Ladybug jumped on her balcony and detransformed.

"Here is your snack, Tikki." She said, giving a macaroon to her qwami. "Go to the others and rest. We did well today."

"What about you, Marinette?" Tikki replied in a tired voice. "Aren't you tired too?"

"I'll be down soon. I just take a couple more breaths of air. That's all." Marinette reassured her.

"You are going to read it again, aren't you?" Tikki smirked at her chosen.

"I uhh... maybe." The girl admitted.

"Oh, young love." Tikki sighed, finishing her macaroon.

"I'm not in love with him, Tikki!" Marinette protested. "It's just that... for some reason he understands what I feel. Shouldn't friends do that for each other?"

"If you say so, Marinette." Tikki smiled softly and disappeared behind a hatch-door.

Marinette took out of her purse a piece of paper that she had been carrying with her for a week, rereading it over and over again, although she already knew all the words by heart.

Her heart skipped a beat again as her eyes slid over the familiar lines.

Maybe you sad tonight

Maybe the sun isn't shining

Maybe your life is hard

Maybe you're tired of hiding

The city is waiting for you on patrol

You put on your mask, and you put on your role

You zip, and you slide, and you on the roof

Believe in yourself! You don't need any proof

Maybe that day will come

Maybe you can breathe freely

When your hard work is done

You can laugh and be silly

You will build your new life, so happy and free

The life that you want, and not just agree

Forget all your troubles, and heal all your scars

You will climb the roof only to watch the stars

Marinette sighed.

Those words actually helped her a lot since Felix gave the note to her during a lesson a week ago.

It was a very particular feeling of freedom, that she thought she already forgot with all her responsibilities, towering over her every day.

It was as if, since Marinette was given her miraculous she had this one goal in her life — to defeat Hawk Math. And everything else was becoming less and less possible for her.

She couldn't plan her life freely, because she had to stay in Paris who knows for how long. Sometimes she couldn't even plan her day, because it often got interrupted with the akumas just whenever Shadowmoth wanted it to happen.

She couldn't talk to most of her friends freely, without being worried of giving her secrets out, couldn't spend with her hobbies as much time as she wanted, or plan some internship in another country etc.

And Marinette accepted it. This was her life now. Her life as Ladybug. As a guardian. As a hero.

Not as herself.

But when Marinette read the words Felix wrote to her for the first time, she felt like she was allowed to live again. Because Marinette herself was sure to forget about this little, but crucial detail that was missing.

Sometimes somebody else should remind you of it to you. Allow you to live when you don't allow it to yourself anymore.

And it was as if she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. As if someone actually reminded her that her life was still possible. And if she believed in herself, Marinette could do anything, be anything, have any future she wanted.

And this future could be bright, and she could be happy there. And free. Not from her role as a guardian, or her responsibilities, but free to be herself even with all of that.

Marinette would never expect Felix of all people to be able to see through her like this. To understand just what she needed to hear, and say it. To see not her disguise, but through it.

That day she was so worried that Felix would be offended by Alya's assumptions, and wouldn't want to be friends with her!

In that moment Marinette understood just how unexpectedly reliable he was that first week after his arrival: saving her from annoying classmates, helping her to get out of class for the fight, taking care of her when she was completely worked out, and even saving her from a car.

But the most important thing was that Felix could understand her. Without asking. And support her just the way she needed.

Marinette would never guess she'd find a friend in such an evil and mischievous at the first sight person.

And Felix barely reacted to Alya's comments and agreed to be her friend. And all the next week was helping her when Marinette needed it, without asking any questions.

Probably a couple of weeks ago Felix would've been one of the last people on earth to whom Marinette would entrust her secret of her own free will. All the more unexpected for her was his attitude towards her.

Even Alya asked Marinette all the details about her superhero life since she found out that her friend and idol were one and the same person. Of course, Alya was Alya, with all her journalist habits, and Marinette didn't mind. And it was hard to say that their relationship has changed too much since then. But this was to be expected, they were best friends after all.

But Felix was ​​another matter entirely. He somehow figured out her identity by himself, didn't freak out, and kept her secret without asking questions. And he supported Marinette in the most unexpected and profound way.

For the last week she has been reading his note after each akuma fight. In the evening before going to bed and sometimes in the morning when she woke up. Unless of course she was late for school.

Sometimes she even spoke it in her head during a particularly difficult fight. It gave her strength. Helped her remember. Remember that she was not only fighting for her city, but also for herself.

For her bright future.

Marinette removed the note and sighed. Maybe sometimes it was useful to look into this future with one eye?

*

It was already dark when Felix was coming back home from the gym.

Doing sports was a good habit that his father instilled in him and it helped Felix to always be in good shape.

So when he moved to Paris, the first thing he did was find a good gym close to home and a personal couch to continue his martial arts training.

Of course Felix considered himself to be in the thinking category, but one must not forget that the brain needs good blood circulation.

When Felix was about to go inside the fence of his house, he felt someone picking him up in their arms. Turning around, he saw Ladybug, who was carrying him bridal style.

In a minute they were already on the roof.

"Is this kidnapping?" Felix asked, when the heroine put him on his feet.

"Not really." She smiled. "How can it be kidnapping if this is the roof of your house?" Ladybug took a few steps back. "Just give me a second." She said, and hid behind the chimney.

Moments later, Marinette stepped out from behind the chimney, holding a picnic basket and rolled-up blanket.

"Isn't that against the rules?" Felix asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Technically speaking, you haven't seen anything." She explained. "And it was also the fastest way to get to the roof."

"Why would you need to get to the roof anyway?" Felix asked.

"What do you mean why?" Marinette asked playfully. "To look at the stars, of course!" She handed him a blanket. "Would you care to join me?"

Felix had conflicted feelings.

On the one hand, he was pleased with her attention and that Marinette clearly referred to his poetry. But on the other hand, even in the evening darkness and with the observance of all cautions, it was reckless and dangerous for her to risk her identity like that.

"On one condition." Felix said, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Oh?" Marinette raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You promise to never do this again." He demanded.

"Why?" She asked playfully. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"No." Felix said in a serious voice. "But no one should see me with Ladybug, unless it is necessary for your job. No one should make a connection between you and me. Otherwise they can use it against you." He reasoned. "Plus, even I was able to resist akumatization once, but I know my limits. That time I was less... personally involved."

"He tried to akumatized you?" Marinette was looking at him, amazed. "I didn't know."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Marinette." He made a step towards her and put his palm over her hand that was holding the blanket. "But this is not the main thing now. The main thing is that you don't risk it like this anymore."

Marinette was looking up at him with her beautiful blue eyes, her lips slightly parted, and Felix wanted to touch those lips with his own, to feel her soft warmth and sweetness...

But this wasn't the right time for it.

He swallowed and cleared his throat.

"So, did we agree?" He asked quietly, focusing on her safety instead of her tempting, alluring lips.

Marinette nodded, and Felix took the blanket from her hands.

The mood of the evening promised to be calm and he did not want to complicate anything for this girl. He could set her to take her time to be ready.

At the moment, the most important thing between them was trust, and as a person who knew how to lie well, Felix knew how to appreciate the trust too.

Marinette sat down on the blanket next to him and stretched her legs.

"So," Felix said, smirking. "Why did you decide to go star-gazing all of a sudden?" He asked.

Felix thought he knew the answer, as it was in the last line of the poem he wrote for her. But he wanted to hear it from Marinette. To make sure.

"Just wanted a glance at that future you've painted for me." She replied dreamily, looking at the sky.

Felix sighed contentedly. How close was she ready to let him to herself? — He thought.

This whole situation looked very much like a romantic date. Except for the fact that Marinette considered him only a friend. And Felix decided that this circumstance could be turned in his favor.

It wouldn't be like lying to her, because friends are close, right? And he wanted to let her get used to his closeness.

Felix didn't usually express his emotions through touch, but Marinette did. So he decided to use her way of perception to show his desire to be closer.

He turned his back to her, moved further, and carefully leaned back, placing his head on her lap, and closed his eyes.

Marinette's body stiffened for a moment, probably from surprise, but then Felix felt her fingers running through his hair slowly.

He felt a slight shiver of pleasure run down his spine.

At first her movements were uncertain. Then more and more confidently, moving in their own rhythm, her fingers ran through the strands of his hair, making his chest exploding with every movement.

Her gentle fingers lightly massaged the skin on his head, and Felix forgot breathing, surrendering to the sensations that his body felt, and the realization that Marinette was showing such tenderness towards him.

Damn it! How intoxicating this girl's closeness to him was!

For such moments, Felix was ready to wait until she was ready for more.