Marinette walked into her parent's house. "Everything alright my dear?" her mother asked. 

"Perfect. Adrien? Ready to go home?" She slipped her hand into his. 

"I think so. Thank you for everything." He smiled up at Tom and Sabine. 

"Anytime son," Tom said as he pulled his wife into his arms. 

Marinette and Adrien walked to the car. "Your parents really are the best Mare. I'm glad they like me. They know everything now." 

"I figured you'd tell them. Did they have any advice?" Mari asked putting the car into drive. 

"Your dad suggested we invite my father to join us for dinner with your parents two times a month. So then we have their protection. I also told my father that I only talk to him between you and Nathalie  Sorry, I should have asked you."

"Don't worry Adrien. Nathalie and I have become good friends over the past view months. It would be fine."

"Tell her you are also not to speak to my father without me. My orders." His body stiffened back up.

"I will. Adrien, I have a surprise for you." She pulled into the drive. "Please put this on?" she handed him a blindfold. He looked over at her with eyebrows raised. She pleaded with her eyes. He shrugged and coved his eyes. "Yay!" She giggled as she guided him to the house. She walked him to his room. She took off the blindfold. "Put on your PJs and don't leave until I come back." she quickly closed his door. He heard her run upstairs.

"What is my girl up to?" he pondered to himself. Then found a pair of Pj's Mari had made him for a class she was in. They were too comfy. He normally wouldn't wear a shirt but he chuckled remembering her reaction last time. Better wear it, just to be safe. Mari knocked on his door. "Come in!"   

"Okay, so before you leave your room, I need to tell you, that I kinda lied. Alya didn't need my help, I need her help to set up this." She pulled him out of his room and gestured to the living room. He realized he could smell popcorn.  And saw the treats from the bakery, and the smores Ayal had made for them. 

"You... you planned me a Living Room Camp Out... Mare, you're the best! He picked her up, hugged her and spun her around. Then ran to the tent. "This... This is amazing! Can we sleep here tonight!?" 

Mari laughed, he smiled like a kid on Christmas morning. "Of Course! That's the plan! I can't have you alone on a night like this. So we can talk about what your feeling you just watch movies and eat treats till we fall asleep." 

"You, Nino and Ayla. You three did this for me and the two of them didn't even stay." tears welled in his eyes. 

"Well, they wouldn't fit for one. And they thought we would enjoy a fun night just the two of us after all the craziness with classes. Though they suggested we go away after Christmas just the four of us." Mari smiled. 

Adrien trapped the popcorn pull and a smore. "Tell me about the first time this happened? Since I was never allowed to come I don't remember." 

"Well it was actually Ayla and I planning it for Nino, it was supposed to be a half sleepover, but when we fell asleep my parents let Nino spend the night, and as we got older as long as Nino slept on a couch and we stayed in the living room it was fine. But anyway, we where eight, and Nino had Dad had lost his job and Nino was really worried. It was to cold to have a back yard campout, so Ayla and I asked if we could have a sleepover have Nino come for half of it to cheer him up. 

------ Flashback ----- 

"Daddy!" Mari called "Can you help us make a tent over the air matters?" 

"Why do you two need a tent?" Tom bent down to talk to his little girl. 

"Because we want Nino to think he's camping! Please!" Ayla joined in on please for extra effect. 

Tom laughed, "It's sweet of you girls to try and cheer your friend up like this." He quickly rigged up a blanket tent for the gang. while the girls helped Sabine set out snacks. 

The doorbell rang and the girls rushed to the door. "Nino!" they said together and pulled him into a hug. 

"Come on we have a surprise for you!" Ayal said dragging him away. 

Mari however was stopped by Ninos mom. "Marinette thank you for including my son in on you and Alyas sleepover, it's the happiest I've seen him in days." Mari smiled at the women and ran off to join her friends. 

"Dudes! You did this all for me! I love it can we watch a movie right now?!" 

"Duh!" the girls giggled together.

----- End of Flashback -------

"Wow, that happened before we really had access to video chatting. I didn't start coming until Nino got a smartphone." Adrien smiled at the memory. "And if I remember right I was a surprise that night." 

------ Flashback ----- 

Nino and Ayla were at Ayal's place. Mari had just entered her first sewing completion at 14, her teacher in her design and sewing class had asked her to enter because she was top of the class. Mari had come in fourth place and felt like she had let everyone down. 

"Dude she's gonna be so surprised when she's that you get to take part in the night!" Nino placed his phone on the doc so Adrien could easily see everything.  

"I know! we've been texting since she got home. She's really bummed out. She really wanted to place in the top three for her teacher. I might steal her away during the movie to give her a best friend pep talk." He winked at Ayla knowing they fought over who was Mari's best friend. 

"Whatever rich kid, I still say I'm her best friend." Nino laughed at the two. 

Mari knocked and walked in, "Hey guys thanks for doing this. I needed this tonight." Nino and Ayla stepped away from the phone doc and Adrien waved on the screen. "Adrien! Guys this great we can all take part in tonight." 

The group played games and teased each other and they enjoyed snacks.  Nino and Ayla wanted to watch a scary movie, so Mari took Nino's phone and slipped into Ayla's room to talk.

---- End of Flashback -----

"Oh! Ya! You know that chat with you in Alyas room encouraged me to start My Lady Fashion. You were so supportive. I figured if the son of my ideal who also was my best friend saw potential maybe others could too." 

"I'm glad I could help you out that night." he looked her eyes, man he loved her. He leaned over and kissed her. "So what movie are we watching My Love?" 

Mari giggled. "I was thinking we should give you some real sleepover fun first. Since you never came with us to one of these things" Mari quickly moved the bowl of the bed and throw a pillow at him. "Catch me if you can!" And she rolled out of the tent and hid behind the couch. 

"Hey! What!" Adrien picked up the pillow and ran after her. He stood over her and pelted her with the pillow. 

"Okay! Okay! I give! This space isn't really set up for a pillow fight!" Mari giggled.

"What if braid your hair? That's a sleepover thing right?" Adrien offered his had to her.

"You know how to braid hair?" Mari was shocked. "Why?"

"You know how my dad randomly has me take part in commercials that use his designs?" She nodded. "Well, there was one that didn't air. Where I played an older brother with a little sister who was struggling with bad hair. and I used some detangling spray and braided her hair. And they had me learn so it looked real." It was only four years ago, and I enjoyed the action so I would practice with the girls I modelled with."

"Oh. Sure, wanna try your hand at girl talk." Mari teased with a wink. 

"Um, wouldn't we have to not be together for that to work?" Adrien questioned. 

"Well, we could ask each other questions about the past? We didn't really talk relationships other then you setting me up." Mari offered. 

"Could be fun. Let's give it a try. Do you want me to sit on the bed or the couch?" Adrien headed back to the tent. 

"I don't wanna sit on the floor. So I'll sit on the bed if you sit on the couch." Mari got comfy. "Why did you set me up with Luka anyway?" 

"Well, that wasn't the plan... I more wanted to give you a chance to design for a band. After all, I had a crush on you but knew the odds were low. So when Luka confessed to me that he liked you, I figured I'd help what I hopped was fate along." He ran his figures though her hair something out some of the pigtail dents.

"Oh. Well, that was kind of you." She sighed, "If only we hadn't known we go our gifts on the same day... Maybe we would have dated and this whole mess would have been avoided."

"Why did you flirt with Chat online even though you were dating Luka?" Adrian had wondered this often, was it really just marketing?

"Well, because we both had secret identities people paired us together. And we played off of each other to help drum up business. I wanted to be his friends but I knew he was a touch of player. He was known for flirting and ditching or taking a girl on a date and never speaking to her again. So I'd say it was mostly business." 

"Hmm makes sense." He continued to braid her hair. 

"When do you know you liked me?" She asked softly. 

"For sure since we are ten. But maybe sooner. You were just so bright and my life was so dark." He smiled and kissed her head and finished the braid. "Movie?" 

Mari yawned, she looked at the clock, it was only eight, emotional days sure felt long. "Ya, lets." 

They played a movie and got comfy under blankets. Mari fell asleep faster, she been carrying the secret for so long, so to have him know was both relieving and yet exhausting. Adrien looked at the girl now sleeping next to him. They needed a plan, if his father was going to die in three years, they needed to get through school faster, so they could take over the company and change it for the better. They would have to talk to the school tomorrow. He knew his father had little education and had made it without it, but Adrien wanted the degree behind his made in case his father's business went down. 

He also needed to return Mari's company rights to her tomorrow. He didn't trust his father. 

He was about to drift off to sleep when he realized he hadn't dealt with that dumb bell, he quietly got up and found the bell on her dresser. He took it to his room, he would slip it back out to his box later. He then slipped back under the warm blanket with the girl of his dreams wrapped in his arms. Maybe life could get better.