#|❝ Vie sans chance ❞| ~ Felix Main Verse

[catastrophex]

starter for @rosecoloredmuses

To say Chat saw the girl before the Akuma got her isn't quite correct, it was a single footstep, an intake of breath, and he found himself acting on instinct on the faint sound, darting to get between her and the villian, his staff spinning to block the incoming attack.

"Going after civilians now? That's claw-fully low, don't you think?" he quips to the akuma, before Ladybug reels them back, and has them distracted long enough that he can actually address the girl in danger here.

He turns to face the girl, actually getting a good look at her now. She's much, much shorter than him, but she looks close to his age, though he's never seen her around before.

Maybe a tourist, or just from a different part of the city.

He flashes a grin at her, "you alright?"

[catastrophex]

"Boys shouldn't you both be in bed? You two happen to have a long day ahead of you. Therefore you two should get some rest instead of fooling around."

Félix scowls at his father in the doorway of the room. Both twins are currently sitting in Félix's room; Adrien just got back in from Patrol with Ladybug, and they had been quietly talking about it when they were intruded upon.

"Oh, do you actually care now? It's not like it will be your problem if we're tired. Nathalie will be the one actually around."

Adrien gives Félix a look, and lightly kicks him for the attitude, before turning his attention to their father, while putting on a small smile.

"We're going to bed soon, Pere, promise. We were just talking about a school assignment, is all."

A lie, but hopefully a believable one. While he and Félix both find school very easy for how far Nathalie had them ahead of the curriculum, their father doesn't know that.

[catastrophex]

“I wondered when you were going to wake up. You almost didn’t survive.” Andrew @ Félix?

Félix doesn't immediately register the words spoken to him, blinking rapidly as he tires to get his bearing and why does his head hurt so bad-

Fingers find a tender spot in his hairline, and he sucks in a sharp breath at the touch, and he can vaguely recall the hit that did that, while he was Chat.

And it's that thought that draws his attention to the person who spoke, and what was said finally clicks in Félix's mind.

"W-What happened?" he says faintly. He's not entirely sure what brought him here; he remembers the blow, but it's fuzzy, and how ended up here, as Félix is a complete mystery.

[catastrophex]

"Thank god, you're awake," Félix mutters, the first aid kit from his bag in his hands, "you were hit pretty hard, by the akuma."

His distant, cool tone is discordant with the gentleness of his hand as he cleans the wound from the akuma, and presses gauze to it.

"Ladybug's ability should at least take the edge off that, but I would hold the gauze there until it does; head wounds tend to bleed a lot, and it's better to stem the blood flow..."

[catastrophex]

"I just want what's best for you both. Why don't you seem to understand that."

(Gabriel @ his sons)

"Pere... it's not like we don't understand that, but I'm not sure that you..." Adrien trails off, looking away from his father, "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure that you understand what's actually best. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I really don't mean to be rude, but..."

He stops talking, just ducking his head, clearly regretting his words.

"I'm sorry, Pere."

Félix is very quiet while Adrien stumbles through a response to that, and then he slowly folds the cover closed on his sketchbook and turns an emotionless gaze towards his father,

"He might be sorry, but he's correct, Pere. You barely know us anymore; how could you possibly know what's best for us?"

[catastrophex]

starter for @spottedguardian / @x-whiskeylullaby-x

Félix speed walks to get up next to Marinette, "Salut, chérie," he says quickly, not daring a glance over his shoulder, and he takes her hand.

"Sorry," he whispers, his eyes flicking back quickly, "could you just play along for a few minutes? Crazy fan, stalking me down the street. I just need cover for a few minutes."

He and Marinette aren't friends. She wouldn't be his first choice for this- then again; who would be? Allegra, if she still lived in Paris? There are worse choices than Marinette.

And she likes his brother, so hopefully she'd be inclined to help him out.

[catastrophex]

❛ do you mind if i join you for a bit ? ❜ — from Maribug to whomever you wish!! I know this is random but I couldn't help myself 👉🏻👈🏻 Also hi! ;v;

Félix looks up from his book at Marinette, puzzled by the request.

She's in Adrien's little friend group (and pretty transparently crushing on him, not that Adrien has realized that; he seems to think the girl dislikes him because of how awkward she is), but he's kept distance from Nino and Alya. And Marinette.

Unlike Adrien, Félix had no desire to make friends at school; that's not why he wanted to come. For him, it's just a way to get out of the house and away from the micromanagement of his father for hours each day. It's a small taste of freedom.

Friends, he didn't feel was worth the risk. Letting people close is giving them the chance to hurt you. He felt that sting well enough for a lifetime when they were younger and Chloe proved herself untrustworthy, and when Allegra moved away and they never spoke again.

Adrien is enough for him.

Him and Ladybug.

But he doesn't want to seem rude, so he nods slightly at her request, sliding his bookmark in place before closing the book and sitting it aside.

"You're friends with Adrien," he says softly, carefully keeping his anxiety from his voice, "or at least friends with his friends."

He's surprised she even wants to join him for a bit. Félix hasn't exactly made himself approachable. He genuinely thought people assumed him to be like Chloe (a thought that disgusts him, but one he's willing to ignore if it gets people to leave him be), and given Marinette's particular conflict with Chloe, he'd have never expected her to talk to him.

[catastrophex]

To say Chat is taken aback by the girl's transformation is an understatement, and his ears go flat against his head as he jumps back away from her.

A transformation sequence like that isn't exactly foreign to him; he has one of his own for becoming Chat Noir, but he doesn't just do it in the open like this!

She's just lucky there aren't any civilians left in the area (and especially lucky that Alya isn't around). He hopes, for her sake, that her luck holds out, and this is one of those times that the villain's memories of everything are foggy after they're purified.

"Well," he says a little breathlessly, "that's certainly a surprise; caught me clawfully off guard!"

He glances over at his partner, as she loudly groaned at the pun, then at the newcomer with a grin, "I don't know about where you come from, but around here, the akumas'll have some kind of object that we need to get and break, so the lovely Ladybug can purify it, and turn them back to normal. Since you're wanting to help, and all."

Despite hearing of the villain attacks that plagued Paris, nothing prepared Tsubasa for actually being caught in one. Her body froze as the attack shot towards her. She didn't have time to transform. She'd get hurt before she even touched her PreChan Mirror.

She should have paid more attention. She hated looking weak-- like a helpless civilian-- but everything just happened so fast-

The impact Tsubasa expected didn't come. She opened her eyes to find a man in a black suit standing between her and her attacker.

"I'm fine... thank you..." Once the shock of the moment wore off, Tsubasa knew what to do. She pulled out her PreChan Mirror and PreCards while the "plushie" she'd held began floating beside her. "Now... let me help you!"

"Precure Rolling Mirror Change!" What followed could be best described as a pale blue lightshow lasting for a few seconds. When it ended, there was a completely different girl standing in the "civilian's" place. "The wings of grace flying high! Cure Swan!"

Sure, she was transforming right out in the open in front of these heroes (and villain) but all of the civilians had fled so it was okay, right?

[catastrophex]

Tag Dump~

[catastrophex]

Adrien sighs, standing in the hall where he tried to talk further to his father, to no avail.

"What did you expect?" Félix says from his doorway, "he doesn't care. He hasn't since mom disappeared. Maybe even before that."

Adrien looks over at him, but doesn't actually say anything. He doesn't want to believe that Félix is right about all that, but it's hard not to. Especially after he shows up just to snip at them for not being in bed, and then walks away before either of them could really say much.

"Come back in here," Félix says softly, his expression sad, "don't let him get to you. Just sleep in here tonight."

Adrien nods mutely, and returns to his brothers room, sparing one last glance down the hall where their father disappeared.

He and Félix usually sleep in the same room anyway, despite have their own bedrooms. Neither of them really like being alone, so they effectively share both rooms.

The next morning, Adrien half expects to get in trouble for not returning to his own room last night, but he's probably worried over nothing. Their father doesn't notice anything from them anymore.

"You ready for Breakfast?" Félix asks softly, "maybe actually wear your glasses?"

Adrien shoots his twin an irritated look. That's not going to happen; glasses aren't part of Adrien's public image, so he can't really wear them out at all. He has contacts too, but he hates those, so he never wears them. His eyesight isn't awful. He's just a little nearsighted; it's not serious.

"Your eyesight is just going to get worse if you don't wear them..."

"Shut up. And yes, I'm ready for breakfast."

The two head to the dining room, only expecting Nathalie to be there, like usual. It'd be a shock if their father actually joined them.

Gabriel had left before they had even responded to what he had said. He picked up the pace until he reached his office and then went in and shut the door and locked it. He then walked over pulled out both miraculous from a locked safe that was in the wall.

Only he knew the code in the safe. He glanced at both of the miraculous and thought to himself until he suddenly came up with a plan. He placed the miraculous back and locked the safe with a smirk on his face. "This plan should be efficient enough."

He then proceeded to leave his office and shut the door behind him after he left. He passed by the boy's bedroom and looked towards the door and then looked away and then kept walking.

As he reached his bedroom he decided to shut the door and change clothing and then rest until the next morning.

[catastrophex]

Félix turns away from their father to hide his eyeroll. Treat him with respect. He has to earn respect, as far as Félix is concerned, and lately the man has been doing nothing but destroying what respect Félix did have for him.

But Félix also knows his behavior could bite Adrien too; the possibility of pulling them back out of school always hangs over their head, and he doesn't want to do that to Adrien.

"Sorry," he says flatly, not turning back towards the man, "but, Pere, you really aren't around; am I not allowed to have feelings about that?"

He can't quite keep the sharpness from those last words, but it does come a little close to home for him. He's too used to burying and repressing all his feelings to maintain his public image, because anything else might reflect badly on their father.

Adrien squeaks nervously at the threat of punishment, and is on his feet after their father just a second after he goes.

"Pere, we," he hesitates, half tempted to go back. Conversations with his father rarely go well anymore...

But running now might seem disrespectful.

"We weren't trying to misbehave," he continues, "It's just, uh, it's been a long day today. Félix was already not in a good mood, you know, Chloe upset him and... Not- Not that I'm excusing his attitude, but please, just-"

What is he doing? This was a mistake. But Félix was right; they don't see him often anymore, and that does sting. So to see him now... Adrien almost didn't want him to go, even if he feels like an idiot for babbling now.

"... sorry. For bothering you. We're going to bed soon, Pere. I promise."

"Felix, I will not have you speak to me in such a manner. I am your father and you will treat me with respect. That goes for both of you. There happens to be consequences for misbehaving if you continue." He then turned away before starting to leave the bedroom. He quietly walked down the hall lost in his own thoughts.

Why? Is the question he asked himself. He was corrupted by his own pain and grief that he no longer cares about being a decent parent? No it wasn't that. It was the pain and grief eating him alive. He shuts everyone out with little interaction. He buries himself in work. He didn't seem to care anymore. He looked back towards the boys bedroom and then looked forward and kept walking.