''Can you two relax, please? I said already I'm not here to cause trouble''
Marinette and Adrien were both staring at Felix with a mix of ''fight mode'' superhero glare and nervousness. Right after his little revelation, they shut the doors of the living room (For what purpose? Who knows, they just wanted privacy) and made it sure it was clear for the non-Agreste blond that he was not getting out until he explained himself.
''You didn't have a good start, buddy'' Commented Plagg, hovering over Felix, making it the third glare directed at his persona.
The only one in the room that didn't seem to have a vendetta over the boy was Tikki, but it was mostly because she was too busy staring at Marinette with something that looked like worry, sprinkled with another emotion Felix couldn't exactly place.
''Let's start again, shall we?'' He proposed, still not succeeding in making his cousin and his girlfriend at least uncross their arms. ''Hello dear cousin, it's been a while, almost two years, actually, how have you been?''
He then offered his hand to Adrien, who looked at it like he was offering a knife instead.
''Oh come on!'' He knew this was coming, specially with his little experiment from before, but those two were really intent on not offering any olive branch. Also the black cat hovering over him was starting to make him nervous. ''I'm not an enemy! If anything I should be complaining here, because of your little reveal from last year my life got a whole lot more complicated!''
That seemed to wake at least Adrien up, he shifted from the glare a to a guilty stare at the floor.
''Oh…'' He said in a whisper, still not looking at him. ''I didn't even think of that…'' Then worry replaced everything else in his face and he approached him, hands on Felix's shoulders. ''You didn't get attacked, did you!?''
''Nope, unless you count fangirls into that category, then all I got was unwanted attention that was quickly replaced by disappointed once they realized I'm not you… It got old pretty quickly'' He said, trying not to sound as annoyed as he was when he was still mad about it. He was over it now, or so he thought. For some reason Adrien's guilty face annoyed him. ''I didn't come here for that''
''How do you know-'' Marinette interrupted him, stopped, shared a glance with her kwami then continued. ''Who I am?''
''Ahh, that'' He smiled one of his wickest, but stopped himself as he remembered he really wasn't there to pick a fight. ''Like I said, I just did a little experiment to confirm my suspicions''
''You shouldn't even have suspicions to begin with!'' Exclaimed the girl. ''There is a glamour that protects our identities!''
''That's a good point'' Said the red kwami, who looked more curious than anything else.
''I don't know anything about a glamour, but I just connected obvious dots. I'm surprised no one else has, considering you two even live together'' Said Felix, making a gesture pointing at the living area surrounding them. ''Anyways, all I had to do to clear the fog was pretend to be Adrien, knowing that the only person able to tell us apart last time was Ladybug…''
''Your irises have 5.6% more blue than Adrien's, your nose's bridge is angled 0.7% more outwards , and Adrien gets a barely visible dimple on his cheeks when he smiles now, you don't'' Marinette blurted out, met with a room full of silence.
She realized how absurd her knowledge on her boyfriends anatomy was because her face quickly turned tomato-red, then she darted a look at Adrien, who was just gaping.
''I have dimples?'' He asked, then both kwamis and Felix started laughing.
''Marinette where did you even get those numbers from!'' Exclaimed the red Kwami, and honestly if she didn't know, that secret was probably going to die with the heroine, judging by her face, thought Felix.
''Ok, so you pretended to be me to confirm your suspicions, now what? What are you going to do with that knowledge'' Adrien's voice started sounding very threatening by the end of his sentence, and his eyes glowing slightly didn't help. Felix gulped.
''Nothing''
''Nothing?'' Asked both heroes at the same time, unbelieving.
''Yep. I just wanted to know'' He shrugged. ''What? you want me to go out and blurt it to the world? Then what? I'm not some villain, you know''
Marinette was staring at him, eyebrows raised and unimpressed, saying with just her face what she thought: You acted like a villain last time, you don't have my trust. Adrien, on the other hand, was just frowning.
''Alright, let's say we believe you, that's all you came here for, then?'' His cousin didn't sound as menacing as before anymore. ''You took a three hour train trip to Paris, on one of the worst winters of... well ever, just to satisfy your curiosity?. I don't believe THAT''
''In that you are right, I didn't come here just to tell you two that I know your secrets for absolute no reason'' He smiled. ''I came here because I'm moving to Paris soon, to an apartment, and I know my cousin is kind of homeless-''
''He's not homeless'' Interrupted Marinette, annoyed.
''Ok, but he could use a space that he calls his own, you know. And thats exactly what I'm offering''
''You're moving to Paris? But you're not even out of school yet, are you?'' Asked Marinette, still suspicion. What did it take to gain this girls trust?
''He's homeschooled, just like I was before meeting you, My lady'' Explained Adrien. ''What I don't get is why now, when it's not exactly safe to be around me''
''It's not safe to BE me either, you dumbass'' Felix let it show how he really felt about the whole thing for the first time. ''You yourself asked me if nothing happened to me. Well, nothing too bad, and not yet!, but people still think I'm you, and you're not just a stupidly famous model that I can prove I'm not with a mean comment. You're a freaking superhero, vigilante, whatever, that dangerous people are interested in!''
''And you waited a whole year to finally be afraid?'' Asked the girl coldly.
''No, I waited until I knew where my cousin was to come tell him that he didn't just mess up his own life!'' Felix didn't remember the last time he actually screamed at someone like this, but he didn't care now. He was already in.
The ex-model sported that annoying guilty look again, making Felix sigh. He didn't come here to make him feel bad, not really. He just wanted them to help each other, for once.
''Look, we are family, and once you are done dealing with the new baddies, you're gonna have to re-start your life, won't you?'' Adrien stopped looking at the floor and shared his gaze, surprised. ''I'm just proposing that you come live with me so you let your girlfriend and her parents breathe, get some of that precious freedom you love so much back and, in the case someone attacks me because I can't help but look like you, and now people know you have reasons to hide and change your appearance slightly so they pay more attention, you will be there...ok?''
Felix was not stupid. He knew good plans worked for him most of the time. But this didn't depend on a good proposal, or logic, not really. It depended on how those two idiots felt. And if showing his true colors, his fears and his honest face didn't work, then nothing would.
''Ok'' Said Adrien, still looking at his eyes.
''Adrien? you don't need to leave! what he said is not true, I don't need to 'breathe' away from you and neither do my parents!'' Marinette was grabbing his arm, as if she would never see him again, which was stupid, in Felix's opinion, but she might be emotional with good reason: He just came in all of a sudden to change the vision she probably had for the future.
''I know, Mari'' He smiled down at her, then grabbed her hands. ''But what he said makes sense. At least for the future, when we are done dealing with our current problems''
''Yeah, I'm not moving in right away anyways, for some reason the weather is even worse in here, so I'll wait at least until winter is over'' Said Felix, trying to sound full of himself as always, but not being able to stop his mouth from smiling slightly. ''I need to choose a place, however''
At that, Adrien smiled too, understanding immediately. ''Tomorrow?''
''Eh, my train leaves tonight'' That was not a lie.
''Oh, later today, then, it's not like I have much to do anyways…'' He looked down at his girlfriend, who stopped sulking already.
''We do have a meeting at 8'' Said Marinette, still holding his cousins hands. ''But we pretty much have the rest of the day open before that, so…''
Felix barely stopped himself from making a comment on the line of 'Why do you need your girlfriends permission, eh, house cat?', realizing he wasn't just in front of his cousin and girl, but Paris's superheroes. The very same ones that he just asked for help. He could self sabotage later, just not with this, specially because of what he still had to tell them.
''I also have something else to say''
They both looked at Felix with a 'well, go on' look, so he sighed and continued.
''There was a man following me here'' He tried to not sound as nervous as he was, but failed. ''And I don't think he was a Chat Noir fan''
...
Chloe never thought this shit would happen to her AGAIN, but here she was, in her room at the hotel, alone with the woman who left a whole family in vegetative state with no cure in sight. The mother of a girl that died on her childhood friend's hands, a villain who just revealed her name to her.
''Lady.. vendetta…'' She exhaled, barely containing the fear she felt at being surrounded by the red smoke coming out of the woman's eye. ''Y-you know, thats a lawsuit waiting to happen-'' Her attempt at winning time by running her mouth got shot down immediately when the silent villain offered her her hand. A box Chloe recognized all too well was in there.
Chloe, in her mind, was terrified, so much that she couldn't even move for fear of touching the red smoke that surrounded her or to provoke the woman into putting her down. But her body was stupid, and so her face raised an eyebrow as a reaction to the irony of this situation. She knew what the woman wanted even before she spoke.
''This is yours, I believe?'' She said, and when she spoke more smoke came out from her mouth. That seemed to be her main power, thought the blonde, trying to at least mentally take notes in case she survived this. The smoke didn't seem to do much until it touched something, object or person. Chloe jumped at the sudden sound of her wardrobe losing a door and she couldn't help but turn her head to take a look.
The smoke had touched it and then half of the wooden furniture was broken, all of her clothes were no the floor of her room. It didn't exactly destroy it, like Adrikins power would have done… What was it, then?
''Don't get distracted, girl. You know what I'm offering, do you take your precious powers back, or…?''
The woman's voice forced Chloe to stop taking mental notes and, when the rich girl realized she didn't really have much of a choice, she frowned and spoke again through her fear.
''If you can't tell my answer by my face you are even more stupid than your daughter, she tried the sam-'' She got interrupted yet again, but this time by a scream.
Lady Vendetta let out a banshee like screech, and the red smoke multiplied, filling the room and breaking everything in it except for Chloe. Her fury didn't last long, however, and when she controlled herself she smiled, then closed her fingers around the box. All of the red substance (Chloe, looking at it closer now, wasn't even sure it was smoke anymore) that floated around stopped its seemingly random pattern of movement and got absorbed by the box, which turned red and then opened, revealing a bee themed hairpin.
''N-no'' Was all Chloe could say in a tiny whisper as she watched Pollen come out to the world once again, only to cry in pain and fall to the floor.
The villain then dropped the box and the hairpin next to the unconscious kwami, and with a smile yet again decorating her face she said:
''I have a message for your little friends'' Chloe looked up at the woman as she turned to the window she entered from. ''This pain you feel? the horrible loss of a friend, the frustration at losing yet again''
''I'll do it to each one of you, it's personal''
When the woman left, there wasn't a single thing in Chloe's room that wasn't broken. Chloe was never touched by the red smoke, but she didn't need to be, she thought, as she cradled the little yellow kwami with her hands while she cried.
...
When Adrien and Felix left to have lunch together, Marinette was half relieved half stressed out of her mind. She started pacing around her room, while at the same time she gathered the stuff she needed to go to her apprenticeship with Tina. Which was in thirty minutes, not nearly enough time to sort her head out.
''You can call her and tell her that you don't feel good to go today'' Offered Tikki, while she barely lifted her pencil case and dropped it on her bag. ''She did tell you that since schools closed, she had no right to make you go''
''But I WANT to go! that was my answer to her and besides, today's pretty decent outside! I need to go'' Her feet kept moving as the gears on her head did.
''Ok then… save what just happened for later, and tell Adrien how you really feel about him leaving'' Suggested the kwami, and the girl stopped on her tracks.
''You think thats what has me so stressed out?''
''It's… not?'' The skepticism in the tiny god's voice was palpable.
''I mean… I would be lying if I said I don't want to talk about this more with Adrien, but we have time… not Tikki, I'm acting like crazy now because I just realized something!... I think'' She said, grabbing the scattered drawings the did last night from her desk. she picked her favorite, one of the last ones she designed, and stared at it while she spoke again. ''I think I need to tell the world who Ladybug is''
''What part of today's conversation made you reach that conclusion?!'' Exclaimed the kwami, floating in between the drawing and Marinette's eyes. ''Mari, just because Felix knows doesn't mean-''
''I didn't get… scared, or had a mild panic attack like I did when thinking about revealing myself before, when Felix told us that he knew. It was the total opposite… It's like a weight lifted off my shoulders and… I don't know what it is Tikki, but I have the strong feeling that I need to reveal myself for balance to be fixed!''
The kwami and the girl stood quietly, staring at each other. To marinette's surprise, Tikki did a full 180 on his demeanor and smiled.
''You figured it out'' She said, suddenly sounding like the goddess she was and not just a cute tiny plushie. ''Thought I don't know if it was for the right reasons.. doesn't matter''
''Hold on a second, you knew?! I'm right?!''
''Not… exactly. I mean yes, you are probably right, but.. ahh this is better for a guardian to explain! Marinette, only Ladybug and Chat Noir know in their hearts what is breaking balance between them'' Tikki smiled as she grabbed one of Marinette's scattered drawings. ''I'm pretty sure Master Fu told you something similar before''
Marinette nodded, remembering one of her multiple sessions with the two guardians, when she noticed her lucky charm failing her. Before she stopped them because everything seemed pointless without her cat by her side. Even then she knew, this problem was hers to solve, not Chat's. He didn't have any issues with his cataclysm, even though his life was a mess. She was the one that was too blindsighted by her own fear to realize what she did now:
''Ever since the gala, Adrien was outed and his… role as a hero changed. He was no longer hiding, but I was. I still am.'' She frowned. ''Does this happen often? I can't imagine Ladybugs and Chat Noirs of the past having similar lives all the time, right?''
''It's not about that… I think. It's about how you perceive things. It's you that feel unbalanced with your partner, Marinette'' Said Tikki.
''But why not give me a clue?'' Marinette wanted the kwami to stop preparing her bag and look at her properly while talking, but the tiny goddess was avoiding her gaze, as if ashamed. ''Why keep me in the dark?''
''I didn't exactly know what it was that you needed to learn, Marinette, though I had a pretty good guess...but, it's not just that'' This time, The kwami looked at her. ''I can't tell you the answer, Marinette. Even if people are in danger because of it, there is a limit on how much I can teach you about being Ladybug. Both because this changes with every generation, and because that's how learning works''
The heroine felt the knots on her brain untying, but there were still so many in there that thinking was still hard. But she understood what Tikki was saying. It was the same as before, when she was younger. Tikki would give her advice, but never tell her WHY she needed to do this or that. She learnt her lessons the hard way and the only way. Marinette wasn't sure how she felt about her kwami thinking this was the same as her learning to be compassionate or to not lie and steal phones… there were lives in the line now. But it made sense. This was only going to get harder, wasn't it?
''Thank you, Tikki… I see now that this must be hard for you too'' Marinette now understood why the kwami refused to look at her just now, or why she seemed frustrated at times. ''I was so afraid of this being the answer that I probably wouldn't have even considered if you told me earlier anyways''
The kwami exhaled a long one, as if she was holding her breath, then smiled back at the girl. ''Thank you, you're the best Ladybug'' Tikki kissed her cheek. ''And I don't mean that lightly''
Marinette decided to toss that along with the rest of her unsolved feelings on a guarded drawer in her mind for now. She had a famous designer to impress today, and she was starting to think it wouldn't just be with her drawings.
After all, she had to start somewhere.