章 18: Great Timing
"Alright class, today we'll start with the Pythagorean Theory..." Twiddling my pink pen between my fingers, I found myself looking over at Felix every few minutes. I don't know what it is about him, but my eyes have been drawn to him since class started. Turning to look out the window I sigh then see a bird float past me flying backward.
Wait...backwards?!
Standing up abruptly, I go to the window and look down to see civilians running backward and an Akuma flying around zapping people. Before I could tell the teacher what was going on, Alya stood up and announced, "there's an Akuma right outside the school!" Everyone was in a state of panic.
I looked around to see Adrien run out with Nino while everyone else scattered around with Mrs. Bustier trying to calm everyone. Running out of the room with a couple of other kids, I looked around for somewhere to transform.
Suddenly, I was shoved to the ground by, wow! Surprise, surprise, it was Chloe and Sabrina. I looked up saying nothing as she spits out, "ugh! Get out of the way Dupain-Cheng, some people have better places to be than in a school that can be taken down by an Akuma at any moment!"
I rolled my eyes as Sabrina (Chloe's one and only friend), agreed with her as they kept running by. Taking this chance to look around, I saw only a few kids left. Some of whom being Luka pulling Juleka along the halls in the other direction. Feeling me want to chase after them to make sure they're okay, Tikki moved around in my bag to get my attention. "Marinette! You have to transform now before the Akuma gets into the school!"
"You're right but--" Before I could continue I spotted a janitor's closet a little ways down the hall. Quickly standing up, I rushed to the closet looking around to make sure no one saw me.
Ripping open the door I quickly stepped in but bumped into something tall and hard. "Excuse me, but you seem to be in a hurry to get into this closet." I looked up to see big blue-green eyes staring down at me, "may I ask why?" Felix stood there with his head tilted in curiosity while I stood there speechless not knowing how to answer him.
Twiddling my fingers, I tried to think of an excuse while Tikki kept moving around in my bag trying to get me to transform. "W-well..." I looked back at him and blurted out, "I was looking for a place to hide from the Akuma!"
"So you chose the Janitorial closet?" I could hear him snickering in the dimly lit room as I directed my attention to my shoes feeling embarrassed.
Looking up abruptly, he stopped laughing and met my gaze. I poked his chest and bravely questioned, "shouldn't I be asking you why you were in here in the first place?" I could see his index finger tapping against his pant leg as he thought of an answer while still staring into my eyes.
"Well, I really don't see an issue with my standing in the closet, it's not like I was in a rush to be anywhere..." He trailed off as screams were heard from somewhere inside the school, then the same screams just in reverse. "Listen, we can't be fighting about why you needed to be in this closet right now!"
"Hey! I--"
He cut me off before I could correct him, "right now, we both need to leave before we're found!" He opened the door and pushed me out. Before I could pick myself up though, he pulled me along while covering my head and looking out over the courtyard. "It looks like the coast is clear! I need to uh..." He looked at the floor and looked like he was confused or at a loss for words.
"I have to find Alya, will you be alright alone?" I held his hand unconsciously and waited for his answer.
He looked back at me and gave a small reassuring smile, "of curse I will. Go home, but also watch your surroundings!" He let go of my hand and ran in the other direction.
Staring back at him, I stood there for a while until I felt a rustling in my bag. "Marinette, you need to transform!" Taking one last glance, I ran off to another part of the school where no one would find me to stop the Akuma as Ladybug.
~~~
Felix POV
~~~
Slamming and locking the changing room door shut behind me, I straightened my vest out and opened my breast pocket to revel Plagg. I looked through the foggy windows to make sure no one was around as well as checking all of the rows to make sure no one was in the room. "Alright my little fellow," I looked towards him to see him rolling his eyes at me. "What is it?"
"Are you serious right now kid?" He flew around me then sat on the bench and yawned, "you get stuck in a small space with the girl you swoon over every single day then you let your chance slip through your fingers with senseless small talk?"
I tilted my head in confusion at what the annoying little kwami was speaking of, "what chance are you talking about? I asked her why she was trying to hide in a cramped closet filled with chemicals and a toilet plunger!"
He flew up to my face and accentuated, "your chance to make a move on that pigtail girl! You can't honestly tell me that you don't like her even a little bit!"
"Plagg, this isn't the time to be thinking of those types of frivolous thoughts! Marinette is just a friend." Honestly, this isn't the time to be talking about such nonsensical ideas.
I could hear screams from outside as he went on and on about this 'chance' that I've missed. "You always do this and then end up liking them! You and Adri--"
"There's no time for this Plagg! People are in danger and you're talking about a silly girl that is already gone?!" I huffed out the words then turned to the window and sighed, "I'm sorry but there are more important things right now than talking about my past love relations or the past love relations of the cat miraculous holder."
He didn't say anything and neither did I for a few seconds. Then with the echos of screams and screams in reverse, I whispered, "claws out."
~~~
Marinette's POV
~~~
Slamming the classroom door shut behind me, I checked to make sure no one was in the room before opening my back to let Tikki fly freely. Looking out the window I see that more and more people are going backward down the street in an awkward fashion with some even crashing into each other. "Alright Tikki--!"
I looked over to see her giggling without a care in the world. She spotted me staring and cleared her throat to say with a little bit of laughter still in her voice, "Ahem...Sorry, Marinette. What were you saying? I couldn't help myself!"
Stepping closer a little confused, I worriedly asked, "help yourself from what exactly?"
"Oh come on, Marinette!" She flew past me peeking out the windows to make sure no one was coming then turned back to me and said with another burst of laughter, "you were blushing up a storm just now! So much so that you couldn't even come up with a logical reason for running into the closet!" She keeled over not being able to help herself.
I stood there not knowing what to say, mostly because I was already embarrassed enough that Tikki saw and heard everything with Felix! "The light was very sketchy in there, I think you were just seeing things... a uh, trick of the light!"
Thinking that I saved myself, I stood tall and proud with my arms crossed until I heard small snickers from the little Kwami once again. "Oh please, Mari! You always use the same excuses!"
"I do not!" I huffed and puffed not knowing what to say to her anymore.
"You said the same," she took a deep breath and wiped away a tear and continued, "the same thing whenever I talked to you after your patrols with Chat Noir! There's no denying it, you like him!" She twirled around, seeming to forget that there was still an Akuma lurking about the city.
"Liking Felix and liking Chat Noir are two different things and you know it!"
She sat up and looked at me shrugging her shoulders, "I guess you're right, let's go fight this Akuma then we can finish talking about what just happened."
"I mean, Chat Noir was nowhere near as sophisticated as Felix is!" Without realizing it, different thoughts began to flood my brain. "Chat Noir was always so flirtatious and punny about his position as being a superhero, whereas Felix is humble and caring to others in a quiet way."
"Alright Marinette, the Akuma--"
"And Felix has this gentlemanly aura that surrounds him when he's with me like he respects me as a person, as a gi--"
"MARINETTE!" Before I could finish my thought, I heard a loud crash followed by a tough accented voice calling my name.
Looking up after being knocked on the floor, I see Sir Noir standing above me with his baton out blocking the akumatized villain's shots from hitting me. "Sir Noir? W-what are you--?"
"Get out of here, quick! Don't let Time Turner hit you with his shots, or you'll go back in time!" He pushed the shots back, reflecting them back at Time Turner trying to protect both of us.
I ran out as quick as I could and looked around to see Tikki flying by my side, "he didn't see me, don't worry and just get in the closet!"
I looked over to see the same janitor's closet as before and pulled open the door hoping not to see Felix again. Luckily, it was empty making it easy for me to step inside. Looking at Tikki with determination, I lift my chin and courageously command, "alright Tikki, spots on!"
As the closet flashed with reds and pinks, I opened the door and stepped out in full gear swinging my yo-yo.
Running down the halls I go back to the same classroom as before to see Sir Noir fending off Time Turner as he was before. Jumping in front of him to give him a break, I deflect one of the shot and make it bounce back to hit the Akuma. I looked at Sir Noir and gave him a grand bow, "let's show this guy what a good time really looks like!"
Looking back at me, Sir Noir smiled while taking my hand in his and kissing the back of it, "well said, My Ladybug." I didn't feel it them, but my heartbeat picked up just the slightest at his simple words.
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