Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are the best of friends. Ever since childhood, they've been inseparable, sharing everything. They share secrets, they vent to one another when they're in need, and they're there for each other. In fact, they can't imagine their lives without each other in it.
Now that they're young adults, something in their dynamic has changed. They're not sure what, but something is different between them and it's eating at them like crazy! They're too scared to change what they have, but if they don't...
This is my attempt at a Christmas one-shot that's inspired by Jesse McCartney's song "Why Don't You Kiss Her?"
A young woman with short, dark hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, wearing handmade clothes (including pink that was worn in a mature way) was in her room in a small apartment in Paris. She had several sketches of dresses on her walls in her room and was currently working on one right then.
"Okay, so maybe some glitter-dusted white snowflakes on the waistband for decoration, minimal glitter on the skirt..." Marinette began as she kept sketching when she heard her phone go off.
She looked and saw the image of a young man around her age with blonde hair, bright green eyes, and the name "Adrien Agreste" on the screen. She picked up the device and took the call.
"Hey, Adrien, what's up?" Marinette said as she put her sketchbook down.
"Hi, Marinette. Just calling to confirm our usual movie night tonight." Adrien said on the other end of the line.
"Of course it's on, silly," Marinette said before her tone took a stern turn. "Just remember whose turn it is to pick the movie this week."
"I know, Marinette, you don't have to remind me," Adrien laughed back. "I remember what happened on my previous turn. Actually, your reactions were a lot more entertaining than the movie itself!"
"Come on, Adrien! You were laughing at my fear and you know it!" Marinette complained, groaning. "I was so scared that I almost wet the couch! It was so disgusting! And embarrassing."
"But it was so funny, bugaboo!" Adrien laughed again. "But don't worry, that's the last time I pick a horror movie. I purr-omise."
Marinette laughed at Adrien's pun, meanwhile blushing at being called "bugaboo".
"So... are Alya and Nino joining us tonight?" Adrien asked, sounding a little pensive.
"Nope. Date night for the two of them," Marinette told him. "You know how they are: they spend every possible second together."
"Don't I know it?" Adrien said. "...Someday I hope to find someone to share everything with, the same way they do. They're so in sync."
"Me too..." Marinette agreed, also sounding a bit wistful. "Anyway, see you in about ten to twenty?"
"Yep. I'll be there soon, bugaboo. Go heavy on the butter and salt on the popcorn!" Adrien confirmed.
"I will!" Marinette said as she hung up on the call. She laughed again before saying aloud to herself, "Same old Adrien. Life never gets old with him."
She looked at her wall's cork board and saw a variety of pictures of the two of them together throughout the years. There were pictures of them when they were kindergartener-age (Adrien was homeschooled until lycée); at the amusement park with their parents when they were in the second grade; Adrien hugging Marinette when she was holding a UMSIII school tournament trophy; them together when Adrien was dressed in a nice suit and a derby hat with a feather in it (Marinette won a fashion contest with that hat and was invited to the photo shoot as the prize); so many more to count, including group photos of them with Alya and Nino, selfies, and class photos.
*DING-DONG!*
Marinette got out of her seat and she left her bedroom to go to the unit door. Opening it, she smiled and said, "Hey, Adrien!"
"Hi, Marinette," Adrien laughed, and he came in. "I already got the perfect movie in mind! "Candy Coated Christmas"!"
"Oh, that new movie on the Food Network with the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond as a supporting character?!" Marinette asked.
"Yeah! With it being near Christmas and remembering two weeks ago, I thought it'd be a nice change of pace." Adrien said.
"Great idea!" Marinette said. "Let's put it on! Hey, maybe when the movie's done, we could try making some of Ree Drummond's recipes that are featured in the movie!"
"I love the idea! God only knows I can't cook or bake to save my life... I mean, I've improved, but it's still nothing compared to your parents' goods." Adrien said as they went to the kitchen area.
"Believe me, kitty cat, I know." Marinette chuckled.
Adrien stood by and watched as Marinette put the corn kernels and oil into the popper and turned it on, putting a bowl underneath the spout.
"So, heavy on the salt and butter, right?" Marinette asked as she got popcorn salt out of the cabinet.
"Yep!" Adrien laughed before coming closer. "I really need to learn how to use this stuff..."
"Don't worry, I'm here to play damage control when it's time for practice." Marinette laughed.
Once the popcorn was done, Adrien turned on the Discovery+ App on the TV, turning on the movie.
"So, this is basically like a Hallmark Movie on the Food Network?" Marinette asked as they were watching the beginning scenes.
"Yeah. The synopsis is that our leading lady here is back in her hometown to sell her childhood home, but as usual with Hallmark, romantic shenanigans ensue." Adrien summarized.
As the movie played and they were running out of popcorn, there were plenty of laughs, love, and sweet treats thanks to Ree Drummond's character.
"Ooh, those chocolate peppermint candies look good!" Adrien said.
"Yeah! American desserts can be so weird, but also so good." Marinette agreed.
A chilly breeze came in through the window. Marinette shivered, and she pulled a blanket over herself.
"Hm, there's a draft." Adrien said as he pulled out a baby blue scarf and put it around his neck before climbing under the blanket with Marinette. Their proximity made Marinette's face warm for a second, and her heart beat.
Marinette looked at the scarf and she blinked at it owlishly. Her expression became a big smile, and she giggled.
Adrien glanced at Marinette and asked, "What's so funny?"
"I can't believe you're still wearing that scarf after all these years." Marinette said to him.
"Of course I am. You made it for me," Adrien said as he gently fingered the fabric while looking at Marinette with an emotion that she couldn't quite place. "My fourteenth was my favorite birthday because of it. It's my most prized possession."
Marinette couldn't hold back a smile at those words. It made her feel warm and happy, like a hug from within, and her heart skipped a beat. She went back to watching the movie, while stealing glances at Adrien every few seconds.
At one point, her head leaned against his shoulder. He didn't protest, instead looking at her and smiling before turning his attention back to the movie.
Once the film was over, they did, in fact, try to make Ree Drummond's Mint Brownie Bites.
"You got the Andes mint chocolates?" Marinette asked as she was getting the butter and sugar in the bowl.
"Yeah! All fifty of them." He chuckled.
"Remember, we only need thirty-six of them to melt." Marinette told him.
"I know, I know. Last time, I ate so much of the mix-ins that we didn't have enough for either the batter or the garnish." Adrien laughed.
"It was hilarious, how you didn't gain weight from all of that!" Marinette giggled. "But then again, one day of bad eating doesn't make a difference. How's the mini muffin pan coming along?"
"Here," Adrien said as he passed the prepared pan over to Marinette. "I remembered to use cooking spray this time."
"Good," Marinette giggled as she turned the mixer on to cream the butter and sugar, before adding the cooled chocolate. "We don't need to be scratching the pan with the knives trying to get the treats out again."
"Hey, I bought you a new one!" Adrien said, laughing.
"I know, but I can't help but poke fun at you when I can, kitty cat." Marinette teased as she put in the eggs.
Adrien chuckled in response before handing over the flour.
"Thanks." Marinette said as she put the flour in the bowl before finishing off the batter, including adding the mint extract.
Once they were baked, cooled, and decorated, the minty brownies were on a plate, garnished with the candies, and sitting in front of them.
Adrien was drooling over the chocolate-mint treats, and the look on his face made Marinette laugh.
"Shall we?" Marinette asked.
"Yes! Please!" Adrien agreed as he snagged a brownie bite from the plate, as did Marinette. "I propose a toast: to friendship forever!"
"Cheers!" They said, touching their brownies before taking a bite. But after a beat, they opened their eyes in confusion/disgust.
"Mint overload!" Marinette coughed after swallowing her bite. "It's like I'm brushing my teeth right after eating chocolate!"
"Yeah," Adrien choked in agreement. "I thought there was going to be just the right balance of mint, but it's overpowering the chocolate."
"How much mint extract did you give me?" Marinette asked as she calmed down.
"A tablespoon, why?" Adrien questioned.
"The recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon, Adrien! You used twelve times the extract called for!" Marinette gagged.
Adrien face-palmed in frustration, but the two of them started laughing again. While the brownie bites were a bust, the company and the movie was nice as always.
Marinette looked at Adrien again, and a smile that seemed more than just content came upon her face. Yeah, aside from Alya, Adrien was her best friend in the whole world, and nothing would ever change that between them. Nothing at all...
"Something's changed between us, Nino." Adrien said to his best friend, a taller boy with darker skin, golden eyes behind glasses, headphones around his neck, and wearing very casual clothes.
"What do you mean, dude?" Nino asked while working on a mixtape for a gig he had coming up.
They were hanging out in their apartment's shared living area. It was an open floor plan, so the kitchen and living area were in the same room. Adrien was sitting on the couch, looking down.
"Me and Marinette. I don't know what's going on, but something is different," Adrien confessed. "I mean, we still act the way we usually do. Movie nights, our banter... It seems like everything's normal, but..."
"It isn't, is it?" Nino said as he put his equipment down before walking over to his buddy.
"Pretty much," Adrien admitted. "I don't understand. It's like every time I see her these days, my heart begins beating a little faster and I feel a little shorter of breath. Just yesterday I told her that the scarf she gave me for my fourteenth birthday is my most prized possession."
"What else?" Nino asked, sitting down next to him.
"I lose sleep after seeing her, and I keep hearing voices in my head telling me to well... Do things." Adrien spoke, blushing.
"What kind of things?" Nino questioned.
"Well... Let's just say beyond hugging and kissing her." Adrien said, his blush getting deeper.
Nino nodded in understanding before gesturing for Adrien to continue.
"Almost every time I see a romantic comedy movie, comic, or anything of the sort, I can't help imagining the two of us in those scenarios. And I've been looking forward to seeing her more and more lately," Adrien added as he pulled his knees up against his chest and hugged his legs. "It's both weird and not at the same time. Am I imagining things?"
"No. In fact, I think I can answer this because it's glaringly obvious to me," Nino began before shouting in Adrien's ear (causing him to make distance), "YOU'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOUR CHILDHOOD GAL PAL!"
Adrien pulled back and shook his head in response as Nino crossed his arms and said, "Dude, trust your bro. This has "falling for your best friend" written all over it."
"Nino, you can't be serious." Adrien said, sighing.
"Of course I'm serious, Adrien," Nino chuckled. "It's not unheard of for childhood friends to fall in love."
"Really?" Adrien asked, looking back at Nino.
"Really," Nino said before putting a hand on his shoulder. "You and Marinette are like me and Alya - always spending every spare second together. Gaming, watching movies, talking, whatever. I'd honestly be very surprised if you hadn't fallen in love with her by now, dude."
Adrien hung his head in embarrassment.
"Whatever. It's not like she could ever feel the same way about me," Adrien said in a self-deprecating tone. "We've been friends for so long, I'm sure the idea of falling in love with me is way too out there."
Nino looked at him with a sad expression.
"And... Honestly, is what we have right now so bad?" Adrien asked, being rhetorical.
"I can't answer that, dude," Nino said as he stood up. "But honestly, this is the best advice I can give you, as cliché as it is: listen to your heart."
"Easy for you to say. You and Alya are the perfect couple." Adrien gently argued.
"Trust me, I had a similar problem with Alya in the beginning." Nino said with a laugh.
"Don't give me that. You two took almost no time at all to hook up," Adrien chuckled, smiling. "And I remember the whole thing clearly. You'd been crushing on Alya for ages and you wanted me to be your wingman hiding in the bushes. And we all know how that turned out."
"Yeah," Nino admitted, blushing. "I still can't believe I put my foot in my mouth and said I had a crush on Marinette! That was embarrassing."
"No kidding," Adrien laughed. "No lie, I felt weird about you saying that, even though I knew you didn't mean it."
"I know, but I got to clear things up. Even to this day, I laugh when I remember how we wound up stuck in an abandoned animal cage at the zoo all afternoon when all the animals escaped. It's surreal, dude." Nino laughed.
"At least it worked out. You went into it a nervous wreck and you came out a man with the woman of your dreams on your arm." Adrien said.
"No argument there," Nino laughed. "Now, I'd better get going before I'm late. Alya is fierce when she's angry."
Adrien smiled as he watched his best friend leave. Once he heard the apartment door shut, Adrien went back to his thoughts.
'There's no denying it. I love Marinette. I've loved for a long time, but... I guess I didn't notice until now. What am I gonna do?' Adrien thought.
Meanwhile, Marinette was having a similar dilemma...
Talking to her best friend/roommate, Alya Césaire, she summarized the previous night's feelings she had with Adrien. She was so focused on how endearing (and dorky) he was that she couldn't remember much of the movie. The fact he called the scarf she made him "his most prized possession" made her heart pound with joy. She didn't know when this started, but it didn't seem like it was going to stop.
"Girl, how long have you been feeling this way?" Alya asked.
"I honestly don't know. I lost track." Marinette admitted.
There was a long silence between them for a second.
"I care about Adrien, and we've known each other since as long as I can remember," Marinette admitted. "I want him to stay in my life, and I can't imagine a world where he didn't exist."
"You two first met as tykes, right?" Alya questioned.
"Yeah," Marinette said. "I remember it pretty clearly. My parents brought me along to his house when they had to cater a party for his parents back when his mother was still alive. There wasn't anyone else my age, and a while, I got bored. I started wandering around the mansion before I stumbled upon him in his bedroom. He was watching "Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir", and when he saw me, he asked me to come and watch with him."
"That's where the nicknames came from, right?" Alya asked.
"Right," Marinette giggled. "It was, and still is, our favorite cartoon. We related so much to the protagonists that we started giving each other those exact same nicknames."
"You certainly react better to "Bugaboo" than the heroine ever did." Alya laughed.
"Yeah. We watched a few episodes, started talking, and we became buddies. Next thing I know, our parents burst in and find us playing with some of his toys. The rest is history." Marinette added.
Alya looked at her bestie in sympathy.
"I remember when he first came to school, and he wound up in our class. Chloé tried putting gum on your seat and make Adrien take the fall for it." Alya said.
~Flashback~
Marinette was running to her classroom in a rush. She burst in, shouting, "Sorry I'm late! An old man needed help crossing the street and..."
She saw a mop of blonde hair hunched over her seat, and she squinted at the person when she saw what he was doing.
"Hey!" Marinette shouted, calling for him.
The boy stood up, turned around, and he said, "I'm so sorry! I was trying to take the gum off your se-"
"Adrien, is that you?!" Marinette asked, smiling in response.
Adrien looked at her, before rubbing his eyes and asking, "Marinette?!"
The two of them were silent for a second, but they smiled brightly. With big laughs, Marinette ran towards him and they shared an even bigger hug. They kept laughing, smiling, and spinning around. Everyone was watching in confusion.
"It's so good to see you!" Marinette laughed.
"Great to see you too, Marinette!" Adrien agreed.
"I can't believe this!" Marinette giggled as he put her down. "What are you doing here?"
"I begged my father to enroll me in public school. I couldn't take the isolation anymore, and only seeing you on occasion wasn't enough." Adrien explained.
"This is amazing! And we're in the same class? Today just got so much better," Marinette said. "Now that you're here, we can spend even more time together!"
"I love the idea. But first things first, let me get that gum off your seat." Adrien said as he went over to the chair, used a tissue to get the gum off, and threw it in the wastebasket.
"Thanks, Adrien. Shall we sit together?" Marinette asked as she offered her spot next to her.
"Great idea!" Adrien said.
"No! NOT a great idea!" Chloé screamed from behind. "Adrikins, how do YOU know Dupain-Cheng?!"
"Marinette and I are childhood friends. We met at one of my parents' functions, and we've been buddies ever since." Adrien explained.
"You're friends with Maritrash?! Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Chloé screamed.
"Her name is Marinette. And if you want to still be associated with me, Chloé, you'll leave her alone." Adrien said as he hugged her by the waist in a protective manner.
The two friends sat at a shared bench and they started talking and catching up. Everyone else in the room (barring Chloé) smiled at the sight.
~End of Flashback~
"Yeah. Thanks to that, he really got integrated into our group." Alya added.
"I know. We've been there for each other through thick and thin," Marinette sighed. "When his mother passed, his father wouldn't let anyone other than family or business associates and their kids into the house for a while. I was an exception, especially since Adrien insisted on me being there, especially at his mother's funeral."
"You were the only one that his father allowed at the funeral, last I remember." Alya said to her.
"I was. But now... I want him to actually love me, beyond a platonic place, but it's just so strange to think about." Marinette told her.
"It's not like you're some lovesick teenager whose brain freezes up when you try to talk to him," Alya said as she sat down. "You've known him for such a long time, that the concept of you two falling in love doesn't seem quite right."
Marinette nodded, saying, "That sounds pretty accurate."
"So, any idea what you're going to do about it?" Alya asked her.
"Nothing." Marinette said.
"Nothing?" Alya asked flatly. "Nothing?!"
She stood up before holding her best friend by the shoulders and saying to her, "You're telling me that you've fallen for your childhood best friend, and you're going to do nothing about it?!"
"Yeah." Marinette confirmed with a nod.
"Why?!" Alya screamed in askance. "Nino and I have seen how you two are together: you're made for each other!"
"What's the point, Alya?" Marinette asked. "I've heard him say it so many times: I'm just a friend, so it doesn't matter how I feel about him. If I upset the apple cart by telling him my true feelings, so much between us could change and I... I..."
"I get it: you're scared of ruining what you have." Alya gently said to her.
Marinette nodded in confirmation. But when she looked at her phone, she asked, "Um, don't you have a date with Nino tonight?"
"Oh, that's right!" Alya said before grabbing her clutch and running to the door. "Nino probably won't care if I'm late, but I don't wanna be!"
"You have no idea how many times I've been late before." Marinette laughed.
"Speaking of which, tomorrow's our usual group coffee date." Alya reminded.
"Right!" Marinette said as her best friend ran out the door with purpose.
The following morning, Marinette was walking to their usual coffee shop. She was wearing winter clothing, including a rose gold parka, a pink scarf, white low-heeled snow boots, white earmuffs, and white mittens.
While walking to the coffee shop, she couldn't help but look around at the city. The sky was covered in grey clouds, and there was a gentle, light snowfall falling upon them. The storefronts and buildings around the are had holiday decorations galore. One storefront had a display showcasing a variety of personal care products, including small-batch goats' milk soaps, honey-based facial/body scrubs, shampoos, and body washes in bottles made with bio-degradeable materials. The products were mostly colored in greens and reds, with seasonal scents like cranberry and apple-cinnamon. The display had garlands, wreaths, holly, large red bows, and it all screamed Christmas.
Another window display was for Hanukkah, with blue, silver and gold as the colors. There was a big, silver light-up menorah in the window, and it was surrounded by cooking supplies and hardware, including a food processor for shredding the potatoes and onions to make latkes (with a plate of latkes in front of it as a visual), a deep fat-fryer with a plate of sufganiyot (Jewish jelly donuts) in front of it, Hanukkah gelt (chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil) on the table, which had a blue tablecloth with silver Stars of David as the pattern, and dreidels all throughout the display.
Marinette looked over the rest of the city. The street lamps had wreaths and bows, there were Santas everywhere, and so much more.
Since she wasn't watching where she was going...
*THUD!*
"Oops, sorry!" Marinette said as she stumbled back.
"No problem, I wasn't paying attention, either." A familiar voice said.
Marinette opened her eyes and saw Adrien was standing there, wearing a fancy men's winter trench coat, the scarf, and snow boots.
"Oh, Adrien! Hi-how, her..." Marinette began, before clearing her throat. "Hi there."
"Hi, Marinette," Adrien greeted, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to bump into you."
"Neither did I," Marinette insisted, also blushing. "Not that I don't like being around you and all. I mean, who wouldn't want to be around you? You're so sweet and kind, and I..."
Realizing she was rambling and stuttering, took a deep breath, thinking, 'I must sound like a complete moron!'
'She's so cute, especially when she stutters like that,' Adrien thought with a smile, but he blushed when he realized what he was thinking. 'Oh, I'm sure I'm redder than a ladybug! I just hope she chalks it up to the cold...'
"Th-Thanks for the kind words, Marinette." Adrien thanked, his eyes askance.
"S-So, wh-what are you doing here?" Marinette asked.
"Um... Did you forget? It's our weekly coffee date with Alya and Nino." Adrien said.
"Oh, right! How silly of me..." Marinette said, trying to keep it together and collect herself while thinking, 'I'm so stupid!'
"Y-Yeah..." Adrien agreed, rubbing the back of his neck, awkwardly.
"W-Well... Nothing like coffee with friends, right?" Marinette asked, trying to play the situation off.
"Yeah, and Nino seemed pretty excited about it this time." Adrien pointed out, smiling.
"Alya, too," Marinette added, feeling normal again once the conversation transitioned to their friends. "She's been giddy ever since she got back last night. She said she and Nino had news to share."
"Whatever it is, it must be pretty important." Adrien said.
"Definitely." Marinette agreed.
The two of them shared an awkward laugh before they went silent for a few seconds. Marinette thought, 'I'd better move this along...'
"...Well, shall we?" Marinette said, her eyes gesturing to the door.
"We shall." Adrien said. Playing the gentleman, he opened the door to the café and held it for Marinette. He put on his usual suave smile and said, "Mademoiselle."
Marinette blushed, but it faded quickly as she giggled and walked into the café. Adrien came up behind her. They caught sight of Alya and Nino at another table, waving them over.
"Alya, Nino!" Marinette said as the pair came over to their best friends, and sat down across from them. "How are you two doing?"
"Great. Better than great, actually. In fact..." Alya said, her voice taking on a sly, cunning tone, with her face mirroring it.
Marinette knew that tone, and what it meant.
She watched as Alya lifted up her gloved hand and took it off, revealing a radiant cut diamond ring on a silver band on her ring finger.
"You're engaged?!" Marinette squealed, her eyes bright and happy as she looked at her best friend's hand. Adrien was also looking at them with surprised joy.
"He proposed last night," Alya said before kissing Nino's cheek. The two of them leaned their foreheads together. "We wanted to tell the two of you together!"
"Congratulations, Nino!" Adrien said, as the two of them shared their customary handshake. "I knew you two would take this step at some point."
"I've been saving up so much money for the ring, but I honestly couldn't wait anymore. I just had to drop to a knee and ask." Nino said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were gonna pop the question?" Adrien asked.
"I wanted it to be a surprise." Nino explained.
"Well, mission accomplished, Nino!" Adrien said as he shared a high-five with him.
"This ring is gorgeous! And you're going to be such a beautiful bride, Alya!" Marinette said as she examined her bestie's ring. "I can't wait for the wedding."
"That's the next part we want to talk to you about," Alya mentioned. "Marinette, I want you to be my Maid of Honor!"
"Really?! Maid of Honor?!" Marinette squealed. "It'd be my honor, Alya!"
"That's great! And I want you to make my wedding dress, too!" Alya asked.
"You bet!" Marinette agreed.
Adrien laughed at the scene before turning to Nino and asking, "I guess that makes me the Best Man, Nino?"
"You got it, dude!" Nino said. They shared a fist-bump.
"Oh, this is so exciting! A wedding! A wedding! There's gonna be a wedding! A wedding!" Marinette squealed before singing.
The others laughed in response to her enthusiasm.
"And you know what this means: as the Best Man and Maid of Honor, you two are going to be spending a lot of time working together to help plan the whole thing, dude." Nino said.
Marinette and Adrien looked at each other before blushing and awkwardly looking away. Nino and Alya looked at each other, with Alya winking at her fiancé.
"So... Um, have you guys ordered yet?" Marinette asked, changing the subject as she picked up the menu on the table.
Adrien breathed an internal sigh of relief.
Once the coffee date was over, Adrien and Marinette decided to get down to business on their Best Man and Maid of Honor duties. They were walking the streets of Paris, talking about what they had in mind for ideas for the wedding.
"I'm sure you're already thinking up the ideal dress for Alya," Adrien said to her. "I know that I have to do the speech, organize the rest of the groomsmen, and coordinate with you and Alya for the wedding, but I also gotta make sure I don't bother Nino too much about it, especially the day of."
"I have the same list of duties," Marinette said with a sigh. "But you're right, I'm already thinking about Alya's dress."
"What do you have in mind?" Adrien asked, eager.
"Alya's got curves, and she's proud to show them off, so it's gotta be form-fitting," Marinette said as she started thinking up the design. "Oh, I should've brought my sketchbook with me! Then I'd be drawing up this dress!"
"Yeah, you should make a habit of bringing your book everywhere you go," Adrien suggested. "You never know when and where you could get an idea."
"Definitely!" Marinette agreed. "I think she'd look good in an ivory dress. Don't you think?"
"I do think. It would work well with her skin tone." Adrien agreed.
"Great!" Marinette said, before she and Adrien shared a fist-bump. "Now, I'm already thinking of ideas for the bachelorette party, the flowers, the food! Obviously, my parents will be making the wedding cake!"
Adrien watched, impressed that Marinette's brain was already working. He smiled as he watched her prattle on about the dress. For her part, Marinette realized she was going on and on, and she blushed. She cleared her throat before looking at Adrien out of her peripheral.
"Oh, um... What about you, Adrien? Any ideas on how you're going to do the bachelor party for Nino?" Marinette asked.
"Well... Um, do you think that it's in bad taste to have Nino DJ his own party?" Adrien asked.
"Maybe so, I'm not sure. You should probably talk to him about it first." Marinette confessed as she stood closer to Adrien.
The sound of Christmas music (specifically, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You") started playing in the square. Adrien looked at an advertisement that showed a family of four (of mixed heritage, as the mother was Filipino while the father was Hispanic), all wearing scarves, hats, and holding Christmas presents while the advertised product was front and center in the ad.
Adrien looked at it intently, his face becoming a combination of sad and wistful at the same time. He saw himself and Marinette with their (hopefully) future family and kids.
'Wouldn't that be something? Me and Marinette, married with kids? It'd be bliss.' Adrien thought, briefly smiling.
"...The whole idea of a bachelor or bachelorette party is for everyone to enjoy themselves, and..." Marinette continued, only to notice that Adrien had tuned out. She saw the expression on his face. "Are you okay?"
He didn't answer. Marinette noticed where he was looking, saw the ad, and she looked back at Adrien before asking, "Thinking about your mom?"
Adrien broke out of his reverie before looking at Marinette and asking, "Huh?"
"I saw how you were looking at that advertisement," Marinette said, thumb-jerking to it. "...You must miss your mom, huh?"
Adrien blinked before rubbing the back of his neck, saying, "Er... Yeah, that's it."
Marinette looked at him with sadness before giving him a hug around his neck. She said, "It's okay to cry about it. I know how much you loved her."
Adrien hugged her back, thinking, 'I am SO glad that's the conclusion she jumped to.'
Marinette thought, 'I should've known how much Adrien misses his mom! And Christmas wasn't exactly a thing in his house after she passed...'
Deep down, she wanted to stay like that forever with him, but she pulled away, sadly saying, "We should probably get back down to brass tacks about the wedding, you know?"
Adrien began crying on the inside, not wanting her to leave his embrace, but he said, "We should."
As they kept walking, Marinette kept thinking, 'Stay on topic, Marinette. Adrien only sees you as a friend.'
She glanced behind her, seeing Adrien looking a bit despondent, and her own dismay was palpable.
Once they got to Adrien's apartment, they began sitting at the table with wedding brochures, linens, catalogues from all kinds of vendors, venues, caterers. There was a fabric-covered pin board with some pictures of agreed suggestions on it.
"Okay, we both know oranges and greens are a given with the color scheme," Marinette said as she looked over a florist catalogue. "So, I'm thinking orange and peach peonies with a touch of greenery for flowers for the venue?"
"That sounds like a good plan," Adrien agreed as he leaned over Marinette's shoulder to look at the pictures. "I think we should use darker greens, especially the leaves, to go with the flowers. I think it will really set the orange and peach off."
"G-Great idea." Marinette stuttered, Adrien's cologne wafting over her nose, causing her heart to accelerate and her face to turn red.
For his part, Adrien smelled the sweet scents of the bakery on Marinette, and he could swear his salivary glands were about to hit overdrive.
He looked at her out of his peripheral, saw her red face, and with a faint smile, thought, 'She's so cute...'
But immediately, his thoughts screeched to a halt, he did a mental pivot as his face also went red, and he said, "Um, any ideas about the napkins or tablecloths for the event?"
"W-Well, this dark forest green sounds gorg- er, great!" Marinette said as she pointed at the color she liked. "If the flowers are going to be orange and peach, and only a few leaves are going to be green, we need to balance it out! The plates and tablecloths should be white, since it's a neutral color."
"Th-That's a good point. And what about these ivory ribbons as napkin rings? You know, to go with the yellow undertones of the flowers?" Adrien agreed, leaning in closer and pointing out the jewelry. His hand was on her shoulder (he was unintentionally putting his weight on her).
"Good think- AH!" Marinette said.
Nervous, she began slowly leaning away from him, only for both of them to fall out of their chairs and onto the floor, screaming.
*CRASH! CLATTER!*
The two of them fell in a heap and almost all the materials they were holding onto scattered onto the floor. Adrien was on top of Marinette, and they were looking at each other, both red in the faces. They were staring into each other's eyes, the only thing they could hear were their heartbeats, and one could argue that the temperature went up twenty degrees.
Adrien was examining Marinette's facial features, and his memories were projected onto her face. He was slowly watching her physically change from when they first met to to that exact moment. How she slowly started as a little geranium bud and bloomed into a full-blown flower. Marinette herself was looking up at him, and her mind was also showing her how Adrien went from a cheeky little boy to a mature young man.
Neither made a move. Absolute silence was between them.
She could hear her heart beating a mile a minute in her ears, and she was thinking, 'Ugh, my heart's racing like I just finished a marathon! I hope Adrien can't hear it!'
"I-uh... I..." Marinette stammered, her eyes going askance in embarrassment.
"Y... You...?" Adrien answered, his eyes staying on her.
'C'mon, dude, JUST DO IT! Kiss her and tell her you love her!' Nino's voice rang in Adrien's mind.
Deciding to listen to the voice inside, Adrien looked at Marinette in the eyes again, his face still red. He leaned in closer to her, his eyes lidding. Marinette, slowly but surely, began to mirror his behavior.
"M... Marinette, I..." Adrien began, trying to get the words out, only for there to be a knock at the door.
The loud noise startled Adrien, and he silently flinched, getting off of Marinette.
Marinette swiftly stood up before saying, "Coming!"
She ran for the door, frantically thinking, 'That was close! What was he about to say?!'
Her heart was still pounding, her face was still red, and she was trying her best to calm herself down.
Adrien tangled his hand in his hair, his face redder than an Idared apple, and he was thinking, 'Damnit! I was just about to come out with it! And we nearly started to cross the line! Whoever's at the door, this better be important!'
He stood up before smoothing himself down, trying to soothe his frustration.
"Hello! I'm here to ask you to vote for Myléne Hapréle for Mayor-" A campaigner began.
"Oh, I don't live here. But I already voted for her! We were classmates and we're still friends to this day!" Marinette said in delight. "Even in school, she fought for the environment! Her initiatives to keep planting and protecting all the trees in the city, cleaning up and finding all the sustainable ways to recycle plastic, and finding ways to reduce methane from cow farming are some of the reasons I voted!"
"Well, that makes my job easier!" The campaigner laughed, delighted at Marinette's result.
Once the campaigner left and the two of them calmed down, they got back to work. Suffice to say, it was pretty awkward between them.
"...Maybe we should focus on Creole or Moroccan flavors for the food and the cake?" Adrien asked, not looking Marinette in the eyes.
"Good idea. Marlena's Colombo recipe should do the trick for one option," Marinette agreed, her eyes on the menu instead of the man in front of her. "We should definitely utilize cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the desserts. Like a cardamom cake? Or meskouta?"
"Those work. Maybe we can add baklava to the list?" Adrien asked.
"Love it!" Marinette agreed, writing the items down.
Adrien kept looking between Marinette and his knees, noticing she wasn't going to look at him.
Marinette herself thought, 'It's to tense in here! It's hard to look at him.'
Adrien stole another furtive glance at Marinette, his face still apple-red, and began, "Marinette... About earlier, I..."
"Yes?" Marinette asked, finding the courage to look at him.
"I... Wanted to tell you that I-" Adrien began, his face even darker. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Je-"
*DING-DONG!*
"Hey Adrien! We're back!" Nino shouted from outside.
Adrien deflated like a balloon that had all its air let out, but it was more annoyance/inconvenience than it was relief.
Alya and Nino came in, but the awkwardness in the room was palpable. Seeing the red faces of their friends, Alya and Nino grew knowing looks.
"So, how is it going with the plans?" Alya asked as she sat down next to Marinette. "Knowing you, girl, I'm sure you've already gotten some ideas going."
"Oh yeah! I already thought of a color scheme and some flower choices." Marinette said as she showed Alya her ideas.
Alya gasped and her eyes went wide in delight. Nino noticed Adrien looking at Marinette in longing, and he put a hand on his blonde bud's shoulder before whispering, "Can we talk in the other room for a second, bro?"
Adrien was dragged out of the living area and the door was shut. Once the boys were out of sight, Marinette sighed before whispering, "So glad you came, Alya. I was so nervous..."
"Didn't tell Adrien how you feel?" Alya asked.
"Worse. We fell on the floor, him on top of me, and he was beginning to tell me something when a campaigner for Myléne knocked." Marinette admitted.
"Ooh, sounds like things were getting pretty spicy. Maybe he was going to tell you that he loves you?" Alya asked, teasingly.
"Very funny, Alya," Marinette sighed. "He doesn't feel that way."
"How do you know?" Alya asked.
"If he loved me, he would've said so by now. He's always been straightforward like that." Marinette reasoned.
"But by no fault of his, he's also pretty dense," Alya pointed out. "You once said what's obvious to everyone else is completely lost on him. He couldn't recognize his father's "protectiveness" was really abuse until we spelled it out for him."
Marinette nodded.
"But remember when he had that crush and tried to date Kagami, that girl on the fencing team in school?" Marinette asked. "Ironically, I was the one who helped them get together because I thought, "Hey, they're from similar backgrounds and have overly-controlling parents, they fence together, and they get along. Maybe they're soulmates!" They didn't even last two weeks."
"Yeah, that ended badly," Alya agreed, shuddering. "But come on, girl, she didn't appreciate Adrien for his true self the way you do, and she wasn't feeling any of the romantic sensations of beating heart, red face, or butterflies in the stomach with him."
"I guess," Marinette agreed. "It felt a little weird seeing him with another girl, but I didn't know why."
Alya gave Marinette a sad expression before saying, "But now you do know. Seriously, just tell Adrien how you feel. Get it off your chest, you hear me?"
"I hear you, but it's not that easy, Alya. If I tell him that I love him, everything we have could fall apart and be ruined." Marinette explained.
"Sometimes things need to fall apart in order to build them back up to be better and stronger. And as Shakespeare wrote: "the course of true love never did run smooth." If it did, what's the point in fighting for it?"
"Look who's talking," Marinette laughed. "You're the one who's in a healthy romance with and getting married to her high school boyfriend."
The girls shared a laugh before they went back to talking about the wedding.
With the boys...
"So you nearly let the cat out of the bag?" Nino asked in summary.
"Pretty much." Adrien sighed, snickering at the cat pun Nino let loose (obligatory joke, Nino stated).
"Dude, you're so fainthearted! Have you always been like that?" Nino griped.
Adrien pulled an uncomfortable face before saying, "Probably..."
Nino face-palmed before saying, "Faint of heart never won fair lady, Adrien. You've read enough fairy tales to know that."
Adrien hung his head, then said, "I know, I know! I can't hide it forever, but I'm scared to change things between us."
"I know you are, dude, but that's a gamble you're gonna have to take." Nino advised.
"And if it blows up in my face?" Adrien questioned.
"Don't think like that," Nino insisted. "You gotta make like Rose and be optimistic. She said it herself: it's not the problems that matter, it's how you get through them that counts."
Adrien smiled before saying, "You're right, Nino."
"Good. Now, are you gonna make a move or what?" Nino said before going back to pushing Adrien into a confession.
"I will, but this isn't the time or place for it. The priority right now is your wedding." Adrien said, giving a defeated huff.
"Fine, dude. Let's get back out there and back to wedding plans. And please try to stay focused!" Nino said as he brought Adrien back into the main living area.
Once Marinette and Adrien made eye contact, they blushed before their eyes hit the floor again.
Adrien cleared his throat before saying, "So, er... Marinette and I had a few ideas about combining your signature colors for the wedding."
"Yeah!" Alya said as she stood up and showed Nino some of the items Marinette circled. "Like these peonies for the flowers!"
"Gorgeous, dude!" Nino agreed, a smile. "I like the dark greens that are peeking in."
"It's a great touch! I should use this as my wedding bouquet, too!" Alya giggled.
"Great idea!" Nino said as he and Alya kept looking at the idea board that Marinette created.
Marinette and Adrien let their eyes meet before they blushed and looked away for the umpteenth time that day.
While the awkwardness was still palpable between Marinette and Adrien, they managed to keep it friendly and still have their weekly movie nights. They both avoided choosing romance movies, and if there were romantic moments in the movie, they both avoided watching or talking about it.
It wasn't long before Alya and Nino's engagement party. They were setting up and decorating for the party in the event space at the Grand Paris Hotel (their friend Zoé got them an in on the event space while finding a way to keep her half-sister and mother from ruining the party).
Marinette was helping set the table, putting the plates on the table before putting the silverware on.
"Hey Marinette, here are the napkins." Adrien said as he approached her, the napkins in hand.
"Oh, thanks, Adrien," Marinette said as she turned to take the napkins, only to accidentally knock them out of his hands. "Sorry!"
"It's fine." Adrien said as the two of them got down to pick them up, only to knock each other on the foreheads.
"Ow!" Marinette shouted, rubbing her head.
"You okay?" Adrien asked, also rubbing his head.
"I'm good." Marinette responded. She quickly gathered up the napkins before running to the opposite side of the room to keep setting tables.
Adrien's expression turned sad, and his face fell. He went back to decorating.
Alya and Nino looked at each other and nodded before they split up.
Marinette, working on a place setting, noticed Nino approach Adrien, whisper something in his ear, and lean back. Adrien nodded and left the room. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hey girl," Alya said as she came over to her best friend. "I think I forgot something in the storage closet. It's a ceramic fox that I want to use as a centerpiece. Since I can't really leave, could you...?"
"On it, Alya!" Marinette said as she dashed out of the event space.
Alya winked at Nino, who gave a silent chuckle.
Marinette got to the closet (which was about the size of a smaller suite) and stepped inside.
"Now, where is it..." Marinette said.
"Marinette? What are you doing in here?" A voice asked.
Marinette whirled around to see Adrien, who was also looking around.
"Alya sent me in here for a ceramic fox. What about you?" Marinette asked.
"Nino sent me in here for something, too." Adrien said.
"Wait, you mean...?" Marinette began.
As the reality dawned on them, they heard a distinct click, and Marinette turned around to the door. Both she and Adrien ran to it, the former of the two jiggled the handle, and she said, "Shit! Locked!"
Adrien banged on the door, shouting, "Hey! What's the big idea?! Let us out!"
No answer, just giggles. Marinette groaned as she heard footsteps walking away.
Her phone vibrated, and she took it out to read a message from Alya. It said, "Time to pay the piper and pucker up, girl! Tell Adrien how you feel!"
'Great! I'm stuck in this closet with Adrien!' Marinette thought, banging her head on the door.
Adrien felt his phone vibrate. He stepped a little bit away from Marinette, and he took it out of his pocket. He saw Nino had messaged him.
"Good luck, bro! This is the time to kiss your princess!" Nino's message said.
Adrien face-palmed and moaned, thinking, 'I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you, Nino!'
Marinette was frantically trying to open the door, banging on it, and saying, "Hello! Is anyone out there? We're locked in here!"
Adrien, fed up, walked over to Marinette, put a hand on her shoulder, and said, "Marinette, stop. We need to talk."
Marinette got tense, brushed Adrien's shoulder away, and awkwardly began, "Talk? Talk about what? I mean, what do we have to talk about?! It's not like there's anything wrong, right? Not that there could ever be anything wrong between us! All's normal, right? Right?!"
"Marinette, please," Adrien sighed, before looking at her as she turned around. "Yes, there is something to talk about. The white elephant in the room."
Marinette stifled a laugh, before saying, "White elephant in the room? Even now, you're making jokes?"
"Well, I am and I'm not," Adrien admitted. "I... *Sigh* You first."
Marinette, blushing, and looking down, she said, "Yeah... You're right. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but something between us isn't the same."
"I have noticed." Adrien said.
"L... Listen, we've been best friends since childhood. I can't imagine not having you in my life." Marinette began.
"Back at you," Adrien responded with a smile, but he noticed she was about to cry. "What's wrong?!"
"I... I care about you too much to let you go, Adrien, but what we have... It... It's not enough for me anymore," Marinette said, about to cry. "I can't help it! I want you to stay with me forever, but not as friends! I want more with you! I know you don't feel the same, but..."
"What? Feel the same... You mean...?" Adrien said, smiling with hope in his face and his heart.
Marinette, covering her eyes with her hands and breaking down, began crying, "I love you, Adrien! I have for such a long time! I didn't realize it until now! If... If you don't want to be friends with me anymore, I-"
She felt herself be held in a tight embrace. She opened her eyes and saw Adrien was hugging her tightly, almost to the point where she couldn't breathe. She heard his breathing get heavy and labored.
"Marinette... You're right." Adrien said.
"Huh? Right about what?" Marinette asked.
"That I don't want to be friends anymore," Adrien elaborated. Marinette's heart shattered, and she was about to start sobbing. "Because I love you, too."
Marinette heart went from shattered to whole again at those words, but her heart also stopped. She looked up at Adrien and asked in a whisper, "What...?"
Adrien looked her in the eyes, with all the love and joy he held in his heart, including happy tears. He told her, "I need you in my life, too, but friendship isn't enough for me anymore, either. I love you."
Marinette, crying again, smiled before hugging Adrien back. They pulled apart just enough for the two of them to lean their foreheads against each other, looking each other in the eyes.
"I have something for you." Adrien said as he pulled something out of his pocket.
"What is it?" Marinette asked.
Adrien showed her a necklace box, and he opened the lid to show its contents: a golden chain necklace with a poinsettia, where the red leaves were made with rubies while emeralds made the green leaves.
"I know it's early, but Merry Christmas, ma chérie." Adrien said as he took the necklace out and put it around her neck.
Marinette, overcome with joy, said, "I love it, Adrien!"
"As much as you love me?" Adrien asked as he pulled her back in, a sultry look on his face.
"Not that much." Marinette laughed, only for her to feel his warm lips on hers.
Her heart pounded as she kissed him back, and he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled away, before saying, "I am not sorry for kissing you that way, but I had to."
"What do you mean you had to?" Marinette asked in a giggle.
Adrien pointed up, and Marinette looked where he was pointing to see a sprig of mistletoe above them.
"Obligatory mistletoe kiss?" Marinette asked, teasing. "Really? So, you wouldn't kiss me otherwise?"
"What?! Of course I would kiss you otherwise! I've been wanting to do this forever, but..." Adrien began, blushing. "But I guess the mistletoe was just the best excuse."
"No idea how it got here, though. But... now you don't need any excuses." Marinette said to him.
"Which is one of the best Christmas presents I've ever gotten," Adrien said as he started kissing Marinette over and over again. "I love you so much."
The two of them stayed in each other's arms for a little while before they heard the door unlock.
"Okay, you two turtle doves, you've had your moment!" Alya said as she opened the door. "Now, you two are actually going to sit next to each other during the party, right?"
"We will, Alya," Marinette laughed. "We will."
Everyone began laughing as Adrien and Marinette shared one more kiss.
Hope this satisfied! Happy Holidays to everyone!