Adrien had never laughed as much as he had in the past twenty minutes. Just in the first couple of seconds of his baking lesson with Mr. Dupain Cheng, Marinette had managed to trip twice, drop flour on the floor, and get Adrien completely soaked.

-Flashback-

"Okay, while we wait for my parents, we should probably clean the kitchen and get the ingredients out. Sounds good?" Marinette asked, picking up dirty dishes from the nearby table.

"You got it, M'lady," Adrien replied happily, and Marinette almost melted as she heard his words. 'If only,' she thought to herself, blushing furiously.

As her nerves got the best of Marinette, she managed to trip on her own feet. Luckily, Adrien once again was there to catch her. "Wow, careful there, M'Lady. We wouldn't want you getting hurt. Who is going to bake if you do?" Adrien teased.

Marinette giggled and gave the blonde a slight push. "Just get to work, dork," Marinette responded, hiding her blush.

"Dork? Ouch! The pain," Adrien responded, grabbing his chest as he faked pain, and the teens laughed.

In only seconds, the teens managed to get in sync. Marinette picked up the table, and Adrien quickly wiped it clean. Without speaking, the two continued to the dishes. It was as if they both thought the same thing.

For both Adrien and Marinette, working together felt great. Almost natural.

Mr. Dupain Cheng stood by the door in shock. The teens worked together perfectly. As if they had been doing it all their lives. It was something he had never seen before. Marinette bearly raised a dish before Adrien took it and dried it. They were special. Even he and Sabine took time before being able to work great together.

"Wow, the kitchen looks great, kids," Mrs. Dupain Cheng spoke from behind her husband, scaring the teens, specially Marinette, who quickly let out a loud shriek and jumped up. The hose in her hand landed on Adrien's face, drenching his shirt and apron to their entirety, and choking him.

Adrien let out a cough as he swallowed some of the water. It didn't help that he also had some go up his nose.

"Oh my God, Adrien! Adrien, are you okay?" Marinette called out worryingly as she tapped on his back. "I am so sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean to get you wet," Marinette apologized, reaching for a nearby hand towel and attempting to wipe him clean.

"Jesus Mari, is that why you invited me for Christmas, to choke me to death?" Adrien teased.

"It was an accident," Marinette responded, still feeling worried.

Adrien laughed. "I'm just kidding, Mari. It's okay. I know it was an accident, but I might need a raise after this. The original payment is no longer enough," he joked.

"S-shut up."

The adult watched the kids with amused looks on their faces. Of course, they knew of their daughter's feelings for the blonde model, but from the looks of it, the green-eyed boy had some secrets of his own.

"Okay, ingredients," Sabine called out, clapping her hands and purposely interrupting their flirting. She would help them, but maybe she would let the blonde boy work harder.

You know; for all those times Adrien called her daughter 'just a friend.'

"Flour, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate chips. I see the rest is already on the counter," Sabine continued.

Both teens moved fast. It was easy for Adrien to help since the Dupain Chengs had everything in order and labeled.

"Chocolate chips, check," Marinette called out.

"Sugar, check," Adrien continued.

"Eggs, check," Marinette said again with a smirk.

"Vanilla, check," Adrien challenged.

Looking towards each other, the teens furrowed their brows. 'Challange accepted,' they both thought as they smirked at one another.

Both Adrien and Marinette ran towards the flour. Each one with a hand on the bag.

"I WIN!" Marinette yelled.

"Nope. As you can see, my princess, my hand was on the jar first," he responded, taking a step closer to her. "I think that means, once again, I win," he whispered cockily.

"Nice try, Agreste. Now, give me the jar," Marinette responded.

"No can do, M'lady."

Soon the teens began to pull the jar back and forth in hopes that one of them could lose their grip and the other could take it to the table, but neither expected what would happen next.

Losing his grip, Adrien's hand let go of the jar just as Marinette pulled, sending her falling backward and the flour jar flying. Before they knew it, the top somehow came open, and the bluenette gasped as she felt herself get covered in white powder from head to toe.

Failing to contain it, Adrien covered his mouth as he let out a loud laugh. He didn't want to laugh, he had tried not to, so bad, but it didn't help that Marinette had an adorable pout on her lips, all while looking like a cute ghost.

"I am so sorry, Mari. But if it helps, I do believe that makes us even."

-End of Flashback-

The rest of the baking lesson went by smoothly. Of course, with occasional laughter since Marinette left a trail of flour every time she moved and Adrien water.

The teens occasionally joked and flirted, but mostly Adrien compared Marinette to snow white and began to call her princess, making her blush every time, which he absolutely loved.

The teens then changed their clothes due to Sabine's orders and were now cleaning the mess of flour they had caused in the kitchen.

Adrien smiled as he swept. He never imagined he could be this happy after his mother's disappearance. In the past few years, Adrien genuinely believed that he would never feel what real happiness was like, but he is. Today, here with Marinette.

Adrien's smile grew wider as he saw the bluenette on the other side, cleaning the table. The blonde made a mental note to thank his father again for allowing him to spend Christmas with the Dupain Chengs. It was by far the greatest gift his father could have given him.

Christmas with Marinette, his snow white, his princess, his-

"And done!" Marinette exclaimed, dusting off her hands. 'Wow, she cleaned up nicely,' he thought. Well, except for one little part on her cheek. Although it could have been her recent cleaning.

"Here," Adrien said, walking towards her. "You missed a spot," he whispered as he used his right thumb to wipe the flour off his cheek gently.

"T-thank you," the bluenette stammered as their eyes met. The moment his green eyes met her blue ones, Adrien felt his heart skip a beat.

'Have they always been this mesmerizing?' he wondered.

The truth was Adrien knew he liked Marinette for a while now, but now he was wondering if maybe it could be more. The model had never felt this way before. Not for anyone in his entire life. While he had been around his share of beautiful girls, none could compare to Marinette's beauty, and most definitely could not make his heart pound as she did.

" Princess, I," Adrien hesitated as he found himself struggling to finish the sentence. All he could think about at this very moment was how it would feel to kiss her beautiful, plump lips. He wanted to. He was so close to kissing her before. Adrien had missed his chance then, but that would not stop him from trying again.

Marinette felt her world stop. His scent was so intoxicating. She wanted nothing more than to be his. Marinette took a shaky breath as she felt Adrien's hand move between her cheek and neck. Marinette's heartbeat accelerated as she saw him come closer. She could swear she would die.

Their eyes closed, nothing but their hearts leading the way.

Forgetting the adults in the room, Adrien began to lean in slowly. Adrien's heart continued to race. He was hoping Marinette didn't want to reject him. He didn't think he would be able to handle her rejection.

Marinette gulped as she began to feel Adrien's breath on her lips. She was so close. Close to getting her dream of kissing her crush. Marinette had loved this boy for years, and now she would finally kiss him.

A spark ran down their spine as their lips lightly brushed against one another. It was as if their hearts had gotten a shot of electricity, and that's when Adrien knew this was the girl for him. The spark. The spark his mother once said he would feel when he found the one was there. He felt it and he knew she felt it too.

Not being able to contain himself any longer, Adrien went in for the kiss, but fate had other plans.

At that moment, the oven bell rang, signaling the completion of their cookies.

The noise started every person in the room, including the adults that had been watching silently. The teens jumped away from each other in fear.

"I-I-I better get that," Marinette stammered, moving farther away from the blonde. The blonde sighed and cursed his luck. While this time he had gotten even closer, he still didn't get to kiss his princess. Their lips had touched. Why was life so damn cruel to him?

Adrien touched his lips and then sighed again. What was happening to him?

Reaching for the dustpan, Adrien bent down to pick up the flour he had recently been sweeping, but as he stood up, his heart stopped. The giant best known as Mr.Dupain Cheng, and his princess's father stood behind him, arms crossed.

"I think it's time we talked, son?"