Author's note: This was by far the hardest chapter to finish. Thank you all for your love and support. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as we enjoyed creating it.

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After a brief journey on foot (since Adrien had conveniently "forgotten" to ask his bodyguard to fetch them at the bakery), Adrien pushed open the gates to the Agreste mansion, eagerly escorting his brand new girlfriend next to him. He wanted to spend more time with her in private and speak with her freely, redefine the parameters of their developing relationship. What was she comfortable with Adrien and Marinette doing? What did she want Ladybug and Chat Noir to be? How would they tell their friends and family about "Them"? There was so much to discuss.

He was still somewhat in disbelief about the what had transpired over the past few days. Never in his wildest dreams could he have guessed that he'd become the happiest he'd ever been, practically overnight, thanks to a series of strange yet extremely serendipitous course of events.

"After you, my Princess," he said as he ushered her into the house, smiling shyly.

Marinette followed him into the mansion, giggling softly. Giggles that were promptly interrupted by the tall silhouette standing in the foyer.

Gabriel cleared his throat loudly, looking displeased as usual. The pair froze upon hearing him. "I thought I had instructed you to call your bodyguard whenever you needed transportation, Adrien."

Marinette gripped Adrien's hand, no doubt feeling anxious from her previous encounters with his father. Instead of recoiling and becoming withdrawn in front of his father, however, Adrien suddenly felt ten feet tall. Marinette, Ladybug, was clinging to him for courage. Now was the time to be more assertive and become the man she deserved.

Adrien straightened up his spine, rising to his full height (which at this point was almost as tall as Gabriel) and looked him in the eyes. "Sorry, Father, but the bakery isn't that far from home, and Marinette and I enjoy walking together. I didn't feel it was necessary to bother him."

Then Gabriel Agreste suddenly did something he hadn't done in years. Was it because Adrien called the mansion "home " for the first time in years instead of "the house"? Was it because Gabriel noticed the way Adrien's thumb kept stroking the side of Marinette's hand, trying to reassure her? Was it because of the way Marinette was unconsciously leaning into Adrien, their shoulders brushing against each other's and her head ever so slightly leaning toward his?

Whatever the reason, Gabriel walked down the stairs, his arms linked in his back in his usual fashion, and smiled.

"I..." Gabriel trailed off as he walked up to them. "I am proud of you, Adrien. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel otherwise. You have grown to be an exceptional young man, and I'm really glad you've found yourself a girlfriend who loves you for who you are instead of your last name. One who cares about you enough to stand up against anyone who would try to hurt you, even if that someone was me ."

Marinette and Adrien exchanged a startled glance, and Gabriel let out a low chuckle. "Don't act so shocked, Adrien. I might not be the perfect father, but I do care about you deeply. Seeing you in a relationship with a girl that has a strong head on her shoulders and who's willing to argue with me, even when she knows I could ruin her future fashion career with the snap of a finger," Adrien felt Marinette flinch, "It's all I could have ever wished for you."

Adrien stared at his father blankly, words suddenly failing him. "Fa... father? Does-does that mean that you approve of... 'us'?"

Gabriel smirked, an expression looking every bit out of place of his otherwise stern face. "I do. I think Mlle Dupain-Cheng has a lot to offer you, Adrien. Now if you will excuse me, I have some business matters to attend to. Have a good evening, both of you."

With those final words, Gabriel Agreste left the foyer, leaving the stunned pair of teenagers behind him.

"Did... did that really just happen?" Marinette said staring at the spot Gabriel had just vacated.

Adrien blinked. "I... think so?"

The two exchanged a puzzled look and broke out into laughter. Adrien shrugged and said, "Should we head to my room? It might be slightly less Twilight Zone in there."

She snickered and followed him to his bedroom, still holding hands as they were quite accustomed to by this point.

________________________________________

As soon as they stepped into the bedroom, the kwamis zoomed in front of each other's charges with matching grins on their faces.

"Hi!" chirped Tikki's cheerful voice. "We haven't really gotten a chance to introduce ourselves properly. I'm Tikki, Ladybug's kwami! I'm so happy to finally meet you, Adrien!"

Adrien's grin widened and stuck out his finger to shake her tiny hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Tikki! Marinette has told me so many nice things about you." Tikki nuzzled against Adrien's cheek, squealing in delight.

"Hey LB! You got any cheese on you?"

Marinette giggled and reached her hand up towards Plagg, letting him land into her palm and curl up like a cat. She exclaimed as she scratched him behind the ears, "Oh my goodness Plagg, you're just so adorable! We've got plenty of cheese at home, you're welcome to it anytime!"

Plagg beamed, "Finally, someone who recognizes my grace and beauty! I knew I liked you!" He nuzzled into her fingers. "Loverboy here has spent a lot of time swooning about you, so please be careful with him. I don't think I can handle him going all lovesick-mode again and sighing whenever he sees your photos."

"Plagg," Adrien hissed inelegantly, the top of his ears turning pink. "Stop talking right this second."

Plagg cackled and zoomed behind Marinette to avoid Adrien's wrath.

Marinette grinned. "Don't worry, Plagg, I'll take care of him," she replied as she looked up fondly at Adrien and winked, the latter's face softening at her gaze. "I promise."

Adrien's eyes bore into hers, and he turned his body to face her. He touched her jaw lightly and gave her a featherlight kiss. "I know you will. And I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy, I swear it."

Marinette smiled and quirked her head slightly. "You already make me happy, Adrien." She reached up and gently moved some stray hairs away from his face. "All you need to do is to keep on being your amazing self."

"Eww, gross." Plagg stuck out his tongue and grimaced. "You guys are cheesier than my Camembert. I'm outta here. Come on, Sugarcube! We've got some catching up to do!" Tikki snickered and followed him as he flew off.

Picking up where they'd left off, Adrien pulled Marinette flush against him. He tilted her head up, then kissed her slowly, passionately, pouring every ounce of love he could into it, hoping she could feel even a fraction of what he was trying to communicate, of how strongly how he felt about her. Every kiss was a promise of things to come, of words he couldn't figure out how to say, a declaration of his commitment to keep her safe and protected, pleased and adored, respected and valued. Her free arm slid around his waist and she deepened the kiss. Adrien moaned in response, his stomach twisting into delightfully tingly knots.

Their amorous activities were interrupted by a loud, long grumble. Their eyes shot open and they looked at each other quizzically.

Marinette looked at him sheepishly. "Uhh... I guess I'm a bit hungry."

Adrien grinned and said playfully, "Don't worry, My Lady, I'll make good on my promise and satisfy your every need. Even when your needs sound like Godzilla." She blew a raspberry and poked him in the ribs lightly as he chortled.

Adrien called for dinner to be brought up to his room, and they ate in comfortable chatter before pulling out the controllers and challenging each other in a murderous game of Ultimate Mecha Strike III. A lot of laughter, merciless victories for Marinette and multiple brushes of skin that sent their hearts racing later, they turned off the game and headed to the bathroom shower with their bathing suits, eager to clean off the grime from such an exhausting day.

Unbeknownst to them, both kwamis took this opportunity to go exploring. Plagg rummaged through Marinette's duffel bag while Tikki perused Adrien's DVD collection. They giggled to themselves, with mischief on Plagg's part and pure delight for Tikki.

Once they were clean and clothed, Adrien and Marinette returned to the bedroom. Adrien took notice of Plagg going through Marinette's stuff then gasped and exclaimed, "PLAGG, what are you doing?!"

Marinette touched his arm attempting to assuage him. "It's alright, Adrien, it's mostly just clothes."

Before Adrien could reply, Tikki flew in front of them, "Marinette! Come and see! Adrien owns even more Disney films and romantic comedies than you do!"

Marinette turned her head toward her kwami, but Plagg zoomed right in front of their faces holding a pink book.

"ADRIEN, LOOK!" The kwami exclaimed, waving what Marinette now recognized to be her diary. "I unlocked a cute little box and found this very interesting notebook!" Marinette's jaw dropped and her throat made a suppressed croaking sound, and she could swear she felt her stomach try to jump out of her body.

"OUCH!" Plagg yelped, "Tikki, why in the world did you smack me?"

"What Marinette writes in her diary is private, Plagg!" the small deity cried, obviously offended. "You have no right to pry into it!"

"But she's written a lot about Adrien in there! How his golden hair glistens in the light of the sun, and how his brilliant smile that could outshine any star!" Plagg went on, ignoring the fiery blush spreading on Marinette's cheeks as she made a quiet but lengthy screeching sound that resembled a deflating balloon.

"PLAGG!!" Tikki chastised, a deep frown set on her face.

But Plagg was on a roll, a wide, teasing grin spreading across his lips. "You think this is bad, Sugarcube? You should see how much time Adrien wastes browsing the Ladyblog every day and making up crazy plans about wooing Ladybug."

" Plagg...." Adrien groused, but his kwami wasn't in a merciful mood.

"What?" he said, "Don't want your pretty lady to know how much time you spend staring at her derriere in a skintight supersuit?"

Adrien made a groaning, choking sound that didn't quite sound human. He could feel his face heat up, probably turning into an interesting shade of red. Spontaneous combustion was a thing, right?

Marinette opened her mouth to respond, but Tikki beat her to it. "I'll bet you it doesn't compare to the amount of time Marinette spent staring at that underwear campaign Adrien did a few months back."

Marinette squawked and sputtered, "TIKKI!!"

Tikki's eyes shot open, "OOPS! Sorry, Marinette!" she said apologetically.

Marinette's throat went dry. Was the moon an appropriate moving location? Or maybe Mars would be more habitable. Because there was no way she could face Adrien after Tikki revealed just how much appreciative of his charms she really was.

But before she could start packing for her upcoming move into outer space, Adrien chuckled softly, wrapping his fingers around hers and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "We're both ridiculous," he said mirthfully.

She lifted a startled gaze toward him. "THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING . I mean, Tikki wasn't actually lying, and-"

"Plagg wasn't either," Adrien replied airily, his eyes kind and caring. "I did spend an awful lot of time trying to figure out how to confess my feelings to you."

"Hah... that sounds familiar. At least I know I wasn't alone," she admitted timidly.

"That's right, Marinette!" Tikki chirped. "You have nothing to be ashamed of! You're in love! Love makes everyone act a little silly sometimes."

"Do all Ladybugs and Chat Noirs end up together? Romantically, I mean. Like Jack and Alice." Marinette asked, leaning into Adrien's side.

Tikki shook her head with a fond smile and replied, "Not always. Ladybugs and Chat Noirs are two halves of a whole, and some of them remain as platonic soulmates even if they go on to marry someone else. But they are always connected, no matter what."

Plagg interjected, "Those were the less disgusting pairs we got. Humans and their silly mating rituals..."

Adrien decided not to let Plagg elaborate about said "mating rituals" and changed the subject. "Do you miss them? Your previous holders?" he asked, his voice earnest.

Tikki smiled wistfully. "We always make wonderful memories with our holders and have a special bond with every single one of them. All of them are chosen for specific extraordinary qualities that they possess."

"Exactly," Plagg chimed in. "I clearly chose you because you had easy access to expensive quality cheeses."

Tikki giggled and rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Adrien. Plagg is obviously very proud of you. We are both proud of you. You two are a very special pair. You were our youngest Ladybug and Chat Noir so far, and yet you've managing it all spectacularly."

Plagg zipped around and quipped, "You're both still ridiculous though."

Tikki grabbed onto his tail and pulled him away. "Come on, Plagg, let's go check out those apps on the tablet you were telling me about before you say anything else that might embarrass them."

Adrien and Marinette were left relatively alone once again.

"Well, he's not wrong." Marinette shrugged, lighthearted. "We are ridiculous."

"Well, I happen to be ridiculously in love with you, My Lady." He pulled her into his arms and she giggled shyly, resting her hands on his chest.

The kiss Adrien pressed on her lips was anything but shy. He all but ravished her lips, pressing her close to his heart as their lips moved in perfect sync, years of partnership overriding their inexperience in this new field. She whimpered softly in his hold, surrendering to the love he was pouring in their kiss. The feeling that kissing Marinette sent down his nerves was electrifying. Addicting. He knew that he was in deep trouble now, that he could never get enough of her kisses, of the breathy sighs that fell out of her lips every time they pulled apart for air. She took him by surprise when she pushed him firmly against the wall and kissed him on the neck, rough enough to make his head spin and moan louder than he'd intended and, but gentle enough to not leave any marks that they'd have to explain to others later.

When they broke away, breathless and slightly dizzy, they stared at each other for a bit, unable to move past the feelings of elation that were awakening in them.

"I love you, Marinette. I love you so much."

Marinette didn't think she could ever get tired of Adrien's silky, gentle voice uttering those amazing words, saying them to her. "I love you too, Adrien. More than ever."

They hugged each other tightly and stayed that way for a few moments, revelling in merely being with each other, how comfortable they felt, how grateful they were.

It was then that wave of tiredness overtook Adrien and he yawned, then sparked a chain reaction as all four of them (kwamis included) yawned one after the other.

Adrien blushed and apologized shyly, but Marinette smiled softly, tugging on his hand. "Come on, Kitty. Let's get ready for bed, I'm exhausted. Plus, we have to get up extra early to meet the locksmith at the Louvre."

Adrien replied as they crawled into bed together, "Oh, that's right! I'd almost forgotten about that! Honestly, I'm so used to our little conjoined-twins routine that it didn't even cross my mind."

They made themselves comfortable under the soft, heavy comforter. As they lay face to face in Adrien's bed, their bound hands tightly interlocked, Marinette reached forward, placing a simple kiss on his lips. He grinned, pulling her even closer and kissing her once more, deeper this time. They finally broke apart and gave each other wide, lovesick smiles, then wished each other good night.

Marinette ultimately fell asleep with her free arm draped across Adrien's chest and her head comfortably nestled in the crook of his neck. Plagg and Tikki snuggled up next to them also, basking in the joyful vibes that always radiated from their holders any time they found each other.

That was by far the best night's sleep the four of them had gotten in a long time.

________________________________________

When they woke up the next day, they were still clinging to each other like magnets. Unbeknownst to him prior to this experience, Adrien was a cuddler in his sleep. Now that he was allowed to cuddle his lady both in and out of the mask he sure wasn't going to pass on it.

Getting dressed was an easy routine by then and was quickly done. Adrien's breath hitched when he saw Marinette in the dress he had chosen from her closet. It was a red criss cross halter top with a high waisted black and white polka dot skirt, and she looked absolutely stunning in it. He couldn't help but ogle as he was pulled very close to her body when she lifted up her arms to tie back her hair into a low ponytail. He looked away blushing hotly, a bit shocked at how helplessly attracted he was to her.

Marinette also remembered to pack a sweater in her backpack that she could wear after their handcuffs got taken off, lest they receive another "Modest Attire" lecture from Principal Damocles, even though it wasn't their fault they'd had to violate the dress code the previous day.

Oddly enough, Gabriel had decided to eat breakfast with them that morning, and he did congratulate Marinette on the design of the garment, making her grin widely. They then ate together casually, Adrien unfortunately having to endure lengthy conversations on types of skirt ruffles, and whether purple is a dapper color on a man. At least that meant that Marinette and his father were getting along well. Much better than he would've dared to expect right off the bat, in fact.

Then the time finally came for Adrien and Marinette to leave for the museum. Their guts twisted in anticipation, knowing that their time stuck together was coming to an end.

Adrien's bodyguard came around to the front of the house to pick them up and they both slipped inside. Adrien couldn't resist pulling Marinette into a heated kiss, and wished the privacy partition in the car granted as much privacy as its name implied. Marinette squeaked in surprise, then pulled him by the neck to further deepen the kiss.

Plagg groaned from Adrien's bag, staring at the entangled teens. "Is this really gonna be our life now? Great."

"Let them be, Plagg," Tikki gently chastised as Marinette tugged on Adrien's collar to press her lips against his once more. "They're young and in love. It's beautiful."

"Hear that, My Lady?" Adrien smirked. "We're beautiful."

Marinette rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "We could try to tone it down a little when you're around, if you'd like," she said to Plagg.

"Don't you dare!" Tikki exclaimed. "My ship is finally sailing and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!"

Adrien asked incredulously, "Wait, have you guys always known it was us?!"

"We've known for a long while now," Plagg replied, "and watching you dweebs being so oblivious around each other was so painful."

"But why didn't you tell us then?" Marinette chimed in.

"Magic prevents us from speaking of it, so we couldn't have told you even if we wanted to," Tikki added. "And believe me, I wanted to!"

They eventually felt the car slow down to a stop and they stepped out, careful not to tug too hard on the handcuffs. Marinette's insides quavered with nervous anticipation but she wasn't really sure why.

It was dead as a tomb as they entered the Louvre, as it was not yet open to the public due to the early hour. They made their way to the front desk to inform the staff of their arrival, and they were directed to wait on a nearby bench until the specialty locksmith arrived. Since the handcuffs would be removed shortly they decided to remove the wrist cozies to save time.

While they waited, the anxious fluttering in Marinette's chest intensified and she subconsciously jiggled her legs agitatedly.

Adrien noticed and took her hand again. "Mari, what's wrong? You seem out of sorts."

"I... I'm not sure. I guess I'm just nervous."

"What are you nervous about?" he asked earnestly.

Marinette struggled as she searched for the right words. "I just... Will... will it change anything between us after we... W-when we..." Marinette looked down, suddenly feeling unsure.

"When we're not handcuffed together anymore?" Adrien finished for her, sensing her discomfort. She nodded and he continued, "Some things will go back to how they used to be. Obviously we won't be next to each other 24/7 anymore. We'll be back at our own homes and our day-to-day life will be pretty similar to what it always was." He paused for a moment to lace his fingers between hers. "But in regards to ' us' and our relationship, it's not like we can pretend like things haven't changed. Things have changed, and they will be different. But a good different."

Marinette looked up at him apprehensively. "I didn't mean to sound like I'm not confident in our relationship, but it's just that... I've liked you for so long, it still doesn't quite feel that this isn't just a dream and that I won't wake up at any second."

Adrien's face showed understanding, then he gently guided her onto his lap and wrapped his free arm around her waist. Once she was situated he gazed into her eyes as if no one else existed in the world. "Believe me, Marinette, I know that feeling. I woke up this morning with your arm around me and your gorgeous face next to mine, and I wondered what in the world I did to deserve you, how I could possibly be lucky enough to have you by my side. It almost doesn't seem possible, like this can't be real." He bit his lip briefly, then continued, "But it is real. ' We' are real, Marinette. You don't have to worry about that. I'll prove it to you, now and for the rest of our lives."

He gently placed his hand on the side of her face and slowly tilted her head upwards. The intense look in his eyes made her chest swell with emotion and her body felt like it was on fire. Adrien then leaned in for a soft yet fervent kiss and Marinette gasped lightly at the contact. Her limbs felt like putty and she was suddenly grateful that Adrien was holding her upright lest she melt straight onto the ground.

They pulled apart slowly and Marinette panted slightly, her face flush and body tingling from the contact. She opened her eyes and lifted them up to look into his, then smiled back at him. "Thank you, Minou."

Adrien chuckled, resting his forehead on hers. "I look forward to going through new experiences with you, Princess," he replied truthfully.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing softly as she stared at their interlocked fingers in his lap. "We're a team. Now more than ever. We can be together, both in and out of our suits."

Adrien looked down at her and raised his eyebrow teasingly. It was then that she realized what she had just said, and her head shot up and her face paled. She waved her arms wildly and her voice increased a few octaves as she rambled frantically, "OH GOD, THAT'S TOTALLY NOT WHAT I MEANT!! I MEANT THAT WE CAN BE TOGETHER WHEN WE DON'T WEAR OUR SUITS! NO, NO, WAIT!! I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE NOT IN OUR REGULAR CLOTHES AND WHEN WE'RE NOT IN OUR COSTUMES!! HOLD ON, THAT SOUNDS EVEN WORSE, WHAT AM I SAYING?! I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY!! OH MY GOD, YOU MUST THINK I'M THE WORLD'S BIGGEST PERVERT!!!" She suddenly deflated and drooped like a cooked noodle, groaning pathetically as she covered her face with her hands.

Adrien laughed heartily and patted her shoulder. "Marinette, it's okay! I knew what you meant!"

Marinette looked up at him through her fingers and asked meekly, "Really?"

Jovially, he chirped at her, "Yes, really."

She continued to peek at him and saw in his face that he hadn't taken offense at her ridiculous word vomit. She tried to gather whatever remaining dignity she had and uncovered her face. "If you say so," she croaked.

"As you were saying during your eloquent speech--" she elbowed him gently in the ribs and he continued, chuckling lightly, "We can spend time more time together now, and I'm extremely grateful and excited for that."

"Me too," she agreed and snuggled up to him again. "We make a great team."

"We are the best team," he gently confirmed before pressing a tender kiss on her forehead.

________________________________________

Alya Césaire was many things.

She was protective of those she loved, she was determined, and she was impossible to deter once she set her mind on something.

And she loved her best friend. Fiercely.

And she knew the past few days must have agonizing for Marinette, being painfully conscious of herself at all times around her oblivious crush. Marinette, who always looked like she was seconds away from having an aneurysm every time she talked to literal supermodel Adrien Agreste, had been handcuffed to him for three days. Surely she was about to explode.

So, like the supportive best friend she was, Alya headed to the museum extra early that Tuesday morning to meet up with them. The last text message she'd received from Marinette was sometime after the previous day's akuma attack, letting her know that she and Adrien were safe.

So she got up early, combed her thick curls and rode her bicycle to the museum, muttering to herself about her crazy friends and their rotten luck all the way there.

Alya was prepared to deal with a stuttering mess, or a blushing tomato, even a stubbornly silent yet terrified statue.

What she never could've been prepared for, however, was the odd sight that was waiting for her on a bench at the Louvre.

Marinette sitting on said supermodel's lap, holding hands and chatting comfortably, their conversation punctuated by chaste kisses peppered on each other's lips.

There was something in the way Adrien was resting his forehead against Marinette's, in the way Marinette was instinctively leaning into his touch. There was an undeniable intimacy between the pair. Something that wasn't there a few days prior.

Something that demanded an explanation.

Lips tight, Alya marched toward the bench and stopped a few feet in front of them, staring at her best friend with a look of bewilderment that was anything but subtle.

"So... What's all this?" Alya said, her voice as even as she could manage, betraying the whirlwind of emotions and confusion she was actually experiencing.

Fiery blushes on their cheeks, Adrien and Marinette broke apart, looking at their baffled friend with shy smiles.

Marinette stuttered, "Oh! H-hey, Alya! We're just... waiting for the locksmith! He's running a little late, no worries!"

Alya's lips puckered disapprovingly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Uh-huh, that's cute, Marinette. I saw you two locking lips when I came in, so don't try to play coy with me! What the heck is going on here?!"

Adrien looked at Marinette, and her quirked smile prompted him to speak first. "We're dating now, Alya," he answered straightforwardly, knowing better than to try and lie to Alya Césaire.

Alya's face scrunched in confusion. "But this... this is kind of a drastic change in a really short amount of time. Sorry for bringing this up in front of Adrien, Marinette, but two days ago you weren't even able to string two words in a row whenever you talked to him."

While Adrien almost choked on his saliva, Marinette replied, "It's not as mind-blowing as you might think, Alya. I just realized that he's not perfect, that's all."

Adrien's slightly offended "Hey!" went unnoticed, Alya eyed her best friend carefully.

"What do you mean?" she queried.

"Adrien is a huge dork," Marinette said, voice lilting playfully. "He loves anime and Disney movies to a fault, has silly puns and Dad Jokes down to a science, and he is totally clueless about cooking."

Before either Alya or Adrien could comment on the less than flattering picture she was painting of him, Marinette continued, "But he's loyal, sweet, courageous, he's the kindest person I've ever met, and I know he would never do anything to hurt me. I feel completely safe with him."

Adrien beamed at her and Alya's eyebrows had shot up higher on her forehead than Marinette had ever seen them go.

"So what now?" Alya asked. "You guys are a thing, then? Like, you're really dating?"

There was a brief second of silence where they exchanged a fond glance, but Adrien promptly broke it. "Yes, we're dating. I'm in love with Marinette, Alya."

Alya gasped loudly and her eyes became wide as saucers. "I-i-in love?! W-when did this happen?!"

"I have been for a long time, and I never knew that she felt the same way. Now that the cat's out of the bag, I'm never going to let her go."

Alya stared at her friends for a minute in disbelief. "Honestly, I didn't think it was possible to be that oblivious, Adrien. Marinette wasn't exactly subtle with her crush on you."

Adrien scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and laughed, "So I've been told." Marinette giggled beside him.

An elderly man's voice startled them out of their conversation. "I've been called here because of some antique handcuffs mishap?" Monsieur Clavier's powerful voice resonated through the museum. He was a short man, almost wider than tall, with a checkered flannel suit and wild, frizzy, white hair.

The museum dean surged out from behind the reception desk to grab the man by the elbow, and drag him over to where Adrien and Marinette sat. "Please, free those reckless teenagers from these priceless handcuffs!"

The locksmith smirked knowingly. "They don't seem like they're minding it too much."

"But they're tampering with antiques! They're going to ruin the handcuffs, if they haven't done so already!"

"Alright then," Monsieur Clavier sighed resignedly. "Follow me, younguns."

He led them to a small room with better lighting and got to work immediately, hefting his enormous toolbox onto the table and pulling out dozens of keys (many of which looked completely identical) from the various drawers. He inspected the handcuffs closely with a magnifying glass and asked, "Were you folks careful to not get any water on these?"

Adrien briefly feared the museum dean would have a conniption as she hovered over M. Clavier. "We were," he answered truthfully.

"Very good," Monsieur Clavier replied, then eyed them curiously. "Have you been wearing the same clothes this whole time? You don't look dirty or smell bad."

Marinette giggled at the observation and Adrien answered amusedly, "Marinette happens to be a really talented seamstress. She's gotten us in and out of our clothes for the duration of our... impairment."

That seemed to leave Monsieur Clavier speechless for a second. He reached forward to fiddle with the handcuffs with his tools, then began trying several keys in succession. "You know, mademoiselle, someone with capable fingers such as yours would have a great future in locksmithing."

Marinette smiled softly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Monsieur, but my dream has always been to work in fashion."

"What a shame," the locksmith sighed. "I could have mentored you; you would have made a really fine apprentice."

"If I ever change my mind, you'll be the first to know," she replied cheerfully.

M. Clavier picked up an extremely aged looking, oddly shaped key with a circular hollow center that resembled a ratchet. The lock was a perfect match and the handcuffs clicked as they snapped open, freeing Marinette's hand, and then again on Adrien's side.

Adrien and Marinette whipped their heads towards each other giddily and laughed despite themselves, as if they couldn't believe their bodies were finally their own again. They absentmindedly rubbed their wrists, which were somewhat sore despite the wrist cozies Gabriel had made them.

Monsieur Clavier picked up the handcuffs and handed a business card to Marinette, in case she really did change her mind, and they said their goodbyes. The dean hurried out of the room with an indignant huff, chasing the locksmith into the adjacent corridor to inquire about the state of the handcuffs.

Adrien flexed his hand a few times and uttered a simple, "Wow." It was an odd feeling, being able to move his arm freely after having to constantly be mindful of Marinette's arm. It felt a little lonely even, if he were to be completely honest with himself. Instinctively, he reached between them and grabbed her right hand, lacing his fingers through hers again, and the small glance she gave him told him that she wanted it, too.

Alya set her hands on her hips and exclaimed, "Well, I bet that's a load off! Freedom at last! Come on, lovebirds, let's commemorate this event by taking some pictures!"

Outside the Louvre Alya snapped various photos of them in different poses: silly ones, cute ones, over-the-top romantic ones, bunny ears, peace signs, and more.

As they continued to goof off and take more photos, they heard someone suddenly cry out along with the unmistakable sound of a large stack of papers falling to the ground.

They whipped their heads around to see that a cyclist had accidentally bumped into an employee who was crossing the courtyard towards the Louvre. The cyclist brusquely called out a quick, "Sorry!" but didn't stop to check if the woman was okay. The three teens rushed over to help. The girls worked on picking up the large stack of work papers while Adrien assisted her in standing back up.

"Are you alright, Madame?" he asked. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm alright, thank you. He barely grazed me. I mostly just lost my balance," she replied.

It was as they were handing back the papers that Marinette and Adrien made a startling realization: the woman was Nostalgiak, or rather, the person who had been akumatized into Nostalgiak the day before. The pair glanced at each other with wide eyes, then they all stood up once the papers were picked up.

Marinette regained her composure after the initial surprise of seeing her again then asked her, "C-can we help you carry these papers inside?"

The employee, whose name tag read "Sybil Zegar", replied, "Oh no, it's quite all right, I can manage." She looked at them pensively for a moment then continued with a small smile, "It's nice to see young people chronicling their memories together. It's a lot easier than it used to be back when I was a youth and we didn't have that technology." Upon hearing this, Marinette had to suppress the urge of letting her eyes pop open in shock. The woman continued, "By the way, you can get really good lighting if you stand over there by that bench," she pointed behind them and they turned their heads to locate said location. "I have to get back to work, but take care and have a nice morning, you three."

Mme Zegar nodded at them briefly then walked back towards the Louvre as they waved goodbye. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other in surprise with matching deer in headlights expressions. Adrien shrugged and they both smiled. They hadn't had a chance to check on her after the akuma battle due to their transformations being so close to running out, but it appeared that she was doing better regardless.

Alya said she was meeting up with Nino for breakfast, so she left shortly after that. They said their goodbyes and Adrien's bodyguard drove them to school.

They made sure to make good use of that time in the car to review what they would tell their friends and relatives, and maybe, just maybe, grab the opportunity of a few kisses in between sentences.

So when they strode into class hand in hand, both of them looking every bit freshly kissed, all hell broke loose in the classroom. Even Mme Bustier was smiling as she looked at the brand new couple, while Kim and Alix were more... vocal about it, and there may or may not have been some clandestine currency exchanges between some of the classmates.

Alya looked at them bantering for a moment, a smile on her lips. She was happy for her friends, happy that they had finally found each other. But she still felt the need to state the obvious. "You guys know Chloe is going to scream, right?"

________________________________________

Chloe did scream. She walked in a few moments later, with Adrien and Marinette's arms around each others' waists and standing hip to hip next to each other.

"Adrikins, what is the meaning of this?!" she shrieked indignantly.

He only smirked. "Good morning, Chloe! Aren't you going to say hello to my new girlfriend ?" he greeted cheerfully.

"B-b-but, how?? When?! A-and... Dupain-Cheng , of all people?! She's... She's...!!"

Adrien frowned and interrupted, "Think carefully about whether you want to finish that sentence, Chloe. If you can't be respectful to Marinette then I'm afraid we can't be friends anymore."

Chloe huffed incredulously. "This can't be true, this isn't happening. It's not April Fool's Day today, is it, Sabrina?? Surely you're joking!"

Adrien decided that he would get his point across to Chloe so there would be no doubt about his relationship, whether she liked it or not.

The surprised gasp he tore from Marinette when he grabbed her didn't prevent him from slamming his lips on hers, kissing her in a way that couldn't be labelled as friendly or accidental in any way. Their classmates whooped and hollered uproariously in response. They only pulled apart a few moments later when Mademoiselle Bustier loudly cleared her throat, both of them blushing, but purpose achieved.

Chloe's enraged screeching could be heard from two streets over.

At a nearby bakery, a certain man looked at his wife with a knowing smile. "Looks like the mayor's daughter found out."

Even if it meant endless teasing from their friends about how removing the handcuffs had been useless, it didn't keep Adrien and Marinette from being virtually attached at the hip from that day onward.

And if their Halloween costume that year was a police officer handcuffed to her handsome criminal, well, that was only a lucky coincidence.

________________________________________

~ ~ ~ ~ Epilogue ~ ~ ~ ~

Manon Chamack sat on the floor surrounded by action figures of various akumatized villains as she made her handmade Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls fistbump each other victoriously after their rough battle.

"Oh, Chat Noir, you're my hero!" exclaimed 'Ladybug'.

"'Chat' replied fiercely. "Oh but My Lady, you are the bravest! I love you!"

Then she slammed the dolls together passionately, making inordinately loud kissing noises.

She heard the doorbell ring but paid it no mind. A few minutes later Nadja entered Manon's bedroom and called her name.

"What is it, Mommy?" the seven-year old replied.

"I, uh... There's something in the kitchen I want to show you." Nadja remarked quizzically.

Manon followed her mother into the kitchen, unsure of whatever it could be that was awaiting her. As they arrived, she was surprised to see an ostentatiously large lollipop flower bouquet on the dining table that was almost as tall as she was.

"Mommy, that's a huge present!!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Who sent it to you?"

Nadja furrowed her eyebrows. "It's... it's for you, actually."

"For me?!" Manon raised her eyebrows incredulously. "From who?"

Nadja shrugged. "It doesn't say. There's a note that came with it when it was delivered. She handed it to Manon to read.

For Manon.
Thank you.

A & M

"'Thank you'? 'Thank you' for what?? Who are A and M?" Manon wondered, wide-eyed.

Nadja leaned on the countertop pensively. "I don't know, but whoever they are, they sure are grateful for whatever you did." She put her fingers on her chin and thought for a moment. "Are you sure you don't know what this is for?"

Manon shrugged. "Not a clue. But whatever it was, it must've been good!! Go me!" She cheered and hopped around the table, blissfully unaware of the fortuitous events she had unwittingly set into motion.

~ * ~ THE END ~ * ~

(Note: added a Halloween epilogue)

In memory of Mae, an amazing friend and extraordinary human being. I love you and miss you. <3