Marinette and Felix were discussing when they could meet for the project next time, when the knock at Felix's door was heard.

"Come in." Felix said.

The door opened, and his mother entered the room, smiling at them cheerfully.

"Oh! Look at you, kids!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands. "So sweet, working together!" She turned to face her son. "Felix, dear, you weren't going to let her go without even introducing to me, were you?" She asked in an accusatory voice. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, am I right?" She asked, turning to the guest. "You have to join us for dinner!" She added without waiting for Marinette's response. "And I don't take a 'no' for an answer!"

"I'm sure Miss Dupain-Cheng has some more important things to do, mother." Felix said, though his voice didn't sound like he was particularly against this idea.

"Yes!" Marinette picked up, but retreated immediately, seeing it sounded rude. "I mean... No. Not like more important things than a dinner with you, but..."

"Great!" Amelie said energetically. "It is decided then! I'll see you in the dining room in 20 minutes, my dears!" She made a step towards Marinette and took her by the shoulders gently, but securely. "Don't even think to run away, little lady." She said, narrowing her eyes at Marinette. "My son never brings girls home, so I'm dyeing to get to know you better!" Marinette opened her mouth to protest, saying that they were just working on a school project together, but Amelie let go of her shoulders and raised Merinette's chin up with a gentle touch of her hand, smiling softly. "But I can already see what so special he found in you."

"Mrs Graham de Vanily, I..." Marinette started, trying to find Felix's eyes for support — maybe he could explain to his mom that there was nothing going on between them...

But to her surprise, Marinette saw Felix looking at his mother slightly bewildered. And was it a blush on his face?

"Just Amelie, please!" The woman exclaimed, turning to the door. "I'll warn the chef we're having a guest for dinner." She said while walking, then turned back in the doorway. "Have fun, doves, just don't be too naughty! The dinner is in 20 minutes." Amelie added and went out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Marinette was staring at the door with an open mouth.

This all was... very familiar. It reminded her of the way her own mother behaved with her friends. And that was exactly how she would treat a boy Marinette liked, if she would find him in her daughter's room.

But... this wasn't the case for Felix, right? Why would his mother assume he liked Marinette? And what's with a blush on his face? Was he so embarrassed of his mother seeing a girl in his room? At least she didn't come during their little pillow fight...

"My mother can be... persistent." Felix commented from behind her.

"She is very sweet though." Marinette replied, turning to him. "I'm sorry to invade your family time. I can tell her my parents called or something." She suggested.

"Don't be ridiculous." Felix winced. "My mother would read you like a book."

"Yeah, she looks like it." Marinette agreed. "Just like mine. It's not possible to hide anything from her!" She sighed. "Sometimes I even think she knows that I..." Marinette remembered she was gonna deny her secret identity to Felix and stopped herself.

Felix smirked.

"Still playing the game I-know-that-you-know-that-I-know-that-you-know with me?" He asked, crossing his hands on his chest. "Well, take your time. I'm not going anywhere." Then he narrowed his eyes on her. "Am I the first person to figure your identity out, or you always deny it and people simply believe you?"

"I don't understand your motives." Marinette admitted, not admitting her identity though, she noted, more to convince herself. As if it was still possible to convince Felix otherwise. "What do you want?"

"We might be allies in this little war." He said slowly. "But let's see how it goes."

*

"So, are you that great designer that Felix told me so much about?" Amelie asked, when they were sitting in the dining room.

Marinette looked at Felix in surprise.

He saw her work only yesterday, and she didn't even think he really meant it when he suggested to her to show her designs to his mother. And when did he have time to tell 'so much' about her to Amelie?

It was... unexpected. And for some reason it warmed Marinette's chest. Not because it was Felix, of course! She was just pleased with a compliment, that's all!

Felix met her gaze and opened her mouth to say something, but his mother continued to speak, distracting both their attention.

"Oh, I can't wait to see your work!" She exclaimed. "Everything is so boring and dull in London!" She sighed. "So did you bring your designs with you today, my dear?"

"I... uh... I didn't think they were good enough..." Marinette mumbled. "I'm not a professional yet, so..."

"I don't even want to hear that!" Amelie interrupted. "If my son says you are good, it means you are." She stated. "Felix has excellent taste. And not only in clothing." She winked at Marinette. "We pick a day together and you are showing me your beautiful works." She continued, speaking softly, but behind this softness Marinette could feel the strength and determination, not tolerating rejection.

Felix was right. This woman was quite persistent.

"Ok, Mrs Graham de Vanily..." Marinette agreed, not knowing what else to do. "Uhh... Amelie." She corrected herself seeing the woman's raised eyebrows.

"I like her, Felix." Amelie turned to her son. "Excellent choice."

Now Marinette definitely saw Felix blushing. Did he actually... like her?

"Mother, Marinette is..." Felix started, but Amelie was already waving her hand in the air.

"Eat, eat, honey!" She insisted. "Don't get distracted. The food is getting cold."

"Yes, mother." Felix agreed and looked down, avoiding Marinette's surprised stare.

*

"You know you don't really have to walk me home, right?" Marinette asked.

It was already dark, and when Amelie suggested that the chauffeur take Marinette home, the girl refused, intending to transform and patrol the city on the way to the bakery.

But of course Emilie decided that Marinette wanted to go for a walk and refused to let her go alone, which Marinette should have guessed in advance.

So Felix ended up walking her home, which was not even so close by foot.

"You realize that I can't leave a lady on a street alone at night alone, right?" Felix argued.

"You realize that I don't really need your protection?" Marinette retorted back. She might as well start to deal with a fact that he knew.

"But you want it to be a secret, right?" Felix smirked. "So I'm just helping you to keep it."

Marinette opened her mouth to reply, but felt a wind blowing right through her.

It was late spring and the days were already warm, but it was still cold at night. Marinette didn't plan to return home so late and didn't take any additional warm clothes with her.

She shivered from the cold and rubbed her arms around her chest.

"Here, take this." Felix said, and Marinette turned to him to see what he was talking about.

Felix took off his jacket and held it to help her get it on.

"I... uhh..." Marinette was searching for an argument to refuse, but couldn't find one.

It was actually very courteous of Felix. But it didn't mean that he was actually courting her, right? It was just that he was raised like that, and for sure didn't mean by his gesture more than just gentlemanly behavior.

And why did this question even bother her so much?!

"Come on." Felix said, rolling his eyes on her indecision. "Even superheroes get cold."

Marinette sighed and put his jacket on.

She started to say something about taking her own jacket next time, and made a step onto the road to cross the street, not looking around, when Felix grabbed her by the hem of his jacket and dragged her back onto the sidewalk, pulling close to himself.

It happened so fast, that Marinette didn't even realize what was going on, until she heard a car rushing past them at high speed, honking.

For a while, they both stood, looking at each other with wide eyes, breathing heavily from fright and shock.

Felix gripped his jacket so tightly and looked so frightened, as if it was him who had almost been hit by a car, and not his new classmate whom he had known for only a few days.

At some point Marinette realized that Felix was still holding her close to him and this was becoming much longer than necessary. Felix seemed to understand this too, and slowly loosened his grip, setting her free.

"You are very clumsy indeed." He said, his voice a little shaky, and cleared his throat. "If it's a part of your cover, you should rethink your disguise."

"Not really." Marinette replied with a nervous laughter, still trying to come to terms with Felix knowing her identity, saving her from being hit by a car, and being scared for her safety the way he was. "It comes to me naturally."

"If so," Felix said with a serious expression. "You better take my arm then." And he put out his arm for her to hold.

Marinette was still shaking to have the strength to argue. She took a deep breath and took his arm.

The rest of the way they were walking in silence.

Marinette was thinking about the day she had.

Today was a strange morning, a strange day, and a strange evening. And this is not counting the fact that she had a divine being in her purse, giving her the powers of creation.

It was saying something.

Surprisingly today Marinette was so distracted with current events, that she had no time for thoughts of Adrien, although she hadn't seen him all day.

She was walking home arm in arm with Felix, who also knew her secret identity, but for some reason none of these facts bothered her to the extent that they were supposed to.

It seemed that in those two days as this boy arrived in Paris, a whole lot of things had happened, and everything turned upside down. And at the same time everything was the same as before.

Or was it?