Bumbling Bee in the Blue

by R3tr0c4t

Luka has to ride out a storm confining him to his boat when he gets an unexpected visitor. Visit AO3 for eventual full story that will be too mature for , same title.

A calm day. That was all he wanted. No rain to patter against the windows and seep through the floor boards. No whipping thunder to throw off his rhythm. No breeze to sway the stern in a watery cradle, guitars swinging like pendulums from grandfather clocks. It was necessary to have his instruments supports bolted in place purely for this reason, the heart-breaking aftermath after a particularly bad storm was motivation enough to keep everything stuck to the walls, floors and table tops. Nails and glue, he'd reassure Juleka, fixing his furniture after decided for a long time where their permanent home would be. Juleka would scoff with her typical 'whatever', only to have to constantly pick up clothing and miscellaneous items from her floor on a daily basis. She still stubbornly refused his help with his spare nails and glue.

A true brother sister relationship that often resulted in their mother dealing with either child's parley. A side of himself he was sure Juleka told her friends about but rarely they believed her over his outwardly calm aura. He would chuckle along with her friends' questions, mysteriously saying how he was human, and they sometimes would argue over the silliest things and then proceed to prove none of it. It infuriated Juleka, that he knew from the tight frown and clenched fists. Petty revenge for his many times having to swab the poop deck as punishment for winding her up. His Mother knew he was clever in the way he portrayed himself and would see right through any ploy to tease his sibling.

Not that any of it was a lie. He considered himself to be a reasonably chill guy, none too eager to cause drama and even less inclination to seek it. He loved his sibling and she loved him back, they knew they could rely on each other when times were tough. The confinement of living in a boat played a major part in how agitated they would get. Wood planks everywhere, brown layered with brown made the rooms appear small and stuffed. Juleka took the initiative, spending more and more time with her girlfriend Rose at her house located firmly on solid ground. It meant that there was less friction between them, but still he missed her.

Luka wasn't a socialite and far from the outgoing sort. He could never keep up a lengthy conversation with people and never cared enough about sports or trends to use as fuel for chit chat. He was more comfortable allowing people to come to him and seek him out specifically for something they wanted to talk at him about. Being a loner wasn't something he minded, it allowed for more time to be creative and focus on his music and his own company was more than enough most days. But without engagement with the outside world and the people therein, he was lacking inspiration and a kind ear to listen to his music.

It changed whenever he managed to hear an engine rumbling outside of his room. How he could through this weather was surprising, even more so that someone would be coming here in this weather. Wiping the condensation from his port hole window, he spied a white and yellow blur dash from a vehicle that looked long enough to take up a street worth of parking. The overcompensating man's vehicle. Watching closely, the blur dashed its way to the platform leading to the deck, hesitant in how much further it could walk. Juleka was with Rose and his Mother out on business, this person was unlikely to have come here for him. That much he could accurately assume. Pushing his arms through his jacket and flipping his hood over his messy hair, he made his way to the deck to tell this person that they would have to come back later. Opening the door to his home however, the person wasn't interested in waiting for an invitation. The sparkly shape leapt into what passed as a living room, a stream of gold catching his eye and smacking him in the face. That was definitely someone's ponytail, the someone became very clear once she commented on the interior decorating.

"Ew, there's so much brown in here. This place has needed a makeover since the seventies." Chloe wrung her hair out like a soggy towel, flipping it behind her and standing expectantly.

"Good guess, but I'd say early eighties myself. Can I help you?" She apparently hadn't even looked to see who had let her in, her posture changed from sassy to uncertain in seconds.

"Oh, I thought it was Juleka who answered. She doesn't talk much, but you would know. You are her brother, I guess?"

"We've met before...you're Queen Bee, right?"

"I meet a lot of people, especially now that I'm, like, a treasured hero. Plus my Daddy runs a hotel, the best in Paris! I see hundreds a day."

"Okay." Luka raised his hands together as if he were meditating, taking a deep breath and trying to understand why this gold ingot of a girl had raided his ship. "Why do you want to see my sister?"

"We have a project to do, duh!" Somehow the idea that he may not have known that didn't cross her mind. "Let me guess, she's gone to Rose's house. She's so impulsive! I need a good grade for this assignment. I needed her help with this. She's good at words."

"Words...If by impulsive you mean she's in love, then yes. She's at Rose's. This has happened before?" Chloe nodded solemnly, revealing that she had more emotional range than being annoyed or aloof. "Well, Juleka can be a little impulsive, I'll grant you that. Also very poor scheduling skills."

Chloe sighed, taking a chair that looked the least repulsive, funnily enough his own recliner. "Yeah right, she just doesn't want to do it with me."

"I had to remind her that it was her own birthday one year." Luka laughed to himself, the look on his sisters face when the cake and presents came out was priceless. "I promise you, she isn't mean like that." Luka found it difficult to navigate his own living room, her presence taking a major part in that. Somehow he felt he was being watched closely, judged for his every move even when she was staring to the floor in thought. Something about her had him on edge. He took a foot stool and pulled it closer to her, sitting down would mean he wouldn't tower over her.

Chloe smiled. "Well, it is silly that she forgot her own birthday. I always look forward to mine. Daddy promised me that next year he'll get me a car!"

"Have you thought about learning to drive?"

"Ugh, later! I'll learn later. I can barely get through the work today, never mind any future studying I need to do. I really needed her help with this..." Chloe rummaged through a purse full of scrapped paper and pencil shavings to give him a folded piece of paper.

He flipped it open and quickly studied her homework, Chloe looking around the room with undisguised disgust. "Poetry? You have to write a poem about something? Interesting..."

Chloe scoffed at his curiosity, he didn't have to write it. "I'm not good at writing. I can't do this. I may as well give up but if I do, I'll let down Ladybug."

"Ladybug? That's a stretch." He looked at her quizzically. Surely Ladybug wouldn't be concerned about her homework, even if Chloe was Queen Bee? Poetry was often written by the observers of heroes, not the heroes themselves, unless they were narcissistic he supposed. "Why would she be concerned with this?"

"I want to prove myself to her, she's my role model. If I fail at school, what kind of a role model will I be for other would be heroes?" Taken aback, Luka listened to her with new understanding. Trying to be someone to look up to and be an inspiration was something he would have never imagine escaping those frowning lips. "I want my own statue someday!" Then she lost it. "I want to be recognised by my good deeds."

Luka handed the paper back. "Well, I don't think you'll get a statue for writing a poem. But if Ladybug inspires you so much, why don't you write about her?" Chloe blinked, wide eyed with her mouth slightly agape.

"That's brilliant! I can write about Ladybug and how I've helped her and what that means to me. I can tell people how amazing I am as their Queen!" Chloe chortled in a premature victory.

Luka forced a soft laugh with her, it somehow looking like it either offended or stunned her. "Well, it's not what I meant, but good creativity. I know you can do it." The rain went from a pattering on the outside walls to a loud thrumming, much like his heart as he couldn't stand it when the rain sounded as aggressive as a hornets nest. The ocean below rocked the boat violently, the hull scraping against the docks grating Chloe's ears.

"This place is awful. Why haven't you upgraded to a luxury yacht?" She held her ears shut, "How can you stand the noise?"

Luka allowed himself a brief sulk, she was proving difficult to tolerate even for him with her rude comments that came far too easily. Still, the weather outside was dangerous as well and torrential and he would feel terrible to send her on her way. For however long this storm was planning to jostle his home around, that was how long he had to entertain this girl.

Chloe watched his gloomy face look to the window. "You better not be thinking of sending me home in that!"

Luka snapped back to her, slight annoyance that she would think so low of him. He took another much-needed breath, this girl had a knack, nay, a talent for infuriating people but unfortunately that wasn't her homework, or she'd pass with flying colours.

Luka quietly rose and made his way to the bathroom, returning with a fresh towel for her matted hair. "Of course I'm not. I wouldn't do that to you." She snatched the towel off him, rubbing away moisture with one motion and disguising an unexpected flush to the cheeks with another. I wouldn't do that to you. This cyan fringed hippy boy, what was he thinking being so casually kind?

"Whatever..." She grumbled beneath her breath. Kindness in her experience came with a cost, no-one gave something for nothing. That was just how the world worked. The question remained quite prominently in the forefront of her mind: What did Luka want? "If I can't leave, then Juleka probably can't either, I may as well accept my bad grade." She threw the towel back in his general direction, Luka having to sidestep to catch it. It smelled sweet through the dampness, probably her perfume. A blend of wild flowers and a subtle honey undertone.

"You uh, going all out on the Queen Bee thing? Smells like it."

Having never been called out on it before, Chloe had no comeback at the ready nor could she hide the embarrassment that was more obvious the more she sank into his chair. "If that ends up on eBay, I know where you live. On this crappy thing you call a boat." Luka dropped it into the laundry basket in full view of her, his flat face very telling that there was now a fuse waiting to be lit by one more insult of his home. "And why have you not offered me a drink yet? Some host you are!"

"Of course princess, where are my manners? Would you like water? Soda? Coffee?" Luka attempted a smile, the weight of her negativity really putting a strain on his face and a downer on his good vibes. And he thought he was miffed at the weather before.

Chloe chose not to comment on the nickname, huffing and shooing him away to wherever his kitchen was. "Soda. I don't want to risk drinking the water on this thing. I might catch a disease or a fish." Fuse lit, shoulders tense. Luka went to his kitchen, sighing hard when out of her line of sight. Now he knew what all the fuss was surrounding her. She had so much trouble with just being kind to people, he found it impossible to imagine someone like that existing. Calm, Luka. Patience, Luka. She is trying as well as very trying. She wants to impress Ladybug, be a hero. To strive to be good is better than not striving at all. He just wished the attempt at emulating Ladybug was more apparent.

Returning to the living room, he spied her flicking her pen against her notepad, complete writer's block blinding her to any hope of starting even one sentence. Her grunts and groans of frustration were interrupted by the metallic clink of the can gently placed on the table next to her.

"It's served in a can? Where's the glass with the slice of lemon? And the ice?" She was met with a straight face.

"So, writer's block? Sucks, doesn't it?" Luka did his best to commit to ignoring any further stinging comments. Queen Bee needed to be less barb and more honey. "Need any help?"

"I need a word that rhymes with purple." Chloe sighed, deciding to leave any further comments about the soda. Even though it wasn't diet. Or even a brand name she recognised.

"Everybody does." Luke smirked, "Like orange, it's one of those words that just doesn't do the rhyming thing so well. How does purple fit into a poem about Ladybug...?"

"Uh, duh the Akumas...?" Chloe eyed him like a stain, "Dark Butterfly in Purple..." She shrugged, "And that's all I have." She screwed up the paper and hurled it to the floor, Luka followed its path with a confused gaze.

"We do have a waste basket..." He smiled as politely as he could manage.

Chloe glanced between him and the paper, casting her eyes around the room. "It doesn't look out of place."

The little Princess was getting on his last nerve. It would be easy to make some excuse to leave her be but given the lack of respect she was showing for his home, scenarios of either things burned down, or interior designers being called in played in his mind. He needed something to relax him. This was a job for acoustic. Leaving for as short a time as he felt safe, he returned again to the unexpected guest, settling himself at the opposite and far side of the room. He began to softly pluck at the strings, finding a tune taking shape that was just as soothing as he needed. Gentle, like the swaying of their homely vessel on a better day.

Chloe eyed the young man curiously, "I don't know that one...It's a little sad."

Luka, eyes still firmly on his diligent fingers, spoke as softly as when she first arrived, allowing the song to carry his unhappy mood away. "I'm making it up as I go. It's not meant to be sad, just chill."

Chloe struggled to believe him, it had to be a song she was unfamiliar with. He couldn't make something so beautiful in moments, could he? "Huh, wow. You're...really good."

"That sounded like a little bit of positivity." He smiled. "Knew you could do it." Luka faded back into his tune, shifting from minor to major, a sad tune turned hopeful. Chloe found herself entranced by his fingering, course tips finding their strings like they were born to do so. Sipping quietly at her awful drink and completely distracted from her work, she surprised herself when she sighed her own little song of calm and swayed with the music, biting her lip the more she stared at him. Scrambling back to rigid form, she hid behind her note pad and began scribbling away words that rhymed in the hopes that the lyrics would practically form themselves after that. Ladybug...Hug, mug, tug...bug. Hero, zero...not much more there. Blue, hue, glue? Sticky, tricky, guitar, star, how I wonder what you are. This was hopeless. Another frustrated grunt quietly uttered into her soda. "Still having trouble? I'm not distracting you, am I? I could stop playing if you prefer?"

Chloe was adamant. "No! I mean, no need. Music isn't the problem, it's my stupid brain! I don't know if I can write a poem worthy of Ladybug..."

Luka protested her belittling of herself. Everyone had a talent and whether or not poetry was hers, sometimes people just needed a little help to get them going. "Don't say that, Chloe. I know you can do this, you aren't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. You've just hit a wall and are panicking." He managed to get a nod from the sulking girl, uncertain if she was agreeing with him or simply acknowledging that she heard him. "Maybe try writing about today, I'm sure this isn't a usual day for you. Just...try to be positive. What silver linings has today brought? What new experiences will interest your teacher?"

Chloe just stared blankly, a little touch of red to her cheeks. "W-Well, I'm out of the rain. I'm on a boat and that isn't usual for me. I use helicopters for travelling far, you know. U-um..." Chloe gripped her notepad tight, warping the shape of the cardboard covers in a slight bend. "You happened, I mean, you've been very kind to me. Even though I've been just a little rude..."

"Yeah." Luka nodded, "Just a little." He agreed, "But, I think I get it." He played a brief few chords that could best be described as a death metal chugga-chugga. "Long as people think you're this..." He returned to melancholy lilt between hope and loss, "You don't risk showing this...?"

Chloe shuffled uncomfortably. "I think I preferred the kindness more than the musical head shrinking..."

"Sorry. But the second tune's not so bad." His soft laugh tickled her ears, now playing his guitar in what sounded like some form of jazz cover of the last piece. Her growing smile reflected by the shift. He shuffled a little closer into the central light of the room. "Everyone needs a bit of kindness thrown their way. A good tactic against Hawkmoth, wouldn't you say, Bee?" Chloe agreed, taken aback by how the light shone down on him and made his hair's highlights illuminate in an iridescent sheen. He looked like a musical angel minus the wings and the way he smiled at her seemed to reignite something in her heart. Something that had otherwise remained dormant for so long. "But, you are welcome, Chloe. Anytime, just warn me next time and I'll make sure Juleka remembers."

Chloe snapped back to her notepad. "Juleka? Oh, yeah. I should, I'll... Finish this poem. I'll just...get on that." She retreated back into her chair, knees up and hiding her flustered face from his sweet, gentle gaze. "Oh no." she whispered into her papers.

Luka cocked his head at her sudden change of attitude. Maybe he had said something wrong? "Well, that's the spirit, Chloe. I'm sure it will a good one. Just ask me if you need anything, I'm here." Chloe slumped further into the chair, it was not designed to be a bean bag but somehow she made it so. Luka continued his lazy song, debating whether or not he should write it down. Unexpected was how much of an inspiration Chloe had been to finding a flow of music. He had almost forgotten that there was a savage storm pelting the walls with its fury. A thunderous strike reminded him harshly. He jumped a few inches above his seat, a small yelp alerting Chloe who soon after stifled giggling. "It's not funny."

Chloe tried her best to keep a straight face, failing badly as the corners of her mouth turned upwards. "It's not funny. Okay it kinda is." She caught his hurt expression and without thinking blurted out a thought her brain was trying to suppress. "It's also kinda cute. You're cute."

Luka seemed...confused as to why she would say such a thing but took it in his stride as her way of cheering him up. "I'm cute? Mm, I suppose it was a little out of the blue that I would be scared of thunderstorms." He stopped playing much to her dismay and thumbed his chin over something he was mulling over. "Truth is, I fell overboard during a thunderstorm when I was very young, so it's still a little scary for me. Don't worry though, you didn't have any reason to suspect."

Great, now she felt guilty for laughing at his fear. She would have to be kind now to make it up to him, a thing that felt easier for her to do for him than most for reasons she didn't want to acknowledge. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by laughing. It just surprised me. You've been like, really calm since I got here too so there was literally no clue that you were afraid."

That prompted a nervous cheek scratch from him, she swore she saw pink beneath his blue colours. "Company helps." And then he began playing again, although this time there were a few obvious mistakes in the tune, the little winces and biting of his lip implying as much. A few minutes pass with her writing and he playing when he decided to give up and put the guitar back. When he returned, he shrugged. "The storm's distracting me, please, don't mind me."

But she couldn't help but mind him, his tall frame stood awkwardly in the room, slightly stooped over due to what may have been many bumps to the head during puberty. She would only stand about as high as his chest, having to break her neck just to look into those warm welcoming eyes. No, what was she thinking? Blue boat boy wouldn't have the slightest interest in her beyond basic chit chat and allowing her to ride out the storm with him. And she, a hotel heiress through her word alone, couldn't possibly stoop to someone who didn't have his own helicopter or designer suits or...eyes like whirlpools sucking her in. Damn, no! Not gonna happen. She looked to her work and gasped at what she was writing, sparking curiosity in the young man.

Luka leaned over to see the page, the panicked girl immediately hiding it against her chest. "You don't want me to look?"

"It's personal! Really really personal like, you can't read it because it's embarrassing." The fear in her face forced him to back away.

"But not personal enough for your teacher to read? Curious...but I won't peek, I promise." He backed away further and went to lie on a vacant couch and wait, a throw wrapped around his body as a small comfort to huddle into. The storm was getting more aggressive, a sign that it would pass soon, true, but the last push always had him thinking back to being thrown about in churning waters. "I'm here if you need me." Luka turned his body away from her, trying his best to remain calm. Every crack of thunder provoked a small shudder from the boy.

"I-I'm here...if you need me?" Chloe forced the words through a stammer. "I can't be Queen Bee if I don't help the scared and helpless now, can I?" After tearing out yet another scrap of paper and absent mindedly tossing it to one side, Chloe approached the cowering boy, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder. He flinched, unsure how to respond to her kindness. Such a stark contrast to her rude entry. He turned around to see her looking down on him, small frown on pursed lips and the most sympathetic eyes. It was jarring to see how soft she could look if she wanted to, a rarity to see her caring for another. "What can I do? I can't control the weather, so..."

"Sit with me, please. You can still write, and I won't look, but...my sister is usually the one to keep me company." He looked to the floor embarrassed for his silly fear. Chloe quite literally picked him up to take a seat next to him. Do the miraculous leave some of their power behind on the user, or was he really as much a light weight as Juleka would often tease?

"You have a good sister." Chloe dared to take his arm in hers, a none too subtle squeeze of his muscle confusing the scared boy. "Uh, I should use my hands for finishing this poem. You just sit there looking cute, okay?" Chloe returned to her scribbling, face inches away from the paper. If he wanted to peek he could, but her handwriting was like spider's dancing on a page after bathing in ink. He hoped she would type it up before handing it in, those hieroglyphics would be impossible to translate. "Y'know, like a chihuahua. Scared of anything larger but still cute in their weird way..."

"Huh..." Luka shuddered again against distant thunder, "Cute and weird...? Keep the compliments coming..." His jokey tone as much an attempt at bravado as it was genuine kindness.

"...three...four...five..." Chloe counted, stopping at the next rumble. "It's getting further away." She reassured, kind eyes glancing down at her hopefully from under the blanket, He kept close to her, resting his head on top of hers as lightly as he could whilst still keeping the contact. Chloe froze a moment, feeling the weight of him press against her, body shivering slightly yet not unpleasantly.

"I'm sorry." Luka sighed, "Juleka and I stay like this until the storm goes away. I guess I never realised what a habit it became." She knew what she wanted to do, but not if she should. Sliding a hand through his blanket around his back, Chloe pulled him in for a hug and he eased into it like butter on toast. He squeezed her with every roar of thunder outside, his arms enveloping her head closer into him. "I'm sorry, I really don't like storms." He hesitated. "But...this is nice."

He felt her nod into his chest or rather, nuzzle into it, a quiet hum in affirmation. Falling back against the couch with her firmly in his embrace, Luka sighed with relief. Her honeyed scent was strong, warming his nose with its sweetness, her gentle breathing a preferable focus to the angry noise outside. "Is it okay...if I rest my head on your lap?"

Chloe pushed herself off him to look at his blushing face, admiring the awkward smile. "Is that something you did with Juleka too?" She noted how fidgety he became as he thought of an answer.

"No." A short response that had Chloe's mind running wild. Her eyes were wide and very telling at how forward that question was. He wasn't sure he was misreading her this whole time or if he had gone too far in his quest for comfort. Not that he needed much more as the storm was getting quieter and more distant with time, but something in him wanted it regardless. He explained away his question. "I just think that...you could use my head as a table for your writing and I could lie down! Win-win situation..." He suspected Chloe saw through that excuse, she didn't reveal it, however.

She sat herself straight and patted her lap expectantly, pulling at his head when he just stared at her and guiding him into a comfortable position. Like he suggested, she used his head to balance her notepad and wrote a few more lines before setting it to one side. She found herself playing with the blue tips of his hair, a little bit of affection that went a long way. "I think I'm done. I'm just tweaking it now. Your hair is so soft, I'm jealous! How do you get your highlights so even?" A good excuse to play with it more, a few tentative and completely by accident strokes to his face. He purred quietly at her touch, starting to realise her intentions and how that made him feel.

His head snuggled into her lap more, his hand guiding hers to hold his side. "Juleka helps with mine and I with hers. And as for soft...I spend a lot of time in the shower." He paused and reflected on the connotations. "With conditioner, I mean!" He twisted to face up and spotted her blush. "Sorry, that was a little awkward. But thank you for the compliment Chloe. Your hair smells and looks amazing. Like a squirrels tail made of honeycomb."

Chloe exploded in a nervous laugh that startled him as much as the thunder did. Such a stupid thing to say but also one of the most honest and sweetest. She couldn't ignore her thrumming heart now aching for him, she was smitten. "You don't compliment girls often, do you?

"Only girls I like." Luka winked with a cheesy grin. "But true, I often let my guitar do the talking."

"Wish I could play to let the guitar do the talking." Chloe pouted, her chin being pulled down by gentle fingers to face him. It must have been clear on her face how much he had enticed her, the act of touching Chloe Bourgeois was something usually offered on her terms. With how she was feeling now, about those captivating eyes above a cute nose and perfect lips. She had fallen hard and couldn't in her right mind even begin to explain it or how quickly it happened.

"What would you say?" Luka's whisper quiet voice gave her goose bumps.

Chloe spoke through quivering lips. "I-Isn't this m-moving a little...fast?"

"You tell me. You set the pace. I'm...one of those go with the flow kinda guys." Chloe went with the flow. She lifted his head with both hands with the strength she displayed earlier and locked her mouth to his. Not a shy kiss as he may have kinda hoped, but a full on, tongue massaging suck at his mouth. He muffled through it and flailed his arms at being disallowed breathing, completely in shock at how he was being wrangled so passionately. No sooner did it start did she push him to the floor and squirm in her seat, wishing the hard, lumpy couch would swallow her.

She tried to speak, a series of muttering and stammering followed that mimicked what Marinette did around Adrien daily. Now she understood why that was. Finally she thrust the words in a goofy shout. "I like you, okay!? I like, like you like you. A lot." She peered over to see Luka face down and tangled in his blanket, grunting as he struggled to free himself.

He felt like a Luka burrito and certainly felt as spicy with that romantic gesture. "Uh, I'm kinda stuck. A little help?" Chloe rolled him over with one foot, too afraid to manhandle him further. "Thanks and yeah, I can still taste that you like me." She watched him stand and shake that perfect head of hair free of any debris. "So…is that the pace we're setting?"

Chloe, who was still waiting for the couch to swallow her, decided to give it a head start and start sinking herself. "What? No! I dunno! I just...I saw your pretty face just there and I-I didn't think. I just did." She squeaked when he sat back down beside her. "I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean it."

"You didn't? That's disappointing. I was kinda hoping you meant it. I don't have a problem with how...blunt you are. I find it cute." Chloe was now hiding behind her hair, the burning red on her cheeks shining through brightly. Pulling away one of her hands, Luka reassured her that he wasn't mad about the bump to his nose, gently massaging her palm with his thumb. "Would you care for another?"

Chloe shook her head, some confidence returned once he'd shown yet again how calm and accepting he was. "Well, I would... But maybe you should at least ask me out on a date first...?"

"Can this count?" Luka knew he was pushing his luck, but his eagerness seemed to amuse her. "I guess not, it wasn't planned. Maybe we could..." His mind faltered. Dates were not a thing he did often, all simple choices like cafes, movies and concerts all seemed a little pedestrian for the girl who has everything. "We could...I don't know. I guess I hit my head on the floor a little too hard."

Chloe didn't hesitate. "I want to go for a picnic ."

"A picnic? Isn't that a little...ordinary?"

"Well, I can't be extraordinary all the time! Bring your guitar, that will make it special." Chloe pulled his hand closer, kissing it gently. "I really like hearing you play. You have very skilled hands."

Luka swallowed hard, unsure of letting Chloe set the pace after all. Face red and hands trembling, he rattled his head up and down in agreement, pulling away to fetch his phone. "W-We should get each other's number. You can call whenever you want." They swapped numbers, Luka having to shield his eyes from how shiny her phone was. It was like a symbol of god with how it burned his vision, how did she manage to use it? A metallic click was heard and when he looked, Chloe was grinning at a photo she had taken of him. "You could have just asked. Can I have one of you?"

"I'll send you one. Have to pick a good one to truly show off my beauty."

I'm sure they all do that." Luka snapped his phone and took one of her genuine smiles accompanied by reddened cheeks. "But I'll settle for this one."

"Good to know. Maybe in future I could get one of you and your guitar and...nothing else?" Luka left his mouth hanging, it was clear in his head what she meant by nothing. She certainly had no issue expressing what she liked. "And look, the storms gone..." Chloe allowed her feelings to be easily read on her face. She didn't want to leave.

Luka with his height peered out the high circular windows and could see the roiling clouds fade from view. Calm waters could be seen, the smell of damp permeated from the wooden walls. "Looks like it...Juleka and Mom will be on their way no doubt, worrying over me." He turned to her. "Thank you for watching over me, Chloe. It was easier to manage with you here."

"More like under you, tall boy. And of course it was, you were being protected by none other than Queen Bee herself!" Chloe found her balance standing up, hoping he thought it was because of the swaying ship and not her knees growing weak at the sight of the light hitting his face. "Let's have a look outside."

"Oh, okay. I bet Juleka will be here soon as Rose's house is only a few blocks away." Luka guided her to the deck, he enjoying the fresh salty air that greeted them and she reeling from the fishy smell. "Opposites really do attract, wouldn't you say, my Queen?"

Chloe scoffed at his growing confidence with her. "You don't get that pet name until after our first date!"

Luka shushed her when he spotted his sister running towards the boat. It was hard to mistake the purple and black figure for anyone else. "Juleka's coming, are you happy sharing our blossoming hearts so readily, Bumble?"

"You're pushing it...Bluka?...I'll think of one later." Chloe huffed that yet again words weren't her strong suit.

"I'm sure you will, but you'll only use it after our date." Luka teased and when his sister boarded, it immediately confused her to see Chloe blushing so prominently.

Juleka stared at Chloe and a little light as to why she was here flashed in her mind. "Oh, Chloe. I'm so sorry, I forgot we had homework." She turned to Luka. "Why didn't you remind me?"

"Because you never told him." Chloe defended him on his behalf, Luka's warm smile caught in Juleka's sight. "Never mind the homework, Luka helped me."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he did and now I'm getting off this rust bucket before I throw up. Outta my way!" Chloe stormed off in typical Chloe fashion, hand reaching for her phone and quick dialling her Daddy for a pick up. "Daddy? Can I get picked up now, the storm's over...Like, 5 minutes ago and I'm still waiting. Okay...Thank you, Daddy." Chloe turned back and completely blanked Juleka, staring only at her blushing brother. Luka waved her off and she returned it with what may have been actual sadness.

Juleka interrogated her brother as soon as they entered the ship. "What happened and why is there so much scrunched paper on the floor?" She ruffled through the pile and noted a lot of terrible rhymes and scrawled ideas. Terrible writing, but not impossible to make out with educated guesses for some of the words.

"Mm, nothing." Luka smiled down at his younger sibling, making his way to his room to continue playing. "She went through a lot of drafts before finally being happy with one."

"Like this one titled 'Boy in Blue'?" Juleka waggled the crinkled paper in front of him like a bull to a matador's cape. A stand off? So be it.

Luka warned her first, readying himself for the inevitable chase. "Don't read that."

"Why? Is it personal?" She circled his recliner, maintaining the distance in case he made a swipe at her.

"I don't know what it says but it's personal to her. So give it over." He gritted his teeth, only Juleka managing to get him from calm to irritated in such a small window of time. As she kept him distant, she flipped the paper and began to read aloud, running when he spun the table to one side.

"Kind heart and full of love, sheltering me from rain above! You took me in when no-one would, you treated me patiently like no-one could...This is so you, Luka!" Juleka laughed as she dived between his legs and over a chair, twisting him around and infuriating him further. She continued, "Dazzling eyes and talented hands, that make me hatch such intimate plans..." Juleka blushed, gasping. "No...way..."

Luka was seething now, face red with both anger and embarrassment for Chloe. Her feelings shouldn't be made a spectacle. "Juleka, you better stop and hand it over." She was now outside on the deck, Luka's insistence meant he would be willing to tackle to get it back and she may have needed to dodge roll a few.

She continued reading the lines, for there were only a few left. This was a half-finished poem, obvious in hindsight by the fact she found it discarded on the floor. "But would you ever feel the same for a girl that would triumph in nothing but shame? Shame...oh, Chloe..." She stopped, Luka watched her face sour from the heartfelt words. "A hug. A cuddle. A comfort from rain. That threatened to scare, to bring back old pain...You told her?"

Luka nodded, seeing how guilty his little sister felt. Still, the anger in him wanted him to snatch it from her and yell, he only did the former. "Not a word to anyone Jules. She doesn't deserve that, does she?"

"Do you like her back?" Juleka knew her answer when he blushed at the question. Not in his usual character to do so. "You do?...Wow, not what I was expecting. Um...I'm sorry, Luka. I thought she'd just be on about shoes or something." He stared to the floor, breathing hard and trying his best not to lose his temper further. "But let me tell you-" She stepped closer and tried to catch his gaze. "If she knew about your fear and supported you through it, she's good in my books."

Luka looked at his sister, realising this was the equivalent of a Dad saying, 'you got a good one, son'. "Thanks, Jules. This has to be quiet for now, so please, no gossip with Rose or anyone."

"I promise." Juleka at least sounded resolute. "But one thing is confusing me about that." She scratched her head at the thought that was bothering her.

"Oh? Such as?" If she even dared to ask what comfort meant...

"If she wanted it a secret, why would she put it in her poem? Does she not know we have to read them out?"

Luka's face fell drastically. "Oh no, I have to call her!" He went to fumble through his phone for her number.

Juleka stopped him. "Don't worry about it. I'll deal with it. Least I could do for winding you up."

Luka breathed easy. "Thanks, sis. I'll sleep easier knowing my little Bee is happy." Luka held his chest in relief, Juleka stuck her tongue out in disgust at the thought of it, but if he was happy then it was to remain as such. "Just don't forget like you always do."

"Don't worry, Luka. I won't forget something as big as this!"

The next day proved an odd one. The class had all filed in to their places, Marinette staring a hole in Adrien's head as usual and Max giving advice to Alex on how to beat the next boss on their video game. Alya went through drafts on her phone of new articles relating to the Lady Blog and Nino listened to music, nodding with his tunes. Normal to begin with until Juleka walked into the class and headed straight to Chloe before even waving to Rose. Chloe regarded her with suspicion and was right to do so as she shifted about in place. "Good morning, Chloe! How are you feeling about the homework we got given?"

Chloe eyed her as she spoke. "Ah, obviously good! I got the rhythm down. I'm sure to pass with flying colours!" Chloe laughed in premature victory, confused when Juleka had the audacity to shush her.

"Uh, Chloe. You have to read it aloud, you know that?" Juleka whispered, Chloe's face sunk in much the same way Luka's did, Adrien and Marinette noting the colour draining from her face. "I have a backup for you, just..." Juleka squealed when she opened her bag to reveal that she forgot it. "Oh no, I've not got it and I can't give you mine. There's no way Madame will believe you wrote mine."

"Oh no, I'm going to be a laughing stock. Even more of a laughing stock, that's even worse!" Chloe shuddered in her seat, looking like she needed to cut back on the coffee. "How do you even know!?"

"I'm so sorry...maybe she'll accept it if you explain? I saw one of your drafts and am totally cool with it, just so you know." Juleka's fresh out of ideas face did more than just not help, it had Chloe debating whether she wanted her as a potential sister in law.

"She'd better or I'm-I'm calling Daddy! Oh my gosh, I'm sweating so much. This sucks so bad!"

Adrien overheard their whispering, leaning over to ask what was wrong. "Uh, Chloe, you okay? You didn't forget your homework did you?"

"Unfortunately not." Chloe's face hit the desk, Juleka opting out of causing more damage and taking her seat with Rose. Her girlfriend wanted to ask what that was about, but the stern 'don't ask' expression kept her mouth shut.

"How is that unfortunate? I'm sure it'll be good. Mine is about Ladybug and how amazing she is." Adrien held his poem close to his chest as if he were hugging the Lady herself. "I wish she could hear it...oh well."

Marinette's heart seemed to seize at the comment for some reason or other. Jealousy? Either way, she had her eyes skimming his paper from behind and gasping at all the supposed lovely things he had to say. He turned around to see Marinette wheezing and trying to look vaguely normal with her manic grin. "What did you write about, Marinette? Fashion?"

Marinette swallowed and her answer stumbled out. "Ch-Chat Noir."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Well, yeah. I think he's awesome. Wish he could hear how much I think so." This seemed to frazzle the boy. More jealousy? Adrien's blush was not very well disguised whatever the reason. Before Alya could interrogate him why, Madame Bustier entered and much like always, she expected her students to be sat still and with eyes forward.

After setting down her equipment, she greeted everyone in the class. "Good morning, class. Have we all got our papers ready to read aloud to everyone?" The classroom confirmed with either nods or an audible 'Yeah' of enthusiasm or defeatism. "Well, let's get started now and then we can study Alfred Lord Tennyson's work, his famous piece 'Charge of the light brigade', okay? Chloe, since you were so confident in your ideas yesterday, would you like to start us off?"

Chloe couldn't speak, shaking in her seat and feeling the contents of her breakfast threaten to come back. If she read the title aloud, everyone would instantly know what kind of poem it was, maybe even guess who she was talking about. Marinette would, she hangs out with Luka sometimes during his practice on stage. And if Marinette knew, then Alya, Nino, Adrien and so on. If this got out literally one day after passionately attacking his face with kisses, what would people think? Rich girl and guitar boy? Would they laugh at the absurdity? Probably. Most of what she did incited some laughter. An unfortunate reality that she took on the chin more than contested nowadays. Juleka vied for Bustier's attention, waving her hand horizontally across her neck desperately trying to convey that it was a bad thing to do. Confused as well as concerned, their teacher went to Chloe's desk and retrieved the paper.

"Please don't read it. Please." Chloe begged quietly, eye's stinging with tears. "I-It's...not very good. It's total garbage, please!"

"I'll be the judge of that, Chloe." Bustier paced back to her desk and in silence read through the lines, her class watching her eyes flit from left to right. Quiet murmurings could be heard in the classroom, curious students wondering just how bad it could be. Bustier's face softened as she read, a hand finding her mouth to hide the emotion she was feeling from Chloe's honesty.

Boy in blue

Kind heart and full of love,

Sheltering me from rain above,

You took me in when no-one would,

You treated me patiently like no-one could.

Dazzling eyes and talented hands,

That make me hatch such intimate plans,

But would you ever feel the same,

For a girl that would triumph in nothing but shame?

A hug, a cuddle, a comfort from rain,

That threatened to scare, to bring back old pain,

A kiss! Such bliss, brought on from flirtation,

Surprising, inspiring, lost communication,

But you didn't mind, affections returned,

A spark in my heart, a feeling I've yearned,

A storm subsided, my mind had glided,

the time to leave, my heart did grieve,

A promise kept, trapped in the glue,

of your magnetism, my boy in blue.

Madame Bustier looked to Chloe, the class doing the same. Chloe wished an Akuma would just happen to distract everyone from this painful experience. Her teacher looked her straight in the eyes and smiled. "Chloe, you pass. Wonderful, and I can see why you didn't want it shared. Just listen to the whole assignment next time, hmm?" Chloe released all the air in her lungs, falling to her desk and just...thankful it hadn't got out.

Juleka too sighed with relief, a curious Rose looking at her expectantly for some elaboration. Juleka shook her head, refusing to give it up and instead kissed her lightly to reassure all was well. "Sabrina, you're next and if anyone didn't listen and wrote something too personal or are too nervous, speak up and we can skip yours." Some people raised their hands, nearly all of them in fact.

Bustier decided it would be best to just have them gather on her desk. "Well...alright, pass them over and I'll mark them here." It seemed Chloe had unintentionally read the room and the anxiety of reading their overly critiqued art. "Though I'm sure that all of your work is extraordinary in its own way."

Marinette reached out in defeat when she saw Adrien take his Ladybug themed poem away with the others. Alya, comforted her friend, confused with the reason she wanted to hear it so bad. Probably just to change every 'Ladybug' with 'Marinette' as he performed.

The class went on without much more suspicion on Chloe, she remained still with her eyes firmly on her phone. Or people thought it was her phone, implying a darting between apps and activities. Instead, it was only the picture of Luka she thumbed gently. Class was over before she knew it, her friend nudging a lovestruck girl out of her reverie.

Sabrina noticed Chloe slamming her phone face down, confused with how simultaneously happy she was and annoyed. She seemed a little manic and jumpy from any reaction. "Uh, Chloe. What were you looking at? And what was that stuff back there with Juleka and your poem?"

"Luka? I wasn't staring! You'll have to fight me for the truth!" Chloe forced a nervous laugh, jumping out of her skin when Juleka patted her shoulder lightly for attention. "Wha-you wanna fight too!? Nobody can defeat the Queen!" She spun to find an equally confused Juleka take a step back in case any fists actually flew.

Juleka mumbled quietly, looking off to one side. "Thank you, Chloe for helping him. And pastrami's his favourite." And then she went off with Rose for lunch.

If Sabrina was confused earlier, she was doubly so now, and it was frustrating not to know. It was a feeling reflected by the opposite side of the classroom, Marinette, Alya and Adrien watching and shrugging to one another for lack of any knowledge on why Chloe had been so jittery all morning. "Who did you help, Chloe? Were you practising your hero role and saved someone from danger?"

"Uh, yeah! That was- that I did, and-and he is fine! We are all fine, ha ha. As fine as...something that's fine. Ha..." Chloe scooted out of her seat and stormed off in a hurry, keeping her head down and eyes focused on the floor. After crossing the door frame, she burst into a sprint that could make a professional athlete feel inadequate.

Marinette looked to her friends and asked. "Do I look like that when I panic? Do I run away like that?"

Adrien laughed at her astute observation. "Yeah, but it's cute. Chloe though...she's hiding something, and I can't help but be curious as a cat." He seemed to lose Marinette at 'cute', shrugging her vacant stare away and joining Nino for their lunch break. Whatever Chloe was hiding, it wasn't his business and it would soon come to light if there was something up.

Chloe rasped for air around the side of the school, bracing herself on the wall to keep herself from hitting the floor. Her phone buzzed, and she held her chest from the shock of it. Pulling it out and looking, she saw that Luka had left her a message. His first message to her! Opening it up, she read it internally with his soothing voice.

Afternoon, Chloe. Was wondering if you would like that picnic tomorrow since it's the weekend. Unless you're busy, of course. I just thought we could hang out at the park and enjoy each other's company. I'd really like to understand you better, I find you very cool. Just text back when you're free and I'll get started on the food. X

An 'X'? A kiss! He sent a virtual kiss to her! He thinks she's cool! That's...so cool! Chloe didn't hesitate on responding, rapidly typing her response. Wait... Should she keep him waiting a little? Play it cool? No, that meant she would have to wait even longer for a reply. But she'll play the message a little cool.

A picnic tomorrow would be doable, I'm not that busy. Don't you worry about the food, I'll sort that out. You just bring your cute self and guitar over. Make it around 12 and don't be late! You don't want to upset a hero, do you? See you soon. X

A kiss sent back, such a simple gesture but to her it meant the world. To be able to do that freely to someone who appreciated it...maybe that's how Ladybug felt whenever she saved Paris? A colossal feat to save the city she loved and feeling the appreciation of the people? It made Chloe feel good, no matter how small her gesture was in comparison. A bleep and her phone displayed a message from Luka again.

Great, I look forward to it. I won't be late, I want to enjoy all the time I can with you, Chloe. See you tomorrow.

He had a profound way of making her struggle to breathe. Such a sweet boy shouldn't be hidden away on a rickety old ship. He needed to be shown off by her, put on a stage as he played his beautiful music. The picnic was by no means a stage, but regardless of how nervous she was at being seen together with Luka, she wanted to do nothing else but stay together with him and take in his gorgeousness. If people saw them, so be it. Ladybug never hesitated with a new challenge and Chloe doubted her hero would falter in pursuits in love either. So, Chloe would follow her idol's example and be brave. To be the person she wanted to be, unconfined by social judgement. Now...she had to get a picnic together. She had an hour before the second half of school started. Plenty of time to figure out where one bought pastrami. Normally her people would do this menial labour. It would be more meaningful if she did it and made the meals and...she would need help. Chloe went to find a person she knew how to make food happen in the hopes that when she asked, her newly recruited chef wouldn't ask too many questions.