A/N: Slight rating bump ;) Nothing too bad.


22.Aged-up

Marinette was the happiest woman in the world. Attending her dream college on a partial scholarship was amazing. She was loved by her teachers for her dedication to learn and grow. She had a top fashion designer telling her which elective classes she should take to give herself the best chance once she graduated.

And she had the best boyfriend in the history of ever.

She got out of class only to see him waiting around for her, and she couldn't help but squeal in excitement.

The moment she ran into his arms, he picked her up and swung her around once before… not putting her back on the ground.

"Hey," she said, rubbing her nose against his. "What are you doing here?"

"The professor let everyone out early today so I ran over here as quickly as I could to pick you up."

She giggled as he slowly lowered her to the ground. "I know the perfect café we could grab some lunch at."

"Wherever you want to go," he said.

With her hand in his, they walked to Adrien's car, then drove over to the café.

"I like how you've been wearing your hair, recently," Marinette commented.

"Yeah?" Adrien asked, running a hand through it.

"Yeah," Marinette said. "Not that I don't like the bedhead, but the side-swept look has a little more class to it. Now, to get rid of the cat pun tees."

Adrien gasped in mock offence. "How dare you say such a thing!"

Marinette giggled. "You know I'm teasing. Though, I do appreciate that you're starting to wear some other clothes, too."

"My girlfriend is a fashion designer," he said. "I had to clean up my act a little."

"Your father is a fashion designer, and you didn't clean up for him."

"You're different," Adrien said, squeezing her hand and bringing it up to his lips to kiss. "I actually want to look like I'm worthy to stand next to you."

Marinette scoffed. "Please. I'm the one that needs to stand up to you."

"Yeah, right," Adrien huffed. "As if."

They made it to the shop, and ever the gentleman, Adrien opened the door for her.

"After you, my princess."

She shook her head, cheeks warm. Just shy of two years of dating and he still got her flustered.

Not that she didn't love it.

Marinette ordered for the both of them with a "trust me, you'll love it." And then pouted when Adrien got his card out before her.

His grin was too smug, gosh darn it.

After eating and causing a minor scene with her shoving food in Adrien's smug mouth, the two debated if they were going to go to her house or his. Adrien said that he forgot something at his house, henceforth, to the Agreste Mansion it was.

Besides, playing UMS IV on his high definition big screen was always fun.

"Do you want to set up the game while I grab what I need?" Adrien asked

"Sure." She knew by heart where he kept the game, so setting it up was a cinch. She then pulled both controllers over to the couch just as Adrien was approaching. "Ready to get your butt handed to—"

She froze, completely unable to finish her sentence. Because Adrien had knelt down beside her with a ring in his hand.

"I remember when we started dating that you said you didn't want to rush into a marriage with university and all that," he began. "But I have just been so, so happy that the thought of not marrying you isn't even comprehendible. And we basically see each other every day even if we just sit in silence and do homework together, and… I just have to take the risk and ask you, because you're worth it and you'll always be worth it. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, will you marry me?"

Her eyes bounced between him and the ring, her poor, fried mind slowly catching up to her. Eventually, her hand found its way over her gaping mouth. "Yes," she said, mind finally working again. "Yes. Of course, yes!"

With a grin, Adrien reached out for her hand which she quickly threw in front of him. He chuckled, grabbing hold of her hand and sliding the ruby ring on her finger.

He didn't let go, instead using it to pull her closer to him.

She didn't resist, leaning closer and closer until he was able to wrap his hand around the back of her head and pull her in for a long kiss.


23.Fashion Show

Adrien knew it had to be done, so he enlisted his fiancée—his fiancée! Even after four months, he still couldn't quite get over that—to assist him.

"I managed to pair everything else down so that we could fit it in the apartment," Adrien began. "I went through everything and took only what I wanted. However, the closet is another monster entirely."

Marinette stared at the closet. "Yeah," she said. "Because you saw the apartment we want to rent: the closet is…"

"Too small," Adrien said.

Marinette nodded. "For a fashion designer and her cat-pun-shirt-loving soon-to-be husband, yes."

Adrien couldn't resist wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against his side. "I have no clue where to start."

Marinette paused in thought. "Okay. So, rule: if I haven't seen you in it in the past, like, two months, you don't get to keep it. Even if I don't remember seeing you in it, you don't get to keep it. You get to keep half the cat pun shirts—"

"What?" Adrien cried.

Marinette gave him a sympathetic smile. "Adrien, honey, I love you. I love you a lot. But if I remember correctly, you have sixty-seven cat pun shirts. You don't get to keep all them."

Adrien pouted, but he supposed she was right. "Seventy-two."

"Case and point," she said. "So how about we start there. Rules: if it has holes, it's gone. If it's overly faded and worn, it's gone. If I rarely see you in it, it's gone. And then we'll see how many are left."

Adrien pouted. "There's a ripped seam in my anime kitty shirt."

Marinette sighed. "I'm not gonna fight you on that one. I'll fix it. Everything else, though!"

"Understood."

One by one, Marinette pulled out each shirt and examined it. If it fit the 'dump' criteria, then she automatically tossed it before Adrien could say a word. In the end, there was a pile of thirty-one shirts he got to keep.

"I am immensely proud of you," Marinette said.

With a pout, Adrien dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. "My heart."

She patted his back. "You'll live. Now, pull out any other clothes that you wear on a regular basis."

A couple rounds later, Adrien had pulled out all the clothes that Marinette had told him to.

"And the rest can go," Adrien commented, looking at the still surprisingly full closet.

"Yup," Marinette agreed. "There are more clothes in here than there are at a fashion show."

"To be fair," Adrien said. "I really don't remember the last time I cleaned out my closet."

Marinette hummed. "That's actually not surprising. And as much as I'd love to stay and help you clean out the rest—"

"You have to go," Adrien finished. He grabbed her cheeks, pulling her in to press a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you so much for coming to help."

"My pleasure," she said, grabbing his own cheeks and getting a good angle to kiss him. "I'll see you later."

"I've got to help you take all the clothes you stole down to the car," Adrien countered. "I am not completely saying good-bye yet. And that was not a proper good-bye kiss."

She smirked. "Fair enough."


For Christmas, Marinette's gift to Adrien consisted of a rather large gift box. "For you, my love."

Adrien eagerly opened it, only to nearly scream in excitement at the quilt Marinette made with all his old cat-pun tee shirts.

"Did I mention you are the most wonderful woman in the whole world and that I am the absolute luckiest man alive to be marrying you?"

"Hmm… once or twice. Now put me down; you're squishing me."


24.Bridal Style

Marinette had never planned on having a winter wedding—she was not a cold weather person—but having her wedding after the holidays allowed nearly all her and Adrien's old classmates to come since they were already back in Paris for winter break. Everyone was overjoyed for them, of course because, in the words of Alya, "you're the best ship ever."

When the reception came to a close, Marinette and Adrien bolted for the limo, with people throwing rice and sending wolf whistles their way.

The night was young, but Marinette and Adrien had spent the day busy freaking out in the morning, then standing at the alter and crying as they exchanged vows, then throwing a wildly fun reception. They were ready to retreat to their new apartment that they had slowly moved into yet hadn't lived in a day yet. They decided that they would christen it tonight as a very special occasion.

After all, it was their wedding night.

"I swear, I am the luckiest man in the world," Adrien said, cupping the back of her neck so he could pull her head close and lean their foreheads together.

"And I'm the luckiest woman in the world," Marinette countered, placing her free hand over his heart. "I still can't believe… wow, we just got married."

Adrien nodded.

"We're husband and wife."

"Yeah."

"I'm Mrs. Agreste."

Smirking, Adrien growled. "Yes, you are."

Marinette giggled, her brain barely functioning.

The limo stopped in front of their apartment building, meaning the two thanked the driver and Adrien assisted Marinette, in her full-skirted wedding dress, out of the limo.

Together, they scurried to their apartment, hand in hand, grinning like giddy school kids. They slid to a stop in front of their apartment door, Adrien pulling out the key. He stuck it into the lock, and Marinette put her hand over his. Together, they turned the key to their home. Their home. The thought warmed Marinette's heart. She was here, baring the love of her life's last name, opening up the door to the home they now shared together.

It was perfect.

Suddenly, Marinette felt herself being lifted into the air. She squealed, reflexively wrapping her arms around Adrien's neck. He chuckled, shifting her closer to press his forehead against hers. "I love you, my bride."

Marinette relaxed in his arms. "I love you, too, my groom."

He turned sideways as he entered the door so as to avoid walking her into the door frame, then kicked the door shut behind him. He turned to lock the door, but Marinette got it before he could.

"Thank you," he said, starting toward the bedroom.

"Well, you kinda have your hands full," Marinette said with a wink.

"Out of all the things to have my hands full with, your certainly my favorite."

Marinette snorted amusedly, but her cheeks felt hot at the insinuation.

They got to their bedroom, and Adrien set her on the ground. They stared at the bed, one they had bought together but never used.

"So," Adrien began, clearing his throat and calling her attention. His cheeks were bright red, probably as red as hers. "So how's this 'night of passion' supposed to work?"

The words held just enough lightness in them to be funny, and Marinette couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled out of her. "Isn't the husband supposed to, like… I don't know, strip is wife out of her dress and make passionate love to her?"

Adrien flashed a new shade of bright red before smirking. "You mean, like get down on his knees and say 'Oh, my darling!'" He was now on his knees, his head tossed back in an exaggerated attempt to be suave. "'How ravishing you look. Let me undress you in some sensual way—'"

By now, Marinette was bent over laughing at his antics.

"'—and sweep you up in my arms, only to dump you on the plushest of beds imaginable and ravish you on the silk sheets."

"They're cotton."

Adrien broke character, toppling over on the floor and holding his gut in laugher

After a while, the duo was able to settle down. "Okay, okay," Marinette began, her voice still high from her laughter. "First, I do need you to unzip my dress. And then we'll figure it out from there."

Smile still on his face, Adrien stood from the ground, walking behind her to unzip the dress. "Now, don't you let it just drop to the floor to reveal some super sexy lingerie or something?"

Marinette snorted a laugh, quickly covering her mouth again. Adrien was laughing, too, clearly teasing yet again. "You are such a dork," Marinette said, still holding her dress up to her chest. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Undress me and use me as you please."

Marinette barked another laugh as Adrien slipped out of his tuxedo jacket. "You're ridiculous."

"Honestly," Adrien said, his tone growing a little more sober. "I'm just nervous."

Marinette's amusement died down, too. "Same," she said. "I mean… we spent so long just taking things slow and not wanting things to get overcomplicated. I didn't mind not, you know, falling into bed with you every other night as some couples seemingly do. I really just… enjoyed being with you."

Adrien's smile was soft and sweet. "I did, too. That is… not to say I didn't think about it, but…" He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No, I get it," Marinette said, approaching him and taking his hands in hers. "And now we have tonight."

He nodded. "And now we have tonight."

They stared at each other a while longer before Adrien pulled her in close and kissed her, gently and sweetly.

She responded in kind, enjoying the sweet touches that caused her heart to skip like a schoolgirl.

"We take the night slow," Adrien said between kisses. "And we just… figure everything out as we go."

"I think that sounds like a good idea," she said, leaning in to kiss her husband once again.