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"You can do this. You can totally do this," she whispered to herself.
Her hands fidgeted with the gift in her hands, taking care with the wrapping. It wouldn't do for him to receive her gift and find it already half-opened because she couldn't get a handle on her nerves.
"Marinette, you've got this." Adrien gave a thumbs up before shooing her further down the hall.
She nodded though her stomach continued to flutter with excited jitters and imaginary butterflies. Could she really do this? She certainly hoped so.
The large door came within knocking distance, slightly ajar but no more welcoming than the rest of the imposing mansion she stood within. Soft music filtered through the small crack in the doorway. A lilting tune that had her humming along while raising her courage level a bit more.
He liked Christmas music after all, she noted with a soft smile. That helped to know.
Taking one last moment to collect herself, she raised her hand and tapped on the hardwood.
"Come in," a voice called.
With a push, the door swung open on silent, well-oiled hinges, something she appreciated as she took the moment to inspect the room. The large library held an impressive number of books, far greater than the tiny bookstore where she worked. She could well imagine spending hours in this room, perusing the shelves and locating treasures on the hundreds of shelves. Ornate rolling ladders dotted the different levels and walls, ensuring the collection remained fully accessible to its occupants.
So lost in her inspection and awe of the room, she didn't see the man sitting at a large desk, his gaze watching her.
When her gaze did finally meet his, she fought the urge to jump backward, so startled by the intensity of his eyes on her. Instead, she settled for an awkward wave from the doorway, her feet incapable of propelling her into the room.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his entire body growing quite tense, almost uncomfortable at her presence. "If you're searching for Adrien, he should be in his room."
"I'm not here to see Adrien." She took a tiny step forward, her hands tightening around the gift she held. "I'm here to see you."
Before she could think better of it, she took a few steps more into the room, closing the door behind her. Her hand remained on the handle. With her back to him, she took several breaths, regaining her courage to take this leap she knew was the right one for her. Sure, she'd first mistaken which brother had been the right one, but she knew the truth now and she refused to let that truth go without a fight.
Her courage renewed, she swiveled on the plush carpet and met the surprised expression he wore. A cynicism rested beneath the surface of that look, almost as if he couldn't quite believe she might want to see him.
Determined to prove him wrong, she lifted the gift she held and said, "This is for you."
He didn't say a word as he stood to his full height, a height that never failed to remind her how petite she was in comparison. His purposeful stride had most running for cover, but Marinette stood her ground, having grown used to his moods and how to read them. This one didn't scare her as she recognized the surprise and insecurity he often tried so hard to hide from others.
Straightening, she offered him a soft smile, hopeful he'd like the gift she'd spent the past month tracking down for him. Her boss had been impressed with the way she'd talked the seller around, gaining a deep discount for this little token.
When he stood before her, he eyed the gift in her hands with a scrutiny that would've made a lesser person wither and possibly cower before him. The look reminded her of how daunting and foreboding the Agreste men could be, especially Felix and Gabriel as they'd mastered an air of superiority and surety that put them on another plane altogether.
"What is it?" he finally asked, breaking the growing silence between them. His hands remained at his sides, not willing to reach out and take it for himself. "You know I don't care for Christmas, so I have nothing in return."
Total lie, she thought with a smile. The music playing around them made his claim a complete falsehood, but she let it slide for the moment.
"I don't mind if I don't get anything," she assured him in a quiet voice, holding the gift closer to him. "If you want to know what it is, you'll have to open it and see for yourself."
He hesitated, his hands clenching into fists.
Growing rather impatient to see his expression, she grabbed one hand and set the gift in the open palm. Trying her best not to roll her eyes, she couldn't help the slight teasing in her tone as she said, "It's a gift. I promise it won't bite you."
It took him a bit longer to finally begin the painfully slow process of unwrapping. She almost sighed loud and long, fearing he might be worse than Adrien when it came to keeping the paper from ruining or ripping. His fingers moved along the seams and took care when they reached the tape, wanting to preserve the paper.
At long last, the wrapping fell away. In his hands sat the book she'd tracked down for his collection, a rare first-edition that took a miracle to crop up on the book market from a private seller. She'd lucked out when she'd heard of an estate sale from a distant relative of an English earl.
"Wow," he breathed, his hands growing reverent as they touched the book within them. "There're only a few hundred ever produced of this. I thought it would forever be out of my reach. Thank you, Marinette."
She smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. "It's my pleasure, Felix. In truth, it was the least I could do for my favorite customer before I leave my position at the store. I wanted you to have something truly special to remember me by."
"You're leaving? Why?" His gaze slammed into hers as the words sank in, a mixture of pain and horror entering them. "You can't leave."
Swiping at the tears that spilled down her cheeks, she managed a shaky breath. "I can, and I have. It's time for me to move on, to travel like I've always wanted to do. I'm sure I'll come back to Paris one day, but it won't be anytime soon. I had hopes of sharing this next step with someone special, but I've decided I can't wait around forever. So, I'm going on my own."
He didn't say anything, simply stared as though he couldn't comprehend her words. His lips curved down into a deep frown.
Not able to withstand his scrutiny or silence, she turned her back to him, her steps carrying her toward the door.
"I'll miss you, Felix, but I do hope you enjoy your gift. I had hoped to get it to you last night for Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day seemed more fitting anyway." Her hand stretched out for the doorknob. "I'll send you a postcard or two if you'd like. Just let me know. My number won't be changing anytime soon, I don't think."
She had the door opened a few inches, but it ripped out of her hand, slamming shut.
A large hand held it in place as wild grey eyes blazed into hers.
"Don't go," he whispered. "Please, stay."
"I can't." She shook her head.
His hand didn't budge, forcing her to glare at him.
"Then, let me be your special someone. Let me go with you. We can explore all the places you want." His free hand reached toward her, hesitating before it cupped her cheek. "Please, Marinette, don't leave me here alone. I'll be so lost without you and the bright light you've brought into my world."
Hope flared within her chest, but she couldn't allow it to grow further without hearing the words she most wanted to hear from him.
"What exactly are you saying, Felix?"
Her soft command wasn't lost on him, she realized, as he smiled down at her. His thumb stroked her cheek and wiped away a few stray tears she'd missed.
"I'm saying I love you. I love you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, more than I ever thought I could love someone before."
"Oh," she breathed, "I love you, too, Felix Agreste. More than you could ever know."
He chuckled softly. "I can guess based on that book you got me. You'll have to tell me how you managed to get it one day, but for now, I'd rather kiss you."
"Nothing is stopping you," she murmured, rising on her toes to close the distance between them.
He didn't hesitate then, sealing their lips together in a kiss that held such promise, such hope for the future. It was a kiss that curled her toes and sent one leg bending at the knee while making their hearts pound harder. It was a kiss that neither would ever forget or the Christmas Day where they both stopped being so stubborn or stupid when it came to the other.