Adrien took the paper his teacher was handing him. Up in the right hand corner was a bright red 'A'. He wasn't surprised. He slipped the paper into his bag as the final bell rang. He turned and saw Marinette clutching her test.

"So, Mil-Marinette, did you get a good grade or is our date..history?" He emphasized the pun so she wouldn't notice his slip-up.

Crap, that was close! he thought. I need to come up with a new pet name for her when she isn't Ladybug...and FAST!

Marinette chuckled at the pun while Alya groaned. Marinette turned the paper around so he could see. A minus. He grinned at her.

"So, eight then?" he asked.

"Now, Adiren," Alya interrupted, "If you don't treat Marinette like a freakin' princess tonight, I'm going to have to beat you to a pulp!" She had both hands balled up into fists and wore a mischievous grin on her face.

"ALYA!" Marinette screamed, turning a deep red. Adrien was just about to answer her, but Nino beat him to it.

"Calm down, Ayla," he placed his hands on hers, pushing them down onto the table. "Marinette is going out with my man! And he is ever the gentleman!"

"Besides, Alya," Adrien added, "I don't think Marinette is like a princess, she IS a princess." My princess. It's perfect, thanks Alya! "How could I treat her like anything less?"

He glanced over at Marinette. She looked like she was about to burst. He reached out and grabbed one of her hands, squeezing it tight.

"Fine, fine, fine," Alya muttered pulling Marinette away from him, forcing him to let go. "But we have to go. See you guys tomorrow!" Marinette waved as her friend pulled her out the door. He waved back and sighed. God, she's beautiful.

"Maaan….I knew you liked her, but you've got it bad, my man!" Nino commented.

"Nino...you have no idea."

See you soon, my princess.

Adrien stood outside the bakery holding the small bouquet of roses. He didn't know why he was so nervous. Deep breaths Agreste. He told himself. It's just Marinette. It's just Ladybug. You spend time with her everyday. This is no big deal. But it was a big deal. He was about to take out his true love for the first time. And then eventually we will get married, and have three kids, and a hamster...no a CAT! And we'll name it…

"Uh, kid?" Plagg whispered from his pocket, interrupting his daydream. "You're going to be late."

"Uh, right! Okay, let's do this!" He took a deep breath and walked up to the bakery door. The bakery was still technically open for business. Do I knock? Do I just go it? Adrien was still debating when the door swung open before him. A huge mass of a person blocked the interior from view. Startled, Adrien looked up to meet the gaze of Marinette's father.

"Uh...hi? I'm here to…"

"WELCOME MY BOY!" Tom Dupain scooped Adrien into a giant bear hug. He had to hold the flowers high above his head to prevent them from being crushed as well. "Sabine! Look who it is!"

"Tom, put the boy down. For goodness sakes, he needs air!" Adrien heard Marinette's mother answer from inside the bakery. Tom turned and put Adrien down so that he was standing firmly in the middle of the store. The smell of croissants and macaroons washed over him.

"I'm sorry, Adrien," Sabine was saying, "Tom here gets a little too excited sometimes. Don't you hunny?"

"I can't help it! My baby girl is going on her first date! And look! He brought flowers for her." Mr. Dupain's eyes sparkled with pure joy as he stood on tippy-toe from excitement. Adrien almost laughed.

"Uh...yes. Speaking of Marinette…" he glanced around the bakery, but didn't see her.

"Oh, she'll be down in a moment my dear. Why don't you you have seat upstairs while you wait?" Mrs. Cheng was counting money in the cash register as she pointed to the stairwell behind her which led to their living quarters above the bakery.

"Yes, yes! Come!" Mr. Dupain grabbed Adrien's empty hand and basically dragged him up the stairs. "We can get you a little snack too while you wait."

It wasn't the first time Adrien had been in the Dupain-Cheng family's kitchen. He had visited here as both Adrien and Cat Noir, but the warmth of the family home still took him by surprise. He could feel the love of this small family emanating from every corner. I hope I can have a home like this, someday. He wished secretly. It's so much nicer than my father's cold mansion!

Mr. Dupain sat Adrien down at the small table and started assembling a plate of tasty treats for him.

"Now, what do you have planned for my little angel this evening?" Marinette's father asked, setting the plate down in front of Adrian. He took a seat across from Adrian.

"We are going to see a movie. I'll have her home by eleven, sir." Adrien said, as he reached for a green macaroon.

"What? No ice cream after? No moonlight stroll?"

Adrien blushed. He had indeed picked a short film to watch so that he could take Marinette for a quick stroll through the park afterwards, hoping to steal a kiss or two, but he couldn't tell her father that.

"We could go for ice cream," he admitted, "But then I might be late getting her back. I wouldn't want you to worry…"

"Nonsense! If you need a little more time for my sweetie pie to have the perfect date, then just say so! Eleven-thirty it is!"

Adrien blushed and shoved the cookie into his mouth. Marinette's father and his couldn't be more different than each other.

"So, Mr. Agreste, you are a model, no? Does that offer good job security? Benefits?" Adrien nearly choked on the macaroon. It wasn't the first time he had been interrogated by Mr. Dupain about his career. Only, last time, it was as Cat Noir, who was only there to tell Marinette he didn't love her. Adrien couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation.

Adrien swallowed the cookie. And thought about how to answer.

"Well...yes. But I'm not sure I will continue to model. Afterall, it requires a lot of hours. Not to mention that I will have to watch how many sweets I eat as I get older." He grinned, reaching for one of the chocolate croissants on the plate.

"Like sweets, my boy, do you?' Mr. Dupain laughed, "Well, you could always come work with me in the bakery! I could teach you how to make the best macaroons in the city!" The older man beamed with pride.

"I think I might like that, Mr. Dupain." Adrian said in between bites. Growing up in a house full of servants, Adrian didn't even know how to boil water, let alone how to make any baked goods. "Do you make cinnamon rolls here? They're my favorite."

"Cinnamon rolls, eh? Or course we make cinnamon rolls! Next time you come to visit, I'll have a fresh batch just for you!"

"Oh, you don't need to…"

"Nonsense, my boy!" Mr. Dupain cut him off. "Besides, my daughter also loves cinnamon rolls." He added with a wink. Adrian took another macaroon from the plate and smiled, realizing how much he liked Marinette's dad.

Just then there was movement upstairs.

"MOM!" Marinette's voice rang through the air, "MOM! Have you seen…?" Her voice drifted off as she turned the corner and spied Adrien sitting at the table with her father. "Uh...uh…"

Adrien waved at her as he finished the macaroon in his mouth. Marinette was wearing a soft, pink blouse embroidered with white flowers and a ruffled skirt that stopped right at her knees. She had pulled her hair back into a bun with a braid running to it across the left side of her face. How gorgeous. He noted to himself.

"Hi, Marinette." He said, now that his mouth was empty of sweets. "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh...need...you...SHOES...I mean...I need shoes...for feet...MY feet...oh god…" Marinette turned bright red. Adrien resisted the temptation to laugh.

"Take your time, sweetheart." Her father reassured her. "Adrien and I are having a nice chat. Aren't we, my boy?" Adrien nodded, although he couldn't wait to be alone with her and tell her how beautiful she looked.

"Don't worry, Marinette. I'm a bit early." he assured her with a wink. "Like your father said, take your time. Besides, I'm loving this macaroons!" He grinned at her father as he reached for another one.

"Uh...uh...ok…" she dashed down the stairs towards the bakery. She was only gone a minute before she rushed back upstairs and towards the bedrooms. Marinette's father started telling Adrien the process for making cinnamon rolls as he continued snacking.

My agent is going to kill me, he thought as he realized just how many cookies he had eaten. But they are so damn good!

Finally, Marinette reamerged. She now had on a pair of white sandals and white, cotton jacket.

"I'm...I'm ready now." She said in little more than a whisper. Her mother appeared behind her as Adrien stood, picking up the flowers.

"These are for you," he said holding out the pink roses. "I hope you like roses."

"Of course she does!" her father bellowed behind him, "And pink is her favorite color! You know her so well already my boy!" Adrien blushed. He, of course, had already learned this as Cat Noir on his last visit and had simply recalled it when he went to the florist earlier.

"Th...thank you," Marinette said, taking the flowers from him. She took a moment to smell them.

"Here, dear. I can put those in water for you." her mother offered. Marinette handed the bouquet to her and looked back at Adrien.

"Shall we go then?" He asked her. She nodded. "Thank you for the snack, Mr. Dupain."

"Of course! Come back anytime. Now, you two go and have a good time! Remember, eleven-thirty!"

Adrien nodded at him as he followed Marinette down the stairs.