Adrien moved about his old bedroom with the slow, deliberate walk of a cat deciding whether to jump on the couch or chase a sunbeam. He was anxious and irritated...and thinking he'd made a grave mistake.

But he'd always been one to think after acting.

When he'd come up with this plan, approximately 0.25 seconds after Marinette had first kissed him, he'd seen himself as romantic and this decade's Mr Darcy. However, he may have gone from 0 to 100 a little too fast, even if he was her GILTSMELWAHAHB.

His hand went straight to the red string tied tightly around his wrist, his fingers caressing the smooth yellow, pink and green plastic objects and thinking of Marinette. So what if they'd only kissed a couple of times? Their relationship was more than physical. It was deep on an emotional level...at least, that's what he told himself. Was it possible for a relationship to work if it fell flat physically?

Wait? What was he thinking! They worked together amazingly, so the physical aspect should just fall into place.

A prickling sensation began on his hands and on the back of his neck. What if she was into the whole 'try before you buy' idea? What was he supposed to do then? He supposed he could just run over there and give her a taster, see what she thought and then take it from there?

No! No! NO! What the hell was he thinking?

He moved to the sofa and heavily dropped onto the seat. The seat that, only a couple of weeks ago, he and Marinette had fallen asleep on, all cuddled up and cosy, after winning the blackout quiz night. A thrill sent shivers down his spine at the thought of the almost kisses, his lips tingling as he thought about when he could kiss her again. At the altar. As his wife!

He looked at his watch. It would only be a matter of hours, if he was lucky.

Sabine should be doing her Mother-of-the-Bride job now, helping to convince Marinette this was a good idea, and not just because of the house, but because they loved each other. And they did - so damn much!

But this was a huge step without preparation, and he knew exactly how much Marinette liked to plan. He'd taken everything away from her. The chance to make her own dress, the venue, flowers, his suit... It wouldn't be amiss if she never spoke to him again.

He just had to hope those drawings, her words and that kiss were the indication that 'yes' she wanted him too. Because there was no one else for him. He'd tried and failed. Ladybug — Marinette — was his only option. The only woman he wanted, and the one he needed.

Time was ticking on and he had only hours until his wife would be taking on life by his side — he had to believe in this.

Standing again, he paced to where his suit hung on the window before taking a glance outside into the garden. A marquee had been erected again in the garden, a dance floor once more gracing the presence of the swimming pool. The only difference this time was the rows of white chairs scattering over the grass and down towards a frame of beautiful red roses.

People milled around the area, arms full of everything from flowers to cutlery, bottles of water and napkin rings. Everyone with a job to do, only putting his nerves even more on edge.

His hand returned to his charm bracelet, his eyes following only moments later. He could still remember the day she gave it to him - how it was the first time in a long time that someone had given him something heartfelt. It was as though Marinette had willingly given a piece of herself over to him that day, even though they'd only been friends for little more than a month. She'd trusted him with it, and he hadn't taken it likely.

That small red string, decorated in weird and wonderful objects, had become a safety blanket for him. When he had that on, he could defeat the world. It was a tiny piece of her to carry in his pocket, one that had fixed firmly in his heart.

A small knock on the door stole his attention, turning him away from the windows and moving towards his suit. "Come in."

The door pushed open slowly, a smiling Luka heading in, looking like he could be scooped up and placed on the top of the cake. "I just thought I'd come and see how you're doing."

Adrien smiled, grateful for the interruption from his thoughts. If this was a bad idea, he was certain Luka would have stopped him by now. "I may be a little stressed and utterly terrified. How are you?"

Luka smiled wider, moving closer and placing his hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Not that you need another person telling you this, but everything is going to be fine. I don't think there is any universe where Marinette would say no."

"This could be the first," Adrien muttered, grabbing his suit and taking it to his bed. "By the way, I totally broke bro code. So, I know this is like a month late, but Luka, I hope you don't mind me dating your ex."

Luka froze and raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding me, right?"

With a vigorous shake of his head, Adrien continued. "No! I should have said something to you, asked you if you were okay with this. I know you've always had a soft spot for Marinette, and you dated once. I...I should have been more considerate of your feelings."

Adrien stretched one arm to his neck, rubbing aggressively as he waited for Luka's response. Anyone with two eyes could see Luka and Marinette had a connection, one which was deep — even if not as deep as theirs.

"Come. Sit." Luka headed to the edge of Adrien's bed, coaxing him to join. He sat down, Luka threading his fingers together in his lap, both hands void of the usual black on his nails.

"The first day I met Marinette, she stood out. Kind of like a lost puppy that needed guiding in the right direction. Then I got to know her more, and I saw that she's talented, kind, obnoxiously stubborn, and completely besotted... with you. She has always chosen you, Adrien. The snake Miraculous...New York.... When I was akumatised, looking for her secret, everyone told me she loved you. Then, she broke up with me because of being Ladybug, yet you came around and she took the chance. She took the risk with you. She's never risked anything with me. It's always been safe — and boring, if I'm honest. You bring out a side in her which no one else does, and that's because she knows you have her back - that if she messes it up, you'll be there to help fix it."

Luka smiled sadly before continuing. "Then I realised why. I'm not going to lie - that day I found out who you two were, I knew my chance was over. And I settled into a new role with her. You complete each other, Adrien, and I can't see any other option but Marinette turning up today."

Luka placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's yours. She always has been and always will be. So, what are you waiting for?"

Adrien sat, pondering what he'd just been told. Was everything really that simple? Without another word, Adrien was on his feet and scooping up his suit, heading into the bathroom. Luka was right. He had an unbreakable bond with Marinette and they loved each other. She would be here and he would finally marry the girl of his dreams.

*****

One hour later, he was starting to panic.

Adrien looked down at his watch again. 3.30pm and absolutely no sign of his beautiful fiancée.

Pacing the garden, he attempted to smile and make small talk with the guests, but he couldn't help the heartbroken anxiety playing in his chest. None of the girls were answering their phones, and Alya and Marinette's were off, so there was no chance of contacting her that way.

"How are you holding up?" Félix, less brash than usual, came to stand behind him.

"Not great." The nervous huff came out of Adrien's mouth as he turned to look his cousin in the eye, Félix (for once) showing a little distress.

"I'm sure she'll be here. This is Marinette, after all. She loves you."

Adrien tried to smile. The effort was pointless.

His heart raced, panic rising like a tidal wave within him. Thirty minutes late—where was she? His mind spun with worry. Had he misjudged everything? Was this elaborate surprise not what she wanted, after all?

The cold touch of doubt crept through him. Maybe Marinette had changed her mind. Maybe she realised they were rushing into something neither was ready for. He cursed himself for letting his romantic impulses override reason once again.

His hands trembled, a mixture of frustration and fear. Should he admit defeat and face the shame of calling off the wedding? The thought was unbearable, but the uncertainty gnawed at him like a relentless beast.

He glanced back at Félix, desperation etched in his eyes. "What if she's not coming, Félix?" he whispered, the words barely audible over the distant hum of the awaiting guests.

Félix shrugged. "Your wedding. What do you want to do, cousin?"

Adrien's chest tightened at Félix's calm response. His cousin's question echoed in his mind, demanding an answer he wasn't sure he had.

What did he want to do?

"I... I want to wait a little longer," he finally managed, his voice strained with uncertainty as he played with the red string around his wrist. "Maybe there's a reason she's late. Maybe...she's on her way."

But even as he spoke, doubt clouded his thoughts like a storm gathering on the horizon. The longer Marinette's absence stretched, the more his hopes dwindled.

Félix gave him a sympathetic look, his steady presence a lifeline in the sea of Adrien's turbulent emotions. "Let's give her a bit more time, then," he suggested gently.

Adrien nodded, trying to steel himself against the rising panic. He turned back toward the marquee, the weight of indecision heavy on his shoulders. Deep down, he feared the worst—a future without Marinette, despite all the promises and dreams they had shared.

*****

Another hour later, Adrien knew what he needed to do.

Stepping up to the front of the marquee, his heart pounded in his chest like a drumbeat of resignation. The weight of his decision settled heavily upon him, each step feeling like a struggle against the torrent of emotions swirling inside.

The hushed murmur of guests quieted as all eyes turned towards him, expectant and curious. Adrien scanned the faces of family and friends, seeking courage in their supportive gazes.

"Everyone," he began, his voice wavering slightly but gaining strength with each word, "I want to thank you all for being here today."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the sea of faces, searching for understanding. "Unfortunately, Marinette isn't able to join us."

Whispers and murmurs erupted among the guests, a wave of sympathetic concern rippling through the crowd.

"I realise now that I may have rushed into this, swept up by my own excitement," Adrien continued, his words tinged with regret. "And for that, I'm truly sorry."

His eyes briefly met Félix's, gratitude and remorse mingling in their shared glance.

"I think it's best we call this a day," Adrien admitted, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. "I hope you all understand."

Silence descended over the marquee, heavy with unspoken questions. Adrien's heart ached as he stepped away from the podium, faces turned towards him with mixed expressions of sympathy and concern.

As he stepped forward, Adrien sought solace in the support of those around him. With Félix and Nino at his side, he started to make his way out of the marquee...

Only to be met with a red-faced Anthony rushing forward with an unusually exuberant smile plastered across his face. "Adrien! Wait!" Anthony exclaimed breathlessly, his eyes wide with excitement.

The guests murmured in confusion, their attention now diverted to the new scene playing before them.

Adrien frowned, his emotions still raw from his earlier announcement. "Anthony, what is it?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

Anthony grinned even wider, clearly oblivious to the tension in the air. "Marinette... She's here!" he exclaimed, practically bouncing on his toes with enthusiasm.

Adrien's heart skipped a beat, disbelief washing over him. "Here?"

"Of course." A smug look took over his face. "What? You didn't actually think she'd be on time, did you?"

Adrien's eyes darted to the opening of the marquee before he turned on his heel and ran to the front.

She was here, and he was finally going to make her his wife.