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Most of Félix’s suggestions and requests were harmless enough. If they were going to tell Marinette everything, he asked if they could put on a play to do it.
He claimed it was for the dramatics but Kagami didn’t really believe him. His behavior didn’t scream nonchalant in the slightest— she had gotten good at reading him. With how often he started visiting her, Kagami was fairly certain she had seen a near full spectrum of emotions from him.
Félix did not fiddle with his ring when he was calm. His eyes didn’t glance around like he needed to check they were really alone. He certainly didn’t talk as fast as he was.
The play, while maybe did have some dramatic flair to it, seemed to be the only way Félix could explain everything himself. Kagami could explain it instead, but it wasn’t hers to share. Félix needed to be the one to do it and as elaborate as the play was, it allowed him to put on a mask. To keep his head on straight despite the information he was giving.
The only reason Félix told her that he was a sentibeing was because she was like him. His distrust for everyone who wasn’t, especially anyone who ever killed a sentibeing like him, was strong. Naturally, he didn’t trust Ladybug in the slightest.
But he trusted Kagami. And he trusted the fact that Ladybug wanted Monarch gone.
So they were putting together a play, because Félix had asked and Kagami agreed to help.
Kagami was willing to indulge him in costumes, the roles they would each play, and helped in writing the script.
But everyone had limits and Kagami was putting her foot down about this.
“No.”
All of Félix’s rambling came to a complete halt. It was an odd sensation for just one word from her to have so much power. Mother rarely listened. Mother would not stop simply because she asked.
“You don’t..?” Félix looks at her in total shock, like it hadn’t occurred to him that she would be the one who didn’t want to do it. The ring in the palm of his hand remains untouched— Kagami feels sick just looking at it.
“I’m fine with a prop.” She tells him simply. “But not the real thing.”
Félix frowns. “It’ll be better if it’s authentic. Marinette isn’t like us, she doesn’t understand what it’s like to be controlled like this. But if we show her—”
“We’re already showing her.” Kagami swiftly cuts him off. “She knows how sentibeings work. She met Sentibug. She doesn’t need to see me ordering you around to understand that.”
He frowns down at his ring, pushing it around in the palm of his hand. He hasn’t put it back on yet. Kagami knows the conversation won’t be over until it does.
“If you’re worried about me, I’ll be fine. I trust you.” There’s honesty in his words there. Kagami knows it already— Félix trusts her so much that it was hard to comprehend at first. He told her everything he kept secret. He let her see for herself with the Peacock Brooch.
He wants to give her his ring. The very object that holds his soul and he wants her to wear it. To use it.
Few could say that. Kagami is flattered by his trust in her but that doesn’t mean she has to take him up on it.
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” He asks, an honest question. As clever as Félix is, sometimes he doesn’t see the obvious. Doesn’t quite understand the world outside of how he’s been viewing it all his life.
Kagami takes his free hand and guides it to gently cup the ring in his hand. “Félix,” she tells him seriously, and all of his focus is devoted to her in an instant. She’s still getting used to being listened to like that, without fear or disregard. “We are putting on a play to tell Ladybug all of your family secrets, including the nature of yours and Adrien’s existence. We’re bringing up family trauma, very notably, yours. I’m already going to be playing your father. I don’t want to act like him any more than I have to, for both of our sakes.”
Félix’s mouth opens and closes. He nods at last, holding his ring close to his chest once again. “You’re right— of course you’re right. I apologize, I wasn’t thinking about that.”
“No.” Kagami agrees. “You weren’t. And I know you want this to go right but you have to understand, this isn’t just Ladybug we’re going to be speaking to. This is Marinette. She’ll understand. I don’t know if she’ll forgive you but she’ll understand.”
Félix hums, noncommittal. He looks down at the ring in his hand again and slowly, he slips it back onto his hand again. Kagami can’t help but feel a little relief for it.
“You thought I would agree.” She notes. Félix doesn’t deny it. He tries not to lie to her if he can help it. “Why?”
“It didn’t occur to me that you would. I thought…” He stops, seemingly catching himself. At Kagami’s encouraging nod, he continues. “I thought anyone given the chance would take it. I should’ve known better— you aren’t like that.”
“Given the chance to control you?” She clarifies, getting a nod in return. “I can see why. Outside your mother, many of the people in your life have proven as much. However,” she adds, leveling him a look, “You’ve also been surrounded by a lot of questionable people. I understand what it’s like to see the world through a different lens but the truth is… Most people aren’t like that.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Félix looks like he surprises even himself by saying it. “Not that I mean to dismiss you—!”
Kagami holds up a hand to stop him. “I understand.” The corner of her mouth twitches up. “To tell you the truth, I think you could benefit from meeting a few regular people our age. I certainly have.”
“I think I burned those bridges.” He mumbles. Kagami laces her hand with his.
“Maybe it’s time you rebuilt some of them. Telling Marinette will be the first step.” At the pinch look on his face, she presses a little harder. “Trust me. Start with Marinette and we’ll see how it goes from there.”
Félix lets out a long breath, gaze drawn to his ring again, then to hers.
“I’ll have a copy made.” He murmurs at last. Kagami smiles triumphantly and raises his hand to her lips so that she might kiss his ring. Watching his cheeks tint pink is worth it.