A/N - A little late, sorry, but it's a big one so enjoy 😊

The rain had begun to come down in earnest as the car made its way to Kagami's apartment. Marinette was nervous about the showing, and how this first item from the Miraculous Couture would be received. Audrey Bourgeois was a harsh critic, and her reviews in Style Queen Magazine could make or break her as a designer. Sure Audrey and Gabriel were old friends, and he could probably weather a bad review, but Marinette wasn't. It was her name on the design and therefore her head on the chopping block and this was her first big test as a designer for a major fashion house.

Looking over at Félix she noticed he was bobbing his leg up and down nervously. She was perplexed as to why Félix looked so apprehensive when Gorilla exited the limo to go and collect Kagami with a large umbrella. "Is something wrong?" She eventually asked him.

Félix looked a little embarrassed. "Let's just say the last time I saw Kagami wasn't exactly my finest hour."

He visibly swallowed when the car door opened and Kagami slid in beside Marinette, wearing a stunning off the shoulder black dress with red rose details. Kagami kissed Marinette warmly on both cheeks before giving Félix an icy glare.

"Good evening Kagami." Félix said nervously in a way that reminded Marinette more of Adrien.

"You." The Japanese girl said with narrowed eyes, pointing a manicured red fingernail at him. "You have some gall turning up here."

Félix fidgeted with his tie. "Look Kagami, I'm sorry for what happened alright. Chloé got me drunk and I wasn't acting like myself. I didn't mean to offend you."

Marinette looked between the two of them, the atmosphere so frosty you could cut it with a knife. She remembered Adrien telling her the story of what happened during that gala last year. Chloé had decided to move her attention off Adrien, who always seemed to have been out of her grasp, and on to his look-alike cousin instead. They used to be close as children, but in a cousins kind of way. What Chloé hadn't counted on was that a drunk Félix was also a flirty Félix, only instead of lavishing his attention on her, he dumped them on to a less than impressed Kagami. Adrien never was quite sure what it was exactly his cousin had done to offend Kagami so badly, but the Japanese girl had declared she would never speak to Félix again. 

"Offend me? I felt completely humiliated, and in front of my mother's business associates." She shot back with arms folded and a scowl on her face.

"Can't we at least call it a truce then? For tonight at least?" Félix asked, offering his hand out to Kagami. She sized him up before placing her hand in his and giving him a firm handshake.

"Very well, for Marinette's sake." She said before suddenly pulling his hand and bringing his face within inches of hers. "And if you even think about singing Backstreet Boys songs at me ever again I will split you open from navel..." she punctuated by poking him in the abdomen, "to nose." She finished by running her finger up his chest and under his chin. Marinette wasn't sure whether to be upset on Kagami's behalf or laugh at the idea of Félix singing Backstreet Boys songs.

Félix let out a shaking breath. Was it hot in this car? He was sure the driver must have turned the heating up too high. "I promise, no singing." He managed to get out. Kagami let him go and Félix sat back in his seat and straightened his jacket while Kagami started talking to Marinette the rest of the way to the hotel.

When they arrived at the front of the hotel, Félix offered an arm to Marinette, which she took. He offered his other arm to Kagami, but she chose to ignore it and instead to walk on the other side of Marinette as they entered the foyer. Marinette saw Audrey Bourgeois speaking with Gabriel, who had arrived earlier. He gave them a brief nod of acknowledgment before continuing his conversation.

"Marinette!" Zoé called out, excitedly running over and giving the aspiring designer a big hug. "I'm so glad you're here. Did you make your dress?"

"Not this one, no. It's one of Gabriel's designs."

"Well you look gorgeous, and so do you Kagami."

Kagami smiled and thanked her for the compliment. Zoé then turned her attention to Adrien's cousin who looked a little confused at the bubbly girl. "I don't suppose you remember me. You were a little under the weather so to speak the last time we met."

Félix avoided Kagami's glare and took Zoé by the hand and made a low bow before bestowing a small kiss to her knuckles. "I'm afraid my memory of that night is a little, um, fuzzy, but I do humbly apologise for my appalling behaviour." Félix was beginning to wonder if that gala was ever going to stop following him.

Zoé let out a giggle. "There's no need to be so formal. I'm not Chloé you know, but I'll accept your apology if it makes you feel better."

Butler Jean approached the group and Félix took a champagne flute from the tray he was carrying, taking a long swig. "Mademoiselle, your mother is looking for you."

"Oh, they must be about to start the formalities soon. I'm kind of the MC for tonight. Pretty cool huh? Excuse me" She said, heading over to where Audrey was. 

Félix took another swig of his drink, finishing the glass before stopping another waiter and swapping it for another. He was watching Kagami as she walked over to the canapes table. He followed the shapely stiletto heel, along the high slit of her dress all the way up too... He gulped down the rest of the drink in his hand. Kagami was a headstrong piece of work, he reminded himself... and you blew it, his mind unhelpfully added.

"So, is Zoé seeing anyone?" He suddenly asked. Marinette gave him an amused look.

"It's not official, but I think she has something going on with Luka. I don't think you know him. He's touring with his father Jagged Stone at the moment."

Félix huffed, looking down into his empty glass. Marinette gave him a good look over. "What about you Félix? You don't seem like the shrinking Violet type?"

"Which Violet on your colour wheel are you referring to?" Félix asked sarcastically.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Félix. I see the way you have been looking at Kagami. Why don't you..."

"I'm not the sort of man women date." He interrupted, giving Kagami another long look as she talked with Zoé. "Most women want marriage and children. I don't think that's for me. I'll leave that sort of thing to you and Adrien."

Félix found it amusing that Marinette blushed at that. They really were a pair.

"I don't know why you would think that Félix. You have charisma, good looks, charm when you want to. There's plenty there for a girl to like, you just need to find the right one to melt that hard exterior you always present to the world. Someone maybe who's a bit like you and unsure they will be accepted for who they are."

Félix looked back at Marinette, surprised by her words. "You really are something else Marinette." He said, eliciting a surprise look from the designer. "You seem to always look for the good in people, even when it isn't really there."

"I don't believe you're as bad as you like to think you are Félix." She replied, placing a hand on his arm. "You're Adrien's cousin, so that makes you important to me too. If you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you."

Félix felt speechless at her words. Aside from his mother, no one had ever made him feel like he was important, not in the way Marinette just did. He wanted to say something, but at that moment Kagami walked back over with a plate, offering some to Marinette.

"So where is this Ricardo character you told me about?"

"I don't understand why Uncle Gabriel didn't just fire him." Félix quipped, ignoring the fact Kagami hadn't offered him any food.

"Because he is our link to who is behind Illusions." Marinette said. "Right now I'm more worried about the dress though and that cad has the audacity to arrive late."

"I didn't think you would miss me mia caro." A sultry voice rolled behind her. Marinette swung around with a scowl, only to be met by an amused smirk. "I told you I took care of it. Everything is ready." He then turned his attention to Kagami, offering his hand to her. She placed hers in it suspiciously. "Enchanted bella signorina. How does it feel knowing you are the most beautiful woman in the room?"

Kagami pulled her hand away before Ricardo had a chance to try and kiss it. "Why don't you try your pick up lines on someone more gullible." She said sharply, making Félix and Marinette snort.

Ricardo didn't seem perturbed. "Ah, but it is for shame to see such an Angel on her own at this lovely party."

Kagami narrowed her eyes at the impertinent Italian before suddenly looping her arm around an unsuspecting Felix's. "I am most certainly not on my own, and even if I were, I would not be interested in you." She then turned to Félix who was looking at her with wide eyes. "Get me a drink." She practically demanded. Félix quickly got his bearings back, throwing Ricardo a smug grin before letting Kagami lead him over to the bar.

Marinette looked around. "I thought you said you were bringing your cousin tonight, or was she just a figment of your imagination?"

Ricardo chuckled. "She ran off into the little girls room to powder her nose." He replied with a flamboyant air. "She will be here in a moment."

"I'm here dear cousin. It's so lovely to be back in Paris and see everyone again."

Marinette felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the sound of that familiar, sickly sweet voice. She turned her head and confirmed her fears when she came face to face with a pair of olive eyes.

"Lila..."

"Hello Marinette. It's been so long and you are looking so lovely tonight." She said with over the top friendliness and leaning in to give a frozen Marinette a kiss on the cheek. In the distance, Marinette saw Gabriel approaching them with his back straight and his hands clasped behind his back.

"So..." he began as he joined them. "It was you, Miss Rossi. I should have suspected you would be the one behind the Illusions brand. I see you have put your severance payout to good use." The sarcasm in his voice was almost palatable.

"Surprised Mr Agreste? Or perhaps I should just call you Gabriel? After all, I'm not your employee anymore and we are equals now."

Gabriel scoffed. "Equal? Your little rip off company could never compare to the Gabriel brand."

Lila let out a laugh, drawing the attention of people standing nearby. "Oh Gabriel, Illusions isn't some little backwater store you can buy up and shut down like you did to so many of your rivals." She smirked, eyeing Félix and Kagami as they walked back to join them.

"Félix honey, it's been a long time." She said, giving Félix a wide smile.

"Not long enough." Félix replied with a sour look. Lila brushed it off with a giggle.

"Oh Félix, you look just like Adrien when you do that. Is that anyway to talk to your ex girlfriend?"

"That was an extremely brief mistake." Félix seethed.

"Well, it hardly matters now, does it? As I was saying to Gabriel here, our sales have been so amazing this past year that we are expanding. Soon we will have Illusions International stores in New York, London, Tokyo and of course right here in Paris, the spiritual home of fashion." She emphasised with dramatic hands in the air.

Gabriel held his poker face. "With what? More runway ripoffs?" He said in his usual monotone.

Lila smirked. "We won't need ripoffs as you put it. I have already hired many talented rising stars in the fashion world and my dear cousin Ricardo here has decided to make Illusions a family business by joining me as my head designer. Ooop, did I let the rabbit out of the hat?" She giggled, covering her mouth with mock bashfulness.

"Consider tonight my resignation soirée Mr Agreste." Ricardo said, giving Gabriel a low theatrical bow. "It was a pleasure to be sure, but I would prefer to be in a place where I am the head designer and not have to play second fiddle to your son's little girlfriend."

"Why you..." Marinette fumed, but before she could fully retort the lights in the venue dimmed and a spot light lit up a lectern on the stage. Zoé walked out and approached the microphone.

"Good evening distinguished guests and welcome to the Style Queen Winter Gala. Tonight we have a very special surprise for you, but before that, please put your hands together for the Style Queen herself, my mother, Audrey Bourgeois."

"Thank you Zara." Audrey said, not seeing Zoé roll her eyes as she walked off the dais. "This past year has brought with it many ups and downs in Fashion, but as always, we here at Style Queen... "

As Audrey prattled on about sales targets and this year's style trends Marinette noticed Lila moved herself next to Gabriel and could just overhear the conversation.

"You've always been so sure of yourself Gabriel." Lila spoke quietly. "But you will be playing a different tune when I buy you out. I want your flagship store, the office workers, the models, the designers... it will all be mine and Illusions International will be the greatest fashion house in Paris"

Gabriel had to suppress a laugh as he looked down his nose at her. "You're delusional." Gabriel said. "You would never be in a position to buy me out. The Paris flagship store is the heart of my whole operation."

Lila turned her eyes up to him. "That's right Gabriel, I want your heart. You wouldn't give me Adrien, now I'm going to take everything from you and no one can stop me... not you, not Adrien and not Marinette. After tonight, you will be ruined."

Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows at Lila but she casually stepped away from him, looping her arm with her cousins. She glanced back over her shoulder at Marinette, a triumphant smirk on her face.  A feeling of panic settled in the pit of Marinette's stomach.

"...and so we will be honoring the heroes of Paris with an exclusive spring couture collection from the House of Gabriel and designed by Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Without further ado, it is with pleasure that Style Queen presents your first sneak peak of the Miraculous Couture Collection - Rena Rouge."

The curtain behind Audrey opened dramatically and the spotlight moved to illuminate the Rena Rogue dress displayed in splendour on a mannequin. Cameras clicked and the audience oohed and aahed. The burnt orange fabric shimmered around the full skirt and the soft fur trims accented the top of the bodice giving an old world feel to the dress. It looked stunning, and the swell of positivity in the audience supported that, and yet the smirk on Lila's face was causing the knots in Marinette's stomach to tighten.

Suddenly there was a high pitched screech and Marinette was on alert. At first she thought it must have been an akuma, her hand on her purse ready to transform, but instead there was a young woman with a "Save the Animals" placard marching through the function room.

"Fur!" She called at the top of her lungs. "That dress has the body of a dead animal clinging to it."

"Who are you?" Audrey demanded. "What are you going on about?"

Behind the angry woman, more people bearing placards with anti-fur slogans entered the room, some in nude coloured skin tight jumpsuits, others were dressed in black Grim Reaper costumes with black hoods and carrying foam Scythes.

"We received an anonymous phone call saying that dress has real fur on it." The woman pointed angrily.

"Say no to fur! Say no to fur!" The protesters started chanting.

"That's absurd." Gabriel intervened, approaching closer to the dais. "Never in the history of the Gabriel brand have we ever used real fur. It is against all our policies and I am disgusted at such an accusation."

Walking up to the stage, both Gabriel and Audrey inspected the garment. The growing mob began calling out again.

"Compassion is the fashion!"

"I'd rather go naked than wear fur!"

"Fur is not fabric!"

Marinette watched on nervously as the crowd became
more agitated. She wanted to go look at the gown more closely herself, but both Félix and Kagami advised against it with the antagonism in the room.

After a few painful moments Audrey gave Gabriel an angry look. "What is the meaning of this Gabriel? How dare you taint the Style Queen name with this abomination! You're fired!" She announced, storming off the dais. The crowd began to boo and hiss and the angry mob of protesters surged forward. Within moments, chaos had broken out in the room and the crowd surged separating Marinette, Kagami and Félix.

Seeing Ricardo, Marinette grabbed him by the arm, anger and hurt coursing through her. "Why would you do this to me?" She demanded. "I trusted your integrity as a designer and you did this to me."

"I did try to save you from this, mia caro, but you chose your pretty boy model. I will give you one last chance to join us at Illusions now though, if you promise to ditch the washed up boyfriend."

Marinette practically threw his arm back at him. "Get out of my sight Ricardo, and take that damn Lila with you."

Ricardo smirked, grabbing her chin and holding her gaze. "It wasn't personal, sweetheart. It was only ever business. Good luck saving anything from tonight though. The name Gabriel will forever be black listed in the world of fashion." He roughly let her face go, disappearing into the crowd.

Marinette looked around frantically. She couldn't see Gabriel or Félix anywhere. Protesters were arguing with guests and furniture was being upturned, Red paint was flung and the back of her dress had become as stained as her reputation.

On the other side of the room, Félix had shed his paint stained jacket. He was surrounded by angry protesters clashing with hotel security. Pushing his way through, he felt someone grab his arm. Instinctively he balled up his fist only to find it was Zoé. "I know a way out." She said. Félix followed her as they pushed through the crowd.

"Back off and get away from me or I'll make you very sorry." An angry voice yelled. Félix turned around and saw Kagami in a defensive stance and threatening one of the protesters with a broken chair leg. It seemed though the protesters took that as a challenge, picking up other broken parts of furniture and hanging up on her.

"What's she doing?" Zoé exclaimed.

"Getter herself into trouble." Félix lamented.

Félix looked around and found a long pole from a broken bar table. As Kagami clashed with the protesters, Félix skidded on the floor, tripping over the combatants with the pole, crashing them on the floor leaving them groaning and complaining. He then stood up with a smug look, only to come face to face with Kagami who was frowning at him with an angry glare. "I could have handled them myself, you know." She said, poking him in the chest with the chair leg.

Félix rolled his eyes. "Would it kill you to say thank you sometimes." Félix said with exasperation, grabbing her arm and following Zoé through the crowd.

Marinette caught a glimpse of a black dress and saw Félix hand Kagami off to Zoé and slip through a back of house area, taking her to safety. People were running and yelling, furniture was upturned and the exits were blocked by people trying to escape. Marinette caught a glimpse of Lila darting between the crowd. She tried to follow her, but heard her name being called. She turned to find Félix pushing through the crowd towards her. Before she knew what was happening, Félix had shoulder-barged one of the grim reaper figures, grabbed her up and took the brunt of the fall as the two of them crashed to the ground.

Marinette sat up disoriented to see blood dripping through a cut on Felix's shirt. "You're hurt!" She exclaimed.

"Never mind that now, I need to get you out of here before the mob turns on you too. Where's Gabriel?"

"The last I saw of him he was near the dais." She pointed. Félix helped her up and grabbed her hand, pulling her through the crowd. Marinette scanned the crowd and found Gabriel, on his hands and knees trying to find a way out. He looked completely dishevelled.

"In the name of the law, I order you all to cease and desist." Office Raincomprix declared through a megaphone. Several riot police marched through the foyer and into the function room decked out in tactical gear. The protestors flared up and focused their attention on the police.

"Oh no". Félix exclaimed. "We need to get out of here before they break out the tear gas!"

"Marinette!" Zoé called as she rushed over to them. "Quickly, come with me, I can get you out."

"Félix, get Mr Agreste." Marinette said, hurrying out with Zoé.

Félix nodded and pushed past more protesters as they threw red paint over the Rene Rouge dress, declaring victory over fur. "Uncle Gabriel, I have to get you out of here." Félix urged. Gabriel nodded and followed his nephew out.
~~~~~

After dropping a sullen Gabriel back to his mansion, the rest of the group returned to Adrien's apartment. Marientte threw her arms around Adrien as he leaned down on his crutches. He buried his face into her neck and hair, wishing he could just hold her closer.

"Are you alright Princess? You weren't hurt were you?"

"I'm fine, it's just paint." She assured him, gently touching his face. "But Félix is. I need to look at it."

Marinette gave Kagami a set of her pajamas and led her to the main bathroom to clean up. She wasn't in the mood to return to an empty apartment, so Marinette suggested she should stay the night with them.

While Kagami showered, Marinette threw off her own stained dress in the en-suite, quickly cleaning up and replacing her dress with a tracksuit. She returned to the lounge with the first aid kit and set it up on the coffee table. Adrien was sitting on the lounge next to his cousin where Félix had retold him everything that had happened. He rolled up his sleeve to expose the wound.

"I don't understand how this happened tonight." Adrien said as Marinette poured disinfectant into a dish. "Nathalie is always so careful with her suppliers."

"I would almost bet Ricardo changed the order." Marinette said, dabbing the antiseptic on Félix's wounds. "And with no one double checking over the holiday break....".

"Ouch!" He yelped, pulling back his arm. "Take it easy."

Marinette folded her arms. "You're lucky that I don't make you go to the hospital with that, you big baby." She said to him, "I can't even imagine how you managed to hurt yourself like that."

Félix looked away from her, biting his lip and holding his arm back out for her to treat. Adrian was no expert, but the cut on Félix's arm looked a little too "clean" to be a scrape from falling as he had claimed. Obviously Kagami came to the same conclusion when she came out of the bathroom and saw Marinette tending to the wound.

Marching over, Kagami made her thoughts known. "How did you get cut with a knife?" She demanded. "What happened after I left? Did someone make an attempt on Marinette?" Marinette stopped what she was doing and looked at Félix who looked caught out. Adrien placed a hand on Felix's shoulder.

"Is there something you're not telling us? Did someone make an attempt on Marinette?"

Félix shifted his eyes between the three of them before conceding defeat. "You know how a lot of the protesters came barging in wearing costumes?"

"Yes, I was watching the live stream of the gala on my phone. What about them?" Adrien urged for him to continue.

"One of those Grim Reapers in the hoods that came in with the placards wasn't a real protester. After we all got separated in the surge of people I finally found Marinette and as I approached her I saw a flash of something under the costume of someone heading straight for her. I wasn't even sure what it was until I felt it, but when we got up, they were gone."

Adrien reached his hand out and held onto Marinette's who was staring on stunment. After tonight it was logical to assume that Lila was the one behind the attempt on Adrien's life, so it shouldn't have surprised her that there would have been a price on hers. She just hadn't expected it so soon, or so lethal in its attempt. "You saved my life Félix." Marinette said to him. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Just fix this up so I don't have to go to the hospital and we can call it even then, okay? I, um, have a bit of a phobia about needles and stuff." He admitted sheepishly with a half grimace, half smile. "And maybe a cup of hot tea might be nice."

"I'll put the kettle on." Kagami said getting up. Félix thought the harsh look on her face that he usually had thrown his way had softened a little, but perhaps he was imaging it.

Adrien regarded his cousin as Marinette dressed the wound, wrapping a bandage around it. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else bothering Félix behind that clouded expression on his face.

As Kagami came back with a pot of tea and four cups, Adrien's phone rang with a call from Nathalie.

"Hello?... yes we're fine...um hurt?" He looked up and saw Félix shaking his head and mouthing no. "Ah, no, no one got hurt. Is father alright? Oh good... what do you mean you can't access it?... hold on." He covered the mouthpiece with his hand and looked at Marinette.

"Can you get your work tablet? Nathalie says she's been locked out of the system."

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows and left for the bedroom. Kagami poured out a cup of tea for Félix, handing it to him while Adrien continued on the phone. Félix took a sip of the warm liquid and a satisfied smile spread across his lips. "Chai and honey. How did you know that was my favourite?"

"You told me in between verses of I Want It That Way." She said flatly. "You said I should remember so that I could make it for you in the morning, if I could get up the next day that was and you hadn't exhausted me too much."

"Oh." Félix cringed, feeling embarrassed for at least the third time that night. "Sorry." He looked up to catch a small amused smile on her face as she sipped her own tea.

Marinette returned with her tablet shaking her head. "I can't access it either. The whole system looks corrupted."

Adrien put the phone back to his ear. "We're locked out too Nathalie... yes I know, but don't worry... we can't do much about it now... look we have friends that can help us in the morning... try to get some sleep Nathalie... I will, bye."

He placed the phone down on the table before moving his leg around so Marinette could sit with him. "Nathalie actually sounded scared on the phone" He said, holding his arms around Marientte's waist. "I've never heard her so frantic before."

"I should head back to the hotel." Félix said, standing up. "I'm sure you are all anxious for sleep after tonight's events."

"Maybe you should stay." Marinette offered to him. "I can give you a pair of Adrien's pajamas and set you up here in the lounge. It's a sofa bed, so it folds out."

Félix shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He really wanted to go and see Gabriel, if not now then first thing in the morning. "Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude. You already have a guest."

"You're family cousin, you could never intrude." Adrien said. "Besides, Kagami is practically family anyway."

"You should stay." Kagami suddenly said, turning her hazel eyes up from her cup towards him. "I think it will be safer if we all stay together tonight."

Félix felt like the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. There was something about Kagami, something that demanded his attention. She was assertive, she was feisty and she had him completely captivated no matter how much he tried to deny it.

"You're probably right." He said, his eyes still fixed on Kagami's. "It would be remiss of me to leave you two ladies alone with only my invalid cousin to protect you."

"Hey." Adrien protested. "May I remind you cousin that I have crutches and I'm not afraid to use them."

The two girls laughed as they stood up and cleared the table. Marinette gave Félix some clothes and made the sofa bed while Kagami said good night and retired to the spare room. Once she was satisfied Félix was comfortable, Marinette kissed him on the cheek goodnight and went to her own room she had been sharing now with Adrien.

~~~~~

Marinette snuggled up to Adrien, making sure the sheets weren't caught up in his fixtures before resting her head on his shoulder. Adrien absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her arm. The rain from earlier had finally stopped and everything was still. Marinette let out a long sigh. "I'm so angry at myself for trusting Ricardo with that dress. It was my design, I should have overseen it."

"I guess it's my fault really." Adrien said, resting his head on hers. "If you hadn't been so preoccupied looking after me..." Marinette moved around and placed a finger over his lips.

"Don't you dare Kitty." She shided. "It was nothing to do with you. I prioritised working on Alya's wedding dress over the break when I should have prioritised the Rena Rogue one. After tonight I may never work in fashion again."

Before everyone had arrived back at the apartment, Adrien had already seen some of the early bad reviews from the disastrous night. For any fashion house to use real fur it was like signing a corporate death warrant. Sure, some still do, but it was rapidly becoming distasteful among young consumers which is why they had always ensured they used faux fur. Not that any of this would be useful to Marinette right now, who was clearly beating herself up over what had happened.

He turned his head and kissed her on top of hers. "I don't care about the dress m'lady. You're more important to me than any dress. I was so scared when the riot broke out and the livestream was cut. It was all I could do to convince the kwami's not to go after you." He said, holding her a little tighter. "You have no idea how relieved we all were when Kagami texted me to say you were all on your way back."

"I had a bad feeling from the moment I saw Lila. I should have known." She then sat up and looked at him. "I overheard part of a conversation Lila had with your father. She was threatening to buy him out for not giving her you and earlier your father said she spent her payout well. Do you know what they were talking about?"

Adrien rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Lila wanted my father to set her up on a date with me. He had no intention of doing that thankfully, but instead he convinced Félix to ask her out. You know my father can get a little caught up in his own ideas. Félix for his part had no idea what he was getting himself into. They dated for a few weeks but Félix figured her out pretty quickly and broke it off. In temper she threatened my father that she would go to the press with certain information she claimed she had."

"What information?"

"When my father was starting out, he bought out many of his rivals to build his own business. Many of the companies had issues which Lila felt he had either created, or lied about making them vulnerable to a take over."

"That sounds familiar." Marinette grimly noted.

"She threatened to expose him if he didn't compensate her. In the end he bought her silence and her resignation with a significant six figure sum and her word to leave me alone."

"I always thought she had been fired by your father."

"That's what he wanted everyone to believe. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to find out he paid her off."

"So she took the money?"

Adrien reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. "It was always about the money with her Bug. Me, Félix, it didn't matter. All she cared about was money and power."

"She might very well have both now." She said, biting her bottom lip. Adrien gently unhooked her lip from her teeth with his thumb, letting his hand rest against her cheek.

"She won't win, m'lady. We won't let her win."

Marinette leaned in and kissed him before she laid back down with her head resting on Adrien's chest. "I love you Kitty." She whispered.

"I love you too." He whispered back, drifting off to the sound of her breathing, and the hush murmur of a conversation out in the lounge.

~~~~~

Félix ignored his phone as it lit up and vibrated with another call. Why he even still had her number in his phone he didn't know. Maybe so he could ignore it like he was now. He went to the bathroom and cleaned his teeth before changing into the pajamas Marinette had given him to wear. He should have known his cousin was still a fan of Ladybug, he mused as he looked at his reflection.

When he returned to the sofa bed he now found a series of text messages.

Lila: I know you know it's me Félix. I want to make you an offer.

Lila: I know you are sick of living in your cousin's shadow. You could be so much more Félix, and I can help you.

Lila: You have vision and brains which are wasted with them.

Lila: I'm sure we could find something mutually beneficial. Rekindle some old times maybe?

Félix put the phone down and turned off the light. He'd already had his own plans, and now Lila had completely devalued the company. He can only imagine how the shareholders were going to react in the morning.

He drummed his fingers beside him. On the other hand, his uncle still had that Miraculous. Could he bargain that with Lila? Félix shook his head. If he did that he would be outing himself for knowing his Uncle's secret, and then more complicated secrets would be revealed, secrets that Adrien wasn't ready to hear about. Was he really up to weathering that storm yet?

Félix picked up the phone and re-read the messages. If he bribed Lila off with the Miraculous, he could buy out his Uncle himself for next to nothing. Then Adrien and Marinette could do whatever they wanted. It was a win-win for everyone. Sure Lila couldn't be trusted, but she would be the problem of the Paris superheroes, not him, and he didn't have to tell her where he got it from.

He hovered his fingers over the keys when a slither of light crept across the room and a shapely silhouette moved across the floor. "Can't sleep?" Kagami asked, heading for the kitchen.

"I don't usually sleep all that well." Félix admitted. "You?"

"Restless." She replied from behind the fridge. "Do you want anything?"

"Glass of water will be fine." He said, watching her intently as she got two glasses and filled them. She brought them over and passed one to him, their fingers briefly touching. She then surprised him by sitting down next to him on the sofa bed. She sipped her own water before setting it down on the table.

"Thank you for what you did for Marinette." She said, not looking at him. "I don't have many friends, and the ones I do have are because of her. Without Marinette and Adrien, my life would have been a lot more lonely." She then turned her eyes and looked at him. "Perhaps I misjudged you."

"No, you didn't." Félix said. "I'm a rotten drunk and a lousy friend. Besides my mother I only look out for number one." He said, pointing his thumb back at himself.

"And yet you risked your own safety for Marinette."

"I made a promise, that's all." He said curtly, taking a sip of his water. "Friends, girlfriends, family... they all hurt you in the end."

"I used to feel the same way." Kagami admitted and Félix raised an eyebrow at her. "But being around Marinette taught me one thing. Sometimes caring for others can be worth the risk."

Felix turned his eyes away from her, looking out into the semi dark room. "I'm not worth that risk."

Kagami reached out to Félix's face, turning his head to look back at her. "Let me be the judge of that." She said, caressing his cheek. "Thank you for helping me today." She added with a small smile. Félix was overwhelmed by a series of feelings coursing through him that he had never felt before, but his brain almost short circuited when she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight Félix." She said softly, getting up to head back to her room.

Félix touched his fingers to his cheek, the tingling from where her lips had been still there. "Goodnight Kagami." He whispered, bringing his fingers around to touch his lips.

With renewed determination, Félix picked up his phone and opened his messages from Lila, his fingers hovering for a moment over the keys.

Felix: No

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