First Order of Business | Adrienette

Crush

Marinette's parents surprised her by picking up her bike for her. She went upstairs to drop off her luggage and ran back down to try to make it to the shop on time when her dad was holding out her keys with a huge smile.

"You brought it back for me?" Marinette grins, giving him a hug.

"Your mom rode it there and back actually," he answers her. "She's just baking some cookies right now."

"It's Sunday?"

"They're for a friend." Marinette nods and pockets the keys in her sweat pockets, making her way downstairs to the bakery. She finds her mom scooping perfect portions of dough on the baking sheet. Her mom looks up and smiles when she sees Marinette.

"Hi, dear. Cookie dough?" she asks.

"I'm alright," Marinette says and goes over to kiss her cheek hello. "Thank you for picking up my bike. I appreciate it."

"No problem. I had fun riding taking it for a test drive," she giggles. She continues working on the cookies, Marinette watching how her hands work. It's a memorized recipe for them. Even if Marinette had to look up a few things here and there to refresh her memory, she is sure she can recall the exact movements to make anything they sell. The same steps she mimics from her parents.

"Do we have things to make a flan?" Marinette asks her. She has time, she's sure. She said she'd take a flan to work for Adrien and Kim a long time ago already. Maybe this is the time.

Her mom gives her a curious look, "Always. Do you need help making one?"

"Maybe just refresh my memory for the steps." Her mom smiles, and when she gets her cookies in the oven, she starts helping her.

Marinette bakes for the first time in years. It's not odd, and if anything, it's very relaxing to be moving through the bakery besides her mom again. Her dad even comes downstairs to sit on a stool and watch them work.

He tells her as she pours the finished batter in a pan, "Your flan has always been better than anyone else's in the family."

"You're going to make me get a big head," Marinette laughs. She places the pan in a separate oven and starts helping her mom put her batch of cookies in small party favor bags.

Her mom whispers to her as they work together, "Are you falling in love with someone who likes flan?" Marinette would've freaked out and screamed when she was younger, maybe accidentally drop the entire tray of cookies. She never liked that her parents saw right through her but right now it's comforting to know they will always pay attention to her.

Instead, she answers, "It's too soon to tell." Still, it's enough to make her face get rosy and for her mom to get a huge smile across her face.

"You're baking for the first time in years. I think that's quite telling."

"Maybe. But I have missed being in here with the both of you."

Her dad, who Marinette figured was listening in despite their efforts, speaks up and says, "We've missed you getting flour all over the floor."

-

Marinette realizes that she doesn't have a parking pass the morning of and decides to take the bus instead. It also helps get the flan to the office in one piece. She gets to work before Adrien does, and she shoots Kim a text to go by during his lunch later for a piece.

She doesn't know why she feels a little nervous about Adrien getting to work. She prepares his coffee like she always does and starts second guessing how he likes it. She has no idea how to act or what the protocol for their secret is going to be. They don't talk outside of work, and she didn't even think to text or call him. She tried to not think about him too much really when she spent the rest of Sunday with her parents.