Worth It

Chapter 30

Marinette sat cross-legged on Felix's dorm room floor, her textbooks and notebooks spread out before her. It was a quiet evening, and the soft glow of a desk lamp illuminated the room, creating an atmosphere of focused concentration. They were both working on their individual assignments for their business class.

It was a rare moment of solitude for them, one they had been looking forward to. The last time they had studied together had been in the library, and it had ended with a heated argument after Remi's interruption. It was mainly Felix who was glad to have this opportunity to work side by side, even if their competitive natures occasionally got the best of them. Marinette, too, secretly relished the chance to work with Felix without any distractions.

Felix, glancing at Marinette's notes, couldn't resist a playful jab. "I see you've used a different approach this time, Marinette. Did you finally realize that my methods are more efficient?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow, her competitive spirit rekindling. "Please, Felix, your methods are efficient, but they lack creativity. I thought I'd bring a fresh perspective to the table."

Felix chuckled, their banter coming effortlessly. "Well, let's see if your fresh perspective can beat my efficiency."

As they delved into their homework assignments, their competitive edge softened, and they found themselves assisting each other when needed.

They continued to work on their assignments in companionable silence, occasionally exchanging glances or sharing a quiet laugh over a particularly tricky problem. Despite their competitive nature, they couldn't deny the satisfaction of working together and the undeniable attraction they felt for each other.

Marinette finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "You know, Felix, it's nice to have this quiet time together without anyone interrupting us."

Felix nodded in agreement, his eyes meeting hers. "I couldn't agree more, Marinette. It's... peaceful."

But as they worked side by side, Marinette couldn't help but notice the subtle tension that hung in the air—the unspoken words, the unacknowledged attraction, and the unresolved feelings that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. She stole a quick glance at Felix, catching him in a rare moment of vulnerability as he furrowed his brow in concentration.

Marinette's voice was soft, almost hesitant, as she broke the silence once more. "Felix, about that argument we had in the library after Remi left... I'm sorry for not handling it well."

Felix looked up, his expression softening. "No, Marinette, I'm the one who should apologize. I... I was the one acting unreasonably."

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world seemed to disappear around them. The unspoken tensions, the unresolved emotions—they were all there, hanging in the air, waiting for someone to take the plunge.

But before anything more could be said, a knock at the door interrupted them.

"Sorry to interrupt your study sesh or whatever but I'm having a crisis here and I need to borrow you, Shortcake,"

Marinette exchanged an apologetic look with Felix, who sighed but waved her off with a reassuring smile. "It's fine, Marinette. We were due to wrap up soon anyway. Go and help, Claude."

"I'll be just a second Claude!" Marinette called out as she got up and picked up her books and pens,"

Before she left Felix's room, she looked back at him with an all-knowing smile.

"Wanna meet on the balcony later?"

Felix grinned back at her, "of course. I'll see you then,"

Marinette waved goodbye and left Felix's room only to meet the distressed looking brunette