Chapter Seven: Pink and Red.

Pink roses for sweetness and happiness and red roses for true love.

Friday 7th February 2020. 2.50 p.m. Collège Françoise-Dupont.

Mlle. Bustier's class were talking amongst themselves in the courtyard during afternoon récré. Or that's what it seemed like, anyway. Instead they were trying to see Adrien.

Just like yesterday morning, Adrien had waved them off at the start of récré so he could stay and check the messages on his phone. Everyone was concerned for him because unlike yesterday he hadn't let Marinette stay with him once he'd noticed the sender. Now he was calling someone, the phone and his hand blocking enough of his face from view that no one could get a good read on him.

"Do you think he's okay up there?" Kim asked.

Alix held up her fists. "Whoever it is I'm totally willing to fight them."

"It's his father, Alix," Marinette sighed. Well, actually, it had been Nathalie who had sent the message, but it amounted to the same thing. She only ever contacted him in regards to his schedule or on his father's orders. "I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't be able to fight him."

"I'd pay good money to see that!" Nino chuckled. The rest of the class murmured their own agreement. They knew where they'd be putting their money in a fist-fight between Alix Kubdel and Gabriel Agreste. "Do you think they're just letting him know they're back in Paris?"

Marinette didn't answer. She couldn't.

Gabriel and Nathalie didn't go in for little social niceties like that. Very often they didn't tell him they were leaving until a day or two before the trip - Chat had moaned to Ladybug about that last year on a patrol and she had wondered how any parent could treat a child like that, until the reveal and she realised it was Gabriel Agreste they were talking about. She knew more about Adrien's relationship with his father from Chat's upset rants on patrol than from Adrien himself. No, it was something other than a text to say they were back in Paris.

She knew what Adrien feared it would be. She just didn't want to tell their friends. One of them would definitely be arrested for assault if she did.

Unfortunately too much of her worry must have shown on her face because the class quickly closed ranks around her.

Marinette sighed. Better just get this over with. "Adrien's worried that they'll think he was slacking off this week while they were away, and-"

"Slacking off!" Nino's voice was incredulous. "What the hell? He's been as busy as he ever has - more so, even, since he added all those dates with you and our boys day." Marinette saw the second the penny dropped. "That's why they think he was slacking off? He was socialising?"

She nodded. "If he isn't working or studying or training then it's wasted time. He's worried that they'll punish him for slacking off by not allowing him on our Valentine's date."

You could have heard a pin drop in the stunned silence her comment caused. Everyone was looking at her in shock, waiting for her to say it was a joke or anything other than the truth, but the longer she was quiet the more the anger in them burned until…

"What the actual fuck?"

… Alix's fiery shout shattered the silence and everyone was clamouring to speak over the others. Cries of it being unfair, offers to help, fury against Gabriel and Nathalie, all of them melded together in a cacophonous mess until Ivan's voice drowned out all the others.

"He's coming out guys, he's coming out!"

Adrien stormed out of the classroom, face set in an angry scowl, hands shoved deep in his coat pockets, and it was all the confirmation they needed to know exactly what had happened on the phone call. Marinette didn't waste any time on saying goodbye, she just grabbed her bag and ran after her boyfriend, leaving an angry but powerless class behind them.

Nino muttered a few choice swear words under his breath. "We need to do something to help."

"I'm so going to beat his dad up if I ever meet him face to face!" Alix added.

Alya scoffed. "Get in line!"

Kim nodded too then froze. "Damn. Marinette's at the head of the queue to beat up Papa Agreste, isn't she?" Alya frowned but nodded. There was no disputing that as Adrien's girlfriend she got first dibs. "There won't be anything left to beat up when she's done. Damn."

Friday 7th February 2020. 5.30 p.m. The Agreste Mansion.

The dining room was cavernously empty around him and Adrien hated it.

His aesthetically pleasing haute cuisine meal had been waiting for him on the table when he entered the room, perfectly punctual as his father demanded, but he wasn't surprised to see that his was the only place setting there. Angry, but not surprised.

When he had seen his text was from Nathalie he had wanted to accidentally on purpose lose or break his phone. Anything to delay the lecture he knew he was going to get. But there was no story convincing enough for him to use and so he had resigned himself to the call.

He'd even sent Marinette away. He hadn't wanted to. He knew he'd need her support, his instincts had practically been screaming at him to keep her by his side… but he also knew that his relationship with her was something that would be taken away from him if he didnt dance to their song. He couldn't let her hear that conversation, he couldn't let her be hurt by their words, he couldn't let Nathalie and his father know she was with him.

"Adrien, your father is disappointed-"

No greeting, no query about his week home alone, just straight into a list of everything he had done this week to disappoint his father.

His grades weren't good enough, he wasn't studying hard enough, he was slacking off in his devotion to his Chinese, his piano playing needed work, his fencing firm was poor, he wasn't putting enough effort into his modelling…

Adrien hadn't even been able to get a word in edgeways. If he had he would have reminded Nathalie that his Chinese instructor was ill this week and that Adrien had done the work anyway, he would also have reminded her that he couldn't do any of his modelling work since Gabriel had taken Adrien's stylist, wardrobe attendants, tailor, and photographer to New York with him. He would have pointed out that he was one of the top students in the class, that he had been studying hard for the extremely difficult science exam they'd had that morning and doing all of his homework. He would have pointed out that he was the best junior fencer in Paris.

He didn't try though. He knew this wasn't about his performance.

It was about Marinette and his friends and the fact that he had dared to be with them for breakfast and lunch and study groups. It was the fact that he dared to go shopping with his friends.

It was because he had actually had a life instead of staying in the mansion, alone, all week.

Now he faced having it all taken away from him, losing school, his friends, his Marinette, as punishment for daring to have a life.

Nathalie walked in then. "Good. You're done." Adrien blinked down at his plate in surprise. He had indeed eaten the meagre portion of food he had been served. Nathalie nodded and handed him a large and quite full envelope. "Your amended schedule for the next week to get you back on track with your studies and training. It is quite full but there is room for a certain amount of leeway to allow you and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng some time together. Consult with her to find out her schedule and then get back to me with the times you require. I have pencilled in a few suggestions already. Anything marked red will not be altered at all. You are to retire to your room for the evening and practice your Chinese." She left before he could say anything.

This was unexpected.

Adrien's prediction for today had been yet another solo meal, check, then an appearance from Nathalie, also check, before finally being escorted to his father's office where they would proceed to have a long argument about his relationship with Marinette.

He'd had a long argument with his father when Gabriel had finally noticed how close he was to Marinette. The argument had been fierce, with both of them screaming at each other, but just as quickly as it had begun it ended. An astonished Adrien had walked out if Gabriel's office after receiving permission to date Marinette providing they followed a large set of restrictive ground rules (most of which he had ignored).

It was several days after that argument, one he thought he had finally won, when Adrien discovered that Gabriel allowed their relationship only because he was so busy preparing for New York fashion week that he didn't have the time to argue Adrien down or deal with Adrien's tantrum should he ban the relationship outright.

Ever since then Adrien had been expecting his father to forbid him from seeing Marinette. And yet… he glanced down at the envelope in his hands. Could they actually be allowing him to carry in dating her now that the distraction of New York was over?

He hurried to his room and sat on the sofa, ripping the envelope open in his haste to see what it said, Plagg scurrying out of his pocket to read it over his shoulder.

Friday 7th February 2020. 8.30 p.m. Marinette's balcony.

Marinette hummed softly to herself as she sat at her sewing machine enjoying the process of bringing one of her designs to life. She hoped that Adrien liked this little gift. She was sure he would

They'd had a wonderful morning together, a breakfast filled with sweet treats and beautiful gifts, followed by a wonderful lunch filled with the same. He had given her a bouquet of two dozen roses in every shade of pink and a small parcel that contained four metres of the pink fabric she'd had her eyes on for a while and that had her screaming in delight and kissing him into a dazed stupor. Marinette hadn't been unprepared though. She had given him two little gifts of her own. A Ladybug patterned zip up hoodie and a plushie black cat holding a bright red love heart that said 'you're purrfect' both of which had him gushing like a fanboy.

Even the kwamis had gotten in on the gifting. Plagg had presented Tikki with a bouquet of colourful cake pops, while she had given him a small beanie plush in the shape of a ladybird that was the perfect size for a kwami bed.

It had been a wonderful morning together until the phone call from Nathalie ruined things.

She sighed and snipped a loose thread before adjusting the fabric and setting the zip in place ready to be sewn. She was making a Chat Noir hoodie to match the Ladybug one from this morning. She was sure he'd like it - especially as it wasn't for him but for her. Marinette knew he would love to see her in his colours.

The zip had just been sewn into the hoodie when there was a knock at her balcony window.

She launched herself out of her seat and raced up the stairs to her bed. The hoodie was forgotten about in her haste to get there and see her boyfriend. She hadn't heard a thing from him since his goodbye kiss to her at school and she was getting worried. She tripped on the last rung and landed on her mattress with a soft 'oof' but quickly picked herself up again and flung open the hatch.

The words died in her throat as she emerged onto the roof and took in the view.

Marinette covered her mouth with her hands as she started at the beautiful sight before her, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. Her tiny little balcony had been transformed into a romantic rendezvous in the moonlight. The blankets from their secluded rooftop picnic had been added to her canopy, draping them around the railings of the balcony to shut out the rest of Paris and create a private little world just for the two of them. It was lit by the light of the moon, a few strings of fairy lights, and several berry scented tealight candles, colouring everything in warmth and a soft and romantic light.

Chat Noir stood in the midst of it all, bathed in candlelight and moonlight, gazing down at her with a look of pure love and devotion and holding out a bouquet of two dozen red roses for her.

Marinette was so moved by this gesture that it took her a few moments to find her voice. He must have been up here, making it all perfect, for such a long time. She mustn't have been able to hear him over her sewing machine.

"I love it Chat!" Marinette smiled at him, blinking back happy tears. "More roses?"

"Pink for my princess and red for my Lady."

Marinette chuckled at that. Of course he'd find a way to double her gifts. She took the roses from him and brought them to her face, breathing in their scent. Her kitty was too good for her. She was about to tell him that when she finally noticed his body language. She could read Chat Noir like a book, after all their time together he couldn't hide anything from her even if he had wanted to, and right now she wasn't liking what she was seeing. At all.

His smile was a little too perfect as he held out his hand to hers. "Would my Marinette care to dance with this poor stray under the light of the moon?"

Tempting, but no. With how wound up he was, and how he had left school earlier, the direct approach was the one she was going to take. Marinette set the bouquet down on her chair and took his hand to pull him closer.

"Are you okay?" he tensed slightly, another giveaway as to his emotional state, and she slipped her arms under his and held him tightly. "Don't try to say you're not, I know you better." Marinette was also a little concerned that he was still transformed on her balcony. Since they'd started dating he tended to only do that if he needed to make a quick appearance back home since multiple transformations wore Plagg out too much. What was going on at that mansion today?

Chat sighed and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her hair. "I just got my schedule for the next week. It's packed with lessons and fittings and shoots and little else. No more breakfasts together, no more lunches, and only one hour permitted on Valentine's day. They've got me doing three hours of piano that morning!"

Marinette could hear the hurt and frustration in his voice, the hopelessness, and she could feel her own anger simmering under the surface. She really wished that Ladybug could go over to the Agreste mansion and punch Gabriel in the face. She focussed on comforting her poor kitty and putting her problem solving skills to use instead.

"You're playing piano on Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah." Chat wilted even more if that were possible, and Marinette nuzzled into him, wordlessly letting him know it wasn't him she was angry with. He scoffed then. "Can you believe it? I'm not even playing at an event for at least six months, and they've got me doing three hours! All morning!" a feline growl bubbled out of his throat.

"Well, if they say you need to practice your piano, then you should definitely use those three hours to practice."

"What?"

"I've heard you play before remember?" she pulled back to wink at him. "You'll need every minute of those three hours to practice."

She saw understanding dawn on his face, followed by a delighted grin, and she nuzzled into him again. Her poor kitten. He's been so angry at his schedule he hadn't even recalled how he usually spent his piano lessons.

"You're right. I do need to practice. I still can't play Flight of the Bumblebee without sheet music, after all. I must correct that."

"Very true." Marinette giggled. He was such a dork. "And, if you agree to do such a long practice then maybe they could be a bit more lenient and give you more scheduled time with me on Valentine's Day?"

The smirk he gave her was positively devious. "You are delightfully sneaky, my Princess." Chat leant down and brushed a kiss against her forehead. "I'll play the good boy for them if it means I can get some more time with you. I'll do whatever it takes for us, my love."

"No. You won't."

Marinette didn't want him to hurt himself to be with her. Her partner was too self sacrificing for his own good sometimes. She unwound Chat's right arm from her waist and brought his hand up between them. She made sure to keep eye contact with him even as she brought his hand to her mouth and kissed the Black Cat Miraculous.

"You shouldn't have to let them parade you around to earn a few token crumbs from them. We can be with each other whenever we want, my sweet kitten."

She knew he understood when he cupped her face, letting his thumb caress the Miraculous in her ears. He leans down and kissed her. "And this is why I absolutely do not deserve you, Marinette. You are far too good for me."

"I absolutely disagree with you there."

Chat chuckled and kissed her again. "So now that we have more time on Valentine's Day, what should we do?" he brushed his lips against hers again, then her cheek. "I can think of a few things-" he kissed her other cheek then her nose "-but I want to know what you want to do?" he finished with another kiss to her forehead.

"Why don't we surprise each other? You can surprise me during your piano lesson, and I'll surprise you during our scheduled date, okay?"

"oh, but princess, I want to know now!"

Marinette giggled and flicked his bell. "Patience is a virtue!" she deliberately looked away when he gave her his kitten eyes because she knew they were too damn good. "Good things come to those who wait. You'll find out on Valentine's Day."

"So if I wait I can get something good then?"

She smirked. "Very good."

"How good?" Chat leaned into her, hovering close.

"Well-" she drew the word out and leaned up to him, brushing her nose against his. She could see his eyes starting to flutter shut. She chuckled and kissed his nose, pulling back to smirk at him. "If you want specifics you'll just have to be a good boy and wait."

Chat huffed out a laugh. "I can do that, cat's honour!"

Marinette absolutely did not trust the smile on his face as he gave her his trademark Chat salute. She was right not to. He wrapped his arms around her again and started purring, holding her tightly to him as the soft sound worked it's magic on her. It felt so good, but damn she was annoyed at how susceptible she was to it in winter, something her smug kitten had shamelessly exploited over the last few weeks. He was going to win this argument.

Chat nuzzled his cheek to hers, kissing along her jaw until he was just over her lips. "Have I waited long enough now my Marinette?"

"Yes."

His lips were on hers before she had even finished speaking. As she let herself fall into his kiss, Marinette promised herself that he wasn't going to find out what her Valentine's Day surprise was no matter how much he kissed her. He was just going to have to wait.

Author's notes: This chapter is late because my wifi broke again. Sorry everyone. If it manages to stay on today then I'll put chapter eight out later after it's gone through its editing. The argument Adrien had with his father is mentioned in All I Want For Christmas chapter 27, his alternate piano lessons are in chapters 5, 15, and 29, and Flight of the Bumblebee is in chapter 27.

Reminder, I have not yet seen all of season 2 and none of season 3. Consider this an AU if it doesn not agree with canon and no spoilers please.

This website did not want to cooperate with posting this chapter. I could upload this onto AO3 just fine, but here? Is anyone else having issues accessing their account on this site? I kept getting blank pages instead of the add chapter page. The same happened on my traffic stats pages. They're just not displaying, no matter which device I access my account from.

Replies to revies:

calerose - yikes, that is not good weather. Are you all okay? Glad you like the fluff

yellow 14 - ouch, poor you. I had a part time job before working for a supermarket in the chilled/frozen department so I feel your pain. One of the happiest days of my life was when I left that position. More class togetherness in this chapter and more to come. Glad you liked it.

siren8484 - gosh, thank you, that's so sweet. It was my favourite part of the chapter to write. I'm happy you liked it.