Chapter Seventeen: Christmas Tree.

It isn't Christmas without a few pranks and a smidgen of destruction. Even the kwamis get in on the act.

Tuesday 17th December 2019. 7.45 p.m. Marinette's bedroom.

Marinette was humming to herself as she carefully sewed some more beads onto her dress. It was really starting to come together now.

It had taken three days to measure, cut, and sew the main body her gown, another day to ensure the fit was perfect, and another day to add in some minor embellishments. Ever since then she had been working on the beading to make sure it looks as perfect as she had envisioned it. It was time consuming, and painful when the needle slipped and pricked her fingers, but it was a labour of love and the end result would be more than worth it.

Marinette could hardly wait to show it off at the New Year's Gala. There were bound to be some people there she could network with, maybe get a few commissions, and possibly even someone to mentor her or help her to get into an exclusive fashion internship. Alright, so that was a little unlikely but, hey, a girl can dream right? Alya had given her some business cards as an investment in her future for her last birthday and Marinette could hardly wait to put them to use.

That was why her dress had to be perfect.

Of course, that fact that she was also going to the gala with Adrien was a pretty big deal too. She wanted to leave him stunned when he saw her.

Her phone beeped on the table next to her but she ignored it.

Tikki didn't. She swiped at the screen and checked what the notification was for. "Alya sent you another text."

"What's she threatening this time?" Marinette said, grinning even as she threaded a few more beads and set about securing them in place. She didn't get very many opportunities to tease Alya and so she was milking this for all it had.

Tikki didn't share her laughter though. "She is going to revoke your maid-of-honour privileges and you are no longer godmother to her firstborn. Wow, she's getting serious."

"She knows I'm just teasing."

Tikki sighed. "Maybe you should tell her the truth now?" she suggested with a stern look. "Telling her you put her joke mistletoe to good use without elaborating was fun, but it's been hours since you told her and she's really getting wound up."

"Are you telling me that giving it to you and Plagg wasn't a good use?"

Tikki actually blushed. "No, but…"

"Don't worry about it, Tikki," Marinette paused in her sewing to smile reassuringly. "Alya knows I'm busy with my dress now, she's just killing time until I've finished and I can talk to her. I'm going to tell her the truth in a little while."

Marinette privately suspected that Alya already knew the truth. She gasped and screamed and pulled at her hair in frustration all morning after Marinette had told her that she had put the mistletoe to good use and then said nothing more. She had let Plagg and Tikki hide in her bag with the mistletoe before presenting it to her parents for the bakery - and then she pretended not to see the lipstick marks all over her father's face for the rest of the day.

Alya probably expected her to say something like that even though she obviously hoped to hear Marinette say that she had used the mistletoe on Adrien and kissed him. Marinette wished that was what she would tell Alya too, but the timing wasn't right for their kiss. Not yet.

She gave a happy sigh as she turned back to her beading. It was still hard to believe that it really was a yet and not an if. She had dreamed of kissing Adrien (and Chat Noir if she was honest) for so long; and now it was going to happen. She wasn't stupid. She knew it was going to happen.

Tikki nodded. "Okay. So long as you tell her."

"I'll do that as soon as I've finished this section of beading," Marinette promised.

Tikki floated over and perched on her shoulder, cooing at her dress in awe. "It's looking beautiful! Adrien won't know what hit him."

"I hope so." She couldn't wait to see his face when he saw the dress.

As if her thoughts had summoned him her phone started to ring and Adrien's contact photo flashed up on screen. Marinette blinked at it in surprise. Did he really have that magical sixth cat-sense that he was always bragging about?

She reached for her phone, paused, and withdrew her hand. "Am I going to have to hide my things again?" she wondered, eyeing her dress and wondering how she could hide it if this phone call was about him visiting via the Chat-flap. Marinette decided to cross that bridge if and when she came to it and grabbed her phone, hitting answer straight away. Tikki, as had become her habit, snuggle up on her shoulder next to the phone so she could listen to the call. "Hey Kitty."

"Hey." Adrien greeted. Marinette and Tikki shared a concerned look. He sounded really strained. "Can I speak to Tikki please?"

Marinette's eyebrows shot up. This was certainly odd. "Uh, sure?"

She didn't bother moving the phone from her ear, fully aware that Tikki could hear everything, but she did tilt it towards her kwami a little more. Tikki shifted around to face the phone. "Hello Adrien."

"Quick question - do you hate me?" he asked. Both girls gasped, wondering how on earth he could even think such a thing, but Adrien forged ahead without waiting for them to formulate an answer to his shocking question. "Because right now I can't think of any other reason for you to show Plagg that video!"

Tikki squeaked in shock. "Oh. Oops?"

"Oops? Oops!"

Marinette was a little lost until she remembered the funny cat video that Tikki had found a few weeks ago. She had been delighted with it and made Marinette watch it with her multiple times. That was the only video that Adrien could be referring to. "You mean the Christmas cat video?"

"Yes!" Adrien snapped, letting the stress in his voice show. "She showed it to Plagg who-"

There was a yowl in the background and then Plagg's voice echoed down the line. "It's Christmas time at last, I'm gonna have a blast-"

Adrien actually whimpered. "Oh god, no, not again!"

"To help with the decor, I knock it to the floor-"

Several smashes and thuds happened followed by a yelp.

"Plagg no, not the lantern! Don't eat that!"

"'Cause when it comes to decorating less is more!"

Marinette could hardly believe her ears. "Tikki, you didn't?" the wince she got was answer enough. The girls could only sit back and listen in shock at the unfolding carnage in Adrien's bedroom.

"I'm not always understood, sometimes they think that I'm a brat-"

"You damn well are!"

"But Santa knows if I'm bad or good, he also knows that I'm a cat, so I'm climbing up the Christmas tree to help with the festivity, I'm climbing up the Christmas tree neow!"

"There's nothing festive about that!"

"The garland takes a spill because of my goodwill, I chew the lights to save on the electric bill-"

Adrien yelped. "Spit that out! Spit that out right now! Oh god, Tikki why do you hate me so much?"

Marinette was beginning to think she should transform and go over there. "What were you thinking Tikki?"

Tikki winced. "I didn't think he'd be this bad!"

Adrien choked on the other end of the line. "You knew?"

"I'm an artist not a dog, I eat the tinsel just to make a tiny Yule log!"

"Don't you dare go near my clothes!"

Marinette covered her face with her free hand. It sounded like Adrien was having a nightmare of a time with Plagg but she had no clue if it would help the situation at all for her to go over there. She would in a heartbeat but Plagg was a crafty little thing who could probably run circles around both of them.

Tikki was also hiding her face as she listened to Plagg's singing and destruction binge. "I'm sorry Adrien, really I am. He can usually control himself so much better."

There was another loud crash on the end of the line and the girls winced as Adrien groaned in frustration. "Why is he doing this?"

"Well, he is a cat kwami." Tikki said.

"Make up your minds fool, In the meantime you'll See me on the Christmas tree 'cause all cats rule!"

Tikki was the one to groan this time. "That includes all of their annoying traits as well at their endearing ones."

"Annoying? This is way beyond annoying!"

"As for your smelly guests, Can't make no promises, I might poop in their shoes and eat their shoelaces!"

"You stay the hell away from my wardrobe Plagg! Tikki how do I fix this?"

"...you can't."

Marinette gasped. "Tikki!"

Tikki waved her tiny paws frantically. "I didn't mean it like that. When cats get like this you have to wait them out. He'll calm down soon enough."

"How soon is soon?"

"I'm climbing up that Christmas tree neow!" Plagg answered Adrien's question. His voice rose in volume significantly before holding the final note for several beats then falling quiet with a sigh.

The sudden silence was deafening.

Adrien sighed. The girls could hear a shifting sound, like he was finally sitting down and resting after chasing Plagg all around his room. "Thank god," he murmured. "I'm still annoyed with you though, Tikki."

"That's fair. Do you need help cleaning up?"

Marinette was willing to transform and race over there to help him after that ordeal. So willing in fact that she would have transformed before he could have finished saying the word yes. She was a little disappointed by his answer though.

"No. Thank you, but I'm going to leave it and have an early night."

Tikki nodded. "Okay. Goodnight Adrien, and I'm really sorry."

"Are you sure you're ok kitten?" Marinette couldn't help but ask. He sounded so tired. He'd had a ridiculously early morning today for some fittings and a piano rehearsal for one of his father's events and then had to go to school on top of that. He must be exhausted right now.

Over in the Agreste mansion, Adrien smiled at the concern he could clearly hear in her voice.

Adrien sat on his bed and forced his muscles to relax and let the stresses of the day fade away. "I'll be fine Lovebug," he reassured her. Despite Plagg's antics the room was still fairly intact. A few ornaments had been broken, all of them the ugly gaudy ones that his father had given to him, but Plagg had mostly just run around singing in his hyperactivity. "I just get stressed when Plagg gets like this in case he gets discovered. An early night will fix me up again."

He could hear her sigh on the other end of the line. "If you're sure? I promise I'll give you plenty of cuddles in the morning though."

Adrien smiled again. "That is perfect. You are perfect."

"So are you. Now get some rest my kitten. I love you."

There were no sweeter words in the French language, Adrien decided. "I love you too." He hung up the phone and let his hand drop on the bed next to him. Plagg was lay face-down on his computer desk, work out from his mood. Adrien had seen this far too many times before, though never usually this early in the day. 2 a.m. was Plagg's favourite time to act out. "Is it out of your system yet Plagg?

"Yeah, sorry kid," Plagg spoke into the desk, muffling his words. He barely managed to lift his head and look at Adrien with tired eyes. "I can usually hold it in better."

Adrien knew that was true. He'd seen Plagg successfully ignore laser pointers and turn his nose up at fish before. He could control his cat tendencies if he wanted to so it was concerning that he couldn't stop his manic behaviour. "You're not ill are you?"

"Me?" Plagg snorted. "No way! I think-" he paused and stretched before yawning and showing off his tiny fangs. "I think it was the excitement of seeing Tikki again," he mused before zipping over the bed and curling up on his favourite pillow. "I get why you and your Princess were taking things slowly now - it's a little overwhelming, isn't it?"

"Yeah it is." Adrien reached over and scratched Plagg behind the ear. His purr started up automatically and his tiny paws began kneading the pillow. He glared at Adrien but didn't try to stop his cat-like behaviour, clearly too tired to care. "Sorry for shouting."

"Sorry for trying to eat the tree."

"I knew you wouldn't. There was no cheese on it."

Plagg shook his head. "I still say it would be better with cheese, but there's no accounting for taste." They both chuckled at that. It was an old argument between them by this point. Adrien was just starting to lie down in bed when Plagg lifted his head up again. "Why didn't you let her come over?"

He'd wondered that himself. Especially when she had promised him cuddles. "She's busy and I'm tired." Adrien said after a moment's thought. It was true. He had already changed into his pyjamas for an early night after his long and stressful day.

"Yeah, but you could have given her the gift you bought for her today."

Two sets of eyes landed on the small jewellery box on his bedside table and Adrien couldn't help but grin.

Gorilla had picked him up after school to take him to another fashion related activity - Adrien didn't even care to recall it - and they had got stuck in traffic behind a broken down car. They hadn't been stuck long but they had stopped in the perfect position for Adrien to see the window display of a tiny jewellery shop.

That was when he had seen this. The gift he had been looking for.

It was the perfect gift to show Marinette that he was happy with who she was, the perfect gift to mark a new chapter in their heroic partnership, and hopefully a gift that signified that start of something more between them.

He really wanted her to have it now, but his patience with this would definitely be rewarded. "That is for Christmas," he reminded Plagg.

"So it could have been an early gift. You could have also got a goodnight kiss."

Adrien was really regretting not inviting her over now. He groaned and flopped down on the bed, burrowing under the covers and stretching in a very feline manner. "Don't start that again Plagg. I've been fending texts from Nino all day about whether or not I caught Marinette under the mistletoe."

"I'm just saying…"

"You don't need to worry. I have the perfect plan for all of that."

And he did. He had gone over it from every angle he could think of and it was perfect. With a bit of luck he might just get a girlfriend for Christmas this year.

Author's note. This was the only thing I can think of for this prompt. The song and video are everywhere in my life around Christmas as I come from a family full of crazy cat-people. The video, combined with my headcanon that Plagg always wants to act like a real cat, resulted in this. I hope it isn't too bad. If you want to listen to the song, and I can highly recommend it, then search for I'm Climbing up the Christmas Tree Neow by ShoKo on youtube.

Replies to reviews.

owlthewriter - gosh that would have been fun to see! I'm glad you like the story so far, thanks for reviewing.

yellow14 - I did warn you this was going to be a sweet and fluffy story. Cute overload comes with the territory. Thanks for catching the typos for me but I think I'm going to give up on catching every last one of them in this story - I'm making too many with a bust wrist. I'll go back and edit them all once I'm healed. Glad you like it so far.

Guest - thanks for the review and I'm really glad that you like it so far.