Chapter Text
Meal: I have update
Meal: on butthole man
Foxy: spill
Cara: I don’t wanna hear about this :/
Meal: well, I didn’t wanna see it so sucks
Meal: anyway
Meal: today at school he made a show about how his phone wasn’t ‘working properly’ to me and the other group member
Meal: whined that it had been not correctly calibrated, that it was shutting down randomly, and texting random people
Meal: I looked at the other girl in my group so fast my neck cracked
Meal: and BITCH SHE WAS ALREADY LOOKING AT ME
Meal: so, we’re friends now
Buggy: now that’s a trauma bond
Foxy: you know that’s right
Meal: she’s actually so funny
Meal: we started a gc with the other girls in the class so we could warn them right?
Meal: she started calling him bb or butthole bandit for long
Buggy: pfttttt
Foxy: BUTTHOLE BANDIT
Cara: that’s crazy
KitKat: the plot continues to thivken
—
KitKat: hey bud, are you okay?
KitKat: you and rwna have been weird the last few times I’ve seen you
KitKat: I might be reading into things but I usually don’t notice stuff like this.
KitKat: soooo,
Cara: yeah
Cara: our relationship is strained right now to put it lightly, dude
Cara: it’s civi stuff tho
KitKat: do you wnna talk about ut? You can be vauge
Cara: I’m keeping something from her and she knows that I am. It’s my fault we are having problems but it’s not my secret to tell it’s too important
Cara: I’m not sure I can say anything else.
KitKat: thats not great
Cara: yeah I’m certainly not going to win boyfriend of the year any time soon
KitKat: no no it just sounds like a bad situation
Cara: see that’s where it sucks
Cara: because I’m doing the right thing and I’m keeping her safe
Cara: I’m also hurting her while doing it.
KitKat: now I’m not sure what to say
KitKat: I’m sorry that’s it’s hurting you to protect the people you love
Cara: yeah
Cara: hey thanks for chatting I think I’m gonna turn in though
KitKat: goodnight
—
Foxy: I think we need to talk
Cara: yeah
Foxy: can you meet me somewhere?
Cara: can we do this tomorrow? I’m beat dude
Foxy: fine but know I’m not happy about that
Cara: I didn’t think you would be.
Foxy: did you really just say that to me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Cara: I’m not trying to start a fight
Foxy: doesn’t seem like that
Cara: I’m sorry. I’m just tired.
Foxy: right. Gn
Cara: gn I love you
—
Chloe was not surprised when she was yanked into the empty classroom but did it have to be so early? Seven thirty in the morning?
Alya looked furious and Chloe was honestly relieved when she felt that increasingly more common twinge of guilt at making someone upset. It was a shame that Chloe didn’t have another coping mechanism; besides being a major bitch.
“Good morning Cesaire.” Chloe feigned innocence in the beginning. “What can I do for you?”
“What are you doing hanging around my boyfriend?”
Chloe scoffed and felt guilty immediately afterward. “Is he not allowed to have friends now?”
“Not when it leads to him keeping secrets from me.”
“How possessive of you,” Chloe was smiling and Alya was not. Acting this way felt like trying to force a square into a round hole. “Or are you just feeling left out?”
“Stop answering all my questions with another question!” That actually made Chloe take a pause. Not that she thought Alya was stupid or anything, but she certainly thought Alya was too upset to notice Chloe’s tactics. “What? Are you like, into him or something?”
Chloe actually started to cackle. She had to keep up this attitude now, she was in too deep. “He is absolutely not my type and considering I'm not you, I don’t seem to be his type either. Trust me, be mad but you have nothing like that to worry about.”
“And Marinette too, what are you doing hanging around her? I thought you two hated each other and now suddenly you’re buddy-buddy?” Alya must have felt like the conversation was coming to an end much quicker than she wanted it to. She seemed to be grasping at anything she could to keep it going.
“I contain multitudes Cesaire,” Chloe was still smiling that feline smile at her and could tell it just made her madder. “There is just so much more than meets the eye with me.”
“Are you just doing this to mess with me? I don’t particularly remember doing anything to get on your bad side recently.”
Chloe made a whole show of fake thinking. She needed to be all in. “Not that I can remember either.”
“So why?” Alya resisted the urge to tug at her own hair. “Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to ruin my life?”
“Oh Alya, I can tell you but you aren’t gonna like it.” All in. All in. All in.
“I’m waiting.”
“The real answer is,” Chloe almost didn’t remember to hold a pregnant pause for dramatic effect. “This isn’t about you at all. Unfortunately, the disruption of your life is entirely accidental.” Chloe checked her phone and was so nauseous she had to pretended to read the time. “I’m going to be late so, bye now.”
Once she was out in the hall, Chloe heard a clatter from inside the classroom. She started hacking up a lung outside of the door so the teachers walking by were distracted from the sound Alya was making inside. When she could catch her breath enough to actually check the time, she realized she was actually going to be late.
Chloe couldn’t help but think that the way Alya saw her now was the same way Alix saw her in Marinette's bedroom all those weeks ago. When they had talked for the first time in months.
She knew that she didn’t yet deserve to be seen any other way.
—
Alya: hey babe,,
Alya: we haven’t gotten lunch together in a while, wanna meet up today?
Mari: oh I’m sorry! It has been way too long but I’m just swamped today
Mari: for the rest of the week, too
Mari: but I’ll let you know when I’m free and we can totally meet up then!
Alya: no pressure! I’m sure I’ll see you soon!
Alya: ily
Mari: ily2!!!
—
Foxy: meet me at the end of my patrol
Cara: yeah, I’ll be waiting for you
—
Mari: everyone still good on the plans this evening?
Chlo: translation, everyone ready to get your asses beat tonight under the guise of training?
Chlo: is it believable to say I have plans?
Nins: plans with who? the wall?
Nins: you only hang out with us
Mari: I know yr not doing homework either
Chlo: I was joking damn
Nins: lmao rip
Mari: no backing out, I’m using my lunch break to walk across town and ask the gym owner if she has a ring for me to rent tonight
Chlo: why bother,
Chlo: she’d kick out professional boxers for you to have a ring.
Mari: yeah but I like to be polite and ask
Nins: im down but I have to be out of there by 9:45 Ayla is done patrol at ten and she wants to talk
Nins: I have a bad feeling about this talk
Mari: she wouldn’t do anything drastic, right?
Nins: the fact that you are her best friend and have to ask me that does not make me feel better
Nins: truth is I have no idea what to expect and it’s wigging me out
Chlo: she’s mad mad
Chlo: we had a little chat this morning
Chlo: she pulled me into an empty classroom before I could wiggle away
Chlo: she asked about both of you
Chlo: I don’t think I did it right
Nins: oh no
Mari: what do you mean by didn't do it right?
Chlo: I wasn’t ready
Chlo: i just
Chlo: I felt like she was attacking me and it was so early and I think I was too mean for her to actually listen to what I said
Chlo: let alone believe me
Chlo: I felt like shit the entire time,, I still feel like shit
Chlo: I don’t know any other way to talk to these people
Chlo: that makes them seem like I’m right and they’re wrong and I know that
Chlo: I just don’t know what to do
Nins: Chlo, dude, you are nice to us?
Chlo: right but it’s so different with you and mari !
Chlo: the two of you listened when I needed to talk about something important
Chlo: I know I can’t ask that of them because they have only ever known the evil Chloe but I can’t control it
Chlo: when I know I’m right and people don’t believe me my brain tells me I have to get mean.
Chlo: its counterproductive but I don’t know any other way.
Mari: thank you for telling us this Chloe.
Nins: I feel like I can taste your trauma
Nins: but seriously
Nins: telling others who know what actually should be done in these situations is one of the steps towards learning what actually should be done.
Mari: we are more than willing, or insist, to teach you. We love you and you deserve others that love you as well
Chlo: alright guys don’t get all queer on me
Nins: you are literally lesbian?
—
Alya could smell him before she could see him. When she was Rena, her senses were all heightened and Nino had an amazing smell. Alya can tell he showered before coming over because the scent of his minty deep conditioner and the vanilla of his body butter were particularly strong. They only got worse as she opened the window that led into her bedroom.
“Hey,” he looked awful. Not disheveled necessarily, but he was pale and his eyes were red rimmed and sporting heavy dark circles.
“Hi.” Alya was set to come in guns blazing, but she wasn’t prepared for this. She wasn’t prepared for a Nino that looked so, remorseful? Beaten down? Like he had yelled at himself. “I talked to Chloe this morning.”
“How did that go?” He asked it like he already knew the answer.
“I walked away with more questions than answers.”
“Yeah,” Nino took a deep, shuddering breath. “She’s like that.”
“See, that’s one of my biggest issues. When did you get to a point with Chloe that you know what she’s like?” Alya dropped her transformation and sat next to him on her bed. “And why do you feel like you have to keep it a secret?”
“I do have to keep it a secret.” Nino looked sick to his stomach but Alya’s anger overtook her concern.
“Whatever this thing with Chloe is; is that more important than our relationship? Than the promise you made to me not to keep any secrets?” Alya’s dad up and walked out on the family a few years ago. Her mom had no idea he was planning it and he didn’t even leave a note after he was gone. They didn’t even know he was alive until they saw him in public with another woman. Alya can’t deal with someone who keeps secrets.
“Objectively, yes. I’m sorry.” Alya wanted to feel bad, she really did. Nino looked like he was seconds from throwing up but she had to ask herself: what could possibly be so important? She came up empty.
“Wow. I was expecting at least a little pushback on that.” Alya felt that big green monster of jealousy pounding on her chest.
“I don’t have it in me to lie. Not to you.”
“That’s fucking rich.”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you, I really do.” Nino looked like he was begging. Maybe he was.
“Well you have an interesting way of showing that.” Alya rolled her eyes in Ninos sad faced look. “So, no compromise? No information for me at all?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Then I need some time to, think about this relationship. We need to take a break.”
“If that’s what you need, I understand.”
“Yeah.” Alya had no idea how to finish this interaction. “I’ll see you on missions.” Alya wanted to beg herself. To scream. To tell him to knock it off and they could be together. To at least give her a reason that he had to keep a secret so big.
Nino just got up from the bed and moved towards her door to leave before turning back around one more time. “I’m not going to stop loving you. I know you can’t be with me but you have to know that you always have someone that loves you.”
Nino leaves before she can get a word in to respond. She wouldn’t have had anything to say anyway. Although she feels robbed of the opportunity.
—
KitKat: do you guys think bugs have feelings?
Buggy: I don’t have feelings.
Meal: alright, emo
Meal: but they have been recorded feeling fear and aggression at the very least
Meal: I don’t think they have complex emotions tho
KitKat: I killed a spider in the shower because I was naked and I panicked
Meal: you shower naked? Slut.
KitKat: what if it had a family??
Buggy: I am currently feeling aggression.
Buggy: go to sleep it’s three in the morning.
KitKat: sorry lb
Meal: yes ma’am
—
Cara: am I a slut if I shower in my boxers?
Meal: yes.
Meal: civilized people take coat and tie showers only.
KitKat: I never denied the slut aligations
KitKat: i mean it’s not true but I wouldn deny it because itd make me look cool
Meal: u rite
Cara: for some reason, chat looks so cool rn
KitKat: :)
Buggy: what would the public say if they saw the group chat of the saviors of Paris I wonder
Foxy: based on this I think they’d think we were all sluts
Meal: except for me
Foxy: of course
—