"You–you look amazing tonight…"
Bri felt her cheeks reddening, momentarily grateful to Amelie and Anne for helping her pick out her outfit for the evening, a short-sleeved sundress that ended midway down her thighs, with a swooping low-cut neckline that constantly drew Felix's eyes downward. She couldn't remember the last time she had worn – or even owned – a dress like this. Very rarely since moving to London last year had she felt any need to "dress up" for anything. While working in her workshop, her normal dress was the same ratty pants and grease-stained shirt; for classes she would pull out a clean blouse; while at the Manor, she preferred a simple t-shirt and shorts. When Marinette had given her this dress – one from her spring collection that had never been sold – she had wondered if she would ever have the opportunity to wear it. But today… today was a special occasion. Across the candlelit table, Felix sat upright in a pressed, button-down shirt, staring at her in awe, his fork momentarily paused partway between his mouth and the plate. They were actually out on a date! She smiled across the table at him, sighing fondly. "Thanks, Pup." Her smile turned to a smirk, and she quirked her eyebrows at him. "You don't look half-bad yourself. I didn't realize you cleaned up so good!"
"What are you talking about?" he scoffed indignantly, setting down his fork and puffing out his chest. "I always look good! You on the other hand…"
Bri's eyes narrowed. "Care to finish that statement?"
He gulped, his eyes widening. "I – um–" He let out a low curse. "I just meant, you always seem to have a few grease stains from working on the suit, or your bracelets, or your car, or… And that's absolutely adorable – the fact that you're so smart and, um, hands' on, is one of the reasons I fell in love with you," he quickly added, grinning sheepishly. "But I think this is the first time I've seen you, um, dressed up like this." He leaned forward, his voice dropping a little lower, and wagged his eyebrows. "I think this is my second-favorite look for you…"
She arched an eyebrow at him, but still she couldn't help one corner of her lips turning up into a smile. "I suppose it's good I don't dress up more – you wouldn't want me upstaging you, would you?"
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter what you're wearing – or not wearing – you really are the most beautiful woman in the world."
Bri could feel heat rising in her cheeks, and she quickly looked away from him, turning her attention back to her pasta. A shiver ran down her spine, and she smiled softly to herself. "Okay, you're forgiven."
A couple minutes passed while they continued to eat. Bri stole a quick glance up at Felix to find him looking around the restaurant appreciatively, most of his fish gone. He hummed. "I'm glad you suggested this place," he observed. "The fish here is one of the best I've had.
She shrugged. "A couple of the girls from my floor said they'd come here before and liked the food, so I thought maybe we could give it a try if we were going to go out. I'm–" She coughed, clearing her throat. "Thanks for actually asking me out on a date." Finally, she didn't add.
"I mean – of course," he replied, starting and looking back at her with wide eyes. "Why wouldn't I want to have dinner at a great restaurant with my amazing girlfriend?"
She flushed, looking away from him. "It's just… we've been together – in this way –" she waved her hand vaguely between the two of them "– for a couple of months already, and it feels like we hardly spend time together like this."
He furrowed his brows in confusion. "What do you mean? We spend almost all our time together." He wagged his eyebrows. "It's my favorite part of the day!" he added in a husky voice, leaning forward.
She nodded hesitantly, giving a half-smile. "Well, yes…" she agreed slowly. "But we're always doing… other things when we're together, or else we're suited up. There's a difference between that, or 'going out together,' and actually going out together on a real date. And this is the first real date we've been on." The first one I've ever been on, she didn't add. Her shoulders slumped. "I just – I'm afraid," she admitted quietly, looking up at him through her bangs. "I don't want us going in different directions and drifting apart."
Felix took her hand in his and gently held it up to his lips. "Mon Fer," he whispered softly, looking her in the eye. "I promise: I'm with you. I want to be with you. I'm committed to this – to you. I'm not going to let busy schedules or school or any of that get between us. I want to go on dates and picnics and see movies together. I want to spend time with you – as much as I possibly can. Besides," he added, arching an eyebrow. "Unless there's something you're not telling me, we're still going to be sleeping in the same bed next year, different universities be damned!" He paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "…Er, right?"
Bri's eyes widened slightly, taking in the nervousness in Felix's face. She gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand. "Of course we will," she assured him, pressing her lips to the back of his hand. She tried to smile wider, but still it felt forced.
Felix sighed in relief, though he still watched her cautiously. "You know how much I love you, right?" he asked, rubbing his thumb in circles on the back of her hand nervously.
Her stomach clenched, but she nodded. "I know – I love you too. So much." She swallowed nervously, looking him up and down. When she had first met him, she had thought he was an arrogant, self-important jerk – it had taken a while for him to prove otherwise. But over the last year, she had gotten to know him better, to see just how kind and compassionate he could be, under the façade of arrogance he had put up, which had been fading away since last autumn. When they went to Hy-Brasil, when she had nearly watched him be murdered, she had realized just how important he was to her – that was when their relationship had changed, when they had gone from partners to partners. But still she could not shake that nagging sensation in the back of her mind. He said all of this. She had given herself – heart and body – to him. She had no reason to doubt that he meant everything he had said, everything they had done together, everything they meant to each other. But still. Was this too good to be true? Would it last?
Felix brushed his lips against her knuckles, keeping eye contact with her as he did so. "I'm glad we found each other, mon Fer."
Her smile warmed, some of the tension in her chest easing. "I am, too. When I found out about Papa, I didn't know who to trust or who to tell. I felt so… ashamed of what he was. When I came here, I was trying to start over… even though he followed. I wasn't sure who to trust – I felt alone." She smiled. "But now, between you and Anne and your mom, I feel… I feel whole again."
Felix nodded firmly. "I promise, you'll never have to face this alone – I'll be here to help you. No matter what."
"Thanks, Pup." She fell silent as the waiter set their ice cream brownie on the table between them and they started working their way through it, the only sound for several minutes their spoons clinking on the dish. After a few minutes, Bri paused and set down her spoon, glancing up at Felix and raising an eyebrow. "So what are you up to this week? More long days at the store?" She smiled. "If you're not too busy, we could see a movie on Tuesday."
Felix frowned, shaking his head, and pushed his chair back slightly. "Actually, no. Adrien gave me a week of 'vacation,'" he explained. "Although it's less of a vacation and more of a 'guided tour.'" Bri cocked her head curiously. "Apparently, Dhuan has been asking questions about the Isles – he remembers the area from his initial trip to Hy-Brasil, a few millennia ago, so he wants to know how it's changed. And he enjoyed that tour of London last week, so Adrien asked if I would take him to see the sights in Wales." Bri's shoulders fell. "Sorry I forgot to mention it." Felix raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to come with us?"
Bri blinked. "You remember that my summer class starts this week, don't you?"
Felix's mouth fell open, and he groaned, smacking his forehead. "Right… I knew that. Dammit. Sorry."
She shrugged, looking away. "It's fine." She hadn't been planning to take any classes over the summer, but then Angola had happened, and she had missed six weeks of classes. Most of her classes she had managed to pass by finishing her work and acing her exams. But she had already been struggling in her Energy and Sustainability class, and the professor hadn't given her more than half credit for the main project after she failed to hand in the project outline on time. But he had already had a summer session scheduled, and he had agreed to let her make up the classwork she had missed over the summer… starting this week. "I wouldn't understand a word he said, anyways." She sighed. "I'll just stay here and hang out with Anne and your mom."
Felix's eyes widened. "Bri," he began, taking both her hands in his, "I'm sorry you can't come with. But if you want to, we can go on a trip together after I get back? Say, for a weekend getaway? Just the two of us, wherever you want to go?"
She pursed her lips in thought. "I'll give that some thought," she agreed.
"For what it's worth," he continued, setting some money on the table and pulling out her seat, "I'd much rather go somewhere with you than tour the Welsh countryside with Dhuan."
The corner of her mouth turned up, and she gave him her hand, letting him help her up and guide the way out of the restaurant. "Perhaps we can."
Felix looked up and down the street curiously as they stepped outside, and he hummed. "What do you want to do now? Go for a walk around the city? Maybe a 'run'? Or would you rather head back home?"
"Hmm…" Bri tried to suppress a shiver at the sudden chill at the late-night air blew on her exposed arms and legs. The day had been so warm, she had thought a sleeveless dress would be sufficient for tonight. But from the goosebumps along her arms, she should have brought a sweater. "Maybe just home," she decided.
Felix turned to look at her, and his eyes widened. He placed a hand on her upper arm and started. "You're freezing!" Quickly he pulled off his sport coat and placed it around her shoulders before hugging her to his side. "Let's get you home." He wagged his eyebrows. "I'm sure I can… warm you up… when we get there!"
Bri rolled her eyes but leaned into his shoulder, accepting the warmth and comfort he offered. She let out a breath as they walked the three blocks back to her building. A few other couples were out walking as well; a man staggered drunkenly out of the alleyway ahead of them, only to slump against the car parked at the curb. Felix's hand tightened on her shoulder. The man, however, slid down to the pavement and turned to one side, throwing up the contents of his stomach into the street under the car. Bri's nose wrinkled at the smell, but they quickly left him behind. The sound of revelry emanated from the couple of pubs as they walked past, momentarily growing louder as a door opened. This was what they had missed while in Angola: the night life.
Of course, she mused with a glance up at Felix, heat rising in her cheeks, that wasn't to say we didn't have any "night life" there…
She was just taking out her swipe card to let them into the building when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Turning back the way they had come, she glanced down the street, her eyes trailing along the street and peering into the shadows around the buildings before moving up to scan the rooftops above them. A dog's howl came from an alley a little way down from them. Movement caught her eye from the other side of the road, where a couple was walking across the darkened King's College campus.
"Everything okay?" Felix asked softly, rubbing her shoulder blade.
Letting out a breath, Bri shrugged and pushed the door open. "Must've been nothing."