Happy Valentine's Day! I offer you this fanfiction!
As pedestrians walked across the Pont des Arts, two boxes sat on a bench in the middle of the bridge. The red box was for Ladybug, and the black one was for Chat Noir. For Valentine's day, the citizens of Paris had decided to leave out boxes and fill them with cards to show their love for the two heroes. Honestly, Marinette thought it was a little much. Neither of them needed to receive a card to know how cherished they were. Yet, she had still gone to the boxes with a card in hand.
"I'm only here to show my appreciation to Chat Noir." She whispered, "I'm not doing this because I have feelings for him." She knew she was lying. At the very least, it was a half-lie. Ever since that day, when she battled Loveater and Miracle Queen, she had been trying to get over her feelings for Adrien. All she wanted was for him to be happy. If dating Kagami made him happy, then she didn't want to interfere in their relationship. But it was hard moving on. Every time she saw him, She would force a smile while her chest painfully thumped. She would see aspects of him in other men.
It was mostly in Chat Noir. Initially, she believed the two boys couldn't have been remotely similar. The more she observed, the less Adrien constricted her heart, she saw that they had quite a bit in common. They were both very playful, the same teasing and silly jokes. They were both naive, like little children experiencing everything for the first time. And they always had her back, her only allies when the world turned against her. Once she noticed those traits, a crush on the partner started to grow. She didn't know if it was for him or if it was the aspects of Adrien she saw in him.
So she told herself that it was a half-lie. Because her muddled heart didn't know what the truth was.
The bluenette shook her musings away before she completely fell into the dark abyss of her emotions. She marched up to the lone bench and slid her card into the black box. Having finished her task, she went back home. She had to get ready for her date this evening. One she was hoping would help resolve her turmoil.
He knew this was a bad idea. Even Plagg had warned him against it. Yet he still stood on the Pont des Arts, a card clutched in his hand.
"You're doing this for closure." He said to himself, "So that you can finally move on." But was that the truth?
Recently, Adrien had been trying to overcome his feelings for Ladybug. If she didn't want to be in a relationship with him, then why should he continue to pursue one. He couldn't bear the grief anymore.
However, in the time apart, he had only managed to confuse his own heart. The more he got to know Kagami, the more his fondness for her grew. He believed his affections for Kagami might have been as strong as those for Ladybug. But then there were times he could only see her as a friend. He still cared for her, but in the same way he did for Marinette.
Although, there were times when he thought Marinette could have been more than just a friend. That, maybe, his feelings for her were closer to what he felt for Ladybug. It might have been because the two were similar. They both had the same caring nature, always lending a hand to those who needed it most. Neither would bow down to those who wished to cause chaos, whether it be Lila or Hawkmoth. And, on the rarest of occasions, the same bravery that shined in his lady's eyes could be found in Marinette's as well.
Was it the same feeling, though? Was he just trying to find Ladybug in those he knew? Had he really come for closure? Or was it an excuse to lose himself in his adoration for Ladybug?
Whatever the truth was, Adrien couldn't decipher it.
Taking a deep breath, he chose not to worry too much over his problems. He stepped towards the red box and pushed his card in. Then he walked off the bridge and got into his chauffeur's car. This might be the night where all of his woes come to an end.
As the city lights illuminated all of Paris, the Place des Vosges was shrouded in darkness. The only source of light came from the candles that Marinette brought. Each was placed on a corner of the blanket spread across the ground. A basket once full of food was now placed off to the side. She laid on the cover as Luka softly strummed his guitar. It was a lovely melody, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. She couldn't have imagined a more romantic date than their night picnic. Everything was absolutely perfect.
So why did it all feel so wrong?
Every time the two hung out, Luka had managed to ease her mind. She had never been more relaxed than when she was with him. She didn't feel the need to hide around him. That she could let all of her walls fade away and reveal her true self to him. So she had asked him out, hoping to clear her mind. She wanted to know if she could actually have a relationship with him. Maybe, he could help her move on from Adrien.
But as she listened to his music, she took notice of her heartbeat. It was steady, never once was there a pitch in speed. It was the same steadiness that would be accompanied by thoughts of her friends. It wasn't the pounding she experienced whenever she would think of Adrien or even Chat Noir. All the times she interacted with Luka, her heart would stay the same pace. On some occasions, the speed would increase, but they were very brief. The infatuation she held for Luka couldn't compare to those she held for Adrien.
With that, guilt clouded over the girl. Luka cared for her and seemed like he wanted to be more than just friends. And she had asked him out so that she could use him to get over Adrien. That wasn't fair to him. He didn't deserve to be treated that way. This date now had left a sour taste in her mouth, she couldn't go on with it.
"Luka," She murmured, catching the boys' attention. "I'm sorry, but this isn't right."
He didn't respond, with no signs of anger or sadness. As Marinette sat back up from the ground, she stared directly into his eyes.
"It's just that, well, I feel like I haven't been honest with you. I have feelings for someone else. But he seems to be interested in one of my friends, so I've been trying to let go of my feelings for him. And I'm using you as a way to move on and that just not rig-."
"It's fine, Marinette," Luka finally spoke. He reached out and tenderly grabbed her hand, trying to comfort her from her negative thoughts. "I understand. It can be hard to get over someone you care for."
She was so relieved by his words to know that he wasn't upset by what she had done. She didn't want to lose him as a friend. She thanked him with a hug, and he returned the gesture.
"Adrien is one lucky guy,"
"Why do you say that?" Marinette pulled back and gave him a curious look.
"Anyone would be lucky to have someone as amazing as you love them." Then Luka got up and strolled out of the park, leaving one blushing Marinette behind.
Flower petals littered across the floor, while the restaurant had placed a vase with a single rose each of it's tables. The lights were dimmed to make for a more romantic setting. Everyone was well dressed this evening, wearing only their most elegant clothes. Adrien table faced the window, able to see all the couples that walked past. He and Kagami had just finished their deserts, casual chatting until the check came. They had been having a great time together. Everything had gone smoothly.
As he stared at Kagami, though, all he could wonder was why it this whole night had felt off. He cared a lot about her. Be it her fierceness during battle or her blunt demeanor, there was not a side to her that he disliked. They both had so much in common, he found it easy to confide his grievances with her. They should have been perfect together.
And yet, all he could do was picture another girl on the other end of the table. One with the brightest bluebell eyes and who wore their hair in two pigtails. He could almost see her face, but the image was just out of reach. He was so pathetic, dreaming about Ladybug while on a date with another girl. He was hopeless. Maybe he just needed some time to truly get over the super heroine. What he did know was that he wasn't ready to start dating. Then he couldn't continue to lead Kagami on. Though he didn't want to hurt her.
"Kagami," He said, gazing down at his empty plate.
"Yes, Adrien." She quickly replied.
"Listen, I want you to know that I like you a lot. But right now, I don't think I'm ready to date someone else."
She stayed silent, her stern exterior not giving away any emotions. The longer the silence held, the more nervous Adrien became.
"It's just that, well, I still have some unresolved feelings for another girl and I don't think it's fair to ask you out and sit here thinking-"
"Did I ask out the wrong girl?" Kagami suddenly cut him off, predicting the end of his sentence. A small smile crossed face as she got out of her chair and walked to his side of the table. Grasping his shoulder, she leaned down to look him straight in the eye. "I don't want you to have any moments you regret with me."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek, her last words breathing across the surface. "I hope you're able to satisfy Marinette. I'll see you at fencing practice." Then, she strode out of the restaurant, leaving behind a very confused Adrien.
It wasn't long until the boy found himself back on the Pont des Arts. At that moment, though, he was no longer Adrien. He had transformed into Chat Noir, to make sure no one could identify him as he took his Valentine's day box. He wasn't the only one on that bridge, as he recognized the other figure.
"Ladybug?"
The girl turned around, her beautiful eyes shining under the lamplight. He really wished she wasn't here. He had wanted to be alone for the rest of the night to ponder over his relationships. He didn't need to get distracted over her radiance.
"Did you come here to pick up your box too?" She asked, appearing quite joyful to see him.
He nodded, stepping up to the bench where the box rested. Ladybug's box was overflowing with cards with bouquets of roses surrounding the exterior that one could barely tell that it was red. Meanwhile, his box was not empty, but nowhere near full either. He wasn't surprised by the lack of cards. The people adored Ladybug more than they did him, so it only seemed fitting that she would get the most.
Ladybug must not have liked the number of gifts he received as she plucked a rose from one of her bouquets and handed it to him. While it was not meant to be a romantic gesture, he could help but think of it as so. He accepted the rose, his cheeks tinted red under his mask.
As she went back and tried to pick up her box, the current of wind flew by and carried one of her cards away. It was the card Chat Noir had given her. Before it could get too far away, she jumped up and grabbed it. Landing back on the bridge, she took her time reading the contents contained within. He had hoped she had liked what he had written. And apparently, she did like it as a blushed formed on her face.
"Sooo, what's it say?" Chat Noir already knew what it said, but he didn't want to pass up the opportunity to tease her.
"Nothing!" The superheroine replied defensively.
"Ah, come on. Not just anything can make you blush, Bugaboo. Whatever that card says must be very special."
"I'm not going to tell you what's written on this card unless you can tell me what's on one of yours."
"Alright." His hand dove into the black box and pulled a single card. He glanced down at the name and was shocked, nearly dropping the card in the process. Knowing who wrote it, he carefully read the words.
Dear Chat Noir,
I know that most people see Ladybug as the most important hero in Paris, but she wouldn't be able to save the day so many times without your help. No one is as confident or charming in battle as you are. I hope everyone will be able to see how important you indeed are.
Love,
Marinette
He beamed at her words, wishing to thank her personally. He looked back towards Ladybug, her flushed face changed into one of dread.
"That must have been some letter." She shyly uttered. Her usual confidence was gone, but he couldn't figure out why.
"It's just from a good friend." He didn't have the energy to lie tonight. "When we first met, I thought she hated me. But now, I think she's just shy."
"Adrien." The words jolted through him like a lightning bolt. How could Ladybug know? There was no way she could have figured out his identity from a few words about the person who wrote the note. Unless she knew who wrote it. But he hadn't shown her the name written. The only way she could know was if she wrote the note.
"Marinette."
This couldn't be happening! There was no way that Chat Noir was really Adrien! She had to be wrong. But he had answered with her name, it had to be him. And now he knew it was her too.
As the two just stared at one another, shocked to silence by their own discoveries, Ladybug thought of the letter he had written.
Dear Ladybug,
Ever since you've come to Paris, you have continued to show the people your compassion and bravery every day. There is no one the people adore more than you. I hope you continue to shine for the world as the heroine we need.
Love,
Adrien
She had started to develop feelings for Chat Noir, but now they were worthless as well. For he was Adrien, and she had wanted to move past him for the happiness of others.
She couldn't believe it had been him the entire time and she hadn't noticed. When she hadn't been able to talk to him at school, he had still been by her side the whole time. He would flirt with her behind a mask, seeing her in a way that no one else could. She was embarrassed by the lack of foresight.
She almost ran off the bridge, until Chat Noir, or Adrien, started to laugh. It was loud and boisterous, a sound made after a funny story. Though, she wouldn't have classified this as a funny story.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm sorry M'lady, it's just you're both so similar that I can't believe I couldn't connect the dots sooner." His little fit slowly ceased as he reached out and held her hand with his own. "You're both clever, fearless in the face of danger, and are kind to almost everyone you meet."
"Oh, yeah," She let out a little chuck herself. "Well, you're both completely silly, naive, and always have the back for those you care for."
The two teens giggled at their answers. Marinette was actually glad about who Chat Noir was. Even if it was dangerous to know each other's identities, it could only make the two grow closer.
"So, which side of me do you like more Bugaboo? Because for me, I'm completely enamored with both of you."
Her heart stilled at his words. In her joy, she had almost forgotten that there were people outside of their little moment. People that he cared for.
"That's not true." She solemnly responded.
"Aw, come on, mask or not you're still the same person. Of course, I'd love both sides of you."
"But what about Kagami?"
Finally, understand, Adrien let out a long breath as he tucked a small bit of hair behind her ear. His thumb tenderly swiped across her cheek as his gorgeous green eyes gazed into her own.
"Tonight, I told Kagami that I still had feelings for you. Ya' know what she said, she hoped I could satisfy you."
She was amazed by Kagami's words. Before, she had been so resolute in not giving up Adrien to anyone, not even her. Why now did she suddenly change? Was it because of what he had said? Or was it because she valued their friendship so much that she was willing to let him go for her as well? Whatever the reason, she was glad to have been given Kagami's blessing.
She leaned forward, their noses an inch apart with only a few more between their lips.
"Funny, Luka had said something similar tonight as well."
"Oh yeah, and what was that?"
"That you were a lucky guy to have someone like me loving you."
"Which side of me." It didn't matter how she answered, his next action would be the same. But, she gave him the most honest answer she could.
"Both."
Instantly, their lips connected. It was a moment of pure bliss for the two, finally able to convey the feelings that had been bottled up for so long. Both tried to put as much passion into the kiss as they could, never wanting this moment to end.
Both of their nights had ended the same way. With peace of mind, finally able to know the truth behind their own feelings. On the Pont des Arts, their first Valentine's day together came to an end.
A/N: I know it's really late by the time I'm posting this, but I was too busy with school work this week to write this sooner. This one was kinda difficult to write, mostly Luka and Kagami. I didn't want them to be written OOC, but I don't know if I accomplished that. I wanted to make them understanding and not villains because their not. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this story!