I gotta admit, this chapter could've been much longer, so I had to cut out some stuff.
Still, I hope you'll enjoy it. Note that this is a more emotion-heavy chapter, with some difficult topics that will be explored later on.
Enjoy!
Entry 16
The Storm
From behind the blue mist that makes one lost within, echoing voices sing a requiem for the living. They were seeking the faraway spirit that dwells within words for salvation from the meaning of 'blurry visions' and 'flowing tears'. The half moon illuminates the darkness; with its light that streamed in through me, it melts my heart that has been closed tight by the bewitching fear. If it comes near and embraces me, whispering a red-dyed prayer as if telling me to give in, then I would feel it instantly. The noise stopped the time, the feeling of its touch disappeared from me, I bid farewell to my future that was frightened in the shadows. Now, the spirit that dwells within words, seemingly giving in, was trembling...''
– Confutatis no Inori (Prayer of Silence) by Corpse Party Blood Covered: ...Repeated Fear
xXxXxXx
Bridgette was in her room, leaned against the pillow, head resting on her knees. She was exhausted, having just finished dinner with her grandmother and told her she would go to sleep early. However, she couldn't sleep, as she had to go on a patrol. But, the issue were the big droplets of rain pounding against her window and hatch above her bed, and the wind howling like crazy.
''I need to go…'' Bridgette muttered, despite the storm outside. She felt hollow, wanting to simply focus on the next thing she needed to do. Tikki flew up to her, preventing her from getting up.
''Wait, you can't go outside during such weather!'' Tikki told her. Bridgette gave her a tired look, her eyes red and puffy. She was still shaking. Tikki gave her a sad look. ''Bri…''
''I'm fine, Tikki, I can do this…'' Bridgette replied feebly, getting up, but Tikki interrupted her.
''Bri, I know you're sad because your mother couldn't make it, but you don't have to bottle up your feelings. Even your grandmother saw that you weren't in mood to celebrate anything or even talk,'' Tikki said. She nuzzled Bridgette. ''I understand that you miss your mother, you don't have to hide it…''
Bridgette closed her eyes, lowering her head. She felt like something was choking her, like a heavy stone was placed on her chest and she couldn't breathe. She hated that her mother, Aletta Cheng, couldn't return from London after spending months at work. She had promised her that she would return for the family gathering, but her company had denied her a free day by giving her a deadline for an important project. She told her she would be stuck there for at least another month.
As if she wasn't buried enough into her work… Bridgette didn't blame her mother for the company's actions, but she felt bitter for being unable to spend time with her.
It also didn't help that her mother had changed since the incident that occurred in their family when Bridgette was still a child; that being the main reason why Aletta had moved to London, leaving Bridgette in the care of Mei. Bridgette missed her and she would call her at times to talk to her, but it was not the same as Aletta being actually present in her daughter's life. Still, Aletta did love her daughter, but Bridgette wished that there was a way for them to spend some quality time together without any interruptions.
''Mum had promised me…'' Bridgette said, tears flowing down her cheeks. ''She promised… Especially after Dad…'' She choked up, unable to finish the sentence. She fell down on her knees, too weak to move.
''Bri… I'm so sorry…'' Tikki said, gazing compassionately at her holder. She wished that she could help her somehow, but there was nothing she could do.
Bridgette took a few sharp breaths, wiping her tears with the back of her hand and forced herself to get up. A determined look formed on her expression, with Tikki looking stunned. Bridgette looked up at the hatch, clenching her fists.
''I… I don't want to think about this anymore. I want to leave…'' she said, glancing at Tikki.
''In this weather?!'' Tikki protested, but Bridgette had already made up her mind.
''I need to get out or else I'll go crazy if I stay confined here much longer,'' she told the kwami. ''I just feel like I cannot breathe.''
''I understand,'' Tikki replied reluctantly. She then offered her a weak smile. ''Even though I disagree about going outside under these conditions, I want to make sure that you'll feel better.''
''Thanks,'' Bridgette replied, then closed her eyes, brushing with her finger across the earring. ''Tikki, transform me!''
After the bright flash of red dimmed, Ladybug climbed up to the hatch, opening it. Her balcony was completely soaked, but luckily, she had a canopy placed over the hatch so it wouldn't rain into her room. She quickly got out and closed the hatch, turning towards the storm. For a moment, she felt quite reluctant, not wanting to step into the rain and darkness, but she didn't feel like she could return back to the warmth of her room. If she wanted peace, she needed to leave.
Ladybug took a deep breath and ran into the cold darkness.
xXx
''There is no way you're going to convince me to go outside during such weather!'' Plagg told Félix as the two stood on the upper level of Félix's room in front of the balcony, staring at the storm outside. Félix crossed his arms.
''I don't want to go outside either, but if Ladybug's there…'' he trailed off, lowering his head.
''I don't think Ladybug would be so crazy to go out on a patrol during a storm like this,'' Plagg said.
''For all we know, she may have done that,'' Félix replied, looking through the balcony door. ''After all, Ladybug is dedicated to her role as a hero and she wouldn't want to miss out on a patrol.'' He then glanced at Plagg, a look of concern on his expression. ''Besides, she might've thought that I'm already on patrol and went to get me.''
''That's a problem,'' Plagg muttered. There was a moment of silence between the two, with Félix sighing.
''We'll wait until the storm wanes, then we'll leave,'' he said. ''With my luck, I might slip off a building and break my neck.'' He fell silent for a moment. ''I want to help Ladybug, but I don't know whether I can take any risks under these conditions.''
''Always the careful one…'' Plagg muttered, humming as he settled on Félix's shoulder. ''I hope things will go well for both of you.''
xXx
''This was an awful idea. I hate my life!'' Ladybug cried as she fought through the storm. She barely saw anything, being forced to rely on her good luck charm to make sure she didn't fall off a buildings. She jumped onto a roof, the wind blowing at her and the rain droplets hitting hard, almost causing her to slide of a rooftop. Her ahoge was frizzled and she waved with her hands wildly, jumping back on the top of the sloped roof.
''Aaagh, this was so close!'' she cried, falling on her knees in relief. She was shielded by a chimney stack, but the weather was still awful. ''I can't see anything.''
''Ladybug, please, go back home!'' Tikki pleaded with her. ''You cannot complete your patrol in this weather.''
''I know…'' Ladybug closed her eyes, shivering when the wind picked up. She was glad that it wasn't hailing, as the rain was already bad enough. ''No wonder Chat Noir didn't show up. He would hate it out here.''
''I know that this isn't the right time to ask you, but did being outside help you in any way?'' Tikki asked.
''Well, it forces me to focus on the matter at hand, so I guess you could call it a success,'' Ladybug replied, smiling bitterly. ''I'll try to find shelter and then, after the rain stops, return home.''
''Sounds like a good plan,'' Tikki replied. Ladybug squinted as she tried to figure out where a good shelter would be. She could see a huge white building not too far from her, spotting a balcony sticking out on the side. She ran across the rooftop, managing to leap across and land on the balcony.
''Now, to wait out the storm,'' Ladybug murmured, hugging herself as she tried to warm herself up. She closed her eyes. She was soaked, she was tired and she was miserable. This can't get worse…
''Ladybug?''
Ladybug froze when she heard the balcony door behind her open, her eyes widening in shock when she saw Félix staring at her. For a moment, it felt like her brain just melted, but then the alarms started blaring. Out of all places, I just had to end up here!
''I-I'm sorry, I didn't want to intrude!'' Ladybug quickly apologized, panicking. ''I was just taking shelter from the storm!''
Félix blinked, still stunned to see her. Ladybug felt her anxiety growing, realizing that she looked completely pathetic. What she didn't know was that Félix was actually having the same type of brain meltdown as she had a moment earlier, having no idea how to respond to this. Despite his relatively calm expression, he was freaking out inside.
What is she doing here?!
''Uh, um… I guess I should leave…'' Ladybug muttered, facing the storm.
''Don't!'' Félix was just as surprised as Ladybug when he heard himself blurting this out. Both stared at each other for a moment, before Félix quickly collected himself. ''I-I mean, come inside. I'll get you something to dry yourself with.''
''Okay,'' Ladybug mumbled, nodding, and stepped inside. Water was dripping from the tips of her pigtails and she didn't dare to go further inside the room as she didn't want to soak anything else.
Meanwhile, Félix went down to the bathroom, grabbing a towel and trying to figure out how to proceed with this situation. The last thing he had expected was for Ladybug to take shelter at the Agreste mansion, more specifically, his balcony. Still, it confirmed his theory that she would go out even during a storm like this. He had to wonder whether she was searching for him, that is, Chat Noir. Fortunately, these questions were easy to answer.
''Here, you can dry yourself with his,'' Félix said as he returned back to the top floor and threw the towel towards Ladybug. Ladybug caught it.
''Thank you,'' she said, placing it over her shoulders and dried her hair as much as she could. As she dried herself, she tried to quickly process all the information she as Ladybug should know. I, as Ladybug, shouldn't know Félix's name. To Ladybug, he is just another civilian. Keep it cool. She gazed at Félix, trying to keep a calm expression. ''I… I don't think we met each other before.''
''Right, I didn't introduce myself,'' Félix said as he quickly caught on. ''The name is Félix Agreste.''
''And I'm Ladybug, although you already knew that,'' Ladybug replied, smiling a little as she rubbed the back of her head. ''I don't really consider myself that famous, though.''
''It appears that the news reporters are trying to make you famous,'' Félix noted, deciding to go for the attack. ''Speaking of which, don't you have a partner?''
''Yeah, I do,'' Ladybug replied, glancing back at the storm. ''Although, I guess Chat Noir had figured it would be way better to wait out the storm than go on a patrol when the weather is this awful.'' She tilted her head as she gave Félix a sheepish look. ''I don't blame him, though. I regret getting out during a storm like this.''
''I see…'' Félix muttered. He was secretly relieved that Ladybug wasn't angry at him for not showing up. ''So, why were you outside? You appear to be quite dedicated to your job.''
''I am, but that's not the whole story,'' Ladybug replied, sighing tiredly. Félix gazed at her curiously, wondering how he should proceed. She was currently stuck at his place and technically, they were strangers, which meant that things would be a little awkward between them.
Perhaps, I should try to get to know her as a civilian. Although, I doubt she would tell me much. Félix's eyes narrowed as he observed Ladybug, who was still busy drying herself. There is absolutely no way I could get her to remove the curse, but I could try to learn more about her. However, I need to be careful of what I'm telling her, or she might connect the dots. Then, there's the possibility that we actually know each other as civilians. He paused for a moment, quickly shaking off that thought and and stepped back, gesturing at his room. ''You can stay here for a while. Make yourself comfortable.''
''Thank you,'' Ladybug replied, stepping inside. Her hair was still wet, but the suit itself seemed to be water-repellant. That's good to know for the future.
As she walked through the top floor, placing the towel back around her shoulders, raising an eyebrow when she realized that Félix's room was huge, or at least, bigger than her room. It had two floors, with a staircase leading to the upper level that was Félix's private library. Meanwhile, the lower level had a bed, a desk with a computer, access to a bathroom and another door which she assumed to be a closet next to a full-length mirror, a couch and a TV, as well as a few shelves filled with books, notebooks and miscellaneous stuff like figurines. There were also a few photo frames on the desk.
Curious, Ladybug walked up to one of the photos and took a closer look at it, realizing that it was of Félix and a woman who looked a lot like him, both smiling at the camera. She had blonde hair and green eyes just like her son, albeit her hair was a bit lighter and her eyes were less saturated than Félix's. She also looked vaguely familiar.
''That woman…''
''That's my mother,'' Félix said, looking away for a moment. He appeared to be quite uncomfortable, which Ladybug quickly caught on.
''I-I didn't mean to…'' she stuttered, but Félix shook his head.
''It's fine,'' he said, gazing at the photo. ''Her name is Michelle Agreste. You might know her.''
''Michelle Agreste, let's see…'' Ladybug muttered as she tried to remember why this woman was so familiar. Then, it hit her. ''Ah, you mean the actress?''
''You're correct,'' Félix said, leaning against the table. ''My mother and I used to live in London, where she worked as an actress.''
He observed Ladybug's expression, noticing the look of interest she gave him.
''I actually watched a few of her movies. My favorite was Agent of the Night. If I recall correctly, she usually starred in mystery and thriller movies in the lead role. Her acting skills are just superb,'' Ladybug said. Félix smiled, feeling warmth spreading inside his chest after hearing that Ladybug out of all people was praising his mother. But then, Ladybug's expression changed and she lowered her head. ''Although, I haven't heard from her lately.''
''That's because…'' Félix lowered his head, clenching his fist as old memories started to resurface. He shivered, sighing. ''That's because she died two years ago due to a terminal illness.''
''I'm so sorry for your loss,'' Ladybug said, feeling bad for Félix. She understood well what it meant to lose a loved one. ''That's just awful.''
''It is also the reason why I moved in with my uncle,'' Félix added, crossing his arms. He frowned. ''I didn't really have any other choice. It was always just me and my mother, so after she was gone, my uncle took me in.''
''You don't like your uncle, do you?'' Ladybug said. Félix glanced at her.
''I don't,'' he said, lowering his gaze. ''Although, I have my reasons for hating him.''
Both of them fell silent, with Ladybug wishing that she didn't bring up Félix's family situation. She felt awful for having him remember something so horrible. She feebly reached out for him, but then remembered that Félix wasn't the kind of person who liked physical contact, so she lowered her arm. She wanted to comfort him, yet she couldn't. Why did I have to snoop around?! I'm such an idiot!
On the other hand, Félix, who would usually welcome the silence, wanted to continue their conversation, no matter the topic. He wanted to keep talking to Ladybug, just to hear her thoughts. A moment later, he realized that this desire was something Chat Noir would want, not Félix. That's ridiculous! I am Chat Noir! Still, he knew that he couldn't really act like Chat Noir in front of Ladybug. What should I do?
Unknown to them, Plagg was floating on the top floor, realizing that this situation was going nowhere and decided to cause some mischief to get them to interact again. Grinning, he flew up to the bookshelves and started to pull the books out, letting them land on the floor with a hard thud. Both Ladybug and Félix looked up as they heard the noise.
''What was that?'' Ladybug said, while Félix already ran up the stairs. His eyes narrowed as he saw Plagg waving at him and then quickly flying between the bookshelves and hiding as Ladybug arrived. Félix turned to Ladybug with an exasperated look.
''It seems like some of the books fell out. I guess I didn't place them properly,'' he told her, then walked over to the books, picking one up.
''Wait, I'll help you,'' Ladybug said as she picked another book up. ''I have to say, you really have an impressive library.''
''Thanks,'' Félix replied, smiling briefly, only to notice Ladybug gazing warmly at him. He stared at her for a moment, realizing that the look she gave him was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't really put a finger on it. ''Is something wrong?''
''Ah, uh, no!'' Ladybug quickly shook her head, then smiled. ''It's just… It's nice to see you smile.''
''Really?'' Félix stared at her, a bit stunned. Then it hit him when he realized why the look she gave him was so familiar. No, not now!
''Are you okay?'' Ladybug asked, noticing Félix tightening his grip on the book he was holding.
''Yeah, albeit I'm a bit exhausted,'' Félix replied, placing the book back on its shelf. Ladybug's ahoge drooped and she lowered her head. ''Also, don't beat yourself over the earlier conversation. It's in the past now and there's nothing that can be changed about what happened. I'm already used to it.''
''Oh, I-I see,'' Ladybug said, still looking nervous. Félix rose an eyebrow. Admittedly, he didn't really see Ladybug acting like this. Sure, she had her moments of self-doubt and paranoia, but being so anxious around him was different. Was she really that afraid of offending him or hurting him? Why? Félix furrowed a brow when he picked up a copy of his favorite book.
''Say, have you ever read The Firefly series?'' he asked, turning to Ladybug. She shook her head. Félix smirked as he realized that he actually got some fuel for a normal conversation. He gave the copy to Ladybug. ''You really should, the book is quite interesting.''
''Really?'' Ladybug, feeling quite relieved about the new topic, asked, ''What is it about?''
''It's a mystery novel about Detective Evan Hunter and Phantom Thief Kaori Williams, also known as Phantom Thief Hotaru or Kaitou Hotaru,'' Félix said. ''The basic plot is that of Detective Hunter seeking out Kaitou Hotaru and trying to stop her from stealing valuable or magical items, while at the same time not knowing that his assistant Kaori Williams is the elusive Phantom Thief. They also work together at times, facing all kinds of opponents. While the narrative might feel repetitive at times, as Detective Hunter tends to often get close to solving the mystery behind Kaitou Hotaru's identity, it is actually well-written and quite suspenseful.''
''To be honest, it kind of sounds like a situation I'm dealing with currently,'' Ladybug admitted, giving Félix a sheepish look. ''Chat Noir and I are also on the hunt for a Phantom Thief named Belladonna.''
''That's interesting,'' Félix said, tilting his head slightly. ''Perhaps your case could give me some fuel for my stories.''
''You write?'' Ladybug was surprised. Félix nodded.
''I've written a few stories,'' he said. ''I could show them to you, if you don't mind.''
''Sure,'' Ladybug replied excitedly. The two walked downstairs, both feeling content. It seemed that, even though their meeting had an awkward start, things were improving.
xXx
''Huh?'' Ladybug looked up at the window, realizing that the storm had stopped. She stood up, with Félix following her gaze. She then looked back to him. ''I have to go now.''
''Okay,'' Félix replied, glancing at the clock on his smartphone.
He and Ladybug had spent nearly an hour talking about The Dragonfly books, as well as Félix's stories, with Ladybug praising each and every of them, despite Félix commenting how some were rather weakly written. She also kept him asking about the characters and the many plot points, noting just how passionate Félix was about his favorite book series. It warmed her heart to see him this happy. The two walked up to the upper floor, with Ladybug turning one last time back to him.
''Thank you for letting me stay here,'' she said.
''Please, it is no big deal,'' Félix replied, feeling completely relaxed. He wished that she would stay longer with him, but he knew that that wasn't possible. Still, it seemed that Ladybug was indeed a bit reluctant about leaving. He gave her a questioning look as she walked up to him. ''Is something wrong?''
''You know, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be there for you,'' Ladybug told him, smiling warmly. Félix's eyes widened and a part of him wanted to thank her, but he then suddenly got reminded of someone else.
Still, I will be there for you if you need someone who'd listen to you.
''Good night,'' Ladybug said as she waved and exited onto the balcony, leaping into the night. Félix shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, feeling weird for some reason. A strange warmth was flowing through his body.
''Well, it seems like you missed your opportunity to get that kiss,'' Plagg said as he flew up to him. Félix gave him an annoyed look.
''I wasn't going to ask her to kiss me,'' he told the kwami, then glanced back at the balcony. ''Still, seeing her like this…'' He looked down, clenching his fists. A strange sense of doubt lingered in his chest, but he let his next decision wash over it. ''Never mind, we should leave to.''
''Why? Didn't Ladybug make it clear that she thinks that you wouldn't be outside during a storm?'' Plagg asked.
''It's not just Ladybug,'' Félix told him. ''I still need to visit Bridgette.''
''Wait, Bridgette? Why?'' Plagg asked, a little baffled by Félix's decision.
''I just want to check on her, especially after what happened today,'' Félix replied. Plagg cast him a doubtful look. Félix's eyes narrowed. ''You know, I can feel sympathy for people. I'm not made out of stone.''
''Okay, you convinced me,'' Plagg said in a chipper tone. Félix rolled his eyes, feeling that the kwami was just messing with him.
''Right.'' Félix held up his hand, brushing with his fingers across the ring. ''Plagg, transform me!''
xXx
''Tikki, detransform me,'' Ladybug said, a bright flash of red light enveloping her as she jumped through the hatch onto her bed. Her hair was thankfully completely dry and it didn't appear that she would suffer from a cold… At least, that's what she hoped for.
Bridgette stretched her arms, with Tikki hovering next to her. ''Won't you meet up with Chat Noir?''
''No, I don't think so,'' Bridgette replied. ''Today's patrol was a bust, but still, it wasn't that bad. I mean, I got to spend some time with Félix, even if it was by total coincidence.''
''Who knows, maybe your good luck charm was what allowed you to end up at his place,'' Tikki suggested.
''It is possible,'' Bridgette said, crossing her arms as her expression changed to a look of concern. ''However, I'm worried that I may have overused it and that I might end up with more bad luck.''
Tikki stared at Bridgette worriedly, only for both of them to suddenly hear a knock on the hatch. While Tikki quickly hid away, Bridgette climbed up, surprised to see Chat Noir staring through the hatch at her, smiling widely.
''Hey, Bri, do you have a moment?'' he asked. Bridgette opened the hatch, noticing that Chat Noir was crouching on the balcony.
''Sure, do you want to come inside?'' Bridgette asked him, with Chat Noir nodding. She then climbed down, with Chat Noir following her, closing the hatch behind him.
He then looked curiously around, as he had never before been in Bridgette's room. It was rather small in comparison to his own bedroom, but Bridgette made sure to use all of the space. Her bed was right below the hatch, with the ladder on the bottom, fixed to the ceiling and floor, and there was a bookshelf and posters hanging next to it, as well as a bunch of huge pillows on the bed, with a lamp fixed to the window next to the bed. Beside the bed was a small coffee table with a pink cushion on the floor and next to the window was a drawer. Across the bed was a small area with a work desk, where Bridgette's laptop and tablet were, along with a huge pinboard with drawings on it. On the other end of the room was a mirror, a trunk and a trapdoor, with Chat Noir assuming that it led downstairs. The room certainly had a cozy feeling to it.
''What did you want to talk about?'' Bridgette asked. Chat Noir turned to her, observing her carefully. She appeared to be fine, if rather tired.
''I just wanted to check on you,'' he said. Bridgette tilted her head, placing her hands on her hips, puzzled.
''That's nice of you, but I'm fine,'' she said.
''Are you completely sure?'' Chat Noir asked, only for Bridgette to raise an eyebrow. He panicked a little, but quickly collected himself. Bridgette didn't know that neither Félix nor Chat Noir were aware of what happened that day, so he needed to come up with a good excuse. ''I meant, I just had this weird feeling and I wanted to make sure that you're fine.''
''That's really sweet of you Chat, but…'' Bridgette trailed off, lowering her gaze. It felt like something was gripping her heart and lungs, not allowing her to breathe. Sure, while spending time with Félix was a nice distraction, she never really got around to sort her feelings out.
''You know, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you.''
Bridgette looked up suddenly, her eyes wide in surprise. It didn't help that what Chat Noir told her sounded eerily similar to what she had told Félix. She thought about it for a moment, aware that she needed to talk to someone. She needed to follow her own advice.
''It's… It's a lot to process…'' she said in a quiet tone.
''I have the whole night for this,'' Chat Noir told her warmly. Bridgette nodded and sat down on her bed, leaning against the pillows, while Chat Noir sat across her, giving her some breathing space. Still, before she began, she gave him a curious look.
''What about Ladybug?'' she asked. ''I thought you two would be on a patrol tonight?''
''I…'' Chat Noir was caught off guard. ''I doubt the patrol is going to happen, especially after the storm we had.''
''I see,'' Bridgette muttered, having already figured out that this was the reason why Chat Noir was nowhere to be found.
''So, what is bothering you?'' Chat Noir asked.
''Well…'' Bridgette lowered her head, reaching for a pillow and placing it into her lap. ''Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, and it's a big deal in my culture. It's the day when families gather and celebrate, but I got yesterday a call from my mother, who told me that she wouldn't be able to attend because she was too busy with her work. It was quite a shocker, especially since she had promised that she would be here.''
''Where does she work?'' Chat Noir asked.
''She's works at a fashion company in London,'' Bridgette replied. ''I haven't seen her in ages.''
''Is her job really that demanding?'' Chat Noir asked, feeling sorry for Bridgette. He understood well what she was going through.
''I guess so… But, it's something I got used to,'' Bridgette said, pausing for a moment and contemplating whether she should tell Chat Noir the whole truth. She looked up at him, noticing the kind and patient look in his eyes. Finally, she broke. ''It's… It's because of my Dad…'' She felt her eyes tearing up as old memories started to resurface, memories she wished would remain forgotten. ''He died in a car crash when I was 8 years old.''
Chat Noir's eyes widened in pure shock as Bridgette started to cry, but he remained silent. He knew that she needed to vent and he would be there for her if she needed someone to comfort her. As for Bridgette, she took a deep breath, trying to continue.
''Y-You see, this place wasn't always a tea shop. It actually used to be a bakery managed by my parents,'' she said. She could still sense it, the scent of baked pastries as she would admire the various products her parents would bring to the front counter. It felt like magic to her. ''It was amazing, and my Dad was the best baker ever. He even taught me how to make some of the more simple pastries.'' Bridgette smiled at the memory of her and her father, Lucas, being covered in flour as they tried to complete the strawberry brioche, both laughing. Then, a cold feeling washed over her and she clutched the pillow like her life depended on it. ''When the car crash happened, we were invited to a wedding of my Dad's friend, and my parents promised they would make a wedding cake for them as a gift. That day, Dad drove ahead with the wedding cake in the back of his truck, and Mum and I were supposed to arrive later…''
No matter how much she tried to forget it, Bridgette still remembered every detail of that dreadful day, shivering as her mind flashed back to the memory. She remembered swaying on her feet, waiting for Aletta to finish tying the ribbons in her pigtails. Lucas went already ahead to deliver the wedding cake and she and her mother would meet up with him at the wedding. Bridgette herself was particularly excited to show off her new dress to her father and the fact that there would be a lot of children she could play with at the wedding.
''Maman, when are we leaving?'' Bridgette asked her mother impatiently after the latter was done with her daughter's hair and was combing her own.
''Soon, mon chou,'' Aletta replied, taking a look at the mirror as she continued combing her hair. ''Papa said that he would call us when he arrives.''
''I can't wait!'' Bridgette replied excitedly. Suddenly, the telephone rang and Aletta went to answer it, while Bridgette sat on the couch, waiting for her mother to be done with the call.
''Hello? Dupain-Cheng residence, Aletta speaking,'' Aletta said, listening to the caller. Bridgette stood up on the couch, gazing over it and looking curiously at her mother. She wondered whether it was her father who had called. Aletta just nodded, as if answering a question from the caller. ''Yes, I am. Did something happen to Lucas?''
Suddenly, all colour drained from her face, her eyes widening in pure shock as she listened to the caller. Sensing that something was wrong, Bridgette walked up to her mother, pulling at her dress pants.
''Maman, what's wrong?'' Bridgette asked, but it seemed that Aletta didn't hear her. ''Did something happen? What's wrong? Was that Papa?''
Aletta seemingly didn't hear her, as she kept answering the caller's questions, her eyes tearing. She then placed the telephone back and fell on her knees, crying. Panicking, Bridgette grabbed Aletta's arm, tears flowing down her cheeks.
''Maman, what happened?! Maman, was that Papa? Maman!''
Aletta only cried harder, hugging her daughter.
''P-Papa… He won't return home. Never,'' she whispered, crying as she stroke Bridgette's head, hugging her tightly. Bridgette froze, feeling a sudden sense of dread growing inside her. Something broke inside her as her young mind realized what that meant.
Something shattered.
''Bridgette…'' Chat Noir's voice was weak, wishing he could offer words of comfort, but Bridgette shook her head, continuing her tale.
''That day, we found out that a drunk driver rammed into Dad's vehicle and completely crushed him. He was dead on the spot,'' Bridgette said. ''Mum was never the same again. She closed the bakery, feeling that it reminded her too much of Dad, and even changed our surname from Dupain-Cheng back to Cheng. She got herself several jobs over the time until she moved to London, and even then she would always work long hours, barely spending time with me. That's also why I'm living now with my grandmother.'' She swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. ''I know that this was her way of grieving, but as time moved on, we drifted apart.'' She dug her nails into the pillow. ''Don't get me wrong, she still loves me and I love her and I want to spend time with her, but nothing has been the same anymore. Both our lives have been destroyed that day and it feels like we would never be able to recover from it.''
''Is this why you keep smiling despite the pain you feel?''
Bridgette looked up, stunned when she heard Chat Noir's question. His expression was a mix of sympathy and concern. It felt as if he understood exactly what she was going through. Bridgette fell silent, simply nodding in acknowledgment.
''The only one who knows the entire story is Claude,'' Bridgette added, wiping her tears. ''I never told Sophie, Allegra or Allan all the details.'' She looked up to Chat Noir. ''And now, you know.''
''I'm so sorry for your loss,'' Chat Noir said, feeling bad for Bridgette. ''It must've been awful for you to go through all of that.''
''It's okay… I can handle it,'' Bridgette replied, taking a deep breath. ''I didn't want to bother you with that stuff.''
''Bridgette, you know that you are allowed to grieve, right?'' Chat Noir said, his eyes narrowing, with Bridgette staring at him in silence. ''You are allowed to feel these kinds of emotions rather than hide them. Trust me, you aren't bothering me with this. This is the reason why I'm here.''
''Chat, thank you…'' Bridgette said, her voice still weak. ''I… I think I just need more time.''
''Well, I'm not going anywhere,'' Chat Noir replied, sitting down closer to her. ''I want to help you, so if it takes being here until you feel better, I'm fine with it.''
To his surprise, Bridgette hugged him, burying her head into his chest. She was still shaking, tears flowing down her pale cheeks. Chat Noir wasn't sure how react at first, but then he hugged her tightly. While he wasn't a fan of physical contact, he knew that Bridgette needed it. He wanted her to feel better and damned if he didn't keep his word.
After a few minutes of silence, Bridgette stopped shaking and calmed down. She still refused to let go of Chat Noir, staying leaned against him. Chat Noir didn't mind, focusing instead on comforting her. He couldn't help but think about his earlier interaction with Ladybug and how she looked at him when he told her about the death of his mother. For a brief moment, it seemed like Ladybug wanted to embrace him and comfort him, but didn't. He understood why she acted like that, probably fearing that she would make things worse. He was quite thankful for her restraint.
Eventually, Bridgette let go of him and smiled, her smile genuine.
''Thank you,'' she said, getting up and walking over to the desk. Chat Noir stood up as well, tilting his head as he wondered what she was up to. Bridgette then walked back while holding a plastic bag filled with mooncakes. ''I kept these for you in case you'd show up. You know, you're not the only one with that weird feeling.''
''Uh, I.. Thanks,'' Chat Noir replied, taking the bag. Admittedly, he couldn't tell her that he had already eaten the mooncakes she brought him earlier at school. Still, there was something he missed out on. He took a mooncake out and took a bite out of it. ''This is amazing! Did you bake those?''
''I actually helped my grandmother out,'' Bridgette said.
''You know, I think your father would be proud of you,'' Chat Noir told her. Bridgette was taken aback by his comment, but then nodded.
''I'm sure he would.''
xXx
After saying goodbye to Bridgette, Chat Noir found himself roaming across the rooftops of Paris, his tail firmly tied around the bag of mooncakes. It turned out that it was quite useful for other things, aside from balancing. He contemplated whether he would return to the mansion, but then decided against, finding instead a dry spot on a building and sitting down. He placed the bag with the mooncakes in his lap and took one out, taking a bite out of it and stared at the clear night sky and the bright moon above him.
For a while, he just enjoyed the silence, feeling quite exhausted. He was surprised that Plagg didn't comment on anything, but he figured that the kwami understood that he needed a moment for himself. The conversations he had today were more tiring than any of the battles he fought before. Still, he persisted, feeling a little hollow, yet sensing that he gained a lot today. However, he wasn't really sure what to make of it. He knew that he was just too tired to think through everything properly.
It is strange, though… Before, I really disliked the idea of being around Bridgette and now, I just want to see her smile.
