Felix stopped kissing her too soon for her taste, but when he pulled away, Marinette finally realized that it must have been not very polite of them to be so distracted in front of Adrien...
She looked at the model, who was watching them with a soft smile, and again became embarrassed. Next to her self-proclaimed bodyguard, Marinette was instantly losing her head and forgetting about everything – including the potential risk of her secret identity being revealed.
She returned her gaze to Felix and found that he was looking at her very seriously, not at all a match for the romantic moment that had just happened between them.
"What's wrong?" She couldn't resist asking, peering into his face with an attentive look.
"Everything's fine." Felix answered, softening a little. "Or will be fine soon anyway." He added and turned to his cousin.
"It's actually very fortunate that you came here, Adrien." He declared. "And before we go somewhere, we need to have a conversation – it won't be possible to do in the crowd." He gestured to a small sofa to the side, inviting the model to sit down. "It's why I wanted to see you while you're away from Paris and decided to attend this event." He ran his hand over Marinette's shoulder. "Mostly."
"If it's something private between you two, I can wait downstairs." Said Marinette, again embarrassed by the whole situation and the fact that she ruined their plans.
Felix turned her face towards him and lightly squeezed her hand.
"Don't be silly, my dear." He said, but instead of the playfulness that his words suggested, Felix's eyes looked at her very seriously. "I don't have secrets from you just as much as you don't have secrets from me."
There was something special about the way he said the last sentence. Some kind of ambiguity, hinting that she should play along. The word 'secret' clearly hinted at her identity, but somehow Marinette didn't feel in danger that Felix would try to reveal her to Adrien or anything like that.
Besides, it would be more convenient for him to have her leave, so.
Marinette nodded slowly.
"Good." The man said, then turned both chairs to face Adrien and sat on one of them. Marinette sat at the other and looked at Adrien, who was sitting at the sofa in front of them.
"Before I'm gonna say this," Felix started, removing his mask and putting it aside – his eyes fixed on his cousin. "I want you to know that this is not a joke, not any kind of prank, and that I sincerely wish you well and forgive you for not coming at my father's funeral, because of which I made all that fuss on one of my visits to Paris."
Marinette looked at his tense face and had the feeling that she was out of place here, even though Felix had told her not to leave. It was clearly about very personal issues.
And although she witnessed the mess that Felix made then, before this moment she didn't think that he could have really deep reasons for it, reducing everything to the fact that he just wanted to take pleasure in making fun of others.
Perhaps she was more wrong than she thought.
"You know what my father meant to me and the fact that you couldn't stand up to Gabriel to support me in my moment of loss didn't leave me alone for a long time." Felix continued, making her heart sink for him. "But like I said, a lot has changed since then and I was able to overcome my resentment and move on."
"Fe... You know I would be there if…" Adrien started, clearly embarrassed, – either by the topic or by Marinette's presence, – but Felix cut him off.
"I'm not talking about it now to bring this topic up, but so that you understand that what I'm going to say next is the truth." Felix clarified and for some reason took Marinette's hand. "I have reason to believe that I know the identity of Shadow Moth."
Marinette stared at him, her mouth open in surprise.
What?
"H-how?.. How can you know Shadow Moth's identity?" Adrien asked, recovering from surprise. "A-and why are you telling ME about it?!" He asked in an even more nervous voice.
Marinette had the same questions, and many more. But she could start with these.
"That's the most unpleasant part, but there is no harmless way of saying it, so I'll just do it." Felix warned. "It's your father."
"What?!" Adrien jumped to his feet and made a few steps to them, towering over Felix. "If this is one of your pranks, Fe, I swear, I…"
"Unfortunately, it's not." His cousin replied calmly without moving from his seat, and only squeezed Marinette's hand in his, snapping her out of the stupor into which she had fallen upon hearing the news.
Adrien looked at him for a while longer, then broke off and started pacing the room back and forth, muttering something inarticulate under his breath.
Marinette finally found her voice and turned to Felix.
"How can you know that?" She asked quietly. "Gabriel Agreste has been akumatized, so if this is just your guess…"
"Do I look like a man who throws his assumptions around?" Felix asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
"I... I mean…" Marinette knew first hand that Felix knew how to pretend and lie, but for some reason this didn't seem the case. "How do you explain him being akumatized then?" She asked, because that was the reason she and Chat Noir cleared the designer from their suspicions.
"It was a sentimonster." Felix replied, running a hand through his hair, – a nervous gesture indicating that the memory wasn't pleasant for him. "That Akuma was meant for me actually." He sighed. "The last time I was at his house, he tried to akumatize me while Gabriel's sentimonster stood right in front of me." He explained. "He knew that I saw miraculous on him earlier that evening and I think he wanted to confuse me. But when I broke the connection with Shadow Moth, I tore that Gabriel's pant leg while running away. And when the real Gabriel returned after his sentimonster was de-akumatized – and probably destroyed, – his clothes were back in order."
He finished his story and sighed again.
"Honestly, it took me a long time to digest this information." Felix admitted. "Mostly because in case I revealed his father, my cousin was getting hit in any case. So I was waiting until Adrien was 18 so that he would at least be free to act the way he wanted, when…"
He didn't finish the sentence, but the essence of his thoughts was clear. As a minor, Adrien would have been taken into someone's care without being legally able to make his own decisions.
Adrien finally stopped and collapsed back onto the couch as if he had lost all his strength.
"I can see it perfectly clear now, actually." He said. "I just can't believe you didn't tell me right away…"
"First – this is really emotional for you, Adrien." Felix said. "And I had to make sure you'd be far from his reach when you get this information." He explained. "As far as I understand, he feels other people's emotions, and no offense, but I'm not sure that he would disdain to take advantage of his own son's emotional vulnerability and not try to akumatize you."
Marinette thought that Felix was probably right – seeing how Adrien reacted to this news – he could be an easy target for... his own father?
"And secondly," Felix continued. "As I said, you wouldn't agree to stay idle and would've reported this information to local heroes. And then you would have remained under who-knows-whose supervision, seeing Nathaly is clearly involved as well."
"Ladybug!" Adrien exclaimed, bouncing off the couch again. "We must inform her as soon as possible!"
"She already knows." Felix said, not looking at Marinette at all, but continuing to squeeze her hand. "I found a way... to contact her recently."
It was only now that Marinette fully realized why Felix wanted her to stay and hinted at secrets between them. Although she still found it hard to believe his words, the more she thought about it, the more everything fell into place.
Because till this day she kept wondering why Gorzilla let her go then. Adrien would inevitably crash, and there was nothing she could do to catch him. And Gabriel being Shadow Moth and letting her save his son explained it perfectly.
Those cases of akumatization that were indirectly connected with Gabriel or his company. All those butterfly patterns… Hell, Chat Noir and her even suspected him at some point and dropped their suspicions for a reason they weren't even completely sure of!..
"She knows…" Adrien repeated distractively. "Why didn't she tell me?.." He asked in confusion to no one in particular.
"Perhaps she didn't want to involve civilians in this matter?" Marinette spoke carefully. "But it's good that you have time to digest this before returning to Paris, Adrien. Felix is right, it's dangerous to be emotionally unstable back at home."
Adrien looked at her as if he had just noticed her presence. Marinette stood up and freed her hand from Felix's. She took off her mask and approached her friend, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"I know it's gonna sound fake at the moment, Adrien." She said softly. "But you should know that everything will be alright. Because I'll always be there if you need me. We all will, right, Felix?" She asked, turning to him for a moment.
"Thank you, Marinette." Adrien sighed as he wrapped his arms around her.
The girl hugged him back, stroking his shoulder with soft movements.
The whole evening was full of unexpected experiences. Perhaps for all of them.
And even though Marinette would now enjoy being in the arms of another blond, Adrien needed her support. And Felix, – despite the fact that his attitude to the situation seemed sincere, – was clearly not emotionally close to Adrien enough to just hug him.
She wasn't sure how long they stood like that, but it looked like it really helped Adrien.
"Thank you, Marinette." He repeated, pulling away from her with a sigh. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."
"Always, Adrien." Marinette smiled. "No matter what happens, we'll get through anything together."
"You're right, Mari." Adrien smiled back, finally relaxing a little. "I'm lucky to have you. And Felix too." He looked behind her back. "Hey, Fe, are you alright?"
Marinette turned around and looked at Felix. The man stood sideways to the window, staring into the distance with a heavy frown.
"I'm just fine, Adrien." He replied in a hard, almost rough voice that made it clear to Marinette that he wasn't fine at all.
She walked over to him and reached out to take his hand, but Felix turned around to avoid her touch. His face was cold and unapproachable – not a trace of the warmth and openness that was visible on it even when he wore a mask.
"Don't you have to return to your friends now?" He asked distantly, without looking into her face.
"I thought we agreed to go all together." Adrien said, confused.
"It doesn't seem to be a good idea." His cousin answered. "You came as a group. I wouldn't want to interfere with your entertainment. Besides, you know I don't like crowds."
"Then Mari could stay with you." Adrien suggested. "I can see how much you've missed each other and…"
"I don't want to take her away from her friends." Felix interrupted, continuing to ignore Marinette's presence.
From these words and his coldness, a lump of resentment and rejection rolled up in her throat.
Whatever happened in those few minutes that changed Felix's attitude towards her so much, it was completely unfair and hurt her to the very heart.
Could he be offended that she hugged her friend to support him when it turned out that his father was a serial terrorizer of Paris?
If so, then it was absurd! And if Felix wasn't ready to deal with the fact that she had close friends, it was better for Marinette to leave and cut this – whatever was starting between them – off right now, so that it wouldn't hurt her more later, when she completely loses her head because of him...
"Let's go, Adrien." She said, turning abruptly away from Felix and heading for the door. "It will be better this way."
"But… you…" Adrien looked from her to Felix and back in bewilderment. "If you say so." He said at last. "Thanks, Fe. For thinking it through, finding the right place and time to let me know and... I owe you."
"You don't owe me anything, Adrien." Felix snapped coldly. "Consider that I did it for myself."
Adrien led her through the crowd to where their classmates were supposed to be gathered, holding her hand so she wouldn't get lost.
Marinette walked without looking at the road, not noticing the random passers-by that kept running into her, staring in front of her with an unseeing gaze.
She felt terrible.
It was as if she hadn't only been thrown out of a romantic fairytale to the sidelines, but as if she had also been told that fairytales don't exist at all and was forced to sign this statement.
Marinette didn't know when Felix's hands became so familiar to her, but now that Adrien was holding her hand, she didn't feel anything at all.
Her body weakened, as if walking out of Felix's hotel with a fresh heartbreak took away all her strength and it was completely gone now.
"I can see that Adrien still managed to win you back from a sassy stranger!" Alya exclaimed as they approached their classmates.
"I didn't…" Adrien began.
"He's not a stranger." Marinette interrupted him, not particularly paying attention to the fact that her friend started talking before her.
"Really?" Alya was surprised. "Who is he then?"
"Looks like our Mari has a secret boyfriend." Adrien said with a soft smile. "Though I'm not sure I didn't interfere with them by coming."
"He's not my boyfriend." Marinette said droningly, staring blankly into space.
"Of course he's not!" Alya exclaimed. "If Mari had a boyfriend, I would know about it!" She added.
Adrien looked at Marinette carefully, frowning. Then he took her hand and looked into her eyes, forcing the girl to focus on his face.
"Did you have an argument or something?" He asked. "Is it because I came and interrupted you? When we left, something was clearly wrong. But he didn't want to talk and I didn't insist…"
"We didn't have an argument." Marinette said as if through the veil of her pain. "And we are not dating. I don't know why he said that. You know how he is…"
"But…" Adrien looked at her completely bewildered, it was clear from his appearance that the information he was now receiving contradicted his picture of the world. "But you were kissing!" He exclaimed. "And it was obvious that you care about each other! I didn't even have a doubt that…"
"Kissing?!" Alya intervened. "Hey girl! Tell me who this stranger-boyfriend is and where did you get him from!"
"I don't know what I did wrong…" Marinette said, turning to Adrien and ignoring her best friend. "Everything was so good…" She sobbed. "I've never felt safer than next to him…" Tears rolled down her face. "I've never experienced this... this... and then he just closed... and I don't understand... What did I do, Adrien?!"
Her voice broke into a cry and the model pulled her to himself and hugged her.
"Marinette." He called, stroking her back. "I've known him all my life, and I've never seen him so... smitten. I've never seen him treat a girl with the kind of care he showed today. Therefore, I had no doubt that you were together."
He pulled away and looked at her face again.
"Something clearly changed since our conversation…" Adrien sighed and frowned. "He's very strong, you know. But he can be just as vulnerable as any other person. I think you should have stayed with him and sorted things out between yourselves."
"What the hell is going on?!" Alya interrupted again. "Adrien, do you know this guy? What makes you think they're dating? Did they really kiss? What conversation are you talking about?!"
"He obviously didn't want me to stay." Marinette grunted through her tears. "He made it perfectly clear…"
"Do you want me to talk to him?.." Adrien suggested. "Since it was my fault that you two have a discord, maybe I can fix it too?"
"Fix what?!" Alya didn't give up. "Can someone explain to me what's going on?!"
"You know what, Adrien," Marinette said decisively. "I'll talk to him myself!"
This impudent man made her relax and let him into her heart, and then just threw her away without explaining what she was guilty of! At least she had a right to know!
Marinette turned resolutely to walk back to the hotel.
"Mari! What the fuck?!" Alya yelled furiously behind her. "Do you really have a secret boyfriend?! Why don't I know anything about it?!"
Marinette wasn't listening anymore.
She made her way through the crowd, determined to clear everything up and then forget about the whole story once and for all. She quickly reached the hotel, but was told there that their guest refused to receive visitors today.
What a jerk!
As if he knew that she would come to demand an explanation from him!
But she wasn't one to give up that easily!
Marinette slipped into a deep, very narrow gap between the houses, where it was difficult to squeeze even sideways, – fortunately, even during the carnival in Venice, you can find a dark corner to transforme.
It was already quite dark outside and there were a lot of people in masks, so Ladybug easily made her way among them to the back of the building. Then she climbed onto the roof, surrounded by the shadows, to get to the wall facing the canal, where she remembered the windows of Felix's room looked out, zipped down to the desired one and slipped inside.