His search had to start at the painting. He didn't know why, nor did he commonly trust nothing but his instinct, but as he walked towards the doors of his father's private office it somehow felt…right. The correct answer laid beyond those doors. Carefully he peeked in to find his father currently out, giving him the chance to slip inside and shut the doors behind him. He wouldn't lock them. It'd only draw attention.

It was a simple office filled to the brim with pictures of Adrien and clothing sketches, lining the walls and desks. He scoured over the pages of cancelled interviews, orders for special edition articles and fan letters scrunched up and tossed into the overflowing garbage bin. Overall, nothing had really changed since he'd moved out.

There has to be something here to prove I'm wrong, Felix thought as he moved to the wall nearest the shielded windows, the only light coming from a table lamp, but nothing seems…?

His gaze fell to another painting his mother, similar to the golden one in the room beside the front doors of the mansion. She sat on a stone bench outside in a beautiful garden of black roses, wearing a long blue gown that slipped off her shoulders at just the right angle. Her long blonde hair slipped behind her shoulders, and her eyes pierced whoever laid eyes upon the art. It was a look he wasn't used to seeing from her.

"…"

This painting should be in the library. Why did father move it here?

Curious, he placed his hands against the frame and gently pulled. The picture clicked and opened like a door, revealing an elevator behind. "What the…?" He pressed the button to go up and waited.

Ding.

It was the quietest elevator he'd ever barely heard. The door slid open, and despite the screaming in the back of his mind he entered, pulling the painting back in front as the door closed, and he began to rise.

There is no attic in the mansion, he tried to reason what was happening, not that I've ever known of. Father wouldn't hide this from us…he wouldn't…

The elevator stopped and opened into a dark room, the light unable to reveal anymore more than the steel floor. He walked out as the doors closed, enveloping him in darkness. He was about to start feeling around for a light switch when a round window began to open up across from him, letting in moonlight.

I hear fluttering-?!

The room was filled with white butterflies, flying around him and the other figure standing in the room. He wasn't alone. He gawked at the stranger gazing out the window at Paris, seemingly lost in thought. At least from the shape of their figure he knew it wasn't his father standing in costume. "…Who are you?"

They turned, giving him a good look at their dark blue bodysuit and feathery cape, a mask covering most of their slim face. The oddest part was the peacock fan they held over their scarlet lips as they spoke a single word.

"Felix?"

That voice…where have I heard that voice before?

The eyes on the mask gleamed red as the window opened. "Hey," he ran forward as the caped figure jumped out into the night, "stop right there!" He reached the window and with a huge leap grabbed the edge, hauling himself up to look out over Paris. "…Drat."

Whoever they were they were gone, out of his sight. Reluctantly he slipped back into the room, closing the window as he hit the floor. The butterflies congregated by the moonlight that streamed in, as if trying to escape.

I would too if I were trapped up here. Who cares for them? Where did they come from? And that person…did I really just encounter the peacock miraculous holder?

The window began to close as he heard the elevator rising. Someone was coming up into the room. Felix ducked into the darkest corner closest to the doors as they slid open and someone stepped out.

F-Father?!

It was in fact Gabriel Agreste, carrying some form of liquid in a canister they he brought over to something in the other corner of the room.

Even without the elevator light he knows where to go, like he's memorized this entire room. So he does know it's here. But if that wasn't him in the cape, what point is there to being up here with all these…butterflies…oh, no…

It all came back to him. He was hiding in the very room he'd been in when he's nearly gotten lost in the time travel. He was feeding his butterflies. "Here we go," he heard his father murmur to himself as the butterflies gathered around him at some sort of feeder, "now stay quiet while my sons sleep."

"Master," one of the butterflies spoke, "what if we've missed the meeting already? She may have left."

"So be it," he snapped, "stay calm, Nooroo. She'll be back with further instructions."

Instructions. That person…was my father's boss? No, she was…HawkMoth's boss. I have to get out of here before he notices, or else he'll…he'll…

He moved without much thought. Ducking into the elevator he shut the doors behind him, just hearing the gasp of his father as he descended. As soon as he reached the office he slammed the painting over the doors and booked it down the hall, back to his room. Just in time, too, because as he shut his own door the office doors swung open, and heavy footsteps neared his room. He sat at his desk and grabbed Frankenstein as the door opened and Gabriel walked in. "Ever hear of knocking, father?"

"Strange," his father replied with a cold stare, "I was going to ask the very same thing."

"What do you mean?"

He kept as best a straight face as he could, but his father had a certain air about him when he wanted something out of you, and it was near impossible to break free once you were trapped in his angry sights.

"Felix."