For Le Peon, sometimes it was... quite a slap in the face to remember that in reality, these heroes were children.
"Guys," a very miffed Ladybug voiced, "twenty questions does not work with only one person getting drilled."
"But you're soooo interesting!" Queen Bee gushed, wiggling where she sat.
"Oh pawlease," Chat scoffed, drawing Peon's gaze to the blond, the boy she knew, the boy she was set to care for. Smugly, he told the scowling bee, "I knew that already."
"Well," Volpina voices, pointing to Chat, "you have been her partner from the start. I wouldn't be too surprised." Turning back to Ladybug, Volpina asked, "How many spots do you have?"
"About forty two."
"...How do you know that Chat?"
"I count them sometimes. It's always around forty two."
Ladybug frowned at him.
"Do you have a type?" Queen Bee asked eagerly.
Ladybug frowned.
The three peered at her, expectant and excited.
Above them, Peon sighed tiredly.
This was not in her job description...
Ladybug caved and answered, "I like blonds..."
Queen squealed excitedly, coming over to glomp Ladybug, only to be pushed back by a scowling cat. "Don't forget Buzzkill, I've been here first."
"Well you've obviously had no luck!"
"How about redheads?" Volpina flirted, tail twitching coyly as she gave Ladybug a suave smile.
Queen and Chat turned to glare at Volpina.
Ladybug pursed her lips. Volpina withdrew with a sigh. "For the best. I do have a boyfriend."
"What's he like?" Ladybug asked, eager to switch the topic off of her.
Queen wasn't having any of it. "Ah! Ah! More importantly, have you ever dated anyone My Honey Bug?"
"Honey Bug?" Chat repeats with a face.
Volpina peered at her eagerly, wiggling where she sat.
Queen peered at her intently.
Chat cast her a curious and nervous look.
Ladybug scrambled to look for a way to get out of this game of Question Ladybug.
Peon took pity on the red leader and dropped down beside them, surprising all four of them.
"Aren't you four supposed to be patrolling right now?" she scolds, narrowing her eyes at the sheepish heroes, her gaze flickering to Chat when he sneezed. She felt a little bad at being a cause for his allergies, but it couldn't be helped.
Queen stubbornly stuck her nose in the air, crossing her arms and declaring, "We were just taking a break."
"Wanted to see if you'd join us, Le Peon," Volpina adds.
"Glad you did!" Ladybug pipes in, ignoring Chat's groan. Though she did reach over and gave her partner an apologetic pat. It didn't soothe the cat, who gave her a slight, understandable glare.
Not just because of the allergies.
She knew he didn't appreciate her hovering, intervening when he was in a tough spot.
She's come to understand that for him, Chat Noir was a break, an escape.
He was an ignored shadowed, enjoying the light of others around him, and of the girl beside him.
He didn't like her coming, putting her watchful gaze on him.
His reluctance made Peon tired.
She was really getting tempted to remind Monsieur Agreste that becoming a bird and watching over his superhero son wasn't in her original contract.
She waved out to the city, ordering, "Come along, we have a whole city to look over."
Queen grumbled under her breath, but let Volpina drag her up and along, the fox flashing her a huge smile. Ladybug pulled Chat up, letting the cat hang close to her as they passed Peon. Peon winced at another annoyed sneeze coming out of the cat. Drooping tiredly, she turned, watching her chic-
Under the mask of Peon, Nathalie Sancoeur cringed.
Children.
Not chicks.
Definitely not her chicks.
They weren't hers, contract wise, there was only one she was to watch out for.
And yet, still her gaze lingered on all four, watching them talk and shove and jab with each other.
Her feathers rippled around her, and she could sense the coming battles these four will have to face...
She sends a silent apology to Monsieur Agreste.
She'll do what she can but... she's not sure she can only care for Adrien...
Inspired by this post by skylanpher on tumblr: post/151562142102/cinnamon-leaves-i-didnt-think-adriens-mom
Wanted to play around a little with peacock!Nathalie since some people think she might be Le Peon.