The Spirit of Christmas

Chapter 4

"Let me think." Adrien said, sipping his wine.

"You only have two questions left." Marinette reminded him.

The two of them laid side by side in their pajamas under a canopy of blankets, and surrounded by pillows in front of the fireplace. Plagg's Christmas present had made for an impromptu indoor picnic as Adrien and Marinette made a game of asking each other 20 questions. Adrien had hardly laughed so much in years as they revealed some of their most funny and embarrassing moments from the last 12 years.

"I know, I know... how about, how many kids do you want?"

"Oh that's easy." Marinette smiled. "Three. I even chose their names, Louis, Emma and Hugo."

Adrien raised an eyebrow at her. "That's weirdly specific, but kind of sweet too. Somehow that doesn't even surprise me. I bet all the kids love you."

Marinette felt her face flush. "Well I used to babysit some of the neighbours kids in high school and I guess I always liked the idea of getting married one day and having a family."

"Did you ever get close to it? Getting married I mean?"

"Maybe." She said in a sing-song voice. "Is that going to be your last question?" Marinette teased. Adrien rolled his eyes.

"No, it's fine, you don't have to answer it."

Marinette had to smile at the little pout on his face. If she wasn't mistaken, he almost seemed jealous at the idea she might have thought about marrying someone else.

"I'll give you this answer for free. I've only been proposed to once" She said, her eyes watching him playfully.

A beat of silence fell between them. Adrien reached out and placed his hand on hers. "For what it's worth Marinette, I really did mean it at the time."

He was giving her that look again, like she was everything in his world and she wanted nothing more than to be his world. Maybe it was the wine, or the fire, or even their little cocoon they had made for themselves against the cold, but Marinette hoped that look meant what she hoped it meant.

"You'll never know how seriously I took your promise." She said softly. "Even then."

Adrien leaned forward slightly and placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. Marinette could feel her face heat up and she turned away from him, looking back at the fire. Adrien only seemed to be amused by her flusted state. "I have another question for you." She said, quickly taking another sip of her Lambrusco.

Adrien still hadn't taken his eyes off her although he missed the feel of her hand. "It's your last question so you better make it a good one."

"Oh it's a good one." Marinette grinned. "If you were to get a tattoo what would it be and where?"

"Technically that's two questions and you're assuming I don't already have one?" He said with a smug smirk on his face.

"What? No." Marinette gasped, turning more onto her side and supporting her head on her hand. "Seriously, you have a tattoo? Where is it? Is there a story behind it?"

Adrien had to chuckle at the surprised look on her face. "That's more than one question, Marinette, you're breaking the rules." He reminded her, waving a finger. "But if I show you mine you have to show me yours."

Marinette's mouth flew open. "How did you know I had a tattoo? I don't remember telling you about that."

He gave her a cheeky grin. "I didn't. But now I don't need to use up my last question asking you if you did."

Marinette put down her wine glass and narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you just trick me?"

"Maybe." He replied with a cheeky grin, but the grin soon morphed into a full laugh when Marinette dived at him with a pillow.