Chapter Thirty: Christmas Wishes.
Adrien and Marinette finally get to see the Winter Wonderland Fair and make some special wishes.
Monday 30th December 2019. 1 p.m. Winter Wonderland Fair.
Alya and Nino spilled out of the car with excited yells, leaving Marinette and Adrien to climb out after them at a more sedate pace. "Thanks M. Guerin," Marinette thanked Adrien's bodyguard as she climbed out.
He nodded back at her before turning to Adrien. "Call me when you're ready to leave. I'll be close by."
Adrien promised he would and Marinette barely waited for him to close the car door before linking their hands together and tugging him along after their friends. This was an officially approved date that Adrien was allowed to go on and she wanted to make the most of it. The Fair was only open for one more day but with Chloé's gala happening tomorrow they wouldn't have time to come and see the sights. Today was their last chance.
She felt him tug her back and giggled when he parted their hands so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders instead. Marinette wrapped hers around his waist and snuggled into him. "Possessive kitty."
"Snuggly bug," he teased. "So where to first?"
"I think Alya went that way?" she gestured vaguely to left. Adrien let her walk them over there and, sure enough, Alya and Nino were a few stalls in front of them and exaggerating their impatience for them to catch up. Naturally, Marinette and Adrien had to walk even slower. Alya just booed them while Nino laughed.
Their first stop was the refreshment section.
"I figured if we stopped here and poured a lot of hot chocolate down our girl here," Alya tipped her head at Marinette with a grin, "then she won't freeze halfway round."
"Fantastic idea." Adrien nodded eagerly.
Marinette just sighed. One alone she could deal with, but when both her boyfriend and her best friend teamed up against her she knew she didn't stand a chance. Not that she wanted to argue right now. A hot chocolate sounded divine.
After a mock argument over who was going to pay, which Nino surprisingly won by paying while the rest of them were occupied, they headed off to see the entertainment with their drinks in hand. Marinette was plenty warm with her vanilla hot chocolate and her cuddly boyfriend and she intended to stay that way.
They went to see the reindeer first, admiring the handsome Dasher and silly Dancer while listening to the handlers talk. Apparently they had also had a third reindeer, Vixen, but she mysteriously "escaped" just before Christmas and was sent back to her farm to rest after her adventure. Marinette didn't know how the four of them managed to keep a straight face during that speech as they all burst out laughing as they walked away.
Kim and Alix were insane.
They quickly walked through the stalls set up with the youngest children in mind, with puppet shows and a mini-carousel, and Alya regaled them with tales of what her two imps did when they came a few days ago. Ella and Etta were the reason for half of the newer child safety signs. Marinette was just glad she hadn't been roped in to help, or worse, bring Manon.
She shuddered at the thought.
"Cold love?" Adrien immediately tightened his hold on her.
Marinette shook her head. "Just imagining bringing Manon here."
This time Adrien was the one to shudder.
After the young kids section came the general entertainment section. The stage was currently empty, but signs advertised a Cinderella panto would be starting in ten minutes. There were rows of benches set in front of the stage, some already occupied, and several ushers stood by with bright blue blankets ready to hand out to the audience if they wanted them. That was something Marinette approved of since the organisers saw fit to set up an open air stage in winter. How silly.
Adrien hadn't been to a panto before but he had seen many versions of the Cinderella story before and, with both Alya and Nino saying it wasn't the best panto they'd ever seen, he was willing to give it a miss. He was very glad when Marinette agreed to leave it since he didn't want her to sit in the open air and freeze.
He smiled when they rounded the corner and found themselves at the tiny ice rink that he had seen Rose and Juleka have so much fun on yesterday. It wasn't what he wanted to bring Marinette here for but it did look like fun.
Alya gave an excited squeal. "Oh we have got to do this! The twins were too small to go on so I missed my chance the other day. Let's go!"
She tried to pull Marinette forward but her hands tightened around Adrien. He looked down to see her pulling a face and shaking her head. "No way! Not with my coordination!"
"Oh come on girl." Alya rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I'm sure your boyfriend would keep you upright."
Adrien felt vaguely insulted by the insinuation the Marinette wasn't capable and that he needed to be reminded to catch her. Marinette scoffed too. "I know he would," she argued. Adrien felt himself preen. "But I'm not going to risk tripping and knocking us both down the day before the gala."
Well, there went any chance of him being allowed on the fake ice. If Nathalie found out he had done something that could damage his image so much, because heaven forbid Adrien Agreste get so much as a blemish let alone a bruise, he would never get permission for another unchaperoned date ever again.
He could see Nino and Alya both looking at the fake ice in contemplation. Their coordination was better than Marinette's but there were plenty of people falling over and tripping others up on the rink already.
"Good point," Alya sighed and turned her back on the rink. "Yeah, you're right. It's not worth it. On the off chance that Ladybug and Chat Noir actually do show up tomorrow-"
Adrien, Marinette, and Nino all snorted at that.
"I want all my limbs intact for the party so I can grab an interview with them." Alya grinned then blinked and gave Nino a sheepish look. "And dance with you too, babe."
Nino snorted. "I'm really feeling the love here."
"Moving on then," Alya made a shoo motion with her hands as they walked off.
The next row they walked down had a mixture of lots of things. There was a storytelling corner filled with young children, a hook-a-duck stall, a tombola, a fortune teller who claimed to know what the New Year would bring, a selfie stand complete with silly accessories. Alya tried to drag them over but Adrien had to refuse. One of the celebrity cut-outs they had as a prop was a life-sized version of himself, and if he went over there then everyone would know that the Adrien Agreste was there within minutes. He'd like to carry on having fun for as long as he could before he was discovered. Alya pouted but accepted his reasons. Besides, she could always go back with Nino later.
At the very back of the park, furthest away from the Fair entrance was a large oak tree. Its leaves had long since fallen but the canopy above them was filled with baubles and ribbons and paper streamers of all shapes and colours. It looked beautifully vibrant and they just had to check it out. There was a vendor stood at a stall with a mountain of pens and pencils and papers, ribbons, and decorations of all shapes and sizes. There was also a bucket saying donations welcome.
"What's this?" Alya ran up excitedly.
The man grinned. "It's the New Year Wish Tree. Write a wish on one of these," he gestured to the paper and ribbons in front of him, "then tie it to the tree, and your wish will come true at midnight tomorrow night!"
Nino grinned. "I'm game."
The vendor handed them each a pen and allowed them to choose whatever they wanted to write on. Alya dove for the Ladybug print paper, and Nino gave a fond but resigned sigh and took the Chat Noir one. Adrien shared a look with Marinette, because really, and they both burst out laughing. Only Alya. He eventually settled on a pretty bluebell colour, the same as her eyes and his favourite scarf, and then winked at her when she blushed. He was surprised that she skipped over the pink and went for green until he realised she was matching him and he grinned.
His girlfriend was the best.
They joined their friends on the bench under the oak tree just as Nino finished his wish. "Done!"
Alya snatched it from his hands before he could tie it to the tree and burst out laughing. "To be the most famous DJ in the world?" she read. "Maybe you should go for something a little more attainable - you're only sixteen, babe."
He just leaned over her shoulder and read hers out. "To get the scoop of a lifetime - Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities." He gave her a look. "Sure! Mine is the unrealistic one."
"Excuse me!" Alya scoffed. "I am a fantastic journalist, thank you very much, and Ladybug and Chat Noir seem to like me. If anyone can get close enough to get the scoop then it's me!"
"If you say so babe." Nino chuckled. "Hey! Let's leave these lovebirds to make their wish and head over to the photo stand, yeah?"
They headed off, blowing kisses over their shoulders, and leaving a very worried Adrien and Marinette behind. Thank god neither of them had noticed their reaction to Alya's wish. It would have given them away for sure.
Adrien flopped onto the bench and Marinette immediately curled up against him. He grinned at her, then looked over to where Nino and Alya were barely visible through the crowds. "I really hope this tree isn't that good at granting wishes" he sighed.
"Me too," Marinette admitted. She held out her paper. "I really don't know what to wish for."
"I know what you mean, I got everything I could possibly want for Christmas this year." Adrien tilted her head up to him and leaned down to kiss her sweetly. "Everything and more."
"Silly kitty!" Marinette blushed but pulled him back down for another longer kiss.
A gagging sound erupted from Adrien's jacket pocket and they quickly broke the kiss and looked down in shock. Plagg carefully stuck his head out and glared at them. "You two are so gross! I don't want to be part of this right now - can I share with Tikki?"
"Killjoy!"
Adrien groused and grumbled at his kwami even as he carefully snuck him out of his jacket pocket and slipped him into Marinette's bag. Tikki waved up at him before grabbing Plagg in a cuddle. He couldn't help but grin. Plagg was a bit brash at times but he was an affectionate little thing. Although sometimes Adrien really wished that Plagg wouldn't share so much. The last thing he wanted was a wedge of camembert shoved under his nose, or to step in another hairball, or...
Adrien grinned and snatched up his pen. "I know what I'm going to wish for."
He wrote it with a flourish and signed his name before putting the lid back on and holding it out for Marinette to read. She scanned the paper and then burst out laughing. "No more hairballs for the whole of 2020?" Her laugh was echoed by a smaller one in her bag as well as a hiss. "Well in that case mine has to be-" she quickly uncapped her own pen and scrawled her wish "-I will not stab myself with a needle for all of 2020."
He burst out laughing. "That is a very good wish my Princess!"
His phone chimed then and he pulled it out of his jeans pocket automatically. He half expected it to be Nino sending him a photo of him and Marinette kissing beneath the tree, or suggesting another date, or pointing out something romantic for him and Marinette to do. After his initial annoyance at being left out of the loop, including his annoyance at having to wait until Gabriel had been told before finding out, Nino had been in full-on support mode. Anything Adrien wanted, Nino would do. Needed a cover story for a date with Marinette? Nino would lie to Nathalie's face about a homework project. Needed to buy something that couldn't show up in the mansion? Nino would buy it and hold onto it for him.
Honestly, Adien was blessed with the best friends ever.
Unluckily for him, though, it was a text from Nathalie and not Nino. He frowned but opened it immediately and held it between them so Marinette could read it too. It was not a good idea to ignore communications from Nathalie.
Adrien, our social media team has come across your name in connection with the Winter Wonderland Fair a few times now. While it may be nothing there are already signs that your fans are en route to the fair. Your bodyguard is waiting for you at the entrance. Hurry home now before the fans get too much.
He sighed. There were perks to his job, but there were also a lot of negatives. "I'm so sorry love."
"Don't be. I understand."
He sighed again. This shouldn't be something she needed to be understanding of. He should be able to go out in public with her for a simple date and not have it called off for security reasons. Maybe he should look into getting a disguise for their dates? Maybe a wig?
"Hey," Marinette gently cupped his face and turned him to meet her gaze. She was smiling, not looking upset or disappointed at all. Instead, she leaned in and gave him a sweet and tender kiss that almost made him forget anything else existed. "I love you Adrien. All of you. I don't love you because your last name is Agreste, or because you're rich, or famous, and absolutely not because of how hot you look in magical leather…"
Adrien didn't bother trying to fight his grin. "But it is a purr-k."
She giggled and booped his nose. "My point is that I love you, and all the good and bad that comes with it. I can deal with the busy schedule and the interrupted dates and the annoying fans and press stuff - I am Ladybug after all."
"And people say you're the lucky one. Clearly it's me since I have you."
He kissed her then, short and sweet but so full of meaning. This woman was his everything and if he couldn't give her a good date today he was definitely going to go all out for the gala tomorrow. Plus there was that one other surprise here at the Fair that he wanted her to see. He quickly shot off a text to Nino, apologising but promising to see him tomorrow, and shoved his phone back in his pocket.
"There's one more thing I want to do before we leave today, if you're okay with that?"
She cocked her head to one side but nodded. They tied their wishes to the lowest branch of the tree and then he took her by he had and hurried away. He did not lead her towards any of the stalls though and he could feel her curious gaze burning into him. He didn't stop until he'd pulled her along to the last tree along the back wall of the park, the one next to the little green bench, and positioned them right under and very small and well hidden red ribbon.
"I wasn't telling the whole truth earlier you know," he smirked. He could see a wary excitement cross her face and his smile grew even bigger. "I got you for Christmas which is all of my wishes come true - except one."
She frowned at him so he just grinned and looked up. She cautiously did the same… and then burst into hysterical laughter when the saw the tiny sprig of mistletoe that he had hidden there yesterday with the intention of bringing her here.
"Is this why you wanted to come here yesterday?" Marinette barely managed to gasp out between giggles.
He was not at all embarrassed to admit it. "I slipped this in the tree before collecting you yesterday. But then the akuma happened." Adrien gave an exaggerated sigh and she burst into laughter again.
"Oh, my poor, sweet kitten!" she teased. It didn't stop her from walking closer to him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. His purr was already roaring to life in his chest even as he settled his hands on her hips. "To think that nasty akuma ruined all your hard work."
"It's not completely ruined."
She leaned up, her eyes fluttering shut. "Not at all."
Author's notes. Reminder, I have still not seen all of season 2 and none of season 3. Please check my author's profile for a list of the episodes I have seen and please don't spoil it for me.
Woohoo, another day with a double posting of chapters. This also means, drum roll please, that I have finally caught up and will actually be posting the final chapter of this story tomorrow on the final day of the challenge. Yeah! And my wrist is barely hurting me any more so double yeah.
Replies to reviews.
owlthewriter - yep, I'm pretty sure most of Paris agrees. Thanks for the review.
yellow14 - hmm, yes, I'm pretty sure that's how the song goes. Certainly in Paris anyway.