Marinette's Secret Santa

2: Shopping & Sparing

Natalia's face appears on the back of the center console in Adrien's chauffeur.

"Good afternoon Adrien, we've got a slight change in our schedule for this afternoon. Something came up and instead of going to your private practice with Kagami, we will head home to practice piano. Kagami will be coming later to practice in the house gym."

Adrien clinched the strap of his bag, took a deep breath, and asked, "Instead of going home to play piano while we wait for Kagami, could we maybe stop by a shop?"

"Why would you need to stop?"

"It's just that my class's Christmas party is tomorrow and I have to bring a present for secret Santa."

"I wish you would've told me this sooner. I would've ordered something online for you. It's too late to do that now Adrien." Natalie sighed.

"That's the thing, I wanted to hand-pick the gift. It's for a very special person and I wanted to get the perfect gift." Adrien was sweating from the stress. His heart was begging Natalie to let him do this.

Natalie checked the time on her watch. "I see how important this is. You can stop at a store for thirty minutes. Please be careful and be quick."

"Thank you, Natalie!" Adrien lit up with joy. Natalie's screen went black and the bodyguard turned the car down a new road, taking Adrien to the store.

The store they stopped at was the perfect little shop. Everything inside was so small and dainty. Adrien gazed at each item, looking through every detail.

Perfumes? He didn't know which sent she'd prefer.

Earrings? She wears the same pair every day.

Hats? Not her thing.

After a while Natalie called the bodyguard, telling him Adrien's time was up and he needed to be home soon. The bodyguard did as he was told and they left with no gift.

Adrien was so upset that he couldn't find anything that once he got home he somberly walked through the door.

"Kagami will be here soon Adrien, please change into your fencing gear," Natalie said as he walked up the stairs.

"Yes, Natalie."

Adrien closed the door of his bedroom behind him and dramatically pressed his back to it, sliding down to the floor. Plagg flies out from his shirt.

"Upset you can't find a present for your lady friend?"

Adrien nods to Plagg's question. "At this point, I don't know what to do. I have to get something."

Plagg flies to his friend. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll think of something."

"That's what everyone is saying." Adrien buries his head in his knees for a minute before getting up, getting changed, and heading downstairs to meet Kagami when she arrives.

Kagami entered already in her sparing gear. "Afternoon Adrien." She said in her own cheerful way.

"Hey Kagami, how was your day?"

"It was nice. Sorry for being late today, I stayed behind at school to help Marinette carry some boxes to your classroom."

"You helped?"

"Yes. They were very big and heavy boxes she was carrying so I stopped to help her. Your class is having a party right? Mine is too."

Adrien and Kagami continue to the in-house gym. They warm up together for a few minutes then begin their first match.

Kagami wins.

Second match: Kagami.

Third, fourth, fifth: Kagami.

The two take a break from sparing to sit and drink water. Adrien lays down on the mat defeated.

"Adrien, you are easy to beat when you are upset. Whenever you get in a better mood, you'll be a better challenge."

"Thanks?" Adrien says laying his arms over his eyes and forehead.

"What I'm trying to say is, what's wrong?"

Adrien sighs and explains his situation to her. He goes on and on about how important the gift is to him and how he can't find anything.

Kagami lies on the mat next to him. "Well, I'm not good at gift-giving either so I can't give you any good advice. But who exactly are you shopping for?"

"I can't tell you, it's supposed to be a secret. That's why it's called 'Secret Santa'."

Kagami chuckles a little. "Adrien even I know that's not true. Secret Santa is when the person receiving the gift doesn't know. It's okay to share with others as long as it's not that particular person. Plus I'm not even in your class."

Adrien tucks his lips in his mouth in embarrassment. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Kagami giggles at his face. "So? Who is it?"

Adrien sighs, "Marinette."

Kagami's face relaxed pleasantly. "Then you don't have to struggle here. Marinette seems like a very easy person to buy for."

"You don't understand Kagami, Marinette has done so much for me and the others in my class this year that I have to get her the perfect gift! She even went above and beyond with the class Christmas party!" Adrien gestured with his arms wildly explaining the decor. "I mean, we're talking about a life-sized gingerbread man!"

Kagami holds back another laugh at his gestures. "So you're not just looking for anything to give?"

"Exactly." He lays his hands on his chest.

"Then why not ask that one friend of Marinette's? Alya isn't it? I'm sure she'd know what Marinette would like."

"Kagami!" He yells sitting straight up. "That's it! If anyone knows what to get Marinette it's Alya!"

Adrien jumps to his feet and gathers his sparing things to put away in the gym's cabinets.

"I guess that's my cue then." Kagami stands picking up her lance to put it back in its sheath.

"Oh," Adrien approaches her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Thank you, Kagami. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

"Of course." Kagami blushes.

"We'll spar again soon! I promise!" Adrien shouts as he rushes out the doors of the gym to his room to call Alya.