Chapter Text
Chloe had been having a wonderful dream, and quite frankly, she'd like to go back to it. Instead, here she was, internally cursing her curious nature as she crept across the cold floor towards the direction of the noise that had woken her up. Of all the things she'd been expecting—robbers, an akuma, kidnappers—a leather clad superhero wasn't one of them.
Chat Noir was standing just outside her bay window, tapping impatiently on the frost coated glass. Which was, in her opinion, utterly ridiculous. Not only had he the nerve to show up at her window, he had woken her up. And for what? To make a few bad puns and try to talk her into apologizing to Ladybug? She wouldn't. He had tried before, and he had failed before.
She sighed heavily before unlocking the door and stepping aside to let him in. (She wasn't a monster. It was a chilly night, and she knew firsthand that the suits didn't provide much winter protection.)
"What's your excuse for bothering me this time?" She sniffed, looking him up and down with her arms crossed.
He grins, leaning in close to her heater and attempting to look suave while doing so. "Whattt? Can't I just want to check in with you? It's my duty to care for civilians, you know."
Of course he couldn't wait to throw her civilian status in her face. Whatever. She didn't even miss being a hero that much, definitely. "Ugh. Hurry up and tell me so you can leave."
His confident smile started to slip as he looked down at his wrist, which she now noticed that he was clutching with his free hand. She unconsciously reached out for him, and then drew back when he looked up. (She could practically her mother now, lecturing her about how women of their stature didn't do casual touch. They just didn't.)
"I…did something stupid, and Ladybug would yell at me if I went to her." He's looking down with a chastened expression, but she can tell that he's being genuine.
"How did you manage to get hurt so badly that the suit can't heal it? That seems…odd."
"Uh, well, funny story actually…I'm not supposed to be out as Chat Noir right now. I'm supposed to be home, sick with the flu." He somehow manages to look proud of himself and sheepish at the same time.
Chloe raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And I suppose you figured I wouldn't go to Ladybug, for obvious reasons?" (She would have done the same thing in his place, but she wasn't about to tell him that.)
"Um. Yes?"
"Hmf. Fair enough. I guess you'll be wanting me to get the first aid kit for you?"
He looks up at her beseechingly, still holding his hands in front of the warm air blowing out from her electric fireplace. "Would you?"
She rolls her eyes, already walking towards the bathroom where it's kept. Returning, she holds the kit out to him, waving it in his face.
"Well? Are you gonna take it or not?"
"I was…kinda hoping you could do it? I can't really move my wrist, and wrapping it will definitely take more than one hand."
"Excuse me? a Bourgeois does not wrap other's injuries for them. Why would I want to touch your filthy wound, much less help you with it?" (She hates how much she can hear her mother in her tone, but it's too late to change her words. He's used to it anyway, she supposes.)
Chat stares at her pleadingly, clearly expecting her to give in. "C'mon bee, please? I'm tired and cold. And hungry. You wouldn't happen to have any food..?"
She huffs and marches towards him with the roll of bandages, if only to get him to leave sooner. "Honestly, don't you ever shut up?" she mutters as she pushes him into the leather chair next to the fire, his reflexes saving him from landing awkwardly.
She inspects the injury, holding it still while the feline hero tries to get her to release her hold. "You don't have to—okay." He seemingly gives up, slumping against the chair as she tightens the wrap around his wrist.
"Is that okay, or should it be more-"
"That's enough! I don't think I'll have a wrist left if you tighten it anymore." Her eyes widen slightly at the force of his words, but gets up and stands back, letting him finish off the end.
"Why would you ask me for help if you're just going to yell at me" she grumbles, looking away as he gets up and yawns.
"I honestly didn't think you'd be that bad at it," He confesses with a small smile, still carrying his arm gingerly despite the bandage.
Chloe tapped her foot against the floor impatiently, wanting him gone but still curious about his true intentions. "Still, why'd you come here of all places? Why not that baker girl? Aren't you two friends? She'd jump at the chance to help you I'm sure."
He laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Last time i did that she lectured me for a good hour while stitching me up…she reminded me a lot of my lady at the time, actually."
Chloe raised an eyebrow. "And you decided I was the next best option?"
"Well--it's not exactly a secret that your hotel is one of the best stocked in Paris. And as a former hero, you're not about to run to the news as soon as dawn breaks. hopefully, anyway."
And there it was. Former hero, civilian, ex bee holder, whatever he chose to call her, it was always a reminder of her past. (Not that she'd ever admit it, but it hurt to be excluded casually like that. Like he didn't even have to think about it first.)
"Okay, you're all better now then. Scram."
He looked confused at the abrupt switch in tone, but nodded and grabbed his pole before heading for the door. "Have a nice night then." He paused for a second,then turned halfway towards her and smiled hesitantly. "Chloe?"
"What?"
"Thank you." And with that, he saluted her and then climbed down the balcony, using the pole to brace himself against the railing.
She stared at the medical supplies strewn across the floor for a minute, trying to process the events of the night.
"Whatever. Dumb Chat. I don't even like him, don't know why…" She continued muttering to herself as she climbed into bed and turned off the light, twisting in her sheets to face the glass where the hero had vanished.
"Goodnight" she whispered to the darkness.
Out on the street, a boy clad in black winced and touched his arm, glancing back up at the now dark windows.