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He wasn’t sure if he should knock on the window this late, but it wasn’t like the rain was going to let up anytime soon. He couldn’t think of where else to go, and he had found himself here, on her balcony, wet and shivering cold.
He rapped his knuckles against the glass. ‘Marinette?’
He heard low bangs and crashes that he couldn’t tell were from the clouds above him or from the clumsiness of the girl below him. He raised his hand to knock on the skylight window once again, only for it to prop open.
'Cha- Adrien?’ she asked, visibly confused. 'What- come in! Quick, before you get cold!’
She ushered him in and closed the skylight firmly behind him, before leaping over her bed railing and down to the floor below in one big jump, gracefully landing on the floor with a soft thump. She ran down the stairs and returned a few moments later with two big fluffy towels, putting one aside and tenderly wrapped the other around him with gentle instructions to dry himself off, before jumping back down and rushing over to a chest he had never paid much attention to before. She opened it, and he could see it was full of presents, all carefully wrapped with pretty bows. She rummaged around for a moment before pulling out the one she seemed to be looking for, ripped off the gift tag, and ran the present and the other towel back up to him.
'Have a shower and warm up, then change into these - they should fit you,’ she told him, 'and while you do that, I’ll make hot chocolate for us both - sound good?’
He nodded in agreement, eager to get warm again, and quickly shuffled off to the bathroom. As soon as the door shut, Plagg zipped out from his shirt and sat at the basin, uncharacteristically quiet, but Adrien appreciated that for the moment. The hot water was utterly blissful, and he was tempted to just stay under the warm spray, to bask in the comforting heat. He languidly washed himself with the soothing scents of the milk and shea butter body soaps and sweet vanilla hair products, then snuggled into his big fluffy dry towel as he opened the gift.
In his hands was a set of the softest pyjamas he had ever felt. Both top and bottom were a pastel apple green, Marinette’s name was carefully embroidered where the tag would normally be, and while the pyjamas looked warm and cozy, they felt light in his arms.
Thankful that his underwear was dry despite the soaking rain, he quickly slipped them on, eager to put the pyjamas on. The pyjamas were even softer than he thought they’d be, and the pants had pockets - which Plagg quickly made himself at home in. And the pyjamas fit him well, perhaps a little big, but he could easily imagine himself growing into them in when he had another growth spurt or two. Marinette really made the most wonderful clothes - whoever she made the pyjamas for was a very lucky person.
Scooping up the wet clothes and towels in his arms, he left the bathroom and went to the kitchen to see Marinette carefully adding marshmallows to the mugs of hot chocolate.
'Hey,’ she greeted with a warm smile. 'Feeling better?’
'Much, thanks,’ he answered, returning her smile with one of his own. 'I think that was one of the best showers I’ve ever had.’
Marinette laughed prettily. 'Even better than the state-of-the-art shower I’m sure you have at home?’
'Way better,’ he grinned. 'I might be tempted to have all my showers here from now on.’
Her face flushed bright pink at his tease before she snorted softly. 'No way - from what I hear, you’ll send our water bill through the roof.’
He laughed at her lighthearted jab. Before he could think of a response, she took the bundle out of his arms.
'I’ll go put this to wash if you take the hot chocolates upstairs,’ she said, and with a nod in agreement, he picked up the tray the hot chocolates sat on and took them up to her room.
The aroma of melted chocolate and sugar teased his senses, making him salivate. As he put the tray down on her desk, he was tempted to just down his beverage and curl up on her chaise like a cat and fall asleep. He had barely been here for half an hour and it was the most at peace he had felt in a long time.
Looking down, he spotted the tag Marinette had ripped off and thrown to the ground. Curious to see who’s present he had acquired, he picked it up.
Dear Adrien,
Happy 15th Birthday!
Love, Marinette
These pyjamas - the comfiest, cosiest, cuddly-est pyjamas he had ever worn - had been made for him! For his fifteenth birthday! He was the lucky person! And not only were these wonderful pyjamas made for him, she was considerate enough to account for any growth spurts he may have, so he could enjoy his gift for as long as possible!
The joy this thoughtful gift gave him was like hot chocolate for the soul; sweet and lovely, warming him from head to toe. All he needed right now was to drink the actual hot chocolate Marinette made for him, but he didn’t want to be rude and start without her.
Adrien looked up at the still-open chest that housed all those presents and went over to close it. As he lowered the lid, his eyes caught something that made him pause and reopen the chest.
Dear Adrien,
Happy 19th Birthday!
Love, Marinette
It was another present for him, but intended for his birthday in five years time. Curious, he flipped over another tag.
Dear Adrien,
Merry Christmas for 2023!
Love, Marinette
He flipped over another tag, and another, and another, pulling them out of the chest as he went. Every tag was attached to a present destined for him: birthdays, Christmases, name days - she had something for every single occasion for years.
Never had he felt so loved.
A myriad of emotions swelled to a crescendo in him, overwhelming him, and his eyes welled with tears. He could barely process all he was feeling, but what shone above it all was Marinette.
'Hey, so now that you’re all warm and our hot chocolates are ready, could we have a little chat?’ Marinette asked as she ascended the stairs, but froze wide-eyed when she saw him. 'A-Adrien?’
He must’ve looked a state, there on the ground (when did he end up on the ground? He couldn’t remember sitting for the life of him), surrounded by piles of presents she had prepared to give his future selves… but he couldn’t bring himself to care about how he looked. He was just so happy.
'You made these all for me?’ he asked tenderly, holding the gift currently in his grasp (his high school graduation gift) like it was the most precious object in existence.
She winced. 'A-are you mad?’
'Mad?’ he repeated. He couldn’t believe his ears. 'I couldn’t be happier if I tried!’
Adrien wasn’t sure if she was convinced by his words, considering he was crying the entire time, but she seemed less panicked.
'R-really?’ she asked, sounding rather hopeful.
'Yes!’ he exclaimed emphatically. 'This, all of this, means the world to me. I can’t even begin to tell you how- how- how amazing this is!’
Marinette sighed and relaxed, shooting him a wonderful smile.
'What made you decide to do all this for me?’ Adrien asked.
Her gaze quickly averted and she got up and retrieved the hot chocolates.
'That…is something I’ll answer a little later,’ she said, her cheeks tinted pink as she sat down next to him and handed him his beverage. He immediately took a sip and moaned appreciatively.
'Whoever said ambrosia was the drink of the gods have obviously never had this,’ he muttered as he stared at his mug, torn between sipping it to make it last longer and greedily downing it as fast as he could.
'I’m glad you like it,’ she replied, the pretty pink tint in her cheeks even more prominent now. She shook her head, as if to refocus and met his gaze with worry and concern. 'But what I want to know is why you were up on my balcony in the middle of the night in the pouring rain. What happened?’
Ah. Right. He almost forgot about how he ended up here.
'Um, right. So basically I ran away from home and was hoping I could crash here for the night?’ he answered with a little hopeful shrug.
'You what?!’