Shivering, Adrien pulled the thin blanket tighter over his shoulders. He hated winter. Or, rather, he hated modeling summer and spring clothes in winter so that the photos came out in time for people to see them and want to buy them by summer. Even now, he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt in freezing weather and the blanket the staff provided him did nothing to stave off the cold.

“E-Excuse me?”

He looked up at the feminine figure in front of him, internally sighing at the thought of having to give out yet another autograph, taking his hands out of the semi-warm cocoon.

“Yes?” he questioned the nervous bluenette, who was shyly looking away from him.

“P-Please t-take this.” She shoved a black and red spotted cup at him, which he automatically took and, for a second, he caught a glimpse of her crystal blue orbs and red cheeks before she ran away to her red-haired friend. The cup was hot, but not hot enough to burn, and smelled of delicious hot chocolate with just a hint of peppermint. The loving warmth of the beverage made him unconsciously smile.

“Thanks,” he called to the mysterious girl once he shook himself out of his surprised stupor. Bemusedly, he watched her jump and look around curiously before finally smiling at him with a shy wave.

Sighing in delight, he drank some of the warm, liquid chocolate, his spirits considerably renewed.

~~The next afternoon during one of Adrien’s breaks~~

“E-Excuse me?”

It almost felt like deja vu as he recognized the timid, soft, lyrical voice he had memorized even though he had only heard it once.

“Yes?” he smiled warmly at her.

“P-Please take this.”

His smile widened as he took the cup. “Thank you.”

As she turned away, he grabbed her hand, “Wait!”

“Yes?” she squeaked, too surprised to stutter.

Shoot, he didn’t think this far.

“Um, would you, er, t-talk with me for a bit?”

Instantly, her face turned an adorable soft pink.

“Oh!” She looked at everything but him, flustered until her eyes caught her friend's, who was giving her a thumbs up as her other hand held her phone up, evidently taking pictures. “Um!” Her blush worsened and she paused. “I--er,” hesitantly she turned back, her eyes shyly peeking up at him through her lashes. “Sure.”

His face lit up, causing her blush to deepen in shade.

“Great! Sit, please.”

“T-thanks.”

“No problem! What’s your name?”

“It’s, um, Marinette.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I’m assuming you know who I am?”

Marinette giggled, a soft laugh that surpassed any music he had ever heard. “I don’t think there’s a person who doesn’t know who you are! Your face is kinda plastered all over Paris.”

He grinned, “That’s true.”

“So, is there a reason you wanted to t-talk to me?”

Because you are really cute and seem really nice so I wanted to get to you know you, he thought. “Oh, I wanted to know why you gave me this,” he held up the warm cup of hot chocolate.

“I l-like watching the photo shoots cause I’m a fan of Gabriel Agreste and I noticed that you always have to wear thin clothes in winter and I thought that you might be cold in those clothes so I wanted to give you something to warm up," she quickly rambled.

“That’s nice of you.”

She hid her face in her knees, embarrassed by Adrien's fond tone and trying to hide her red face although he could still see the blush spreading to the tips of her ears. Distinctly, a muffled, “N-Not really.” came from the curled up ball.

He resisted the urge to hug her and warmly smiled.

“W-What?” she blurted, startled by the sudden gesture she saw from the corner of her eye.

“You’re really cute, you know that?”

“What?!” she unfurled, staring at him, shocked, as her face became a scarlet red.

“I said-”

“Adrien! We’re ready for you!”

“-and that’s my cue,” He stood up and kissed her hand, winking, “I hope to see you again, Princess.”

He grinned at the shell-shocked look on her face before walking to the photographers.

“P-p-pr-princess?!?!”

~

Adrien smiled at the sound of light footsteps crunching on snow, his eyes catching on the familiar bluenette approaching him. She’s been visiting for a week now, and he was proud to say that she had finally stopped stuttering around him.

“Hello, princess!”

“How long are you going to call me that?” she asked, a small smile playing on her lips as she handed him the familiarly spotted cup of her irresistible hot chocolate.

He shrugged, “Probably forever.”

"And who says I'll stay here so you can call me princess forever?" she teasingly asked, resting a hand on her cocked hip.

"We all know I'm too irresistible for you to even think of leaving, princess," the model returned with a wink

Sighing, she playfully rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject, “It’s getting colder, will you be okay?”

"Aww," his hand pressed against his chest, "you do care."

Marinette raised an eyebrow and gestured for him to return the hot chocolate. Adrien yelped, slightly turning to the side and clutching the spotted cup.

“I mean, of course, as long my precious princess continues to keep me warm.”

She lightly pushed him, giggling. “Keep that nickname up and I may decide to become an ice queen,” she laughed.

“Very cold of you, princess, but, at most, you could only be a snow angel.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Nope, I would die of loneliness if my princess left me.”

“Stop the puns or I might.”

“You love me too much to do that,” Adrien replied, staring at her and fluttering his eyelashes beguilingly.

“...”

“Mari?”

“...I know I do,” she quietly murmured.

“Wait, what!?” his face turned red, but not from the cold. His face scrunched up as he strained to figure out what she said before he admits defeat, “What did you say?”

“What, pretty boy? You can dish it out but can't take it?”

“Okay, first of all? That wasn't a pick up line or anything remotely close. Second of all, you caught me off guard. Third of all- you can't confess and just change the topic like that, Mari!”

"I can and I will!"

"Say it again, please?"

“Nu-uh, no way!”

“Please?”

“No!”

“Mari!” He whines, pouting his bottom lip in an attempt to weaken her proverbial walls.

“What?!” she stared at him, face flushed and out of breath.

“I love you, too.”

They stared at each, his green eyes connecting with her blue. Adrien’s was calm but intense, while Marinette’s conveyed pure shock and a world of happiness. There was a long moment of silence and bliss was cradled by shock and disbelief.

“I-I,” she turned away and stood, trying to capture her scattered thoughts. “A-anyway!” she turned to face him stiffly. Touching his nose with her’s she asked, “Are you free this Saturday?”

“Yeah, why?”

She smiled, “Be here at 10 am on Saturday then, okay?”

“Sure?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” She stepped away and grinned. The bluenette spins on her heel, but not before blowing a kiss to the male, blushing softly, “It’s a date!”

“...Huh? Wait! Mari!”