Cat's Eye (Lukadrien)

Volume 2, Chapter 4

Chloe is not in the habit of receiving guests in the middle of the night. Especially not guests who arrive on her balcony. Especially not in her limited-edition Ladybug pyjamas. Now, people may call her stuck up, but at heart Chloe lives to entertain. Not in the common sense of the word, God no. She'd never be caught dead lowering herself to that. Chloe entertains in the way that a hosting Lady entertains dignitaries. No matter where they come from, no matter what the context, Chloe will be a good hostess.

Now, this is in fact quite difficult, when it's midnight. The staff are all asleep (say what you like about the Bourgeois but they're not monsters – they don't keep the staff up late). Unfortunately, this means Chloe lacks anyone to delegate tasks to, like preparing tea or fetching entrees. This also means she has to sort this herself, on TOP on making herself look presentable. Her priority is her hair. Then, she puts the kettle on in her suite's mini kitchen. Before she gets the chance to change, she hears an impatient cough on the window. Well then, her poor guest is just going to have to deal with her pyjamas.

She opens the window.

It's Ladybug?

Why is Ladybug here in the middle of the night?

Chloe looks Ladybug up and down, before looking down at her pyjamas, where a facsimile of the blue haired heroine smiles back at her.

"Um. Hi Chloe." Ladybug seems to squint a little, before gently disguising a noise that Chloe is certain was supposed to have been a giggle, "I like your pyjamas."

Chloe will never be mortified than is this instance. Her life is over. Her reputation is ruined. Never again can she show her face at high society. Her event organising business will crash, she'll become a laughingstock, and somehow her mother will find a way to love her even less.

Before the blond girl can catastrophise further, the hero waltzes through the now open door. The audacity! Inviting herself in? Clearly, Ladybug was not brought up properly. Chloe restrains a guffaw of objection that would be unbefitting a refined woman like herself, instead smiling serenely. "Coffee or tea?" It's not befitting to judge the heroine based on her lack of class. Chloe will accommodate Ladybug's... insufficient knowledge of manners.

"Um..." Ladybug seems to cock her head, brow furrowed almost as if puzzled, "I'll- I'll take coffee."

Chloe nods firmly. She scoots past the hero, heading to the mini fridge, only to catch a whiff of the most awful smell coming from the hero. Summoning all her hostess might, she makes not a single indication of displeasure on her face. The scales of face have been balanced. Now that she's endured the stench of whatever godforsaken rubbish Ladybug's been rolling in, Chloe can walk off the embarrassment of the pyjamas. "I've got scones and cream too, if you like. Sorry to have much meagre offerings for you, but I wasn't expecting company at this hour."

She restrains the urge to prefix the word 'hour' with 'ridiculous'. It would simply not do to insult the protector of Paris in such a manner. "Speaking of to what to I owe the honour of your presence?"

Ladybug nods, perhaps a little bemused, as Chloe gestures towards a chair, which she gladly excepts.

"Chloe Bourgeois. I have a task for you." The heroine begins, "One that I cannot ask you to undertake lightly, and must be done in secret."

The details of Ladybug's speech start to fade out, as Chloe fights to contain her unadulterated excitement behind her veneer of polite attentiveness. Ladybug?! Has a mission! For her! A secret mission! Chloe thought she'd never get this kind of opportunity again, after her previous mistakes in a desperate ploy for her mother's love.