The cold seeps into her bones. The very air hurts to breathe, and Chloe can swear her lips are turning blue. The cold hit suddenly and without warning; just two weeks ago it was a good ten degrees warmer and the sun wasn't just some distant star in the sky, but something that gave warmth between the chilly breezes. Snow is just on the horizon- if the weather forecast is right, there's going to be a freeze in the next two days that Chloe's dreading.
She'll have to go buy some new winter clothes too; what she has now is a little too small and barely keeping her warm. Winter is a nice season, with the holidays and the snow, but it's best enjoyed from inside, not outside like she is at the moment.
Part of her wishes she called for one of the chauffeurs her father's hired to drive her, but the rest of her wants nothing to do with her father or his employees. So Chloe braves the cold, hiding her hands deep in her coat's pockets as she hurries through the streets to get to Takahogi's flower shop. It's not all that bad out though; despite the cold, Chloe takes a few moments on every street she's on to look at the lights that are strung up between the lampposts and the Christmas decorations on every building. All the light, the color, makes these familiar streets feel like new, magical places.
It's sure to be beautiful in the snow. A perfect place for a date, she thinks, as she watches couples walk huddled together, laughing quietly as they pass by.
What she wouldn't give to have that.
Not that anyone would ever date her. Chloe pulls her coat tighter around herself and ducks her head down. She keeps walking.
Just as she turns onto the street where the flower shop is, she hears a thump come from an alley that leads behind one of the buildings. Chloe pauses, waits for something else to happen, and holds her hands out in front of her, ready for anything. No one's screaming and nothing's been destroyed all day, so it's likely not an akuma, but there's never any way to be sure.
So she waits and steps a little closer to the alley, prepared to run, when Adrien steps out, shivering and looking around like he's in a bad spy movie.
"Why," Chloe says, pulling him out onto the sidewalk.
"I have to keep my identity safe!" As he says this, Plagg casually floats out of his pocket, in plain view of anyone who would look their way. Adrien makes a strangled noise and snatches him out of the air. Chloe sighs and begins to walk away because she refuses to be cold and stressed out.
"No, wait, I'm here for a reason!" Adrien runs to catch up with her, Plagg snickering in his pocket but otherwise hidden out of sight. "You're going to the flower shop, right?"
"Where else do I go?"
"Chloe, I'm gonna need you to work with me or this conversation will go nowhere."
"Okay, yes, I'm going to the flower shop. Takahogi needs some help moving the bigger plants inside so they don't freeze."
"Right! So, if anyone asks, you asked if I wanted to come along and I said yes."
Chloe looks at him, really looks, and frowns. He's tense and his smile is a little too forced. There's really only one reason for Adrien to be like that.
"Your dad causing problems?" she asks, walking a little closer to him to bump their shoulders together. He doesn't say anything, just shrugs, but that's enough. There aren't enough words to describe their fathers or how they feel about them.
The rest of the walk down the street is silent. Their shoulders bump with every other step they take, and they both fall into the age old habit of Ignoring Their Problems.
Entering Takahogi's flower shop feels like a weigh is lifted from her shoulders. The warmth envelopes her, and her shivering quickly dies down. Besides her, Adrien looks calmer, more relaxed. She will never be able to thank Takahogi enough for creating a space where they could be safe from anything outside the doors.
Takahogi leaves his seat at the cash register and quickly waves them into the back room. Chloe watches as he disappears into the kitchen, then joins Adrien on one of the floor cushions, rubbing her hands to make them warm up faster.
"So," Adrien says, "It's Christmas in a few weeks."
Chloe doesn't say anything, since there's nothing to respond to.
Adrien shifts, then forces himself to be still. It's what he always does when in trapped in an uncomfortable situation, or when his father forces them to spend time together just to advertise his newest clothing line.
"My dad wants me to go to the charity gala with him. But Ladybug wants me to go with her."
"I'll cover for you," Chloe says, "Come in with your dad and I'll pull you away so you can transform."
"You'll go to the gala?"
Chloe shrugs. "I kind of have to. My father hasn't said anything about it yet but it's only a matter of time."
She's guessing that he'll either show up or call her in three days to remind her to dress warmly and behave herself at this year's gala. She's spent most of her break mentally preparing for it.
It would be easier if he'd just show up to dinner every once and a while and talk to her, but apparently the Mayor of Paris is always too busy to see his only child.
Adrien sighs and slumps forwards. Plagg flies out of his pocket to gently bop Adrien on the nose, then settles on Chloe's shoulder. They're silent together, once again weighed down by the neglect of their fathers. Her heart always feels too heavy if she thinks about her relationship with her father too long, of how he's barely ever there, how she can't rely on him at all; Adrien must feel awful, seeing his father nearly everyday only to be looked down on or berated.
Besides her, Plagg floats up and bumps his head against her cheek. "I can mess up your dads' day if you want," he offers to the both of them, "Your dads suck so much that I'll do it for free."
"Plagg, we've talked about this! You can't curse my father, he's just gonna get more upset about everything."
Plagg sticks his tongue out to Adrien.
"I mean, if you're offering…" Chloe trails off, a small smile on her lips as Adrien gives her a scandalized look.
Outside the back room, the sound of shuffling footsteps reaches her ears. Immediately, Plagg hides in the hood of her coat as Adrien pushes himself up to stand. A few seconds later, Takahogi appears in the doorway, carefully balancing three cups of tea on a tray.
Adrien rushes over, ever the good boy, and says, "Oh, here, let me help!" He takes the tray from Takahogi, who smiles and quietly thanks him, moving to sit down on his floor cushion.
With careful hands, Adrien serves everyone their tea, one of Chloe's favorite citrus green tea blends. It quickly warms Chloe up, from her hands to her stomach, leaving a sweet taste lingering in her mouth.
They sit in silence for a few minutes, sipping their tea and warming up from the sudden cold the last few days has brought.
Chloe finishes first, not caring if the hot tea burns her mouth at all. She pulls out her phone and looks through her various social media apps, enjoying the comfortable silence and the way Plagg tugs out strands of hair from her ponytail and braids them.
If she had been born as anyone else, this might have been her life: a quiet family, unconditional love and kindness, a small place filled with plants that's safer than anywhere else. A place where people care for her, where her past actions don't haunt her, where family is a comfort instead of something to dread. If she had been anyone other than Chloe Bourgeois, she could enjoy the holidays without feeling like a noose is tightening around her neck. If she had been anyone else, she wouldn't hurt so much.
The only good thing that came from being herself is that she could help Adrien (even though she nearly fucked that up too, but she gets rid of that thought quickly), since living any other life would mean she wouldn't know what he goes through. The things that bring them together are also the ones that hurt them the most, isn't that ironic?
She's glad she has Takahogi and that Adrien has Plagg. They'd be such wrecks without some outside help. They were lucky enough to have turned out vaguely functional and human before meeting the people/tiny gods that changed their lives.
Under the table, Adrien's foot pushes against her thigh. When she looks at him, he smiles at her then turns to Takahogi and says, "So, we're moving things inside today, right?"
"That's right, but you don't need to push yourselves. If it's too heavy or you don't want to do it, you don't have too."
"Don't worry, I want to help!" Adrien says at the same time Chloe loudly threatens, "It's cold out and those plants are heavy, don't try to stop us from helping you! Moving those on your own would hurt you!"
Takahogi laughs. "Chloe, I may be old, but not that old."
"I'm not risking it. Adrien and I will move things, and you're going to stay inside and do paperwork."
He makes a face at that. "Perhaps it will be better if all three of us-"
"Nope! Denied! We got this, so do you job while I do mine," Chloe interrupts.
"It's not a job if I don't pay you, which I can if you'd just accept payment for your work-"
Adrien shoots his hand into the air like he's in a classroom. "I'll accept payment!" Then winces when Chloe slams her elbow into his ribs.
"You've helped me plenty, I'm not taking money from you."
He sighs, knowing this isn't an argument he can win, though he brings it up when he can as if Chloe hasn't rejected a paycheck fifty times already and insists that she's being paid in experience because she's his apprentice.
(Which isn't how anything works, but Takahogi never pushes her and lets her do as she please, and Chloe keeps coming back because where else would she go?)
She stands and hastily puts her empty cup on the tray, then takes Adrien's and Takahogi's cups as well. "I'll put these in the kitchen first. Adrien, go start moving the plants inside and I'll be out to help in a minute."
She's gone before either of them can say another word. Once out of sight, Plagg flies out of her hood and settles onto the tray.
"He's been going out every night patrolling to try to destress but it's not really working," he says, uncharacteristically serious. "He's wearing himself thin. So, can you take the ring for tonight?"
Chloe all but slams the tray onto the kitchen counter, barely able to keep herself from dropping everything onto the floor. With just one sentence, adrenaline is coursing through her veins, her heart pounding in her ears, voice caught in her throat. She curls her shaking hands into fists and slowly lets out her breath. Plagg does nothing but watch her try to pull herself together.
A sudden wave of nausea washes over her, and Chloe wraps an arm around her stomach and bows her head, trying to breathe through it.
"I'm not asking you to become Chat for a night. You don't have to put the ring on at all. You just have to keep it from Adrien."
The relief that runs through her at that nearly sends her to the floor. Another slow breath in, then out, then Chloe clears her throat and says, "Okay."
The tremble in her hands lessens some, but doesn't disappear completely. The panic came on so suddenly, but it always takes its time to dissipate. It's fine. Chloe can work through it.
She's made it this far.
When she finally looks back up to him, Plagg has already put all the cups into the sink to be washed later. He hovers in the air in front of her, considering her. Chloe knows her eyes are still a little too wide, and she's probably as pale as a ghost, but all she needs is another minute to pretend that she's fine and have other people believe it.
"You really don't want to be a hero," Plagg comments. It's not accusing or confused. He just says it with a soft voice and lets the statement hang in the air.
The only thing Chloe can do is shake her head mutely.
The responsibility of being a hero, of having the safety of Paris on your shoulders, the weight of people's lives depending on your actions-
It's too much. Chloe buckles at the mere thought of it. She's not strong enough to hold it all. She's not strong at all. Adrien really is incredible for being able to go about it with a smile, standing up after being slammed into the ground, or stabbed, or hit by a car, or-
No. No, it's too much. Chloe clenches her fists, tries to shake out the last of the trembling, and straightens up from where she was hunched over the counter. "Don't make me a hero," she begs, far too vulnerable, but Plagg doesn't protest. He just nods and hides in her hood again.
She takes another minute to collect herself, force her thoughts back, and then she goes to find Adrien.
They work up a sweat, moving the plants inside. It takes more work than Chloe was expecting: moving things inside first to make more room for the other plants, then going out and bringing everything in. The largest and heaviest plants, in large ceramic pots, wears them both out after a good ten minutes of lifting it together, then trying to push/pull it in, then trying to get it to its spot inside.
Her arms are aching by the time they're done, and her legs aren't much better. Adrien, too, is wiping the sweat off his face as he leans against the wall, trying to get his breath back.
"I didn't think being a florist was so exhausting," he gets out between deep breaths.
"It's usually not, but when it is, it's horrible," Chloe replies from where she's collapsed against the largest pots they brought in. "I didn't think taking care of flowers could be such a workout."
Adrien stretches his arms out, then pushes himself off the wall. "Alright! Up you get!" he says as he reaching down and grabs Chloe's wrists, then forcefully pulls her up. She groans, but gets up nevertheless and follows him back to Takahogi, who, from the looks of it, is on the last few delivery orders.
"All done?" he asks when he sees the two of them approach. "That was much faster than I could have done it."
"I don't see how you could have done it at all, they were so heavy," Chloe complains.
"Well, I did use a dolly for many of them." Takahogi points to the back closet behind him where, sure enough, there are three dolly carts; two regular sized ones and one comically large dolly.
Adrien gasps, offended, as Chloe groans at the realization that there was an easier way to do it all along.
"Are you telling me that we could have used those this whole time? We could have just put the plants on those and rolled them it!"
"Yes, you certainly could have," Takahogi answers, barely maintaining his poker face, "But you didn't ask so I thought you preferred to do it the other way."
Chloe sighs, but smiles nonetheless, because Takahogi, an otherwise sweet old man, played them for fools and did it spectacularly. "Alright, I get it. I'll ask for help next time and I won't abandon you to paperwork."
He nods sagely. "I'm glad you've learned from this."
Adrien waves his hands around, unable to form words, spluttering in mock offense. "I- you- them-!"
"We sure are unlucky, huh," she says, conversationally, and Adrien drops his head into his hands, groaning. She can feel Plagg shaking from suppressing his laughter, tugging at her ponytail as he tries to contain himself.
"Thank you for your help," Takahogi says, and finally starts drops his carefully maintained blank face and laughs at them.
The warmth swells in Chloe's chest. It was hard work, tiring work, but at the end of it there's still laughter and comfort. It's not like with her father, where laughter is rare and never genuine, always another act. Instead, it's honest and infectious and kind. This laughter makes her feel included rather than stuck on the outside watching in as others have fun.
It's good. This is good.
They leave soon after; there's not much else to do, since business has slowed down with the cold and Takahogi has everything covered. He's firmly instructed her not to come in unless she absolutely wants to, and to enjoy her winter break.
So Chloe has the rest of her day to herself. Adrien most likely has photo shoots coming up that he needs to prepare for, and she doesn't feel comfortable asking Katte and Zee to meet up; they spend most of their time with her in school, they should get to enjoy a break without her. It's looking like another lonely winter for her.
"How long are you free for?" she asks as they slowly walk down the street.
Adrien shrugs. "For a few hours. I was supposed to be at the studio already, but I don't actually have to get ready until five. So I ran for it and hid as Chat until I found you."
"I'm guessing you're busy after that?"
"I have shoots everyday for the rest of this week. I get three days off before the gala, and then I have to advertise one of my dad's new suits."
They both make faces at his schedule. "Hang out with me in my room until you have to go," Chloe demands, mentally calculating how much time he'd need to eat and have a nap in order not to collapse at his photo shoot.
"Sounds good to me. Also, come here." He pulls her into an alley suddenly and they end up behind a store, out of sight from the rest of the world. Plagg appears from beneath Chloe's ponytail and flies over to Adrien, who immediately whispers, "Claws out."
The flash of green light blinds her for a moment, and when Chloe opens her eyes, Chat Noir and standing before her with a grin on his lips.
"One of the best things about being Chat is how easy it is to get to places when I can run on rooftops. So, ready to go Clawy?"
Chloe squints at him. "Did you try to make a pun out of my name?"
"No good? That's fine, I'll think of a nickname for you soon enough!" With that, Chat pulls out his baton and offers a hand to her. "Ready to go?"
She grins and says, "Drop me and I drag you down with me."
And with that, they're gone, soaring above the streets of Paris.
Their cheeks are no longer red and wind-bitten, but Adrien's hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions and Chloe keeps finding tangles and knots in hers. Still absolutely worth it. It was way faster than just walking as well. If Adrien keeps offering to take her places as Chat, she might never have to call a chauffeur again.
They just barely finished their later lunch when Adrien's phone rings. He graimces but answers anyways.
"Yes," he says, voice monotone and subdued. "I know. Yes. Yes. I already- I'm not late. Mine doesn't start for another two hours. No, I- Yes. Okay. I'm with Chloe. Yes. Okay. Let me know when you're here."
Plagg bonks his head gently against Adrien forehead once he puts his phone down. Chloe watches the casually affection between them with an ache in her chest, one that hurts in a good way. She'll always be endlessly grateful for the care Plagg has shown Adrien, after years of having no one else give him what he needed.
"Are they mad?" she asks. The easiness of the afternoon is just a distant memory now. They have no choice but to face the dull pain of their everyday lives again.
Adrien shrugs. "Not really. I've done this enough that they expect it from me by now."
"Well, my door is always open if you need somewhere to hide."
He smiles and gently kicks her ankle. "Thanks Chloe. I'm really glad you're not isolating yourself anymore."
"Right, let's change the subject. Give me your ring for tonight."
Immediately Adrien clutches his hands to his chest. He looks at her warily, but before he can say anything, Plagg pops up.
"No patrolling tonight. It's Ladybug's turn and if anything happens she'll handle it. But after the shoot, I'm taking the ring and coming here so Chloe can look after it.
"I'll give it back tomorrow," she adds on, "But you need to rest for tonight. Alright?"
"...Fine. Are you going to use it?"
Chloe blanches, and says, a little too loudly, "Absolutely not! There's no need for me to use it. I don't want to. I won't."
"Alright, alright. But it's just for one night, right?"
Plagg nods. "Just one night. You gotta rest kid, going out every night isn't good for you."
For a moment, it looks like Adrien's going to argue, but the fight leaves him a second later and he sighs. "One night," he says, like a promise.
He leaves a few minutes later, Plagg hidden in his coat once more. And when Plagg arrives late that night, carrying the ring, Chloe quietly opens the window to let him in, carefully doesn't look at the ring, gives him a pillow and blanket to sleep on, and tells him to sleep well.
She doesn't sleep at all until the early dawn light turns the room blue and exhaustion finally pulls her under.