That evening, a nervous and fidgeting Adrien Agreste showed up outside the Dupain-Cheng Bakery promptly at 6:30. The bakery was closed by this time, but Tom was working on prep for the morning and waved Adrien in. He noticed the young man had dressed up for dinner, wearing an actual charcoal suit and a snazzy green tie.

"Hello, Sir," Adrien said.

Tom glared at him but nodded. "Adrien," he muttered. "I like your suit." He loomed over the young man. "What's the occasion?"

Adrien rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "I, um, a lot's happened in the last 24 hours, and, um, I've found myself having to make several decisions about things."

Tom stared at him, unmoving. "You don't say?"

Adrien nodded and looked around. "Um, how's Marinette? I heard she had a rough time today. Is she alright?"

Tom blinked. "She… Wait. You weren't at the hospital with everyone else?"

Adrien shook his head. "I wasn't in school today. Father had me pulled out for a shoot, and I only heard about what happened once Marinette texted me." His face showed his worry. "Is she doing okay? She said on the phone that it wasn't serious, but I know she can downplay things. I came as soon as I heard."

Tom blinked, surprised. "So, you just now… What exactly did she…? Ahem. She's fine, son. She's upstairs in the living room."

Tom gestured to the stairwell leading to the living area, but Adrien hesitated.

"Um, actually, if you're not busy, Sir, could I talk to all of you about something? It's, um, it's kind of important."

Tom blinked, a bit surprised. "Uh, sure. I suppose. I mean, we'll be sitting down to dinner soon, so…"

Adrien shook his head. "My apologies, Sir. This can't wait."

Tom eyed the youth for a moment. Adrien looked nervous, borderline terrified, but he was standing tall and meeting Tom's gaze. He didn't look defiant or confrontational, but there was something there that was familiar to Tom. A sense of steel that he didn't often get from the youth.

Tom dusted off his hands and took off his apron. "Well, if it can't wait, then I guess we'd better go up and see what the girls are up to."

And with that, Tom left his trays on the counter and led the way upstairs.

Adrien stood in the Dupain-Cheng living and took a moment to relax. It was warm, and small, and filled with family photos. Marinette's coat was draped over a side chair, there was a small pile of bills and mail stacked haphazardly next to what looked like exercise weights on the side counter, and the coffee table was half buried in magazines, game controllers, and a glass that just wouldn't teleport itself to the sink. On one end of the couch was a small next of blankets that Sabine kept folding, but somehow it would mysteriously always be messed up by the end of the day.

The home was cluttered, but soft. Really, that's the best word for it. There was a delicious, sharp smell of spices coming from a warmer on a side table. The whole place reminded Adrien of a favorite blanket or well-worn pair of pants. It wasn't new, or shiny, but it was comfortable. It felt good be there.

It felt more like a home to him than his own house ever had.

And it was just one more reason that he was there that evening, fidgeting in the middle of it in a suit and tie, looking like he was about to be shot.

Adrien continued to look nervously around the room as Marinette came in and gave him a kiss.

"Hi!" She said, slightly nervous. She was in her regular outfit, but she didn't look like she'd had much time to freshen up. Her hair was slightly out of its pigtails, but her eyes were shining and her smile was huge, almost manic. "You're here! In my home! And early! Why would you do that? I mean to me? I mean you did this to me? I mean, um, hi!"

Honestly, Adrien's gaze didn't really get past her eyes. He usually locked up there.

"Hey," he said, kissing her back. "You okay?"

Marinette nodded and composed herself. "I just, um, had a dizzy spell at school? It's no biggie. Seriously."

Adrien smiled, relief apparent across his face. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Behind him, Sabine and Tom entered the room. Adrien noticed them and tensed up. He awkwardly waited as they sat down, glancing between them and Marinette more than once. Marinette looked over at them, specifically Tom, and tapped her chin three times as her face morphed into a scowl.

'WHAT DID YOU DO?'

"Hey, um, maybe you should have a seat, too?" Adrien offered.

Marinette, eyeing him, sat down as well. She looked at her dad. Tom put both hands in front of him and lightly shook them.

'NOTHING.'

Marinette quickly wiped her right hand down from the side of her head, pointed at Adrien, and then, rather violently, shook her open hands by her waist.

'WHY IS HE NERVOUS?'

Tom hurriedly put a shaking hand to his forehead and then out in front of him.

'I DON'T KNOW!'

"Your dad didn't do anything to me, Marinette," Adrien said. Both Tom and Adrien instantly turned red and scrunched into their seats a bit.

"I didn't know you could sign?" Marinette said.

"Nathalie's put me in a lot of different language courses." Adrien said, smiling. "I don't use it much, though. Signing."

Sabine smirked and shook her head. "We learned it because it was easier than shouting across a room during catering events, and when we were younger, we worked a lot of them."

"Wow," Adrien said, impressed. "That's really cool."

"So," Marinette asked, still slightly embarrassed. "Adrien? Is, um… What's up? I mean… I did need to talk to you, um, about something important. Which I was hoping to do in private. Before dinner." She eyed her father, who was cowering under her glare. "Um, did you, um… What's up?"

Adrien blinked. Marinette tended to repeat herself when she was extremely nervous.

"Sorry," he said as he scratched the back of his head. "I guess I'm doing this all wrong. Um, right."

Adrien stood straight and looked at the three of them, swallowed, and nodded.

"So, um, thank you for having me over tonight. I, um, I know Marinette and I have been friends for a long time, and that we've been dating off and on in that time period. I, well," he looked to Marinette and blushed. "I guess, in the last few months or so, I've, well, I've felt myself get closer to you than ever before."

Tom turned red and started to rise out of his seat, but Sabine put a hand on his leg and muttered, "down, boy."

"You're amazing," he said to Marinette. "You're kind, smart, brave, and the most beautiful person I've ever known. You make me happier than I have any right to be, and um, I know we're going to University soon and that our lives are going to shift, and I, um, I understand if this is a bit, um, outside of what you had thought of, but…"

He glanced to Tom and Sabine.

"…But your family has been so warm, and welcoming, and for the first time since my mother… For the first time in years, I've felt like I belonged somewhere. I love you. I love you with everything I am, and…" He looked to Tom and Sabine. "You two as well. You've been so caring and supportive, and there's no way I can ever state enough how much that means to me. so, I, um… Gosh, I didn't think this would be so hard."

Marinette shifted in her seat, confused as to what was happening. Meanwhile, Sabine's mother-sense was going off like a siren in her head. She was holding Tom's hand and doing her best to suppress a grin. She wasn't doing that good of a job.

"I want you in my life," Adrien said to Marinette. "I want to be there for you, to help you and support you, to be by your side, no matter what. And I know, I know we're a bit young for me to say this, and I know things can happen, but… I've lost too much good in my life to let one more thing slip away without at least trying. I've seen good people disappear, and I… I know things may change, and I know what could be, but I don't care what could be, because I know what is."

Admittedly, Adrien would later state that last line sounded better in his head.

"I don't know if I have the right to ask this, and, I understand if this is too much, or too sudden. I just…"

Adrien took a huge breath. Marinette tensed, ready to catch him as Adrien looked like he was about to pass out right in the middle of her living room.

Then he looked at her and smiled.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Adrien asked as he dropped to one knee. He slid a small box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a white gold band.

Marinette's eyes went wide. "Wait, what?"

"Would you marry me?"