While I’m not sure how much time I’ll have for writing in the upcoming days, I dreamt part of this one and then struggled to write a conclusion to it that I felt okay about. But perfection isn’t achievable and at some point I needed to just let that be, since otherwise I wasn’t going to end up with material for any prompts this month! This one is fairly bare bones in terms of plot and was done in the usual fashion (with no editing and no beta readers that is probably the death of my writing)
May or may not qualify as some degree of angst(?) but mostly in a way I find sweet. About 1200 words (somehow). Also, cat!Felix and always has been in this universe
Felix tried to swallow the lump growing in his throat as he held on to Marinette’s arm for dear life. He needed to focus on finding a better way to get her up onto the nearest beam of the Eiffel Tower without harming her, now that the transformation had dropped. At the very least the akuma had been drawn away by an illusion when her timer was running out, a fake Chat carrying away a fake Ladybug with beeping earrings.
He couldn’t help but think that falling off a beam in the chaos, with no yo-yo to help herself, was probably not how she would’ve planned any potential identity reveal. He figured that at least he had managed to catch her, even if his baton was simply wedged in the supports to stop their descent. Her kwami hurried into the little purse still hanging across her shoulders, likely to go eat whatever snacks Marinette had stowed away.
Another gust of wind blew around them, causing the pair to sway slightly and her hand to slide just a little further down his forearm. Felix took a deep breath and tried to focus again, tightening his grip as much as he dared without his claws digging into her skin.
“This feels very different without my suit.” Marinette managed a shaky joke. His fear for her safety only grew and he wondered if he would be calmer if it had been anyone other than her.
“Do you think you can pull yourself close enough to climb onto my back? With this angle, I can only pull my arm back up so far but I think if you can grab my leg or hips and get to my back, all you’d have to do is hold on tight and I could walk my hands in until I’m able to get on the beams and climb up to the observation deck.” Felix hoped his voice wasn’t trembling. He knew with the enhanced strength from his transformation, it shouldn’t be too difficult to climb with the additional weight, but he wasn’t sure how easily she would be able to grip his leather suit to get on his back in the first place.
“I think I can probably do that…” As she spoke, Marinette’s free arm reached towards him, twisting her body to try reaching the arm he was holding her with. He immediately tried to pull his arm up as high as he could without losing his grip on her or his baton. After managing to grip his wrist, she reached a leg out and hooked his leg, so she could pull herself right up to him, though the action did cause her to slide down slightly.
Felix grunted with the strain of holding his arm at that angle and she mumbled an apology. With her legs wrapped around one of his, Marinette managed to move one hand up to his shoulder and stretched to move her hand to his back. Once her elbow was hooked on his shoulder, fingers digging into his back, she paused and took a deep breath before speaking.
“Okay, I think I’ve got enough of a grip for the moment. I’m going to let go of your arm now and slide it up behind you and hook it on my other arm. Then I’m going to try to slip my head under your arm and shift until I’m on your back. Ready?” With how close she was now, he could see the sweat starting to form on her forehead and wondered if she was focusing on each word to keep calm like he was. When he realized she was waiting for a response, he nodded and loosened his grip on her arm.
She carefully moved, managing to get her arm over his shoulder before stopping and groaning, “I didn’t think this through enough. I don’t think I can keep my grip and get underneath your arm.”
He glanced down at her face, considering their position and what she had originally proposed. He also hadn’t realized that instinctively his arm had wrapped around her waist, to steady her when she was trying to get the best grip around his neck.
“I think if you hold on tight and keep your legs out of the way of mine, I can still climb like this. Are you comfortable with wrapping your legs around my hips and just holding on tight?” Felix tried not to blush at how close her face was to his, tried to focus on how they would get out of this situation before the akuma caught on to the illusion.
In response to this, Marinette tightened her grip on his neck, untangled her legs from his as smoothly as she could, and started pulling herself up higher. Felix couldn’t help but feel grateful that so far his baton was far enough over the beams that the shifting weight at this end didn’t seem to be affecting its balance. After a moment, she seemed to have settled into place, and Felix slowly moved his hand from her back, up to his baton.
Stepping his hands in, the two progressed towards the tower beams fairly quickly. From Marinette’s bag, Tikki peeked out and informed them that she was ready to transform again when they were ready to go. Once they reached the beams, Felix wrapped an arm around the closest beam using the beam to keep Marinette steady, then retracted the baton with his other hand.
He took a moment to scout the area and saw no sign of the akuma yet, much to his relief, then proceeded to start a slow climb down to the closest platform. Neither spoke until their feet were firmly planted on the ground for a long moment.
“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to talk with you about this later, but until then, I’m going to go so you can transform and we can finish up. Do you want to meet me at the top of the tower so we can figure out where they’re at or would you rather meet wherever the akuma is?” he whispered to her, leaning close despite the lack of bystanders.
“I’ll meet you at the top,” she replied shyly, while the blush in her cheeks slowly started to fade. Felix nodded and immediately started up the tower, hoping the exercise would clear his head.
Quickly after reaching the highest platform, he was joined by a transformed Ladybug swinging over the railing by her yo-yo. The two scouted out where they were going and were off to finish off the fight.
When the duo met late that night to discuss the accidental reveal, Marinette wasn’t sure that she wanted to know who her partner was yet. She expressed her concerns with the revealed identities, specifically with what Tikki had told her in the past, but still felt they needed to talk it through. Both brought questions and Felix admitted to knowing her in his civilian life. By halfway through, Marinette was willing to learn his identity and the two both detransformed. Both thoroughly assured the other that they weren’t disappointed, though neither was quite willing to admit just how pleased they were with the identities below the mask. After many more questions and a few sloth jokes, the two parted ways with endless smiles.
-Not every force in the universe has a polar opposite. Most don't, in fact. But there are a few binaries that exist in balance with each other, weaving the fabric of the universe with their give and take.
Life and Death.
Black and White.
Order and Chaos.
Luck and Misfortune.
Creation and Destruction.
Long ago, a few powerful magicians learned how to unbalance a few of these pairs. They could shape the world around them.
But there were always consequences.
-
"Who are you?"
The voice made Nino jump. He turned around, but he didn't see anyone in the darkness of the Paris rooftops.
"I'm, uh-" Nino looked down at his superhero outfit. "Red Luck."
A shadow darted around and over the roofs until someone in dark black with large, glowing eyes was crouched on the chimney above him.
"You're my other half."
Nino took a step back to see the stranger better. All he could make out in the moonlight was his outline; hunched shoulders, thrashing tail, points of hair in the shape of cat ears.
"Who are you, then?"
He dropped in front of Nino, standing to his full height. "I'm Black... Tiger."
Nino tried to suppress a chuckle. "You sticking with that?"
He shrugged. "Let me know if you come up with something better." He kicked backwards at the chimney, but misremembered how far back it was, and fell on his butt when it didn't catch his weight.
"Catastrophe sounds like a good name for you," Nino said, biting his lip not to smile.
He glared at Nino for a second, then cocked his head to the side, considering. "I hate why you suggested it, but I actually love the name. My power is to destroy things. It seems appropriate. Plus, I like puns."
Nino smiled. "I'm glad you like it, Catastrophe. So, what's this 'other half' stuff about?"
"We're partners. We're here to balance each other, protect each other."
They would grow to learn that protection comes in many forms.
-
Ladybug and Chat Noir are two points on a spectrum. They represent the far ends of the extremes. But in reality, they're just two souls, saddled with burdens bigger than they can be expected to carry.
-
"You missed patrol last night," Red Luck said when Catastrophe bounced into his field of view.
"I'm sorry about that. I lost track of time. I was researching. Researching us, actually."
"Us?" The two started running their patrol route, checking dark alleys and other trouble spots in the city as they went.
"All the Ladybugs and Chat Noirs before us. Did you know, we're actually reincarnated? We were destined to have these miraculous. They were ours before, and will be ours again after we die."
"Reincarnated? Like, past lives, and getting a new body, but the same soul each time?"
"Basically. And it sounds like our personalities change a bit each time, but some core piece of us is tied to our miraculous."
"That's so cool!" Red Luck wrapped his arm around Catastrophe's waist to swing them across a gap between roofs too wide to jump comfortably. "What else did you find out?"
Catastrophe pulled away from his partner a little more quickly than normal when they landed. "Not... not a lot. Bits and pieces."
"Super cool, dude. Let me know if you find out anything else that's cool about past-us."
"Of course."
-
Every Ladybug and every Chat Noir have fallen in love with each other. Every pair has the same two souls, at the core, so it's only natural that they would find each other again, love each other again.
-
"Why did you do that?" Red Luck demanded, pressing his Lucky Charm, a towel, against the gaping wound in Catastrophe's upper leg.
"Because I love you, you idiot!" he hissed.
Now that they knew they had lived the lives of heroes before, sometimes Felix or Nino could feel a sense of deja vu in their interactions. Not deja vu, exactly. It felt more like a memory.
In this case, a battle had gone poorly. One had tried to sacrifice himself for the other. They had both barely escaped with their lives.
"Well, I love you, too, jerk!" Red Luck shouted back.
Like falling into a memory.
-
Felix had done thorough research on his many pasts and those of his partner's. The pattern, the painful truth, had made itself apparent after a while. Once he saw it, he couldn't un-see it. After that moment, his only goal was finding a way to exit this loop and save them both.
Or, if he couldn't do that, to save his partner.
-
"Are we really doing this?" Catastrophe whispered. His arms were wrapped around himself, and he was biting his lip.
"I'd really like to," Red Luck said. "I love you. I want to know all of you, and I want you to know all of me."
"And... then what?"
Red Luck blinked, eyebrows drawing together and bunching his mask. "And... and then we can be together. In or out of the mask."
"Then I have something to tell you, first. We can't-" He cut himself off, drawing in on himself tighter, smaller.
"What?" Red Luck held out his hands, and Catastrophe snatched them up, squeezing tight. "You can tell me anything, ask me for anything."
"I don't think you'll like this, though." He glanced up from their hands, meeting Red Luck's eyes. The look he received gave him the courage to speak. "I don't want to kiss. Not on the lips. Anything else, I'm okay with." He gave a tiny smile. "I'm looking forward to what 'anything else' turns out to be, actually." He squeezed Red Luck's hands again. "Say something. Is that too much? If you want to think it over, we don't have to reveal tonight. We can wait until-"
A flash of pink light cut him off.
"Hi," detransformed Red Luck said, taking Catastrophe's hands again. "I'm Nino Lahiffe. I love you. If not kissing is something you need, then we won't kiss."
Catastrophe took in his words for a minute. This was Nino. Nino loved him. This time, the echoes of their past selves served to amplify his feelings. He was loved. He was full of love to give to this man. And every past Ladybug and every past Chat Noir had loved each other. The weight of loving millennia worth of Ladybugs was overwhelming and beautiful.
He dropped his transformation.
“Hi. I’m Felix Agreste. I love you. And your love is more than I could ever deserve.”
Nino stepped forward and slowly lowered his face until their foreheads touched. Their eyes closed, their breathing intermingled, their noses brushed each other.
And it was as beautiful as every time before.
-
Somewhere along the line, something had happened to the two souls known as Ladybug and Chat Noir. This was because their souls were both committed to one side of a different polar pair: Good over Evil. And Evil had found a way to hinder the pair.
In simple terms, it was a curse.
-
“Do you know, last night I had another nosy book club lady ask why she’s never seen us kiss?”
Felix set his coffee and Nino’s tea on the nightstand of Nino's dorm and crawled into his bed, appreciating the warmth that always came with being in Nino’s arms. Nino's classes didn't start for another hour, and Felix's were almost done for the day.
“As if that’s even the oddest thing about us,” Nino muttered, burying his face in Felix’s sweater.
“Do you regret agreeing to it?”
Nino felt Felix tense. He pulled back, blinking sleepy eyes at him. “Agreeing not to kiss?” Felix nodded. “Nah. It took some getting used to, or whatever, but there are so many other ways we show we love each other. I would give up the world to make sure you feel safe and happy and comfortable with me, dude. I would just plain give up the world for you.”
Felix slid to sit up against the headboard and reached for his coffee. As he lifted the cup, the lid popped off and the cylinder of the cup squashed in on itself, forcing hot coffee up and out of the cup, onto Felix's hand.
Felix swore and scrambled out of bed, quickly running to the bathroom down the hall to soothe his hand with cold water. “If I can stay strong enough, you will never have to give up anything for me again," he whispered, knowing Nino wouldn't hear him.
-
From the moment the curse went into effect, one of the duo, in each incarnation, would be plagued with bad luck. The only thing that could break the curse was their first kiss. The longer the cursed partner went without that kiss, the worse their luck got.
But each first kiss only banished the curse until they were reborn.
-
Felix hadn't expected this. The pit in his stomach told him that he should have expected it. But he hadn't, for some reason.
"Dude. An answer would be nice."
Felix's eyes snapped back to Nino kneeling in front of him with a ring in a box in his hand. He couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe.
Nino must have seen the panic in his eyes because he set the ring on the coffee table and sat next to him on the couch. "You can say that you're not ready yet. That's okay. I'm never going to have a problem going at your speed."
Felix covered his mouth with one hand and gripped Nino's shirt with the other, not caring that it would wrinkle. He turned into Nino and sobbed.
"I'm sorry," Nino whispered, his arms circling Felix. "I thought you wanted this, too."
He couldn't bring himself to tell Nino that it was all he wanted. He couldn't bring himself to say that the moment he had moved to kneel before him, he could see their life together and their future. He couldn't bring himself to say that if he had all that, if he let himself have what every other Char Noir had taken for granted, there was no way he wouldn't slip up and kiss him.
All Felix could manage was, "I'm sorry."
Their whispered "I'm sorry"s continued until late in the night.
-
Felix, like every Chat Noir, would do anything to protect his Ladybug. When he found out about the curse, he was given a new purpose in life.
The curse must die with me, he decided.
-
Seconds after Nino woke the next morning, he knew something was wrong.
It wasn't that Felix wasn't in bed. Felix was an early riser.
It wasn't that anything was missing or misplaced in the bedroom, from what he could see.
But something was wrong.
Nino pulled on a hoodie over his pajamas and went to the kitchen. The snow outside was bright and fluffy. The kitchen was semi-clean. The living room was cluttered (mostly with books).
The coffee maker wasn't on.
It hadn't been used at all since the day before, judging by the cool heating element and dry, clean pot.
Nino didn't try to lie to himself that Felix was probably out getting coffee from the place down the street. He started looking for the note. Because of course, Felix would leave a note before running.
He found it on the end table next to the couch, on a copy of Felix's favorite book, under the box holding the ring.
The note was brief. It explained exactly nothing. Felix was gone because he proposed, and Nino would bet almost anything that he wasn't coming back.
Nino sat on the couch and ran a finger around the edge of one of his earrings. What had gone wrong? Weren't they soulmates? Literal, reincarnated soulmates?
He didn't cry, because he knew the story wasn't over.
-
Bad luck has a purpose in life. But too much of it, like too much of anything else, leads to a miserable life.
-
Felix had taken very little with him when he left. By the time he had gotten out of the country, he had even less, having been mugged.
He was alone. All he wanted was Nino. And the only thing he couldn't have was Nino.
He set up a small shop in a small village and performed small acts of magic, making a trade as a run of the mill magician. He was known for his efficiency and tendency to accrue injuries while he worked.
He was known for being lonely.
-
Nino tried to move on. At first, it was to spite Felix. He boxed up all his things and donated or recycled them and looked at the empty spaces with a mixed feeling of pride and anger.
Then he tried to move on because he knew Felix was doing what he thought was best for his Ladybug, because he knew Felix would want him to try.
He never seemed to reach some magical point where it didn't hurt that his Catastrophe of a man was gone. Without his other half, he was still a person unto himself, full and complete. Light is still light in the absence of shadows. But that doesn't mean the light doesn't long for the dark.
He was lonely.
-
Felix's apartment building caught fire three times. He got every cold that went around the town, no matter the precautions he took. His identity was stolen. He broke bones from small falls, he was robbed, mugged, his store vandalized, he got parking tickets no matter how careful he was.
And every moment, he missed Nino, his Ladybug, his partner, Red Luck.
None of it was enough for him to return to Nino. None of it was enough to make him ask for the kiss that would save him.
But some days, it was enough to make him stare at his phone, the number in place and his thumb hovering above the “call” button.
-
Nino was picking his son up from the school bus when he got the call.
“Mr. Lahiffe?”
Like that morning when Felix was gone, he just knew.
“Yes. Who is this?”
The caller stated his name and the hospital at which he worked.
“You’re listed as the emergency contact for one of our patients.”
The backpack he had taken from Jean, his son, slid out of his hand and fell into a snowy puddle.
“Dad?”
Nino scrambled to grab the bag, slinging it over his shoulder. He grabbed Jean’s hand and started walking faster, listening closely to everything the hospital worker said.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Nino hung up and immediately ran his hands over his face, shoving his glasses out of the way.
“Was that about the man with blond hair?” Jean asked. He was in the kitchen, drying his backpack with the good kitchen towels.
“How do you know about him?” Nino asked, taking the backpack and emptying its contents on the table so he could properly wash it. He thought he had gotten rid of every physical sign of his Chat Noir years ago.
“Aunt Alya has pictures of you with him. She hides them when you come inside.” Jean started setting up his homework. “Are you mad at him?”
Nino considered this.
“I don’t know.”
“Is he okay?”
“I hope he will be, soon.”
Nino didn’t tell “Aunt Alya” why she needed to take Jean for the night, possibly longer. She didn’t ask, either, which surprised him, until he saw himself in a mirror. He looked like a man who was haunted.
-
“You know you shouldn’t have come,” Felix said when the door to his hospital room creaked open. He didn’t open his eyes.
“You know,” Nino said, walking over to sit on the bed, facing but not touching Felix, “you never said why you wouldn’t let me kiss you.”
Felix’s eyes still didn’t open. “We’re cursed.”
“Yeah, see, I started doing some research of my own after you ran off like a scaredy cat.” Nino felt the smallest bubble of pride when Felix’s lips twitched into what was undoubtedly a smile.
“And what did your research tell you?”
“If you die without breaking the curse in this incarnation, you won’t come back next time.”
His silence was all the confirmation Nino needed. Felix had known this.
“You were going to leave me to be born again and again without my partner and pair.”
“I was going to let you live without this curse.”
“Look at me, Felix.”
His eyes opened. They were glassy with tears.
Two heartbreaking syllables.
“Nino.”
“I’ve been waiting for this call for years. Since I started researching what could have made you think you needed to leave.” He shook his head. “No. Since the minute I knew you were gone.” Nino held out his hand. “Will you come back and stay with me?”
“Nino.” The name was like water on his dry lips. “If I stay, you suffer.”
“I’ve suffered more these years without you than any lifetime I’ve been the one cursed.” He shifted closer. “Will you please come home, Felix?”
He closed his eyes and took Nino’s hand.
“Will you do something for me first?”
Nino couldn’t tell whose hand was shaking harder.
“What do you need?”
Felix opened his eyes and pushed himself up until he was sitting with his forehead against Nino’s, their noses brushing and breath intermingling like it had the night they revealed their identities.
“Kiss me, Nino.”
And the curse was broken.
Until next time.
-
Felix moved in with Nino and Jean as soon as he was released from the hospital. Nino was nervous about the two of them meeting, but Jean accepted another father into his life with joy. Within a week, one of his favorite activities was reading with Felix. Within a month, he turned to Felix in the middle of one of their reading times and made him an offer.
“When Dad adopted me, he said I could call him Nino forever if I wanted, or wait until I was ready to call him Dad. So if you’re ready, I’ll call you Papa, or if you aren’t, I’ll keep calling you Felix.”
Felix looked to Nino where he was practicing on the piano. He knew Nino could feel his eyes on him because he started smiling, but he never looked over at them.
“I’m ready for you to call me Papa,” Felix said, “if you’re ready for me to call you cuddle-bug.”
The sound of Jean giggling and demanding that Felix call him “stink bug” exclusively, combined with Nino repeatedly playing the wrong notes while laughing at them was more than enough to convince Felix he had made the right choice.
Being with them was the right choice.
-
"I knew you'd come back," Nino whispered a few hours later, pulling Felix's glasses from his face and tossing a blanket over him where he slept on the couch. "You always have."
Do you know any fics (including yours) that have Felix as Chat Noir?
XD omg I was just on a Felinette fic that I’m hoping to post up soon. But fics with Fe as Chat…
Well, there’s Grumpy Cat, that’s a solid fic where Fe is Chat. I would not recommend the sequels I have out to GC cause they will make you cry, don’t even take it as a challenge, I have had people message me that they read as a challenge despite the warnings I put in the tags and they were crying. So just stick to GC.
The sequels, read at your own risk.
There’s also Felinette March, that has a few Fe as Chat. Then there’s No Toughy!, that was a small drabble.
Now for others…
A Christmas Tail by @purrincess-chat
Bring Me Back Home by @tournee-de-la-ladybug
And sadly that’s all I know where Felix is for sure Chat Noir. There could be more, especially with the ship Felix/Bridgette but those I don’t look at so… you might find more with that ship.
So this is my first time writing something that wasn’t academic or work documentation in probably at least 5 years and it’s definitely my first fan fic so please bear with the rough writing. And the potential out of character-ness of this. I wasn’t even planning to write for this but after reading a few of the ones by @fandomsilhouette, I felt too inspired not to try!
Fingers crossed that this burst of inspiration last long enough for me to finish the prompts on @felinettenovember!
This is based loosely on a fan fic I read a while back (if I remembered who wrote it, I’d completely tag them here but I don’t even remember the name now)
Chat!Felix and reveal
Around 1500 words and most certainly fluff
Marinette hummed as she put together the tray of cheese pastries and tea for her anticipated visitor. She loved the decision to make a schedule for patrol to clear up some time in her and Chat’s busy schedules. Under this, she had three days every week that she didn’t need to worry about sneaking out and one day that they could meet up from patrol to hang out and work on finding Hawkmoth. Additionally it resulted in a standing visit with her masked friend once a week, with her parents’ approval after the Weredad akuma brought it to their attention under the condition of homework still getting done, of course.
Once upstairs, Marinette worked on tidying up her room a little from her projects, as the scrap pile from her ongoing projects could be a little distracting and she preferred to have those in acceptable condition for smaller projects. Maybe she could make a nice patchwork quilt for Felix as a get-well present, since he seemed to be coming down with something. A cold or maybe the flu? He definitely seemed flushed and less alert than usual, seeming to space out while looking at her throughout the day.
As she sat down with the pieces, arranging and rearranging to find the most appealing look that Felix may approve of, a thump sounded from the balcony and the clatter of a chair falling. Quickly pushing the fabrics out of sight, Marinette climbed up and opened the door to peer out at Chat. He was still laying on the ground with a bright red face, visibly sweaty skin, and eyes shut.
“Oh! You look terrible Chat! Did something happen on your patrol?” Marinette rushed over to help him up slowly and stopped when she noticed the shiver running through him and the quick breaths. She felt his forehead, pushing his more disheveled than usual hair out of the way. His eyes slowly opened and a weak grin crossed his face.
“Hiya Princess. You look nice today. Is your hair down?” His hand reached up and batted at the closest pigtail. Her hair was definitely still in it’s pigtails, albeit a little longer than they were when these visits first started. That’s not a good sign…
“Let’s get you inside and out of the cold. Are you sick? Why didn’t you go home right away after patrol if you’re sick? Or better yet, why not call Ladybug and ask her to cover this patrol so you could rest up?” He mumbled incoherently and leaned heavily on her as she helped him climb into her room. The moment he was near the chaise, he collapsed heavily on it.
Marinette rushed to grab blankets and a pillow to make him comfortable, chastising him about the importance of taking care of his health and assuring him that Ladybug certainly felt the same way, despite his denials of being sick. With some coaxing, she managed to get him to sit up so she could wrap the biggest blanket she owned around his shoulders. She moved to grab another blanket and pillow and he let himself fall down again, rolling off the chaise onto the floor.
“Oh Chat! Let me help you back up! I’m sure you’d be much cozier than on the floor!” I’m sure my parents are wondering what is happening at this point. Hopefully they help me take care of him when they’re done prepping for tomorrow, at least enough that he can make it home.
“Nnnngh,” and curled up tighter in the blanket, burying his face into the spot where the carpet and the top edge of the blanket met. With a resigned sigh, Marinette went to the bathroom to find a thermometer and to see what kinds of medicine they had. At least if it’s only a cold, she might be able to give him something to help him through the night. Coming back into the room, she chuckled at the sight of him curled up tightly, like a little purrito.
“Chat, you need to get up and take this so you feel better soon. I have some tea that you can take it with, if you’d like,” Marinette cooed, trying to sound as much like her mother as possible, as she walked towards the nearly forgotten tray with medicine in hand.
“I don’t want to! I want to cuddle,” Chat protested and pulled the blanket closer in, somehow curling up even more and acting more like a petulant child throwing a tantrum with each passing minute. Marinette brought the tray over, setting it near the chaise, grabbing another blanket, and knelt down by his side.
“I tell you what, if you sit up and take your medicine like a good boy, I’ll give you this extra blanket and let you pick which pillow you want to use,” she bribed, hoping that the time babysitting Manon had taught her the right skill for this kind of situation. With this offer on the table, Chat managed to sit up slowly, his eyes looking more glazed over than when he had arrived. Marinette handed him the tea, grown cold by this point, and the correct dosage of cold medicine, to prevent him from accidentally taking too much.
He quickly took both without further protests and then a goofy grin broke out. “I want you to be my pillow!” His arms wrapped around Marinette and tried to curl himself up on her lap. The contact made her blush a bit and she tried to pull back.
“You’re such a flirt! What happened to being in love with Ladybug?” she joked nervously. After readjusting so he was just leaning on her shoulder, instead of across her lap, she used one hand to drape the second blanket over him. At least this way I can tell he isn’t too cold.
“I only flirt with you and Ladybug. I can’t help that if I didn’t have this curse, you’d be my first choice,” he murmured, seeming to be drifting back to sleep already. Marinette was stunned into silence. Did this mean Chat likes her? How did things change so much just from hanging out? With how out of it he seems, is he going to remember this conversation later? Are things going to be different the next time I see him?
For a few minutes she spiraled, thinking of every possible thing that could change, speculating whether this would affect how she treated him as Ladybug (try as she might to avoid letting these nights slip into her superhero life), and how different this might have been if she didn’t have a crush on Felix. Soon he startled her out of her thoughts with a jolt, as he sat up and started thrashing wildly at the blankets and pulling at his suit.
“Ack! Too hot! Stupid suit! Plagg, claws in!”
A flash of light and silence. Marinette clamped her hands over her eyes as quickly as she could with her brain already running on delay.
“Mmmmmmm. Much better,” he mumbled, before Marinette felt his head resting on her leg, arms wrapping around her waist, and body resting on her lap. She kept her hands over her eyes and freaked out internally. How am I supposed to talk him into transforming back?
“What are you doing kid?! You can’t do that here! Nobody is supposed to know your identity! I hate to say it but you need to transform back so Ladybug doesn’t get upset with you!” Plagg fumed. Marinette felt him try to pull on Chat’s arms
“You’re so warm,” Chat purred out, ignoring Plagg’s badgering, “Why don’t we do this more often, Princess? This would be perfect during movie nights.”
I need to do something. I can’t stay like this forever!
“Chat, why don’t you transform back and just take one of the blankets off? Wouldn’t that be better?” Marinette kept her eyes clamped together, moving her hands slowly down to where she thought his shoulder was and felt for the blankets. Apparently he hadn’t pulled them back up before curling up on her so it was just his shirt. Feeling utterly surreal, she noted that the sleeve’s fabric felt like the high quality fabrics she had to save up to buy for bigger, fancier projects.
“Noooooo. This is what I want. This is too nice to give up!” he protested, twisting his body up first to bury his face into her side, then shake it dramatically. A ticklish jolt ran through her body and she opened her eyes without thinking, pushing him back to stop him.
“Felix?!” Marinette gasped. Felix just smiled and continued trying to cuddle back up to her.
Just then Marinette’s parents knocked on the door downstairs and asked if they could come in. If her brain hadn’t come to a halt, she might’ve had a joke about their impeccable timing.
I swear there is actually something to do with a heist for the @felinettenovember prompt, even if this is mostly just fluff where Felix is still really under the influence of anesthetics after wisdom teeth surgery. It’s so much easier to not be out of character for him if he’s got no impulse control ;)
Around 1200 words of fluff and sort of identity reveal, even if neither are going to realize it’s actually true when he comes down off the drugs.
Chat!Felix definitely is chaotic enough to pull a heist...
"Marinette! Where are you? I want Marinette! Help!" Felix panicked, trying to get up too fast and falling back on top of her. She was starting to think it was going to be a long day.
“I’m right here. Don’t worry!” Marinette replied quickly, grabbing his wrists gently to stop his flailing arms and then cupping his hands in hers.
“Hi pretty lady! I’m so glad you’re here. You’re the best.” his words slurred together a bit, clearly struggling to enunciate with the cotton still in his mouth. Marinette couldn’t help but smile whenever he came back to wanting her around. It was nice to know he really wanted to spend time with her. She had reached the point of simply making a contented sound in response to his semi-regular compliments, especially since he often didn’t comprehend when she replied and started going down another rabbit hole.
“You’re so smart too! You have these ideas! So many ideas… All the ideas! And then you just do them! It’s so amazing! You’re just the most amazing! Even more than Ladybug,” as he spoke, he shifted so he was cuddling up to her side and staring up at her with wide, reverent eyes. She didn’t mind his head resting against her shoulder like that, even if she questioned how comfortable that could be for his mouth. At this distance, she noticed how chapped his lips were and wished she could reach some lip balm to help him. It would be unfortunate if they cracked open and bled. He had enough to worry about with making sure the stitches in his mouth healed up well.
“Thank you Felix. Do you mind if I get up quick to grab you some lip balm?” He groaned in response and rolled away from her with a pout. She smiled again, getting up and grabbing the container she eyed from her seat. He was such a child like this. She also grabbed two glasses of water and set them on her coffee table before hurrying back to sit by him.
She had quickly figured out that if she was out of his sight for more than a minute or so, he would call out for her. Going to the bathroom resulted in his panicked pleas. The one time she told him where she was going, he followed and sat outside the door, pawing at it pathetically while whining that he wanted to be near her. He was completely fine to go to the bathroom though, which was almost baffling. It was honestly a little exhausting compared to how aloof he normally acted with her. Almost like how a cat will just so happen to constantly be in the same room as you and then is really needy when you get back after being gone longer than usual.
When Felix had requested that she and her family take care of him on the day that he got his wisdom teeth out (something about his bodyguard having other obligations and his father being on an international business trip), she had assumed it was because he didn’t want to pay someone to and figured she wouldn’t video him when he was still under the influence of anesthetics. He wasn’t wrong about that part either. This experience had shown her that it was also because he really enjoyed her company though.
“We should steal the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen!” Felix declared excitedly.
“Okay Felix. We can wait until after the anesthetic is worn off all the way, right?” she requested in the most soothing tone she could manage while stifling a laugh. His mind sometimes switched gears so quickly.
“No! We’ve got to plan it now! We’re going to do it right now! It can’t be hard!” Felix howled with hands waving in protest. Marinette couldn’t believe how cute he was being, even if this was completely crazy. Maybe she should video tape him like this, since he won’t believe it later. “It’ll be just like that one ridiculous American movie! The one with the lady and the two guys!”
She hummed back at him, raising her eyebrows slightly in amusement. “Do you watch a lot of American movies?”
“No. I saw that though. I don’t know how though. I’m supposed to know how, aren’t I?” his voice went up in pitch, clearly getting nervous about his memory.
“It’s okay if you don’t remember that. It doesn’t really matter…” Marinette put her hand up to run through his hair. He wrapped himself around her again and stared up at her with an intense interest.
“Has anyone told you that you look a lot like Ladybug? And you’re just as smart. And kind. And talented. And really fun. And you’ve got a lovely voice. It’s so nice and soothing…” his voice betrayed that he was trying to really think this through, even if he was seemingly a little off track. Marinette fought to keep the blush down and nervously chuckled. Apparently while under the influence, he was more likely to figure out her identity. That was important to know so she could try to avoid that later.
“Oh! That’s so nice to say Felix! I’m pretty sure I’m not brave enough to be her though…” She hoped this loose reasoning would make him stop his train of thought.
“I’m gonna tell you a secret, Princess--” he poked her nose gently, “-- I am actually Chat Noir. And it would be great if you were Ladybug. You’d make the best Ladybug…” he trailed off for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. Marinette tried not to let her shock show on her face. She didn’t know how to process that this distant boy was Chat. It has to be something he just thinks from the anesthetics. It can’t be real.
Chat told me that he wasn’t going to be available this week because of a medical thing he was dealing with… He warned me in case there was an akuma and so I wouldn’t expect him for patrols but assured me it wasn’t super serious as long as he took care of it then… If Felix was actually Chat, the timing would make sense…
“If you were Ladybug, it would make the heist so much easier too! We could just go in all stealthy or claim that we had gotten wind of some criminal planning to steal the Declaration and offer to guard it, then sneak out with it when nobody was watching! Who would guess it was Paris’ heroes?” he babbled and Marinette breathed a little bit easier. He didn’t actually figure out my identity, he was just thinking about his silly heist idea. He probably isn’t Chat Noir and just thinks he is from the drugs.
“That would make a heist easier…” she acknowledged. He brightened at her, smiling wider than reasonably expected with a mouth full of cotton wads.
“Sweet! Even if you aren’t Ladybug, we can do this!” Felix was still leaning over her when he sat up most of the way, resulting in his face right in front of hers. His eyes sparkled and she found his exuberance infectious. She chuckled a little, looking away for a moment. He quickly reached out and touched her cheek lightly.
“I’d ask to kiss you too if I could feel my mouth.”
Marinette had been having a day full of surprises and it seemed that Felix wasn’t about to stop any time soon.
Part of me imagined a reversed version of the art for this prompt by @emzurl, where they’re leaning together in interest instead! Check that out if you have time!
Aged up AU, I’m picturing early 20s.
Chat!Felix, and Felix is completely unrelated to the Agrestes, just friends with Adrien.
Around 1500 words
Felix was always early to events and a blind date was no exception. He couldn't believe that Adrien wouldn't even tell him the girl's name, let alone see a picture. "It'll feel more like a natural meeting if you don't know anything beforehand!" and "Isn't it more romantic if all you know is she's wearing a red top and black scarf?" Right Adrien. Because that makes a blind date sooooo much more natural. I would never take a girl to this nice of a restaurant for a first date either. It's obviously better to do something like tea or coffee so we can part quickly if needed.
Felix’s brain stopped so suddenly when he entered the restaurant that he nearly fell as his body ground to a halt. A few tables behind the host stand, near a window, was a lovely woman in a red dress with a black scarf. She had an open book and a flower with her, looking very much like she was waiting for someone before ordering food. He had shown up 15 minutes before the agreed on time to give him time to settle in before she got there. She appeared to have been here for a few minutes already, drink in hand (is that a teacup?) and looking out the window. He had brought a flower for her, to make a good impression, and it happened to be the same kind. Had Adrien told her all about me to make her first impression better?
With a quick word to the host that he believed he saw his date, he began walking towards her chosen table. As he approached, he realized the book was actually a sketchbook. An artist… interesting…
"Hello. I'm supposed to be meeting someone here for a blind date. You wouldn't happen to be waiting as well, would you?" Felix tried to smile warmly, hoping that he hadn't just interrupted a random woman for no reason as he stood across the table from her, one hand on the chair back. She looked over him critically, processing how his green tie fit with the rest of his black and white ensemble, then eying the flower in his hand before answering him.
"I am waiting for someone. Were you given a name for your date?" She cocked her head, smiling gently at him. Felix flushed. Had Adrien given her his name and not vice versa? What about the romance of it? His empty hand reached up to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"Actually the friend that set this up didn't tell me her name. He said it would be more like a natural meeting if I didn't know anything about her coming in…" he stared down at the chair in front of him. He could feel the warmth radiating from his face as his smile turned uncomfortable. She laughed. A beautiful sound that drew his eyes up to her face.
"I actually don't know my date's name either! My friend thought it would be more romantic if we just met and connected 'naturally,' even if it was staged! I'm so glad to know we’re in the same boat," she giggled out, a bright genuine smile and a small flush in her cheeks. Felix relaxed, coming to the same conclusion. "I'm sure there wouldn't be two blind dates set up here with almost no information given about the other person! I will admit though that I managed to pry out that you were blond so I could at least rule out anyone with darker hair."
Felix pulled out the chair and sat down across from her, setting the flower on the table between them and leaning on his elbows. Then he thought better of it and held out a hand, "I'm Felix."
"Marinette," her small hand settled into his for a small shake. Felix felt like he could soak up these smiles forever. Oh goodness, I'm already being as sappy as Adrien. The blush in her face increased slightly as Felix held her hand a little too long, still thinking about her smiles. He snapped back to attention and released it, pulling his hand all the way back to his chest and looking away to clear his throat.
"So you're an artist of some type?" Felix hated the awkwardness in his voice but needed to distract from his embarrassment somehow. She appeared startled at his question.
"Yes… sort of… how did you… oh. Ha. The sketchbook on the table. Yes, I'm a fashion designer, or at least I'm training to become one," she smiled softly again, gently closing her sketchbook and setting it down in her purse before turning her full attention back, elbows resting on the table. "By the way, I like your choice in tie. Themed for our local heroes, I presume?"
She was definitely referring to the small cat prints along one edge of the otherwise plain green tie. It was a gift from Ladybug some time back and the only green tie he owned. Since his date was expecting green and it was fairly subtle unless specifically looked for, he thought it would be appropriate to wear this rather than buy a new one. If he had anticipated a fashion designer, he probably would have bought a new tie…
"It is actually. A friend made it for me and I thought it might bring me some luck today," Felix smoothly replied, hoping it would appease her critical eye. She grinned slyly, as though she had an inside joke.
"I'm sure your friend would be happy to lend you some luck. And I imagine Chat Noir would be pleased to be represented too," Marinette’s smile deepened and Felix began to feel like a mouse being toyed with by a cat…
"I'm sure he'd be paws-itively tickled," he hoped the joke would turn her attention away. This felt a little too close to home, even if she couldn't possibly know who made this.
"Did you just make a pun?" She looked shocked. Felix laughed at her expression and the waiter interrupted to inquire about food orders. After placing their orders, the two fell back into easy conversation.
Engaged as they were with the other's company, both missed the entrance of a blond man carrying a large bouquet of flowers. He checked his watch before looking around the room. Not seeing a woman waiting alone with flowers, he was seated at a table further in the dining area, adjacent to the pair.
The entrance of a young woman in a red blouse with a skirt and small black scarf was also missed by the pair five minutes after the originally agreed upon meeting time, however her scan of the dining room had different results than the man's. She swiftly approached the table where Felix and Marinette were talking and holding a single hand across the table.
"Felix! I'm sorry you had to wait for me! I hope you weren't here long! Who is your friend?" The new woman placed her hand on his arm, scrutinizing Marinette. Marinette studied the two with evident confusion. Felix shot an annoyed scowl at the interloper, then slowly removed her hand from his arm. It didn't take him long to put two and two together.
"I'm sorry but I think you have the wrong person. My name isn't Felix," he responded quickly, schooling his expression into a more neutral (though still annoyed) expression. She blinked a few times. Marinette’s confusion turned to suspicion. Hopefully Adrien doesn't kill me for this… "My name is Claude and I'm currently having a phenomenal time with my date so if you wouldn't mind going away, it'd be appreciated."
"Oh… Really? I'm sorry! I mistook you for someone else!" She turned and walked back up to the host stand to ask about another blond man wearing a green tie. Figures that he'd send me out with one of his gullible coworkers. Felix turned his attention back to Marinette with a satisfied grin.
"Claude huh?" Marinette had an eyebrow raised at him, clearly noticing that his story didn't add up.
"I am definitely having too good of a time with you to cut this off and go eat with a random woman I've never met before. Would you rather I rectify this and go on a date with her so you can find your rightful man?" He put as much bravado into his tone as manageable but his eyes were glued to her, anticipating her answer. If she wanted him to leave so she could find her original date, he would. He would hate it but for her, he'd do it.
"No. I prefer this. If I had to guess, that guy over there--" Marinette subtly gestured to bouquet man "-- was probably supposed to be mine and you seem much more interesting. You definitely have better taste in clothes." She delivered this with a wink that made Felix’s heart skip a beat.
"Can I get your phone number too then?" he blurted out and blushed. He wanted to see her again, possibly every day. Marinette leaned forward with a devilish smile.
"Is Felix your real name?" He gulped as he saw how close she was. She's dangerous… I might just get addicted to her teasing…
"Of course…" his mouth was so dry that the words were just above a whisper. She smiled and put a hand out for his phone. Dangerous isn’t a strong enough word for her...
Sorry for the delay on day 11 of the @felinettenovember prompts! I found out my spouse had the night off yesterday, which throws my after work plans out the window, since he wants to spend time with me (crazy right?). Add in writer’s block for the entirety of my remaining writing time and a complete change in idea 0this morning and you’ve got this. If the motivation ever returns (after November ends) I might try to finish my original plan for this (more of a throwback to when my high school included a short unit about dancing during gym) and give you another Felinette dancing fic.
So here’s some fluff and accidental reveals.
Chat!Felix and definitely taking place near the end of their high school time.
Around 1900 words
Patrols were Felix’s favorite part of the week. Not only did he get to run across the rooftops as Chat Noir, pushing himself to move faster and grow stronger, but he also got to see his partner. After the akumas started getting stronger, the two agreed that they should get together once or twice a week to spar. Ladybug was light on her feet and surprisingly strong, but he had raw mass on her and was using the patrol to build up his stamina. Modeling didn't cut it. Afterwards he would sneak out to find some extra food to supplement his diet and avoid dropping weight. Doing this for a few years had really improved his fighting and he felt this helped the pair stay in tune better during battles. He noticed they fell under an akuma's influence less than when it first began (him especially) and the battles seemed to be more contained.
Tonight was different from their usual sessions though. Ladybug seemed too distracted during their sparring and he had the upper hand for too much of it.
"Something on your mind, L?" Felix asked, backing out of their chalk-drawn ring to signify his ending the exercise. He grabbed his water bottle and sat near the edge of the roof. Her quiet steps marked the approach and she sat next to him.
"Yeah. Civilian life problems." She sighed out, slouching slightly.
"Same. Would you like to share some general parts? If you don't want to, is it alright if I do?" Felix didn't want to pry. A few months into their partnership, they had a serious talk about his crush and the way his actions and words were making her uncomfortable. He took it to heart, examining where the line was, and worked to be better. It also helped their battle chemistry to know they could trust each other to listen and respect. It hurt Felix’s heart a bit to be rejected but if Ladybug's belonged to someone else, there wasn’t anything to do about it.
"You can go first. I'm not sure how much I want to share yet…" she took another deep breath and pushed it out through her nose. Relaxation techniques. Both of them had learned a variety to try preventing either from becoming akumatized.
"As you've known for a while, I've been trying to move on from you since you told me you liked someone else a lot. I actually have a girl in my school that is pretty extraordinary. She's smart, very kind, and rather talented. Even my father likes her and he doesn't like anybody. I'm considering asking her to a school event that's coming up, as a date. However almost every guy in her class has had feelings for her and she declines everyone that gets the courage to ask her out, sweetly of course. Because that's how she is. Kind but firm," he couldn't hold back the sigh or keep his shoulders from the weight of his worry. Ladybug reached over and rubbed his upper back gently.
"Why not give it a try? She might just be waiting for the guy she likes to ask her. I would in her shoes… Plus you're a great guy, Chat! It could even be you!" she supplied encouragingly, turning to give him a smile. He knew she was probably correct about the first part, especially given how often she was right about Marinette. Every piece of vague advice she gave worked in his favor and actually was the reason he had managed to befriend her and started to view her differently.
"Yeah. You're usually right," the first word more of a sigh than actually spoken. He still felt nervous but her support eased it just a little. He wouldn't know unless he asked.
"Actually I’m worried about something kind of similar. I'm planning on going to a dance coming up and I want to ask the guy I like to a slow dance at it, if he comes. But I don't know how to dance and, based on a conversation with one of his friends, he was taught to ballroom dance… plus I always get weak-kneed around him so it makes me a little clumsy. So he probably wouldn’t want to dance with me anyway…" a blush spread across her cheeks as she spoke. He couldn’t help but laugh internally at the coincidence that her school would have a dance coming up too. He guessed it must be the season for it though.
"I can help you out with that, if you'd like. Part of it at least. I have taken some waltz lessons for different events my father forced me to attend." Felix slowly climbed to a standing position and offered a hand to his partner. She accepted and rose.
"I forgot that your family attends formal events like that… I really appreciate your help!" A little of her usual shine came back. Amazing how much hope can light up someone's eyes.
With her assent, he began explaining and demonstrating the basic steps, positioned her arms in the air before her so he could correct posture, then had her practice without a partner initially. Then he began explaining leading and stepped in to demonstrate what it was like having a partner.
She was not great at the start, however with her focus and already light feet, she picked up on the dance relatively quickly. By the end of this lesson, she at least could hold up with the basics.
"Would you like to practice this again in the next week or two?" He offered, proud at the progress she made in such a short time. She affirmed that she wanted to practice more, the two deciding once a week for the next three weeks would be ideal. Before parting for the night, he reminded her to practice the steps on her own each night if she really wanted to be confident in them, especially in her dress and shoes once she had them.
Over the next few weeks, Ladybug was dutiful in her practice and lessons and improved drastically. Felix couldn’t help but wonder if her transformation helped or if she really was this graceful in her civilian life. If she was, it would seem like a dead giveaway to him.
Felix, on the other hand, had not built up his courage enough to ask Marinette to be his date to their school dance. She seemed so busy helping the student council prepare for it, just another responsibility of class representatives. He only had one more week to ask her as his school dance took place the next Saturday.
"I'm confident that you're good enough for a simple dance, L. I'm pretty sure you could even handle it if he threw in some turns. You don't have any reason to worry!" Felix assured his partner after their last practice session. It seemed her nerves weren't any calmer than his.
"Thanks. I'm sure it can't be more of a disaster than some of the other things that have happened around him… Did you ask that girl out yet?" She looked expectantly and he couldn't help but avoid eye contact.
"Not yet… she has been rather busy so I don't want to bother her. As far as I know, she isn't going with anyone though," he answered reluctantly, running his hand from the back of his neck forward.
"Oh Chat, you can do this. It's just one moment of courage and then the two of you either move on with your lives or go on a date and decide where to go from there!" Ladybug clearly was excited for him, completely confident that the results would be fine. Felix wished he could tap into that enthusiasm.
"I'll do my best… maybe I'll visit her and ask outside of school…" he tried to sound assured. Maybe I'll feel less pressure asking outside of school. He also began planning to himself how he would ask too. It hadn't occurred to him until then that he might want to do something more than just say it. He should probably bring her something she likes when he asks.
"Good luck!" Ladybug shouted to him as they parted ways again.
At school on Wednesday, Marinette was surprised when Felix asked if he could stop by the bakery that evening. She agreed and asked if he wanted her to have anything ready. He assured her she didn't need anything for him and that he likely wouldn't be there too long. This didn't relieve any of her confusion at his sudden request.
She was even more surprised when Felix brought her a bouquet of flowers and a spool of nice silk ribbon, and asked her to go to the school dance with her. She readily agreed and, pulling up a photo of the fabric she had used for her dress, asked if he minded the color scheme she had chosen before having a date. She even offered to make him a tie to match, if he wanted. He assured her he had one that would match well and she didn’t need to worry about anything else regarding the dance. They set a time for him to pick her up the following week before parting. Felix kissed her hand gently before walking to his car, hoping the small flirtation would be acceptable and indicated his sincerity. Marinette blushed and watched until his car had pulled into traffic.
When Felix arrived at the bakery to take Marinette to the dance, he was unprepared for all of the pomp that accompanied it. First her parents took pictures of him before she came downstairs, (apparently they had been taking pictures of her preparing and gotten a few of her alone upstairs), and then there was the moment she came down.
She looked fantastic, hair done up in a single bun, with the flyaway pieces curling around her face and the ends of the pulled up strands curled slightly around the bun. The main body of her dress ended just above her ankles, however the sheer fabric layer on top hung to her toes in her 8 cm heels. The top was tighter around her waist and dropped down in a fashion that complimented her thin frame but didn't hug it. The scoop neckline was high and flat and the sleeves covered most of her bicep. Her necklace and bright smile completed her look.
Felix's mouth may have hung open but he was more focused on her than how he looked right then. When she hesitantly walked towards him, blushing beautifully, and asked what he thought of the dress she had designed, he's sure he said something coherent and complimentary beyond a single uttered "wow," no matter what her parents say. They took more photos of the pair posing together before letting them leave. Her parents decided that their favorite picture was very possibly the one catching the look on his face when he first saw her.
Felix was in for another surprise after he asked her for a slow dance, expecting Marinette to simply wrap her arms around his neck and sway, when instead she shyly asked if a waltz was okay, as that's the only slow dance she knew. He was thrilled by the coincidence and they became the center of attention with their perfectly timed waltz. If either was reminded of their costumed partner’s dancing, it was unconsciously. At the end of the night, he surprised her by asking if she would like to continue dating him. She said yes.
The next joint patrol between Chat Noir and Ladybug ended with excited and more detailed updates on their respective situations. Both were surprised at the accidental identity reveal.
