Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Honey, calm down,” Sabine, the lifesaver and bringer of the fire extinguisher. Once the smoke cleared, Marinette was left with not one, but two stern, yet forgiving parents.

“How did it come to this sweetheart?” Sabine asked. 

Marinette waved her parents over to a spot at the table, motioning them to sit, “It’s kind of a story necessary type of thing-”

Marinette’s father interrupted her briefly, “Ah, it’s more of a remake these cookies while you explain yourself thing, young lady-”

And then he was interrupted, “Tom, give her a break.”

“Thanks, Mama-”

Sabine held a finger to Tom’s shocked face and winked, “She’s on frosting duty.” Tom perked up, while Marinette frowned distinctively. Her frown deepened as she watched her mom retreat into the kitchen before returning with a plate of unburnt cookies. She had handed her daughter a red and green pastry bag, and Marinette got to work. Her parents brought all the cookies supplies out to the table and Marinette began her explanation. 

“So after you told me to watch the cookies, I did!”

Tom eyed her warily, as Marinette tried to defend herself, “I did Papa. But while I was watching the cookies, I was also looking outside.”

“At the same time, I presume?” Tom said. 

“Multi-tasking, Papa, everyone does it,” Marinette supplied, “I like to watch the snow. It’s so wonderful, and it’s fresh!”

“Unlike these cookies,” Tom muttered. Sabine lightly glared at him. 

Marinette resumed, “Anywho, while I was looking outside, I saw someone.” 

“Who?” Both parents interrupted, “Let me get there!” Marinette countered. 

10 minutes ago

Marinette snagged a thick coat on her way out, before opening the door, greeting the person seated on her parent’s store bench, “Adrien?”

He stood up, shaking a few flurries for his coat, “Ah, Marinette. I didn’t know you-, who am I kidding, I knew you lived here, I was going to knock, I-”

“You’re always welcome at my house, Adrien. Always. My parents are happy to showcase their baking abilities any day, come in.” 

She started to lead them to the door, when Adrien spoke up, “Wait, I, I, I, I, um, don’t have a gift.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, “You don’t need a gift. We’re always happy to provide.”

“Yea, but I don’t want to impose, you know? I mean, I feel kinda bad, just rolling in and expecting your parents to just be there, you know?”

Marinette had an inkling about what this was about, and she approached him slowly, “Is your father not home?”

Adrien took another seat back on the bench, hand on his neck nervously, “No, no, he is, it’s just, he…” Adrien trailed off, mumbling a series of incoherent words. Marinette took a seat beside him, “What?” 

Sighing, Adrien brought up the truth, “He doesn’t want to see me. He’s busy with work, or something.”

Marinette smiled sadly, at this boy on her bench, he just wanted someone to care, and she was happy he knew that there were people who cared, that she cared. She placed her gloved hands on top of his, as she told him her truth, “We’ll always be there for you,” she countered, “I’ll always be there for you.”

Adrien wrapped her hands in his, nodding at her statement, “I appreciate that, Marinette,” he whispered, “You know that right?” He was leaning closer now, and if she could just say something, that wouldn’t ruin this, then it would be-

“Do you smell something burning?”

Adrien backed away from her, as he tried to shake off being what he thought was rejected, “No, no, I, wait, I do.”

“Shit,” Marinette jumped up from the bench, dashing inside, and-

Now 

“-that’s where we are now,” Marinette concluded, encasing the final sugar cookie in its final layer of frosting. 

Her parents didn’t say anything and instead looked outside. Sabine was about to speak up, when Tom interrupted, “DID YOU LEAVE THAT POOR BOY OUTSIDE, MARINETTE!”

“Shit,” she mumbled, and Tom raised another eyebrow before Sabine placed a light hand on his shoulder, and he sighed, leaving his daughter’s poor choice of words for another day. 

“Well go get him!” Sabine said, and Marinette dashed out to the door to find-

nobody. 

“No,” she whispered, “no…” She opened the bakery door briefly, yet before she could open her mouth, both her parents mouthed a ‘go’ to her, and she was off. 

She plodded up and down the streets of Paris, the young teen model’s name on the tip of her lips, something was about to happen there she thought, could he have wanted-

There he was. His blonde hair was nearly drenched in white snow, and she called for him once more. He turned slightly, but not all the way, perhaps doubting the sound. She called again, and he faced her. She sprinted to him, almost collided into him.

“Hey,” she started, “Why’d you leave?”

“I thought,” he began, but shrugged it off, “I think it’s better than I go home.”

“What? No, you can come and stay at my place, I mean, hang out with me at my place. I mean my parents will be there, it’s-”

“Marinette,” he stopped her rambling, with a cold touch to her encased arm, “It’s alright, I’ll be okay-”

“No.” Adrien stopped, “You’re coming back to my house Adrien, and we’ll eat cookies with my extremely pestering parents and my dad’s dumb jokes-”

“I don’t think they’re dumb,” he started. 

“That’s not the point,” Marinette leveled her eyes to him, “I don’t want you to be alone now. I mean, not ever of course, but especially not now. I’m not going to leave you. And if you want to go home, fine, we will go home.”

Adrien sank his head into his gloves, groaning, “You won’t let go of this, will you?”

“No, no, I will not.” She smiled, eyes glittering as she stared at him. He peaked through his gloves at her face, and could barely stifle a smile, “Fine.” he muttered. He let her drag him at top speed, all the way back to her house. When they arrived, Marinette found all the kitchen lights off, “What the-?”

“I thought your parents were home, Marinette,” Adrien chided. 

“They are!” Marinette defended, trying the lock. It opened, and she held out a glove to Adrien, “Wait here.”

She ventured inside, fumbling for the lights. When they came on, she founded all the cookie supplies were gone. The only thing left was a plate of cookies on the table, and two thermoses full of hot chocolate. 

Marinette ran outside to grab Adrien, yet when she got outside, no one was there, “Adrien?” she whispered.

“BOO!” Adrien jumped out from the side of the building. She screamed, before recognizing it was him and blushed. 

“You thought I left, didn’t you?” 

“No one was there,” she replied. 

He looked her in the eyes, “I won’t leave you,” he supplied. Marinette looked down, before ushering him inside. Adrien stopped just right outside the door.

“Come on,” Marinette tried ushering him inside again.

“Come back.” Adrien countered. 

She came back to where he was, questioning his request, “What is it?” It was cold and freezing, and she wanted to get them both inside where it was warm. 

“What happened to the cookies?” he asked.

“Yea, they burnt,” she said before she glared at him mockingly, “all because I was talking to you.”

“So I made you lose track of time?” 

“What? No, I just forgot about the cookies.”

“So, I made you forget about the cookies?”

“No, you didn’t. It was all on my own.” Marinette felt she was getting trapped and wanted a way out, kinda. 

“So you lost track of time all on your own?” Marinette was picking on some sarcastic tone here, but she was desperately trying to avoid the real reason why she forgot about the cookies.

“Uh, yes. Yea that’s it.” 

She rocked on her boots, wondering where this was going. 

“Well, anyway, before you left me outside in the cold to die. I noticed something.” Adrien looked up, and low and behold, a mistletoe. 

“It’s just snow,” Marinette said. 

Adrien rolled his eyes, reaching up and shaking the plant, and low and behold, snow in disguise of a mistletoe. He heard Marinette intake a shaky breath. 

He watched as little snowflakes landed on her face, making her look pristine. He wanted to brush them away with his ungloved hands-

“Look who’s losing track of time now.” Marinette grinned, "Come on, it's cold, like you said, and-"

Adrien lost it, “Marinette, would you please let me finish my thought here, I'm trying to ask you if you'd want to, no, let me-”

“You want to kiss me?” She blurted, eyes wide.

“I mean, yes- no. No, I don’t-”

Marinette looked down at her shoes, visibly disappointed, while Adrien tried to redeem himself, “Wait, no, that’s not what I meant, wait, do you want to kiss me?” 

Marinette looked up shaking her head, “No, no, I mean unless you want to kiss me. That’s I lie,” she blabbered, “I want to kiss you either way-” She slapped a gloved hand over her mouth catching herself, and glared at him, “I’m not telling you anything! I asked you first you little-”

Adrien swooped down with nimble grace, enveloping the snow-cased girl in his arms. She leaned in towards his touch, wrapping his cool cheeks in her small, gloved hands. It seemed he had waited all his life to kiss Marinette Dupain-Cheng right outside her bakery, below a mistletoe, in the middle of winter. Her lips tasted of buttercream frosting, and together, it was like snuggling beside the fire with a warm cup of cocoa. He had never felt something so comforting all at once. When their mingled breaths reached a temperature contradictory to the air around them, they broke apart, gasping. 

Marinette had Adrien’s face between her palms, and she was balancing on Adrien’s palm, placed on the small of her back. She giggled at their position, reaching up to peck his nose. He stood her up, leaning in close once more, and Marinette closed her eyes, expecting another kiss, but Adrien just removed his gloves, bracing his warm hands to the cold, without a care in the world. He gently wiped away the snow from Marinette’s lashes before removing his hands. She opened her eyes, a loopy smile on her face. Adrien reciprocated before enveloping the girl in his arms once more, “Thank you,” he whispered, “for always being there for me," he paused before saying, "Your snow cool.” 

Marinette only responded by hugging him tighter, and finally, after they let go, she whacked him, “That was for the pun.” Marinette dragged him into the bakery, forcing him to down some cookies and cocoa. It wasn’t that hard of a debate, they were delicious. Picking up the steaming cup of cocoa, reminded Adrien of what was only moments before, and he leaned in to kiss Marinette once more, when-

“Ehem,” a voice called from the hallway. Adrien froze, looking at Marinette, only to see her just roll her eyes. She got from her spot, and followed the voice, “Wait here, again."

“Papa,” she began, “I promise I won’t burn your cookies ever again-”

It was Sabine, and she eyed her daughter warningly, “Don’t stay up too late honey, and you’re only allowed here, where we can hear you.” 

Marinette groaned, “I know, Mama, of course-”

“Just reminding you.” 

Marinette hugged her mother, “Thank you Maman.” Sabine only hugged her tighter. 

Letting go, Marinette asked, “Where’s Papa?” 

Sabine shook her head, pointing down the hall, “He’s sobbing, going on about how cute you guys were-”

“You watched us?”

Sabine waved her off, “Only for a little while, I dragged him off when I realized what was going to happen next.” 

Marinette blushed, “Mama-”

“No need to explain, dear, Adrien’s a lovely boy.”

“Mrs. Dupain-Cheng-?” Adrien peaked his head out from the side of the kitchen wall, “Thank you for allowing me over.”

Sabine smiled, “Anytime, Adrien.”

“I’ll just be heading out now,” he said, as he made way to leave. 

“No!” Marinette shouted before calmly restarting, “I mean, you can’t leave yet, right Maman?”

“Don’t stay up too late, both of you.” And then she retreated into the apartment. 

Marinette turned to Adrien, “Don’t leave yet, okay?” 

“Does someone not want me to go?” Adrien smirked.

“No, it’s not that, I like your company and want you to be here, and I don’t want you to be lonely at your house, while-”

“MISTLETOE!” Adrien nearly shouted before he gathered Marinette in his arms again, nearly tackling her with his fierce affection. The same cocoa near the fire feeling resumed again and he smiled in between the kiss. 

He meant to lock eyes with Marinette but instead followed her suspicious gaze upwards, “There isn’t even a mistletoe there…” she trailed off. 

“I just really want you to be quiet so I could kiss you again,” Adrien said, tilting her face down to his. 

“Oh really?” Marinette questioned, “Is that how you get girls, Mr. Agreste?”

“Oh no,” he feigned, “it’s how you get Miss Dupain-Cheng.” 

Marinette scowled at him dramatically, before opening her mouth to counter him, when it was silenced- she’d been mistletoed again.