The Scarf for Two

14 - Our little girl has an admirer

When Marinette woke up next morning, she thought that everything that had happened last night was only a dream. That was impossible that Cat Noir turned out to be Adrien Agreste, who spent a half of the night in her room, and they were kissing and cuddling all the time... And that Cat Noir's kwami loved her Tikki...

"Tikki?"

"Good morning, Marinette!" Kwami came to her holder immediately. "Get up, get up!"

"Where's the fire, Tikki?"

"Stop joking. You have to eat your breakfast. Quickly!" Tikki was apparently too excited. "Hurry up!"

"But... What's going on?" Marinette was confused.

"They'll come soon! And you're still in your pyjamas!"

"Who will come?"

"What you mean by saying 'WHO'?!" Tikki exclaimed indignantly. "Cat Noir! And Plagg! Hurry up!"

"Oh..." escaped from Marinette.

So, it was true! Of course, it was true! Perfectly, wonderfully true! The girl laughed aloud and felt overwhelming relief and happiness. So, everything had happened for real! It wasn't a dream!

A moments later she was sitting downstairs, eating her breakfast in a hurry. She wasn't sure if Cat Noir would visit her on her balcony, or – as Adrien – he'd knock on the door. She finished her meal at the same moment when the doorbell rang. That was her answer. She ran to open the door.

Yes, there was Adrien behind the door.

"Hey..." she smiled shyly.

"Morning, Purrincess." He said. "How was your sleep?" he added, grinning meaningfully.

She rolled her eyes. It seemed to her that no matter if he visited her as a superhero or as a civilian – his cat's nature came out and would pester her till the end of her life. Well, not so much pester... After all, she liked him just as he was. In both selves.

"What do you think?" she replied jokingly. "Some stray cat disturbed me all night and I couldn't sleep."

"A stray cat?" he asked interested. "And all night?"

"Half a night..." she corrected and pulled him inside. "Instead of letting me sleep, he was demanding scratching behind ears."

"Oh, because it's so... nice... M'Lady." He whispered, embracing her.

He was just about to kiss her, when they both heard a meaningful grunting just behind Adrien's back.

"Good morning, young man." Marinette's dad greeted Adrien in a serious tone.

Adrien froze and exchanged terrified glances with Marinette.

"I assume there is the reason you hold my daughter in your arms." Tom Dupain added.

"Uhm... Yes, sir. There is the reason." Adrien replied – also in a serious tone. Saying that he let Marinette go and turned towards her dad. His hand found her hand instinctively and he intertwined their fingers practically without thinking.

"That's good." Tom Dupain noticed approvingly.

Adrien was a little bit surprised, because he hadn't said anything concrete yet. But it seemed that Marinette's dad knew how to read between lines, so unlike Adrien's father...

"You... don't mind?" he asked in astonishment.

"All I've ever wanted was my daughter's happiness." Tom explained calmly. "Welcome in the family, son."

"Dad!" Marinette muttered, embarrassed.

"What?" her dad and Adrien replied in surprise at the same time. And all three burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Sabine Cheng asked standing at the door.

"Oh no..." Marinette only groaned.

"Our little girl has an admirer." Tom Dupain explained happily.

"Another?" Sabine frowned.

"Another?" Adrien repeated and glanced at Marinette quickly.

"Another?" Tom asked astonished.

"What 'another', mom?" Marinette exclaimed.

"What about Cat Noir, darling?" Sabine reminded in a meaningful tone.

Adrien suppressed a laugh, and Marinette blushed terribly. Her dad stared at his wife in amazement.

"What Cat Noir, honey?" he asked slowly.

"That superhero." Sabine explained and then she turned to her daughter: "You should be honest, darling. It's not what we've taught you."

"Uhm, mom... Cat Noir is... uhm... just a friend."

Now Adrien was sure he would die of supressing laughing. She'd done it on purpose. He knew that. He'd seen that the corner of her mouth twitched when she was saying that. Oh, he'd never felt like kissing her more as at that particular moment! What a wonderful girl!

"Just a friend?" Sabine spotted. "And he visits you every evening?"

"How do you know that, mom?" escaped from Marinette.

"I have ears. I think it would be more honestly if you tell us the truth."

Marinette exchanged quick glances with Adrien. Well... Telling the truth would explain a lot, indeed. But they couldn't share this secret with her parents. It was too dangerous for them, for Marinette and Adrien, and for miraculouses of Ladybug and Cat Noir.

"Mom, you can be sure that Adrien knows everything about Cat Noir, and vice versa." Marinette informed in a serious tone.

"OK then, dear." Mom just nodded, and Adrien looked at his girlfriend in amazement.

What? They just believed in that explanation? So... such a trust was something normal in this family? He sighed, and Marinette hugged him, as if she knew exactly what he had just thought.