The afternoon came much faster than Marinette would have liked. Her parents would probably be wondering where she was if she didn't come back soon. They'd slept in and cuddled for longer than she'd have ever imagined to have the pleasure of experiencing.

They'd sat down to breakfast at the coffee table and ended up picking out a film to watch. It was a Disney movie. Marinette had learned he was a romantic at heart AND a Disney fan. They were a match made in Heaven without a doubt.

Adrien had fallen asleep during their last movie together. He had a sweet habit of giggling in his sleep. She thought it was absolutely adorable. He'd fallen over against her shoulder before turning to snuggle against her chest. It came out in a hum through his nose that reminded her of Winnie the Pooh. When he did it the first time she thought he was awake, but just when she realized he was asleep he did it again. She gushed over him and whispered, "Awww, you're so cute." She reflexively wrapped her arms around him to hug him closer to her. He was precious.

The warmth of his body sent a shiver through her. Marinette tenderly strung her fingers through his golden locks. She couldn't believe that Adrien was Chat Noir. She still couldn't wrap her mind around the differences between himself and his alter-ego. Adrien was sweet, kind, innocent, and quiet. It often seemed he didn't have much to say. Then there was Chat. Chat was flirty, playful, and never seemed to shut up. Although, thinking back she remembered just how playful Adrien really was; there was always a sparkle in his eyes. He wasn't really shy, but reserved. At times he was shameless and Marinette could only just now see him as he was. Adrien was Chat Noir.

"Hmmm," he hummed and rubbed his head against her fingertips, "You may want to stop doing that before you start something I have to finish."

Marinette gulped at the flirtatious way he spoke to her. Oh...my. She gently removed her fingers from his hair, "I'm afraid I need to get headed home, Chaton."

She heard him huff a pout as he snuggled deeper against her side. His arms snaked around her waist and he held her firmly, "No."

Marinette giggled, "You can't keep me here forever."

"Wanna bet?" he growled.

"I have to get home. My parents will call the police or something if I don't come home soon."

"Don't care," he shook his head, "You're not going."

"Adrien." The serious tone in her voice triggered the snapping of his eyes to hers. They were unashamed; possessive and feral. "Don't give me that look! You and I both know-"

"That you're mine?" He buried his head against her ribs again and nuzzled her gently.

Marinette chuckled at his petulant childlike attitude. This was a personality trait she'd never seen in him before; possessive. She squirmed trying to free herself from him, but he just ensnared her in a tighter, vice-like grip. She pulled one arm free and wrapped it around him, gently stroking his back, and chuckled, "You realize I'm going to win, don't you? Is that why you're so...clingy?"

His face jerked up and Adrien gasped in mock affront, "I. am. not. clingy."

"Whatever you say, dear," Marinette placed a kiss to his nose.

His eyes blinked and a silly smile came over his face, "God, I love you," he purred, releasing his grip on her.

"I don't want to go, either. I just know we have to pretend we're still Adrien and Marinette. Friends."

His breath burst out of him like a balloon popping, "Bah...noooo," he whined. He leaned his head back, "This sucks."

"What sucks?"

"Knowing the girl I fell in love with, twice, coincidentally, I can't have because NO ONE knows that I love her. It isn't fair."

"Why are you talking about me like I'm not here?" she smirked.

"It's a process. It makes it easier to detach myself from you."

"Clingy," she mumbled again.

He glared at her, "I'm not...I'm clingy," he nodded in agreement, "I'm not sorry."

"Neither am I," Marinette sighed happily while leaning him back so she could wrap her arms around his torso and lay her head on his chest, "I love you."

"I love you," he kissed the top of her head. "This is surprisingly easy. Effortless, even."

"Hugging tends to be pretty straightforward," Marinette stated with amusement.

Adrien lifted his head to look at her, his eyebrows rising, "Someone is sassy!" They both chuckled, "Thank you, Mrs. Obvious, but I was referring to our marriage. Way to ruin the serious moment I was going for." He clicked his tongue in fake irritation.

Marinette began to snicker, "I'm sorry, you're Adrien now. I'm ready. Okay, this going between your two separate personalities is difficult for me without the mask's visual assist."

"Ah, yes, you do know that I, Adrien Agreste, am Chat, too, right?"

"Yes," she nodded, "I'm learning."

"Keep up," he chuckled, "No, I was meaning getting into this whole relationship has been so effortless. Yesterday, last night even, I thought we were going to be living in different cities for the next few years while you go to school and I'd spend the better part of that time trying to win your affections. Imagine my surprise, when I find out that we're going to start our lives together, NOW, and you already love me. I'm just overwhelmed."

Marinette thought to herself quietly. It was pretty amazing at how life had worked out in their favor. He at least knew he was marrying Ladybug, someone he was already in love with, so he'd just have to win her affections. She was going in with a much more blind faith in their relationship in spite of the depressing realization that she couldn't have Adrien. Here she was getting to have her cake and eat it, too.

"I agree, mon minou, but now we really need to discuss after. We can't tell anyone that we're married."

"No, no!" his eyes widened thinking about their friends finding out. He'd have been able to play off a secret marriage if it was with a stranger, the girl he thought Ladybug was, but there's no way they could pass it off if his love was Marinette. He'd been trying not to show any interest in her as of late because he secretly wanted to. Then there was the media. They'd know something was off with Adrien and demand answers. No, no one could know they were married.

"We have a week until Alya and Nino get back. We'll need to come up with a back story; like how we started dating or something."

Adrien was nodding absentmindedly, his mind somewhere else, when he gasped, "Oh no! Mari, I told my father I wasn't seeing you." His eyes were wide as he realized this mistake. "I lied...to my father. He's a human lie detector. He's going to know."

"He didn't," she smirked.

"That's because I didn't know it at the time," he waved his hand flippantly. Then he grinned and looked at her, "No, he didn't." It was a satisfied smug that he wore now. He'd inadvertently pulled one over on his old man, but Gabriel didn't need to know that. He could play this off as part of a master plan and feign his prowess at the art of subterfuge. He wondered if his dad would buy that? Probably not, but at least he did manage to fool him now. He'd have to be sure to avoid him until he could invite Marinette over. A silly smile came over his face when he remembered the disappointment on his father's face when he'd told him Marinette wasn't his girl. "You do realize you are going to have to come over for supper as my fiance soon, right?"

"Yes," she smiled shyly, "I did realize that."

Adrien rubbed her back gently, "Don't worry about it, Marinette. I think my father has a soft spot for you."

Her head snapped up, "HE DOES!?" She'd only ever met the man once, in person, and she'd heard horror stories about his prickly demeanor.

Adrien chuckled, "I know, right? He was smitten after graduation. I don't know what you put in those cookies, but I need a bucket of it."

"Why?" she mused.

He stiffened and looked away, "Let's just say I don't get similar vibes from the man."

The distance he put between his affectionate 'father' and 'the man' in such a short time made her heart just about break.

"I'm sure he has a soft spot for you, too," she nuzzled his chest, "You're his son."

Adrien huffed coldly, "I'd like to think that, but sometimes I think I'm just fooling myself."

"I can't imagine how hard that is," she sighed and felt sorry for him. "But, I'm sure he does." Then she crawled into his lap to catch his face in her hands, "I don't see how he couldn't." With that, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Adrien wrapped his arms around her again and held her firmly against his chest.

After a tender moment, she pulled back, "All right, now how are we going to begin dating?"

Adrien smirked before he started to chuckle, "This is so crazy, Marinette."

"Yes, but it has to be done," she smiled.

Adrien gently lifted and deposited her on the other end of the couch. He leaned towards her, "Hi."

Marinette blinked and stared.

"No, don't be rude," he jumped towards her and tucked her bangs behind her ear before bouncing back to his side of the couch, "Let's try that again. Hi."

"Hello," she giggled.

He grinned happily, "Marinette, would you like to go out with me tomorrow?"

She held a hand to her chest in mock surprise, "Why, Adrien, I thought you'd never ask. Yes, I'd love to go out with you."

They both stared at each other and melted into a fit of giggles at the absurdity of it, but at least they were now officially 'dating.'

He slid alongside her and draped his arm around her shoulders, "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Don't you think we're moving a little fast?"

Their eyes met and they erupted into hysterics again. Fast. FAST?! Ha, in a little over two weeks they were engaged and hitched. Fast. Pssh.

"This is all so ridiculous," he wiped the tears from his eyes, but his chest was still shaking with laughter.

"Why, yes, I will be your girlfriend."

"YES!" he did an air punch and smiled, "Whew! I was afraid you'd turn me down." She rolled her eyes at him. "Too much?" She giggled and he winked at her.

"We were made for each other," she laid her head on his shoulder, "Dork."

"Nerd."

"Model."

"Baker."

"Adonis."

"Aphrodite." He smiled and stared at her as she tried to come up with something else to say. Then he sighed, "You said that like you were surprised," he smiled.

"What?"

"We were made for each other."

"No," she shook her head, "I just feel so fortunate, grateful, and thankful that you're you." They sat in companionable silence for a minute before Marinette groaned, "I really have to be getting home now, kitty, or there will be hell to pay. Come visit me tonight!"

Adrien wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. A little growl escaped his lips, "You couldn't keep me away."

All the contact between she and Adrien had her head swimming now. She'd have trouble thinking about anything else. She placed a hand to his chest gently to steady her legs as she stood up. The surreal feeling came in floods; the wave of disbelief rocked her again. "I can't believe this happened, Adrien."

He kissed her head and she heard him breath through his nose against her hair. "I know," he whispered, "How do you feel about it?"

"I'm just completely floored. You have no idea how long I was obsessed with you. I thought about telling you this many times, I was going to confess once I'd married Chat, who coincidentally turned out to be you." She was shifting nervously in his arms. Her breath hitched before she sighed heavily, "I had your weekly schedule mapped out to know when you were doing what. I'd arrange to be in the same places so I could catch a glimpse of you. There were pictures plastered on my wall." She allowed herself to glance up at him, biting her lip nervously, "I was a bit of a stalker."

Adrien stared at her silently for a second before he threw his head back and laughed, "HA! I did the same thing to you."

"What?"

"As Ladybug," he grinned, "I had your patrol routes mapped in my room. I'd follow you some nights to see where you went; just to see you and to be there if you needed me to. You had a pattern for each day. I even contemplated calling you to say there was something I wanted you to help me check out just so I could see you. I'd pay Alya for extra pictures of you she didn't post on the blog. I had pictures of you on MY walls."

Marinette smirked, "What a creep!?"

"HEY!" he exclaimed. She reached up on her tip toes and he pulled back as she kissed his chin. Then he giggled and captured her lips with his sweetly. "Time to go home, lovebug."

"I know," she nodded, "I don't want to."

"Oh, don't forget," he jogged over to the kitchen and picked up her little pot of tulips, "These are yours."

Marinette smiled at the flowers, "They are beautiful."

"I'm going to take the yellow ones, if you don't mind. It is my favorite color."

"Yellow is your favorite color?" she asked surprised. "I thought it was blue!"

"Everyone thinks it is blue. I say blue because more people like it, but I adore yellow."

"You learn something new every day! My favorite color is pink."

"I knew that," he 'booped' her on the nose and she giggled. He was a booper.

Marinette got back to the bakery at 3:30 PM. Her mother was working the front desk when she got there.

"Did you have fun hanging out with your friend?" her mom asked.

"Yeah, I did. It was a lot of fun. We watched movies, ate pizza, and hung out."

Sabine noticed the potted tulips, "Those are pretty."

"Aren't they? I couldn't resist. They are beautiful." Marinette held them to her chest like the precious gift they were.

"I'll be sure to pick up another planter for you when I got out later."

"Thank you, maman!" she leaned over to give her mom a peck on the cheek, "Love you!"

"Love you, honey."

Marinette hopped up to her room and collapsed on her bed. Staring up at her ceiling she allowed herself to squeal excitedly and flail about in her bed. All the pent up energy...surprise, shock, exhilaration, fortune, graciousness...it all hit her like a ton of bricks. Now that she was away she craved his touch and just now, she realized, it wasn't a dream. There would be more time with him; the rest of her life. This isn't how she'd imagined it going, but she wasn't going to complain. She didn't even mind. As far as Marinette was concerned, Adrien's father's push to marry off his son had just given her the greatest gift ever. Not only did she have her son, but years before she'd have ever imagined it happening. Now they got to spend that time with each other. It was like they were getting a head start. She'd have to find a way to make it up to him someday.

There was a guilt in her gut now that she was home, though. She hadn't expected to feel the intense desire to tell her mother about her marriage to Adrien, but she did. This would be harder than she thought.

**Thank you for the reviews! I amended the mistakes I could find. I sometimes forget my own story. :/ I hope you all enjoyed this one. It was slower, but it couldn't be helped. I do realize it was a lot of reiteration, but that's how I would see them figuring each other out and accepting it. Thanks for reading!**