"So, do we wanna meet up at your place for the project?" Adrien asked, laying an arm over Marinette's shoulder. She glared at him in response.

"What?" Adrien asked.

"Why did you tell the teacher to trade partners with me?" Marinette asked. "You could have seriously hurt Nathanael's feelings."

Adrien paused. He didn't think about how Nathanael would feel. He just wanted to spend more time with his Lady. And make sure that Nathanael didn't steal her away. He still remembered that the artist had a crush on the fashion designer, and now that Adrien and Marinette had bonded, he didn't want to loose her. It was like a competition, and Nathanael was his rival.

"I guess I never thought about his feelings. Sorry, Marinette. I just really wanted to spend more time with you." He replied after a moment of thought. He looked into her crystal blue eyes. They dazzled in the sunlight while her hair danced in the winter breeze.

She smiled and blushed slightly at his genuine response. "Alright, well if you aren't busy you can come now and we can start on the project." She stated. Adrien cheered and the crime fighting duo began to walk to the bakery.

Alya couldn't believe her eyes. Adrien and Marinette were walking together. Adrien's arm around her shoulder. Marinette wasn't acting like a total klutz. It was so strange.

"Nino, something's up with those two." She said to her DJ friend. "Just the other day Marinette was a stuttering mess around him and now they're acting almost like a couple. Don't you think that's odd?"

"Yeah, it is a bit strange, but people can change." Nino said, shrugging it off. Not this quickly, they can't. Somethings up. Alya thought.

                                *

"Adrien you're supposed to be helping with the project, not laying on the bed!" Marinette exclaimed.

Adrien was feeling very Chat Noirish today and decided to see if Marientte was in the mood for some puns.

"But it looks purrfect already." Adrien remarked, smirking. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Careful, Adrien. You're Chat Noir is showing." Marinette responded, giving him a smirk of her own before returning to her work.

"Paw-lease Marinette. Let's take a break. I starving! It would be pawsome if we could just relax and eat some of your parents cat-tastic croissants."

Marinette sighed in defeat. There was no way Adrien would focus if he didn't get any food. And there would be no stopping the puns until he was satisfied.

"Come on, kitty. Let's go downstairs."

An hour and a few dozen croissants later, Adrien and Marinette finished their project.

"It looks amazing, Mari! Nice work." Adrien exclaimed, holding out his fist for a celebratory fist bump. Marinette blushed at the nickname and pounded her fist to his.

"So, I was wondering," Adrien began. "Would you wanna go ice skating. On Saturday? We could invite Alya and Nino if you want. So nobody suspects anything about-" Adrien was cut off by a finger to his lips. Marinette smiled and replied, "I'd love to ice skating with you. Although, I'm not that good. I'd probably fall the whole time."

"That's why I'll be there to catch you." Adrien flashed a dazzling smile and winked. Marinette's heart melted. She still couldn't believe that this amazing boy was her crime fighting partner.

"So, I'll pick you up around 2. Sound good?" Adrien asked, grabbing his bag. Marinette nodded in response. "I'll be waiting." She said. Adrien began to walk down the stairs, then stopped. He quickly ran back up, pecked Marinette on the cheek, and ran back down the steps saying, "See you tomorrow, Mari!"

Marinette stood in total shock as she raised a hand to her cheek and blushed like mad. It was what she always dreamed of happening. And now she was going on a date with Adrien. She ran to her bed and screamed into her pillow. A faint knock on her trap door came a minute later.

"Marinette, sweetie, is everything alright?" Sabine asked, he question muffled through the door.

"It couldn't be more perfect." She sighed.

                                *

The rest of the week was uneventful. Alya was asking a lot of questions about Adrien, which Marinette tried to answer the best she could without sounding suspicious. There weren't any akuma attacks since Playtime, which worried Marinette. Although, it was nice to get a break from fighting a villain every other day. Maybe everybody's in the holiday spirit. Marinette thought as she glanced at the clock. 1:38 pm. In just over a half hour, Marinette would probably be in the arms of Adrien because she fell in the ice. She giggled at the thought of being caught by Adrien, although it had happened several times.

She reached into her closet and pulled out her Ladybug themed hat and matching scarf. She also grabbed her creme leg warmers with little black bows at the top. Deciding that since this was a date, her usual attire would not do. She scrunched her nose as she examined her closet for clothes. She spotted a pink skirt with black leggings. Perfect. She thought. Marinette slipped into her clothing and grabbed her thick grey jacket. Marinette danced her way to the bathroom to do some light make up and adjust her pig tails. She looked in the mirror to see if she forgot anything. Gloves! She thought as she raced around her room to find the one pair of light pink gloves she owned.

"Marinette, there's a young man here to see you!" Sabine called.

"Coming!" She yelled, finding her gloves and throwing them in her purse. She had also thrown in extra fabric for Tikki incase she got cold.

Marinette ran down the stairs to expecting to see Adrien waiting for her. But she was wrong.

Nathanael was waiting by the doorway. He looked up as he saw her come down the stairs. She looked amazing.

"H-hey Marinette." Nathanael stammered. "Yo-you look nice."

"Uh, thanks? What are you doing here?" She asked, glancing out the window for Adrien.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to, um, well.... If you wanted to come draw with me.  By the Eiffel Tower." He said, a bright blush covering his face.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, Nathanael, but I'm actually already going ice skating with somebody else today." Marinette said with a pang of guilt as she watched Nathanael's face drop. "But you can come with us... If you want." Marinette offered, hoping to make her rejection less painful.

"O-okay." He managed to get out. Just then, the door opened, and Adrien came walking in with a big smile on his face. He was wearing his nice jacket with Marinette's scarf and a gloves that complimented the scarf perfectly. "Ready to go, Mari-" his smile faded when he saw Nathanael.

Marinette tried to come up with and excuse as to why Nathanael was in the bakery, but nothing came to mind.

"He's coming with us. I'll explain later." was all Marinette could say before grabbing Adrien's arm and pulling him to his limo. Nathanael followed not too far behind, with a look of disappointment on his face. The last person Nathanael wanted to see Marinette with was Adrien. And Adrien was the last person he wanted to see.

The car ride was long and a bit awkward as the limo went to pick up Nino and Alya. Shortly after picking them up, they were dropped off at a nearby outdoor skating rink.

"Thanks for the lift, Gorilla!" Adrien said as he helped Marientte out of the car. He quickly pulled her aside. "So why is he here?" Adrien asked nodding his head towards the artist.

"He kinda wanted me to go draw with him by the Eiffel Tower. But I told him that I already had plans and he looked heart broken. So I had to make it up to him somehow." Marinette explained, taking a quick glance back at Nathanael, who was walking off towards a table with his sketch pad.

"Well as long as I get to spend time with my Lady." Adrien said, bowing, grabbing her hand, and kissing it. He stood up and continued to hold it as they went to get skates. Alya nearly died as she snapped pictures of her two friends together.

                               *

"Ready to try by yourself?" Adrien asked as a terrified Marinette clung to his arm. She shook her head, but Adrien insisted that she tried. "Are you telling me that Ladybug, protector of Paris, is afraid of a little ice?" Adrien smirked. Marinette blushed furiously as she shook her head. "No! I'll show you I can do it." Marinette responded shakily. She released Adrien's arm and slowly made her skates glide across the ice. Marinette began to laugh as she pushed faster and faster. But she started to go a little to fast and she lost her balance.

"Adrien! I'm going to fall!" She yelled as she began to slip. She braced herself, awaiting the impact of the cold, hard ice. But it never came. She was caught by a pair of strong, warm arms. She looked up to see a pair of jade green eyes staring back into hers.

"Fallen for me already, M'Lady?" Adrien smirked as he lifted Marientte up. She let out a quick laugh before a blush dusted her cheeks.

"You almost had it! Just a little more practice." Adrien encouraged, grabbing Marinette's hands and pulling her along the ice. Marinette's knees shook as she tried to stand up, but she never could.

"Straighten your legs!" Adrien laughed as he continued to pull her along the ice. "I'm trying!" She responded, as she slowly straightened out. Alya and Nino were standing along the side watching as the two skated along.

"They were so made for one another!" Alya squealed as she gripped Nino's arm. Nino blushed slightly and nodded in agreement.

Nathanael watched as Marinette and Adrien laughed and glided along the ice. Jealousy boiled inside of him. That could have been him right now, leading Marientte along the ice. If only he weren't so shy and flustered whenever he was near Marinette. He tried to calm himself down by drawing. He didn't want to become akumatized again. It was the worst feeling, too. It was as if he couldn't control himself. He could have potentially hurt Marinette, even though she had hurt him. She played him and pretended to like him, only to be turned down. But he still couldn't help it. Marinette was like an angel that he could not keep out of his mind.

After a few more falls and laughter, Adrien and Marinette headed out for hot chocolate with Nino and Alya.

"Hold on, I'll go get Nathanael." Marinette said as the rest of the group got into the limo. But he was nowhere to be seen. Marinette scanned the area one more time before getting into the car.

"Where's Nathanael?" Nino asked after Marinettr climbed in.

"I didn't see him anywhere. I guess he must have left early." She replied. The limo began to move as Marinette looked out the window one last time.

The car pulled up to the small coffee shop where Adrien had been a little while before.

"This place has the best hot chocolate." Adrien stated as he helped the door open for his friends. They ordered their drinks and say down at a small table inside the shop. Marientte was still concerened for Nathanael, and it must have shown on her face because Alya asked what was wrong.

"I'm just concerned about where Nathanael went. Weren't you guys by him the whole time?" Marinette asked.

"Well, we kinda got up to watch you and Adrien for a little bit. He must have left then." Nino responded as their drinks were delivered. The teens eagerly grabbed their drinks before heading over to Marinette's for some baked goods.

After Nino and Alya left, Adrien and Marinette went up into her room to talk until it was time for Adrien to leave.

"Wasn't today amazing?" Adrien asked, looking over at Marinette. "Even though you did keep falling?"

Marinette laughed as she playfully nudged Adrien "At least you were there to catch me." He smiled and stared at Marinette. She was just so perfect. He wanted to pick her up and run away with her, claiming her for his own. Marinette began to blush as Adrien was staring and wasn't saying anything. She waved a hand I front of his face, snapping his gaze. She giggled as she leaned her head on Adrien's shoulder. A slow blush crept onto Adrien's face. He cleared his throat.

"So I've been thinking a lot recently. About us." Adrien began.

"Oh yeah?" Marinette asked. "What about us?"

"Well, would you,... I don't know, want to be my girlfriend." He asked. "We are after all the two protectors of Paris. It would make sense. But I would completely understand if you don't want to, seeing as how we've only recently discovered our identities and hanging out a little more frequently. I just thought that since we both seem to like each other maybe..." His voice began to trail off as Marinette started laughing.

"What's so funny? Did I say something weird?" Adrien asked, slightly panicked.

"No, it's just you're so cute when you ramble." She said through a fit of giggles. She calmed down and the responded. "Yes, I would most definitely want to be your girl friend." She gave him a sweet smile as they stared into each other's eyes. Adrien slowly began to lean in, hoping to get a kiss from his Lady. Marinette began to lean in as well. They were inches apart when Adrien's phone went off. He shut his eyes and groaned as he leaned away from Marinette to answer his phone. Marinette was disappointed that that stupid phone had to ruin the moment. Tikki was watching the entire time and giggled at Marinette's frustration. Plagg had been sleep inside Adrien's pocket the entire time and had no clue what was going on.

"I have to go now. Sorry Mari. But I'll see you Monday?" He asked hopefully.

"Definitely." She responded. Adrien kissed her cheek and left through the trap door.

Ah yeah long chapter for you all. Here's a picture for the inspiration for this chapter:

ISNT IT ADORABLE I LOVE IT SO MUCH😍😍 and that darn phone just had to ruin everything😏 and where did Nathanael go? He vanished. More Adrienette stuff to come though. Hope you're enjoying the story! Stay Miraculous!