Your hair is black as night, your pretty bluebell eyes, I wonder who you are underneath that strong disguise… How do you capture the perfect woman on paper?

Out of the corner of his eye he notices Miss Bustier approaching him. "Can you tell me what I just said?"

Adrien was lucky he'd been listening. "That's why in most fairy tales the prince breaks the spell by kissing the princess because only love can conquer hate."

I've got more important things to worry about than fairytales, like this poem.

Your hair is black as night, your pretty bluebell eyes,

I wonder who you are underneath that strong disguise.

Every day we see each other and I hope that you'll be mine,

Together our love could be so true, please, will you be my Valentine?

Frustrated, unable to match her smile with his words, Adrien scrunches up the sheet and heads out of the room, just to be accosted by Chloé and Sabrina. He barely listened to what she said before signing their poster and heading to his locker on the way home.

"Since ancient times the ladybug has been a symbol of love guiding hearts on the path of devotion."

And yet she's still a complete mystery to me.

Not that Plagg's any help. "Oh the poor boy is distressed because he can't finish the poem for his masked sweetheart?"

Wait, that's it! "I don't need a poem when I can tell her to her face... I love you." The next time I see her, I'll tell her. Ladybugs are symbols of love after all, what could go wrong?

Adrien, or rather Cat, climbs out of the alleyway he transformed in as he listens to the sounds of a battle above when he spots Ladybug slip off a roof, just managing to catch the edge. He quickly wedges his staff between two buildings before holding out a hand to her. "Falling for me already Milady?" She grabs his hand and he pulls her close, "I gotta talk to you."

"It's gotta wait, Dark Cupi-" Ladybug started to explain, before Cat silenced her.

"I swore myself I'd tell you as soon as I saw you. Ladybug I-I lov-" He could see Dark Cupid behind her, arrow notched and ready to fire, "look out!" Not my lady, not today. Cat span around, taking the arrow in her stead. He feels the darkness, the hatred, strike with the arrow.

"Cat Noir!"

Milady's sweet tones break through the darkness, albeit only briefly, it may be enough.

"Ladybug,"

The darkness grows, attempting to overcome his being.

"I"

If it's the last thing I do, I'll tell her this.

"Love" he forces out as the darkness pushes at him, forcing him aside.

Yet instead "Loath" is the word he hears pass his lips, before the darkness overwhelms him entirely, and his awareness slips away.

Adrien drifts in the darkness, for what feels to be but a moment, before his senses come back into focus.

"Huh?" Did being Cat Noir save me from the arrow?

He wonders as he registers; first the pavement beneath him, beneath his knees, feet and left hand. Then the gentle splashing of falling water and various distressed voices. The smell of Ladybug hits him hard, though not as hard as the familiar, yet dark sensation in his right hand. A red shape comes into focus before him. Ladybug?

"What am I doing here?" Suddenly I understand why the akumatised are always so confused after we release them, if the darkness is always that overwhelming.

She grabs his hand and lifts him up. "No time! The quiver pin, Cat Noir! Now!" She throws him, away from her. "Grab it! Grab the pin!"

When did I activate Cataclysm? He wonders as he glides through the air, towards Dark Cupid. He just manages to hit the strap, dissolving it.

He grabs the pin and throws it toward his lady. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

His angel plucks it out of the air, "Awww, you shouldn't have…" before dropping it to release the akuma.

Why didn't I think of getting her something? Then again, what do you get for the Hero of Paris?

He watches, amazed as always, as she cleansed the little butterfly and restored everything to the way it should be.

But before he can say anything her Miraculous beeps, and she turns to run. Terrible timing for it as always.

"Wait, Ladybug! I gotta tell you something." I doubt I'll get another chance at this.

"Look, the kiss… I had to break the spell…"

What is she talking about? "Kiss? What kiss?" I can deal with that later. "No, I just wanted to say-"

His Miraculous interrupted, beeping that he was nearly out of time too.

"Look out, Cat Noir, your ring is flashing!"

Run out already? What did I do all day?

She laughs, "We're about to turn into pumpkins, and personally, I'd rather not see that." And run off.

A fraction of a second later he too turned to run, in the opposite direction.

So much to work out. It's been such a weird day.

I'm ruined, he thought, done for. How will she ever accept me now? Plagg isn't helping. Just because he remembers, and would rather taunt me than tell me. Then again, I'm not sure I want to know what I said to her today.

Adrien collapses face-first onto his bed, caught between Plagg's description of the day and the knowledge that he was rude to, that he fought, his lady.

A red shape before him pulls him away from his thoughts. He opens and glances at it. No way. "Someone answered my poem? But I threw it away!"

Your hair shines like the sun, your eyes are gorgeous green,

I look at you and wonder your innermost thoughts and dreams.

Yes, your Valentine I will be, our hearts so true,

Together for eternity, my heart belongs to you.

Stunned, Adrien stares at the poem, thoughts rushing through his head.

"Aww, well. Anyone who writes as sickeningly sweet as you must be your soulmate." Plagg chuckled.

Adrien just stares at the card, "it isn't signed" he sighs. Just to glance up to spy a ladybug fly in, and land on it.

The symbol of love… "Could it have come from Ladybug?" he gasps, following the ladybug as it flies out the window.

My Lady, could it be? Do I feel for you, as you feel for me?