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#Dang I really was pro-chloe redemption there for a while huh
disorganizedkitten · 3 months
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You'll Survive Chapter 1
Miraculous Ladybug | 2018 | 820 | Ao3 | Masterlist | Next
Growing up and leaving the nest is hard, but being with friends lightens the blow. Unless you are Chloe Bourgeois, in which case you have to make friends to help pull that weight. Or maybe you already have some, you just didn’t think of them.
Chloe slung her purse over her shoulder, intent to meet up with her roommates and convince them that she’ll be a good housemate.
She had been trying a little better to be nice, with Pollen’s help of course, but it was hard. Hard enough that most of the people she had been paired with for rooming had been overly hostile and happy to get her out of the house. If this set didn’t work out, she’d probably just have to get her own place. That wasn’t a problem, but she really wanted to make a friend. At least one!
It was lonely without Sabrina, but Chloe wanted her friend to be happy, and that meant letting the redhead follow her own dreams.
Chloe started up the concrete stairs, breathing deeply so she didn’t freak out. This should not make her this nervous.
It shouldn’t!
She started counting doors as soon as she reached the top. E7, E9, F1, F3, and finally, F4. Oh heckle she was here. “Wish me luck Pollen,” she breathed quietly, reaching her hand into the purse she carried the Kwami around in.
“You can do it Chloe! I believe in you! Besides, thirteenth time’s the charm, right?”
“I hope you’re right.”
Chloe pulled her hand away from Pollen’s comforting fur and knocked. Thirteenth time’s the charm.
“Race you!” sound erupted from the apartment, giggles, yells, and a bang on the door from that side.
“Hey!”
“I win!”
“I was a room farther away!”
“Oh sure you were ‘miss faster than a cat,’” the door swung open as the second voice grumbled. “Hello- Chloe?”
Chloe froze. “Alya?”
“Yeah, actually. What’s up?”
Marinette poked her head over Alya’s shoulder, eyes wide. “Is this a you-know-what emergency?”
“No, um, I’m supposed to be doing a roommate interview here?” Chloe didn’t sound as confident as she hoped. But, this was Alya and Marinette. Two of her superpowered teammates. How bad could it be?
Marinette’s face lit up at her words. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re accepted,” Marinette said, not even pausing to consider anything.
“She is?” Alya asked, turning to her friend.
“I am?” Chloe parroted. That, was fast.
Marinette waved Chloe inside and dragged Alya over to a couch. The apartment was small, but obviously decorated by the two. The decor was an easy mix of Creolian, Chinese, and French, with pink and white furniture and framed pictures of Alya, Marinette, and their friends and families.
“Would Pollen like a snack?” Marinette asked, moving over to the small kitchen and digging through a container.
“Yes please!” Pollen replied, poking her head out of Chloe’s purse.
Marinette dropped a couple things on a tray and brought it over to the living room’s small table, carefully moving a stack of papers over so it could fit.
“Chloe, are you joining us?”
“Sure,” Chloe moved over to sit down on the edge of the couch, feeling less apprehensive.
Marinette sat down in between Alya and Chloe, opening her purse to let her own Kwami, Tikki, out. Tikki moved over to the tray and picked up a cookie, waving Pollen over. Pollen hugged Chloe’s arm encouragingly before moving over to her fellow.
“Right, why are we taking her in Marinette?” Alya asked, as her orange Kwami, Trixx, joined Tikki and Pollen on the snack tray.
“Chloe, do you want to convince her or do you want me too?” Marinette asked cooly.
“Um,-”
“See, she doesn’t even have a reason,” Alya cut in.
“Okay, Alya, why not?”
Alya scowled, but didn’t answer.
“I promise I’ll pull my weight, and I already know about Kwami and Miraculous, so you don’t have to worry about those, and I,” Chloe paused and looked at Pollen for encouragement.
Pollen brushed some crumbs off her fluff and floated up a little bit. “With Sabrina doing that Genius school in Britain, we need someone to stay with. It’s no fun being friendless.”
Alya’s scowl turned into a frown. “That, I can agree with. Okay.”
“See? All good, and Chloe’s a much better roommate than some stranger. Let me grab the papers,” She stood up and dashed down a short hallway to another room.
“Sorry about that Chloe,” Alya said, quietly. “I know you’re not the same person you were then, but it’s harder for me to accept than it should be. Marinette, the girl’s kindness incarnate and is happy you are. I’m happy you’re breaking out of your Mother’s shadow, please don’t doubt that, but first impressions leave a, well, an impression.”
“That’s okay. I’m glad you’re letting me prove myself to you.”
“Always. You’ve helped us fight against a worse evil than you ever were, just know that sometimes I’ll be rude out of context.”
“Considering how many times I was to you, just for the fun of it, go ahead.”
“Teammates?” Alya asked, holding out a hand.
“Roommates,” Chloe corrected, taking it.
“Friends,” Marinette added, coming back into the room.
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