#White Papillon Standing on a Cushion | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lightningcritter · 5 years ago

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Abril Day 19! @abrilove

While I love me some balcony aesthetics for Bridgette and Chat Noir, I couldn’t resist imagining Bridgette retreating to the roof of her apartment complex, climbing up the steep Parisian roof to a spot that she claimed as HERS… only to see Chat Noir sitting there, absentmindedly staring at the Eiffel Tower.

Now a short drabble for this absurdly specific AU in which Bridgette doesn’t have a balcony:

Before becoming Ladybug, Bridgette always found herself looking at the bit of roof poking out next to her over-head window when she woke up in the mornings. After a particularly bad day at school and pacing around her room in a frustrated frenzy of letting off steam, she decided to open the window to let in some fresh air.

The part of the roof right beside the window seemed to be easily accessible and longing for some fresh air… yet she was still grounded… so she decided on a whim to climb out. She pulled on a heavier pink jacket rather than her light blazer, and grabbed a half-filled thermos of peach tea and poked her head out into the chilly evening air of an early spring.

The sunset was beautiful, casting gold light onto the side of white and blue buildings, an iron tint reflecting off windows. But it was hard to see beyond that. There was only a bit of the sun poking out above some taller buildings, the winding chimneys casting strange shadows over other rooftops.

Bridgette suddenly wanted to see the entire sunset. So she pulls herself up and over the edge, pushing the glass with her head as she wriggles through. Legs shaking a little, she carefully stands up on the sloped roof because knowing her bad luck she’ll just slip on a loose shingle and then everyone will know where she is when she starts screaming.

Her eyes grow wide, the genetically impossible blue color of them entirely reflecting the bright golden-pink of the glorious Paris sunset. The molten orb was nestled comfortably on the city-scape, casting its orange glow over all the city’s inhabitants. It is a lovely, unblocked view of the sunset.

She looks up, seeing a flat section of the roof not too far from her window. She looks down, swallowing nervously at the height just a few feet from her own feet.

But Bridgette is determined if anything, so she tucks her thermos into her pocket and starts the climb. It’s a pretty quick climb, using her neighbors’ attic awnings as little pit stops. She comes across a flat section of the roof that offers her a grand view of the Eiffel Tower and rest of the city she has come to love after moving from her childhood home in China.

It was still her place, small and tucked away from the city that sometimes seemed too large when the miraculous duo worked tirelessly through the night. She sometimes found herself sitting there on particularly restless nights, comforted by the warm lights in a romantic city that spilled out its orange glow on the rooftops and shone in the darkness of big buildings.

Tikki asked her only once why Bridgette insisted on climbing up to that spot without her miraculous when it was safer and faster. Bridgette cheerfully declared that it’s more fun to struggle up the roof with her pillows, fluffy blankets and snacks. And besides, this is her rooftop. Makes sense to get up there as Bridgette.

Tikki merely laughed, her laughter sounding more like bell-like chimes than human laughter. “You’re still you, with and without the suit Bridgette!” And just offered to carry her bag of snacks for her.

After a year of climbing to her roof by herself, Bridgette liked the company of the little kwami she came to regard as one of her best friends. She loathed to admit it, but the Parisian rooftops seemed emptier without her wisecracking and stupidly flirty cat who made jokes like he was going to run out of air if he didn’t.

But still, she liked her spot.

“WWWHHHHYYY” She wanted to groan when she saw the cat boy on HER roof, sitting in HER spot. But something about his wistful face stopped her. And the fact that his belt… tail…? gently flicked about on the roof much like his namesake.

It was kind of cute.

She wasn’t sure how to announce her presence but he did that for her, turning to look at her with a bit of tenseness… perhaps thinking that the Mime was sneaking up on him. His face changed to an unsure yet still cautious expression. Meanwhile, Bridgette was grinning, unsuccessfully holding in the beginnings of a laugh.

There was something about the stiff way he turned with that weird eyebrow thing he does that just tipped her over the edge as she burst out laughing, hugging the mass of pillow and blanket tightly as she almost doubled over, giggling madly.

His “um” and “uh” and “hrm…?” just made it harder to sober up. Shoulders still shaking with remains of laughter, she makes an attempt to straighten up, looking up to the sky to avoid looking at his probably very confused face. “HAH! Sorry about that, you’re just very uh… funny-looking.”

She looked back down to seeing his irritated, almost offended grumpy cat face that revived her quieting giggles in laughter again. “Wait nonono-” She chokes out as she totters over to where he was, dropping the plush objects in her arms onto the roof. “I just meant that you just looked so cautious! I didn’t mean to laugh.”

“Well… It’s fine.” He responded, rolling his eyes, jumping when she dropped the blankets and pillows right beside him. “What are you doing!?”

“You’re in my spot.” She says, shaking her head as she squats to set up her usual set up, shooing him to move a bit.

“What- wait- why are- how did you even get up here!?”

“I climbed up, obviously. Want a cookie?”

“….” This would be the second time in one day she would be offering him the cookie actually, the first time being in the library. He was so sure that not a lot of people noticed that little study space in the corner but then Bridgette comes out of nowhere with the brightest greeting that he has yet to see anyone top and plops herself in the seat next to him. She chatters about their last shared class as she takes her laptop out from her bag, already pulling up an assignment that Felix would later point out is due next week. He smiles when her head whips to gawk at the screen, her eyes widened almost comically. They easily engage into a comfortable conversation for the rest of the afternoon, snacking on cookies she made last weekend, and he was surprised to find that he was a bit sad when she had to go, finding himself waving at her with a smile as she hustled out of their little study area.

“Sure.” Chat Noir sighs, taking the cookie. He looks at her little set-up, not sure if he should stay or go. But Bridgette makes the decision for him when she looks over and pats a spot next to him on the big green cushion.

“Staying out of trouble?” He asks snarkily after a few minutes of peaceful silence. He bites in the cookie, a pleased sound making its way out of his mouth just as Bridgette squawks in indignation.

“Last time I saw you, you almost became mincemeat.” He retorts after chewing. “Just be more careful, the reporters are already a handful, I would like to,” not risk not being able to save you in time “not have to look out for a pesky civilian on top of that.”

“Well, like I said, it was by accident! How I was supposed to know there was a…” She gestures with her macadamia cookie, trying to find words to describe the saw-blade wielding villain but having no luck especially since Ladybug and Chat Noir avoided interaction with the news let alone release any information to the public. “Strange knife lady with uh, gray skin.” It’d be more than suspicious if she used jargon that the two used when discussing Papillon’s victims.

He snorts at her description. “Talk about taking a stab in the dark.”

She just pokes her tongue out at him, pointedly turning away to take another bite of her cookie.

He finishes his cookie, patting his gloves to get rid of crumbs. He sinks into the comfortable plush of a second cushion up against a surprisingly clean chimney.