Here's the second part. The title might be a bit random, though. There will also be a part three to conclude this mini-arc.
Thank you all for your support and I hope you're gonna enjoy the chapter! X3
Entry 20
Hotaru
''In the midst of the wet season, today after the rain a lukewarm wind blows through the quiet night streets; Summer draws near. Shining with light, it steals my gaze. I want to hold it, I want to try touching it. You are just like this firefly. Are you ready? I still want to look; Are you ready? At that heart. I can't tell how you feel. The more I want the more it hurts. Even so I could never hate you…''
– Hotaru by Maiko Fujita (Nightcore)
xXxXxXx
Bridgette had joined her friends just as Carmilla was leaving, looking back briefly at her before asking them, ''Where is Carmilla going to?''
''She said she lost a pendant that her mother had sent her and wanted to search for it,'' Allan explained.
''We asked her whether she needs helps searching for it, but she declined,'' Sophie added quickly, intercepting Bridgette's next question.
''I see,'' Bridgette muttered as she sat down. ''I hope no one else had picked it up. It would suck for her to lose it.''
''Speaking of which, how did your conversation with Félix go?'' Allegra asked.
''We just asked each other a couple of questions and exchanged our phone numbers,'' Bridgette replied.
''I'm surprised that Agreste wants to talk to you in the first place,'' Claude said, then quickly added after realizing how it sounded, ''I mean, he doesn't really talk to anyone.''
''Well, he would talk to us a few times at school,'' Allan pointed out. Allegra snorted.
''That's just because we were having a conversation right behind him,'' she said.
''It's not like his advice wasn't reasonable,'' Bridgette said.
''So, what do you plan to do about it? Are you just going to call Félix and ask him to hang out with you or…?'' Sophie trailed off.
''I think I'll let him do the first step. If he wants to talk or hang out with me, he now has the means to communicate with me. If not, that's fine with me,'' Bridgette replied. While her friends seemed to be fine with the response, Claude cast a look of doubt at her. Bridgette caught on, giving him a question look in return.
''Bri, could we talk for a moment, in private?'' Claude finally asked her. Bridgette nodded.
''Sure.''
Both got up, noting the curious looks Sophie, Allan and Allegra were giving them, but none of the three asked them anything. There was an unspoken rule in the group that they wouldn't pry into private matter unless either party was willing to talk. Bridgette and Claude were standing further away from the group, making sure they couldn't hear them, with Claude taking a moment to form the question in his head. He hated the fact that Carmilla's voice was still ringing in his ears. He quickly shook it off.
''What did you want to talk about?'' Bridgette asked.
''It is about Agreste,'' Claude said. He knew that there was no way for Carmilla to be correct about the possibility of Bridgette ditching her friends for Félix, but there was something else that was bothering him. ''I'm a little worried that he might start taking advantage of you.''
''I doubt that Félix would take advantage of me,'' Bridgette responded. She understood well that Claude was still worried that Félix would do or say something that would hurt her and he was adamant about protecting her from any harm. ''Trust me, I don't want anything like that happening either.''
Claude observed her calmly, noting that Bridgette carried herself with an air of serene confidence. He smiled, ''I know you wouldn't let that happen to you.''
''There is a 'but', though, isn't it?'' Bridgette said, giving him a knowing look.
''Unfortunately, yeah…'' Claude replied in an awkward tone. ''I just can't bring myself to trust Agreste.''
''Then, how would you approach him?'' Bridgette asked him curiously after a moment of contemplation. Claude blinked, a bit confused, only to catch on a second later. He crossed his arms, thinking about the possibilities.
''I guess I could try to talk to him alone and ask him about his intentions. Basically, trying to get a feel for him, maybe by reading his body language if I can't figure out his emotions. You know that I'm good at that.''
''Oh, I know that. You always won at charades.'' Bridgette smiled.
''Anyways, I just want to see for myself what kind of guy he is,'' Claude continued. ''I know I can trust your judgement, it wouldn't hurt to have an outside perspective, right?''
''Right, but I don't think Félix would like the idea of having to talk to you too,'' Bridgette replied, pausing for a moment. ''You know, the best course of action would be for me to be his friend first. I'm the closest to him and if he feels comfortable with it, I'll suggest to him to talk to you.''
''Sounds like a good idea,'' Claude agreed.
He had to admit that, for all his antagonistic attitude towards Félix, he never really thought of getting to know him better. All he wanted to do was to keep Bridgette safe from harm and give her advice on how to handle such situations. However, maybe he too could become more involved, trying to learn more about Félix. If Bridgette went out of her way to defend him and hang out with him, then she had a good reason for that.
Claude took a deep breath and then nodded, ''Okay, you can tell Agreste to talk to me when he is ready. Don't worry, it'll be a nice, long conversation; something just to clear things up.''
''Just don't mess with him,'' Bridgette said in a more serious tone, narrowing her eyes as she stared at Claude. He may have acted like an overprotective brother now, but she knew that, at heart, he was a quite mischievous individual. If he believed that Félix did something wrong, he wouldn't be above pranking him as a form of payback.
''I can't say that I'll be able to promise anything like that,'' Claude said as they returned to the table, with Bridgette rising an eyebrow when she saw the sly grin on his face.
Shaking her head, Bridgette just hummed in response, feeling a bit of annoyance, but also relief. She had to note just how different it was to talk to Claude in comparison to Félix. The two were complete polar opposites, with Félix being aloof and reclusive, thriving when he was on his own; while Claude was outgoing and friendly, mischievous, but well-meaning. Admittedly, she couldn't imagine interacting them without there being a lot of tension between the two, but she hoped that things would work out as long as they keep an open mind.
She also hoped that this wasn't just wishful thinking on her part.
As she sat down and ordered a cup of tea, Bridgette's mind wandered over to another individual who could be described as Félix's opposite – Chat Noir. Chat Noir was expressive, wild, a bit of a jokester and very direct with his feelings. She was aware that he probably still had a crush on her as Ladybug and that he considered her his friend as Bridgette. If he had issues, she was the first person he would talk to and seek advice from. They even improved as a team and Bridgette had to admit that she loved the quiet moments between them. She loved the idea of taking time to relax after a patrol and just talk to Chat Noir about random stuff.
Bridgette then joined in on the conversation with her friends, with Carmilla appearing a few minutes later. ''Hey, guys, I found it!''
''Really?'' Allegra looked happy as Carmilla sat down next to her, taking a pendant in the shape of a rose bouquet out. ''Wow, that looks amazing!''
''That looks so cute,'' Bridgette said as Carmilla passed the pendant around for the group to take a look at it.
''Cute and special,'' Carmilla replied, taking the pendant back from Sophie. ''So, what did I miss?''
xXx
Félix was walking aimlessly through the museum, not even paying attention to his surroundings. He was still shaken up a bit due to his conversation with Carmilla. His own feelings were a complete mess as he tried to regain control over them. He glanced down at his ring, noting the faint glow on it and feeling his heart skip a beat.
No, not now!
If he lost control of his bad luck, things would get only worse for sure. He covered his hand with the palm of the other hand and looked around, sensing the panic slowly rising inside him. He needed to get out before his own bad luck affected someone. He walked out of the room, trying to ignore the weird looks some of the visitors were giving him. At this point, what was important was for him to get out of this place.
Unfortunately, it appeared that this won't be so easy, as he found his way towards the very same café Bridgette and her friends were at. He froze as he saw them, only to breathe when he realized that they hadn't noticed him. Realizing that he really needed to take some time to calm down and recover, he figured that he would just sit down as far away as possible from them. However, bad luck once again would strike when he attempted to walk over to the table that was on the far side of the café, only to see two girls taking it. It didn't help that the other tables were also occupied, with the only free place being at Bridgette's table due to her friends having pushed two of them together so they could sit together, resulting in an empty spot. To make things worse, the empty spot was between Bridgette and Allan, meaning he would have to sit next to her.
As Félix contemplated whether he should leave or not, he saw Bridgette noticing him. Her eyes widened in surprise and, curiously, joy, her mouth opening slightly, as if to say something. However, instead of drawing attention to his presence, she just turned to Allegra, continuing the conversation with her. Félix felt relief for a moment, having figured that Bridgette wanted to give him the chance to leave if he was uncomfortable with the situation, but unfortunately for him, Claude spotted him.
''Hey, Agreste!''
Everyone followed Claude's gaze, Bridgette being the only one feeling pity for him. Félix, on the other hand, just wanted to disappear. He could handle being around Bridgette, but he didn't want to put up with her friends unless it was as Chat Noir. However, it seemed like he wouldn't be able to escape this situation. Instead, he approached the group, waiting for their questions.
''I thought you had left,'' Claude remarked. ''Do you want to join us?''
While Sophie, Allan, Allegra, Bridgette and even Carmilla were surprised by Claude's offer, Félix gave him a suspicious look. However, he then shrugged and sat between Bridgette and Allan, feeling rather uncomfortable, but then steeled himself. He had realized that, if he was going to hang out with Bridgette, he would also have to deal with his friends. Whether he wanted it or not, it was unavoidable. He needed to get through this. Looking up, he noticed Bridgette giving him a sympathetic look. He appreciated it, but remained stone-faced.
If I could survive lunch with Uncle Gabriel, then I can handle this.
''So, do you guys think that that Phantom Thief, Belladonna, might attempt to steal anything from the Louvre?'' Carmilla suddenly asked, surprising everyone, especially Bridgette and Félix. She smirked. ''I've heard that she had stolen jewelry, but what if she decides to try to steal something else. I mean, the Louvre features a lot of valuable artifacts, like the Mona Lisa.''
''Why would anyone want to steal anything from the Louvre?'' Sophie asked, perplexed.
''Why wouldn't she do that? Carmilla has a good point, the Louvre has a lot of valuable artifacts,'' Allan pointed out.
''I'd be more surprised if she manages to steal anything before getting caught,'' Allegra said. ''Don't forget, the Louvre has a lot of security measures.''
''Not to mention, there are also Ladybug and Chat Noir. I'm sure they would interfere once they find her lurking around,'' Bridgette said confidently. Félix glanced at her, feeling glad that she put so much trust in him and Ladybug. Admittedly, while Belladonna did escape them, they actually managed to defeat her in their last battle. He was also not surprised that Carmilla knew who Belladonna was, as he and Ladybug had told her and Allegra about the Phantom Thief, and they probably shared the information with the rest of the group.
''You're right, Bri.'' Claude nodded. ''If these guys can deal with a man who controls pigeons and a mime with superpowers, then the Phantom Thief shouldn't be much of a problem.
''I wouldn't be so sure,'' Carmilla said, drawing everyone's attention. She shrugged nonchalantly. ''Belladonna might learn from her mistakes and find a way to defeat them. No one except for her knows what she is capable of.''
''Belladonna doesn't know what Ladybug and Chat Noir are capable of either,'' Félix noted, glaring at Carmilla. He hadn't forgotten what she told him and he wasn't going to leave without fighting back. ''I'm sure they too have learned from their mistakes.''
Carmilla observed him carefully, but then huffed in a dismissive manner. ''I guess the only way to find out which one would win is to see them in action, but that's impossible.''
''Well, it's not completely impossible. If Belladonna goes after civilians, like the Pigeon-guy did at the concert, then Ladybug and Chat Noir would probably interfere,'' Claude pointed out.
''Unfortunately, the Phantom Thief doesn't strike me as someone who would go out in the public,'' Bridgette said. ''After all, we didn't even know who she was until Ladybug and Chat Noir confronted her.''
''Speaking of going out in the public, wouldn't it be great if Ladybug, or at least Chat Noir make more public appearances,'' Carmilla commented, a dreamy look forming on her expression upon mentioning Chat Noir. ''I think it would be really cool if they interacted with civilians more, maybe give out autographs or take pictures-''
''Forget it.''
To everyone's surprise, both Bridgette and Félix reacted at the same time, exclaiming in unison and startling Carmilla. Both saw everyone's stunned expressions and exchanged glances as they realized what they had just said. They quickly avoided eye-contact with everyone, their thoughts scrambled as they tried to figure out a good excuse for their sudden response.
''I-I meant…'' Bridgette took a deep breath. ''I met Ladybug a few times during her patrol, and she had told me that she dislikes being out in the public, preferring to protect Paris without having to appear in news.''
''I guess that makes sense,'' Allan commented. Claude, meanwhile, stared at Félix.
''Agreste, why do you think Ladybug and Chat Noir wouldn't appear in the public or interact with civilians?'' he asked, observing Félix with a scrutinizing gaze.
Félix was silent for a moment, just staring back at Claude. He knew that, unlike Bridgette, he had no excuse for knowing something like that. As Chat Noir, he too hated the idea of appearing in the news or being in the public longer than necessary. He knew from his experience with Gabriel's work that there existed many crazy people who'd probably do anything to get close to the superheroes, having all kinds of ideas and intentions. He did not want to deal with that. Still, he had an ace up his sleeve.
''I met Ladybug before,'' he said.
''Really?'' Sophie gave him a surprised look, her expression mirroring that of everyone else, save for Bridgette. She already knew what Félix was talking about. ''Did you guy talk or…?''
''I won't say more than necessary,'' Félix cut her off, his tone icy. ''From what I've gathered, I can say for sure that Ladybug isn't the type of superhero who would prioritize unnecessary interaction with other people over her work. Although, that still does depends on the situation.''
Bridgette observed Félix curiously. So far, he was telling the truth, even though there was a lot more to it. However, she figured the memory of their interaction may have been a bit unpleasant to think about considering one of the topics was his deceased mother. Not to mention, she indeed wanted to leave, but was stopped by the rainstorm.
''Fine, but you two have only confirmed that Ladybug wouldn't want to deal with such stuff. We don't even know what Chat Noir thinks of it…'' Carmilla noted, but Félix interrupted her.
''If he is as professional as Ladybug, he too would be against it,'' he pointed out. Carmilla pouted, glaring at him.
''Considering how so far, he was just as an effective hero as Ladybug, I'd give this point to Agreste,'' Claude said. Félix gave him a curious look, not really believing that Claude would be on his side in any kind of argument. Hell, he didn't even dare to hope that this conversation wouldn't go without something bad happening and he was still cautious, not only due to the fact that he was surrounded by people who disliked him, with Carmilla and Claude being more open about it, but also because of his bad luck.
Unfortunately for him, that was when the curse decided to take over. To make things worse, the victim was neither Carmilla nor Claude.
Just as a waitress walked past them, Félix's ring emitted a barely noticeable gleam, with the waitress suddenly tripping and spilling the glasses with water all over Bridgette, causing them to shatter. Everyone got up, with Bridgette staring in shock at her soaked clothes. The waitress started to apologize frantically, but Bridgette responded with a smile.
''I'm so, so sorry for this! I didn't mean-''
''Don't worry, I know it was an accident,'' she replied. The waitress apologized once again and quickly went to get a broom, while Bridgette's friends grabbed whatever tissues they had on them to clean up the mess. Unlike everyone, who assumed for this to be just an accident, Félix felt a sting of guilt. He knew that this happened because of him, because of his curse. Hell, even if he wanted to have friends, they would also have to deal with being affected by his bad luck. He took out a tissue from his pocket and gave it to Bridgette.
''I'm sorry about this,'' he said, not even thinking through his words. Bridgette gave him a confused look, then smiled warmly.
''Don't worry, it was just an accident,'' she told him. ''Besides, I've been used to having bad luck.''
''Really?'' Félix rose an eyebrow.
''Yeah… I've been dealing with stuff like that for a while, but I would always soldier through,'' Bridgette replied, winking at him confidently. Félix blinked in surprise, only to realize that she was just assuring him that she was fine.
However, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty about what happened to her… or what might happen to her in the future.
xXx
''I can't believe I got to hang out with Félix today,'' Bridgette said dreamily, working on her newest project on her tablet, which appeared to involve a lot of hearts in various colours. After the accident at the museum, she and her friends left. While everyone else continued talking about some random topic, Félix had remained silent, except telling them good-bye when he parted ways with them. Her friends didn't really make any comment about his presence, but parted ways as well. However, she had figured that they might talk at school about what had happened. Still, Bridgette felt optimistic.
''He didn't appear to look particularly happy though,'' Tikki noted, carrying a cookie as she floated next to Bridgette.
''That's not surprising,'' Bridgette said, a look of concern forming on her expression. ''My friends, Claude in particular, don't like him and he knows that. Who wouldn't be uncomfortable being around people who don't like you?''
''Do you think it will be possible for everyone to get alone?'' Tikki asked her.
''I really hope so. I mean, Claude did say he'll consider it and I'm sure everyone else will go along with it,'' Bridgette replied. ''However, it also depends on Félix. He might want to interact with other people, but he also might refuse.''
''Well, if he wants friends, wouldn't it be the best for him to make as many friends as possible?'' Tikki asked. Bridgette shook her head.
''Not necessarily. Some people are fine with having many friends, some are fine with just having two or three close friends, and someone are okay with having just one friend,'' she explained. ''If Félix wants to be friends just with me, that's completely fine.''
''But, wouldn't you feel hurt if he decides against being friends with you?'' Tikki asked. Bridgette lowered her head, sighing.
''I won't deny that I wouldn't be hurt, but still, I want him to be happy and therefore…''
Bridgette was startled when she suddenly heard knocking coming from the hatch above her bed. While Tikki hid away, Bridgette walked up to the hatch, looking up. She smiled when she saw Chat Noir waving at her and climbed up the ladder, opening the hatch.
''Chat Noir? What are you doing here?'' she asked.
''I just wanted to talk to you about something,'' Chat Noir replied. ''Do you have a moment?''
''Sure,'' Bridgette replied, getting on the balcony and closing the hatch behind her. She and Chat Noir sat across each other. ''So, what do you want to talk about?''
''It's… Well, it's a bit weird…'' Chat Noir said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head. ''Please, promise me that you won't laugh at me.''
''Why should I laugh at you?'' Bridgette asked, puzzled.
''Just, promise,'' Chat Noir pleaded, staring at her with his piercing green eyes. Bridgette nodded, realizing that this would be a serious conversation.
''I promise,'' she said, tilting her head. ''So, what is bothering you?''
''Well, I had the impression that you are the kind of person who easily gets along with a lot of people,'' Chat Noir started, quickly adding when he saw Bridgette rising an eyebrow, ''I mean, you do have a lot of friends, don't you?''
''It depends what you mean by 'a lot of friends'. If we're talking about numbers, there are four people I'm really close to, another I consider my new friend and one more I really want to be close friends with,'' Bridgette explained. She could notice a strange gleam in Chat Noir's eyes, but wasn't sure what to make of it.
''That is certainly more than I thought of,'' he said, his tail flicking. He crossed his arms. ''So, if one were to approach you, how would they become your friend?''
''Hmm…'' Bridgette hummed, placing a finger under her chin. ''They would have to start talking to me first. Or, I'll just approach them. I mean, when I become friends with someone, I want them to feel as comfortable in my presence as possible, so I would do anything to make them feel welcome. If we have something in common, then it would make things even easier. However, even differences don't matter since…'' she trailed off when she saw Chat Noir's intense look. His gaze what the kind one would make while eagerly devouring every piece of information she gave out. Bridgette blinked as she gave him a curious look. ''Why are you even asking me about that stuff? I mean, aren't we friends?''
''Uh, yeah… I…'' Chat Noir stuttered, only to fall silent when Bridgette gave him a warm smile. He felt a strange fluttering in his stomach, spreading into his chest. ''I guess we are… I just didn't give it much thought, to be honest.''
''I'm not surprised. After all, you're a superhero, so hanging out with civilians like this is something you're not used to, right?'' Bridgette asked, with Chat Noir quickly grabbing onto that statement, feeling grateful to have an excuse for his behavior and questions.
In truth, the sole reason he was talking to Bridgette about this was because he was forming a plan on how to talk to her the next time they meet as civilians. He wanted to make sure that he wouldn't say or do anything that would offend her and drive her away from him. If he was already going to call her his friend, then he would put all of his effort into it.
''To be honest, I don't really have a tendency to hang out with people as a civilian either, so I'm kind of new to this whole friendship thing,'' Chat Noir told her in a sincere tone. Despite the fluttering he felt in his chest, he knew that he could tell Bridgette the truth. She wasn't going to judge him, so there was nothing to be afraid of. ''I'm really glad that you helped me out with my problems. Although, isn't it a bit selfish of me to ask you for advice without offering anything in return?''
He could hear Gabriel's cold voice echo in his head. ''Never assume people are doing things for altruistic reasons. Everyone is selfish, but some choose to show it more than others.'' Chat Noir shook it off, his ears perking up when he heard Bridgette snorting.
''Chat, it is not selfish of you to ask for advice like this. I had told you already, you can come to my place whenever you need help,'' Bridgette told him, her gaze softening. ''But, if you are really as new as you said to being friends with someone, then let me tell you – you are doing very well for a newbie.''
''Really?'' Chat Noir was surprised.
''Yeah!'' Bridgette nodded. ''Remember the conversations we had? You supported me when I was at my lowest. I mean, you had me convinced that I was your friend and I absolutely loved talking to you.''
''That's a relief to hear…'' Chat Noir paused for a moment, feeling a sense of temptation. Should I tell her? Taking a deep breath, he decided to finally throw all of the caution, all of the anxiety and denial he build up out of the window. Today, he would tell her the truth as Chat Noir. Tomorrow, he would tell her the truth as Félix Agreste. He gave Bridgette a resolute gaze, determined to finally make his first step forward. ''Bridgette, you are my first real friend.''
Bridgette's eyes widened as she stared at Chat Noir, her lips parted in shock. She did not expect this kind of confession coming from him. Chat Noir didn't say anything else as he patiently waited for some kind of response coming from her. He knew that this was quite a bold statement, something he probably should've kept to himself, but at this point, it didn't matter anymore. He made his decision and he would observe the chaos it would unleash.
''I… What about Ladybug?'' Bridgette finally asked. Chat Noir's eyes widened, but then he lowered his gaze, his ears drooping.
''I'm… I'm not really sure,'' he said in a heavy tone. ''Don't take it the wrong way, I consider Ladybug my partner and I trust her as much as she trusts me. Maybe we are friends, but at this point, I still feel that the term co-workers describes our relationship better. I hurt her before, and while we did talk about it, I believe that she's still being a bit cautious of me.'' He then gave Bridgette a bitter smile. ''I mean, I would be, especially after all the stupid things I had done and said.''
''I see,'' Bridgette muttered, then smiled. ''Thank you for telling me this. I really appreciate it and I'm happy to be your friend.''
She observed Chat Noir as he perked up, his tail waving. He appeared to be overjoyed with her reply, if not even relieved. ''That's good to hear.''
''Trust me, you are not alone here,'' Bridgette assured him. ''I may not be able to do much, being a civilian, but I will do anything to support you.''
''And I will do my best to support you,'' Chat Noir replied. ''If there's anyone bothering you, you can tell me and I'll deal with them.'' He gave her a confident look, his green eyes gleaming in the dark of the night. ''Sometimes, it's a good thing that I can use my bad luck for selfish purposes.''
''Yet, you call yourself a hero,'' Bridgette remarked.
''Honestly, I don't consider myself a hero in the same way Ladybug does,'' Chat Noir admitted as he got up. ''I'm still figuring things out.''
''Then I hope you will be able to find what kind of hero you want to be,'' Bridgette told him as she got up. Chat Noir grinned, giving her a mischievous gaze.
''For now, I think I just want to be the kind of hero who protects those he cares about,'' Chat Noir told her. ''Helping Paris may be my job, but I want to have more personal reasons for what I'm doing.''
''I think that's a good start,'' Bridgette said, with Chat Noir pausing for a moment and nodding.
''Thanks,'' he said, then leapt off the building. Bridgette observed Chat Noir as he left, with Tikki flying up to her and landing on her head.
''That was an interesting conversation. Who would've thought that Chat Noir would consider you more of a friend than Ladybug,'' Tikki commented.
''I believe that Chat is just being cautious around Ladybug. I agree with him that we are partners, but I think that he does want to have a stronger bond with me; be it as friends…'' Bridgette's eyes narrowed, ''…or in a more romantic sense.'' She shook her head, with Tikki flying up and hovering right next to her. ''In any case, we too should go now.''
''You know what you have to say,'' Tikki replied excitedly. Bridgette brushed away her side-bangs and across the earrings.
''Tikki, transform me!''
xXx
''Hey, Chat!''
Chat Noir was on his way to the Eiffel Tower as he suddenly heard someone calling out for him. His ears perked up when he saw Ladybug landing in front of him, looking happy that she managed to catch up to him.
''Hi, Bug,'' Chat Noir said as she approached him. ''How are you doing?''
''I'm fine,'' Ladybug replied. ''What about you? Anything interesting on your part?''
''Not really…'' Chat replied, rubbing the back of his head. ''I had simply figured I'd start a bit earlier with the patrol.''
''Then it's a good thing I had managed to catch up to you,'' Ladybug replied, brushing her side-bangs away. ''Although, I did transform while keeping the communication device, so I could've easily called you.''
''Same here,'' Chat Noir said as he tapped his ear. ''The communication device is too important to ignore. However, we still need to figure out how to talk when not transformed.''
''I'm sure we'll figure something out,'' Ladybug replied. ''In the meantime, we should see whether there are any problems in the city. Then afterwards, we could hang out with each other.''
''Really?'' Chat Noir was stunned to hear that. He did not expect Ladybug to be the one to suggest them just hang out after they're done with the patrol.
Ladybug nodded and gazed at the city lights. ''It may come as a surprise, but I do like to just observe the city at night time. Sometimes, it feels like we're surrounded with fireflies.''
''Why fireflies?'' Chat Noir asked her. Ladybug shrugged, the soft breeze lifting her pigtails and ribbons.
''I was told once that fireflies are symbolic of good fortune and prosperity. They also symbolize hope, inspiration, creativity, patience, guidance and attraction, and they are even associated with magic,'' she replied.
''I see,'' Chat Noir said, his ears twitching. ''So, if you weren't a ladybug hero, maybe you would've been a firefly hero. After all, you have good fortune, you inspire hope, you are magic and you're also attractive…'' he suddenly trailed off at the last part, with Ladybug turning her attention to him, rising an eyebrow. ''Uh, I didn't mean to phrase it like that!''
''I know, it's fine,'' Ladybug replied, no hint of anger in her voice. Chat Noir stared at her in surprise as she turned around and leapt away. ''Let's go!''
Chat Noir stood there for a moment, still puzzled by the lack of the usual annoyance Ladybug would show, wondering what was going on with Ladybug. Admittedly, he didn't want to try his luck with her, deciding to stay back and observe first until he figured out how she felt about him. He then leapt off the building, following Ladybug.
xXx
Belladonna gazed at the Louvre, now dark and empty. She knew that there was still a security guard or two patrolling the museum to make sure everything was in order, so entering it while no one was there would be much easier for her to perform the heist. But where was the fun in that? She wanted a challenge.
Let's see whether the Louvre is prepared to handle an experienced Phantom Thief.
