Miraculous Short Stories

Soul Searching - Part 3 (finale)

A/N - Apologies for this being late. Someone 90% of the chapter disappeared from my original document and I had to rewrite it 💜

Sweet Surrender...

Marinette was totally exhausted. End of year exam study had been keeping her up late at night, not to mention those folio garment pieces she needed to have finished, and she was eternally grateful for her patient and considerate soulmate who was keeping her well caffeinated and ensuring she was fed as she battled through the haze.

True to his threat Gabriel cut Adrien off, severing his contract and telling him he wasn't welcome back unless he "dropped the excess baggage." If he thought that would have Adrien crawling back to him though he was to be sorely disappointed. Nathalie for her part had ensured Adrien received all the funds he was entitled to from his years of modeling making him effectively independent of his father and he applied to a business course at university, ready to start in the next semester. Now that Adrien was out on his own, she was seriously considering tendering her own resignation and retiring to the country.

In the meantime, when Marinette's parents heard what Gabriel did, they immediately gave Adrien a part time job with them, and Adrien couldn't be happier. He was his own man with an amazing woman and family by his side and he couldn't ask for more than that. Even Hawk Moth and his occasional annoying akumas couldn't dampen his spirits.

Stumbling into the apartment after a long day on campus, Marinette could barely contain her yawn as Adrien came out of the kitchen to greet her. She could smell rice in the rice cooker and what looked to be a peanut satay on the stove.

"Hey there Princess." Adrien beamed, kissing her on the cheek. Marinette was still getting used to that. Ever since that night at Gabriel's, Adrien had been a lot more affectionate and Marinette couldn't deny she enjoyed it. They hadn't openly said there had been a change in their relationship, but it certainly felt a lot more like they were dating, even if they were living together. He had yet to kiss her in the lips though, and she wondered why he was holding back. Why was she holding back?

She had done a lot of soul searching over the last few months, and while a part of her would still love Chat Noir, she wanted to give Adrien her whole heart. Yet she still held back, waiting for him to make the first move.

"Did you cook dinner?" Marinette asked, trying not to sound too amazed. Adrien gave her a wide grin.

"I could lie and say I made it all from scratch, but your mum actually made the satay, I just warmed it up and cooked the rice."

"Well it still smells delicious." Marinette said, patting his arm. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

Adrien shook his head. "I'm just looking after you, the way a good boyfriend should." He really liked saying that, and Marientte could see it in his face. "Now go have a shower and freshen up. This will be ready soon."

Marinette rose up on her toes to kiss him on the nose, making him chuckle. She washed away the hard work of the day, slipping on her comfy pajamas and putting out some cookies for Tikki in the bedroom before padding out to the dining table where Adrien had set the table with candles and seasonal flowers.

"Am I missing a special occasion?" She asked. Adrien shook his head.

"It's Friday night, which means no classes or exams for you tomorrow. I think that's something worth celebrating."

After dinner the two sat down next to each other on the couch and put on a movie. The film was barely 20 minutes in when Adrien soon felt Marinette's head fall onto his shoulder. At first he wondered if he should wake her up and send her to bed, but the truth was he didn't want to move at all. Shifting back a little to the corner of the couch, Adrien reclined back, allowing Marinette's head to rest more comfortably on his chest.