Chapter Text
Marinette is having a bad day.
Marinette is having a bad month, but she’s a little too exhausted to be thinking about that so currently, her mind is just on today. Today and the absolute shitshow it’s been.
It was just a bunch of little things at first. Waking up late, barely eating any breakfast, stressing over a presentation in class, then doing said presentation, and it was truly a miracle she managed to keep her lunch down with how nauseous she was while eating it. As she was getting home, her mind was only filled with the long list of things she needed to do, responsibilities that she was certain would be the death of her.
Now there’s a strange man in her room who calls himself the Celestial Guardian and is yelling at her for not having enough Guardian training, for wearing and using the Ladybug Miraculous, for being a teenager apparently—
Marinette considers herself patient. Sometimes.
This is not one of those times.
“What is this?” Su-Han gawks, grabbing the Miracle Box and inspecting every inch like it’ll somehow give him answers. “What did you do to the Mother Box?”
Marinette sighs. She doesn’t want to answer him but she also has a feeling he’ll keep demanding answers until she does. No rest for the weary. “It changed when we became the Guardians over it on its own. We didn’t pick how it looked.”
It remained in its oval-bug shape but the colors shifted. Red stayed as the base but the black spots now had a ring of signature green around them. A few paw prints replaced some of the spots too.
“First you lost the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses, then you, a teenager, took over as Guardian— and continued to be Ladybug!— and now you’re telling me—” Su-Han stops abruptly. His attention swivels to her again. “Did you say ‘We’?”
Marinette bites the insides of her cheeks, sensing he’s going to have a problem with this too. “Yes.” She tells him begrudgingly. She may not know much about Celestial Guardians but if Tikki was treating him with this much respect, it had to mean something.
Not that it meant she had to like him.
“As in,” Su-Han continues, “You are not the only Guardian.”
“Yes.”
His face twists. “Who is the other?”
“Chat Noir, Holder of the Black Cat Miraculous.”
Su-Han’s eyes twitch. “You… Share Guardianship. With the Holder of the Miraculous of Destruction.”
Marinette rubs her eyes, feeling her head throb beneath her skin. “Look, since we’re both Guardians, why don’t we go find him so we can all have this conversation together?”
“Yes.” Su-Han’s gaze hardens. Marinette is really starting to hate that look on his face. “I need to speak with you both immediately. It cannot wait.”
—
Su-Han seemed to have a hard time believing they managed to split Guardianship until Ladybug and Chat Noir both demonstrated they could pull Miraculous out of the Miracle Box using their respective weapons.
Chat Noir almost wishes they didn’t convince him. Maybe then it would save them both the headache of the Celestial Guardian, or whatever his title was, screaming at them that they were breaking the rules.
“What was Fu thinking? Putting the Guardianship of the mother box not only into the hands of Miraculous Holders, but teenagers? Did he lose his mind?”
“Technically,” Chat Noir rubs his temples so his head doesn’t spin. He’s been exhausted lately, patrolling nonstop since they became Guardians. Hawkmoth has been unusually quiet since he stole a copy of the translated Grimoire and Chat Noir for one doesn’t want to be caught off guard. “He only gave it to Ladybug.”
“What?” Su-Han’s face scrunches up with confusion.
“It’s true.” Ladybug does a good job of keeping a straight face but Chat Noir knows she’s just as exhausted as he is. “I’m the one who shared my Guardianship with Chat Noir, not Master Fu.”
“How on earth did it get to this?” Su-Han demands. He glares at the two of them, unrelenting. Ladybug shares a look with him and Chat Noir decides to spare her the headache and speaks up first.
“Hawkmoth happened.” He tells him. “He’s the current Holder of the Butterfly Miraculous. He’s been using it to turn people into Akumas to fight for him in order to steal Ladybug and I’s Miraculouses. Apparently he’s after a wish? Or Master Fu thought so anyways. He said combining our Miraculouses could grant one.”
“That’s why he made your Miraculouses active again. Hmph. Still shouldn’t have chosen children.” Su-Han wrinkles his nose. “And then?”
“He started training us after a while.” Chat Noir explains. “Ladybug first, then me. He said he was preparing us for the day he might not be around anymore. Kinda seemed fixated on that idea— always made me think that he knew.” His gaze drops and he clenches his jaw. “I don’t know. What I do know is that Hawkmoth became hellbent on finding him. He used multiple Akumas to try to do it— and then when he succeeded, he showed up himself.”
“And you failed to retrieve his Miraculous.” Su-Han finishes. The look of furious disappointment in his eyes is not one Chat Noir is unfamiliar with. “And Fu was caught.”
“Master Fu did everything he could to try and stop him but it wasn’t enough.” Ladybug speaks up this time. She fixates a glare on Su-Han. “When he realized there was only one solution, he made me the Guardian and gave up his memories in the process. All Hawkmoth managed to get was a copy of the translated Grimoire.”
“He what?”
“I can’t tell you if Master Fu was a good Guardian or not,” Ladybug cuts in, pointing furiously at Su-Han. “All I know is that he kept every other Miraculous safe for years, and he kept it safe until the very end. He named me Guardian, and I chose to share that status with Chat Noir because he’s my partner. We have been keeping Paris safe for months and our plan is to one day retrieve the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses and put Hawkmoth behind bars. If you don’t want us to be Guardians, you’ll have to wait until then, because we’re not giving it up while Paris remains in danger.”
Chat Noir stands firmly beside her, staring down Su-Han, hand twitching. He doesn’t know what to expect from this guy— he’s not an Akuma but he’s hardly like Master Fu. Every instinct in his body screams that there’s going to be a fight, but to both of their surprise, Su-Han takes a step back.
“Hm.” His eyes sweep over the two of them, seemingly considering something. Chat Noir doesn’t flinch when their gazes meet but he suddenly finds himself unsure. He was ready for a fight, not whatever this is.
Su-Han’s gaze shifts, taking in Paris as a whole with a hardening look on his face. “This world has… Changed.” He says at last. Chat Noir just blinks at him, unsure of what else to say.
“You’ve been gone for over a century, right?” Ladybug asks, still on guard but not quite as hostile as before. “Things change. I know your way of doing things has worked in the past, but so has ours. There doesn’t have to be one solution to everything— and sometimes things that used to work no longer hold up, or don’t in certain situations.”
Chat Noir nods along. “We’ve broken a lot of rules, we know, but sometimes you need to break some rules! Otherwise… You might not realize there are other ways of doing things. Better ways.”
Chat Noir has broken a lot of his father’s rules now. Being Chat Noir was freeing— Chat Noir didn’t have to follow the same rules as Adrien Agreste did. Just because Adrien was grounded didn’t mean Chat Noir was, and just because Adrien couldn’t sneak out didn’t mean Chat Noir couldn’t.
He’s busy all the time and bone-tired, but he has never been happier. He’s made more friends, has been able to go to school, and, usually thanks to Nathalie’s influence, is actually able to get out of the house once in a while. Nathalie said that was good for him. He happily agreed, and while father put his foot down sometimes, he yielded to her judgment other times.
Being Chat Noir is one of the best parts about his life. He isn’t gonna give that up. He would fight for it if need be.
Thankfully, Su-Han seems to decide on something and nods, mostly to himself. “Very well.” He says. “I’ll be keeping an eye on Paris and the Miracle Box but… I suppose there are worse Guardians to have, even if this violates several rules.”
Chat Noir exchanges looks with Ladybug. There’s a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. “You mean it?” Chat Noir asks at last so she doesn’t have to. “You’ll let us handle things?”
Su-Han huffs. “Begrudgingly. Make no mistake, if either of you slip up, I will know, but I can hardly leave Paris unprotected when there’s a supervillain terrorizing it, and Akumatization is a formidable power to fight against. If you two have already been fighting it, you’ll be better trained than anyone else I could choose, and we can’t waste time training new Holders.”
He tilts his head up, regarding both of them. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, Guardians of the Mother Box, it is your duty to find and retrieve the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses and put an end to this Hawkmoth’s schemes for good. Once this has been completed, we will discuss where to go further. Am I understood?”
“Yes.” Chat Noir and Ladybug tell him in unison.
“Good. I will contact you if anything changes, but for now, I have other Miracle Box matters I must see to. Until next time.”
Su-Han turns away and begins to leap across the rooftops, slowly disappearing from sight. Ladybug and Chat Noir watch and wait until he’s a blur on the horizon before both letting out a synchronized groan.
“First Hawkmoth goes weirdly MIA, now this?” Chat Noir tugs at his hair. “My lady, I’m starting to think the universe is out to get us.”
“You and me both, Kitty.” She lets out a puff of hot air, shaking her head. “I don’t like this one bit. Feels like only yesterday we were racing each other across rooftops without a care in the world. Now we’re starting to do more solo patrols.”
“I hate solo patrols.” Chat Noir whines.
“Me too.” Ladybug admits softly. “But we need to be careful— now more than ever! And we can’t be transformed all the time so… This has to work. For now.”
“I know. I just miss you. A lot.” He finally allows himself to lay his head on her shoulder, slumping. Ladybug gives him a fond pat on the back and a purr rumbles to his throat.
“Whatever happens,” she tells him, “Whatever Hawkmoth throws at us next, it’s not gonna matter, alright? Because Ladybug and Chat Noir are a team— and now Co-Guardians of the Miracle Box— and nothing can break that bond.”
Chat Noir can’t help that he smiles. It’s hard not to smile around Ladybug— things just make so much sense with her.
“You’re right.” He lifts his head to meet her gaze. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it. But can we at least plan a chill patrol soon? I miss those.”
“We probably need one now more than ever.” Ladybug agrees. She flicks his bell just to hear it ring. Chat Noir knows for a fact that it only rings for her, and sometimes for him. “Might as well take advantage of how quiet Hawkmoth is. We both know it won’t last forever.”
“Don’t jinx it.” Chat Noir jokes. Ladybug rolls her eyes.
“Saying ‘Don’t jinx it’ means that you’ve jinxed it. Everybody knows that.”
“Nu-uh. Besides, I thought ladybugs were supposed to be good luck.”
Ladybug sticks her tongue out at him. Quick as he can manage, Chat Noir flashes his camera open on his staff and snaps a picture. Her face immediately twists into surprise, then playful anger.
“Bad kitty! Don’t you dare post that one!” She lunges for him. Chat Noir closes his staff to dodge with a mad cackle.
Guardians or not, Chat Noir is just glad that this hasn’t changed.
—
The cracks fill and vanish in an instant. The Peacock Miraculous falls back down into Gabriel’s hands. A grin overtakes his features as he examines it carefully.
“Good as new.” He murmurs, mostly to himself. Nooroo hovers by his side meekly, eyeing the Miraculous with a look of worry. He ignores him, holding up the Peacock Miraculous in the light to admire it further.
Gabriel had never personally used it. Emilie had been the one— she had only fully transformed once that he knew about, but she had looked so beautiful in her feathered, blue dress. He dreamed about it sometimes.
They had both been so surprised to learn that she bore not just one child, but two.
“Miracles.” Duusu had cooed over the twins. She circled them over and over and over again, giggling and crying and never quite staying on just one emotion for long. “This hasn’t happened in centuries!”
Nooroo told Gabriel that Duusu would act differently as long as his Miraculous was damaged. He wondered how he would act now that it was fixed.
And now that it’s fixed, Gabriel can use it at last.
But that didn’t distract from the fact that while he won one battle, he had lost another. The previous Guardian was gone, but Ladybug had taken his place. The Miracle Box was in her hands now and finding her would be difficult. They would be extra careful now that their master was gone, and worse, Ladybug could merge the Miraculouses or call upon other heroes now.
Anger courses through him. Two steps forward, one step back. Gabriel was making progress but Ladybug and Chat Noir were two particularly persistent thorns in his side. His identity was safe for now, courtesy of becoming The Collector, but he needs it to last. He needs something to change.
Gabriel needs more power.
Power and perhaps… Allies.
Because that was the difference between his Akumas and those heroes, wasn’t it? Some Akumas like Puppeteer could bring others to their sides but not all of them could. Many fought alone, and no matter what Gabriel threw at them, those damned heroes kept coming out on top.
Gabriel had fought them both himself as Hawkmoth when he made his strike against the Guardian. He was stronger than them but they were nothing if not persistent and clever. They were in sync, refusing to give him an inch if they could help it. He couldn’t catch both them and the Guardian, so he targeted the Guardian and he was soon taken out of the equation.
He could leave to fight alongside more of his Akumas, but that was a risk he wasn’t willing to take. He couldn’t get captured or it would ruin everything he worked so hard to build.
What his Akumas need is someone on their side, like Chat Noir is for Ladybug. What they need is someone powerful enough to hold their own against the pair.
Someone like another Miraculous Holder.
And Gabriel just so happened to have a newly repaired Miraculous.
Gabriel smiles to himself and leaves all of his equipment behind as he heads for the elevator. Nooroo swiftly hides in his coat but Duusu has yet to emerge from the Peacock Miraculous. Nooroo warned him it may take a moment for her to wake up properly.
Gabriel was sure he would soon— and just in time to meet his new Holder.
Nathalie is already in his office when he arrives. She spares him a glance before returning to her tablet. “Did it work?”
“Wonderfully.” Gabriel tells her with a grin. “Not a scratch on it. Thank you for your help in putting it all together.”
Nathalie hums noncommittally, pointedly not looking at him. Gabriel finally closes the distance between them and holds out the Peacock Brooch in his hand for her to see. She glances at it once before raising an eyebrow at him.
“You didn’t need to show me. I believed you from your mood alone.”
“That’s not why I’m showing it to you.” Gabriel tells her. “I’ve come to a realization.”
Something dark flickers in her eyes. “Oh?” She asks tersely. “And what’s that?”
“Ladybug and Chat Noir always succeed because they work as a pair.” He explains. Nathalie’s eyes narrow further. “My Akumas often work alone, but if they had help—”
“Absolutely not.” She swiftly cuts him off. Indignation rises to his throat.
“The sooner I get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous, the sooner I can bring her back.” He raises his voice. The soundproofing of his office has done wonders, allowing him to have conversations like these without the risk of alerting any of the other staff, or Adrien for that matter. “Then I can finally end all of this and we can be a proper family again!”
“Family.” Nathalie repeats dangerously. “You’re doing this for family?”
“You know that.” Gabriel frowns at her.
“You could have fooled me, Sir, considering one of your sons’ existence has been wiped off the face of the Earth and is now trapped in the basement.” There’s venom in her words. Gabriel has steadily gotten used to the barbs and glares she throws when Adrien isn’t there to see them, but sometimes she strikes harder than usual. Sometimes her eyes flash like she wants him dead.
It stuns him into silence. She scoffs at him.
“Family.” She says again. “You want to be a big, happy family. So that’s why Adrien has no idea he has a brother. Because that’s all a part of your plan to be a family.”
“Enough.” He manages to force out.
“Maybe you forgot,” Nathalie doesn’t waver for even a moment, “But you can’t order me around like you do your sons. So let me make something clear, Gabriel: my loyalty is not to you. My cooperation extends only as far as it needs to. The only reason I have not torn down your whole empire is because we have an agreement. I don’t care if you bring Emilie back or not, and I certainly won’t help you in attempting to do so.”
Nathalie turns on her heel, heading for the door. “If you’re looking for someone to play supervillain with, you won’t find it in me.” She stops, hand on the handle, and shoots one last glare. “Adrien asked if he could sleep over at Nino Lahiffe’s house tonight. I approved. You will not undermine that if you know what’s good for you.”
She leaves then. The door automatically locks behind her, yet another mechanism put into place to better hide his identity as Hawkmoth, as well as discourage Adrien from poking around his office while he’s not there. A well needed addition after the Grimoire was first stolen.
Gabriel’s mouth sets in a hard line. He thought she would see reason by now, but it seems his assistant has only grown colder. She never understood what he and Emilie had to do. Perhaps she never will.
His options have greatly diminished. Adrien still remains but Gabriel swore he would do everything to not get him involved. He’s always been the emotional sort— taking it hard when things went wrong. Emilie used to be so good at cheering him up, but in her last year, everything changed. Not even she could console him.
True, Gabriel could use the ring to have Adrien on his side but…
But, he has a better option. Another who yields to him, another who is not so breakable, nor as emotional as Adrien can be. One who would fit the role perfectly.
Gabriel returns his gaze to the elevator.
—
Félix hears the elevator coming down before he sees him. His first thought is Nathalie, but the steps are heavier and she doesn’t call his name as she steps off the platform. His mood sours, knowing exactly who it is and doesn’t turn his head when his door opens without knocking.
“Father.” Félix continues to play Celeste on the system he was oh-so graciously granted. He fights a smile when he sees Gabriel twitch when he doesn’t pause his game or spare him a glance. “Why have you decided to grace me with your presence today?”
“This is a serious matter, Félix.” Gabriel says. Félix resists the urge to roll his eyes, if only to not get himself killed in his game more than anything.
“Is it?” Félix asks with a hum. His character is reduced to pixels when he hits a sharp crystal and he’s forced to start at the beginning again. “Which kind of serious? Another accusation that somehow Adrien’s behavior is because of me despite the fact that I haven’t spoken to or seen him in well over a year now,” his gaze narrows and once again he dies, restarting. He jumps back into action without skipping a beat. “Or is this about your little late night terrorism with butterflies? How’s that going by the way?”
“Félix.” Gabriel glowers. “Pause the game.”
Félix pauses it, then immediately resumes. Gabriel’s fury only radiates further and behind him, Nooroo shoots Félix a worried look. If he could, he would send one back to reassure him, but that would mean looking in his father’s direction.
A thought that is promptly interrupted when Gabriel says, “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”
Félix is forced to look. He sighs as he hears the shattering sound of his character dying and respawning and pauses again. As fun as it is to find loopholes to his orders, the sooner he gets this over with, the sooner his father will leave.
Gabriel doesn’t come down to visit him all that often anymore. Nathalie and occasionally Nooroo are typically the only people he sees these days, but his father’s presence isn’t missed.
If he does see his father, it’s usually because he’s come down to see mother and/or to tend to his butterflies.
Félix has thought about destroying the chrysalises before but it didn’t seem fair to the butterflies. They had done nothing but be guilty by association of his father, and he could hardly condemn them for that.
If Gabriel is here to talk to him, it means he deems it important enough to pay a visit to his least favorite son. Félix had called himself such once, and Gabriel did not acknowledge what he said, but he didn’t deny it either.
It wasn’t a secret. It was never a secret. Even before Félix had been trapped in his new room in the basement, it was always obvious that his parents preferred Adrien. Just now they made no effort to hide it.
Gabriel said they did everything to make him comfortable. Gabriel said his room was tailored especially to him and how he would always have everything he needed.
Félix told him that a gilded cage was still a cage, and Gabriel stopped bringing it up altogether after that.
“Very well,” Félix meets his gaze sharply, setting the controller aside and leaning back. “What’s so important then?”
Gabriel outstretches and uncurls his hand. Félix had thought it was clenched because he was angry before, and was likely still right, but there’s something clutched in it. A brooch designed to look like a peacock tail.
Félix raises an eyebrow. “And this is?”
“A Miraculous.” Nooroo whispers from behind his father’s shoulder. Félix’s eyes immediately go wide and he stands up.
“I thought it was broken?”
Gabriel’s eyebrows furrow in a way that means he didn’t know Félix knew about that. Félix usually takes pride in getting that look— reminding him that locked away to be forgotten in the basement or not, he still knows things— but the shock has yet to wear off.
Another Miraculous…
“Are you planning to terrorize Paris with this one too?” Félix asks once he’s regained his bearings. “Are you looking for advice? Did Nathalie tell you to fuck off again?”
“Félix Agreste,” Gabriel fixates him with a hard look. “My Akumas need an ally, so I want you to aid me in my fight. Take this Miraculous."
Félix’s mind comes to a complete halt as his body obeys the order to take the Miraculous. The second it’s in his hand, the order is complete and Félix shoves it back into his father’s hands, taking several steps back.
“Are you out of your mind? You want me to help you?” His anger rises to the surface, no longer buried under months of forced compliance and silence. The audacity to ask for his help after everything he’s done to him—
Gabriel takes a step closer, gaze hardening. “Ladybug and Chat Noir have evaded me for months because of their partnership.” He tells him. “If my Akumas are going to stand a chance, they need someone on their side with a Miraculous.”
“And that can’t be you? Why am I not surprised?” Félix hisses. “I’m not helping you.”
“I’m not giving you a choice.” Gabriel rubs the ring on his finger. Félix grits his teeth, his chest constricting. “This could be unpleasant for you, but it doesn’t have to be.”
“It’s going to be no matter what. I’d rather fight.”
“Would you?” Gabriel glances around his room. “I’ve rewarded you with quite a few things for your good behavior. Do this for me and I’m inclined to give you more.”
A sharp and vicious laugh escapes Félix. “I’m not helping you with your magical terrorism for a few games, father.”
“Everyone has a price, Félix.” Gabriel tells him, undeterred. He hasn’t wavered once, like he knows he’s going to get what he wants in the end. “Name yours and we can both get what we want.”
Félix has a million things he wants to say to his father. Ways to give him a piece of his mind, tear him down, tell him exactly what he thinks of his plan to bring back his mother and opens his mouth knowing he’s going to say one of them—
But his eyes catch on something on the walls of his room. A calendar with pictures of sights all over Paris for each month. This month, it’s a picture of the Seine, glittering in the sunlight, and something in Félix falters.
He meets his father’s gaze again. Gabriel senses the shift in energy and eagerly waits for his response.
“I want out of here.” He tells Gabriel calmly. Immediately Gabriel’s eyebrows knit together.
“What?”
“I want out of this room.” Félix says. “Out of this house.” Gabriel opens his mouth and he swiftly cuts him off. “You don’t want me living out of your reach where you can’t easily control me, fine, but I want the ability to leave, even if I’ll have to return in the end.”
“Unfortunately, Félix Agreste no longer exists. You cannot be him anymore.”
“Then I won’t be Félix Agreste.” He presses. Gabriel’s face still twists at the idea so he pushes harder. “I’ll disguise myself, no one will know any better— it’s not like they’re looking for me. You know you can set parameters so it’s not as if I’ll be able to do anything that threatens you. All I want is the ability to not be stuck here all day, every day, beyond just fighting alongside your Akumas.”
“I don’t know about this.” Gabriel studies him for intent. Félix doubts his father will get anything out of it; he’s always been bad at reading him. “You know exactly why you no longer have free reign.”
“I don’t have free reign because you wanted to keep me away from Adrien.” Félix argues. “I already have orders not to communicate with him so I won’t be able to do much about that matter. If you want me to cooperate, then I want to be able to leave.”
“I don’t need your cooperation. It's a courtesy.” Gabriel snaps. The hand with his ring tightens. “You forget who holds the power here.”
“And you forget that I have a history of finding loopholes to your orders— especially when I’m trying to spite you. You really want all that to be combined with a Miraculous?”
Gabriel says nothing but is the first to look away. Félix allows himself to smirk.
“You could ask someone else, but you wouldn’t be asking me if you had anyone else.” He continues. “So if you want me to play nice, you’ll have to meet my demands. Allow me to escape the house every once in a while and in exchange, I’ll be the bad guy. Sound fair?”
Silence stretches on between them. Gabriel grimaces and finally utters a flat, “Very well.” He extends the brooch out to him again. “But there will be rules. Order. Jeopardize anything that I have worked so hard to build and I will not hesitate to leave you down here forever.”
Félix finally takes the Peacock Miraculous, willingly this time. “I hear you loud and clear.” He says. “And I—”
His breath catches in his throat. He can feel it— the flutter of power coming from his father’s ring. The one he’s been using to order him around for his entire life.
The Peacock Brooch pulses with power. The ring seems to respond to it— recognition.
Félix swiftly stuffs the brooch into his pocket. The hum of power fades when he stops touching it but it still haunts him like a phantom, causing him to feel a little unsteady.
“Let’s discuss terms.” Félix says instead. Gabriel nods curtly.
—
Félix isn’t sure if the thing surging through his veins is adrenaline, anxiety, or an unhealthy mix of both. Either way, it causes him to be stockstill, his game still untouched even though his father has long since left, and the Peacock Miraculous lying on the coffee table in front of him.
He was going to be a villain then, working for Hawkmoth. Father always loved to demonize him, so there was no surprise there, but it was starting to sink in what that meant.
Félix watched plenty of the news. It kept him sane, knowing what was going on in the outside world. And naturally, the thing that drew his eye the most was the Akuma attacks, and Ladybug and Chat Noir’s role in them.
Félix knew not to idolize people, especially when they looked to be his age, but he did admire them a little. They always won for a reason, and perhaps Félix liked how much they frustrated his father. It was a rebellion to root for him to lose and over the months that the pair had been active, Félix had found himself following along with their story.
He would be fighting them now. That was… Something. Honestly, Félix wasn’t sure what to think. He could fight pretty well but they had been at this for a while. Maybe he could keep up with them but getting their Miraculous would be another matter entirely.
He jumps when a sudden ball of blue light shoots out of the Peacock Brooch and swirls around him. The light slowly fades into a strange creature with blue skin and striking violet eyes.
A kwami. Like Nooroo.
“Huh!” The peacock kwami blinks at him. “You’re not Hawkmoth! Did I get out? Is he gone? Is Nooroo okay?”
Félix hesitates. “No. Sorry. Hawkmoth is upstairs. He said— he said the same rules as before apply.”
The peacock kwami blinks twice more. “Oh.” His eyes begin to get misty and Félix tenses up as he bursts into sparkling tears. “That’s so sad!”
“Please don’t cry.” Félix cringes at his own tone. When was the last time he tried comforting someone? Not since Adrien, he thinks, then swiftly pushes that thought out of his own head.
The kwami sniffs loudly, rubbing her eyes. She looks at Félix again, examining him, then gasps suddenly. “Are you— are you the Miracle?”
“Am I— what?”
Her eyes only get bigger. “The Miracle.” She whispers. “One feather that splits its power into two. Identical in looks. Twins.”
Félix's mouth hangs open for a minute. “I… Am a twin, yes.”
“Where’s your brother?” He swiftly searches around, zipping through his room as if it’ll give him the answers he wants. “I want to meet him! Meet you both! Oh, it’s been so long since my power made twins!” He squeals, previous sorrow forgotten, and Félix gets a little bit of whiplash for it.
“He’s— not here.” Something must give him away because the kwami looks back at him sadly. Félix swallows the lump in his throat. “And Hawkmoth says you’re not allowed to leave the basement unless I do so you’re stuck with me, I’m afraid.”
The kwami droops and Félix struggles to find the right words. “You said I was made with your power?”
“Oh! I forgot to introduce myself— I’m sorry!” She zips over to float in front of him again. “Hello, new Holder! I’m Duusu, in charge of the Miraculous of Emotion, and my power is Amokization! It gives you the ability to create a sentibeing, which you can model and choose the capabilities of, as well as control using the item where the amok was placed.”
Abruptly, Félix feels very sick to his stomach, and a lot more things begin to make sense. The rings his parents wore could control him but he never understood why.
Now he knew. Duusu’s power was used to create him and Adrien. He was a sentibeing, not human.
It shouldn’t make much of a difference. He already came to terms that he couldn’t disobey the orders of anyone who wore one of the Graham de Vanily rings. This didn’t change his situation— he was still trapped in a basement and being forced to become a supervillain.
Nonetheless Félix has to take a careful breath before continuing. “That is… Good to know. I will not be forcing you to create any more beings like that against your will.”
Duusu’s eyes brighten and he cheers. Then he seemed to realize something. “But you’re working for Hawkmoth?”
“Regrettably. He has my ring— my amok?” He shakes his head. “We have a deal, not that I have much of a choice.”
Duusu’s eyes were getting misty again. Félix sighs. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not!”
“I’m handling it.”
“You shouldn’t have to!”
The sound of the elevator coming down cuts them both off. Félix exchanges a look with Duusu as the footsteps neared. Lighter, with a click that indicated a heel. Nathalie.
She knocks on his door, a little louder than usual. Between that and not announcing her presence, it doesn’t take a genius to realize something’s off.
“Come in.” Félix tells her.
The door swings open and she immediately locks eyes on Duusu. Her face twists with a familiar fury— not at him, but at his father. He’s gotten to know the look well ever since he was condemned to live down here.
“Give me the Peacock Miraculous.” She strides forward, hand outstretched. “I’ll talk to him— he can’t make you do this.”
“I already made a deal with him, Nathalie.” Félix tells her.
“I can get you out of it.” Her eyes flash dangerously. She really means that.
Félix hesitates but he shakes his head in the end. “It’s all I have right now.”
“Félix, you can’t—”
“I can leave if I do this.” His words stun her into silence. “Not for good but often enough that it’ll be worth it, and he knows it. It’s why he agreed to the deal— he knows I’ll be too invested to give it up.”
“He should not be manipulating his teenage son,” she spits, “Into his wild goose chase for a wish to fix things he broke.”
“Are we really surprised?” Félix half jokes.
“No.” Nathalie looks away. “No, but I still should’ve seen it coming. He has no right to do this to you— after what he’s done to you— to Adrien—”
Nathalie stops to collect herself. That fury is still ignited in her eyes even when her face shifts back to be neutral. “Félix, this will be dangerous. The moment that Ladybug and Chat Noir know you’re with Hawkmoth, they’ll fight against you and do everything to take your Miraculous. You’ll be hunted. You’ll be hated. You’ll get hurt. And if anyone finds out about your identity, I may not be able to help as much when it comes to legality. Are you prepared for all of that to happen?”
The laugh that leaves Félix's mouth is hollow. Nathalie looks pained by it. Duusu whines softly.
“You know my situation better than anyone, Nathalie.” He meets her gaze with a bitter smile. “I have nothing to lose.”
Neither of them speak for a long moment. In the end, it’s Nathalie who dips her head, defeated. “Then I won’t take this from you. But if you need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
She nods and leaves silently. Félix waits to hear the sound of the elevator leaving before his attention turns towards Duusu.
“Tell me everything I’ll need to know.” He says, and Duusu perks up.