A/N: Idk why I keep writing author's notes. Y'all know the deal. Pls enjoy ;)


Marinette had half a mind to text Alya and tell her she was in Adrien Agreste's bed.

The mental image of how she would react to that message- her eyes bugging out of her head, likely followed by a scream and a barrage of long texts including the phrase 'get it, girl!' was almost enough for her to hit send.

However, this would mean Marinette would eventually have to be honest and explain the whole "creepy envelope" situation that led her to said former model's bed, and she wasn't quite ready to discuss that again with anyone.

Or worse, she'd text Nino about the "development," who would then text Adrien asking if they were hooking up, and then she'd be in real trouble. Making sexual innuendos about your selfless friends who quite literally give you the clothes of their back is generally frowned upon. Not to mention embarrassing.

Marinette sighed, dropping her phone back onto the nightstand. It was past 2 in the morning now, and she had yet to get a wink of sleep. She fluffed up her pillow with unnecessary force, rolling to her side with a sigh.

The bed itself wasn't the problem. In fact, she loved his bed. The sheets were clean and smooth against her skin, the mattress was soft enough for her to sink into, and whenever she pressed her face into the pillow, she could breathe in Adrien's clean, minty scent.

She had been smelling the pillow a lot tonight. Embarrassing, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. It brought a refreshing sense of comfort, allowing her eyelids to get heavy, her breathing to get slow…

And then she'd remember, and she was wide awake all over again.

The prickling sensation on her spine hadn't ceased from the moment she saw the envelope with her name written on it in neat, flourished handwriting. She was being watched. This person knew where she lived. They knew enough about her to convince themselves that she was their soulmate.

Marinette considered herself to be a brave person. She was never afraid to catch and release even the nastiest of bugs, she had stood up to her fair share of jerks, and she never hesitated to intervene on someone's behalf, even if it meant putting herself at risk. But this knowledge that someone was watching her, waiting for a moment to catch up to her and force her to be alone with him to do God knows what- it terrified her. Not knowing what she was up against made her feel helpless. And Marinette hated feeling helpless.

So she couldn't sleep. Counting sheep hadn't worked, and neither had reading Adrien's excruciatingly boring physics textbook. She was out of ideas and had resolved herself to stay up all night wrestling with these new, uncomfortable feelings of constant panic.

That is, until a low groan distracted her from her existential dread.

Marinette stilled, listening intently. After a beat, she heard it again- very faint, but this time it sounded almost like a whimper. She frowned, trying to place the sound. Was it just the wind? Someone next door?

Or someone hiding under the bed just waiting for the right moment to grab you and drag you under-

She clasped her hands over her ears, grimacing at her own overactive imagination. It was probably just the wind. In fact, maybe it was nothing at all. Maybe she had invented the noises in her head.

Marinette released her hands, sighing and adjusting her position so she got more comfortable. This was going to be a long night.

Then there was another noise. A sharp intake of breath- unmistakable. She definitely heard it this time.

Marinette sat up, squinting in the dark. Again, she stilled even her breathing, trying to listen closer.

Shuddering gasps. The rustling of blankets. Footsteps- close ones.

Her heartbeat quickened, but then she remembered she wasn't alone in her own apartment. "Adrien?" She barely even whispered it, his name ghosting her lips.

At the same time that she turned on the bedside lamp, Adrien gently swung open the door. They both stared at each other in stunned silence for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry." Adrien's green eyes were wide. They were also, she noticed, considerably wet. "I-I, um… I thought you'd be…" He gestured vaguely, and then not-so-surreptitiously swiped away a stray tear. "I was just checking in. Wanted to make sure you're okay. Sorry. I'll… I'll let you sleep."

Adrien began to close the door. Marinette shook herself out of her stupor. "Adrien, wait. Don't go." Her voice was quiet, subdued by exhaustion, but there was a note of desperation in her tone.

He paused, eyes trained on the floor. He was now only halfway in the room.

She took another look at his pensive, tear-stained face, noting sadly that he was trying hard to mask it with a look of neutrality. He couldn't fool her. He should know that by now.

Without a second thought, Marinette slid over to the side of his bed, folding up the blanket on the other side in invitation.

Adrien clenched his jaw. Sighed. Closed the door.

To her relief, he closed it behind him, choosing to remain in the room.

Slowly, cautiously, he walked over to the bed. Slid under the covers, taking care to leave plenty of space between them. Laid there stiffly for a moment, barely breathing.

Marinette frowned at him. He wasn't acting like himself. So full of emotion, Adrien was not someone who hid how he was feeling.

"What's going on?" She murmured, her forehead knotted in concern. She had propped herself up onto her elbow to get a better look at him. At this angle, she was able to see the tears still stuck in his blonde lashes, sparkling in the dim lamp light.

He stared resolutely at the ceiling. "It's nothing," he whispered back numbly. "Did I wake you?"

"No."

"Why were you up?"

"Couldn't sleep," she confessed in a small voice.

At this, he finally looked at her. The sadness in his eyes broke her heart. "I'm so sorry, Mari," he said, voice heavy. "About all of this. You're the last person on earth who would ever deserve to be treated this way."

"Adrien…" She wanted to kiss away the tears in his lashes. Instead, she reached a hand out to smooth back his hair, letting her fingernails gently rake across his scalp the way she knew he liked. He visibly relaxed at her ministrations, so she kept her hand there, lazily toying with his impossibly soft locks. "Seriously. Are you okay?"

His lips twitched into a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Please don't need to worry about me. Not with everything going on."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'll always worry about you," she said, meaning it more deeply than she thought he'd ever realize.

Her heart belonged to this selfless, gentle, emotional, beautiful man. Every bit of it was his. All she wanted was to relieve him of his burdens, to take away his pain, no matter the cost.

"Please be honest with me," she asked softly. "Please."

He closed his eyes. There was a moment of pause, but he could never deny her request, could he?

"I had a nightmare. Wasn't a big deal." His voice was tight.

Half-true, she deduced. Those sounds had been him, she realized. The whimpers, the groans, the gasps for air- and whatever hell his subconscious had brewed up had clearly shaken him.

"What about?" Marinette didn't know why, but she felt deep down she had to know.

He paused again. This time longer. Eyes still closed. One fresh tear rolled down his cheek.

"You," he admitted in a ragged whisper.

Her hand paused in his hair as she processed his answer. Me.

"Oh," she murmured in response, bewildered.

But he wasn't done speaking.

"That's why- that's why I had to check on you. I-I… I needed to make sure you were okay." His hands covered his face now. His breathing was unsteady. "That you were safe."

It all clicked. "Oh."

She hadn't hurt him. She had been hurt. And that had brought Adrien to tears. The thought of her in pain. The thought of losing her to some unknown danger.

She let out a sharp breath, the revelation making her own eyes sting. "Adrien."

He gasped out a small, humorless laugh, shaking his head. "And now I'm making you worry, when that's the last thing on earth that you need right now and it wasn't even real and-"

"Stop that." She silenced him with a tight embrace, pulling herself against him. Her arms wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her close enough to him that she could feel his own stuttering heartbeat against her chest.

Adrien was rigid in her arms, his hands still pressed against his face, hiding himself from her. She found herself whispering the same four things to him over and over as she held him. It's okay. I'm here. I'm safe. We're safe. Her fingers were back in his hair, rubbing soothing circles against his scalp.

Slowly, gradually, she felt him relax against her. His heart beat slowed, his labored breaths coming out more evenly. He peeled his hands from his bloodshot eyes, scooping her into his arms and holding her even closer. His nose was buried in her hair, her face now pressed against the juncture of his neck and chest.

Marinette breathed in his scent, relaxing against his warm body. The anxiety and fear dissipated away, leaving her feeling impossibly light. Adrien's lips gently brushed the top of her head, and she pulled herself closer to him. This felt so right.

The line between friendship and what was beyond felt incredibly blurry in this moment, with Marinette curled up in his arms as if they were lovers. She also, quite frankly, couldn't bring herself to give a shit.

"I just want you to be safe," he whispered into her hair. The intensity in his voice made her shiver.

"I am safe," she whispered back, her words muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "You don't have to worry about me, Adrien. I promise."

"But I do. I can't stop worrying about you. Do you…" He hesitated, his breath hitching. "...Do you feel it too, Marinette? This… connection between us?"

Marinette could scarcely breathe. She wanted so badly to see his face right now. The only hint she had of how he was feeling right now was the slight increase in his heartbeat. "Yes. I do," she admitted. And she meant it.

Adrien exhaled shakily, soaking in her response. "Y-yeah. It's… I can't even explain it. It's like…" He hummed, searching for words. She felt the rumble of his chest. "It almost feels like I've been waiting for you to come along for a long time. You know? And now you're finally here, and I can't stand the thought of losing you. Even the idea of losing you makes me feel like I'm suffocating."

"Mmm." She closed her eyes, her lashes brushing against his throat. He was so warm. The exhaustion from the day was pressing down on her, and his comforting embrace and the way his fingers drew lazy circles around her shoulder did little to keep her awake. "I do know. I feel the same way. I've never felt this way about anyone, Adrien," she murmured. Her tiredness made her honest- maybe a little too honest, but that was future Marinette's problem. "No one understands me the way you do, not even Alya. And I care about you so much, Adrien- so much that it scares me a little. You're so strong, you've gone through so many hardships, and all I want is for you to feel secure and happy. I'd do anything to ensure that. You want me to steal the Eiffel Tower? I'll do it. For you, I'll do it."

Adrien, who had been solemnly silent through what was essentially a heartfelt confession of her love, chuckled at this, surprised by the statement. The sound delighted her. She smiled, snuggling closer to him.

"The Eiffel Tower? You sure you're up to the task, bug?"

She nodded, her chin bumping against his collarbone. "Yeah. I am."

"How're you gonna do it?"

"Pigeons."

"Pigeons?"

"I'll train a billion pigeons and they'll pick it up and fly it somewhere secret."

He laughed again, all signs of sadness now gone from his voice. "I think someone's tired."

She hummed in acknowledgment. Her fingers stilled in his hair, her whole body slowly shutting down. But she wasn't quite ready to sleep yet. "Adrien?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not going to lose me."

He was silent for a moment. Not an uncomfortable silence, but one where, she sensed, he was allowing her words to wash over him.

"Thank you, Marinette," he whispered eventually, pressing a soft kiss to her hair. She felt him shift against her, keeping her close but moving his upper body so he was almost sitting up. "Are you falling asleep?" His voice was impossibly gentle. His fingers brushed back some of the hair that had fallen across her forehead.

Her eyes remained closed. She couldn't have opened them right now even if she tried, she was so tired. "Mhm."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Mhm. Please?"

"Okay."

He settled back down, adjusting himself so that her head was now resting on his shoulder, one of her arms stretching across his chest. Their legs were intertwined, one of his arms holding her close against him while the other found her free hand, gently stroking her palm and toying with her fingers. She felt herself grow heavier and heavier, until she was barely clinging to consciousness.

"I'll protect you, Marinette. I promise." His voice sounded so far away.

The last thing she remembered before drifting off was that she'd do the same for him, whatever it took. She would protect him.


"Girl, WHAT?"

"Alya," Marinette groaned, glancing nervously at the table behind them. The couple had been shooting them dirty looks throughout their entire meal.

Adrien fought the urge to glare right back. Alya had every right to be loud. This was a matter of her best friend's safety.

Alya, who had slightly less of a filter than Adrien, did glare at them. They quickly ducked their heads back down to their food, choosing to frown into their pasta instead.

"That's messed up, dude," Nino agreed, his voice uncharacteristically grave.

In town for just a couple of nights, Alya had "generously" offered Nino her place to stay. Adrien would've been more excited for their blossoming relationship were he not terrified for Marinette.

It wasn't until the police report had been filed, the security system installed, and the new locks set that Marinette finally agreed to notify her friend of what had happened. She had said she didn't want to cause her unnecessary stress, but Adrien pointed out that Alya had her own car and would be more than willing to drive Marinette to and from her internship for the time being so she wouldn't be alone on public transport. When Marinette hesitated, Adrien declared that he'd drop out of his classes so he could accompany her on the bus himself. Rolling her eyes at his theatrics (when in reality he was being dead serious), she finally caved.

Marinette, exceedingly selfless and caring person that she was, had a hard time sharing her own problems. Adrien had picked up on that pretty quickly.

"What did he take pictures of?" Alya's journalistic habits seemed to have kicked in. She had been pelting Marinette with questions like the reporter she was, her tone softened with genuine concern for her best friend.

Marinette sighed, picking at loose skin on her cuticles. The nervous habit was new, Adrien noted. "Just of me, from a distance. At my internship and… other places." As much as she tried to suppress it after that first night of panic, he knew deep down she was scared.

Alya frowned at the vague answer but didn't press further. "This guy's sick. I don't like this, girl. Did you call the cops?"

Marinette winced, leaning back in her seat. "Adrien did, actually."

"And?"

She glanced over at him. Adrien clenched his jaw.

"They said they couldn't do anything about it since we don't know the stalker's identity," Adrien responded, his voice a dull monotone. "Great help they've been, huh?"

"I'm going to be fine, guys, seriously," Marinette soothed, her hand resting on top of Adrien's. He felt his muscles relax from the sensation of her skin against his. He turned his hand so their fingers could interlace, which she did without hesitation. "Our landlord knows the situation, I've got a state-of-the-art security system thanks to Adrien's father, and I've got a legion of overprotective friends watching my back."

"You've got that right," Alya grumbled, crossing her arms. "I keep pepper spray and a taser on me at all times. This nutjob won't know what hit him if he comes anywhere near you."

"Yeah," Nino agreed emphatically. "And I've got- uh… I've got… what do I got, babe?"

"You've got your music," Alya suggested, ignoring Marinette's pointed eyebrow raise at his term of endearment.

"Yeah! I could roast him with my lyrics so bad that he's too embarrassed to show his face in Paris ever again!"

Marinette cracked a smile- rare for her, recently. Adrien's hard expression softened at the sight.

"Thanks, Nino," she giggled, flicking the brim of his hat.

"What about you, Sunshine?" Alya crooned, resting her chin on top of her laced fingers. "What's your strategy to defend our girl?"

"Skewer him," Adrien said calmly, not a hint of hesitation in his tone.

The girls stared at him blankly. Nino started laughing.

"Duuuude, I knew your fencing skills would come in handy one day!" He clapped him hard on the back. "Mad respect."

"You fence?" Marinette's smile had returned, this time softer. "I had no idea. How has that not come up yet?"

"I had to have at least one stereotypical rich kid hobby," Adrien shrugged, grinning right back. "And Nino's right. It could finally come in handy. Anything to defend my lady." He lifted her hand, kissing it with a dramatic flourish.

He was joking. Mostly.

She rolled her eyes at him but smiled all the same. "How chivalrous. But please don't get a murder charge on my account."

"No promises."

Adrien finally tore his eyes away from Marinette to see Alya and Nino giving them pointed looks of their own.

Which Adrien shrugged off. They weren't dating. He just loved her, that was all. And spent all his time with her. And would possibly die for her if it meant keeping her safe. And had spent the night with her.

He had spent the night with her.

He had woken up with Marinette sleeping in his arms.

Horrifying circumstances aside, he couldn't deny that it was one of the top 10 most exhilarating moments of his life thus far.

What he would give to wake up to her cradled in his arms every single morning for the rest of his life…

"Earth to lover boy!"

Adrien blinked out of his stupor. "Huh?"

Alya grinned knowingly at him. He flushed. Reporters couldn't read minds, could they? "We were going to grab ice cream at Andre's. You in?"

Adrien heartily assented.

They paid their bills and sauntered out of the restaurant, heading towards the famous ice cream stand. Nino and Alya slowed their pace, allowing Adrien and Marinette to lead the way.

Side by side, Adrien couldn't help but notice that their hands had miraculously linked once again. His thumb unconsciously brushed against her knuckles in a soothing gesture.

He really liked how nicely her hand fit in his.

"Hey." Marinette bumped his hip playfully, but her eyes were serious. "Are you okay?"

He fought back another blush. "Yeah. I just spaced out earlier, no big." Please don't ask what I was thinking about, please don't ask what I was thinking about…

"I wasn't talking about that." When Adrien raised his eyebrows in a silent question, she took a breath and continued. "It's just… I can tell that this whole situation has taken a huge toll on you, Adrien, and I just hate seeing you so stressed and on edge. I really am safe, thanks to you. I need you to know that."

But you don't know that.

He pushed that scary thought aside. Catastrophizing would do them no good.

"I know," he said instead, willing himself to believe it. "And please don't worry about me, Marinette. And never, ever think that my concerns for your safety are any kind of burden. My offer stands- if you at any point feel on edge or unsafe, my door is always open. I want you to come to me whenever you need it. Actually…"

Marinette smiled at the cold piece of metal he pressed in her palm. "You weren't kidding about the spare key, huh?"

"Nope. Use it whenever you want- whether I'm home or not."

She examined it shyly before fishing her keys out of her purse and adding it to her chain. "Thanks, Adrien. Although I could have always just kicked down your door if I wanted to visit."

He rolled his eyes teasingly while she laughed at her own joke. "Ha ha. You're never letting that one go, are you?"

"Never."

Nino and Alya sped up to meet their pace as they approached Andre's. Linking arms and giggling like schoolchildren, they all raced up to the smiling vendor together.

Within seconds they were walking away with heaping scoops of creamy ice cream, their orders specially designed by Andre. Nino, having doven into the cold dessert too quickly, was already nursing a brain freeze before they had even found a place to sit. Marinette and Adrien laughed while Alya relentlessly teased him, making the tips of his ears go as red as his scoop of raspberry ice cream.

Between bites of blackberry, strawberry & chocolate chip, and blueberry ice cream- a perfect flavor combination in Adrien's opinion- he tried his best to relax in the company of his friends. To not stare too hard at any strangers who glanced their way. To not look into their eyes and assess whether or not they were capable of stalking Marinette, of sending her a bone-chilling letter.

Because as much as Adrien wanted to believe that Marinette was safe, deep down he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't out of the woods yet.