Chloé sat inside the living room together with her sister and Luka while Rose and Juleka were making dinner in the kitchen. Even if Chloé didn't have any experience with cooking, she had offered some help, which the married couple had declined in a nice manner and that was probably for the best. Chloé was sure she would end up burning their dinner or start a fire inside the kitchen if she had helped them with the cooking.
The three of them sat in the couch and watched some TV. It was mostly clips from the akuma attack that had taken place earlier that day that they showed over and over again. A few self proclaimed experts talked about each hero and said what they had done wrong while fighting Shadow Mirror and they also gave some tips to them for the future, as if any hero actually would listen to what they had to say about anything.
"Do you have a favourite hero?" Zoé asked.
Zoé was sitting in the middle of the couch, between Chloé and Luka and had stayed quiet for most of the time they had been in the livingroom. It wasn't like Chloé and Luka had talked much with each other though, but they had at least said a few more words than what Zoé had.
"I like Viperion." Chloé said without a second of thought.
"You do?" Luka asked surprised.
"Yeah, he is quite dreamy if I'm being honest. I wonder if he's single." Chloé said and made herself sound both honest and as if she was joking at the same time.
"Chloé! You can't date a superhero. Don't you know how dangerous that would be?" Zoé asked and laughed.
"I don't think it's that dangerous." Luka said as if he wanted to support Chloé and her 'made up' goal to date Viperion.
Chloé looked toward him and noticed that his cheeks were a little red. But it was quite hot inside the apartment, so it was probably because of that and nothing else. Chloé was starting to feel a little hot herself.
"Don't give her any ideas." Zoé scolded even though she didn't sound the least angry and turned to Luka to give him a playful look.
"Who's your favourite then?" Chloé asked her sister.
"I like Ladybug. She seems nice." Zoé said and turned back to the TV that coincidentally showed a clip of a interview with Ladybug that seemed to take place sometime after the akuma attack.
"What about you, Luka?"
"Honestly?" Luka asked and seemed to think a bit before he gave an answer "I don't think I have one."
Chloé felt a little disappointed that neither of them had said Queen Bee. She didn't know which one hurt the most, her sister not answering Queen Bee or Luka? She didn't know, but both felt just as painful.
"Who would you want to be saved by?" Zoé asked.
"Viperion." Chloé answered and thought about the times he had saved her, something she didn't seem to be that alone thinking about.
"Easy for you to say. Didn't he save you twice on that building Chat Noir Cataclysmed?" Zoé wondered and leaned back in the couch.
"Well, yeah and I'm very thankful for that." Chloé said.
Viperion had saved her in the alley too and taken her home after that guy had attacked her. Zoé didn't know that, but somehow, Luka knew.
Chloé looked up and locked eyes with Luka. He seemed to be thinking about the very same thing Chloé did, how impossible that even might seem. She just knew she had to ask him about that, to know how he knew when others didn't.
"I think I have to go with Ladybug again." Zoé said.
Chloé looked away from Luka and turned toward the TV again. It was starting to smell quite lovely inside the apartment, and she could only assume that it meant that the dinner was soon ready.
"I think I will go with Ladybug too." Luka said and finally turned away from looking at Chloé to watch the TV like the other two did.
The three of them watched the TV in silence. They were still talking on the TV about the things that had happened earlier that day and everyone was either freaking out and worrying about becoming a victim of Hawk Moth and those who weren't like that looked completely calm and seemed to have faith in Ladybug and the other heroes that they would save them all in the end.
It was depressing to see all the fear that was portrayed in the people on the screen. Chloé knew that every hero would fight until they weren't able to any more for the sake of Paris citizens. She just hoped that they wouldn't have to face Hawk Moth again unless it was to defeat him once for all.
"Last question." Zoé announced after a few minutes. "Which hero do you think would betray Ladybug and join Hawk Moth?"
Chloé turned to her sister and stared at her long enough to make Zoé a little bit uncomfortable.
"Was that a wrong thing to ask?" Zoé wondered.
When Chloé didn't say anything Zoé turned to Luka who seemed just as stunned as Chloé about that question. But he seemed to at least come back to his senses long before Chloé did.
"I'm not sure that anyone would do that. I think all of them are loyal to Ladybug." Luka said.
"Isn't that what they are talking about, though? Chat Noir has been gone for many years, and everyone believes that he has joined Hawk Moth. If Chat Noir, who have been a hero just as long as Ladybug, has joined Hawk Moth, why wouldn't someone else do that too?" Zoé asked.
"What would they gain if Hawk Moth won?" Luka asked Zoé.
"What would Chat Noir gain if Hawk Moth won?" Zoé wondered.
Chloé finally stopped staring at her sister and leaned back in the couch. She hadn't thought about that before. What would Chat Noir gain if Hawk Moth won? She wasn't entirely sure what Hawk Moth would do if he actually got a hold on Ladybug's and Chat Noir's Miraculouses, but she believed it wouldn't be to do something good for the world. Why cause all that destruction and pain in the people of Paris just for something small like becoming a king or the ruler of the world? It had to be something personal. But how personal could it be if Chat Noir was a part of it? And Mayura too?
"Who do you think would betray Ladybug?" Luka asked Zoé.
"Queen Bee maybe?" Zoé said.
Chloé wanted to scream. Of course Zoé didn't have Queen Bee as her favourite or wouldn't even want to be saved by her. But Zoé thinking that Queen Bee, Chloé, her own sister, would betray Ladybug? That hurt like nothing else.
Chloé couldn't help but laugh and knew that both Zoé and Luka was watching her.
"What's so funny?" Zoé wondered.
"I have to agree. Queen Bee seems like a likely candidate." Chloé said as a joke when she calmed down and stopped laughing.
"Exactly!" Zoé said and seemed to not have noticed that Chloé hadn't meant what she had said. "She is the only hero that have been absent for a long period of time, other than Chat Noir."
"Maybe she had some secret mission she was on?" Luka suggested.
When Zoé and Luka started talking about the possibility of Queen Bee, Chloé, being on Hawk Moth side she decided to zoom out from that conversation. But it still messed her up a bit that they were unknowingly talking about her while she was right there with them.
She couldn't help but wonder though, didn't Bunnyx say something similar when all of the heroes had been in the forest? Didn't she say that if someone would betray Ladybug, that Chloé was the most likely candidate?
Chloé shook her head and pushed all those thoughts away. She didn't need to think about that. She knew she would never betray Ladybug or Paris. She was better than that.
"Dinner is ready." Juleka said as she walked into the living room.
All three of them stood up from the couch and walked toward the living room entrance while Juleka quickly walked away from it. They went to the kitchen in a comfortable silence that was broken the moment they all stepped into the kitchen.
"Oh, it smells amazing." Zoé said and walked up to her two room mates that stood by the dining table. "What is it?"
"Onion soup." Rose said and smiled at Zoé when she went to sit down by the table.
Luka went inside the kitchen and up to the dining table that had already been set with all the glasses, silverware and deep plates, which had already been filled with the onion soup. When he sat down on one seat the other three followed his suit.
All of them, now seated by the dining table, started to converse with each other. Zoé and Luka asked questions about the food which Rose and Juleka happily answered.
Chloé stood in the middle of the kitchen and wasn't sure what to do. They had asked her to stay for dinner, but suddenly she felt as if she didn't belong and truth to be told, she didn't. This was her sister's found family and if Chloé got too close she would end up ruin it all, just like she almost had done in the past.
"Chloé, aren't you coming?" Zoé asked from her seat when she noticed that Chloé was just standing there.
The other three who sat by the table turned to Chloé and looked at her as if they hadn't realised she wasn't seated by the table with them.
"Don't you like onion soup?" Rose asked and looked upset over it even if Chloé hadn't said anything yet.
Chloé looked toward her sister who looked ready to stand up and come over, but that was the last thing Chloé wanted. She took a few steps closer to the table and was close enough to really smell how amazing the dinner smelled like. She didn't want to leave.
"Come and sit next to me." Zoé finally said and made a gesture to the empty seat next to her.
Chloé nodded and sat down by the table on the empty seat next to her sister.
All five of them started eating their dinner and talked a little in between each bite they had. Their conversations were mostly on what had happened earlier that day with the akuma attack and what all of them really thought about it.
Both Rose and Juleka were very vocal about them not liking it one bit, something the other three agreed with right away. No one in Paris must have been excited with what had happened earlier that day and if they were Chloé knew they couldn't possible be on the heroes side.
There were some deranged people out there that were rooting for Hawk Moth to win and that made Chloé both disgusted and angry. Even though they didn't have enough power to help Hawk Moth in his battle to get a hold on both Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses, them just being vocal about their support was enough to cause some extra and unnecessary drama that none of the heroes of Paris deserved.
"What do you think, Chloé?" Zoé asked.
Chloé turned to her sister and gave her a questioning look. Between the ongoing conversation and Chloé own thoughts, she had not really paid attention to what her sister had asked her.
"About what?" Chloé wondered.
"I was wondering if you wanted to come over on Saturday and hang out with us." Zoé said and smiled.
Chloé looked away from her sister and quickly glanced at the other three sitting by the table. None of them gave her the impression that they thought it was a bad idea or even gave her a evil glare to show they didn't want her there. Instead, they all looked at her with such joy that it almost felt as if they really wanted her to say yes.
"On Saturday?" Chloé asked and turned back to her sister.
"Yes. It's mostly people from your old class that shows up but sometimes other people come over as well. It's very funny, and I really want you to come and meet everyone." Zoé explained.
"If there is no trouble?" Chloé asked and didn't hide how unsure she sounded.
"Of course not!" Rose said quickly.
Chloé gave Rose a quick smile.
"I guess I can come over then." Chloé finally said.
Zoé smiled at her younger sister for a short moment before she turned back to her food and ate up the last of her onion soup. When she was done, she yawned and took up her phone to check the time.
"I think I will take a nap." Zoé said and sounded more tired than she had moments ago.
For one tiny moment Chloé had forgotten about her sister's disease. Everything had seemed so normal and Zoé had looked well. But that was the total opposite to what she now looked like.
Zoé's face was pale and her eyes a little bit too red. It almost looked as if she shivered even though it was warm inside the apartment and Zoé was dressed well for the typical warm June weather.
"Do that." Chloé said when her sister turned toward her and looked sad, something that made Chloé a little upset. "I'm going to go either way."
"I'm sorry." Zoé said disappointed.
"It's all fine." Chloé said and forced a smile to her sister when she stood up form her seat.
When Zoé started to move away from the table and later left the kitchen to go and get some rest Chloé turned to the others who sat there in silence and looked worried.
"Thank you for the dinner. It was good." Chloé said after a few seconds and ended the silence that had started when Zoé left the kitchen.
"I'm glad you liked it." Rose said.
Chloé thought about asking where to put the dishes, but decided not to do it. Instead, she left the kitchen after saying goodbye to the others and quickly left the apartment.
Chloé really had to ask Zoé if she wanted some other doctors to take a look at her. She knew she had promised her sister to ignore her disease and treat her as normal as possible. But she had to make sure that Zoé got the best treatment she was able to get. That wouldn't cause any harm, hopefully.
When Chloé was halfway down the stairs another person entered the stairs somewhere above her. She didn't think much about it until she reached the end of the stairs, when whoever it was caught up to her.
She walked a little to the side to let the person walk pass her when she realised that the person must be in quite some hurry, but the person didn't move past her as she thought. She slowed down and for one tiny moment she thought it was that guy from the alley that was behind her. It was enough to make her somewhat scared and she slowly reached down to her purse to open it and let Pollen out if she needed to transform into Queen Bee and defend herself.
When she got to the entrance, she reached out for the door and was about to open it when she caught a glimpse of the person behind her in the reflection of the window on the door.
"Oh. It's only you." Chloé said and moved her hand away from her purse when she turned around and faced Luka. "I wasn't sure who it was."
"I'm sorry." Luka quickly said.
"Are you leaving too?" Chloé wondered and reached for the door handle without turning away from Luka.
"Yeah. I'm heading home. It's been a long day. I need some rest." Luka explained.
"Yeah, me too." Chloé said.
It had truly been a long day and she had to get some rest before tomorrow. Even if she was done with all her packing, which wasn't that much when she thought about it, she would still have to take all of it to Adrien's place.
"Do you mind if I walk with you?" Luka asked.
"No, not at all." Chloé said and opened the door.
She and Luka stepped outside and were met with a lot of people walking around on the streets. Most people were talking about what had happened previously that day and many seemed to be in a state between panic and shock.
Chloé and Luka exchanged a glance before they started walking.
"This is fantastic. I decide to come back to Paris the same time Hawk Moth decides to return." Chloé muttered angrily.
"I wouldn't worry that much. I'm sure Ladybug and the other heroes will defeat him for good this time." Luka said.
Chloé rolled her eyes even though it was a likely scenario to happen. She had faith in Ladybug, the other heroes and herself. But she couldn't imagine that they would somehow defeat Hawk Moth once and for all. That would never happen.
"I just wished he stayed away much longer. It did all of us good to not have him here, ruining our day and traumatizing us for his selfish reasons." Chloé said.
They walked across the street and headed in the direction where Chloé's fathers hotel was at. She wasn't sure where Luka was heading as she didn't know where he lived, but she doubted he lived close to her father's hotel.
"Where are you heading?" Chloé wondered.
"Home." Luka said.
"Where do you live?" Chloé wondered.
When Luka didn't give her an answer Chloé started to slow down and finally stopped when they were too close to an alley for her liking.
"I have meant to ask..." Chloé started and waited for Luka to give a signal for her to keep talking, which he did with a nod. "How do you know that I was attacked?"
Luka didn't look the least surprised that she had asked him that question. He must have been expecting her to ask it, but probably not there and now.
"I heard about it." Luka explained.
"From who?" Chloé asked.
"A friend." Luka said and was, to Chloé surprise, a little uncomfortable with saying that.
"Which friend?" Chloé wondered and tried to sound as normal as she could even though she felt like she was heading out on deep water.
She knew she should not try to get an answer from him about who it was that told him knowing that the most of the people that knew about her being attacked were the heroes of Paris. She wanted to let it pass, but she couldn't. She had to know who it was that gossiped about her and she truly and desperately wanted to know that Luka hadn't heard it from Lila of all people.
"Just a friend." Luka said.
"Why don't you want to give me an answer?" Chloé asked and felt like it was starting to get ridiculous.
"I don't think it's that important who told me. That guy that did it to you is still out there somewhere. Finding him is more important." Luka said and didn't hide how angry it made him knowing that the guy from the alley was not caught yet.
"It's important to me." Chloé explained and felt like she had to make sure it wasn't Lila who was Luka's secret friend. "It's not Lila, right?"
"No... It's not." Luka answered and gave Chloé a questioning look that she ignored.
"Then who is it? Why cant you tell me?" Chloé asked.
For a moment it looked as if Luka was about to tell her something, but changed his mind the very last second. Instead, he just gave her a look that made it seem as if he wanted her to drop the subject, but that was the last thing she wanted.
"It's not like it's a big secret whoever it is." Chloé said and noticed that Luka looked as if she had said something wrong and only then it hit her how much she had messed up right there and now.
She almost asked him if there wasn't a friend, but she kept quiet. It didn't make any sense anymore. She had never ever thought that any of her friends, or even her own sister were one of the heroes of Paris. But maybe that was the truth? What if Luka was one of the heroes?
Chloé forced a smile at Luka. She had really messed up now.
"I think I will be fine from now. I will see you on Monday." Chloé said and turned around and left without letting Luka say anything.
She wanted to believe that he had a friend who knew rather than Luka being one of the heroes. It didn't make any sense. Who would he even be? Carapace? King Monkey? She wasn't sure, and that was the last thing she wanted to think about.
