"And that should take care of your papa," announced Sabine Cheng as she and Marinette exited another store, Marinette helping her mother shop for Christmas. After a long week of work, Marinette was grateful for the chance to spend one on one time with her maman considering her new Christmas Eve schedule.
"I think we should be fine with groceries. I doubt they will be out of mooncake before Christmas Eve," Sabine commented as she reviewed her list, Marinette biting back a whine, but still making a face for it. Despite mooncake being a traditional Chinese New Year's dessert, Marinette relished their little tradition of buying a box of mooncake, to eat some Christmas Eve, and freeze the rest until Chinese New Years. And she was going to miss it this Christmas Eve.
"Everything alright?" Sabine noticed out of the corner of her eye Marinette's pained expression.
Marinette sighed, better to let her mother know sooner than later.
"I got invited to some ball on Christmas Eve. It's a fancy ordeal, so I won't be able to spend Christmas with you or Papa," Marinette explained.
"A ball?"
"Yeah, Miraculous Christmas Ball. I randomly got a ticket when I bought a present for Nona."
"From the Miraculous Ladybug Boutique," Sabine's eyes lit up with excitement, as if putting pieces of a puzzle together.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Your father and I met at that ball. It was ages ago," Sabine sighed wistfully.
Marinette pulled her mother to a nearby bench and sat eagerly to listen to her mother. Her mother had only told her that when she met her papa, Sabine knew he was the one.
"I had just recently left China, and was working in a Chinese bakery close to the boutique, so I became friends with the owner and her assistant."
Marinette made a mental note to find this Chinese bakery.
"They gave me a ticket to their ball, and at my manager's insistence on making friends, I went. And there stood you papa," Sabine sighed dreamily as she recalled, Marinette leaning close to her mother as she tried to imagine the scene. She had seen their wedding photos, so she tried to picture her younger papa in a tuxedo, probably as uncomfortable as Marinette would have been if not for Adrien. And her maman, looking beautiful in a gown.
Marinette sighed, hoping the ball would be just as wonderful for her as it was for her maman.
"You'll have fun dear," Sabine reassured with a kiss to Marinette's forehead.
"Maybe you'll find someone you can bring for Christmas," Sabine teased, Marinette turning bright pink.
"A-actually," Marinette sat up, "I'm going with someone."
Sabine scooched closer to hear more.
"His name is Adrien. He was … trying to return his ticket like me, but they told us we couldn't. So in order not to be alone, we agreed to go together," Marinette concluded, not wanting to let her mother know her escort already had a girlfriend. That would be awkward.
"I want to meet him!" Sabine exclaimed.
"Maman!"
"Darling, you haven't have a boy over to our house in years. Invite him over for dinner so your papa and I can meet him."
Marinette frowned, contemplating what to do. She and Adrien were just acquaintances of convenience. There was no need to get close to him.
"We can break out the mooncake early," Sabine bribed.
"Ok!" Marinette responded, a little too quickly. Sabine chuckled.
"So," Sabine stood up, ready to start walking again, "did you pick out your dress?"
Marinette stood as well, readjusting the bags in her arms, "Not yet, I have an appointment next week though."
"Let's go now then," Sabine began marching in the direction of the boutique, Marinette quickening her pace to catch up.
"But I have an appointment for next week. Plus I'm sure they are busy with other people with it being Christmas, plus the ball coming up. I don't mind waiting. You could even come next week if you want to," Marinette rambled.
"Marinette."
"Yes maman?"
"Breathe."
Marinette nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out as they turned the corner towards the boutique.
"I'm sure they don't mind you coming in early," refuted Sabine as they entered the boutique.
Two heads immediately turned towards them.
"Marinette! And Sabine!" Tikki rushed out from behind the counter to give the two women a hug.
"What perfect timing, I just baked some cookies!" Tikki scampered back to her spot behind the counter to pull out a tin of cookies.
"And we got some new dresses in," called out Pollen as she turned the corner with a box in hand.
"Sorry for intruding on you like this, but my mother insisted," started Marinette, only to have Tikki shove a cookie in her mouth before handing one to Sabine. It tasted like gingerbread.
"No need for formalities. You are always welcome here, whether to shop or relax," Tikki gave Sabine a side hug.
"Come on," Pollen pulled Marinette by the hand, who grabbed onto Sabine's hand, as Pollen led them down an aisle.
"These are our latest dresses," Pollen pulled out a yellow dress that matched her yellow and black striped shirt she wore under her apron. She held it up to Marinette.
"No," Pollen quickly hung it back up.
"What about this," Tikki joined the group with her own selection of a cherry red dress, holding it up to Marinette.
"Color is nice, but maybe a different style," offered Sabine.
"Maybe blue to go with her eyes," offered Pollen, heading for a different row.
"And she loves pink," called out Sabine as she began searching down another aisle. Tikki then took Marinette by the hand and led her over to the changing room.
"Wait here dear, we are going to make you gorgeous," Tikki sat Marinette down on a chair inside before stuffing another cookie in her mouth.
"Let's also try something with red," called out Tikki as she shut the curtain to the changing room.
Marinette finished nibbling on the cookie as she waited for the other women to bring the dresses, promising that if she was ever once harassed a model like this, to beg for forgiveness.
After over an hour of trying on dresses, Marinette was down to her final two.
There was a light blue mermaid styled dress with a Queen Anne neckline. She honestly thought it would be more of a New Year's dress, but Pollen insisted it really brought out her eyes.
The other was a sheath style dress in dragon fire red with a high neck, looking oriental and exotic. Her mother loved that one, saying she wore a similar one at her ball but in lavender.
She liked both dresses, but something felt off about both.
"Marinette, have you decided," asked Tikki from outside the curtain.
"Still thinking," she called back, Tikki opening the curtain to see Marinette deep in thought.
"Well, in case you are interested, I did find one dress here in the back," Tikki brought forth a light pink ball gown with a straight across neckline, the bodice decorated by small jewels.
Marinette gasped as she saw it, gently taking the dress from Tikki's hands.
Tikki smiled sweetly before shutting the curtain. Marinette hurriedly put on the dress, smoothing out the skirt before taking in her appearance in the mirror. She looked like a princess.
She pulled aside the curtain, picking up the front of the skirt as she made her way to the stand.
Tikki smiled her all knowing smile. Pollen looked about ready to combust in delight. Sabine was on the verge of tears.
"One more thing!" Pollen rushed over to a jewelry display and pulled out a piece. She trotted over, placing the tiara on Marinette's head. This opened the floodgates for her maman.
"My baby's a princess," Sabine whispered into her clasped hands.
"I feel like a princess," Marinette turned to admire herself in the other mirrors, Sabine snapping a photo.
From her reflection, she could see Tikki smiling proudly at her, her eyes sparkled in knowing. Answering an unspoken question, Marinette nodded.
AN: Picking out the dress is based on my own experience when I picked out my wedding dress, which looked similar to how I described Marinette's dress here, minus the pink. And I did feel very much like a princess.
And Asian bakeries are the best!
