A MariChat Christmas story: A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

Chapter 6: The Christmas Tree

Marinette was looking through a magazine when she heard someone coming up the stairs. She flipped the page, assuming it was her mother or father coming to talk to her about something, continuing to look through her magazine.

"Hey princess. What are you looking at?"

She looked up from her magazine and saw Chat noir looking directly at her which made her almost fall out of her chair but he caught her.

"Woah, Woah, careful. Did seeing me get you too excited?" He smiled devilishly.

"More like scaring me half to death." She rolled her eyes, booping his nose as she took a deep breath.

"It's not good to lie, princess." He frowned.

"Anyways, I was looking through this magazine to find a tree. Which one looks good?" She laid the magazine down on the table in front of them and she had a sharpie on the table. She already had about 3 or 4 circled.

"But... these are all... fake?" He said, seeing they were from a local store.

"Yeah well... where would we get real trees?" She sighed.

"Hmm... I can get you a real tree princess." He smiled.

"Wait, really? How?" She looked at him, not entirely convinced.

"I have my ways." He smiled.

"You aren't going to steal it, are you?" She smirked.

"Who is telling you all of these lies? I, for one, am a gentleman." He smiled. "I am always a gentleman. Did you not see my impeccable dancing skills the other night?"

"Uh, huh. Alright, I'll give you that. You did dance, rather... gentleman...ly." She laughed.

"Alright, let's go get us a tree." Picking up the magazine and throwing it in the little trash can beside her desk.

Marinette walked downstairs and told Sabine and Tom that Chat noir was going to get them a real tree and their eyes widened, surprised at how they were going to get it there. They usually never bought a real tree because they didn't have the room or have a way to get it inside their home. With the help of Chat noir though, they were sure this year they would have a Christmas tree.

"Be safe you two, and keep warm!" Sabine called out, throwing Marinette a scarf before she left.

Chat noir picked Marinette up in his arms before she had time to debate and started running on the rooftops, hearing her scream with excitement, feeling the cold winter air hit her face. He stopped once he got to the highest point, letting her down to see the sight.

"Why are we stopping?" She asked, looking around.

"Uh... well... don't you think it's pretty?" He said, blushing.

"Uh... yeah? Wait... you have no idea where we are going... do you?" Marinette turned to look at him.

"Uh... no. I have money to get it and I have the strength to get the tree, but I'm not sure where to buy it." He laughed nervously.

He watched as Marinette's face formed a smile and started to laugh, creating little puffs of warm breaths that escaped her lips into the air as she laughed. His cheeks turned red, seeing the little white flakes fall onto her hair.

"Pick me up kitty, I'll show you where." She smiled, waiting for him to pick her up once again.

He walked and scooped her up, feeling her warmth surround him again. Looking down at her, seeing how close his face was to hers, he quickly darted his face away from hers.

"Go toward the market, and simply follow the smell of fir and pine. Your little cat nose should be able to smell it from there." She smiled.

"Are you paws-itive about that purr-incess?" He smirked

"Ugh, the dumb cat jokes..." She rolled her eyes smiling.

"You love them." He laughed.

He made his way to the market and dropped her down to her feet outside the market. She brushed off the snow that fell on her on the way over and he laughed at her, causing her to give him a confused look. He brushed some snow off of her hair and looked down at her face, seeing her face and nose was red. He didn't know if she was blushing or if it was the cold winter air, so he turned his head away.

"So, about that Christmas tree." He said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Uh... yeah. Um... do you smell pine or should we ask?" She said, smiling awkwardly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Let me see if I can smell them." He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. He smelled hot chocolate and candy. He turned his head as the air would carry more scents. He sniffed the air again, smelling pastries and food as well as something else he thought smelled warm and comforting, almost familiar.

"What is it?" She could see he was trying to figure out what he was smelling. He took a step forward, trying to determine the smell.

He sniffed again.

Marinette took a breath in and held her breath.

"You, you smell like."

Did he figure it out? Did he figure out that she was ladybug?

"You smell like cherries. Like your cherry shampoo. You smell good." He smiled, causing her to blush and push him away, thinking he was just teasing her.

"Ugh, chat! Focus!" She turned her head away.

"Ok, ok." He closed his eyes and sniffed again and there it was, the smell of sweet pine lingering in the air. He scooped her up in his arms and followed it until they found rows and rows of fresh-cut Christmas trees, ready to be taken home and decorated.

He could tell by the expression on Marinette's face that she was delighted to just be standing and smelling a Christmas tree. He could tell she loved Christmas. She was such a warm and bubbly person, how could she not love Christmas?

"Go pick one out." He said, nudging her forward, like a parent pushing a scared child into a classroom on their first day of kindergarten. She turned to look at Chat noir and took his arm.

"Come help me choose." She smiled.

Chat noir helped her narrow it down to two and they couldn't decide. They stood there for a good ten minutes until she just sighed, about to give up, until he had an idea. He put his hands over her eyes.

"This isn't going to work chat, I know my left from my right." She groaned.

He spun her around in the snow until she was about to fall but fell into him and he caught her into a hug, but she kept her eyes closed.

"Alright, now... now my left or my right." He smiled, looking down at her.

She was hesitant but laughed thinking that his idea was very childish but fun.

"Right." She felt him help her up to her feet and she opened her eyes and saw that he was gone.

She looked around and saw that he was already over at the cashier paying for it, feeling slightly guilty for making him pay. He walked back over and hoisted the tree over his shoulder with ease and smiled at her, leaning his head down to see her under the branches.

"Ready to get this back princess?"

"You silly cat." She laughed. "But yes, let's go."

It took a little while to get back but they finally made it back before dark. Chat noir helped Tom put it up in the living room without it falling over, while Marinette and Sabine watched giggling from the sidelines as they had already gotten hot chocolate ready for everyone once they were done. They finally got the Christmas tree to stand on its own and Tom hugged Chat noir tightly, thanking him.

"No problem." He blushed.

"Here you go Chat," Marinette said, smiling, handing him a cup of her famous hot chocolate.

"You know you make the best hot chocolate around." He winked.

"Oh? I do, do I?" Marinette smiled.

"You sure do." He said, sitting down with everyone on the couch, watching TV enjoying their hot drink while smelling the nice pine scents that lingered in the air.