To Felix and Beyond // Miraculous Ladybug

7 - Popping By

A week had passed, and there was no sight of Chat Noir popping up at her house. Maybe Felix didn't say anything.

It was Friday, and Marinette had no plans, which she enjoyed from time to time. She had been so busy fighting Akumas and trying to maintain her friendships that she really needed a night to relax.

She turned on her music and sat at her desk. "What are you thinking about, Marinette?" Tikki asked and sat in front of her.

"I wonder if Felix really does know Chat. Does he mean he knows the superhero, or does he know his identity?" Marinette wondered and pulled out her design book.

Tikki flew so she wouldn't be squashed by the book. "I don't know; those boys are confusing."

As if it were on cue, Marinette's phone rang. "Felix is calling- he must have known we were talking about him," She chuckled before picking up. "Hey, Felix."

"Marinette, hey, are you busy tonight?" He asked, heavily breathing.

"Not really, I'm just sitting in my room with designers block."

He sighed. He didn't sound well, and Marinette's worry factor was quickly rising. "Can...can I come over? I need a break from my father, and Nathalie, and this entire mansion," He asked.

"You're always welcome, Felix. Are you okay?"

"No, he's driving me insane!" Felix shouted, holding the phone away from him. "Adrien stormed off after our father blew up on us. I just, don't want to be here right now," Felix was out of breath.

"Come right over. My parents are in the bakery, just come on up when you get here," She told him.

Felix thanked Marinette and hung up. Felix wasn't one to show a weak side. He never cried, he never showed those emotions. This would be different for Marinette, but she would be there for her friend.

A few minutes later, Felix yelled that he was coming up the stairs and opened the trap door. His eyes were red and puffy, his hair was a mess, and he looked broken.

"Oh, Felix," Marinette ran toward him and engulfed him into a hug. She almost pulled away, not sure if he wanted to be touched. But he latched onto her and took deep breaths.

She sat on the chaise in her bedroom, Felix next to her. "What happened?"

"I'm probably overreacting about what happened, but what happened after was really what freaked me out," He started. "My father is splitting Adrien and I up this summer. That's never happened before. I mean, of course, we don't spend every second together, but I see him all the time. He's my rock...and I won't be seeing him all summer," Felix started to explain, Marinette's face dropping.

"What do you mean?"

Felix took a deep breath and wiped his face. "Father is taking Adrien around the world for modeling. Adrien doesn't even want to go...or at least he doesn't want to go without me. But it's for modeling and the Gabriel brand," Felix told Marinette, "And I have to stay here and intern at Gabriel all summer, unless I manage to find another job."

"That's not fair...I'm so sorry, Felix."

Felix stood up and started to pace around. "The mansion is already so quiet! But having Adrien there makes it better, and I don't feel alone! I've never spent months without him, and I can't even imagine it. I just know it's going to be horrible," He yelled.

Marinette grabbed his arm, trying to calm him down. "You can stay here if you need to. You're my friend; I don't want you to feel like that."

"Thank you," He quickly replied but began pacing again. "Adrien was livid. He started out calm, telling father that he should have a say in the decision and that he didn't want to go. But he didn't give Adrien a say in it, and Adrien kept getting angrier. When father yelled that it was final, Adrien ran off. He left the house. When I went outside, he was far gone," Felix looked out the window, hoping maybe he'd see his brother.

Marinette's jaw dropped. "Do you think he would have been akumatized?"

Felix shook his head. No one knew if miraculous holders could be akumatized how Hawkmoth intended. "No, he's too used to this feeling. He may not show it, but he's used to being disappointed and angered by our father, he won't be akumatized," He ensured and sat back down next to her, still worried.

All of the sudden, there was a loud thump on the roof. "Darnit," Marinette whispered, "It sounds like one of my flower pots fell over. It's really windy out," She stood up. "I'm going to take a look."

Felix looked around Marinette's room after she walked outside. Felix remembers the first time they hung out- she had asked if it would be weird to display pictures from the Gabriel magazines. Felix told her that, yes, it would be weird. But he helped her design her wall layout. She collected pictures of all of her friends then mixed it in with some magazine clippings of Adrien modeling, since her favorite designer is Gabriel Agreste.

He remembered being paired up for a project and being skeptical of her. But after that, they became very good friends. He was worried about her that day, too. She had gone out to fight an Akuma and came back looking like she was going to pass out. He knew the look; the same one Adrien sometimes has.

"I, uh, actually have a friend over. But you're welcome to come if you want, I'm a good listener," Felix heard Marinette say. Who could she be talking to?

"Okay," A deeper voice replied, and Marinette started back down the stairs.

"So, it wasn't a flower pot," Marinette called down, "Just a cat."

Felix's head shot up and saw Chat Noir enter the room. When Marinette moved out of the way, and Chat Noir was on the floor, Felix ran over and threw him into a hug. "You're okay!" He hugged. "I was so worried."

"Fe...Felix," Chat Noir said. "I found Adrien wondering around," Chat told him.

Felix looked up and realized it wasn't his brother he was hugging; it was his alter ego. And he was acting like this in front of Marinette, who had no idea who is behind the Chat Noir mask.

"Right, thank you," Felix nodded, letting go of Chat Noir.

Marinette looked at the awkward interaction between the hero and the broken boy. "Chat, you said something was wrong, do you want to talk?"

He sucked in a breath. "No, I think I'm okay, and I should be getting to finding Ladybug. We have a patrol scheduled soon," He told the pair. Marinette screamed in her head, she forgot about the patrol!

Before anyone else said anything, Chat Noir rushed back up the stairs and off the balcony. "I'm going to be honest; I thought he was going to tell me millions of puns because of what I said the other night," Marinette sighed and sat back down beside Felix. "I have to make a call."

And Marinette went into the bathroom and transformed as quietly as she could. "Chat, I'm sorry, I really can't make it tonight. I'm dealing with a really important problem with my friend...I'm sorry. Tomorrow night?"

Adrien took a deep breath, upset he wouldn't be able to see the lady that makes him so much happier. "Of course, my lady."