This update appeared pretty fast because I really couldn't get the plot bunny out of my head.
Enjoy and drop me some puns! Akuma ideas are great too!
"You're Ladybug." Felix stated.
The two were in her room, library all but forgotten. Felix had been carrying her bag around with him the entire time. When Felix had found her in the alley Marinette had immediately paled in fear. Felix could only stare with wide eyes.
His best friend, the one person in the whole world that he trusted the most in the entire world. Had lied to him. Had kept such a huge secret from him. She had rushed into danger and left him behind. Left him behind to worry about her well being. If he had never found out about her identity Felix balked at the thought of Marinette lying to his face about where she had been during the Akuma attack.
"I am." Marinette whispered. She sat on her computer chair while Felix sat stiffly on the chaise. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Her greatest secret had been discovered by one of her best friends. After the initial shock, his expression had closed off and he didn't say another word.
Marinette shifted nervously in her seat. Tikki floated next to Marinette, big blue eyes wide and uncertain. It wasn't the first time that one of her chosen's identity had been figured out. It certainly wouldn't be the last. Tikki slowly made her way to the tall blond sitting at the opposite side of the room. Marinette loved this boy, he was like a brother to her that she never had.
"My name is Tikki, I am the God of Creation. I am what gives Marinette the powers to become Ladybug." Felix flinched when the small fairy-thing began to speak. He stared at it in disdain. Marinette would never have gotten into such a dangerous profession if it wasn't for this God. The word tasted bitter on his tongue.
"Were you planning on lying to me the entire time. Were you never going to tell me about this other side of you." Felix muttered angrily.
Marinette jumped at the sudden accusations thrown her way. She teared up and looked at her hands on her lap. Tikki floated back to her place next to Marinette. Marinette sighed.
"I didn't tell anybody. It wasn't just you." Marinette whispered. Tears sliding down her cheeks.
Felix stood up suddenly and began pacing the room. His posture bent forward, shoulders hunched as he tried to contain his anger.
"What would happen if you ever get hurt Marinette? When on the line of your so-called duty, you receive grievous injuries that you might never recover from?" Felix questioned. Never stopping his pacing as he shot her angry looks. "I will tell you what would happen. You would have died and nobody would know. Everybody would be none the wiser should you ever perish in battle. These Akuma are dangerous, Marinette. How could you possibly hope to defeat the mastermind behind this entire ordeal and expect to come out unscathed? Were you planning on never telling anybody about your secret alter ego?"
Marinette knew that Felix was worried about her. After losing his mother and never having been told, she knew why Felix was lashing out at her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't lose her temper at her best friend. He was only doing what he felt he needed to so that he could keep her protected.
"It would have been worth it." Marinette said. A look of fierce determination in her eyes. She stared up at Felix who had stopped his pacing in shock.
"What?" He gasped out.
"If I ever died in the line of duty, it would have been worth it!" She shouted. She stood up in an attempt to meet Felix at eye level but the difference in height was not something that she could overcome. "I was given a choice when Tikki came to me, and I made it. I love Paris and I love the people here. If dying to protect the people I love is the only way to stop Papillon then I would gladly give mine up in exchange for theirs."
Felix could only stare in disbelief. "You owe these people nothing Marinette! What have they ever done to deserve your protection? Why must it be you who protects this city? There must be plenty of other suitable candidates who could take your place." he rebutted. "This city is beautiful but it would mean nothing to me should you ever perish in battle!" Marinette looked away from her best friend.
This wasn't their first fight and it certainly would not be their last. But the words coming out of Felix's mouth were hurtful. The fact that he was right was stabbing her painfully in the chest. Of course, there were better candidates in Paris for Ladybug. Who was Marinette to stand up against an untold number of potentially excellent Ladybugs? Tikki didn't seem to agree and flew in between the arguing friends.
"Marinette is one of the kindest, most selfless and loyal girls I have met in my many millennia of existence. She is an absolutely wonderful candidate for Ladybug." TIkki tried to explain.
"Felix please, Ladybug is important to me. You wouldn't understand." Marinette pleaded. "You don't have to like it, you don't even have to accept it. I just need you to keep it between us." Her big blue eyes bore into Felix's own. He staggered back, the implications of her request settling heavily on his shoulders.
"You want me to lie?" He cried out. Tears forming in his eyes. "Should you ever perish in battle, I would be the only person who would know what happened to you Marinette. I would never be able to inform your parents about their missing daughter. I would not be able to inform Alya, your best friend, what exactly happened to Marinette." He accused. "You would put me in the same position as my father. To cover up your death simply so that they would still have hope that you would return again one day." He exclaimed angrily. "Except that, I would be the only one who knows, that you will never come back." The tears really did begin to fall then, his voice a hoarse whisper as he fought the emotions warring in his heart.
This was Marinette, courageous and strong Marinette. The embodiment of all that was good and right in Felix's world. She who had stayed by him as he studied late into the night studying for the ever difficult exams. She was the one who comforted him when the nightmares of his mother's passing got too much. She had been the only one who asked him "How are you?" and to actually show him any concern. If she had asked, Felix would have given her the world. But this was something that he couldn't bring himself to go along with.
Marinette had her own tears in her eyes.
"Even if you exposed me and told everybody of my identity, it would put every single person I love in danger! You're already at a higher risk compared to everybody else! Even Alya is safer not knowing my identity and she's running the Ladyblog!" Marinette yelled. "Felix please understand, I want the people I love safe. I want everybody I love to be happy and alive. I want them to be able to live their lives without having the constant fear of Akuma hanging over their heads." Marinette sobbed.
She knew the difficult position she had put her best friend in. He was so distraught, Marinette could see it in the tears falling from his eyes and the hunched shoulders and how he struggled to take in deep even breathes in an attempt to calm down.
"Marinette how could you possible request me to allow you to put yourself in harm's way. You mean the world to me." he whispered. He allowed himself to fall on to the chaise. Marinette walked over to him, sitting on the floor next to his feet. She looked up to him with pleading eyes, holding his shaking hands between her own smaller ones.
"Felix, I promise that I will be as careful as I possibly can, but please." She begged. "Please, I could never give up being Ladybug." Marinette laced Felix's fingers with her own.
"You ask me to step aside and allow you to protect Paris. Yet you do not understand that all that I do, is to protect you." Felix's grip on Marinette's hands tightened.
"Felix, ladybugs are known for their good luck. I will do all I possibly can to keep Marinette safe." Tikki whispered as she sat on top of their clasped hands. Felix stared down at two pairs of big blue eyes. How could he possibly deny anything that Marinette requested of him?
"Alright." His voice barely audible. Large tears landing on their connected hands. "But promise me, mon cher. That you will do your best to return home after every fight." He stared into the eyes of his oldest friend. Hoping that she understood how desperately he needed her in his life.
"I promise." Such terrifying words had never been spoken in such a sweet voice.
"And if you ever require assistance, you must never hesitate to come to me," Felix added hastily. "I want to be there should you ever go into arms against Papillon himself." Felix urged. Marinette could only shake her head.
"I won't allow it, Felix. You have to be safe, if you were there you would only be a distraction. A fatal distraction." Marinette argued weakly.
"Fine, however, I want to be informed in all your battle plans. I want to know what exactly is going on. If you ever have to fight another Akuma I want you to contact me immediately so I can provide you with a suitable alibi and offer any support that you require." Felix insisted. If he could not stop her from throwing her life away then he would protect her every step of the way.
"Merci, oh merci Felix!" Marinette jumped on to Felix in a tackle-hug knocking both of them off the chaise. Felix breath was knocked out of his lungs at the sudden impact but he held on to Marinette regardless. If she had asked, Felix Agreste would have given her the world. Now she was asking him to step aside and to allow her to protect it. How could he possibly deny her?
Even a mountain would crumble before Marinette's resolve.
Marinette settled comfortably on top of Felix, letting her head rest on his chest above his heart, listening to its steady beating. She was Ladybug so that she could protect this. Protect the hearts and lives of the people she loves. Protect the hearts of the innocent people of Paris. They all depended on her because she was the only one who could cleanse the Akuma. She wanted Felix and her parents and Alya and all her friends to be able to live in peace.
She wanted a happy future where Adrien realizes her love for him and actually returns those feelings. She wanted to marry him and live her life as a successful fashion designer, have three beautiful children and a hamster. She wanted Adrien to be happy. She wanted Adrien to be happy with her.
Felix closed his eyes and allowed himself to be engulfed by his other senses. The feel of Marinette's weight against him. The sound of her breathing softly into his chest as she clung on to him, hiding her face with her hair. The scent of vanilla and spring flowers that always seemed to follow Marinette wherever she went. The salty taste of his tears on his tongue when he had allowed them to fall.
Marinette was his everything, perhaps she did not love him the same way he was so enamored with her but she was a firm fixture in his life. She had accepted him for who he was and had stood by him regardless of anything that he had thrown at her in an attempt to shake her off.
The two stayed in each other's arms. Content in the fact that they had gotten over the fight. Until a hesitant knocking came from Marinette's window. Marinette shot up and gaped at the familiar masked face of Chat Noir smirking at her window. Marinette got off Felix and climbed the ladder to her loft bed and up the trap door that would lead her to the balcony above her bed.
"Chat? What are you doing here? Did you get tired of slinking in alleys already kitty?" Marinette hastily wiped at her face to remove the dried tears.
"Meow-ch Princess is that how you greet all your guests?" Chat smirked as he watched his Princess climb up to the balcony. He had been shocked to see Marinette and his brother cuddling in the middle of the floor. The ever-present sharp pains made themselves known. Maybe he was falling sick. It was strange, the pains only ever appeared whenever he saw Marinette and Felix together.
"Don't be silly Chat Noir, this particular brand of sass is reserved especially for you." Marinette gave the hero a soft smile. "Did you need something? Are you alright?" She asked, concern in her voice.
"Princess, your friend here asked me to look for you during the attack today. It seems that someone had rushed headlong into danger. Again." Chat Noir's stare clashed heavily with Marinette's own unwavering gaze.
"I would run out of a safe place to help every civilian if I could Chat. You know that." Marinette rebutted. Arms crossing defiantly across her chest. Chat Noir appreciated how her lips formed an adorable pout and the crinkle of her nose as she tried to put an intimidating front.
"I know that I can't stop you, Princess," Chat Noir began, hands up in surrender. "But at least make sure that your friend knows what you're up to. The look he gave me when he realized that you had run straight into danger… Marinette, he really cares about you. You can't just worry people like that." Chat scolded gently. Even though it felt like a lump had appeared in his throat at the thought of Felix being so worried over Marinette.
"I-I'm sorry," Marinette whispered, her arms dropped to her sides and eyes glancing back down towards where Felix was. "I'll promise to be more careful in the future." The taller blond was contemplating whether or not to join the duo up on the balcony. Eventually, he decided to climb the ladder.
"Chat Noir, thank you for always looking out for Marinette." Felix started, stretching an arm out for a handshake. Chat Noir took it in his own and gave it a firm shake. "I'm Felix Agreste, it's an honor to meet one of Paris's greatest heroes." Chat Noir felt his jaw drop before he shook off the surprise and grinned at his brother.
"Chat Noir but I think you already knew that." Chat laughed, giving him a wide grin. Felix blinked at Chat Noir, that nostalgic feeling nagging at the back of his head. He knew that smile.
"I wasn't able to catch her during the battle, but I thought I should drop by and make sure she's ok before I head for patrol." Chat grinned. Marinette squeaked with a look of panic in her eyes and both blonds gave her confused looks.
"I-I uhh forgot that… I have a-uhm homework?" Marinette stuttered uneasily. "Yeah, that's it homework. Yeah, so I really need both of you to skedaddle. You should make your way for patrol Chat Noir!" Marinette started pushing the hero towards the edge of her balcony in an attempt to get him to leave.
"Well uh alright Princess. I guess I gotta go and skedaddle, I should have been there by now. Cat-ch you later!"Chat Noir gave a two finger salute and leaped off the balcony to a nearby rooftop. "You take care of that Ladybug too you hear?" Felix called out. His only response was a joyous laugh echoing as Marinette blushed in embarrassment. She started pushing Felix back towards the hatch to her bedroom ignoring her friend's protests.
"I gotta go for patrol, I'll be back late. You're welcome to stay and wait up for me or you could head home." Marinette began as she carefully made her way down.
"I will head home, mon cher." Felix caught her and gently placed her on the ground when she slipped on the last rung. "Text me when you have returned." He requested with a smile.
"Of course. Bonne Nuit Felix" Marinette waved as the blond collected his things and made his way to leave her room.
"Bonne Nuit, mon cher" Felix called out as he shut the door behind him. She waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps before looking at Tikki.
"Tikki, transformme moi!"
Thank you for reading!
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