Caged

Laying it All Out

"Ch-Ch-Ch-Chaaat?" Marinette stuttered, dropping the spray that was in her hand.

"Long time, no see," Chat Noir smirked, hands on his hips. "Well, half an hour, to be more precise. And who's your friend here?" He leaned towards Félix.

Marinette looked to her side, where Félix had turned whiter than a sheet of paper.

"Uh..." the boy uttered.

"You know, I couldn't help but overhear while I was passing by something about -oh, what was it- 'Qualities befitting of a Princess'?" Chat Noir clucked his tongue. "Now, I don't know if you've been watching TV lately, but I have a pet peeve about people using the nicknames I assign to people. Something about it just," he exaggerated a deep breath, "really prickles my fur."

What is going on?! Marinette started to panic.

"Chat?"

"I-I..." Félix cleared his throat. "I didn't think..."

"You didn't think what?" The leather-clad hero placed a foot on the bench and leaned closer to the civilian, forearms now resting on his knee. "That you would be caught? That I would never find out?"

"Chat." This time, Marinette called with a frown on her face.

"And a little mouse told me this isn't the first time you've used that nickname. Is it a habit of yours to try to take other people's place?"

"Chat Noir!" Marinette called firmly this time.

The superhero whipped his gaze to her, like he remembered Félix was not the only one sitting on that bench. When his eyes locked on hers, her heart did a summersault, remembering her conversation with Tikki before either of the boys showed up. Her cheeks started heating up, and when his eyes softened, she knew: Félix was not Chat Noir.

The girl bolted up to stand next to her partner. Her mind was going back and forth between her realization of Félix's lie and her embarrassment at the thought that she might have feelings for Chat Noir. So much so, that she wasn't sure on which one to act first.

"You—Him—Whah...Félix? Chat? You..." Spit it out! Her brain tried to salvage what was left of those words, but her mouth just wouldn't cooperate. "Going what on—I-I mean, on going on—M-mean I—Uuugh!"

Both boys arched an eyebrow simultaneously, as Marinette pulled on her pigtails.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" she finally managed to get out.

Instantly, Félix shifted his eyes to the ground, while Chat Noir smirked at him.

"Yeah," the boy in black inquired. "What is going on, Félix?"

Marinette looked back at obviously-not-Chat Félix, who visibly gulped. Meanwhile, his knuckles were becoming whiter, as he squeezed a book he was holding.

"Oh no..." the designer breathed.

"Marinette, I swear it's not what you think," Félix spoke at last, yet it came out shaky, which she had never heard from him.

"Why do you call me Princess?" Marinette demanded.

"You knew, didn't you?" Chat Noir intervened. "You knew that's the nickname I use for her, so you tried to take advantage."

"Not...take advantage," Félix tried feebly.

"I will have you know I'm the only one allowed to use that name," the hero insisted, pointing a thumb to himself. "Now unless you want me to beat your butt to the moon, I suggest you apologize to Marinette right now."