A/N: I've stopped writing for ML mostly, and for those who followed my other stories, I'm so so sorry. Maybe one day I'll update The Shipping Wars again. But have this as a little holiday gift. I did write it last year for a secret santa exchange, and I posted it onto my ao3 account, but I just noticed today that it wasn't posted here, so here you go! Happy Christmas and New Year everyone!

Marinette had been waiting for years to have Adrien notice her. Not that he didn't notice her. But she wanted him to really notice her.

They had been friends for three years, best friends for two. Marinette had been in love with him for five years .

If one did the math right, (which, granted, wasn't Marinette's best subject, but still), that meant that she had been pining after him two years before they had even become friends.

You couldn't blame a girl for wanting something more from their really, really, platonic relationship.

Marinette frowned and ripped the paper she had been doodling on out of her notebook. Crumpling it up, she forced herself to return her attention to the droning teacher.

She'd rather think about the painfully boring subject of economics (really, did it have to be a required course?!) than think about the unfortunate fact that Adrien seemed to have zero romantic interest in her.

Six hours later, when the janitor swept the empty lecture hall, he found a crumpled paper filled with hearts around calligraphy that spelled ' '. A large black slash ripped through the center of the page. He shrugged and threw it into the trash.

I.

She had just come back from a date when Adrien called her. Logan had been a really nice guy, but terribly bland, so she was eager for the comfortable and fluid conversation.

"Hey," She nudged the phone between her shoulder and ear as she struggled to take off her heels.

"Hey Mari, how'd the date go?" A part of Marinette squealed at the thought that he had remembered such a trivial fact about her day but another part of her groaned in consternation. Even after dating several guys (mostly in attempts to move on from a certain blond-haired male), Adrien had always seemed to encourage her attempts at romance.

Still mumbling under her breath, she finally ripped the tall black shoe off of her sore feet with a triumphant shout.

"Mari?"

"Sorry, I got distracted for a second. The date was fine, I guess. He's really nice."

She didn't really know what else to say.

"Will you be seeing him again?"

"Maybe. I really do like him, and he was sweet and paid for my dinner and didn't laugh at me when I nearly spilled my wine on my white top."

Adrien was silent for a moment before he continued. "That's good right?"

Marinette moved her phone away from her face to sigh in frustration. Why was he so intent about talking about Logan?! Rubbing her forehead, she took a deep breath as she switched the speaker to her other ear. "Yeah. He was kinda boring though. We only really talked about our classes and what teachers we liked and what teachers we didn't like. I don't know, I guess I just really dislike the whole process of getting to know someone new and having to break ice."

She flopped herself onto her bed. "It's not like talking to you."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted it. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the line and hurried to amend her mistake. "–or Alya or Nino. It was even worse than awkwardly exchanging pleasantries with Nath."

He didn't say anything, so she plowed on, hoping he hadn't been too focused on her stumble of words from earlier. "I mean, I think I'm an outgoing person. I love talking to people and creating connections. But whenever I try to start something new romantically, I just feel so goddamn awkward."

Adrien finally spoke up. "Maybe it's because you're trying to find that special connection in a complete stranger. What about people you already know well?"

Marinette laughed sharply. "Adrien, look at what happened between me and Nath. True, it was the longest out of any of my relationships because of that friendly connection we had from before, but we just weren't well matched."

She sighed again, this time the aggravated breath of air going harshly into the phone. "Maybe I'm destined to be all alone for the rest of my life. I'll grow rich off of my designs, invest in the overly expensive red wine, and become the best godmother for your kids and cats."

A bitterness had weaved through her words but she had long since accepted that she wouldn't be the one having kids with the blond model.

Adrien mumbled something under his breath but she didn't catch it. Instead she smiled into her empty apartment and tried to forget the heavy undertones. "Anyway, enough about boring old Logan from Econ. Tell me about your day. I've missed intelligent conversation."

There was still a tense atmosphere around them. But Adrien took up her request and began to tell her about a humorous incident that had occurred during his Astrophysics class.

She shrugged off the awkwardness and laughed at the appropriate times.

II.

She was working late in the studio, trying to finish her project before its due date at the end of the week. Most of the lights were dimmed and she was almost positive there was only one other student left in the building.

Marinette's phone chimed and she spared it a quick glance as her scissors precisely snipped at the pink fabric. Her conversation with Adrien popped up.

Adrien:

I'm going to be there in five .

Her metal scissors clattered to the desk.

Marinette:

What? Where?

Y?

Adrien?

Relax Mari, I know ur in the middle of a designing session, and u never eat

I brought chinese

Its still warm

Bless u

I could literally kiss u rn

What have i done to deserve u as my friend

I didnt even kno i was hungry until u mentioned food

Geez Mari its just food

Also

Im here

And the door is locked so let me in cause its freezing

She ran to the front of the building and ignored the way the winter wind rushed through the doors when she unlocked them.

Marinette hugged Adrien tightly and squished his cold cheeks with her hands. "It really is cold." Then smirking, she wrapped her hands around the warm bag of takeout and snatched it out of his arms.

"I'm starving."

As she turned away, she swore she could almost hear Adrien's jaw drop. "Um, rude much? I think you meant 'Adrien is my savior and I will love him forever because he brought me food'. I just traveled through below freezing weather with Chinese takeout and I don't even get a thank you from the great Marinette Croissant Dupain-Cheng?" His tone was teasing though and his long legs soon fell into step beside her.

Her stomach flip-flopped but she chalked it up to her hunger. "That's not my middle name."

He laughed.

They soon made it back to her studio and placed the food on one of the unused tables. As she opened the box of stirfry, Adrien plopped down into a chair and kicked his legs up. "It's so much warmer in here, thank god."

Marinette laughed. "I keep the temperature high cause I get cold so easily."

"I know." He grinned at her and grabbed a spring roll with his hand.

They ate in companionable silence, the food and the company keeping their insides warm.

"Thank you for this. You really didn't need to." Marinette looked up at her friend once she was finished with wiping her mouth. "It's late and you probably need to get back."

Adrien was giving her an odd look. "Don't thank me Mari. I really wanted to. Besides, what are best friends for?"

Smirking, she lifted an eyebrow. " Best friends? Has Alya challenged you to a duel yet for that title?"

"She has, multiple times, but we never get around to it. However, seeing as I am the one who brought you food at 11pm on a Wednesday, I think I've won."

She rolled her eyes. "You're a dork."

"Ah, but I'm your dork." He speared another dumpling.

III.

They were seated across from each other in a nice, but not ostentatious restaurant. Marinette grinned as she finished her salad. "I'm so glad we go on break now. School and work and applying for internships...I'm ready to sleep for the next three weeks."

Adrien laughed. "I'm ready to sleep for the next three years."

Their waiter soon came up and held up a small menu. "Would Monsieur and his girlfriend like anything for dessert?"

Suddenly, Adrien looked incredibly uncomfortable across from her, and Marinette decided to take mercy on him. She knew how it looked, in the ambient lighting with just the two of them dressed nicely, but she smiled at the waiter and laughed a little.

"Oh, Monsieur, we're just friends. Well, he's my best friend. Anyway, we'd love to see the dessert menu."

As she ducked her head to read what the restaurant had in store for them, she missed the look the two men exchanged.

IV.

He held her as she cried into the soft, probably expensive, material of his sweater. In front of them, an opened carton of ice cream and several pastries scattered across the coffee table.

"It's going to be okay Mari, I promise."

Marinette clutched Adrien closer, refusing to lift her face from the safety of his chest. "It's just–I thought we were doing well." Her words were partially muffled, but he understood the gist of it.

"It's not because of you, I'm sure."

He nearly fell back into the cushions of her sofa when her head whipped up angrily. "Really? It's not because of poor, boring old Marinette? Cause last time I checked, HE broke up with ME! Just-Just left me!"

Her face crumpled and she shrunk in on herself. "I never thought that he was the one. But George was funny and sweet and kind, and we got along. And he-he-" She didn't finish her thought.

Adrien handed her some tissues. "Mari, it's going to be okay. We're still young and have plenty of time left in our lives. It's going to be okay," he repeated.

Marinette sniffled. "Is it because of me? Why my relationships never seem to work? Is it really so hard for someone to love me?"

Strong arms wrapped around her. "Marinette Croissant Dupain-Cheng," he said sternly (ignoring her teary snort and habitual 'that's not my middle name you dork'), "Don't you ever tell yourself that. If anyone in this goddamned messed-up world deserves love, it's you. You are the kindest, sweetest, most amazing woman, so who wouldn't love you? Those guys are just idiots."

"You're just saying that. I'll be lucky if a guy ever loves me." Marinette suppressed the rapid fluttering of her heart. He doesn't love-love you, you idiot girl. He loves you like a friend .

Adrien tilted her face up and said earnestly, "I mean it. Any guy who manages to capture your heart is the lucky one, not the other way around."

Overcome with conflicted feelings, Marinette just buried her face back into his chest.

V.

"What's your favorite kind of date?"

Marinette stopped stirring sugar into her coffee for a second to contemplate the odd question.

"I think it would depend on what kind of date."

Adrien blinked. "Like, what would be your ideal first date."

"Nothing too extravagant. Something , and I hate movies as first dates because then you barely get to know the guy anyway."

The little cafe was bustling with students and young adults trying to stay warm and study on the cold winter day. Snowflakes drifted through the air outside the windows.

Adrien took a sip of his tea. She had never seen him drink coffee, and at this point she knew exactly what sort of tea he liked.

"Dinner?"

"Dinner is ok, especially with people you don't know too well, because then you can try to get to know the person. But again, I really don't need extravagant or expensive things too early into a relationship."

"Hmmm, what about ice skating?" He tapped the rim of his cup and stared outside the window.

Marinette shrugged. "I don't know. No one's ever taken me ice skating on a date before."

Adrien looked thoughtful. Marinette took the silence to add a second packet of sugar into her coffee. She took a sip to try it.

"Are kisses too much on the first date?"

Marinette nearly spit out her coffee. Setting her mug down, she gave the man across from her a weird look. "Uh-it depends. Why are you asking me this? Do you have a date soon?"

The question hurt more than it should've. She was totally over him.

( She wasn't.)

The model suddenly looked incredibly shy, and reached up a hand to scratch at his neck. "Uh, well I was hoping to ask this girl I really like out on a date, but I-uh-I actually haven't been on a date before."

Marinette's jaw dropped. Surely after years of being his friend, she would've noticed!

"Wait-what?! I could've sworn that you've been on dates before!"

He chuckled awkwardly. "You might've heard things from Nino or Alya then. You know how those two like to matchmake, and I wasn't really interested in being set up with anyone else, so I fed them lies."

She raised an eyebrow. "Anyone else ?"

Adrien swallowed nervously and dropped his eyes to his tea. "Uh, well, the girl I've been meaning to take out on a date...I've liked her for awhile, but I've been terrified of asking her."

Deep breath Marinette. You're over him. Now go be a supportive friend and help the poor boy.

A darker part of her snarled at the thought of him with another girl.

"I'm sure she must be wonderful. And you shouldn't be scared, if she's amazing enough to catch your eye." She winked.

"I guess." He still hadn't lifted his eyes from his cup.

Marinette grinned. "Christmas is coming up. If you really like this girl. Get her something for Christmas and see how she receives it."

"I've gotten her things for the past four years and she hasn't noticed anything," Adrien was sounding particularly dejected now.

"Four years?" Marinette nearly choked. There had been another significant woman in Adrien's life for four years? "We've been best friends forever and you've never mentioned her! And if she can't see what's right in front of her, then you either need to be more direct or move on!"

She huffed and took a long sip of her drink. Adrien was looking both uncomfortable and panicked now. She sighed and placed a hand on his arm. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm sure you have your reasons for hiding your mystery woman from me."

He bit his lip and finally looked up. "You know what? Let's do something today. I don't have anything scheduled, and I know that you don't have another class this afternoon."

Marinette brightened and mentally thanked him for the subject change. She shouldn't have gotten so intense on him. "That sounds great!"

"I can take you ice skating." He sounded a bit hesitant, making his statement sound a bit like a question.

"Ooh! That sounds so exciting! I used to ice skate when I was younger, but I wasn't exceptionally good at it."

"I'm sure you were great."

Her phone vibrated, and she unlocked it to the contact picture of her and Alya on their graduation date. "Hey, Alya's free too and she wants to hang out. Can I invite her?"

Adrien choked on his tea, spitting some out of the table. "Oh, sure I guess. Are you sure she's actually free? I mean, she's always busy don't you think it's a little weird that she suddenly doesn't have anything to do the same afternoon we're both free?"

Marinette's face brightened up as she quickly texted a reply back to Alya. "Oh it's wonderful! I haven't been able to hang out with you two in forever since we're all so busy, and all of a sudden I can spend the afternoon hanging out with my two best friends! If only Nino was done with his internship in the US."

Marinette jumped and looked up from her phone when Adrien's head hit the table with a thump. Before she could say anything though, he raised a hand.

"I'm totally fine, just give me a moment to mourn."

"Okay...sure…" Marinette giggled a bit in confusion, but ignored him and finished her coffee.

VI.

"So, do you want to go the art exhibit about Chinese fashion together?"

"There's an art exhibit on Chinese fashion?! Oh, can I bring Maman, she would love it!"

A sigh and a nod.

"I was thinking, maybe we should spend more time together, I really enjoy your company."

"Adrien, we've been best friends for awhile, I literally spend more time with you than I do with Alya or my parents. I don't think I have any hours left you clingy cat."

"Right."

"What's your favorite restaurant? I was thinking maybe we could go the week of Christmas to celebrate, just the two of us?"

"Aww that's so sweet of you. I really couldn't ask for a better friend. You're always thinking of me first."

"Yeah…"

"Do you want to go to Mylene and Ivan's engagement party together? They allowed for plus ones."

"Really? I didn't know that. But we both got invitations didn't we? So we can actually bring two more people! Oh, the more the merrier! I can't wait."

Adrien let his head fall to the table. Marinette had seen him do it quite often in the past couple days and she was beginning to worry for his mental state.

VII.

"So I've finally decided on my Christmas present to myself." Marinette declared as she walked into Adrien's flat unannounced and flopped onto his nice white sofa.

"Mari! How many times have I told you to knock! I wasn't prepared for visitors! I–uh, what if I wasn't wearing clothes!" Adrien's startled voice came out of his bedroom, soon followed by Adrien himself wearing a huge, ratty sweater and his glasses.

Marinette laughed and pointed at her eyes. "It's fine. You look cute with your glasses and it's not like I haven't seen them before."

He groaned. Marinette lifted her legs so he could sit down on the opposite end before settling them back down on his lap. "So what was this about your present to yourself?"

"Well, the year is almost over, and I've decided that the best present would be to fix my romantic problems from this year and start over."

Adrien looked confused. "How exactly are you going to do that?"

"Well, I've been kinda miserable this year, after things didn't work out with Logan, then Adam, then George, so I'm going to make myself happy. My present to myself is to not throw myself at any nice guy with a sweet smile and flowers. Cause that never ends well." She closed her eyes for a second.

"I already told Alya this, but saying it out loud more than once is super liberating."

Adrien still looked confused. "So you're not going on dates anymore?"

"Nope, unless I think we really, really, have a chance and that I'll be happy. I don't know, I'm so sick and tired of these endless awkward dates and inevitable break ups when I know there's only one guy out there who will make me ultimately happy."

Last night, as she had gossiped with Alya, she had come to realize that she truly was still in love with Adrien. And that it was okay for her love to be unrequited for now. She had enough faith in fate to believe that someone would be there for her in the end, whether it was Adrien or not.

"One guy?"

She shrugged, "You know, there's this kinda vague notion in my head of this prince charming who will one day sweep me off my feet. As of right now, I know who I like, but it might change, you never know."

"You like someone?"

"Well, I wasn't sure I still liked him until yesterday, but yeah I do. I think I've liked him for a long time, but he definitely doesn't like me back, which is fine, since I'm sure I'll meet someone else one day who is just as good for me."

"Mari," Adrien sounded pained, and Marinette frowned. "I don't think I can do this anymore. I've tried every possible thing, but you still haven't noticed. And now that I know that you like someone…I'm just going to say it, and once you reject me, I'll try to move on and we'll be okay, we'll still be friends."

He sounded like he was just talking to himself at the end.

"Wait, what?" Marinette felt terribly confused.

"I've liked you for years, and I think I might love you, but you don't really seem to notice. In fact, Alya once joked about us being oblivious, but I'm not oblivious to my feelings at all. I've tried to make advances this year, but uh-you keep friendzoning me. So I'm going to state it loud and clear so that I can get a definite answer: I, Adrien Agreste, am absolutely, head-over-heels in love with Marinette Croissant Dupain-Cheng."

So that was how it happened.

The model, in an old sweater and glasses, hair tousled from sleep. The designer, flopped unattractively on a couch, after declaring her decision to give up romantic pursuits. For awhile, the only movement was the falling snow that could be seen through the window.

Marinette blinked.

"No matter how many times you say it, that's not going to be my middle name."

The nervousness and insecurity in his face didn't fade, but a small smirk quirked his lips. "Marinette Macaron Dupain-Cheng. Marinette Eclair Dupain-Cheng. Marinette Palmier Dupain-Cheng. Marinette Profiterole Dupain-Cheng." His face softened, and the insecurity intensified. "Marinette Croissant Dupain-Cheng. I am irrevocably in love with you and your obliviousness. So the sooner you reject me the better for both of us."

Marinette frowned. "Why do you want me to reject you?"

"So that you'll be free to pursue the one you like, who will definitely love you cause what idiot wouldn't, and then I'll have a longer amount of time trying to get over you, which won't happen, but at least I won't think I have a chance."

"You've really been trying to ask me out this entire year?"

"It wasn't working was it? I was scared of losing your friendship, so I didn't want to go the direct way, but now, I think the direct way might be for the best."

Marinette's mouth had dropped open at this point. "This entire year?!"

Adrien nodded. "That is what I just said. Yes."

Marinette closed her eyes. "I need a second."

"Please just look at me Mari. I need you to look at me when you tell me no."

"No, just give me a second."

She then screamed into one of the pillows on the sofa.

"I'm such an idiot!"

"Oka–Wait, what?"

"I've liked you for five years Adrien, five! I'm freaking in love with you! Oh, I'm so stupid! I can't believe I spent the last two years trying to convince myself that I wasn't in love with you. Not like I was good at that either! Because it didn't freaking work, and I'm still in love with you, and frankly this is a mess! And Oh my god, Alya knew didn't she that sneaky fox, I'm going to skin her alive, And–"

A hand covered her mouth, and suddenly Adrien was hovering over her with an amused glint in his eyes.

"I'm glad you weren't good at it."

"Mufphh?" She mumbled through his fingers.

"That you weren't good at convincing yourself that you weren't in love with me, because it is rather convenient for me, seeing as I just declared my love for you."

"I hate you."

"You just said you love me."

"Yes, but I also hate you because I thought you were trying to ask another girl out and it made me sad and I ate too many croissants that day you told me."

"But you love me!" He was definitely teasing her now.

"Mmph." A giddy smile was on her face.

It was finally Christmas.

Snow covered the streets, and festive lights winked at them. The stores and restaurants were closed, but people still wandered the streets.

Adrien and Marinette walked, hand-in-hand, around the park.

"You know, Alya's been mysteriously silent."

"I might've yelled at her. She knew we were both in love with each other, and she didn't tell us."

"Maybe it was for the better."

Suddenly, Adrien stopped and turned towards her. He reached into his pocket and took out a bag.

"Marinette, I've never been more sure of something than I am now." He held the bag out to her. "It's not much, but I know you haven't seen your parents recently, so I went and got some pastries from them. There's an assortment inside."

"Oh! Thank you so much! It's perfect. I told you I didn't need extravagant, didn't I?" She moved to hug him, but he caught her arms.

"One more thing. Marinette Croissant Dupain-Cheng, will you do me the pleasure of becoming my girlfriend?"

A second later, he was lying in the snow with an angry girl on top of him. "That's not my name you jerk!"

Then she kissed him.

"Yes, yes, always, yes."