cutie ^

[Narrator's POV]

Chloe tugs on the hem of the tight dress her mother had bought her.

"Stop fidgeting." Audrey snaps.

Chloe quickly puts her hands behind her back. "Sorry."

The grand door opens to reveal the unimpressed face of Nathalie. "Welcome, Audrey." She says shortly as she steps aside.

"It's a pleasure, Natty." Audrey says smugly before striding inside.

Chloe shuffles along after her mother, coming to a stop in the dining room.

"There are my two favourite men!" Audrey says as she pulls Gabriel and Adrien into a big hug.

Both Adrien and his father share the same cringed expression as Audrey squeezes them.

Gabriel clears his throat and pushes Audrey off them. "Andre couldn't make it this evening?"

"The Mayor is always busy, of course." Audrey lies, having not told her husband of the plans at all. She brings a hand to her mouth and giggles. "No matter, we can still have fun. It'll be like a double date!"

Adrien turns to Chloe with a horrified, 'are you serious' expression, which she returns with a stern, 'please help me' look. It is then that the doorbell rings, bringing light to the faces of both teenagers. Nathaniel or Marinette, they don't care which guest had arrived as long as whoever it was disrupted Audrey's double date plans.

Marinette enters the dining room nervously and bows to greet everyone. Chloe waves kindly, earning a glare from her mother.

"Good evening, thankyou for having me. I...I brought some dessert." Marinette says, holding out a bakery box.

Audrey narrows her eyes at the Dupain-Cheng logo. "Who's this, Gabriel? Some maid of yours?" She asks, despite knowing the answer.

"Allow me to introduce Adrien's girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She'll be joining us for dinner." Gabriel approaches Marinette and takes the box from her hands. "Thank you for your gift, Marinette. This is Chloe's mother, Audrey, as you probably already know."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you Mrs Bourgeois." Marinette says as nicely as she can.

Audrey ignores Marinette and turns to Gabriel. "I thought this was a family dinner."

"Marinette is family." Adrien says as he takes Marinette's hand.

The doorbell rings again, thankfully interrupting the tense confrontation. Nathaniel walks in looking even more anxious than Marinette.

Audrey rolls her eyes and puts a hand on her hip. "And who are you? Another tramp?"

Nathaniel flinches. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Mom, this is our classmate and one of my bestest friends, Nathaniel." Chloe says, looping her arm around Nathaniel's.

Nathaniel smiles bashfully and gives a shy wave.

"Which family do you belong to?" Audrey asks, crossing her arms.

"...Kurtzberg?" Nathaniel answers unsurely.

"I've never heard that name," Audrey says. "What do your parents do?"

"My mum is an art teacher and my dad is a musician." Nathaniel replies.

"Eugh," Audrey snaps her fingers at her daughter. "Chloe go wash your hands before dinner."

Chloe slowly lets go of Nathaniel's arm, hanging her head shamefully as she leaves the room. Nathaniel looks confused and shocked and a little bit broken.

"Wow, Nathaniel, it's no wonder you're so amazing at art with such creative parents." Marinette speaks up.

Adrien smiles and follows her lead. "Yeah, what a talented family. Maybe your father could help me with piano."

Nathaniel looks up at his friends gratefully.

Audrey steps in between them with her back to Nathaniel. "Oh, Adrikins, you play piano? Such a gifted young man! We should get you and Chloe together for lessons."

"Or she could visit Nathaniel's house and get lessons from his dad. I'm sure that would be much more beneficial." Adrien says.

"Chloe will benefit from company on her level." Audrey gives a nasty side-eye to Nathaniel before grinning brightly at Adrien. "Why do you think you and her grew up so wonderfully? Because you thrived off of each other!"

Nathaniel grips his arm self-consciously and lowers his eyes.

"The most enriching person I have ever met is Marinette," Adrien says. "But I'm guessing you don't consider her on our level either?"

"Well now let's not be too hasty. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself..." Audrey turns a cold eye to Marinette. "...Marinette."

Marinette gives Adrien an uneasy look before beginning. "Um...my parents love cooking. They own a bakery by the school, which we also live in. I like to help them, but my favourite hobby is fashion design."

"Oh?" Audrey says, cocking a brow. "So wealth isn't the only benefit you're seeking from the son of Paris' most successful fashion designer."

"Actually, Audrey," Gabriel steps in. "I offered Marinette a job in my business but she flatly declined. It was quite humiliating, in fact."

Audrey sputters. "Excuse me? Rejecting the charity of Gabriel Agreste? Who do you think you are, girl?!"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Marinette answers simply.

Adrien smirks proudly. "Paris' most talented fashion designer, dare I say. She's already received countless job offers besides my father's but she plans to build her own brand."

"Won't stop my own plans of having her success my business." Gabriel adds with a smile.

Audrey's eyes are bulging. For the sake of her safety, Marinette is trying her best not to smile. Adrien, on the other hand, is beaming.

"Shall we sit?" Gabriel says, gesturing to the table.

"Yes, I think I'm done with introductions." Audrey replies shortly.

"Oh, allow me!" Nathaniel swiftly pulls out a chair and smiles kindly at Audrey.

Audrey recoils from the chair touched by Nathaniel. "Marinette, sweety, why don't you take this seat?"

Nathaniel's smile fades as Audrey walks around to the other side of the table to sit down. Marinette looks at the open chair sadly. Her eyes flicker to Audrey, who crosses her arms expectantly. Marinette walks forward awkwardly and gives Nathaniel a reassuring smile as she slowly takes the seat. Chloe returns just as Nathaniel begins pushing Marinette's chair in for her, pausing to stare.

Audrey smiles cutely. "Don't those two make such a good pair?"

Chloe averts her eyes and sits down. Of course her mother would approve of Marinette and Nathaniel, but not her... Marinette gets everything.

Chloe's eyes remain downcast as Nathaniel approaches her timorously to sit beside her. Adrien sits beside Marinette and his father, next to him.

"So," Audrey says, resting her chin on her hand. "I took Chloe out shopping yesterday. How ungentlemanly of you not to compliment her, Adrien. Doesn't she look stunning in her new dress?"

"Uh...yes, it's very nice." Adrien replies.

Nathaniel shifts uncomfortably.

"I'm glad you like it because she'll be wearing it to her interview for Miss Paris." Audrey says.

"Miss Paris?" Adrien repeats dully.

"Yes, isn't it lovely?" Audrey says brightly. "I've already booked her a photoshoot tomorrow to build up a folio, she'll start etiquette classes every Tuesday and aerobics on Friday."

"Wait, you're missing more school?" Nathaniel questions, turning to Chloe concernedly.

"What business is it of yours?" Audrey says sternly. "School doesn't matter to her."

"So education doesn't matter? Seeing your friends doesn't matter?" Nathaniel replies.

Audrey scoffs. "Chloe's potential breaches far beyond any of that."

Nathaniel surveys Chloe with a hurt expression, waiting for her input...but it never comes.

"The most loneliest days of my life were those I spent without school." Adrien says.

"I don't doubt it, seeing as you'd be without your dear Chloe." Audrey replies.

Adrien gives up, slumping back in his seat.

"Don't worry Adrikins, we'll always make time to visit you." Audrey adds with a smile.

"Chloe's been working really hard in school lately, and she's built some great relationships with her classmates." Nathaniel's eyebrows furrow as he tries to level his anger and disappointment. "Has she had any say in your new schedule for her?"

"Excuse me young man but are you questioning me as her mother?" Audrey replies. "Chloe said herself that she wants me to mentor her in the family business. She agreed that she has been wasting her time with pointless, teenage delusions and is ready to be a real woman. She knows that I know best as her mother, she spent the entire day yesterday learning much more from me than she ever could in school. In fact, if this is the kind of manners they teach there, maybe she should pull out all together."

Nathaniel's heart aches, his expression completely mortified. Had Chloe really said all those things? Does she really think her school and her friends are a useless waste of time? Is he just that?

Audrey smiles cruelly. "Tell him, Chloe." She orders.

Chloe looks up at her fearfully.

"Tell him yourself." Audrey demands firmly.

Chloe cowers under the intense glare of her mother. She lowers her head once more and nods weakly.

"My mom is helping me change..." She says, more so to convince herself than Nathaniel.

Nathaniel rises from his seat. "Excuse me for a moment. I think I need a glass of water."

Chloe screws her eyes shut painfully as she listens to Nathaniel's fading footsteps. Why is the atmosphere so tense? This isn't going as planned. She hoped people as kind as Nathaniel and Marinette, people who gave her redemption, would do the same for her mother. Why is everyone being so difficult?

"I have to go to the bathroom!" Chloe says, standing up and hurrying from the room.

Chloe finds Nathaniel standing around in an empty hallway, probably having no direction in this house. It didn't really matter to him, he just needs somewhere to pace.

"Nathaniel, are you feeling okay?" Chloe asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He lies.

"Then...Then why do you look upset?" Chloe questions sadly.

Nathaniel chuckles lightly. "Well, I haven't had a very good time since entering this house."

Chloe frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"N-Nothing, I just...don't think you're mom likes me very much." Nathaniel says.

"Not you too...Why can't anyone be happy for me? Why can't I make anyone proud?" Chloe mutters under her breath, her fingers curling into fists.

"Chloe?" Nathaniel says as he takes a step forward.

"I know she's a bit too straightforward with the things she says but it's because she knows what's best! She's my mother, Nathan!" Chloe says suddenly, her voice rising.

Nathaniel draws back, his heart pounding.

"Chloe will benefit from company on her level."

"So she's right about you being better than me? Than all of us?! She's right about you not needing school, but etiquette classes and fancy clothes? She doesn't know anything!" Nathaniel argues.

Chloe gasps.

Nathaniel huffs. He wanted to respect Chloe's mother, he really did, but he snapped. That woman goes against all of his virtues.

"I'm doing this for you! I'm trying to be better for you!" Chloe shouts, tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought you believed in my potential too. My mom is helping me succeed as the Mayor of Paris! Is that not good enough? Am I never good enough?!"

"Succuss doesn't matter to me, you matter to me! She doesn't have your best interests at heart, Chloe. She's twisting you into...into her!" Nathaniel retaliates. "You think the stuff she has you doing will help you grow as a person in any way? Even if you make it to the very top, do you honestly think you could make any positive influence as this city's Mayor through etiquette classes?"

"Are you saying that everything I'm doing is useless?" Chloe asks shakily.

"You're effort isn't useless, Chloe," Nathaniel says gently. "You're just using your potential in the wrong way."

Chloe shakes her head. "I don't understand. This is a good thing."

"What happened to being compassionate and working hard? How about studying and actively helping people? Don't you remember who you are? Where is the girl I've helped grow into a better person? The Chloe I know is not this shallow." Nathaniel gestures to Chloe as he rants. "You look different, you're acting different— you're telling lies, Chloe! Why are you pretending not to care when you obviously do?! The way you're behaving is like you haven't changed at all!"

"I have changed! I have!" Chloe cries defensively. "Don't you get jealous and try to bring me down just because you're so far below me!"

Nathaniel stares at Chloe in dismay. She really does sound like her mother...

"You're right Chloe, you have changed...only for the worst."

Chloe draws a sharp breath, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Audrey comes strolling through the hall with a pleased smile. "Children, dinner's ready!" She says cheerily.

"I'm not hungry." Nathaniel says before storming out.

Chloe falls to the floor. The last time she cried over feeling this horrible was when Nathaniel had come to her aid. He stayed to comfort her and then helped her get back on her feet. But this time he is walking out on her...

"Oh honey," Audrey says, swooping down to her daughter's side. "What ever is the matter?"

"N-Nathan, after all we've been through...h-he said..." Chloe sobs incoherently. "What's wrong with me?!"

"Nothing's wrong with you my dear, a simple mind from a small world just can't fathom what you're going through. People like that boy either leach off your succuss or hate you for it." Audrey says. "You can't mourn over the loss of people who had no place in your life to begin with."

"You're right," Chloe weeps. "A horrible person like me never belonged with such a wonderful, kind-hearted person. Who am I kidding? Whatever we had was never meant to happen!"

Audrey tisks. "Are you stupid, girl? I'm telling you that you're too good for him! He's dragging you down! Are you really such a hopeless cause?!"

Chloe shakes her head desperately.

"Then quit feeling sorry for yourself! There is no room for weakness and insecurities under the name of Bourgeois." Audrey wipes Chloe's face forcefully, grabs her wrist and hauls her off the ground. "Come now, crying isn't attractive and we have far greater company to impress."

Adrien and Marinette exchange concerned looks as Audrey and Chloe re-join the table.

"Why did Nathaniel go running off?" Asks Marinette.

"He, unlike you, knows his place." Audrey answers snippily.

Adrien looks ready to blow but his father intervenes by shoving a breadstick in his mouth.

"Why don't we just get this dinner over with in a civilised manner?" Gabriel utters.

Adrien chomps on the bread angrily, scowling at Audrey from across the table. Chloe sniffs and stares down at the teardrops spilling into her food. Gabriel takes his knife and fork to begin eating his meal silently whilst Audrey blabbers on about how perfect their children are. Marinette heaves a sigh and slowly picks up her own cutlery. This is going to be a long night...

.

Meanwhile, Carapace and Rena Rouge are left on patrol by themselves. Rena hops elegantly from roof to roof, her thick, wavy locks flowing behind her, until coming to a stop on the flat rooftop of a tall building.

"Hey shelly, what'dya say we call it a night?"

Carapace stops beside her. His heart skips a beat when she looks over her shoulder with a familiar smile. He shakes his head to clear the image of his girlfriend from his mind and scurries ahead of Rena Rouge.

"But we haven't finished," Carapace protests as he hurries away. "It's a large area to cover with just the two of us—"

His breath hitches as Rena Rouge takes his hand to stop him.

"Come on," She laughs. "You're too high strung!"

Carapace pulls his hand away and clutches it against his pounding heart. "I-I-I'm not!"

Rena Rouge raises a brow. Upon realising Carapace's flustered expression, her mouth stretches into a grin.

"Sorry, did touching my hand make you nervous?" She teases.

"No!" Carapace snaps. "It was just unwanted contact!"

"Pfft—you really are high strung. You need to relax, shelly." Rena Rouge lays down on the rooftop and pats the space beside her. "Come look at the stars with me."

"We're supposed to be on patrol." Carapace twiddles his fingers and averts his eyes. "Stargazing sounds a bit...romantic."

"Haha, I didn't mean for it to be. You just overthink things. We're teammates, we're supposed to be close. It doesn't bother you to be friendly with Ladybug and Queen Bee, so what's with your high defensives around me?" Rena Rouge smirks playfully. "Is it because you think I'm hot? Are your desires untameable around me?"

"No!" Carapace denies immediately, the back of his neck burning. "It's because I know who Ladybug and Queen Bee are, and they don't bother me. You—I have no idea who you are! A-And that makes my mind wander..."

"Oh, so it's because you can't stop your mind from undressing me." Rena Rouge says cheekily.

"No! Stop that!" Carapace says shrilly, clasping his hands over his reddening face. "Stop putting words in my mouth! I don't think of anyone other than my girlfriend!"

Although that is the problem here...He can't stop seeing Alya.

Rena Rouge rests her hands behind her head and laughs. "I'm just mocking you, shelly. If it makes you feel any better, I have someone else in my heart too."

Carapace slowly lowers his hands to look at Rena Rouge. "Seriously...?"

"Yep. So will you just relax with me already?" Rena says.

Carapace gulps. He removes his shield before lowering himself to lay beside Rena Rouge. His arm accidentally bumps hers, causing him to flinch and shuffle away a few inches.

"You're a funny character, you know that?" Rena giggles.

Carapace grumbles embarrassedly. "Why does that feel like an insult?'

"It's not, I swear." Rena Rouge assures him.

"Well how would I know when you're always bullying me?" Carapace pouts.

"Aw I'm not a bully shelly. I only tease you because I find your dorkishness strangely endearing." Rena says honestly, turning her head to look at Carapace. "Actually, you kind of remind me of someone I know sometimes."

"W-What? Who?" Carapace asks anxiously.

A rosy glow settles across Rena's cheeks as she thinks of Nino. "This boy that I love...very much." She says with a tender smile.

Carapace blushes. "Huh?!"

He turns to look at Rena Rouge in shock but freezes instantly when he finds their faces inches apart. His eyes widen as he stares into her own deep, hazel orbs. Her thick lashes flutter as she blinks at him in surprise. Silence falls between them as they lock gazes for a moment until Carapace squeaks in alarm and scrambles backwards. Rena Rouge gently touches the tip of her nose where Carapace's had grazed it for a second. She can still feel the heat of his blush on her skin.

"What on earth are you talking about? You love me or something?!" Carapace shrieks.

Rena Rouge snaps from her daze. She sits up and waves her hands frantically. "No! No, I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"Gah!' Carapace cries in embarrassment, covering his face with his hands. "Don't just go saying things like that so lightly! What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, it's not my fault! Stop making a big deal about it, it's embarrassing!" Rena Rouge stresses. "My mind just— L-Let's forget about it!"

Carapace groans and flops backwards. He can't help but think about the time Rena Rouge had saved Nino's life...and briefly flirted with him after.

"S-Say, this guy you're in love with...what's he like?" Carapace asks aloofly.

"I said forget about it!" Rena Rouge yaps. "Why do you want to know my type?"

"I-I don't! As if I would care you who like!" Carapace replies.

"Well, he's far more charming than you, just so you know." Rena Rouge says, crossing her arms. "I love him more than anything—that includes you. So don't get ahead of yourself."

"And just so you know, my girlfriend is prettier and nicer than you." Carapace retaliates. "I'm really happy with her and wouldn't trade her for the world. So there is no way I'd trade her for you."

Rena Rouge huffs. "So we're on the same page, good."

"Good."