Chapter Text
Félix POV
The classroom slowly settled back into silence as Ms. Bustier continued explaining the lesson.
I glanced toward the girl beside me.
Marinette was still doing everything in her power to avoid looking in my direction.
It was almost impressive.
Almost.
I tapped my pen against the desk.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Her shoulders tensed.
I smiled.
"Are you going to keep pretending I don't exist?"
Her pencil stopped moving.
"I was actually hoping you would eventually disappear."
"Mmm, Disappointing."
She finally turned toward me, giving me the same irritated expression she'd been giving me since this morning. Her eyebrows furrowed in.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Enjoying what?"
"Annoying me."
I thought about it for a moment.
"Yes. I do."
Her eyes narrowed.
"At least you're honest."
"I have no reason to lie."
"That's rich coming from you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it.
Strange...
She had something to say.
She just wasn't willing to say it.
"Nothing."
"Clearly."
"Félix."
"Marinette."
We stared at each other.
Neither of us looked away.
I could hear a few students quietly laughing behind us.
She finally rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her notebook. I looked down at the drawing she'd been trying so desperately to hide.
It was still partially covered by her arm.
"You're still hiding it."
"Because you're still looking at it."
"It's difficult not to."
"Then try harder."
I leaned closer.
She immediately covered the drawing with both hands.
"Stop!"
I couldn't help myself.
A small laugh escaped me. But I quickly realized, and cleared my throat.
Her eyes widened.
"You laughed."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did!"
"I was breathing."
"That was NOT breathing!"
I looked toward the front of the classroom, attempting to regain my composure.
"Perhaps you're imagining things, Miss Dupain-Cheng.
"I know what I heard."
"And yet you still choose to argue with me."
"Because you're annoying!"
"And you're loud."
Her mouth dropped open.
I smiled.
She stared at me for a moment before muttering something under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"You seem to say that a lot."
"And you seem to ask too many questions."
"Perhaps we're both unfortunate enough to be sitting next to each other."
She sighed dramatically.
"Only four months."
I glanced at the words still faintly visible beneath her arm.
There it was again.
That countdown.
I couldn't decide whether I found it amusing or insulting.
Probably both.
Before I could respond, Ms. Bustier turned toward the class. "Alright, everyone. I think it's time we put what we've learned into practice."
A collective groan filled the classroom.
Ms. Bustier smiled.
"Don't worry. You'll be working with a partner."
The room immediately became louder.
I leaned back in my chair.
Wonderful. Just my luck. Another opportunity to force myself to tolerate these people.
"Since we have a new student," Ms. Bustier continued, "I'd like everyone to work with someone they don't normally partner with."
I already knew where this was going.
"Marinette, why don't you work with Félix?"
Marinette's head snapped toward the teacher.
"What?"
I looked at her.
She looked at me.
Her expression said everything.
Absolutely not.
I gave her a small smile.
"Well, this should be entertaining."
She whispered through clenched teeth.
"Don't make me regret not throwing you out the window."
"Wouldn't that get you in trouble?"
"I'd take the detention."
I almost laughed again.
Almost.
Across the room, Adrien watched us.
I noticed.
He'd been watching us for most of the lesson.
At first, I assumed he was making sure I wasn't causing trouble. But there was something strange about his expression.
He didn't look angry.
He didn't look worried.
He just looked...
confused.
"Hmm..."
⸻
The bell rang before either of us could say anything else.
The sudden noise of chairs scraping against the floor immediately filled the classroom. Everyone began shoving notebooks into their bags, talking over one another as they prepared to leave.
I closed my tablet and stood.
Marinette was already halfway through stuffing everything into her bag.
"You're leaving already?" I asked.
She looked at me as if I'd asked the stupidest question imaginable.
"That's generally what happens when class ends."
"Obviously."
"Then why ask?"
I stared at her.
She stared back.
She really did have an answer for everything.
"I was making conversation."
"Try harder next time."
She threw her bag over her shoulder and walked past me.
I followed shortly after.
The hallway was already crowded, students moving in every direction. I noticed Adrien waiting near the classroom door with Nino.
The moment he saw us, his expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I noticed.
His eyes moved from me to Marinette, then back to me.
"Hey, Marinette," Adrien called.
She immediately turned.
"Hey, Adrien!"
There it was again.
That little change in her expression. The same girl who had been arguing with me for the past hour suddenly looked almost... cheerful.
Adrien smiled.
"How was your first class?"
"It was fine..."
Her eyes flickered toward me.
"Although I was unfortunately forced to work with your cousin."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Unfortunately?"
"Yes."
"I thought you enjoyed my company."
She scoffed.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Adrien laughed.
"Sounds like you two got along... very quickly!"
Marinette and I looked at each other.
"No."
"Absolutely not."
We answered at the exact same time.
Adrien laughed harder.
I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my face.
Marinette noticed.
She immediately pointed at me.
"See?! He's doing it again!"
"Doing what?"
"Smiling!"
Adrien looked between us, clearly amused.
"You two really are getting along."
"We are not," Marinette insisted.
I shrugged.
"She seems to have a difficult time admitting when she's enjoying herself."
Marinette gasped.
"I am NOT enjoying myself!"
I walked past her.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
"Félix!"
I continued down the hallway.
Behind me, I heard Adrien laughing.
For some reason, I found myself smiling again.
⸻
Marinette POV
By the time I got home, I was exhausted.
Not because of school. Not because of homework.
Not even because I had spent the entire day trying to keep up with everything.
It was because of one person.
Félix.
"I hate him."
Tikki slowly looked up from her cookie.
"You said that six times on the walk home."
"Because it's true!"
"You also laughed at one of his jokes."
I froze.
"That was an accident."
Marinette dropped onto her bed with a groan, kicking off her shoes before burying her face in her pillow.
"I cannot stand him."
Marinette rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
"He's so annoying. He's arrogant, smug, and! ugh!
The whole day he had that stupid look on his face like he knows something everyone else doesn't."
Tikki smiled faintly. "You seem to have a lot of observations about him."
"Because he's impossible not to notice!"
"Mm-hm."
"He walks around like he owns every room he enters. And the way he talk! Like everything is some sort of game to him. And that stupid little smirk..."
"You noticed his smirk?"
Marinette paused.
"I- w-well, obviously."
Tikki tilted her head.
Marinette sat up. "That's not the point!"
"I'm not saying it is."
"He's just... irritating."
"You've said that."
"Because he is!"
Marinette grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it against her chest.
"He's arrogant, unpredictable, overly confident, and he thinks he's smarter than everyone."
Tikki hummed thoughtfully. "You forgot annoying."
"I already said annoying."
"And smug."
"I said smug too."
"And—"
"Okay, Tikki, I get it."
Tikki giggled.
Marinette narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"Nothing."
"No, no. What?"
Tikki floated a little closer, wearing the most innocent expression she could manage.
"You don't actually seem to hate him as much as you think you do."
Marinette stared at her.
Then laughed.
"Are you kidding me?"
"No."
"I absolutely hate him."
"Then why do you know so much about him?"
Marinette opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Tikki waited patiently.
Marinette looked away.
"Because... he's annoying." Marinette's face warmed.
"I pay attention to people!"
"Of course you do."
"Tikki!"
Tikki laughed as Marinette threw the pillow over her face.
"This is ridiculous," Marinette mumbled into the fabric. "I don't like him."
"I didn't say you did."
"Good."
"I just said you don't hate him."
A long silence.
Marinette slowly lowered the pillow.
"...He's still annoying."
Tikki smiled.
"I believe you."
Marinette frowned at her.
Somehow, she had a feeling Tikki absolutely did not believe her.
And then-
BOOM.
Something happened outside.