Fortune/Failure (Felinette Week 2022) (892 words) by BitsandBobcats
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Félix (PV)
Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Félix (Miraculous Ladybug PV), Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug)
Additional Tags: Reveal AU, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Revealed as Ladybug
Summary:
In which Marinette finds an unlikely new friend in the prickly transfer from London
AND
In which Felix must overcome his self doubt to save Ladybug and the entire city of Paris
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
@felinettenovember day 1: Spice & Sugar
Based on Digit’s post on flavored teeks.
Félix knocked on the back door thrice more, a bit more forcefully than last time, ears strained for any sounds inside. Some footsteps seemed to be approaching, so he straightened his back, a frown tugging at his face at how erratic and rushed they sounded.
Then a yelp sounded out, accompanied by thumps, and… giggles?
Finally, the back door opened a breach and narrowed gray eyes peered out.
Before Félix could greet her, Marinette’s hand shot out and pulled him inside, slamming the door shut behind them as Félix fumbled on his feet and with the paper bag in his hands. Thankfully, nothing fell.
“What–” he started, but Marinette interrupted him again by clutching at his shoulders.
“Félix! We’ve got a problem.”
“PROBLEM?”
Marinette jumped behind Félix’s back. Dazed from all the manhandling, it took a while for his eyes to focus on the red form floating over the kitchenette’s counter.
“I’M THE SOLUTION! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!” The red form whirled back, cackling and sparkling as pink pellets sprang out from its body at deadly speed.
“Tikki?” Félix choked out, shielding his face with an arm as he crouched, reaching behind his back with his free hand for Marinette’s.
He sprinted to the couch, jumping behind it with Marinette to take cover.
He snapped wide eyes to her. “What’s up with Tikki?”
“I don’t know.” Marinette threw hands helplessly, flinching at the crashes and thunks sounding from the kitchen. “We were putting away some groceries, playing ‘what’s this taste’ and then she just–” She gestured widely in Tikki’s direction.
“Uh.” Félix cupped his ears as a bang sounded out. “Did she eat anything weird?”
“Just some fruits! Strawberry, banana, pe-peeerrrrrr.” Marinette turned her face to Félix as she dropped the last syllabus, his heartbeat increasing at every extended ‘r’. “I– I think this was the first time Tikki ate anything spicy.”
Clunk.
“Don’t hide from a creative outburst, Marinette!” Tikki zipped over the couch and to the small living room area, dropping what seemed like paintballs on the carpeted floor. “You’ll lose sight of your best idea this way!”
“I’m losing something, alright,” Marinette grumbled, fingers clenching in front of her face.
Félix threw himself to the floor, paper bag falling onto it, to avoid the new onslaught of painting aimed at the couch’s base.
Tikki dashed over the floor, spinning like a drill to the couch. Fortunately, she didn’t actually drill it. Unfortunately, there was a fresh paint splotch on it.
“Ooooohhh.” Tikki paused her giggling fit to inspect the package Félix dropped. “Are these sugar cookies?”
“TIKKI!” Marinette, who had taken cover behind a vase, bolted to her feet. “SPOTS–!”
“Noooooooo!” Tikki flew to Marinette’s face, zipping around her head after shooting gumballs at her mouth. “We can’t stop the fun now! It’s recreation time!”
Marinette didn’t look the least bit amused.
“Hey, Tikki!” Félix rushed to his paper bag and held out a cookie to her. “Do you want a– AAAARRRRGGGHHH!”
There was a ladybug fae mauling at his fingers before he could finish the sentence.
He turned shakily to Marinette, who was slowly chewing the gum projectile as she stared dumbstruck at his consumed fingers.
“Help,” Félix whimpered as Tikki hang from his hand; and although she looked calmer after ingesting the sugar, her mandibles were no less sharp.
Marinette snapped out of her stupor and spit out the gum, soon appearing by his side. “Uh, Tikki? Could you please–?”
Tikki hummed, glancing at Marinette then at Félix. “Oh.” She opened her mouth and Félix fell on Marinette’s side with a gasp, cradling his hands to his chest. “Hmm–” Tikki leaned back in the air, patting her belly. “–I think you used too much sugar for the icing. Could barely taste the cookie, per se. Try using sprinkles next time.”
“Thanks for the appraisal,” Félix grumbled while Marinette slid a hand around his waist to lead him to the bathroom, mumbling something to herself about disinfectant and bandages.
“You’re welcome!”
Marinette sent Tikki a reproachful glare as she guided Félix into the bathroom. The fae hummed innocently, floating away to glance around the mayhem of her own making.
Gauzes, alcohol, and a handkerchief were thumped on the sink counter together with Marinette’s forehead as she groaned.
“This is gonna be a pain to clean up…” She lifted her head with a sigh, pulling the low bench under the sink with her feet and plopping on it. Félix was already settled on the toilet cover, his unfeeling fingers held forwards. “Least it doesn’t look too bad,” she mumbled, gently taking his injured hand in hers. “Sorry ‘bout your cookies, though. They smelled amazing.”
“It’s fine,” it got out muffled and scratched due to Félix biting down the flinch at Marinette wiping the handkerchief—now damp with alcohol—on his torn fingers. His head dropped on the wall when she lifted the cloth. His lips stretched into a lopsided grin as Marinette picked the gauze. “Having my cookies being used to calm down Tikki was a lot cooler.”
She giggled, tearing off the leftover gauze off his bandaged hand. “Cooler than hanging out with your girlfriend?” She crossed her arms, head whipping away with an exaggerated humph. “How dare you?”
Félix chuckled and, with his intact hand, turned her face to him by her chin. She let out a snort that wafted his lips like the chill autumn breeze—perfect for his spiked heartbeat after the sudden Tikki-attack—and kissed him, one hand raising to clutch at his vest collar.
“Wanna see if Tikki wants to try out other flavors?” he mumbled to her lips.
“Now?” Marinette poked his cheek. “After the mess that a spicy Tikki made, you owe me double the sugar cookies.”
Marinette had two cones of ice cream in her hands: one with a big scoop of strawberry at the base, topped with blueberry and a cherry, and another with mango and charcoal. She frowned down at both treats, evidently conflicted at her predicament.
Just in time, Shadow emerged from under the bridge and dropped onto the railing. Any other passerby would've jumped or reeled back in shock, but Marinette only stared at him. The hero eyed the two ice creams she held. "Are you going to eat that?"
"Do you want it?"
Shadow's tail flicked. "I don't like sweets."
Marinette stuck her tongue out. "Fine. I wasn't going to offer anyways."
"Then why do you have two?"
She wrinkled her nose towards Andre's cart at the end of the bridge. "It was a buy one take one but I didn't see the sign," she mumbled, "Andre insisted I take both cones."
"Hmm. I can get one off your hands then."
Marinette raised an eyebrow. "I thought you don't like sweets."
"I don't prefer it if I have a choice, but I don't mind sampling some either." Before she could say another word, he took one of the cones from her hands and dabbed the sticky cream that had dripped down to her palms.
Marinette muttered a quick thanks, finally diving into her blueberry and strawberry delight. Shadow sat on top of the railing beside her, feet brushing the many locks attached to the bridge. It would've been an odd sight for a random Parisian, but Shadow's strange behaviors weren't anything new. Marinette expected they'd get a confused shrug at most.
"Slow day today?" She asked.
"Slow . . . of course it is. You even got ice cream."
"Duh, it's hot." Marinette licked her lips. "I don't understand why you don't like sweets."
"Just not my preference."
"And then you make all of our food spicy."
Shadow quirked an eyebrow, seemingly insulted by such accusation. "I do not. I cook fine."
Marinette huffed, recalling the tingles on her tongue even as she ate her ice cream. "Right. The scrambled eggs the other morning? Spicy. The beef stew last night? Spicy. The dumplings you made? My throat was on fire."
"You just have a low tolerance." He tried to poke her with the handle of his spoon but she swatted his clawed hand away.
"No I don't!"
"If you hate the spice so much, why not make your own food?"
Redness spread from her neck up to her cheeks. "Because you banned me from the kitchen! Except if I'm baking!"
"Ah yes, I remember that fire alarm . . ." He succeeded in poking the tip of her nose, making her frown. "Don't worry, I will make something not spicy tonight."
"You better!"
All of a sudden, the ground shook, nearly causing Marinette to drop her ice cream. She narrowed her eyes towards the buildings due west, where Lollipop Man was wreaking havoc once again. Immediately afterwards, akuma alerts rang out from Shadow's baton and Marinette's phone.
Shadow clicked his tongue in annoyance, finishing up his ice cream and lifting himself into a crouch. "When I thought the latest sentimonster won't show up until tonight. . ."
"Damn it! I haven't finished my ice cream!" Marinette groaned. "I'll join you in five."
"Five minutes?" He gave her a look of disbelief.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" She lifted her cone. "Dump it in the trash?"
"You will seriously put off saving Paris just so you can finish your ice cream?"
"I paid good money for this," she said with finality, pushing him a little. "Now go. I'll see you in five."
Shadow rolled his eyes but bounded off to take care of their monster of the day.
careful marinette, or else you might realize that you have a crush...
sorry about felix's handwriting. i wanted him to write in cursive, but i forgot that i cannot write in cursive. felix's handwriting would actually be very neat. the not says:
You're really special to me, and i care about you. I didn't want you to get in trouble. -Felix
