There was probably at least a hundred fan girls outside of the Agreste Mansion.
It was Little Soldier Day (which, if you ask Nathalie, was a ridiculous name) and dozens of teenage girls who apparently had nothing better to do had decided to camp outside of the Agreste Mansion in hopes of being able to offer themselves up to Adrien. Nathalie has never been gladder that her boss had such a high security system before now. Something had to keep the crazy ones out.
"Nathalie," Gabriel said coolly, "why exactly is there a gaggle of screaming teenage girls outside of my home?"
"I believe Sir," Nathalie replied with equal coolness, "that they have all decided to attempt to serve Adrien for Little Soldier Day."
"What foolishness," Gabriel muttered, "I cannot believe that no one had mentioned this silly holiday to me before. We could have used it to our advantage."
Nathalie remained stoic at that while inwardly she gloried the fact that she had been successful in keeping this awful holiday a secret from Gabriel Agreste. She had deleted every email, diverted every call, and ensured any mention of it could not reach his ears. She had no doubt if he had been aware of the holiday he would have marketed his son off in some ridiculous contest in order to get more publicity. There was no way she was putting Adrien through that not with all the other things she had to inflict upon him. The boy was getting his much deserved day off, away from stupid, crazy fangirls and his father's high expectations. It might be boring being locked up in his room all day but it was better than being mauled by a fangirl that his father actually let in.
So quietly she gave herself an imaginary well done pat on the back.
"Nathalie," Gabriel spoke up again, "these girls are being a nuisance. Make sure they leave….now."
"Yes Sir," Nathalie said obediently. She then happily made her way to the control panel of the security system down in the foyer where Adrien's bodyguard (who unfortunately she could not remember the name of because Adrien's constant use of 'The Gorilla' had wormed its way into her head) was enjoying a cup of coffee. She eyed the CCTV screen in disdain as she noticed that Gabriel's system had little use as some girls already managed to climb over the walls. "Honestly," she muttered, "Don't these girls have anything better to do with their Friday?"
The Gorilla grunted.
Nathalie huffed as she slammed the intercom button down as hard as she could. "You have the count of three to leave these premises," she informed the girls stiffly, "or you shall have to face dire consequences. One…" none of the girls that actually made it onto the estate moved though she suspected some of the less stupid ones by the gate had already left. "…Two…" a few more girls left hastily from the street while some of the other girls shifted nervously. "….three."
Nathalie happily pressed the button for the sprinklers and smiled in satisfaction as she heard girls shriek and saw them flee the premises. "I shall have to call the police for the stragglers," she sighed, "honestly!" she muttered. "Its times like this that I wish Mr Agreste would just give into the billionaire evil villain cliché and purchase some dogs. I would quite like to release the hounds on girls like these. It would be a perk of the job that I would enjoy a lot more than my Christmas bonus."
The Gorilla's lips twitched in amusement.
Nathalie allowed herself a moment to enjoy the newfound peace and quiet before she carried on her usual duties.
(Meanwhile Chat Noir used the screaming girls who were running frantically away from his home – thank God! – has the perfect cover and had now successfully escaped the house into freedom as he cheerfully headed towards Marinette's home.)
MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB
Chloe had enjoyed a lovely long lay in before she had breakfast served to her in bed and then got out for a long soak in her solid gold bath tub. She had only just finished putting herself together – make-up, hair, the perfect outfit – when she was summoned to her father's office. She wandered in lazily, half expecting a new designer handbag or a pass to a luxury spa for her and Sabrina, when her eyes landed on a familiar, scruffy, red-headed artist.
"You!" she cried out as she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the intruder. "What are you doing here in my Daddy's office?!" she demanded to know.
"Now Pumpkin," her father said chidingly, "that's now how we greet our guests."
Chloe scowled. "He's not a guest!" she hissed furiously. "He's an unwanted intrusion."
Nathaniel gazed back at her with an unnerving cool gaze that made her twitch slightly. She wasn't going to be sorry for telling the truth. She hadn't invited him and she certainly didn't want him around.
"Sweetheart!" her father cried out. "What a thing to say! Especially to the boy who took such good care of you on Princess Day." Chloe shrugged it off with a flip of her hair and defiant glare. She wasn't going to be grateful for something that everyone should be doing to begin with nor was she going to be shamed into good behaviour. "And now it's Little Soldier Day," her father carried on, "and you must return the favour."
"WHAT?!" Chloe screeched indignantly. "But I'm the Mayor's daughter!" she protested. "Your daughter!" she stressed. "I can't be seen serving someone like a lowly peasant!"
"You're my daughter," her father agreed, "which means you must be seen caring for the people. This strapping, fine, young man reminded me what good publicity this day will bring us and it's time you did your part and brought in some good press to my office."
Chloe spluttered at that. She was good looking, well dressed, and utterly perfect, wasn't that enough for good press? Why did she have to do more? "But Daddy!" she whined.
"No buts!" her father said sternly. "You will do this Chloe or I will have to ground you which means no Sabrina, no mobile phone, no spa treatments, and no more shopping!"
Chloe gasped dramatically as she felt her world shattering. "Daddy!" she wailed pitifully. "How do you know that he won't take advantage of me?" she asked desperately looking for something, anything, to get out of this. "That he won't make me kiss him or something," she whispered melodramatically.
"Nonsense," her father replied briskly, "Nathaniel has assured me that he has nothing but the most honourable intentions towards you. You will accompany him to the park, spend a lovely day enjoying the sun, get yourself photographed serving this young man a juice or something, and then be back in time for tea. Nothing will happen to you Angel. I wouldn't allow it." Chloe opened her mouth to argue but her father suddenly wrapped an arm round her shoulder and another round Nathaniel's and began to herd them out of his office. "Now, go, go," he said cheerfully, "it's a beautiful day out there. You don't want to be stuck inside like me with all the paperwork."
"But-"
"Be good, Chloe," her father kissed her cheek, "love you, bye!"
And with that, Chloe's father slammed the door in her face.
She would have banged her fists against the door, shout and scream, maybe even kick it, but she so was fucking cross that she could barely make her mouth move let alone actually say something.
How could he? How could he?! How could her father just throw her to the lions like that?
She was his daughter!
"Come on," Nathaniel said gently as he squeezed her shoulder, "let's go to the park."
Chloe furiously shrugged off his hand and shot him a murderous look. "Don't touch me!" she hissed. "This is all your fault!"
"Actually," Nathaniel said coolly, "this is your fault. None of this would have happened if you didn't come up with Princess Day." Chloe gaped at him as she struggled to think of an argument. "You reap what you sow," Nathaniel said self-righteously as he began to walk down the corridor, "You treat people like your slaves? Expect the same treatment back," he turned and raised an eyebrow, "are you coming then or what?" he asked pointedly.
Chloe let out ferocious growl before she stomped down the corridor after him. She fumed furiously the entire journey out of the hotel and into the park.
Life was incredibly unfair to her.
MLBMLBLMLBMLBMLBMLB
Marinette was straightening up the living room (not that it needed much work as her mother kept it spotless) when she heard a light tap against the window. She turned round to see Chat Noir balancing on his baton against the window with a great big Cheshire cat grin and rolled her eyes before she hurriedly opened the window to let him in.
"You know, Kitty," she said, "You are allowed to just walk in through the front door. Mum and Dad do know you're coming over."
"But where's the fun in that?" Chat pouted. Marinette rolled her eyes again and Chat Noir's face lit up completely as he took in the spread laid out on the coffee table. "Is that all for me?" he asked in wonder.
Marinette and her parents spent the last couple days making enough food to feed an army. There was cakes, croissants, sandwiches, a large quiche, and a selection of fruit neatly cut into fun shapes ("because you both should have something healthy!" her mother said firmly as she sliced the pineapple up into little stars). All the hard work and effort had most definitely been worth it to see such a happy, sweet, smile on Chat Noir's face.
"Well," Marinette beamed, "for me too. I don't think just one person can eat all of that, Kitty."
"I'd give it my best shot," Chat said, "it looks amazing! Thank you!"
"You should thank my parents too," Marinette said awkwardly, "they did most of the work. I just sort of helped."
"I shall," Chat promised.
Silence descended upon them as his luminous green eyes met hers and suddenly Marinette found it hard to breathe as she was taken in by just how beautiful his eyes were. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as one glance turned into a staring contest. Neither of them seemed willing to tear their eyes away from one another. Marinette was sure that her parents downstairs in the busy bakery could hear her heart beating rapidly in her chest let alone Chat Noir.
"So…." Marinette coughed awkwardly. "What do you want to do first?"
Chat's face lit up with a mega-watt grin that most certainly did not cause Marinette's stomach to do somersaults. Nope. No way. Nu-huh. "I'm glad you asked, Princess," Chat purred out as he pulled out a game controller from God knows where. "I was hoping you'd let me beat you at a few rounds of Ultimate Mecha Strike Three."
"Why Kitty," Marinette fluttered her eyelashes coyly, "are you telling me that you can't beat me on your skill alone? That you have to make me throw the game in order to win?"
"I have you know," Chat informed her grandly, "that I could beat you with one hand tied behind my back."
"Bring it on."
MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB
Nathaniel didn't quite know why he gave up the opportunity to spend the day with Marinette in order to spend it with Chloe of all people.
There was a great deal of resentment and desire to make her pay for the torture he had been through on Princess Day. After all Chloe had her day. She had Sabrina. She had many other people she could compel to do her bidding. Why did she have to ruin his day and drag him everywhere instead? If he had to lose a day of his time for her, then she could lose a day of her time for him. It was fair.
And then there was that vulnerable Chloe.
The big-eyed, tearful, girl who couldn't understand what she was doing wrong in life.
Her father so readily threw his daughter under a bus for good publicity. Nathaniel could be an axe-wielding murderer and the Mayor would have probably still forced Chloe to spend the day with him because it would have looked good in the newspapers.
Nathaniel had a strange urge to protect that girl.
Another reason, he ruefully realised, why he had given up on Marinette. He wanted to be a hero to someone and Marinette already had her own hero. And a real one with actual powers to boot. And it wasn't Nathaniel. Nathaniel had no doubt Chat Noir probably came to collect his debt from Marinette. If only to spend time with the girl he blatantly cared about as much, if not more, as Ladybug.
Nathaniel still had nightmares of the murderous glare Chat Noir had shot him across the shop on Princess Day. It gave him the shivers just thinking about it.
"Well?" Chloe barked impatiently.
She had her arms crossed, one hip cocked upwards as she tapped her foot furiously, and her bottom lip was jutted out in an irritated pout. She was the very definition of self-entitlement and impatience.
"Well what?" Nathaniel asked.
"Well, go on then!" Chloe huffed. "Do whatever silly revenge you wanted. Make me crawl on my knees and beg. Make me eat dog food or put my hand in something disgusting or wait on you hand and foot in some stupid costume. Make me do something!"
Nathaniel stared at her, stunned. "I'm not going to make you do any of those things!" he cried out horrified. "What sort of person do you take me for?!"
"Err, the same as everyone else," Chloe said as if he was a moron for asking such a question, "I don't think there's a single person out there who wouldn't make someone do those things if they had a chance, and here's your chance."
"Your view of the world is a cold one," Nathaniel murmured, "it's no wonder you find it hard to be kind."
Chloe flushed bright pink at that. "Just get this stupid thing over and done with!" she hissed. "I want to get my nails done before the day is over."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes at that. "I want you to stand right….here," he guided her to the perfect spot away from the path by a tree but with enough sun to give him a decent light. Chloe let out a whine about mud on her shoes but he ignored her as he stepped back and nodded. "Put your arms out like this," he grabbed one arm and arched it over her head and then moved her other arm slightly lower so she looked as if she was holding something over her head. A large, invisible, vase perhaps? Chloe glowered at him. "Try to look serene," he advised her, "you don't want your face to end up stuck like that."
"Why you little-"
"I want you to stay absolutely still," Nathaniel spoke over Chloe's insults in a loud voice, "you cannot move a single inch until I say otherwise. Got it?"
Chloe growled furiously and wordlessly.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes!" Chloe spat out. The discomfort in holding her arms up awkwardly was already getting to her. Nathaniel's arms had killed him for days after carrying her shopping bags this was most certainly a fair payback if her arms hurt her for a few hours too. "I won't move a muscle."
"Excellent," Nathaniel smiled. He then sat down underneath the tree and pulled out his sketch book and some pencils. "This should only take a few hours and then you can go."
Chloe's eyes widened in horror as she realised that she would be standing still and in agony for several hours…
…Pigeons flew up in the air as her shriek of rage echoed throughout the park.
