#felinette fluff

[knifedancer]

Not Dating

Day by day, one by one, Marinette’s classmates noticed that the young designer had gotten closer to Felix. Close enough to be considered dating. Finally, the entire class is convinced that the two ARE dating.

The only problem is that Felix nor Marinette seem to know about it.

Felix (PV) x Marinette, posted to AO3.

~~~~~~~

~~~SCENE 1: Lila~~~

Lila was walking down a shopping district when she caught sight of her favorite victim—er, classmate eating at a nearby café. Carefully maneuvering around the outdoor patio in a way so that she would not be seen, she noticed that Marinette was not alone… Across from her sat the snobbish cousin of Adrien’s: Felix Graham-Agreste. The Italian narrowed her eyes as she took in their chummy atmosphere. ‘When did they get so close?’

“Oh my gosh, Marinette! What a coincidence!” The liar called out as she exited her hiding spot.

The designer’s countenance darkened a bit as the liar approached, her voice dropping into a flat irritated tone. “Lila.” The snake’s eyes gleamed with a cruel light, her smile becoming a bit sharper.

“What do you want, Rossi?” Came the exasperated, blunt voice of her pale blond companion. Rude.

“What? Can’t I say hello to my classmates? I stop by this café all the time; the owner is like a father to me. I highly recommend the pasta!”

“It’s a boba café, they don’t sell pasta!” Cried the exasperated class president.

“Well, it’s on the secret men—”

“Hi, order number 42?” A waiter interrupted, pointing to the little plastic table number resting beside Felix’s elbow. “Who had the honeydew milk tea?” Marinette raised her hand and he set it before her. “And one matcha milk tea for the gentleman. Please enjoy.”

The two teens stared down Lila as the waiter left two straws and returned to his post inside to take orders. She scoffed as she sauntered away, pretending to look over the posted menu while spying on the pair. ‘Perhaps I can get something good to lie about at school tomorrow…’ she thought, watching them from the corner of her eye.

“Mm, this honeydew is delicious!” The bluenette remarked while sipping happily on her drink.

“Let me try,” Lila watched as Felix grabbed the drink right out of Marinette’s hands.

“Hey! Don’t steal all my tapioca pearls, jerk!”

The blond brought the same straw to his lips to take a sip. “Hmm, you’re right, not too sweet.” The designer’s scowl transformed into a smug smile as he set the glass back down in front of her, continuing to enjoy her drink without a second thought.

‘Did they just…indirectly kiss?! Oh my, talk about juicy gossip!’ Lila’s lips curled into a wicked smile; she couldn’t wait to twist this into a new story tomorrow!

~~~ The next day…

“You’ll never believe this, girls. Marinette was on a date with Felix!” Lila sobbed, “After I told her how much I liked him, too!”

“Aw, Lila…I’m sure that’s not what it was,” Mylene comforted the girl.

“I saw it! They were all lovey-dovey, sharing a drink—” The liar attempted.

“Girl, are you sure that your lying disease isn’t acting up again?” Alya asked skeptically as Lila tensed. “I mean…Marinette and Felix? Pfft, that’d never happen!”

“Does seem rather far-fetched,” murmured Juleka in agreement.

“But I really saw—" she tried again in vain.

“Shh, it’s okay. Why don’t you tell us more about your recent trip to Achu instead, Lila?” Rose begged the flabbergasted liar.

~~~SCENE 2: Adrien~~~

It was Saturday and the teen heartthrob of Paris had just finished a photoshoot early. Nathalie had even agreed to let him enjoy a little free time! ‘Too bad Nino is busy with Alya today,’ he thought glumly as he looked around the park. Spying his favorite designer’s balcony in the distance brought a smile to his face once again. ‘Maybe Marinette would want to play some UMS III!’ Destination set, Adrien began crossing the park at a leisurely pace, enjoying the sun and the breeze on such a pleasant day.

He watched as kids chased each other through the park, vendors sold balloons and treats, and friends picnicked on checkered blankets. The model smiled as his roaming eyes noted happy couples – like the two giggling college students holding hands as they walked, Marinette and Felix lounging under a tree, the young man chasing—WAIT. Marinette and Felix were what?

Adrien’s eyes locked back onto the pair beneath the tree in disbelief. Felix was sitting with his back against the trunk while reading the book he held in one hand. Sprawled out between his knees was a slumbering bluenette, her sketchpad forgotten on her lap while her fingers still twitched with the pencil between the digits. Her body was slumped slightly to the right, her head lazily resting against his cousin’s chest. Dumbstruck, he continued to stare as Felix brought his free hand up to turn the page before returning it back to its original place, his silver ring gleaming in a wayward sunbeam as his fingers idly played with one of Marinette’s pigtails.

They looked…comfortable. Closer than he remembered them being.

Marinette seemed to stir, her eyes squinting slightly against the sunlight before she began to shift. The blond’s hand extracted itself from her hair, his eyes falling away from those crisp white pages to gaze down at the girl in his lap. The bluenette resettled on her left side, half curled against his chest and readily fell back to sleep. With unbridled fascination, Adrien watched a soft smile spread across Felix’s face before his hand cupped around her cheek to gently play with the short hairs that curled in front of her ears. His smile never wavered as his eyes returned back to the book in his other hand as if the whole exchange had never happened.

Felix looked…happy and, perhaps, in love?

‘Are they…dating?’ The model’s brow scrunched in thought, considering the whole exchange as he quietly walked in the opposite direction. ‘Good for them. I should congratulate them at school tomorrow!’

‘Maybe Luka is available for a jam session,’ Adrien pulled out his phone to call the older boy.

~~~SCENE 3: Adrien and Alix~~~

After school the next day, while waiting for his ride, Adrien flagged down his cousin coming down the stairs. Felix gave his usual short greeting before expectantly looking at him. Noting they didn’t have much time to spare, he decided to cut to the chase.

“I noticed you and Marinette have gotten rather close recently,” Adrien smiled warmly.

“Yes, she’s been very welcoming and warm. She grows on you, much like a fungus,” the snobbish blond replied while his eyes drifted towards the entry way as if looking for someone.

“Come on, Fe! You don’t need to be so obtuse. She’s really special, isn’t she?” The model raised his eyebrows, attempting to put a heavier meaning behind his words. All he got was a distracted, affirmative hum in reply. Settling a hand on his cousin’s shoulder, his grey eyes shifted back to Adrien. The model looked directly into Felix’s eyes with a bright smile, “I just wanted to tell you that I’m really happy for you two!”

His cousin’s face scrunched up in confusion but, before he could question the green eye blond, his attention was captured by a shriek coming from the stairs behind them. Felix turned just in time to catch a flying bluenette against his chest with an “oof!” before she could hit the ground.

Alix jumped down from the top step and swooped around them in her skates, looking frantic. “Oh my gods, Mari! I’m so sorry, I thought you saw me coming. Are you okay?”

“Kubdel, what the hell were you thinking? You know Marinette has her head in the clouds 80% of the time!” Felix scolded the pink haired girl while setting the young designer down on her feet, keeping her in the protective ring of his arms. Turning to her, his tone became a tender and worried murmur, “Are you alright, princess?”

“I’m purrfectly fine, she didn’t mean to bump into me! Besides,” Alix and Adrien watched as her smile turned fond, “you caught me before I could get hurt. My hero.” She pretended to swoon and, although Felix scowled, his eyes remained soft. They watched as he took her bag from her shoulder and then grabbed her hand. Neither classmate missed how the grey eyed boy threaded his fingers through hers.

“You’re likely to fall over if I don’t hold onto you. Let’s get you home in one piece, shall we?” He nodded to the two as he led Marinette away, the unlikely duo murmuring to themselves – smiling and laughing as if in their own little world.

“Are those two dating?” Alix inquired with obvious confusion.

“Yup, I saw them cuddling in the park over the weekend. I was pretty surprised but I’m happy for them. I think she’s good for him,” Adrien grinned.

“Huh. I always thought she’d end up with you,” the pink haired girl shrugged and skated away from the now blushing blond.

“Wait, what?!”

~~~SCENE 4: Amelie~~~

The Graham-Agreste family didn’t travel outside of Paris much these days but, when they did, it was usually for a week at a time. Amelie had warned her son about the impending trip to visit a business contact in Greece and he seemed less than thrilled. She suspected it had something to do with the sweet classmate he had been spending so much free time with. She wasn’t blind but pretended to be whenever Felix’s face softened and an unconscious smile spread on his face when he would receive a text from her. She even had her own ringtone! And today? Why, Amelie was in for quite the treat because that very classmate appeared at their door just a few hours ago to help Felix pack for his trip.

She didn’t miss the chance to remind her teenage son to leave his door open as she didn’t wish to be a grandmother…yet. Nor did she miss both turning bright red at the implication of her words.

Amelie had checked a few times – while walking down the hallway, she didn’t want to cramp his style – and noted that he had left the door ajar as requested. This allowed her to catch snippets of their muffled conversation and laughter in passing. Not that she was trying to eavesdrop, but those joyful sounds made her so happy. It made her heart swell that Felix had finally found someone he could relax and be himself with! Her grumpy little man had made a friend – a girl friend no less – and Amelie was over the moon!

‘Come to think of it, it has been a while and they are awful quiet…’ she internally mused. ‘Better go check on them.’

The older blond set down her crossword and headed upstairs, approaching the bedroom door as quietly as she could. She heard nothing as she paused outside the door. Curiosity getting the better of her, she pushed the door open soundlessly. She had to bite her lip to stop from cooing over what she found!

Felix’s carryon was packed and set at the foot of the bed with care, a light jacket draped over the handle in preparation of their early flight. A single lamp on his nightstand was on, illuminating the scene before her in the dusk-colored room. In the middle of the duvet lay the two teens, about a foot apart but facing each other, unconsciously holding hands as they peacefully napped side-by-side. Tiptoeing to the end of the bed, Amelie pulled out her phone and snapped a few silent photos – noting with glee the tiny smile on her son’s face as he slept. With an airy sigh through her nose, she silently departed so the two could rest.

‘They make such a cute couple! I’ll have to frame these photos for when they get married…’

~~~SCENE 5: Juleka and Nathaniel~~~

A few weeks later, Madame Bustier had paired up students for an art history project. Juleka and Nathaniel had scheduled some time during lunch to study in the library, hoping to get the necessary books for their chosen historical figure: Marcel Duchamp. They greeted the librarian and headed towards the art history section, flipping through various books to find the most relevant information. Suddenly a giggle cut through the quiet and caught the attention of the two studious classmates. Peeking around the end of the row and looking toward the beanbag chairs in the reading nook, they spied two teens engaging in a tickle fight. Their eyes widened as they realized the grinning blond was none other than Felix and the snorting giggles were escaping a very pink, writhing Marinette.

“Is that…are they…” Nathaniel questioned under his breath, Juleka nodding vaguely to confirm that she was witnessing the same thing. This was not the work of an akuma.

They watched silently as the bluenette twisted and struggled to evade the blond boy’s nimble fingers, eventually ending up tangled and panting in an embrace that resembled a human Gordian Knot. Her legs were draped across his lap and an ankle hooked around one of his, her arms weaved and locked around his upper torso, her fingers driven into his hair. Felix’s head rested against her collar bone, his eyes shut, and lips curved into a smug smile. Their bodies were pressed so tightly together that not even a breeze could get between them. “You could have just told me you wanted to nap! Gods, you’re such a cat sometimes!” Marinette scolded softly with a huff of laughter, her fingers petting the skin and long hair at the base of his neck as the boy seemed to melt further against the young designer.

“Do you think they’re dating?” Juleka whispered in amazement.

“Certainly seems like it,” the red head replied.

~~~SCENE 6: Mylene and Rose~~~

“…And the whole park just looks so lovely with all those new trees planted! Thank you for helping with my beautification project, Rose!” Mylene expressed happily to the strawberry blond beside her as they wandered into the cafeteria.

“I was so happy to help. The flowers are going to smell amazing when they begin to blossom!” Rose swooned softly before bumping into someone in her distracted state. “Oh, hey Marinette! What have you got there?”

“Hey guys! I made bento boxes today, want to see?” The bluenette opened the two boxes for their perusal. Inside were tiny hotdog octopi piled so close together that they seemed to be kissing, slices of fried chicken, rice balls with seaweed hearts stuck all over them, and a small salad filled with heart shaped veggies. The two girls cooed over each detail, noting the obvious theme…

“Did you make these for your crush, Marinette?” Rose chirped sweetly, “So romantic!”

“Wh-what?! N-no, no! I just made these because I wanted to…” the young designer blushed crimson at their words and nervously rubbed the back of her neck. “I kind of fell down a YouTube rabbit hole with Kagami the other day and became super obsessed with the idea. I’m not very good though, I still need a bunch of practice…”

The colorful dreadlocked girl smiled kindly, “I think it’s really sweet! You know, I bet Adrien would—”

“Oh shoot! Sorry, girls, I promised Felix we’d have lunch together to work on our project and I really want to eat before this gets cold,” interrupted a distracted Marinette as she packed up her bento, her face scrunched as she took in the grumpy blond at the far end of the cafeteria.

“Sure, see you later, Mari!” Rose and Mylene watched as their friend crossed the room to sit with Felix. “They’ve been spending a lot of time together lately, huh?”

The mousey girl nodded, watching in fascination as their class rep seemed to scold the pale blond for only eating an apple before spreading the two bento boxes between them on the table. Felix responded with an eyeroll from the other side of his book, but Marinette just gesticulated her hand brandishing chopsticks to wave off his arguments. They were taken aback a moment later when she scooped a mouthful from the box and blew away the steam, then offered it to the boy with a silent ‘say ah!’ The grump seemed to huff before dutifully taking the morsel into his mouth, not letting her feeding him interrupt his reading. Marinette smiled brightly and continued to feed them both in this fashion, completely oblivious of the two shocked girls watching from afar.

The petite bubbly girl squealed with joy! “Do you think she actually made the bento for Felix? Oh my goodness, she filled it with hearts!”

“And he accepted it! We’ve got to tell the girls!” Mylene gushed, thrilled to see their sweet friend find love and appreciation.

Looks like the Adrienette fan club needs to disband…

~~~SCENE 7: Kim~~~

It was date night with his girl, Ondine. He had lost their bet at swim practice, so she got to pick the movie – some American “classic” called Grease playing at a small, off-the-beaten-path theater. She seemed happy so Kim wasn’t about to complain. ‘I just hope it’s not a total chick flick! I’ll have to catch the latest John Wick with the guys next weekend…’ he internally sighed. It was early evening on a weeknight, a few bored employees manned the front, and very few patrons were in attendance. Most appeared to be couples out on their own dates. The two athletic teens settled into their seats near the back – prime make out territory for couples, oh yeah – just in time for the lights to dim.

Suddenly, about five minutes into the film, the entry door on the opposite side of the auditorium opened with a loud BANG and made everyone present jump. Kim heard a familiar voice call out a whispered “sorry!” before catching sight of a couple quietly making their way down the aisle and settling a few rows down from where he was. One tall, lanky, dour blond and a shorter, contrite looking bluenette… Wait, was that Felix and Marinette? As Ondine hummed and danced in her seat to ‘Summer Lovin,’ Kim curiously watched as the duo took their seats in the back half of the theater. Once seated, there was some sort of frantic movement from Marinette before Felix settled his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer; the young designer’s head coming to rest against his chest. Kim’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his jaw dropped.

Were they on a DATE?

Distracted, Kim draped his arm around his girlfriend and stared off towards the screen unseeing for a few moments, the gears in his head slowly turning. They arrived together. They seemed cuddly with each other. His eyes widened. ‘Wait, they…’ He glanced over a few times to verify, ‘…they sat in the make out section!’ By the time the characters were dancing around the carnival to ‘We Go Together,’ the Vietnamese boy noticed out of the corner of his eye that Felix had long ago rested his head on top of Mari’s and had occasionally rubbed his cheek against her dark hair.

Maybe it wasn’t really them?

The credits rolled and the dim house lights came on, allowing him to get a better look at the couple as they got up to leave. Oh, yup, it was definitely Felix and Marinette. He nodded along as Ondine gushed about the film, watching his classmates ahead of them from his peripherals. Marinette was gesturing widely, her eyes lit up in a way that only happened when she spoke about fashion. The grouchy teen was gone, a warm smile on his face as he gazed down at the girl beside him. Once outside, he watched as the smile turned into a frown once again – this time only because the bluenette was shivering. He thought he heard the blond murmur “are you cold, Bug?” but he wasn’t sure. For the second time that night, Kim was shocked as Felix shrugged out of his coat and draped it around the dark-haired girl before pulling her close as they walked down the street.

Ondine looked between Kim and the couple, tilting her head a bit. “Isn’t that your friend, Marinette?”

“Yeah…” the taller boy replied hesitantly.

“Wow, she and her boyfriend make such a cute couple!”

~~~SCENE 8: Chloe & Nino~~~

Nino’s groan of frustration was so loud that it reverberated off the walls of the hallway, “Chloe! Look, I’m not thrilled about having to do this report with you either but I’m not going to let you just not do anything!”

The haughty blond girl huffed, crossing her arms with a pout. “I can’t believe you’re going to make me do…” She paused, her mouth opening and closing like she was attempting to spit out something foul tasting, “…homework, Lahiffe. I have far more interesting things to do – like my mani-pedi! These hands don’t just look perfect all on their own!”

“Just use your phone to search for some information on Louise Bourgeois. You insisted on picking her since you’re related but you have to do more than pick the topic!”

Chloe scoffed and turned towards the other blond that had wandered out of the classroom, “Felikins, tell Lahiffe here that a young woman like myself has important needs!”

Felix settled against the wall beside the classroom door and rolled his eyes. He opened his mouth to reply when a stumbling blur came through the doorway and seized his attention. Nino watched in fascination as Adrien’s cousin quickly spun – was he always that fast? – and caught the figure in his arms, his face scrunched up in confusion and concern. As he raised himself from a crouch, the DJ was able to see he now held a barely conscious Marinette.

“Dudette! She okay?” Nino stepped closer with an outstretched hand, worry evident in his tone. Sure, he hadn’t been able to hang out with her as much lately, but he knew her! His oldest friend tended to push herself too hard and take on too much, plus she had developed a sensitivity to cold recently… Made her susceptible to getting sick very easily.

Then something unexpected happened that stunned them to silence... The grey eyed boy leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, his face transforming from worry to shock before effortlessly scooping the limp bluenette up bridal style. His voice softened, “Marinette, you have a fever! Did you go out without your jacket again?” He huffed as the girl whined weakly in his arms. Turning to the two of them, his tone became all business once more, “Excuse me, it seems I need to take her to the nurse.” The two shocked classmates stepped aside as a very fierce looking Felix hastened down the hall like a man on a mission. Nino could swear he heard Felix’s voice echoed a ‘what am I going to do with you, princess?’ as he turned the corner, but Felix surely wouldn’t say something like that… would he? Then again…

“Did Felix just…kiss Marinette? Do you think they’re dating?” Nino wondered aloud.

His words seemed to snap Chloe out of her stupor, she spun to face him and screeched in disbelief, “What?! Dating? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

~~~SCENE 9: Sabine & Tom~~~

Sabine was a patient, protective, intuitive woman. She watched her beautiful daughter trip over herself for a boy in her school – a model, no less – she just shook her head. Adrien seemed like a sweet boy but distracted and flighty. Tom thought he seemed like a good match for their sweet girl at first and welcomed him into their home like they would a future son-in-law; Sabine was unconvinced though. Not that she would treat the sweet teen model without her usual kindness – he was her little Bǎobèi‘s friend, after all. He just wasn’t the right one.

However, about half a year later Marinette came home with another blond boy that immediately caught her attention. The new boy, Felix, looked similar to Adrien but was entirely different. Sure, both boys were respectful, handsome, and polite… However, where Adrien was falling over himself for approval and acceptance, Felix walked with a gait that seemed to communicate he needed no one’s approval. She watched with interest as their friendship developed and noted with a smile that the grumpy boy balanced out their daughter’s overexuberance. She softened his hard edges; his quiet support allowed her self-confidence to blossom. He brought structure and order; she ruffled his feathers and introduced some spontaneity to his life. Sabine and Tom had friendly bets going that the two would become something more, but nothing had shown that that was happening. There had been an obvious change in their dynamic a few weeks ago and the bakers were thrilled! Perhaps this was the moment? No.

At this rate, her daughter was going to cost her $30 if they didn’t get together by the end of the month…

It had been a couple days since a worried Felix carried a feverish Marinette home from school. He made sure to come by each day with notes, assignments, and to inquire about her health. Sabine could tell by the way his eyes drifted to the back stairs during each visit that he wanted to see her – not that the taciturn blond would admit such a thing. The two teens were in the living room watching a movie now that she was feeling better. Sabine smiled softly as she washed a few dishes in the sink, ‘As if illness would keep that boy away from your side, Bǎobèi…’ The blond teen was sitting a respectful distance from her daughter on the couch as they chatted about the plot quietly, smiles on both of their faces.

Marinette began to shiver, her body not quite recovered, and whined about feeling cold. Sabine watched as Felix rolled his eyes before getting up, eliciting a louder whine from the girl on the couch. He passed the kitchen with a nod and wordlessly went up the stairs to the designer’s room, returning with a thick fluffy blanket as if he was used to fetching things in their house or for their daughter. Odd. The boy proceeded to drape the blanket over his blue-eyed classmate, carefully tucking it around her whole form before lifting her feet and encasing them as well. Marinette made happy noises as she began to settle in when a sudden movement made her squawk with indignation. Sabine turned in time to see Felix sit closer to her, Marinette’s feet on his lap as he began to unconsciously rub them through the cover of the blanket.

The older bluenette smiled, watching the two returning back to their bantering. Sabine quietly dried her hands and went back down to the bakery. Tom was going to want to hear all about this!

~~~Later…

Tom and his wife tiptoed up the stairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two teens without their notice. There, on the couch and basking in the glow of the DVD menu, lay two sleeping teens. Their daughter was cocooned in the blanket like a caterpillar going through metamorphosis, only her head was visible. However, laying slightly behind and draped over the blanket was the slumbering form of Felix. His arms unconsciously pulled her closer, causing their Bǎobèi to hum happily.

“Better be ready to pay up, honey,” whispered Sabine with a grin. “This boy is definitely our Nǚxù.”

Tom chuckled softly, pulling out his phone and opening the notes app. “Do you think he’ll like strawberry crème for their wedding cake?”

“Perhaps lemon, it would go very well with that cream cheese buttercream you’ve been testing out…”

The two adults retreated back to the bakery to continue their discussion, leaving the two teens blissfully unaware that the details of their anticipated nuptials would likely be hammered out by the end of the week.

~~~SCENE 10: Sabrina & Roger Raincomprix~~~

Lt. Roger Raincomprix returned home after his evening patrol, dropping his keys on the entryway table before letting out a long sigh. Tonight had been a long shift but he needed to speak to his daughter before she went to bed… He plodded down the hallway to her room and knocked when he saw the light still shining from beneath the door. “Sabrina? Are you still up, pumpkin?”

“Come on in, Dad!” Roger nervously pushed his way in, finding his smiling daughter dressed in her pajamas and sitting at her desk. “We have a big test tomorrow, so I was just getting in one last review before going to bed.”

“That’s good, honey. We need to have a talk,” the officer sat on the edge of his daughter’s bed and fidgeted with his hands. He wasn’t sure how to broach this topic with his teenage daughter but, some things had happened that evening that made Roger realize that he needed to make sure she was being safe.

“Something wrong, Dad? Did something happen on patrol tonight?” Sabrina’s tone became pensive, concerned for the serious look that her father was sporting.

He dropped his eyes to the floor, flexing his hands in and out of fists as he spoke haltingly. “Yes. Uh…well… Pumpkin, you’re a young woman now. Hormones are hard to deal with as a teen and you’re…going to meet someone special…and you’re going to have some urges—”

“DAD!” The scandalized cry brought his eyes up to meet her own wide, cyan-colored eyes. “Are you…trying to give me the ‘birds and the bees’ talk?”

He swallowed thickly, “Yes, sweetie. You’re sixteen now and—”

His daughter crossed her arms and gave him a flat look as she interrupted again, “I don’t even have a romantic interest right now, Dad. We already covered this in Sex Ed. What is this really about? What happened on patrol?”

Roger gave a long sigh and his brow furrowed. ‘I shouldn’t tell her what happened but… Sabrina wouldn’t tell anyone.’

He cleared his throat. “There was an incident with two of your classmates tonight in the park—”

“WHAT? Who?”

“Sabine’s daughter, Marinette, and that blond kid…what was his name again? Not the model.”

“Felix Graham-Agreste?”

He snapped his fingers, “That’s the one! Caught the two of them in the park canoodling…”

~~Earlier…

Lt. Raincomprix whistled softly as he walked past the hero statue in the park. It had been a quiet shift besides the akuma – not that he could assist with that! – which the heroes apparently wrapped up a few minutes ago, if the recent swarm of ladybugs was any indication. ‘I wonder what those two do after the fight? Chat Noir seems suave, he’s probably some playboy…’ Suddenly a crash and groans were heard. Roger pulled out his flashlight and rushed toward the bushes where the noise originated. There, he found two teens he recognized from his daughter’s class in a compromising position…

Felix Graham-Agreste was slouched back against the trunk of a tree and Marinette Dupain-Cheng was slumped forward between his knees, both staring towards the light with wide eyes. Their hair and clothes were in disarray, small twigs and leaves attached to the strands as if they had been rolling through the bushes. One of the bluenette’s hands was resting upon his thigh, while the other was gripping the front of his belt. The blond had a hand on the back of her head and the other pressed against her upper back, as if pulling her towards him. Felix’s shirt had been untucked and ridden up to expose his stomach; Marinette’s shirt gaped open in the front where a few buttons had popped off to reveal the lacy shoulder strap of her bra.

“What do you two think you’re doing? A park is no place for a lover’s tryst!” Lt. Raincomprix exclaimed.

The two looked each other over briefly before turning red in the face, the small girl squeaked in embarrassment as the boy pulled her close to cover her exposed décolletage and flaming face. He cleared his throat to try to regain some semblance of decorum. “Our apologies, Officer. We weren’t… this isn’t… this was an accident…”

“So are many babies that come from young teenage relationships, son. I understand, I was a young, hot-blooded man myself once.” Roger chuckled at the memory of his adolescent escapades. The two teens in front of him rose to their feet, a flustered Marinette clutched the front of her shirt closed as a more composed Felix kept an arm around her while he continued to shield her from view with his body. “Head on home. I don’t want to be finding you two in the bushes after dark again, you hear?”

The two teens nodded and started the trek back towards the bakery, Roger could hear the bluenette muttering about this being all the boy’s fault. Before they could escape the park, the officer called back out to them. “Oh! And remember to use protection!” He could see the pale blond stiffen and a new flush of red go up the back of his neck at the comment. He chuckled and murmured quietly, “Kids these days…”

~~~Present…

“…I know they’re in your class and you’re all about the same age. It’s totally natural to express your love that way. I just wanted to have a talk with you to make sure that you’ll be safe.” Roger smiled at his daughter and ruffled her hair. “Alright, pumpkin, thanks for hearing me out. Just wait to give me grandkids until you’re a bit older, hm?” He chuckled and walked from the room with a wave. “Sweet dreams and good luck on that test tomorrow!”

A gaping Sabrina stared at the door that her father closed behind him, trying to grasp the facts – Felix and Marinette were apparently caught in a park together.

Were they even dating? It was obviously serious!

Or was he just using her?

How had no one noticed?

She needed to talk to Chloe!

~~~SCENE 11: Max~~~

The cafeteria was busy when Max Kanté wandered in, almost every seat was taken, and a few students had even braved sitting on the notoriously filthy tabletops. Markov scanned the area and found an empty chair near the resident grumpy blond in the corner – was he saving it for someone? Or perhaps most were just too intimidated to ask? Based on various factors, the bespectacled teen calculated that he had a 64.8% chance of success approaching him verses someone else in their class. He’d take those odds.

Approaching the distant table, he noted that Felix Graham-Agreste was focused – leaned forward on elbows and brow furrowed – on a laptop screen in front of him and, once he was within two meters of his target, that it appeared he was playing a video game. Max’s curiosity was peaked. “Hello Felix, apologies, I noticed you were playing a game. I was unaware you were a gamer. Perhaps you would be interested in being a beta test—”

The blond winced slightly and sat back, looking up at the suspender-wearing boy with a wry smirk. “I’m not, Kante. I am attempting to try a game recommended to me by an acquaintance. I’m afraid this endeavor is likely fruitless.”

“Oh,” Max paused, unsure how to continue the conversation. “Well, if you change your mind, I wouldn’t mind a non-gamer perspective. My games should be user friendly to professionals and novices alike.” Felix hummed in response, his eyes returning to the screen where 32-bit sprites bounced in place while awaiting orders. ‘Likely an emulator game considering the archaic graphics,’ he thought to himself.

He cleared his throat and rested his hand on the back of the open chair. “I actually came here to ask if I could take the chair or are you saving it?”

Felix’s eyes flickered over the item before he waved dismissively, “Take it. I’m not saving it.”

“Many thanks. Enjoy your game.” The blond teen snorted in reply and turned back towards his computer.

Max moved to a table nearby, settling in to eat with a few members of the AV club to discuss the latest technology released at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While one boy animatedly spoke of the newest VR technologies, the bespectacled boy noticed Marinette swerving between the tables; he raised his hand to greet her, but she only gave a wave in passing before stopping beside Felix. Unusual. The distance between them was not great and, though he did not mean to, he could not help eavesdropping inadvertently.

“Hey Felix! Are you…playing a game?” The bluenette leaned over his shoulder, tilting her head at what was displayed.

“Yes, although not very well.” He chuckled softly.

“…But you don’t like video games,” he hummed as she paused in thought. “What brought on the change of heart?”

Felix roughly cleared his throat and preoccupied himself with brushing nonexistent dust from the keyboard keys rather than meeting her eyes. When he finally spoke, Max could barely hear his voice over the general din. “…You enjoy it.” Were his ears red? That had to be a trick of the light!

Marinette whipped her head towards him, blinking a few times as she absorbed his words. Max could see the instant they sunk in: her cheeks took on a rosy glow, her eyes softened, and a sweet smile spread across her face. Were they…flirting? Max was unsure. She leaned in a bit closer, “So…what are we playing?”

Felix seemed to recover some of his normal composure at her reply, “Final Fantasy 7, unfortunately.”

“Wait, the original 1997 release? I love that game!” Marinette glanced around for a chair, frowning when she didn’t see one available. She contemplated the tabletop with a quick swipe of her hand, grimacing at finding something sticky. She wiped her hand lightly on her dark wash jeans and mumbled something that made the boy scoff. They seemed to exchange a look before he sat back and made a gesture in front of him.

Wait! Was Felix Graham-Agreste offering what Max thought he was offering?

No! Couldn’t be! There was only a 13.7% chance that…

Max stared with wide eyes as the blue-eyed designer smiled graciously before casually taking a seat on the blond’s lap – as if this was an everyday occurrence! – before proceeding into a detailed breakdown of the game mechanics and basic strategy. Felix loosely looped an arm around her waist to hold her steady while her hands fluttered about to emphasize her words. The pale blond rested his chin on her shoulder, his eyes attentive and focused on the screen once more, nodding along while his body language communicated contentment. Lifting the sleeve of his green polo shirt, Max pinched himself to make sure he was not imagining this strange manifestation, then glanced around for an akuma for good measure. Nope, this was real.

‘Looks like I need to adjust my calculations…’ he thought, baffled.

~~~SCENE 12: The Whole Class~~~

After a few long days of presentations and exams (and multiple late-night stress-induced akumas – midterms, amirite?), students were rewarded with a school board mandated half day as a “stress relief” measure. Dupont’s was scheduled on Wednesday and teachers had doubled up on homework assignments, but Madam Bustier’s class wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and they had time off from school! They quickly arranged for a potluck styled picnic in the park and most of their group had arrived by the allotted time…

“Hey, where’s Marinette and Felix?” Max questioned.

“Don’t know about Felix but you know my girl, she’s always running late,” Alya chuckled.

“They’re probably coming together!” Rose chirped from beside a nodding Mylene. Juleka seemed to be murmuring something about a Felinette fan club to a perplexed Ivan.

The Ladyblogger scoffed, “Yeah right. They can barely stand each other at school.” Alix seemed to be quietly chuckling at something Nathaniel was muttering about from the shade of a nearby tree.

Nino and Adrien shared a look beside a smug Kim. “They seemed pretty chummy to me,” the jock shrugged while the other two boys nodded emphatically.

Lila crossed her arms with a huff, “I tried to tell you, Aly—”

“Pardon our tardiness, someone couldn’t pick what flavor juice they wanted…” interrupted Felix with an annoyed tone.

Everyone turned to see the grumpy blond, who had suddenly appeared and was setting down a few boxes of pastries from the boulangerie. He was dressed in a crisp white linen button up, the long sleeves belying the warmth in the air, with his typical grey vest and slacks. Trailing behind was a contrite looking Marinette carrying a large jug of grape juice, her flirty grey skirt and short-sleeved white blouse with white embroidery seeming to match Felix in a casual way. Most present would agree that that was the best way to describe the pair: formal vs. casual, yet somehow complimentary. Well, most people anyway – Alya called it a coincidence!

“There were too many options,” she protested with a scoff, “rich people apparently like to have a bazillion different kinds of juice!”

“It’s called ‘having a selection’ and that’s not even a number!” The boy snarked back, wandering closer to Adrien with an eyeroll. The designer grumbled as she poured herself a cup of juice.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get this party started!” Nino cried while pumping a fist in the air, cueing Max to start up the tunes while the group mingled over snacks and students settled into a rough circle on a collection of picnic blankets.

Everyone was laughing and having a good time, although many were stealing glances at the bluenette and pale blond as they seemed to coordinate or maneuver around each other like some kind of elaborate dance. His hand steadying her elbow as she wobbled while getting up, her wordlessly placing a few extra cheese squares onto his plate, a tap or a smile or a shoulder bump somehow communicating each other’s needs without words. The food began to dwindle after a couple amicable – if scrutinizing – hours passed. All that remained was a handful of badly bruised fruit and the dwindling drink supply. It was during a moment when Marinette was refilling her cup with juice at the nearby table and Felix turned a certain way that it happened…

“Uh, Fe… You have something on your collar.” Adrien pointed towards his own neck to indicate the general location. “Did you spill something on yourself?”

“No,” puzzled the teen in question, popping open the top button, pulling the collar away from his neck and into the edges of his field of vision.

“Yeah, dude, it kinda looks like lipstick?” Nino helpfully contributed.

Felix face morphed into a flat look of irritation before leaning back to call over his shoulder, “You got lipstick on me again?”

‘AGAIN?’ The class thought simultaneously, shocked speechless.

Oblivious to the turmoil he had created in their classmates, the grumpy blond turned to speak directly to the approaching bluenette. “What is it with you and always leaving marks on me, hm?”

Jaws slackened, unsure what to make of such a bold statement. However, Alya’s eyes had zeroed in on the exposed skin around Felix’s collar bones and shoulder… which were covered in light scratches. Scratches that were obviously made by human fingernails rather than by an animal. ‘As if given in the heat of passion…’ The thought caused her to choke on a bite of food and left her coughing roughly to clear her windpipe.

“It’s not like I meant to—AH!” Marinette’s toe caught on a rock, lurching her forward and causing the grape juice to go airborne. As if in slow motion, everyone watched in silent fascination as the purple stream crashed down on Felix. With a bland look and soft growl, the now wet teen dragged a hand down his face and looked into the bluebell eyes staring at him in horror. A silent conversation seemed to pass between the two as everyone held their breath – Adrien’s cousin was not known for being forgiving, especially when it came to his clothes. After a couple seconds, the young designer scrambled up and began to blot his face and neck with a few wrinkled napkins that she had crushed in her hand when she fell.

“Oh gods… I’m so, so sorry, Felix!” They watched as his brow furrowed and he captured the wrist of one fussing hand in his. Just as he was about to open his mouth to give a – likely scathing – retort, she suddenly perked up with a determined glint in her eye. In one fluid motion she reversed his hold and yanked them both to their feet. “I know! Let’s go back to my house so you can change, I have one of your shirts from last time!”

With a quick tug and a brusque ‘see ya’ over her shoulder, the two were off! The drenched blond stumbling after the exuberant bluenette bounding gracefully across the grass, moving so fast that they were quickly out of earshot. Leaving behind the cacophony of vocalized reactions of their friends and classmates to such a proclamation…

“Wait—”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN—”

“…Last time?”

“Do you think that means they…”

“DUDE!”

“…my ship…”

“Damn, get it, bro!”

“Did you see…”

“I told you so!”

“What just happened?!”

“Ridiculous! If you hadn’t already told me, Sabrina, I would not have believed it.” Chloe’s muttered words, although not loud, cut through the din and silenced all present. Twelve sets of eyes landed on the duo as if seeking answers or insider gossip.

“Wait! What do you know, Sabrina?” Alya questioned with narrowed eyes.

“Well…” she hesitated, looking around nervously before dropping her eyes to the checkered pattern of the blanket she sat on. “My dad said, the other night…”

~~~SCENE 13: The Confrontation~~~

No one was really sure how it started but the newest ‘golden couple’ was in the middle of an argument during their free period. Madam Bustier had left to gather more materials for later coursework. Everyone watched with silent interest as Marinette and Felix seemed to forget that the rest of the room existed, teasing smirks and flashing eyes only for each other.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah!”

“You and what army?”

“I don’t need an army, I can best you all by myself.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

The class collectively held their breath as the two edged closer and closer. The space between them on their shared bench disappeared as they leaned in, eyes locked together as grey gazed deeply into blue, nose to nose and humid breaths mingling as they continued to banter. Marinette’s bangs brushed Felix’s forehead as he tilted his head and his features adopted a more cocksure appearance, as if he was challenging her. She leaned ever closer, their lips only a whisper apart as their voices dropped in timbre. Time seemed to slow to a stop in the classroom. The anticipation was so thick that it was choking every ambient sound into silence…

“JUST KISS ALREADY!”

In an instant the spell was broken. Everyone jumped at the screeched words and searched for the source. There stood a panting, flushed Juleka. Her hands planted on her desk as she leaned aggressively forward, a fierce fire burning in her eyes as they bored into Marinette and Felix – as if the strength of her will alone would make it happen. A few groans were heard as the couple leaned away with widened eyes, only now realizing they had an audience.

“What did you say?” questioned the pale blond, his lips turning down into a frown.

“We’re saying you don’t need to hide your relationship anymore,” Ivan smiled softly.

“Guys, what…” the young designer chuckled incredulously.

“We know you two are dating,” answered Kim plainly.

Marinette and Felix’s ruddy complexions mirrored each other, their eyes looking like they might pop from their sockets. The two tripped over their words to contradict but neither were able to get more than a “we’re not—“/”that’s not—” as their tongues tumbled about uselessly in their mouths.

“Don’t even try to deny it, we’ve all seen you two. It’s not like you’re very subtle, Dupain-Cheng!” Chloe crossed her arms and stared down her nose at them.

The tall blond boy was the first to recover, his brow furrowing. “Wait, what do you mean you saw us?”

“I saw you cuddling in the park,” Adrien offered softly.

“And in the library,” Nathaniel contributed while Juleka got herself under control.

“All of you know that Marinette is very physically affectionate, especially when she’s cold.” Felix defended.

Alix scoffed, “What about holding hands and carrying her bags?”

“She’s also incredibly clumsy and regularly hurts herself. I do that to keep her from faceplanting every three meters,” he argued while Mari chuckled softly.

“You two regularly share drinks,” Lila rolled her eyes at the gasped “sorry for not believing you, girl!” coming from Alya beside her.

“And made him bento lunches!” squealed a lovesick Rose.

“Hey! I told you I made those on a whim!” the young designer cried.

“Then why were there so many hearts?” Mylene innocently questioned.

The bluenette blushed, “They were supposed to be flowers…I’m not very good at cutting shapes with a knife.”

“Well, Ondine and I saw you all lovey-dovey at the movies,” presented Kim with an eyebrow waggle.

She crossed her arms and huffed, “I was researching 1950’s American fashion for a design!”

“Uh…dudette…we saw him kiss you,” Nino nervously murmured. Although, by the way the whole class gasped, they had heard him. The Moroccan boy quickly added, “it was on the head!”

Marinette squeaked and looked at the slightly pink boy beside her. Felix turned to meet Nino’s eye, “…she was ill with a fever and I had my hands full, if you will recall.”

Lila’s tone turned salacious, “That doesn’t even cover the scandalous moments…”

“You did seem awfully cuddly playing video games at lunch the other day,” Max stated while adjusting his glasses.

“B-but th-that was…” the designer stuttered weakly before being interrupted.

“Sabrina’s father caught you hooking up in the park,” Kim smirked and winked towards Felix, who showed the telltale signs of a flush spreading up his neck and ears.

“Not to mention the lipstick and scratches!” Alya leaned towards Marinette and whisper shouted, “I didn’t know you had it in you, girl!”

“And he has clothes at your place from last time,” purred the Italian.

“That’s…” the bluenette swallowed hard, “I-I-I was tr-trying to save a k-kit-kitten from the tr-tree in the p-park. F-Felix ca-caught me when I s-slipped, damaged hi-his clothes… He left his sh-shirt for m-me to repair it and he for-forgot to p-pick it up.”

The blond kept his eyes down, his voice was quiet but still carried in the small classroom, “I recently discovered a new allergy to a certain laundry detergent that makes me very itchy and I’ve been scratching myself…”

“Um…what about the lipstick?” a bashful Adrien murmured.

“I hav-haven’t gotten m-m-much sleep lately…” began the designer, pressing her palms together in her lap nervously.

“…She has a tendency to fall asleep on me if I carry her,” Felix finished quietly, his grey eyes holding unreadable emotions.

“We’re just friends,” they flatly replied, their expressions reflecting some internal conflict while unable to meet the other’s eye.

Most of the students collectively groaned again as they hunkered back down into their seats, unable to stand that phrase. Fourteen sets of eyes exchanged looks as the information sank in. The couple’s explanation made a lot of sense in hindsight… Nino and Kim had known Mari for years and she was overly physically affectionate. ‘Plus Alya knows the girl was even more so with cold weather,’ the Moroccan boy thought. He and Kim shrugged it off, who were they to judge? Many others are willing to brush it off as a misunderstanding now that the excitement had passed.

On the other hand, Adrien seemed to grow more flustered since the declaration of friendship, shooting furtive glances towards Marinette – his imagination running wild with the idea of cuddling with the soft, sweet-smelling baker girl. ‘Maybe she and I…’ He was jolted from his daydreams by a tap from Nino’s pen on his arm. The model’s ears and cheeks felt like they would permanently sport a pink coloration. A few Adrienette fan club members squealed quietly as they observed his reactions. However, there were a few classmates that were still suspicious – such as Chloe and Sabrina – that quickly found home with the handful of Felinette shippers as they charted their theories. Some things just felt too convenient and damn, if they didn’t make an adorable couple…

REET! REET! REET!

The akuma alert popped up on every phone in the class, everyone opened it to see the location— BOOM!

RIIIIIING!

A plume of dust rose above the rooftops from a few blocks away and the school’s evacuation bell blared overhead. The students quickly grabbed their things and calmly evacuated away from the action. They all failed to notice a still pink Felix Graham-Agreste grab the hand of a flustered Marinette Dupain-Cheng before running furiously in the opposite direction…

~~~ BONUS SCENE~~~

The akuma took longer than usual. They were both off their game. First, the heroes had been distracted and submerged in the thoughts contained within their own minds. Their communication suddenly became stilted and awkward, filled with embarrassed laughter that would die out like a sputtering engine running out of fuel. Then it was as if they were hyperaware of each other – every touch, glance, and proximity – causing them to jerk away at the most inopportune times.

The worst part?

It wasn’t caused by the akuma.

The issues were not resolved by the Miraculous Cure. So, after recharging – and getting a peptalk from – their kwamis, they rendezvoused on the top of a tall building where they would not be overheard. Feet dangling over the edge, they decided to clear the air.

“I just can’t believe they thought we were dating!” Ladybug cried, her hands fluttering anxiously around her head.

"That cover story about the kitten in the park was genius though." Chat Noir chuckled, “I’m honestly not as surprised. You did suddenly act much closer to me after you revealed your identity.”

“Excuse moi? I was NOT the one that revealed to you! I seem to recall saving your leather-clad butt from being revealed to all of Paris.” The spotted heroine poked him in the shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah…” the black-cloaked hero rolled his eyes, “and you happened to drop your transformation right as we barreled headlong into that broom closet. You landed right on top of me!”

“Fine, I saved both of our asses, Alley Cat!” she grinned teasingly.

Chat threw his head back with a joyous laugh, a more natural grin spreading across his face as he flirtatiously waggled his eyebrows. “Alley Cat who? Our classmates seem to think I’m a House Cat now, Bugaboo.”

Ladybug’s cheeks pinked under her mask at the implication of his joke, her eyes breaking away from his to refocus on another point on the skyline pensively. Had he said something wrong? The lines of Chat’s mouth tugged down at her reaction, leaning closer in an attempt to meet her eyes again when her whisper froze him in place.

“…is the idea of being MY kitty so ridiculous…?”

His eyes widened. Chat swallowed thickly, his mind supplying the same sweet moments their classmates had witnessed and more as his face burned up. Perhaps even a bassinet, family dinners, and kisses. Gods, that sounded…purrfect. A wide grin blossomed from the ashes of his frown and he leaned into her peripherals to catch her eye with a flirty wink.

“Does that mean my princess would like to become my queen?”

The bug-heroine’s eyes snapped to meet his, filled with enough warmth and love to knock the air from his lungs. Within seconds, a playful sparkle and a bright smile broke across her face as she leaned right into his personal space to peck his cheek. His face grew hot, smile lopsided, and he could swear his spine melted a little.

“If you can catch me, Kitty,” launching herself from the building with a laugh as she swung away.

Shaking himself from his stupor, he pulled out his baton and plunged off the side. Challenge accepted. He had a bug to catch!

‘Looks like our classmates will have more to talk about tomorrow…’

**Note: I plan to write a sequel eventually!

[mysteriouschar]

Childhood Friends

Sabine and Amelie Graham de Vanily were good friends though they make an unusual pair. Their friendship started at a children's store( or whatever they are called). Though people may think there couldn't be more different people they had much in common both being fierce, loving their family, knowing martial arts and children of the same age. The latter was the reason they had started talking and found a friend in each other.

Amelie was feeling lonely as she couldn't meet with her sister as often as she would like because of Gabriel. And Felix didn't have any friends his age.

Sabine thought about how it might be nice for Marinette to have friends as though her daughter was nice she didn't have any close friends so maybe Amelie's son might become her friend.

And thus Felix and Marinette met, at first they didn't start on the right foot.

"Just know I don't like people. And it wasn't my idea to meet you." said little Felix trying to mimic an adult.

"Well how can you judge me without knowing me. You're just like Chloe." said Marinette angrily putting her little hands on her waist trying to show her disapproval.

"Bourgeois!! you take that back I am nothing like that that meanie." said Felix

"you know Chloe too? and how are you not like her." said Marinette

"Well.. (trying to think of reasons but not getting any) I am not a girl?" said more like asked Felix

Marinette couldn't hold it any more she started laughing. Felix also starts laughing as her laugh is contagious.

"Maybe we could be friends you aren't who I thought you were." said felix

"Yay! does that mean you'll come here and play with me." said Marinette. 

And thus started a beautiful Friendship.

They became best friends and would go to each others houses. Their mothers were happy. They would tell each other everything. But 4 years later Felix had to move to London because of his father's company.

"hey! don't cry its not like I won't be coming I can't just leave my only best friend alone." said Felix while hugging Marinette.

" You promise you won't forget me and replace me?" asked Marinette

"who could ever replace you  my macron? and I'll call you every week and we can talk about our lives. And I'll return in a few years." said felix

"promise?" said Mari.

"Promise" said Felix.

they hugged a last time and Felix went to his car waving as he went tears sliding his cheeks.

"Mama he will come back no?" asked Mari also crying .

"of course sweetie." replied Sabine

[raeuberprinzessin]

A Slice in the Life of the Boyfriend of the Daughter of the most eccentric Billionaire's Family of the northern Hemisphere (or The Day Felix arrived late, met his Girlfriend's Brothers and didn't get to drink his Tea)

Summary: Meeting your girlfriend's family is never exactly easy.

AO3 | Masterlist

Meeting your girlfriend's family is never exactly easy. But if your girlfriend is the long lost and only recently found daughter of the probably most eccentric billionaire in the northern hemisphere and has a gaggle of siblings who sounded absolutely crazy from the things she mentioned casually alone, meeting the family wasn’t just an awkward event. Felix felt like an emissary of an ancient kingdom being sent into enemy territory to propose an alliance which would ask the enemy kingdom to give up their most-beloved treasure.

But being a Graham de Vanily meant not to be intimidated by anyone. Not by his uncle in his disturbing villain costume, not by a crime-ridden city and it’s just as crazed rogues and vigilantes, not even by Marinette’s temper. She rarely lost it, but if she did, he really didn’t want to be in her way. She was just as creative with torture as she was with her designing and if he was really honest with himself, he was absolutely intimidated by her, even if he wouldn’t ever admit it. 

He felt this shouldn’t count. She was Ladybug! Freaking everyone was intimidated by Ladybug! At least everyone who saw that one video in which she verbally took apart the Justice League for getting involved without coordinating with the heroes of Paris and almost costing them everything. They were lucky Red Robin and his team warned them and helped them with a plan to counter the adult heroes. He would never forget the way Nightwing looked like a plucked chicken after she was done with them.

At least something good came out of this: With the Titans they gained allies with a serious disregard for boundaries and they were able to learn that his uncle was the weirdo whose hobby it was to possess teenagers and meddle in their petty teenage dramas. Well, he was glad. Had he chosen competent people the heroes would have had a harder time defeating him. Felix wished he could say he was as surprised by his uncle’s hobby as his cousin was, but the truth was that it made too much sense. Honestly, he felt slightly offended to be related to that man, even if it was through the marriage of his aunt.

At least today he would only meet the family’s butler, four of her five brothers and her father. Her foster brother Duke and her sister Cassandra were unavailable.

His chauffeur finally arrived at the gate to the Wayne property. On the way there from the high-class penthouse he and his mother rented for their stay - they were debating finding a more permanent residence, since Marinette would spent a lot more time here and his mother fell in love with the architecture and wanted to make at least one movie here - he had felt like every single traffic light had turned red just as they got there which meant he wasn’t a bit early or perfectly on time. No. He was late. His father had taught him the importance of punctuality. “Being on time is being late,” Gustav Graham de Vanily always said, “but at least you’re technically on time so you might be forgiven if you apologize. But it’s always better to be a few minutes early. But don’t be too early, that’s just as impolite as being too late. Always plan with some spare time, you can always wait outside until it would be acceptable for you to ring the bell. And if you still can’t make it, at least call!”

Well, his father probably didn’t expect that an angry Poison Ivy would rip up almost all streets between his penthouse and Bristol just as he got into the car. Neither would he expect the traffic lights to conspire against him. At least he did call ahead and talked to the Butler, Mr. Pennyworth, who seemed understanding, but also sounded very reserved. Obviously a fellow englishman.

When the car stopped in front of the imposing manor Felix took a moment to take a deep breath and make sure he looked presentable and that his kwami Krrah was still carefully hidden inside his waistcoat. The crow wanted to come along, so they could hang out with the other kwamis in Marinette’s room.

Then he took the flower bouquet he brought as a hospitality gift. Marinette had told him how much pride Mr. Pennyworth took in his cooking and baking and he knew from her parents in Paris that in this case bringing any food would be inappropriate.

Mr. Pennyworth, at least Felix assumed it was him, had already opened the door and watched as he walked up the steps to the entrance.

“Mister Graham de Vanily, I suppose?”

Felix gave him a polite smile and offered a handshake which the butler took after a moment. “Indeed that’s me, Felix Graham de Vanily. Am I correct in assuming that you are Mr. Alfred Pennyworth?”

“You are. May I take your coat? The flowers would be for Miss Marinette?”

“Oh no, they are for the family. Marinette let me know that it would be quite the faux pas to bring anything edible as a hospitality gift,” Felix answered. He has always been quite observant, so he noticed the tiny twitch in the older man’s face. A faint almost smile. He decided to see this as success.

“Very well, then I shall find a suitable vase in just a moment. Please follow me and take a seat in the sitting room, I will inform the family of your arrival.”

The butler took his coat, put it away and offered him a pair of house slippers. After that he led him to a tastefully decorated room to wait for his hosts. He asked him if he could offer him anything to drink and Felix gratefully accepted a cup of Earl Grey tea.

“Psst, Felix!”

Felix looked around before he looked down his waistcoat into the beady black eyes of his kwami.

“I’ll go and find the other kwamis and tell your girlfriend that you’re here,” Krrah declared in a croaky voice. Felix gave them a tiny nod and then acted as if he was checking his appearance again.

When he looked back up a steaming cup of tea stood in front of him. When did that appear? Hopefully after Krrah got away. He very deliberately did not check on his tie pin to make sure it was still there. If someone actually had seen everything, that would give too much away. Instead, he adjusted his cuffs and checked his cufflinks. After that he decided to reach for the tea.

Only for it to be snatched out of his hand. He blinked in surprise and turned in the direction the hand had come from. There stood a dark haired teen roughly his age with icy blue eyes and an exhausted smile. In one hand he held the cup of tea, the other held up a struggling kid by the scruff of his neck like a misbehaving kitten. The image was surprisingly fitting especially when the kid started to hiss insults at the teen, calling him “Drake”.

“I’m so sorry for him,” Drake apologized. “Damian likes to play pranks and this time he seemed to think putting some sleeping pills in your tea would be funny.” At that the boy hissed again and resumed his struggles.

“It is my duty as her only true blood brother to defend Marinette,” Damian declared.

“May I ask what the meaning of this is?” a cool voice came from the door. There stood Mr. Pennyworth with another steaming cup of tea. His right eyebrow rose as he observed the picture that presented itself to him. “Master Timothy, would you please let Master Damian down?”

Timothy sighed and set the child down. Damian gave him a calculating look and then a small knife stuck in the upholstery next to him and Timothy restrained the boy once more.

“Alfred, I would love to let go of Damian, but he doesn’t seem to know how to behave in front of a guest,” Timothy told the butler. “I’ll bring him to Bruce. I’m sorry about the upholstery.”

With that he left and Mr. Pennyworth placed the cup of tea in front of him with a sigh.

“Please excuse the young master. Regrettably he hasn’t had the most healthy upbringing.”

“It’s not my place to voice any judgment,” Felix replied. It didn’t stop him from thinking such judgment, of course. But instead of saying anything else he pulled the knife out and gave it the butler. “Would you please return this to its owner?”

The man nodded and left again. Felix turned back to the tea when the cup was, again, snatched away. This time he couldn’t suppress a twitch at his eyes and turned again to the person who took the beverage this time.

How this tank of a man was able to come in without making any noise Felix had no idea. The man had unruly, curly black hair. The white streak at the front brought to mind the image of a skunk.

“Hm, Earl Grey. To be honest, I prefer any green tea, but it’s good to have another tea drinker here. There are already too many bean worshippers in this house,” the man declared and gave him a roguish grin. “The name’s Jason Todd and you’re obviously pixie pop’s arm candy?”

“Arm candy, that’s a new one. Especially since those I know agree that everyone pales next to Marinette. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Jason. I am Felix Graham de Vanily.” He offered the man his hand for a handshake and suppressed a wince when that handshake turned out to be a bit more forceful than expected.

“Ah, Felix was it? I have a very serious question for you Felix,” another voice came from the door. Once more a young man with black hair stepped into the room. He grinned good-naturedly, but there was a dangerous glint in his dark blue eyes that had Felix immediately on edge.

“Tell me … what’s your favorite cereal?”

Taken aback Felix only blinked at the man. Jason next to him burst into peals of laughter.

“Cereal?”

“Yes, cereal.”

Felix didn’t know if he was serious or not. “Actually, I don’t eat cereal.” The man gasped as if he had just insulted all his ancestors.

“Then what do you eat for breakfast or as a late night snack?”

“Well, for breakfast I usually eat a boiled egg and toast with jam, marmalade or honey. And I rarely eat a late night snack, but if I get hungry between meals I prefer a greek yogurt with honey, nuts and fruit or simply an apple if I don’t want to put as much work into it,” he explained confusedly. It seemed Marinette’s family was even weirder than she had told him.

“Oh, Felix boy, sounds like you are much too healthy and sane for this family,” Jason cackled.

“I tried to warn him,” he heard Marinette say from behind the cereal-obsessed man. “In or out Dick, but don’t stand around in the doorway.”

The man going by the unfortunate name of “Dick” sighed and stepped inside. Behind him Marinette came in and gave him one of her beautiful smiles. That’s all he needed to remember why he was doing this.

“Hello Marinette,” he greeted as he stood up to come over to her. Marinette grinned, pulled him in and pressed their lips together. After the kiss swallowed his surprised (and plainly undignified) squawk he returned the kiss gently. The two men in the room made noises of discomfort but he realized this was part of why Marinette did it when she grinned into the kiss.

When they pulled back his wonderful, beautiful, brilliant girlfriend smirked at her brothers.

“Remember, I am French, I have absolutely no problem kissing my boyfriend in front of you or dad whenever any of you step out of line. And I can’t imagine Felix disliking my idea of punishing you, do you?”

He shook his head and gave her a conspiratorial grin.

“My lips are at your service, my queen.”

[sallertiafabrica]

then they started dating

[jheqiawrites]

Check my Twelve One-shots of Christmas on Ao3

[aliensunflower-fics]

Man, Adrien's just wants everyone to be happy, and because he goes on the wrong way, he gets a raw deal.

Will he ever get a break in your fics?

... Okay I have gotten 1 to many asks like this even though if you check my pinned post you would see all my fics with tags a fair few of which include Adrienette or even just cool friends Adrien and Mari but to make your life even easier HERE I will link every single fic I have written (to this date) in which there is 0 Adrien salt ENJOY:

Alya Salt Prompt: Views (Alya Salt / Prompt / Mild Lila Salt )

Ladybug Is Addicted to Pastries ( Fluff / Comedy Short )

Corruption: A Prompt ( Light Adrinette / Lila Salt / Prompt)

Marinette Changes Schools: Funny Prompt ( Adrienette / Kagaminette / Felinette / Fluff / Comedy / Lila Salt)

A Sinister Sneaky Lila Prompt (Marinette Harem / Lila Salt / Prompt )

The Liar Trap: Lila Salt Prompt (Comedy / Lila Salt / Hints of Kagaminette )

Marinette The Perfect Daughter In-Law (Marinette Harem / Fluff / Comedy)

‘Akumatized’ Marinette: Funny Prompt (Marinette Harem / Fluff / Comedy / Lila Salt )

The Interview (Comedy /Gabriel Salt / Nathalie Salt / Lila Salt / BAMF Marinette)

The Interview Part 2: Live Broadcast ( Comedy / Gabriel Salt / Nathalie Salt / Lila Salt / BAMF Marinette / Hints of Daminette / Gay Adrien / AdriJon )

Jealousy & Honesty: Sugary Prompt (Innocent Lila AU / Marinette Is Insecure but Sweet / Marinette Talks to Her Mom / Prompt)

Who Framed Marinette Dupain Cheng (Comedy / Marinette Harem / Fluff / Class Sugar)

[dhr-ao3]

Miraculous Wizards - Felinette AU

Miraculous Wizards - Felinette AU https://ift.tt/uDzATE0 by Dorisketches24 " One way or another, but I will wipe that smug look off that Slytherin's face...! " A Miraculous Ladybug & Harry Potter AU, where Marinette is a Ravenclaw and Félix is a wizard of the Slytherin House in Hogwarts. Given that the two houses have been rivals for centuries, it was no wonder that Marinette and Félix became enemies right from their very first encounter with each other. Their main goal is to defeat the other in everything, whatever it takes to do so... However, when Professor Snape pairs them up with each other, everything changes.... Words: 2766, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Félix (Miraculous Ladybug PV) Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Harry Potter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Hermione Granger, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Félix (PV), Luka Couffaine/Harry Potter, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Additional Tags: Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Fluff and Angst, Oblivious, Félix Fathom Is Bad at Feelings, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Félix as Draco Malfoy, Marinette as Hermione via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/lEtes5T December 25, 2024 at 02:02AM

[ao3feed-ladynoir]

Diamond Dancing

Diamond Dancing by HamAndPineapple304

Marinette has a very interesting encounter with a certain Anti-Hero that leaves her shook. But suddenly she feels, attracted, to him?

(TAKES PLACE AFTER EPISODE 18 EMOTION. DO NOT READ IF YOU DONT WANT SPOILERS. THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING)

Words: 809, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Diamond Dancing

Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Félix Graham de Vanily, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Amélie Graham de Vanily, Lila Rossi, Kagami Tsurugi, Gabriel Agreste

Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Félix Graham de Vanily, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Additional Tags: Dreams, endgame Marinette Dupain Cheng | Ladybug/Felix Graham De Vanily, felinette, endgame felinette, adrinette angst, Angst, Sad, Confusion, kiss, Minor Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, sorry Adrinette, Identity Suspicions, Secret Identity, Secret Crush, and when I say secret crush, i mean secret crush, Secret Relationship, eventually, Fluff, i should be writing something else, this doesn't make sense sometimes

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44050998

[heyitsbugette]

Kuro Neko gone wrong prompt.

We know how Adrien and Félix used to trick everyone by switching themselves, maybe even making them think they switched when they're not.

So... what if Adrien used that trick in Kuro Neko?

He knows his cousin isn't his friends favorite person, to the point to even make Ladybug mad at him when she met him. His idea is to use his new hero persona as an experiment, to test how much Ladybug will miss him when having another partner; the catch is simple, he is gonna copy Félix's mannerism in order to trick Ladybug into thinking he is someone else.

Plagg even said the plan is fool's proof, because "how would Ladybug will prefer a boring stoic kid as Félix when she had charming and funny Chat Noir at her side?"

However, he's not gonna trick her into thinking he is Félix exactly, but use his cousin's usual personality and actions as a base for Catwalker.

Someone stric, serious, intelligent and independent who would never joke around in battle. He expected Ladybug to miss him, but never to see her so calm, focused and much determined now that she's not doing twice the work.

She may or may not deveload feelings for Catwalker, depends if you want a romantic or platonic Felinette route, but she likes him enough to accept him as a partner now that Chat Noir is suposed to be retired. That doesn't mean she isn't feeling down because she misses her friend, however.

Imagine how hilarious could be for Ladybug to connect way wrong the dots and assume Félix is the actual Catwalker, acting nice around him while not so subtle trying to "hide her discovery of his identity", just for the real Félix to be afraid of her, thinking she will punch him in the face again.

Marinette is even interested to befriend him as a civilian, talking to him and noticing how both boys have the same conversation topics: cinefile taste, books, theatre and fashion. Yeah, Adrien knows his cousin's favorite movies, books and musicals.

Plagg is distressed that his plan gone so wrong, but Tikki is happy to see her bug having a new friend over.

[knifedancer]

Unsigned Gifts

Marinette has a secret admirer that keeps giving her really thoughtful gifts with no signature. But who is it?

OR

The five times Marinette received unsigned gifts and the one time she guessed who all the gifts were from.

AO3 Link

~~~First~~~

It all started one day when Lila and her lackeys broke her favorite marking pens. Not that she had any proof, except for the cruel light in Lila’s eyes and the way certain classmates weren’t meeting her eye – and hiding their hands in their laps – as she discovered the mess near the back of the classroom. Marinette had returned to the classroom after lunch and found the set of marking pens that her grandmother given her snapped in half, their vibrant inks smeared into a grotesque brown all over her desk surface. Luckily it wasn’t the whole set, but her favorite colors were in her bookbag for work on a commission… The bluenette hid her glistening eyes, not allowing a single tear to escape, as she began to wipe what she could from the desk. Her only response a silent nod when Madam Bustier, whom assumed it was not caused by someone else, told her that she needed to stay after school to make sure it was properly clean.

Honestly, she was glad to be alone after the last bell rang. The room was empty and silent except for the ticking clock on the wall. It gave her some private moments to let out those tears that she kept hidden – she would never let anyone see her cry from their bullying attempts – while she mindlessly went through the movements of scrubbing the tabletop. The gentle rasping sounds of the cloth against a hard surface and the familiar circular motions, long ingrained from cleaning parts of the bakery, gave the pigtailed girl a sense of Zen. It was oddly calming for all the emotions she had bottled up inside her earlier; at least she would not be visited by an akuma today. When she was finally done, she gathered up the empty cleanser bottle, dirty rags, and mangled pens to dump in the garbage near the teacher’s desk. Marinette gave one last sorrowful look at the pens, recalling all of the designs she had illustrated with them and the joy she had felt receiving them from Grandma Gina… On the bright side, they had not found her precious sketchpad to ruin. The designer wiped her damp cheeks with her jacket sleeve before dropping the pens into the can with a sigh. She trudged out of the class and down the steps, completely missing a pair of calculating eyes that watched her from the shadows…

~~

At the end of the next day, Marinette found a brand-new set of expensive Copic Marking Pens and five Bosco Wood pencils tucked into a simple pink ribbon bow on top in her locker, no note was attached. She looked around, feeling eyes watching her but not seeing anyone standing out in the crowd of random students gathering their things and chatting with friends. She reverently touched the beautiful clear case and hugged it to her chest, a small genuine smile gracing her features as she imagined all the stunning designs she would make, before tucking them safely into her bookbag. Perhaps one of her classmates felt bad for what happened and wanted to remain anonymous for fear of Lila? Whatever the case, these would be safer in her room.

~~~Second~~~

A few days later, Marinette sat at one of the tables in the library during lunch, off in her own world with her headphones playing the latest Jagged Stone single just loud enough for her to block out any passing sounds but low enough not to disturb others. She found it easier to focus on her work not surrounded by her former friends and the kindly librarian allowed her to eat at the tables so long as she didn’t make a mess. Today the designer was working on a dress for Clara Nightingale’s next award show appearance. The overall look was done but the colors… She tapped the end of her new oak pencil against her lips as she contemplated. The margins on the page were filled with tiny smudges of carefully erased notes. She pulled out her phone, looking through various Pantone color chip options through Qwant. Unfortunately, like with all electronics, the inherent settings and hardware capabilities altered the tones just slightly – making the decision even harder.

“I wish I could afford those Pantone Color chips…it would make it so much easier to choose,” Marinette murmured to herself with a sigh. “Perhaps I can buy one with the money Maman’s family will send me for New Year but that’s still months away...”

The five-minute warning bell signifying the end of lunch rang, pulling her from her thoughts. The girl packed her sketchbook and headphones away before sweeping any remaining crumbs and rubber shavings into her empty lunch containers, then headed off to class without a second thought to the other students meandering through the book stacks or lining up to check out something last minute. Her mind was elsewhere, dreaming of which colors would combine best to fit Clara’s style and still wow people on the red carpet, when she knocked into something solid. Marinette’s elbow was caught in a firm grip before she fell backward, finding herself hauled up against a familiar grey vest.

“Hello Angel, did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?” came the smug voice of the other blond boy in her class. Just great. She righted herself with a scoff, rolling her eyes at his ridiculous pick-up line while brushing imaginary wrinkles from her blazer. She knew he was only doing it to get a rise out of her but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of losing her temper.

“Not as much as when they kicked you out of hell, Felix,” she replied sweetly as she pulled away.

“Are you saying I’m hot?” he asked with a predatory grin.

“You’re about as hot as a dumpster on fire and only half as pleasant!” Marinette sing-songed before quickly brushing by him and walked back towards class, missing the playful look on his face as he followed her at a respectable distance. She settled into her seat with a huff, zoning out while Madam Bustier droned on about the Revolution, the girl’s mind lost in the details for Clara’s dress once again.

~~

The next gift unexpectedly appeared at lunch the next day. The librarian called her over and presented a small parcel wrapped in pink striped paper. “This is for you, dear.”

“What? Who…,” began the confused bluenette. She spied a small, unsigned tag with her name on it taped to the top. The tag itself was not handwritten, instead seemed to have been made on a typewriter. Who, besides her Grandpa Roland, even owned one of those anymore?

“Sorry but I don’t have any idea. It was left here with just your name printed on the card while I was busy with a phone call. Seems you have an admirer, dear!” chuckled the librarian as she patted the girl on the shoulder, then went back to sorting a stack of returns for reshelving.

Marinette settled the parcel on her usual table, carefully unwrapping to preserve the lovely paper for another of her crafting projects. She pulled off the lid of the plain white box and unfolded the tissue paper inside – her breath caught in her throat. Inside were four Pantone Color Guide fans for fashion and home design, each with 350 different swatches, in every shade of the rainbow. Her fingers trembled as she lifted one from the safety of its tissue bed, fanning it open with a look of awe. Who had done this? First the pens, now this… She was overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude, her face lighting up with palpable joy as her mind buzzed with questions and plans.

‘I need to take these home, immediately!’ she thought, returning the Pantone guide back to the same spot she had pulled it from. She closed the box and pressed it to her chest as she quickly departed from the library, barely preventing herself from bumping into a student that was about to depart through the doorway. She threw a quick “sorry!” over her shoulder as she ran, only catching a blur of gold hair in her periphery as she exited the school.

~~~Third~~~

A couple weeks later, after the commission for Clara was done, Marinette found herself with some free time on the weekend. Time to find a nice spot to draw! She had planned to wander through the park near her house, but discovered Adrien was doing a photoshoot with Lila. She rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something rotten.  Not that she didn’t still enjoy watching Adrien’s photoshoots – on the contrary, it was fun to see the modeling process and clothes – but the motivation had changed. She had found her feelings for the model fading as time went on; eventually she accepted that it was a temporary obsession rather than love that she felt. Being around him wasn’t as awkward as she expected but she preferred to avoid being around Lila – which meant not hanging out with Adrien as much as he was constantly around her due to his father’s wishes.

She hummed softly and turned on her heel, deciding to seek out another spot that might inspire her. The pigtailed girl wandered along the Siene, giving a friendly wave to Andre the ice cream vendor as she passed and enjoying the light breeze against her cheeks. She decided her time would be best spent at the Luxembourg Gardens – it had been a while since she had visited. Marinette took a deep breath as she meandered along the sunlight paths, surrounded by trees and flowers, the calming effect of the garden and architecture washing over the secret bug-themed heroine with each step. She found a bench near one of the buildings that caught her eye, settling down with one of her drawing pencils and losing herself to the sketching of various designs that began to form in her head. A few gowns inspired by flowers and the stream nearby, jackets and hats noted with colors of the various leaves overhead, but what appeared the most on the pages were men’s three-piece suits with embroidered vests… Marinette paused, gazing at the newest vest she had drawn. Deep twilight blue, bordering on black; with barely imperceptible golden and green abstract detailing that was vaguely reminiscent of peacock feathers.

It reminded her of Felix for some reason – not just the vest itself but the stylization she had added. She glanced up to the building again, taking in the architecture with a discerning gaze. It and part of the surrounding garden was of English design, merging in with the French touches seamlessly. Adrien’s cousin was from London, perhaps that was why it reminded her so much of him… She dropped her gaze back down to the page, her eyes widening as she realized she was unconsciously doodling Felix’s face and shoulders into the vest she had created. It was rough but the sketch – hair, jawline, and the beginning curve of a grin – was distinctively him. Marinette’s cheeks pinked at the realization, hurriedly attempted to flip the page only to discover it was the last sheet. Her book would need to be replaced!

“Well,” she said as she closed and halfheartedly tucked the pad away, “looks like I’ll have to buy a new sketch pad with my allowance next Friday.” With one last look at the beautiful garden around her, she began her journey home through the afternoon crowds. Marinette failed to hear the soft plop behind her as her sketchpad fell from her bag until she was back in her room. She returned to search for it with no luck, lamenting the loss of her work but hopeful that her luck – Tikki’s really – might just bring it back to her. After all, this was why she always wrote her name and address on the inside cover. Someone must have found it and would turn it in!

At school the following Monday and Tuesday, she relegated herself to making little doodles on her notebook’s lined paper. Nothing too serious or professional – little flowers and birds that she remembered seeing at the Luxembourg Gardens, black cats chasing peacocks through a field of flowers, ladybugs on leaves cleaning their antennae or snoozing in a pollen covered pistil bed... She didn’t want to waste a great design on paper that was too thin to accept her bold pencil strokes, not to mention whatever was left would not withstand the colored marker ink without becoming an oversaturated, soggy mess. At one point Marinette caught Felix staring over her shoulder at her drawings during free period; she was so taken aback that she was at a loss for words as his green eyes met hers.

 He propped his elbow on the desk and casually rested his chin in the palm of his hand, his trademark smirk spreading across his face. “Like what you see, Princess? Take a picture, it will last longer.”

Marinette gasped at the audacity and turned away, “No, you simply reminded me of a ‘before’ picture I saw on the TV the other day.”

“Give me a chance and I’ll do more than make you gasp,” he replied close to her ear.

“I’d slap you, but I don’t want to accidentally make your face look any better,” she murmured sweetly, her eyes alight with playful mockery as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. A tingle went up her spine as his breath tickled her ear and they seemed frozen as their gazes met, the moment only being broken by the bell. Without turning her head any further, she heard him chuckle with mirth as he sat back in his seat.

By the end of class on Tuesday, she returned home to find a thick envelope tucked into the mail slot beside their apartment entry in the alleyway. She pulled it out and found yet another typed tag on the front addressed to her. Not wanting to wait a moment longer, she ripped it open right there on the doorstep. She cried with joy when she saw the contents! Inside was her lost sketchpad tied to a brand new one, its cover a pale pink and covered in plum blossoms and irises. Marinette looked up and down the alleyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person that had left the envelope, but no one was there. Did she really have an admirer? She blushed as her hand traced the pattern on the cover idly. Whomever they were, they didn’t waste time with cliché gestures of flowers and chocolates… Instead, they seemed very attentive to her likes and hobbies. Every gift was centered around her designing but still found a way to incorporate a personalized touch. She had never felt so special or seen before. A warmth blossomed in her chest at the thoughtfulness this mysterious figure had shown her; this feeling leaving her floating through the rest of the week as if on cloud nine.

~~~Fourth~~~

On Thursday, Marinette sat at her table after lunch and felt something bump against her knee unexpectedly. She shifted and felt something small fall onto her knees. Trying not to look distracted in class, she brought it into her lap proper and held back a squeal as she caught a glimpse of pink striped paper. They must have stuck it to the underside of the table to avoid someone else finding it. The pigtailed girl slowly opened the wrapping, careful to keep it as silent as possible, to reveal a spool of delicate lace edging in a creamy white. She contemplated uses for it and decided she had plenty left over for a little display of appreciation…

Friday morning, she checked herself in the mirror one last time and received the nub’s up from Tikki. Marinette made her way to school and happily skipped up the steps, ignoring the looks she received – didn’t matter to her if they were in envy, anger, or judgement. Let them look! The designer had raised her hair into her Multimouse space buns but pinned small segments of lace around the base of each, giving her a Chun-Li look with her usual red ribbons trailing from each bun. She had paired the look with a red qipao top with a peplum hem, which flared slightly at her hips, over tailored black pants. She had also exchanged her usual pink purse with one covered in upcycled cream colored doilies.

Surprisingly she entered the class with a couple minutes to spare, nearly stumbling into the two blond cousins conversing at the front table. Adrien was the first to see her, his eyes slipping up to her hair as his smile turned warm and fond. “Hey Marinette! I love the new look; did you design it yourself?”

“Hey Adrien! Yeah, just haven’t had the chance to wear it before now. Felt like wearing something new today,” the designer smiled in return, giving him a little twirl. In the meantime, Felix had turned around and standing eerily silent as he stared at her. She could have sworn his ears had turned slightly pink when he finally glanced at her hair. “Cat got your tongue, Felix?” Marinette asked cheekily.

He cleared his throat before he replied. “Can I take your picture so I can show Père Noël what I want for Christmas?”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, “Don’t you know? Only good kids get presents, I’m afraid you won’t qualify.”

“Well, if I must be a Grinch, then I’d rather steal you instead,” Felix stated with a grin.

She leaned in close and dropped her voice low, her eyes taking on a dangerous glint. “I guess I should add ‘body bag’ on my list this year then, because it sounds like you’ll end up in one.” The boy seemed temporarily speechless, so she smirked with victory and headed back to her seat. Vaguely she could hear the imperceptible murmurings of the two blonds get cut off by the bell as she settled in.

Marinette felt – and ignored – Felix’s stare on the back of her head the rest of the day. If she had turned around for even a moment, she likely would have seen the rouged complexion that he was unable to tame in her presence.

~~~Fifth~~~

A week later, after a long day dodging Lila’s machinations and having to stay late to handle Class Representative tasks, Marinette was relieved to find the locker room empty. She mentally ran through the list of books she would need to complete her homework and opened the lock, the door immediately falling open due to an unbalanced package within. Her heart leaped into her chest as she took in the memorable pink stripped paper. The bluenette sat on the bench and brought the package into her lap, noting that it felt soft under the crinkling exterior. Just as she did with the Pantone Guides, she carefully removed the paper. As the last of the tape was peeled and the boundary fell away to reveal the contents, Marinette audibly gasped. There in her lap lay the most beautiful silk she had ever seen, the same shade as the vest she had sketched at the gardens!

She blushed as she thought of the drawing and the image of Felix wearing it in her mind’s eye. She shook her head to free herself from such thoughts. Knowing him, he’d probably think her designs were not worthy enough to be worn. The designer brushed her hand over the material adoringly, unfolding the fabric slightly to gauge the length. There was enough to make a few vests or a skirt or a cocktail dress… Her fingers found a card hidden within the folds and pulled it free. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she read it. Printed in the same font as the others, it simply said:

The vest will only be half as beautiful as you.

~~~Plus One~~~

Marinette spent the next few days sewing the vest and adding the detailing. It now hung on her mannequin as pictured in her sketchpad but…it didn’t feel right. Incomplete. She trudged through school, distracted by the design and what it seemed to be missing. Even Tikki couldn’t calm her or help in any way. The girl wasn’t even sure why she was so focused on it! It wasn’t like she had a way to deliver it to her admirer… she had no way to tell if it would fit him either!

The girl was so unfocused all morning that, when it finally came to be lunch time, she tripped over something on the ground unexpectedly. She groaned from the floor as she brushed her knees off and sought out what item might have caused her fall. In the middle of the walkway was a nondescript black pencil case and – if the solidness she felt through the toe of her flat was any indication – it was full of writing utensils. Marinette grabbed it as she stood up, searching for a tag or name on it to figure out whom to return it to. Nothing was on the outside except for the zipper and a smudge of dirt in the shape of her shoe print. She unzipped it and peered inside, digging her fingers around to loosen the contents. She must have jostled something too hard because pens and pencils popped from the opening and spilled onto the floor.

“Damnit, Marinette…you’re such a klutz,” she muttered as she crouched back down to collect the items, hoping nothing was damaged. She knew how important good pens were. She smiled warmly as she looked at the case, remembering the pens and pencils she had received in her first gift from her admirer…

Just then a pencil caught her eye and she froze; it couldn’t be… As if afraid it was just one of Trixx’s mirages that would evaporate when touched, she reached out slowly and picked it up. There in her hand was a Bosco pencil, exact matches to the ones she had received. Looking around the semi-busy walkway, she quickly gathered up the rest and ran down an empty hall to the supply closet she sometimes used to transform during an akuma attack. The designer knew these came as a matching set of ten and had thought it was odd that she only received five…assuming whomever the giver was that they may have kept the others. She didn’t blame them; these were expensive pencils! She pulled her own pink case out and extracted one of the Bosco pencils to compare it against.

The serial numbers matched.

Marinette gasped and fell to her knees on the floor of the closet, staring at the zippered pouch in shock. “This is…this is my admirer’s case.” She sat dumbfounded for a moment before springing back into action to search for any name that might give away their identity. However, even after emptying it of all further contents, there wasn’t a single thing with initials or contact information. The girl groaned in frustration before carefully replacing the contents and cleaning the dirt from the outside. “I’ll bring it to the office, perhaps they will report it missing to Lost & Found. They brought me back my sketchpad, it’s only fair to find a way to bring this back to them too.”

The designer opened the door and stepped back out into the hall, keeping the case snuggly held against her stomach like a precious artifact, then made her way towards the front office. As she approached, she caught a familiar voice drifting from the open doorway and into the hall, a voice that no longer held the same haughty tone but one filled with anxiety and concern.

“It’s all black with a zipper down the side. Contains several wood drawing pencils and pens which mean a lot to me. Felix Fathom, 01-XX-XX-XXXX. Did you get that?” He paused and she could hear the dulcet voice of their receptionist responding the affirmative. “Thank you. You’ll call me if you find it?” She didn’t wait to hear the answer, instead she ducked into a bathroom nearby and stared at the case as if it had grown legs.

‘Felix is my admirer…he gave me the gifts…this is his case…’ Her mind whirled as it connected the dots. All the times he had shown interest in her drawings and hobbies without calling attention to himself, the times they had bumped into each other in the library or the hallway, the pick-up lines and terms of endearment taking on a whole new meaning as she blushed… He had been there on the cusp of her periphery and paid more attention to her interests than she ever thought he might. And he sounded so worried about losing this case, which contained the matching ones to her set. Then a knowing grin crossed her face – the note cards! She recalled Adrien once mentioning that Felix’s father used to type all of his movie scripts on a typewriter. ‘He did all this…for me?’ Her heart swelled with warmth.

With a flash of brilliance, Marinette suddenly knew just how to finish her design!

But first, she needed to drop the pen pouch off at the front office.

~~

Marinette arrived early the next day and took her usual seat in the empty classroom, deciding to doodle as she waited for others to arrive. Well, one person in particular. Her nerves tingled with the impending confrontation. What if she was wrong? What if he did this as some sick joke? No. She and Tikki had talked through all those issues last night as she hand embroidered the lining with ladybugs flitting between Tudor Roses. It was folded and wrapped in her lap, covered by her jacket.

She heard the sound of his footfall in the hallway and held her breath, forcing her eyes to remain on the paper pad in front of her as she heard those footsteps falter at the doorway. Within a few moments, they restarted and walked up the aisle towards his desk before pausing next to hers. Marinette looked up and met his eyes, noticing he had already dropped his bookbag onto the ground next to his desk on the tier above hers. They were all alone, this was her chance!

“You’re here early, finally decided to be a good example, Miss Class Rep?” Damn him and that smirk!

“On the contrary, I had an important appointment to make this morning.” In one fluid movement she stood, unfolded the vest, and draped it around his shoulders like a cape before he could react.

His eyes widened as he looked down at the material swathed around his torso in awe, his eyes taking on a nervous shadow as they rose once again to her face, “You… How did…”

“You know what that’s made of don’t you?” Marinette’s voice took on a serious tone as if lecturing a student. Her fingers gently fiddled with an edge near his shoulder, pretending to assess the fabric before tucking it beneath his shirt collar. His eyes became searching, but he didn’t reply, his lips parted as if too stunned or unsure to answer.

The pigtailed girl leaned in close to his lips and whispered, “Boyfriend material.” Then closed the distance to seal it with a kiss.

~~~Author's Notes: Do I sound like I am an artist knowing these things? Because I'm not. I just research A LOT when I write. 😅

[mysteriouschar]

The Proposal

Felix was nervous. His hands were twitching which for many people may not have been a big thing but we are talking about Felix Graham De Vanily the master of the poker face for his hands to me twitching is like for us ordinary beings to sweat uncontrollably while our hand are shaking.

Felix pov

this is the day ,but i am not sure how she will take it. What if she says no....(just then his mother enters his room)

"darling ....(sees that he is nervous)what is the matter, darling ?"asks amelia.

"its just...mother do you think its too early ....

(interrupting him)"darling you know i can't answer that the only one who can is you and her."

"but what if she says no" Felix said with a sad face.

"darling, that is very unlikely but you won't know until you try." said Amelia

(felix sees the time)"i gotta go, i will see you later mother"he said as he rushed past her.

At the restaurant

"felix you didn't have to work so hard you know"said marinette.

(felix rented the whole restaurant for today the table they are sitting at is decorated with different roses)

"i wanted to but before we eat i wanted to ask y-you something"said felix.

"of course ,fe."she said as she could see that felix was nervous.

Felix went down on his knee and took out a ring box then started.

The Ring

"When i first saw you through that video something made me hate my cousin for having someone as lovely and honest as you loving him,but even after i left my mind was filled with you,your voice,your eyes and i didn't know why then when i returned to Paris and found what happened with your class i couldn't believe my cousin pushed you away with his ignorance i thought you wouldn't want anything to do with someone like me but.." when he looked at marinette and saw her shocked but smiling face and he continued.

"you forgave me ,you made me wanna be a better person and became someone i admired then you asked me out and i was shocked as i couldn't believe someone like you could like me that was one of the happiest day of my life, so will you Marinette Dupain Cheng make me the happiest person in the whole Universe, will you marry me?" he looked up with a hopeful expression.

"of course" she said while crying.

Felix took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger and wiped away her tears.

"so how did i do Ms fiancee"he said teasingly.

Both laughed they couldn't be any happier.

[cassava-49]

Hiding

A six years old Felix hid underneath the buffet table, trying to avoid anymore of the party. He huffed as he leaned on one of the table's leg and began munching on the cookie he snatched. He began dusting the crumbs off him as he crept to the front and raised the table cloth just a little so that he could see what's happening.

Outside he could see his cousin, Adrien, with their bratty friend, Chloe, trying to find him. He couldn't help but giggle seeing that Chloe was concerned for him. But they're not really the reason to why he's hiding, he looked to the far left and found the Italian brat that had been clinging to him the entire night. He watched as she had teary eyes trying to find him. He turned to where Adrien and Chloe were and muttered an apology for leaving. If he could allow them to hide with him he would, but knowing that the two can't sit still without saying a word, they'd be caught without even trying. He then laid back only to bump into another body.

He rubbed his head to find a little girl with short dark blue hair, copying his action. "What are you doing here?" the girl asked in a soft annoyed voice, so not to get caught. He glared at the girl and whisper shouted at her, "That's my line!" She huffed, placing her hands on her waist. "But this is my hiding place," she stated her claim.

Felix mimicked the girl's action to intimidate her. "Yeah, but I don't see anything here that says this is your spot," he snarkly replied. "This is my parents' buffet table, so this is my spot," she defended herself. He huffed and replied, "Well, my parents payed for the food, so this is my hiding spot, too." The little girl scoffed and said, "Your parents didn't pay for the food, the Bourgeoises did, I know because that brat Chloe came by."

This made the two huff as they folded their arms together, turning their heads to the opposite direction. After a few minutes of angry silence, Felix began to crawl to the other side of the table. "Hey, where are you going?" the little girl called out. "To the other side, duh. You take that side and I'll take this side," he replied as he stationed himself to the other leg of the table. She blinked her eyes at the offer and smiled, taking up as much space as she wants. She then took out her small handkerchief and laid it on the floor revealing the few snacks she smuggled, just like a mini picnic.

This caught the little boy's attention. The little girl noticed his stares at the treats and smiled, offering him a macaroon. His eyes widened at the her offer but stubbornly refused, only to have his stomach betray him by releasing a loud grumbling sound. This made the girl giggle and asked him to come over and eat with him. He placed an annoyed look on his face, but happily went over for a snack, taking the macaroon from her hands.

"What's your name?" she asked as he began eating. "Felix," he replied after he swallowed the food in his mouth. She smiled and said, "I'm Marinette." He nodded in recognition and took a cupcake. Marinette began munching on a cookie as she peeked under the table cloth. There she could see her parents serving to the people at the buffet table and mingling with one of the staff members.

"Why are you hiding anyway?" Felix asked as he noticed her peeking outside. "I'm not hiding, my parents know where I am," she replied as she ate the last part of the cookie. "Then why are you under the table?" he asked as he took another macaroon. She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I don't like being around a lot of people. What about you, are you hiding?"

He nodded and took another cookie. "I don't like the other guest's daughter. She's annoying and clingy, not to mention a liar. I don't believe a thing she says it's all absurd," he replied. This caught her interest as she asked, "Who?" He gestured for her to peek under the tablecloth with him. He looked for the brown haired girl and pointed at her.

"Her, the one dancing with the butler," he said. She stared at the girl and commented, "She doesn't look bad." This made the blond scoff and said, "To you, but once you get to know her you'll see."

"Marinette," a voice from outside called as a large man looked at them from the other side of the table. "Papa!" she squealed excitedly as she approached him. Noticing the other child, Tom smiled and asked, "Who's your new friend?" Remembering that Felix was with her she gestured to the young boy. "This is Felix, he's hiding," she said. This made the man hum in understanding and said, "Well, why don't you keep him company in hiding?" She nodded enthusiastically as she turned to her friend, who had a confused look on his face. "Alright, young man take care of my daughter for me," he said as he left. Felix nodded and turned to find that they already ate all the snacks.

"Aren't there any more food?" he asked in a disappointed voice. "Nope, we ate them all," she replied as she began wiping the young boy's face. "Wait, wha-what are you doing?" he asked as he slowly backed away. She giggled at his reaction and said, "You had crumbs on your face, silly." For some reason the young boy could feel his face heat up at the sudden contact. Once she finished, she say opposite him and began dusting her pink dress.

"Where are you going?" Felix asked as he noticed her about to leave. "Out, it's getting hot in here. I want some air," she said. "But, but you said you weren't going to leave me," he called out, a bit surprised about this. He didn't know what he was feeling, but right now he doesn't want this girl to leave him. "Did I?" she asked a bit confused too. She then snapped her fingers, recalling what she said. "Well, are you coming with me?" she asked.

He nodded his head as they got out of the table. "I know where we could get some air," he said. "Where?" she asked. "Let's go to the rooftop, that way we can watch the fireworks, too. And I'm still hiding, you know," he offered. This excited the young girl as she nodded and asked him to lead the way.

"Let's go," he said as he took small her hand in his. This action made his small heart beat fast, but unsure about it. They navigated their way towards the elevator, avoiding his friends and parents, as well as Lila. They passed by a little Japanese girl, who was standing next to her mother, who had an iron hold on her small hand. Marinette gave the little girl a smile and wave as she slipped a cookie into her hand. This made the girl smile at her and began nibbling on the treat.

When they arrived at the front of the elevator, Felix had to let go of her hand as he jumped to reach the buttons. The elevator door opened to a young rockstar, who looked at them a bit curious. "What're you kids up to?" he asked a bit concerned by the fact that they were unattended. "My friend Marinette needs to go to the bathroom on the first floor. She doesn't like the toilets on this floor and our parents can't take us there, so we'll be going together," Felix lied. This made the rocker let out a laugh at their cuteness. "Alright, be careful little ones," he said as he gave each of them a pat on the head.

With that, both of them got in the elevator and went forth to the top floor. Once on the roof, the little girl's eyes were wide with wonder as she began exploring the grounds, since it was empty but was elaborately decorated. Felix watched as she stared at a giant lantern next to the ball pit. He placed his hands in his pockets and found a coin, this motivated him to impress her.

"It's so pretty out here!" she paused as she looked at the sky above which had a few stars shining. "Thanks for bringing me here, Felix," she said as she bounced her way to the railing, Felix close to her. "Do your want to see a magic trick?" he asked as she looked at the streets below. She turned to him with wide eyes and asked, "You can do magic?" He smiled and nodded at the little girl. "Show me, show me," she demanded as she pulled at his arm.

Without being told twice, he pulled out a coin behind her ear. She gasped and took the coin from him. "Hey, that's my coin," he said, wanting to take it back. "But you pulled it out of my ear," she said as she tried to keep it out of his reach. "It's my magic, so it's mine. I'll give you something else," he offered. He took out his handkerchief and placed it over his hand. When he took it off he held a rose (which he took from one of the displays). She gasped at the beauty, because she never really held a rose before. "You can have this one, but the coin's mine," he said as she took the rose.

"Nope, I'm keeping this coin and this flower," she greedily said as he pouted. "Fine, I'll give you something in exchange for the coin," he said. She blinked her eyes processing what he said. He began searching his pockets and could only find his heirloom, the Graham de Vanilly ring, one for him the other for Adrien. "If I get you to wear this ring, you'll have to give me the money back," he said. She giggled and said, "That's impossible, you'll never get me to wear that." He shrugged and asked, "But if I do you have to give it back, deal?"

Marinette looked at his hand suspiciously not wanting to touch it, in case he slips it on her. "Alright, I'll place it here," he says as he placed it on the floor. He looked at his watch and knew what to do. Satisfied knowing that he won't be slipping it on by hand shake, she said, "Deal."

On cue, the fireworks began, surprising the girl as she looked up to the sky, only to have the little boy kiss her cheek, confusing her more. She pushed him off her with red cheeks. He began to say something to her, but she couldn't hear. "What?" she asked, not understanding. She watched him laugh as he pointed at her hand mouthing, "Check your finger." Surprised, she looked and found the ring was on her right ring finger. She watched as he picked up the coin and the rose. He approached her and placed the flower into her hands with a sweet smile. "Here, you can have the rose, it's pretty just like you," he stated causing the little girl to blush at his words.

She looked back at the ring, which was very loose in her finger and asked, "Does this mean we're married?" This question made the other child go red in embarrassment. "N-not re-really, I-I just placed it on you, bu-but it doesn't really ne-need to mean we are—" he stopped his rambling when the ravenette placed a kiss on his cheek as well. "I like you," she said with a smile.

That was it, Felix Graham de Vanilly finally knew what the meaning of his affections towards this six years old girl. He has a crush.

...

14 years later

Felix continued to twirl the coin in between his fingers. It has been years since he'd seen that little girl. Until now, he still can't help but feel the undying crush he had on her. Ever since they got back from the rooftop, he got a nagging from Chloe for leaving them for Marinette. She even tore the rose he gave her. From then on he had that boiling anger and hatred towards the blonde. He still couldn't forget the tears of the little girl as she ran away from them, eyes full of her and helplessness.

Every time he went to Paris he would be very aware of his surroundings hoping to find her again. If she still remembers him he'd like to get to know her better. If she doesn't want to be his friend then he'd rather apologize to her and her his heirloom back. He just needs to see her one more time. He gave out another sigh, it's already been 14 years and he still hasn't gotten over it.

He looked at the Grand Palace Hotel, the Bourgeois family is again holding a New Year party. He, of course, is one of the guests, along with some high class figures as well as old classmates of the now mature Chloe Bourgeois, making this a semi formal event. He got out of the car and entered the building, there he was greeted by the staff and the other guests. He began to search the crowd for a familiar face and found Adrien at the bar talking with some friends.

"Felix!" an all too familiar voice called. He turned to find the hostess herself in her glamorous black and yellow cocktail dress. "Chloe," he greeted with civility. "It's so nice that you could join us. I told Adrien that if he kept pestering you, you're bound to arrive, and I was right, as always," she said. "You've known me your entire life, glad to see you haven't lost your touch," he replied as she began to guide him to where Adrien is.

"Adrikins," Chloe said as she approached him taking two seats next to him. "Chloe, you found Felix. I thought you weren't coming," Adrien said he hugged his cousin, much to his formal behaviour. "Lovely, now may I get myself a drink," he said as he sat next to Adrien and ordered a drink from the bartender. Adrien chuckled and said, "You never change, Fè. But since you're very into introductions, let me introduce you to my friends." Felix turned to finally notice the two people he had been talking to. He's vaguely familiar with them remembering the video they sent to Adrien six years ago. "This is Nino, he's studying Arts," Adrien introduced as he gestured to his dark skinned make friend. "Hey, ma dude. I know it's been a while, but you don't need to worry about that video you sent us, Adrien explained it to us and we're all kinda cool about it," Nino said as they shook hands. "Pleasure, and thank you, but I'm still sorry for it. It was the most immature and petty thing I ever did to anyone," Felix replied. "This is Alya, she's taking journalism," Adrien said. "I've seen your blog, it keeps improving ever since you started," Felix complimented. "Well, with that compliment how can I not forgive you," Alya joked.

"Ugh, where's Dupain-Cheng and Tsurugi? I told them to get change, but what's taking them so long?" Chloe ranted. Dupain-Cheng, Felix thought, finding the name and the way she said it all too familiar. "This is your fault for telling them that they'll be one of the waiters," Adrien teased. "I was joking alright, why do you guys take me so seriously?" Chloe complained. Making everyone laugh at her statement. "You really need to tone it down, you always sound so serious," someone said as they placed their hands on Chloe's shoulders. "Luka, when did you get here? I thought you said that you couldn't make it because of your gig in London?" Chloe exclaimed. "I couldn't miss my girlfriend's party now, couldn't I?" the rocker said as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Felix, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Luka," Chloe proudly proclaimed. "You have a boyfriend?" Felix joked making everyone laugh. "What can I say, she has a melodic song," Luka said as he placed his arm over her. "I guess you got yourself a keeper, cheers to you," Felix congratulated, but somehow felt a bit jealous. How can someone who broke his childhood love end up with someone as charming as him?

"Sorry guys, we're late," someone said as they approached the group. "About time my lady, it seems like you've been keeping my precious dragon from me," Adrien said as he wrapped his arms around Kagami placing a kiss on her forehead. "Down kitty, I just got her hair done, don't mess it up," the girl with bluebell eyes scolded. "Don't worry Marinette, you know that I love you more than him," the Japanese girl stated causing the blond to pout.

Marinette, Felix thought as he began to stare at her. He recognised he from his cousin's video, one of the girl's that's in love with him. It turns out she just gave it all up for the girl beside her. He noticed her dark hair was similar to that of the Marinette he knew, they never really gave last names. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, he couldn't remember the little girl's eyes since it was very dark and he wasn't sure. She wore an elegant pink dress with a ladybug hairpiece.

He continued to stare, unaware of Chloe's critical eyes. She hung her head in guilt for a few seconds and immediately replaced it with a smile as she sauntered her way to the two ladies. "Dupain-Cheng, Tsurugi, what took both of you so long? Why did you even take me seriously when I said you'll be serving tonight?" Chloe said as the two girls laughed. "Anyway, let me introduce or reintroduce you to someone," she added as she guided them towards Felix.

He unconsciously straightened himself as they neared him. Taking one more sip from his drink he straightened himself to meet her. "Marinette this is Felix, you remember him, don't you?" Chloe said. "Yes, I remember him," she said with a hint of anger and irritation from her voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you, but I must apologize for my behaviour six years ago, not a very good time of mine," he said as they shook hands. She smiled politely at him as she turned to the person next to him. "Luka, why didn't you tell us you were coming?" she exclaimed as she gave the artist a hug.

"Well, I wanted to surprise all of you, but mostly Chloe," Luka said. "Sorry Marinette, but paws off my boyfriend. We're going around and check on the guests," Chloe said as she came in between them. Marinette chuckled and said, "Wouldn't dream of it Chloe." She turned to her friends and joined in on their conversation. She ordered herself a drink as she stationed herself next to Alya and Kagami.

Felix didn't really mind this since it gives him better access to observe her from afar. He sat there with them, just listening on their conversation jumping in any time they ask him. They continued the conversation until an upbeat song began to play. "This is my jam, Marinette let's dance," Alya exclaimed as she dragged her friend to the dance floor. Marinette, as well, dragged Kagami with her as the three headed to the dancefloor. Felix turned to his companions as they continued to watch their girlfriends enjoy themselves. "Aren't you going to join them?" Felix asked hinting to them that they should. Nino waved him a hand, keeping his eyes on his girl. "Nah, I've got a better view here," he replied. "I agree with you on that," Adrien seconded. Felix turned his eyes to the three and couldn't help but feel drawn to the girl named Marinette. The more she stared the more he thought of the little girl he met.

That's impossible, I doubt that it would be her, he thought as he looked away. He gave out a sigh that no one would be able to hear. "You know what, let's dance," Adrien said, clearly tempted to join the girls. "Are you sure? The view is still the better," Nino said. "I know, but that doesn't mean we're the only ones who's watching," Adrien pointed out as he looked at a group of men slowly approaching the girls. This made Nino release a deep growl and got up from his seat following his friend. "Are you joining us, Felix?" Nino offered. Felix politely shook his head and said, "I'm not a big fan of dancing in a crowd." Nino nodded and immediately wrapped his arms around Alya from behind as he glared at the approaching competitors.

Marinette laughed at the two boys as she followed their line of sight. "You two couldn't resist?" she asked. "How could we when we're not the only ones who love dancing," Adrien replied as he danced with Kagami. "By the way Marinette, if you haven't noticed Felix had been looking at you the entire night," Kagami said as she subtly gestured to the lonely blond at the bar. Marinette giggled at this statement and replied, "I don't think so." Alya joined in and said, "Nah girl, Kagami's right. Right now he's been eyeing you for a while now. He's been watching since you came and mostly now that you're dancing."

"I'm with Marinette on this one guys," Adrien said. "What, you don't count bro. You've been clueless for a long time so I doubt you'll notice this one," Nino stated. Adrien still shook his head and reasoned, "Hate to tell you guys, but I've known him for a long time. He has this major crush on this girl he met when we were six or seven during a new year's party here at the hotel. But Chloe kind of scared her off and he hasn't seen her ever since. He still hasn't gotten over her until now, so I don't think so."

This somehow froze Marinette in her spot, since the story sounded all too familiar to her. She unconsciously brought her hand to the ring around her neck, which she had from that boy, whose name she can no longer remember . She glanced at the boy at the bar to find him mingling with... Lila. This twisted her heart for some reason, she doesn't know what this feeling she has, seeing him talk with the liar. She bit her lip wanting to leave. Thankfully a slow dance began, giving her an excuse to leave the floor.

She turned to the buffet table to have a bit of the desserts there to ease herself. She looked at the dancefloor and watched as her friends lovingly enjoyed each others embrace. She could see Alya and Nino, Juleka and Rose, Sabrina and her boyfriend, Nathaniel and Marc, Chloe and Luka, Kagami and Adrien.

She smiled, after they defeated Hawkmoth they revealed their identities to each other. She was really surprised by the fact that her partner has been Adrien the entire time. They did start dating, but they never really lasted after they entered college. Turns out she had been holding back even until she dated Adrien. She was actually confused too, she never knew that she was holding, back as if she was waiting for someone. This made her grasp the ring that had been around her neck like some necklace ornament.

She did receive this from a little boy who she called her husband when she was until eight. That was when she finally accepted the fact that they'll never meet again. When she turned nine, that was when Chloe's bullying got worse, making her passive and detached, not having a best friend to cling on to.

What was that boy's name again? Finn... Finley... Francis... Francisco... Fernando...Frederick... Ferdinand... Fergus... "Felix," she mumbled under her breath tightening her grip around the ring. Could it be? She thought as she tried to find him in the crowd again, but he was nowhere to be found. She sighed and shook her head finding it impossible. The Felix she knew is kind, considerate and sweet. This Felix is sly, devious, and perverted. She frowned at she recalled the memory of him trying to kiss her as Ladybug.

"Aw, what's with the frown sweetheart? You look better with a smile," a man in his mid twenties said as he approached her. Not liking the attention she turned away, wanting to avoid his advances. Despite the silent treatment he continued to talk to her. "Sorry, that was a bit forward of me," he apologized as he tailed her. "I just noticed that you were alone by the buffet table and thought that maybe I should introduce myself to a lovely lady like yourself," he continued.

"You're mistaken sir, but I'm not alone," she replied trying to lose him in the crowd. "You came with your friends, right? Or do you have a boyfriend?" he pursued. "I'm with my friends and I think they're looking for me," she replied as she navigated her way back to the bar. "Can't we at least talk, I'd like to have a chat with you for a bit. Something not business related, it gives a stale taste to the party," he said as he sat down next to her. "Why not I buy you a drink, miss?" he offered.

Marinette politely shook her head with disinterest. "Alright, alright, no drinks. I'm François by the way, what's the lovely angel's name?" he asked leaning forward, brushing his hand against his. This made her flinch at the contact trying to move away from him. "I'm sure I've clearly showed that I'm not interested," she hissed as her patience thinned. "Are you sure? It looks to me we're playing cat and mouse, you don't have to worry, I like the chase," he said as he leaned in again.

Before she could say anything, she felt someone place a hand behind her as he approached them. "If you may, sir, she has clearly stated that she's not interested. Just leave it at that, and respect her decision," Felix stated. The man scoffed as he stood up trying to match him, only to find that he's five inches smaller than the tall man. "Yeah, but who are you to interrupt us," he dared trying to assert dominance.

"My fiancee, obviously," she casually said glaring at the man. "But you're not—," François stopped when he saw the ring around her neck. "I wear my engagement ring this way to see how many of you are really observant enough to notice it," she stated. He turned to Felix, who was glaring at him with a fiercer intensity than before. This made the man stiffen under the blond's gaze and began to walk away. Once out of earshot he looked at her and smirked.

"Fiancée?" he teased as he sat next to her. She scoffed at him and said, "That's the easiest way to prove your relationship to me." He chuckled at her looked at the ring around her neck, only to smile at the confirmation. "Anyway, thank you," she replied as she ordered herself a drink. Noticing his eyes on the ring, she felt herself blush at the thought of the possibility of the little boy being him. "May I see it?" he asked when he got her attention. Seeing no harm in having him see it, she removed the ring around her neck and gave it to him.

She observed his reactions, she suddenly worried when she noticed a sly smile slowly creep on his face. "Where'd you get this ring?" he asked. She shrugged as she placed her drink on the counter. "A little boy gave it to me when I was six," she replied trying to keep it vague. He hummed as he asked again, "Do you know why he gave it to you?" This made her blush as she recalled her saying that their engaged now that he slipped the ring on her finger. "He-he gave it to me as a proposal," she replied as she looked away with red cheeks.

She heard a chuckle coming from him. "I think you're wrong. I believe he gave it to you in exchange for this," Felix said as he made the coin appear from behind her ear. She gasped as she recalled the trick he performed for her, which was followed by their refutes about the coin. She heard him chuckle again at her reaction. "Do you still remember the young boy's name?" he curiously asked with a knowing smile on his face.

Her eyes went wide as she exclaimed, "You can't, you can't be? Felix?" He smiled and showed the ring and coin as he pointed something out. "This ring, if you must know, is a family heirloom. This is one of the Graham de Vanilly twin rings. You see the ring Adrien wears, this is one of its pairs as the current generation of our family," he said as he placed the coin in her hand. "And that coin, is the very coin that I've shown you from before," he added with a gentle smile.

"Can, can we get some air?" she asked hoping he'd say the same thing. "I know a great place that we can go to. Let's go to the rooftop, we can watch the fireworks up there, too Marinette," he replied as he took her hand in his and dragged her towards the elevator.

They passed Chloe, who had a proud smile on her face as she whispered an apology. They passed Lila who was flirting to a storm with another man. They past Kagami and Adrien, who were resting after all the dancing on one of the chairs. Marinette smiled and waved her hand at the Japanese girl, who in turn smiled at her with a small wave. They stopped in front of the elevator door as Felix pressed the button, this time not letting go of her hand. The door opened to Jagged Stone, now in his golden age.

"Marinette, my girl where you headed?" he asked as he turned to the boy next to her. "Why am I getting a sense of déjà vu right now?" he asked as he gave out a chuckle. "Nothing uncle Jagged, I just want to take Felix to the best place to watch the fireworks," she said with a smile. "I remembered a long time ago when there was a small pair with the same hair colour as the both of you going into the elevator giving out the cutest excuse I've ever heard," he replied as he bid goodbye to the two.

Once inside the elevator, the two looked to each other and laughed as they headed to the top floor. "Locked," Felix said when they arrived at the door to the roof. Marinette pouted at this, saying, "Now how are we going to see the fireworks?" He smiled and approached her as he took one of her hairpins and began to unlock the door. He then turned back to her and placed the pin back as well as placing a kiss on her forehead.

She blushed at the contact as he took her hand and guided her to the rooftop. He brought her to the spot where they stood before as he lets go of her hand, much to her dismay. Without saying anything, he took out his handkerchief and performed the magic again. He removed the cloth to reveal a rose, this time, a pink rose. He placed it in her hands as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

"I believe that's how it happened," he said as he looked at her blushing face. She smiled at him and nodded and took the ring out of the chain. "What am I going to do with this now?" she asked. He hummed as he took the ring from her and took her hand, casually slipping it in. "Now, I'll be waiting for your answer," he replied with a smile. "And if I say no," she joked. "You need to give it back," he replied bluntly. This made her laugh at his seriousness, as she slowly remembered his serious face back then too.

She placed her hands on his shoulders as she stood on the tips of her toes, despite already wearing heels, she still can't reach him. "It's a good thing that I'm not planning on saying no," she replied as she placed a kiss on his cheek. This time it was his turn to blush at her actions, making her smile at him giddily.

Again, on cue, the fireworks began. This made her turn her attention to the sky to watch the display. Taking this as an opportunity, Felix grinned as he called her attention, "Marinette." This made her turn to him, only to have her lips captured in his. She smiled into it as she wrapped her arms around him. Feeling dating, he lifted her off her feet, overly ecstatic on finding her.

"Happy New year, Marinette," he said as they parted. She giggled as she rested her forehead on his. "Happy New year, Felix," she replied.

[miracul0us-multishipper]

You (Part 2)

Now you see me, now you don’t!

Part 1 | AO3

Felix Graham De Vanily was, in his own humble opinion, special. 

He was smart.

He was composed.

He knew exactly what to say and when, and he could make people see exactly what he wanted them to see.

He wasn’t his cousin, after all, almost identical looks aside. Adrien never knew when to speak up, or when it was better to stay quiet. Never knew how to hide his thoughts and keep his - utterly unrealistic, when it came to his father - hopes in check. And he might be smarter than Felix gave him credit for, but all that intelligence left him as soon as his friends were concerned.

That was what all his flaws boiled down to, really.

Adrien made the fatal, unforgiving mistake of caring too much. Always had.

(It was what Felix liked about him, deep down. Adrien was genuine, in everything he felt. Felix envied him for the ease with which he made friends.)

But.

Felix wasn’t like Adrien at all. He was too smart to care for people - his mother aside - any more than he had to. Mundane distractions. Friends, crushes - all things that would only deter him from his path in life: high above the crowd, always the center of attention, yet unreachable. Playing everyone, but gone before anybody noticed.

It was a glorious but lonely road. No, scratch that. It was a lonely but glorious road. Much better.

He didn’t need anything or anyone.

He was the sole and solemn genius of the family.

He was a magician, who didn’t need any fancy jewelry to work miracles - just the right distraction and disguise.

He was-

“Ow!”

Groaning Felix looked at the little bite marks on his finger. 

“Were you even listening?! Or did you just wait for an opportunity to stab me in the back?”

The black and white bundle of fur and betrayal on his lap meowed and swiped at his hand, now out of reach.

 “I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”, he grumbled and shoved the traitor off of his legs, but couldn’t help but smile when he smugly licked his nose - as if to say: I'd do it again. “I raised you too well. Now, where was I?”

He sighed.

“Ah, yes. I don’t care for anyone - please stop scratching that ear, honey, it’s not healed yet - because I'm just too smart for that. So it’s utterly impossible that I, Felix Graham de Vanily, am in love with Dupain-Cheng. Got it?”

His cat, the little bastard, answered by knocking his pencil box over and started to chew on a pen. Felix narrowed his eyes.

“Oh? You dare doubt my word?”

With quick fingers he stole his cat's spoils and placed it out of his reach.

“Quite bold for a creature without opposable thumbs, hm?”

Insulted, the poor, thumbless pet retreated to his laptop and laid down on the keyboard - causing the screensaver to give way to the last opened tab. Which was Marinette's Instagram page.

“Wah!”

Hurried to hide the proof of his interest - as if she might somehow appear in his room if he looked at her picture for too long - he shooed his pet away and closed the tab. Said pet meowed smugly and, upset about being chased away from two spots already, sat down on his pillow. Great.

“You did that on purpose!”, he accused his cat. “But that tab proves nothing. It was merely a passing interest in her admittedly wearable work. It has nothing to do with any confessions - faked confessions, or that she can apparently recognize me in disguise, or the very neutral fact that she is cute, by some people's - not my own! - standards.”

His cat blinked. And sneezed onto his pillow.

“Bless you. Now move, or I’ll use you instead of a bunny for that hat trick I’m working on.”

Sighing, Felix let himself fall backwards onto his bed, grabbing the fleeing cat and burying his face in the fluffy fur.

“Oh, to be a cat!”, he wailed into his involuntary comfort pillow. “With no troubles except how to best annoy his owner.”

 The poor animal hissed and escaped his grasp, saving himself from the bitter fate of a comfort pillow.

 “Run, you uncaring monster.”, Felix sighed, “Leave me to my worries. Which don’t include Marinette at all, by the way.”

He sat up and watched as the little traitor turned to sulk on his dresser.

“Stop looking at me like that. Even if I had a short bout of interest - possibly even infatuation! It’s already all but cured.”

He nodded to himself, ignoring that the disinterested cat had begun cleaning his leg instead of listening.

“School's closed, after all!”, he hummed, scrolling through the news on his phone. “And social contacts are to be reduced to the bare minimum. So I’m not going to see her again before this passing interest has... well, passed.”

As if in response to his words, his laptop started to ring and the monitor lit up with the picture of blue, blue eyes and a smile that could melt the stars off of the sky. Not that he paid attention to such things.

“Oh no, no, no!”, he panted as he fell out of his bed and stumbled towards the computer. “Incoming Skype call?! Oh, come on!”

The ringtone repeated itself and Felix jumped.

“What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?”

Panicking, he looked at his pet.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do?!”

The addressed party blinked. And went back to licking his nuts.

“Argh! I am surrounded by incompetence!”

Taking a deep breath, Felix straightened his vest and cravat - just because he was staying at home for the foreseeable future didn’t mean that he would dress any less professionally.

“Who needs your advice anyway. I can do this.”

He straightened his back and sat down on the chair in front of his desk.

“I am Felix Graham de Vanily, the best actor in all of France and the United Kingdom, not in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I can totally answer a Skype call.”

Before he could think again, he pressed the green button.

“Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng!”, he greeted overly enthusiastic. “We meet again.”

“If you can call it that.”, Marinette laughed with the voice of a goddamn angel. She was wearing a white, polka-dotted pajama top, was illuminated by early-noon sunlight falling through some sort of window in the ceiling, and her hair – was – down.

If this was some sort of cosmic test, it wasn’t fair.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your virtual company?”, he said quickly, trying not to think too much about how her hair looked even softer than the fur of a certain cat. Then, for good measure, he added: “Miss me already?”

Marinette disappeared  for a moment, before returning with a sizable stack of papers.

“As much as I could do without my favorite pain in the neck, we have a school assignment to do. You know, since school is closed?”

She leaned in and he held his breath.

“Did you even notice? I haven’t seen you last Friday.”

What was he supposed to answer to that? Oh, I noticed alright! It kept me from embarrassing myself by avoiding you, because my brain got all mushy ever since you fake-confessed to me pretending to be my cousin?

Ha! Fat chance.

“Aw, worried for me?”, he improvised, as usual, by being sarcastic. “Let me soothe your concern for your favorite pain in the neck: I merely got tired of cosplaying Adrien. I'm a very busy man, you see?”

She rolled her eyes and somehow managed to make it look cute.

“Of course you are. Well, hopefully not too busy for a presentation on marine biology, due next week.”

He blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“You know, the one Adrien and I are supposed to do?”

Felix Had Questions. For example:

“How was I supposed to know that?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t hack into Adriens E-mail account. I saw you present homework that you couldn’t have known about if Madame Mendeleiev hadn’t emailed you, as Adrien.”

She raised an eyebrow, in a way that could almost be described as playful.

“Plus, you seem the type to do that.”

He scoffed and crossed his arms, as if it would hide his racing heartbeat.

“First of all: No, I am not breaking into my cousins account. I may like to prank him - or rather everyone, really - but that goes a little far. Secondly, that Lila girl was only too eager to do homework with Adrien-Me, so I could keep up with every assignment once I could get her hands off of me.”

“I thought a magician never revealed his tricks?”

True. But he had wanted to see if she would get jealous. Which she didn’t. Which was expected and totally fine by him. He didn’t care anyways.

Lucky for him, Marinette wanted to tease him more than an answer.

“Well, I hope your work ethic is better when it comes to presentations. I'll send you the materials!”

A click later, his laptop alerted him of One New Email, containing no less than twenty-two pages of material. He raised his eyebrows.

“Not to crush your little illusion of me as a hard-working student, but that looks like awfully tedious work. What makes you think I would voluntarily do homework meant for Prince Charming?”

The sassy little smirk she'd shown him during their battles of wit last week returned.

“You mean, aside from the fact that, once school is open again and Adrien is back, your little trick with pretending to be him will be revealed? And that I’m your best chance not to be chased out of town by a very angry Chloé Bourgeois? Not to start with Alya, Rose and Juleka, who still haven’t forgiven you for that stunt you pulled the last time you were here.”

Sound argument, he had to give her that.

“Pah!”, he said, just for the sake of irritating her. “So what? It’s not like it was my idea to move to Paris anyway!”

That was at least partially true. His mother had insisted to come back to France, mostly because she wanted to keep an eye on Gabriel. But he hadn’t been against it either.

It wasn’t like he had friends in London anyway, and in Paris it at least didn’t get boring, with all these butterflies and superheroes. Plus, he wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he had missed Adrien. That boy could use a little family - once Felix was done pretending to be him. 

Marinette hummed and tapped her chin impatiently.

“Well, then see it as the prize you promised me after our little insult-match at the Trocadero.”

“Wait, wait, wait!”, he held up his hands. “I already settled that score, didn’t I? You confessed to me, remember?”

“I practiced confessing to Adrien with you, you mean.”, she reminded him with a raised eyebrow – Ouch, by the way – before leaning back in her pink chair. “And that was because you talked me into it. I never told you what I wanted, did I?”

Well, fuck. Not that the prospect of working with Marinette was that unpleasant, but in his current state of emotional confusion, it would only be detrimental. He needed an out, an excuse!

“Why would you want to work with me anyways? I would have thought you'd jump at the chance to do something with Prince Adrien of Dreamland. Why settle for the pain in the neck?”

Marinette sighed.

“Adrien is still recovering from his flu, and given the current, ah, global situation, I thought it would be better to put his health first. Besides, you're my favorite pain in the neck.”

“I'm flattered, darling”, he said, trying not to sound like it was as true as it was, “but-“

“Oh my gosh!”, Marinette interrupted him with a shout, and suddenly her eyes dominated the entire screen, as if she were mere millimeters away from her own computer. “Felix! What is that?!”

“Huh?”, he made, eloquent as usual. He turned around, just in time to see his traitorous cat jump from the dresser right onto his lap. Apparently, now that Felix had someone else to talk to, the little bastard felt neglected. 

“You mean him?”, he asked, turning back to the screen with the cat in his lap. An inhuman squeal came from the other side of the line and Marinette sacked back into her chair, which spun around its axis, like, three times in a single second.

“Felix Graham de Vanily!”, she said with all but glowing eyes. “Show – me – the cat!”

Since her voice made absolutely clear that it had been an order and Felix had always had a strong survival instinct, he obediently held up the little monster. Who let out a plaintive little “Mow”, but otherwise submitted to his fate.

“Oh my gosh!”, Marinette repeated, “He's adorable!”

“You think?”, Felix said dumbly, at a loss for how to react to this sudden change in situation.

“I do! I do! What's his name?”

“Uh...”, Felix thought, debating whether a lie would save his reputation. “Uhm...”

“Don’t tell me you named him Felix Junior!” She turned towards the cat in false exasperation. “Did he name you Felix Junior?!”

The cat that was most certainly not named Felix Junior meowed in his feline confusion.

“No, of course not!”, Felix snapped back, sinking into the chair as if it might have mercy and swallow him.

“Then what's his name? What, for God’s sake, is this pretty little kitty called?!”

What had his life turned into?

“'dini.”, he mumbled, hiding his face behind the cat.

“What? Speak louder!”, Marinette demanded, and so he accepted his fate.

“Houdini!”, he groaned in embarrassment. “I named him Houdini, alright? I was eleven!”

For a moment, the line went quiet. Then, inevitably, Marinette burst out in laughter.

“For real? I can’t believe it!”

Sulking, Felix turned away from the screen, but immediately Marinette stopped.

“No, no, no! Bring Houdini back! I love his name, okay? Give him back!”

“You're not telling anybody of him, got it?”, he hissed, cheeks as red as Ladybug's suit. Marinette snickered. 

“Of course, I promise. Houdini will be our little secret, alright? Now bring him back!”

Satisfied, Felix turned the chair back towards the laptop and placed Houdini on the desk. The curious thing didn’t hesitate to lounge onto his keyboard and examined the camera, much to Marinette’s delight.

“Oh lord, he's so cute!”

Felix sighed and leaned back.

“Believe me, he knows.”

“He looks just like you!”

At that, Felix spluttered and jumped up again.

“W-w-what?!”

Internally already setting up the equation: “Marinette thinks Houdini is cute, and Marinette thinks Houdini looks like Felix, then Marinette thinks Felix is cute?” he was about two seconds from fainting.

“He's got a little tie, see?”, Marinette giggled on, ignorant of the thought-spiral she'd sent him into. “Just like you!”

Oh. She meant the patterns of his fur, which admittedly looked a little like he was wearing a tie. Of course.

“Who's the most adorable thing in Paris? You are!”, Marinette continued with her shameless adoration of that undeserving little brat, who currently Mow-ed happily at the screen. Pah!

“Just so you know, he bites people for fun.”, Felix badmouthed his own pet, absolutely not because he was jealous. “You can’t trust him. He'll act sweet, but as soon as you're not looking he's got your fingers between his sharp little fangs!”

“Eh, I can handle it.”, Marinette shrugged and immediately went back to admiring Houdini. “You're a good kitty, aren’t you? The best, the best! Yes, you are!”

“No, he's not!”, Felix insisted through clenched teeth. “He's moody and arrogant! Nobody likes him, that's why I took him in! He thinks it’s fun to hurt people, he holds grudges forever and he's incredibly annoying when he's bored!”

Wait, was he still talking about the cat?

“You just like him because he looks all cute and innocent, but if you knew him, you'd never even want to be in the same room as him.”

Marinette had gone quiet on the other side, and Houdini narrowed his eyes at him in betrayal. Then she shrugged.

“If you don’t want him anymore, I'll take him in.”

“What?!”

She would have to pry the little shit out of his cold, dead hands!

“Did you not listen to a word I said?” he asked, trying not to let on that he didn’t actually dislike Houdini.

Marinette smiled.

“Sure. But I still think he's a good kitty.”

“But why?”

She hummed, pushing her stack of papers aside so she could put her elbows on the desk. Resting her chin on her hand, she looked up in him.

“Most cats are. You just got to give them a chance to come out of their shell.”

“But... But he's mean!”

“Maybe he's just lonely. Maybe he needs some friends, and then he'll learn to be nicer. I can wait.”

He was not blushing!

“Why would you want to? There's lots of better cats, you could just pick one of them right away.”

“Yeah, well, I want Houdini. All cats deserve a chance. Even the meaner ones.”

She smiled down at the black and white loaf that purred on his keyboard.

“In my experience, peop- cats only show their best sides if you give them a chance to open up. If you're too quick to brush them aside as hopeless, or mean, you might miss out on the most wonderful personalities underneath. And I think Houdini is one of those.”

And then, because the universe just wanted to see him fall, she winked at him. Jesus Christ!

“Anyway, I'll give you some time to read through the material I sent you. Message me once you’re done, we've got a lot of work ahead. Bye!”

Before he could realize what she had said, the window blanked and closed on him. Disappointed that his fan had vanished, Houdini meowed and returned once again to Felix' lap.

“Bye.”, Felix stammered belatedly. What had just... How could she go around just saying things like that? And then hang up?!

“Ugh, Houdini!”, he lamented. “Look what I have become!”

Reduced to a beetred, stammering, weird-cat-metaphor-using fool!

The cat gave a smug “Mrow” and headbutted him in the chin, but Felix didn’t have it in him to complain.

“Fine,” he sighed in defeat, “you win. So what if I like her?”

Houdini purred.

“You do too, don’t you? Bet you'd bite her anyway.”

He purred on, unperturbed.

“Knew it.”

He sighed once again.

“She's right, though. You are a good kitty. Deep down.”

Houdini meowed and licked his finger, just where he'd bitten him earlier.

“Well, now you're just sucking up to me! Two-faced little demon. Mwah!”

He pressed a small kiss to the top of his furry head, then rolled the chair closer to the desk and opened his emails.

“Alright, then.”, he tried to motivate himself, “let's show Marinette what a good kitty- what a good person we are and do our homework.”

At that, Houdini promptly stood up and jumped onto the bed, leaving him alone with twenty-two pages of reading material.

“Bastard.”

- - -

Bonus:

Ladybug, crashing through Felix' window: Felix Graham de Vanily!

Felix: Ladybug?!

Ladybug: I have it on good authority that you own a good kitty! It is crucial for the safety of Paris that I pet him right this instant!

Felix, remembering her right hook: ... sure?

[san-fics]

@raeuberprinzessin Hahaha))) It definitely is 😅😅 (sorry, didn't see this reference before)

Although in my perception, Felix is ​​the one who teases, and Mari is the one who rages, but this mini-comic gives a new perspective 😉

And damn it! These two have, as always, giant potential, incomparable with any sweet Adrinette...

I hope to finally translate soon the conic which once and forever converted me into Felinette shipper...

The only acceptable way for Marinette and Felix to interact

[raeuberprinzessin]

Good for them!

AO3

"Feeeelix," Adrien whined and gave his cousin the most pitiful look he could muster, but the other boy wasn't impressed. Instead he put the small cup down and moved on to the next stall offering test samples of their coffee.

Adrien gave a muffled groan and tried to keep up with his cousin. He was tired after walking around this food fair for hours. He wasn't even sure what his cousin was looking for. He stopped at every stall selling coffee beans, sure, but Adrien knew that his cousin's preferred beverage was earl grey tea. He also couldn't be looking for a gift for aunt Amelie, since coffee didn't agree with her.

And Adrien didn't know anyone else his cousin would be willing to run around for hours to find the perfect gift for. Honestly, his curiosity to find out was the only reason he hadn't made up an excuse to leave and join Marinette at her family's stall.

He could really do with a croissant right now. Or a pain au chocolat. Or some macarons. Or all of those! He had been running around for so long, he surely would have earned some sweets, right? Some sweets and a hot chocolate and a nice, comfortable chair to give his poor aching feet some rest. As long as Nathalie and his dad wouldn't know, it would be fine.

Half an hour of sulking and pouting, which was handily ignored by his heartless cousin, Felix stopped and gave the cup of coffee he was sampling right now a thoughtful look.

"This one," he stated, although Adrien had no idea what he was talking about. "I would like a pack of these beans and two cups to go."

His cousin gave him a questioning look, but Adrien shook his head. The only things he wanted were somewhere to sit down and something to eat. Today he had had enough coffee to not sleep for the next decade!

After purchasing the coffee he followed Felix again and was surprised that they ended up at the stall of Marinette's family. He sunk on one of the chairs next to the counter and watched his cousin waiting a few meters away.

"Could I offer you a croissant, son? I just came back with a fresh batch," a voice next to him offered and he looked up to see Tom Dupain smiling down at him. He nodded and eagerly bit into the soft, fluffy, buttery heaven of a pastry.

"Please, can you adopt me?" he asked, giving the big man in front of him his kitten eyes. M. Dupain just gave him a deep chuckle and gently patted his back. He seemed to think this was a joke. Adrien wasn't joking. He loved his dad, but if Marinette's family would be willing to adopt him, he would be gone faster than his dad could tell Nathalie to tell him to not be ridiculous.

The next moment he got distracted by a loud enthusiastic shout. He looked back and noticed that Marinette didn't stand behind the register anymore, her father had taken over for her.

Now she stood next to Felix, one of the travel cups in her hands. She beamed up at his cousin as if he had just saved her from months of torture, a blindingly bright smile on her lips and stars in her eyes. Adrien watched as Felix gave her the beans he had bought and Marinette rambled her thanks and hugged him.

And Adrien also noticed the faint blush colouring the tips of his cousin's ears, the adoring look he gave the girl, the way his everlasting smirk had softened into a small genuine smile and the pride swelling his chest.

Huh. Maybe his cousin wasn't quite as heartless as he had everyone believing. On the other hand, this was Marinette, if someone would be able to charm his standoffish cousin, it would be his sweet, talented friend. Good for them!

Adrien decided to give them their privacy and focused on his beloved croissant again.

[ggomomomo]

Roomies | 1 - Sugar and Spice

@felinettenovember

Read on AO3

[next]

Marinette had two cones of ice cream in her hands: one with a big scoop of strawberry at the base, topped with blueberry and a cherry, and another with mango and charcoal. She frowned down at both treats, evidently conflicted at her predicament.

Just in time, Shadow emerged from under the bridge and dropped onto the railing. Any other passerby would've jumped or reeled back in shock, but Marinette only stared at him. The hero eyed the two ice creams she held. "Are you going to eat that?"

"Do you want it?"

Shadow's tail flicked. "I don't like sweets."

Marinette stuck her tongue out. "Fine. I wasn't going to offer anyways."

"Then why do you have two?"

She wrinkled her nose towards Andre's cart at the end of the bridge. "It was a buy one take one but I didn't see the sign," she mumbled, "Andre insisted I take both cones."

"Hmm. I can get one off your hands then."

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "I thought you don't like sweets."

"I don't prefer it if I have a choice, but I don't mind sampling some either." Before she could say another word, he took one of the cones from her hands and dabbed the sticky cream that had dripped down to her palms.

Marinette muttered a quick thanks, finally diving into her blueberry and strawberry delight. Shadow sat on top of the railing beside her, feet brushing the many locks attached to the bridge. It would've been an odd sight for a random Parisian, but Shadow's strange behaviors weren't anything new. Marinette expected they'd get a confused shrug at most.

"Slow day today?" She asked.

"Slow . . . of course it is. You even got ice cream."

"Duh, it's hot." Marinette licked her lips. "I don't understand why you don't like sweets."

"Just not my preference."

"And then you make all of our food spicy."

Shadow quirked an eyebrow, seemingly insulted by such accusation. "I do not. I cook fine."

Marinette huffed, recalling the tingles on her tongue even as she ate her ice cream. "Right. The scrambled eggs the other morning? Spicy. The beef stew last night? Spicy. The dumplings you made? My throat was on fire."

"You just have a low tolerance." He tried to poke her with the handle of his spoon but she swatted his clawed hand away.

"No I don't!"

"If you hate the spice so much, why not make your own food?"

Redness spread from her neck up to her cheeks. "Because you banned me from the kitchen! Except if I'm baking!"

"Ah yes, I remember that fire alarm . . ." He succeeded in poking the tip of her nose, making her frown. "Don't worry, I will make something not spicy tonight."

"You better!"

All of a sudden, the ground shook, nearly causing Marinette to drop her ice cream. She narrowed her eyes towards the buildings due west, where Lollipop Man was wreaking havoc once again. Immediately afterwards, akuma alerts rang out from Shadow's baton and Marinette's phone.

Shadow clicked his tongue in annoyance, finishing up his ice cream and lifting himself into a crouch. "When I thought the latest sentimonster won't show up until tonight. . ."

"Damn it! I haven't finished my ice cream!" Marinette groaned. "I'll join you in five."

"Five minutes?" He gave her a look of disbelief.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" She lifted her cone. "Dump it in the trash?"

"You will seriously put off saving Paris just so you can finish your ice cream?"

"I paid good money for this," she said with finality, pushing him a little. "Now go. I'll see you in five."

Shadow rolled his eyes but bounded off to take care of their monster of the day.