LadyBugOut AU (Snippets)

Summary:
Ladybug has a talk with the one formerly known as Queen Bee.

Chapter Text
Ladybug stepped down on the roof of the Grand Paris Hotel, her eyes set on Chloe Bourgeois reclining on a lounge chair. Chloe was sunbathing, a cold drink on the table at her side, though it was hard to tell if she was napping or not since her sunglasses were over her eyes.

Ladybug breathed up, then approached. Part of her was hoping that Chloe was actually asleep so they wouldn’t have to have this conversation and she could just pretend like they did, but she was already here, so she figured that she might as well give it a try.

“Chloe.”

Chloe twitched, immediately frowning, then slowly reached for her sunglasses. As she pulled them back to the top of her head, her expression showed disinterest before she fully took Ladybug in.

“Ladybug?!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up. “Is there an akuma? Do you—”

“I’m not here to give the bee miraculous back to you,” Ladybug cut in.

“Oh!” Chloe turned, still smiling as she fumbled around in her purse for something. “Whatever, so—”

“I’m not here to take pictures with you either.”

Chloe looked up at her, her phone lifted halfway out of her purse. She pouted a bit, then took out her phone fully. “W-well, duh—obviously! You don’t think I know my BFF? I’m just—”

“I’m also not here to hang out, eat chocolate, try out matching fashion, or stare down at the street below and mock people’s fashion choices with you.”

Chloe’s smile twitched. She gave Ladybug a long, hard stare, as if searching her eyes for something.

Ladybug confirmed, “I’m just here to talk.”

Chloe paused, holding her now-suspicious gaze for a few more seconds, then let her phone drop back into her purse. She sat up straight, crossing one leg over the other as she turned her head to the side. She maintained eye contact, but didn’t look anywhere near as happy as before.

Ladybug had liked to pretend that it was the easiest thing in the world: admitting her own mistakes and correcting them.

It really wasn’t, but this? Telling Chloe about her mistakes?

That was actually one of the easiest parts.

“I can’t give you the bee miraculous ever again,” she said.

Chloe jerked back to face her. “What?”

Ladybug didn’t answer, giving Chloe a knowing look. Chloe knew what she’d heard, so she didn’t bother repeating herself.

Chloe pushed herself up to a stand. “Why?! I’m Queen Bee!”

“And you’re Chloe Bourgeois too,” Ladybug pointed out in a curt tone.

“Wh—” Chloe’s brows furrowed in confusion and a hint of annoyance. “What does that mean?”

“It means a lot of things, but it also means that Hawk Moth knows who you are. It’ll be all the easier for him to go after your family or take your miraculous.”

Chloe scoffed. “I wouldn’t fall for that!”

Ladybug lowered her brows, unimpressed. Flatly, she said, “Heroes’ Day.”

Chloe flinched, but clearly tried to maintain a straight face. “Th…that was just one time! One ridiculous time! It’s not like it’ll happen again! As if!”