I am exhausted and I'm sorry for not updating (REALLY SUPER DUPER EXTREMELY SORRY) but my parents dragged me around everywhere and I am dying.

Ok, this maybe short, but I really like the idea, and it took me forever, and I hope it was worth the wait!

The flames consume his right hand, licking his wrist, flickers of red amidst the blazing orange.

On his other arm, ribbons of blue, darker than the sky, lighter than sapphires, twirl around his arms.

Just touching the flames, threads of pale pink, tangling together, almost invisible against his tan skin.

A pale yellow caress, framing his cheek, so faded that they never edit it out.

(It used to be bright, before. But soulmarks can disappear if they disappear, stop being there for you, stop-

At least it's still there.

There was a blue one, before, that shone so brightly that everyone smiled when they saw it.

Now, it's gone.)

Chloe has striking red lips, loving the effect she has whenever a passer-by lays eyes on her. An ocean blue mist envelopes her arms, connecting at her neck. A pale purple mark is barely visible on her cheek. On her fingers, just touching her wrists, a burst of aqua.

Alya has an undescribable shade of blue twirling around her arm, her neck, and shoulders, partially covered by her clothes. A vibrant burst of pink trails down her other arm, tangling together at her fingers. An electric green ribbon winds itself around her fingers. There's a dark blue stripe across her forehead, a white handprint across her cheek and eye.

Nino has electric green brushstrokes painting down his arm and to the tips of his fingers. He has a fiery blaze trailing down his other arm, so bright it was the first thing everyone saw. There's an amber splash across his cheek, and a dark blue kiss above his eye, only visible when he blinks.

And Marinette...

Marinette is an artwork.

Blues and Greens and Reds and Yellows and Purples and Pinks blend together, a colourful rainbow. An electric green brushstroke swirls around her neck, her shoulders, her arm. A blaze of orange and red peek out of her jeans, burning up to her knee. A grey kiss marks her forehead, a chocolate brown hand caresses her cheek, covering her eye. A striking crimson forms bands around her wrists.

Every time he looks at her, he swears there's more than before.

(He remembered a time when he used to have more. When she was there, and he was still himself, and everyone they met always had a kind word, a new soulmark.

They all disappeared after a while.

After he never saw them again, never spoke to them again, never-

At least he has a few.)

Plagg doesn't like soulmarks. He has expressed this opinion many times.

(He's supposed to ignore the inky black waves on his foot that are slowly crawling up his ankle, pretend they don't exist.)

But whenever his eyes land on the blazing colours decorating his chosen's arms, he struggles to hide a smile.

(The blue appears once in a while, not bright enough to be edited out, but still there.

It disappears after one or two days.

He would do anything for it to last longer.)

He doesn't know how many soulmarks Ladybug has. No doubt she has many, maybe as much as Marinette.

(He doesn't know why, but the idea of having more soulmarks than Marinette seems impossible, even for Ladybug.)

The Miraculous edit out the soulmarks, so nobody can figure out who they are by their colours.

Of course, he's always wanted to know whether he and Ladybug are soulmates. All it would take is their bare skin contacting. He wasn't opposed to a kiss on the cheek (or lips).

He's been close. Stormy Weather. Her face was just below his. Move a few centimetres, and he would know. Dark Cupid. He wasn't exactly sure what happened beforehand, but he was only a few millimetres away. Then a millisecond later, he was thrown at the akuma, so no chance.

Of course, he's asked Ladybug.

They both know that they would get a soulmark. They're partners. It's inevitable.

But the Miraculous won't hide the soulmarks in their civilian lives, and Ladybug's taking no chances.

(Sometimes, he wonders if they would get a soulmark.

He knows Ladybug cares about him. His Cataclysm is useful. He is her back-up.

He is also expendable.)

Sometimes, he sees the unlucky ones. The ones who are devoid of colour, who walk around with an invisible weight.

(He remembers how it was like, to be one of them.)

And he looks down at his vibrant arms, and approaches them with a smile.

Sometimes, he helps them, and they both leave with a burst of colour.

(He wonders how it would have been if he never went to school, never went outside, never met Nino or Alya or Marinette or everyone else he knows.

He knows how it would be like.

He's felt it before. And he doesn't want anyone else to feel that.

So he tries. But sometimes it's not enough.

Sometimes, they're just too stubborn to see what's right in front of them.

Sometimes, he's just not good enough.)

He looks at the pale pink threads, stitching together down his arm.

Then he looks at Alya's arm, bright pink strands tangling in harmony.

He looks at Nino, Mylene, Ivan, Nathaneal, Alix, Kim, Max, Rose, Juleka, Sabrina. Bright pink threads weave themselves together.

He looks back down at his arm, at the pale pink strands limply stitching.

(Of course she doesn't like him. Why would she not? She's so sweet and kind...he must be really terrible if she doesn't like him at all.)

Ladybug has kissed him.

Ladybug has kissed him.

But he doesn't have another soulmark. He knows all his soulmarks, who they are, how he got them.

Which means he already has her soulmark. He's met her in civilian form.

His fast pace slow down to a gentle walk, the looming shadows of the Agreste mansion overtaking the street.

Marinette.

He once more looks at the pale pink strands, limply hanging on his arm.

(Ladybug doesn't like him.

Ladybug doesn't love him.)

But he loves Ladybug.

The electric green shines on her arm, her neck, by far her brightest soulmark. It glows on her shoulder, illuminating her sleeve.

He ignores the stares from Alya, Nino, everyone. He ignores Marinette's furtive glances.

He slumps down on his desk, thankful for Nino's hand on his back, a small comfort.

(Well, even if she can't love him...

He can't stop loving her. No matter how hard he tries.)

He tells Ladybug. He tells her he knows who she is. He explains how. All the while, she watches him, expression blank, eyes emotionless.

After he finishes, he sits, shoulders hunched, ears drooping.

She takes his hand and squeezes, a small smile decorating her lips.

He walks into class, half asleep. Not bothering to say hello, he flops into his seat, head in arms. A poke from Nino disturbs him, and he raises his head in annoyance.

Nino's eyebrows rise.

He raises his eyebrows.

Nino points to his arm.

He looks at his arm.

Bright pink threads shimmer down his arm, twisting and twirling into unknown shapes. It glows blindingly, and shines through his sleeves.

He turns around to face Marinette.

She smiles softly, and squeezes his hand under the table.

Never watch anime.

Once you do, you will get sucked into a pit so deep you will never be able to climb out, and then you'll end up reading manga, and then there's no hope.

None.

Snow White With Red Hair is the fluffiest anime I have ever watched I mean seriously that thing is a FLUFF BOMB and I watched it with my sister and she ran away cause she couldn't handle it and BLUE EXORCIST IS SO COOL WATCH IT I'M TELLING YOU WATCH IT IT'S AWESOME and Noragami is amazing (I'm running out of adjectives) and I ended up reading the manga (doomed, what did I tell you) and Free! Is awesome too and I love episode 12 where Rin swims with them so sweet and DID YOU SEE THE ENDING FOR YURI ON ICE I MEAN IT WAS FOREVER AGO BUT WHO CARES I WILL TREASURE THAT DUET IN MY HEART FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE and Ouran High School Host Club...Tamaki is weird and the twins are also kinda weird but meh its awesome I laughed so hard and Assassination Classroom has killed me and is still killing me and-

I. AM. SO. DOOMED.