Chapter Text
Felix examined the three cards left in his hands. Across from him, Shinichi also had three, while Emi had only one and was in danger of winning the game. Again.
‘Draw two.’ Felix placed his card down.
Emi groaned with the drama only a thirteen-year-old could, then drew her two cards. It was Shin’s turn next. With a crafty grin, he threw down a Skip card, passing gameplay back to his sister.
Felix’s mouth dropped. ‘What?’
Emi laughed. ‘Instant karma, Dad.’
‘I’m not sure you’re using that word right, Emi.’ Felix sat back in his chair while Emi played her next card.
Behind her, on the sofa, Duusu looked up from the TV programme she was watching and shook her head at them all.
Kagami emerged in the kitchen doorway, a ladle in her hand. ‘Who’s winning?’
Felix’s gaze ran her up and down. Having a second baby had accentuated her curves, age giving her threads of silver hair among the black. But her face somehow looked younger than it ever had, happiness loosening every muscle. ‘Who do you think?’
Emi puffed up her chest and pointed at herself – just in time for Shinichi to drop a card and call out, ‘Uno.’
His sister’s eyes rounded. ‘What? Since when do you have only one card?’
‘Since I just put my other card down.’
Felix laughed. His son obviously didn’t need his help to win this game. ‘I have nothing.’ Felix reached for the draw pile and took a card.
Emi grumbled and drew a card herself.
Beaming, Shinichi dropped his final card. ‘I win!’
‘Nice one, Shin.’ Felix leaned over to bump fists, while his stepdaughter crossed her arms in irritation.
Then she grinned and high-fived her little brother. ‘Another game?’
‘No time,’ said Kagami. ‘Dinner’s ready. Duusu, that includes you.’
Duusu perked up and flew over to join them, while Felix packed the cards away. He got to his feet, replacing the cards on the games shelf, then heading into the kitchen to help Kagami set the dining table and serve dinner – Thai green curry.
Even after eight years together, it was still so hard to believe this was his life. This was his wife. This was his family.
How had he lived nearly four decades without this?
When everything was served, they took their seats at the table, with the kids opposite and Duusu at the end.
Emi looked so like her mother at that age, with only a hint of her so-called father. Beside her, Shin looked more like his cousins. Dark hair framed his cherubim face, his green eyes bright with private thoughts.
‘How many games of Uno did you play?’ Kagami asked.
Felix looked up in thought. ‘I lost track around six.’
‘It was nine,’ Duusu said.
‘Nine.’ Kagami laughed. ‘And how many did Emi win?’
‘Eight,’ Shinichi said, a dark look on his seven-year-old face.
Felix took his first bite, making a sound of delight. ‘This is delicious, Kagami.’
The kids and Duusu murmured agreement and thank yous.
Kagami’s cheeks coloured. ‘It’s not much. I wanted to do something fancier. I was just so worn out after seeing my mother today.’
Felix frowned. ‘If you didn’t feel up to it, I would’ve done it.’
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘It was my turn. And I refuse to let my mother interfere with my family life.’
‘Grandma is your family,’ Emi said.
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Was she asking you to join the company again?’ Felix asked.
Kagami nodded, her gaze darting to her food. ‘She keeps insisting that she wants to make up for – for the past. I’m not sure if she’s sincere, but today I was thinking I might…I might take her up on it.’
He’d expected this for a long time, yet it still made his mouth drop open to hear her say it.
‘Are you serious?’ Emi asked.
‘I think I am. But if I do this…I promise it’ll be on my terms. I’m not going to let her pull me in like she did when I was your age. I’m just….’ She glanced at Felix and sighed with defeat. ‘Go on, say it.’
‘Say what?’
‘That I’m just doing what she spent all those years grooming me to do.’
His forehead creased in sympathy. ‘That hadn’t even crossed my mind, Kagami.’
‘Oh really? Then what’s that look on your face?’ She skewered a piece of broccoli with a little too much passion.
‘Actually…I was just thinking it must be nice to feel like your mother has so much faith in you.’
Kagami stilled, her fork touching her lips. Her eyes glistened, and he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.
Across the table, the kids exchanged a look, which made him kiss Kagami’s mouth again – something his own parents had never done in front of him. Maybe not even in private.
Duusu let out a happy little sigh. ‘So romantic.’
Felix grinned and gestured at Emi. ‘Hey, tell your mother what you did at school today.’
‘Oh. It’s nothing much.’
‘Nothing much.’ He shook his head.
She shrugged, her shoulders drawing in with a hint of her former shyness. ‘I won my class debate today.’
Kagami’s eyes lit up. ‘That’s fantastic! What was the topic?’
‘Just apologising to an abused person or group doesn’t achieve anything.’
‘It bloody well doesn’t,’ Felix said.
Kagami shook her head at his language, then turned to their son. ‘What about you, Shin? What happened in school today?’
‘I drew a picture.’
‘It’s just over there.’ Felix pointed at the games shelf, where he’d stood it up as best he could.
Kagami twisted in her seat to see, quiet as she took in the rough, childlike sketch of their family. Each of them had been drawn in a different colour, their hands clasped together and cheery smiles on their faces. ‘Oh, Shin, I love it.’
Shin almost glowed with her praise.
Beside him, Emi started literally glowing, the way she only did at home now.
‘When are we going to Uncle Adrien’s?’ Shin asked.
‘In about an hour,’ Kagami said. She turned to Emi. ‘What are you going to do with Izi and the twins while we’re out?’
‘Probably the same thing we always do. The girls and I will watch a film, and Louis will watch Izi.’
Felix laughed, half choking on his food. ‘Ah, Louis. That poor boy.’
‘Why’s he poor?’ asked Shinichi.
‘Because he’s in love with Izi and she doesn’t love him,’ said Emi.
‘Oh, that dear, sweet child,’ Duusu swooned.
Shinichi’s face scrunched up in confusion. ‘Why doesn’t she love him?’
‘Because she’s sixteen and he’s fourteen,’ Emi said. ‘It just doesn’t work.’
‘They won’t be sixteen and fourteen forever,’ Felix said.
‘Papa. Please don’t say that around him. It is so awkward when they’re together. I’m just waiting for him to see sense and move on.’
‘You do know who his father is, right?’
Kagami laughed and stood up, clearing the table. Felix got up to help her, and they headed into the kitchen.
Alone together, he gave her a longer kiss than he could in front of the kids. If he had one regret in life, it was not making this relationship happen sooner.
She broke away, giggling. ‘You’re going to make me smash the plates.’
‘So? That’s an actual custom in Cyprus.’
She play-swatted him and started loading the dishwasher. When he didn’t move, she glanced back at him. ‘Are you going to help me with this, or just stand there checking me out?’
He grinned and joined her. ‘Do you ever think about time travel?’
‘Not unless I have to. Why? You thinking of skipping through the cleaning?’
‘The opposite, really. I was just thinking – in films, they always jump to the super important exciting moments. But they’re missing out. If I had the rabbit miraculous, these are the moments I’d revisit.’
‘Sounds like you’d be a very boring time traveller. It’s just as well you only have the peacock.’
He laughed.
With the kitchen sorted, they left the room, and everyone started getting ready to go out. Just as Felix was slipping on his jacket, the bell rang, and he went out to answer it.
On the doorstep stood Adrien, his gaze running up and down Felix’s suit. Black, with a black waistcoat brocaded in silver and studded with thick, fabric-covered buttons. His jacket was a rich burgundy, cinched at the waist before flaring out, falling to his knees. It too was embroidered, with thick black cuffs and a large collar.
Adrien opened his mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again. ‘I wasn’t aware this was a costume party.’
Felix adjusted the collar of his jacket. ‘No wonder you quit modelling. You have no sense of fashion. The twins didn’t come with you?’
‘They weren’t ready. You know what teenagers are like.’
Did he ever. ‘I’ll just say goodbye.’
Felix knocked on Emi’s door first. ‘Hey, Emi, I’m heading out now.’
‘Okay, Dad. See ya.’ She barely looked up from her phone. No doubt texting Izi or the twins, despite them coming over shortly.
He closed her door, then found Kagami in Shin’s room, getting him ready to go to the Agrestes’. He pressed a kiss to Shin’s forehead. ‘Be good for your mother, okay?’
Shin gave him a solemn nod, radiating a magic all his own – even if he’d somehow escaped having a literal power.
When they’d stepped out of Shin’s room, Kagami hauled Felix into a deep hug, murmuring in his ear. ‘I hope you’re still wearing that when you get home tonight. I’m looking forward to taking it off you.’
He weakened in her arms, kissing her hard before pulling away. If he didn’t get out of here right now, all their plans for the evening would derail.
With admirable effort, he turned away from her and headed back down the hall to rejoin Adrien at the door. ‘Shall we?’
Adrien gave his suit another onceover, shaking his head before leaving the apartment. Felix followed, pulling out his phone and ordering a cab. It seemed like a waste, when the Lahiffes’ apartment was only three stops away by Metro. But even today, they attracted too much attention on the train.
They didn’t have to wait long before the cab arrived. When they pulled up outside the Lahiffes’, Felix paid, before they walked up the path to their friends’ front door.
Nino opened it, taking in Felix’s suit. ‘Jesus, what the hell are you wearing, Fe?’
‘I could ask the same of you.’ Felix gestured at Nino’s track bottoms and loose blue t-shirt.
Laughing, Nino waved them both inside.
As soon as the door was shut, Plagg and Duusu flew out, darting away to conspire. Leo was pacing the living room with his phone to his ear. It sounded like a business call.
‘What’s that about?’ Adrien asked.
Nino rolled his eyes. ‘Something about his company. I swear, ever since he established that branch in Paris, he’s on call more and more.’
‘At least he still manages to get out for games night.’
Leo came off the phone and joined them. ‘I think Izi would throw me out if I didn’t leave now and then. She says I’m embarrassing. We used to be so close, and now I’m just embarrassing all the time.’
Adrien nodded. ‘Emma’s like that. Every time I talk, she’s like, Daaaaaad!’
They laughed together, and Nino got them drinks. Then they all settled into their usual seats around the dining table.
Nino handed out the poker chips, then started shuffling the cards. ‘It’s weird, isn’t it? Being a dad. Being old. Being here.’
‘Hey, not all of us are old, amigo.’ Leo ran a hand over his perfect hair, every strand as dark as it had ever been, even though he had three years on them all.
‘Yeah, yeah, you’re perfect.’ Nino waved this away. ‘But seriously – when we were in school, I never imagined I’d be sitting here with you three someday. Like, Leo, sorry, but I did not get on with Chloe. Adrien, I didn’t even meet you until we were fourteen, and sometimes I thought that shit with your old man meant we wouldn’t know each other beyond collège. And Felix…. No offence, but I didn’t ever expect to like you.’
Felix’s mouth quirked. ‘None taken.’
‘But now…now….! Our sons are in the same class, they’re best friends, and – hell, I wouldn’t even have my son if you hadn’t…. Like, how did it all turn out this way?’ Nino sank back in his chair like the question had sapped him of energy.
‘I know what you mean,’ Felix said. ‘I never thought I’d get to be this person either. I had this huge political career planned out, and now it’s just…gone. I know I still do occasional consultancy work, but…I threw the whole career out the window and basically became a full-time father. Me.’
Nino held out his glass to him. ‘It’s madness, Fe. All of it.’
‘That it is, my friend. That it is.’ They clinked glasses and took a long drink together.
Beside Felix, Adrien was staring at the tabletop in silence.
Nino started dealing out cards. ‘What’s up, Ade?’
‘Hm? Oh. Nothing. It’s just…in a weird way, everything we have today can be traced back to events that relate to my…our father.’
Felix shuddered. ‘That man….’
‘I know. But think about it. A lot of events had to happen to lead to this moment. Whole realities had to be rewritten to take us here.’
‘Whole realities?’ Leo said.
Nino put up a hand. ‘Please don’t get him talking about that again.’
‘You mean all that stuff about how you’re a copy of a copy of your parents’ original child and the wish was used half a million times?’
‘Exactly,’ said Adrien.
Nino took a long drink.
Adrien looked at his cards, though he seemed to be seeing something else. ‘You know, tonight Marinette asked me what I’d say to Gabriel if I could see him again.’
The table fell silent.
Felix made a noise of irritation. ‘There’d be nothing to say, Ade. Other than – guess what, Gabriel. We did what you never did. We found good families. We found love. We moved on, fuck you very much.’
Adrien winced at his tone. ‘Never mind. Forget I said anything.’
‘I’m sorry. It’s just…. I know he’s technically our father…but he gave me away, Ade. And not to anyone nice, but to Colt. As far as I’m concerned, Gabriel’s as bad as Emi’s biological father.’ He ran his fingertips over the edges of his cards. ‘You know, every time I look at her, I just think…how? How did that man just give her up like that? When we approached him about me adopting her, he didn’t even put up a fight. Yes, it made things easier, but…. What the fuck? You know?’
They gave weighty nods.
‘She’s so fortunate, though,’ Leo said. ‘To have you in her life, Felix.’
‘Too true, my dude.’ Nino raised his glass again.
Felix’s skin warmed under the attention. ‘Well, someone has to break these cycles.’
‘Fuck yeah.’ Nino set his glass aside. ‘Now, are we going to play Poker, or what?’
‘Definitely Poker.’ Leo glanced at his forgotten cards. ‘Hit me.’
‘Coming right up, my dude.’ Nino drew a new card for him, and Leo did his best to keep his expression neutral.
While Adrien took his turn, Felix studied his own cards. An atavistic urge seized him, to turn and check if someone was watching him. Some old shadow, maybe, lurking the way he used to imagine when he was a child.
But now, at forty-five, he refused to look. Colt – Gabriel – whoever the fuck that shadow was….
You can’t hurt me anymore.
I know who the real monsters are, now.
‘Fe.’ Adrien’s voice broke through his thoughts. ‘You’re up.’
Nodding, Felix shoved the sensation aside and put a handful of chips in the centre of the table.
‘What?’ Nino groaned.
Leo dropped his cards on the table. ‘I fold.’
‘You sure you don’t want another card?’ Adrien asked.
Felix shook his head, keeping his cards close to his chest. ‘What can I say? I’m feeling lucky tonight.’