Side note - There is no Ladybug and Chat Noir in this, but there will be some references to a few Adrienette moments that happened in the series.

The Hike

When morning came, Marinette opened her eyes and blinked back the bright sunlight. She moved her heavy limbs underneath the covers and then felt something warm snuggled against her. Turning her head, Marinette smiled at the peacefully asleep Adrien. The sun shined upon his head and his lips were curved into a small smile as though he was having a nice dream.

With a light yawn, Marinette sat up and rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. She turned to the window just in time to see a bird perched on the sill.

"Good morning."

Surprised, Marinette looked down at the awaken Adrien. A warm blush appeared on her cheeks as she moved aside to let him sit up and stretch.

"How was your night?" Adrien asked with a deep yawn.

"Good, and I take yours was nice as well." Marinette said and nodded at his sleepy smile. She had to admit that even just-awoken Adrien looked adorable. Her eyes moved up to his wild bedhead and she could not help but giggle. He looked worse than she sometimes did.

"What?" Adrien frowned and his hands moved up to his hair. His eyes widened and then he grinned at the giggling girl. "Ha ha very funny!"

"I'm sorry! It's just that well…for a model you have such a bad bedhead!" Marinette admitted with a cute little snort.

"It must not look as bad as yours!" Adrien chortled and before Marinette knew it, Adrien tossed his pillow at her face to muffle her laughter.

Marinette let out a surprised squeak as the pillow struck her. She snatched it off and gave Adrien a mischievous glance. "Oh so that's how you want it?"

In an instant, Marinette grabbed her pillow and moved off the bed. She laughed and began to hit Adrien. Laughing himself, Adrien grabbed her pillow and began to block her blows. He remained seated on the bed and felt Marinette push him down onto the mattress with each strike. After striking each other a few times, Adrien removed his pillow and Marinette suddenly flew forward onto his chest with a cry. Startled, the pair looked at each other and Marinette gave Adrien a stunned glare.

She quickly moved off the bed. "S-sorry! Are you okay?"

"Don't apologize! It's been ages since I had a good old pillow fight." Adrien said.

Marinette giggled and held out her hand to help him up. She could not help but feel happy that she got Adrien to laugh…and make his bedhead look even worse than before.

"Did you and Alya talk about the hike yesterday?" Adrien asked as he and Marinette began to move around the room to get dressed.

Marinette straightened in sudden surprise. "Just a little bit."

"Huh cause Nino brought it up too after the movie. He and Alya want us to get a head start on the hike while they somehow keep Chloe and Sabrina behind."

"Do you want Chloe and Sabrina to come with us?" Marinette asked and chewed on her bottom lip. Please say no please say no.

Adrien groaned and rubbed a hand across his face. "Honestly if I have to hear Chloe complain about one more little thing then I'd rather they stay behind in the cabin."

"Her complaining is the worst." Marinette agreed with a weary sigh. She turned to the window and noticed that the bird has flown away. "Alya told me that she and Nino will deal with Chloe and then meet us at your camping spot."

"That's what they said." Adrien noticed the nervous look on Marinette's face. "Hey don't worry. They're not planning to chop Chloe up and bury her in the woods!"

"I know, it's just that…"

"You said so yourself that you don't want Chloe to ruin your trip. So we're not going to let her do that. Nino and Alya planned the most innocent scheme to keep her and Sabrina here." Adrien explained. He placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder and the girl met his nice glance.

"Look we can trust Nino and Alya. They're the best actors for the job." Adrien said and scooted towards the edge of the bed.

Marinette smiled and looked down at the floor. "You're right, why should I worry about those two and let that bother the rest of the trip?"

Adrien grinned and stood up from the bed. "Let's go eat breakfast. We're gonna need the energy."

After getting dressed and taking a quick shower, Marinette and Adrien walked into the kitchen to find Nino and Alya explaining the hike to Chloe and Sabrina.

"I'm not going on some long stupid hike! I'll get sweaty and bitten by all the bugs." Chloe demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. She turned at the approaching couple and her eyes narrowed as she looked from Adrien and then to Marinette. Marinette cringed at the glare, while Adrien looked calm and did not even notice.

Nino groaned. "Aw c'mon Chloe why don't you live a little?"

"And we're not just going to go on a hike. We're gonna pitch a tent and sleep in it for the last night." Alya added.

Chloe's face scrunched in disgust and anger and she pushed her bowl of cereal away. Sabrina looked like she wanted to say something but decided to hold it back.

"Look Chloe we already planned this hike and we're going whether you like it or not!" Marinette insisted as she poured milk into her bowl.

"I'm not going! I'm staying here with Sabrina. At least with the four of you gone I'll finally have one room to myself!" Chloe huffed.

"Fine!" Marinette slammed the cereal box down. Seated beside her, Adrien placed a calming hand on her back and Marinette forced herself to remain at ease.

Chloe picked up her spoon and looked at the corn flakes. She then gagged and dropped her silverware into her bowl. "I'm not eating this garbage. Sabrina! Go make me an omelet!"

Sabrina nodded and stood up to fulfill Chloe's request. Across from her, Marinette angrily ate her breakfast and Adrien looked just as annoyed by Chloe's bickering. Alya and Nino exchanged a glance before Chloe rolled her eyes and turned to the group.

"Fine! We'll go with you! Sabrina! When you're done with my breakfast then go and pack up my backpack! You know what to put in it!" the blonde girl ordered.

"Yes Chloe!" Sabrina answered back from the kitchen.

Alya beamed mischievously. "Great! I know we're all going to have an awesome time! We'll let you both get ready. And how about Adrien and Marinette go and get a head start on the trail? And Nino and I will stay behind in case you need help with anything?"

"And once you're ready then the four of us can head out and meet Adrien and Marinette there." Nino added. He gripped her hand and gave Alya a small smile.

Chloe's mouth flew open and she turned to Marinette and Adrien with a suspicious glare. "I don't think so! Why does she get to go with Adrien?"

"Because to be honest Chloe I'm tired of hearing your nonstop complaining and I'd like some peace and quiet. Is that a good enough answer?" Marinette asked.

"It's fine Chloe, Nino knows the way to the site. Right bro?" Adrien turned to his best friend.

Nino gave him a sheepish grin in return. "Oh totally! You can definitely trust me!"

Marinette bit her grin back at the lie. Only Adrien knew the way to the campsite. Nino was just as clueless as Chloe. She turned to Alya and remembered their plan. Seated across from her, Alya gave her a small smile and nodded her head.

"Awesome! We should probably get going." Adrien said and stood up. He picked up his bowl and proceeded to take Marinette's when the girl suddenly stood up herself.

"It's okay I can take it." Marinette said and picked up her half-eaten cereal. Excitement mixed with nervousness brewed inside her as she thought about the hike with Adrien. She had to remember to pay Nino and Alya for their plan. Maybe a week of free pastries would do the trick.

Nearby, Chloe scowled and stood up from her chair. "Fine! If that's how it's going to be then I'm going to wash my hair!" She gave the group a narrowed glance before she turned to march to the bathroom.

As she passed Marinette, the blonde girl smirked and knocked her body against the other girl. Startled, Marinette lost her grip on her bowl and the leftover milk and cereal spilled allover her nice blouse and jeans. Marinette gasped and shot Chloe a dangerous glance.

Turning back, Chloe looked down at the massive stain on Marinette's clothes and cackled. "Whoops!"

I hate her. I officially hate Chloe Bourgeois! Marinette thought angrily as she walked into her bedroom. When she opened the door, Marinette looked up to see Adrien standing by the bed and zipping his backpack.

"Hey ready to…what happened to you?" Adrien asked with a confused frown.

"Guess." Marinette gave him a weary smile and moved to her suitcase.

Adrien shook his head slowly and turned to the door with his hands on his hips. "What's her problem?"

"Everything and everyone it seems." Marinette said as she knelt before it and opened it up to grab some dry clothes.

After looking through her outfits, Marinette decided to change into a simple dark red T-shirt, black shorts, and her hiking boots. With Adrien waiting outside their door, Marinette quickly changed and fixed her hair up in a short ponytail. She then grabbed her backpack and threw in her pajamas, toiletries, water bottle, after-bite lotion, a pack of gummy worms, her phone (in case of emergencies), her fleece blanket, and a few extra snacks. When she walked out, Adrien turned and smiled at her, his large backpack draped over his back.

"Ready to go? Chloe's still in the shower."

"Ready," Marinette took a deep breath and put on a bright smile. She turned to Nino and Alya and walked over to her best friends.

"We'll see you soon!" she said and hugged them both.

Alya gave Marinette a tight hug. "See you soon girl!"

After taking some extra sweets from the kitchen, Adrien and Marinette walked out and began to hike away from the cabin. They came upon a narrow trail and began to follow it through the wilderness.

The earth was soft and dry leaves and twigs crunched underneath their boots as the couple began to make their way through the woods. Above them, the treetops were loud with birds and scampering woodland creatures. A few spider webs glistened in between the trees and Marinette found herself swatting away the bugs from her face from time to time. She kept a close distance behind Adrien, who was always alert and looking out.

"How do you know where the campsite is?" Marinette asked curiously after a little while. The air was humid and she found herself taking frequent sips from her water bottle.

"We carved crosses on the trees. Each cross is carved at a different spot and size so it doesn't look too obvious. When I was little I tried tying a red string around the trees since I couldn't use Father's knife." Adrien chuckled.

Marinette could not help but grin as she imagined a young and happy Adrien walking through these same woods with his mother and father.

"How many times did you come here?" she asked.

"About five summers. The first time I came here I was six and it was the best trip ever. I still remember it – seeing the lake for the first time, sleeping in the cabin, watching the stars with Mother…" Adrien's voice faded at the mention of his mother.

He cleared his throat and then looked to his right. "There's the first cross."

Marinette turned and immediately noticed the large carved cross on one of the tree branches. "So now what?"

"We go to it and look for the next one that should be close by." Adrien said and pushed back one of the lower branches. He held onto it until Marinette passed.

"Got crazy camping stories?"

"You want just one?" Adrien chuckled and turned to her. He noticed the slight exhaustion on her face and frowned. "Are you okay? We can take a small break if you want."

"No no it's fine!" Marinette insisted and waved off a hand.

"Here, take my hand." Adrien said and reached out to her. Wearily, Marinette grabbed his hand and the two of them continued on.

"When I was eight, my mom and I found an entire blueberry bush close to the cabin. The berries tasted so good that I got sick and threw up so much that my parents had to take me to the hospital. That was not a fun experience. I never touched a blueberry since. And then there was the time I sleepwalked right out of the cabin and fell into the lake. Father forgot to lock the door that night." Adrien shook his head in slight embarrassment as though he remembered that moment.

He then turned to Marinette, who gave him a small grin. "How about you? Did you ever go camping with your parents?"

Marinette shook her head and noticed another cross on a tree. "We used to go to the beach when I was little, but never camping. This is my first time in the great wilderness."

"And what do you think?" Adrien asked. He moved to the tree and open his water bottle. For a few moments he scanned the area until he smiled and pointed to the next tree.

"I like it. It's so fresh and nice." Marinette said as she moved to stand beside him. "Well it would've been better without a certain blonde."

Adrien laughed. "Hey to tell you the truth having Chloe here is entertaining. If she wasn't here then you'd never pulled that stunt with the cayenne pepper."

"True," Marinette smirked. She took another few gulps from her water bottle before titling it upside down to splash some water on her hands. The summer heat was making her hot and sweaty. The moment Adrien turned away, she quickly lifted her arm and took a whiff. As fresh as a lilac.

"Yeah obviously Chloe's not exactly an outdoors kinda girl." Adrien admitted. He then turned to Marinette, who met his gaze and dropped her arm quickly. "I'm glad I took you with me. If you were Chloe, I think I'd probably go mad."

Marinette hesitated and felt her lips curve into a large smile. She bit down on her bottom lip and met his glance once again. "I'm glad I came with you too." Oh my gosh I said the entire sentence without stumbling or mixing up my words!

Adrien smiled and took her hand into his. "Come on, we still got some trail to cover. I wonder how Alya and Nino are doing on their own hike."

"I can't believe I agreed to go on this pathetic hike!" Chloe complained as she, Sabrina, Alya, and Nino trekked through the woods.

At the front of the train, Nino constantly gazed around the woods, while Chloe walked close behind him. Sabrina followed after her while carrying Chloe's huge backpack, and Alya brought up the rear while holding onto her phone.

"Oh come on it's not that bad!" Alya said.

What the rest of the gang were unaware of was that the girl and Adrien had swapped phones so Alya had the blonde's phone and Adrien had hers. Before leaving that morning Adrien told her that his father had installed a high-tech GPS that was able to track down the carrier's current location and then give directions for the way back to the cabin. Adrien insisted that Alya keep his phone so she could easily find her way back to the cabin after Nino intended to "get them lost."

"Alya's right! It could be worse! We could run into a bear or walk into a gigantic spider web!" Nino chuckled.

Sabrina gulped loudly. "S-spider web?"

"Uh there are no bears in France!" Chloe declared.

Alya smirked and looked up from Adrien's phone. "What about wolves?"

Sabrina's face paled and even Chloe was left dumbstruck. So the four of them continued on. As they walked, Chloe stepped forward and felt something warm and soft underneath her foot.

"Stop!" she commanded.

The rest of the group stopped and turned just in time to see Chloe lift up her boot and crinkle her nose at the dark brown gunk on the boot's sole. Alya made a face and approached the girl. She leaned over, inspected the mush, and then stood up.

"Girl I think you might've stepped on some…."

And with that Chloe opened her mouth and screamed bloody murder.

"What was that?" Marinette turned around as a scream pierced through the woods. She moved close to Adrien and gripped onto his arm in slight fear.

Adrien merely shrugged. "My guess…probably Chloe."

"Uh oh," Marinette covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. She took a step forward and then suddenly felt her foot get caught on a thick tree root. With a small cry, Marinette flew forward and fell onto the soft earth.

"Marinette!" Adrien gasped and quickly helped her up from the ground. "Are you okay?"

Marinette nodded and brushed the dirt off herself. "Yeah I'm fine."

"No you're not! You're bleeding!" Adrien pointed to her leg and the girl looked down to see a bleeding scrape on her left kneecap.

"Really?" she groaned. Great, looks like my clumsiness followed me from home.

"Here sit down. I got a first aid kit in my bag. Let's clean it and put a fresh bandage on." Adrien suggested.

Marinette sat down on a dry patch of earth and Adrien knelt before her. He opened a smaller pocket and produced a white box with a red cross on it.

"Hold still." Adrien said and dabbed a cotton swab in some antiseptic. "This might sting a little."

He dabbed the cotton swab on the scrape and Marinette winced at the slight sting. She straightened her knee out and watched as Adrien unwrapped a descent strip of the white gauze and cut it with a pair of scissors. He then took a strip of bandage and placed it on the cleaned scrape before wrapping the gauze around it.

The moment he was done, he moved back with a relieved grin. "There, looks like my First-Aid classes actually paid off."

"You know you could've just put on a dinosaur Band-Aid and I still wouldn't bleed out." Marinette giggled as Adrien helped her up from the ground.

"Aw but this is the extreme Marinette. We're out in the wilderness all alone with wild animals and strange plants all around. Who knows when'll be the next time we might have to use this." Adrien said as he put the kit away into his bag. The boy turned and offered Marinette his hand.

Marinette took it with a grateful smile. "Thank you Adrien."

"You're very welcome my lady."

"Are you sure you know where you're going? We've been walking through these parts already!" Chloe declared.

"Of course I know where I'm going!" Nino argued. He scratched the back of his neck and stopped once again to survey the area. Behind him, Sabrina, Chloe, and Alya stopped as well. Alya smirked and snatched her hand that held Adrien's phone behind her back.

"Um…let's see here…."

"Urgh this is ridiculous! I'm using my GPS!" Chloe said and slapped another mosquito from her sweaty and bitten cheek.

"There's no signal here Chloe. In case you forgot we're in the middle of the woods." Alya reminded.

Nino chuckled. "And besides what are you gonna type for your location? Adrien's Campsite?"

Another large mosquito landed on Chloe's forehead as she grabbed her phone and tried to turn it on. "Why isn't it working!" she lifted the device up into the air.

"Like I said," Alya said with a roll of her eyes. "No signal. Let's get moving Nino."

"Chocolate or caramel?" Marinette asked curiously.

"Hmmm that's a tough one…I'd have to go with chocolate." Adrien chose. He noted the low long cross and smiled. They were almost close to the campsite.

"Spring or winter?" he asked.

"Spring! Since I get so much inspirations for new outfits, and Paris always looks so beautiful with all the flowers in bloom." Marinette revealed.

She swatted another bug from her face with a scowl. "What's a dream place you want to visit?"

"My parents went to Machu Picchu before they had me and they loved it there. My father took so much pictures that he had to put them all in a separate album. One day when I was bored I came across the book and looked through it all. The sights amazed me." Adrien explained.

"Knowing you I bet you went to a lot of neat places – London, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Venice…" Marinette let out a dreamy sigh.

"Only been to London once and eh…I prefer Paris over it. Tokyo was fun but so busy and full of people. Amsterdam was nice and the people were friendly. I never been to Barcelona, and I almost went to Venice for a photo-shoot but my father had to cancel."

Adrien pushed an outstretched tree branch out of the way and smiled wide. "We're here!"

Really? Marinette beamed and moved to stand beside him. They stood before a large, earthy clearing with the sun's gold rays shining down on the ground. Surrounding the clearing was soft green grass with a clusters of small white flowers blooming in random patches. Trees and bushes surrounded the area and when Marinette listened, she could hear the close trickle of a rushing stream. On one spot was a campfire pit surrounded by large gray rocks.

"Wow this is so nice." Marinette admitted in awe.

"I'm glad you like it." Adrien said and led her to the center of the clearing. He took off his backpack and rolled his stiff shoulders "Whew now that was a good hike!"

"You said it." Marinette agreed as she plopped down on the soft ground. She leaned back on her arms and allowed her exhausted legs to rest.

They sat on the ground for a while and relaxed their limbs. When Adrien decided to lie down, Marinette opened her backpack and took out a bag of cookies from her parents' bakery. She and Adrien ate half the bag before and then Adrien stood up and decided to show Marinette how to properly pitch a tent.

"Oh no I think you should do it! And I'll…I'll go find some firewood!" Marinette decided in a sudden frenzy. She had a good feeling that if she was going to pitch a tent, then something embarrassing was bound to happen.

Adrien laughed and grabbed her hand to pull her up. "Oh com on it's not so hard!"

"Are we there yet? My feet are seriously about to fall off!"

Chloe crossed her arms and frowned as Nino surveyed the area. Nearby, Sabrina sat on a fallen log and looked just as exhausted, bitten, and sweaty. The only ones who looked as though they still had some energy left were Alya and Nino. Straightening, Chloe marched over to Nino and poked him in the back.

"Uh hello! Are we there yet Mr. I Know Where I'm Going?" When Nino did not respond, Chloe moved around him and looked up. The uncertain look on his face made her frown disappear.

Noticing her glance, Nino turned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh let me think…."

"What is it babe?" Alya asked. She stood up from the log and approached her boyfriend. She gripped his arm and looked around the wooded area.

"What? What is it?" Sabrina stood up from the log and moved to the three of them. She looked terrified as she pressed herself close to Chloe.

Nino gulped loudly and avoided her glance. "Ugh I think we're lost. I thought I knew where I was going but I guess I kinda led us down a wrong path or something."

"WHAT?" Chloe and Sabrina cried.

Alya let out a fake, frustrated groan. "Seriously Nino?"

Placing his hands on his hips, Adrien grinned wide and turned to Marinette. "See I told you we could do it!"

Before them, the large, brown, dome-shaped tent was pitched and stood a few good feet away from the fire pit.

Marinette smiled as she stood beside him. "It looks great."

The girl then turned and looked up at Adrien. For the hundredth time Marinette silently thanked Alya and Nino that they managed to get her and Adrien alone for a while. Without their clever scheming, the couple would've been back on the trail with the complaining Chloe and Sabrina. She only hoped that they were not having too much trouble with Princess Blondielocks.

While they worked on unpacking and pitching the tent, Adrien told her a few more hilarious camping trips that made Marinette laugh until her sides hurt. Since she did not have any thrilling camping stories, Marinette told Adrien the story of how she got the worst case of sunburn during a trip to the beach and how she almost burned the bakery when she was eight. To Marinette's surprise and slight embarrassment, Adrien found himself laughing just as hard at her stories.

"Nice work!" Adrien turned and held up his fist. Marinette grinned and bumped her fist with his before they turned back to the tent. "Wanna get settled?"

"Sure, I could definitely use some of that after-bite cream." Marinette said as she scratched at the few bites on her arms and neck. If there was one thing Marinette did not like about the great outdoors, it had to be the bugs.

Stealing a quick glance around the site, Marinette moved aside and let Adrien pull the zipper up. The couple then stepped inside and Marinette was glad that the inside of the tent was not as crowded. She and Adrien should be comfortable sleeping in it. Beside her, Adrien glanced around the space and smiled in satisfaction. He then looked down and noticed that Marinette had knelt down beside her backpack and unzipped the side pocket.

"Do you need some after-bite? I got a whole tube."

"Sure," Adrien nodded and sat down beside her. "Oh and Marinette I was also wondering if um…"

Marinette turned to him and Adrien looked up at her meekly. "I got this bite on my back that's been driving me crazy. Can you please…"

Marinette's eyes widened and she realized what he was asking of her. Her cheeks warmed up and Marinette felt her heart begin to beat crazily inside her chest as Adrien turned to her.

"I…sure! Of can course rub…I mean of course I can rub some after-bite on your back." she stammered. Argh what's wrong with you? It's not like he's getting naked…well naked all the way at least. Just his upper body. Marinette could not help but let out a small dreamy sigh at the image in her mind.

Adrien let out a relieved sigh and moved to take off his T-shirt. "Thank Marinette, it's just one."

With a quick sweep, Adrien slipped off his shirt. And Marinette had to place a hand on her rapidly-beating heart. She felt her breathe slightly hitch at Adrien's nicely sculptured abs and torso. He turned his back to her and casted a glance over his shoulder.

"Do you see it?" he asked.

Marinette blinked and forced herself to return to reality. "Y-yeah, just sit still." she choked out and squirted a little bit of the after-bite cream on her finger. She then scooted behind the boy and rubbed the dollop of cream on a large mosquito bite just an inch below his neck.

In front of her, Adrien winced at the slight sting before he turned his head back. "Thanks, you're the best!"

Marinette smiled weakly and moved back to let Adrien dress. She hoped her cheeks were not as bright red as she feared they were as she watched him slip his shirt back on and cover his beautiful body.

"No problem!" she whispered and fanned herself.

Soon enough the sky grew dark and night settled in. After they rubbed some more lotion on their bites (without having to luckily undress), unpacked their bags, and ate a few sandwiches, Adrien and Marinette decided to walk around the campsite and collect some wood for a fire. While they explored Adrien also showed Marinette the small nearby stream and as they went in a little deeper, the couple even came across a fox picking at a berry bush, much to Marinette's excitement. She got a descent picture on her phone before the fox noticed them and ran away.

By the time the fire was lit and burning, the surrounding woods were dark with night. An owl hooted somewhere in the trees and the flames crackled lightly as Marinette and Adrien sat before it.

With a light and content sigh, Marinette smiled and wrapped her arms around her legs. "This is amazing. I'm so glad Alya came up with this hike."

"Me too, I wonder how she's doing with Nino and Chloe." Adrien said. He turned to the girl and Marinette quickly looked down at her bandaged knee. She was so glad the flames were bright enough to conceal the creeping blush on her cheeks.

"Hey Adrien…can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Adrien said and ran a hand through his hair.

"Why did you choose me?" Marinette asked softly. She looked up just in time to see Adrien glance at her with surprise. For a brief moment he starred back at her before he looked at the flames.

Marinette bit down on her bottom lip in sudden anxiety. "I mean I get that you preferred me over Chloe for this hike…but why did you choose me to come with you on this trip?"

"Because I wanted you." Adrien answered softly.

"But you could've chosen anyone – Kim, Alix, Rose, Juleka, Max…anyone other than me." Marinette insisted.

She kept her eyes down as Adrien moved closer to her. A finger slipped under her chin and Adrien lifted her face up so Marinette would look up at him. His green eyes were warm with affection and Marinette felt the crazed butterflies return in her belly. She suddenly remembered a moment like this…back at the cabin just the day before…

"I chose you because I didn't want Kim or Rose or Alix. I wanted you Marinette. I love you." Adrien confessed softly.

Marinette let out a light gasp as she looked up into his eyes. She suddenly felt the butterflies return and go crazy in her belly. Did she just hear him correctly? Did Adrien just say that he…

Before the girl could fully process what Adrien revealed, Marinette felt his soft lips on hers and his hand cup her cheek. Surprised, Marinette felt her belly flip in sudden excitement as she closed her eyes and melted into the kiss. Her hand lifted up and found his as Adrien pulled back and looked down at her. His gaze held hers for just a second before Marinette smiled and leaned in to kiss him again. Her free hand came up to stroke his soft hair as they held the kiss and Adrien moved to push her down on the soft ground. He hovered over her and proceeded to kiss her lips and nose. With a giggle, Marinette pushed a hand against his chest and looked up at him.

She wanted to tell him that she loved him ever since he gave her his umbrella last year after a not-so-friendly first meet. She wanted to tell him that she was the one who answered his poem last Valentines Day and who gave him the blue scarf for his birthday. Instead of doing that though, Marinette sat up and brought his face to hers so she could kiss him again.

"Hey are you hungry?" Adrien asked as he and Marinette watched the fire a little while later. He sat with his legs spread out and Marinette was snuggled up against him with her back pressed to his chest.

"A little," Marinette looked up at him with a smile.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." Adrien stroked a strand of hair behind her ear as he stood up and moved into the tent.

Marinette let out a blissful sigh as she turned back to the flames. She could not believe that Adrien confessed his love to her. It seemed too good to be true. And the kiss. Marinette closed her eyes and leaned back as she replayed it in her head. Before the kiss Marinette often times daydreamed of how a kiss with Adrien would feel. She would imagine herself blushing from head to toe and becoming a jumbled, terrified mess in front of him. Yet there was none of that tonight. Her first kiss was sweet and wonderful and Marinette knew she would remember it for a long time.

"Look what I got!" Adrien announced.

Marinette turned around at the sound of his voice and noticed that he held a small box of graham crackers, a bag of large marshmallows, a few bars of chocolate, two long roasting sticks, and a handful of napkins.

Happily, Adrien sat down beside the girl and held up the items. "Wanna make some s'mores?"

"S'mores?" Marinette instantly perked up. Although she heard about s'mores as being a famous American treat, the girl never tried them before.

"You got it." Adrien said. He handed her the bag of marshmallows. "Can you open this for me Bugaboo?"

Marinette giggled. "Bugaboo?"

Adrien looked up and his eyes widened. "Sorry…that probably sounded silly."

"No I like it!" Marinette confessed and pecked a kiss on his cheek. She then turned and opened the bag of marshmallows. She looked inside and her eyes widened at how large they were.

Beside her, Adrien opened the box of graham crackers and one of the large bars of chocolate. "Have you ever had s'mores before?"

"No, I mean I heard about them but I never actually tried them." Marinette said as Adrien handed her two graham crackers and a piece of chocolate. "What about you?"

"Me neither, so looks like we're both in for a surprise."

"If I recall I think you have to heat up the marshmallow first and then put it on the graham cracker and chocolate. And then put the other graham cracker on top." Marinette said with a smile. She took one of the roasting sticks and slipped her marshmallow on.

Adrien followed her lead and they held their marshmallows above the flickering flames. As they watched their sticky treats roast and slowly turn brown, Marinette scooted closer to Adrien and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Ready?" Adrien looked up and met Marinette's happy glance. He held up his s'mores treat and bit into it. Across from him, Marinette bit into her own and closed her eyes.

"Mmmm this is delicious!" the girl purred as she chewed on the warm gooey treat. She then opened her eyes and noticed Adrien grin at her.

"What?"

"You got some chocolate and marshmallow on your lips." Adrien revealed and touched the corner of his lips.

Marinette swallowed her bite and licked her lips. She then bit into her s'mores once again and moved to sit beside Adrien. "Mmm I wonder how s'mores would taste as a cupcake flavor. I bet they'd be a success at the bakery."

"I would gladly buy them." Adrien said as he finished his piece. He then moved to grab another marshmallow and piece of chocolate. "Want me to make you another one?"

"Yes please!" Marinette chirped and licked the remaining chocolate and crumbs from her fingers. She watched as Adrien put the marshmallow on his stick and held it over the flames.

Once the marshmallow was roasted just right, Adrien pulled the treat back and allowed Marinette to blow on it and slip it off the fork. She made her s'mores and bit into it. With a dreamy smile, the girl chewed and then turned to him. She held the treat up to his lips.

"Here,"

Bright, Adrien leaned over to take a bite, yet Marinette moved the s'mores up and Adrien's nose ended up being covered with chocolate and marshmallow fluff as he leaned close. "Hey!"

"Oops!" Marinette laughed and pulled her s'mores back. She moved closer to the boy and brushed the bits of graham cracker and chocolate from his face. "Sorry,"

Playfully, Adrien grabbed her small wrist and gave her a sly smirk. Marinette's eyes widened as he reached out and kissed her on the lips.

"Adrien!" Marinette squeaked as he nuzzled his sticky nose against hers. She burst into laughter as she felt her body fall back down on the blanket and her lips give in to his sweet kisses.

"Yes! Yes we made it!" Chloe squealed with joy. The dirt-streaked, sweaty, and bug-bitten girl threw her hands up into the air and ran straight to the cabin. Behind her, Alya, Nino, and Sabrina were just as relieved to see the dark building.

"We made it!" Alya yawned and dropped her backpack on the ground. She then dropped down on her knees and fell on the ground.

"Now at least we can have a goodnight's rest!" Sabrina breathed with a sigh of relief.

"Of course I am!" Chloe snickered as she waltzed over to the group. Alya and Nino looked up and sure enough, the blonde girl was holding her phone high in the air and the mayor's picture lit the screen. "I'm getting out of this miserable place!"

"What?" Alya and Nino exchanged a stunned glance.

Even Sabrina looked beyond surprised. "What do you mean Chloe?"

"I'm not staying here another night! This place is disgusting! Just look at what it's done to my beautiful nails and skin! I look like a wreck!" Chloe exclaimed and pointed to herself.

Alya let out a small chuckle. Chloe was definitely right about that - she looked quite awful with red bug bites and scrapes allover her flawless skin. Her hair was coming undone from its high ponytail and her clothes were creased with dirt and stained with sweat. If only Marinette and Adrien could see her now.

"But what about Adrien and Marinette?" Nino asked.

"Urgh who cares about them? They can let the bugs eat them! It's their fault they decided to go on that pathetic hike in the first place!" Chloe huffed. A few seconds later she perked up after someone picked up her call. "Daddy! It's me! You have to come pick me up! I can't stand to be in this place for another minute!"

She then frowned and scowled at the phone. "Of course I want to come home today! And bring the limo and Gustav! There's no way I'm driving in the dark!"

While Chloe continued to complain to her father, Nino turned to his girlfriend with an exhausted smile. "Wanna hit the sack? Looks like the princess won't be needing us anymore and I'm whipped out."

"Same here, let's go!" Alya giggled and grabbed Nino's hand.

They moved past the loud blonde and slipped into the cabin, relieved and happy that they no longer had to deal with Chloe Bourgeois.

"Ready to go to sleep?" Adrien whispered as they sat nestled in each other's arms and watched as the fire began to die. Around them, the crickets chirped and the stream trickled softly.

Marinette slowly nodded as she she thought about all that happened today. She felt her head bob forehead and her eyelids start to close. Behind her, Adrien moved away and grabbed the remaining crackers and marshmallows. He walked over to the tent and put the food away before he returned to her.

"Huh? What?" Marinette murmured. Her eyes fluttered open in sudden surprise when she felt Adrien's arms go underneath her and lift her up from the ground. Blinking, Marinette turned and looked at the boy.

"Allow me." Adrien offered and turned to carry her to the tent. Marinette closed her eyes and felt her lips curve into a small smile as Adrien carried her to the spread out blanket and sat her down.

With a large yawn, Marinette crawled over to her backpack and took out her oversized night-shirt and shorts. She turned back to Adrien and noticed that he stood outside their tent to allow her some privacy. The smile remained on her face as Marinette changed from her hiking clothes and then walked out to let Adrien get ready.

Once they both were dressed, they returned into the tent and laid down on the spread out blankets. Just as Marinette settled on her side, she felt Adrien come up behind her and wrap his arm around her waist. He gently pulled her close until she was spooned into him.

"Goodnight my lady." he whispered into her ear.

Marinette closed her eyes and smiled as his lips kissed her ear and his nose nuzzled her neck. "Goodnight Adrien."

On the next day, Marinette opened her eyes to the sound of a rather loud bird singing just outside the tent. With a light groan, the young woman rolled turned on her side and opened her eyes. A light frown appeared on her face as Marinette starred at the blank spot to her right.

"Adrien?" Marinette sat up and glanced around the tent. She then turned to her left and picked up her phone. The moment she turned it on, the girl's eyes widened at the sight of the new message from Alya.

A – Made it back to the cabin! ;)

Marinette smiled and typed a quick text back.

M – What about Chloe and Sabrina?

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty,"

Marinette jumped with a start and dropped her phone. She looked up and beamed at the dressed and wide-awake Adrien. He stood by the flap and held out a small paper bag towards her. Marinette recognized the logo from her parents' bakery and she bit back her grin.

"Croissant?" Adrien offered with a grin.

"Yes," Marinette said and brushed her bangs back from her forehead. She stretched her arms up above her head and yawned as Adrien closed the tent's flap and sat down beside her.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Great," Marinette answered and looked up from her buttery pastry. She blinked and let out a small giggle at the horrible bedhead on Adrien's head. Adrien's eyes widened before he brought a hand to his hair. As he stroked the untamed strands, his lips curved into an amused smile as Marinette reached out.

"Here let me fix it." she offered in between giggles.

"I don't think so!" Adrien chuckled and grabbed her wrist. Before Marinette could open her mouth to protest, he pulled her close and captured her lips.

"Ready to go?" Marinette asked and turned to Adrien.

"Ready," Adrien nodded as he gripped Marinette's hand.

The couple had just finished putting the tent away and were ready to head back to the cabin. It was the last day of the trip and both Marinette and Adrien had to admit that they were a little sad to go back to Paris.

Casting a final glance at the campsite, the couple turned and began to walk into the woods and search for the marked trees. As they walked, Marinette could not wipe the grin from her face as she held Adrien's hand in hers.

"We'll come back here next year. Just the two of us." Adrien decided as he swept Marinette into his arms and held her close. They were done with their breakfast and were contently laying in the tent.

Marinette beamed and leaned in to kiss him. "I'd like that."

By the time Marinette and Adrien approached the cabin, it was the middle of the day. As they neared the house, Marinette stopped and fished out her phone from the side pocket of her bag.

"Oh I forgot to see if Alya texted me back." she said.

"They're probably -"

"Marinette! Adrien!"

The couple looked up and beamed at the sight of a happy Alya running out of the cabin and towards them. A few moments after Alya ran out, Nino stepped out and leaned against the doorway. Marinette let go of Adrien's hand and ran to hug her best friend.

"Hey girl! We were starting to think you'd never come and we'd have to call the forest ranger for you!" Alya said as she pulled back from Marinette's embrace.

"Oh really?" Marinette blushed and smiled in sudden embarrassment. "Sorry about that we um…got lost?" she turned and met Adrien's glance.

Alya raised a brow as Nino approached and draped an arm around her shoulders. "Great to see you guys but honestly you could've stayed another night. Alya and I wouldn't have minded having the cabin all to ourselves again."

Marinette's eyes widened as she looked from Alya to Nino. "What do you mean? Where are Chloe and Sabrina?"

Alya and Nino exchanged a sly glance before Alya looked at the surprised couple. "Let's just say that Chloe won't be leaving Paris for a long time after this trip."

Adrien laughed and shook his head. "What did you do?"

"The plan worked man! We managed to get 'lost' and Sabrina and Chloe flipped out! You should've seen the looks on their faces." Nino chuckled.

"When it started getting dark Nino and I decided to pitch our tent but of course Chloe was set on returning back to the cabin. The poor girl looked like she was ready to call her dad and the French military to come pick her up. So using your clever GPS, we got back and Chloe ordered Sabrina to pack. They left before we knew it." Alya explained.

"Yeah it was pretty funny. Chloe didn't even care about meeting up with you two anymore. She was done with the hike and done with the wilderness." Nino added.

Marinette and Adrien turned and could not help but laugh at how miserable Chloe and Sabrina must have been with Alya and Nino. As Nino pulled Adrien aside and began to tell him about the few pranks he and Alya pulled off on the girls, Alya approached her best friend.

"So how was the hike with Adrien?" the girl asked.

"It was amazing." Marinette whispered as she remembered Adrien's confession and their kiss. A happy smile appeared on her face and Alya's eyes widened in surprise as she squinted and tried to read Marinette's dreamy gaze and face-splitting grin. A few seconds later Alya's mouth flew open in sudden surprise.

"Oh my God did you and Adrien…kiss?" she breathed.

Marinette giggled mischievously and turned to follow after the boys. "Maybe!"

Is she serious? Alya smiled bright and followed after her best friend. "Well don't leave me hanging girl! Tell me all about it!"

And that's it for now ML fans! I want to give a final shoutout to those who read the story. You're all amazing.

I also have two more ML fics published here titled "My Hero" and "The New Dress" Check them out if you like. :)