Adrien walked through the cold yet crowded streets of Paris, glad that he had somehow convinced the Gorilla to let him walk home and enjoy the Paris scenery and get some air. This month had been busier than usual, with thousands of ads for various Christmas presents and winter clothing that he had to model. Coupled with school and akuma? To say he was tired was an understatement.

“Hello! Would you like to donate to the animal shelter?”

He looked up, recognizing the voice of Marinette. She was wearing a Santa-inspired outfit, complete with a red long sleeve dress with white cuffs on the bottom of the sleeves, white hand-knit tights, red boots, and a traditional Santa hat. And she was acting as a bell-ringer for an animal shelter. Which he definitely supported. Getting an idea, he paused to write something on a piece of paper. He waited for a bit, until a large throng of people passed. Quietly, he slipped in among the crowd of people and secretly slipped the note along with 15 dollars into the red bucket.

Marinette felt a light weight on her arm and curiously looked to find 15 more dollars along with a white paper that wasn’t there before. “Thank you!” she called into the streets to the unknown benefactor. Putting down the bucket on the table next to her and picking out the white piece of paper, she scanned the vaguely familiar string of numbers and ran it through her head.

“A-A-Adrien?!”

He abruptly stopped at the sound of his name. That voice was definitely Marinette’s, but he was certain that she didn’t see him and he didn’t sign his name on the note so she had no way of knowing who had given her the note unless…

He turned back and walked back to the bluenette, a wide grin splitting his face, and stared down at the girl, “Marinette, did you memorize my number?”

Her face turned a crimson red as he finished his question. Bullseye. His grin became wider, “You did, didn’t you?”

She recovered her senses and replied with an unconvincing, “N-no.”

“Really? Did how did you know who I was?”

“I”, she stuttered, trying to come up with a believable excuse, “I...recognized your handwriting?”

“Ah, but I didn’t write in my usual writing style.”

Checking the paper, she realized he was right, he had purposely written the numbers in incredibly neat, bold writing different from his everyday curly script.

“Umm,” Marinette floundered, she really didn’t want him to know that she had memorized his number by heart and still remembered it even though he had given it to her months ago. “I… found the numbers familiar and checked my phone and saw that you had the same number and assumed it was you!” she smiled nervously, hoping that he would believe her.

“Where’s your phone?” he smirked, seeing through her weak lie. With a jolt, she realized that her outfit didn’t have any pockets and her purse was inside since Tikki was weak to the cold.

“I...recognized you from behind?”

“Then what as the pause between me placing the items in the bucket to you calling my name?” he asked, certain of his victory as he watched Marinette open and close her mouth silently as she tried to come up with some excuse.

“I...umm…” she stopped, considering. “I memorized your number in case I needed you in an emergency!”

“You could also tell Tikki to message Plagg or call me when you’re transformed and Plagg will relay the message to me,” Adrien easily rebutted.

“Agh...um…” she paused, completely out of ideas.

Adrien smiled, leaning closer so that his nose almost touched hers. “Just admit it, Mari,” he whispered.

“Nope!” she attempted to step back, flustered by his sudden proximity, only to trip over her own two feet. “Gahh!!” she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the cold cement and sharp pain but instead felt soft, warm fabric. Hesitantly, she peeked open one eye and met Adrien’s summer-green ones.

“I knew you would fall for me,” he said, winking as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Adrien!” she hissed embarrassedly, “we’re in public!” In response, he simply grinned down at her and tightened his hold so that she couldn’t escape.

“I’m not letting you go until you admit that you memorized my number.”

Marinette froze, torn between public pride and personal pride. “Y-you..” she muttered angrily.

“We can stay like this all night,” he singsonged while watching the conflicted emotions cross her face.

“Seriously?”

“It’s just four words, Mari,” he gently coaxed. Marinette sighed. If she was going to throw away her pride, she may as well do something big. Her eyes flickered to the passing crowd and a light blush rose up her neck. Adrien stared at her curiously, wondering what she thinking.

“Oh, screw it,” she mumbled. She was definitely going to regret this later.

With a quick flash of movement, she grabbed the ends of his light blue scarf, rose to the tips of her toes, and kissed him. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to make him freeze in shock and loosen his hold on her. After a moment, Marinette pulled away, blushing.

“A-a-and for your i-information that was m-my first kiss!” she declared, not counting the Dark Cupid kiss as that was out of necessity. Picking the red bucket from the table, she broke away from his hug, turned on her heel, and retreated into the shelter with a decisive click.

Adrien was frozen, still stunned by the short and sudden but blissful moment. After a few seconds it hit him- Marinette, his lady, had just kissed him of her own will.

“O-oh, god,” he stuttered, crouching to the ground and covering his red face with his hands. Quietly, he stared at the place where she had just been before hiding his face again.

“Oooh, god.” He didn’t think that it was possible for him to fall for her even more, but apparently it was.

And he had.