What We Fight For

Chapter Twelve: Celebration Pt. 1

     Marinette woke up that Friday feeling better than ever. She had a perfect boyfriend, who turned out to be her partner and best friend. She was beyond terrified of this moment before, but in hindsight she realized she had nothing to be afraid of. This new angle to their budding relationship allowed her to be as open to Adrien as she had been with Cat Noir.
    Her and Adrien had a long discussion the day before over video chat. It was supposed to be about how they could best protect their identities. They shot around some ideas as to what they could do if one of them became akumatized. But all she could think about was how sad she was that he couldn't stay the night again.

"Marinette its 7:45, shouldn't you be getting dressed?" Tikki reminded her.
Marinette was too busy crafting the perfect good-morning text to her beau.
"You're right Tikki." she concedes as she sits up and starts toward her closet.
Her face drops as she comes to a horrifying realization
"I have to pick out the perfect outfit for tonight too!" she squawks, pressing her hands to the sides of her head.
She starts frantically tearing through her wardrobe in search of the perfect look.
She looks back at Tikki, giggling in embarrassment.
Tikki giggles in return, cherishing these last few moments of happiness. She got the feeling that things would soon hit the fan, and she didn't want to forget what her holder's smile looked like before it faded for good.
Marinette packs her bag and heads downstairs.

"Hi sweetie!" Sabine greets her daughter as she rushes down the stairs.
"Hi mom!" she replies, reaching for an apple from a stack her mom had in front of her.
"Marinette those are for the pies I'm baking! Grab a banana."
"Sorry mom!" Marinette replies.
She grabs a banana and muffin and heads toward the door.
"Don't forget Adrien's gift!" Sabine reminds her.
"Its already in my bag mom!" she reassures her, patting the smaller pocket on her book satchel.
"Do you want me to press your outfit for tonight sweetheart? It is an important day after all."
'Mom and dad seem to care more about my boyfriend than his own father...' she thought to herself.
"Uhh... sure mom! Got to get going. Love you!"

At school, Adrien and Marinette meet at his locker today. It was his day of course.

"How does it feel to be a big scary adult now." Marinette teases him as she walks up to his locker.
"I don't feel any different." he replies with a chuckle.
"I got you a gift!" Marinette says as she reaches for her satchel
"Another one?"
"Just something small." she told him.
It was a hand painted frame with their first picture they took together as Marinette and Adrien. Not too long after Adrien started school.
"Pull out the back!" she suggests
He carefully removes the back of the frame to reveal a second photo.
"Its the first picture we took together as... well... you know... I found it in my phone a while back and thought it would be nice to print it out."
It was the first selfie they took as heroes together. They were sitting on the Eiffel tower. For the first time.
"Keep it hidden in the frame okay?" Marinette whispers.
Adrien's eyes lingered on the photo for another moment before he wrapped his arms around Marinette.
"Thank you...." he says, barely able to talk through the emotions he was feeling.
"Of course! I wanted to give you something to represent your growth. And ours."
He issues her a warm look before looking at the image once more.
"Its beautiful..." he says softly, his voice lightly cracking as his emerald eyes formed a little extra sheen.

He then safely closed the back and stuffed it in his locker, desperately wiping his eyes as he closed the door.
Adrien looks at Marinette, who is flashing him a soft look.
He returns the look, then leans forward.
His soft eyes turn flirtatious as he leans in for a kiss.

But just as they were about to kiss, the bell interrupts.

"Quiz time?" Adrien asks in a facetious tone.
"Quiz time." Marinette answers.