A New Year Wish

Chapter 1

"Ouch!" Marinette exclaimed as she pricked her finger for the umpteenth time that morning. The bluenette was grateful that her parents observed the Saint Stephen's Day public holiday, so with the bakery being shut it gave her plenty of time to work on the New Year dress.

"Careful m'lady. You know you still have a few days before the gala, the dress doesn't have to be finished today." Adrien had made himself comfortable sprawled out on Marinette's chaise. Knowing she would be working on the dress, he had come prepared with an old school handheld gamer to pass the time, although truth be told, he would have been just as happy to sit and watch her as she worked.

"I know Kitty, but I don't want to go to dinner and show your father an incomplete garment." Adrien couldn't help the little flutter he felt at her calling him Kitty out of transformation. It was a little reminder of the secret they now shared. 

"Father is used to seeing incomplete work though, and it's almost done anyway. You can just explain the rest of it to him." Marinette almost froze at that. She stared at the dress in her hands before letting go of it and covering her face with her hands.

"Adrien, it took almost two years for me to talk to you in a complete sentence. How am I ever going to talk to your father? I'm going to babble and stutter and fall all over my words and he's going to think I'm an idiot and hate my dress and then he'll tell me I can't ever see you again and..." Adrien was on his feet, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

"Shush now, that's not the Marinette I know. Come on m'lady, you won his hat competition when you were just 14. You even impressed Chloe's mother and she is a very tough nut to crack." He pulled her hands away from her face, kissing her on the forehead. "He's going to love the dress and he's going to love you, just like I do."

"He's right Marinette." The small red Kwami agreed. "You really should take a break for a while and rest your fingers."

"I agree Tikki." Adrien took Marinette's hand and gently kissed her pricked fingers. "You've been cooped up here all morning. I'm taking you out of this room for a bit. There's a coffee shop down the road that I know is open today. A bit of fresh air will do you good." 

"Do they sell cheese there?" Adrien, Marinette and Tikki all just looked at the black cat Kwami. "What?" Tikki narrowed her eyes at her counterpart.

"Plagg, you just ate a rotten piece of cheese less than five minutes ago." Plagg folded his arms.

"It wasn't rotten, it was aged. Besides, I am a cat you know, I eat small portions frequently. You don't hear me complaining about your sickly sweet cookies." Adrien shook his head at his Kwami.

"I don't suppose I could swap him for a different Kwami at all? One that isn't so rude and doesn't eat cheese." Plagg gasped in horror prompting a laugh out of Marinette. Adrien smiled mischievously rubbing his chin in thought. "You know I did get along with Sass pretty well." She cupped her hands around Adrien's face.

"Not a chance Kitty, I love you just the way you are and that includes with cat ears." Adrien brought his hands around her back and leaned his head down bringing her lips up to his. Marinette might have only been his official girlfriend for less than 48 hours, but as Ladybug she had been his partner and best friend for over 3 years. While getting to kiss her like this was still new to him, the feeling it gave him was as though they had been together forever. Falling back onto the chaise with Marinette on his lap, he never let his lips leave hers as he moved his hand through her hair. Eventually the pair had to break away for air, both with flushed faces trying to catch their breath. This could definitely get addictive. Adrien raised a suggestive eyebrow. "You know, on second thoughts we could just stay here and keep doing this." A loud groan from Plagg interrupted that idea. Marinette ran her fingers through his blonde hair.