Dear Adrien Agreste.

I know this is totally out of the blue, but honestly? I've been in love with you from the moment we met at Francoise Dupont College. Let me explain.

From the start, you were kind to me, even after I had rudely brushed you off. You made sure I was dry and safe from the torrential downpour and I can pinpoint that moment as the exact moment I fell for you.

As Adrien kept reading, he thought back to the first day he moved into his university dorm only a year and a half ago and wondered when his amazing (and beautiful, sweet, kind-hearted) roommate had written this letter, the only letter in the box under her bed. Of course, he wasn't snooping; she had asked him to find her earbuds under there to drop off at the gym.

I intend to never give you this letter and hope you never have the displeasure of reading it. It's always best to have your feelings out somewhere.

Your Love,

Marinette.

"Plagg? Did you read this right?"

"Yeah kid. Surprised it took you this long, honestly. It's only been what, 5 years since you met her?"

"You knew? And you didn't tell me?"

"Kid, everyone knew. You both had to figure it out for yourself. Now, where's the camembert?"

He watches as Plagg zoomed off to the mini-fridge under Adrien's desk, then took his cheese under the bed. Adrien sits on the floor, back against Marinette's bed, speechless as he held the letter to his chest. He nearly misses the buzz of his phone going off. As it went off again, Adrien shook himself from his stupor and read the texts that were incoming from Marinette.

4:22pm - Marinette: Adrien? Did you find them?

4:25pm - Marinette: Hello? R u there?

4:30pm - Marinette: Yeah in case you fell asleep I'm on my way back. C u in 5.

Adrien bit back a scream. That was time stamped to 4 minutes ago. Quickly, but carefully, he stuffed the letter back in the box under the bed, then grabbed out the earbuds just as she walked through the door to their room.

"Adrien? What are you doing sitting next to my bed? Did you sleepwalk again?" Marinette looked nervous as she fidgeted with her earrings, staring at him. "Are you okay, Adrien?" Marinette continued, as he didn't reply, "You look kinda… pale. Did you have another nightmare?"

He used to have nightmares about his father, and the akuma that had him trapped in his room when he was 15. He had needed to sleep on the floor next to Marinette's bed the first few months of college life to feel safe again.

"N-no, Marinette. I was just sleepwalking again and bumped into your bed. S-sorry."

Great, now she's going to be suspicious, Adrien had thought to himself.

Marinette, thankfully, showed no signs of suspicion to Adrien as she walked over and sat next to him on the floor.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I'm always here for you."

Adrien slid his head onto her shoulder and closed his eyes.

"I know, Marinette. Thank you."

—

Marinette felt Adrien's consciousness slip away as she sat next to him and sighed. So much for going to the gym today. But what had him so stressed? She knew that the look on his face was not the same as his post-nightmare face, but she didn't recognize it.

"What could I do Tikki? I don't know what's wrong this time. I'm not sure how to help him."

"You'll figure it out Marinette. I'm sure of it! Get some rest and it'll be clearer in the morning."

She sighed to herself. I'll figure this out after a nap. She carefully reached up to grab her fleece blanket from her bed to cover them both. As the warmth of the blanket settled in, she rested her head on top of his and closed her eyes.

Tikki flew to where Plagg was still hiding, now half asleep himself.

"Plagg, did you and Adrien read the letter?"

"What letter?"

"The letter that- you know what, I can't tell you."

"Ohh that letter. Yes, we did. Adrien found it by accident, though, so you can stop the lecture there!"

Tikki sighed and snuggled into the week-old sweater next to Plagg to try to rest.

"I thought so."

—

Adrien's back ached as he woke up a few hours later. Where am- oh.

Marinette had slumped over onto him and pushed him over, and was now partially on top of him. As he became more aware of her weight on his side, he realised he wasn't completely cold and looked over to see her blanket covering them.

What do I do? I can't wake her up…

He twisted his head slightly to see that the box was close to his head. If he could just reach over… he might be able to grab... Yes! He very carefully lifted the lid with one hand, then propped it open as he took the letter out, then brought it to his face. Slowly moving his other arm out from under her, he folded it into eights, then shoved it into his jeans' back pocket, being careful to not wake her up.

Turning his head, he gently shook Marinette awake and whispered, "Marinette? It's getting kinda late, do you want to grab something from the diner down the street?"

"Y-yeahhh Adrien, jus-st 'a minute," she muttered as she lifted herself up and stretched her arms. "Oh! I'm so sorry Adrien, I didn't mean to push you over!" Marinette all but screamed as she flailed her arms falling backwards, accidentally grabbing Adrien's shirt and hitting her head on the side of her bed.

"Oof!"

Adrien, now currently on top of her, felt the paper crunch slightly, though it went unnoticed as he focused on the closeness between Marinette and himself. Marinette seemed to notice, her face went red, and her mouth opened slightly, her eyes almost pleading.

"Marinette, I…"

In the corner of his eye, he saw a small black mass dart out slightly to the edge of under the bed and wiggle his head in a definite no. Don't do that.

Adrien sighed, knowing Plagg was right and lifted himself off of Marinette.

"Are you ready to eat?"

—

Marinette was absently staring at a stain on the table.

"Are you okay Marinette? You've barely eaten. You love curly fries!"

"W-What? Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry 'bout me."

Adrien, hardly convinced with her monotone response, pressed on.

"Are you sure? I mean, I've never seen you so dow-"

"I said, I'm fine Adrien! Leave it alone!"

"…"

"…Sorry, Adrien. I'm just… stressed about… um… midterms."

Adrien tipped his head, pouting. "Didn't you finish your last midterm two weeks ago?"

Marinette widened her eyes. "Y-Yeah, for the results I mean! I swear, your father hates me! Seems like only yesterday at the fashion show when he was promoting me to Mrs. Bourgeois, but now he can't help but pick at every single detail of my designs!"

Adrien let out a single laugh. "That's how he shows favouritism, by picking up on everything you incorporate."

Adrien's guilt for the letter was weighing down on his mind, and Plagg had seemed to pick up on it as he nudged Adrien's side, then wiggled his head again. Don't do it, don't tell her!

"Marinette, I… I found the letter."

Marinette's eyes flew up to meet Adrien's. "W-Wha-at l-l-letter?"

"The letter under your bed."

Marinette's face matched the tomato on Adrien's burger as her mouth flew open and shut, then open again in a matter of seconds.

"And I have to say… I never saw this coming. I mean, I admire you so much. What would you like about me? What do you like about me?"

Her eyes dropped, as she whispered out, "You read it, didn't you? Why did you even ask?"

Tears were clearly on the brim of spilling over as Adrien promptly stood and slid into the booth next to her.

"Marinette, please don't cry. I'm so sorry for invading your privacy like that. Please don't be angry at me."

She turned her head towards his, as tears spilled over.

"Of course I'm angry Adrien, but I knew by keeping it in our room that it was bound to happen eventually."

Adrien just held onto her, as she silently sobbed in his arms.

"Do you want to head home now? We can take our food back."

She only nodded.

—

They sat on the floor together, now-empty food containers off to the side with Marinette sitting in his lap as he held her.

"Adrien? What happens now?"

"Marinette… I can't deny I feel something for you. Really, I think your letter made me remember just how strong it was at college."

"Yea, but… where do we go from here?"

"…I don't know. But can we think of that later?"

"Yes, Adrien."

Later that night that they broke their embrace, as Marinette no longer cried, and went to their separate beds.

"Good night, Marinette."

"Good night, Adrien."

"…I love you."