Moving On?

Secrets Uncovered

*Updated 3/4/24*

Chat felt light on his feet as he leaped from house to house on his way back to his room. He had the most amazing night hanging out with Marinette, and hopefully it wasn't the last Chat they were going to have. Not if he could help it.

Quietly, he snuck back into his room, closing the window behind him. "Plagg, claws in" he whispered, de transforming. Adrien was about to start talking to his kwami about the wonderful night he just had, but was rudely interrupted by the light now shining in their faces, coming from his computer screens across the room, that startled him.  

"Well cousin, I knew you were hiding something, but this is far more than I could've ever imagined" Felix said, making his presence known. Adrien was frozen, how could his night of gone so wrong. He was like a deer in the headlights, not knowing if he should run, stay still, say something, or pretend it never happened.

Felix watched, waiting for Adrien to do something, anything. Growing tired of his antics, he decided to talk again, "Oh, was I not supposed to find out? Frankly, I'm surprised you were able to keep it a secret from the world for this long". 

Getting the courage to talk, began pleading, not knowing what else to say in the moment. "Felix, please, you can't tell anyone, no one must know", knowing how terrible it would be for him and his family if hawkmoth found out who he was. 

"So, you don't want me to send this video of you transforming to the ladyblog?" Felix said, turning his phone around to show Adrien the video he had taken moments before. 

Seeing the look of pure horror on Adrien's face as he played the video told Felix exactly what he needed to know in regards to the topic he came to address. See, Felix never planned on sharing Adrien's identity, but  now with the video, he had leverage to get him something he wanted. "I guess I'm feeling a bit generous today, so I won't send it... and in return, you can't bother me about talking with Marinette" he said, knowing Adrien should have enough common sense to take the deal.

Adrien was appalled by his cousins proposal. The fact he would just outright blackmail his own family member was awful. Still not having answered, he was hesitant. Even though he was obviously going to take the deal, he didn't like the idea of Felix getting closer to Marinette. She was too good for him, and once he says yes, there's nothing he can do to keep his cousin away from her.

Getting impatient, Felix was quite surprised Adrien didn't take the deal immediately after it was made. Wanting his cousin to make his thoughts known, Felix antagonized him by saying, "Or I could still send it", waving the phone around. 

"Fine, I won't stop you from talking to her, but I swear, if you do anything to mess with her..." Adrien said, getting closer and closer to Felix. 

Felix had never seen his cousin like this before, once a calm and collected individual was now threatening him over a girl he wasn't even dating. How much more oblivious could this guy be. Putting his hand up to stop Adrien, Felix interrupted by saying, "I'm glad the matters settled, see you tomorrow for school Adrien", pleased with how the matter ended. 

He walked away over to his room, texting Marinette back about lunch for the next, day saying 'you got it boss', excited to go to lunch with her. It would be just the two of them for tomorrow.

... 

Adrien lied awake in his room, thinking about the mess he just got himself into. Now Felix knows, and at any moment if he really decided to, he could tell the entire world his secret identity. Then he thought about Felix getting close with Marinette. The thought made him feel sick, he didn't want his cousin trying anything. Obviously she could handle herself, but still, it didn't mean he couldn't worry about her.

Plagg watched the whole ordeal. Not even he was suspecting Felix to go as low as blackmailing family. He could tell that Adrien really cared for Marinette. If only he knew it was Ladybug, then he'd make a move in a heartbeat. However, now that he thinks about it, Plagg hasn't really heard Adrien talking about Ladybug recently, or even thinking about her -when he's transformed- and it was definitely more about her civilian form.

"If you really don't want pigtails spending time with him, then you should spend time with her" plagg said hoping his owner would take the hint. 

"But she's always so scared of me as Adrien. If only she was like how she was today around Chat..." and that's when the light bulb turned on inside his head, "... but I can still hang out with her as Chat Noir! That way I can visit her more often AND we can talk more!".

Plagg just smacked himself in the face. This whole thing was way more complicated than it needed to be. "My cheese is never shy around me, we talk for hours, my lovely smelly gooey cheese" Plagg said more to himself, glad he didn't have to deal with all these feelings of nonsense. "You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say you like pigtails".

The truth was, Adrien wasn't sure how to respond. His heart still held onto ladybug, but there was something about his classmate that was just intoxicating, something special about her that he couldn't seem to shake from his head. Especially after today. The image of her, smiling and laughing, covered in flour, plastered in his brain. He just wanted to know more and more about her. "I don't know plagg, I don't know"

... 

Meanwhile, Felix remained awake in his room, gears turning in his head. Now that he knows who Chat Noir is, he needs to figure out who the holder of the Ladybug miraculous is. She had to be something that was brave, cunning, quick thinking, strong, light on her feet, charismatic, and kind hearted most of all. He'd figure it out soon enough, and when he did he'd figure out a way to get a miraculous of his own.

It puzzled him how Adrien's been able to manage being an Agreste while keeping his secret identity a secret. The fact Gabriel hasn't figured it is beyond me. You'd think that with constant security and the strictest parents in the world, Adrien wouldn't have time to play dress up. 

Wanting to think of something else, Felix thought about the many restaurants him and Marinette could go to for lunch tomorrow. The thoughts of her calming him into a peaceful sleep.