Chapter Text
She hated this. She didn't want to be here anymore. She told her mom that she no longer felt safe at school. It should've been clear by the countless times that she'd beg her mother to let her skip class. And yet she was being driven to the source of her troubles. It felt suffocating. She felt trapped as she was walking down the long winding hallway. Following the same taunting path everyday felt like endless torture. One could call it hopeless, even. But her mom insisted that she was overexaggerating. That nothing she was feeling was as bad as what her mother went through in childhood. That (Y/n) was just being "dramatic". (Y/n)'s worries were being laid bare for her mother to see. It was a cry for help. She was begging to be seen and heard. But to her mom, (Y/n) was just a teenager with qualms that could never even match up to her own experiences. Each and every time (Y/n) was called "dramatic", the smaller she felt...
Each step further down the hall would just stray her further from her destination. What class was she heading to? Who knew... She could only focus on the floor and her sneakers as tall shadowy figures loomed over her. Their sharp glares were making her feel small and weak. Their murmurs rung softly through this pale hallway, repeating and echoing like a twisted chant. She couldn't make out what they were saying but she was sure that it must be unflattering.
"Hey, (Y/n) heads up!" She looked up and saw a flash of red fly towards her. The icy impact almost toppled her over.
Cold... Sticky... What is this? A slushy? Why?
The frosted sweet syrup stuck to her (s/c) skin as it dripped down her body. The red liquid seeped into her clothes, completely ruining them. The frozen drink against her skin made her shiver out of a natural reaction to the cold. But to the shadows around her, it looked like a tremble done out of fear. It was sickening how the thought of her panic would bring them some sort of satisfaction. Soon their laughter began to fill the never-ending halls. It was ringing in her ears and drowning out the pounding of her heart. Looking around, she found no escape. With nowhere else to go, she was trapped.
What did I do to all of you? Stop... Please, stop. I don't want this...
The walls suddenly felt like they were slowly closing in on her with each heavy breath she took. At some point her lungs felt like they were starting to burn. And so did her eyes. The panic tears that were threatening to escape felt hot and full of negative emotions. But alas, she won't cry. Not in front of them. She'll take any embarrassment. But she won't let them see her cry. Because that's when they truly win.
Her shoulders were shuddering as she hugged herself and began to curl up against the corner of the room, that magically appeared behind the girl, replacing the long hallway. Her (e/c) eyes darted around like crazy, unable to focus on the shadowy figures that were closing in. Their wicked smiles grew the closer they got to her. She couldn't look at them anymore so she looked down. But the sight of her sneakers turning blurry made her sick to her stomach. Oh god, she was tearing up again. So, she shut her eyes as she expected the worst.
"(Y/n)", the faux comfort in the way her name was said made her blood run cold. She looked up and saw a dark figure. One that looked just like the others but (Y/n) knew who this silhouette belonged to. She could never forget this voice, this confident pose, and that haunting laugh. And those greenish hazel eyes. It was her... The person that (Y/n) once thought she could trust. She was so familiar and yet so foreign to her. They kept a stern gaze on each other. Her (e/c) orbs wavered as she tried looking around one more time for an escape. She could no longer look at the eyes of someone who was now a stranger in her heart. The one who uprooted her life. "(Y/n)…" the girlish figure said in a mocking tone. The figure's semi-blank face now grows a wicked smirk.
Go away.
"(Y/n)!" It giggled. Her laughter merging with that of the others. But (Y/n) could single it out. She knew best who it belonged to.
I said go away! I have nothing to say to you!
STOP!
"(Y/n)", a voice whispered into her ear as a hand gently shook her shoulder. The (h/c)-haired girl sat up in her seat with a startle. Blinking away tears and sleep as she looked around the near empty seats of the plane and met the worried eyes of her aunt. "We're here. It's not our turn yet to get up but you should start waking up" she said to her niece, nudging her shoulder with her own as the adult stood up to grab their carry-ons from the compartment above their heads. During the process, the woman started making small talk about the long flight from the United States to France to her niece. Most of which the young girl zoned out as she yawned away her drowsiness. It was taking a while for the sleepy teen to process what her aunt was saying but she was listening... Sort of. (Y/n) took in a sharp inhale through her nose as she stretched, tilting her neck until she heard a satisfying crack. Inadvertently ignoring her aunt's concerned gaze while the teen took a moment to pull up the small window curtain to take a glance outside. The sunlight made the young girl flinch for a second, and the brightness of it just further highlighted her tired features to her aunt. She took note of the bags under the eyes, the slightly paler skin tone, dry skin texture, the stress acne, and chapped lips. Her aunt's worries just grew the longer she looked at her niece. Meanwhile, said niece was starstruck.
Oh wow. I really am in Paris...
(Y/n) didn't want to admit it. But... This was pretty exciting. She could even see the Eiffel tower in the distance just from the tarmac. She'd always dreamed of being here... even if just to visit. A soft "ahem" broke her out of her curious state and she turned back to see her aunt sitting back down, but now with her purse in her lap and (Y/n)'s backpack on the floor in between her legs. And with a cautious gaze now focused in her direction, (A/n) spoke. "(Y/n), you know... I can't guarantee things will be better. But I promise that I'll be here with you for every step of your journey" she hummed as she placed a hand over (Y/n)'s.
"I... Thank you. For everything really. I just wanted to get away, you know, and start fresh. So, you've already done a lot for me, auntie", the 14-year old mumbled before she turned and forced herself to smile at the young woman. Her aunt shared some traits with her niece, maybe she could actually pass as her older sister at first glance. They both had (e/c) colored eyes and a naturally soft gaze. That last trait showing itself with the way her aunt was looking at (Y/n). With the way she was analyzing the teenager, one would assume that she was carefully calculating her next response. "And, I know it'll take a bit for you to get used to..." she then gestured broadly to everything by spreading her arms in a small circle, "this. But I'll be your guardian for the time being. So, please come to me if you need help. Or... if you want to talk about 'it'." She said that last part hesitantly, and you could tell by the way she slightly squinted her eyes that she braced herself for a response. Any type of response really.
"Mmhm. Yeah, I will", (Y/n) replied curtly, as she obviously didn't want to dwell too much on her aunt's words. Deciding it best to just brush it off. After all, surely she had to have already spoken to her mother about what happened or none of "this", like how her aunt worded it, would be happening. An awkward silence fell upon the two as it was mutually agreed that referring to the 'incident' was a touchy subject. At least for now. (A/n) knew that her niece would come to her when she was ready to talk. And (Y/n) appreciated that, even if she was a bit awkward at expressing it. They only broke out of said awkwardness when it came turn for their row to exit out of the plane. Grabbing her backpack, (Y/n) followed her aunt down the aisle and politely smiled to the pilots and attendants that bid them farewell. Once out of the airport and with her luggage in hand, the two hopped into a taxi. Her aunt now speaking in fluent French to the older man driving the vehicle. Though not a native speaker, (Y/n) could still pick up bits and pieces of their conversation as she stared out of the window. She assumed it was just small talk. Or at least that's what she understood. Something about politics and the mayor. But who could care about that? They literally just passed by the Arc D' Triomphe!
Her aunt just glanced over and chuckled at her niece. (Y/n)'s eyes stared out the window with the widest eyes. "(Y/n), je sais que l'arc est belle... Mais tu avez l'air de une touriste." ("I know the arc is beautiful, but you look like a tourist" is the translation. Sorry, I'm not very fluent myself. All the French classes I took are just a blurry memory in my head.) Her aunt said, switching to her local Parisian side. Jokingly tutting her tongue at the American girl as she nudged her with her elbow, which made their driver chuckle to himself. The teenager rolled her eyes and playfully cleared her throat before turning around to face her aunt. Dramatically tutting to mimic her aunt and wiggling her finger, building up to the moment before she started speaking in French.
(Pretend the dialogue in French from now on :p)
"I'm not a tourist. I'm a guest. You have to show me some 'Parisian hospitality', miss", the teen said with a teasing smirk, playfully stretching her legs onto her aunt's lap. Only for said person to push her legs off and scoff jokingly. "Oh yes, would you like the 'ignore you' kind or the 'I'll scoff at your pronunciations' type? Cause I kind of feel like doing the second one" she jested right back. The cab driver just let out a little huff-like laugh at the banter happening in the backseat of the vehicle, shaking his head as he turned out of the roundabout and down the street. He glanced up at the rearview mirror just to shake his head at their laughter, turning back to his navigational app on his phone. “Americans and their energy, I swear” he mumbled to himself with a chuckle.
"Ah, hey! There's the bakery I told you about" her aunt said happily, wrapping an arm around (Y/n) to turn their attention towards the window. "Their croissants are to die for! And it's a mom-and-pop shop run by the sweetest couple..." (Y/n) focused her gaze towards the cute corner bakery, only for her gaze to accidentally connect with that of an old man's. He was short, Asian, and was wearing a red Hawaiian shirt. There was nothing impactful about him per say especially as he held his paper bag of bread. But... there was something about him. His stare felt like it peering into her soul, analyzing her very being. "(Y/n)?" Her aunt asked, breaking (Y/n) out of the trance she was in and making her glance back to her aunt. "I asked if you wanted to get lunch from there?" She asked her niece as she started to reach into her purse while the girl tried to turn her gaze back to the outside. "Oh, uh, maybe some other time.. I'm more tired than anything... so maybe let's head to your apartment so I can crash from the jet lag" (Y/n) said as she looked back to the window just to see that the old man was gone.
Weird...
Screeeeechhh! *Crash!*
The taxi came to a sudden halt as the sunny blue sky suddenly turned cloudy and gray, and all the vehicles in front of them stopped because of... a thrown bus?!?! Said vehicle was absolutely destroyed and smashed like a crumpled tissue paper on the road. And it looked like some vehicles weren’t so lucky in braking on time… (Y/n) never knew that she was so grateful for seatbelts until today... Jokes aside, what was going on? She looked around panicked and was surprised by how calm the driver and her aunt were being in this situation. Though worried, they weren't as shaken as (Y/n) was.
This must be a common occurrence here? … Oh, who was she kidding? What's going on?!
Her aunt and the driver exchanged a look as they both mutually agreed to something in a silent nod. An act which further confused the teen girl as the adults started to unbuckle their seatbelts and started to evacuate the vehicle. (A/n) just smiled nervously down at the girl and started to lead her away from the scene, “Don’t worry, sweetie. It’s just an akuma attack. Ladybug and Chat Noir will stop it and things will go back to normal soon enough. We just have to find somewhere to hide for now” she explained to her niece.
… “A what and who?” (Y/n) asked with a dumbfounded tone that further confirmed that she was super lost with what was happening. Her aunt took her hand in hers as they ran into an alleyway, making sure they were tucked away in the narrow space and comfortably hidden away in the shadows. With her back against the bricked wall (Y/n) could finally glance behind her and see that the people that were in the cars behind theirs also had the same idea to find refuge elsewhere for now. And with this slight moment of rest, (Y/n) could finally feel how cold the temperature was getting around them. Her breath was creating small puffs of vapor as she calmed her beating heart. The longer this went on the more worried she was beginning to get… Wasn’t it still the middle of summer? What threw that bus? What’s going to happen now? Are they going to be okay?
(A/n) just sighed in relief as it seemed like no more cars were being thrown their way and she could finally focus her attention on the anxious child in front of her. She placed both hands on her niece’s trembling shoulders and gently directed her niece’s attention towards her. (A/n) comforted the teen by wrapping her arms around her shoulders, slowly rubbing up and down her back. “Shhhh, shhh. We’re okay. You’re okay. I’m safe and you’re safe”, she whispered to the girl that didn’t even know she was trembling. A long warm moment of silence passed by as (Y/n) waited for her aunt to explain what was going on. She gently pushed away from the hug to look at her aunt’s expression. Despite how weird this whole thing was, there was a part of (Y/n) that thought maybe this was an elaborate joke. Maybe her aunt wanted to play a joke. A messed up joke that involved playing out a scenario where Paris was under attack. “Okay, so I didn’t tell you or your mother this…”, (A/n) started slowly as she thought of the best way to describe what was happening. “But there’s a villain somewhere out in Paris that corrupts innocent people, who turns them into evil henchmen with powers. Not to worry though, we have two superheroes that do everything within their powers to stop him and save Paris.”, she said with a semi-rushed tone as she came to the realization that the longer her explanation went on the more ridiculous this was beginning to sound.
Okay, she has to be playing a joke.
(Y/n) couldn’t help but make a face. Like was her aunt hearing herself right now? There’s no way that this was real. It’s like something that was pulled straight out of a magical girl anime. Enemies made from a bad guy corrupting them? Yeah, no. (Y/n) fought to control herself from grimacing. “They’re real!”, (A/n) said in a playfully exasperated tone. “There’s a website documenting most if not all of their adventures, interviews, and it has tons of pics to prove that what I’m saying is true” she said as she started sensing that her niece wasn’t taking her seriously. (A/n) reached into her purse to pull out her cell phone and started searching. After a few seconds of furious typing she finally found the website that she was referring to and shoved the screen in her niece’s face. (Y/n) was greeted with a bright pink webpage with a teenage girl in pigtails dressed in a red morph suit with black spots. “Ladybug, Paris’ own superhero… Protector of the weak and enforcer of justice?”, (Y/n) read the article title aloud with a raised eyebrow.
“They’re real, (Y/n). They’ve been protecting Paris for a while now. Just keep reading before you say anything else” her aunt deadpanned as she could sense the quip from a mile away.
“Uh huh, does she punish people in the name of the moon too?”, (Y/n) quipped smugly to her aunt, who was now pursing her lips and crossing her arms at the young girl. “Let me guess, she’s a clumsy heroine stereotype too that-”
Before anything else could be said, the two heard a crash and immediately looked into the street just to see… a girl??? She was floating along in the middle of a tornado, waving her umbrella and sending cars flying out of her way with strong gusts of wind. One car slammed against the wall of the building that they were hiding next to. (Y/n) couldn’t help but scream in surprise at the loud impact, curling up against the wall and her aunt while covering her ears. “Okay, very real! This is so very real!”, she whispered in a panicked tone to her aunt, who just protectively held her to her chest. “Shhhh, shhh. Don’t worry, Ladybug and Chat Noir will be here soon”, her aunt cooed to the scared child in her arms. Though slightly shaken herself, the older woman made sure to scoot them further into the alleyway to hide themselves. “While we wait for this to be over, let me tell you a story of how I got to meet one of Paris’ heroes. I’m sure that’ll take our minds off this, right?”, (A/n) whispered, her hand still rubbing up and down her niece’s trembling back. (Y/n) nodded as she subconsciously hid herself in her aunt’s shoulder. Her aunt gently rocked them back and forth as she started her story:
“I’ve always hated the color pink. I never knew why. I just do, you know. Like it’s a cliche color… Pink… Ew. Anyways. So, well, when my husband planned a spring ensemble that used a pale pink dress as the main focus… Let’s just say I was not happy. He was so dead-set on it… And I was so mad at him. Mad that he wasn’t listening to me. Mad that he wasn’t taking me seriously. I was so mad that I walked out on the photoshoot for our new lineup. Walking without a destination in mind, really. Just walking. I ended up walking through a park, stomping and huffing my heart out. I was so irrationally mad over a silly decision that I didn’t realize that there was a possessed villain approaching the area, throwing objects all around. I couldn’t even tell that they threw a trash can in my direction…”
(A/n) fingers slowly fidgeted as they started to brush through her niece’s (h/c) hair. Stopping to twirl a lock of hair before continuing her story, ”But, before anything could happen I was suddenly swooped up into a princess carry and carried away by THE Chat Noir! Haha, turns out a certain superhero was passing by as he was tailing the bad guy and noticed how out of it I was. He was so respectful to me, calling me ‘ma’am’ and even offering to drop me off at home.” She started to giggle to herself as she sat up, motioning for the young girl to do the same now that they were both in a calmer state of mind.
“As he was taking me out of harm’s way, we heard a crash nearby and I could swear that for a moment… He looked scared… Sort of vulnerable… I saw him waver for just a second but it felt like a long glimpse into this poor boy. But I assume, since he was in my presence, that he quickly straightened himself up and put on a confident face just to make sure that I wouldn’t be scared. It was sweet, really. To still worry about someone else when you can’t even say the same for yourself… If not for him, I would've been hurt or worse. And yet he was trying so hard to hide that he was scared too. He was so valiant. But so… tiny. He kind of reminded me of you. So young and small. Yet… so strong… I imagine it must be tiring to be so brave all the time…” She hummed as she took (Y/n)’s hand in hers to gently stroke her knuckles with her thumbs.
(A/n) slowly took in a breath before looking into her niece’s eyes, “I know it’s weird to compare you to a Parisian hero, but I think you are so brave… Talking to your mom about your issues. Asking for help. Coming with me to Paris. Moving to a new school. It’s a lot. And it’ll be a bit overwhelming at first. But I know my niece will be tough! Just like the brave and amazing woman she’s shaping herself to be. Taking on the world like a badass! And just know, that’s it’s okay to be a little weak in front of me.”.
(Y/n) couldn’t help but tear up at those sweet words. It was all she wanted to hear and more. She just wanted someone to be there. Through salty streams, she looked into her aunt’s eyes and smiled. “Thank you, auntie. Really. I know I thanked you earlier, but.. I really really mean it. You’re the best” she said as she embraced her once again.
“Ah! Look, it's them!” Her aunt exclaimed in a soft hush, making the young girl look up as well.
It felt like the world slowed down… The way their silhouettes shone through the gloomy grays of the weather…The smallest rays of sunshine that peaked through the clouds further illuminated the way the two stood out. Chat Noir’s golden hair… Ladybug’s deep blue locks… It was breathtaking. They were real life heroes! Ladybug’s dark blue hair stood out even more as it contrasted with her red suit. Her yoyo was spinning so fast it looked like a helicopter blade cutting through the gusts of the villain’s man-made tornado. It appeared that her partner was using his baton to mimic her movements and the two went for a full frontal attack, running up the buildings and using them to propel themselves forward.
Only for a gust of wind to send them flying.
“Well, no one said heroes had to be perfect…” Her aunt said, showing second-hand embarrassment for the heroes that she was so openly praising earlier. Making (Y/n) snicker softly, before she cut in with her own opinions on the two, “It’s okay. They’re pretty amazing, just like you said”.
The gloomy weather disappeared as pink and white swirls of ladybugs enveloped the chaos left behind by the villain. Apparently it was Ladybug’s power, her “Lucky Charm” as it says on the LadyBlog. It was still pretty weird to see Parisian people just act as if nothing was wrong after a villain attack… But I guess that’s the way they’ve adjusted to change. And nothing’s going to change until this Papillon guy is caught.. Oh well, this was going to be the new normal for (Y/n) so it’s better to accept it rather than fight it. After all, she wasn’t planning on going back to the States.
She sighed as she placed her luggage down in the semi-empty space that was going to be her room from now on. It used to be her uncle-in-law’s office and it showed that her arrival was a last minute wrench in their plans… There were still file cabinets in the corner of the room and rolls of fabric leaning against the closet. “Are you sure I can take this room, Uncle Aaron?” the girl asked warily, “Don’t you still use it?”
“No no, it’s okay. I can share an office with your aunt, I just have to condense my cabinets…” The half-Haitian man said as he picked up a box from the floor and walked off with it. “And, I still have to shred some old receipts, trash some scrapped designs, and take some boxes to storage…”, he left while mumbling to himself about all the other things he had to do.
“Don’t worry about him, he just procrastinated cleaning out the guest room. We’ve been preparing for your arrival for a couple of weeks now, so I’m not sure why he didn’t condense his paperwork when I told him to!” Her aunt said it loud enough so her husband could hear it from the other room. The only response she heard back was a dry laugh, making the woman shake her head. (A/n) grabbed a box of her own and started to follow her husband to the second office. “We’ll be back, we’re going to drop some stuff off at the studio and then grab some dinner on the way back. So while I’m gone, Coco’s in charge”, her aunt said with a playful wink before walking off.
“Coco?” (Y/n) waited to hear the front door shut before she wondered aloud to herself. Only to shudder in place and hold back a small scream at the sudden sensation of something hairy brush against her leg. She quickly glanced down and was greeted by the small “meow” of a snow white Persian cat with nicely groomed fur and a floral scarf for a collar. (Y/n) bit back a laugh. “Coco? Like Coco Chanel??” she said with a slight snort as she leaned down to pick up the chatty kitty. “Aunt (A/n) and uncle Aaron aren’t very original with their names, hm?” she cooed to the fluffy pet in her arms. Holding the cat like a toddler in her arms as she walked around the room that was soon to be hers. The room was very spacious despite it having been used as a storage room/second office for the designer couple. One could easily overlook the pile of junk in the corner and be enamored by just the natural sunlight that was peeking through the glass doors of the balcony. With Coco in her arms, she opened the glass French doors and stepped out to get greeted by the fresh air and view of a nearby park. “This is the guest room???” she said to Coco, who just hopped out of her arms to perch on the black metal railing. Purring up a storm as the cat kept an eye on the curious child that continued to explore the room.
A queen-size canopy bed? A personal bathroom? An antique desk with a roll-top cover? That closet better not be a walk-in or I’m gonna faint.
(Y/n) stomped over to said closet and pulled it open with a sense of urgency that could not be explained. Only to sigh in relief that it was a normal sized closet. (Y/n) already felt kind of guilty that her uncle had to move things around for her… Did they move rooms for her too? She knew Aaron and (A/n) weren’t amazingly well-off… Not rich, but not lower income. But to give a teen a room this nice was kind of excessive.
It was starting to make her feel like a burden…
Was this the master bedroom? Are they in a smaller room? Are they comfortable? Do they hate it? Do they hate that I’m here? Am I annoying them? Am I a bother? Do they hate-?
(Y/n) broke out of her thoughts as soon as she heard the door open, and her aunt and uncle walked in with bags of takeout. She decided to brush off the feeling. Forcing on a smile for the couple that were already doing so much for her.
“What’s for dinner?” (Y/n) said in a sickeningly sweet tone that made a sour taste bubble in the back of her throat.
(Y/n) woke up feeling pretty tired from the jetlag, but also from her thoughts keeping her up. That aside she ended up sleeping in and only woke up because Coco walked over her stomach in her sleep. Her aunt was at the kitchen table typing, probably finishing up an article. The woman glanced up and beamed at her niece. “Well good morning sunshine. I was just about to wake you up. You have to eat breakfast and get ready” she said with a pep to her step, shutting her laptop and getting up to get a meal ready for (Y/n).
“Get ready for…?” (Y/n) said confused, yawning as she leaned down to pet the cat that was headbutting her legs.
“Your first day at school!” (A/n) replied as she cut open a croissant and placed the halves in the toaster oven.
(Y/n) comically looked up at the clock on the wall and looked over to the time on the microwave. “(A/n), it’s 3pm”, she replied as if her aunt was speaking nonsense, “School’s almost over. And I’m still in pajamas”.
“I know, and don’t worry. It’s just an afterschool tour and a meeting with the principal so I can finish some paperwork. (Y/n), I’m not daft” her aunt huffed as she spread some mashed avocado on one of the toasted halves. She then sprinkled some sea salt and ground coarse pepper on the avocado before placing some scrambled eggs on it. Placing the other half on top to make it a sandwich of some sort, before turning around to shoo her niece away, “Now hurry along, get dressed and brush your teeth”.
(Y/n) nodded with an obnoxious dramatic open-mouth yawn that made her aunt cringe. “(Y/n) mind your manners! Cover your mouth when you yawn” she could hear her aunt’s scolding as she walked back into “her” room. (Y/n) quickly dressed up in the same attire she wore yesterday, thinking it too troublesome to pick out something flashy. “It’s just a tour. Who’s gonna see me?” she thought as she slipped on a zippered black hoodie over the graphic t-shirt she used for her pajamas. And with a pair of jeans and some sneakers her outfit should be fine she assumed.
Her aunt thought otherwise. “Nuh uh. You are not wearing the same clothes you slept in while on the plane”, she huffed, crossing her arms. “What? Why?? It’s clean, comfy, and low effort”, the girl argued back. “Sweetie, it’s your first day. Don’t you want to make an impression?” (A/n) tried to reason with her niece. “But it’s technically not my first day and…” (Y/n) started.
Making an impression is the last thing I wanna do. Standing out is why I’m even here.
But it’s not like she could tell her aunt that, so she threw in a different excuse, “and the hoodie makes me feel comfortable, you know…” she mumbled out the last response, starting to tug down on the sleeves of her hoodie to cover her hands. (A/n) swallowed back a response and stared pensively at the visibly nervous girl. With her lips in a straight line, she thought of a response and then started to smile, “Okay… I can work with this…” (A/n) said as she placed the plate in her hands on the table, wiping her hands on her apron as she walked towards (Y/n) and ushered her back into her room. Getting ready to work her magic on the teen girl.
Soon enough, the two stood in front of a full length mirror as (A/n) stood behind the girl. “(Y/n), I love you. And I want you to know that I always see this when I see you” her aunt started, as she brushed the girl’s hair back into a low ponytail with her fingers. Averting her aunt’s doting words, the girl played her slight embarrassment off with a quip, “(A/n), it’s my reflection. I know how mirrors work. I can tell you’re trying so hard to play fairy godmother…”. The snarky little comment made the older woman roll her eyes before continuing. “I see a pretty girl that’s too scared to realize that she already is a princess, and needs to be treated as such…” she teased, “even if she’s a little prickly to her beautiful and wise aunt”. Now that made (Y/n) roll her eyes.
“See, look. We kept the hoodie”, her aunt mused as she finished up the hairstyle. “A low ponytail should keep the hair out of your face and compliments the ‘low effort' look you were trying to achieve. But the high-waisted light blue denim shorts with the distressed details should bring out that edge of yours. Gotta really tune into that teen angst look that is trendy right now. But to keep up that modern street look that Parisians are known for, I have a classic solid white crew-necked t-shirt” her aunt started to ramble on about her ensemble. Stopping her train of thought to semi tuck in the girl’s shirt and to add a matching black belt. “And for your glass slippers… Some (f/c) high-tops with white borders for a pop of color!”
(Y/n) didn’t want to admit it, but she liked the outfit. Stylish but simple. Just the way her aunt thought clothing should be. Simple but can bring out the natural charm of a person. She felt comfortable but somehow new in this outfit. It may be composed of clothing from her own closet but the way it was coordinated felt groundbreaking.
“I like it” (Y/n) said softly.
“I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t hear you very well… This fairy godmother has trouble hearing” her aunt said with a proud smirk on her face while she hugged (Y/n) from behind and rested her chin on the girl’s shoulder. Making the girl laugh softly as she pushed her aunt off of her, “I said I like it. Thank you, oh wise fairy godmother” she joked right back.
“That’s more like it. Now, eat quickly. We have a bus to catch. Aaron has the car today, he’ll pick us up later. With the sudden wardrobe change we’re a bit behind schedule” her aunt said with a hurried clap of her hands.
“And, this will be your homeroom starting tomorrow. Your instructor, Madame Bustier, will certainly have no issues in getting you situated. Many of our best students are in this class as well, be sure to ask them for any help you may need. But of course, my door is always open should you need anything else” the principal finished his tour by stopping in front of the classroom on the second floor. (Y/n) finished writing down the classroom number on the informational pamphlet she was given before looking back up to Mr. Damocles. Said man was waiting expectantly for any questions from the two. When he received none he then turned over to the older woman. Her aunt was beside her, taking notes of her own, only looking up when Damocles cleared his throat. “Huh? Oh, right. (Y/n), Françoise Dupont was the school that Aaron attended when he was younger. It’s also where he discovered his passion for tailoring” her aunt said with a smile.
“And that leads me to my next topic: Extracurriculars! Art, track, swimming, chemistry, robotics, journalism, fashion, cooking, and fencing… anything that you’d like to try, we have! All of our students are very passionate about their interests. I hope you find something that ignites your passion while you enjoy your stay in Paris” Monsieur Damocles said with a jolly laugh that came straight from the belly. Proud of his speech, she assumed. Well, not like it’s unheard of to have a principal jump at the chance to show off his school. The architecture was pretty, and the atmosphere was good too. The sun was starting to set and the school was nearly empty except for the kids that stayed for their extracurriculars, leaving a state of cozy silence. The halls were empty but the classrooms they walked by had the sound of chatter and laughter. It was nice. Warm. It was clear that for some students this school was a second home.
Three stories… A huge courtyard… Wow… Am I really going to be a student here?
(Y/n) marveled as the trio made it back to the door of the principal’s office. “Now… Madame Bernard, we still have other forms to go over and more things to discuss” he started, just for her aunt to nod, “Yes, of course”. (A/n) turned to her niece and got down to her level, “Mind waiting for me here while I do boring adult stuff?” she whispered to the young girl. Who, in turn, smiled back and gave her a thumbs up, “Yup, I can definitely do that, auntie”.
(Y/n) leaned against the wall for a moment, taking out her cellphone to check the time. Only to look up at the sound of metal clashing against metal. Curiosity brought her to the railing of the overhang and she looked down to the courtyard and was amazed by the sight. It seems like the fencing class had just started as students were paired off and sparring on the mat. “Wow, Monsieur Damocles wasn’t lying when he said they had fencing…” she thought to herself as she rested her arms on the handrail and watched them practice. One specific student was doing really well, instantly tapping the tip against every opponent’s chests. “Looks like they’re practicing foil fencing…” she mused to herself, letting out a low whistle as the instructor himself decided to spar against this kid. Obviously, the kid didn’t stand a chance against the teacher himself but it was impressive to think they were that outstanding that the instructor saw that potential in them. (Y/n) thought that the kid would’ve been disheartened to have been brought down a peg by the teacher, but to her surprise they stood back up and seemed to be asking the instructor for some pointers. It made her smile, “I guess everyone’s nice here…” she said to herself. Unaware of the student that was watching her through their mask.
Feeling someone’s gaze she immediately turned her attention back to the student from before. They may have a mask on but she could tell they were looking at her. Was she not supposed to be watching? What if it was a private lesson? She could feel sweat beads forming on her forehead as she awaited the scolding. “First day on campus, and I’m already going to be in trouble…” she worried to herself.
But they waved. A simple gesture, really. They noticed her admiration of the sport in front of her. And they appreciated her respect, choosing to acknowledge her presence by sending her a friendly display. Or well, maybe they just wanted to be nice. Who knows. But that didn’t stop (Y/n) from dumbly looking to either side of her and even behind her before testingly waving back.
You could see the way the student’s shoulders shook up and down. Clearly laughing at the girl.
“Okay, first day here and I’ve already embarrassed myself” she thought before sheepishly smiling and waving properly. She straightened herself up and went back to leaning against the wall and using her phone while she waited for her aunt. Wanting to stay out of view while her embarrassed blush died down. A few minutes went by and she was so immersed in her mobile game to notice the person beside her.
“Are you interested in fencing?” She heard a boy’s voice beside her, making her nearly jump out of her skin. She dropped her phone in the process, making the boy in the fencing attire scramble to retrieve her cell phone for her. But she also tried to reach for it, making the two accidentally bump heads. “Sorry! I’m really sorry for scaring you. And for the phone” he rambled.
“It's okay. How did you do that?” she asked as she rubbed her forehead where his mask bumped against. “You’re in full fencing attire and your clothes didn’t make a sound” she said with a chuckle. She gratefully grabbed the phone from his hand and smiled.
“I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you, sorry by the way” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck through the gorget of his uniform, “And I think it’s because you were really into your game”. It almost sounded like he was teasing her. Just a bit though.
“Maybe, I was. Haha, it's a good game. And to answer your question, yeah sort of. Swords are pretty cool. I’ve hardly ever had the chance to see one in real life. I don’t think I’d try it personally, if you’re trying to recruit me for your club” she said as she inspected her phone for any damage from the drop.
“Oh. I’m not trying to recruit you, just thought I could find someone with a similar interest…” he said with an unreadable tone. Maybe he felt like she was accusing him of trying to scout. Or maybe he was disappointed that she wasn’t genuinely interested in fencing. “I just thought you were interested considering how focused you were on our practice…” he said as he sort of fiddled with his gloves.
He's trying to keep a distance...
“Wait, was that you? Winning left and right?” she asked him, only for him to shyly nod. “Dude, you were cool!” she said happily with a smile. “No wonder I couldn’t hear you, you have some light feet” she complimented, putting away her cell phone in her back pocket to fully pay attention to the boy in front of her. She couldn’t see his face but she could tell by his awkward stance that he wasn’t very used to praise.
“Thanks… Are you new here?” he chose to divert the topic to a different direction.
“Yeah, I’m (Y/n) (L/n). I start tomorrow” she said, sticking her hand out for a hand shake.
“I’m Adrien... Adrien Agreste,” he said, offering his hand and placing it in hers.
(Sorry, came back to edit it before I start on the second chapter. - 1/31)
(Oops, forgot to add minor crucial things. My bad. - 3/14)