Hello. Final edit Persia here. I'm a bit sleep deprived rn so I don't even know what to say. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Have a nice time reading <3

............

"You must be Felix," Marinette said, smiling at the man who looked very much like the Lune Supreme, only he looked older, with more chiselled and elongated features compared to the slightly softer- but still quite sharp- physiognomy Adrien had most definitely inherited from his mother. 

Felix's hair was a similar shade to Adrien's, only slightly darker and to this day, no one could fathom how it was his natural hair colour when both of his parents, initially, had dark hair. He did inherit his father's blue-grey eyes, something she only knew about because Adrien had taken her to the large museum in the palace, full of rare artefacts and a lot of paintings of the dynasty of the previous Lune Supreme.

She tried her best to make it look like she hadn't been crying as she smiled at him, but he must have suspected something was up considering her eyes were rimmed with red.

His demeanour really reminded her of Adrien when they first met, bad-tempered but all the same apathetic. She knew immediately that he felt cautious about her. 

Instead of telling him to go, she stood back and let the door open widely, welcoming him into the room which, thankfully he did come in. She might have not exactly wanted him to be there, not when she was in the middle of something upsetting, but he was Adrien's brother and someone of higher status than her (but after what Adrien had told her, was he really? Then again, Felix wouldn't even know that), and so she didn't want to disrespect him.

"And you are the girl my brother seems to be devoted to spending his time with instead of doing his duty as Lune Supreme," without warning, he settled on one of the chairs Marinette never really used, but since it was one that faced the bed, she just moved to sit there instead as he spoke to her.

"I beg to differ," Marinette almost scoffed before reminding herself that she must be polite in order to make a good lasting impression on the brother of the person she, herself was getting attached to, "He has left me alone more than he has spent his time with me in the last few days and he has shown that his duty as your leader is rather important, which is a quality I admire. Time and time again he has made it clear in more than one way that he is miraculous in the way he works, and no one else could even come close to what he is able to do. Do not insinuate that your brother has been slacking off because of me."

She was rather surprised at how defensive she had gotten over Adrien and in a matter of a few seconds she was breathing just a bit harder and feeling a little hotter as her frustration grew. Even though she was quite angry at Adrien, she still didn't like the way his brother spoke about him. She felt... protective. 

But once she realised, she worked on trying to steady her breaths, very aware that Felix had an amused smirk on his face.

"I can see why my brother is in love with you."

"Wha- uh- he's not- he's not in love with me!" she shook her head as if that would make him believe more that he was wrong. 

How could he love her when she had allegedly been the one to trap him in the first place? How could he love her when they were meant to be from two different worlds, two different sides, two different realms. The King of Darkness and the Princess of Light. That was who the were meant to be. Right?

'Are you sure you don't believe everything already?'

He raised his eyebrow, "You think?" he challenged, "I know my brother better than most. He wouldn't just save any little fairy and bring her into his space and throw any teaching our father drilled into him, right out of the window."

She ignored the venom in his voice at the mention of his father just for a bit, and she rolled her eyes, "You guys are definitely brothers. You even address me the same way."

"And you are the first to actually say so."

"Yeah," she paused, "So... your father. He is the reason Adrien struggles with his emotions?"

"You!" he sputtered, and he looked to be in complete shock, "He told you his name?"

Marinette, who had been confused as to why he was suddenly so stupefied and she had wondered if maybe she had offended him in any way, sighed in relief when all he was stunned about was how she knew his brother's name, "Yeah?" her face scrunched as she puzzled over why it was a really big deal. Yes she knew that technically, everyone in Luneith called Adrien by his title but it wasn't like they didn't know his name. It was just that, it was drilled in their heads that, as with many higher ups in Soleria (though in all honesty, she didn't think anyone in Soleria actually knew his name), that he was only to be addressed by his given title or any variation of.

But she had found it weird why he had told her his name that day. What had caused him to do so, so abruptly? So out of the ordinary?

"And you say he does not love you."

"He doesn't! Will you stop saying that," one of her hands banged onto the thick duvet of the bed which Adrien had gotten specially made for her to be able to sleep better but he could see the blush creep up on her face as she let her mind wonder to everything that told her that maybe, Adrien did like her.

But what were the chances, right? What were the chances that the God of Destruction was in love with a fairy who was so feeble that she had failed the immortal exams thre-no four times now. She was nothing compared to the majestic and powerful being he was. 

But... maybe she was. Maybe her being the Goddess changed things. She couldn't deny that maybe she was something to Adrien. Maybe she did mean something to him if he even thought of helping her. Maybe he liked her as a friend would and that is why he would even spend an ounce of his day with her if he could. She couldn't refute that she was important to him if he had trusted her enough to tell her his name. Even when she knew he was a demon, even when he knew she could sell him out.

But she also couldn't help but think that maybe all of this. All of him helping on her. All of him doting on her was just a way to get her to trust him before he too, stabbed her in the back. Like Luka. Like Soleria.

Then again, she could feel his emotions, even more now that she knew. 

She didn't know what to believe. But she did know what she felt herself.

She knew that he meant more to her than she had admitted out loud. At first, he was just a stranger who she was trapped with. Then he became someone she could tolerate enough to call him a friend. Someone she trusted. He was someone who she could be herself with. Who she didn't have to hide from. And maybe it was because there had already been so many casually intimate moments between them, maybe it was because they had been connected by unknown forces. Maybe it was something about her past life- which with every waking thought she wanted to believe more and more- that caused her to be this way. 

But every time she thought, what would life be like without him? She felt sad for even thinking of not having Adrien in her life.

She was getting attached and she was getting attached fast.

Felix looked thoughtful as he watched the fairy on front of him, 'Perhaps my brother is not the only one who has caught feelings,' he cleared his throat in order to snap Marinette out of whatever she was thinking about. Once her ears became receptive with her surroundings and she looked up, he decided to answer her earlier question, "My father."

"Huh- oh. Oh yes. Is he the reason?" Her curiosity once again peaked as Adrien didn't talk much about his relationship with his father. And when he talked about him, there was rarely emotion other than some underlying resentment that lingered a little too long during the rare times he did speak about his father. It was weird, because from what she had heard, his father had been the one to push him to the path that had been determined for him. She had once thought that Adrien had truly desired for the way he had turned out. She had never once thought he would be regretful of the power he had and how he had come to get it. 

That was before she got to know him.

"If I tell you honestly, will you tell him? Because I don't know if he wants you to know. He could get angry and I don't want to see that."

Marinette stood up and walked to where he was sitting. She stood right on front of him and he watched in amazement as the fairy waved her hand and worked her magic to conjure up a flower, just a simple one. The flower was pink, almost white in colour. And it faded into a darker pink in the middle, with seed pods in the same darker colour sprouting out. It had few petals, only six but it was the size of her palm and she had been able to create it in no more than five seconds which is what had amazed him.

It was rare to see someone create without any foundation and in such little time. In fact, he knew for any creature it took thousands upon thousands of years to even master the beginnings of such magic. And she was... what? Only around two-thousand years old? This fairy was by no means as weak as Adrien had said she believed herself to be.

"I haven't done this in a while but there is this Solerian tradition- not many people really do it anymore but I've done it a few times with..." she stopped, not wanting to say their names unless she wanted to start crying again, "Uh. It's a tradition that I read about. When you want to make a promise, you give the person a flower. It can be any flower but if you cast a specific spell on it, it will stay alive as long as the promise is kept. So you can keep this flower and know that I will promise not to tell Adrien what you tell me today."

It was a weird tradition, he thought, but it was a sweet one. And something told him that this was not going to be the last time he was going to receive one from her. He made a note to inform Kagami of it so she didn't get too jealous, but that would have to wait until his significant other came back from the bordering villages where she was, once again volunteering at.

He took the flower without much question and set it on the table thanking her as he did so. She smiled and sat, this time, on the other chair that had been placed next to the table and she leaned in slightly, waiting for him to start talking.

He thought a bit about what he wanted to say, "Adrien he," he sighed, "Most people, they think that he is emotionless and that he always has been. That because he is Destruction, he feels nothing but his namesake. It's not true, you know?"

At that, Marinette nodded, "I have already come to that conclusion myself."

He parroted her gesture as he looked at the flower on front of him and reached out to touch it, "Yes. Well. It's not that he cannot feel emotions. I have known him since his birth. And I still remember the kid who was nicknamed by his mother her 'little sunshine'. Now I've only seen sunshine a few times in in my life but it was a very undisputable description of what he was like when he was younger."

She let out a small exhalation through the nose as she wondered what Adrien would have been like when he was younger, "So... what changed?"

"Father did," he replied sourly, "Once father found out Adrien was destined to become Destruction, he became obsessed with the idea of using him for his own gain. Because anyone who could control Destruction would essentially have the greatest weapon in all of eternity. I had fought many an argument with father about it, but to no avail would he listen to my reasoning."

"Does Adrien know this?" her concern was evident and he felt pleased to know that he had one other to be there to support his brother unconditionally (at least, he hoped it was unconditional).

"I'm not actually sure if he knows and to what extent, I mean I don't even know the extent to which father pushed him. But he caught us in the midst of our arguments more than once."

"What did your father do to him?"

"I remember Adrien would always complain about having to hide his emotions and how hard it was to do so. I'm guessing a lot of what father did was to get him to bury almost all of his emotions which would leave more than enough room for his anger to build and fester. And that would help him become who he was destined to be. At some point, whatever lessons father had given him had started to work and day by day, he started to embrace the image father wanted for him."

"Does your father have no compassion?" her fist hit the table in fury, causing it to shake slightly.

Felix let out a bitter chuckle and shook his head, "You would be right to think not, for I remember the days where Adrien would go somewhere only to come back just a fraction happier than he had been before, but once father noticed, they would immediately be in the room where his lessons took place, and Adrien would always come out straight faced and beaten."

She gasped, bringing both hands to her mouth and she let out a muffled, "No!"

He nodded solemnly, "Yes, I'm afraid. Father would also have a few injuries as well but Adrien would always come out worse," his face twisted, as if in pain. Marinette understood how he felt. She couldn't bare to see Adrien be hurt. He continued with a sigh, "That's all I know because even now he would never tell what he had gone through at the hands of father. Just that it was the only way to hold his control over his cataclysm. That it was the best way so he could fulfil his destiny as Destruction. I doubt that he himself completely believes that, however."

Marinette hummed in agreement, recalling how Adrien would sometimes react when his father was mentioned and she was about to tell Felix exactly that, when the door creaked open, causing her to jump and look at the one who opened the door.

Her hand went to her chest, "Sweet mother of Sol! Adrien!" she said when she realised who the intruder was, "Must you scare the living daylights out of me?"

Adrien looked slightly agitated as he came in, as if he had been holding back on doing something but couldn't take it anymore. That was what Felix had gathered from the abrupt appearance of his brother.

Adrien glanced at Felix, his eyebrow quirked in question as to why his brother was there, but he looked civil enough sitting with Marinette so he didn't say anything about it, "It is not my fault that you get scared so easily."

His shoulders seemed to drop slightly in relief as he realised she wasn't as distraught as she was when she had left a few hours ago. He took it as a sign to make his move towards her.

"I do not," she pouted, raising her head up as he came closer to her, "You just don't know how to knock."

He ignored the snort his brother let out and leaned down to inspect her for a few seconds. As he looked intently over her (she knew he was just checking her injuries and energy, as well as her state of mind from the information he had given her) she felt just a little short for breath, not wanting to look away. He frowned as he could feel gently through the soul bond that her heart rate was getting quicker and so, to confirm, he raised two fingers and pressed them to her nape, which warranted a sharp inhale from the girl on front of him.

"Are you having some trouble breathing?" He said, slightly panicked.

Marinette shook her head quickly but he was quicker in putting an arm around the back of her legs and her waist, "Adrien! I'm fine," her face was red as she tried to, albeit very half-heartedly, hit him in the chest to get him to put her down. Her lack of enthusiasm did nothing to cease whatever he was going to do.

"You don't seem to- ow! Are you seriously biting me? The Lune Supreme?" He glared down at her but didn't drop her- it's not like it really hurt.

"You're a tyrant is what you are. You deserve it. Let me down."

She was right in saying he deserved it but he didn't budge, "I won't."

"And that is my cue to leave, I guess," Felix momentarily drew their attention to him.

Marinette, knowing that she was unlikely to get out of Adrien's arms, hit him a few more times, though they were rather light and did nought to hurt him, before she just resigned to her fate and called out to Felix, "Take the flower! Oh! And before you go," she moved her head over Adrien's shoulder as he moved up the steps which led to the bed, "That thing you asked about regarding the flower? I added another little detail to it that you may want to look at."

Felix gave her a thumbs up and turned away, shaking his head as he walked out, closing the door behind the two, not even wanting to imagine what was about to go down behind those doors. It was best if he did not witness anything, at least for his own sanity.

After he was sure the door was closed and the silencing mechanism- or rather a spell- which was usually added to all of the bedrooms was activated, he looked down at the flower in his hand. Six more, larger petals had grown onto the flower, practically engulfing the smaller ones as a greater, more important promise was made apparent. As he lightly grazed his fingers over some of the petals with his other hand, he could feel the new promise soak through the flower as it flowed with her magic.

I promise, with all my heart, that I will help remind Adrien that his emotions are not a liability. That he doesn't need to hide them or stop them or be void of them. That he can be better with them instead of without.

'I think,' he thought, smiling to himself as he took one more glance at the door behind him, 'You are already doing so.'

............

The power of Destruction was always something that caused the hair on his body to stand up straighter than the Royal guards were ever taught to do. For it had caused much of the misfortune that befell Soleria for an exhaustive amount of years. And it had taken and taken and taken from them, countless lives being lost, countless families mourning over what could have been, what should have truly never happened.

(He tried to not think about how Luneith had been equally as damaged. After all, war always had consequences. He cared more about what his side had to deal with.)

And he had always wished that if he had been given the chance, if he had the power to take revenge on behalf on every single one that had been affected by the wrath of the destroyer of lives, he would willingly do so time and time again.

'But I never wanted to stoop this low'

It was too late.

He raised his palms as he realised what had just happened. What he had just done. 

He moved them to brush over his lips which had a broad grin plastered on full display. But it wasn't him who was smiling. It really wasn't. He screamed in his head where his own consciousness was trapped, to stop what was occurring but the force that was controlling him wouldn't relent. He stayed in the shadows as he watched the result of his desire get the better of him, the creature that had engulfed him the reason for the sheer quantity of the damage caused, but it was he who had determined how the damage would be made.

He had wished to be better than Destruction, and the creature that had taken over him had twisted that ambition into something even worse. The hold he had on his own actions had swiftly slipped out of his control, but it was still him who had started it all.

............

"Take it," he demanded, after having laid her on the bed and heaving her up from the back so she could sit upright (even though she could literally do it herself- she wanted to facepalm). He held a vial in his hand and quickly unscrewed the cap. At her confused face he said, "It's a tonic. To help you regain your energy and it also may help unlock some of that restricted energy you have."

"Okay?" she took the vial but didn't take it immediately, instead lifting it to her nose to get a whiff of the ingredients that could be in there, "Hmm, it seems quite strong. Nothing that can be found back in... and is that lavender? Why lavender?"

"I suggested it. You haven't been sleeping well lately and I know it can be hard to adjust in a new environment. The lavender will also help your temperature to adapt to the more cooler atmosphere of Luneith so you don't have to always bundle up," at her sceptical look he quickly added, "Of course, you don't have to take it if you don't want to. I'm sure you have a way of separating it from the rest of the tonic. You just need the rest if you want to gain your energy properly."

"No, no. I'll take it all. I think I'd actually like to be able to wear much thinner clothes without getting frostbite. Where did you get this from by the way?"

He gave her a look that asked if she had forgotten who exactly he was before simply saying, "I have my ways."

She rolled her eyes at his dramatics before becoming a bit more serious, still clutching the vial in her hands, "I want to ask you a question. About..." she bit her lip, "About me. Answer me truthfully please."

He simply nodded and said, "Okay."

"Okay, uh. Can you tell me again why exactly you think I am- I'm the-"

"You want to know why I think you're her? What makes me so sure you are?" Her head moved up and down slowly and he brought his hand to hold her own, slightly wary that she would pull back. She didn't. He continued, "I didn't know for sure until I went back to the place where you protected me from that akuma. When I saw the remains of your energy, everything just clicked and, yes, I had doubts still. But the more time I have spent with you, the more it just makes sense that you are her. The more I believe it."

"And what if I'm not her? What if you are wrong? What will happen to me then?" It was something he had thought about. Something he had been worried about. But the more he thought about it, the more the idea that she was Creation solidified in his mind, "And what will happen to me if I am her? Am I not your enemy? Will you kill me? Why have you not killed me already?"

"Because I've never wanted to!" he snapped, startling her, and causing him to lean back and sigh, "I never wanted you to die in the first place. Even when I met you in the prison, even when I didn't recognise you, I never truly felt as if I could kill you. And maybe it was because of the soul bond or maybe because deep down, I already knew that it was you. No matter what I did, no matter how angry I could be, the last person I would want to wish death upon would be you. My Ladybug. My little fairy. My most powerful Goddess. Marinette. I would never wish for you to leave me. In fact, I forbid it from happening again."

She squeezed his hand in order to calm him down, "I'm not sure if I can believe it entirely just yet but, tell me. Our relationship. We weren't really enemies were we?"

He brought his other hand to her face and brushed her hair to the side of her face and looked at her for a few seconds, "I think you already know that answer," he rested his hand on her cheek and she leaned in slightly with her eyes closed, her face burning red, "I'm sorry Bug."

Her eyes flew open, "Wha- about what?"

"I'm sorry. That I didn't tell you before."

"I don't think there was a time to. And before, I would have believed it less, not knowing who you are."

"You still don't believe it."

"I'm starting to."

His lips moved into what was meant to be a smile but looked more awkward than he probably realised, causing her to smile back at him. His smile quickly dropped back as he realised she still had the tonic in her hand and he said, "Drink."

For a moment she couldn't understand what he was talking about before she remembered the object in her hand and brought it up to her face, gulping the tonic in one abrupt action, coughing at the unexpectedly potent taste of the contents in the small vial. He shook his head at her hastiness and rubbed her back in a pleasantly soothing manner, tapping it at rhythmic intervals so her coughing fit could pass down smoothly. 

"Thanks," she looked at him through her teary eyes, caused by the excessive amount of coughing that had been the result of her careless behaviour, "Remind me to drink slowly next time. That was too strong."

"I apologise," he bowed his head for a second before starting to move so he could help her lay down into a more comfortable sleeping position, "I didn't think it would taste as strong as it smelt. Next time, it may be better to pour it into some hot water that you can drink at a slower pace."

She smiled tiredly, already feeling the effects of the tonic working, "Yeah, it seems nice," but she wasn't actually talking about the tonic, contrary to his belief. Instead, she was thinking out loud at how, as she looked straight up into his large green eyes, it felt nice to see him look at her with so much more care than necessary. Even if his emotions couldn't quite translate to the rest of his face, she could still see a glimpse of it in his eyes as he looked at her. A warm feeling blossomed throughout her body and whether it was entirely from her or not, she felt content, "Stay. Please."

And this time he did.

............

Kagami sighed as she ran her hand through her short black hair (which she had decided that it was time to grow out a bit) feeling exhausted from teaching the kids that were at the border of Luneith to learn how to fight, using both magical and non-magical techniques. It was something she found fulfilling, teaching the young ones things that could help them survive in many situations. Even as an immortal, she had to learn how to be prepared for any circumstance, and having years and years of experience meant she was the perfect one to teach every generation. Luneith was by no means a warrior race, but because of her, Luneith would always be qualified to defend themselves.

But sometimes.... sometimes there were just things that no one could have planned for.

It was getting hotter for some reason. 

And yes, Kagami was a dragon, but she had also lived in Luneith for the majority of her days, and her body temperature had adapted according to the natural cold. So when it got hotter all of a sudden, she noticed, as did many of the others around her.

And then it happened.

Kagami knew that it wasn't the mark of Destruction, not as it was. No, this was something different, something more sinister, something much more frightening. It was too hot for the likes of Luneith but it mimicked Destruction almost perfectly and the people had noticed. Some had come to realise it's difference, especially the elders who had watched as Destruction grew. Others, could not comprehend the difference.

Not when everything around them, everything they had built from the ground up and had lived in for centuries, it was all turning into ruins.

All around buildings, schools, houses, shops and sacred structures of the bordering clans fell apart as the people scrambled for safety or screamed for help as they became stuck between the falling debris. Kagami did all she could to help, using her own powers to lift the large pieces that the elders couldn't account for, and had spent countless of minutes restlessly flying back and forth to escort everyone that she could to the nearest area of safety. 

She tried to ensure the children who had been lost in the turmoil and the chaos were returned to their parents, and if, sadly, their parents were either injured or dead from the destructive nature of this new force, that those children still had some adults they could rely on to take care of them. At least until something was set up to protect them. 

She did her best to gather any salvageable supplies from the houses that had fallen as well as the ones that had miraculously stayed up- though it wouldn't be too long before the infernal nature of whatever had caused this, reached those homes as well. She knew herself that fire, whether as hot as the Solerian Sun or as cold as the icy depths of the frozen sea here in Luneith, could spread wildly even from the smallest of sparks. Still, she did all she could to counteract its force. She was specialised in all types of fire and was their only hope at lessening the damage at this moment. 

She didn't have time to rest as the elders gathered, beckoning her to do the same, and they started a discussion on what must be done to provide for all of those who had survived. They spoke of what they would have to do with the large amount of bodies that had been unfortunate in not surviving the trip. They wondered out loud about who could have the audacity to use what was the Lune Supreme's signature against the people of Luneith.

She made sure to make a promise to go to the palace straight after she investigated the cause a little more and had told them to go ahead and stay with their people, and that she would try all she could to make sure provisions were sent as quickly as possible.

She made quick work in trudging through the ruins and following the trail of the dark energy which surrounded the whole place and it directed her straight to an area that not many people liked to even go into. But Kagami was the general and she made a vow to protect her people.  

Kagami didn't expect she would find the root of devastation so easily in the form of a figure hidden by the darkness as if it had embraced him like he was always meant to be part of the shadows. She couldn't see his face, however, only the blue, almost violet eyes which pierced straight through her soul. They looked almost lifeless, but the electrifying colour was the only sign of life in the shadows.

"Who are you?" her sword had been raised and she pointed it threateningly towards the person or the creature that she was sure was the reason of this tragedy, but her hold on the sword was tilted, as the fatigue of all that she had done was beginning to take over her. She was bound to become sluggish with her movements.

But the creature didn't say anything as the shadows and the mist shrouded him so he was masked by the grim forces which were trying to tamper with her own. It just grinned so widely that she was actually able to see the white of his teeth before Kagami caught a slight shift in the air, as if something was inching towards her at an alarming rate. 

Her eyes widened as she realised it was coming straight for her but instead of trying to fight it- in her state, she knew she would be unable to successfully- she made the split decision to use all of her strength to teleport herself to the palace.

She let out a howl at the stinging burn that hit her shoulder just before she had fully transported herself out of the area, and she took one more glance at the malevolent being that had more power than she realised, clutching at her shoulder painfully as she did so. The last thing she saw before she had stumbled into Felix's arms was, once again, the menacing blue eyes which she was sure had turned into a spine-chilling purple which then turned fully black, the only indication that the creature was still there being the eerie grin that never left its face.

Once she was in her lover's arms, she said a few words which she couldn't quite recall, before blacking out completely.

............

Ok I feel more awake now.

We've surpassed 50k words now!!! And still we aren't even halfway. 

I am not going to make unnecessary miscommunication happen between Adrien and Marinette when they can have logical talks about it and I personally just don't like it when misunderstandings or drama or angst drags on for longer than necessary. I hate it. Plus there are much bigger things about to happen so we have to get this stuff out of the way.

And Kagami is in trouble! Can she be saved or not?

See you soon lovelies <3