Welcome back to another chapter!
The reason why I posted this today (16.08) and not on Friday is because today is my birthday and I have a habit of posting chapters on my birthday.
There isn't much to say about it, except that there is a huge section of pure Brichat. Admittedly, it was supposed to be longer, but I decided to cut out some stuff for later.
I hope you'll enjoy it!
Entry 12
Soothe Your Pains
''Every love went through your head, giving love turned bad. Maybe love can soothe your pains, making up, make it better…''
– Up Ladybug by Noam Kaniel (Miraculous Ladybug PV)
xXxXxXx
The patrol, for the most part, was completed without incidents. However, both Ladybug and Chat Noir felt quite tense, keeping the conversation at minimum and not acknowledging what had happened earlier. Chat Noir knew well that, for the huge step he took forward in his relationship with Ladybug, his recent actions caused him to take at least five steps back.
While he was determined not to give up, he knew that he had to re-think his actions and figure out a new plan. He was glad that Ladybug didn't change her mind about keeping him as her partner, but he was still nervous about that actually happening.
I should dial it down, for now, and observe and wait. Chat Noir frowned, gazing into the distance while sitting on all fours, like a cat, on a chimney stack. His tail flicked, his ears lowered as he felt the soft breeze ruffling his hair. I was too impatient.
''Chat… Chat!''
''Huh?'' Chat Noir looked down, seeing Ladybug staring at him.
''We're done with the patrol,'' she told him. ''I'm leaving.''
''Oh, okay…'' Chat Noir replied quietly. Ladybug held his gaze, both waiting for the other to add something to this conversation to make it less awkward. Once it was clear that there was really nothing to be said, Ladybug turned around and left, while Chat Noir remained on the rooftop.
Once she was out of his sight, Chat Noir took out the rose he had tucked into his belt earlier and turned it between his fingers. The stem was almost broken and some of the petals had wilted and fallen out during the patrol. If that isn't a reflection of how I feel now…
He shook his head and tucked the rose back into the belt, returning back to the mansion.
''Hey, Kid, are you okay?'' Plagg asked him.
''I'll be fine,'' Chat Noir replied, landing on a rooftop close to the mansion and observing his surroundings carefully. ''I just need to get some sleep and think through this.'' His eyes narrowed as he saw that the lights were on, with the car inside the front yard. ''Huh, I thought he'd be back in the morning.''
''You mean, your uncle?'' Plagg asked.
''Yeah,'' Chat Noir frowned. ''I hope that he didn't decide to check on me.''
''I don't think he cares enough to check on you,'' Plagg replied, with Chat Noir agreeing with him. He got closer to the mansion, making sure that one of his uncle's bodyguards, a burly bald man dressed in a white suit, shoes and gloves, with two black dots on the suit and a black bowtie, didn't see him and landed quietly on the balcony that led to his room, quickly opening it and entering it.
''Plagg, detransform me,'' Chat Noir said, taking the wilted rose off his belt and returning back to his civilian identity in a flash of dark light, then throwing said rose on a nearby shelf. While Plagg flew over to the cupboard with his cheese stash, Félix quickly dashed to the front door, opening it slightly and listening in, hearing faint voices.
He knew that he'd be in trouble if Gabriel or Adeline decided to call for him and he didn't answer, even more if they actually walked into his room and couldn't find him. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the hallway and went towards the entrance hall, where he saw the lights being still on. He hoped that none of that had happened, having already come up with an excuse for why he was awake so late in the night.
He had found Adeline working on her tablet while walking up the stairs and cleared his throat to get her attention. Adeline looked up, narrowing her eyes when she saw him.
''Félix, why are you still awake? You should be sleeping,'' she told him sharply. Félix didn't react, but he felt relieved when he realized that no one checked on him during the past few hours.
''I've been studying when I realized that someone had come,'' he lied. ''Has uncle Gabriel returned?''
''Yes, he has, but he had to leave immediately to take care of an urgent business,'' Adeline replied.
''What kind of business?'' Félix asked curiously.
''It is nothing you should be worrying about,'' Adeline said, furrowing a brow. ''Now go back to your room. I don't have to remind you that you have school tomorrow, do I?''
''No, you don't,'' Félix replied, returning back to his room, where a worried Plagg was waiting for him.
''Is everything alright? I hope you didn't get into trouble,'' Plagg asked in a concerned tone. Félix shook his head.
''No, they didn't bother to make sure I was still inside the mansion,'' he replied. ''However, uncle Gabriel had left again. Adeline said that it was urgent.''
''Maybe he was called by the fashion police for banning every other colour aside from white,'' Plagg suggested, chuckling.
''I wouldn't be surprised if that happened,'' Félix replied, snorting in amusement.
xXx
Despite the fact that it was way past midnight, the man known as Gabriel Agreste was sitting in his office, poring over the paperwork that Adeline had sent him. Most of them were labeled as reports related to his daily work as a fashion designer, including messages from his clients. He shoved those reports aside, being far more interested in a research paper Adeline personally gave him earlier at the mansion.
The research paper was focused on the impact of emotions on the human psyche, especially the control of emotions as well as how the lack of emotions can influence a human. It was quite important to his side-project, the reason he was away during the weekend. He rubbed his temple, feeling a headache, and reached for the oval brooch being attached to the bowtie, calming down.
Hearing knocking on the door on the other side of the office, he placed the research paper on the desk. The door then opened, with two men walking inside the office, one dressed as a mime and the other dressed in a grey, black and pink suit with a pigeon perched on his shoulder. Despite the two being seemingly out of place, they were working for Gabriel, aiding him in his side-project.
''I hope for your sake that you are returning with good news, gentlemen,'' Gabriel told the two. While the Mime was completely expressionless, Monsieur Pigeon gave Gabriel a nervous look.
''Uh, well, Papillon, sir… We tried to keep a close eye on Ladybug and Chat Noir…'' he said, feeling his anxiety skyrocket when he saw the frown on Gabriel's expression. ''Unfortunately, a new issue appeared…''
He gazed at the Mime, hoping that his partner-in-crime would take the heat off him. The Mime simply put the tablet he was holding on the table, showing Gabriel a report, which also included the image of the latest newcomer to Paris, Phantom Thief Belladonna. The image was a photo of Belladonna fighting Ladybug and Chat Noir on a rooftop.
''Edgar and his friends made sure not to be spotted by the two while spying on them,'' Monsieur Pigeon added proudly, petting the pigeon on his shoulder. Gabriel completely ignored him while reading the report. ''We don't think that any of them are going to be much of a problem.''
He glanced at the Mime, who glared at him, as if telling him ''We? There is no 'we', dumbass. This was your own conclusion.''. Monsieur Pigeon merely glanced away, pouting as he awaited Gabriel's answer.
''Then why is it that you haven't eliminated them yet, if they aren't a problem for either of you?'' Gabriel asked in a calm tone. Monsieur Pigeon gulped nervously, both him and the Mime feeling chills flowing down their spine, despite the latter not showing little to no emotion, if only because he was better at masking his own feelings.
''Don't worry, Papillon, sir, we are going to take care of them,'' Monsieur Pigeon quickly replied, with the Mime nodding. ''We've just been gathering information.''
Gabriel stood up, walking up to the window and looking outside, his arms crossed on his back. He could see the reflection of his two henchmen on the window.
''Your main focus should be to eliminate any pests that might interfere with my project and tarnish my vision of the new reality,'' Gabriel told the two, both the Mime and Monsieur Pigeon feeling tense. ''If you slip up, I might reconsider your own positions in the grand scheme of things.''
''N-No, please, Papillon, sir, we will make sure that Ladybug, Chat Noir nor Belladonna are going to disrupt your project,'' Monsieur Pigeon quickly replied, stuttering. Neither he nor the Mime wanted to think about how their boss was going to punish them if they failed. They had a contract to uphold, after all.
''Then, what are you waiting for,'' Gabriel said, looking up at them furiously.
''Eh, right, we'll be leaving… Good night, sir,'' Monsieur Pigeon stuttered, taking a step backward. He and the Mime were waiting for a response, but when none came, they quickly left the room.
Gabriel turned back to the window, feeling a wave of anger washing over him and tried to push it out of his mind. Any emotions, whether they were positive or negative, were not welcome and he wasn't going to show any weakness by accepting that part of himself. They would only get in his way, as they were a distraction.
Gabriel Agreste, or rather, Papillon, was a man of perfection. His ambitions were beyond the understanding of simple-minded commoners. While he was only at the beginning stages of his grand plan, so far, every step was done flawlessly. While there was still much that he needed to get done, he was certain that the perfect reality he desired would eventually take shape and that his hard work would pay off. He wouldn't allow anyone to throw a wrench in his plans.
No one, not even amateur so-called superheroes are going to stop me from achieving my goals.
xXx
Despite the exhaustion he experienced the previous night, Félix felt surprisingly re-energized when he woke up. Interestingly, he spent the morning eating breakfast alone, with Adeline telling him that Gabriel was tired from his trip and was still asleep. That was certainly news to him, since his uncle would usually be awake and working regardless of when he went to sleep, always following a strict schedule. Félix didn't mind it, as the last thing he needed was to talk to Gabriel, especially since he was busy with his own issues.
He knew that his relationship with Ladybug was damaged, although he wasn't completely sure how bad the damage was, and that he needed to find a way to fix it. He feared that Ladybug might be too uncomfortable to be around him and that their relationship would only sour further if she kept being reminded of his pathetic attempts to confess his love to her.
I'm in a tough spot, Félix thought as he walked through the school's hallway. He had arrived without any incidents, but a quick glance at the faintly shimmering Ring of the Black Cat told him to remain alert. He narrowed his eyes, but before he could react to it, he almost got knocked over by a fellow student, who had ran into him.
''Hey,'' Félix looked down, glaring at the troublemaker. ''Watch out where- Bridgette?''
Bridgette looked stunned to see him, her backpack lowered as she rummaged through it while walking through the hallway, not paying attention to her surroundings.
''Um, h-hi, Félix…'' Bridgette greeted him timidly, her head low and blushing as she added, ''I'm sorry for troubling you… I-I need to go.''
Félix was surprised to see her walk away quickly, as if running away from him. He could've sworn that she almost looked as if she was afraid of him, even going so far to avoid any eye-contact. Normally, she would be the personification of the words ''genki'', following him all over the school completely lovestruck, but today, she did her best to avoid him, only to accidentally fall victim to Félix's bad luck curse by running into him.
While Félix would usually be glad that she was actively avoiding him, he had to admit to himself that her sudden change of attitude did bother him a little. She had dealt with several rejections before and would always bounce back, ready to face him again, but this time, it seemed that yesterday's rejection had a lasting impact on her. Sure, he had every right to decline her invitation and he shouldn't feel sorry for refusing to do something that he was uncomfortable with, but Bridgette never meant any harm to him and he did feel bad for her.
Still, I'm already dealing with Ladybug. I'm not sure whether I even have time for Bridgette… He shook his head, feeling dazed. Wait, why am I even thinking about her?!
He tried to ignore the strange sensation he felt in his chest and move on with the school day instead. He had noticed that Bridgette kept avoiding him during classes as much as she could. There were actually several opportunities for her to pester him about going out with her as, for some reason, they kept running into each other in the hallways and even ended up encountering each other at the locker room while grabbing their books, but Bridgette made sure to get away from him as far as possible, always appearing to be very anxious and flustered.
''I-I'm sorry!'' Bridgette told him after another encounter at the hallway, this one causing her to drop the sketchbook she was holding. ''I didn't mean to… I'll leave…''
Before Félix could reply, she grabbed the sketchbook and left. Félix could just sigh in response, feeling that this was getting ridiculous. He looked up after hearing someone giggle and saw Amber and her friend Jeanne, who had seen their interaction and were laughing at Bridgette's misery. He just shot the two a glare and was about to leave when Amber rose her voice.
''Wow, she is avoiding you as if you had been infected with the plague,'' she told him in a mocking tone.
''It isn't my fault that you've been spreading the infection around the school,'' Félix replied smoothly, giving Amber a pointed look. Her jaw dropped in astonishment and disbelief, her face reddening, while Jeanne was cracking up next to her.
Félix quickly left before Amber could respond to the insult, having better things to do than argue with a petty bully. Instead, he focused again on Bridgette's behavior. Admittedly, he too experienced rejection from Ladybug, but he felt that avoiding him this much was a bit over the top. Sure, he did tell her that he wasn't interested in her company, but that didn't mean that he wanted her to avoid him for the rest of her life. He wanted his own breathing space, but he didn't mean to upset her like this. If he wanted her gone from his life, he would've served her a restraining order.
It also didn't help that the rejection made him get on Sophie, Allan, Allegra and especially Claude's bad side, the four glaring at him for the most part of the school day because made their friend upset. He did overhear Bridgette telling her friends that it wasn't a big deal and that she could handle it, but it was obvious that she too was stressed and confused about how exactly she was supposed to act in this situation.
What should I do about her? Félix found himself thinking. Sure, he still needed to address the issue with Ladybug, but the more the day went on, the more he found himself thinking about Bridgette.
She was more worried about his comfort than her own, something he had rarely experienced around the people he knew. His uncle would always tell him how he shouldn't care about those who showed him small acts of kindness, calling them leeches who just wanted a favour in return, and while Félix did meet a few people who fawned over him for being related to a famous fashion designer, Bridgette was never part of that group.
He remembered how she would always greet him with a bright, warm smile on her lips and handmade sweets in her hands, being happy to just have a short conversation with him about random stuff. He was surprised that something simple like that brought her joy, wondering what would've happened if their conversation had continued. Of course, there was also his theory about the connection between Ladybug and Bridgette, but he decided to drop it, at least for now.
Should I even talk to her?
Félix spent the rest of the class alternating between paying attention to class and thinking about Bridgette, not noticing the odd shimmering on his ring when Mme. Cartier told Allegra and Claude to return the graded essays they had handed in the last week to their classmates. Interestingly, he was the only one who didn't get his essay back. Furrowing a brow, he waited for Mme. Cartier to tell him what had happened to it, but she didn't call him until after the bell rung.
''Mme. Cartier, my essay…'' he started, trailing off when his teacher gave him a look of guilt.
''Félix, I'm so sorry, but you will have to send me your essay again,'' Mme. Cartier said. Félix stared at her, his eyes narrowing.
''Why? Is something wrong with it?'' he asked.
''Unfortunately, I had accidentally spilled coffee over it this morning,'' Mme. Cartier explained. ''It was unsalvageable.''
''I see,'' Félix sighed. ''Fortunately, I have a copy of it saved on my computer. I will send you an e-mail.''
''Thank you,'' Mme. Cartier nodded. ''I will tell you this, however; your essay was given the top grade.''
Félix nodded curtly and left the classroom, being the only student remaining. Even Bridgette, who would usually wait for him, was already gone. Admittedly, even if he wanted her to accompany him, he was in a hurry to get to his karate lessons.
''Seems like today wasn't a bad day, huh?'' Plagg popped his head out of the briefcase backpack as Félix walked out of the school and towards the dojo where his karate lessons would be held. ''Sure, your essay was ruined, but you did get a good grade and Bridgette was avoiding you the whole day.''
''Honestly, I'm not sure whether I should call myself fortunate,'' Félix replied, quickly adding, ''And I'm not talking about the essay mishap.''
''So, wait, you want Bridgette to follow you around?'' Plagg asked.
''No, of course not-'' Félix replied sharply, only to fall silent. ''I just… I don't know. I don't think this is behavior is normal for her, but again, I shouldn't be the one to tell her how to behave… or should I?''
''Unfortunately, I can't help you with that,'' Plagg replied, shaking his head. ''Love isn't exactly my area of expertise.''
Félix mused about his words, only to smirk. ''Actually, you can help me.''
''How?'' Plagg blinked in surprise.
''Maybe I cannot confront Bridgette without being put in an uncomfortable situation, but Chat Noir can,'' Félix replied.
xXx
Bridgette sighed tiredly as she saw that it was close to the time she had her friends agreed to meet up before the concert started. She had forced herself to avoid any contact with Félix in hopes to avoid any awkwardness between them today. She wanted to give him his space, show him that she respected his rejection, but it didn't help that they constantly kept running into each other. She felt embarrassed and was relieved when the school day came to an end. She was looking forward to hanging out with her friends and excited about the Fléchette Stars concert, hoping to just forget about the whole day.
''Bridgette, what are you going to do about Ladybug?'' Tikki, who was hiding inside the purse she brought along, asked after the teenager walked out on the street, going towards the meeting spot at the Seine river.
''Don't worry, I still have enough time until the patrol starts,'' Bridgette replied. ''In the case of an emergency, I can make an excuse and leave.''
''Okay,'' Tikki nodded and vanished back into the purse, while Bridgette took out both her and the spare ticket for the concert. She stared at them with a half-hearted look on her expression and shook her head, figuring she could give her ticket to whatever random person she encountered close where the concert took place.
It didn't take her too long to meet up with her friends, who were quite excited about the concert, especially Allan, since the lead vocalist was his older sister.
''I'm glad that you could make it,'' he told Bridgette, who just smiled in response.
''I told you I would come,'' she replied. Sophie meanwhile took out several plastic sticks out of her bag.
''Check out what I brought – glowsticks,'' she said as she gave those to her friends.
''Nice!'' Claude grinned as he took his glowstick.
''I had figured that this would make our experience more enjoyable,'' Sophie added, taking out a few plastic pieces and bending the glowstick, causing it to start glowing in a bright orange and then using the plastic pieces to make a bracelet. ''Do you guys want one?''
''I think I'll wait for the concert,'' Allegra told her. While Allan and Claude refused, Bridgette nodded. However, just as she was fashioning herself a glowstick bracelet, the wind picked up and the tickets she was still holding were blown away.
''No, wait!'' Bridgette dropped the glowstick bracelet and ran after the tickets who were swirling in the wind, flying over to the edge of the river bank before suddenly dropping into the water. Bridgette found herself stopping right at the edge of the Seine, losing her balance and almost falling inside hadn't Claude grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
''Bri, are you okay?'' Claude asked her, a look of concern on his expression.
''Yeah, I am, but the tickets-!'' Bridgette replied in panic, staring at the river. Unless she wanted to go diving in the murky waters of the Seine, there was no way for her to get the tickets back. ''I… I lost them… What should I do?'' Bridgette muttered, feeling her eyes watering. She looked at Allan, feeling bad for losing the tickets he had gifted her. ''I'm so sorry, Allan.''
''Hey, it's okay,'' Allan tried to comfort her, but it didn't make Bridgette feel better.
''What should we do now? Bridgette can't come to the concert with us without the tickets,'' Sophie said.
''Maybe you could ask your sister to let her in,'' Claude suggested, looking at his friend, but Allan shook his head.
''I'd love to, but no dice. I had talked to Cori about the concert and she told me there would be security to prevent people from getting inside with a ticket. Even if someone knew her, they wouldn't be allowed inside without a ticket,'' he explained.
''So, what do we do now?'' Allegra asked, with everyone falling silent.
''I won't be going.'' Claude, Sophie, Allegra and Allan looked up, staring at Bridgette, who was shaking. She felt the guilt eating her inside out, feeling like a dumbass for losing the tickets. ''You shouldn't stay behind because of a stupid mistake I had made.''
''But, it was an accident…'' Allegra noted. Bridgette shook her head.
''No, I should've kept the tickets in my purse until we got there. It's solely my fault for losing those tickets and you don't deserve to have your fun ruined because of me,'' she told them. ''Just go on, you can always take a video of the concert and show me tomorrow at school.'' She looked at them, noticing the reluctance written across their expressions. ''I'll be fine, you don't have to worry about me.''
There was a long pause before Claude said, ''Okay, but we will send you the videos we've taken of the concert.''
''Promise me to have fun,'' Bridgette replied, with everyone nodding.
''We will make sure to tell you everything in detail,'' Sophie replied, waving as she and the rest of the group walked away. Bridgette then sighed in disappointment, walking back to her home.
xXx
''Today was a complete disaster,'' Bridgette muttered. Tikki was sitting on her head, feeling bad for her holder. The two were on the balcony of Bridgette's home, with Bridgette leaning against the railing that surrounded the balcony.
''I'm sorry for what had happened…'' she said, unsure how she was supposed to comfort her. ''I should've stopped you from using the Ladybug Earrings before it was too late.''
Bridgette shook her head.
''No, what happened was still my fault. I was using the good luck charm to find Félix and while I did find him, I lost the opportunity to go out with my friends, the people that support me no matter how stupid my decisions are,'' she replied, lowering her head. ''This is just karma blowing up in my face.''
Tikki fell silent, thinking for a moment, then flew up to Bridgette, hovering in front of her.
''I think I know what is going to cheer you up,'' she told her holder. ''How about eating some cookies? We could also talk about random topics.''
''Sounds like a good idea to me,'' Bridgette told the kwami, who nodded and flew into Bridgette's room. Bridgette then turned her attention back to the street below her, trying not to think too much about her bad luck. She knew that she was smarter than this, that she shouldn't have used the Miraculous for selfish reasons, but her desire to see Félix was stronger and she didn't even care to think about the consequences. Why did I have to be so stupid?!
''What's up with the long face?''
Bridgette suddenly looked up, surprised to see Chat Noir balancing on all fours on the railing that surrounded the rooftop balcony, his tail flicking as he gave her a curious look. She didn't even hear him get here, but this might've been because of his toe beans, making him quite stealthy. She was relieved that Tikki had decided to go get cookies for both of them just before Chat Noir had arrived, as this would've been a rather awkward identity revelation.
''Chat Noir?!'' Bridgette exclaimed, being half-stunned by his appearance, half-frantic because she tried to remember whether she ever mentioned anything about herself as Ladybug. Chat Noir grinned, his ears standing up in alert.
''I see that you know my name,'' he said. Bridgette tried to act as nonchalant as possible.
''I've heard it from Ladybug,'' she explained, hoping that he would buy the story, and added, ''She sometimes passes through this area and whenever I'm on the balcony, we have a short conversation.''
''Really?'' Chat Noir was intrigued. ''I didn't expect for me to be important enough for Ladybug to mention my name in a conversation with a civilian.''
''Why would you think that? I thought that you and Ladybug are partners,'' Bridgette asked him, feeling a strange sensation in her stomach. She had realized that this would be a good opportunity to talk to Chat Noir and learn more about him without having to deal with his constant flirting whenever she was Ladybug.
''While it is true that we are partners, our relationship is more complicated than you think,'' Chat Noir told her, jumping off the railing and standing next to her. Bridgette decided to play dumb.
''What you mean? Don't tell me that you two also have something romantic going on,'' she said, giving him an intrigued look.
''N-No, we don't!'' Chat Noir quickly denied while waving his hands defensively and looking genuinely distressed. Bridgette was quite surprised, having not expected that he would actually tell her the truth. The way he had approached her as Ladybug, she thought that he would brag about his crush on her. His ears then lowered and he sighed, gazing solemnly into the distance as he leaned against the railing. ''Although, I would lie if I said that I didn't wish we had something more going on.''
Aaaaand there it is… Bridgette deadpanned. She fell silent for a moment, before saying, ''Do you want to talk?''
Chat Noir was surprised by her question and after a moment of reconsideration, he nodded.
''Well, I guess I have some spare time before the patrol, so sure,'' he said.
''Great! Could you please wait for a few minutes?'' Bridgette told him and before Chat Noir could answer, dashed back to the hatch and climbed down into her room. She saw Tikki fly up to her, looking concerned.
''Bridgette, are you sure about this?'' she whispered, fearing that Chat Noir would hear her. Having realized that he dropped by, she made the wise decision to not show herself.
''Don't worry, it's fine,'' Bridgette replied, walking towards the trapdoor and opening it. ''I actually had a few questions I wanted to ask him and this seems like a good opportunity to finally learn more about him.''
Meanwhile, Chat Noir had his own conversation with Plagg.
''Do you really think that this would work?'' Plagg asked him.
''Bridgette gave me a card that said I could talk to her about anything I want and I had decided to finally accept her offer,'' Chat Noir replied. ''I think this would be a good opportunity to finally learn why Bridgette is so obsessed with me.''
''I wish you luck, Kid,'' Plagg replied. ''You will need it.''
Chat Noir's lips curved up and he snorted at the irony. Still, Plagg was right, he'd really need some luck for this conversation.
''Hey, Chat!''
Chat Noir turned around when he heard Bridgette calling out for him, surprised to see a tray with two cups of steaming hot chocolate poking through the hatch opening. He walked over to it, stunned to see Bridgette balancing the tray with one hand while holding onto the ladder with the other and quickly took it from her.
''Thanks, but you didn't have to…'' Chat Noir started, only for Bridgette to shake her head.
''I had figured it would be better to treat you to my go-to beverage whenever I'm upset over something,'' she replied as she got on the balcony and closed the hatch behind her, taking the tray back from Chat Noir and placing it on the nearby wall before offering him a cup. ''Here you go.''
''Thank you,'' Chat Noir said as he took the cup, while Bridgette grabbed the other, sitting down and leaning against the wall, with Chat Noir sitting down next to her. ''I'm impressed by your balancing skills. If it were me, the cups would've been on the ground before I even started climbing up.''
''Thanks, but I think it's only because I'm working as a waitress in the family tea shop,'' Bridgette replied as Chat Noir took a sip of hot chocolate, feeling the warmth spreading through his body. ''Usually, I'm quite clumsy.''
''That's going to be quite difficult to prove after what I've seen,'' Chat Noir told her, with Bridgette smiling back. The two fell silent for a moment, sipping the hot chocolate, with Chat Noir wondering how to formulate his next question. Fact was, he knew that Bridgette was supposed to be at a concert with her friends tonight. ''So, why were you so upset earlier?''
''I lost the tickets a friend of mine gave me,'' Bridgette explained.
''Is there anything I could do to help you get those tickets back?'' Chat Noir asked, giving her a confident look. ''After all, I am a superhero and you obviously need help.''
''No,'' Bridgette replied quickly, then added, ''Unless you're considering diving into the Seine to pick them up.''
''Oh,'' Chat Noir stared at her in surprise, wondering how the hell Bridgette managed to drop the tickets into the Seine. Perhaps his bad luck influenced her a lot more than he thought. ''I'm sorry about that.''
''It's fine, I'm used to stuff like that happening to me,'' Bridgette replied, perking up. ''Anyways, we were talking about you earlier, weren't we?''
''Maybe, but it sounds like you're the one in need of a talk,'' Chat Noir told her.
''How about this? We can both talk about our respective issues,'' Bridgette suggested.
''Sure,'' Chat Noir replied. ''Ladies first.''
''Then, go on,'' Bridgette replied, with Chat Noir rising an eyebrow, giving her an annoyed look. Bridgette giggled mischievously. She felt quite relaxed and was in a good mood; well, good enough to mess with Chat Noir. ''Okay, okay… Anyways, the problem I have concerns a boy from my class.''
''Did he do something to you?'' Chat Noir asked worriedly, well aware that Bridgette was talking about him.
''N-No, he didn't,'' Bridgette added quickly, lowering her head. ''It's just… Well, I asked him whether he wanted to go to the concert and he rejected me.''
''I see…'' Chat Noir muttered, not missing the hurt look on Bridgette's expression. He felt a sting of guilt piercing his chest, but he kept his act up. ''Did he maybe have other plans or…?''
''No…'' Bridgette shook her head. ''At least, he didn't tell me whether he was busy or not.'' She sighed. ''However, this isn't really the first time he rejected me. I actually asked him out several times, but was always met with a stern 'No'.''
''Do you have a crush on him?'' Chat Noir asked curiously, his tail flicking. Sure, he already knew that, but he wanted to hear it from Bridgette. The girl, on the other hand, blushed furiously at the question.
''I-I do,'' she confessed. She had figured that it was quite obvious from what she had told Chat Noir. ''I mean, I kind of had a crush on him ever since I met him, but he doesn't seem to care. While Félix never insulted or hurt me in any way, he barely acknowledged me whenever I tried to talk to him and would always cut any conversation we did have short. Honestly, at this point, I'm wondering whether he hates me.'' Bridgette sighed, adding in a heavy tone. ''After what happened yesterday, I had figured that I should just leave him alone and respect his space and privacy. I tried to avoid him today, but somehow, we kept running into each other. It was really embarrassing.''
The guilt Chat Noir felt earlier only grew stronger as he observed the saddened Bridgette.
''Why do you even have crush on him? He sounds like a jerk,'' Chat Noir said, well aware that he was criticizing his civilian self. Admittedly, he also knew that he indeed behaved like a jerk, but that wasn't the point.
''I think there's more to Félix than he is willing to show,'' Bridgette replied, staring at her cup before looking up at a surprised Chat Noir. ''I was told by a classmate of mine, Amber, that his uncle is ruthless and since he's living with him, I had figured that he might need some time to open up to someone.'' She then blushed, her ahoge taking the shape of a heart. ''Admittedly, I wanted to be that person.'' She then shook her head, getting serious. ''However, that's beside the point.'' She looked up at the stunned Chat Noir. ''I don't care whether he is going to accept my feelings or not, I just want to be his friend. I want to be someone he can talk to about his problems and someone he can rely on without fearing of being judged.''
Chat Noir's ears lowered. Admittedly, he never really thought about the possibility of Bridgette being genuinely interested in becoming his friend. As a matter of fact, he never thought about actually having friends, as he was raised in an environment where he barely trusted anyone except for his own mother. He never saw a need for having friends, at least until recently, but even then, he believed that he could function without any social and emotional support. Believed being the keyword.
''Still, that's his choice,'' Bridgette continued. ''I don't want to push him into a situation he might feel uncomfortable in.''
''You really care about him, don't you,'' Chat Noir muttered in a quiet tone, with Bridgette looking up at him and nodding firmly. Chat Noir sighed, not really knowing how to reply to this.
''I think you're right,'' he eventually said. ''If he was raised in an abusive household, maybe he never considered the idea of being friends with someone and doesn't know how to act in a situation like this.'' His eyes then narrowed. ''He still sounds like a jerk to me.''
Bridgette snorted, smiling at Chat Noir. Frankly, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Talking to Chat Noir about Félix, even if it was a weird topic, certainly helped her.
''What about you and Ladybug?'' Bridgette then asked, with Chat Noir giving her an anxious look.
''To be honest…'' Chat Noir wasn't really sure how to express himself, finally deciding to just tell her the truth. ''I had confessed my feelings to Ladybug, but she rejected me.''
''Really?'' Bridgette acted surprised. ''Did you say something weird or…?''
''Well, I kind of approached her with a rose in my hand and just told her that I loved her,'' Chat Noir admitted, his tail flicking and his ears lowering. ''I guess that wasn't the best idea I had.''
''I guess that must've been quite a shock for her,'' Bridgette said, placing her cup on the ground.
''Frankly, she did say she had a bad day, so it probably added up to her rejection,'' Chat Noir continued, giving Bridgette a thoughtful look. ''Although, I have a feeling that Ladybug doesn't believe that I'm completely serious about my feelings for her.''
''How so?'' Bridgette asked curiously. While she was already aware of the answer, she had figured that it would be better to hear it from Chat Noir.
''You see, I haven't really left a good impression on her when we first met,'' Chat Noir admitted. ''I've been constantly flirting with her and lied about my powers, and I believe that she thought I was just messing with her again.''
''I see,'' Bridgette muttered, thinking about his words. However, before she could say anything, Chat Noir spoke up again.
''I do want to prove myself to her,'' he said. This time, he wasn't putting up an act. ''I want her to trust me and to know that my feeling for her are genuine.'' He sighed, his ears lowered. ''However, I don't think I know how to express myself in a proper way.''
''It seems like we are both dealing with a similar problem,'' Bridgette noted. Chat Noir nodded, feeling rather crestfallen, only to stir when Bridgette placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled. ''Although, maybe things aren't as bad as they seem to be.''
''Do you really think so?'' Chat Noir asked her hopefully, giving her a curious look. Bridgette nodded.
''I think that the issue with our approach is that we both tried to get to the end result as fast as possible without considering the other person's feelings, Félix in my case and Ladybug in yours,'' she explained. ''We were both rushing into a relationship that was already on thin ice and instead of making them happy, we made them really uncomfortable.''
''That's true,'' Chat Noir said. ''I guess that means that we should either give up on the other or wait for them to make the first move. However, it doesn't sound like Félix is going to make a move, ever.''
''Nor does it seem that Ladybug will make a move either,'' Bridgette responded. Both stared at each other, hoping for an answer, a solution to this problem.
Bridgette knew that she could easily tell Chat Noir that she was Ladybug and that he was right about her not taking him serious when he confessed his feelings to her, as well as being heartbroken due to Félix's rejection. However, she had to keep her identity a secret.
Chat Noir knew that he could simply reveal himself as Félix to Bridgette and admit that the true reason why he was after Ladybug was the curse he was stuck with, hoping for some help from her. However, he had to keep the curse a secret, not wanting to hurt her more than he already did.
He then stood up, placing the empty cup on the tray.
''I have to go now,'' he said. Bridgette also stood up, placing her empty cup on the tray. ''Thank you for the conversation, and the hot chocolate. It really helped me out a lot.''
''You know, if you ever need someone to talk to again, I'll be here,'' Bridgette told him. Chat Noir smiled, nodding.
''It's a promise,'' he told her. Bridgette watched him jump off the rooftop, vanishing into the night. She turned back to the hatch, seeing Tikki flying up to her and just smiled in response.
Meanwhile, Chat Noir was on his way to the Eiffel Tower, the meeting spot he and Ladybug agreed on. He had to admit, he felt like a huge burden was lifted off his shoulders and while he didn't have an answer to how to repair his relationship with Ladybug, he was confident that things would work out. He landed on a rooftop, gazing back at Bridgette's house, with a cunning look on his expression.
Maybe I should visit Dynastie du Lóng sometime.
