Chloe had loved spending the day with her mother. The fashion show was entertaining enough, on its own, but having her mother sitting with her, sharing comments on the designs, and even asking her opinion in return: simply marvelous. Although, seeing Marinette Dupain-Cheng win the junior design division did somewhat sour the mood. Chloe was trying to be a nicer person, but there had always been something about that Dupain-Cheng that just boiled her up inside. She flushed just thinking about it.
On stage, the announcer had just finished congratulating all the winners. Chloe fumed as she watched Dupain-Cheng standing beside the tall woman whom had one the real competition. Confetti rained down around the pair, and Dupain-Cheng beamed a dorky smile.
"Dupain-Cheng," Chloe growled under her breath.
Just as the fanfare ended, Chloe's mother stood up, briskly.
"Chloe, dear, I'm off to congratulate the first-place designer."
"Oh, I'll come with you mother," Chloe piped, jumping up into the same pose as her mom.
"No need, darling. Just run along and play with your friend Martha-uh-Marinette." Audrey walked away with a dismissive wave of her hand. Chloe scoffed internally. She wouldn't be caught dead doing any such thing.
Since the show had taken place in the ballroom of her own hotel, Chloe decided to just head upstairs to her room. Maybe she would call Sabrina over to play – no! That was just how her mother saw her: a child playing with her little friends. She needed to be mature, just like her mother. She needed to do everything like her mother.
Awhile later, as Chloe was walking down the hall of the penthouse, she heard a door close at the far end of the corridor.
"Mom?" she called. Only low sounds of laughter answered her. It might have been her mother, but there was another voice she didn't recognize at all. Chloe stalked down the hall quietly, curious to see what was going on, but not wanting her mother to see her and shoo her away again. As she cracked open the door of a spare room, she saw her mother locked in a passionate kiss with the winning designer.
Chloe fell back into the hall, failing to catch herself as her hands clasped over her mouth. She barely managed to stifle the squeak of surprise that had threatened to give her away. Chloe quickly regained her feet and rushed back up the hall toward her room. She ducked inside and closed the door a bit harder than she meant to. But she was in the clear now and slumped to the floor with her back to the wooden door.
Chloe's thoughts were a furious swarm of shock and confusion. Was that the kind of 'congratulations' her mother had meant? Surely the great Audrey Bourgeois didn't engage in such loose behavior…did she? But Chloe had seen it for herself. She couldn't deny that. And as she settled that doubt, another thought took shape. Only a mere impression at first, it slowly grew into a full-fledged question: is that what mother had meant by 'go play with Marinette'?
Surely not! Then again, Marinette had won a design contest, just like that other woman. And a kiss from a Bourgeois did seem grand enough to be considered a prize. While Chloe debated the merits of this theory, intrusive thoughts of Marinette kept bubbling up, and sending her blood boiling as usual. But all the familiar feelings of frustration where now strangely overlaid with idle fantasies of kissing soft lips and touching silky, dark hair.
"Aaaagh!" Chloe groaned, trying to drive the thoughts out. She dropped her head between her knees and simmered in her conflicting emotions.
Suddently, there was a knock at the door, soft and slow. Chloe reluctantly rose to open it. On the other side, she found Marinette, waiting sheepishly with her hands behind her back.
"Hi, Chloe," Marinette began, looking down, "I just wanted to let you know that I've noticed you trying to be kinder to people, and I'm very impressed. Also, I really admire the good you've done for Paris as Queen Bee." From behind her back, Marinette produced a beautifully embroidered sun hat. The design showed a cute little bee emerging from a cluster of pink and purple flowers. "So, I made you this, to show that your effort is appreciated." With that the young designer trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
Chloe reached out slowly and took the hat in a loose grip.
"Well, uh, here you go." Marinette shrugged and turned to leave with an uncomfortable grin.
"Wait!" Chloe called after her.
Chloe couldn't accept this gift from Dupain-Cheng and slide into her debt. Not only would it be demeaning. It wouldn't be…nice. Chloe's hands clutched the brim of the hat tightly with resolution.
"Wait, come back. I have something to give you, too."
Marinette walked back and entered the room cautiously, as if she expected some kind of trap. Chloe closed the door quickly behind the other girl, making her jump a little. Marinette jumped again when Chloe grabbed her by both shoulder and faced her squarely.
"Now, Dupain-Che-eh-Marinette. I need to congratulate you for winning the design contest." Gentle pressure from Chloe's hands sent Marinette back a step.
"Oh, I-uh-thank you." Marinette stumbled, "That's very nice of you." The designer forced a grin as she fell back another step.
"No, that's not all. My mother, the great Audrey Bourgeois, taught me how to properly reward such an accomplishment." The pair moved another step. "So please," Chloe continued, "hold still for a moment…." After another step, Marinette's back had collided with the door, "and let me give you this." Chloe finished.
Puckering her lips, Chloe began to lean in very, very slowly. At the moment of truth, she felt hesitant to continue. Marinette might just turn away. Oh, she hadn't thought of that before. It would be an embarrassment, and utter embarrassment! She wanted to stop, to pull away and spare herself. But it was too late. She was more than half-way to Marinette now, when suddenly…
She felt a pair of lips come forward to meet her own.
The softness shocked her. The way her glossed pout slide easily over Marinette's bare lips sent a tingle down her entire spine. For all her talk, and her pursuit of Adrien, Chloe had never really kissed anyone before. Not like this. Oh, she had imagined it plenty of times. She would lie in bed trying to fantasize about kissing Adrien, but she had always assumed kissing on the lips would be about the same as on the cheek. And kissing Adrien's cheek had never much excited her.
But this was something entirely different. This was exhilarating. With some surprise, Chloe realized the kiss was still happening, and she wondered if she should stop. Should she pull away? Was Marinette thinking she was weird for holding it this long, just to congratulate her?
As if in answer, Marinette threw her arms up over Chloe's shoulders. Her warm hands wrapped around and gently cradled the back of Chloe's neck. Only then did Chloe realize how hot and clammy her neck felt. In fact, her whole face, neck, and entire body were all abuzz with a prickly heat that reminded her of being angry, or embarrassed. But somehow this was a pleasant variation.
With Marinette holding her gently in place, Chloe was glad to continue. She wasn't sure she would ever want to stop. In this moment, she felt truly content. Then, without warning, Marinette pulled her in by the neck, nearly knocking her off balance. She threw her hands against the door hard, to catch herself. Although she had avoided falling, Chloe had become pressed against Marinette, their bodies locked together, and their legs intertwined. At the same time, Marinette put much more force against Chloe's lips, far more than Chloe would have dared to use, herself.
Chloe could feel herself starting to tremble, and she knew Marinette must be able to feel it, too. On top of the new, pleasant heat sensation, Chloe could sense familiar embarrassment sneaking in. This was way too much for just a prize. Surely, she shouldn't – didn't – enjoy this as much as she seemed to. She needed to get this reward back on track, but she found herself unable to move. She couldn't will her arms to push her away, or her neck to pull back from Marinette's gentle grasp, or her mouth to stop pressing firmly back into Marinette's lips.
Chloe's face flushed hotter and redder than she had thought possible as a faint notion from the back of her mind finally took verbal form. She was enjoying this. A lot. At that realization, Chloe's embarrassment surged, and became tinged with fear. She was scared of this strange new feeling and of being caught off guard by this situation, especially when she had thought herself to be in complete control of it at the start.
Then, faintly, delicately, Chloe felt the merest tip of Marinette's tongue dart across her lower lip. She pulled back in a panic, much too afraid of where the kiss was heading. The young heiress stood a moment in silence, trying to collect her thoughts. She noticed she was breathing heavily. Combined with the rushing of blood in her hears, the sounds of her agitation made the moment seem far from silent. When her eyes darted up, Chloe saw that Marinette's face was flushed as well, and her lips glinted faintly with lip gloss that had rubbed off from Chloe. Mortified by that detail, Chloe shot her eyes down to the floor. She had to regain control of the situation, so she spoke, hoarsely at first,
"The–ahem–There you go. Congratulations…That will be all." She finished a bit too hurriedly. Too frazzled to salvage her telling words, Chloe quickly threw open the door and strode out, shutting it far too quickly behind her. She breathed out a long sigh and began to slump down when her eyes opened wide to survey her surroundings. She had stepped out into the hall by mistake!
Wasting no time, Chloe threw the door open again, pulled a dazed Marinette through, and quickly rushed past to take her place.
"Thank you, Marinette. Good day." She slammed the door, no longer caring if it was too hard or too fast. Finally, Chloe collapsed into a seated position before the door. After what felt like an eternity, the soft patter of Marinette's footsteps receded down the hall. Chloe put her head in her hands.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered to herself. Why had she thanked Marinette at the end? That kiss was a prize that she was giving to Marinette. Not the other way around. Why did she have to say something so weird? Now Marinette would think that Chloe had liked what she had done with her hands, and her lips…and her tongue.
"Aaaaaah!" Chloe roared and shook her head, trying to chase away that train of thought.
Over to one side she noticed the hat that Marinette had brought, lying forgotten on the floor. Taking it up in her hands, she began to calm down, just a bit. This must have been what she was thinking of, without even knowing it. She was thanking Marinette for the hat. Definitely. And Marinette would certainly see that. It was so obviously the only meaning that made sense.
Chloe leaned her head back against the hard wood of the door and blew out a long breath. She tried to clear her mind. An image of Marinette was the first thing to jump into that clear space, and Chloe tightened her grip on the hat.