48 Hours To Make You Love Me

The Twenty-Ninth Hour

Prompt: Snowball Fights

"That's been a lovely afternoon, don't you think?" Adrien took Marinette's coat from where she'd placed it on the hanger and held it out for her to slip her arms into.

The words Gramps had told him circulated around and around in his brain, the repetitiveness of the words more obsessive than the musical interlude of a Merry Go Round. Whereas listening to Let's Go Fly A Kite on repeat in his thoughts might be a joyful experience, having the words patience, understanding, and communication circling round would be a hell of a lot more effective in the long run.

Each word was exactly what he needed to make sure he succeeded with Marinette. Have patience with her — there's obviously something more there. Understand the way she behaves and most importantly talk to her; make sure all loopholes are covered and there is no room for doubt. He would do it — tonight. He had a plan now. They just needed to make it back over to the cabin with minimal disruption — thank goodness she wasn't wearing her boots.

Marinette smiled as she turned around and offered her arms to him, slipping them in one at a time before reaching up to move her hair from where it was caught under the hood. Beating her to it, Adrien stretched forward and placed his own hands between her hair and neck, lifting it out from the collar of her coat and allowing it to lay flat against her back. Her long soft hair was the most wonderful feeling as it caressed his fingertips and it fell through with gravity.

"Let me just..." he continued to make sure she was in her coat properly when suddenly the sound of her giggling stopped him from fussing.

"I've got it Adrien," she said with a smile, "you just worry about getting your own coat on, I'd like to be back in the cabin before the storm gets any worse."

He smiled back before giving her a nod of understanding, moving around to find his own coat and boots.

They had spent five hours in the house enjoying all the festive games and entertainment the staff were supplying. After Marinette had arrived back from the kitchen, himself and Gramps played a couple more Christmas songs on the piano before Adrien sent the older man off to go and dance with his wife, Marinette swapping with the older man and coming to Adrien company at the piano.

His heart almost gave up, instead going for a backfire, as he attempted to steady himself when Marinette rested her head on his shoulder and looped one arm through his, singing along with him and enjoying the festive cheer he was supplying. She seemed to have suddenly received a new found renewal of confidence, not too dissimilar to what he usually saw in her super form. But this was Marinette and it seemed like she was finally giving in to his advances.

Had Granny given her a heart to heart like Gramps had to him?

The piano playing came to an end as board game hour began... and what an hour that was!

If he thought Marinette was competitive he'd been truly mistaken because Little Miss Naughty had taken competitive to a whole new level and where he thought Gramps would have given in to his wife and attempt to placate her, instead he just wound her up more, egging her on and causing all kinds of mischief to the point Adrien had double checked they were both in the correct jumper; to answer the question, apparently they both have one of each and can mix and match depending on their moods that day. Adrien had to laugh when Marinette suggested Gramps went to change his jumper for a naughty one, too.

Adrien couldn't help but feel like sometimes he was looking into his future, however, when the thoughts surfaced so did a buzz and pain in his head. Was it the commitment that was causing his head to go funny? Or just the idea of growing old? He hadn't a clue. All he knew was that over-thinking the way Granny and Gramps acted together hurt his brain, so instead he just enjoyed the goodwill and nature of the couple in front of him... even if she threatened to throw him all the way to Egypt multiple times that afternoon.