•|| Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock

[sweettalker]

[ The fact that Adrien hadn't really been able to properly enjoy his first Christmas party was bad enough on its own, but then knowing she was the reason he'd gotten sick after, that sucked, too. Like a smashed up cherry on top of a really bad sundae, made with sugar free, vegan ice cream.

Piper's a vegetarian by choice and respects vegan's for taking it a step further but seriously, she knows you don't mess with ice cream.

First, she'd asked Mr. Agreste for Adrien to have permission to attend. With the way that he carried himself she wasn't surprised at all that Adrien had such a strict and rigid schedule, that he really didn't challenge his father's choices very often, or that he'd had to sneak out and run off to get to attend school- OR that he'd run out of the house in jeans and a t-shirt on Christmas night- okay yeah she promised to let that go. Hot chocolate.

God bless hot chocolate.

Still, she'd been a bit surprised when Gabriel actually relented to allowing his son to have the night in question off- considering it was technically her fault Adrien had gotten sick. Perhaps... Adrien left that part out? Seeing her good fortune she'd chosen NOT to question it, simply giving gabriel the place and time Adrien needed to be and then taking her leave very quickly.

Then she had to book the venue. Not a problem, the venue would be perfectly safe, with security all its own, courtesy of the McLean's. The look of shock on her father's face when she told him she wanted to host a party at their place, it would've been priceless if she hadn't felt so bemused about it. He'd given her this... look like she'd kidnapped and replaced his daughter with an alien clone.

He'd then promptly apologized when she threatened to cancel the plans- he was just so happy to see her being actively social! After a bit of back and forth banter (something she could appreciate, and something she had missed) he'd started helping her with making plans. She wanted a casual event, but she also wanted it to be comfortable, so just this once she was glad to go all out a bit. They had decorations ordered, but Piper insisted on putting them up herself with help from the staff and her friends from school. Once she told them about it they were eager to help and contribute. She'd even managed to skillfully plan the date around a time when Lila and Chloe would be tied up with prior engagements of their own. Even if Lila's lie was exactly that, she couldn't come up with a plausible excuse fast enough that would let her save face... considering Piper made sure she was the last to find out.

"Oh, she has plans already with Prince Ali, and the children's hospital in Italy, remember? She'd just feel guilty if she had to choose. Let's just save her some cake and take lots of pictures. She'll appreciate that."

Yes. Piper is a right bitch when she wants to be. Thank you, next?

Now, with everything set up and ready to go, all that was left was to get the guest of honor.

The meeting spot was the park, as it was public, close to her home, and the least suspect. Piper was waiting in the car by the gate, their driver standing next to the door. She was expecting Adrien to show up expecting a... what, an interview and photoshoot or some such. She's actually not sure how much his father told him since she HAD mentioned it was a surprise party. What excuse had he made up? She's curious and she knows she'll find out once Adrien arrives. She also knows he'll be nice and punctual, against all odds. ]

Comments

[catpunned]

[ But finally, without waiting for a response from either of them, he tucks his phone back into his pocket, giving Piper his full attention again. ]

Even if he can’t come—this is already so much more than I expected.

I thought I was going crazy when everyone kept saying they were too busy to hang out.

[sweettalker]

[ It's chill. She'll wait. In the meantime while he's texting the two adults Piper takes the chance to point a couple of the others towards the fridge for refills on sodas. By the time Adrien wraps up texting- something that doesn't take long of course -Piper is ready to pick up right where they left off. ]

We were all hoping the surprise would make up for it.

[ It still sucked feeling like they were letting him down, she knows from a few of their more vocally earnest classmates, reasonably worried and hopeful that Adrien wouldn't take it too hard. They were all pretty relieved when the work and the innocent deceit paid off.

Piper is tempted to comment about how she'd never actually DONE anything like this before, if just to poke some fun at herself and transition the conversation, but it feels too much like humble bragging and she's not looking for recognition here. The fact that Adrien is so pleased with the result is literally all that matters. It does, admittedly, take her mind some off of her own disappointment with her dad's schedule, but that's strictly a side benefit. ]

[catpunned]

[ Adrien nods in total understanding. Now, at least.

He is considerably less grinch-like than he has been lately, and upon noticing his friends helping themselves to the soda, he’s tempted to do the same. He meanders in that direction, following them—peering at all of the tasty looking food set up along the way. ]

Completely worth the wait.

[ He winks, though by now, Piper probably doesn’t need the reassurance. He grabs a soda and nods his head encouragingly towards the tables. ]

Come on! I doubt you’ve had time to eat yet, and everything smells great.

[sweettalker]

[ Yeah, maybe not needed, but no less appreciated! Piper snatches up her own soda and follows him over to the tables, commenting on how everything looked at least as good as it smelled.

For a while that was how the evening went, talking and eating, getting refills on soda, joking and talking and laughing. It was comfortable and easy, not something she'd have ever expected to feel at a party, let alone one she was hosting herself. Yet here they are.

At some point they do finally get everyone seated in the living room over a few giant bowls of popcorn and supplies for making the garland. with the whole night ahead of them thanks to winter break, there's the promise of games still on the horizon. They've all taken turns busily snapping photos all night and now they're sorting through them on the table to figure out where to put them on the chain, when the doorbell rings. Piper looks at Adrien specifically because naturally the only other person she's expecting to possibly drop by is his father. Whether Adrien even noticed over all the commotion or not, though...

She slips off to answer the door, silently hoping it isn't Chloe or Lila "miraculously" freeing themselves up to join the party last minute. ]

[catpunned]

[ Adrien doesn’t hear it right away. The doorbell goes unnoticed, but then he sees Piper quietly slipping away, and his curiosity nags at him, like that uncomfortable feeling you get when you try on clothes that don’t fit quite right.

Maybe he can just sense his father’s presence—something he may or may not have developed over his rebellious preteen years. Maybe he just hopes that it’s him.

Either way, he follows Piper against his better judgement, and is not disappointed, heart soaring straight up onto cloud nine. ]

Dad!

[ Not even Nathalie had prepared him, or told him he was coming. It was probably because she was too busy, but Adrien prefers to believe she cared as much about the surprise and his experience as Piper did. ]

[sweettalker]

[ Piper isn't the only one that notices Adrien's excited call, but aside from allowing themselves to look out of initial surprise, no one seems eager to intrude (though someone DOES have to stop Kim from being TOO nosy).

She literally couldn't have planned that any better. Her heart does a stupidly happy little skip, hearing the excitement in Adrien's voice when he greets his father. Piper finds herself smiling almost uncontrollably, which she doesn't notice seems to put the pair just a bit more at ease, and after welcoming Gabriel and Nathalie she invites them inside. ]

Make yourselves at home!

[ And while they do she's just going to go about checking on everyone with the garland and what not... and sneaking one of the Polaroid cameras while no one is paying her any attention. ]

[catpunned]

[ Gabriel looks vaguely impressed with everything; Nathalie meanwhile seems vaguely curious, but quiet the whole time. Adrien manages to drag them over to the tree, where some of his friends have already started decorating, and bullies them into participating before they inevitably come up with an excuse to leave.

Garlands, lights, ornaments... Adrien shows off a little bit of everything. Sitting there, with Gabriel to one side of him and Nathalie on the other... it’s probably the closest thing to a family he’s had, since his mother disappeared.

At the end, they insist that they must leave, but that Adrien should stay and enjoy the rest of the party while it lasts. Before they do, though, Adrien insists they stay and help him with the best part.

That is when he tops the tree with the star, with both of their help—a picture-perfect moment, if there ever was one. ]