A/N: We all wanted a mistletoe scene, and I'm happy to provide ;) Also, not sure if this is in the show, but Adrien has a fireplace in this. Just forewarning you in case anyone wants to come at me for inconsistencies, like the backdoor in Marinette's bakery fiasco that went on a few months ago on tumblr.

I hope you like this! I tried for the characters to be as in-character as possible :)

Under the Mistletoe

It was about an hour after the Christmas dinner had ended. Most of Adrien's classmates and their families went home to sleep, and hopefully wake to a gathering of presents under their Christmas trees, courtesy of Father Christmas, who also had to leave to deliver presents to all the children in the world.

Because of his akumatization, he was delayed and so couldn't stay for very long. But Adrien was glad to have him at his mansion nonetheless.

The only one who didn't leave yet was Marinette, whose parents helped make most of the food and were now helping Nathalie and Gabriel clean up. Adrien and Marinette tried to volunteer to help, but all four adults protested and told them to relax and enjoy the holiday, and to leave the adults to the work. They were still children, and deserved to have a break.

The two teens were secretly thankful for that break, after the crazy night they had of saving Christmas. An akumatized Santa Claus was a force to be reckoned with.

The pair now sat in front of Adrien's fireplace, each just basking in the warmth the fire provided. The model tried talking to her several times, but was met with the same stutters as usual. He didn't mind though, it was actually kind of cute when he thought about it.

But his heart still belonged to his Lady, let no one forget that.

Not even himself.

He cracked a small smile after yet another failed attempt at a conversation. He rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, trying hard to come up with a topic to talk about to no avail.

Meanwhile, Marinette still couldn't believe that she was actually alone with Adrien! And in front of the fireplace, during the early hours of Christmas morning, with the sky still dark and snowflakes glittering out of the window. It was a picturesque romantic moment and here she was, completely screwing it up by her ever-present stuttering and nervousness.

Oh, God, if Alya could see her now. She would probably nudge her by the arm and hiss at her to say something.

But what was there? What?

Wait a minute. The present! Yes, the present she gave him! That could work.

"So, um," she cleared her throat, prompting Adrien to snap his head toward her at attention. "Did you, um, d-did you like m-my present?" She bit her lower lip and clenched her hands together, nervously squeezing and unsqueezing them.

At his wide-eyed and frown, Marinette was immediately regretting the question. Did she sound cocky? Did it sound like she was specifically looking for a thank you? Great, now he thought she was selfish! Now he was going to kick her out, get a restraining order against her, and never marry her. Because Adrien didn't like selfish people like her and-

"Ah, actually, about that," he stammered, letting out a strained chuckle. "I actually gave it to Santa Claus. He-he helped me after I ran away and...and it was my way of paying him back." He fully turned to face her, apologetic green eyes boring into her surprised blue ones. "I'm really sorry for giving away your gift, I know it must've taken a long time to make, but I swear I'll make it up to you. I'll give you anything you want for Christmas, just name it!"

As Adrien listed gift after gift (a year's supply of fabrics? Tickets to his father's upcoming New Year fashion show?) Marinette was on cloud 9. The love of her life was offering so much in exchange for a hat she only spent two days making. He's so concerned with her feelings, he cares so much! It was too much for her poor heart to handle.

Luckily, she was able to regain her bearings and halt Adrien's speech with a lifted hand for silence. He frowned and tilted his head, like a kitten who was awaiting the inevitable scolding. A corner of her mouth lifted in an attempt to assure him she wasn't mad.

"Don't worry, it's okay. I understand. I heard what Santa went through tonight." At this she bowed her head, her eyes falling guiltily to the floor below her.

Tonight only happened because of her. If she didn't act so rashly as Ladybug and attack Santa, then he never would've gotten akumatized. But she couldn't tell that to Adrien, he would hate her. Who would want a girl that managed to get Santa Claus akumatized?

And so she wiped off her frown and replaced it with the smile. Adrien, who had noticed her previous look of sadness, brightened a little at her returned smile.

"I don't mind you gave your hat to him. After all, it was your hat. You could've done anything you wanted with it." Marinette managed a small chuckle. "You could've even thrown it away if you wanted to."

But Adrien, not catching on to her joke, opened his mouth in shock and grabbed her shoulders in a panic. Marinette squeaked and looked into his desperate eyes, praying to any deity that her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

"I would never throw away your present, Marinette! I could never do that to you." His upper lip lifted in increasing worry. "What do you want for Christmas? Tell me, and I'll get it for you!" He groaned, looking away and slackening his hold on her shoulders. "I'm such a horrible friend. I gave the one present I received from one away! I'm so stupid!"

The ravenette intervened before he could drown in his worry and self-loathing further.

"You're not stupid! You're nice, and sweet, and generous. I don't mind you gave the hat to Santa, he deserved it. And I don't need anything from you, I don't care about getting a gift from you. When I made you that hat I expected nothing in return. After all," the same corner of her mouth from before lifted again, "it's the season of giving, right?"

The blond slowly lifted his head to look at her in wonder. Did she really think he was nice, sweet, and generous? With her almost constant stuttering around him, he had assumed that she hated him because she still wasn't fully over the gum incident.

But now that he knew how she felt? It brought a warm, relieved smile to his features.

She was too nice, way too nice for him.

Then again, that's how all princesses were, right?

He tilted his head as he regarded her, still smiling and adopting a softer tone of voice. His hands that were still on her shoulders gave a comforting squeeze, causing the blackette to emit a quiet, flustered squeak.

"Still, you gave me a present, and I didn't give you one in return. That's just not fair. What would you like? Tell me what it is, and it's yours."

She would've continued to insist that she didn't want anything in return, but one look in those eager, determined eyes and she knew that she would fail. She wouldn't ask for anything much, nothing too big. She would ask for something incredibly cheap; she didn't want to take advantage of him.

"Um," she murmured, biting her lip as her eyes flickered off to the side in thought. "I-I want..."

"Marinette!" She heard her mother's gentle call. "We're leaving! Say bye to Adrien!"

She quietly exhaled in relief, thankful for the excuse to not give him an answer.

"Well," she spoke, perking up. "I guess I have to go." She stood from her position on the carpeted floor, him following suit with a-disappointed?-frown. "I'll see you after winter break?"

"Yeah," he replied, his lips stretching in a grin. "Yeah. I'll see you then. It was nice hanging out with you."

A pink blush dusted her cheeks at that. He thought it was nice hanging out with her! Maybe he'll want to hang out more back when school started again! And then she'll finally be on the road to getting those three kids and that hamster!

"Y-Yeah. You too!" She hurriedly went and retrieved her winter clothing from the coat room, Adrien following after her to properly walk her out.

By the time she made it to the front door, her parents were already out on the sidewalk waiting for her, Gabriel and Nathalie having already said their farewells.

"Hurry Marinette, I'm going to freeze my mustache off!" Her father joked, causing Marinette to cringe. She didn't need any more possible embarrassment from her parents in front of her crush, who surely thought she and her family were immature.

But when she turned to look at him, his mouth was still set in that warm smile and those green eyes still twinkled with kindness radiating from their depths. She could only stare into them, utterly hypnotized as they seemed to pull her in.

"Thanks again for coming, Marinette. You helped make this Christmas one of my favorites," Adrien proclaimed genially.

She almost passed out then and there. She helped his Christmas to be one of his favorites?! She had to be dreaming...

"Th-thank you! Y-You t-too!" Hopefully he'd suspect the cold for the cause of her stutter.

He emitted a small, amused sound from his throat without moving his lips. As his eyes wandered above her to see the falling snow, he was about to offer her an umbrella to take to prevent her from getting snow all over her hair (come to think of it, he never got the one he already gave to her back...) when he happened to spy a sprig of something under the arch of the door.

He craned his neck up to fully take it in, eyes widening in realization once he figured it out.

Marinette, curious as to what he was looking at, moved her bluebell eyes to the arch of the door as well, only she squeaked when she realized what it was.

It was a perfectly healthy spray of mistletoe, the white berries practically gleamed under the moon's glow.

"O-oh, i-is that-? No, it's not, I-I mean it doesn't have to be! O-Or we don't have to-!" Marinette babbled, and continued babbling with Adrien staring at her all the while in what seemed to be consideration.

His eyes crinkled due to the smirk he now bestowed to the ravenette, who was still so flustered that she didn't notice the change in his expression.

Wordlessly, he tenderly placed a hand on her arm and bent his head lower, pressing his lips softly to her cheek.

It only lasted a couple seconds before he pulled away, but it was enough to reduce Marinette to stunned silence.

"Merry Christmas, Marinette," he whispered.

"Christmas merry! I-I mean, Merry Christmas Adrien!"

Before she could lose whatever composure she had left, she turned around and hurried down the steps to her awaiting parents. He saw them say something to her, but couldn't tell what. Whatever it was, it made their daughter furiously shake her head and walk ahead of them, leaving him only hearing their laughter.

With an amused shake of his head, he pushed the door closed, sighing as he leaned his head against it.

Despite the akuma attack, this was truly one of the best Christmases he ever had. He spent it with his friends and even his father, who had become distant since his mother's disappearance, joined in the Christmas spirit.

It was perfect.

Wait.

"Oh no!" he shouted in panic. "I forgot to get Marinette's answer for a present!"

"Trust me," came a mischievous voice from his shirt pocket, no doubt belonging to a very mischievous kwami, "I think you already gave it to her."

Adrien's brows furrowed as he tilted his head, opening his shirt to stare in confusion at Plagg.

"I didn't give anything to her?"

Plagg snorted and shook his head. Maybe next year he'd get his Christmas wish for his Chosen to not be so oblivious.