LadyBugOut AU (Snippets)

Drawing a Beeline

It made her wonder deep down if this was just a "thing" with holders; so long as they did their jobs, it didn't matter what happened to the kwami?

And here was Chloe, treating Pollen as if she were a thing. Fukiya felt certain that, even with Chloe's vast amount of money, Pollen wouldn't have gotten the same treatment that Kagami herself had given her if Chloe had been given the miraculous full-time. She didn't know much, but given Pollen's reaction when they'd first met, she seemed thoroughly drawn into the "servant" role.

Fukiya didn't like it. She'd been under her mother's command for years and thus understood Pollen's position: being trapped in an inescapable position, not having any control, and only able to do what she's told. Even with Fukiya herself, it wasn't as if Pollen had chosen to be given to a new holder, nor did she do anything to warrant it at least to Fukiya's knowledge.

It seemed wrong to ask, but she hoped that Pollen preferred her to Chloe.

"You're being ridiculous!" Chloe claimed, apparently having been prattling on this whole time that Fukiya was lost in her own thoughts. "Do you even know who I am!?"

"Yes."

Chloe gaped at her in offense, probably having planned to give a big speech on her identity.

"You're Chloe Bourgeois, daughter of the mayor Andre Bourgeois and Audrey Bourgeois." Fukiya glared. "And neither of those things earn you a miraculous."

Chloe snorted. "You forgot that I'm also rich."

I'm rich too, Fukiya thought idly, but didn't voice it. Even if she were allowed to voice her identity, her life was none of Chloe's business.

Walking towards her with a diva-esque strut, Chloe added pointedly, "And what do you think that means? It means I'm in control here. My daddy will have every police officer in Paris after my miraculous." Placing the back of her hand to her forehead, she leaned back dramatically and turned her voice to something purposefully exaggerated. "Daddy, that bee has stolen my entire legacy from me! Mommy, she said you didn't matter! She's completely, utterly ridiculous and must be stopped!"

Fukiya clicked her tongue, the mere thought of Chloe next to Pollen making her feel disgusted. "...Turn around."

"You can't order me around!" Chloe burst out.

After a calculated pause, Fukiya squinted and responded, "Don't turn around then."

Chloe huffed, crossing her arms and turning her back to her. "Don't tell me what to do!"

Reaching out, Fukiya snagged the back of Chloe's jacket, specifically near the collar. Earning a yelp from Chloe, Fukiya jumped up onto the railing of the hotel, balancing herself perfectly as to not fall off and keeping Chloe held up at her side.

"Hey, what do you—!?" Chloe squirmed, kicking wildly in an attempt to get down. "Let me go! You're wrinkling my jacket!"

Fukiya glanced down silently at the ground below. There was no one around to see them given the recent akuma, so Chloe's shouting was serving no actual purpose. She seemed to have no sense of self-preservation either, an aspect that Fukiya would consider necessary for a hero.

"If you drop me, my shoes will be ruined and Daddy will never—!"

In a simple motion, Fukiya turned and deposited Chloe gently back onto the rooftop. Chloe looked up at her, baffled and reaching behind her in an attempt to feel and smooth out her jacket.

"Your legs would also be broken," Fukiya pointed out, "but I wouldn't drop you regardless. I would never gamble with someone's life." Sharpening her gaze, she added, "Even for my own self-interest."