"Hello! Marinette! Are you in there?"

Adrien dropped his head onto her shoulder and they both let out a sigh. They were so close. So damn close. All the way over he'd planned firstly how he was going to get rid of Luka and then he wanted to speak to her about what this 'thing' was. He didn't care about the sex, but my God did he want to kiss her and he was so close. There was no way they could just continue being friends.

"Marinette, sweetheart. I can see you."

Marinette let out a growl and Adrien felt positive she wanted the kiss as much as he did.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she kissed him on the cheek and made her way to the front door.

"Maman, what you doing here?" Marinette answered the door with a fake smile on her face. She was so close to having her first real kiss with Adrien. It just had to be real this time, there were no camera's around to catch it.

Her body was dying to be back in his arms but alas the world had other ideas for them both. Her mother stepped into her house taking her into a hug.

"We were so worried about you, we just had to come straight here as soon as we landed." Tom and Sabine had been away at a convention over the past couple of weeks meaning they'd missed all the drama their daughter had been through.

"I'm fine now, maman. Adrien and his cousin took good care of me and the two guys who did it have been arrested." Marinette broke out the hug and indicated to Adrien who was standing behind her.

Tom and Sabine had always been a big fan of Adrien. They believed he just needed to find his way, and they were always hopeful that way was with their daughter. The two would give them the most beautiful grandchildren.

"Hi Mrs Dupain-Cheng." Sabine made her way over to Adrien and engulfed him in a hug. For a tiny lady she had a lot of strength.

"I've told you before, Adrien, call me Sabine. Thank you for looking after our little Princess."

Adrien broke away and smiled. Even though he didn't get to kiss Marinette, he couldn't deny the warmth of being around her and her family. They were always a second home to him, actually thinking about it they were his first. They were always there when he needed someone, perhaps he should have spoken to Marinette about his home problems more.

"I'll always be around to save her." Adrien looked directly into Marinette's eyes and she could have melted there and then. She was falling hard and fast, she really couldn't handle him when he was being this sweet.

"Where is he?" Suddenly a second voice echo'd in the doorway. A big powerful voice which could only belong to one person. Marinette's big teddy bear of a father.

Adrien gulped. He knew Tom was on about him. Perhaps Marinette's father wasn't too happy about their new relationship. Adrien wouldn't admit it out loud but the size of Tom Dupain terrified him. The guy could squash him in one of his big bear like hands.

"I saw his car outside."

"Hey Papa." Marinette went to step forward with her arms open ready to engulf her father. However Tom had other ideas, he pushed past Marinette and made his way straight to Adrien. Marinette's blue eyes widen to double the size. Was he going to kill Adrien?

"There he is!" Tom exclaimed as he reached Adrien and engulfed him in one of his big bear hugs. Lifting the six foot model off the floor. "I'm so glad you've finally asked our little baby out. You two are made for each other." Tom continued his hug on Adrien as Marinette shut the door.

"So are you two staying or just here for a drink?" Marinette asked as she encouraged her father to put her 'boyfriend' down.

"We'll just have a cup of tea and then go. We don't want to be interrupting your evening together." Sabine smiled over at the two as Marinette moved into Adrien's arm. She wrapped both her arms around his waist and natural instinct told him to kiss her forehead.

"We don't mind if you stay for a while." Adrien responded, knowing just how worried her parents would have been at the situation over the past week. He liked Marinette's parents a lot, he'd spent a lot of time around them and was always welcomed warmly. He respected them, especially Tom, he respected him a lot more than his own father. He wanted to make sure they were happy with him being with Marinette, after all he was sure now that this 'thing' wasn't as fake as they'd planned.

"I've made a lasagne if you want any? There's enough for the four of us." Marinette looked between her parents and Adrien, wanting to kiss him even more now for being so kind and understanding. How could anyone think so lowly of this wonderful man?

"If you don't mind sweetie, that would be great. The food on the aeroplane was shocking." Sabine smiled at her only daughter, full of love. Seeing Marinette with someone and so happy was a blessing. She'd been praying for Marinette to find a boyfriend. She'd always been such a loner when it came to love.

"We'd love to!" Tom boomed out making his way over to Adrien again. Slapping the Olympian on the shoulder and pulling Adrien out of Marinette's hold, causing her to pout. She was enjoying their closeness.

"Let's set up Ultimate Mega Strike, I'm sure you'll have got a bit rusty with all your touring." Tom slapped Adrien on the upper back and he smiled. This was just like old times.

"Whatever you say old man! I made sure it was on my coach every time I travelled. Prepare to get your ass kicked." Adrien replied.

"Big talk from a small man." Tom continued.

"Are sure you can hold a controller with those giant hands?" Tom laughed whole heartedly at Adrien, and Marinette swore he'd make the most perfect Santa. Her father was one hundred percent a jolly giant.

"I don't think those two will ever grow up." Sabine came and wrapped an arm around her taller daughter. Marinette was smiling as she watched the interaction between her father and Adrien. This was nothing like he ever had with his own father. As much as she idolised Gabriel's talent, the guy was a cold hearted asshole who didn't deserve Adrien as a son.

She looked at the two men sitting, loading up her game console and carrying on their slam talk. This is what she'd wanted since she was a teen. This is what she wanted to be her family. Sighing, Marinette walked into the kitchen to start on the food preparation. She turned the oven on and found the lasagne in the fridge.

"So you and Adrien?"

"Yep." Marinette turned to look at her mother. The smile took over the older woman's face.

"I'm happy for you sweetheart. You deserve to have someone you can depend on." She walked to the centre of the kitchen, settling at the table and looked at the roses. "Did he send you these?"

Marinette looked over and smiled. He was always calling her beautiful and her heart would always skip a beat. The smile soon dropped though when she remembered what he'd said about she didn't need flowers. Did he mean he shouldn't have sent them? Or did he mean she didn't need them to know she's beautiful? These beautiful roses were playing with her heart strings.

"He did. The afternoon after the club incident."

"They're beautiful, Mari. How is he? He seems in a good place now." She walked over to a cupboard and pulled out some wine glasses. A meal in France was never complete without a glass of wine.

"He's getting there. He's started to open up to me a lot recently."

"I think it's you. He's always been open and honest around you. He's always had a sparkle in his eyes too. I just want you to be careful though sweetheart." Marinette rolled her eyes at her mother's words. Here it goes again. Another Alya trying to get her to split from Adrien because of his bad boy persona.

"This is your first real relationship that we know of and I know how much you love him. Just don't put him on a pedestal. He's been through a lot in his life, he doesn't need the added pressure of being perfect from you. Let him discover things in his own time, he'll get there." Her mother continued. Marinette had thought of many different scenarios to this relationship, yet she'd never considered that she might be bad for him.

Did she put him on a pedestal? Had she got expectations about him? Suddenly she felt winded.

"I've- I've never really ... you know ... thought about it that way." She bent down and placed the lasagne into the oven.

"Well just remember he's human too, Marinette. He has, and will make mistakes, more than most thanks to the mess of a childhood he had. But don't give up on him. I can see how much he needs you at the moment." Marinette snorted.

"And how can you tell that?" She shut the oven door and turned to face her mother.

"Just call in motherly instinct." Sabine winked at Marinette before grabbing two wine glasses and walking out the room.

"Who wants wine?" She announced as Tom beat Adrien in the first match.

"Bo-yah! Tom style!" Tom stood up and pulled his usual winners pose as the others let out whoops and cheers.

"Ok cupcake, come and kick your boyfriends butt." Tom motioned for Marinette to take his place.

"Literally or metaphorically?" Marinette asked as she handed a glass of wine to Adrien.

"Come on, M'lady. Let's see if you still have the skills of a Mecha Strike Champ." Adrien took the glass off Marinette and held it up in a salute before taking in a big gulp. Marinette and Adrien were the top two Mecha Stroke players in their school with Max a very close runner up. They'd battled together a few times in the Paris Championships and dominated. They'd eventually been banned from entering as a pair to make it fair on the other teams.

"Are you sure you can handle being beaten by a girl, Agreste?"

"You've got to actually win first, Princess." They smiled at each other before Marinette launched herself onto the sofa and took the second controller.

"Bring it on."

Tom went to stand by his wife as they watched the couple fight it out on the game. Tom put his arm around Sabine and smiled.

"This is what we've always wanted." Tom said looking down at his wife, only to be distracted by what was happening on the sofa.

"Stop cheating, you jerk!"

"Only if you stop knocking the controller out of my hand."

"Are you sure Tom? I think they might start physically fighting in a minute." Sabine looked at her husband quite sure he had heart shaped eyes. Attention was quickly drawn back to Adrien and Marinette as she let out a piercing scream, followed by Adrien cheering loud.

"Adrien, that's cheating!" Marinette said as she slapped his arm.

"I don't think so. You should be able to battle through anything Champ. Perhaps I should have played with Max."

"You tickled me to the point of me passing out." Marinette's voice was high pitched and slightly full of aggression.

"Don't be so dramatic." As the two continued arguing Sabine pulled Tom into the kitchen leaving the two alone of the sofa. Something made her leave. Something like mothers intuition ... again.

"You cheated." Marinette whined again, oblivious to her parents heading out of the room.

"Nope! Believe me if I was cheating you'd know about it."

"Really? How?" He knew she was pushing him for a reaction and he was going to give it to her. Without a hesitant thought Adrien started tickling Marinette again, only this time, harder.

"Adrien, no!" He continued tickling her waist as he smiled.

"No what?"

"Adrien!" He looked at her again, his smile wider than his face.

"Still not stopping, this Princess has lost her manners!" As he tickled her she did her best to restrict his access to her waist, ending up sitting on his lap facing him. Still both smiling and both laughing.

Through the chaos of the tickling match, Marinette's ribbon had fell out of her hair leaving it wild and free. Sitting facing Adrien, her hair had fallen over her face. Stretching one hand up, Adrien brushed it out the way. Their smiles disintegrated from both their faces as they slowly moved in towards each other.

"Can I kiss you?" Marinette asked quietly.

"If you don't kiss me, I'm going to kiss you." Marinette took that as the go ahead to finally place her lips on her boyfriend. She positioned her arms over his shoulders and shuffled forward on his lap.

A mere millimetre from lip to lip contact, Marinette's phone begun to ring. She pulled her phone out the pocket and threw it next to them. The ringing had ceased and Marinette looked back at Adrien. They smiled and he let out a held breath.

"Try again?" He asked. Marinette nodded in agreement as she replaced her hands on his shoulders and moved in again. Just as their lips met, Marinette's phone began to ring again. Quickly ending the kiss with Adrien  she clambered off his lap and grabbed her phone.

"Hello."

"Is that Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"Yes it is, who am I speaking with?"

"This is Vincent Fontaine, I am co-ordinating Paris Fashion Week."

Marinette sat next to Adrien and stared at him as she continued the phone conversation. He looked at her with bated breath. He had no idea what was going on but by the look on Marinette's face it was important.

"Oh, hello. How can I help you?" She responded into the handset.

"One of our regulars has dropped out of the fashion show and we are very impressed with what we've seen and heard about your work."

Whatever! Marinette thought, in other words they know Adrien has something to do with her.

"We were wondering if Adrien Agreste is one of your male models?"

She rolled her eyes as she responded. How predictable.

"Excellent." Vincent replied on the phone. "So how would you feel about presenting in Paris Fashion Week?"

Marinette felt her heart race. Although one of the reasons they wanted her was because of Adrien, that didn't stop them from wanting her. She began tapping him on the thigh, excitement written all over her face.

"Of course. I'd love too." She responded.

Adrien raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his stinging thigh. Whoever was on the phone was causing her some sort of excitement and in result he felt bubbling in his own stomach. What the hell was going on? Why was he getting excited not knowing what was happening? He looked her over as she continued to nod and talk into her phone. She looked exceptional this evening, and he knew it was because she was being natural. Just being Marinette. She placed the phone down and turned to Adrien.

"You ok, Princess?"

"They want me to present at Paris Fashion week." She looked completely awestruck.

"That's good news. Isn't it?" Marinette nodded to Adrien, still not blinking.

"Sweetheart, you need to blink or your eyes will fall out." Adrien stretched out and stroked her face.

"Yeah." She said quietly. "They want you to be one of the models." She said shyly, looking at the floor.

"Then it looks like I'm coming out of retirement." He was smiling brightly at her and her heart melted for about the fifth time that evening. She sprung onto him and wrapped him up tightly in her arms.

"Thank you so much, Adrien. For everything." Continuing to smile at her, he could feel his lips edging in again. She was always so willing when he was. He was actually getting thrills off this one woman.

Their lips met but again it didn't last long. A high pitched wail echoed around the house.

"Marinette dear, I think the lasagne is burning."