Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Marinette was walking along the beach.

The night was young, but the stars have already filled the night sky. It was getting dark very quickly here.

Marinette just needed to think about how to behave herself in a current situation.

When they decided to come to rest at Adrien’s family summer house for a few days, the company was suppose to consist only of four of them: Alya, Nino, Adrien and her — Marinette.

She dreamed for hours and even days spent with Adrien the whole week before the trip. What a sea of opportunities it could provide to her!

And why would Gabriel insist that they take Chloe with them?!

Now the first day was already over, and Marinette didn’t even have a minute of alone time with her just-a-friend-whom-she-wanted-to-be-more!

Alya was chaterring with Nino all the time today. She was very excited to be here, and it seemed she totally forgot she was suppose to help Marinette to win Adrien. And Marinette didn’t want to annoy the happy couple.

And Chloe... though she wasn’t as rude to Marinette as she used to be, but she was constantly hanging around Adrien, so that Marinette didn’t have an opportunity to implement her plans the whole day.

Or maybe she had...

Marinette saw a figure sitting on the edge of the pier with their legs dangling down, looking at the water. The Moon was bright and she could easily recognize Adrien’s blond hair tousled from swimming.

She thought that everyone have already went to sleep when she was leaving the house. But it looked like he left before her. And this was perfect — her opportunity to spend some time with him — just the two of them!

Marinette sighed resolutely and headed for the pier. Alya would be proud of her.

“May I join you?” Marinette asked softly, standing next to him.

Adrien turned sharply to her with a look of surprise on his face. He clearly didn’t hear her steps because of the noise from the waves.

“Uhhh...” Adrien was narrowing his eyes at her.

Marinette couldn’t see his face well enough to understand, why was he thinking for so long. Maybe he wanted to be along and she was disturbing him?

“Sure.” He said finally, and returned his gaze to the sea.

Marinette sat next to him. She hoped she wasn’t to invasive or anything like that.

“Tonight is really warm.” She said. They were both turned towards the water, and it was easier for Marinette to speak. “Even with the sound of the waves, the wind and the spray of the surf, this place seems so peaceful.” She sighed.

“It’s like a conversation with a see, that you really don’t mind to have.” He agreed thoughtfully. “The sea always speaks without interrupting or interfering with your thoughts. Kind of an ideal partner for a dialogue.”

Marinette turned too look at him. She never heard such deep philosophical reasoning from Adrien before. It felt different tonight. Like he was opening to her without really opening.

And it felt good. As if she could be open as well without turning herself inside out because of her feelings for him.

For a while they were just sitting in silence and looking at the sea.

“Whenever I come here, I feel like myself.” Adrien said thoughtfully, without turning to her. “No pressure, no boundaries, no city noise.”

“Yeah.” Marinette sighed again. She knew how much pressure Adrien’s father was putting on him. “It’s good to relax for once and just to... exist.” She said, feeling grateful to the night for being able to share this peaceful moment with him.

“When I was a kid, we used to come here with my mother, my aunt and my cousin.” Adrien said after a bit of silence. “We used to spend a lot of time here, on this beach.”

Marinette was listening attentively, afraid to ruin the moment. She knew that his mother had disappeared several years ago. Adrien rarely mentioned her, and usually with sadness. Tonight he seemed more in thought then sad though.

“My mother told us a lot of stories. One of them was repeated especially often.

“You miss her, don’t you?” Marinette asked.

“Uhhh...” Adrien turned his head to look at her. He knitted his brows as if was looking for something on her face, as if trying to read her expression.

Marinette understood her mistake immediately. It must be a painful topic for him, and she was destroying this special atmosphere they had. He is probably thinking, why would she ask him such an obvious question...

“So what was that story about?” She asked, trying to change the subject and hopefully restore that warm freeing mood they had just now.

Adrien looked at her for another moment, then turned back to the sea.

“It was a legend.” He said. “About one soul divided in two.”

“Can you tell me the story?” She asked, not sure if she was going overboard again.

He turned to look at Marinette again and opened his mouth as if about to say something. But when their eyes met, he seemed to change his mind.

“Sure.” He said at the end, and closed his eyes, slowly turning to face the sea again. He sighed and began to speak.

“An ancient legend says that long ago
A loving couple used to share one soul.
God watched them over but got either bored,
Or drunk, or moody. So he took his sword
And played an evil trick just for a laugh:
Each soul was mercilessly sliced in half.”

His words sounded slow and profound, making the old story seem like it was coming from the deep past.

“He tossed out bleeding halves around the globe...
Then, satisfied, put on his sleeping robe,
And went to bed under the Heaven’s dome
Just leaving poor men’s souls to bleed and roam.”

Marinette was listening with her lips parted. Adrien opened his eyes and continued, looking far away.

“Since then, the orphaned halves have roamed the land
So desperate to hold their true love’s hand.
Yet, husbands search for wives to no avail
Pursuing what turns out a false trail.
So do the wives. Despite the endless tries
The longing halves remain unrecognized.
How can that only matching one be found?
Where should one look? They’re scattered all around!..”

He paused, as if to wait for an answer to those questions. But only the waves were whispering around them.

“So that’s the fun the mocking God has had.”

Adrien went on with a sigh, as if he felt the same pain, that was being described in the story.

“The yearning halves keep choosing wrong and bad.
Their tenderness is doomed right from the start;
As soon as they connect, they fall apart.
Can’t stay united and end up detached,
For they are strangers, utterly mismatched.”

This time he fell silent for a long time. And just when Marinette thought the sad story was over, he looked up at the stars and resumed speaking.

“However, when a soul that once was one
Succeeds in overcoming what‘s been done,
Its pieces following the proper way
To find each other, merge... So will they stay.
Together. Happy. Flawlessly united.
Free of God’s power. Perfectly delighted.”

Marinette was looking at him with her mouth open, feeling goosebumps running down her spine. It probably wasn’t even about the story, but the way he told it. So sensual and heartfelt his voice sounded. Marinette never heard him speak like that.

Turned out this trip really was an opportunity to know Adrien from a new side.

This Adrien seemed so much deeper, as if he had been replaced. And although Marinette was already crushing on the sweet and nice, light and always smiling Adrien, she fell in love with him again tonight, with this deep and mysterious, profound and brooding Adrien.

“Wow.” She finally said. “This is... amazing.”

“Well,” he smirked. “If you believe in this kind of stuff, I guess it is.”

“Don’t you?” Marinette raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I guess I believed it once.” Adrien sighed, and looked away. “But not anymore.”

“This is sad.” Marinette commented. “But it’s still fixable.” She smiled slyly, then an evil grin spread on her face. “To make you believe again, I just need to shake you up a little.” Marinette said, and before Adrien could understand her plan, she pushed him to the water.

She didn’t even know, where she found the courage to do that, but she didn’t have much time to be proud of herself...

Adrien’s eyes went wide, but before falling from the pier, he grabbed her hand, so they end up in the water together.

The shore was close and it was shallow in that place, so Marinette didn’t worry about their safety. She knew that Adrien was an excellent swimmer and she moved well in the water herself.

“Hey!” She protested playfully, splashing water at him. “It was you who needed shaking, not me!”

“What gentleman would I be, if I left you along on the pier at such a beautiful night!” He laughed splashing water at her.

“Oh, I see then. So it was a gentlemanly behavior?!” Marinette was giggling in the water.

“At its best, indeed.” He was smiling back.

They were joking and laughing, slowly moving towards the beach.

Chapter Text

Marinette went out of the water and sat on the sand, facing the sea. She wore shorts and a thin top, and felt a little fresh in a light night breeze.

“It’s better to lay down on the send, if you don’t want to get sick.” Adrien suggested, laying on his back next to her. “The sand is still warm.”

Marinette followed his advise, and immediately felt the heat of the sun-warmed sand hugging her back.

They were staring at the stars in silence for a while.

“My mom used to sing this song to me when I was little.” Marinette said finally. “It kind of has a similar idea to the story you told me.”

“Can I hear it?” Adrien asked, turning to her.

He lay down on his side, leaned on his elbow, and put his head on his palm.

“I think I can remember the words.” Marinette said, still looking at the stars.

She felt so relaxed now, she never felt like this with Adrien before. Maybe it was because he was a little different tonight as well, or maybe because she was just tired after a long eventful day.

But tonight was perfect. She herself wouldn’t be able to think through her first date-like time with Adrien better. So natural and peaceful, warm and freeing it was.

“Don’t make me sing though.” She added. And closed her eyes to remember the words better.

“When, after all, the great deluge was over,
The seas came back within their coastal lines,
Out of the foam of the receding water
The love came out softly to the land.
And, for some time, it faded in the air,
And lasted for an eon and some then.”

“And some eccentrics that still do exist
Inhale with their full lungs that crazy mix,
Expecting neither scolding nor reward,
And thinking they are free to breath it in
They realize one day that they fit in
Somebody else's intermittent breathing.”

“But remember: a feeling's like a boat
It's afloat until you realize:
That the words "I love" mean simply that
"I can breathe" and "I am still alive".”

Marinette sighed. She opened her eyes, thinking about the words she just said. Tonight it felt as if she was really breathing in time with his breathing. As if Adrien, who used to be a distant ideal image for her, today was close and real.

Today she could talk to him without stammering, not being afraid of what he would think of her. What was so different between them tonight? She thought, and started to speak again.

“There will be plenty of despair and roaming.
The land of love is the most noble land.
The knights of love will have to go through testing
With ever higher standards and demands.
They will be separated by a distance,
Devoid of leisure, sleep without rest.”

“But nothing in the world can turn them back.
Those madmen do agree to pay it back,
Pay any price, their lives won't be excepted
In order to preserve and to protect
Some indiscernible and magic thread
Which love between them now has extended.”

“Wind and snow swept them off their feet,
Made them drunk and raised them from the dead.
'Cause remember you have neither lived,
Nor have breathed, if you have never loved.”

Marinette silenced and finally turned to look at Adrien. His face seemed soft and open, more then it usually was. Their eyes met, and for a moment she thought she saw in his eyes that he never stopped believing in love.

Why would he even say that? She saw his poem once, so she knew it wasn’t true.

But tonight it felt like there was a different Adrien next to her. Marinette felt like he really thought he stopped believing in love at some point. But now that his eyes were so open and deep, Marinette felt like she could drown in their splendor, reflecting the moonlight.

She looked at his slightly parted lips, and turned away, as her breathing got deeper, and she was afraid to let him notice it. Marinette was afraid to misinterpret and spoil the moment. They were so close now, by every meaning, but... what if Adrien didn’t want to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him right now?

Marinette thought she herd him swallowing. But again, maybe it was just thoughtful thinking? Better to go back to the house now and leave the night on a high spot. She could go on winning Adrien’s heart tomorrow.

Marinette raised herself on her elbows and looked at the water before leaving.

“So.” Adrien cleared his throat. “Are you resting here with your friends?” He asked.

Marinette looked at him for a moment. Was it some sort of a joke?

“Ha-ha! Very funny.” She replied and stood up.

She smiled at him softly, then bent down a little to run her fingers through his hair playfully. Tonight she felt like she could do that.

She thought she saw him closing his eyes on her touch, but wasn’t sure, as her moon-shadow was falling at his face.

“See you tomorrow.” Marinette said. straitening up, and blow him a kiss before heading towards the house.

*

When he was going to the summer house, he didn’t expect anything special to happen.

It just got dark, and Felix was tired after the road, and, honestly, he wanted just to rest already. But when he saw the familiar beach, he felt like all the tiredness left his body.

They used to come here with Adrien and their moms, leave the luggage right there on the sand before even entering the house, and run to the water immediately. They would swim, then run along the pier, then swim again, until their moms would get them out of the sea to feed them.

So that was what he did, skipping the running part though.

Felix left his luggage at the sand and removed his clothes. It wasn’t like someone would even see in the dark he was gonna swim in his boxers.

He scattered and dived, swam to the end of the pier and back, then went to the pier and sat on the edge, watching the sea.

Then she came.

The girl appeared next to him out of nowhere. She asked to sit next to him, and though Felix was a little surprised, he didn’t find any argument to refuse.

They were talking about the sea, and the beach. He mentioned coming here with his family as a child.

For some reason, it was easy for Felix to talk to this girl. Maybe because the city was left behind, with all its responsibilities and the need to restrain his emotions and constantly control them.

Maybe because he didn’t know her and wasn’t pressed by any past nor future. And it made the present moment of their interaction simple and perfect.

She asked about his mom, and while he was trying to figure out, why — maybe it was some particular topic for her? — she asked about the legend instead.

The girl wanted him to tell her the legend, and he was gonna refuse her request, but then again, what could be the harm in just talking to a stranger — a beautiful and mysterious stranger — about old legends?

So he told the story.

“Wow.” She said. “This is... amazing.”

“Well,” he smirked. “If you believe in this kind of stuff, I guess it is.”

“Don’t you?” There was surprise and hope in her eyes, so instead of just saying a simple ‘no’, he explained: “I guess I believed it once, but not anymore.”

“This is sad, but it’s still fixable.” Felix saw a sly smile forming on her face, but wasn’t sure, what to expect. “To make you believe again, I just need to shake you up a little.” And before he knew he was in the water, and only managed to bring the attacker with him.

What she did was new, refreshing, and... fun. Felix used to be seen following the social rules, except the cases when his goals didn’t stand at the same direction...

But no one he knew would dare to drop him from a pier to the sea.

He liked it.

They were joking, and laughing, splashing the water at each other, and he felt alive, like the times he was coming to this beach before. Then they were staring at the stars and she told him a story herself.

Felix was watching the girl speaking with his bated breath. He saw the Moon outlining her soft features, the wind playing with the dried strands of her hair, he herd how tender her voice sounded.

How deep and piercing her words were entering his mind! She still believed. Believed in what she was talking about. Listening to her, Felix thought that maybe he himself could believe in love again, if this girl would talk about it more, and more...

Or maybe this one time was enough?

And if at first it didn’t matter to him who she was and where she was from — it was warm and comfortable just the way it was, but now...

Now it seemed to him that Felix himself had been chained to her with the invisible thread that she was talking about. As if now from her every breath he felt how the thread was being pulled, and it made his heart yearning for her.

Like every word of that song was about him now. And oh how much he wanted to kiss her at the moment she turned to him!.. Against his all internal rules and walls.

And although it was comfortable and easy to talk to her at the beginning, because Felix thought that they would never see each other again, but now he wanted to see her. He wanted to know, who she was, and how to find her. So he asked if she was resting here with her friends.

“Ha-ha.” She said. “Very funny!” Then she stood up and brushed his hair, which was another daring movement, that Felix normally wouldn’t allow. But this time his body leaned towards her touch against his will, and his eyes closed in pleasure.

“See you tomorrow.” She said, and blow him a kiss. And his heart just stopped. Felix’s brain stopped functioning at the same moment, and when he finally came back to his senses, she was nowhere to be seen.

Felix blinked, trying to figure out if it all have actually happen to him.

Then he stood up, found his luggage, and went towards the summer house.

Chapter Text

“Morning, Marinette!” Adrien called in his usual cheerful voice, when she entered the kitchen the next day.

He was along.

Adrien probably used to wake up early for his intense schedule. And Marinette would be still sleeping instead, as the rest of their company did, but she was too excited after what happened the previous night, so her eyes fell open with the first rays of dawn, and she could no longer fall asleep.

Adrien was smiling at her with his perfect flawless smile, like he was a cover of the magazine again, hiding the real person behind, and making her feel all her imperfections.

Marinette was missing the deep and thoughtful Adrien already.

Which made her think about...

“Morning, Adrien.” She responded with a soft smile. “I wanted to tell you... yesterday night was perfect.”

“I’m very glad to hear it, Mari!” He smiled with contentment, but more like a happy host then a boy who spent a romantic evening with a girl. “I hoped you guys would like in here.” He said. “So, what did you do yesterday night?”

“Ummm... swimming?” Didn’t Adrien want to talk about their night together? “Watching the stars on the beach?”

“Marinette, you should know better.” He frowned at her. “It isn’t safe to swim alone in the night.”

“But I wasn’t along.” She protested, not understanding what was it all about. “I... we...”

The door to the kitchen cracked open.

“Hey, Felix!” Adrien called, turning to face the newcomer. “Sorry again for occupying your room... I didn’t know you were coming as well and we had one extra person with us, and Chloe refused to cooperate, you know how she is. So I asked to prepare your room for Mari...”

“I already told you last night it was fine.” Felix’s hair were still wet after a morning shower, so Marinette wouldn’t see the difference between him and Adrien if the last one wouldn’t call his cousin by name. “I can stay in my mom’s room, while you and your friends...” Felix turned his head towards Marinette and stopped talking.

For a moment their eyes met, and it clicked. It was Felix yesterday at the beach with her. Telling her a legend about love and splashing water at her.

Felix. Not her Adrien!

“You!” She exclaimed, still shocked by her discovery.

“You?!” He exclaimed with the same surprised tone as Marinette, probably recalling yesterday’s events as well. Then another wave of recognition ran over his face. “The I-love-you girl.” He said much quieter.

“Don’t you dare!” Marinette barked at him.

Not only did this evil person pretend to be Adrien again! He tried to kiss her as Adrien the first time, deleted the video with her confession to Adrien, and now he would also tell the real Adrien about her feelings at the most inopportune moment for it!

“Whatever.” Felix’s face became a cold stony grimace, nothing to do with a deep and freeing expression she saw yesterday.

He turned around and went out of the kitchen.

“What was that all about?” Adrien raised his eyebrows at her in surprise.

“I think I need more sleep.” Marinette replied, and went out of the kitchen as well.

She needed time to think how to deal with the situation. Again.

*

Marinette was walking there and back in her room, and Tikki was floating in the air, looking at her in silence.

No. It wasn’t HER room, Marinette thought. It wasn’t even another guest room, because Chloe refused to live in a room with someone else’s personal belongings in it, so she took the last guest room.

And as a result Marinette was sleeping in Felix’s room.

She didn’t mind and didn’t pay much attention to the fact, as it wasn’t that important where to leave, as long as she could spend time with her friends, especially with Adrien.

Plus Marinette didn’t take too many clothes with her, so she didn’t need a hundred of empty shelfs like Chloe. And it was totally fine.

But now...

Now from an unpleasant, but distant memory Felix became her nightmare! To think! He tricked her the same way twice! And this second time was so... so...

A gentle knock at the door pulled her out of her angry thoughts. Tikki went on hiding at once, and Marinette opened the door.

It was Felix.

“What do you want?” She asked grumpily, crossing her hands on her chest.

“I need to take something from my room.” Felix’s tone was restrained and even.

If he reacted somehow to her unwelcoming words internally, he didn’t show it. And it pissed her off even more. How could he be so calm after destroying her perfect night with Adrien?!

Marinette made a step away, silently letting him in, but her face remained harsh.

Felix went in and opened few drawers knowingly, collecting something that looked like diving equipment.

Marinette was watching his movements curiously. She was trying to find some flaws in him, see some big difference between him and Adrien for not getting in the same trap again. But all she could see in his movements were skillful actions of the expert.

Marinette shook her head. There must be something! He is an ‘enemy’ after all.

Felix took some sort of camera, and finally moved towards the door, but turned back to her before leaving.

“I didn’t know it was you on the beach yesterday.” He said.

“Right. Like i’d believe you!” Marinette wasn’t yelling, but her voice showed she was still angry. “It wasn’t the first time you were pretending to be Adrien.”

“I wasn’t pre...” Felix started, but then he cut himself off. “You know what? Forget about it.” He said with a counter anger. Then he went out, slamming the door behind him.

“Do you think he really didn’t know, Tikki?” The girl asked when Felix left.

“I don’t know, Marinette, I was sleeping here that evening.” Tikki went out of the hiding. “But he never actually met you as Marinette before, right?”

“Only as Ladybug.” Marinette agreed. “But he saw my video for Adrien!”

“It could’ve been dark enough for him not to be able to recognize you, Marinette. Especially that he saw you on a small screen of a phone a long time ago.” Tikki reasoned. “Did you call him by Adrien’s name yesterday?”

“I don’t think I did.” Marinette thought a little. “I just assumed it was him.”

“Did he say something specifically to make you think he was Adrien?” Tikki suggested.

“Now that you’ve asked me, I can’t recall anything like that.” Marinette thought again. “He said about his mom, and aunt, and cousin, but now that I think about it — both Adrien and Felix could say it in the same way, and it would be true...” Then she remembered something. “That’s why he was looking at me like that when I asked about his mom. He probably couldn’t understand why... But then again, why would he say all that to me if he thought I was a stranger? Agreed to tell me the legend?”

“Maybe he was just trying to be nice?” Tikki reasoned.

“Right, cause nice — is what Felix did last time we’ve met him — akumatizing my friends, making a deal with Hawk Moth and trying to kiss me!” Marinette still wasn’t convinced.

“You only met him once before, Marinette, it might be not enough to make a solid opinion on a person.”

“Maybe you are right, Tikki.” The girl sighed. “And now I think he didn’t actually know me at that moment. Because why would he ask me if I’m resting here with my friends?” Marinette sat on the bed. “I was so convinced it was Adrien, that I thought he was joking. But it seems so obvious now.” She sighed again. “Maybe I was too harsh with him then... but he pretended to be Adrien that other time! He even tried to kiss me! So he deserved what he’d got!”

“If you say so, Marinette.” Tikki had a kind, but skeptical expression on her face.

“I know what you’re thinking, Tikki, I’m still mad. But I just can't believe, that the best night of my life was spent with Felix.”

Chapter Text

Of course it couldn’t be real!

How could he even let himself believe in the idea of some perfect mysterious girl to exist. One that would be bold enough to violate his boundaries in the way he would like it. One that would be deep enough to understand the silence as much as the words. One that would appear from nowhere, wake his heart up and then vanish in the air after blowing him a kiss.

Of course something was wrong in this whole concept, and his cold rational brain mast have tell him about it! But Felix was so glad just to be here, to relax and listen to the sea... He just missed the moment when he made the wrong choice.

And of course she was just one of Adrien’s fan-girls!

Even in London he met them all the time. He changed his hair style and the clothes he was wearing, just to look different from his cousin.

But how one mast protect himself from being confused for another one almost without clothes and after just swimming?

Of course Felix had been using their similarities with Adrien in his favor before. They both used to wear each other clothes to pull some pranks on their relatives, until after one of them Gabriel forbade Adrien from doing it.

But no one said Felix couldn’t use the trick again and again, right?

He liked when it worked, but only when it was by his own choice. Because when Adrien started modeling and the girls started to confuse Felix with him, it was frustrating.

He didn’t envy to his cousin. Felix knew that Adrien didn’t really enjoy it much, doing it mostly for his father.

So he was more annoyed by the fact that those girls had no respect of personal space, as well as his personality in general. Some of them even knew he wasn’t Adrien and wanted a picture with him anyway, just to lie to their friends.

So Felix did everything not to be confused with Adrien again. He had enough of people making him believe he wasn’t important by himself, but only for his similarities to the model boy. Like his own thoughts and feelings weren’t something that mattered.

And the I-love-you girl was another example of them. One that have sent her confession to his cousin, and was nice and dreamy with Felix while she thought he was Adrien. And didn’t even wanted to listen to him after she got to know he wasn’t.

But now that he knew, he won’t let it happen again.

Something, — Felix’s rational mind? — was telling he should leave the house. Just come another time, and make sure non of Adrien’s fan-girls are sleeping in his room...

But he didn’t want to waist the whole trip from London to just return in one day. He could avoid their company. There were a lot of things he loved to do while spending time in summer house that didn’t involve the house itself. Like diving and underwater photography — it could easily take the whole day in a good wether.

So that was what he was going to do. And not think about unreal night with unreal girl, that doesn’t even exist.

*

Marinette wasn’t enjoying the time with her friends today. And it wasn’t even because of Chloe.

In fact, she was glad for once that Chloe was here, because she kept everyone distracted with her constant speeches and wishes.

Because Marinette didn’t want anyone to notice that she wasn’t happy. Alya would ask her questions until she told her everything, and Marinette wasn’t ready to share her stupid mistake with her friend. Alya wouldn’t be as polite and patient with her as Tikki was. And Marinette didn’t want to have her butt kicked for it.

Nino would notice and tell Alya about sad Marinette, and then see point 1 again. Adrien wouldn’t be happy to know someone wasn’t enjoying the time spent in his mother’s house, or even worse, he would find out she was sad because of Felix and think Marinette liked him or something.

Which Marinette absolutely wasn’t!

But she thought she was really rude to Felix without a reason, well not reason from his side that is. And she was leaving in his house, and he didn’t even mind her occupying his room. Well, not her exactly, but the thing was, he was kind of a host here as well, and even tried to clarify the situation she created by herself.

So now she felt bad for making all this mess, and that she couldn’t even apologize to him and forget about it already, because she didn’t see Felix the whole day after he went out of her room.

Her friends were swimming a lot, discussing some plans for the next days — to visit some special grotto, that you can only go by narrow boats, to see some beautiful view opening from a mountain you have to clime first, and something else.

But Marinette was thinking how to find Felix’s room without asking, so she could apologize to him and concentrate on winning Adrien again.

“Hey, Marinette!” Alya shook her slightly. “Wake up! Do you prefer beaf or chicken?” She asked, looked like it wasn’t the first time she did.

“Pardon me?” Marinette understood that she fell out of the conversation and couldn’t fit the question into the whole picture.

“Today’s picnic? On the sunset? On the beach?” Alya said, and Marinette saw everyone looking at her, even Chloe. “Were you sleeping just now?”

“I think Marinette really didn’t sleep enough tonight.” Adrien said softly with care in his voice. “Right, Mari?”

“Sorry, I...” Marinette looked at her friends. They were sitting or laying on the send around and looking at her attentively. “Chicken.” She finally said with a sigh.

Everyone began laughing.

“Hey, Felix!” Adrien called, waving to the approaching figure. “We are having sunset-picnic on the beach soon. Wanna join?”

Marinette saw Felix at a glimpse as he was coming from the opposite of the house side, carrying a sport bag over shoulder. His hair was tousled again, so he mast have been swimming (diving?) somewhere else.

But Marinette didn’t want to look at him directly, because she liked the idea of him joining the company — it could give her an opportunity to apologize without looking for his room. But Felix could refuse just because she was rude to him, so it was better not to remind about herself.

“Come on, Felikins!” Chloe started to wave at him while talking. “You have to join us! How long haven’t we seen each other?! I was so excited when Adrikins told me you were here, and I couldn’t find you anywhere!” Chloe silenced for a moment. Felix probably nodded to her, as she started to make noise again. “Great! We’re gonna be here in an hour. We’ll arrange barbecues and a fire.”

When Felix left towards the house, Alya turned to Adrien.

“Is it really necessary?” She asked. “I mean, he is your cousin and all. But he was so mean to you and to us, deleting our message to you and getting us akamatized.”

Marinette thought enough about it, so she spoke before Adrien had a chance.

“Alya, I don’t think it is even fair to make Adrien choose between his friends and his cousin.” She reasoned, trying to hide her personal interest in the subject. “We are resting in his house, which Felix’s house as well. The least we can do is to invite him to join us.”

“I didn’t think about it that way.” Alya agreed. “Sorry, Adrien.”

“Wow, Dupan-Cheng, you impressed me.” Said Chloe. “I was gonna say it was their own fault that they got akumatized. Felikins’s pranks are stupid sometimes, but he can be a lot of fun too.”

“Which wasn’t my point exactly...” Marinette noticed.

“Thank you, Marinette.” Adrien smiled softly at her. “This was very nice of you. I honestly was worried you wouldn’t get along, cause you weren’t happy to see each other this morning...” And there was a topic she wanted to avoid, as Alya would start asking immediately.

“Why would you think so?! Haha!” Marinette jumped from her place. “So, shouldn’t we go and prepare for the picnic already? Order the food, get some wood for the fire and all?”

“Now you’re talking, dude!” Nino picked up.

And everyone got up and moved toward the house, chattering and sharing areas of responsibility for the night.

Chapter Text

It was already dark when they finished frying meat, making the fire and eating. And now everyone was gathered around the fire, sitting on the blankets on the beach.

Nino was laying, putting his head on Alya’s knees. Marinette was sitting next to Alya on the other side from Nino. After her was Chloe, probably just to make sure Mari wouldn’t sit beside Adrien, Marinette thought. Then was Adrien, and Felix between him and Nino.

Marinette didn’t find a way to talk to Felix during the cooking and eating part of the picnic so that no one would notice it. It was almost like he was avoiding being along with her. Which he probably did, after she accused him in what was her own mistake. He never even looked at her direction the whole evening.

But she was trying to fix it now, wasn’t she? Why was it so difficult? How do you apologize to someone without the love of your life and your best friend noticing it, when the person doesn’t even want to talk to you?

“When Felix and I were much younger, we used to come here with our moms.” Adrien said after a moment of common silence.

Marinette automatically looked at Felix. She already herd it from him, and it was just her natural reaction.

He looked at her for a second too, and she could see a glimpse of the same expression she saw at his face yesterday night, like he was remembering the same right now.

It was the first time their eyes met since she was rude to him this morning. And less then a day passed since then, but Marinette felt like much more time was missing between now and then.

Maybe because she was feeling worse and worse after her own actions. Or because she was thinking a lot about how to apologize to him today. Or maybe because she saw those other eyes again, not the cold once Felix was usually showing, but the once she saw the day before.

But the next second he was already looking away and Marinette wasn’t even sure if she saw it or not.

“They told us a lot of beautiful stories.” Adrien continued. “Romantic tails and legends. Too bad I don’t remember any of them.” He turned to Felix. “Hey, Fe, do you remember any?”

Everyone turned to look at Felix.

Marinette looked as well. Felix met her eyes again for a moment, and this time she could see the way his warm expression, probably brought by the memory, turned cold, right in front of her eyes.

“No.” He said, and looked at the sea. “I don’t.”

Marinette blinked. Why would he say that? It wasn’t news to her that Felix could lie easily. But why about this? Especially that he knew one person could call his lie. Or was it because of her? He didn’t want to tell the story, because Marinette was rude to him?

“That’s too bad.” Adrien said. “You always knew them better.”

“People change.” Felix said, not moving his eyes from the sea.

But he didn’t, Marinette thought. Or did he? She looked at the sea as well, thinking about what was real and what wasn’t from what Felix showed her the other night, while thinking she saw a stranger.

It was like they shared a secret now, without sharing it. And the secrets in Marinet’s life were ether miraculous-related, or Adrien-related. And this one was about Felix.

This was knew.

“Maybe.” Adrien sighed. “I remember you were better in poem writing as well.”

“That is personal information, Adrien.” Felix said through clenched teeth.

“Come on, Felix, we are among friends!” Adrien argued.

“Are you sharing with your friends whose pictures you’ve got all over your phone?” Felix’s voice was cold again.

“Hey!” Adrien exclaimed, looking between the girls, as to make sure they didn’t understand what Felix was talking about.

“That’s what I thought.” His cousin said and got up. “Good night.” He added, and went towards the house.

It was excellent moment to follow him and apologize, but Marinette was too crushed by the bomb Felix dropped before leaving.

Of course her pining was all in vain. Of course Adrien still liked someone else.

*

“Sorry again for yesterday.” Marinette herd snippet of Adrien’s conversation with Felix, when the two boys were coming closer to the rest of the company the next morning.

Adrien said they could visit that famous grotto today, but it was better to go in three boats, so he told everyone to wait on the shore and went to convince Felix to join them.

“Are you planning on apologizing every morning?” Felix said with annoyed voice. “I’m not a girl. And I’m not made of glass. I’ll be fine.”

“I take it as my apology being accepted.” Adrien smiled. “Thanks for agreeing to come with us the the grot.” Adrien was shining again. It’s great we have three guys to row for each boat.”

“I was gonna get there anyway one of those days.” Felix replied. “So, I’m taking Chloe, right?”

“Sorry, Felikins!” Chloe smiled artistically at him. “You know I love you, but I go with my Adrikins. You can take Dupain-Cheng.” She moved her head towards Marinette.

Felix followed her gesture quickly and sighed. Then he went to the boats without saying a word.

Marinette sighed too. From one side, she could finally apologize to Felix, as they will be kind of alone. From another side, Felix obviously was avoiding her and wasn’t happy about the idea to be paired with her.

And it was frustrating. Because, honestly, he was a bad guy here, and she just made one stupid mistake. Or two. But it’s not that she deserved that kind of treatment anyway.

*

The boats were very tight and only allowed two people on board, and on their way to the grotto Marinette understood why.

There were some places a wider boat just wouldn’t pass, and the technique needed to control such unstable boat was higher then she would be able to provide with her permanent clumsy-diagnoses.

The boats moved pretty close to one another, at least hers and Adrien’s, so on the way to the grotto she didn’t have an opportunity to start a personal conversation with Felix.

He was mostly silent, sometimes exchanging some technical comments with Adrien.

Nino and Alya were a little behind, moving in their own rhythm, but soon they all reached the place, which was beautiful grotto with huge crystals growing from the rocks, and a small lake in the middle.

Soft artificial lighting, coming from somewhere behind the crystals, was everywhere around the place, and made it possible to see the surrounding beauty without any difficulties.

Marinette was looking around, amazed, forgetting about her boy-related troubles and troubles in general. She was turning around to see all the crystals, when she met Felix’s eyes, who was still sitting in the boat in front of her.

His face was just like the one she saw when she turned to him on the beach after finishing her story. Profound and warm, the eyes of the person who could still believe that deep feelings could find him.

But Felix moved his eyes away so fast, she wouldn’t even know if she was mistaking again.

On their way back, Adrien’s and Nino’s boats were behind, Marinette wasn’t sure if Adrien wanted to instruct Nino better or Chloe wanted to make a selfy in front of some view.

But they would be back home soon, and it was a good moment for her to finally apologize.

“Why wouldn’t you say you remembered a story?” Marinette heard her own voice asking instead, when she opened her mouth for the planned mission.

Felix looked at her more sullenly then cold.

“Why would you care?” He asked finally.

Really? How did she hurt him with this simple question to get such a rude response?!

“Well I don’t!” She barked at him, trying to turn away from Felix with her whole body, which was a bad idea in such thin and unstable boat.

“Good!” Felix barked back, making too strong movement with paddles, hurting the stability of the boat even more.

“Fine!” Marinette wasn’t gonna stop first, she almost jumped on her place, making the water enter the swinging boat from a side.

“Hey, guys!” Adrien’s worried voice came from behind her. “Easy there! Are you trying to get yourselves drowned?”

It was true. The boat had a lot of water inside, and Felix had to move the paddles extra carefully to bring them safely to the shore.

Good that the trip was over, Marinette thought, jumping out of the boat. At least she won’t think about apologizing anymore.

Chapter Text

Marinette was sitting on the pier along.

Tonight she made sure everyone went to their rooms first, and she went to her room as well to make it look like she was sleeping too. She didn’t want any surprises tonight.

She wanted some one on one time with a sea. To Marinette’s annoyance, Felix was right about it — the sea was a perfect companion.

She waited for half an hour and went to the beach, and then to the pier. The Moon was almost full and the moon path was especially bright tonight.

Marinette closed her eyes and was listening the rustle of the waves, when she herd a soft voice next to her instead.

“May I join you?” The voice said, and she didn’t need to open her eyes to know whom it belonged to.

“I don’t see any signs here that would forbid you from doing it.” Marinette said with a sigh.

“I take it as a yes.” Felix said, and sat down next to her.

For some time they were sitting in silence. Then Felix sighed too.

“I guess it’s just too personal for me.” He said, answering the question he refused to answer on the boat, Marinette guessed. “I’m not one of those people who opens up to the others much.”

Marinette opened her eyes finally. She didn’t expect Felix to actually do it after the fight they had. Especially few hours later.

She turned to look at him.

Felix’s eyes were linked to the water like the way they were when she joined him two days ago.

“Why then?..” Marinette started. ‘You told me’ was left unspoken, because Marinette didn’t feel any need to finish the obvious question.

Felix was silent for a while. Then he sighed again.

“I don’t know.” He admitted.

Marinette turned back to the sea, and for a long time they could only hear the waves whispering in the moonlight.

Then Felix turned to her and did something unexpected. He took Marinette’s hand, and while she was confused and trying to figure out how to react, he said:

“This must work though.” And jumped into the water, pulling her along.

“What was that for?!” Marinette resented being at the sea, and splashed water at Felix with anger.

“Someone taught me this trick a couple of days ago.” Felix smirked at her, splashing the water back.

“Oh, really?!” Marinette wasn’t sure if it was more annoying or actually kind of fun. “Did they tell you how to use it?” A smile spread across her face against her will.

“I’m not sure I’ve got the whole concept clear.” Felix was smiling back. “But it suppose to solve some major life long internal issues.”

“And did it work?” Marinette smirked. She liked the way her shaking-a-little idea sounded in his terms — absurd, but genius.

“I’m not sure yet.” He smirked back. “But I can see it’s working this time.”

And Marinette knew it really was, as all her anger dissolved in salt water after two days of anxiety and tension.

It was refreshing. So, maybe she taught Felix well.

Marinette splashed water at Felix one more time and headed toward the beach.

She lay down on the send facing the sea, and lifted on her elbows to be able to see the water. Felix followed her and lay down on his stomach next to Marinette, placing his arms under his head and turning his face to her.

“The moon path looks amazing tonight.” Marinette sighed, relaxing. “There are some views you could just watch for hours.”

“There are.” Felix agreed, even he couldn’t see the same view from his position, Marinette thought.

The feeling Marinette had at that moment was almost surreal. This time she knew it was Felix next to her, but she felt the same freedom and calm joy, like the time she thought it was Adrien.

Due to that misunderstanding Felix somehow snack up into her perception of the reality the night she confused him with his cousin, and now Marinette didn’t know, who of the two was the reason of that warmth spreading through her chest.

To whom she should address those emotions that were filling her right now?

Marinette remembered the legend about a soul cut in two. She always thought that if soulmates existed, Adrien would be the one for her.

Why couldn’t she even talk to him properly then? Why didn’t she feel any boarders around herself when she was along with Felix, like this?

It was so confusing...

If you can’t open the door, Marinette remembered from some book, try to make a step back and look at it from the distance.

So she decided to forget all the names for now and give into this sense of peace and freedom here and now, that engulfed her under those stars, on this sand, next to this boy.

The boy next to her lifted himself and sat down, turning to the sea.

For some reason Marinette felt his movements with all her body, like her skin was watching him even Marinette herself wasn’t. This thought brought goosebumps on her back and made her shiver, or was it just the wind?

“You’re freezing.” He said, turning to Marinette, and she saw sand stuck on his right cheek, probably from when he was laying on the beach.

“There’s some sand on your face.” Marinette giggled and raised her hand to shake the sand off.

It was unconscious movement, that she didn’t even realized doing.

Marinette ran her hand over his cheek, and only the moment her skin touched his, she came to her senses. They both froze from the sensation of this touch, looking at each other.

Marinette felt the way her chest was tightening almost painfully from the will to move closer to him. Her mouth sucked in the air and froze open, as she was scared of such strong sensation.

She thought she saw the same sort of blissful horror in Felix’s eyes too, because yes, in that moment she clearly knew the boy’s name. And his name was Felix.

Marinette pulled her hand back.

“I...” She swallowed. “I should go to rest.”

She knew it didn’t matter what she was saying, because they both knew it was an excuse for her to run away.

Felix was looking at her in silence without blinking.

“See you tomorrow.” She added, and remembered, that those were the last words she said the other night before leaving.

Marinette got up and turned towards the house. She wanted to turn back and blow him a kiss the way she did the last time, but she forced herself not to. Instead Marinette just turned to see him for a moment.

Felix was still sitting in the same position, only his hand raised to the cheek she just touched.

Marinette’s hand was burning.

Chapter Text

“Hey, girl, what is happening with you today?” Alya asked when they came to Marinette’s room the next day after dinner.

Her friends and her were mostly relaxing on the sea today, but she didn’t see Felix since the previous night.

Which from one side was giving her time to process her feelings, but from another didn’t, because without actually seeing him, Marinette couldn’t figure if it was just in her head or between them.

And what about Adrien? Like someone turned a switch, and Marinette was fine to be next to him in the company of her friends. But was it her becoming brave with Adrien, or her surrendering her feelings for him?

“You almost didn’t say a word the whole day. So thoughtful and mysterious. Are you still upset because of your little fight with the evil twin?” Alya narrowed her eyes at Marinette. “What had even happened between you two? You nearly drowned yesterday. I mean, he is a jerk and all, but safety is first!”

“Says the one who runs with a camera after akumas.” Marinette commented, trying to give Alya another topic to discuss, but it didn’t really work.

“Yeah, well.” Alya smirked. “So spill it, girl, what’s up?”

“It’s nothing really.” Marinette lied. She wasn’t ready to tell the whole moonlight-dates story to her friend yet. “He just irritates me. It’s not even about him, you know?” Marinette sighed, she wasn’t sure what was the truth anymore. “Chloe’s here, and then Felix comes, and Adrien is obviously still in love with whomever he was before... I just thought, the time had passed, and he was along now, and...”

“Whoa whoa whoa, girl!” Alya waved her hand in the air. “You didn’t really believe that lying bastard, did you? He could say it just to...”

“Alya. Didn’t you see how Adrien reacted?!” For some reason Marinette found herself angry with her friend more because she was insulting Felix, — even he, probably, deserved it, — then because of Adrien liking somebody else. Perhaps she had already accepted this fact at some point. “It’s obvious that Felix was saying the truth this time. It’s not like he always lies, you know.”

“Peeeeelease.” Alya made a skeptical grimace. “Even when he says the truth, I’m sure, he only does it if it works in his favor.”

“I don’t know, Alya.” Marinette looked away. “I think he isn’t that simple. You can’t assume things like that without even knowing him.” Marinette’s face was thoughtful and dreamy. “I think he might be much deeper than he seems, or wants to show.”

Alya narrowed her eyes again, and gave her friend a long-studying look. “I can’t believe it, Mari!” She exclaimed. “Are you kidding me?!”

“Believe what?” Marinette woke up from her spacing out into the memory condition.

“Are you actually crushing on Mr. pretend-to-be-Adrien-and-akumatize-his-classmates?!” Alya was looking at her with wide open eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Marinette protested. “Why would you even think that?! Just because I said he didn’t lie this one time, it doesn’t mean that I like him!”

“Don’t worry girl.” Alya nodded knowingly with a sly smirk that made Marinette do exactly that — worrying. “I’ve got you.” She said and seemed to be in her own world of scheming already. “There is one proven tool to clarify what you really feel.” She said and stood up. “Come join me in a living room in ten minutes.”

And she left.

*

When Marinette came, everyone was already sitting in a circle on the soft rug. Even Chloe.

Even Felix.

‘How can this girl convince people to do, what she wants them to do, just like that?’ Marinette thought.

“Come, girl, we’re about to start!” Alya called for her.

There was only one free space in the circle — between Alya and Felix, so Marinette sat there and pressed her knees to her chest.

She immediately felt some nervous excitement and this weird feeling again, as if her skin was all tuned to follow Felix’s movements.

She didn’t remember to have the same feeling with Adrien. Maybe it was just because Marinette was usually spying on him during the photoshoots with her eyes, so her body didn’t need any additional type of perception.

Marinette found Adrien, sitting in front of her in the circle. Since when did she stop searching for him the first thing while entering the room? This new perceptions and emotions were... well, new.

“So, the rules are simple you all know them, so let’s just start.” Alya announced. “Chloe, you are first. For you there are Ladybug, me and Adrien.”

“I was gonna ask why do I have to start, but this is too good.” Chloe smirked. “So I can even get revenge on you for making me doing it. So, I obviously kill you, Cesaire. Hmmmm. I’ll mary Ladybug, sorry Adrikins, but she comes first! But I’ll f*ck you before that.” Chloe began to laugh on her own joke.

“Ok. Adrien.” Alya said. “Uhh... For you there are Chat Noir, Nino, and Mari.”

“I... uhhh, kill Chat Noir. Adrien said. “Ladybug will bring him back, so...” The nervous laughter escaped his lips. “I mary Nino.”

“Bro!” Nino cheered at him in support.

“Bro!” Adrien smiled at him. “And uhhh... I f*ck Mari?”

Marinette found herself less excited with the idea of having sex with Adrien then she would expect herself to be. Maybe it was because she’d prefer him to choose marry her, like it happened in her dreams. Or maybe because even the choice to f*ck her, the way he said it, sounded like a question. It was as if he didn’t want to even say it, or was he just shy?

They were 17 now — the age of first sexual experiences. Which could mean those words said in theory, could become true for any of them. So was it so impossible for Adrien to imagine them together?

Alya was right. This game made her rethink Adrien and her own obsession of him. Did she even ever have a chance with him?

But the game wasn’t over yet.

“Good for you, Agreste.” Alya said. “Even you must have known that Nino’s mine anyway, so no chance there. And Mari isn’t a girl for one night, so you had just lost your chance to mary the sweetest girl alive.” Though she sounded like she was joking, Marinette felt some truthful symbolism in her words. “So, anyway.” Alya turned to her. “Mari, for you there are Chloe, Felix and Shadow Moth.”

Marinette blinked at her friend with a really-Alya-?! expression on her face.

“Fine.” She sighed finally. “I obviously kill Shadow Moth. I... ummm...” She couldn’t marry Felix! It still sounded wrong to think about anyone else except for Adrien in these terms. Or was she lying to herself again?.. But it was better to go with an absurd situation anyway. “I mary Chloe... and... umm...” And she found herself trapped with her last choice. Was Alya scheming on her as well?!” I... uhhh... I f*ck Felix.” Marinette said, with every word sounding quieter and quieter, and swallowed.

Marinette was looking down at her knees, feeling her face burning. She remembered the way his skin felt under her touch, and felt her body tensed with awareness of Felix’s presence next to her.

At the corner of her eye she saw the way Felix’s hand tightened and his fingers dug into his thigh where they were resting. Did he get so angry at the idea of being intimate with her? Was it really so unpleasant for all the men of this family?!

“That’s my girl!” Alya picked up. “So, Felix, for you there are Queen Bee, Marinette and...”

“This is a stupid game!” Felix said and got up. He went towards the bedrooms without saying another word.

“Hey, Felikins!” Chloe called after him in an indignant voice. “That wasn’t fair!”

Alya was smiling. Marinette was slightly shaking. Felix was pissed. Adrien seemed deep in thought. Chloe looked annoyed. Nino wasn’t sure what was happening.

It looked like a perfect evening this far.

*

Felix slammed the door closed and fell on the bed with his face down. When did he stop controlling his emotions?! And why?

In the grotto among crystals in dim artificial lighting Marinette’s face was as mesmerizing as that night on the beach, and Felix forgot himself for a few minutes, admiring her.

It wasn’t his fault! She was just sitting right in front of him and naturally fell into his field of vision. Or could it be considered his fault that the light fell so well on her, illuminating her soft features?..

Then she suddenly looked at him and Felix woke up and reminded to himself, that the mysterious girl didn’t exist, only his cousin’s fan-girl did.

Felix was so angry with himself for allowing a couple of spotlights and an old cave to unsettle his perception, that when Marinette talked to him in the boat, — and even reminded him again how open he was that night, not realizing his mistake, — that he answered her rudely. And then got even more angry and almost knocked over the boat.

Later that day Felix decided he was too rude to her, as it was his own fault that he invented fairy tales about a wonderful stranger to himself.

Normally Adrien’s upset friend wouldn’t trouble his mind and conscience, but he couldn’t get this one out of his head.

That is why when he went to get some water from the kitchen that night and saw Marinette leaving the house, Felix followed her.

He wasn’t really sure why he was doing it, he wasn’t even sure what exactly was that what he was doing.

Maybe following her was becoming a habit?

Chapter Text

Felix sat next to Marinette on the pier, and for some time they were just sitting, talking quietly.

Probably he was trying to explain himself, although Felix wasn’t sure what exactly was coming out of his mouth. He only knew he wanted to stay next to her. Watch the water, knowing she was watching it as well, sitting right next to him.

They were sitting on the pier for some time, then an absurd idea came to Felix’s mind, and he decided to act in it before he could convince himself otherwise.

He dropped them both into sea. And it worked, as the night went on, following the scenario of their first meeting, with water splashing and laughing, and swimming to the beach, and laying on the sand under the stars.

“The moon path looks amazing.” She said. “There are some views you could just watch for hours.”

“There are.” Felix agreed, following alluring curves of her face, outlined by soft moonlight with his eyes.

She was so beautiful. Felix knew he only saw her this beautiful because he could feel her internal depth.

It was the way he felt. He needed to learn someone’s internal world first, to find it profound and alluring. Only then he could start seeing the internal beauty in their external features.

Usually he kept people far enough for his feelings to stay safe. But this girl kind of tricked him, destroying his protections with her boldness and her deep voice, saying a story about love in the air so softly, that Felix wanted to breathe that crazy mix as well.

Felix noticed her shaking.

“You’re freezing.” He said, thinking that the next time it would be a good idea to bring a few towels with him.

The next time? Was he planning on another date like this? Wait. It wasn’t even a date! It was just...

“There’s some sand on your face.” Marinette interrupted his thoughts.

And then she raised her hand and touched his face.

The way Felix’s body responded on her touch wasn’t anything he was ready to deal with. He felt hot electricity moving through his chest and down his stomach. He felt like all his muscles tensed and melted at the same time.

Felix was terrified. He was looking in her eyes, feeling the blood pulsating in his ears. Feeling the urge to pull her close, to press her body to his, to...

Marinette removed her hand sharply. Her eyes seemed as wide as his.

“I... I should go to rest.” She said, getting up. “See you tomorrow.”

Felix was looking at her, trying with all his strength to keep himself from stopping her and kissing her senseless. His hand found its way to the place Marinette had just touched by itself.

‘What the hell had just happen?!’ He thought, when she disappeared inside the house. This wasn’t his plan at all, even he didn’t know what his plan was. But it wasn’t this.

She. Was. In. Love. With. Adrien.

Why the hell did he follow her to that pier?!

Felix went home and couldn’t calm down for few more hours. When he woke up the next morning, Adrien and his friends have already had their breakfast and went to the beach.

Good. He needed time. Time to focus and get his feelings under control.

No. There weren’t any feelings. Why would he even use that word?! Only some jumpy emotions. And only because he came to the sea house and relaxed a little.

He just needed to get himself together. That’s all.

Felix spent half of the day diving again. And then, when he was back home and had an early dinner — in order to avoid meeting Adrien’s company — and went to rest in his room, he herd a knock at the door.

It was Alya, one of Adrien’s friends, who apparently was one of the girls that got akumatized because of his prank, and who hated him for it.

What did she need from him?

“Hey, Felix!” She said smiling.

That made him suspicious. Not even the smile itself, but the way she looked at him. Like she knew something about him that he didn’t know himself. That was frustrating.

“What do you want?” He asked coldly — better to let her know he wasn’t friendly. Maybe she would leave him along faster.

“We are going to play a game now in the living room.” She said, obviously ignoring his tone. This girl seemed... persistent. “I wanted to ask if you’d like to join us.” Felix opened his mouth for the ‘no’, but she went on before he could speak. “And before you refuse, I wanted to say that Marinette... uhh... we all missed your presence today, and hope to see you with us in five minutes.”

Then she turned and left without waiting for his answer.

For some reason Felix knew it wasn’t an accidental sleep up when she named Marinette specifically. It was almost like she knew it wouldn’t let him to refuse her offer.

But was her trick to work on him for real?

Felix sighed.

All day long he was trying to distract himself from the memories of the previous night, but the moment Alya said Marinette’s name, he knew it didn’t work.

He closed the door and went to the living room.

*

It all felt like a big set up.

When Felix joined the company, there was only one big empty spot in the circle, and two people missing — Marinette and him. So no matter where he’d sit, he would be next to the girl he was trying to get out of his head.

Trying and failing.

Felix choose to sit as far as possible from the ex-akuma girl, who seemed to jungle the show at the moment. Just in case.

Marinette came and set next to him, and Felix immediately felt his heartbeat getting faster and warm goosebumps running over his back.

He wasn’t listening particularly attentive to what the others were saying during the game. Felix knew the big idea and thought it was too dump to pay much attention.

He was more concentrated on his perception of the girl sitting next to him, and the ways to control it.

Until his name sounded in Marinette’s list to choose.

He thought the stupid game won’t touch his emotions, but when Marinette spoke, Felix felt his heart jumping even faster. As if her words really meant something. As if what she was saying had something to do with the reality.

“I f*ck Felix.” She almost whispered, and he felt the way his all body reacted on her words.

The picture that came to his mind was so clear, so overwhelming... Because he still remembered what only one touch of her hand could do to him!

And the idea of kissing her, pressing her close to him the way Felix already wanted.. Touching her, looking into her deep clouded eyes while their bodies would become one for the first time...

It was too much.

Felix didn’t expect to be turned on the way he was. He didn’t sine up for it! He already couldn’t deal with his own emotions, without this damn game confusing him even more!

He dug his fingers into his tight to bring himself back to his senses, before his body could show the results of his imagination to everyone in the room.

And when he herd Marinette’s name in the list of the choices picked up for him, Felix just ran away. He couldn’t stand more of this torture.

*

Felix needed to calm down. To think. And the sea was the best company in this case.

So he decided to go to the pier. And maybe she would come too. And they would just sit in silence there, like yesterday. And maybe he’d understand what he felt. And what she felt, and...

Felix opened the door to the corridor and froze, when he herd his name.

“What ever you say, girl.” First voice said behind the angle of the hallway. “But I saw the way you looked at Felix tonight.”

She did? Felix swallowed and kept his breath.

“You are mistaking, Alya.” The other voice responded much quieter, probably coming from inside the room. “I like Adrien. The fact they look alike doesn’t mean they are the same person.”

“That’s for sure.” Alya agreed. “Night, Mari.”

Felix closed his door.

He won’t lie to himself anymore. She only spent time with him because he looked like her beloved Adrien!

Why would he even think she was different from all those girls, that wanted a picture with Felix only because he looked like his cousin?

For once he let himself think that someone could except him just for what he was, and he’d got another Adrien’s fan-girl.

No. The sea could stay alone for a night. As well as Felix.

Chapter Text

“I like Adrien.” Marinette said when Alya accused her in liking Felix again. The fact they look alike doesn’t mean they are the same person.”

“That’s for sure.” Alya agreed, standing in the doorway. “Night, Mari.” She smiled and closed the door, leaving Marinette one on one with her thoughts.

Marinette knew she was lying, but she couldn’t just admit to her friend, who was with her through all her Adrien-related adventures, that she wanted another boy now!

Not before she was clear about her feelings with herself.

Marinette fell down on her bed, and Tikki didn’t even come out of her hiding spot, probably feeling her holder needed some time to think.

They were really close, but if Tikki would come out to talk, Marinette would have a reason to hide and/or suppress what she really felt in front of her quami. And Tikki knew it as well. So she gave her chosen some space for an internal conversation.

Marinette closed her eyes and saw Felix’s face. And though the face itself was almost the same she used to see, the feeling it was awakening inside her — wasn’t.

Her feeling for Adrien had this perfect shape, as perfect as Adrien himself. But it was a little distant and unreal at the same time. Like Adrien was for her.

It was like Marinette was dreaming about the dream, loving the idea of loving him.

Because how can you have a house, and three kids, and a pat hamster with someone you can’t even talk to?

So Adrien’s perfect smile never actually let her in, it was only giving her some empty hopes, while Adrien himself was dreaming about someone else.

And at the same time, for some strangest accedent, she had a look inside what was hidden behind Felix’s coldness. And it warmed her up instead. It felt comfortable and cozy. It felt enveloping and freeing. It felt like... home.

Felix was real. Like life itself.

Marinette’s life loved to make pranks on her, like sending Shadow Moth as a personal enemy, and letting her have the miraculous at the same time, giving her the powers to create and restore.

Felix irritated her with his bad habits, but the night they met on the pier, Marinette saw who he really was. It was like she knew his inside and outside now, both sides of him. So now she could understand why Felix acted the way he did.

Because he was broken with the same life. And it felt like that night Marinette could restore him from the inside with her powers that she didn’t actually use.

And it felt as if she was restored herself.

Always stuttering in front of the boy she liked before, now — because of that trick that life played on her — she just stopped.

Because next to Felix she felt free to be herself. Maybe because what ever she could do — bad or wrong, — Felix probably already did or would do even worse. So he wouldn’t judge her for it.

Not that Marinette knew about any of it that night, but her body and her heart felt it somehow.

And instead he was deep, and warm, and alive, and thoughtful, and...

And she wanted to kiss him.

And tonight while playing Alya’s tricky game, Marinette felt she wanted more then that.

She wanted him all: the deep and profound philosopher, the tricky bad boy, the hot guy sitting next to her on the beach under the moon, and looking at her like she was his lost half, and he was desperate to get them back together in a passionate kiss, so that God wouldn’t have any more power over them.

Marinette wanted that.

*

She went to the pier that night, hoping Felix would come as well. She wanted to understand her feelings to him better.

She stayed at the pier for a while, waiting for him on their unspoken date-spot. But he never showed.

Which maybe was for the best, as it gave her time to think about what she felt. Understand it better.

Now she could say that she didn’t expect for Adrien to come to the pier anymore.

She wanted Felix.

But the next day was hiding some new surprises that she didn’t expect.

Felix was silent during the breakfast. He didn’t look at her even once.

And then when the group decided to go climbing the mountains on the path that Adrien wanted to show them, Marinette heard his loud conversation with Felix.

“Hey, Fe, why don’t you come with us?” Adrien called. “It’s much safer to secure each other in pairs on that hill. Come on, it’ll be fun!”

“I’m not a part of your company, Adrien.” Felix’s voice was cold again, and seemed even harder then usual. “Pick another path that fits for singles. Or if you were planning on that one, you should’ve think about it before. It’s not my duty to keep a company to your friend every time she needs it.” Now he sounded even angry. “Didn’t you think I could have plans on my own?!”

“Ok, ok, Felix.” Adrien retreated. “Calm down. I know you love that place too, so I just figured...”

“You figured wrong!” Felix interrupted him rudely, and left.

Marinette felt the way her chest tightened and a lump rolled up to her throat. So he didn’t want to go with her. He really hated the idea of being next to her just like she thought yesterday, when he left them during the game...

Why would he join her on the pier then? Why spending time together with her?

This time he knew who she was. And they followed through all the other night scenario without agreeing. And Marinette thought it was like to make sure it was really happening between them.

But it looked like it was only to her.

*

Marinette followed her friends in silence.

When Adrien wanted to change the path for the one that was safe to go through one by one, she insisted not to. Because she didn’t want to let her friends suffer because of Felix.

So she was climbing along, as Chloe went with Adrien — nothing new there.

And when Marinette was trying to pass on some difficult place, her hand slide down and she felt the rope moving through her other hand fast, and the wall of rocks moving around, confusing her perception.

Then she felt acute pain in the temple, and everything went dark.

*

Marinette opened her eyes with a feeling of something cold at her temple.

She looked around the room. It was the one she was sleeping in at Adrien’s house.

“Does it hurt?” She heard, and turned to the voice.

Felix was holding something next to her head, looking at her with concern on his face.

“Why do you care?!” Marinette protested weakly, trying to move away from his hand and get up, but felt her head turning.

“You shouldn’t move!” Felix warned in a worried voice, grabbing her shoulders and trying to put her down again.

“Don’t touch me!” Marinette yelled at him, trying to free herself. “What are you doing in my room?! Where are my friends?!”

Felix recoiled as if scalded. Some strong emotion ran through his face, but Marinette’s vision was still a little blurry to recognize it.

“Fine.” He hissed through his teeth. Then took a deep breath and his face became cold and impenetrable. “The doctor is on his way.” He said.

And went out of the room.

Chapter Text

“You shouldn’t have talk to him like this.” Tikki said, floating in front of Marinette’s face.

“Why, Tikki?! If he would just come with us, it wouldn’t happen!” Marinette protested.

“You can’t be mad with a person only because he refused to do something he didn’t want to, Marinette.” Tikki reasoned. “It was your own choice to try the path without a pair. And you know people must take the full responsibility for how they choose to act.”

“You’re right, Tikki.” Marinette sighed. “Did I hit my head? How did I get here?”

“Yes. In fact, it was...” Tikki didn’t finish talking when the door cracked open, and she moved into hiding.

“Hey, girl!” Alya entered the room and sat on the bed next to Marinette. “You scared us all.” She shook her head. “Turns out your clumsiness isn’t the best fit for climbing.”

“What happened, Alya?” Marinette was trying to connect all her memories together. “I remember trying to make a move, then my hand slipped, and then...”

“And then you fell few miters down and stuck on the fixed rope, but it looks like you turned on your side while falling and hit your head here, near your temple.” Alya touched the place where Felix was holding the cold thing before. It hurt, so Marinette moved away a little. “I thought Felix was gonna put some ice on you.” Alya said, frowning.

“Why, Alya?” Marinette narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Why was he in my room? Why did you let him...”

“Woah, woah, girl.” Alya placed her hand at Marinette’s shoulder. “Calm down, you should rest now.”

“Alya, I won’t calm down until you tell me.” Marinette argued.

“Ok, just relax, deal?” Alya sighed. “Looks like your crush on the evil-boy is mutual.”

“What are you talking about?” The injured girl was blinking at her.

“Well, after you stuck, we were trying to go down to get you, but it was taking a long time, as our belay hitches were connected. And Felix came from nowhere, and he got to you faster, cause you were closer to the ground.” Alya took her phone out. “So he brought you down and then scolded Adrien, and then he took you back to the house. And his only expression was enough for us to understand he won’t let anyone near you.” She smiled. “He’s got it bad, girl. It was scary.”

“What are you...” Marinette stopped talking, because Alya put her phone in Marinette’s hands.

“Here. My report from the main event.” She winked. “Especially for you.”

Marinette saw Felix’s face contorted with anger and concern.

“What were you thinking letting her go that path along?!” He yelled.

The camera moved fast towards Adrien’s face, who looked guilty and concerned as well.

“A person can pass it alone, you know it.” He argued, but it seemed like he himself felt those words were too technical for the case. “I didn’t mean her to get hurt, she is my friend!” Adrien added.

“The person who was trained enough could do it!” Yelled Felix, not noticing the camera moving to him again. “Was she trained?!”

“No.” Alya showed Adrien again. “But the rope held her. It was blocked a miter over the ground and prevented her from crushing. She just hit her head on a rock a little.”

“The person in a pair would prevent her from falling at all!” It was Felix again. “Why would you go this path with not pared number?!”

“Mari insisted...” Alya was moving her camera there and back between them, like on unexpected interview. “She didn’t want us to miss the view because of her.”

“Because of her?!” Angry Felix yelled. “Because of her?! She could die!”

The camera moved lower, and Marinette saw Felix was holding her unconscious body on his hands bridal style this whole time. He turned and made a step away.

“Felix, where are you going? Let me carry her!” Adrien’s voice said behind the picture.

“No. Call the doctor.” Felix’s face was tensed and concerned. “I’ll take care of her.” He said, turning his head back to Marinette, and Alya moved somehow to capture his expression, when he looked down at the girl in his arms. “It’s all my fault.” He added more to himself.

Marinette felt a lump rolling up to her throat again. But this time it was because of undeniable pain shown on Felix’s face, when he was looking at her being hurt.

“I...” She swallowed, trying not to cry. “I yelled at him. I drove him out of the room.”

“It’s ok, girl, you got hurt, you didn’t know what was happening.” Alya sighed. “Never thought I’d say that. I love sunshine boy and all, but I'm on the evil side now.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Marinette looked at her, narrowing her eyes.

“It’s simple, girl.” Alya smiled. “I ship Felinette!”

*

Doctor went away after saying Marinette needed a little rest and she’d be fine soon. But she didn’t feel like staying in bed.

Marinette went out of her room and came face to face with Felix, who seemed passing by. She saw the way his face locked in cold when he saw her.

Felix made a step back.

“Why did you do it?!” Marinette asked more loud then she intended. Maybe even aggressive.

She was a little worn out after the trip, and the injury, and from her emotions jumping up and down those last few days.

Plus Marinette was mad at Felix for giving her so contradicting signals: being so open and deep, making her want him, then pushing her away.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you!” He barked back at her.

“Well how should one understand you if you don’t tell them anything?!” Marinette asked with annoyed and loud voice.

“Look who’s talking! The one who can’t even say about her feelings face to face, so she records it!” Felix crossed his hands on his chest.

“How can you even judge me for that?!” Marinette placed her hands on her hips. “You don’t even feel anything!” She said louder again.

“What do you know about my feelings?!” Felix was mirroring her angry tone.

“Your feelings?! You don’t have feelings!” Marinette yelled. She had enough of it. She turned around and went back to her room. “You don’t even believe in love!” She said turning back to him and slapped the door to his face.

But her victory was short, as Felix opened the door without knocking and entered the room with the same angry face.

Chapter Text

“Maybe I changed my mind!” Felix yelled and slammed the door behind him. “Maybe someone decided to drop me from the pier and to tell me love stories half of the night!”

“Why did you even listen to them, if it was so disgusting for you?!” Marinette didn’t even think about giving up her positions, even with him entering her territory.

“Maybe I liked to listen to your voice!” Felix yelled making a threatening step towards her.

“Maybe I liked to listen to yours too!” She yelled back, making an aggressive step towards him as well.

“Well maybe I wanted to kiss you that night!” He yelled almost to her face.

“Why would you want to kiss me if you don’t even like me?!” She asked with challenge in her voice.

“Maybe I felt that story was about me!” He responded still loud.

“Maybe I felt the same!” Marinette was looking into his eyes, losing the barriers she made between them with every word.

“Maybe I never wanted someone’s lips on mine more then yours.” Felix’s voice became deep and low, and Marinette felt the way her blood hit her temples and the air stuck in her throat.

“Maybe I wanted to kiss you too.” She said still challenging, but at that moment she felt that maybe winning this fight was easier via losing...

“Maybe I never stopped wanting that kiss.” He said and made another step, cutting the last space that separated them. “Maybe I want to kiss you right now.” His eyes were clouded, his lips parted.

Marinette was shaking from the feeling of his closeness, her chest was moving rapidly up and down.

“Well maybe... maybe...” Marinette grabbed his shirt and pulled Felix down to her.

His lips captured hers with readiness as the last thin wall between them was finally broken, and the waterfall of emotions washed over them. Marinette felt his strong hands squeezing her, pressing her body close to his, so close, but it still wasn’t enough.

As if she had just found a source of clean air and wanted to drink it all in. Or was it that crazy mix she already tasted with him the first night of moonlight?

Marinette’s senses were overwhelmed. It felt like the waves of delight and bliss were penetrating all her body. The whole world became one deep and heady sensation of his presence around her.

It seemed like Felix wanted to drink the whole of her as well. He was everywhere, hungrily kissing her lips, her cheeks, her eyes and nose, her chin and neck, coming back to her lips again.

And she responded his kisses with mutual excitement, seeking to explore his touch, diving into him with her skin, answering to him with her whole body.

Felix’s hands were pressing Marinette to him, sliding along her back and shoulders confidently and imperiously, like they were always there, like they belonged there.

The two teenagers were like two strong oppositely charged magnets, that you could keep on a distance, but once they stuck to one another, it was hard to separate them again. If at all possible.

Marinette didn’t know how long it lasted, and how did they end up on the bed, half-laying, and covering each other’s faces with slow soft kisses. It was so natural and so much wanted, so intense and so relaxing.

Who knew that behind the coldness of an enemy was hiding warm and tender lover?

What would happen the next moment, when the impulse would be over? When they separate and look in each other’s eyes again after those incredible sensations they have just shared? After tasting each other, after feeling whole for once?

Would it be awkward?

Marinette pulled away to look at Felix.

He was looking back at her with open and deep gaze, and she could see his depth — profound and unprotected. But there was no weakness in this openness, his internal core was still there.

Against her own expectations she smirked.

“What?” He asked.

“If someone would tell me a week ago I’d have Felix in my bed, I would kill them.” She admitted.

“Actually,” He smirked back. “This is my bed.”

“What can I say.” Marinette smiled, finding a comfortible place for her head on his chest. “I don’t mind sharing.”

All the tension of confusion and contradictions seemed to be melted away, and Marinette felt sudden tiredness falling on her along with relaxation.

The last thing she heard before falling asleep was the beating of his heart as Felix held her in his arms.

*

When Marinette woke up it was already dark outside.

She was alone in her room and for a moment the girl was wondering if it all actually had happened to her: the trip and the injury, and the fight with Felix, and...

“Are you feeling better, Marinette?” Tikki asked, showing herself to her chosen.

“So it did happen.” Marinette reasoned. “I feel... good, actually.” She smiled at her qwami. “Tikki... where is... uhh...”

“He left just before you woke up.” Tikki smiled with understanding. “I think you’ve found yourself someone special, haven’t you?”

“I think I have.” Marinette sighed with concern on her face. “Do you think he feels the same, Tikki?”

“I think you better ask him this question, Marinette.”

“I guess you’re right, as usual.” Marinette stood up. “I’ll go find the others.”

“You will find them on the beach.” Tikki suggested.

Marinette thanked her friend and went to the beach.

Adrien, Alya, Nino and Chloe were sitting on the sand around the fire. They welcomed her with questions and care. It turned out they talked to her doctor and decided to let her rest.

Marinette didn’t want to eat, so she joined the quiet evening conversation, placing herself on the sand between Alya and Chloe.

She just thought about what Felix was doing right now, when his figure came out from the house and moved towards them.

Marinette’s heart pounded in anticipation of his approach, her body ached with the need for his embrace.

Would he close himself from her again? — she wondered. Would he refuse to stay next to her? Would he brake her heart after just making her feel alive?..

*

“Hey, Fe!” Adrien greeted him, when Felix came closer to the company around fire. “We were discussing nice places around here.” Adrien’s voice was soft and welcoming. “Wanna join? There is some space between Nino and me.”

Felix looked around the company.

Of course he could join them as a regular person would, having some interest in here. Take things slow in order not to scare the girl off...

But he wasn’t a regular person. And Felix honestly was tired playing the cat-and-mouse game with Marinette.

This game was like a crazy rollercoaster, exciting and flurry, and made Felix feel alive. But the problem was the final destination: would he fly to the sky at the end of the road, or drown in the depth of the dark sea waters?

Would Marinette push him away in front of Adrien if Felix made his move right now? Then he would finally know for sure, that what was happening between them didn’t mean anything to her.

But at least everything would be finally clear. No misunderstandings. No false hopes. No empty dreams.

Felix wasn’t a person to hide and wait, to hope for impossible when it was impossible.

So he came close to Marinette and sat behind her, moving closer, until his chest was touching her back, and placed his arms over her belly, stretching his legs along hers.

Maybe it was too much for the beginning of a relationship even if they had it. But that was the way Felix functioned. High rates. All or nothing.

That was the way his life functioned.

To his surprise Marinette excepted his hug readily and leaned back at him, dropping her head on his chest. Felix felt the way her body relaxed on his. He felt the warmth spreading inside his chest, filling him with the sensation of continuity and completeness.

“Thanks. I’m good.” Felix replied finally, closing his eyes.

“Uhh...” Adrien blinked at them in surprise. “Did I miss something?” He asked.

“I just remembered the story you wanted to hear.” Felix said, opening his eyes and looking down on the girl smiling at his chest.

The perfect mysterious girl was real, and she was wrapped in his arms right now.

Felix didn’t know yet how exactly this situation would need him to reorganize his life. He just knew he would do what ever needs to be done accordingly. Because he wasn’t planning on letting her go.

He knew his life would need to undergo some rearrangements. But what means moving to another country in comparison to the changes this girl have already made in his heart? All the rest would be just some minor details.

Felix looked at the sea over Marinette’s head and started to speak.

“An ancient legend says that long ago
A loving couple used to share one soul...”