Chapter Text
I.
The red and pink streamers decking the hallways of College Francois Dupont stick out brightly from its pale walls, and the air is buzzing with anticipation and excitement as cards get exchanged and bouquets are given to shocked and delighted rosy faces. Soft music echoes through the school’s PA system, students humming along to love songs with intertwined hands and quiet smiles.
Marinette clutches the letter so tightly the edges of the pink envelope start to wrinkle. She curses softly, smoothing them out in between her fingers, desperately trying to ignore the trembling in her knees and the unpleasant coiling in her stomach.
She sees him sitting across the courtyard, arm draped across Nino’s shoulders, laughing as the sun reflects in his golden hair. His eyes twinkle with unabashed amusement, crinkling at the sides, and Marinette’s heart lurches to her throat, beating wildly as she swallows her anxiety down.
He really is beautiful, Marinette thinks, chewing on her bottom lip and wiping the sweat off one of her hands on her jeans, hoping she doesn’t look as wrecked as she feels. She steels her courage with an unsteady breath.
She’d promised. Not just to Alya and the girls, but to herself. A year is far too long to keep her feelings to herself—she’s burned out her excuses, and she knows that she’ll feel better about it if she simply tells him instead of waiting around for the ‘perfect’ opportunity.
And really, what’s a more perfect time to confess than Valentine’s Day?
If she’s lucky and he feels the same way, then this will be her best Valentine’s Day yet, but if he doesn’t (which Marinette has long braced herself for as the likeliest outcome), then at least she can gorge on the discount chocolate she’ll be able to buy on sale in the next few days to eat her heartbreak away. Either way, it’s pretty much the most optimal time for her to do this.
It doesn’t make the actual confessing part any less nerve-wracking, though.
As if sensing her gaze on him, Adrien’s head snaps up and meets her eyes, his smile widening as he waves her over.
“Marinette!” he calls, standing up and jogging over to her.
Sometimes, she wishes he doesn’t seem so happy to see her, making her stomach erupt in butterflies and hope swell in her chest, because the higher her heart soars, the harder the fall. Marinette isn’t delusional—over the top and a little obsessive, sure—but she knows that the chances of someone like Adrien returning her feelings are slim; she distinctly recalls him telling her about the girl that he loves, but the tiniest spark of hope in her chest refuses to die every time he looks at her like she’s the highlight of his day.
Marinette catches Nino’s eye behind Adrien, who gives her an encouraging thumbs up before scurrying off to where Alya was waiting, and Marinette’s world narrows to just Adrien.
“What’s up?” Adrien asks, tilting his head as he watches her. She clears her throat, willing her trembling to stop.
“Nothing! I-I, uh—” she starts, scrambling for the words she’d rehearsed in the mirror a million times and wincing when they all flee her mind. “I—uh—”
“Is everything alright?” he prods gently, his eyebrows pinching together slightly in worry.
“Yes! Yes, of course! I just need to—well, you know, if you’re not busy, of course; I wouldn’t want to intrude—oh God, you were with Nino, did I intrude? I’m so, so sorry—” she stammers, panic holding her in a vise-like grip.
“Marinette! It’s okay, you didn’t interrupt anything, don’t worry. What did you need to do?” he says, chuckling. He places a hand on her shoulder and draws her nearer. Marinette flinches, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Her heart thuds painfully against her ribcage and her blood is roaring in her ears. The smile slips off of Adrien’s face as he scans hers, pale and clammy as it no doubt is, and it truly hits her that no, no one is going to interrupt her confession.
For a split second, she considers turning around and bolting, which she knows would make her look insane, but it seems like a better option than what’s happening right now.
“Mar, are you sure you’re okay? If you don’t feel well, I can take you to the nurse—"
“Yes! I mean, no! I mean—I just really need to tell you something, Adrien,” she chokes out, and the letter in her hand feels heavy, but Adrien’s eyes only turn curious, waiting for her to continue.
“Yeah?”
“I just… I’ve meaning to tell you something for a long time, and it took a lot of time to gather my courage to do this, so I hope you don’t take it the wrong way.”
Adrien tenses, eyes widening as his eyes flit to his surroundings, taking in the pinks and the reds and heart and cupid bow cut-outs before settling back on Marinette, a deep blush dusting his cheeks.
He’s catching on, Marinette thinks, and her mouth dries, knowing she can’t back off now.
“Adrien, I…”
She hears Adrien’s breath hitch, and his entire demeanor stiffens. Marinette’s heart plummets to the floor, but she chokes out her next words, determined to see this through, no matter how much it hurts.
“I’m not very good with words, but… I wrote everything I wanted to say in this letter,” she holds the sealed envelope out with shaking hands, but Adrien’s hands stay by his side, a stunned, blindsided look on his face.
He doesn’t make any move to take it, so ignoring the stinging in her eyes, Marinette takes a shaky breath and reaches out to take his hand. She wraps the letter in his fingers before pulling away, his fingers gingerly closing around the paper. Adrien stares at it, then back at her, before tucking it close to his chest.
“What—” Adrien asks softly, wide-eyed and breathless. “What are you trying to tell me, Marinette?”
His expression, as unreadable as it is, tells her that he already knows, but he wants to hear her say the words.
“Adrien… I’m in love with you.”
~*~
Kim is having a fantastic Valentine’s Day, thank you very much.
Ondine is sitting under the shade of the tree in the courtyard, looking absolutely gorgeous. She’s smiling down at the bouquet of sunflowers he bought her (well, okay, that Alix forced him to buy after she’d smacked him in the head for wanting to give Ondine a pint of ice cream, but hey, give him a break, he doesn’t know what girls like), then she handed him a wrapped package that contained the brand-new swim goggles he’d been wanting for the last month.
He presses a kiss on her cheek before grinning and trying the goggles on. His vision tints blue, and he stands in front of Ondine and puffs his chest out.
“How do I look, babe? Super manly, right?”
Ondine stifles her giggles, nodding. Kim beams, stomach erupting in a whirl of flutters, flexing his bicep.
Yep, so much better than last year’s Valentine’s.
“Very, Kimmy. You look incredibly—”
“Pathetic,” someone interjects, startling both of them to attention. Kim whips around to find Chloe leering at the display, and immediately, Kim’s hackles rise.
“Excuse me?” Ondine asks, eyes flashing with defiance that makes Kim’s heart skip.
“You heard me. Pathetic. You’re acting like your little boytoy right here wasn’t groveling at my feet for me to give him a chance just a year ago. Too bad I don’t associate myself with rabble like you.”
“Leave us alone, Chloe,” Kim says, clenching his fists at his sides as Chloe gives him a smug smirk. “That was a horrible lapse in judgment, and you humiliated me that day.”
Chloe quirks an eyebrow, crossing her arms. She looks past him, and he shields Ondine from whatever tirade Chloe has planned.
“Not like you didn’t deserve it, you big, dumb oaf.”
“You’re a stuck-up, spoiled brat who hides behind her Daddy’s money, Bourgeois, and you damn well know it!” Ondine spits behind him, and Chloe gasps in outrage before huffing, rolling her eyes.
“Whatever,” she replies, examining her nails with fake interest, a steely glint in her eyes that has Kim tensing. “I just find it incredibly fitting that you two got together in the end. The airhead and the second choice.”
Chloe flashes them a smile that’s all teeth, seemingly satisfied with what she’s done before stalking off to ruin someone else’s day.
Kim takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, only to feel his anger return twofold when he sees Ondine’s crestfallen expression.
“You… never told me you asked her out,” she says quietly, not quite meeting his eyes.
Kim grasps her hands, squeezing them tightly.
“I didn’t think it mattered, okay, I’m sorry. That was before. I chose you, okay, I like you, babe.”
Ondine flinches at the nickname, and Kim wants to find Chloe and throw hands, regardless of how powerful her father is.
“I… guess so.” Even as she says it, she still keeps her eyes trained on the ground, Kim knows she doesn’t believe him. She pulls away and just as he was about to pull her into a hug, the bell rings.
“Hey, we’re still going out for dinner later, right, babe?”
“I—yeah, of course, Kim.” Ondine replies, turning his back against him, and Kim’s heart squeezes painfully; she didn’t call him by his nickname. “I have to get to class, I’ll see you later.”
She hastily picks up her bouquet before hurrying away, not once looking back at Kim.
Kim slumps down to the foot of the tree, concern replaced with his boiling anger for ruining their Valentine’s Day and for upsetting Ondine. She was never his second choice, but Chloe had a way of taking everyone’s insecurities and rubbing them in so hard it hurts. He may not have much knowledge when it comes to what girls find romantic, but he knows he cares for Ondine more than anyone and tries his best to show her. And now Chloe’s ruined that, too.
God, Kim never realized he could hate someone so viscerally until now.
He grits his teeth, the sharp pain of his fingernails digging into his palm the only thing that grounds him and preventing him from giving her a piece of his mind. He pries his fists open, carding his hands through his hair to calm himself down, but it does nothing to stop the fire roiling in his gut. He wanted Chloe gone.
Dark Cupid, I am Shadowmoth.
Kim’s eyes snap open, seeing the telltale neon violet light at the edges of his vision. But he was too angry to care.
A poor boy whose relationship is in tatters because of one stuck-up brat.
Tatters? Him and Ondine? No, this is just a fight. And it wasn’t even his fault! All couples go through that; Alix told him so! They’ll be okay…
…right?
Don’t you just want to break hearts? Don’t you want others to feel the hatred you’re feeling, too?
But Ondine wouldn’t look at him. She didn’t call him by his nickname. His heart clenches at the thought of them breaking up.
Chloe. This is all that bitch’s fault.
I can give you the power to spread your hatred, Dark Cupid. All I ask in return is Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous.
He’ll make her pay. And Kim will make sure it’ll hurt.
Do you accept?
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Shadowmoth.”