Sorry whoever is reading this! College just absolutely slammed me this past week so I haven't worked on this chapter at all! I apologize!
I will release chapter seven ASAP but I'll be honest, that'll probably be next weekend because I still have lots going on!! I was going to do an April-foolsy chapter but you know what.... I don't think I could do it without openly cringing at making Félix act so out of character and do outrageous things
So, when I release Chapter seven next week, it'll be the real deal, and not a joke! Sorry about this! -puppy eyes-
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Wow! Okay! Sorry! Didn't mean for this to come out so late on Saturday! College is still kicking my butt!
Anybody know some college-fu? I could use some!
Again apologies for the delay! I spent all day today writing this! (probably wasted a lot of sass opportunities with Félix especially since he's rather grumpy today! Or maybe he's just so upset he's silent? O_e well characters do write themselves at times!) also, probably a lot of typos, I'll smooth this out some other time
I promise, this is not an April Fools Chapter! (although I really wanted to make one! -glares at piles of homework- THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT unlesss.... FUKO IS REAL AND IS HAUNTING ME WITH HOMEWORK)
You know, this fic seems to be a lot more character driven than plot/action driven, do you people like this? Would you prefer more action? I was looking at my outline and I really don't have too many action-y chapters at all, it's really all about relationships, character arcs and growths... Eh, I guess it's fine! It's not like he's the one fighting akumas on a daily basis!
As an apology: I'll tease a few things about the next chapter: NEW CHARACTER INTRODUCTION (Félix is ridiculously snarky with this guy! He like, needs to chill) Stalker girl returns, and hmmm BATHROOM
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"Félix, you go back to work on Monday right?"
"Yeah..." I answered dryly not bothering to look up from my book.
"Have anything planned for this weekend?" my mom persisted in asking me annoying questions.
"Reading."
"That's the only thing you've done!"
"And?" I turned the page. Honestly, whose mom complained that their kid read too much?! Besides, Mme Dubois had given me a lot for me to read over break. I think she was trying to get me to read all
"Let's do something! This is your last weekend before you go back to work!" My mom sat in front of me. "Sure you spend most of your time out of the apartment, but you were just reading in random cafés throughout the city. Isn't it time we got to know Paris?"
"No," I said flatly, already imagining all the trouble Fuko could cause with her mischief, and I with the bad luck that tailed me. The entire reason I spent so much time outside of the apartment was so that the negative energy didn't build up here too much.
When I first got the ring, I was sick from the negative energy and spend an entire week at home, which on the eighth day caught fire and burnt down and basically was the wake-up call to the true nature of the ring. Lost everything that day. Including my brother. Seemed to me like the only thing I hadn't lost that day was my cello, which was at Adrien's and my secret hideout. Oh and apparently, Adrien had forgotten his jacket at some friend's house, and the family kindly returned it to us after what happened. The very jacket Paws now had in his possession.
"Let's go watch a movie together," my mother insisted, pushing my book down to my lap.
"It'll all be sold out. Or worse."
"No it won't! Come on, it'll be fun!"
I glared at my mom, irritated.
"This is no longer up for debate," she met my glare evenly. Standing up, she reached for her jacket.
Chills went down my spine at her stern gaze. I promptly bookmarked the page, grabbed the napping Fuko, much to her displeasure, and silently grabbed my spare jacket following my mom out the door of the apartment.
"Where are we going?" Fuko hissed in my ear.
"Movies apparently," I whispered back.
My mother beckoned me, "Well come on Félix! There's a movie theater down the street. I checked their website and they have quite a few movies you'd like to see! Including the latest spy movie!"
"They're going to be sold out," I repeated.
"I just checked, all movies are open and available for seating!" She grabbed my arm and began dragging me down the street.
"I'm excited Félix!!" Fuko was apparently over her crabbiness at suddenly being awakened, "I can finally watch my first movie!!"
I wanted to tell Fuko that she probably shouldn't get her hopes up considering our track record, but there was no way to communicate with the tiny cat without my mom noticing.
Over the years, my mom had gone from realist to optimist, to combat my increasing pessimism and cynicism. I used to hate people like me, they were just full of self pity and felt like the entire world was against them. But I think I was entitled to my pessimism after being stuck with a ring that gave me nothing but bad luck, misfortune, chaos, and constantly made things go wrong in my day.
Not to mention the wonder, awesome, amazing countdown of doom accessory the ring had. Hey! If you don't get rid of me by the thirteenth year, you'll literally die from bad luck energy! Good luck! Oh wait- YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SUCKKKERRRR!
Honestly, it was a wonder I was even polite to some extent. I surprised myself sometimes.
We reached the movie theater, except that we couldn't get in because the lines were all the way outside on the steps.
"Still think they won't be sold out?" I asked my mom.
"What are the chances that they're all going for the movies we want to see?" she laughed nervously.
"Easily calculable," I commented, "want me to?"
"No," she said almost on top of me. "Let's just wait in line."
"I'm not going to get to watch a movie am I?" Fuko grumbled.
"Mmmm..." I consented.
"So," my mom decided to pull small talk with me while we waited in line, "Are you excited to go back to work?"
"Oh absolutely, nothing like filing book after book after book after book! It's absolutely thrilling! Almost as breathtaking, exhilarant and electrifying as folding laundry! I cannot wait to-,"
"Okay I get it," she cut me off.
"How could you?!" I looked at her utterly betrayed, "I was inspired!"
"Sarcasm gets old, and it doesn't suit you anyways," she rolled her eyes at me. "Hmmm, how about any girls? You interested in anyone? Or..." she gave me a nudge, "a different gender?"
I stared at her completely deadpan, "I work at a school, everyone is either far too young, or far too old."
"Yeah but you spend plenty of times at cafés," she elbowed me playfully.
"I don't want to date anymore, you know this," I stated flatly, "and if you get to ask me about my non-existent love-life, I get to ask you about this mysterious non-boyfriend you have."
"Hahah look at that the line's moving!!" my mom moved forward.
"What a surprise," I clicked my tongue disapprovingly.
"I just don't want you making an unfair judgement of him," my mom attempted to justify her reasons, "especially when I myself don't know too much about him."
"She's got a point you know Félix," Fuko commented, "You can be pretty harsh."
Before I could reply to either of them, there was disgruntled whispering from the front of the line. My mom leaned forward to try and figure out what was going on. The person in front of us turned around, "Apparently all the movies are getting sold out," he told us.
"Maybe we could go to a different theater then," my mom offered me.
"The other nearby theaters are having malfunctions or technical difficulties," a family behind us told us, "I guess that's why everyone came here and why they're sold out."
My mom grabbed me by my wrist, "Thank you for telling us," she smiled at them, "Come on Félix, let's go to Le Louvre."
I sighed and let her lead me to the metro. "Why do you want to do something with me so badly?" I asked her.
"We haven't done anything together in years," she replied going down the stairs to the under ground system.
"Didn't we moved to Paris together or does that not count? Or how about Christmas and New Years?"
She pressed her lips together, "You know what I mean," we sat down on the metro. I usually walked everywhere, but we'd lived in Paris long enough now to be semi-familiar with the metro system. I just actively avoided it if I could, too many potential bad luck moments could happen down here, and it was very crowded too. Not exactly a place where someone with a ring that summoned bad luck and disaster should be at a lot.
I'll be honest, I was half expecting the metro to also be having technical difficulties, but I guess the negative energy was more concerned about making sure me and my mom didn't have any fun today than disabling public transportation for people.
"So tell me about this non-boyfriend of yours," I asked as if requesting the time, "Where'd you meet him?"
My mom eyed me suspiciously, "He and I have breaks at the same time and we go to the same café during them. We never really spoke until we both placed the same order one day, and it kind of started from there. But at the moment it's just being friends. We always sit together and chat when we see each other, and that's basically it for now."
I gave her a nod of acknowledgement.
"Are we even now?" she smiled.
"No, because you're still dragging me out to do things against my will, but I'll save this one for another time," I replied, "probably for when you want me to clean the toilet or something."
We had reached our stop and we got off of the metro.
"Oh quit making it sound as if I'm torturing you!" my mom said playfully, "Didn't you and your brother want to see the Mona Lisa?"
"That was a long time ago," I stated flatly. We re-emerged into sunlight.
"Time to cross the street and walk around and to the entrance!" My mom planned out loud.
"Want me to hold your hand Félix?" Fuko teased me. I discreetly flicked her with my finger when my mom wasn't looking.
"So what exactly are you planning on seeing?" I asked my mom. Noticing that the museum was also fairly crowded today.
She shrugged, "Just whatever they're showing. Isn't that exciting? It'll be a surprise!" She looked at me cheerfully.
"Yay. More room for disaster."
"It'll be fun," my mom insisted, "you'll see!" We entered the pyramid and went down the spiral steps.
I had to admit, the entrance of the museum was pretty impressive. A glass pyramid that also doubled as a natural light source for the underground lobby? The idea was pretty great, but the architecture was only dated oh, a couple thousand years. The Egyptians existed before the modern calendar after all. So did this make the Louvre's glass pyramids outdated or did it mean that the Egyptians were genius and modern, and the rest of the world just felt like ignoring that for thousands of years?
People bustled about. Some were tourists, some were locals, some were employees and shop clerks. It used to amaze me when I was younger. The sheer amount of people that I didn't know existed, and for a single moment in time, to come across the opportunity to meet them. It made me greatly treasure me and my brother's relationship.
My mom didn't speak very much about my dad, I didn't really know anything about him, and I knew better than to ask. But it was still amazing to think that she met him, and the two of them had me and my brother, which the chances of having identical twins is already small. So many things could have happened differently, that would affect my entire existence.
I no longer cared. I had bigger things to worry about than spending time wondering about all of the alternate universes that could exist.
My mom was talking to a clerk about museum admission. I was standing near a bench, and sighed irritably.
"You're making your grumpy face," Fuko commented.
"And you're being annoying."
"Ready to go?" my mother walked up to me.
"You actually got tickets?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, although he warned me it's really crowded today and so it might be hard for us to see some of the paintings."
"Of course. Goodness forbid we actually be able to enjoy ourselves and actually be able to see stuff!"
"Oh I'm sure it'll be fine!" My mother began leading me by my elbow through the museum. "What shall we see first? Oh wait! How about the Venus de Milo?" she suggested excitedly. "Let me check a map."
I crossed my arms as she let go of my elbow and found a pamphlet map of the museum.
"This way!!!" She beckoned, and led the way down a hall way.
Maybe the Louvre had a thing for ancient architecture because these hallways were very medieval. Well, then again, it was rather old... Ironically the newest part was the pyramid which was a reference to one of the oldest structures of all time.
We reached the room where the Venus de Milo was. It was full of statues, and marble. Its lighting was both cozy and distant, the way museum lights usually were. There was the famous Greek statue of the armless lady.
My mom circled it, admiring its every angle, dent and scratch. I'm positive me and my brother inherited our mother's fascination for art, especially since she'd expose us to it a lot growing up. She was absolutely thrilled when Adrien and I showed real promising talent in nearly all things artsy.
"What do you think Félix?" she asked me, almost breathless.
"Just like the pictures, except 3D."
"I'm serious!" she whacked me playfully. "Some people cry when they see this statue!"
"What a waste of energy, it's an old Greek statue that hasn't been destroyed and over-glorified, I much prefer contemporary art."
"I've never understood abstract art," my mom commented, and we began walking further down the hall, to look at the other statues.
"I don't like abstract much either," I confessed, disappointed she forgot that contemporary art and abstract art were different things, and while the two could over-lap and often did, they were not the same.
"But you still like Da Vinci right?" she winked at me. "Let's see that next!"
"I'd rather see the sphinx."
"Well alright," my mom agreed easily, "Then we can go see Mona Lisa."
I clenched my jaw but said nothing. Not that I disliked the Mona Lisa, Da Vinci was an absolute genius and I admired him a lot but seeing the Mona Lisa was always something I was supposed to do with Adrien. I shook my head and pushed the thought out of my mind. Best to forget it.
My mom eyed me, "Your silence is more alarming than your sarcasm," she frowned as we walked towards the sphinx. "As much as I dislike your sarcasm and think it's rude, I'd prefer to hear you complain than for you to keep to yourself."
"NO," Fuko floated up to my mom's face, "DON'T YOU DARE ASK HIM TO COMPLAIN HE'LL NEVER SHUT UP! DO YOU KNOW HOW ANNOYING IT IS TO LISTEN TO HIM GRIPE ALL DAY LONG WHEN HE ISN'T SASSING OR BEING SARCASTIC?!"
What was Fuko even doing? She knew my mom couldn't see her. My mom loved me sure. As deeply as passionately and as unconditionally as a mother could, but it was that very love that caused her to see me through rose-tinted glasses, and make her unable to see Fuko.
"Félix," my mom said my name sternly. "I'm your mother, I know when you're upset. Talk to me!"
"Well what do you even want to hear?" I asked her.
"I just want you to smile again. Believe it or not, it hurts me to see you rejecting your passions. I know you're bored, and that your purposefully not stimulating yourself. You used to love going to the movies with me, and you and Adrien used to beg for me to take you to museums from the moment they opened and you would want to stay until it closed."
"Just want to see me smile huh?" I scoffed.
"I don't mean those fake ones either," she sat down at the nearest bench, and motioned for me to join her.
I've always hated in movies those characters who felt like they were the only ones suffering and that no one else was capable of supporting them, and they would often use the phrase, 'you don't know what I'm going through'.
I didn't exactly feel sorry for myself, nor unsupported. But there had been so many times when I wanted to tell my mom she didn't know what I was going through, not because our losses were different or that we didn't grieve the same, but rather because of new bad luck beacon I had stuck to my finger. In a way, it was the reason my brother was dead too.
I knew it was not my fault, but I couldn't help but feel some guilt about it.
"Come on Félix, tell me something new. It doesn't have to be a big thing," my mom insisted. "It can be small if you want, like you don't like the smell of our apartment for example."
She sighed when I remained silent. For once I didn't know what to say.
"I know," she stated calmly, "these past years have been hard on both of us. If I didn't know better, I'd even say you were a different person. But you know, I still have you," she smiled. "And I know I'm not your super cool identical twin who speaks that weird gibberish with you, but you have me too."
"I know," my hands were clasped together. In a way, I was all she had left, and she was all I had left. I've always been terrified of losing her too, just imagine my agony when I'm also paired with the worst luck possible. I was thankful nothing major had happened to either of us yet. "We've just had nothing but bad luck nonstop," I decided to allude to Fuko.
Honestly, I had no idea how to even explain Fuko's existence to my mom. Would she think I finally lost it? Would she believe me? Would she feel hurt that she didn't, quote on quote, "truly" love me to safely remove the ring?
My mom gave me a sideways hug, "Yes, I guess we've had a lot of bad luck, but you know what, it's all an adventure to me. Another way to prove our strength, overcoming all these obstacles!"
"You're hopelessly optimistic," I shook my head.
"One of us has to be!" she smiled warmly, "You know, I think of life in terms of colors. When I was at my happiest as a child, my life was a very happy yellow. I'm sure you know about the loss I had as a teenager, and I went into counselling of course. I told my counselor that I was afraid that my life would never be yellow again, and you know what he told me?"
I tilted my head, I hadn't heard this story yet. Knowing her, my mom had probably been saving it for when she knew I'd be ready to hear it. "What?"
"He said that I was right, my life might never be that yellow again. But it might someday be a better yellow. At the time I wasn't sure whether or not I could believe him, and then I had you and your brother. That was a better yellow than that of my childhood had ever been. Of course, our life, even one or two years ago, probably wasn't yellow, and it might be hard to believe that our life can even have yellow without that person in it, but you know one day, it just might be a better yellow again."
"Well I'm definitely not yellow right now," I stated glumly.
"And that's perfectly fine! Just don't forget who you used to be okay? Don't give up on the things you love just because they aren't the same anymore. I hope one day you'll tell me what's going on with you."
"Sure, when I figure out how to tell you without you thinking that I'm crazy," I smiled at her.
She ruffled my hair, "Don't worry, I can handle anything after being a single mom with twins!"