October 15
Dear Adrien,

A friend of mine suggested writing you a letter I never plan to send to get out all of the feelings I've been dealing with lately. I'm going to write this note, then I'll probably throw it away or maybe lock it away where no one will see it except for me. I just need to figure some stuff out before I can see you again.

We talked yesterday and I'm glad that we did, but it didn't really help. We came to the conclusion that 'it didn't happen' which would be so easy if it weren't for Rena Rouge and Carapace. Now they know we've kissed which shouldn't be a big deal because the heroes shouldn't care about our love life.

But they do because they're the reason we're in this situation in the first place. Now, Alya and Nino have seen us kiss and I think they'll either know we're fake dating or they'll start expecting us to kiss more often. I don't know which and I'm kind of afraid to find out.

You asked why I'm still not interested in dating a few weeks ago and I said that I wasn't ready. Spending time with you for the last month and a half has been getting me closer to being ready, but I don't know if you feel the same about me, I think that I like you.

I feel like that sounds like a downgrade after I've been so comfortable saying 'I love you,' but I'm trying to be serious, so bear with me, buttercup? I'm developing feelings for you and I'm scared because I know that I have a lot of reasons why I can't be in a real relationship right now.

I don't know how to start this conversation with you because I'm afraid that since 'the kiss didn't happen,' that was an attempt to just politely reject me or something. That'd suck, but I really don't know what else to think about it.

I keep thinking about your birthday the other day and I can't help myself from thinking 'I'm sorry I set up a date for you and Carapace instead of one for you and me' which is probably a terrible thing for someone who is just your fake girlfriend to think. Dancing with you was the most fun I've had in such a long time.

I got to forget all of my responsibilities for a while and just have fun with you and our friends. It didn't last that long, but it was still the most I've been able to relax around people in years. It felt so nice to not be a responsible hero for even that much time. I guess since you won't see this letter, there's no reason for me not to tell you.

Another reason I shouldn't date you is the fact that I'm Ladybug and I don't want to put you in danger by dating you. I can't think of any time you've been near akuma attacks (except for the ones who were going after you), but I can't let myself risk being distracted during an attack.

My ex knows that I'm Ladybug, but it wasn't something that either of us wanted him to learn. He was Viperion before he left the city and found out my identity during a Second Chance when we were like 15. I never wanted him to know that about me. I never wanted anyone to know that about me except for Chat Noir, sometimes.

I want to tell you and that terrifies me. I want to tell you everything there is to know about me and I want to learn everything that I can about you, Adrien Agreste. That probably sounds so dorky, but it's true. I just want to know everything about you because that's what I like to do when it comes to people I really care about.

Love you,
Marinette

October 15
Dear Marinette,

Sorry for dragging you into one of my assignments for therapy, but when I mentioned that I was developing feelings for someone I didn't think I could have, Dr. Martin suggested I write this letter to get all my words on paper - -then I'll probably burn this so you don't ever read it and decide you don't want to talk to me anymore.- -

I wasn't kidding when I said you gave me the best birthday I'd ever had. I don't know why you went through that much effort for me, I know we're supposedly dating, but you could have given me just a few macarons or just the cake we had that night and it would have been just as special because it would've been from you.

I don't know why I offered to fake date you. I must be a masochist if I thought that pretending to date you would make me happy. Honestly, I have feelings for you and I think I've probably had them since we met. I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable, so I didn't tell you, and instead, I came up with this whole thing.

It's honestly pretty manipulative and that's something that I'll beg your forgiveness for if I can ever work up the courage to tell you how I feel about you. I know that yesterday we agreed that our kiss on my birthday didn't happen and I'm trying to get that through my brain, but I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm not going to kiss you again, especially without your explicit permission, but I can't get myself to forget the kiss we shared, as much as I promise I'm trying to, for the sake of our friendship. Dr. Martin said that getting into this fake relationship was a bad idea, and she's certainly right, but I don't want to get rid of being this close to you.

If we fake break up, that probably means we would have to fake being awkward around each other because it would be weird for a break up to look exactly like the relationship did, but I've really liked spending time with you over the last almost 2 months and I might be selfish, but I don't want to give that up yet.

I love so many things about you, Marinette. You're not afraid to speak your mind, you're funny, you're beautiful, and it's clear that you love with your whole heart. I didn't even really understand platonic love until that picnic we had, but you've made me want to start telling people I love them every chance I get. And, thanks to you, I do.

I'm still getting used to this version of love and I don't know how I would clarify that I have feelings for you when I tell you I love you on a regular basis. I'm not at the point where I can tell you I'm in love with you, yet, but my love for you isn't as platonic as I said before. Again, that's probably manipulative and something I'll apologize for later.

I can't believe that you went through so much effort for me, to track down Ladybug to get to Carapace just because I mentioned I would want to have a beer with him, even though you did set me up on a date with someone who wasn't you. No one has ever done something like that for me, and setting up my own surprise with you was so much fun.

I didn't mean to learn that you're Multimouse and I know that me knowing your secret identity is definitely frowned on by Ladybug, but I liked knowing someone behind the masks. I just wish I could've seen more of Multimouse when we were younger, she might have even become my favorite hero since I met you.

If I had known when we met how my birthday beer would end up, I might have even chosen her as my favorite hero, just so I could have spent that accidental date with you instead of Carapace.

Love you,
Adrien