-Adrien is in danger, Gabriel Agreste, it's… Hawkmoth.
-What? My poor Adrikins! Are you sure? Gabriel Agreste? Chloe wondered.
Ladybug pursed her lips not to react to the affectionate nickname the girl used to give to her boyfriend and continued:
- I'm sure and I need your help Chloe. But before you tell me, if you accept or refuse to help me, before that, we have to talk. Do you accept that we have a conversation to smooth things over between us?
The blonde thought of her childhood friend, her only true friend to tell the truth, Adrien had always been there for her, even in her worst moments.
She nodded in approval, ready to open a dialogue with Ladybug.
-I would like to come back with you on the events of Miracle Queen.
-You like to wiggle the knife in the wound, don't you?
-Absolutely not, Chloe. I just want you to explain to me what happened that day, before your akumatization.
-Why are you interested, Ladybug?
-Because I think I'm responsible for what happened too, and maybe even more than you, Chloe.
- It was not you who transformed half of the inhabitants of Paris into lethargic slaves… murmured sadly the daughter of the Mayor of the capital.
-No, but, it was me who privated you of your Miraculous that day in the face of the akumatization of your own parents. After this mistake, I have to be honest with you: I was determined and ready to bring you the Miraculous of the Bee, however something happened in the meantime that prompted me to take the Dragon's Miraculous instead. It was a bad choice. A choice guided by my selfishness and my jealousy. A choice that I regret with each passing day because it made me lose a battle against Hawkmoth, but it also made me lose much more than you can imagine. If I had called Queen Bee, Miracle Queen would never have existed. I'm sorry to have made an error of discernment that day Chloe.
Chloe considered the superheroine for a long time and what she had just said to her before speaking in turn:
-I waited for you a long time, Ladybug. When I finally gave up hope, Hawkmoth was right behind me. He had brought the Bee's Miraculous with him and he wanted to give it to me.
Chloe explained to her in detail what Hawkmoth had said to her to poke her head against the two heroes of Paris:
-When he promised to disakumatized my parents ... I gave in to his proposal. I took the Miraculous and transformed. Then he released the Akuma bound to Heart Hunter, then I let him use one to grant me more powers. He manipulated me like a puppet, but that I didn't realize until it was already too late.
-It's never too late to learn from your mistakes, Chloe. Me, if I am here this evening: it is to accept having made a mistake and to move forward. My mistake taught me that sometimes, you have to know how to put your ego aside to forgive better.
-You… you want to forgive me? The blonde wondered.
Ladybug let a finger run on her yo-yo and it opened in two parts, releasing a small red sphere with black dots:
-Chloe Bourgeois, here is the Miraculous of the Bee, the one who offers the power of Submission. You will use it for the good of others and once the mission is completed, you will return the Miraculous to me. Please forgive me for not doing this sooner.
Chloe took the sphere in her hands and twirled the upper part of it, revealing the gold comb adorned with a bee she knew so well. She gazed for a full minute at the Miraculous she coveted so much and who was now so close to her. She hesitated for a moment and met Ladybug's gaze again, who gave her an encouraging nod.
-I accept the mission, Ladybug. I'm sorry that I failed before. I will not disappoint you this time, neither you nor my Adrikins.
-I expected no less from Queen Bee, Ladybug replied with a determined smile.
-You have a plan to save Adrien from Hawkmoth wings? Chloe asked as she placed the comb through her hair and greeted her Kwami, Pollen, with a warm smile.
-I might have a plan, but I need a place where I can work it out with Chat Noir as well as a few other heroes. Would you accept that we establish our quarters here?
-My suite is yours, Ladybug, Chloe answered sincerely.
9:18 p.m : * Good evening Kitty, the appointment for tonight is fixed at midnight sharp in Grand Paris, in Chloe's suite. See you later. *
11.30 p.m: * Good evening Bugaboo, a Hotel suite? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I remind you that I am a model, not an escort boy or stripteaser. *
11:33 p.m .: * Idiot cat! *
11:35 p.m .: * YOUR idiot cat. See you soon my Lady. *
Chat Noir closed the screen of his stick and heard his bedroom door open. Through the door of the room he hastened to inquire about the identity of the person present in the adjacent room:
-Nathalie? He asked while letting go of his transformation.
-Yes, Adrien, it's me.
The boy came out of the bathroom and walked over to his father's secretary.
-Were you able to recover Duusu? He asked.
-No, we'll have to go out the front door, she replied.
-It's out of the question, you're going to hold on to me and we are going to take one of my secret passages: the bathroom window. Then, we will cross Paris by the roofs.
To accompany what he had just said, Adrien invited Nathalie to follow him into the room from which he had just left.
Plagg was sitting on a towel and regaining his strength while nibbling a triangle of Camembert cheese loudly. When Nathalie entered the bathroom following Adrien, little Kwami swallowed the rest of his meal with one bite, then he flew towards her, hovering suspiciously just in front of her face.
-If you betray my kid, I would not hesitate to use the thing, whose name I am forbidden to pronounce, on you. And since you have a translation of the grimoire, I am sure you are fully aware of the consequences of the power of Destruction when used, without a holder, by the innocent little Being that I am.
-I take note of that. Plagg, I presume? Nathalie asked, looking at him with a hint of fear.
-Yes, but for you, it will be The Almighty God of Destruction.
-Plagg, that's enough! Claws out! Adrien exclaimed to stop the display of superiority his Kwami was indulging in.
-Sorry about that. During this week locked up at the Manor, Plagg watched too many movies, apologized Chat Noir.
-I'm relieved to see that someone was watching over you all this time, Chat N… Adrien, Nathalie answered, carefully analyzing the feline hero in front of her:
-So it was really you all this time. Adrien, I… I'm really sorry, the secretary whispered.
-We have already discussed it, Nathalie, what's done is done. The most important thing now is what we are going to do.
He invited her to cling to him and stretched out his staff to dash outside the Manor, then crossing the city jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
Ladybug gave Chloe a quick summary of the situation, being careful to keep Adrien's double life as a Superhero secret.
-Here, how Mayura ended up giving herself up to Chat Noir and me, revealing to us at the same time the identity of Hawkmoth
-Nathalie… In truth Ladybug, I'm not surprised… She has always been Gabriel Agreste's perfect little doggie. Nonetheless, she always loved Adrien as her own son, so I was also not surprised to hear that she ended up feeling remorse and made the choice to protect him when the situation got too dangerous, the blonde replied.
Chloe had left the sliding door leading to the terrace of her suite open, and suddenly a noise was heard outside: It was Chat Noir who had just landed there with Nathalie and they were now both entering the spacious and luxurious hotel room.
-What is she doing here ?! The Mayor's daughter was indignant when she saw that Chat Noir was accompanied by their enemy.
-She's on our side now, Chloe, and she's going to help us, isn't she Miss Sancoeur? Chat Noir intervened.
-Y… Yes, of course. I will do my best to correct my mistakes.
Chat Noir moved away from Nathalie and slowly approached Ladybug, positioning himself next to her and asked her:
-Can I speak to you in private for a moment, my Lady?
Ladybug stared worriedly at the two women in front of her, who were giving each other suspicious and unfriendly glances
-Okay, but let's hurry, because I don't know if it's really a good idea to leave these two alone, kitty.
-Follow me in the bathroom, it won't be long, he answered while dragging her with him into the bathroom of the Suite.
They both entered the large pond and Chat Noir gently closed the door behind them.
-What should you talk to me about, A ... Adrien? Ladybug asked him.
He froze for a fraction of a second when he heard his name come out of his partner's mouth, then remembering very quickly that she now knew his identity.
This is something I'll have to get used to, he thought.
- Exactly, of that. Me being Adrien, he replied, rubbing his neck nervously. - We haven't really had time to discuss it since you found out.
It's true that they hadn't had time to have a conversation about this yet, to be honest, among all the revelations and upheavals of the day, Marinette had only had a brief moment (in short but intense) to think about the fact that she was now dating Adrien Agreste. During that very short moment of realization, she had totally panicked, before remembering that it was a very pleasant revelation and certainly the most manageable next to the other discoveries she had made that afternoon. The anguish felt about the identity of her boyfriend had therefore quickly disappeared over the hours that passed.
Now she could afford to have a deeper thought on this subject, one that was quite simple and clear in her mind: She had fallen in love with Adrien Agreste, twice.
-I love you Kitty, Adrien, with or without the mask. We don't need to have this discussion, she replied after collecting her thoughts for a few seconds.
-This is ... this is the first time that ... that you said...said it, stammered Chat Noir, his heart and brain totally numbed at his girlfriend's words.
-The first in a long series, you will have to get used to hearing it often, Minou. she replied, her cheeks slightly reddened by the look overflowing with love that the feline hero addressed to her.
-I love you too, you, and the wonderful girl who is hiding under the mask and whom I can not wait to be able to call by her first name too, he breathed, bringing his mouth delicately to the pink and attractive lips of his Lady.
-Soon, she huffed as their breaths quickly intermixed.
Chat Noir crushed his lips against hers in a powerful kiss, and for the first time, he ran his tongue lightly over his partner's lips, silently asking her for a more intimate and intense access to her mouth. Immediately, she parted her lips slightly, letting his tongue caress hers for the first time. It was a shy, slow, delicate but also somewhat awkward dance that was played between their two tongues.
They slowly broke contact, their lungs crying out their primal need for oxygen to survive.
-Wow, they whispered at the same time.
-I appreciate very much that you take the initiative to kiss me like that Kitty, and you can still do it as much as you want, but we really have to go back there to discuss about our plan, Ladybug exclaimed.
- I promise you that I will kiss you again like that as soon as I have the chance, Bugaboo. So tell me, what's the plan? Do you want to talk about it in front of Nathalie and Chloe?
-As long as they will both be important elements of my plan, especially Chloe, well Queen Bee, yes.
-Queen Bee, are you sure Bug? Chat Noir wondered.
-We discussed her and me, and then, it's your friend, Adrien. She's worried about you.
- Worried about me? What did you tell her exactly? He asked, confused.
-I told her everything. Well, everything except the fact that her Adrikins jumps on the roofs of Paris, dressed in an incredibly sexy and tight-fitting Cat costume, she replied with a smirk.
-S… Sexy, he stammered, blushing.
-Sexy and, mine, she asserted, before resuming more seriously:
-Let's go discuss this plan.
-I'm sure you've come up with the perfect plan, my Lady, he replied, kissing her forehead tenderly.
The two heroes left the bathroom to join the living room of Chloe's Suite and find the two women they had left there a few minutes before, sitting on the large red sofa in icy silence.
-Ladies, Mesdemoiselles, my Lady here, has a plan, exclaimed Chat Noir, putting his arm around his girlfriend's waist.
All ears, the other two women present turned sharply to Ladybug to take note of her plan of attack.
To be continued...
Thanks for your reading and your support. Leave me a comment if you enjoy the story !
Miraculous Kisses.