Marinette ran around her room madly, throwing fabric and papers everywhere as she searched.
"Are you okay Marientte?" Tikki asked with concern, ducking and weaving the flying objects Marientte discarded behind her.
"I can't find the book with all our research in it for the history project. Alya, Nino and Adrien are coming here to work on it. I already feel bad enough bailing out on our study session today to help downstairs, but I said they could still work up here and everyone is going to hate me if I can't find this…"
"Is this it?" Called out a little voice. Marinette looked up to find Diazzi and Orikko carrying her note book over to her.
"Oh, you are lifesavers, thank you." She gushed, hugging the two kwami's to her cheek.
Somewhere under the pile of fabrics that had fallen down Marinette heard her phone start ringing. Rummaging around, Mullo popped their head up with the phone in hand. "Thank you." Marinette smiled as she answered the FaceTime call.
"Oh hey Alya, you'll be pleased to know I have the history research in hand." She grinned triumphantly, holding the book up in the air.
"That's great Marinette, but I'm afraid we can't come now."
Marinette looked at Alya surprised. "What do you mean? Couldn't Adrien come to the study session?"
"Oh Adrien's coming alright, but Nino and I can't. I have to babysit Ella and Etta unexpectedly, and I'm going to need Nino to help me, so I'll be sending sunshine over to you on his own."
Marientte almost dropped her phone. "What? What do you mean you're sending him here? If you and Nino can't come, then what's the point?"
Alya just grinned. "Come on girl. Adrien's father let him have the day off for this. Might as well make the most of it." Marinette wondered if strangling her best friend was an option at this point. She might have been managing her crush on Adrien a bit better these days, but with the way the blond haired model had been looking at her lately was giving her heart palpitations, as she wasn't sure she could handle that on her own.
"But Alya, I'm helping my parents make cherry pies for a special order, remember? What am I going to do with Adrien here on my own?"
Alya pushed her glasses up along her nose with a smug grin. "Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something and I want all the deets on Monday." She said with a wink. "Have fun."
"But Alya…" Marinette spluttered, but Alya had already hung up.
Marinette threw the book on her desk and ran a hand down her face."Marinette." Came Sabine's voice from down the stairs. "Adrien is here to see you."
Marinette stood frozen, her hand still on her cheek. Adrien was already here. Her brain had not yet caught up to the fact that he was on his way, and now he was already here! Marinette had not had enough coffee this morning for this.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Marinette shook her head and slapped her cheeks, there was no more time to procrastinate. "Quick, hide." She called to the Kwamis who rapidly dived into the sewing box that hid the Miracle Box just as Adrien opened the trap door.
"Hello." He called out cheerily. "Is it okay if I come in?"
"No...I mean yes… I mean...Sorry, it's just my room is a huge mess." Marinette stammered out as she picked up the strewn papers. "I had to find the project book, but it turns out we won't be needing it."
Adrien opened the door to find Marientte scurrying around. She had her hair tied up in a messy bun on top of her head and she was wearing a very cute white and pink apron decorated with little cherry bunches on it. Adrien couldn't help thinking how adorable she looked in it.
Despite his long held feelings for Ladybug, Adrien knew he had slowly, but surely been falling for Marinette. Her sweet disposition, the kindness she showed to everyone and the way she always made him smile made his heart do funny things. He couldn't help it really, there was just something about her that drew him in. Adrien had to smile to himself as she flubbed her words and her cheeks reddened with her fluster as she tried to clean her room - sweet sixteen, and she hadn't changed a bit.
"Can I help?" He offered, picking up some of the fallen cotton fabric.
"Oh, that's okayyyy…" Marinette squeaked as she slid on some silk still on the floor and pitched forward. Adrien dropped the fabric he was holding and reached out, capturing Marinette in his arms. Losing his own balance he stepped back and came to a stop with his back against the wall, Marinette's head against his chest.
"Are you alright?" He asked a little hoarsely as the intoxicating smell of her perfume assaulted his senses. Marinette turned her blue eyes up to meet his emerald ones, her own breath catching at the proximity.
"Ye...yes. It's fine, I mean I'm fine. Fine, yes." She stuttered, straightening up. Almost instinctively, Adrien's hands moved from her back and rested on her hips. Somewhere in his mind, he wondered if her lips tasted as sweet as they looked.
"Marinette, your father is waiting for you in the kitchen."
At first, neither of them reacted, still lost in each other's eyes. The moment only became lost when Sabine opened Marinette's trap door.
"Marinette, did you hear me?" Her mother asked. Marinette suddenly leaped away from Adrien and picked up the silk she had slipped on.
"I'll be right down." Marinette said, still clearly flustered. Sabine nodded with a smile at an equally pink looking Adrien before heading back down. Adrien let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and rested his head against the wall, his heart still beating in overdrive.
"I'm sorry I can't help with the project." Marinette said as she folded up the fabric. "We have this special order I need to help with. Alya did know that when she organised the study session."
Adrien walked over to where she was and sat a pile of papers on her desk. "Would you mind if I stayed for a while? Maybe I could help?"
Marinette stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "Are you sure? It might be a bit boring."
Adrien smiled at her, but there was a touch of sadness behind his eyes. "I'd only be going home to an empty house. Well, it might as well be empty since my father just shuts himself in his study all day. I'd much rather spend the afternoon with you, if I'm not going to be in the way."
Marinette could feel her heart hurt at the pleading look in his eyes. He almost looked like a lost little kitten. How could she say no to that?
With a warm smile, she reached out and took his hand. "Come on, I'll find you an apron."
~~~~~
Tom gave a silent chuckle at the sight of Adrien standing in the kitchen while Marinette tied an apron matching her own around his waist. Watching from the doorway, he smiled to himself as Marinette reached up on her toes to put a net cap over Adrien's blond locks. The model was a good head and shoulders taller than his petite friend now, and bent down so she could tuck the strands in.
"There." She said triumphantly. "Now no one should find any strays in their pies, because if they're blond we'll know who to blame."
"Harsh." Adrien grumbled playfully.
"Well, someone looks like they are ready to make pies." Tom said, announcing his presence.
"Hi Mr Dupain, I hope you don't mind me helping out." Adrien gave Marinette a shy smile.
"Study was cancelled." Marinette explained as she tucked her own hair into a net. "So Adrien asked if it would be alright if he stayed."
Tom placed his hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Of course! You're always welcome son." He said with a warm smile. Marinette then saw a glint of mischief pass her father's eye as he pointed to Adrien. "Just remember though, I'll have my pie on you."
Marinette flicked her tea towel at her father's leg while Adrien chuckled. "Go on, get out of here." She laughed as her father winked at her and left to head back out to the bakery store front.
"Sorry about him." Marientte said with an eye roll.
Adrien shook his head. "You don't need to apologise, I like your parents, they're really sweet. I can see where you get it from."
Marinette tried really hard to contain the blush she knew was radiating across her cheeks. Clearing her throat she walked over to a large pot that was sitting on the stove. Lifting the lid the sweet fragrant smell of the stewed cherries filled the kitchen.
"Mama and I cooked the cherries earlier. The order is for two dozen single serve pies but we always make a few extras just in case. If we don't ruin them, we can eat those later."
Adrien poked his nose over the pot. "It smells amazing. Is that spice I detect?" He asked as he took another sniff.
"There is all spice, and another special ingredient, but it's a secret." She said playfully, putting a finger to her lips.
Adrien took another long sniff of the cherry mix. "Cinnamon." He said, turning his eyes to her with a triumphant look.
"I'm impressed." Marientte said, folding her arms. "You have a good nose." Adrien just grinned. Sometimes his heightened senses from his Miraculous helped outside the suits a bit too. "It's not a common addition to cherry pie, but papa and I like trying new things."
"Yeah, like using rice in bread, that's so creative." No sooner had the words left his mouth than Adrien realised that he wasn't supposed to know about that. He had been Chat the day he had taste tested Marientte's bread against her grandfather's. She was now looking at him with a confused expression.
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I remember you mentioning it at school. I'd really like to try it one time." He then cleared his throat. "So, what would you like me to do?"
Marientte was still looking at him curiously. It seemed like far too much of a coincidence that Adrien knew about the rice in the bread. She didn't recall saying anything about it at school either. For now though, she would let it slide.
"Well, what I need you to do is scoop the mix into the prepared pie dishes and I'll lay the rolled out pastry on top. It's kind of a sticky mixture, so be careful with it, okay?" She said, trying to sound confident. She took a small spoon and scooped up a bit of the mixture. Adrien watched as she wrapped her lips around the spoon, her lips becoming coated in the sweet mix. Dear Lord he felt this girl was going to be the death of him.
"I think I can handle a sticky situation." Adrien grinned, picking up the ladle and the pot. Marinette rolled her eyes at him in a way that reminded Adrien of Ladybug. He thought maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part, how perfect it would be if the Lady he had loved for so long was also the girl he had slowly been falling for.
The two worked in an almost uncanny tandem and could almost feel the electricity between them as they moved around each other in the kitchen. Every accidental touch just making the air around them even more palpable as Adrien filled the pies with the sweet Cherry mix and Marinette covered them over with the pastry. They finished up by decorating the tops of the pies with little cherry pastry cutouts, and they were now ready for baking.
As Marinette moved around the counter to check the oven was ready she hadn't seen where some of the cherry mixture had dropped onto the floor. Her arms flailing as she tried to grab the counter, she instead found herself for the second time that day pressed up against Adrien's chest, the model managing to steady the two of them with his back against the sink.
"You know, if I didn't know any better. I'd say you were falling for me." Adrien chuckled to make a joke of it, but the look in her eyes gave him hope that perhaps he was closer to the mark than he thought.
"Maybe I did." She breathed, barely above a whisper. Her bluebell eyes searched his emerald ones, a look that seemed so familiar, like those eyes were looking at their whole world.
Adrien was sure his heart had stopped at her words. Marientte looked away from him and went to move away, but Adrien slid his hands down to her hips again, this time holding her to him. He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes back up to his.
"Do you mean it?" He asked, hope in his voice.
"Yes." She murmured. He brought his face in closer to hers, their noses bumping as their lips brushed tentatively past each other. "May I?" He asked, his hand now sliding along her cheek.
Marinette didn't trust herself to speak. She nodded, lifting up onto her toes and closing the distance as he pressed his lips to hers. It only lasted a moment, but Adrien could taste the sweet cherries on her lips, just as he thought he would, and it made a warmth bloom in his chest. When he slowly reopened his eyes again, hers were shining up at him, a soft smile on her face.
The sound of a throat clearing soon caught the attention of the two teens. Watching bright blushes bloom on their faces, Sabine just chuckled at them. "The pies aren't going to bake themselves you know." She quipped, pointing to the pies still on the counter. "Make sure you take one of the spare pies home with you once they bake, Adrien." She smiled at the two fondly before leaving the kitchen.
Marinette held the oven door open as Adrien picked up the trays and slid the pies in. Marinette then set the timer for one hour. "So, what do you want to do while they bake?"
Adrien took her hand in his and pressed a delicate kiss to the back of it. "Well, I would like to ask you something. If you're not too busy tomorrow, there's a new cafe that has not longed opened up and they make the best loaded milkshakes you've ever seen. Would you like to go there with me, on a date I mean?"
"I'd love to." Marientte smiled back. Adrien let out a relieved chuckle before leaning his head back towards hers. Just as he was about to get another taste of those cherry lips Adrien's phone rang. He couldn't hold back the disappointed groan.
"It's Nathalie, I have to take this." He apologised. Answering the call, he went out the back door from the kitchen to the outside.
Marinette walked over to the oven to check on the pies. As she looked through the oven window she touched her fingers to her lips. Marientte could scarcely believe she would be going on a date with Adrien and her mind was already rambling away from her to tomorrow when they would go to the café for lunch and then maybe go for a walk along the Seine and maybe if there's time they could hunt down André for some ice cream and…
"Marinette?" Adrien called behind her. Oops. Marinette realised she had been day dreaming and hadn't heard him. Adrien came closer, a sad smile on his face as he tucked a bit of her hair that had fallen from her hair net behind her ear. "I've got to go. Nathalie said my father moved my Chinese lesson up because he has business associates coming for dinner and I have to attend. I'm so sorry Princess, I'm not being a very good boyfriend bailing out on you like this, and without getting to taste any of your amazing pie."
Marinette blinked at him. The way he had called her Princess sounded so familiar, too familiar, and yet somehow, looking at him just now, it made perfect sense.
"Oh, that's okay." She said, giving him a warm smile. "I'll put your name on one of the pies and give it to you later."
Helping Adrien out of his Apron and hair net, Marinette walked him out to the front door. Tom and Sabine waved him goodbye, and gave each other a knowing look as the two teens held hands as they passed.
"I'll come pick you up around midday okay?" He asked. Marinette nodded with a shy smile, seeing Adrien's bodyguard arriving. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead that made Marinette tingle all over.
She waited on the steps to wave him off, her mind and her heart racing. Tikki then poked her head out of her apron pocket. "Don't worry Marinette, you still have your date tomorrow."
"Oh I know Tikki." Marinette smiled mischievously. "But I think I owe a certain Kitty a date tonight."
~~~~~
Later that night, Chat Noir laid back on a rooftop, his hands behind his head and humming to himself as he looked up into the night sky. He'd had one of the best days ever with Marinette. Even having dinner with his father and boring associates couldn't dampen how happy he felt.
Adrien's father eventually quizzed him on his distracted state, causing Adrien to flush bright red. When he told his father he had asked Marinette out on a date, Gabriel simply gave him an inquisitive raised eyebrow and reminded him to behave himself and act like a gentleman while out in public. It was as good of an endorsement as he was going to get, and Adrien willingly accepted it. Of course, Adrien would always treat Marientte with the respect she deserves, she was a lady after all, his lady now. It was a nice change from all the rejection he had gotten from Ladybug for so long, and yet… Nope, he shook his head. He wasn't going there again. Marinette was his girlfriend now, and she had his whole heart.
Chat closed his eyes and was already picturing their date in his mind, a nice meal at the café, then maybe he would take her for a walk along the Seine. Maybe they could even find André and get some ice cream and…
"Kitty?"
Chat opened his eyes to find Ladybug's bluebell ones looking back at him amused. Gosh her eyes looked a lot like Marientte's, he thought. He smiled up at her.
"Hey there Bugaboo. A purrfectly beautiful night don't you think?"
Ladybug giggled at him. "You're in a good mood."
"The best." He said, sitting up and crossing his legs. "I have a girlfriend, for real, and I feel like I'm walking on a cloud right now."
Ladybug had to bite back a grin. "We'll that's wonderful Chat, I'm really happy for you. In fact I had something pretty wonderful happen to me today too, and I thought we could celebrate together."
It was at this point that Chat noticed Ladybug had a small black backpack with her. She took the backpack off and picked out a thermos as well as two small boxes. "I've got some of my mama's special blend hot chocolate as well as some treats I made today with some help from someone special."
"Someone special?" He questioned, amusement in his voice at the pink blush peeking out from under her mask. "Something you want to tell me about Bug?"
"Why don't you just open up your treat Kitty." She said, pushing the box towards him.
Chat could see a glint in her eyes reflected in the moonlight. His heart felt like it had skipped a beat when he looked back down at the box and saw the Tom and Sabine logo on it. No, it couldn't be, he thought to himself. Carefully opening up the box, he let out a surprised laugh when he recognised the cherry pie inside, the distinct smell of cinnamon hitting his nose immediately and one more detail, an A carved into the pastry.
"Marientte." He breathed out, like an illusion might shatter if he said it too loud.
Ladybug gave him an adoring smile. "I told you I'd put your name on it." She said, and in a moment Chat had put the pie down and wrapped her up in a tight hug.
"It's really you." He said, burying his head into the crook of her neck. "I hoped you were, but I hardly dared to believe it." He then looked away sheepishly. "It was the rice in the bread, wasn't it. Adrien shouldn't have known about that."
Ladybug nodded. "It was just another piece of the puzzle." She said, then she looked more serious. "I'm so sorry I rejected you so many times Minou, but I was so in love with Adrien, I just couldn't see past that."
"I think we were both pretty confused." He admitted, sitting back on his feet so he could see her better. Carefully he cupped her face in both his hands. "But I got to fall in love with you twice. I would have waited a lifetime for you."
She placed her own hands on his leather clad chest. "I'm glad we don't have to wait that long." She smiled before sliding her hands around his neck and bringing him in for a heartfelt kiss.
The next day, Adrien and Marinette chose to ignore the frenzy their Ladynoir kisses the night before had caused on the Ladyblog. Instead they settled themselves in a cozy corner of the café and enjoyed being able to be together, sipping on their loaded milkshakes - with a cherry on top.