Marinette had been on edge all week. Not because of Paris's friendly neighborhood supervillain. No, it was her very own friends who were maxing out Marinette's anxieties. It was the first Holiday season after Marinette had gotten over her fear of talking to Adrien, both of them now really good friends. Everyone knew that Marinette's raging crush hadn't dimmed in the slightest, so she should have been expecting something to happen

It started Monday, when Marinette was rushing to school. Not watching where she was going, she collided directly into someone's back as she ran into the school courtyard. The person also running late just happened to be Adrien Agreste. "Late again?" Marinette smirked as Adrien groaned.

"Mari, are you honestly surprised? You know I'm late just as much as you are." He was, in fact, just as late as Marinette was most of the time. It was their mutual lateness that had given Marinette the opportunity to break the ice that had frosted over their potential friendship.

The pair walked to class together, as friends do, Marinette and Adrien casually chatting as they made it to the classroom before the bell rang. Marinette was met with classmates milling about, but there was one person missing. Next to Rose, Juleka was no where to be found. The absence made Marinette pause just inside the classroom door. Juleka had had perfect attendance for the past three years.

Movement flashed at the corner of Marinette's eye. Marinette turned to see Juleka advancing on her and Adrien, who was still walking to his seat. In her hand was a sprig of mistletoe. Smiling wickedly, Juleka winked at someone behind Marinette. Alya's telling snicker was all the answer Marinette needed to find out who she would need to fight later. Lunging forward, Marinette grabbed the mistletoe from Juleka, stuffing it in her bag right as Adrien made it to his seat and turned back around.

Adrien looked at Marinette in confusion when he realized she was still near the door. "Mari? You okay?" Marinette looked around the suspiciously quiet classroom and realized that everyone had been in on this little scheme. Well, everyone was going to have to get a little talking to.

"Yep, all good!" Her voice was too bright, but Adrien seemed to relax at her words, sitting down in his seat. When Adrien turned to talk to Nino, Marinette sent a glare that even medusa would have considered "stone cold" to each of her classmates. Everyone shrugged like they had no idea what she was referring to.

Making her way to her seat, Marinette watched Alya continue to hold back laughter. Huffing as she sat down, Marinette leaned over and whispered to Alya. "I'm demoting you from best friend to mortal enemy."

Laughter finally bubbled out of Alya as she pressed a hand to her mouth to quiet her loud snorts. "It was so worth a try. You know, everyone here even agreed to call off the bets so we could work together on "project Adrienette" during the holidays."

Marientte's voice came out shrill. "The bets?!" Staring at her best friend dumbfounded, Marinette didn't notice Adrien turn around.

"What bets?" Marientte's head whipped to the seat in front of her where Adrien was watching with questioning eyes.

"Oh, nothing. You know, just, um…" Marinette's voice was nervous as she tried to come up with some sort of response. Luckily, Mme. Bustier walked in. "Oh look, time for class. I'll tell you later!" Adrien gave her an odd look but turned to face the front of the classroom anyway.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Marinette should have known to stay on edge the next day based on Alya's comment about everyone working together during the holidays. Alas, she didn't and was completely unprepared when she saw a fishing line with a sprig of mistletoe being lowered between her and Adrien while he was facing the front of the classroom in his seat.

Glancing behind her slightly, Marinette saw Alix a few steps above. She didn't exactly know where they were going with this one until Kim spoke up. "Hey Adrien!" Time seemed to slow as Marinette watched Adrien begin to turn around. Launching herself from her seat, Marinette clapped down on the mistletoe and pulled it from the fishing line. Barley sitting down before Adrien was fully turned around.

"Yeah Kim? Oh, cool fishing pole Alix, is that what you guys wanted to show me?" Kim and Alix both facepalmed as Marinette smiled in self-satisfaction.

She knew it wasn't over though which is why the next day, Marinette was practically twitching with how wound up she was. Her head jerked from side to side ever few moments, making sure there wasn't any mistletoe or Adrien in sight.

She was so busy observing her surroundings that she didn't think to actually check the doorway to her classroom before it was too late. As she bumped into a solid chest, a course of "OOOOOO"s could be heard. Craning her head up, she saw Adrien who, instead of looking at the girl who had just run directly into him, was looking up, at a sprig of mistletoe taped to the doorway.

As soon as he realized what it was, Adrien's head snapped down, eyes seeking out Marinette. She quickly began to pull away from him, words stumbling out of her mouth. "Sorry, my bad. You don't have to. I mean, it's just a silly…" Marinette was cut off as Adrien pulled her back in with a hand on her waist as his other gently cupped her chin, tilting her head up so their lips could meet.

There were cheers from inside the classroom. A few moments into their kiss, a cleared throat broke them apart. "As happy as I am you two finally figured this little dance of yours out, I'd like to get in my classroom, so I can start class please." Mme. Bustier looked at the teens with faux ire as she held back a smile.

Marinette and Adrien's faces burned as they fully entered the classroom with their teacher on their heels. Before the lesson began, Chloe addressed the whole class smugly. "I told you the classic "taped to the doorway" trick would work."