(dedicated to callmeakumatized, who's birthday is today and who's one of the few who got my last joke! Happy birthday, sweets! Hope you enjoy!)

Day 21 (December 21st) - Warm

(continued from 13 – "Hot Chocolate Mustache" and 14 – "it's too cold for this")

"Wha—?" Marinette exclaimed, looking at him wildly, her hand automatically going to her choker. "Adrien, what are you talking about?!"

Tell her.

Say it. She's begging you! Just say it!

But….

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, turning to leave. Her hand shot out, catching the sleeve of his coat.

"Don't. You. Dare," she growled, her voice shaking. "Don't you dare leave me here with just that!"

"I already said sorry."

"I'm not talking about—Are you—?! Tell me something!" she cried, shaking her head. "Something only he would know!"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"IT DOES TO ME! I looked—I looked everywhere for you!"

"And I just stood there."

Marinette pulled him back around so she could stare into his eyes, as if she could search his very soul. Adrien gave her a tired smile, too exhausted to fight it anymore.

"I just stood there, milady. The police were taking my father away, you were giving statement after statement, and I… I just stood there. Poor little Adrien Agreste. I told myself later there was no use in giving Plagg more camembert, you already had it under control. There was no use trying to give a statement; they were all focused on you."

He gave a little laugh. "The great Ladybug, a simple baker's daughter. A great human-interests story, but," he swallowed, "can you imagine the sensationalism if Chat Noir turned out to be the son of Hawkmoth?!" He took a moment to laugh. "There'd be riots in the streets! Protests! 'Experts' giving their 'expert opinion' on how I might've affected the team…."

"Chat…." Marinette's eyes filled with tears.

"People wondering if I might've been helping my father all along! It did take us years to track him down, after all."

"No—"

"And, let's face it. You didn't really need me."

"That's not true!" Marinette choked out, tears streaming down her face. "You—Do you have any idea how much I regret how that night played out?! I sent Chat away and never heard from him again! And one of my best friends from school lost both of his parents and had to go live with relatives in another country! I never heard from him again either—and I was sure he hated me, because I was the reason he was alone!"

"My face was revealed, Chat! Nobody would leave me alone! News crews! Photographers! Stalkers! Hollywood! Do you have any idea how many nights I spent on my balcony, hoping you would come and save me?!"

"Sorry I let you down on that one too, then," Adrien said wryly.

"You didn't let me down!" she insisted. "You—he was your father, Adrien! My God! Of course you were in shock! I wouldn't expect anything else! But why didn't you tell me afterwards?!"

"Master Fu came and got the ring the next morning," Adrien admitted. "Said he was sorry; he hadn't known who Hawkmoth was either. It was just… bad luck." He shrugged and gave her a smile. It was an old joke of theirs; their powers being based on luck. "But he also couldn't risk the ring leaving the country, and my cousins were coming later that day, so…."

He gave her an apologetic smile. "I asked him not to tell you who I was. I didn't want to… sully your victory."

"You… you idiot!" Marinette sobbed.

And then, to his surprise, she reached up and pulled him into a kiss.

Warmth radiated into him from her lips, filling him, soothing him. It washed away the rage, the loneliness, the ache that had filled him ever since that night. In its place was a calm. A feeling of rightness.

This was where he belonged.

In her arms, kissing her.

He kissed her back.

She pulled away, her hand coming up to rub her face. "Stubble," she giggled.

"Sorry. I can shave it—"

"Don't. I kind of like it," she said, running her hand along his cheek. "My kitty's got whiskers," she murmured.

Adrien breath caught.

Her kitty.

Even after all this—! Even after he'd abandoned her for so many years! She still—he was still hers?!

This time, he was the one to kiss her. He practically lunged at her as he pulled her into his arms. But she gave as good as got; her gasps breathing fire into his veins with each passing minute. Finally, though, she pulled away.

"We need to get back to the party," she whispered against his skin. Adrien groaned, dropping his head onto her shoulder. "And I think we need to find some mistletoe." He perked up, liking this plan a bit more. Marinette giggled again at the expression on his face. "To explain that lipstick on your collar. I don't think a quick rinse is going to get it all off. Chloé made me buy the expensive stuff this time."

"Thank you, Chloé."

Marinette laughed, and continued to straighten his collar and mess with his jacket, before she finally looked up at him.

"Then, you aren't going to leave my side for the remainder of the party," she said, decision made. "And when it's over, I'm going to take you back to my place and make certain you never want to leave Paris again."

He sucked in a breath. "This is a good plan," he whispered. "I like this plan."

She gave him a smug smile. "I thought you might."

"But what will the people of Paris think? About their hero dating a—"

"Who cares what they think?" Marinette demanded, pulling him close again. "You are mine, Adrien Agreste. I lost you once. And I will fight anyone who tries to take you away again." She looked him up and down. "Even you."

Hers. Warmth blossomed again in his chest at the thought.

And really, Adrien thought, there was no use in arguing with Ladybug.

So, he did what any rational man would do. He kissed her again.

End.