#zoe hiding the bracelet chloe made for her: n-no

[wooawi]

another idea: Zoé and Chloé bonding. Featuring their stunted emotional growth.

I think the base interest is pretty easy to establish. They both come from a similar lonely background, whether they want to admit it or not. Zoé has one (unnamed) friend from New York; the rest turned on her and bullied her once she dropped her posh act. Chloé also has one “friend” (Sabrina); the only other person who fit that description “turned on” her (Adrien). These two are isolated by their own actions, Zoé in pretending to be someone she’s not to fit in, and Chloé in bullying everyone around her. They need someone to provide that love and companionship they’re lacking.

And who else than a sibling? They’re literally a built in “I’m going to love you forever no matter what” system.

Of course it doesn’t start off that easy. Chloé would rather cut off her own foot than admit that she needs someone, much less some goody-two-shoes who’s now buddy buddy with Dupain-Cheng and the others. And Zoé, well, she’s seen firsthand how much Chloé is like their mother. She’s heard the stories from her new friends to fill in the blanks. She would rather not have a second Audrey Bourgeois in her life, thank you very much.

But, with all that happened in New York, forgive Zoé if she’s a little emotionally distant with her new friends. She knows now the consequences of lying about who you are, but it’s a self defence mechanism at this point. If her friends don’t know who she is and only see her as “sweet and gentle” Zoé, then they won’t drop her like her friends in New York did. Even then, it’s tiring. Zoé doesn’t know how long she can keep smiling and laughing and pretending to be perfectly nice all the time to keep her friends happy.

And nice is all they ever are. One time, Marinette made a sarcastic remark about something Mylene was interested in. Zoé was too shocked to laugh, playful sarcasm being something she hadn’t heard in weeks, but was glad she didn’t so much as giggle when Mylene’s lips began wobbling. Turns out Marinette hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before and had misheard what Mylene was talking about and misspoke as well. She would never be so disingenuous about blah blah blah Zoé was bored.

But, she’s terrified of being alone again, so she keeps it all to herself and comforts Mylene with the others.

She sees Chloé rip Sabrina a new one one day. As she’s watching the ginger run off, tearful and snotty, she realises that it’s just Chloé and her alone. She doesn’t like Chloé and the other girl certainly doesn’t like her, so who does she have to be all nice and careful for?

“Be careful. You wouldn’t want to lose the only friend you have left, now would you?”

Chloé is confused at first. No way Zoé just said that. Of all people? Then, she recognises the snide insult for what it is and all thoughts of analysis goes out the window. Chloé yells at her to mind her fucking business, throws in a threat or two of sending Zoé back to New York, and storms off angrily. Zoé’s satisfied smirk doesn’t go away until later that day when she’s hanging out with the girls and one of them asks her about her strange mood.

It continues like that, Zoé playfully egging Chloé on and messing with her sister when she has the chance. And if it reminds her of her time back in New York when she would hang out with that one friend and they would rib each other until one or both of them was doubled over with laughter, she refuses to acknowledge it.

Chloé is fed up eventually and starts to understand that her outburst and fits of rage do nothing to dissuade Zoé, so she asks Jeane whatever his name is for help and advice. He basically tells her to match Zoé’s energy, and after some careful planning, Chloé finally gets in the game.

The teasing goes back and forth, something Chloé used to do with Adrien back when they were kids, and before they know it, they’re actively seeking each other out after school to be the first to get a word in.

Then it spreads to before school. Zoé wakes Chloé up before her alarm to rant about meaningless topics, and Chloé steals Zoé’s favourite beanie and shoes to wear for herself.

Eventually, they’re talking regularly and hanging out occasionally, nothing planned just little meet-ups in each other’s rooms and impromptu sleepovers.

“Hey, you know how to paint nails?”

“Did the smog over in the states fuck up your head or something? Of course I–”

“Ok cool. Do this design for me” And then Zoé falls asleep half an hour later and Chloé “forgets” to wake her up.

And if Chloé stops calling Zoé her “half-of-a-sister” and starts referring to her properly. Well. It’s not a big deal anyway.