#idk how this turned out i need to stop rereading things 10000 times it doesnt work

[pigeonentity]

i havent actually tried writing anything for this yet, i dont normally write characters younger than how old they are in canon but i can give it a shot

"My father said we shouldn't do this anymore," says Felix, holding the door open with a foot. "Maybe some other time?"

"You're just scared," Chloe tells him, pushing him in.

"My aunt doesn't like it either," he tries. "I don't want to insult her by lying to her again."

He hopes that one works, that he hasn't misjudged the relationship between Emilie and Chloe. Chloe's hard to talk to, bossy and burning behind the eyes, but his father wants them to get along, so he can't snap, can't refuse without an excuse, can't just walk away.

Still, he can't tell her that he's not scared. That he's stuck.

"You're lying," she says. "She told me it was funny. Besides, she can always tell you and Adrikins apart."

"I can't do this. I'm sorry, Chloe."

"But you always swap! You said you would!"

Adrien takes the door from him and locks it. He grips the handle against the banging on the other side.

"I hope she's not too disappointed."

"She'll be alright," says Felix, sitting on the bed. "What about you?"

"I get it. I can't disobey my father either."

"But you lost your chance to escape the city! You could have gotten away from your work for a bit. Maybe we could have pulled it off for good this time-- you could have run away once you got to London, and gone to school. You could have been a normal kid."

Adrien kicks his clothes across the floor. "Thanks."

"You shouldn't do that," he blurts. "You'll get them dirty."

Knock some sense into your cousin, won't you? Gabriel doesn't keep a tight enough leash on him.

Adrien glares at him. Felix tries to apologise, but his mouth won't open. He chokes on the word invisibly.

"Why didn't you visit last year?" asks Adrien.

"Father said we couldn't. I wanted to come."

"I hate him."

"Don't say that." Felix's fingers twitch. "He's your uncle."

Adrien groans, and flops down beside him.

"Chloe says you're worse than me about rules."

"Our parents just have a lot of expectations," says Felix. "She has too much freedom."

"She's our friend."

"She's your friend."

"But she's right. I love my father and my mum, but I wish they let me do things."

Knock some sense into your cousin.

Felix sees blood on his hands and flinches from it.

"Please don't say that."

"You know what I mean. You wanted to help me, you said you wanted to help me."

"I have to go."

Knock some sense.

"Felix, wait, you just got here--"

He unlocks the door.

"I don't want to wait another year to see you," Adrien tells him. "I'm sorry, I-"

He pushes past Chloe, who yells at him faster than he can catch. The corridors blur as he walks. He strides out the front door and is caught by a heavy hand on his shoulder.

He stops.

"It's time to go."

He exhales. There are twenty-one windows on Chloe's hotel that he can see from here. Nobody looks through them.

"Yes, Father."

"Did you enjoy seeing your cousin?"

"Yes, Father."

He sits in the car and stares forward, hands in his lap. He doesn't blink.

i think everyone saying 'felix hasnt been himself since his father died' when we first meet him is devastating

'hasnt been himself' he finally is himself, is his own. he isnt recognisable as the felix you knew, the felix his father could control?

how many orders had he given him?