Chapter Six

Don't Be Afraid

"Junebug, it'll be okay," Chat Noir hummed.

"It won't be okay if my mother finds out about our relationship! First, she'll be mad that I'm dating someone who I can't even know who's behind the mask, next she be mad that we've been seeing each other, and lastly she be mad at me for lying to her every night!" Juniper wailed. Chat Noir held Juniper tightly against his chest. She loved the soft purr that came from the rise and fall of his chest.

"Junebug, I'm willing to put up with whatever your mother throws at me," Chat whispered into her ear.

"I can't even handle what she throws at me! She hates me!" Juniper continued.

Chat Noir cupped her cheeks with his hands and smiled. "That doesn't matter. I love you. Don't you forgive that." He kissed her, and Juniper sighed.

"Chat, I love you too, but the game we're playing is dangerous, and you know that."

"I don't care as long as I love you," Chat responded with a soft purr. "But you told me what your mom wants- some one rich, with power. I have that."

"How is she supposed to know that?!" Juniper responded.

"Because I can't hide who I am," Chat whisper.

"JUNIPER! I'm home early!" Juniper's mother shouted.

"Home early? Oh no, you need to go," June said, trying to get Chat to leave.

"No. Claws in," Chat said letting his transformation fall. Adrien stood in the place of Chat Noir and June fell pale.

"You shouldn't have showed me who you are!"

"Now there'll be no secrets, ok?" Adrien asked. And then Ms. Allen walked into the room.

"Juniper, is this Mr. Adrien Agreste?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am," Adrien responded. "We decided I should meet you since I want to date your daughter."

"Excuse me?" Ms. Allen waited for explanations. Juniper sighed, she could not believe Chat was doing this for her.

"We've been talking about this for quite a while, and seeing each other after school before she went home," Adrien said.

"Please let my daughter talk," Ms. Allen said.

Adrien looked at Juniper. Clearly, he needed her to go along with his story, he couldn't reveal he was Chat Noir to Ms. Allen, and Juniper couldn't tell her mother that she had been lying to her for nearly a month. "My crush on Chat Noir began to fade when I met Adrien. Adrien was the first one to greet me, and he was so kind to me," Juniper began explaining, slowly. "I began to realize if I was ever with Chat Noir, which I know you would never let me, it wouldn't end well. A superhero that wears a mask and I can't know who he is, is a relationship built on a secret, which is no relationship at all." Ms. Allen smiled at her daughter.

"I'm so proud of you, Juniper," Ms. Allen said and hugged her daughter. "My little girl's growing up. You know what, come down to have some tea!" Ms. Allen eagerly ran down the stairs.

"We're going to have to explain this to the class," Juniper said blankly.

"How the heck are we going to do that?" Adrien asked her. "Can't we just stick with the Chat Noir story?"

"Nope. My mother will brag about our relationship and then we'll be in a big mess. We could say the Chat Noir story was a cover up for us because we weren't ready to share it, but now we are," June suggested.

"I guess we'll do that," Adrien agreed. So, holding hands, Adrien and Juniper went downstairs to join Ms. Allen and have some tea.

"So, what made this love blossom?" Ms. Allen asked, waiting for the water to boil.

"We both just seemed so similar, and I guess we just went on from there," Juniper responded, sitting down at the table, and Adrien pulling the chair out for her.

"It went from a friendship to something more," Adrien said. This was true, they had only started out as friends. Juniper felt her heart skip a beat as she slowly comprehended what was going to happen. Adrien was Chat Noir, her mother was agreeing with the relationship, and so, technically, Ms. Allen was agreeing to Juniper dating a superhero.

"Oh, that is adorable, darlings, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ms. Allen asked.

"I- We, I mean, weren't ready for anyone to know. Actually, while in a dazed faze between daydreaming and reality, I said I was dating Chat Noir instead of Adrien, and so everyone thinks we're a thing," June responded.

"Oh- so you were wishing that Adrien was Chat?" Ms. Allen said.

"No! I would never!" Juniper said, suddenly defensive.

"I was just kidding you, Juniper, don't take it so seriously," Ms. Allen told her.

"Who are you and what have you done with my mother? You've never made a joke! Well, not since…" Juniper didn't need to finish. The whole room when silent except for the scream of the kettle.

"Well, here you go," Ms. Allen said, dishing up a cup of tea to Adrien and Juniper.

"Thank you, ma'am," Adrien said.

"Would you like to stay the night?" Ms. Allen asked, and Juniper knew what she was thinking. The unspeakable.

"No, my father is very specific about what time I'm at home," Adrien said.

"No, really. Stay," Ms. Allen said, a little more forcefully.

"Mother, he can go home," June said, looking deep into her mother's eyes. Ms. Allen flinched.

"Fine," Ms. Allen said.

June grabbed Adrien's hand and pulled him to the front door. She opened the door and slammed it shut and sighed in exasperation. "We don't have a guest room." That's when Adrien realized what Ms. Allen wanted.

"Oh." Adrien looked at his feet. Maybe he wanted it too, but if June didn't, he wouldn't ask. Juniper sighed and kissed him.

"Goodbye, my kitty. Goodbye, my Adrien," Juniper said.

"Goodbye, my Junebug," Adrien said after calling his transformations. Chat brushed any loose hair hanging in front of June's eyes. It sent spirals of happiness through her. And with that, Chat flew through the air to go to his house.

"Don't be afraid," Chat had said before he showed who he was.

And as he left, Juniper whispered, "Don't be afraid."