Standard disclaimers apply

As soon as lunch break started, Alya and Nino ran to the nurse's office in search of Marinette. Adrien, to everyone's great surprise, ran right out of the school and into the street. Talk about loyal, Alya sarcastically thought in her mind. Alya and Nino, having brought their lunches, spent their lunch break with Marinette in the heated nurse's office, internally wondering where Adrien had disappeared to in such a rush.

About halfway through their lunch break, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng barreled into the infirmary, panic on her face as she searched for her daughter. Behind Marinette's anxious mother stood Adrien looking like he'd just run a marathon in a snowbank. The nurse scowled at Adrien, knowing that he'd gone to get Marinette's mother even though he'd been told not to do it last time.

"Maman?" called Marinette, who sat in the infirmary wrapped in various blankets and seated close to a space heater.

"Oh Marinette! My poor daughter!" Mrs. Dupain-Cheng muttered to herself in Chinese as she checked over her daughter. Once Sabine was satisfied, she opened the thermos lunch box she'd packed and gave Marinette hot chocolate with spinach and cheese soufflé. Alya, always the reporter, turned to Adrien for answers on why he'd disappeared and where he'd gone in Marinette's time of need.

"Where were you!? Marinette needed you!" Adrien internally rolled his eyes; Marinette was a lot stronger than everyone assumed of her. If there was someone who needed the other in their relationship, it was him.

"I was going to get Marinette's parents so they could come check on her. After all, their bakery is only a block away from our school and every decent parent's nightmare is to get a call from school that their child is sick. Besides," Adrien turned to look at Mrs. Dupain-Cheng fussing over Marinette, "nothing can replace a mother's touch." Alya and Nino were stunned. Here they were, assuming Adrien had abandoned Marinette when really he'd been getting her the best medicine possible.

As Alya apologized for her accusation, Nino thought about what Adrien had said about the distance between their school and the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Adrien had run through a city block of high snow drifts and then went back while bringing Marinette's mom. He'd basically given up half his lunch break just to bring Marinette her mother.

"Adrien!" Marinette called with a stern look on her face, "Get your butt over here right now!" Adrien guiltily walked over to his lady.

"I've eaten half of what Maman brought me; you eat the other half. Understood?" Adrien nodded as he reached over for a broccoli and cheese quiche, internally cursing Plagg for passing on his love of cheese to him. Well, mused Adrien, at least it's not Camembert.

After school was dismissed, Adrien drove Marinette to her family's bakery, much to the shock of all the students in their year. On the way, Adrien cuddled his lady. Marinette internally groaned, knowing it was Adrien's protective instincts kicking in but was too tired to protest his cuddling. After all, she did secretly enjoy it.

"Adrien," groaned Marinette, "I have to leave the car now."

"I'll walk you," answered her overprotective boyfriend. Marinette rolled her eyes, but internally she was grateful for Adrien's care. She would never admit it but the scare she got in class had frightened her. After Adrien had walked Marinette home and gotten a dozen 'thanks yous' from Sabine and a huge bear hug from Tom, he stumbled into his limo for the Gorilla to drive him home.

"Adrien," said the Gorilla, which startled the young model, "why are you and Miss Dupain-Cheng keeping your relationship a secret?" Adrien froze, internally cursing that he'd forgotten how observant the Gorilla could be; then again, it was part of his job.

"Marinette wants to be a fashion designer," Adrien stated, hoping if he sprinkled the truth in with the lies it'd be more believable, "She wants her talent to be recognized without people sucking up to her due to her . . . connections." The Gorilla nodded while keeping his eyes on the road.

"That doesn't explain why you haven't told your parents or hers for that matter." Adrien gulped knowing that would be much harder to explain away.

"We are . . . waiting for the right moment." The Gorilla grunted before answering Adrien's statement.

"With that kind of attitude, you and Miss Dupain-Cheng will never tell either of your parents," Adrien looked down guiltily before resolve became etched on his face.

"We plan to tell them before March." The Gorilla nodded before adding his own caveat.

"If you and Miss Dupain-Cheng haven't told them by March, I will. Understood?" Adrien nodded; relieved he and Marinette had managed to dodge a proverbial bullet. Adrien pulled out his phone and sent a text to his lady explaining what had happened between him and the Gorilla.

Meanwhile, Marinette was bundled up in a blanket cocoon in her loft bedroom. Tikki was situated in a cozy nest of Marinette's leftover yarns and fleeces which were fashioned into a mini-cocoon hidden in Marinette's bedside drawer. Suddenly, much to Marinette's annoyance, Adrien sent her a text. She groaned as she lifted some layers on the side of her cocoon to reach her cell phone. Finally reaching her bedside drawer and snagging her cell phone, she opened Adrien's text.

Adrien – The Gorilla knows about our R status

Marinette felt the breath leave her lungs before she noticed the R right before the word status. Relief filled her before she texted back.

Marinette – Let's just be glad he's discrete. OK kitty?

Adrien quietly chucked at his girlfriend's sass.

Adrien – Alright princess.

Marinette sighed as she read her boyfriend's reply. Tikki, seeing the look on her chosen's face, quietly giggled so as not to ruin the moment. You and Adrien are truly unique, thought Tikki; Plagg and I haven't told you this, but you two are the first Ladybug and Cat Noir we've seen that are so close in age. We can't help but think it affected you compatibility test on some level.

Tikki, ever the romantic, thought back to all the Ladybugs and Cat Noirs that had fallen in love. She snuggled into her cocoon happily before an unwelcome thought came to mind. The one time the Balance between Ladybug and Cat Noir had failed. As Marinette called a 'see you soon Tikki!' on her way down to help with setting the table for dinner, Tikki shook herself of the gloomy thoughts, reminding herself that their situation was not the present.

She and Plagg would not allow history to repeat itself.