Here is the third part of my mini-arc!
I hope you'll enjoy it. What happens here is quite a huge deal. Also, part of this chapter was in an older script (the battle against Belladonna, and I had to cut out a bit, although I do plan for it to make a return.) X3
Entry 21
Clash At The Museum
''Now's the time, get in line, don't be afraid tonight. We're gonna take you high, before you realize. 'Round and 'round you'll go, up and down, never slow. Feel the excitement grow, oh – This is where you let go!''
– Welcome To The Show by Britt Nicole (Nightcore)
xXxXxXx
Ladybug and Chat Noir made their way through Paris, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, searching for any signs of trouble. Fortunately, it seemed that this night would be uneventful.
''It seems that the Mime and Monsieur Pigeon had decided to back off,'' Chat Noir commented as they took a short break at Place de la Concorde. ''Not to mention, there is no sign of Papillon.''
''Even if Papillon and his minions aren't active tonight, we still have someone we should worry about,'' Ladybug replied, taking off towards Rue de Rivoli. Chat Noir's ears twitched as he followed her.
''You mean Belladonna,'' he said. Ladybug just nodded in response.
''She hadn't appeared at all during the past few days and I'm afraid that she may be up to something,'' Ladybug explained. She didn't really want to tell Chat Noir that the reason why she was thinking about Belladonna was because Carmilla had brought her up during their conversation at the Louvre.
''Is this why we're going towards the Louvre?'' Chat Noir asked, with Ladybug giving him a look of surprise. He quickly added, ''I mean, there is a new exhibition, so she might try to steal any of the items.''
''Uh, yeah!'' Ladybug replied, not noticing Chat Noir's look of relief. He couldn't really tell her that the reason why he suspected she was thinking about Belladonna was because Carmilla had mentioned her during the conversation at the museum.
Both of them had to admit that Carmilla was right about her assumption. They knew Belladonna well enough to know that she would seek a place that would prove to be a challenge for her, and the Louvre was a building with high security and valuable items. Therefore, they made it their priority to go there first before they explore the rest of the Paris.
As they arrived at the Louvre Museum, they immediately headed for the entrance. Chat Noir gave Ladybug a curious look as she extended her arm, probably to push the doors open.
''What if this one is locked? Maybe we should split up and also check the other entrances,'' he suggested, only for his cat ears to lower when Ladybug pushed against the doors, revealing them to be unlocked. ''That's not good.''
''I agree. I have a bad feeling about this,'' Ladybug replied. She and Chat Noir then walked inside, carefully observing their surroundings. It was quite dark, with Ladybug barely able to see anything. ''I thought there would be some light inside. I can't see much.''
''If you're okay with it, I could lead you through this place,'' Chat Noir replied, extending his hand. Unlike Ladybug, he saw just fine thanks to his night vision. Ladybug glanced down at his hand, with Chat Noir feeling a little nervous, his tail flicking as he waited for a response. To his surprise, Ladybug took his hand.
''Let's go,'' she said. Chat Noir nodded and led her through the dark building, keeping an eye on his surroundings and trying not to think just how warm Ladybug's hand was. They were on a mission here. After a minute or two of walking, Chat Noir's ears perked and he could see a dark figure lying on the ground. ''Someone's here.''
Both quickly approached the figure, realizing that it was a human body lying on the floor, motionless. Ladybug shivered as she and Chat Noir kneeled next to the man, whom she figured was the security guard, and pressed her fingers against his neck. She sighed in relief.
''He's still breathing,'' she said. Chat Noir nodded, just as relieved as she was.
''That's good to know,'' he said, observing the unconscious man. ''It still doesn't explain what had happened here.''
''He seems to be asleep,'' Ladybug said, while Chat Noir started pawing at the security guard, poking and scratching him, trying to get some kind of reaction. Meanwhile, Ladybug had found a dark blue powder on one of the security guard's uniform, wiping it up with her finger. ''Chat Noir, look at this.''
''Do you think this is some kind of sleep powder?'' Chat Noir asked, observing the blue powder on Ladybug's fingers. ''It may have knocked him out.''
''Probably,'' Ladybug replied, her and Chat Noir getting up as she dusted her hands off and looking down the dark hallway. ''Why do I have the feeling that this is Belladonna's doing?''
''She might still be inside,'' Chat Noir said, frowning.
''Then let's get her,'' Ladybug replied, grabbing Chat Noir's hand and going deeper into the building.
xXx
''Buona sera, mio piccolo tesoro,'' Belladonna whispered as she observed the scarab beetle amulet through the glass, her lavender eyes glinting. It was incredible just how easy it was to get past the security guard, using her special blue powder to put him to sleep, and then using her magic to turn off all the cameras and security alarms. By the time anyone notices, she would be long gone. ''Honestly, you'd think there would be way better security here. This place is a joke.''
She reached for her wand and tapped on the glass with the tip, then held it against it. The tip of her wand started to glow and slowly melt away the glass. While she knew that the glass panels in the Louvre were heatproof for the most part, she doubted it would resist against magical fire. To her satisfaction, the glass cracked, slowly melting away. She then slammed her wand against it, creating an opening big enough for her to reach her desired treasure. She held up the scarab beetle amulet in the pale moonlight, observing it with fascination.
''No one can stop il grande Ladro Fantasma Belladonna,'' she said proudly, her words graced with a slight Italian accent. She then put the scarab beetle amulet into a small blue satin bag, tying it up with a yellow ribbon.
''Oh really? Think twice, Belladonna!''
Belladonna looked up as she heard a familiar voice, both surprised and quite pleased to see Ladybug and Chat Noir standing at the entrance, blocking her exit.
''Coccinella, Gattino, how nice of you to join me,'' Belladonna said, twirling her wand and resting it on her shoulder. ''I had already given up hope that I would see you again. It's quite hard to send out an invitation to your rivale when you don't know who they are.''
''You won't escape this time, Belladonna,'' Ladybug said, tightening her grip around her compact.
''We'll see,'' Belladonna replied, throwing and catching the blue satin bag and smiling smugly. She then held it up for Ladybug to see. ''I would love to keep this scarab beetle amulet, but I guess I will have to fight you for it.''
Belladonna then clipped the satin bag to her belt, quite amused to see Ladybug glaring daggers at her. Her eyes flicked towards Chat Noir, who wasn't as furious as Ladybug was, but still appeared not to be pleased to see her and was determined to take her down.
''It seems like this little gioiello won't be the only thing I'll be fighting for tonight,'' she said, winking and blowing a kiss at Chat Noir, who shuddered, both his tail and ears standing up in alert. Ladybug just groaned, with Chat Noir giving her an anxious glance.
Yeah, there is also this issue… Chat Noir's ears flattened against his head as he was reminded of his last encounter with Belladonna. Considering everything that had been going on in the past days, he completely forgot about it.
''Would you just stop talking?!'' Ladybug replied angrily, then charged at Belladonna, who managed to avoid her punches while twirling her wand elegantly like a baton.
''Why should I? I'm here to entertain,'' Belladonna replied casually, blocking Ladybug's kick with her wand and jumped back. She twirled it once again and aimed at Ladybug, the tip of the wand turning red, causing flames to suddenly erupt from it. Ladybug was swift enough to turn her compact into a shield, protecting herself. As the flames dissipated, Belladonna charged at her.
However, before she could do anything, Chat Noir lunged at her, forcing Belladonna to defend herself, with Chat Noir's claws clashing against her wand. The wand suddenly let out several blue sparks, causing Chat Noir to withdraw as he sensed the static electricity building up inside it. He did not want to get electrocuted.
''Black Hole!'' He rammed his hand against the floor, but Belladonna jumped, avoiding being trapped inside it. While still in mid-air, a bunch of playing cards appeared in her hands and she threw them at Ladybug and Chat Noir like shuriken, forcing the two to dodge the attack and leave the entrance unguarded. She then ran out of the room, with Ladybug and Chat Noir hot on her heels.
''Now, questo è molto meglio!'' Belladonna exclaimed gleefully, already forming a plan on how to best mess around with the Paris' self-proclaimed superheroes. She got her chance when she entered a dark room containing an exhibition that had a Medieval Era theme and was put up earlier that week. She twirled her wand again as she passed several suits of armor and hid behind a pillar, glancing back at where she came from. A second later, Ladybug and Chat Noir appeared at the entrance, with Chat Noir grabbing Ladybug's hand before she could enter the room.
''Wait,'' he hissed, his ears twitching. He couldn't hear any steps and, thanks to his night vision, he could see that the door on the other side of the room was still closed. ''She is still inside.''
Ladybug nodded, deciding to trust her partner and followed him into the room, looking around for the elusive Phantom Thief. As established earlier, unlike Chat Noir, she couldn't see well in the dark and had to rely on the bit of moonlight that was coming through the windows, her own senses and her partner's abilities. Both froze as they suddenly heard heavy steps behind them.
''Watch out!'' Chat Noir pushed her away, the two dodging a mace that was swung into their direction. Both looked up, seeing an animated suit of armor lifting the mace and swinging it at Ladybug. She dodged the attack, but almost got her arm sliced off by another suit of armor which was carrying a sword. Chat Noir lunged at the other attacker, kicking it away. There was a nasty clanking sound as the suit of armor fell over.
''Tsk, tsk, is that how you treat valuable historical artifacts?'' Belladonna said, emerging from behind the pillar. The tip of her wand was glowing in a lavender light. Ladybug growled furiously and was about to go after her, but was once again stopped by the suit of armor which was holding the mace. She held up her compact, turning it back into a shield and protecting herself from the spiked weapon. ''I could watch this all night. Questo è abbastanza divertente.''
''Black Storm!''
Belladonna was suddenly forced into the defensive as Chat Noir threw a disc of dark energy at her. She twirled her wand, creating a protective shield, only to be blown back by the impact of the explosion the collision had created.
''You were saying?'' Chat Noir smirked as he observed Belladonna glaring at him. Her glare then quickly turned into a smile.
''Don't think I forgot about you, Gattino!'' She pointed her wand at the suit of armor that was on the ground, animating it once again. The suit of armor reached for the sword, and swung at Chat Noir. However, before it could slice through him, Ladybug had managed to kick away the other suit of armor, turn her shield into a staff and block the sword.
''Bug!'' Chat Noir stared at Ladybug, with another disc of energy forming in his palm, intending to help her.
''Go after Belladonna! I'll take care of these guys!'' she replied. Chat Noir stepped back, stunned for a moment then turned to Belladonna, who appeared to be quite excited about this turnabout.
''You can count on me!'' he said confidently, glad to see that Ladybug trusted him. Belladonna just smirked, holding her wand up and causing the door behind her to swing open.
''Unfortunately for you, I'm the one who dictates the rules of this chase. Questo è il mio spettacolo!'' Belladonna told him and with a swish of her cape, ran out. Chat Noir followed her, determined to stop her. He threw another disc of energy at Belladonna, but she managed to dodge it. Chat Noir frowned, another plan already forming in his head and he crouched down for a moment, both of his hands crackling with dark energy, before running after he again. Meanwhile, Belladonna glanced at the roof, apparently looking for something, only to grin in delight as she entered a room with a skylight. ''Bingo!''
''You aren't getting anywhere!'' Chat Noir hissed, throwing another disc of dark energy at Belladonna.
She blocked it with her wand, only to accidentally step into the black hole Chat Noir had created. She found herself sinking into it, with Chat Noir charging at her. Gritting her teeth, she formed lavender energy rings on both of the tips of her wand and swung it, shooting one energy ring towards Chat Noir. It restrained his hand like a handcuff, pinning him to the wall behind him. He reached with his other hand towards it in order to break it, but Belladonna already sent the other energy ring flying at him, pinning his other hand on the wall. Chat Noir tried to break free, but the energy rings kept him in the spot.
Meanwhile, Belladonna used her wand to levitate herself out of the black hole and land in front of Chat Noir. She then approached him, crossing her arms on her back and gave him a rather intriguing smile.
''It appears that it's true what they say about black cats – they're portatori di sfortuna,'' she said mischievously. ''Fortunately for me, I'm not the one who is trapped here.''
''I agree, it's quite unfortunate that I'm stuck here with a wannabe magical girl,'' Chat Noir replied, with Belladonna giving him an annoyed look. She then sighed, tilting her head, a smile spreading across her lips once again. Chat Noir's eyes narrowed as he saw her stepping closer to him. He did not like where this was going.
''You know, it's quite sad that your Signora does not care about you, il mio amato Chat Noir, since she would've helped out by now. However, I do and I could give you anything you want,'' Belladonna told Chat Noir seductively, who attempted to free himself.
''I'm sorry, but this cat is only interested in ladybugs, not stage magicians,'' Chat Noir replied in a dry tone. Belladonna ignored him, trailing his cheekbone with her finger, causing Chat Noir to shiver, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. He realized what she was about to do. ''Black Storm!''
Much to Belladonna's shock, small beams of dark energy crackled and suddenly shoot from behind her. She got hit by several, but managed to dodge the rest by jumping to the side.
''Che-?!'' Belladonna was stunned, glaring at Chat Noir. ''What the Hell was that?!''
''Let's just say that, while you've been planning more thefts, Ladybug and I had been improving our skills,'' Chat Noir replied, giving her a smug grin. It wasn't a bad idea to leave some Black Storm orbs planted in case he got restrained.
''Chat Noir!''
Both Chat Noir and Belladonna were startled when they heard Ladybug's voice. Chat Noir was relieved once he realized that she'd be joining the fight, but Belladonna still had one more trick in her sleeve. With a sudden move, she formed another lavender energy ring and sent it flying towards Ladybug. She swiftly dodged it and turned her compact into a staff, charging at the Phantom Thief, who dodged her attack, causing Ladybug to stop mid-charge and turn direction, this time hitting Belladonna across the face.
The Phantom Thief flew backwards, landing hard on the floor. However, Ladybug wasn't done with her yet, swinging her staff once again at Belladonna. The Phantom Thief twirled her wand, creating a gust of wind that blew Ladybug back. She then got up on her feet and charged at Ladybug, revealing a lavender rose in her hand, which was crackling with sparks. She threw the rose at her rival, but Ladybug swatted it away with her staff and lunged at Belladonna.
''I guess you're in luck, Kid, having two girls fight over you.''
''What do you mean 'I'm in luck'? I'd rather not get between them,'' Chat Noir told Plagg, glaring at the Ring of the Black Cat. He then glanced back nervously at the two girls, who were still trading blows. ''Ladybug can be quite scary when she gets furious.''
He then focused on his right hand, which got enveloped in dark light, shattering the energy ring. He then clawed at the other energy ring, destroying it. Once free, he focused at the situation in front of him, trying to find an opening to assist Ladybug, but it appeared that she was doing quite well for herself. That and, as he mentioned earlier, the last thing he wanted was to get between the two when they were in a frenzy.
''You're such a hypocrite, you know,'' Belladonna told Ladybug after blocking another of her attacks. ''Stringing the poor Gattino along… Have you no heart?''
''Shut up!'' Ladybug growled, turning the staff back to a yo-yo and wrapping it around Belladonna, restraining her movement and making her fall over. ''You have no idea what you're talking about!''
''Oh, really?'' Belladonna replied. ''I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't the first nor the last hopeless suitor you'll ever have. How many others have fallen for you only to be coldly rejected?''
''Why you-?!''
Belladonna smirked as she saw Ladybug shaking and giving her a look of pure hatred. She tightened her grip on her wand, causing smoke to be emitted from it. Ladybug had loosened her grip on the yo-yo, coughing due to the thick smoke and being unable to see what was going on. Belladonna got up, unwrapping herself from the string and using her wand to open the skylight. She then tapped her boots with her wand and clicked her heels, revealing small lavender wings on each boot and flew out of the room through the skylight.
''I guess we'll see each other next time,'' Belladonna said, waving at Ladybug and then winking at Chat Noir. ''Arrivederci!''
Ladybug just glared at her, clenching her fist, while Chat Noir felt sick to his stomach. Unfortunately for them, they had to accept defeat once again. Chat Noir then glanced at Ladybug, who had stopped shaking and was staring at the floor, her head lowered and her ahoge drooped. She looked quite crestfallen and disappointed with herself.
''Bug…''
''Belladonna… She managed to get away with that amulet…'' Ladybug muttered, hugging herself, only to feel Chat Noir's hand on her shoulder. She looked up, noticing Chat Noir grinning, a fang popping out of his mouth.
''Actually, Mademoiselle Sticky-Fingers didn't get away with anything,'' he said, his tail rising and revealing to be wrapped around the blue satin bag. Ladybug gasped, staring at him in shock.
''But, how?'' she asked.
''Let's just say that Belladonna can be incredibly unobservant at times,'' Chat Noir said, unwrapping his tail around the satin bag and letting it drop in his clawed hands. ''She shouldn't have underestimated me.''
''You're right about that,'' Ladybug said as Chat Noir gave her the bag and looked into it, find the amulet inside it. She paused for a moment, seemingly wanting to add something, but then shook her head and quickly turned around. ''I think we should go wake up that security guard and make sure this is returned to their proper owners.''
''Sure…'' Chat Noir muttered. He knew that there was still something he and Ladybug needed to discuss, but he had to wonder whether Ladybug would bring it up. Despite the battle being over, they still weren't done with their own issues.
xXx
''That was eventful,'' Ladybug sighed as she and Chat Noir were finally outside the Louvre. They had woken up the security guard and explained what had happened. He called the police, but they didn't want to wait for them, so they left. ''Are you okay?''
''Yeah… What about you?'' Chat Noir asked back, with Ladybug shrugging.
''I don't know. I thought I had Belladonna cornered, but she just riled me up again and… well…'' she trailed off, sighing.
''Is it because of me?'' Chat Noir asked, with Ladybug giving him a stunned look. ''You know that what Belladonna said is not true. Our relationship is nothing like that.''
''Yeah, you're right… Belladonna's wrong,'' Ladybug said, sounding a bit hesitant. Chat Noir gave her a worried look, but Ladybug then just smiled back. ''You are my partner, but you're also my friend.''
''Ladybug…'' Chat Noir murmured, surprised to hear that. Frankly, he knew that Ladybug did care about him, but he still was unsure about how to call their relationship.
''I know that I had promised to hang out with you today, but… I just feel a little overwhelmed by everything that had happened,'' she said in a sheepish tone.
''It's fine,'' Chat Noir told her in a warm tone. ''I think that we both have some thinking to do before we decide how to tackle this situation.''
''Thanks…'' Ladybug replied, holding her breath as she considered whether she should add more to the conversation, but she then shook her head, leaving.
Chat Noir observed her as she left. He had to admit that he too was just as exhausted as he was and, unfortunately for him, he still wasn't done with his personal plan. There was still another thing he needed to do.
xXx
Félix took a deep breath as he walked towards school, clutching Bridgette's card in his hand tightly as he read it once more.
I understand that there is something troubling you and that you need your space. Still, I will be there for you if you need someone who'd listen to you. Love, Bri.
He felt rather anxious about what he was going to do, but he knew he had to go through it. He made a promise to himself and he wasn't going to back down now.
''I can't believe you're really going for it Kid,'' Plagg said, popping his head out of the backpack. Félix remained silent, with Plagg adding in a softer tone, ''Nervous, huh?''
''What if her reaction is completely different from the expected? What if she rejects me? What if she does accept, but we turn out to be incompatible?'' Félix said in a hushed tone, feeling butterflies in his stomach. Not even talking to his own uncle made him this nervous.
''Félix, you're just going to ask her whether she's going to be her friend,'' Plagg said in a calm tone, aware that Félix didn't need any of his wisecracking. This was a huge moment for his holder, as he preferred solitude over company, and now he had the one opportunity to make a real friend in civilian life. ''You two interacted several times and Bridgette obviously likes you and cares about you. She has a crush on you, for Camembert's sake! You just go there and ask her about it. I'm sure everything will be fine.''
Félix remained quiet for a moment, exhaling and lifting his head. Something in Plagg's voice gave him the confidence he needed to talk to Bridgette. Just stick to the plan and everything should be fine. You can do this. Félix looked up, seeing Bridgette talk to one of her friends, Allan. He could feel the adrenaline rushing through his body, his heart beat quickening. Why was she making him feel so anxious? Maybe because this is Félix talking to her, and not Chat Noir.
Still, he resolved to talk to her and he would deal with the consequences of his decision. He approached Bridgette and Allan, who appeared to be talking about some kind of video game, with a determined look on his expression and waited a moment for the two to notice him. Bridgette did, giving him a huge smile that made his heart skip a beat. Allan, on the other hand, gave him a curious look, but then nodded and smiled.
''Hi, Félix!'' Bridgette greeted him cheerfully.
''Good morning, Bridgette, Durand,'' Félix replied, keeping his composture as calm and collected as possible. He held the card up Bridgette made, much to the girl's confusion, and gave it to her. ''Bridgette, if you don't mind, could you meet up with me at the library during lunch? There is something I need to ask you and I promise it won't take too long. Besides, you told me that I could talk to you if there's any need for it, didn't you?''
''Uh, sure?'' Bridgette said, looking down at the card she had made for Félix and then back at him, her ahoge taking the shape of a question mark. Félix nodded and then walked away, leaving. Bridgette and Allan exchanged looks, both a bit puzzled over the interaction they just had.
Félix, on the other hand, sighed in relief.
xXx
''Félix?'' Bridgette called out as quietly as possible, as the librarian hated anyone who made a noise louder than a whisper. She eventually found him at the far back of the library, sitting at a table, with an open book in front of him. When he looked up, Bridgette could've sworn she saw genuine happiness on his expression, before he went back to his usual Ice Prince poise. ''What do you want to talk about? Why have you returned my card? I mean, it's not a coupon you can use to talk to me.''
Félix's expression changed to that of discomfort and surprise, confusing Bridgette further. Unknown to her, Félix was panicking over whether he made a mistake by giving her the coupon.
''Oh, I… I thought…'' Félix had no idea how to explain this blunder. Bridgette, who sat across him, just smiled and shook her head.
''It's fine,'' she replied in a warm tone, pushing the card over to him. ''I really wanted you to have it, okay?''
''Okay…'' Félix muttered, taking the card and placing it in his book. He completely avoided any eye-contact with Bridgette, feeling embarrassed. Why am I like this?! This shouldn't be happening!
''So, what do you want to talk about?'' Bridgette asked curiously, her ahoge taking the shape of a question mark. Frankly, she never saw Félix this nervous around her. Usually, she was the one who was a complete mess around him. Félix took a deep breath, composing himself.
''I… I wanted to ask you whether you could do a commission for me, that is, for a story I'm working on,'' Félix said. He had figured that this would be the best way to ask her to be his friend – by bringing up something he knew she loved to do. If he asked the right questions, he would get the result he wanted, right? There was silence. When Bridgette didn't respond, Félix looked up, seeing her looking completely baffled. He quickly added, ''Remember the time Bourgeois threw your sketchbook into the trash? I picked it up and I went through it and I have to say, you are really talented.''
''I…'' Bridgette's jaw dropped slightly and she felt her heart skip a beat. Her cheeks flushed and her ahoge curved into a heart as she tried to gather her thoughts. Félix was actually complimenting her?! He really liked her work?! ''T-Thank you! I would really like to do a commission for you.'' She quickly grabbed her backpack, getting her sketchbook out. ''H-Here you go! You can take another look at them to… to give you an idea what you're looking for.''
She observed nervously as Félix took her sketchbook, feeling another wave of heat as his fingers brushed across her hand. No, no, no! Stay calm! You're not crushing on him this time! He just wants a commission, that's all! Leave him be! She then quickly pulled her hand back, placing it under the table and clenching both of her palms into fists. Her heart was beating rapdily as she watched Félix go through her newest sketches, searching for the type he felt would best suit his story.
Unknown to her, Félix was just as a mess as she was. He didn't dare to look at her, fearing that she would see just how anxious and afraid he was. He knew that he could play it off cool and pretend that the commissions were really the reason he met up with her, but at the same time, he wanted to tell her the truth. Make a move, you idiot! If you can flirt with and confess to Ladybug, then you can certainly tell Bridgette the truth!
To Bridgette's surprise, Félix suddenly stopped flipping through the pages. He clenched his fist, looking quite tense, then glanced up at her. Bridgette gulped, fearing that she did something wrong or that perhaps he didn't like her drawings. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't find the words to ask him what was wrong. All she could do was to stare at his eyes, his gaze giving the impression of a tormented kitten.
''Bridgette, I… I think I will decide on the type of commission later…'' Félix finally said after a long moment of silence. A wave of disappointment washed over Bridgette and she lowered her gaze.
''Oh, I see…'' she muttered. Félix's eyes flicked to the side as he cursed himself for making her sad. He realized that he just couldn't stand seeing her unhappy.
''Listen, I really like all of your drawings, so it's hard to decide on one…'' Félix started, closing his eyes and turning his head towards her, still unable to look at her directly. ''However, I did manage to come to one conclusion – you are my closest friend, Bridgette, and I am genuinely happy about that.''
Silence. There was nothing but silence. Félix carefully opened his eyes, glancing at Bridgette, worried about her lack of response. His eyes widened in surprise at what he saw. Bridgette was staring back at him in shock, her ahoge frazzled and her mouth gaping. Félix was a bit worried that he broke her mind somehow.
''Uh, Bridgette?'' he called out softly for her, then decided to make his final move. ''Bri, are you okay? If you don't want me around, it's fine…''
''N-No, absolutely not!'' Bridgette placed her hand over his, as if fearing that he might leave. ''I-I'm actually happy that you're happy… I-I thought that you were uncomfortable around me and wanted to leave. I mean, I wasn't sure just how good of a friend I was and I was worried that you wanted me to give you more space, but I'm really glad that it's not like that and that you consider me your friend and…'' Bridgette trailed off as she realized that she was holding Félix's hand. She quickly pulled her hand away. ''Ah, I'm sorry about this!''
''It's fine,'' Félix replied. Surprisingly, he didn't mind the physical contact. Instead, he was just glad that this huge burden had fallen off his shoulders. He felt incredibly relieved that he had finally told Bridgette the truth, although he did feel that this could've gone over better, without all of this awkwardness between them. He leaned back, crossing his arms. ''Honestly, I don't mind your presence… at least not anymore,'' he added, giving her a bitter smile. ''I know I apologized for my behavior already, but I wanted you to know that I am sorry for how I acted towards you.'' He sighed, feeling the tension slowly disappear. ''I never really had a friend… or someone to whom I could talk to like this, so this is a new experience for me.'' His lips curved into a tiny warm smile. ''I mean, having someone being suddenly attached to you after years of solitude can really throw you off track, but I guess this was for the best.'' He then looked up at Bridgette, being surprised just how easy it was to now hold eye-contact with her. ''I can't believe that it took me so long to learn to appreciate your companionship. I was so stupid…''
''Félix,'' Bridgette started, with Félix pausing when he saw her smiling gently at him. ''You weren't stupid for avoiding me. I understand that I had caused you a lot of discomfort and I regret that. Nevertheless, I'm genuinely happy that you're comfortable and that you consider me your close friend.'' She placed her hands on her cheeks, shaking her head in excitement, adding, ''This is the best day ever! I feel like I'm dreaming!''
''I didn't expect you would be this happy over me telling you that I see you as my friend,'' Félix said, rising an eyebrow. He lowered his head, adding, ''This really means a lot to you, doesn't it?''
''You mean a lot to me, Félix,'' Bridgette said, having calmed down from her initial adrenaline rush. Her cheeks turned a reddish hue and her ahoge took the shape of a heart. Félix looked up, staring at her in surprise. He knew that Bridgette was someone who was honest with her feelings, but even then, he didn't feel ready for such a confession.
There was a moment of silence as they processed the whole conversation. Both Bridgette and Félix knew that there was still one more thing left unsaid between them. It was a topic neither of them really wanted to talk about, especially after what they had just gone through.
''Félix…''
''Bridgette…''
Both started in unison, surprised when they realized what the other was probably going to say. Both then smiled, feeling flustered.
''I am allowed to call you Bri, right?'' Félix asked.
''Only if I'm allowed to call you Fé,'' Bridgette replied. Félix looked hesitant for a moment, but then nodded in approval.
''There is one more thing we should talk about, concerning…''
''…my crush on you, I know.''
Félix looked at her, feeling a sting of guilt when he saw her lowering her gaze, looking disheartened. He knew that he didn't have to respond to her feelings, but he wanted to make her happy, especially after all the things she had done for him, whether she knew or not.
''Bri…''
''You know, I'm over it,'' Bridgette suddenly said, rising her head and smiling.
''Oh…'' Félix had no idea why he felt hollow.
''So, let's just focus on us being friends,'' Bridgette then continued in a chipper tone. ''After all, you still have a lot to learn when it comes to that stuff.''
''Yeah, I guess do,'' Félix replied, rubbing the back of his head. ''Do you want to meet up after school? I still have karate lessons afterwards, but I have your number, so I could call you.''
''Sure! We could go over the commission at my place,'' Bridgette beamed, getting up. ''I can't wait for it!''
She grabbed her backpack, turning her head once more towards Félix, still smiling, and then left. Félix observed her, then sighed once she was out of his sight, placing his hand on his forehead.
''I can't believe I've done this,'' he muttered, shaking a little now that the adrenaline rush and anxiety was gone.
''Honestly, I'm proud of you, Kid,'' Plagg said as he flied out of Félix's backpack. ''This was a powerful move on your part.''
''Unfortunately, I feel exhausted now,'' Félix replied, with Plagg patting him on the shoulder.
''Don't worry, it'll pass,'' he said.
''Thanks, Plagg,'' Félix replied, his eyes flicking to the side. He knew that he wasn't done yet, as there was one more thing that he needed to confess. ''Next to Bridgette and Ladybug, you're my best friend, Plagg.''
Plagg stared at Félix in shock, his ears twitching as he processed what Félix just said. His eyes watered and he flew right into Félix's chest, hugging him.
''Awww, you're my best friend too, Félix!'' he said, looking up. Félix was a bit stunned by Plagg's emotional response, but then patted the kwami on the head.
''Well, you have been with me for far longer than anyone else, so it's only fair to call you my friend as well,'' he replied. Plagg just grinned in response.
Unfortunately for both of them, their moment was ruined when a bunch of books suddenly fell over from the shelf behind him, one hitting Félix on the back. While Plagg hid back into the backpack, Félix got up and picked the books up, glancing at his ring.
It is surprising that my bad luck curse had activated only now, and not earlier.
