"Dear Austin Tomassian, your ass is out of this fucking world!"

Marc couldn't help but laugh a bit before looking back down in his journal, wearing a contemplative expression as he chewed on his pencil. 'It's not too late to back out.'

"Cosette! Give me that!" Jean attempts to snatch the pink sheet of paper out of their hand, but Denise hefts him over their shoulder. "Denise! You traitor!" The bodybuilder only snickers as Cosette continues to write the obscene letter.

"Thank you, Denise, my love," they said in a posh voice. "Now where was I? Ah, yes." Cosette cackled then continued to write. "Your thighs are God-sent! I would very much love to be crushed by them until I am nothing but... Hm... Nothing but what?"

Ismael snickers. "Nothing but a mass of flesh and crushed bones! Put that down, put that down!"

"You people are a menace! I just said he looked good in those shorts!" Jean screamed as he writhed in Denise's hold, but they weren't letting him down any time soon, not when the class was on a roll today! After all, Valentine's Day is when single friends can poke fun at each other for being single, gorge on chocolates, and write crude cards they'll never send out... Well, that last part might just be their class.

Simon adds while looking down at his phone, "Don't forget to describe how thick his thighs are." Out of defeat, Jean went limp in Denise's hold, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop them from writing. The only good thing about this is knowing Tomassian will never see that note. They always make sure to dispose of the "love letters" so they will never be seen again.

Cosette reads over the letter, putting on a serious, thoughtful expression while doing so. "Yes, yes. I think we truly captured the essence of a disaster pansexual simping after an asshole's hot thighs. Okay, Denise, set him down." The Cuban complied, and Jean quickly snatched the letter and crumpled it into a ball. "Damn, not even five seconds."

"Ya'll are some jerks." Jean gives the paper ball an extra tight squeeze, waning the paper to be so wrinkled the words will be unreadable. "Now I can't compliment a guy without you all going completely insane."

"Face it." Lacey slings an arm around him. "You, my friend, are the class simp now and forever." Jean poked at the shorter girl's sides as his classmate's laughed. You get Akumatized, take one of your classmates out on a date one time, go ballistic, and suddenly, you're the 'Class simp,' a title Jean preferred rather than the ones he was dreading to be given when he returned to class two days after his Akumatization into Magician of Misfortune.

Jean was utterly mortified when the details came back to them and they couldn't face their classmates the next morning. So they took a brief mental health break. The thespian wanted no more than to stay home or even switch schools, but they couldn't leave their friends or go without looking Marc in the eye and telling him they were sorry. After two days of staying home and contemplating what to do, Jean went back to class and was met with the usual kind expressions of their classmates.

No one was laughing at him for that failed confession, his classmates weren't glaring at him for nearly killing a fellow student in a jealous rage, Marc wasn't running away in terror at the sight of him. Everything seemed... Okay. Before he could even begin to apologize to Marc, the noirette got up and wrapped him in his arms, telling him it was okay. Apparently, Ikati Black dropped by his house after he was de-akumatized and explained Monarc's Envy-Akuma was the cause of Jean's hostility. Besides, they know Jean isn't the jealous type, and would never dream of putting his friends in danger.

So, they chalked it up as, 'Blame Monarch,' and things continued as they were... Until Marc brought up Jean's crush on him one day in private. The thespian knew they weren't getting out of this, but he was thankful it was only Marc talking to him about it and not the entire class, though, they probably understood this was a private matter... It went fine, Jean didn't get Akumatized due to Marc not returning his feelings, they stayed friends, and the two went about their day. There were a few awkward moments afterward, but things will get better with time.

And as for why no one was laughing at Jean, if one were to ask Aurore, she'll tell you she and her parasol had nothing to do with it.

"Hey, don't blame me for admiring quality shorts," Jean retorts before tossing the crumpled note into a recycling bin. "Now, enough of that. I'd like to hear everyone's Valentine's Day plans! Dish!"

"Mi amor is taking me for a romantic picnic." Denise pulls Simon in for a hug while the redhead was on his phone. But, he took a break just to kiss them. "You're gonna love my dress." Simon's face turned a bright shade of red at the thought of Denise in a flowing sun dress with matching sandals and a shimmering pair of earrings.

Reshma cooed. "You need to tell us all the details after and then show me your outfit! Ismael, Marinette, Alix, Jean, and I are going for an 'Aro Spec Outing.' Basically, we will be buying all of the chocolates we can get our hands on, watch couples, and then watch the least romantic movie we can find at my place."

"And I intend to be the ultimate anti-thesis of this holiday," Ismael declared, earning a nudge on the shoulder from Jean. "Well, I do. I radiate Aromantic energy! I'm chaotic, loud, and short!"

"So is Alix," Jean reminds him. "Face it, you have competition. And while you two possibly tear each other up on who radiates the most badass aromantic energy, my fellow demisexual demi-goddesses and I will be looking fabulous as fucking always in our matching crop tops."

Ismael scoffed. "Keep your precious crop tops! I'll suffer under the weight of my hoodie!"

"Ismael, no wearing hoodies in this weather," Mme. Mendeleive chided on her way into the classroom, carrying a smaller stack of papers today as it was a holiday. "Now, since it is Valentine's Day, I figured the lesson today should be on the hormones that cause most humans to develop romantic feelings.

"Way to stick to the theme," Mireille commended with a giggle.

While walking past her friend, Cosette can't help but take a little peek at what he's writing his journal and smirks when she recognizes it as a poem. A love poem by the looks of it. "What hormones make you attracted to redheads in purple pants?" Cosette cackled, making him hide his face behind his bag. The purple-haired teacher gave a fond roll of her eyes. "Ah, you love me."

"Alright, I'll bite. Having boy troubles, Marc?"

"N-no! It's just... Something I'm working on, that's all," he mumbled, but neither his friends nor teacher looked convinced. "... It's nothing serious! I'm just asking if he wants to hang out, or... Something."

"You write so well, yet talk so weird," Lacey commented. "Alright, during study hall, we'll see what you got so far. And if it's good, you can give it to him. But if it's terrible, we will scold you and dub you 'Bad gay.'" Marc's eyes grew wide with her words.

Aurore squeezed his shoulder. "She doesn't mean that."

"Oh, I do."

💔🦋

"Now everyone, what have we learned simply by breaking down the context of the classic fairytales we've read these past two weeks?" Mme. Bustier was thrilled to see so many hands shoot up. She points to Reshma.

"Men with a high social standing asserted their dominance by kissing young unconscious girls without their consent," she explained, earning a thumbs up from Lacey and a 'Nice one,' nudge in the shoulder courtesy of Ismael. "Because, as I said, they were unconscious."

Denise snaps their fingers. "Facts. Also, if you wanna get all mushy, I guess it's that 'true love' as they called it, can overcome all... Yadda, yadda, yadda, and love conquers hate, which, I'd love to believe, but check out the world we're living in, people."

"Both of you are correct," the teacher confirmed. "There are different ways to break down these stories. Some might see them as romantic, while others only find them quite disturbing and for legitimate reasons. I know I said you didn't have to, but have any of you read the original Sleeping Beauty?" The few students who dared to nodded with clear looks of discomfort. "What that Prince did? Unforgivable."

Before she could go into another rant, the bell rang for study hall and the students gathered their belongings.

"Now, since today is a holiday, there won't be any homework. I'm sure quite a few of you have plans." Seeing Denise and Simon giggling like typical schoolchildren in love, Caline smiled. 'I'm glad some people understand romance.'

💔🦋

"... It's too much, isn't it?"

The other students, which looked creepy to some, looked up at the green-eyed boy at the same time and wore the exact same unreadable facial expressions. They just stared at him for a moment before looking back down at what he had written in his journal.

"... Marc," Jean finally says. "Th-this isn't a normal note you just pass to someone asking if they wanna hang out. I mean... Oh my God, this is a legit love note. And it's beautiful. I-I mean... Lacey, help me."

"It's fucking poetry," she puts it simply. "And you're doing more than just asking him to hang out- Listen to this. 'Your hair like a candle's flame lights up my day. Your crystal blue eyes leave me stunned with nothing to say. Your voice is like a song, an unforgetful tune. Your smile shines so bright that it makes me swoon. When I got to know you, all I could do was pine, and I am hoping today you will say yes and be mine.'" Aurore and Jean swoon. "Marc, this is like one of the most romantic pieces of poetry in our generation. I-I mean... Right, guys?!"

Ismael nods. "Oh, hell yeah. Even I'd say yes to a date with you."

"Marc, I don't know what was going on through your head, but this is a full-on love letter," Simon adds, giving the noirette a gentle look only reserved for Denise and his family. "Like, seriously, this is beautiful."

"Think it's too much?" He asked, suddenly tensing up. Marc hadn't meant for the letter to sound like that. The week before Valentine's Day, he was in his room, thinking of Nathaniel... His cute smile, that soft voice, those kind eyes, the way he sticks his tongue out a bit when he's concentrating on a sketch... Then suddenly, there were words on the paper. "I-I don't want to scare him off!"

"Scare who off?" The group turns and sees Marcelle just making her way into the library with her messenger bag decorated with Valentine's Day-themed pins. "What's up, ya'll?" She takes the empty seat next to her brother and looks around at the table in confusion. "And, why is everyone but you sitting on one side?" Simon passes her the love letter, making Marc try to grab at the letter until she grips his wrists in one hand. "Let's see... Oh... Oh my God, bro. Okay, Nath is gonna love this."

Cosette snorts, "He's not going to give it to him. Apparently, Marc was just trying to ask if he wanted to hang out but ended up pouring his emotions out. Now he's trying not to scare him off, but between us? I think Nath might like this letter." The others lean in, asking them to elaborate. "Alright, well Nath's pretty into romantic gestures and junk, don't ask how I know," they quickly add. "But, he would probably love something like this. Of course, it's your choice whether or not you'll tell him, but I'm just saying."

Marcelle hands Marc his letter, and he looks down at it with a contemplative look, wondering whether or not he should give the letter to the redhead. After all, there's the chance Nathaniel might not even return his feelings, this was all for nothing, and he'll never want to see him again!... Wow, this must be how Jean felt. Before he could mull it over some more, Marcelle wrapped him in for a side hug.

"You got this, brother," she assured. "Either give him the note and become boyfriends, or don't give him the note, ask him to hang out, and see where that goes."

"... Thanks, Marcy," he smiled and returned the hug.

"And if you end up dating," Ismael interrupts. "I call being the third wheel on your first date."

💔🦋

"Velma, for the last time, you're asking the wrong girl about romance," Marinette huffed. "My last crush was when I was eleven, and it was on Mr. Rogers for Christ's sake!"

Max and Nino resist the urge the laugh, knowing it would be the end of them. "Mr. Rogers?" Nino squeaked while trying to suppress a laugh.

Marinette points to him. "Shut it, Shaggy, adults are talking. Also, Mr. Rogers is a fucking treasure in a red sweater, don't you even. Now back to you." She points to Max. "I know little to nothing about courting someone, so the most I can do for you is give you affirmations, slap you across the face if you start spiraling, and tell you your outfit is perfect." Noticing his collar looked a little skewed, Marinette straightens it and brushes some lint off of his red jacket. "Okay, now it's perfect. The rest is up to you, Max."

"But I can't!" He suddenly blurted, startling his friends. "I keep thinking of all of the ways this could go wrong, and it is messing with my head! There's a thirty-five percent chance Kim won't like my gift, a twenty-one percent chance he won't be Pont des Arts for his after-school run, and a dreadful fifty-seven percent chance that Monarch will pull his BS and Akumatize someone!"

"Max!" The young genius' spiraling came to an end with a quick slap across the face from Marinette while Nino tried to calm him down. "Chill! Breathe! Think!... Actually, don't think. Anyway, Kim is the sweetheart of this group, this we all know. I'm the fun one, you're the smart one, and Marinette's the little demon on our shoulders."

"It's true."

Nino continues, "And I know my man. You two have been bros for years and have seen each other through it all. Remember when you two were nine?"

Oh yes, he does. It was a free day for their class and Max was minding his own business by the swings, building his first robot. It had taken a while, but he found all of the necessary parts and appliances and was using every free moment to work on it. This wasn't going to be anything fancy, just a little remote-controlled robot, but Max was proud of his work... Or he was until Rafael poured water from his thermos all over his creation, and in addition, him.

The young genius refused to cry, especially in front of the classroom bully almost as terrible as Chloe, but the tears came and Rafael got some members of his jerk entourage to mock him. Max was about to run away to save himself from further ridicule when out of nowhere, this blur of red came and shoulder-rammed Rafael into the sandbox. Max watched with a well-deserved smile as Rafael got sand in his mouth and down his pants before running back inside a blubbering mess.

The kid in red scared off Rafael's friends, and it was just the two of them by the swings at the moment. And the rest after their encounter was just all bliss for Max, really. He can't exactly pinpoint when his crush on Kim started, but he knows it had to be before they started going to DuPont and that "admiration" wasn't actually admiration at all.

"Now go!" Nino shouted, rousing Max from his memories. "Adhhab ya sahi! Confess to your man!"

"I-I'm going! No need to- Hey!" He yelps when Marinette starts pushing him down the sidewalk. "Is the pushing necessary? I know the way to the bridge."

"Pushing is always necessary! And if you don't leave right now before this minute is up, you'll miss him," she reasoned, and how could Max possibly argue with that logic when he, Nino, and Marinette spent three days planning this out? Along with timing Kim's route, Nino helped Max pick out a perfect gift, Marinette helped put together a casual yet formal outfit, and now he was ready... Sort of. "Hurry! I gotta meet up with the other Aros so we can steal everyone's chocolate!"

"... Do we call the police?" Alya wondered as the three passed by her and Adrien. The blonde only shrugged and the two continued their way down the sidewalk, chalking it off as a round of out-of-school shenanigans for the friend group. "So, you get any candy and cards from crazy fangirls yet?" To this, Adrien responded with a long-suffering sigh. "I'll take that as a yes, then. Man, just be lucky they haven't sent you their panties."

Adrien groaned. "I don't like that word!"

"Panties?" The creole girl smirked when he hid his face behind his hands and screamed. "It's so easy to mess with you, blondie," she laughed. Adrien frowned, and in response, she leaned against his shoulder in a friendly manner. "Look, I'll help you sort through those so-called gifts and, we'll gorge on the chocolate that probably hasn't been drugged, and watch some horror movies like single people. What do you say?"

He didn't need any time to think it over. "Deal. But be warned, a lot were sent two days in advance." Off her horrified expression, he nodded. "Yeah, that's the price when you just look this good. 'Tis a curse," he lamented dramatically. Alya flicks the side of his head, making the blonde lightly slap her hand away.

"But, really, Adrien," Alya said, her voice turning serious. "I get you're a big celebrity and all that, there's always going to be your admirers going on about how much they "love you," but... What exactly do they write? Are the letters usually tame, downright creepy...? I wanna be prepared for what I'm about to see."

Adrien was quiet for a while, and Alya worried she might have brought up a bad memory. But he sucked in a breath and told her, "The creepiest one I got was when I was ten."

"What?!" Alya asked, freaked out. "Wh-what did it say?"

"Nothing inappropriate, just some lady claiming that I'm her son because we have the same eyes, and-"

"Adrien, that is definitely inappropriate-!" She closes her eyes and holds her hands up for a moment. After taking a deep breath, Alya continued, calmer this time, "Adrien some woman who thinks you're her son got your address and sent you a letter claiming you as her son... Again, that's inappropriate and terrifying. I... I gotta burn the creepy letters up when we get to your place, alright?"

He chuckles. "That was the plan."

💔🦋

"You there, dude?"

"You didn't chicken out, did you?"

Max rolled his eyes at Nino's comment. As tempting as it was to hang up, he'll admit, Nino and Marinette are good moral support... When they want to be. They're like older siblings to him, always teasing and poking fun at his expense especially when it comes to crushes, but it's all in good fun. "I'm still here, Nino. Kim should be nearing the bridge in one minute and fifteen seconds."

"Max, I hear the fear in your voice," Marinette tells him. "You've got this, alright? Just be your charming nerdy self, give Kim his gift, and you're good! Now, I've gotta go," she hastily said before Max could thank her. "Gotta change into my green outfit, meet up with the other Demigods by the candy shop, and buy all of the chocolates we can fit in our hands!" Nino laughed on the other line. "Don't go into a gay panic, love you, byeeee!"

And Max could hear her footsteps becoming fainter as she ran off.

"Don't worry, bro, I'm here."

Max smiled. "I appreciate it, Nino- Oh, Lord, not now," he groaned, worrying the other boy.

"What is it? An Akuma?"

He scoffed. "I wish. It's Chloe."

"What?! She shouldn't be there! Chloe always goes to the mall on Valentine's Day for those sales on perfume and shit; she should be in her limo right now!"

Shushing him, Max whispered, "Okay, maybe if I don't look at her, she won't notice me and go away. Hopefully, before Kim arrives." He turns around and leans over the railing, pretending to be a regular everyday person by the Pont des Arts, just looking at the city. He tenses a bit when he hears the familiar click of the spoiled girl's heels against the floor and silently prays to whoever might be listening that she won't notice him.

And it would seem his prayers have been answered because Chloe's too busy looking down at her phone. But before he could let out a breath of relief, at the worst possible moment, Kim arrived eighteen seconds early and hollered his name with a wave, catching Chloe's unwanted attention.

"... Shit."

Chloe spun on her heel and Max felt himself going pale when he saw the smirk she would always wear right before she ruined someone's life. "Max! Fancy seeing you here. Waiting for a certain someone? What? Did you make another lame robot to be your boyfriend?" As she let out a laugh that sounded more like a witch's cackle, Max murmured some unsavory things under his breath.

"Cram it, Bourgeois!" Kim thundered in Max's defense. Paying no mind to Chloe's sputtering from being addressed that way, he slings an arm around Max. "He doesn't need a robot, because any guy would be lucky enough to be asked out by him. You, on the other hand? It's gonna take a team of the world's brightest robotists to create a robot that can stand to even be near you."

Max tried not to blush and tells him, "The word is 'roboticists'."

"My point still stands." Ever since the incident during parents' day, Chloe and her father were on slowly thinning ice, and the students were becoming bolder around her as a result. Parents were making calls to their friends and colleagues outside of the city, some of whom are very invested in politics, and let them know what went down last week in Paris. Probably the entire city saw the video when Rogercop made his announcement, and many were not happy with what they saw. What kind of decent man would threaten the jobs of innocent people and allow his daughter to threaten her classmates with his political power?

People were now calling for re-elections and those who had run against the Mayor not too long ago talked about running for office again after the video surfaced. Max thought it seemed a bit too hasty as it's only been a week, but he supposed the possible future candidates would be better suited for the position of Mayor. One woman's campaign is centered around clean energy and making it so the buses in Paris are electric.

The blonde girl huffed and was about to retort until she noticed a small red box in Max's hand. While he wasn't looking, she snatched the box.

"HEY!"

"Max? What's happening?" He heard Nino ask, but he focused more on getting the box back. "I'm coming there, man!"

"Knowing your subway worker for a mother's salary," And if that didn't piss Max off... "It's probably more worthless than that tacky jacket Dupain-Cheng picked out." ... It was when she tossed it to the ground, that Max heard something shatter. "The poor loser will probably be thanking me for this when or if he does show up. Now he won't be forced to look at whatever you picked out."

Kim was boiling with rage by that point. His dad always told him not to hit girls, but his mom said it was okay especially if a girl hit him first... He would have gone with his mother's words, but not while Chloe still had some sway. So, a verbal attack it is.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO, CHLOE?!"

... That wasn't him

They turn their heads to where they heard the thundering voice and found Nino of all people. For those who knew the bespectacled boy, this is a shock since he never raises his voice, opting for silent anger so he doesn't worry about upsetting anyone by yelling, but today was an exception. He stormed over to Chloe and before she could get a word in, he points his finger in front of her face as she usually does with others. "You miserable little-! What gives you the fucking right to come in when you're never welcome and just ruin everything for everyone?! What?! Do you get a sick kick out of seeing people cry, or something?!"

Cry? Kim looked down and his breath hitched when he saw a tear streaming down the side of Max's face. 'Oh, hell no.' He pulls the shorter boy in for a hug and leads him away just a bit from Nino and Chloe. Because if they attract an Akuma, he wants to make sure Max has a headstart when it comes time to run.

"It is nobody's fault but yours that you're just plain terrible and that's why nobody gave you a Valentine!"

Chloe looked aghast and whipped out her phone. "Not true! My Adrikins signed a poster professing his love for me, and-"

"Chloe..." Nino lifts up his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I was right outside the classroom when he told you to take a hike." All of the color seemed the drain from his face. "And don't think I didn't see you sign that damn poster yourself right before demanding that Sabrina lug it all the way to your hotel room! My God! Is that why you're bitter? The little fantasy you created where Adrien worships the ground you walk on doesn't exist so you just have to make everyone else miserable? Fuck, that says a lot about you! And..." He suddenly went rigid.

Before Chloe could take the opportunity to retort, her eyes shot wide open and she took off screaming when she saw the familiar butterfly-shaped outline over Nino's face. Kim and Max followed suit in the other direction when Nino agreed to Monarch's terms. Although, Kim was doing most of the running as he was practically dragging Max away from the Akuma before he saw them.

But, so had had an idea of who to look for just in case the Akuma could blend in easily, Kim stole a quick glance and saw that this Akuma had big black wings. That sure made things easy on how to spot him. However, catching him would be a little tricky.

"Okay," the jock panted as he came to a stop in an alley, much to Max's relief. "This should be fine... Sorry for dragging you-"

"It's fine," Max said as he wiped away a stray tear. "Th-thanks for your help back there with Chloé."

Kim messed with his hoodie sleeve. "Ah, I think Nino deserves the credit there. You know, once Ikati Black and Scarlet Beetle help him," he adds uneasily. "I... I'm going to... Try and talk him down."

Max gawked. "What?! Kim, are you sure? You don't know what Nino's capable of now while as an Akuma." A scream from not too far away only proves his point. While that does give him an opportunity to transform, Max doesn't want Kim possibly risking his life because of a stupid confession that just had to be on Valentine's Day! But, with a little physical prodding from Plagg, he relents. "Be careful, please?"

Kim smiled at the concern. "I'll be alright, bud." And with a quick hug, he was gone.

"Kid, what is up with humans and romance?" Plagg bemoaned while Max tried to push down his current feelings. "It was way simpler when guys would just kill an animal and they'd have their pick of women... And sometimes in private, guys." And if Max were drinking something at that moment, he'd spit it out. "Now it's all needing to make some big gesture."

"This is different, Plagg," he sighed. "I get where you're coming from, I was never one for grand gestures, either, but... I'm not sure. Today, I figured one was needed." Seeing Plagg give a dramatic sigh and eye roll helped him to smile a little bit. "We can talk about this later. Scarlet's probably waiting. Plagg, Claws Out."

💔🦋

"Wings Down." Nathaniel made his way out of the alley while licking a candy apple, looking innocent enough. "Wasn't like I had anyone to spend Valentine's Day with, anyway," he said to himself.

"What about Alix?" Nooroo wondered. The Kwami was sitting in his holder's jacket pocket and scrolling through his phone. He had just discovered Tumblr and was already obsessed with these 'memes.'

Nathaniel hummed to himself. "I was thinking more romantically. Plus, she's causing chaos with the other aromantics. So, I'll probably just head to the diner; mom usually needs more help during Valentine's Day because of all the couples that come in."

Nooroo only nodded, still so invested with memes and something called a 'Gif.' But, he just couldn't help asking, "Why didn't you ask Marc if he'd like to hang out today?" Feeling the redhead tense up, the Kwami smirked. That online friend group quiz was right, he is a gremlin. "So?..."

"W-well... I just haven't... Run into him so I could ask," he explained skittishly, and it wasn't a total lie since he really hasn't seen or run into Marc today. He felt a strange combination of relief and disappointment, but it spared him the embarrassment, so he was more relieved. "Besides, you think he wants anyone asking him out after that bs I pulled with Magician of Misfortune? I bet he's turned down at least five people."

"Someone thinks highly of him," Nooroo sang. While Nathaniel sputtered, he was now checking out the posts with 'Monarch' as a tag... And maybe it's a good thing Nathaniel hasn't seen these yet. They're not negative, just odd. The art is mostly him holding or flirting with different people, and him in different noble outfits Nooroo recognizes from when he was active during the Middle Ages.

"H-hey, Nathaniel," he heard. Deciding he's had enough screen time, Nooroo turns off the phone and listens closely through the pocket's fabric.

"Hey, Marc. Um... Happy Valentine's Day," he said awkwardly and only made it worse for himself when he shoots an unsure finger gun. 'Stupid bisexuality!' "What uh... Any- I... What's up?" And... Crash and burn. Not even a minute has gone by and Marc is looking anywhere but him. He should write a book, 'How to Scare Off a Cute Person.' Now if only he were good at writing.

Marc bit his lip and all Nathaniel could think was, 'Why do I find that attractive?! What's wrong with me?!' "I just, um..." He looks off to the side again, and Nathaniel noticed. Before he could take a look, Marc continued, "I-I was wondering if you'd like to maybe..." His eyes suddenly shot open. "LOOK OUT!"

"What?" Nathaniel yelps as he's pushed out of the way, nearly falling to the ground if he hadn't caught his balance. Looking up, he gasps when he sees a black arrow lodged in Marc's shoulder before it disappeared. "No," he whispered when the other boy's light pink lips turned pitch black.

He rushes to Marc's side, as do some of his classmates and his sister. Where did they come from? He doesn't know, and doesn't care, because right now, Marc was just shot by one of Anti-Eros hate arrows!... Wow, that's a mouthful.

He takes his hand, hoping for a reaction. "Marc? Are you okay?" And he gets one, just not one he prefers. Nathaniel winced a bit as his hand was crushed in the noirette's surprisingly tight grip. "Wh-what are you- OKAY! SOMETHING CRACKED!"

"Oh, I'll be fine," Marc hissed, startling everyone. "JUST AS SOON AS YOU GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, YOU TWERP!" Before one of them could blink, Nathaniel was slammed into a wall and boxed in by Marc's hands on either side of his head. The look in his normally kind green eyes sent a shiver down Nathaniel's spine; they were filled with nothing but hate and anger.

"Marc," Marcelle squeaked. "J-just chill out, bro. Let's not do something we'll regret later."

The noirette ignored her reasoning and continued to glare at the redhead with all of the hate in his body. "When I let you go, you better get running in the next ten seconds, or I will jam one of my fucking pens through your neck, yank it out, and then finger-fuck the hole!" For emphasis, he holds up two fingers to Nathaniel's face, making him gulp and wrap a hand around his neck as if that'll protect him.

Marcelle and his friends, meanwhile, could only stare at the green-eyed boy with their mouths hung open for that graphic statement. Even Cosette looked horrified, and it thrived on creative threats and insults.

"... Holy fuck, dude," it finally uttered.

When Marc stepped to the side, Nathaniel wasted no time making a break for it. And if anyone saw him crying, there's the excuse that he twisted his ankle while running.

💔🦋

"Scarlet?!" Ikati Black called out for the tenth time after he's left three voicemails on Scarlet Beetle's phone. Still nothing, and he was getting more worried by the minute, especially since he couldn't find Anti-Eros, and no one would be of any help to him, because they hate him, everyone, and everything! Ikati Black was about to call again until he remembered the trackers on their phones.

"Can't believe I forgot about this," he murmured while tapping a few buttons on his staff. On the screen appeared two icons, one black, and one red. With this, they can track any active Miraculous Holder, but only if they sync their phones, so there was no chance of them finding Monarch, and they have tried.

And according to the tracker, Scarlet Beetle is... Right on top of him. Quirking an eyebrow, Ikati Black has no time to react when he's suddenly tackled to the ground by a blur of black and red. The impact made his glasses crack a bit, but he could still see. And what he saw was Scarlet Beetle with a crazed look in his eyes and blackened lips stretched into a maniacal grin.

Ikati Black struggled under his partner. "Scarlet! What the fuck?! G-get off of me!" He screamed.

"Why should I?" Even his voice sounded wrong. He seized the other hero's throat and chuckled as he began to cough from a lack of air. "With you out of the way, maybe I can find a better partner. One less WEAK!" He lifts Ikati Black up off the ground and flings him off the side of the roof so he lands in the alley with a crash.

"Shit," Ikati Black hissed as he staggered back to his feet. "What's gotten into him?"

"Anti-Eros." The hero reached for his staff, only to calm down when he saw it was only Nathaniel sitting behind some old bins. "It's his power- He fires an arrow at you, th-then you only feel hate and anger. It's fucking terrifying. On my way over here, I-I saw a woman beat her husband with his own shoe. And then she stole his wallet before kicking him and then just running off laughing like a maniac."

Ikati Black shuddered with his words. "Jesus. Wait, what are you doing here?"

"Well-" Suddenly, he jolts when he spots something. Nathaniel grabs Ikati Black's wrist and pulls him behind the bins with him. He puts a finger up to his lips before he could ask anything.

"Nathan," they both heard Marc croon as he walked by the alley. "Come on, I just wanna talk." The hero's fake ears picked up a distinct clicking sound. Almost like a pen. Why was he clicking a pen? And why is Nathaniel so afraid?

When he finally walked past them, Ikati Black let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Was he really just afraid of Marc Anciel of all people for a second? "Alright, you should definitely stay here."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Not deterred by the bite in his response, the hero continued, "I'll try to get this fixed, but with Scarlet Beetle under Anti-Eros' influence, this'll be a challenge."

'... Scarlet Beetle is under one of my Akuma's control?' He didn't hear Ikati Black saying goodbye as he vaulted away. Today was... Starting to look up! Yes, Marc hurt him terribly, he almost cried in front of people who weren't Alix or his mother, and now he's hiding from Marc in a dark alley, but... It's fine. Scarlet Beetle's somewhat under his control, he probably hates Ikati Black, so he's sure to have the upper hand in this fight.

"Nathaniel, I have to admit, I was surprised you didn't take Ikati Black's Miraculous," Nooroo confessed with his head poked out of the redhead's pocket.

"... Yeah, so am I." He saw it right there. His ring finger was right there in front of him. And he could have Anti-Eros trick Scarlet Beetle into giving up his earrings by saying it'll make Ikati Black upset. "... No use having regrets now," he sighed.

💔🦋

Scarlet Beetle flips another car over with his yoyo. Still no sign of that waste of a Miraculous yet. With a growl, he threw his yoyo at a wall. The impact from the indestructible weapon caused chunks of bricks to fly everywhere and hit parked cars, and he just HATED those damn sirens! Huffing, he punched off a rearview mirror.

"Dude, chill." Anti-Eros practically demanded as he tossed an arrow up and down in his hand. "You'll find your little stray, get his Miraculous, and all will be right. Have a little faith, bug."

"I just want to," Scarlet Beetle seethed before setting his sights on a mural of himself and Ikati Black painted on a wall. He snarled and destroyed his partner's face with his yoyo. "THAT!"

While Scarlet Beetle ranted and Anti-Eros pretended to care, a small group of five was watching the scene unfold from behind a tipped-over bus.

Jean groaned. "This is bad, guys. How's Ikati Black supposed to beat 'em both?"

There they were in the park, having the time of their lives and eating chocolates, laughing loudly to annoy the couples when out of nowhere, this guy with black bird wings comes swooping down and shooting people with a crossbow. It didn't take Marinette long to figure out that was Nino thanks to his voice, but when she tried to reason with him, and ask what was wrong, he goes and shoots her with an arrow... Seven times!

By the seventh arrow, Marinette's had just about enough, but before she could rip his wings off, Reshma's already dragging her all through Paris where it's nothing but chaos. And it's not the good kind. People are throwing flowers to the ground and stomping on them, yelling at other people, and going so far as to make them cry. She may not be a sap for romance, but no one deserves to be brought to tears on Valentine's Day.

"... Maybe we can help." Everyone stared at Reshma like she had grown a second head.

"... It's not true love's kiss, is it?" Alix nearly retched at the thought. "You know I can't stand that stuff."

Jean hummed. "Tempting, but I'm saving myself." Reshma and Ismael smirked.

"Like you saved yourself for Marc?" Ismael snickered, earning a swift slap to the back of his head. "Worth it."

"Think about it," Reshma continued. "When he fired arrows at Marinette, nothing happened. Pretty strange for an Akuma, right? And when we were escaping, I saw him fire an arrow at this man, and he tore up the card his boyfriend gave him. So... And this is just a guess. It's possible he has anti-love arrows, but, they don't work on us because we are on the romantic spectrum."

The others thought carefully about this. Anti-love arrows would fit the Akuma's theme. And if they're taking away romantic love, then, maybe Reshma is right.

"Alright, I'm in," Ismael said without missing a beat. "What's the plan, Resh?"

"Hey, I'm obviously immune," Marinette shrugged. Jean and Alix nodded along, remembering how sick they felt when they saw Marinette with seven arrows sticking out of her body. "I'm in, too."

She put it simply. "Basically... We're human shields."

"... Yeah, I saw that coming," Alix remarked. Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Ikati Black vaulting over rooftops. "Oh. Sooner than I thought."

💔🦋

Alya nearly choked on her cranberry juice when she was done reading a heart-shaped note. "Holy shit! You gotta hear this!" She gave a dramatic show of clearing her throat and reads in a faux British accent, "'Adrien, my love-'" Adrien immediately burst into laughter, making her laugh again.

"What's up with the accent?"

"She just sounds British, alright?" She cackled. "Just... Just shut up, man, I'm reading. 'I am in love with you and have been for quite some time now. I knew we were meant to be the moment we crossed paths at your fashion show two years ago...'" Alya's voice began to trail off, looking a the letter unsurely. "Should I keep reading? I feel like there's a dark turn coming up."

Adrien purses his lips for a moment. "... Keep going."

"'The moment you walked past me, I inhaled the scent of your golden locks-' Okay! No! I'm sorry, but I cannot in good conscience read the rest of this. She sounds like a downright stalker. Hell, she said she inhaled your hair. I wouldn't be surprised if she cut off a piece of your hair- Oh, she did."

"WHAT?!" Adrien screamed. He feels around his head, wondering where she cut the piece off, but it's probably grown back since then. "It actually says that?!" Alya hands him the letter and points to the line. The young hear only read it one time before tossing the letter into the flames coming out of the metal bucket. "... That felt good. Hand me another!"

Alya sifts through the box and pulls out a small package wrapped in pink wrapping paper. "Okay, it feels soft. Maybe a scarf, a hat, or something." She pulls off the ribbon and starts unwrapping the package. What Alya finds underneath the wrapping paper leaves her totally speechless and has Adrien concerned. "... Oh, Jesus Christ almighty." With those words, she tossed the package into the fire before Adrien could have a chance to look.

However, while the flames consume the package, Adrien catches a glimpse of the all too familiar guy's underwear. At this point, he's not even surprised. Since he turned fourteen, people have been sending him all kinds of weird things meant to be arousing so they could grab his attention, but they're all just creepy. This one girl sent over one of her bras spritzed with her favorite perfume, a photo of herself, and her class schedule. Honestly, Adrien was more embarrassed for the girl.

His parents freaked out when they found the letter, contacted the school, and her parents, and now that girl is in therapy. The worst part for her had to be how she was dragged out of her school by an officer in front of her friends while they recorded everything. That video can still be found on YouTube, and none of the comments about her are good when the reason for her arrest was leaked.

"Adrien." The blonde was roused from his memories when Alya held another envelope in front of him, one not heavily decorated like the others they'd seen and in a lavender envelope rather than red or pink. "Wanna open this one? It's from a guy named Wayhem," she teased.

"... Wayhem, huh?"

"Ooh, is someone interested?"

Adrien scoffed. "I don't even know the guy. "He takes the envelope and opens it. Inside is a folded piece of notebook paper rather than something printed out. Looking good so far. He unfolds the note and reads, "'Dear, Adrien. We haven't met before, but I'm Wayhem Admirateur. Don't worry, I'm not one of those psycho fans, LOL.'"

The auburn-haired girl threw her head back with a cackle. "Okay, this guy is officially cool."

"'Yes, I am the admin of the 'Adrien Agreste Fan Club' server, but that's it. Don't worry, there's an age limit to join, in case you're worried. Anyway, I'd just like to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day and say enjoy the passion fruit chocolates, since I read they're your favorite fruit. And if you're reading this letter, I'll be happy crying. Thanks again!
-Wayhem.'"

Adrien slowly lowers the letter and his eyes dart over to the box. He pounces on the box and sifts through what's left of the letters until he finds a fancy-looking box with a tag on it the same color as the envelope Wayhem used and just tears it open. His mouth waters from the scent of the passion fruit and he wastes no time shoving one and then two into his mouth.

"Oh, God," he moaned then took a bite out of another chocolate. "Okay, he has my approval! The other gifts are trash, this is the only thing I want!"

"Not even this ticket to Fiji?" Alya waves the ticket in front of his face. "They're from some chick named Amanda, she has one, too. My guess? She wants a couple's vacay."

"BURN!" Adrien screamed with a mouthful of chocolate. Alya complied with a fond roll of her eyes and tossed the ticket into the flames... Although, in retrospect, maybe she could have pocketed it and treated herself to a free vacation. Before she could look through the box again, Nathalie walked in with a handful of more letters and an irritated expression.

"Hey, Miss Sanceour," Alya greeted. "More letters for Adrien?"

She tosses each one into the flames, earning an impressed look from Alya. "They're for me, actually. Apparently, when you're the assistant for the Agreste family, that puts a bit of a spotlight on you, as well. I can't tell you how many men have tried to put the moves on me while I was with Adrien at his more public shoots. But, I can tell you how many guys I've flipped over my shoulder. Thirty-two." And she tossed in the last letter into the flames, her red lips curling into a satisfied smirk.

Alya laughed again. "Okay! You're officially the most badass woman I've ever met."

"Right back at you, Alya." The two high five.

"Were there any letters from Christopher?" Adrien asked before tossing another chocolate into his mouth.

Nathalie stared at the flames for a moment. "... A few. Remember to burn things responsibly, you two." And those were the last words she said before leaving the room, leaving sort of an eerie atmosphere.

"Who's Christopher?" Alya finally asked.

Adrien bites his lip and looks off to the side. "... Well, let's just say he's too cowardly to meet with Nathalie face to face anymore." And that was all of the information he was willing to give before having another chocolate.

💔🦋

"Get out of the way, Marinette! This doesn't concern you!" Scarlet Beetle snapped every time Marinette took one of Anti-Eros' arrows for Ikati Black.

"Sorry, Nino! Look, I get why you're mad! That was a bullshit move from Chloe!" She jumps in front of an arrow coming for Ikati Black's head and takes it to the shoulder, making her wince. While the arrows didn't affect her and her friends, they still left them sore. But, they powered through the pain. "But not everyone deserves to suffer!"

Anti-Eros fires a couple of arrows to throw Jean and Reshma off. "You weren't there, Marinette! She ruined Max's confession. If our bro can't have a good Valentine's Day, then no one should be allowed to!" This time he aims the arrows at Marinette's purse, the momentum from each arrow causing her to stumble back until she's up against and pinned to a wall. This time, the arrows don't disappear. "Anyone else wanna be a hero?!"

"Just me!" Ikati Black's staff hits the side of his face and knocks him against a car. Before Anti-Eros can get up, Ismael grabs his legs while Alix takes his arms.

"Meet your new ankles, buddy!" Ismael laughed while the two heroes continued their fight.

Scarlet Beetle snarled. "God! You're worthless! I'll just beat the stray on my own!" He throws his yoyo at Ikati Black with no intention of taking breaks, but the other hero deflects each hit with his staff. Ikati Black then leaps into the air and swings his staff at Scarlet Beetle. He dodges and jumps onto a roof to get away with Ikati Black pursuing him.

After a moment of silence, Jean coughs into their fist. "What do we do with the harpy?"

No one noticed the devious look on Reshma's face until she dug through her purse. "Let's draw a bunch of hearts on his face!" To the Akuma's horror, she holds up five tubes of lipstick, each a different shade of red and pink.

💔🦋

Ikati Black spins his staff. "I don't want to fight you, Scarlet! Come on! Paris needs you!"

Looking off to the side for a quick second, Scarlet Beetle smirks when he sees a few couples screaming at each other. "They look fine to me. Now quit buying time! I'm gonna rip that ring right off of your finger and make sure my next partner isn't a complete waste of powers!" He throws his yoyo. Ikati Black grabs the end of it and pulls his partner towards him with this unreadable expression.

"Alright," he huffed. "You and I both know there's probably only one way to snap you out of this." 'Damn literature lesson. Here's hoping he doesn't remember this.' "Pucker up, Scarlet."

Seeing him puckering his lips, Scarlet Beetle yelps and flips Ikati Black over his shoulder. "What's wrong with you?!" He makes a grab for the ring, but Ikati Black kicks him in the stomach, knocking him back.

"Just one little peck on the cheek and we don't have to talk about this ever again!" Although, he'll probably be lying awake all night for months as he recounts his first kiss with someone who wasn't Kim. Sucking in a breath, he grabs Scarlet Beetle by the front of his hoodie as he writhes in his hold.

"NO! I'd rather make out with Monarch than ever kiss you, you damn stray!"

💔🦋

Nathaniel sneezes. "Ugh. Damn allergies."

"You know, that usually means someone is talking about you," Nooroo quipped.

"Ah, who'd talk about me?"

"Nathaniel..." Crooned an all too unwanted voice. Nathaniel froze while Nooroo hid in his blazer. "I thought I heard your voice..."

The redhead whimpered and pressed his back up against the wall as if doing that will make him disappear into it. "God, let him walk by this alley and jam his pen through someone else's neck..."

💔🦋

"I'm not really looking forward to this, either," Ikati Black fibbed. Honestly, there have been some times when his 'gay brain' took over and he found himself thinking about Scarlet Beetle, his smile, his kind eyes... His muscles... Then immediately, he would snap out of those thoughts when he started thinking about Scarlet Beetle without his hoodie on because that was so disrespectful!

Scarlet Beetle reaches for his yoyo, but Ikati Black kicks it to the side, holds his chin so he can't turn his head away, and grabs his wrists with the other hand so he can't push him away. "Pucker up, bug boy!" Before Scarlet Beetle could retort with an insult, Ikati Black's lips crashed against his own. Every instinct he had told him to push him away, but... He didn't feel like it.

As his partner's blackened lips were slowly fading back to their original color, Ikati Black felt his muscles relaxing and he moved his hands to Scarlet Beetle's face to cup it. Everything in this moment was just pure bliss for him... That was until he felt a strong pair of arms wrap around his frame. His eyes widen when he realizes what's happening and hastily moves away from Scarlet Beetle who's looking just as red in the face as him.

"Th... That was to cure you!" He gave a nervous chuckle and tugged on his collar while Scarlet Beetle looked everywhere but him. "W-we should go and... Deakumatize-"

"Yes! Yeah, let's go." Scarlet Beetle picks up his yoyo and fumbles with it for a second before using it to swing away. Ikati Black counts to five before vaulting after him.

💔🦋

"There you two are!" Alix exclaimed, clearly not noticing the awkwardness between the two heroes, and points to Jean. Their hands are cupped around something and they seem to be squirming. "Look, we broke the crossbow, don't ask how, and the Akuma flew out. Jean caught it, but now they're freaking out."

Ikati Black's eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of black poking out through the cracks between Jean's fingers. "Jean... How many minutes ago was it when you grabbed the Akuma?"

The thespian murmurs to himself for a moment. "... About three."

Awkwardness gone for a moment, the heroes glance at each other with horror in their eyes. Scarlet Beetle gulped and got his yoyo ready. "Jean... Let go of it." Slowly, Jean begins to unclasp his hands. The group expected just one Akuma to fly out, not about thirty. Even Anti-Eros looked scared. Scarlet Beetle makes quick work of throwing his yoyo, grabbing about five Akumas at a time, but they kept multiplying.

Reshma rifles through her purse and pulls out a can of hairspray and a lighter. No one questioned why she had those, especially not when she started using the two as a makeshift flamethrower to burn the Akumas. The corrupted origami butterflies fell to the ground as they caught on fire, bright purple flames surrounding them instead of orange. The sight was so mesmerizing that Marinette just had to snap a photo.

"Damn," Alix whispered in awe as more burned. "Is Monarch's magic causing this? It's fucking beautiful."

Scarlet Beetle panted once he purified the last butterfly. "That's all of them." Anti-Eros reverts back to Nino, so now there was just one thing left to do. "Man, this is the first time I didn't need to summon a Lucky Charm," he joked, trying to clear up the awkwardness between himself and Ikati Black, but it was kind of forced.

"Do you?" Questioned Marinette. "I mean... Can't you just throw your yoyo in the air and yell, 'Miraculous Scarlet Beetle!'? Can't hurt to try, right?"

The hero looks down at his weapon... It seemed a bit farfetched, but it couldn't hurt to try. So, with a deep breath, he throws his yoyo into the air and shouted, "MIRACULOUS SCARLET BEETLE!" And to everyone but Marinette's shock, the magic ladybugs appeared and swarmed around the city. Scarlet Beetle chuckled. "Look at that. It worked."

"Best. Valentine's Day. Ever," Alix declared.

💔🦋

"MARC!" Cosette screamed. It skids to a stop before running into the alley with its' friends. Finally, they all found him. When Nathaniel ran away, they thought that would be the end of it, but Marc wanted him gone. So when the ten seconds were up, Marc took off running after the redhead and all the while, they were panicking and trying to stop their friend before he could commit a crime.

Lacey jumps on Marc's back and tries to rip the pen out of his hand. "Don't jam your pen in his neck! Don't finger-fuck the neck hole!"

"Lacey!" He shouted. Marc turns his head so Lacey can see his face, specifically his lips, which are no longer black. "Nathaniel's okay! I'm not trying to kill him anymore!" Calmer than they were a second ago, Lacey looks at the artist, and there's not a single scratch on him. "... So, you can get off of me."

The blonde girl got off of his back with a sheepish grin. "My bad... Hey, anyone ever tell you that you run fast? I know you got those long legs, but damn," she panted, and Marc can't help but feel embarrassed as his memories were still returning.

"H-hey, I'm okay," Nathaniel assured, mostly to Marc. "Scarlet Beetle's cure fixed everything before you could... You know." Marc's screams were muffled by his hands as his friends laughed. Nathaniel was about to walk away and let the group have their moment when something came to mind. "Hey, Marc? Before you got hit, I think you were about to ask me something. What was it?"

And it was times like these when Marc wishes he could disappear. His mouth opened and closed as it tried to form a response. 'Oh, it's happening. Am I gonna do this? Do I want to use this?... I can't do it!' "Uh... I-I can't remember." He couldn't hear their thoughts, but his friends were screaming very loudly in their heads. "Sorry," he sheepishly apologized.

The redhead smiled, and, oh God, Marc is dead because he has the prettiest smile! "It's fine. I guess I'll see you around?" Marc gave a jerky nod that made his ponytail move up and down a bit. "Cool. Happy Valentine's Day, Marc." With those words, he makes his way out of the alley.

Sure he was out of earshot, Marcelle squealed and shook her brother by the shoulders. "He wished you a Happy Valentine's Day! To you! Not us! YOU!" Cosette and Aurore with their hands clasped together jump up and down and scream with happiness, Mireille is giving him a quieter congratulations, and Lacey pulls out her phone.

"The others are gonna flip when he hears this! Wait!" Lacey's posture suddenly goes rigid when she remembers something. "Do you think Denise and Simon are okay?" A deathly silence fell over the group. If Simon were hit by an arrow, he'd go after Denise with a verbal assault, and while that's definitely bad, having your bones dislocated by one of the strongest students in the school seems worse.

"TO THE PARK!" Screamed Aurore.

💔🦋

"See? I told you it'd still be here," Plagg quipped. Max rushes across the bridge and picks up the small gift box tossed aside by Chloé. Ever so slowly, he opens the box and takes a quick little peek. To his disappointment, though, the Miracle Cure didn't fix the damage to the gift. Noticing his expression, Plagg begrudgingly curls up on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, there's always next year, right? Besides, I'm sure you can find a nicer locket."

Every time Max went over to Kim's house to study in his room, his eyes would sometimes trail over to the small collection of lockets he keeps on his nightstand. There were gold, silver, rose gold, and even glass, each one dedicated to a special person in his life. Max was a mess of emotions the day Kim walked into school one day proudly displaying the silver locket bracelet with his photo in it.

So, Max bought him another locket bracelet, one made of glass so you wouldn't have to open it to see the photo, and with two small rhinestones on the edges. One red, and one green.

"Plagg, I spent seventy-five euros on this," Max sighed and started the walk home.

"Why must humans put a price on everything?" The Kwami let out an over-the-top dramatic sigh, making Max roll his eyes with just a little fond expression. "Kid, this is gonna sound corny as hell, but it has to be said, so..." Plagg shudders before forcing out, "The price... Doesn't matter- Hit me now. What matters is the effort- Oh, God! Do you see where I'm going with this? Say yes, so I can stop!"

The bespectacled boy laughed and gave his friend a scratch behind the ears so he'd calm down. "That'll do, Plagg. And, maybe you're right."

"Kid, I'm eons of years old, I know everything about everything."

💔🦋

"Kim, it wasn't your fault," Tikki said to her friend as he lay back on his bed with a pillow over his face to muffle his groaning. "It was the Akuma, and I'm sure Ikati Black knows you didn't mean any of what you said."

The memories of what he said to his partner, his friend hit Kim like a ton of bricks once he transformed back. He couldn't believe some of the heartless things he said, and when Ikati's always been so nice to him. He knows Anti-Eros is to blame, but he was dumb enough to try and take the Akuma head-on without coming up with some sort of plan. He was just so upset with what happened to Max, and what Chloé did, that he didn't stop to come up with a plan!

Huffing, he tosses the pillow aside and just stares up at his ceiling with Tikki at his side. "... So, did Ikati really kiss me, or was I hallucinating?"

Tikki giggled. "No, he definitely kissed you. And you kissed him right back, Kim!" Again, the athlete groaned into his pillow while she continued to laugh. "It was like something out of a fairytale only without the cringe necrophilia." Kim stared at the Kwami in bewilderment. "I look at memes on your phone while you're in class," she chirped. "You're in school for eight hours, and I need something to keep me occupied."

The athlete burst into a fit of laughter with his friends, both being as loud as they wanted since his parents were out on a date. "Where do you get off making me laugh when I'm supposed to be moping?"

"It's my job as your friend," she said with a cheeky grin.

💔🦋

Alya tosses the last letter into the flames. "And that is the last one! Blondie, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad I missed getting footage for the blog. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this with you." She grabs her water bottle and starts putting out the flames before they can rise higher.

"Aw," Adrien cooed. "You love me!" In response, a pillow is thrown at his face. "You still love me!"

"Maybe just a bit," Alya confessed. "That, and I just like burning stuff. Not in an arsonist way, though," she adds. "Just let me know when you get any more creepy letters, and I'll come running with some matches." Adrien gives her a thumbs up. "Right... Well, my parents are out, Nora's friend set her up on a blind date, and Ella and Etta are having a Valentine's Day sleepover with their friends, so I've got nothing else planned today."

The two lean back against Adrien's couch, wondering how to kill time. "... Wanna binge-watch the 'Scary Movie' series?" Adrien asked, and knew he said the right thing when he saw Alya grinning.

"Throw in 'Haunted House' with Marlon Wayans, and you've got yourself a deal, blondie."
💔🦋

"Son of a bitch!" Bunnyx hissed as she closed the Burrow window. "Oh, you just had to go and prank Emperor Claudius! You just had to get him executed for witchcraft!" She admonished herself before tearing her fingers through her hair with a heavy sigh. "... Okay! It's fine! Valentine's Day will just have to be in October now. It's fine!"

Although she didn't believe her words, Bunnyx continued to assure herself until she got sick of it and opened the window again. She scrolled through until she found the scene she was looking for, and smiled sadly at her friend creating origami butterflies with the Butterfly Kwami. "... Don't do anything stupid, Nath."