Author's Note:

For Puntasticartist for the Miraculous Ladybug 2017 Secret Santa exchange: I hope you have a lovey holiday!

Also, your handle only enabled me to pun even more that usual. This is a dangerous power to have. :D

With thanks to enberlight and Beanz for the beta reading help! You're the best!

Marinette sighed as she examined the unfinished row, searching for the slightest flaw. It was only after she was satisfied that she slumped back into her chair.

Another hour or so and the second one would be done. Her hands ached from holding the position for so long and carrying out the minute, repetitive motion. It had been like this for weeks now, stealing every spare moment she could to finish in time.

It was already past midnight, but she was really tempted to wrap it up tonight.

Christmas was only two days away, after all...

Tikki fussed when she set the near completed fabric down, wiggling her fingers and stretching her wrists for good measure. "Marinette, you know you didn't have to do so much."

"I know," she whimpered, frowning down at the hands that currently were trying to betray her own good intentions. "But, Tikki, you didn't see his face."

It had been the night before All Saint's Day, when she finally had a fair handle on what her parents wanted to do for the holiday - as so much of her family lived and died abroad.

And they really only had the day off before the bakery would need to be opened again early the next morning.

Her parents had planned video calls for Maman's family in the morning and with Papa's family in the evening. She could have a bit of time to nap in between as she worked on a catering order for a few hours, but it would greatly cut into the patrol time.

She knew she had to tell Chat Noir that her schedule would be weird. Being home meant it would be that much harder to break away without her parents noticing. And Alya's family would be together all day, so that could hardly work as an excuse.

For all of her worries, Chat Noir had been nothing but conciliatory. "Not to worry, my Lady. This Cat has it in the bag."

She had grown so skilled at rolling her eyes and that she didn't miss the fleeting somber note that crossed his face. The flicker of disappointment in his eyes, the soft frown twisting his lips.

And once again, Marinette was left wondering just how much Chat Noir did or didn't have at home.

It took another couple of days before she'd mustered the courage - and the wording - to ask him. Marinette sighed wearily. If only it wasn't so risky asking even the slightest detail about their each other's lives outside of the mask.

Christmas was still months off, but she could always start planning now.

"I didn't want to drop planning information on you at the last minute, so if you had any plans…"

Chat winced, his shoulders falling heavily. "I should be home for Christmas."

"You mean you will have family in and out during the holiday?" Ladybug bit her lip. "I'll see what I can do to arrange-"

Chat Noir turned his glowing green eyes back at her, rueful smile tugging his lips. "I meant I'll be around. I should be able to break free pretty easily."

She gaped. "You won't have relatives you'll need to make your apologies to?"

He chuckled darkly, turning his gaze out onto the night. "Pretty sure that won't be an issue, my Lady."

Ladybug had been stunned at the time, wordlessly watching her partner turn away.

Little by little, her mind connecting the dots that had been so subtle so far - to the day poor Nino had been Akumatized. Chat had mentioned mid-battle that not all parents were kind and well-meaning.

Why hadn't she realized that he was probably talking about his own family?

Chat Noir turned, ready to head out into the night, but apparently he didn't feel like heading home just yet.

Maybe he hadn't wanted her to know. Maybe he hadn't wanted her to feel sorry for him. And before that moment, she hadn't realized just how much she hated not knowing.

"Wait, Chat Noir." She caught his hand, pulling herself a bit closer to him. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I know we have to keep our identities secret, but clearly that's been hard for you."

He sighed in defeat, leaving his eyes closed.

"I should have known." She wrapped him into a hug, and he felt his resistance melt at the slightest touch. His head dropped down onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I should have pieced it together.

"You couldn't have known."

He felt her sigh shaking her slight shoulders. "Yes, I could. I just didn't want to dig."

He exhaled. "You still don't."

"Only because it isn't safe to know more." She whispered, her hands sliding up to brace his upper arms. The slim muscles tensed under her gloved fingers. "But it isn't because I don't care."

"So, I have to ask. Are you going to be home by yourself?"

He blinked, lips pressing into a tight line. "Someone will be there. Probably. But I can easily sneak away without being noticed. People are usually busy with their own...thing."

Ladybug frowned, her eyes peering off into the night. "My family has a few traditions they keep but they're not really related to the holiday itself. But they would notice if I was gone for too long. I was able to sneak away last year, purely by a fluke."

Chat Noir nodded, his brow furrowing beneath the dark mask. Last year had been hard. Were it not for the costume, he wasn't sure how he would have coped. "It had been nice to you, my Lady. Even under the circumstances.

Her lips curved wryly. "Let's hope we don't have Akumatized Santa again this year."

Mischief gleamed in his eyes as he grinned. "That would be pawful."

With an exaggerated groan for his benefit, she bumped her fist softly to his shoulder. "Are you able to get out of the house easy enough? Maybe you could make some new traditions with your friends."

His smile turned sheepish and hesitant. "Are you offering, My Lady?"

She'd pursed her lips, weighing how to tell him that was surely to be impossible unless Hawkmoth was up to his usual tricks.

But the obvious weight on her partner's shoulders, and his surprisingly quick acquiescence had only bolstered her own resolve. Surely, she could find some way to sneak away, even if she had to pretend to be headed out to Alya's.

As soon as the "Maybe…" had slipped past her lips, Chat Noir blinked rapidly.

He looked far younger than he had to be, jaw dropping in wide-eyed amazement. "Seriously?"

Ladybug couldn't help but smile, tapping two fingers against the bell at his neck to push him back just the tiniest bit after he'd leaned in closer with the most ridiculously happy smile she could remember seeing on his face.

"Not to worry, Chaton. I can probably get away at least for a little bit. To give you your present at the very least."

"Present?" His eyes went wide, innocently sweet.

But it was the rosy blush that stained his cheeks proved to be her own undoing.

It's what had her up late for a month and a half now. She'd been making presents for her family and her friends since the summer.

But Chat Noir was more than just a friend. He was her partner. Her equal. Surely, he had earned something a little bit extra.

She'd mulled over if that whole first week before deciding on a theme.

She'd had practice last year in making a scarf for Adrien.

It had been a moment of inspiration. She remembered how cold Tikki had been - how cold she had been as well, out on Patrol during those brisk December nights.

Chat Noir hadn't complained in the slightest, but had moved as quickly as he could sprint or vault - catapulting himself through the air or lingering just a bit closer to her than necessary.

She smirked victoriously and set about making a few designs, spots and paw prints of varying size and patterning.

Within the week, Marinette was already hard at work designing the pattern for a pair of scarves, working late into the night. She decided she would let him pick which ones they each would use whenever they both had the chance to meet up on Christmas Day.

Tikki had been helping, holding the fibers between her little hands whenever Marinette's wrists started to get tired. But even the heavy helping of treats from the bakery below had only kept her going so long.

Marinette eyed the extra bits of yarn left over from the first scarf. Tikki had been so cold last year, that she was tempted to knit a tiny scarf to match, but she had saved that for when Tikki had already fallen to sleep. The surprise would be half of the fun.

Absently, she wondered if maybe Chat Noir's kwami might like one, too.

Marinette grinned as she held up the tiny stretch of knitted fabric victoriously. The kwami scarves would be a little too small to embroider her signature in. Although she could probably still manage a small cursive M.

She worried her lip.

Now that she was thinking on it, she had her doubts.

It made an important point, and one that she kind of wished she could mull over with Tikki. She had always made it a practice to weave her signature into every piece she had done.

But in this case, would that be wise?

It was only in the oddest set of coincidence that she hadn't been able to take credit for all her hard work on the only other scarf she had ever made.

She had tossed and turned as she finished up the small red and black spotted scarf.

It was just before her eyes had slipped closed, the tinier scarf safely hidden away in the folds of the larger red scarf, that she had finally come to a logical conclusion.

She could always say - as Ladybug - that she had commissioned herself to make it.

Satisfied, she tugged the comforter up over her, a small smile curving her lips. No one would be any the wiser.