Marinette was surprised that there was nothing on her desk or in her locker or appearing magically in her school bag that day.

It was a little disappointing and if she had been in the state she was in two days ago she would have taken it as sign that he was bored with her. Yet after yesterday, with the vows and the honesty and the sincerity, she wasn't going to let such doubts bother her and ruin the trust she had in her Kitty.

So instead she waited because she had no doubt, whatsoever, that Chat Noir had something up his sleeve.

He always did.

And she was proven right when she was manning the shop counter that Friday evening while her Mum cooked dinner and her Dad was doing prep for tomorrow morning. The bakery was having a quiet hour as the last minute shoppers picking up after school snacks and treats for after dinner began to go home and Marinette leaned against the counter, bored, as she rested her cheek on her hand.

The bell rang as the shop door opened and Marinette jumped to lie as she tried to look attentive and busy. "Hi!" she chirped cheerfully. "How can I help you?"

A middle-aged man dressed in work overalls, who looked tired, sweaty, and eager to go home, smiled weakly back. "Miss Dupain-Cheng?" he inquired.

"That's me" Marinette nodded.

"I have this for you," the man said as he passed her a note. Her name, as always, was neatly typed on the front. "Do you have anyone that can help you?" he asked as he eyed her warily. "It's a big delivery."

Oh dear God in heaven! What on earth did Chat Noir get her this time?!

"My parents are in the back," she reassured the delivery man, "they will be able to help me."

The delivery man slumped in relief. "Oh thank God," he muttered to himself, "if you would just wait a moment, Miss."

Marinette nodded as she opened the letter. "On the tenth day of Valentine," she murmured to herself, "my true love gave to me, ten bolts of cloth." She paused as she let that sink in. ten bolts….ten actual bolts of cloth….oh dear God! Her eyes widened in horror as the delivery man returned huffing and puffing as he dragged in a bolt of stunning red silk. "Mum!" she called out. "Dad! I'm going to need some help!"

It took two whole hours for Marinette and her parents to move each and every single, enormous and heavy, bolt of cloth up the stairs and then manoeuvred each and every one of them up the ladder into Marinette's room. There was now literally no floor space available as she had red silk, black velvet, a deep, emerald, cotton, sky blue, three different shades of pink from baby pink to a deep, dusty, rose, a white gauzy material that sparkled and glittered like fairy wings, a warm, sunny, yellow, and finally a plain grey that she could certainly decorate with some embroidery if she so wished to.

Her fingers were already itching to make something.

"Whew!" Dad gasped as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Don't take this the wrong way, sweetie," he said between pants as he tried to catch his breath, "but I do hope we don't have to go through this every Valentine's Day."

"If this is just for Valentine's Day before they're going out," Mum moaned from the chaise were she had collapsed from exhaustion, "I would hate to see what happens on their anniversary."

Dad groaned pitifully as Marinette blushed a deep, dark, red that rivalled the red silk that Chat Noir had sent. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I swear! I didn't ask for all of this! I didn't encourage him!"

Her parents laughed at that. A brief, joyful, full out laugh that took them forever to calm down from. "Oh baby girl!" Dad murmured as he pulled Marinette into a bone-crunching bear hug. She hugged back just as fiercely as she soaked in her father's love and affection. "You have nothing to be sorry for. We're not that bothered by it. It's nice actually….to know there's someone else out there that treasures you just as much as we do."

Marinette squeaked in embarrassment but she was saved from actually speaking when her Mum stepped up and wedged herself into the hug. Marinette leaned into her mother's arms as she breathed in the sweet, musky, perfume her mother always wore and relaxed at the feel of her mother's fingers running through her hair.

Sadly Marinette totally ruined the moment when her stomach rumbled loudly. Fortunately though her stomach wasn't the only one rumbling. All three of the Dupain-Cheng's laughed sheepishly.

"I should get back to the dinner!" Mum cried out. "It's probably ruined now!"

"Never mind, love," Dad said cheerfully, "we can just order in. It is a Friday after all."

There was a burble of excitement as they argued which take out they should get. They eventually decided on pizza (and which toppings to get) before Dad ducked down stairs to make the order. Mum was on the verge of leaving when she turned round hesitatingly.

"Marinette," she said softly, "I don't want to pressure you into anything but….well a relationship is a two way street and this boy, well, he's pulling all the stops, he's going all out and…"

"Don't worry Mum," Marinette said reassuringly, "I know I can't do anything like this," she gestured wildly to her bedroom, "but I won't let him go without something in return."

"Just as long as it's an actual present," Mum said sternly, "I don't want you to feel that you have to put out to make up for all of this."

"Mum!" Marinette squawked.

"I know! I know!" Mum said hastily. "He doesn't seem that type to me either but….I'm your mother, Marinette. I'm allowed to worry and be overprotective."

"I'm not putting out!" Marinette said firmly as she was sure her head was about to explode .she could barely handle the idea of kissing a boy without squealing into her pillow out of embarrassment (much to Tiki's everlasting amusement) the idea of anything more was just too cringe-y and embarrassing! "I'm just going to make him something!"

"Exactly what every parent wants to hear," Mum said cheerfully, "but if one day you change your mind I hope you know you can come to me and we can-"

"I know I can come to you!" Marinette shrieked, her face all hot and not because she just spent the last two hours dragging up bolts of cloth three floors. "Now can you please go?!"

Mum's twinkly laugh echoed back up to Marinette's room as she climbed down the ladder. Marinette groaned as she covered her face with her hands. "Why are my parents so embarrassing?" she moaned.

"Because they care," Tiki reminded her softly. "They don't deliberately seek out to humiliate you, you know."

"I know," Marinette mumbled, "doesn't change the fact that it is still incredibly embarrassing."

"That's because you're a teenager," Tiki said breezily, "you lot get embarrassed by everything. So," she zoomed round the room as she examined all the different bolts of cloth, "are you going to make Chat Noir a Valentine's Day present?"

"Yes," Marinette said firmly, "he deserves that much at the very least."

"What are you going to make him?"

Marinette was stumped for a moment. She had no idea. It was going to soon be too warm (she hopes) for hats and scarves and gloves so that immediately ruled out a rushed knit job. Besides she wanted to make Chat something a little more intimate and special. Without thinking, she sank down on the floor and fingered the red silk, the nearest bolt of cloth, thoughtfully.

…she had an idea.

"Tiki," she spoke up, "could you please pass me my sketchpad?"

MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB

Once again Chat Noir barely landed on the balcony when Marinette suddenly ambushed him. She had suddenly thrown her trapdoor open, staggered out, and hastily kicked it close as she waved a measuring tape in front of him.

"You can't come in" she cried out. "Now hold still and arms out!"

"Why can't I come in?" Chat pouted. "It's furry cold out here, Princess."

Marinette mumbled a number to herself as she fumbled for a piece of paper and pen she had already tucked in her jean's back pocket. He watched with interest as she scribbled it down before she suddenly moved the measuring tape down round his stomach.

"My room," she said eventually in a haughty voice that her sweet, wide, smile betrayed utterly, "is not presentable for guests. Someone filled it with all these big, bulky, bolts that is cluttering up everything."

She jotted down another measurement and moved to measure the length of his torso.

"Are you saying that you don't like your new present?" Chat asked sadly though his eyes were definitely glittering with mischief. It was material – the very best, he had to sweet talk (and bribe them with pizza) the interns in charge of the stock room to let him take them out and not mention it to his father – that could be used for anything she wanted to make. There was no way in hell she didn't like it. "I'm hurt!" he said melodramatically. "And here I put so much effort and thought, and-"

"You know I liked the present," Marinette interrupted, unimpressed with his antics, "now can you let me measure your arm, please?"

"Why?" Chat Noir asked as he held out his arm. "Princess," he said gleefully, "are you making me a Valentine's Day present?"

"Could you flex your bicep for me?" Marinette evaded.

"Oh I see!" Chat drawled smugly. "You know Princess if you just want to feel me up you can just ask. You don't need to go through all this pretence I would very happily flex my muscles for your pleasure."

Marinette's face was a red as her superhero suit as she blushed deeply. "Shut up!" she hissed. "I'm not feeling you up!"

"I beg to differ," Chat smirked, "your fingers have been lingering on my bicep for quite some time now."

Her fingertips had been brushing little circles against his leather suit as Marinette held the measuring tape wrapped round his arm. He enjoyed the sensation very much and would very much like it if there had been more.

His Lady was not the type to seriously swoon and coo over his big strong muscles but it's a fantasy he will always have.

He was a romantic like that.

"Meep!" Marinette squeaked.

She whipped her hand away and shakily jot down a number. He hoped that whatever she makes doesn't turn out too tight or baggy because he got her so flustered that she didn't get the right nu…oh who was he kidding? He totally hoped she got the wrong number because he got her that flustered.

"So which one is it, Bugaboo?" he asked. "Are you making me a Valentine's Day present or are you just feeling me up?"

"Well," Marinette said coyly, "you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

He might have swooned just a little bit at that himself. As much as he loved to get all bothered and flustered he liked it just as much when she got him back with her saucy sass.

Marinette smirked as she stepped closer towards him and slipped onto her tiptoes. Her lips barely brushed his cheek for a mere second but it was the longest, most precious, second in his entire life. There was fireworks and everything as his skin tingled and his heart sang with delight. She kissed him! She kissed him she kissed him! He could jump for joy but Marinette already thought he was a dork. He didn't need her to think he was a really big dork.

"Thank you very much," she said quietly, "I will see you tomorrow."

And then she disappeared back into her room with the trapdoor firmly shut behind her.

Chat clutched his cheek and sighed dreamily.

"I'm never washing this cheek again!" he declared to himself.

He does but only because Plagg pointed out that Nathalie would only set an army of make-up artists and stylists on him if he didn't.