What if the gift her heart truly wants can't be wrapped?

For Totally_Lucky

In Chat Noir's defense, he had remained in plain sight barely a few seconds. Surely not long enough for just anybody to spot him there, all by himself, standing on a random rooftop on Christmas Eve.

But Marinette was not just anybody. She was Ladybug, after all, and her eye was very well trained at spotting her partner no matter where he was. So, when she caught sight from the corner of her eye of a boy clad in black leather from head to toes ducking behind a chimney to avoid being seen, her mind instantly kicked in second gear. A quick glance to Tikki eating her cookies on her desk confirmed her that no, there weren't any akumas on the loose unbeknownst to her in Paris' streets. Reassured that there was no menace requiring her immediate attention, that left only another explanation for her kitty's weird current whereabouts.

A truly heart-wrenching explanation.

Hoping with all her heart that she was somehow wrong, Marinette opened the skylight and pulled herself onto her balcony, praying that by some miracle, her parents wouldn't call her down for the Christmas' dinner just yet. She cautiously made her way to the railing, trying to spot her leather clad partner in the darkness. "Chat Noir? I know you're out there. Come here, kitty, kitty."

A loud groan resonated in the cold December night, followed by a soft thud as the here landed beside her on the balcony. Chat Noir rose to his full height, obviously displeased with the outcomes of his evening so far. "Evening princess. Why did you summon me here tonight? Surely you have better things to go, gifts to unwrap, hugs to receive or whatnots."

Marinette could see that he was trying, really hard, to sound like his usual joyful and silly self - but failing miserably.

Crossing her arms in front of her, the blackette asked coyly, "What are you doing out there alone, Chat? Ladybug sure isn't mean enough to make you patrol on Christmas Eve, now is she?" knowing fairly well the answer to that question.

Chat visibly deflated, looking at the ground as he spoke, "Of course not… my… family is overseas as we speak, and I wasn't feeling that great alone in the house."

Trying to overlook how he said "house" instead of "home" and how the word "family" had seemed to roll unpleasantly on his tongue, Marinette unfolded her arms, taking in his disheveled appearance at once, "So you went for a run on the rooftops instead."

Chat Noir grinned sheepishly, "It's the second best thing besides talking to Ladybug. And I didn't want to bother her with personal civilian stuff tonight out of all nights, so…"

"Wait here." Marinette cut him short, running down the stairs like her tail was suddenly on fire.

Rushing into the bakery's kitchen, the young designer barely took time to gather her thoughts before speaking her mind to her parents, "Mama, Papa, if I had a friend that was like, really alone tonight, would you really mind him joining us for dinner?"

Sabine Cheng smiled knowingly, as her husband chuckled loudly, "Of course not, my little cupcake. There's more than plenty of food for that added guest of yours. Besides, no one should be alone on Christmas if they can help it."

Fidgeting with her fingers, the young designer sighed loudly, "Just promise me to stay open minded, okay? He's not.. the usual friend you could think of."

Both of her parents nodded eagerly in agreement, now very curious about their unexpected guest, and Marinette rushed back upstairs, rudely coaxing a taken aback Chat Noir into her kitchen on the sole basis that her parents were on board with that sweet but insane plan of hers.

If Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng were surprised to see Paris' superhero going down their daughter's stairs, they didn't let it show the slightest. Instead, they made a point of welcoming him with open arms and warm hugs, introducing themselves to him with wide grins. They handed him a plate of food, seated him beside their daughter at the family table, and went on with their evening without any further hitch.

They ate a delicious meal in comfortable conversation, merely disrupted by Chat Noir and her dad's constant flow of puns. Both of their future plans were laid in the open and heatedly discussed upon (he never had a clue Marinette intended to enter ESMOD, even though she definitely had the potential to, while the young woman had been somewhat surprised to learn that he was seriously considering a teaching career). Marinette was discovering an unknown side of her partner, the goofy and exuberant kitty proving to be a rather polite and well-mannered guest with a definite tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve.

And never did her parents commented on the fact they had an actual superhero in their livingroom, or did Marinette acted like it was out of the ordinary to have Chat Noir seated at her table, cracking puns after puns with her dad and praising her mom's cooking to no end.

They played video games relentlessly, Tom and Chat Noir teaming up on Marinette and failing altogether to defeat her still. Her partner proved to be as far from a sore loser as one could get, instead obviously taking a liking into her little victory dances, laughing heartily at her antics and never refusing a rematch. Looking at him, Marinette felt like she was truly seeing him for the first time. Never before had she seen him so relaxed, so unguarded around her. He was sporting a toothy grin all through the evening, a real smile that reached his green unique eyes.

And looking at him like that, so happy and at ease into her home, made her heart do a few backflips into her chest.

After a while, once her parents had long gone to bed, the unwelcomed weight of reality came crashing back on her shoulders as Chat Noir and her seated themselves side by side on her balcony, buried under a thick blanket.

Soon enough, she'd have to reluctantly let him return to an empty house, to his loneliness. But right then, she wanted to make their moment last.

Because right then, pure glee had replaced the sadness within the familiar green eyes.

When he spoke, Chat Noir's voice was full of reverence and gratefulness, "I've had the best Christmas I could have hoped for, all thanks to you princess. How could I ever repay you?"

Giggling, Marinette flicked his bell aside, a playful look in her eyes. God, what wouldn't he give to see that Marinette at school, the one that was funny and witty, that rolled her eyes at his dumb puns and told the best stories. The one that was just like the Marinette he knew from afar, just even better, and that he couldn't ever seem to see for himself from up close as Adrien.

"There's no need to repay me, minou. It was my pleasure to take a stray kitty in for Christmas and bring him a little bit of warmth. Besides, I already have everything I need."

This time, it was Chat Noir's turn to roll his eyes. "Try me, princess. There has to be something you want and don't have. I'll give it to you without a blink, no matter the cost. What you did for me tonight was incredibly kind and selfless of you. So, what is it? Sewing supplies? Drawing material? A brand new sewing machine would be rad in your room. Oh, I know! How would you feel about a graphic pad?"

Her bluebell eyes suddenly lost their playful glint as they fixed themselves on the horizon, and Chat Noir wondered what he could have possibly done to turn it off like that. When she spoke again, her voice was faint and distant. "You know, Chat, sometimes, the things you'd need to be happier don't have a price tag on it. And aren't that easy to wrap with a nice little bow on top."

Startled by the sudden mood change, the superhero crept closer to her under the blanket, turning her head toward him with a gloved finger and resting his forehead on hers, "Tell me, please. Tell me what could make you happier. If I can make it happen, I'll do it."

"There's nothing you can do, silly kitty. Some things just aren't meant to be."

His laugh was dry, humorless. "Humor me, Marinette. What it the world could you possibly want that you wouldn't be able to get one way or another?"

There it was again, the odd tug at his heartstrings. The way she was looking away, hunched over herself, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. She was so beautiful, how could he have overlooked that all of this time? And he was lucky enough to know her, to be a part of her life. He knew plenty of little things about his friend, from her favorite color (pink, obviously), to her weird habit of chewing on her bottom lip when she was nervous, the pattern of her freckles that he had come to know by heart. One doesn't spend that many lunches trying to avert his eyes from Alya and Nino's intense kissing sessions without learning a thing or two about his companion of misfortune. Things he wouldn't ever get to know about Ladybug, all thanks to secret identities and magic masks. He loved his partner dearly and trusted her with his life without a second thought, but being with her was unattainable, a foolish fantasy. That certainty had been anchoring itself deeper and deeper into the young man's mind in the past months, and now that he had tasted an evening with a friend whose life he could actually envision sharing someday, he wasn't too keen on going back to his sterile, organized life.

Her voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts, "You're going to laugh at me."

"What? I would never, princess. Please, tell me. What is it that your heart truly wants for Christmas?"

"Well", she started, still cautiously avoiding his eyes, "there's this boy in my class whom I like very much. But he doesn't even notice my existence, so this is useless. I don't even know why I mentioned it."

Chat Noir cringed. He was in love with Ladybug, wasn't he? So why in the world Marinette's admittance at liking someone in their class stung that much? He suddenly felt like she had just ripped his heart out of his ribcage and stomped on it without any second thought about it. Who could it be anyway? Kim? Nah, he was way too loud and hyperactive for sweet and caring Marinette. Max? Nah, too cold and cerebral for an accomplished artist like she was. Wait. Marinette was an artist. It had to be Nathanael. It made sense. Nathanael was quiet, shy, artistic and kind. The perfect match for Marinette.

If it made so much sense, why did Chat Noir felt acutely the pang of jealousy ripping his heart apart?

Forcing a semblance of normalcy into his voice, he quietly answered, "Are you so sure about that, princess? I find it hard to believe that a boy in his right mind would be able to overlook your presence in his very classroom."

The blackette sighed, a long, desperate sigh. "You don't get it. He and I… we aren't on the same grounds. I mean, I love my parents and all, but I'll only ever be a baker's daughter…"

"Why is that a problem?" Chat Noir heard himself ask, obviously having lost control over his own mouth. Marinette, however, suddenly rested her head on his shoulder, shrugging in defeat.

"We aren't on the same level, that's all. I mean, look at me. I'm nothing but good old Marinette, hopeless clumsy mess, can't for the life of me think before I talk, always getting myself into impossible situations. And he's so kind and selfless, so smart and funny… I can't even manage to think straight when he's within a ten feet radius from me, so it's doomed before it even started."

His mouth suddenly very, very dry, Chat Noir wrapped his arms around the lithe figure of the blackette pressed against his chest. "Well, you're both artists, there is certainly some common ground you can find and speak to him about."

She chuckled against his chest, her grip tightening onto the leather on his back. "I'm not quite sure I would call modeling art, but if you say so, minou."

Wait. What?

"Modeling!?" He tried. He tried really hard to keep the sheer astonishment he felt from his showing in voice but obviously failed, as Marinette instantly stilled in his arms.

"You think I'm shallow now, don't you? But I swear my feelings for Adrien have nothing to do with his modeling job. Actually, I despised him when I learned he was a model. I thought he would only be a male version of Chloe Bourgeois, the mayor's daughter. It was only when he lent me his umbrella and got wet on my behalf, when he took the time to explain me what truly had happened that day in the classroom… That's when I really fell for him. Hard. I mean, he's so sweet, and always so thoughtful, and of course, it doesn't hurt that he's a living greek god but-"

"What if I told you Adrien Agreste is dying to get to know you better and actually likes you? Like, a lot?" the superhero suddenly blurted out, unable to hear her praise him further without speaking what truly was on his mind.

Marinette pulled away from him, shaking her head, "Chat, stop, please. It's really mean of you to toy with my heart like that."

He smiled at her shyly, taking both of her hand into his. "Mari, please, close your eyes. I think I have the perfect Christmas gift for you."

"What kind of trick are you going to pull out on me?"

Chat Noir forced himself to smile, even if he felt so nervous he ought to be sick at any given time, "No tricks. I promise. Close your eyes, princess. Please?"

Still wearing a guarded expression, Marinette nonetheless obliged, her eyelids fluttering closed on the bluebell irises he found himself addicted to.

A bright flash of green suddenly illuminated her balcony as he released the transformation, and Adrien saw Marinette still before him.

"Chat?" she asked tentatively. Placing a gloveless hand onto her cheek, Adrien purred lowly:

"Open your eyes, Marinette. Please?"

And she did.

As soon as Marinette Dupain-Cheng opened her eyes, her heart stopped beating.

For, sitting beside her on her balcony, his shoulder brushing hers as his fingers gently cradle her cheek, a deeply pleading look in his grassy green eyes, was Adrien Agreste right in the spot where Chat Noir had been sitting seconds before.

She froze, her mind reeling as she slowly pieced two boys she loved and trusted, into one entirely new amazing human being. Into a boy she now wanted to love her back more than she had ever wanted anything in her life, a boy whose happiness she wanted to make her top priority, her main goal in life.

Her stunned silence might have stretched a little too long, because Adrien suddenly reached behind him, scratching the back of his neck out of nervosity, he looked away and whispered softly, "I'm sorry… I just thought…"

She interrupted him by placing a single finger on his lips, startling him into looking back at her. Her bluebell eyes were full of tears as she gently shook her head, a sad smile dancing on her lips. "I'm so sorry, Adrien. I'm so, so sorry."

He flinched away from her, pain evidently painted on his beautiful face. Lunging forward, Marinette grabbed both of his hands into hers before he could scoot away further, and pressed herself whole against his chest. "I'm so sorry because I've been pushing you away all of this time even though I was already in love with you. I'm sorry for hurting you despite sharing your feelings all along."

Puzzled, Adrien's gaze snapped back to her, "W-What do you mean, Mari? You're not making any sense now. You never pushed me away. I… I realized that I had feelings for you only tonight, so…"

Marinette looked down at their intertwined fingers in her lap, willing her nervosity away. This was her partner, her best friend. She wouldn't allow awkwardness in their relationship, she just couldn't. It didn't matter that her kitty turned out to be the love of her life, he was still her silly minou, and he had every right to know she loved him back after all this wasted time. "Adrien, there's… there's someone I'd like you to meet. Would you like to say hi, Tikki?"

The word left her perfect lips and a red blob flew into view, a small creature with big and kind blue eyes, a single black spot on the top of its head, and cute little antennas.

A kwami .

Ladybug 's kwami.

His heart thumping so hard in his chest he thought it was going to burst out of his ribcage at any given time, Adrien looked from the little kwami, that was smiling broadly at him, to Marinette, who was obviously waiting for a reaction. He could tell she was nervous, terrified even, as she kept nibbling at her lower lip, her beautiful blue eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears.

Both girls began to overlap into his mind, and it made so much sense that Adrien couldn't fathom how on earth he had been dense enough to be unable to piece it together on his own. Sure enough, the eyes he had fallen in love with were a dead giveaway, as well as the cute black pigtails with a bluish hue. The same fire in their veins when they wanted something, the same sheer hatred of lies, the same unwavering determination to right things for people that had been wronged. The same endless kindness.

As he was placing the pieces of the puzzle into place, Plagg flew out of his pocket and collided mid-flight with the little red kwami, "TIKKI! I missed you so much!"

Tikki, as it seemed Ladybug's kwami was named, giggled softly before grabbing the destruction's kwami into a bear hug. "Come Plagg, there's a plate of cookies downstairs. Let's give our kids privacy to talk things out."

"Eww, cookies. Do you happen to have any cheese, Marinette?"

Sighing, Adrien reached into his other pocket, tossing his annoying kwami a few stray pieces of camembert without breaking eye contact with his partner. His partner. His lady, his princess.

Two wonderful women wrapped in one marvelous package, one incredible girl that had just successfully swept Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir off their feet all at once.

"Are you disappointed it's me?" she asked in a soft whisper, one he wouldn't ever have heard hadn't she been pressed against him like she was. Her question was so irrelevant, so ridiculous, that Adrien did the only thing he could think of to stifle her doubts.

The second his lips touched hers, he felt electrified. The softness of her lips against his slightly chapped own, the feeling of her hands balling up his overshirt in his back as she clung to him for support, the warmth of her skin under his fingers as he pulled on her waist to bring her even closer to him, her warm and sugary scent all at once overwhelming his senses in an addictive cocktail. Adrien was high drunk on her kisses, on her touch, and he never wanted to sober up.

They eventually had to pull apart for oxygen, and the young man noticed with unconcealed delight Marinette's faint blush on her porcelain skin, her half-lidded eyes as she tried to recover from their kiss, her slightly swollen lips. She was smiling, a wide grin that he was well aware of reflecting perfectly. Adrien had yet to loosen his grip on her, and he placed a tender kiss upon her forehead. Marinette sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist, and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"It's getting late," she stated, matter-of-factly. The blond looked at how high the moon was in the sky, and nodded against her head. "I should go, you're probably exhausted. Can… can I come over tomorrow? As myself?"

He really tried to avoid sounding desperate, but he really wanted to see her again. He wanted to spend every waking minute of every day in her company, and he definitely wanted to kiss her again. And again. And again.

"I'll be waiting for you, mon minou."

Their second kiss was tamer, slower, less hungry than their first. It was beautiful and heartwarming nonetheless, and it left them both with goofy grins and mad heartbeats. Adrien reluctantly transformed back, and with a last chaste peck on the lips for his princess, he propelled himself into the night with his baton, resisting the urge to go back to his newfound catnip and never letting her go.

That night, before finally falling asleep way too late, Adrien smiled as he recalled her parting words.

"All I wanted for Christmas was you, Adrien."

As she laid her head on her pillow, her skin still electrified with his touch and her heart still bursting from happiness, Marinette mused on the words Chat Noir had whispered into her ear before taking off.

"I never could've asked for a better gift than you, princess."

The next week, as school resumed after the Christmas break, everything was just the same.

As usual, Nino and Alya were among the first on the college grounds, watching the weekend's Ladyblog new footage and arguing about whether or not Ladybug and Chat Noir were an item. Of course, Alya had a new argument for her now, seeing as that little peck on the nose was definitely more than friendly, and as for how they had left the fighting scene together instead of going their separate ways, like usual.

As usual, Chloe and Sabrina were busy judging everyone else by themselves. Well, Chloe was busy judging as Sabrina was nodding eagerly, typing something away on her phone. Nobody paid much attention to them by then.

As usual, Kim and Alix were challenging each other at some other stupid bet as they were waiting for the ring to bell, cheered on by Max offering statistics about the possible outcomes of the current bet.

As usual, Ivan and Mylene were standing away from their classmates, hugging and talking quietly among themselves, wrapped in their own private world that belonged to nobody else.

As usual, Nathanael was seated all by himself on the college's step, doodling into his sketchpad, while Rose was dizzying Juleka nearby with her incessant chatter about the current whereabouts of Prince Ali.

As usual, a silver luxury car pulled in front of the college just as Marinette finally arrived at school, out of breath for having run from the bakery.

As usual, Adrien exited the car, thanking his bodyguard and wishing him a good day. As usual, the blond fist-bumped Nino as he went up the steps and waved to Alya with a smile.

Unlike the usual, though, Adrien stopped beside Marinette on the school steps and pulled her close to him into an intimate embrace that couldn't be pegged as friendly. Unlike usual, he placed a quick but firm kiss upon the young lady's lips, a huge smile painted on both of their lips.

Françoise-Dupont's student collectively held their breaths as they witnessed the improbable.

Adrien Agreste had just kissed Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and instead of spontaneously combusting on the spot, the young woman was just smiling, leaning into his embrace. When they broke apart, Adrien sighed loudly, "I've missed you."

Marinette just laughed, confusing their classmates even further than they already were. "We were together not even ten hours ago, you're just being clingy now."

Pouting, Adrien intertwined their fingers together as he led her up the stairs, oblivious to their friends staring. "Sorry for enjoying being with you."

Nudging him playfully, Marinette answered with a coy smile, "It's okay love, I've missed you too."

And then they crossed Françoise-Dupont college's doors hand in hand, falling out of sight and earshot of their very shocked and very curious friends.

Nino was the first to break the heavy silence that had fell upon the courtyard, "What the hell was that?"

An equally shocked Alya nodded before adding, her voice full of wonders, "What the heck happened over Christmas' break?"