Bright and early on a Saturday summer morning, the bell above the Dupain-Cheng bakery door chimed and a familiar set of emerald eyes and golden hair came smiling in. "Good morning Tom, Sabine. Is Marinette up yet?"

Sabine shook her head like she does most weeks. "You know what she's like dear. She's already slept through two alarms this morning. Why don't you go up and give it a try, you seem to have better luck getting her up than I do."

Entering into Marinette's room, Adrien was greeted with a cheek hug from Tikki before heading over to a sleeping Marinette. Her hair was everywhere, there was one leg hanging off the bed and was that drool? Adrien smiled as he leaned down and sweeping her hair away kissed his sleeping beauty on the cheek. "Bugaboo, it's time to get up."

"Nooo, Bugaboo sleep now." Marinette pulled the sheet over her head. Alya had warned Adrien before about the perils of trying to wake up sleepy Marinette.

"Come on sleepy head, you know your parents are waiting on you to come and help and it's too hot to stay in bed anyway. Besides, after last week you said I was not allowed to attempt frosting anymore cupcakes without supervision." Marinette flopped the sheet back down and squinted at Adrien.

"Well maybe a certain black cat shouldn't have kept me out so late last night." A playful smirk spread across Adrien's face.

"It was your idea to go for a run m'lady. It's not my fault I lost track of time. After all, you are quite distracting." He gave her a cheeky wink, but the groan and eye roll he got in reply only made him laugh.

"Hey, where are my cheese puffs. I was promised cheese puffs after having to put up with you pair yesterday." Plagg huffed, ignoring the deadpan look Tikki was giving him.

Eventually, Marinette got herself organised and made her way down to the bakery and her awaiting breakfast and coffee. The regular customers had become accustomed to the handsome blonde helping out around the bakery of a Saturday morning, but every now and then someone would pull a phone out to 'sneak' a pic. They usually were not being quite as subtle as perhaps they thought they were. Marinette used to get upset about people invading Adrien's privacy like that, but he would just shrug. As his father would say 'any publicity is good publicity' and right now there was no denying that Saturday morning trade at the bakery had increased quite a bit in the last few weeks.

After breakfast, Marinette once again attempted to teach Adrien the finer points of frosting cupcakes, with the same disastrous results. How on earth he ended up with more frosting on himself then the cakes was anyone's guess. "Well at least you managed to keep the mess to your apron this time and not all over your clothes and hair." Marinette quipped "Maybe you're improving after all." Adrien pouted as he heard Plagg sniggering at him through his shirt, however the threat of no more of Marinette's cheese puffs soon quieted him down.

"Haha m'lady, how about I share some of my frosting with you." With his arms stretch out he puckered up his lips before Marinette ran screaming around the kitchen. She didn't get far before Adrien caught up to her, picking her up and causing the frosting on his apron to squish into hers as he planted a kiss on her lips. Tom and Sabine just shook their heads at them with a smile.

By mid morning, Adrien and Marinette had cleaned up most of the mess from the cupcake frosting when a very excited Alya came rushing into the bakery with Nino in tow.

"Marinette, did you check out the Ladyblog this morning? It is going off girl!" Marinette and Adrien just looked at each other blankly as Alya pulled up her phone. Peering over Alya's shoulder, Marinette realised that the photos were of Ladybug and Chat Noir high up on the Eiffel Tower with their arms wrapped around each other in a fairly heated kiss behind the beams.

Marinette and Adrien were certain they were high enough, and that it was late enough, not to have been spotted. Marinette was desperately trying to keep a neutral face, but she couldn't fight the blush that starting to bloom over her cheeks. The beaming smile Adrien had was not helping. "You know that's pretty high up there." Adrien mused. "I wonder how they got those kinds of pictures."

"Drones dude." Nino nodded with a knowing smile. "High grade too judging by the quality of the pics."

"I knew there was something going on with those two! They have been acting weirdly for weeks now. Ladybug can't deny they are in a relationship anymore. I mean who can blame her though, Chat is pretty hot in that black leather suit. Just check out those muscles." Alya zoomed in the photo to highlight her point. Nino shifted uncomfortably before Alya laughed and patted his face. "Don't worry about it babe, slow and steady wins the race remember." She winked at him and he smiled, catching the hidden reference.

By this point Marinette's blush was almost aflame between Alya's appreciation for Chats anatomy and especially with the almost smug look on Adrien's face. She could tell the Kitty was thoroughly enjoying this! Alya burst out laughing at her.

"Girl, I don't know what your so embarrassed about. It's no different to what I've seen you and Sunshine here get up too in the locker room when you think no one is looking." If that was supposed to help reduce the blush, it was not having the desired effect. "Anyway, the real reason we dropped by is we're on our way to catch up with some of the gang and go to the movies, wanna come?"

"Oh, normally we would, but we were just about to head off to the shops to get some party supplies for my birthday next week." Marinette was the last of their foursome to turn 18, and just in time before graduation. She was planning a lunchtime party in the park for family and friends, before Adrien was going to whisk her away to a secret dinner location. Marinette had already figured out that with Adrien secret almost always equaled expensive, but she had given up on arguing with him about it. Spoiling her made him happy, and she loved seeing her Kitty happy. "Why don't you both come back later and join us for dinner."

"Oh yeah, count me in. Your mum is the best cook ever." Nino was almost salivating at the thought.

After parting ways with Alya and Nino, Marinette and Adrien continued on hand in hand to the party supply store. Marinette already knew exactly what she wanted, but that didn't stop Adrien poking around and making his own suggestions. "Oh look, they have Ladybug and Chat Noir themed decorations." He grabbed a Ladybug mask and tried it on striking a pose. "Don't you think I make a bugtastic Ladybug?" Marinette could only roll her eyes and shake her head.

"Nope, I have to agree with Alya on this one. I definitely prefer my Kitty in his black leather."

"Meow m'lady." Adrien pulled his best Chat Noir smirk (which looked really strange under a Ladybug mask) and wrapped his arms around her. "I could picture you in black leather and cat ears." Marinette playfully pushed him away.

"Down Kitten. I'm pretty sure Catwoman is already spoken for. Besides, I seriously doubt I could ever keep up with Plagg's bottomless pit he calls his stomach." Said black kwami could be heard scoffing under Adrien's shirt, while a giggle drifted up from Marinette's bag.

Adrien and Marinette spent a lazy afternoon enjoying the sun in the park. Sitting under a shady tree, Marinette sat with her back against the trunk, gently running her fingers through Adrien's hair as he laid his head in her lap. Had he been transformed, Adrien was certain he would have been purring. Summer was here and Adrien loved to just lose himself in these moments. They didn't have to speak, but just be present and he could feel her love through the simple act of the movement of Marinette's hand through his hair. Closing his eyes, he listened as Marinette hummed a little tune. If he could stop time from moving, he would bottle up these moments. The tranquility was interrupted by the beeping of a text message on Marinette's phone.

"Ha!" She exclaimed. Adrien opened his eyes and looked up at her. "It's Alya. She's at the movies now and one of our classmates said they heard Lila will be in Italy with her mother for the summer."

"Good." Came Adrien's indigent reply. "I hope she stays there permanently." Adrien was still fuming over a photo that was released soon after the charity auction of Marinette and Luka leaving the dressing room after she had fixed his sleeve. The photo itself didn't mean much, but the innuendo in the article was offensive to not just them, but Luka also. There was not suppose to be any media backstage and Alya was the only official photographer back there. Chloe was convinced Lila had to have been behind it and must have bribed someone on the staff. Gabriel took the incident better than Adrien thought he might, his father simply telling him that he and Marinette will have to prepare themselves for this kind of 'nonsense' for the immediate future. The media will tire eventually, but for now it had Adrien worried. It also wasn't helping Adrien's father to relax, which the doctors at the hospital had said he needed to do.

Nathalie had convinced Gabriel to go with her to a health spa for the weekend to try and get him to take some time for himself. Adrien wasn't really sure how well that would go, but he had noticed his father and Nathalie were spending a lot more time together, and not just professionally. She would also often join them for dinner which Adrien had to admit was really nice.

Adrien knew his father was keeping the truth of his illness from him. He was not improving, and yet he was still refusing any doctors or treatment. Gabriel was at least letting Nathalie take care of him, and Adrien was grateful to her for it. He had talked to Marinette about it at length the night before, and he felt his father was grooming him to take over the company sooner rather than later. While he was excited to be part of something more than modeling, by the same token he was terrified. In his heart, he believed his father was dying. There was no other explanation for the turn of events that had taken place. It was like Gabriel was trying to put final plans in place. Adrien didn't ask too much of his father though, because he finally felt he had his father back even if it wasn't going to last long and he was going to savour this time they had together.

That night at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, Adrien looked at all the people who sat around the dinner table. He watched Alya and Nino as they passed the plates of food to each other, playfully teasing and laughing. Nino was his best friend, the brother he never had. He knew that Nino would always have his back as Alya would have Marinette's. He couldn't ask for better friends.

Adrien then let his eyes drift over to Tom and Sabine who had welcomed him into their family like he had always belonged there. Even after almost 20 years of marriage Adrien could see clearly how much they were still so very much in love. He dreamed that would be him and Marinette in the future. They were to him a representation of what parents should be. Adrien hoped that, when the time came, he could be even just half the father that Tom was. It was something to aspire to.

A text came in on his phone from Chloe. She had been invited to join them, but was attending an official function with her father, the Mayor. She had dumped Girgio a few weeks back and was sending Adrien a selfie, lips puckered up with a wink and a two finger peace sign and a caption "Have a good night you two, I know I will xx". Adrien smiled to himself, typical Chloe. She was his oldest friend, the one who had been there when there was no one else. She had her flaws as they all do but there was a heart of gold hidden under that sassy exterior for just a select few, and he was glad to be counted amongst that small number.

Adrien then let his eyes come to rest on Marinette. She was caught up in a conversation with Alya about that Ladybug and Chat Noir kiss and he could see she was still getting flustered. Alya was trying to figure out how she was going to get an interview with the heroes. Of course she didn't know that they were already planning to drop by her balcony tomorrow night and give her that elusive exclusive. Looking at Marinette, he remembered once when he had been in an excessively difficult time with his father, Marinette told him that 'friends are the family you choose for yourself.' Adrien knew that here tonight was his family, including Chloe. An extended family of people who cared, and would always be there for him. Marinette could see the far off look in Adrien's eyes. She gently reached out and touched his face.

"Everything alright." He looked into those bluebell eyes that he first fell in love with, taking her hand from his face and kissing it, the eternity bangle tapping against his fingers.

"Everything is Purrrrfect." He smiled.

After Alya and Nino left, Adrien and Marinette said goodnight to Tom and Sabine before retreating to her room and setting up a movie on her laptop. Adrien was in no hurry to return to an empty house. Snuggling up on the chaise, Adrien wrapped his arms around Marinette and relished in her warmth. Plagg told him once that seeking warmth was one of those cat tendencies that one could get from the Miraculous, but to Adrien it felt more than that. It was a reminder that he wasn't alone, because she would always be there. Like their kwamis who were snuggled up asleep on a pillow together, Adrien and Marinette were two halves of one whole. The four of them, peaceful and contented in Marinette's room were their own little family. Holding her left hand, he gently ran his thumb over her ring finger, his mind going to an unassuming little box tucked safely away in his bedroom draw.

"What's on your mind Kitty?"

"You" Marinette giggled and sat up to look at him.

"Just me?" Adrien cupped her cheek and smiled.

"Always." Wrapping his other hand around her waist he brought her to him and kissed her slowly, gently, pouring out every ounce of love he had for her. He wanted to love her the way she deserved to be loved, with all his heart and all his soul until the end of time. He had promised her forever and he would give her that, sealing that promise with every kiss, every sigh, every breath and every touch.

"I love you Marinette. I love you more than I could ever find the words to tell you."

"I love you too Adrien." She ran her fingers through his golden hair bringing her nose to his and dropping her voice to a whisper. "I'll always be here beside you. I promise."

Adrien pressed his lips back to hers, this time with more fervor and passion. Tonight the rest of the world didn't exist, there was nothing else but the two of them. No matter what the future might hold, Adrien was no longer afraid. Whatever would come their way they would face it together, because wherever Marinette was, Adrien was home.

*

I just want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who has read and followed this story. You are all amazing!!

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I am planning a follow up to this story as well as some shot stories/one shots, so keep an eye out for those.

Once again Thank You!!