"Adrien, are you alright?"
Adrien starts, hastily shoving his hand back in his pocket as looks over to where Marinette sits, feet dipped in the Seine. He gives her a nervous grin, moving to sit beside her. She smiles, turning back to gaze out at the Eiffel tower; framed by the full moon.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
His nervous grin settles into a more relaxed smile. "Yeah, but I've seen it a hundred times before"
She pouts. "And that makes it less beautiful?"
He sighs "I suppose not"
She laughs, hooking her arm around his and flopping onto her back, dragging him down with her. Her other arm gets tossed across her face, but he can still see the soft smile that graces her features. "This is nice."
He turns his head to watch her. "What is?"
She peeks out from under her arm, before tossing it into the air in a wild hand gesture. "This. Being out here without being on patrol, or having an akuma to fight. Just the two of us, out here enjoying the view."
"I take it you liked the surprise then?"
She looks over at him, grinning so wide he can see the moonlight reflecting off of her brilliantly white teeth. "I loved it! Thank you so much!"
He laughs, relieved. "I wasn't sure. I mean, a picnic's a little dull compared to what we usually do"
"Maybe, but honestly, it's nice to slow down and do stuff like this every once in awhile. It makes us seem normal"
"Even if we run around in leather and spandex saving the world from evil butterflies?"
She smirks "Okay, well, as normal as we can get"
Adrien still has an unsure look on his face, so she smiles gently. Turning back to watch the night sky. "It was perfect Adrien. I don't think it could have been any better"
Adrien swallows the growing lump in his throat, reaching back into his pocket until his fingers close around the small box. "I bet it could."
It's a rather small affair, taking place in a cathedral about an hour outside of Paris. Guests are limited to their old classmates and immediate families, as well as an old trusted pastor who's been sworn to secrecy. Specifically, the people who know of their double lives. Gabriel Agreste is there, a testament to their newly rebuilt relationship, as well as Nathalie and their driver. Sabine smiles at Adrien as he shuffles around nervously. Alya, from her place as maid-of-honour, shoots him a look and he stills, offering her a bashful grin. She rolls her eyes fondly.
He feels an elbow jab him in the side, and he turns to see his best man Nino smirking at him, nodding at the end of the aisle. He looks, and his breath leaves him.
He's only vaguely aware of the congregation rising to their feet; of the well-known notes emanating from the organ. His undivided attention lies on the young woman who's appeared at the doors of the church.
Manon skips down the aisle, tossing flower petals all over the place. Marinette beams at him from her place at her father's side, small hand tucked in the crook of his elbow. It's almost comical how her father still dwarves her (and him, for that matter). However, for all his size, he's got tears on his face as he slowly walks her down the aisle, and it's only when Adrien feels Nino press a handkerchief into his palm that he realizes he's crying as well. He shoots Nino a grateful look, dabs at his eyes, and Nino smiles, clapping him on the shoulder, before they both turn back to watch the procession.
Marinette, of course, designed her own gown (and refused to let him see it), and even though he knew it would be incredible, nothing he had ever imagined could compare to what she's created. It's simple, just a plain white mermaid-style gown with white lace sleeves, but upon closer inspection an intricate labyrinth of threaded designs emerge. It's the result of a year of planning and almost as long of slow tedious work. It's easily her most extensive project; she's put blood, sweat and tears into it, but it's paid off magnificently.
As she approaches the base of the steps, she rises up on tiptoe to press a kiss to her father's cheek. Even with her heels, he needs to duck. He gives Adrien a mock threatening glare, and Adrien laughs, dropping his gaze to rub the back of his neck. Tom laughs, letting go of his daughter and moving to sit next to his wife.
Marinette turns to hand her bouquet to Alya, dragging her into a hug as the brunette laughs. Pulling away, she smiles at Nino, who gives her a playful wink. She giggles, before turning to Adrien, who smiles and offers her his hand.
She takes it, walks up the steps, and the ceremony begins.
Neither one of them pays any particular amount of attention to the ceremony, preoccupied with stealing glances at the other and blushing. Somehow they make it to the vows without spontaneously combusting or jumping each other.
Marinette goes first. "Adrien Agreste. I met you years ago when you transferred into my class, and I immediately had a crush on you. You were so quiet but kind, and I fell in love with your calm demeanor. You never got upset or annoyed with me, even when I was freaking out while talking to you. And you weren't particularly hard on the eyes either." This earns a collective laugh from the congregation.
"Not too much later, I met Chat Noir. I was just getting used to being Ladybug, and suddenly there's a flirty boy in all leather trying to woo me with terrible cat jokes" Adrien gives her a mock-offended look, and she giggles, continuing. "I'll admit, I didn't think we'd ever become partners, we were so different. I thought we'd just see each other in passing. But you, on the other hand, seemed incapable of taking no for an answer, and soon we were out patrolling and fighting akumas together. It was then that I got to really know Chat Noir. The Chat who has a weird affinity for storms. The Chat who's always talking big but always back his words up with action. The Chat who, for all his goofiness, knows what to say when things get serious. And the longer I knew both Chat and Adrien, the more I saw how similar you were, even if I refused to believe it."
She drops her gaze, and he gives her hand a comforting squeeze. She takes it as a cue to continue. "When we finally found out each other's identities, I was both shocked and not at the same time. I had suspected it was you for awhile, but like I said, I refused to believe it. Not because I didn't want to believe it, but because I couldn't believe that two people I fell in love with were the same person. There was no way even I, with all of Ladybug's luck, could be that lucky. But I was, and here I am, marrying my crush Adrien Agreste, who helped me pass physics and got me an internship at my dream company, and my partner Chat Noir, who's had my back for years now and was always there to listen when I had problems I couldn't talk to Alya about. I don't know what I did to deserve you but I couldn't imagine doing this without either of you. And I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be able to call myself your wife, and you my husband."
By the time she's done, Adrien's grinning like an idiot and she blushes, but smiles back. She looks at the congregation and sees her parents smiling at her. Roses is hopping up and down, covering her mouth to stifle her squealing, and Jukela rolls her eyes fondly (both of them, she has her hair tied back for once) and puts her hands on Rose's shoulder, grounding her. Alix is trying to look bored, but she shoots Marinette a wink, and she even sees Chloe's frown lighten (who, despite having accepted their relationship, still isn't too happy about it.) She look at Gabriel, and he gives her the smallest of approving smiles and a slight nod. She smiles back, but her attention is caught by Adrien clearing his throat.
She turns to face him, and he looks nervous, but she squeezes his hand, and he smiles at her, taking a deep breath. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I saw you when I first transferred into your class, but I didn't really meet you until later that week. You had forgotten your sketchbook on your desk, and it was open to a page with an amazing pair of Ladybug themed gloves. Of course, you would have just received your earrings so nobody knew of Ladybug the superhero yet, but just the attention to detail was amazing. You always did have a knack for the finer things in life." This earns a laugh from Alya, and Marinette sticks her tongue out at her. "I remember running after you to return it and when I finally caught you, you saw me and practically flipped over the handrail. You couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence around me, and that didn't change for months. To be honest, for the longest time I though you disliked me."
Marinette looks up at him, surprised. He laughs softly.
"And then of course, I met Ladybug. You stumbled into the alley, tangled in the string of your yo-yo as I tried to haul myself out of that dumpster, and I was a goner. Even as you were awkwardly learning, you gave off a sense of knowing exactly what you were doing, and it only grew as you learned. It wasn't long before you were fighting akumas and being done in time for class. I was amazed by you and even more amazed that you were willing to let me fight with you. You never really needed me, and even though you seemed to hate my puns, you put up with me. I always thought you were out of my league, but I tried anyways. Even if it never amounted to anything, I loved the easy banter we had, it felt like I could really be myself without being judged. Nino was great and all, but he didn't know I was Chat Noir at the time, so it wasn't quite the same."
He can tell Nino's rolling his eyes, but he ignores it and continues. "However, no matter how amazing and radiant you were as Ladybug, you were never quite able to outshine Marinette. I always admired the easy way you got along with everyone, and I was confused as to why you acted so differently with me. I eventually figured out that you didn't dislike me, but I still couldn't figure you out for the life of me. Were you intimidated? Were you nervous about my dad? Was I making myself seem unapproachable? It took an intervention involving most of our class before the idea that you actually liked me occurred to me." He smirks; Marinette blushes.
"That made me look at you in a whole new light. I realized that I hadn't fallen in love with Ladybug so much as the kind-hearted, courageous, witty girl behind the mask. And I realized that you were all of these things, even while you were stuttering and stumbling around. You were everything I loved in Ladybug, wrapped up in a small bundle of adorable awkwardness." He reaches up and pokes her nose, and she giggles.
"You gave me a hell of a time, Marinette. I was slowly falling for you, and I was still in love with Ladybug. I felt guilty when I was with both of you. I couldn't imagine picking one of you, so I didn't. And then, of course, I find out that you're both the same person, and I can't even begin to describe how relieved and happy I was. I didn't have to pick, and I got Ladybug's amazing confidence and Marinette's adorable awkwardness. It was more than I could have hoped for, even in my wildest dreams."
"I'm Chat Noir. I'm the literal personification of a black cat, and I got all the bad luck that comes with one. I think my record in battle stands as a testament to that. However, despite all of my misfortune, the fact that I'm standing in front of you, about to marry you, more than makes up for any amount of bad luck I've ever had or ever will have. Regardless of how oblivious I once was, I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."
He presses a kiss to her forehead.
"You are my entire world, and I'll love you forever."
A kiss to her cheek.
"I'll like you for always"
A peck on the other.
"As long as I'm living.
A quick one on the nose
"My lady you'll be"
Thunderous applause erupts from the crowd as Adrien swoops in to capture Marinette's lips with his own, before the pastor can even speak. Marinette's crying, Adrien's on the verge of crying, but they're both gone, off in their own little world where there's nobody but them. It takes Alya hollering at Marinette and Nino pounding Adrien on the back before they break apart, blushing furiously. Adrien seems to recover first, grinning as he hooks an arm behind her knees and sweeping her off her feet, earning a startled squawk from Marinette as she wraps her arms around his neck. She glares at him, but he just grins wider, and breaks into a run down the aisle, with Marinette's family and their classmates cheering and clapping. Even his father is wearing one of the biggest smiles he's ever seen on his face.
(Which, to be honest, isn't all that big, but Adrien's going to ignore that)
The reception takes place at a banquet hall, with food catered from Ms. Cesaire's restaurant. Dessert and pastries are, of course, provided by Marinette's parents, and Nino (after swearing not to play anything embarrassing or improper) is manning the music studio. When it comes time to cut the cake, they both end up shoving it the other's face, laughing. Alya and Nino seem determined to give their best friends hell by bringing up every embarrassing story they can think of. Alya talks for ages about Marinette's crush and her ridiculous antics, while Nino brings up every single cat-like tendency Adrien's ever displayed ("And that's the last time I used a laser pointer in our presentation.") .
Eventually the music shifts to a slow dance, and Marinette walks onto the dance floor with her father for the parent-child dance. Adrien surprises everyone when he grabs Nathalie's hand and leads her out, but Gabriel smiles sadly. Nathalie's been with them since just after Adrien's mother left, and despite the business nature of their relationship, she's spent so much time with him that she's become a mother figure in his life. He watches the two pairs slowly revolve around the floor, before the song comes to a close. Marinette reaches up to hug her father, and Adrien presses a kiss to Nathalie's cheek.
Gabriel starts as he notices Adrien wave him over. He makes his way onto the floor, another slow song playing its opening notes, and notices Sabine walk up to Adrien as Marinette looks at him expectantly. He walks up to her, tries a smile, and is rewarded with a small one of her own, as she places a hand on his shoulder and takes his with her other. He smiles at her, compliments her dress, and she blushes, smiling under the praise. They make small talk, discussing the fabrics she used and the designs. He hears Adrien laugh, and Gabriel turns to see Adrien laughing as he spins his petite new mother-in-law in place. He smiles, turning his attention back to his new daughter-in-law.
Eventually, this dance also comes to a close, and Marinette hugs him. He stiffens, before relaxing and wrapping his on arms around her. He sees Adrien give Sabine a kiss on the cheek, and she tweaks his nose before kissing him on his. She walks back to her seat next to her husband, and Gabriel moves to stand off to the side.
Now it's just the two newlyweds out on the floor. Adrien turns to Marinette, and drops into a bow, sweeping one arm behind his back and offering her his other. She rolls her eyes fondly, but takes it, and he straightens, tugging her to his chest. The instant their hands are in position, they're off, spinning their way around the dance floor.
It's a sight to behold. As they dance, they become less Marinette and Adrien and more Ladybug and Chat Noir. One doesn't need to know anything about them to see the easy way they move, reading and predicting the other's movements flawlessly. It's the type of fluidity that only comes with a long-time trusted partner, even if it was usually as a partner in fighting crime as opposed to a dance partner. They both have wide smiles on their faces, and as they draw to a close, they both move in for another kiss, earning hoots from the crowd. The music picks back up, and soon everyone is on their feet, dancing and having an overall wonderful time.
The reception goes long into the wee hours of the morning, and by the time it's finally over; the sun's almost ready to make its appearance. But in spite of the tiredness, nobody can bring themselves to care, especially not the newlyweds.
And if you happened to be awake as the first rays of sunlight peaked over the horizon, you might've seen the infamous duo running their usual patrol route, laughing. You might've noticed how happy they seemed to be. And if you were very attentive, you might've caught a glimpse of the new rings on their left hands, one silver with an emerald, the other gold with a ruby.