I took a two days break from posting, but I'm back!

Have a good read!

CHAPTER 16: the devil in disguise

[PROMPT: Disguises] (Yes, that one wasn't easy until I find the perfect idea for LB to take her revenge on Aimée -smirk-)

Do you remember the blonde bitch in Little House on the Prairie that everyone secretly dreams of slaughtering? Yes, that one; Nellie Oleson… Well, Aimée Bourgeois was worse.

All that Ladybug wanted to do was to wipe the shit-eating grin off her face the same way she'd done with Félix when he'd tried to kiss her years ago. With a punch aimed straight to the middle of her Chloé-like face.

But she had promised Chat Noir she wouldn't do anything and would ignore her for the whole journey to the butterfly farm, so… Here she was… Looking at Aimée sitting on the seat just in front of her, enjoying a glass of champagne as she typed on her phone with her free hand. Probably busy publishing more fake news, criticisms, and nonsense on her socials.

The third of the Bourgeois bitches really looked like the devil in disguise.

Speaking of the devil in disguise, Ladybug sighed in relief as the limo stopped in front of the butterfly farm where they were going to meet Harry Clown. She was the first to get up and escape from the luxurious vehicle (yes, escape, like running away. Far far away. Not Shrek's far far away, but maybe not that far though. Uh… Whatever). She was the first out of the limo… Only for her to be abruptly stopped in her enthusiastic impetus, freezing on the spot.

A weight suddenly bumped into her back, just the same way a heavy weight filled her stomach like stones lying inside of it.

"Oops, sorry Bu—" Her partner's voice cracked behind her as he stood frozen as well.

Ladybug felt herself being jostled once again, a distant, muffled voice reaching her ears as if she had her head under water.

"...pay attention… just a disguise… not real deal…"

She could barely make out the words, but they sounded like Aimée's voice. And then, the darkness, a black shadow standing right in front of her, which allowed her to come back to herself. Her partner.

"It's okay Bug, look at me. Not behind me. Just at me."

She blinked, processing his words, and lifted her chin, meeting his feline gaze lingering upon her and getting lost in his eyes.

"I was caught off guard too, but it's just a disguise. He's Harry. He's just wearing that suit for the filming. He's not Monarch. He's not back, we dealt with him and sent him straight to jail, remember?"

She freed the breath she hadn't realized she was holding back and took a deep gulp of much needed oxygen as she took a slight peek behind Chat Noir.

"Disguise," she said.

Indeed, he'd just removed his black and purple latex mask, revealing their dear friend Harry just underneath.

"Just a disguise," Chat repeated, his voice soft.

"Yeah, just a disguise, you sissy Bug. He won't bite you," Aimée huffed as she walked by them.

"You know what, I've changed my mind, M'Lady. Do whatever you want with her. I'm fed up. I won't hold you back."

Ladybug's mind caught up with Aimée's mean words, and against all odds, she smiled. "He who laughs last will laugh best. Leave it up to me," said Ladybug. She then eventually greeted Harry after the mad beating of her heart had calmed down from its fright, and used the opportunity to ask him a personal favor.

"What did you ask Harry?" Chat Noir raised an inquisitive brow.

"Wait and you'll see," Ladybug whispered as she continued to walk as if nothing happened; they were making their way to the greenhouses.

"Uh-oh," Chat Noir giggled. "I know that look. Someone is going to bite their fingers off and I have a strong feline I know who's going to end up getting ectrodactyly."

"Where did you learn such a word?"

Chat rubbed the back of his head. "Well, ending up ectrodactyly is a fear I have. Highly unlikely to happen, but still…"

"Just like me with butterflies…" She made a face as they stopped in front of the first greenhouse they were about to visit. "Well, let's say it's more like hating them than being afraid of them… What makes you so afraid of losing your fingers?"

"It'd be difficult to practice my passion without my fingers." He moved his hands, wriggling his fingers in front of her.

"You don't need your fingers to make puns though," she snorted.

Chat Noir chuckled and leaned in, whispering in her ear, "but I do need them for other things…" He pulled back, looking at her with a spark of mischief shining in his eyes and she blushed brighter than a traffic light.

Those strongs hands and fingers, massaging her scalp and neck, helping her relinquish all the tension she was holding back. Fingertips running down her arms, caressing her skin, going down… She shook her head, and coughed, almost choking on her own saliva as she forced herself to come down to earth and listen to her partner.

"...to play the piano for starters," he quickly added, seeing Ladybug's obvious embarrassment, and the traffic light turned green again as she sighed, her shoulders relaxing.

Although… Her eyes widened following her partner's statement, and before she could comprehend that he was giving her a very personal detail, a scream was heard just ahead of them, in the greenhouse they were about to enter.

"I guess this is your doing, you sneaky little thing?" Chat Noir inquired, pursing his lips and holding back a laugh.

"Absolutely." She grinned slyly before Aimée ran past them to exit the greenhouse and, turning toward her, she sassed, "it's just a disguise! He won't bite you!"

All suited up in his Monarch's attire, Harry followed suit behind Aimée, casting a satisfied glance in Ladybug's direction. "You always have foolproof plans Ladybug." He winked at her as he removed his mask after he'd just scared the hell out of Aimée Bourgeois.

Ladybug and Chat Noir couldn't hold back their reactions anymore, bursting out laughing very heartily.

The heroine then reached out her fist between the two men, tilting her head and prompting them to join in. "Pound it?"

And that's how they ended up sharing their trademark 'pound it' with a perfect replica of their worst nemesis.

Who would have thought it?