Gah! Sorry, I've been busy and in pain. Got a promise ring on the same day I got my first tattoo...and it HURTS.

Anyway, enough of my pain. Read onward~

I own nothing except the word "Ouch"...just kidding.


"Adrien? What on earth are you doing here?"

Adrien spun around to look at who had just said his name and sighed in relief at the sight of his friend, dressed in a knight costume, the armor glittering a dark green under the chandelier light.

"He couldn't be patient and wait like a normal person." Alya laughed.

"N-no, I-"

"Oh, that's ironic, then! Marinette is here, too! Do you want me to go get her?" Nino asked, pointing back up the stairs.

"No!" He winced and instantly lowered his voice. "No, I was never here, Nino."

"But she's just upstairs, getting ready. I can-"

"Nino, I don't want her knowing I'm here. Just...Alya, can you hide me somewhere?"

She raised an eyebrow while pulling white lace gloves on. "You want me to hide you?"

"Just until she leaves." He paused. "She is going to leave at some point, right?"

"Oh my. It seems you two are more alike than I once thought." Alya sighed. "I suppose I'll be kind and let y-"

"Alya? Who's here?"

Adrien held his breath as heels were heard coming closer before stepping down the first step of the staircase. His eyes watched as two red shoes made their way downward, followed by a black lace underskirt and a red, flowing train. A red gown. Open back. Strapless. A delicate black necklace and elbow-length gloves to match. Her hair was down, maskless. She looked breathtaking.

"Adrien!" She cried when she saw who stood at the door, her eyes wide. "Oh Alya, why didn't you tell me?! Now he knows what my costume looks like!"

Without giving the blond a chance to say anything (or anyone to say anything, really), she ran back up the stairs. Nino blinked and shook his head.

"Well then. I think a drink would be nice, Alya. Care for one, Adrien?" His friend wordlessly shook his head, eyes still trained on the staircase. "Right, I think you're drunk enough on what you just saw."

"Leave the poor man be. He's just seen a masterpiece. Just wait until you seen it in completion." Alya chuckled, then went to join her husband.


Adrien had taken to staying near the door, waiting for either Marinette to come back down, his friends to come out of the dining room or his servants to arrive with a tall glass of champagne. He needed something to calm his shot nerves.

Just then, a bare foot came down the stair, tiptoeing quietly. He stared for a moment and then smirked when he realized what she was trying to do.

"Well, aren't you a sneaky one?"

She gave a squeak and the foot vanished back upstairs. "Adrien?! You're still down there?"

"I'm simply waiting for a drink. Feel free to come down again. I'd love to see you in your beautiful glory once more."

"Go away. I wanted to make my costume a surprise and now you've basically ruined it." she groaned.

"Or you can just come downstairs and join me." He offered. "I don't bite…much."

"You're awful, Monsieur Agreste."

"I try."

She huffed and then all was silent again before those shoes appeared once more, coming down the stairs. The sight was still as affective as the first time. She now had her hair up in a loose chignon, little rubies pinning it up. He noticed there was now a mask in her gloved hand, red lace hanging from the back of it.

"You're irritating, you know." she huffed.

"Hm…and yet, you're still down here with me." He winked. "I think I win this round, don't I?"

Her only response was to put her nose in the air and storm past him, going down the left hall and towards the dining room. How she knew to go there, Adrien had no idea. Perhaps Alya and her were such close friends that they could feel where the other was. Nino certainly seemed to have that sort of thing when it came time to find him.

"Monsieur. Your drink." Plagg asked, having popped up out of nowhere.

"Gah! Plagg, could you please restrain from sneaking up on me like that!? It's going to be the death of me at some point."

"It's not my fault. If anything, blame the little lady you can't ever take your eyes off of." He held out the tall glass with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Here you are."

Adrien took it and sipped the drink, nodding in approval. "Thank you, Plagg. You and your wife should go and change before we leave."

"Of course. Tikki will have my head if I refuse to wear it." The tall servant wandered back down to the servants' quarters. "Oh, try not to let Mademoiselle Marinette get into your head too much. Women tend to do that sort of thing to us."

Adrien questioned whether or not that was more of an insult or friendly advice; he took it as neither. Plagg wasn't exactly one you should listen to about this sort of thing.


"Everyone ready?" Nino asked, peeking back at the little group waiting behind him.

"As we'll ever be." Adrien muttered.

His friend grinned and nodded in thanks as Plagg opened the door for them. They all set out, Nino automatically offering his arm to his lovely wife, who was now fully dressed, mask and all. A fox fit her cunning personality and witty remarks. Nino was a lucky man.

Marinette, on the other hand, refused to even look at her handsome companion, her cheeks red while she gripped her mask in her hands. She hadn't said a word to him, even when he attempted to make small talk. Perhaps she was really angry with him. Adrien regretted having come by the Lahiffe estate.

"This way, Monsieur." Tikki called out.

He snapped out of his distress and looked to see Plagg and Tikki were ready and waiting at his carriage, with Tikki in a maroon fairy costume and Plagg in a green and black jester outfit. He glanced back to see Marinette had already gone off and stepped into the Lahiffe carriage, her shoulders thrown back in a clear message: She was really angry at him.

He sighed and made his way into his own carriage, putting his head in his hands as the door was shut and Plagg snapped at the horses. Tikki tried to talk to him, but he just asked that she leave him be to think.

He was in need of the apology of Mademoiselle Marinette Dupain-Cheng or else he was never going to be able to succeed in courting her.


By the way, finally watched the Christmas special...and I kinda laughed at it. It was cute, yes, but...it was more amusing than anything else.

Anyway, I'll be updating as soon as I can. I need some more painkillers, though, so not sure I'll be writing as quickly and as frequently as I'd like.

Love you guys!