Chapter Text
Felix wiped his eyes and took a shaky breath as he quietly walked down the stairs. The murmur of Marinette, Adrien, and Kagami’s voices floated through the living room.
He paused just inside the doorway, watching them, trying to find the right moment, the right words.
Marinette glanced up and gave him a small, encouraging smile. “Hey, Felix, you okay?”
Felix forced a faint nod, though the weight in his chest felt heavier than ever. He swallowed hard and joined them, trying to push the fear and doubt down deep.
“Yeah,” he said quietly, “I’m… okay.”
Marinette’s parents smiled warmly at the group.
“Why don’t you all stay over tonight?” Tom suggested. “It’s been a long day, and you’re all welcome here.”
Sabine nodded in agreement. “We’ve got plenty of spare clothes and space.”
Kagami glanced at Felix and Adrien, who exchanged a tired but grateful look.
“We’d like that,” Kagami said softly.
Tom and Sabine stood and headed upstairs together. “We’ll get some clothes ready for you.”
As they disappeared up the stairs, the room settled into a quieter, more comfortable calm.
Kagami looked over at Felix, her eyes gentle but serious.
“Felix… can we talk? Just the two of us?” she asked softly.
Felix blinked, then gave a small nod. “Of course.”
Adrien and Marinette exchanged glances but said nothing, giving them space.
Felix stood, following Kagami out of the living room, down the hall where they could be alone.
In the quiet hallway, Kagami folded her arms, watching Felix carefully.
“You looked… upset,” she said gently. “When you came back from the balcony… and after the bathroom. Something’s bothering you.”
Felix avoided her gaze for a moment. “It’s nothing,” he said quickly, forcing a small smile. “Really, Kagami. Nothing you need to worry about.”
But Kagami didn’t move. “Felix… I know you,” she said softly. “Please. You don’t have to hide it from me.”
Felix’s smile faltered just slightly, but still, he shook his head. “I promise… it’s fine,” he whispered. “Let’s not ruin the evening.”
Outside, hidden in the shadows beneath the dim streetlamp, a lone figure watched through the window, bow in hand, fingers tense on the string, hesitating. Their breath was slow, eyes fixed on Felix and Kagami.
Inside, Felix opened his mouth, about to finally tell her.
But the memory of that voice on the phone echoed in his head: “Don’t forget the promise you made, Felix…”
He stopped. The words caught in his throat. His gaze dropped to the floor.
“…I’m sorry,” he whispered instead. “I… can’t talk about it. Not yet.”
Kagami’s brow furrowed in concern. “Felix…”
But before she could say more, Felix turned slightly, keeping that secret buried, for now.
The figure slipped back into the shadows of the quiet street, out of sight from the bakery’s warm windows.
A faint shimmer of light, then they detransformed. It was Meta. He pulled out his phone, dialing quickly.
A soft click as the call connected.
“Jelly, Lunar,” Meta said coolly, his voice low. “Felix was about to tell Kagami… about our little plan.”
There was a pause on the other end, before Jelly’s voice came through, sharp with annoyance:
“Tch. I told you he’d start cracking under pressure.”
Lunar’s voice followed, calmer:
“What do we do now?”
Meta smirked, glancing once more toward the bakery window.
“…We remind him of the promise he made. If he talks… everything burns.”
The line went silent, the threat hanging in the air between them.
Lunar’s voice crackled softly through the phone:
“You want me to tell Lila? She’ll want to know about this.”
Meta narrowed his eyes, voice firm:
“No. Not yet.”
He glanced again toward the bakery, watching Felix and Kagami through the distant window.
“If Lila finds out now, she’ll get… impatient. It’ll ruin everything we’ve set up.”
A pause. Lunar simply replied:
“Understood.”
Meta ended the call, slipping the phone into his pocket. He smirked to himself, muttering under his breath:
“Soon enough… but not yet.”
Lunar turned to Jelly, an amused grin on his face.
“Jelly, text him. Tell Felix we need to talk,” he said, a subtle edge in his voice.
Jelly pulled out her phone, fingers flying across the screen.
Hey Felix. It’s Jelly. Can we meet up soon? Just wanna talk. It’s important.
She showed the message to Lunar.
“Sent,” she whispered.
Meta, still in the shadows, smirked quietly.
“Let’s see how rattled he really is…”
As Felix sat beside Kagami, trying to act calm, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out, reading Jelly’s message:
“Hey Felix. It’s Jelly. Can we meet up soon? Just wanna talk. It’s important.”
His heart sank. His fingers trembled slightly as he locked the screen.
Kagami noticed immediately.
“Felix… what is it?” she asked softly, her eyes narrowing with concern.
Felix forced a small smile. “It’s… nothing. Just… something stupid.”
But inside, he was scared. Really scared. He knew this wasn’t just a friendly chat.
And he had no idea what they would do… if he didn’t answer.
Felix forced a reassuring smile and gently touched Kagami’s hand.
“Hey… can you go back upstairs with Marinette and Adrien? I just need some air. I’ll be right there.”
Kagami looked at him, unconvinced. “Are you sure?”
He nodded quickly. “Yeah… please.”
After a hesitant moment, Kagami sighed. “Alright. But don’t take too long.” She squeezed his hand before heading back upstairs.
Felix waited a few seconds, making sure they were gone, then slipped on his shoes and quietly stepped outside.
The night air was cool, but it didn’t calm his nerves. He stood on the quiet street, looking around, waiting… knowing they’d be watching.
And knowing this meeting… wasn’t going to be friendly.
Felix walked deeper into the alleyway, shadows stretching tall against the dim light of the streetlamps. His heart pounded as he spotted three familiar figures waiting, Lunar, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, Jelly with her phone in hand, and Meta standing front and center, an unsettling smirk on his face.
“Took you long enough,” Meta said coolly, eyes narrowing.
Felix swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. “Why did you call me here?”
Lunar gave a low chuckle. “You know why. You were about to tell her, weren’t you?”
Jelly tilted her head, her green eyes glinting. “Tsk, tsk. We thought you understood, Felix. No one… not even Kagami… can know about us. Not yet.”
Meta stepped closer, voice dropping lower. “You made a promise. Or do we need to remind you what happens if you break it?”
Felix’s hands clenched at his sides. “… I didn’t tell her,” he said, voice strained. “I didn’t say a word.”
Meta’s smirk widened. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
The alley seemed colder than before. Felix didn’t dare move, not yet.
Lunar stepped forward, arms still crossed, gaze sharp. “You’re lucky,” he said quietly, voice edged with warning. “We didn’t tell Lila yet… about what you almost did.”
Felix’s stomach twisted. He stayed silent, knowing that if Lila found out, things would spiral even more out of control.
Meta’s tone grew colder. “Enough of this hesitation. You owe us. Now it’s time to do your part.”
He leaned in closer, eyes narrowing. “Get Kagami… akumatized.”
Felix’s breath caught. His heart pounded faster. “…What?” he asked, voice cracking.
“You heard me,” Meta repeated, unflinching. “It won’t be hard. She’s already under enough pressure. Push her a little more. Get her akumatized… and you’re free of this little debt.. for now.. but you owe us.”
Felix’s fists trembled slightly. His voice barely rose above a whisper. “… Fine… I’ll do it.”
Meta smiled coldly. “Good. Don’t disappoint us again.”
Lunar and Jelly exchanged a glance, the tension thick in the air.
Upstairs, the atmosphere was light, though a quiet unease still lingered.
Kagami sat cross-legged on Marinette’s bed, her fencing jacket draped over the nearby chair. She spoke softly to Adrien and Marinette, her hands resting in her lap.
“…It’s strange,” Kagami said, her tone thoughtful. “Even after everything that’s happened… it still doesn’t feel real sometimes.”
Adrien, sitting by the window with his cane leaning against the wall, gave a faint nod. “Yeah. Like we’re just waiting to wake up and realize it was all some nightmare.”
Marinette, sitting across from them, offered a comforting smile. “But it wasn’t a dream. We made it out. All of us… well, most of us.” Her voice wavered slightly at the memory of those they’d lost.
Kagami glanced at Adrien for a moment, concern flickering in her eyes. “You’ve been quiet since earlier,” she said. “Is something wrong?”
Adrien hesitated, his eyes drifting to the floor. “Just… a lot on my mind,” he admitted. “But I’m glad we’re together now. That’s what matters.”
The three of them fell into silence, the kind shared only by those who had survived something too large for words. But despite everything, in that room, there was calm, for now.
Tom and Sabine descended the stairs with a small stack of neatly folded clothes in their arms, chatting quietly between themselves.
As they entered the living room, their cheerful expressions faltered slightly when they noticed the empty space where Felix had been.
“Hm?” Sabine glanced around, setting the clothes on the couch. “Where’s Felix? Wasn’t he just here with you all?”
Tom frowned softly. “Did he step out? It’s getting late…”
Marinette’s mom looked up toward the stairs, concerned. “Did he say anything, dear?” she called gently in the direction of the second floor, wondering if Adrien or Kagami might overhear. There was no answer yet, the house suddenly felt just a little too quiet.
Felix came up the stairs, his steps hurried and uneven. His face was pale, eyes darting nervously. He barely looked at anyone as he reached the top.
“I-I’m going home,” he stammered out, voice trembling. “Adrien… you can stay though.”
Kagami’s brow furrowed in concern. “Why, Felix? What’s wrong?”
Felix kept his gaze to the floor, unable to meet her eyes. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, brushing past them.
“Felix-..” Kagami started to stand, but he was already moving down the stairs, ignoring her.
Adrien and Marinette exchanged a worried glance, sensing something was very wrong.
Kagami’s frustration bubbled to the surface. “Felix!” she called out, her voice sharper now with rising worry. Without thinking, she sprinted after him.
But as she reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door slammed shut with a heavy thud.
She yanked it open and rushed outside, but Felix was already gone, swallowed by the shadows of the night.
Kagami stood there for a moment, her heart pounding. “Felix… what are you doing?” she whispered under her breath, fists tightening at her sides.
A flicker of purple light danced in the airan akuma, unseen by the people inside, fluttered down and slipped into Kagami’s ring.
Her breath hitched.
And then
That voice.
Low, eerie, speaking with both male and female tones, seeming to echo inside her head:
“Forgive my intrusion… but I sense your frustration. The boy you care for, hesitating, lying, keeping secrets. Wouldn’t you like to know what he’s hiding? Wouldn’t you like to make him tell you the truth…?”
Kagami’s eyes widened, her mind spinning. She gritted her teeth, trying to fight the strange sensation creeping over her.
“All you have to do… is let me help you.”
Kagami’s heart pounded as the voice’s words echoed in her mind. She hesitated, the weight of her frustration and fear pressing down on her.
Finally, with a shaky breath, she whispered,
“I… I do.”
The voice chuckled softly, a chilling sound that made the air around her grow colder.
“And what should I be called?” it asked, playful yet sinister.
Kagami swallowed hard, then said quietly,
“Vampigami.”
Suddenly, a swirl of dark purple energy enveloped her, the akuma’s power merging with her own. Her eyes glowed faintly with a new, eerie light.
Just then, Marinette and Adrien rushed down the stairs, their expressions shifting from concern to shock as they saw Kagami transform, her movements sharp, her presence changed.
“Kagami?!” Marinette gasped.
Adrien’s voice was filled with disbelief and worry,
“What… what’s happening to you?”
Vampigami’s lips curled into a sly, almost predatory smile.
“I’m going to find out exactly what Felix is hiding,” she said, her voice dripping with dark amusement.
With that, she vanished into the shadows, a swarm of bats erupting from her form and scattering into the night sky.