"Claws in," Félix breathed out, rubbing his temples in frustration.
It was a long night ensuring Marinette's safety and he still has so much more to do. Ladybug and him requested no media coverage of the supposed date, however, he could hear a shuffling of bushes and snapping of cameras in the distance the entire time. They didn't heed their request, he knew they wouldn't when they asked. So, his outburst was most likely broadcasted throughout Paris, on several networks. Goodie. He will have to get that obsessive fan blogger to do an interview with him in order to clear this ordeal, then leave an anonymous tip of the interview to one to two networks to make the word travel faster. He just prays that will be enough to get Hawkmoth off of Marinette. He'll get started sending the emails right away, this is something that cannot be delayed. She is his top priority.
He heard a knock on his door, "Félix, may I come in?"
With a soft chuckle, Félix opened his bedroom door without answering the question, looking down at his younger brother who was brimming with excitement, most likely to discuss what just happened with Evillustrator. Adrien adored discussing the Akuma attacks with Félix, especially when he was fully aware of his identity since he was present when Félix opened the accursed ring box. Can't really hide that when a flying rat cat comes busting out of it, exclaiming his duties immediately without a care in the world, leaving the brothers flabbergasted. God, that was a night to remember…
Although, guilt does gnaw at him for never mentioning that little fact to Bug. He desperately, and selfishly, didn't want to surrender his only ticket to freedom because of an unfortunate incident that was completely out of his control. It is a necessity, in order to keep what little sanity at a somewhat stable manner–at least that is what he keeps telling himself.
Félix stepped aside, inviting Adrien in, which he took instantly. He rushed to the computer chair to spin in it. "Féééé," he drawled out, his tone laced with impatience.
Félix hummed, "Yes, Adri?", closing the door and locking it.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a thing for Marinette?" Adrien whined, shooting his older brother a the meanest glare he could muster.
Félix choked, "E-excuse me!? Why are you accusing me of that?" Is it really that obvious when his oblivious, lovable brother can pick up on it?
Adrien's mouth fell open, "Are you serious?!"
Yes, yes it really is obvious. He groaned. "No, I just like to shout at the air for no reason, Adri. Of course I am asking you!"
"You went hog wild when he touched her, beating him into near unconscious Fé! Then with how you were basically glued to her afterwards and would have stayed that way if you didn't get knocked away by the Akuma. It would take a literal blind person to not realize that 'Chat Noir' has a thing for her!" Adrien exclaimed with a huff.
Félix crossed his arms, releasing a sigh, "Ladybug brought it up to me as well, mentioning that I am putting Marinette into danger. I don't desire that outcome, but that can be easily fixed by swaying the public, at least put some doubt in the air."
Adrien lifted his brows, "I know you are good at talking your way out of situations but do you think that will be enough this time around?"
Félix dramatically placed his hand over his heart, "Are you honestly doubting my prowess? You surely jest Adri! You of all people should know that."
Adrien snorted. His brother can be so intense but he has every right to be confident in his ability to bullshit his way out of anything with a few choice words. He has done that on MULTIPLE occasions when they were younger, getting them out of trouble when they were both being mischievous kids, which was very frequent mind you.
"Trust me, I am aware of what you are capable of. I'm just not sure if Hawk Moth will buy it. He can still target her, trying to call your bluff, " Adrien countered.
"There is still that possibility," Félix admitted, "But if my past record is anything to go by, that chance is slim to none. I will just have to keep up the charade while in the public eye."
"I sure hope you are right Fé," Adrien sighed, "I assume you already cooking up a plan?"
Félix gave a devilish grin, "Why of course dear brother. It will be put into motion tomorrow with a visit as the alley cat to the ladyblogger along with sending a tip to some news stations about the event. I just need to send some emails before bed."
Adrien raised a brow, "You? Initiating a public interview?" he remarked, "That would cause some commotion since you always stay out of the spotlight unlike your other half."
"Exactly the plan, " Félix stated, sitting on his bed.
"When will the interview be?"
"After classes tomorrow."
"So, you'll have to deal with all the rumors circulating around the school for the entire day. Hearing all about the forbidden love that Chat Noir has for a civilian that he can't act on because of his duties! Her knight in shining armor!" Adrien pointed out, showing exaggerated movements signifying a knight swinging a sword.
Félix eyes shot open, blood rushing to his face as he falls to his bed, grabbing his pillow to cover his face in sheer embarrassment. He DID NOT even consider that!
Adrien cackled, tears forming in his eyes. "God, I am ecstatic for tomorrow Fé! I hope you know that I am team Marichat all the way!" he teased his brother, beaming a smile at Félix who was leering from under the pillow.
"I hate you, I hate you so, so much…" Félix hissed.
Adrien headed to the door, looking back at Félix, "But in all seriousness, if you like her then you should maybe try and talk to her? Instead of only doing it at your alter ego then awkwardly ogling at her in your civilian life."
Instantly, Adrien was hit with a pillow to the face, "Ouch!"
"I do not gawk at her!" Félix shouted, his face fully covered in a bright red hue.
"I'm sure you don't but consider it. For me and for yourself, pleaseeee?" Adrien pleaded, giving Félix puppy dog eyes and a slight whimper.
Félix groan, averting his eyes, "Fine…"
With a cheeky grin, he bid Félix a good night before leaving his room finally.
The thing is, he was already planning on chatting with Marinette more, but as Chat Noir and not as Félix. Personally, he doesn't feel too confident in social skills in his civil form but he tends to be less stiff as Chat. He would still be following his brother's request, albeit it probably isn't EXACTLY how he wanted it to be done but he never specified after all. Besides, his bother of all people should know that he will find loopholes in anything.
Félix huffed and sat at his computer, preparing for the storm that will be brewing tomorrow.
0000
Marinette could not fall asleep at all, the words that Chat said, replaying in her mind on repeat. Each time, she would get flustered over his possible feelings for her which only worsen her dilemma.
She has a major crush on Félix since the first day of school, but it seems to be getting no where with how distant he can be when it comes to opening up. Not to say he never talked or interacted with her, far from that. They were good friends that would have a heated debate over anything, however, he was very considerate of her opinions which is why she loved to wrangle with him. They had different view points and that allows them to see things they normally wouldn't but they always remained civil. She adored it and she noticed he did as well. Despite his calm and aloof demeanor, he was devoted to the ones he cared about and would stand up for them without hesitation even if it meant getting into trouble. That was seen by the entire class when a student from another class dared to belittle Adrien in front of him. Normally, a level-headed person. he did a complete shift, unleashing a fiery wrath that would make even Hawkmoth quiver in fear.
The other part is her more recent emotions surfacing with her partner, Chat Noir. This wasn't the case at the beginning because she used to find him a bit overzealous and an annoying smartass, although over time, it grew on her and he calmed down a bit which helped as well. She assumed it was nervousness from taking on a daunting mantle and she couldn't fault him for that at all. Now all she sees is a cunning, loyal but risky partner who is dedicated to his duty and has a means to back up his cockiness with plans that have saved their asses on multiple occasions. They were a team, they wouldn't be nearly as successful without being able to bounce ideas off of each other. He brought logic while she gave more creative solutions.
That is when she was Ladybug. However when she was Marinette, he flirts, is extremely protective of her wellbeing and is one of the two civilians, that she is aware of, he checks on if they are involved in an attack. He is quite open when it came to showing his emotions towards her but he never stepped out of bounds and respected her wishes which made her fall for him even harder.
One thing she can comment on is that both Félix and Chat are exceptionally good at reading people, like it is scary how accurate they can be with simply studying body movements or a simple change in expression. She can recall several times between the boys where they comforted her without even uttering a word about her struggles. To add to it, they are both extremely calculating individuals, planning every move. It made her wonder what happened to cause them to be that way…Now that she is drawing attention to it, they are extremely similar but total opposites in how they carry themselves. Truly fascinating.
To be honest, her heart is telling her to go for Chat currently, he is visibly interested and she wants to reciprocate it so bad but there is the glaring problem that he is a superhero. He would desire to hold out until Hawkmoth is defeated to make sure she is out of harms way. With how that is going, that could be years, years she is not willing to delay that next step. Then there is the whole not knowing his identity, I mean she will get that information eventually but attempting to spark a flame beforehand may prove difficult.
She groaned into her pillow. There is no simple solution to her problem. She would just have to see what destiny has in store for her. For now, she needs to sleep.
000000
In the morning, Marinette hugged her parents goodbye, heading to school for the day. She could have stayed home, she did have approval by the school to stay home because of the Akuma last night except she didn't want to be cooped up in her room all day and have to play catch up on her school work. Arriving at the front gate, Alya waves her down, rushing towards Marinette and nearly jumping on her as she drew closer.
"Girl! You will never guess what I have after school today!" the redhead shrieked in excitement.
"Oh? What is it? It must be something good if you are this giddy!"
"It is great, one of the best things next to getting an interview with Ladybug! Guess, guess what it is Mari!" Alya urged, bouncing up and down.
"I'm not quite sure, maybe you are interviewing Nathaniel?" Marinette guessed, cocking her head.
Alys shook her head. "No, I would never do that since Akuma victims never remember anything. Chat Noir contacted me to do an interview after school. The broody cat that never wants the limelights suddenly requesting this!? He even stated that it will be an exclusive interview for the blog. As long as I keep it on the down low but I couldn't let my best friend at least know about the news! This is such a pivotal moment for me along with Ladybug's interview," the reporter gushed.
Marinette's jaw dropped. Chat NEVER does anything like this, claiming to hate the attention it brings to him. He does operate better covered in the shadows so makes sense…But this is extremely out of character for him, he has to have a reason for this sudden decision.
"Why would he do that? He literally runs from camera crews like they are Akumas whenever they approach him and Ladybug."
Alya snorted, " They can be worse than Akumas sometimes but I think the reason is because of what happened last night with you! It is the only thing I can think of that would call for him to do something like this" Alya concluded, crossing her arms with a triumph face.
"You mean with Evillustrator?"
"Yes! It was being broadcasted throughout Paris so everyone saw how he reacted. So, I am assuming he wants to clear any misunderstanding that occurred because many stations were talking about the possible love interest of the hero," she explained, her face fell a bit when the realization hit her, "Oh girl, I am so sorry! I know you probably didn't see it since you most likely went straight to bed when you got home. You might be bombarded with people asking you questions until then!"
Marinette's face twisted in horror, "Oh god…"
She didn't even know the camera crew were present during it, Chat must have heard them which explains why he kept glancing around throughout the night. Even worse, this plants a target on her sooner than she expected. So Hawkmoth has his sights on her and that is the last thing she wanted when she is Ladybug, a hero of Paris and one of the holders of one of the sought after miraculous. This is started to make her stomach twist, her anxiety reaching new heights at her predicament. Then having to listen to the rumors of Chat's "love" that are already spreading like wildfire (even though she is happier about that than she is willing to admit). This day is going to eat her alive as well as the one proceeding it.
"Don't you worry!" Alya draped her arm over Marinette's shoulder, "I'll combat anyone that comes your way if our first line of defense falls even though I expect that to work beautifully just like it has countless times. Damn, Félix can pull off such a glare that can run anyone's blood cold." Alya shuttered.
"God, I hope so…" Marinette whispered. She appreciated the sentiment, truly she did but nothing could cure the intense anxiety what is about to occur once she steps foot into the classroom. She began to fidget with the strap of her bag in an attempt to calm her raging nerves while Alya lead her to the school. She tried to focus on her breathing. She must not have a panic attack, shemustnothaveapanicatta-
"Look!" Alya's voice pulling her out of her thoughts. Marinette followed where Alya was pointing, to see Félix and Adrien waiting an the entrance to school. Oh thank god he is willing to help fend off her classmates today. It would help alleviate some of the tension crawling all over her.
"Your bodyguard is primed and ready to defend you from anyone that even glimpses in your direction! How sweet~, "Alya teased her best friend, gently elbowing her side.
Alya leaned close to Marinette's ear, whispering, "This could be your chance to maybe get somewhere with him this time!"
Marinette shot a glare at her friend, trying to hold back the blush that is slower engulfing her cheeks as they approached the two brothers.
"Your crush his coming Fé," Adrien cooed.
Félix glowered at his bother, "Shut it, Adri."
He snickered in response, turning his attention to the girls approaching them, "Hey! How are you guys doing? Glad you are ok Marinette!"
Adrien went to hug Marinette until Félix stopped him by grabbing his collar, letting out a deep sigh. "What have we discussed, Adrien?" Félix reproached.
"Sorry, sorry!" Adrien hastily apologized, " May I hug you? I only want to comfort you!"
Marinette tensed even more, biting her lower lip nervously, "I'm sorry Adrien but I rather not have a hug right now. Can I get a raincheck on it though? You give at lovely hugs."
Adrien's face fell with his eyes flashing disappointment before giving her a small smile, "Of course! Just try to have a good day. Fé will make sure to terrify anyone that comes clo-"
"Anyway," Félix interjected," We need to get going or we will be late. Marinette is already hanging on by a thread for getting detention for tardiness as it is."
Adrien rapidly nodded, going to walk next to his brother.
Alya guides a hesitant Marinette inside, sticking her in between herself and Félix while they head towards class. Marinette, on the other hand, is mentally preparing herself for the whispers that will swarm her throughout the day, the anxiety clawing at her insides. She just wants this day to be over with.
What Marinette didn't notice was Félix studying her with an concerned glint from the corner of his eye.
00000
Thankfully, classes have been quiet, barely a peep from the entire class, mostly in thanks to Félix giving a death glare to any soul who was brave enough to even look in her direction. He was being very protective of her, just like Chat was yesterday. They do seem so similar in a lot of ways and those similarities aren't ending…
"Hey, Adrien," a deep, monotone voice called.
This was enough to snap her out of her daze, blinking a bit to turn her head towards Félix then back down to the doorway. Adrien just came into view when he entered the classroom. The bubbly blond tilted his head up to them, raising a brow to his older brother curiously.
Félix continued, "Can you take Marinette home ? I have some business that needs to be addressed."
Adrien nodded, "Sure! I can get some snacks from Marinette's place for you too."
Félix chuckled, "I appreciate the favor and the treats for later. Make sure you pay for them, even if Marinette declines it. Find a way."
"Excuse me? You do not have to pay if they are given to you!" Marinette clarified, glaring at Félix.
He simply rolled his eyes, "Anyway, I must take my leave. Farewell Marinette and I'll see you back at home Adrien." With a wave, he left the classroom with haste.
Marinette cursed under her breathe and stood up, "I am ready to leave when you are."
"Lead the way! I'll do what I can to scare people away even if Fé is the master the threatening aura. Nevertheless, I have tried to practice his venomous stare for years!" Adrien proudly proclaimed.
To convey his claim, Adrien proceeded pat his hair down, narrow his eyes, slightly knit his brow, pursed his lips, and curving the corner of his lips down to a prominent frown.
Marinette laughed at his attempt to mimic his brother, and she would admit it was a decent one expect he still has a sense of warmness that he can't seem to get rid of while Félix is the embodiment of a friget person.
"Not too bad! Only issue is that you aren't nearly as-"
"Stiff, distant, too approachable," Adrien interrupted, returning to his usual manner.
"Yea.."
"Félix told me that too when I showed him. I just have that social vibe that I can't get rid of. Which is fine! I rather keep it," Adrien stated, swaying his body side to side.
Marinette snorted as she began to head out, Adrien following behind her. She commented, "I never would have thought Félix would be the one to critique you mirroring his mannerisms."
"I mean he is quite aware of how he is in public and he has been improving that with what is allowed," Adrien noted.
"With what is allowed?" Marinette repeated, turning her head to look at Adrien. She caught the sound of his breath hitching.
His lips pursed, licking them, "Yea, public image and all that. Have to make sure we don't do anything stand out too much of course!"
She hummed, she wasn't completely satisfied with that answer although it will be the best she will receive from him. She will store it in the back of her mind for later use, for now she will drop the subject.
0000
At the bakery, Marinette set a plate of croissants down on the desk in her room with Adrien, who sat on her chaise, glancing down at his phone periodically. They have been chatting about random topics, ranging from TV shows to games, for an hour and she must say, he is quite the talkative one and extremely hyper.
He desired to come up to her room and hang out for a bit which she obliged him. She enjoys his company just as much as Félix's and he provides a nice cheery balance to Félix's icy demeanor whenever they are together. It's just the fact she doesn't know Adrien as well as Félix since he is a year below them both. So a good opportunity to get to know him without his brother around.
She can definitely say that the brothers balance each other when they are together, bringing one up and the other a bit down to a happy medium. When they are alone, one can easily notice that neither of them are used to social interactions in some form or manner.
"You want one?" Marinette offered.
Adrien grinned and took one of the pastries, thanking her in the process while taking a bite. "It's about time for that interview," he mentioned with his mouth full.
"Interview?"
He swallowed. "Yea the one on Ladyblog," he informed her casually before adding, "You wanna watch it together?"
"Oh shit!" she cursed, rushing to turn on her computer. If she missed this, she would never hear the end of it from Alya. Quickly, she went to the site, thankfully the interview is just about to start.
Marinette breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god."
Adrien snickered at her reaction, grabbing another chair to sit next to her. Both of them watching the computer screen with great interest.
Alya's voice could be heard from the computer, "Here is an exclusive interview with one of our heroes, the one that hides in the shadows, Chat Noir! Thank you for joining me today. It is truly an honor to finally have you out in the limelight"
The black cat flashed a cheery smile, "The pleasure is mine, however, I recommended not getting too accustomed to me being on camera. A black cat does much better in the shadows," Chat sways his tail, giving a wink to the camera," Regardless, this is a special occasion especially after recent events, wouldn't you agree Ms. Césaire?"
"I whole heartedly agree Chat Noir! It was quite the spectacle that occurred last night and honestly quite romantic in a sense. A hero protecting a woman from an Akuma that clearly was taking advantage of the situation. With your reaction though, it felt like it came from deep within your heart which is making all of Paris question: Do you have interest in the lady you were guarding yesterday?"
"No, I do not," Chat spoke with conviction, giving a stern face, and straightening his posture before continuing, "I do not have any love interest with the lady I was bodyguarding. Our duty to protect Paris and all of it's civilians are of the utmost importance to Ladybug and I. When we see anyone in distress, we will go out of our way to rectify the issue to the best of our abilities. For example, imagine a lady with an Akuma who is touching, holding her without her consent and she is visibly distressed by it. Wouldn't you want one of us to step in and take action or just watch it unfold?"
Alya gave a curt nod, "Why of course, I can understand that reasoning. The devotion that both of you portray in protecting all of us, which is quite evident over the last few months, is admirable! So this wasn't an action out of love or personal interest but of duty?"
Chat Noir scoffed, "Yes, the the supposed 'love" is just fabricated by the news outlets in order to gain more traction.."
He crossed his arms, furrowing his brows with a frown etched on his face. "I should mention this as well, those same news outlets went against mine and Ladybugs' request to not film the date. They could have not only jeopardized the mission but put themselves in danger if I wasn't able to keep control of the Akuma. We do not need that sort of issue when we are dealing with them. Furthermore, it could have put the young lady in greater risk if the mission had failed, putting a bigger target on her. Lives are not worth getting a story for and they should be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage," he chastised.
"That is a severe issue that should be pointed out! The public would have not known that if you never stated it. Now, combine that with the fact it made it trickier to complete the mission in addition to framing a love story with you two, it paints an awful light for those broadcasters. I, for one, am happy the both of you take it earnestly. Without both of you, who knows where Paris would be now. Paris is eternally grateful for the heroes hard work everyday."
"Thank you Ms. Césaire for the compliment, I will pass that onto Ladybug the next time I see her, if she doesn't see this first of course. I do apologize for cutting this interview short, I must go out and patrol for the evening."
Chat held out his hand to the reporter, "I appreciate you for allowing me to be a guest on your blog and giving a platform to address this incident before it got too out of hand. We may have another one at some point, but do not get your hopes up Ms. Césiare."
The journalist shook Chat's hand, "No, the pleasure is all mine! Thank you again for joining me tonight!"
Alya turned to face the camera, "Thanks to all that watched this interview with our black clad hero. Join us next time for updates on recent Akumas and Akuma attacks!"
Marinette switched off the computer, letting out a breath she never realized she was holding.
"Did that alleviate your worries about everything?" Adrien questioned.
Marinette jumped in her chair, startling the poor boy. She completely forgot Adrien was still here.
"Um, a little bit yea!" she squeaked out.
"It's just that," she continued when Adrien visibly showed concern, " I won't full know the outcome of this until I see how the following days play out."
Adrien hummed, "I get that but at least he is doing what he can to clear the misunderstanding."
It isn't a misunderstanding. He really has something for me… "He is. I am in debt to him for that in addition to keeping on eye on me during the whole ordeal, " she breathed out, her thoughts making her cheeks turn a slight crimson.
Adrien studied her with interest, furrowing his brows. "You like him, don't you?" he blurted out.
Marinette's eyes widen and waved her hands, "No! No of course not! Don't be ridiculous Adrien!"
Adrien gave her a sickly sweet, innocent smile, "Ok."
She chuckled awkwardly. That smile made her extremely uneasy, it held something that she couldn't put her finger on but she knew it must be something mischievous. She watched sunshine boy take another pastry and eat it, softly humming as he does.
Oh, that reminds her. "I wanted to thank you for reminded me about the interview. Alya would have chewed me out if I missed that!"
"Not a problem at all! I wanted to watch it too because I was curious how it would unfold," Adrien replied, taking the last bite of his snack.
Wait a second. It just dawned on her.
Alya informed her that she was the only one aware of the interview, besides herself of course. How did Adrien have knowledge of it? She bore into the blond for a minute, musing on several different possibilities but none of them seem to hold water.
"Did I do something wrong?" Adrien mumbled, his eyes flickering with fear and he began to slouch.
She blinked. Why does he appear so afraid…? "Oh no! You didn't do anything wrong. Sorry, I just got lost in thought is all!" she insisted to the blond shooting her a doubtful look, the fear still evident in his eyes.
"If you say so," he said, standing up to get his bag," I am going to head home now. It is getting late. Thank you again for letting me stay for a bit. We should do it again sometime." His voice was strained, body tense. What could have caused this sudden shift. More things to take note of between the two brothers.
She smiled, "Yes! I enjoyed it, please be safe going back home, ok? See you later. "
He waved at her, "Yep! Have a good night and see you tomorrow!"
"Wait!"
Adrien stopped, turning to face Marinette, his jaw clenched as panic surfaced on his features.
She opened her arms, "Can I have that hug now?"
Instantly, Adrien relaxed and a grin overtook his face once more. He hugged her tightly, letting out a content breath when he did. She did mean that, he gave out lovely hugs.
He released her from his embrace, green eyes shimmering with joy as he took his leave. Marinette watched him go down her trapdoor, her mind racing with several thoughts that she was no closer to answering. Today brought a lot of questions she wasn't expecting to receive… She groaned and rubbed her head. She was exhausted, she will ponder more about this tomorrow. First, she need to pay a small visit to an alley cat before she can have that sweet relief.
