Marinette's morning slid back into her typical routine. The only difference was that after panicking that she had slept in again, there was the added frantic reorganizing of her closet to securely stash the new miraculous box.
As guardian it was laid on her to protect this one too. Ember had cautioned that this one in particular should be stored a part from the others in a secure hiding space. It fit perfectly into a slate grey hat box, and she had moved it five or six times the night before to different spots around her room. Finally she moved it one last time and stashed it up inside a cracked ceiling tile in the back of her closet (a closet that was in a constant state of disoray and only Marinette herself could ever find what she was looking for).
"There!" Marinette clapped her hands together brushing off a layer of dust. "Not even my own mother can find a thing in there."
"Good thinking!" Tiki nodded her head in approval. "It's just temporary anyway, until we can check in with the other guardians."
Marinette smiled, and looked back in her closet getting distracted by the black dress she had worn to the party the previous week. A thrilled shiver vibrated through her, as her fingers grazed the soft midnight fabric.
"Marinette!" Tiki broke into her daydream about kisses and lingering glances shared with the boy of her dreams. "You're all ready late for school!"
As if in agreement Marinette's mom called up from the kitchen reminding her of the same fact.
"Coming!" Marinette called, slightly muffled as she pulled her white t-shirt over her head, and tried to pull one leg into her pink capris at the same time...unsuccessfully, because she caught her toe and tumbled over into the laundry bin.
"Honey? You okay?" her mother called up again.
"Fine! I'll be down in a sec!" she yelled, pulling a sock off her shoulder, and managed to not only get dressed without colliding with the floor again, but also threw on some cherry lip gloss with a quick glance at the mirror.
"Don't forget your portfolio for the internship after school today!" urged Tiki.
Marinette gathered the waiting bundle and added it to her overfilled backpack, which refused to zip up under the strain. Then threw the garment bag with her other outfit over her shoulder. Before zipping downstairs she pecked Tiki on the forehead, and Tiki gave her a wink before phasing into her purse. Dragging her backpack down the stairs behind her, she dropped it to a thump on the floor. She was busy making plans for how to quickly retrieve a hasty breakfast before making a dash across the street to first class.
As she picked her head up to look across the kitchen to her mom to say "good morning," she let out a gasp. There sitting at her very own kitchen table was Adrien!
"Good morning Mari!" he said with a glowing smile, and a ceramic mug of coffee cradled in his hands.
"Mo..morn'...to you...good," Marinette fumbled, going weak at the knees and the fantasy of waking up to Adrien in their own little apartment in Paris flitted through her brain causing it to short circuit.
"Adrien was such a dear, and figured you might need an extra hand bringing your things to school today," Marinette's mom came along to rescue her out of her detailed thoughts. "Wasn't that sweet of him," she then nudged Marinette, with a wink.
"Yes, so sweet...he is soo sweet," Marinette hummed, before mentally slapping herself, and clearing her throat. "Thank you...I really am sorry for taking so long...if I had known you'd be waiting I would have tried to hurry more!" she rushed.
"Like I've said before, you're worth the wait," Adrien smiled over his coffee cup at her, and raising a second mug towards her.
Marinette crossed the floor sliding in next to him at the table taking the steaming mug from his hands.
"Have a good day sweetie," Marinette's mom quickly kissed the top of her daughters head, and smiled at Adrien. "You two had better hurry if you're going to make your first class! Adrien, hun, are you sure you won't eat another croissant before you go?"
"How can I resist!" Adrien beamed, as Mrs. Dupan-Chang put not one but three fresh flaky croissants in front of him.
Marinette took a hasty swig of her coffee, before being pulled along by Adrien out the door. He had already slung her backpack over his shoulder, and scooped up her garment back over his arm.
"You know we're already late right?!" Marinette said as he sped out the door, tugging at her hand. "We're not going to make it on time anyway."
Adrien drew her around the corner and pulled her in towards him till their noses were bearly touching. "I wasn't rushing to get to history class," he grinned slyly, and brushed his lips across her neck. "I was just hoping to get you to myself for a bit before the day runs away on us." Then he leaned in again and tickled her neck, up to her mouth with a trail of kisses making her sigh. He pressed up against her, feeling her heartbeat speed up to join the rhythm beating through his chest. Marinette's arms leaned on his shoulders, and her fingers laced themselves through his hair. When she glanced at him between kisses, the way his hair now stuck out in a much more Chat-like way made her heart do summersaults, fuelling a surge of desire within her. She pushed Adrien back against the opposite wall, spurred on by the sound he made as her mouth met his. Adrien gripped onto her waist, and she slowed, giving him one last lingering brush of her lips before sinking against him.
"No, no, don't stop," Adrien whispered raggedly. "Class has already started, there is not really any point interrupting them now. We should just wait till next class...or lunch...or tomorrow..." he bargained.
"That is very tempting," she breathed with a smile up at him. "But you know we've both got to pass our next final, and I might be a bit busy over the next few nights to get much studying done."
"I'll help you study!" his jade green eyes sparked deviously. "Even if we have to stay up all night!" he added, tracing the small of her back with his fingers.
"Hmm...you are very convincing," she raised an eyebrow at him coyly, "but you're much too distracting."
"No late night study session then?" Adrien pulled out his lower lip, and his best kitten eyes.
"I didn't say that..." Marinette grinned happily, interrupted by Adrien's lips finding hers again.
By the time Marinette and Adrien crossed the threshold of their classrooms door they had indeed missed the majority of the lesson their teacher had been attempting to give...not that the students absorbed much more at the end of the lesson. Everyone was far more interested in the appearance of a blushing Marinette, linked into the arm of a very ruffled Adrien Agreste.
Whispers, nods, and high fives were exchanged from their classmates. Especially those who felt that the couple's happiness was the result their involvement orchestrating the match-up of the long awaited Adrinette smiled proudly to themselves. Kim contributed some teasing sound effects with steamy induendo, which their teacher chided him for. Sabrina looked concerned at Chloe. Chloe however, just rolled her eyes blowing a pink bubble in her gum, and glanced over at Adrien with a smile at the delusional boy. Alya elbowed her BFF giddy as anything, which just made Marinette's face glow redder than before. Nino whispered with Adrien in the front row, and Adrien snuck glances back toward Marinette whenever the teachers back was turned.
Everyone in class was buzzing with the news...but Liela glowered at the back of their heads in the back row. All these clueless idiots were all in pieces about these two lame dorks getting together. Big deal! As if anyone with half a brain couldn't have seen that coming. No one had even congratulated her earlier that morning for the news about her personal yacht trip with Jagged, her having to turn down six different modelling companies to pursue her charity work, or Ladybug confiding in her about Chat Noir's affairs...not that any of these had actually been true...but still any one of her news worthy items of the day had just been met by shrugs or indifferent grunts. Alya had even gone so far as to outright question her in front of the class. Honestly, things had been a lot easier before she had to swallow her pride and talk her way out of her connection with Gabriel Agreste. Luckily his manipulation of others as Hawkmoth made it easy to play the part as the victim. Then Liela's face was transformed by a thin-lipped smile. These lovesick pawns might be exactly what she needed. If she played her cards right their pitiful flame for each other could ignite a fire to consume everyone in her path. She always did get what she wanted in the end.